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News / National

by Staff Reporter

A Harare woman - Lucia Chikombe is unsettled as her best friend is after her husband.Chikombe told the court that she was fed up Pretty Mpofu who is plotting to snatch her bubby."I did assault her several times in a bid to stop her from seducing my husband; I was just protecting what rightfully belongs to me."Pretty was my beloved best friend but she betrayed me."She admires the life I am living because my husband brings me all the goodies that I have from South Africa."Your worship, you can grant her the protection order provided she stays away from my husband because she takes advantage of her looks to wreck other peoples marriages" she said.Pretty had rushed to the court to seeking a protection order accusing Lucia of physically abusing her.She said Lucia beats and assault her each time they meet."Every time she mocks me and threatens to end my life with unspecified actions."I have never contacted her husband nor sent her texts," she said.Magistrate Marehwananzo Gofa granted Pretty a protection order.
News / Press Release

by Obert Chaurura Gutu - MDC-T National Spokesperson

In our push for the adoption of far-reaching electoral reforms that will ensure the holding of free and fair elections in 2018, the MDC advocates that no person should be entitled to vote unless his or her name appears on the voters' roll. The voters' roll should close three(3) days before the nomination date and there is therefore no reason why the voters' roll used for elections should not be fully accurate and up to date. This is particularly so given the fact that all voters will be registered at specific polling stations. If the voter has a registration certificate, and it seems that the voter has been erroneously omitted from the voters' roll, there should be an expeditious mechanism which will allow the voter or the presiding officer to check with the electoral headquarters to ascertain whether there has been a mistaken omission of the name of the voter.Voting by illiterate or physically handicapped voters should be carefully handled. There must be a provision that the presiding officer must satisfy himself or herself that a person wishing to vote with the assistance of another person has freely agreed to be assisted by the person concerned and no pressure has been applied on him or her to accept such assistance from the person who is to assist him or her. A blind voter should be able to vote using a braille template or vote with the assistance of a trusted person without the presence of the presiding officer. If an illiterate voter so wishes, he or she should be allowed to vote without being assisted by another person. An illiterate vote should be able to vote without assistance by identifying the political party for whom he or she wishes to vote and by identifying the political party by its symbol and then placing his or her mark in the box provided for voting alongside the candidate or on the box containing the party symbol on the ballot paper or on any other box in the line which contains the box for the candidate of the political party concerned.At each polling station, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) must provide enlarged copies of the ballot paper for use by visually impaired persons and braille voting templates for those who have no eyesight and wish to use such braille voting templates. ZEC must also ensure that all polling stations are accessible to persons with physical disabilities. A presiding officer may not refuse to allow a person with an apparent mental disability to vote unless the voter has been declared to be mentally incompetent in terms of the Mental Health Act provided that a voter may be excluded from a polling station if the voter with an apparent mental disability behaves in a manner which endangers persons inside the polling station or disrupts the voting process.ZEC must engage in an awareness campaign targeting visually impaired and illiterate voters to explain that they may either vote by being assisted by a person of their choice or by marking a ballot paper in the manner provided for in Section 59 of the Electoral Act. Section 107 of the Electoral Act deals with the issue of persons who may vote by post. Section 67(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that every adult Zimbabwean citizen has the right to vote in all elections and Section 155(2) of the Constitution provides that the State is obliged to ensure that all eligible citizens are registered as voters and have an opportunity to vote. The possibility of setting up a system of electronic voting should be explored but there would have to be tight safeguards to ensure that the system is not misused or distorted by hacking etc.The following categories of people are eligible to vote by post or by electronic mail :(a) Persons on duty as a member of a disciplined force or as an electoral officer;(b) Persons in hospital and those at home who are too sick to be able to vote at a polling station on the polling day,(c) Doctors and nursing staff who will be carrying out nursing on the polling day(d) Fire brigade and other emergency and essential service personnel such as ambulance drivers who will be on duty on the polling day(e) Persons incarcerated in prisons(f) Persons on duty in the service of the Government outside Zimbabwe(g) Zimbabwean citizens who are registered voters and who are living, working or studying outside the country(h) Persons outside Zimbabwe as spouses of persons referred to in paragraph (f) and (g) and so unable to vote at a polling station in the constituencyCommanders of disciplined forces must endeavour to allow as many of its force members to vote in person at polling stations in their constituencies on the ordinary polling day and restrict postal votes to security personnel genuinely needed for security duties on polling day. The disciplined forces should not require excessive numbers of personnel to have postal votes. This applies particularly to the police force where in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections, there were unnecessarily large numbers of police officers who required special votes.To avoid intimidation by commanding officers of disciplined force personnel, wherever possible (such as at barracks),ZEC should administer the process and observers should be entitled to observe the process. For persons outside the country, the postal or electronic voting system should be a simpler system to administer than the expensive system of setting up polling stations in central places in foreign countries in which Zimbabweans are residing. There would also need to be comprehensive safeguards to ensure that this system is not abused. Zimbabweans outside the country should also be able to register as voters by post or by email. They would be registered in their place of birth or the place where they were last resident prior to their departure from Zimbabwe and they will then be registered at the appropriate polling station in the constituency.It is apparent that there is still a very long way to go before ZEC can be able to administer a truly free and fair election in Zimbabwe. The MDC will continue to collaborate with other opposition political parties under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) to ensure that the election that will be held in 2018 will be free and fair and that the result of that election should pass the test of legitimacy.
Founder of Known Egg Donors, Genevieve Uys, an international egg donor for seven babies herself, said she came up with the idea when in Brisbane last year to donate eggs to a family she met in online forums. It is an offshoot of her larger Cape Town operation Travelling Donors which was popular with Australian reproductive tourists in Thailand before stricter laws curtailed the industry in the wake of the Baby Gammy scandal in 2014. Uys said the donors wanted to help others conceive and were not motivated by money, although the prospect of going overseas was attractive. "This is not about hopping on a plane and coming on an adventure," she said. "A lot of thought is put into it and both parties know how much emotion is involved. It's not done on a whim." Egg donations in South Africa must be anonymous if done through an agency, but that does not apply if they donate elsewhere, such as Australia, where donors must be known so children can trace their family history.

Australian IVF patients face a chronic shortage of local donors, with strict bans on paid or induced donations. There is not an Australian egg bank, like there is for sperm, although some clinics keep waiting lists of up to seven years long for donor eggs. "We've been aware of the need for egg donors in Australia and it has just taken a really long time to navigate through the correct protocols and regulations," Uys said. "These are all donors who have said that they want to be known and they want to altruistically help couples in Brisbane. The donors and recipients are both really excited." Australian clients of the agency receive a choice of donor profiles, including photos, biographical details and medical histories. Once arrived, the donor women will undergo counselling with the recipients, medical checks, and undergo drug therapy to stimulate their ovaries. But they will also have time to do sightseeing, such as horse riding. "The idea behind a group of girls is that they are together and are able to share in the experience. If they've never travelled before, they don't feel isolated or alone. Some of the girls make lasting friendships on donor trips."

Monash IVF started importing frozen eggs from the US-based World Egg Bank in 2013. However, fresh egg cycles are thought to have an increased success rate over frozen eggs. Fertility Society of Australia head Professor Michael Chapman said this was the first he'd heard of an agency bringing international egg donors to Australia. "It's hard to see that it's not a commercial arrangement and technically that is not allowed," Professor Chapman said. "An inducement to donate such as airfares, potentially violates the guidelines." "Unfortunately there are desperate couples wanting to have babies and prepared to do anything and there are these organisations which will push back the limits of the law. Commercialism drives people to the edge of ethics and safety." However, Ms Uys said her agency was no different from IVF clinics who charge $2000 or more to coordinate donors.
The ACT government's offer to resettle the asylum seekers bound for deportation to Nauru "sends a signal" but is unlikely to be made a reality unless the federal government allowed the group to apply for temporary protection visas.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr was one of five state and territory leaders to declare his support for the 267 asylum seekers waiting to be flown back to Nauru, saying on Monday the ACT would welcome the families.

"Samuel" soon after he was born in Australia.

A senior academic in the Australian National University College of Law Marianne Dickie said the political declarations would put added pressure on the federal government to act responsibly in a humane way.

While the outcry may delay the deportation of some of the asylum seekers, she said it was unlikely to improve their overall chances of staying unless the bar on temporary protection visas was lifted.
Dogs that belonged to a Canberra man who admitted to nearly 100 offences related to animals in his care were underweight, underfed and suffered hair loss and fly bites that had scabbed over, a court has heard.

Stefan Trpcevski, 35, has pleaded guilty to 99 charges and is currently before the ACT Magistrates Court.

Authorities previously said they found 27 dogs in varying states of neglect when they raided two properties in Macquarie and Ainslie late in 2013.

Trpcevski was charged with numerous offences ranging from failing to provide animals with adequate food and water, to failure to seek veterinary treatment and keeping dogs that were unregistered or not de-sexed.

Vets at the RSPCA shelter in Weston, who assessed several animals seized from the Ainslie home at the time, spoke of the animals' poor health during a sentencing hearing on Monday.
The man at the helm of Rio Tinto's booming bauxite business has left the company, as the miner's cost cutting drive continues to trim its executive ranks.

Phillip Strachan had been Rio's chief executive of bauxite and alumina based out of Brisbane in recent years, but his role will now be absorbed by Pacific Aluminium chief executive Bruce Cox.

Rio Tinto's shares closed higher on Monday at $42.53. Credit:Bloomberg

The change comes barely three months after Rio announced it would go ahead with a major expansion of its bauxite export business near Weipa in Queensland.

Despite Mr Strachan managing the bauxite and alumina business, it is understood the development of Rio's $US1.9 billion ($2.7 billion) Queensland bauxite expansion is being managed by technology and innovation boss Greg Lilleyman.
JB Hi-Fi's boss says the collapse of rival electronic retailer Dick Smith has reinforced his view that his company has the right strategy in carrying a diverse range and not investing too heavily in private label products.

Chief executive Richard Murray also said JB Hi-Fi would make the most of any opportunity to gain market share if Dick Smith could not be sold and closed.

One analyst suggested that scenario could net it as much as $106 million in extra sales a year.

JB Hi-Fi upgraded its 2016 profit forecast on Monday off the back of strong sales growth in the second half of last year, especially in November and December, during the all-important Christmas and Boxing Day sales period.
Beer and dairy group Lion will cut 39 jobs from its James Boag brewery in Tasmania as part of an overhaul of its national beer production.

Lion, which is owned by Japanese giant Kirin Corporation, revealed the plans on Monday as it prepares to take away 20 million litres of annual beer production of some of its national brands from the Launceston plant and transfer it to other breweries on the mainland which are under-utilised. This will leave the James Boag brewery producing 36 million litres of beer annually from the plant by the end of September, 2016 when the transition is due to be completed.

Lion's James Boag brewery will have 39 jobs cut as 20 million litres of beer production gets transferred to the mainland from Tasmania. James Boag had a lavish marquee at the Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne. Credit:Graham Denholm

Lion's managing director of beer, wine and spirits, James Brindley, said on Monday that Lion, which makes big-selling beers including XXXX Gold, Tooheys and West End, had extra room in its national network of production facilities.

"We have capacity in our national network and the Boag's brewery in its current format is also under-utilised," Mr Brindley said.
The state government, in expensive, taxpayer-funded ads, claims the local government reform process now reaching its conclusion is all about better services for our communities. The government has not provided sufficient evidence to support these claims.

I was mayor of North Sydney for 17 years, president of the NSW Local Government Association for six years and president of the Australian Local Government Association for two years. In these roles I've seen many amalgamations processes in this state and other states in Australia. I was very supportive of the NSW reform process when it began with a meeting of all mayors in Dubbo more than four years ago. It started as a genuine reform process but it has gone off the rails under Premier Mike Baird and the Minister for Local Government Paul Toole.

Protesters rally against forced amalgamations. Credit:Peter Rae

Let me emphasise I am not against reform of local government. It is desperately needed, particularly in the way councils are funded which is via a method of taxation from the Victorian-era, that is, property taxes. This means wealthy communities like my own are disproportionately well off and poorer communities, particularly in rural and regional areas, are starved of funding.

Precisely because the cost of amalgamations is significant there should be sound, independent, empirical evidence that communities will accrue corresponding financial benefits. According to the government there is such evidence but it is refusing to make the properly detailed report public, which does make you wonder whether the evidence exists.
Australia is known as a desirable place to live. It has the freedoms most associate with a Western democracy. But Australian state and territory governments are moving toward criminal association or consorting laws as a means of crime management, particularly in relation to organised crime.

Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have introduced these restrictive laws. But are the laws justified? Are they an efficient and effective way to combat organised crime?

Consorting laws have been introduced under the pretext of combating organised crime  including that committed by bikie gangs. Credit:Paul Rovere

Not new  just previously unused

Consorting laws are designed to stop perceived risk populations from social transactions among each other. In effect, it is policing someone because of who they are, not on the basis of any criminal activity they may be doing. They aim to pre-empt any offences.
News / Regional

by Leonard Ncube

VETERAN freedom fighter, Jane Ngwenya, has said individualism has infiltrated Zanu-PF leading to infighting that was diverting the party from what it fought for.Ngwenya, who turns 81 in June, lives at an old people's home in Bulawayo and was in Victoria Falls on holiday between Tuesday and Saturday.She told The Chronicle on Saturday that events happening in the party where members were fighting each other was a sign that the party had lost its values.Ngwenya said it seems that some individuals were bent on destroying what she and other cadres went to war for."People should be reminded that the Unity Accord wasn't a one day thing but a process that started during the war. It wasn't about Zapu or Zanu but about Zimbabwe which is why we had a Joint National Command," she said as she chronicled events of the liberation struggle.Ngwenya who survived a bomb attack that killed national hero Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo in Lusaka in 1977, said the signing of the Unity Accord in 1987 was "just cementing what had long been started.""The problem is that there are people who are after destroying the party. We could be going through challenges but umtwana akazalwa namhla evuke esehamba (development is a process) which all countries passed through."We shouldn't allow the enemy to infiltrate and destroy us. Let's be united and do away with individualism, it's a disease. What we hear about people fighting on a daily basis isn't what we went to war for," she said.The revolutionary party has in the last few weeks witnessed its members involved in verbal wars, a develop that has been linked to factionalism which the party has vowed to weed out.Ngwenya said despite ill-health, she was still politically active "in heart and in the mind."She said the enemies which nationalists went to war to fight "will never sleep" as they still want to colonise the country.Ngwenya left the country in 1970 to join the war in Zambia after spending eight years in jail and detention camps.Obert Mpofu, who was among those who hosted Ngwenya, said those fighting each other from within the party lacked the orientation of party elders."If you look at what's happening at the moment it all shows anti-development agendas. Those who understand the war aren't fighting and aren't part of this noise. All those who are lost have no orientation from the elders and forget that this has its roots in these elders who we should respect and be disciplined," he said.Mpofu who is the party's Secretary for Economic Affairs warned against "allowing the enemy to divide us through those without proper orientation."He castigated the media for chasing anti-developmental stories more than the real issues that build the country.
"I received a Fitbit for Christmas," reports Michelle Graham, of Hamlyn Terrace. "I finally got round to wearing it, and discovered that overnight I had walked some 173 steps. I even accumulate steps whilst I'm driving."

"How's this for a ridiculous (and unfair) charge?" writes Michael Morton-Evans, of Mosman (a "processing and handling" levy topped off with an "issuance fee", Column 8, Monday). "My son, who is confined to a wheelchair, bought a wardrobe from IKEA last week. In addition to the delivery fee, he was charged $50 for 'getting the components off the shelf'."

The ghastly word "issuance" was created by a retailer, but Column 8 has been charged with a similar offence. "Was the appearance of 'abbreviationative' on Monday a typo, or was Column 8 aiding and abetting contributor Gary Hay in the commission of the crime of making up words?" inquires Col Shephard, of Yamba. James Caldwell, of Lane Cove, joins the fray, and huffs "Abbreviationative? My search for instances of this word in literature has yielded but one: Column 8 8/2/16. Another first for Column 8, and very slick indexing work by the bots at Google. Could there be an abbreviative form that would suffice?" We confess  sometimes we allow readers to run a new word up the flagpole just for fun. But no one has saluted "abbreviationative", so we're furiously pulling on the ropes and bringing it down.

Similarly but different, here is a genuine typo, and a fine one too, from a press release passed on by a colleague. "Minister for Health Sussan Ley announced that, as part of the Turnbull government's private health insurance consultation, prostheses reform would be made a 'priority' through the establishment of an industry working group compromising health insurers, device manufacturers, hospitals, clinicians and consumers." (Our italics, so as not to create confusion with "Sussan", which is the correct spelling of the Minister's first name.)

Still on jumbled verbiage, Graham Link, of Surry Hills, writes: "It's gratifying to realise that, according to a notice halfway up the Barrenjoey access track, the ongoing upgrade there is the product of 'pain staking' work. I'd stake my life that this is the result of not taking pains to proofread, rather than trusting spellcheck." Pain staking? Ouch!
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' offer to the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, to accept refugees due to be returned to Nauru in his state should not be an extraordinary action. It should not amaze. It should not make people, like me, read his letter twice to make sure I had read it correctly. It should not be extraordinary, but it is.

What should be extraordinary is violations of the UNHCR's Refugee Convention, returning vulnerable people to a place of harm. This should be extraordinary, But it is not.

In twenty-first century Australian politics, bipartisan cycles of 'tough action' on our borders have delivered increasing acts of callous inhumanity. The Coalition and Labor have been implicated in this chain reaction. The reflex of both to criticism from the other has been to harden their stance, to normalise harsher methods, to transform more of the extraordinary into the ordinary.

Daniel Andrews' offer has hit a nerve among many who feel completely disenfranchised by the current discourse on asylum seekers and refugees, not just in Victoria, but all across Australia. Spurred by the High Court's decision last week, this is evident in the offer of Churches to grant sanctuary to refugees. In protests and vigils thousands of people are calling for refugees not to be returned to Nauru. The hashtag #LetThemStay has trended on Twitter as people vent their opposition to the proposed return.
The opposition to light rail comes from those who see political advantage, from those who oppose densification of Canberra, and from those opposed to providing public infrastructure that they will not personally use. It does not come from those who want to see a low-cost, high-value, integrated transport system for all of Canberra. Kevin Cox, Ngunnawal In 2011, the public transport share of ACT trips to work was 7.8 per cent. Labor's policy statement on October 15, 2012, "committed to increasing the public transport share of all work trips to 10.5per cent by 2016".

By 2014, that share had fallen to 7.1per cent and the policy statement had disappeared from Labor's website. It recently reappeared in response to questions about a different Labor election commitment. But it soon disappeared again after it was used to remind Labor of its commitment to 10.5per cent by 2016. Leon Arundell, Downer Alan Wilson (Letters, February 5) suggests the light-rail project be put on hold until after the Assembly election later this year. I would go one further and suggest a referendum be held on light rail in conjunction with the election. Light rail is looming as the major election issue.

While Labor's Simon Corbell says there is majority community support for the ACT government's light-rail proposal, there are many who doubt this. There are some who think Labor is likely to lose the election over this issue. Labor voters opposed to light rail face a dilemma in that their normal alternative would be to vote for the Greens. However, it was Labor's need to obtain the support of the Greens after the last election that has led to the light-rail proposal being promoted. A referendum at the time of the next election would make light rail a non-party-political issue and permit people to cast their vote based on policies other than light rail.

Dick Roe, Cook It might come as a surprise to Dennis O'Brien (Letters, February 6) but George Beaton wasn't the only Labor voter to miscalculate or misinterpret Labor's light-rail intentions 40-plus months ago. A few naive souls may have been misled by Labor's farcical suggestions that the private sector might fund the proposal, while others no doubt expected a responsible incoming government to prioritise its commitments according to the prevailing economic conditions  as has been done for decades. Unfortunately, in 2012, then Labor leader Katy Gallagher didn't expect to have to prostrate herself before the lone Green member in the Assembly in order to form government, so intelligent decision-making was quickly trumped by expediency. Interestingly, the vote for the Greens, who had light rail as their major platform in 2012, went from 15.6per cent of the vote to 10.7per cent. No doubt the reduced quota numbers due to the expanded Assembly will make a difference to its make-up but, equally, some Labor voters, myself included, will be extremely keen to ensure that grovelling to Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury is not part of the formation of the next government  one way or the other.

Jon Stirzaker, Latham Impact on bus services In criticising suggested selected-grade separated intersections for express buses (as an alternative to the likely $1billion Civic-Gungahlin tram system), David Flannery (Letters, February 4) forgets that you get a lot of change out of a billion for a few flyovers or underpasses. Projecting that $1billion over the proposed Canberra-wide fixed-route tram system, existing bus services will most certainly be slashed to help pay for it, thus proliferating urban blight and inequitable land values. Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Submarines doomed The navy concedes it can't crew even the few submarines that it can keep at sea now ("Navy digs deep to keep submariners down below", February 5, p1). Yet it persists in advising the government to waste more than $40billion on a larger number of these outdated craft because it can't bring itself to accept the bleeding obvious: that by the time the new boats are in service, the sea in which they operate will be heavily patrolled by relatively cheap submersible drones that render the submarines' supposed stealth and effectiveness an illusion. If we must spend so much money on defence, could we at least spend it on hardware that has some prospect of survival in the battle space? Better still, spend it on a very-fast, east-coast rail link instead  something genuinely useful to Australia.

Chris Whyte, Higgins What did he expect? Quelle horreur: Labor senator Sam Dastyari has just discovered that Australian politics is dominated by a corporate oligopoly, including our major banks, miners, grocers and telcos ("Labor senator Sam Dastyari claims that 10 companies have taken control of Australian politics", February 5, online). Given that Dastyari is still catching up with the rest of us, perhaps one of his colleagues might educate him on the central role played by his party in enabling that to happen? John Richardson,

Wallagoot, NSW New depths for Pell How sad to see Cardinal George Pell employing the Christopher Skase defence ("Pell 'too ill to fly' for abuse inquiry", February 6, p9). John Daly, Lyons It's no illusion, fossil fuels are not needed

The claim by political scientist Don Aitkin ("Feeling good about illusions", February 7, Times2, p1)  that regions with 100per cent renewable electricity need back-up from fossil fuels  has been refuted by both practical experience and detailed computer simulations. Two German states already operate on 100per cent net renewable energy, mostly wind. The "net" indicates trading electricity with each other and their neighbours. South Australia generates 40per cent of its electricity from wind and solar and, as a result, is retiring its two coal-fired power stations. The quantity of traded electricity is relatively small.

University of NSW researchers have been conducting computer simulations of 100per cent renewable electricity for the national electricity market, which includes the ACT. The simulations are based on real hourly data on demand, wind and sunshine spanning eight years. The technologies are all commercially available and could be scaled up rapidly. The studies show that 100per cent renewable electricity would be reliable and affordable. Base-load power stations are not needed and the amount of storage in the system is quite small.

Similar results, with different mixes of renewable energy technologies, have been obtained by the Australian Energy Market Operator and by overseas studies for European countries and the US. The barriers to renewable energy are no longer technological or economic. Associate Professor Mark Diesendorf, University of NSW Raising GST regressive, time to focus on taxing the wealthy

It appears the Turnbull government has seen the light and decided against raising the GST, a regressive tax. One would hope that good economic sense has now been focused on tax breaks that benefit the wealthy, such as multi-national tax avoidance, overly generous superannuation concessions, or negative gearing coupled with discounted capital gains provisions. Unfortunately, it seems more likely that the Coalition Government has imagined a light rather than seen one. The imagined light is the one in danger of being switched off in marginal Coalition-held electorate offices after a "GST election". The light of political expediency has trumped that of sound economic management yet again. When will we be able to see good government rather than having to imagine it? Harry Samios O'Connor

Need to be fair Mikayla Novak's reporting of the confusion in Oxfam's arguments on addressing wealth inequality ("Not all people are equal", February 6, Opinion, p7) seems to me somewhat confused also. She says the Oxfam proposition is that tax havens should cease and desist and that tax avoiders (individuals and firms) should be more severely punished. She then goes on to explain at length why higher taxes are counterproductive to fairer wealth distribution. True, but que? How is cracking down on tax evasion (particularly by the uber-rich) the same as raising tax rates?

Recent reporting on the payment of taxes by individuals and firms around the globe, while complicated by the need to encourage opportunity and growth and to have even playing fields, makes for some pretty ugly reading. As Bob Dylan once said, "steal a little and they throw you in jail; steal a lot and the make you a king". David Barratt, Yarralumla Mikayla Novak suggests less regulation, and less tax for big companies, not more, is the solution to growing inequality. The reality is that a largely lawless global system of taxation has seen the poorest countries lose at least $100 billion a year due to tax dodging and profit shifting.

Take the example of Sierra Leone, where low tax "breaks", argued for by large companies, were equivalent to 59per cent of the country's national budget in 2012. Companies should pay their fair share of tax and not seek such tax breaks, especially in the poorest countries in the world, and governments should not offer them. Transparent, working tax systems fund the things that people need: health, education, and infrastructure. The IMF agrees that funding these things properly will not only boost equality, but also boost growth. Suggesting transparent laws and fair tax systems are not needed is not only wrong, for many poor people it is downright dangerous.

Regarding the inclusion of people in debt in Oxfam's calculations, when negative wealth is included the top 1per cent have 50.1per cent of global wealth  when it is excluded, their share is 49.8per cent. This minute difference does not change the story of extreme inequality. Helen Szoke, chief executive, Oxfam Flagging respect

I checked the meaning of "revere", just to be safe, and I think anyone who reveres a flag possibly needs a bit of fun poked at them (P.S.Wilkins' letter, February 6). Flags are symbols, and it is what they represent that deserves respect, or opprobrium, or even sometimes ridicule, not necessarily the piece of cloth itself. I look forward to the day when "vexillophiles" loudly object to the wearing of the Australian flag image on thongs, boxer shorts and bikinis, to choose just a few rather disrespectful examples. Then perhaps their outrage may be taken more seriously. Peter Marshall,

Captains Flat, NSW Priorities revealed Now we can be certain of where editorial priorities lie. Colour photos on pages 1 and 4, with a sympathetic reporting of a racist gathering ("Rally reclaims the stage", February 7). Did anyone see any report of Thursday's largest-ever gathering in support of the 237 refugees now in danger of deportation after the High Court's decision? Bob Gardiner, Isabella Plains

Statements of intent As president of VoteCanberra, I wish to provide some further information following Kirsten Lawson's article ("Independents prepare no-policy party", February 6, p2). While VoteCanberra as an organisation will not stipulate policies that its candidates must support, our pre-selection process will require candidates to provide a public, written statement about why they wish to represent VoteCanberra and a commitment not to form a coalition (as anticipated by Michael Moore). All of VoteCanberra's eligible members will then be able to consider those statements before selecting VoteCanberra's candidates, and Canberra's voters can of course consider them and other public statements by VoteCanberra candidates before voting for the Assembly. In addition, the fact that any voter can join VoteCanberra, stand for preselection if they wish, and have an equal say in the preselection process, should improve diversity and independence in the Assembly.

Currently, the traditional political parties select nearly all of the candidates, and the only role for the vast majority of voters is to select between the people  nearly always party insiders, former political staffers, etc  picked by the parties. VoteCanberra doubts the parties will necessarily include the best 25 people to take decisions for Canberra in the Assembly. But to secure a positive change, the community must stand up  VoteCanberra is an opportunity. Bruce Paine, president, VoteCanberra.org.au TO THE POINT DOLL OVER-REACTION

One person's confected and hysterical outrage at coloured dolls being displayed for sale, and the dolls are removed from the hospital kiosk ("Hospital golliwogs taken off the shelves after online outcry", February 5, p2). Can the complainant, Emma Woolley, explain how these dolls "increase the barriers Aboriginals face"? And what are the barriers in the ACT that Aborigines encounter when accessing healthcare? Owen Reid, Dunlop GOLLIWOGS LOVED If golliwogs promoted or encouraged racial hatred or ridicule the stance taken by Canberra Hospital in banning them would be laudable. But they do not. For decades, gollies have been much loved by and a source of comfort to children, comparable only to teddies. To ban them seems to send some sort of twisted, reverse-racist message that being black is so awful and embarrassing that we must never acknowledge it. On the contrary, black is beautiful. Leave golliwogs alone! Judith Erskine, Belconnen

TURNING A BLIND EYE? As a lawyer, surely the Prime Minister concedes it is not lawful to lock up people without trial ("Detention ruling pressures PM", February4, p1). It is far worse that under his care and control they can be mentally and physically abused. Gerry Gillespie, Queanbeyan, NSW POLITICAL POTENTIAL It's been mooted that Stan Grant should enter Parliament. I think he would be a real asset. So, too, would Waleed Aly  confirmed for me by his latest superb commentary ("Nauru tests our integrity", February 5, Times2, p1). But their real value would be as independents, unshackled to either of the effete major parties. That I would really like to see.

Eric Hunter, Cook SAME OLD, SAME OLD The country expected a sea change from Abbott government to Turnbull government, as promised by Malcolm Turnbull when he wrested the captaincy from Abbott. Captain Turnbull has made only one change so far: the discontinuation of the imperial honour system. Nothing else. Sankar Kumar Chatterjee, Evatt BUS STOP ENIGMA
After North Korea tested a ballistic missile on the weekend, worried nations searched for new ways to respond to an old fear  the fear that the rogue nation will one day have a nuclear bomb and a missile capable of delivering it.

And the most worried country found one. The front-line target state, South Korea, whose president is denounced by Pyongyang as a "rabid dog" and an "old prostitute", announced that it has decided to formally start talks with its great ally, the US, to install a missile defence shield.

Illustration: John Shakespeare

This may sound like a basic precaution and a bit obvious for a country that lives at close quarters with perhaps the most dangerously erratic nation on earth. But while South Korea has been attracted to this idea for years, it kept dithering for fear that it would upset its big neighbour and trading partner, China. Which it will. Big time.

For comparative purposes, recall what happened when the US did something similar in Eastern Europe. When the US said in 2007 that it would deploy a missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic, it created a fundamental rupture with Russia.
One person killed, injured or living in fear of domestic violence is one too many. Yet more than 200 people have been murdered by partners in NSW alone since 2010. Thousands have been raped and indecently assaulted. There's countless times that many have been hit or cut or bashed or harassed. And they are only the ones who have been able to report the treatment they have endured at the hands of alleged loved ones.

When victims seek court help to stay safe, they can be reasonably confident of success. Not always, though.

Australia has made progress in tackling the causes of domestic violence, but can the system be any better?

In NSW each year about 3000 people  mainly men  breach Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders taken out against them. More than one in four of those offenders has defied an order before and more than half have appeared in court on other matters involving violence.

Australia has made progress in tackling the causes of domestic violence: male attitudes, substance abuse, mental illness, poverty, welfare dependency and criminal recidivism. ADVOs are an important tool. But occasionally a personal story raises the question: can the system be any better?
As Sydney's population heads towards that of other global cities such as London and Paris, we need to accelerate the move to a metro public transport system that matches the networks these global cities have.

The success of the Paris, London, New York and Tokyo metro systems comes from the urban densities that provide the patronage that makes rapid transit feasible and justifiable. How can Sydney retrofit Paris or New York-like densities in locations where a metro makes sense?

Global cities like London and Paris have population density that can support metro public transport. Credit:iStock

The answer is to find large inner city sites where new urban development can create sufficient density to justify a new metro station.

A detailed examination of recent government plans and announcements provides evidence of redevelopment sites that could each sustain a new centre of more than 20,000 people. Remarkably, four of these sites are located on an east-west line from Sydney's CBD to Parramatta's CBD, and each site could be defined by towers up to 60 storeys in height.
The argument for safe and modern train services is not contested. The argument to remove dangerous level crossings is equally not contested. We need safe, efficient, swift and easily maintained train services, both for commuters and the business community, and we urge the Andrews government to progress with improving the network.

But initial consultations about removing level crossings on the south-eastern corridor generated an expectation, at least for some in the affected communities, that the government would cut trenches to keep rail lines below street level.

The proposal to build a "sky-train", as the government prettily terms it, was floated in January, as The Age reported then. But until now, there was no indication that concrete flyovers extending for kilometres were the preferred option.

Several issues concern us about the government's proposed elevated rail project on the Caulfield to Dandenong route: the opaque consultation with residents and traders, the aesthetic value of the proposed structure, the constraints on future expansion, and what we suspect is a cost trade-off. On each, the government has much to answer.
This is the first in a series first published on The Conversation examining hidden women's conditions.

I think it would be folly to expect that women will ever dominate or even approach equal representation in a large number of areas simply because their aptitudes, abilities, and interests are different for physiological reasons.

Girls are socialised early and told normal functions of the female body must be spoken of, if at all, in strictest privacy, indirectly, and not to men.

So said Tony Abbott when he was a university student, reflecting the historical view that men's bodies are the standard from which women's deviate. As prime minister and minister for women, Mr Abbott refused to say he had changed his opinion.

Given this traditional acceptance of a woman's body as inferior, when it malfunctions it can produce an acute sense of shame. No wonder then that women often find it embarrassing to deal with problems "down there".
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live three days before the New Hampshire primary, appearing in a skit with host Larry David, the comic who has done a dead-on impersonation of him.

The US comedy show resisted the temptation to have the Vermont US senator appear next to David as he was playing him, however. Sanders portrayed a passenger on an endangered ship who argued with David about who should be allowed on a lifeboat.

Sanders is the third presidential candidate to appear on SNL this season. Fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton made an appearance last fall, and Republican Donald Trump hosted in November.
Shark mitigation programs on NSW beaches have no statistical impact on the number of shark attacks, new analysis to be aired on ABC's Four Corners has found.

The analysis of 50 years of data, by Associate Professor Laurie Laurenson from Deakin University's School of Life and Environmental Sciences, is the first to determine that there is no link between the number of sharks and the number of attacks in a localised area.

Despite being the product of an unpublished paper, which has no guarantee of being published, the findings are the subject of a report to be aired on Four Corners on Monday evening.

"We've looked at a long time frame of data and the underlying assumption of the netting programs or drum line programs is that if you reduce the number of sharks you will reduce the numbers of attacks. That has been the primary justification for the use of these programs over the best part of 70 years," Mr Laurenson said.
Opinion / Columnist

If I had to name the greatest challenge of our generation since Zimbabwe attained her independence in 1980 then, without a moment's hesitation, it is our failure to stop Mugabe imposing this corrupt and tyrannical one party state dictatorship. And, until we bite the bullet and end the dictatorship this nation is destined to remain in this political and economic hell-on-earth Mugabe has dragged us into!Back in 1980 the nation had the choice of becoming a democratic nation in which the freedoms and basic human rights, including the right to free and fair elections and the right to life itself, were upheld and guaranteed for all Zimbabweans. Mugabe enticed us to take our eyes off the democratic goal with a promise of mass prosperity, "gutsa ruzhinji" in Shona.After 36 years of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and Mafia thuggery mass prosperity has turned into mass poverty. As the national economy started to sink Mugabe has become more and more repressive in a desperate effort to hold on to power; the regime has never held free and fair elections and used brute violence include the politically motivated murder of over 30 000 Zimbabweans.The political and economic situation is now so bad; it is socially and politically unsustainable. The nation is once again looking at implementing the democratic reforms necessary to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship and thus restore the freedoms and human rights Mugabe has systematically denied our people as the only way out of this hell.History has the habit of repeating itself; Zimbabweans took their eyes off the democratic ball in 1980 because Mugabe promised them gutsa ruzhinji, they are in serious danger of taking their eyes off the ball again in pursuit of equally deliverable economic boom from the likes of Vince Musewe."Political power without principled leadership is dangerous. Absolute power corrupts absolutely while absolute poverty disempowers absolutely. This, we have seen here in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe we want is significantly different from the past and the present. However, if we are to get there we must think anew," argued Vince Musewe in his latest bid to convince Zimbabweans that he has the key out of hell. (Nehanda Radio opinion)"The leaders we want must promote a compelling national vision for our country driven by purpose and action. Leadership must be a privilege for those who have the competency to lead, and not a politically acquired right. If we assume that indeed we can get such leaders in Zimbabwe, the question would be; what should we expect them to do in order for Zimbabwe to rise?"Vince has not been found wanting in giving details of what his visionary leaders can accomplish, unlike Mugabe's vague gutsa ruzhinji Musewe has the numbers; he is promising to grow Zimbabwe economy from the present $15 billion GDP to $ 1 000 billion in 30 years. A Guinness World Record never achieved in human history.The big question is where is he getting these visionary leaders to deliver his economic boom? All we see right across the political divide are incompetent and corrupt leaders!What Musewe, like Mugabe before him, has failed to see and appreciate is the role Zimbabwe's de facto one-party dictatorship has played in the country's failure to produce quality leaders. The dictatorship stifled all meaningful debate and democratic competition in public and within the ruling party Zanu PF itself; this is the oxygen people need to strive to great heights and, without it, complacency and mediocrity set in.Musewe is asking us to "assume" he will get the quality leaders we want. Why assume, we already know what we need to do to get the quality leaders  implement the democratic 2008 GPA reforms! Musewe has given the most fallacious argument ever why we cannot implement the reforms.Mugabe will never implement the GPA reforms because it would be "political suicide" for the tyrant, Musewe maintains. Of course, Mugabe would be committing political suicide to agree to democratic reforms; he is a murderous tyrant for Pete's sake! Since when has any tyrant ever conceded to give up power without being forced to.If you are serious about freedom and dignity of all man then you do not ask whether to abolish slavery because you will never get the slave and slave master to agree. You ask each whether they would ever give up their freedom and liberty to be a slave.It is tempting, especially in Zimbabwe's current economic situation, to take away one's eyes from the ball of implementing the democratic reforms and end the tyrannical dictatorship. Democracy will deliver two things for the nation:1) Democracy will not deliver quality and visionary leaders every time, that will depend on such leaders being there and there being the quality electorate to find them. What democracy will do is do the next best thing, find best there is at the time at least most of the time.2) Democracy offers the nation the chance to learn from its past mistakes and to put things right unlike the dictatorship in which the nation will be stuck in a rut for 36 years and counting, as is our present case with Zanu PF.Zimbabwe has had at least two clear chances to pick a just and progressive system of government, in 1980 and then during the GNU 2008 to 2013; we have wasted both these chances. The political chaos and economic meltdown the country is going through is unsustainable and thus offering us another chance to demand meaningful change, the only silver-lining on the stormy clouds; we was not waste this chance too!
A High Court ruling last week that the offshore detention regime was lawful meant the department was "on very clear legal footing", but saying "you all have to leave in one planeload" was not appropriate or sensible, he said. Later, Mr Pezzullo told the hearing that "everyone will go back in due course" if there was no reason to keep them in Australia, and that the department, not doctors, had the final say on who should be returned. He said as medical facilities at Nauru improved "there will be less and less requirement to repatriate people to Australia" for treatment, adding that a $26 million upgrade to Nauru hospital would include including cancer, pediatric and obstetrics services. Children in detention has 'deleterious' effect In the hearing, the department's chief medical officer Dr Brayley, admitted keeping children behind wire has a "deleterious" effect on their mental health, and revealed the parents of most children detained in Australia and Nauru have reported their children display abnormal behaviour.

"The scientific evidence is that detention affects the mental state of children. It's deleterious and wherever possible children should not be in detention," he said. Dr Brayley said this effect had been measured in a number of ways, including by tools used by the Australian Human Rights Commission, which he described as "robust". As Fairfax Media reported last week, the commission found that 95 per cent of asylum-seeker children who had lived at Nauru are at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder,



Dr Brayley said the department uses a "strengths and difficulties" questionnaire commonly used in mental health in Australia. It involved 25 items covering emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity and inattention, peer relationship problems and pro-social behaviours. Parents complete the questionnaire for children aged under 11, while older children respond themselves.

Dr Brayley said the parents of 45 children in Australian detention centres completed the assessment, and 67 per cent scored their child in the abnormal category. Of 18 children aged 11 to 17 years who self-reported, 33 per cent scored as abnormal and 22 per cent were in the borderline category. Explaining the discrepancy, Dr Brayley said parents will often recognise problems in their children that children themselves cannot identify. At Nauru 71 per cent of parents scored their child as abnormal, and 16 per cent of older children scored themselves as abnormal. Some 25 per cent categorised themselves as borderline. He added that the government was trying to remove children from detention.



Mr Pezzullo said the question of keeping children in detention "is a factual matter that has to be determined in each case".

He said a blanket policy that no child could be kept in detention "opens the door for many more to arrive". Later, Mr Pezzullo conceded that "prolonged periods of detention is in no-one's interest". As Fairfax Media reported last month, the time asylum seekers spend in Australian detention centres has blown out to a record high under the Turnbull government. The government says it has reduced the number of children in detention from more than 2000 under Labor to fewer than 100. Cabinet leak referred to police Meantime, it emerged that immigration officials have called in the Australian Federal Police over an internal leaked document that suggested Australia's humanitarian program could face much greater scrutiny and be denied direct access to permanent residency.

As reported by the ABC and Fairfax Media last week, a sensitive draft cabinet document revealed a raft of dramatic measures being considered by the Turnbull government, including subjecting the 12,000 refugees to be taken from Syria and Iraq to more stringent character, identity and security checks than European countries and changing the make-up of the intake to minimise the risk of "extremist infiltration". The document, prepared by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's department, said the minister will bring forward the proposals in the first half of this year to "mitigate radicalisation risks" of new humanitarian arrivals. Mr Pezzullo confirmed the leak had been referred to the AFP as "potential criminal breach", that could result in a jail term. Following the leak, a spokesperson for Mr Dutton would not say if he supported the proposals, telling Fairfax Media "this is a draft document which has not been seen by the minister or his staff - nothing more."



On Monday Mr Pezzullo said said he "can't rule out  discussions over the telephone or other oral discussions" between departmental officers and the minister's office over the document. He said the document was a "come-back" in response to an earlier decision of cabinet's national security committee.

Department official Rachel Noble said her staff had conversations with the minister's advisers over the "process" for the preparation of the document, including when it should be prepared. Child rape claim denied Mr Pezzullo also denied reports that first emerged on the ABC, alleging that a five-year-old child who had been raped at Nauru was among those awaiting return. "There is no five-year-old child  it's a figment," he said, adding the pediatrician who took part in the broadcast, Karen Zwi, "has conveyed to the department she doesn't understand how the reference to a five-year-old child emerged". He said some media reporting of the asylum seeker issue was "advocacy parading as journalism" and "pamphleteering of an almost political nature" which bent the facts.

Department official Cheryl-anne Moy said the incident involved "physical skin-to-skin contact" and the child was "more than double the age of five". She said the attacker was another child transferee. The allegations were raised by the child's parent, the family was supported with medical, welfare and counselling assistance and the child was moved to Australia for treatment. The boy is living in the community with family in NSW, she said. Nauru asylum seekers yet to be processed Department officials confirmed 357 asylum seekers at Nauru are yet to have their refugee claims processed. This is despite the Nauru government saying last October that there were 600 remaining refugee claims, and they would be processed "within the next week". Asked to explain the outstanding refugee claims, Mr Pezzullo said "perhaps there's a capacity issue  you could argue they have done extraordinarily well" by processing 840 refugee claims so far.
Longstanding tax breaks for superannuation contributions and investment properties are in the frame as the Turnbull government scrambles for alternative revenue sources to fund vote-winning income tax cuts in the next election.

And Australia's notoriously complicated system of work expense deductions could also be scrapped to be replaced with lower marginal income tax rates and an end to laborious tax return forms for countless taxpayers.

The 'plan B' switch follows Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's weekend announcement effectively removing the GST hike to 15 per cent from "the table" and thus leaving the government with fewer options and a significantly smaller revenue pie to distribute.
Embattled Turnbull government minister Stuart Robert has fresh questions to answer after revelations he met with a Chinese government minister during his secretive 2014 trip to Beijing, the opposition says.

Mr Robert's frontbench future is under a cloud for his role at a signing ceremony for a mining deal between his close friend and major Liberal Party donor Paul Marks and Chinese government-owned company Minmetals.

Labor has accused Mr Robert, who was then assistant defence minister, of a conflict of interest and breaching ministerial guidelines by misusing his public office. Mr Robert owns shares in Mr Mark's other companies.
Early on the warm morning of January 24, 1995, John Howard and Alexander Downer were in earnest conversation in a locked room upstairs in a motel in Ferntree Gully, east of Melbourne.

In the courtyard below, Phillip Ruddock was intensely interested. He wandered among journalists, nervously earnestly inquiring if they knew what was going on.

No one could have guessed it, but the conversation upstairs was about to change the trajectory of Ruddock's political career.
End of the day. What happened?

the opposition continued to pursue Human Services Minister Stuart Robert over a 2014 trip to China ;

continued to pursue over a ; Mr Robert has not explained the circumstances of his trip despite being given many opportunities in question time to do so;

has not explained the circumstances of his trip despite being given many opportunities in to do so; the government has not ruled out the possibility that it is looking at privatising some Medicare payments ;

; a meeting of state and territory leaders on tax has been cancelled because of the government's crab walk from an increase in the GST ;

has been cancelled because of the government's crab walk from an increase in the ; which leaves the government looking at measures around things like superannuation and negative gearing.

My thanks, as always, to Alex Ellinghausen and Andrew Meares for their work and to you for reading and commenting.

You can follow me on Facebook.

Andrew, Alex and I will be back in the morning and we hope to see you then. Until then, good night.
Evidence given to Estimates on Monday evening was that the commission could provide little help to her and other public servants in similar situations.

Public Service Commissioner John Lloyd has been accused of ducking questions about why he did not do more for the welfare of the public servant who complained about Jamie Briggs.

The Australian Public Service Commission, the agency overseeing the integrity of the 160,000-strong federal bureaucracy, could become involved only if it was revealed somewhere along the chain of responsibility that a public servant had done something wrong.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull walks past Jamie Briggs at the end of question time. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

In this case, Mr Lloyd said, responsibility for the consular staffer's welfare rested with her most senior boss, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Peter Varghese.

Mr Lloyd's deputy, Stephanie Foster, had asked DFAT about the welfare of the public servant and was told she was satisfactory.

Mr Lloyd said: "Anybody who has harmful photos published without their consent would obviously feel aggrieved."
Barry Jennings has been punched, kicked, spat on, had chairs thrown at him and almost been stabbed while working as a security guard at Nepean Hospital.

But he never thought he would face the barrel of a gun at work, coming within an inch of his life.

The veteran security guard of 28 years was shot in the calf on January 12 by an ice-affected patient who allegedly took a doctor hostage before grabbing a police officer's weapon during a struggle on the emergency department floor.
One of Queensland's most acclaimed performers has been farewelled in a touching public memorial.

Carol Burns, who passed away in December after a short battle with cancer, was one of the founding performers in the Queensland Theatre Company alongside the likes of Geoffrey Rush and the late Bille Brown.

Carol Burns died in December 2015 after a short battle with cancer. Credit:MEAA/Facebook

She went on to star in a string of film and television roles, most notably as Frankie Doyle in the iconic Australian drama Prisoner, before returning to Brisbane to dedicate herself mostly to theatre work.

The theatre community of Brisbane gathered to celebrate her life and remember the much-loved performer in QPAC's Playhouse, a stage she had dominated since it was opened in the 1980s.
An alleged organised crime figure has failed in a bid to have the High Court rule on the authority of the secretive Chief Examiner, who can seek jail for those who refuse to be interviewed or lie during coercive hearings.

But the Melbourne man still has a court challenge pending against the powerful body, with the Supreme Court set to rule on his action later this month.

An alleged organised crime figure has failed in a bid to have the High Court rule on the authority of the Chief Examiner. Credit:Katherine Griffiths

If the challenge is upheld, it could severely diminish the scope of the powerful intelligence body, or require an urgent amendment to Victorian law.

The Chief Examiner's office has interviewed hundreds of underworld figures in secret hearings since it was introduced during the height of the gangland war in 2005.
Opinion / Columnist

The recent false claim by Andrew Nyati, a ZAPU secretary for mobilization and organization that the 1987 Unity Accord was a mistake should not be given an ear as it depicts the level of political mediocrity that the man has.Unity Accord was the best union to be mooted in the political history of Zimbabwe. Lack of tolerance to local political history by myopic politicians like Nyati, is catastrophic and sends a wrong message to our youths. It is indeed a political crime to disseminate such information which negates the efforts that were expended by Cde Joshua Nkomo, then leader of the Patriotic Front ZAPU and Cde Robert Mugabe, representing ZANU PF.Actually, Nyati should be made conversant that the Unity Accord signed on 22 December 1987 is one of the major political milestones in Zimbabwe's political history since attainment of independence in 1980. In fact, Unity Accord ended divisions between the two revolutionary parties which threatened the peace and security of the country.Upon independence, the two parties ZANU PF and PF ZAPU clashed over the political direction the country should take. This led to the Matabeleland Zimbabwe's civil war of 1982 to 1987 in which many people lost their lives.Hence, the best way to resolve the impasse was to bring peace and reconciliation in those communities through a shared willingness to reunite all the major actors for the benefit of the nation. Truth be told, the issue of civil wars in any given community should be dismissed with due contempt as they have effects that leads to suffering and mass graves of a number of innocent people. It was therefore necessary for the two parties to mutually agree on arresting the issue of conflict through reconciliation.It is a universally recognized fact that unity breeds harmony, peace and progress in every field of human endeavor.It is imperative to note that peace is needed in any home, community, nation, region and entire world. Ever since independence, the people of Zimbabwe enjoy peace and tranquility. It was essential for PF ZAPU to unite with ZANU-PF. That union lowered tensions between the two parties. Essentially, the two former parties irrevocably committed themselves, and agreed to unite under the banner of ZANU-PF.Therefore, it is crucial for Andrew Nyati and other like-minded individuals that foolishly accuse President Mugabe of being inhuman to acknowledge the pivotal role that the President played as a way of cushioning the bad blood between ZANU-PF and PF ZAPU. Had it been that either President Mugabe or father Zimbabwe, Joshua Nkomo disregarded the idea of unification; a lot of more people could have perished in that civil war.It is therefore the opinion of author of this article that Unity Accord was necessary as it eliminated violence and paved way for development. Expansion of the country's economic environment was essential as most infrastructure was damaged during the civil war.In the aftermath of the struggle for independence, the government had to focus development and civil war had no place in such a set-up. Such development involved the best utilization of available domestic and foreign resources to achieve certain growth targets. The main objective of unity accord was to re-build our nation which had already been ravaged by the war of independence. The unity accord made that possible and anyone who thinks otherwise is a traitor to the nation of Zimbabwe.
The ATAR is an out-of-date, imperfect measure of success and increasingly irrelevant for Victorian universities, vice-chancellors say.

A growing number of universities are instead selecting their students based on interviews, portfolio work, special consideration and their performance in exams.

Swinburne University of Technology vice-chancellor Linda Kristjanson says the ATAR is a "blunt and imperfect instrument". Credit:Arsineh Houspian

"We really are in a post-ATAR stage," said Swinburne University of Technology vice-chancellor Linda Kristjanson, who is also chair of the Victorian Vice-Chancellors Committee.

"The ATAR is a very blunt and imperfect instrument."
The "aesthetic one" trained for six days, shredding that chest and torso, and on the seventh day, he did some light cardio.

Not too much; just a little beach volleyball with a bevy of Victoria's Secret models, or some one-on-one hoops with the boys. Perhaps stopping a moment to "refeed" his exhausted frame with some greasy food. (Three burgers and a thick shake would be an ideal "cheat meal"  gorging without derailing his plan to put on four kilograms of lean bulk.)

This was the Adriatic vacation regimen of Melbourne man Dylan Djohan, one of three men who pleaded guilty to gang raping a Norwegian girl, aged 17, in Croatia last year.

The men avoided trial by paying $30,000 to the victim. The fury over that outcome has inadvertently shone a light on the strange and hyper-masculine subculture of amateur bodybuilding  of which Djohan, 23, Ashwin Kumar, 23, and Waleed Latif, 21, are all members.
The number of salmonella cases from the pre-packed lettuce recall has risen from 54 to 62 in Victoria and it may takes weeks to investigate the cause of the outbreak.

The eight new cases comes as salad grower and processor Tripod Farmers expects further test results about the contamination in the next few days. There are another 30 cases of salmonella around the country, bringing the total number to 92.

The number of people believed to have fallen ill with salmonella after eating pre-packaged lettuce has risen. Credit:Tripod Farmers

A spokesman for the Victorian Health Department said it could take weeks to fully investigate the cause because it was a painstaking process.

When a national recall of lettuce sold at Coles and Woolworths was issued on February 4, there were 28 cases of salmonella in Victoria and by February 5, the number rose to 54.
Sex Party MP Fiona Patten is introducing a bill to Victoria's state parliament which she hopes will lift restrictions on ride-sharing services such as UberX.

The party's only representative in parliament, Fiona Patten, has announced that she plans to introduce the Regulation of Ridesharing Bill 2016 to "establish a system for regulation, accreditation and administration of ride-sharing services across the state".

Details of the bill  which will be introduced in the Upper House on Thursday  have not yet been made public.
The former head of the Catholic Church's military diocese has been wrongly accused of being a child sex abuser while two other clergymen may have been responsible, a Perth court has heard.

Bishop Max Leroy Davis is charged with six counts of being grossly indecent with five boys under the age of 15 between December 1968 and October 1972 at St Benedict's College in New Norcia, northeast of Perth.

Bishop Max Leroy Davis is facing six charges of being grossly indecent with five boys under the age of 15. Credit:Louie Douvis

Davis, 70, was the dorm master and in charge of discipline and corporal punishment at the boarding school at the time, the West Australian District Court heard on Monday.

In his opening address, prosecutor Mark Nicol said the boys were touched sexually under the guise of medical examinations in their bed or infirmary, or while seeking clarification on sex education.
A decision to spend a night in a Northbridge hotel after a late work meeting had an expensive post script for a Bunbury man when he was fined for overnight parking - despite having paid for it.

Chenxi Zhuang booked into Nest on Northbridge, which offered a discounted rate at Wilson Parking, and found a spot on the upper deck at Northbridge Central carparking in Errichetti Place on Friday evening.

Wilson Parking appears to suffer from high costs. Credit:Louie Douvis

The parking station offered the smartphone Book-a-Bay system.

"I'm no stranger to cashless, online parking systems and have used them regularly," Mr Zhuang said.
A Perth woman says she was scammed out of more than $120,000 and tricked into believing she was a fugitive by a "sadistic" fraudster she met while travelling through Europe in 2014.

Kelly Boulter told the Drive show on Radio 6PR on Monday she was holidaying on her own in Italy when she first met a man who claimed to be an Australian Security Intelligence Organisation official 'on assignment'.

Kelly Boulter says an Australian man in Europe scammed her out of $120,000 and left her close to suicide.

Ms Boulter struck up a friendship with the man, who said he was married with children, with the pair soon embarking on a road trip together.

"He told me many things such as he had been a Colonel in the RAAF and a pilot, did frequent assignments for ASIO / ASIS, worked as an Interpol investigator, and the he currently worked as a helicopter pilot for the New South Wales SES," she said.
His heated remarks here reflected the frustration the Clintons felt two days before the primary in a state that has rewarded them in the past but that appears ready to hand Senator Sanders a decisive victory. Mr Clinton seemed especially irritated that New Hampshire, after lifting his 1992 bid for the Democratic nomination and handing his wife a comeback win in 2008, would now abandon her. In 1998 former US President Bill Clinton appointed Koplovitz to chair the bipartisan National Women's Business Council. Credit:AP Criticising Senator Sanders' hastily presented health care plan, which Mr Clinton claimed the Vermont senator had already disavowed, the former president asked: "Is it good for America? I don't think so. Is it good for New Hampshire? I don't think so". He continued: "The New Hampshire I knew would not have voted for me if I had done that". Senator Bernie Sanders, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on Sunday. Credit:Bloomberg

But Mr Clinton's most pointed remarks may have been when he took aim at Sanders supporters who, he said, use misogynistic language in attacking Hillary Clinton. He told the story of a female "progressive" blogger who defended his wife online through a pseudonym because, he said, the vitriol from Senator Sanders' backers was so unrelenting. "She and other people who have gone online to defend Hillary, to explain why they supported her, have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat". Mr Clinton, growing more demonstrative, added that liberal journalist Joan Walsh had faced what he called "unbelievable personal attacks" for writing positively about Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton: "Is a raised, emphatic voice heard as something more grating when it emanates from a woman?" Credit:Bloomberg In a demonstration of how engrossed he is in this campaign, Mr Clinton recited the names of the regional newspapers that are backing his wife's campaign and, in a rarity, mentioned Senator Sanders by name. "Bernie took what they said was good about him and put it in his own endorsements," said Mr Clinton, fuming that Senator Sanders used complimentary language from a Nashua Telegraph endorsement of Hillary Clinton in his own campaign appeals.

Then, reflecting the fury among Clinton campaign advisers over what they see as the kinds of behaviour Senator Sanders gets away with, Mr Clinton noted that the senator's campaign had used the image of an American Legion officer in New Hampshire without his permission. "If you point it out, it just shows how tied you are to the establishment," he said. In a response, Tad Devine, a senior adviser to Senator Sanders, called it "disappointing that President Clinton has decided to launch these attacks" and said Sanders would continue to focus on his message against the rigged economy, campaign finance corruption and income inequality. "Obviously the race has changed in New Hampshire and elsewhere in recent days," Mr Devine said. The appearance by Bill Clinton, absent the entourage and crowds that usually surround the former president, was striking and somewhat poignant, and it felt far apart from the frenzied final campaigning happening around the state on Sunday. The junior high school's small gym was not full, and only a handful of reporters showed up, at a time when campaign events are being flooded with dozens of national and international journalists. But with Hillary Clinton in Flint, Michigan, and other Clinton staff members absorbed in the primary, Mr Clinton seemed almost on his own: He was introduced by a local mayor and Larry Lucchino, former chief executive of the Boston Red Sox. Recalling his own, formative experience in this state, Mr Clinton sounded wistful in reminiscing about his duels with Paul Tsongas, the Massachusetts senator who beat him here.
Jakarta: Bootleg liquor has reportedly killed at least two dozen people in a village in Indonesia's Central Java province over the past few days.

Quoting police on Sunday, MetroTV said two people in the village of Sleman had been arrested for selling homemade liquor that was believed to have contained harmful substances.

Deaths from moonshine are common in Indonesia, particularly in rural areas where many villagers are unable to afford licensed spirits. Credit:Jessica Hromas

Twenty-two others are being treated at hospitals.

"Police have sent the hard liquors mixed with harmful substances to the laboratory in Semarang to be tested," MetroTV quoted Sleman police chief Yulianto as saying.
A massive storm exploded in intensity just off the south-east US coast on Sunday afternoon, driving hurricane-force winds and whipping waves into a frenzy. And in the middle of this monster storm was a cruise ship on its way to Florida  rocking, roiling and taking a major beating from the most powerful storm seen in the western Atlantic this northern hemisphere winter.

A large trough in the jet stream had been pushing towards the US east coast late last week. Then the storm deepened rapidly when it hit the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and blew up on satellite imagery. Meteorologists didn't know what to follow on Sunday night, the Super Bowl or the strengthening storm.

Some compared it to Hurricane Isabel, which was fitting because on Sunday afternoon it was boasting 160km/h winds  the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane.

Somehow a cruise ship had steered its way into the storm: Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas, a giant vessel which holds more than 4000 passengers. The ship was on its way from the New York City area to Port Canaveral, Florida, when it not only encountered the storm, but really sailed right into the heart of it.
Opinion / Letters

Farai Sevenzo considers whether the best way to empower women could be to let them make their own decisions about their bodies.Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe recently left the stage as chairman of the African Union (AU) to a standing ovation from his fellow heads of state.For nearly an hour he had railed against the lack of UN Security Council reform to allow African representation.Last June, at the AU Assembly in Johannesburg, he spoke with his usual mix of eloquence and anti-colonial rhetoric about a major theme in 2016: Women's Empowerment and Development towards Agenda 2063.Agenda 2063 is the African Union's 50-year plan to keep on track the most significant development aims for a fast changing continent, to be reviewed when the AU turns 100, in 2063.President Mugabe went on to give a history lesson in his own inimitable style."Who can ever forget the indomitable and fighting spirit of such legends as Yaa Asantewaa, Queen Mother of the Asante Kingdom? Who, when confronted by the British and British imperialism said to her people: 'If you men of Asante will not go forward then we will. I shall call upon my fellow women and we will fight the white man. We will fight until the last of us falls in the battlefield,'" he said.And the 91 year-old observed: "That must have put us to shame, we men. We men are not women. Is there a man who can say: 'I'm not born of a woman?' No. They are a special breed, these people."Quoting the events of 1900 in Ghana is all well and good, as is pining for his own mother, and he will find more fighting African women in the history books - even his former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, whom he sacked in 2014 after accusing her of plotting to oust him, would be in these pages.But where will the issue of women's empowerment be, come 2063?Africa has been grappling with gender equality since our nations came into being, yet it is plain to see that the corridors of executive power within the UN, AU and African boardrooms have been steadily filling up with women. The optimists among us would see this as miraculous and encouraging, compared to, for instance, some places in the Middle East.Before we reel off the numbers of female African presidents and women chief executive officers in African business, we should remember that the lot of ordinary women in the farming fields and in market places, in townships and villages, in churches and in mosques, is still deeply aligned to a kind of ancient African patriarchal conservatism which perpetuates their powerlessness and binds them to the will of men.Last December the Sierra Leonean parliament largely agreed to amend their colonial Offences against the Person Act of 1861, which prohibited abortion.Sierra Leone has the highest maternal mortality rates in Africa and increasing cases of rape, incest and sexual violence against women and young girls have seen illegal abortions rise, along with the tragic consequences of more deaths.There are over six million illegal and unsafe abortions conducted in Africa every year, according to the World Health Organization. The African Commission on Human and People's Rights recently launched a campaign to decriminalise abortion across the continent.We learn that the Sierra Leone health system is straining under the financial weight of corrective obstetrician surgery, which often comes too late to save women's lives after botched and unprofessional procedures.When ruling party lawmaker Isatu Kabia tabled the Safe Abortion Act 2015 in the capital, Freetown, last December, it was hoped this might open a new chapter in women's health and rights.However, representatives of the Inter Religious Council of Sierra Leone, a powerful body representing faith and conservative morality, had grave doubts and told President Ernest Bai Koroma that they were strongly opposed to such a bill.Mr Koroma then sent the bill back to parliament without signing it, urging his lawmakers to take another look. The Sierra Leone parliament should be commended for passing the bill in the first place given its gender balance - 106 men and 15 women make up its lawmakers - but will they support it now that the men of faith have objected and the president is wavering?Now where, you may wonder, were the ordinary views of a "special breed of people" with wombs in all this?Conservatism in women's rights seems forever rooted in the views of men. Such views are given prominence by religions and traditions whose leaders are either committed celibates or patriarchal polygamists, and there does not yet appear to be a middle road.When a new child is expected, there is a tendency in the modern age for some men to say: "My wife and I are pregnant" when it is plain to see that they're not and cannot be pregnant.Men in general tend not to vomit every morning during their wives' pregnancy; they do not miscarry and decisions over abortions do not affect their lives, their mental state or their bodies in the same way.On this, Mr Mugabe got it right - "We men are not women". The sooner we leave women's issues of such a personal nature in the hands of those in the know, the quicker women's empowerment can come about.
The Irish Repertory Theatre has announced that Julian Sands (A Room With a View) will return to present A Celebration of Harold Pinter, directed by acclaimed actor and director John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich). The solo show will play for a strictly limited engagement from March 15-April 3.

In A Celebration of Harold Pinter, originally presented during Irish Rep's 2012-13 theater season, Julian Sands combines Pinter's poems and political prose with personal anecdotes and reflections drawn from their work together to create a fresh and intimate insight into the Nobel laureate's literary legacy.

The event will also mark the Irish Repertory Theatre's final performance at the DR2 Theatre, where the theater has been in residence since fall 2014. During that time, a major renovation took place at its home base on West 22nd Street in Chelsea.

A Celebration of Harold Pinter has lighting design by Michael O'Connor and wardrobe by Nicole Farhi.

For tickets and more information, click here.
LOS ANGELESVivid Radio, one of the worlds most listened to adult radio networks, will present a week-long set of experts from Monday, Feb. 8, to Friday, Feb.12, to guide you to a perfect Valentines Day.

All of the experts will be on adult actress Christy Canyons popular show from 2-4 p.m. PT daily and can be heard at both VividRadio.com and on the VividXM app channel 791.

Heres the lineup:

Monday, Feb. 8Erica Spiegelman, a counselor, writer and speaker will focus on the mind, body, spirit connection. She will talk about how technology has changed sex and how you can benefit from developments.

Tues., Feb. 9Judith Claire is a relationship counselor who believes in happy endings. She knows why you should be open about your sexual secrets and what turns you on sexually.

Wed., Feb. 10Joanie Marx is the best-selling author of Facelifts, Money and Prince Charming: Break Baby Boomer Myths & Live Your Life. She says that sex never gets old.

Thurs., Feb. 11Jacquie Jordan, co-author of Love Like a God (Absolute Love Publishing), will discuss why we get off on sex scandals.

Fri., Feb. 12Damona Hoffman, the author of Dear Mrs. D, knows all the ins and outs of how to succeed in online dating and how to seal the deal.

In addition, Sam Phillips will host a Valentines Day special on her show The Single Life Friday, Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. PT with seven of her favorite porn couples.

All Vivid Radio hosts are either legendary or current top adult stars who know a lot about sex and have vast experience in talking to men about sex during the networks 45 hours a week of original programming. Visit VividRadio.com and click on hosts to see the 21 beautiful women hosts with their own shows, and to sample some of the programming free. All programming is archived in case you miss one of the experts or want to hear the show again.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 5, 2016 --

FCA US ranked ninth as highest-rated automaker on the annual " LATINA Style 50" report, out of more than 800 corporations evaluated

Company recognized 12 times in the Top 50 since report was established in 1997

Award accepted at the LATINA Style 50 Awards Ceremony and Diversity Leaders Conference held in Washington, D.C.

FCA US LLC was recognized as the highest-ranking automaker on a list of the best companies for Hispanic women to work in the U.S. by LATINA Style magazine. FCA US ranked number nine on the annual LATINA Style 50 report, which evaluates and ranks the 50 best companies in the U.S.

LATINA Style magazine is considered the most influential publication reaching the contemporary Hispanic woman. The LATINA Style 50 Awards Ceremony and Diversity Leaders Conference was held in Washington, D.C. Accepting the honor on behalf of FCA US was Mary Ann Capo, Dodge Product Marketing Senior Manager. Capo is the Company's highest-ranking Latina. She received a special profile in the LATINA Style 50 Annual report.

This is the 12th time that FCA US has earned a top position on the LATINA Style 50 report since it was established in 1997. The report analyzes company efforts for promoting diversity and career advancement opportunities for Hispanic women.



"We are honored by the recognition from LATINA Style magazine. Diverse talent in the workplace is essential for innovation, growth and success," said Marlin Page, Diversity and Inclusion Officer, FCA US. "Encouraging diversity helps our company thrive, while producing head-turning products that reflect our customer base."

About LATINA Style, Inc.

LATINA Style Inc., headquartered in Falls Church, Va., and with offices in Dallas, is the publisher of LATINA Style Magazine, a national magazine for the professional Hispanic woman. The magazine has been published for 21 years and has a national circulation of 150,000 and a readership of nearly 600,000. The company is host of the LATINA Style Business Series, the LATINA Style 50 Report, the National LATINA Symposium and the LATINA Style Hero Initiative.

About FCA US LLC

FCA US LLC is a North American automaker with a new name and a long history. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. FCA US designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes the Alfa Romeo 4C model and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925; and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli.



FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."


Gasoline Prices - Fall Back or Spring Ahead?







MORE INFO: Gas Prices In Context - 1996-2016

The groundhog may have seen its shadow, but gas pricing is more complicated than a short winter.





ALEXANDRIA, Va. February 8, 2016; NACSonline reported that the chatter has already started online about where gas prices are headed based on two sets of news stories related to $10 oil. In one corner, some are talking up the possibility of sub-$1.00-per-gallon gas if oil prices plummet to $10 per barrel. In the other corner, some are talking about how President Obamas proposed $10 per barrel tax might push prices higher.

While it remains to be seen if either scenario plays outand history suggests that neither is likelythere are other factors that influence gasoline prices in the spring as refiners conduct routine maintenance and the industry prepares for the transition to summer-blend fuel.

Since 2000, these factors have placed upward pressure on prices and they have increased an average of 53 cents per gallon from the first week in February until their seasonal peak, which often occurs in mid-May. This year, gas prices had a weekly average of $1.82 per gallon on February 1, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Over the past decade, NACS has tracked springtime prices reported by EIA in a primer examining spring gas prices. This report is one of many new and updated resources in the NACS Retail Fuels Report. Look for an announcement in NACS Daily when the site goes live in the coming month.

And while youre waiting for our update, you may want to vacation in Canada, where low oil prices have contributed to a favorable exchange rate for Americans travelling there.
The hole where the fairy is said to live Another Fairy Entity Captured at the Estuary I got the following report and photos of what is said ...
U.S. strikes against the self-proclaimed Islamic State have had an unintended beneficiary: al Qaeda.

Al Qaeda has exploited the strikes and gained strength, and that has created a growing rift within U.S. national security circles about where the coalition should aim its strikes. Some American intelligence and defense officials and counterterrorism experts are worried that the intense focus on defeating ISIS has blinded the U.S. to the resurgence of al Qaeda, whose growing potency has become more apparent as ISIS becomes weaker.

The American air campaign has notably not targeted al Qaeda in Syria, known as Jabhat al Nusra. With its foe, ISIS, under daily coalition bombardment, al Qaeda has been thriving, continuing to re-align itself with local forces, and re-emerging as the worlds enduring terror group.

Now, al Nusra Front and [ISIS] dont get along I guess you could say to the extent that were weakening [ISIS], maybe it benefits al Nusra Front, Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, the top U.S. commander in the war against ISIS, conceded in a recent briefing with reporters.

In recent days, al Qaedas standing in Syria has come under attack in the city of Aleppo, that nations commercial hub. U.S. officials now are watching Aleppo to see if al Qaedas close relationship with local Syrian forces can endure, even when its fighters are forced to flee the front lines.

Opponents of striking al Nusra note the al Qaeda affiliate is one of the few forces that can keep Syria from devolving into a battle between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Islamic State. That is, in Syria, the U.S. is actually worried about the effect of al Qaeda losses.

Supporters of doing more are led by the U.S. militarys Central Command, which oversees American efforts in the Middle East, according to two defense officials.

There is concern about it because Jabhat al Nusra and al Qaeda are rebuilding, a senior defense official familiar with the U.S. war against ISIS told The Daily Beast. The strikes and the chaos of the region have opened the door for them.

Indeed, al Nusra has even fought alongside local rebel groups that receive weapons and support from the U.S., making al Qaedas Syria branch a sometimes indirect beneficiary of American intervention in the conflict. David Petraeus, the influential former general and CIA chief, has even floated the idea of working directly with al Nusra moderates to battle ISIS.

And yet the U.S. declared al Nusra a terrorist organization in late 2012.

In Syria, its actually remarkable that they managed to survive despite ISIS, Barak Mendelsohn, a professor and terrorism expert at Haverford College and the author of The Al Qaeda Franchise, told The Daily Beast. He attributed al Qaedas success in part to the lessons it learned in Iraq, where, a decade ago, a violent branch of the terror group alienated locals through a systematic campaign of terror, beheadings, and the imposition of strict Islamic rule. The remnants of that group went on to become ISIS.

Today, al Nusra isnt making the same mistakes. They have put a more friendly face on their actions and are embedding themselves within insurgencies so theyll be more welcomed by the people, Mendelsohn said.

Such lessons, and subsequent al Qaeda gains, have reached outside of Syria. From Libya to Yemen to Afghanistan, al Qaeda has managed to dig in and survive, largely by insinuating itself into local populations and rebranding itself as the worlds more reasonable global Islamic jihadist movement. At the same time, ISIS, with its boisterous propaganda, barbaric execution videos, and apocalyptic vision, has captured the most public attention and become the main target of the Obama administrations fight against extremism.

Al Nusra has sought to portray itself as a credible rebel force fighting with the Syrian people to overthrow al-Assad. That has helped the group win local support and turn people against ISIS, even though both groups want to ultimately establish an Islamic government.

Al Nusra suffered a string of setbacks in 2014 that forced the group to retrench and rebrand. After those setbacks, [it] was able to parlay the success of battlefield gains against a weakened Assad regime into greater strength and credibility as a ground force, a U.S. counterterrorism official told The Daily Beast.

The groups efforts to cloak themselves as a local force battling the regime, while maintaining the support of the broader al Qaeda network, has helped it emerge as one of al Qaedas most potent affiliates, the official said.

A U.S. intelligence official told The Daily Beast that despite significant leadership losses in the past year, some of [al Qaedas] affiliates sought to expand their footprint by taking advantage of local conflicts and perceived grievances. That model has worked in Syria and in Yemen, where the official said al Qaeda had exploited increased instability in the country, gripped by civil war, to bolster recruitment and gain territory.

Its clear that as [ISIS] loses steam, other Sunni extremist groups like al Qaeda could look to reassert themselves, the official added.

As al Qaeda aligns itself with local forces, it increasingly finds that onetime Western foes are unwilling to attack them, in Syria and beyond. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia has notably stopped short of launching strikes in the southern part of the country, where al Qaeda dominates the area. And the U.S.-led coalition in Syria has been reluctant to strike al Nusra, allowing the group to switch alliances as needed to survive the war there. In Syria, U.S. airstrikes are largely aimed at ISIS positions in the east, not at al Nusra positions in the countrys north.

U.S. military officials argue that, even if their choice of strikes sites may be benefiting al Qaeda in Syria, it doesnt matter because al Qaeda will use its renewed strength to go after ISIS.

If [ISIS] and al Nusra Front want to fight each other, I wish them both success, but, you know, were here to defeat [ISIS], and thats what were going after every day, MacFarland said.

So far, however, that scenario hasnt happened. Rather, al Qaeda has worked on gaining territory and influence across the region. In the past week, al Qaeda militants in Yemen reclaimed the town of Azzan, a major commercial hub that the group had previously controlled but lost in 2012.

With the U.S. military determined to attack primarily ISIS, the biggest threat al Nusra faces is Russian airstrikes, which target all forces opposed to Assad, including rebel groups backed by the American government. The Institute for the Study of War, which tracks Russian strikes, found (PDF) that most of them hit groups other than ISIS, and often al Nusra.

In Oman on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters, Russian airstrikes will not cease until we truly defeat the terrorist organisations [ISIS] and Jabhat al Nusra.

While American forces have occasionally targeted al Qaeda cells in Syria that are looking to attack the West, the U.S. focus remains almost exclusively on ISIS for now.

The fight against the Islamic State is receiving a significant boost in the latest Defense Department budget, which allocates an additional $7.5 billion to fight the group, a 50 percent increase from current funding. An additional $1.8 billion is allocated for more than 45,000 additional GPS-guided smart bombs and laser-guided rockets, commonly used in the air campaign against the Islamic State.

A Pentagon official explained to The Daily Beast that part of those funds are to potentially expand the U.S. effort to attack ISIS in Libya, where its presence is on par with al Qaeda.

For now, as long as ISIS conducts high-profile attacks, like the mass shootings and bombings in Paris and the downing of a Russian airliner, al Qaeda is not the priority. The problem is everything is about ISIS every day, the defense official said. You only have so many rounds in your chamber.
Good Deal?

Good Deal?



Years ago, I read about an episode that happened during the Vietnam War. Apparently, and I may have this wrong, there were some US Marines watching a bridge, waiting to ambush some North Vietnamese Regulars. They were concealed, had the bridge wired for demolition and had the whole area covered with heavy machineguns. Along came the enemy, walking down the road. There weren't very many of them, so the Marines left their weapons in concealment and went out onto the road to meet the enemy mano a mano. The enemy didn't leave, but the Marines were lucky. Several of them had pretty serious injuries and there may have been US fatalities. It has been a long time since I read this account, so the details are fuzzy.



This just reeks of American arrogance, notions of fair play and stupidity, and it sounds so typical that it's hard to disbelieve.



Today, I read that the US control of the internet will cease on September 30, 2016. This is reminiscent of the Panama Canal Zone deal. Some readers may remember this: the one Americans designed, bought and paid for, took all the risks, employed the locals, elevated the local economy, maintained and protected for decades  then gave it to a banana republic so they could tell us to go do something obscene.



Also, in this basket of goodies is the TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) and its equivalent European counterpart, the TTIP (TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership). These last two were of such value to America that even members of Congress were not allowed to see the details before it was rammed through. It seems that our political leaders really think that Nancy Pelosi's most famous non-intelligence -  we have to pass it to find out what's inside - is the way things should be done.



At the beginning of this Iran nuclear crisis, we had every advantage known to man. We had a powerful land, air and sea presence in the Middle East, literally right on the border with Iran. We had a solid base for operation in Iraq. The Iranians started throwing fertilizer into the ventilator and our president vowed, publicly, that if they didn't cease and desist they would pay a heavy price and that all options were on the table. We had the clout to make what we said stick. They knew it, too. But, when it came down to eyeball to eyeball, the world's greatest superpower withdrew the forces and made a deal that gave the Iranians everything they wanted. Then, to sweeten the pot, our government tossed in billions of dollars. Almost immediately, Iran began breaking the unbelievably mild rules laid out in this bonanza. To compensate for their rule breaking (building ICBMs and continuing development toward nuclear weapons) we sent them more money. (The basis of this payment was that we owed them $400 million from when they stormed our embassy and kidnapped all our embassy staff. How we owed them money for their act of war is one of history's great puzzles. So, to pay off our debt, and make it 'fair' we sent them another $1.7 billion). And, our leaders think they are smarter than everyone else?



Of course, because we backwoods types wouldn't recognize a good deal if it was presented on a silver platter with neon lights and a brass band, we still don't really know all the details of any of these great documents of modern statecraft. Their thinking, apparently, is that we should leave all the thinking to those that are more advanced and wise. And, we should shut up and do what our betters tell us we should do.



It would seem, to most people, that, perhaps those sitting in the highchairs of power might not be quite as benevolent and omniscient as they would have us believe. Unfortunately, they may be right. After all, we have a president that had no experience or skill at running any organization, and has not, apparently gained any since he got elected. After wading though a full four years of international humiliation, an economy in free-fall, horrendous national debt increases, and a business environment that made jobs producers flee overseas like rats deserting a sinking ship, we elected him again. Just can't get too much of a good thing, I guess. But, just to make sure, one of the serious candidates to replace this wunderkind is a woman who has accomplished nothing, exposed state secrets of the highest level, facilitated more international conflict since the end of the Second World War, publicly and repeatedly lied to the American public and couldn't be more obviously unsuited for any position of any authority.



There was a time when adults didn't need 'safe spaces' to help them cope with the challenges of daily life. There was a time when being our enemy was the worst thing that could happen to a foreign country. There was a time when Americans simply didn't tolerate the social, political and international spitwads we are being plastered with, today. There was a time when men were allowed to be men and women were allowed to be women and we were allowed to keep money we earned and we could raise our children the way we thought best.



Why, I rhetorically ask, does this country insist on throwing away every possible advantage it might have just to make our opponents, or enemies, feel better about themselves? What is the point of having any advantages if we hogtie ourselves just to make sure that we don't take advantage of our advantages? Is there something inherently wrong with working to get an advantage and then actually using it? One advantage we used to have was education and a reasonably intelligent citizenry.



What is it going to take for America to snap out of its self-imposed stupor and realize just how far down that pipe to the cesspool we have actually gone? How long are we, the most powerful nation on Earth, going to be dictated to by third-rate dictatorships with medieval mindsets and only the technology that they have stolen or been given? How long are we going to allow overpaid, overfed, underqualified bureaucrats tell us what we can or can't do, say or think? How long are we going to just lie down and take it from people we wouldn't have broken a sweat thumbtacking a decade ago?



Maybe we can't. We may have slept through the last call to board the train and now it's too late.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and President Barack Obama met at the White House last week to celebrate 15 years of Plan Colombia and in anticipation of a peace deal with Colombias largest insurgent group, the FARC, that could be signed by next month.

Before a crowd gathered in the East Wing, Obama announced a new bilateral aid package of $450 million to help secure the peace in Colombia. Hell forward details of this Paz Colombia, the peacetime successor to Plan Colombia, to the U.S. Congress this week. The package could not be more timely.

Four years of peace talks between the Santos government and the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) have achieved remarkable progress, producing agreements on contentious military and political issues, and addressing the causes of a conflict that has cost nearly a quarter of a million lives, displaced 6 million of the countrys 46 million people, and left 7.8 million registered victims.

President Santos now stands on the brink of ending a guerrilla war that has dragged on for more than a half a century.

The time is quickly approaching for the international community to step up its game.

So far, global participation in Colombias peace process has been limited. There is no international mediatoronly a small but important presence of Cuba, Norway, Venezuela, and Chile at the peace tables in Havana.

Targeted interventions by the UN, the Red Cross, and the Organization of American States; special envoys from the United States, Germany, and the European Union; and technical guidance from a variety of non-governmental groups have helped keep the process moving forward. Likewise, USAID has been one of the strongest international donors for support to victims, whose rights have been a central component of the talks.

Political support for the peace process is critical now.

Once a peace deal is signed, a highly skeptical Colombian public that rejects the idea of the FARC entering the political arena instead of going to jail will be asked to endorse it through a mechanism yet to be determined.

As Santos noted in a forum that the U.S. Institute of Peace co-sponsored last week, there is no perfect solution; there will be a cost for peace and the populace must be asked to weigh that cost against the prospect of two or three more decades of relentless war. I am absolutely sure that when the whole package is put to the Colombian people, the majority will say yes, Santos told the audience.

The $450 million dollar package Obama hopes to get approved on the Hill after a peace plan is in place pales next to the $10 billion that the U.S. ponied up over a 15-year period to support the war through Plan Colombia.

It will nonetheless be seen in Colombia as a sign that the United States favors a peaceful settlement of Colombias conflict, particularly if the aid is targeted toward fighting drugs and crime, expanding rule of law, strengthening rural economies, and promoting justice and services for victims, as Obama suggested.

This plan will differ from Plan Colombia, particularly with regard to drug policy. Provisional agreements at the peace table in Havana call for an end to aerial spraying (a preferred strategy by the U.S. government that has fallen into disfavor in the wake of a WHO finding that the chemical spray that was being used was cancer-causing).

Likewise, Paz Colombia, in keeping with the anticipated peace agreement, is likely to eschew strictly law enforcement solutions and favor instead preventive public health approaches geared at reducing consumption, as well as regional or multilateral cooperation.

A new U.S. peace plan for Colombia should also help give a boost to Santoss flagging approval ratings at home, which reached a new low of 29 percent last week, and help him convince his fellow compatriots to vote for peace.

In addition to political support, the international community can play other roles:

MONITORING. Last month, at the request of the negotiating parties, the UN Security Council agreed to assist with ceasefire arrangements by setting up a political mission in Colombia soon after an agreement is signed. The mission will have a one-year renewable mandate, with shared responsibilities with the government and the FARC. To be most effective, the UN should custom-design its process to take advantage of Colombias strong internal capacities. Victims and womens organizations, church groups, and human-rights defenders in Colombia are well positioned to serve as local monitors of a ceasefirea role some are already playing for unilateral ceasefire in effect since July. International donors should ensure that these groups are adequately financed and equipped to continue the task after the UN has gone home.

VERIFICATION. Involvement of an independent third party such as the UN will be critical to ensuring that the FARC, which considers itself to be undefeated, begins to set aside its weapons within 60 days of the signing of a final agreement, as it has promised. Given the groups rejection of any disarmament process that might project an image of military defeat, international actors provide an alternative solution.

ADDRESSING PARAMILITARY ACTIVITY AND RULE OF LAW. The last time the FARC signed a peace agreement, paramilitary groups, allied with large landowners and regional politicians, enjoyed virtual impunity as they killed thousands of ex-combatants who had disarmed and joined the newly created Patriotic Union Party. Such criminal elements are growing in size and strength and could undermine the peace. The international community should lend its expertise and encourage the Colombian government to address this burgeoning issue and apply the full strength of the law to abuses.

RECONCILING LEADERS. Former President Alvaro Uribe, long opposed to the negotiations, holds tremendous sway with the public, which must endorse the final peace accords. Mutual friends of Uribe and Santos in the international community should assist in reconciling these leaders in the name of peace.

CREATING CONDITIONS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PEACE. With the government and a second insurgent group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), arguing about who should set the schedule for formal talks, the international community could quietly facilitate a solution behind the scenes. With Venezuelas new conservative leadership in parliament, the ELN will be less wedded to Venezuela as a host for the talks, so this obstacle has now been removed. The peace train is moving fast, though, and it will be less stable if the ELN is not brought in soon. An active ELN could incorporate disaffected FARC fighters and derail the prospects for peace.

PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS. A surge in violence is likely as reforms that threaten vested interests take hold. Protective mechanisms, strengthening the rule of law, and rigorous prosecution for human-rights violations will help break the culture of impunity that can undermine an enduring peace. Furthermore, U.S. and international support are needed for independent Colombian civil society organizations that can monitor and hold both parties to account for their agreements.

As the Hill considers President Obamas request in the coming weeks, it should keep in mind that a partnership that secures human rights and sustains peace will set the foundation for a more stable hemisphere.
- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
Cask aged Shorecross gin launched

Rademon Estate Distillery in Co. Down, Northern Ireland, has launched a limited edition cask aged Shortcross gin.

The new gin was created by resting Shortcross gin in French oak casks which had previously contained Cuvee Prestige wines at the Chateau de La Ligne in Bordeaux. The casks were selected by head distiller and operations director David Boyd-Armstrong with the help of the chateau owner, Terry Cross of Wine Geese fame.

Commenting on Rademon Estate Distillerys latest product Boyd-Armstrong says: As the distillery has grown and developed we have been experimenting with ageing spirits in a variety of different casks and I am delighted with the results of this cask aged Shortcross gin.

The 44% ABV cask aged Shortcross gin exhibits the key Shortcross gin characteristics of being juniper led with citrus and floral notes, but now adds an abundance of bright summer berries with notes of rose petals and vanilla, combined with lightly toasted oak and velvety tannins.

Just 160 bottles are available to purchase through London retailer Fortnum and Mason, where it will feature as the Spirit of the Month throughout February. As a subtle reference to this partnership the trademark copper foil on the Shortcross gin label has been replaced with Fortnum and Masons iconic duck egg blue.

In addition, a further 300 bottles of cask aged Shortcross gin will be released through Rademon Estates distribution partners, JN Wines in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. These bottles will be available through the JN Wine Store in Crossgar, Co. Down, JNWine.com and off licenses across Ireland, which purchase stock directly from JN Wines.

Fiona Boyd-Armstrong, MD, Rademon Estate Distillery adds: Our aim is to become Irelands leading craft distillery and we are delighted to have added an exciting new addition to our growing portfolio. We have an excellent relationship with Fortnum and Mason and felt this was a fantastic opportunity to launch our latest product into the London market as their Spirit of the Month in February. Closer to home, we are also making this exciting new product available to Shortcross fans in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with further small quantities released through JN Wines and other top tier retail outlets

Rademon Estate Distillery is Northern Irelands first and only craft distillery founded in 2012 by husband and wife team Fiona and David Boyd-Armstrong, and is located at the couples historic family estate just outside Downpatrick, Co. Down.

Last year, the distillery announced that it had laid down the first casks of a new Irish malt whiskey, the first bottles of which are expected to be released in summer 2018. There are also plans to open a unique visitor centre at Rademon Estate later in 2016.

8 February 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor
U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, an opponent of a rural route proposed in a $12 billion Texas high-speed rail project plan, is challenging its authority to condemn land under eminent domain.

Texas Central Partners announced in the fall that it plans to build a high-speed railway linking Dallas and Houston with its only stop in Grimes County. The specifics of the route haven't been decided upon; company officials said they're still in the process of working with landowners and getting feedback from the regions impacted by the project.

In a recent letter, Brady requested the help of area state legislators in seeking an opinion from the Texas Attorney General and commended them for their leadership against the project in the recent session of the Legislature. Those singled out include state senators Charles Schwerner, whose district includes Aggieland, Brandon Creighton and Robert Nichol, along with state representatives Trent Ashby, Will Metcalf, John Otto, Mark Keough, Cecil Bell and Leighton Schubert.

"Taking property against a landowner's will, especially land that may have been in the family for generations, is a serious matter," Brady wrote in a statement. "Because this is a state project, I am requesting your leadership in determining if Texas Central Partners has state eminent domain power. I question that it does."

The private project by Texas Central Partners is not asking for federal funds, but Brady said he would oppose any such requests. In 2014, Brady, whose district used to cover part of Brazos County, and House Republicans zeroed out all federal funding for President Obama's high speed rail projects. Last year they successfully blocked any high-speed rail funding in the $8 billion reauthorization of AMTRAK - the passenger rail service primarily in the northeast.

Last summer Brady announced his opposition to the rural route, saying, "it divides and damages rural counties, communities and farms in my district, including Grimes, Madison and Leon counties. This route fractures our rural lifestyle without any direct benefits to our communities, families and businesses."

Grimes County Judge Ben Leman, president of Texans Against High-Speed Rail, has repeatedly voiced concerns similar to those made by Brady, who led an effort in the 1990s while serving in the Texas Legislature to defeat the proposed "bullet train" through rural counties.
Khaled Abu Toameh is an award winning journalist based in Jerusalem.





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Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work as well as a big vote to follow our good friend Kay Wilson on Twitter.

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..Gatestone Institute..08 February '16..Emboldened by its nuclear deal with the world powers, Iran is already seeking to enfold in its embracing wings the Arab and Islamic region.Iran's capacity for intrusions having been starved by years of sanctions. Now, with the lifting of sanctions, Tehran's appetite for encroachment has been newly whetted -- and its bull's-eye is the West Bank.Iran has, in fact, been meddling for many years in the internal affairs of the greater region. It has been party to the civil wars in Yemen and Syria, and, through the Shiite Muslims living there, continues actively to undermine the stability of many Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.The lives of both the Lebanese and the Palestinians are also subject to the ambitions of Iran, which fills the coffers of groups such as Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.Until recently, Iran held pride of place as Hamas's primary patron in the Gaza Strip. It was thanks to Iran's support that Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas, held hostage nearly two million Palestinians living in the Strip. Moreover, this backing enabled Hamas to smuggle all manner of weapons into the Gaza Strip, including rockets and missiles that were aimed and fired at Israel.But the honeymoon between Iran and Hamas ended a few years ago, when Hamas refused to support the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad -- Tehran's major ally in the Middle East -- against the Syrian opposition. Since then, the Iranians, who have lost confidence in their erstwhile Hamas allies, have been searching among the Palestinians for more loyal friends. And they seem to have found them: Al-Sabireen ("the Patient Ones"). Al-Sabireen , Iran's new ally, first popped up in the Gaza Strip, where they recruited hundreds of Palestinians, many of them former members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Palestinian sources report that Al-Sabireen has also succeeded in enlisting many disgruntled Fatah activists who feel betrayed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its president, Mahmoud Abbas. This sense of betrayal is the fruit of the PA's failure to pay salaries to its former loyalists. In addition, anti-Israel incitement and indoctrination in mosques, social media and public rhetoric has radicalized Fatah members and driven them into the open arms of Islamist groups.The Iranian-backed Al-Sabireen is already a headache for Hamas. The two terror groups share a radical ideology and both seek to destroy Israel. Nonetheless, Al-Sabireen considers Hamas "soft" on Israel because it does not wage daily terror attacks against its citizens. The "Patient Ones" are seeking Palestinians as a group to become an Iranian proxy in the region.Buoyed by the nuclear deal and the lifting of sanctions against Tehran, Al-Sabireen members are feeling optimistic. The group recently described these developments as a "victory" for all Muslims and proof of their "pride and strength." Muslims should now unite, they said, in order to stand up to the "world's arrogance and remove the Zionist entity from the land of Palestine."Indeed, Al-Sabireen appears to be redoubling its efforts to eliminate the "Zionist entity" and replace it with an Islamist empire. Toward that goal, the group is now seeking to extend its control beyond the Gaza Strip. The lifting of the sanctions against Iran coincided with reports that Al-Sabireen has infiltrated the West Bank, where it is working to establish terror cells to launch attacks against Israel.According to Palestinian Authority security sources, Al-Sabireen has already located some West Bank Palestinians who were more than happy to join the group's jihad against Jews and Israel.PA security forces recently uncovered a terror cell belonging to Al-Sabireen in Bethlehem and arrested its five members. The suspects received money from the group's members in the Gaza Strip in order to purchase weapons to attack Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank.Al-Sabireen is not the only Iranian proxy whose eye is on the West Bank. Last month, in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, Israeli security forces uncovered and broke up a terrorist cell commanded by Hezbollah , which was planning suicide bombings and shooting attacks. The Palestinian members of the cell had been taught by Jawed Nasrallah, the son of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, how to carry out suicide bombings, assemble bomb vests, gather intelligence, and set up training camps.All of this sounds eerily familiar. As it has spread its wings over Al-Sabireen and Hezbollah, Iran has done much the same with its other proxies such as the Houthis in Yemen and members of the Shiite communities in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all the while fomenting instability and gaining bases of local power.Loosed from its sanction-based constrictions, Iran is now free to underwrite terror throughout the region. This is precisely what is happening in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and the West Bank and Gaza Strip.Iran's infiltration of the West Bank should serve as a red flag not only for Israel, but also for the U.S. and other Western powers. At the moment, there is little to be done to combat Iran's presence in the Gaza Strip. But Iran on Israel's West Bank doorstep is a flag of a different color.An Israeli pullout, leading to a Hamas takeover of the West Bank, has been a subject of concern. Now, a growing number of Israelis and Palestinians are wondering if such a vacuum will provide an opening for Iran.The future of the Middle East and Europe would be shockingly different if any Palestinian state were to fall into the hands of Iran's Islamic extremists and their allies.The Palestinians and all interested parties might remember that Al-Sabireen is -- if nothing else -- patient.
Detroit Edison wants to stick the people of Michigan with the enormous up-front costs of a proposed new construction fiasco at Fermi 3, which could bankrupt an already shaky state economy.

It will take years more of dedicated activism to make sure the lessons of these failed projects are understood everywhere. But in the meantime, above all, we fear the 99 US reactors that crumble as we speak:

1. The infamously lax Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) warns that Pilgrim, south of Boston, can't meet even the NRC's absurdly loose safety standards. Entergy may shut it down rather than pay to fix it up. The two candidates should demand they do it now.

2. Indian Point Unit 2, near New York City, has been operating without a license since September 2013. The Unit 3 permit expired at midnight on 12th December 2015, but the NRC permitted its continued operation while its renewal application is under way, a process that could take years. Days later it suffered an unplanned closedown which the company blamed on "an electrical disturbance on the non-nuclear side of the plant", the fourth in 2015. Just a few days ago radioactive groundwater contamination with tritium was discovered. Both must shut immediately.

3. The shield building at Ohio's Davis-Besse is literally crumbling. First Energy wants Ohio's Public Utilities Commission to hand it a $3 billion bailout. This may be the world's most decrepit nuke. It should have shut a very long time ago.

4. Exelon is begging the Illinois legislature for massive bailouts at five money-losing, increasingly dangerous reactors. That should be denied.

5. Entergy's FitzPatrick in New York is losing millions, as is nearby Ginna. Both must go.

6. California's Diablo Canyon reactors sit atop an interconnected web of 12 known fault-lines. They are 45 miles from the San Andreas, less than half the distance of Fukushima from the seismic trench that destroyed it. They are in violation of state and federal water quality laws. They're being propped up by a corrupt Public Utilities Commission. They need to close.

... and that's just for starters.

When does it end?

Through the rest of this presidential campaign, we can expect the Democrats to broadly endorse a green-powered future, and - we must hope - question the sanity of nuclear power.

Thanks to decades of hard campaigning by the global grassroots No Nukes movement, that's no longer hard to do. Even Donald Trump has made rumblings about shutting Indian Point. Even Ohio's Gov. John Kasich is posturing as a friend of renewables, an industry he's done his best to decimate.

Berrnie Sanders has been an outspoken opponent of nuclear power both in his home state of Vermont, and across America (see video, below). His campaigning may also have helped achieve a wonderful result: the closure of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in December 2014.

But what about Hillary Clinton? Several internet searches have failed to find any recent expressions of concern, or anything else, about the Indian Point nuclear reactors that are just 40 miles north of Manhattan Island, New York, her former Senatorial base - even though it's in deep trouble with radioactive releases and unscheduled cut-outs. Both units are running with no NRC licences.

And when Hillary was Senator, back in 2004, she was, as Jeffrey StClair wrote on CounterPunch, "about reserved as Pataki on Indian Point, issuing robotic requests for more studies but refusing to call for the plant's closure."

But then as he went on to point out: "Of course, Hillary's ties to Entergy are almost primal. The Little Rock-based Entergy Corporation, which once employed John Huang, the infamous conduit to the Lippo Group, was one of Bill Clinton's main political sponsors, shoveling more than $100,000 into his political coffers from 1992 to 1996."

What we really need now are focused, persistent campaigns to bring these rogue nukes down before they blow up. Every one of them has the power to kill millions, irradiate entire sections of the globe and bankrupt us all.

In the big picture, Clinton and Sanders could start with a demand to remove the federal insurance that protects these radioactive relics from liability when the inevitable melt-downs arrive. Hillary could also back Bernie's call to force the NRC to stop blindly doing the will of nuclear industry.

But they can help us most by addressing these dying nukes by name in the Democratic Primary debates, and by joining us in court and on the barricades to get them buried before they kill again.

Which is most likely to do that? You decide for yourself. But the smart money has to be on Bernie.

Harvey Wasserman wrote SOLARTOPIA! Our Green-Powered Earth. His Green Power & Wellness Show is at www.prn.fm.

This article was originally published on CounterPunch. Updates & additional reporting by The Ecologist.
Radioactive material has leaked into the groundwater below a nuclear power plant north of New York City, prompting a state investigation on Saturday and condemnation from Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo, a Democrat, ordered an investigation into "alarming levels of radioactivity" found at three monitoring wells at the Indian Point energy center in Buchanan, New York, about 40 miles north of Manhattan.

"Our first concern is for the health and safety of the residents close to the facility and ensuring the groundwater leak does not pose a threat", Cuomo wrote in a letter that directed health and environmental officials to investigate.

In one location radioactivity levels rose nearly 65,000%, from 12,300 picocuries per liter to over 8,000,000 picocuries per liter.

The Environmental Protection Agency's maximum contaminant level for tritium in drinking water is 20,000 picocuries per liter, though Entergy, the company that owns the plant, emphasized that only groundwater, and not drinking water, were contaminated.

Cuomo: time to close down these hazardous reactors

The Governor's office said the contamination had not moved offsite. Cuomo has encouraged Entergy to shut down Indian Point, but to keep its other plants further upstate open.

He directed health and environmental officials "to determine the extent of the release, its likely duration, cause and potential impacts to the environment and public health."

"While elevated tritium in the ground onsite is not in accordance with our standards, there is no health or safety consequence to the public", Entergy said in a statement released late Saturday. "Releases are more than a thousand times below federal permissible limits. The tritium did not affect any source of drinking water onsite or offsite."

The plant supplies roughly 30% of the electricity consumed by New York City. Indian Point had three emergency shutdowns in December, prompting the governor's office to launch, and then expand, an inquiry into operations and safety standards at the facility.

"This latest failure at Indian Point is unacceptable", Cuomo said in a statement. "This is not the first such release of radioactive water at Indian Point ... this failure continues to demonstrate that Indian Point cannot continue to operate in a manner that is protective of public health and the environment."

Both reactors operating without licences

An astonishing aspect of the matter is that Indian Point units 1 and 2 are both operating without licences from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
"It's very attractive. The earnings are very high and we've got hybrid material now. You harvest in the 24th month, and the repayment period is about seven years at the most. For the next 20 years it'll be laughing yourself all the way to the bank."

That's Suriya Moorthy, a consultant for agricultural investments in Malaysia, talking about oil palm investments. The quotation is from the documentary film, 'Land Grabbing'.

It's well worth a watch - if you're in London, it's showing at Bertha DocHouse until 11 February.



Director Kurt Langbein visits the scenes of land grabs and talks to farmers, local communities and to the investors behind the schemes.

The documentary team travelled to Cambodia, to investigate a sugar plantation that has taken people's land. They talk to Venerable Luon Sovath, a Buddhist monk who interviews villagers and documents everything he finds. More than 1,000 families living in the area were violently evicted. Many houses were burned.

Subsidising destruction

The plantation belongs to Phnom Penh Sugar, a company run by Senator Ly Yong Phat. The sugar is exported to the European Union. Under the EU's 'Everything but Arms' treaty with Cambodia, the sugar is exported duty free.

The documentary looks at large-scale industrial agriculture in Romania and contrasts this with small-scale farming there. While small-scale farmers can get small subsidies from the EU, millions of Euros are available for industrial agriculture.

In Ethiopia, we see how tomatoes and peppers are grown in greenhouses for the 'top of the market' in the Middle East and Africa. The work is backbreaking and poorly paid. Workers are searched when they leave work to check that they haven't stolen any tomatoes. It's enough to make you want to boycott tomatoes.

For me, the most extraordinary part of the film is in Indonesia. We see workers on an oil palm plantation belonging to Cargill. They stand in rows and recite the 'Hindoli Plantation Employees Pledge'. This includes a list of seven items, starting as follows:

"I'm ashamed of myself:

1. When I don't follow the rules and I make a mistake;

2. When I dont use my personal safety equipment."

'The injustice could not be clearer'

A bioenergy plant in Sierra Leone is the next stop. Addax Bioenergy earned Africa's first Rountable on Sustainable Bioenergy certification. But Ibrahim Serie, a village head, describes how villagers gave away their land without understanding the impacts on their livelihoods.
SHARE Buffy House

By BETH SMITH, Gleaner staff

A Henderson elementary school principal has been arrested after allegedly pointing a gun at someone.

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office said Buffy House, 47, principal at Cairo Elementary School, was arrested early Monday morning at her residence in the 14000 section of U.S. 60-East in Reed.

According to an incident report, the victim said House removed two guns from a boathouse at the home they share.

The victim said House returned one of them, a .357, but kept the other, a 9-mm. When he asked about it, the report says that House pointed the gun at him, said, "I bet you wish I would blow my head off," and pulled the trigger.

The gun  which sheriff's officials said was loaded  did not fire because the safety was on, the document said. The report says House then put the gun down and went into the house.

The report notes that House denies the incident took place. House declined to comment when reached by The Gleaner.

Authorities said there weren't any indications that House or the victim were intoxicated when the alleged crime occurred.

The Henderson County School District released a statement regarding House's arrest: "This morning, Monday, Feb. 8, the administration at Henderson County Schools learned of the arrest of Principal Buffy House and spent the beginning of the school day with staff and students at Cairo Elementary. At this point, little is known about what occurred to warrant her arrest, but this is in no way affiliated with Henderson County Schools. This alleged incident occurred off-campus and outside of school hours ... Immediately upon learning about the alleged incident, Ms. House is on administrative leave from Henderson County Schools."

School officials said the leave is paid, pending the outcome of the investigation.

"I assure you that we are focused on an orderly transition for our Cairo families and students," said Marganna Stanley, superintendent for Henderson County Schools. "As more information comes available, we will share that with our Cairo families."

In 2006, House, then teaching in Daviess County, pleaded guilty to two counts of a possession of a controlled substance after selling drugs to an undercover officer.

House went to the police and confessed, saying she was in an abusive relationship and her husband forced her to do it. The investigating officer testified on her behalf and she received a suspended sentence.

In 2008, House was hired as a teacher at East Heights Elementary School. Henderson Schools officials were aware of her arrest before she was hired.

Jo Swanson, Henderson's assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for the school system, was principal at East Heights at the time.

"I had known (House) since 1997-1998," Swanson told The Gleaner in 2014. "We both worked at Central Elementary School before it closed. So I saw her teach every single day. She was one of the most dynamic teachers. High engagement (with the students) and always using the best instructional practices. I was extremely impressed with her."

After spending five years as a fourth-grade teacher, House accepted the position of curriculum specialist at Niagara Elementary School. She was hired as the principal at Cairo at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.

"On my first official day (as principal) I called my staff in and told them what I'd done, House told The Gleaner shortly after her hiring. "I've talked with the site-based council, the former PTA president and the current PTA president. And I've talked to parents, as well."

Lisa Baird, chair of the Henderson County School Board, said board members were notified Monday morning about House's arrest.

"That's protocol," she said. However, "the school board is legally not allowed to be involved in personnel actions. We do get notified about personnel actions, but making decisions is out of our reach."

"At this point it's still an administrative issue," Baird said.

House is charged with a felony offense of first-degree wanton endangerment. She was lodged at the Henderson County Detention Center, but was released on a $2,500 full cash bond.
SHARE

By Stephaine Salmons

A majority of Kentucky adults support increasing the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21, according to new data from the Kentucky Health Issues Poll.

Data also show that adults in the state are split on whether to increase the state's excise tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack.

Poll data were released Monday by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Interact for Health.

According to the Foundation, 64 percent of those who have never smoked favor raising the minimum age, while 57 percent of current and former smokers were in favor.

Rebecca Horn, a health educator and tobacco control coordinator with the Green River District Health Department, said most people start smoking before the age of 18, and "during those college years," from 18 to 21, those who become casual smokers see an uptick in the amount they smoke and become more heavily addicted.

Increasing that minimum age "will maybe decrease those rates," she said.

The KHIP also shows that 51 percent of individuals oppose a cigarette excise tax increase of $1 per pack, and 45 percent favor a $1 increase on that tax.

Findings also show that 85 percent of current smokers oppose an excise tax increase on cigarettes, while 59 percent of those who have never smoked support such an increase.

According to Horn, Kentucky has one of the lowest excise taxes in the nation.

When you "look at places with a higher tax, (they have) a much lower smoking rate than we do."

Horn said, "when it comes to your pocketbook," it can sometimes create a behavioral change and can cause people to try that "quit attempt."

Kentucky, she said, has "some of the most lax laws when it comes to tobacco."

Those with higher excise taxes and statewide smoke-free laws are seeing both health and economic benefits, said Horn.

According to the foundation press release, only Hawaii has increased the legal minimum age for buying tobacco products to 21,

And in Kentucky, 26 percent of adults reported being a smoker.

KHIP, funded by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and Interact for Health, was conducted Sept. 17 through Oct. 7 by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati.

A random sample of 1,608 adults from throughout Kentucky was interviewed by telephone, including landlines and cellphones. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
Witnesses begin testifying in West Burlington pool shooting trial

Testimony began on Wednesday in the trial of the man accused of attempted murder after a shooting at the West Burlington Swimming Pool in June.
HARTFORD -- A Pennsylvania man with a violent criminal history that includes a murder conviction, was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison for his role in a 2013 kidnapping and robbery of a Fairfield jewelry store.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Kasam Hennix, 42, of Easton, Pennsylvania., was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 171 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a violent kidnapping and jewelry store robbery in April 2013.

According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 9 p.m. on April 11, 2013, Hennix, William Davis, Christopher Gay and Jeffrey Houston, all of whom were wearing masks and gloves and two of whom were armed with handguns, broke into an apartment on Gravel Street in Meriden, bound four victims with duct tape and covered their heads with pillowcases, towels and jackets.

Hennix, Davis, and Houston then forced two of the victims into a victim's vehicle and drove to Lenox Jewelers in Fairfield, where the two victims worked. A fifth defendant traveled to Fairfield in a separate vehicle, and Gay remained in the Meriden apartment to guard the two other victims.

After the perpetrators arrived at the Fairfield store, they stole jewelry, watches and loose diamonds with a total replacement value of more than $3 million. They then fled in the victim's car, leaving the two victims bound inside the store. One of the defendants called Gay to advise him that they had successfully carried out the robbery and that he should leave the apartment. The defendants abandoned the victim's vehicle before they fled the state.

Hennix has been detained since his arrest on May 22, 2013. On May 18, 2015, he pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

Hennix's criminal history includes a conviction for third degree murder for which he served approximately 20 years in prison. In October 1992, Hennix shot a victim multiple times with a sawed-off shotgun, and his co-defendant then shot the victim in the head, killing him. He was discharged from custody in October 2012.

William Davis of Allentown, Pa., Jeffrey Houston of Allentown, and Christopher Gay of the Bronx, N.Y., also pleaded guilty to charges stemming from their involvement in the kidnapping and robbery. The fifth defendant is awaiting trial. On April 17, 2015, Davis was sentenced to 176 months in prison and, on January 27, 2016, Gay was sentenced to 102 months in prison. Houston has not been sentenced.

Hennix, Davis and Gay have been ordered to pay restitution of more than $3.1 million.

The defendants also have forfeited gemstones, jewelry, watches, a vehicle, and more than $127,000 in cash seized from them at the time of their arrests.

The matter has been investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fairfield Police Department and Meriden Police Department. U.S. Attorney Daly also acknowledged the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and FBI in New York and Pennsylvania; the York, Allentown and Bethlehem Police Departments in Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Lee Dayton.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) -- Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, said Sunday that it has killed one of its own commanders over unnamed "moral and behavioral violations."

Hamas said in a short Twitter statement that Mahmoud Eshtewi, a local member of the group's military wing, was killed after he confessed. It said the decision to kill Eshtewi, who was detained in January 2015, was taken by its "military and religious judiciary," a previously unheard-of department.

Hamas seized the Gaza Strip from forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007. During periods of fighting against Israel, Hamas has killed dozens of Palestinians it accused of spying.

The group is not known to have killed its own members during peacetime, and the vague language used in the statement indicated Eshtewi was killed for reasons other than spying.

"We are shocked," his sister, Buthaina, screamed over the phone. "He can't be executed based on the reasons they provide."

She said Hamas officials had met the family in the morning and told them that they were considering his release. "They tricked us," she said.

Eshtewi's relatives said they had only been allowed to visit him three times during the year he was detained. They said he was not found guilty of spying, without elaborating.

Human Rights Watch said it was following Eshtewi's case "with concern" after his family told the New York-based group that he was arrested and tortured for criticizing more senior Hamas commanders.

Sari Bashi, HRW's Israel-Palestine director, said the rights group was unable to visit him, but that his family's claims were "consistent with persistent and credible reports that Hamas security forces have been arresting and torturing those who express criticism."

Bashi urged Hamas to investigate and "rein in security forces to prevent future killings from taking place."
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CINCINNATI (AP) -- Forehead furrowed, a woman drags on a Camel cigarette, admitting she has only vague memories of nearly dying five days earlier.

Some flashes of images of being inside an ambulance. Waking up in a hospital bed. No recognition, though, of the solidly built, 6-foot-4 blue-uniformed police officer now leaning against a wall in her kitchen, having returned not to arrest her, but to help with her battle against heroin. The officer, David Hubbard, a veteran narcotics detective, is part of the "Quick Response Team" formed last July in Colerain Township, a sprawling suburb of some 60,000 people 15 miles northwest of Cincinnati. Police, paramedics and addiction counselors combine to quickly steer users into treatment while their overdoses are still raw and frightening.

It's among new approaches, some that are redefining police roles, being tried in hard-hit communities across the country. While some critics ask whether police are putting social work over law enforcement, authorities say that while they are stepping up efforts against dealers, they can't arrest their way out of such a pervasive epidemic.

"There were some naysayers who say these are nothing but junkies -- lock them up," said John Tharp, sheriff in Lucas County, home to Toledo, Ohio's fourth-largest city. "We may think this is soft (for police), but when you have a crisis in your community, you need to be proactive. We're being aggressive."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports heroin overdose death rates more than tripled since 2010 as powerful, cheap forms swept America. Ohio ranked among the top five states in drug overdose deaths in 2014, including 1,177 linked to heroin, and had one of the biggest increases.

In Massachusetts, Gloucester's police chief famously pioneered a program last year to help get addicts into treatment if they turn in their drugs and drug equipment, no questions asked. Departments in other states have adopted aspects of the program.

Tharp's Drug Abuse Response Team (D.A.R.T.) was formed in June 2014 amid rising overdose deaths in the Toledo area. Police, accompanied by counselors, meet with users and families as soon as possible after overdoses, even providing rides to treatment. Hundreds have entered treatment through the effort.

In Colerain Township, Public Safety Director Dan Meloy said the program launched last July appears to be having an impact already. On pace to top 200 overdoses when it started, the township ended 2015 with 167.

The programs help reduce other crimes, police say.

"They're not breaking into their neighbors' sheds, they're not robbing the local stores, they're not stealing from their families trying to feed their habit," Meloy said.

Ohio officials are battling heroin on other fronts, too.

Gov. John Kasich's office last month announced the latest in a series of guidelines aimed at reducing prescription painkiller abuse often linked to leading to heroin use, this time promoting alternative pain relief methods. Attorney General Mike DeWine convened a statewide summit and spotlighted "holistic approaches" being tried. U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, has been building bipartisan support in Washington for a bill that focuses on making sure patients get optimal treatment.

Some black Americans long involved in the criminal justice system point out that gentler responses to the heroin use rising sharply among whites weren't so available when the crack cocaine wave swept into urban neighborhoods.

"I applaud law enforcement agencies for treating the heroin epidemic as a public health, rather than criminal justice, problem," said David Singleton, a veteran attorney who's executive director of the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, in an email. "At the same time, it is deeply troubling that we are shifting our approach from incarceration to treatment for an epidemic that primarily affects white people."

Near Colerain Township, Hamilton city police work with Fort Hamilton Hospital, where chief medical officer Dr. Marcus Romanello said the emergency room has repeatedly seen cases in which overdose patients were saved there, then ended up dying at home in a subsequent overdose. F.O.R.T (Fort's Opiate Recovery Taskforce) began late last year, involving police and other first responders, therapists, a social worker, and a hospital pharmacist to help steer them into treatment and provide families with resources.

Overdose tolls have been aggravated by the spreading use of fentanyl, a strong painkiller that can be combined with heroin or snorted alone. In Lucas County, the number of overdose deaths again rose last year, complicating evaluation of the new program's success.

Police said their helping programs often lead to valuable anti-drug intelligence as they target suppliers.

"We're still arresting people," Hubbard said. "But now we're fighting it from all angles."

He continues to be amazed that drug users, including some he has arrested in the past, will open their doors to him after an overdose. He said they often break down, grateful to be offered help.

"I was skeptical," he said. "It's changed my mind."

The woman Hubbard helped in early January agreed to speak to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because she didn't want people she knows to hear about her heroin use.

"I could be dead," the woman, in her 50s, said as Judy Garland's voice warbled in the living room: "Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high."

A $10 shot of heroin sent her plunging toward death. Emergency crews responding to a 911 call injected the overdose reversal drug naloxone but took her to a hospital when she remained unstable.

She wants to stop using drugs, she said, but "I need help."

Hubbard also recently visited with Damon Carroll, 23, showing off fishing photos from a Florida vacation. Carroll was found overdosed on his bedroom floor last summer, just as the Colerain program was beginning.

"It's a big thing to me," Carroll said. Officers stop by his home just to see if he's doing OK. He's been in treatment and is doing well in a restaurant job.

He said hearing other success stories from the program encourages him: "It lets me know that I'm not alone."

___

Follow the reporter at http://www.twitter.com/dansewell

To see some of his other recent stories: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/dan-sewell
If we were to tell you there is a proven way to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes while reducing costs you might say, "Where do I sign?" One such way exists, and it is to invest in and support the integration of community health workers (CHW) into our health care delivery system.

Community health workers are public health workers who are trusted members of their communities and typically share ethnicity, culture, language, socioeconomic status, and life experiences with community members. They bridge doctors' offices with the community settings in which people with costly chronic conditions like asthma, serious mental illness, and diabetes manage their health on a daily basis. CHWs are particularly well suited to help those covered by HUSKY, Connecticut's Medicaid program.

However, without infrastructure in place to support the contributions of CHWs, Connecticut will experience challenges in its move toward coordinated, community-integrated health care.

For far too long in Connecticut, CHWs have provided valuable services under a cloud of instability and uncertainty with a reliance on short-term funding. For example, many CHWs served as in-person assisters who helped enroll the state's uninsured residents in health insurance during past open enrollment periods. Some report to us that they continue to help their community members without compensation since modest assister grants ended long ago.

The Connecticut Health Foundation has made several CHW grants over the years and we have witnessed this sustainability problem first hand. When our grant ended, the CHW was out of a job.

Ten other states from Texas to Oregon to South Carolina have established a certification process to formalize CHW training, knowledge, and skill requirements to increase recognition of the CHW workforce. The benefits of certification are that health care providers are more likely to hire certified CHWs, and Medicaid programs and private health insurers are more likely to approve payments for services provided by certified CHWs.

A 2013 federal rule changes gives state Medicaid programs the opportunity to reimburse for cost-effective preventive CHW services recommended by a physician or clinician. Medicaid administrative funds are another potential financing option. Medicaid programs in Minnesota and Pennsylvania support CHW services directly, while those in a number of other states make monthly payments to clinical practices to cover CHWs.

So, what can Connecticut do to ensure the long-term viability of community health workers? To maximize opportunities available under health reform, the foundation believes Connecticut has the opportunity to make real progress by:

* Establishing a process for certifying CHWs, along with training and experience requirements, to document CHWs' skills for potential employers and insurers.

* Implementing Connecticut's State Innovation Model ("SIM") initiative, which includes a role for CHWs to help integrate communities and clinical services.

* Building on interest and momentum to add cost-effective CHW services to Medicaid-covered services and initiatives.

* Providing training to health care providers on how to effectively include CHWs as part of care teams.

Advancing community health worker infrastructure is a good investment for Connecticut. CHWs are part of the solution as we move toward paying for health care services in a way that rewards providers for delivering better care at lower cost.

Patricia Baker is the chief executive officer of the Connecticut Health Foundation.
UConn has become one of the great public universities in the country. Deservedly so. But it is not above the law, including the states Freedom of Information Act. Unfortunately, UConn seems to think otherwise.

Last June I wrote on this blog about a behind closed doors meeting the UConn Board of Trustees held to discuss a $1.3 billion budget for the upcoming year. I expressed the view that UConn did not have a legal leg to stand on in arguing that the FOIA did not require the meeting to be open to the public.

Fortunately, Hartford Courant reporter Matt Kauffman filed a complaint with the Freedom of Information Commission, charging UConn with violating the open meetings provision of the FOIA. The Courant reported last week that the hearing officer, Lisa Fein Siegel, issued a proposed decision that finds UConn violated the FOIA. In addition, the decision directs UConn to create minutes of the closed-door meeting to disclose what transpired  to the same degree as would have been revealed by conducting the session in public. The full commission will consider her proposed decision on February 24, 2016, at which time I say with a great deal of confidence that it will adopt her decision.

UConn should acknowledge its legal faux pax and commit to complying with the FOIA by holding budget meetings in public, just like the Connecticut Board of Regents does when debating budgets for the universities and colleges under its control, and just like the General Assembly does when debating the state budget. But UConn seems to be gearing up for a legal fight instead. According to UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz, If we believe the decision is wrong, appealing to court is a very strong possibility.

I respectfully urge President Susan Herbst and her legal counsel to reconsider that position. UConn may have a legal right to file an appeal of the FOICs decision, but that does not mean it should. The law is clear. UConn was wrong. UConn should set an example about how to comply with the law, not how to litigate frivolous issues.

Disclosure: I have been an adjunct professor at UConn School of Law since 2003. I love the institution and I love teaching there.

Dan Klau is an attorney with McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP; the immediate past president of the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government and is a member of the board of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information.
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Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta  Mon, February 8, 2016

Four people are dead and three others have been injured following a collision between a motorcycle and a car in West Jakarta in the early hours of Monday, the police have said.

West Jakarta Traffic Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Heri Ompungsu said on Monday that the driver of a Toyota Fortuner, identified as Riki Agung Prasetio, 24, driving from Grogol toward Tangerang hit a motorcycle driven by Zulkahfi Rahman at 4:10 a.m. in front of a factory at Jl. Daan Mogot KM 15.

The car then hit a tree and an electrical pole before rolling over onto the middle of the street.

The four fatalities have been identified as Zulkahfi and his wife Nuraini, who was a passenger on the motorcycle. The other fatalities have been identified as Tatang Satriana and Evi, who were passengers in the Fortuner, Riki was among the injured and no further details have been provided on the remaining casualties.

The survivors were taken to Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kalideres, West Jakarta and the bodies of the dead victims were taken to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta.

Police have not explained what caused the collision.

Riki's urine is being tested as part of the investigation, Heri said.

Riki's initial statement was that he was not fully focused while driving, Heri added.

"We will also discuss with experts after his urine test results are released," he said as quoted by kompas.com. (rin)
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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Mon, February 8, 2016

Thousands of people have descended upon a temple in Semarang, Central Java, to witness Chinese Imlek traditions this year, Chinese New Year 2567.

Starting early on Monday morning, people of various ethnicity and religious leaning flocked to Sam Poo Kong, Semarang's oldest Chinese temple.

Many did not come to pray, but arrived in hope of witnessing Imlek traditions and showed equal interest in sampling the special cuisine available during the celebrations.

The temple congregation and the throng of temple visitors was an unusual blend that served to illustrate a harmonious sense of tolerance.

The visitors happily watched the barongsai (lion dance) along with a series of Chinese traditional performances and some even danced to a song performed in Mandarin at the temple.

"We came here to see what the Imlek celebration looks like. We heard that there is a barongsai performance. We also watched the Reog Ponorogo performance that showed a cultural update to Imlek celebrations," said a visitor from Kendal.

Juwita, a Semarang resident, also came with her friends to watch the various arts performed at Sam Poo Kong.

"It is very crowded. There was a 1 kilometer traffic jam just to get here," said a girl wearing hijab.

Inside the temple, children excitedly handed angpao (a red envelope containing money) to the dancing barongsai.

Sam Poo Kong Temple was built by Chinese Admiral Cheng Ho in 1405 after he arrived in Semarang. Cheng Ho was an admiral during the Ming Dynasty. He travelled, under orders from Ming Emperor Yung Lo, from South China to Southeast Asia and onwards to Africa. His travels reportedly ended in 1425.

The temple underwent a significant renovation from 2003 to 2005, costing Rp 20 billion ($1,466,814). The renovation saw the temple expand from 16x16 meters squared to 34x34 meters squared. Details of Cheng Ho's journey are displayed in a relief on the back wall of the temple. (rin)
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Linkedin Esther Htusan (The Jakarta Post) Naypitaw, Myanmar  Mon, February 8, 2016

The names of Myanmar's next president and two vice presidents will be revealed on March 17, an official said Monday, setting a clear timeline for the transition of power from a military-controlled government to democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi's party.

Parliament chairman Mann Win Khaing Than announced that the upper house, the lower House and the military will have to select one candidate each for the three posts before March 17, and submit them to parliament on that day.

While Suu Kyi herself is barred from becoming president, there are growing signs that her talks with the military to remove a constitutional hurdle blocking her path can be completed by March 17.

Once the three names are put before the 664-member parliament, all members will take a vote. The person with the largest number of votes will become president, and the other two will be vice presidents. It isn't clear when the vote will take place, but the current president's term ends March 31 and the successor must take office April 1.

Given that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party has a majority in both houses of parliament, it is certain to get the president's post and one of the vice presidential positions.

The NLD won a landslide victory in the Nov. 8 general elections. But Suu Kyi has been stymied by the Constitution's Article 59 (f), which says anyone with a foreign spouse or children cannot hold the executive office. Suu Kyi's late husband was British as are her two sons.

Still, she has been negotiating with commander-in-chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on having the clause suspended. The clause can be legally scrapped only through a 75 percent plus one vote in Parliament. The military holds 25 percent of seats in parliament ' all unelected ' which means the NLD cannot scrap the clause on its own. However, the clause can be suspended by a simple majority, but because all this is uncharted territory nobody is sure if that would be allowed.

In separate but identical broadcasts late Sunday, Sky Net and Myanmar National Television, both pro-government, said "positive results could come out on the negotiation for the suspension of the constitution Article 59 (f)."

"I think everything will be fine," Kyaw Htwe, a senior member of the NLD, told The Associated Press. "The negotiations will be positive for our leader Aung San Suu Kyi to become president," said Kyaw Htwe, who is also a member of parliament.

But Yan Myo Thein, a political analyst, advised caution.

"It is still too early to confirm that Suu Kyi will be among the presidential candidate," he said. "Even the suspension and the constitutional amendment will take time. And we cannot really comment relying only on a short announcement on TV," he said.

Suu Kyi has said previously that even if she doesn't become the president she would run the country from behind the scenes. But clearly, the NLD would prefer that the 70-year-old Nobel peace laureate lead the country, having struggled almost all her adult life for it.

On Monday, Suu Kyi entered the parliament without commenting to the media. Watching the joint session of parliament as an observer was influential former general Shwe Mann, the former speaker of the lower house in the outgoing government and now a Suu Kyi ally. He is believed to be supportive of a constitutional change and is thought to be trying to broker a deal to allow her to become president.

Myanmar was ruled with an iron fist by the military for 50 years until it stood back in 2010 to allow a quasi-civilian government to take over. In that time Suu Kyi was their chief adversary, defying them even while under house arrest for many years. The enmity still lingers, but the generals are thought to have invested too much in putting the country on the path to a civilian government to risk a pull back now. (rin)
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Linkedin Foster Klug & Edith M. Lederer (The Jakarta Post) Seoul, South Korea  Mon, February 8, 2016

The UN Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders denounced as a banned test of dangerous ballistic missile technology and another "intolerable provocation." The UN's most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with "significant" new sanctions.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early Sunday, and a month after the country's fourth nuclear test. He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbor and important ally, not to proceed and in another slap to Beijing, he chose the eve of the Chinese New Year, the country's most important holiday.

Since its Jan. 6 nuclear test, which the North claimed was a powerful hydrogen bomb but experts believe was not, China and the United States have been negotiating the text of a new Security Council sanctions resolution.

The US, backed by its Western allies, Japan and South Korea, wants tough sanctions reflecting Kim's defiance of the Security Council. But diplomats say China, the North's key protector in the council, is reluctant to impose economic measures that could cause North Korea's economy to collapse.

The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the launch and pledged to "expeditiously" adopt a new resolution with "further significant measures" ' UN code for sanctions. The word "robust" referring to the measures was in an initial draft, but was dropped in the final statement.

US Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters that "it cannot be business as usual" after two successive North Korean acts that are "hostile and illegal."

"What's important is that the Security Council unites," Power said. "China is a critical player. ... We are hopeful that China, like all council members, will see the grave threat to regional and international peace and security, see the importance of adopting tough, unprecedented measures, breaking new ground here, exceeding the expectations of Kim Jong Un."

However, China's UN ambassador, Liu Jieyi, made clear that unprecedented sanctions aren't Beijing's priority.

He said a new resolution should "do the work of reducing tension, of working toward denuclearization (of the Korean peninsula), of maintaining peace and stability, and of encouraging a negotiated solution."

"I believe the council needs to work together for a new resolution," Liu added, indicating that China may want negotiations with the United States to be widened.

Russia's UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, whose country is also a North Korean ally, said: "It has to be a weighty resolution, but it also has to be a reasonable resolution" that doesn't lead to North Korea's economic or humanitarian collapse, or further heighten tensions.

Russia's goal is to see six-party talks aimed at denuclearization resume, he said, but in the current atmosphere that's unlikely because the North Koreans "have been very unreasonable" and are challenging the entire international community.

"We think this is wrong for their national interests ... for the Korean peninsula ... for the region," Churkin said.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space program, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after liftoff, and vowed more such launches. A US official said it might take days to assess whether the launch was a success.

Japan's UN ambassador, Motohide Yoshikawa, told reporters the missile went over Japan and landed near the Philippines, "a clear threat to the lives of many people."

The Security Council underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, "even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle" contribute to North Korea's development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons and violate four Security Council resolutions dating back to the North's first nuclear test in 2006.

North Korean rocket and nuclear tests are seen as crucial steps toward the North's ultimate goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could hit the U.S. mainland. North Korea under Kim Jong Un has pledged to bolster its nuclear arsenal unless Washington scraps what Pyongyang calls a hostile policy meant to collapse Kim's government.

In a development that will worry both Pyongyang and Beijing, a senior South Korean Defense Ministry official, Yoo Jeh Seung, told reporters that Seoul and Washington have agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of the THADD missile-defense system in South Korea. North Korea has long decried the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea, and Beijing would see a South Korean deployment of THAAD, which is one of the world's most advanced missile-defense systems, as a threat to its interests in the region.

In a statement, North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration, in typical propaganda-laden language, praised "the fascinating vapor of Juche satellite trailing in the clear and blue sky in spring of February on the threshold of the Day of the Shining Star." Juche is a North Korean philosophy focusing on self-reliance; the Day of the Shining Star refers to the Feb. 16 birthday of Kim Jong Un's father, former dictator Kim Jong Il. North Korea has previously staged rocket launches to mark important anniversaries.

The global condemnation began almost immediately.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye called the launch an "intolerable provocation," saying the North's efforts to advance its missile capabilities were "all about maintaining the regime" in Pyongyang and ignored the hardships of ordinary North Koreans.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to "take action to totally protect the safety and well-being of our people." U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice called the North's missile and nuclear weapons programs "serious threats to our interests ' including the security of some of our closest allies."

US Secretary of State John Kerry called the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan and reaffirmed the United States' "ironclad commitment to the security and defense" of its allies, the State Department said.

The Foreign Ministry in China expressed "regret that, disregarding the opposition from the international community, the (North) side obstinately insisted in carrying out a launch by using ballistic missile technologies."

Noting China's pivotal role in negotiating a new Security Council resolution, Britain's deputy UN ambassador, Peter Wilson, said: "Today is Chinese New Year's eve and if I was a senior Chinese official I would be pretty annoyed at what's been happening here. I know what I feel like when I'm dragged out of bed on a major national holiday."

Kim Jong Un has overseen two of the North's four nuclear tests and three long-range rocket launches since taking over after the death of his father in late 2011. The UN Security Council prohibits North Korea from nuclear and ballistic missile activity. Experts say that ballistic missiles and rockets in satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology.

"If North Korea has only nuclear weapons, that's not that intimidating. If they have only rockets, that's not that intimidating, either. But if they have both of them, that means they can attack any target on Earth. So it becomes a global issue," said Kwon Sejin, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. (rin)

Hyung-jin Kim, Kim Tong-hyung, Yuri Kageyama, Eric Talmadge, Lolita Baldor and Louise Watt contributed to this report.
We posted a quick story yesterday afternoon after local Democrats made Alice Cancel their pick to replace Sheldon Silver in Albany. Heres more now from the unusual gathering at the Manny Cantor Center.

Cancel is now the Democratic nominee in an April 19 special election to fill the seat in the 65th Assembly District. Shell face Lester Chang, the Republican nominee, and Yuh-Line Niou, a Democrat running on the Working Families Party ballot line.

About 180 members of the Democratic County Committee chose yesterday among five candidates. The contenders all gave short speeches before voting began.

Cancel has been Female District Leader in the assembly district for 22 years. She lives at Southbridge Towers and works for City Comptroller Scott Stringer. Previously, she was an aide to former Comptroller John Liu and State Sen. Marty Connor. In her remarks, Cancel said she has the experience and commitment to get things done. In the past 40 years, Cancel argued, shes fought for affordable housing, school funding and improved recreational spaces. After living through the September 11th attacks and Hurricane Sandy, Cancel said, she has a strong understanding of what the community needs in Albany.

Cancel was followed at the podium by Gigi Li, chairperson of Community Board 3. Li said she has a plan for expanding social services, investing in youth and education and encouraging smart development. Without mentioning him by name, she referenced Sheldon Silver, saying, Weve lost a strong voice in Albany, but I have the experience and the dedication to deliver for the district.

Paul Newell, who unsuccessfully challenged Silver in 2008, said hes a longtime proponent of ethics reform in Albany. He promised to make the preservation of affordable housing a top priority and to fight for progressive values. This is an incredible community, said Newell. I want to make sure our voice in taken to Albany and that a new kind of leadership takes hold in state government.

The shocker of the afternoon came as Yuh-Line Niou, the favored candidate of Chinatowns United Democratic Organization, withdrew from what she called a flawed and undemocratic process. Niou, Assembly member Ron Kims chief of staff, said, I may not be an insider. I dont belong to a political club. But she added, I am committed to standing up for people who dont have a voice. The announcement, delivered moments before ballots were cast, stunned County Committee members, some of whom had just hours earlier been persuaded to vote for Niou.

Jenifer Rajkumar, a district leader and former City Council candidate, was last to speak. Noting that many of us came here today with our marching orders handed to us by local political clubs, she urged members to vote their conscience. Let us set aside our marching orders and vote for the candidate, said Rajkumar, capable of moving our district and its people forward into a bright new tomorrow.

When the votes had been counted, Cancel had won decisively (see the vote tallies here). Newell came in second, with Rajkumar third and Niou fourth. Gigi Li did not win any County Committee votes.

Mainstream media accounts are making much of the involvement in yesterdays meeting by Judy Rapfogel, Silvers longtime chief of staff and by Rosa Silver, the former Assemblymans wife. Silver was convicted on federal corruption charges Nov. 30. William Rapfogel, Judys husband, was convicted of embezzling funds from the Met Council. Adele Malpass, chairwoman of the Manhattan Republican Party, told the Daily News:

The fact the wives of convicted con artists Shelly Silver and William Rapfogel were allowed to participate in the selection of Alice Cancel as the Democrat standard-bearer in the April 19 special election to fill the former Assembly seat of the disgraced Shelly Silver is indicative of how deep corruption runs in the political clubhouses of the district.

Alice Cancel drew support from several neighborhood groups. Many members of Silvers political organization, the Truman Democratic Club, voted for her. Cancels own club, Lower East Side Democrats, strongly favored the longtime political activist, of course. Cancel was endorsed by City Council member Rosie Mendez. During a brief interview yesterday, Mendez told us she was swayed by Cancels long history advocating for working people within the community. She does it through shear tenacity, said Mendez. She keeps at it and doesnt give up. Cancel also enjoyed strong support from tenant leaders, including resident association heads of the Alfred E. Smith Houses, Vladeck Houses and St. Marys Guild housing complex.

The battle for the 65th Assembly District is not over by any means. In the April special election, Niou will likely attract significant support in Chinatown, complicating Cancels path to victory in a heavily Democratic District. All of the candidates in contention yesterday are expected to run in the regularly scheduled September primary. They will be joined by Don Lee, a Chinatown-based candidate who withdrew from the County Committee election last week, citing its undemocratic process. Christopher Marte is running as an independent in both the special election and in the November general election.
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Search for Spaniard fans out

BANGKOK: Police are helping search for a Spaniard who is suspected of having fled the border in Surin, after he was implicated in the dismemberment of a compatriot.

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By Bangkok Post

Monday 8 February 2016, 09:14AM

Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn, Immigration Bureau chief, has got Cambodian agreement to help search for murder suspect Artur Segarra Princep (top right) while detectives question the Spaniards girlfriend. (Photos courtesy Royal Thai Police)

Though police are not certain if Artur Segarra Princep, who may have little knowledge of border areas, has entered Cambodia, help from their Cambodian counterparts will make the search for the suspect easier, Thai Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn said yesterday (Feb 7).

Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn said he has asked his Cambodian counterpart Gen Sokphai to help look for Mr Segarra after his motorcycle was left abandoned near the Sombat border market in Surins Kap Choeng district on Saturday (Feb 6).

The motorcycle, with no licence plate, was found in a forest not far from the Chong Chom border checkpoint.

This suggests the suspect might have used a natural path into Cambodia, but thats not easy, Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn said. Local people must help him if he is to escape that way.

Kap Choeng immigration police said they have found no evidence that Mr Segarra left Thailand legally via the checkpoint, which is now tightening inspections of people travelling between the two countries.

The last person who stayed with the 37-year-old suspect is his Thai girlfriend Pritsana Saen-ubon, who is now in police custody for questioning.

According to her accounts, she and Mr Segarra were in a karaoke bar together in Surins Muang district, but he later sped away on his motorcycle when his photo appeared on the TV news.

During interrogation on Saturday night, she told police her boyfriend probably killed David Bernat, a 40-year-old Spanish businessman, before parts of his body were found in the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok last Wednesday (Feb 3).

A source close to the investigation team revealed the 22-year-old woman and Mr Segarra mostly lived in a condo in the Rama 9 area in Bangkok, but on Jan 19, he asked her to stay elsewhere temporarily because his friend was about to visit him.

She suspected Bernat might have been killed that day.

Investigators are not convinced by her account. They have checked footage from a security camera at their place and found that both of them left the room, probably after the murder took place, according to the source.

However, the investigators believe Bernat was killed at the condominium before his body was dismembered and dumped into the river. Forensic experts are inspecting the condominium to look for any evidence of the killing.

Her male friend, another suspect who was questioned yesterday, is still being detained by police. He reportedly drove Mr Segarra in a pick up truck to withdraw money from an ATM in the Klong Toey area on Feb 1, said the Royal Thai Police Offices adviser Pol Gen Panya Mamen, who is leading the investigation. Police have not yet charged him with a crime.

The officers are checking footage near the ATM to gather more clues about Mr Segarra escape, he said.

See original story here.
Worldwide outrage follows Pyongyangs rocket launch

NORTH KOREA: North Korea hailed an epochal event but its latest long-range rocket launch yesterday (Feb 7) sparked international anger and plans for talks on a US missile defence system for the peninsula.

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By AFP

Monday 8 February 2016, 09:42AM

Picture taken from North Korean TV and released by South Korean news agency Yonhap yesterday (Feb 7), shows North Koreas rocket launch of earth observation satellite Kwangmyong 4. Photo: Yonha/AFP

Pyongyangs state TV announced the nation successfully put a satellite into orbit, legitimately exercising the right to use space for independent and peaceful purposes.

Many others saw an exercise which clearly defied multiple UN resolutions  a disguised test of a ballistic missile which could one day deliver a warhead as far as the US mainland.

The United Nations called the launch deeply deplorable and Japan termed it absolutely intolerable. Even the isolated states sole major ally China expressed regret. The international community is still struggling to reach agreement on how to respond to Pyongyangs latest nuclear test  of what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb  on Jan 6.

After yesterday's launch, South Korean and US defence officials announced they would begin formal talks on deploying a US missile defence system in South Korea.

The US says the highly advanced Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system would be a deterrent necessitated by the Norths advancing ballistic missile programme.

But China and Russia fear it could trigger an arms race in a delicately balanced region. United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon called the Norths actions deeply deplorable and demanded it halt its provocative actions and return to compliance with its international obligations.

At Seouls request, the UN Security Council was due to hold emergency talks on the launch last night. The United States and its allies want to intensify sanctions. But veto-wielding council member China, Pyongyangs main trading partner and oil supplier, has in the past blocked tougher measures. Washington denounced the launch as destabilising and provocative.

North Koreas missile and nuclear weapons programmes represent serious threats to our interests  including the security of some of our closest allies  and undermine peace and security in the broader region, National Security Adviser Susan Rice said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the Norths actions absolutely intolerable.

Russia termed the launch a serious blow to regional security including that of Pyongyang itself.

It is obvious that such actions lead to a serious aggravation of the situation on the Korean peninsula and North-east Asia on the whole... [and] inflict serious damage to the security of the countries of the region, first and foremost North Korea itself, the Russian foreign ministry said.

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said the launch was a blatant breach of five UN resolutions.
Watertown to host state Cheer & Dance: Here's what you need to know
OTTAWACanadian fighter jets pounded Islamic State targets in Iraq on Saturday, destroying a fighting position and heavy engineering equipment in two separate attacks.

After more than a year of attacking ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria, these could be among the last combat missions flown by CF-18s.

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and three cabinet ministers will announce the next steps in Canadas anti-ISIS mission  and, its expected, begin the formal windup of combat operations by Canadians in the region.

Trudeaus Liberals pledged during the election to end the bombing missions by the CF-18s but as the months ticked by, theyve been under increasing pressure to formally announce the evolution of Canadas military involvement in the mission against Islamic State extremists.

Those details will come Monday when Trudeau is joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Marie-Claude Bibeau, the minister of international development.

Officials in the prime ministers office and the office of the defence minister declined to comment Sunday ahead of the announcement.

However, Trudeau himself has already given the broad outlines of what is next for Canada in the region.

Canada currently has a small team of 69 special operations forces soldiers in northern Iraq training local Kurdish fighters. As well, the Royal Canadian Air Force has an air-to-air refueler aircraft and two surveillance aircraft in addition to the six CF-18s, all operating from airbases in Kuwait.

The Liberals are expected to roll out a bigger training mission for Canadians that could take a number of forms. The government could deploy extra special operations forces soldiers  theyve been doing the training mission from the start. It could send conventional forces soldiers to conduct the training. It could expand its support of the Iraqi and Kurdish forces to include police training or medical support. Canada could also decide to join a NATO mission to do training work in Jordan or Turkey.

Trudeau said last November that Canadas new commitment would involve more troops for training in what he cautioned would not be a short engagement as a coalition of nations attempts to stem the growth of ISIS.

The Liberals are also expected to announce that the two surveillance planes and tanker jet will continue their missions to support the combat operations by other nations.

Bibeaus presence at the news conference suggests that the Liberals will also provide additional aid to address the pressing humanitarian needs in the war-torn region. Canada has already earmarked more than $600 million to assist the millions of Syrians and Iraqis displaced by the violence.

Asked Friday about Canadas mission, Trudeau declined to say when the CF-18 missions would end.

I know that Canadians ... expressed themselves very clearly during the election that we have to continue to engage in the coalition against ISIL in a robust and responsible way, and I will be making announcements about that when the time comes, Trudeau said.

The Liberals opposed the combat mission from the start, when it was first unveiled by the Conservatives in the fall of 2014.

The Liberals have been unwavering in their commitment to pull the fighter jets, despite criticism by opposition Tories and the growing concern about the spread of ISIS, especially in the wake of terror attacks in Paris last November.

On Saturday, the CF-18s struck twice, hitting heavy engineering equipment used by ISIS near Ramadi. That same day, fighters operating in support of Iraqi ground forces hit Islamic State fighting position north of Ramadi.

Further details of the targets, including potential casualties, is not divulged by the defence department.

The attacks marked a string of attacks by Canadian fighter jets against ISIS forces  five strikes in just three days.

Since launching combat operations in November 2014, CF-18s have flown more than 1,344 missions.

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In 1815, six Iranian students arrived in London to study science and technology. It was the middle of the Industrial Revolution and the prince who ruled Iran at the time wanted more knowledge, particularly because his country was at odds with an aggressive Russia. Historian Nile Green, who teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles, found the diary of one of these students, Mirza Salih, and wrote about their adventures in 19th-century Britain in his book, The Love of Strangers: What Six Muslim Students Learned in Jane Austens London. Our conversation has been edited for length.

You chose an interesting topic in the midst of concern about ISIS, terror threats in London and the recent devastation in Paris. Why?

I spent 25 years travelling through the Muslim world. Ive been in Yemen and Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ive seen people affected by the violence of Islamists. Ive also experienced a great deal of hospitality and curiosity about my culture and the world Ive come from.

As an historian Ive written about violence and conflict but I wanted to be true to my experience and write about the other side, the encounters between Muslims in the West, in my own life and my studies as an historian. One has to distinguish violence from the friendship and curiosity that is part of Muslim relationships with the West.

This is the first group of Muslim students ever to come to the West. The diary of Mirza Salih is the richest study of first contact between Muslims and Europeans. Certainly Europeans had gone to Asia but Muslims coming to Europe had been unknown. There had been the odd ambassador but in terms of Muslims getting their heads around what Europe is, what the modern world was becoming, that hadnt happened.

Jane Austen never meets these students, even though you use her name in the subtitle of your book. (Although they do cross paths with a nasty Mr. DArcy.) Why use her as a conceit?

I put Jane Austen there so people can recognize the time and the place. I am using Jane Austen as this synecdoche, something to sum up and epitomize all that we set up as Western sensibility.

What happens when we stick these young Muslim guys in Jane Austens world? The thing is, there is a Mr. DArcy, a real historical Mr. DArcy, but he is not the hero of the story. Youre right I am playing with the idea of Austen.

The world Jane Austen describes is domestic, provincial and rural. Mirza Salihs diary, this Persian diary never before translated, gives us much more than Austens novels in terms of the reality of the times because it gives us a sense of what was going on beyond the hedgerows of Pemberley: the Industrial Revolution and a sense of the Romantic movement.

The Persian students do some of the same things as Jane Austens characters. They go to Bath, they take the waters and they attend balls. They meet young ladies but the diary describes everything else in that period which Austen doesnt do in her novels.

What was the Persian princes purpose in funding these young men, sending them to London to study?

Initially the purpose was military and political. Russia for the Middle East was the great threat in the early 19th century. They were chopping off great parts of the Ottoman Empire and big parts of Iran. The prince realizes Russia has these new military capacities that Iran doesnt.

The Persian students spent time at Cambridge and Oxford, strong Christian religious centres. How did they cope? I include eating in that question because it would have been impossible to find halal food.

Oxford and Cambridge had the beginnings of the evangelical movements that we now think of as based in Texas. They wanted to convert the whole world to Christianity.

The Muslim students were hosted in Oxford by evangelicals. They took a great interest in Christian theology and Christianity. What attracted them was the progressive, rationalist Christianity, particularity Unitarian Christianity. They were interested, but they didnt want to convert.

As to halal food, one of the big lessons of the book is that Muslims were adaptable. There is no inherent conflict between Muslim ways of life and values and European ones. I am trying to look at them as real people. Real people in flesh and blood were adaptable. The students gave up on the idea of halal food very early. They drank wine. They adapted to the society around them.

There was a lot going on in England at the time. The Napoleonic Wars had just ended. It hadnt been long since the American Revolution. The British king, George III, was suffering from mental illness. What a time to be in London.

London was the birthplace of the modern world. It was the centre of the Industrial Revolution, the centre of the scientific revolution as well. These students are studying science, medicine, engineering, mathematics, printing. Mr. Salih ends his stay in London by becoming a printers apprentice on Fleet St. The man he studies with is a Mr. Watts. It is interesting that Benjamin Franklin also was an apprentice with a Mr. Watts. Were not sure if it is the same Mr. Watts.

Aside from the technical and scientific lessons, they are interested in the arts. They become fans of Romantic poetry. We know they loved the poem, Lalla Rookh, by Thomas Moore. They also liked the poetry of Byron and even posed for their portraits at an exhibition of the Royal Academy.

The students were called back home after three and a half years and had to wrap up their studies and their love affairs. We should touch on this. The main theme of the book is xenophilia, not xenophobia. They had come to London in search of knowledge but through their interactions they made great friends, they had lovers and one of them even gets married. It goes from being a story of science to being a story of love. What they really learned was the love of strangers.

What did they bring back to Iran?

In so far as six people can change a country, they had huge impact in their spheres of life: in printing, science, medicine and defence. They inspired a modernizing movement in Iran. Much of Iranian history was about royal power but they inspired what sets off to become by the early 20th century a constitutional revolution in Iran.

This is the beginning of multiculturalism in the world. I am looking at Muslims as human beings, not theological, cardboard cut outs. I am distinguishing Muslims from radical Islamists. This isnt a book about politics or ideology. It is a book about people who are adapting and getting along. I am not writing about the clash of cultures but simple humanism.

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Its an axiom among military leaders: command is not a popularity contest. That folk wisdom has given a measure of comfort to many officers whose soldiers resent them for sending them into harms way  and frustrated many more soldiers convinced that their commander really does not have their best interests at heart.

What no commander expects is for a junior soldier, when he does dislike his commander, to walk off into enemy territory. But that was what Bowe Bergdahl did  and that, by his own account, excerpted at length in the latest episode of the hit podcast Serial, was why he did it.

The commander of Bergdahls unit  then-Lt. Col. Clint Baker, the Texan graduate of West Point who led the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment  was an out-of-control menace, Bergdahl told filmmaker Mark Boal in one of the interviews the podcast excerpted. I wouldnt put it past him to purposely put me and my platoon-mates in harms way just because he has a personal grudge against us or for other nefarious reasons hidden from junior soldiers.

By walking across Taliban territory to another base, Bergdahl claims, he hoped to cause an emergency which would then allow him to bring Bakers leadership failures to the attention of a general.

But a soldier who served in 1st Battalion as a lieutenant, Nate Bethea, told Checkpoint in an interview that Bergdahls assessment of their battalion commander could hardly have been farther from the mark. Colonel Baker got that battalion because he was a good officer, Bethea said. Hes a genuinely, sincerely nice person who actually liked being out there doing operations with his soldiers and sharing their risk.

Craig Whiteside, a retired lieutenant colonel who was with 1st Battalion on its previous deployment, gave an even more glowing endorsement of Baker, his former West Point classmate.

Its true that the Army sometimes puts people in command who dont deserve to be there, but the Army did not make a mistake in selecting Clint Baker to be a battalion commander, and I say that as the guy who was in competition with him to command that battalion and lost out, Whiteside said in an interview. Id go work for Clint right now. Hes just an absolutely fantastic officer, solid-headed, with no ego, to a rare degree. Ive never seen anyone work harder to dedicate their life to being a good Army officer.

So how could one disgruntled soldier reach such a radically different conclusion about a lieutenant colonel he saw only occasionally?

To some extent, its a built-in feature of how a military unit works, especially in combat, several veterans of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan of different ranks said in interviews. Commanders give orders; junior soldiers blame the commanders for anything bad or frustrating that happens as a result of those orders, while soldiers higher up the food chain get a better view of commanders motives.

A soldier will point the finger at whoever comes up with mission orders, and thats the company or battalion commander, one former infantry platoon leader with two deployments to eastern Afghanistan, Ray McPadden, said.

During a deployment in the violent Korengal valley, McPadden served under a notoriously unpopular commander. A lieutenant at the time, McPadden understood his soldiers anger and sometimes shared it, but in retrospect thinks it was unfair. My commander seemed like the bad guy by virtue of the situation, not because he didnt care about his dudes, McPadden explained. It would be easy to present a viewpoint that he was in la la land and was ready to send us out to die and didnt care about us, but the situation was more complex than that.

Ben Richards, a retired Army major who as a cavalry commander during the Iraq surge often dealt with complaints his soldiers directed toward him or subordinate officers, told Checkpoint that the problem was common and often exacerbated in counter-insurgency operations where soldiers have a hard time understanding their mission.

By design, junior guys see a much smaller piece of the picture, Richards said. The least popular commander can be the most effective and the most popular the least effective. Id get complaints from soldiers about an officer saying, Hes putting us in danger, hes taking too much risk, but from my perspective he was doing exactly what he needed to be doing and what I wanted him to do.

Sometimes, time and reflection  and promotion to leadership positions  can bring soldiers around on commanders they despised at the time.

At the darkest point of his Iraq deployment, Richards regularly spotted graffiti in latrines and guard towers with a mutinous tone, a reaction to his decision to work with some Iraqi insurgents against other ones: scrawls of Captain Richards is a Haji Lover, a rough drawing of an armoured vehicle bearing Richardss call sign being blown up.

Years later, Richards received a Facebook message from a former platoon sergeant who had been angry about Richardss decisions at the time. I know there was some mutiny in the ranks, the soldier, who had since joined a specialized unit called the Asymmetric Warfare Group, wrote in the message. The more I have learned in AWG, the more I learned that you had it right on Baquba. Your strategy was spot on . . . I just thought you should know that.

Bergdahl, of course, didnt have a cathartic post-deployment change of heart about Clint Baker  1st Battalions tour had barely begun when Bergdahls actions derailed it.

Besides the normal dynamic of soldiers frustration with their commanders, Bergdahls unusual personality and tendency to hold people he encountered to unattainable standards probably drove his decision to walk off base. Thats what then-Maj. Gen. Kenneth Dahl, who led an investigation into the Bergdahl affair, told a preliminary hearing of an Army court, or Article 32 hearing, last fall.

Dahl, whose investigative team included an infantry platoon sergeant, a psychiatrist and a psychologist, sought to understand Bergdahls frame of mind as thoroughly as he could, spending two days talking to the returned prisoner so extensively that the transcript of their conversation ran 371 pages.

He has very high standards and a very idealistic view of people, Dahl testified, referring to Bergdahl. When he describes his experience in basic training, everyone was a disappointment except for one drill sergeant, a pattern that continued as he went to infantry training and joined 1st Battalion in Alaska. I asked him, Wasnt there anything or anyone that measured up? And he said no.

In Paktika, Dahl said at the Article 32 hearing, the focus of Bergdahls disappointment and ire became Baker. Bergdahl was horrified with a harsh remark Baker made when Bergdahls platoon came back from their first really dangerous mission, although other soldiers shrugged the remark off.

After Baker angrily reprimanded some solders at an observation post for failing to wear all their protective gear, Bergdahl was furious. As Dahl understood it, Bergdahls concern was that when Baker disciplined the soldiers, the rocks the colonel was kicking in the dirt to demonstrate his ire were really Afghan graves  which could have badly offended any local resident who witnessed the incident. (Dahl wasnt able to corroborate that the rocks were graves, although Bethea told Checkpoint that he did remember there being a graveyard near the observation post in question.)

Asked why he didnt bring his concerns about Baker to his team leader, squad leader, platoon leader, or company commander, Bergdahl told Dahl that all of them were, you know, pretty much unfit to lead and didnt have the right perspective; and (that) they were only in it for the money or they were only in it for the rank or they were only going to protect themselves.

Its possible that Bergdahl saw leadership problems in his unit at a very low level, former 1st Battalion officer Bethea acknowledged. But Bethea dismissed out of hand the notion, apparently central to Bergdahls motive in abandoning his platoon, that Baker either did not exercise due care in exposing his men to risk or was insensitive to local peoples customs and concerns.

Colonel Baker was the first field-grade commander I ever met who actually really seemed to get counter-insurgency and understand how to work with local civilians and relate to them, Bethea said. To have him portrayed as some kind of William Calley-he would just stop and chat with Afghan civilians as he went about his business.

More on thestar.com:

Did Bowe Bergdahl hurt own criminal case by appearing on Serial?

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Last weeks media storm over the Jian Ghomeshi trial may have left the impression that womens equality advocates are unconcerned about fair trials for accused. Quite the opposite. We too believe in due process, the presumption of innocence and the right of full answer and defence. We especially worry about the overrepresentation of women and men from marginalized communities in the criminal system. We agree that their vulnerability to the power of the state requires rigorous defence.

But sex assault cases are different. Plain and simple.

In no other category of trial are discriminatory assumptions about how a witness ought to behave trotted out as regularly. The questioning and assessment of evidence of rape have been resistant to the progressive reform on the books. We work with women every day for whom this reality is a shattering truth.

But dont take our word for it.

The work of researchers such as David Tanovich and Elaine Craig shows that despite reforms to sexual assault laws, there is a yawning chasm between the black letter law and what happens in the courtroom. Sexual assault witnesses continue to be held to a standard of behaviour that is out of step with how rape survivors respond in real life.

Their credibility continues to be attacked on the basis of legally rejected stereotypes about women and sex: What were you wearing? Isnt it true you were flirting with him all night? If you were raped, you wouldnt have sent him an email the next day or week, correct? You said you had two drinks with him, but wasnt it really three? Why didnt you scream, punch, hit and kick? Why did you let him drive you home when it was over? Or see him the next day? Judges dont interfere in this line of questioning because these questions are permitted. In fact, theyre the core of the rape trial cross-examination script.

Do we ask the man whose house was robbed if he left his curtains open to invite the robber? If he already knew the robber and wanted this to happen?

Contrary to assurances about the effectiveness of the rape shield laws, evidence that goes to a womans sexual reputation or past sexual conduct with the accused or others is commonplace, not the exception. What else are the questions Did you send him emails of you in a bikini? or What was your relationship with your boyfriend like at the time really about?

Sex assault complainants are held to a standard of consistency and precision in the telling of their rapes that is inhuman. Almost two decades ago, the so-called Jane Doe Audit of Police Sexual Assault Practices confirmed that memory and recall operate differently in the crime of sexual assault. This doesnt mean the crime didnt happen. Our response to trauma is a primal reaction to threat. Our brains click into survival mode and are not creating an instantaneous catalogue of events.

Moreover, in a world of gender inequality where being raped stigmatizes the victim, we often minimize, deny and compartmentalize. There is a constellation of human responses to cope with trauma and shame. Yet the criminal trial has not adjusted. Inconsistencies on peripheral or extraneous matters routinely result in acquittals: why is her incorrect recollection of the colour of the bedspread an indicator of whether the rape truly happened or not?

The accused has a right to full answer and defence. He does not have a right to an outmoded and myth-bound approach to the survivors of his alleged crimes. Our criminal system allows this discrimination to persist.

Fewer than 10 per cent of sexual assault victims will report to authorities. Even fewer go to trial. Fewer still are convicted. This too makes sex assault unlike any other crime. We are dangerously close to creating the conditions for impunity.

We all have an interest in changing that.

Neither complainants nor accused should be subjected to discriminatory trials. Now is the time to have an honest conversation about how to protect full answer and defence without resorting to misogynist standards and practices. Such myths undermine the administration of justice. After all, these are not hypothetical fact scenarios; these are our friends, lovers, wives, sisters, mothers and daughters, just trying to live lives free from violence. Their  and our  fundamental liberty is at stake.

Joanna Birenbaum is a lawyer at Ursel Phillips Fellows Hopkinson LLP and adjunct faculty at Osgoode Hall Law School. Pamela Cross is legal director of Lukes Place Support and Resource Centre for women. Amanda Dale is executive director of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic.

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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Ford Motor Co. (F) is building a new factory in Mexico and will double its annual capacity there--adding half a million units starting in 2018, compared to the number it built three years ago, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Specifically, the automaker will expand an existing plant near Mexico City, and will spend around $1 billion to build a new assembly complex in San Luis Potosi.

The country appears to be more attractive to Ford following a new union deal in November with the United Auto Workers that increased wages for U.S. factory workers.

One of Ford's new facilities in Mexico will get the Focus compact car. The automaker also plans to build two other models, including an all-new hybrid car that competes with Toyota Motor (TM)'s Prius, the Journal added.

Shares are falling 0.7% to $11.37 in pre-market trading on Monday. U.S. equities pointed to a sharply lower open today as investors were still swallowing Friday's steep drop in technology stocks, CNBC.com said.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings currently has a "Hold" rating on the stock with a letter grade of C+.

The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, impressive record of earnings per share growth and compelling growth in net income. However, as a counter to these strengths, we find that the stock has had a generally disappointing performance in the past year.

Recently, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: F

F

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The shares of Energy Transfer Equity (ETE) are plunging after the company disclosed, via a regulatory filing after Friday's close, that it was making a change to the Chief Financial Officer of its general partner. Meanwhile, the shares of the Master Limited Partnership, or MLP, and a number of peers were downgraded by research firm Robert W. Baird. Master Limited Partnerships are publicly traded partnerships that receive tax benefits and often own oil assets.

WHAT'S NEW: Energy Transfer Equity announced that its CFO, Jamie Welch, would step down from the post. According to the company, Welch's departure was not caused by any disagreements between him and the MLP over accounting issues or financial matters. Welch will be replaced by Thomas Long, who is currently CFO of Energy Transfer Partners, L.L.C., which owns the general partner of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (ETP) , another MLP.

STREET RESEARCH: This morning, Baird analyst Ethan Bellamy downgraded nine MLP stocks, including both Energy Transfer names. The analyst said he would remain bearish on the sector until oil prices and high yield bottom. Bellamy expects the sector to be pressured by a number of related factors, including the bankruptcy of exploration and production companies, fund outflows, and macro economic conditions. In addition to ETE and ETP, the analyst downgraded EnLink Midstream (ENLC) , ONEOK Partners (OKS) , Plains All American (PAA) and Plains GP Holdings (PAGP) to Underperform and cut Antero Midstream (AM) , ONEOK (OKE) and Tallgrass Energy GP (TEGP) to Neutral. Addressing the departure of Energy Transfer Equity's CFO, Wells Fargo said it does not think that the CFO's departure indicates any change to the MLP's pending merger with The Williams Company (WMB) . The firm added that it has no knowledge of any accounting issues that prompted the CFO to leave. It continues to believe that Energy Transfer Equity will rise over the longer term and it kept an Outperform rating on that stock. It maintained a Market Perform rating on Williams.

PRICE ACTION: In early trading, Energy Transfer Equity sank 26% to $5.20, Williams tumbled 24% to $13.03, Oneok dropped 13.5% to $22.10, Plains All American retreated 9.8% to $18.46 and Tallgrass sank 20% to $11.59.

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Early investors in the Internet search business have been handsomely rewarded, most notably long-term holders of Google's parent, Alphabet GOOGL . But it might not be too late for those who missed the boat.

China's Baidu (BIDU) , a Chinese Internet service provider and search company with similarities to Google, is set to announce fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday, which will give investors a chance to gauge the progress of the company's online-to-offline (O2O) initiative. Analysts are expecting the company to post fourth-quarter earnings of about $6.60 a share on Tuesday.

Another tantalizing likeness to Google comes from Baidu's driverless car project, which in December said that it "successfully" tested its prototype on roads near the company's headquarters in Beijing, using 3D maps that it developed on its own. The project is being managed, as with Google, under a separate business unit.

Baidu's search business, unlike Google, funds bricks-and-mortar businesses, driving consumers to those enterprises and to services via its search engine. Equity analysts who follow tech companies are fascinated, yet deeply divided in their opinions of the company's prospects. Twenty-two analysts rated Baidu a "buy" or "strong buy," according to Yahoo Finance, while eight call it a "hold" or "underperform."

Uncertainty among analysts and investors regarding Baidu's latest earnings stems from how much the company has invested in O2O. Last June the company announced it would spend about $3.2 billion over three years to bolster such businesses, which sells to customers that initially have been captured online. In some ways, the model sounds a bit like Groupon (GRPN) , a one-time high-flier that lately has struggled.

"Ultimately, what Baidu is building and offering is much broader than a daily-deals business," Robin Li, CEO, told analysts in October. "We are creating an online-marketing and transaction-services platform, bringing to bear the power of our entire platform across search, maps, Nuomi, Takeout Delivery and Baidu Wallet. Our platform benefits from shared synergies, with traffic and data from search and maps enhancing the growth of our newer products."

Since December, as evidence of economic softening in China has rocked global markets, American depositary receipts of Baidu have lost about a third of their value.

The company's interest in driverless vehicles remains a potential kicker to its main line of revenue.

Google has said it wants to develop the technology mainly to enhance safety, prevent accidents and to save lives. Fair enough, though both companies surely realize that the advent of driverless technology is likely to upset many conventional assumptions we have for personal transportation. One of those is that a device once used mainly to move people may also become -- with drivers and passengers safely free to do as they please -- a primary platform for texting, consuming information and shopping.

Alphabet is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS portfolio.

Doron Levin is the host of "In the Driver Seat," broadcast on SiriusXM Insight 121, Saturday at noon, encore Sunday at 9 a.m.

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.
Editors' Pick: Originally published Feb. 8.

As oil prices plunge to their lowest levels in more than a decade, energy companies are keenly feeling the sting. Just last week, Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) announced that its adjusted profit had fallen 56% for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with a year earlier. Oil blue-chip Exxon Mobil (XOM) posted a similarly steep drop in earnings and revenue. And Chevron (CVX) has posted its first quarterly loss in more than 13 years. But no energy company is looking quite as beleaguered -- or as toxic -- as Chesapeake Energy (CHK) . This stock is part of a group of distressed and "Stressed Out" stocks that TheStreet will be monitoring through these choppy markets.

On Monday morning, Chesapeake shares dropped more than 50%, to their lowest intraday level in 16 years. The stock, now changing hands at around $1.90, has lost 90% of its value in the last year.

CHK data by YCharts

What was the catalyst for this massive selloff?

Plummeting energy prices obviously are behind the stock's longer-term downtrend. West Texas Intermediate crude is currently trading near $30 a barrel, driven lower by fears of global oversupply and no sign of production cuts anytime soon.

The reason for Monday's selloff, however, was a report from Debtwire that the company has hired law firm Kirkland & Ellis to assist in restructuring its $9.8 billion debt load.

In order to break even, U.S. energy companies such as Chesapeake need crude oil priced in at least the $40s. With oil prices expected to stay at record-testing lows, companies are doing their best to remain liquid.

They're doing this merely to survive another few months, on the hopes that crude prices will eventually rise. Law firms such as Kirkand & Ellis that specialize in restructuring are being summoned to help with the process. According to Forbes, "Basically they're maxxing out their credit cards before the banks can cut them off."

Investors in Chesapeake's debt are rushing for the exits on fears that Chesapeake will not be able to pay or roll over that debt. Bond notes due March 2016 have plummeted from 95 cents last week to around 73 cents today. Longer-dated issues, including bonds maturing in 2017, are at all-time lows around 30 cents.

Standard & Poor's recently downgraded outlooks and credit ratings for 13 companies in the oil and gas sector. "While oil prices deteriorated over the past 15 months the U.S.-based investment companies we rate had been largely immune to downgrades," the S&P report said. "However, given the magnitude of the recent reductions in our price deck, most of the investment-grade companies were affected during this review."

S&P cut Chesapeake's credit rating to "CCC+" due to "unsustainable" debt leverage. This is now a dangerous stock of the first magnitude.

Across the energy sector, low crude prices have oil companies plunging and investors struggling for the exits. However, Chesapeake Energy, with its mountain of debt, is particularly stressed out with no sign of improvement anytime soon.

For more articles on distressed stocks to avoid, read Real Money's "Stressed Out" stocks coverage. You can find more information on the index here.

As you can see, Chesapeake Energy looks like a stock to avoid. However, if you want to see a list of the absolute worst stocks you can own right now, I urge you to take a look at this report called 29 Dangerous Stocks: Sell Now! Inside, you'll see a full list of the market's most overvalued stocks, and learn the process you can use to keep avoiding them in the future. Click here now for a copy.

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) stock is falling 20.51% to $20.43 on heavy volume in afternoon trading after Energy Transfer Equity (ETE) replaced its CFO and sparked investor concern that the company's proposed takeover of Williams Cos. (WMB) is in trouble.

Energy Transfer Equity owns the general partner and 100% of the incentive distribution rights of Energy Transfer Partners.

Energy Transfer Equity CFO Jamie Welch, who helped orchestrate the proposed merger with Williams Cos., will be replaced by Energy Transfer Partners CFO Thomas Long.

"The lack of clarity around Jamie Welch's departure, particularly with this merger in play, is a pretty pronounced negative," Robert W. Baird analyst Ethan Bellamy told Bloomberg. "The market is in no mood to give anybody benefit of the doubt."

Investors are also concerned that partnership payouts will be reduced, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Michael Kay told Bloomberg.

Further weighing on shares, Chesapeake Energy (CHK), a Williams Cos. customer, has reportedly hired lawyers to help restructure a $9.8 billion debt load.

About 13.54 million shares of Energy Transfer Partners have been traded so far today, well above the company's average trading volume of roughly 7.25 million shares per day.

Insight from TheStreet's Research Team

TheStreet'sJim Cramer and Jack Mohr mentioned Energy Transfer Partners in a recent Action Alerts PLUS post (free access during TheStreet's Open House). Here is a snippet of what they had to say about the stock:

Based on our conversations with a variety of analysts and investors, we believe the contingency driving today's selling is heavily weighted toward hedge funds, which held close relationships with Welch and appreciated the open stream of communication he provided. Energy Transfer's CEO Kelcy Warren is known for his calculated, cautious and tactical nature, a tone shared by the board and the rest of the company's executive team. While Welch's distinctive personality attracted a new investor base -- largely hedge funds with an event-driven trading mandate -- we believe he simultaneously drove away the fundamental, income-oriented investors who had been hallmarks of the former shareholder base and favor consistency, security and stability. We hope the earnings release and conference call will provide the insight, information and color needed for investors to justify owning shares for the long term. We hope Warren's disciplined approach gradually serves to reclaim the type of fundamental investors needed for shares to trade in a more stable and reliable fashion. - Cramer and Mohr, 'ETP Loses Its Distinctive Voice' originally published 2/8/2016 on Action Alerts PLUS.

Want more information like this BEFORE your stock moves?Learn more about Action Alerts PLUS now.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates the stock as a "hold" with a ratings score of C.

Energy Transfer Partners' strengths such as its good cash flow from operations and notable return on equity are countered by weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself, generally higher debt management risk and poor profit margins.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: ETP

TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this article's author.

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Facebook (FB) received a big blow earlier today when India announced its Free Basics service has been banned in India. But that isn't going to stop the company from trying to succeed in India.

In a post to his Facebook account, CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed his displeasure on the ruling, noting that Internet service has helped lift people out of poverty. "We know that connecting them can help lift people out of poverty, create millions of jobs and spread education opportunities," Zuckerberg said in the post. "We care about these people, and that's why we're so committed to connecting them."

The country's telecom regulator, known as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, banned the service saying that it infringes on open net neutrality, also known as a free and open Internet. The TRAI said that Free Basics and other services like it should be treated in the same way as other Internet services and therefore incur mobile data costs.

Facebook has come under criticism for its Free Basics initiative (previously known as Internet.org), which provides free access to Facebook, wikihow, Wikipedia, BBC News, Bing's search engine and various other websites. The project has been seen by some as disingenuous, providing access to Facebook without ads, until a way can be figured out how to make money off the users.

India is an enormous market for Facebook as it seeks to grow its user base. As of June 2015, the company said it had 125 million users in the country. However, there are still roughly 900 million people in the country who don't use Facebook, providing the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company with one of its largest potential markets outside of China.

Facebook is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. "The fundamentals for Facebook, driven by a powerful and visible long-term growth trajectory, validated in its recent quarterly results and forward guidance leave us with little doubt that the selling is illogical," wrote Cramer and research director Jack Mohr.

Exclusive Look Inside:

You see Jim Cramer on TV. Now, see where he invests his money and why Facebook is a core holding of his multi-million dollar portfolio.

Want to be alerted before Jim Cramer buys or sells FB?Learn more now.



In the Asia-Pacific region (which excludes China since Facebook is currently banned there), a user is worth $1.50, up from $1.27 a year ago.

Here's what Zuckerberg had to say about the ruling in its entirety:
Josiane da Silva holds her son Jose Elton, who was born with microcephaly, outside her house in Alcantil, Paraiba state, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. The Zika virus, spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, thrives in people's homes and can breed in even a bottle cap's-worth of stagnant water. Public health experts agree that the poor are more vulnerable because they often lack amenities that help diminish the risk. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
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But the tribe has a long way to go
MK Moshe Gafne, chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee last week with Oleg Vyshniakov, Jewish-Ukrainian businessman and honorary consul of Israel in the Ukraine.

In the meeting, which took place in MK Gafnes office at the Knesset, the two agreed to conduct a series of meeting between MK Gafni and Ukrainian government officials in order to consult them on how to balance the countrys budget and reduce the deficit in light of the ongoing military conflict in the east of the country against the Russian separatists.

Vyshniakov, who is in a close relation with the Ukrainian president and has also escorted him during his last visit to Israel, told Gafne that there are a number of similarities between Israel and the Ukraine. One of the prominent ones is the need to manage a stable economy under constant security unrest and during times of emergency, which consequently heighten the budgets security expenses. Another similarity is the dependency on export to other countries. In light of the similarities between the two economies, consultations between the Ukraine and Israel is of great importance for the Ukraine, said Vyshniakov to his host.

Another issue the two discussed in their meetings was the issue of Income budget balance. Gafne told Vyshniakov that rather than raising the income tax, the Israeli government decided upon the taxation its natural resources, including the gas and the Dead Sea factories. At the request of Vyshniakov, who organizes monthly delegations of Ukrainian officials to Israel, MK Gafne agreed to hold a joint meeting between the finance committee he is heading and the Ukrainian Parliaments taxation committee head by MP Nina Yozhnina.

At the end of the meeting, Gafne noted to Vyshniakov that many Jews in Israel, orthodox and secular alike, hold the Ukraine with very warm feelings in light of the many righteous people who lived in the country and are buried in it. Israel and the Ukraine are similar, we are ready to assist the Ukraine with it difficulties, concluded Gafne.

Following the revolution in that Ukraine, which began two years ago and the military conflict with Russia that followed, Ukraines defense budget has increased dramatically. In 2014, its defense budget was about 3% of the GDP, while in 2016 the defense budget will amount to approximately 5%, a staggering 67% increase in just two years, making the countrys economic situation more difficult. In a similar fashion, Israels defense budget is approximately 5% of its GPD.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photo: Israels honorary consulate to the Ukraine)
A British judge in northern London resigned prior to his impending removal over anti-Semitic comments he made on Facebook, the U.K.-based Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) grassroots group announced Thursday.

Following an official year-long investigation into the matter, CAA cited the British Judicial Conduct Investigations Office as saying that magistrate Abul Abz Hussain has resigned from judicial office following an investigation into an allegation that he had posted racist and anti-Semitic comments on social media. A disciplinary panel recommended that Mr. Hussain be removed from the judiciary, but he resigned before the disciplinary process had been formally concluded. His resignation took effect from 26 August 2015. Had he not resigned, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice would have removed him from judicial office.

Hussains anti-Semitic Facebook posts included u know the worlds coming to an end when a jew accuses another of being his kind! and jews like u are boring so find everything lame, heres a penny go put it in the bank and u just might get a pound after ten years interest!

In 2010, Hussain was expelled from the U.K.s Respect political partywhich is led by outspoken anti-Israel lawmaker George Gallowayover his anti-Semitic views. The U.K.s Sunday Telegraph published an expose in December 2014 that found Hussain was still an active judge in the British court system despite the knowledge of his publicly expressed anti-Semitism.

We commend the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office for its ruling that anti-Semitism must be treated with zero tolerance, our only regret being the protracted nature of this investigation, Jonathan Sacerdoti, CAAs director of communications, said Thursday.

(Source: JNS.org)
Fourteen Hungarian Holocaust survivors have filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. against the Hungarian government and its national train company for cooperation with the Nazis, complicity in the deportation of more than 500,000 Hungarian Jews, and confiscation of property.

Currently, Hungary does not compensate Holocaust survivors or their heirs, nor has the country ever been prosecuted for collaborating with Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.

Six of the plaintiffs currently live in Israel, while the others live in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The federal court initially rejected the lawsuit, but that ruling was overruled last week on appeal, sending the lawsuit back to the U.S. court.

We did not establish a sum, but in actuality it will amount to billions of dollars. This is basically a class action lawsuit. If we win, a fund under the courts supervision with a mechanism that will inform every Holocaust survivor and their families will be established, and then the court will make sure the money is distributed according to a formula that it will determine, said Israeli-American lawyer Marc Zell, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs and is also a relative of a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

This is a large and important lawsuit that arrives 71 years after the war. A relatively large amount of Hungarian Holocaust survivors and their descendants live in Israel. There were attempts in the past to get reparations from Nazi criminals in Hungary, but this case is unique because this is the first time the Hungarian government is being sued. Usually the Nazi crimes occurred in areas where there was no independent regime, such as Poland. There, the Nazis established their own regime and they are the ones who committed the crimes, as well as Poles who cooperated with them, explained the lawyer.

Zell described the Hungarian government as anti-Semitic from the start during the Holocaust.

In our lawsuit, we also mentioned the Hungarians activities in 1941before the big deportation, he said. They expelled 20,000 Jews from Hungary proper into the hands of the Nazis, and all of them were shot to death in Ukraine. They initiated this, without the Germans asking them to do it. The Hungarians wanted to get rid of the Jews. In 1944, the remaining Jews were deported by the Hungarians to Auschwitz and Mauthausen in trains, and basically they were sent to their deaths.

The lawsuit was filed in America, said Zell, because the U.S. has a law that gives the option for individuals to file a claim for damage caused to them by a foreign government or a foreign governments company.

(Source: JNS.org)
What happened in Iowa didnt stay in Iowa. And when it reached the stage in the latest Republican presidential debate, Ted Cruz had some explaining to do.

Cruz wasnt quite square with the facts Saturday night when he explained why and how his campaign spread the false insinuation that rival Ben Carson was quitting the race after the Iowa caucuses. The episode was among a number of fumbles from the field in the intense confrontation before Tuesdays New Hampshire primary.

Among them:

Chris Christie misstated the U.S. policy on paying ransom to hostage-takers.

Donald Trump botched tax numbers.

In his zeal to condemn the Obama administrations immigration record, Cruz once again vastly overstated deportations under the previous two presidents.

Some of the claims and how they compare with the facts:

CRUZ on why his campaign spread inaccurate suggestions to voters on Iowa caucus night that Carson was quitting: My political team saw CNNs report, breaking news, and forwarded that news to our volunteers.

THE FACTS: Cruzs campaign took accurate reports from CNN and twisted them to make it appear that Carson was quitting. The motive: to convince caucus-goers that support for Carson would be wasted and they should back the Texas senator instead. Even while apologizing to Carson for the tactics, Cruz tried to deflect blame.

CNN on air and in tweets said Carson, in an unusual move, planned to go home to Florida after the caucuses, instead of directly to New Hampshire to campaign for the next contest. But that information was coupled with assurances from the Carson campaign that he was not getting out of the race, but rather planning to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington after Florida.

Based on that, the Cruz campaign pushed out its own story line, saying Carson would reportedly stop campaigning after Iowa and would be making a big announcement next week. In addition, a key Cruz supporter, Rep. Steve King, tweeted that Carson was planning the equivalent of suspending. Candidates who quit a primary race suspend their campaigns.

___

TRUMP: Right now, were the highest taxed country in the world.

THE FACTS: Far from it. The U.S. tax burden pales in comparison with that of other industrialized countries.

Taxes made up 26 percent of the total U.S. economy in 2014, according to the 34-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That measure looks at the entire tax burden, which is different than tax rates that can be gamed through loopholes, deductions and credits.

In Sweden, the tax burden is 42.7 percent of the economy. Its 33.6 percent in Slovenia (Trumps wife, Melania, was born in the part of Yugoslavia that became Slovenia). Britain clocks in at 32.6 percent, while Germanys burden is 36.1 percent.

Where is the tax burden lower than the United States?

South Korea, Chile and Mexico.

___

CRUZ on whether waterboarding is torture: Under the law, torture is excruciating pain that is equivalent to losing organs and systems, so under the definition of torture, it is not. It is enhanced interrogation, it is vigorous interrogation, but it does not meet the generally recognized definition of torture.

THE FACTS: One generally recognized definition, the United Nations Torture Convention, does not limit the meaning of torture to physical, disabling pain. It defines torture as severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, and mental anguish is at the core of waterboarding, which simulates drowning and now is banned by the U.S. Even so, there is no consensus that waterboarding, for all its severity, constitutes torture in legal terms.

The U.N. convention, for example, says suffering inflicted as part of lawful sanctions may not fit the definition of torture.

Cruz would not rule out restoring waterboarding as president. He said it would not be commonplace, and he would not let low-level officers do it.

CRUZ, defending his vow to deport 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally: I would note that in eight years Bill Clinton deported 12 million people. In eight years George Bush deported 10 million people. Enforcing the law. We can do it.

THE FACTS: Statistics from Immigration and Customs Enforcement show that roughly 1.6 million were deported under Bush, not 11 million. Under Clinton, about 870,000 immigrants were deported, not 12 million, according to the Migration Policy Institute. So far, about 2.4 million have been deported under the Obama administration.

To get the swollen figures, Cruz appears to be combining deportations with arrests made by the Border Patrol in the previous administrations, according to the institute.

___

RUBIO: Under Chris Christies governorship of New Jersey, theyve been downgraded nine times in their credit rating. This country already has a debt problem, we dont need to add to it by electing someone who has experience at running up and destroying the credit rating of his state.

CHRISTIE: Incorrect and incomplete information.

THE FACTS: Incomplete, perhaps, but Rubio is right that the states credit rating has been downgraded nine times since Christie took office, a reflection of concern by the major rating agencies about New Jerseys fiscal health and pension system. It did not go down nine notches, however. Each of the three major agencies downgraded the states rating three times.

___

CHRISTIE: The president and his former secretary of state are for paying ransoms for hostages. When (you) do that, you endanger even more Americans around the world to be the subject of this type of hostage-taking and illegal detention.

THE FACTS: President Barack Obama said exactly the opposite in June, when the White House reaffirmed its opposition to paying ransom to terrorist groups that hold American citizens hostage.

The president said such payments only serve to endanger more Americans and finance the very terrorism that were trying to stop  points that Christie actually echoed during the debate.

Though the new White House policy precludes ransom payments by the U.S. government, the Obama administration did leave open the door to communication with hostage-takers  whether by the government, families of victims or third-parties  and said relatives who on their own decide to pay ransom wont be threatened with prosecution.

___

RUBIO on fighting the Islamic State group: The Kurds are incredible fighters and they will liberate the Kurdish areas, but Kurds cannot and do not want to liberate and hold Sunni villages and towns.

THE FACTS: The Kurds are overwhelmingly Sunni. Rubio did not distinguish between Sunni Arabs and Sunni Kurds. The areas predominantly held by IS fighters are in Sunni Arab territory. They did infiltrate Kurdish regions in both Iraq and Syria, but it is problematic to paint this picture with a broad sectarian brush.

(AP)
At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, 28 Shevat, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the meeting that recently took place involving Arab Members of Knesset Hanin Zoabi, Dr. Ahmed Tibi, Basel Ghattas, and Jamal Zahalka, who met with families of terrorists that perpetrated attacks in Israel in the ongoing wave of Palestinian terrorism.

The Prime Minister said, The second act that we have seen in recent days was three Balad MKs going to comfort the families of murderers, people who murdered Israeli citizens. I believe that most citizens of Israel feel that these MKs do not represent them. We are making great efforts and great investments in order to integrate Arab citizens in Israeli society and they are doing the complete opposite. They are building walls of hatred. I try to imagine what would happen in the British Parliament or the US Congress if MPs or members of Congress would stand at silent attention for murderers of British or American citizens. I think that there would be a very major outcry and rightly so.

I spoke with the Attorney General and asked him to consider taking legal action against these MKs. I would like to examine new and reinforced legislative changes to ensure that anyone who acts in this direction  will not serve in the Israeli Knesset. I think this is an important statement as to what kind of society we want. At the same time, I will today, together with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, submit a complaint to the Knesset Ethics Committee. I expect all members of the opposition who are also rightly clamoring for justice in this matter to support these proposals.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Addressing a Judaism & Democracy event at Bar Ilan University last week, Bayit Yehudi party leader Education Minister Naftali Bennett shared his vision and understanding of classic and current Zionism, as well as the significance of Theodore Herzls actions, which he feels account for our survival today.

We are now in the largest area since the time of King David. We had a lot of confidence at the end of the period of the Second Beis HaMikdash which enabled posterity and pluralism. Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel permitted characterizing this period as a tremendous breakthrough.

We entered a period of galus, a period of surviving. When one touches a turtle, he pulls in his legs and remains frozen. The survival of Am Yisrael through many a galus, with many threats surrounding us, was more or less a miracle. Nothing remains of the Greeks of the past or from those Egyptians and each and every one of us would be able to survive linguistically if launched back 2,000 but during survival mode, with a few brief exceptions accompanied by assimilation. This is how we endured 1,800 years until the beginning of the enlightenment period. Those who sought to be educated for the most part did not return to remain as Jews. Mendelsons children have converted to Christianity. We would not have survived if not for the fact we received a large gift that religious Orthodoxy would not have allowed, and that is Zionism.

The involvement of the non-religious during that period of history was like an electric shock (defibrillation) for a dying patient, can result in the return to Zion. This would not have occurred in Orthodox Judaism. When you are arguing about the length of ones sleeves, the required energy for such bold moves is lacking, although it relies on tefilos which we recite three times daily, returning to Yerushalayim (   ).

The first generation of Zionism was the Jewish connection with secular boldness. We then moved into a more practical stage of the establishment of the state and we have arrived to today. In essence, the first Zionism of Herzl was a survival Zionism. The Herzl Zionism proclaimed the State of Israel is the shelter of the Jewish People. After all, it was born on the foundation of the Dreyfus trial and Herzls understanding, that without our own country we would cease to exist.

But today, after 130 years since that period is the   (raison detre) of Zionism still survival? I opine if this is the essence of our existence we will not be here for long. This is not a sufficient tachlis [for existence] and will not last the long run. Therefore, if Zionism rests on classic Zionism we dont have a long life span for if all I require is to survive, there are more successful places [other than the State of Israel].

However, we are in an amazing period in which we must all leave our comfort zone. When I say everyone, I see three forces which need to integrate; the force that expresses religious dimension, the force that expresses national dimension and the force that expresses the universal dimension for at the end, the goal of Zionism is tikun olam.

If one removes one dimension, one is left with two dimensions which are distorted. Take the religious and national and remove the universal dimension, and we will have another Duma murder. The religious need to understand that we went from ancient times and neednt fear any longer and no one is going to assimilate for we are not in Lithuania.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Since the beginning of 2016, owners of food factories in the PA (Palestinian Authority) were informed by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel they will no longer be able to keep their hashgacha despite adhering to regulations. The Chief Rabbinate has decided to stop granting a hashgacha to factories in PA areas in response to the ongoing wave of terror because the situation no longer permits sending mashgichim for entering PA areas requires IDF approval, Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) reports.

The Chief Rabbinate does not actualize provide mashgichim, but relies on badatz agencies that do. Included in companies that lost their hashgacha are Yona and Ayash tehina, both located in Shechem.

Attorney Prof. Aviad Cohen who is representing the tehina factories, told Galei Tzahal, The practical significance of the Rabbinates decision is a declaration of a boycott of everything manufactured in the territories. Beyond the problematic legal aspect of the decision, it may become a political boomerang and place the State of Israel into a corner that will be difficult to get out of.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
GOP front-runner Donald Trump is aiming for his first win in New Hampshires fast-approaching primary, while rival Republican candidates, including Jeb Bush, said their campaigns will go on no matter what the outcome Tuesday.

Democrat Hillary Clinton, facing an uphill campaign in the state against Bernie Sanders, took a trip to Michigan.

With the otherwise intense race for the White House seemingly toned down Sunday, its easy to forget that this leadoff primary could be a make or break situation for several lagging campaigns.

Trump said he doesnt need to win New Hampshire, but would like to. Republican hopeful Marco Rubio continues to downplay his rough outing in Saturday nights GOP debate, while touting his overall campaign momentum after his third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses.

Trump, who is facing intense pressure to perform after coming in second in the Iowa caucuses, opted Sunday for just one of his signature rallies in Plymouth; and when he visited a diner, the billionaire real estate mogul spent less than five minutes interacting with potential voters before sitting down for a meal with staff.

On the Democratic side, New Hampshire favorite Sanders and Clinton  who narrowly won Iowa  are avoiding predictions about Tuesday and looking beyond to South Carolina and Nevada, the next two states up in the nomination process.

At his rally, Trump delivered a meandering version of his usual campaign speech and urged supporters to get to the polls.

If youre not going to vote for me do not vote, he dead-panned.

The billionaire businessman had begun his day with an attempt to do things the New Hampshire way by engaging in more personal interactions with voters, stopping by Chez Vachon, a hole-in-the-wall Manchester restaurant that specializes in French Canadian fare and is a popular stop for political candidates.

But while some candidates work to connect with voters by answering questions and even sitting down at their tables, Trump spent less than five minutes circling the restaurant, greeting diners and shaking hands before sitting down for his own breakfast.

At another diner in Tilton, reporters invited along for the visit were greeted by one of Trumps sons, Donald Jr. Were dividing and conquering, said the younger Trump of his fathers absence.

For Republican Govs. Chris Christie, John Kasich and Bush, the task is to make sure the closing argument here isnt their last.

Christie sought to capitalize on his debate effort to batter Rubio, a first-term senator, as unprepared for the presidency. But he also took aim his fellow governors as they battle for many of the same voters in an effort to remain relevant beyond Tuesday.

The governors thus far have struggled to keep Rubio from emerging as the alternative to Trump and Ted Cruz. Cruz, the Texas senator won Iowa, though hes looking beyond New Hampshire to a run of Southern primaries with more conservative electorates.

Under assault from Christie during Saturdays debate, Rubio repeated his standard critique of President Barack Obama several times and played into Christies argument that the first-term senator is a scripted, inexperienced politician from a do-nothing Congress.

Rubio was back on message Sunday. People said, Oh, you said the same thing three or four times. Im going to say it again, Rubio said in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

For Democrats, Sanders drew another large crowd Sunday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he reprised his indictment of a rigged economy and corrupt campaign finance system.

Taking a break from the New Hampshire campaign trail, Hillary Clinton stopped in Flint, Michigan, which continues to deal with the fallout of a lead-contaminated water system.

At the House of Prayer Missionary Church, Clinton noted that for two years, Flint residents drank poisoned water despite officials declaring it safe. She urged Congress to approve $200 million to fix Flints water system and vowed to fight for you in Flint no matter how long it takes.

(AP)
Military correspondent Kobi Finkler told Mordechai Lavi of Kol Chai Radio on Monday morning 29 Shevat that there is no doubt regarding the existence of Hamas tunnels along the southern Israel border and there is no doubt Israeli authorities are aware of this.

Finkler explained Israel has invested an enormous sum in ongoing electronic surveillance along the Gaza border and the development of tunnel detection equipment. The United States has already backed this with $5 million and at present, the entire border with southern Israel is monitored as it has never been before. Finkler reports the military has invested over NIS 1 billion in this to date, showing just how seriously the matter is regarded.

Finkler explains the military wants to stop the tunnels but it needs to learn, and at times, the presence of a tunnel is known yet rather than destroy it, the military prefers to place monitoring adjuncts and a large number of soldiers to respond on a moments notice to better understand the Hamas operation.

The report adds that Hamas officials are earning a cool NIS 1 billion annually from their tunnel network which has developed into a cash cow for those in charge and this motivates them to continue funding the ongoing development of tunnels, many serving as an underground supply train.

Finkler points out that it is naive to believe the IDF is not aware of ongoing Hamas activities and that the drilling is being ignored. He feels the situation is well under control and carefully monitored by the IDF both with personnel and state-of-the-art detection systems.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
MK (Bayit Yehudi) Betzalel Smotrich is opposed to a bill presented by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, fearing that while the bill is intended for use against rebellious Arab Members of Knesset, it will be used against the chareidim in the future. Smotrich spoke with Moshe Glasner of Kol Berama Radio. The bill states that a majority of 90 MKs can vote out colleagues who have crossed the line of acceptable behavior.

Smotrich explained being elected to a public post is at the heart of any democracy and the PMs bill represents a slippery slope for today it will be used to vote out Arab MKs who are supportive of the families of terrorists and tomorrow it will be used to rid the Knesset of the chareidim.

The actions of PM Netanyahu are prompted by the recent meeting, which was held in an undisclosed location, with a number of Arab MKs and families of terrorists who were killed during the perpetration of an attack during recent months. The Arab MKs explained they were simply expressing sympathy to the bereaved families of these terrorists.

He warns against such a bill, which he feels can easily backfire in the future.

Minister (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel however feels the bill is good and he has announced his support or it. He explains that Finally, we have come to realize there is a limit and in this case, it appears to me the boundary of what is acceptable has been crossed. The bill is not aimed at Arabs, Druse of Jews specifically, but addresses Knesset eligibility, adding there is an issue with some Jews as well. He feels that coming out in support of murderers is however according to all, representative of crossing the line of acceptable behavior.

Following the meeting involving the Arab lawmakers, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has ordered a probe to determine what if any legal lines have been crossed by their actions.

Note: Smotrich and Ariel are both members of the Tekuma faction of Bayit Yehudi, yet divided on this bill.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Newly-appointed Shas party MK, Yigal Guetta lashed out against MK Moshe Gafne. Guetta, who was a Shas Bnei Brak Councilman before entering Knesset, was expected to be colorful and supply headlines and he did not waste time doing just that.

He launched his Knesset career attacking the veteran MK and the chareidim. He spoke how Gafne recently criticized Deri and his constant winning about how the prime minister took credit for his initiatives, lashing back at Gafne.

Gafne, who is reportedly among Deris inner circle, wrote to Facebook My dear esteemed friend Moshe Gafne! I am very sorry but at the end of the day, you are the biggest one who runs after the credit due others. So much so that during Shabbos Ichud Hatzalah, rather than praise the organization and the devotion of volunteers, you spoke in praise of yourself.

In line with the holy words of Maran Rav Shach ZTL, at present you have at least ten additional years of service to reach 40 years of not doing what Deri has done. Within a month, Deri has distributed NIS 1 billion to the poor and even if you buy Adidas sport shoes and run after him with all of your might you will never catch up to Aryeh Deri despite all of your media and PR people.

Once again we are counting forty years, for a second time. In conclusion, aspire to [become like] Aryeh Deri], who carried out the Norwegian Law, what is going on in your camp, apparently afraid to see who receives the credit. Have a great race!

At the end of the post Guetta explains his post is delayed because he was busy with kabolas khal.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
I report on how consciousness and community are transcending god and state, locally in Washington, DC, and globally, where ever I see progress - or backsliding, including on the feminist front! "Imagine there's no countries, and no religion, too." Most active 2007-17. See my public Facebook/CarolMoore1776 for daily posts.
In keeping with his campaign pledge, Congressman Dan Donovan returned to meet with representatives of Brooklyns orthodox Jewish community and update leaders on his first nine months in office. As the only Republican in the NYC delegation, Mr. Donovan has the unique ability to advocate for NYC as a member of the Republican majority in Congress. The Sunday morning meeting was hosted by FJCC, Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, executive board member Alan Esses, a longtime Flatbush Hatzoloh and Sephardic Bikur Cholim leader.

FJCC executive board member Leon Goldenberg thanked the Congressman saying, Mr. Donovan kept his campaign promise and made his first trip abroad to Israel. We are counting on him to represent our communitys deeply held interests in support of the safety and security of Israel.

FJCC executive board members Avi Schick, Chaskel Bennett and Peter Rebenwurzel, among others present, discussed Federal employment discrimination cases for Americans with relatives in Israel accused of dual loyalty; the BDS movement on college campuses and Federal sanctioning of labeling goods from Judea and Samaria. Assisting struggling tuition paying parents via federal tax deductions or credits was a subject of intense discussion.Future conversations and follow up in Washington DC is now being planned. Pertinent issues affecting the local Flatbush community including crime, police/ community relations and terrorism were addressed, with representatives of Agudath Israel of America, COJO of Flatbush, Flatbush Shomrim and Flatbush Hatzoloh in attendance. Representative Donovan, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee pledged to work hand in hand with the Jewish community to combat rising anti Semitism and threats to the Jewish community.

We were honored to host the Congressmans first meeting with the Brooklyn Jewish community last year, before the special election stated Josh Mehlman, FJCC Chairman, It is important that we continue to discuss community concerns and policy issues- both domestic and international with our elected representatives. Meetings like this are essential to that effort.

Seen in the above photo:

(Seated R-L) Chaskel Bennett, Peter Rebenwurzel, Josh Mehlman, Dan Donovan, Leon Goldenberg, Ephraim Nierenberg.

(Standing R-L) Rabbi Pinchos Hecht, Alan Esses, Larry Spiewak, Avi Schick, Louis Welz, Boruch Moskovitz, Michael Wahba, Scott Maurer.

(YWN Desk  NYC)
Anglo Irish bosses quit over loans scandal

Investors in Anglo Irish Bank were left reeling today after its top brass quit in a loans scandal in which chairman Sean FitzPatrick used the firm as an 87m (81m) piggy bank.

Credibility shock: David Drumm resigned as the details were revealed

Its shares fell more than 40% to a record low of 19 eurocents after Fitz-Patrick and chief executive David Drumm stood down in a major embarrassment to one of the great success stories of Ireland's 'Celtic Tiger' economy.

Anglo was today valued at 144 m, having been worth 3bn at its peak.

The dramatic resignations came after it emerged FitzPatrick loaned himself a total of 87 million from the bank over eight years but shifted the money to another bank to hide the payments.

'In terms of credibility it's just shocking,' said one London-based analyst, who speculated it could lead to nationalisation of the bank .

The scandal came as the Irish Government continued its 10bn recapitalisation of the country's banking system with Anglo seen as the most in need of fresh capital.

The analyst said: 'We think that the amount of capital that it needs to raise makes it increasingly likely this thing needs to be nationalised and this is just another nail in the coffin.'

FitzPatrick built Anglo from a tiny operation in the 1980s to a multi-billion euro lender and was chief executive for 18 years before becoming chairman in 2005.

He admitted taking 87m of loans, on normal commercial terms, from Anglo Irish between 1999 and 2007.

Before each year end, he transferred the loans to another bank. FitzPatrick said: 'The transfer of loans between banks did not in any way breach banking or legal regulations. However, it is clear to me, on reflection, that it was inappropriate and unacceptable from a transparancy point of view. I am fully responsible for my own decisions and actions and I regret that I had adopted this approach.'

FitzPatrick, 50, took a 320,000 salary in 2006 and a 533,000 bonus, according to the latest company reports.

He is also standing down as chairman of Smurfit Kappa and director of Aer Lingus, Experian, Greencore and Gartmore Irish Growth Fund.

Anglo non-executive director Lar Bradshaw quit along with FitzPatrick after the pair took out a joint loan.

However, FitzPatrick insisted Bradshaw knew nothing of the transfer of the loan to another bank.
In the modern Armed Forces, regular troops and reservists carry out their roles alongside civil servants and civilians  and more of these jobs are now being handled by contractors.

And whereas the old military was supported by a small club of large quoted defence companies  so-called prime contractors such as BAE Systems  today the upstarts are nibbling away at the big boys market share.

They are lean, agile and driven by innovation but, with their largely ex-military employees, have a public service ethos.

Top flight: 2Excel Aviation has more than 115 employees, including seven former Red Arrows flyers

PILOTS WHO TEST THE NEWEST GADGETS

Founded in 2005 by two ex-RAF Harrier pilots, 2Excel Aviation has 23 aircraft used for everything from transporting holidaymakers to acting as flying labs and trialling the latest military technology.

2Excel and its roster of 32 ex-military pilots trained six of the last eight British Army brigades that deployed in Afghanistan on how to work with drones and combat jets during operations.

Among its other roles, the company uses hyperspectral cameras  which detect materials from a high altitude  for agricultural research, and it has obtained an air operator certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority.

The firm can even tackle oil spills using two Boeing 727s with 18 tons of detergent on board. With just four hours notice these can fly anywhere in the world.

At the heart of its operations are flight trials  work that was done by the military but now increasingly outsourced.

Once, a new sensor or electronic gadget would be rigorously tested on real aircraft before going to the front line. Today, simulation is used for trials due to its huge rise in power and quality.

2Excel undertakes this test and evaluation work as well as research and development for the Ministry of Defence.

The company has more than 115 employees, including seven former Red Arrows flyers and six pilots trained at the Empire Test Pilots School at Boscombe Down.

Co-founder Chris Norton says: We are not trying to undermine the military but create solutions to problems that do not carry the baggage of what has always been done before.

'We then offer that back to the Government, a service that is good value for money and that is cutting edge.

TRAINING RAF CHOPPER CREWS

The vision of three people, including two former Tornado pilots, Inzpire realised the relationship between the military and defence industry was poor.

It had become toxic following a number of high-profile projects which ran late and billions of pounds over budget.

Inzpire chief executive Hugh Griffiths says: We wanted to create a long-term defence business that was more aligned towards integrity, trust and honour and would be different from the standard defence company we had all become used to dealing with.

Ten years after its foundation, Lincoln-based Inzpire is training all of Britains Apache helicopter pilots at Middle Wallop air base in Hampshire.

It also helps train soldiers in liaising with aircraft before they are deployed on operations, such as to Afghanistan, and plays a leading role in simulation and training for the RAF.

Our vision is to be the most respected and admired defence company in the world, Griffiths says. We are military people in civilian clothing.

'But of course we do not fire any weapons or drop any bombs. We want to position ourselves as something different, manned by former defence people who really understand the operational environment.

Inzpire is now rolling out its business overseas, working with Government-approved partner countries such as Jordan, India and Saudi Arabia. In 2014 overseas sales were 6 per cent of turnover but that was on course to double last year.

Key role: Lincoln-based Inzpire is training all of Britains Apache helicopter pilots at Middle Wallop air base in Hampshire

CYBER EXPERTS FOR THE MoD

Malvern-based 3SDL offers cyber security, unmanned air systems, secure communications and intelligence gathering.

It also assists military customers to buy technology, helping them choose the right gear.

The companys co-founder and chairman Dibble Clark, who spent 20 years in the RAF, said it has become tough for small to medium-sized firms (SMEs) to win work from the MoD. Other countries are much better at tapping into UK innovation than our own Government, he says.

Instead 3SDL and others would like the MoD to look to home-grown, small businesses which are often more innovative than their larger peers, simply because they do not have global shareholders forcing them to focus on quarterly earnings.

Clark says: The MoDs desire to improve their relationships with SMEs needs to be backed up with leaner processes, swifter decision-making and a keener approach to risk.

The Finnish MoD will sign a single-source contract with us in an afternoon using two sheets of A4 paper, and they are one of the least corrupt nations on Earth.

This group of upstarts is likely to receive wider recognition this year as the Armed Forces face tight budgetary controls.

RAF Air Marshal Sir Baz North said: The UK military must be affordable now and in the future. In an austere financial climate, which is naturally impacting on the global defence industry, the cost of manpower and equipment must be minimised.
The battle to expand Britains airports exploded last night as the boss of Heathrow justified the building of a third runway.

In a fierce defence, chief executive John Holland-Kaye warned the UK would fall behind Paris, Istanbul and Amsterdam in having an airport that was a major hub for international travellers if a new runway at Heathrow was not approved.

Holland-Kaye was giving his first speech since the publication of a report by Sir Howard Davies, which recommended building at Heathrow to improve the UKs airport capacity rather than expanding Gatwick.

Warning: Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye has claimed the UK would fall behind Paris, Istanbul and Amsterdam if a new runway at Heathrow was not approved

But at the end of last year a report by a committee of MPs said Heathrow should be barred from building a third runway until the airport can demonstrate its ability to meet pollution targets.

Yesterday, Holland-Kaye said: You may hear that air quality is a problem. Not so.

Heathrow today meets all EU air quality standards and, with expansion, we will still meet them  in fact we wont release new capacity until we can demonstrate that is the case.

What you may not have heard is that we are the environmental leader in our sector.

In yesterdays Mail Stewart Wingate, chief executive of Gatwick, said environmental issues were preventing expansion of Heathrow, and urged the Government to get on with building at his airport.

Fight: Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye

The debate over expanding the UKs airport capacity has been a long-running row. It was hoped that the publication of the Davies report would solve the crisis.

Last month Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said that he hoped the Government would finally make its choice between expansion at Heathrow or Gatwick by the summer.

Last night Britains biggest pension fund, which is the seventh largest shareholder in Heathrow, stepped into the debate.

Roger Gray, chief executive of the Universities Superannuation Scheme  a giant investment fund  warned that delays in making a decision on Heathrow could deter pension funds from making future investments.

And Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Commons treasury select committee, warned that Parliament and the public had been left partly in the dark on the case for a new runway at Heathrow.

He wrote to Chancellor George Osborne criticising him for failing to answer questions connected to the new runway at Heathrow.

Tyrie has called for more details of the calculations which led to Davies recommending the controversial addition to the countrys biggest airport. Tyrie said it was unacceptable that the questions have not been answered.

Last night, Holland-Kaye said the Government should choose the new Heathrow plan which delivers economic security for hardworking families, [and] more exports to emerging markets to tackle the deficit, supporting the northern powerhouse.

He said it was a new plan, designed to meet all environmental targets and which has the support from the majority of local communities.

A spokesman for Gatwick said: What Mr Holland-Kaye fails to mention are the insurmountable barriers that have stopped Heathrow expansion time and time again. What remains obvious is that Heathrows time has passed.
Top seller: Imagination Technologies is part-owned by Apple and supplies parts for iPhones

The boss of troubled smartphone parts maker Imagination Technologies has quit after nearly two decades in the job, as the firm struggles to keep pace with the changing market.

Hossein Yassaie, at the helm of the business since 1998, said he was leaving yesterday as Imagination issued its second profit warning in as many months, causing shares to fall 18 per cent in early trading.

Imagination, part-owned by Apple, supplies tech used in iPhones but has struggled to adapt to the slowdown in the market.

Yassaie, who is originally from Iran and received a knighthood in 2013, said he had built the firm from small beginnings but its initial success has been on the wane since it peaked at a market value of 2billion in 2012.

In a bid to turn its fortunes around Imagination will sell its digital radio business, Pure.

The company fell out of the FTSE 250 last summer and in the half-year to December reported pre-tax losses of 22.6million, more than double the 10.7million lost for the same period the year before.

Its shares have lost more than 85 per cent of their value since 2012.

Yesterday, the group said it would make a loss for 2016, but that it has enough cash to stay afloat.

Non-executive director Andrew Heath, a former executive at Rolls-Royce, will become interim chief executive.

Shares recovered to finish the day down 1.9 per cent at 129.25p.

An investigation into the dumping of cheap Chinese steel should be launched by EU lawmakers, European ministers have argued.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid is among those demanding stronger action to protect the steel industry.

In a letter, also signed by ministers from Italy, Poland, Belgium and Luxembourg, trade defence measures are called for, to protect consumers and producers.
MANZINI  One of the citys oldest hoteliers was on Wednesday attacked in broad daylight by three armed men while working in his office at the Mozambique Hotel.



The incident which occurred within the hotel premises at about 11am, shocked everyone as the three attackers, who were welding guns, did not even bother to hide their faces.

The 67-year old hotelier, Manuel De Caires, who was attacked while working quietly in his office owns the Mozambique Hotel complex as well as the Master Building which houses Master Hardware.

It is believed that the men attacked the businessman early in the morning with the hope that they would be able to cash in on the previous days collections from his businesses.



According to an eyewitness who refused to his identity revealed; the men were well dressed and they entered the hotel entrance just like other customers who visit the Mozambique hotel.

Everyone was busy with their morning duties when the men attacked Mkhulu in his office. We all saw decently dressed men entering the premises and paid them no mind.

Two of them are said to have drawn out their guns upon entering the office and locked the door while a third man stood guard outside the hotels entrance. The men allegedly grabbed the petrified old man and threw him to the ground while one placed his hands over his nose and mouth.



We later learned that during the struggle, De Caires managed to ask the men what they wanted and they boldly told him they wanted his money, the witness said.

As the men tried to stifle his screams for help, a woman, who was booked in one of the hotel rooms is said to have heard the muffled scream and ran out to the security guards to inform them that some one was attacking their boss.



Banged



A brave security officer is said to have rushed from within the hotel to the office and banged on the locked door disturbing the attack and as a result frightened the brazen attackers. Members of the public and employees, who learnt of the ongoing attack, are said to have joined the attempts to scare the men as they ran into the street screaming for help.



The commotion caused the men to abandon their attempt to rob the old man, as they were seen leaving the hotel with the man who was manning the front door. The men are said to have headed in the direction of the bustling bus rank just below the complex where they disappeared into the crowds.



De Caires is said to have been later found by his employees slumped in his chair and they were not able to get a word out of him for a good 30 minutes as he seemed to be in deep shock after the incident.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Khulani Mamba confirmed the robbery attempt.
NKONJWA  A 78-year-old Zion priest has been caught red-handed by his wife having sexual intercourse with their 13-year-old first born daughter.



The incident happened on New Years Eve in front of the wife and three other daughters aged 11, nine and six years at the priests home at Nkonjwa.

The priest, his wife and their daughter confirmed the incident during a community meeting which was held on Saturday in the area.



In an interview after the brief meeting, *Nhlabatsi said his wife caught him red handed having sexual intercourse with their 13-year-old daughter who is doing Grade V in one of the primary schools in the area.

He said it was January 31, 2015 at night when the incident happened. He said when his wife caught them, it was not their first time having a sexual intercourse as they had done so several times before.



Nhlabatsi said he and his wife were sleeping in a three-quarter bed while the children slept on a grass mat (licansi) on the floor. On the fateful day, it was hot and I together with my wife, slept on the bed but she wanted to use the blankets yet it was hot. So, I decided to join the children on the floor. I slept in my underwear while the children were fully dressed.



While I was in a deep sleep, my hand got laid over the 13-year-old daughters body and I only discovered that in the middle of the night when I woke up. I then started rubbing her body with my hand and we ended up having sexual intercourse in the presence of my wife, who was in the bed and three other daughters who were sleeping next us, the priest said.



He said while they were engaging in sexual intercourse, his wife got up, caught them in the act and she lit a candle. He said they got disturbed and they stopped while his wife went out to the toilet.

Nhlabatsi said upon returning, she asked him why he was having sexual intercourse with her daughter and in her presence together with the three other daughters. He said he did not answer his wifes question and pretended to be in a deep sleep.

The Zion priest said he did not remember how it all started but said it ended on the day his wife caught them.



After he confessed to the community meeting, the community members resolved that the matter be reported to the royal kraal as the police had not yet arrested the priest after over a month the matter was reported to them.

Assistant Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the incident. He said there was no arrest made yet as the police had not obtained any conclusive evidence but they were still investigating it.

Again, Nkonjwa Indvuna, Lomaleshe Mamba, said the matter was reported on the same day (Saturday) and could not comment further because they were still going to look into it. He said the council would hold a meeting on Friday.




Today is the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Sudan.Bakhita was born in Eastern Sudan around 1869 and was captured by slave traders, who named her Bakhita, which means "the lucky or fortunate one."Bakhita came from a happy, loving tribal family, which consisted of her parents, three brothers, and four sisters. In comparison to other African tribal families, her family was well to do, as her uncle was the village chief and her father owned cattle and large plantations. When Bakhita was about nine years old, slave traders captured her.During the course of her life, she was sold five times. She was subjected to many cruel tortures, some of which included whip lashing, which tore off her flesh, and being tattooed multiple times on her body via incisions with a razor and having salt rubbed into her womb. Despite the cruel treatments, she had no resentment or bitterness in her heart, but prayed for those who hurt her.When Bakhitas fourth owner, Callisto (Legnani), an agent of the Italian Consul in Sudan, was recalled to Italy, Bakhita insisted on accompanying him, and her master could not refuse her. On the ship bound for Italy, however, the Consul gave Bakhita to some fellow countrymen, Mr. and Mrs. Micheli, who needed a nanny for their daughter in Mirano Veneto, Italy.It was in Italy at age 21 that the Canossian Daughters of Charity in Venice introduced Bakhita to the Catholic faith. Accompanying the five-year-old child she cared for to the Sisters boarding school in Venice, Bakhita received religious instruction along with the child. When the childs parents returned from Sudan to take them both back to Africa, Bakhita refused to go, but courageously insisted that she remain in Italy to complete her religious instruction and to practice her faith. When Mrs. Michieli's pleas toward Bakhita failed, she appealed to the Kings Procurator, who informed her that slavery was illegal in Italy. Bakhita was now a free woman  free to serve the One she loved. Approximately two months later, on January 9, 1890, Bakhita was baptized and confirmed and was given the names Josephine and Margaret. She also made her first Holy Communion on the same day.Bakhita continued her studies at the school for four more years, then began her postulancy with the Canossian sisters in the same house where she had lived for five years. On the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 1896, Sr. Josephine made her final vows at the Motherhouse in Verona.For six years, Bakhita remained in Venice, performing simple household tasks. Then, in 1902, she was transferred to Schio, a small town in the beautiful mountain area of northern Italy. Her first assignment there was as a cook. She sought to do her best, taking special care that the food she prepared was as pleasing as possible and she even heated the dishware in the winter to ensure warm meals for the boarding school girls and the Sisters.In 1935, the Sisters asked Sr. Josephine to go on a speaking tour to tell her faith story as a form of missionary work. The shy and modest Sister reluctantly consented, as she disliked being the center of attention. She relayed her witness to captivated audiences for the next year and always did so "For Gods Glory." Her humility, her simplicity and her constant smile won the hearts of all. Her sisters in the community esteemed her for her sweet nature, her exquisite goodness and her deep desire to make the Lord known. For the next two years, she served as the doorkeeper at the Sisters missionary novitiate in Milan.In the winter of 1947, Sister Josephine suffered from a violent attack of pneumonia and her fever caused her to go through periods of delirium and unconsciousness. When she regained consciousness, someone asked her, "How are you Sr. Josephine? Today is Saturday." As she lay dying, she replied, "Yes, I am so happy: Our Lady, Our Lady!" These were her last words on February 8, 1947. Pope John Paul II canonized St. Josephine Bakhita on October 1, 2000."Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!"~ St. Josephine BakhitaTo obtain a favor from St. Josephine Bakhita please say this prayer, an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.Loving God, rewarder of the humble, you blessed St. Josephine Bakhita with charity and patience. May her prayers help us, and her example inspire us to carry our cross and to love you always. Pour upon us the spirit of wisdom and love with which you filled St. Josephine Bakhita.By serving you as she did, may we please you by our faith and our actions. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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By Kevin Zimmerman

Long Island Citys The Chain Theatre went out with a bang not a whimper with its final performance Saturday night.

A packed house turned out both Friday and Saturday for a ruckus evening of comedy via the Usual Rejects, who presented a hilarious and oh-so-politically incorrect parody of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

It was a great way to go out on a high, Kirk Gostkowski, artistic director for The Chain Theatre, said.

The show opened with Christina Perry surrounded by her co-stars Gostkoswki, Deven Anderson, Kyle Kirkpatrick and David Rey singing Anything Goes in Mandarin, just like Kate Capshaw did in the 1984 movie.

Cole Porter is rolling in his grave, Gostkowski announced to the crowd when the number finished.

To the uninitiated, the Usual Rejects plays like a cross between a frat party  if the drama club ran a frat  and a midnight movie screening.

Cast members throw themselves into their multiple parts with costumes, makeup and a array of props. Volunteers are also drafted from the audience to play cameo parts.

The Rejects rehearse a head of time, but keep their scripts handy. Sometimes that can result in unintentional funny bits, as when Gostkowskis script got out of order and he proceeded to perform a later scene.

Anderson, who took on the role of Indiana Joness 11-year-old sidekick Short Round, wrote the script as he does with all the Reject shows. The Usual Rejects take great pleasure in pointing out the obvious plot holes and pure silliness that can be found in plenty of Hollywood big budget action movies. Previous outings have included riffs on Jurassic Park, Die Hard and Top Gun.

Kirkpartick played Indiana Jones and Rey, complete with bald cap, was the high priest of the Temple of Doom, Mola Ram.

Proceedings were interrupted throughout the evening for trivia contests based on various aspects of the film.

In one case, the actor who played Mola Ram in the movie, Amrish Puri, was the subject at hand, when it was revealed that he was concurrently making 18 other films at the time he played this part.

After receiving a standing ovation from the crowd, the Rejects moved out into the lobby for a farewell party populated by actors who have played roles at the Chain over the last 3 1/2 years.

A lot of people came up to me and expressed their gratitude for the opportunities this place has given them, an emotional Gostkowski said. They knew they always had a home.

The Chains current lease expires Tuesday, and the propertys owner has already confirmed the building is slated to be remade as another high-end residential development in booming Long Island City.

Gostkowski expects to announce upcoming Usual Rejects shows later this month and maybe even a full-scale play or two.

We are planning on staying in Queens, he said.
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By Bill Lewis

Charles Lindbergh is recognized as the first pilot to fly an airplane across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States to Europe. At the time, in the late 1920s, he became a national hero.

Unfortunately, he suffered personal tragedy when his first-born son was kidnapped and killed. The perpetrator of that crime was later arrested, tried and executed.

In 1932 the U.S. Congress passed the Federal Kidnapping Act, which made it a federal crime to kidnap anyone. It also became known as the Lindbergh Law. This showed that our nation considered kidnapping a very serious crime and there would be strong penalties for anyone convicted.

In the recent past, we have seen increasing cases of police officers being shot in the line of duty. I am advocating for federal law protection in the form of making it a federal crime to kill or injure a licensed police officer of any state, city or county.

Some action has got to be taken to deal with the increasing number of assaults on police. Our state and federal governments have to give strong support to our police force. If using weapons against police leads to their death or injury, it should become a federal crime. This will cut down on these types of crimes.

As there was a need in the early 1930s to make kidnapping a federal crime, there is now a need to make assaults against police officers a federal offense. The time has come to deal firmly with the problem. Our police should receive the overwhelming support of our government and the general public.

It is also time to give more attention to our police authority, so that they can give more protection to our citizens.

* * * * * *

The 2016 presidential race seems to be full of surprises. When Donald Trump announced his candidacy in the middle of 2015, few political observers thought he would become a leading candidate.

However, he has been leading in the polls everywhere and continues to do so. Few political insiders took Senator Bernie Sanders seriously when he first announced. However, he surprised everyone. Sanders is an excellent public speaker. He attracts a lot of young people to his rallies. He has also raised a lot of money.

Considering he is a Democratic Socialist, his rise in the polls has been a surprise, to say the least. He also speaks in a way that is interesting to his listening audience. In the case of Donald Trump, his huge financial resources are an asset.

It is interesting to note that most presidential candidates win their home states in primaries and general elections. This year may be different. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina dropped out of the Republican primary because he was doing so poorly in the polls. It was also suspected that he would lose the South Carolina primary.

This year we may have two candidates from the same state, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, so New York will be the focus of the 2016 presidential race.
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Airport development adding to economy, jobs in the region

Pittsburgh may always be known as the Steel City, but a wave of new industries are popping up near its airport to redefine business in the region.
Richard Carter/Special to the Times Record News Fourteen of businessman Smith Walkers abstract paintings are on display at The Maplewood. Walker was inspired by the late Scottie Parsons, who told him to paint how he feels.

SHARE She Blew Me A Kiss is by Smith Walker, whose works may be viewed through the end of February at The Maplewood. RIGHT: Whirlwind Romance is by Smith Walker. His abstract works in his exhibit at The Maplewood are vibrant with color. With one exception, Smith Walkers exhibit at The Maplewood includes all-new works, including this untitled piece. Richard Carter/Special to the Times Record News Thoughts of a Woman is a large-scale acrylic abstract painting by Smith Walker. When Walker first exhibited his work in February 2015, very few people knew he painted. His new show runs through February at The Maplewood in Century City. .

By Richard Carter

Smith Walker's outlook on art changed after abstract painter Scottie Parsons told him to paint his feelings.

The businessman began painting almost 10 years ago but wasn't pleased with his results and quit a year later. When he met Parsons at an art opening a few years later, the two spoke for a couple of hours about art.

"She told me to forget about trying to paint some thing," he said. "'Just paint your feelings,' she said, and it changed my thinking about art. I started doing exactly that, and it came out pretty good."

Walker opened his second solo art show of 14 of his abstract works earlier this week at The Maplewood.

He first started doing art in 2007, when he began dabbling in acrylic painting.

"I had three kids at the house, and one by one they left, and I had a lot of time on my hands. I had always kind of wanted to paint," he said.

He loved art as a child, and after seeing the work of the late Parsons and Dallas-based painter J.D. Miller, he bought some canvases.

"After the first year, I threw everything away. It was bad," he said with a laugh.

Several years later, Walker was at a Wichita Falls Country Club art party and saw Betsy Edwards, who was there with Parsons.

"I thought, oh my gosh, Betsy, please introduce me, and she did."

The two hit it off, and Walker purchased one of her works.

"It's really very abstract, and you wouldn't know it was related to her trip to Southern France, unless she told you."

Her advice to him to paint his feelings changed his approach and by February 2015, he exhibited his work for the first time at The Maplewood

"I would always come into The Maplewood, and the walls were gray. I thought it would be fun to put my paintings up here because they're so colorful."

He approached the facility's managers, who told him they liked his works' stark look.

After several months of showing The Maplewood brain trust his new paintings, they agreed to display his pieces as part of the now-monthly gallery shows.

"I sent out some cards and letters and some people kind of poked it up, and I was kind of scared to death," he said with a laugh.

His first exhibit featured 16 abstract paintings, and "everyone freaked out.

"They didn't have any clue that I painted. I hadn't told anyone except my family and some friends. The response was very positive, but people were initially pretty shocked.It was kind of out of the blue. Some people came out of curiosity to see what Smith Walker could be painting."

Walker, after all, is known more for his career in business. The Wichita Falls native owns a number of downtown properties and has been active over the years in downtown revitalization.

"I've got a passion for downtown. I love owning those buildings and fixing them up, and bringing them back to life and putting people in them. I'm really fired up about downtown," he told the Times Record News in a 2005 article.

Walker purchased his first building in 1975 on Kemp Boulevard, where he lived while attending Midwestern State University and earning his business degree.

Walker's current art show features all new works except a large Eiffel Tower painting he'd shown in 2015.

The artist regularly paints in his kitchen. He said the room has a lot of light from a huge window across from which he sets up his easel.

"If anyone comes to my house, they better not say, 'I wished I could paint.' I've got a dozen easels at the house, and I'll set them up and say, 'Today's your day, you're going to get to paint.'"

Smith has no idea where his paintings will go once he starts to paint.

"Every now and then, I'll see a technique on YouTube or something, and I'll try that  usually like a stop-and-drag or something, or pulling color over color. I haven't splatter painted yet, but I probably will after I see the Pollock show."

The hardest part of the process for him is to know when a painting is complete. Sometimes he paints too much.

"I've called friends over. "'Is the painting finished? Does it need something?'"

Walker's works can take anywhere from several sittings up to 60 sittings, or several days to two or three months.

"I usually work on two at a time. When I do a larger painting, instead of throwing any paint away, I will also do a smaller painting. My little ones I call scraps. Sometimes they're better than my larger ones," he said.

Painting is as fun for him as it is therapeutic. He wants to keep painting and someday do artistic sculpture. Walker enjoys telling people that he's an artist, because he likes the way it sounds. He won't be wearing a beret, anytime soon, though.

Walker's works may be viewed at The Maplewood through the end of February.

Smith Walker art show

Where: The Maplewood, 2611 Plaza Parkway, No. 301a

When: Through February. Hours are 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday and Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday

Information: 689-0404
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By Lana Sweeten-Shults of the Times Record News

The early bird gets the bonus  and the good teachers.

That might be the case if the Wichita Falls ISD's talks of early notification incentives come to fruition.

At a training session in January, the board and administration discussed incentives for teachers who are thinking about leaving the district  whether they are retiring, resigning to take another job or leaving for whatever other reason. It is also one of the agenda items on which the school board will take action at its next work session, which begins at noon Tuesday at the Education Center, 1104 Broad.

Teachers would get monetary compensation for notifying the district of their plans by a certain date, though how much they might receive has not been finalized, and an early notification date has not been chosen.

"I wouldn't think it (the compensation) would be more than $500, $750, $1,000," Superintendent of Schools Michael Kuhrt said at the training session.

The district is estimating paying about $150,000 in incentives annually, Director of Human Resources Denise Williams said.

This type of incentive has been instituted in other school districts.

The reason the Wichita Falls ISD is considering it is because of a big push to begin the teacher hiring process months earlier than it does now  some four to six months earlier. An earlier start means the district has a better chance of hiring better educators.

Hiring teachers as late as the summertime, as it does now, is really too late, the board has said, since many teachers already have accepted jobs at other schools.

"This should allow us to hire from a bigger applicant pool," board member Elizabeth Yeager said.

The Wichita Falls ISD wants to be able to compete for those strong candidates.

Kuhrt said employees attend a Teachers Retirement System meeting in June or July that details what will happen with their retirement pay. Some employees will make a decision about retiring then.

The incentive, he hopes, "will help people make up their mind, or if they haven't told us to let us know," way before that TRS meeting, Kuhrt said.

The board and administration discussed establishing incentives that are higher for retirees than those who resign.

"I'm worried about probationary teachers and nonrenewals getting the incentive," board member Bob Payton said.

Williams asked, "What about not offering it to probationary contracts?"

Besides considering early notification incentives, the district has shortened the school assignment window, also in an attempt to give the district more time to hire teachers.

Instead of granting opt-outs and transfers as late as the summertime, the district will accept opt-out, transfer and magnet school application forms in February for the 2016-17 academic year.

A transition student  students entering middle school or high school  had until 4 p.m. Feb. 5 to opt out of their attendance zone school. Other students have until Feb. 26 to submit a transfer to a school that is not their attendance zone campus.

It is difficult to know how many teachers to hire and which campuses to hire for, the district has said, if students are not in place much earlier than summer, and if the district doesn't know how many teachers are leaving until the summer.

The next board meeting will be 6 p.m. Feb. 15.
SHARE Walker Dean

By Times Record News

Two Wichita Falls doctors received the Distinguished Service Award of the Wichita County Medical Society's annual meeting Saturday.

The awards to William F. Dean, M.D., and Olyn M. Walker, M.D., are the highest bestowed upon a member of the medical society.

Award criteria are based on outstanding service to the community, as well as service in the field of medicine and at least 25 years membership in WCMS.

Drs. Dean and Walker are board-certified in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery.

Dean began the heart surgery program in 1979 in Wichita Falls. He was instrumental in obtaining the certificate of need for the cardiac catheterization labs and the open-heart surgery program. The first open-heart surgical procedure was performed in January 1980. Walker joined Dean in 1986.

Dean grew up in Wichita Falls, attended Midwestern State University and graduated from Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Walker attended South Carolina State College and Meharry Medical College in Nashville. Internship and residency were with the Army, and he continued to serve in the medical corps, retiring as a colonel. Walker moved to Wichita Falls in 1984 to further his surgical practice. Upon retiring from surgery he assumed the Leadership of the URHCS Cardiac Rehabilitation Program until full retirement in 2004.
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By Lana Sweeten-Shults of the Times Record News

How states have been using their windfall from the mammoth 1998 tobacco settlement against the major tobacco companies  some $15.3 billion is being paid to Texas alone over 25 years  seems to be hazy.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, in fiscal year 2016, the states will collect $25.8 billion from the settlement and tobacco taxes but will spend only 1.8 percent of it  $468 million  on programs to prevent youth from smoking and helping those who already smoke quit.

Wichita County has been frugal in how it has spent its portion of the tobacco settlement money, which it set aside for health-care related issues, said County Judge Woody Gossom. It placed most of its first payment of $2.1 million in January 1999, along with subsequent annual payments, in a protected, interest-bearing reserve fund, minus some money it has moved out of that fund for such things as indigent care costs, city/county health unit projects and to help fund the dental health van. As of 2015, that fund grew to $3 million.

For the last few years, Gossom said the county has received around $60,000 to $70,000 annually.

"We've been very conservative with what we've spent that on," Gossom said. The judge also happens to serve on the Tobacco Settlement Permanent Trust Account Administration Advisory Committee, which is the state's tobacco fund committee.

The Bottom Line, a Times Record News special series, examines local city, county and school district finances to explain how your money is collected and spent. Previous stories, along with infographics, charts and a searchable budget database can be found here.

It was in 1998 that the major tobacco companies  Philip Morris Inc., R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co., Lorillard Tobacco Co. and the United States Tobacco Co.  settled a nationwide lawsuit. Forty-six states, which charged the tobacco industry with covering up the dangers of smoking, wanted to recover money it spent on smokers through the Medicaid program. Those states received $206 billion in the settlement.

This is the 17th year of disbursements from the settlement.

Gossom said the county agreed to save most of the tobacco money and use only the interest to fund health-care projects, which have ranged from purchasing automatic defibrillators for county facilities to helping fund the Children's Health Insurance Plan program and supporting the indigent healthcare program.

Then in 2015, the county dissolved its tobacco fund, transferring that $3 million to the jail improvement fund.

Any future revenue from the tobacco settlement  the $60,000 or $70,000 or so it has been receiving annually in recent years  will now go into the general fund.

The plan for the bulk of that tobacco money will go to building an infirmary in a new county jail, though no concrete details have been released regarding the possible, long-discussed county jail facility.

"We used to take $100,000 out of it (the tobacco fund) and put it into indigent health care. But this year, we're redesignating that fund for a health treatment facility in the new jail. ... We want to make sure we have a great health care facility in the new jail," Gossom said

Gossom said if the jail houses more than 200 people, the state requires the facility to include an infirmary.

Tobacco fund money, about $30,000 to $40,000 annually, also has been disbursed by the county to the Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District, with $100,000 being paid over three years for the dental health van.

The health district receives the Tobacco Prevention and Control Coalition Grant, a federal grant disbursed to the state level and then locally. Two years remain on the five-year fund cycle grant, which started in 2013 and will end in 2018. It is a grant that is applied for annually. The health district will receive a little more than $549,000 in grant money for Sept. 1, 2015, to Aug. 31, 2017.

"That tobacco grant we have requires a match.  We went to the county (for part of the funds)," said Lou Kreidler, director of health for the Wichita Falls Wichita County Public Health District.

Kreidler added that the city of Wichita Falls also supplies in-kind support.

The grant, and tobacco fund money, go to support tobacco cessation classes for everyone, wellness classes for the city and tobacco cessation programs for area businesses, for example.

"We train teens to teach the program (tobacco cessation), and they go out and talk to other kids," Kreidler said.

And in Burkburnett, when the no-smoking ordinance passed, the health district printed no-smoking signs to help offset the cost.

The Bottom Line is a Times Record News-exclusive series where we examine local city, county and school district finances to explain how your money is being collected and spent. This series is published in print Sunday  Thursdays and is available online at timesrecordnews.com/trninvestigates through February 25, 2016.
Hoosick Falls

The state Health Department was made aware in August 2014 that a toxic chemical had contaminated Hoosick Falls' village water system, but conflicting information and a lack of regulations led to months of delays in notifying the public about the situation, documents show.

The documents, including a timeline and chain of emails released by Rensselaer County late last week, indicate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was also made aware of the water contamination in December 2014, but the information was never forwarded to the EPA's regional administrator, Judith Enck, who said she did not learn about the contamination problem for another 10 months.

The records confirm that village leaders first contacted county and state health officials 18 months ago seeking guidance after they were told by a resident about the toxic chemical and its health effects. Still, the Village Board kept its initial inquiries about the pollution secret, including two meetings where village trustees discussed the matter behind closed doors in August and October 2014, according to village records.

Mayor David B. Borge did not respond to questions about why the public was excluded from those early meetings. At the August 2014 meeting, Borge did not mention the impending water crisis when he told members of the public that the board was entering a closed session "to discuss personnel and security issues."

That same week, email exchanges between state and county health officials began in earnest after Michael Hickey, a Hoosick Falls resident, contacted Borge and told him a possible spike in cancer and other serious health effects in the village may be the result of exposure to a chemical used for decades by several local factories.

The man-made chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, has been used since the 1940s to make industrial and household products like non-stick coatings and heat-resistant wiring, including at a factory near the village water treatment plant owned by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics. The plant, which Saint-Gobain bought in 1999, was one of at least six manufacturing sites in the region that used PFOA, EPA data said.

By October 2014, emails confirm, county and state health officials were aware the levels of PFOA in the village water system exceeded federal advisories for safe drinking water. But the advisory was not binding, and health officials debated whether public notification was even required.

"From talking with the mayor this may become a very public issue once they release these and since they are above the only guidance we have (even though it is not regulated) it may get messy," Richard Elder, Rensselaer County's environmental health director, wrote in an email sent to state Health Department officials that month.

Christopher J. Meyer, county deputy executive, said health officials were not seeking to cover up the situation  they were grappling with muddled federal regulations and what they perceived as an unclear EPA advisory on dangers of PFOA exposure. He said their primary goal from the beginning was to identify the source of the contamination and have it removed from the village water system.

"The concern for our county health department from the start was the lack of a regulatory standard from either the federal or state government," Meyer said. "While the EPA had a guidance of no more than 400 ppt, that is not a regulatory standard that can be used to declare a public water supply out of compliance. This is why the county health department immediately contacted the state for assistance and guidance as to what steps could and should be taken to ensure the health and safety of those using the Hoosick Falls water system."

But the EPA's advisory level  400 parts per trillion  is for short-term exposure and not intended for situations like Hoosick Falls, where residents were drinking the contaminated water for possibly decades, officials said.

In an Aug. 14, 2014, email, Kimberly Evans McGee, who works in the state Health Department's Bureau of Water Supply Protection, informed county health officials that PFOA is an "unregulated contaminant" and the village therefore was "not required to conduct any remedial activity if detected."

In another email two months later, Evans McGee told several of her colleagues in the state Health Department's Center for Environmental Health that there was very little information on PFOA's health effects. The email was forwarded to a Rensselaer County Health Department official.

"Since these are unregulated contaminants, we have little information on them, including health effects information," Evans McGee wrote.

James Plastiras, a state Health Department spokesman, said "emails show there was some contact at the staff level back in August, and DOH staff was trying to provide responses to requirements related to an unregulated contaminant about which there was little conclusive information.

"After the Village conducted testing in October and November, they asked DOH for assistance in interpreting the results," he added. "We have been working very closely with the village, town and county since then, helping to determine the best filtration options, conducting our own testing of the Village water supply, the school and private wells and providing technical advice and assistance.

Elder recently drafted a timeline of Rensselaer County's handling of the situation. It notes that village leaders rebuffed the state's advice that they only needed to disclose the discovery of the PFOA in an annual water quality report that, arguably, many residents never read.

"After discussion with the village this was unreasonable and a request was made ... to NYSDOH BTSA (Bureau of Toxic Substance Assessment) to develop health effects' language that the village could provide to the residents," Elder wrote. It took another few months for the state Health Department to draft the controversial document that the village finally sent to residents Jan. 12, 2015.

But the state's advisory instructed residents that the level of PFOA detected in the water system --"does not constitute an immediate health hazard ... (and) the studies are not strong enough to draw a definitive conclusion about whether PFOA causes cancer in humans."

The state's position, adopted by the village for nearly a year, began changing two months ago amid growing pressure from the EPA and a citizens' group led by Hickey. Up to that month, Borge, the mayor, kept telling residents it was a "personal choice" whether to drink and cook with the water. Borge, at public meetings on the contamination, said he and his family continued to drink the water. His position finally changed in mid-December when the EPA's Enck, sent the village a second letter telling them they should be warning people to stop drinking or cooking with the water.

That same week, Robert A. Bilott, an Ohio attorney helping represent an estimated 3,500 people in a class-action lawsuit against DuPont, which made and used PFOA in its products, wrote a letter to Borge and the state Health Department urging them to change their position on the health risks of PFOA in drinking water. Bilott said he's represented "tens of thousands of individuals in various communities across the country who have been injured because of the contamination of their drinking water with PFOA."

Bilott said a science panel formed as a result of litigation with DuPont did a comprehensive study of the health effects of exposure to PFOA and issued a peer-reviewed report concluding the chemical has a "probable link" to six diseases, including kidney and testicular cancer.

Still, there was also a breakdown in communication within the EPA. The federal agency was notified about the PFOA pollution in Hoosick Falls by state and county health officials in December 2014. Also, that same month Saint-Gobain sent a letter to the EPA disclosing that elevated levels of the chemical were found in the village water system. The company also found levels of PFOA as high as 18,000 ppt in the groundwater under their McCaffrey Street plant, which is a few hundred yards from the village water treatment plant.

But Enck, who is from Rensselaer County, said she was not made aware of the situation until last October, when she was contacted by David Engel, an attorney for the citizens' group, Healthy Hoosick Water, and then a Rensselaer County official.

"I first learned when Rensselaer County executive Kathy Jimino emailed me on October 15, 2015 inquiring if EPA had about $2 million to provide to the village of Hoosick Falls to install a water treatment system to remove contaminants," Enck said in an email. "It took me a few weeks to figure out what was going on and in November I wrote to the mayor advising him not to allow residents to drink the water."

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
Bethlehem

Town police have received over 100 calls from town residents in the last several days reporting they are being called by someone stating that they represent the IRS, according to press release.

The caller tells the person that they owe large sums of money to the Internal Revenue Service and that if they do not pay the money immediately a warrant for their arrest will be issued.

"These calls are fictitious and the callers are not from the IRS," the press release said. "It is believed that the calls are originating from outside of the United States, and that they are part of a much larger fraud ring."

Bethlehem Police warned residents not to divulge personal information over the phone and not to send any money to the people calling. The Federal Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the IRS are aware of the scam, which has hit multiple parts of the country.

Police recommend that residents who receive these calls follow these instructions:

If you owe federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.

If you do not owe taxes, fill out the "IRS Impersonation scam" form on TIGTA's website, www.tigta.gov, or call TIGTA at 800-366-4484.

You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov. Add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments in your complaint. Residents can also go to www.ic3.gov and file an on-line complaint.

If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a call, contact your local police and remember not to give out or even confirm any personal information that the caller may be seeking.

ccrowley@timesunion.com  518-454-5348  @townstu  http://facebook.com/cathleenFcrowley
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Iowa City, Iowa

More than a dozen states have strengthened laws over the past two years to keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers, a rare area of consensus in the nation's highly polarized debate over guns.

Lawmakers and governors of both parties have supported bills stripping gun rights from those who have been convicted of domestic violence-related crimes or are subject to protective orders. The measures have been backed by victims' advocates, law enforcement groups and gun control supporters who see easy access to firearms as a major contributor to domestic violence killings.

Similar proposals are expected to be debated in several states this year.

"Domestic violence is definitely an area where there is the most agreement between the gun lobby and gun-violence prevention advocates," said Allison Anderman, staff attorney with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in San Francisco.

The National Rifle Association has taken a cautious approach toward such bills, opposing the farthest-reaching measures but staying neutral or negotiating compromises on others. For example, the NRA has fought provisions that would require people to surrender their guns before they have a chance to contest allegations made in a request for an emergency protective order.

"There is no evidence that simply taking away people's guns without a fair hearing makes the victims any safer," NRA spokeswoman Catherine Mortensen said.

The push in the states is driven by stories of women and children killed by abusers, and by statistics showing that hostile relationships often turn deadly when guns are present.

An average of 760 Americans were killed with guns annually by spouses, ex-spouses or dating partners between 2006 and 2014, according to an Associated Press analysis of FBI and Florida data. Florida's statistics are not included in the FBI's report, which covers all other states and District of Columbia, but were analyzed separately by AP.

The total is an undercount because not all law enforcement agencies report such information, and it doesn't include children and other bystanders who were killed. More than 80 percent of those killed were women.

"The system failed my son, and I am going to do whatever it takes to make sure it never happens to another child or another woman," said Hollie Ayers, 44, a Pennsylvania woman whose 21/2-year-old son, Michael, was shot and killed in front of her by her abusive ex-husband in 2013.

Ayers, who was shot twice, said she constantly thinks about her son, who loved tractors and puzzles. Her ex-husband killed himself after the rampage.

Ayers had warned that he had guns and had said that he, his ex-wife and the child "would be better off dead" before she obtained a permanent protection-from-abuse order, court records show. But the judge did not order her ex-husband to surrender his weapons, even after he violated the protective order.

Hollie Ayers is pushing for a Pennsylvania law that would require people to turn over their guns when judges issue protection orders against them.

Kim Stolfer, president of the Pennsylvania group Firearms Owners Against Crime, said his organization isn't on board with the idea yet. He said such legislation could be exploited by vindictive ex-spouses who level false allegations of abuse.

"We need some balance, and it's rapidly going the wrong way," he said.

In announcing executive action on gun control last month, President Barack Obama said protecting domestic abuse victims is one of his goals. His changes include strengthening the federal background check system, which has denied gun sales 120,000 times since 1998 because of domestic violence convictions.
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Seoul, South Korea

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders denounced as a banned test of dangerous ballistic missile technology and another "intolerable provocation." The U.N.'s most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with "significant" new sanctions.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early Sunday, and a month after the country's fourth nuclear test. He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbor and important ally, not to proceed and in another slap to Beijing, he chose the eve of the Chinese New Year, the country's most important holiday.

Since a Jan. 6 nuclear test, China and the U.S. have been negotiating a new Security Council sanctions resolution.
Albany

The evidence shared by prosecutors with community leaders in the 10 days since an alleged racial assault on three black female University at Albany students is broader than just surveillance video of the early morning fracas onboard a CDTA bus.

The presentation last Friday included excerpts from statements given to police by other passengers on the bus  among them other students of color  that do not support the women's account of a racially charged assault, according to two people who saw them.

Alice Green, a longtime Albany social justice activist who attended the briefing, confirmed Monday that the PowerPoint presentation at the district attorney's office covered more than just the videos that have so far garnered much of the attention in the aftermath of the Jan. 30 incident.

More for you Churchill: UAlbany bus attack story isn't holding up

"We were shown other things," Green said. "The statements were abbreviated, but the essence of it was that there was some contradiction, and that there were people of color on the bus and they're saying they didn't hear any racial slurs and they didn't see any group attack (the women)."

Green said the group was also shown a photograph of a young white woman alleged to have suffered a black eye in the fracas, a seating chart of where the alleged participants were sitting and were allowed to listen to the 911 calls made by the black women who told police they were called racial slurs and beaten by a larger group of people that included white men. (Two of the three accusers were evaluated at Albany Medical Center Hospital for what police described as "very minor abrasions" on their faces.)

"From what we were presented, it was difficult to see evidence, if there was evidence, of any of those things happening," Green said.

The allegations spread explosively on social media and have garnered national attention  especially in the wake of a large, on-campus rally last week.

District Attorney David Soares said he previewed the investigation for community and university leaders in hopes of calming tensions on campus, which he said have been inflamed by "hearsay" on social media that has traveled faster than the formal investigation.

Green has not said whether she believes or disbelieves the women's story, but she said Monday that she felt it is important that the public understand that the body of evidence so far collected by prosecutors and the University Police Department amounts to more than the videos from onboard the bus and other riders' smartphones.

Those recordings, Green has said, depict a brief, chaotic scene at the back of the bus but do not clearly show the three women being assaulted by a group of people, nor are any racial slurs audible. Authorities are waiting on a State Police enhancement of the recordings to see if there is anything not audible in the raw video.

Green, who has been critical of Soares' office in the past, has said "nothing is clear-cut at all" from the videos alone and that it's difficult to tell what's happening on the bus, which was crowded with students traveling back to campus from downtown.

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University Police Deputy Chief Aran Mull declined to comment on the investigation or the evidence that was shared in the Friday briefing, which was attended by Chief Frank Wiley. But Mull said investigators are searching out every piece of relevant information.

"Our folks have been incredibly thorough," Mull said. "We're not looking to prove one side right or wrong. We're looking at the evidence objectively."

Bernard Bryan, president of the Albany branch of the NAACP, was present for part of Friday's briefing but left before the videos were shown.

Bryan declined to discuss the details of what was shared but praised the transparency demonstrated by police and prosecutors because "the severity and the community and civic ramifications raised by some of the allegations require that there not be a cloak of secrecy.''

"It's a process that has to try to determine the truth," Bryan said. "It's my hope that once everything is considered, we're able to make this a teachable moment for the future leaders of our country ... and that we figure out a way for all to be treated fairly and that there be no lasting recrimination on either side and that there's conciliation on both sides."

jcarleo-evangelist@timesunion.com
Albany

The last time Chris Gibson geared up to run for a new office, he formed his campaign committee in March, leaving him roughly 8 months until November.

This time, he's said to be doing it in February  more than two years before the office he is considering seeking is up for grabs again.

A Gibson aide confirmed Sunday evening that the Kinderhook Republican, who has held the 19th Congressional District seat since 2011, will file paperwork Monday to create a Gibson for New York committee to explore a bid for governor.

The move is hardly a surprise and comes more than a year after Gibson announced he would not seek re-election as he sought to grow the Republican Party in New York. He has expressed many times over that he is considering a gubernatorial run in 2018.

The formation of the committee comes well before any candidate would think to begin campaigning in earnest. But it does allow Gibson to begin cobbling together the assets needed as a foundation for any campaign: money.

"It makes sense for a candidate who is serious about running statewide to get out there early, to raise money early because one of the keys in any election, unfortunately, is money," Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg told the Times Union Sunday. "Neither of (Gov. Andrew) Cuomo's general election opponents have been able to compete with him financially. Given the Republican enrollment disadvantage, there has to be some way for the Republican to compete financially if he or she is going to break through with voters."

To be sure, the 2014 Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino (who hasn't shut the door on a 2018 run of his own) put it in even more succinct terms last week at the state Conservative Party's annual conference, where both he and Gibson were featured speakers. If a Republican doesn't have the resources to drive his or her message, he said, voters can't hear the message.

"If they can't hear you, they can't love you," Astorino said.

State Board of Elections filings show a stark contrast between Astorino fundraising and Cuomo fundraising in 2014, when the Republican waited until March to jump into the race. Take just the 32-day pre-general election filings for both men, with each candidate having the same amount of time to raise funds. Astorino pulled down nearly $1.5 million to give him about $1.3 million in the bank after expenses. Cuomo, who had just spent money brushing back a primary challenger, raised almost $572,000 to give him $23.7 million cash on hand after expenses.

Yet Gibson already has some help in the fundraising department: Outside spending group Empower New Yorkers  which states it "support(s) people like Chris Gibson who are leading on the challenges of our time"  filed with the state Board of Elections in January. (Its filings showed on Sunday only one contribution of $5,000 received this month from Thomas D'Ambra, chairman of the board for Albany Molecular Research Inc.)

Gibson has taken advantage of free advertising through the media since announcing he would not seek a fourth term in Congress last year. He told WAMC's Alan Chartock in November that he sees Cuomo as a "bully" who already is vulnerable ahead of the election. He told WCNY's Susan Arbetter a week later that he would seek to close the so-called limited liability company loophole (and wouldn't take LLC donations in any re-election campaigns if successful in 2018). He reiterated his opposition to the SAFE Act to the Times Union's Chris Churchill in December, saying "the knee-jerk reaction for gun control has never delivered, and it won't deliver."

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter.

Gibson was unavailable for an interview Sunday.

A Cuomo campaign spokesman declined to comment.

How Gibson's formal step affects other possible 2018 primary candidates' thought processes (assuming any of them run) remains to be seen. Astorino has kept active, sending his latest general fundraising appeal to supporters on Friday. Also mentioned as possible contenders are Harry Wilson, the GOP's 2010 comptroller candidate, and Carl Paladino, the Buffalo businessman who lost to Cuomo in 2010.

"Rob Astorino, if he chooses to run, as the person who ran last time would certainly have the ability, one would think, to get on the ballot and wage a primary," Greenberg said. "Carl Paladino, if he decides to spend the money, could certainly get on the ballot and run a primary. Do they decide to do that? Way too early to know."

mhamilton@timesunion.com  518-454-5449  @matt_hamilton10
Following a visit to China, South Korea and Japan three years ago, I argued it was long past time for the United States to get serious about the North Korea threat and China's continued support for the Kim Jong Un regime.

Yet here we are in 2016, on the heels of a missile launch and North Korea's fourth nuclear test -- a test that may well represent a significant technological advancement of North Korea's nuclear program -- and there is no sense of urgency or substantive change in U.S. policy.

This week the U.S. Senate will join the U.S. House of Representatives in passing legislation that sends a strong bipartisan message: North Korea is a serious threat to U.S. national security and our current approach is a failure.

The North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016, which we expect to become law in the coming weeks, will provide the executive branch with a more robust set of policy tools to confront the threat posed by the rogue regime in Pyongyang. And while there is no "silver bullet" solution to the North Korea policy challenge, the United States must undertake a more proactive approach toward North Korea to address its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and human rights abuses against its own people.

The Senate bill represents the best of our bipartisan foreign policy tradition and builds upon legislation passed in the House of Representatives to expand and tighten enforcement of sanctions for North Korea's destructive activities.

The bill requires the Obama administration to investigate sanctionable conduct. This means working to expose those involved in supporting North Korea's human rights abuses, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and activities undermining cybersecurity -- marking the first statutory framework for sanctions in response to the growing North Korean cyberthreat.

Importantly, it also targets for investigation those who back these activities through other means, such as providing the regime with industrial inputs such as coal, or luxury goods that serve as a valuable source of hard currency to fund North Korea's nefarious activities. The President then is mandated to sanction any person found to have materially contributed to, engaged in or helped to facilitate these actions.

The bill also goes beyond the punitive sanctions stick and recognizes the need for a comprehensive policy toolbox. These instruments include improving enforcement of multilateral sanctions, an overall strategy -- beyond sanctions -- to combat North Korean cyberactivities, and other efforts to address more forcefully the horrific human rights situation, especially forced labor and repatriation.

Equally important is the message the U.S. Congress conveys to the international community by passing this bill: Support for the North Korean regime will have significant consequences.

And it is a message that we hope will be heard around the world, including in China, as we seek to harness greater cooperation on North Korea.

On a recent visit to Beijing, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry emphasized that the United States and China share the same goal -- denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But Kerry also noted that agreeing on the same goal is not enough, as "we need to agree on the meaningful steps necessary to get to the achievement of the goal." And one such step would be strong support from China, North Korea's largest patron, for a robust new resolution at the United Nations to impede North Korea's continued nuclear and ballistic missile advancements.

Some North Korea watchers assert that Beijing doesn't have the leverage that many U.S. officials contend it has over Pyongyang's behavior. But that's simply not true.

Although economic data on North Korea is scarce, the South Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency reports that 90% of all North Korean trade in 2014 was with China. There's simply no excuse for turning a blind eye to the illicit activities of Chinese individuals and entities, including continuing to shield China's most notorious proliferator, Karl Lee.

What is true, however, is that at present China lacks the political will to stand with the international community against North Korea's dangerous, destabilizing activities.

Of course North Korea involves difficult choices for China, as it does for the United States and others, but being a responsible member of the international community necessitates making such difficult choices. I have always supported healthy engagement with China, particularly efforts to strengthen economic ties for the mutual benefit of our two countries. And I still do. But I'm disappointed with Beijing's lack of leadership on North Korea and its continued disregard for international norms, including its provocative behavior in the East and South China Seas.

A clear attitude change in Beijing on North Korea would go a long way toward assuaging genuine concerns about Chinese intentions elsewhere.

The time has arrived for the United States to take the initiative and demonstrate leadership on North Korea that has been lacking through successive Republican and Democratic administrations. While one piece of legislation cannot fix years of ineffective policy, I believe Congress will soon take a strong step in the right direction.

Senator Bob Corker
So you lucked out on two voucher opponents not being at the committee meeting. Vouchers are a detriment to every school in Hamilton County and our great state, robbing the school systems of necessary dollars which are already underfunded thanks to lack of BEP funding. There are mandates coming down from the state that we cannot comply with because of that lack of state funding. Just look at TNReady, (my new name for it is NOT TNReady) our new test to replace TCAP.

We are not ready in Hamilton County, not due to any fault of our own, but due to the issue of using iPads that has just come to our attention in several of our schools. Now we are having to purchase paper tests for some of our schools. How does that leveI the playing/testing field? Kids using iPads and some having to keyboard? Or actually script?

I urge our representatives to not continue the quest to promote vouchers in Hamilton County schools and other districts in the great state of Tennessee. This vote is a crucial "NO" and is on their shoulders, or all of our shoulders if we do not protest. Are you willing to throw the entire state under the bus to experiment with an already unproven trial? I cannot believe that surrounding private schools in our area will not accept our dollars, but I feel pretty sure that probably they will be willing to accept them, at a costly expense to us. Hamilton County and all of Tennessee. I would venture to guess that the tuition of any area private schools hugely supersedes what these vouchers will provide and I don't foresee any private school accepting less than half of what their actual tuition is.

I am appealing to your conscience. Think about what vouchers will do to Hamilton County. Hamilton County needs to step up and voice their opposition to HB1049 and they need to do it now. These are our tax dollars that will be going to private schools. If folks had wanted that, then they probably would have sent their kids to a private school to begin with and possibly get a hardship due to their income.

I sent this letter to each representative and only heard back from one.

There is still a chance to voice your opinion about vouchers-Bill HB 1049. Please contact your representatives to vote no.

This bill will negatively affect Hamilton County Schools. This is a threat to public schools.This will be voted on Thursday morning.

Below is a list of our representatives:

Mike Carter District 29

rep.mike.carter@capitol.tn.gov

JoAnne Favors District 27

rep.joanne.favors@capitol.tn. gov

Marc Gravitt District 30

rep.marc.gravitt@capitol.tn. gov

Patsy Hazlewood District 27

rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol. tn.gov

Gerald McCormick

rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol. tn.gov

Make your voice heard.

Donna Horn, School Board Representative District 7

* * *

Mrs. Horn and Mr. Exum,

Can you please explain why you think school districts own the per pupil funding that follows students? Does it not make more sense that this money should be used at discretion of the parents? If they believe a private school is the best place for their student, they should be able to offset private school with the per pupil funding.

The two of you have described a collectivist dream where the group is exalted above the individual. This is America, not China. Parents parent children, not school systems. My children are not the children of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee, America, or Earth. They are my children and the money allotted for their education should be spent how I wish or no allotment should be made.

The natural progression of the arguments the two of you have made against the voucher bill indict all private school parents are enemies of public schools. If the schools systems don't want to lose students, quit making excuses and improve your schools.

Charles Scealf

* * *

I guess a school is not competitive (i.e. gives a poor education), you would rather not give the children a chance to go somewhere better? Who do you represent as a school board member?

Robert Harvey

Chattanooga
Chicago's First Ever Black Restaurant Week Is Going On Now

By Anthony Todd in Food on Feb 8, 2016 3:00PM



via Litehouse Wholefood Grill

Restaurant Week may be over (sort of), but Chicago Black Restaurant Week is just getting started. This is the first year for the event, founded by Lauran Smith, a self-described "PR Guru," and it aims to promote black-owned restaurants around the city.

The promotion isn't as systematic as Restaurant Week, in that any discount is acceptablemeaning there's no requirement that the menu be a $33 prix fixe setup. In fact, if you look at the list of restaurant, the deals are all over the place, from discounted desserts to bargain bags of shrimp. The list of restaurants includes a bunch of places that are (sadly) off of the radar of most restaurant-week going foodies, including Haires Gulf Shrimp, Bronzeville Jerk Shack, Litehouse Wholefood Grill, 6978 Soul Food, Truth Italian Restaurant and more.

According to WBEZ, there are more than 100 African-American owned restaurants in Chicago, and almost none of them participated in Restaurant Week. That's one reason why Smith decided to start the event. The date was picked to correspond with "Negro History Week," created by Dr Carter G. Woodson in 1926 (the precursor to Black History Month).

The event runs through Feb. 13.
The MRAs Didn't Meet In Rogers Park, But About 40 Feminists Did

By Chicagoist_Guest in News on Feb 8, 2016 3:11PM

By Will Gosner

Feminist activists and community members held a rally in Rogers Park on Saturday night to demonstrate against sexual violence, reclaiming the intersection once slated to host a meetup for mens rights activist (MRA) blog Return of Kings that same night.

Return of Kings leader, Daryush (Roosh) Valizadeh, called off the meetup and no MRAs turned up at the corner of Broadway and Sheridan Avenue. Still, the rally participantsled by the Feminist Uprising to Resist Inequality and Exploitation (FURIE)wanted to do a victory lap, as they put it on their Facebook page, and build solidarity amongst the people outraged by RoKs misogynistic, homophobic ideology.

After meeting at The Coffee Shop, roughly 40 rally participants, many of them carrying signs, walked to the intersection at about 7:30 p.m. They were split about 60/40 between women and men, and chanted slogans like Real men dont rape and Yes means yes, no means no, whatever I wear, wherever I go.

Several police officers and squad cars were on scene at the intersection, located half a block from both a University of Loyola Campus Safety office and a Planned Parenthood. Its a high traffic spot, which allowed the participants to show their signs to passing drivers, many of whom honked in support.

Earlier in the day, another group of community members and activists had shown their support by chalk-bombing the sidewalks and benches all around the intersection. They drew colorful anti-rape slogans and left boxes of chalk for others to contribute their own words. Some of the resulting chalk art is pictured above.

Mary Bowman, an organizer with FURIE, was heartened by the turnout on a cold night. It shows that there are a lot of people out there who think violent misogyny is insane and dangerous and want to confront it directly.

Early last week, RoK announced plans for a Saturday meetup at the intersection in question as part of International Meetup Day. Lindsey Ross, an Edgewater resident who attended the rally and has been aware of RoKs online vitriol for several years, said the cancelled meetups felt unusual.

We havent quite had this issue before, where they legitimately wanted to show up [in person], she said.

The issue fizzled by Thursday, when Valizadeh cancelled all of the planned RoK meetups. He cited concerns about the safety of RoK members after condemnation from activists and people in the communities where meetups were scheduled.

Many locals at Saturdays rally, including a woman with her 14-month-old daughter, saw the planned meetup as an attack on Rogers Park specifically and came out to express their anger and defend their community.

Indeed, the extremity of RoKs self-described neomasculinist and pro-rape ideologydistilled in a blog post that endorsed legalizing rape on private property, which Valizadeh now claims was a satirical thought experimentcreated a broadly united feminist front.

Abortion is either too controversial of an issue or something people take for granted because we already won that [fight] in the streets, Bowman said. I think something like rape and people who are pro-rapeits hard to make that controversial. Everybody can get behind being against rape. It makes feminism a little more accessible for people.

The rally also served as a chance for activists and others to meet likeminded people. Many attendees hoped that by gathering together to share their experiences and support one another, they could build a more lasting response to misogyny, which is much bigger than RoK alone.

I think the challenge then for us as organizers, Bowman said, is to deepen that level of struggle for people and have them recognize that violent misogyny is not something that is unique to mens rights activists or pickup artists and that its something that we need to respond to on a systemic level.

Bowman also expressed hope that people who had their first experience with feminist organizing at Saturdays rally continue to organize with us so that we can make everybody safer.

Will Gosner is a writer in Chicago.
21 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week



See Jackie Chans Long Yun Kung Fu Troupe for Chinese New Year this week. Photo via The Chinese Fine Arts Society.

Love is in the air as Valentines Day nears. Weve got a few unique date-worthy events as well as singles parties in the roundup this week, along with ways to celebrate Chinese New Year and Mardi Gras and more.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 8

THEATER + MUSIC: The Neo-Futurists premiere a new work from Molly Brennan and Malic White called Pop Waits on Monday night. Inspired by rock stars Iggy Pop and Tom Waits, this story tackles struggling with depression, songwriting and clowns. Check out our interview with the creators here. The run continues through March 12. Check website for showtimes. Tickets are $20.

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION: Kick off the Chinese New Year Celebration with the Chicago Cultural Center and the Chinese Fine Arts Society from noon to 1 p.m. Theyll have displays of Chinese dance, music, and martial arts, including an appearance from Jackie Chans Long Yun Kung Fu Troupe. Free.



TUESDAY FEBRUARY 9



Rock Baby Rock. Photo courtesy of Hard Rock Cafe.

DINNER + A ROCK SHOW: Hard Rock Cafes got a new weekly interactive show featuring Million Dollar Quartet original cast member Lance Lipinsky and his band the Lovers. Rock Baby Rock is part show and part history lesson with music from the late 40s to the mid 60s, and a special focus on music recorded on Chicago labels Chess & Vee Jay. Tickets are $45 and include $20 toward food and beverage. Check website for showtimes.

CHILDRENS CHOIR SERIES: The Chicago Children's Choir honors Black History Month with a concert series at Navy Piers Grand Ballroom beginning at 11 a.m. More than 3,000 students from almost 80 schools will perform over the next four days. Theyll sing spiritual, jazz, R&B and pop songs all within the theme of Hallowed Grounds. Free.

BROADWAY MUSICAL: Sam Mendes and Rob Marshalls Tony Award-winning version of Cabaret comes to Chicago straight from Broadway this Tuesday. This ones got tons of classic songs to sing along with from Cabaret to Willkommen to Maybe This Time. The production runs through February 21 at PrivateBank Theater. Tickets start at $22.

MARTIAL ARTS + DANCE: Continue the Chinese New Year celebration with a full length performance from Jackie Chans Long Yun Kung Fu Troupe at the University of Chicagos Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts this Tuesday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Founded by the martial arts star, the troupe comes all the way from Beijing with their new work titled 11 Warriors that combines kung fu, ballet, modern dance and drama. Tickets start at $35.

PORK DINNER: Perennial Virant is hosting four-course dinner with Meadowbrook Farm that promises pig in every bite. Each course from reception to desert will incorporate the Mangalitsa pig, which is known as the Kobe beef of pork, in some way from grilled ham steak to lard coffee cake and caramels. Cost is $55 per person. Seating is at 6 p.m. and reservations can be made by calling 312-981-7070.

SHRIMP BOIL: Get your Fat Tuesday on the right way with Frontiers annual Shrimp Boil at 6 p.m. Theyll also be serving up red beans & rice, shrimp poboys, Abita beers, hurricanes, sazeracs and of course king cake. Four Star Brass Band will accompany your meal with some real NOLA style music. Price is $35 per person and seating is first come, first served.



WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10

BOLD BALLET: The Joffrey Ballet presents their annual contemporary winter program at the Auditorium Theatre beginning at 7:30 p.m. Bold Moves will include a world premiere from British choreographer Ashley Page and the reprise of works from two of our favorite choreographers: Jiri Kylian and Yuri Possokhov. Program runs through February 21. Tickets start at $32.

BREAKFAST + LUNCH + DINNER DINNER: Elixir Andersonville teams up with FEW Spirits for a special four course dinner that takes guests all the way from breakfast to dinner to dessert. Tickets, which are $60 per person, also include a future tour of the FEW distillery in Evanston. UPDATE: We were informed on Tuesday, Feb. 9 that this event has been cancelled.

WINE + CHOCOLATE: Wow your significant other with an evening of love potions. Alpana Singhs restaurant The Boarding House is holding a Love Potion Chocolate & Wine event from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m with sweets from Executive Pastry Chef Julia Fitting. Tickets are $28 per person and include 25% off dinner and drinks following the event.



THURSDAY FEBRUARY 11



Have a Grand Budapest experience at Morgan's on Fulton. Picture courtesy of Super Awesome Night.

GRAND BUDAPEST DINNER: Ever wanted to have dinner at The Grand Budapest Hotel? Well head on over to Morgans on Fulton from 7-10 p.m. on Thursday. Chef David Ochs has created a five-course menu inspired by the Wes Anderson film. More than just dinner & a movie, the evening will be a fully immersive experience from check-in to film screening. Tickets are $110.

THEATRE WEEK: Chicago Theatre Week kicks off today and that means you can get tickets to more than 100 events for merely $15 or $30. Check the official website for more information and to see all the shows that are included.

DINNER + MOVIE: ArcLight Cinemas is hosting a built in dinner & movie night with TableSavvy, Lyft and Old Town Social. Have a prix fixe meal at Old Town Social and then be shuttled to the theatre for the premiere of Zoolander 2. Tickets start at $50.



Photo courtesy of Ani.

SAKE 101: Curious about sake? Sign up for Anis Sake 101 Class where owner and Certified Sake Professional Ty Fujimura will teach guests about the beverage and lead a tasting of three different sakes. Cost is $25 per person. Reservations can be made by calling (872) 206-8553.



FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12

BUILD A DATE: If you havent found your special Valentine, you can build one at ACME hotel on Friday. The Do Your Thing party invites singles to build their perfect robot date with Robot City Workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $45.

VALENTINE MASQUERADE: Find your Valentine at Rebars Singles Masquerade beginning at 8 p.m. The event will have interactive matchmaking activities and Macallan whiskey to bring attendees closer together. Theres also a VIP first date area for couples lucky enough to pair off. Tickets are $55.

DJ: Born and raised in West Philadelphia, this DJ might be best known as Will Smiths sidekick from Fresh Prince. Hang with DJ Jazzy Jeff Friday night at Studio Paris at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $15.

FIRST LOOK: Get a sneak peek at the Chicago Auto Show while supporting a bunch of good causes at this black-tie event. First Look for Charity supports 18 different charities including local causes like Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, JDRF and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. 7-11 p.m. Tickets are $250.

MARDI GRAS DINNER: Rockit Burger has teamed up with Abita Beer and Woodford Reserve for a Mardi Gras themed dinner complete with gumbo, king cake and a performance from Four Star Brass Band. 7 p.m. Tickets are $50.

NEW LOCAL BAND: See former members of Smith Westerns and Unknown Mortal Orchestra for free as they play with their new country soul band, Whitney. Doors to the Upstairs at Virgin Hotel open at 9 p.m.
Everton vs Crystal Palace live stream and how to watch Premier League game online

The Everton vs Crystal Palace live stream will see Frank Lampard's men look to get back to winning ways after a string of defeats. Here's how to watch it live, wherever you are.
New Zealand musician Silicon, a.k.a. Kody Nielson, brother of Unknown Mortal Orchestra frontman Ruban Nielson, claims to have been kicked off the Laneway Festival tour for kissing a police officers gun during his set at Laneway Adelaide on Friday.

Taking to Twitter, Nielson wrote, I just got kicked out of [Laneway Festival] and fined for kissing a cops gun during our set. Your guns are useless. Peace! Our show is nothing but love and positivity yet I always get treated like a criminal for being unpredictable.

Sorry to our fans but weve been pulled from [Laneway Festival] because of this stupid gun incident. Fuck Lameway festival and fuck the police, he later added, before offering nothing but love for my fans friends and family.

Speaking to Music Feeds, Nielson said he has been removed from the remaining dates of the Laneway 2016 tour and fined $560 by police. Nielson also claimed festival organisers did not want his removal from the lineup to go public.

Sometimes I perform part of our set from the audience, he recounted. There was a gang of six armed officers in the crowd and I started dancing with them. At one point I kissed an officers gun. I dont believe guns are even necessary at all.

Another officer then attempted to restrain me and I broke free continuing our set. I said to them, Peace, throw your guns in the sea. I was singing while all this was happening. Our set was cut short later on not because of the police, but because I had climbed up onto the stage roof.

The cops were acting unprofessionally, calling me names, insulting my appearance and nearly ripping my passport in half. I feel the organisers shouldve stood up for me in that situation considering the circumstances.

I just got kicked out of @lanewayfest and fined for kissing a cops gun during our set. Your guns are useless. Peace!  S I L I C O N (@S_I_L_I_C_O_N) February 5, 2016

Our show is nothing but love and positivity yet I always get treated like a criminal for being unpredictable  S I L I C O N (@S_I_L_I_C_O_N) February 5, 2016

Sorry to our fans but we've been pulled from @lanewayfest because of this stupid gun incident. Fuck Lameway festival and fuck the police  S I L I C O N (@S_I_L_I_C_O_N) February 5, 2016

Nothing but love for my fans friends and family. Everyone else can go to hell  S I L I C O N (@S_I_L_I_C_O_N) February 5, 2016

  S I L I C O N (@S_I_L_I_C_O_N) February 5, 2016

Nielson claimed that after his set was cut short, Laneway organisers stood there in silence while six armed and angry officers threatened and intimidated him. Nielson said he would not perform at Laneway again, having completely lost respect for the organisation.

They said they didnt want this to go public but I feel like at the very least our fans deserve an explanation as to why we just vanished from the lineup. SA Police did confirm to Music Feeds that a 33-year-old NZ man was evicted from Laneway and issued an expiation notice for disorderly behaviour.

Laneway organisers are yet to officially confirm Silicons status. However, the musicians set has been removed from the official Laneway app when one browses the timetables for the upcoming Melbourne and Fremantle legs of the festival.

With Nielson now back in New Zealand, triple j are reporting that the musicians slot will be replaced for the remainder of the Laneway tour and that an official word from festival organisers is forthcoming.
Its been a minute since we heard from Birds of Tokyo. The Perth outfits last release was a best-of compilation unveiled last year and before that their last album was 2013s highly successful March Fires.

Well, fans will be glad to know the boys have been hard at work on a follow-up to the album that yielded mammoth singles like This Fire and Lanterns. In fact, they want to know what you think of the idea.

Hey Guys, the band recently took to Facebook to write, Genuine Friday arvo question: How would you all feel if we made what is likely to be the heaviest album of our career thus far?

Apparently, Birds of Tokyo have been busy writing and clocking hours in the rehearsal room and theyve come up with something that might sound more akin to frontman Ian Kennys other project, prog-metal outfit Karnivool.

After asking fans how theyd feel if the band recorded the heaviest album of their career, the band later replied to one enthusiastic commenter, Too late, weve already done it. Haha ask questions later they say.

Radio isnt going to play this, the band promise, before comparing the sound of the new album to an amped-up version of 2008s Universes. Think its gonna be Universes on steroids, they write.

We just kinda tired of everyone making chill music, the Plans hit-makers write elsewhere, adding snooooooze. In terms of influences, the band explained to one curious commenter that theyre channeling lots of NIN.

The record is written and we know its been a while but we are getting through it, they add. We absolutely promise this will be like nothing youve heard before from us.in the most epic of ways! yeeewwww.
Sydneys supposedly violence-curbing lockout laws have been straddling the line between outrageous and ridiculous for some time now, but over the weekend they veered wildly into the realm of full-blown self-parody.

As the Sydney Morning Herald reports, a Paddington restaurant was questioned by NSW Police over its unsavoury and antisocial wine list. 10 William Street was apparently advertising wine by the glass on its blackboard.

The sign caught the attention of local coppers, who told the venues manager that they were concerned about the proximity of the blackboard to the front of the bar, saying it could encourage heavy drinking.

A sign at the front of the restaurant advertising wine without additives as free wine also had police clutching their pearls claims restaurant owner Giovanni Paradiso, who shared his frustration on Instagram.

So according to the NSW POLICE FORCE our blackboard with what we are pouring by the glass is promoting unsavoury antisocial behaviour, Mr Paradiso wrote. SYDNEY WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING.

Mr Pardisos post received more than a hundred comments from similarly fed-up chefs and bartenders, as well as Sydney residents, who slammed the police intervention as disgraceful, embarrassing, and lunacy.

Sydney to Melbourne: Its over. We give up you can have the better city well just have the police state, wrote customer Matt Jouuett on the restaurants Facebook page.

The controversy comes amid a renewed conversation surrounding Sydneys divisive late-night laws, sparked by local businessman Matt Barries lengthy LinkedIn tirade, Would the last person in Sydney please turn the lights out?.

Sydneys supposedly violence-curbing lockout laws have been straddling the line between outrageous and ridiculous for some time now.

Among the concerning statistics Barrie cites in his article are an 84 percent decline in Kings Cross foot traffic between 2012 and 2015, with 42 bars, clubs, and small businesses closing as a result of a 40 percent dip in revenue.

However, despite the Orwellian police activities and the total decimation of one of Sydneys most vibrant quarters, at least locals can rest easy in the knowledge that the lockout laws have helped to curb drunken violence right?

Well, no, not really. And when we say not really, we meant not at all. As Inthemix reports, new data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) shows that the lockout laws may be having the opposite effect.

The data tallies the number of assaults in the locked out Sydney CBD and Kings Cross areas and compares it with the number of assaults in the rest of the NSW capital, stretching as far back as January 2010.

[include_post id=466432]

According to the BOCSAR findings, violence has been steadily decreasing in Sydney for years, before the lockout laws were even introduced, and areas outside of the lockout laws are seeing a faster decline in crime.

The data indicates theres been a greater drop in the number of assaults between midnight and 3am outside of lockout zone areas than inside them, which suggests the laws actually are slowing an overall trend.

How powerful is that trend? Well, antisocial behaviour in the city has apparently been steadily decreasing since 2010. In fact, the greatest dip occurred between 2010 and 2012, two full years before the lockouts were introduced.

Some readers may have seen Fairfaxs recent tongue-in-cheek article announcing a new police wine unit for Sydney. The piece is intended as satire, but at this point, we wouldnt put it past the NSW government.
Here's a reminder that online discourse earns rebuke throughout the Internets and not just here on TKC. Even so, ourany other Kansas City media outlet as this blog offers more room for any discussion and debate than any other local media outlet. There are open threads and all kinds of opportunities for readers to speak out on editorial content of any sort . . . We also take suggestions, tips long a great deal of criticism. At the end of the day, TKC runs this blog in the very best manner we know how with a focus on creating thedespite hateration from all sides. Here's a bit of perspective sent by a reader: Mediaite Calls Their Commenters 'Disheartening and Disgusting' - Breitbart
Priest Shortage Could Force Chicago Archdiocese To Close Parishes

By Sam Stecklow in News on Feb 8, 2016 3:11PM



Flickr user ancientlives

A "large number" of Roman Catholic churches in Cook and Lake counties could close in the next 14 years, according to priests interviewed by the Tribune. Issues ranging from a lack of capital flowing into the churches to a lack of priests -- a projected 240 to serve 351 parishes -- is prompting the closures.

In a column in Catholic New World, the Chicago Archdiocese's official newspaper, Archbishop BlasA Cupich spun the news with a positive light. "The archdiocese has changed in significant ways over the past several decades," he wrote. "Demographics have shifted dramatically. Some of our parish buildings are in disrepair. We have fewer priests to pastor our faith communities. The result is that we end up spreading our resources too thinly. We should not be afraid to face these realities, but rather see this moment as a graced opportunity to chart new ways to live out our mission more fully."

NBC 5's Mary Ann Ahern reported that, during a meeting between priests and the Archbishop, Cupich said that 17 unidentified parishes would be closing in the next two years, though the AP reported that some parishes would be merged instead of closed.

Last month, the Archdiocese announced that four of its Chicagoland schools would be closing at the end of the academic year: St. Edmund's in Oak Park, St. Agatha Catholic Academy in Lawndale, St. Peter's in Antioch, and Seton Academy in South Holland. The Archdiocese's schools have been bleeding students and resources for about a decade, but Jim Rigg, superintendent of the Archdiocese's school system, told the Sun-Times last month that the district is now looking to grow.
New York Times: The Obvious State to Vote First in the Primaries Is Missouri

"Id like to see a Donald Trump tent rally in Ferguson. Id like to see Bernie Sanders talk revolution with Jonathan Butler. Id like to see Hillary Clinton discuss fashion with the Missouri State lawmakers who proposed a stricter intern dress code after their female interns said theyd been sexually harassed."

So many d-bags without class who read this blog might not know thatis Kansas City's foremost literary author and his latest piece not only argues for Missouri's return to bellwether status but also provides a great outlook of a great many culture clashes in the recent history of the Show-Me State.Take a look:Money quote . . .Checkfor a punchline regarding Downtown Kansas City gentrification currently in progress.Developing . . .
Bulgaria is very popular among Russian families and is considered one of their main alternatives to Turkey while the relatively weak local currency, the lev, definitely helps

According to TUI Russia's first "early booking" data, the three leading summer destinations are Bulgaria (60% of bookings), Greece (15%) and Cyprus (15%).

Bulgaria is very popular among Russian families and is considered one of their main alternatives to Turkey while the relatively weak local currency, the lev, definitely helps.

"Bulgaria fulfils all the prerequisites to become the most sought-after destination for early bookings and a favorite of the coming summer. Now the scope and depth of sales is not very indicative, because of the high exchange rate fluctuations of major currencies, but bookings are much higher than at the beginning of 2015. Recent developments pointing towards the abolition of visas for children up to 16 years as well as plans for the simplification of the visa regime for pensioners and people traveling for medical treatment - definitely enhance Bulgaria's popularity", - says Natalya Smirnova, director of TUI Russia sales.

In the framework of "early booking, TUI Russia offers new hotels and favorable conditions for a number of European destinations - Greece, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro and Cyprus.

TUI Russia summer season program will start on April 1 and last till September 30. The program will be extended in Cyprus for a month longer - up to 31 October 2016.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
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Gulf Industry Fair (GIF) 2016, to be held in Bahrain this week, will offer Bahrains future working population insights into careers in the industrial sector.



GIF will run from the February 9 to 11 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of Bahrain.



Industry Careers Day will take place on the third day of the Gulf Industry Fair (February 11) with the added support of Tamkeen.



The programme is primarily designed to promote Bahrains world-class industrial capabilities to young stakeholders, while highlighting the sector as a viable and rewarding career option for graduates and job seekers. These young people will form the backbone of future industrial and economic growth in Bahrain," said Jubran Abdulrahman, managing director of Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions, the event organiser.



The "Industry Careers Day" has received positive support from many of Bahrains educational institutions such as the Royal Womens University, Ahlia University and Gulf University. The day will consist of the Gulf Industry Fair Exhibition tour and a dedicated seminar organised by Tamkeen, who will be providing a workshop on ways to market oneself to industrial companies. The programme also features Bahrains leading recruitment consultants Gulf Connexions, who will provide their insight as recruiters into what employers are looking for.



We are supportive of the aims of the Industry Careers day because it is an important introduction for graduates looking at professions in various industrial sectors, said Bayden Tierney, business development director, Gulf Connexions.  Our company will be on hand to share our knowledge and insights for job seekers on a practical level on how to present themselves to future employers, whether on a personal level or through the drafting of their CVs, added Tierney.



The programme promises to add yet another important dimension to a show format that is already renowned as a valuable showcase for Northern Gulf industries - from world-scale manufacturing plants to specialist equipment suppliers, distributors and agencies representing the key segments of aluminium, energy and environmental protection, steel and alloys, industrial processes and manufacturing, ports, industrial facilities and logistics, training for industry; and industrial security and safety.



Promoting industrial career opportunities to the next generation is important. Industry should be seen as an opportunity for innovation and the development of society. Bahrains move towards an industrial base will require a new skilled workforce," said Abdulrahman. - TradeArabia News Service
The US has commenced importing goods from Iran since December 2015, restarting trade relations after more than two years, according to statistics released by the US Census Bureau show.



The value of US imports from Iran in December 2015 stood at $10.8 million, said the Iran Daily News report.



The breakthrough in Iran-US trade comes with the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a lasting nuclear deal between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), it added.



Under the landmark nuclear deal, the US government has granted permission for the import of some Iranian products, including carpet and saffron.



Iran exported $2.2 million worth of goods to the US in 2013, while the amount in 2014 and in the first 11 months of 2015 fell to zero.



The JCPOA, which officially came into force on January 16, has terminated all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, added the report.
A senior official from South Korea recently visited the UAEs Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), the flagship free zone of Dubai, to develop bilateral relations and contribute towards increasing the volume of trade between the two countries.



Ibrahim Mohamed Al Janahi, deputy CEO and chief commercial officer received Heo Nam Duk, the Consul General of Korea to the UAE, at the Jafza Headquarters, said a statement from the free zone.



Speaking of the occasion, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of DP World and chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, said: We have seen a 21 per cent growth in trade between Jafza and Korea reaching $3.3 billion in 2014 as against $2.7 billion in the previous year. Korea ranks ninth in terms of trade in Jafza.



We intend to double the volume of trade with Korea over the next five years and invite more multinational Korean companies from all sectors to provide services to the local and regional markets, he said.



Korean companies have always led large-scale projects and they will have a significant share of these projects that will be implemented in the coming years, he added.



Bin Sulayem continued: Jafza has become a milestone in the economic development of Dubai. Korean products have gained a reputation in consumer confidence due to efficiency and quality. The companies looking to extend and strengthen their market presence in the Middle East and Africa should benefit from setting up at Jafza.



Korean companies have had a very cordial relation with Jafza and that is the reason over 57 Korean companies, including a number of prominent companies such as electronics giants Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Humax, Industrial systems, and Korea Express have their base in Jafza, further added the statement.



Al Janahi said: The volume of trade has doubled in terms of weight by more than twice in the past decade, rising from 194,161 kg in 2004 to 504,677 kg in 2014. The list includes the most important goods like equipment, electronics, automotive, aircraft and transport equipment, foodstuffs, construction materials, plastic and rubber products, chemicals and related industries.



Owing to Koreas extensive experience in the field of small and medium-sized companies, we have started the incubation centre run by the Ministry of Development of Small and Medium Enterprises and Korea trade-investment promotion agency, he said.



Al Janahi will also lead a delegation from Jafza on a roadshow in Seoul during September to meet investors and promote business opportunities for companies from all sectors, said the statement.



A special focus is on attracting more Korean companies in technological and industrial sectors due to the government policies aims to diversify sources of income, it said.



Nam Duk commended the achievements made by the free zone and its active contribution over the past years in the diversification of Dubai and the UAE economy, it added.  TradeArabia News Service
A new study has listed `factories automation as one of the top three emerging trends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the UAE in 2023. The other two upcoming trends for 2023 in the two GCC countries, according to the study by Poly, are smart liv
The city of Rome is fast becoming the new hotspot for Arab travellers, as bookings to one of the most sought after hotels, Rome Cavalieri, increase dramatically.

Boasted as one of the leading hotels in the city, the Rome Cavalieri witnessed a 22 per cent increase in Middle East tourists between 2014 and 2015, with the majority of travel coming from the UAE followed by Saudi Arabia.

Figures from the Italian Tourism Board say trips to the Eternal City by Middle East tourists rose more than 26 per cent in the same year, despite the impact of the global financial crisis.

Europe has always been a popular destination for Middle East travellers and Rome is creeping into the top 10. GCC residents are attracted to the region for luxury shopping and the ability to accommodate Islamic customs, said general manager, Alessandro Maurizio Cabella.

At Rome Cavalieri we recognise each cultures requirements and needs and the hotel is well deserving of its Islamic friendly reputation. Weve adopted new customs to make guests feel at home including certain Arabic speaking staff members, female housekeeping and Arabic TV channels.

As shisha is such an important symbol of hospitality and an inherent part of Arabic culture, the hotel has a dedicated shisha menu, together with Arabian tea and coffee, plus female only therapists within the Grand Spa.

As Italys capital, Rome has long been popular among holiday-makers and is classed as one of the most important tourist destinations of the world. Lauded for its artistic heritage, historical legacies and high end retail outlets, the city welcomes over 6 million international tourists each year.

In November 2015, Dubai-based Emirates airline announced a daily service to Bologna, its fourth Italian destination, boosting its weekly flights to the country to 56. Over a third of these are direct to Rome and this new Bologna route provides the perfect stepping off point for travellers looking to explore the Italian capital, a three-hour drive away.

The Italian Tourism Board is expecting Middle Eastern travellers to the region to increase by another 20 per cent by the end of 2016, making it one of the most visited countries in the world by International tourists within a five year period.  TradeArabia News Service
Theo Jansen's Strandbeests Are Marvels Of Tube-Engineering

By Mae Rice in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 8, 2016 4:02PM



Theo Jansens Strandbeests belong on the beach. They were literally made for it, and named for it; Strandbeest is Dutch for beach animal. As of Friday, though, theyre here in Chicago at the Cultural Center, standing on display platforms instead of sand, swarmed by crowds of people who mysteriously know about them (perhaps through this BMW commercial? Or Jansens TedTalk?)even though the beests move best propelled by wind, and even on beaches shouldnt be crowded.

Its unnatural, but its hard to get too indignant about that, since Strandbeests themselves are unnatural. Jansen has built them out of PVC tubes, tied together at a lot of their joints with tough, plasticky strips that stick out crazily, like old-man hair.

Since the earliest Strandbeest, which Jansen made more than 25 years ago (and which couldnt even stand, according to the New Yorker), beests have evolved increasingly complex organs: lung-like arrays of water bottles, rubber tubes for sensing the oceans edge, and sweat glands that help them excrete sand buildup from their frames. Still, its safe to say animal rights activists arent going to protest this exhibit.

Jansen himself calls the Strandbeests animals, though, and he has reason to, sort of. The Strandbeests move on their own. Thats their whole appeal: They look like weird, laddery sculptures, but then a gust of wind fills their sails and they take off, galloping and trotting on feet that look like wads of garbage but are surprisingly graceful on sand.

The beests at least take off when the wind hits them in theory. Getting them to move is a finicky businessone Jansen is still perfecting at his beachfront workshop in the Netherlands. Often, the beests need a bit of human assistance to get going, hence the attendants at the Cultural Center exhibit wearing neon yellow shirts with Beest Wrangler printed on the back.

Still, when the Strandbeests move how theyre meant to, it looks somehow organic. Perhaps its because they genuinely evolved over years of iteration, and arent imitating another animals walk, as Jansen hypothesized in the New York Times in 2014. Whatever the reason, its hard not to connect to them emotionally when they move, even though theyre faceless. (A Strandbeest snout was mentioned in the New York Times, but personally, I never found one at the exhibit.)

Here. Watch this video of Strandbeests in motion, which has more than a million views on Youtube, for yourself:

See? Thats Strandbeests at their best: alone, except for occasional cameos from Jansen, on a pristine Dutch beach.

The Cultural Center tries to bring the wonder of Strandbeests in their natural (ish) habitat, as much as possible, into the exhibit. In one room, a giant video of a Strandbeest in motion, much like the one above, is projected in an endless loop, cut through with disorienting closeups of the Strandbeests gyrating tubes. Photos of Strandbeests on desolate beaches hang on the exhibits walls, too, all of them shot by Lena Herzog. In some shots, vaguely reminiscent of engagement photos, Jansen gazes at a beest, or conducts tender beest repairs.

Theres more to the exhibit, of course, than attempts to recreate a beach setting indoors. Its also a paradise for architecture and engineering enthusiasts; Strandbeests have been exhibited in science and art museums alike, as the New Yorker notes. At the Cultural Center, theres an entire room is dedicated to fossils, too, a.k.a. Strandbeest component parts. Visitors can check out short segments of PVC tubing, some with open ends, some with their ends crudely banged closed. There are also more complex tube structures on display, which look like forts made out of dry pasta, or KNex creations, or off-brand marimbas, or model bridges.

In another room, a display explores the mechanics of Strandbeests legs. These were the most complex part of the creatures to engineer, according to Jansen, probably because walking is an inherently weird process. 'In its essence,' Jansen told the New York Times, 'walking is simply constantly changing your shape in such a way that you move forward.'

(Walking is an especially weird process for Strandbeests, because they need at least twelve legs to be able to stand in a stable way, Jansen told Vogue in August.)

Strandbeests do walk, though, on legs made up of 11 tube segments each. Jansen found the optimal ratio between all the parts lengthsthe holy numbers, as he calls themusing an algorithm that basically simulated evolution, forcing ratios to compete against each other, bracket-style, until only one triumphant ratio remained. The engineering process is all laid out on a table, with an explanatory panel and a model leg you can move with a crank.

Looping videos of Jansen play on select walls of the exhibit, adding context to all the tube displays. In one video, Jansentall, thin, white-hairedexplained what initially sparked the Strandbeest project. It began with an article he wrote for a Dutch newspaper in 1990. The seas, Jansen pointed out long before it was trendy to notice, were rising, and the Netherlands would need giant sand dunes to protect its below-sea-level stretches. Jansen initially intended his Strandbeests as a wind-powered, self-sustaining maintenance crew for these dunes.

Now, though, Jansen has become more interested in the beests for their own sake, the New York Times reports, and the crowds at the Cultural Center were on the same page. No one was there to see the beests perform useful chores. We were there to see them move, and in the exhibits finale, we got to.

Heres another video of Strandbeests in motion, just because it feels appropriate here:

The exhibits last room was its biggest room, with high ceilings and some peripheral displays showing tiny, 3D-printed beests that evoked a deranged Christmas village. The rooms main event, though, was the beest on a platform, moving slightly. This was was what the Cultural Center terms a reanimation on its website, and everyone, even people who couldnt really see, stared raptly towards it. I was stuck towards the back, and missed a lot of the experience: Jansens voice narrated over a loudspeaker, but I couldnt quite hear him. (I also never saw him in real life, though my friend and I did find at least ten old, tall white men who resembled him, and gasped at each one as if he were BeyoncA.) The crowd was too dense for me to get a good view of the reanimation, eitherbut I heard the Strandbeest exhaling wheezily from its water bottle lungs, and saw some of its upper tubes and sails shift.

In the end, I was okay with being a bad Strandbeest spectator, too. More than the show, the crowd felt like the point. Lured there by co-signs from BMW and TED and fancy magazines, we were all enthralled by Jansen and his project.

But neither Jansen nor the Strandbeests were made for crowds. Jansen is, and I say this respectfully, a weird loner. He spends a lot of his time solo, tinkering with tube creationsand he hopes even these tube creations will become self-sufficient enough to leave him alone.

I want to put these forms of life on the beaches, and they should survive out there on their own in the future, Jansen said in his TedTalk.

The beests, like Jansen, are loners. They need space to catch the wind, and space to run or trot or whatever you want to call the amazing thing they do. The whole project has solitude baked into it, so much so that I felt kind of guilty for being part of the horde cooing over the beests. (Other members of the horde: People who were evidently University of Chicago grad students; people speaking languages other than English; a grown-ass man who brought his skateboard to the exhibit with him, and clutched it to his chest as he explored.)

The exhibit is fantastic, and shows the years of work and engineering and tube-breakage behind the surreal beests; at the same time, it shows how love can be smothering. We want to be close to these tube-creatures, and so we've trapped them in this Cultural Center exhibit where we can touch thembut we only want to touch them because of what they look like frolicking alone, on a YouTube beach continents away. I bet at least one couple broke up on their way home on Friday.

Strandbeest: The Dream Machines of Theo Jansen will be at the Chicago Cultural Center until May 1.
Barrel-Aged, Belgian-French Inspired Brewery Opening This Spring

By Ben Kramer in Food on Feb 8, 2016 8:20PM



Whiner Beer logo. Created by Ria Neri, provided by Brian Taylor.

Three years ago, Phil Wymore (Perennial Artisan Ales Co-Founder) introduced then Goose Island brewer Brian Taylor to then Bangers & Lace beer manager Ria Neri. Instantly, the brewer (Flying Dog, Boulevard) and Certified Cicerone (Pub Royale, Trenchermen) hit it off. Their most common interest? Sours and saisons.

"That's really how we became friends," recalls Taylor. "We were bitching about other styles and we always loved the Belgian-French style of beer."

After shooting the shit over what they'd do if they started their own brewery, the fantasy has morphed into reality as Taylor and Neri prepare to open their barrel aged brewery, and taproom, Whiner Beer Co. The brewery and taproom are located inside The Plant (a place we'll cover later) in Chicago's Back Of The Yards neighborhood.

To start, Whiner has two beers on deck, both of which they plan to package and sell across the city, as well as feature in their taproom. The first, their Le Tub saison, is their flagship and has a compelling process. Aged in Cabernet wine barrels, the barrels are inoculated with their own house strain of lactobacillus. Le Tub sits in the barrels for three months, and in that final month Brettanomyces bruxellensis, a wild yeast, is added to attack any diacetyl, or off flavors, that pediococcus or other bacteria may have produced. This version of Brett is added more to stabilize the beer than to add flavor.

After that third month, a percentage of the barrel aged Le Tub is mixed in with a stainless steel version, sitting in the fermenter. The blended beer sit for 5 to 10 days, and in that time the lacto settles inside the blends. This waiting period also allows any new fermentation, from combining the two, to finish up. After those 5 to 10 days, the beer is ready to go.

Along with their "original" Le Tub, Whiner plans on doing four seasonal versions as well. The reason for the varieties, Taylor explains, is partially inspired by Goose Island's Bourbon County Brand Stout variants. The idea is to make different beers with the same base. The bigger reason is the versatility of saisons. "They can do anything, you can put anything in them," says Taylor. "We're definitely gonna put that to the test."

Whiner's seond offering, Rubriq-a-brac, is a Biere de Garde, a French style of beer, and is not barrel aged. Wanting to stay close to style, the beer is malt forward, dry-hopped, and has a good bit of hop aroma, Taylor claims. The only deviant in the style is the addition of Brettanomyces claussenii, a softer, subtler version of the wild yeast. Rubriq-a-brac, much like Le Tub, will be packaged in 12 oz cans.

The reason for canning is to give these beers more approachability. Not everyone knows a Biere de Garde, and Whiner believes 750 ml bottles can be dissuading for people because it suggests a big commitment. For Ria Neri, the 12 oz cans show, "It doesn't have to be a special occasion." Cans look more casual and that's how Whiner wants to introduce themselves. Not too fancy.

That's not to say there won't be 750 ml bottles from Whiner in the future. "We need time in order to produce beers that belong to that category," says Neri.

"In a year or two, down the road," says Taylor, "when those barrels are ready, the one's that we are aging for a year or two, then we go large format bottles. People know who we are, they're willing to buy that product."

Now back to The Plant, which they chose for their location.



Neri on the left, Taylor on the right. Photo provided by Taylor.

A former pig processing plant turned business co-op, The Plant houses several businesses under one roof, including a mushroom grower, kombucha tea maker, and coffee roaster, just to name a few. After scouting places for over a year, Taylor and Neri picked The Plant for a couple of reasons.

"The infrastructure was here," says Neri. "It was already made for production purposes, so it was almost perfect."

The production side of brewing is important to Whiner, as well as space. Space to house 60 Cabernet barrels, two oak foeders (giant vessels that can house 38 barrels of beer a piece) two 60-barrel fermenters, a 30-barrel fermenter, plus one more on the way, and a 30-barrel, 3-vessel brewhouse. As their barrel numbers increase, they have basement space to accommodate their storage needs.

What also sold Whiner on The Plant is their environmental consciousness. The Plant has an anaerobic digester that takes in organic waste and converts it back to energy. Spent grain from Whiner is fed to the digester, turning it into methane gas, which is re-used to power the custom-built methane boilers heating up Whiner's water. It's reduce and re-use at its finest. Eventually, there are plans to hook up a spent CO2 line to an algae tank (visible in the taproom) so it can transform the CO2 into oxygen, which will be released back outside.

The Plant also provides plenty of opportunities for collaboration, as, again, many businesses live alongside the brewery. Spent grain from Whiner is used by Pleasant House Bakery for briquettes and some of its yeast is used to make bread. The brewery has also been experimenting with kombucha samples provided by Arize Artisan Kombucha.

Collaboration, or should I say pairing, continues into the taproom, where people can eat Pleasant House goods while sipping their beer. By design, the taproom will be very basic. Long picnic tables, benches, mirrors at the bar and above it, the algae tanks in back by the windows, as well as hops to spruce up the place. Oh, and a French church confessional turned photo booth at the entrance. Beer wise, patrons will be able to sip Le Tub and Rubric-a-brac along with an old school Belgian Wheat aged in barrels to start.

For now, a spring opening is in mind for Whiner. Slow Federal and State licensing has kept the brewery hostage, preventing it from selling any beer. Despite the legal hold ups, people can try a little Whiner at Uppers and Downers, a coffee and beer festival held at Thalia Hall, February 20th. They will be doing a coffee collab with Four Letter Word (housed in the Plant and founded by Neri) that will feature a little kombucha from Arize.

In the future, there are plans to do a Gueuze program (though Taylor hates to call it that because Whiner is "just not the Belgians") which means blending older beers that have been sitting in barrels for three years with younger barrel aged brews to create, "the perfect acidity beer." Again, that's years away. Right now, Whiner's focus is on opening to the public and sharing a quality product with the public.
Chinese culture was highlighted at the five-day Dias Festival which ended with much fanfare Sunday in the scenic coastal town of Mossel Bay, South Africa.

It was the second time that China sent a large delegation to the annual festival, but it was this year that the Chinese culture was featured prominently in the festival, said Wen Zheng, Cultural Attache in the Chinese Embassy in Pretoria.

The Chinese official said the city of Mossel Bay attached greater importance to the Chinese presence, which has seen rapid development of cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

He said this year's festival almost coincided with the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on Monday, adding festive atmosphere to the event.

Hunan Arts Performing Troupe, sent by the Chinese Ministry of Culture to join the festival, took the opportunity to introduce the Chinese New Year of the Monkey to the audience.

Pin Liu, who heads the troupe, said he hoped the visit could boost bilateral cooperation between the two countries as well as the mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Mossel Bay City Mayor Marie Ferreira said the Chinese delegation presented a variety of performances to the much delight of the people in the city. She hoped that Chinese culture would become a trademark of the Dias Festival.

Cruise Santos, a local construction worker, told Xinhua that his family were excited to see the Chinese delegation's performance at the festival.

"It is a good opportunity for us to get a taste of the Chinese culture which is so colorful and diversified," he said.

The annual festival takes place in late January or early February every year to observe the Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Dias who headed an expedition to sail around the southern tip of Africa in the hope of finding a trade route to India.

Dias and his fleet eventually entered what he named Bay of Saint Blaise, which was later renamed Mossel Bay on Feb. 3, 1488.

In the spirit of "Where Cultures Meet", this year's festival offers a variety of events, including live shows, cultural concert, performance by China's Hunan Arts Troupe, motorsport gymkhana, and street parade, among others.
Waiting for Godot [By Zhai Haijun/China.org.cn]

Masked men dressed in black stormed through a train station, attacking migrants. That was the scene wit-nessed in Stockholm, Sweden, on January 29.

It is part of a growing trend of violence against migrants, many of whom are coming from countries where no wars are taking place and who are flooding Europe in unexpectedly large numbers in search of better eco-nomic opportunities. By the end of 2015, the number of refugees who had entered Sweden neared 100,000, far more than the 66,000-80,000 projected by the Swedish Migration Agency. A string of suspected arsons took place at migrant housing facilities in 2015 and some street beggars were hit with acid.

Europeans are growing angry about their government's apparent inability to stem the mass entry of migrating people who aren't complying with the immigration laws. On New Year's Eve in Cologne, Germany, a large number of sexual assaults and rapes reportedly committed by a group of unruly migrants in a public square inflamed public opinion against plans for granting asylum or permitting immigration.

Violence to solve this problem, however, is immoral and counterproductive. Political issues should be decided democratically in the public square. Violence harms people, including many seemingly innocent migrants, and violates the tenets of democracy. Democracy demands issues be solved non-violently at the ballot box or through other legitimate political avenues. This way, people can express themselves without fear of reprisal.

The Swedish Resistance Movement, a neo-Nazi group, took credit for the recent attack. They said they were "clean[ing] up criminal immigrants" who "have robbed and molested Swedes for a long time". This came after an aid worker was murdered reportedly by a Somalia-born young migrant. Some ordinary people who aren't neo-Nazis have even excused the assault on migrants by saying, "The public was bound to take matters into their own hands," if the government didn't show any signs of action.

There is no due process, however, in randomly attacks on those who didn't do anything. The alleged murderer of Alexandra Mezher, Youssaf Khaliif Nuur, is standing trial. The migrants in the crowd are accused of no crimes beyond potential border violations. What it really boils down to is that the Neo-Nazis and the white supremacists are actually just against people of different ethnic groups.

Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.
 Flash

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday reaffirmed the "ironclad" U.S. commitment to the security and defense of Japan and South Korea, following the satellite launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Kerry spoke separately via phone with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida regarding the launch by the DPRK using ballistic missile technology, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

The earth observation satellite blasted off at 9:00 a.m. local time (0030 GMT) Sunday from the Sohae Space Center in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, and later entered the target orbit, the Korean Central Television (KCTV) reported.

Kerry condemned the launch as a violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions that threatened international peace and security, and he emphasized the importance of a united international response to DPRK's provocations, including through a strong UN Security Council Resolution.

He also noted the vital importance of continued close communication and cooperation among the United States, Japan, and South Korea in addressing the threats posed by the DPRK.
News Oct 19th, 2022 at 15:35

The cloud-native IT will continue to be offered as a stand-alone product as well as integrated with the Guestline platform
MGallery La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa is heating up this Valentine's Day for all lovebirds.



(TRAVPR.COM) VIETNAM - February 8th, 2016 - Valentine's Day is just too special to narrow the celebration down a 24 hour period. Couples in love are surefire to agree with MGallery La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa. The most luxurious hotel in the old capital of Vietnam, once the French governors residence, is celebrating love all week long from February 12. to 19 for Valentines Day with plenty of romantic ideas for couples.



The hotels restaurant, named after the citys famed Perfume River, Le Parfum Restaurant, will be serving couples a truly memorable meal when the sun sinks in to the river. A gourmet four-course Heart-melting Dinner created by Chef Hai and set at VND 2,860,000 ++ per couple will commence with tempting mille-feuille of Hue prawn and spinach, followed by a hearty green pea soup with seared sea scallops, choice of half smoker wagyu beef tartar with black truffle and poached quail eggs or salmon Gravalax on Sichuan pepper, blinis & oyster tempura soya served with ginger dressing as starter. For the main course, either grilled sturgeon with basil gnocchi, cherry tomatoes served with fennel fondue pink pepper sauce or beef tenderloin with asparagus, foie gras mashed purple potatoes, strawberry Chutney and Cupidon sauce is sure to stun your taste buds. Couples will end their meal on a sweet note with Vietnamese single origin chocolate mille-feuille with red fruits and mango sorbet.



For something extraordinary, La Residence has put delicious food, indulgence and red roses together to make up a True Romance & Pampering Package. Priced at 4,360,000++ per couple, the package includes the above Heart-melting Dinner, a 60-minute Couple Aroma Body Touch at the award-winning Le Spa and Valentine red roses to cherish this day of love.



This year, Valentines Day falls on a weekend, so it is the perfect opportunity for lovebirds to spend a couple of days together in a whole new place like Hue. La Residence also offers the Be Our Valentine Tonight package that is the epitome of extravagant. The package is composed of romantic accommodation, choice of breakfast in bed or a buffet breakfast, 60-minute Couple Aroma Body Touch, Heart-melting Dinner and red roses. The special starts at VND 7,550,000++ per couple.



Call (84-54) 837 475 or email resa@la-residence-

hue.com for reservations. For further information about La Residence, visit the website www.la-residence-hue.com.



ABOUT LA RESIDENCE HUE HOTEL & SPA - MGALLERY COLLECTION



Set on a two-hectare site with 200 meters of frontage on the fabled Perfume River, La Residence celebrated its grand opening in December 2005 after a painstaking restoration of the 1930-built mansion. The hotels distinctive bowed facade, its long horizontal lines and nautical flourishes are hallmarks of the streamline moderne school of art deco architecture.



The hotels 122 rooms and suites, restaurants, lounges, bars and conference room are tricked out in complementary art-deco furnishings and decor that evoke both the 1920s and 1950s. The hotels fine-dining venue, Le Parfum, serves Mediterranean and French cuisine, as well as dishes from an expansive Vietnamese menu.



The hotel and its spa were named to the Conde Nast Traveler Hot List in 2007. More recently, the hotel has been selected for inclusion in Conde Nast Travelers Readers Choice Awards 2015 and in Travel + Leisures T+L 500 list of the worlds best hotels for 2013, 2014 and 2015.

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Mumbai, February 8

Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley today deposed before a court here via video-link after being made an approver in the 26/11 case and said he came to India seven times before the 2008 terror attacks and that his main contact in LeT was Sajid Mir, also an accused in the case.

This is the first time that Headley deposed before the court.

In his deposition through video-conference, which began at 7 am, Headley said that he was a "true follower of LeT" and came to India eight times--seven before the terror attack on November 26, 2008 and once after that.

He said two attempts were made to attack Mumbai prior to 26/11.

The first attempt was made in September 2008, but boat hit rocks in the ocean, weapons and explosives were lost, but those on board survived. The second attack was made in October 2008, those involved in first attempt were involved in this as well, but the attack failed, he said.

However, the third attempt was successful (26/11), he added.

Headley said he was motivated by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed's speeches and also referred to Major Iqbal of Pakistan's ISI before the court.

He said that he met Saeed at a training camp in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan in 2002. Headley joined LeT and took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad.

I intended to go to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops, but they (Lakhvi) didn't send me, Headley said, adding that, They (Lakhvi) told me that I am too old for this and they will use me for some other purpose.

Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.

"I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity.

"After I got a new passport I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with. The objective for coming to India was to set up an office/business so that I can live in India. Before the first visit, Sajid Mir gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai," Headley told the court here.

Headley also said that in his Indian visa application he had furnished all "wrong" information "to protect his cover".

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjawal Nikam said Headley also disclosed that he was introduced to Major Iqbal and Major Ali of ISI.

Headley also said he was arrested in Peshawar (Pakistan) in 2002-03 because he went to meet drug smugglers, Nikam said. When asked for the reason to meet smugglers, Headley said they wanted to send some weapons to India to fight Kashmir, Nikam told the media.

Its clear that there is close nexus between ISI and LeT as per revelations made by Headley in his deposition, Ujjwal Nikam said.

Headley reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House.

His reconnaissance provided vital information for the 10 LeT terrorists and their handlers, who launched the attack.

The court is currently trying key plotter Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who is facing trial for his alleged role in the terror attacks, which held the city to ransom for three days.

The deposition of Headley, assumes significance as it may unravel the conspiracy behind the brazen terror strike, which left 166 people dead. The court had on December 10, 2015, made Headley an approver in the case and directed him to depose before the court on February 8.

He had then told Special Judge GA Sanap that he was "ready to depose" if granted pardon.

Judge Sanap had then made Headley an approver, subject to certain conditions and granted him pardon.

Last year, the Mumbai Police had on October 8 moved an application before the court saying that Headley deserves to be tried by this (Mumbai) court together with 26/11 key plotter Abu Jundal in the case as both of them are conspirators and abettors behind the dastardly act.

In the application, the Mumbai Police said that from the judgement passed by the US court against Headley, it was clear that he was a member of LeT and he had played an active role in the criminal conspiracy in the terror attack.

The application also said that Headley had entered into a plea agreement with US in 2010 and thereby willingly and voluntarily agreed that he had conspired.

It is evident, the police had said, that Headley has committed the offences of conspiring with LeT for committing illegal acts in India; waging war against the government of India and offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

He has also been accused of intentionally aiding and abetting the LeT in Pakistan for committing illegal acts in Mumbai, mischief by fire with intent to destroy Hotel Taj, Oberoi and Nariman House, offences under Explosives Act and Explosives Substances Act as also under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

"This is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a 'foreign terrorist' will appear before an Indian court and testify," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had said yesterday.

Nikam said Headley's evidence is important to unfold many facts behind the 26/11 attack. A Mumbai Police official said that Headley can give broader aspect of criminal conspiracy and who all were involved in the attacks.

PTI
Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, February 8

Pakistan-based outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba carried out the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai after two failed attempts, David Coleman Headley, former LeT operative presently in the custody of US authorities, told a special court here via video conference this morning. He also gave details of the role played by Pakistans espionage agency ISI.

Headley has confirmed that the Lashkar-e-Toiba made two attempts before carrying out the 26/11 terror attacks. Headley has also confirmed that he joined the LeT on the influence of its leader Hafiz Saeed, Headleys lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani told mediapersons here.

Headley said the first attempt made in September 2008 failed since the boat carrying the terrorists sank after hitting some rocks. Though the terrorists survived, the weapons and explosives they carried were lost. The same group made another attempt in October that year but had to abort the mission. The group finally landed on the Mumbai shores on November 26 and carried out the deadly attacks. Headley confirmed the LeT was linked to the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). He told the court that Major Iqbal from the ISI was in regular touch with him regarding espionage work in India.

Headley, who is serving a 35-year sentence in a US jail, has turned approver in return of pardon for his role in the terror attacks.

Headleys testimony began at 7 am in the special court at the Arthur Road Jail. The Pakistan-American of mixed parentage told the court he came to India seven times before the November 26, 2008 terror attacks and once after that. Headley added Sajid Mir was his main contact in LeT.

He changed his name from Daoud Syed Gilani to David Coleman Headley so that he could easily enter India as an American citizen under the guise of setting up a business.

After I got a new passport, I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with. The objective for coming to India was to set up an office/business so that I could live in India. Before the first visit, Sajid Mir gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai, Headley said in his submission.

While applying for the Indian visa, he cooked up a story that he was an immigration consultant and had furnished all wrong information to protect his cover. I had discussed it (cover story) with Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal of ISI, and they were very happy to see my Indian visa, Headley told the court. He said he knew Major Iqbal of the ISI and had met him in Lahore after Major Ali (also from the ISI) introduced him to the former. He said he had drawn maps and shot footage of several important targets such as the Taj and Oberoi Hotels and the Nariman House, which were hit by the terrorists in which 166 people lost their lives.

Replying to questions by prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, Headley said he was briefed and trained by Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and LeT operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. He also identified Saeed, Sajid Mir and some other LeT members from photographs shown by the prosecution.

In his submission before the special court, Headley said as a true believer in LeTs ideology, he wanted to fight the Indian Army in Kashmir but was persuaded by Lakhvi to work under cover in India taking advantage of his Caucasian appearance.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam later told the media that Headleys questioning would continue on Tuesday.
Visakhapatnam, February 8

Kapu quota leader Mudragada Padmanabham and his wife on Monday called off their indefinite fast over the demand for reservation for the community, following successful talks with the Andhra Pradesh government.

With the Telugu Desam Party government assuring the couple that it was committed to do justice to the Kapus, they ended their fast, which had entered the fourth day on Monday.

The former minister and his wife Padmavati were fasting at their house at Kirlampudi in East Godavari district since Friday.

The breakthrough came after state Labour Minister Atchan Naidu, TDPs Andhra Pradesh unit president Kala Venkat Rao and other leaders held talks with Mudragada.

Atchan Naidu told reporters that the government was working sincerely to find a solution to the problems of Kapus.

He said the government was working to fulfil the promise to include Kapus in the list of backward classes to provide them reservation.

He said a Kapu commission had been constituted to help the poor and economically backward among the community.

He assured the Kapu leader that the government will release funds for the commission.

The minister said the government would ensure that no injustice is done to the backward castes while providing quota to the Kapus.

Mudragada said he undertook the fast to seek justice for the community and to make the government fulfil its promises. He hoped that the government will implement the assurances given to him.

According to him, the government has promised to immediately release Rs.500 crore to the Kapu commission and allocate Rs.1,000 crore every year from the next financial year.

He also demanded that the government withdraw cases against innocent people in connection with the violence that occurred at Tuni on January 31.

Atchan Naidu promised that no action will be taken against the innocents.

Earlier, former union minister K. Chiranjeevi and Congress partys state president Raghuveera Reddy were arrested at Rajahmundry airport soon after they landed and were preparing to leave for Kirlampudi to meet Mudragada. The arrests led to a strong protest by Congress workers.

Police also stopped another former minister, Dasari Narayan Rao in Rajahmundry from leaving for Kirlampudi to meet the fasting Kapu leader.  IANS
Gurbax Puri

Tarn Taran, February 7



The BSF shot dead four international smugglers near Mehindipur village under Khem Karan sector in the wee hours of Sunday. According to the information, the smugglers include two Pakistani intruders and two of their Indian associates.

RS Katarai, a spokesman of the BSF, said 10 packets of heroin weighing 9.5 kg besides two Pakistan-made pistols and one countrymade pistol have been recovered from the spot from the possession of Indian smugglers. The BSF also recovered 37 cartridges, Pakistani currency worth Rs 270 and a Pakistani SIM from the spot, the spokesperson said.

One PVC pipe has also been recovered from the spot, he added. The spokesman said a patrolling party of BSFs 191 Battalion noticed some movement near Pillar No 165/17-18 in the wee hours.

The BSF personnel cautioned the smugglers to stop but they opened fire at the patrol party. Four smugglers were killed in the retaliatory fire by the BSF. Indian smugglers have not been identified yet.
Anirudh Gupta

Ferozepur, February 7

Four drug smugglers were shot dead during an encounter with BSF troopers of the 191 Battalion near the Mehndipur border outpost here today.

RK Thapa, DIG, BSF, said five Pakistani intruders had come up to the barbed wire fence near border pillar 165/18 at 4.30 am. Two of them came forward and three stayed back. Their three Indian assistants also arrived to receive the consignment. The BSF jawans challenged the smugglers, who opened fire. The troopers retaliated and gunned down two Pakistani nationals and two Indian smugglers, the DIG said.

He said during a search operation, 10 packets of heroin (10 kg), two 9 mm Chinese pistols, a country-made pistol along with 54 cartridges, Pakistani currency and SIM cards were seized. Some Pakistani cigarette packets were also found.

Bodies of the Indian drug peddlers had been handed over to the police to ascertain their identity. Two days ago, the BSF had seized 2 kg of heroin and arrested two Indian smugglers, Rashpal Singh and Jodhbir Singh, from Kamal Singh Wala border outpost.
NEW DEHI, February 8 (PTI): INDIA has to told China that her "aggression tactics" towards this country are bound to fail. In a note rejecting the "arrogant threats" of the Chinese Government made on January 6, the Government of Indian said the Peking Note only served to unmask the expansionist and aggressive a designs of China. The Note, handed to the Chinese Embassy here today, said that China had virtually admitted that its troops entered the demilitarised zone in Ladakh and the Thagla Ridge area and Longju in the Eastern sector of the India-China Border. The Indian Governments reply was also rejected "with contempt" the Chinese insinuation that India was intensifying "intrusions" into China on account of food shortages and the requirements of India's internal and external policy.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 8

A 14-day India-Nepal combined military exercise, named Surya Kiran IX, commenced at Pithoragarh today. The exercise will culminate on February 21.

The Nepal army is being represented by officers and troops of the elite Shree RudraDhoj battalion while an infantry battalion is participating on behalf of the Indian Army. The combined battalion-level exercise is being conducted under the aegis of the Panchshul Brigade of the Central Command.

This is the 9th India-Nepal combined exercise. During the combined training, emphasis will be laid on upgrade of tactical and practical skills by sharing each others experiences and also on enhancing inter-operability in jungle warfare and counter terrorism operations in mountain terrain. The role and importance of Armed Forces in disaster management in both the countries has assumed increasing significance in the recent years. Therefore, focus will also be laid on humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations, including medical and aviation aspects.

Brig Sanjay Sharma, officiating Major General, Staff, Central Command, was present during the opening ceremony and interacted with soldiers of both the contingents.

He emphasised that both the armies had a lot to learn from each other, especially in their approach towards handling the modern day challenges of terrorism and in disaster management, as it had been one of the most important challenges for both the countries after some recent calamities. Senior Nepalese Army officials were also likely to attend the combined exercise along with their Indian counterparts during the validation phase of the exercise.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, February 8

Members of the Trained Unemployed ANM Association held a protest on the Municipal Corporation campus in support of their demand to give permanent jobs to Auxiliary Nurse Midwife workers. The protesters alleged that due to poor policies of the state government, many local ANM workers failed to get jobs, whereas ANM workers of other states got the job in Uttarakhand.

Earlier, irked ANM workers raised slogans against the state government and gave a memorandum to the Chief Minister and demanded to generate posts by converting 250 posts of man cadre into woman cadre.

President of the association Ritu Saini stated, The state government gave jobs to outsiders whereas local trained ANM workers were left jobless, which is unfair. Even after the assurance of the government, no new posts are generated.

She also asked the government to create posts and give permanent jobs to the leftover candidates. Otherwise, they would be forced to launch a protest against state government.

Madhu Joshi, Sarita Bisht, Rajni Nautiyal, Mamta Rawat and Neelam Joshi were among the protesters.
Istanbul, February 8

At least 35 migrants drowned in two accidents in the Aegean Sea on Monday as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, Turkish media said.

Twenty-four died when their boat sank off the district of Edremit in the western province of Balikesir in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

Four people were rescued both by air and by sea in a search and rescue operation by the Turkish coastguard, Dogan news agency said.

The accident came shortly after 11 migrants died in another boat sinking further south, off the port city of Izmir, also apparently trying to reach Lesbos, the agency said.

The coastguard rescued three people.

Turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syrias civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty to Europe.

The deaths came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Turkish officials in Ankara for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe.

The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros ($3.2 billion) in financial assistance.

The EU on Wednesday finally reached an agreement on how to finance the deal.

But the deal and the onset of winter do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the number of refugees and migrants who perished in the Mediterranean in January alone topped 360.

In January, almost 62,200 migrants and refugees entered Europe through Greece, according to the IOM, most of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.  AFP
Washington, February 8

Islamic States recent defeats and subsequent money problems have led to a dwindling pool of fighters, with several defecting to other jihadists group after facing pay cuts, a news report said recently.

The Washington Post reported that the jihadists recent losses were linked to its struggles to pay fighters and recruit new ones to replace those who have deserted, defected to other militant groups or died on the battlefield, citing top analysts and monitoring groups.

US-backed Kurdish and Arab forces have seized back large parts of territory from the extremist group in the parts of Iraq and Syria, where it declared a caliphate in 2014.

"These issues suggest that as an entity that is determined to hold onto territory, the Islamic State is not sustainable," Jacob Shapiro, an expert on the Islamic State who teaches politics at Princeton University, was quoted as saying.

There appears to be a rise in the number of Islamic State fighters who have deserted or, in the case of the Syrian conflict, have left them for other militant groups, Vera Mironova, an expert on armed groups in Syria and Iraq at Harvard University's Belfer Center, was quoted as saying.

The salary and benefit cuts have caused "for-profit militants" in Syria to increasingly "look for better deals" with other armed factions, she said.

The group is also struggling to replenish ranks of its foreign fighters, who tend to be more ideologically driven but also die in relatively large numbers on the battlefield, Mironova was quoted as saying.

Only a year ago, the Islamic State was seen as a juggernaut  rich, organised and fielding thousands of motivated fighters  but its momentum has been reversed in recent months, the report said.

US military officials estimate that the group has lost as much as 40 per cent of the territory it held in Iraq and 20 per cent in Syria, the report said.

Kurdish and Arab forces, including Iraq's increasingly competent military, have advanced against the group with the help of airstrikes from a US-led coalition.

The air raids have damaged the Islamic State's oil infrastructure, a key revenue source, and the territorial setbacks have stripped the group of populations to tax and assets to seize, analysts say.

All of this appears to have forced the group to reduce salaries and benefits for fighters, analysts say.

Media reports had said last month the Islamic State's Bayt al-Mal, the Treasury Ministry, has decided to cut the salaries of its fighters in half due to the "exceptional circumstances" the group has been witnessing.  PTI
Kathmandu, February 8

Nepals Madhesis protesting against a new Constitution on Monday called off their nearly five-month-long crippling blockade at the border with India that led to severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other essentials in the landlocked nation and strained Indo-Nepal ties.

Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now, the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) said in a statement.

The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed, said the statement issued after the meeting of UDMF leaders, three days after angry traders from both sides burned down tents set up by agitating Madhesis on Friday.

The UDMF leaders decided to withdraw their ongoing protest programmes, Laxman Lal Karna, the Vice-Chairman of Sadbhawana Party, one of the members of the front, said.

The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister K P Olis trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier.

Prime Minister Oli welcomed the decision by Madhesis to call off the agitation and said it was a positive move. The Prime Minister has stressed on talks among the parties to address the differences, said a press note issued by Olis press adviser.

I am confident that the differences and disputes can be addressed through talks among us, said the Prime Minister, who had publicly announced that it would not be appropriate for him to visit India unless the border blockade ends.

Nepals Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.

The blockade had caused much hardship to the general public as they were faced with acute shortage of petroleum products, cooking gas, medicines and other essentials due to closure of all border trade points between the two countries.

The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and have launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.

The blockade led to strain in the bilateral ties, with Kathmandu accusing New Delhi of imposing an unofficial blockade.

However, India maintains that it has imposed no such blockade, and the restrictions are a result of security concerns as Madhesis are protesting the new Constitution in the Terai region of Nepal bordering India.

Karna said that the UDMF is considering to change forms of their protests.

The UDMF has announced only three protest programmes including a torch rally, a lathi rally and a peoples vote collection campaign in district headquarters.  PTI
Photo: Ed Alfaro

In the fall of 2014, Hub Group announced it would change its operations at the Southern California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to an employee, rather than owner-operator, model, following lawsuits as well as increasing state regulator scrutiny of the misclassification of employees as independent contractors.

It appears that the legal climate in California is becoming unfavorable to the common trucking industry practice of using independent truck drivers, the company said at the time.



Now the company says it has found the employee model to be too expensive and is pulling out of the ports altogether, according to the Wall Street Journal.



The Journal reports that Hub Group will now employ a core group of high-service outside carriers to bring container loads from the ports to nearby warehouses and rail yards, aka drayage. Why? Hubs costs have been unsustainable and substantially higher than our outsourced core carriers costs" since switching to the employee model.

In a separate story, the paper noted that Hub Group, which reported record earnings for the most recent quarter, plans to diversify beyond its core rail-based shipping business by expanding its truck brokerage and logistics arms and adding other services through acquisition.

Meanwhile, three subsidiaries of XPO Logistics are being sued for misclassification of drivers. The suit, seeking class-action status, alleges that XPO subsidiaries Pacer Cartage Inc., Harbor Rail Transport and PDS Transportation Inc. failed to pay minimum wage, provide meal breaks and rest breaks and reimburse business expenses, among other things.

XPO told the paper it believes the case is without merit and the company plans to litigate it vigorously. We are in constant dialogue with our independent-contractor carriers and believe the vast majority of them value the significant benefits that operating independently can bring.

Every few months, it seems, we report on a strike or protest at the ports about this issue. It mostly has been centered at the California ports, but it's an issue at other ports as well.

The Teamsters union has supported efforts at the ports to turn drayage drivers into employees rather than contractors. This, of course, would allow them to organize the drivers and add to the unions ranks. Its against federal law for independent contractors to unionize.

In addition, Californias government has been actively pursuing misclassification on a case-by-case basis. In 2012, California awarded 38 truck drivers $6.9 million in back pay after ruling that the drivers had been improperly classified as independent contractors by Pacific 9 Transportation.

Meanwhile, states such as New Jersey and New York have tried to pass state laws making all port drivers automatically employees.

Its a sticky situation. There seems to be little doubt that some port drivers are independent contractors in name only. Yet others say they prefer to be owner-operators and resent the way the Teamsters are pushing the misclassification issue.

As I wrote last summer, one of them is Jim Stewart, a longtime port owner-operator in Savannah.

If some drivers want to be employees, fine, Stewart says, they can sign on with a company as an employee. "Why change laws that affect the majority of truckers out here who are perfectly happy in an ownership situation?

"I see hundreds of locally owned trucks leased to companies with the individuals own name on the baggage compartment door or elsewhere. I see that as pride of ownership - individualism - entrepreneurship - not mis-classification!"
Language in a new House bill aims to prevent states from enacting their own meal and rest break rules for CDL drivers. Image: Penske Logistics

Intended to keep states from preempting federal motor-carriage regulations, a proposal that that did not make it into the highway bill has resurfaced in reauthorization legislation for the Federal Aviation Administration, which has begun wending its way through Congress.

Proponents have been pushing hard for Congress to more directly address state preemption ever since a Supreme Court ruling last May upheld a California statute requiring a paid 10-minute rest break every four hours and a paid 30-minute meal period every five hours for truck drivers.

Buried deep within the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act, just introduced in the House, the language aims to prevent states from enacting their own meal and rest break rules for CDL drivers. It would also prohibit states from requiring that those drivers be paid certain types of added compensation, such as detention pay.

The reforms sought are stated in Section 611 of the bill:

A State may not enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other provisionprohibiting employees whose hours of service are subject to [federal] regulation

A State may not enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other provisionthat requires a motor carrier that compensates employees on a piece-rate basis to pay those employees separate or additional compensation, provided that the motor carrier pays the employee a total sum that when divided by the total number of hours worked during the corresponding work period is equal to or greater than the applicable hourly minimum wage of the State

The language is identical to that of an amendment proposed for inclusion in the highway bill by Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA). It did not survive the conferencing process that finalized that legislation.

The language landed in the AIRR bill because its supporters in the trucking, railroad, intermodal, logistics, manufacturing and retailing industries are committed to keep fighting for it and because a preemption provision to address the issue of states attempting to override federal regulation of interstate commerce had been included in the FAA Authorization Act(FAAAA)of 1994.

Indeed, the 2014 ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the one that the Supreme Court upheld, found that the California law requiring trucker rest and meal breaks did not violate the 1994 act.

A Feb. 1 letter sent to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure by an array of 80 stakeholder organizations argues that it is necessary to clarify the preemption provision of the FAA Authorization Act of 1994 to restore the goals Congress intended when it sought national uniformity for motor carriers in the transportation of property.

The signatories include the American Trucking Associations, the 50 ATA-affiliated state trucking associations, the National Private Truck Council, the Truckload Carriers Association and the Truck Renting and Leasing Association. Also signed on are the Association of American Railroads, the Intermodal Association of North America, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Retail Federation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The letter contends that Congress needs to be express the preemption provision more explicitly because The Supreme Court has repeatedly explained that the language chosen by Congress reflects a very broad preemptive purpose, regardless of whether the effect on carrier prices, routes or services is direct or indirect, as long as the effect is more than tenuous or remote.

However, some courts particularly the Ninth Circuit have consistently failed to faithfully implement Congress goals. The upshot is serious inefficiencies that harm not just motor carriers, but the shippers and consumers who rely on trucks to move their goods, and, by extension, the national economy.

But not every trucking stakeholder is on board with the push for a more precise preemption provision. Both the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Owner Operator Independent Driver Association oppose including the language in the new FAA bill.

The Teamsters raised the warning flag late last year when some in Congress tried to include language in a long-term transportation funding bill that would have overridden the decision of 22 states to require truckers to take meal and rest breaks, said James P. Hoffa, the unions general president in a Feb. 4 statement. Now lawmakers are at it again, using the FAA bill to endanger motorists all across the country.

These elected officials are doing the bidding of the American Trucking Association, which wants drivers on the clock as much as possible for time behind the wheel, he continued. In fact, the provision would also limit how a truck driver could be paid and not even compensate them for safety procedures like performing pre-trip inspections. In addition to robbing drivers of pay, the language could prevent drivers from collecting workers compensation and sick leave benefits, among other worker benefits. In short, it overrules the fundamental principle that all workers should be paid for the time they work.

In a call to action issued to its members, OOIDA stressed its opposition to the preemption proposal for its inclusion of what it termed an ambitious overreach that would limit the states ability to address pay issues. Section 611 contains the exact same provisions regarding fair-pay that our opponents unsuccessfully tried to include in the highway bill.

The association also stated that Section 611 could unravel mandated fair pay for drivers and would empower large carriers to further reduce driver wages. It would also gut the ability for states to address critical items like payment for detention time.

However, ATA spokesperson Sean McNally told HDT that contrary to what some are saying, nothing in Section 611 eliminates breaks for truckers. In fact, federal law not only requires a break to split up driving time, but also authorizes drivers to take a break whenever they are tired or fatigued.

"Nor does anything in Section 611 allow carriers to pay drivers less," he continued. "On the contrary, it expressly requires that carriers paying drivers by the mile or by the load [must] ensure that drivers receive as much or more than they would have been entitled to had they been paid by the hour.

The language in H.R. 4441 [the AIRR Act] does nothing more than tell states they have no right to regulate the HOS of interstate truck drivers, Joe Rajkovacz, director of governmental affairs and communications for the Western States Trucking Association told HDT. It changes nothing for purely intrastate drivers.

He said that the additional compensation aspect of the proposed language is also being purposely spun as somehow an attack on drivers themselves. Actually, it is lawyers convincing some drivers that an employer didnt properly pay them  even though the driver made significantly more than minimum wage.

The issue stems from using a particular state law related to compensation and applying it to employees engaged in interstate operations, Rajkovacz added.
SEOUL, South Korea  The U.N. Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned North Koreas launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders denounced as a banned test of dangerous ballistic missile technology and another intolerable provocation. The U.N.s most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with significant new sanctions.

North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early Sunday, and a month after the countrys fourth nuclear test. He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbor and important ally, not to proceed and in another slap to Beijing, he chose the eve of the Chinese New Year, the countrys most important holiday.

Since its Jan. 6 nuclear test, which the North claimed was a powerful hydrogen bomb but experts believe was not, China and the United States have been negotiating the text of a new Security Council sanctions resolution.

The U.S., backed by its Western allies, Japan and South Korea, wants tough sanctions reflecting Kims defiance of the Security Council. But diplomats say China, the Norths key protector in the council, is reluctant to impose economic measures that could cause North Koreas economy to collapse.

The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the launch and pledged to expeditiously adopt a new resolution with further significant measures  U.N. code for sanctions. The word robust referring to the measures was in an initial draft, but was dropped in the final statement.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters that it cannot be business as usual after two successive North Korean acts that are hostile and illegal.

Whats important is that the Security Council unites, Power said. China is a critical player. ... We are hopeful that China, like all council members, will see the grave threat to regional and international peace and security, see the importance of adopting tough, unprecedented measures, breaking new ground here, exceeding the expectations of Kim Jong Un.

However, Chinas U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, made clear that unprecedented sanctions arent Beijings priority.He said a new resolution should do the work of reducing tension, of working toward denuclearization (of the Korean peninsula), of maintaining peace and stability, and of encouraging a negotiated solution.

I believe the council needs to work together for a new resolution, Liu added, indicating that China may want negotiations with the United States to be widened.

Russias U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, whose country is also a North Korean ally, said: It has to be a weighty resolution, but it also has to be a reasonable resolution that doesnt lead to North Koreas economic or humanitarian collapse, or further heighten tensions.

Russias goal is to see six-party talks aimed at denuclearization resume, he said, but in the current atmosphere thats unlikely because the North Koreans have been very unreasonable and are challenging the entire international community.

We think this is wrong for their national interests ... for the Korean peninsula ... for the region, Churkin said.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space program, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after liftoff, and vowed more such launches. A U.S. official said it might take days to assess whether the launch was a success.

Japans U.N. ambassador, Motohide Yoshikawa, told reporters the missile went over Japan and landed near the Philippines, a clear threat to the lives of many people.

The Security Council underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle contribute to North Koreas development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons and violate four Security Council resolutions dating back to the Norths first nuclear test in 2006.

North Korean rocket and nuclear tests are seen as crucial steps toward the Norths ultimate goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could hit the U.S. mainland. North Korea under Kim Jong Un has pledged to bolster its nuclear arsenal unless Washington scraps what Pyongyang calls a hostile policy meant to collapse Kims government.

In a development that will worry both Pyongyang and Beijing, a senior South Korean Defense Ministry official, Yoo Jeh Seung, told reporters that Seoul and Washington have agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of the THADD missile-defense system in South Korea. North Korea has long decried the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, and Beijing would see a South Korean deployment of THAAD, which is one of the worlds most advanced missile-defense systems, as a threat to its interests in the region.

In a statement, North Koreas National Aerospace Development Administration, in typical propaganda-laden language, praised the fascinating vapor of Juche satellite trailing in the clear and blue sky in spring of February on the threshold of the Day of the Shining Star. Juche is a North Korean philosophy focusing on self-reliance; the Day of the Shining Star refers to the Feb. 16 birthday of Kim Jong Uns father, former dictator Kim Jong Il. North Korea has previously staged rocket launches to mark important anniversaries.

The global condemnation began almost immediately.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye called the launch an intolerable provocation, saying the Norths efforts to advance its missile capabilities were all about maintaining the regime in Pyongyang and ignored the hardships of ordinary North Koreans.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to take action to totally protect the safety and well-being of our people. U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice called the Norths missile and nuclear weapons programs serious threats to our interests  including the security of some of our closest allies.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan and reaffirmed the United States ironclad commitment to the security and defense of its allies, the State Department said.

The Foreign Ministry in China expressed regret that, disregarding the opposition from the international community, the (North) side obstinately insisted in carrying out a launch by using ballistic missile technologies.

Noting Chinas pivotal role in negotiating a new Security Council resolution, Britains deputy U.N. ambassador, Peter Wilson, said: Today is Chinese New Years eve and if I was a senior Chinese official I would be pretty annoyed at whats been happening here. I know what I feel like when Im dragged out of bed on a major national holiday.

Kim Jong Un has overseen two of the Norths four nuclear tests and three long-range rocket launches since taking over after the death of his father in late 2011. The U.N. Security Council prohibits North Korea from nuclear and ballistic missile activity. Experts say that ballistic missiles and rockets in satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology.

If North Korea has only nuclear weapons, thats not that intimidating. If they have only rockets, thats not that intimidating, either. But if they have both of them, that means they can attack any target on Earth. So it becomes a global issue, said Kwon Sejin, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

___

Lederer reported from the United Nations. Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul; Yuri Kageyama and Eric Talmadge in Tokyo; Lolita Baldor in Washington and Louise Watt in Beijing contributed to this report.
NASHUA, N.H.  Its less than two days until New Hampshire voters go to the polls. But Hillary Clinton is in Michigan. And other candidates, even Jeb Bush, say their campaigns will go on no matter how they do on Tuesday. Donald Trump says he doesnt need to win New Hampshire  but hed like to.

From their movements and remarks on Sunday, youd think New Hampshire is unimportant in the race for president. In fact, its the nations first primary and the next in a series of clues into what Americans want in their next president. And at least two candidates, Govs. John Kasich of Ohio and Chris Christie of New Jersey, have hung all of their White House hopes on strong showings in New Hampshire.

But the field is still crowded, and the electorates that await the candidates in South Carolina and Nevada are markedly more diverse. So there are more tests to come for the candidates and the parties.

Republican hopeful Marco Rubio is downplaying his rough outing in Saturday nights GOP debate, while touting his overall campaign momentum after his third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, hoping to use that momentum to boost his chances in Tuesdays contest.

Donald Trump, who finished second in Iowa, is pleased with his debate performance and place atop New Hampshires GOP polls, and hes doubling down on his call for the U.S. to reinstitute waterboarding and even harsher treatment of foreign prisoners.

On the Democratic side, New Hampshire favorite Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton  who narrowly won Iowa  are avoiding predictions about Tuesday and looking beyond to South Carolina and Nevada, the next two states up in the nomination process.

But for other candidates, like Republican Govs. Chris Christie, John Kasich and Jeb Bush, the task is to make sure the closing argument here isnt their last.

Christie, fresh from a vigorous debate performance in which he battered Rubio, a first-term senator, as unprepared for the presidency, told a town hall crowd Sunday in Hampton, New Hampshire, that his exchanges with Rubio showed whos ready. I am. Hes not.

Then he shifted his focus to Kasich and Bush, as the three governors battle for many of the same voters in an effort to remain relevant beyond New Hampshire.

Christie offered Kasich praise-with-a-punch, calling him an effective leader of Ohio but saying Kasichs tenure is like Candy Land because hes worked with a GOP-run legislature, versus the Democratic legislature Christie works with in New Jersey.

Taking a jab at Bush, Christie said, Go to Jeb today and ask him how the joy is going, a reference to Bushs promise last summer to be the joyful candidate among Republicans.

In several appearances Sunday, Kasich avoided direct attacks on his fellow governors.

Bush opted to take on Trump, and chided other candidates for not piling on. In Nashua, Bush said, This guy is not a serious conservative and hes not a serious leader. And no one else is taking him on?

The three governors have pitched their experience to GOP voters for months, but have struggled to keep Rubio from establishing himself as the alternative to Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who won Iowa.

Rubio was rattled by Christies debate onslaught Saturday, repeating his standard critique of President Barack Obama several times and playing into Christies argument that the first-term senator is a scripted, inexperienced politician from a do-nothing Congress.

You have not been involved in a consequential decision where you had to be held accountable, Christie told Rubio. You just simply havent.

Rubio was back on message Sunday. People said, Oh, you said the same thing three or four times. Im going to say it again, Rubio said in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

Rubio said earlier on ABCs This Week that his belief about Obamas job performance is one of the main reasons why I am running.

Trump, who was to campaign later Sunday, continued to insist in a CNN appearance that he came in first in Iowa, losing only because representatives of the Cruz campaign spread false rumors that Ben Carson was dropping out. Trump says Carson backers switched their votes to Cruz.

I dont think I have to win, New Hampshire to keep his place among the top contenders for the nomination, Trump said Sunday on CNN, emphasizing, however, that he wants to win first.

On NBCs Meet The Press Sunday, Trump stood by his promise in Saturdays debate to reinstitute waterboarding as an interrogation method for foreign prisoners of the U.S.

The practice, accepted as torture internationally and now forbidden by U.S. law, is peanuts compared to what Islamic State group members practice, Trump said. Id go a lot further than waterboarding, Trump said.

Cruz is not expected to fare as well in New Hampshire as in Iowa, but he made memorable marks in Saturdays debate, first repeating his apology to Carson for the false rumors and later offering an emotional account of his half-sisters drug addiction and eventual death.

For Democrats, Sanders drew another large crowd Sunday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he reprised his indictment of a rigged economy and corrupt campaign finance system.

Taking a break from the New Hampshire campaign trail, Hillary Clinton stopped in Flint, Michigan, which continues to deal with the fallout of a lead-contaminated water system.

At the House of Prayer Missionary Church, Clinton noted that for two years, Flint residents drank poisoned water despite officials declaring it safe. This is not merely unacceptable or wrong, though it is both. What happened in Flint is immoral, Clinton said.

She urged Congress to approve $200 million to fix Flints water system and vowed to fight for you in Flint no matter how long it takes.
OKLAHOMA CITY  The power and frequency of earthquakes in Oklahoma have been increasing, but the Legislature has done little to try to curb the temblors that scientists have linked to the underground disposal of oil and gas drilling wastewater.

That could change this year, as angry residents have been increasingly turning up at town hall meetings and legislative hearings to call for state leaders to address the problem.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma this year has already had more than 90 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater, which is generally when most people start to feel them. The town of Fairview, in northwest Oklahoma, has been hardest hit, but several large quakes also have rattled the well-to-do suburb of Edmond, including a 4.3-magnitude quake on Dec. 29 and a 4.2 temblor a few days later.

The states given us nothing other than innuendo about what they think it is, said Fairview resident George Eischen. Give us some information.

Gov. Mary Fallin earlier this month authorized nearly $1.4 million in emergency funding for state regulators and researchers. That includes $387,000 for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to upgrade technology and hire contract geologists, and $1 million for the Oklahoma Geological Survey to install new seismic monitoring stations and update its monitoring network and software.

But the governor didnt mention earthquakes in her annual address to the Legislature last week, and Democrats say GOP leaders arent doing nearly enough.

Right now, the 800-pound gorilla in the room for most Oklahoma citizens is the fact that the largest and most important investment that they make in their lifetime, their homes, are shaking underneath them, and the governor didnt address the issue at all in her State of the State, said House Democratic Leader Rep. Scott Inman, D-Del City.

Inman said he believes the oil and gas industry should be subsidizing the costs of researching earthquakes, and he said Democrats intend to push for a law to prohibit out-of-state wastewater from being dumped in Oklahoma. He also wants the Legislature to roll back a law passed last year that prohibits cities or counties from regulating oil and gas activities, although the Republican-led Legislature is unlikely to do that.

Fallin spokesman Michael McNutt said the governor didnt mention earthquakes in her State of the State because she wanted to emphasize Oklahomas budget crisis and that she insists any decisions dealing with quakes must be based on science.

She is interested in actual plans of action rather than political rhetoric that doesnt do anything, McNutt said.

House Speaker Jeff Hickman, whose hometown of Fairview is located near a recent swarm of quakes, has said the Corporation Commission has the regulatory authority it needs to shut down wastewater wells, but that hes open to clarifying that power through legislation.

The commission so far has directed disposal well operators to stop injecting wastewater or to reduce volumes in quake-prone areas, but at least one energy company, Sandridge Energy Inc., ignored the commissions directive before finally reaching an agreement. That type of response by operators shouldnt be allowed, said Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie.

I think that its vital for the Legislature to give to the Corporation Commission the power to enforce their cutback directives, said Murphey, whose district also has been rattled by quakes. Right now there is no incentive for the operator to comply, short of the issue of morality.

Another bill that has been introduced this session would require local school districts to develop plans for responding to an earthquake emergency, including regular earthquake drills.
Broken Arrow elementary school employees are disinfecting restrooms and common areas before classes starts Monday after doctors diagnosed a student with an infectious disease.

Broken Arrow Public Schools announced to parents Sunday evening that a student at Liberty Elementary School, 4300 S. 209th E. Ave., had been diagnosed with Clostridium difficile infection, according to a statement from the school system.

Clostridium difficile infection, known as C. diff., is an infectious disease that causes colon inflammation and is typically diagnosed in people receiving medical care who are prescribed long-term antibiotics, according to the Center for Disease Control website.

The disease is transmitted through contact with an infected persons feces. This contact typically occurs on surfaces that may become contaminated, such as bathtubs and toilets, according to the website.

Though transmission risk for the disease is very small, according to a statement from the school, crews took precautionary measures over the weekend and disinfected restrooms and common areas in the school.

Students in the affected classroom will move to a different room until crews can disinfect the classroom, according to the statement.

The student will not attend classes until they stop showing symptoms of the disease, the statement indicates.

Symptoms of C. diff. include watery diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite and abdominal pain, tenderness or cramping. Students exhibiting those symptoms should not come to school, according to the statement.

School employees are working with health department officials to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease, according to the statement.

Parents with questions about the disease should call the school at 918-259-4470.
Two top-level Sheriffs Office officials pressured investigators to report that the shooting of Eric Harris was a justifiable homicide despite resistance from prosecutors, according to grand jury testimony.

Testimony from another witness also details how one of the officials directed him to discourage Harris brother from obtaining legal counsel in hopes of gaining an early settlement and avoiding a likely expensive and drawn-out civil lawsuit.

The Tulsa World reviewed 341 pages of sworn testimony from three witnesses who appeared last August before a grand jury investigating operations of the Tulsa County Sheriffs Office.

The transcripts of testimony were ordered by the district court to be prepared at the request of prosecutors arguing the case against Glanz after grand jurors issued two misdemeanor indictments against the former sheriff.

Glanz, who resigned following the grand jurys unfavorable findings, is trying to have one of the charges dismissed. That charge alleges Glanz withheld a report on a 2009 internal investigation of former reserve deputy Robert Bates, despite lawful requests for the document.

Maj. Robbie Lillard, now commander of the Uniform Operations Division, testified he was responsible as a sergeant for the detectives division and was privy to internal discussions on the progress of the Harris shooting investigation.

As with other testimony he gave about the 2009 investigation that he conducted on the treatment of Bates, Lillard heavily implicates former Undersheriff Tim Albin and former Maj. Tom Huckeby.

Albin and Huckeby resigned after the Bates report was leaked to media outlets. The report alleges falsified records, intimidation of subordinates and special treatment for Bates.

Debating motivation

Bates, a former advanced reserve deputy, fatally shot Harris during an undercover gun buy April 2. He is charged with second-degree manslaughter and contends he meant to pull the trigger on a Taser and not his revolver as deputies subdued Harris on the ground.

According to Lillards testimony, Sheriffs Office investigators believed early on that the Harris shooting was a crime based on state statutes. But Huckeby presented research using a different statute that would label the shooting as a justifiable homicide.

The sergeant over detectives then met with District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler, who told the sergeant that the case was manslaughter.

So, we knew right then that regardless of what was going on in-house and what people wanted, umm  Lillard told grand jurors before digressing into his perceptions on the motivation for Albin and Huckeby to influence the probe.

Still, Lillard testified, those two in another meeting gave specific instructions on why justifiable homicide should be what the lead investigator wrote in his report. Albin and Huckeby then told investigators to meet again with the District Attorneys Office.

And that meeting was with Steve Kunzweiler and (John) David Luton and they werent having any part of that, Lillard testified. We already knew that.

Lillard acknowledged it was very unusual for Albin or Huckeby to be so involved in a specific case. Lillard was asked if he felt the pair were trying to influence the investigation in a particular way.

Yes, he responded.

Lillard stated he believed in part the motivation was to help with what Albin and Huckeby suspected to be a forthcoming civil lawsuit. But he testified he believed it was more than that.

So you felt like that was  it wasnt just the protection of the Sheriffs Office for civil purposes, but, also, personal allegiance to Mr. Bates? a legal advisor to the grand jury asked.

If youre asking my opinion, yes, Lillard said.

Death cases strategy

Former Capt. Billy McKelvey also gave testimony about Albins involvement in the aftermath of the Harris shooting.

A few days after April 2, McKelvey and a chaplain met with Harris brother, Andre Harris, in the parking lot of a QuikTrip near 129th East Avenue and 51st Street. McKelvey testified that Albin instructed him to get with the family to apologize and ascertain if they had hired an attorney.

And I, honestly, I told (Andre Harris) that attorneys convoluted these type of problems, McKelvey said.

McKelvey testified he was instructed by Albin to try to dissuade the Harris family from obtaining legal counsel by conveying that lawyers can complicate a case.

McKelvey explained to grand jurors that when he was assigned to the Internal Affairs division he had worked on the Tulsa Jail death case of Elliott Williams. Video released of Williams 2011 death in a medical unit of the jail shows him languishing for hours on the floor before dying.

One of the strategies in that death investigation was for the Sheriffs Office to make contact with the family members of Elliott Williams and try to get a settlement before attorneys get involved because it  it costs a lot more money to defend a civil case, and usually the settlements are a lot higher, McKelvey testified.

And, so, that was a  a tactic used in that case and that was what I was told to do in this case is to find out if the Eric Harris family was represented by an attorney.

The Harris family is represented by attorney Dan Smolen, who has filed a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Eric Harris estate. The suit seeks in excess of $75,000 in actual and punitive damages for use of excessive force, supervisor or official capacity liability, and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs.

The suit alleges Bates wasnt properly trained or supervised and accuses Glanz of turning a blind eye to these dangers  to allow his friend and financial benefactor to play cop in the streets of Tulsa County.

Smolen also represents Williams estate in that ongoing suit, which once again alleges civil rights violations.

Williams languished nude on the floor of his cell for 51 hours with no food or water before he died, according to the suit. A jail video shows Williams during that time unable to feed himself the food that had been tossed near him.
MCALESTER - School board members voted unanimously over the weekend to fire the district's superintendent, bringing a week-long termination hearing and months of uncertainty to an end.

According to the McAlester News-Capital, the board vote came Saturday evening after district officials spent the entire day behind closed doors deciding the fate of Superintendent Marsha Gore.

Gore had been suspended since November after allegations of excessive spending, nepotism and other alleged misconduct led the school board to investigate the administrator and her husband, Joseph "Skip" Gore, who is the district's plant operations director.

School board members said Gore ultimately was fired because she violated district credit card and personal spending policies.
2006

ABLE agent Easley placed on leave in probe

Mike Easley, special agent in charge of ABLE northern district, was placed on leave while the agency investigated whether he falsified time sheets and misused his state vehicle. Easley resigned in March 2007 and repaid the state $4,000 as part of an agreement with the Attorney Generals Office. The deferred prosecution agreement barred Easley from working for the state or in law enforcement. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol stopped Easley in 2005 on the Muskogee Turnpike after receiving a complaint about a truck using emergency lights. Easley reportedly told troopers he was late to teach a class at Bacone College in Muskogee.

2006

State insurance head jailed for embezzlement

Former state Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher is jailed after being convicted on felony counts of embezzlement and perjury. Prosecutors alleged that Fisher embezzled $1,000 from his own state campaign funds. Fisher was accused of lying in his report to the state Ethics Commission. Fisher resigned in September 2004 just before a scheduled impeachment trial by the state Senate. Fisher received 14 months in prison for the embezzlement and perjury convictions in 2006. In 2009, he was sentenced to six months in jail and probation in bribery case.

2010

Tulsa medical team treats quake survivor in Haiti

Members of a Tulsa medical team who treated a man dug out of the rubble of the Haiti earthquake after three weeks are calling his survival miraculous. The Rev. Ric Shields, of the Carbondale Assembly of God and leader of a medical team from In His Image in Tulsa, said three friends of 28-year-old Ean Muncie carried him into the their makeshift medical near the Port-au-Prince airport. They told us he had been buried in the earthquake for at least 22 days, Shields told the Tulsa World. The 7.0 quake hit Jan. 12, killing 160,000 and displacing 1.5 million people.

2012

Bankruptcy trustee ends Arrow Trucking case

Two years and 31 days after Arrow Trucking Co. filed a Chapter 7 liquidation petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tulsa, bankruptcy trustee Patrick J. Malloy III filed his final report in the case. Were paying some wage claims, administrative claims and closing the case, Malloy said. His final report lists realized gross receipts of $6.28 million from identified company assets and through lawsuits filed against creditors and insiders by the trustee. Distributions totaled $4.18 million to former employees and $1.86 million in administrative expenses.
7:30 host Leigh Sales last night issued an apology on behalf of the programme after it had referred to an ABC Online story last week which contained errors.

ABC last week alleged a 5 year old child had been raped on Nauru.

Today the head of the Department of Immigration denied that incident had occurred, she told viewers.

Last weel Dr. Karen Zwi spoke to the ABC about 2 cases. One was an older child the doctor said had been raped, the other was a 5 year old she said had been sexually assaulted.

7:30 incorrectly reported that the 5 year old was the rape victim. We apologise for the error and Dr. Zwi stands by her original allegations.

The ABC has also said it wrongly referred to the incident as a rape instead of an alleged rape.

Immigration Department officials yesterday told a Senate estimates committee the alleged victim was actually over 10 years of age and the child suffered skin-to-skin contact with another detainee child on the island.
SBS will again broadcast the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, at 8.30pm, Sunday 6th March.

Magda Szubanski, Tom Ballard and Patrick Abboud all return as hosts, this year joined by Faustina Agolley attending her very first Mardi Gras.

SBS will also make an appearance in the parade with their own float entry.

Magda Szubanski said: Im back to co-host the SBS broadcast of the annual Mardi Gras parade because I had such a blast last year and because I feel it is a great way to lend my support to this vibrant and historically important event in Australias  and the worlds -LGBTQI calendar. It is a wonderful, inclusive and creative celebration of this nations sexual and cultural diversity. Values we can all be proud of. Gay, straight, and everything in between; all are welcome!

Faustina Agolley said: Im thrilled to be part of SBSs coverage of this years Mardi Gras. Itll be my first time attending and co-hosting this world-renowned event. I cant wait to be there and celebrate inclusion for all.

SBS Director of Television and Online Content, Marshall Heald said: At SBS were incredibly proud to be broadcasting the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras yet again, bringing the colourful streets of Sydney into homes across Australia.

Mardi Gras is a celebration of the LGBTQI community, which is an absolute acknowledgment of one of SBSs core purposes  to explore, appreciate and celebrate diversity, all of which contributes to a more cohesive society. The program will offer audiences a deeper look at the issues as well as the triumphs of the LGBTQI community, with reports integrated within our broadcast of the parade, as well as our many platforms across SBS; SBS, SBS 2, NITV, On Demand, SBS Radio, Online and Social, in a truly multiplatform event.

We are thrilled to have the wonderfully talented Faustina Agolley joining our already established fantastic panel of hosts, with returning hosts Magda Szubanski, Tom Ballard and Patrick Abboud all a part of this years celebration and honoured that she is sharing her very first Mardi Gras with SBS.

SBS will also stream the parade live online.

The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is one of the worlds largest, most high profile and much loved LGBTQI celebrations, providing an opportunity to commemorate a universal message of diversity, equal rights, pride and inclusion.

The TV broadcast will include the best of the spectacular floats and costumes in the parade with commentary from Magda Szubanski, Faustina Agolley, Tom Ballard and Patrick Abboud live on the streets, as well as interviews with celebrity guests. The coverage will also include stories from the parade participants exploring the messages behind the floats, covering issues of sexuality, equality and discrimination that affect the LGBTQI community.

SBS will also get in on the festivities with its very own float and SBS Radio 3 will join forces with Australias only gay & lesbian radio station, JOY 94.9 for a Mardi Gras weekend simulcast on digital radio and digital television around Australia  including live coverage of the Mardi Gras parade.

Viewer tweets will be displayed on screen throughout the television and online broadcasts, using the official event hashtag #sydneymardigras.

The theme for the 38thSydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is momentum  to stand up and be counted, to turn your passion into purpose and become unstoppable.

The street parade is the spectacular sequinned centrepiece bringing to a close the three-week long calendar of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festivities and events. Hundreds of thousands of spectators from all over the world bring Sydney to a standstill as they party alongside the street parade. This year is set to be the biggest ever with more than 12,000 participants across 170 floats.

8:30pm Sunday March 6 on SBS.
You know you have the trust of an author when they allow you to depart from their novels and create new storylines based on your characters.

Thats just whats happened with the new 6 part series of Jack Irish.

While the first 3 telemovies were adaptations of Peter Temple novels Bad Debts, Black Tide and Dead Point, plans for a fourth telemovie based on White Dog took a detour.

We had the rights to it and we were going to do it as another telemovie. We did a draft of it and then the ABC said Why dont we do a series? says writer / co-producer Andrew Anastasios.

We didnt think there was enough material in that one book to go across the entire series, so it was a great opportunity to expand Jacks world out of Fitzroy and go to South East Asia.

Some of the characters come out of White Dog, but essentially it is a completely new scenario. Peter Temple has entrusted his characters to us and weve created a new story.

Temple did not ask to view the scripts of the new series by Essential Media, written by Andrew Knight, Matt Cameron and Anastasios. Actor Guy Pearce, returning in the title role, was also involved in creating new storylines.

Guy was very active in the development from the outset. He was really keen to do a 6 parter, and he came to the very first brainstorm and helped us develop the storylines, he says.

All the way through it we were checking with him if things were credible for Jack as a character and whether he felt he could take Jack where we wanted to go. He was very enthusiastic and instrumental all the way through.

The 6 episodes take place across an international backdrop, with scenes filmed in Melbourne and Manila. Jacks on-again off-again lover Linda Hillier (Marta Dusseldorp) lands a job as a foreign correspondent in The Philippines but stumbles onto the trail of something big.

Were very careful to maintain the spirit of Jack Irish and maintain the storylines. While we wanted to move beyond the boundaries of Fitzroy, Jack is still very grounded in his world, Anastasios assures.

Filming in two countries has proven a production challenge, but one he believes is validated by the exotic footage.

The footage has justified not shooting it in Australia. It looks genuinely like the Philippines. There are things you just cant fake, especially when you get wide shots.

We cut back and forth from Melbourne to the Philippines and the story unfolds in both countries but comes to a head in Melbourne.

The cast is a Whos Who of esteemed performers including Roy Billing, Shane Jacobson, Aaron Pedersen, Damien Richardson, Kate Atkinson, Damien Garvey, Brooke Satchwell, Richard Cawthorne, Deborah Mailman and Sacha Horler.

Its been a scheduling nightmare, but also a scheduling joy to have the sorts of people who have been working on the project. The cast is exceptional and part of the problem of having an exceptional cast is that they are all working and all very busy, so its required us to juggle and fit people in where we can.

Some of the crew had been to the Philippines before, but the great majority hadnt. As far as I know none of the actors had been there before. But they had a wonderful experience.

Everywhere they went they were well looked after, crowds swarmed every time a camera pulled out. There were fantastic shots of Marta in villages on the outskirts of Manila, swamped by local kids. Nobody necessarily knew who she was but they gravitated to her.

Also featuring are Marcus Graham and Claudia Karvan.

Claudia Karvan plays quite an important character and a potential love interest for Jack. Marcus Graham plays an evangelical pastor, he continues.

Hes been riveting on the screen and the dynamic been Claudia and Guy is completely different to the one with Marta.

With so much rich material to work with audiences are set for a ride, but one faithful to the universe of Peter Temple. Anastasios is confident they can live up to the opportunity, without taking anything for granted.

He gave us his permission and blessing with these characters, he says.

He was really positive about the first 3 (telemovies) and really enjoyed the experience. Audiences really liked the first 3 so he felt like Jack was in good hands.

Jack Irish returns 8:30pm Thursday on ABC.
A Lebanese current affairs programme on broadcaster OTV has recently debated Nines upcoming sitcom, Here Come the Habibs.

While the segment shows Nines promo and speaks to disapproving public in Lebanon, the tone shifts significantly during a Skype interview with Labib Chemali, described as an active member of the Lebanese community & Australian society.

Chemali seeks to put some context on Australian comedy, and his expatriate experience, for OTV viewers.

If Beirut is the mother that gave me birth, Australia is the mother that raised me, he says.

During the interview there is discussion over use of stereotypes, a line about the lead characters many wives and religion.

Chemali notes while things are implied in the promo they remain unclear.

(Spoiler: FouFous line about his many wives is followed by wifes Mariams disapproving Hes joking.)

Chemali has no issue with being the subject of comedy, but did agree that a better representation of the Lebanese community was his preference over stereotypes.

If they want to make fun of us, go ahead, we are fine with it. But make fun of something realistic that we actually do, he says.

Because here in Australia, no-one is above being made fun of. Even Australian Society makes fun of itself. This is accepted here.

Now if they want to make fun, show a stereotype, this is no problem at all. At least show something realistic.

Pardon what I am saying, but what they are showing is idiocy. Now there is a small segment that are idiots. They are laughed at by Australians and Lebanese alike should they go back to Lebanon.

By the end of the 12 minute segment the hosts initial disapproval about a negative sitcom had shifted to a more neutral position, even acknowledging they may have been too quick to judge.

Perhaps it is a funny show and the family are portrayed in an endearing manner, says the host. Now we understand the promo is upsetting and portraying the Lebanese as chaotic and so forth. So let us wait until the 9th of this month to see where the series is going.

Skype interview: 4:50min
Monday nights on Seven will be flipping from British aristocracy to poverty in a matter of minutes.

Downton Abbey returns next Monday at 9pm on Seven for its final season, due to end with a two hour Christmas finale.

The sixth and final season of Downton Abbey premieres Monday, Feb 15 at 9pm. Its 1925 and as secrets and rifts threaten the unity of the Crawley family, those below stairs are navigating social changes which put their futures in jeopardy.



It will be followed by Benefits Street, a 2014 UK observational series that saw Channel 4 accused of making poverty porn.

The show attracted a petition of 60,000, a union protest and tourists to the location featured. UK regulator OfCom cleared the show of any broadcasting breach.

Controversial British documentary series Benefits Street premieres Monday, Feb 15 at 10.30pm revealing the reality of life on benefits. You may not always agree with how these families live their lives, but youll be rooting for them all the same.
This week on The Embassy, a possible kidnapping, unpaid hotel bills and a drunken night in Phuket that doesnt end well.

In Episode Two: Expat ex-digger Ben arrives at the embassy distraught and in tears. His young Thai wife has gone missing without a trace and hes convinced shes been taken against her will, kidnapped by a jealous ex-boyfriend. Hes also terrified her life may be in danger.

Meanwhile in Vietnam, Rodney, a beer-loving big wave surfer has been having way too much of a good time in Vietnam. Hes overstayed his visa. And hes run up a $1500 hotel bill, which he refuses to pay. Consular officers Richard and Stephanie spring into action. But Rodney gives them a run for their money!

On an overnight stopover in Bangkok, young Sydney brothers, Daniel, Michael and Jamie go looking for a good time. But a bit of harmless fun in Patpong goes seriously wrong. Now oldest brother Daniel is in ICU with a fractured skull, brain haemorrhage and a possible broken neck. His distraught parents turn to the embassy for help.

And young WA miners, Keogan and Harley call each other Dumb and Dumber. Its a bromance gone seriously wrong. Theyre in the embassy after a drunken night in Phuket, where Koegans lost his wallet, $1800 in cash, and his passport, wrestling with ladyboys. Consular officer, Callum, has seen it all before!

8:30pm Wednesday on Nine.
8:05 a.m., Feb. 8, 2016--A new initiative at the University of Delaware will affirm and expand the institution's commitment to community engagement, Provost Domenico Grasso has announced.

Leading the charge are Dan Rich, who will serve as director of community engagement, and Lynnette Overby, who will be deputy director. This initiative builds on the accomplishments that have earned UD the Community Engagement classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2015.

Rich, University Professor of Public Policy and a former provost and dean, is known for his work on the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission, a group aiming to strengthen Wilmington public education.

Overby is a professor of theatre and was recently elected to the Council on Engagement and Outreach Executive Committee of the Association for Public and Land Grant Universities. She led the UD Community Engagement Commission in helping Delaware become officially recognized by the Carnegie Foundation in 2015.

The initiative, said Rich, will seek to strengthen civic and community engagement in ways that enrich the scholarship and learning of University faculty and students and help to address challenges facing the communities we serve at all levels, local to global.

Both see listening as the first step in their leadership roles  listening to stakeholders within the UD campus community and to communities and their citizens in Delaware and beyond. Rich and Overby will help coordinate the work UD is already doing throughout many programs and efforts, help shape the strategy for campus community interaction and use that information to define processes for measurement and success.

The pillars of this new undertaking are explicitly spelled out in the strategic plan, Delaware Will Shine, which lists community engagement among its five strategic initiatives. DWS calls for Delaware to expand its status as a Carnegie engaged university in both character and scope.

We would like to see community engagement, including civic engagement, be part of the signature of a University of Delaware education, Rich said.

Because part of the process of learning, part of the process of becoming an excellent scholar is recognizing how the knowledge you obtain can and should be used to strengthen the communities where you live and work.

The amazing work we accomplished under the Community Engagement Commission will continue to inform us as we initiate this process, Overby said. The commission will also be a great resource as we collectively shape the future at the University of Delaware.

Trustee and UD alumnus Tony Allen said, in support of the initiative, Dan is tireless in his pursuits, dogged in his analysis and true to his authentic self.

Overall, the new community engagement initiative extends a rich and continuing legacy, as Delaware has long been an engaged university:

 As a land grant institution, public and community service has been a central part of the universitys mission for 150 years.

 As the First States flagship higher education institution, the University contributes to improving the quality of life of Delawareans in virtually every area of community well-being, from education to health and from the arts to the environment.

 More than half of UDs student population participates in service learning, community-based research and volunteer projects, accumulating more than 225,000 hours of their time serving communities in Delaware, across the nation and around the world.

 Three times UD has been named to the Honor Roll with Distinction, the highest federal recognition a university can achieve for its commitment to volunteerism, service learning and civic engagement.

This initiative is really part of a two-way conversation, bridging our knowledge and assets as a University with the needs of the communities around us, and aligning them for mutual benefit and a more improved society, said Overby.

Article by Jawanza Ali Keita
8:30 a.m., Feb. 8, 2016--The Latin American and Iberian Studies Program (LAIS) at the University of Delaware will begin the spring semester portion of it 2015-16 film and lecture series, Engaging Race and Ethnicity in the Americas, on Monday, Feb. 15, with a guest lecture by a Venezuelan scholar.

The lecture, Unfurling Western Notions of Nature and Amerindian Alternatives, by Eglee Lopez Zent of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, will be held from 12:20-1:30 p.m. in Room 104 Gore Hall. Like other events in the series, it is free and open to the public.

Based on almost two decades of field research with the Joti people in Venezuela, the talk will address ideas of nature in Western historical periods and contrast them with those of Amazonian Amerindians.

The talk has been organized by the Department of Anthropology and the LAIS program.

The series, which began during fall semester, is focused on encouraging open discussions about race, said Carla Guerron Montero, director of the program and associate professor of anthropology, who also has joint appointments in the departments of Black American Studies and of Women and Gender Studies.

Race matters in the U.S. and the Americas at large, and the series will offer opportunities to address the topic openly and candidly, she said.

The series continues this semester with additional talks and films. A related two-day symposium and workshop will be held in April.

Thursday, Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m., 108 Memorial Hall, preceded by a 5 p.m. reception, Memorial Hall second floor  Film, Panama Canal Stories. The history of the Panama Canal and its impact on Panama and the world is depicted in five short films directed by five Panamanian directors who focus their attention on the lives of everyday folk directly and indirectly affected by living near the site.

Tuesday, March 15, 5:30 p.m. 108 Memorial Hall, preceded by a 5 p.m. reception, Memorial Hall second floor  Film, Relatos Salvajes (Wild Tales). Considered one of the best films of the decade, this collection of six tales of extreme behavior and revenge is a satire of Argentinas political corruption, social frustration, violent behavior, cynicism and complacency.

Wednesday, May 4, 5 p.m., 124 Memorial Hall, followed by reception  Guest lecture, Fear Eats the Soul: Subjectivities and Gated Communities in Brazil, by Rafael Estrada Mejia of the Universidade Estadual Paulista. Using ethnographical empirical evidence and existential cartographies, Estrada Mejia proposes that gated communities in Brazil are the modern version of Portuguese forts. The talk is organized by the Department of Anthropology and the LAIS program.

Symposium and workshop

A related symposium focused on open discussions about race and ethnicity in the Americas, Where You Were Never Meant to Be? will be held on Thursday and Friday, April 7 and 8, in UDs Perkins Student Center.

The April 7 session will begin at 5 p.m. in the Perkins Gallery with a reception and workshop by the Theater of the Oppressed, a participatory theatre group established in Brazil in the 1970s to foster democratic and cooperative forms of interaction among participants.

The April 8 session, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Ewing Room, will include a symposium and reception with two panel discussions and keynote speakers Adunni Adams and James Owen Heath, of the Race in the Americas Group. That group was formed in the United Kingdom to encourage interdisciplinary research and interaction among those in academia, politics and the media.
8:24 a.m., Feb. 8, 2016--Lumos/Presbyterian Campus Ministry at the University of Delaware has announced Illumine, a new vocation initiative on campus.

Inviting students into conversation around the big questions of life, the group will meet from 3:30-5 p.m. on Friday afternoons beginning Feb. 19 at the Lumos/Presbyterian Campus Ministry House located at 157 W. Main St.

In a recent op-ed in The New York Times, columnist David Brooks wrote about his desire to work on his eulogy virtues, something that, even with all of his career success, he finds himself still lacking.

As opposed to resume virtues -- the skills and experience that help a person get the next job and that might ensure financial success -- eulogy virtues are the character traits and moral compass that lead someone to be an admirable person.

Brooks wrote, We all know that the eulogy virtues are more important than the resume ones. But our culture and our educational systems spend more time teaching the skills and strategies you need for career success than the qualities you need to radiate that sort of inner light. Many of us are clearer on how to build an external career than on how to build inner character.

Brooks is not alone, according to the Rev. Nona Holy, who directs Lumos/Presbyterian Ministry. Students on college campuses are seeking answers to big questions about their greater purpose in life, and how to make decisions about their career, relationships and other important life choices consistent with who they want to be as a person  not just the title on their business cards.

Illumine is Lumos/Presbyterian Campus Ministrys response, Holy said. Through thoughtful exploration of vocation and the issues surrounding it, we aim to provide students with the moral vocabulary to understand that their choices are a reflection of what they hold sacred. We hope that as students gain knowledge of themselves, they will feel confident that the light they hold within is something they can share, by choosing a path that fits for them.

Holy said the purpose of Illumine is to engage students at the University in a deeper conversation around life choices, a conversation enriched by drawing upon the resources of the worlds spiritual and religious traditions around themes of call, purpose, service and ministry.

Each week students will consider a big question while sharing appetizers in the comfortable living room of the campus ministry house. All UD students are welcome to be part of the conversation, Holy said, adding that being Presbyterian, Christian or affiliated with any other spiritual tradition is not required. Illumine is designed to be a hospitable place for anyone who may appreciate a chance to consider these ideas.

An interest meeting for students who want to know more will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 11, at Panera Bread on Main Street. For more information or to arrange transportation, students may contact Holy at nholy@udel.edu.
5:55 p.m., Feb. 8, 2016--The University of Delaware Faculty Senate today approved implementation of a four-year pilot program in which Delaware students will be able to choose whether or not to submit their SAT or ACT test scores for first-year admission to the University. The decision will go into effect with the class to be considered for fall 2017 (current high school juniors).

This is a big step forward for the University of Delaware and for all outstanding Delaware high school students who want access to a high quality education at UD, said Nancy Targett, acting president of the University. The Universitys future is predicated on our commitment to equity and inclusion. We value diverse backgrounds and learning experiences, and this program aligns with that commitment.

According to the Admissions Guidelines Committee recommendation submitted to the Faculty Senate, the decision followed a thorough analysis of national research findings as well as UD-specific data.

The committee found that for Delaware residents enrolled at UDs Newark campus, the high school GPA and/or class-ranking percentile were very effective at predicting college success  as strong as the prediction when SAT or ACT scores were added. It also reasoned that reliance on SAT scores may discourage less affluent students and those from historically underrepresented groups from applying to UD, and that removing the requirement could help boost racial and socioeconomic diversity on campus  an important goal for UD.

There are likely many outstanding Delaware students, students who challenged themselves, worked hard and performed well in their high schools, who are not applying to UD because they assume their scores on the SAT or ACT will disqualify them from admission, said Doug Zander, director of admissions at UD. We know that these students can be successful in college and we want them to apply.

I often hear students say, I'll never get in with my test scores, and I hear in that statement not only their fear of being rejected by a college, but also the sentiment that their academic worth has just declined  even after years of hard work and commitment  due to their standardized test scores, said Kim Denhardt, school counselor at Delcastle Technical High School. This is a win-win for all students: those who test well and those who are able to rely on the strength of their GPA.

The University of Delaware joins a growing list of about 850 U.S. colleges and universities  including close to 200 schools designated top tier by U.S. News and World Report  that no longer require applicants to submit results from the SAT or ACT, as reported by the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest).

We fully support the states efforts to prepare our residents for college, said Chris Lucier, vice president of enrollment management at UD. Students should use the SAT, PSAT and NMSQT as valuable resources for accessing AP courses, scholarships, and college application fee waivers. We urge all Delaware students to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the College Board and Khan Academy to take SAT prep classes free of charge.

Lucier added that applicants should submit their SAT or ACT scores if they feel it is a good representation of their readiness to attend and graduate from the University of Delaware but that all applicants will be given equal consideration for admission. The University will also continue to consider individual grades in core academic courses, performance on the essay, letters of recommendation and extracurricular activities, in addition to the applicants cumulative GPA. Over the coming months, UD Admissions will work with faculty in each of the seven colleges to consider other input variables that, as part of the holistic review process, may help determine whether the applicant is prepared for his or her intended major.

Any student who challenges themselves academically and excels in high school, regardless of their performance on a single standardized test, can have a place here at the University of Delaware, said Louis Rossi, professor and chair of UDs Department of Mathematical Sciences and member of the committee. These students earned it through four years of effort building a strong high school transcript. They belong here. They deserve a high quality university education.

Although Delaware students will not be required to submit standardized test scores to be admitted, they will need to submit the scores after acceptance, in order to enroll. The information will be used as part of the pilot data, allowing the University to look at student performance in specific majors, retention rates, and general academics, collectively helping determine the most accurate predictor of success at UD.
1:46 p.m., Feb. 8, 2016--A free, six-session diabetes self-management workshop will be held beginning Feb. 25, at the Health Sciences Complex on the University of Delaware's STAR Campus, 540 South College Ave., Newark.

Presented by the Delaware Diabetes Self-Management Program (DSMP), the workshop will meet from 5:30-8 p.m., Thursdays, Feb. 25-April 7, in Atrium Room 113. Class will not be held on March 31 because of spring break.

Participants will learn how knowledge about how to manage diabetes can:

 Help them prevent and/or delay health complications;

 Improve their hemoglobin A1C (average blood sugar reading);

 Help them make better food choices and lose weight;

 Help them better control their glucose levels through exercise and stress management; and

 Help them communicate better with their health care providers.

To register for this workshop, contact Kirsten Morris at 302-831-6136. For additional information, visit the Delaware Division of Public Health website.
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
The issue of further assistance to Ukraine in repelling the Russian aggression will be raised during the NATO Defence Ministers meeting.

Defence Minister of Canada Harjit Sajjan said this during the debate in the Parliament, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I will participate in a very important meeting with our NATO partners in Europe, during which we will talk about what we will do and how we will continue supporting Ukraine," Sajjan said.

He added that Canada consistently supported Ukraine. "Two hundred brave Canadian men and women are now training the Ukrainian servicemen in Ukraine," he reminded.

The NATO Defence Ministers meeting will be held in Brussels on February 10-11.

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Ukraine strongly condemns the launch of the so-called artificial Kwangmyongsong satellite on February 7, 2016 by the North Korean Republic, widely viewed as a cover for testing ballistic missile technology, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued a relevant statement.

Regardless of its purpose, the mentioned launch, carried out soon after the nuclear tests in early January, is a direct violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718, 1874, 2094 and other relevant documents. Irresponsible actions by Pyongyang seriously worsen the security situation on the Korean peninsula, undermine the regional peace and stability, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry says.

The Ukraines ministry also stresses that Ukraine as a state that voluntarily refused from nuclear weapons and honestly fulfills its obligations in the sphere of nondissemination of nuclear arms, technologies and means of their supplies, will continue cooperation with international partners, in particular members of the U.N. Security Council with the view of relevant respond to this challenge.

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Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq load their luggage on to a boat on the Tigris River to return home to their war-torn country.  UNHCR/R. Hussein Rasheed

PESHKABOUR, Iraq, Feb 8 (UNHCR) - Under a cold winter sun, 65-year-old Nazo Osi Ali and her two daughters pull their bulging suitcases out of the back of a blue station wagon at this town in northwest Iraq across the Tigris River from Syria.

Ten months ago Nazo fled to Iraq to escape the fighting in Syria, but now she needs to return home to her war-ravaged country for medical reasons. "I have high blood pressure and a bad tooth and I want to see my own doctor and dentist," she says. "It is too expensive to get treatment in Iraq."

She is one of a growing number of Syrian refugees ground down by the protracted exile who have made the dangerous decision to return to Syria, where five years of conflict have killed around a quarter of a million people.

Nazo and her daughters had been living with her son, a day labourer, in Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI). In Erbil, the cost of living is high, especially for refugees who live in urban areas. In Erbil, Nazo said it would cost her USD$2,000 for the treatment she needs, compared to the USD$400 she will pay her dentist in her home town of Amouda.

Nazo's son-in law, who lives in Dohuk and is also a refugee, drove the women to the border to help them load their belongings onto the boat to ferry them across the Tigris to Syria. He is unhappy about Nazo's decision to return. "We're worried about her safety," he says. "Even though her daughters are travelling with her there is no one back home to look after them. But she won't listen to us," he adds.

The decision to go back to Syria comes at a price. Nazo and her daughters were required to meet with staff with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to fill out departure forms and return residency and registration papers before they could leave. In doing so, they have given up their asylum seeker documentation in Iraq and may face challenges to be re-admitted if they ever need to return.

Despite the clear risks, up to 25,000 Syrian refugees left the Kurdistan region of Iraq last year. Most returned home or, from there, continued on to Europe in search of a better life - many citing hardship in exile.

"In December 2015, 86 per cent of refugees who went back to Syria were those who were living out of camps, in urban settings. Rent is high, it is difficult to find work and people are running out of money," said Mustafa El Hegagi, a UNHCR repatriation officer who works at the Iraq border.

United Nations officials estimate that many more Syrian refugees will leave Iraq for Syria, or to other countries in 2016. But, due to the security situation on the other side of the border, UNHCR maintains a non-return policy to Syria.

"We acknowledge that refugees may be leaving Iraq because of a lack of assistance," says UNHCR protection officer Ana Scattone Ferreira. "UNHCR, donors and the humanitarian community are working hard to overcome funding gaps, but the deteriorating economic situation in the KR-I has been a major push factor for Syrian returns. In light of this, it is our duty to make sure that refugees are returning voluntarily and that they are well-informed and aware of the risks and consequences."

Nazo is not sure how safe it is going to be, but she is happy to be making the journey back to Amouda. She flashes a wide smile saying, "I am looking forward it. There isn't anything more precious than your own home."

By Catherine Robinson in Peshkabour, Iraq
This website is intended for U.S. visitors only.
Fifteen students apiece in grades 6, 7 and 8 began the morning listening intently to words they were alternately familiar with or had never heard of before, and then deciphering them, as if by code, one letter at a time.

The first stage of the Scripps National Spelling Bee was on display Thursday at Chippewa Falls Middle School.

One by one, they dropped off until there were just three students still standing on the auditorium stage.

Dylan Brown, a 13-year-old eighth-grader, had been there before. The last two years he had finished in third place.

I play a lot of different games, and sometimes I play in-depth games, he said in citing that as a factor that has improved his spelling.

Ninth-grade students are ineligible to participate in the national contest, so this was Browns final shot at it, and once again, he took home third place.

That left a seventh-grader, Shelby Loebertman, and an eighth-grader, Riley Sheehan. Both are 13 years old, but Sheehan said he has a birthday in another week or so. Loebertman was a first-time participant, while Sheehan did not make it out of the preliminary rounds last year.

I enjoy reading and writing, said Loebertman, who took a more traditional path than Brown to the spelling bee. She said her parents read to her a lot when she was younger, and now likes to write in the science fiction genre.

She successfully spelled a number of words, but when longanimity was posed to her, Loebertman was in no better position than most people who have never used or probably even heard of the word, and was forced to guess.

For the record, longanimity is defined as a disposition to bear injuries patiently.

Still, she had far exceeded the expectations of some family members. My brother thought I was going to go out in the first round, she said.

Then it was up to Sheehan to correctly spell a final word for the title.

Minutes earlier, he had nearly been sidelined by the word architecture, and he aborted his first attempt to spell it and started again, this time making it all the way through without an error.

Sheehans biggest concern came earlier, with the Italian greeting ciao (pronounced chow). I almost gave up in the third round, he said after being asked to spell ciao.

But he got it right, which wasnt all that surprising considering he has always been a good speller, reading what he described as more complex books than many of kids his age and using bigger words in his vocabulary.

When Sheehan correctly spelled antibody, he triumphantly raised both arms in the air and couldnt contain a wide smile.

He now moves on to a regional competition Feb. 18 in Thorp, and as runner-up, Loebertman would be his substitute should he be unable to participate. The regional winners will compete at the state level March 18 in Madison.
Wheaton College and Dr. Larycia Hawkins have reached an agreement that will put an end to the two sides' opposition over the latter's theological views.

Wheaton first placed Hawkins on administrative leave in Dec. when she posted photos of herself in a hijab to her Facebook account in the wake of the San Bernardino shooting. She also wrote in a post that Muslims and Christians worshipped the same God, both of which resulted in her suspension from the private Evangelical school in Wheaton, Ill.

Almost a month after her suspension, Wheaton announced it was seeking to terminate Hawkins, who is a tenured professor there. But on Saturday, President Philip Ryken issued the statement announcing an agreement for Hawkins to no longer teach at Wheaton.

According to The Chicago Tribune, Provost Stanton Jones issued an email to the school's professors just hours earlier, stating he left the decision on Hawkins' future with Wheaton to Ryken. In his email, Jones apologized for pursuing termination against Hawkins, an action the school's Faculty Council unanimously opposed.

"I asked Dr. Hawkins for her forgiveness for the ways I contributed to the fracture of our relationship, and to the fracture of Dr. Hawkins' relationship with the college," Jones wrote. "While I acted to exercise my position of oversight of the faculty within the bounds of Wheaton College employment policies and procedures, I apologized for my lack of wisdom and collegiality as I initially approached Dr. Hawkins, and for imposing an administrative leave more precipitously than was necessary."

And when Ryken released the joint statement, which contained a quote from Hawkins, the professors became skeptical that Jones' apology was part of the agreement, The Tribune reported.

"I appreciate and have great respect for the Christian liberal arts and the ways that Wheaton College exudes that in its mission, programs, and in the caliber of its employees and students," Hawkins said in the statement.

Gary Burge, a professor of New Testament, iterated the professors of Wheaton's concerns with the way the school handled Hawkins' case.

"This decision by the provost is a tribute to his integrity and courage," he told The Tribune. "But many of us are wondering why the president's reconciliation with Dr. Hawkins did not include her remaining on our faculty."
CORNELL  As Cornell senior Kiara Stipek grew older and recognized that her situation was different than those of her classmates, she couldnt help but wonder why.

Why do I have to stay here? a younger Stipek would ask her legal guardians, Steve and Nancy Schlageter. Everybody else lives with their parents.

But Stipeks parents had made the decision through their own actions that their daughter was never to grow up with them as parental figures.

Stipek was one month old when she was first physically abused by her father. At the time her mother was battling drug addiction. After another incident, her grandparents, the Schlageters, took her into their custody on a temporary basis. That was just before her first birthday.

Now 17, Stipek still lives with the Schlageters. Her birth parents never met the requirements set by social services to regain custody of their daughter.

Stipek still wonders from time to time how different her life would have been if things had gone differently. But she spends more time focusing on the future than the past.

A member of the volleyball team and student council, an avid volunteer and the salutatorian of her class, Stipek is Cornell High Schools 2016 recipient of Chippewa Valley Newspapers' Extra Effort award.

Rough start

Stipeks life changed dramatically before she was even aware of the change. Multiple incidents during her first year of life led the police and social services to request that the Schlageters take custody of Stipek on a temporary basis. The initial time period was set at one year.

Mom and dad were supposed to meet certain guidelines, Nancy Schlageter said. They revisited that in a year and they werent ready yet, so they extended it another year. At that point they just said lets make this permanent.

Steve Schlageter is the adoptive father of Stipeks birth mother. There is no blood bond between the Schlageters and Stipek, but that didnt stop them from stepping in to help a child in dire need of assistance.

Over the years, the couple worked with the courts to fulfill their responsibilities as legal guardians. As Stipek grew older and wondered about her parents, the Schlageters didnt shy away from telling her the truth.

Both of them at the time were involved with drugs and things like that, Stipek said of her birth parents. My parents both, even now, have been in and out of jail and prison. When I was younger I didnt see them consistently.

The right direction

Stipek refers to the Schlageters as mom and dad, though it wasnt always that easy for her to do so. It took many years for her to fully understand why she had to be separated from her parents. At a young age, she wondered if she had any fault in the situation.

It was always hard because I knew they were my parents, Stipek said. When they would come visit it was always like, Why cant I leave with them? My real mom would always say, Oh you should come spend the night. That was not allowed, and I didnt understand. Shed always want me to ask (permission). I would always ask and my mom (Schlageter) would tell me that I couldnt. I would always feel like it was my fault.

Stipek wished that she could spend more time with her birth parents, but the Schlageters helped her to see the full situation, to the point where she understood why things had to be the way they are.

From then on she used it as motivation to forge a better life for herself than her parents were able to do.

Looking at the situation my parents were in and continue to be in, I dont want that for myself, she said, noting that her mother didnt finish high school. Thats something to strive for. Get to that point and then go on to college and make something for myself. Neither of them have the life that they want.

Nancy Schlageter is a math teacher in Cornell. She could not be happier that Stipek has chosen a higher path and hopes that her influence has helped along the way.

You just wonder how much environment plays into their growth and development period, Schlageter said. If she would have been in a different situation, what would her goals be?

"We were fortunate enough to get it early enough for her. She wasnt in a rut of bad habits and missing school and what else could have taken place. Im glad I didnt get to see what other outcome could have been possible. It would have been disappointing, I think, for her.

She's the parent

The last few years have truly been special for the Schlageters as they have watched Stipek grow into an intelligent young woman. Nancy sees it most when Stipek has an opportunity to visit with her birth mother.

When I sit there and I see her and her mom together, shes the parent, Nancy Schlageter said. Shes the one thats guiding her mom along. Just the way she does things and her decisions, its almost reversed. Their relationship is more a friendship, but just different things that come up.

I never expected that. But I think thats just her maturity compared to theirs.

Maturity and motivation are never in short supply with Stipek. She is still deciding where to attend college, but plans to major in biology with an emphasis on pre-med. She hopes to one day become either a pediatrician or an obstetrician.

I really like kids, she said. I have a brother that was born three years ago and my mom let me be in the room for the birth. I just thought that was the coolest thing ever.

Her curiosity in life is what drives her to tackle new experiences. She spent a month living with a host family in Italy last summer, and then hosted an Italian student for a month in Cornell. Stipek may be from a small town, but she has big-city goals.

Theres so much more out there, she said. I want my life the way I want it instead of being limited by all the things on (my parents) record.

Overcoming the obstacles she has been presented with has been no easy feat. But her ability to shine through it all has the Schlageters feeling confident that shell succeed in anything she puts her mind to.

With her determination, Nancy Schlageter said, shell make it happen one way or another.
UW Podcast Examines Cyber Security, Southern Icons

A professor will explain why Southerners place so much importance on icons, such as the Confederate battle flag, on this weeks UW podcast, The University of Wyoming Today.

Other segments explore the growing concerns over cyber security; and a UW researcher will discuss new findings about the relationship between an animals brain size and its intelligence.

To listen to the podcasts, go to www.uwyo.edu/uw/news/podcast/index.html or click on the link provided in the left-column navigation on the UW News home page. You can listen to the podcasts by clicking the link on the page, or subscribe to the RSS feed, which will deliver the podcast link to you via email each week. You also can click on the iTunes link and listen to or subscribe to the podcast there.

New podcasts are scheduled weekly and will be updated with new episodes every Thursday.
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.
BOW, N.H.  Marco Rubio is in an enviable position among mainstream Republican presidential candidates after his strong finish in Iowa. Yet the man is running scared.

The young Floridian is stumping through New Hampshire as if hes campaigning to win the Cautious Caucus. He gives the same speech everywhere. The most tightly managed candidate in the race, he shuns risk and appears to live in mortal terror of mentioning the man who dominates the race.

At a town hall event here in central New Hampshire last Wednesday, Rubio, as usual, didnt mention Donald Trump in his speech. But the first questioner, a businesswoman, practically begged the candidate to trash Trump, asking him to comment on Trumps very definite views of the disabled, including calling people stupid and attempting to remove disabled veterans from one of his properties.

Rubio demurred, saying only that he had already called out Donald for his distasteful mocking of a disabled reporter at an event. He then dropped the Trump talk and moved on.

Rival Chris Christie mocked Rubio as the boy in the bubble managed by his handlers. This criticism apparently smoked Rubio out, because he took a few questions from reporters before his event in Laconia, N.H., on Wednesday.

The first questioner noted that Rubio had poked other candidates, but not Mr. Trump. Why?

Donald hasnt really outlined any position on policies, Rubio reasoned. So when the time comes and its appropriate, well do so.

Why do you deliver the same speech wherever you go? the second questioner asked.

Cause its my message, he said. Its the reason Im running for president.

Rubios determination not to be taken off of this bland message, or to engage Trump, may give the impression that he is above the fray. But it also can make him look weak and callow.

While other candidates, particularly Jeb Bush, have denounced Trumps outrages, Rubio and allied groups have spent upward of $30 million on ads so far  some of them targeting Bush, Christie and Ted Cruz, but none targeting Trump. Rubio has mentioned Trump a couple of times on Twitter. In debates, he has frequently deflected questions about the mogul.

After the December debate, in which Rubio declined a chance to take on Trumps proposed ban on Muslims entering the country, Fox News asked Rubio why he hadnt gone after Trump. Rubio said he wasnt going to spend a valuable 75 seconds on a debate stage talking about something thats never going to happen.

Likewise, asked to comment on Trumps qualifications as a conservative, Rubio said that the billionaire is running as someone whos a populist whos upset about the direction of this country, as am I, as are millions of Americans.

On other occasions, Rubio declined to talk about Trumps mosque-closing ideas (well, I think we need to target radicalism) and Trumps plan for mass deportation of illegal immigrants (both sides have points to make here that are valid).

Asked back in September whether he would engage Trump, Rubio replied: No, Im ready to talk about who I am and why Im running.

Its not as if Trump returns the politeness. Ann Coulter, warming up a Trump crowd Tuesday night, called Rubio a Cuban boy who wears high heels and has big ears. (Ever-cautious Rubio, ridiculed last month for wearing booties with thick heels, quickly retired the offending footwear.)

Rubios strong Iowa finish has brought new attention  and overcapacity crowds  in New Hampshire. But the would-be supporters are greeted by a robot.

The closest Rubio gets to Trump in his stump speech is observing, as he did here in Bow, that you have a right to be angry, but anger is not a plan. What exactly do you want to do? Or, as he put it in Laconia a few hours later: Anger is not a plan. Frustration is not a plan. You have a right to be frustrated. You have a right to be angry. ... But what exactly are you going to do about it?

Voters questions, rather than spurring spontaneity, inspire more caution. Asked what hed do about the millions of illegal immigrants who otherwise havent broken any law, Rubio said, Well figure something out.

The logic behind Rubios candidacy, recited in his speeches, is that, as he put it in Bow: I give us the best chance to win, and if you dont believe me, ask a Democrat. They do not want to run against me.

If he keeps playing the boy in the bubble, they may reconsider.
Multinational furniture group IKEA from Sweden has lost its trademark in Indonesia, following a dispute with a local furniture company based in the city of Surabaya. The decision was ruled by Jakarta last year after the case was brought to the court in 2014, but the result had just been published online by the court on Thursday.



The lawsuit was cast out by local furniture company PT Ratania Khatulistiwa which registered the IKEA trademark under the name Intan Khatulistiwa Esa Abadi that refers to the company. Ratania Khatulistiwa registered for IKEA trademark in December 2013, while Sweden's IKEA had just operated in Indonesia since October 2014 in its only store near the capital city of Jakarta.



IKEA did register its trademark in Indonesia before it officially launched its business unit in Indonesia. According to ABC News, IKEA registered its trademark in Indonesia in 2010. However, according to Indonesia's trademark law, the trademark could be ruled out because the company had not actively used the trademark for commercial purposes in three consecutive years after its registration. The Sweden company had first registered its trademark in Indonesia in 2006, then renewed the certification in 2010, but it's not until 2014 that the company had used the name in its first store in Indonesia.



The Jakarta court decided that the IKEA trademark should go to the Surabaya company in September 2014, according to Coconuts Jakarta. Then, the Sweden furniture maker made an appeal to the Indonesian Supreme Court, but the request was denied so the company would have to abide by the Central Jakarta District Court.



It's still unknown what the next step for IKEA would be after this court decision. The company could pull out of Indonesia or change its official name. Some blamed Indonesia's unclear and ambiguous law on the issue, making foreign companies uneasy with their moves and decisions while doing business in Indonesia.



One Supreme Court Judge, I Gusti Agung Sumanatha, apparently believed the decision is not proper. He said that It's plain and obvious that Sweden's IKEA is big enough and could be seen plainly, so that the legal justification that was used to build the case cannot be applied, as quoted by Detik.



PT Ratania Khatulistiwa of Surabaya, Indonesia, was established in 1988. Since then, the company had made furnitures that were also exported to Spain, Japan, Australia, and the U.S. Sweden's IKEA itself is an acronym of Ingvar Kamprad from Elmtaryd, Agunnaryd. Ingvar Kamprad is a Swedish businessman that founded IKEA in 1943.

The result of the dispute legally forced IKEA to change its trademark in Indonesia if it still wishes to operate in the country. It's unclear which step will be taken by the Sweden furniture company, but regardless, foreign companies are getting more cautious doing business in Indonesia. For now, IKEA in Indonesia means PT Ratania Khatulistiwa, a furniture company based in the city of Surabaya.
It was a drastic drop for China's reserve for January as it plunged from $99.5 billion to $3.23 trillion. Based on the central bank's data, this has been the lowest level it has reached way back May 2012. However, this is higher compared to the median estimate of $3.20 trillion from the Reuters poll's surveyed economists.

The second sizeable drop happened last December 2015 that fell to $107.9 billion, considered to be the biggest recorded monthly decline. The central bank strengthens its move to keep yuan from falling after the unexpected August devaluation of the currency, as cited by The Globe and Mail.

In spite of hundreds of billions lost for the last six months, Chinese stocks are still considered the world's biggest. Stocks dropped by $513 billion in 2015 which is the history's greatest yearly drop. Based on the officials' statement, the issue was worsened by the local firms to quickly replay foreign debts and boost dollar buy-outs by local residents as the yuan depreciates.

"Monetary easing is highly needed amid economic slowdown, but the capital outflow will naturally tighten the monetary policy," Hao Zhou, senior emerging markets economist at Commerzbank in Singapore, said in a note after the data.

Bloomberg reports that The People's Bank of China has made every move to emanate the outpouring, admonishing the guessers some punishment. It interfered last month in the Hong Kong market after the sinking of yuan's offshore exchange to 2.9%. Besides dollar-selling, the monetary authority also advises Chinese city lenders to delay yuan to control short-selling. This adds to the increase of overnight interbank lending rate on January 12 with an all-time high of 66.8%.

Many analysts' concept, that the drop is going to be less than what was reported. Commerzbank's Zhou Hao forecast the decline to be at $80 billion. Barclay's Jian Chang pictures the reserves would divest by $140 billion while others have higher estimates, according to Forbes.

Since August, China has been incurring declines much smaller than what consensus predicts. The local government made every effort to keep yuan from falling. Although Chinese stocks have dived, it is still considered the biggest stocks in the world with the largest market share.
Google is reportedly planning to release a more substantial virtual reality product akin to Samsung's Gear VR, later this year. The planned the VR product is presumed to be a successor to the Cardboard VR viewer released in 2014.

Google cardboard provides two plastic lenses and just holds the smart phone in the right position to function as a VR device. Meanwhile, Microsoft's HoloLens aims at augmented reality and adds 3D computer-generated scenes to people's view of the real world. Apple has also reportedly structured a secret research group focused on virtual and augmented reality.

The planned move will further depict the growing interest of the tech companies towards VR promising to transport goggle wearing users to other 3D worlds. Facebook is about to release its Oculus Rift headset. Meanwhile, Sony, Samsung and HTC have also invested heavily for research and development in the technology, reports CNet.

The smart phone based headset incorporating improved sensors and lenses will be housed in a solid plastic casing instead of a cardboard. It won't be wholly reliant on the equipment built into smart phone. But most of the processing power will be provided from the smart phone, according to a report published in The Verge.
Android's new update, the version 6.0 Marshmallow was first introduced in May 2015 under the codename Android M. The version was released not long after that in October 2015. As for now, most Android devices has experienced the new version, which focus is to improve the overall user experience of the previous Android update, Lollipop. To achieve a better experience, Google has come up with several new features that deserves highlight.



Google Now on Tap allows users to access Google Now without leaving a current app or screen. According to Android Origin, Google Now will search for keywords on the current screen and present the results from a range of relevant results, including Yelp, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, IMDb, and more. The results will take users directly to the relevant page.



Fingerprint sensor will also be supported by the software in Android 6.0 Marshmallow with a standard API that will be valid for fingerprint sensors. Besides unlocking the device, fingerprint sensor and support could also be used to authorize financial transactions via Android Pay, among other things.



Neuro Gadget listed Doze as one of Android Marshmallow's remarkable feature. With Doze, users would not have to worry about battery life as much. The new feature available in Android 6.0 will boost the device's battery life by preventing apps to send or receive data when the screen is off, without disabling cellular network or Wi-Fi connection.



With Doze, Marshmallow devices only lose an average of 3-5 percent battery life overnight, compared to an average of 15-25 percent in other devices, as reported by AndroidPIT. It should be noted also that this feature is not the same with the battery saving mode that comes with the device, so users can save even more battery life.



Determined to support the newest innovation of things, Marshmallow also supports USB Type-C. The innovation does not stop there, because the Type-C support and the new USB Power Delivery specification enables Marshmallow devices to reverse-charge other devices.



One other worth-mentioning new changes brought by Marshmallow is the support for microSD cards as storage. Google removed support for microSD cards in its Android KitKat version. In Android Lollipop, Google revealed partial support for the storage, because of concerns over security. Marshmallow users wouldn't have to worry about security while enjoying the external expandable storage because Marshmallow allows mircoSD cards to be formatted to be used only on a specific device.



The Android version 6.0 Marshmallow was released back in late 2015. However, many users still don't know about the new features. The new version features highlight user interface improvement in Google Now, performance management in Doze, security improvement with fingerprint sensor support, new innovations with USB Type-C, as well as storage improvement with microSD cards.
The Justice Department announced on Friday that HSBC has agreed to pay $470 million to settle the mortgage and foreclosure abuses that have rendered many people homeless and, overall, added to the slowing economy.

The complaints against HSBC's banking practices, like robosigning and bad loan structure, culminated into mass anger, in the face of the financial crisis which saw tens of thousands of Americans losing their homes to foreclosure. In 2013, the bank had apologized for the wrongful doings of its US branch and entered into an agreement with Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to pay $249 million, according to US News. The institution had agreed that they should have dealt with the matter differently and not driven so many people out of their homes.

Now, the current settlement that has reached $470 million also requires the bank meet certain standards for their customers, especially in the areas of loan servicing and foreclosure handling. Virginia, along with 48 other states, took help of establishments like the District of Columbia, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to finally arrive at this settlement.

"Mortgage servicers have a responsibility to help struggling borrowers remain in their home, not to push them into foreclosure," said Helen Kanovsky, general counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. "This agreement is another example of how multiple agencies in the federal government and state attorneys general across the country are working to make sure the mortgage industry treats consumers fairly."

More than 3100 borrowers in Virginia are to receive $2.42 million as a direct payment from the bank while others are entitled to receive loan modifications and other reliefs as per the agreement. According to The Hill, from the $470 million, $59.3 million is meant for the escrow fund set up by the 49 states that took action against HSBC's ways of arm-twisting people out of their homes in 2008-2012. Another $200 million will cover the investigation costs incurred by the state attorneys and a $40.5 million will be provided to pay the federal fines.

"This settlement illustrates the department's continuing commitment to ensure responsible mortgage servicing," Benjamin Mizer stated, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division, as per Richmond Times. "The agreement is part of our ongoing effort to address root causes of the financial crisis."

Additionally, an independent body will be appointed to monitor the bank's compliance with the revised standards of service and terms of settlement. HSBC is not the first financial institution to land itself in this situation through unjust practices. The 2012 National Mortgage Settlement is a prime example where five of the world's leading mortgage servicers paid more than $50 billion to the abused mortgage loan borrowers.
Qube Holdings Ltd. upped their bid offer for Asciano Ltd. by adding a bigger cash component. The bid value now stands at approximately $6.4 billion (A$ 9 billion), surpassing the offer made by competition, Canada's Brookfield Asset Management Inc., who was already enjoying a favorable position as a potential buyer.

Chairman Chris Corrigan has swooped in with an extremely tempting proposal, comprising $7.04 cash and 1 Qube share - an implied value of $9.24, as per Business Insider. This resulted in Asciano's value touching almost $9 billion. This has definitely overshadowed Brookfield's bid of $6.94 in cash and 0.0387 of its listed units, which almost comes to $8.85 per Asciano share - an offer that had already been accepted by the Asciano board. It is now unclear whether the outbid company will come back with revised offer given the regulatory hurdles.

In its bid for Asciano, Brookfield had formed alliance with British Columbia Investment Management Corporation and Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The plan was each of the investors would get an 11% stake in the selling company. However, now there's "no certainty that a new Brookfield Infrastructure proposal would be made or the timing of such a proposal," as Asciano succinctly mentioned in its statement.

Qube is now leading a strong consortium comprising Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Global Infrastructure Partners and China Investment Corporation. These members are looking at acquiring the rail business of Asciano. Qube is also ready to part with $2.65 billion to take over Asciano's Patrick container terminal business and a 50% stake in the ports business, Australian Amalgamated Terminals. The remaining portion - mainly the auto and ports services businesses and the rest of ACFS Port Logistics Pty Ltd - will be sold off.

Their chairman is hugely optimistic about the acquisition plans. He believes that synergies and business improvement strategies for a couple of years would reap big benefits in the form of $30 million to $50 million a year.

Following all the deal chatter, Asciano's shares went up by 2.3%, as reported by Bloomberg. The company seems to be inclined towards the superior Qube offer, but on the flip side switching from Brookfield would entitle the company to a break fee amount of A$88 million from Asciano.

Currently, both the offers are being reviewed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. The regulatory establishment plans to invite public comments on Brookfield and Asciano offers, and is likely to announce the decision by February 18.
One of India's largest startup, Zomato, announced that it has broken even in India as well as six other big markets, including the UAE, Lebanon, Qatar, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The restaurant finder and e-commerce app company also stated that it will become profitable in a few months.



According to The Economic Times of India Times, the achievement is due to growth in core advertisement business that resulted in increase in revenues. Other factor that significantly supported the startup's growth is tighter financial controls. The financial controls include keeping tabs on every little spending the company do, also keeping an effective team and not hiring more people.



Zomato has successfully expand its service to 23 countries, including the U.S, Canada, and Australia. This makes the startup one of very few Indian startups to succeed in foreign markets, while other Indian e-commerce startups are struggling to find investors.



According to Forbes, Zomato is now valued at over $1 billion, with a total of $225 million supports from some big names including Sequoia Capital, Singapore's Temasek Holdings, and India's Info Edge. And when the startup become profitable by mid-2016, Zomato will be the first Indian e-commerce unicorn to become profitable.



Zomato Founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal stated that by then, they would not need funding anymore to keep on going. "The fundamental model of our business is that in mature markets we should make profits and they shouldn't need any more outside money to grow," Goyal revealed the company's success. Our unwavering focus is making money, the bulk of our revenues comes from advertising, and we have doubled our ad revenues in the last four months while keeping costs stable," he added.



Goyal also revealed that Zomato expects revenue both from India and foreign markets. India advertisements contribute to 35 percent of the company's revenues, but Goyal considered that overseas markets have a bigger potential. He revealed that all foreign markets have a combined size 14 times bigger that that of India.



MoneyControl reported that Zomato is planning to start another round of funding in April. This time, the company will raise $200 million to expand its food delivery service. Chinese tech giants such as Baidu and Alibaba Group has been reported to have interests and discussions to invest in Zomato.



Zomato was founded in 2008, but the food delivery business had just started last year. If indeed the company succeeded in being profitable, Zomato will be the first Indian e-commerce unicorn to achieve that amid difficulties in securing investors let alone breaking even in several markets, including foreign markets.
National Bank of Canada (NBC) has warned for decrease in the regulatory capital level on its business activities on Sunday. The warning from NBC follows imposition of moratorium on business activity of one of its foreign investments, the German unit of Maple Financial Group.

The imposition appears to be a regulatory effort by BaFin, the financial watchdog of Germany. The niche investment bank in Frankfurt has played a prominent role in attempts by the Porsche family to take over Volkswagen several years ago.

BaFin has ordered for a halt to financial transactions by Maple Bank, the German subsidiary of Maple Financial Group of Canada. The German regulator's effort takes place while the bank is reportedly over indebted with around 2.6-billion ($2.9-billion). Maple Bank has also been facing investigation for tax dodging that led to raids on bank offices in September.
Two more Russians banks have been revoked its banking license as the country is entering into slow economic phase. According to the latest statement released by the Bank of Russia, the two banks are Interkommerzbank and Alta Bank.

Based on the report by the Russian News Agency, the banks' license was revoked because the institutions failed to meet the new stricter guideline enforced by the Russian government. The news agency confirmed that Interkommerzbank capital is currently below the authorized capital minimum which is 2 percent.

The banks have been identified by the Bank of Russia to have been improperly handing their investment risk. Besides that, the banks have also been identified by the authority to have been involved in a questionable transaction operation which will be investigated further by the authority.

Interkommerz is currently Russia's 67th bank by assets and 34th in place with the most retail deposit according to the data reported by CNBC. However, the position does not mean anything as currently the government is slowly consolidating the banking sector to strengthen the country's economic power.

The move has been criticized as unfair by many critics because it does not allow any small banks to operate as reported by The New York Times. However, the Central Bank denied it and said that the move is crucial in creating great long-term stability.

This is proof as the Central Bank has previously revoked the banking license for Vneshprombank which is rank among the top 50 bank with the biggest assets in Russia. According to the data compiled, the bank operates a total of 70 billion rubles or $915 million in retail deposits.

Vneshprombank also holds few elite Russian politician as their clients but that did not stop the Central Bank. According to the report, the bank has been actively involved in money-laundering activities that make the bank illegal to operate. However, with the assistance from Deposit Insurance Agency, the bank's client able to get some of its deposit back.

For last year alone, Central Bank revoked 4 banking license that ranked in the top 100 list in assets size. The four banks are NOTA-Bank, Rossiyskiy Kredit Bank, Probusinessbank, and Sudostroitelny Bank.

Despite the revoked license, both Interkommerzbank and Alta Bank clients are given a chance to recover back their assets up to 1.4 million rubles ($18,207) before the banks are closed. Currently, there are still 798 credit institutions with a banking license operating in Russia and with the recent crackdown by the Central Banks, more banks' licenses are expected to be revoked.
STAR FILE PHOTO A ground crew watches as an E-2C Hawkeye returns to a hangar after landing at Naval Base Ventura County in 2012.

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By Bartholomew Sullivan

WASHINGTON  Big changes are underway this year for Naval Base Ventura County.

In the weeks ahead the Coast Guard is moving from Los Angeles International Airport to the base; the Airborne Command, Control and Logistics Wing is expanding its early-warning aircraft squadrons; and the Point Mugu Surfing Contest is returning after a four-year hiatus.

Major construction at the base has been ongoing with the renovation of existing buildings, and efforts continue to make room for the first Triton unmanned aerial drone command at a West Coast venue.

"The idea of bringing more commands to Naval Base Ventura County is important to make sure it stays here," said Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village, whose district is home to the combined base of Port Hueneme and Point Mugu. "The Triton is coming and will have a West Coast home for the first time ever."

The Triton operation at Point Mugu will be a maintenance detachment to deal with a fleet of drones driven around the world from consoles in Jacksonville, Florida, and later from a base in Washington state, Navy Lt. Briant Becote in Jacksonville said. It will have about 150 personnel.

The Coast Guard, which has been at LAX since 1962, lost its lease this year and will be moving its MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopters to what's called a forward operating base at Mugu, Coast Guard spokesman Dan Dewell said. The move is "to bridge the gap" while a new permanent location is under review, he said.

Brownley said it's her goal to persuade the Coast Guard to make the move to Ventura County permanent.

Point Mugu, home to the Airborne Command, Control and Logistics Wing and its four squadrons of E-2C Hawkeyes, is also growing in the years ahead, Cmdr. Norman N. Presecan said.

Each squadron has four airplanes, and a fifth squadron, currently in Japan, will be moving to Point Mugu in 2017. Three years after that the plan is for each of the squadrons to have five of the advanced E-2D surveillance aircraft, Presecan said.

"An E-2C Squadron has four aircraft and approximately 150 personnel assigned (including 25 aircrew)," Presecan said in a follow-up email. "An E-2D Squadron has five aircraft and about 170 personnel (including 30 aircrew)."

The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, at China Lake and Point Mugu, has added 533 people  all civilians  over the past two years. Of those, 164 were at Point Mugu, public affairs spokeswoman Kimberly E. Brown said.

"We continue to hire, mostly for science and engineering professional and technical positions, and expect to continue a slow, steady growth over the next couple of years, but don't have projected numbers," Brown said later in an email.

In addition the Naval Surface Warfare Center will hire about 300 new employees, said Michelle Heaton, director of corporate communications. The bulk of the hiring is focused on engineers  primarily electrical, some mechanical and computer engineers.

Heaton said that over the next three to five years the center plans to hire about 200 new employees each year. The command also will make use of a program for hiring summer interns, including about 40 to be brought on this summer.

The base also plans to reinstate two programs operated by its Morale, Welfare and Recreation program that were suspended because of the automatic budget-cutting called sequestration in 2013, spokesman Dan Alpern said.

Initially the restored 5K "Mud Run" on May 7, co-sponsored by the Naval Construction Training Center at Port Hueneme, will be open only to authorized base personnel. But it should open to the public in 2017, Alpern said.

Back for the first time since 2012, the Point Mugu Surfing Contest will take place Aug. 13-14 for 140 contestants in under-18 junior, women's, military and open divisions, Alpern said. Registration will open sometime this spring.

Point Mugu's south-facing beach has "world class" waves, according to Wannasurf.com, enhanced by a submarine canyon that channels energy for some of the best waves in California. In the past the surf contest has attracted top talent, such as surfing pros Dane Reynolds, of Ventura, and Australian Stephanie Gilmore, Alpern said.

The contest is "an effort to have better community relations with the surfing population and give them access so they don't have to sneak onto it," Alpern said. "It is a very cool event."
ROB VARELA/THE STAR Jane Laut on the second day of her trial at the Ventura County Courthouse.

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By Staff Reports

The murder trial of Jane Laut, accused of shooting husband Dave Laut on Aug. 27, 2009, at their Oxnard home, continued in its second week in Ventura County Superior Court. The Star will be providing weekly recaps of the trial, as well as live updates at www.vcstar.com/laut-trial.

MONDAY

Proceedings were postponed for the next two days because a juror fell ill.

TUESDAY

No proceedings.

WEDNESDAY

Court was back in session with all jurors and alternates. Sandra Plymire, a Oxnard Police officer who interviewed Laut at the Raft Lane home on Aug. 28, 2009, testified. Plymire said Laut told her she and her husband heard a "bump" on the side of the house. Jane Laut said her husband went outside and she saw "two figures" at the side yard. Plymire also testified Laut washed her hands before a gunshot residue test was conducted. Plymire said the test kit "went missing" in evidence because she failed to place a bar code on the package.

THURSDAY

Prosecutor Rameen Minoui played a video of an interview with Laut conducted by former homicide detective Erik Mora. In the video, Laut said she and her husband each had a $100,000 life insurance policy, which she and Dave had not changed or increased for about 10 years. During the interview, Jane Laut became more emotional and told Mora she wanted to see her son. She also denied killing Dave. Sonia Sanchez, an investigator with the Ventura County District Attorney's Office who was an Oxnard police homicide detective in 2009, also testified. Sanchez said she collected Laut's clothing and noticed two small contusions on Laut's inner left arm. Sanchez said she did not take a picture of Laut's arm, but noted the contusions in her report.

FRIDAY

Oxnard Police detective Jeff Kay testified about the crime scene. Kay said he saw two pieces of flesh with hair on top of trash cans that were near Dave Laut's body. Kay said the highest blood spatter evidence he found in the north side yard area was about 3 1/2 to 4 inches from the ground. Kay also testified about financial statements found at the home. One of the documents was a notice from Oxnard Union High School District that was addressed to Dave. The letter said Dave Laut's wages would be garnished to pay off a bill from the state Franchise Tax Board in the amount of $17,685, Kay said. Kay also testified a Ruger .22-caliber revolver was found inside the Lauts' grandfather clock. Prosecutors said that was the gun Jane Laut used to intentionally shoot and kill her husband.
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As I watched the craziness and passion of the Iowa caucuses and the excitement around this year's first primary races  Cruz's victory, Trump's disappointing show and the Clinton/Sanders tie  the surprise of the night was Marco Rubio's unexpected success.

His optimistic, unifying campaign message and young Reaganesque persona is in sharp contrast to the divisive rhetoric and negative personal attacks. For the GOP faithful, there are many candidates remaining worthy of support, but it's Marco Rubio who's positioned himself to ride a strong, optimistic campaign into a November victory. Here's my Rubio-inspired vision for Election Night, Nov. 8.

It is 11:13 p.m. EST, when both Fox News and NBC have given the presidential race to Marco Rubio. The enthusiastic crowd applauds as his family joins him on the stage. His hands raised in victory, his ready smile unleashed on his supporters and an attentive, national TV audience, Marco Rubio addresses America:

"Thank you America! As you know, Fox News and NBC have called the election in our favor. Hillary Clinton has graciously called to congratulate me. She's run a hard campaign, and I applaud her efforts and the work of so many Americans who supported her.

"I told you that I would unite our party in support of conservative principles and long-standing American values, and we have! But now, it's time to come together and unite America in doing the work required to unleash our economy and the innovation of our citizens. American caring is not defined by the number of citizens dependent on government programs, but by the strength and vitality of our economy that creates jobs and lets more citizens earn their own American dream.

"For those of you who did not vote for me, I'm your president, too. I don't ask you to believe in me. I ask you to believe in yourselves. The success of America does not depend on what happens here in Washington as much as what happens in your homes, whether in Iowa, New Hampshire, Texas or California. My parents came here as immigrants and worked hard to achieve their own dream. As your first Hispanic-American president, I'm a living testament to what America means to a young boy who was told that anyone can become president. I believed it, and now I'm living it.

"In far too many cases, it's the attackers and the complainers who get the headlines. But this is not the America I've come to know campaigning across this great land. The media underestimates the strength and character of you, our citizens. You want a country you can proud of again, and I promise to work together with you to deliver on that vision.

"I'll be working with President Obama to make a smooth transition. I'll be busy finding like-minded leaders to join my cabinet and fill critical positions in my administration. I believe in collaborative problem solving. In my administration, we're open to solutions from wherever they come. You'll be happy to know that I'll keep my 'executive actions' to a minimum.

"Thank you for giving me a House and Senate I can work with. We've heard your message loud and clear. You want more than talk; you want action. I have a track record of working with my colleagues in the Senate and in Congress. We'll work together with our Democratic colleagues where we can. Let's work to disagree without being divisive or disagreeable.

"I know I'm the only thing between you and a celebration party. First, let me thank you for all you did to make this night possible. You've been amazing. I also want to thank my family for their support, encouragement, and their undying belief in me. It's time to party! May God bless America, and may God bless you and yours!"

Attacking others may get you coverage and headlines, but it won't lead America to a future we can be proud of. John W. Gardner wisely said, "The first and last task of a leader is to keep hope alive." There's nothing "establishment" about Marco Rubio. He's the son of a Cuban immigrant who wants to ensure that the American dream remains strong for future generations. As long as he stays focused on keeping hope alive, he may do just that.

Terry Paulson, of Agoura Hills, is a speaker and author of "The Optimism Advantage." Email him at terry@terrypaulson.com.


The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) unveiled four electronic vehicle charging stations to serve visitors and convention delegates at the Las Vegas Convention Center, that nations third largest convention center (Pictured: The LVCVAs Hugh Sinnock, vice president of customer experience; Robert Jones, director of engineering; Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of operations; and Walter Laub, senior manager of engineering, celebrate the new electric vehicle charging stations at the Las Vegas Convention Center)  Photo credit: Las Vegas News Bureau, Darrin Bush).

Photo credit: Las Vegas News Bureau, Darrin Bush.

The stations were made possible through a $50,000 grant made earlier this year by the Consumer Electronics Association, (CEA), owner and producer of the International CES, the worlds largest annual innovation event. As part of International CES, which is held every January at the Las Vegas Convention Center, CEA provides funding to local organizations to advance clean energy and sustainable living.

Photo credit: Las Vegas News Bureau, Darrin Bush.

CEA has been a great partner with the Las Vegas community throughout its 35+ years in the destination, said Terry Jicinsky, the LVCVAs senior vice president of operations. Were proud to be able to offer visitors another green option at the Las Vegas Convention Center while also representing the innovation and ingenuity in the consumer electronics industry.

Photo credit: Las Vegas News Bureau, Darrin Bush.

The International CES is proud and thankful to call Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention Center home, and we at CEA are committed to helping Las Vegas be green, said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. These electric vehicle charging stations will benefit Las Vegas for years to come.

Located in the Gold parking lot next to the Visitor Information Center, these are the first electric vehicle charging stations at the convention center and will be used as a prototype for future stations as the demand increases. The level 2 universal chargers have an amperage of 40A and voltage of 208/240VAC. The covered charging stations are provided as a complimentary service to visitors.


Hip-hop artist Ne-Yo hosted an epic party and celebrated Big Game weekend last night at Chateau Nightclub & Rooftop at Paris Las Vegas (Pictured: DJ Shadow Red, Ne-Yo and Darian Morgan  Photo credit: Joey Olvera).

Photo credit: Joey Olvera.

The Las Vegas native arrived at the club with an entourage of friends around midnight, wearing dark jeans, a red Coca-Cola T-shirt and black sweater with his signature gold chains, red baseball hat and sunglasses. The artist greeted the crowd of pumped up football fanatics before heading off to a VIP booth, where he partied the night away while taking in the surrounding panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip.

Photo credit: Joey Olvera.

Ne-Yo is best known for topping the charts with his hit singles, So Sick and Let Me Love You, and most recently for his newer single, She Knows.

MLB star Kyle Barraclough, of the St. Louis Cardinals, and BETs Darian Big Tigger Morgan were also spotted at the club celebrating Big Game weekend into the early hours of Sunday morning.


Las Vegas photographer Erik Kabik caught up with Jersey Shore star Mike The Situation Sorrentino as he arrived to dine at Rare 120 restaurant at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino tonight in Las Vegas (Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com).

Sorrentino is in town with Drew Adelam, Founder and President of Devotion Vodka, who has brokered a deal with The Situation as their spokesman for the Casein-infused Vodka.

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com

Photo:  Erik Kabik/ RETNA/ www.erikkabik.com
Caesars Palace turned into a major celebrity hot-spot yesterday, Thursday, April 18, 2013 as celebrities visiting Las Vegas to attend CinemaCon were spotted all over the resort and casino. Many of the A-list stars stopped in some of the hotels best restaurants during their stay including winners of CinemaCons Comedy Duo of the Year Award, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, and Lifetime Achievement Award-winner, Harrison Ford.

Owen Wilson experienced Restaurant Guy Savoy prior to the CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards yesterday where he dined on world-renowned Chef Guy Savoys signature artichoke and black truffle soup and crispy line-caught French sea bass with delicate spices. He later was seen dining with co-star of The Wedding Crashers Vince Vaughn at the brand-new Nobu Restaurant and Lounge Caesars Palace.

Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace hosted radio and television personality and star of Access Hollywood, Billy Bush.

Caesars Palace is currently gearing up for the Grand Opening of the one-of-a-kind Nobu Hotel Restaurant and Lounge, with other celebrity-centric festivities scheduled to take place next Sunday, April 28, 2013.

Harrison Ford was also spotted yesterday at Caesars Palace enjoying coffee at world-famous Chef Francois Payards Payard Patisserie & Bistro.
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New Years Eve is considered a sacred moment. Vietnamese people are willing to forget all past problems and quarrels to start a new year.



Historian Duong Trung Quoc said, The lunar new year festival means a new beginning. The night of the last day of the lunar year is a moment of change between heaven and earth and among gods and people themselves. In the new year people are one year older, have more memories and head for the future. People consider New Years Eve a sign of the future.

Half a month before Tet, people begin to clean up and refurbish their houses and furniture. Nguyen Hung Long, a retired teacher in Hanoi said,The tradition of welcoming the new year, I think, stemmed from the Vietnamese thinking of leaving unwanted things behind in the hope of good luck for the family in the new year. Men often assume the task of cleaning up and decorating the ancestral altar and women prepare meals on the last day of the year as a token of respect to their ancestors.



Folklorist Dinh Phuong Duy said, The worshipping of ancestors on New Years Eve is to report to them the familys merits in the year. Family members then enjoy the meal blessed by their ancestors. Vietnamese people are always grateful to their ancestors and educate their children on this tradition.

The afternoon of the last day of the year is always the most cheerful moment as family members meet for a meal together. The children tell their grandparents and parents of their work during the year and the elderly never forget to remind their children of what should be done in the coming year. Unwanted things will be set aside to welcome a new year of hope.
Supreme Court to rule on Obama's use of executive authority on immigration
Civil society groups are calling for Laos Don Sahong hydropower dam project to be discussed when Southeast Asian leaders meet with U.S. President Barack Obama next week.

Leaders of the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states will converge on the Sunnylands estate in California on Feb 15-16. The unprecedented U.S.-hosted summit comes amid increased efforts by the Obama administration to increase its security and economic presence in the region, where it wants to balance the influence of a rising China.

Environmental campaigners in Cambodia said the meeting would also provide a chance for countries of the region to appeal for American assistance or mediation on the awkward issue of hydropower on the Mekong river, the lower reaches of which have not yet been dammed.

This hope was expressed by nongovernmental organizations to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on his visit to Cambodia last month. Kerrys itinerary on the trip also included Laos and China, two countries through which the Mekong runs before reaching Cambodia.

Of immediate concern for these groups is the plan to construct a 260-megawatt facility known as the Don Sahong dam at a site in southern Laos just 1.5 kilometers from the Cambodian border.

The governments of both Cambodia and Vietnam have raised concerns about the potential impacts downstream, where millions of people rely on the Mekongs fish for protein.

Chhith Sam Ath, country director for the World Wildlife Fund in Cambodia, said that work on the dam should at least be suspended while Lower Mekong countries discuss the issue.

Cambodia has Irrawaddy Dolphins in the Mekong, which may swim back and forth between Cambodia and Laos, he told VOA Khmer. It also is one of the countries in Asia that has the most fish. These fish contain protein that supports millions of people.

As well as providing sustenance for many people, the undisturbed Mekong and the wildlife found in it bring in valuable tourism, he said, adding that all of this could be lost if a dam disrupts the rivers delicate ecosystem.

We are worried that the Don Sahong dam will affect our efforts to protect dolphins, as well as about fish migration, water quality and the livelihoods of millions of people, Sam Ath said.

I hope the critical issue of the dam will be put on the table during the upcoming U.S.-Asean meeting, he added. This dam is the big issue that we need to talk about and carefully consider.

As well as the proposed Don Sahong dam, Laos is already constructing the Xayaburi dam further north along the main stream of the Mekong river. Another 10 dams are also proposed by Laos, which has pushed ahead with hydropower projects despite opposition from the downstream countries.

Official protests have been lodged through the Mekong River Commission, a multilateral body formed out of a 1995 agreement between Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

But another multilateral mechanism might hold more hope for an effective intervention over Laos hydropower plans.

The U.S.-funded Lower Mekong Initiative was created in 2009 after a meeting between then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The initiative touts environment and water among its six pillars, through which it hopes to foster cooperation between the countries of the sub-region.

We are working diligently to develop sustainable development practices on the Mekong River, Kerry told reporters in Phnom Penh on Jan. 26. And we have the Lower Mekong Initiative, which focuses on many of these issues and joining all of the countries together.

According to the U.S. State Department, the initiatives programs include the development of a tool to model the impacts of the climate change and other environmental challenges in the sub-region.

Tek Vannara, director of the NGO Forum on Cambodia, said that while about 60 million people rely directly on the Lower Mekong, some 300 million live in its periphery and should therefore be concerned about the potential impacts of a dam like Don Sahong.

He said the American government could, through the Lower Mekong Initiative, play an important role in creating an atmosphere in which the countries on the river can talk constructively about the dam.

We want the program to focus on energy development and environmental protection, he added.

We want [the U.S.] to give us technical and financial support, or a mechanism to preserve the Mekong river, because protecting water resources well and using water with equity can guarantee food security in the Mekong region.

Vannara said he was drafting a letter to Obama and the sub-regions leaders, and other bodies, requesting that the Don Sahong project be on the agenda at Sunnylands.

Luy Rasmey, executive director of the Culture and Environment Preservation Associationbased in Stung Treng, the Cambodian province opposite the Don Sahong dam sitetold VOA Khmer that local communities concerns should be raised at the high-level meeting next week.

[The dam] would have a lot of impact on the people who are relying on the river resource, she said.
As Prime Minister Hun Sen prepares for a meeting of ASEAN leaders with US President Barack Obama later this month, political analysts say the visit will be a good way for Cambodia to improve relations with the US.

Hun Sen and other leaders will meet Obama in Sunnylands, California, next week, to discuss trade and security issues.

The meeting follows the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to Cambodia in January. It also comes after a trip to China by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who, along with Hun Sen, has in recent days taken umbrage with suggestions the China trip was in response to the Kerry visit. Cambodia has shouldered criticism for its apparent siding with China during an ASEAN chairmanship in 2012.

China is a major source of aid and trade for Cambodia, but the US has tried in recent years to make more diplomatic inroads here and across Southeast Asia. Some analysts say that means a good opportunity for Cambodia to balance out its foreign policy.

While our economy is not strong enough and reliant upon other nations, it means that we cannot have a fully independent foreign policy, Chheang Vannarith, a lecturer in Asia-Pacific studies at Leeds University, told VOA Khmer. So we need to improve the economy and have many of development partners.

But that also requires national unity, he said. Political parties must have a joint stance for deeper dialogue related to foreign policies. If not, those parties could face frictions and disputes, while major powers will likely be taking sides with [differing] parties, which would lead to national turmoil.

Cambodia could gain from the current diplomatic environment, as its courted by both the US and China, he said. Kerrys visit, for example, focused on trade, something Cambodia needs more of. Chheang Vannarith warned that to balance between the two sides is to walk a very thin line that will require specialized diplomats. Still, he said, if we can maintain a neutral stance and balance, we can gain from both sides.

Kem Ley, a political analyst in Phnom Penh, said China and Cambodia have self-binding diplomatic ties, especially since Cambodia moved away from a forum for development aid in 2012, allowing it to work directly with donors. Since then, China has provided a lot of aid, but the balance of power has shifted, he said. That means that even if it wanted to, Cambodia could not do away with Chinese aid.

And since Cambodia needs more than a billion dollars a year to keep the government functioning, turning away its support or support for the South China Sea issue or ASEAN-China mechanisms is very hard, he said.

Hun Sen said in a speech Friday that Cambodia remains neutral, a message echoed by Hor Namhong. Kerry has not asked Cambodia to choose sides, the foreign minister told reporters last week.

Meanwhile, the Sunnylands summit, scheduled for Feb. 15 and Feb. 16, will provide a chance for more talks between regional leaders and the US on trade and security issues, likely including the South China Sea, where four ASEAN nations have overlapping claims with China. Hun Sen and chief members of his Cabinet will be there.

Chheang Vannarith said Cambodia is likely to employ silent diplomacy on the South China Sea issue, and will focus on expanding trade cooperation during the summit.

Kem Ley said Cambodias financial dependence on China does not allow for much room on the issue. Cambodia is still following the old path of diplomacy, one reminiscent of the 1960s, when the nation fully supported China, he said. Those relations have gone through various stages, as have those with the US, in ensuing years, through the fall of the Khmer Rouge and the rise of Cambodias nascent democracy.

Kem Ley said Cambodia now needs to be cautious. If we were independent and abided by the constitution, without favoring any nation and treating all countries with similar diplomacy, it would be a good thing, he said.

And he warned that favoring one side or the other could drag the country into a conflict one day. Poor diplomacy now could have repercussions for decades, he said. It is not different from Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt and Morocco.
The deputy chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission said the commission, contrary to Burundi opposition claims, did not abandon the people of Burundi at last week's AU summit by its failure to send peacekeepers to the country.

The exiled leader of the opposition Front for Democracy in Burundi (FRODEBU) accused the African Union and the international community of turning their backs on the people of Burundi while people were being killed by the government of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

Unrest in the country began when President Nkurunziza said he wanted a third term in office which is contrary to the two term limit in the country's constitution.

No peacekeeping troops to Burundi for now

AU deputy chairman Erastus Mwencha said the African leaders discussed Burundi in detail and decided to first give the dialogue process a chance before sending the peacekeepers.

Burundi was indeed actually discussed. Burundi made a case and the Peace and Security Council made its case. Of course government officials of Burundi indicated that they are making progress in all-inclusive talks and that peace and security is improving, and the member states decided to give them the benefit of the doubt, he said.

Delegation of African leaders to deal with Burundi

Mwencha said the African leaders want to set up a high-level delegation of African leaders to travel to Burundi and meet with officials about sending peacekeeping troops. Mwencha said the African Union is not trying to force itself into Burundi.

We still believe that the government has competence and capacity to change the situation on the ground, and we hope that the signals that they are getting from the international community about the concerns are impetus enough for Burundi to really make sure that peace and security returns, there is reconciliation, and the country returns to normalcy, Mwencha said.

Opposition not impressed

The exiled leader of FRODEBU Jean Minani told VOA last week that the African Union and the international community had turned their backs on the people of Burundi while, he said the people were being killed by the government of President Pierre Nkurunziza.

Mwencha said he urged Minani to carefully read the communique of the AU summit.

The African Union said on Friday it had appointed five heads of state to try to convince the government of Burundi to accept a peacekeeping force that its leader has rejected.

Violence in Burundi continues

Meanwhile, four people were killed on Saturday night, including a child selling boiled eggs at a bar, when three grenades exploded in the capital Bujumbura, residents said.

At least five people, including security personnel, were killed in separate attacks on Friday. FRODEBU claimed on Saturday its fighters were involved in the Friday killings.

Nine months of violence sparked by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term has left more than 400 people dead in a country that emerged from an ethnically charged civil war in 2005.
Algeria has adopted a new package of constitutional reforms that include limiting presidents to two terms and recognizing the language used by the Berbers as an official language of the North African country.

Parliament approved the reforms Sunday with 499 lawmakers voting in favor, two voting against and 16 abstaining. Some lawmakers boycotted the vote.

The changes reverse a 2008 reform that allowed 78-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to run for two additional terms.

The amendments also require the president to nominate a prime minister from the largest party in parliament.

The package of new reforms also calls for the creation of an independent electoral commission.

Opposition parties say the revisions contain some positives, but they lack real political reforms to lessen the influence of Bouteflika's ruling FLN party and the military.
As Iraqi and Kurdish forces increase their fight against Islamic State (IS) fighters near Mosul, a military unit of Iraqi Christians has joined them.

Currently stationed in the Tal Qasab area 72 kilometers northwest of Mosul, the Nineveh Plain Forces (NPF) was formed in September 2014 in response to IS control of Christian territories in northern Iraq.

It answers to the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, whose Peshmerga fighters are playing a leading role in the war against IS.

Sefa Ilyas Checo, the commander of NPF, said in an interview with VOA that his forces have battled alongside Kurdish Peshmergas who have provided weapons and training.

We are currently 600 trained fighters and more young Christians are ready to join, he said. We are ready to fight IS inside Mosul city.

Nineveh Plains is a region northeast of the city of Mosul and home to many Iraqi minorities such as Christians, Yazidis, Shabaks, and Turkmen. Reports estimate that between 150,000 and 200,000 Christians lived in the region before IS took over much of it.

Hopes for autonomy

The brigade wants to someday serve as the security force of an autonomous administration that Christians hope to establish in northern Iraq, Christian military commanders and political representatives told VOA.

Iraqs Council of Ministers had decided in 2014 to change the status of the Ninevah Plains from a province to a governorate. But with IS controlling key parts of the region, that change never happened.

Romeo Hakari, the secretary general of Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party (an Iraqi Christian party), told VOA that the NPF would become the basis for the defense force of the Christian autonomous administration to be established after IS removed from Mosul.

The initial goal of the force is to liberate Christian areas from IS, Hakari said. However, this force will become the core defense force of Nineveh Plains people after IS We want autonomy for the people of Nineveh Plains after the liberation of the area.

Khalid Jamal Albert, the General Director of Christian Affairs for Kurdistan Regions Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, told VOA that his government backs that idea.

It is early to talk about what the form the self-rule would be, he said, but the Kurdistan Regional Government supports self-rule for the people of Nineveh Plains.

Iraqi Christians divided

Rich with oil and other natural resources, the Ninevah Plains region has been racked by disputes between the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The disputes have divided Iraqi Christians over the fate of the region. And some Christian leaders are not happy that some Christian forces would join ranks with Iraqi fighters.

The forces under the Iraqi government are controlled by Shiite militias, said Romeo Hakari, leader of the Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party. Culturally, ethnically, and religiously, we cannot be a part of the forces supported by the Shiite militias.

But Hakari says it is in the best interest of Iraqi Christians to cooperate with the Kurdish regional government because it recognizes their rights of self-administration.

The draft constitution of the Kurdistan region recognizes the right of Christians, Turkmen, and other minorities of autonomy, Hakari said. We have a long history of being used as isolated militias by previous Iraqi governments. The current government want to make us a part of Shiite militia.

But Joseph Salioh, an Iraqi Christian who serves in the Iraqi parliament, said Christian forces should be allied with Kurdish and Iraqi entities.

We have interest in both sides, he said. We live among our Kurdish brothers and we have a lot in common with them. But whether we like it or not Kurdistan is a part of Iraq.
Syrian rebels in northern Syria have come under an intense weeklong bombing campaign by Russian warplanes.

The insurgents, who also have been trying to hold on in the face of a coordinated ground offensive by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, have sheltered in tunnels or taken cover in blast craters. One young rebel fighter told VOA about his ordeal and why he and many other fighters are withdrawing from the front.

For almost a quarter of his young life, 20-year-old Ahmad has been a fighter, but the fight has gone out of him. After enduring 400 airstrikes in four days in the villages of the northern countryside of Aleppo, where a devastating Syrian government offensive has been pressed, he withdrew from the frontline along with a hundred of his comrades.

Low morale

He said morale has dropped to rock bottom and militia commanders are trying to boost the confidence of the fighters. There is talk of forming a new Aleppo army, uniting the more moderate, less religious-based militias aligned to the Western-backed Free Syrian Army.

When the warplanes paused their bombing runs, there were skirmishes with combatants clashing just meters from each other.

The first day, the fight, it is easy. After that the second days and the third, it was very difficult. We lost a lot of people, a lot of friends, a lot of fighters, he said.

And the fourth day? The Russian warplanes razed everything in a three kilometer area. He told VOA that on the fourth day he was at the front, in a chain of villages north of the city of Aleppo, there were more than 400 airstrikes.

He said the fighters and civilians alike hid in tunnels dug before the offensive and in bomb craters. He said they could feel and hear the percussion of blasts. And the heat as well.

At one point he said they examined themselves quickly to make sure they had not been hit. Everything was being thrown at them  missiles, barrel bombs and sea mines, as well as vacuum and cluster bombs.

He said they became expert at distinguishing from the impact what had been fired at them.

Felt betrayed

A short young man, with dark eyes and black hair, he hardly has the need to shave yet. He flicks a cigarette nervously as we talk. When I ask him why he left on the fourth day, he goes quiet. There is a long pause.

He said that he and about another 100 fighters from the militia Nour al-Din al-Zenki withdrew not because of fear but because they felt they had been betrayed, let down by everybody who claimed to be the friends of Syria, meaning the U.S., the West and Gulf countries, as well as their own commanders.

He said the commanders of the Free Syrian Army militias and the hardline Islamist brigades, as well as al-Qaidas affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, should have set their differences aside and unified. Now it may be too late.
An American in a U.S. jail for his role in the 2008 terror attacks that killed 166 people in Mumbai, India, told an Indian court a Pakistan-based Islamic terror group made two failed attempts to mount terror strikes in the city in the months prior to the assault.

David Headley, who is serving a 35-year-sentence for his role in making preparations for the attacks, testified in an Indian court via video link from an undisclosed location in the United States.

Headleys deposition is expected to give India more ammunition as it continues to press Pakistan to act against those who planned the Mumbai terror strikes, which New Delhi has long blamed on the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Mumbai attacks

In 2008, 10 heavily armed gunmen mounted coordinated raids that lasted three days on the citys main rail station, a Jewish center and five-star hotels.

Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters Headley said he joined the LeT in 2002 after listening to lectures by Hafiz Saeed, the groups founder who urged waging jihad to free Kashmir from Indian rule.

They said they should do the jihad. Then I asked the meaning of jihad and he said to fight against the Indian army, Nikam quoted Headley as saying.

Headley has an American mother and a Pakistani father.

Nikam said Headley, who scouted for locations during seven visits to Mumbai prior to the strike, also revealed he met with officials of Pakistans spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence.

The 2008 attacks in Mumbai continue to strain relations between the two rivals, with India blaming Pakistan for not doing enough to punish those responsible, and Islamabad saying New Delhi has failed to provide sufficient evidence to win convictions.

Last week, the Indian foreign ministry reacted strongly after Saeed warned of more terror attacks of the kind mounted last month on an Indian air base in Pathankot.

"Saeed is a globally designated terrorist. It is a matter of grave concern that he can enjoy freedom in Pakistan," the statement said.

Tensions

The Pathankot attacks put strains on ties between the two countries just as they appeared to be improving.

Talks between their foreign secretaries have been postponed and no new date has been set for the dialogue.

Kiren Rijiju, Indias junior Home Minister, said Headley's testimony would lead to a logical conclusion in the Mumbai case.

Information provided by Headley, which included information about his background and the "working systems, supports, backups. ... It will help us," Rijiju said.

The United States has turned down Indias request for Headleys extradition, but a conditional pardon given by an Indian court in December allowed him to become a witness.

His deposition came in connection with the trial of an Indian national, Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari, who is allegedly one of the plotters in the Mumbai terror attacks.
Egypt has again denied police involvement in the killing of an Italian research student whose mutilated body was found early this month in the Egyptian capital.

Speaking Monday in Cairo, Egyptian Interior Minister Magdi Abdel Ghaffar rejected published Italian speculation that security forces played any role in the death of 28-year-old Giulio Regeni.

"There are many rumors repeated on pages of newspapers insinuating the security forces might be behind the accident," Abdel Ghaffar said. He went on to call the reports "unacceptable," saying, "Egyptian security agencies are known for integrity and transparency."

He also said an investigation of the death is under way.

Regeni  a Cambridge doctoral student researching Egypt's labor movement  was last seen January 25 as he headed to meet a friend in downtown Cairo. His body was found along a Cairo roadway February 3, in what authorities initially called a road accident.

Nails missing, fingers broken

After an initial examination in Cairo, the body was returned to Rome, where a second autopsy showed Regeni had suffered numerous fractures, including a broken neck, as well as stab wounds and cigarette burns.

Italy's La Repubblica newspaper reported Monday that Regeni's fingernails and toenails also had been ripped away and that all of his fingers had been broken.

International rights groups and their Egyptian allies have regularly accused Egypt's authoritarian security apparatus of torturing activists and Islamists  in some cases without ever having reported their arrests.

Numerous Italian news outlets quote Italian prosecutors as strongly suspecting that Egyptian police interrogated Regeni about his contacts with activists before torturing and killing him.

Regeni's January 25 disappearance coincided with the anniversary of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled former autocrat president Hosni Mubarak and led to the eventual rise of army chief Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to the presidency.

The army leader seized power in a 2013 coup that ousted Egypt's first freely elected president, Islamist Mohamed Morsi.

El-Sissi then launched a fierce crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands of Morsi supporters and activists.
North Koreas latest long range missile launch has Japan moving quickly to impose additional unilateral sanctions against Pyongyang.

I think its going to be a matter of hours, not days, before the Japanese government comes up with a list of sanctions to be imposed against North Korea, said Tomohiko Taniguchi, an advisor to the cabinet of Japans prime minister on Monday.

Some key sanctions against North Korea which were previously eased by Japan are now expected to be tightened again.

"From the perspective of what would be the most effective method, the government is preparing to decide the specifics of a measure," the chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters on Monday.

Eased sanctions to be tightened

Among the sanctions that have been eased: a ban on senior officials of North Koreas de facto embassy from re-entering Japan after visiting North Korea.

The two countries have no diplomatic relations. The pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, known as Chosen Soren, for decades has served as the tolerated conduit between Tokyo and Pyongyang.

Japan is now expected to reimpose a lower threshold of three million yen (about $25,500) for reporting of remittances to North Korea from Japan. It is currently relaxed at 30 million yen ($255,000).

Sources say the list of people connected to North Korea and banned from entering Japan is also likely to be expanded.

Stronger financial sanctions

Tokyo, in concert with Seoul and Washington, is also looking at tightening financial sanctions on North Korea.

A range of sanctions, taken individually and collectively by a number of nations and U.N. resolutions, appear to have done little to dissuade North Koreas young leader, Kim Jong Un, from defying widespread international condemnation.

Japanese official scolds Kim Jong Un

It may be that the international community should have paid more attention to what the naughty boy in North Korea wishes to do, Taniguchi told VOA during an interview at the official residence of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

North Koreas multi-stage rocket flew over Japans southern island of Okinawa on Sunday morning before placing an object into orbit around the Earth.

Japans self-defense forces deployed PAC-3 surface-to-air batteries after North Korea revealed plans for the launch, but the Patriot missile units did not attempt to engage on Sunday.

PAC-3 is there to shoot down flying objects of any sort that could do any harm to Japan and the people. The final analysis proved that those dangers were not imminent, Taniguchi told VOA.

United Nations meeting

Japan, along with the United States and South Korea, called for Sundays emergency session of the U.N. Security Council. The Japanese ambassador to the U.N., Motohide Yoshikawa, said the time for dialogue is over and called for more pressure in the form of a robust Security Council resolution to stop Pyongyang.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power, following the Sunday closed-door session, said the Security Council members were united in condemning the illegal missile launch in defiance of resolutions of the world body.

In a posting on Twitter, Power said: Nobody fooled by peaceful earth observation nonsense.

North Korea has described its Sunday launch as a peaceful act to place an earth observation satellite into orbit.

Debate over North Korea's technological progress

A space engineering specialist has told Japans quasi-official NHK network that Sundays launch reveals the North Koreans may have developed a more powerful version of a long-range ballistic missile.

The first and second stages of the rocket fell minutes earlier than observed during North Koreas December 2012 launch, an indication the missile used a more powerful engine which consumed fuel more quickly, said Daido University president Akira Sawaoka.

Sawaoka, a senior counselor for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, called the technological progress the North has made in the last five to six years significant and not to be underestimated.

Others however, say it is premature to conclude Sundays launch marks a significant advancement.

Analyzing a preliminary overlay of the exterior imagery of the latest vehicle on the launchpad with that of the Unha-3 rocket from four years ago we dont know how much tinkering went on inside, but the similar splash down zones in 2012 and 2016 makes me think  not too much, wrote Melissa Hanham in the armscontrolwonk.com blog. She is a senior East Asia research associate at the James Martin Center for Non-Proliferation Studies.

Some in the non-proliferation community say North Korea's intent is having a ballistic missile armed with a nuclear warhead capable of crossing oceans.

Sundays launch came one month after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, which it hailed as an underground detonation of a hydrogen bomb.

The United States and others have cast doubt on the blast being caused by a hydrogen weapon.

North Korea, meanwhile, is already planning its fifth nuclear test, according to reports in Seoul attributed to South Koreas National Intelligence Service. And a pro-North Korean newspaper in Tokyo is predicting further ballistic missile launches.

In the future as well, the world will see Kwangmyongsong-class satellites continue to blast off and soar high into the sky at a time and at the place determined by the Workers Party of Korea, according to the online edition of the Choson Sinbo.
Embattled Haitian President Michel Martelly left office Sunday as required by Haiti's constitution, ending his 5-year term with no one elected to replace him.

Ahead of Martelly's departure, the former pop music star told lawmakers in Port-Au-Prince that he is leaving office "to contribute to constitutional normalcy."

He then handed the reins of power to the leader of the heavily guarded national assembly, after an 11th hour deal under which lawmakers are expected to choose an interim president to take Martelly's place.

Prime Minister Evans Paul is Haiti's temporary leader until the provisional president is chosen.

The president's exit is the latest turn in a months-long political crisis triggered by a first round of elections in October that featured 54 candidates seeking to succeed Martelly.

Critics described those polls as rife with corruption and rigged in favor of the little-known ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise. Election tallies triggered protests across the capital and prompted opposition leaders to announce a boycott of any runoff polls.

A second round of voting has since been postponed twice over security concerns in and around the capital, leaving Haiti still struggling to establish a stable and enduring democracy 30 years after the overthrow of the Jean-Claude Duvalier dictatorship.

The presidential runoff vote has most recently been rescheduled for April 24. The winner is set to take office in May.

Analysts say the ongoing political turmoil has discouraged badly needed foreign investment in the country of 10 million people -- already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

The lack of foreign funds has in turn undercut efforts to recover from a 2010 earthquake that left parts of Port-Au-Prince in ruins.
A human rights group wants Egypt's president to condemn comments by his justice minister that appeared to advocate the mass killing of Muslim Brotherhood supporters.

In a letter Monday to President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Human Rights Watch said the president should make clear that his government does not endorse Justice Minister Ahmed al-Zind's remarks that he would not be satisfied until 10,000 Brotherhood members were killed for every slain member of the armed forces.



Al-Zind made the remarks on January 28 on satellite channel Sada al-Balad.The rights group said the interview was "widely shared" on social media.

HRW said "President el-Sissi should clarify that his government will ensure the prosecution of anyone who commits, orders, or assists in murder or other crimes against Brotherhood supporters or any other group because of their political or ideological affiliation."

The rights group said the government "should forcefully dissuade others from engaging in hate speech."

Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East and North African director, said "That a high government official charged with overseeing the rule of law would go on TV and appear to encourage the slaughter of political opponents shows how some members of the Egyptian government have abandoned any pretense of justice."

HRW said no Egyptian official has "clarified or contradicted" al-Zind's comments.

In 2013, then-army chief el-Sissi overthrew Egypt's first freely-elected president, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi, and promised a "roadmap to democracy."

He then launched a fierce crackdown on dissent, jailing thousands of Morsi supporters as well as activists at the forefront of the 2011 revolt that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule.
Islamic State has started cutting down trees in some parts of eastern Afghanistan in a timber-smuggling operation to neighboring Pakistan, according to Afghan officials and tribal leaders.

Locals in the Afghan province say the terror group has imported tree-cutting machines and has been cutting trees in the Achin, Naziyan and Dehbala districts of Nangahar province.

According to local residents, timber-loaded trucks are sent to Pakistan daily. Some of the timber is sold in local markets in Afghanistan.

"Smuggling takes place  in areas alongside the Durand Line," Malak Hashem, a tribal elder in Naziyan, told VOA, referring to the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Tribal leaders say the Afghan government is turning a blind eye to the smuggling.

"The government has done nothing in this regard," Malak Afsar, a tribal elder in Achin, told VOA. He added that timber is transported to market by locals who work as middlemen for IS.

A spokesman for the provincial government said the cutting of trees has not been raised with local government. However, the acting director of Nangarhar's agriculture directorate said he has heard the reports, but says the tree cutting continues only in one district.

"Dehbala is the only district where the tree cutting is still going on, and we are communicating with local elders in the district to stop it," said the director, who goes by the name Engineer Shakir.

Decades-long problem

Even though tree cutting and timber harvesting is illegal in Afghanistan, timber smuggling has been going on for decades, especially in eastern Kunar province, which borders Nangarhar.

According to Afghanistan's environmental protection agency, forests cover only about 2 percent of the country.

Experts estimate that Afghanistan loses at least 20,000 hectares each year. According to the United Nations Environmental Program, Afghanistan's forest cover has decreased by about 50 percent over the past three decades.

Several militant groups, including the Taliban, have been involved in the illegal timber business, officials say.

Mohammad Rafique, a local resident in Kunar, said timber is smuggled to Peshawar in Pakistan, as well as through Kandahar to Quetta and onward to Karachi and Lahore. Some of the timber is sent to Dubai from Karachi.

Local residents in Kunar say the IS militant group is attempting to establish footprints in the province. It reportedly has been recruiting locals to its ranks.
North Koreas defiant stance in the face of international condemnation over its rocket launch Sunday and its nuclear test last month are in some ways strengthening Kim Jong Uns position at home and abroad.

Domestically, the young leader is portrayed by the Norths tightly controlled state media as a strong leader defending the countrys sovereignty against hostile American and South Korean forces.

And Sundays rocket launch is described by state media outlets as a great technological achievement by a rapidly advancing nation that fills many North Koreans with pride.

Official media have published interviews with North Korean citizens praising the launch as a symbol of technological progress, however it is impossible to gauge the actual domestic support for the impoverished country's ambitious nuclear programs and missile launches.

The U.S. Joint Space Operations Center said North Korea's rocket launch put two objects in orbit, but it is unclear if either is sending out signals.

No signal has ever been detected from a similar North Korea satellite, launched in 2012, which orbits the Earth every 95 minutes. Pyongyang has said the 100 kg, metal satellite was equipped with cameras to send images back to Earth.

The United Nations Security Council Sunday condemned North Korea for testing ballistic missile technology under the guise of a satellite launch that contributes to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems.

U.N. Security Council resolutions have banned North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technology and have imposed four rounds of increasingly stronger sanctions since 2006.

Defiant abroad

Pyongyangs recent rocket launch and nuclear test sends a clear message to the international community that North Korea will not give up its nuclear deterrent.

In 2013 North Korea adopted the Byungjin (parallel development) policy of "economy and nuclear weapons" designating both as essential goals to maintain the countrys independence.

For the ruling Kim Jong Un family, the fall of Moammar Gaddafi of Libya in 2011, after he gave up his countrys nuclear weapons, was a cautionary tale that solidified their uncompromising nuclear position.

I dont think any kind of sanctions or anything else, other than force or some internal revolutionary change in North Korea, would get them off this track. Its part of their identity, said Daniel Pinkston, a lecturer in international relations with Troy University in Seoul.

Demand for sanctions

Following Sundays controversial launch, Washington and its allies reiterated demands for harsh economic sanctions that would impose real economic pain on North Korea by restricting shipping, aviation, and trade.

Chinas, the Norths key economic benefactor, is reluctant to go along with punitive measures that could destabilize the region.

Beijing reportedly only supports sanctions on the transfer or sale of military equipment or other items directly related to the Norths weapons program.

And it wants all sides to exercise restraint and resume international talks to address a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear standoff.

However, the Xi Jinping government is being seen as increasingly impotent and unable to exert any influence over its ally.

The Kim Jong Un government announced the planned rocket launch on the same day China sent envoy Wu Dawei to North Korea last week.

Even many Chinese see Pyongyangs disregard for Beijing as humiliating.

Theres criticism domestically, particularly online of Chinese saying, 'You know, what is going on? And how do we let the tail wag the dog, and how do we let our much weaker [and what] should be subservient ally get away with this stuff?'  said John Delury, a China and North Korea analyst at Seoul's Yonsei University.

Arms race

The United States and South Korea issued a statement soon after the launch, announcing they would begin formal talks about deploying the sophisticated Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) to the Korean peninsula.

Japan also said it is considering THAAD to enhance its defenses. The North Korean rocket on Sunday flew over Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture.

THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. It has so far proven effective against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

China has voiced opposition to a further military buildup on the Korean peninsula and particularly to the THAAD system, whose radar could penetrate Chinese territory.

On Sunday Beijings foreign ministry said China is "deeply concerned" over the announced negotiations and said the missile defense system will escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the region.
U.S. President Barack Obama says he is concerned, but not surprised, by North Korea's rocket launch Sunday.

In a CBS interview that aired Monday, Obama said, "I think we have been concerned about North Korea's behavior for a while. This is an authoritarian regime. It's provocative. It has repeatedly violated U.N. resolutions, tested and produced nuclear weapons and now they are trying to perfect their missile launch system."

Obama said he talked with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, before the launch, "about the need to really tighten the noose on them."

He said the United States is also consulting with South Korea "for the first time about more missile defense capabilities to prevent any possibility that North Korea could reach U.S. facilities or U.S. populations" with missile attacks.

The Pentagon said Monday that the United States would like to see the missile defense system deployed to South Korea "at the earliest possible date."

"We feel confident that our posture right now is adequate to the challenge and the task, but we do think adding THAAD [Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense missile defense system] would simply only improve that posture and improve, if you will, the reassurance level for our allies in the region and for our own forces in the region as well," said Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook.

He said the United States and South Korea are beginning formal consultations on THAAD and said he expects the talks to move in an "expeditious fashion."

Obama said Pyongyang's launch Sunday was anticipated.

"They are not very good at feeding their people," Obama said, "but they invest a huge amount in their weapons systems."
There have been continuing calls from his supporters for Paul Biya, the 83-year-old president of Cameroon who has been in power for more than three decades, to stand again as candidate for president. The calls, which opposition parties are strongly condemning, are also asking Biya to call early presidential elections. The president's opponents say each time Biya wants to organize elections he orders his supporters to invite him to run to give an impression he is loved by the people.

Thousands of people have been transported to the town of Monatele, near Cameroon's capital Yaounde, by government ministers, influential businessmen and politicians of the ruling political party, the Cameroon's Peoples Democratic Movement (CPDM). Henry Eyebe Ayissi, Cameroon's Minister of Agriculture, said they have assembled the people to publicly show their support to Cameroon President Paul Biya.

"We are appealing to the head of state to organize presidential election this year 2016. And it needs that he use the constitutional powers he has to modify the constitution so that we organize this anticipated election," said Ayissi.

Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo, a spokesperson for Biya's party, said he is pleasantly surprised at the spontaneity of the calls.

He called it an initiative of grassroots Cameroonians and said no one has been manipulated to ask Biya to be a candidate. He said the people want the man who has guaranteed the social, cultural and economic development of Cameroon to be a candidate for president again. Ndongo added the hierarchy of the party has not influenced anyone to make declarations supporting Biya's candidacy.

Nforngwa Stanley, who said he is a grassroots supporter of Biya's party, disagrees, and said opinions were not sought from people like him.

"The people's call does not imply that there are people talking. There are really some greedy Cameroonians around who just want to make their voices to be heard and held (hold) their positions [in government] so that makes no sense to me. If you go back to the organization of the CPDM party you will realize that no one can stand an election with him. He wants to remain in power," said Stanley.

Ndansi Elvis, youth president for the opposition National Union for Democracy and Progress, said he is convinced Biya initiated the calls for his re-election himself.

"It should have been the CPDM call, not the people's call. It is a psychological game they are playing, but I think it is very unnecessary because all of us are sensitive about the fact that it is not just about his willingness to be in power, it is also about his performance, his age and everything. There is need for change and Cameroonians are thirsty for that change," said Elvis.

Paul Biya was prime minister from 1975 to 1982 when he became president following the resignation of the central African state's first leader, Ahmadou Ahidjo. In 2008 he revised the 1996 constitution and eliminated presidential term limits.Biya is in his 5th year of his current seven-year term.
There is growing speculation in Myanmar that long time opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi could become the countrys next president, following an announcement that nominations for the office wont be revealed until the middle of next month (March 17).

Aung San Suu Kyis party  the National League for Democracy (NLD)  won an overwhelming victory in last year's general election, but she is constitutionally barred from the presidency under Article 59 (f), which prohibits anyone with children holding foreign citizenship from the nations top position.

The president and vice presidents will be elected by the Union parliament before the next government begins their term on the April 1. The lower house, upper house and military each select a candidate for the three positions, who then compete to become president.

The nominations were expected this month and political observers suspect that the announcement has been delayed in order to create space for continuing negotiations between Aung San Su Kyi and the military.

She has held several meetings with Army Chief General Min Aung Hlaing about the structure of the next government, according to reports, including a possible deal to put her in the presidents seat.

Late Sunday, simultaneous reports by pro-government news broadcasters said positive results could come out of the negotiation for the suspension of the constitution Article 59 [f]fueling suspicions further.

Speculation

But neither the NLD nor military have released official statements about the negotiations. Most members of parliament contacted by VOA have said they have been told not to talk about the matter.

Khin Zaw Win, a political analyst at the Tampadipa Institute, has accused the NLD of feeding the rumor mill by placing a gag order on its MPs. He also described the new parliament as a scene from a traffic accident, with large cordons separating the new lawmakers from members of the public and media.

A senior NLD insider, who asked not to be named, has told VOA not to expect Aung San Suu Kyis name on the ballot sheet next month.

There have been developments, but it will take time. Even if the military does agree, there is a legal process that we have to follow so when it comes to next months announcement, you will not see her be named as president, the source said.

Tom Lambert from Andaman Research and Advisory, agrees that the reports and rumors swirling around Myanmar deserve caution.

Nothing the military has said, done, or implied suggests that they have shifted their position that having Aung San Suu Kyi as president is a red-line they are willing to cross. Until we know the content of Min Aung Hlaing and Aung San Suu Kyis discussions, all rumors are suspect and should be treated extremely carefully.

Concessions

A permanent amendment to the constitution must be approved by at least 75 percent of both houses of parliament before going to a national referendum. The military has reserved 25 percent of seats in the legislature, which means the NLD cannot push through the amendment without the backing of the army.

To win support from the military would require concessions. Last week, a local paper claimed that Aung San Suu Kyi may give chief ministerial positions to the military  on top of the three that are already reserved for them according to the constitution.

Observers say if true, it is an offer the military may accept.

The military have really felt the weight of the election result. The USDP is almost finished as the political arm of the military and they will be open to new offers that will protect their political position. said Khin Zaw Win.

But for now, most of Myanmar must wait while the NLD and the military hold their discussions behind closed doors.
Russian and Iranian-backed Syrian government forces have pounded their way toward the strategic city of Aleppo, threatening to encircle and crush rebel forces who have been fighting President Bashar al-Assad's regime for more than five years.

"If that happens, the rebel momentum will be gone," said Omar Lamrani, a military analyst for Stratfor, a geopolitical intelligence firm based out of Texas. "If Aleppo were to fall, it would highlight how dire the situation is for the rebels throughout the country."

Russian warplanes have been relentlessly bombing northern Syria for days, forcing U.S.-backed and other rebel forces to take shelter in tunnels and blast craters. One young rebel fighter told VOA that morale has dropped to rock bottom as anti-Assad fighters feel the West has abandoned them.

"I have spoken with the ambassadors and their staffs of the U.S., Britain and France, and asked them, What will you do other than make statement?'" said Zakaria Malahefji, political officer to the 3,000-strong Fastaqim Kama Umirt brigade.

With government troops backed by Russian air power and Iranian-backed ground forces seizing the northern part of the city and threatening to move south to link up with government-held parts of the city, it does not appear that Washington can do much.

"The U.S. has its game plan, and that is the negotiating table," Lamrani said. But with Syrian forces gaining ground, the attraction for the Syrian government of a political solution over a military one appears to be fading fast.

Further complications loom

Talks in Geneva for a political solution to Syria's conflict stalled last week after just two days on differences between Syria and the opposition on the priority of humanitarian issues.

The U.S. State Department said Russia was also partly to blame.

"It is difficult in the extreme to see how strikes against civilian targets contribute in any way to the peace process now being explored," said spokesman John Kirby.

Although the Russians have lost men and money, Lamrani said it appeared that their investment was paying off, to the detriment of the Syrian opposition and its U.S.-led coalition backers.

"They are highlighting they are a power in the Middle East," he said.

The Russians and Iranians are also pushing to create a situation whereby the "only really viable choices are the Syrian government or Islamic State  and IS is a non-option."

"By removing the rebels from the equation, then essentially it is game over," Lamrani said.

But the conflict could also get more complicated and more drawn out.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, unwilling to cede such influence to Syria and its allies, might decide that one way to force everyone back to the negotiating table is to raise the cost of the military campaign by bolstering the rebels with more money and bigger and deadlier weapons.

"They want to maintain a stake in the conflict," Lamrani said. "They still want the U.S. to stay close and give them cover against Russia to keep Russian ambitions at bay."
The excitement is palpable outside a New Hampshire Democratic Party event in Manchester, New Hampshire, as three friends hold signs to show support for one candidate  Bernie Sanders.

He feels like a man of the people and that is what I like about him, Nick Cimellaro said. For Cimellaro, Karli Griffin and Cameron Hampton, all in their 20s, Sanders message about creating opportunity through education resonates.

Being passionate about the issues that are affecting the next generation, so my generation and the ones younger than us. College loans obviously is a huge issue for a lot of my people my age, Griffin said.

The 26-year-old retail worker said she was in college when the 2008 recession hit, graduating with debt and uncertainty about whether she would get a job to pay it off.

She and 22-year-old Hampton say Sanders straight talk on the issues is attractive.

When he tells you he is going to do something, he already has a plan for it. Paying for college, he already has a spending plan for that, Hampton said, holding a Sanders sign outside Manchesters Verizon Arena.

Despite a narrow loss to former secretary of state Hillary Clinton in last week's Iowa Democratic caucuses, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders secured more than 80 percent of the vote among those between the ages of 18 and 29.

Saint Anselm College politics professor Chris Galdieri says Sanders income inequality message and free college pledge resonates with young voters.

They are worried about student debt, theyre worried about their job prospects. They are worried about - will there be any stability to their lives? Will they be able to have the same sort of lives that their parents or even their older siblings have had, Galdieri said.

But just because young people care about issues like job security or college debt does not mean young voters will show up at the polls. In 2014, turnout for voters between the ages of 18 and 29 fell to a 40-year low of just 20 percent.

One of the dangers with relying on younger voters is that the younger voters tend not to turn out at the same rates that older voters do. It is a real challenge to get people to cast that first ballot, Galdieri noted.

For first-time voter Lilly Johnson, the choice will not be Sanders, but Hillary Clinton, whom she calls more realistic and experienced on the issues.

I like her stance on the environment, on foreign policy, planned parenthood, on equality in terms of men and women, the high school government student said as she picked up a blue Clinton T-shirt inside the Verizon Arena.

It is the years of work on womens issues and foreign policy experience that also play big for older voter Susan Donner.

One of the things that impresses me the most about Hillary is that she went out of her way as secretary of state to fight for women and girls around the planet, she noted as she waited for Clinton to take the stage during the McIntrye-Shaheen 100 Club Celebration dinner.

She has supported things important to me for many, many years.



To do well, not just in New Hampshire but also in the campaign ahead, Clinton will be relying on voters like Donner who say they have a better understanding of the experience it takes to effect real change.
A new poll suggests Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and real estate mogul Donald Trump are maintaining their large leads in the northeastern U.S. state of New Hampshire, which holds a crucial presidential primary vote Tuesday.

The poll, released by Monmouth University Sunday, showed Trump with support from 30 percent of likely Republican Party voters in the Granite State. That is hardly changed from a month ago.

Trump is 16 points ahead of his closest rival, Ohio Governor John Kasich, who is in a tight race for second place along with Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and ex-Florida governor Jeb Bush.

In the Democratic race, the poll showed Sanders with a 10-point lead over former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. That's down from the 14-point lead that Sanders had over Clinton last month.

Sanders has an advantage in New Hampshire, which is next to his home state of Vermont. But Clinton has vowed not to give up, hoping to narrow the gap after both candidates tied in Iowas inaugural nominating contest last week.

The New Hampshire election also is seen as crucial for several GOP candidates, especially those in the second tier who did not do well in Iowa.

Rubio defends debate showing

Rubio, who finished with a better than expected third place result in Iowa, spent Sunday trying to recover from what was widely regarded as a poor debate performance the night before.

During that debate, the Florida senator came under attack from several of his rivals, most notably New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

After Christie accused Rubio of being inexperienced and memorizing talking points, Rubio appeared rattled and unconfident, awkwardly repeating himself several times.

On Sunday, Rubio defended his debate showing, insisting he was able to stay on message by criticizing President Barack Obama.

Its what I believe, Rubio told ABCs This Week. And its what Im going to continue to say, because it happens to be one of the main reasons why Im running."

Several of Rubios rivals jumped at the opportunity to mock the freshman senators debate performance, including Bush, who on Sunday said Rubio appeared robotic.

Trump stands by waterboarding call

Trump, who was seen by many analysts as being one of the winners of the debate, on Sunday defended his call to revive waterboarding.

The interrogation technique, which is essentially simulated drowning, is effective, according to Trump, who appeared on CNNs State of the Union.

Theyre chopping the heads of Christians and many other people in the Middle East, Trump said. They laugh at us when they hear were not going to approve waterboarding.

During Saturdays debate, Trump said he would bring back waterboarding and a hell of a lot worse than that if he were elected president.

Sanders appears on SNL

Sanders continued to make an appeal to the youth vote, making several brief appearances in comedy skits on NBCs Saturday Night Live.

In one sketch, Sanders was able to stay on message, railing against preferential treatment for rich people trying to survive a sinking ship of European immigrants coming to America.

Enough is enough, shouted Sanders, waving his hands and using some of the lines from his oft-repeated campaign stump speech.

On Sunday, it was back to serious discussion for Sanders. He appeared on NBCs Meet the Press, where he acknowledged his rival Clintons foreign policy experience.

She was our secretary of state for four years, that gives her a lot of experience, Sanders said. But it is not just experience that matters. It is judgment.

Sanders has repeatedly criticized Clinton for her vote in favor of the U.S. invasion of Iraq during her time as a U.S. senator. Sanders voted against the war.

Clinton heads to Michigan

Clinton on Sunday headed to Flint, Michigan, which has suffered a drinking water contamination crisis after lead from old pipes was found in the water supply.

Visiting a local church in Flint, Clinton said the crisis is immoral, and she demanded the government do more to help residents there.

Before leaving New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton told Meet the Press she was not sure whether she would be able to come back to win in the Granite State.

I know Im behind, Clinton said.

Snow coming

Tuesdays primary vote could be impacted by weather. Forecasters expect scattered snow showers across the state during the polls, possibly creating slick roads.

Nonetheless, New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner has predicted a record 550,000 voters will turn up for the election.
The United States has welcomed a Saudi offer to deploy special forces to support a possible coalition ground operation inside Syria.

In Washington, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Monday that his country's willingness to send special forces to Syria is contingent on the U.S. leading the ground effort.

"There is a discussion with regard to a ground force contingent, or a special forces contingent, to operate in Syria by this international U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed its readiness to provide special forces to such operations should they occur," he said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

While he declined to discuss potential Saudi troop numbers, deployment dates or targets, Jubeir said Saudi forces would be part of an international coalition that "will operate the way it has operated in the past, as an international coalition, even when there is a ground force contingent in Syria.''

Four months of Russian airstrikes have tipped momentum toward Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the nearly 5-year Syrian civil war in which at least 250,000 people have died and more than 10 million have fled their homes.

U.S. President Barack Obama has resisted committing U.S. ground troops to the Syrian civil war, but has sought greater help from regional leaders in the Middle East in the fight against Islamic State.

Saudi Arabia has so far focused its attention on another civil war in the region, the one in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition is battling Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who captured the capital of Sana'a in January 2015.
Two survivors have been recovered from the rubble of a 17-story apartment building in the Taiwanese city of Tainan, two days after it collapsed during a powerful earthquake that left at least 36 people dead.

Authorities say a woman named Tsao Wei-ling was discovered lying under the body of her husband Monday morning. The body of the couple's two-year-old son was found lying nearby. Emergency workers are searching for five other members of the woman's family.

The other survivor was a man, identified as Li Tsung-tian, who Mayor Lai Ching-te said was conscious and talking to rescuers.

Liu Shih Chung, the deputy secretary general of Tainan's city government, tells VOA that over 300 people have been rescued from the wreckage, with about 100 others still missing. With 16 rescue teams from all across Taiwan responding to the disaster, and at least 500 experts on hand to provide advice, Liu says they are "entering into the most difficult part" of the rescue effort, as the 72-hour window to find any survivors quickly winds down.

WATCH: Video footage of people rescued from quake rubble

Rescuers, firefighters and volunteers are digging through the rubble using cranes, picks and their hands in hopes of finding signs of life, while medical staff and ambulances waited nearby.

Taiwan's official Central News Agency says nine buildings were destroyed in Saturday's pre-dawn 6.4 magnitude quake, all in Tainan city. Dozens of buildings were declared unsafe, forcing mass evacuations and the closure of markets, banks and other facilities.

Taiwans Central Weather Bureau said there have been several aftershocks since the original quake.

The quake struck two days before the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar. Liu, the Tainan city official, says hotels are offering to house the earthquake victims for free for one week.

Social-media posts and news reports said Saturdays jolt recalled a disastrous earthquake that killed thousands of people in September 1999. That quake, one of the strongest to hit Taiwan during the 20th century, had a magnitude of 7.7 - far stronger than Saturdays event.

In addition to being a historic city, Tainan is also the base of operations for high-tech companies, including the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the worlds largest contract chipmaker.

A spokeswoman at TSMC told Reuters that the quake damaged the company's facilities in Tainan. The company is a major supplier to global smartphone makers, including Apple.

The quake also caused widespread problems on Taiwans high-speed rail network, stranding many passengers in the north.

Quake-prone Taiwan is in a highly active seismic zone known as the "Pacific Ring of Fire," and more than 50 fault lines pass through the island.
A Taliban suicide bomber Monday killed at least three Afghan soldiers and wounded more than 18 others in the northern Balkh province.

Afghan officials, citing initial reports from the scene, said a bus carrying personnel of the Afghan National Army (ANA) was the target of the attack in the Dahdadi district.

Eyewitness told local reporters they saw at least eight dead among the victims. Reports said there were three women who work in the army ranks in the province among the wounded.

Claimed responsibility

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a statement sent to reporters, claimed the insurgent group carried out the bombing and gave a much higher toll. He asserted the bomber boarded the bus just before it was readying to transport the ANA soldiers to their routine duties and blew himself up.

Hours later, officials in eastern Paktika province, which borders Pakistan, said a suspected suicide blast in a crowded market killed at least six civilians and wounded nine others. Afghan media reports said the bomber apparently targeted police and intelligence operatives while they were eating lunch in Yahyakhel district.

Separately, unknown assailants gunned down a presidential palace guard in the eastern Nangarhar province. A provincial government spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, said the security person was attacked inside his house and his mother was also wounded.

The violence comes two days after Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States announced that direct peace talks between Afghan government and Taliban representatives could take place by the end of this month.

Diplomats from the four nations met in Islamabad Saturday and agreed on a road map to promote the Afghan peace talks.

Peace talks

The Taliban is not part of the four-way dialogue and has rejected the weekend announcement as a one-sided affair that would not produce any results.

Foreigners are continuing their war and killing innocent Afghans, a Taliban official requesting anonymity told VOA, adding the only solution to end the war was for the foreign forces to withdraw from the country.

But General John Campbell, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, insisted there are no preconditions when it comes to talking about the peace process.

Campbell told reporters in Kabul Sunday that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah have both already explained the way forward for peace talks with the Taliban.

They [have] got to honor the Afghan constitution, they [have] got to honor womens rights, they [need] to lay down their arms, they [have] got to stop their terrorist acts," he said.

"Once they do that, then we can get to the table.  But if you continue to have violence against women and children, against security forces, you have no future, Campbell added.

Afghan civil society groups, particularly womens rights activists, on Monday restated their skepticism and criticism of the four-way talks and the so-called road map for peace talks with the Taliban.

Speaking in neighboring Pakistan at an unofficial bilateral dialogue, prominent Afghan rights advocate Samira Hamidi complained women are completely missing in the talks the four nations have held so far and demanded their inclusion in the next meeting to be held in Kabul later this month.

Road map content

I think it is very important to understand what this road map content is. What the negotiation is going to look like and what are the things we have to be ready for it and how we can contribute and making that this process is successful," Hamidi said.

"Because at the end of the day all we want is peace but of course peace with justice and peace with no negotiations on the rights and no negotiations on the achievements that we have had so far, she told the delegates attending the so-called Beyond Boundaries Track Two dialogue.

The Afghan government insists it is aware of the concerns and is determined to address them in any peace negotiations with the Taliban.

The head of the Afghan delegation in the four-way talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, promised that Kabul would stick to the values enshrined in Afghanistans constitution, particularly regarding womens rights once the peace talks commenced.

Karzai also said the government delegation would have a woman member in the negotiating team."
Turkey and Germany have agreed to a set of measures aimed at tackling the growing Syrian refugee crisis, as thousands of migrants remain stranded on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border.

Speaking Monday in Ankara with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the two countries would carry out "joint efforts" for greater NATO involvement in the refugee issue.

Davutoglu said German and Turkish agencies will start working together against human traffickers, as well as participating in joint security efforts to stop illegal migration.

Fleeing airstrikes

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing the Russian bombing campaign in Aleppo have amassed at the Turkish-Syrian border.

"Nearly 30,000 people have amassed" near Turkey's Oncupinar border opposite Syria's Bab al-Samam frontier, he said.

Turkey, which already hosts nearly 2.5 million refugees, was urged by the European Union on Saturday to open its border with Syria.

"We will meet the needs of our Syrian brothers as usual. We will take them in when necessary," Davutoglu said, but added, no one should "excuse or tolerate Russian airstrikes that are clearly an ethnic massacre, with the idea that Turkey would accept Syrian refugees in any case."

Sanctuary funds

EU countries have pledged $3.3 billion to Turkey to give sanctuary to refugees and to help reduce the number of refugees seeking asylum in Europe.

Yet last week both the German and French interior ministers voiced frustration with Ankara over its failure to stem illegal migration despite its previous pledges to do so. They said more than 60,000 migrants traveled from Turkey to Greece in January, a 32-fold increase over the same time last year.

Merkel, whose country let in more than a million refugees last year, said she was "appalled" and "shocked" by the suffering in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

"We are now, over the last few days, not only appalled but also shocked by the human suffering of tens of thousands of people through bombing attacks, and also bombing attacks originating from the Russian side," she said.

Merkel vowed to work with Davutoglu to ensure Moscow complied with United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The German leader also met with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan before ending her visit to Turkey's capital.

Appeal to Moscow

Before meeting with the German leader, Erdogan urged European leaders to press Moscow to end its operations in Syria if the EU expected help in stemming the tide of migrants into Europe.

Political columnist Semih Idiz says despite declarations by Merkel to share the burden of refugees and Davutoglus commitment to crack down on illegal migration, doubts remains on both sides' commitments.

"On the European side, we have had statements that clearly suggest that these refugees should be kept in Turkey. ... It's not clear whether Turkey really wants to address the refugee crisis per se, or whether it is trying to gain some advantages as a result of this crisis in its relations with the EU," Idiz said.
At least 35 migrants drowned in the Aegean Sea on Monday trying to reach Greece from Turkey.

Turkey's coast guard rescued seven people as two boats sank in separate incidents off the Turkish coast. Both vessels were en route to the Greek island of Lesbos, according to Turkish media.

The latest fatalities drive the death toll for Mediterranean crossings to nearly 400 since the beginning of 2016. The route from Turkey to Greece is a primary channel for Syrians escaping their country's civil war and Islamic State offensives to seek asylum in Europe. Migrants from other countries in the Middle East and Central Asia are adding to the record number of arrivals.

The International Organization for Migration has tallied roughly 75,063 migrant and refugee arrivals by sea to Greece and Italy since January 1. Along with the massive increase in migrants reaching European shores is a spike in deaths during the crossing, skyrocketing from 12 in January two years ago, to 82 last year, to 244 in the first month of 2016.

IOM counts 374 deaths at sea since January 1.
More than 25,000 Syrian civilians have become the unwitting victims of a standoff between Turkey and Western relief agencies.

The Turkish government refuses to admit the refugees, the first in a wave of civilians fleeing an offensive by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the northern Aleppo countryside. Turkish officials say their country has reached the limit on the number of Syrian refugees it can admit.

A delegation of EU lawmakers was told Monday that the border will remain closed.

"A senior Turkish official told us, 'the refugees will stay [on] the other side of the border,'" an EU lawmaker told VOA.

In a bid to pressure the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, United Nations and Western relief agencies are refusing to dispatch aid across the border to the refugees.

Some relief organizations have asked us to assist them to transport supplies to help these newly-displaced Syrians, but we have declined, a U.N. official told VOA. If we agree, it is likely the Turks will continue to refuse to admit them.

An official with the International Organization for Migration said, Our position is clear: they are war refugees and they should be allowed into Turkey.

Both officials asked not to be named in this article.

A senior EU official told VOA: "We are doing this to try to force Turkey's hand to open the border."



At Turkeys Oncupinar border crossing, only a few relief trucks crossed Monday into Syria. The trucks that crossed were from the Independent Doctors Association, a private Syrian charity, the Turkish Red Crescent and IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, a Turkish NGO.

Most of the half-dozen trucks carried tents and camp construction material.

Desperation at border

Zakaria Ibrahim, who oversees the Syrian Red Crescents mission in Azaz, the closest Syrian town to the border here, says there are approximately 25,000 refugees on the Syrian side.

"There are 890 families  just over 6,000 people  right by the border crossing. Another 530 families  nearly 3,000 people  are in Azaz. And about another 9,000 are scattered along the border."

He said some of the displaced civilians, though, had gone further afield and his mission was not able to estimate their number.

The only supply deliveries are coming from IDA, our colleagues in the Turkish Red Crescent and IHH, he confirmed.

He said the refugees are desperate to cross into Turkey.

There are about 20 collective tents separate from the semi-permanent camp that has been there for months. The tents measure from 70 square meters to 100 square meters; but, they are not big enough to shelter everyone and some of the tents are for women and children only.

He added, There are only five latrines for these people and they are being used just by the women. The men have to relieve themselves in the fields.

The longer the Assad offensive continues, more villages and towns are impacted. These people are just the first in a wave that will get bigger.

The Syrian Red Crescent estimates that 25,000 civilians are now close to the border near Oncupinar, some sheltering in nearby villages.

Turkish officials put the number at more than 35,000 Syrians.

Nowhere else to go

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told CNN-Turk television Sunday his country has taken in three million refugees from neighboring countries, most of them Syrians.

In an enigmatic remark, he also said, "In the end, these people have nowhere else to go. Either they will die beneath the bombings and Turkey will ... watch the massacre like the rest of the world, or we will open our borders.

Erdogan recently said, "If necessary, we have to and will let our brothers in.

In the meantime, the Syrian Red Crescent's Ibrahim says the Turks are planning to ship across another 250 smaller tents for families.

While the Turkish government is refusing to let in Syrian refugees, it is refusing to allow out dozens of Western journalists at Oncupinar eager to cover the story.

Despite claiming the country has an open border policy, the Turkish government has had most of the crossings along the border closed for refugees for about a year. Syrians already registered in Turkey are allowed back and forth across the border, especially during religious holidays.

For the past week, even the traders corridor has been closed and the normal crowds milling around by the Oncupinar border post have disappeared  replaced by the press corps.
The United Nations warned Monday that a sharp rise in food insecurity across South Sudan could result in catastrophic levels of hunger for at least 40,000 civilians.

This warning follows the release of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report which estimates at least 2.8 million people, or 23 percent of the population, will face acute food and nutrition insecurity between January and March 2016.

The U.N.s Food and Agriculture Organization says the situation likely will worsen between April and July, when food availability is traditionally at its lowest. And the IPC projects an early start to the lean season and a longer hunger period.

The majority of people facing acute food insecurity are in Unity, Jonglei and Upper Nile states and make up 57 percent of those in need.

The United Nations says many people there are scavenging swamps to survive, living off water lilies and fish. It says flood waters will recede in the coming month's dry season, leaving many people without the ability to find food, a situation it calls a potential "catastrophe.

Erminio Sacco, the FAO's chief technical adviser for food security, agrees the upcoming dry season will make matters worse.

"The situation is very serious because we are now at the beginning of a long dry season and in most regions, people are running low and they will need to resort to buying food commodities in the coming month," he said.

"And due to the economic crisis, the prices are skyrocketing, so people will pay serious figures to secure food for their own families," Sacco said.

High inflation, high food cost

The Bank of South Sudan devalued its currency by 84 percent in December when it got rid of its fixed exchange rate, in a move designed to curb the losses triggered by the declining global price of crude oil.

The bank's decision quickly triggered hyperinflation in the market, boosting the consumer price index to 109.9 percent in December, which reflected a 13.7 percent increase from the previous month.

"Market functionality throughout the country has been affected, mainly due to the depreciation of the local currency, and most traders are not restocking, resulting in scarcity of commodities with high prices," the IPC report says.

Conflict erupted in December 2013 between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar, and has since displaced more than 2 million people and crippled the oil-dependent economy.

The U.N. is urging South Sudanese leaders to implement the peace agreement signed in August and allow free and unfettered access to conflict areas.

Continued clashes between government and rebel forces have killed tens of thousands of civilians and have displaced more than 2 million, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"Families have been doing everything they can to survive but they are now running out of options," Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF representative in South Sudan said in the statement. "Many of the areas where the needs are greatest are out of reach because of the security situation. It's crucial that we are given unrestricted access now. If we can reach them, we can help them."
United Nations investigators accused Syria on Monday of carrying out a massive "extermination" of detainees from its civilian population, alleging that it amounts to "a crime against humanity."

The investigation, compiled by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, is based on interviews with more than 600 survivors and witnesses of prison life in Syria.

Investigators accused the Syrian government, armed opposition and terrorist groups of war crimes and crimes against humanity, saying the large-scale killings of Syrian combatants and civilians, including children, in secret detention centers run by these groups, occur with impunity.

Thousands held, 'disappeared'

The report strongly suggests that the government of President Bashar al-Assad is holding tens of thousands of detainees at any one time and that thousands more have "disappeared" after their arrests or gone missing after being abducted by armed groups.

The U.N. report accused Damascus of starving the detainees or leaving them to die with untreated wounds and disease. It said Assad's government has "engaged in the multiple commissions of crimes, amounting to a systematic and widespread attack against a civilian population."

Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, chairman of the independent commission, said people in government detention centers are subjected to violations on a massive scale. He said they live in unsanitary and overcrowded cells with little food and no medical care.

He said thousands have been beaten to death or died as a result of torture.

State officials are aware that prison conditions often result in the death of detainees. ... They deliberately try to conceal the fact that these ... deaths are caused by deliberate acts or omissions by high-level superiors," Pinheiro said.

The report covered the period from March 2011 to November 2015 -- the first 4 years of the ongoing Syrian civil war.

Anti-government forces

However, no side comes out untarnished in this conflict, which has claimed more than 250,000 lives. The report said anti-government armed groups and terrorists also hold prisoners under brutal conditions.

The report found the terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra and some rebel organizations have committed war crimes of murder, cruel treatment and torture. It also accused the Islamic State group of subjecting detainees to serious abuses, including torture and summary execution, amounting to crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The U.N. investigators said they believed that "high-ranking officers" and other government officials knew of the deaths and of bodies being buried in mass graves.

The special inquiry into the Syrian treatment of its civilian population called for the U.N. Security Council to impose "targeted sanctions" against Syrian civilian and military officials complicit in the deaths and torture, but did not name them.

The investigators called for referral of the cases against the suspected war criminals to prosecutors at the International Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands. Their names are being kept in a U.N. safe in Geneva.
A young Yazidi survivor of slavery will urge British lawmakers Monday to help free the thousands of women and girls that remain captive at the hands of Islamic State militants in northern Iraq.

Nadia Murad Basee Taha, 21, who is in London to address the parliamentarians, is also appealing for more help for displaced Yazidis living in refugee camps, and to investigate whether the militant group has committed genocide against the Yazidi people.

Taha took her message to the U.N. Security Council in December, and has spoken to successive governments, appealing to the international community to act.

"The places I've spoken to have given me hope ... but a year and a half has passed and nothing has happened yet," she said in an interview.

Her story

She said she was abducted by Islamic State militants from her village in Iraq in August 2014, and taken to the Islamic State stronghold of Mosul, where she and thousands of other Yazidi women and children were exchanged by militants as gifts.

She was tortured and repeatedly raped before she escaped three months later. She is now living in Germany.

"I'm in touch with friends  girls who are still in captivity. They are asking for help, to be freed," she said.

Around 5,000 Yazidi men and women were captured by the militants in the summer of 2014. Some 2,000 have managed to escape or been smuggled out of Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, activists say.

Fighting for thousands

The United Nations says Islamic State is still holding an estimated 3,500 people captive in Iraq, the majority women and girls from the Yazidi community.

"When I see all the women and children in this situation, they need justice to be brought to them," Taha said. "... the women and children under captivity did not have life, the terrorists took away their dreams."

Taha has traveled to Egypt, Greece, Kuwait, Norway, the United States and Britain with her message.

"When I am here in these countries, I see the way that women and girls are living, I feel sorry for my own life, I feel sorry for the lives of thousands of women and girls, because no woman and no girl should endure what we have endured," Taha said.

Islamic State militants consider the Yazidis to be devil-worshippers. The ancient Yazidi faith blends elements of Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Islam.

Most of the Yazidi population, numbering around half a million, are displaced in camps in Iraq's Kurdistan.

Last month, director of the U.N. human rights office in Iraq, Francesco Motta, said the militant group is seeking to "destroy part or the whole of the Yazidi people."

Taha will be returning to the United Nations in March, to attend a meeting on women's affairs.

"Since the U.N. Security Council [meeting in December], no women or girls have been rescued, and the things I demanded have not been met. But I'm still waiting," she said.
Zimbabwe Monday appealed to domestic and international funders for assistance as more than a quarter of its population faces hunger. The United Nations says President Robert Mugabes government must invest in irrigation to avert the perennial food shortages.

Zimbabwe says nearly 2.5 million people are facing starvation and blames the problem on the El Nino weather phenomenon that has caused drought in southern Africa.

Zimbabwes public works minister, Saviour Kasukuwere, said the government is assessing the situation and working to figure out the required food costs..

"But I am sure we will be able to give the world  locally and internationally  the estimates we are looking at," said Kasukuwere. "But we realize that quite a number have fallen into the drought situation ... for the 2016 [season] and we believe that almost 2.4 million  26 percent of our population  are food insecure."

Chimimba David Phiri, the southern Africa coordinator with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. said he expects Zimbabwean officials to revise that figure upward as El Nino weather worsens.

He said governments should encourage conservation agriculture so their citizens are less vulnerable to weather changes.

"In addition, we need to increase the area under irrigation," said Phiri. "There are many schemes in Zimbabwe, some dormant that require rehabilitation. Zimbabwe in southern Africa has the highest number of water points, dams, rivers and so on, so there is water in Zimbabwe, perhaps more than any other country in the region which can be used for irrigation. In the past it used to happen; there is no reason why it cant now."

Zimbabwe, once a breadbasket of southern Africa, has been a net importer of food since the early 2000s. President Mugabe attributes that to recurring droughts in the region; but, critics of the Zimbabwean leader say the countrys controversial land reform program, which forced most experienced white commercial farmers off their land, is causing hunger in the nation.
A British-based Zimbabwean lawyer, who filed an application asking the Constitutional Court to make a finding that there is evidence to show that President Robert Mugabe now lacks the mental and physical capacity to carry on as president and must step down, says his lawsuit aims at putting pressure on parliament to probe Mr. Mugabes capability to continue at the helm.

Tinomudaishe Chinyoka, a former student leader of the University of Zimbabwe, cites Section 97 of the Zimbabwe Constitution that calls for the stepping down of the president if he is mentally or physically incapacitated.

In the application filed on Friday, Chinyoka cites as respondents, President Mugabe, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs who is also vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, Speaker of the House of Assembly Jacob Mudenda, Senate president Edna Madzongwe and the government of Zimbabwe.

The application cites the incident where Mr. Mugabe, who turns 92 this month, slipped and fell as one of the indications that he is no longer able to physically run the country.

He also cites a number of gaffs that Mr. Mugabe has made, which include re-reading a speech that he presented a few weeks before and that he is always falling asleep during meetings as indications that he is no longer fit to run the country.

Chinyoka told VOA Studio 7 that he hopes that the court will force parliament to institute an investigation into the president.

But constitutional lawyer Lovemore Madhuku said the case has no legal basis.

Meanwhile, another Zimbabwean Owen Kuchata of the opposition Zimbabwe People Front, appeared in court Friday facing charges of sabotage or alternatively terrorism for allegedly attempting to bomb a Gushungo Holdings entity owned by President Mugabes family.

According to the Daily News, Kuchata, is set to stand trial after indicating that there was nothing wrong with attacking Mr. Mugabes personal property.

He initially pleaded guilty but has now changed his mind on issues related to attacking the person of the president and matters related to him as a Zimbabwean.

Kuchata is said to have teamed up with three other people  Borman Ngwenya, Solomon Makombe and Silas Pfupa to allegedly bomb the farm in Mazowe, Mashonaland central province.

They are facing additional charges of insurgency, banditry and money-laundering. They were remanded to February 16.
Two-hundred students from South Sudan are in Zimbabwe on scholarship, thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed between the ministers of education, science and technology of the two countries, that will also see Zimbabweans going to the newly independent country.

South Sudans Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Barnaba Marial Benjamin, said the 200 students will be studying in several of Zimbabwes colleges and universities.

These are South Sudanese students going to study in Zimbabwe in the colleges of engineering, medicine, veterinarian sciences, teachers training, also in the area of para-medical services, Benjamin said.

In turn, Benjamin said Zimbabwean trained teachers, lecturers and nurses will also be heading to his countries, as a result of the agreement.

We are getting trained teachers both health and education, and Zimbabwe has a large number of those people who are trained. You find them even in the United States, in Britain have loads of trained personnel in those countries, let alone South Sudan where we have high needs.

South Sudan, which gained its independence from Sudan after a long civil war, in 2011, has been grappling with building its infrastructure which had been devastated from the war. One of the institutions most affected is the health delivery system, which has been unable to prevent deaths during child birth.

Benjamin says Zimbabwes experienced nurses who will be going to South Sudan, would help rectify this crisis.

We need nurses in our hospitals, like midwives, because our maternal mortality rate is very high, so we need to improve the area of womens health, Benjamin said.

In addition to rebuilding from the more than 20-year civil war with Sudan that ended in 2005, South Sudans efforts to grow as a new country were sidetracked by yet another conflict sparked by the fall out between President Salva Kiir and his former Prime Minister Riek Machar.

Asked if the conflict would not put the lives of Zimbabwean and other country expatriates trying to help rebuild the country, in danger, Benjamin expressed confidence in the current peace negotiations underway, which he said, unlike those in the past, are positive.

It is absolutely safe, stressed Benjamin. We are now implementing a peace agreement, as you knowweve already agreed on peace, the advancing of opposition parties, the rebellion, are already inside South Sudan and we are implementing peace process, Benjamin assured.

In addition to Zimbabwe, Benjamin said South Sudan has signed similar MOUs with other African countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, South Africa and Ethiopia.
The World Food Program (WFP) is preparing to scale up food distribution in Zimbabwe following a declaration of a state of disaster by President Robert Mugabe last week.

The number of people needing food assistance is now being estimated at 2,4 million, as opposed to the 1,5 million estimated earlier.

Indications are that up to 3 million people may need of food aid in the country with a huge grain deficit.

David Orr, the WFP communications officer for southern Africa, told Studio 7 that the drought situation in Zimbabwe is serious.

President Mugabe declared a state of disaster saying the country is gripped by a severe drought, which has so far killed thousands of livestock.

Some civic society organizations and opposition parties started calling for government action and declaration of a state of disaster last year saying this would help the country in looking for much-needed aid.

Agriculturalists told VOA Studio 7 that the declaration of a state of disaster, although coming late, would make it easier for local and international organizations to mobilize resources for Zimbabwe.
The European Union has unveiled $40 million for Zimbabwes Health Development Fund catering mainly for maternal health, adolescents and related issues

Speaking at Chinhoyi General Hospital last Friday, head of the European

Union in Harare, Ambassador Phillipe Van Damme, said Zimbabwe has made tremendous strides in reducing child mortality and maternal deaths.

Van Damme recommended government for helping to reduce the maternal mortality rate from 960 to 614 per 100,000 live births.

Speaking at a signing ceremony of the EUs contribution towards the Health Development Fund, UNICEF representative Reza Hossaini, said although they are chasing very ambitious goals, he hoped that the fund, if properly managed, will contribute to a targeted 50% reduction in maternal mortality.

Hossaini said the European Unions contribution will go a long way in reviving Zimbabwes health system, which was once the best in the southern African region.

Hossaini said collective efforts in the last five years saw thousands of lives saved while many are now living free of diseases, thanks to other EU health contributions.

Giving a provincial perspective at the same occasion, Maternal and Child Health Officer for Mashonaland West, Dr. Justin Mudavanhu, said about six women die daily in the country from pregnancy-related complications.

Dr. Mudavanhu said the leading causes of maternal death include hemorrhage, malaria and protracted labour.

One of the beneficiaries of the Health Development Fund last year, Mrs. Tatenda Mombe said she benefited from Fistula treatment after suffering injuries when she was giving birth in 2013.

Mrs. Mombe, who had a loose bladder, had almost lost hope of ever recovering from internal injuries.

Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr. David Parirenyatwa, thanked EU for the donation saying they treat Zimbabweans as equal partners unlike other countries, which he did not mention.

Dr. Parirenyatwa noted that the Health Development Fund has enabled the government to have at least three doctors in each hospital in the country.
Former MDC secretary general Moses Mzila Ndlovu says he was removed from his post following suspicions that he wanted to topple party leader Welshman Ncube.

Mzila Ndlovu has described as misleading remarks attributed to the party that he was relieved of his duties due to incompetence.

Mzila Ndlovu told Studio 7 on Monday that said his removal from the position of MDC secretary general has nothing to do with failing to carry out his duties in the party.

While saying that he doesnt view himself as being victimised, he said the real reason for his removal from the party post was that Ncube was blaming him for the disgruntlement that party members have expressed over his leadership.

Mzila Ndlovu admitted that he would have accepted the nomination to stand as president at the forthcoming MDC congress.

The MDC announced the sacking of Mzila Ndlovu from the position of secretary general over the weekend, saying he was incompetent and had failed to perform the duties expected of his post.

But Mzila Ndlovu said Ncube used his position to instigate his firing because of personal differences that exist between them. He added that like most leaders of Zimbabwean politics, Ncube does not brook any opposing view and is dictatorial in his leadership.

Efforts to get comment from Ncube were fruitless as he was said to be busy attending various meetings. But in a brief statement in response to Mzila Ndlovus assertions, MDC spokesperson Kurauwone Chihwayi maintained that the former national healing minister had been dumped because he didnt understand the duties of secretary general.

In an interview with a local newspaper, Chihwayi said Mzila Ndlovu was a pathological liar without any traces of shame.

Mzila Ndlovu became the latest senior member to leave the MDC following the departure of the then national spokesperson Joshua Muhambi last year.

This had been preceded by the departure of former spokesperson Nhlanhla Dube and the stepping down of Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga from the post of secretary general. Some observers see the party as on the verge of collapse.

Mzila Ndlovu said his options remain open but he ruled out the chance of ever working with Ncube again saying he would only associate with people who share his belief in the principles of democracy.

The developments in the MDC come at a time when Zimbabweans are expressing disgruntlement with opposition parties over their failure to offer any meaningful solutions to the countrys social economic and political crisis.
Convernors of the Itai Dzamara prayer meetings together with his family are planning to meet with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa sometime this week over the governments lack of support in the search for the missing political activist.

Bishop Ancelimo Magaya, who leads the Itai Dzamara Trust and the Zimbabwe Devine Destiny, says they resolved in a meeting Monday in Harare to send a delegation, which includes a member of the Dzamara family to meet with the vice president.

This comes at a time when the nation marks exactly 11 months after the activist was abducted by unknown assailants in Harares Glen-View suburb.

He says they try to secure an appointment with Mr. Mnangagwa Tuesday and as soon as that is done they will update the public.

We have penned a document to take to the vice president and we have identified the members of the delegation that will go and see him, Bishop Magaya says.

The Itai Dzamara Trust is Tuesday holding a lunch-hour prayer meeting at Africa Unity Square, the place where Dzamaras Occupy Africa Unity Square group launched a campaign for President Robert Mugabe to step down claiming that he has failed to properly run Zimbabwe.

Bishop Magaya says they feel the police are not following or respecting a High Court order, which compelled them to update the nation on their progress in looking for the missing activist after every two weeks.
Factionalism is worsening in Zanu PF with war veterans now calling for the expulsion of Education Minister Jonathan Moyo and Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.

The two are accused of allegedly using First Lady Grace Mugabe, under a faction of the party known as Generation 40 or G40, in trying to block Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwas expected rise to the presidential post.

War veterans are quoted by the state-controlled Herald newspaper as saying the two are already trying to unseat President Mugabe.

Moyo, who is being targeted by furious war veterans that have urged him not to attend weekly Zanu PF Politiburo meetings, has hit back saying it is the Mnangagwa camp that is trying to topple the president.

The ruling partys presidential succession battles are threatening to tear the former liberation movement, which is led by the 91 year old Zimbabwean leader.

Joseph Tshuma, a Zanu PF lawmaker and Central Committee member, said this is a personal issue pitting some members of the ruling party, which had nothing to do with so-called worsening factionalism in the party.
Zimbabweans living in Canada have an additional six months to apply for permanent residency to live legally in the country, on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

The extension, announced on the Canadian governments website Friday, took effect Thursday, February 4th, and is in addition to the Temporary Suspension of Removals (TSR) given to the citizens of the two countries on December 1st, 2014, and applies also to Haitians.

As a result of the special measure, the Canada Border and Services Agency (CBSA) will defer any removals, meaning that any affected individuals who are eligible under the special measures, will not be removed from Canada if they submit a humanitarian and compassionate application to Refugees, Immigration, and Citizenship in Canada (IRCC), while they await a final decision on their application.

According to the announcement, the extension is in addition to the TSR given to the citizens of the two countries on December 1st, 2014, and affects those who have not applied for permanent residence in Canada, based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

The measure does not extend to foreign nationals who are inadmissible and subject to removal on the grounds of criminality, international or human rights violations, organized crime or security.

Canadas countrys Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale, is quoted in the announcement saying that the special measures support Canadas rich humanitarian tradition, and will give more opportunities for Haitians and Zimbabweans to build successful lives in Canada.

Canadas Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, John McCallum also quoted, encourages all Haitians and Zimbabweans who want to make this country their permanent home, for permanent resident status" to regularize their status.

About 125 Zimbabwean nationals could benefit from these special measures.
Psychological Operations  (Psy Ops) are  tricks of war , like the Trojan Horse. Under the influence of General Edward Lansdale, the United States equipped their armies and the CIA with these special Psy Ops units, first of all in the Philippines, in Vietnam and against Cuba, then as permanent fixtures [1].

Psychological Operations are far more complex than propaganda, which is aimed only at deforming the perception of reality. For example, during the war against Syria in 2011, allied propaganda consisted of convincing the population that President el-Assad was going to abdicate, as President Ben Ali of Tunisia had done earlier. The Syrians therefore had to prepare themselves for a new regime. But in early 2012, a psychological operation planned on substituting false programmes on national TV channels which purported to show the fall of the Syrian Arab Republic, so that the population would offer no resistance [2].

Just as today, there exist mercenary armies like Blackwater-Academi, DynCorp or CACI, there also exist private companies specialised in psychological operations, like the British company SCL (Strategic Communications Laboratories) and its US subsidiary Cambridge Analytica. In the strictest secret, they have helped the CIA to organise the  colour revolutions  and are now branching out into the manipulation of the electoral public. Since 2005, they have been participating in the British Defense Systems & Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition, and sell their services to the highest bidder [3]. Concerning Syria, SCL worked in early 2011 in Lebanon, where it studied the the possibilities of manipulating the population community by communuity.

Psychological Operations and the electorate

In modern societies, the political authorities are chosen by election. That may range from a simple choice between pre-selected candidates  according to their personal qualities  to the designation of personalities who are offering a specific political project. In any case, the candidates have to rely on their militants or their employees in order to wage their campaign. We know that the winner is always the person who is able to gather the greatest number of militants. It is therefore necessary not only to fabricate a candidate, but also a party or a movement to support them. However, todays electors hesitate to subscribe to an organisation, and employees are expensive. SCL came up with the idea of using behavioural techniques in order to fabricate a political party which would sweep its client to power. Its psychologists define the profile-type of the sincere and manipulable militant, then collect the data from the target population, determine who best corresponds to their profile, and design the most efficient messages to convince them to support their client.

For the first time, this stratagem has just been implemented on a huge scale  in the United States, with Ted Cruz.

Ted Cruzs campaign slogan -  TrusTed .

Financing the operation

Robert Mercer, one of the principle donors to US public life, has indirectly paid more than 15 million dollars to SCL-Cambridge Analytica for them to handle Ted Cruzs campaign [4].

Inventor of a vocal recognition software product, Mercer is today the boss of Renaissance, one of the top investment companies in the world. Between 1989 and 2006, his famous Medaillon fund made an average of 35 % profit per year, at the same time as designing a tax-evasion system for his clients [5].

Robert Mercer has never made any comment about his political opinions, and the US commentators dont really know how to classify this  Republican . No-one knows, for example, his position on social problems such as the right to abortion or gay marriage. At best, we know that he does not believe that climate change is caused by human activity, that he clearly opposes Hillary Clinton and his friend Donald Trump, and is close to John Bolton.

How to cook bacon on the barrel of your gun.

The collection of personal data

In order to select citizens susceptible of becoming militants, SCL/Cambridge Analytica has secretly gathered documentation of millions of electors [6].

Doctor Aleksandr Kogan bought the data from Amazon, the US on-line sales giant, then paid approximately 1 extra dollar per client for a questionnaire to be sent to them via Mechanical Turk (MTurk). By accepting to identify themselves on Facebook, the internaut allowed MTurk access to his or her personal data  MTurk then compiled this data with Amazons information and transmitted them to SCL via Kogans company, Global Science Research (GSR). Despite the fact that Dr. Kogan assured The Guardian that he worked only on scientific research, and used only anonymous data, they are nonetheless today in the possession of SCL [7].

Within a few months, SCL had at its disposition a detailed data base on more than 40 million electors US - without their knowledge.

In 2008, the International Court of Justice decided to order the United States to revise the trial of a Mexican who had been found guilty without having been allowed consular legal assistance. However, Ted Cruz, then the Solicitor General of Texas, pleaded before the Supreme Court that a Federal State was not obliged to obey a foreign Court as long as the Treaty signed by Washington had not been transcribed into domestic law. He won, the United States denounced the additional protocol at the Vienna Convention, and the prisoner was executed.

The interpretation of personal data

Cambridge Analytica then proceded with an evaluation of each profile according the the OCEAN method, as follows :

  Openness  (appreciation of art, emotion, adventure, uncommon ideas, curiosity and imagination) ;

  Conscientiousness  (self-discipline, respect for obligations, organisation rather than spontaneity, goal-oriented) ;

  Extroversion  (energy, positive emotions, tendency to seek stimulation and the company of others, go-getter) ;

  Agreeability  (tendency to be empathetic and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic to others) ;

  Neuroticism  (tendency to feel unpleasant emotions easily, like anger, anxiety or depression, vulnerability).

For each subject, the study managed to establish a personality graph by using the 240 questions of the NEO PI-R tests  (Neuroticism-Extroversion-Openness, Personality Inventory - Revised).

On this basis, SCL identified the individuals who constitute sincere, manipulable militants, and then elaborated personalised arguments to convince them.

One might think that personality studies developed without the subjects knowledge would be too approximate. And yet

A brilliant lawyer, Ted Cruz defended the Ten Commandments monument installed at the Texas State Capitol . He drew up the memoires of the attorneys general of 31 states, according to whom the ban on handguns violates the right to bear arms guaranteed by the second amendment to the Constitution of the United States. He also defended the recitation of the Oath of Allegiance to the flag of the United States,  One Nation Under God , in public schools.

Ted Cruz the candidate

The candidate who seeks to be swept into the White House, Ted Cruz, is an excellent lawyer, a brilliant orator and debater. Specifically, he has pleaded several times, successfully, before the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a libertarian rather than a conservative.

His father, the Evangelist pastor Rafael Cruz, is a Cuban immigrant who preaches that God gave men of faith the job of governing  America . He claims that at the end of times, which is coming soon, God will give the wealth of evil men to the just [8].

Teds wife, Heidi Cruz,was the Director for South America to the National Security Council in the days of Condoleezza Rice. She then became vice-president of Goldman Sachs, tasked with the management of the fortunes of clients from the South-West US [9].

At the start of his Presidential campaign, Ted Cruz generated very few favourable opinions, and the Press commented on his unempathetic character. However, thanks to the help of SCL/Cambridge Analytica, he quickly formed a huge support group, and won the Republican primaries in Iowa.

In 1988, Ted Cruz spoke of his ideals in life :  Take over the world. World domination, rule everything, be rich and powerful, that sort of stuff .

If he were to win the coveted place in the White House, it would prove that it is possible to subvert an electoral campaign by using the techniques of psychological operations.
Tyler Blackburn and Troian Bellisario as Caleb and Spencer. Photo: Ron Tom/Disney Enterprises

The five-year time-jump on Pretty Little Liars was bound to produce many unexpected and thrilling story lines (yep, theres an Uber-A now), but perhaps the most surprising development of all involves matters of the heart. The breakup of Rosewoods years-long resident power couple, Caleb Rivers (Tyler Blackburn) and Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson), was revealed in the mid-season premiere, followed soon after by a romance between Caleb and Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario). As expected, viewers went into a frenzy at the abrupt change in narrative  Hanna is now engaged to an Australian man  but Blackburn was ready for the shift.

Obviously, I love working with Ashley [Benson], but as an actor, I love working with Troian, Blackburn told us over the phone last week. She has a good, specific approach that I really respect, so anytime she and I were able to work together previously, weve really enjoyed it. We would actually joke around together and be like, So, how do we get more time together onscreen? And then all of a sudden [the showrunners] were like, Oh, you guys are actually just going to be in a relationship. I was like, What! There was a running joke that we could hear the screams of the fans hating every moment during all of our scenes.

When the cast received the initial scripts that outlined Spalebs romance, emotions were mixed. The only two reactions that mean anything were from Ashley and Keegan [Allen], Blackburn says. (Allen portrayed Spencers boyfriend, Toby, on the show for many seasons. Toby is also friends with Caleb.) Ashley was really upset. Keegan was a little more stoic about it, but I think he was pretty upset as well. They have to go with the flow, though, right?

The differences in Calebs compatibility with Hanna and Spencer was also intriguing to Blackburn. The idea originally with Caleb and Hanna was that they were almost opposites, very opposites attract. I think that Caleb and Spencer have a lot in common, he says. They have an innate sense of whats going on around them. Theyre very inquisitive, theyre very sharp. Especially after five years, theyre now adults, and they have their specialties, and they work toward them in the same vein. I feel like theres a spark. In previous seasons, there was a little bit of a spark in certain scenes because of those similarities. Through flashbacks in the upcoming episodes, well also see how their relationship slowly evolved. Its not as much as fireworks as it was with Caleb and Hanna, but its really beautiful, he continues. So youll actually get to see a little more of that and how it developed.

Dont mess this up for them, Uber-A.
Curate Rubin will. Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images

Eminem once called himself Rick Rubins little Padawan  and wouldnt you know it, now Rubins making an entire album inspired by Star Wars. The rap games Yoda has curated Star Wars Headspace, a compilation out February 19 that will sample sounds and dialogue from the entire franchise. In other words, you can now hopefully look forward to cute BB-8 noises looped together with Wookiee talk and heavy breathing. Flying Lotus, Rustie, A-Trak, Baauer, Royksopp, Kaskade, Shlohmo, GTA, Galantis, and more have contributed to the production. But the two names that really boost the projects Star Wars cred are Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams and cantina songwriter (among many things) Lin-Manuel Miranda, who made the song Jabba Flow for Force Awakens together (under the name Shag Kava)  now that song is getting the Rubin treatment with a remix called Jabba Flow: Rick Rubin Re-Work, which is apparently a Jabba the Hut tribute. And you thought you were a Star Wars fanboy.

According to FlyLo, the producers werent allowed to sample John Williams, but they were given full permission to play with the franchises entire sound archive. You can listen to Flying Lotuss R2 Where R U? (which features R2-D2s beeps), Baauers Cantina Boys (featuring a Tusken Raider battle-cry and Darth Vaders breathing), and Rubins own NR-G7 below, and nerd out.
Photo: Ahmed Klink/for Vulture

Samantha Bee, a tattooed centaur with heat vision in a room full of men, is about to become the only female late-night host currently on television. If youre familiar with Bees work, youre well acquainted with the Canadian-Americans 12-year tenure as a correspondent on The Daily Show, though there are lot of smaller, important steps she took that brought her to this moment. Ahead of tonights premiere of TBSs Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, lets remember how she got here.

Mid 90s: Samantha Bee attended McGill University for one year, eventually leaving for the George Brown theater school in Toronto. As she struggled to make it as an actor, Bee did a series of commercial spots for Pillsbury and Kraft while also working in a Canadian childrens theater troupe. At one point she played Sailor Moon in a live-action production of which there is no video evidence. It was there she met her husband, Jason Jones, in the B cast role of Tuxedo Mask.

19992002: In 1999, Bee co-founded the Atomic Fireballs, an all-lady comedy troupe, which shes referred to as the warm womb that I came from. Now Toronto calls the group one of the fastest-rising comedy troupes in the city, and ranked it among the top-ten Toronto comedy acts in 2001. We filled a niche, one creator, Fiona Carver, told Bishop Universitys paper the next year. Comedy was male-dominated, and people wanted to see a female group. (Bee has since stayed in touch the Fireballs. Former member Allana Harkin is currently on her staff at Full Frontal.)

2003: Bees agent asked if shed heard of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, and if she might want to go in for an audition. She temporarily left Jones behind in Canada to move to New York and pursue a part as a correspondent. (He would later join the cast and work alongside Bee for the next nine and a half years). I trained for it like I was an Olympian, she said on AOLs Makers video series, noting that The Daily Show was already her favorite show at the time. She was the first, and, for a long time, only woman on the show.



2004: Bee landed her first starring role in the independent film Ham & Cheese (not to be confused with her part in the 2001 TV movie Ham I Am), for which she later won the Canadian comedy award for Pretty Funny Female Performance.

2005: During December of 2005, Bee had a breakout moment when Bill OReilly used a clip of her from The Daily Show as further evidence of the War on Christmas. Christmas is the only religious holiday thats also a federal holiday, Bee says in the clip, which was a year old by the time OReilly resuscitated it. That way, Christians can go to their services, and everyone else can stay home and reflect on the true meaning of separation of church and state. (Stewart responded by calling Bee out to see if she could remember filing the report. She emerged on set extremely pregnant and said the segment must be from the previous year because her highlights were different.)

2008: Some of Bees best work began with the 2008 election, including but not limited to her visit to the Republican National Convention, where she worked tirelessly to get Sarah Palin supporters to say the word choice. Everybody got the memo, she said later in the segment. Were not going to talk about choice anymore.  the C-word used to be something else. Now its choice.

2009: The nonsense Are women funny? debate began in 2007 with Christopher Hitchenss controversial essay for Vanity Fair, and Bee became a vocal part of the escalating conversation. In 2009, she joined a panel with Seinfelds Jason Alexander and Daily Show thenhead writer and executive producer David Javerbaum to confront the lack of female voices in writers rooms. Almost invariably, when I tell [women] what the requirements are, they dont believe that theyre capable of doing it, and I encourage them to do it, she told moderator Randy Cohen. But I dont think that they do  I think in many ways it has to do with their own sort of self-esteem.

2010: Bee published a collection of humorous essays, I Know I Am, But What Are You? in 2010 that focuses on her journey from childhood to The Daily Show. (Read an excerpt about gift-giving etiquette here.) The memoir, which explores her younger years in great detail  from her parents divorce to her teenage tendency to steal cars  gives a particularly memorable recounting of her experience in the Sailor Moon childrens show. The book was met with mostly positive reviews.

2012: Bee appeared in Good God!, a satirical HBO Canada series by Ken Finkleman that follows a right-wing news organization. Bees deadpan delivery as anchor Shandy Sommers was the perfect fit for the role, and she gained recognition for highlighting how religion and politics dont mix. When I first immersed myself in all of that stuff, I couldnt believe politicians were talking about [religion], Bee told the Huffington Post. Its not so much newsmakers who are talking about it, its more so the politicians. And then it becomes part of the news. Its just so routine, now, to talk about your faith and the specifics of what you believe. [Faith] informs so many public policy issues, which is fascinating.

2013: As The Daily Shows Most Senior Correspondent, Bee aired a sketch with tips for busy moms. Bee has always been open about being a working mother: She founded and co-wrote Eating Over the Sink, a popular parenting-advice blog, which was profiled by NPR back in 2011. Shes also the most prominent parent figure to attend Tina Fey and Amy Poehlers house party in 2015s Sisters.

2015: When she left The Daily Show in May 2015, Bee was, as Jon Stewart put it, the longest-serving member of Americas greatest f**king news team. Many lobbied for Bee to replace Stewart when he left later that year. I loved The Daily Show, she told the New York Times in January of this year. But it is a machine thats already running. And it could run with me  it could run without me. This is a much better experience and a much better fit.

2016: According to Bee, she and Jones were planning on leaving The Daily Show before Stewart announced his departure, and had already pitched a sitcom, The Detour, to TBS. We did not know in advance [that Stewart was leaving]. When he announced, that was the week that they greenlit [The Detour], she told the Los Angeles Times. It all kind of happened at the same time. We knew wed leave just because it was time for us to leave anyway. As for Full Frontal, the timing felt right. I think everybody acknowledged that it was time to have a woman hosting a late-night show, she told New York last month. That was in the ether, for sure, and was definitely part of why TBS did such a great job of grabbing me.
into it

Taylor Swift Is the Greatest Self-Portraitist of Our Time As we near the release of her new album, Midnights, we try to figure out whether well truly know her  and if that even matters.
Who better to shill for your luxury brand than comic-book heroes who teach kids to believe in abstract ideals? Yes, Turkish Airlines has ditched its former spokespeople, superhuman athletes Kobe and Messi, and hired new ones: superheroes Batman and Superman. In an ad that debuted during the Super Bowl, Batman (well, technically, Bruce Wayne) and Lex Luthor (complete with a sneer and a stress ball) give competing pitches for Gotham and Metropolis in the run-up to Batman v Superman. Turkish Airlines will, apparently, fly you to either, despite the fact that neither place exists. Ignore that, and focus on the way Ben Affleck curls his fingers around the handle of his espresso cup. Its so dainty. Dont you love it?
A rare sight will greet the warbird world this April in Peru, Illinois. At least nine Grumman TBM Avengers are expected to gather at Illinois Valley Regional Airport for a mixture of public displays and an owner/operators conference. There is every possibility that additional TBMs will attend as well, making it potentially the largest gathering of airworthy Avengers of the warbird era.

Organized by Brad Deckert, and his company TBM Avenger LLC, the Avengers will begin arriving in Peru, Illinois during the third week of April. The TBM forum for owner/operators will take place on Friday, April 15th. The forum will include a presentation on maintaining the Avengers Curtiss-Wright R-2600-20 engine, as well as an open session for TBM owner/operators to discuss mutual concerns. For obvious reasons, these sessions will not be open to the public, however, the everyone is welcome to attend all of the weekend events. The public will be able to get a close-up look at the TBMs, and witness some flying as well. Formation flights are in the works too of course. There is also a plan to invite former Avenger veterans as well, though the final details are not complete on that just yet. The local EAA Chapter will be selling lunches, which will be available to all-comers.

So far the organizers expect the following TBM Avengers to attend:

1: TBM-3E  Bu.85632  N81865  Brad Deckert  based locally at KVYS, Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru, Illinois.

2: TBM-3E  Bu.53829 -N293E  Mark and Allen Yeagie  coming from KFAR, Hector International Airport in Fargo, ND.

3: TBM-3U  Bu.53768  N683G  Tom Buck  coming from KJOT, Joliet Regional Airport in Joliet, IL.

4: TBM-3  Bu.91436  N436GM  Charlie Cartledge  coming from KPCW, Erie-Ottawa International Airport in Port Clinton, OH.

5: TBM-3E  Bu85882  N9584Z  Michael Kopp  coming from Seattle region, WA.

6: TBM-3U  Bu.69325  N325GT  Darrell Berry  coming from OM8, Benton County Regional Airport, Camden, TN.

7: TBM-3S  Bu.53420  N420GP  Tri-state Warbird Museum coming from I69, Clermont County Airport, Batavia, OH.

8: TBM-3  Bu53835  N3967A  Charles Lynch  coming from KHPN, Westchester County Airport, White Plains, NY.

9: TBM-3  Bu.53353  N5264  Missouri Wing, CAF  coming from KSET, St. Charles County Smartt Airport, Portages des Sioux, MO.

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WarbirdsNews will keep you up to date on any changes as/when they happen, and we also plan to have a representative on the ground, and probably in the air too, so Watch This Space!
Rather than shooting or poisoning foxes at Jerrabomberra Wetlands, land managers are learning to live with them.

Dr Mike Braysher, who led tours of the wetlands on Sunday, says foxes like living with people, and in the wetlands cannot be poisoned because of risks to other animals.

Sophia Kesina, 8, of Chisholm, has a view of the wetlands from a bird hide. Credit:Graham Tidy

Ninety per cent of the fox population was waiting in reserve in case any of the top order ones died or left their territory, Dr Braysher, of the wetlands nature reserve's management committee, said. Take one out and there were many more young foxes to replace them.

Dr Braysher said research into a four-year intensive baiting program elsewhere in Australia showed no impact on fox numbers. "All that happened was a massive re-invasion," he said during one of the tours that marked World Wetlands open day at Jerrabomberra Wetlands.
Reclaim Australia protesters held their largest rally yet on Saturday in Canberra kicking of a wave of Anti-Islam demonstrations in cities across the world.

Canberra organiser Daniel Evans labelled it "preservation of Australia Day" and at the podium congratulated 250 "fellow patriots" for making the journey to the capital.

Reclaim Australia national rally on Parliament House Lawns was the first in a series of globally coordinated Anti-Islam protests Credit:Graham Tidy

Saturday's protest was the first in a series of global rallies against the Islamisation of the West co-ordinated by German anti-immigration movement the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA).

As the crowd marched up Federation Mall and flooded onto a Parliament House Lawn, split in two by barricades, a dubbed version of John Lennon's track Imagine came over the PA featuring the lyrics "Imagine there's no Islam".
The public would be "appalled" to know that the government was subsidising such an "inhumane and unethical" industry to the tune of $1 million a year, he said.

"Greyhound racing is an outdated industry that promotes the exploitation of dogs, endorses cruelty to animals and encourages problem gambling," Mr Rattenbury said, calling for the ban at a rally at Glebe Park on Sunday.

ACT Greens parliamentarian Shane Rattenbury is calling for a ban on greyhound racing in Canberra and an end to the $1 million in government subsidies to the industry each year.

Mr Rattenbury holds the balance of power in the ACT parliament, with the Labor government relying on his vote to stay in power. He said the Greens membership was pushing for the ban, and he would now take it to cabinet to try to persuade Labor.

Shane Rattenbury has called for a ban on greyhound racing in Canberra. Credit:Karleen Minney

He would also consider a private member's bill and said he wanted the issue dealt with before the election if possible.

Given his crucial role in the Labor Government, Mr Rattenbury has the power to force decisions, but he said his approach was to use persuasion rather than "the nuclear option" of felling the government to get his way.

"It's a matter of convincing colleagues that these are the right steps to take to deal with this," he said. "What we want to eliminate is the profit side of greyhound racing, which is what drives these unethical practices in my view."
After years of neglecting Chinese tourists, Australian retailers are gearing up for a $500 million Lunar New Year spending spree by tapping their Mandarin-speaking staff, tacking up Chinese-language signs and stocking up on red and gold merchandise.

Nowhere are the preparations more intense than at David Jones, which is pulling out all the stops to ensure it gets more than its fair share of the estimated $150 million that Chinese tourists are expected to spend in department stores during the Spring Festival.

Retailers are stocking up on red and gold merchandise and decorations ahead of Lunar New Year. Credit:Andy Wong

Australia's oldest department store has curated a collection of Chinese designer labels in partnership with the Australian-China Fashion Alliance and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week founder Simon Lock, featuring established and up-and-coming labels brands such as Huishan Zhang, Helen Lee, Jamie Wei Huang, Ms Min and Ground-Zero.

After advertising on Chinese social media sites WeChat and Weibo, David Jones has created a Lunar New Year landing page on its website and is hoping to lure Chinese tourists into stores with red and gold gifts from brands such as Prada, YSL and MAC, and $100 gift cards for UnionPay cardholders who spend $1000.
Last week the City of Sydney released a report on the Late Night Management Areas Research (LNMAR) project. A selection of the findings have been rapidly leaped upon by alcohol industry advocates and others as demonstrations that the liquor trading restrictions introduced in 2014, after following the deaths of Daniel Christie and Thomas Kelly, have been unsuccessful and have devastated the city's nightlife.

Such claims will always be made by those with vested interests, but it is important to check whether the report is well conducted and the conclusions are justified. In this instance, this is definitely not so.

The City of Sydney report highlights figures like an 89 per cent reduction in foot traffic in Kings Cross - but for foot traffic at 4am, when the venues are shut. Credit:Kate Geraghty

The report comes in the context of continued evidence from agencies such as NSW Police, St Vincents Hospital and the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics Research all showing massive reductions in alcohol-related harm.
In an astonishing report, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has accused Sweden and Britain of arbitrarily detaining WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange because of a sexual-assault investigation against him in Sweden.

To be sure, it's unknown whether he's guilty of the charges. Likewise, it's impossible to know whether Assange criminally conspired with US Army Private Chelsea Manning (then known as Bradley) to steal classified material, or whether Assange and Wikileaks simply published that material in a manner that should be protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

But what seems highly likely is that Assange's detention is anything but arbitrary  it's because of the investigation of serious crimes.

The report recites the basic facts: Swedish prosecutors began to investigate Assange in 2010 "based on allegations of sexual misconduct", which is a bit of an understatement because the charges were for rape. The prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant. Assange was detained by British authorities in Wandsworth Prison, and apparently held in isolation for 10 days. Then Assange was put under house arrest for 550 days. Given that he was a flight risk, home detention seems like a proportionate and humane response to the situation, not a rights violation.
What is made of glass, fails to keep the rain out and has seats that can heat up to 60 degrees?

Unfortunately for Sydney commuters, it is a typical roadside bus shelter.



The standard design of the city's bus shelters has caught the attention of four western Sydney councils on the hunt for new "cool and smart" bus shelters, adapted to address the high temperatures associated with climate change.

Seeking shade: Councils across Sydney are working to find "cooler" and "smarter" bus shelters. Credit:Ben Rushton

In a collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney, the U.lab design innovation team at UTS Business School and the state government's Adapt NSW, the councils have launched a competition seeking designs that maximise thermal performance and user comfort.

"It is often vulnerable people who use public transport, who are more likely to experience increasing incidents of heat-related illness," said Lee Wallace, project manager of the Climate Adapted People Shelter competition.
Under siege from a rampaging Turnbull government and an exodus of members, Australia's once mighty trade unions are secretly examining radical changes including dollar-a-week memberships in a bid to survive and then regain their industrial and political clout.

In what would be an extraordinary departure from more than a century of practice, senior union figures are urging a fundamental rethink of what union membership means which could see dues slashed to as little as a dollar-a-week, as well as half-memberships at cut rates, and even individually tailored services for an increasing disaggregated and isolated workforce in which many people "have no employer" per se.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull renewed his warning to Senate cross-benchers to pass the government's Australian Building and Construction Commission bill. Credit:Andrew Meares

Exclusive collective bargaining agreements where only members benefit from any hard-won pay rises and other improvements are also being examined.

The ideas are among many canvassed in a confidential draft policy paper intended for the ACTU and obtained by Fairfax Media.
Rose Byrne has given birth to a baby boy, Rocco.

The Australian actor and her partner Bobby Cannavale welcomed their first child together on February 1, Cannavale confirmed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Byrne and Cannavale have been dating for three years and now have a baby boy. Credit:Getty Images

"I had a baby on Monday, yes," the Vinyl star told Colbert on Friday night (New York Time).

"You know, I didn't do anything. We [fathers] don't do anything and I'm so tired. I think I've gained 28 pounds since Monday," he joked.
2. Put money on the menu Chat about the family's finances over dinner  the income coming in and the expenses going out. Don't create anxiety if things are tight but do convey money is finite; that it runs out is a make-or-break realisation now physical money is barely ever seen. 3. Show you can target sweet rewards Share your big financial/lifestyle goals and how you intend to achieve them. That family trip to Fiji? You're saving $400 a fortnight  and all missing out on good stuff today  so you can have a great, stress-free time together at a later date. Your kids must learn delaying gratification yields larger rewards. Also point out they have one enormous advantage that you don't: time. They could be a millionaire by 60 if they saved just $6 a day from age 15 (at an 8 per cent return). By age 40, you need to stash $57 a day (sorry!).

4. Make kids earn their pocket money In real life, money is earned not awarded. So don't create a false, destructive expectation. The average is $8.50 a week between age 8 and 10, and $14.30 between 11 and 14, says TAL research. Most work for it  even seven-year-olds. Whatever you give in return for chores, suggest that half is for now and half for later, greater savings goals. And difficult though it might be, try not to moan about your own job; a good line of advice is "do what you love and convince someone to pay you for it". 5. Teach the difference between cheap and value The first might only cost less initially. Buy right and you should only need to buy once. Show your children how to separate the real bargains from the rorts, too.

6. Stop believing your own parents It's very possible you unconsciously underachieve when it comes to money because that was the plight of your parents. You were taught prosperity-limiting beliefs, probably implicitly not explicitly. A guy by the name of Steve Siebold has spent the past 30 years interviewing 1200 self-made individuals in the United States, and one of the commonalities should give you a Eureka moment: "While the middle class teaches their kids how to survive, the wealthy teach their kids how to get rich." Whether or not that makes you feel icky ("mental toughness" expert Siebold says it does for the middle class, but not the wealthy), what's key is that your children have the mindset to secure their financial future and live the life they want. And, from your perspective, eventually move out. 7. Don't be ground down by the mortgage

Relates to the last point; a mortgage should not be the "debt pledge" the Latin translates to, but the best form of forced saving and an opportunity to keep a fortune in interest  probably more than you borrowed in the first place. And rate cuts like we've seen in recent years give you a free kick to do it. Make it your mission to discharge that debt on the earliest potential date (I have a free app called My Mortgage Freedom Date that can calculate this for you), and share this tantalising prospect with your kids. Prepare yourself, too, for the possibility they may never want a mortgage. Sky-high property prices are creating dedicated renters and investors. 8. Demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit Back to Siebold's attitude insights: "The middle class believes jobs are the safest way to earn money; the wealthy believe outstanding performance is the safest way to earn money." Or this one: "The middle class believes money is earned through labour; the wealthy believe money is earned through thought."

Ditch any "lottery" mentality you have and get pro-active. Meanwhile, enrol your child in available "young entrepreneur" programs, like the not-for-profit Club Kidpreneur in schools and at Westfields. 9. Get some basic investment smarts You need to know it to bestow it. With fellow financial literacy campaigner Paul Clitheroe, I recently assessed Australia's money smarts  think debt, savings, insurance and investment  and the grade was a C-minus at best. Gauge where you're at with the new Investing Challenge from ASIC's Money Smart team, which I was delighted to be asked to front. The quick, interactive tool quizzes and corrects basic investment, and safety, information. You could even use it to directly equip older children with that knowledge. 10. Model/encourage philanthropy Regardless of how poor you feel, we are all rich by comparison with many other countries. Share the love and loot, and also encourage your child to become a responsible, self-reliant citizen of our global world.
Despite splashing out half a billion dollars on property acquisitions last year, one of the nation's largest privately owned development companies, Dyldam, is claiming it is too cash-strapped to pay money to the widow of one of its four owners.

In April 2010, George Khattar was in Melbourne on business when he died from a heart attack.

Maria Fayad and her husband Sam Fayad. Credit:Facebook

At the time of his death Mr Khattar, who was 44, was a director of more than a hundred companies, many of them Dyldam-related entities worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

However, it is almost six years since her husband's death, and apart from a monthly allowance and school fees, his widow Carol Khattar and her two daughters are yet to receive their share of Mr Khattar's estate.
Home-schooled students perform "significantly better" in almost all NAPLAN tests than students in mainstream schools and they do as well as their peers in HSC English, new research from the state's exam board reveals.

A NSW Board of Studies' analysis found the average NAPLAN scores of students who were educated at home were about 70 marks higher than the NSW average, particularly in reading, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

Home-schooled students scored about 40 marks higher in spelling and 20 in writing.

Students who were previously home-schooled but were now studying in a classroom also scored "significantly higher" in the reading and grammar and punctuation tests than the NSW average, while in HSC 2 unit English (advanced and standard), there was no statistically significant differences between students who had been home-schooled and the average results for the whole HSC cohort.
As Haymarket wakes up to the Year of the Monkey, the change that has crept over the inner-city suburb throughout the last few decades is developing into a brisk march.

In its north, the final notes of Elton John's last show at the Entertainment Centre rang out last December, and the precinct is now undergoing a complete facelift.

To the west, pedestrians strolling along the six-month-old Goods Line look over architect Frank Gehry's Sydney debut, the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building at UTS.

Soon, light rail will stretch from Central through Chinatown to Circular Quay.
Queenslanders on Sunday got their first look at the new passenger trains to go into Queensland Rail's commuter fleet in the second half of 2016.

The state has paid $4.4 billion for the 75 new trains, each with six carriages.

Queensland's newest trains set to be added to the fleet in mid to late 2016.

The new-age trains include CCTV cameras, straps for bicycles and WiFi in every carriage.

The public can have a look through the new trains at an open day at the new rail maintenance workshop at Wulkuraka, west of Ipswich, on Saturday, February 13.


Twitter has shut down more than 125,000 terrorism-related accounts since the middle of 2015, most of them linked to the Islamic State group, the company said in a blog post on Friday.

Twitter has said it only takes down accounts when they are reported by other users, but said that it has increased the size of teams monitoring and responding to reports and has decreased its response time "significantly".

Twitter has shut down more than 125,000 accounts linked to radicalised Islam.

When accounts are reported, Twitter said it looks at ones that are similar and uses spam-fighting tools to identify other violent accounts, which it said has resulted in more suspensions.
To be a sheep is to follow the mob but there is one animal that defied its stereotype by wandering off and living a mystery life for two years. But now, after relying on its innate GPS, the ewe has amazed us by making the 20-kilometre journey home.

Farmer Matthew Cleve owns the family property Gracedale in Darraweit Guim, west of Wallan, and when fire struck on February 9, 2014, he lost 400 sheep due to the blaze, euthanasia or from wandering off.

Yet one independent sheep made an unimaginable return, carrying 20 kilograms of wool on her back, just in time for the fire's two-year anniversary and an urgent haircut.

Mr Cleve would be familiar with Little Bo-Peep, the nursery rhyme character who lost her sheep, didn't know where to find them but left them alone so they could come home. And with a mountain more than three bags full in Baa Baa Black Sheep.
The United Nations condemned North Korea's satellite launch as a "dangerous and serious" violation of international restrictions, and threatened new sanctions aimed at dissuading the rogue nation from building missiles capable of delivering weapons against distant adversaries including the United States.

The launch followed North Korea's detonation of a nuclear device last month, putting new pressure on the United States and its threatened ally South Korea to take steps that could include deploying a missile defence capability that is firmly opposed by China.

After an emergency meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on Sunday, members of the Security Council accused North Korea of defying repeated warnings with an action that constitutes "a clear threat to international peace and security."
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Feb. 08, 2016 | TRIGG COUNTY, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 08, 2016 | 03:56 PM | TRIGG COUNTY, KY

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has awarded a contract for the reconstruction of a section of U.S. 68/KY 80 in western Trigg County.



Governor Matt Bevin announced Monday that Rogers Group, LLC, has been awarded a $54 million contract for about 8 miles of new 4-lane highway between Cadiz and Canton. The project supplies a missing link in the long-awaited U.S. 68/KY 80 4-lane corridor through southern Kentucky.



The project includes construction of a new 4-lane roughly paralleling the existing roadway from the intersection of U.S. 68-Business at Cadiz extending to the east end of the Lake Barkley Bridge at Cantona distance of about 8 miles.



"This reconstruction project in Trigg County brings us another step closer to the completion of the 4-lane east-west corridor across southern Kentucky," Gov. Bevin said. "Work is progressing on the new bridges over Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley and completion of this section will provide better accessibility for tourists visiting the scenic Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area."



Engineers in KYTC District1 conducted a pre-construction meeting with the contractor in early February with the expectation that some earth work could start near the east end of the project later this month. However, the contractor will have to obtain permits for work in environmentally sensitive areas near Lake Barkley before work can extend to the western end of the project corridor.



"Our goal is to have traffic running on this new section shortly after the new U.S. 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge is completed," said KYTC District 1 Chief Engineer Mike McGregor.



The target completion date is November 30, 2019.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Feb. 08, 2016 | BELTON, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 08, 2016 | 12:55 PM | BELTON, KY

Kentucky State Police are currently searching for an armed and dangerous suspect last seen in the Belton area of Muhlenberg County.



Troopers were conducting a traffic safety checkpoint Sunday evening at the intersection of US 431 and KY 70 when a vehicle attempted to avoid the checkpoint. A trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver accelerated and fled into a yard behind a home on Chumley Lane in the Beech Creek area. Police said that just prior to coming to a stop, the driver fired a handgun from his window. He then reportedly got out of the vehicle, fired several more shots and fled into the woods.



Police have identified the driver as 22-year-old Cody N. McIntosh, of Dunmor. He is white, and is 5'7" tall. He weighs 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. McIntosh was last seen wearing a dark-colored hoodie & gray sweatpants.



Kentucky State Police Special Response Team is on the scene attempting to locate the suspect in the Belton area. Officers from KSP Post 2, KSP Special Operations Branch K-9, Muhlenberg County Sheriffs Department, Greenville Police Department, and KY Department of Fish & Wildlife are assisting with the search.



Police are advising anyone who comes into contact with McIntosh not to try to apprehend him. He is considered armed and dangerous.
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Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world
A new award to help support and develop musical theatre writing in the UK has been created by Olivier Award-winning writing duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

The inaugural MTI Stiles + Drewe Mentorship Award will help to raise winner's profiles in the industry and provide them with mentorship and support to help develop a new musical over a twelve-month period, culminating in an industry showcase. Winners will be selected by Stiles and Drewe and a panel of judges.

Stiles and Drewe found success after winning the first Vivian Ellis Prize in 1985 for their musical Just So and their credits include Honk!, Betty Blue Eyes and Mary Poppins.

Commenting on the award, the pair said: "Writing a good musical is really hard. We were lucky enough to receive advice and support from some of the best in the industry, including Cameron, during the early years of our careers... We've long been championing new writers in the UK and we hope this new Mentorship Award will really make a difference to the quality of musical theatre writing in the UK."

Cameron Mackintosh added: "I have worked with George and Anthony for over 30 years having produced their first musical Just So, so I can't think of any writing collaboration better versed in the challenges of a career in the musical theatre or have more knowledge of the highs and lows that inevitably come with writing any new musical.

"They are the ideal pair to mentor the next generation of musical writers with their hard earned wisdom and knowledge of the endless work and joy involved in the creation of this rare but much loved art."

Submissions for the award are being accepted from 8 February and close at on 9 March.
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While there is no doubt about I Loved Lucy author Lee Tannen's adoration for beloved TV icon Lucille Ball, good intentions and an encyclopaedic knowledge of one's subject do not automatically make decent, or even particularly interesting, theatre.

Tannen's ham-fisted script is lamentably of the "why don't you tell me about the time when..." variety, whereby the less famous character (in this case Tannen himself) asks the more famous character (Ball) a question which then prompts a lengthy reverie and/or anecdote. It's a clumsy device and isn't helped by the fact that most of Lucy's long speeches amount to little more than extensive lists of star names of the period, punctuated by the occasional bitchy comment; there is nothing here that couldn't be gleaned by reading an old movie magazine or looking at Wikipedia. There is precious little dramatic tension and when it comes -Lucy and Lee have a fall out at the end of the first act - it comes from nowhere and is put to bed almost straight after the interval.

Perhaps it is the fact that Tannen and Ball genuinely were friends that prevents this piece from ever catching fire as drama. It's gossipy, mildly catty, ultimately sentimental and overall pretty dull. Every cliche in the book about fading stardom, fan worship and the ageing process are hurled in with reckless, wearying abandon. Anthony Biggs' pedestrian production lacks pace and variety.

As Ms Ball, the wonderfully game Sandra Dickinson really makes one long to see her with a better script. She is feisty, warm, funny, and with a genuine twinkle in her eye. She even looks reasonably like Ball too, although there were a few moments where she reminded me more of a ginger version of Prunella Scales in Fawlty Towers. Opposite her, Matthew Bunn plays Lee with an oleaginous insincerity and a hopeless American accent. His impersonations of some of the other men in Lucy's life are delivered with varying degrees of success.

It says much for the considerable charm of Dickinson's performance that it isn't eclipsed by the final moments of the production where we are treated to a montage of images of the divine Lucy (the real one) to the accompaniment of a recording of her singing "Hey Look Me Over". With a lesser leading actor, that magical finale could very well have seemed like the production team shooting themselves in the foot.

I Loved Lucy runs at Jermyn Street Theatre until February 27.
The Royal Exchange Theatre sits next to St Ann's Church, and it is the church tower that marks the official centre point of the city of Manchester. But I think the Royal Exchange should take that title, as over the last two hundred years, it has been a building and community that has shaped, and also been shaped, by the people of Manchester.

In 1764 the Duke of Bridgewater cut the world's first man-made canal, and this propelled Manchester into becoming the world's first industrialised city. Synonymous with textile production, at one point Manchester accounted for eighty per cent of the world's finished textiles. A textile trading exchange was essential. Whilst inside the building wealthy men traded in textiles made from cotton that would have been picked by slaves, outside angry Mancunians used the building to campaign, even setting fire to the building in 1815. Friedrich Engels worked here as a capitalist by day, funding Marx to write the communist manifesto by night. In 1921, the Royal Exchange was the biggest trading room in the world.

The building was badly bombed in the blitz of 1940 and consequently Manchester's economy went into steady decline, with the Royal Exchange closing in 1968, chiming the end of the city's industrial era. Like post-industrial Manchester, the exchange is left empty to decay. As a prologue to Manchester's cultural regeneration, in 1976 the Royal Exchange Theatre arrives in its iconic spaceship module, equipped with 755 seats, making it the world's largest theatre in the round. On 15 June 1996 the largest bomb to go off in peacetime Britain was detonated by the IRA in Manchester, and the Royal Exchange was badly hit.

Royal Exchange Theatre is proudly and quintessentially Manc - and that's what works.

Like the city of Manchester, the Royal Exchange Theatre responded by returning stronger than before, complete with a refurbishment and a new studio space. I initially felt uncomfortable with the term regional' when referring to the Royal Exchange Theatre - after all, this is a building that runs Europe's biggest playwrighting prize, producing work that sits happily next to the so-called national venues of the Royal Court or the National Theatre. However, upon further thought, the Royal Exchange Theatre is proudly and quintessentially Manc - and that's what works. The theatre's leading ladies, for example, are both local lasses - with long histories of empowering and supporting the people of Manchester - as well as offering powerhouse performances in recent seasons (Maxine Peake in The Skriker and Julie Hesmondhalgh in Wit).

And it's a two-way street:

Brink by the Young Company was one of the most striking productions of last year. The Elders Company's work in the Great Hall left me in tears. Manchester's ongoing problem with homelessness is being addressed with a continuing working relationship with the Booth Centre. I've personally benefited from the Arts Pot, which ensures no one is excluded for financial reasons. Recently appointed Associate Artistic Director Matthew Xia founded the Open Exchange Network, which offers workshops, rehearsal space, performance space and paid opportunities to over five hundred (and counting) emerging local theatre makers. Upcoming productions will tell stories from the communities of Manchester that have yet to have had adequate representation on our stage, including collaborations with Talawa, Graeaeand an adaptation of The Mighty Walzer. Of course, a lot of people simply use the Royal Exchange Theatre for the toilets, the free internet and to chat with our volunteers known as The Friends, who are always on hand to show you around the building, and offer information.

The Royal Exchange of today is a far cry from the Exchange of white men in top hats trading textiles. This is a space that ever increasingly reflects and includes Manchester. This is a space for Manchester.

Today, the Royal Exchange trades in words and thought: it is a cultural church in which industrial Manchester and post-industrial Manchester kiss to power the regeneration of the city. Watching a play in the module, one can concurrently observe the neoclassical columns beyond the glass walls of the module, as well as fellow Mancs opposite perhaps laughing and perhaps crying at the drama unfolding upon the stage: you're suddenly very aware of the past and the present and the possibilities that the future holds.

Joshua Val Martin is a playwright and theatre director from Manchester. He is also the founder of Free Manchester Walking Tours.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHARLOTTETOWN  Its a grave insult that a national park in Prince Edward Island still bears the name of a military general who wanted to kill aboriginal people with smallpox, says a Mikmaq leader.

John Joe Sark, a member of the Mikmaq Nation traditional government, says the name of 18th-century British military commander Jeffery Amherst should be removed from the Port-la-JoyeFort Amherst historic site near Charlottetown.

Why should they name any public place after a barbarian and a tyrant that this guy was? Sark said Monday from Johnstons River, P.E.I.

Mi'kmaq leader John Joe Sark is shown in a handout photo. He has written to the federal government asking that the name of the Port-la-Joye - Fort Amherst national historic site near Charlottetown, P.E.I., be changed. Sark says the name honours General Jeffery Amherst, a British military commander in the 1700s who supported using blankets infected with small pox to kill aboriginal people. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO

He may be a hero to the colonial government or the Settlers Society or whatever, but hes no hero to the Mikmaq people.

He has written to the federal government in a bid that adds fuel to an ongoing debate about how historic figures are honoured across Canada and the United States.

In a letter dated Jan. 29 to Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, Sark makes his case for changing the parks name to reflect how Mikmaq lived in the region long before and ever since European settlers.

His name is a grave insult to the Mikmaq people of Prince Edward Island, the Atlantic region and to the rest of the aboriginal people in Canada, it says. General Jeffery Amhersts ultimate goal was to exterminate the Mikmaq and other aboriginal peoples of North America.

Sark said he has so far received no answer from McKennas office. He was part of a similar campaign in 2008 to urge the former federal Conservative government to change the name. Parks Canada officials at the time declined, saying they wanted a balanced history, Sark said.

Were not trying to re-write history, but we want to write the true history. What you read in  books is not everything. They leave out all this stuff of how cruel and how barbaric these guys were.

An emailed statement from McKennas office said the minister was aware of Sarks letter and would review the request.

An emailed statement from Parks Canada said the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, an advisory body to Parks Canada, considered a request to remove Amhersts name from the park in July 2009 and ultimately recommended against it.

However, the statement said Parks Canada staff have continued to engage with the Mikmaq Confederacy of P.E.I. and the Mikmaq community for interpretation and special events at the site.

Parks Canada is committed to working respectfully with First Nations and honouring their contributions to Canadas protected places, reads the statement.

The HSMBC would review and give their recommendation on any new proposals to change the name of Port-la-Joye / Fort Amherst National Historic Site of Canada.

Amherst, an officer who rose up the ranks of the British Army in the mid-1700s, is considered a key engineer of British victories in the Seven Years War for control of New France territories in North America. Several places in the U.S. and Canada, such as Amherstburg, Ont., bear his name.

Amherst College in Massachusetts said last month the British military commander would no longer appear in school communications or as an unofficial mascot. Lord Jeff  as he was known around campus  was increasingly seen as an oppressive figure who supported using blankets infected with smallpox to kill aboriginal people.

That announcement followed a flare-up in Nova Scotia in December over a statue of Edward Cornwallis in a Halifax park. A plaque notes that Cornwallis founded the city in the 1700s but fails to mention a scalping proclamation he offered against the Mikmaq. It promised a reward of ten Guineas for every Indian Micmac taken or killed, to be paid upon producing such Savage taken or his scalp.

Some historians caution against vilifying actions out of historical context but others have called for more diverse depictions, especially in public spaces.

 By Sue Bailey in St. Johns, NL
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Desperate for answers three years after her niece was killed in Gods Lake Narrows First Nation, Josie Stevenson says a national inquiry into missing women must focus in part on how police investigate murders.

And she said her family has asked RCMP to conduct the kind of widespread DNA testing in Gods Lake Narrows thats now underway in Garden Hill, where the murder of another young First Nations girl remains unsolved.

How many people live on the reserve? Two-thousand? asked Stevenson. Its been three years. Im just hoping they pay more attention.

Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press 'Here in Winnipeg, there seems to be tremendous anger and cynicism,' says Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

Stevenson was among 170 people  advocates, family members and aboriginal leaders  who met in Winnipeg Monday with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett to discuss what a national inquiry into missing and murdered women ought to look like.

Many have called for the inquiry to have a broad scope, including the root causes of systemic racism and misogyny, but Stevenson said she also wants the inquiry to look at how individual cases are handled by police.

The RCMP dont appear to be doing enough to solve her nieces murder, dont have enough resources and dont keep in touch or share information with the family, said Stevenson.

We dont know how she died, said Stevenson. We dont even know what day she died.

Leah Andersons body was found badly beaten on a snowmobile trail in early January 2013. She was last seen by family heading out to meet friends at the communitys skating rink. No arrests have ever been made in the 15-year-olds death.

Stevenson said her brother-in-law has asked RCMP to conduct widespread DNA tests in Gods Lake but instead police are doing it in Garden Hill to help find the person responsible for the death of 11-year-old Teresa Robinson. As in Leahs case, Teresas death in May was originally attributed to an animal mauling.

Monday, following a morning sharing circle, Bennett said Winnipeg is ground zero for the national epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women, but said victims families are skeptical a national inquiry will help.

Bennett said she heard deep frustration from families with police, government and the outcome of an inquiry.

Here in Winnipeg, there seems to be tremendous anger and cynicism, said Bennett. These were tough messages, and we obviously have to do a great deal of work to earn their confidence.

Bennett said she also heard more in Winnipeg from gay, lesbian and transgender people who told her they have felt largely left out of the debate over missing and murdered women.

FACEBOOK In January 2013, Leah Anderson, 15, was on her way to the local arena to go skating when she vanished. Her remains were found days later near an isolated snowmobile trail. Initial reports suggested her body had been mauled by animals but RCMP later ruled her death a homicide. There have been no arrests in her homicide.

Bennetts meeting at the Fairmont Hotel was part of a 16-city series of gatherings meant to help the Trudeau government design the inquiry. The consultation meetings with advocates, community organisations and victims families began in December and will last through this month as groups weigh in on the inquirys mandate, scope, process and possible commissioners.

Winnipegs meeting was roughly the same size as the largest meeting so far, in Vancouver.

Bennett said she hopes the inquiry will begin in July. But she offered no hints about who might lead the inquiry except to say she listening carefully to a variety of opinions, including those calling for an indigenous woman or a judge to lead the process.

The minister said national debate over the issue of violence against indigenous women was ignited in large part in Winnipeg, especially since the death of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine in August 2014 and the assault suffered by Rinelle Harper, then 16, a few weeks later.

Bennett also noted another indigenous woman  39-year-old Mavis Ducharme  was slain over the weekend, giving the issue urgency in Winnipeg.

Its pretty raw here, she said. This is still happening. This isnt stopping Every week it seems there is some tragedy that happens.

maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They pointed the fingers of blame at each other, but both were convicted of a cold-blooded killing. The Winnipeg men argue the judge made critical errors, and their verdicts should be tossed out.

Corey Tymchyshyn, 39, and Kristopher Brincheski, 33, appeared before the Manitoba Court of Appeal Monday. In 2014, they were found guilty of first-degree murder for their roles in the February 2008 killing of Chad Davis. They received an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 25 years.

Davis was beaten inside a garage at Tymchyshyns home on Prince Rupert Avenue, then put in a plastic rain barrel, which was sealed and dumped into the Lee River outside Lac du Bonnet. His remains werent discovered until July 2008, when cottagers opened the barrel. Jurors found the two men acted in concert to execute Davis, a Winnipeg cocaine dealer.

RCMP / Manitoba Justice Chad Davis

Both accused testified in their own defence during the 2014 trial, taking turns blaming each other while downplaying their own role.

Their lawyers asked the Court of Appeal for new trials that would be heard separately. In 2014, a motion to sever the trials was denied.

The Crown said the evidence shows Brincheski and Tymchyshyn played integral roles in plotting and carrying out the attack, which they say was done because both men were deep in drug debt to Davis. Jurors agreed.

I urge you to see these stories for what they are  deceptions created to try and sway you away from the truth, Crown attorney Keith Eyrikson told jurors during the trial. We know both accused cant be telling the truth. Both versions cant be true. And while each of the accused has told some truths they are both lying.

Tymchyshyns lawyer argues his trial was manifestly unfair because jurors heard evidence implying he is of bad character and has a propensity toward violence.

He claims Justice Brenda Keyser made a mistake by allowing Brincheski to produce that evidence.

Tymchyshyn told jurors he wasnt present for the killing but returned home and found Brincheski had killed Davis in apparent self-defence after Davis attacked him over a $10,000 drug debt.

Jurors heard Tymchyshyn admitted hed threatened to kill a man in a dispute over a marijuana-grow operation they set up in the mans basement while he was on bail in 2012 on the murder charge.

Tymchyshyn said the man was potentially compromising the secrecy of the grow-op so he had to caution him, which he did by making threats the man would meet a similar fate as Davis.

The last guy that screwed up in a situation like this ended up in a barrel, Tymchyshyn admitted saying.

The Crown relied heavily on text messages Tymchyshyn sent to Brincheski on the last day Davis was seen alive.

We will be in soon, said one. Hes wearing a hat dont miss, said the next.

Tymchyshyns lawyer, Roberta Campbell, said her client should only be convicted of accessory after the fact for helping Brincheski dispose of the victims body.

Brincheski testified he was with his girlfriend at the time Tymchyshyn killed Davis, but Tymchyshyn asked him to help cover up the crime. RCMP searched Brincheskis home in September 2008 and found thousands of dollars worth of Daviss property.

His lawyer, Gerri Wiebe, painted Tymchyshyn as the violent, ill-tempered mastermind who was solely responsible for the killing.

Corey Tymchyshyn is not the charming, easygoing guy he wants you to believe he is. He is a cold, calculating manipulator. And now he is trying to manipulate you, Wiebe told jurors.

She said Tymchyshyn forced Brincheski to assist him in hiding Davis and other evidence and repeatedly threatened him if he revealed what had happened.

When things went bad, and he had a dead body on his hands and no plan to deal with it, he called Kris Brincheski, said Wiebe during the trial. Like all his other patsies, (Brincheski) was an easy mark.

www.mikeoncrime.com
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This article was published 07/02/2016 (2447 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Theres a place of peace behind the Shaughnessy Park home of Olga and Don Mokriy and it may be about to bear their familys name.

It is an ecological reserve the couple helped establish in 2008, and a place where numerous species of birds, rabbits, owls and even a fox live in the heart of the city.

Known as the Shaughnessy Ecological Reserve, its a treed lot tucked amid rows of new bungalows on Aberdeen Avenue. The small lot measures less than half of an acre but it exists in its natural state, save for about a half dozen bird houses and food human hands have scattered, as the habitat for a wide variety of animals and plants.

John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press Olga Mokriy attends to bird feeders at an ecological reserve behind her property on Aberdeen Avenue Sunday.

Last month, the councillors on the Lord Selkirk-West Kildonan community committee approved a motion renaming the Shaughnessy Ecological Reserve to Mokriy Ecological Reserve. On Monday, councils protection, community services and parks committee will consider the matter.

It will be such a wonderful legacy to have it named Mokriy Ecological Reserve in our honour. It makes me feel very rewarded and overwhelmed, said Olga Mokriy, 47.

Im so very grateful and honoured that we were able to ensure a home for the wildlife and also the trees. They filter the air and we need more areas like this.

Their property, which backs onto the ecological reserve, has been in the family for 50 years.

It was designated an ecological reserve in 2008, thanks in large part to the work of the Mokriy family with the support of city councillor Mike Pagtakhan (Point Douglas).

At the time, the treed lot was declared protected from any future zoning changes or redevelopment. Not long after, the rows of bungalows sprouted up along Aberdeen. If the reserve hadnt been protected, it would have been swallowed up by buildings.

For decades, the family has fed the birds, piled broken tree branches that small wildlife use as shelter and kept the parcel of city-owned land clean and free of pollutants.

The area has become famous among birders after a member of the Manitoba Birders Society spotted a rare Eurasian tree sparrow, most of which are found in Missouri.

Gary Budyk of Winnipeg spotted one Dec. 14, 2014, during the Winnipeg Christmas Bird Count. It was only the second confirmed spotting of the Eurasian tree sparrow in Manitoba and has since been viewed by numerous Manitoba birders. Also spotted in the reserve have been snowy owls, hairy and downy woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, orioles, kinglets, warblers, hawks, prairie chickens, rabbits and other wildlife.

Every so often, Olga and Don will glance out a back window and see a little reddish-brown fox sitting on their deck or scampering through the trees.

A fox, in the middle of the city, its truly amazing, Olga said. We truly enjoy this area all year around but especially in the summer, we enjoy the chorus of the birds singing and the other animals enjoying their home.

Its heartwarming to know that this is also going to be a true legacy to our family and for the animals that reside here.

Olga said Pagtakhan, who could not be reached for comment, oversaw the late fall planting of a spruce tree that can be seen from Aberdeen Avenue.

Hes going to be doing a lot more work. Hes really done a lot to assist me and Im so grateful to him and to the City of Winnipeg, Olga said.

She said the reserve is enjoyed by residents of the nearby Fred Douglas Lodge, students from the neighbourhoods schools such as Sisler High School and passersby who will often stop to chat about the wonders of nature before their eyes.

If the name change is approved at Mondays meeting, the sign currently on the property proclaiming it a City of Winnipeg Forest Naturalization Area will soon be joined by one bearing the Mokriy Ecological Reserve name.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca

maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca
The Hope Lutheran High School student of the week for Feb. 8 -12 is sophomore Chelsea Merchlewitz, daughter of Sheila Johnson and Dan Merchlewitz, and sister of Nicole and Danny.

Chelsea describes herself as funny, smart, forgiving, trustworthy and loyal. Chelseas favorite things to do in her spare time is to read, write, sing, draw/sketch, and be with friends and family. Her favorite subject is English, and she considers her Grandma Chris to be her role model.

Chelseas favorite Bible verse is Revelation 22:14, which says, Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

Her plan after high school is to travel to London.

When asked what she likes best about Hope LHS, Chelsea said, I like the fact that we all know each other. The small school atmosphere is great. We go on field trips as a whole school which is really cool.

When asked what they thought of Chelsea as a student, one teacher said, Chelsea is great to have in class. She gets homework done on time and always has a smile for you.
It was a presidential meeting  of sorts  between the Pederson family of Lanesboro and former President Bill Clinton at a rally at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa late last month.

Brothers Cade Pederson, 17, and Coy Pederson, 15  both presidents themselves, of their respective classes at Lanesboro Public Schools  were hoping for a chance not only to see the former president, but to meet him. Clinton, meanwhile, was campaigning for someone who hoped to join their exclusive club  presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The boys parents, Traci and Cory Pederson, knew taking their boys to see the former president would be worth the life experience, but did not realize how big the trip would prove to be.

It started when they ended up in the front row of the speech.

I happened to look at my boys faces and their reaction  total awe and amazement  let me know that at that moment I had provided a possible once-in-a-lifetime experience, Traci said.

That was the best part of Cades day, he said, just hearing Clinton speak.

He is an extraordinary speaker, he said, adding: But of course hes had a lot of practice.

Once Clinton finished his speech, he made his way down the front row for pictures and signatures, as hes often known to do, and the family jumped at the chance to take an all-presidential photo of Clinton and the two boys.

What did Clinton have to say to them?

I dont even really recall what he said, because I was in such shock. We quickly snapped a photo, and he was already off to the next person, Cade said.

And we were just standing there like, Wow, that just happened.

The brothers said they have always enjoyed politics and anything related to current events, regardless of the political affiliation of the people and the events they study.

For their mother, that was all the motivation the family needed to make the trip to Waverly.

We thought that exposing our boys to something as important as this could only produce positive effects, Traci said. Since both of our boys have an interest in history, current affairs, why not feed that interest?

In fall 2016 Cade will attend Wartberg to study biology, though he hasnt ruled out looking at politics as a potential career.

Its a little to early to think about that, he pointed out.

Coy, meanwhile, is considering studying political science, in all stripes.

I think the most important thing is to be politically open-minded and open-minded in general, and I think (affiliation) really restricts people, Coy said.

And for Traci, the visit was less about politics and more about a parenting win.

We all know how hard parenting can be, and we constantly are asking ourselves, Are we doing anything right? she said. Well, I can honestly say that on Thursday, January 28, my husband and I did do something right because all the way back home all our boys could say was, Thank you, mom and dad. That was awesome.
As part of the weeklong Manufacturers and Technology Week celebration, the Winona Area Chamber, in partnership with the Winona Workforce Center, will be honoring WinCraft as the recipient of the Minnesota Governors Commendation at the Oct. 28 Manufacturers and Technology Luncheon.

Win Craft has been a proud member of the Winona community for the past 54 years. In that time, it has grown to be the third-largest private-sector employer in Winona. Keeping with its commitment to Winona and to job creation, WinCraft currently has two significant multi-million dollar building projects under way in Winona. These two projects will allow WinCraft to consolidate the eight Winona-based and two out-of-town facilities into four buildings on the east end.

The luncheon will also feature keynote speaker Tom ONeill, a 2003 graduate of Winona State University. ONeill joined The Nerdery as a programmer in 2004 and soon became a cultural leader at the custom software design and development company. He launched The Nerderys Chicago branch as VP of Software Development and returned to Minneapolis as COO. ONeill personifies The Nerderys belief that passionate nerds are the driving force behind business breakthroughs, and he leads a team of about 500 whose purpose is to redefine whats possible through technology.

The Manufacturers and Technology luncheon will be held at the Riverport Inn from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Advance reservations are required.
With a septuagenarian and soon-to-be septuagenarian contending for the Democratic nomination and a 69-year-old man with admitted weight problems leading the GOP field, one can only wonder why the nations press corps hasnt zeroed in on the health of presidential candidates.

Surely a candidates physical and mental fitness to survive the pressure cooker of the presidency in this era of global turmoil should be a pressing concern of American voters this fall.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the self-described democratic socialist from Vermont, will be 75 when voters go to the polls in November. He was born on Sept. 8, 1941  just months before Japans infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.

Sanders had hernia repair surgery in November, but other than that, appears to have a clean medical slate. He may well be the second coming of Jack LaLanne, the godfather of physical fitness, but a complete certified medical report might be more reassuring to voters.

His main opponent, Hillary Clinton, has a recent history of falling down on the job  literally. She has fainted four times since 1998  twice while serving as a U.S. senator from New York and two more times in her later stint as secretary of state.

The last episode, which reportedly occurred at the Clinton mansion just off Washingtons Embassy Row in December 2012, was the most serious  causing a concussion and clotting on the brain. She returned to work the next month.

The personal physicians of Clinton and Sanders released one-page letters in late January attesting to their patients good health, but Hillarys made no mention of her fainting spells.

On the GOP side, Donald Trump appears reasonably healthy and is enjoying himself on the stump, but hes older than Clinton and has waged an off-and-on battle with his weight.

Other top Republican candidates, while considerably younger than Sanders, Clinton and Trump, may have lurking medical ailments not apparent to the naked eye.

Without a chance to peruse the complete and certified medical reports of GOP front-runners like Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, voters will go to the polls without a body of vital knowledge that would help them make a truly informed decision.

Consider the case of Woodrow Wilson, who led the nation through World War I only to suffer an incapacitating stroke at, perhaps, the most crucial moment of his presidency.

Wilson successfully persuaded the major European powers to back his vision for a League of Nations by including it in the Versailles Treaty. Returning home he was unable to convince conservative senators, who blocked ratification of the treaty.

A fervent believer in a global body to mediate and solve disputes between nations, Wilson decided to bypass the Senate and  against the advice of his personal physician  take his case to the people with a cross-country train tour.

Wilson began the tour  8,000 miles in 22 days  on Sept. 3, 1919. The grueling schedule cost the president his health and ultimately his life.

During the tour, Wilson began to suffer pervasive headaches and in late September collapsed from exhaustion in Pueblo, Colo. He was rushed back to the nations capital, but suffered a near-fatal stroke on Oct. 2 that left his left side paralyzed and impaired his vision.

His wife, Edith, summoned his personal physician and the two decided to keep his condition from the American people.

For the last 17 months of Wilsons presidency all communications went through his wife, who entered his sick room and came out with verbal instructions or written orders with an often illegible scrawl on the line awaiting his signature.

Without Wilsons driving force, America rejected joining the League of Nations, an action which many historians believe set the stage for World War II.

Wilsons illness shows why its so crucial that American voters have complete and unfiltered access to candidates medical records before they go the polls.
In response to a recent derailment near Brownsville, Minn., Canadian Pacific Railroad senior vice president Robert A. Johnson says his company is committed to safety (Feb. 3 Daily News). Most importantly, he notes use of booms and dispatch of mitigating material along the railroad's route.

I was on the scene the day after the Minnesota derailment, and I saw people cutting holes in the ice to place booms to catch oil leaking from a DOT-111 rail car in the water. Oil discolored the ice and water where the car had broken through, and the oil was moving downstream. Fifteen hours after the derailment, booms for mitigation were just being put in place.

What would have been the effect had this train derailed with hazardous material in larger quantity such as Bakken crude or chlorine? Canadian Pacific's lack of immediate mitigation does not support the statement that the railroad is committed to safety.

On Feb. 4, 2015, there was a Canadian Pacific derailment, spill and fire after a train carrying ethanol derailed near Dubuque, Iowa. This derailment also involved notoriously unsafe DOT-111 cars transporting hazardous material spilling into the Mississippi River.

If Canadian Pacific were committed to safety, the railroad would cease transporting hazardous material along the Mississippi Wildlife Refuge in unsafe DOT-111s. Inadequate response to derailment and transport of hazardous material in DOT-111 railcars does not demonstrate Canadian Pacific's commitment to safety, but rather an insistence to continue with the status quo of unsafe transport .
A $250 million cut in state funding to the University of Wisconsin System over the next two years could do great harm to Wisconsins economy, Madison area tech leaders said.

At the same time, they said, more incentives are needed to lure investors to put money into local startups.

Seven executives met for a recent roundtable discussion at Wisconsin State Journal offices, one year after they gathered for a similar exchange, to see if conditions in the areas tech industry have improved or slid backward.

Both meetings were organized by the State Journal and Wisconsin Technology Council president Tom Still, and were moderated by Still and State Journal editor John Smalley.

The consensus seemed to be, as Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce president Zach Brandon put it: I think weve made progress. But theres still a lot of work to be done.

The (technology) ecosystem just gets richer and stronger as time goes by, said entrepreneur Sikes, who has started several art-related businesses. But $58.9 million worth of severe cuts to the UW-Madison budget, authorized by the Legislature and Gov. Scott Walker, are a dark cloud, she added. Everybody in this room is affected.

To me, that is the biggest thing that happened in the last year, said Neis, whose firm focuses on early-stage companies. I have tremendous concerns about the future of the university and the impact of the depth of the cuts.

Recruiting and retaining the best faculty members are important for innovation to continue, said Neis. It is such a powerful force in this ecosystem, he said.

The changes wont be felt right away, he said. Rather, the impact on research projects might be felt over the course of a decade. And Im worried, two years out, that some could argue that, See, the sky didnt fall, everythings OK, when, in fact, it is falling and we just dont notice it, yet.

Neis said some of Venture Investors portfolio companies that were trying to work with the UW on clinical trials or contract research have encountered lengthy, unanticipated delays.

They were burning through cash with their monthly expenses and left unable to progress to the milestones their investors expected on time and on budget, he said.

Eversoll concurred, saying shes experienced the opposite at UW-Whitewater. You just get on the phone (and call a professor) and you get interns (candidates), she said.

Conroy, whose company has developed a test to screen for colorectal cancer, said word of the reduced funding gets around.

I think the perception, around the country, is that this is bad for the University of Wisconsin and its bad for business; its bad for economic development. This is a tragically poor decision on the part of policymakers in this state to take one of the very, very best public universities in the world and start to diminish it, he said.

When the best faculty members leave, that affects the entire states economy, Conroy said. And if we want to succeed as a state and grow our economy, the University of Wisconsin-Madison is going to play a role, he said.

Brandon said local leaders have to convince the rest of the state of Madisons significance in the state economy.

He said the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce held its first legislative day at the State Capitol this year.

Wisconsin has to acknowledge that we cannot succeed without Madison, Brandon said. We have to show them that whats happening in Madison solves problems in the world ... The state benefits by (Verona electronic health records company) Epic having coming up on 10,000 employees. The state benefits by having Fujifilm acquire CDI (stem cell firm Cellular Dynamics International).

Neis said Venture Investors met with an institutional investor group in northern Wisconsin.

One member said he views Madison as Moscow on Mendota. Neis said his firm brought the investors to Madison and took them to companies here. The gap between their perception of what Madison was all about and what they saw was huge, Neis said.

Attorney Lynch said he is not as pessimistic as the others. The areas underlying strengths are still there, he said.

Awareness about the potential of Madison has gone up, said Eversoll, who has founded four local tech companies.

Bakken said with the growing prominence of local companies such as Epic Systems Corp., the perception of Madison from around the country has shifted. There really is a lot of credibility right now ... Madison and Wisconsin (have) a lot of the raw ingredients that are coming together right now.

Sikes said two important things are happening: small investment funds, such as Bakkens HealthX, are forming and more entrepreneurs are seeking out investors in Chicago and on the coasts. That change in attitude is going to bring more money into Wisconsin, she said.

As for what can be done to attract more investment into the Madison area, some suggestions included:

Adding direct flights from Madison to San Francisco and Boston.

Raising the investment total that qualifies for a Wisconsin tax credit from the current $8 million to $12 million.

Removing the requirement that Wisconsin companies eligible to offer investors a tax credit  but incorporated out-of-state  must pay Wisconsin taxes on the investments they receive.

Organizing more events that bring together entrepreneurs with experienced businesspeople.

Establishing stronger business connections with Milwaukee and other parts of the state.

The Midwest has no real entrepreneurial hub, the Chambers Brandon said, suggesting Madison could fill that role.

We want to be the entrepreneurial and innovative hub of the U.S., he said.

I love that mission, said Sikes, but if we cant get there, Madison already is epicenter of health care and health care IT (information technology).

Conroy said Exact Sciences, which moved to Madison from Massachusetts in 2009, could not have grown in another city as it has in Madison.

The company has more than 700 employees, with 450 of them in the Madison area, an increase of 275 positions during 2015.

We can do it here because of the quality of life, the quality of the workforce, he said.
A 24-year-old woman died following a ski accident at Cascade Mountain on Saturday.

The woman struck a tree about 10:30 a.m. just over an hour after the ski park opened, the Columbia County Sheriffs Office said.

The woman, who was skiing with friends, had hit the tree while skiing on one of Cascade Mountains black diamond trails  the designation for the most difficult routes. With friends nearby, the ski patrol was alerted, responded within minutes and brought the woman to base.

At the bottom of the hill, the ski patrol was joined by officers with the Sheriffs Office and Divine Savior Healthcare emergency services. The woman was taken from the park at W10441 Cascade Mountain Road in the township of Caledonia, west of Portage, to Divine Savior Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

The Columbia County Sheriffs Office said in a press release that it is treating the death as an accident and the name of the woman has not yet been released, being withheld until her family can be notified.

During the 2014/2015 season, 35 people died in ski and snowboard accidents in the United States, according to the National Ski Areas Association. Cascade Mountain spokesman Randy Axelson explained that this is the first fatal accident that has happened at the park in at least the 13 years he has been there.
The Democrat Party presidential debates have been so snooze-worthy, its enough to make you wonder if maybe the Democrat National Committee should schedule future debates sometime between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clintons afternoon naps and the senior citizen early bird hour over at Golden Corral.

At the very least, these Democrat candidates should chug some Geritol before taking the stage, which might inspire some positive policy proposals as opposed to all the misery they seem to find hiding under every rock across the country. In contrast, the message of real hope and change is coming from the other side of the political aisle. Strange thing is, Hillary and Bernie keep talking about how much America needs change. Dont they recall who has had the White House for almost eight years? I know, the memory is one of the first things to go.

Seasoned wisdom is supposed to come with age, but listen to any Democrat debate or speech these days, and rather than hearing hope, all you hear about is a world viewed through a prism of doom  selectively seeing things like victimization, despair, oppression, injustice and discrimination. Dwelling on negativity is unhealthy, and it represents a world view that is repulsive to those of us who refuse to be seen as weak, victimized, disenfranchised or controlled. And that, my friends, is a big reason why I cannot in good conscience align myself with liberalism.

The Bible says that without vision, without true hope, people perish. No wonder Bernie and Hillary mope around like someone stole their three-wheel bicycles. Id be mopey too if I actually believed were all doomed unless the Democrat party steps in to save the world.

Heres truth: There is only one savior, and his name is not the Federal Government. Sorry, liberals, no matter how big you grow it, your government god cannot perform miracles, nor does it walk on water.

The positive messages and hearty debates (save a boor or two) on the Republican side provide inspiration and serve to remind voters the country is not as terrible as the Democrats would have us believe. Some of us actually believe theres such a thing as the American Dream and we know its still attainable, just as long as the government gives people space to make it happen. Believing that doesnt make you anti-government, just anti-big government.

The difference is huge and makes a big difference in how the two parties see the world.

As Ive said before, those who believe they are forever a victim tend to assume zero responsibility for their situation and believe they have no control over the rising waters of their circumstances  so they sit on the rooftop of their despair waiting for their government savior to come to the rescue. But it never does. Liberals believe that any malady known to man has absolutely nothing to do with poor choices, bad judgment or weak character  so they blame intangibles like capitalism, global warming, white privilege, vast right wing conspiracies and homemade videos. Oh, and guns and Christians and Bush. Definitely Bush.

Consider their accomplishments: Banning school prayer, legalizing abortion, secularizing society, replacing God with government and substituting reason for religion. And what do we get for this? We get a broken educational system, destruction of the nuclear family and self-serving people with no moral compass. And we also get two aged and tired politicians pushing a worn-out message.

With that kind of mindset, its no wonder its hard to find a truly happy liberal these days.
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Reece Coombs and Lucy Wrenn

By: Tanya Malhotra

A man in the United Kingdom, said that he didnat know whether to laugh or cry after a mouse ran up his leg and stole French fries from his hand while eating at a restaurant with his partner.

Lucy Wrenn and Reece Coombs of Trowbridge, were enjoying a meal at the Wetherspoons pub when the mouse attacked him for his food.

After the attack, employees of the restaurant told all customers to leave and shut down the place. The restaurant opened later that evening after they felt that the mouse was no longer a threat.

Coombs said that the mouse pinched his leg and then ran up to his hand before grabbing French fries from his hands. The mouse then ran away with the fries.

Coombs told the staff, and they immediately cleared the restaurant. The restaurant gave him a full refund.

A spokesperson for Wetherspoons, confirmed that the restaurant had to close because two mice were seen by employees and customers.
Starbucks store bans women

By: Mahesh Sarin

A Starbucks store location in Saudi Arabia, is no longer allowing women into their shop because the wall separating men from women collapsed.

Women in Riyadh, expressed their outrage on social media sites after they were prohibited from entering the store to buy their morning coffee.

The company however, said that the ban is only temporary and will be in place until they are able to erect a new barrier that will separate men from women.

The company is encouraging women to send their male drivers to pick up the drinks. The store posted a sign on the front window that reads: aPlease no entry for ladies. Only send your driver to order. Thank you.a

A woman tweeted the warning, saying Starbucks store in Riyadh refused to serve just because Im a woman and asked me to send a man into place.

One woman complained that she was turned away from Starbucks and told to send in a man to buy her coffee.

The company said that The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, ordered them to ban women after an inspection found that the separation wall had collapsed.
Batman robs store

By: Mahesh Sarin

(Scroll down for video) A man who dressed as the crime fighting hero Batman, robbed to dollar stores at gunpoint, police in Florida said.

The Orange County Police Department said that they are looking for the man who dressed as Batman, after being accused of committing armed robberies on Tuesday.

Police said that the suspect is a thin man, either Caucasian or Hispanic. In addition to the Batman costume, the suspect was wearing blue jeans.

The first robbery took place at the 123 Dollar store. Another robbery occurred about 90 minutes later, at a Dollar General store.

Batman managed to flee from both store with a substantial amount of cash. Police released a video of the suspect, and urged anyone with information to come forward.
Boy at swimming pool (illustration)

By: Feng Qian

A man who was arrested on a charge of rape after allegedly raping a young boy at a public swimming pool, told police that he hadnat had sex in months, police in Austria said.

Vienna police said that the 20-year-old man, who was not identified, was charged with one count of rape after being accused of raping the 10-year-old boy.

According to the police investigation, the suspect was at the swimming pool, where he spotted the 10-year-old boy. He saw the boy going into a toilet and followed him.

Once inside, the suspect shut the door and raped the boy. The suspect then fled from the scene. The boy quickly went to a lifeguard and told him what had happened.

The boy was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after suffering severe injuries as a result of the rape. The suspect was recently granted refugee status after arriving to the country from Iraq.

During questioning, the suspect told police that he couldnat control himself because he hadnat had sex in months. Police urged citizens to be sensitive towards refugees because they have been through a lot.
Coin operated laundry machines

By: Chan Yuan

A politician was arrested on a charge of theft after stealing thousands of coins from laundry machines at laundromats, police in the United Kingdom said.

Now, 52-year-old Jonathan Woodley-Shead of Oxfordshire, has been sentenced to serve three years in prison after being convicted of theft.

According to the police investigation, Woodley-Shead maintained laundry machines while working for the Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems company.

During his time as an employee, Woodley-Shead used a key to steal coins from the boxes of washing machines and dryers located at 23 different locations.

The politician stole around $6,000 in coins per month over a period of several years. The company became suspicious after he showed up at the RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, without receiving a service call.

After the politician was arrested he resigned from office.

Woodley-Shead represented Sandford and Wittenhams.
Flood Warnings Issued Across Parts of Wrexham

This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 8th, 2016

Flood warnings across parts of Wrexham have been issued, with heavy rain causing river levels to rise.

Natural Resources Wales have today issued a flood warning for the areas surrounding the Lower Dee Valley from Llangollen to Trevalyn Meadows.

Details released by NRW state: River levels are above normal but flooding of property is not expected at the moment. Flood defences are now in operation and the situation on site is being monitored. River levels at Farndon are expected to peak later on this afternoon/early evening. In addition to the area detailed, some localised flooding problems may result from surface water.

A further flood alert has been issued around the Bowling Bank / Cross Lanes area, with a risk of some localised flooding around the area.

The flood warning comes as a result of the heavy rain experience across the past few days, with more bad weather forecast throughout the rest of the week.

*Stock image of flooding at Holt and Farndon
Two Vehicles Damaged in Overnight Arson Attack

This article is old - Published: Monday, Feb 8th, 2016

Two vehicles have been left damaged following an arson attack in Wrexham overnight.

At 11:34pm last night North Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called to a blaze involving two vehicles on Langdale Avenue in Rhostyllen.

One car and a van were involved in the fire and both were left with damage to the grills.

One crew from Wrexham attended the incident and one hose reel jet was used to extinguish the blaze.

A spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that the cause of the fire was deliberate ignition.
US military commanders are preparing to expand US operations in Afghanistan, including through the deployment of more US troops in a front-line combat role and stepped up air strikes, General John Campbell, the outgoing US commander in Afghanistan, told the Washington Post in an interview Friday.

We shouldnt sugarcoat it, Campbell said. Im not going to leave without making sure my leadership understands there are things we need to do.

In the last few months of 2015 it became so obvious that we had to make a decision to go back to what we should have done in the first place. Campbell added, We need to stay for years.

Campbells statements are the latest in a series of announcements by the White House and Pentagon that amount to a public acknowledgment that the American military is planning a permanent military occupation of Afghanistan.

Senior unnamed US officers recently told the Post that the Pentagon is basing itself on assumptions that US forces will remain there for decades. US forces must stay in Afghanistan for a very long time in order to support the Afghan security apparatus with a combination of air strikes, intelligence gathering, logistical assistance and direct participation in ground combat.

General Campbell met with Obama personally on Thursday to discuss his proposed revisions to the administrations drawdown schedule.

The White House visit followed Campbells Congressional testimony, during which the general said that Afghanistan has not achieved an enduring level of security and stability that justifies a reduction of our support. He demanded Congressional support for daily US air raids.

Referring to the Obama administrations Afghanistan policy, Campbell criticized the White House for earlier plans to drawdown US forces in the country. They banked on hope instead of reality, and now theyre paying the piper, he said.

Campbells comments, which flout the basic principle of civilian control of the military, are part of growing pressure from sections of the political and military establishment for expanded war in Afghanistan and throughout Central Asia and the Middle East. For its part, the Obama administration, which has sought to focus military resources in East Asia, has responded by pledging to intensify operations in Afghanistan.

Last October, the Obama administration reversed its earlier proposal to reduce US troop presence, announcing that 10,000 troops will remain in Afghanistan at least through the end of his presidency. Behind the scenes, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has been active in planning the expansion of the secret war in the country.

In January, the Obama administration authorized the de facto expansion of the war nominally targeting the Islamic State, waged since 2014 across Syria and Iraq, into portions of northeastern Afghanistan.

These moves are also a response to the intensifying crisis of Washingtons puppet regime in Kabul, which has undercut the administrations efforts to maintain the US grip over Afghanistan through a minimal exertion of US ground strength.

The Kabul regime has been incapable of securing key cities throughout the country, including Kunduz, where new Taliban assaults are anticipated, central areas of Helmand province and even its own capital. US imperialism has responded by bolstering its presence in the country.

Also of concern to Washington are the efforts of China to secure more of a strategic foothold in Afghanistan, which the US considers a stronghold of its military-political agenda in Central Asia. Reports Sunday that Kabul has accepted Chinese Ambassador Yao Jings proposals for projects to enhance railway and other infrastructure linking the two countries have underscored the growing tensions within Afghanistan produced by the growing US-China struggle.
Late last month, on January 29, the Sydney City Council (SCC) shut down the community-run Archway 1 Theatre Company and Arts Studio, which had been operating for several years under a heritage-listed light rail viaduct in the inner-western suburb of Annandale.

The theatre and studio were a not-for-profit, self-funded initiative run by actors, artists and other volunteers. As well as theatre performances, they hosted a range of activities, including visual arts and photography, musical performances as well as classes in drama, dance and other arts.

Without warning, SCC officers chained and padlocked the outside doors of the facility in the early hours of the morning, preventing those who were using it from gaining access to their equipment and other belongings.

The SCCs independent Mayor Clover Moore has been insisting upon the arts venues closure throughout the past year, as part of the Councils Johnstons Creek Parklands Master Plan. Under this proposal the viaduct archways are to be opened up to provide access to expanded parkland and a future skateboard construction.

The area adjoins a multi-million dollar private apartment and retail project, developed by the Mirvac real estate investment corporation at the former Harold Park harness racing track and tram depot. The disused tram depot is being given a $34 million refit to accommodate restaurants, shops and other commercial operations.

The Johnstons Creek Plan is associated with various New South Wales government and SCC schemes to enhance property developer profits by converting former industrial sites and public housing estates into havens for the rich, as well as boosting tourist potential. As the state governments Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 declares, the central aim is to promote Sydneys image and strengthen its position as a global tourism destination.

In March 2014, the state Liberal government began privatising public sector homes and apartments in the historic inner-city areas, Millers Point and The Rocks, with the aim of forcing about 500 working-class residents out of their homes (see: Australia: State government to sell off Sydney Harbour public housing). A month earlier, SCC rangers, backed by state police, evicted about 20 homeless people sleeping under a Wentworth Park viaduct in Glebe, the same light-rail link that passes through Annandale.

Last months closure of the Archway1 Theatre and Studio followed an eviction order in December, but a petition containing over 1,000 signatures and plans for a legal challenge forced then Deputy Mayor Robyn Kemmis to promise further negotiations in January. Scheduled talks with the councils CEO Monica Barone, however, did not occur. In fact, the lockout was initiated in the aftermath of the sudden death of Kemmis in late December, and the appointment of Greens councillor Irene Doutney to the position.

Last year, Doutney and state Greens MP Jamie Parker publicly opposed the eviction. So far neither have made any official statement on the lockout.

Last week, the council issued a statement claiming that the Archway Theatre and Studio facility had been closed because it posed fire and safety concerns, and was being used as a private residence. These claims are false.

The building was not used for private accommodation and the arts group, which had paid rent to the council for the facility for several years, had suspended dramatic productions last September, pending resolution of the dispute with the council. A subsequent fire inspection commissioned by Archway 1 Theatre in December revealed that the place was safe and the building compliant.

While the Archway 1 arts group receives no government funding, closure of the venue occurs amid ongoing cuts to arts funding by federal and state governments, Liberal and Labor alike. These cutbacks have particularly impacted on small performance companies, lesser known artists and non-mainstream creative work. According to a recent report, there is a severe shortage of small and affordable theatre venues in Sydney for independent drama, with at least nine theatres closing in the past decade.

* * *

Archway 1 supporters and Annandale residents protested outside the locked theatre and studio facilities on January 30. The theatres artistic director and founder Rachel Jordan told the World Socialist Web Site that the arts group had been treated with contempt by the entire council.

They treated us like we were some kind of squatters or like a mosquito in the rooman irritation, an annoyance. Ive lost any faith I had in the city council, the government and the political system. Everything we did to accommodate to the councils demands was ignored.

The council and the government talk about development of the arts and cultural life, but they will only back projects that bolster their own prestige and political standing. There are all sorts of big eventsthe Sydney Festival, the Vivid festival, fireworks and other thingsbut these are designed to give the impression that theres a big arts industry and a vibrant cultural life.

Millions of dollars are spent, but its all about prestige and profitability. This is the paradigm that capitalism demands of art and culture today.

Stefan von Reiche, another Archway 1 founder, said: This was a grass roots project that evolved organically. People donated furniture, lights and other equipment because they saw the benefit and supported it. There is no real room for a community theatre or artistic-cultural space as far as the council is concerned.

We proposed all sorts of alternativessimilar to the glassed in arch-ways you see in places like London and Paris, and which are used for various cultural activitiesbut the council ignored all these suggestions.

The lockout says a lot about the council machinery and how it operates. There are no niceties, no warnings or notice, just an underhanded manoeuvre in the early hours of the morning to change the locks.

Frank, an Annandale resident, said: On the one hand, the council claims to be all for community arts and involvement in artistic and cultural activity, but then they shut down places like this. If youre not a large corporation then you dont count. The little people are not considered.

The Sydney City Council is only interested in big businesses which will bring in big money. They want to get onside with a couple of very powerful lobby groups.

Ruth, another resident, said, We moved into this area two years ago and discovered the Archway Theatre. This sort of organisation is very important to the whole community. The problem today is that theatre and the arts are all about money, not about artistic creativity. If the developers and the council dont see any financial gain then theyre not interested.
The visit by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to Flint, Michigan on Sunday was an effort at damage control aimed at covering up the criminal role of the Democratic Party in the lead poisoning disaster and cynically using the tragedy confronting residents to boost her own campaign.

Speaking at the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, which has a mostly black congregation, on the North side of Flint, Clinton sought to gloss over the culpability of local and state Democratic party officials in the Flint water crisis, while strongly implying that the poisoning of Flint residents was a racial, not a class issue.

Despite her professions of outrage, Clinton only raised the issue of lead poisoning after it became an issue in the US and global press in January. Her visit to Flint, only days before the New Hampshire primary, where polls have her trailing US Senator Bernie Sanders, is a transparent attempt to shore up her flagging poll numbers by using local residents as a backdrop.

The stopover in Flint was little more than a photo-op. After a 15-minute speech the Democratic candidate was hustled out of the city along with her sizeable press and Secret Service entourage.

In her remarks Clinton touted a paltry $200 million in federal aid proposed for the city of Flint via legislation sponsored by Congressional Democrats. This is $400 million less than the inadequate $600 million in federal emergency relief proposed earlier by Democrats in an amendment to an energy bill pending before Congress. Conservative estimates of the cost of replacing Flints antiquated lead pipes range up to $1.5 billion. This does not include a price tag on the incalculable cost to the health of Flint residents, whose children have been permanently scarred by exposure to lead-tainted water.

Clintons proposal is slightly more than the reported $153 million in speaking fees she and former president Bill Clinton have pocketed since leaving the White House in 2001.

Underscoring the unserious nature of Clintons professions of sympathy for Flint residents, the Democratic aid proposal does not even match the $1 billion spending package to replace lead pipes in Flint advanced by Republican Congresswoman Candice Miller.

Viewed from another perspective, the amount of aid Clinton cited for Flint is little more than the cost of a single F-35 fighter jet. The policy of both Clinton and Obama is clear: unlimited funds when it comes to bombing Iraq and Syria, but no money to address the life-or-death social ills facing working people.

Speaking at a black church, Clinton declared, if what was happening in Flint had been happening in the mostly white Detroit suburbs of Grosse Pointe or Bloomfield Hills, we all know we would have had a solution yesterday.

The attempt to portray the crisis in Flint as a racial issue is absurd, given the fact that nearly half the population of Flint is white. Meanwhile the majority of the largely-Democratic local elected and appointed officials who presided over the disaster are African-American.

While the Republican administration of Governor Rick Snyder and Democrats attempt to shift blame for the crisis, Flint residents continue to confront elevated levels of lead in their drinking water. To date, not a single lead pipe in the working class city of 100,000 has been replaced in the aftermath of the crisis.

The response of the Obama administration to the Flint crisis recalls the notorious indifference shown by the George Bush administration in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of the storm that killed 1,800, Bush, abetted by the Democrats, rejected any serious efforts to rebuild devastated New Orleans and Gulf Coast cities, leaving the area to rot.

Now, in the wake of Flint, a man-made disaster, the response of all levels of government is essentially the same. The message of Clinton was unmistakable: residents of Flint are on their own.

This was expressed in Clintons praise of inmates at the Ionia state prison who volunteered to donate one-third of their meager $10 monthly stipend to aid the citizens of Flint. Instead of a multibillion federal public works effort to rebuild Flints infrastructure, Clinton touts donations from prisoners.

Her only other concrete proposal to help Flint was to send AmeriCorps volunteers to the city. This is a slap in the face to Flint parents, whose children will need, not untrained volunteers, but rather highly qualified professionals to deal with the debilitating effects of lead poisoning.

Clinton absurdly attempted to portray Michigan Democrats as champions of the people of Flint. She declared, I thank the elected officials who are here and I appreciate greatly the work they are doing at the city, the county and the federal level. I had the opportunity to be with your friend [Senator] Debbie Stabenow who is working hard with your friends Senator Gary Peters and the Congressmen Kildee, Levin and others who are trying to get support and help from the federal government. She recited the names of the Michigan Democratic Congressional delegation in the same breath as that of professor Marc Edwards of Virginia Tech, who was one of the first to expose lead in the water of Flint, and Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who raised the alarm about the lead poisoning of Flint children.

While Edwards and Hanna-Attisha showed genuine perseverance and courage, Michigan Democrats can make no such claim. The emergency manager of Flint, Darnell Earley, who oversaw the switch of the water supply of Flint from Detroit to the polluted Flint river, was a Democrat, as was the mayor of Flint at the time. Indeed, the Flint mayor and Democratic city council toasted the criminal decision to send highly corrosive Flint River water into the homes of the citys residents.

As for the Michigan Democratic Congressional delegation, including US Representative from Flint Dan Kildee, no one paid heed to the complaints of Flint residents until after the exposure by Marc Edwards.

Just as criminal as the role of the Snyder administration were the actions of Obama-appointed officials in the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The top EPA official for Michigan, Susan Hedman, silenced a lower-ranking employee who tried to raise warnings about lead in Flints drinking water. Instead Hedman colluded with state officials to keep reports of elevated lead levels from the public for months, until Edwards research exploded the cover-up.

Over the past several decades there has been a vast transfer of wealth from the working class to the richest 1 percent or one-tenth of 1 percent of society. General Motors extracted massive profits off the backs of the working class in Flint before largely abandoning the city in the 1980s, leaving a legacy of toxic wastes and poverty.

The Obama administration, which Hillary Clinton served for four years as Secretary of State, has accelerated the growth of social inequality through bank bailouts and cuts to social spending.
On Thursday, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing on the prescription drug market, focusing on the drug pricing practices of Turing Pharmaceuticals and Valeant Pharmaceuticals. It follows the US Senate hearing on the rising prices of generic drugs held in December.

Turing and Valeant have come to the publics attention for acquiring drugs, often off-patent, and then jacking up their prices to make a hefty profit.

Much of the media coverage focused on the arrogant performance of Turing Pharmaceuticals former CEO, Martin Shkreli. He refused to answer a single question, except the correct pronunciation of his last name, invoking his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination on advice from his high-powered lawyer, Ben Brafman.

Throughout the questioning, Shkreli was smug, laughing and smirking at questions, and at one point completely ignoring his questioners, apparently turning to the media in attendance to have his picture taken.

I dont think Ive ever seen the committee treated with such contempt, said Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican, at the hearing.

After Shkreli was dismissed, Mica suggested that the chairman consider holding Shkreli in contempt, since none of the questions related to any criminal charges Shkreli faces. Minutes after Shkreli exited, he tweeted that the members of Congress were imbeciles.

In addition to Shkreli, the other witnesses called to testify included Howard B. Schiller, interim CEO of Valeant Pharmaceuticals, and Nancy Retzlaff, chief commercial officer at Turing Pharmaceuticals.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat, noted in his opening statement that the basic strategy of Valeant and Turing has been to buy drugs that are already on the market, and then raise prices astronomically for a temporary period of time before other competitors enter the market.

These companies, he continued, did not invest funds to research or develop drugs. They bought them, jacked up the prices, took as much money as they could out of the pockets of patients, hospitals and others, and then put those funds into their own coffers.

Cummings observed that Turing, which began operations in February 2015, had revenues of $98 million in 2015. The cost of manufacturing Daraprim, which the company acquired and then hiked the price by more than 5,000 percent, was $1 million. Still, the company claimed it had $44 million in losses last year.

Legislators expressed incredulity at the claim that the company was losing money. Chairman Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican, chastised Retzlaff, stating, youre not losing money, youre raking it in hand over fist as fast as you can.

Chaffetz pointed to company documents indicating plans to give 30 percent bonuses across the board and an October 14 agenda noting three salary increases from $250,000 to $600,000, $275,000 to $600,000, and $160,000 to $800,000.

And while Retzlaff continued to affirm that the company was losing money, Chaffetz noted that Turing had spent $23,000 to hold a party for its sales force on a yacht that included a fireworks display and an $800 cigar roller.

Cummings also pointed out the predictable excuses the drug companies would use to justify the price hikes, except now, after the collection of hundreds of thousands of pages of internal company documents, it is possible to see through the smokescreen.

They will try to distract from their massive price increases by talking about their R&D [Research and Development], said Cummings. They will downplay their massive profits by claiming that they help patients who cant afford their exorbitant prices.

In their written and spoken testimony, the company representatives did not deviate from this script.

Nancy Retzlaff said in her written testimony that Turings decision to raise the price of Daraprim, used to treat toxoplasmosis in individuals with compromised immune systems, reflected Turings business goals of funding improved access programs and services for patients in need, and importantly, research and development into alternative treatments for the diseases that Daraprim is used to treat, as well as other diseases that have been neglected by the pharmaceutical industry.

She noted that Turing offered unbranded, nonpromotional education to allied health care professionals to raise awareness and more effectively screen patients for toxoplasmosis. This was hardly an altruistic act. Turing currently holds a monopoly on the treatment for toxoplasmosis in the US, meaning that these unbranded educational materials were aimed simply at increasing the sales of Turings drug.

Retzlaffs description of Turings outreach to AIDS and other patient advocacy organizations was equally disingenuous. This outreach was merely to feel out the advocacy organizations to help the company with its public relations (PR) strategy.

As revealed by the congressional memos put together for legislators ahead of the hearing, a July 7, 2015, company presentation stated: Many feel the number of toxoplasmosis patients is too small to stimulate a significant lobbying effort were the cost of therapy to become an issue. And an outside consultant wrote to senior leadership at the company on September 21: If we can get HIV/AIDS activists to sit this out, we come out way ahead.

Retzlaff also claimed in her written testimony that Turing reinvests 60 percent of its net income from the sale of Daraprim into research and developmenta figure that far exceeds industry standards. This claim was repeated in her oral testimony.

Cummings reminded Retzlaff that she was under oath, emphasizing that anything untruthful in her testimony would leave her open to perjury charges.

According to Cummings opening report, the company reported spending $22 million on R&D. (From the data that has so far been released by legislators, it is unclear how the Turing figure of 60 percent could be anywhere close to the truth.)

Even the funds identified by Turing as R&D spending were questionable. This money apparently went to donations to unnamed entities, contributions to foundations, and vague other research and development costs, wrote Cummings. But the documents we have obtained indicate that these expenditures were just as much about PR as R&D.

Like a Ponzi scheme, Cummings continued, it appears that Turing may be using revenues from Daraprim to research and identify the next drug it will acquire, and then impose similarly massive price increases on future victims.

Valeants Howard B. Schiller, who rakes in $400,000 a month, attempted to justify the price hikes imposed by his company by pointing to the Byzantine nature of the drug pricing system in the US, the availability of rebate and discount programs, and investments in R&D. At one point in his oral testimony, he was forced to concede that in some cases we have been too aggressive in increasing prices.

His discussion of Valeants R&D commitment in his written testimony was particularly convoluted. First, he claimed that Valeants spending on R&D was significant, constituting eight percent of US branded revenue.

An October 4 article in the New York Times put the companys R&D spending at three percent of sales, noting: Valeant paid its five highest-paid executives 1.5 percent of sales, or $123 million, last year. The Times story quoted a company spokeswoman as stating that Valeant measures its success on output (i.e., results) rather than input (i.e., spending).

Schiller then attempted to highlight Valeants support for R&D by equating spending on R&D with acquisitions of other companies: From an economic standpoint, a dollar spent to buy the output from another companys R&D is the same as a dollar spent on in-house R&D.

Finally, Schiller stated that the company purposely created a streamlined, nimble in-house R&D operation  This final point was closer to the truth. Mike Pearson, Valeants former CEO who stepped down due to health issues, told the Canadas Globe & Mail in 2013: We had a premise that most R&D didnt give good return to shareholders.

Schiller claimed that Valeants substantial price hikes of its heart drugs Isuprel (525 percent) and Nitropress (212 percent) were justified by the value they had for patients and doctors. To use more honest terms, the price was set as high as the market would bearthat is, the highest price the company could charge before seeing increased pressure from rebates from the payers, decreased sales volumes from hospitals, increased substitution of alternative products, and heightened competition from new generic or branded drugs, said Schiller.

Price-gouging in the pharmaceutical industry goes well beyond Valeant and Turing. In his opening statement, Cummings also singled out Lannett, Pfizer, Horizon, Teva, Amphastar, Allergan and Endo. This list could be substantially expanded.

While there was plenty of political grandstanding and outrage expressed at Turing and Valeant by legislators at the hearing, this was all for show. The primary concern is to protect the profits of the entire pharmaceutical industry and stave off public opposition.

I do believe in the right to profit, I think that profit is a motivator that does a lot of good, emphasized Chaffetz at the hearing. Other legislators repeated this sentiment.

What worries the political establishment, both Democrats and Republicans, is that the more egregious actions of the pharma-hedge fund hybrids (to quote an outside consultant for Turing) like Valeant and Turing might threaten the profiteering of the more responsible drug companies. The minor reforms being pursued by politicians of both partieswith even the semi-fascistic Donald Trump voicing support for Medicare negotiating drug priceshave this concern in mind.

A poll conducted in August by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 72 percent of respondents felt that drug prices were too high, while 74 percent felt that drug companies put profits before people. Pharmaceutical companies, the survey found, were viewed favorably by only 42 percent of the respondentsabout the same level as those who have positive views of the oil industry (40 percent).

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On Saturday, thousands of junior doctors and their supporters held a rally and march in London in preparation for a 24-hour strike Wednesday.

The demonstration was supported by hospital workers, student nurses and a cross section of working people. Many junior doctors travelled from other parts of the country to take part.

The demonstration revealed yet again the determination of junior doctors to fight the governments unilateral decision to impose inferior contracts on them and the strong support they have among the wider population. Opposed to mobilising such support as part of a joint offensive by health workers, the British Medical Association (BMA) used the event to bolster their ongoing negotiations with Conservative government Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, as a means to dissipate growing anger.

Concealing the central political questions junior doctors face, the BMA promoted the bankrupt slogan of Hunt must go, as if a new Tory secretary of health would do anything different. They promoted the illusion that if junior doctors show that the implementation of contracts would create a massive exodus from the profession, the government will back down.

The reality is that the track record of this government and its predecessor, the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition, demonstrates that the ruling elite are hell-bent on completing the privatisation of the National Health Service (NHS), with the defeat of the junior doctors central to their aims.

Johann Malawana, the BMA junior doctors committee chair who is leading the negotiations with the government, spent less than 90 seconds on the stage at the rally. He addressed none of the political issues junior doctors face, even as the government prepares to arbitrarily implement the new contracts. Malawana stated last week that the BMA had made good progress on a number of issues in talks with the governments chief negotiator, Sir David Dalton.

To appease those protesting, the BMA wheeled out actress Vanessa Redgrave and designer (Dame) Vivienne Westwood, who made a few token criticisms of the government. Neither of them, nor the BMA, had a word to say about the attacks made on the NHS by the 1997-2010 Labour government, which are being accelerated by the Tories.

Socialist Equality Party members distributed hundreds of copies of the NHS Fightback statement, Junior doctors to take second strike and spoke to number of those attending the event.

Frahan, a junior doctor said, I am here because I want to fight the imposition of unfair and unsafe contracts. The government are giving false information to the wider public. It is a massive 20 to 30 percent pay cut. All the government data should be reanalysed by the media.

Their ultimate aim is to privatise the NHS and dismantle the services, he said. This not only a question of junior doctors contracts, it is a question of patient care and safety. We are here to defend both our contracts and the NHS against the attacks by the government. Next the nurses, consultants and other staffs contracts will be under fire. They are supporting us now and we will stand with them together.

The NHS never ever closes and we have already got a seven-day service. We know it can be improved but the governments intention is completely the opposite.

Sima, a junior doctor in London, said, We are here to stand up for the NHS. Junior doctors are part of the front of line staff of the NHS. The proposed contracts will create a situation where we cannot look after our patients safely. They are trying to impose these contracts without listening to 54,000 junior doctors.

At the end of the day, unsocial hour payments are part of the problem. We are pointing out lots of safety issues. Unsocial hours cannot be ignored. Saturdays and Sundays are the weekend for everybody. We are already doing all the emergency care over the weekend. We are always prepared to be there for our patients. We dont have a choice. We are happy to be there. What we are talking about here is extra weekends with no additional pay. They are trying to spread the elective services throughout seven days. We have them over five days and we cannot stretch it any further without additional staff and money.

Weve got arguably the best health service in the world. Anyone can get care whenever they need it. I do not understand all the politics behind these attacks, but we have been driven here by the attacks on our contracts. This is not going to be our last stand by any means.

Michael is an anaesthetic nurse who works in London. He said, I am supporting the junior doctors because the contracts government are trying to impose are not safe for patients and doctors. It is the thin end of the wedge for how all NHS staff will be treated. The NHS is an amazing institution respected worldwide.

I am here representing doctors, nurses, radiographers and other supporting staff. It is disgraceful if the government imposes these contracts. I think we will see a massive resignation of doctors and eventually nurses will come to the point that they will take industrial actions. I am a member of both the Royal College of Nursing and Unite. General support from the unions for the junior doctors struggle has been shockingly poor. RCN is a pretty toothless organisation. Everyone needs to support the junior doctors.

John, a trainee in neurology, said, These contracts will have a major impact on me in terms of loss of earnings and will have a significant impact on patient safety. Government claims that the junior doctors are against an improved seven-day service are not true. There has been a lot of conflation of the issue of a seven-day NHS with junior doctors pay and conditions. Actually junior doctors support seven-day NHS services, but in order to have safety and fairness we should be paid for the work we do.

Dr. Arohi Shaa from West Middlesex Hospital said, This shows how strongly we feel about our contracts. Government proposed contracts are unsafe and unfair for patients, doctors and NHS in general. We did not want to be demonstrating or striking. We have been forced into it. Imposition is not the way. You cant bully us to accept new contracts. We have to continue to show our strength and to keep united.

Peter, a medical negligence lawyer, said, I have spent 20 years fighting for patients against doctors. But I have become so outraged by the way the government has bullied and intimidated the junior doctors. After 20 years fighting on the other side of the courtroom, I decided to cross over and fight with the junior doctors.

Weve seen so much spin and media manipulation from the government. The government repeatedly said that the BMA was not willing to negotiate with them. But what the government wants to do is impose and enforce unsafe and unfair contracts on junior doctors. I am a lawyer and I can tell you that this is not a negotiation. This is bullying. That why I am walking down this road with junior doctors, standing shoulder to shoulder with them. Every member of the public should walk with them today.

What happened to junior doctors today is a part of wider attacks on the NHS. Government wants to run the NHS into the ground and say it is broken and the only way we can fix it is to privatise it. It is quite obvious.

Jim, a London taxi driver, said, I had wonderful support when I was in hospital. We have had this health service since after the war. My father was in the Labour movement. He said that these things were fought for by the Labour movement. It wasnt given to us.

We must defend them and should not let the capitalist class take them away. After attacking the doctors, they will start picking off the other groups. Government gains confidence if they manage to defeat a group. So we must stand together and defeat the government and their attempts to cut the services and doctors pay.

For more information visit: NHSFightBack.org
North Korea yesterday went ahead with its planned satellite launch, ignoring international opposition, including concern expressed by China. The launch was immediately condemned by the US and its allies. Coming a month after North Korea carried out its fourth nuclear test, the event will escalate tensions in North East Asia.

Pyongyangs decision to proceed is a slap in the face to its ally China, which only last week sent veteran diplomat Wu Dawei to North Korea to persuade its leadership to call off the launch. The regime not only snubbed Wu but sent the satellite into orbit a day ahead of the previously announced schedule. Beijing is already under intense pressure from Washington to impose tough new sanctions on Pyongyang, but is reluctant to precipitate an economic and political crisis in North Korea.

There is nothing progressive about North Koreas efforts to develop nuclear weapons and associated missile technology. Its small, rudimentary nuclear arsenal and equally primitive rocket technology are no defence against the US, which could annihilate North Koreas military and industrial capacity many times over. Furthermore, Pyongyangs nationalistic grandstanding and threats provide Washington with a convenient pretext to accelerate its military build-up in Asia.

The US and Japan seized on the satellite launch to call an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and push through a resolution condemning North Korea and foreshadowing new sanctions. US National Security Adviser Susan Rice branded Pyongyangs actions as destabilising and provocative and declared North Korea in breach of previous UN resolutions banning its testing of ballistic missile technology.

US allies in Europe and Asia all joined the chorus of condemnation and magnified the threat posed by the launch. Frances UN ambassador Francois Delattre accused North Korea of an outrageous provocation that threatened the future of the international non-proliferation regime. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said yesterday that he had spoken to his Japanese counterpart and both agreed on the need for strong UN action.

While the rocket technology required to launch a satellite would aid in the development of long-range ballistic missiles, the US and the international media routinely conflate the two. However, as Melissa Hanham from the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies explained to the Washington Post: This kind of rocket is designed as a space launch vehicle. Before we can consider it an inter-continental ballistic missile, there are a number of modifications that have to be made.

As in the past, Washington is exploiting Pyongyangs actions to intensify pressure on Beijing. Following North Koreas fourth nuclear test, US Secretary of State John Kerry visited China to demand it impose measures, including restrictions on the provision of oil, which would cripple the North Korean economy. Beijing has rejected such sanctions, which could trigger the collapse of the regime and undermine Chinas security through the installation of a pro-US government in Pyongyang.

Last Friday, President Barack Obama rang Chinese President Xi Jinping to again insist on tough measures against North Korea. Following the satellite launch, China expressed regret at Pyongyangs action and appealed for restraint on all sides and a return to negotiations. Beijing has been the sponsor of the six-party talks that broke down in 2009 after the US unilaterally demanded tougher inspections of North Koreas nuclear facilities.

Pyongyangs nuclear tests and rocket launches are in large measure a desperate and futile attempt to force Washington to reach an agreement to end its protracted blockade of the country which has been in place since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The Obama administration has repeatedly made clear that it has no intention of negotiating unless North Korea agrees to dismantle its nuclear and missile programs in advance.

No agreement has been reached as yet between the US and China over new UN sanctions. However, the US Congress is currently working on unilateral legislation that would impact not only on North Korea, but also China. Modelled on the crippling US sanctions imposed on Iran, the measures would penalise North Korean entities and individuals, as well as anyone doing business with them. Given that China is by far North Koreas trading partner, such sanctions would fall heavily on Chinese companies by preventing them from conducting business with the United States.

More ominously, the US is exploiting the latest nuclear test and rocket launch to justify its accelerating military expansion and restructuring in the Indo-Pacific region. The build-up is part of the Obama administrations pivot to Asia, which is aimed at subordinating China to US economic and strategic interests and maintaining American hegemony throughout the region.

Following last months nuclear test, the Pentagon flew a nuclear-capable B-52 strategic bomber to South Korea and indicated that discussions were underway with South Korean officials to station strategic assets in the country. Such assetsaircraft, submarines and warships capable of launching a nuclear attackare not only a military threat to North Korea, but also to nearby China.

In the wake of yesterdays satellite launch, the US and South Korea announced that formal discussions would begin on the placement of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) battery in South Korea at the earliest possible date. The installation would be integrated with two batteries stationed in Japan, along with other anti-missile systems. The THAAD system is designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles.

South Korea has resisted US pressure to install the THAAD system so as not to offend China, its largest trading partner. The deployment of THAAD batteries in North East Asia is part of the Pentagons plans for fighting a nuclear war with China. Far from being defensive in character, the anti-ballistic missile systems are designed to neutralise Chinas ability to retaliate in the event of a first nuclear strike by the US.

Chinas Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin yesterday stated that China was deeply concerned about the THAAD announcement. The joint US-South Korean statement claimed that the THAAD system, if deployed, would be targeted only against North Korea. However, such assurances are meaningless. In the event of war on the Korean Peninsula, the US will assume full operational control of the South Korean military, including the THAAD batteries, under longstanding military operation plan (OPLAN) arrangements between the two countries.

After North Koreas third nuclear test in 2013, the US dramatically escalated tensions on the Korean Peninsula. During the annual joint military exercises in March and April that year, the Pentagon sent nuclear-capable B-52 and B-2 bombers to South Korea to send a menacing warning to Pyongyang, and also Beijing. Three years later, the US military build-up in Asia is significantly more advanced and the entire region is more tense. This is heightening the danger of an incident or accident on the Korean Peninsula precipitating a confrontation that spirals out of control into a war between nuclear-armed powers.
The past month has seen the entry of thousands of teachers into open struggle against the attack on public education by the Obama administration and both the Democratic and Republican parties. After decades of relentless budget cutting, teacher layoffs and school closingsaccelerated in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crashteachers in Detroit and Chicago have begun a battle that is of immense importance for the entire working class.

In fighting to defend the fundamental democratic right to a decent education, teachers have been thrust into a conflict with every section of the political establishment, from the two big business parties and the capitalist courts to the corporate-controlled media and the teachers unions that falsely claim to defend their interests.

Last month, thousands of Detroit teachers conducted a series of sick-out protests that culminated in the shutdown of virtually the entire school system on January 20, the day of President Obamas visit to the city. The actions were initiated by rank-and-file teachers using social media and carried out independently of and in defiance of the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) and its parent organization, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Teachers in the city named by Obamas former education secretary as ground zero for the administrations education policies demanded adequate resources and personnel to repair unheated and unsanitary school buildings, reduce class sizes, and provide social services to address alarming rates of poverty among their students. They also demanded a return of wages and benefits ceded by the DFT.

The efforts of the media and the state-appointed emergency manager of the school system to slander the teachers as greedy and indifferent to the needs of their students backfired. Parents vocally supported the sickouts and hundreds of students walked out of their high schools to oppose a witch-hunt against their teachers for illegal strikes.

In Chicago, the third largest school district in the US, tens of thousands of teachers and other school employees are battling the demands of Mayor Rahm Emanuela former investment banker who served as Obamas White House chief of staffto starve the public schools, slash wages and benefits, and funnel even more money to big bondholders and for-profit education firms.

More than three years after the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) betrayed the 2012 strike, leading to the closure of 50 schools and the layoff of more than 1,000 teachers, rank-and-file teachers rebelled against the union and its so-called left leaders, who sought to push through an agreement on behalf of Emanuel to shift pension and health care costs onto the backs of teachers and give school authorities a free hand to expand privately run charter schools.

Last Monday, the CTUs bargaining committee unanimously rejected the deal after rank-and-file teachers began circulating on social media the details of the sellout, which the CTU had hoped to keep secret.

The day after the bargaining committee vote, the school authorities, complaining that they had a deal with the CTU, announced plans to cut $100 million from the school budget and lay off another 1,000 teachers. Defying this blackmail threat, 2,000 teachers marched in downtown Chicago Thursday evening, drawing expressions of solidarity from thousands of office workers, public employees, young people and other city residents.

The eruption of social opposition among teachers and students is a part of a broader radicalization of the working class, signaling a return of mass class struggles in the US. Last fall, in an incipient rebellion against the United Auto Workers union, autoworkers rejected a national auto contract for the first time in 33 years. The union was able to push through sellout deals with General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler only by resorting to lies, threats and outright fraud.

In Flint, the birthplace of General Motors and the site of the 1936-37 sit-down strike that established the UAW, working class residents have mobilized to protest the poisoning of the citys water supply by state and local officials, assisted by the Obama administrations Environmental Protection Agency.

These stirrings of the American working class are part of the resurgence of class struggle internationally. From Greece and Brazil to China and South Africa, the working class is coming into conflict with capitalist governments, from the pseudo-left Syriza regime in Greece to the Tory government in Britain, which have imposed savage austerity on workers while transferring vast amounts of wealth to the worlds billionaires since the financial breakdown in 2008.

The fight of the teachers directly and urgently poses basic political questions. The AFT and its local affiliates in both Detroit and Chicago, which have long collaborated with the enemies of public education, are trying to smother the movement by promoting the Democratic Party and depicting the attack on education as a purely Republican matter.

This is a fraud. The Obama administration has gone well beyond the reactionary policies of its Republican predecessor in using test-based accountability schemes to scapegoat teachers, close so-called failing schools, and undermine the public schools in order to make education a new source of profit for the corporations and banks. Under Obama, more than 300,000 teachers and other school employees have lost their jobs and the number of students enrolled in charter schools has grown at a faster rate, almost doubling, since George Bush left office.

The Obama White House has cut Title 1 funds earmarked for impoverished districts like Detroit and Chicago by 11 percent, while special education funding has been cut by 9 percent. The bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed by Obama late last year to replace Bushs No Child Left Behind Act, authorizes a Pay for Success scheme that allows wealthy investors in the for-profit education business to bid for services previously under the control of public schools, including special education, and lowers standards for the education of teachers in high-poverty districts.

The teachers unions do not oppose the attacks on teachers and public education. They merely seek a seat at the table so they can secure new sources of dues money from low-paid charter schoolteachers. The unions, including the CTU, whose vice president is a member of the pseudo-left International Socialist Organization, defend the capitalist system and insist that teachers and students must pay for the consequences of its crisis.

The democratic and egalitarian principles embodied in public education are incompatible with a society that is divided by such colossal levels of social inequality that 28 billionaires control as much wealth as the bottom half of the population152 million people. The American ruling class long ago repudiated the principle that all children, regardless of socioeconomic background, have the right to a quality education.

The corporate and financial elite has nothing to offer working class youth except poverty-level jobs and war. Like the slave owners of an earlier period, todays financial oligarchs want to keep those they exploit in ignorance. They fear the spread of knowledge and culture among a generation that is increasingly dissatisfied with the current state of affairs and determined to have a future free of oppression and war.

While the Chicago teachers were gearing up for mass protests last week, top officers in the Army and Marine Corps were telling a Congressional hearing that it is time for young women to register for a future military draft. On the one hand, schools are being starved of resources and working class students relegated to dilapidated and filthy buildings with over-packed classrooms. On the other hand, the White House is touting plans for a new generation of nuclear missile submarines costing $6 - $8 billion each.

The struggle to defend the right to a quality public education is a political struggle against both big business parties and the capitalist system they defend. In this fight, teachers and students must turn to their real alliesthe broad mass of working people. The immense social power of the working class must be mobilized to break the grip of the corporate-financial elite over society and reorganize the economy on the basis of public ownership and democratic control of the corporations and banks. Only on this socialist foundation can the basic social rights of working people, including the right to education, be secured.
Recent polls reveal a collapse in support for the Ukrainian government of Petro Poroshenko, which was voted into office in the aftermath of a Western-backed coup in February 2014. The decline in popularity for Poroshenko, which extends to all the countrys political parties and institutions, explodes the myth that the right-wing Maidan revolution was a democratic transformation.

According to Gallup polls recently conducted in the country, only 17 percent of Ukrainians now support the president. That is down from a high of 47 percent immediately after his election in May 2014. His approval rating is now lower than that of former President Viktor Yanukovych, which stood at 29 percent when was driven from office.

Poroshenkos support is lowest in the southern and eastern regions of the country. Even in western Ukraine, where his nationalist government had its base of support, he is backed by less than a quarter of the population.

According to the same Gallup poll, a mere 8 percent of Ukrainians support Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who has presided over the implementation of right-wing austerity policies and a cataclysmic decline in Ukraines economy. The same percentage express confidence in the national government as a whole.

Another poll conducted in early January by the Center for Insights Research, an organization sponsored by the right-wing International Republican Institute, found similarly low numbers of support for the current Kiev regime. In addition, it reported that over 70 percent of Ukrainians oppose the governments conduct in eastern Ukraine, where a violent effort to suppress pro-Russian opponents of Kiev has cost the lives of over 9,000 people and created a refugee crisis.

Support in Ukraine for all existing political parties is highly fragmented, with no single party or bloc gaining support from more than 20 percent of the population. Yatsenyuks Peoples Front party would not even win a single seat in parliament, if elections were held today.

The evaporation of popular support for the entire political system takes place amid the collapse of Ukraines economy. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Economic Development reported the countrys GDP had declined by 10.4 percent in 2015. It attributed 40 percent of that drop to the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine. The countrys currency, the hryvnia, also fell by 12 percent in 2015. Coal production, one of Ukraines main industries, decreased by 38.8 percent in 2015, leaving many coal miners unemployed or without pay.

Amid the crisis, imperialist-backed reformers who joined the Poroshenko regime after the Maidan Revolution, such as Lithuanian-born Economic Minister Airvaras Abromavicius, have been heading for the exits. A former investment banker and proponent of austerity and privatization, Abromavicius blamed his departure on corruption and the Poroshenko regimes ties to various Ukrainian oligarchs. However, in his resignation Abromavicius made it clear that he is jumping ship on a sinking government. I want my resignation to serve as a warning call, a cold shower that something is going wrong, he said.

In the wake of Abromaviciuss resignation, the value of Ukrainian eurobonds dropped by 1.1 percent. Ambassadors from the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Sweden and Switzerland all said in a joint statement they were deeply disappointed with the resignation of Abromavicius. He was seen as a key ally by the imperialist powers, which are increasingly concerned that Poroshenkos government will be unable to fully implement the austerity policies agreed to in various International Monetary Fund loans.

Two other reformers, Agriculture Minister Oleksiy Pasvlenko and Infrastructure Minister Andriy Pyvovarsky, have also resigned in the last month.

As the government crisis deepens, there are increasing signs of unrest in Ukraines working class. In December, over one thousand miners from the western Lviv and Volyn regions joined with miners from the eastern Donetsk region to protest outside the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry in Kiev. The workers attempted to present a petition denouncing the collapse in government economic support for the coal industry and carried posters stating, Hungry miners are the shame of Ukraine. According to reports, government officials and politicians refused to meet with the striking miners.

On January 12, in the supposedly nationalist capital of Lviv in western Ukraine, over 250 coal miners blocked a highway to demand payment of unpaid wages by the Ukrainian government. Several customs entry points from Poland were also blocked as part of the strike. The miners had been paid just 46 percent of their earnings in November of 2015, and had grown tired of the empty promises from the government.

Later in the month, during protests against the construction of a residential building in Kiev that will provide apartments to members of Ukrainian Security Services (SBU), government thugs attempted to disperse the protesters. Days later at another, smaller protest, Kyiv Post journalist Vlad Lavrov reported being attacked while attempting to ask the construction supervisor questions.

According to the Index on Censorships Mapping Media Freedom project, since October 2015, 40 verified violations of press freedom have taken place in Ukraine. In addition to intimidating the press in an attempt to halt its declining status among the Ukrainian population, the Poroshenko regime is attempting to whip up anti-Russian chauvinism and war hysteria.

On Wednesday, in an interview with the German newspaper Bild, Poroshenko insisted, The danger of an open war is greater than last year. Russia is investing a great deal in war preparations.
On Friday, the Department of Defense released 198 out of around 2,000 photos showing torture and other war crimes perpetrated by US military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The photos were released as a result of 12 years of litigation under the Freedom of Information Act by the American Civil Liberties Union.

These 198 photographs were doubtless cherry-picked by the Obama administration so that they constitute the least incriminating 10 percent of the photographs that were originally withheld. The most incriminating photographs still remain among the approximately 1,800 or more that are being suppressed by the Obama administration.

What the photos that the government has suppressed would show is that abuse was so widespread that it could only have resulted from policy or a climate calculated to foster abuse, wrote ACLU attorney Alex Abdo in a statement on Friday. That is why the government must release all of the photos and why today's selective disclosure is so troubling.

Even so, the 198 photographs provide a glimpse into the brutal hellholes established as part of the US counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The photographs show bruised and bloody body parts; young men blindfolded, hooded, and shackled; and other evidence of torture.

The photographs show close-ups of a bruised knee or arm or foot, an injured shoulder, a discolored neck. Some photographs have black bars across the faces of the victims. Some of the photos are in color, while others are in grainy black-and-white. (A well-known trick, used by American police departments when compelled to release evidence, is to deliberately render photographs as blurry as possible so as to prevent anything from being understood from them.)

Some of the photos are available on the ACLUs website, along with a searchable database of the 6,000 documents obtained so far.

However, the context of the photographs is often missing, and much more information still needs to come to light. From what we can infer from the descriptions, the ACLU wrote in a statement, we know that the most damning evidence of government abuse remains hidden from the public.

According to the ACLU, the photos that are being withheld include the case of a 73-year-old Iraqi woman detained and allegedly sexually abused and assaulted by U.S. soldiers. .. the soldiers forced her to 'crawl around on all-fours as a large man rode on her,' striking her with a stick and calling her an animal. Other pictures depict an Iraqi teenager bound and standing in the headlights of a truck immediately after his mock execution staged by U.S. soldiers. Another shows the body of Muhamad Husain Kadir, an Iraqi farmer, shot dead at point-blank range by an American soldier while handcuffed.

For the past 12 years, the Bush and Obama administrations have taken identical positions with respect to these photos, and they have vigorously stonewalled all attempts to secure their release. The Abu Ghraib photos, the most infamous evidence of torture, were leaked while the Bush administration was in the process of appealing in court to keep them confidential.

The Abu Ghraib photos depicted a systemic and deranged pattern of rape, torture, and murder at a US military prison in Iraq following the 2003 invasion. The photos showed US torturers cutting the faces of live prisoners with surgical tools, dragging naked prisoners around on leashes, shackling prisoners in positions reminiscent of the medieval Inquisition and other horrific acts that provoked international revulsion. A handful of the involved soldiers were eventually put on trial, but the senior Bush administration officials behind the program have been shielded from prosecution by the Obama administration.

Shortly after taking office in 2009, President Obama promised to release torture photos that had been suppressed by the Bush administration, but he quickly reversed himself and repudiated his promise. Obama stated that releasing the photos would inflame anti-American opinion and put our troops in greater danger.

Nobody has been prosecuted in the wake of the Central Intelligence Agency torture scandal, which culminated in a December 2014 report by the Senate Intelligence Committee. The executive summary of that report, which is the only portion made public so far, exposed not only a systematic practice of torture, but a longstanding and ongoing conspiracy to cover up those crimes and shield the perpetrators from accountability.

Nor was anyone prosecuted after the CIA broke into Senate staffers computers during the investigation to delete incriminating files. To this day, the Obama administration is working to suppress the full Senate report on CIA torture and to prevent its release.

The position of the Bush and Obama administrations is that anything that embarrasses the United States military or any of its leaders must be censored on national security grounds because such material can be used to incite violence against America. According to this legal argumentwhich would be perfectly consistent with a police-state dictatorshipthe more criminal the actions of agents of the US government, the more reason to keep those actions secret. Another consequence of this argument is that anyone who exposes US government criminality is automatically guilty of treason and aiding the enemy, since any such exposures could hypothetically be used by Al Qaeda to help recruit terrorists.

These same legal arguments were expressly rejected by American courts during the litigation over the release of the Pentagon Papers in 1971. In court, the Nixon administration demanded a restraining order to stop publication of the papers, claiming that their publication would endanger the lives of US troops and harm national security. The New York Times took the position that these vague and generalized allegations of future harm were insufficient to support censorship, and that the government must demonstrate (and had not demonstrated) an immediate, objective danger to specific targets.

The fact that torturers and major war criminals remain at large exposes the entire American political establishment, including both Democrats and Republicans, the courts and the official media.

Like every colonial-imperialist power before it, America uses terror and murder to intimidate the population of occupied countries into submission. From Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump, all of the current presidential contenders are unanimous in their silence with respect to the issue of prosecuting American war criminals. The media, for its part, never raises the issue, except to facilitate rabid calls for more torture by some of the Republican candidates.

Indeed, if Bernie Sanders were to call for the prosecution of war criminals, it would be necessary for him to call for the arrest of the current president, Barack Obama, a fellow Democrat. It would also require him to indict his fellow Democratic contender for the White House, Hilary Clinton. Further, it would result in the exposure of war crimes perpetrated in places like Afghanistan, where Sanders supported and is politically responsible for the US invasion. Finally, it would imply the prosecution of senior military and intelligence figures who otherwise would serve in the Sanders administration, should he take office in January 2017.

To bring Americas torturers and war criminals to justice, it is necessary for the working class to mobilize internationally, independent of all of the entire bourgeois political milieu and in opposition to capitalism, the driving force behind imperialist war and war crimes.

The photos released on Friday constitute an additional 198 exhibits that should be admitted into evidence in a future war crimes trial of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, John Brennan, Leon Panetta, Robert Gates, James Clapper, John Ashcroft, John Kerry and others. The defendants in such a trial would not only include the direct perpetrators, but also all those who made themselves accomplices by attempting to cover up and conceal the underlying crimes. To these 198 exhibits will be added the remaining 1,800 photos that are still being withheld by the Obama administration.

The author also recommends:

Judge orders end to Pentagon stalling on torture photos

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Obama on torture photos: cover-up and complicity

[15 May 2009]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- There are plenty of ways to show the love this Valentine's Day that'll keep your heart happy and healthy!

In that spirit, the Florida Department of Health is hosting a special social media contest, #HealthyFLValentines.

It's a way to show off how you're celebrating a healthy holiday. Organizers say, "Instead of gifting their significant other the typical box of chocolates, photos of healthier treats are the goal."

Now through February 14, you can submit photos of how you're loving a healthier Valentine's Day.

All the entries will then be shared in a Facebook album, where you can vote by liking your favorite picture or idea.

The image with the most likes will get a four-pack of Florida State Parks day passes. The winner will be announced February 22.

Organizers say this is the first of many interactive initiatives and contests the Department is hosting throughout the year to help get Floridians healthy.

It's also a way to remind people that heart disease or heart attacks can happen at any time. Kim Barnhil, deputy secretary for county health systems, joined us on WTXL Midday to share her story of suffering a massive heart attack in 2014, with no warning or pre-existing risks.

Barnhill says she's living proof of the danger of cardiac concerns, and wants the community to learn some healthy lifestyle lessons from her experience.

To take part, click here and use #HealthyFLValentines.
LONDONDERRY, NH (WTXL)  Dan Kipnis has been in New Hampshire since Marco Rubio left Iowa, and on Sunday he finally got what he wanted.

"This is my third attempt with Senator Rubio, to get him to answer this question," he said at a town hall event in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

Kipnis is a retired fishing boat captain from Miami Beach who plans to sell his house because of the rising sea levels. He knows first-hand the impact of climate change, and he came to New Hampshire to make the climate an issue in the primary.

But for Kipnis, addressing climate change goes beyond the decreasing value of his home. He's worried about the younger generations who will have to pick up the issue if it isn't addressed soon.

"All these kids that are 7, 8, 10, 12-years-old in the audience today, I'm asking these questions for them," he explained. "They're the ones that are going to bear the brunt of this."

Kipnis travelled to New Hampshire to present Rubio with a petition from climatetruth.org. 19,000 members signed the document, calling upon the senator to "...develop a science-based climate plan to cut global warming emissions."

Rubio took Kipnis' question in a high school cafeteria in front of more than 700 people. He told the retired captain he supports measures to combat rising sea levels.

"I actually support mitigation," he said, referencing pumps that would prevent flooding. "I think there are things we need to do to mitigate the impact that this is having."

But, for the senator, it is not worth passing climate change laws that don't have a significant impact on the environment, especially if they can hurt businesses.

"We cannot pass policies that do nothing for the environment, but will destroy the economy," he told the audience.

But he said that didn't mean he wouldn't support climate legislation at all.

"I don't think these two things have to be in conflict," he said. "I think you can be pro-economy and pro-environment, but you have to do it in a way that is responsible for both."

Aly Johnson, a college student from Vermont, also attended the event to pressure Rubio to address climate change. The presidential candidate did not mention lowering greenhouse gas emissions, which raised a red flag for Johnson.

"That was not included in his policy whatsoever," she said. "So we were pretty disappointed."

Johnson also took issue with Rubio's support for fracking. An industry she believes Rubio misrepresented at the event.

"It is detrimental to the planet," she said. "It is not a clean fuel as he would like us to believe."

For Kipnis, this approach isn't enough to solve the problem of climate change. But he was happy the issue has been addressed during the lead up to the New Hampshire primary.

"What I noticed was, in the last four days, when he's asked the question by other people, his answer has changed," he said. "It's much more in depth. He's been giving it a lot of thought, obviously. I still don't like the whole answer, but at least he's thinking about it. And that is why I'm up here."

The fact that Rubio made any changes to his position on climate change was a victory for Kipnis.

"That's why I'm asking these questions," he said. "I want these candidates to have to address what I feel is the most important issue facing mankind. Period."

Now that he did what he set out to do, Kipnis is ready to make his way out of the cold weather in New Hampshire.

"I need to go home to Miami Beach where it's 85 degrees."
THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL)--Investigators are still working to positively identify human remains found more than a month ago near Spruce Lane in Thomasville. They know the remains belong to a white female.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Bahan Rich says this case requires special testing because of the decomposition of the body.

He says the tests involve obtaining DNA from Toni Rayburn's family members in an attempt to compare DNA with the body. Rayburn was last seen on November 26.

Thomas County deputies say she left her home on Spruce Lane after a domestic dispute.
iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Chipotle Mexican Grill is shutting down all of its restaurants for four hours on Monday.

The Mexican food chain will close its 2,000 restaurants to hold a company-wide staff meeting to talk about its new food safety program.

"We are hosting a national team meeting to thank our employees for their hard work during this difficult time, discuss some of the food safety changes we are implementing, and answer questions from employees, said Chris Arnold, Chipotle's communications director.

The news comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced earlier in the month that the investigation into Chipotle's two E. coli outbreaks had concluded.

The first outbreak hit 11 states and left 55 people sick, while another strain of E. Coli hit three states and left 5 people sick. In the two outbreaks 22 people were hospitalized.

Chipotle has struggled since the outbreaks with its stock dropping nearly 40 percent since August.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
This is the fifth month we are facing the new intifada, the intifada of screwdrivers and scissors. It will not end, fade, or be defeated. We are already in a state that I and others warned of  a binational state and violent conflict between two nations mixed together. The kindling for this fire  the political desperation and economic hardship in the territories  will continue to feed it.

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The governments countermeasures are ineffective. Their damage to security is greater than their benefits. Even in the late 1980s, when I commanded the Civil Administration in the West Bank, we concluded that the demolition of houses is not a deterrent. It is a punishment that is not fixed in any law but has no security benefit.

Palestinian burning tires during rioting near Nablus this month (Photo: AFP)

The authority to shoot dead any attacker, even if only he or she only intended to commit an attack, is a step that was not taken in all the years of our struggle against terrorism. The defense establishment or years declined to demand death sentences, even for the worst murderers and the perpetrators of the most severe attacks. We avoided it not because we are soft-hearted and self-righteous. We concluded that executions would cause more damage than they would benefit our security. That is how all Israeli governments felt.

In practice, the new rules of engagement mean the killing of anyone who tries or intends to carry out a stabbing or vehicular attack. After over four months and with 150 Palestinians dead, one can say with certainty that there is no deterrent value to these rules of engagement. However, every additional funeral in the West Bank and East Jerusalem raises the level of violence and expands the number of potential attacks. Using cold, cost-benefit reasoning, this step is not helpful and not a deterrent. It merely temporarily soothes the the Israeli public's rage and frustration.

Efraim Sneh is second to left in this photo, taken before the Battle of the Chinese Hill in the Yom Kippur War (Photo: Amnon Licht)

Simply put, this type of terrorism has no efficient military, intelligence and administrative response . If it were possible to block social media in the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem, this would somewhat reduce the element of incitement, but the importance attributed by Prime Minister Netanyahu to incitement is clearly excessive and is designed to compensate for the lack of a solution. Whoever lives under occupation and in distress for 48 years has nothing to hope for and nothing to lose. He does not need to be incited  he is already incited.

To stop individual terrorism requires a sharp change of mood in the territories. Only dramatic political action can do this. Many talk today about disengagement from the Palestinians. They can succeed if they call it what it is  the division of the country. This includes the division of East Jerusalem, where more than 300,000 Palestinians live.

Separation from the Palestinians is only possible by the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state on 22 percent of the territory of the land of Israel between the Jordan River and the sea. This percentage is what the international community and the Palestinians (except for Hamas) are prepared to accept.

Given the fact that within two years the percentage of Jews living between the Jordan River and the sea below drop to below 50 percent, 78 percent of the land is not a bad solution for us. The insistence on 100 percent led us to where we are stuck today. It will be more and more difficult both economically and politically to pay the price for the lack of political courage to say and do the right thing.
Its Saturday night, shortly after 6pm. The commander of the Haruv Battalion arrives at the Harsina post in Hebron after a day of serious clashes. "As soon as I take off my (bulletproof) vest, I get a phone call from the advance guard company commander," he says. "A squad commander was critically wounded at the Beit Einun Junction. A bullet to the head. That's it. This is where the call ends. We got there. Turns out a Palestinian sniper fired at the military post with a hunting rifle, a shotgun. The soldier's helmet was filled with shots. Unfortunately, one shot got through. Wasn't stopped by the helmet. But there were also good news. I visited him yesterday. His rehabilitation is an absolute miracle - where he is today compared to where he was three months ago."

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But it wasn't just a miracle. At the beginning of the current escalation of violence, when his battalion took over the Hebron sector, Lt.-Col. Yaniv Barut ordered his soldiers to fortify their posts and always wear a helmet.

"Early on we were still operating with partial protection. And we realized there are more and more incidents of stabbing in the head or the upper body. So the decision in my battalion was that everyone wears a helmet and we will fortify the posts with personal bags and head protection gear," Barut says.

Kfir Brigades' battalion commanders

This decision saved the soldier's life, or as the commander of the Haruv Battalion, one of the five battalions of the Kfir Brigade, describes it: "This is an example of operational learning. There isnt one day that is quite like the other, and there is no sector quite like another. This is about quickly learning as we go."

Two months ago, the Kfir Brigade marked a decade to its formation. But in the midst of the escalation of violence in the West Bank, where the brigade's soldiers are fighting, theres been no time for celebrations.

After wrapping up their operations on the IDF's hottest front these days and going into training, the commander of the brigade, Col. Guy Hazut, and his five battalion commanders, gather to talk about the changes they needed to make in order to deal with knife-wielding terrorists, the brigade's wounded soldiers, and the incidents that should not have happened.

"Despite everything, today we're still operating on the lowest level of terror that we believe we will see in this round of violence," says the brigade commander. Hazut, who was the commander of the Paratroopers' Battalion 202 after Operation Defensive Shield, and commanded over the Nablus front at the height of the second intifada, remembers times much more difficult than the current escalation.

"When I was a battalion commander, we've experienced incidents far graver, and we're preparing for such incidents as well, in case this escalation takes us there as well," he explains. "At a situation like that, we - the Kfir Brigade - are the ones expected to lead the entire army. We deal with that a lot."

How did you prepare for the current escalation? For dealing with vehicular or stabbing attacks?

"We made adjustments," Hazut says. "We significantly shortened the shifts (4 hour shifts instead of 8 hours - YY) - the fighters do shorter shifts in order to remain alert. While they arent on shift, they go to threat-focused shooting ranges and train in Krav Maga, and then go on shift again, and so on."

Commander of the Kfir Brigade, Col. Guy Hazut

The Krav Maga training is one of the lessons learned from the ongoing violence, when a fighter can find himself at close range, and without any warning, in front of a terrorist armed with a knife. The basic training is done at the Kfir Brigade's training base in the Jordan Valley and later, the Krav Maga instructors come to the battalions on the front line.

"In order to improve their skill in the field," the brigade commander says, "we've also added a week of counter-terrorism fighting, which wasn't part of the training in the past. The counter-terrorism training deals with skills like threat-focused shooting, quickly unjamming a weapon, Krav Maga. Anything in order to do these things at a higher skill level."

According to the battalion commanders, the increase in incidents over the past few months has significantly raised the fighters' vigilance. "We've been living Judea and Samaria for a very long time," explains Lt.-Col. Uri Levy, 38, the commander of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, better known as the Haredi Nahal.

"We've been in the same places, moving inside the division for many years. Once, it was hard for a soldier to believe. I'd tell him during briefing: 'Stabbing, vehicular attack, shooting,' and he'd say, 'When did this happen lately?' Today it's much simpler."

Between 1 to 1.5 seconds

Eight terrorists have been killed by the Netzah Yehuda troops during the current escalation. Another terrorist, who committed a terror attack in Jerusalem, was neutralized by a fighter from the battalion, who was on the bus on his way home at the time, and was passing by quite by coincidence. Six of the battalion's soldiers were wounded on operational duty, some more than once.

"I have a fighter who was wounded twice, and a platoon commander who was wounded three times," battalion commander Levy says. "I had an incredible incident at Aboud in the Binyamin sector. One of the fighters was stabbed. A fighter who was next to him identified the terrorist, tried to shoot, but his weapon jammed. The terrorist jumped him, and meanwhile he was able to unjam the weapon. The sergeant who was nearby fired four bullets over him, and hit the terrorist. The (unwounded) fighter recovered - what you were talking about before, Krav Maga, threat-focused shooting - and neutralized the terrorist. Later he saved his friend's life. For 15 minutes he put pressure on his friend's neck. The wounded soldier has since already returned to active duty."

Kfir Brigade fighters training

"These incidents take somewhere between a second and a second and a half, that's it," explains Lt.-Col. Nati Keren, 34, the commander of the Duchifat Battalion. "He either rams his car or he stabs. If you don't react on time and at the necessary speed, the results are less positive."

How do you prepare a fighter for a 1.5 seconds-long incident?

"First you prepare the commanders. You put them in a situation where they understand something different is happening here, bringing them to a high level of awareness. Because the soldier eventually works with a commander. There's nowhere where the soldier operates alone. As soon as he works with a commander who understands what is expected of him, the soldier will know too. If the commander knows the battalion commander is going to come check up on him, and the battalion commander knows his commander will come check up on him and make sure he's vigilant and prepared, then it's safe to assume there will be fewer incidents."

One of the new ways for commanders to investigate an incident is through videos of the attacks being passed around on social media, like on WhatsApp.

"Today, the entire thing with the videos really simplifies what's happening," says Lt.-Col. David Shapira, the commander of the Shimshon Battalion. "You show a soldier, a fighter who is stationed at the Gush Etzion junction, that a day or two ago there was an attack here, and there's no better way of showing it, certainly with the current generation. There are videos of everything. So when they're a part of it and they see it, they too know what's going on."

Doesn't that lead soldiers to jump the gun on neutralizing? Doesnt it cause confusion? There's been quite a bit of criticism about it.

"The orders are to remove the threat. To neutralize is to remove the threat. We tell the soldiers that they are the defensive shield standing between the terrorists and the civilians. They're Judea and Samaria's Iron Dome. 'If you're not sharp, if you're not alert, you will fail your mission.'"

How do you identify who really poses a threat?

"Understanding the threat is the real challenge," says Lt.-Col. Keren. "The threat is ageless, without organizational affiliation. Weve tried to characterize the threat many times before - there is no particular age, no particular gender, no particular time of day. Anyone can pose a threat, both to our forces and, above all, to civilians. There's a chance that the guy who said hello to you in the morning, the same Palestinian who peacefully passed by you almost the entire time you've been here, who you even cleared through the checkpoint, checked his ID and you know he speaks fluent Hebrew, will come the next day from one situation or another, and attack you."

In order to illustrate this reality, in which it's almost impossible to foresee the threat in advance, one of the commanders describes an incident that occurred at a checkpoint near the Fawwar refugee camp in the Hebron sector.

"Every day one of the residents of the camp, a deaf and mute guy that all of the soldiers knew and said 'good morning' to every day, passes through the checkpoint. One day, after passing through the checkpoint, he simply drew out a knife when the fighters had their back to him checking a car, and stabbed one of the soldiers, before he was neutralized. We're at a situation in which you have to tell the fighters, 'respect him and suspect him.' The enemy doesn't have a profile. It could be a teenage boy with school books who's hiding a knife, or a 72 year old woman speeding at us with her car. There's no age or gender."

With the issue of the checkpoints, have the soldiers not raised the question of the occupation? Are they not asking whether they're policing?

"The righteousness of the mission is so clear, so sharp, so tangible now, that in a way, it's even simpler than before," says Lt.-Col. Barut, the Haruv battalion commander. "I didn't encounter, not even once, a conversation about the occupation or not an occupation - not from the soldiers, and not from the commanders. The fighters feel what's going on. Theyre inside it, they can feel the mood on the ground."

Unlike the days of the second intifada, when today's battalion commanders were young officers, and unlike the time following Operation Cast Lead, public debate over the Breaking the Silence NGO doesn't really get into the army. There's a gap between the discussion going on in the media and on social media and what's going on inside the units, the commanders stress. It doesn't mean they don't come across the organization's operations. Every now and again they even secure the organization's tours, meant to collect testimony against the IDF.

"I was in Hebron," says Lt.-Col. Keren. "Every Friday, Breaking the Silence would come. The soldiers were an inseparable part of keeping law and order, so an Israeli citizen could walk inside Hebron."

And how to you deal with the testimony from Breaking the Silence?

"I think our soldiers and commanders are operating in this complex situation with such strong morals that they don't understand what this is all about. They don't understand what these people want. They know what they're doing. They look at their commanders, and see the example they set."

They also see unusual cases.

"And then they also see how we handle it. If there is an unusual incident, and happily we didn't have a lot, they understand through our response that this is unusual. And I'm talking about really 'minor' unusual incidents, compared to what Breaking the Silence is describing. Our spirit is one of morality, of fighting with very clear rules on human dignity, and a clear separation between those who are the enemy and those who are innocent and have the right to live their lives."

How do you prevent unusual instances?

"We deal with it," stresses Lt.-Col. Shapira. "If I, as a battalion commander, as part of my briefing before an arrest at 2am, instruct everyone on how to handle the family, and if there's a need to get them out of the house in the Bethlehem cold at 2am and that bothers me as a battalion commander - of course not to a point of failing the mission - then that shows them that the battalion commander is worried about that and that the issue should be discussed and dealt with. It's true that the mission is above everything, and that the safety of our troops is the most important thing, but if we can, it's important to minimize the friction. I talk to them about it, and the platoon commander talks to his platoon. I have 500 fighters in my battalion, and I know that there are different people with different views that, by the way, could go either way. Happily. Along with that, I have orders, there are procedures, we're not dealing with politics. There is no outside influence coming in. But we have to talk."

"I," says another battalion commander, "walk around with the candy from the battle meals always in my pocket. When you walk into a house, say 'Salam' and give a candy to a child, you change the mood in the room. With this candy you might be preventing one child from becoming a terrorist in the future. You stopped him, you saved a few more lives."

"It's important to say," says Brigade Commander Hazut, "and this is also factually backed by numbers, that the amount of unusual incidents in the Kfir Brigade is the lowest in the IDF with relation to how long we've been in Judea and Samaria. Last year we also received an award from the chief of staff. Fighting terrorism among civilians is not simple. It leads to friction with the civilian population and with the media. It requires us to constantly be involved, both among the commanders and among the fighters, so people don't get confused. So people who are in an emotional state don't do stupid things. And for them to understand the sensitivity and the complexity. We're not sweeping anything under the rug. We deal with every report we have about an unusual incident. For example, a relative sent me a post from the Facebook of one of the brigade's soldiers, who was at a squad commanders course at the time, and wrote a racist post. I verified it, and spoken to the commander of the Bislamach Brigade (School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders) and told him that as far as I was concerned, that soldier was not worthy to be a commander in the brigade, and that this soldier will also be disciplined, because it's not appropriate for one of my soldiers, a fighter in the IDF, to make racist comments."

From a wedding to jail

Fighters from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion were involved in two of the more serious incidents that happened in the brigade. In one of them, several of the battalion's fighters beat up a Palestinian who was arrested in Jenin and in the other, fighters allegedly pressed a hot iron to the body of a detainee. And there was also the incident in which a weapon belonging to one of the battalion fighters' was seen being passed from hand to hand at the wedding of hate, during which several of the guests mocked the murder of baby Ali Dawabsheh, who was burned to death in Duma by a Jewish terrorist, by repeatedly stabbing his picture.

Lt.-Col. Levy, the battalion commander, urges to see the glass half full. "We're talking about some 90 days of fighting, with 127 missions, every night, mostly arrests at refugee camps, in Jenin and Tulkarm. You don't hear about that. While people sleep at night, this is what we do. There were a lot of really successful incidents, daily occurrences, in which we stopped terrorists from committing significant attacks in Tel Aviv.

"There are 900 Netzah Yehuda soldiers in the brigade. When you put the bad incidents we had in numbers or in percentages, these are isolated cases. The wedding incident was a soldier who went to the wedding of his childhood friend. One soldier out of 900 soldiers in Netzah Yehuda. He made an error. Abandoned his weapon. We investigated it and handled it."

"He wasn't court martialed for being at the wedding," Brigade Commander Hazut stresses. "He was court martialed (to 21 days in army jail - YY) for abandoning his weapon. We handle all incidents. In the case of the Palestinian who was beaten, those who returned to the battalion after serving a long period in prison were removed from their fighting roles, and one of them, who was more dominant, was also removed from the brigade. To me, Netzah Yehuda is a national project, and is very complex on the commanding side. It is now one of the leading battalions in the IDF in counter-terrorism. You just have to hear what the Binyamin Brigade commander says about this battalion, and what the Menashe Brigade commander, who had the battalion under his exclusive commander up until a year ago, thinks about the fact that he now has to share it with other brigades in Judea and Samaria."

In an audio recordings published by Army Radio in March 2015, Lt.-Col. Levy is heard admitting that the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox soldiers is a bluff. In the recording of comments he made at a private event, he is heard talking about one of the latest recruitments for Netzah Yehuda: "50 guys I said weren't mine. Couldn't be: No beards, no one has tzitziyot (tassels), they have pierced ears. You fooled me, it's not what it used to be."

"We're not looking at people's tzitziyot," says Brigade Commander Hazut. "I don't check the size of the kippah and whether the guy is ultra-Orthodox, and what kind of ultra-Orthodox - whether he's an ultra-Orthodox from Lithuania or a Hardal (nationalistic ultra-Orthodox). What we do though, is if we encounter soldiers whose conduct is not in line with the IDF values, we stop these people's service in the brigade. It doesn't last. Just like in the cases I mentioned before."

Does the fact that a large portion of so-called "hilltop youth" join the battalion have any influence on its activity and operations?

"That's not true," Battalion Commander Levy interrupts. "This isn't a correct statement. A very small part of the battalion is hilltop youth. I'm very happy with the soldiers that come to the battalion. Excellent soldiers, doing an excellent job, they get to excellent operational achievements. I love them. The residents in the sectors we protect are very very happy. There are dozens of requests to brigade commanders in the different sectors we're in, asking that we are not switched out and leave the sector."

"My wife's sister is baalat teshuva (became observant -ed.)," says Brigade Commander Hazut. "She lives in Bnei Brak, and she's a hardcore ultra-Orthodox. She sees me as a saint. To her, I save teens that leave the faith, and not only do I bring them back to the faith, I also help them find their way in life. Even in cases of hilltop youth. Even if it's deprived youth, and I end up recruiting them to the IDF, and all of a sudden they believe in state institutions, and I get them out of a relatively problematic path to a far straighter path. When I was the Yehuda Battalion commander I had an engineering officer who'd tell me all the time about how he used to behave as a hilltop youth and what enlisting in the army did for him and how it got him out of a problematic path."

Levy, the battalion commander, talks about a survey done among 1,000 of the battalion's released soldiers. Seventy-four percent are currently either working or are students. "This battalion does a very significant service to the State of Israel, and it's only increasing. I encounter amazing stories. For example, the commander of the battalions sniper platoon. An ultra-Orthodox man from Bnei Brak. When he was wounded, his parents didn't even know he was in the army. When the casualty notification officer called his home to tell his family, his father had a heart attack. The commander and his father were hospitalized together at the same hospital."

Quite a few of the brigade's fighters have been wounded during the ongoing wave of violence. "We've had 25 wounded throughout this period," Hazut says. "Unfortunately, my casualty notification officer is the busiest in the IDF. She thought she was coming to a brigade that had 170 fallen soldiers, which compared to other brigades these are small numbers (most of them served in battalions that existed before the brigade itself was formed, and fell in wars and during operational duty throughout the years - YY). Now, the casualty notification officers from other brigades feel sorry for her. There's no Friday that she doesn't spend at the hospital."

Flat-tire at the refugee camp

In the coming weeks, the brigade's fighters will finish their training period and return to active duty at the volatile front of the West Bank. "We took a break for training, but very soon we'll be returning to active duty and we know what we're getting into," Hazut explains. "That's what we've been training for. That's why the brigade was formed. And we will lead the IDF in the fight against Palestinian terrorism, with an emphasis on Judea and Samaria. In this area, our skill proves itself."

As an example of the brigade's expertise and capabilities, Hazut describes an incident that happened at the Fawwar refugee camp.

"It's one of the most violent refugee camps in Judea and Samaria. The IDF doesn't go in there at all. As the Yehuda Brigade commander, I went in there once during a chase after a terror cell that committed a terror attack and within half a minute, they threw two refrigerators, the body of a donkey and all the blocks they had on the roofs at me.

Recently we were operating in that camp and there was a technical malfunction in one of our vehicles. The steering wheel broke. When I received the report that I had a platoon stuck at the Fawwar refugee camp, I saw one of two scenarios happening: In one - we kill ten Palestinians. In another - my soldiers are being dragged through the alleyways of Fawwar. I spoke to the Yehuda Brigade commander and he described an entirely different situation. He told me: 'Listen, your guys are incredible. Such level-headedness. They got off the vehicles, created two circles of security.' They spent an hour in the camp, didn't kill or wound anyone. The only wounded was a Palestinian woman who had a balcony collapse on her from the block-throwing of the camp residents. That is why the commanders of the territorial brigades in Judea and Samaria prefer working with Kfir Brigade battalions. That is exactly what this brigade was created for, and this is its money time."
Israel has reached an agreement in principle with families of Palestinian terrorists to return the terrorists' bodies for burial, after holding the remains for a lengthy period, Ynet learned on Monday.

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The agreement concerns the bodies of ten terrorists from East Jerusalem who committed attacks in the current ongoing wave of terrorism.

The issue caused controversy after three MKs from Balad  Haneen Zoabi, Jamal Zahalka, and Basel Ghattas  met with the families and even observed a minute of silence with them. Balad members promised in that meeting to work towards convincing authorities to return the bodies to families for burial. The families also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.





Palestinian leader Abbas meets with terrorists' families.

Mohammed Mahmoud, an attorney representing the families, said the body of Ahmad Abu Shaaban, who committed a terror attack near the Jerusalem bus terminal early in the wave of violence, was supposed to be returned on Monday at midnight for burial, but the transfer of the body was delayed at the last moment.

According to the agreement that was reached, the funerals of these terrorists are to occur in the middle of the night and with a limit of only 50 people present. The funerals must end within two to three hours. Each family is also to provide a NIS 20,000 guarantee to police  money that it will not get back if any of the burial conditions are violated.

Arab MKs meeting with terrorists' families (Photo: Arab media)

On Tuesday, the body of Musab al-Ghazali, who committed a stabbing attack in December, will be returned.

The process of returning the bodies is expected to be lengthy and will continue only as long as the relatives meet the conditions. Security sources emphasized that Israel has no interest in holding terrorists' bodies and it's been made clear to families for months that bodies would be returned under the aforementioned conditions.

The funeral of one of the Qabatiya terrorists.

The bodies have not been released because they fall under the purview of the Interior Ministry, which opposed this policy, unlike the Defense Ministry.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan fiercely fought the plan, arguing that the families were not committed to the conditions and that the funerals will become mass displays of incitement encouraging further terrorism.

This stance contrasted with the position held by senior IDF officials who claimed that refusing to return the bodies was causing unrest. Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry's working hypothesis has been that holding the bodies could encourage kidnapping of Israelis as bargaining chips.
Israel is preparing to combat the threat of terror tunnels, out of which dozens of armed Hamas terrorists threaten to emerge simultaneously, but it seems not to devote enough attention to the threat already coming from the Gaza Strip - the border fence, through which not hundreds but thousands of Gazans will infiltrate Israel. And they are already coming.

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2015 was a record year. The IDF Southern Command recorded 140 infiltration attempts last year - in other words, every third night, there was an attempt to infiltrate Israeli territory from Gaza. Security forces arrested 249 Gazans in Israeli territory, and it is likely that there were those who were not caught. This is a quantum leap of several hundred percents in comparison to before Operation Protective Edge in 2014, when, for example, only 19 Gazans were caught after having infiltrated Israel.

Most infiltrators captured in 2015 are job seekers, people willing to risk their lives just to make a living. Defense officials posit that if there isn't a substantive shift in the reconstruction of Gaza this year, the number of infiltrators into Israel could reach thousands.





Gazans breaking through the Israel border fence (Photo: AFP)

Even now, Israel has no choice but to double the amount of exit permits given to Palestinians wishing to leave Gaza through Israel, compared to the amount it issued before Operation Protective Edge. After the Egyptians closed the Rafah border crossing, the Erez crossing became the largest pedestrian crossing from Gaza. Although Israel has not changed its official policy on issuing permits, it had no choice but to do so in practice: The closure of the Rafah crossing has created a waiting list of over 50,000 people who already received permission to leave the Gaza Strip and got stuck there. These are college students, people working abroad, sick people, and the like. To prevent an explosion, Israel releases some of the pressure.

This pressure is increased by the fact that very little has been done to rebuild the ruins of Gaza: 53 percent of young people are unemployed, the GDP fell to $1,000 per person, compared to $4,000 per person in the West Bank, and experts in the defense establishment warn that there could be a shortage of drinking water this year. Seventy percent of households in Gaza enjoy running water - for six to eight hours - only every two to four days. Everyone clings onto the commitments made for projects to construct and rehabilitate Gaza's water infrastructure, which will save the Strip from drying out, but out of the $5.4 billion pledged to Gaza after Operation Protective Edge, less than 15 percent of the funds arrived.

Gazans breaking through the Israel border fence (Photo: AFP)

The Palestinians in Gaza put their hopes in the construction of a water desalination plant. The permits for it exist, but to build such a facility requires substantially expanding the energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, the amount of electricity supplied by Egypt just goes down, and Gazans have become accustomed to living without a continuous supply of power for days.

Without water, without electricity, without work - people would storm the fences toward Israel. They have nothing to lose.

Even the international aid agencies operating in the Gaza Strip now admit, though not publicly, that it's not Israel that's delaying the reconstruction of Gaza. Most of the blame falls on the Palestinian Authority, which delays the rehabilitation efforts to weaken Hamas. Officials in the defense establishment have more than just a gut feeling that the PA is interested in another military conflict in Gaza.

The Turkish-Qatari initiative to lower tensions between Israel and Hamas over the digging of tunnels is a wasted effort. This axis has ties to Hamas' political bureau abroad, headed by Khaled Mashal, but Hamas' military wing does not care about them  it has already chosen Iran.

The security conflict in 2016 may break out due to the loss of control on the backdrop of a political, economic and social crisis in Gaza. One option is that thousands of Gazans storm the fence  which will inflame the situation on the border - or that the fear of an internal collapse would lead Hamas to another round of armed conflict. Or both.
The Israel-based Simon Wiesenthal Center urged Croatia's government on Friday to dismiss its culture minister, saying he took a disdainful attitude towards Croatian resistance to fascism during World War Two.

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The Jewish human rights group expressed "shock and indignation at several actions taken and comments made" by Minister Zlatko Hasanbegovic. Hasanbegovic has previously dismissed similar criticism as unfounded. He could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.

During World War Two, Croatia was under Nazi control and led by local collaborators called Ustashe. Many Croats fought as partisans within the communist-led resistance movement. Croatia is now a member of the European Union.

Holocaust memorial in Hungary (Photo: AFP)

"We urge the Croatian government to replace Hasanbegovic with a person suitable for the post of minister of culture who will bring honor and prestige to the post, rather than embarrass his country before the entire world," the director of Wiesenthal Center, Efraim Zuroff, said in a statement on its website.

No comment was immediately available from the Croatian government or from Hasanbegovic.

Zuroff accused Hasanbegovic, a historian who is also involved in publishing, of failing to recognize the genocidal nature of the Nazi-sponsored Ustasha regime, and showing disdain for Croatians who fought against it.

Hasanbegovic is a minister in Croatia's center-right government, an alliance between the conservative HDZ party and the small reformist Most party. Croatia's centre-left opposition and several civic groups have already criticized Hasanbegovic's appointment.

Also last week, the Simon Wiesenthal Center condemned a far-right commemoration in Hungary of a World War II battle in which speakers lauded a wartime pro-Nazi Hungarian leader.

A report on the feol.hu website said a Waffen-SS veteran who was scheduled to speak at Saturday's memorial in the city of Szekesfehervar did not attend for health reasons. The Wiesenthal Center said the event was "another blatant attempt to honor and glorify the perpetrators of the Holocaust."

Last year, international criticism caused a foundation to cancel plans to erect a statue in Szekesfehervar of a Holocaust-era minister who helped draft anti-Semitic laws.

The Wiesenthal Center's Mark Weitzman said authorities' failure to condemn the event, considering that Hungary is currently chairing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, was "an exercise in political and historical hypocrisy."
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has reopened its Gaza office after closing it the previous day in response to repeated attempts by protesters to storm it.

Spokeswoman Suhair Zakkout said Monday all normal activities were resumed after "discussions" with officials from Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules the Gaza Strip. She declined to elaborate. Dozens of Gazans have protested daily at the office in recent weeks in solidarity with a Palestinian hunger striker detained by Israel, demanding that the Red Cross help bring about his release. They tried to enter the building forcefully on Sunday, causing damage.
The Knesset's Ethics Committee decided to suspend Arab MKs Haneen Zoabi and Basel Ghattas from meetings of the Knesset and its committees for four months, while MK Jamal Zahalka will be suspended for two months.

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The three Joint List members faced disciplinary action after meeting with families of terrorists who murdered Israelis, and advertising the existence of the meeting on social media.

The MKs will still be able to vote at the Knesset and its committees.

Joint List MK Haneen Zoabi (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

The Joint List issued a statement rejecting the decision to suspend the MKs, and condemned "the campaign of incitement led by Netanyahu, which led to the miserable, anti-democratic and unethical decision of the committee."

The party went on to say that "The vengeful punishment will not deter us and we will continue fighting against policies of racism and fascism, and in favor of true equality and true democracy, which Netanyahu is trying with all of his power to destroy."

The party noted that "even after the suspension we continue to demand to immediately release the bodies held by police."

"We know we are paying a political price for an ethical position," Zahalka told Ynet. He said his party will approach international bodies about the suspension.

During a Joint List faction meeting at the Knesset earlier on Monday, MK Zahalka defended himself, saying he is certain that he and his fellow Balad party members did nothing illegal in attending the meeting.

Zahalka said they met with the families of the terrorists in order to promote the return of their sons' bodies for burial. He presented a list of police demands given to the families, saying Zoabi then passed on to Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan the list of the demands the families agreed to.

"At the meeting, held in a culture club in East Jerusalem, we received information from the families on their agreement with the police. Haneen Zoabi presented this list. The aim was to transfer the information to the police, not to hide anything. The only aim was the return of the bodies, the rest is lies. All the other matters have no basis in reality. We call for the return of the bodies immediately," Zahalka said.

Meeting of Arab MKs with members of terrorists' families

"The fact that corpses are being held in a refrigerator for four months is a terrible thing. Not only Arab Knesset members - anyone with a trace of conscience should rise up against this," Zahalka added.

Later, at the Knesset plenum, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue, saying: "We will not accept a situation in which members of Knesset support the families of the murderers of Israeli civiians, and stand in memory of those who murdered our children. There's a limit. There's such as thing as national respect."

The Arab MKs responded by calling out "Liar, fascist and inciter. He lies over and over again."

Netanyahu speaking at the Knesset (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

"I'm trying to imagine," Netanyahu continued, "what would've happened at the British parliament if British MPs stood in memory of Jihadist John, or if American Congressmen stood in memory of the murderers from California."

Zahalka was removed from the plenum after ignoring three calls to order.

Opposition leader Isaac Herzog went up to the podium to speak after the prime minister, and also slammed the Arab MKs. "Not too long ago, MK Zahalka has accused my party of forming the State of Israel. MK Zahalka also defended the minute of silence in memory of these heinous terrorists, and MK Zahalka and his friends justified quite a few of these actions and crossed the line."

Earlier in the day, Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett said that the Joint Arab List MKs "have made themselves the successors of Haj Amin al-Husseini. This attitude of joining our worst enemies is what brought disaster upon Israeli Arabs 67 years ago. It's not too late to wake up. They must reject from within them the instigators of these acts, the murderers of women, men and Jewish children; if they do not do it, Israeli democracy will have to defend itself."

Also Monday, the government supported a bill that would allow a lawmaker to be suspended by a 90-vote majority in the 120-seat parliament. The bill, which still needs to pass a series of readings to become law, would provide for the suspension of anyone whose behavior is deemed "unbecoming" for a parliamentarian.
Israel plans to increase the number of entry permits it grants to Palestinian workers, Palestinian and Israeli sources said on Monday, in a drive to ease economic hardship that has contributed to a wave of Palestinian attacks.

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Publicly, the Israeli government has accused Palestinian leaders, including President Mahmoud Abbas and Islamist groups, of inciting violence. But Israeli security officials have also cited desperation among young Palestinians who see a bleak economic future for the West Bank.

A Defense Ministry official confirmed a report in Israeli media on Monday which said Israel would increase the number of work permits given to Palestinians by 30,000. "A few plans are being looked at," a second Israeli official said.

Palestinian workers illegaly entering Israel (Photo: Reuters)

About 55,000 Palestinians currently have permits to work in Israel, mostly in construction and agriculture, according to the Bank of Israel. They must clear Israeli security checks before the documents are issued.

An additional 30,000 undocumented Palestinian laborers also enter Israel each day. The new plan would raise the number of Palestinian workers vetted by Israeli security officials.

Police say most of the near-daily Palestinian attacks since October, which have included stabbings, shootings and vehicular attacks, have been carried out by Palestinians who cross into Israel without permits from the West Bank.

It was not immediately clear when the plan would be implemented and whether it needed final approval from Israel's security cabinet.

The Palestinian Workers' Union said it had received notification of the permit plan from Israel.

"Workers are supposed to begin to apply for the permits," said its secretary, Shaher Saad.

In the West Bank, about 30 percent of Palestinians between the ages of 20 and 29 are unemployed, according to data from the Palestinian Statistics Bureau for the third quarter of 2015.
A Bedouin teacher-in-training was charged on Monday with being in contact with jihadist organizations around the Arab world, and agreeing to assist these organizations in smuggling their operatives into Israel for the purpose of carrying out terror attacks.

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Mohammad al-Assam, 22, from the Bedouin village of Tel Sheva, was arrested three weeks ago while trying to cross from Jordan into Israel.

According to the indictment, al-Assam studied Islamic law at the University of Yarmouk in Irbid, Jordan. It was there where he first reached out to radical Sheikh Abdullah ibn-Fahd al-Halusi.

Mohammad al-Assam in court after being indicted for planning attacks against IDF soldiers (Photo: Roee Idan)

In August 2015, al-Assam was added to an Islamic WhatsApp group headed by the Sheikh through the efforts of a Tunisian Jihadist named Abu-Said.

Al-Assam then reached out to Abu-Said directly, and began a discussion on how the two of them could establish a terror cell in the Gaza Strip, with the purpose of attacking the IDF. Al-Assam also attempted to recruit others to his cell.

The indictment also alleges that Abu-Said was to be smuggled into Israel under the cover of serving as a sheikh at the mosque with which the al-Assam family is affiliated in Tel Sheva. From there, he was to preach and give lessons about Islam and about Jihad. The two men agreed to meet in Saudi Arabia in April of 2016 in order to further discuss how to put this plan into action, and further their plans in setting up their terror cell.

Throughout his interrogation, the suspect admitted to his connection with Abu-Said, and after establishing a strong case against him based on concrete evidence, the Southern District Prosecutors office issued an official indictment, including a request to hold the suspect until the end of judicial proceedings. Al-Assam officially stands accused of conspiracy to assist an enemy combatant, and assisting an enemy combatant.

Last month, the Be'er Sheva District Court sentenced Mohammad al-Qian to four years in prison after he admitted to attempting to join ISIS in Syria. Al-Qian, 29, was also a teacher in the Bedouin town of Hura. He was indicted for establishing a terror cell, and acting as a spiritual leader who provided material support to ISIS.

A week later, Bashir al-Qian, also a teacher from Hura and relative of Mohammad al-Qian, was sentenced to nine months in prison after professing his support for ISIS in classes he taught. Bashir al-Qian noted that he only supports ISIS because of the organizations support of the Syrian people, and not out of a desire to attack Israel.
LONDON - US-led air strikes have had a substantial impact on the money Islamic State (IS) makes from oil, and have helped force the militant group to cut its fighters' pay by up to 50 percent, a senior US official said on Monday.

Daniel Glaser, assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the US Treasury Department, said the strikes had hit the group's ability to extract, refine and transport oil from territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria.

"When you look at difficulties that we know that they are having with respect to the transport, with respect to the extraction, I think it's fair to say they are no longer able to make money the way they used to be able to," Glaser told a London conference.

The strikes had also targeted cash storage sites which had "literally incinerated millions of dollars".
WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama and Italian President Sergio Mattarella met on Monday in the White House and discussed efforts to work together to combat the Islamic State in Libya.

During a meeting in the Oval Office, Obama and Mattarella talked about the need to help Libya form a united government.

"That will allow us to help them build up their security capacity and to push back against efforts by ISIL to gain a foothold in that country," Obama told reporters after the meeting, using an acronym for Islamic State.

Islamic State forces have attacked Libya's oil infrastructure and taken control of the city of Sirte, exploiting a power vacuum in the North African country where two rival governments have been battling for supremacy.
Hamas on Monday denied Israeli accusations that wounded Islamic State group fighters from Egypt had been smuggled through tunnels to receive medical care in the Islamist-run Gaza Strip.

COGAT Yoav Mordechai had accused the jihadist group of smuggling wounded fighters from Sinai Province - the ISIS affiliate in northern Egypt - through tunnels into the Palestinian enclave for treatment.

The Hamas interior ministry immediately dismissed the allegations as "false".

Spokesman Iyad al-Bozom said the allegations were "aimed at inciting against the Gaza Strip and causing tension in the relationship between the Strip and the Arab Republic of Egypt (while) working to tighten the siege".
ARPC announces leadership change

Lt. Gen. James F. Jackson, chief of Air Force Reserve, announced the following senior leader changes Feb. 5, 2016.



Brig. Gen. Samuel "Bo" Mahaney, commander, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center here will become the Reserve Deputy Director, Director of Operations, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.



Mahaney will relinquish command of ARPC to Col. Ellen M. Moore, currently the Director of Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. The date for the change of command ceremony will be announced soon.



Moore was commissioned in 1987 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at The Ohio State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma. She was selected as a regular officer in 1992 and spent 11 years on active duty, stationed in the Republic of Panama shortly after Operation Just cause. Later she served as operations officer in the 89th Aerial Port at Andrews AFB, executing worldwide distinguished visitor airlift.



Mahaney has been in command since November 2013. He is responsible for personnel support to nearly 1 million Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and retired members, ensuring they are ready to deliver strategic Total Force war fighting capability for the Air Force. From initial entry to retirement, ARPC provides world-class support for "Generations of Airmen" throughout their military careers. ARPC is a direct reporting unit of AFRC.
Korean depot maintenance saves Reserve time, money

A 943rd Rescue Group HH-60 returned to Davis-Monthan AFB Jan. 28 after a year at the Korean Air Lines Joint Depot Level Maintenance facility for its 78-month major overhaul.



This is the first time that the Air Force Reserve Command has sent one of its helicopters to Korea instead of using stateside depots.



"We were the first in the lower 48 to use KAL," said Chief Master Sgt. Jeffery Hauck, 943rd Maintenance Squadron superintendent. "Pacific Air Forces (including the Air National Guard in Alaska) has been using this facility, but typically we've gone to Corpus Christie Army Depot in Texas and Elizabeth City, N.C., for this overhaul."



The overhaul is essentially a complete refurbishment.



"They strip the airplane down to nothing, fix any corrosion, and then put it back together so that it's as fresh as the day it came off the assembly line," said Master Sgt. Alvin Benedict, the maintenance team lead for the project.



"Every aircraft the Air Force has goes through some kind of program depot maintenance," said Benedict, a 17-year veteran of the career field. "There's maintenance we can do in the field, and there's maintenance our technicians aren't certified to do; [depot] is the most intense form of maintenance, supported by engineers. They can fix anything that is an issue on the helicopter."



The HH-60 from Davis-Monthan AFB went to Korea in January 2015. It underwent the same processes that stateside depots perform, and took about a year to complete.



"By using KAL, we were able to save both time and money compared to using a stateside depot," said Maj. Dusty Dossman, 943rd MXS commander.


Bowman takes command of Niagara wing

Col. Brian Bowman assumed command of the men and women of the 914th Airlift Wing here Feb. 6.



Bowman received command from Maj. Gen. Stayce Harris, 22nd Air Force Commander, in front of more than 50 distinguished visitors and guests. The 914th AW stood in formation and listened to remarks by Harris as she described their new commander.



"It was the best ceremony I've seen in my 30 years," said Bowman. "With that many people in sync, doing exactly what they needed to do, at exactly the right time, every time--I've never seen that before. I was very impressed."



Bowman is responsible for the overall success of the wing's mission to recruit, train and equip rapid global mobility forces for the theater or joint force commander. The 914th AW is host to approximately 3,000 assigned military, civil service and contract personnel, and the installation is the largest employer in Niagara County with an annual economic impact of more than $200 million.



"My vision for the 914th Airlift Wing is to remain a viable fighting force for our United States Air Force," said Bowman. "I feel very confident of the longevity of this Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station."



Most recently as commander of the 340th Flying Training Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, Bowman was directly responsible for the overall success of the Reserve Associate Instructor Program. He began his military career in 1983, enlisting in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard as an A-7D aircraft aircrew life support technician.



"I owe Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard everything," said Bowman, whose has spent his entire 33 year career between the two commands. "I've been an ART (Air Reserve technician), AGR (Active Guard Reserve) and Traditional Reservist and Guardsman, so I understand the challenges of our Citizen Airmen face."



Although Bowman still has many personal and professional details to accomplish, as someone who has moved himself and wife of more than 10 years across the country, he is eager to get out and introduce himself to the installation he now commands.



"One of my goals is to meet as many Airmen in the wing as possible," said Bowman. "I learn something from every Airman I meet. What I love most about this job is the people."


All enlisted Air Force service members attend Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Military Training Instructors (MTIs) serve as the Airman Basics first teacher, the first person you meet at Lackland. The MTIs job is to chisel and shape recruits into efficient, effective members of the U.S. Air Force. Members of the 433rd Training Squadron provided information for members of the 910th Airlift Wing interested about what it takes to be an MTI during the February Unit Training Assembly weekend.

Tech. Sgt. Tod Scheff is an MTI for the 443rd Training Squadron at Lackland.

We are here to recruit Military Training Instructors for Reserve Command, said Scheff. Not many people know that we actually have Reserve MTIs, so were here to spread the word and tell them what its all about.

Those interested in the program must be at least a staff sergeant with one year time-in-grade to be accepted, all positions are technical sergeant and above. The 433rd will accept Senior Non-Commissioned Officers to the rank of senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant for those in Air Reserve Technician positions.

Tech. Sgt. Anthony Flores, 910th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron communications navigation system craftsman, attended the briefing given by members of the 443rd.

I thought that in order to be a reserve MTI, you had to live in the local area, said Flores. I didnt know that they had reservists from all around the country. I wish that I had this information years ago because I would have tried to enter the program then, said Flores.

Master Sgt. Jose Rodriguez, also an MTI with the 433rd, explained the benefits of becoming a successful MTI for the 433rd Training Squadron.

The MTI teaches effective time management, problem solving and dealing with personality issues, said Rodriquez. Its almost a stepping stone for Senior NCO or First Sergeant positions.

Rodriguez said that the goal of the visit to the 910th was to increase traditional reservist manning in the MTI positions for the Basic Military Training mission at Lackland.
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As the entire world is alarmed with the spread of zika virus, health officials are coming up with suggestion to stop the spread of the disease, they warned expecting mothers to think twice before kissing someone. The health officials have also urged men to use condoms with pregnant partners if they doubt they can be in any way exposed to the zika virus.

UN officials also suggested Catholic-majority countries in Latin America to permit women to undergo abortion if they fear that the growing fetus is at risk of microcephaly, a disease that causes new born babies to have small head and underdeveloped brain.

According to ABC news, the National Conference of Bishops in Brazil, is not intending to loosen abortion laws as they stated that the World Health Organization's declaration earlier this week that Zika was an international emergency didn't justify abortion.

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The recommendation was put forth as scientists have found zika virus in saliva and urine and earlier reports also suggested that zika can spread through sex.

Paulo Gadhela, president of the Fiocruz research institute, in a press conference urged women to avoid kissing people or share cutlery and dishes, and glass as it might put them at higher risk of getting the infection.

Friday's announcement was in accordance with the start of Carnival, a five-day bacchanalia that brings millions of people together participate in alcohol-fueled parties where kissing as many people as possible is a top pastime. Gadelha stressed on the point that this alarm will not alter the plans for carnival and holds good only for expecting mothers.

The scientists from Fiocruz institute studied samples from two patients who had symptoms of zika and also tested positive for the illness.

The culture results showed that virus in the samples could damage cells which indicated that the Zika virus was active.

Myrna Bonaldo, the main scientists of the research team, said that they were shocked to find Zika virus in urine samples as they were not expecting the virus to thrive in acidic medium.

All the suggestions provided by the Health officials is a step toward prevention of the disease as the mosquito-borne virus has spread to more than 20 countries in the Americas.
Doctors are not only worrying about how to contain the Zika outbreak, especially because of its relationship to microcephaly. They are also alarmed by the severity of defects found in a small number of Brazilian babies with microcephaly.

Consultations among doctors in Brazil and United States have become more intense for the past weeks, ever since the Zika outbreak became even more widespread. Some of the leading authorities claimed that the cases of of babies with malformed brains are really severe compared to simple microcephaly, Reuters Health reported. The authorities warned of the tough road that the families of these babies will take to rear and protect them. The doctors are also worried about more babies having the same conditions if the Zika outbreak is not contained at a much quicker pace.

"We are in the process of very rapid information gathering on what has been seen," Dr. William Dobyns, a geneticist at Seattle Children's Hospital shared. "The condition that I've been able to review, very preliminarily, is more severe than simple microcephaly."

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Dr. Dobyns divulged that most of the doctors who reviewed these cases were really astounded. "These children have a very severe form of microcephaly," Dobyns said. "The brain is not just small, it's small with malformations of the cerebral cortex and calcifications. It has the appearance of a very severe, destructive injury to the brain," the doctor added.

The doctor also detailed that worrying with these cases is the excess of spinal fluid between the babies' brain and skull. "If the brain is growing and then suddenly shrinks, then you'll see fluid between the brain and skull," he said. "It has a pattern that suggests that the brain has actually decreased in size."

Meanwhile, NY Times reported that the it was in late August last year when maternity wards in Brazil started to discover the unusual rise of microcephaly cases. "Doctors, pediatricians, neurologists, they started finding this thing we never had seen," said Dr. Celina M. Turchi, who is also an infectious diseases researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.

The researcher shared that suddenly, doctors were noticing more and more children with abnormal facial features and strange heads. Some see as many as four in a day. What was equally astounding was that even with their alarming appearance, most of the babies seemed healthy, eating and crying like other normal babies.
Stiri pe aceeasi tema

- The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) postponed for Wednesday, October 26, the debates on President Klaus Iohannis' notification on the Aquaculture Law. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help your friends know

- President Klaus Iohannis will participate, on Thursday and Friday, in the first meeting of the European Political Community and in the informal meeting of the European Council, which is taking place in Prague, in the Czech Republic, the Presidential Administration informed, told Agerpres. Fii

- President Klaus Iohannis will lead the Romanian delegation that will participate in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, on Tuesday and Wednesday, in New York, the Presidential Administration informs. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.

- President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday will sign the condolence book opened in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Romania, the Presidential Administration announced. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri.

- On September 16-19, on the sidelines of the high-level segment of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Transforming Education Summit will take place, during which President Klaus Iohannis will moderate one of the sessions, presidential counselor Ligia Deca announces

- On Thursday, the Senate adopted the law on the protection of whistleblowers in the public interest, re-examined as a result of the request made by President Klaus Iohannis, the objections made by the head of state being taken over. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro

- President Klaus Iohannis on Friday signed the decree regarding the recall of Mihail Constantin Coman from his capacity as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Romania to the Saudi Arabia Kingdom. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook

- President Klaus Iohannis sent on Thursday the Law on the protection of public interest whistleblowers to the Parliament for re-examination. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro  Help your friends know more about Romania!
The article/blog entry below from the JTA reminds me of the arguments about Lenin's Jewish ancestry. Now that we can look at the records, we know that Leni...

11 years ago
They roam around in the background, sometimes in the open, but are always on call. Whoever you want: plain-clothed police officers, intelli...
Delhi: Delhi Government ordered a CBI probe on Monday in death case of Ryan International School student Divyansh Kakrora.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia posted on micro-blogging site Twitter: "CBI probe ordered in Ryan school death case. Hope for fair and speedy justice for Divyansh."

CBI probe ordered in #RyanSchoolDeath case. Hope for fair and speedy #JusticeForDivyansh

 Education Minister (@Minister_Edu) February 8, 2016

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prem Nath had said on Saturday that investigation into the death of Kakora is being done "purely on merit", adding that they would not leave any angle uninvestigated.

"An FIR has been lodged following the complaint by the victim`s fathers. We are doing investigations purely on merit, and no angle of the investigation will be left. We are still waiting for the post- mortem report of the child," Nath had told the media, as per ANI.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that he has asked officials concerned to seek an explanation from the school with regard to allegations made by the parents of Divyansh.

Divyansh`s father had alleged that efforts were on to hush up the matter.

The Delhi government in its magisterial inquiry into the case had found that "deliberate" inaction of Ryan International School authorities amounting to "gross criminal negligence" led to the death of six-year-old Divyansh on January 31.

So far, the principal and four other staffs of the school located in South Delhi`s Vasant Kunj area are out on bail.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Two days after the parents of Divyansh Kakrora suspected foul play in their son's death in a private school here on January 30, the final post-mortem report suggests the student of Ryan International Public School died due to drowning.

Divyansh's parents had claimed that their son was found in a naked state and they could not find his clothes.

Divyansh had died after falling into a septic tank at Ryan International Public School in Vasant Kunj area of the city at about 12.30 pm on January 30.

However, the post-mortem report of Divyansh, which was submitted to the Delhi Police by AIIMS today, does not suggest sexual assault, but maintains the boy died due to presence of water in his lungs.

Talking to media, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said the post-mortem report does not prima facie indicate sexual assault, adding death is due to drowning.

Divyansh's parents are scheduled to meet Bassi today.

Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had on Sunday said that the Delhi government will recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into Divyanshs death.

The Delhi Police had on Thursday arrested the principal of the school Sandhya Sabu on charges of causing death due to negligence.

Four other employees of the school were also arrested on the same charges. They were class teacher Minakshi Kapoor (38), reverse osmosis plant operator Yogesh Kholiya (23), maintenance incharge Puran Singh Bisht (65), and gardener Ram Narayan (44).
New Delhi: In a big relief for local residents, the sanitation workers of Municipal Corporations of Delhi have agreed to call off their ongoing strike from Monday evening following the intervention of Delhi High Court in the matter.

According to ANI, the MCD sanitation workers informed the Delhi High Court today that they will call off their strike by today evening.

On the matter pertaining to their arrears, the Delhi High Court today scheduled the next hearing on February 10.

The development came on the 13th day of the MCD workers' indefinite strike over the non- payment of salary and allowances.

According to ANI, the agitating MCD workers this morning protested outside Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's residence.

With truck loads of garbage piling up in the open in several localities, the strike by MCD workers had created hardship to the local residents.

On Saturday, Municipal Corporation Teachers Association called off their indefinite strike after they received their pending salaries. Along with teachers, MCD doctors and para medical staff have also ended their strike.

Earlier, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had also offered additional loan of Rs 300 crore to East and North corporations to pay the salary of protesting workers.

Delhi government had also released an 693 crores rupees to the corporations in this regard but the protesters are demanding permanent solution of their salary issue.

In view of the MCD sanitation workers' strike, the Resident Welfare Associations accused the Delhi government of failing to make arrangements to get tons of garbage off the roads.
New Delhi: This February 14, worship your parents instead of celebrating Valentine's Day, say a series of billboards put up at Delhi Metro stations by a religious group, which also endorsed police action against couples.

The advertisements, put up across 35 stations by an organisation of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, advocating 'Matri Pitri Pujan Diwas' has left many commuters enraged, prompting Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to order the matter to be examined.

Asaram is lodged in jail in connection with a sexual assault case.

The ads bear two contrasting pictures; one showing two kids worshipping their parents and the other showing a young couple holding each other's ears as policemen stand nearby.

"Police take strong action against those indulging in degenerate activities by celebrating Valentine's Day in broad daylight. Don't celebrate Valentine's Day," the message in the posters say.

"The ads were displayed by a private contractor as all the ad space inside the Delhi Metro premises are allotted to specialised agencies who in turn allot them to interested advertisers. The matter is being thoroughly examined and taken up with the concerned contractor for necessary action," DMRC chief spokesman Anuj Dayal said.

When contacted, a functionary of 'Bal Sanskar Kendra', the organisation behind the posters, said the objective of the ad campaign was to make youngsters "aware" that Valentine's Day was "against Indian culture".

"The picture depicts the plight of a couple who were caught celebrating Valentine's Day in a public park at Raipur where the state government officially celebrates 'Matri Pitri Pujan Diwas'. We want other state governments to come up with similar orders," Manish Goswami, the functionary said.

The posters also made a few wonder about the advertising policy of DMRC. "I guess Delhi Metro will put up just about anything if you pay them enough money," Govind RS posted on Facebook. A DMRC executive said the company follows the Delhi Outdoor Advertising Policy, 2008 and does not have its own policy in this regard.

Unlike DMRC, Transport for London, which runs the vast London subway train service, has its own advertising policy.

"Technology wise we compete with west, #mentality wise we compete with 19th century !!" one Hamraj Singh posted on Twitter, while a tweet by one Shalu Dyani reads, "Asaram Bapu's ads in Delhi Metro threatening couples celebrating Valentines! DMRC has some serious explaining to do."
Zee Media Bureau

London: A new research suggests that high doses of a cholesterol-lowering drug statin may be able to treat an age-related eye disease that causes vision loss.

A clinical trial led by the researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School and the University of Crete found that treatment of high-dose of atorvastatin (80mg) is associated with regression of lipid deposits and improvement in sight, without progression to advanced disease, in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Their findings not only further the connection between lipids, AMD and atherosclerosis, but also present a potential therapy for some patients with dry AMD.

Researcher Joan W. Miller said that they found that intensive doses of statins carry the potential for clearing up the lipid debris that can lead to vision impairment in a subset of patients with macular degeneration.

Miller added that the researchers hope that this promising preliminary clinical trial will be the foundation for an effective treatment for millions of patients afflicted with AMD.

Macular degeneration is a widespread eye disease affecting over 150 million people worldwide. It is also one of the leading causes of blindness in the US.

The study is published in EBioMedicine.

(With Agency inputs)
Mumbai: The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court via video-conferencing on Monday where he is revealing the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. Here is what we know so far:

Also Read: 26/11 Mumbai attacks: 10 big revelations by David Headley which Pakistan can't deny

-I was a true follower of Lashkar-e-Toiba.

-Sajid Mir of Lashkar-e-Toiba was my main contact.

-After I changed my name, I disclosed this information to my colleague Sajid Mir of LeT.

-Sajid Mir wanted me to set up some business or office in India.

-After I changed my name, within few weeks I visited Pakistan.

-I changed my name so that I could enter India.

-I wanted to enter India with an American name.

-Sajid Mir (LeT) specified object of his intention before my first visit to India.

-Sajid Mir (LeT) asked me to take general video of Mumbai city.

-After receiving new passport, I visited India eight times, out of eight times, I visited Mumbai seven times.

-My seven visits to India were directly from Pakistan and one from UAE.

-After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, I visited India on 7th March 2009 from Lahore to Delhi.

-All details except place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality and passport number were incorrect in my visa application.

With ANI inputs
Mumbai: Lashing out at the Akhilesh Yadav government for organising Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali's concert in Lucknow, the Shiv Sena on Monday branded Uttar Pradesh as an "Islamic state" and alleged that the state government has begun "anti-national business" for appeasement politics.

The ruling ally also took a swipe at the BJP for being a "mute spectator" to the event, and demanded that those who allowed the concert to take place should be booked for anti-national activities.

"The 'Islamic Yadav' government says that Ghulam Ali was invited to perform to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. But, to promote unity, why does one need Pakistani artistes only? There are fine Muslim artistes in the country who are famous," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

"Keeping the upcoming Assembly polls in mind, the Yadav government has started an anti-national business (of inviting Pakistani artistes) to play appeasement politics," it alleged.

Lashing out further at the UP government, it said, "Uttar Pradesh is a mine of fine artistes, but (Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh) Yadav is only interested in coal from Pakistan," and added that tomorrow Yadav may invite Hafiz Saeed to appease the minority community.

"People who feel that the Pathankot terror attack should be forgotten and Ghulam Ali should be allowed to perform are traitors of the country. If Ghulam Ali is allowed to perform amidst the wails of the family of the martyred jawans, then people responsible (for giving permission to perform) should be booked for anti-national activities," it said.

Taking a jibe at the BJP, the Sena sought to know if the party bagged 71 seats in the UP Lok Sabha polls to remain mute spectator to Ghulam Ali's performance.

"This is bizarre. On one hand ISIS is troubling the Indian government, on the other the Yadavs have turned UP into an Islamic state and welcomed Ghulam Ali," it said.

Ghulam Ali on Sunday regaled the audience with his popular numbers on the concluding day of Lucknow Mahotsava. His performance went off peacefully despite threats by Shiv Sena, which had forced cancellation of his concert in Mumbai last year.
New Delhi: To boost its surveillance and search and rescue capabilities, the Indian Coast Guard has proposed to induct 38 more aircraft and helicopters into its fleet by 2020.

The expansion plan will see the maritime security force acquire Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Twin-engine Helicopters and Maritime Multi-mission Surveillance Aircraft (MMSA). The CG at present has a fleet of 62 airplanes and helicopters.

In the next three-four months, it is going to sign a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for procuring 16 ALHs, official sources said.

It is also exploring options to buy 14 twin-engine heavy helicopters. The Coast Guard is eyeing Airbus's Eurocopeter but it may take a couple of years to actually acquire these as a proposal in this regard is pending with the Ministry of Defence.

"We have been looking to procure twin-engine helicopters that can help in making long trips in the sea. The current Chetak helicopters do not have the ability to go deep over the sea. The twin-engine helicopters can make longer trips.

"They can be used in areas where we don't have air strips, for instance, in Minicoy and many such places," said a senior government official.

Air assets have often played a crucial role in the Indian Coast Guard's operations. When the suspicious Pakistani boat carrying explosives blew itself up on the night of December 31, 2014, off the Gujarat coast, the operation was conducted jointly by the air and sea wings of the maritime security force.

The Coast Guard is also looking for six more Maritime Multi-mission Surveillance Aircraft. However, CG is waiting for the Indian Air Force to be ready with a proposal as it wants to buy the aircraft together.

"The Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs) of the Coast Guard and Air Force are same. So, we are waiting for their proposal to get ready and then we can buy it together. However, the purpose of the two will be different and modifications to the aircraft will be done as per the requirements of the two forces," the official said.
Delhi: In the wake of information revealed by David Coleman Headley, India may provide fresh dossier to Pakistan regarding 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

As per a report in NDTV, the information revealed by Headley ablout planning and execution of the terror attacks may be assembled into a new dossier of evidence.

This may be handed over to Pakistan, the report quoted sources in the Home Ministry as saying on Monday.

In the first case of deposition via video link from foreign land, Pakistani-American terrorist Headley today told a court about how Lashkar-e-Taiba had planned and executed the 26/11 attacks and the role played by ISI officials, involving him too.

Headley, an LeT operative who is currently serving 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks, detailed the sequence of events leading up to the November 26, 2008 assault as he deposed before Special Judge GA Sanap for nearly five-and-a-half-hours.

He spoke about his training by LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Abbottabad near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder "Hafiz Saeed sahab", whose picture he identified in the court, as also its commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, and how he got in touch with three officers of Pakistan's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha, as per PTI.

Headley told the court that he had changed his name from the original Dawood Gilani after instructions from the LeT commanders, including Lakhvi, and ISI officials to carry out recce in India for an attack, an "adventurous" task for him.

He also revealed that the 10 terrorists, who struck at various places in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 killing 166 people, had planned to carry out the attack twice earlier - in September and October - but they attempts failed.

Once their boat hit a rock in the seas, because of which they lost all the arms and ammunition and had to go back to Pakistan.

"I used to treat India as my enemy. Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi also saw India as their enemy," Headley told the Special Judge during his first deposition in an Indian court which began at 7 AM.

He also admitted during his examination in chief by special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam that he joined the ranks of LeT after getting "influenced and motivated" by the speeches of "Hafiz Saeed Sahab".

Headley, who described himself as a "true follower of LeT, said he took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad and had also attended a 'leadership course' which was led by Saeed and Lakhvi. He said he underwent 5-6 training courses in LeT camps for about two years.

"Daura-e-sufa is a study course and is held in Muridke in Lahore while 'Daura-e-aam' is a preliminary military training course held in Muzaffarabad in 'Azad Kashmir' (PoK)," Headley said.

In 'Daura-e-Khas, which is a more advanced training, he was taught to handle weapons, arms, explosives and ammunition, the LeT operative said.

He said he was also given 'Daura-e-Ribat' training, an intelligence course in which setting up of safe houses and reconnaissance are taught.

The centre where it is taught is in Mansera, 40 miles from Abbottabad, a place in Pakistan where former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed by the US.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taoiba terrorists David Headley was a student at military high school in Philadelphia and hailed from a well-do family. With Pakistani father and American mother, Headley's life was no less than a typical Indian Bollywood movie.

Here, we take a look at how David Headley became a convict for helping Pakistani terrorists plan the deadly 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, that claimed at least 168 lives.

Born to an American mother and Pakistan-national father, David Headley was born as Daood Sayed Gilani on June 30, 1960. His father Saleem Gilani was a renowned Pakistani diplomat and broadcaster. His mother, Alice Serrill Headley, originally from Pennsylvania was one of the prominent figures in Philadelphia high society and worked as a secretary at the Pakistani embassy in Washington.

Born into a well-do family, Headley's family soon left United States after his birth and settled in Pakistan city, Lahore. However, Headley's mother Alice Serrill faced much difficulty in adapting Pakistani culture, and thus moved back to Pennsylvania, leaving back her husband and son in Lahore.

According to Pakistani custody law, Serrill was forced to leave her son and husband in Lahore, before leaving for Pennsylvania. After offcially separating from Saleem Gilani, she went through four more marriages and spent most of her time in Southeast Asia and Afghanistan.

Headley did not share a very healthy relationship with her step-mom and in 1977, at the age of 17, he left to settle with her biological mother, Alice Serrill in Philadelphia, United States.

Gilani enrolled at a military high school, and later at Community College of Philadelphia, but left both the institutions, without the degree. In 1985, he married a Pennsylvania State University student, but separated with her two years later, owing to huge cultural differences.

Due to his frequent trips to Pakistan, he came in contact with drug smugglers and in 1988, he was arrested by Frankfurt police, after 2 kilogram heroine were recovered from his suitcase. In 1997, Headley was once again arrested for possessing drug, meant to be smuggled to another country from Pakistan.

During one of his smuggling trips, Headley smuggled at least half a kilogram drugs out of Pakistan, with the help of Pakistani army doctor, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who Headley knew from military school. His friendship with Rana brought him an unwitting shield over the course of his career as a drug-trafficker.

In 1997, Headley married a Pakistani woman named Shazia and fathered two children with her. At the same time, he took a job of a DEA informant in New York City. Despite working for a US government agency, He actively raised money and recruited new members for Lashkar terror group.

In February 2002, after releasing from prison, Headley went to Lashkar training camp and pursued a three-week course on Lashkar ideology and jihad.

By 2005, Headley's training with Lashkar reached to a stage where he was keen to join jihadis in Kashmir to fight against India. However, his proposal was rejected by the Lashkar and gave him other 'assignments'.

The same year, he changed his name from Daood Sayed Gilani to David Coleman Headley to get Indian visa after instructions from his Lashkar handler Sajid Mir, whom he met during the training.

In 2002, while undergoing arms training at a camp at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan, he came in contact with LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, whom he befriended. Headley carried out several terror-related activities, under his instruction.
Faizabad: Lashing out at Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that they are not allowing Muslim leaders in their party to speak up.

Also, accusing the father-son duo of cosying up to PM Narendra Modi, the Hyderabad MP asked why they SP chief "invited Narendra Modi, the man responsible for Gujrat carnage, to his place to attend a marriage ceremony".

"All his family members were busy taking selfies on mobile phones (with the PM)," Owaisi said.

Moreover, Owaisi said that they have denied me permission 15 times to visit in the last three years after giving different reasons.

"Why are Mulayam and Akhilesh scared of me," asked Owaisi.

Owaisi was addressing an election rally ahead of UP's Bikapur assembly bypoll near Faizabad's Ayodhya.
New Delhi: Fighting Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir was the first proffered choice of terrorist of Pakistani origin David Headley .

In his deposition before a TADA court in Mumbai on Monday, the American terrorist of Pakistani origin told that he has also expressed his wish to join jihadis in Kashmir but his offer was rejected due to his age.

Born in 1960, Headley must have been of about 43-year-old in 2002 when he attended the arms training camp in 2002.

"Wanted to fight Indian forces in Kashmir but keeping my age in mind, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of LeT told that I will be given another assignment," told Headley.

During the deposition in court, Headley also told that he met LeT chief Hafiz Saeed once in 2002 while was undergoing arms training a camp at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan.

"I met Hafiz Saeed once in a training camp in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan. He inspired me to join LeT. In the training camp I learnt how to use AK-47 rifle, bomb making," added Headley.

In his revelations, Headley also said he changed his name from Daood Sayed Gilani to David Coleman Headley to get Indian visa after instructions from his Lashkar handler Sajid Mir.

Headley is likely to continue his testimony before the court on Tuesday as well.

David Headley's fresh revelations are likely to put more pressure over Pakistan to act against LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, who is also an accused in the Pathankot Air Force base terror attack last month.
New Delhi: Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist David Headley made sensational revelations while deposing before a special TADA court in Mumbai on Monday.

Headley, who was pardoned by the court after he agreed to turn approver in connection with the 26/11 trials, testified in court via video conferencing.

The prosecution team was headed Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and well known criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani represented Headley before the special TADA court.

The prosecution team put up about 40 questions before Headley during the course of deposition.

Top 10 revelations made by David Headly:

1. Headley identified Hafiz Saeed , when shown his photo in the court. Headley met Hafiz Saeed during a training camp in Pakistan's Muzaffarabad in 2002. He said Hafiz Saeed inspired me to join LeT and I did Lashkar's work on his directions. I learnt how to fire from AK-47 rifle, bomb explosion and other arms trainings in the camp. Wanted to fight Indian forces in Kashmir but was denied Kashmir assignment due to my age.

2. Two attempts were made to attack Mumbai prior to 26/11. First attempt was made in Sept 2008 but boat hit rocks in the ocean, weapons and explosives were lost but those on board survived. Second attempt to attack Mumbai made in October 2008, those involved in first attempt were involved in this as well, but attack failed. Third and final attack on Mumbai was successful (26/11).

3. Became David Coleman Headley from Daood Sayed Gilani to enter India on my LeT handler Sajid Mir's suggestion.

4. Dr Tahawwur Hussain Rana helped me to get Indian visa. I met him in a military school in Punjab province. Dr Tahawwur Hussain Rana was my schoolmate for 5 years. After school, Rana became a doctor in Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.



5. All details except place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality and passport number, were incorrect in my visa application.

6. After receiving new passport I visited India 8 times, out of 8 times I visited Mumbai 7 times. I also visited India after 26/11 attack on 7th March 2009 from Lahore to Delhi.

7. I and retired major Abdur Rehman Pasha were arrested in Landi Kotal near Pak-Afghan border because I looked like a foreigner. During my arrest, Major Ali came to interrogate me and I was having some Indian literature in my possession.

8. During interrogation I gave information to Major Ali that Im holding a business office in India. Major Ali thought that I will be beneficial for gathering intelligence from India. He later introduced me to Major Iqbal of Pakistan ISI.

9. Sajid Mir (LeT Operative) was using the email ID chalchalo@yahoo.com to communicate.

10. Pakistan's ISI and LeT worked in close nexus to carry out 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
New Delhi: Questioning the silence of Congress leadership over the Tanzanian woman stripping incident in Karnataka, pro-RSS publication 'Organiser' on Monday attacked Rahul Gandhi for his "selective outrage" and said he has many questions to answer.

"Rahul Gandhi who managed to rush to Dadri and Hyderabad did not even bother to ask Chief Minister from his own party about the action he has taken on such ghastly incident.

"This shameful act has brought disdain to Bharat as a nation. Rahul Gandhi who does not miss a chance to blame RSS for all the wrong things should wake up and get rid of this policy of selective outrage. Otherwise, it would be difficult for the grand old party led by a dynasty to hold on to whatever little political space it is occupying," an editorial titled "Shame of selective outrage" in the 'Organiser' said.

It further said that the downplaying attitude of Siddaramaiah government "is much more appalling".

"What is more shocking is the silence of the Congress leadership who do not miss a chance to raise the bogey of 'intolerance' and 'imposition of ideas' on various sections of society is keeping mum on continuous deterioration of law and order condition in the Congress ruled State. "As claimed to be the sole custodian of 'democracy' and 'plurality' of Bharat, Congress and Rahul Gandhi have many questions to answer on this front," it said while taking a dig at Rahul.

The pro-RSS organ said this is not an isolated incident as crime graph in Karnataka is rising and so are terrorist activities, radical ideology is gaining ground in northern parts of the state and allegations of corruption and criminalisation of politics are growing.

It listed an incident of an Australian man was violently harassed for sporting a tattoo of an Indian goddess and now this Tanzanian student of Business Administration facing the wrath of mob fury.

It said the "insensitive approach" of state administration was evident with State Home Minister being in a denial mode.

"Identity politics in every form is a favourite dictum of Congress Party. Sometimes it is Muslim, then Dalit, now a Bengalurian, conveniently missing that a foreign student also had an identity which was diplomatically much more sensitive," it said.
New Delhi: Senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar has said that the organisation is working for betterment for Muslims in India . He said Sangh's Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) has done a lot for the community in terms of employment, proper education, housing, etc.

He said the MRM was formed with a motive to work for the upliftment of the Muslim community and it is working to fulfill its motive by providing education to Muslim kids and making them self-sufficient. It has launched many welfare schemes for their better future in this country, he added.

During a function in Jammu and Kashmir, Kumar blamed the "appeasement politics" practised by various parties for the poor condition of Muslims.

Noting that Jammu and Kashmir was a Muslim majority state, Kumar said that a large number of people of the community believes that India is the best country for them and they can flourish like other communities in this country as well as in this state.

The RSS leader also said that they were planning to start a food grain bank, based in Pune, to ensure no one is left without food.

MRM state president Nazir Ahmad Mir, former ministers Chaudhary Lal Singh, Abdul Ghani Kohli were among those who were present on the occasion.
New Delhi: Concerned over the detention of Muslim youths on charges of having links with ISIS, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Reportedly, Shahi Imam demanded that innocent Muslims must not be harassed in the name of fighting the Islamic State.

"A large number of Muslim youths were languishing in jails on terrorism charges," Bukhari said.

According to the office of Shahi Imam, Bukhari has demanded the PM Modi that there should be transparency in carrying out such detentions.

Also, Shahi Imam in his meeting with PM Modi demanded that special care be taken to ensure that lives of innocent Muslim youths were not ruined.

"The prime minister has promised to consider the issues, and said his government won't take any step that may put communal harmony at stake," Bukhari said.

In the past few months, various anti-terrorist squads have nabbed several youths on the charges of having relations with dreaded terror outfit Islamic State.

Earlier, there were reports that ISIS is in touch very several Indians youth to train them to wage war against their own country.
New Delhi: Anti-terrorism strategy and employment generation will be key focus of discussions during two-day Governors' conference beginning on Tuesday to be presided by President Pranab Mukherjee and attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Twenty-three Governors and two Lt Governors of states and Union territories will attend the conference, a press release issued today by the President's secretariat said.

The conference will deliberate on security--internal and external with special focus on terrorism and insurgency activities--and creating jobs for youths with special focus on skill development for school dropouts.

There will be discussion on implementation of flagship programmes of the government like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Housing for all by 2022 and smart cities, besides improving quality of higher education, it said.

The conference will discuss on ways to give impetus to Make in India programme and employability, and "Act East policy and development of North Eastern Region", the release said.

This is the 47th conference of Governors to be held in Rashtrapati Bhavan and the fourth conference to be presided by the President.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Niti Aayog's Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, among other ministers and top government functionaries, will also participate in the conference.
Abu Dhabi: UAE has warned India that it is not immune to the threats of dreaded terror group the Islamic State.

As per a report in NDTV, UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, has warned that India faces serious threat from ISIS.

Dr Gargash told the channel - "This is a long-term threat we need to cooperate, need to have zero intolerance. There are no grey areas, we need to tackle this threat and nobody is immune. If you think you are immune, you are going to be negligent and you are going to be hit. Everybody... whether India or the UAE."

Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is due to visit India next week.

The report also said that over the past year, about a dozen Indians with links to the ISIS had been deported from the UAE.



When asked about Pakistan's efforts in cracking down on terror groups, he said - "The UAE doesn't see a grey area in our rejection of terrorism, whether by a non-government group or whether sponsored by governments, we put all that in the same pile, terrorism is terrorism."

"There are no good terrorists and bad terrorists", he added.

"We need greater cooperation. Like in Iraq, we want to see a more comprehensive approach. We can't geographically identify areas and say, this area suffers from terrorism. I can't come and say, if something happens in Mumbai, that it is out of vision or sight. It is something that is related. Anti-ISIS needs a ground component, not troops. UAE has always said we want to be a part of this ground component... to train to lead. This is where is has been frustratingly slow," he further said.

PM Narendra Modi had visited UAE in August.

He became the first Indian PM to do so in three decades.


Jammu: Talking tough on the long pending issue regarding a decision on government formation in the Valley, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday set a deadline for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti.

Quoting party sources, IBN Live said that the BJP has asked the PDP to take a final call on government formation in J&K before the Parliament's Budget Session starting from February 23.

The development comes a day after the former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah asked Mehbooba to form a government in the Valley or snap ties with BJP.

"Mehbooba Mufti must spell out clearly what she wants. Otherwise, she must have the courage to break the alliance and seek fresh elections in state," he had said.

The former CM also made it clear that his party is not ready to support BJP in case the PDP-BJP alliance snaps.

Notably, from past ten months the PDP had been praising the alliance with the BJP. But recently, Mehbooba had indicated that she will not form a coalition government with the BJP in the Valley unless the Centre creates a "conducive atmosphere" by committing confidence building measures (CBMs) for the state.

The PDP, with 27 MLAs in the 87-member assembly, and the BJP with 25 legislators ran a coalition government headed by Mufti Sayeed for 10 months.

The state is without an elected government since January 7 when former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away in New Delhi. Governor's rule was imposed in the state on January 8.

Governor NN Vohra on Thursday appointed two retired IAS officers as his advisors, a move seen as another indication that Jammu and Kashmir might remain without an elected government for long.
Jammu: Coming to the aid of a slain VDC member's teenage son, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has offered to pay for the education of the boy who is finding it difficult to pursue his studies as the family is in dire straits financially.

17-year-old Sunak's father, who was a village defence committee (VDC) member, was gunned down by militants in 2001.

Yesterday, Sunak's mother Nima Devi, who had to take up odd jobs for survival, said he has scored 92 per cent marks in class 10 examinations but cannot continue his studies for the want of money.

"So many people came forward to help the son of a terrorist who attacked Parliament when he scored good marks, but nobody has so far announced support to my son," she said yesterday.

Appreciating Sunak for scoring good marks despite all odds, Minister of State, PMO, Jitendra Singh today announced he will bear all the expenses of his further studies.

"Taking immediate cognisance, I immediately called up Deputy Commissioner of Udhampur and conveyed to him that as an MP of the area, we will bear entire expenses of his further studies," Singh told PTI here today.

Singh, who is an MP from Udhampur-Doda-Kathua constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, said, "I told DC, Udhampur Shahid Iqbal to convey it to his family from my side."

"I want to become an air force officer and serve my country by fighting terrorism," he said, adding he wants to avenge his father's death not with the gun but with pen.

Singh said all support needed to fulfill his dreams will be provided. "He has made the district proud. He deserves appreciation," he said.

Singh said he is already supporting such students in his constituency and outside.

"In Katra, I have provided insurance cover to 200 school children under accidental cover scheme," he said adding school bags and uniforms are also distributed to them.

"We will be distributing one laptop each to 'One-Teacher Schools' (Eklavya Vidyalayas) in next two to three weeks," Singh said.
Thiruvanathapuram: Kerala may be one of the biggest consumers of liquor in the country but the tipplers in the state remain a disgruntled lot.

The biggest among their woes is the new liquor policy adopted by the UDF government that allows only five-star bars in the country and the progressive reduction in number of liquor vends in the state. Also, the steep hike in taxes on liquor has hit them hard.

Lovers of the drink allege that it has become very difficult to afford a drink these days and even if they do manage to buy a bottle, there is no decent place to sit and get a high.

The other 'emotional' issue for them is that the existing liquor stores are mostly located in dinghy places where they have to queue up 'like criminals' for hours to buy a bottle.

As per a report in the Hindustan Times, tipplers in God's Own Country have decided to united under the banner of Kerala Liquor Consumers Protection Forum to defend their rights and seek respect from the state that earns Rs10,000 crore annually from the sale of liquor.

The forum has already held district-level meets with an aim to enroll one lakh members. Later a state-wide convention will be held to chalk out strategy.

The HT report suggest that they may even contest assembly elections if the state continues to treat them 'shabbily'.
Mumbai: Four suspected members of the notorious 'Chaddi Baniyan' gang were arrested in the wee hours on Monday in an encounter with police after they robbed an elderly couple in suburban Borivali.

Three police personnel were injured in the encounter.

According to police, the four robbed an elderly couple after assaulting them in Borivali.

A police officer on night patrolling duty noticed some suspicious movement on a road at around 3.30 AM, following which nearby police stations were alerted.

A police team then started a search operation during which the accused, who were hiding in nearby bushes, fired at the cops. In retaliation, the policemen also fired at them and succeeded in nabbing four gang members after a long search operation, a police official said.

A senior inspector and two other police officials were also injured in the exchange of fire, he said.

The four accused, who also sustained injuries in the incident, were admitted to a hospital in Kandivali.

The search operation was still on in Borivali, police said, adding that three more robbers were suspected to be hiding in the area.

Over 100 policemen from different police stations and crime branch have been deployed in the search operation, the official said, but refused to divulge any further details of the incident.
Kohima: In a move to bring lasting peace to Nagaland, a group of people representing the civil society in the state has reached Myanmar to bring the NSCN-K back on the peace path.

Representatives of the apex body Naga Hoho and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation (ENPO) planned to meet leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, informed sources said.

The NSCN-K, led by its chairman SS Khaplang, signed a ceasefire with the Indian government in 2001. But in March last year it dumped the accord and resumed armed attacks on security forces.

Last year, the outfit ambushed a convoy at Chandel in Manipur and killed 18 soldiers. The central government then banned the outfit for five years.

"A joint team comprising eight members representing the Naga Hoho and ENPO has reached Myanmar and is waiting to meet Khaplang. Let us see what the outcome is," ENPO president Khoiwang Konyak said in a statement.

The joint statement by the ENPO and Naga Hoho said the team met Kyaw Win Swe, an emissary from the Ceasefire Monitoring Group of the NSCN-K, at Mandalay.

The statement said Khaplang had been urged to again go for a truce with New Delhi.

The Nagaland assembly last year resolved to urge the central government and the NSCN-K to go back to the ceasefire agreement to create the right atmosphere for a political dialogue in Nagaland.


Guwahati: A 'second-in-charge' of NDFB (Songbijit) was killed in an encounter with a joint team of police and Army early this morning at Runikhata area of Kokrajhar district of Assam, a senior police official said.

The operation that began late last night was carried out by a joint team of police and 7 Sikh LI (Light Infantry) in Ranipur area under Runikhata police station area, IGP LR Bishnoi told PTI.

At about 3 am today the personnel came across the NDFB(S) militant Uday Narzary, the second-in-charge of Serfanguri zone, who was sheltered in the jungle patch adjoining Ranipur village and he died of bullet injuries, Bishnoi said.

The extremist was also known as N Udang alias Khulikhang of Edenbari in Runikhata.

One AK-56 rifle along with 9 rounds of ammunition were recovered from his possession, Bishnoi added. A defence official said in Kolkata, the terrorist had entered into the laid ambush site and on being challenged he fired on the security personnel with an automatic weapon.

In the retaliatory fire the terrorist was injured and immediately evacuated to the district hospital where he was declared dead, the official said.

He was wanted by the NIA in connection with Adivasi massacre at Saralpara in December 2014, the official added.
New Delhi: In yet another indication of improving Indo-Bangladesh ties, reports on Monday claimed that India may soon win a contract to build a port for Bangladesh, while the latter cancelled a deep sea port which was to be built by China earlier.

As per a ToI report, New Delhi has expressed its keenness in developing the neighbour's newest deep sea port - Payra.

The move by India is significant as it is bound to take the bilateral ties between the two South Asian neighbours to a new high.

Meanwhile, Japan is also expected to develop another deep sea port  Matarbari - in Cox's Bazar for Bangladesh.

With the Asian allies keen on improving the strategic bilateral ties, Dhaka, it has emerged, has quietly killed the Sonadia project in Cox's Bazar, which was supposed to be developed by China.

With Bangladesh killing the Sonadia port project, which like the Hambantota and Gwadar ports were deemed to be part of China's much talked about "string of pearls" strategy to encircle India, it is likely to be a big loss for the Dragon.

The Payra sea port, which is on the south-western corner of Bangladesh, close to Chittagong, is much closer to the Indian coastline.

Dhaka's cancellation of the Sonadia port, on the south-eastern corner of Bangladesh, has scuttled China's plan to come closer to India by increasaing its presence in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

While the official reason for cancellation of the Sonadia port was lack of commercial viability,the Japan-developed Matarbari is only 25km away. China had not only prepared a feasibility study for Sonadia, it had reportedly promised deep funding for the port.

The cancellation of Sonadia is clearly a strategic decision by Bangladesh, doubtlessly helped along by India, Japan and the US.
Kathmandu: Nepals ethnic minority groups lifted a four-month-old blockade along a major trading point with India on Monday, saying it didn`t want ordinary people to suffer anymore, but vowed to carry on with its campaign against the new constitution.

The Madhesi Front of four small parties based in the Tarai lowlands launched the strike in September to force Nepal`s major political parties to amend the new charter and give them a greater role in the power structure.

But the strike has led to a severe fuel shortage, and last week traders, fed up with the prolonged closure of the border crossing, burned the tents of the Madhesi activists and removed the barriers they had placed on the open border with India.

"We have called off the protests at the border, transport strike and closure of government offices, said Sarbendra Nath Shukla of the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, part of the Madhesi Front.

Trucks began moving through the main border point at Birgunj for the first time in more than four months on Friday after the traders chased away the protesters.

Nepal made changes to the constitution to ensure greater participation of the Madhesis in parliament but the community leaders said the amendments failed to address their central fear of redrawing the provincial borders in a way that would divide them.

Shukla said the Madhesi Front would try to rally the public against the new charter with signature campaigns and public meetings.
Gwadar: Heavy police presence, guarded convoys, new checkpoints and troop reinforcements have turned parts of the southern port city of Gwadar into a fortress, as Pakistan's powerful military seeks to protect billions of dollars of Chinese investment.

Securing the planned $46 billion economic corridor of roads, railways and pipelines from northwest China to Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast is a huge challenge in a country where Islamist militants and separatist gunmen are a constant menace.

The armed forces and interior ministry have sent hundreds of extra soldiers and police to Gwadar, the southern hub of the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and more are on their way.

"Soon we'll start hiring 700-800 police to be part of a separate security unit dedicated to Chinese security, and at a later stage a new security division would be formed," Jafer Khan, regional police officer in Gwadar told Reuters.

A senior security official in the town of around 100,000 people said a further 400-500 soldiers had been recruited as a temporary measure to protect Chinese nationals.

On a recent visit, an SUV carrying Chinese visitors was escorted by two police cars and an army vehicle, while police blocked traffic at every crossroad along the route. It was not clear who the passengers were.

Keeping foreign workers and executives safe in Gwadar, which has expanded significantly over the last 15 years largely thanks to Chinese investment, is relatively straightforward.

The same cannot be said of the corridor as a whole.

Its western branch passes north through Baluchistan province, where ethnic Baluch separatist rebels are opposed to the CPEC project and chafing under a military crackdown.

It skirts the tribal belt along the Afghan-Pakistan border where Islamist militant groups including the Pakistan Taliban and al Qaeda have long been based, and takes in Peshawar, scene of some of the worst insurgent atrocities of recent years.

Pakistan's Planning Ministry does not yet have specific estimates on how many jobs the CPEC will create in Pakistan, although officials believe the project could generate hundreds of billions of dollars for the economy over the long term.

Enhanced security goes beyond Gwadar and across Baluchistan, an arid, sparsely populated province bordering Iran and Afghanistan which sits on substantial deposits of untapped natural gas.

"We have tightened our security in those areas where the corridor is supposed to pass. We cannot allow Pakistan's economic backbone to be held hostage," Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, the provincial home minister, told Reuters.

The tough approach means anger is growing among separatist rebels and the broader Baluch community.

"We consider the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as ... an occupation of Baluch territory," said rebel spokesman Miran Baluch, a member of the Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF), adding its fighters would attack anyone working on the project.

Militant, insurgent and sectarian groups carried out 625 attacks across Pakistan in 2015, down 48 percent from 2014, said an independent think-tank, the Pak Institute for Peace Studies.

"Once people find they have a stake in this progress, the need for checkposts and barricades will disappear," said Army Chief General Raheel Sharif this month in Quetta, as he and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif officially launched a new highway linking the city with Gwadar.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said progress so far on the corridor was "generally speaking, quite smooth".

"The Pakistani government has done a great deal of work to protect the security of Chinese organisations and citizens. China is deeply thankful for this," Lu added.
Kolkata: To commemorate various events in the life of Mahatma Gandhi, the postal department on Monday released four special covers for philately lovers.

The covers, designed by Alok K Goyal, who runs the online stamp shop www.Stamps-n-stamps.Com, are based on the route to India followed by Gandhi in 1914 from South Africa, arrival in 1915, last meeting with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1940 and Gandhi attending the second Round Table Conference in London in 1931.

Mit Kumar, Deputy Director of India Post, said "It is an excellent initiative in commemorating 76 years of Netaji's last meeting with Gandhiji along with other special covers." These covers have been issued in a very limited number of 1,000 each.

The covers are affixed with different materials like canvas, wool, silk, wood, etc.

Earlier in October 2015, the department had issued two covers during the West Bengal Philatelic Exhibition (Daker Saaj 2015).

Goyal said they have tied up with the postal department to release a total of 33 such postal covers, each one marking different events in Gandhi's life.
Istanbul: At least 35 migrants drowned in two accidents in the Aegean Sea on Monday as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, Turkish media said.

Twenty-four died when their boat sank off the district of Edremit in the western province of Balikesir in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

Four people were rescued both by air and by sea in a search and rescue operation by the Turkish coastguard, Dogan news agency said.

The accident came shortly after 11 migrants died in another boat sinking further south, off the port city of Izmir, also apparently trying to reach Lesbos, the agency said.

The coastguard rescued three people.

Turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syria`s civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty to Europe.

The deaths came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Turkish officials in Ankara for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe.

The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros ($3.2 billion) in financial assistance.

The EU on Wednesday finally reached an agreement on how to finance the deal.

But the deal and the onset of winter do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the number of refugees and migrants who perished in the Mediterranean in January alone topped 360.

In January, almost 62,200 migrants and refugees entered Europe through Greece, according to the IOM, most of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Canada announced Monday it will end air strikes targeting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria and bring home its six fighter jets on February 22.

In doing so, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is going against public opinion.

The Liberal leader had pledged during the campaign prior to legislative elections last year to end the air strikes, which he described Monday as being good for achieving "short-term military and territorial gains" but not for "long-term stability for local communities."

Some two-thirds of Canadians polled recently, however, support the bombing mission or even want it to be expanded, in the wake of Islamic extremist attacks in Jakarta and in Burkina Faso that killed seven Canadians in January.

The withdrawal of Canada`s warplanes is seen as a symbolic blow against unity in the US-led coalition that also includes Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

Canada has been the fourth largest contributor to the coalition, until now.

In place of the F-18 Hornet fighter jets, Ottawa will triple the number of special forces training Kurdish militia in northern Iraq to about 210, while a CC-150T Polaris refueling and two CP-140 Aurora surveillance aircraft will continue to play roles in the coalition, Defense Minister Hargit Sajjan told a news conference with Trudeau and senior officials.

Their deployment, which comes with hundreds of aircraft ground personnel, will be until at least March 31, 2017.As well, the Canadian government will provide about Can$1.6 billion (US$1.2 billion) in development and humanitarian aid and other efforts over three years to respond to the crisis in Iraq and Syria and to address the impact on Jordan, Lebanon and the wider region, added Foreign Minister Stephane Dion and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Those funds will include help for Jordan and Lebanon to bolster security and feed and house refugees displaced by the conflict from neighboring countries.

Dion also promised a beefed up Canadian diplomatic role in the region.

"We know Canada is stronger, much stronger, than the threat posed by a murderous gang of thugs who are terrorizing some of the most vulnerable people on Earth," Trudeau said.

"Call us old-fashioned, but we think that we ought to avoid doing precisely what our enemies want us to do. They want us to elevate them, to give in to fear, to indulge in hatred, to eye one another with suspicion and to take leave of our faculties.

"The lethal enemy of barbarism isn`t hatred, it`s reason. And the people terrorized by ISIL every day don`t need our vengeance, they need our help."

About 70 Canadian military trainers have been deployed in northern Iraq since November 2014. Parliament had voted to extend the mission to March of this year, before the change in government.

The leftist New Democratic Party has called for a complete withdrawal from the Syria conflict, while main opposition Tory leader Rona Ambrose accused the Trudeau administration of "taking a shameful step backward" from the fight against "the greatest terror threat in the world" when close allies were stepping up their military efforts.

"A great deal has changed since the prime minister made his ill-advised promise to end our combat role against ISIS," said Ambrose. "ISIS and ISIS-inspired attacks have spread beyond the combat theatre, and even claimed the lives of Canadians in recent weeks," she said in a statement.

"Halting and degrading ISIS is more critical than ever to keep people safe."

Over the past two years, Canadian fighter jets have flown 1,356 sorties over Iraq and Syria, striking weapons caches and Islamic State group fighting positions. The latest strikes focused on the vicinity of Ramadi and Mosul.

Ramadi was recaptured from IS at the end of last month while the Iraqi army is deploying thousands of soldiers to a northern base in preparation for operations to retake the Islamic State group`s hub of Mosul, officials in Baghdad said Monday.

IS has suffered major losses since the height of its territorial control in 2014, but still controls significant areas of Iraq`s Anbar and Nineveh provinces, as well as in neighbouring Syria.
Ontario: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was set to unveil Monday new plans for Canada`s role in the international coalition against the Islamic State group, including his pledge to stop involvement in air strikes.

Ottawa`s plans to withdraw its warplanes from the US-led coalition targeting IS fighters in Syria is a symbolic blow against allied unity in the fight.

Trudeau, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion and Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan will speak at a press conference.

"We really want to announce a holistic approach, and this includes all our contributions in terms of military, in terms of diplomacy and in terms of humanitarian assistance and development," said International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Since he took office, Trudeau has been reminding countries in the US-led coalition that he wants to pull out Canada`s six F18s.

They have been on duty since the previous Conservative government sent them into action in late 2014 to bomb IS positions in Iraq and then in Syria.

Parliament voted to approve the mission but setting a March end date.

Trudeau and his top diplomat have said Canada wants to put more resources into training Iraqi military troops to fight insurgents.

About 70 members of Canada`s special forces have been in northern Iraq since November 2014.
Shanghai: China has pledged to reward people who report online "terrorist" content up to 100,000 yuan ($15,200) for each tip off, after giving out 2 million yuan worth of rewards last year, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.

"The Internet has become a channel for terrorists to spread extremist religious ideas, provoke ethnic conflicts and advocate separatism," Xinhua quoted an unnamed source from the Cyberspace Administration of China`s (CAC) reporting centre as saying.

The person said Twitter-like microblogs and popular instant messaging services such as WeChat were among tools used by terrorists to "brainwash" young women and children, and encouraged the public to provide tip-offs via a telephone hotline.

The centre`s source said the most valuable tip off could receive 100,000 yuan, Xinhua reported.

Giving unusual details of their efforts last year, the centre in 2015 received reports of more than 20,000 cases, and handed out 2 million yuan worth of rewards, it said.

The CAC could not immediately be reached for comment during a public holiday in China.

In December, China called for a crackdown on online audio and video recordings used by "terrorists", after the Islamic State purportedly released a Chinese-language song to recruit militants.
Ankara: Turkey and Germany agreed on Monday on a set of measures to try to tackle the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aimed at halting attacks against Syria's largest city.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that she is "not just appalled but horrified" by the suffering caused by bombing in Syria, primarily by Russia.

Merkel said that Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a UN resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on the civilian population.

Merkel was in Ankara for talks on how to reduce the influx of migrants into Europe, mostly via a perilous boat crossing from Turkey to Greece.

Turkey's coast guard said today that 24 migrants died after their boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, while four people were rescued.

Merkel is under pressure at home to cut the number of refugee arrivals after nearly 1.1 million people were registered as asylum-seekers in Germany last year.

Turkey for its part is under pressure from the EU to open its border to up to 35,000 Syrians who have massed along the frontier in the past few days fleeing an onslaught by government forces in the city of Aleppo.

The Turkish border crossing of Oncupinar, opposite the Syrian Bab al-Salameh gate, remained closed for a fourth day today as Turkish authorities provided assistance to the Syrians at a displaced persons camp nearby. It was not clear if or when Turkey would let the group in.

Turkey, already home to 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to take refugees in.

"We are worried that opening the gates will lead to an increase in refugees," said Burak Kacacaoglu, a spokesman for the non-governmental Islamic charity group IHH. "We are concerned about the air strikes which are increasingly targeting civilian areas. This is what causes refugees."

Merkel said: "We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing -- primarily from the Russian side."

"Under such circumstances, it's hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly," Merkel said.

Davutoglu said Aleppo "is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy." "No one should excuse or show tolerance toward the Russian air attacks that amount to ethnic massacres by saying 'Turkey takes care of the Syrian refugees anyway,'" Davutoglu said.

"No one can expect Turkey to take on the burden on its own."
Washington: North Korea`s latest rocket launch might kick off a buildup of U.S. missile defense systems in Asia, U.S. officials and missile defense experts said, something that could further strain U.S.-China ties and also hurt relations between Beijing and Seoul.

North Korea says it put a satellite into orbit on Sunday, but the United States and its allies see the launch as cover for Pyongyang`s development of ballistic missile technology that could be used to deliver a nuclear weapon.

Washington sought to reassure its allies South Korea and Japan of its commitment to their defense after the launch, which followed a North Korean nuclear test on Jan. 6.

The United States and South Korea said they would begin formal talks about deploying the sophisticated Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, to the Korean peninsula "at the earliest possible date."

South Korea had been reluctant to publicly discuss the possibility due to worries about upsetting China, its biggest trading partner.

Beijing, at odds with the United States over Washington`s reaction to its building of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, quickly expressed "deep concern" about a system whose radar could penetrate Chinese territory.

China had made its position clear to Seoul and Washington, the Foreign Ministry said.

"When pursuing its own security, one country should not impair others` security interests," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

TIPPING POINT

But the North Korean rocket launch, on top of last month`s nuclear test, could be a "tipping point" for South Korea and win over parts of Seoul`s political establishment that remain wary of such a move, a U.S. official said.

South Korea and the United States said that if THAAD was deployed to South Korea, it would be focused only on North Korea.

An editorial in the Global Times, an influential tabloid published by the ruling Chinese Communist Party`s official People`s Daily newspaper, called that assurance "feeble".

"It is widely believed by military experts that once THAAD is installed, Chinese missiles will be included as its target of surveillance, which will jeopardise Chinese national security," it said.

Japan, long concerned about North Korea`s ballistic missile program, has previously said it was considering THAAD to beef up its defenses. The North Korean rocket on Sunday flew over Japan`s southern Okinawa prefecture.

Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Monday the Defense Ministry had no concrete plan to introduce THAAD, but added the ministry believed new military assets would strengthen the country`s capabilities.

Riki Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, said the launch would give Japan momentum to deploy THAAD.

Washington moved one of its five THAAD systems to Guam in 2013 following North Korean threats, and is now studying the possibility of converting a Hawaii test site for a land-based version of the shipboard Aegis missile defense system into a combat-ready facility.

EFFECTIVENESS QUESTIONED

Some experts questioned how effective THAAD would be against the type of long-range rocket launched by North Korea and the Pentagon concedes it has yet to be tested against such a device.

THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. It has so far proven effective against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

John Schilling, a contributor to the Washington-based 38 North project that monitors North Korea, said THAAD`s advanced AN/TPY-2 tracking radar built by Raytheon Co could provide an early, precise track on any such missile.

David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists, said that while THAAD could not shoot down the type of rocket launched on Sunday its deployment could reassure the South Korean public.

"Much of what missile defense programs are about is reassuring allies and the public," he said.

SUITABLE SITE IDENTIFIED

One U.S. official said the North Korean launch added urgency to longstanding informal discussions about a possible THAAD deployment to South Korea. "Speed is the priority," said the official, who asked not to be named ahead of a formal decision.

Renewed missile-defense discussions with the United States could also send a message to Beijing that it needs to do more to rein in North Korea`s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, another U.S. official said.

South Korean officials have already identified a suitable site for the system, but it could also be placed at a U.S. base on the Korean peninsula, Ellison said.

THAAD is a system built by Lockheed Martin Corp that can be transported by air, sea or land. The Pentagon has ordered two more batteries from Lockheed.

One of the four THAAD batteries based at Fort Bliss, Texas, is always ready for deployment overseas, and could be sent to Japan or South Korea within weeks, Ellison said.

Lockheed referred all questions about a possible THAAD deployment to the U.S. military.
New York: Two pranksters sparked a scare in a Manhattan subway train after they broke into the conductors booth and announced on the public address system that Islamic State (IS) is hijacking the train and will blow it up.

The startling announcement aboard the Brooklyn-bound R train had riders scurrying out of the train when it pulled into the next stop. The suspects also slipped off the train at the next stop.

The two mischievous pranksters, in their 20s, broke into the conductors booth last Thursday and announced over the loudspeaker that they were ISIS members set to blow up the train, police sources were quoted as saying by the New York Post.

Passenger Lauren Crozier, a 30-year-old actor, was aboard the train heading to her home in Sunset Park when the declaration came over the loudspeaker.

At first there was some singing, it wasnt really audible. Then we heard, All hail ISIS! Crozier was quoted as saying.

Everyone took their earbuds out and stared at each other. Im not sure any of us thought it was a credible threat. Not after the first moment, anyway, he said.

Crozier said the suspects making the announcement also said, This train has been hijacked.

She said that once the train pulled into the next station, the whole train emptied out.

The train was taken out of service and taken to the Jamaica Yards in Queens, where an investigation was conducted.

A police source was quoted as saying, it was a hoax and there was no credible threat.
Washington: The Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gave yet another controversial statement by saying that he has at least 20 'Muslim friends' but failed to name even a single out of them.

According to a report published in The Independent, on being asked by the Telegraph that who are the so called Muslim friends of Trump, he reportedly ducked the question and said, "Oh, I could give you about 20 of them."

The newspaper added that Trump's son was also unable to throw any light on his father's Muslim friends. He did, however, say they had "completed a lot of business deals" in the Middle East.

The former star of the US version of the Apprentice made the comments moments after coming off stage in Sunday's Republican debate in Manchester, New Hampshire.

During the debate Trump added torture to the contest by saying that he would "bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding". He has previously touted the benefits of waterboarding - which stimulates drowning - telling a crowd at a campaign rally last year that "you bet your ass" he would reintroduce the method of torture.

Notably, in January, the Republican White House frontrunner Donald Trump's had called for a ban on Muslims entering the US have been used by Somalia's Shebab in a jihadist recruitment video, a US monitoring group had said.

Trump's inflammatory remarks later sparked a wave of global outrage, with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton warning that his words were playing into the hands of extremist groups.

Furthermore, following the shooting in San Bernadino in 2014, in which 14 people were killed in an attack by supporters of the so-called Islamic State, the billionaire business mogul responded by calling for all Muslims to be banned from the United States.
Port-au-Prince: Michel Martelly ended his presidential term Sunday without handing power to a successor, in an electoral crisis highlighting Haiti`s long struggle to keep democracy on track in the 30 years since the Duvalier dictatorship ended.

Martelly was able to leave office thanks to a last-minute agreement hours before to install a transitional government after prolonged protests that sometimes turned violent.

"During its long road to the promised land, Haiti will remember that a certain Michel Joseph Martelly -- Micky to his people -- loved, gave, and built," he said during his last address as president.

Speaking before lawmakers at parliament in French and Creole, the outgoing president thanked those who accompanied him during the five years of his mandate. He also defended his family against accusations of embezzlement.

But he also acknowledged that history "will recall my failures, for which I take sole responsibility, among them the delay of presidential elections."

The electoral process was stopped after challenges from the opposition, which condemned an "electoral coup d`etat" masterminded by the executive power.

In the first round of presidential voting in October, Moise officially won 32.76 percent of the vote, to 25.29 percent for Celestin, who denounced those results as a "ridiculous farce."

A second round of presidential and partial legislative elections, initially set for December 27, was postponed indefinitely, preventing Martelly from handing power to an elected successor on February 7 as required under the constitution.

The vote, a runoff between Martelly`s favored candidate Jovenel Moise and opposition flag-bearer Jude Celestin, was called off following violence and opposition protests by demonstrators alleging that foul play had helped the government candidate take the first round.After Martelly handed him the presidential sash, national assembly president Jocelerme Privert sought to reassure a population on edge.

The former pop music star`s departure "does not halt the course of history, our history." Lawmakers now have five days to elect an interim president whose mandate cannot exceed 120 days.

Privert himself is among the "serious candidates," according to several lawmakers, along with high-ranking Judge Jules Cantave.

Prime Minister Evans Paul, in a speech late Sunday at his home in the Haitian capital, called on the ruling party and the opposition to work together "so that the country can recover its dignity, and clean up an image... sullied by the the shameful spectacle of lynchings and armed violence," after recent street protests tied to the ongoing political upheaval.
Cologne: In a shocking incident in Germany, three drunken youths sexually assaulted a Belgian journalist live on air.

The incident comes days after migrants were blamed to have carried out sexual attacks on New Year`s Eve.

According to Esmeralda Labye, who was reporting live from the Cologne carnival, said the men whispered 'would you sleep with me tonight' into her ear.

Some 2,000 police were on duty, about double last year`s number, after fierce criticism of the small force that was helpless on December 31 when gangs of men - many said to be North African migrants - sexually attacked and robbed women revellers.

Despite high security, the young German men made obscene gestures behind Labye's back as she reported live from the Alter Markt district of town for the one o'clock news for Radio Television Belge de la Communaute Francaise (RTBF).

Meanwhile, speaking to MailOnline, Labye said: The cameraman and I could tell there were a lot of drunk people around. Even someone with flu would have been able to smell the alcoholic fumes.

When I started my broadcast at 1.14 pm, two or three men monopolised attention. I didnt see them, as I was focusing on my live broadcast and they were behind me.

I got a kiss on the back of the neck. It was womens day in Cologne, and there was a lot of kissing. In this context I wasnt worried, so I continued my report.

Almost immediately, a young German sang in my ear: `Would you sleep with me tonight?` Then I felt two hands rest on my shoulders.

Later, I could see on the footage that the person behind me mimed an obscene gesture  something that shouldnt have been on camera. He was mimicking sexual intercourse a number of times.

When the broadcast was over and Labye went off air, one of the three men around her touched her breasts.

She lost cool and told the men to leave. The Cologne police is probing into the incident, along with 22 other complaints of sexual assault it received on the first day of the city`s giant carnival.

Watch the video here:

Police in the western German city have been struggling to restore public confidence after hundreds of women said they were groped and robbed in a mob of mostly North African and Arab men during New Year festivities.
Jakarta: More than two dozen Indonesians have died after drinking bootleg alcohol in central Java, police said Monday.

Investigators said a majority of the victims died after purchasing home-made liquor from a couple in Sleman, a town north of Yogyakarta city, local police said.

"Most of the victims were students," Sleman police chief Yulianto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP.

The first death occurred last Wednesday, with more fatalities reported soon after.

The police have arrested the couple who sold the concoction of ethanol, water and fruit that is believed to have caused 22 deaths. Four other people were also killed by bootleg liquor sold by another vendor, who has also been arrested.

There have been several previous cases where bootleg alcohol has proved fatal in the Muslim-majority country.

In 2014, more than a dozen Indonesians in Java died after imbibing illicit booze to ring in the New Year.

In 2009, 25 people including four foreigners died after drinking methanol-laced palm wine on the resort island of Bali.

Last year, authorities banned small shops from selling alcohol, triggering warnings from health advocates that the move could push people to purchase black-market spirits.
Damascus: Syrian rebels have withdrawn from three villages threatened by Russian strikes in the northern province of Aleppo that borders Turkey, allowing Kurdish fighters to overrun them, a monitor said on Monday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebels abandoned the villages of Aqlamiyah, Deir Jamal and Mareanar on Sunday at the insistence of residents who feared their homes would be bombed.

That enabled the Kurdish People`s Protection Units (YPG) to move in to seize the three villages, in another setback for the rebels only days after they lost three nearby towns to the Kurds.

Aqlamiyah and Mareanar lie near the strategic Minnigh military airbase, held by rebel groups since August 2013.

Opposition factions north of Syria`s second city Aleppo have been increasingly stuck "between the pincers" of YPG forces on one side and pro-government fighters on the other, a military source told AFP.

After some clashes between rebels and the YPG, residents pressured rebels in some villages to hand over control to the Kurds so that Russian warplanes would not target their homes, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Since September, the Russian air force has been carrying out strikes against groups of fighters opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Its aerial campaign has intensified in recent weeks in Aleppo province, allowing government and allied forces to make significant gains while forcing tens of thousands of Syrians to flee to the border with Turkey.

The government has set its sights on Tal Rifaat, a rebel bastion in northern Aleppo that lies 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of the frontier.

Late Sunday night, regime forces seized control of Bakfeen, a village just five kilometres south of Tal Rifaat.

"Regime forces are advancing towards the north to seize control of Tal Rifaat, then Azaz, in a bid to reach the Turkish border and to stop fighters and weapons from entering Syria," said Abdel Rahman.

The government`s week-long offensive in Aleppo province has secured key gains.

It broke a rebel siege on the villages of Nubol and Zahraa, cut the rebel supply route to the Turkish border and expanded government control to the north of Syria`s second city.

Aleppo city, once Syria`s commercial hub, is divided between government forces in the west and rebels in the east.

Anti-regime militants are now in control of only one route of the neighbourhoods under their control in the city, but it is regularly bombarded by loyalist forces.
Washington: US Republican White House front-runner Donald Trump said on Sunday he would be open to harsh measures to deal with the threat from Islamic State, including going beyond the controversial interrogation tactic known as waterboarding .

In an interview on ABC`s "This Week" program, Trump discussed reviving the tactic and implementing other interrogation techniques, pointing to the recent beheadings of Christians in the Middle East as evidence of the need for stronger interrogation methods for suspected operatives of extremist groups.

"We`re like living in medieval times," he said. "If I have to do it and if it`s up to me, I would absolutely bring back waterboardng. And if it`s going to be tougher than waterboarding, I would bring that back, too."

When pressed by interviewer George Stephanopoulos if that meant the United States employing similar methods of beheading captors, Trump responded: "We`re going to do things beyond waterboarding," adding, "Perhaps, if that happens to come."

The issue of waterboarding and other methods of interrogation was raised during Saturday night`s New Hampshire Republican debate aired on ABC, with the billionaire businessman saying he would not only revive the controversial method`s use, but bring back "a hell of a lot worse" if elected.

Waterboarding is the practice of pouring water over someones face to mimic drowning as an interrogation tactic. Critics say it is torture, and Democratic President Barack Obama banned use of the method days after taking office in 2009.

Trump`s rival and a fellow leader in opinion polls, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, said during the debate that he would only allow limited use of the practice but said it did not constitute torture.

Waterboarding was used by the CIA under the Bush administration during the early days of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Its defenders say it helped to keep America safe by garnering more information from captives, but critics argued the method never actually yielded actionable intelligence.

Republicans have been critical of Obama`s decision to eliminate the practice, saying it telegraphs a position of weakness to the nation`s enemies and concedes that the United States erred in using waterboarding.

On Sunday, Trump argued that the "evil" nature of modern times required more robust interrogation techniques, saying that U.S. enemies are thriving in the absence of them.

"They laugh at us. Our enemies laugh at us, George. They say waterboarding, they don`t even think it`s a form - you know, they don`t even view that as real torture," he said.

New Hampshire, where Trump maintains a lead over Republican rivals in the U.S. nominating contest for the Nov. 8 election, casts its primary ballots on Tuesday, the week after Iowa kicked off the process.
London: A 38-year-old convicted child rapist who was allowed to leave his trial and attend a family funeral in the UK is now believed to have fled to Pakistan, prompting British police to launch a manhunt on Monday to arrest him.

Choudhry Ikhalaq Hussain from Rochdale town was convicted last November along with nine others as part of Operation Doublet, an inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rochdale in north-west England. He was convicted in his absence.

He was given permission to attend a family funeral in the UK when he went on the run. He was found guilty in his absence of sexual activity with a child, rape and conspiracy to rape.

Greater Manchester Police now believe he may be in Pakistan and are "determined" to bring him back.

"Operation Doublet was launched following the 2011 investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rochdale and we identified a number of cases, which broadly took place between 2004 and 2008, across Greater Manchester where teenage girls were being sexually exploited by older men," Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Daniels, the Senior Investigating Officer for Operation Doublet said.

"Hussain was one of the offenders identified and he has now been convicted of a number of serious offences but he seems determined to try and get away with not serving his time for the horrendous crimes that he has committed.

"We believe he may be in Pakistan but we are still determined to find him and ensure that he is held to account for what he did. If anybody has any information about his whereabouts then I would urge you to please contact the police," Daniels said.

Hussain was found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of rape and one count of conspiracy to rape following a trial at Minshul Street Crown Court in Manchester on November 30, 2015. He faces a lengthy prison sentence in the UK once he is caught.
Geneva: UN investigators accused the Syrian government Monday of "extermination" in its jails and detention centres, saying prisoners have been executed, tortured to death or held in such horrific conditions that they perished.

Thousands of detainees have been killed while being held by different sides in Syria`s brutal conflict since the violence began nearly five years ago, the UN commission of inquiry on Syria said in its latest report.

The report painted a particularly stark picture of prisons and detention centres run by the Syrian authorities.

"The mass scale of deaths of detainees suggests that the government of Syria is responsible for acts that amount to extermination as a crime against humanity," commission head Paulo Pinheiro told reporters in Geneva.

The report adds to a huge body of evidence from the commission and others, detailing horrific abuse, torture and killings in Syrian-run jails.

The so-called "Caesar Report" released in early 2014, for instance, contained some 55,000 photographs depicting the tortured and abused bodies of around 11,000 people it said had died in Syrian jails during the first two years of the conflict.

Monday`s report, which stretches back to the beginning of the conflict in March 2011 and through last November, is based on 621 interviews, including with more than 200 former detainees who witnessed one or more deaths in custody."Nearly every surviving detainee has emerged from custody having suffered unimaginable abuses," Pinheiro said.

The survivors had detailed how their cellmates were beaten to death during interrogation or in their cells, or left to die of severe injuries sustained from gruesome torture.

One witness described how an elderly man held at a military security branch in Homs had been severely beaten and then hung from his wrists from the ceiling.

"The guards burned his eyes with a cigarette and pierced his body with a heated, sharp metal object," the report said, adding that "after hanging in the same position for three hours, the man died."

Others died from lacking medical care and "inhuman living conditions", including severely overcrowded and unhygenic cells and lacking food and clean water, the report said, adding that many prisoners were forced to use their toilet as a source of drinking water.

"A high number of prisoners across detention facilities died of severe and continuing diarrhoea," it said, adding: "Victims often suffered for months before death occurred."

Most of the detainees known to have died are men, but women and children as young as seven have also perished while being held by the Syrian authorities, the report said.

Abuse, squalid conditions and a "high frequency" of deaths were consistent across places of detention and over time, and must have been condoned up the chain of command, it said.

"There are reasonable grounds to believe that high-ranking officers -- including the heads of branches and directorates -- commanding these detention facilities, those in charge of the military police, as well as their civilian superiors, knew of the vast number of deaths occurring in detention facilities," it said.

"Yet (they) did not take action to prevent abuse, investigate allegations or prosecute those responsible." Damascus is not the only one abusing and killing detainees in Syria.

The report detailed horrific abuses carried out in makeshift detention centres run by the Islamic State group, including massacres and executions of children.

The group, notorious for its brutal public executions by beheadings and throwing people off high buildings, has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, the report said.

Decrying the atmosphere of "total impunity" reigning in Syria, commission member Carla del Ponte slammed the UN Security Council for "doing nothing".

The commission, which has repeatedly called on the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, also called Monday for "targeted sanctions" against the people, agencies and groups suspected of being behind the violations.
A raft of UN sanctions imposed on North Korea over the past decade has failed to prevent Pyongyang from scaling up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, a UN panel of experts has concluded.

"There are serious questions about the efficacy of the current United Nations sanctions regime," the experts said in a confidential report obtained by AFP on Monday.

The panel`s finding came as the UN Security Council is working on a new sanctions resolution to punish North Korea for its fourth nuclear test and a rocket launch that the world views as a disguised ballistic missile test.

"Sanctions have not prevented the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea from gradually improving and expanding its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities," said the experts.

Investigations by the panel showed that Pyongyang has been successful at sanctions-busting, but the experts also faulted UN member-states, particularly in Africa, for failing to fully implement the measures.

Despite the failings, the panel nevertheless proposed adding three North Korean entities and four individuals to the UN sanctions blacklist, which provides for an assets freeze and a global travel ban.

The names of the seven were contained in a confidential annex to the report, diplomats said.

The panel also recommended adding drones and related technology to the list of items banned from trade with North Korea and to strengthen measures to prevent specialized training of North Koreans.

The Security Council has imposed four sets of sanctions on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006, but the panel said it found "no indications that the country intends to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs."

Sanctions-hit companies have managed to conceal their banned activities by embedding agents in foreign companies, resorting to diplomats to act as middlemen and dealing with a "small number of trusted foreign nationals," said the 330-page report.

After Ocean Maritime Management was blacklisted in July 2014, the North Korean shipping company continued to evade sanctions by operating "through foreign-flagged vessels, names and company re-registrations and the rental of crews to foreign ships," said the report.The panel said North Korea is placing "heightened emphasis" on its missile programs, developing short-range missiles, upgrading its launch facilities and scaling up development of its submarine-launched missile capabilities.

The May 2015 test of a submarine-launched missile test was a "major technological development and a clear indication of an ongoing program to develop and operationalize the SLBM," the experts said

North Korea is also upgrading its Sinpo submarine shipyard and has promised more launches using long-range rockets.

These developments indicate that prospects for North Korea to "address security and humanitarian concerns of the international community as expressed in the resolutions are increasingly remote," said the report.

While North Korea is actively pressing on with its banned programs and flouting sanctions, UN member states are showing little interest in enforcing the measures.

Experts complained that governments were either ignoring UN requests for information on possible sanctions violations or handing in reports of "poor quality" that lacked details.

"The need for all member-states` commitment to strengthened enforcement of United Nations sanctions remains as important as ever," said the report.
[Wind turbines are viewed at a wind farm on January 21, 2016 in Colorado City, Texas. / Getty Images ]

Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder recently released a study that said the United States could get most of its energy from clean, renewable wind and solar power by 2030.

This would mean that greenhouse gas emissions there could fall by more than three-quarters from 1990 levels.

That got us thinking: could a similar projection could be made here in Canada?

Mark Winfield, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at York University in Toronto, thinks it can.

Thats entirely possible, he told Yahoo Canada.

Given the pace that certain technologies are moving, this is not inconceivable in either a Canadian or an American context. There are many people who would argue that this is where we need to go.

Green energy was not a priority item for the previous government of Canada, as fossil fuel exploration and development  most notably in the massive oil sands development in Alberta  remain an important sector of the Canadian economy.

But Winfield stresses that the development of green energy technology has not been standing still.

This is the biggest technological revolution in the electricity sector since Thomas Edison came up with the light bulb, or since we invented the [power] grid, he said.

We are in this really quite remarkable period of technological transformation, built around the renewable energy technologies themselves, but also around smart grids and energy storage.

Smart grids are smaller, local set-ups capable of generating their own renewable power. They can attach to the main grid  and contribute  but also isolate themselves and continue functioning if the larger grid goes down.

Storing energy is essential as well, given the intermittent nature of both wind and sunlight.

From a technical perspective, it looks viable, he said.

Hydro storage exists already. Other storage technologies have been coming together in interesting ways. Battery technology has undergone a revolution.

Story continues

Winfield notes that political will is crucial, especially in the area of carbon pricing.

That will be a major driver, because it changes the cost-benefit equation between low-impact renewables and competing conventional technologies.

He adds that the spread of wind and solar could really speed up if nuclear power plants were taken off public subsidies, and had to pay for themselves.

Nuclear power is already in trouble, he said.

Private capital wont touch it, without being able to offload the fuel management costs and risk, the decommissioning risk, the accident risk. All of that in Canada and the United States is effectively assumed by the state. If you take away those supports, nuclears economic viability starts to look very, very shaky.

Winfield adds that local municipal utilities are already starting to realize their traditional role could soon be downgraded considerably.

They are getting kind of nervous about this, because they can foresee situations where they are going to be displaced. Their role is going to go from being the primary supplier via the grid, to being a back-up supplier. People will want their grid connection for back-up, but not as their primary energy source. I think thats an interesting signal, in terms of how far some of these conversations are going already at the operational community level.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will cease all coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria by Feb. 22, while it beefs up its military efforts, including the number of special forces deployed on the ground to train Iraqi forces for the next two years.

"It is important to understand that while airstrike operations can be very useful to achieve short-term military and territorial gains, they do not on their own achieve long-term stability for local communities," Trudeau said during an announcement in Ottawa on Monday.

"Canadians learned this lesson first-hand during a very difficult decade in Afghanistan, where our forces became expert military trainers renowned around the world."

- CBC Forum: What do you think of the Liberals' anti-ISIS plan?

- Chronology: Canada's involvement in the fight against ISIS

Trudeau said while Canada will pull its six fighter jets from the bombing mission, it will also triple, from 69, the number of Canadian Forces members helping train local ground troops to fight ISIS in northern Iraq. It will also increase by 230 the 600 Canadian Armed Forces members deployed as part coalition mission.

Canada's military effort under Operation IMPACT will also include maintaining aircrew and support personnel for one CC-150 Polaris aerial refuelling aircraft and up to two CP-140 Aurora aerial surveillance aircraft. Canada will also send troops to mark targets for the coalition partners.

Canada's new contribution will total more than $1.6 billion over the next three years and include:

- $264 million to extend the military mission in Iraq and Syria for one year until March 31, 2017.

- $145 million over three years in non-military security efforts, such as counter-terrorism initiatives.

- $840 million over three years in humanitarian assistance.

- $270 million over three years to "build local capacity" in Jordan and Lebanon, where there are a large number of refugees.

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- $42 million to redeploy staff and equipment to the region over the course of the new military commitment.

- An increased diplomatic presence in the region.

Trudeau was accompanied by National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion and the Minister of International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Canadian troops in combat or non-combat?

Trudeau said the government will put the new policy to a debate and a vote in Parliament, after the House of Commons resumes on Feb.16. He also pledged to review Monday's military commitment in two years.

"The military mission will be engaged for at least two years. In two years time, after regular updates throughout that period, we will once again reflect on the continuance of the mission ... and will include further debate in two years time in Parliament."

Interim Conservative Party leader Rona Ambrose called Canada's withdrawal from the bombing mission against ISIS a "shameful step backward."

"Today, in his first major foreign policy decision, the prime minister has shown that Canada is not 'back.' In fact, this prime minister is taking a shameful step backward from our proud traditions by pulling our CF-18s and Canada out of a combat role against the greatest terror threat in the world," Ambrose said in a written statement.

Ambrose said increasing the number of special forces in a training capacity and the additional humanitarian assistance "are only designed to distract Canadians from the withdrawal of our CF-18s."

NDP foreign affairs critic Helene Laverdiere said her party is concerned that the Liberal government has decided to send Canadian troops on an "open-ended combat military mission in Iraq."

"Liberals are tripling the size of so-called advisers to the Iraqi military, with some forces working in a 'battlefield context' and others working to 'enhance in-theatre tactical transport.' Additionally, our forces will still be directly supporting the bombings through refuelling and targeting support," said Laverdiere in a written statement.

"With so many unanswered questions, it is crucial that Canadians get better answers than we heard today."

Special forces to train Iraqi forces, mark targets

Trudeau's announcement comes as Sajjan is preparing to leave for Brussels, where he will meet with NATO defence ministers Feb. 10-11.

Canada's Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance said "this is exactly the right time" to pull Canada's fighter jets from the bombing campaign.

"There is sufficient air power available in the coalition to continue the air bombardments with the support of Canada's refueller and our targeting to ensure that mission continues," the top general told reporters following Trudeau's announcement.

Vance said Canada's renewed military commitment includes:

- Training, advising and assisting Iraqi forces conducting military operations against ISIS.

- "Transporting and providing" small arms and ammunition to help Iraqi security forces.

- Deploying a "small" contingent of helicopters to support Iraqi forces with medical evacuations.

- An increase of "multinational targeting efforts" against ISIS.

- Offering a team of strategic advisers to the government of Iraq.

- Additional Canadian Forces members in Jordan and Lebanon to help with "capacity-building efforts."

Vance acknowledged Canada's special forces will be in proximity to the frontline, but maintained his troops will continue to be there in a "non-combat" role.

"The success of Iraq is going to be through its forces on the ground and for us to provide them the training and the expertise to be able to do that ... is exactly where we need to be."

Vance said he was proud of Canada's "comprehensive" role in the wider effort in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.

Obama welcomes new contributions

Trudeau discussed Canada's contribution to the global fight against ISIS during a telephone call with U.S. President Barack Obama today.

"The president welcomed Canada's current and new contributions to coalition efforts and highlighted Canada's leadership in the coalition," said a written statement from the White House.

The U.S. Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter was also pleased with Canada's decision to continue providing refuelling and surveillance support, calling it an "important" part of the campaign against ISIS.

"The secretary sees these as significant contributions and he appreciates the decision by the Trudeau government to step up Canada's role in the campaign at this critical time," said Peter Cook, a spokesman for the Pentagon in Washington.

Cook said the U.S. Secretary of Defence will be discussing the details of Canada's new contribution during his first bilateral meeting with Sajjan in Brussels this week.

Trudeau said addressing the crisis in Iraq and Syria will also require "a political solution."
By Amanda Becker DURHAM, N.H. (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton went on the attack against rival Bernie Sanders on Thursday in their most contentious presidential debate yet, questioning whether his ambitious proposals were viable and accusing him of an "artful smear" in suggesting she could be bought by political donations. Sanders fought back repeatedly, questioning Clinton's progressive credentials and portraying her as a creature of the political establishment in a debate that featured heated exchanges on healthcare, college tuition funding and efforts to rein in Wall Street. The intensity reflected a race that has seen Clinton's once prohibitive lead in polls shrivel against Sanders as the two vie for the Democratic nomination for the Nov. 8 election. One of Clinton's most forceful remarks came in response to a suggestion by Sanders that she could be influenced by political donations by Wall Street. "Enough is enough. If you've got something to say, say it directly," she said. "But you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received. "So I think it's time to end the very artful smear that you and your campaign have been carrying out," she said. Clinton charged that Sanders' proposal for single-payer universal healthcare coverage would jeopardize Obamacare, calling it "a great mistake," and said his plans for free college education would be too costly to be realistic. "I can get things done. I'm not making promises I can't keep," Clinton said. Sanders said he would not dismantle Obamacare but would expand it, pointing to the many other countries that provide universal healthcare. "I do not accept the belief that the United States of America cant do that," Sanders said. "By moving forward, rallying the American people, I do believe we should have healthcare for all." Sanders said his proposal for free tuition at public universities would be paid with a tax on Wall Street speculation. "The middle class bailed out Wall Street in their time of need. Now, it is Wall Street's time to help the middle class," he said. SANDERS LEADS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE POLLS Five days before New Hampshire holds the second of the state-by-state presidential nominating contests, opinion polls show Sanders, a U.S. senator from neighboring Vermont, with a double-digit lead over Clinton after surprising the front-runner by finishing just barely behind her in Iowa on Monday. Clinton seemed energized by her underdog status in New Hampshire, delivering her most aggressive debate performance of the campaign. It was reminiscent of her 2008 run against Barack Obama, when she also began as the front-runner but became a sharper and less cautious candidate as she began to lose. The debate was the first since former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley dropped out on Monday after a poor finish in Iowa, giving the two candidates more freedom to directly engage each other. Sanders accused Clinton of representing "the establishment," while saying he represented "ordinary working Americans." He also noted her Super PAC had taken contributions from Wall Street firms and that Clinton received big speaking fees from Goldman Sachs. Clinton disputed the establishment label, saying it was "quite amusing" to accuse "a woman, running to be the first woman president, as the establishment." The two battled over who best represented progressive ideals. Sanders said he would lead a "political revolution," but Clinton questioned his ability to get his proposals through a Republican-led Congress. "A progressive is someone who makes progress," she said. And she attacked Sanders' own credentials as a progressive, bringing up his votes against the 1993 Brady bill that mandated federal background checks on gun purchases and his 2005 vote for a bill to protect gun manufacturers and dealers from lawsuits. "If we're going to get into labels, I don't think it was particularly progressive to vote against the Brady bill five times," she said. "I don't think it was progressive to vote to give gun makers and sellers immunity." Sanders repeated his earlier pledge not to attack Clinton on the controversy over her use of a private email account and a private server for government business when she was secretary of state. "I will not politicize it," he said. But Sanders renewed his attacks on Clinton for her Senate vote to authorize the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which she has since called a mistake. He pointed out he voted against the war, which he said had led to the rise of the Islamic State militant group. "Look we did differ," Clinton responded. "A vote in 2002 is not a plan to defeat ISIS. "We have to look at the threats that we face right now." Clinton has tried to play down expectations for her performance in New Hampshire, where she came from behind for an upset victory in the 2008 campaign just days after losing badly to Obama in Iowa. The surprisingly strong performance by Sanders in Iowa is likely to prolong a race that Clinton entered as the presumptive front-runner. In addition to previously scheduled debates in Wisconsin and Florida, the candidates added one in March in Flint, Michigan, to draw attention to the city's contaminated water crisis ahead of the Michigan primary. They also will debate in April and May. (Additional reporting by Alana Wise and Megan Cassella; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
Rumble

The idea of making cheese at home can be really intimidating. Cheese feels like something you have to buy at the store or the farmer's market. But not anymore, you can make fresh cheese at home with four simple ingredients: whole milk, lime juice, apple cider vinegar and sea salt. Queso Fresco translates from Spanish is "fresh cheese." It has its roots in Spain but has been popularized by Mexican food culture. It's mild taste is a perfect canvas to bold build flavour profile. This video shows you how to make Queso Fresco three different ways: sweet, savoury and spicy. Bon Appetit! check out my first novel. https://www.amazon.co.uk/KAT-Matthew-... Whole milk 2L - 3.5 pints Lime 1 large Vinegar 120ml - 1/2 cup - 4fl oz Salt 2 tbsp Heat the milk gently to 77c - 170f, squeeze in the lime juice and stir with a slotted spoon. Keep heating to 87c - 190f and add the vinegar. Turn off the heat and stir occasionally for 15 minutes, strain into cheese cloth sitting in a sieve or colander and leave to drain for between 30 minutes and 2 hours. The cheese remaining will be quite firm, turn into a bowl and beat with a fork or your hand with the salt for a few minutes to create a smoother mixture. Muy caliente chopped pickled chilli pepper, garlic, hot sauce and coriander Honey and rosemary Basil and sun-dried tomato (fresh and puree)
India's economy grew at an annual rate of 7.3% in the last quarter of 2015 beating its rival China which saw its GDP growth slip to 6.9% last year.

These figures, which were in line with estimates, are good news for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who swept to power in 2014 on the single agenda of development.

Over the course of the whole year India's economy grew at an average rate of 7.5%.

Since then he has tried to kickstart India's flagging economy through a slew of reforms in the road, railways and coal industries, but what is missing are big-ticket reforms in the national taxation system, land and labour amendments.

Failure of Delhi to resolve tax issues on multinational companies like Vodafone, Cairn Energy, Microsoft and Shell by previous governments is seen as an inability to deal with contentious issues.

Investors remain sceptical over the tardy pace of reforms and the red tape that has a strong hold over every sphere of government.

The country's political opposition has not made it easy for the Prime Minister, blocking all legislation in the upper house of parliament where they have a majority.

Speaking to Sky News on the issue of land reforms, Dr Ajoy Kumar, spokesperson of the Congress Party, said: "We will continue to oppose the government and shall take our fight to every nook and corner of this country.

"We will protect the common man's interest against Mr Modi's government which only supports the rich and a few industrialists."

However, some observers doubt the accuracy of the figures which have been calculated using a new method including added value from good including rural motorbike sales and rail freight. It has been endorsed by the Reserve Bank of India.

Analysts believe there is a disconnect between the revised and the general economic indicators of growth.

In the last few months consumer food prices have increased due to droughts. Businesses and farmers face an earnings crunch, industry output has contracted, exports have fallen, and the capital goods sector has shown negative growth.

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Corporations are burdened with debt and banks refuse to lend as bad loans have accumulated.

A record fall in crude oil prices has boosted the economy as almost 70% of India's imports are fuel. The country is the third largest importer of crude oil behind America and China.

In the 2016 report of the World Bank for Doing Business - India is ranked a low 130 out of 189 countries. The Prime Minster's target is to be amongst the first 50 three years from now.

But for that his government would need to implement many more reforms and, crucially, at a much faster pace if it wants to make India a destination for global investors.
Rumble

This video shows the incredible behaviour of a caring mother elephant on high alert, quickly stopping her adorable baby which was curiously straying away from her towards a vehicle full of safari tourists. Going on safari in the Kruger National Park is a life changing experience. Driving around multiple tarred roads, slowly scanning a massive area of wilderness is all part of the thrill. You never know what will be around the next corner or what animal will suddenly appear from the bush onto the road. Its an exciting experience and one of the must-see animals for most tourists are elephants. Not only are they the largest land mammals on our planet and fairly intimidating, elephants are also one of the most intelligent and emotionally intelligent animals that roam this planet. Seeing these giants in the wild is always a sight to remember. The video shows an incredible moment filmed in the Kruger National Park when a safari vehicle full of tourists found a large elephant cow and her adorable calf next to the road. The safari vehicle stopped and it looked like the mother elephant and her baby wanted to cross the road. The baby elephant was the cutest thing alive in the wild right at that moment. While the elephant cow remained focussed on crossing the road, her baby took notice of the safari vehicle and curiously started straying away from its mother towards the vehicle. The caring mother elephant immediately went into high alert and quickly took her trunk and stopped her baby from going any closer to the safari vehicle. The mother elephant gently used her trunk to guide her baby back and into the right direction. It was incredible to see how quickly the elephant cow became protective over her baby. The elephant calf listened to its mother and in a well-behaved manner, walking on the opposite side of its mother, continued to focus and follow its mother as it should. This is crucial for the survival of the calf in the wild. The gestation period of an elephant is twenty-two months, so it is very understandable that an elephant calf is seen as a huge investment and there will always be a mother around, ready to protect her calf from any potential danger. Even though the tourists were not a direct threat, the mother elephant knows all to well that there are humans that still pose a danger for them in the wild. The mother of such a small calf is definitely not something to mess with at all and its best never to get too close to a mother and her calf.
By Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Humeyra Pamuk BEIRUT/ONCUPINAR, Turkey (Reuters) - The Syrian army advanced toward the Turkish border on Monday in a major offensive backed by Russia and Iran that rebels say now threatens the future of their nearly five-year-old insurrection against President Bashar al-Assad. Iranian backed-militias played a key role on the ground as Russian jets intensified what rebels call a scorched earth policy that has allowed the military back into the strategic northern area for the first time in more than two years. "Our whole existence is now threatened, not just losing more ground," said Abdul Rahim al-Najdawi from Liwa al-Tawheed, an insurgent group. "They are advancing and we are pulling back because in the face of such heavy aerial bombing we must minimize our losses." The Russian-backed Syrian government advance over recent days amounts to one of the biggest shifts in momentum of the war, helping to torpedo the first peace talks for two years, which collapsed last week before they had begun in earnest. The Syrian military and its allies were almost five km (3 miles) from the rebel-held town of Tal Rafaat, which has brought them to around 25 km (16 miles) from the Turkish border, the rebels, residents and a conflict monitor said. The assault around the city of Aleppo in northern Syria has prompted tens of thousands to flee toward Turkey, already sheltering more than 2.5 million Syrians. In the last two days escalating Russian bombardment of towns northwest of Aleppo, Anadan and Haritan, brought several thousand more, according to a resident in the town of Azaz. Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the war with 2 million people, has been divided for years into rebel and government-held sections. The government wants to take full control, which would be its biggest prize yet in a war that has already killed at least 250,000 people and driven 11 million from their homes. Rebel-held areas in and around Aleppo are still home to 350,000 people, and aid workers have said they could soon fall to the government. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted at the weekend as saying Turkey was under threat, and Ankara has so far kept the border crossing there closed to most refugees. There are now around 77,000 refugees taking shelter in camps on the Syrian side of the Turkish border, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Monday. He said that a worst-case scenario could see as many as 600,000 at Turkey's border. After around a week of heavy Russian air strikes, Syrian government troops and their allies broke through rebel defenses to reach two Shi'ite towns in northern Aleppo province on Wednesday, choking opposition supply lines from Turkey. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "appalled" by the suffering of Aleppo, blaming primarily Russian bombing and suggesting it violated a U.N. Security Council resolution Moscow signed in December. Kerem Kinik, Vice President of the Turkish Red Crescent, told reporters at the Oncupinar border crossing that Syrians were fleeing Russian strikes in panic. The closure of the road to Aleppo risked a much larger scale repeat of crises in Ghouta, a besieged Damascus suburb, or even Madaya, a blockaded town were residents have starved. "The route to Aleppo is completely closed and this is a road that was feeding all the main arteries inside Syria. Unless this is reopened, you will see Aleppo falling day by day into a similar situation as in Madaya and Ghouta and you will see a deepening humanitarian crisis," he said. "They are hitting any vehicles that are on the move, they are hitting aid trucks," he added. "We really urge that the Russian attacks on Azaz and Aleppo should stop, because if there is such a policy to clear this area of all human beings... then we may not be able to cope with the influx." SUPPLY LINE The Syrian army's success in opening a route to the Shi'ite towns of Nubul and Zahraa enabled it to cut a highway that linked rebel held areas in the northern countryside with the eastern part of Aleppo held by insurgents since 2012. The latest gains by the Syrian government bring it to the closest point to the Turkish border since August 2013, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The capture of the towns of Mayer and then Kafin, just north of Nubul and Zahraa, in the past 24 hrs have opened the road toward Tal Rifaat, the next focus of the army assault. The capture of that would leave only the town of Azaz before the Turkish border itself. The loss of Azaz, just a few miles from the Bab al Salama border crossing, would virtually wipe out insurgents from one of their main strongholds in northwest Syria, though they still control much of nearby Idlib province. Russian bombing has for weeks targeted rebel routes to the main border crossing, once a major gateway from Europe and Turkey to the Gulf and Iraq, lately a lifeline for rebel-held areas in Idlib and Aleppo provinces. The army's advance has also been indirectly helped by Kurdish-led YPG fighters who control the city of Afrin, southwest of Azaz. They have seized a string of villages in recent days, rebels and the Observatory said. In a multi-sided civil war that has drawn in global and regional powers, the Kurds are the strongest allies on the ground in Syria of a U.S.-led coalition bombing Islamic State in eastern Syria and northern Iraq. Turkey supports other rebel groups against Assad and is hostile to the Syrian Kurds, which it sees as allies of its own Kurdish separatists. Russia joined the war last year with air strikes that it says are aimed at Islamic State, but which Turkey, Arab states and the West say are aimed mostly at other opponents of Assad. Four months of Russian air strikes have tipped momentum Assad's way. With Moscow's help and allies including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, the Syrian army is regaining areas on key fronts in the west. United Nations investigators called for new sanctions on Syrian officials as well as leaders of the two most hardline rebel groups, Islamic State and the Nusra Front, accusing the three of mass killings, torture and disappearances of civilians in custody. Speaking in Ankara, Merkel, under fire at home over the refugee crisis, said Europe needed to follow up quickly on pledges of aid to help Turkey cope with the Syria exodus, and also urged Ankara to act fast to improve the situation for refugees. (Additional reporting by Nick Tattersall in Istanbul, Yesim Dikmen and Ercan Gurses in Ankara and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; writing by Suleiman al-Khalidi and Philippa Fletcher; editing by Peter Graff and Pravin Char)
By John Davison BEIRUT (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Syrians fled an intensifying Russian assault around Aleppo on Friday, and aid workers said they feared the major city could soon fall under a full government siege. Iran reported one of its generals had been killed on the front line, giving direct confirmation of the role Tehran is playing along with Moscow in what appears to be one of the most determined offensives in five years of civil war. The government assault around Aleppo, and advances in the south and northwest, helped to torpedo Geneva peace talks this week. Russia's intervention has tipped the war President Bashar al-Assad's way, reversing gains rebels made last year. The last two days saw government troops and their Lebanese and Iranian allies fully encircle the countryside north of Aleppo and cut off the main supply route linking the city - Syria's largest before the war - to Turkey. Ankara said it suspected the aim was to starve the population into submission. Aleppo would be the biggest strategic prize in years for Assad's government in a conflict that has killed at least 250,000 people and driven 11 million from their homes. Video footage showed thousands of people massing at the Bab al-Salam crossing on the Turkish border. Men carried luggage on their heads, and the elderly and those unable to walk were brought in wheelchairs. Women sat on the side of the road holding babies and waiting to be allowed into Turkey. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said 15,000 people fleeing Aleppo had arrived at Turkey's border. Rights group Amnesty International urged the country to let in those fleeing the latest violence. "It feels like a siege of Aleppo is about to begin," said David Evans, Middle East program director for the U.S. aid agency Mercy Corps, which said the most direct humanitarian route to Aleppo had been severed. "The situation in Aleppo is a humanitarian catastrophe, said an opposition spokesman still in Geneva after the ill-fated peace talks. "The international community must take urgent, concrete steps to address it." NON-STOP RUSSIAN AIR STRIKES "The Russian (air) cover continues night and day, there were more than 250 air strikes on this area in one day," Hassan Haj Ali, head of Liwa Suqour al-Jabal, a rebel group fighting in northwest Syria, told Reuters. "The regime is now trying to expand the area it has taken control of," he added. "Now the northern countryside (of Aleppo) is totally encircled, and the humanitarian situation is very difficult." Syrian state TV and a monitoring group said the army and its allies had seized the town of Ratyan north of Aleppo. Haj Ali said the town had not yet fallen, but that there were "very heavy battles". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said some 120 fighters on all sides had been killed around Ratyan. Hezbollah's Al Manar TV and Syrian state TV later on Friday said forces had taken another nearby town, Mayer. The Syrian army and its allies broke a years-long rebel blockade of two Shi'ite towns in Aleppo province on Wednesday, cutting off a major supply line from Turkey to Aleppo. Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub, has been divided for years between a section under government control and areas in the grip of rebels. Much of the UNESCO heritage old city is in ruins. Any government siege would target the rebel-held parts, where more than 350,000 people live. Well over a million live in the areas under government control. Haj Ali said most of the fighters on the government side were "Iranian and from Hezbollah, or Afghan". A non-Syrian senior security source close to Damascus told Reuters on Thursday that Qassem Soleimani, commander of foreign operations of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, was overseeing operations in the Aleppo area. Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier-General Mohsen Ghajarian had been killed in Aleppo province, as had six Iranian volunteer militiamen. The five-year-old civil war pits the government led by Assad, a member of the Alawite sect derived from Shi'ite Islam, against a range of insurgents who are mainly Sunni Muslims, backed by Saudi Arabia, other Arab states and Turkey. Western countries have lined up in opposition to Assad. Since 2014, the Sunni jihadist group Islamic State has run a self-proclaimed caliphate in eastern Syria and Iraq, under air assault from a U.S.-led coalition. Russia launched its own separate air campaign four months ago to aid its ally Assad, transforming the battlefield. But swathes of the country are still in the hands of armed rebels, including Islamic State in the east, Kurdish militia in the north, and a mosaic of groups in the west who have been the target of many of the Russian air strikes. Asked whether there were any plans to assist U.S.-backed rebels in Aleppo or provide humanitarian aid drops, Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command said: Our fight right now is against ISIL (Islamic State) in Iraq and Syria. We are continuing to stay focused on that operation." ARMY GAINS IN DERAA Syria's government forces and allies have made further gains in the southern province of Deraa, recapturing a town just outside Deraa city. It has been backed by some of the heaviest Russian air strikes since it began its bombing campaign in September, a rebel spokesman in the area said. The talks convened this week in Geneva were the first diplomatic attempt to end the war in two years but collapsed before they began in earnest. The opposition refused to negotiate while Russia was escalating its bombing and government troops were advancing. NATO said Moscow's intensified bombing campaign undermined the peace efforts and warned Russia was creating tensions by violating the airspace of Syria's neighbor Turkey, a NATO member which shot down a Russian warplane in November. Russia has accused Turkey of preparing a military incursion into northern Syria. Ankara dismissed this as propaganda intended to conceal Russia's own "crimes". Aleppo was threatened with a "siege of starvation", and Turkey had the right to take any measures to protect its security, it said. Moscow says its targets in Syria are restricted to Islamic State and al Qaeda's Syrian branch, the Nusra Front, both of which were excluded from peace talks and unacceptable to the countries supporting the insurgents against Assad. "Why did the opposition that left Geneva complain about the offensive in Aleppo, which is actually targeted against Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front) and other radical extremist groups?" said Russia's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Alexey Borodavkin. That position is rejected by Western and Arab countries, which say most Russian strikes are against other opponents of Assad, not the banned groups. Nusra Front said in a statement on Friday it had killed 25 Iranian fighters and Shi'ite militiamen in fighting in Aleppo. "The intense Russia air strikes, mainly targeting opposition groups in Syria, is undermining the efforts to find a political solution to the conflict," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Russian violations of Turkish airspace were "causing increased tensions and ... create risks". Saudi Arabia said it was ready to participate in separate U.S. ground operations against Islamic State. The United States welcomed the Saudi offer, although Washington so far has committed only to small-scale operations by special forces units on the ground in Syria. (Additional reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman, Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul, Parisa Hafezi in Ankara, Tom Miles in Geneva and Yeganeh Torbati in Wahsington; writing by John Davison and Peter Graff; editing by Andrew Roche and Pravin Char)
Up to 35,000 Syrians displaced by fighting in Aleppo have fled to the Turkish border, where they are braving cold conditions in the hope of being allowed to enter the country.

Although they are receiving care on the Syrian side of the border, senior Turkish officials said there are no immediate plans to grant them entry.

Instead, preparations are being made to give them asylum in the event of an "extraordinary crisis" - and for now, they are being accommodated at camps for displaced people.

Many refugees had made the journey based on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's open-door policy for those escaping conflict.

One Syrian stuck at the border, Muhammed Idris, said: "Before, Tayyip Erdogan was saying on TV that Syria and Turkey are brothers, but now he is not opening the doors.

"Our houses are destroyed and we came to his house. Where else should we go?"

Tens of thousands more are expected to arrive in the border province of Kilis in coming days, and rebel-held zones of Aleppo still remain home to about 350,000 people.

"Our doors are not closed, but at the moment there is no need to host such people inside our borders," said Kilis province governor Suleyman Tapsiz, adding the refugees had been given food, blankets and tents.

There are fears another 70,000 Syrians could leave their homes to seek refuge if Russian and Syrian airstrikes do not end.

Rami Abdel Rahman, from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, described the plight of those displaced as "tragic" - with families sleeping outside in the cold without tents.

Earlier, EU officials warned Turkey of its obligation to keep its borders open to refugees fleeing the violence in Syria.

At present, the country has kept a major crossing closed for a second day.

It came as a Syrian minister warned any foreign ground troops entering the country "will return to their countries in coffins".

Foreign Minister Walid al Moualem's warning followed reports Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which both support rebel forces, could send in troops if the US-led coalition against terror group Islamic State decided on ground action.

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Russian and Syrian government forces gained ground north of Aleppo, Syria's largest city, on Saturday.

Aleppo has been the target of a government offensive and Russian airstrikes against rebel forces since Monday.

NATO's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has warned that Russian airstrikes against opposition forces in Syria are "undermining efforts to find a political solution to the conflict."

Meanwhile, David Cameron has come under fresh pressure to allow 3,000 orphaned Syrian refugees in Europe to come to the UK.

Liberal Democrat peers including Lord Ashdown have written to the Prime Minister saying he has a "moral duty" to accept the unaccompanied children.

MP Yvette Cooper, the Chair of Labour's refugee taskforce, has also reiterated her call to give them refuge.

She told Sky News' Murnaghan programme: "We did that with the kinder transport [in the Second World War].

"We know that Europol has said 10,000 child refugees have just disappeared in Europe - probably into the arms of smuggler gangs, traffickers and even child prostitution and abuse."
By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Nabil Shurafa's travel agency in Gaza was once packed with clients booking flights to London, Paris, New York or cities across the Arab world. These days, he's lucky if anyone comes in, as so few people can get out. The posters of the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty and a map of the world look out of place on the walls, given the sense of isolation that pervades Gaza, a narrow strip of land hemmed in by Israel on two sides, Egypt to the south and the blockaded Mediterranean to the west. "Once borders are closed, things switch off," said Shurafa with a sense of resignation. A plastic model of a passenger plane stands on his desk, next to the silent phones. When Shurafa's father opened the bureau in 1952, it quickly earned a reputation as a helpful and reliable agency. Back then, Gaza was governed by Egypt and there was not much of a border to speak of. Gazans could book a plane ticket and take a four-hour bus or train to Cairo to catch their flight. The agency had a close relationship with BOAC, the forerunner of British Airways, and Air France and is general sale agent for each. It remains a member of IATA, the International Air Transport Association. "The era from 1952 to 1967 was a golden one," Shurafa, 53, told Reuters. People used to travel to Gaza as well, at least until the 1967 Middle East war, when Israel captured Gaza from Egypt and the West Bank from Jordan. "Gaza was like a duty-free zone, with Egyptians coming to buy goods brought by merchants from Lebanon," he recalled. There was also a boom in the late 1990s, after the Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians, and Gaza opened Yasser Arafat International Airport in 1998. But the years since have seen a steady decline in business as Gaza has become more and more cut off from the world. When the second Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000, the airport's runway and control tower were bombed by Israel and it remains in ruins. Since 2007, when the Islamist group Hamas seized control of the territory following a brief civil war with the Western-backed Fatah movement, entry to and exit from Gaza have become even more restricted, both by Egypt and by Israel. LINKS TO THE WORLD Israel does allow around 1,000 Gazans to cross into its territory every day, for work, medical treatment or other humanitarian reasons. But it is a far cry from the thousands that could pass through the vast border terminal Israel built in the mid-2000s, before Hamas took over. Egypt meanwhile has kept its crossing with Gaza mostly closed over the past five years, citing security concerns and to put the squeeze on Hamas. Human rights groups say 95 percent of Gaza's 1.95 million people cannot get out of the enclave. Even those that are able to cross into Israel cannot easily travel from there. They need special dispensation to fly out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport or to travel to the West Bank and on to Jordan to catch a flight. Jordan, too, has started restricting visas for Palestinians from Gaza. Every few months, Egypt lets around 3,000 Gazans leave via Rafah, but the arrangements are a lottery. The crossing stays open only for two or three days, so no one can be sure they will get across. They call Shurafa once they are over the border and the agency then scrambles to book them flights or hotels. There are currently 15,000 Gazans who have registered requests to travel across Rafah, Palestinian officials say, including 3,000 who say they need medical treatment. From 1994 to 2000, after Oslo and before the second intifada, Shurafa estimates his office sold 6,000 airline tickets a year. Last year, he sold 120. He's had to let eight staff go and now mostly employs family to keep costs down. He seldom covers his $5,000 monthly rent and running costs. Mhareb Al-Burai, who runs the rival Al-Batra tourism office, has faced similar problems. Rather than flights, his agency now focuses on trying to get visas for Dubai, Turkey and China. "With Rafah largely closed, our main clients are businessmen and merchants, those who have valid permits to cross into Israel and from there travel to Jordan," said the 64-year-old. For Shurafa, the airline stickers on his glass front door may seem out of place, but he hasn't given up. "It may sound like satire to talk about a travel agency in a place like Gaza," he said. "But someone has to have hope because this is a history we can't abandon." (Editing by Luke Baker and Andrew Roche)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he does not have to win the New Hampshire primary vote on Tuesday to secure the nomination, apparently tamping down expectations despite holding a double-digit lead in that state's polls. The billionaire businessman came in second to Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the Iowa caucuses last week, although polls put him ahead. His candidacy has alarmed the Republican establishment and has been marked by rows, including over his calls for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. No Republican has won the presidential nomination without winning either the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire primary since the 1970s, but it would not technically be impossible. Asked whether a loss in New Hampshire would derail his campaign, Trump told the NBC News show "Meet the Press": "I don't think I need it. I hope that I get it." "I would like to win but I don't know that it is necessary." Recent opinion polls give him a lead of between 10 and 22 percentage points over the next closest contender. Trump has built his campaign in part around his self-declared reputation as a "winner," and a loss in New Hampshire would intensify doubts that he can translate opinion poll support into votes. He also told "Meet the Press" that he has spent as much as $50 million less than expected on the campaign so far, in part because the media provides him so much free publicity. "People like you put me on. What do I take a commercial for?" Trump told the show's moderator, Chuck Todd. (This story has been refiled to restore dropped word "in" in 2nd paragraph; restores quotation marks to "Meet the Press" in paragraphs 4 and 8) (Reporting by Howard Schneider; Editing by Louise Ireland)
By Mehmet Emin Caliskan, Lisa Barrington and Humeyra Pamuk BAB AL SALAMA, Syria/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russian and Syrian government forces on Saturday intensified an assault on rebel-held areas around the Syrian city of Aleppo that has prompted tens of thousands to flee to the Turkish border to seek refuge. The assault around Aleppo, which aid workers have said could soon fall to government forces, helped torpedo Syrian peace talks in Geneva this week. Russia's intervention has tipped the balance of the war in favor of President Bashar al-Assad, reversing gains the rebels made last year. Any hopes of a ceasefire were dampened by Assad's foreign minister, who said it would be all but impossible to stop the fighting while rebels were able to pass freely across the borders with Turkey and Jordan. Advances by the Syrian army and allied militias, including Iranian fighters, are threatening to cut off rebel-held zones of Aleppo, still home to around 350,000 people, while more than a million live in government-controlled areas. Further complicating the tangle of belligerents that has characterized the civil war, Syrian opposition officials accused the Kurdish YPG militia of coordinating attacks on rebels with Syrian and allied forces in the latest assault. Taking full control of Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the civil war erupted five years ago, would be a huge strategic prize for Assad's government in a conflict that has killed at least 250,000 people across the country and driven 11 million from their homes. Mevlut Cavusoglu, foreign minister of Turkey, which has already taken in 2.5 million Syrians, said up to 55,000 were now fleeing to the frontier. CAMPS ON SYRIAN SIDE Cavusoglu said the border was open, but at the Oncupinar crossing near the Turkish city of Kilis, which has been largely shut for nearly a year, refugees were being shepherded into camps on the Syrian side. The local governor on the Turkish side of the border, Suleyman Tapsiz, said around 35,000 Syrians had reached Oncupinar in the space of 48 hours. "Our doors are not closed, but at the moment there is no need to host such people inside our borders," he said. A Turkish aid official said the refugees on the Syrian side were safe and being given food. One camp was teeming with women and small children, some of whom carried bottles of water or played in the mud. Some of the tents were ripped and dirty while others, provided by a Turkish aid organization, appeared new. One refugee, Muhammed Idris, said he had fled from the nearby Syrian town of Azaz, counting on the open-door policy touted by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. After four days, he was still waiting to get in. "Before, Tayyip Erdogan was saying on TV that Syria and Turkey are brothers, but now he is not opening the doors," he told Reuters. "Our houses are destroyed and we came to his house. Where else should we go?" A Reuters reporter at Oncupinar could hear occasional shelling and saw several Turkish ambulances cross the border. On the Turkish side, dozens of refugees who had already made it in queued up to beg the authorities to allow their relatives in, or to cross the border in the hope of bringing them back. "THOUSANDS WAITING" Sitting in his car with his four children just inside Turkey, Ahmet Sadul, 43, was hoping to get back into Syria to look for relatives from Azaz. "Now there are thousands of people from Azaz all waiting on the other side. They escaped from the Russians. I want to go and get my relatives. They are bombing Syrians all the time." Russia denies targeting civilians and says its actions are aimed at shoring up Syria's legitimate government and combating terrorism. The West and Turkey, which want Assad to step down, accuse Moscow of using indiscriminate force. The United States has been a major backer of the Syrian Kurdish YPG in the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria. But now the opposition said it was being targeted by the Kurds. "What is going on (north of Aleppo) is the regime advances with Russian air cover and support by Kurdish forces. They are trying to impose a new reality," said a rebel commander. The Syrian Kurds have consistently denied opposition claims that they cooperate with Damascus. What is clear is that Syria has been emboldened by Russia's intervention. Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem told a news conference on Saturday that Damascus would resist anyone who launched a ground incursion into its territory. "Those (who do so) will return to their countries in coffins," he said, adding that no ceasefire would be possible unless borders were sealed. The comments appeared to be aimed at Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which said this week they were ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria that the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq decided to mount. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which collates witness reports, said fighting continued in areas north of Aleppo, and that government and allied forces were also attacking villages to the east of the city and to the southwest, around the main highway to Damascus. (Additional reporting by Tom Perry in BEIRUT and Robin Emmott and Tom Koerkemeier in AMSTERDAM; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Toby Chopra)
Young orangutans in Indonesia are attending forest school to teach them skills like foraging and nest-making in the hope they can be reintroduced to the wild.

Video shot by International Animal Rescue shows them being taken to class every morning in a wheelbarrow.

The animals live at IAR's sanctuary in Ketapang, in Kaliman province in eastern Indonesia's Borneo island, and rehabilitation could take seven to eight years.

"When the orangutans arrive here we try to give them an environment that is as natural as possible, that is why we created the forest schools," said Karmele Llano Sanchez, IAR's project director in Indonesia.

"And these forest schools are the forest areas where the orangutans come every day from the morning until the evening, and they're given the chance to stay overnight in the forest when they start learning how to make a nest.

"What we want is to try to replicate what an orangutan will do in the wild, so this is what they will learn during the process of rehabilitation."

There are currently 102 orangutans living in the sanctuary, but not all primates attend the school because some have suffered long-term injuries that mean they can never return to the wild.

The population of the endangered species, mainly found in southeast Asia, has decreased tremendously due to illegal poaching and habitat loss.

Experts say Indonesia, home to the world's third-largest tropical forest acreage, holds the key to the problem and needs to put into practice a long-term plan to enforce laws, tackle fires and spend more on prevention.

The World Wildlife Fund estimates there are around 45,000 to 69,000 Borneo orangutans and another 7,500 critically endangered Sumatran orangutans.
Databases

Researchers Get Faster Access to Datasets

Research publisher Elsevier and the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) have teamed up to provide linking between research articles and related datasets. The latter is an international consortium of academic institutions and research organizations housed within the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. It seeks out research data and pertinent documents from researchers and works to "process, preserve and disseminate" that data. It also provides education, training and instructional resources to help users understand how to work with research data.

Under the new agreement, more than 400 Elsevier journals will offer direct linking options with datasets in the ICPSR collection. The datasets will become "discoverable" through corresponding research articles on Elsevier's ScienceDirect, a scientific database that offers journal articles and book chapters. The link will enable researchers to access the underlying research data while reading the research paper and even reuse the data for their own experiments. Likewise, as people are accessing the ICPSR datasets, they'll be able to access the articles on ScienceDirect.

"Providing links between research data and the articles based on analyses of those data is crucial to support the efforts related to both data sharing and the transparency around conducting research in general," said Linda Detterman, director of membership and marketing at ICPSR, in a prepared statement. "These direct links offer a way to demonstrate the impact of research data for both the principal investigator and the agency funding the research. ICPSR is pleased to be working with Elsevier to establish reciprocal linking with ScienceDirect."

Wouter Haak, a vice president of research data management solutions at Elsevier, added that the combination will ensure that authors of the data and articles "get the credit they deserve."

This isn't the first data linkage set up by Elsevier. The company already collaborates with 54 other data repositories.
By Amanda Becker and Emily Stephenson (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton battled over their progressive credentials at a town hall on Wednesday, but also reflected on their spirituality, a topic that more commonly dominates the narrative on the other side of the political aisle. Sanders, speaking at the televised event in Derry, New Hampshire, built on an earlier back-and-forth between the two candidates on Twitter and in appearances in the state, which hosts the second party-nominating contest on Feb. 9, reminding voters that he and Clinton have made different decisions on backing the Iraq war, taking money from Super PACs and energy policies. "Some of my best friends are moderates, but you cant be a progressive and a moderate at the same time," Sanders said at the town hall, hosted by CNN, which included questions from voters. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke immediately after Sanders at the town hall. I was somewhat amused today that Senator Sanders has set himself up to be the gatekeeper on who is a progressive, because under the definition that was flying around on Twitter and statements from his campaign, Barack Obama would not be a progressive, Joe Biden would not be a progressive ... so Im not going to let that bother me," she said. Her campaign issued a press release during Sanders' appearance, listing Clinton's efforts "fighting for progressive causes" including health care and education. "I know where I stand, I know who stands with me, I know what Ive done," Clinton said. Moderator Anderson Cooper, referring to criticism from Sanders that Clinton is too close to Wall Street, asked her about the more than $600,000 she received from speaking to the investment bank Goldman Sachs. Thats what they offered, Clinton said, adding that the payments haven't had any effect on her calls to rein in the big banks. SPIRITUAL FEELINGS The two candidates arrived in New Hampshire on Tuesday, a day after Clinton marked a narrow victory in the Iowa caucuses, the first nominating contest leading up to the Nov. 8 presidential election. Sanders, an independent U.S. senator from Vermont who is a democratic socialist, is polling more than 15 points ahead of Clinton in New Hampshire, but is trailing her nationally by roughly the same amount. During the town hall, Sanders fielded a question about how he would appeal to a broader swath of the electorate, including minority and religious voters - blocs he will need to draw to the polls if he hopes to maintain momentum against Clinton in upcoming nominating contests in the South and West. "Everybody practices religion in a different way. To me, I would not be here tonight, I would not be running for president of the United States, if I did not have very strong religious and spiritual feelings," said Sanders, who, if elected, would be the first Jewish U.S. president. "My spirituality is that we are all in this together," Sanders added. Clinton, a former first lady and former U.S. senator who has spent decades in public life, fielded a question that elicited a similarly spiritual response, speaking of balancing the role of public servant and her sense of self. "I get a scripture lesson every morning from a minister that I have a really close personal relationship with," Clinton said. "He gets up really early to send it to me, so you know, there it is, in my inbox at 5 a.m." Clinton is seeking to manage expectations about her performance in next week's New Hampshire primary, saying Sanders has an advantage because he is from a neighboring state. But Clinton shows huge polling leads in the next round of primary contests in Nevada and South Carolina. The results from New Hampshire could shift momentum in the Democratic race. Clinton had hoped for a strong finish against Sanders in Iowa to vanquish his insurgent candidacy. In New Hampshire, she hopes to overcome his polling lead. (Additional writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Leslie Adler)
Duric To Partner Mourinho In Orr Stakes

Monday, 08 February 2016 07:33

A delay in jockey Vlad Duric's Singapore work visa will enable him to ride Mourinho in the Group One CF Orr race at Caulfield.

Duric was granted a licence by the Singapore Turf Club to commence riding from February 1, but is still awaiting confirmation of his work visa.

He hopes to head to Singapore after Mourinho runs in the Orr Stakes on Saturday.

Trainer Peter Gelagotis with Mourinho

The jockey trialled Mourinho at Cranbourne on Monday, winning an 800m heat, in which he wasn't knocked about.

Duric said Mourinho's trial was the perfect lead-in to Saturday's race, a race he finished third in last year behind Dissident and Entirely Platinum.

However the jockey realises it's going to be a difficult task and suggested the Group Two Peter Young Stakes over 1800m on February 27 may be his race.

"I was really rapt with how he felt," Duric said.

"If he can run well and bounce out of it going forward to the Peter Young, that's the race he'll take some beating in."

Duric said he will return to ride Mourinho in the Peter Young Stakes and again if he presses on to the Australian Cup on March 12 or the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 9.

Trainer Peter Gelagotis said Mourinho has improved since his first-up seventh to Holler in the Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley on January 23, a race he won last year.

He said Duric was a little concerned that they didn't go very quick in the trial and the gelding wasn't going to do a great deal, but in the end was happy with the workout.

"I am walking away from the exercise happy and looking forward to Saturday," Gelagotis said.

"The way he went this morning, if he is fortunate enough to draw a gate, and if he doesn't blunder the start like he did a fortnight ago, he might fill a hole and really bowl into the Peter Young with a lot of confidence."

There are 22 nominations for the Orr Stakes that includes Boban, Bow Creek, Fawkner, Happy Trails, Hucklebuck, Press Statement, Rebel Dane, Rising Romance, Suavito and Turn Me Loose.

The field capacity for Saturday's race is 18 and four emergencies.
Swedish English

LUND, February 8th, 2016 - The shareholders of Anoto Group AB (publ), are hereby invited to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on Wednesday, 2 March 2016 at 13:00 CET, at the Companys head office at Mobilvagen 10 in Lund, Sweden.

Notification of participation

Shareholders wishing to attend the General Meeting must

be entered as shareholders in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than on Thursday, 25 February 2016,

notify the Company of their intention to participate no later than on Friday, 26 February 2016, preferably before noon.

Attendance is to be notified by mail to Anoto Group AB (publ) at Mobilvagen 10, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden, by telephone +46 46 540 12 00, or by e-mail to EGM@anoto.com. The notification should state name, social security number/corporate identification number, telephone number and registered number of shares. To facilitate admittance to the General Meeting, proxies, registration certificates and other authorisation documents should be submitted to the Company at the above address no later than on26 February 2016. The Company provides proxy forms at the Companys office in Lund as well as on the Companys web page www.anoto.com.

Shareholders who hold their shares through nominees (Sw. forvaltare) must request a temporary registration of the shares in their own name, with Euroclear Sweden AB. Shareholders who wishes to obtain such registration must contact the nominee regarding this well in advance of 25 February 2016.

Proposed agenda

1. Opening of the Meeting

2. Election of Chairman at the Meeting

3. Preparation and approval of voting list

4. Approval of the agenda

5. Election of one or two persons to verify the minutes

6. Determination of whether the Meeting has been duly convened

7. Resolution to authorise the Board of Directors to issue new shares with payment in kind

8. Resolution to authorise the Board of Directors to issue new shares and/or convertible

bonds

9. Closing of the Meeting

Proposals

Resolution to authorise the Board of Directors to issue new shares with payment in kind (item 7)

The Board of Directors proposes that the General Meeting authorises the Board of Directors to resolve, on one or several occasions during the period until the next Annual General Meeting, for payment in kind, to issue new shares in connection with any or all of the acquisitions of Pen Generation Inc., We-inspire Inc. and Destiny Wireless Ltd.

The purpose of the authorisation is for the Company to be able to complete the above acquisitions announced by the Company on 8 February 2016.

Resolution to authorise the Board of Directors to issue new shares and/or convertible bonds (item 8)

The Board of Directors proposes that the General Meeting authorizes the Board of Directors to resolve, on one or several occasions during the period until the next Annual General Meeting, with or without deviation from the shareholders preferential rights, against cash payment, for payment in kind or by way of set-off, to issue shares and/or convertible bonds that involve the issue of or conversion into a maximum of 105,000,000 shares, corresponding to a dilution of approximately 10.0 percent of the share capital and votes, based on the current number of shares in the Company.

The purpose of the authorisation and the reason for any disapplication of the shareholders' preferential rights is for the Company to be able to issue financial instruments as consideration in connection with possible acquisitions that the Company may carry out, and also to increase the financial flexibility of the Company to finance general corporate business activities. The basis for the issue price shall be according to the prevailing market conditions at the time when shares and/or convertible bonds are issued.

A valid resolution by the General Meeting pursuant to the proposal above requires that the resolution be supported by shareholders representing at least two-thirds of both the votes cast and the shares represented at the General Meeting.

Miscellaneous

The Board of Directors complete proposals for resolutions in accordance with the above, including reports and statements related thereto in accordance with the Swedish Companies Act (SFS 2005:551), will be available at the Companys office in Lund and on the Companys web site, www.anoto.com, no later than three weeks prior to the General Meeting and will also be sent to those shareholders who so request and provide their postal address.

According to Chapter 7, section 32 of the Swedish Companies Act, at a General Meeting the shareholders are entitled to require information from the Board of Directors and CEO regarding circumstances which may affect items on the agenda and circumstances which may affect the Companys financial situation.

Number of shares and votes in the Company

As of 9 February 2016, the total number of shares and votes in the Company was 1 053 193 826. The Company is not holding any own shares.

Lund, February 2016

Anoto Group AB (publ)

The Board of Directors
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National non-profit Connected Nation and the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN) have released a first-of-its-kind statewide inventory of technology deployed across all 989 Utah public schools. The report includes individual school district technology profiles, a statewide analysis of data, and a comparison of findings between school districts and charter schools. The study, commissioned by Utah Senate Bill 222 in 2015, involved an assessment of hardware, software, wired and Wi-Fi infrastructure, digital content licenses, technical and instructional technology support personnel, and network management tools and capabilities.



"The Utah School Technology Inventory provides Utah policymakers with an in-depth and comprehensive view of digital learning resources across every single district and charter school in the state," said Brent Legg, Vice President of Education Programs at Connected Nation. "As Utah prepares to make further investments in education technology, it was important for the Legislature to fully understand what ed tech resources are currently available so that it can make informed decisions about the future. We hope that other states will take note and follow their lead."

Key findings from the report include:

Utah schools have, on average, 0.61 computing devices per student.

Only 11% of Utah schools have deployed devices on a 1:1 basis to their students.

Wi-Fi infrastructure is lacking; approximately 79% of Utah schools have fewer than 1 Wi-Fi Access Point per instructional space.

Sixty-one percent of Utah schools report that their wireless hardware is at least three years old.

The 14-week study involved the creation of an online data collection portal with approximately 45 questions about infrastructure, access, and use of digital learning resources, as well as perceived needs for the future. Connected Nation staff members were also deployed on a regional basis to provide on-the-ground support to school districts as needed. The resulting dataset contains over 100,000 points of data that were provided to UETN along with a report on key findings. The study garnered a remarkable 100% participation rate across all of Utah's district and charter schools.



For more information about the Utah School Technology Inventory, or to view the summary report and individual district profiles, please visit http://www.uen.org/digital-learning/. To learn more about Connected Nation's work, please visit http://www.connectednation.org. Inquiries may be directed to Amanda Murphy at amurphy@connectednation.org.

Download the full report here: http://www.uen.org/digital-learning/downloads/inventory/UtahSchoolTechnologyInventoryReport.pdf



About Connected Nation: Connected Nation is a leading technology organization committed to bringing affordable high-speed Internet and broadband-enabled resources to all Americans. Connected Nation effectively raises the awareness of the value of broadband and related technologies by developing coalitions of influencers and enablers for improving technology access, adoption, and use. Connected Nation works with consumers, community leaders, states, and technology providers and foundations, to develop and implement technology expansion programs with core competencies centered on a mission to improve digital inclusion for people and places previously underserved or overlooked. For more information, please visit: www.connectednation.org/.
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
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's controversial rocket launch put two objects in space, according to the U.S. Joint Space Operations Center. It is unclear if either is sending out signals. Following is what is known about the launch so far. - North Korea launched what it said was its Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite earlier than expected. The launch took place at 8:59 a.m. local time on Sunday in North Korea. Pyongyang moved up its launch window, which was initially slated to begin on Feb. 8. - The U.S. Joint Space Operations Center (JSPOC), an arm of U.S. Strategic Command, said on the public website Space-Track.org that it is tracking two objects in orbit at an inclination of 97.5 degrees, a nearly polar, sun-synchronous orbit. - The launch vehicle was likely similar to the one used in North Korea's last launch in December 2012, since the satellite orbit and other details are similar, said John Schilling, an aerospace engineer and missile technology specialist contributing to the Washington-based 38 North project that monitors North Korea. - The satellite North Korea launched in December 2012 circles the earth every 95 minutes, but no signal has ever been detected from the 100-kg (220-pound) hunk of black metal the North said was equipped with cameras to send images back to earth. - U.S. officials and experts said it would likely take several days to determine if the satellite can stop tumbling in orbit and communicate with the ground. It is apparently intended to stay in orbit for about four years, Schilling said. - North Korea launched the satellite on an 80-ton rocket called the Unha-3, or one that was very similar. The United States and its allies believe the launch was cover for a missile test, but some experts question whether the Unha-3 can be converted into an effective intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), that is capable of reaching the U.S. mainland. - The long-range rocket flew over the airspace of Japan's Okinawa region, according to Japan's NHK television. Okinawa is home to the U.S. 7th Fleet, which includes some 70 to 80 ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and about 40,000 troops. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Bill Rigby)
Wild leopard cats may have been domesticated by farmers in China more than 5,000 years ago, according to a new study of feline fossils.

These cats were of a different species than the ancestors of today's house cats, which suggests that at least in the early history of pets, humans may have had two different kinds of kitties keeping them company.

Today's pet cats (Felis catus) descend from the wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) native to the Middle East and Southwest Asia. It's typically thought that humans and cats first got cozy in the Near East some 10,000 years ago, after the birth of agriculture. A cat was found buried in the same grave as a human at a 9,500-year-old Neolithic settlement in Cyprus. Cat burials nearly 8,000 years old have also been found at an elite cemetery in Hierakonpolis, in Egypt. [Here, Kitty, Kitty: 10 Facts for Cat Lovers]

But recent discoveries of cat fossils in China have muddled that narrative. Cat bones have been unearthed at Neolithic sites; one such site was a village called Quanhucun. Some researchers have claimed these remains are evidence that cat domestication also occurred in northwest China independently, but it was not clear which species these cats belonged to.

A group of researchers, led by Jean-Denis Vigne of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Paris, took a close look at five cat jawbones found at archaeological sites in China's Shaanxi and Henan provinces, dating from 3500 to 2900 B.C.

They found that all five jawbones most closely resembled those of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), a species that still lives in the region today. The analysis was published Jan. 22 in the journal PLOS ONE.

The researchers suspect Asian leopard cats were probably domesticated by the same processes as wildcats in the Near East; the felines likely followed the rats that were drawn to the grain stores in early Chinese settlements.

"That the cats turned out to be Asian leopard cats is not really a surprise," said Carlos Driscoll, a geneticist at the National Cancer Institute, who has studied cat genetics but was not involved in the new study. "Had the cats actually been F. silvestris the story would have been much more complicated, interesting and important. As it is, the paper is still important, but we know the end of the story even if we don't know the middle."

Story continues

The end of that story is that none of the cats that populate our homes and Internet videos today are the descendants of ancient Asian leopard cats. At some point, F. silvestris replaced the leopard cat as the pet of choice in China, but more research is needed to fill that gap in cat history. The earliest record of F. catus in China dates to the Tang dynasty (A.D. 618 to 907), the researchers said. But when did it arrive? Did the species, as a statement from CNRS suggests, head east along the Silk Road with traders traveling between the Roman and Han empires?

Driscoll also raised the possibility that these cat fossils from China could have been a fluke, representing a group of wild animals that were tamed after a hunting expedition.

"It could be that the cat with a broken femur was caught in a snare, broke it's leg, but was kept alive as a curiosity or a pet," Driscoll told Live Science. "This type of one-off taming is known to occur widely in early agricultural communities the world over. People just like interesting animals."

Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
An elderly Australian humanitarian worker kidnapped by Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists in Burkina Faso said Monday after her release that she hoped to be reunited with her husband and "continue" their medical work.

"I want to be with my husband shortly so that we can go to Djibo and continue there," Jocelyn Elliott, 76, said at Burkina Faso's presidential palace.

Elliott and her 81-year-old surgeon husband Ken have run the sole medical clinic in Djibo, a dusty town near the border with Mali, since 1972. A couple from Perth in western Australia, they have also carried out humanitarian work in Mali and Niger.

The pair were abducted close to the Niger border on the night of January 15-16.

Malian militant group Ansar Dine said the couple had been taken by jihadists from the "Emirate of the Sahara" -- suspected by experts to be a branch of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Elliott was freed after mediation from Niger, which is now trying to secure her husband's release.

She arrived in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital, on Monday aboard a Niger presidential plane and was taken to the presidential palace, where she was greeted by head of state Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

"I am very moved to be here with my Burkina family. I want to thank the people of Burkina for their support in my absence," she said in a brief media statement in French.

Elliott also thanked "the governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and Australia."

Foreign Minister Alpha Barry confirmed Elliott's intentions. "She has decided to stay in Burkina Faso," Barry told AFP.

Kabore commended "action taken for 40 years for the benefit of the people most deprived of health care in the difficult parts of Burkina".

"Forty years is almost a whole lifetime in the service of Burkina," the president added.

Elliott had appeared on Niger television Sunday evening alongside President Mahamadou Issoufou, who confirmed that his country had mediated but did not give details on either the circumstances or the location of her release.

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He paid tribute to the Elliotts for their work.

"I think those who abducted them should know the contribution this couple have made to the poorest people in our regions. I hope they will be back together soon and that Jocelyn's husband will soon go free," Issoufou said.

- 'No ransom paid' -

Barry said on Sunday that the focus was now on securing the release of Ken Elliott.

"For now we know that her husband is alive and well. Now further negotiations will begin for his release and we will do everything to secure it," said Barry, adding that "no ransom was paid or conditions imposed" by the kidnappers for the release of Jocelyn Elliott.

Kabore echoed this view, thanking Niger and adding that "work must go on since Dr Elliott has not yet been freed, but we have high hopes that something will be done in the next few days."

The Burkina government had said the pair were kidnapped in Baraboule, near the country's borders with both Niger and Mali.

The kidnapping prompted an outpouring of support, with the people of Djibo turning to Facebook to plead for the couple's release and hundreds of students with placards reading "Free Elliott" taking to the streets of the town with their teachers.

Their abduction coincided with a jihadist assault on an upmarket hotel in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou that left at least 30 people dead, including many foreigners.

Until recently Burkina Faso had largely escaped the tide of Islamist violence spreading in the restive Sahel region.

But the January attack on the Splendid Hotel, which is popular with foreigners and United Nations staff, has heightened fears that jihadist groups are casting their net wider in west Africa.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull thanked Niger and Burkina Faso for their efforts, while the Elliott family released a statement saying they were "deeply grateful" for Jocelyn's release.

In other comments, Elliott clarified that she was aged 76 and her husband was 81. Their ages had previously been given by officials as 84 and 82 respectively.
By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five Iranian-American groups wrote to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last week, urging him to work for the release of an Iranian-American businessman who has been detained in Iran since October. The letter, delivered on Friday, said there was no evidence to justify the detention of Siamak Namazi, who was "left behind" in the wake of a U.S.-Iran prisoner deal that saw other Americans released from Iranian jails last month. "An American who has worked tirelessly as a bridge-builder of cultures, countries, and faiths is sitting in a prison in Tehran," said the letter, which was signed by the National Iranian American Council, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans and other groups. "We urge you to work tirelessly to pursue Siamak Namazi's release." Namazi, who is based in Dubai, was visiting relatives in Iran when he was detained. Most recently, he was working for Crescent Petroleum, an oil and gas company in the United Arab Emirates, and previously, he headed a consulting firm in Iran. "The U.S. government does everything and will continue to do everything it can on behalf of its citizens detained around the world who request our assistance," Sam Werberg, press officer for the State Department's Office of Iranian Affairs, told Reuters by email on Sunday. Namazi's family declined to comment. Iranian officials have not announced any charges against Namazi. On Sunday, an Iranian judiciary official said there were several dual nationals being held in Iran on espionage charges, Iranian media reported. The letter comes three weeks after four other Iranian-Americans, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, were released from prison by Iranian authorities. In return, U.S. authorities granted clemency to seven Iranians in the United States, and moved to drop international arrest orders and charges against 14 other Iranians outside America. The release of the Americans came after extensive public campaigns waged by their family members and U.S. officials. On the sidelines of nuclear negotiations, U.S. diplomats "used every meeting to push Iran" to release the men, President Barack Obama said last month. U.S. authorities have described the prisoner exchange as a "one-time, unique agreement" and said the United States has told Iran it does not expect to repeat the deal. In a speech last month, Kerry said the United States was still working to find out what happened to Robert Levinson, a former U.S. law-enforcement agent who disappeared while visiting Iran in 2007. Kerry did not mention Namazi in his remarks. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Dubai; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
By J.R. Wu and Damon Lin TAINAN, Taiwan (Reuters) - Rescuers pulled out alive an eight-year-old girl and her aunt from the rubble of a Taiwan apartment block on Monday, more than 60 hours after it was toppled by a quake, as the mayor of the southern city of Tainan warned the death toll could exceed 100. The official death toll from the quake rose to 38, with more than 100 people missing. The girl, named as Lin Su-Chin, was conscious and had been taken to hospital, Taiwan television stations said. Her aunt, Chen Mei-jih, was rescued shortly after. The quake struck at about 4 a.m. on Saturday (2000 GMT Friday) at the beginning of the Lunar New Year holiday, with almost all the dead found in Tainan's toppled Wei-guan Golden Dragon Building. Rescue efforts are focused on the wreckage of the 17-storey building, where more than 100 people are listed as missing and are suspected to be buried deep under the rubble. Earlier, Wang Ting-yu, a legislator who represents the area, told reporters that a woman, identified as Tsao Wei-ling, was found alive, lying under her dead husband. Their two-year-old son, who was also killed, was found nearby. Another survivor, a man named Li Tsung-tian, was pulled out later, with Taiwan television stations showing live images of the rescues. Several hours later, Li's girlfriend was found dead in the rubble. Tsao and Li were both being treated in hospital. Tainan Mayor William Lai said during a visit to a funeral home that rescue efforts had entered what he called the "third stage". "There are more fatalities than those pulled out (alive), and the number of fatalities will probably exceed 100," Lai told reporters. Rescuers continued to scramble over the twisted wreckage of the building as numbed family members stood around, waiting for news of missing relatives. Taiwan's government said in a statement 36 of the 38 dead were from the Wei-guan building, which was built in 1994. President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who won election last month, said there needed to be a "general sorting out" of old buildings to make sure they were able to cope with disasters like earthquakes. "There needs to be a continued strengthening of their ability to deal with disasters," she said. Outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou, speaking to reporters at a Tainan hospital, said the government needed to be a better job in ensuring building quality. "In the near future, regarding building management, we will have some further improvements. We will definitely do this work well," Ma said. Reuters witnesses at the scene of the collapse saw large rectangular, commercial cans of cooking-oil packed inside wall cavities exposed by the damage, apparently having been used as building material. Chinese President Xi Jinping also conveyed condolences to the victims, state news agency Xinhua reported late on Sunday, and repeated Beijing's offer to provide help. China views self-ruled Taiwan as a wayward province, to be bought under its control by force if necessary. (Additional reporting by Faith Hung in TAIPEI and Megha Rajagopalan in BEIJING; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Paul Tait and Nick Macfie)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. military officer is due to discuss North Korea's latest satellite launch with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts this week, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen military ties among the three countries, U.S. defense officials said on Monday. U.S. Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be in Hawaii, home to U.S. Pacific Command, for the meeting, which was scheduled before the North Korea launch, which has been widely criticized around the world. It was not immediately clear if the South Korean and Japanese chiefs of staff would participate in the meeting in person or via secure video teleconference, said the sources. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Chris Reese)
By David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China agrees any new U.N. resolution on North Korea will include additional sanctions and go beyond previous steps, but Washington is urging Beijing to put even more pressure on Pyongyang after its recent nuclear test and rocket launch, a senior U.S. official said on Monday. China is in "unique position" as North Korea's neighbor and ally to compel it to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, the official told Reuters, as U.N. diplomats sought to craft a new sanctions resolution. "Its clear to me that our Chinese friends have indicated that the U.N. Security Councils response will include sanctions and does need to go beyond previous resolutions," he said. "The key of course is what exactly are the specific actions that we are going to take together and thats the focus of our efforts right now." the official said. "We have made clear that China can do more and needs to do more." China and the United States have not entirely seen eye to eye on how strong the response should be to North Korea since its Jan. 6 nuclear test, with Washington urging harsh punitive measures and Beijing stressing the need for dialogue. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jingping spoke on Friday, a day before North Korea launched a long-range rocket it said was carrying a satellite but which Western officials believe was a test of ballistic missile technology. The official said Washington and Beijing remained in close touch on how to respond to North Korea. The U.N. Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned North Korea's rocket launch and promised to take action, while Washington vowed to ensure the 15-nation body imposed "serious consequences" on Pyongyang as soon as possible. The official said the response needed "to demonstrate very clearly again that there are consequences to these actions and the international community is prepared to take practical steps to restrict North Koreas ability to fund these programs." One diplomat told Reuters that Washington was hoping to tighten international restrictions on North Korea's banking system, while Beijing was reluctant to support that step for fear of worsening conditions in its impoverished neighbor. The United States and South Korea announced after the missile test they had begun formal discussions about the possibility of deploying an advanced missile defense system to which China has objected, arguing it could undermine its strategic deterrent. The U.S. official said the United States had told China that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, was "a defensive system, designed specifically to counter the threat from North Korea" and not aimed at China. Beijing, at odds with the United States over Washington's reaction to its building of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, quickly expressed "deep concern" about a system whose radar could penetrate Chinese territory. "When pursuing its own security, one country should not impair others' security interests," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement. (Reproting by David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason in Washington and Louis Charbonneau at the United Nations; Editing by Peter Cooney)
By Scott Malone and Valerie Vande Panne BOSTON (Reuters) - A winter storm was expected to bring more than a foot (30 cm) of snow and howling winds to parts of southern New England on Monday, closing schools and government offices, snarling travel and flooding low-lying coastal areas. Snow was falling in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire on Monday, with police and elected officials urging residents to avoid unnecessary travel. Wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour (100 kph) were expected in parts of coastal southeastern Massachusetts, raising the risk of downed trees and power outages, officials said. Numerous highway crashes were reported throughout the region, including in Connecticut where a chartered bus headed to a casino rolled over on a busy interstate highway. Nineteen passengers, three of whom were critically injured, were transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment, the hospital said. "We urge all those who must travel to use added caution, allow extra time to travel, and reduce speeds as conditions warrant," said Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy. Travel was expected to remain difficult through the evening, officials said. "The heavy snow that's going to fall in southeastern Massachusetts, especially combined with those heavy winds, 50 to 60 miles per hour, raises some very significant hazards," Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker told reporters. Falling tree limbs killed two people including a 6-year-old girl in Canton, Massachusetts, during a Friday snowstorm. As much as 9 inches (23 cm) of snow was forecast for the Boston area. Officials released photos showing water flowing onto streets in the communities of Hull and Scituate, south of Boston, and police through the region warned that coastal roads had been closed to prevent cars from being damaged or washed away by the heavy surf. Winter storm warnings were in effect from New York through coastal Maine and officials in Philadelphia and New York said they would be sending police out to encourage homeless people sleeping outdoors to come in to city shelters. One of every three flights was canceled at Boston Logan International Airport, according to Flightaware.com. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, church pastor Kent French, 48, had given up efforts to ride his bike over the snowy roads and was instead pushing it home. "I was working in a local cafe," French said. "It's worse now than this morning. I don't have the right tires for it." (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Andrew Hay)
By Brendan O'Brien MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - A Wisconsin couple allowed their 9-year-old daughter to drive them and their 11-month-old baby because they were too drunk to do so themselves, according to Polk County Circuit Court records. Jason Roth, 36, and Amanda Eggert, 32, pleaded not guilty at the court on Friday to charges of recklessly endangering safety and neglecting a child, according to the online records. On Jan. 31, a sheriff's deputy responded to a call about an erratic driver and found the couple and their children parked at a boat drop in Polk County, about 75 miles northeast of Minneapolis, according to a criminal complaint. The deputy arrested the couple when he learned that their 9-year-old daughter was driving them and their baby home in their pickup truck because they were both intoxicated, according to the complaint from the county prosecutor's office. Eggert also faces several charges stemming from a fight she had with paramedics who arrived to help her with a cut on her hand suffered when she was snowmobiling earlier in the day, court records showed. Lawyers for the couple were not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
A man suspected of detonating a bomb on a Somali passenger plane had initially intended to board a Turkish Airlines flight, the company's chief said Monday.

The February 2 blast ripped a hole in the fuselage of the Daallo Airlines plane shortly after it took off from Somalia's main airport, killing the suspected bomber and forcing an emergency landing.

"The passengers were intended for another airline, Turkish Airlines," Daallo Airlines chief executive officer Mohamed Ibrahim Yasin Olad told AFP.

But the Turkish plane did not turn up and Daallo Airlines agreed to fly the passengers onwards to Djibouti.

Somali intelligence officials on Sunday released surveillance footage appearing to show a passenger being given a laptop in which the bomb was concealed.

At least 15 people have been arrested.

A passenger believed to be the bomber, identified as Abdulahi Abdisalam, was killed, probably after being propelled out of the aircraft in the explosion, investigators said.

Two of the 74 passengers were slightly injured.

The blast punched a one-metre (three-foot) hole in the side of the Airbus A321 about 15 minutes after it had taken off from Somalia's capital Mogadishu.

"The investigation is in the hands of the authorities in Somalia," said Olad, speaking by telephone from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Daallo Airlines operates flights across Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa and Gulf region.

Mogadishu airport is heavily fortified and adjoins the capital's main base of the African Union mission to Somalia, the 22,000-strong force backing the government in the battle against Islamist Shebab insurgents.

While the Shebab has been East Africa's longtime Al-Qaeda-affiliate, some factions last year reportedly split to pledge their allegiance to the Islamic State group.

They have made no claim of carrying out a bomb attack on the plane.

Turkey has blamed IS militants for a string of suicide bombings in major cities. In January, 10 German tourists were killed in an attack in Istanbul, while more than 100 lost their lives in October in the capital Ankara in the deadliest attack in Turkey's modern .

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Turkey is also a major donor to and investor in Somalia and their relations date back centuries.

Since famine devastated parts of the Horn of Africa nation in 2011, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has forged close ties with Mogadishu and launched a raft of construction and development projects.

Turkish Airlines is one of the only major international airlines to fly regularly to Mogadishu.

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Sweden's Goran Marby was Monday named head of the body that manages Internet addresses, pledging to uphold checks and balances as it steps out from under US government oversight. Marby, director-general of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority, will take charge in May of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) as the nonprofit transitions to become an independent non-governmental body. In an exclusive interview with AFP, Marby described ICANN as evolving and vowed to keep it on course under what is known as "multistakeholder" governance, bringing in business and academia as well as government users of the Internet. "The stakeholder model has proven its strength," said Marby, who will succeed Fadi Chehade as president and chief executive at ICANN. "It is important for me to continue that evolution. That is the way of going forward right now." While the transition will not change how the Internet works, it will help reassure users, businesses and governments about its integrity, according to supporters who see it as a symbolic move towards asserting the web's independence. The multistakeholder model is intended to allow virtually all users, in the public and private sector, to participate in Internet governance -- as opposed to a "multilateral" system controlled by governments. A transition plan being prepared since early 2014 is undergoing final touches before being delivered to the US government, and is on track for completion this year, ICANN says. "The beauty of the stakeholder model is that it is like the Internet," Marby said. "The Internet is very distributed, so there are many checks and balances in the system to make sure it works. It is an unusual model but it is a working model and it is proven." - Steep learning curve - Marby's experience working with telecoms and technology stretches back more than 20 years, but he considers himself more business manager than geek. "All my career I have been working with networks and the Internet and information security," Marby told AFP. "When this opportunity came around to continue to contribute to something that is so important, that was an opportunity I could not pass." Sweden's PTS is a government agency that oversees communications industries including telephone Internet, and radio. Before becoming its director-general in 2010, Marby spent about seven years as the chief of security software company AppGate, which he co-founded. His background includes a stints with computer networks firms Cygate Group and Cisco. Marby holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Gothenburg. The 53-year-old Swedish citizen will move with his family from Stockholm to Los Angeles, where ICANN has offices. "I am going to be on a really steep learning curve, but that is going to be part of the fun," he said. - Symbolic shift - If the US government approves the plan, the contract between ICANN and the US government will expire September 30. Outgoing ICANN chief Chehade said in an interview last month in Washington the change is symbolic. "People have aggrandized the role of the US government in what we do; but the change is actually minimal," Chehade said. "It's important symbolically because the US was really a steward for the Internet, but for day-to-day accountability, it is minimal." The US government has said it would seek to avoid any model that gives government authorities too much power in Internet management. Chehade said that without US oversight, ICANN would be managing the technical functions of the Internet under the supervision of a 16-member board which is designed to maintain diverse representation. "We have a very solid process that ensures this is not a capturable board," which can be hijacked by governments or other institutions, he said.
The international media coverage on Malaysia and its financial scandals are affecting the country and its economy, but despite this, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak appears to have a stronger hold on power, say political observers. They added that while Putrajaya was putting up a brave front against all the negative reporting, there was concern within the government and civil service over how to contain the damage. Head of think tank Centre for Policy Initiatives, Lim Teck Ghee, said that even in the "bad old days of the Mahathir regime", the negative reporting did not reach this extent. Lim said the main concern now was that foreign investors and businesses will review their positions while some will decide not to park their money here under the current unstable conditions. He said that while Putrajaya appears not to care publicly, there was concern in the government and within the civil service on how to contain the damage. "Najib and his supporters must be having sleepless nights wondering when the next media disclosure and revelation will be," he told The Malaysian Insider. He added that while it was business as usual for now, other stakeholders would start to speak up when public sentiment turns drastically against the prime minister. "Once the flow of investments dry up, the ringgit plunges further and public sentiment against the PM takes a turn for the worse, we will see a response from major stake players other than the PMO," Lim said, referring to the Prime Minister's Office. Veteran newsman Datuk A. Kadir Jasin (pic) said that the current negative news on Malaysia was unlike the 1998 crisis involving sacked deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said this time around, it involves corruption, abuse of power and restrictions on civil liberty, attributes not tolerated in the West. He added that in the past, the administration did not have to be too concerned about bad press as the people were generally behind the government. "The foreign media could say whatever they wanted then, but the impact on domestic politics was not that great, the people were more or less behind the government. "And if the head of government is credible, he does not have to depend on his ministers or his ambassadors to defend him. "But unfortunately, what we are seeing now is that the ministers who are talking on his behalf are not too credible," Kadir said. Kadir did not mention names, but Communications and Multimedia minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak recently accused Switzerlands attorney-general of breaking protocol and circulating misinformation alleging that billions of dollars had been stolen from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB). Also, Malaysian ambassador to the UK and Northern Ireland Datuk Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi defended Najib after the prime minister's leadership was labelled "disastrous" by the Financial Times (FT) newspaper. Kadir said foreign media carrying negative news about Malaysia were "credible and highly respected" agencies and papers in their own countries. Malaysia, he said, should be concerned about the impact of such reports on the economy. "We should be worried about what the people are thinking and how they are reacting to the bad news about the country. "But I understand the attitude of Putrajaya, I think they are more concerned and preoccupied with the narrow interests of the government than the bigger issues, which is survival," Kadir added. Wong Chin Huat (pic), a fellow at think tank Penang Institute, said that in any other country, such a continuous flow of bad press would have led to widespread public protest, followed by a revolt within the ruling party. "But the streets of Kuala Lumpur and provincial capitals are calm as if nothing has happened. "In fact, Najib has a stronger grasp of his party. "This is because Umno warlords do not know how to remove him without damaging the party state," he said. Wong said the other problem was that Malaysians did not have a consensus on how the new Malaysia should be after Umno. "Some want the continuity of the NEP paradigm and greater Islamisation while others want a more inclusive and open Malaysia," he said, referring to the New Economic Policy. Wong also said that in the past, opposition coalitions tried to put aside differences such as "Bumiputeraism" and the hudud agenda but these efforts failed. "Why should Umno allow the opposition to postpone their disagreement and not split them? "Because there is no clear alternative to Najib within Umno and to Umno within the nation, Najib will be here to stay while the country sinks every time a new scandal hits us," he said. Wong said the only way around this was for sincere and honest dialogue to overcome mutual distrust and to reach a national consensus that corrupt leaders will not be tolerated. Political analyst Oh Ei Sun from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, in Singapore agreed that Malaysia was in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, but did not think it would severely impact Putrajaya or the economy. He said this was because the international community still viewed Malaysia as a moderate Muslim-majority country, superior to many of its Middle Eastern counterparts. "Domestically all these international pressures amount to nothing at all, as they simply could not be translated into substantial local political activism," he said. Putrajaya did not really have to worry about what the international media was reporting, given the power of incumbency in Malaysian politics, he said. "The reality of Malaysian politics is that the power of incumbency is extremely large, not the least because Dr Mahathir concentrated powers on the head of the executive during his reign. "Additional laws were passed in the past year which further strengthens the power of the prime minister or his government. "And there is also the patronage politics. Short of a loss of the will to rule, as was the case with Badawi, there is simply no way to bring down a sitting prime minister," Oh said, in reference to two former prime ministers, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He said that Putrajaya could also afford not to care about the negative reporting as the reality of international politics was such that global concerns such as rampant terrorism overrode other non-violent concerns. "There is simply no way to bring down an incumbent national leader by means of international charges, not even those charged with war crimes or crimes against humanity," Oh added.  February 9, 2016.
QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - At least nine people were killed and 35 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up near a military convoy in Pakistan's western city of Quetta on Saturday, police and hospital officials said. Pakistani Taliban spokesman Muhammad Khurasani told Reuters that the group, also known as the TTP, was responsible for the attack in the capital of the province of Baluchistan. The bombing was the latest in a region which is home to the planned route of a $46 billion China-Pakistan economic corridor. "The suicide bomber was riding a bicycle close to a Frontier Corps vehicle," said senior police official Imtiaz Shah, referring to the branch of Pakistan's paramilitary forces targeted in the attack. At least three Frontier Corps personnel were killed and 15 were injured in the attack that occurred in the city centre in the late afternoon, Frontier Corps spokesman Khan Wasey said. A 12-year-old girl was also among the dead, said Ajab Khan, a doctor at the city's Civil Hospital, where the casualties were taken. Rich in resources, Baluchistan is at the heart of the multi-billion-dollar energy and infrastructure projects which China and Pakistan are planning along a corridor stretching from the Arabian Sea to China's Xinjiang region. The province, the poorest and least developed in Pakistan, has seen nearly a decade of separatist violence against the government and non-Baluch ethnic groups. Baluch activists and human rights groups claim the military has carried out a campaign of kidnapping, torture and extrajudicial killing of suspected separatists, and a security crackdown has severely limited freedom of movement. In January, five Pakistani soldiers and two coast guard members were killed in separate attacks in the province, and a suicide bomber killed at least 15 people outside a polio eradication centre in Quetta. (Reporting by Gul Yousufzai; Additional reporting by Asad Hashim in Islamabad and Saud Mehsud in Dera Ismail Khan; Writing by Krista Mahr; Editing by Andrew Bolton)
Beleaguered rebels in northern Syria faced double defeat on Monday by both the Russian-backed regime and advancing Kurdish militia, as tens of thousands of displaced amassed on the Turkish border. The worsening refugee crisis has pushed Germany and Turkey to ask NATO for help policing Turkey's shores, after two dozen more migrants drowned there en route to Greece. In Ankara, German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with Turkish leaders, saying the two countries would ask a meeting of NATO defence ministers whether and how NATO could support coastguards. Merkel said she was "horrified" by the suffering of people stranded on the Syrian-Turkish border after fleeing fighting in northern Syria. Fierce clashes in the north of Aleppo province -- sparked by a week-long government assault with Russian air support -- have displaced tens of thousands of people. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said his government fears that violence could drive as many as 600,000 refugees to its border in a "worst case scenario". The United Nations so far estimates that 31,000 people have fled from areas near and in Aleppo city, a vast majority of them women and children, according to Linda Tom, spokeswoman of the UN's humanitarian aid organisation. Eight informal camps on the Syrian side of the border are at "full capacity", she said, amid reports that refugees are sleeping rough in fields and on roads. Government troops and allied forces have seized a string of rebel-held villages, taking them to about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Turkey. "It's the first time since 2013 that the Syrian regime has been this close to the Turkish border in Aleppo province," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor. - Rebels 'collapsing' - Kurdish forces have also pushed further east from their bastion in Afrin, seizing six villages in recent days after rebel groups withdrew. Opposition fighters are now squeezed "between the pincers of the army, which is pushing north, Kurdish forces coming from the west, and IS which dominates the east," Abdel Rahman said. The regime offensive, one of the largest yet in the north, has cut a major rebel supply route out of Aleppo city. Regime forces now have their sights set on taking Tal Rifaat, one of three remaining rebel bastions north of the provincial capital. After capturing the village of Kafeen late Sunday, government forces are now just five kilometres (three miles) south of Tal Rifaat. According to analyst Fabrice Balanche, Syria's regime aims to "close off the Turkish border to deprive the rebels of their logistical support". - 'Total impunity' of regime - More than 260,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria's bloody war, which diplomatic efforts have so far failed to resolve. The most recent round of UN-brokered indirect negotiations in Geneva last month was "suspended" until February 25. Last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told The Financial Times newspaper that "aerial bombing continued" when the talks began, making it "extremely difficult" for negotiations to take place. On Monday, Moscow sharply criticised Ban, saying he had "practically" accused Russia of torpedoing the talks. "This is clearly not what happened," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "We have always considered and continue to consider that comments from the chief administrator of an global organisation... should remain impartial and objective." After talks in Washington between their top diplomats, the United States and Saudi Arabia said Monday they will push for an immediate ceasefire in Syria at international talks later this week. US Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir met ahead of the broader negotiations in Munich in Thursday. Both cited UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access to besieged Syrian towns. "And we hope that when we meet in Munich in the next few days, we'll be in a position where we can make progress on that goal," Kerry said. In a scathing report published on Monday, UN investigators accused the Damascus government of "exterminating" prisoners in regime jails and detention centres. "The mass scale of deaths of detainees suggests that the government of Syria is responsible for acts that amount to extermination as a crime against humanity," commission head Paulo Pinheiro told reporters in Geneva. "Nearly every surviving detainee has emerged from custody having suffered unimaginable abuses." Based on 621 interviews -- many of them with former detainees who witnessed deaths while in custody -- the report adds to a huge body of evidence from the commission and others, detailing horrific abuse, torture and killings in Syrian-run jails.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Talks are under way about a ceasefire and humanitarian access for civilians in the five-year-old Syrian civil war and it will be clear within days whether that is possible, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday. "The modalities of a ceasefire itself are also being discussed and the Russians have made some constructive ideas about how a ceasefire in fact could be implemented," Kerry told reporters. "But if its just talks for the sake of talks in order to continue the bombing, nobody is going to accept that, and we will know that in the course of the next days." U.N.-led peace talks in Geneva were halted on Feb. 3 after the Syrian army, backed by Russian air strikes, advanced against rebel forces north of Aleppo, choking off humanitarian supply lines to civilians. The talks were the first attempt to negotiate an end to Syrian's war in two years. The opposition has said it will not negotiate unless the government stops bombarding civilian areas, lifts blockages on besieged towns and releases detainees. Kerry said Russia and Assad were not in compliance with a U.N. Security Council resolution, which calls for immediate humanitarian access and an end to aerial bombardment of civilians. He said there was evidence that Russia was using "dumb" bombs to kill civilians in "large numbers" in Syria. "This has to stop," Kerry said, "Nobody has any question about that. But it's not going to stop just by whining about it. It's not going to stop by walking away from the table or not engaging," he added. "The next days will tell the story of whether or not people are serious or people are not serious," said Kerry, adding that talks underway were about providing quick humanitarian access to civilians and a ceasefire. Kerry travels to Munich next week for talks with Russia, Iran and other parties involved in the Syrian conflict. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Eric Beech and Alistair Bell)
Twenty-four migrants, including 11 children, drowned in the Aegean Sea on Monday as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, Dogan news agency said. The agency initially said at least 35 migrants had died in two separate accidents off western Turkey, but later reported that there was a single incident with 24 deaths. The migrants died when their boat sank off the district of Edremit in the western province of Balikesir in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos, Dogan said. Two were rescued both by air and by sea in a search and rescue operation by the Turkish coastguard, Dogan news agency said. Twelve were still missing. Turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syria's civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty to Europe. The deaths came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Turkish officials in Ankara for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros ($3.2 billion) in financial assistance. The EU on Wednesday finally reached an agreement on how to finance the deal. But the deal and the onset of winter do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the number of refugees and migrants who perished in the Mediterranean in January alone topped 360. In January, almost 62,200 migrants and refugees entered Europe through Greece, according to the IOM, most of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
MALE (Reuters) - Police in the Maldives arrested a judge and former prosecutor general over their alleged involvement in a fraudulent court order to arrest President Abdulla Yameen, a presidential spokesman said on Monday. But the main opposition, led by former president Mohamed Nasheed, said the government was trying to cover up corruption, including money laundering. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges last March over the alleged abduction of a judge, after a rapid trial that drew international condemnation. He is now in London for surgery. On Sunday, a magistrate's court from an atoll close to the Maldives capital Male, issued an arrest warrant for Yameen in a police investigation, government officials and police said. In a statement, the police said a group of individuals influenced a judge to issue the warrant against Yameen. Some of them tried to get police to act on the false court order, while another group of activists tried to stage a gathering outside Yameen's official residence, police said. "The warrant is fraudulent because it didn't originate from any official authority," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Hussain Shihab told Reuters. Former Prosecutor General Muhuthaz Muhsin, who was impeached by parliament last year, and Ahmed Nihan, a magistrate's court judge, were arrested on Sunday after an initial probe, he added. The judge was charged "for making an invalid court order under the name of the Maafushi magistrate court to arrest the president," his arrest warrant said. Muhsin was later released and his lawyer said there was "not an iota of evidence" to charge his client, while a lawyer representing Nihan said his client never signed the arrest warrant and the signature was forged. Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said it had evidence to implicate President Yameen in corrupt activities, however. "Nasheed calls on the Maldives Police Service to uphold the law, and not to attempt to cover up evidence of President Yameens involvement in corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing," the MDP said in a statement. (Reporting by Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal in Colombo and Daniel Bosley in Male; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Tom Heneghan)
By Anjali Athavaley and Melissa Fares NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump lost his social media dominance for the first time during the Republican presidential debates as the candidates made their eighth showing Saturday night in New Hampshire. Instead, many on Twitter took to mocking contender Senator Marco Rubio, who came under heavy attack on Saturday from rivals. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also saw a big bump in his share of the social conversation. By the end of the night, Trump, who has the most followers, still received the largest share of mentions on Twitter Inc, with 33 percent compared to Rubio's 20 percent. Ted Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, came in third, with 15 percent. But Twitter said an hour into the debate that Rubio was the most tweeted about candidate on the social media platform, marking the first time a candidate other than Trump came out on top within that time frame. Overall, Rubio received 10 more mentions per minute on Twitter than he did during the last Republican debate on Jan. 28, according to social media analytics firm Zoomph. Three days before New Hampshire's primary for the November 8 election, many of the mentions were negative as Rubio became a target for continuing to repeat many of the same lines from his campaign stump speech. "Marco, the thing is this," said rival Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, "when you're president of the United States, when you're a governor of a state, the memorized 30-second speech where you talk about how great America is at the end of it doesn't solve one problem for one person." That moment was measured by Twitter as one of the top social moments of the night. Actress Mia Farrow, @MiaFarrow, tweeted, "Rubio keeps saying the same thing." A Marco Rubio Glitch (@RubioGlitch) account also emerged, gaining nearly 1,200 followers as of Saturday night as it parodied Rubio as a robot in tweets in Spanish and English. Rubio also had his worst performance yet with millennials on the popular messaging app Yik Yak, where he had a 44 percent disapproval rating. In contrast, Ohio Governor John Kasich had his best performance with millennials, earning a 41.4 approval rating, and maintaining the largest share of the conversation on Yik Yak. The debate was also a big night on social media for Christie, who has rarely been a top contender in social mentions. According to Brandwatch, a social media analytics firm, he had the second highest percentage of positive social mentions, 61.5 percent, compared to Trump's 62.5 percent. Tyler Freeman (@tyfreem) tweeted, "#GOPDebate Chris Christie has been most underrated candidate the whole campaign. He finally stood out tonight. One of the best performances." (Reporting by Anjali Athavaley; Editing by Leela de Kretser and Mary Milliken)
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Sunday it and the United States would begin discussion on deploying an advanced missile-defence system to South Korea to counter the growing threat of North Koreas weapons capabilities. U.S. military officials have said the sophisticated system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) was needed in South Korea, which faces the threat of an increasingly advanced North Korean missile programme. "If THAAD is deployed to the Korean peninsula, it will be only operated against North Korea," Yoo Jeh-seung, a senior official at the South Korean defence ministry said in a joint news conference with Thomas S. Vandal, commander of the Eighth U.S. Army based in South Korea. North Korea launched a long-range rocket earlier on Sunday carrying what it has called a satellite. South Korea, other neighbours and Washington denounced the launch as a missile test. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Rebels in northern Syria were under attack on multiple fronts Monday from Russian-backed regime forces, advancing Kurdish militia and Islamic State group jihadists. One week into an assault on opposition-held areas of Aleppo province that has caused tens of thousands to flee, troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have seized a string of villages. Aided by Russian air strikes and allied militia including Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, regime troops are now around 20 kilometres (14 miles) from the Turkish frontier. "It's the first time since 2013 that the Syrian regime has been this close to the Turkish border in Aleppo province," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor. Opposition fighters are now squeezed "between the pincers of the army, which is pushing north, Kurdish forces coming from the west, and IS which dominates the east," he said. The regime offensive, one of the largest yet in the north, has cut a major rebel supply route out of Aleppo city. Regime forces now have their sights set on taking Tal Rifaat, one of three remaining rebel bastions north of Aleppo city. With their capture of the village of Kafeen late Sunday, government troops are stationed only five kilometres (three miles) south of Tal Rifaat. A rebel spokesman blamed the losses of villages in Aleppo province on the lack of support from regional powers opposed to Assad. - 'Rebel areas collapsing' - "The difference between them and us, it's that we don't benefit from the help of our allies, while the regime gets all sort of support from its allies," said Haitham Hammo, a spokesman for Jabha Shamiya (Levant Front). "This means the areas held by the revolutionaries are collapsing," he told AFP. Since fighting intensified there in 2012, Aleppo province has been transformed into a patchwork of territories held by the government, rebels, Kurds, and jihadists. In the province's north, opposition fighters are centred in three main strongholds: Tal Rifaat, Marea -- under attack by IS -- and Azaz, which lies five kilometres from the Turkish border. All three towns fell to opposition fighters in 2012, just a year after the popular uprising against Assad's rule erupted. But in recent weeks, developments around Syria's second city Aleppo have put serious pressure on rebels there. On Sunday night, Kurdish fighters took control of three villages east of Afrin after clashes with rebels, who were urged to leave by residents to avoid Russian air strikes, Abdel Rahman said. The Kurds are one of the most powerful fighting forces on the ground in Syria and have scored significant victories against IS. - 'What peace negotiations?' - About 350,000 civilians are now stuck in the opposition-held eastern parts of Aleppo city, bombarded daily by government forces. On Monday, 10 civilians were killed in an air strike on the rebel-held Salhin neighbourhood of the city, according to the Observatory. With the city nearly completely surrounded, the fear is that residents of opposition-held areas will face severe shortages of basic goods. "What peace negotiations are they talking about when the regime is transforming the people here into human remains?" said Abu Ahmad, a resident of Aleppo. Peace talks in Geneva quickly collapsed last week amid rebel anger over the government offensive. Further north in the Shiite villages of Nubol and Zahraa, where regime forces recently broke a three-year rebel siege, steady transport routes with Damascus have finally resumed, an AFP journalist said. Three people were killed there Monday when rebels nearby fired rockets into the villages, according to the Observatory. If rebels lose Aleppo, it would be a major turning point in the nearly five-year war, which has left more than 260,000 people dead. In Damascus province, regime forces began a siege of the rebel bastion of Daraya over the weekend, prompting the opposition National Coalition to warn Monday of an "imminent massacre".
By Emily Stephenson MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Donald Trump and Marco Rubio could be top targets for rivals' fire on Saturday when seven Republican White House hopefuls take the stage in New Hampshire for their eighth debate, just days before the state's high-stakes primary. Billionaire Trump held a wide lead in polls in New Hampshire, with U.S. Senator Rubio of Florida second in a rapid rise ahead of Tuesday's primary, part of the series of contests to pick the nominee for the Nov. 8 presidential election. Trump and Rubio have taken flak from competitors as candidates launched an all-out offensive across New Hampshire. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush attacked Trump for using profane language and brought out his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, who accused Trump of misogyny over his criticisms of a Fox News anchor. Bush and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also went after Rubio. All three are vying for the favor of establishment Republicans in New Hampshire. Christie on Friday released videos mocking Rubio for appearing scripted on the campaign trail. And Bush, a former mentor to Rubio, unveiled an ad showing Rick Santorum, who left the race this week and endorsed Rubio, apparently struggling to name any of the senator's accomplishments. Rubio finished third in Iowa on Monday, behind U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Trump. On Friday, Rubio won the endorsement of another ex-candidate, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Ohio Governor John Kasich, who will also participate in Saturday's debate, argued that Republicans won't win elections by bashing each other. Kasich has placed much of his White House hopes on New Hampshire, where he held his 100th town hall event on Friday. "Part of the campaign is not just about how you trash somebody else. The way you win a campaign is what you're for, your heart and your brain, that's what it's really all about," Kasich said. But it could be a tough message to absorb in a tense week. Trump, Cruz and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson have engaged in a three-way stand-off since Cruz's surprise Iowa win. Trump called for the results to be nullified over reports that Cruz supporters told caucus-goers Carson was dropping out. A new Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll found Trump leading in New Hampshire with 29 percent, followed by Rubio and Kasich. Not on stage will be businesswoman Carly Fiorina, who failed to meet host network ABC's requirements to qualify. Fiorina released an open letter excoriating the debate process as "broken." (Reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Leslie Adler)
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council on Sunday condemned North Korea's latest rocket launch and vowed to take "significant measures" in response to Pyongyang's violations of U.N. resolutions, Venezuela's U.N. ambassador said. "The members of the Security Council strongly condemned this launch," Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, president of the council this month, told reporters. He said the launch was "a serious violation of Security Council resolutions." U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. DPRK's (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer." The United States and China began discussing a U.N. sanctions resolution after Pyongyang's Jan. 6 atomic test. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seven years after the United States banned waterboarding as an interrogation tactic, two Republican presidential candidates said on Saturday they would revive its use and one of them, billionaire businessman Donald Trump, would go even further. "I would bring back waterboarding and I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding," Trump said during Saturday night's Republican debate on ABC, days before New Hampshire holds its primary for the Nov. 8 election. Trumps's rival and a fellow leader in the opinion polls, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, said he would only allow limited use of the practice. Waterboarding - the practice of pouring water over someones face to mimic drowning as an interrogation tactic - remains controversial in the United States even after Democratic President Barack Obama banned use of the method days after he took office in 2009. The Senate Intelligence Committee released a report in 2014, despite the objection of Republicans, that detailed what it called torture tactics used by the Central Intelligence Agency, including the extensive use of waterboarding. Waterboarding came into more common use by the United States during the early days of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. American interrogators utilized the tactic to try to garner more information from captives, but critics argued the method never actually yielded any intelligence information. Republicans have been critical of Obama's decision to eliminate the practice, saying it telegraphs a position of weakness to the nation's enemies and concedes that the United States erred in using waterboarding. Cruz said he would not "bring it back in any sort of widespread use" and noted that he doesn't believe waterboarding meets the international definition for torture. "If it were necessary to, say, prevent a city from facing an imminent terrorist attack, you can rest assured that as commander in chief, I would use whatever enhanced interrogation methods we could to keep this country safe, Cruz said. Florida Senator Marco Rubio declined to say definitively whether he would reinstitute the use of waterboarding. "We should not be discussing in a widespread way the exact tactics that we're going to use because that allows terrorists to know to practice how to evade us," Rubio said. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said he would not employ waterboarding. "Congress has changed the laws and I... think where we stand is the appropriate place," said Bush. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Mary Milliken)
By Amanda Becker DURHAM, N.H. (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton went on the attack against rival Bernie Sanders on Thursday in their most contentious presidential debate yet, questioning whether his ambitious proposals were viable and accusing him of an "artful smear" in suggesting she could be bought by political donations. Sanders fought back repeatedly, questioning Clinton's progressive credentials and portraying her as a creature of the political establishment in a debate that featured heated exchanges on healthcare, college tuition funding and efforts to rein in Wall Street. The intensity reflected a race that has seen Clinton's once prohibitive lead in polls shrivel against Sanders as the two vie for the Democratic nomination for the Nov. 8 election. One of Clinton's most forceful remarks came in response to a suggestion by Sanders that she could be influenced by political donations by Wall Street. "Enough is enough. If you've got something to say, say it directly," she said. "But you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received. "So I think it's time to end the very artful smear that you and your campaign have been carrying out," she said. Clinton charged that Sanders' proposal for single-payer universal healthcare coverage would jeopardise Obamacare, calling it "a great mistake," and said his plans for free college education would be too costly to be realistic. "I can get things done. I'm not making promises I can't keep," Clinton said. Sanders said he would not dismantle Obamacare but would expand it, pointing to the many other countries that provide universal healthcare. "I do not accept the belief that the United States of America cant do that," Sanders said. "By moving forward, rallying the American people, I do believe we should have healthcare for all." Sanders said his proposal for free tuition at public universities would be paid with a tax on Wall Street speculation. "The middle class bailed out Wall Street in their time of need. Now, it is Wall Street's time to help the middle class," he said. SANDERS LEADS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE POLLS Five days before New Hampshire holds the second of the state-by-state presidential nominating contests, opinion polls show Sanders, a U.S. senator from neighbouring Vermont, with a double-digit lead over Clinton after surprising the front-runner by finishing just barely behind her in Iowa on Monday. Clinton seemed energized by her underdog status in New Hampshire, delivering her most aggressive debate performance of the campaign. It was reminiscent of her 2008 run against Barack Obama, when she also began as the front-runner but became a sharper and less cautious candidate as she began to lose. The debate was the first since former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley dropped out on Monday after a poor finish in Iowa, giving the two candidates more freedom to directly engage each other. Sanders accused Clinton of representing "the establishment," while saying he represented "ordinary working Americans." He also noted her Super PAC had taken contributions from Wall Street firms and that Clinton received big speaking fees from Goldman Sachs. Clinton disputed the establishment label, saying it was "quite amusing" to accuse "a woman, running to be the first woman president, as the establishment." The two battled over who best represented progressive ideals. Sanders said he would lead a "political revolution," but Clinton questioned his ability to get his proposals through a Republican-led Congress. "A progressive is someone who makes progress," she said. And she attacked Sanders' own credentials as a progressive, bringing up his votes against the 1993 Brady bill that mandated federal background checks on gun purchases and his 2005 vote for a bill to protect gun manufacturers and dealers from lawsuits. "If we're going to get into labels, I don't think it was particularly progressive to vote against the Brady bill five times," she said. "I don't think it was progressive to vote to give gun makers and sellers immunity." Sanders repeated his earlier pledge not to attack Clinton on the controversy over her use of a private email account and a private server for government business when she was secretary of state. "I will not politicize it," he said. But Sanders renewed his attacks on Clinton for her Senate vote to authorise the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which she has since called a mistake. He pointed out he voted against the war, which he said had led to the rise of the Islamic State militant group. "Look we did differ," Clinton responded. "A vote in 2002 is not a plan to defeat ISIS. "We have to look at the threats that we face right now." Clinton has tried to play down expectations for her performance in New Hampshire, where she came from behind for an upset victory in the 2008 campaign just days after losing badly to Obama in Iowa. The surprisingly strong performance by Sanders in Iowa is likely to prolong a race that Clinton entered as the presumptive front-runner. In addition to previously scheduled debates in Wisconsin and Florida, the candidates added one in March in Flint, Michigan, to draw attention to the city's contaminated water crisis ahead of the Michigan primary. They also will debate in April and May. (Additional reporting by Alana Wise and Megan Cassella; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Three workers were killed and at least seven injured when a fire broke out on a Pemex oil processing platform in the Gulf of Mexico, but the latest in a string of incidents is now under control, the Mexican oil giant said via Twitter on Sunday. A spokesman for Pemex said oil continued to be pumped but that the company was still evaluating any impact on production. The platform did not have to be evacuated, according to a tweet. The fire occurred on the offshore Abkatun A Permanente processing platform in Mexico's oil-rich Bay of Campeche where a fire claimed seven lives in April last year, causing crude output from four nearby fields to plunge nearly 70 percent. Oil exploration and production is one of the most dangerous industries in the world and Pemex has one of the highest injury and fatality rates among oil companies, according to the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP). In December, five workers were hurt when a fire broke out at the Lazaro Cardenas refinery in Minatitlan in the Mexican Gulf coast state of Veracruz. Casualties of the Sunday fire include two Pemex workers and one employee of Cotemar, a firm based in Ciudad del Carmen that provides offshore services to Pemex, according to Cotemar's website. (Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez and Veronica Gomez, writing by Alexandra Alper; Editing by Simon Gardner, Mark Potter and Himani Sarkar)
By Shihar Aneez COLOMBO (Reuters) - Hundreds of hardline nationalists gathered outside the United Nations' office in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Saturday to protest against a visit by the U.N. human rights chief who will assess Sri Lanka's progress in prosecuting alleged war crimes. The U.N. says both Sri Lanka's military and the Tamil Tiger rebels most likely committed war crimes during a 26-year war which ended in 2009. A U.N. resolution calls for post-war reconciliation and that all alleged war crimes be investigated and tried in special courts by international judges. However, many Sri Lankans oppose foreign involvement and supporters of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa believe the U.N. resolution aims to punish the military unfairly despite defeating the Tamil Tigers. Although the coalition of President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to the resolution, the visit by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein follows comments by Sirisena saying that foreign participation was not needed for an impartial inquiry into the war. Al Hussein began his four-day visit to Sri Lanka by visiting the U.N. office in Colombo to meeting U.N. officials. Hours afterwards, protesters outside shouted "Al Hussein, hands off Sri Lanka" and "where were you when people in Afghanistan and Iraq were killed?". Some held banners which read, "no war crime courts, no foreign judges" and "don't send the military to guillotine". They also set posters bearing Zeid's face on fire and threw shoes and slippers at his image. "We will not allow to set up courts to fulfil the need of Western nations. Al Hussein has come here to take our war heroes to guillotine, but we won't allow that to happen," Wimal Weerawansa, the NFF leader told the gathering. Al Hussein said soon after his arrival he would meet Sri Lanka's highest officials as well as representatives of all communities. "I will be listening to everything that they have to say and look forward to a very constructive discussion in the days to come," he told reporters. (Additional reporting by Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
Three Hills Capital Partners has soared past 1bn for the final close of its fourth flagship fund, almost doubling the total it collected for its predecessor vehicle.
Modified On Feb 17, 2016 12:07 PM By Abhijeet for Hyundai i30

Hyundai India with its torrent of revealings, has now showcased the i30 premium hatchback at the Auto Expo. The car is an elder sibling of the i20, which is being sold in the Indian market. Hyundai i30 is already running in the European as well as various other markets around the globe, except India. It is expected that due to the growing popularity of premium hatchbacks in the Indian market, i30 can be on future launch cards of Hyundai. The car looks flamboyant as well as contemporary from every angle, with the rear profile resembling the earlier i20 sold in India. Inside also, there are a number of features that would appease the customers of the country. Here are the pictures of the Hyundai i30 that could set a new trend, if launched in the Indian market.

The car could be deemed as the hatchback version of Elantra that is popular D-segment sedan and is liked for its fluidic design. The Elantra has received a few updates from the day it was launched in India. Like the all black interiors, exterior tweaks And so on.

If Hyundai ever launched the i30 in the country, they might use the same engines used in the current version of Elantra. The Elantra gets the same 1.6 CRDI diesel as the Verna producing 128 PS of power, while the petrol is a 1.8-litre 150 PS motor.

Read More on : Hyundai i20 2016
Modified On Mar 15, 2016 02:47 PM By Nabeel

Jaguar Land Rover seems to be highly disappointed with the decision taken by the Supreme Court of India to ban cars in the National Capital, with engine capacity of 2,000cc or more. In a statement, the company said that the air which Jaguar diesel cars intake in Delhi is far dirtier" juxtaposed to what they emit. Jaguars XJ sedan only comes with a 3.0 litre V6 turbocharged diesel. The XF sedan comes with one petrol and two diesel option, in which the diesel engines have larger capacity than that of 2 litres. Thus the newly launched XE sedan has been smartly given two petrol options. Jaguar is also mulling whether to provide petrol variants for its various other models.

Ralph Speth, CEO of JLR, showcasing the company's disappointment told PTI, "If you ban these kind of vehicles, I don't understand. Sorry it is over my horizon." He also said, "The latest EU VI regulation schemes have got technical features, which (can) clean the air in Delhi. These kind of vehicles drive like a hoover... The air they suck in is far dirtier than the air which comes out of it."

He further said that to reduce pollution, other strict measures have to be taken - which includes banning of old cars and gaining control over industrial sources of pollution. He said, "not just come up with a single solution, exactly with wrong advice and wrong technology". He added, "I am an engineer. It (the order) has nothing to with market and nothing to do with anything. What triggered such a decision from a technology point of view? From a technological point of view this kind of decision is unreasonable."

Also Read: Jaguar XE Exclusive Image Gallery!
From the airport to the ATM, supermarket and gas pump, self-service has long been a staple in the modern consumer experience. And all indicators suggest it will play an even greater role in the future.

In fact, a recent Grand View Research report cited by kioskmarketplace.com estimates that the self-service technology market will reach $39 billion by 2022, and that it is growing in the U.S. at an annual growth rate of 9 percent.

More than ever, consumers today appreciate the speed and convenience of self-service, said Craig Beach, President/COO of Credit Union Service Corporation (CUSC), a part of CO-OP Shared Branching. Any steps credit unions can take to deliver on that value proposition in the branch will help them enhance the member experience.

Delivering Speed and Convenience

According to Beach, credit unions can maximize the benefits of self-service by integrating the technology into their branches  in conjunction with participation in shared branching. The industrys unique shared branching concept enables members of participating credit unions to visit another credit unions branch and conduct their business as if they were in their own home branch. The CO-OP Shared Branch network includes 5,400 branches in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Self-service and shared branching work together to bring even greater efficiencies and convenience to credit unions and their members, he said. For the member, shared branching can open up thousands of new locations. For credit unions, the right self-service platform makes it easy to serve guests in the branch and is a very economical way to capture that additional transaction revenue.

Beach notes that self-service is also ideally suited for shared branching because the vast majority of guest transactions are routine in nature and can be conducted through teller automation technology.

About half of all shared branching guests come into the branch for simple transactions such as cash withdrawals, so a standard ATM or kiosk platform will meet their needs most of the time, he said. However, occasionally they will want broader account access and more transactions than a standard ATM provides, so ensure that the technology you choose supports this paradigm.

Innovative Technology Drives the Member Experience

According to Beach, CO-OP delivers this level of functionality. The CO-OP Connect platform facilitates a software-solution that seamlessly connects members to all of their credit union accounts, including via use of self-service kiosk devices, he said.

Among the benefits of the CO-OP Connect platform, according to Beach, is that it allows members to help themselves when they are a visitor to a shared branch, enabling them to transact their business without the help of a teller. Self-service kiosks are a focal point of the growing number of CO-OP Shared Branch express locations, predominately self-service branches that allow 24/7 banking and often conveniently located in shopping malls and other retail venues.

Designed exclusively for self-service, express branches allow members to skip the teller line and complete routine transactions any time, day or night, said Beach.

He continued, Ultimately, self-service technology and shared branching brings together the best of both worlds for everyone involved. Credit unions receive tremendous economies of scale and an extended market reach, and members enjoy a multitude of new branch options they can access on the go.
GIB loses MD to EIB

Gregor Paterson-Jones has left the UK's Green Investment Bank (GIB) and joined the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), as an investment committee member.

Paterson-Jones joined the GIB in June 2013 and served as a managing director in the investment banking transaction and origination team.

The EFSI is a joint initiative by the European Investment Bank, the European Investment Fund, and the European Commission to mobilise private finance for strategic investments. It is a key pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe, or 'Juncker Plan', that aims to mobilise at least 315 billion ($352 billion) between 2015 and 2017.

Potential sectors for investment under the Plan include energy, transport, broadband, education, research and innovation.

WKN and John Laing partner to invest in French and Polish Wind

WKN AG and John Laing have signed an agreement to construct over 50MW of wind projects in France and Poland.

John Laing will provide financing for the projects, which will be constructed by WKN  a subsidiary of wind developer PNE Wind  over the next two years.

In September, John Laing agreed a biomass deal with the UK's Green Investment Bank. The firm's 'yieldco', John Laing Environment Fund is also an active investor in the renewable energy market and has a 'right of first offer' agreement with John Laing.

Businesses should apply 2C stress test, says EY

Companies should consider applying "a 2C stress test" to their business models in light of the international agreement on climate change action signed in Paris in December, say consultants EY.

The Paris Agreement commits countries to the collective aim of limiting the increase in average global temperatures to 2C above pre-industrial levels, with an aspiration for even tougher action.

Such a stress test would help companies understand the risks and opportunities arising from climate change mitigation efforts and the broader forces affecting their supply chains and customers, EY said in a report COP21 and the Paris Agreement: what it means for UK business.

In addition, "as owners of much of the physical assets and infrastructure at risk from the impact of climate change, businesses will need to collaborate with government to engage in adaptation planning and implementation," it added.

Canadian renewables firms in acquisition deal

Distributed renewable energy firm UGE International has acquired solar developer Endura.

The two Canadian companies announced the plans in November and have now closed on the deal, which saw UGE pay CA$1 million ($72,000) for Endura as well as issuing almost 9 million shares to the firm. The deal is understood to have been part funded by senior bank debt.

UGE operates in the US, Panama, the Philippines, China and Canada, developing commercial distributed solar and 'microgrid' energy generation. Endura builds distributed solar across Canada, the US and Panama.
Super Bowl City, a corporate playground for tourists paid for by taxpayers, was set up along the Embarcadero in San Francisco in late January. Before it opened, SFPD began pushing homeless people out of the area so that they would not be seen by Super Bowl crowds. Anyone attempting to rest nearby has been continually harassed by police and not allowed to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. Supervisor Scott Weiner even proposed taking people's tents away. Militarized law enforcement from every conceivable agency patrolled and surveilled the area in San Francisco and around Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on game day.In an interview for The Nation magazine, Davey D explained the rationale behind the large protests that have targeted the Super Bowl. He said, "Theres a lot of anger and a lot of concern over two main things. First, the Super Bowl is coming at a time when massive amounts of people have been displaced. So, its added insult to injury to see this pageantry, all this money being spent, record amounts of police, elected officials falling all over themselves, while you have folks who gave this region its soul and its heart who cant afford to live here anymore... The second thing thats going on are all the police killings that have been taking place."Amongst the protests were one on January 30, when hundreds of Justice for Mario Woods protesters gathered in Union Square and marched to Super Bowl City. On February 3, hundreds of women and children, former and current homeless residents of San Francisco, and advocates for the homeless held a protest along the Embarcadero in front of a Super Bowl City entrance. On February 6, hundreds of activists marched through downtown to the site to protest unrelenting economic displacements. SFPD repressed all of these protests with at least one hundred cops each time.
For the second time this year, farm defenders halted construction on the Gill Tract farm in Albany, CA. Five farm defenders are sitting in silent meditation on the path of heavy machinery that was removing the topsoil, and plan to remain there as long as possible to halt at least another day of construction over the contested farmland.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 8, 2016Albany, CAFor the second time this year, farm defenders halted construction on the Gill Tract farm in Albany, CA. Five farm defenders are sitting in silent meditation on the path of heavy machinery that was removing the topsoil, and plan to remain there as long as possible to halt at least another day of construction over the contested farmland.Contractors began work on the southern portion of the Gill Tract in January, and last week several truckloads of healthy topsoil began to be removed from the historical farm. The Gill Tract was sold to the University of California in 1928 under the condition it would be used for agricultural research and education."The Gill Tract represents the global struggle to restore caring relationships with Mother Earth and the contest between resource and human exploitation and healing connections," explained Pancho Ramos in a pre-released statement, one of the protesters sitting in silent meditation. The group Occupy the Farm vows to continue disrupting construction until the UC and its corporate partners cancel construction projects on the land. Such tactics of disruptions and delays in construction, increasing costs beyond expected, has effectively caused several other socially and environmentally contested projects to be cancelled in the US and elsewhere.The group Occupy the Farm removed surveying stakes placed the week contractors started working on the Gill Tract, and disrupted also the first five days of the new Sprouts supermarket in Oakland with a campaign for the community to boycott Sprouts. All construction was halted at the Gill Tract on January 28th when two members of Occupy the Farm locked themselves to an excavator.The UC is privatizing this section of the Gill Tract for the construction of a high-end senior assisted living facility by the Belmont Village corporation, alongside construction of a Sprouts supermarket and a parking lot.Community members, students, and UC faculty have put forth an alternative proposal to use all twenty acres of the historic Gill Tract as a Center for Urban Agriculture and Food Justice, serving the University of Californias mission of research and education for the public good, while also operating as a productive urban farm that provides students, workers, and community members with access to affordable local produce. This proposal better aligns with UC President Napolitanos Global Food Initiative as well as the sustainability and climate mitigation policies of the state of California.The UC administration's argument for privatization and construction is shortsighted and irresponsible, explains Gustavo Oliveira, a member for Occupy the Farm. The UC could embrace the vision of agroecology for this land to generate three times more revenue than it is obtaining through the privatization of this valuable public asset.Stanford has raised over $3 million since it launched the O'Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm in 2014, and they accomplished this with significantly less academic resources and prestige than the University of California holds on urban agriculture and agroecology.Mission Statement:Occupy The Farm uses a broad spectrum of tactics, including direct action, to reclaim and expand the commons for sustainable farming and community education. We are building a network of relationships with nature and each other that will sustain us, respect our common human heritage, and unite us in our struggles against oppression. Our goal is to heal our ecosystems, expand biodiversity, and embrace the wisdom of indigenous & traditional practices of stewardship and knowledge of the land, as we work to dismantle the systemic injustices which have separated people from these central relationships.Background:The privatization and construction launched on the site has been contested by students, faculty, and members of the community for almost two decades. In 2004, the UC Regents approved commercial development despite years of campaigning by students, faculty, and community members for the preservation of the land for urban agriculture and food justice, and proceeded bulldozing greenhouses in 2008 and contracting with Whole Foods for development of the site.In April 2012, Occupy the Farm reenergized this struggle by camping on the land and planting a publicly-accessible farm on the Gill Tract. Under pressure, Whole Foods pulled out of the proposed development, and the UC administration granted protection for a portion of the land, some of which is now the vibrant Gill Tract Community Farm.However, the 7 acres of the southern portion of the Gill Tract remains slated for development with a shopping center anchored by Sprouts supermarket, a hihg-end senior housing complex, and a parking lot. UC Capital Projects now seeks to implement this project despite another occupation in May 2013 and other mobilizations on the land in 2014 and 2015, two lawsuits, an Albany City referendum effort, broad based and constant community participation at the Albany City Council in favor of preserving the farmland for agricultural use, and an ongoing campaign for Sprouts to drop its proposed construction project over the Gill Tract.Press Kit: http://bit.ly/otfpresskit [Contains map, FAQ, quotes, history, previous articles, film]occupythefarm.orgboycottsprouts.com# # #
Los Angeles, CA It was in December of last year that an It was in December of last year that an overtime pay laws class action was quietly granted preliminary approval for a $1.5 million settlement. Plaintiffs in the action are looking forward to April 12, the date during which arguments for final approval will be heard.

The defendant in the overtime pay lawsuit in California is Restoration Hardware Inc. According to court documents, two plaintiffs filed two separate lawsuits against the company claiming various allegations common to such lawsuits: failure to pay overtime for all hours worked, failure to provide meal breaks and rest periods as mandated under California law, and failure to reimburse workers for business expenses.There was no information as to what those business expenses might have been. However, Restoration Hardware is identified as a collection of retail and outlet stores. Class members are estimated to be about 2,200 in number and include all current and former employees of the chain in nonexempt positions between June 4, 2009 up to and including the date of the settlement, once final approval is granted.Lead plaintiffs in the California overtime law class action are identified as Christina Chavira and Jennifer Ailey. The two women filed separate lawsuits in 2013 and 2014, respectively. According to provisions in the proposed settlement, both will receive $10,000 over and above monies due them as class participants.Two other class participants, identified as Austin Cliche and Karl Diener, will be due an enhancement of $5,000 each for their respective roles in the unpaid overtime class-action lawsuit.As part of the proposed settlement, Restoration Hardware admits no wrongdoing, and maintains that all allegations brought by the lawsuit are untrue.The parties enter into this settlement to resolve the dispute that has arisen between them and to avoid the burden, expense and risk of continued litigation, the settlement states. In entering into this settlement, defendant does not admit and specifically denies, that it violated any federal, state or local lawwith respect to our employees.Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William F. Highberger gave preliminary approval to the $1.5 million settlement just a few days before Christmas last year.The case is Restoration Hardware Wage and Hour Cases, case number JCCP4794, in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles.
- Femi Falana, the leading Nigerian human rights lawyer, has called for the resignation of Senator Bukola Saraki

- He believes that the Senate president must resign in order to preserve the integrity of the legislature

- Falana also commends the Supreme Court on its ruling against Saraki's appeal

The human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called for the resignation of Senate President Bukola Saraki, stressing that the resignation is vital to save the face of Nigeria's legislature.

Making the call on Saturday, February 6, Falana asked the Senate president to resign his position in order to preserve the integrity of the National Assembly.

Femi Falana

The Punch reports that the senior advocate of Nigeria said the unanimous decision of the Supreme Court would add value to the battle against corruption.

Citing an instance involving a former Senate president, the late Chuba Okadigbo, Falana asked Saraki to resign having undertaken to prove his innocence before the code of conduct tribunal (CCT).

Having undertaken to prove his innocence at the code of conduct trubunal Senator Saraki should resign as Senate president so as to preserve the integrity of the National Assembly.

When senators Chuba Okadigbo and Adolphus Wabara were indicted they were made to step down as Senate presidents, Falana stressed.

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the appeal by Saraki challenging the validity of his trial on charges of assets declaration preferred against him at the CCT.

A seven-man panel of the apex court presided over by the chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, unanimously ruled that Sarakis appeal against the jurisdiction of the trial and competence of the charges lacked merit.

Justice Wallter Onnoghen, who read the lead judgment, held that contrary to Sarakis contention, the Danladi Umar-led code of conduct tribunal was validly constituted by two members.

Justice Onnoghen also held that the tribunal was by the provisions of its enabling laws and the constitution conferred with the quasi-criminal jurisdiction and thus could validly issue bench warrant.

He thus held that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 was applicable to the proceedings of the tribunal.

Saraki, who said the Supreme Court judgment was disappointing, however, said he would have his day in court and that at the end of the day, truth will prevail and justice will be served.

Meanwhile, the Senate is divided over calls for the resignation of Senator Saraki. Senators opposed to the Senate president under the aegis of the Senate Unity Forum, have regrouped to attempt to force Saraki out of the seat.

The Unity Forum, a caucus of All Progressives Congress (APC) members who opposed the emergence of Saraki as the Senate president, said Saraki should resign before he is disgraced out. Stressing that Saraki's resignation will save the image of the National Assembly and salvage national pride.

Source: Legit.ng
- Members of the Chibok community have crticised Obasanjo for saying the abducted girls will not return

- The group believes the girls are still alive

- The community hopes they will be found soon

Members of the Chibok community whose girls were abducted by Boko Haram members have condemned Olusegun Obasanjo over comments he made that the girls cannot be rescued.

The former president who was responding to questions at a programme organized by the Staff Club of the Obafemi Awolowo University said the girls who were abducted from their hostels on April 14, 2014 could not be rescued anymore. Obasanjo said the chances of rescuing the girls dropped after 72 hours.

READ ALSO: Jonathan's defeat saved Nigeria from defeat - Dogara

Obasanjo had said: Seventy-two hours after the Chibok girls were adopted was too late for their rescue, talk less of getting to two years by April this year. So if any leader is promising to bring back Chibok girls now, he is lying.

President Muhammadu Buhari promised during his inauguration that he would secure the girls' return.

Leadership reports that a Chibok leader who spoke on behalf of the community said the former president was entitled to his opinion. He said the girls were alive as they were the only bargain the terrorists had. He said since no report had been made available concerning their state, it was very likely they were kept somewhere.

The community leader said: Obasanjo is a respected former president and retired military officer who may have his reasons for making such statement but, to us, he is entitled to his opinion, because we still believe the girls are alive and can be rescued.

READ ALSO: Fayose says Chibok girls will never return

Our hope lies on the fact that since their abduction, none of them has been found dead or alive; and that, to us, is a good sign that they are alive. We would have been worried had there been any form of report that some of the girls were found dead, or some have been rescued during the rescue operations that were carried out recently.

Going by the activities of the Boko Haram terrorists in the last four years, one would be deceiving himself to say that they are not an intelligent lot. They know the high premium the world has placed on the need to rescue the girls; so the schoolgirls may be their priced asset for bargain when push comes to shove. We dont know where they are, but we believe our girls are kept somewhere, either within or outside the country. And our prayer is that, one day, we may see them, even though we are not ruling out the fact that it is a difficult task and all of them may not be rescued at the end of the day.

Meanwhile, Hajiya Aishatu, one of the victims of the deadly Boko Haram sect, issued a stern warning to the federal government concerning the missing Chibok girls. She accused the government of not doing enough to bring the girls back.

Source: Legit.ng
- How Julius Agwus staged a star studded show

- Julius Agwus mother bursted into tears at sons show

- Entertainers thrilled guest at the show

Comedian Julius Agwu

On Sunday, February 7, famous Nigerian comedian Julius Agwu staged an all-star show tagged Life As I See It, THE Rebirth at the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, which got his mother in tears as Onyeka Onwenu dedicated a special song to her.

The award-winning comedian who staged this gospel musical concert in order to thank the Almighty for his survival after having a successful brain tumour surgery was honored by his colleagues, famous music artists, politicians as well as his family and well-wishers.

READ ALSO: Exclusive: My first fee was N100 - Comedian Funnybone

Dame Abimbola Fashola, Mrs Ighodalo, Julius Agwu and son

The show which kicked off with a lovely performance by Julius Agwus children was attended by the wife of ex-governor of Lagos state, Dame Abimbola Fashola, Pat Utomi, Onyeka Owenu, Ali Baba, Nedu, Yinka Ayefele, Omo Baba, Gordons, Funnybone, Pastor ighodalo and wife among others

The highlight of the show that got everyone emotional was when Onyeka Owenu dedicated a song in Igbo Language to Julius Agwu's mother. A song which was telling her to always give thanks and believe in God because He is the only one who will always be there to protect her and her family. Julius's mother could not hold back her tears as she danced in a warm embrace with her Son.

Julius and mother

Other artists who thrilled the audience includes Waje, London based comedian, and a wrap of dance by gospel artist Yinka Ayefele.

READ ALSO: I want to be a king maker- Julius Agwu

See more pictures below:

Waje performing on stage

Yinka Ayefele

Julius and host

Bez

Ghanaian based music artist

Pastor Ituah Ighodalo and wife

Comedian Omobaba

kidstar Mark Angel

Source: Legit.ng
- Ayo Makun has stamp his feet in the sand of time with his debut movie 30 Days In Atlanta

- He shares the secret of the success of 30 Days In Atlanta

- The comedian talks about his relationship with Funke Akindele and why he cannot do without her

Ayo Makun

30 Days in Atlanta was a success story, how were you able to conquer the movie industry with just one movie?

Well I cannot categorically say that I conquer the movie industry but what I can say is that I got blessed and I got rewarded as a result of taking a risk, as a result of getting myself involved with something that Im passionate about. I will just say Im lucky and at the same time say that it all happened as a result of hard work and content that was good enough to share to the rest of the world.

You said you took some extra miles to achieve success with the movie, can you highlights them?

Yeah, like I said earlier I have always had a relationship with people like RMD, Ramsey Nouah and building on the relationship and making it business was easy because weve always known ourselves, weve all been together in the past and it wasnt that easy but I just give it to the fact that we had a relationship going and all of that came as a plus in trying to get them.

30 Days in Atlanta was in the cinemas for a long time and made so much money. There has been this outcry by move producers that the cinemas reap of them, whats your take on this?

The cinemas know what they are doing, they set up their own business just the way we go there with our movies. The basic thing is not to see that one person is reaping off the other person. I think the best thing is to have the kind of agreement that will work for both parties and that way nobody will complain that one is reaping off the other.

You are already putting a finishing touch to your new movie A Trip To Jamaica. First it was Atlanta, now Jamaica, why names of cities?

Yeah because Akpos is an adventurous fellow, Akpos is somebody who loves to see the world and anywhere you see Akpors you just have to accept it so there is no specific reason why he is touring. Jamaica yes because they love our contents, they love our movies. The Caribbeans and Jamaicans can trace their root to West Africa so taking a movie to them is like bringing their brothers to them and at the same time I also know that Nigerians love Jamaica as well so I think why we dont have this cultural blend. That was what gave birth to the idea.

READ ALSO: Meet 5 Highest Paid Comedians

Can making movies take AY away from comedy business?

No, movie cannot take more of AY. Stand-up comedy is still very solid, the AY Live brand is still very solid and movie is just 10% of every other thing that the AY brand stands for. Ay Live is coming up on Easter Sunday, March 27 and it promises t good, its something that we do year in year out and we give people happiness.

Funke Akindele and AY in a scene from A Trip To Jamaica

There is this strong bond between you and Funke Akindele, she is always by you either during AY Live or in your movie. What is the bond?

Yes, its relationship, it is talent. Iron sharpeneth iron; it is just gaining the right connection with somebody you believe you can work with. And Funke shares that same believe like if it is AY I am ready to go. It is going to be Funke because the connection is there and she also can deliver so it is not only about connection, it is about who she is, her gift and her talent as well. She is somebody who has it and nobody will drop that idea of working with somebody like that.

When should Nigerians be expecting A Trip To Jamaica?

A Trip to Jamaica will be coming up in the middle of the year in Nigeria. It will also go to the other part of the world; well do a tour of the UK, Canada, Jamaica and the US.

Source: Legit.ng
- The Alaafin of Oyo is in trouble for alleged criminalities and has been dragged before the International Criminal Court

- In 2014, the inspector general of police was asked to investigate the Alaafin but he ignored the order

- One of the allegations against the Alaafin is that he planned to bomb Olojas palace and Isale Oyo praying ground during the 2009 Eid Kabir festival day included

The International Criminal Court (ICC), the Hague, has acknowledged a petition against the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi over alleged criminalities relating to murder, bomb planting and human rights abuse.

The petition titled: Unprecedented criminality, flagrant human rights violations, bomb planting, gun running and unresolved assassinations in Oyo town, Oyo state was delivered to the ICC on September 9, 2015.

Alaafin of Oyo

We exclusively obtained copies of both the petition and ICC's letter, dated February 2, 2016, acknowledging receipt of the petition.

The ICC reply came just over a week after President Muhammadu Buhari received similar petition against Oba Adeyemi.

Earlier on December 15, 2014, Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, granted an order of mandamus brought before it by Jacob Oluokun and Sulaiman Ishola to compel the Inspector General of Police to investigate the criminal allegations, against Oba Adeyemi.

But since the order was given, the Nigerian Police have continued to disregard the directive even after the IGP, Solomon Arase, was threatened with jail term for contempt of court.

Successive IGPs have refused to obey the order (to investigate the Alaafin) even after two letters of reminder on January 5 and 21, the petitioners counsel, Abiodun Abdur-Raheem said.

READ ALSO: Group Asks Alaafin To End Gang Violence In Oyo Town

We obtained a copy of Form 48  Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Order of Court  served on the Inspector General of Police on June 16, 2015.

You will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison in the event of failure to investigate the Alaafin, the Ibadan High Court warned the police chief, Arase.

Yet, there has not been Police action despite preponderance of facts and evidence which made the court to compel the Police to investigate the monarch in the first place, Abdur-Raheem lamented.

According to him, the petition to the ICC was "in a bid to further press for justice.

"We write as concerned indigenes and residents of the ancient Oyo town, Oyo State, who are disturbed by the wanton murder of innocent citizens and the traumatisation of the indigenes by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, through his goons, the acts of which have remained unchecked and un-investigated by the Nigerian State in spite of all known legal processes to cause the State to do so, Messrs. Oluokun and Ishola wrote in the petition to The Hague, dated September 9, 2015.

So if Oba Adeyemi 111 is too big for Nigeria state to be investigated and brought to book, the ICC is our last hope to stymie the criminal tendencies of his and restore the hope that nobody is above the law.

In its letter signed by Head of the Information & Evidence Unit, Office of the Prosecutor, M.P. Dillon, ICC said: "The Office is analyzing the situation identified in your communication, with the assistance of other related communications and other available information. Under Article 53 of the Rome Statute, the Prosecutor must consider whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court have been committed, the gravity of the crimes, whether national systems are investigating and prosecuting the relevant crimes, and the interests of justice.

READ ALSO: Alaafin, Traditional Rulers Beg Governot To Pay Their Salaries

"As soon as a decision is taken on whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation, we will advise you promptly and we will provide reasons for the decision."

Among others, one of the annexures to the petitions to President Buhari and the ICC was a letter from the Oyo State Commissioner of Police to the Oyo Area Command dated September 19, 2009.

In the letter, the Commissioner directed his subordinate, that is the Area Commander, to please arrest the situation before it is too late because the Alaafin intends to bomb the ancient city of Oyo.

According to the letter, some of the places the Alaafin was suspected to have planned to bomb during the 2009 Eid Kabir festival day included Olojas palace and Isale Oyo praying ground, Sabo; Bizin illahi Estate; and Unique Hotel where Elepe Iseke lived.

Accordingly, the suspected move of the Alaafin was revealed by top members of the Tobalase group owned by the Alaafin of Oyo.

Of the said Tobalse group, a report by the State Security Services, claimed the group was founded by the Al;aafin originally to oust the Baale Ago Oja, hence the location of their base contiguous to both Ashipas residence and the market of Isale-Oyo.

The group has included in their activities harassment and intimidation of perceived enemies of the monarch within the three (3) LGAs in Oyo, the report added.

The SSS report also mentioned murder cases of a chief Rashidi Adebayo Salami popularly called Atingisi (February 15, 2009) and that of a Medical Doctor, Ogunniyi (December, 2005) who was said to have been involved in a land dispute with his former lover and later, Alaafins wife, Yetunde Adeyemi.

The report alleged that the murders were carried out by the Tobalase group, allegedly founded by Mr. Adeyemi.

READ ALSO: See What Alaafin Of Oyo Was Spotted Doing

Meanwhile, the head of the Tobalase group, Mojeed Agbaje, now estranged from the Alaafin, has said in video clip circulated in compact disc and available on YouTube, that the Oyo monarch indeed instructed him to carry out nefarious activities, including murder.

On March 14, 2014, Mr. Agbaje deposed to an affidavit at the High Court of Oyo State, sitting in Ibadan, confirming the contents of the video CD.

He swore that the video CD made in Yoruba contains highlight of the various activities I engaged in during my service to the Alaafin of Oyo, His Royal Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111.

Source: Legit.ng
AEW Europe has acquired a high end retail asset in central Copenhagen on behalf of the City Retail Fund. The transaction marks the first Danish acquisition undertaken by the fund, which launched with a 125 million first close in November 2015.

The asset has been acquired from a group of private l...

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Corestate Capital Group has acquired a land plot in Berlin for a student accommodation development. The plot is centrally located in Berlins district Mitte. The company plans to develop a high quality student housing scheme comprising more than 160 residential units on seven floors. The completed development will feature numerous

Photos: Corestate Capital



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The Charlotte Square Collection, a managed estate of 21 townhouse properties in Edinburghs Georgian square, has secured two new occupiers. The Institute of Directors and Lomond Capital have agreed deals which will see both establish flagship offices within Charlotte Square.

The IoD has signed a l...

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A total of four new products have been revealed by Ashok Leyland of the Hinduja Group at the ongoing 2016 Auto Expo. Each of these products demonstrates the leap in technology achieved by the company while the products display several segment first features.

4940 Euro 6 Truck is a Made in India product complying with Euro 6 emission norms. Built to adhere to precise standards of engineering and advanced technologies, NOx levels on the 4940 Euro 6 Truck along with particulate matter are as low as one tenth that seen on vehicles that comply with Euro 3 norms. Built to meet the demands of users across the country and for exports, Ashok Leyland has specially dedicated this new 4940 Euro 6 Truck to the nation.

Ashok Leyland Hybrid Bus 2016 Auto Expo

Hybus is the countrys first non plug-in hybrid bus capable of reduced emissions and features that considerably reduce operating costs. The new Hybus receives start-stop cycles and a host of onboard comforts and conveniences and is specially designed for urban use. Ultracapacitors offer the diesel engine with all needed power for movement.

Ashok Leyland Guru 2016 Auto Expo

Ashok Leyland Guru is the companys offering in the ICV segment. Engineered for a wide variety of uses, displaying both strength and tenacity and with low kerb weight, the new Guru can be noted to offer the highest payload capacity in its segment. Due to heavy duty aluminum alloy wheels and aluminum load body factors, augmented volume of load capacity is possible. The engine which offers best in class mileage gets an FIP system that brings down maintenance costs and allows for longer duration between services while fuel consumption is also low.

Ashok Leyland School Bus 2016 Auto Expo

Ashok Leyland Sunshine school bus is also on display at the 2016 Auto Expo where it can be viewed as a highly safe and comfortable vehicle for children. Sunshine is rollover compliant and frontal crash protected while it also offers features such as i-ALERT tracking software wherein parents can have up to date tracking to monitor childrens location on real time basis. Designed with anti-bacterial interiors, comfortable Happy Seats and best in class ventilation, the new Sunshine school buses also offer low steps for younger children to enter and exit with ease.

Stay tuned to Rushlane as we cover the 2016 Auto Expo LIVE.

Photos
Today on Google.com is a special Google logo, aka Doodle, for the Lunar New Year. The Lunar New Year is also known as the Chinese New Year, celebrated in countries like China, Korea, Mongolia, and Vietnam.

2016 is the year of the Fire Monkey, which is the 9th in the 12 year cycle of the zodiac. The monkey sign represents quick-wittedness and smarts, and people born under it are thought to be adaptable and flexible in their thinking, as Google explained, which is why they have the Monkey's as the Doodle.

Google's Doodler Alyssa Winans illustrated a family of monkeys in the traditional fiery red which matches the lucky envelopes families give and receive on Lunar New Year - and the explosions of the firecrackers. No, the Doodle is not animated.

You can learn more over here.

Forum discussion at Google+.
2016 SkS Weekly Digest #6

Posted on 7 February 2016 by John Hartz

SkS Highlights... El Nino Impacts... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... He Said What?... SkS in the News... SkS Spotlights... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus...

SkS Highlights

Industrial-era ocean heat uptake has doubled since 1997 by Rob Painting and Fox News Republican debate moderators asked a climate question! by Dana Nuccitelli (Climate Consensus - the 97%, The Guardian) both attracted the highest number of comments of the aricles posted on SkS during the past week.

El Nino Impacts

Toon of the Week

Quotes of the Week

James Hansen, a former NASA scientist known for his testimony to US Congress in 1988 that arguably put concern about climate change on the map, said he was stunned by the announcement.

"Holy shit! That is unbelievable," he said. "Is a conservative denier government in power?

"This seems to be a clear-cut case of shooting the messenger with the bad news. However, the messenger is needed to figure out what to do about the problem."

'Misleading, inaccurate and in breach of Paris': CSIRO scientist criticises cuts by Adam Morton, Peter Hannam & Marcus Strom, Brisbane Times, Feb 5, 2016

The general rule is, at a global scale, if youre a nation that is going to suffer from climate change, youre very likely not contributing to the problem, says James Watson, a professor in the school of geography at the University of Queensland in Australia who also works with the Wildlife Conservation Society on climate change. Watson conducted the study with two colleagues from the University of Queensland.

Thats the general rule that we found, Watson continues. But its completely inequitable.

Why climate change is really, really unfair by Chris Mooney, Energy & Environment, Washington Post, Feb 5, 2016

He Said What?

I dont subscribe to the politicization of the environment, because thats what leads to things like the Clean Power Plan, Carson responded. The EPA has said that if we implement every aspect of the Clean Power Plan, it will lower the temperature of the Earth by 0.05 degrees Fahrenheit  thats the benefit. The cost is billions of dollars and millions of jobs. That doesnt make any sense, because that is ideologically driven.

Ben Carson gets called out on climate cluelessness by Iowa voter by Katie Herzog, Grist, Feb 1, 2016

SkS in the News

Very impressive indeed!

As Professor Bishop points out, while such attacks are abominable, and take time from academics that could otherwise be spent on research (not to mention the personal cost to them and their families, from defamatory comments all over), in the end the truth will out. Remember, Recursive Fury bounced back stronger than ever in the shape of Recurrent Fury. And for all the efforts of Richard Tol and some grad student from the USA to suppress it, John Cook and co's 97% paper has been downloaded 449,069 times! [our bold]

Judith Curry attacks open data advocates and encourages people who try to suppress science by Sou, Hot Whopper, Feb 3, 2016

SkS Spotlights

The Conscious Elders Network (CEN) is an educational, non-profit organization fostering a budding movement of vital elders, dedicated to growing in consciousness while actively addressing the demanding challenges facing our country. We work inter-generationally for social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and sound governance. We bring our multiple talents and resources, offering these in service to the goal of preserving and protecting life for all generations to come. We invite you to join us in this monumental endeavor!

Coming Soon on SkS

No climate conspiracy: NOAA temperature adjustments bring data closer to pristine (Dana)

(Dana) Daffodils in bloom, the warmest ever December: how worrying is the worlds strange weather (John Vidal)

(John Vidal) The New Age of Climate Exploration (Joseph Robertson and David Thoreson)

(Joseph Robertson and David Thoreson) Onset of Eocene Warming Event took 3-4 millennia (so what were doing is unprecedented in 66 million years) (Howard Lee)

(Howard Lee) Guest post (John Abraham)

(John Abraham) 2016 SkS Weekly News Roundup #7 (John Hartz)

(John Hartz) 2016 SkS Weekly Digest #7 (John Hartz)

Poster of the Week

Source: What on Earth? comics

SkS Week in Review

97 Hours of Consensus: Philip Mote

Philip Mote's bio page

Quote derived with author's permission from:
This small, black cat did nothing more than exist at the wrong place at the wrong time, and it very nearly killed her. On January 19, area police officers received a call about an animal cruelty complaint in Hartford, Connecticut, the local NBC affiliate reported. What officers found at the home of Carlos Trinidad, however, was more disturbing than they imagined - a cold, unresponsive cat who had been assaulted several times, according to NBC. The cat was bleeding from her mouth and nose, which appeared to be wet, suggesting they had been cleaned off, according to police reports. She had been thrown against the wall and kicked across the floor, allegedly by Trinidad, Sherry DeGenova, the on-site officer with the City of Hartford Animal Control, told local radio station The River 105.9.

Dodo Shows Odd Couples Dog Is So Gentle And Patient With Her Foster Kittens

Most horrifying of all, the 6-month-old cat had been hung from a doorknob by a shoestring. The cat belonged to the girlfriend of Trinidad and appeared to get caught in the crossfire of an argument between the two. The cat, who was named Dolce by her rescuers, was quickly taken to a local vet for medical care. "She literally had no body temperature," DeGenova told The River. "Her body was going into shock. I honestly didn't think this cat was going to make it." But she was a fighter.

Dolce made her way to Kenway's Cause, an organization that provides medical care and support to injured animals who are picked up by animal control. Her journey toward healing had finally begun. From there, Dolce moved to Cassie's Kitten Kastle, a local organization dedicated to fostering, re-homing and getting rescue cats adopted. Sadly pets caught in the crossfire of domestic abuse isn't an uncommon reality. According to the American Humane Association, a disturbing 68 percent of battered women report violence shown toward their animals. Thankfully, it didn't take long for this sweet kitten to find a forever home where she'll never have to face such trauma again.

As for Trinidad, he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, cruelty to animals, tampering with physical evidence and second-degree reckless endangerment, according to WSFB. He was held on a $250,000 bond and is expected to appear in court on February 23. The Hartford police department did not immediately respond to The Dodo's request for comment.
And in Champaign County, where there is no tethering law, this is perfectly legal .

She has food. She has water. But she spends all her days on a chain, staring out at the world from the box she calls home.

The entire existence of one dog in Ohio technically meets the standards of a life worth living, but only just.

The haunting image of a dog named Fanny was posted to Facebook on February 4 by The Backyard Dog Project, an organization dedicated to keeping dogs from, well, pretty much exactly what Fanny is going through.

The group, whose mission is to improve the lives of outdoor dogs, can't seem to do anything to ease the sorrowful state of this 5-year-old Australian shepherd. She has spent years on a chain, cowering inside a flimsy shed.

"In Ohio, the laws state as long as [dogs] have some type of shelter and fresh water, there's nothing we can do," Kristin Crankshaw of The Backyard Dog Project told The Dodo.

"The dog warden's been called out there multiple times and if he won't do anything, our hands are tied as well," she says.

Fanny's owner, she says, has rejected several offers from the group to at least make her life a little more livable.

"We offered [the owner] some straw to put down and he's just not having it," Crankshaw says. "People have called and called the dog warden on him."

"Legally, I don't know what to do."

In Champaign County, where Fanny ekes out an existence, anti-tethering legislation might at least limit the time Fanny spends outside on a chain.

(Despite calls from The Dodo, local dog warden Tony Sells could not be reached for comment.)

The Backyard Dog Project
In 2015, 1,175 rhinos in South Africa were killed for their horns - an average of three slaughtered rhinos per day. Meanwhile, at a couple of very odd "farms," also in South Africa, rhinos are being blindfolded and held down while trained veterinary professionals take an electric saw and remove their horns. YouTube/NaturCast

These rhinos belong to a millionaire who breeds them to serve this very purpose. What's causing the mass slaughter of wild rhinos is also why farmed rhinos, kept like cattle, exist at all: Their horns. The horn Worth more than its weight in gold, rhinoceros horn is made of keratin, a material each one of us grows right on the tips of our fingers. But the keratin from a rhino horn racks up big bucks in the Asian market, partially because of the unfounded superstition that it cures everything from hangovers to cancer. Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Couple Meets A Beach Dog In Mexico Who Changes Their Life

There is much debate about how to actually prevent the destruction of the rhino because people have different ideas about what's driving poaching in the first place. A 2014 report suggested a connection between poverty and poaching, showing that areas with higher incidences of infant mortality coincided with incidences of elephant poaching. But others have pointed out that correlation doesn't imply causation - meaning these factors do not necessarily lead to poaching - and have called for the focus to instead be on ameliorating corruption within governments rather than pointing fingers at the poor. In any case, there is one factor we know for sure is at the heart of rhino poaching: incessant demand for rhino horn.

Down on the rhino farm Whole fields of endangered rhinos belong to one South African millionaire: John Hume, the world's largest private breeder of rhinos. YouTube/NaturCast

Hume is also one of the people who sued the South African government so the domestic rhino horn trade could be made legal again. Why? It isn't quite clear, since people in South Africa don't really care to buy rhino horn - that market is in Asia. YouTube/NaturCast

"There is little, if any, consumer demand for rhino horn within South Africa, and we agree with the government that horn sold domestically will likely be laundered into the international market, increasing the already serious threat faced by rhinos," Peter Knights, CEO of WildAid, wrote in a press release about the decision to legalize domestic trade. "We urge them to take the correct procedural measures in a timely way in order to reinstate the moratorium." Meanwhile, Hume has said that people against the legal rhino horn trade are necessarily pro-illegal rhino horn trade, and therefore "worse than the poacher." (Hume needs to refresh his knowledge of logic on that one, since he's operating on a blatantly false dichotomy.)

The argument against rhino farms is similar to the argument against selling synthetic rhino horn to horn-thirsty markets. "Selling synthetic horn does not reduce the demand for rhino horn or dispel the myths around rhino horn and could indeed lead to more poaching because it increases demand for 'the real thing,'" says Save the Rhino International. Since more than 90 percent of "rhino horns" in circulation are already fake (and this doesn't seem to be making rhinos any safer), it's hard to see how breeding whole herds of rhino to "harvest" their horn is helping these endangered animals. YouTube/NaturCast

This browser does not support the video tag. YouTube/NaturCast

But in November 2015, Hume got his way. A panel of three judges lifted the ban on trading rhino horn in South Africa. The ban had been in place since 2009. On January 20, 2016, the decision was upheld, despite outcry from animal activists. Why animal advocates hate rhino farms Hume, whose farm produced 160 rhinos in 2015, aims to breed 200 per year. Why are so many animal activists opposed to the farms that breed rhinos, bolstering the populations of an animal in grave danger of extinction? The conflict lies between the staggering value of the rhino horn on the one hand and the staggering cost of protecting rhinos on the other. Hume's position is that, just like sheep are shorn for their wool, which is then sold, rhino horn can be "harvested" and sold to help fund anti-poaching units for the enclosed lands where they live. YouTube/NaturCast

"The bottom line is that [the judgement lifting the ban] runs the risk of generating an even more extensive illegal trade in rhino horn," Ross Harvey, an economist and researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, told National Geographic in December. Ecologist Cristian Bonacic might also have thought rhino farms were the answer in the past. But now he believes that the "sustainable use model" is no longer feasible. "According to the sustainable use paradigm, if wildlife can be used, it can be saved," he explained in a National Geographic interview early last year. "This means that farming of wild animals and their conservation are explicitly interlinked ... But the world has changed, and many indigenous communities are now much more globalized. There are many more roads, many more exchange routes, including the Internet, which allows you with one click to buy something banned in one country and not in another. The romantic view that local communities can use an animal sustainably is simply no longer feasible in the 21st century." Adam Roberts, CEO of Born Free U.S.A, wrote for The Dodo that we have already learned from past mistakes that "the legal farming of wild animals does not deter poaching. Governments have attempted the strategy of allowing legal sale of endangered animal products - with disastrous results." YouTube/NaturCast

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - an international agreement between governments to regulate animals crossing borders - has allowed sales of stockpiled elephant ivory from Africa to China and Japan in the past, according to Roberts. "These sales only increased demand from China and Southeast Asia - spiking the incidence of illegal elephant poaching to its highest known levels, and threatening the very survival of the species," Roberts wrote. Nevertheless, this year's meeting of the CITES convention will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa. With the domestic trade ban lifted, it's expected that South Africa will apply for permission to trade rhino horn internationally. The cost of keeping rhinos safe Cutting off their horns still isn't enough to keep rhinos safe. For "dehorning to be effective, it must be coupled with extensive anti-poaching security and monitoring efforts. With an absence of security, rhinos may continue to be poached regardless of whether they have been dehorned," according to this fact sheet on dehorning by Save the Rhino International. Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Still, many rhino advocacy groups - from WildAid to Save the Rhino International - maintain that selling rhino horns to protect them on farm-like lands is simply not the answer. They believe that the long-term goal should really be education, so a silly superstition that rhino horn is a cure-all can fall by the wayside, stopping the demand for horn and thereby stopping the killing - as well as putting an end to captive rhino operations like Hume's farm. As it is, stop-gap alternatives do nothing to fight the biggest threat to animals of all: Ignorance.
The crime scene in Seat Pleasant, Md., on Dec.19, 2015, after 25-year-old Nicoh Mayhew was killed. (Mark Gail for The Washington Post)

A Maryland man accused of ordering his uncle's execution to prevent him from testifying at his murder trial returned to court Monday morning.

The retrial of Brian Mayhew, 24, launched this week, renewing a complicated case that involves jailhouse phone calls that reportedly recorded the ordered execution of Mayhews uncle, allegations of witness retaliation and the killings of two rival drug dealers.

Brian Mayhew was charged with first-degree murder after his uncle, Nicoh Mayhew, 25, was fatally shot in the head outside his mothers Seat Pleasant apartment two months before he was set to testify against his nephew in a double murder trial.

Nicoh Mayhew was shot while holding his 2-year-old son in his arms.

Nichoh Mayhew had previously told a grand jury that he bought the gas and bleach Brian Mayhew used to cover up the 2011 killings of two other men, prosecutors said.

Nicoh Mayhew (Family Photo)

Prosecutors say Brian Mayhew made a series of jailhouse phone calls ordering co-defendants Stanley Winston, 25, and Anthony Cannon, 26, to kill his uncle in December 2012. Their first trial ended in a hung jury.

[He said was going to tell the truth. Then he was killed.]

He was going to walk through those doors and take that witness stand, but Nicoh Mayhew never got the chance, Assistant States Attorney Christine Murphy said during the trials opening Monday. The three of them orchestrated a hit.

But attorneys for Brian Mayhew, Winston and Cannon said that no physical evidence places the men at the scene. They also say that Nicoh Mayhew was a drug dealer, and could have been shot by any number of enemies targeting him for his cash or marijuana.

His status as a drug dealer is what caused his death, said John McKenna, the attorney representing Brian Mayhew.

The case highlighted problems with witness retaliation in Prince George's County and exposed security problems within the jail where Brian Mayhew was allegedly able to make phone calls to order his uncle's hit.

Despite Nicoh Mayhews death, Brian Mayhew was convicted of murder in the killings of Anthony McKelvin and Sean Ellis. A judge sentenced Brian Mayhew to life in prison in March 2014.

Winston and Cannon were charged with first-degree murder in Nicoh Mayhew's shooting.

Mayhew, Winston and Cannon will be tried together.

The trial is expected to last two weeks in Prince George's County Circuit Court.
In a letter to his wife, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke defined the artists baleful choice: Either happiness or art.

The young narrator of Olga Grushins third novel, Forty Rooms, seems to agree, vowing to shun a small life consumed by happiness in favor of one shaped by the divine standards of art. But, Grushin suggests, that choice is never simple or readily made. Sometimes, life chooses for you.

Grushins novel begins when the unnamed protagonist is 4 years old, living in Soviet Moscow in a family of intellectuals. She dreams of a future as an immortal poet and has visions of a muse she calls Apollo, who cautions her: Whenever you come to a fork in the road, always choose the harder path. Rejecting a predictable existence in Russia, she moves to the United States  as Grushin herself did in 1989  where she first gives up love for the romance of artistic suffering but then marries a prosperous man and settles into a life of comfortable domesticity. A mother of six, she comes to be known only by her married name.

Is Mrs. Caldwell happy in her life, Grushin asks, or is she creating false justifications for the betrayal of her artistic dreams?

[Jonathan Yardley praises Olga Grushins Dream Life of Sukhanov]

Author Olga Grushin (Karel Cudlin)

Grushins formal conceit is to divide the novel into 40 scenes, each taking place in a separate room in which her character has lived. These 40 rooms house moments in which the characters life changes direction, spurred by a choice or chance event. After she meets her future husband, the prose switches from the first to the third person, as though by marrying, Mrs. Caldwell had lost the right to her own story as well as her name.

During the characters enchanted childhood, Grushins careful prose is suffused with the jewel tones of fairy tale, the lyrical particularities of a certain place in a certain time: a gem traded from a soldier for a length of smoked sausage and a box of German sweets, a balcony moored to the rickety house by tenacious tendrils of ivy.

As the plot progresses, though, the story begins to feel strangely prefabricated, the figurative language of detail exchanged for a series of generic, off-the-rack parts: youthful pseudo-intellectualism, a college seduction and the usual accouterments of suburban domesticity, from chardonnay and compulsive shopping to lipstick on a husbands shirt collar. Yet Grushin complicates the characters predictable trajectory by noting, at certain moments, that what is presented is just one of several alternate realities.

Perhaps Grushin felt the need to ground her protagonists trajectory from youthful genius to frustrated housewife in cliche in order to draw out the irony of her situation, the naive determination to eschew convention leading to a life fully defined by it. There is, certainly, a kind of implied bias against the narrators choice. The novels artists and intellectuals are attractive and vibrant, while the domestic life it presents is largely a facade, all tacky knickknacks and gilded plumbing. Although Grushin takes care not to allow Mrs. Caldwell to decide whether the happiness she has found is equal to an artists life, she frames the latter as freer, truer.

Oddly, there is no consideration of whether one might be both mother and artist, although this is precisely what Grushin, who lives outside Washington, is. Stranger still is the presence of a minor character who shares the authors name and accomplishes everything Mrs. Caldwell once dreamed of, but steals from the protagonists life for her stories, having, its suggested, no life of her own.

Still, Forty Rooms is more than just a case study in failure. At 17, the narrator thinks: The place I live in does not matter; nor do the daily tasks I perform; nor even the people with whom I spend my time  all these lie on the surface, fortunate or unfortunate accidents of birth and transitory vagaries of choice, which should not in any profound way affect my true essence, my only real life. At some point, the novel opens up to consider whether being an artist is something one does or something one is. In moments like this, Grushins honesty about the dilemmas of artistic life shines through the predictability of her character, drawing the story toward an unexpectedly moving end.

Jenny Hendrix is a writer in Brooklyn.
Since the publication of Ghost Story in 1979, Peter Straub has been one of the dominant figures in contemporary horror fiction. Like his friend and occasional collaborator Stephen King, he has taken on a marginalized subgenre and elevated it, demonstrating, in the process, its largest, darkest possibilities.

There may be no better introduction to Straubs accomplishments than this new, aptly titled career retrospective, Interior Darkness. The collection contains 16 stories, three of them previously uncollected. They range in length from single-page vignettes to densely detailed short novels, in settings from the 20th century Midwest to the Amazon basin, and in subject matter from the traumatic to the transcendent. Likewise, the narrative voices that animate these stories veer from the straightforward prose of the opening novella, Blue Rose, to the more surrealistic content of the later entries.

In The Juniper Tree, a raw and moving account of sexual abuse and buried memories, the Straub-like narrator describes himself as a writer of unfashionably long novels. But these shorter forms have provided Straub with assorted opportunities to experiment freely, to articulate, from a variety of perspectives, a highly personal vision of the world.

Straubs world is one where trauma  in the form of war, random violence, calculated cruelty and familial dysfunction  dominates the landscape. In the view of a nameless war veteran, the visible world is no more than a picture over the face of a terrible fire. It is a world in which angels can appear on the streets of New York, in which love, art, books and music are the only consistent sources of solace. It is, most centrally, a realm filled with enigmatic encounters and terrible, unyielding mysteries.

Several of the stories gathered here connect directly to Straubs larger works. Blue Rose describes certain defining events in the adolescent life of Harry Beevers in Koko (1988). Straubs account of the making of a sociopathic personality is both credible and chilling. In The Juniper Tree, the sexual crimes that take place in the Orpheum-Oriental movie theater resurface, to traumatic effect, in The Throat (1993). Mallon the Guru offers a glimpse into the colorful history of the charismatic wanderer in Straubs most recent novel, A Dark Matter (2010).

[Read Maureen Corrigans review of A Dark Matter]

The range and variety of Straubs work never fail to surprise. A Short Guide to the City, inspired by an essay on Leningrad/St. Petersburg by poet Joseph Brodsky, is itself an essay-like piece that provides a sociological portrait of a Midwestern city stalked by a serial murderer known as the Viaduct Killer. Ashputtle, the tale of a very different killer, takes its source material from the Brothers Grimm story, a dark precursor to the better-known Cinderella. In The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine, a pair of longtime lovers find themselves on a boat on the Amazon River, heading toward a shocking, unforeseeable destiny. The Halloween-themed Pork Pie Hat offers a story within a story that moves from the jazz clubs of New York City to the Depression-era South. Straubs affectionate, fictionalized portrait of jazz saxophonist Lester Young gives the story much of its emotional strength.

You have never read a story quite like The Buffalo Hunter. It introduces us to Bob Bunting, an infantile loner who escapes, in very literal fashion, into the fictional worlds of Luke Short, Raymond Chandler and Leo Tolstoy. In Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff, a cuckolded husband hires mysterious figures to punish his wife and her lover, ushering in his own destruction in the process. Loosely inspired by Bartleby, the Scrivener and written in a flawless approximation of 19th-century American prose, this tightly compressed novella manages to be both frightening and funny.

Finally  and on a very different note  there is Little Reds Tango, a plotless, impressionistic portrait of a Manhattan-based music collector. Straubs Little Red is an enigmatic figure whose life is bound up in music and the occasional miracle. For Red, jazz is the one true gateway to the sacred. It is also the source of the knowledge and wisdom that Straub has condensed into a series of secular Beatitudes. Here are just a few:

Pay attention to musicians.

Accept your imperfections, for they can bring you to Paradise.

You can never go wrong by thinking of God as Louis Armstrong.

Interior Darkness is a book for those who think they dislike horror, as well as for those who love and respect the genre. Filled with terror, wit and unexpected grace notes, its a remarkable achievement that reflects the arc of a lengthy and celebrated career. Louis Armstrong, wherever he may be, would probably agree.

Bill Sheehan is the author of At the Foot of the Story Tree: An Inquiry into the Fiction of Peter Straub.
A life entwined in yarn might mystify those who dont knit, but anyone versed in the language of skeins and cables will sigh with envy over Clara Parkess new memoir, Knitlandia.

Parkes, who fled a job in high tech just as the Internets rise dovetailed with a surge in knittings popularity, launched an alternative career with her own online magazine, Knitters Review. Long before social media cluttered every corner of our existence, Parkess conversational 411 about new yarns and interesting pattern designs forged connections among far-flung knitters, who discovered they were a global community rather than lone practitioners of a cozy hobby theyd learned from Mom. Parkes writes that she became a yarn evangelist who traveled in search of her congregation.

For 15 years, her travels have included stops at fiber mills, yarn-centric retreats and an ever-blossoming number of events that draw knitting enthusiasts, such as the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, which invades the Howard County Fairgrounds every first weekend of May, and the Sock Summit in Portland, Ore., which was held at the height of the sock-knitting craze. (Yes, knitters know you can buy socks at Target, but many enjoy making their own from colorful yarns as fine as dental floss.)

Parkes also recounts her international treks. During a visit to Iceland, she sees native sheep whose coats grow two distinct kinds of fiber called tog and thel. Accompanying her brother and nieces to Paris, she firmly declares shell seek out no yarn stores, but a secret foray to a charming shop almost betrays her: Yarn in my bag would have been lipstick on the collar to my family, proof that Id broken my promise.

With wry wit, Parkes introduces readers to star knitters such as quirky Scottish designer Ysolda Teague, who bicycles across Edinburgh to her studio, and Jessica and Casey Forbes, founders of Ravelry, the knitting version of Facebook. She acknowledges what most knitters instinctively know: When more than one knitter gathers in a public place . . . we become incongruously conspicuous . . . a species that other people arent used to seeing in flocks, like a cluster of Corgis, a dozen Elvis impersonators waiting for the elevator.

(STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book)

Non-knitters probably will skip Parkess slender volume, thus missing a fresh view of destinations both exotic and ordinary. But those who pick up a copy for a knitting friend should dip into a chapter or two. Theyll soon wonder how quickly they can learn to wield needles and yarn, fashioning a shawlette or sweater that Clara Parkes would applaud.

Kathy Blumenstock is a former Washington Post editor and a lifelong knitter.
A few years before Leonard Nimoy died last February at 83, he stopped speaking to William Shatner, his close friend since their many Star Trek adventures. As he explains in Leonard, his new book about that relationship, Shatner still isnt sure what caused Nimoy to freeze out his Starship Enterprise other half. It remains a mystery to me, and it is heartbreaking, heartbreaking, Shatner writes. It is something I will wonder about, and regret, forever.

[Leonard Nimoy, a pop culture force as Spock of Star Trek, dies at 83]

That revelation, both personal and laden with questions, is much in keeping with the overall tone of Shatners book. At times, the actor recounts his connection to Nimoy with great candor and reverence, particularly when he discusses how that bond solidified after the death of Shatners third wife, Nerine Kidd, who drowned in the couples pool in 1999. But readers may wish they got a little more fly-on-the-wall perspective on the lengthy friendship born in a place where few are: on the set of an iconic sci-fi TV series. As Shatner says at one point, When I think about Leonard, my memories are emotional more than specific. His memories often read that way, too.

[The touching tribute to Leonard Nimoy from space]

Leonard is essentially a traditional biography, but one that is filtered through the prism of its authors friendship with his subject. Shatner  who co-wrote the book with David Fisher , his collaborator on his 2008 memoir, Up Till Now recounts his fellow stars path from aspiring actor to the worlds most famous pointy-eared Vulcan, as well as forays into directing, philanthropy and other creative pursuits. As Shatner notes, he and Nimoy were both raised in lower-middle-class Orthodox Jewish immigrant families  Nimoy in Boston, Shatner in Montreal  and struggled to build acting careers that could support them and their families.

"Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man" by William Shatner and David Fisher (Thomas Dunne)

That common ground, not to mention the shared experience of being associated with Star Trek for most of their careers, rooted them to each other. Shatner even points out that they are technically, albeit very distantly, related: Supposedly I am Leonards wife Susans fifth cousin twice removeds wifes aunts husbands uncles wifes second grandnephew. In Shatners mind they came from the same tribe.

[Leonard Nimoy and the lasting dignity of being Spock]

As characterized by this book, the differences between the two actors mirror the differences between the characters they played: Shatner wears his feelings on his Starfleet uniform sleeve, while Nimoy was cerebral and much like the character Spock . . . very reserved. In keeping with Capt. Kirks arrogance, Shatner also sometimes has a hard time fully admitting his own fault, even in conflicts that date back decades. Shatner remembers questioning a TV Guide photographer who, unknown to him, was taking pictures on the set for a story about Nimoys Spock makeup. Shatners complaints resulted in the photographer being removed, even though, as Nimoy told his fellow actor, all the necessary superiors had approved the journalists presence. Nimoy would later remember that Shatner responded, Well, it wasnt approved by me.

Years later, if I really remembered saying this, I certainly would have regretted it, Shatner writes, in a kind of mea culpa that is borderline comical.

The stories that Shatner shares about their Trek clashes and camaraderie  on the original series, in the movies and on the convention circuit  are largely ones that Trekkies have probably heard or read before. Certainly by now, fans know the major highlights of Nimoys career, although the book dutifully runs through those anyway.

The chapters that delve into Nimoys drinking problems, which he eventually overcame, and his strained relationship with his son, Adam, who also became an addict but eventually got clean and reconciled with his father, are more revelatory.

Nimoys own attachment to alcohol enabled him to provide a special kind of support for Shatner during his marriage to Kidd, who was an alcoholic, and in the wake of her death. He enveloped me in his arms as his brother, and we cried together, he writes. He was always there, kind and loving and available.

When Nimoy died last year, Shatner did not attend the funeral because he was in Florida, serving as one of the celebrity guests at a fundraiser for the Red Cross. Because he could not get back in time, he sent his daughters to the funeral to represent him. Shatner was criticized publicly for that, which he says was painful.

Given the way he responded to Nimoys death, some may find it a bit opportunistic of Shatner to publish this book as the anniversary of that passing approaches. But Shatners regret over his mysterious falling out with Nimoy suggests what this book really is: a goodbye, the literary equivalent of that scene in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) when Kirk and a dying Spock say farewell by placing their hands against a pane of glass. For those who still tear up at the mention of that moment, Leonard will feel like essential reading, even if, just like the relationship on which it is based, it leaves some lingering issues unresolved.

Chaney is a pop culture critic and author of the book As If!: The Oral History of Clueless. 
Richard Kurin, the undersecretary for history, art and culture, will serve as acting provost at the Smithsonian Institution. (Smithsonian Institution/Smithsonian Institution)

The Smithsonian Institution has combined the job of undersecretary of history, art and culture with the undersecretary of science to create one new position of provost.

Richard Kurin will serve as acting undersecretary of museums and research/provost until a national search identifies a permanent candidate. Kurin was appointed undersecretary of history and culture in 2007; art was added to the division in 2008.

The provost search is expected to start within two months and to take at least six months, a Smithsonian spokeswoman said. It is unclear whether Kurin will be a candidate for the job, or what role he will have once a provost is hired.

The reorganization was approved by Congress last week. The post of provost is not new to the Smithsonian, but Congress must sign off on administrative changes.

W. John Kress, who has served as interim undersecretary of science since Eva Pell retired in April 2014, will return to the National Museum of Natural History, where he is a research botanist and curator.

[In his first interview new Smithsonian secretary defends Cosby exhibit]

Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton, who was the president of Cornell University before taking over as the 13th secretary of the Smithsonian last year, proposed the reorganization to better integrate arts and science and to streamline administration. In a letter to staff, Skorton said the new structure will break down artificial barriers between units, allowing for greater innovation and collaboration.
As good as Sandrine Piau sounds in the studio, she was even better live at the Phillips Collection. (Sandrine Expilly/Naive)

Sandrine Piau made her long overdue Washington debut on Sunday afternoon, and the Phillips Collection, celebrating its 75th anniversary season, got the glory. The French sopranos excellent program of 19th-century songs, superbly accompanied by pianist Susan Manoff, was the latest sign of the ascendancy of the Phillips concert series, which has become one of the strongest in the city.

Manoff and Piau recorded many of these songs on their 2011 CD, Apres un reve. The qualities that set Piaus voice apart on disc were, if anything, more pronounced live: clarity of intonation more than idiosyncratic color, lightness at the top more than force, unmannered elegance of diction more than fussy precision. Her rhythmic freedom, always shadowed adroitly by Manoff, helped her create the sense of poetry being recited in music, especially in impeccable sets of French songs by Faure, Chausson, Debussy and Poulenc. The music of that last composer in particular, sung with a natural ease and wry subtlety, has become one of her calling cards.

In the German songs by Hugo Wolf and Richard Strauss, the transparent top range of Piaus voice was beautifully suited to incarnate every sort of elf, naiad, night spirit, and lost waif possible. Manoff added a kaleidoscope of colors at the keyboard, ringing out a pedal bell tone in Chaussons Les heures or trilling for the fluttering nightingales in Strausss Standchen.

Both artists let their hair down a bit in three Britten folk-song arrangements, with Piau even sitting on the piano bench with Manoff for the middle song. During I Wonder as I Wander, Manoff held down the pianos sustaining pedal, allowing the strings to resonate with a ghostly shimmer during the unaccompanied passages. With two encores, Debussys Fantoches and Poulencs La reine de coeur, Piau ended in her strongest repertory.

Downey is a freelance writer.


(Goran Kosanovic/For The Washington Post)

On Sundays, while I pick up around the house, a hefty stockpot bubbles away on the stove. The same thing is always inside: beans. Pinto, black, kidney, cannellini, Great Northern, Christmas lima or flageolet. Chickpeas and lentils are also a possibility. So what if those are technically pulses? In my mind, they all belong to the same category: the tastes delicious and makes my life easier one.

When I was growing up in the Dominican Republic, no meal was complete without red beans stewed with oregano and tomato paste, black beans fragrant with cubanelle peppers and bay leaves, or lentils cooked with cilantro and bacon. And while most Dominicans treat meat as the headlining act, Im perfectly happy with a plate of rice and beans. (Though some avocado and sweet plantains wouldnt hurt.)

[More things we love: Stylish stemware, Baltimore bars, girly drinks, Grandmas CorningWare, food shopping, an immersion blender, a home coffee bar, oysters, Longhorn B-B-Q Sauce ]

When I travel back to Santo Domingo, I watch my mother chop red, yellow and green peppers into a vibrant mound, then add them to a pressure cooker with red beans, cilantro, garlic paste and oregano. But whenever I try to replicate the dish in Washington, the flavors taste as muffled as the Justin Bieber songs that too often escape my neighbors apartment.

Years after I moved to the United States, my love for beans hasnt waned. It has diversified. So on Monday mornings, I grab my cooked beans and throw them into a container with whatever else I dig out of the fridge: farro, herbs, roasted vegetables left over from last nights dinner. Thats a five-minute lunch. On weeknights, I toss black beans into a skillet with garlic and cumin, add some white rice and have a meal ready in 20 minutes or less. I dont discriminate. If I forgot to cook dried beans on Sunday, Ill even reach for a can.

Beans dress up nicely, but theyre not snobby. When I need a quick appetizer for a dinner party, I smooth out a batch of hummus in a wide bowl and top it with zaatar and pine nuts toasted in butter. No friend of mine has ever hesitated to dive into that big bowl of beans.

When a meal seems anemic without another side dish, I throw together a lentil salad with generous amounts of herbs and even more generous amounts of goat cheese. For something simpler, I heat olive oil in a pan with garlic and chili flakes, then drizzle it atop white beans with Parmesan.

I dont care that beans lack the sexiness of chocolate and pasta. Theres no food I eat more consistently  or enjoy as wholeheartedly. Beans are there for me when Im sleepy in the morning and dont want to think about what to pack for lunch. Theyre there for me during dinner parties when I dont want to spend the whole evening cloistered in the kitchen. And, above all, theyre there for me when I need a reminder of home.


Emus grow to six feet tall. They can't fly but can run very fast. (Ann Cameron Siegal)

Theyre scruffy but elegant, powerful but gentle and so much fun to watch. Meet the emu, the second-largest bird in the world after the ostrich.

Emus cant fly but can run very fast. An emus small, palm-size wings are hidden under a mound of feathers and help it balance as it runs at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. (The National Council on Strength and Fitness says the typical man can run 15 mph for short distances.)

Native to Australia, emus wont be found in the wild in the United States, but they are popular farm animals here. Some are raised for meat, leather or oil, some are pets, and some serve as effective guard animals, protecting other farm life from predators such as foxes or coyotes.

Emus use their powerful legs and three-toed feet defensively when threatened, but if treated gently, they are calm, curious and playful birds.

They will run just ahead of you for a bit, turn around and look you in the eye, then take off full speed, stop and look back at you like, Come on, slowpoke!  said Lolly Busey, volunteer coordinator at Rikkis Refuge Animal Sanctuary in Orange, Virginia.



Martha Boneta shares grapes with an emu at Liberty Farm in Paris, Virginia. Emus love to eat fruit, vegetables, grains and insects. (Ann Cameron Siegal)

On the forever-farm

At Liberty Farm in Paris, Virginia, also an animal rescue farm, this KidsPost reporter heard a boom boom boom sound coming from a female emu. The sound, made by the birds throat muscles, is often referred to as drumming because it sounds as if someone is beating a bongo drum with the palm of the hand. Males often make a grunting sound.

Libertys 18 emus join goats, sheep, alpacas and other animals roaming 64 acres of gently rolling terrain.

This is their forever-farm, said Martha Boneta, the farms owner.

Rikkis also has a variety of animals, including seven emus, who love eating broccoli from visitors hands.

They are very smart, and they want to know what everything is, Busey said. They will think nothing of reaching in your pocket or trying to take your hat off.

Some emus, such as Libertys Lollipop, come to rescue farms from owners who can no longer care for them. Bonne Chance, meaning good luck in French, was found wandering along a road after being struck by a car. Rikkis acquired a pair of 2-week-old chicks  Peepers and Phoebe  hatched for a school project. Emus grow quickly  by 1 year old they can be between five and six feet tall  and need lots of room to roam.



Martha Boneta holds an emu egg, right, and a hen egg, like one you might find in the grocery store. (Ann Cameron Siegal)

A 4-week-old emu chick still has its brown and cream stripes. The birds are full grown  five to six feet tall  by about a year. (Alexandra Arntz)

Eggs and chicks

Boneta said that emus always remind her of the Dr. Seuss story Green Eggs and Ham because their huge eggs really are green.

The male emu builds the nest in brush piles on the ground or in wooded areas, so the color helps hide the eggs from predators. After the female lays her eggs, the male sits on them for about eight weeks until they hatch. Then, he raises the chicks, constantly staying by their side for about six months.

Watching as her emus grazed with other farm animals, Boneta smiled, recalling a phrase first found in the Bibles Old Testament and often illustrated in art and literature. This is my peaceable kingdom, she said.

Where to see emus?

There is a charge for farm tours, which are by appointment only. (Always ask a parent before going to a website.)

Liberty Farm: 1037 Gap Run Road, Paris, Virginia. www.parisbarns.com.

Rikkis Refuge Animal Sanctuary: Orange, Virginia. www.rikkisrefuge.org.

The National Zoo: 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington. Open daily. nationalzoo.si.edu. Darwin, age 19, was raised from a hatchling there and now lives in the Bird House area.
A display of illegal guns seized by D.C. police in 2015. The majority of recipients of proposed rehabilitation stipends would probably be those who police think are most likely to resort to gun violence again. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Americans have long held that the best way to keep residents safe is to invest in police. But the nations capital is now wrestling with a more controversial approach: paying criminals to stay out of trouble.

Under a measure that advanced in the D.C. Council last week, the city would pay 50 of its most troubled young residents annual stipends, perhaps $9,000 or more, to stick with programs to turn their lives around. Most participants would be those who have committed offenses involving firearms and who D.C. police think are likely to resort to gun violence again. The taxpayer-funded stipends would be paid if offenders keep up attendance with programs for behavioral health, education and job training, among others.

The unconventional approach has gained traction with council members after a year in which a 54 percent spike in homicides confounded D.C. police and instances of police misconduct across the country have renewed debate on the best ways to combat violence.

But with a poll showing that Washington residents see crime as the biggest problem facing the city, the proposed experiment is seen by many as risky and has caused a rift between the council and Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), who continues to lobby for a more traditional, tough-on-crime response to last years homicide increase. She has been pressing the council ahead of a final vote next month to give law enforcement officers more powers to conduct warrantless searches of former violent offenders and their homes.

If the council gives final approval to the crime bill containing the stipend plan, it is not clear whether the mayor will fund or implement it. In her last statement on the bill, Bowser said in January that it failed to include any provision to combat crime. On Friday, her spokesman, Michael Czin, said that sentiment remains alive in the mayors office and the stipend plan is not a balanced approach to fighting crime.

Council member Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5), chairman of the judiciary committee and a former federal prosecutor, wrote the measure and won a unanimous endorsement of it from his colleagues in an initial vote Tuesday.

[D.C. Council passes marijuana and crime bills]

McDuffie has cast his stipend plan as one prong of a campaign to force the District to begin addressing violent crime as a public health crisis.

Residents ask me, What are we doing about crime, about robberies, about homicides? This isnt a plan to address one or two instances. This is to benefit all the residents of the District of Columbia and really change our approach to crime and crime prevention, he said.

McDuffies bill would also put crisis counselors, social workers and psychologists in every emergency room across the city to begin working with crime victims in the immediate aftermath of violence. It would expand job training and community outreach programs and reform police training and oversight. In all, it would cost an estimated $25 million over the next four years.

The stipends account for a fraction of that, about $460,000 annually, plus another $1 million for a staff to monitor the participants. But it is the proposed expense that has attracted the most questions.

Officials would still have to hash out a system for selecting who should receive the stipends and how to determine what they would have to do to keep them. But McDuffies office has said that it envisions the money would go to people in their mid-to-late teens and that participants could be eligible for more than one year.

McDuffie based the plan heavily on a program that has been used for almost a decade in Richmond, Calif., and he says the experience that the city has had makes it evidence-based and data driven.

An industrial city in the San Francisco Bay area, Richmond was ranked as the nations sixth deadliest for gun violence in 2008 when it began the program and has since recorded a 76 percent drop in gun-related homicides.

Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh and Baltimore have tried similar programs with mixed success over the past two decades, but Richmonds has remained intact, in no small part because grant money  not tax dollars  pays for most of the stipends and program support.

Roughly 4 in 5 program participants have not been suspected of involvement in further gun violence since joining the program, according to Richmond officials.

Daniel Webster, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore who studies gun violence, said the model in Richmond is intriguing because ex-convicts face immediate financial needs after release, including housing and often renewed commitments to child support, but have limited employment prospects to meet those obligations.

Webster said that no one has done a deep analysis of what has happened in Richmond and compared it to a control group of ex-convicts who were similarly at risk for repeat offenses. But he said that the District could be uniquely positioned to capitalize if it could repeat the success in Richmond.

Even if it works in one instance or a couple, it could be worth it, he said, referring to the price of the program compared with the social cost of a homicide and the $30,000 annual cost of incarcerating a convicted felon.

Bowser, however, appears to remain unconvinced, and in discussions with lawmakers she and her staff have argued that the District is already spending $100 million annually on job-training programs, plus an expansion of the Districts summer youth jobs programs and grants for neighborhood activities to create deterrents to youth crime.

Mayor Bowser has pursued a balanced approach to stopping violence, said Czin, her spokesman. The legislation the mayor proposed balances enforcement and opportunity, and she will continue to pursue both.
The Virginia state Senate postponed a vote Monday on a bill aimed at restricting what extra amenities local governments can demand from homebuilders to mitigate the impacts of those projects.

The reforms to the states so-called proffer system have generated controversy, with local officials in Northern Virginia arguing that the legislation would weaken their ability to mitigate the impact of new developments by requiring developers to add new roads or a school.

[Northern Va. officials argue that proffers have shaped the character of rapidly growing communities]

The Senate bill requires that proffers be limited to offsetting impacts that are directly attributable to new residential developments or new uses for existing developments. Under the bill, local governments can also require developers to offset the impact to off-site public facilities  such as a sewer system  but only if that builders new development also benefits from the improvement.

The legislation does not apply to high-density areas, commercial developments or neighborhoods near Metrorail stations.

Several local governments are lobbying for additional exceptions.

Fairfax County wants the reforms to exclude some lower-density neighborhoods. Fairfax also argues that the bill should make it harder for developers who refused to abide by a proffer request to sue local governments if their projects are rejected.

Frankly, we would just like to see the bill withdrawn entirely, said Sharon Bulova, chair of Fairfax Countys board of supervisors. But if a bill is going to pass, we let members of the Senate know what our concerns are and how wed like to see it amended.

The bill  co-sponsored by Sen. Mark D. Obenshain (R-Rockingham) and Sen. Richard Saslaw (D-Fairfax)  is scheduled to be addressed again Tuesday.

A House version of the bill passed 68 to 27 last week.
As U.S. presidential candidates fight over the best way to address the influx of Central Americans across the Southwest border  with debate about building walls and deporting immigrants  the nations public schools have opened their doors, taking responsibility for helping tens of thousands of children find their footing here.

Its not an easy task.

Many of the new arrivals dont speak much English and are behind academically. They often come with scars, having fled desperate poverty or violence or both. Many endured difficult journeys, sometimes leaving their families behind or rejoining parents in the United States after years of separation. And U.S. schools, already strapped for resources, are trying to provide special services, including English-language instruction and mental-health care.

The schools have to, because its the law: Children who are living in this country have a right to a public education, regardless of their immigration status. But for many educators its also more than a legal obligation, its the moral thing to do.

The United States is founded on human rights, said Sandra Jimenez, the principal of High Point High School in Prince Georges County, Md., a Washington suburb where the immigrant population has grown rapidly. The only reason these people are here is because they are desperate. These people are coming to survive.

Immigrant students at High Point High School share personal experiences in a circle practice meant to provide a safe place for students to process their feelings and form a community. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

There were more than 630,000 immigrant students nationwide in the 2013-2014 school year, according to the latest federal education data available, which defines immigrants as children born outside the country and enrolled in U.S. schools for less than three years. That figure has grown since immigration across the southern border surged two years ago: Between Oct. 1, 2013 and Dec. 31, 2015, federal officials released more than 95,000 unaccompanied minors into U.S. communities, virtually all of them entitled to enroll in public school.

[U.S. plans raids to deport families who surged across border]

High Point, like many other schools flooded with foreign students, has had to adjust. A school with an enrollment of 2,400, it has registered 282 new immigrants so far this school year. Last year, it took on 396 new immigrants; the year before that, 307. Some of them immigrated legally, and others did not.

Many arrived from December to March  a time of natural transition, because the Central American school year ends in December, Jimenez said.

This is normal for us, Jimenez said. We plan for the influx from the beginning of the year.

Newcomers are enrolled in classes with other newcomers, and Jimenez changed staffing so that some teachers had room in their schedules to add classes as more children arrived. She hired bilingual staff members in key positions, including administrators, secretaries and security guards. There are evening workshops on family reunification. When students need housing or health care, counselors work to connect them with community groups that can help.

She can speak at length about language acquisition, the pedagogy of teaching English as a second language and the importance of children learning grade-appropriate vocabulary in math, science and social studies  such as commutative property, which new arrivals were practicing in a math class on a recent weekday morning.

Maura Salguero, sitting, center, processes her daughter Yenifer Garcia Salguero, 12, left, at the International Student Counseling Office in Prince Georges County. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

But Jimenez said that the most powerful thing that the school has done is to show its new immigrant students that they have support and that they are safe. We have built an oasis. School is the place where people have your back, she said. If you dont feel safe, you cant learn.

Advocates agree that schools play a key role in shaping the path that students take after they arrive. Many students are not only poor, struggling with English and navigating without a lot of support at home, they say, but also often are under pressure from gangs seeking new recruits.

They have all these other factors and pressures going on. Its critical for schools to provide a holistic, comprehensive support system, said Zorayda Moreira-Smith of CASA of Maryland, an advocacy group. She said Prince Georges County, and High Point in particular, have gone to unusual lengths to let students know they are welcome, including by issuing public statements opposing immigration raids in recent weeks.

I am deeply troubled by the fear and uncertainty that exists in so many of our school communities as a result of the actions of the Department of Homeland Security, Superintendent Kevin Maxwell said in a statement in January, when officials said that the raids had caused a drop in attendance. To our PGCPS students and families: We stand with you.

[Principals named for two high schools focusing on immigrants]

Not everyone believes that the nations tax dollars should be used to educate immigrants who arrive in the country illegally, and others argue that forcing school districts to take on the challenge isnt fair when resources already are stretched too thin.

Congress should not allow the Obama administration to incentivize illegal immigration and human smuggling by rewarding those who participate, Jessica M. Vaughan, of the Center for Immigration Studies, told a House Judiciary subcommittee Thursday, arguing that youths and other immigrants should be detained near the border. In an email to The Washington Post, she bemoaned the effects: The cost of meeting the educational needs for the kids who are arriving illegally as part of the surge is the main way that the administrations policy is burdensome to state and local governments.

Services for immigrant students have caused tension in Prince Georges County. In 2014, school system officials announced that they planned to create two high schools for English-language learners; the NAACP objected, arguing that other students also have academic needs that deserve attention.

Daniel Domenech, executive director of AASA, the school superintendents association, said that in many cases of immigrant influxes, class sizes rise and school districts are faced with providing additional services without more funding.

Its a problem, he said. Having said that, I have to tell you that just about in all cases, districts will bend over backward to accommodate and provide for these students whatever services they need.

About 8,000 international students enrolled in Prince Georges County schools last school year, and half of them were new to the United States, coming not just from Central America but also from nations as varied as Cameroon, Ethiopia, the Philippines and Jamaica. They all registered through an intake center meant to evaluate their English skills and place them in a suitable school.

On a recent morning at the center, 12-year-old Yenifer Garcia Salguero and her mother, stepfather and two younger half-brothers crowded into a small room where she received her assignment to a county middle school.

Yenifer had just arrived from Guatemala and hadnt seen her mother for a decade. How was she feeling about school, about being in the United States? Nerviosa, she said. Nervous.

High Point began confronting those nerves two years ago by hosting talking circles with its new immigrant students  a chance for them to share where they are from, what they are afraid of and what they want to achieve.

Suzanne Tchouomtseu Tochie, 19, a senior who arrived from Cameroon in 2014, said that the circles helped her feel connected at a disorienting time.

People tell their story. They talk about what theyre going through, she said. You get to know the real person.

Social worker Beth Hood and counselor Jessica Jackson held a talking circle one recent morning, inviting a dozen students to scoot their desks into a circle inside a High Point science classroom.

The students were new immigrants from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, and most had been at the school for a few months. One girl said it was her second day. They listened quietly as one after the other answered the teachers questions: What did you imagine about the United States before you arrived? How do you feel now that you are here?

One thought he would be living at the beach, he said in Spanish, and here he was in suburban Maryland. But then the conversation deepened, with some saying they were worried about their immigration cases. Others said they had come to the United States to earn money and hadnt expected to go to school until immigration officials told them it was required.

Many said they had expected that they would finally be able to spend time with their parents after years apart but that they hardly saw their parents, who were always working. The girl on her second day at High Point said she had been crying because she missed her mom, who was still in El Salvador.

You have our respect, Hood told the students in Spanish. You are not alone in your experiences. This stage of getting used to everything is not forever.

Hood had invited a 20-year-old junior, Wilson Santos, to offer hope and advice. He had worked on a farm in Guatemala in grinding poverty until three years ago, when he saw no other option than to come to the United States. He walked across the desert, he said, and was stopped by immigration officials while trying to cross the U.S. border.

He never expected to go to school, he said, and yet school became his anchor. He now is a legal resident, he said, and is working a construction job on weekends. He expects to graduate from High Point next year and hopes to own a business someday.

I feel more than anything proud of myself, he told his fellow students, speaking in Spanish.

Many students drop out before they get a diploma, and High Points on-time graduation rate  though it has climbed in recent years is 64 percent, far lower than the national average of 82 percent.

Hood, the social worker, said that the figure masks the important progress that students are making in school  including those who drop out. She said they are learning English, learning how to access services and advocate for themselves, and learning how to survive.
MARYLAND

Twin brothers

charged in killing

Twin 18-year-old brothers were arrested and charged in the death of a Southeast Washington man, police said.

Prince Georges County police said Darnell Tyres Bogan and Darshe Tyre Bogan, both of Suitland, were charged in the killing of Maurice Larnell Sinclair, 19.

The incident occurred about 1:10 p.m. Wednesday in the 2500 block of Darel Drive. When officers arrived, they found a man later identified as Sinclair outside an apartment. He had a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to online court records, the brothers are charged with involuntary manslaughter and other crimes.

Retrial involves

recorded jail calls

A Maryland man accused of ordering his uncles killing in 2012 to prevent him from testifying at a murder trial returned to Prince Georges County Circuit Court on Monday.

The retrial of Brian Mayhew, 24, of Fort Washington renews a complicated case that involves recorded jailhouse phone calls that allegedly concern the ordered execution of Mayhews uncle, witness retaliation and the killings of two rival drug dealers.

An earlier trial ended in a hung jury. The retrial is expected to last two weeks.

 Lynh Bui

VIRGINIA

Senate delays

vote on proffers

The state Senate postponed a vote Monday on a bill aimed at restricting what extra amenities local governments can demand from homebuilders to mitigate the effects of those projects.

The reforms to the states proffer system have generated controversy, with local officials in Northern Virginia arguing that the legislation would weaken their ability to mitigate the impact of new developments by requiring developers to add roads or a school.

The Senate bill requires that proffers be limited to offsetting effects that are directly attributable to new residential developments or new uses for existing developments. Under the bill, local governments can also require developers to offset the impact to off-site public facilities  such as a sewer system  but only if that builders new development also benefits from the improvement.

The legislation does not apply to high-density areas, commercial developments or neighborhoods near Metrorail stations.

 Antonio Olivo

the region

Rock climber pleads

guilty in slaying

A Virginia rock climber pleaded guilty on Monday to killing the climber who was his mentor for 20 years, by hitting the man in the head with a claw hammer.

David DiPaolo, 33, will be sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison, in accordance with the plea agreement, the U.S. attorneys office in Maryland said Monday. He was charged with voluntary manslaughter for killing Geoffrey Farrar, 69, at the Carderock Recreation Area in Bethesda in December 2013.

Farrar was such a fixture at the climbing area that he was known as Carderock Geoff. He tried out risky climbs and taught younger climbers, including DiPaolo, who became his sidekick Carderock Dave.

When fellow climbers found Farrar bleeding from his head at the base of a cliff near the Billy Goat Trail, they thought he had fallen. But authorities said he was beaten to death by DiPaolo. DiPaolo, of Bristow, initially said he acted in self-defense. Authorities said the men had argued about something while in the parking lot that day.
In candidate forums, Democrats running for Marylands 8th Congressional District nomination almost always avoid direct challenges to opponents, talking up their own records instead.

Will Jawando tried a more aggressive approach Saturday, using the African American Democratic Club of Montgomery Countys annual State of Black Montgomery conference to call out State Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery) for a vote on a criminal justice issue.

The charge involved a tangled and technical dispute between Raskin and black Senate colleagues over a floor amendment last March. And it didnt prevent some of them from later endorsing his congressional candidacy.

Jawando, a former Obama White House staffer and the only African American candidate in the field of nine, had been asked how to make the police and courts more accountable when he said:

We need to elect different leaders who represent our community, who understand these issues. . . . Im disappointed in Senator Raskin for voting against a bill last session that would have prevented juveniles from serving life sentences.

[Supreme Court bars mandatory life without parole for juvenile murderers]

The bill was actually an amendment to a measure sponsored by State Sen. Robert Cassilly (R-Harford) empowering judges, rather than juries, to decide whether a person convicted of first degree murder should serve life without possibility of parole.

The amendment, offered by Sen. Delores Kelley (D-Baltimore County), would have barred minors from receiving such punishment in Maryland courts.

Humanity dictates it, said Kelley, noting that the amendment was in line with the 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandatory life sentences without possibility of parole for juvenile murderers constituted cruel and unusual punishment. The decision said judges may still hand down such a sentence to minors but must take mitigating circumstances into account.

Kelley, who noted that a dozen other states have passed similar provisions, was supported by other minority lawmakers, including State Sens. Joanne C. Benson (D-Prince Georges) and Ulysses Currie (D-Prince Georges), who argued that such severe sentences fall disproportionately on black juveniles, many from abusive backgrounds or suffering from mental illness.

The amendment touched off an emotional hour-long debate. Raskin said it was too significant a policy change to be dropped into Cassillys bill, which he described as strictly corrective and a clean-up measure to eliminate language that should have been dropped when Maryland abolished the death penalty in 2009.

When capital punishment was still on the books, juries decided whether a sentence for a murder conviction would be death or life without parole. Since the repeal, some judges have continued to allow juries to make the decision regarding life without parole.

[Candidates appeal to diversity in 8th District Democratic primary]

Raskin, an American University constitutional law professor who led the floor fight to repeal the death penalty, argued that retaining the jurys sentencing role in these cases was improper and that the question of life without parole should be left to judges. He called it a clean-up bill that was not the appropriate vehicle for Kelleys amendment.

But Kelley and her supporters said that there was no legitimate reason for excluding the amendment and that the time had come to address this aspect of a broken criminal justice system.

Most of the people who are incarcerated in the state of Maryland look like me, Benson said.

If not [now], when? said State Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-Prince Georges). Do we wait another year, two years and watch children get life without parole?

The amendment was defeated, and Cassillys bill was returned to committee.

The skirmish apparently left no lasting damage. Kelley said Sunday she had no issue with Raskin, who signed this year as a co-sponsor of her newly filed bill to ban life without parole for juveniles convicted of murder.

Hes a lawyer and lawyers can ask tough questions. But I respect him, she said.

It also didnt stop others who voted with Kelley, including Ramirez and State Senate Majority Leader Catherine E. Pugh (D-Baltmore City), from endorsing his congressional candidacy.

Jawando said Sunday he felt it was worth bringing the matter to light.

My point was its great that hes a co-sponsor now, but there are times when process shouldnt get in the way of progress. Record is fair game.

The forum was also notable for the absence of businessman David Trone. The Potomac wine merchant, who entered the race late last month with big self-financed ad buys and a vow to spend whatever it took to win, did an early morning drop-by to shake hands at the Silver Spring Civic Center prior to the State of Black Montgomery conference that preceded the debate.

Trone said he had other campaign commitments but would be joining the candidate forum circuit soon. The conference program listed him as a platinum sponsor for the event. Organizers said he donated $1,000.
Prince George's County is continuing plans for redevelopment surrounding some of its Green Line stations, such as the Naylor Road Metro Station in Temple Hills. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

There are two words Temple Hills resident Leonard Gore hears from locals to describe the neighborhoods along Metros Green Line in Prince Georges County: Old and tired.

From Naylor Road to the final stop at Branch Avenue, the corridor is an aging but civically active community that has been planning and pining for one project, one little spark to trigger its long-awaited economic revitalization.

The past two decades have brought mostly disappointment. But two bids to build an office complex for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have renewed hopes that the economic renaissance the District is experiencing could spill over the border.

The project calls for 575,000 square feet of Metro-accessible office space and a 15-year lease in either the District, Crystal City, Pentagon City or Prince Georges County south of Route 4. It would bring more than 3,000 jobs and substantial property tax revenue to the winning jurisdiction.

Prince Georges is offering tax incentives and other assistance to help developers JBG and Peter Schwartz, who are competing against each other and trying to beat out potential bidders for the General Services Administration project from the District and Northern Virginia.

Candace Milbry plans to open a cafe and organic grocery store in a new retail space in Temple Hills, Md. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

The GSA, which is basically the federal governments real estate arm, will award the contract.

For the most part, Prince Georges County feels neglected, said the Rev. Charles Whitaker, whose Temple Hills church has agreed to sell land it owns near the Naylor Road Metro station to JBG if the developer is chosen to build the project. Everybody had this dream that if wed get something that was major, it would help bring about economic stimulus.

JBG has a assembled a 15-acre site across from the Metro station and is proposing a top-quality office with new retail offerings nearby. Two miles to the east, by the Branch Avenue station, Schwartzs company would incorporate the new federal tenant into a 100-acre town center of high-end apartments and brand-name retailers.

If either developer is awarded the bid, it would chip away at a perceived injustice repeatedly raised by elected leaders from Prince Georges, including County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) and Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-Md.), over where the federal government locates office space and the white-collar jobs that come with it.

Federal workers who live in Prince Georges often have some of the longest commute times in the region because of the distance to offices in other jurisdictions.

Weve got the ear of federal officials on the disparity in allocation of federal dollars, said David S. Iannucci, Bakers economic development aide, adding that the county has 4 percent of the regions federal office space and about 25 percent of the regions federal workers. It didnt happen by accident, and we are being pretty direct in saying that.

Past rejections

Schwartz said he remembers his first rejection well.

Iverson Mall is in the midst of a major renovation, a part of new economic development in Prince George's County. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

His company bid on a 2009 General Services Administration project to build office space on land Schwartz owns adjacent to the Largo Town Center Metro station for the Department of Health and Human Services. His was one of three promising county bids.

[GSA rejects Prince Georges bids for HHS offices]

But after a long and arduous process, the leasing award went to JBG, which proposed renovating the existing HHS office building in Montgomery County, near the Twinbrook Metro station in Rockville. Elected officials accused the GSA of redlining, and the developers who wanted to build in Prince Georges protested the decision.

We were cheated, Schwartz said. An agency will not go where they dont want to go.

The county had another chance in 2011, when the Department of Homeland Security was seeking leasing space. But budget cuts killed that bid.

Prince Georges has long seen federal government projects as catalysts for prosperity  but growth can be slow in coming. In Suitland, where the Census Bureau relocated in 1942, revitalization is taking decades, and crime and blight often have kept 10,000 federal workers from leaving their fenced-in campus.

Agencies have not wanted to go to Prince Georges because they didnt feel it was going to develop fast enough, Schwartz said. He said the GSA, which administers real estate for the federal government, is reluctant to pick sites that offer few amenities for agency workers.

Baker and the Prince Georges County Council have tried to speed development around Metro stations and the Suitland campus over the past five years, with bolstered economic incentives and a strengthened focus on transit-oriented development.

In years past, there wasnt great planning done for a number of Metro stations, said council member Mel Franklin (D-Upper Marlboro). It reflected the attitude that the county did not see Metro stations as development magnets. Weve changed that view and direction.

While state and Prince Georges officials are also focused on a longer-term effort to lure the FBI headquarters to Greenbelt or Landover, they say winning the USCIS bid would have a more immediate economic impact.

We are extremely right for development, said County Council member Karen R. Toles (D-Suitland) who supports the Naylor Road-area bid. We cant leave out communities we know will benefit from change.

Awaiting rebirth

Earl Gumbs moved to Hillcrest Heights in the 1970s for a government job. The neighborhoods proximity to the District made it a good landing spot for many families coming from across the country to work for federal agencies. He remembers when the area bustled with businesses that served the largely black community of middle-class workers.

But over the decades, the waves of crime, a drug epidemic and joblessness chased people and businesses away. What was left was an enclave of mostly retirees who, Gumbs said, lacked the resources  but not the will  to rejuvenate the neighborhood and attract some of the more than 70,000 automobiles that travel east from Washington on Branch Avenue each day.

We need to give them a reason to stop, said Jennifer Funn, program coordinator for Branch Avenue in Bloom, a community development organization based at the University of Maryland. Since 2010, Funn has helped organize residents and civic organizations to boost local businesses and bring positive attention to the community.

Residents launched a farmers market and an urban farm and met with business owners to talk about facade improvements. Gumbs, Gore and other activists worked with county planners to identify amenities they wanted.

What resulted was a blueprint for a high-density urban development that is walkable and offers an array of housing options.

Gore, a geographer for the Bureau of Land Management, says he chose to live in Temple Hills 15 years ago because of what he had read about the areas potential. He imagined his community could one day draw the same type of interest being generated by Southwest Washingtons Capital Riverfront neighborhood.

Coming from Brooklyn in New York City, Ive seen how growth works and have firsthand experience with redevelopment, he said. I was expecting comparable development.

That has not yet happened. But Gore and his neighbors are waiting.

When Washington-based West End Capital Group bought the nearly 50-year-old Iverson Mall in July 2014, the communitys hopes were buoyed. The company is seeking input from residents and making plans to try to return the regions first fully enclosed mall to its former prominence.

The amount of nostalgia and excitement weve received from the community has been inspiring, said development director Tim Donovan. We want to build a project the community can be proud of.

Still, short of a major market shift for the corridor, a federal GSA project may be the southern Green Line corridors best shot at spurring transformative development.

Residents want to remain optimistic, but they havent seen sustainable changes over time, said Ivy Lewis of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. There are signs that things are happening, but the ultimate redevelopment project hasnt.

One mile west of Iverson Mall is the Naylor Road Metro station, across the street from where JBG wants to bulldoze a shopping center  home to a pawn shop, roller-skating rink and the old church building where Whitaker is pastor  and build the federal offices and retail.

The site is two Metro stops from the Homeland Security campus at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Southeast Washington, adjacent to Suitland Parkway and within walking distance of the District line.

Meanwhile, two miles to the east lies the Branch Avenue Metro station, where Schwartz wants to build.

Baker administration officials such as Thomas Himler, deputy chief administrative officer of economic development, point to Schwartzs proposal as an example of what is possible at all of the countys 15 underdeveloped Metro stations.

The Baker administration is negotiating incentives for both bidders, including tax breaks, economic incentive fund dollars and other assistance. We are not advocating one over the other.

But Candace Milbry, a Camp Springs resident and Branch Avenue in Bloom member, has her favorite. The Ohio native moved from Upper Marlboro to a townhouse development near the Branch Avenue Metro in 2007 when she learned about the projects that could be coming there.

A federal office complex would provide a customer base for the health food cafe Milbry is planning for one of Schwartzs new retail spaces. She hopes to launch the business by next fall, after  she hopes  GSA has made a decision.

I think its a game-changer for us, Milbry said. Its the one thing we are missing.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R). center, vetoed a 2015 bill that would allow felons to vote while on parole or probation. Republicans are questioning whether a newly appointed Democratic senator should recuse himself from an override vote. (Brian Witte/AP)

On the eve of what is expected to be a close vote in the Maryland Senate to expand felon voting rights, some Republicans are raising questions about whether a newly appointed Democratic senator should participate.

Joe Cluster, executive director of the state GOP, said Sen. Craig Zucker (D-Montgomery) should recuse himself when the Senate votes on whether to override Gov. Larry Hogans veto of a 2015 bill that would allow felons to vote while on parole or probation.

Zucker voted in favor of the override as a member of the House of Delegates last month, before he was sworn in to fill a Senate seat vacated by former senator Karen Montgomery (D-Montgomery). Democratic leaders have said they will need his support to amass the 29 votes needed for the override to pass the Senate.

[Md. Senate says ex-felons should be able to vote before finishing probation]

Although an attorney for the General Assembly said there is no legal reason Zucker cant vote both as a delegate and a senator, Custer said the lawmaker should recuse himself. Hes already gotten a vote.

In a letter to Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore County) on Friday, General Assembly counsel Sandra Benson Brantley wrote that if the Senate considers the individual in question a member of the Senate when the veto override is taken, his or her vote should be considered a valid vote.

Although there is a potential counterargument that allowing a legislator to vote twice on the same legislation violates the requirement that the two houses of the Legislature be distinct, the more reasonable and persuasive view is that a member of the Senate who was appointed to fill a vacancy . . . may vote as the qualified Senator of his or her district, the letter said.

[Montgomery Democrats nominate Del. Zucker to fill empty Senate seat]

Hogan (R) has been outspoken in defending his veto of the original bill to expand felon voting rights, saying he does not believe felons should be able to vote until their entire sentence is complete.

The governor has written frequently about the issue on his Facebook page, and on Monday posted several items by other Republicans calling on the Senate not to override or saying Zucker should abstain.

The House voted to override Hogans veto last month. The Senate delayed its vote until Zucker was sworn in, and then postponed a vote scheduled for Friday after two senators  both of whom voted in favor of the original bill  were absent.

Zucker said Monday that he will vote for the override, which would give nearly 44,000 felons who are on parole and probation the opportunity to vote. Noting that his predecessor voted in favor of the original bill, Zucker said Montgomery would have been voting for the veto override, and I plan to do the same.

Zucker said Brantleys legal opinion was straightforward in my mind.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Calvert), who has served in the General Assembly for nearly 50 years, said last week that he could not recall a similar situation where a lawmaker voted on an override in both chambers. But Zucker would be within the law to vote on the override two times, first as a delegate and now as a senator, he said.

An advocate for the expansion of voting rights said she was more concerned about the snowy forecast Tuesday causing a senator to be absent and forcing another delay than she was about Republican efforts to try to stop the vote.

I appreciate its something they can scream about, but its not going to change the 29 votes, said Jane Henderson, executive director of Communities United, a Baltimore-based group that helps former inmates reenter society.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (L) campaigned in New Hampshire this weekend with Republican presidential candidate New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. (Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images)

In the fourth full week of Marylands legislative session, several showdowns brewing between Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and the state Legislature dominated by Democrats could come to fruition.

Here are a few things to watch:

Can Democrats override a veto of a felon voting bill?

The state Senate has scheduled a Tuesday vote to expand voting rights to felons who are on probation and parole. An override vote is expected to be close, and Hogan has been actively lobbying against it. Democratic legislative leaders waited for Hogan to fill a vacated seat in Montgomery County before holding the vote, and delayed action Friday because two Democrats were absent. Lawmakers have acknowledged they may not have any wiggle room in assembling the 29 votes needed for an override.

Will Hogan provide funding for Baltimore demolitions?

Hogan announced last month that his administration would set aside as much as $700 million to demolish and rehabilitate Baltimores unsightly blocks of vacant homes, but  to the ire of some Democrats  it was not part of his proposed budget. The governor could add the money in a supplemental budget released this week after a funding agreement comes before Baltimores board of estimates.

Will Hogan be able to help Gov. Chris Christie in New Hampshire?

Hogan was among the first governors to endorse New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for the Republican presidential nomination. He spent the weekend campaigning for Christie in New Hampshire, where the governor needs a strong showing in Tuesdays primary to keep his White House aspirations alive.

What you may have missed last week:

STATE OF THE STATE: Hogan struck an upbeat, bipartisan tone in his second State of the State address, which Democrats still assailed as short on substance.

SAVINGS: Marylands Democratic legislative leaders announced proposals to shore up savings for both college and retirement.

HOSPITAL FUNDING STANDOFF: Hogan announced late last week that hed include a $15 million subsidy for the Prince Georges County hospital system. The funding had been a point of contention between him and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert).

VOTING MACHINES: Maryland is ditching touch screen voting machines during the early voting phase of the April primary after concerns that voters couldnt easily navigate large lists of candidates.

New bills to watch: One Maryland lawmaker has proposed easing criminal penalties for low-level drug possession, while another wants vending machines on state-owned property to serve healthy food.
In 2006, Carla A. Reid, then deputy general manager of Marylands largest water utility, drove an agency-owned vehicle around a curve on the Capital Beltway, lost control and crossed two lanes before rolling over on the highways shoulder, according to a police report.

It was 3:45 a.m. The vehicle, valued at $16,000, was totalled, according to an appraisers report. Reid, who was not hurt, was cited for speeding. A Maryland state trooper also wrote that Reid registered 0.02 on a roadside alcohol breath test  well within the legal limit and that of the utilitys policies.

It was Reids fifth  and most serious  incident in a vehicle owned by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), according to WSSC accident reports obtained via a public records request. Then second in command, Reid left the utility five months later, after signing a confidential separation agreement. WSSC said she retired.

In January, Reid, 56, returned to WSSC as general manager with an annual base salary of $255,000. Utility officials touted her 20 years of previous WSSC experience and that she is the first woman to lead the utility in its 97-year history.

Reid declined requests for an interview about her WSSC driving record. She also declined to release her 2006 separation agreement or explain why she had been driving a WSSC vehicle at 3:45 a.m. WSSC spokesman Jim Neustadt said Reid was not restricted to using her take-home vehicle for utility business.

Carla A. Reid is the new general manager of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission)

Shes moving forward, Neustadt said. It has no bearing on what shes doing now.

[WSSC hires Carla A. Reid as new general manager]

Many current and former WSSC leaders and public officials declined to speak publicly about Reids driving record and why she left the utility in 2006. Most cited the confidential legal agreement or that they must still work with her.

What is public is that Reids support for the general manager position came from two key allies: Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D). She worked for both as a top aide after she left WSSC. Reid and Baker also were college classmates at Howard University.

People familiar with the selection process said Baker and Leggett pushed for Reids appointment over the preferences of some WSSC commissioners, who had favored other candidates. A consultant that WSSC paid $72,600 to conduct a national search for a new leader initially focused on eight to 10 people, those familiar with the search process said.

While WSSC has long endured power struggles between Montgomery and Prince Georges  the two counties that govern the utility  Baker and Leggett have a close personal relationship based on both a political alliance and longtime friendship.

In interviews, both county executives said they had known about Reids driving record at WSSC because the incidents surfaced in the background checks that their own governments had done before hiring her  in 2007 as director of Montgomerys Permitting Services Department and then in 2011 as a chief of economic development for Prince Georges.

Both executives said they saw no connection between Reids driving incidents and her ability to lead WSSC. They praised Reids prior WSSC experience, her work for their administrations, her relationships with state lawmakers and local officials, and her deep knowledge of both counties that the utility serves.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for her, Baker said. Asked what he thought of the five incidents, he said, There was nothing out of the ordinary [in the county background check] that raised a red flag.

Leggett said that four of the five incidents were relatively minor. The WSSC records obtained by The Washington Post showed three were fender-benders, and one was a 1995 incident in which Reid hit a curb after she was reportedly reading notes while driving. The utility deemed three of the four minor incidents to be preventable. The fifth and final accident was the Beltway rollover.

Most were fender-benders and not significant accidents, Leggett said. It raises a question, and you need to look at it, which we did during the 2007 background check for the county post.

More recently, after Reids name circulated as Leggetts top choice for WSSC general manager, he said several people from both inside and outside WSSC called him, almost like it was a campaign, against her appointment. He said the callers alleged that Reid had alcohol-related accidents. Leggett said he assumed the callers were talking about something we had missed that had occurred since the Beltway rollover in 2006.

Leggett said he asked Montgomerys WSSC commissioners to investigate the allegations. He said the commissioners told him that Reid had been very forthright and that they had found no traffic citations since 2006 and no alcohol-related incidents or anything else they considered disqualifying. Even commissioners who favored other candidates over Reid did not cite her driving record as a concern, Leggett said.

He said the police report about the Beltway crash, which noted that Reid had been drinking alcohol before driving, had raised some questions, but he pointed out that the rollover was not deemed to be alcohol-related. Neustadt said WSSC policy prohibits driving WSSC vehicles after drinking alcohol only if the driver has surpassed the legal limit for impaired driving.

She explained it  that shed had an accident and it was unfortunate, but it wasnt alcohol-related, Leggett said. She never tried to hide anything.

Leggett added: I have every confidence she can do the job. She did an excellent job here, and she was a stellar employee here.

In an emailed statement, Reid said that she was extremely honored to return to WSSC and that her appointment showed the confidence and trust of the utilitys commissioners, Leggett and Baker.

The [hiring] process was rigorous and, as is customary, I went through an equally rigorous background check, Reid wrote. The WSSC background information was available to the commissioners. The process is also confidential, so I do not feel it is appropriate to discuss the specifics of the meetings.

WSSC commissioners who appointed Reid declined to discuss whether they considered her previous WSSC driving record or any potential legal liability if she were to have additional incidents in utility vehicles.

Im not at liberty to discuss any of her past or personnel matters, but nothing in our process concerned us with Carla taking on this role, said Chris Lawson, vice chair of the WSSCs board of commissioners and a Prince Georges representative.

Neustadt said WSSC executives no longer have take-home vehicles. He said Reid, like other employees, may use a WSSC vehicle for utility business but that she drives her own car. Reids contract says she receives an annual vehicle allowance of $12,000, which includes mileage and toll reimbursements.

Montgomery County Council President Nancy Floreen (D-At Large), who serves on the council committee that oversees the utility, recalled that council members knew about Reids WSSC driving record when they confirmed her in 2007 to be permitting services chief.

I know eyebrows were raised at that time, Floreen said. But I think 10 years later, we collectively view that as water under the bridge.

Magda Jean-Louis contributed to this report.
A D.C. high school administrator shot last month told police that he believes he was targeted by a man he knows from his old neighborhood in Barry Farm and who he alleged killed his brother in 2007.

Otis Grandson, 31, made that declaration as he lay wounded in the drivers seat of a silver Lincoln, suffering from bullet wounds to the back of the neck and his left hand. A principal from another school who was with him also was wounded in the Jan. 25 attack.

When an officer asked Grandson, the dean of students for Ballou STAY in Southeast Washington, who had shot him and why, he uttered a first and last name and said, He killed my brother, according to an arrest affidavit filed Monday in D.C. Superior Court.

Grandsons brother, Jermaine M. Holliway, 30, who had attended Howard University, was fatally shot in June 2007 outside his apartment in Barry Farm, a high-crime neighborhood in Southeast. Grandson did not respond to calls seeking comment, and court papers did not elaborate on why he believes the suspect in his shooting was involved in his brothers death.

[Man who had attended Howard University killed in Barry Farm]

Justin Headspeth (D.C. police)

No arrest has been made in Holliways killing, and D.C. police would not comment on whether the person arrested in Grandsons shooting was ever a suspect in that case. That suspect was 14 at the time. D.C. police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said detectives are aware of Grandsons statement. If thats a credible source of information, we are going to investigate further, Sternbeck said.

[Two school administrators shot in Southeast]

The suspect in the January incident, Justin Headspeth, 23, of Southeast has been charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill in connection with the shootings of Grandson and his companion, Eugenia Young, 37, principal of Roosevelt STAY, an alternative high school in Northwest.

A D.C. Superior Court Judge ordered Headspeth detained until a hearing Feb. 18. His attorney, Kevin Mosley, asked why Grandson waited to voice his suspicions. If he had this information prior to being shot, why didnt he tell this to the police before? Mosley said in an interview. It looks suspicious, as if they are trying to point the finger at an obvious suspect.

Mosley said Headspeth maintains his innocence in both cases and said his office plans to investigate the allegations.

The arrest affidavit provides new details in the January shootings, which occurred about 7:15 p.m. in the 1500 block of Eaton Road SE. Headspeth grew up in Barry Farm. Grandson told police that he lived in Barry Farm from 1992 to 2007.

Grandson told police that he was on Eaton Road to give money to his goddaughter. Police said Grandsons car became stuck in the snow. Police said Young got out of the car to clear snow from around the tires when Grandson saw a man he identified as Headspeth shooting at them. Young suffered a gunshot wound to her stomach; police said they think 11 shots were fired.

Emma Brown contributed to this report.
This photo from the time of his arrest in January 2014, shows David DiPaolo of Bristow. He was charged with voluntary manslaughter in the death of Geoffrey Farrar. (Warren County Sheriffs Office)

A Virginia rock climber pleaded guilty on Monday to killing the climber who was his mentor for 20 years, by hitting the man on the head with a claw hammer.

David DiPaolo, 33, will likely be sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison, in accordance with the plea agreement, the U.S. attorneys office in Maryland said in a statement on Monday.

He was charged with voluntary manslaughter for killing Geoffrey Farrar, 69, at the Carderock Recreation Area in Bethesda in December 2013.

Farrar was such a fixture at the climbing area that he was known as Carderock Geoff. He tried out risky climbs and taught younger climbers, including DiPaolo, who became his sidekick Carderock Dave.

When fellow climbers found Farrar bleeding from his head at the base of a cliff near the popular Billy Goat Trail, they thought the avid rock climber had fallen.

But authorities said he was beaten to death by DiPaolo.

DiPaolo, who lives in Bristow, initially said he acted in self-defense.

Authorities agree with DiPaolo on how the encounter started: The two men, who first met when DiPaolo became interested in climbing at age 11, argued about something in the parking lot on Dec. 28, 2013.

Farrar went to the base of the climbing area, and DiPaolo went to his car. Then DiPaolo came back and found Farrar. DiPaolo was carrying his claw hammer, a climbing implement that soon became a deadly weapon.

DiPaolo fled to New York state after the killing. When he was arrested on Jan. 8, 2014, he told police that Farrar had been choking him and he had struck the older man in self-defense.

According to court documents, DiPaolo told police, Im sorry this happened. I didnt want it to happen. I didnt know it was going to happen.
The 13-year-old Blacksburg, Va., girl who was abducted and killed last month told friends that the Virginia Tech student accused in her slaying was her boyfriend and talked of running away and starting a family with him, a friend said.

Nicole Lovell described David Eisenhauer, 18, as funny and really nice in the weeks leading up to her Jan. 27 disappearance. And Eisenhauer, who is charged with first-degree murder in Nicoles death, appeared to be a conscientious engineering student during the period in which prosecutors said he and another Virginia Tech freshman plotted the slaying.

Nicoles friends and the first interview with Eisenhauers Virginia Tech roommate providednew details about how the two teenagers paths crossed, their relationship, and the period leading up to her death and his arrest.

[Prosecutor: Accused teen said she was excited to be part of something secretive]

Natasha Bryant, 13, said Nicole  a friend and classmate  told her and other friends that she and Eisenhauer were dating. She said the two made contact on Facebook and corresponded online. Natasha said she was unaware of Eisenhauers age at the time, but she and other friends worried about Nicoles online activities.

In this 2015 photo provided by Tammy Weeks, her daughter, Nicole Lovell, flashes a peace sign in Blacksburg, Va. The 13-year-old girl was found dead just across the state line in Surry County, N.C., and two Virginia Tech students are charged in the case. (Tammy Weeks/AP)

She told people she was talking to him, said Natasha, whose father agreed to let her be interviewed. We didnt think it was that big of a deal because she didnt make that much of it. She always talked of running away with him. She used to talk to a lot of older guys. A lot of people told her not to. I told her its not safe. I told her she was going to be hurt or kidnapped or something.

Nicoles family also has said there were concerns about her use of social media. David Lovell, Nicoles father, recorded an interview with the Dr. Phil show that will air Wednesday. In the segment, Lovell, who lived apart from Nicole and her mother, said the family had grounded Nicole because she had been chatting inappropriately with men online, according to a news release issued by the show.

[Friend says she warned school about Nicole Lovells relationship with adult]

Despite a snowstorm that blew in Monday evening, more than a hundred people gathered near the edge of the Virginia Tech campus for a vigil in Nicoles memory. Many wore ribbons of blue, the middle-schoolers favorite color. Nicoles mother, Tammy Weeks, spoke to the crowd about her daughter, whom she called Coley.

As I stand here tonight, my family and I are broken, Weeks said. God, I miss you Coley. Tonight is for Coley. Tonight is for our community.

When Weeks became too distraught to continue, Blacksburg Police Chief Anthony Wilson finished reading her statement, in which Weeks said she had no animosity toward Virginia Tech.

Eisenhauers roommate at Virginia Tech told The Washington Post that the engineering student and athlete seemed in many ways an average freshman. He was a diligent student who spent hours completing homework assignments while also dedicating time outside the classroom to the universitys cross-country team.

A vigil was held Feb. 8 for 13-year-old Nicole Lovell, who was allegedly killed by two Virginia Tech students. Speaking at the gathering, Lovell's mother, Tammy Weeks says their family is broken. (Whitney Shefte/The Washington Post)

He seemed very excited to be at Tech, said the roommate, who agreed to an interview with The Post on the condition of anonymity, to speak candidly. He was very excited about running cross-country for the school.

The roommate said Eisenhauer never mentioned having a girlfriend, and he said he had never once mentioned Nicole. The roommate said that although they were not friends socially, he considered Eisenhauer to be a mostly typical dorm room companion.

Nothing extraordinary about him, nothing horrible about him, he said.

But he also described Eisenhauer as a loner and a difficult person to understand. He said Eisenhauer did not appear to have many friends on campus and kept mostly to himself, dividing his time between classes, studying and running practice twice a day.

He said Eisenhauer occasionally stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing homework, only to have to wake at 7 a.m. for cross-country commitments.

The roommate said nothing about Eisenhauers behavior stood out to him during the week that the middle-school girl went missing.

Nothing David said during the week was cause for suspect, the roommate said. However, much of what he said did seem strange after I found out he was arrested.

Asked to explain further, the roommate said that Eisenhauer was just out late at night and that wasnt usual for him.

The roommate said he returned to their dorm on Saturday, Jan. 30, to find Virginia State Police troopers and FBI officials investigating the slaying.

It shocked me because I never expected it at all, he said.

Eisenhauers attorney declined to comment Monday.

Nicoles friends said she endured bullying at school but remained a bubbly girl who loved pouring her feelings out in a notebook, painting and her enthusiasm for pandas.

We would always goof around in the hallway at school, Natasha said of their time at Blacksburg Middle School. She stood out in a crowd.

Prosecutors have not revealed a motive for Nicoles killing, but two law enforcement officials have told The Post that Eisenhauer had sexual contact with the girl.

At a bond hearing last week, Montgomery County Commonwealths Attorney Mary Pettitt described an elaborate plot by Eisenhauer and his friend Natalie Keepers, 19, who has been charged as an accessory before and after Nicoles killing and with helping dispose of the girls body. The plot they hatched took shape over the course of the month of January, authorities said.

Pettitt told a judge that Eisenhauer and Keepers bounced ideas back and forth about how to kill Nicole, bought a shovel and picked a remote spot to slit her throat. Keepers was also an engineering student at Virginia Tech. Both are from the Maryland suburbs of Washington.

[This is the road near Va. Tech where Nicole Lovell was to be killed]

Pettitt said Eisenhauer used his relationship with Nicole to lure her out of her home and abduct her. Nicoles body was found several days later along the Virginia-North Carolina border. A preliminary investigation found that she died of stab wounds.

Gaige Kern, a Virginia Tech distance runner who knows Eisenhauer, took to Facebook to write an open letter to Eisenhauer in the wake of his arrest, questioning how well he knew his friend. Kern published the statement online and subsequently declined to be interviewed by The Post.

My ability to trust has diminished, and Im now skeptical of everyone around me, Kern wrote. Was this newly surfaced personality always there, lurking in the shadows, hiding amidst lies? And if it was, how did you hide it so well?

Natasha, the middle-schooler, said she did not know when Nicole began corresponding with Eisenhauer.

[A 13-year-olds online fantasies turn fatal]

She was looking for someone who would give her attention and give her some compassion, Natasha said, noting that Nicole had problems with some peers at Blacksburg Middle School. A lot of people talked behind her back. They talked about the scar on her throat.

The scar on Nicoles neck was the result of a tracheotomy; she had survived lymphoma and a liver transplant, among other ailments early in life.

Natasha said the bullying left Nicole depressed. She talked of cutting herself and running away. Another friend said Nicole had contacted reached out to an online counseling group for help.

It was having a big impact on her life, the friend said.

Still, Natasha said Nicoles ability to overcome her health problems was impressive, and she developed a close circle of friends.

Friends and strangers turned out for the vigil. Bobby Lowery, a 19-year-old Virginia Tech student, said he and others were deeply disturbed by the allegations against their classmates. He said he came to show that the relationship between Blacksburg and Tech is still strong.

Natasha said Nicoles memory would remain with her long after Monday night.

She is on my mind 24/7, she said.

Balingit reported from Blacksburg, Va.
Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) will run in Virginias 2nd district rather than his own 4th district this fall, he announced Monday.

A new congressional map imposed on Virginia by a federal court has made Forbess current seat, which stretches from central to southeast Virginia, significantly more African American and Democratic. Rigells neighboring coastal district became slightly more Republicans.

Two liberal judges and a California law professor may have the power to redraw Virginia congressional lines, but they cannot rewrite who I am and what I fight for, Forbes said in a statement. I believe voters choose leaders based on their priorities, not their Zip code.

Rep. Scott Rigell (R), who currently represents the 2nd district, is retiring this fall and has encouraged Forbes to run for his seat.

Republicans in the state have appealed the federal ruling to the Supreme Court. However, their attempts to delay the implementation of the new map until after the 2016 election have failed.

The new map was drawn in response to a ruling by a three-judge panel that when drawing the current lines in 2012, Virginia Republicans illegally packed African American voters into one district.

State Sen. A. Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) has said he would be interested in running for the district currently represented by Forbes.
When Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.) announced last month that he would leave Congress at the end of his term, it came as such a shock that Sen. Timothy M. Kaine (D-Va.) called to ask if he was sick.

He wasnt. Both he and Rep. Robert Hurt (R-Va.) are young (for congressmen), healthy, popular and perched on powerful committees. Both were expected to win reelection easily this fall. Instead, both are stepping down.

Each lawmaker said he had been blessed to serve and was ready to rejoin the private sector. But observers in the state say it isnt that simple. They think Rigell and Hurt were caught in a bind between leadership on Capitol Hill and restive conservative activists at home.

Both are by nature civil and reasonable in their approach to legislating. Both went to Washington to get something done, University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato said of Rigell and Hurt. And both have been, at various points, attacked for being insufficiently pure. Both have had enough, and want to do other things while theres still time.

Hurt and Rigell came to Washington in the Republican wave of 2010, but both were viewed with skepticism by the tea party movement that helped fuel that victory. Rigell defeated a tea-party-backed rival who took a quarter of the primary vote; during his campaign, he was pressured into signing a pledge to support tea party positions.

U.S. Representative Scott Rigell (R) announces that he will not seek re-election to the 2nd Congressional District of Virginia in 2016, saying he is "at peace about coming home." (WAVY.com)

[Tea party class of 2010 is headed for the exists  fast]

Hurt, whose district spans central Virginia, was attacked throughout the primary for voting to raise taxes while in the state legislature. After winning his seat, he voted to suspend the debt ceiling in January 2013 and keep the government open that spring  positions that are anathema to the tea party. In 2014 he voted for a farm bill that tea party groups opposed.

Rigell, whose district includes Virginia Beach and the Eastern Shore, worked across party lines with Kaine on a new Iraq war authorization bill and with Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) on tighter gun-sale laws. In 2012, he went back on his pledge to never raise taxes, saying an increase was necessary to reduce the national debt. He was the only Republican to vote against a 2013 GOP budget bill defunding Obamacare, which he refused to support because it would have continued the sequester.

At first, Rigell said, he would go back to his district and try to explain his votes. But he eventually realized that that wasnt what people wanted. I think of it like a cauldron of fear, anger, bewilderment, some despair, he said. I think its toxic. He said the toxicity isnt the reason hes retiring, but it contributed to the intensity that he is ready to leave behind.

Rigell struck me as a man without a country, said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), who would lunch with his Republican colleagues once a month. He seemed increasingly uncomfortable in the Republican environment, but hes not a Democrat. So where do you go?

Hurt and Rigell also have bucked the GOP establishment at times, with Hurt in particular breaking with leadership on government funding bills. Rigell voted against House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) last year; Hurt said he might have if a strong alternative had emerged. But beyond such occasional protests, fellow Republicans say, lawmakers have little ability while in office to respond to their constituents anger about party leadership.

Theyll go to a Rotary meeting and everybody [will] just sit there complaining . . . about the federal government, said state Sen. William M. Stanley Jr. (R-Franklin), a former local party chairman who declined to run for Hurts seat. Elected officials may share their constituents frustration, he added, but theres not much they can do to make the changes that people desperately want right now.

Hurt said defending his votes to constituents was one of the joys, if you will, of being a legislator. However, he said, he is ready for a change. Ive loved it, he said of his time in Congress, but Im also looking forward to getting back to private life.

[One year, two races: Inside the GOPs bizarre 2015]

For Republicans in Virginias congressional delegation, Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) is a constant reminder of the danger incumbents can face. He unseated then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a 2014 primary, propelled by support from frustrated conservative voters. And he has stayed loyal to that base, helping to form a caucus in the House that regularly battles leadership.

Unlike Rigell, Brat is entirely comfortable with an angry, anti-government crowd. At a recent town hall with a tea party group in his district, he joked that youll all get worked up in a lather and well go from there . . . it wont take much to get this room excited.

The departures of Hurt and Rigell mean the loss of even more of Virginias seniority  and therefore clout  on Capitol Hill. In addition to Cantor, veteran Rep. Frank R. Wolf retired from Congress in 2014.

My fear is that they will be replaced by candidates that are a lot more ideological and combative in their approach to politics and policy, and thats one of the problems we have in the Congress right now, said former Virginia lieutenant governor Bill Bolling, a Republican who has been critical of the tea party movement. We need more mainstream people in Congress, not more ideologues.

In Northern Virginia, Wolfs seat is now held by Rep. Barbara Comstock, a Republican, who must strike a balance between the activists in her partys base and her more moderate constituents, many of whom are federal workers.

When conservatives in her district pushed for a nominating convention this year, rather than a primary, her supporters pushed back, knowing that such conventions are usually dominated by the partys most extreme wing. Comstocks base won that battle; as of now, she is running unopposed in the primary, which will be held June 14.

There are competitive GOP primaries for Hurts and Rigells seats. In Hurts district, current candidates include state Sen. Thomas A. Garrett (R-Buckingham), real estate developer Jim McKelvey, former technology executive Michael Del Rosso and House Armed Services Committee staffer Joseph Whited. One Democrat, Albemarle County Supervisor Jane Dittmar, is running unopposed.

McKelvey, in his campaign announcement, said, Republicans in Washington have completely let down the American people by merging with liberal Democrats.

Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R), whose district has become far more Democratic under a new court-imposed map, will run for the seat Rigell is vacating. Although Forbes has charted a more conservative path than his departing colleague, including helping to narrowly defeat a Department of Homeland Security funding bill, he is a stalwart champion of the states defense industry and is well-situated on the House Armed Services Committee.

But Forbes will probably face competition in the primary. Del. Scott Taylor (R-Virginia Beach), who wrote a book about the Obama administration called Trust Betrayed, is running. So is Pat Cardwell, a Virginia attorney who was planning to challenge Rigell in the primary before Rigell decided to bow out.

Republican leadership is spineless, Cardwell said in a statement announcing his campaign. Washington insiders have completely lost touch with the American people.
Dutch police have found that eagles can easily grab drones out of the air. (Dutch Police via AP)

Dutch police puzzling over how to remove drones that pose a public safety threat are testing a way to get the job done in one fell swoop  with trained eagles.

Its a low-tech solution to a high-tech problem, spokesman Dennis Janus of the countrys national police said.

The idea arose because amateur use of drones has boomed and police have begun to worry about unlicensed drones flying into off-limit spaces around airports or above public events such as politicians appearances.

Possible solutions the Dutch police have studied include shooting nets at the offending drones, remotely hacking them to seize their controls, or taking them out with birds of prey.

People sometimes think its a hoax, but its proving very effective so far, Janus said.

Showing off the technique in a video released by police, a four-propeller drone hovers in the middle of a warehouse, colored lights flashing.

Released by her keeper, a white-tailed eagle glides straight toward the drone, clutches it easily in her talons  clack!  and drags it to the ground.

Sjoerd Hoogendoorn of Guard From Above, the company working with police to develop the concept, said the birds must be trained to recognize the drones as prey.

They are rewarded with a piece of meat after each successful foray.

Their scaly talons are strong and tough enough to seize most consumer-grade drones without injury from the blades, he said.

These birds are used to meeting resistance from animals they hunt in the wild, and they dont seem to have much trouble with the drones, he said.

The potential impact on the animals welfare is the subject of testing by an external scientific research institute.

The real problem we have is that they destroy a lot of drones, Hoogendoorn said. Its a major cost of testing.

Another unknown is how the birds will fare in a crowd situation, he said.

A decision by police on whether to move ahead with using the eagles is expected by the end of the year.
Weather

Snowstorm will hit parts of New England

Forecasters said parts of New England could get the brunt of a snowstorm that is heading for the East Coast.

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning Sunday for southeast Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the islands. Up to 18 inches of snow could fall from Monday morning through the evening. Whiteout conditions and 40 mph winds are expected.

The rest of Massachusetts, plus Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut, could see winter storm conditions with four to eight inches of accumulation Monday. The heaviest snowfall is expected during the morning commute through the afternoon.

Officials say the Boston school system will be closed Monday.

The weather service said New York City could get a couple of inches between Monday and Tuesday night, and the snow could even stretch into Wednesday night.

 Associated Press

TEXAS

19-year-old kills three, commits suicide

A 19-year-old killed his mother and two neighbors before turning his gun on himself in a rural area in Texas, authorities said Sunday.

Uvalde County Sheriff Charlie Mendeke said Dylan Westerburg gunned down his mother Friday afternoon in their home near Uvalde, about 85 miles west of San Antonio. He then went next door and killed two brothers, Arthur Norton, 58, and Phinny Norton, 60, Mendeke said.

Mendeke said investigators have not determined a clear motive for the shootings. Westerburg lived with his mother in a small cabin about 20 yards from the Nortons mobile home on the brothers property.

Phinny Norton had some sort of romantic relationship with Westerburgs mother, Jennifer Diane Jacques, 42, Mendeke said. Deputies had been called out to the property in the past because of domestic disputes but nothing violent, Mendeke said.

 Associated Press

Pennsylvania

Ex-patient suing medical center dies

A Pennsylvania man who sued the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center over a deadly, mold-linked infection that he and other organ transplant patients contracted at the facility has died.

The medical center confirmed Sunday the death of Che DuVall, 70, and extended its sympathies to his family. DuVall, who had a lung transplant, is the fourth transplant patient at the hospital system who contracted the infection and died.

We again want to reassure our patients that we have taken every possible precaution to make our hospitals as safe as is humanly possible and have followed all recommendations made by federal and state regulators, the medical center said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a December report that the four patients at the hospital system between September 2014 and September 2015 contracted the rare and often deadly infection caused by a group of molds. Three had died by the time the report was released, it said.

 Reuters

People wounded, killed in Florida nightclub: Two people were killed and at least 10 others were injured when as many as three shooters opened fire in an Orlando nightclub with a crowd of about 300 people in the predawn hours of Sunday, police in the Florida city said. Three off-duty Orlando police officers were working as security guards at the Glitz Ultra Lounge, and none of them discharged their weapons, Orlando police said. One of those shot died on the scene and the other died at a hospital, police said. Eight of the injured had gunshot wounds and one of them was in critical condition at a hospital.

Three die in California car chase: Three people died in a fiery crash after a car fleeing authorities crashed into a taxi in San Francisco, officials said Sunday. Officer Vu Williams, a California Highway Patrol spokesman, said the brief chase Saturday night began after an officer tried to pull over the driver of a white Chevrolet sedan seen rotating in circles in the middle of a neighborhood street. The car drove away and the officer gave chase but stopped the pursuit after the car began racing through red lights. Moments later, the car crashed into a taxi and burst into flames. The three people killed were not identified.

Two die, one hurt in California city melee: Authorities said two people were killed and one critically injured after an armed fight broke out among a group of people at a large apartment complex in Marin City, north of San Francisco. Lt. Doug Pittman, a Marin County sheriffs spokesman, originally said at least three people had been killed Sunday morning in a melee involving people with bats and sticks. He said it was unclear what started the fight, but he confirmed that two victims were found near the entrance of an apartment. The third man was found nearby and taken to a hospital with at least one gunshot wound.

 From news services
BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO REPUBLICANS

The race for the Democratic presidential nomination is much closer than many had thought it would be. Hillary Clinton won the first-in-the-nation nomination contest, Iowa, by a razor-thin margin; she even won by coin flips in at least six precincts. Her opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), climbed the polls in the state in recent weeks to come from behind. Now the two head to New Hampshire, where Sanders is ahead by nearly 20 points. Some in the Democratic Party are whispering that this looks like 2008, when Clinton lost her lead to a then-dark horse Sen. Barack Obama. (Others vehemently disagree.) Still, Republicans are all too happy to watch their once-inevitable opponent have to put up a real fight for the nomination.

BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO DEMOCRATS

They got four new sanctioned debates on the schedule. Until last week, the Democratic National Committee had set up a relatively sparse calendar of just six debates, with most falling on obscure weekends. But as the race became tighter, the remaining two candidates lobbied for more debates and persuaded the DNC to approve them. More debates benefit both candidates: Clinton, a seasoned campaigner, often shines when under pressure. And Sanders, the underdog, gets more one-on-one time to challenge the front-runner. Not to mention that when run correctly, more debates are generally good for democracy. In the first of the four, held Thursday, Clinton and Sanders had a substantive, entertaining and detailed back-and-forth on a number of issues.

 Amber Phillips
GAZA STRIP

Hamas kills one of its own commanders

Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, said Sunday that it has killed one of its own commanders over unnamed moral and behavioral violations.

Hamas said in a short Twitter statement that Mahmoud Eshtewi, a local member of the groups military wing, was killed after he confessed. It said the decision to kill Eshtewi, who was detained in January 2015, was taken by its military and religious judiciary, a previously unheard-of department.

Hamas seized the Gaza Strip from forces loyal to the Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007. During periods of fighting against Israel, Hamas has killed dozens of Palestinians it accused of spying.

The group is not known to have killed its own members during peacetime, and the vague language used in Sundays statement indicated Eshtewi was killed for reasons other than spying.

Human Rights Watch said it was following Eshtewis case with concern after his family told the New York-based group that he was arrested and tortured for criticizing more-senior Hamas commanders.

Sari Bashi, HRWs Israel-Palestine director, said the familys claims were consistent with persistent and credible reports that Hamas security forces have been arresting and torturing those who express criticism.

 Associated Press

EGYPT

Slain Italian suffered inhuman trauma

A second autopsy on the body of an Italian found slain in Egypt reveals that the doctoral student suffered inhuman, animal-like violence, Italys interior minister said Sunday as he pressed Egypts president to fully cooperate with the criminal investigation.

Rome prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into the death of Giulio Regeni, whose battered corpse was found near a highway outside Cairo nine days after he was reported missing in the Egyptian capital.

Italys ambassador, who viewed the body a few hours after Egyptian authorities told Italy about its discovery on Feb. 3, had already said the victim showed signs of a brutal beating and torture.

A second autopsy, following one done in Egypt by authorities there, was performed late Saturday in Rome and revealed that Regeni died after a cervical vertebra was broken, said Alessandra Ballerini, a human rights lawyer appointed by his family.

 Associated Pres

Aid reaches besieged Syrian suburb: The Red Cross said it had delivered more food and hygiene kits for about 3,500 people in the besieged Syrian suburb of Moadamiya, near Damascus, expecting to send more in coming days. But no aid was sent to the neighboring, also besieged, southwestern suburb of Darayya, which was cut off from Moadamiya on Friday when Syrian government forces seized a strip of land used as a supply route between the two rebel-held areas.

Survivors rescued from quake rubble in Taiwan: Rescuers painstakingly pulled more people from the remains of a high-rise apartment building that collapsed before dawn Saturday in a magnitude-6.4 quake in southern Taiwan that killed at least 26 people. More than 100 remained buried in the buildings rubble. The government in Tainan, the worst-hit city, said that more than 170 people had been rescued from the 17-story building.

7 suspected of terrorist links detained in Spain: Spanish police said they arrested seven suspected members of a jihadi cell linked to the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra militants during raids in the eastern provinces of Valencia and Alicante and in Spains North African enclave of Ceuta. Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said the cell had sent arms, bombmaking materials and electronic equipment to Syria and Iraq in shipments disguised as humanitarian aid.

Airstrike hits college in eastern Libya: An airstrike hit a medical technology college in a populated area of the eastern Libyan city of Darna, killing four people, according to Hamid Albandag, a member of Libyas internationally recognized parliament. It was not immediately clear who carried out the strike. Darna is controlled by an alliance of Islamic militant groups that have been defending the town from Islamic State militants.

Haitian president leaves office vacant: President Michel Martelly made his farewell parliamentary address to Haiti as he leaves office with no successor yet chosen, although lawmakers are beginning a process to patch together a short-term interim government. Prime Minister Evans Paul remains in office, and a provisional president will be chosen by parliament in coming days.

 From news services
Chris Smith, a Republican from New Jersey, is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

As principal author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000  a landmark law combatting sex- and labor-trafficking at home and abroad  I am deeply concerned that the United States has not done enough to address the rape and sexual abuse of children by convicted pedophiles who travel in secret to countries where child sex tourism thrives.

That concern is shared by many, and its why a unanimous Congress recently passed legislation, which I sponsored as it was refined over eight years, to significantly expand protections for children worldwide. Now awaiting the presidents signature, H.R. 515  the International Megans Law  authorizes the creation of a comprehensive, reciprocal notification system between U.S. and foreign law enforcement regarding the travels of those required by law to be on government sex-offender registries.

This is a serious problem. State Department Trafficking in Persons Reports identify several dozen countries that are destinations for child sex tourism, including Mexico, the Philippines, Brazil and Thailand. Just last month the United Nations noted with alarm increasing child sex tourism in Peru. These governments need to know when convicted pedophiles cross their borders.

A 2010 Government Accountability Office report found that at least 4,500 U.S. passports were issued to registered sex offenders in fiscal 2008 alone. Typically, a passport is valid for 10 years, meaning that currently tens of thousands of offenders could be traveling abroad as child sex tourists. Studies demonstrate that even when caught, some child predators have a propensity to reoffend. For example, a 2009 study by Mark E. Olver, Stephen C.P. Wong and Terry P. Nicholaichuk, one of many available on the Justice Departments SMART Web site, found that untreated moderate- to high-risk sex offenders were reconvicted for sex crimes at a rate of 17.7 percent after three years and 32 percent after 10 years.

The most remarked-upon provision of the law is a mandate that an identifier  defined as a visual designation affixed to a conspicuous location  be placed on passports to indicate that holders appear on a U.S. sex-offender registry for an offense against children. Concerns have been raised about impeding the rights of citizens to travel. U.S. law denies passports to delinquent taxpayers, deadbeat parents and drug smugglers; the laws passport provision, however, does not go this far. It simply would add an identifier deemed appropriate by the executive branch. And when the legal duty for the sex offender to register ends, so does the requirement for the passport identifier.

The International Megans Law honors the memory of Megan Kanka  a precious girl from my hometown of Hamilton, N.J., who was kidnapped, raped and brutally murdered in 1994 by a neighbor who, unbeknown to neighborhood residents, was a convicted sex offender.

As a result of hard work by Megans parents, Maureen and Richard Kanka, and others, all 50 states passed Megans laws requiring public notification of convicted sex offenders living in a community.

These registries have survived legal challenges across the country because of the compelling interest to protect children. Notably, the same arguments that failed to shut down sex-offender registries are now being employed against the International Megans Law. They were poor arguments then, and they are poor arguments now.
Regarding the Feb. 4 front-page article More calls to D.C.s 911, but also blunders:

Several months ago, I sat through seven red lights on Massachusetts and L streets NW. Other drivers were blocking the intersection. I called 311 to ask for police assistance, but I was told to call 911. When I questioned the use of 911 for this type of call, I was informed that 911 was now a central call center. Knowing this was not an emergency, I chose not to call. Later that week I contacted a D.C. council members office to question the use of 911 as a general call center. His office assured me that 911 was working as it should. I was not reassured. Calls to 911 should be for true emergencies only. When seconds count, I want a fast response.

D.C. emergency vehicles have enough trouble getting through traffic. We need a true 911 emergency number for ambulances, fire and police.

Elaine Zuppe, Washington
The tide of war is receding, Barack Obama tirelessly insisted four years ago as he campaigned for reelection. Even then, the slogan seemed untethered from reality. Not only was fighting in Afghanistan intensifying, with no end in sight, but Syria, Iraq and Libya were all sliding toward civil war. That Obama stayed with the phrase reflected not just his electoral strategy but an enduring feature of his foreign policy. Having arrived in office with a handful of ideologically driven goals, the president has stubbornly stuck to them regardless of contradictory facts on the ground.

Ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was foremost among those objectives. Obama forced the pace of U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq in order to finish in time for his 2012 campaign, and until a few months ago, he appeared implacably committed to completing an Afghanistan withdrawal before leaving office.

One of the most important questions of Obamas remaining months consequently is whether  and to what extent  he can let go of his wished-for legacy. Can he accept that it is a vital U.S. interest not just to preserve a U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and the Middle East, but to step it up to confront growing threats from the Islamic State, Taliban and al-Qaeda? Can he acknowledge that the tide of war is not receding, but  like it or not  swelling?

Three big decisions are on his plate. In October, the president scrapped his plan to reduce the 9,800-strong U.S. force in Afghanistan to an embassy-based contingent of maybe 1,000 by next January, and last month he gave U.S. commanders permission to attack Islamic State targets as well as al-Qaeda. However, he has not yet altered his target of reducing U.S. forces to 5,500 by the end of the year. Nor has he responded to proposals to provide regular combat air support to Afghan forces against the Taliban to stop what have been steady and cumulatively alarming gains by the insurgents.

As both the incoming and outgoing U.S. commanders have publicly hinted, Obama will soon be asked, at a minimum, to stop the troop drawdown to prevent an Afghan military collapse.

In Iraq, Obama has allowed the U.S. troop level to creep back up to 3,700 since 2013, counting special forces deployed in Syria. But as the New York Times recently reported, Pentagon officials believe many hundreds more will need to be dispatched in the coming months if Iraqi and Kurdish forces are to have a chance to retake Mosul, the largest terrorist-controlled city. That includes trainers, but also commandos and other front-line personnel  in other words, combat forces. There, too, Obama has not yet made a decision.

Last, but perhaps not least, Obama faces a choice in Libya, where his national security team believes action is urgently needed to head off an Islamic State entity taking root there. Its fair to say were looking to take decisive military action, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said last month, reflecting the Pentagons view. But not Obamas: Thats not in his horizon at the moment, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said at a conference on Libya last week.

How will Obama manage these three decisions? Seven years of evidence suggests he will water down his commanders proposals and approve only incremental steps. The problem  especially for Obamas successor  is that decisive action cannot easily be postponed for another year. Thats particularly true in Afghanistan, as was underlined in a conversation I had last week with Saad Mohseni, the operator of the countrys most popular private television channel, Tolo TV.

Tolo suffered a devastating blow last month when a Taliban suicide bomber slammed into a company bus in Kabul, killing seven and injuring 25. But this assault on one of the countrys greatest achievements since 2001  free media  was just part of a grim landscape sketched by Mohseni: a government paralyzed by infighting, a stalled economy, and a poorly led and demoralized army that is barely preventing a Taliban takeover of several major provinces.

We are in a pretty bad situation, Mohseni said. It is one that could be easily salvaged, but that would require quick action  and its your presidents last year.

Mohsenis recommendations echo the generals: Deploy U.S. airpower against the Taliban and call off the troop drawdown. But hed also like to see Obama appoint a special envoy to help break the political deadlock in Kabul, which is impeding steps to renew provincial governments and the Afghan army. The United States has huge leverage, he said. You can still turn the situation around. The question is whether a president who dreamed of ending the wars can be persuaded to do it.

Read more from Jackson Diehls archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Regarding the Feb. 4 news article Obama, Santos to mark Plan Colombia milestone:

Colombia, once considered a near-failed state, the result of an out-of-control drug trade and a five-decade civil war, is close to achieving a lasting peace, thanks in a large part to U.S. support. The end to decades of violence and insecurity offers a tremendous opportunity to make an investment in Colombias rural areas and build a viable peace dividend for the poorest people who suffered most in the war.

It would be a huge mistake for the United States to prematurely declare victory and walk away. For a successful peace process, the United States must continue to supply resources for demobilization, cease-fire monitoring and other key aspects of implementation while pressing for more effective protection for human rights defenders and the displaced. We can invest in the people and civil society groups, especially in rural areas, who will build the new Colombian countryside.

For this to happen, however, the Colombian state must promote inclusive growth and counter the illegal economic activities and intimidation that forced so many from their land during the conflict. Colombia has long been among the largest recipients of U.S. foreign assistance in the Western Hemisphere, much of it for police and military support. Now is our chance to lead the way in waging peace.

Daniel Speckhard, Baltimore

The writer, a former U.S. ambassador to Belarus and Greece, is president and chief executive of Lutheran World Relief.
In her Feb. 3 op-ed, Rubio and Sanders were the real winners, Ruth Marcus stated that in New Hampshire, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a candidate for president, can amp up his moving life story.

Yes, the public could deem moving Mr. Rubios account of his parents emigration from communist Cuba. As a Miami Cuban, Mr. Rubio knows well the potential political capital of the narrative that describes him as the son of parents who left because of the Cuban revolution.

The truth, however, is that Mr. Rubios parents left Cuba two-and-a-half years before Castros forces took power and, hence, were not victims of the revolution. His parents came to the United States purely for economic reasons.

Mr. Rubios deliberately misleading narrative raises serious questions about his honesty and his qualification to be a presidential nominee.

Alfred Gluecksmann, Silver Spring
There was a time when Republican governors were not all that different from Democratic governors.

The politicians from both parties who ran the states tended to be a pragmatic lot. They were pro-business because they wanted their people to have jobs, but they championed government spending in the areas that contribute to economic development, starting with education and transportation.

Democratic governors still largely behave that way, but many of their Republican peers have followed their national party to the right and now run far more ideological administrations. North Carolina, Kansas and Wisconsin are prime examples of this break from a longer GOP tradition.

But in a pivotal debate here on Saturday night, the old solidarity among Republicans in charge of statehouses made a comeback of convenience. Govs. Chris Christie of New Jersey and John Kasich of Ohio and former Florida governor Jeb Bush are competitors, but they had no qualms about creating an ad hoc alliance that might be called Governors Against Callow and Outrageous Candidates.

1 of 61 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Marco Rubios rise to prominence View Photos The U.S. senator from Florida is among the candidates vying for the Republican presidential nomination. Caption The U.S. senator from Florida is vying for the Republican presidential nomination. March 5, 2016 Sen. Marco Rubio speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Amanda Voisard/For the Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

They took on both Donald Trump and, indirectly, Sen. Ted Cruz. But their central target was Sen. Marco Rubio, who had a chance to put all three governors away with a strong performance. Instead, thanks to the pugilistic Christie, Rubio wilted.

In nearly every season, there is a media favorite whose standing with journalists relates not to ideology but to what reporters think a good candidate should look and sound like. For some time, Rubio has been that guy. Fresh and fluent, Rubio seems to bridge the partys divides. He was nominated for the Senate as a tea party favorite, but was really an insider. You dont get to be speaker of the Florida House of Representatives by being a mavericky rogue.

On paper at least, hes the potential GOP nominee who scares Democrats the most. A young Cuban American (age: 44) would presumably have a nice edge on either of the Democratic candidates (ages: 68 and 74), and Rubio loves playing the generational card.

In practice, trying to be all things to all Republicans has often thrown Rubio off balance. His multiple positions on immigration reform make him both a target of the GOPs anti-immigration hard-liners and the object of (mostly private) scorn from Republicans who were struggling to get an immigration bill passed.

All along, the question about Rubio has been whether hes too good to be true. After Christies clinical takedown during their encounter at Saint Anselm College, this suspicion is now front and center.

Marco, the thing is this, Christie thundered. When youre president of the United States, when youre a governor of a state, the memorized 30-second speech where you talk about how great America is at the end of it doesnt solve one problem for one person. They expect you to plow the snow. They expect you to get the schools open. And when the worst natural disaster in your states history hits you, they expect you to rebuild their state, which is what Ive done. None of that stuff happens on the floor of the United States Senate.

Ah, yes, governing is about running a government, even if Republicans arent supposed to like government.

The real shock was that Rubio played right into Christies hands by repeating a canned attack on President Obama four times. Christie couldnt believe his good fortune. There it is. There it is, Christie declared, basking in his eureka moment, and chopping five seconds off the prefabricated Rubio sound bite. The memorized 25-second speech. There it is, everybody.

Of course, none of the three governors is like the moderate (let alone liberal) GOP executives of old. Kasich came closest when he insisted that conservatism should mean that everybody has a chance to rise regardless of who they are so they can live their God-given purpose. Bush had by far his best debate, for once taking on Trump without backing off, and he has looked comfortable, even happy, in his final town halls around the state. But over and over, Bush made clear just how conservative he was as governor, and how conservative hed be as president.

Nonetheless, for one night, positioning, ideology and Obama-bashing wrapped in an attractive new package were not enough for Rubio. Its not clear what Christie did for his own candidacy, but he performed a service by reminding his party that running a government is serious work and ought to be respected. That this was revelatory shows how far contemporary conservatism has strayed from the essential tasks of politics.

Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pummeled Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for being overly scripted during the New Hampshire debate, pouncing when Rubio, for the third time, repeated his stock line that President Obama knows exactly what he is doing by moving the country to the left. There it is, there it is, Christie declared. The memorized 25-second speech. There it is, everybody!

Its the moment everyone is talking about. But there is one small problem. While Christie attacked Rubio for using memorized, scripted lines, the governor used his own memorized, scripted lines during the very same debate.

When asked about the problem of drug addiction in New Hampshire, Christie gave an impassioned answer: Im pro-life, he declared, and Im pro-life not just for the nine months in the womb, Im pro-life for when they get out and its a lot more complicated. Sixteen-year-old, heroin-addicted drug girl on the floor of the county lockup, Im pro-life for her life. . . . Every one of those lives is an individual gift from God.

It was a moving statement  and it was taken almost verbatim from a speech he gave in October at Shooters Tavern in Belmont, N.H. Im pro-life, Christie said back then, and I think that if youre pro-life, youve got to be pro-life for the whole life, not just for the nine months theyre in the womb. . . . But when they get out, thats when it gets tough. The 16-year-old girl on the floor of the county lockup addicted to heroin, Im pro-life for her, too. Her life is just as much a precious gift from God as the one in the womb.

There it is, everybody: Rubio was not the only candidate on the debate stage with a canned speech that hes memorized.

Christie has also used some version of the same line contrasting his executive experience with Rubios alleged inexperience as a legislator in each of the past four debates. In New Hampshire, Christie declared, This is the difference between being a governor who actually has to be responsible for problems and then a few moments later repeated When youre a governor, you have to take responsibility . . . We have to take responsibility as executives. Christie used the same construct in the Iowa debate (Thats the difference between being a governor . . . and being someone who has never had to be responsible for any of those decisions) . . . the South Carolina debate (this is the difference between being a governor and a senator. See, when youre a senator, what you get to do is just talk and talk and talk . . . When youre a governor, youre held accountable for everything you do) . . . and the Nevada debate (This is a difference between being a governor and being in a legislature . . . You have to be responsible and accountable).

Lets be clear: Theres nothing wrong with any of this. Every politician has a stump speech he or she repeats over and over on the campaign trail. Every politician uses language from his or her stump speech in the debates. And every politician repeats the best lines over and over and over. Its called message discipline. Its how elections are won.

And, by the way, Christie and Rubio were not the only ones up on stage practicing message discipline Saturday night. In a December speech in Nashville, Ted Cruz railed against what he called bipartisan corruption of career politicians in Washington. In Saturdays debate, he told New Hampshire voters I will always stand with the American people against the bipartisan corruption of Washington. In his closing statement in the first GOP debate, Donald Trump declared: The country is serious trouble. We dont win anymore. In his closing statement at Saturdays New Hampshire debate, Trump told us (for the gazillionth time) Our country that we love so much doesnt win anymore. . . . If Im elected president, we will win, and we will win, and we will win.

It should be no great revelation that all of the candidates have a core message they are trying to get across and well-rehearsed lines to make their point. Trump wants you to know hes going to make America great again. Cruz wants you to know he will take on the Washington establishment. Christie wants you to know that he has executive experience. And Rubio wants you to know that he is the best candidate to take on Hillary Clinton and replace Obama.

So the idea that Christie had some great gotcha moment catching Rubio repeating scripted lines is absurd. Everyone uses a campaign script in presidential debates  including, it seems, a certain governor from New Jersey.

Read more from Marc Thiessens archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
On the eve of the New Hampshire primary, Hillary Clintons quest to become the countrys first female president has encountered an unexpected problem: She is having trouble persuading women, young and old, to rally behind her cause.

The latest sign came Sunday, when a new CNN-WMUR survey here showed Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont beating Clinton among women by eight percentage points  which represents a big shift from the results last week in the Iowa caucuses, where Clinton won women by 11 points.

The survey followed unintentionally problematic comments over the weekend by Madeleine Albright and Gloria Steinem, older trailblazers who were trying to encourage younger women to support Clinton.

Steinem apologized Sunday for saying on a TV appearance Friday night that younger women were supporting Sanders because the boys are with Bernie. On Saturday, Albright drew criticism for saying that theres a special place in hell for women who dont help each other, even though she has expressed that sentiment many times before.

Clintons struggles with women underscore the extent to which she has not yet figured out how to harness the history-making potential of her candidacy in the same way that Barack Obama mobilized minorities and white liberals excited about electing the first black president.

Young women listen to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as she speaks at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, N.H., on Feb. 6. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

[Meet the feminists who want a man in the White House]

Cognizant of the challenge, the Clinton campaign has sought in recent days here to address the problem, tweaking her speeches to put a focus on Clinton as an advocate for women. Clinton spent part of Friday with a group of female U.S. senators she calls the sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits.

At the Saturday event with Albright, Clinton offered an aspirational message  saying that the countrys history is one of rising, of knocking down barriers, of moving toward a more perfect union  that appeared designed to present her candidacy as a milepost on that national journey.

In an appearance on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday, Clinton defended Albright, saying that her words were a lighthearted but very pointed remark, which people can take however they choose.

I think what she was trying to do, what shes done in every setting Ive ever seen her in going back 20-plus years, was to remind young women, particularly, that you know, this struggle, which many of us have been part of, is not over, Clinton said.

Steinem wrote on her Facebook page that her remarks to comedian Bill Maher in which she seemed to say that pro-Sanders feminists were just looking for dating opportunities was a case of talk-show Interruptus.

I misspoke on the Bill Maher show recently, and apologize for whats been misinterpreted as implying young women arent serious in their politics, she wrote.

1 of 46 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Clinton on the campaign trail View Photos Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton campaigns in key states in her quest to become the Democratic nominee for president. Caption The former secretary of state, senator and first lady is the Democratic nominee for president. July 31, 2016 Hillary Clinton is seen aboard the campaign bus in Cleveland on the third day of a bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Even so, Steinems comments pointed to the unexpected obstacle facing Clinton and her backers: a deep divide among women and feminist activists over how voters should respond to her.

While many older womens rights advocates see the election of Clinton as the next logical step in a broader movement, some younger activists have expressed resentment at the notion that they should feel obligated to vote for Clinton simply because shes a woman. Some have argued in recent months that Sanders, with his calls to end income inequality and make college free, is arguably the more feminist candidate.

[In Flint, Clinton casts herself as a problem-solver  and looks past N.H.]

Hillary doesnt seem to address those huge issues, said Alexis Isabel Moncada, whose @feministculture Twitter account launched in April and boasts 170,000 followers.

Moncada, who is 17 but will be old enough to vote in November, said Clintons personal wealth and her life as a former first lady and secretary of state create a disconnect with the entirety of women.

On the trail, Clinton has begun to show more openness and reflection about the challenges of running as a woman in office, sometimes in response to challenges from other women.

At a student town hall at New England College on Saturday, a young woman told Clinton that she supported her in 2008 but has doubts about her candidacy now.

My concern is that your answer that nothing new was found in the Benghazi hearings continues to give me some doubts, the woman said. Everybody knows you cant write 30,000 emails to your yoga instructor.

Another young woman asked why her peers think that Clinton is too buttoned up and rehearsed.

I do have a somewhat narrower path that Ive tried to walk. I do think sometimes it comes across as a little more restrained, a little more careful, and Im sure thats true, Clinton answered. Its not just about me, its about young women, women of all ages, the expectations that are put upon you and how you deal with them and how you find your true voice and how you stand up for yourself and who you become.

Many womens rights advocates say they are proud to back Clinton, not just because of her gender but also because of her vast experience as a lawyer, first lady, senator and secretary of state.

[The Fix: Why wont Clinton release the transcripts of those paid speeches?]

In recent weeks, Clinton has won endorsements from numerous womens rights organizations, including the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the National Organization for Women, Emilys List, NARAL Pro-Choice America and the Feminist Majority.

Feminist Majoritys president, Eleanor Smeal, who launched a campaign on Clintons behalf, She Wins We Win, said in an interview that Clinton has not only fought for womens rights here and overseas but is probably the strongest single candidate that has ever challenged for the presidency.

Some have argued that they will vote for Clinton precisely because shes a woman.

There has never been a president who knows what its like to menstruate, be pregnant, or give birth, Kate Harding, 41, wrote in the online womens magazine Dame shortly after Clinton declared her candidacy. Nor, Harding said, has there been a president who has faced such blatant sexism for showing too much cleavage, or having cankles, or wearing unflattering headbands.

A question for Clinton is whether she can use what is looking to be an extended primary campaign against Sanders to energize women for the general election should she win the nomination.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump traded accusations of sexism with Clinton, prompting a reexamination of the support Clinton won from feminists in the 90s when she defended her husband against accusations that threatened to derail his presidency.

[New Wave Feminism: Todays generation embraces feminism on its own terms]

Kate Michelman, a former NARAL president and a prominent supporter of Clintons candidacy, echoes Clintons own evocation of a vast right-wing conspiracy in arguing that the forces of sexism and anti-feminism are going to be loud and clear in their attempt to make sure no women get the presidency of this country.

And some self-identified feminists say they feel less urgency to elect a woman in 2016 than they did eight years ago, perhaps because this is the second time a woman has come so close.

Shelby Knox, 29, subject of a documentary about campaigning for sex education in Texas schools, was living and working with Steinem in 2008 and said she found the attacks so painful she was almost scared to see Clinton announce again.

When Hillary lost, I had this horrible fear that Gloria [Steinem] would never see a woman president, said Knox, as if the nation would reject any woman.

This time around, she is confident Clinton will win. And even if she doesnt, Knox thinks she will live to see a female president.

It will be impossible for us not to have a woman president, she said. I have no doubt it will happen.

Sellers reported from Washington. Karen Tumulty in Concord contributed to this report.
Chris Christie says he can bring Washington together, by treating even his Democratic rivals with patience and respect.

But first, Christie would like his audience to imagine him as a pickup truck. Which is running over Hillary Clinton.

You nominate this old truck, and let me tell you whats going to happen: Im going to get through that mud, Christie told a standing-room-only crowd in a school cafeteria Sunday, indulging in a long, folksy anecdote in which Christie compared himself to a reliable, battered truck that could get through the mud Clinton would throw at him.

Then the metaphor turned from New Hampshire light to New Jersey dark.

Im gonna run her right over on the way to the White House, Christie said.

The battle continues in New Hampshire as candidates fight tooth and nail to take home the state. The Posts David Weigel walks through what it will take to win the New Hampshire primary. (Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

In Christies desperate last days in New Hampshire, hes tried a kind of whiplash strategy, playing two seemingly opposite things at once.

When Christie talks about himself, he says he is the GOPs mature, sober, time-tested adult. We do not have to hate our adversaries! he said here, to applause.

But when Christie talks about everybody else, he sounds like the races belittling schoolyard tough guy. Hes promised to kick [President Obamas] rear end out of the White House and to beat [Clintons] rear end. Then, in Saturday nights Republican debate, Christie laid into Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida for using canned talking points, rattling Rubio so badly that he used the same talking points again. And then again.

It was a moral victory for Christie, and the candidate was savoring it a day later.

Everybodys got a plan until you get punched in the face, Christie said.

[Christie said he was justified in going after Rubio during GOP presidential debate]

Christie said Sunday that the rough rhetoric was something hed planned all along.

You all are the junior political analysts here. I do this for a living. I picked when I want to do it, Christie said in a news conference after reporters questioned why he had waited so late to take on Rubio. I had a strategy all along.

If thats true, then Christie was following an especially daring strategy. It required him to spend more than 60 days campaigning in New Hampshire, fall into sixth place here, then  with first place seemingly out of reach  unleash a last-minute barrage aimed at the second-place candidate.

When a reporter asked if Christie would drop out if he lost in New Hampshire, Christies braggadocio dropped a little. His response was, in effect, that it depends on what you mean by losing.

Indeed, Christies advisers seemed to be hoping merely for a finish in the top tier, so Christie can go on to South Carolina  but thats a place where he is not projected to do well.

Theres no way this partys gonna settle for Donald Trump, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz as their only choices, Christie adviser Mike DuHaime said after the debate.

Theyre going to be searching for an alternative, said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), a Christie ally who has appeared with him at campaign events here.

Asked for comment for this article, a spokeswoman for Christie rejected the idea that his campaign-trail insults undermined his promises to cooperate with rivals as president.

Theres a difference between campaign rhetoric and when you govern. And I think everyone knows that, said spokeswoman Samantha Smith. At the end of the day, the adults in the room get together and get work done.

As proof of that cooperative spirit, she said that Christie on Sunday had run into Clinton  of whom he had said Ill beat her rear end in a presidential debate  in a CNN studio. And they were cordial.

There was a time, back in 2014, when Christie was the front-runner in New Hampshire polls. Then came trouble on two fronts.

First was the Bridgegate investigation, in which Christies subordinates allegedly closed lanes to a major bridge to New York City to punish a New Jersey mayor who hadnt supported Christies reelection. That put Christies pugnacious persona in a new light: His administration appeared to have used state power to settle a petty political score. (Christie has said he had no advance warning of the closures).

Then, suddenly, another problem. The GOP race had another loudmouth, Donald Trump, who attracted fed-up voters who might otherwise have been drawn to Christie.

We need somebody thats edgy. Thats what my feeling is, said John Moore, 73, a Maine resident who came to see Christie in New Hampshire on Sunday.

Did that mean he was a Christie supporter?

I hate to say it. I dont hate to say it, Moore said, wrestling with embarrassment. I like Trump.

Christie remains a very skilled retail campaigner, perhaps the best in the GOP field.

In events this weekend, he told powerful stories about a friend lost to drug addiction and a crying little girl he comforted after Hurricane Sandy. (The first time I ever saw a child crying, that finished me, he said.)

He was also funny, relating his exasperation as a parent at the expensive perks that colleges made him pay for. Theres an epidemic of rock-climbing walls! Christie said at one appearance, and joked that this epidemic had even reached New Hampshire, where they werent needed. Youve got rocks, man! Youve got rocks everywhere! Christie said. Youre the Granite State. Your state is named after rocks!

But even after all that campaigning here, he was in sixth place. So, in the past few weeks, Christie has turned to a harder-edged strategy. It has been particularly harsh on Clinton  and on Rubio, who was running between seven and 12 points ahead of Christie in recent GOP polls.

Even before he took on Rubio Saturday night, Christie had been belittling the first-term senator as a greenhorn protected by the media. The boy in the bubble, Christie called him.

Christie actually does a very good impersonation of Trump. The good people go in, the bad people go out. Its gonna be an amazing wall, its gonna be a beautiful wall, Christie said, in the front-runners Queens accent. Then, in his own New Jersey accent, an incredulous question: How? But hes never done it to Trumps face in a debate. He chose to zing the second-place guy instead.

Christies attacks have stung Rubio. But its not clear yet if they lifted Christie out of the lower tier of candidates, overcoming the other worries that follow him.

After seeing Christie on Sunday, Robert and Mary Flannery of Portsmouth were sold on him, insults and all.

He tells it how it is, said Robert Flannery, 83.

It gives you confidence that he can do things. He feels good about himself. He has confidence, Mary Flannery said.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stands on stage after speaking at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. (Michael Dwyer/Associated Press)

History holds a lesson for the Supreme Court, the brief warns: Be skeptical of laws protecting women that are written by men.

The nations past is littered with such statutes, say the historians who filed the friend-of-the-court brief, and the motives were suspect.

Some protected women from the embarrassment of hearing filthy evidence as members of a jury, a sheltering instinct that resulted in female defendants being judged by panels composed only of men.

Some shielded women from having to work nights as pharmacists in hospitals  but not as low-wage custodians.

Some barred women from working as bartenders  jobs coveted by men  but not as cocktail waitresses.

The brief is filed by professors from across the country in the courts upcoming abortion case, Whole Womens Health v. Hellerstedt. The brief urges the justices to examine the intent of Texas legislators who say they approved new restrictions on abortion providers as health safeguards for the women undergoing the procedure.

[Supreme Court accepts major abortion restrictions case]

Any new law that claims to protect womens health and safety should be scrutinized carefully to assess whether its ostensibly protective function actually serves to deny liberty and equal citizenship to women, said the brief filed by 16 historians, 13 of whom are women.

It is part of an avalanche of amicus briefs filed by both sides in the case, which will be the courts most important look at abortion rights in decades.

And the attempt at persuasion, like many of the others, is representative of a specialized brand of legal brief that aims to school the court not about law but about life.

Brandeis briefs are long on history and science and short on detailed legal citations. The first of its kind was filed in 1908 by lawyer Louis D. Brandeis, who eight years later became famous as the first Jewish Supreme Court justice.

Last month, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg discussed the importance of the revolutionary brief at  where else?  Brandeis University, in Waltham, Mass., at a ceremony marking the centennial of his Supreme Court appointment.

Brandeiss submission was unlike any the court had yet seen. It was to be loaded with facts and spare on formal legal argument, Ginsburg said. The facts consumed 98 of the briefs 113 pages.

The aim of the Brandeis brief was to educate the judiciary about the real world in which the laws under inspection operated, Ginsburg said.

Some have criticized such briefs as a way to bring before the justices arguments and unverified conclusions that are outside the record.

But they are an important part of modern life at the court, and both the Texas attorney general and the Center for Reproductive Rights lawyers challenging the states law make great use of them.

The one that has gotten the most attention is a brief filed by 113 lawyers who recount their own abortions and say they would not have been able to achieve the personal or professional successes they have achieved without access to the right.

[Im a successful lawyer and mother because I had an abortion]

It is answered by a Brandeis-style brief in which the group Priests for Life presents to this court the compelling testimonies of individuals who have been harmed by the adverse effects of abortion.

There are similar competing visions on both sides from physicians to social scientists and legal scholars.

What makes the feminist historian offering stand out is that it is, in effect, a Brandeis brief that seeks to refute the original Brandeis brief.

You noticed, said San Francisco lawyer Kevin M. Fong, who wrote the brief with colleague Christine A. Scheuneman.

Brandeiss 1908 brief was filed in Muller v. Oregon , defending that states law limiting the daily hours of women working in factories and laundries (but not those of males). Brandeis argued that it was constitutional for the state to recognize the differences between the sexes.

According to one source quoted in his brief, for women, free time is no resting time, as it is for a man. A working girl should be learning to keep house if her future household is not to be a disorderly failure.

He added: The overwork of future mothers directly attacks the welfare of the nation.

The court upheld the law unanimously, and Ginsburg said New Deal-oriented professors in her late-1950s law classes taught the case as a triumph for the efforts to improve conditions and the lives of workers. The Oregon law was meant as a first step in limiting hours for all workers.

If she disagreed with the substance of Brandeiss arguments, Ginsburg liked the tactic. In her speech at the university, she said that copying Brandeiss method was useful in her efforts as a lawyer challenging laws that treated men and women differently.

Laws once thought to operate benignly in womens favor  keeping them off juries and relegating them to womens work in the military, for example  in time came to be seen as measures impeding womens opportunity to participate in and contribute to society, Ginsburg said.

The Brandeis brief had come full circle, and not surprisingly, the historians effort notes Ginsburgs victories at the Supreme Court, and echoes her arguments from decades ago.

Even when protection is a genuine goal, not a pretext, and even where an apparently protective regulation in theory might serve to safeguard health, such laws may function in practice to limit womens freedom and autonomy, it says.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) trails Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump significantly but is running ahead of former governor Jeb Bush (Fla.) and Gov. Chris Christie (N.J.). They are pitting their experience against the Florida senators record. (Alice Li,Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) trails Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump significantly but is running ahead of former governor Jeb Bush (Fla.) and Gov. Chris Christie (N.J.). They are pitting their experience against the Florida senators record. (Alice Li,Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

Marco Rubios robotic debate performance Saturday night sparked an all-out offensive on the campaign trail here Sunday over his authenticity and experience, momentarily halting the momentum of the senator from Florida and further muddling the presidential nomination battle.

Just two days before the New Hampshire primary, Rubio drew mockery for repeating a rehearsed line four times during the Republican candidates debate, even after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had ridiculed him for being a talking-point machine.

Rubio received scathing reviews on the Sunday talk shows and was needled by some of his opponents. On Twitter, he earned the moniker Rubio bot. Clips of the debate played repeatedly on cable news and were watched hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube.

The episode interrupted Rubios week-long effort to build on his impressive third-place showing in the Iowa caucuses and consolidate donors and party officials behind him. It also appeared to give new life to the struggling candidacies of Christie, former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, while improving Donald Trumps chances of winning the New Hampshire Republican primary.

[Heres what Rubios glitch of an answer was supposed to mean]

The battle continues in New Hampshire as candidates fight tooth and nail to take home the state. The Posts David Weigel walks through what it will take to win the New Hampshire primary. (Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

The fallout for Rubio over the long term could be severe. His GOP rivals argued Sunday that the debate undercut the central case for Rubios candidacy  that his political agility and youthful, charismatic persona make him best positioned to challenge the Democratic nominee.

And they claimed a renewed  and seemingly justifiable  rationale to soldier on past New Hampshire, which would mean that the mainstream Republican vote would probably continue to splinter among several candidates.

The whole race changed last night, Christie said Sunday on CNN. There was a march amongst some in the chattering class to anoint Senator Rubio. I think after last night, thats over. I think there could be four or five tickets now out of New Hampshire because the race is so unsettled now.

Bush also sounded reinvigorated by the difficulties of the otherwise polished Rubio, his onetime Florida protege who has overshadowed him all year. I envy the people that have, you know, message discipline, to say the same thing over and over again, Bush told a standing-room-only crowd in Salem. Sometimes it doesnt work out.

Kasich, buoyed by a solid debate performance, refused opportunities Sunday to go after others and instead asked New Hampshire voters to affirm on Tuesday his unifying positive message.

Rubio, for his part, came out swinging in a series of events. He was defiant as he defended his debate-night talking point that portrayed President Obama as a wily operator who has succeeded in enacting a liberal agenda.

Im going to say it again, Rubio told a gathering in Londonderry. The reason why these things are in trouble is because Barack Obama is the first president, at least in my lifetime, that wants to change the country.

1 of 51 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What it looks like on the ground in New Hampshire leading up to the primary View Photos Following the Iowa caucuses, the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates flocked to New Hampshire in the run-up to the first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday. Caption Following the Iowa caucuses, the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates flocked to New Hampshire in the run-up to the first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday. Feb. 8, 2016 A Scottish Highland steer wears a Bernie Sanders campaign sticker in Manchester. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

[Marco Rubio doubles down on repetition in post-debate rally]

Nonetheless, the debate haunted Rubio on Sunday. In the parking lot at his campaign stop in Hudson, someone placed photocopies of the Boston Heralds front page  which showed a picture of Rubio with the headline Choke!  under the windshield wipers of cars.

Trump has held a dominant lead in the polls in New Hampshire for months. There was a growing sense on the ground in recent days that Rubio might surf a wave of buzz and goodwill to contend for the top spot, but party strategists said the debate probably closed whatever opening may have existed.

Many of the candidates met crowds swelling into the hundreds and even thousands as they barnstormed the state Sunday, fielding questions at town hall meetings and pressing the flesh at diners and pubs. Advisers to the campaigns saw Trump as the favorite but said the race for second place was anybodys game, citing New Hampshires famously fickle and late-deciding electorate.

Its unbelievably volatile, said Steve Duprey, an unaffiliated Republican National Committee member from New Hampshire. This is the most hotly contested race Ive seen since the 1976 Ford-Reagan primary.

The final days in New Hampshire have signaled an unmistakable evolution in the Republican race: For the first time since the summer, it is not revolving solely around Trump.

The campaign has matured, with the non-Trump candidates building their own coalitions, driving their own messages, drawing differences with one another and making their own headlines.

The run-up to Saturdays debate was unusual in its absence of a Trump controversy. Indeed, he has been a sporadic presence on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.

For the first time in this entire election cycle, a candidate other than Donald Trump is actually able to get their message out, said Todd Harris, a senior adviser to Rubio.

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), a vocal Trump critic and Bush booster, said Trumps second-place finish in Iowa behind Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas sapped some of the energy around him.

He went from being the big-man winner to a whiner, Graham said.

Trump, too, acknowledged a new dynamic. Theyre getting better, he said of the other candidates after the debate. But Im always in the center. Ive always been in the center from Day One.

In a departure for a candidate who typically jumps at the chance to puncture his opponents, the businessman resisted critiquing Rubio in post-debate interviews.

Hes been hit very hard on the Twitter, Trump said late Saturday night. Wincing, he added: I dont know. I mean, I dont want to comment on anybody elses performance, because I actually have a very good relationship with Marco.

Trump may stand to gain from Rubios longevity in the upper tier because the senator prevents Cruz from uniting the right.

Trump labored through two subdued campaign stops Sunday afternoon, forgoing his typical bomb-throwing against his chief opponents during a rally of about 1,000 people in Plymouth, N.H. Trumps most upbeat appeal came when he reminded voters of the importance of showing up.

You guys better vote for me, he said with a smile. I dont need your money, I need your vote!

For Rubio, there were glimmers of recovery. His unapologetic debate answer defending his opposition to abortion rallied social conservative leaders to his side and helped induce what aides said was $600,000 in online fundraising.

Charlie Dancause, 63, a retired postal worker and Navy veteran, watched Rubio campaign in Londonderry and was impressed.

I thought he got killed, Dancause said, but he bounced back. And today hes smiling. Hes in with the crowd. He takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Thats what a politician needs to do!

In his post-debate analysis, Harris looked ahead to a general election featuring Rubio as the partys standard-bearer.

We took the fight to President Obama, Harris said of Rubios repeated talking point. The media may not like it, but you know what? Were going to do the same thing tomorrow and the next day and the next day.

Some Rubios allies said they were bracing for a long slog.

Marco is in a very strong position to be the nominee, said Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.), who endorsed Rubio last week.

Its going to be a fight, its going to be a battle, its going to take a while to put it all to bed, I suspect, but hell do it, Toomey said.

James Hohmann in Londonderry, Sean Sullivan in Hudson, Jose DelReal in Plymouth, Michael Kranish in Concord, Ed OKeefe in Salem and David Weigel in Peterborough contributed to this report.
Donald Trump rallies his New Hampshire supporters the day after his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. Win is all over his rhetoric. (John Tully/For the Washington Post)

For nearly eight months, Donald Trump has talked winning. If he is president, the country will finally win on trade, on health care, on education, on jobs and against terrorists. Under his leadership, Trump likes to say, there will be so much winning that some Americans will beg him to stop winning so much.

And thats why its crucial for Trump to triumph in the New Hampshire Republican primary Tuesday, proving to both supporters and critics that his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses last week was just a fluke.

The real estate mogul has admitted some missteps in Iowa, saying that he could have won if he had invested in a stronger turnout effort, spent more time in the state or attended the Des Moines debate. His staff and volunteers are now rushing to implement a ground game in New Hampshire that can convert his double-digit lead in the polls into a first-place finish.

Its something Id like to win, Trump told reporters last week. Ive been here a lot; I have great relationships with the people of New Hampshire.

When asked what losing again might mean for his campaign, Trump responded: I dont think in terms of losing.

While other Republican candidates have focused solely on New Hampshire in recent days, Trump has continued to bounce around the country, holding a rally in Arkansas on Wednesday night and South Carolina on Friday night in addition to his New Hampshire events. This led rival Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, and others to criticize Trump for seeming to disappear from New Hampshire for long stretches at a crucial time.

[These are the towns that love Donald Trump]

When he is in the state, Trump tries to pack several events into a single day, which can be a logistics headache for his 15 New Hampshire staffers and the U.S. Secret Service agents charged with protecting him and screening his audiences. On Thursday, Trump attended two rallies and a televised town hall hosted by CNN in addition to meeting with about 100 local business owners and stopping by a police station during its shift change. On Sunday, Trump stopped by a diner in Manchester for breakfast and a hot chocolate and then held a large rally in Plymouth, although he seemed weary and subdued. For Monday, Trump has four public events scheduled, including a rally in Manchester that could attract as many as 12,000.

As the Iowa caucus results came in on Feb. 1, those in Trumps New Hampshire headquarters grew quiet, then turned off the televisions and got back to work. Although Trump finished in second place  a feat deemed impossible by many just a few months ago  it was not the finish he and his supporters wanted or that the latest polls had promised.

In the days that followed, a sense of urgency settled upon Trumps operation here in Manchester, located on the second floor of an aging office building and decorated with framed photos of Trump and motivational quotes: Great leaders determine the teams they assemble.

Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski moved his temporary office from Iowa to Manchester, taking over a back room decorated with a dirty fish tank and a musket. Volunteers arrived from Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York and elsewhere. They were given free lodging, meals and some travel expenses, along with potential opportunities to be near Mr. Trump, according to a recruitment e-mail.

[For Donald Trump, its always about control]

Volunteers were put to work making phone calls to Republicans who dont usually vote in primaries, canvassing neighborhoods and assisting with events. Unlike in Iowa, where Trumps ground game was a closely guarded secret, the campaign invited a group of journalists to visit its Manchester office last week and interview volunteers such as Kevin Bray, a 51-year-old salesman from Missouri who drove 20 hours to New Hampshire the day after Trump came in second place in Iowa.

I woke up the day after Iowa, about 10 in the morning, and said to myself: Cruz hijacked Iowa. Made me really mad, Bray said, referring to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.). The Trump people had told me theyd set up my phone for me so I could do calls from home, but I said, Nope, I want to be a part of this. 

The campaign has seven call centers in New Hampshire. Plus, volunteers can work from home; those in other states have been pitching in. The campaign aims to make roughly 30,000 calls per day and sometimes many more, often using a script that includes this line: We will make America great again.

Teams of canvassers try to visit at least 2,500 homes each day  and as many as 5,000 per day over the weekend  and leave information about Trump on doors. So far, the campaign has gone through 20,000 such fliers and had to order another 25,000 late last week.

Trump and his staff are hopeful that New Hampshire will be different than Iowa. The state has same-day registration and polls are open from early in the morning until late into the evening, unlike the Iowa caucuses that required voters to be in line by 7 p.m. for one shot at participating. Plus, New Hampshire is half the size and population of Iowa and has fewer evangelical voters, who were seen as part of the key to Cruzs victory.

[Here are 76 of Donald Trumps many campaign promises]

Trumps team expects a large turnout Tuesday and is targeting Republicans who rarely vote in primaries  as well as independents, including some deciding between Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

I feel good, I feel fine, I mean, we have what we have, Trump said when asked about his New Hampshire organization Thursday. People like us. We seem to be doing very well. You know, here, its a little bit less about a ground game.

Since the Iowa caucuses, Trump has refocused on the issues that have defined his candidacy: immigration, national security, trade and bringing jobs back from overseas. In between his usual bombast and cursing, Trump has taken a more positive tone and is slamming his opponents less often. He largely stayed in the background at Saturday nights Republican debate.

The campaign released an ad on Wednesday that captures the feeling of Trumps big arena rallies and features minority supporters explaining why they like Trump. Its a counterintuitive ad for a campaign that has been cast as appealing only to angry, frustrated whites. The campaign plans to spend $850,000 getting that ad on television, an amount that pales in comparison to what other campaigns are spending.

I think what people want is, they want hope, Lewandowski said in an interview on Wednesday. Its African Americans, its Hispanics, its veterans, its young people, its everybody across the board saying: We want Trump because we want to fix the country. 

One other asset that Trump has in New Hampshire is Lewandowski, who lives about 20 miles from the Manchester office in the town of Windham. Lewandowski spent years organizing in the state while working for Americans for Prosperity, the conservative advocacy group heavily funded by billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch. Trump has long seemed more organized here than in Iowa and has locked down statewide co-chairs plus leaders for each of the 10 counties and the states major cities and towns.

Its good to be home  I miss home, Lewandowski said. The familiarity of the people and the close relationships that Ive had here in New Hampshire for 15-plus years, I think, is going to help us make sure that we have the right organization in place, the right ground game in place.

Trump finishes many of his rally speeches with a promise to start winning again.

Were going to win on every aspect, everything we do, he said at a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., last week. Were going to have so many victories. We just cant fail any more. We dont have the option to fail any more.

But first, Trump has to win.

Its very important: February 9th, youve got to get out and vote, Trump said, telling the crowd to not assume that he will win without their votes. Weve got to create a mandate. We have to create victory.

Robert Costa in Manchester, N.H., contributed to this report.
Former Indiana governor Edgar Whitcomb, who escaped from a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp by swimming overnight during World War II and then made an around-the-world solo sailing trip while in his 70s, died Feb. 4 at his home near Rome, Ind. He was 98.

His daughter, Patricia Whitcomb, confirmed the death but did not cite a cause.

The Republican small-town lawyer, who was quick to veto legislation even though the Legislature was controlled by fellow Republicans, was governor from 1969 to 1973. His tenure was marked by ongoing disputes over spending and taxes.

He vetoed scores of bills, most notably a plan backed by then-House Speaker Otis Bowen in 1971 to cut property taxes by increasing the state sales tax. Mr. Whitcomb had won the GOP nomination for governor at the partys 1968 state convention over Bowen, and he took a strict stance against any tax increases.

Bowen won election as governor in 1972 and pushed a similar property tax plan through the Legislature the following year. The changes were well received by the public, and Bowen was wildly popular when he left office.

Edgar Whitcomb, right, takes an oath to serve as Indiana Secretary of State in 1966. (Nick Longworth/AP)

Mr. Whitcomb, though, didnt retreat from his position, saying his work to economize state government and block tax hikes had benefited residents.

Surely the hundreds of millions of dollars which are in the hands of taxpayers as a result of your refusal to increase general taxes have contributed to this surge in personal income, Mr. Whitcomb told legislators in his 1973 farewell address.

His term as governor also saw the Legislature establish, over his veto, that most of the state would follow Eastern Standard Time year-round. That decision to not have time changes in 80 of the states 92 counties kept Indiana out of sync with much of the country until legislators approved statewide daylight saving time in 2005.

He also helped ensure decades of Republican dominance of Indianapolis by signing into law the government unification of the city and its GOP-leaning suburban communities in Marion County.

He was trounced in his attempt to win a Senate seat in 1976, losing in the primary to former Indianapolis mayor Richard Lugar, who was the choice of the party establishment. Mr. Whitcomb then worked many years in Texas for a Christian textbook publisher.

Edgar Doud Whitcomb was born in Hayden, Ind., on Nov. 6, 1917. He was a student at Indiana University before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1940, becoming a navigator for B-17 bombers stationed in the Philippines.

He wrote in his 1958 memoir, Escape from Corregidor, that he was stationed at a base in the Philippines when Japanese aircraft struck there hours after the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

He was among several thousand troops captured and imprisoned on the small island of Corregidor, from which he and another American escaped by swimming overnight more than two miles to Bataan only to be recaptured days later.

He graduated from Indiana Universitys law school in 1950 and practiced law in the southern Indiana communities of North Vernon and Seymour while starting his political career. He won election in 1966 as Indiana secretary of state, which gave him a platform for his 1968 gubernatorial campaign

Mr. Whitcomb and his wife, former model Patricia Dolfuss, divorced in 1987 after 36 years of marriage. That same year, he began his quest to sail solo around the world.

The journey started by crossing the Mediterranean from Israel to Gibraltar. He completed the trip in stages during the good sailing season  including 55 days from Costa Rica to Tahiti. His 30-foot sailboat sank in 1996, after striking a shallow coral reef off Egypt, after Mr. Whitcomb had passed the longitude of his starting point for his around-the-world trip.

At first, in the Mediterranean I endured some storms that I didnt think I was going to survive, Mr. Whitcomb said in a 1996 interview. And after being through three or four or five of them, then you get the feeling, Well, I got through the others. Ill get through this. Then I got so I didnt worry about them.

In his 80s, he moved to an isolated cabin, with a battery as its only power source, on 140 acres of forest along the Ohio River.

He lived there for several years with Mary Evelyn Gayer before they married in 2013  when he was 95 and she was 83. They had met 12 years earlier while taking a computer class. He had five children with his first wife. A complete list of survivors could not be confirmed.

 Associated Press
Speaking to a Rotary Club on Monday that his father once addressed as vice president, Jeb Bush admitted that he had long resisted visiting New Hampshire before he became a presidential candidate to avoid fueling speculation.

But after more than eight months of campaigning here, he said, Im a better person, and Im certainly a better candidate.

Something has clicked for Bush in New Hampshire in the past few days. What has transpired by no means guarantees him a top-tier finish in Tuesdays Republican primary here, but the crowds turning out to see him are bigger, his delivery on the stump is crisper and some of his key rivals have stumbled. At the least, the developments have mostly silenced talk of a hasty exit and skittish donors.

Im feeling good, the former Florida governor said as he jumped off his campaign bus at the Nashua Country Club on Monday morning.

Across Bush World  including his famous family members, senior aides, well-heeled donors and Florida loyalists braving a blizzard  theres a growing sense of relief. Finally, after enduring months of bad news reports, tepid debate performances and two rounds of campaign budget cuts, some believe theyre on the verge of a good night.

Im really proud of Jeb, younger brother Neil Bush said on Monday at the Rotary Club luncheon. You know, hes persisted and in spite of his last name, hes showing people in New Hampshire that he is the best qualified guy and that message is resonating. Hes standing up to the bully  to [Donald] Trump  like no other candidate has, and I think hes really gotten what were now calling Jebmentum. 

[Will New Hampshire be the last stand for Jeb Bush?]

Moments later, Jeb Bush walked into the banquet hall and played to a larger-than-usual bank of television cameras. He stopped at every table to shake every hand. He posed for a photo with a pianist playing Broadway show tunes before turning to greet the media.

Will you sing? a reporter asked.

No, he said. Im trying to save my voice.

On Monday night, Bush is slated to hold a rally in Portsmouth in the same hall that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) used to conclude his successful New Hampshire primary campaigns in 2000 and 2008. On Tuesday, Bush is expected to make a series of unscheduled stops to turn out support or convince still-undecided voters. The Bush team has relied on 250 out-of-state volunteers over the past several weekends, many of whom worked for Bush as governor and flew up from Florida. Among them is Will Weatherford, a former Florida House speaker.

Thereve been good speakers, but no one as good as him, Bush told the Nashua luncheon crowd on Monday  a subtle dig at Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a 2016 rival who once had Weatherfords old job.

Bush has been particularly helped by circumstances beyond his control in recent days. First, Trump, his leading nemesis, placed second in Iowa, slowing the business magnates march. Bush placed sixth in Iowa, but he never committed to the caucuses as avidly as Trump did. Most also agree that Bush bested Trump in a Saturday debate tussle over eminent domain.

[This woman personifies Jeb Bushs challenge in New Hampshire]

Then theres Rubio, Bushs former mentee, who was humiliated in the debate when rival Chris Christie called him out for repeating talking points  and Rubio repeated them again anyway.

Bush and his advisers say Rubios struggles vividly proved what they have long asserted: The senators carefully crafted image masks his inexperience to serve as president. For months, advisers and donors have argued that Trump had blocked out the sun with wall-to-wall coverage of his unconventional campaign, leaving Rubio to enjoy what several aides and donors describe as fawning media coverage.

[Debate slip-up seems to halt Rubios momentum]

The Bush team is airing an attack ad that raises questions about Rubios lack of legislative accomplishments. Bush criticized Rubio on the campaign trail Sunday in a backhanded way.

Look, Ive got a monkey brain, to be honest with you, he said as the crowd laughed. I cant say the same thing, like  I cant say it. My mind works differently  message discipline is not my strength, I admit it. Something goes on in there, its fertile, its growing, its challenging, I always question myself  Im intellectually curious.

Finally getting to his point, Bush added: Its not all scripted  I think thats actually a strength to be president of the United States, because you cannot script being commander in chief.

Leaving the event, Bush bear-hugged a man who said he planned to vote for the former governor after seeing him at several events. Beaming, Bush said pundits are going to have to rewrite their political obits  or stories of his political demise.

Then he pointed to me: Youre on that list.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, dressed as always in a suit and tie, stepped into the quaint Chez Vachon diner in Manchester on Sunday morning to make the sort of down-home campaign stop his critics accuse him of never attempting. He slowly walked through the must-see election destination, smiling reflexively as he shook hands with patrons and posed for pictures with nervous supporters.

It seemed like a humble gesture by the celebrity mogul to New Hampshire voters, who notoriously insist on meeting candidates multiple times before rewarding them with their votes. But after two days without public campaign events in the Granite State, it also served to highlight the extent to which Trump  who seemed weary after Saturdays debate  has failed to meet regularly with Granite State voters on their terms.

Tuesdays primary marks a crucial moment for the campaign, which skeptics accuse of failing to build a robust national ground game that will turn out voters. Campaign officials have aggressively fought the criticism and hope to prove that they are capable of transforming Trumps enormous crowds into an electoral victory.

But the most notable absence in the run-up to the primary here is not a voter-turnout strategy  it has been the candidate.

[Back in New Hampshire, Trump returns to form]

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump poses for a photo with a supporter after a campaign rally in Plymouth, N.H., Feb. 7, 2016. (Rick Wilking/Reuters)

Trumps weekend sprint to the finish line here in New Hampshire has seemed more like a haphazard lurch. With a winter storm in the region Friday and the Republican debate on Saturday placing constraints on the campaigns travel, Trump lost two valuable days to make his final pitch just as notoriously fickle New Hampshire voters began making their final judgments. Many have also been critical of Trumps decision to hold a massive rally last Wednesday in Little Rock and another on Friday in Florence, S.C.

On Sunday, the diner visit was one of two public campaign stops for Trump in New Hampshire. The other was a rally in Plymouth, where about 1,000 gathered to listen to one of the candidates usually raucous speeches.

But Trump instead spoke slowly and more hoarsely than usual. In several instances, supporters appeared to urge him to arrive at applause lines faster, as in one moment when some began shouting questions about building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump repeatedly reminded voters of the importance of showing up to vote instead of peppering the audience with talk of recent polls that show his strength in the state and nationally.

You guys better vote for me, he said with a smile. I dont need your money, I need your vote. Keep your money, I dont want any of your money. . . . No, no, I dont want anything. I want one thing: On Tuesday, you have to get out and vote.

Several voters said the event seemed more subdued than they expected from their impressions on television. And without other meetings, its the only impression theyll take away before the election.

[What its like to attend a news conference on Donald Trumps jet]

Weve been to quite a few of the town halls. You have a chance to talk to them, ask questions, and you know, engage. I dont believe he does that, said Brenda Wilson-Remmer, an independent voter choosing among several Republican candidates.

I was disappointed. I didnt think the crowd had the enthusiasm that Ive seen on TV, she added after seeing Trump live for the first time Sunday.

That could spell trouble for Trump, whose candidacy from the start has rested on the sheer force of the moguls personality. The billionaires bombast and anti-establishment message have appealed to disaffected conservatives across the country, despite little support from the Republican establishment.

It remains to be seen how late deciders will cast their vote without more face-time with the candidate.

Its a little bit exciting, because we came without knowing he was going to be here, Connie LaFond of Hooksett said at the diner Sunday morning.

LaFond admitted she will not be supporting Trump but said it is very important for candidates to see voters face to face. She said seeing him in person, and understanding the enormous logistical difficulties caused by cramming so many reporters and staff members into small spaces, gave her some insight into his day-to-day routine.

Whats very surprising is we never get to see the reality of what hes going through, with the security and the entourage, she said. And, his hair is not anywhere as bad as it looks on TV.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton visits with voters and eat breakfast at Chizvachon Restaurant a day before the New Hampshire primary in Manchester, N.H., on Monday. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

One of Arnie Arnesens cherished possessions is a photo of feminist icon Gloria Steinem standing on a chair and speaking on her behalf at a fundraiser back when Arnesen was New Hampshires Democratic nominee for governor.

It was 1992  now remembered as the Year of the Woman because so many were breaking down barriers and running for office. Arnesen was part of that vanguard.

These days, she is furious with her idol and has a deep concern about the tone that the presidential race has taken on, even as the prospect of a woman in the Oval Office seems nearer than ever.

And she blames Hillary Clinton.

Im crushed by this, said Arnesen, who hosts a talk radio show and has not endorsed a candidate in her states Democratic primary. In some ways, Hillary is bringing the worst out of the women I admire, and Gloria Steinem is one of them.

[Clinton looks to sisterhood, but votes may go to Sanders]

Former secretary of state Clinton and her allies are making increasingly overt  and clumsy  appeals to feminist solidarity as she struggles with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in her battle for the Democratic nomination. The reactions of Arnesen and others suggest that it could be backfiring, at least in New Hampshire, a state proud of its tradition of electing women.

Not everybody views voting as a statement of their identities, Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg said. Younger women in particular, she said, have a desire for a transformative figure, and [Clinton] doesnt embody that.

That applies to many women who are not so young. Some have mixed feelings, having watched Clinton for the quarter-century that she has been on the national stage. Recent controversies, including one over her use of private email when she was secretary of state, have revived their misgivings about her ethics and management style.

Hillary Clinton fatigue  thats part of what Im feeling, said Elise deMichael, 67, a Democratic activist from Milford, N.H. I know shes smart, and I know she works hard, and I know shes dedicated, but shes had to give up little bits of honesty all along the way.

DeMichael is supporting Sanders in the primary, but she added that if Clinton gets the nomination, you bet Ill support her.

The gender question was inflamed over the weekend when Steinem and former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, both supporters of Clinton, made statements upbraiding women who are not.

At a rally in New Hampshire, Albright delivered a line she has often used in the past, but one that was jarring in the context of a hard-fought party primary: Theres a special place in hell for women who dont help each other!

Separately, in an appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher, Steinem speculated that younger women are supporting Sanders because when youre young, youre thinking, Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie. Steinem has since apologized.

Bill Clinton continued the pile-on in an appearance Sunday night in Milford when he noted that some of Sanderss supporters have behaved boorishly toward his wife in comments on the Internet.

Former president Bill Clinton has gotten a mixed reception while campaigning for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. Hes been criticized for attacking Bernie Sanders and calling his supporters sexist. (Alice Li/The Washington Post)

People who have gone online to defend Hillary, to explain why they supported her, have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat, the former president said.

Sanders has denounced and distanced himself from the online misogyny of a group who have come to be known as Bernie bros. And he has from the outset of his campaign expressed a recognition of the sensitivities that surround his effort to derail the candidacy of someone who could be the nations first female chief executive.

I do understand there is a desire on the part of many women, perfectly understandable, to see a woman being elected president. And we all want to see that. We want to see women hold more political offices, Sanders said in an interview with The Washington Post in September.

But I also would hope that, in these enormously difficult times, where it is absolutely imperative that we stand up to the billionaire class, bring our people together, to fight for a progressive agenda, that all people  women  look at that candidate who has the record to do that, he said.

[Clintons support erodes sharply among Democratic women]

Unlike in Iowa, where Clinton won among women by 11 percentage points, she is struggling for their votes here. A new CNN/WMUR survey showed Sanders beating her among women by eight points.

One explanation of that disparity may be found in the contrasting histories of the two states. Until the election of Republican Sen. Joni Ernst last November, Iowa and Mississippi were the only states in the country that had never elected a female governor or sent a woman to Congress.

New Hampshire, on the other hand, has a strong tradition of electing women. In 2013, it become the first state in the nation to send an all-female delegation to Capitol Hill; back at home, the governor, house speaker and chief justice of the Supreme Court were all women.

So it may be that having a female president does not seem like such a reach.

Weve elected the good, the bad, the ugly of women, Arnesen said. Weve seen them in every level of leadership. Weve seen some produce and some disappoint.

She added: The presidency is the gold ring. I get it. The most important thing is its got to be the right person.

Greenberg said that her polling suggests Clinton will do better as the presidential contest moves beyond Iowa and New Hampshire, which are small and relatively homogeneous.

Nevada and South Carolina, the next two contests, will be the first states with sizable Hispanic and African American electorates, respectively.

An analysis of Washington Post/ABC News polls over the past couple of months gives a broad sense of how the dynamic could shift.

Clinton led Sanders 70 percent to 21 percent among African American, Hispanic and other non-white women who were likely to vote for a Democrat, according to combined polls in January and February. She enjoyed a large but significantly smaller margin  52 percent to 36 percent  among white women.
Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) greets people in Londonderry, N.H., on Sunday. Like several other primary states, the views of Republican voters in New Hampshire are mixed about illegal immigration. (Charles Ommanney/The Washington Post)

The voter at Marco Rubios town hall meeting was worried. One of his most trusted employees, Fernando, is an undocumented immigrant. He hasnt raped anybody, the man said. He hasnt stolen anything. What would Rubio do as president to help Fernando stay here?

After assuring voters that he wanted to secure borders, the senator from Florida said that, when it comes to Fernando and other undocumented immigrants who are not criminals, well figure something out.

After a year in which hard-line anti-illegal-immigration rhetoric has dominated the Republican campaign, geared largely toward conservative voters who turned out in last weeks Iowa caucuses, the days leading up to the New Hampshire primary have offered reminders that the issue remains complicated for the GOP.

Front-runners Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) have stuck to their position that illegal immigrants should be deported. Both reiterated that view during Saturday nights debate. Trump alluded to his past statements  in which he described Mexicans coming across the border as rapists  as evidence that he had the right personality to be president.

I hit immigration, I hit it very hard, he said. Everybody said, Oh, the temperament, because I talked about illegal immigration. Now, everybodys coming to me, theyre all trying to say, Well, hes right, we have to come to him. 

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) trails Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump significantly but is running ahead of former governor Jeb Bush (Fla.) and Gov. Chris Christie (N.J.). They are pitting their experience against the Florida senators record. (Alice Li,Dalton Bennett/The Washington Post)

But New Hampshire is one of many primary states where views on immigration among Republican voters are more mixed. While many conservatives support deporting the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally, other GOP voters are often in line with the business community, which relies on migrant labor, and with party leaders who have pressed for a softer tone to avoid alienating Hispanic voters. The chamber-of-commerce wing of the party is also influential in South Carolina, home to another crucial primary this month, and in later states such as Florida, where state-level Republicans have won elections by carving out middle-of-the-road stances on immigration.

In New Hampshire, for instance, the states popular Republican senator, Kelly Ayotte, voted in favor of the bipartisan Gang of Eight bill co-authored by Rubio that would have created a path to citizenship.

Eleven percent of voters here said in a CNN-WMUR poll that immigration is their top primary issue, compared with 34 percent who cited foreign policy and national security and 26 percent who said jobs and the economy. There is little suggestion here, as there is in some other states, that illegal immigrants are taking away jobs. There are only 15,000 undocumented immigrants in this state of 1.3 million, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, and the states unemployment rate is 3.1 percent.

For some candidates, immigration is the issue that does not roar. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has held 100 town halls across the state, said in an interview that no one has asked him an angry question about immigration during all that time, and his view is an unfiery as it gets. If you havent committed a crime, pay a penalty, back taxes, and you can be legalized although not a citizen, he said.

The contrasting approaches to immigration in this years GOP field reflect a years-long struggle over how to approach the issue, and how the party should position itself to win a larger share of the fast-growing Hispanic electorate.

After the partys loss in the 2012 presidential election, in which nominee Mitt Romney unsuccessfully tried to finesse the issue by saying undocumented immigrants should self-deport, an internal GOP study concluded that it should embrace immigration legislation that provides a pathway to citizenship. That view was shared by Rubio and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, among others.

Rubio and his Senate colleagues drafted the legislation and passed it in their chamber. But conservative activists and House members rebelled, and Rubio, ultimately, abandoned the effort.

The legislation became a flash point in the 2016 race. It provided an opening for Trump to say the party had lost its way, and he rocketed to the top of polls after his comments about illegal immigrants.

Last weeks Iowa results showed that the issues effect on the race is muddled.

Rubios surprisingly strong third-place finish demonstrated that a softer approach also could be acceptable to many voters in the party. Only 13 percent of caucus-goers said in entrance surveys that immigration was their top issue. For Trump, who finished second, it remained key, as 44 percent of his supporters said immigration was their top issue, compared with 10 percent for Rubio.

The caucus results were also historic in that a majority of participants voted for a Hispanic candidate. Cruz, who won the caucuses, and Rubio are Cuban American.

In New Hampshire, candidate appearances over the past week underscored how the Republican Party is still grappling with the issue of how to attract Hispanic voters while also sounding tough on illegal immigration.

Cruz, campaigning in Windham on Tuesday, said he helped kill the Gang of Eight bill and attacked Trump for saying nothing about it until it was a good issue. Then, speaking on Thursday in Weare, Cruz accused Rubio of breaking a promise to oppose amnesty.

Why would Marco have done that? Cruz said. Its not complicated. . . . Its the corruption of Washington. All the money in Washington supports amnesty. All the big donors support amnesty. It was a very simple play. Thats why Washington is so corrupt.

Cruz has said he opposes legal status for those who came here illegally and would send back anyone found to have violated the law, but he has not definitively said that he would round up the millions of illegal immigrants and deport them.

Trump, meanwhile, is betting that even if most voters do not see immigration as the top issue, he will get a large percentage of the votes of people who care most about it.

It is one of the reasons that Trump has gotten so much traction here, said Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

That helps explain why Trump shows no sign of toning down his rhetoric, telling voters in Exeter on Thursday, the reason Im leading in the polls is because of immigration.

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, a Republican who became the first Hispanic member of the legislature when he was elected in 2000, said he thought the party was moving in a more moderate direction on immigration before Trump ran for president.

The damage is done, and it is going to be lingering for a while, said Gonzalez, a native of the Dominican Republic who is a Bush supporter.

Bush has sounded increasingly confident in taking on Trump over the issue in New Hampshire. He has earned some of his loudest applause when he denounces the moguls call to deport the nations undocumented immigrants or when he faults the front-runner for disparaging Mexican immigrants.

Bush supports creating ways for eligible undocumented immigrants to earn legal status, conceding that the political will probably does not exist to grant them citizenship, which he once advocated.

Bush tussled with Rubio over the subject during the final presidential debate in Iowa, saying that the senator cut and run from the subject after co-sponsoring the 2013 Senate bill. When Rubio accused Bush of changing his stance on the issue, Bush shot back: So did you, Marco.

In Saturdays debate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pointed to Rubios handling of the bill as a demonstration of weakness. A leader must fight for what they believe in. Not handicap it and say, well maybe since I cant win this one, Ill run, Christie said.

Rubio said he accepted that the measure was not popular with many Americans, who he said did not trust the government to fix the system.

We cant get that legislation passed, Rubio said. He added later, I believe the American people will support a very reasonable, but responsible approach to people that have been here a long time, who are not dangerous criminals, who pay taxes and pay fines for what they did.

Dan Balz and Philip Rucker in Exeter and Katie Zezima in Weare contributed to this report.
The Serbian pilot who landed a jetliner in Somalia with a three-foot hole in its fuselage said Sunday that he never doubted it was caused by a bomb and described the security surrounding the airplane at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu as zero.

A suicide bomber is suspected to have set off the explosive inside the plane, Somali officials said Saturday. The blast sucked a male passenger out of the plane and forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing Tuesday in Somalias capital, they said.

The explosion happened about 15 minutes after the plane, with 74 passengers on board, took off from the airport and was at 11,000 feet ascending toward 30,000 feet.

If we were higher, the whole plane could have disintegrated after the explosion, said the pilot, Vlatko Vodopivec.

At a higher altitude, the hole in the fuselage might have caused more severe structural damage, he said.

Because the plane was at a lower altitude, he was able to land it safely, Vodopivec said. The plane acted normally, and we virtually returned normally. Engines and hydraulics worked normally.

A spokesman for the Somali government said that closed-circuit footage at the Mogadishu airport shows two men handing what looks like a laptop computer to the suspected suicide bomber after he passed through the security checkpoint.

Spokesman Abdisalam Atto said that at least one of the men delivering the computer was an airport employee and that 20 people, including airport employees, have been arrested.

It is believed the laptop-like device was the bomb that caused the explosion.

The explosion killed one passenger, Abdullahi Abdisalam Borle, according to Somali officials who did not give more details. A mans body was found in the town of Balad, about 18 miles north of Mogadishu, according to police officials, who said he might have been blown from the plane.

Borle is suspected to have been the suicide bomber, the Associated Press was told by a senior Somali civil aviation official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

The pilot blamed the incident on the lack of security around the plane at Aden Adde International Airport, describing the facility as chaotic.

The security is zero. When we park there, some 20 to 30 people come to the tarmac, said Vodopivec, a veteran pilot who has made numerous flights to the airport. No one has a badge or those yellow vests. They enter and leave the plane, and no one knows who is who. . . . They can put anything inside when passengers leave the aircraft.

Somalias government has said it will tighten security at the airport to prevent other such incidents.

Somalia faces an insurgency from the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab, which has carried out deadly attacks in the country and in some of its neighbors, including Kenya.

Daallo Airlines, which is based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has temporarily suspended its operations in Somalias capital following the incident but hopes to restart them soon, said Mohammed Ibrahim Yassin, the airlines chief executive.
In this photo provided by Turkish Islamic aid group IHH, Syrians gather at a temporary refugee camp for displaced Syrians in northern Syria, near Bab al-Salameh border crossing with Turkey on Feb. 7, 2016. (AP)

Turkey has reached the end of its capacity to absorb refugees but will continue to take them in, the deputy premier said Sunday, as his country faced mounting pressure to open its borders to tens of thousands of Syrians who have fled a government onslaught.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates joined Saudi Arabia in saying that it was open to the idea of sending ground troops to Syria to battle the Islamic State, raising the possibility of even greater foreign involvement in the five-year-old civil war.

Turkish authorities say that up to 35,000 Syrians have massed along the border, which remained closed for a third day Sunday. The governor of the Turkish border province of Kilis said Saturday that Turkey would provide aid to the displaced within Syria but would only open the gates in the event of an extraordinary crisis.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told CNN-Turk television that Turkey is hosting 3 million refugees, including 2.5 million Syrians.

Turkey has reached the end of its capacity to absorb refugees, Kurtulmus said. But in the end, these people have nowhere else to go. Either they will die beneath the bombings and Turkey will . . . watch the massacre like the rest of the world, or we will open our borders.

Kurtulmus said about 15,000 refugees from Syria were admitted in the past few days, without elaborating. He put the number of refugees being cared for on the other side of the border at 30,000.

He did not explain why the Turkish border gate at Oncupinar, opposite the Bab al-Salameh crossing in Syria, was being kept closed or why tens of thousands of refugees were not immediately being let in.

In Syria, pro-government forces pressed ahead with their offensive in the northern province of Aleppo, which has caused the massive displacement of civilians toward the Turkish border. Opposition activists said Syrian ground troops backed by Russian airstrikes were engaged in intense fighting with insurgents around the village of Ratyan and surrounding areas north of Aleppo city.

The army has almost fully encircled Aleppo, Syrias largest city and onetime commercial center, preparing the way for a blockade. The main supply line to the Turkish border has been cut and many residents of the city, anticipating severe shortages, were looking to leave.

On Saturday, the European Union urged Turkey to open its borders, saying it was providing aid to Ankara for that purpose.
Kayla Mueller is shown after speaking to a group in Prescott, Ariz., in May 2013. The Islamic State claimed she was killed after a Jordanian fighter jet dropped a bomb on the building where she was being held captive in Syria. (Jo. L. Keener/Daily Courier via Associated Press)

Federal prosecutors filed a criminal charge Monday against an Iraqi woman accused of taking hostage an American aid worker who was killed last year in Syria.

The Iraqi woman, known as Umm Sayyaf or Nisreen Assad Ibrahim Bahar, was captured in May in a U.S. commando raid in eastern Syria. Her husband, a senior Islamic State official, was killed in the assault.

Sayyaf was charged in federal court in Alexandria, Va., with conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death. Justice Department officials and federal prosecutors had been debating charges in the case for months.

Authorities allege that Sayyaf played a role in the imprisonment of Kayla Mueller, 26, of Prescott, Ariz., who was repeatedly abused and raped by the leader of the Islamic State. Mueller, who was abducted in 2013 in the Syrian city of Aleppo, had traveled to the region to help refugees trying to escape the civil war.

[Kayla Mueller, American hostage of the Islamic State, confirmed dead]

After Sayyafs capture, she was taken to a U.S. air base near the Iraqi Kurdish city of Irbil, where the FBI-led High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group questioned her for intelligence purposes. Then FBI agents from the Washington Field Office, known as a clean team, interviewed her repeatedly, working to build a criminal case against her for a future prosecution in federal court.

According to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent William H. Heaney, Sayyaf admitted that she and her husband were responsible for maintaining custody of Mueller and other captives, and that she thought Mueller was being held for ransom or some type of prisoner exchange. Sayyaf also admitted, according to the affidavit, that her home was used to store large amounts of cash that the Islamic State had made through its oil and gas businesses and that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, and other terrorists sometimes stayed there. It also apparently was used to store firearms, according to the affidavit.

The Iraqis took custody of Sayyaf in August, and it is unlikely that she will ever be transported to the United States. Still, federal prosecutors and FBI agents felt that charges in the case might bring some measure of comfort to Muellers family, officials said.

There also were concerns, officials said, that Sayyaf could eventually be released in a prisoner exchange. The federal charge will allow the FBI to arrest her should that happen.

The Islamic State claimed in February that Mueller was killed after a Jordanian fighter jet dropped a bomb on the building where she was being held. The terrorist group sent photographs of the dead woman to her family. U.S. intelligence officials have said they still do not know how she died.

The charge revealed some new information about Muellers time in captivity. According to the affidavit, she was moved from an Islamic State prison to Sayyaf and her husbands custody about Sept. 24, 2014.

Mueller and other captives were at times handcuffed or kept in locked rooms, chastised by Sayyaf as kafir or infidels, according to the affidavit. The affidavit alleges that Mueller was shown violent Islamic State propaganda videos and raped by Baghdadi.

Muellers exact whereabouts in captivity remain murky because she was moved several times and always a step ahead of U.S. intelligence. Officials said she was being held for months with other American and Western hostages in Raqqa, the groups de facto capital in Syria. In late June 2014, the United States confirmed their location. Delta Force commandos launched a raid the next month, but she and the others were gone.

U.S. intelligence later learned that Mueller was taken to another location, where she lived with Sayyaf and her husband along with a pair of Yazidi women who escaped in October 2014.

A U.S. intelligence official said they did not locate the house until late 2014 or early 2015. It took a while to figure out the Yazidi story, the official said.

U.S. intelligence watched the house for any signs of Mueller, Sayyaf, her husband or Baghdadi. Officials said FBI and Delta Force commandoes prepared to raid the house and devised a plan to collect evidence, according to one of the intelligence officials.

But Mueller and the others never returned, and the United States called off the raid. Officials said they are not sure where Mueller was taken after the Yazidi women escaped but suspect that she spent her last months alive near Raqqa, where she was killed about this time last year.

Sayyaf was eventually captured at a house in eastern Syria that her husband, Fathi ben Awn ben Jildi Murad al-Tunisi, a Tunisian known as Abu Sayyaf, used for his illicit oil business. Officials said that Delta Force commandoes and members of the FBIs elite Hostage Rescue Team recovered a gold mine in intelligence after that raid, in which Abu Sayyaf was killed.

Umm Sayyaf told investigators that her family members belonged to the terrorist group that preceded the Islamic State and that she married her husband in 2010 while he was a member of that group.
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Zika virus and its spread across North and South America. (Daron Taylor,Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post)

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Zika virus and its spread across North and South America. (Daron Taylor,Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post)

Across Latin America, calls to loosen some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world in the face of the Zika virus outbreak are gaining momentum but encountering strong and entrenched opposition.

In El Salvador, where abortions are banned under any circumstance, the health minister has argued for a revision of the law because of the dangers the virus poses to fetal development.

In Colombia, an organized movement to lift restrictions on abortion has gained allies in the government but has run into determined opposition from religious authorities. The same is happening in Brazil  and some doctors say that as a consequence, illegal, back-alley abortions are on the rise.

Nearly everywhere in Latin America, including in those countries hit hardest by Zika, women who wish to terminate their pregnancies have few legal options. But as U.N. health officials have projected as many as 4 million infections in the Americas this year, activists are pressing lawmakers to act as swiftly as possible to ease rigid restrictions.

Several governments in Latin American nations have responded to the crisis by urging women to postpone pregnancy. But the availability of contraceptives is limited, especially in rural Latin America, and church authorities in the heavily Roman Catholic region oppose their use.





[As Zika virus spreads, El Salvador asks women not to get pregnant until 2018]

If I were a woman, had just got pregnant and discovered that I had been infected by the Zika virus, I would not hesitate an instant to abort the gestation, columnist Helio Schwartsman wrote in the daily newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo. Each mother should be able to follow her own instincts, he said.

Those calls have been echoed by others here in Brazil, the center of the outbreak, where the government estimates that as many as 1.5 million people may have caught Zika. It is spread mostly by infected mosquitoes, but it also can be transmitted through sexual contact. Researchers also recently detected active Zika cells in saliva and urine.

Brazils government blames the virus for a sharp increase in reports of children born with undersize heads, a condition known as microcephaly, but doctors say they are only beginning to understand the dangers posed by Zika to neurological development.

Uruguay and Cuba are the only nations in Latin America where abortion is legal and widely available. Other countries allow it in cases of rape, incest or when a mothers life is in danger.

In Chile, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and El Salvador, the procedure is banned completely. All four have reported cases of Zika, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Other nations in Latin America, including Colombia, the country with the second-highest number of Zika cases to date after Brazil, permit abortions in cases in which the mothers health is in danger or a fetus displays signs of a severe deformity. In Brazil, abortion is allowed if the woman has been raped, her life is in danger or the fetus has anencephaly, in which part of the brain or skull is missing.

Pamela De Araujo shows 8-week-old Catarina Gomes to in-laws Marcia Antunes, second from left, and Marcos Antunes at her home. De Araujos mother, Maria Lucia Gomes, is seated at left. (Lianne Milton/Panos Pictures for The Washington Post)

[In Zika-stricken Brazil, a Carnival of flesh and feasting  for the mosquitoes]

In Colombia, a woman was allowed last week to abort her fetus at 32 weeks, the first known case of a Zika-related legal abortion in the country, according to Colombias leading weekly magazine, Semana. The fetus had severe cranial deformities and microcephaly, according to the report, but the mothers decision to abort so late in her pregnancy ignited a fierce debate on social media.

Colombian officials say that 3,100 pregnant women in the country have tested positive for Zika, but they have not publicly confirmed any cases of Zika-related microcephaly.

Health Minister Alejandro Gaviria Uribe has said pregnant women infected with the virus could be allowed to have abortions under one of the countrys legal exceptions. (Pregnant women arent the only people who should be wary of Zika  Gaviria has linked the virus to three deaths associated with a form of paralysis called Guillain-Barre syndrome.)

We hope Zika changes the debate, said Silvia Plana, coordinator of the Bureau for the Life and Health of Women, an abortion rights legal aid group in Colombia.

The government says Colombia probably has 80,000 to 100,000 Zika cases, with as many as 650,000 infections possible this year.

The pro-abortion lobby is taking advantage of this to liberalize the legislation, said Danelia Cardona, a psychiatrist and director of the Episcopal Conference of Colombias Department for the Promotion and Defense of Life. She said it was inappropriate to modify legislation about something as serious and delicate as human life because of Zika, in the midst of what she called a temporary and uncertain situation.

The virus is believed to be especially dangerous to women during the end of their first trimester of pregnancy, a critical stage in the development of the central nervous system. But it is extremely difficult for doctors to detect such damage, even several months later, so granting women access to legal abortions based on an ultrasound diagnosis of microcephaly would do little to alleviate the risks of giving birth to a child with severe impairments. Brazilian activists want women who have been diagnosed with Zika to be able to terminate a pregnancy on that basis alone.

[Scientists discover Zika virus is active in saliva and urine]

A growing concern among pediatricians is that Zika could inflict harm to developing brain tissue in other, less obvious ways than microcephaly.

That condition could be the tip of the iceberg of a series of neurological problems, some of which might not show up in the brain scans used to spot microcephaly, and it might not even show up for years to come, said Isabel Madeira, president of the state pediatrics society in Rio de Janeiro.

These could include epilepsy, behavioral problems and mental retardation, said Heloisa Pereira, a leading pediatric neurologist in Rio.

It could be that these children are born with a normal head size but manifest other problems later in life, Pereira said. We dont know because we havent had the time to monitor their development. We are confronting something new.

Women on Web, an international group based in Canada that provides advice and medication for women wanting an abortion in countries where it is banned, said it has seen a surge in inquiries from women in Brazil.

About 10 percent of the 96,000 emails the group receives every year come from Brazil, a spokeswoman said. Normally, the group asks for a donation of $78 to $100 to send abortion-inducing drugs through the mail. Often, government customs inspectors seize the pills.

On Feb. 1, Women on Web announced that it would send the drugs free to women with Zika. Emails from women in Brazil have increased more than 25 percent.

Upper- and middle-class women can opt for safer, if illegal, abortions at discreet private clinics in Brazil, said Rebecca Gomperts, the groups founder, but for poor women, the only option may be cheap back-alley clinics.

We just hope that women wont resort to really dangerous methods, she said.

An estimated 800,000 to 1 million illegal abortions take place in Brazil every year, and about 200,000 women are hospitalized with complications from the procedure.

Imagine the stress, the worry, the desperation of not knowing what will happen with you or the fetus. It is intense suffering, said lawyer Sinara Gumieri, a member of Anis, a feminist group preparing a proposal to Brazils Supreme Court to give women with Zika access to abortion. Most of those affected are women in poorer northeastern Brazil, where the outbreak has been concentrated.

The proposal also will call for better social services for children with microcephaly and for those who care for them.

But Brazils powerful antiabortion lobby includes many influential female doctors and academics.

The Brazil Without Abortion movement, which claims 100,000 members across the country, has attacked the Anis proposal. Its president, Lenise Garcia, a microbiologist at the University of Brasilia, compared it to Nazi philosophy.

The mentality that is behind this is the same, Garcia said. It is prejudice against a disabled person.

Women who have Zika should be offered counseling and support, not an abortion they will later regret, Garcia said.

In El Salvador, where abortions are banned under all circumstances, including rape and risks to the mothers life, women convicted of having the procedure can be sentenced to decades in prison.

But at least 100 pregnant women have tested positive for Zika there so far, and the spread of the virus has intensified the debate about whether the country should ease its blanket prohibition. The health minister, Violeta Menjivar, raised the possibility that abortion laws could be revised.

Symmes Cobb reported from Bogota, Colombia. Joshua Partlow in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Read more:

Six months out, Rio organizers are still a long way from the finish line

What is Zika? And what are the risks as it spreads?

Obama to ask Congress for $1.8 billion to combat Zika virus

Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world
During a debate Saturday night in New Hampshire, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, billionaire Donald Trump, backed the use of waterboarding and even more severe methods of torture as part of the US governments War on Terror.

Trump leads the Republican field in polling nationally and is favored in New Hampshires primary Tuesday, although he finished second to Texas Senator Ted Cruz in the first Republican contest, the Iowa caucuses held February 1.

Neither his Republican opponents nor the moderators from ABC News sought to follow up on Trumps pledge to do a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding to prisoners captured by the US military or intelligence agencies.

Post-debate coverage gave little notice to Trumps comments, focusing mainly on the exchanges between Florida Senator Marco Rubio and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or a clash between Trump and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Trump was even adjudged a winner of the debate in online summaries by the New York Times and Washington Post and in an online poll sponsored by Time magazine.

ABC News anchorman David Muir raised the subject of torture, or enhanced interrogation techniques in the euphemism of the Bush administration, in a question to Senator Cruz about halfway through the debate. He asked Cruz whether he considered waterboarding to be torture. Cruz replied that it was not, claiming it is vigorous interrogation, but it does not meet the generally recognized definition of torture.

This is a repetition of the baseless claims by the Bush administration, spearheaded by Vice President Dick Cheney and a cadre of legal apologists in the Justice Department, in complete defiance of international law. The Geneva Conventions specifically bar such methods of interrogation and the US Army Field Manual has defined waterboarding as torture for many decades.

While claiming to have supported legislation prohibiting waterboarding by military interrogators, Cruz said that the commander in chief has inherent constitutional authority to keep this country safe, meaning the president could authorize such methods regardless of any Congressional prohibition.

Trump then went Cruz one better, declaring, In the Middle East, we have people chopping the heads off Christians, we have people chopping the heads off many other people I would bring back waterboarding and Id bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding. His Republican audience then erupted in applause.

Former Governor Bush took up the issue next without making any reference to Trumps comments, merely noting that he would not seek Congressional action to legalize waterboarding. He then went on to declare his support for more intensive CIA spying and the maintenance of Guantanamo Bay as an interrogation center.

Senator Rubio was asked the same question, and again made no reference to Trumps remarks, declaring that it was wrong to treat the interrogation of terrorists as some sort of law enforcement function. In context, he was arguing that the restraints of the legal system should not apply to such interrogations, making anything permissible, although he suggested that it was wrong to discuss specific techniques because that allows terrorists to know to practice how to evade us. He echoed Bush in denouncing efforts to close the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay.

New Jersey Governor Christie, Ohio Governor John Kasich and Dr. Ben Carson, the other three Republican candidates on the stage, did not take up the issue then or in any subsequent remarks.

Trump reiterated his statements about waterboarding and worse than waterboarding during several appearances on Sunday morning television talk shows. Again, neither the media pundits who interviewed him nor Republican rivals who appeared on the same programs made any serious objection to these comments.

Equally revealing was the silence of the two remaining candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, who appeared on the same programs as Trump on Sunday morning and commented freely on other aspects of the Republican debate. Neither said anything about Trumps call for torture.

In addition to his call for unbridled savagery in pursuit of the overseas interests of American imperialism, Trump backed brutality and violence at home against workers and youth. In another portion of the debate, Trump rejected suggestions that there was a problem with police brutality and killings of unarmed people.

The police are absolutely mistreated and misunderstood, he declared. The police in this country have done an unbelievable job of keeping law and order, and theyre afraid for their jobs, theyre afraid of the mistreatment they get They cant act. They cant act. Theyre afraid for losing their pension, their job. They dont know what to do. And I deal with them all the time. We have to give great respect, far greater than we are right now, to our really fantastic police.

Once again, the Republican audience interrupted him with applause.
25 Years Ago | 50 Years Ago | 75 Years Ago | 100 Years Ago

25 years ago: Australian journalists strike over Hawkes pro-war witch-hunt



Some 800 journalists at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) carried out a nationwide strike February 13, 1991 against ABC managements decision to launch a state witch-hunt over the networks coverage of the Gulf War.

An internal inquiry into the ABC coverage was announced in the wake of a jingoistic attack by Prime Minister Bob Hawke on ABC's reporting and commentary, which he denounced as disgraceful and pro-Iraq. Defense Minister Robert Ray joined in the attack, threatening that the Labour government would cut funding to the ABC, whose budget was about to be reviewed.

In particular, Hawke condemned an interview with Robert Springborg, an academic from Macquarie University who opposed the deployment of Australian warships in the Persian Gulf. Hawke demanded that ABC label the personal views of its commentators. ABC current affairs announcers Geraldine Doogue and Andrew Ollie were also condemned for bias and aggressive demeanor.

The ABC inquiry amounted to a crude witch-hunt aimed at stamping out even the tamest criticism of the imperialist war in the Persian Gulf and at ensuring that ABC functioned as nothing more than a propaganda agency controlled by US and Australian military censors.

The journalists angrily voted to reject the prime ministers non-specific and unsubstantiated criticism of the ABC and to condemn the ABC managements ad hoc inquiry into coverage of the Gulf hostilities.

Toeing the governments line, ABC management began censoring its coverage of antiwar demonstrations. A report on ABC radio February 9 on an upcoming antiwar rally in Sydney was cut from the morning news after New South Wales news editor Lloyd Tonkin intervened.

Immediately after Hawkes attack on the ABC, the director of radio, Malcolm Long, issued an internal memo to all staff which was leaked to the major media. It read in part: Care must be taken so that items about planned marches or demonstrations will not be construed as an invitation for listeners to support or attend these events.

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50 years ago: South Korean soldiers massacre Vietnamese

Beginning on February 12 and ending on March 17, 1966, South Korean soldiers supporting the US war against Vietnam carried out a series of brutal massacres of unarmed civilians in the Binh An villages (today Tay Vinh village) in the Tay Son District of Binh Dinh Province in South Vietnam. The South Korean Capital Division murdered some 1,200 villagers in the region in just over a month.

The anti-communist US puppet regime of General Park Chung-hee (father of the current president of South Korea) deployed in Vietnam an average of 30,000 soldiers a year during the ten years 1964-1973, the most of any government in the American coalition apart from the US itself. They were also, next to the US, responsible for some of the wars most heinous crimes, which frequently included the rape and dismemberment of young women.

The following is a partial list of South Korean atrocities in Vietnam: On October 9, 1966, members of the South Korean military slaughtered 448 villagers in Dien Nien Temple and Phuoc Binh hamlet. The same day in Binh Tai of Quang Ngai province, they killed 168. From December 3 through December 6, 1966, South Koreans butchered 502 unarmed civilians in Binh Hoa. On February 12, 1968, South Korean soldiers killed some 70 villagers in Phong Nhi and Phong Nhat, in Quang Nam Province. On October 19, 1966, Korean troops, together with American operatives, killed 112 civilians in Dien Nien hamlet. From November 9-12, 1966, Koreans killed 68 at Phuoc Bin, almost all of them women and children. On March 22, 1967, Koreans and two Americans rounded up the 88 villagers of Nhon Hoa. Only two survived. Among the dead were 45 children, 30 women, and 11 elderly men.

Historian Nick Turse described one such massacre: On February 26, 1968, Korean troops entered Ha My and herded residents into several locations. Some of the villagers were expecting food and candies to be handed out, but what came next was a slaughter that went on for two hours, leaving 135 people deadalmost all of them women, teenage girls, elderly men, toddlers, and infants. Only three of those slain were military-aged men. Later in the day, [US] bulldozers arrived to scrape the entire area flat.

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75 years ago: GPU murders defector Walter Krivitsky

On February 10, 1941 Walter Krivitsky, the former Red Army chief of intelligence for Western Europe who defected in 1937, was murdered in a Washington, DC hotel by Stalinist GPU agents. He was found with the left side of his head blown out by a .38 caliber bullet.

The killers arranged the scene of the crime to portray the incident as a suicide. Three suicide letters forged by the GPU, the Soviet secret police, were found in the room.

Washington police closed the case by declaring it a suicide. In translating the letter to Krivitskys wife, police purposely omitted a vital section which linked his assassination to Stalin and the GPU. For the police to continue the investigation would have cut across efforts by the Roosevelt administration to move Stalin away from his pact with Germany and Japan and into collaboration with the Allies.

Mrs. Krivitsky reported that the same GPU agent who murdered the defector Ignace Reiss had been seen in New York and was assigned to eliminate Krivitsky. Reiss, a former associate of Krivitsky, was machine-gunned by the GPU in Switzerland in 1937 in retaliation for having broken with Stalin and declaring his support for Leon Trotsky and the Fourth International.

Krivitsky had been a loyal Stalinist. But the Moscow Trials, and then the GPU assassination of Reiss, led him to fear that he himself might be liquidated. He defected to France in 1937 and came to the United States in 1939.

His memoirs, published in the Saturday Evening Post and detailing the inner workings of the GPU, caused a crisis in the Communist Party and among its supporters.

Krivitsky had told the press that Stalinist agent Ramon Mercader carried out the assassination of Leon Trotsky in August 1940 and that he himself was next on the list.

[top]

100 years ago: Conflicts in Wilson administration over World War I

On February 10, 1916, Lindley Garrison, Secretary of War in the United States, resigned from office in protest over President Woodrow Wilson not moving more rapidly toward entry into World War I.

In 1915 the Preparedness Movement had been created by leading Republicans and Democrats to argue that the US should hasten to increase both its land and naval military capabilities. Led by prominent bankers, industrialists, military figures, and politicians including Theodore Roosevelt, the Preparedness Movement proposed that each year 600,000 18 year-olds should be conscripted into six months of training and compulsory membership of a reserve army thereafter. It fostered the development of training camps through which 40,000 young men, mostly from the upper middle class and ruling class, were trained over the period of two years. Many of these young men were to become the officers of the armed forces that were eventually sent to Europe.

In his role as Secretary of War, Garrison adopted many of the proposals of the Preparedness Movement, including its push for a larger army. He put forward a proposal for a Continental Army which would include a standing army of 140,000 and a national reserve force of 400,000. Garrisons plan unleashed a fierce battle within the ruling elite between those who argued that Garrisons plan went too far and others who argued that it did not go far enough.

President Wilson initially gave tepid support for Garrisons plans, but under mounting popular opposition to war, and facing a reelection battle in November 1916, Wilson was convinced to shelve Garrisons plan, effectively postponing any US entry into the world war until the next year. He instead backed an alternative plan that called for an increased role for the National Guard, a largely state-based and operated force. Garrison submitted his resignation and Wilson appointed as secretary of war Newton Baker, an outspoken opponent of preparedness.

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Last Mondays release of the official results in Vanuatus snap election on January 22 confirmed that growing popular opposition to the political establishment in the small Pacific Ocean island state has left no single party with a parliamentary majority.

The ruling Peoples Progress Party (PPP) of outgoing Prime Minister Sato Kilman was all but wiped out, with Kilman the only member to be returned. At least two main opposition parties, the Union for Moderates Party (UMP) and the Vanuaaku Pati (VP), were reduced to virtual rumps.

Despite widespread hopes that the election would end decades of political volatility, including nine changes of prime minister in the past seven years, the next parliament is set to be unstable and short-lived.

In the 52-seat parliament, there are now 17 political partiesalthough eight of these have just a single MP. Three partiesthe UMP and VP along with the Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP)won six seats each. The National United Party and Iauko Group won four seats apiece while the Nagriamel Movement and the Reunification of Movements for Change each has three MPs. The Vanuatu National Development Party and the Green Confederation won two seats apiece. Eight of the elected MPs were independent candidates.

Only the GJP made ground, increasing its tally from four seats to six. Several senior politicians lost their seats, including Philip Boedoro, a former parliamentary speaker, and Robert Bohn, the former justice minister.

After intensive horse-trading, an agreement was signed last Wednesday by 11 political groupings to form a new government. The coalition includes all but one of the parties that emerged from the election with more than one MP. The Vanuatu Daily Post had earlier declared that the coalition would be the most fractured in history.

The snap election was called as a result of a bribery scandal that led to the dissolution of parliament in late 2015. Last October, 14 government MPs, over a quarter of Vanuatus parliament, were jailed for corruption. Justice Mary Sey ruled that the accused had either given or received payments designed to influence the MPs in their capacity as public officials. Among those convicted were the parliamentary speaker, Marcellino Pipite, and Deputy Prime Minister Moana Carcasses. Carcasses was found to have paid nearly $US452,000 to other MPs when he was in opposition in 2014.

President Baldwin Lonsdale was visiting Samoa last October when the verdict was handed down. According to Vanuatus constitution, when the president is abroad the speaker of parliament assumes presidential powers and duties. In Lonsdales absence, Pipite exploited his position to pardon himself and the other MPs.

When Lonsdale returned, he reversed the decision and promised to clean the dirt from his backyard. The Supreme Court upheld the reversal. The 14 MPs were all sentenced to three years in jail and banned from office for ten years. With his party decimated, Prime Minister Sato Kilman was unable to negotiate a government with the opposition. The gridlocked parliament, which had sat only once in 2015, was dissolved.

The scandal left the ruling elite in turmoil. Chief Seni Mao Tirsupe, representing hundreds of village leaders from around Vanuatu, demanded Kilman resign. The calling of the election brought forward a surge of anti-establishment sentiment. With little more than seven weeks to campaign, a total of 264 candidates registered. Most were members of 36 political parties, many of which were only formed in the lead-up to the election. More than 50 independents stood.

Confusion and a delay marked the publication of candidate lists. The electoral office sent more than 20,000 replacement voter cards to the island of Tanna, where cards had been lost during Cyclone Pam last March. In addition, the electoral commission chairman said that recently eligible voters (those who turned 18 since June) could not be added to the rolls, as there was not enough time. Despite the significant difficulties, almost 113,000 out of 200,000 registered voters in Vanuatu cast ballots.

The election was held under conditions of ongoing discontent over the impact of Cyclone Pam. It left at least 24 dead and much of the country uninhabitable, with up to 70 percent of the population displaced. The inadequate international relief effort was underscored by the pittance in aid given by the regions two main powers. Australia offered just $US3.8 million, New Zealand $1.8 million.

Tens of thousands of people are still living in dire circumstances. The International Monetary Fund has forecast an economic decline of about 2 percent following the cyclone. The subsistence farming of coconut and kava, on which much of the population relies, is expected to take up to ten years to recover.

Last month, three major airlines, Qantas, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia, suspended flights to Port Vila because of the capitals deteriorating runway. The crumbling airstrip has suffered from delays in upgrading, which was meant to have started in 2008. The government failed to act on a $59.5 million agreement with the World Bank, made available last March, to fund the upgrade. With many tourist resorts empty, hundreds of workers in Vanuatus tourism sector are facing the prospect of reduced hours and lay-offs.

Desperate social conditions are fundamentally the result of past and present imperialist domination. The tiny nations of the Pacific are among the worlds most impoverished countries. Vanuatu has an annual GDP per capita of approximately $3,276. The most recent UN Human Development Index ranked it at number 131 out of 186 countries worldwide.

Over the past three decades Vanuatus governments, like others throughout the Pacific, have come under pressure from the international financial institutions and governments in Australia and New Zealand to carry out economic liberalisation and deregulation. Demands for strengthened law-enforcement, macroeconomic management capacity, small government, cost cutting and improved market access have been implemented.

This agenda has led to cuts to public services, privatisation and deepening inequality. It has also produced increasing political instability as the traditional elites, based on tribal affiliations and inherited leadership positioning, have been broken up. Increasingly restive populations have come forward to oppose the deepening social divide and political intrigues.

The new Vanuatu parliament is set to open on February 11, where the first order of business, after installing the new government, will be to guarantee supply, as the 2016 budget was not passed last year.
The Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek has joined the ranks of German professors agitating against refugees, including the historian Jorg Baberowski, the social scientist Rudiger Safranski and the philosopher Peter Sloterdijk. In the January 16 edition of news weekly Der Spiegel, the prominent representative of postmodernism and adherent of psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan has published a commentary whose class arrogance, unconcealed racism and call for a strong state eclipses the contributions of his colleagues. On January 27, in an interview with the daily Die Welt, Zizek developed the positions he put forward in Der Spiegel.

Zizeks emergence as an open right-winger is particularly significant because he has long tried to pose as an opponent of capitalism and even as a Marxist or a post-Marxist. In pseudo-left circles of intellectuals and semi-intellectuals he has been celebrated and courted accordingly. He has received professorships and visiting professorships as well as numerous invitations to speak at international symposia and lectures. He has appeared with Alex Callinicos, the leader of the Socialist Workers Party in Britain and a spokesman of the pseudo-left International Socialist Tendency, at many events, including the Marx21 Congress in Berlin.

In Der Speigel, Zizek gives free rein to his hatred and contempt for the oppressed and disadvantaged. His article A Carnival of Underdogs culminates in the sentence: Brutality towards those weaker animals, women, is a traditional feature of the lower classes.

Like all right-wing propagandists, Zizek cares little for facts and seizes on individual casesreal or inventedto slander whole social or ethnic groups. This technique is well known from the anti-Semitic inflammatory writings of the Nazis, only this time it is not Jews, but Muslims, who are the scapegoats.

The starting point of Zizeks tirades are the events of New Years Eve in Cologne, which he terms an obscene carnival of the lower classes. The incidents in Cologne have been systematically blown out of proportion by the media in order to whip up a hysterical campaign against immigrants and Muslims. To date, there is no evidence that anything happened other than what regularly takes place in similar mass gatherings where much alcohol is involved.

But this does not prevent Zizek from taking things even further. He compares the events in Cologne with the perverse orgies of violence in Quentin Tarantinos The Hateful Eight in order to make migrants comprehensively responsible and to denounce frustrated young immigrants as fascists.

He repeatedly warns the readers of Der Spiegel not to be swayed by sympathy for the fate of refugees. Even if many immigrants are more or less victims who have fled from devastated countries, this does not prevent them behaving despicably. And, The fact that someone is at the bottom, does not make them automatically a voice of morality and justice.

The assumption that behind the vicious circle of desire, envy and hatred (feelings he sweepingly ascribes to immigrant youth) there lies any deeper human core of global solidarity Zizek calls part of a naive, humanist metaphysics.

He fumes against the politically correct liberal left, which is mobilizing its resources to downplay the incident in Cologne, and refers to efforts to enlighten immigrants as breathtaking stupidity. They did not behave out of ignorance in Cologne, but because they want to violate our sensitivities.

Following one of his idols, the French philosopher and Maoist Alain Badiou, Zizek divides mankind into three kinds of subjectsa Western, civilized, bourgeois, liberal-democratic subject; those who do not belong to the West and who are obsessed by their longing for the West; and finally, those fascistic nihilists whose envy of the West is transformed into a deadly self-destructive hatred.

The colonialist model of this scheme is obvious. On one side, the civilized West and the local elites who are obsessed with the longing for the West; on the other side, the barbarian savages whom the West must bring under control in cooperation with the local elitesthe white mans burden, as it was called by Rudyard Kipling. Under the banner of such conceptions, the imperialist powers have committed unspeakable crimes in the past 150 years and massacred millions of people.

Zizeks practical conclusions go exactly in this direction, as he explained in more detail in his interview with Die Welt. They would garner him applause at any Pegida rally and qualify him for membership in the far-right Alternative for Germany.

Europe needs to demand of the incoming Muslims that they respect European values, he says, and, Europe cannot just open its borders, as some on the left demand out of a feeling of guilt. Instead, we must ensure that the streams of refugees flow in an orderly fashion, and set up reception centres in the countries bordering Syria, but also in Libya. This, he insists, must be done with the military. In other words, Zizek wants to send European troops to Libya, Jordan, Lebanon and other states to imprison refugees there.

Zizek explicitly defends European capitalism with its millions of unemployed and its dramatic inequality. I do not want to bad-mouth capitalism in principle, he says. The European model is threatened by two types of capitalism, both undemocratic, by the fundamentalist market radicalism of the American model and by Asiatic-authoritarian capitalism, as practiced mainly in China. But Europes capitalism, on the other hand, has something to offer to the world.

Racist incitement against refugees, the demonization of the lower classes, the closing of borders, the defence of ones own capitalism against its international rivals and a return to militarismthis is the programme of the new right, which Zizek advocates here.

This is no surprise for the World Socialist Web Site. We have warned for years that the policy of the pseudo left represents the interests of more affluent layers of the middle classes and is directed against the interests of the working class. They have replaced the historical materialist method of Marxism with the subjective, irrational theories of postmodernism and the class struggle with various forms of identity politics, which focus on issues of race and sexual orientation.

Five years ago, we wrote on the occasion of an appearance by Zizek in New York:

Zizek is an outgrowth of a reactionary anti-Marxist and anti-materialist tradition that descends from the irrationalism of Schelling, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and Heidegger. He eclectically draws on the neo-Nietzschean and neo-Heideggerian thought of 1960s French post-structuralism

Zizek, as with the post-structuralists and the post-Maoists, is a political opportunist, though crasser and ruder. Despite all the radical-sounding bluster he pumps off, when it comes down to real politics, not the political phantoms in his brain, his positions end up serving interests that are completely hostile to the international working class and to genuine socialism.

The sharp social polarisation accompanying the intensification of the crisis of capitalism forces Zizek and his ilk to show their true colours. They can no longer hide their right-wing politics behind pseudo-left phraseology. From that standpoint, Zizeks transformation from an ideologist of the pseudo-left to an open right-winger is an unmistakeable sign that fierce class battles are ahead.
A United Nations panel on Friday ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arbitrarily detained and called on authorities in the U.K. and Sweden to release him immediately.

The UN panel also said Assange should be offered compensation for his time being confined in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has been since he sought refuge there in 2012, fearing he would be arrested by the British police and extradited to Sweden to face sexual assault charges.

Assange had said he would turn himself over to U.K. authorities if the UN ruled against him. Friday's decision means he will likely remain at the Ecuadorian embassy.

The UN ruling carries no legal force in the U.K. or Sweden. The U.K. still plans to arrest and extradite Assange, who has argued that if he agrees to go to Sweden he could then be extradited to the U.S., where he could face charges of treason due to WikiLeaks publication of military and diplomatic documents.

In 2014, Assange filed a complaint with the UNs Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Should the UN announce ... that I have lost my case against the United Kingdom and Sweden, I shall exit the embassy at noon on Friday to accept arrest by British police, as there is no meaningful prospect of further appeal, Assange had said Thursday. "However, should I prevail and the state parties be found to have acted unlawfully, I expect the immediate return of my passport and the termination of further attempts to arrest me.

Read More: Swedish Court Keeps Julian Assange Arrest Warrant in Place
In an endorsement that is both not surprising at all and yet, you have to wonder why it exists, the Cake Boss officially endorsed N.J. Gov. Chris Christie in the presidential election.

And Christie hopes his latest celebrity endorsement before the New Hampshire primary will give him the boost needed for a strong performance Tuesday.



Christie was joined Monday at a town hall meeting in Hudson by Buddy Valastro, star of the TLC reality show Cake Boss.

Valastro praised Christies leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and his ability to get things done in a heavily Democratic state.

We need someone whos going to cut through the bullcrap and bring people together.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More political food news you can use:

Foods the Candidates Love the Most: Scrambled Eggs, Mexican Food, and More

Clinton Is Selling Cookie Cutters on Her Website and Other Amazing Presidential Swag
Taking the gloves off to support Hillary: The former president campaigns for his wife at Milford Junior High School in Milford, N.H. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Bill Clinton launched a scathing attack on Bernie Sanders at a rally for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire on Sunday, saying the Vermont senators call to start a political revolution is hermetically sealed from reality.



When youre making a revolution, you cant be too careful with the facts, the former president said in Milford, N.H, declining to mention Sanders by name. Youre either for me or against me.



Bill Clinton mocked Sanders critique of the support his wifes campaign has received from Wall Street.



Its a hermetically sealed box, Bill Clinton said. Its very effective. The system is rigged against you by the big banks, and both parties are in the thrall of the big banks. Anybody who takes money from Goldman Sachs couldnt possibly be president.

Slideshow: The battle for New Hampshire >>>

If she were really so weak on Wall Street, would there really be two hedge fund managers setting up two super-PACs and spending millions of dollars to attack her? he continued. No, theyd be attacking her opponent. But theyre not; theyre attacking her. Because they know that shes got a stronger plan and they know that when she says shes going to do something, shes going to do it.



The former president called Sanders plans for free college tuition and health care both unrealistic and unnecessary.

The Clintons meet with customers at the Chez Vachon restaurant in New Hampshire. (Photo: Matt Rourke/AP)

You cant offer a health care program [if] you dont know what it costs, Bill Clinton said. And we dont need to do it  just implement the law weve got, fix the payment systems and get the drug prices down.



Is it good for America? I dont think so. Is it good for New Hampshire? I dont think so, he said. The New Hampshire I knew would not have voted for me if I had done that.



Free college for everyone sounds better than what I said, Bill Clinton added. [But] we cant afford everything.



And he blasted Sanders young male backers  the so-called Bernie Bros  who have engaged in cyberbullying against the former secretary of states female supporters.



People who have gone online to defend Hillary and explain  just explain  why they supported her have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane  not to mention sexist  to repeat, he said.



Sanders has condemned such behavior.



Look, we dont want that crap, Sanders said in an interview with CNN Sunday. Anybody who is supporting me that is doing the sexist things is  we dont want them. I dont want them. That is not what this campaign is about.



Bill Clintons attack on Sanders comes just two days before the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary. Recent polls show the self-described democratic socialist holding a large lead over Hillary Clinton.



Its not the first time Bill Clinton has taken the gloves off in support of Hillary Clintons presidential aspirations. In 2008, the former president went after Barack Obama in an unsuccessful attempt to derail his bid for the White House.



The Sanders campaign called Bill Clintons recent attacks disappointing but was not surprised.

It is disappointing that President Clinton has decided to launch these attacks, Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said in a statement. Obviously the race has changed in New Hampshire and elsewhere in recent days. Bernie will continue to focus on his message  that America has a rigged economy that sends most new wealth to the top and is held in place by [a] corrupt system of campaign-finance. The voters in New Hampshire and in America deserve a campaign that focuses on the real issues.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright introduces Clinton during a campaign stop in Concord, N.H., on Saturday. (Photo: Adrees Latif/Reuters)

The topic of sexism came up several times in the Democratic presidential campaign over the weekend after two of Hillary Clintons prominent female supporters criticized young women for backing Bernie Sanders.

At a rally in Concord, N.H., on Saturday, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright introduced Clinton by throwing shade at her Democratic rival.



People are talking about revolution, Albright said. What kind of a revolution would it be to have the first woman president of the United States?  Young women, you have to help. Hillary Clinton will always be there for you.



On Sunday, Clinton defended Albrights assertion that theres a special place in hell for women who dont vote for her.

I think it was a light-hearted but very pointed remark, Clinton said on NBCs Meet the Press. "She believes it firmly, in part, because she knows what a struggle it has been. And she understands the struggle is not over.

The Democratic frontrunner was asked if she understood why some women might have been offended by Albrights comments.

Well good grief, were getting offended by everything these days, Clinton said. Honest to goodness, I mean, people cant say anything without offending somebody. She has a life experience that I respect. I admire her greatly. And I think what she was trying to do  what shes done in every setting Ive ever seen her in going back 20 plus years  was to remind young women, particularly, that you know, this struggle, which many of us have been part of, is not over, and dont be in any way lulled by the progress weve made.

Albright wasnt the only prominent Clinton supporter to offend some of the female Bernie voting bloc. In an appearance on HBOs Real Time With Bill Maher Friday, feminist writer Gloria Steinem suggested the young women who support Sanders are doing so because young men are.

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Men tend to get more conservative because they gain power as they age, Steinem said. Women get more radical because they lose power as they age. Theyre going to get more activist as they grow older. And when youre younger, you think, Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie.

On Sunday, Steinem posted an apology on Facebook:





In a case of talk-show Interruptus, I misspoke on the Bill Maher show recently, and apologize for whats been misinterpreted as implying young women arent serious in their politics. What I had just said on the same show was the opposite: young women are active, mad as hell about whats happening to them, graduating in debt, but averaging a million dollars less over their lifetimes to pay it back. Whether they gravitate to Bernie or Hillary, young women are activist and feminist in greater numbers than ever before.



On CNNs State of the Union Sunday, Clinton addressed the issue of sexism in coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign days after she was accused by a male pundit of shrieking during her speech following the Iowa caucuses.

We are still living with a double standard, and I know it, Clinton said in an interview with Jake Tapper. Every woman I know knows it. Whether youre in the media as a woman, or youre in the professions or business or politics. And I dont know anything other to do than to just keep forging through it and just taking the slings and arrows that come with being a woman in the arena.

Last week, CNBCs Larry Kudrow compared the former secretary of states address to something out of Lenin or Trotsky.

Clinton told Tapper she didnt want to single anybody out.

You know, sometimes I talk soft, Clinton said. Sometimes I get passionate and I get a little bit excited. I dont know any man who doesnt do the same thing. And I find it sort of interesting that all of a sudden this is a big discussion about me, once again.

Clinton, who endured similar attacks when she ran for president in 2008, said she knows the drill.

Slideshow: The battle for New Hampshire >>>

Im so used to this, she said. Im going to keep making my case. Im going to keep talking about what I will do as president. Im going to keep laying out my record. Because I think its really important that this election be actually about who can do the job that needs to be done starting in January of 2017.

In a separate interview with Tapper that aired on CNN Sunday, Sanders addressed the so-called Bernie Bros: the Vermont senators male supporters who attack his detractors in very crude and sexist ways.

I have heard about it. Its disgusting, Sanders said. Look, we dont want that crap. We cant, you know, and we will do everything we can and I think we have tried. Look, you know that that anybody who is supporting me that is doing the sexist things is  we dont want them. I dont want that. That is not what this campaign is about.
Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough insists his criticism of Marco Rubio has nothing to do with the fact that the Florida senator and Republican presidential hopeful has refused to appear on his MSNBC show.

I dont know Marco well enough to resent him, Scarborough told the New York Times. I am paid to be an analyst, a political analyst, to tell viewers and influencers what my take is on the political system.

Scarborough was asked about his relationship with Rubio after the newspaper obtained an email exchange between Scarboroughs producer and the campaign that seemed to indicate the senators snub had gotten personal.

Joe sees this as disrespectful given their past relationship, the producer wrote to an unnamed Rubio aide who had complained about one of Scarboroughs on-air critiques. Its as simple as that.

The producer added: Have him come on with us.

Slideshow: The Battle for New Hampshire >>>

Thats a booker being a booker and being aggressive, Scarborough explained to the Times.

The MSNBC host  who served four terms in the House representing Florida and has long eyed a Senate seat  dismissed the notion he was envious.

I have a great gig, he said. Im very well paid, and Im not going anywhere.

But Scarborough, who reiterated his producers invitation to Rubio, seemed to relish the Florida senators poor performance in Saturdays GOP debate.

Ive been criticized for saying Marco looks too robotic, too prepackaged, and too young, he wrote in a text message to the Times. But everything Ive said alone for months is now being repeated this morning by everyone else in the political world. My critiques werent personal: They were right.



Cover tile photo: Yahoo News
Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders at a campaign rally at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, N.H., on Sunday. (Photo: Hunter Walker/Yahoo News)

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.  Many women who showed up at a presidential campaign rally for Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., at Great Bay Community College on Sunday said they were insulted and offended by supporters of Hillary Clinton who have suggested it is somehow anti-feminist to back Sanders instead of Clintons quest to become the first female president.

Jane Sanders, the senators wife, had a succinct response when Yahoo News asked her opinion of those who suggest its sexist to support Sanders instead of Clinton.

I think its ridiculous. Hes the she began before trailing off. Its crazy.



Cokie Giles, a registered nurse from Bangor, Maine, who traveled to neighboring New Hampshire for the rally, said she does not appreciate being herded along just because Im a woman.

Well, I dont want to think that I have to vote for a woman, being a woman, because theres a woman running. They have to be who I would look at as  my best choice, Giles said. Im not trashing Hillary. Im just saying Bernie is the better of the choices. And I will get a chance to vote for a female president. I would like to see a female president, and theres plenty out there that I would be very happy to do.



Two high profile feminist Clinton supporters, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and womens rights activist Gloria Steinem, have made headlines with recent comments about female Sanders supporters.



At a New Hampshire rally for Clinton on Saturday, Albright declared, Theres a special place in hell for women who dont help each other! Steinem made her comments in an interview with talk show host Bill Maher on Friday, suggesting some young women were backing Sanders in an effort to meet men.

When youre young, youre thinking, Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie, Steinem said.

Story continues

Steinem subsequently apologized for the remark in a Facebook post published on Sunday, calling it a case of talk-show Interruptus.

Slideshow: The battle for New Hampshire >>>

Clinton addressed Albrights comment in an interview on NBCs Meet the Press Sunday. She described it as a lighthearted but very pointed remark from a woman who knows what a struggle it has been.

Well, good grief, were getting offended by everything these days.  Honest to goodness, I mean, people cant say anything without offending somebody. She has a life experience that I respect. I admire her greatly, Clinton said of Albright. I think what she was trying to do  what shes done in every setting Ive ever seen her in going back 20-plus years  was to remind young women, particularly, that you know, this struggle, which many of us have been part of, is not over, and dont be in any way lulled by the progress weve made.

Clinton did not discuss Steinems comments on Meet the Press.

Steinem went undercover as a Playboy bunny in 1963. Her subsequent article about the experience helped establish her as a media star, who would go on to found Ms. Magazine in 1971.

Some of the women who attended the Sanders rally on Sunday had harsh words for Albright and Steinem. Eileen Frazier, an attorney who came to the event from Massachusetts, described Albrights remark as unbelievable.

Shame on Albright, Frazier said.



Frazier seemed even more incensed about Steinems comments, which she deemed insulting.

You mean women dont have a brain, Gloria? Im for Bernie because Bernie represents the people, not special interests. I certainly would never vote for Hillary just because shes a woman. Thats insulting to my intellect, Frazier explained, adding, Im an attorney.  I have a brain and Im choosing the better candidate. I wasnt a Playboy bunny.



Frazier said she is backing Sanders because he is consistent. She also cited his opposition to the Iraq War and his support for civil rights and gay rights.

He supports women. He has not brought the Democratic Party to the right like she has, Frazier said of Clinton.

Lindsey Larson, a 22-year-old who lives in Newmarket, N.H., and attends Great Bay Community College, called Albright and Steinems remarks a load of hooey.

Honestly, as a feminist, I would rather vote for a candidate who stands for feminist values than vote for someone just because theyre a woman. And I honestly dont believe in most of the things Hillary says and I dont think shes trustworthy, which is why Im voting for Bernie Sanders, said Larson. I do stand with a lot of things he says. He fights for equality of all people and of all genders, whereas Hillary  until recent years was adamantly against LGBT rights. And as a gay woman, I cannot support that, so Im all Bernie.



Maggie Towne, a 42-year-old Massachusetts resident who works at a financial services company, was at the Sanders rally with her two young children and said she was offended by Albright and Steinem.

I wont vote gender just as I wouldnt vote for a man because hes a man. So I appreciate so many things about Hillary Clinton. I have tremendous respect for her. If she is the Democratic candidate in the election, Im going to vote for her and support her 100 percent, Towne said. But for now, I want to support Bernie, and I believe in what Bernies saying, most strongly in regards to campaign finance reform and just having the basics to raise a family. You know, our concerns are health care and education, and so for us, it just seems like what Bernies saying is something that we want to support.  We want to be part of the revolution.

A poll conducted last month showed that Sanders outperforms Clinton among women ages 18 to 34. Despite this, his campaign has been dogged by accusations that it is fostering a community of Bernie Bros who launch sexist online attacks against women who dont support his presidential bid. Sanders addressed the so-called Bernie Bros in an interview with CNN on Sunday, declaring that he doesnt want anybody who is supporting me that is doing the sexist things.

At his event on Sunday, Sanders also included nods toward feminism in his speech. At one point, after criticizing naysayers who said the civil rights movement was unrealistic, Sanders said the same thing happened with feminism and praised women who stood up with their male allies and said, You know what? We will not be second-class citizens. We will do the jobs that we want. Later on in the speech, Sanders referred to the push to get women equal pay after he declared, Wages in this country are too damn low.

And when we talk about equitable wages, I would hope that every man in this room will stand with the women in the fight for pay equity for women, Sanders said.

Several of the people who spoke with Yahoo News at the event also disputed the idea that older women dont back Sanders. Frazier, the attorney from Massachusetts, gave her age as over 50 and said many of the women she knows are backing Sanders.



Theyre trying to say that Bernie only has young women, Frazier said. Every older woman I know my age, in their 50s, supports Bernie.

Frazier was accompanied at the rally by her 13-year-old niece. The girl declined to give her name and did not want to be interviewed, but she did offer some insight into how her young friends feel about the Democratic primary.

They normally support Bernie Sanders. I only know one friend that supports Hillary Clinton, she said with a laugh.
Sometimes life really is stranger than fiction and nobody proved that this week more than Noela Rukundo.

The Burundi-born woman living in Melbourne, Australia, showed up at her own funeral to face her husband who thought he has successfully paid a group of gunmen to kill her.

"Surprise! I'm still alive!" said Rukundo, the BBC reported as she stormed out of a waiting car near her home where the funeral was taking place. "I felt like somebody who had risen again," she said.

"Is it my eyes? Is it a ghost?'" her husband, the Congo-born Balenga Kalala said upon seeing his wife. "I'm sorry for everything." But sorry wasn't enough.

In the year since the funeral surprise, Kalala pleaded guilty to trying to have his wife killed and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Wait, what? The full story of intrigue, which Rukundo began more than a year ago when she left Australia for her native Burundi to attend the funeral of her stepmother. Kalala and the couple's eight children stayed behind.

While resting in her hotel room in the capital of Bujumbura, Rukundo received a curious phone call from her husband. When Rukundo suggested she might go to sleep early, Kalala protested, saying that it must be very hot in Burundi and that she should relax outside. "He told me to go outside for fresh air," she said.

Rukundo took his advice only to be abducted by a group of armed men. "I opened the gate and I saw a man coming towards me. Then he pointed the gun on me," she said, adding that the man warned her that, "If you start screaming, I will shoot you. They're going to catch me, but you? You will already be dead."

Rukundo was pushed into a car with other gunmen and taken to an undisclosed location. Inside a building, she was tied to a chair, as gang members circled, deciding what to do. In the end the mobsters decided to take pity.

"We're not going to kill you. We don't kill women and children," he said. Before freeing her, he also gave Rukundo a parting message. "You people get a chance to go overseas for a better life. But the money you are earning, the money the government gives to you, you use it for killing each other!" The gang leader even gave Rukundo some incriminating evidence to use against Kalala back in Australia.

For his part as an "aggrieved husband," Kalala told the local community in Melbourne that his wife had died in an "accident." Now free, she headed back home and, with the help of a pastor, arranged for the dramatic confrontation.

Kalala reportedly planned the hit because he was jealous and thought his wife was planning to leave him, something she vigorously denied. "I knew he was a violent man," she said. "But I didn't believe he can kill me. I loved this man with all my heart!"
The main square of beautiful, chic Zabreb. (Photo: iStock)

In the year 2016, the Croatian capital of Zagreb is so many incredible things.



It is perfect, tony neighborhoods. It is chic cafes peppered with people so good-looking they may be robots from the future. The city is historic and homey and handsome.

And though Zagreb is working tirelessly to match its western neighbors flair for retrofitting its swell public squares with H&Ms and KFCs, what makes this town so much more interesting is its very recent break from communism.

Thankfully today Zagreb is a city of tranquility. But capturing the spirit of the Yugoslavian shared society of yesterday is still within reach for visitors.



Many Airbnb listings within the city limits feature postwar housing of the Soviet Khrushchyovka or Stambeni blok variety  large, plain, concrete-paneled, easy to construct and inexpensive to build neighborhood eyesores.

Today these shared-bathroom, collectivist remnants may still look horrifying from the sidewalk, but once inside are often fully updated and quite nice.

Of course theres also a Sheraton, a Westin, and a Doubletree right in the heart of the city. And a few local stand-outs include the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, the Hotel Dubrovnik, and the Palace Hotel.

Now that youre checked in and have consumed as many free, warm cookies as the concierge will tolerate, its time to begin your perfect day in this constantly changing city.

Noon, Fuel up

The croissant cokolada at Dubravica tastes as good as it looks. (Photo: FoodSpotting)

On weekends no one really gets active before noon. But when that initial burst of inertia moves people into the streets, the city centers cafes, bakeries, bars, restaurants, and clubs flood with well-appointed locals all with a shared a motivation for rising: to watch and be watched.

(In a former police state being watched is perfectly natural  and now no longer terrifying.)

But before joining in the staring contest, pick up more baked stuff at Dubravica (Fra Grge Martica 27-29). In a city whose name translate* exactly to Bakery there are thousands from which to choose. Dubravica is one of the best.

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With croissant cokolada in hand, park yourself at Caffe Charlie a few meters down the square. Order coffee, light a cigarette (its Europe!), and eavesdrop on Croatias politicos. Current office-holders, former leaders, and journalists congregate, informally and with friends, every weekend to discuss the state of the nation, to gossip, and to predict whats ahead. Charlie is truly a classic cafe thats not to be missed.

Zagrebians stay close to their handful of preferred cafes throughout the day as they snack and drink their way into the evening. Its an all day event for most locals as friends mingle from one group to the next. Its also a fantastic immersion for visitors who can keep up.

(*This translation may not be entirely accurate.)

2:00 pm, Visit the Torture Museum

Browse all sorts of interesting and scary instruments at Zagrebs torture museum. (Photo: Tortureum - Muzej torture/Facebook)

Freshly fueled and slightly buzzed, walk uphill toward Upper Town Zagreb. On your way make a quick stop at the Tortureum Museum (Radiceva 14, 1. kat ili). Its not the first of its kind, but the self-guided digital tour is definitely well executed (ha!), creepy as hell, and can be completed efficiently.

And while the featured mechanical exhibits focus heavily on the medieval, the tortureums mere existence  and location in the heart of the city  may just serve as a reminder of the brutal religious and political persecution that existed in the early years of greater communist Yugoslavia. Of course it could just be a wonderful opportunity to take a zany photo of Moms head in a guillotine.

3:30 pm, Cleanse your soul

Zagrebs Stone Gate leads you to Upper Town. (Photo: Dennis Jarvis/Flickr)



Once youve had your share of depravity, persecution, and punishment, continue onward toward the upper town to witness a miracle.

Stop to light a candle and say a soul-cleansing prayer at the striking Majka Bozja od Kamenitih vrata  Our Lady of the Stone Gate chapel. This shrine serves as the main entryway into the Upper Town.

Dating to the thirteenth century, the stone gate is part of the city walls that once stood around Zagrebs old town. In May of 1731 a fire swept through and ravaged the old town. As legend goes, the gate displayed a painting of the mother of God. As the fire raged, the painting was miraculously undamaged and today stands on display at the gate.

4:30 pm, Mourn your sad love life

Feel better about your late night Tinder habits at the Museum of Broken Relationships. (Photo: Museum of Broken Relationships)

With your trek to the upper towns summit complete, regain lung function at one of Zagrebs most unique and compelling museums.

The Museum of Broken Relationships (Cirilometodska 2, 10000) is fascinating, heartbreaking, and hilarious. What began as a traveling exhibition of collected items, each with a very personal story, has found a permanent home in Zagreb. Lets put it this way: If learning more than you probably should about a complete strangers personal life fires your brains pleasure centers, this place is for you.

The bonus for making the journey to MBR becomes clear upon exit: The views.

At ground level take in sweeping views of the entire city. For an even better, 360 look, climb the Kula Lotrscak  a large, scalable tower dating back to the thirteenth century built to guard the southern gate of the town wall. Amazingly, the keepers of this tower continue the tradition of signaling the exact midday hour to church bell-ringers throughout the city by firing a large cannon, housed within the tower, every day at noon.

6:00 pm, Take a shower

Its now 6pm. That means you need to get back to the Doubletree. Clean up. Take a shower. Take a nap. Youve got a big night ahead of you.

8:00 pm, Eat some more

Restoran Vinodol is a must while youre in town. (Photo: Restoran Vinodol)



There are so many tremendous restaurants in Zagreb. Being so close to the Adriatic means the Italian influence is very real and incredible food can be had throughout the city. For wonderful fresh truffles, hand made pasta, and fresh locally sourced meats make a reservation at Luna Rossa (Preradoviceva ulica 12, 10000, Zagreb).

Also be sure to eat at least one meal at Restoran Vinodol (Teslina 10, Zagreb). Their daily selection of fantastic, farm-raised beef and their vast local wine list are second to none. Another dinner option worth every lipa sits perched on the top floor of a non-descript office building. Bon Appetit is high-end dining slightly off the beaten path, but visitors are rewarded with an outdoor terrace, terrific food, and sweeping city views.

10:00 pm  6:00 am (Sunday), Enjoy Zagrebs true hospitality

Party it up at Pepermint! (Photo: Pepermint Ilica 24/Facebook)

In Zagrebs city center, every bar and club begins bouncing again around midnight. Pretty things  young and old  flood out onto terraces and belly up to bars. With so many social options its difficult to make a bad choice. Try as much of it all as you can without falling over.

However, for fun until the sun comes up one recommendation can be made with confidence: Club Pepermint (Ilica 24, Zagreb) keeps the music loud and the drinks strong well past the time that good decisions are made.

But play it cool and look around. This isnt Seacrets. In Zagreb at 4am everyone is having a great time at the club because no one is throwing drinks, throwing fists, or throwing up.

Follow the lead of the locals and you may even learn the secret to peeling yourself out of bed in the morning and doing it all over again. Ziveli!
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G'day & Welcome. Why a Blog?

The little blog that I send out is just a way to stay in touch with family, friends, industry contacts, prospects and customers.

Its a real mixed bag.

I just got so busy I never had time to give the attention I should to all the different groups.

I also hated calling people up to ask a favour when I hadnt been in touch for x months (or years).

Hence the blog  basically it says Im alive and what Im interested in (C&S  and more C than S).

I do it when I can, as I can. Sometimes I just dont read anything if I have a deadline to meet.




A Columbus man was flown to a Lincoln hospital with severe injuries following a two-vehicle accident Thursday, Feb. 4 about 10 miles east of David City on Nebraska 92.

Arcey Graham, 49, of Columbus was driving a 1997 GMC pickup westbound when it collided with a westbound Ford pickup driven by Seth Simonson, 23, of Lincoln, according to a Butler County Sheriff's Office report.

The accident occurred at 12:30 p.m. on Highway 92, just east of County Road W. Simonson was driving a Nebraska Department of Roads vehicle during road clearing operations. The pickup, equipped with lights, alerted approaching traffic to the large snowblower truck which was clearing snow drifts from the Feb. 2 storm.

Simonson, who was not injured, told officers that he saw Graham approaching without stopping.

Graham was taken to Butler County Heath Care Center and then transported with critical injuries to Lincoln.
Detention Center

The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Monday was 79, with 38 from Platte County and 41 from out of county.

Police

Jan.28

2:35 p.m.  At 2169 44th Ave., No. 4, Peter Keene, 32, 2169 44th Ave., No. 4, was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Feb. 2

10:40 a.m.  At the intersection of 23rd Street and East 11th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Gerber Menendez, 32, 3961 32nd Ave., and Christopher Nichols, 35, Noble, Oklahoma.

Feb. 4

8:50 a.m.  At 340 E. 24th St., Ingrid Sanchez, 18, Carriage House Estates, No. 136, was cited for theft.

9:29 a.m.  At the intersection of 13th Street and 26th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Thomas Demuth, 56, Creighton, and John Whitehead, 76, 3365 Pershing Road.

5:05 p.m.  At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 23rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were James Bulkley, 61, 81 Cottonwood Drive, and Melissa Smolek, 35, 2410 Eighth St.

7:40 p.m.  In the 2100 block of 10th Street, a vehicle driven by Shane Young, 43, 1051 21st Ave., No. 4, struck a parked vehicle owned by Eulogio Lopez, 2120 10th St., No. 1.

7:55 p.m.  At the intersection of Eighth Street and 25th Avenue, Shane Young, 43, 1051 21st Ave., No. 4, was cited for leaving the scene of an accident and driving under the influence.

8:25 p.m.  In the 3300 block of 38th Street, a vehicle driven by Alecia Kiolbasa, 31, 1870 36th Ave., lost control and sturck a city street sign.

Feb. 5

8:03 a.m.  At the intersection of Don Zornes Drive and 38th Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Taylor Evans, 21, 3474 53rd Ave., No. 10, and Walter Worlein, 35, 30331 22nd St.

4:22 p.m.  Theft at Columbus High School, 2200 26th St., cellphone stolen, under investigation.

5:22 p.m.  Theft at Brookstone Acres, 4715 38th St., prescription drugs stolen, under investigation.

Feb. 6

1:58 a.m.  Burglary at 1159 40th Ave., No. 2, under investigation.

Feb. 7

3:19 p.m.  Theft at Wal-Mart, 818 E. 23rd St., cellphone stolen, no loss amount.

Sheriff

Jan. 24

8:30 p.m.  On 197th Street, five miles northeast of Duncan, a vehicle driven by Trent Stempek, 46, 16974 295th Ave., struck several deer and went into a ditch.

Jan. 25

6:57 a.m.  On East Eighth Street, three miles southeast of Columbus, a vehicle driven by Gildardo Perez, 20, 3419 15th St., lost control and struck a utility pole.

Jan. 29

8 a.m.  At the intersection of 18th Avenue and 83rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Brooke Bixenmann, 17, 3606 SE Seventh St., and Isabelle Stewart, 17, 470 13th Ave.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
Now that Bernie Sanders has become a serious candidate for president, it is inevitable that the media will pay attention to every aspect of his life. In 1963, when Sanders traveled to Israel to work on a kibbutz there were scores of American Jewish students who also volunteered. So it is rather strange that Sanders has consistently refused to tell the press about his time there and the kibbutz he worked on. When asked, he and his campaign dodged the issue.

Why would Sanders not answer such a simple question?

Now we have the answer from the Times of Israel. In 1990, Sanders, who was preparing to assume his newly elected position as a member of Congress, was interviewed by Israeli journalist Yossi Melman. Sanders told him that he visited Israel as a guest of the leftist Zionist Hashomer Hatzair movement and stayed at its affiliated kibbutz, northeast of Haifa.

Calling Kibbutz Shaar Haamakim simply leftist does not sufficiently describe the ideology of Hashomer Hatzair members. At the time, most American students who were Zionists belonged to Habonim, a mainstream group affiliated with Israels governing party, Labor.

Hashomer Hatzair, to the contrary, was the affiliate of Mapam, the coalition political group in Israel that united a few different left-wing groups into one political organization. By 1969, Hashomer Hatzair had entered into a unity pact with Labor. Despite this, its own members remained left-wing socialists. Today, its descendants support Israels far left political party, Meretz.

But in 1963 when Sanders worked on Hashomers kibbutz, its members considered themselves Marxist-Zionists, and they held a pro-Soviet orientation which included supporting Soviet foreign policy. Their ideological orientation on Zionism and socialism came not from the social democrats of the Socialist International, who were strongly anti-Communist and anti-fascist during the years of World War II (like Germanys Willy Brandt), but from a rather unknown figure, a Zionist named Ber Borochov.

I knew members of Hashomer Hatzair in the same period that Bernie worked on their kibbutz. They would always urge me to read Borochovs books. Although he passed away in 1917, too early to see the horrendous results of the Bolshevik Revolution, Borochovs followers argued that he had proved that socialist Zionism had to be Marxist-Leninist. Their only criticism of the official Israeli Communist Party was its refusal to see that Stalin was wrong to argue that Jews did not need their own nation and that they instead should work within their own countries to foment a communist revolution. (If you want to know more about Borochov, Wikipedia accurately summarizes his views.)

Another young person who gravitated to the group was Noam Chomsky, who told an interviewer: I liked the kibbutz life and the kibbutz ideals. In a Tablet interview conducted by David Samuels, Chomsky said he had gravitated to a Hashomer Hatzair kibbutz, but could never actually join it. That was because in those days they were split between Stalinist and Trotskyite, and I was anti-Leninist. But he admired their commitment to a binational state and their efforts to create Arab-Jewish working-class cooperation and a socialist binationalist Palestine. A binational state would in effect have meant the end of Israel as a Jewish state.

Since the news broke yesterday, a few conservative websites have written about the importance of Sanderschosen kibbutz. At Frontpagemag.com , Daniel Greenfield describes its origins and notes how it mourned the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953, ironically just as the Soviet dictator was preparing a major purge of all Soviet Jews, in the so-called Doctors' Plot. In the American Thinker , Thomas Lifson too says that Sanders stay at the Hashomer kibbutz is consistent with Sanderss honeymoon trip to the Soviet Union as well as his later visits to Nicaragua and Cuba.

These two articles have led writer Nathan Guttman in The Forward to accuse the two conservatives of Red-Baiting from [the] Right. He argues that while from todays perspective Sanders' history on the kibbutz may seem damning, it did not at the time, because all Zionists know that Hashomer Hatzair made worthwhile contributions to the building of Israel, especially in the pre-state Zionist military force, the Haganah, as well as its shock troops, the Palmach.

Guttmans main argument, however, is that Israels guiding ideology at the time and its culture was socialist." He thereby makes no distinction between the moderate version of socialism held by Israeli Labor Party members like David Ben-Gurion and that of openly Stalinist Israelis who belonged to Hashomer Hatzair. He does acknowledge that in 1973 the kibbutz Sanders attended was still a socialist heaven, with communal sharing and regular singing of the Internationale. Even Guttman can see that Sanders might have a hard time explaining all this to Americans -- conservatives and liberals alike.

In yet another article in The Forward , Naomi Zeveloff writes that Hashomer Hatzairs kibbutz members learned valuable lessons about life -- and a political imperative to improve the life of others. She acknowledges that Sanders time there might be when he apparently sharpened his socialist ideals a half-century ago. Zeveloff adds that they had a strong admiration for the Communist system in the Soviet Union. They heard about the Soviet gulags, but considered that news to be false reports from renegades. No wonder they proudly flew a red flag at outdoor kibbutz events. We also learn that relatively few people volunteered at the kibbutzim affiliated with Hashomer Hatzair before 1967, making Sanders 1963 visitation a rare exception among American volunteers.

Actually, there was much substantiated evidence that anyone who wanted could have used to learn about the existence of the gulags, as well as the other repressive aspects of Stalins criminal rule. They chose not to know, and to condemn all evidence as capitalist propaganda. Clearly, to find all this out and inform American voters about the background of a potential presidential nominee is not Red-baiting. Using that term is a way for the Left to keep Americans from dealing with this new information.

Of course I do not know at all what Bernie Sanders specific views were at the time, but the evidence does indicate that back in the early '60s he was part of the pro-Communist wing of the left. Now, as a democratic socialist, he eschews revolution and wants the U.S. to emulate the sclerotic European social democracies via a political revolution, whatever that is.

Sanders should tell us when and why he moved away from his former beliefs. What made him change from the views he held in the 1960s? If he has, there is no need for him to hide the nature of the kibbutz he worked on.
23 May 2022

- Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors.
The all cricket action at once step and at a single Glance...
WHO has published Zika virus infection  Region of the Americas. Excerpt:

Between 27 and 30 January 2016, PAHO/WHO was notified of cases of Zika virus infection in Costa Rica, Curacao, Jamaica and Nicaragua.

Costa Rica

On 27 January, the National IHR Focal Point of the United States reported of a case of Zika virus infection in a patient returning from Costa Rica.

The patient from Northeastern United States was evaluated on 7 January for a febrile illness with rash, conjunctivitis and arthralgia. From 19 to 26 December, the patient stayed with 2 family members in Nosara, Costa Rica. While in the country, the patient reported several mosquito bites.

The patient developed symptoms on 30 December and presented to clinical care between 2 and 3 January. Tests performed at that time were negative for malaria (smears), and dengue and chikungunya IgM and IgG antibodies. The patient was seen again on 7 January. Dengue and chikungunya serologic testing performed through a commercial laboratory was positive for dengue IgM, negative for dengue IgG, and negative for chikungunya IgM and IgG. Samples of the patient were sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where they tested positive for Zika virus and dengue IgM. Plaque reduction neutralization testing yielded positive titers for Zika virus at >5120 and negative titers for dengue virus titers <10.

The patient has fully recovered while the 2 family members that also travelled to Costa Rica have remained well.

Curacao

On 28 January, the National IHR Focal Point of the Netherlands reported the first autochthonous case of Zika virus infection in Curacao. Curacao is an independent state and part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is situated in the southern part of the Caribbean region just north of the Venezuelan coast.

The case is a woman of 41-year-old woman with onset of symptoms (conjunctivitis, arthralgia, myalgia, rash and diarrhoea) on 17 January. A serum sample was collected on 21 January and tested at the Analytic Diagnostic Centre in Willemstad, Curacao, where the diagnosis was confirmed by polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) on 25 January.

In the continental part of the Netherlands, to date, 13 imported cases of Zika virus infection have been confirmed. All diagnoses were made by PCR. All these patients have a history of recent travel to Suriname.

One additional imported case was confirmed in Curacao earlier on in the year. This patient, too, has a history of recent travel to Suriname.

Jamaica

On 30 January, the National IHR Focal Point of Jamaica reported a case of Zika virus infection.

The patient is a 4-year-old female with onset of fever on 17 January. On 19 January, she developed a generalized rash, abdominal pain, retro-orbital pain, headache, vomiting and red eyes. On 20 January, the patient developed joint pains. Symptoms subsided by 24 January.

The patient travelled to Dallas, United States of America on 20 December and returned to Jamaica on 4 January via Miami, USA.

A serum sample was collected from the patient on 21 January and sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for laboratory testing. The diagnosis of Zika virus infection was confirmed by PCR.
A string of social science snapshots, remarks, observations, data from the South Caucasus.
Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockMartina McBride is set to make a very special announcement Monday morning at 11 a.m. CT inside the Country Music Hall of Fames Ford Theater, according to a release from her label, Big Machine. It involves the Cancer Institute of Hospital Corporation of America, named for Sarah Cannon, the legendary comedienne who brought Minnie Pearl to life.

Former longtime Alabama drummer Mark Herndon has written his autobiography. The High Road: Memories from a Long Trip is set to come out April 1.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Born in Indianapolis, IN on April 22, 1939 to Gladys Haws Jobes and James Epley Jobes, she was a 1957 graduate of Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis and attended Lawrence University and Butler University. She graduated from Union College in Schenectady, NY in 1972 with a Bachelors of Science. Later in 1984, she received her Associate degree in nursing from University of Indianapolis. For over 20 years, she worked as a critical care nurse in Indianapolis and also in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Always up for an adventure, Jane loved to travel, experience the outdoors and laugh. She led many Girl Scout troops, school field trips, and impromptu sing-a-longs. There wasnt a sport on television she didnt watch. She was generous with her time and ensured her daughters friends were always included in activities. An avid reader, she enjoyed numerous genres which were passed along to family and friends. People will most remember her mischievous sense of humor and infectious laughter.
Though there are similarities in where hospital rating websites pull their information, their methodologies and focus often varies.

For Erica Mobley, director of communications and development with Leapfrog, that is a purposeful decision.

It collects data and publicly reports data not available anywhere else, she said of Leapfrogs voluntary Hospital Survey. If somebody else is already doing it, we dont need to duplicate that.

The Leapfrog Group was officially launched in November 2000 and its pilot program was its hospital survey. The survey rates hospitals performance on national standards in a number of measures, including safety, quality and efficiency.

The reaction to the survey has been greatly increased participation, Mobley said. When we started, we had a couple hundred. There were 1,750 participants in 2015. The number of hospitals willing to share their information has increased.

The survey has since expanded to also include information about maternity care, including Cesarean information and care of high-risk babies, something which Mobley noted is not available on other hospital rating sites.

The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council also has a different focus than other sites, concentrating on readmission and mortality rates of certain procedures as well as the cost of local health care. Executive Director Joseph Martin said its important to show a comparison of hospitals on such matters because there tends to be significant variation.

Most steps toward greater transparency have value, Martin added.

What sets Leapfrog apart, Mobley said, is its Hospital Safety Score. The scores are assigned to more than 2,500 hospitals twice annually, and started in 2012.

Whats unique about us is the safety score, she said. Its the only rating that specifically focuses on safety.

Safety is something that matters regardless of size (of the hospital), she added. One type of hospital isnt more likely to do better in safety than another type of hospital. Ive seen a lot of rural hospitals with very limited resources who place a big priority on safety.

The Hospital Safety Scores use national performance measures from the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the American Hospital Associations Annual Survey and Health Information Technology Supplement, according to Leapfrog. Because of where the information is pulled, the scores are given to all hospitals.

Leapfrogs survey, however, is voluntary, and information on each measure is based on whether or not the hospital responded with data to the questionnaire. All but Carlisle Regional Medical Center provides some data to Leapfrogs survey.

CRMC spokeswoman Carolyn Moore said the hospital is more focused on providing data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

CMS

The majority of hospital rating websites have some inclusion of CMS data. With that data is the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey.

According to CMS, the survey was developed by CMS and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to provide a standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology for measuring patients perspectives on hospital care.

The survey is made up of 32 questions, with 21 about critical aspects of the hospital experience, four on screening patients to skip patients to appropriate questions, and seven demographic items that are adjusted for analytics purposes. Some of the critical questions cover communication with nurses and doctors, responsiveness of hospital staff, cleanliness of the hospital environment, communication about medication and discharge information.

Patients also give an overall rating of the hospital, but CMS noted that the survey measures patient experience of care, not satisfaction.

Though this opens the possibility up for a patient rating on expectation and giving a hospital a bad grade, local health systems arent overly concerned about the issue.

Customer satisfaction is subjective, said Dr. Joseph Torchia, chief medical officer for Holy Spirit Hospital. What is important to one patient is different from another. We make sure patients are appropriately informed about their care. We call it narrating their care.

Having to meet expectations also isnt a foreign thought for the industry.

I think thats true for any industry  when I go to a hotel, Ill have expectations, said Amy Helmuth, director of performance improvement at PinnacleHealth. Its important that we know what those expectations are and sort that out based on comments.

Most patients think we do pretty good, and we use the comments to grow from average or good to the best, Helmuth added, noting that there isnt many people who report having any horrible experiences.

Helmuth also noted that PinnacleHealth does not wait for CMS data to survey patients regarding their care.

We call patients within a few days of discharge for our own purposes, she said. We dont want to wait until later to contact them and make sure they understand their medications and discharge information. We try to take care of problems sooner rather than later.

Health systems doing their own internal patient surveys is also a little easier than how the HCAHPS survey must be handled.

CMS said there are extensive data collection and survey implementation protocols, and CMS provides survey vendor training and oversight.

Helmuth said CMS patient surveys for PinnacleHealth are handled by a third-party vendor to a random sample of discharged patients.

CMS said surveys can be implemented in four modes: mail, telephone, mail with telephone follow-up or active interactive voice recognition (IVR). Hospitals must survey patients throughout each month of the year. And scores are listed on CMS Hospital Compare website.

Like Leapfrogs survey, the HCAPHS survey is technically voluntary. However, a change a few years ago linked results of the survey to Medicare reimbursements for hospitals. CMS said currently there are more than 4,000 hospitals that publicly report HCAHPS scores on the Hospital Compare website.

Helmuth said it was not a surprise that there was a move to link the survey to reimbursements.

Everybodys being tied to it the same way in reimbursements (in the industry), she said. It would be nice to have a mandated program where we can glean information on patient feedback without any punishment attached for it, but we certainly understand its a model that is effective for CMS.

Given the stringent protocols surrounding the survey and that CMS oversees the analysis, many health systems opt to pay the most attention to Hospital Compare instead of other ratings websites.

For those like Leapfrog, its the availability of something more than what CMS reports that should be important to residents.

There are other ratings that are complementary to what were doing, Mobley said. Our data really serves as a first step and should be used alongside other ratings.
HARRISBURG  Could smoking pot in Harrisburg soon carry the same fine as a parking ticket?

Mayor Eric Papenfuse said a three strikes program hell propose to City Council this week would fine marijuana users instead of charging them with a misdemeanor on the first offense.

Papenfuse said the first offense would fine a marijuana user $100. A second offense would carry a $200 fine, and the third strike would be a misdemeanor charge. He said this system is similar to Philadelphias, which allows officers to tackle more violent crimes than being tied up in court.

We cant (fight violent crime) if theyre waiting around all day in a court room for a hearing on a misdemeanor which doesnt need to happen, Papenfuse said.

The mayor said provisions would include a community service option for those who cannot afford to pay the fine. He said repeat offenders could be subject to narcotics treatment if deemed necessary.

That seems to make sense and have a great deal of societal benefit, Papenfuse said. I hope it addresses the root cause of the offense.

Papenfuse explained the move is not pro-marijuana, rather the city would recognize the offense as a mistake and allow violators not to have a criminal record. He said police officers dealt with more than 1,200 small amount marijuana offenses in the past two years.

Pennsylvania law defines a small amount of marijuana as possessing less than 30 grams of cannabis for personal use. There are 28.5 grams in an ounce, a common unit in which marijuana is sold in the United States.

The mayor will present his plan to city council on Thursday night. Papenfuse also said he spoke with District Attorney Ed Marsico on ways the plan could be implemented. The mayor would need the blessing from both parties before the program takes effect.
A Baltimore man was convicted in federal court of heroin trafficking that resulted in the death of a Shippensburg man two years ago.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Monday announced that Eugene Stallings Jr., 28, was convicted Feb. 5 of heroin trafficking resulting in death and other charges after a four-day jury trial in Harrisburg.

U.S. Attorney Peter Smith said the jury returned the guilty verdict to all five counts on the indictment after less than 2 hours of deliberation.

Stallings, aka Bruno, was convicted of conspiring to distribute and for distributing more than 100 grams of heroin to four people between October 2013 and April 2014. Three of those people had traveled from the Shippensburg area to purchase heroin from Stallings in Baltimore, and then engaged in heroin trafficking in the Cumberland and Franklin county areas.

The other four have pleaded guilty for the roles in the drug trafficking organization, Smith said in a news release.

Stallings charges are in relation to the Feb. 7, 2014, death of 21-year-old Kyle Golter of Shippensburg. Franklin County Coroner Jeffrey Conner determined that Golters death was the result of heroin toxicity.

The jury convicted Stallings of distributing heroin that resulted in Golters deatha charge that carries an enhanced penalty requiring a mandatory minimum 20 years imprisonment, the attorneys office said.

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

The case was part of a district-wide initiative to combat the use and distribution of heroin, led by the U.S. Attorneys Office. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Shippensburg Borough Police Department and the Cumberland County Drug Task Force.
The question sparked a heated exchange during the latest Republican presidential debate and now it is getting its day in court in Cumberland County.

When should private companies be allowed to take land by way of eminent domain?

Our law constrains this awesome power of eminent domain, said Michael Fahrety, attorney for three groups of landowners challenging Sunoco Pipelines use of the eminent domain for its Mariner East project. ... Less than a year ago, our Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that eminent domain cannot be used for private enterprise.

Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas Judge Merle Ebert heard Monday challenges to the use of eminent domain for the purpose of building Sunocos Mariner East pipeline. After several hours of testimony, the hearing was continued until 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 29.

Fahrety argued Monday that the project is considered interstate commerce and not subject to regulation by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission, a key component to whether or not Sunoco is a public utility entrusted with the power of eminent domain.

He noted that there is an exception for the use of the power for a private industry if it is done for a public service or need.

The only need here is for Sunoco to make a profit, Fahrety said.

The proposed Mariner East 2 pipeline will carry refined petroleum products such as propane, ethane and butane from Ohio, through West Virginia and Pennsylvania, and into Delaware.

Fahrety argued that this makes the project subject to federal regulations and not entitled to take land through eminent domain.

The federal government has recognized the explosive and dangerous nature of these substances and said We are going to regulate this, he said.

Sunoco attorney Alan Boynton challenged this assertion, saying that the pipeline provides both interstate commerce as well as commerce strictly within Pennsylvania.

This is an unusual case, but it is not unprecedented, Boynton said. Several courts have already ruled on this matter.

He noted cases from Huntingdon, Pa., Washington, and even a 2015 case in Cumberland County from Common Pleas Judge Edward Guido that held that Sunoco was a public utility.

Unless the laws and facts have changed, Judge Guidos decision is final, he said.

While the Mariner East project will allow for the input and output of products within Pennsylvania, Harry Alexander, Vice President of business development for Sunoco Pipeline, admitted that none of the product is required to stay within the state.

We are widening the highway, if you will, and adding on- and off-ramps in the state of Pennsylvania, Alexander said.

Mechanicsburg is expected to serve as one of the possible input and output locations.

Sunoco initially sought to perform only interstate transportation until early 2014, around the time that the Court of Common Pleas in York County found that the project did not qualify as a public utility.

Alexander contended that the reason for the change was not the court ruling, but because of increased demand seen during the so called polar vortex.

The plans changed at that point to include intrastate transport, he said.

Ebert summarized Fahretys questioning of Alexander by saying, The debate here is that you say this is entirely interstate, but I keep hearing him saying this has components of interstate and intrastate. That is the debate here.

Since July, Sunoco has filed 19 declarations of taking within the county, including the three properties at issue Monday, according to court records.

For the property owners, the new pipeline posed a litany of issues.

My wife said she doesnt want to live there if this goes in, said Ralph Blume of Newville.

Blume said he has lived in the property that he inherited since the 1960s.

Alan Walters, who owns land near Newville, said he was told his property, which he inherited from his father and one day hoped to retire on, would decrease by nearly 40 percent.

I wanted to build there and I wanted to live there, he said.

For John Perry, there was a definite concern for a loss of value and enjoyment of his property in Newville, but he said he was also worried about the dangers that may come if something catastrophic happened to the pipeline.

If something were to happen to the pipeline, and they do, thats when the hazard zones are important, Perry said.
If youre planning to visit the Great American Outdoor Show at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg this week, be sure to put on your walking shoes.

Billed as the worlds largest outdoor show, the nine-day event presented by the Outdoor Channel runs Feb. 6-14. It offers 1,100 hunting, fishing, shooting sports, archery, boating, RV and outfitter exhibits, as well as more than 200 outdoor seminars and demonstrations, daily celebrity appearances and more than a dozen events and contests spread throughout 650,000 square feet.

Thats not to mention the tantalizing smells of crab cake sandwiches, pizza and other hot foods curling from vendors stands. Of course, milkshakes are available, too. After all, this is at the Farm Show Complex.

Ava Walmer, 3, of Myerstown, was munching a hot dog in her stroller on Sunday afternoon as her father, Ken Walmer, crouched nearby. When asked if she was having fun, the toddler simply smiled and clapped her hand across her forehead.

Walmer said hes visited the Outdoor Show a few times before this and wasnt looking for anything in particular on Sunday. Its something to do, he said.

Brandon Lethert, 10, was waiting in line at the Kids Casting Pond in the Family Fun Zone with his grandfather, Mike Devoe. They travelled from Maryland to visit the show.

Its pretty cool because I like seeing all the animals, said Brandon, who fishes.

I like to look at all the new equipment and guns and stuff that I cant afford, joked Devoe, who said that he fishes and hunts.

NRA spokesman Kyle Jillson didnt have exact attendance numbers on Sunday but said the crowd looked about on par compared to last years event. About 200,000 visitors attended the 2015 show over its nine-day span.

Rich Huff III and Ian Beal, co-owners of the Keystone Valley Ranch in Shermans Dale, said they had a pretty good turnout of about 60 to 80 hunters stopping by their booth by early Sunday afternoon. The duos ranch offers white-tail hunting each year from September to January outside of state-regulated hunting seasons.

Visitors could also peruse vendors offering hunting and/or fishing expedition packages ranging from Cape Cod to the Adirondack Mountains to exotic locales like Africa. Taxidermist firms also were on hand to offer their services, preserving everything from cougars to elephant heads.

The Great American Outdoor Show is a winter staple for sportsmen to celebrate their passion for the outdoor lifestyle. We work hard to create a fresh experience at each years show and we cant wait to show off our new events, activities, and all the big names we invited, said Kyle Weaver, executive director of NRA general operations.

Parking at the Farm Show Complex costs $10, but $2 coupons are available in the 2016 Hershey Harrisburg Region Visitors Guide. For a free guide, call 877-727-8573.

Parking for $10 with shuttle service is available at the Elmerton Avenue lot and at the Paxton and Cameron streets lot for $5. Parking and shuttle service is available for free at Harrisburg Mall in Swatara Township.

For more information on scheduled events, visit www.greatamericanoutdoorshow.org.
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He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media.





Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.





Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications.



A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.



He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.









Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel. In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's videocasts and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.
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Holding cell, Arizona Death House

A man who once scored 62 on an intelligence test - where an IQ of 65 or below qualifies as mental retardation - cannot be executed for a 1980 rape and murder, the Ninth Circuit ruled Thursday, converting the sentence to life in prison.





"There can be no doubt that the crime in this case was truly horrific," Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote a divided 3-judge panel. "The Constitution, however, regards intellectually disabled defendants as less morally culpable for their crimes, and for this reason, prohibits their execution."





Robert Douglas Smith was sentenced to death in 1982 for the rape and murder of Sandy Owen in Tucson.





At the time of Owen's abduction in 1980, Smith had 5 failed marriages under his belt. He had been on a cross-country road trip with a couple, and was frustrated that they had intercourse in front of him, while he had no one with whom to be intimate.





The ruling describes in horrific detail Owen's rape and murder, in which both he and his friends on the road trip participated, saying the trio celebrated the killing afterward by playing "We Are the Champions" as they drove off.





In earlier years, Smith had been held back in every grade and sent to a special school for children for children unable to learn. He was only in the 8th grade when he turned 16 and dropped out.





Arizona did not outlaw the execution of people with intellectual disabilities until 2001, however, and Smith's trial occurred more than 20 years after the state created a framework to evaluate capital defendants for intellectual disability.





State courts that eventually evaluated whether Smith was intellectually disabled at the time of the crime concluded he was not, denying Smith's claim in 2012 under a landmark precedent. In the 2002 decision Atkins v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the execution of intellectually disabled criminals amounts to cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment.





The Ninth Circuit converted Smith's sentence 2-1 Thursday to life in prison, saying Smith's IQ may have improved while in prison, but that he was clearly intellectually disabled at the time in 1980.





"Considering Smith's intellectual functioning test scores and his history of significantly impaired adaptive behavior," Reinhardt said Smith "demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning."





The dissent by Judge Consuelo Callahan meanwhile blasts the majority for "expressing supreme confidence in its own ability to detect past intellectual disability despite substantial conflicting evidence and the fact that Smith is not now intellectually disabled."





Callahan said Smith's testing in 2005, which revealed an IQ between 87 and 93, is "undeniable" evidence that Smith failed to meet his burden.





The dissent also emphasizes Smith's ability to live independently and support himself for 15 years after dropping out of school, before the murder.





The doctors who examined Smith in 1980 also "determine his competency to be tried found no signs of intellectual disability," according to the dissent.





Reinhardt, who authored the lead opinion, included a specially concurring opinion as well.





This lengthy addition complains about how Atkins has been applied in Arizona, which has 124 inmates on death row, the 8th highest number of any state, with 15 executions since Atkins.





"The constitutional infirmity of Arizona's statute creates a recurring problem with potentially far-reaching consequences," Reinhardt wrote, saying the court should have held that both aspects of Arizona's intellectual-disability statute "violate the Eighth Amendment because they permit the execution of individuals whom Atkins deems categorically ineligible for capital punishment."





Judge Mary Schroeder concurred in all but one 11-page section of the 55-page lead opinion.





Source: Courthouse News, Feb. 6, 2016




The partnership would lead to the US-based food chain operator McDonald's widening its accessibility across multiple platforms.

New Delhi: Online food ordering platform Foodpanda has joined hands with Hardcastle Restaurants to deliver food from McDonald's in west and south India.

Hardcastle Restaurants owns and operates McDonald's chain of restaurants in western and southern regions.

The partnership would lead to the US-based food chain operator McDonald's widening its accessibility across multiple platforms, giving customers more options while ordering online, Foodpanda said in a statement. Foodpanda India CEO Saurabh Kochhar said.

"We... have had the opportunity of being exclusive partners that will allow consumers to enjoy McDonald's menu for the first time through an online food aggregator."

Foodpanda has a network of over 12,000 restaurants across over 200 cities in India.
Trai has not mentioned net neutrality in its regulation but differential pricing of internet or data services is serious issue under net neutrality.

New Delhi: Social media giant Facebook on February 8, expressed disappointment over telecom regulator Trai's decision not to allow differential pricing of data, saying it adversely impacts its free internet platform Free Basics.

"Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings," Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has put a blanket ban under its 'Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016' on charging different price based on the usage of internet leading to discrimination among content and services available online. Though Trai has not mentioned net neutrality in its regulation but differential pricing of internet or data services is serious issue under net neutrality.

"No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content," TRAI Chairman R S Sharma said unveiling the details of the regulations, effective on February 8. However, plans which are in contravention to this regulation that are active in market will remain in existence for a period of six months from their activation.

Facebook launched aggressive campaign to defend its Free Basics platform and advocated that zero rating plans can lead to increase in Internet adoption at no cost to the government, the content provider or the consumers. It was available in India only on Reliance Communications network but the same was put on hold after TRAI's order. The regulation, however, has been appreciated by top leaders including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

"Welcome TRAI's ruling in support of NetNeutrality. Big win for internet users in India. Congratulations to all those who campaigned tirelessly & fought hard to ensure that our internet remains free & equal for all," the office of Rahul Gandhi tweeted. The Congress party also issued official statement lauding the regulation.
GSM telecom operators association, COAI, said that the telecom industry is disappointed with Trais decision to rule out differential pricing.

New Delhi: Telecom regulators decision to ban ban differential pricing of data evoked mixed reaction from the industry, with telecom companies and Facebook expressing disappointment, and internet associations and startups welcoming it.

Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the Internet and the opportunities it brings, Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

GSM telecom operators association, COAI, said that the telecom industry is disappointed with Trais decision to rule out differential pricing.

COAI had approached the regulator with the reasons to allow price differentiation as the move would have taken us closer to connecting the one billion unconnected citizens of India. By opting to turn away from this opportunity, Trai has ignored all the benefits of price differentiation, said Rajan Mathews, director-general, COAI.

However, Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) termed Trais regulation as a bold and fair move. This move will ensure that the basic tenets of Net Neutrality are followed in India, said IAMAI.

IT industry body Nasscom also lauded Trais regulation. Our submission highlighted the importance of net neutrality principles, non-discriminatory access and transparent business models aligned to the goal of enhancing internet penetration in the country. Our submission highlighted the importance of net neutrality principles, non-discriminatory access and transparent business models aligned to the goal of enhancing internet penetration in the country, Nasscom president R. Chandrashekhar said.

SaveTheInternet.in, which had carried a campaign for net neutrality said that if telecom operators challenged the regulations in the court it would delay the process of India taking a final decision on net neutrality and would be harmful for consumers.

Trais notification is in support of the governments focus on start-up as well as penetration of internet, without compromising on access to content, said Amresh Nandan, Research Director, Gartner.
Mumbai: After stepping into producers shoes with NH10, Anushka Sharma is all set to make another film under her home production banner Clean Slate Films. Reportedly, the actress has roped in Anshai Lal to direct her next film, which is titled Phillauri.

The film will be shot in the place with the same name in Punjab. According to recent reports, Anushkas next will star Life of Pi sensation Suraj Sharma and Diljit Dosanjh.

Anushka Sharma confirmed the news on her official Twitter account. She tweeted, "Happy 2 announce our next production venture - PHILLAURI, with @foxstarhindi & co-staring @diljitdosanjh, Suraj Sharma."

'Life of Pi' actor was approached by the films team. Suraj, who was very much interested in the script, met the producers to discuss the film.

The film is packed with a different kind of humour than we have seen in Bollywood so far. Phillauri goes on floors in April.
Mumbai: Salman Khan is known to take keen interest in the editing, post-production, marketing and every aspect of his films. Therefore, it doesn't come as a surprise to know that Salman's former lover Katrina Kaif has sought the actor's advise over the content of her upcoming film 'Fitoor'. Katrina has been working hard on promoting the film with her co-star Aditya Roy Kapur.

According to reports, Salman has agreed to view Katrina's upcoming film and also suggest last-minute changes if necessary. This film will also consolidate Katrina's career after the recent upheavals in her life as her last film 'Phantom' failed to connect with the masses.

Read: The whole country is crazy about Katrina, so am I, says Salman Khan

Salman is currently shooting for 'Sultan' with Anushka Sharma. Apparently, a screening of 'Fitoor' will be set up on the sets of 'Sultan'.

Ever since the news about Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina's break-up has started doing the rounds, there have been rumours about Katrina and Salman's alleged secret meeting. The two recently met at director Ali Abbas Zafar's birthday bash. Salman even paid a surprise visit to Katrina, who was shooting for an episode of Comedy Nights LIVE.
In the video, we also see AbRam pointing adorably at the camera as he walks beside his father, SRK.

Mumbai: Bollywoods King Khan, SRK has wrapped up Gujarat scheduled shoot of his upcoming film Raees. After shooting for his film for few days, the actor has now returned back to Mumbai.

In the recent pictures, we see Shah Rukh Khan arriving at Gujarat airport with his little bundle of joy, AbRam to board their flight for Mumbai. In the video, we see Shah Rukh Khan waving at the fans as he walks towards their flight with AbRam in his another arm.

We also see little adorable AbRam pointing towards the camera as he gets out of the car.

Apart from the fan frenzy, SRKs visit to Gujarat also made headlines as it was objected by VHP members. The actor was shooting in Bhuj.

Directed by Rahul Dholakia, the film also stars Pakistani actress Mahira Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Few landmarks are as iconic as the Niagara Falls  a group of three waterfalls spanning the US and Canadian border  but were used to seeing it in full flow as it churns through 168,000 cubic metres of water every minute. As the result of a proposal from the New York State Parks and Transportation Department, that deluge might be temporarily turned off in the near future, giving us a rare glimpse of the rocks and geology underneath.

The reason New Yorks state agencies want to shut off the falls is to repair two 115-year-old stone bridges, as National Geographic reports. The bridges link the town of Niagara Falls with the state park islands in the middle of the waterfalls themselves, and the engineers and officials involved say they'll almost certainly have to reroute some water in order to get enough access to the bridges.

It would be a dramatic move, but it wouldnt be unprecedented. Back in 1969, water was directed away from the US side of the falls so army engineers could study how the landscape of the waterfalls was eroding.

During this dry spell, the riverbed was irrigated manually to maintain a steady level of moisture, and many pictures were taken of the newly exposed rocks.

According to reports at the time, tourists turned up in droves to see the unique sight, as bucket-loads of coins thrown into the water down the years were removed. As Rose Hackman at The Guardian notes, two cadavers were also found, one of which was never identified. Which begs the question: what could turn up this time?

A public hearing has been held to investigate possible approaches to repairing the bridges, with the dewatering period set to last either five or nine months, depending on which proposals are accepted.

As well as giving scientists and engineers a rare chance to study the layout of the falls, it could also boost the number of tourists flocking to the location. Park agencies say they are keen to give visitors as much access to the stripped site as possible.

However, some are against the plans, pointing to the existing interference with the river (used to generate hydroelectricity) and the consequences of the 1969 stoppage, when almost all of the trees lining the riverbank died of thirst within a month.

If the plans do indeed get the go-ahead, the flowing river is going to be re-routed at some point in the next two to three years, New York state representatives say.

One man who wont be visiting is Seneca Casino employee Rick Lecksell, who remembers the 1969 dewatering. It was just a lot of rocks, he told The Guardian.

Source: www.sciencealert.com
Headley is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai terror attacks. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: India is likely to give Pakistan fresh evidence about the involvement of ISI officers in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack after Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley's deposition before a Mumbai court on Monday.

India has given several dossiers to Pakistan incorporating evidence about the involvement of ISI officers, Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi besides others.

Read: Identify and prosecute Headleys 26/11 handlers, India to tell Pakistan

"There have been no action against any one of them. Headley's deposition before court again established that serving ISI officers, Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi were deeply involved in the conspiracy. We will provide all these fresh evidence to Pakistan for action," a senior government official said.

India is also expected to ask the United States to take action against Hafiz Saeed against whom a USD 10 million reward was announced for information leading to his capture, following Headley's disclosure.

"Headley's deposition before the court has established that Hafiz Saeed was involved in the Mumbai terror attack.

Headley is now in American custody, so the US must take cognisance of his statement and take action against Hafiz Saeed," the official said.

Among the 166 victims of the Mumbai terror attack, four were American nationals.

Headley told the court through video conferencing that he was trained by LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Abbottabad near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder

"Hafiz Saeed sahab", whose picture he identified in the court, as also its commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

He said that he was in touch with three officers of Pakistan's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdul

Rehman Pasha.

Headley told the court that he had changed his name from original Dawood Gilani after instructions from LeT commanders, including Lakhvi, and ISI officials to carry out recce in India for an attack, an "adventurous" task for him.

Headley said he joined LeT after being "influenced" by its head Hafiz Saeed and took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad.

Headley is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks.
Hyderabad: A 22-year-old autorickshaw driver, who protested his wife being pushed into the flesh trade by one of her friends, was brutally murdered by the aides of his wifes friends at Chandrayanagutta on Saturday.

Inspector N. Ramarao said the deceased, Md Sameer Ahmed Siddiqui, 22, a resident of Hafeezbaba Nagar was in love with Asma Sultana, 21, and married her a year ago and they have a nine-month old daughter named Sarah. The couple and Siddiquis parents and brothers were staying in the same house.

A few days ago, Sameer fell sick and could not go to work. Asma, who was working as a beautician, contacted her friend Asma Sultana, who is also a beautician and told her that her finances were critical and she is not able to buy even a milk bottle for her daughter and asked Sultana to help her find a job. Sultana promised to help her and on the same day at around 10.30 pm Sultana and her husband came to Asmas house and discussed the job. They also gave a new milk bottle for her daughter. Siddiquis parents became angry at this visit. Due to this Siddiqui shifted to another house. On Saturday night, Sultana called Asma and told her about a job in an event managing firm at Bandlaguda. She said they can meet her boss and come back soon.

Siddiqui dropped them in his autorickshaw till the main road where one Mukthar was waiting in a car. After some distance, two men boarded the car. Fearing danger, Asma called her husband and told Mukthar to drop her home, said inspector Ramarao.

Meanwhile, Siddiqui who was waiting for Asma, found three men in the car, and slapped Asma. He dropped her at home and followed the car in his autorickshaw. When he called Sultana to find out why she took his wife with other men she told to meet her near the flyover. When he saw Sultana she was in the car and Mukthar and two others were outside. Seeing them, he picked up a plank and attacked them. They escaped and Mukthar stabbed him, the inspector added. The object made a three inch deep cut on Siddiquis neck and he died on the spot. We do not know why Sultana took her out late at night and why three men were in the car. We suspect they were trying to lure her into prostitution, concluded the inspector.

Based on a complaint from his brother Hameed, a murder case was registered against Asma Sultana, Mukthar and two other men and a hunt is on to find them.
Bengaluru: Bike-borne chain-snatchers struck at will on the city streets and robbed three women of their gold chains in separate incidents within one hour in Yeshwanthpura, Yelahanka and Amruthahalli police limits on Sunday morning. The fourth incident was reported in the afternoon in the Vijayanagar police limits.

Strike 1:

In the first incident, a 55-year-old woman, Anupama, was targeted in Diwanpalya in Yeshwanthapura around 6.45 am when she was drawing a rangoli in front of her house. Of the two thieves, the pillion rider got down on the pretext of asking her for an address, snatched Anupamas chain and fled. She raised an alarm but in vain.

Strike 2:

Two people on the pretext of asking a house for rent took away a gold chain of a 62-year-old woman in Maruthi Nagar in Yelahanka. The two chain-snatchers, who were on a bike, stopped in front of Radha's house around 7 am. The pillion rider approached Radha, who was standing inside the compound, and enquired her in Hindi about houses for rent in the locality. As she was talking to them, the miscreant snatched the chain weighing 15 gm and fled the spot.

Strike 3:

A morning walker, Rajini Kumar, 65, a resident of Amruthahalli, was relieved of her gold chain by two bike-borne miscreants in Coffee Board Layout early on Sunday morning. She was headed for the walk when two men on a Pulsar bike stopped a few metres ahead and observed her. As she continued to walk, the two took a turn, came from behind and snatched away her gold chain weighing 80 gm. She raised an alarm, but they had fled by then.

Strike 4:

Around 2.15 pm, two bike-borne men made away with a gold chain of a 54-year-old woman in Vinayaka Layout in Vijayanagar. Jayalakshmamma was walking back home after buying groceries when the two men snatched her chain weighing 65 gm. She raised an alarm and the passersby tried to chase the duo, but in vain, the police said.
Chennai: Seven persons, who were part of a racket of running a call centre in Karnal in Haryana near Delhi, to defraud credit card and debit card customers of Tamil Nadu, were arrested by Chennai police.

Police had received over 400 complaints via banks and customers who found their money siphoned off by these callers after collecting their bank card details over phone by posing as executives from various banks.

City crime branch team Chennai police on Sunday said that after busting the racket on Friday in Karnal, the arrested seven were brought to Chennai on Sunday.

The cheats were posing as managers or customer care executives of banks and making vishing calls to cardholders in Chennai.

Banks and police estimates that gang members could have siphoned off crores of rupees by doing online shopping and transferring funds from customers account to their account.

Though all of them were from Haryana, at least three of them could talk in Tamil and extract details from the victims. Sitting in their call centre in Karnal, all of them were using only mobile phones to contact their victims in Tamil Nadu, noted S. Jayakumar, deputy commissioner of police, CCB, who supervised the investigation.

The gang was using the cover of a Vodafone distributor to collect details of bank customers but misused the information to defraud customers through vishing calls.

The arrested were identified as Nithin Singala, 26, Vihas, 27, Riyazath Khan, 36, Gulshan Kumar, 24, Jithindar, 30, Shyman Ram, 24 and Krishnan Chawla, 55. All the arrested hailed from Karnal.

Police are on the lookout for one Vipin Chopra, who had collected customers details from bank and handed over to the gang.
ASP Arvind Pandey said that the girls had been scolded by their brother Manoj for not helping his wife in household work. Manojs wife is pregnant and had asked the sisters to finish the house work. (Representational image)

Lucknow: In a shocking replay of the Badaun incident, two sisters were found hanging from a tree under mysterious circumstances in Chandanpur village in Nanpara in Bahraich district, late on Saturday night.

The two sisters, Rupa and Sanju, aged 19 and 21 years respectively, had left home saying that they wanted to relieve themselves and when they did not return till late in the evening, the family members set out to look for them.

The bodies of the girls were found hanging from a tree in the orchard outside the village.

ASP Arvind Pandey said that the girls had been scolded by their brother Manoj for not helping his wife in household work. Manojs wife is pregnant and had asked the sisters to finish the house work.

While the police are working on the suicide theory, the murder angle is also not being ruled out because not a single branch of the tree on which the bodies were hanging, was found broken.

If the sisters had climbed the tree and then committed suicide, at least some branch would have been disturbed in the process. The bodies have been sent for post mortem and we are waiting for the report before taking the investigations further, said an investigating officer.

The police, however, have said that there are no apparent signs of the girls having been sexually assaulted before their death.

It may be recalled that in May 2014, two cousin sisters had been found hanging from a tree in Badaun district and the case was later entrusted to the CBI which claimed it was a case of suicide but the court refused to accept the closure report on the matter.
Mr Rama Rao had been holding the information technology and panchayat raj portfolios since June 2014.

Hyderabad: True to his word, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday allotted the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (Maud) portfolio to his son K.T. Rama Rao, thereby virtually making him in-charge of administration of both villages and urban bodies in Telangana.

Mr Rama Rao had been holding the information technology and panchayat raj portfolios since June 2014. Now, with the Maud ministry, he will be overall in-charge of admi-nistration of rural and urban areas in the state  with every inch of land falling under his jurisdiction. The Maud ministry was earlier held by the Chief Minister himself.

A single minister in the state has never held both rural and urban administration portfolios.

Mr Rama Rao will have to accomplish the gigantic task of finishing the safe drinking water project Mission Bhagiratha as well as several other developmental projects initiated in municipalities and municipal corporations including strategic development plans in Hyderabad City.

There are six corporations in TS  Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Ramagundam, Warangal and Khammam  and 62 municipalities and nagara panchayats.

As for budget, after irrigation, which is held by minister T. Harish Rao, a major chunk will go to panchayati raj and urban development. Details will only be known in the upcoming Budget.
BENGALURU: In an attempt to bring down the high rate of female foeticide in the country, the Supreme Court,-appointed National Inspection and Monitoring Committee, has recently suggested that the licenses of these errant doctors be suspended and charge them under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, when it is framed.

With such an alarming situation, a disturbing case of an attempt to kill a one-month-old baby girl, surfaced before the High Court, with the father (the accused) seeking bail for a third time before the court.

Taking into consideration that the baby is out of any danger and is presently in a healthy condition, the High Court granted bail to the father accused of the crime by imposing strict conditions upon him.

"This is the third consecutive bail petition, after the dismissal of two earlier petitions filed by the accused. The first plea for bail was dismissed as the petition was withdrawn and the second petition was dismissed, holding that the prima facie case is coming based on the offence committed by this petitioner and that the accused was not entitled to be released on bail at that stage," the court observed.

The case relates to the alleged administering of poison by the father to his own baby in the house of his in-law. "The court rejected his bail application on grounds that it was premature to disbelieve the contents of the first information report, (fir) lodged by the elder sister of the wife of the accused.

The entire investigation is now complete and the charge sheet is filed, with the accused having fully co-operated with the investigation. It has been submitted that the child is out of danger and is hale and healthy and that the wife and child are wholly dependant upon the petitioner for their livelihood. It has also been submitted that the petitioner does not have any criminal antecedents," the court has said while granting bail.

According to the police, in May, 2015, Shivakumar, alias Shivalinga, who had been to his in-laws house in a village in Chennapatna, was accused of administering poison (pesticide used for farming) to his one-month-old girl child. The elder sister of his wife, who noticed the crime complained to the police who arrested him on various charges.

While, the High Court, has granted bail, it has imposed certain conditions that the accused be released on executing a personal bond of Rs. 75,000 with one surety for the like sum to the satisfaction of the concerned court, and that he shall not hold out threats to the prosecution witnesses or lure them in any manner.

Further, he shall not be involved in any criminal activities and that he shall attend court on all the dates of hearing except in unavoidable circumstances.

He shall mark his attendance at the respondent-police station once a month on the very second Sunday, between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. without fail till the disposal of the case registered against him, and on any one of the conditions, the prosecution is at liberty to seek cancellation of the bail, the court has ordered.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice President Rahul Gandhi at the Patiala House Court after a hearing in National Herald Case. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Congress has come out with a set of Frequently Asked Questions to present its side of the story regarding the National Herald case as the party claims the Gandhis have not benefited financially from Young Indian Ltd.

The party also dismissed as absolutely false the claim that Young Indian (YI) Ltd, the company formed in the wake of financial troubles concerning Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), was a real-estate company.

It also underlined that there is no restriction in law on political parties giving loans and the Election Commission had issued a clear order in this regard in November, 2012.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had sought derecognition of the Congress on this ground but his complaint was dismissed by a full bench order of the Election Commission at that time, the AICC said.

On whether Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi benefited financially from Young Indian, it said, No. As directors or shareholders of Young Indian, a non-profit, Section 25 company, they are prohibited by law from drawing (and have not drawn) any financial benefits from the company. It also denied that any assets were transferred from AJL to YI.

All the assets and the income of AJL remain with the company. Not a single paisa has gone to YI, YI Directors or YI Shareholders, it said in the FAQs on its website under the heading, National Herald.

It rejected as false the claim that YI was created to usurp the property owned by AJL.

On the contrary, Young Indian, being a non-profit Section 25 company, as the major shareholder AJL, in fact, enhances the safeguards on the properties of the AJL, it said.
New Delhi: The AAP government on Monday recommended a CBI investigation into the death of a six-year-old boy at Ryan International School following demand by the child's parents and findings of a magisterial probe which pointed to "suspicious conduct" of school authorities.

The parents of Devansh Kakora, whose body was found floating in a water tank at the school, have been demanding a probe by the central agency, alleging that Delhi Police was overlooking various important aspects of the case.

"Delhi government today referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the case of mysterious death of six year-old student, Divyansh, at the Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj on 30 January," said a statement by Delhi Government. It said the decision for a CBI probe was taken based of findings of the magisterial inquiry and demand by the parents of the deceased.

"The magisterial inquiry pointed out the suspicious conduct of school authorities and raised further queries. Therefore, it was decided by the government that in the interest of justice, it will be appropriate to refer the case for investigation to the CBI," said the statement.

The boy's father Ramhit Meena had on Saturday alleged that the child was sexually assaulted before being done to death and that there were injury marks on his private parts. He had even alleged that the principal of the school "threatened" the family to keep quiet over the issue.

"CBI probe was ordered in Ryan School death case. Hope for fair and speedy justice for Devansh," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tweeted.

CBI probe ordered in #RyanSchoolDeath case. Hope for fair and speedy #JusticeForDivyansh  Education Minister (@Minister_Edu) February 8, 2016

The magisterial probe had said "deliberate" inaction by the school authorities amounted to "gross criminal negligence" which led to the death of the child.

In a letter to HRD minister Smriti Irani yesterday, Meena had sought her intervention in ensuring a CBI probe into the case. A copy of the letter was also sent to Prime Minister's Office.

The Delhi government said the magisterial inquiry found "serious lapses" on the part of the school authorities, including the fact that though the institution was functioning on January 30, despite it not being a normal working day, there was not a single person to administer medical aid.

It said, to avoid recurrence of such incidents in schools, the Delhi government has ordered a safety audit of all private and public schools, which will be completed during the next one month. In the letter to Irani, the parents alleged there was a "conspiracy" behind the incident and demanded action against the school management.

Divyansh was found dead on January 30 in the reservoir under the amphitheatre of the school located in South Delhi. The initial post-mortem report had suggested he died of drowning and no external injuries were found.

School's principal Sandhya Sabu and four other staff were arrested by the police but granted bail the same day.
Srinagar: The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have decided to impose security lockdown in parts of summer capital Srinagar and some other towns of the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley on Tuesday when separatist groups have called for a shutdown to commemorate the hanging of Parliament attack convict Muhammad Afzal Guru.

The restrictions are likely to continue through February 11 which is observed as black day" in Kashmir to mark the death anniversary of Muhammad Maqbool Butt, the co-founder of pro-independence Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front (JKNLF). Butt charged with murder of an Indian intelligence officer Amar Chand in Kashmir way back in mid-1960s was also executed in Delhi Tihar jail in 1984 and like Guru his mortal remains were buried inside the prison premises.

Official sources said that areas falling under police stations of Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, S.R. Gunj, Safa Kadal and Maisuma in Srinagar will remain under curfew-like restrictions from dawn on Tuesday till further orders. Similar restrictions will be enforced in some other Valley towns and sensitive areas as precautionary measure. Various separatist leaders have been detained in police stations or placed under house arrest. However, two key faces of Kashmirs separatist movement Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq are away in Delhi where the latter on Monday met Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit to discuss various issues concerning Kashmir and express gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for putting in strenuous efforts for resolving Kashmir issue.

Back in Srinagar, chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammmd Yasin Malik was on Monday sent on judicial remand for seven days by a local court and subsequently shifted to Central Jail, Srinagar. Earlier, police raided the JKLF office in Aabi Guzar locality here and arrested Malik and some of his close associates. The JKLF has planned protests on February 9 and 11 to mark the hanging anniversaries of Butt and Guru.

Meanwhile, security across J&K especially Kashmir Valley has been beefed up further to prevent trouble in next three days. Police and CRPF reinforcements were on Monday evening fanned out to increase physical presence of the uniformed men in streets.

A statement issued by the CRPF here said that the force has been put on high alert in view of shutdown and protest calls issued by separatists. Taking serious note of regular stone pelting on Fridays and Sundays in downtown Srinagar, the CRPF troops deployed in the City particularly in these areas have been asked to keep close watch on various developments and to maintain an active co-ordination with J&K Police to counter any propaganda or provocation by separatists, a spokesman of the CRPF said.

CRPFs DIG (Operations), Sanjeev Dhundia, on Monday reviewed the security situation in central Srinagar and asked the force officers and jawans to remain vigilant and alert and take adequate measures to prevent injuries to CRPF men. All CRPF camps have been alerted and security has been strengthened and troops have been briefed to be ready to deal with any unforeseen law and order problem without use of lethal weapons, it said.

Inspector General of CRPF Atul Karwal said he has asked his men to take effective measures in co-ordination with J&K Police and tackle any sort of protests or stone pelting with minimum use of force.
KAKINADA: Kapunadu leader Mudragada Pamanabham locked himself, wife Padmavathi and some followers in his house at Kirlampudi in East Godavari district on the third day of his indefinite fast on Sunday.

Mr Padmanabham, who wants reservations for Kapus among other things, said there was no prospect of talks on the issue unless the government issues a written order accepting his demands.

Mr Padmanabhan did not allow joint collector S. Satyanarayana who had come to the house along with superintendent of police M. Raviprakash, and a team of doctors, to check on their health.

Mr Padmanabham said he and his wife were doing well, and did not need medical tests. He said they were ready to sacrifice their lives for the welfare of the Kapu community.

The joint collector said that conducting medical tests on a fasting person was mandatory. To this, Mr Padmanabham shouted at them and locked the house.

Earlier, the Kapunadu leader said he would neither give up his fast nor subject himself to any medical examinations. Mr Padmanabham said that if Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was adamant, he was more than a match for him.

He also demanded Mr Naidu reveal how he had amassed his alleged wealth of Rs 2 lakh-crore from being a marginal farmer with two acres.

If Mr Naidu reveals that secret, no caste will ask him reservations and everybody will follow him and become as rich as him. Then there would be no need for reservations, Mr Padmanabham said.

Tuni arson: Crowd clues help CID

AP Police probing the violence at Tuni during the Kapu garjana, has identified at least 80 rioters, including a few rowdy-sheeters who set fire to the Ratnachal Express and police stations.

CID sleuths, with the help of cops of various districts, identified several of the suspects. For the first time, the crowd sourcing of police investigation that included identification of the accused in photographs and video clips has been on a large scale.

An official of East Godavari district said, There is huge response from the public to our request for video clips and or photographs taken by the public to be sent to WhatsApp number 9440904859 and email tunimeeting@gmail.com. People are also giving us the names of the attackers and rioters that they have identified. This has been of immense help in the investigation.

The state government had on Saturday issued orders handing over the cases to the CID. The case pertaining to Government Railway Police regarding the burning of the Ratnachal Express too has been handed over to the CID.
Hyderabad: Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham on Monday ended his indefinite fast, he had begun on Friday to demand quota for the community, after "assurances" from the Andhra Pradesh government, including allocation of Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu welfare corporation.

The breakthrough came after K Atchannaidu, Minister for Labour, TDP state unit president K Kala Venkat Rao and party MLAs - Thota Trimurthulu and NVS Varma - held talks with Padmanabham at his native village Kirlampudi in East Godavari.

Kala Venkat Rao and Atchannaidu offered lime juice to Padmanabham, who has been fasting along with his wife, some

family members and supporters. Padmanabham said the government has assured him it would obtain the report of a commission on backward classes (for inclusion of Kapus in BCs), within seven months instead of nine, if possible, and allocate Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu (welfare) corporation from next year.

The government set up the commission to study the issue of reservations for the community and it is expected to submit its report within nine months.

The government representatives asked Padmanabham to join the discussions leading up to the decision on reservation.

The government would separately provide Rs 500 crore this year and accept all the applications made this year to Kapu

Corporation by the community members for benefits, he said.

Padmanabham said he is in favour of provision of "creamy layer" among the Kapus.

Atchannaidu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is "very positive" on the demands of the community.

The government would be judicious in dealing with the police cases registered in connection with the violence that erupted during a rally organised by Padmanabham on January 31, the minister added.

Atchannaidu said no injustice would be done to the Backward Classes in the process of providing reservation to Kapus.

Padmanabham appealed to Naidu to bring a resolution in the Legislative Assembly, after receipt of the panel's report,

and forward it to Centre for incorporating Kapus in the seventh schedule of Constitution.

Popular Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, who had vigorously campaigned for TDP-BJP alliance in the 2014 state and Lok Sabha elections, yesterday requested the state government to engage in direct talks with Kapu leaders spearheading the reservation issue, which, he noted was an election-promise made by the TDP.

"A group of balanced intellectuals should be entrusted with the responsibility of finding a mutually-acceptable solution before it jaggernauts into an uncontainable situation (sic)," tweeted Kalyan, who belongs to the community.

Meanwhile, the Congress claimed in a release that its state unit president N Raghuveera Reddy and party MP Chiranjeevi were "arrested" at Rajahmundry while proceeding to Kirlampudi to express solidarity with Padmanabham today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Maritime Exhibition at the venue of the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.(Photo: PTI)

Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that India was a direct victim of sea-borne terrorism and that threat from sea-borne terror and piracy were two key challenges to maritime security of the country.

He also highlighted that a peaceful and stable maritime environment was critical for regional and global security.

Read: India to host first maritime meet in April

Addressing the valedictory function of the International Fleet Review (IFR) after watching the Operational Demonstration of India Navy at RK Beach in Vizag city on Sunday, Mr Modi pitched for respecting the freedom of navigation against the backdrop of the South China Sea dispute.

He said given the scale and complexity of modern day challenges, international maritime stability could not be preserved by a single nation. It had to be a shared goal and responsibility.

Oceans were the lifelines of global prosperity. They presented great economic opportunities to build nations, he added. The Prime Minister mentioned that the threat of sea-borne terror, of which India had been a direct victim, continued to endanger regional and global peace and stability. Piracy, too, remained a strong challenge.
Chennai: In a move to improve rail connectivity between Chennai and other cities and provide better infrastructure and services, the Union railway minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated railway projects worth Rs 373 crore on Sunday.

The projects inaugurated in the city on Sunday include two broad gauge lines  the 30-km TambaramChengalpet line expected to cost Rs 256 crore and the 15-km ChinnasalemKallaKurichi line expected to cost Rs 116.6 crore  for which the foundation stones were laid.

In 2015 we were able to raise Rs 1.2 lakh crore through LIC for the infrastructure projects, which is the highest amount raised in the history of Indian railways. Moreover, we have decided to decentralise the railway projects decision making process where the state government and other stakeholders will be given more preference, said the railway minister at the function held at the East Tambaram railway grounds.

As both the GST and the Chennai-Kanyakumari line passes through Tambaram and with Chengalpet located 30 kms from Tambaram, the BG route has huge potential to be developed and for Chengalpet to become the next satellite town of Chennai, the minister added.

The railway minister, through video conferencing, inaugurated escalators in Tiruchirappalli junction at platforms 2 and 3, a facility costing Rs 91 lakh. The e-bedroll facility, also called 'personalized take away bedroll', the first such facility in Southern railway, was inaugurated at Chennai Central and Thiruvananthapuram Central through video conferencing.

Any confirmed ticket holder traveling in any class can avail of the bedroll either online or across the counter at both the stations. There are two types of bedroll kits. Both types of bedrolls are disposable and passengers can take them home after the journey. Type 1 consists of a bedroll kit costing Rs 140 packed in a non-woven fabric bag consisting of two cotton bed sheets and a pillow. Type 2 consists of a blanket kit costing Rs110 and packed in a non-woven bag consisting of one blanket.

To cater to the demands of the passengers traveling from the northeastern parts to Chennai, a new Suvidha AC express between Chennai Central and Shalimar was also flagged off through video conferencing. The railway ministry has also decided to start a new company that comprises the railways and the state government to undertake railway projects on a 51:49 shareholder basis. T.K.M Chinnayya, state minister of Animal husbandry and Trichy Siva, Member of Parliament, attended the inaugural function.

Railywas should adopt more technology: Suresh Prabhu

Railways should focus more on additional technologies and IITians should come up with new ideas to provide solutions, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said.

Speaking at the extra mural lecture held at IIT on Sunday, he said that technology has to be used in a customised way. There is a direct link between water, sanitation, public health and productivity. We are working on major initiatives to keep the railways clean. There is a marked improvement in sanitation in railways and we should invent water free and odour free toilets, he said.

Speaking about issues related to safety in the railways, he said most of the accidents happen when people are crossing railway tracks. He said that geospatial technology would help in preventing such accidents. Geospatial technology will map the whole rail network and that will help in tracking trains in real time. Whenever a train approaches an alarm will automatically go off to prevent accidents, he said.

Ticketless travel by passengers is causing loss to Railways, he pointed out. He also said the railways would come up with an anti-collision technology.

Further he said that the railway plans to encourage startups. On a question by a student on the opportunities for startups in Indian Railways, he said there is an organisation for research designs and standards in railways. 

We should try to get new entrepreneurs in railways and we are looking at partnerships with them, he said.
Ahmedabad: A sedition case here against Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and three of his aides was on Monday committed to the city sessions court by Metropolitan Magistrate S M Kanabar.

The city sessions court will now initiate the procedure to frame charges against Hardik and his three aides, Chirag Patel, Dinesh Bambhaniya and Ketan Patel as the crime branch had filed a chargesheet against them here last month.

Hardik is currently lodged in Surat Jail (in connection with another sedition case there), while the three others are lodged in Sabarmati Jail here. All of them were produced before the Metropolitan Court today.

The copies of chargesheet were handed over to their lawyers during an earlier hearing. After their production today, Hardik, who was brought here yesterday, was taken back to Surat while the three others were sent to Sabarmati Jail.

Several supporters of Hardik gathered outside the court during the hearing and raised slogans demanding immediate release of the 22-year-old Patel quota agitation spearhead and other jailed leaders.

Hardik and his aides are facing charges under IPC sections 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against government) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) in the case filed against them by Ahmedabad crime branch in October last year.

The police had in their chargesheet termed the quota agitation spearheaded by Patel as a "pre-planned conspiracy" that was hatched to put pressure on the state government to accept their "unconstitutional demand of quota."

On January 18, the city crime branch had filed a chargesheet, running into around 2,700 pages, against Hardik and the three others in the Metropolitan Court.

Apart from the main chargesheet, having statements of 502 witnesses, police attached Call Detail Records (CDR), call interception transcripts, CDs containing video and audio clips and forensic reports of mobile phones of the Patel leaders.

As per the chargesheet, Hardik and his aides, all part of agitating body Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), were involved in inciting Patel youths to resort to violence as part of their pre-planned conspiracy, to put undue pressure on government to accept their demand to give reservation to their community under OBC category.

Despite knowing the fact that it is not possible for government to accept this demands, Hardik and others deliberately indulged in activities, which are subject to sedition and conspiracy to wage war against government, the chargesheet said.

When Hardik was briefly detained at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad on August 25 last year after their mega rally, all his close aides deliberately spread misleading messages among his community claiming that Hardik was wrongfully arrested, stated the chargesheet.

Such inflammatory messages and rumours resulted in mass scale riots across Gujarat, which forced police to impose curfew in several parts of the state, as people resorted to stone pelting, arson and damaging public property for almost four days, stated the chargesheet.

Police said that due to such activities of the PAAS leaders, 457 FIRs related to arson, assault and rioting were filed across Gujarat between July 7 and December 3 last year.

As per the chargesheet, property worth around Rs 40 crore was damaged in the violence. The chargesheet alleged that 203 policemen as well as police officers were injured in the violence, while one constable Dilip Rathva died in Surat.
A leopard attacks a well-known wildlife activist and conservationist, Sanjay Gubbi, during an operation to tranquilise the wild animal that strayed into the Vibgyor High School campus at Thubarahalli off Varthur Main Road in Bengaluru on Sunday (Photo: R. Samuel)

Bengaluru: It was not the usual, peaceful Sunday for the residents of Varthur around Vibgyor School. An unusual visitor, a stray leopard, on the school premises led to tension and violent drama throughout the day. The scared leopard, which was looking to escape, attacked and injured two people, before being transquilised.

Well-known wildlife activist Sanjay Gubbi and Benna, the driver of Chief Conservator of Forest, Bengaluru, were attacked and injured by the big cat. They were immediately admitted to Apollo Hospital, where their condition is said to be stable.

WATCH: Leopard strays into Vibgyor School campus in Kundalahalli (Bengaluru)https://t.co/bt1bLI1I8P  ANI (@ANI_news) February 7, 2016

The leopard was first spotted by school security guards Samuel and Babu around 5.30 am near the school toilet rooms. They immediately alerted the police, who in turn informed forest department officials.

Read: Leopard takes Bengaluru school on toll, 12-hour operation to trap big cat

The police arrived at the spot around 8 am, and soon forest department officials too reached the spot. In fact, the leopard had been captured by school CCTV cameras at 4 am and again at 4.13 am, skulking through the school corridors.

The leopard jumped on the school walls, trying to look for an escape route. An eyewitness said, The leopard became furious after it was darted. It was evident that the big cat was trying to get out of the school.

Where did it come from?

It's very difficult to say where the leopard has come from, as it is an open area. I suspect that it could be from the areas around Whitefield, where there are bushy plains and hillocks. The area has been the habitat of leopards and other wild animals. Mr Ravi Ralph, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife).

Who is Sanjay Gubbi?

Mr Sanjay Gubbi has been working for conservation of wildlife, especially tigers, in the Western Ghats of Karnataka for a long time. Apart from the several popular articles in English and Kannada, he has authored Vanyajeevigala Jaadu Hididu (On the Trail of Wildlife), a book in Kannada, and co-edited another one, Vanyajeevigala ramyaloka (The Delightful World of Wildlife).

Under the spotlight

4 am & 4.13 am: Leopard caught on CCTV cameras of the school

5.30 am: School security guards Samuel and Babu spot the leopard and alert the school authorities

8 am: Police and forest officials reach the spot

9 am: Forest officials arrive

9-3 pm: No sign of the leopard on the school premises

4 pm: The leopard jumps onto the school premises again

5.30-6 pm: Leopard attacks wildlife activist Sanjay Gubbi and a forest officials driver, Benna

6.30 pm: Leopard is tranquilised
DC CORRESPONDENT

BENGALURU: The 21-year-old Tanzanian girl studying in Acharya Institute, who was allegedly stripped by a mob in Soladevanahalli on January 31, would be attending classes this week.

She and her friends, who were traveling in a car, were attacked by a mob after another car driven by a Sudanese national had fatally run over a local resident, Shabana Taj (35).

One of her friends said that the architecture student will soon be resuming her classes. She is much better than before and has come back to her room, he said.

H.D. Malleshappa, Principal, Acharya Institute of Technology, said, The Tanzanian student was not attending classes after the incident. Till Saturday, she was busy with the High Commission officials from Tanzania. She is expected to resume classes from this week.

Meanwhile, the attendance of African students, which had seen a 20% drop after the incident, is improving with more students attending classes.

Yes, there was a fall in the attendance of the African students in the college after the news broke out on Wednesday. However, when the police officials met with the students assuring them of safety and security along with the officials from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations urging the students to resume the classes, on Friday and Saturday majority of the students attended the classes, Malleshappa added.

When DC asked about the peace meeting, which was scheduled to be held by the college management with Gram Panchayat and locals in the presence of police, Malleshappa added, As of now, the college is not going to conduct a meeting with the locals and Gram Panchayat immediately, keeping the sensitivity of the issue in mind.

The city police have stepped up the security in and around Hesaraghatta.
Hyderabad: In the first week of September last year, Home Guard Minakshi (name changed) panicked when she got an unusual order from her boss, Deputy Superintendent of Police A. Lakshminarayana.

Knowing she had lost her husband, the DSP, posted at the Armed Reserve in Ranga Reddy district, had been calling her over the phone. His harassment started weeks after she was posted to his office.

Though this order did not seem official, Minakshi had to follow it. He asked me to go to his house, Minakshi later told investigation officials.

She doubted his intentions, and she wanted to put the harassment to an end. When I reached his house, I secretly switched on my phones sound recorder, she said.

In his official quarters at Vikarabad, Lakshminarayana made advances to Minakshi. She begged him not to, but he was adamant. Their conversation was recorded on the phone. She took the evidence to the police.

On January 30, Telangana DGP suspended Lakshminarayana on the charges of molestation. His act has brought disrepute to the police department, the DGP said.

Lakshminarayana is not the only one who brings disrepute to TS police. The police department has many such officials. A few are caught and others are still having a free run.

The extent of male chauvinism in this department is alarming. Even the Bihar police might not have such a horrible misogynistic working culture, said a senior woman IPS official.Not only junior cops, SI-level women personnel cannot escape the overt misogyny.

In 2013, the woman sub inspector of Shankarpally was threatened by a male SI who was her junior. He even pointed a revolver at her. Both were later called to the police headquarters on this issue, said a source in the DGP office.

The woman SI, in charge of the police station was only asking her colleague to comply with the procedures, and that irked him.

In the last week of September 2014, then Abids inspector T. Uma Maheswar Rao was suspended on charges of sexual assault on a woman cop. Strangely, no criminal case was booked against him.

Read: Telangana police force: One-third posts for women in 2016

Last year, Secunderabad Railway SP Janardhanan was accused of misbehaving with a female colleague. Many junior women cops, especially those posted in district police stations, have a tough time getting married.

It is quite possible that their immediate seniors and superiors exploit them sexually. That would harm the marriage prospects of these women, as gossips would have spread within the department and outside, said a senior police officer.

Women personnel get relegated as receptionist at police stations

While top cops talk big on people-friendly policing and community policing, many women personnel are put as receptionists and many are posted at the front desk of police stations. Other duties of women cops include bandobust and escort. Crime investigation is largely monopolised by men.

In women police stations, female cops might get a chance to investigate marital dispute cases. It is very hard to find women cops who investigate other cases in common police stations or in special wings of the state police. Whenever I was posted to a police station, I was given administrative charges, never crime investigation, said a woman sub-inspector.

Women SIs and CIs are usually pushed to insignificant posts in the state police headquarters, commissioners office, IT and passport verification cell. Hyderabad has no female station house officers, except in women PS and Lake police.
Smoke is seen billowing out of the Taj Hotel in south Mumbai during security personnels Operation Cyclone following the 26/11 attacks in 2008. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai/New Delhi: India will tell Pakistan to act swiftly against the Mumbai terror attack accused, especially against Pakistani state actors and JuD chief and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed after David Coleman Headley spilled the beans on the direct role of Pakistans ISI and other state actors in the carnage.

Headleys video deposition in a Mumbai court Monday is the first case of deposition via video link from overseas.

Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said the testimony by Headley will end the ambiguity on the role of Pakistani state and non-state actors in the Mumbai attack and help India take the case to a logical conclusion. Sources said if need be a fresh dossier may be sent to update the evidence shared with Pakistan.

Earlier, in his deposition, Headley said, However, foreigners are not allowed in Fata (Federally Administered Tribal Area) in Pakistan, and they thought I was a foreigner and arrested me. At that time, Maj. Sajid Mir came to interrogate him because as an ISI officer it was his duty to interrogate people arrested in that area.

Headley added he was then carrying literature on India, that made the authorities arrest him. But he also had with him a Pakistani identity card, and when it was proved he was a Pakistani they let him go.

Headley then testified that Maj. Mir thought he (Headley) could be useful for them, so he introduced him to ISIs Maj. Iqbal, and it was at their instance that he changed his name and got issued a new passport and a business visa for India.

Maj. Iqbal was happy to see it (business visa for India) and approved it, added Headley.

With this visa, he came to Mumbai seven times before the 26/11 attacks. He also visited Delhi once.

After getting the visa Maj. Mir asked him to set up an office in Mumbai so he could visit the city easily, and his first assignment in Mumbai was to prepare a general video of the city.

I was intending to go to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops but I didnt go as I was told I was too old to go to Kashmir, Headley said in his statement as an approver in the court of special judge G.A. Sanap on Monday.

He told the court: Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi (of LeT) told me I am not fit to go to Kashmir, and that they would use me for some other purpose.

Headley also testified on how the ISI and LeT trained him to gather Intelligence and do a recee of Mumbai.

headley info1
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said Arunachal Pradesh Governor J.P. Rajkhowa cannot summon at his whims the state Assembly session after he decided to advance it by nearly a month to test the majority of the crisis-hit Congress-led Nabam Tuki government.

The Governor cannot summon the assembly session at his whims. The occasion has not arisen here (in Arunachal Pradesh) as we have been saying from the beginning. Here the situation was not so, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice J.S. Khehar observed. Arunachal Pra-desh is currently under Presidents rule.

The court also said there was nothing wrong if a no-confidence motion is passed against the Tuki government, which faced a rebellion, in the state assembly when the Deputy Speaker was in charge of the House proceedings after removal of the Speaker.

The court made the observations when during the hearing senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for some rebel Congress MLAs, reiterated his stand that the Governor was not barred from summoning the assembly session on his own, without the aid and advice of the Chief Minister and his council of ministers.

The only precondition is that there has to be some business to be transacted by the House and the Governor is not barred, he said.
Army and IAF specialised teams search on Monday for the bodies of the soldiers hit by an avalanche in Siachen Glacier. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: In what can only be described as a miracle, one of the Indian Army soldiers trapped and buried under a sheet of ice at the Siachen Glacier was pulled out alive by Army rescuers.

Read: Army releases names of Siachen avalanche victims

The bodies of the other nine soldiers were also pulled out. The soldier who was found alive was identified as Lance Naik Hanumanthappa. The Udhampur-based Northern Command said he was being rushed to hospital and described his condition as critical.

The Army had to burrow through more than 35 feet of ice and snow before finding the soldier and nine other bodies.

The ten soldiers were buried under a wall of ice that collapsed on them at the icy glacier which is the world's highest and coldest battlefield. The very fact that a soldier was found alive at such icy depths after a few days is being described as a medical miracle.

However, the Northern Command confirmed the deaths of the other nine soldiers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier condoled the deaths of all the soldiers after authorities had virtually given up hope of finding them alive. However, the Army had persisted with its rescue efforts.

Read: Hope dies for 10 Army soldiers buried in Siachen, PM 'salutes' their bravery

On February 3, a huge wall of frost and snow had crashed into the remote Siachen Glacier, smothering a vast area which also had an Army camp located on it in the southern side of the area. The post was being manned by a Junior Commissioned Office (JCO) and nine soldiers when the incident occurred. Among the victims four are from Tamil Nadu, three including the JCO from Karnataka and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra.

Earlier on Monday, Army rescuers including specialist high altitude teams retrieved the frozen body of one soldier after excavating a new site in their search for ten jawans buried by a deadly avalanche that swept through their post in Siachen glacier area at a height of 19,600 feet in eastern Ladakh last week.

Read: Army recovers body of one of 10 soldiers from Siachen
The police said that it was a celebration as a local SP contestant, Nafisa, had won. (Representational image)

Lucknow: An eight-year-old boy was killed in celebratory firing that took place by Samajwadi Party workers after the results of the panchayat polls were announced on Sunday evening.

The incident took place in Shamli district and the child was travelling on a rickshaw when he was hit by a bullet.

The video released by the UP police which has gone viral shows a group of armed persons, around 5 to 6 of them holding revolver and two-bore guns and firing openly on road. The police said that it was a celebration as a local SP contestant, Nafisa, had won.

Later, a DSP was attached to the DGP office and a inspector has been suspended.
The news from Bahrain Air Show is exhilarating. The Indian Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas, captured everybodys imagination by its flight manoeuvres. The two ace pilots Commodore Maolankar and Group Captain Rangachari made the nation proud with impressive aerobatics that pushed the aircraft against eight times the gravity pull, the so-called 8G. If we have to believe the rumour mills of the air show, a few countries have shown interest in acquiring our Tejas for their fleet.

The dream of every Indian aircraft designer is now being realised. It has been a long time coming, almost two decades after the country decided to design and build an indigenous fighter aircraft.

The story of indigenous design in those decades before the LCA programme was launched was a depressing one. After the HF-24 Marut, there were no indigenous design efforts to speak of. India lost a generation of aeronautical engineers to other countries since we had no aircraft programmes of our own worth speaking about. In spite of Bengaluru having many aeronautical laboratories, there was no programme to integrate the expertise. In the early 80s, the countrys political leadership realised the importance of an indigenous aircraft to replace the MiG fleet.

In 1982, one of us (V.S. Arunachalam) was appointed as a scientific adviser to the defence minister. His appointment was considered unusual at that time as this was the first time a DRDO scientist was appointed to that post, was much younger than the conventional appointee to the post of secretary. He in turn chose a young design engineer (Kota Harinarayana) as programme director for an indigenous aircraft programme.

There were many steps that were considered unusual at that time. We insisted that this programme should not be run by a government department or by a corporation, but by a society. Unlike a government programme with the attendant bureaucracy, the society format provided both financial and organisational flexibility.

Thus, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) was born. As we wanted the programme to start immediately, we bypassed the conventional methods of recruitment. We invited and took on deputation over hundreds of professionals from HAL and many scientists and engineers from DRDO and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research laboratories.

Overnight, ADA became a viable dynamic society with a clear mandate to build an outstanding fighter aircraft. This was also one of the rare occasions where the laboratory, industry and academia, irrespective of their organisational structure, worked as a single unit. The political and administrative leadership, enthused by ADAs commitment and the speed of implementation, joined in the chorus.

The administrative and financial decisions came fast and in affirmation. For validating our designs we planned to work with a few foreign design bureaus and also gain access to some of their facilities and design tools. This was during the Cold War. Foreign countries jealously guarded their technical capabilities and refused to share it.

They were also not confident of Indias capability of building an aircraft. A few other countries sent their senior defence officials, ostensibly to persuade us to abandon the programme: Too hard and too difficult to build good aircraft, they argued. Newspaper articles were also plenty, criticising ADAs reckless ambition with little competence and track record. But we persevered.

For the design, our engineers chose a compound tailless delta configuration, different from other aircraft of this class. We also chose advanced carbon composite material for most of the airframe and airwings that made the aircraft light with minimal radar image. The cockpit was designed to be most up-to-date where everything was digital and software driven. For the fly-by-wire system that controls the flight, we chose a digital system with sufficient redundancy. Our foreign consultants were hesitant to recommend this design and, in fact, walked out.

All these technologies were subject to embargos and denials by Western nations. In fact, at one stage, the US prevented our acquiring even normal electronic components in reaction to the Pokhran tests. These denials and embargos only made us determined. The Tejas carbon composite airframe, utility systems, quadruplex digital flight control system, and the weapon management system  all considered complex  were designed and built in India. Thanks to the indigenous capabilities, all the core technologies were developed here.

Thousands of men and women, have worked tirelessly for over two decades to bring the aircraft to this stage. Thus, the LCA programme not only enabled design and development competence in ADA, but also setup the National Flight Test Centre to test the aircrafts flight performance. At the time of writing, the Tejas has flown 3,061 sorties totalling 1,954 flight hours without a single accident. This may be a world record in prototype development. Soon, it will enter service and perform on the frontline. Our responsibility now is to provide the defence services with aircrafts in adequate time.


Lord Ram is back in the courts. Some-one tried to sue him for domestic violence in the Treta Yug, and in return his followers have sued the complainant for defamation this week. Some of his other followers are readying to sue elderly Indian politicians for demolishing his home in Ayodhya while razing the Babri Masjid in 1992. Of course we know how busy our courts are, so we may have to wait a millennium or two to get the verdicts on all these, but that would pass in just a blink of the Lords eye.

Pardon? You think trying to sue Lord Ram is absurd? Well, yes, it would have been absurd earlier, but not any more. You see, times have changed. We have now dragged Lord Ram from his celestial plane down to our own rather mundane level, and given him a clear identity as a resident of Uttar Pradesh. The Allahabad High Court verdict of 2010 made him a historical figure  when Ram Lalla, the infant god, won the court battle for property at Ayodhya.

As a historical figure he was no longer the Ram of the pluralistic Hindu cultural tradition who could be imagined and re-imagined differently by his many devotees  a god who was born in countless ways, as Tulsidas put it. He was now confined to being Bhagwan Sri Ram Virajaman, born in Ram Janmabhoomi, Ayodhya, a long-term litigant in the property battle that he won in 2010.

In Indian law, a Hindu deity can be recognised as a legal person with their own rights and duties, their own worldly possessions and their right to sue or be sued. Given this, it is not absurd that Sri Ram is sued for domestic violence.

Last week, advocate Thakur Chandan Singh, a proud Hindu from Sitamarhi, the birthplace of Sita in Bihar, filed a case against Lord Ram and Lakshman for cruelty towards Sita. How could Ram, he asked, send his pregnant queen off to a forest full of wild beasts? It was a grave injustice towards Sita Devi, the perfect, devoted wife who had voluntarily taken on many hardships for 14 years simply to be with Ram when he had been exiled.

How could Ram banish her  knowing she was innocent  simply because some spies said a washerman cast aspersions on her character? I am in court, he said, begging for justice for Sita. He believes that if Sita gets justice, it will set an example that could change the attitude of Indian men and help in significantly lessening gender injustice.

Sadly, though, the court couldnt figure out how to deal with this case. Who, asked the court, should be punished for such an ancient incident? And who were the petitioners witnesses? Also, on which exact date did Ram banish Sita? Since the lawyer seemed unsure of his replies to these queries, the case was quickly dismissed.

Which is prudent. Who wants to open the Pandoras box of the many flagrant injustices that our gods have carried out against other gods or lesser beings? Its best to let bygones be bygones.

Take Ram himself. Can one really rectify the wrong he did to Sita? No. But justice for Sita could simply mean making it socially and culturally acceptable to admit that Ram the Maryada Purushottam was morally wrong in exiling Sita to the forest. Apart from being completely heartless  especially since she was also pregnant at the time and particularly vulnerable alone in the wilderness.

Merely accepting that this was not what a good king would do  that the demands of morality should be prioritised over the pragmatic demands of managing the masses and their vicious tongues  would go a long way in changing unacceptable social attitudes, especially towards women.

But if Ram is used to further the cause of gender justice, could the cause of dalits be far behind?

Have we forgotten how King Ram went in search of the low caste ascetic who was so deep in his austere penance that the gods were worried? Well Ram found Shambuka and as soon as the ascetic, in his upside down yogic posture, had exclaimed happiness at seeing Ram and told him that he was doing all this to get a place in heaven though he was born a shudra, Ram swiftly cut Shambukas head off. The gods were delighted that the heavens were safe from this low-caste man.

And Ram was happy that his subjects would not suffer terrible misfortunes due to this atrocious arrogance of a shudra. So soon we may have someone file a case for justice for Shambuka under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Then there may be justice for Bali, and so on. No, allowing this case seeking justice for Sita would be a problem.

Instead, it is best to nip such thoughts in the bud. So there have been three cases slapped against advocate Thakur Chandan Singh for defamation and for offending Hindus.

These have been carefully sorted out and sent off to other courts. If the court dismisses a case against Lord Ram for lack of evidence, can it genuinely take up a case of Lord Rams defamation? Would depend on the politics of the day, I guess.

Which brings us to the case that is about to be filed also involving Ram. Twenty-three years after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha is readying to file a case against L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and others who were present when the Masjid was demolished in 1992. Ram Lalla lived right there, they say, under the domes of the mosque destroyed. And so in razing the mosque the karsevaks and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders had also in effect razed a temple.

This was not in the interest of Hindus and the Hindu Mahasabha was set on getting justice for Ram and his followers. They would also push for a Ram temple, they said, and a mosque to make up for both the destroyed temple and the mosque. And would include Muslims in their planning. This had nothing to do with the Vishwa Hindu Parishads Ram temple.

As you know, once you get embroiled in court cases in India, you cannot get out quick and clean. And our dear Ram, praise the Lord, is no exception. Not anymore. Not after the Allahabad high court made him a UPite.
Twitter will reorder tweets to prioritize those it believes more users will want to see.

New York: The hashtag #RIPTwitter became the top trending U.S. item on Twitter on Saturday, after a report from BuzzFeed said the company is planning to change how it displays users tweets.

The BuzzFeed report, which went live on Friday night and did not disclose the source of its information, said the social media platform will reorder tweets to prioritize those it believes more users will want to see. Currently, Twitter arranges tweets in chronological order.

The response to the news on Twitter was overwhelmingly negative, with the hashtag #RIPTwitter suggesting many users of the micro-blogging site believe the changes would mean the death of the company.

Many users were upset that tweets from accounts with fewer followers could possibly be suppressed under the new system. Others complained that the changes would make Twitter too much like Facebook , which arranges content through the use of an algorithm.

Dear Twitter, dont try to be like Facebook, we dont like Facebook #RIPTwitter, tweeted ana (@dearcalumthood) on Saturday. Clearly the motto 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' is something @twitter isn't familiar with #RIPTwitter, tweeted EldestSalvatore (@EldestDamon) on Saturday.

A spokesperson for Twitter declined to comment. Twitter has come under increasing pressure to boost user growth, as it struggles to attain advertising revenues equaling those of its larger Facebook rival.

Last month, Twitter came under fire when it announced a new feature that would allow users to post tweets up to 10,000 characters long, up from its previous limit of 140 characters.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Websites and apps cant pay telecom operators to ensure that subscribers can access their content on the Internet for free or at a lesser price. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Ruling in favour of net neutrality in the country, telecom regulator Trai on Monday barred all telecom operators from offering discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content. This implies that telecom operators will have to charge the same price for data used, irrespective of website or app accessed by the consumer.

Websites and apps cant pay telecom operators to ensure that subscribers can access their content on the Internet for free or at a lesser price.

Trais new regulation puts an end to Facebooks Free Basics and Airtels zero rating plans in India. Trai said such plans were violating two key principles of tariff regulation: non-discrimination and transparency.

While the regulation comes into force immediately, it can be challenged in court.

Trai provided for a penalty of Rs 50,000 for each day on service providers if they flout this order. This penalty will be subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Rumours till now had it that by the end of February Samsung will launch the entire Galaxy S7 series, which would include the Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, and Galaxy S7 Edge Plus. However, recently, for no apparent reason, Samsung confirmed that it had cancelled plans to launch the Galaxy S7 Edge Plus.

Latest report from TechRadar throws more light on the reason why Samsung chucked the plans. According to the report, Samsung has cancelled the launch of the smartphone in UK. After keeping the Note 5 out of European market, the company realised its mistake. Therefore, it will launch the Note 6 instead in the month of August.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Jocelyn Elliott, who was kidnapped by an Al Qaeda affiliate group in Burkina Faso, speaks to journalists after her release from captivity. (Photo: Twitter)

Niamey: An elderly Australian woman kidnapped with her husband in Burkina Faso by a group affiliated to Al Qaeda has been freed, neighbouring Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou said on Saturday.

Issoufou presented the woman, Jocelyn Elliott, at a news conference in Dosso, southwestern Niger, and said authorities were intensifying efforts to secure the release of her husband. The pair were seized on January 15.

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said on Friday it had kidnapped the couple and would release the woman unconditionally due to public pressure and guidance from al Qaeda leaders not to involve women in war.

The circumstances of her release and how she arrived in Niger were not immediately clear.

For over 40 years, Dr Ken Elliott and his wife, who are in their 80s, have operated a 120-bed clinic in the town of Djibo near Burkina Faso's border with Mali.

Their children in Australia said they were "deeply grateful for the safe release of our mother Jocelyn".

"We are trusting that the moral and guiding principles of those who have released our mother will also be applied to our elderly father who has served the community of Djibo and the Sahel for more than half his lifetime," they said a statement.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull thanked the governments of Niger and Burkina Faso for their assistance and confirmed that his government had spoken to Jocelyn Elliott following her release.

The Elliotts were abducted from the town the same day al Qaeda fighters raided a restaurant and hotel in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, and killed 30 people, many of whom were foreigners.
The dead body of a migrant boy lies on the beach near the Aegean town of Ayvacik, Canakkale, Turkey. (Photo: AP)

Istanbul: At least 35 migrants drowned in two accidents in the Aegean Sea on Monday as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, Turkish media said.

Twenty-four died when their boat sank off the district of Edremit in the western province of Balikesir in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

Four people were rescued both by air and by sea in a search and rescue operation by the Turkish coastguard, Dogan news agency said.

The accident came shortly after 11 migrants died in another boat sinking further south, off the port city of Izmir, also apparently trying to reach Lesbos, the agency said.

The coastguard rescued three people.

Turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syria's civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty to Europe.

The deaths came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Turkish officials in Ankara for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe.

The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros ($3.2 billion) in financial assistance.

The EU on Wednesday finally reached an agreement on how to finance the deal.

But the deal and the onset of winter do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said the number of refugees and migrants who perished in the Mediterranean in January alone topped 360.

In January, almost 62,200 migrants and refugees entered Europe through Greece, according to the IOM, most of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Italian penal code 'punishes whoever mistreats a person in their family or a person entrusted to them for reasons of education, care or custody.' (Photo: Pixabay)

London: In a bizarre case, a 42-year-old Italian woman could be jailed for up to six years after her husband took her to court for not doing enough cooking, cleaning at home and chronically neglecting him, media reports said.

The couple live in the village of Sonnino, in the countryside south of Rome.

Her husband, 47, made a formal complaint to the police, saying his wife failed to put meals on the table and left their home in a dreadful mess.

Accusing her of "bad management of domestic affairs", the man complained that for the past two years, he had been chronically neglected by his wife. She failed to clean their house, refused to cook for him and on occasion kicked him out of the bedroom, The Telegraph reported.

The police decided to send the matter to trial, with the woman facing between two and six years in prison if found guilty of the charge of "mistreatment within the family", the report said.

The Italian penal code "punishes whoever mistreats a person in their family or a person entrusted to them for reasons of education, care or custody."

The trial is due to start in the town of Latina on October 12 and will be presided over by a female judge Mara Mattioli.
A soldier patrols at the military airport in Prague. The Czech government paid a $6-million ransom to secure the release of two women kidnapped by armed men in Pakistan. (Photo: AP)

Prague: The Czech government paid a $6-million (5.4-million-euro) ransom to secure the release last year of two women kidnapped by armed men in Pakistan, the Respekt weekly reported in its Monday edition.

Czech psychology students Hana Humpalova and Antonie Chrastecka, both 24 at the time, were seized by armed men in March 2013 in Pakistans southwestern Balochistan province, near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran.

The pair had entered from Iran as tourists and were escorted into Pakistan by a tribal policeman.

In a video released shortly after their kidnapping, the two young women had pleaded for the release of Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui, jailed in 2010 in the United States on charges of terrorist links.

After two years in captivity, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka announced the womens release and return to Prague on March 28, 2015.

Negotiations with the kidnappers on the payment of a ransom were carried out by the Czech states Security Council, according to Respekt.

The talks werent easy, but in the end, none of us wanted to assume responsibility for the death of two young girls, the weekly quoted an anonymous participant in the negotiations as saying.

The decision to hand over the ransom was taken unanimously, the source added.

Government spokesperson Martin Ayrer said that Sobotka will not be commenting on this report.

The Respekt report comes just days after five Czech men, who were kidnapped in Lebanon last July, were freed into the care of Lebanese security forces.

Their release appeared to be tied to the detention of a Lebanese man in Prague, with a Lebanese security official telling AFP: The release of the five Czechs... is the final part of an exchange deal, (that) includes the release of the Lebanese detainee in Prague, Ali Taan Fayyad.

That release, announced on February 2, received an indignant reaction from the US ambassador who said Pragues actions would encourage terrorists and criminals.
Mourners hold slogans at a vigil for slain Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni in front of the Italian embassy in Cairo, Egypt. (Photo: AP)

Rome: A second autopsy on the body of an Italian found slain in Egypt reveals that the doctoral student suffered "inhuman, animal-like" violence, Italy's interior minister said on Sunday as he pressed Egypt's president to fully cooperate with the criminal investigation.

Rome prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into the death of Giulio Regeni, whose battered corpse was found near a highway outside Cairo nine days after he was reported missing in the Egyptian capital.

Italy's ambassador, who viewed the body a few hours after Egyptian authorities told Italy about its discovery on Feb 3, had already said the victim showed signs of a brutal beating and torture, and a second autopsy, following one done in Egypt by authorities there, was performed late Saturday in Rome after the body was flown to Italy.

Interior minister Angelino Alfano said on a Sky TV interview show on Sunday that he still hasn't gotten his breath back after learning the shocking results of the latest autopsy.

Official results, still partial, are being relayed to the Italian prosecutors. The Italian news agency ANSA, citing unidentified sources close to the Italian coroners, said the findings led to the conclusion that Regeni's neck was twisted or struck, breaking a vertebra and leaving him unable to breathe. It said he suffered various other fractures as well.

Analyses of tissue and body fluid, which could help pinpoint or at least narrow the time frame when Regeni died, are expected to take several days.

"We had to view the results of the autopsy," Alfano said, referring to Italian authorities. Regeni suffered "something inhuman, animal-like, an unacceptable violence," he said.

Alfano pressed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to ensure cooperation in the investigation, noting that Italian police dispatched to Cairo on Saturday started working with their Egyptian counterparts on the case.

"I am convinced that it is in the interest of el-Sissi to work together,'' Alfano said. ``No one can bring Giulio back to life, but bring the truth to the surface will perhaps be able to save more lives.''

For years, rights groups have accused Egyptian police of regularly torturing detainees. Over the past year, they have also accused them of using "forced disappearances'' _ detaining suspected activists or Islamists in secret without reporting their arrest.

The Egyptian Association for Rights and Freedoms documented 314 such disappearances in 2015, according to a lawyer, Halem Henish. Most later turned up in prison, but at least five were found at the morgue, including one with signs of torture like burns and electric shocks. He said the group has documented 35 disappearances so far in 2016, including at least two of whom have died.

Regeni had been in Cairo for a few months, as part of his PhD research into Egyptian labour movements. He disappeared on Jan 25 after leaving his apartment to travel by subway to meet a friend in downtown Cairo. January 25 is the anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising, and security forces were on high alert and heavily present in the streets to prevent any demonstrations.

On Jan 31, the Italian foreign ministry in an unusually candid statement, called on Egypt to put "maximum effort'' into finding Regeni, after saying the young man "mysteriously disappeared.''

After the body's discovery was first revealed, some Egyptian authorities initially attributed Regeni's death to a road accident.
Workers set up tents for displaced Syrians at a temporary refugee camp in northern Syria near Bab al-Salameh border crossing with Turkey. (Photo: AP)

Kilis, Turkey: Outside a hospital in the Turkish border town of Kilis, a young nurse sums up the concerns of many residents about Syrian refugees. "I already feel I am not in Turkey," says Tugba Kaya.

"It's like Syria here. Every step you take in Kilis you come across a Syrian."

As Turkey ponders whether to let in tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing a major Russian-backed regime offensive around Aleppo, Kaya said she feared the consequences of yet another influx.

The town is the only major urban centre in Turkey with a majority of Syrians, and the feeling among many locals is that it can take no more.

"Life here would be paralysed in the face of a mass exodus," Kaya added.

Since the start of the Syrian civil war nearly five years ago, Turkey has become the biggest country for Syrian refugees, with more than 2.7 million on its soil.

Of those only 250,000 of them live in camps, with the rest in urban areas.

The latest wave of refugees including women and children has been massing at Syria's Bab al-Salama border crossing since Friday.

And with opposition forces and 350,000 civilians in rebel-held areas of the divided city of Aleppo facing a possible government siege, at least 70,000 more are expected to head to the border unless Damascus stops its assault.

Unemployment and Hunger

The town of just under 100,000 lies five kilometres (three miles) north of the Turkey-Syria border, some 10 kilometres from the Syrian town of Azaz.

Turkish officials estimate that there are around 120,000 Syrians living in Kilis, about 34,000 in camps.

Resident Yasar Mavzer said the influx was having serious consequences for locals.

"Unemployment and hunger among the Turkish population of the town abound because of so many Syrians. Rents have skyrocketed," he said, angrily. "The state must take care of its people first."

The middle-aged man accused the Turkish government of forgetting its own people by taking in so many refugees.

"Everything is for Syrians. Jobs, houses... The people here are also human beings," he said. "It would be much better if Syrians were sheltered in a safe zone inside Syria, rather than in Turkey."

Mehmet Zeytcioglu, 50, owner of a grocery shop in Kilis, said the sheer number of Syrians was putting pressure on jobs.

"Our Kilis is a small town which is unable to bear such a large number of people," he said, adding: "Let Allah help them too."

Murat Erdogan, director of the Migration and Politics Research Centre at Ankara's Hacettepe University, said Turkish residents' unease was "natural" and should be taken seriously.

Advantages, he said, included a revival in trade and jobs for locals at the camps, but he said there were also disadvantages.

"There are disruptions in municipal services and the number of crimes could increase if more Syrians flock to the town, testing the patience of locals," he said.

Residents are also concerned about security.

The town has been hit several times by shells fired from the Syrian side and the thud of explosions from the latest offensive can be felt in the town.

"I am very scared. I believe our lives are in danger," added Kaya.

Court to coffee shop

Syrians in the town, meanwhile, have tried to reclaim their lives, setting up their own shops and businesses.

Mohamad Hamidi, who was a lawyer in Syria, now runs a cafe in Kilis.

With Arabic music playing in the background, Hamidi said he had established a new life in the town and been made to feel welcome by locals.

"I was financially in a good state when I arrived in Turkey in 2013, so I rented this shop. I've been working here since then. I went from being a lawyer to a coffee shop employer," he said.

"We are always in touch with Turkish people who always come to my cafe... Turkish people have received us Syrians well. They treat us better than Jordanian and Lebanese people."

But however welcoming Turkey may have been, it is still not home, according to Syrian mother Sabah Al-Ali.

Although grateful to Turkey for giving her a safe haven, she yearns for the day when she can return home to Aleppo.

"We are living here but it's not like we feel at home because our country is precious to us," she said.

"That is where our home is."
"These issues suggest that as an entity that is determined to hold onto territory, the Islamic State is not sustainable," Jacob Shapiro, an expert on the Islamic State who teaches politics at Princeton University, was quoted as saying. (Photo: AP)

Damascus, Syria: The ISIS' recent defeats signify its worsening money problems, desertions and a dwindling pool of fighters with many of them joining rival militant groups after facing pay cuts, according to a media report.

Citing top analysts and monitoring groups, the Washington Post reported that the recent losses of the terror group are linked to its struggles to pay fighters and recruit new ones to replace those who have deserted, defected to other militant groups or died on the battlefield.

US-backed Kurdish and Arab forces have seized significant amounts of territory from the extremist group in the parts of Iraq and Syria where it declared a caliphate in 2014.

"These issues suggest that as an entity that is determined to hold onto territory, the Islamic State is not sustainable," Jacob Shapiro, an expert on the Islamic State who teaches politics at Princeton University, was quoted as saying.

There appears to be a rise in the number of Islamic State fighters who have deserted or, in the case of the Syrian conflict, defected to other militant groups, Vera Mironova, an expert on armed groups in Syria and Iraq at Harvard University's Belfer Center, was quoted as saying.

The salary and benefit cuts have caused "for-profit militants" in Syria to increasingly "look for better deals" with other armed factions, she said.

The group, she said, is also struggling to replenish ranks of its foreign fighters, who tend to be more ideologically driven but also die in relatively large numbers on the battlefield.

Only a year ago, the Islamic State was seen as a juggernaut rich, organised and fielding thousands of motivated fighters but in recent months, its momentum has been reversed, the report said.

US military officials estimate that the group has lost as much as 40% of the territory it held in Iraq and as much as 20% in Syria, it said.

Kurdish and Arab forces, including Iraq's increasingly competent military, have advanced against the group with the help of airstrikes from a US-led coalition.

The air raids have damaged the Islamic State's oil infrastructure, a key revenue source, and the territorial setbacks have stripped the group of populations to tax and assets to seize, analysts say.

All of this, they say, appears to have forced the group to reduce salaries and benefits for fighters.

Last month media reports had said the terror group's Bayt al-Mal, the Treasury Ministry, has decided to cut the salaries of its fighters in half due to the "exceptional circumstances" ISIS has been witnessing.
The Madhesis, who are inhabitants of the Terai region, were agitating over Nepal's new Constitution demanding more representation. (Photo: PTI)

Kathmandu: Nepal's agitating Madhesis on Monday called off their nearly five-month long blockade at the Indo- Nepal border, bringing relief to the country suffering severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other supplies due to the protests against a new Constitution.

"Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now," said a statement issued after the meeting of United Democratic Madhesi Front leaders.

"The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed," the statement added.

The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier.

The UDMF has announced only three protest programmes including a torch rally, a lathi rally and a people s vote collection campaign in district headquarters.

Nepal's Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.

The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and have launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.

The agitation by Madhesis in Terai region bordering India paralysed services in Nepal and triggered huge shortage of essential supplies, including fuel and medicines, as the protesters blocked all border trade points between the two countries.

Except the Raxaul-Birgunj border point, trade has resumed at all other posts. The Raxaul-Birgunj point was opened briefly a couple of days ago, but it was closed again.

The blockade led to strain in the bilateral ties, with Kathmandu accusing New Delhi of imposing an "unofficial blockade".

However, India maintains that it has imposed no such blockade, and the restrictions are a result of security concerns as Madhesis are protesting the new Constitution in the Terai region of Nepal bordering India.

The UDMF leaders also noted that the comments made by Sadbhawana Party chairman Rajendra Mahato, a key leader of the agitating alliance, have dealt a blow to the Madhes agitation.

"As the latest activities and comments of Sadbhawana Party chairman Mahato have damaged the Madhes agitation, the Madhesi Morcha directs him not to be involved in such activities in the coming days," the statement said.
Credit scores are complicated, so the process of improving them can look different for everyone. Get some helpful tips here, along with more business and economy news in case you missed it.
LEBANON  Lebanon Police Sgt. Jeremy Weber is being credited with notifying a sleeping family of five early Sunday morning that their home was on fire, even before their smoke alarms went off.

The fire that caused extensive damage to a home at Foxfield Mobile Home Park on Vaughan Lane is believed to have started as a wiring failure in a hot tub on the back porch, according to the Lebanon Fire Investigation Team.

The fire has been ruled accidental and not suspicious in nature. Damage estimates were not available.

The Lebanon Fire District Facebook page offers the following account of the incident:

Lebanon Police Sgt. Jeremy Weber was patrolling on southwest 5th Street and was headed toward Vaughan Lane at 2:45 a.m..

He noticed a glow coming from the Foxfield Mobile Home Park area.

Upon arrival, he found that a carport and the south end of a house were heavily involved with fire. Weber raced around the corner and came to a stop in front of the home.

There were three cars in the driveway, Sergeant Weber said, adding that no one was outside the house standing on the sidewalk. The place looked like a ghost town. I thought there had to be somebody inside.

Weber ran to the front door of the home, which was located opposite the side that was on fire and spreading.

He began pounding on the door to wake up the residents. After about a minute he heard the smoke alarms begin sounding inside, and somebody pulled open the front door.

Weber shouted for everybody to get out of the house. The occupant ran back into the house and started collecting his family members and pets. Everyone made it out safely. There were no injuries.

When Lebanon Fire District staff asked the occupants how they got out on time, they said It was Sgt. Jeremy Weber. He saved our lives.

According to a Lebanon Fire District press release, firefighters also reported seeing a glow from the intersection of Crowfoot and South Main Road, about a half mile away from the first incident.

After arriving, firefighters aggressively attacked the largest bulk of the flames coming from the shop.

Prior to arrival, flames had moved into the main house by traveling beneath the breezeway roof structure. At approximately 3:20 a.m., a second-alarm was struck by the incident commander.

Both structures sustained heavy damage and three vehicles were destroyed in the fire.

The Lebanon Fire Districts Fire Investigation Team was on the scene for much of the morning trying to determine the cause of the fire. A total of 11 units from four jurisdictions responded.

Lebanon firefighters were assisted crews from Albany, Brownsville and Sweet Home, as well as the Lebanon Police Department.




[In view of the Sea Hag's return from the depths, I figure I might want to dust off one of my earlier, pre-Northwest novels. Many of you aren' t old enough to remember Back In The Day when all the bodies were d ropping of those who crossed Billyboy. This is good old 1990s Clintonia like Bill and Hill used to make. - HAC]





Chapter III. Enter Three Musketeers

Karen Martin sat on a table, smoking a cigarette and drinking a bottle of Michelob, her long tan legs crossed. She was wearing cut-off blue jeans and a tank top t-shirt over her statuesque torso. Her toenails and fingernails were polished bright neon blue. Her long hair was a luscious, mellow brown, a rare return to her natural color. Her thirty-something face was chiseled, sharp, Scotch-Irish craggy and hard yet handsome and sexy, a map of Ulster via the Appalachians and Broken Bow, Oklahoma.





A snub-nosed .38-caliber revolver in a nylon holster hung off the wide leather belt around her slender, muscular waist, but the real danger was the switchblade carried in her bra. She had killed eight men and three women with it. It was impossible for any man to look at Karen Martin without experiencing a mad desire to throw her on her back; she was one of those women, she knew it, and she used it to destroy men. At age fifteen she had been the most sought-after hooker in New Orleans, no mean accomplishment in a town renowned since the eighteenth century for its belles of the Oldest Profession. Once she had singlehandedly entertained the entire crew of a Gulf oil rig over a Labor Day weekend, leaving on a supply boat that Tuesday morning with every dollar on board in her shoulder bag and every man on the rig knowing hed gotten his moneys worth.



She was dressed in tackies now, but from her huge wardrobe closet in Little Rock she could produce, and wear convincingly as the occasion demanded, a $25,000 Dior evening gown; a stylish executive business suit for glass ceiling-smashing, feminist boardroom wear complete with matching briefcase containing recording gear and weaponry; a black leather dominatrixs outfit including whips and chains; a maxi-dress with hippie love beads and head scarf with matching accessories such as granny glasses and New Age crystal pendant; a nuns habit; policewomens uniforms from New Orleans, Houston, Miami, Little Rock and Atlanta, complete with regulation-issue belts, sidearm, and equipment; and a complete ski outfit including skis which she could handle at competition level on the hardest slopes at Aspen and Vail. Karen Martin was the first of the legendary Clinton family hit team called the Three Musketeers.



Across the living room of the expensive Palm Beach hotel suite, the second Musketeer was talking on the telephone. Bob Blanchette was blond, balding, thin, as nondescript as a grocery store manager, and as lethal as a cobra. A Cajun from Thibodeaux, he was the deadliest professional killer the Dixie Mafia had ever produced. South of the Mason-Dixon line his grisly reputation rivaled John Viscontis in the north and on the West Coast.



Blanchette once organized a riot in the Louisiana state prison at Angola as a cover for his escape, killing two guards in the process. When black criminals in Biloxi, Mississippi had demanded from the cracker mob what amounted to an affirmative action program in the gambling and prostitution businesses along the Gulfport Avenue strip, Bob Blanchette settled their demands with a .45 Browning pistol and a chain saw. The resulting dumping of mangled black flesh offshore had produced an influx of sharks so noticeable that marine biologists wrote learned papers on the baffling subject to this day, being ignorant of the true cause.



A federally protected witness was within days of testifying against the Bandidos motorcycle gangs methamphetamine chemists and putting them all away. Blanchette penetrated a government safe house, killed the informer under the noses of the Witness Protection Service Marshals, decapitated the corpse and Fed-exed the head to the United States Attorney in Houston.



When the Italians tried to move in on the three billion-dollar annual South Carolina video poker business, some well-dressed and well-coiffed Baptist businessmen in Atlanta and Greenville retained the services of Bob Blanchette. To the present day, police in South Carolina still found the charred and gutted remains of Cadillacs with New York and Pennsylvania license plates parked on lonely fire roads and sunk into cypress swamps, their skeletal occupants burned black with lead pellets rattling in shattered skulls.



Interestingly, the paths of Bob Blanchette and John Visconti had almost crossed during this period. Representations were about to be made to Dominic LaBrasca to bring in Johnny Vee for a true celebrity death match, but a combination of federal indictments and other unrelated factors had caused the New York and Philadelphia Cosa Nostra families to put South Carolina on the back burner for the time being. Then in 1992, Bob Blanchette found a new and more powerful employer.



Karen Martin respected Bob Blanchette not only for his skills, his organizing ability, his ruthlessness and his business acumen, but because he was the only man she had ever met whom she had been unable to seduce. Bob had married a small dark Creole girl from the bayous many years before, when he was seventeen and she thirteen, although for the purposes of the license Anne-Marie gave her age as the minimum legal fourteen. They now had six children in a colonial mansion outside Baton Rouge; Anne-Marie was as slim and dark and enigmatically beautiful as she had been on their wedding day twenty-seven years before. So far as anyone in the underworld knew, Bob Blanchette had never touched another woman since his wedding night. When Karen routinely tried to put the moves on him the first time, Blanchette had told her, No, I dont play that. When she tried the second time hed said, I said no. Try it again and Ill kill you. She had believed him, and he had thereby become the only person on earth she respected as a human being rather than as a skilled criminal. A man who was faithful to his wife was a romantic anachronism who fascinated her.



The third man in the room sat on the couch, reading a comic book, and spitting occasional wads of tobacco juice into a Waterford crystal fruit bowl he had appropriated for a spittoon. Luther Lambert stood six feet nine inches and weighed about three hundred and fifty pounds, all of it muscle. His beard was golden and cascaded down his chest almost to his waist, where he tied it into two forks. His yellow hair hung down his back in a ponytail. Elaborate blue and red and yellow and green tattoos curled up his arms and covered his shoulders, snakes and skulls and dragons and naked warrior maidens in horned helmets. Beneath the matted hair on his chest was a beautiful reproduction of Botticellis Venus. On his back was a magnificently wrought tattoo of Jesus Christ, arms outstretched in benediction, marred by a huge penile erection protruding through the Saviors white robes. Tattooed tears ran down his cheeks from his eyes into his beard. His brain was roughly the size of a walnut.



The third Musketeer was an Ozark hillbilly who had dropped out of school in Eureka Springs, Arkansas as soon as he turned sixteen years of age, thus terminating his third run at graduating from the sixth grade. He built his body by doing weight-lifting exercises with a Volkswagen. Luther had once done a couple of seasons as a strong man in a circus, where he performed tugs of war with camels and buffalo and the smaller elephants, and won. A bison once became enraged and charged him, and Luther killed it with a single punch.



He had one talent that seemed to be some kind of natural compensation for his stupidity. Unable to read or write beyond the most rudimentary level, unable to understand the most basic principles of science or engineering, Luther Lambert was a genius with automotive engines. He gained entree into crime through this skill; he could rebuild a Honda Civic with an engine that could outrun the most powerful Highway Patrol pursuit vehicle, which had put his services in high demand with the backwoods moonshine and drug runners.



But Luthers first love was mayhem. He was utterly fearless, because he was too stupid to be afraid of anything. Since teaming up with Bob Blanchette, Luther had been shot and stabbed more than twenty times, the result of Blanchettes habit of using him as a human battering ram and shield in dangerous situations, but Luther never complained. He assumed thats what his large carcass was there for, to provide cover for Bob and Karen. Lamberts body was a mass of scars, but he was for all practical purposes invincible. Two barrels of double-ought buckshot, a full clip from an AK-47, and a whaling harpoon fired from a cannon had all failed to kill Luther Lambert, while the wielders of these weapons had died. Luther tore them to pieces with his bare hands. He could use a gun if he had to, but considered them crass and unsporting. When the time came to get physical, he preferred an axe. Better yet two, one in each hand.



Luther was uniquely qualified for his work by virtue of being a psychopathic sadist. He enjoyed torturing people in order to hear them scream, especially women, all of whom he hated unto death. The one exception to his misogyny was Karen Martin, who was Luthers queen and goddess because she never laughed at him and bought him regular gifts of comic books, Jolly Rancher candies, Red Man chewing tobacco, Whoppers and Big Macs, which latter burgers he devoured ten at a time. He chewed the tobacco and sucked on a dozen of the fruit-flavored Jolly Ranchers at the same time; he liked the taste, and as a result of this practice his expectorations were a bizarre technicolor. Bob Blanchettes role in Luthers primitive weltanschaung was simpler still. Bob Blanchette was God.



Now Blanchette was speaking. She got away, Doofus. Hey, it happen sometime. We aint none of us poifect. Dont worry, we take cay of it. We took cay of that Eye-tie greaseball and well take cay of dis Hollywood bitch for you. Shes a gawd damned star, Doofus, she caint just drop out of sight! Blanchettes accent sometimes caused his employer to confuse him with one of his Cajun advisers. Doofus mumbled something on the phone. Yeah, yeah, hey, Doofus, you know it aint that, I respect de hell out of you, you de man, you mon brave, you know? said Blanchette tiredly. Hey, you know this phone might be tapped. You want us to call you by you real name, huh? Doofus is kind of you code name, so nobody will know what a truly great and powahful man our boss be. Kinda like you de top secret agent. Okay?



Tell Doofus thats my code name for his goddamned crooked dick! yelled Karen. Worst piece of meat I ever sucked! You ever tried to give a blow job at a right angle?



Cant say as I have, replied Blanchette dryly. Whats that? he said into the phone. Oh, Slideen say hello. I sholy calculate you made a big impression on her. Yeah, she keep talking about you, she say you a real man. Hey, you man enough to take care of Slideen you man enough in my book. Sho, de whole country know you got the manpowah, Doofus. Ever woman in America want to give it to you, you oughta know that by now. Look, itll be taken cay of, Doof. Have we ever let you down? We took cay of Parks and Foster and all them others, hey? Now you just quit worrying youself. There aint gonna be no problem. He hung up the telephone. Damn fool. He fucked up. His ass be in total eclipse, said Blanchette in disgust. He musta stuck Colombia up his nose.



This shits getting pretty deep, Bob, said Karen quietly. Every time we pull his flabby ass out of one hole, he digs himself a deeper one. I dont like it. You saw him on TV that time last year, supposed be apologizing to the whole damned nation for getting a few blow jobs from that JAP in his office. He was coked up to his eyeballs right there on the air. Were working for a fucking junkie, and thats stupid business, Bob. You know damned well if he was anybody else we wouldnt touch him with a ten-foot pole. That bitch wife of his hates our guts, and she is gonna send bull dyke Reno and her feds after us if she gets half a chance. I bet you dollars fer donuts shes working on him now, trying to convince him we know too much and were a loose end.



I know it, agreed Blanchette grimly, But we got to clean this last one up. Then we disappear. We got enough money now, but that Hollywood bitch has to go. We dont know how much that dago DeMarco done told her, and we dont know why the hell he tipped her the wink. He aint a problem no more, but she still is. We cant leave her running loose, Slideen. Maybe she even knows our names. It aint just Doofus were protecting, its us. We got to finish this thang.



Ah seen her in the movies, said Luther, sending a cascade of green and purple juice into the Waterford crystal. Shes purty. When we catch her, kin ah make her sing and wiggle some?



You can make her do the hootchie-kootchie with your little blowtorch, Luther, promised Karen. You can toast her up nice and crisp and well give the sharks a nice hot meal for a change.



I like feeding the sharks, said Luther with a sigh, before returning to his comic.




-by Jeffrey Hearn





this election cycle-- was widely reported even before she formally announced her candidacy. Kathleen Matthews has had to face questions regarding her true political identity since day one of her campaign for the open congressional seat in Maryland's Eighth District. Since before then, actually, since her personal campaign contribution to conservative Republican Senator Roy Blunt -- duringelection cycle-- was widely reported even before she formally announced her candidacy.





On the day she announced, therefore, she went out of her way to stress that she was "a lifelong Democrat." She had been inspired to get involved in politics, she said "by a local Congressman where I went to college, who fought against the Vietnam War, who looked at the incumbent President, Richard Nixon, and looked at the corruption that was going on, and fought for his impeachment."





















Pete McCloskey was the kind of Republican who was usually referred to as a liberal Republican if they were on the east or west coast, and as a moderate Republican if they came from the Midwest; the kind of Republican congressman who was a loyal follower of Minority Leader Gerald Ford in the House in those days.





And it is true that he was an opponent of the Vietnam War. In 1972 he even entered the Republican primary in New Hampshire as a protest candidate opposed to sitting President Richard Nixon before turning his attention back to getting himself reelected to Congress.





It was said at the time that McCloskey had managed to win his own congressional primaries in 1972 and 1974 "with Democratic volunteers, money, and votes." The Republican primary in 1974, in a newly drawn district, was an especially close call. McCloskey won by just over 800 votes after his campaign persuaded 4000 Democrats to re-register as Republicans so they could vote for him in that GOP primary. One thousand of those Democrats-turned-Republican came from the Stanford campus.













"Lifelong Democrat" Kathleen Matthews-- maiden name: Kathy Cunningham -- was McCloskey's co-campaign manager in that race. And she was a student at Stanford University at that time. Was she one of those Stanford Democrats who re-registered as a Republican in an effort to help McCloskey survive a tough primary? How could she not have been?





The general election contest against Democrat Gillmor would prove a cakewalk by comparison. McCloskey routed Gillmor 69.1% to 30.9%.









It also didn't help when McCloskey added Watergate "plumber" Egil "Bud" Kroegh to his payroll in 1975, though Matthews did her best to spin the story in her boss's favor: "Kathy Cunningham, press assistant in McCloskey's Palo Alto office, said staffers had received little student reaction to Krogh's hiring."





It was not even clear if McCloskey would run for re-election to his House seat in 1976. There was talk of a Senate run against incumbent Democrat John Tunney. McCloskey probably wouldn't be making a decision until the fall, Matthews told the press . "So far, none of the other candidates are his type of Republican." But by fall Kathleen Matthews had graduated and headed off to Washington, D.C.





"I was inspired by a local Congressman,where I went to college, who fought against the Vietnam War, who looked at the incumbent President, Richard Nixon, and looked at the corruption that was going on, and fought for his impeachment" (Kathleen Matthews, campaign launch event, Silver Spring, Maryland, June 3, 2015)





All of that is true.





But it is a half-truth.





And it's not the only one.

Jeffrey Hearn is an historian by training. He is also a longtime movement progressive and a longtime resident of Marylands Eighth District. And, of course, he is a Jamie Raskin supporter, something he has previously blogged about here. And, of course, Blue America has endorsed Jamie. You can contribute to Bernie's campaign by tapping the thermometer below

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Welcome, Akwaaba

This blog offers to serve as an authentic source of information, and contains articles by Edmund Mingle in The Ghanaian Times, and articles from other authentic sources.
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ~~Thomas Jefferson

"Who will protect us from those who protect us?"

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. ~ Thomas Jefferson



"None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." ~~Goethe
BEAVER CITY, Neb. (AP)  A man faces several charges after 93 cow and calf carcasses were found at his feed yard in southern Nebraska's Furnas County.

Online court records say 59-year-old Steve Clason, of Beaver City, is charged with six counts of abandoning or cruelly neglecting livestock and six counts of improper disposal of a carcass. His attorney didn't immediately return a call Monday from The Associated Press.

An arrest warrant affidavit says the carcasses were found Jan. 18 by a sheriff's deputy who was accompanying officials from Producers Livestock Credit Corp. as they went to repossess cattle from Clason. The dead animals and hundreds of others were collateral for a loan.

Court documents say the other cattle were malnourished and say water tanks for the animals were dry.
A frame from the documentary, titled Cautivas.

In 1937, at the height of the Spanish Civil War, the Republican authorities in Valencia used a former country house on the outskirts of the city as a prison for women related to senior figures in Francos armed forces, as well as politicians and businessmen who supported the uprising.

It is still not entirely clear why they were locked up in the jail known as La Purisima: it may have been to use them as hostages, or simply to protect them from more radical elements in the Republican movement who would have shot them.

There are virtually no studies about the Republican prisons during the Civil War, and even less about jails for female political prisoners

Now, almost 80 years later, a Valencia film company is making a documentary about daily life in La Purisima, which today is a Jesuit spiritual retreat in Alaquas, close to Valencia airport. The producers of Cautivas (Captives) have talked to survivors and the relatives of the women held there, as well as historians such as British historian Paul Preston, who is an expert in the Spanish Civil War.

In the process, the makers have uncovered previously unknown memoirs written by Carmen Primo de Rivera, the sister of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera, the founder of the Falange, the nationalist political party that Franco subsequently incorporated into his project. Antonio Primo de Rivera was captured in the first weeks of the Civil War in Madrid by the Republicans and held in jail in Alicante until his execution in November 1936.

Maria Teresa Lucia, the last prisoner at Alaquas.

In the summer of 1937, Carmen Primo de Rivera was installed in La Purisima along with her sister-in-law, Margot Larios, Pilar Millan Astray (sister of the founder of the Spanish Foreign Legion), Rosario Quiepo de Llano (sister of General Gonzalo Queipo de Llano, known as the Butcher of Seville), Pilar Jaraiz (Francos neice), and several others.

Carmesina Franch, the director of the film, says her aim is to highlight the value of this unknown historic archive and to recreate a story that has never been told. There are virtually no studies about the Republican prisons during the Civil War, and even less about jails for female political prisoners. Each discovery has led us to new lines of investigation, to more hours of research and work.

Franch and her team traveled throughout Spain to track down documents and other material related to La Purisima, looking into national and regional film and radio archives, the Civil War archives in Salamanca, and even those of the French secret service, working alongside academics from Valencia, Madrid and Granada.

The building was beautiful and surrounded by a leafy park with orange trees, palms, eucalyptus and a small pine copse where we were allowed to spend some time on Sundays and Saturday afternoons. Along the wide corridors were the large, well-ventilated cells. From the windows it was possible to see beyond the park to the splendid Valencian countryside, wrote Rosario Queipo de Llano about La Purisima.

The building was beautiful and surrounded by a leafy park with orange trees, palms, eucalyptus and a small pine copse where we were allowed to spend some time on Sundays and Saturday afternoons

From their testimonies, it appears that the women were treated well, says Franch, adding: Those women were a weapon used by the Republic to halt the rebel forces. Within its walls, they certainly lived better than people in Valencia did, who were besieged by Franco. Apparently, such was the fame of La Purisima that one of the staff who worked there later wrote a complaint to the authorities describing it as: not so much a place of confinement as a place of leisure.

In July 1938, as Francos forces closed in on Valencia, the women held in La Purisima were transferred to a jail in Cehegin, in Murcia. Some were also exchanged for Republican prisoners. Rosario Queipo de Llano and Primo de Rivera sailed from Valencia to Gibraltar, while Francos niece was sent to Marseille aboard a British vessel. None of the women there were harmed, although one of the female guards was subsequently executed in the grounds by Francos forces.
Socialist chief Pedro Sanchez in Congress last week. ANDREA COMAS (REUTERS)

The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), which is seeking deals to form a government after more than a month of political gridlock, is going to try to bring together parties with differing views by offering common policies of reform.

The inconclusive election of December 20 has forced parties into an unprecedented series of talks to build enough support for a governing coalition  or failing that, at least to get a candidate appointed prime minister and placed at the helm of a minority government.

Sanchez has already started negotiating a potential governing program with emerging party center-right party Ciudadanos

After weeks of preliminary talks, formal negotiations are getting underway on Monday. Sources at PSOE headquarters in Madrid said it all begins today.

The Socialists came in second at the election but are trying to form an alternative coalition after the winning Popular Party (PP) conservatives failed to present a nominee to the prime ministers office.

But Socialist leader Pedro Sanchezs attempts to build a broad consensus are doing as much to highlight differences as to underscore similarities.

Sanchez has already started negotiating a potential governing program with emerging center-right party Ciudadanos, whose leader he met last week.

On Monday, Socialist representatives were scheduled to meet with Ciudadanos again, then with United Left and with Compromis, a leftist group from Valencia.

However, Sanchez has been unable to make any headway with Podemos, the other major emerging party, because its leader Pablo Iglesias refuses to enter any alliance that includes Ciudadanos.

On Monday, Socialist representatives were scheduled to meet with Ciudadanos again, then with United Left and with Compromis, a leftist group from Valencia

Rather, Iglesias has suggested a three-way governing coalition between the Socialists, Podemos and the United Left. In this scenario, Iglesias would seek the position of deputy prime minister.

Socialist sources said that the renewed talks that begin this week may force the anti-austerity party into explaining why it alone refuses to participate in a program of consensus, while other leftist forces are doing so.

Arent they left-wing and progressive? wondered one source.

Pedro Sanchez, who obtained 90 seats at the election, cannot hope to be voted in prime minister at the upcoming investiture vote  most likely to be held in late February or early March  without support from Ciudadanos (40) or Podemos (69, although four deputies have since broken away). This support could take the form of a yes vote or at the very least of an abstention.

Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has been unable to muster enough backing to ensure his own reinstatement and has adopted a wait-and-see strategy

Podemos and Ciudadanos were the two revelation parties of the latest election. Their strong performance, based on messages of profound change for Spain, attracted disenchanted voters and broke the two-party hegemony long enjoyed by the PP and the PSOE.

Although the PP formally won the election with 123 seats, this is not enough for the congressional majority of 176, and acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has been unable to muster enough backing to ensure his own reinstatement. He has since adopted a wait-and-see strategy in the hopes that Sanchez will fail to cobble together an alternative alliance and be forced to consider a grand coalition of PP and PSOE.

English version by Susana Urra.
Madrid Mayor Manuela Carmena speaks to reporters on Monday. Javier Lizon (EFE)

A Carnival puppet show for kids depicting assassinations and rape has landed its creators in jail and forced the city of Madrid to issue a public apology after initially playing down the incident.

On Monday, Mayor Manuela Carmena apologized at a press conference for having marred the Carnival celebrations with that incredibly deplorable puppet show episode.

I am sorry for ruining Carnival, said Carmena, a former labor lawyer who won the May 2015 municipal elections with a leftist alliance that included the anti-austerity group Podemos. I apologize to all parents for a show that was unacceptable and inadequate for children, truly deplorable.

We defend the freedom of expression and the right for a society to make social and political criticisms through satire

The mayor said that there will be an in-depth investigation into the responsibility of the culture department and the district [of Tetuan, where the show was held] for not checking the content first.

Carmena did not say whether she will remove Madrid culture chief Celia Mayer, as other municipal parties are asking her to do. Mayer has recently come under fire for a separate decision to start taking down city monuments with ties to the Civil War and the Franco regime without properly informing the opposition.

But Madrid City Hall has also denied that the controversial puppet show held for the public on Friday during annual Carnival celebrations was designed to glorify terrorism.

Two members of the theater group are being held behind bars after they were arrested on suspicion of supporting terrorism and violating public rights and liberties. A High Court judge ordered them held in custody, although the suspects have appealed the decision.

Madrid culture chief Celia Mayer. kike para

The arrests came after the puppeteers held up a placard that read Gora-Alka-ETA, or, Long live Al Qaeda-ETA, referring to the Islamic and Basque terrorist groups.

The presentation, La bruja y don Cristobal, which was held on the grounds of the citys water-works company Canal Isabel II in Tetuan, included scenes of a judge being hanged, two police officers beaten, a pregnant woman stabbed and the rape and murder of a nun.

The puppeteers were taken into custody by Madrid municipal police officers after parents complained and called the authorities.

In a statement, Ahora Madrid said that at no time has City Hall linked what occurred with possible crimes related to exalting terrorism

Cultural commissioner Mayer filed a complaint against the company Titeres desde abajo, (or, Puppeteers from below), but she has since insisted that the complaint was never meant to suggest that the performers may have been glorifying terrorist activities.

In a statement, Ahora Madrid said that at no time has City Hall linked what occurred with possible crimes related to exalting terrorism. We defend freedom of expression and the right for a society to make social and political criticisms through satire.

The puppeteering group was due to pocket 1,000 for two shows, but did not get paid.

The two suspects were identified as Alfonso L. de la F., 29, and Raul G. P., 34. High Court Judge Ismael Velasco ordered both of them to be held in custody on Saturday.

English version by Martin Delfin.
Young hoaxer Little Nicolas set to face three criminal charges Youth who managed to gatecrash the kings coronation passed himself off as a secret service agent and government advisor

Francisco Nicolas Gomez Iglesias, better known as Little Nicolas. LUIS SEVILLANO

A Madrid court is getting ready to summons a young man known popularly as Little Nicolas and charge him with impersonation of a public officer, document forgery and bribery.

EL PAIS has learned that Francisco Nicolas Gomez Iglesias, a young socialite who made headlines in 2014 after allegedly passing himself off as a secret service agent and government advisor, is being formally investigated on three counts of criminal activity.

One line of investigation involves a trip he made to Ribadeo (Lugo) in August 2014 posing as an envoy from the Royal Palace.

A search of Gomez Iglesias bank accounts yielded several suspect payments, including a deposit of 100,000 whose origin is unknown

The probe is progressing slowly due to lack of cooperation from National Police officials, according to court papers.

Gomez Iglesias and two municipal police officers will have to tell the judge about the Ribadeo trip, which resulted in a meeting between the young man and a businessman named Jorge Cosmen, of the ALSA transportation group.

Court documents show that Little Nicolas phoned a local restaurant, pretending to be a spokesman for the Spanish royal family, and booked several tables after assuring the owner that the king was going to come in person.

Little Nicolas (right) sitting next to former Madrid mayor Ana Botella of the Popular Party.

He then called the mayor and told him the same story, asking for roads to be cut off to traffic and space made for the monarchs security detail.

The young man ultimately showed up all by himself with a retinue of three luxury cars and a few municipal police officers in tow. The latter are being investigated for allegedly accepting bribes to play along. Little Nicolas could face up to four years in prison if found guilty of bribing law enforcement officers.

Finally arrested

Gomez Iglesias was arrested in October 2014 following a complaint from the deputy prime ministers office, which had learned that he was posing as a worker of theirs.

A search of his home produced numerous forged documents with stamps from the royal household, government departments and the National Intelligence Center, Spains secret service.

The suspect allegedly used this material to pose as an influential figure with high-placed contacts in the ruling Popular Party. In one case, he is believed to have concocted a scheme to fleece a businessman out of 25,000 by promising to help him sell a valuable property in exchange for a fee.

Investigators also pored over Gomez Iglesias bank accounts and uncovered several suspect payments, including a deposit of 100,000, the origin of which is unknown.

Little Nicolas comes from a middle-class family in Madrids northern Chamartin district, where he joined the PPs youth wing when he was 15. He soon began to be seen with senior figures in exclusive spots, including the VIP box at Real Madrids Santiago Bernabeu stadium. He also managed to make it into King Felipes coronation, and was famously photographed shaking the hand of the monarch.

He was always bragging about his contacts; he saw himself as a high-flyer, but a few months ago we began to hear rumors that he was getting into trouble, said a PP source.

English version by Susana Urra.
Kate del Castillo and Sean Penn. Armando Mota/Orlando Barria (EFE)

More information Kate del Castillo se siente traicionada por Sean Penn

Hollywood Actor Sean Penn knew that he would have never been able to meet with Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, the notorious head of the Sinaloa cartel, if it hadnt been for Kate del Castillo.

The Mexican soap opera star was the only woman at a secret dinner El Chapo held for them last October, Penn later wrote in his first-person account for Rolling Stone.

And she was the only one who didnt fear having her name appear in print in Penns article.

After the interview she had no choice. Once Penn and Guzman agreed on the article, what was she going to do?

Now facing an arrest warrant by Mexican prosecutors who want to question her about her relationship with El Chapo, Del Castillo says she feels betrayed and used by Penn, according to her lawyer.

Penns photograph standing next to the worlds most powerful drug lord made headlines around the globe, as well as his Rolling Stone article and the short video included with it in which El Chapo answers several questions asked by one of his aides.

But while Mexican authorities have said they will not investigate Penn, they insist on questioning Del Castillo for alleged money laundering and trying to set up a tequila business with Guzman before he was captured on January 8.

Last week, Mexicos Attorney Generals Office (PGR) issued a warrant for the soap opera actress after she failed to appear to testify in January before prosecutors at the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles.

The star of La reina del sur  in which she plays a female drug trafficker  is a longtime resident of Los Angeles and has dual Mexican-US citizenship.

She didnt know Penn was going to write for Rolling Stone, said Harland Braun  of Braun & Braun, a well-known firm that represents Hollywood actors  in an interview with the Associated Press.

The lawyer said that she thought that Penn and two others who accompanied him had gone to seen El Chapo to discuss producing a movie about his life.

After the interview she had no choice about it. Once Penn and Guzman agreed on the article, what was she going to do? She signed off after they had done so, said Braun, adding thats what made her feel really betrayed.

If we receive proper information and credentials, shell talk to them. Shes not hiding anything

The three of them go together and basically used her and didnt tell her, he said.

The lawyer said that a business deal she purportedly was going to set up with El Chapo is completely false, and the Mexican government knows this.

Mexican intelligence reportedly intercepted a series of text messages between Del Castillo and El Chapos lawyer Andres Granados discussing a possible partnership for a tequila distributorship. The texts were later made public.

Braun said that Del Castillo has no problem in talking with investigators.

If we receive proper information and credentials, shell talk to them. Shes not hiding anything, he said adding that she would prefer that the interview take place on US soil.

He also denied there was any relationship between Guzman and Del Castillo.

He obviously was a fan of hers. She was trying to encourage him because he wanted to make a movie about his life. Thats it, Braun said. Theyre obviously friendly but thats it.

English version by Martin Delfin.
Socialist Party secretary general Pedro Sanchez. Sergio Barrenechea (EFE)

The Socialist Party (PSOE) is tiptoeing around the Catalan independence issue in its bid to hammer out a government program with other congressional forces that will ensure its secretary general, Pedro Sanchez, becomes the new prime minister of Spain.

A 53-page document seeking support for Sanchezs investiture bid was made public on Monday and calls on all Spanish parties to show generosity and a desire for dialogue.

The nature and scope of the reforms we must undertake will require participation and attention from everyone, reads the document. Only this will make it possible for the new period opening up before us to extend its effects for decades in benefit of all citizens  those of us who are here today and those who will come after us.

In his effort to build the greatest political consensus, Sanchez is reaching out to emerging parties on the left and right

In his effort to build the greatest possible political consensus, Sanchez is reaching out to the emerging parties to his left (Podemos and United Left) and to his right (Ciudadanos).

This effort involves underscoring common views  such as renegotiating Spains budget deficit targets with Brussels  and underplaying potential sticking points, such as the the Catalan independence movement.

The document presented on Monday is very consistent with our election program and it also includes proposals from parties that we are going to meet with, said Sanchez during a radio interview.

Were not about drawing red lines, we have strong beliefs and there is still a lot of leeway for us to find common ground, he added. I am grateful to the parties that have agreed to meet us, for not exercising vetoes.

The anti-austerity Podemos group has refused to join the multiparty talks as long as Ciudadanos are a part of them. On Monday, Sanchez encouraged Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias to throw aside that caveat.

The Socialists defend a new state structure to accommodate regional demands but do not support a referendum on self-rule, as Podemos does

He says we have to choose [between them and Ciudadanos], but thats not so. [] It will have to be Pablo Iglesias who decides whether he sits still or increases [acting prime minister Mariano] Rajoys chances of becoming prime minister. These are new times in which words have to replace vetoes.

The Socialists defend a new state structure to accommodate regional demands but do not support a referendum on self-rule, as Podemos does. This has been another point of contention between both parties.

The working document merely defends new policies that will update our political system in order to resolve the problems that our autonomous communities, particularly Catalonia, may feel in their participation in our common program and the effective acknowledgment of their singular traits.

There is much clearer agreement on the need to renegotiate EU deficit and public debt targets that take into account new factors that influence the inability to meet commitments, a flexibilization that has already been agreed to for other countries, reads the text, citing France, Germany and Italy.

The Socialists raft of proposals for a government pact also includes far-reaching constitutional reforms affecting more than 20 articles of the 1978 Constitution

The Socialist Party is proposing a gradual, realistic and balanced four-year path to fiscal consolidation with a deficit target of around 1% in 2019 and under 3% in 2017, a year behind on current targets.

The Socialists raft of proposals for a government pact also includes far-reaching constitutional reforms affecting more than 20 articles of the 1978 Constitution, which has been considered mostly untouchable until now. Getting these reforms passed would require a national referendum.

Other priorities on the Socialist agenda include revoking the labor reform introduced by the Popular Party (PP) conservatives, overhauling the tax system and auditing public expenditures to establish priorities and improve efficiency.

The plan additionally mentions policies to reduce the 20.8% unemployment rate and address the issue of home evictions, which soared during the economic crisis in a country with a home ownership rate of around 80 percent.

The Socialists, the emerging parties and United Left also see eye to eye on the need to draft new education legislation, reduce value-added tax on cultural goods and services, and scale back all energy projects involving fracking.

English version by Susana Urra.
Opinion: That is a statue of a melancholic boy, not Teryan (video)

February 9 marks the birthday of the renowned Armenian poet Vahan Teryan. Teryans works are a great symphony from beginning to end, publicist Meruzhan Ter-Gulanyan told media representatives on Monday, February 8. When you speak about Teryan, you need not praise him, you should read him. In the same way, you can commend Mozarts Requiem, which, in fact, you need to hear and enjoy. Teryan was a poet between God and man. It is not enough to laud him, Meruzhan Ter-Gulanyan said. He thinks a film must be made in memory of the talented writer. The publicist added that he would like to see the image of Teryan on the Armenian dram, along with Isahakyan and Charents. People use the dram every day and it would be much better if they get in contact with Teryan in their daily activities, he said. The publicist also suggests changing the statue of the great writer in Yerevan. That is a statue of a poor, melancholic boy with a crooked head. That is not the statue of Teryan, he said. Vahan Teryan died in Orenburg, Russia on January 7, 1920. He was aged 35.
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Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

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Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

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This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

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Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

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The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

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STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh

USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens

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All issues related to Ombudsman are solved by HHK and Serzh Sargsyan (video)

All issues related to the Armenian Ombudsperson, including his/her appointment and resignation, were solved and are still solved by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) headed by Serzh Sagsyan, opposition lawmaker Levon Zurabyan said on Monday. Speaking about the changes made in the order of nomination of the next ombudsperson, Mr Zurabyan said everything is controlled by the HHK. Therefore, the Armenian National Congress (HAK) has decided not to participate in the election of the Ombudsman, the HAK representative said. Last week the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europes Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) issued a final report on the results of the December 6 constitutional referendum in Armenia. The conduct of the referendum reflected the absence of meaningful actions over the previous three years to address prior OSCE/ODIHR recommendations to improve confidence and public trust in the electoral process, the organization said. Mr Zurabyan says the OSCE/ODIHR has never made such a harsh statement in the history of independent Armenia, and it illegitimates the referendum. This shows once again that we had a serious victory in terms of the referendum. We have shown the entire world that people massively went to the polls to say "no" while the electoral system ignored their will and, violating their rights, presented results that had nothing to do with the real vote, he said. That is why the international community now demands that Armenian authorities change the Electoral Code. Serzh Sargsyan dreamt that after a smooth referendum the international community would not interfere and monitor the process of amending the Electoral Code. But as you see the international community has posed tough requirements and will strictly observe the 2017 parliamentary elections in Armenia. Thus, the next elections will be in the center of attention of the international community. Though we have not been able to register peoples formal victory [during the December 6 constitutional referendum], at least we have achieved two important things: we have been able to express our will and create a more rigorous background for the upcoming elections. Mr Zurabyan says it is time political forces and civil society united efforts and created a common platform for their demands and extorted all possible concessions from the authorities with the help of the international community.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesDan Hicks, the leader of the Hot Licks, passed away at his home in Mill Valley, California, on Saturday at age 74 following a two-year battle with cancer.

"My darling darling husband left this earth early this morning," his wife, Clare Hicks, announced in a post on Hicks' official website. "He was true blue, one of a kind, and did it all his own way always. To all who loved him, know that he will live forever in the words, songs, and art that he spent his life creating. He worked so hard on each and every detail -- they are all pure Dan."

Hicks began his career as a drummer in the 1960s San Francisco rock band The Charlatans, before forming Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks. Their notable songs included "I Scare Myself" and "Canned Music."

Hicks disbanded the original version of the band in 1973, though he later launched a new incarnation in the 1990s.

Besides his wife, Hicks is survived by his stepdaughter Sara Wasserman.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the
Demchyshyn: work to launch Odesa oil refinery being done, early to name terms

The Energy and Coal Industry Ministry of Ukraine coordinates the work on resumption of operation of Odesa oil refinery, but it is early to speak about the terms of its launch, Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn has said.

"I think that it will take no less than several months. However the working is being done," the minister said.

Earlier Ukrtransnafta CEO Mykola Havrylenko said that he discussed possibilities of supplying crude oil to Odesa oil refinery with Director General of Ukrtransnaftoproduct Oleksandr Horbunov. He said that the official request has not been sent.
The Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce has accepted claims of the largest bank in Ukraine PrivatBank (Dnipropetrovsk) on the lost assets of around $1 billion due to the annexation of Crimea, PrivatBank Board Chairman Oleksandr Dubilet said in an interview with Novoye Vremia publication.

"We've passed all the procedures, and the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce has accepted the claims. This concerns a sum of around $1 billion. Subject of the claim is property, credits and assets lost [in Crimea]. Of course, Russia is not participating in it," he said.

As reported, businessman Ihor Kolomoisky has estimated that the cumulative losses for participants in Privat Group from the annexation of Crimea by Russia at nearly $2 billion.

PrivatBank jointly with Finilon finance company in July 2015 initiated arbitration proceedings against the Russian Federation for the protection of the investment lost in Crimea. An arbitration court has been formed and will carry out the proceedings in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

Court hearings on the case will take place in The Hague (the Netherlands) the bank said, without specifying the sum of the claim.

PrivatBank was founded in 1992. Its largest shareholders were Hennadiy Boholiubov and Ihor Kolomoisky with shares of 45.3182% each as of July 7, 2015.

The bank ranked first among the 123 operating banks in the country as of October 1, 2015, in terms of total assets worth UAH 241.809 billion, according to the National Bank of Ukraine.
Remainder of funds allocated for housing subsidies could be sent to energy efficiency fund

The remainder of funds allocated to provide housing and utilities subsidies to citizens could be used to replenish the energy efficiency fund which could be created in 2016, Deputy Prime Minister, Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Minister of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko has said.

"We want to send the remainder of the funds allocated to provide subsidies to households to finance the energy efficiency fund," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on February 4.

He said that in 2015, UAH 18 billion of housing and utilities subsidies were allocated to households, and UAH 34 billion is foreseen the purpose in 2016.

He also said that the Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Minist ry with support of the German government and the European Union (EU) has drawn up a financial model of the energy efficiency fund. He said that Germany and the EU are ready to provide assistance in drawing up the legislation base and attracting donors to have the model operating.

"The EU has expressed its desire to participate in the programme and the German government has said that it is ready to provide assistance to Ukraine," he said.

Zubko said that the top-priority in the operation of the state regional development fund in 2016 will be energy saving and energy efficiency projects in the Ukrainian infrastructure sector.

"The top-priority of the state regional development fund today is energy efficiency. This year UAH 3 billion of budget funds is provided to the fund, as well as UAH 1 billion to support united territorial communities and UAH 1.9 billion from the budget for social and economic development and the top-priority for them is energy efficiency," the minister said.
The political crisis in Ukraine should be used to reboot the government and form the Cabinet of technocrats alone, who will be guaranteed independence and support of the coalition, Economic Development and Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavicius, who resigned citing pressure on him, said in an interview with the Associate Press.

Abromavicius said that only technocratic government could bring about greater progress and higher life standards subject to guarantees from the president and the coalition. He also said that he had suggested Finance Minister Naltalie Jaresko for the premiership provided that she could select ministers freely.

In the view of Abromavicius, deputy ministers and higher rank officials should be appointed only from among those who were not in government before the protests on Maidan.

With this respect, he urged to use the situation as a reboot and appoint a new prosecutor general. Besides, he advocated that Ihor Kononenko, one of the leaders of the Petro Poroshenko Block and a long time business partner of the president, should withdraw from politics.

What is more, Abromavicius said a major reform of the Cabinet was needed. The Cabinet's secretariat is boycotting and sabotaging ministerial initiatives; it actually serves as a parallel structure to the ministries, Abromavicius said, urging to replace it with premier's office of 30 to 50 staff members.

The resigned minister also said the Cabinet was ineffective due to numerous minor issues brought on its agenda, and also as a consequence of no clear division of power with the presidential administration.

Abromavicius said that during a meeting with the premier and ministers on February 4 they all recognized the current situation was a wake-up call and a chance for serious systemic changes. "Everyone's agreed it's a great opportunity now when the cold shower was basically given to really demand some things from top political elites in order to accelerate the reform," Abromavicius said.

He said that a list of suggestions and requests to the parliament and the president was discussed. In particular, the initiatives concerned the increased transparency, registration of meetings and phone calls, so that MPs could not intervene into the work of the parliament, couldn't lobby their interests; transparency of business structures, and other issues.

Abromavicius said that the list was not exhaustive and there were no guarantees that the measures mentioned on it would be implemented. He also said he would not withdraw his resignation as he didn't believe that the actual steps would be taken.

He stressed that the reboot needed support of the president and the premier, who were in control of the two largest factions in the parliament and the coalition.
An investigation into the quality of honey that is exported to the Czech Republic has revealed the necessity of revising some methods of its inspection, according to a posting on the website of the State Service for Food Safety and Consumers' Protection of Ukraine.

Deputy Head of the Service Volodymyr Lapa said that EU legislation allows EU members to set tougher requirements to food at the national level.

"In the case with exports of Ukrainian honey to the Czech Republic it was established that our inspection methods met the requirements of the EU, but the Czech Republic had the tougher requirements at the national level. We can say that Ukrainian food could be not in line with the requirements of the Czech Republic," Lapa said.

He added that at present, Ukraine has revised the procedure to meet the requirements of the importing country. Now companies are to meet safety requirements that are in effect in the country of destination when they sign contracts. These requirements are to be also observed in the registration of international veterinary certificates.

"These cases can happen almost in all countries. Trust to the authorized agency depends on how quickly we react to these situations. If we take measures to guarantee observation of law, trust remains," Lapa said.

As reported, the Czech Republic has revealed prohibited (antimicrobial) agents in the honey of Ukrainian origin, as a result Ukraine suspended the issuance of veterinary documents for honey supply to the EU until the circumstances are clarified.
Head of Kharkiv Regional State Administration Ihor Rainin and Director of the State Concern Ukroboronprom Roman Romanov have signed a Memorandum to expand cooperation with enterprises of Kharkiv region in order to implement the state defense order and the social and economic development programs.

The document is aimed at streamlining the joint work of regional industrial enterprises and carrying out the state defense order, the press service of Kharkiv Regional Administration said.

"The state administration will be the main coordinator of the process. Enterprises of any ownership type may become Ukroboronprom suppliers," the press service added.

In his turn, Rainin noted that the memorandum foresees orders to Kharkiv enterprises, as well as market diversification and implementation of the import substitution program for Ukroboronprom's enterprises.

Romanov also said the concern was ready to buy thousands of product items from Kharkiv enterprises, as well as to ensure 80% of advance payment orders.
Ukrainian army positions come under fire 61 militia in past 24 hours

The Ukrainian Armed Forces observed 61 attacks by militants on its positions by use of various types of weapons in the period from 6 a.m. on Sunday till 6 a.m. on Monday, the army operation press center has said.

"Donetsk suburbs and the area of temporarily occupied Horlivka were the main hotbeds," the press center wrote on Facebook.

According to the report, grenade launchers and small arms shelled Ukrainian army positions in Pisky and Opytne.

Militants conducted 16 attacks on Ukrainian army strongholds near Maryinka by use of small arms, as well as 82mm and 120mm mortars.

Mortars were also fired on Ukrainian army positions in Troyitske, Mayorsk and Krasnohorivka.

Ukrainian army strongholds in the areas of Zaytseve, Novhorodske, Myronivsky and Starohnativka were attacked by large-caliber machineguns and small arms.
Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk believes the political crisis in Ukraine provides an opportunity to reset the relations in the Ukrainian administration for effective reforms.

"A crisis is always an opportunity We should use this opportunity to reset relations in the Ukrainian administration, to state the principles on which the Ukrainian government will work and conduct reforms in the future," Yatseniuk said on the program 10 Minutes with the Prime Minister on Sunday.

He said there are five principles on which the government team is ready to continue its work.

Yatseniuk said the first of these principles is "the absence of political pressure and political corruption." The prime minister said every minister appointed by the coalition bears full responsibility for his sector and the policies in it and therefore "no political figure and no businessman who has his own interests has a right to pressure a minister and make him make decisions that contradict the policies of the minister and the interests of the Ukrainian state."

"There will be no more political quotas in public administration. No political and business interests in the administration of state-run companies and state banks," Yatseniuk said.

He said the second principle is full intolerance of political and economic corruption, which will consist in appointments in state companies only through "an independent nomination committee." Additionally, sixty largest state companies will get new CEOs that will be independent of the political forces and business groups, and the privatization process will begin. "The parliament should adopt a law that will enable strategic investors to participate and obtain state facilities at a public, fair and transparent tender [] and deprive state-run companies of political influence and the status of breadwinners for specific political parties and forces," Yatseniuk said.

The third principle mentioned by Yatseniuk is full transparency in the work of the heads of executive administration and local self-government bodies and Ukrainian parliamentarians. "Meetings of the Ukrainian Cabinet will be broadcast live," he said. Additionally, the Cabinet initiates the introduction of "an ethical code for public servants" envisaging compulsory recording of meetings and negotiations between politicians and officials to combat shadow agreements

The fourth principle mentioned by Yatseniuk is the principle of mutual responsibility of the Cabinet of Ministers and Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada. "This means that the government is doing its part of the work, like the executive administration, but the Ukrainian parliament is voting for laws that are needed for conducting reforms in the country and trusts the government that it formed and is helping the government change the country and make the right decisions for the Ukrainian state," he said.

The fifth principle mentioned by Yatseniuk should be distribution of power that will give the Cabinet full executive power and will put it in charge of "social, economic, financial and budget policies, the financing of the army and the Ukrainian Armed Forces," and the Verkhovna Rada will be a legislative body to which the government will report and which "passes laws to implement the government's program and the coalition agreement."

Yatseniuk said the Cabinet has made a lot of mistakes in it work, but it has conducted more reforms and changes "than all previous governments in the past two decades." "We realize that some of these reforms are not popular now," he said.

He called on politicians to stop threatening government members with dismissal, recalling that the debate on the need to change the government has been going on since the day it was appointed.

"If any of our politicians believe that this government is not fulfilling the program and is not conducting the reform, it means that a vote of no confidence in the government can be submitted to the parliament and we can vote for the appropriate dismissal. But stop threatening us with dismissal. We have come here to work for real change in the country [] While fighting for power and lucrative positions, some politicians forgot that Ukraine is in a state of war  that we have not overcome the economic crisis and that people expect real changes in the country," Yatseniuk said.
Ukrainian political experts have said that Economic Development and Trade Minister of Ukraine Aivaras Abromavicius has achieved partial success, but there is no strategy for the economic policy and global reforms have not been finished.

"His work was not a failure, and this is not bad for our situation. We could speak about electronic procurement, the ProZorro system. There were some movements to have a transparent European ministry. Yes, there are no impressive and huge achievements," Director of Institute for Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov said at a pc at Interfax-Ukraine on February 5.

The expert said that the minister did not have the economic policy.

"I've studies the program drawn up by Abromavicius and his assistants. The principles of the economy: freedom, competition, demonopolization, but these are words. The economic policy is preferences, priorities, subsidies and the antimonopoly policy," he said.

Karasiov said that the economic policy is absent in Ukraine as a kind. It exists in the United States, Britain, France and Germany. If it was when Yanukovych [was the president], it was the industrial policy named after the mining and metal complex. I believe that Ukraine has not lost the remainders of the industrial potential and Ukraine should have the national capital, not only western or eastern," the political expert said.

President of the Penta Center for Applied Political Studies Vadym Fesenko said that Abromavicius is not a "champion" among reformers in the government, but the ministry made a lot and a young promising and strong team was formed there.

"The reform of the public procurement system that has become more transparent. In the trade policy, Deputy Minister Natalia Mykolska that promotes and settles a lot of problems linked to the start of the operation of the free trade zone with the EU works very well. Some problems are being settled, and a foundation is laid for some of them," he said.

Fesenko also pointed at settling the problems of trade relations on the post-Soviet area.

"The route bypassing Russia, sanctions against Russia, the trade policy in relations with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan  these are things run by the ministry," he said.

He said that the deregulation reform that is the main reform for the ministry only starts.

"I heard that the president demanded to conduct it in a year from Abromavicius, but he planned to carry out it in three years. The slow deregulation reform is one of the complaints, as well as the absence of the conceptual position how we can restore the economic growth," he said.
Member of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction, chairman of Donestk regional organization of the UDAR party, Yehor Firsov has announced his withdrawal from the faction.

"This decision was very difficult to me I approached it carefully, mulled it over a few days, but realized that I have no other option. I'm leaving the Petro Poroshenko Bloc fraction," Firsov wrote in on the Ukrainian Truth website on Monday morning.

According to him, this decision was primarily due to the situation around deputy head of the faction Ihor Kononenko. "To be honest, I wanted to leave the faction on the day when it did not support the decision to revoke Kononenko's mandate... I can no longer stay in the faction together with Mr. Kononenko because I do not agree to cover his corrupt activities and do not want to be associated with them," the parliamentarian said.

Firsov noted that "after the vote on Kononenko's issue I realized that most of my colleagues in the faction deliberately cover corrupt schemes of 'the new family', and they do so even when our journalists and Western partners speak openly about this corruption." "I see the Petro Poroshenko Bloc fraction, thanks to several people, confidently repeat the path of the Party of Regions," he said.

"Ihor Kononenko is withdrawing millions of euros from Ukraine through shady offshore. His partner, another member of our faction Oleksandr Hranovsky has received 700,000 dollars in cash from his business partner Adamovsky, which he did not declare. And all this is happening amid the talk of reform, investment and the fight against corrupt schemes of the previous regime. Of course, I did not stand for MP to participate in this disgrace," Firsov said.

Another reason for his withdrawal from the faction, was the decision of the leadership of the UDAR party to merge with the Poroshenko Bloc before the election, Firsov said. He noted that he didn't support this idea from the very start. "Ordinary party members were not asked whether they agree to the union. Unfortunately, the party that I really liked and into which I put a lot of my time and energy, was just sold out and liquidated, like a commercial company would. And, apparently, members of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc believe that once the UDAR party has been sold out, then we must keep silent as bond-slaves and press the buttons together with them without thinking, fulfilling the orders from upstairs. I do not agree to play such a part," Firsov said.

"The problem is that my opinion means nothing within the faction. The Poroshenko Bloc Faction is controlled by several people, who are close to the president. They suppress any criticism and dissent. I am not the only one who tried to object... Natalia Novak, and Serhiy Leschenko and Mustafa Nayyem, Viktor Chumak and Svitlana Zalyschuk regularly speak in the same vein. But even today it is clear that their names and their reputations were simply used by the crooks to get more votes at the elections. We are just plainly ignored, when we are talking about corruption and demand to investigate crimes in this area," he said.

"I was among the first to sign up for the dismissal of [Ukraine's Prosecutor General Viktor] Shokin. But the president made it clear that he would not dismiss the prosecutor general no matter what. I spoke at a meeting of the faction on the elections in Kryvy Rih, where the Poroshenko Bloc immediately recognized the elections despite the fraud. I raised the issue about the structure of government, when we were given ready-made solutions from the presidential administration. Also, I was talking about replacing members of the Central Election Commission, who adopted the infamous decision and have already reached the end of their tenure. When I spoke of corruption and criticized Kononenko I was broken off by Yuriy Lutsenko, who demanded that I should address the National Anti-Corruption Bureau... I did so, but I haven't got any response so far," the lawmaker said.

At the same time, Firsov noted that there still remain enough "adequate people" in the Petro Poroshenko faction, who can change much both in the parliament and in the county through taking open and honest stand.
On February 7, the official opening ceremony of the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine took place in Seattle, Ukrainian Embassy to the U.S. said on its website.

The event was attended by Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Valeriy Chaly and the newly appointed Honorary Consul Valeriy Holoborodko.

"In his speech Ambassador Chaly noted that the opening of the honorary consulate will be an additional impetus for further development of closer ties between Ukraine and the state of Washington," the embassy said in a statement.

The Ukrainian diplomat added that Ukraine and the state of Washington had a huge potential for further cooperation in economic, cultural, and educational areas.
Ukraine has strongly condemned the unacceptable and provocative actions by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea related to the launch of the so-called artificial satellite Kwangmyongsong-4 on February 7, 2016, which might be a disguised ballistic missile test, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Monday.

"Regardless of the actual aim, the launch [of Kwangmyongsong-4] followed shortly after the nuclear tests in early January, and is a direct violation of the UN Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718, 1874, 2094, as well as other relevant documents. Pyongyang's irresponsible actions seriously degrade security situation on the Korean peninsula, undermining regional peace and stability ", the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry noted that Ukraine will continue to cooperate with its partners, in particular the UN Security Council members in order to respond to this challenge, also urging Pyongyang to further "refrain from such actions and return to the implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions."
Ukraine and Poland will discuss bilateral cooperation in the space sector during the first meeting of the ad hoc working group of the intergovernmental Ukrainian-Polish commission on economic cooperation on February 8-9 in Kyiv.

The meeting will be chaired by Ukrainian State Space Agency chief Liubomyr Sabadosh and Polish Space Agency (POLSA) head Marek Banaszkiewicz, the press service of the State Space Agency of Ukraine told to Interfax-Ukraine on Monday. The parties will discuss partnership plans with respect to joint production of a small-lift carrier rocket, space research, as well as a creation of a space center in Lviv.

The Polish delegation is to visit the leading Ukrainian space sector enterprises, namely, the state-run Pivdenne Design Bureau and Pivdenmash Mashine Building Plant (Dnipropetrovsk).

Poland joined the European Space Agency (ESA) in September 2012. The Polish Sejm endorsed the POLSA establishment in summer 2014.

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers and ESA signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the use of outer space for peaceful purposes in January 2008. In early 2014 the agreement was extended until 2019.

The ESA is comprised of 17 European states.
Moscow has said that testing of the combat training skills of the Russian troops near the borders with Ukraine caused by a preparation to summer exercises, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko said.

"Today we received information that some units of the ground troops and Black Sea Fleet have been brought to the highest combat readiness level. We immediately responded. Russians explained this with a preparation to the exercises, which are scheduled for this year," Muzhenko said being asked a respective question by Interfax-Ukraine during the meeting with the foreign military attaches in Kyiv on Monday.

The General Staff chief said that this "doesn't cancel a necessary response from us that may occur if there are possible check-ups of the combat readiness of the Russian troops, which are deployed near the eastern borders with Ukraine."
Hungry Savchenko feels herself not so bad, still health spoiled

Ukrainian pilot Nadia Savchenko undermined her health due to long hunger strikes, lawyer Mark Feygin said.

"At present moment Nadia feels herself not so bad. However, she has a small stone, which she previously didn't have. She undermined her health due to the hunger strikes in prison. Now her strength is maintained with the organic mixtures, she doesn't eat solid food. In case of her refusal to drink the mixture, she won't be brought to the court," he told Interfax on Monday.

According to him, Savchenko buys organic mixtures for her own money.

"The quality of these German mixtures is better then of that she has been offered," the lawyer added
United Nations Strongly Condemn North Koreas Long-Range Rocket Launch; Vows To Adopt New Resolution In Response To The Dangerous And Serious Violation

The United Nations Security Council denounced North Korea's reported rocket launch Sunday. Reports suggested that Pyongyang allegedly launched a long-range rocket over the weekend that carried a so-called satellite Kwangmyongsong-4.

The reported act was branded as a "dangerous and serious violation" by the U.N. Security Council. The council added that they plan to adopt a new resolution in response to North Korea's recent rocket launch, Yonhap News Agency reported Sunday.

"The members of the Security Council strongly condemn this launch," said Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, Venezuela's ambassador to the U.N.

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"The members of the Security Council underscore this launch as well as any other DPRK launch that use ballistic missile technology even if characterized as a satellite launch or a space launch vehicle contribute to the DPRK's nuclear weapon delivery system and is a serious violation of the Security Council resolutions," Carreno added, using Pyongyang's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Carreno went on, "In line with this commitment and the gravity of this most recent violation, the council will adopt expeditiously a new security council resolution with such measures in response to this dangerous and serious violation."

The U.N. Security Council vowed to pursue a "peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation leading to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

Meanwhile, Japanese U.N. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawas said tougher sanctions are needed since the existing sanctions "have not stopped North Korea from developing nuclear weapons," BBC News noted Monday.

United States U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power also said that the Security Council would "come up with something tough" and that "there can be no business as usual."

North Korea reportedly claimed that the recent rocket launch was a success. The country conducted the launch to put its own satellite into orbit.

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BEIJING, Feb. 7 -- An incredible amount of gift money will be handed out at New Year by Chinese Internet companies competing for the mobile payment market.

Alipay announced it would give away 800 million yuan (121 million U.S. dollars) on the lunar New Year's Eve. Viewers of the central broadcaster's gala can share the money by accessing to the company's mobile App while watching the show.

Tencent's instant messaging tools, QQ and WeChat, have 200 million yuan of "red envelopes" to give away to its customers. A company spokesman told Xinhua the number of "red envelopes" sent and received via its WeChat messaging platform reached 2.31 billion on Jan. 1, and expects the number to exceed 10 billion during Spring Festival, 10 times more than last year.

In December, Apple and China UnionPay announced a partnership to bring Apple Pay to China to cash in on mobile payment services.
MOSCOW, Feb. 7 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned the long-range rocket launch of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"It is obvious that such action leads to a serious aggravation of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia on the whole," the ministry said in a statement.

"(The launch) plays into the hands of those who put stakes on bloc policies and the buildup of a military confrontation, and would cause serious damage to the security of countries of the region, primarily of North Korea (the DPRK) itself," it said.

Earlier in the day, the Korean Central Television (KCTV) reported that the DPRK had successfully launched a Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite, which was widely seen as a disguised test of long-range ballistic missile technology.

By doing so, Pyongyang ignored calls by the international community, and the launch once again showed a "defiant disregard" for international law, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the course that Pyongyang has chosen would only arouse strong protests, adding that it strongly recommended that the DPRK's leadership consider whether its policy of acting in opposition to the international community meets the country's best interest.

UN Security Council resolutions ban the DPRK from launching a rocket by using any ballistic missile technologies. A long-range rocket and a ballistic missile have overlapping technologies.

The launch came about a month after the DPRK tested what it claimed to be its first hydrogen bomb, the fourth nuclear detonation following three other ones in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
BEIJING, Feb. 7 -- China expressed regrets on the launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) of an earth observation satellite Sunday morning, calling for calm on the Korean Peninsula.

"The DPRK should be entitled to peaceful use of outer space, but this right is currently restricted by United NationsSecurity Council resolutions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

"Scientists and technicians of the DPRK National Aerospace Development Administration succeeded in putting the newly developed earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-4 into its orbit according to the 2016 plan of the 5-year program for national aerospace development," the DPRK state media KCNA reported.

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has denounced the launch, calling for stronger sanctions against Pyongyang, and the United Statesalso condemned the launch, saying it represents "another destabilizing and provocative action" and is "a flagrant violation" of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

The UN Security Council is to convene a closed-door emergency session to discuss the launch.

China was regretted that the DPRK insisted on the launch using the ballistic missile technology despite universal opposition of the international community, the spokesperson said.

The launch, the first since December 2012, came one month after the DPRK tested what it claimed to be its first hydrogen bomb. Countries including the United States and the ROK have sought fresh sanctions since the nuclear test on Jan. 6.

Hua called all sides concerned to "remain calm, act cautiously, take no moves that could escalate tension on the peninsula, and make joint efforts to safeguard regional peace and stability."

According to the spokesperson, Chinese deputy foreign minister Liu Zhenmin lodged representations to the DPRK's Ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong on Sunday over the satellite launch and made clear China's stance.
China Culture Centre in Sydney signs agreement with Adelaide Festival Centre in Adelaide

Jay Weatherill, Premier of South Australia gives a speech

SYDNEY, Feb. 7 (Peoples Daily Online) -- On Feb 5, 2016, China Culture Centre in Sydney signed a cooperation agreement with Adelaide Festival Centre in Adelaide. Zhao Li, Director of China Culture Center in Sydney and Douglas Gautier, CEO of Adelaide Festival Center signed a memorandum of understanding, witnessed by Rao Hongwei, Chinese Consular General in Adelaie and Jay Weatherill, Premier of South Australia. This cooperation will bring more Chinese visual arts and performances to Adelaide, South Australia.

The inauguration of the China Cultural Centre in Sydney was witnessed by Chinese President Xi Jinping on his first visit to Australia in November 2014. It is one of 25 such centres around the world that aim to foster friendship between China and other countries as well as to promote awareness of and appreciation for Chinese culture and art through cultural events and activities.

The agreement will ensure that some of the very best arts and performances from China will be seen in Adelaide, said Douglas Gautier, CEO and Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival Centre.

This agreement is also an acknowledgement of Adelaides standing as a city of culture which is significant as Art and Culture are very highly valued in China,he said.

Jay Weatherill, Premier of South Australia said, "Building the link between South Australia and China cannot solely be about two-way investment and boosting imports and exports  though those things are obviously important. Its also crucially about improving our people-to-people ties  such as in the field of the arts.

It is agreements like this one that add substance and breadth to the long-term relationship between China and South Australia,", he said.

Ms. Zhao Li, Director of the China Cultural Centre said, "We are very excited to enter into a partnership with the Adelaide Festival Centre to promote awareness of and appreciation for Chinese culture and art through cultural events and activities. The agreement will see the presentation of programs that aim to enhance the existing friendship, to encourage dialogue and foster mutual understanding between China and Australia.

The agreement was signed at the opening of Stories of Life, an Australian premiere exhibition of contemporary artworks by some of China's most fascinating artists, showing in the Artspace, Adelaide Festival Centre. Taking in painting, sculpture, video and multimedia works, Stories of Life explores, in vivid detail, what daily life is like in rapidly changing Chinese society from the artists' own personal and spiritual points of view.
SYDNEY, Feb. 7 (People's Daily Online) -- To celebrate the coming Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of monkey2016 Happy Chinese New Year----Shaanxi Culture Market opened in Sydney on Feb 6.

The event is hosted by Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture, and organized by Ausfeng Group and Shaanxi Jintang Culture and Media Corporation.

Mr. Zhao Xiaoqiang, Deputy Director of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture, Mr. Zhai Deyu, Cultural Counsellor of General Consulate of the Peoples Republic of China in Sydney, and Mr. Robert Feng, CEO of Ausfeng Group joined the opening ceremony.

The Shaanxi Culture Market begins from Feb 6 and will end on Feb 10 in Sydney's CBD. During the time, citizens and tourists can enjoy Chinese singing, dances, music, puppetry and shadow puppetry, calligraphy, Chinese painting, food, the art of tea, paper cut, ladle mask, embroidery, etc.

Zhao Xiaoqiang said, "The purpose of the culture market is to extend best wishes of the year of monkey, and enhance the friendship between Chinese and Australian people. Culture market is the Chinese tradition of celebrating the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival.

"This year is the third consecutive year that Shaanxi Provincial Department of Culture host big culture events in collaboration with City of Sydney celebrating Chinese lunar new year. The Department will continue to be ambassador of culture and friendship exhibiting the Chinese culture and promoting the better relationship between China and Australia."
SYDNEY, Feb. 7 (People's Daily Online) -- On 7th February 2016, hosted by BridgeClimb, Chinese Water Drum ceremony was held at the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to commemorate the Bridge turning red for the first time as part of Sydneys Chinese New Year celebrations.

Six drummers performed in front of a group of surprised climbers who were scaling the Bridge as part of the limited edition The Karaoke Climb, to celebrate the Year of the Monkey whilst enjoying an authentic Sydney experience.

The iconic Bridge joins its sister icon, the Sydney Opera House, in being dressed with powerful red lights, the traditional colour of Chinese celebrations, from 6th to 8th February.

The performers from the Australia Oriental Singing and Dancing Group stood at the summit lit up by the Bridges red glow, holding LED drumsticks ready for the dramatic after dark show. Each drum is lit up from within with multi-coloured flashing lights and has a thin layer of water on the drum skin. Each beat saw droplets rising into the air picking up the lights like effervescing volcano lava.

BridgeClimb Climb Leader, Joanne Wu said, The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a perfect place to commemorate a special moment and deeply explore Sydney. The always breathtaking view is especially exciting with the city and sparkling harbour masked in a vibrant red glow

The event is also a further demonstration of BridgeClimbs ongoing commitment to foster partnerships with China. (People's Daily Online / Ji He)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) has paid out about 150,000 mants to 12 clients of Ganja Bank, said the head of the ADIF fund Azad Javadov.

Ganja Bank's licence was cancelled upon a decision of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) Jan. 22, 2016. This decision was made because the total capital of the bank didn't correspond to the CBA minimum requirement of 50 million manats.

The bank couldn't fulfill its obligations to creditors and didn't manage its current activity reliably and prudentially.

Javadov said that activity of the Gandja Bank's depositors is quite low.

"Despite repeated warnings, customers of Gandja Bank aren't active and don't hurry to get their deposits back," Javadov said, adding that the clients of the bank will be able to receive their compensations in Baku branches of the agent banks as well.

Rabita Bank, Unibank and Kapital Bank were appointed agent banks. Payments of compensations started since Feb. 4. ADIF will pay 1.5 million manats to 378 insured depositors of Ganja Bank.

Javadov also said that there is low activity among the depositors of Bank of Azerbaijan, which also got its licence revoked.

The depositors of Bank of Azerbaijan can receive compensations in the branches of Muganbank and Rabita Bank, which were appointed agent banks. ADIF returns up to 30,000 manats on each insured deposit.

"Until now, we have paid compensation worth over 16 million manats," he said. "If earlier, we paid 2-3 million manats daily, now the payments have decreased to 1.5 million manats per day."

The amount of the insured deposits in Bank of Azerbaijan is 24.2 million manats.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) continues the analysis of customer accounts of the country's Texnikabank OJSC, head of the fund Azad Javadov told reporters Feb. 8.

Texnikabank's license was cancelled by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan. This decision was made because the total capital of the bank didn't correspond to the CBA minimum requirement of 50 million manats.

Javadov said that according to preliminary data, compensation totaling 79.34 million manats on 66,000 deposits will be paid.

Javadov noted that the depositors of Texnikabank will be able to receive compensations in four agent banks.

"As is known, of Texnikabank is the largest of the liquidated banks," he said. "So the analysis of its accounts may take more time. Regarding the agent banks, we plan to attract Muganbank, Rabitabank, Unibank and Kapital Bank as such."

Texnikabank has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1994 (previously - Rashadbank).
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:

Azerbaijan has started exporting electricity to Turkey via Georgia since Feb. 7, Azerbaijan's energy ministry told Trend Feb. 8.

"Starting from Feb. 7, Azerbaijan began to export nearly 80 megawatts of electricity per day to Turkey," the ministry said.

Previously, the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) of Turkey issued Azerbaijani side a license for the sale of electricity in that country.

Export of electricity is carried out by means of Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey energy bridge.

Georgia serves as a transit country, and it will also export electricity. Azerbaijan will be primarily able to repay its debt to Turkey for the electricity which is delivered to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and then enter the European market.

Such a scheme of repayment of energy debt to Turkey will make it possible to fully load generating facilities of Azerbaijan, which will further improve the efficiency of electricity production in the country.

The current energy system of Azerbaijan amounts to 7129 megawatts.

Azerbaijan is able to produce annually about 24 billion kilowatt / hours of electricity, which creates an annual export potential of 2.1 billion kilowatt / hours.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

Trend:

The US urges all parties to take steps toward a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, US ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta said at an event dedicated to the upcoming anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, the embassy's Twitter page says.

"The past tragedies must be remembered," the diplomat said. "The reconciliation efforts must move forward to prevent repeats."

On February 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces, together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.



As a result of the massacre, some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. A total of 487 civilians became disabled as a result of the onslaught. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people remains unknown.

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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Azad Hasanli - Trend:

An aircraft of the Turkish Airlines made an emergency landing in Baku on Feb. 6, Azerbaijan Airlines has told Trend.

"A Boeing 777 plane, flying on the Dehli-Istanbul route, made an emergency landing in Baku on Feb. 6 at 09:30, due to an object [mobile phone] on its board," said the airline Feb. 8.

The plane continued its flight after a re-examination procedure, the airline added.

In total, there were 331 passengers and 14 crew members on board the plane.
Tehran, Iran, February 8

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Azerbaijan is a priority for Iran, said Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari at the press conference Feb. 8.

"Iran will prioritize post-JCPOA relations with other countries, in accordance with how these countries treated their relations with Iran during the sanctions," Ansari said.

"The Republic of Azerbaijan has been having good relations with Iran, and is therefore given a priority", Ansari said.

Azerbaijan has maintained a steady support for Iran's peaceful nuclear program, which was noted many times between the two sides.

Iranian and Azerbaijani officials have previously called for expansion of trade ties between the neighboring countries as their trade turnover currently stands below $300 million.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8





Trend:

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received Altay Efendiyev, Secretary General of the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development Feb. 8, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry told Trend.

At the meeting, the sides discussed the development of economic-trade relations and sectorial cooperation within the working groups among the Member States in the framework of the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development.

Mammadyarov stressed the contribution of Azerbaijan, as the current chair of the GUAM Organization, to the development of cooperation among the Member States in the fields of transport, tourism, energy, information and communication technologies.

At the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

Trend:

Elnur Safarli was born February 6, 1989 in Baku. In 1995 Elnur was admitted to study at school with English language bias N27 and in 2001 after gathering high points during examination held by Baku Private Turkish High School he continued his education in Dede Gorgud Private Turkish Lyceum. As the pupil of secondary school Elnur took the first place during the contest on the history of Azerbaijan held amongst pupils representing seventh, eighth and ninth forms and was the winner of six diverse scientific intellectual contests. He was awarded 10 diverse honorary certificates. In general he was awarded 48 honorary certificates.

At the same time Elnur was selected as a member of Azerbaijani youth team on mathematics. Having successfully finished lyceum in 2006 and after gathering high entrance points Elnur was admitted to study at Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry (former name Azerbaijan State Oil Academy), the faculty of production process automation, Bachelor level. In 2010 he completed education in the said university and with financial support from the government he continued his education in Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey, faculty of computer engineering, Master level. After defense of scientific work on 'Developing a tool for analysis of software and evaluation of software developer' and gaining 4 points out 4 given as a maximum one in this field Elnur finished his education with the high level distinction being the best in Turkey. Since 2014 Elnur Safarli has been PhD student of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the institution on information technologies. In 2015 he was awarded youth certificate in the field of education. Currently Elnur Safarli works for BHOS e-training department. The primary goal of all young people studying abroad with financial support from the government should be applying knowledge they gained abroad in our country. Now young generation should demonstrate this. Our interlocutor Elnur Safarli assured us in this connection.

How did you come to take interest in your specialization? How did you decide to continue your education abroad?

I started taking interest in my specialization as a little boy. At lyceum during informatics classes I used initial programs of Pentium 3 computers. When applying my math related knowledge in the field of informatics I started using programming languages. When for the first time I attempted to write math formulas in 'Pascal' programming I felt as if I were specialist. As the time passed by I started to feel more fondness for this specialization and decided to be specialist in this field. My parents wanted me to be a physician. Then I started realizing that education gained here was not enough to be true specialist. Taking into consideration conditions offered by our government for students' education abroad I made up my mind.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of education abroad compared with the education gained in Azerbaijan?

In general, functioning period of well-known foreign universities many times exceeds the independence period of Azerbaijan. Along with establishing stability in Azerbaijan after the return in 1993 our National leader Heydar Aliyev attached special significance to education. As for the phase of substitution of scientists working in Azerbaijan with the young ones it started with the implementation of the order of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev related to program on education in foreign countries. Availability of contemporary laboratories, compulsory internship in foreign companies, engaging of students in scientific and technical conferences via encouraging awards, availability of professional professors' staff, availability of diverse librarian recourses etc. make up advantages of education abroad. Education abroad place students in such an environment in which they unconsciously get interested in scientific novelties and publish scientific articles. My scientific research on evaluation of programmer`s effectiveness carried out in Turkey was published by 'Lab-publishing Group', German publishing company and was put up for sale at various e-book sale centers in 40 countries in July 2014. However I do believe that along with ensuring education higher educational institutions should teach students right attitude towards home country, awakening the feeling of patriotism and fidelity to own state. In this direction education system in Azerbaijan is better than in foreign countries.

Where did you start your working activity and do you remember the amount of your first salary?

When I was the second year student I was following the vacancies announced by many companies to apply for job. I admit that perhaps they didn't even look at my CV knowing that I was only second year student. Despite this I continued to apply for job and CATEL MMC company replied to my request. I started my half-time work as the programmer at "Billiq" office after job interview and tests. My first salary amounted to 370 manats.

What about your work at BHOS? Could you tell us about your responsibilities and how do you cope with them?

While I was studying in Turkey I always followed the news coming from Azerbaijan namely the news relating to changes. I was very proud whenever I heard about establishment of new higher schools, the use of new technologies and new laboratories in the institutions of Azerbaijan. Glad I was when I learned from mass media about establishment of Baku Higher Oil School according to the order of the President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev. I continued receiving information about the works carried out at BHOS, education offered there, the realized projects and the international programs our higher school joined. I witnessed how BHOS was truly justifying hopes of our President and our youth by taking right steps. I highly valued job offer I got from BHOS rector Elmar Gasimov upon my return to home country and I started working here. On my own example I saw the raising authority of our higher school and the trust demonstrated to the young employees. It has been two years since I started my work at BHOS. I do my best to share knowledge I gained abroad with the students. Working for E-training department we exert efforts to realize innovative projects concerning education and provide conditions for conducting classes with the use of the contemporary technologies.

We applied biometric registration of students' attendance at BHOS for the first time amongst all higher schools.

Working for education field encompasses challenges and forms responsibility in people.

Because people involved in this field should assume responsibility on formation of Azerbaijani youth. I think everyone who does his or her job there should approach it very responsibly. Education institution is the venue where the influence on gene pool of nation and its development starts. Therefore everyone involved should realize education process with due attention thinking about the future of the nation. This process makes us even more responsible. Sharing our knowledge gained abroad and scientific novelties with Azerbaijani youth is our civic commitments with respect to Azerbaijan. The primary goal of all young people studying abroad with financial support from the government should be fulfillment of his or her commitments with respect to Azerbaijan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey will become the leading tourist destination, the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, the Turkish newspaper Star reported Feb. 8.

Over the 13-year rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey achieved great successes in the field of tourism, the president said.

Erdogan said that Turkey will do everything possible to increase the number of tourists visiting the country.



In 2015, as many as 29.6 million tourists visited the country, and 12.4 million of them visited Istanbul, according to the Institute of Statistics of Turkey.

In the third quarter of 2015, Turkey's tourism revenues totaled $12.2 billion.

As of today, the world's top tourist destination is France, with 83 million foreign tourists. So it remains the global leader, with the dynamic tourism sector boasting a surplus and rapidly transforming under the combined effect of a new, emerging clientele and a broader range of things on offer to international tourists.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8



Trend:

Iran is considering the possibility of increasing gas exports to Armenia fivefold, Alireza Kameli, director of the National Iranian Gas Export Company, said, the Armenian website 1in.am. reported.

"It is possible to increase gas supply up to five mcm per day even on the basis of a joint agreement between Iran and Armenia," he said.

Kameli said that the construction of new power lines can be a key factor of increasing Iranian gas supply to Armenia.

Currently, Iran daily exports about one mcm of gas to Armenia. The countries signed a contract for construction of the third power transmission line, which will connect the two power systems, in August 2015.

The contract worth 107 million euros envisages the construction of a 275 kilometer-transmission line for two years. This will increase the volumes of mutual supplies of electricity threefold.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Feb. 8

By Demir Azizov - Trend:



Kahramon Aripov, chairman of the management board at Asaka Bank - the second largest bank in Uzbekistan, was dismissed, according to a spokesman of one of the bank's shareholders.

The board's deputy chairman, Rustam Kasymov, will be serving as its acting chairman, the source told Trend Feb. 8.

The source however didn't disclose the reason for Aripov's dismissal.

Earlier, some foreign media outlets reported that Aripov was dismissed and allegedly arrested due to illegal actions.

So far there has been no official report about Aripov's dismissal or his detention.

The bank hasn't commented on the issue. Aripov is still indicated as the chairman of the board on the official website of Asaka Bank.

Asaka Bank was established in 1996 and is mainly involved in lending to the automotive industry.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:

Kazakh exporters concluded a long-term contract to provide Iran with beef and mutton worth $30 million, the Kazakh Chamber of Commerce said Feb. 8.

The contract was concluded within the framework of the Kazakh delegation's visit to Tehran.

It is the first contract between the two countries after the lifting of sanctions on Iran.

Kazakhstan's meat export was 16,130 tons in 2015, according to the Statistics Committee of the Kazakh National Economy Ministry.

At the same time, beef export was 6,500 tons, while the mutton export was 5,310 tons.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:

Kazakhstan will provide humanitarian aid to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the website of the Kazakh prime minister said.

This decision was taken Feb. 8 at a meeting of the commission on international humanitarian aid under the chairmanship of Bakytzhan Sagintayev, First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan.

The victims of mudflow and flood in Tajikistan's districts will be provided with canned meat and milk, vegetable oil and butter, flour, and pasta.

Meanwhile, beddings, utensils, stoves and winter tents are planned to send to Kyrgyzstan, which was struck by a strong earthquake in November 2015.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
Tehran, Iran, February 7

By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:

Iran has been producing 200 thousand barrels a day more oil since January 21 and the oil is being stored for later export to Europe, an informed source has said.

The source added that the oil is to be exported to Iran's traditional European customers, pointing out that Greece is likely to be its first receiver, Fars news agency reported February 7.

A day earlier Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh had said a contract to export 160 thousand barrels of oil a day to France's Total will come to force February 16.

The developments come in the wake of the removal of international sanctions on Iran. The sanctions are lifted according to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the group 5+1 (the US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany) which came into force on January 16.

According to Zanganeh, Total is also going to start work on Iranian projects including the Sough Azadegan oil field and Iran LNG.

The Italian Eni also is going to sign a contract with Iran during a near future visit of the company's representatives to Tehran.

Eni has requested a daily flow of 100 thousand barrels of oil. There are talks that the company is going to develop an oil field for Iran.

The Italian Saras is also seeking 60 to 70 thousand barrels of crude per day from Iran.
Tehran, Iran, Feb. 8

By Mehdi Sepahvand -- Trend:

The newly signed Iran Khodro-Peugeot deal makes up for a previous loss the French company incurred on Iran by failing its commitments, Iranian Minister of Industry Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said.

However, he noted, the new deal is secret and cannot be disclosed, Tasnim news agency reported February 6.

Peugeot withdrew its experts from Iran due to a new set of sanctions last April.

Peugeot had finalized a new joint venture deal with Iran Khodro in March.

Based on the deal, Peugeot was obliged to export 30 percent of cars which were manufactured jointly.

Iran has been demanding compensation for the loss incurred by Peugeot's withdrawal of its experts from the country.

Iran-Khodro was among the first Iranian companies to sign a deal with foreigners after sanctions were removed on January 16. The company signed a deal with Peugeot during President Hassan Rouhani's recent trip to France. The deal confirms a 50-50 venture production of cars in Iran by Peugeot and Iran Khodro.

Peugeot is the foreign company with the biggest share in the Iranian car manufacturing industry. In 2012, Iran's car production fell from 1.6 billion cars per year to 700 thousand as Peugeot stopped investing in Iran and halted parts export to the country.
Tehran, Iran, February 8

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

The CJPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) is not directed against any country, said Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari Feb. 8.

Pre-JCPOA era felt better for some regional powers and now they think they are threatened by the new situation, Ansari said at the press conference, Trend agency's correspondent in Tehran reported.

Iran and the P5+1 group (the US, the UK, France, China, Russia and Germany) implemented the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA aka nuclear deal) on Jan. 16, which eliminated sanctions on the country, including the restrictions over banking sector, releasing blocked assets abroad, etc.

"Iran asks these powers to stop, because their policy will fail," Ansari said. "We are looking for good relations with all the regional countries."

Further speaking, Ansari touched upon the regional events, saying that the crisis in the region is the outcome of regional powers' interference and their efforts to impose their own will.

Ansari also said that today and tomorrow Iran and the EU will be holding talks. According to the spokesman, Iran's FM Mohammad Javad Zarif will be visiting Brussels within the framework of the Iran-EU talks.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8



By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:



Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has awarded two ministers, as well as the country's atomic chief with medals of honor and valor, for their involvement in the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).



Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif has received the medal of honor while Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi and the minister of defense Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan were awarded with the medals of valor, IRNA news agency reported.



Over the past decade in a bid to curb Iran's nuclear program, the international community took measures against Tehran, including restrictions imposed on the country's financial system, as well as industry, which have had a catastrophic impact on Iranians' economic situation and life conditions.



During his electoral campaign in 2013, Rouhani promised to improve the country's economic situation by settling the controversial nuclear issue.



Following a number of nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1 group of countries finally through a joint statement on Jan. 16, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced the implementation of the JCPOA, aka nuclear deal, and the removal of economic sanctions on Iran.



According to the statement, the EU confirmed that the legal framework, providing for lifting of its nuclear-related economic and financial sanctions, is effective.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8

By Fatih Karimov - Trend:

Iranian and Greek officials signed three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on the sidelines of a meeting between visiting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Iran's First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri in Tehran Feb. 8, Iran's state IRINN TV reported.

The documents, including a roadmap for boosting ties between Tehran and Athens, envisage diplomatic and political cooperation.

During a joint press conference with Jahangiri on Feb. 8, Tsipras underlined that Iran and Greece should boost strategic cooperation in various fields.

He further said that Athens' cooperation with Tehran has strategic importance, adding Iran and Greece enjoy historical ties.

"Greece can serve as a bridge connecting the Islamic Republic to the EU," Tsipras underlined.

"Iranian and Greek nations complement each other," he said, remarking that Greek delegates are negotiating cooperation in various fields with Iranian counterparts.

Tsipras also said the two parties discussed the latest developments in Iraq and Syria, adding Iran can help restore stability in the entire region.

Tsipras, leading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, first arrived in Iran's Isfahan from Athens on Feb. 6 and toured the historical and cultural places in the city.

Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias, Minister of Environment and Energy Panagiotis Skourletis, Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism Georgios Stathakis and Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas, as well as a 50-member team of industrialists and businessmen are accompanying the prime minister.

The Greek delegation, upon its arrival in Tehran on Feb. 7, was met by Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi at the Mehrabad international airport.

Tsipras is scheduled to confer with senior Iranian officials on ways to develop mutual relations and economic cooperation, as well as discuss regional and international developments.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says Tehran and Tbilisi should improve relations in all fields to serve the two nations' interests, Press TV reported.

"Economic and cultural cooperation between Iran and Georgia should be further strengthened in line with the two nations' interests," Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili on Monday.

He added that Tehran and Tbilisi enjoy great potential to enhance economic cooperation and noted that the cancellation of visa requirements between the two sides can help improve ties.

Rouhani said Georgia can be the corridor for trade exchanges between Iran and the Black Sea countries, adding geographical position and great common facilities have prepared the appropriate ground for multilateral cooperation.

The Iranian president further added that the nuclear agreement, dubbed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries last July constituted an "international victory for diplomacy."

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia - plus Germany started to implement the JCPOA on January 16.

After the JCPOA went into effect, all nuclear-related sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union, the UN Security Council and the US were lifted. Iran has, in return, put some limitations on its nuclear activities.

The nuclear agreement was signed on July 14, 2015, following two and a half years of intensive talks.

The Georgian premier said the JCPOA implementation would serve the interests of Iran and benefit the entire region, including Georgia, and the world.

Kvirikashvili expressed Georgia's readiness to bolster economic cooperation and open a new chapter in bilateral relations.

The Georgian premier said he would pay a visit to Tehran in the near future and also invited the Iranian president to travel to Tbilisi.
Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze considers the hype around the negotiations with Russian "Gazprom" biased, Sputnik Georgia news agency reported.

"There is no political context regarding those volumes of gas that we are negotiating with "Gazprom" on," Kaladze told reporters.



Talks of the Georgian energy minister with representatives of "Gazprom" caused a stir in Georgia. Representatives of the Georgian opposition spoke with harsh criticism, alleging that the cooperation with "Gazprom" would deprive the country of energy independence, according to the agency.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Monday held out the possibility of sending Saudi special forces into Syria as part of a U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, Reuters reported.

"There is a discussion with regard to a ground force contingent, or a special forces contingent, to operate in Syria by this international U.S.-led coalition against ISIS and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed its readiness to provide special forces to such operations should they occur," he said.

Al-Jubeir spoke to reporters after he met for the second day in a row with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Their talks focused on conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Al-Jubeir declined to say how many troops Saudi Arabia might be prepared to send.

Last week an adviser to the Saudi defense minister said Saudi Arabia was ready to participate in any ground operation in Syria but did not specify the possibility of sending special forces.
Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka condemned on Sunday an attack on Prague's social center for refugees and homeless people, Sputnik reported.



On Saturday night, a group of unidentified people wearing masks threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at the center. More than 20 people were in the building at the moment of the attack, one of them was injured and hospitalized.



"Violence is unacceptable in democracy. I condemn the attack with Molotov cocktails on the social center 'Clinic' and firmly believe that police will rapidly find those who carried it out," Sobotka wrote on his Facebook page.





About 2,500 people gathered in Prague on Saturday to take part in anti-migrant rallies, as tens of thousands of activists in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Ireland and Britain protested the growing number of Muslim migrants arriving in Europe under the guidance of the Pegida anti-Islamization movement.
At least two people were killed and 10 others were injured in a shooting in a Florida nightclub, Sputnik reported with the reference to the local media reported.



According to the NBC 6 South Florida television channel, the incident took place Sunday in Orlando's tourist district.



As many as 300 people were inside the club when the shooting took place. The police are searching for as many as three gunmen, according to the channel.

One person was killed at the scene, while another died at a local hospital. Ten others were also seen in nearby hospitals receiving treatment for non-life-threatening wounds.



This is the second shooting to take place in a nightclub in Florida this weekend. On Saturday, eight people were shot in a strip club in the city of Tampa, and a 21-year-old man was killed.




Japan is calling on the international community to take harsh measures against North Korea after it launched a long-range rocket, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said, Sputnik reported.



On Sunday, North Korea fired a long-range rocket, defying a UN Security Council resolution which bans Pyongyang from launching rockets that may be used as ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads. Japan's National Security Council held a meeting shortly after the incident, as the rocket flew over Japan's Okinawa prefecture.



"The necessity of swiftest adoption of harsh sanctions has increased even more," Kishida said, as quoted by the Kyodo news agency.



Following the reports about North Korea's rocket launch, Abe's office said that Japan, in close cooperation with the international community, would not hesitate to take measures against North Korea.



Later that day, Kishida said that Tokyo had begun considering its own sanctions over the incident.


Ankara knows precisely what needs to be done in order to normalize relations with Moscow and that is to stop making up claims against Russia and to start acting within the framework of intergovernmental relations, Russian Deputy Foreign Ministers Alexei Meshkov said, Sputnik International news agency reported.

Relations between Russia and Turkey deteriorated after Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian SU-24 bomber on Nov. 24, 2015. Turkey said the bomber entered its airspace, while Russia denied its warplane flying into the Turkish skies.

Earlier, Meshkov said that Turkish authorities should compensate Russia for the downing of the Su-24 bomber jet in November 2015, as well as apologize and guarantee that this does not happen again. The Turkish Foreign Ministry's spokesman said that Ankara had no intentions of doing this.

"The Turkish side knows very well what needs to be done in order to return to normal Russian-Turkish relations," Meshkov said. "What we said several weeks ago still stands today."

"Instead of intensifying the situation and making completely invented claims against Russia, it would be better to look into the mirror and do what is done within civilized intergovernmental relations," Meshkov said. "Our position hasn't changed."
The diplomatic missions in Russia and Iran may issue multiple-entry visas for up to five years to the citizens on the list of categories envisaged by a memorandum on consular cooperation, Russia's embassy in Iran said Feb. 7, TASS Russian news agency reported.

"The embassies of Iran and Russia, and their consulates-general may issue multiple-entry visas for one year for citizens from a group mentioned in the text (of memorandum) if the visa recipient earlier obtained a single-entry visa to the accepting country," the press service said.

"The embassies and consulates-general of both countries will be also able to issue visas for five years," it said.

An agreement between Russia and Iran to simplify visa issuance procedures came into effect on Feb. 6. An intergovernmental agreement was signed in Tehran on Nov. 23, 2015 following a meeting of the Russian and Iranian presidents, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani.

The categories of citizens subject to simplified visa procedures are pupils, students and university teachers of both countries, as well as arts and culture groups. Businessmen and entrepreneurs of any region of Iran and Russia who have an agreement on brotherly relations may obtain a visa upon a written request of a mayor or a governor.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 8



By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkey and Germany discussed the situation in the South Caucasus during a meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Ankara, Turkish TRT Haber channel reported Feb. 8.

While delivering speech at a joint press-conference following the meeting, Davutoglu said that stability in the region is one of the most important issues for Turkey.

During the meeting the sides also discussed the Syrian crisis and the problems of its settlement.

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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Recent media reports saying 150,000 troops from Saudi Arabia are to enter Syria via Turkish borders in order to aid in anti-Daesh operations are not true, Turkish Prime Ministry sources said on Monday, Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkey's bases are open for the coalition forces as part of the fight against Daesh and Ankara is ready for every type of cooperation in this sense, said the sources, who were not named according to Turkish Prime Ministry policy.

Several media organs have circulated reports recently saying that "150,000 ground troops stationed in Saudi Arabia will soon be dispatched to Syria through Turkish borders in order to aid the U.S. led anti-Daesh coalition".
Android 6.0 "Marshmallow" is a version of the Android mobile operating system. (Photo : Facebook / AndroidGeeks)

Sony's Xperia xMarshmallow launcher is yet to be finalized but a working version has already been ported as an APK download. The tool will magically transform Android Lollipop devices, at least on the surface, into Marshmallow or Android without going through the trouble of rooting.



In a test drive, 9to5Google installed the xMarshmallow on Moto X Pure 2015 as provided by XDA Developers and what was delivered is nothing but "light and smooth," Android experience. The report said that even as Sony is behind the launcher, users will be spared of the expected bloatware. That would mean that Motorola, Samsung or any other devices will not morph into an Xperia environment.



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The Xperia concept launcher will strictly render in native Android Marshmallow setting that should convince Android fans still stuck on Lollipop to make the jump, 9to5Google assured.



"It's unique, simple, and customizable. Perhaps more importantly, it's really lightweight ... And apart from the odd bug, found performance to be really smooth," the report said.



Following install, the Xperia xMarshmallow launcher is set in Modern UI, which for users mean the lack of application drawer. So as apps downloaded all reside on the home screen, users are given the option to clean up by organizing the apps into folder.



This can be easily done in classic Android fashion - drag an app icon and place it on top of another.



The xMarshmallow feel also reminds of the Apple iOS setting in iPhone and apparently uninstalling an application can be performed the way - by pressing and holding an icon and tapping on the delete option that will pop out. But as of the last build, this feature is yet to work so getting rid of unwanted or unused apps is done the old way - accessing the Application Manager from the Settings menu.



Thankfully, pulling up the launcher settings is quick enough. Press then hold and users can start tinkering around with the tool such as "the ability to change icon size, and choose between the classic and modern home screen layouts."



The Classic UI, it should be noted, comes with the traditional app drawer.



Now to see the Sony Xperia xMarshmallow in action, watch the clip below:






LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Both smartphones will have special features - which one should you buy?

LG G5 vs Galaxy S7: Both smartphones will have special features - which one should you buy? (Photo : YouTube/ TopKambo Tech)

Both LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 will be unveiled on February 21, 2016. Let's take a look at the specifications and some special features of both devices.



According to some reports, the Samsung Galaxy S7 will sport a 5.1-inch or 5.2-inch display. On the other hand, the LG G5 is rumored to sport a 5.3-inch screen with a resolution of 2,560 x 1440 pixels, according to a Digital Trends report.



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Several reports suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S7 will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 or an Exynos 8890 chip. The Galaxy S7 is expected to have 4GB of RAM; however, some reports claim that the handset will have 3G of RAM.



Moreover, Samsung Galaxy S7 will have 128GB, 64GB and 32GB internal storage options and may support microSD expansion. The smartphone is expected to have a 3,000mAh battery. However, according to some reports, it will pack a 2,500mAh battery.



The LG G5, on the other hand, will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. The device will pack a 3,000mAh battery and will have 3GB of RAM.



It is expected that the Galaxy S7 will sport a 5-megapixel front camera and a 12.3-megapixel camera with f/1.7 aperture. What's more, Britecell technology may be included on the camera of Samsung Galaxy S7, Slash Gear reported. This will simplify the capturing of brighter pictures.



According to various reports, the LG G5 will have an 8-megapixel front camera and a dual-lens camera, with one 8-megapixel lens and one 16-megapixel lens. It is likely that the camera will feature laser autofocus and dual-LED flash.



It is said that the Galaxy S7 will run the Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. The LG G5 will run the Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with the newest version of the company's Optimus user interface.



Rumor has it that the Galaxy S7 will sport a glass and metal unibody design. Furthermore, the device may also have a curved back panel.



It is expected that the LG smartphone will feature a modular design, where the bottom is removable. The feature will enable owners to remove particular components and insert others. According to leaks, the LG G5 may feature dual-lens camera and a fingerprint scanner on its back panel.



Several reports suggest that the Samsung Galaxy S7 will feature two biometric security options - an iris scanner that can identify a user's eye and a fingerprint scanner. In addition, the smartphone will have a ForceTouch component. Force Touch performs actions depending on the level of pressure applied on an option or icon.



The LG G5, on the other hand, will sport a fingerprint scanner on its back panel. In addition, the rumored modular design for the device will be a special feature.



According to reports, Samsung does not plan to release the Galaxy S7 Edge Plus in the United Kingdom. However, the electronics giant will release the Galaxy Note 6 in the country in August.


Scientists from the Korea Meteorological Administration point at the screen showing seismic waves near Seoul, South Korea, caused by a North Korean hydrogen bomb test on Jan. 6, 2016. (Photo : Getty Images)

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) harvested international anger over its launch of a ballistic missile. Even ally China hit Pyongyangs action, although Beijing urged the international community to react with a cool mind and act with discretion.



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The DPRK launched the ballistic missile on Sunday at about 9:31 a.m., according to Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.



China also asked all relevant parties to refrain from actions that would further increase tensions in the Korean Peninsula in a bid to keep peace and stability in the region. China has consistently believed that the method for achieving peace, stability, long-term order and tranquility of the peninsula can only be found through dialogue and reconciliation, stated Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Sunday.



Hua added that North Korea has the right to a peaceful use of space, but stressed that right is also subject to restrictions made by Security Council resolutions. To avert escalating tension in the area, she asked the international community to begin contacts and dialogues as soon as possible.



But Ban Ki-moon, U.N. secretary-general, called DPRKs launch deeply deplorable. The launch got a stronger condemnation from the United States which said it was another destabilizing and provocative action from Pyongyang. U.S. National Security advisor Susan Rice accused DPRK of flagrantly violating several U.N. Security Council resolutions.



Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye also spoke against the launch on Sunday. According to the Sacramento Bee, Japan is preparing to impose sanctions on North Korea. However, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga did not provide details of the planned sanction when he announced it on Monday at a news conference.



Likewise, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that on top of Canberras ban on trade in luxury and military products and services with the DPRK, the country is considering adding more unilateral action against North Korea.






A man in a traditional Treasury God costume hands out red packets, the lucky money, at the annual Chinese New Year Parade in the Chinatown, Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21, 1999. (Photo : Getty Images)

While the Spring Festival is the most important holiday for the Chinese people, this year's Lunar New Year has become a universal celebration.



In Europe, many countries are taking part in the festival, including France, Britain and Belgium. Citizens are visiting Manchester's Chinatown, which is home to the U.K.'s second largest Chinese community.



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There are several themed events and activities besides hundreds of lanterns being put up in major commercial strips and town hall plazas, ready to be lit on the night of Feb. 12.



According to Anne Latham, a manager of House of Fraser department store, this year's celebration is bigger than last year's.



Speaking to CCTV News, Latham said: "Every year in Manchester, we celebrate Chinese New Year. This year we've gone bigger than last year, the whole city has gotten behind it and we all celebrate it. The House of Fraser this year has really joined in the culture because our sister company is Chinese, so we'd like to make sure that we're involved in every way."



Many activities including dumpling making, a parade, and writing with Chinese brushes have been held in Brussels and Paris.



On the other hand, children from the Chinese American families in America put on monkey face paint and masks to welcome the Year of the Monkey. In addition, they performed an act from the Beijing Opera classic "Journey to the West."



Meanwhile, Universal Studios Hollywood's celebration of the Chinese New Year has drawn crowds from all over the globe.



In South Africa, a dinner party has been held at the Chinatown area of Cape Town, with Chinese people and locals attending the party marked by Chinese-style food.



According to CRI English, Manuela Lotti, one of the attendees in the party, said: "It's just wonderful to be together with our Chinese community in Cape Town. The food was amazing. The atmosphere was wonderful. Everybody was so excited."


A model of the ARJ21 regional jet from Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) is displayed at the Aviation Expo China 2015 in Beijing, China, Sept. 16, 2015. (Photo : Reuters)

Yongxing Island, Chinas southernmost island in Sansha City, is set to launch commercial flights, following the arrival of a civil aircraft for Spring Festival on Saturday, Feb. 6.



Hainan Airlines provided on Saturday the first civil flight for 150 passengers to Yongxing Island, the seat of the Sansha government. Launching civil flights on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea is perceivably important to safeguard the islands and bring supplies to the people living there.



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Ren Jiaojiao, who had not seen her husband (working with the navy) for a whole year, got a chance to visit him and she felt lucky being among the passengers who boarded the civil flight to the island.



In an interview with CCTV News, Ren said: "I think it's great as I can visit my husband. Also, I've never before been to Yongxing Island."



Before the launch of the civil flight, travelers had to spend approximately 10 hours on a ship to get to Yongxing Island. Frequent commercial flights to the Yongxing Island and other islands will reduce the time to about 90 minutes.



According to China.org, local authorities said that the launch of the civil flight business is one of the city's many moves to promote the quality of life, and it will not take long before flights become routine for family members during holidays.



Xiao Jie, Sansha City mayor, has spent all of his Chinese New Year holidays on the Yongxing Island since he took office.



Speaking to the publication, Xiao said: "I hope living conditions on the island can be further improved in the future. And I wish through this visit, the people of Sansha can feel greater happiness in having a more festive New Year."



Yongxing Island Airport will reportedly serve as an important hub in the South China Sea.


Unknown assailants attacked and withdrew inside a U.N. police base in the Malian city of Timbuktu on Friday morning, the United Nations said, while security sources said a Malian army checkpoint in the city had also come under fire.

The attackers drove up to the entrance of the U.N. base in the former Hotel Palmeraie at around 6:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) and then detonated their vehicle, said Olivier Salgado, spokesman for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali, MINUSMA.

"An unknown number of assailants have withdrawn inside the camp. An operation is currently under way with Malian and MINUSMA forces," he said, adding that an injured police officer had been evacuated.

A military source in Timbuktu said the site, near the entrance to the city, had been taken over exclusively by a Nigerian police contingent, and there were no other residents as the hotel was no longer operational.

He could not say whether there were any U.N. personnel inside the site with the attackers. Salgado said it had been empty at the time of the attack, barring a few guards.

Simultaneously, a Malian army checkpoint in the Kabara neighbourhood near the airport was attacked by gunmen. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties.

Islamist militants, who briefly held the city of Timbuktu in 2012 until French forces drove them out, have stepped up attacks in Mali in recent months as part of a growing regional insurgency.

Last month, al Qaeda fighters seized a Swiss missionary living there and set conditions for her release.

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Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail is in the UAE for an international summit of governments where he will review efforts made by Cairo to provide better services to citizens, the official website of Egypt's state TV said.

The 4th round of the three-day World Government Summit, held in Dubai, brings together over 3000 heads of state, thinkers, policy makers, and private sector experts from some 125 countries to discuss the latest means of developing governments around the world.

US President Barack Obama will be a keynote speaker at the event, addressing the attendees via closed-circuit television. Other speakers include the President of Rwanda and the President of the World Bank.

Ismail is due to give an address during the global gathering, which kicks off Monday, reviewing "the government's efforts towards sustainable development and better services for citizens in the coming years."

He will also look at means to bolster online services for government bodies as well as ways to make life easier for investors.

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Related Egypt hosts General Assembly of the 25th African Civil Aviation Commission

Egypt's National Air Navigation Services company signed a deal Sunday with two Russian aviation equipment companies for a project to develop air navigation systems, the Egyptian civil aviation ministry said in a statement.

Egypt's civil aviation minister Hossam Kamal said the deal with Russian companies Azimut and Lianozovo Electromechanical Plant represents an important step as air navigation is developing rapidly in traffic control and radar systems amid increased traffic congestion in many parts of the world.

"The plant's role was stipulated to cover supplying radar complexes and installing air traffic control systems of various designations in National Air Navigation Services Company and civil aviation ministry facilities," Russian news agency Sputnik reported, citing a Russian-Egyptian inter-governmental commission which held a meeting earlier in February.

Kamal said the project aims at improving navigation systems by using airspace more efficiently, as well as modernising the infrastructure of the Egyptian airspace program through developing more precise radar coverage in addition to restructuring air route networks.

The aviation sector in Egypt contributes over $2 billion, which is 1.2 percent of the GDP, and provides more than 197,000 jobs.

Head of the Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation Ismail Abul-Ezz said the air navigation development plan costs a total of $300 million, and comes simultaneously with the development of airports to accommodate the expected increase in air traffic.

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The officials discussed several issues including the fight against terrorism in the region

The UAE chief of staff met on Monday with Egypt's defence minister Sedki Sobhi to discuss military cooperation between the two countries, Egyptian military spokesperson Mohamed Samir said.

Emirati Lieutenant General Hamad Mohammed Thani Al-Rumaithi is visiting Egypt with an Emirati delegation to hold military cooperation talks with top Egyptian military officials.

The officials discussed several issues of mutual interest with a focus on the fight against terrorism in the MENA region.

Al-Rumaithi had earlier met with Egypt's chief of staff Lieutenant General Mahmoud Hegazy to discuss strategic cooperation.

Egypt and the UAE have both been part of a Saudi-led Arab military campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen since March 2015.

Army forces of both countries have also participated in joint maneuvers since 2014.

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Gharbiya prosecutors ordered on Monday an investigation into reports of patients receiving eye injections that damaged vision at Tanta Hospital.

According to Egypt's health minister, two of the patients are in a critical state and two others are in moderate condition, MENA reported.

The Gharbiya governor has referred to investigation the head of the hospital and three other doctors, all of whom have been suspended by health minister Ahmed Emad El-Din Rady.

The health minister also ordered the closure in Egypt of the company supplying the drug Avastin, which was used in the injections.

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Sirri Siam, an appointed MP and a high-profile judicial figure, told parliamentary reporters Monday that he decided to resign from parliament.

"I submitted my resignation request to parliament's secretariat-general today and it is a final step," said Siam, though he did not explain the reason for his resignation.

"Although the resignation request should be submitted to the parliament speaker in person, I chose to give it to secretary-general Ahmed Saaeddin," he said.

Sources told reporters that Siam not submitting his resignation to parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al was a clear indication as to why he decided to resign.

"He might think that he is being sidelined or marginalised by speaker Abdel-Al," an informed source told Al-Ahram Online.

Siam was one of 28 public figures appointed to Egypt's newly-elected parliament by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi last month.

He is the former chairman of the Court of Cassation and the Higher Council for Judges.

In parliament's first procedural sitting on 10 January, Siam and Abdel-Al clashed verbally on how MPs should nominate themselves for the post of deputy speaker.

While Siam argued that each nominee should be given the floor for five minutes to introduce himself, Abdel-Al said this would take too much time.

Siam was also originally selected to be the chairman of a committee entrusted with amending parliament's internal by-laws to go in line with the new constitution.

But appointed MP Bahaaeddin Abu Shoqa, secretary-general of the Wafd Party, was chosen to head the committee in his capacity as the most senior parliamentarian.

Siam refused to take part in any of the meetings held by the committee, and did not take part in any of the recent meetings with foreign officials who visited Egypt's parliament, such as the president of China and the speaker of the Russian parliament.

Deputy speaker El-Sayed El-Sherif told reporters that he is not aware as to why Siam decided to resign, though he said that the notion that Siam was being sidelined by Abdel-Al was by no means correct.

Informed sources told Al-Ahram Online that Siam's resignation should be put to a parliamentary debate in a plenary session and should be approved by two thirds of MPs.

"So I think that many will try their best to convince Siam not to insist on this resignation and that parliament is in pressing need for him, especially after the new make-up of the House's committees is complete," said the source.

Just a few days after parliament's opening meeting last month, Kamal Ahmed, a leftist MP from Alexandria, announced he would resign from parliament. He did, however, backtrack some hours later after facing pressure from MPs, which could be a possible outcome for Siam.

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Egypt's interior minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar said at a press conference on Monday that Egypt is treating the case of an Italian citizen killed in Cairo last week as if it were a case involving an Egyptian, stressing that his ministry is doing its utmost to reveal the truth.

"We are still waiting for the forensics authoritys report to show whether [the victim] was tortured," said Abdel-Ghaffar, referring to reports that the victim, 28-year-old Giulio Regeni, had signs of torture on his body.

Last Wednesday, Regenis body was found on a highway in Egypt's Giza governorate after he had disappeared on the night of the anniversary of Egypts 25 January revolution.

The prosecutor-general said in an official statement that Regeni's body showed signs of torture, including cigarette burns.

Regeni, a PhD student at Cambridge University, had been in Egypt since September to conduct research on workers and labour rights.

Following the incident, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi spoke to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, assuring that law enforcement officials had been "instructed to continue their efforts to unravel the mystery surrounding the incident and follow up on all the circumstances surrounding it," according to a statement issued by the presidency on Thursday.

Abdel-Ghaffar also commented at the press conference on the Doctors Syndicate decision to shut down Cairos Matariya Teaching Hospital  with the exception of emergency units  over what doctors say was an assault by a group of policemen on doctors working at the hospital.

"It was just a fight and we insist on respecting all of Egypt's doctors," Abdel-Ghaffar said, adding that the policemen involved were referred to disciplinary trials.

Last Thursday, Egypt's Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek launched an investigation into the closure of the hospital to take legal action against those responsible for the suspension of the public service.

The prosecution described the closure as a "crime" that is punishable by law and is against the Egyptian constitution.

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Human Rights Watch has condemned Hamas' execution of one of its own fighters after the Palestinian militant group's military wing said the killing was carried out at the weekend.

The Al-Qassam Brigades -- the armed wing of Hamas which rules the Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip -- said it had executed one of its members on Sunday, with sources familiar with the case calling him a senior official accused of spying for Israel.

"The Al-Qassam Brigades announce that the death penalty pronounced against its member Mahmud Eshtawi has been applied today," the Brigades said in a statement.

Responding to the announcement, Sari Bashi, the Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, called it "another extra-judicial killing by forces linked to Hamas".

"If Hamas really cares about defending the rights of Palestinian people, it will act to punish and prevent the killing of any Palestinian in rogue procedures outside the semblance of law and justice," said Bashi.

Hamas has long carried out executions against those accused of spying in the Gaza Strip, including in public squares in the Palestinian territory and often without transparent trials.

However this killing appeared to be the first time Al-Qassam itself had sentenced one of its own through a court martial and executed him.

Al-Qassam did not provide details on the accusations against him, other than to say that "the Brigades' military and Islamic judicial committee issued the sentence because he violated rules and ethics."

Eshtawi's duties included overseeing tunnels that have previously been used to store weapons and carry out attacks against Israel, sources said.

According to the sources, he was in charge of a large unit and was previously a close associate of Mohammed Deif, the Al-Qassam chief who has been a frequent target of Israeli assassination attempts.

Since the start of 2016, four Gazans have been handed death sentences after being accused of spying for Israel.

Israeli has attacked the Gaza strip three times since 2008 leaving hundreds dead and massive infrastructure damages and gross human suffering condemned by international rights groups.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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US President Barack Obama urged Arab countries on Monday to establish inclusive governments to ensure security in a region rocked by turmoil.

"When governments truly invest in their citizens, their education, skills, and health, and universal human rights are upheld, countries are more peaceful, more prosperous and more successful," he told the opening day of the World Government Summit in Dubai.

"As we have seen in the tumult across the Middle East and North Africa, when governments do not lift up their citizens, it's a recipe for instability and strife," he said in a video address to the conference.

Obama recalled discussing with leaders of the six Arab monarchies of the Gulf at Camp David last year how "true and lasting security requires an inclusive government that serves all citizens".

Several Middle East and North African countries have been rocked by a wave of uprisings demanding reforms that started in Tunisia and led to the 2011 Arab Spring.

Some of the uprisings, such as those in Syria, Libya and Yemen, have morphed into civil wars prompting the rise of extremists such as the Islamic State militant group as well as an exodus of millions of refugees to Europe.

The president of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, echoed Obama at the Dubai summit, urging leaders to "build inclusive governments".

"Good governance is the foundation of all development," Kim told participants.

"Many parts of the world are becoming more fragile, making quality leadership and good governance ever more important."

He called for governments to be "transparent in their actions and fully engage with citizens".

"Governments must invest in their people to give them the opportunity to reach their full potential... create business environments that encourage innovation, competition and private sector investments which will in turn create jobs."

More than 3,000 participants from 125 countries, including world leaders and top experts, are attending the three-day summit on governance.

"Please note, across this region and around the world, those of you who embrace reform and truly invest in the lives of your people will continue to have a partner and friend in the United States," Obama told the forum.

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At least nine civilians and 16 rebel fighters have been killed as security forces battle militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast, the army and the region's main political party said on Monday.

Violence has raged in the region since the collapse of peace talks last July aimed at ending a three-decade PKK insurgency. Some of the worst clashes have been in the town of Cizre and the Sur district of Diyarbakir, the region's biggest city, where security forces have imposed a 24-hour curfew.

Ten of the 16 rebels killed on Sunday were in Cizre and six were in Sur, the military said on its website, adding that this brought the militants' total death toll in the two places to 749 since December.

A plainclothes police officer was also gunned down on Monday in the town of Yuksekova near the Iraqi border, media reported.

In the centre of Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, police used water cannon and tear gas on Monday to break up a protest against the Cizre operations, witnesses said. Several people were detained, Dogan News Agency said.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, speaking at a joint news conference in the capital Ankara with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the Cizre operations may draw to a close in the next few days.

"It is obvious that (the PKK) is implementing methods to destabilise cities in Turkey. In this regard, Cizre is a critical town, situated so close to the (Syrian) border, exploitable for weapons and terrorists to cross," he said.

The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which has Kurdish origins and is the southeast's biggest party, named nine civilians who had been killed in Cizre since Friday, bringing the death toll to 127 civilians since December.

Many Wounded

Davutoglu dismissed claims that civilians have been targeted and also denied reports that several wounded people had died after spending days stranded in buildings in Cizre.

Authorities had sent ambulances to collect the wounded - mainly PKK members - but the poor security situation had prevented them for reaching the hurt, he said.

The HDP said late on Sunday its lawmakers had not heard from a group of 15 wounded people, who have been sheltering in a basement in Cizre's Cudi district along with seven dead bodies for more than a week.

It said nine more people had died in a fire in a different basement in the area and that they had also not heard from wounded people there for the last two days.

The protest in Istanbul occurred after the HDP called for a march near Taksim Square, the city's tourism and transportation hub, to draw attention to the situation in Cizre, Dogan said.

Also on Monday police in the Swiss city of Zurich used tear gas and rubber bullets against a group of around 100 Kurdish activists who held an unauthorised demonstration outside the Turkish consulate in the city.

Swiss police said the demonstrators were protesting against conditions in Turkey. One person was detailed.

Turkey, the United States and the European Union designate the PKK as a terrorist organisation.

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The United States welcomes a Saudi offer to deploy special forces to support a possible coalition ground operation inside Syria, the kingdom's foreign minister said Monday.

Speaking after a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said any operation would be US-led but that Saudi Arabia would play a leading role.

"The United States government was very supportive and very positive about the kingdom's readiness to provide special forces to the operation in Syria, should the international coalition make a decision to do so," he told reporters.

"So the kingdom will be part of it," he said. "That support came from the White House, it came from the State Department, it was natural for Secretary Kerry to support such a decision."

Jubeir said the idea for a possible ground operation had come from Washington, and said that members of the 65-strong coalition against the Islamic State group would expect the United States to lead it.

The United States has publicly confirmed that it has sent a small number of special operations forces to eastern Syria to help local militias fight the Islamic State group.

But debate continues in Washington about the advisability and final size of a possible larger ground operation against the hardline group.

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Four people were killed when a Mi-8 helicopter owned by the Russian Defence Ministry crashed on Monday in the Pskov region of northwest Russia, local news agencies reported, quoting the ministry.

TASS said the helicopter was on a training flight when ground control lost contact with it.

Accidents involving Mi-8 aircraft are frequent in Russia, which has been criticised for its poor air safety record. In June 2014, 15 people died when a helicopter crashed into a lake in the northern Murmansk region.

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Egypt is currently mulling the technical and financial terms of the governments contract with Russia to build the countrys first nuclear project, an e-mailed statement from the presidency said on Monday.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with electricity minister Mohamed Shaker to review the latest updates on negotiations between the two countries over the projects contract, which is expected to be signed in February, according to state news agency MENA, who cited the Russian ambassador in Cairo.

In November, the Egyptian government signed an agreement with Russia to build Egypt's first nuclear power plant at Dabaa, located in the countrys Marsa Matrouh governorate, which aims to generate 4,800 megawatts through four units.

Last December, a gag order was imposed banning reporting on the project without prior permission from security authorities or the office of the minister of electricity.

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Egypt orders travel ban on Mubarak-era interior minister

2016-02-07 23:25

CAIRO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court ordered on Sunday travel ban on Habib al-Adly, who served as interior minister under former President Hosni Mubarak, over a corruption case, state-run Ahram newspaper reported on its website.

Al-Adly and the other 12 defendants were accused of harming public money and profiteering more than two billion Egyptians pounds (about 253 million U.S. dollars) from the interior ministry funds.

Al-Adly, whose institution's perceived harsh practices, among others, triggered the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak, had been acquitted in 2015 of corruption charges related to profiteering and squandering public funds.

In late November 2014, Al-Adly together with ousted President Mubarak and his six aids were acquitted over killing of peaceful protesters in early 2011.

Most of Mubarak's officials were eventually acquitted of corruption, profiteering and illicit gains charges after they had been detained following the ouster of the long-time president.
The three accused filed a petition challenging their 12-day custody and said they were being subjected to third-degree torture.
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When it comes to roles we'd like to see Brendan Gleeson play, a crime lord with a bad temper is high on the list. So too is a single father who's way out of his depth.

That's why today's announcement that he's to play a crime boss who suddenly has to be a full time dad to his daughter is very welcome news indeed.

The film will see Gleeson play Kevin Darcy, a crime boss who specialises in threatening people who can't pay their debts. He's a man that can be quick to lose the rag and on one occasion his short fuse sparks a massive gang war that sees his ex-girlfriend killed by an assasination attempt on him.

Which means that Darcy is then responsible for looking after his seven-year-old daughter, more used to bedtime stories and tea parties than a life of crime. Though Kevin eventually adapts to the role of doting dad, his criminal life is never far behind, with drug dealing circus clowns, Lebanese hitmen and a gang of Hells Angels hot on his trail.

Mr. Cranky, is just another addition to a full slate for Gleeson as we'll see him on the big screen in among others, Assasin's Creed, Tresspass Against Us and Ben Affleck's Live by the Night over the coming year.

Via Empire
It's fair to say we got a pretty good return from Super Bowl 50 in terms of movie trailers.

All in all there's been new spots for highly anticipated blockbusters (Captain America: Civil War) as well as full length trailers for movies we've seen very little of thus far (The Jungle Book). Throw in some neat commercials featuring some of your favourite superheros and you've got feast for your eyes.

We've taken the liberty to compile them all into one place for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

The Jungle Book

Independence Day: Resurgence

10 Cloverfield Lane



Deadpool

Gods of Egypt





The Secret Life of Pets





Alice: Through the Looking Glass



X Men: Apocalyspe







Jason Bourne





Captain America: Civil War



Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

While technically speaking these aren't commercials, Turkish airlines did release two commercials set within the DC Universe and they are a lot of fun.

Here's the Gotham one starring Bruce Wayne

Here's the Metropolis one starring Lex luthor

And just for fun, here's the Ant-Man vs. The Hulk Coca-Cola commercial you always wanted.
The Church of Scientology dropped a promo on the American public during the highest viewed broadcast of the year last night - the Superbowl.

This isn't anything particularly jarring or new - they've done so over the past few years.

As you'd expect it's a fairly broad look at the organisation, with a brief glimpse of their auditing process - which many critics of the religion zone in on when voicing their disapproval.

Also, as a Twitter follower pointed out - is that The Library in Trinity College halfway through?

Long Room Trinity College via Wikipedia

Can you see something like this drawing people to the controversial religion?
News, ideas and images from the Town of Erin, Ontario
Illinois European Union Center

by Max Colon



Max Colon is a junior in Psychology and Spanish at the University of Illinois. Max is interested in continuing his work with the non-profit organization Illini Fighting Hunger to provide food aid to those in need. He is planning on pursuing a career in Human Resources Management in the future. Max wrote this text as a student enrolled in 418 Language and Minorities in Europe.





References





http://www.cso.ie/en/newsandevents/pressreleases/2007pressreleases/2006censusofpopulation-volume9-irishlanguage/





http://ec.europa.eu/languages/policy/linguistic-diversity/regional-minority-languages_en.htm





http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/33425

The home of 500 million people speaking well over 100 different languages, the European Union is a potent political-economic entity of 28 member states with a core mission to improve all aspects of life for its constituents. With its member countries ranging in size from very small to very large, the E.U. is a complex organization with many interests and challenges.In such a large organization, one would imagine that a single language would be used in an administrative capacity so as to promote efficiency and ease of governance. However, this idea actually runs counter to the European Unions mission of promoting cultural and linguistic diversity. The European Day of Languages that is celebrated every year on September 26th is one example of the Unions commitment to language and cultural diversity that has been fostered in a number of different treaties and charters.There are 24 official languages that span the 28 member states, and a great emphasis is placed on developing multilingualism and ensuring the continuation of regional and minority language use throughout the E.U. Indeed, one of the very important concentrations of the European Commission is to fund projects and partnerships designed to raise awareness of minority languages, promote their teaching and learning, and thereby help them survive (EU). The designation of these language as official provides member states with two entitlements: the ability to communicate with the E.U. in the member states chosen working language from this pool and the ability to view E.U. regulations and other legislative documents in that language.However, for all of its support of diversity on paper, many argue that the E.U. falls flat in promoting such diversity in practice. Most recently, Irish Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left Member of the European Parliament Liadh Ni Riada attempted to participate in a language strike during Irish language week in order to raise awareness of the status afforded to the Irish language within E.U. institutions (Sinnfein). Ireland's central statistics office reports that 36,000 people live in designated Irish language regions and 485,000 use the language on a daily basis (CSO).Another Member of Parliament, Catalan MEP Josep-Maria Terricabas, agrees with Ni Riada, saying that his language has faced similar discrimination in adopting its use in European Union activities despite estimates of the number of native Catalan speakers in the E.U. ranging between four to five million people.This seems to follow a growing sentiment Riada describes among Members of the European Parliament that a number of minority languages are actually more widely spoken than some official languages and begs the question as to why the use of these languages has not been put into practice in the E.U. Sadly, the answer for Irish is clear enough: since its adoption as an official language in 2007, a derogation has been in place that does not require European Institutions to provide full translation or interpretation services in Irish as is done with all other official E.U. languages.It would seem obvious that multilingualism in the E.U. cannot be fully realized until languages such as Irish, Basque, Galician or Catalan can be used with regularity and a sense of normalcy throughout daily functions of the organization. After all, what better way to promote and support minority languages than to have them fully integrated into the highest European governing body?It is time for E.U. Institutions to stand together and work toward the full integration of all languages into business activities. They must reassess the status of languages throughout Europe to ensure that their policies truly best represent their citizens and protect the diversity that they so strongly promote.
Illinois European Union Center

By Lucinda Morgan, Michele Spalding, and Matthew Krause





As a member of a four-person delegation sponsored by the EU Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, we greatly appreciated the opportunity to first-hand learn about the history, operations, and programming of the European Union in Brussels. We were a part of a group of approximately forty educators and university students, organized by the EU Center of Excellence at the University of North Carolina. From June 21-26, 2015, we visited EU offices and attended lectures given by various EU representatives. In addition to the intended purpose of the study tour, we were in Brussels during a very interesting time, as the EU was deciding the future of Greeces membership due to its economic situation, so we experienced an increased amount of security and media coverage during our visits to various divisions around Brussels.Our first official visit was to the EU Commission, where we learned about its role and functions. We learned about the origins of the EU with Robert Schumans 1950 speech, in which he expressed the goal of making war but physically impossible in the aftermath of World War II. His words quickly came to fruition, as within a year, the six founding members of the EU signed their founding ECSC Treaty, thus establishing the Commission, Parliament, Council of Ministers, and the Court of Justice. Emphasizing the importance of the EU in the world today, we learned that though the EU is only 7% of the worlds population, it represents 25% of the worlds GDP, and provides 50% of the social welfare to developing nations. In terms of voter participation, it was interesting to learn that over 90% of people vote in Belgium (they are actually fined if they do not vote), and less than 20% vote in Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. We also discussed how since 2008, Greeces economy had contracted by 25% since 2008, and that the only other time that such a drastic decrease has occurred was with the post-Soviet countries.Throughout the duration of the week, we also visited a school for the children of EU diplomats and staff, and also the Education, Audiovisual, and Cultural Executive Agency, which funds more than 4,000 educational projects a years. It was interesting to learn that though Finland is often in the global spotlight for its educational achievements, Estonia also has scores at a very high level on international assessments. Though the EU creates policies regarding the environment, agriculture, and economics, it was interesting to learn that the EU Commission does not have an overall general education policy, and that some countries have more than one national education system, such as Belgium, which has three distinctively different systems.We also had the opportunity to visit the European External Action Service (EEAS), which is the foreign and security policy service, and performs many of the same duties as the State Department in the USA. Founded by the Lisbon Treaty in 2011, the EEAS works in close cooperation with diplomatic services of member states in order to enhance the EUs common message regarding defense and security, both bilaterally and globally. The EEAS has 139 Delegation Offices around the world, and coordinates trade, developmental aid, humanitarian assistance, and enlargement on behalf of the EU. We also met with the EEAS International Relations Officer for the US and Canada, and learned more about the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and also the EU-US Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement that was established in 1998.Beyond our visits to EU offices and agencies, we also experienced local culture and historic sites, such as visits to the Atomium (a unit cell of an iron cell 165 billion times that was the iconic building of the 1958 Worlds Fair in Brusselsit looks like a structure from The Jetsons cartoon) and Matonge Quarter (the Congolese neighborhood in Brussels, as The Democratic Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960; there are over 100,000 Africans living in Brussels which is about 10% of the citys population). We also very much enjoyed the outdoor cafes located near the Grand Place-Grote Market, where we devoured pots of fresh mussels and many varieties of cheese and Belgium chocolate. We are very grateful to the EU Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for sponsoring my participation in the study tour, as well as the EU Center at the University of North Carolina for coordinating and organizing this amazing experience. It was also enriching to interact with the other participants from the other EU Centers of Excellence in the USA, as we continue to stay connected to them beyond our time in Brussels through various social media platforms.
London's Chinese New Year gala rings in Year of Monkey Updated: 2016-02-08 20:40 By Song Wei(chinadaily.com.cn)

The opening dance of the 2016 China-Britain Chinese New Year Extravaganza. [Photo by Song Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

A grand show in central London is a perfect nostalgic recipe for overseas Chinese when the most important festival on the Chinese lunar calendar arrives.

The 2016 China-Britain Chinese New Year Extravaganza, an exciting performance of cultural spectacles featuring an array of songs and dances, took to the stage at Logan Hall on Sunday.

In the two-and-a-half hour show, around 1,000 spectators were treated to colorful and exhilarating programmes including a Chinese dragon dance, Chinese monkey dance, traditional Chinese dances, folk music and drama.

Children in monkey costumes dance to celebrate the Chinese New Year, Feb 7, 2016. [Photo by Song Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

Yang Zhuhua, an overseas Chinese who moved to Britain three years ago with her husband for work, attended the gala for the first time.

"It pretty much reminds of the good times back home when my family got together around the TV to watch the Spring Festival broadcast by China Central Television (CCTV) after the dinner," Yang says.

Watching the annual Spring Festival gala broadcast has been a ritual in almost every household in China on Spring Festival Eve.

The extravaganza began at 4pm (GMT) just as the Chinese New Year bell rang in China (Greenwich Mean Time is eight hours behind Beijing), and "it is a natural follow-up of the Spring Festival Gala back in Beijing, which wraps up at midnight", Zhang Yuxia (whose English name is Connie Alexander), choreographer and chief director of the gala told China Daily.





Popular Chinese TV series in 2015 - the Legend of Miyue  was choreographed into traditional Chinese dance. [Photo by Song Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

Two sensational Chinese TV series in 2015 - Nirvana in Fire, or Langya Bang, and the Legend of Miyue - were choreographed into the traditional Chinese dances.

"I want this gala to be combination of Chinese traditional arts with popular trends in China," said Zhang.

The director, working as president of UK Chinese Dance & Culture Association, said from her years of traditional Chinese dance teaching experience, her British students wanted to know more about China today, not only traditional Chinese culture.

Language is the best tool to understand a culture and Zhang, who has been living in the UK for the past 24 years, upholds the importance of Chinese language learning.

"That's why short language programs in the form of Chinese drama are included in the show for the first time", Zhang said.

The cast of the Chinese play The Typical Friend, wish the audience happy Chinese New Year. [Photo by Song Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

The short play The Typical Friend, unveiled common problems such as living costs and love issues that Chinese overseas students would usually have to face. Performed by the UK Students' Drama society, the drama cracked up the audience and won applause.

Vien Hutchins, a British man married to a Chinese woman, has been attending the gala for the past four years. Though being unable to understand most of the drama due to the language barrier, Vien said he enjoyed the Chinese dances and music. He thinks it's helpful for his two daughters, one is four and another 7, to hone their Chinese language skills.

"Both of my girls can speak Chinese, and I think this show could help them know more about Chinese culture, and definitely, we're not going to miss any of the annual extravaganzas in the coming years, " Vien said.

Chinese singer Liu Li performs Hope in the Fields and The Nightingale from the East. [Photo by Song Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

Themed "golden era", the gala marks the new era for Sino-UK relations following President Xi Jinping's state visit to the UK last year, according to the director.

The Mayor of Bury St. Edmunds, and seven mayors of London boroughs attended the event as special guests.

Two hundred performers from across the UK and foreign countries including Russia, India, Italy and France joined with different Chinese ethnic minority groups and local Chinese in the UK, students, and artistic performing groups, to create the evening of song and dance to welcome the Year of the Monkey.

First started in Feb 2013, it's the fourth China-Britain Chinese New Year Extravaganza in London. "There are praises, there are different voicesI am not doing this for money," Zhang says. "I want this gala to serve as a celebration gathering, and also a platform for the overseas Chinese in the UK to present their talents."

This year's event was organized by the UK Chinese Dance & Culture Association, UK-China Economics and Cultural Promotion Association and the Cross-Strait China Culture Communication Foundation.








A note on sources and creditsAs far as possible photographs that are not mine are posted here with permission; thank you to all contributors to 'Jet & Prop', especially photographers Tad Dippel, Neil Cotten and Nico Charpentier, the editor of the magnificent 'Avions' magazine Michel Ledet and Jean-Yves Lorant, author, researcher and archivist at the Service Historique de la Defense, Paris. Images from the IWM and Roger Freeman collections are published here under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Licence. Occasionally some images on this site have been 'reposted' from facebook or ebay. They are used non-commercially in an educational context to depict historical events. If such is deemed necessary they can be removed on simple request. Contact me at falkeeins at aol.com. All rights reserved.
UN peacekeepers stand guard near the airport on February 4, 2016 in Timbuktu, central Mali (AFP Photo/Sebastien Rieussec ) (AFP/File)

Bamako (AFP) - Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb on Saturday said they carried out Friday's attack on a UN military camp in Timbuktu in Mali's restive north.

At least four suspected jihadists and a Malian soldier were killed in the attack which the group said was designed to send "a clear message" of its intention and capacity to target the UN's peacekeeping MINUSMA mission.

The group said in a statement that three fighters from the al-Quds Brigade of its Sahara division stormed the former hotel serving as the mission base, one detonating a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device at the entrance and the two others entering inside.

The attack came three months after a similar strike on the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako and one month after a raid on a top hotel in Burkina Faso.

The militant group has vowed to continue with a series of operations to cleanse the land of Islam and Muslims from the dens of the Crusader occupiers and their mercenaries.

A Malian police source indicated two suspects, who army sources said had been arrested in the aftermath of the attack, were Saturday released.

"The people arrested Friday on suspicion of being terrorists or their accomplices have been freed for lack of evidence," the Timbuktu gendarmerie source told AFP without giving further details.

Defence Minister Tieman Hubert Coulibaly had Friday spoken of "half a dozen" fighters carrying out the attack, with three gunned down and one blowing himself up.

Three Malian soldiers were also wounded.

The assault came just a day after the fabled city celebrated the restoration of its greatest treasures -- earthen mausoleums dating to mediaeval times and destroyed during an Islamist takeover in 2012.

In a statement via Mauritanian news agency Al-Akhbar, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb said three fighters whose nationalities were not immediately clear carried out the raid and were all killed.

The group added that "several soldiers" had also died with others injured.

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Army sources reported the situation Saturday afternoon as calm in Timbuktu as Coulibaly attended the funeral of the slain soldier, named as commander Karim Niang. The sources added they had carried out patrols through the night across the city.

Sources close to Coulibaly meanwhile said he would be meeting with city officials to discuss boosting security.

Northern Mali fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012.

The Islamists sidelined the Tuareg to take sole control. Although largely ousted by a French-led military operation in January 2013 the jihadist groups remain active.
By Paul Kilby

NEW YORK, Feb 8 (IFR) - Argentina bonds outperformed on Monday after two of six holdout investors agreed to a government offer last week to pay a total US$6.5bn to them.

Discounts and pars were up about half a point Monday afternoon at 117.00-118.00 and 64.50-65.00, respectively, after Dart Management and Montreaux Equity Partners - signed up to the government's proposal.

Daniel Pollack, the special master presiding over the negotiations, said it "stood solidly behind the deal," praising President Macri for addressing this "long-festering problem."

US Jack Lew also reportedly chimed in over the weekend, voicing his support of the Argentine government's efforts to cut a deal with holdout investors.

"All this points toward a fresh attitude on the side of important stakeholders and we think it can help Argentina's negotiating hand," Alejo Czerwonko, emerging markets economist at the chief investment office at UBS Wealth Management.

MORE WORK TO BE DONE

Yet while investors cheered progress on last week's arduous negotiations in New York between government officials and litigant investors, the country still faces an uphill battle as it works to bring other holdouts on board.

Elliott Management and Aurelius Capital Management, the most high-profile funds in the sovereign's 14-year old battle with holdouts, have yet to accept the offer.

It was their lawyers who won a pari passu case in US Courts in 2012, effectively prohibiting Argentina from paying existing holders of restructured debt unless holdout investors were made whole as well.

The subsequent pari passu injunction effectively forced the country to default for a second time in a decade as the former president refused to bow down to what she described as "vulture funds".

Recently elected President Mauricio Macri has taken a more conciliatory approach to the litigant funds, realizing the importance of regaining access to vital hard currency funding.

In the offer announced Friday, the government said it would pay holders of defaulted bonds without a pari passu injunction 150% of their principal claim.

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On the other hand, accounts covered by the pari passu injunction will receive 72.5% of their total claim or 72.5% of the amount they have been awarded in US courts if they accept the terms by February 19. Thereafter, they will only garner 70%.

The deal is conditional upon US Judge Griesa lifting the pari passu injunction that gives the likes of Elliott and Aurelius considerable leverage in negotiations.

It is also subject to approval by Argentina's Congress, which will need to amend a lock law that prohibits the country from offering better terms than those given to participants in the 2005 and 2010 exchanges.

New terms, however, were thought unacceptable for certain funds like Elliott and Aurelius who because of the nature of their Argentine holdings are seeking greater claims on past due interest on which there is no judgment.

"Argentina bought Dart's support by agreeing to pay its claim in full," Mark Brodsky, chairman of Aurelius Capital Management, said in a statement.

"Aurelius would gladly accept such generosity, though we have always been willing to take a haircut."

'Me-too' investors

With a clear offer on the table, a growing chorus of so-called 'me-too' investors holding defaulted debt are also clamoring for payment and complaining they have not been invited to participate in settlement negotiations.

For now, analysts think President Macri should have little trouble persuading what is now a more compliant Congress to agree to haircuts proposed in Friday's deal.

"The proposed haircut of 27.5%-30% of the total claim for par passu injection holders is affordable, in terms of political cost, for the administration," wrote Barclays analysts on Monday.

Barclays analysts speculated that Elliott and Aurelius may simply have kept quiet on Argentina's recent offer, as a negotiating tactic.

If too many investors sign on to the deal, Congress may think the president has been too soft and hence force the government to return with a tougher deal, the UK bank said.

"For the pari passu injunction to be lifted, you need the major funds at the table," said Sean Newman, a US based senior portfolio manager at Invesco, which holds Argentina exchange debt.

Newman sees an eight point upside on the discount bond if the injunction is lifted and past due interest starts being paid again.

(Reporting By Paul Kilby; editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan)
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Illovo Sugar (ILVJ.J) said on Monday it has received a non-binding expression of interest from its largest shareholder Associated British Foods (ABF.L) in buying the rest of the company.

AB Foods, which holds a 51.35 percent stake in Illovo, intends to make an offer of 20 rand (0.8593 pounds) per share for the stake it does not yet hold, Africa's top sugar producer said in a statement, in a deal worth around 4.1 billion rand (176.16 million pounds).

Illovo's shares were up 9.42 percent at 20.10 rand by 1429 GMT, hitting a 10-month high, while ABF's shares were down 1.16 percent at 3,061 pence.

Illovo, which has been cutting costs to survive low sugar prices, said ABF plans to make a cash offer to all other shareholders but there was no certainty of a deal.

"Illovo certainly faces challenges, no doubt about that, but these are not new challenges," said ABF's finance director John Bason, referring to the drought sweeping across southern Africa. "We take a long term view."

Shares in the South African company have been depressed by the effects of the severe drought in its home market, Standard Bank Group Securities analyst Sumil Seeraj told Reuters.

"It is opportune for ABF to make the offer now and I think it is a bit low," said Seeraj.

Seeraj expects some of the sugar producer's other large shareholders would demand a higher premium as South Africa's weaker rand could boost Illovo's earnings this year.

(Reporting by TJ Strydom and Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by James Macharia, Greg Mahlich)
Dried hyacinths at So-Ava in Benin are turned into organic fertilisers, animal feed and a fibre that absorbs oils and hydrocarbons, making it an effective tool in the clean-up of industrial sites (AFP Photo/Delphine Bousquet)

So-Ava (Benin) (AFP) - A dug-out canoe speeds along the water then slows down suddenly before stopping altogether. Blocking its path are water hyacinths as far as the eye can see.

It's become a common occurrence in the last 20 years on Lake Nokoue in the south of Benin, which is fed by the fresh waters of the So river and feeds into the Atlantic Ocean.

The aquatic plant, which is native to the Amazon basin in South America, was introduced to east Africa at the end of the 19th century and is now found across the continent.

On Lake Nokoue, as elsewhere around Africa, the proliferation of water hyacinths disrupts fishing, the transportation of goods and people, and contributes to the spread of malaria.

"Water hyacinths are a paradox," said Fohla Mouftaou, a Belgian-Beninese paediatrician who runs the firm Green Keeper Africa (GKA).

"In enough quantities they filter water and are a carbon sink. But too much of them and they begin decomposing and letting off greenhouse gases.

"By doing something that allows the balance to be restored you only keep the benefits."

Restoring the balance and using the surplus of water hyacinths in an economically viable and sustainable way is what Mouftaou and two associates have been doing for the last two years.

- Fertilisers and fibre -

A bio-refinery set up on a peninsula near the lakeside village of So-Ava is the centre of the company's operations.

So-Ava gives its name to a municipality incorporating several villages on stilts, which is home to some 100,000 people, most of them fishermen.

On the ground is a carpet of dried water hyacinths. Under a long roof, more plants are piled up in a composter.

"We currently have seven tonnes," said David Gnonlonfoun, a French-Beninese public works specialist who has lived in Benin for the last 15 years.

"We started work in March and in 2015 we harvested 500 tonnes."

In a warehouse, four workers transform the raw material with the help of a home-made crusher, without adding chemicals.

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The dried plant is turned into organic fertilisers, animal feed and a fibre that absorbs oils and hydrocarbons, making it an effective tool in the clean-up of industrial sites.

The company has set up a partnership with a Mexican firm, Tema, which it has developed and successfully commercialised the fibre. Pemex, the state-run Mexican oil firm, is among its users.

About a dozen women from So-Ava are responsible for collecting water hyacinths and drying them on the banks of Lake Nokoue.

The jute sacks they fill and deliver earn them 200 CFA francs (about 30 euro cents, 32 US cents) for 10 kilograms (22 pounds).

"In our language we call the hyacinth 'togble', which means the land is ruined. Now we say 'tognon', the land is good," joked one local woman, Rosaline Adanhou.

From the window of his office, the deputy mayor of So-Ava watches the women work.

"It's as if we've found our saviour," said Andre Todje. "The hyacinth was a scourge, now it's a resource."

- Fully fledged business -

Mouftaou said it took some effort at first to convince the local people that Green Keeper Africa wasn't a non-governmental association but a fully fledged business.

Three associates stumped up 3.0 million CFA francs to get the firm off the ground and it has since received technical and financial support of a Fair Trade financier SENS-Benin.

It sells the absorbant fibre for 12,000 CFA francs per 10kg.

"We're interested to see this here in Benin," said the head of one oil firm, who asked to remain anonymous.

"We use it for leaks and when lorries are loaded. It's very effective."

In powder form, hyacinths can absorb oil spills, which potentially makes tiny Benin's neighbour Nigeria -- Africa's number one oil producer -- a key market for development.

Other uses not yet exploited include using the fibre for sanitary towels, which are either not readily available or too expensive for many African women.

For Gnonlonfoun, the business means the lake's waters can be cleaned and a useful product recovered.

The company is currently in talks with a cement producer to use used fibre from oil spills as fuel for its ovens, he added.

"It's come full circle," he said.
LONDON (Reuters) - BT (BT.L) said on Monday it had started to look for a new finance director to replace Tony Chanmugam but that no formal decision had been taken on a replacement or when the change would be made.

Sky News reported over the weekend that Chanmugam, who has held the role since 2008, was preparing to step down.

BT is currently being reviewed by the telecoms regulator Ofcom as to whether its network division Openreach should be spun off from the wider group. Sky said Chanmugam would step down within months of the regulator delivering its verdict.

(Reporting by Kate Holton, Editing by Paul Sandle)
SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwired - Feb 8, 2016) - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay and Dr. Keith Degenhardt, Vice-Chair of the farmer-funded Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), announced today their renewed commitment to wheat and barley variety development in Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the WGRF have signed a new five-year research support agreement for AAFC wheat and barley breeding.

Under this renewed partnership with AAFC, WGRF will invest more than $21 million to support AAFC's western wheat and barley breeding programs until 2020. These funds, derived from farmer check-offs on wheat and barley sold in western Canada, represent the biggest ever industry investment in AAFC research. It will underpin AAFC's scientific capacity in plant pathology and physiology, entomology and grain quality and will enable specialized research equipment upgrades in support of all disciplines.

This partnership with WGRF will support AAFC research on:

Potentially devastating wheat and barley diseases, such as Fusarium Head Blight;

Enhancing insect resistance;

Environmental stresses, like drought and flooding; and

Developing genetic markers for plant breeding selection.

Quick Facts

AAFC plays a key role in crop improvement as the single largest provider of wheat variety development in Canada. More than 80 per cent of insured durum wheat acres and 66 per cent of hard red spring wheat acres in western Canada are planted with varieties developed by AAFC.

The WGRF is the largest financial partner in AAFC variety development research. The WGRF's investment dollars are derived from the 30 cents per tonne check-off received from farmers on wheat and 50 cents per tonne on barley sold in western Canada.

AAFC and the WGRF have collaborated on western wheat and barley varietal development through a series of agreements since 1994.

A University of Saskatchewan study commissioned by the WGRF estimated that every check-off dollar invested in varietal development of wheat and barley returned $20.40 and $7.56, respectively, in value for farmers.

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Quotes

"Wheat and barley contribute billions of dollars annually to Canada's economy. This substantial investment in wheat and barley variety development will advance innovation, giving Canadian grain farmers a competitive edge to meet world demands for food and feed."

Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"The benefits of investing wheat and barley check-offs into breeding are clearly recognized and valued by farmers and the Federal government. Check-off investments of over $90 million since 1994 have resulted in the development of 120 wheat and barley varieties. Our new investment of $21.4 million provides stability to AAFC wheat and barley research until 2020 and ensures that AAFC will continue to develop new varieties for many years to come."

Dr. Keith Degenhardt, Vice-Chair, Western Grains Research Foundation

Additional links

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Western Grains Research Foundation

Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) voiced concern on Wednesday over a report the Zika virus had been sexually transmitted in the United States and called for further investigation into the mosquito-borne virus.

The first known case of Zika virus transmission in the United States was reported in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday by local health officials, who said it likely was contracted through sex and not a mosquito bite.

"We certainly understand the concern. This needs to be further investigated to understand the conditions and how often or likely sexual transmission is, and whether or not other body fluids are implicated," WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told Reuters.

"This is the only the second mooted case of sexual transmission," he said, referring to media reports about a case of an American man who returned from Senegal in 2008 and is suspected of having infected his wife.

The virus, linked to babies born with abnormally small heads and birth defects in Brazil, is spreading rapidly in the Americas and the WHO declared an international public health emergency on Monday about the condition known as microcephaly.

The United Nations agency, which is leading international coordination on the outbreak, said on Tuesday the virus could spread to Africa and Asia, which have the world's highest birth rates, as well as to southern Europe.

In a statement on Wednesday to European member states, WHO said the risk of the virus spreading into Europe increases with the onset of spring and summer.

"Now is the time for countries to prepare themselves to reduce the risk to their populations," WHO's Europe chief Zsuzsanna Jakab said. "Every European country in which Aedes mosquitoes are present can be at risk for the spread of Zika virus disease.

"A number of travellers infected with Zika have entered Europe, but the disease has not been transmitted further, as the mosquito is still inactive. With the onset of spring and summer, the risk that Zika virus will spread increases."

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The WHO has not recommended travel or trade bans with affected countries, but says that it is drawing up advice to pregnant women.

The WHO global response team will discuss the sexual transmission report among other issues at its daily meeting later on Wednesday, Hartl said.

"There are many things we don't know about Zika," he said. "Lots of surveillance is needed ... We have our team set up and are sure there will be lots of progress quickly."

For now, the key in infected areas is to try to control mosquitoes and for people to wear adequate clothing, use insect repellent and sleep under bednets, Hartl said.

Pfizer Inc, Johnson and Johnson and Merck & Co Inc said they were evaluating their technologies or existing vaccines for their potential to combat Zika.

Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd said it had created a team to investigate how it might help make a vaccine, a day after Sanofi SA said it would launch a Zika vaccine program.

(Reporting and writing by Stephanie Nebehay; additional reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
* Lynx among systematic funds to profit from downtrend

* Bets clipped after January bounce, but still short

* Energy gains added 2-3 pct to 2014 and 2015 performance

By Simon Jessop

LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The wild two-year downtrend in energy prices has been a nice ride for one phlegmatic Swedish hedge fund.

While a 60 percent-plus fall in Brent crude has poleaxed markets and revived the spectre of global recession, Stockholm-based Lynx Asset Management is one of a group of computer-driven fund firms which have been quietly cashing in.

The $6 billion asset manager is one of the world's many "trend following" hedge funds which use sophisticated algorithms to identify money-spinning investment opportunities in assets such as oil, stocks and currencies.

Claiming no great prescience about an asset's future value, the managers let their programmes assess price, volume and other historical data to figure out when to buy and sell. The longer a trend continues, the more money they can make.

Bets on energy - crude oil, natural gas and refined products - helped add between 2 percent and 3 percent to Lynx's total performance in 2014 and 2015. It invests across 70 markets.

"It was a good trend to profit from last year, of course, and we made good money from the falling oil price," said co-founder Svante Bergstrom.

Others to benefit include $300 million Swiss-based Progressive Capital Partners, whose Tulip fund got a 26 percent boost in 2015 from its energy bets, and which is up more than 10 percent in 2016, performance data seen by Reuters showed.

The "trend followers" occupy a specialised niche in the systematic trading sector, where the biggest players include David Harding's London-based Winton Capital Management, which manages more than $30 billion, $141 billion U.S. peer AQR Capital and the AHL unit of listed hedge fund Man Group.

While Lynx pared back its bet on further oil market falls slightly in January after a market bounce - Brent crude futures recovered almost all of a 26 percent fall to a January low, prompting some short-term models to flip and bet on prices rising - Bergstrom said the broader downtrend remained intact.

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That reversal had crimped monthly returns for the sector as a whole. Chicago-based Hedge Fund Research's Systematic Diversified CTA index was up 5.3 percent at Jan. 20, only to slip back to plus 2.22 percent by Jan. 28.

"It went one way for a while, and then another way, but the net result was a plus," said Grant Smith, director of research at U.S.-based Millburn, whose Millburn Commodity Program manages $100 million, around 40 percent of which is in energy markets.

As groups the world over decry or cheer the lower energy prices, depending on whether they need to buy or sell it - although all hope the collapse doesn't presage a fresh financial crisis - Lynx's 64 staff have profited in an atmosphere more akin to a university campus than a stuffy Wall Street investment house.

And that's just the way the self-confessed number-cruncher Bergstrom likes it.

"We try to keep it a very academic environment where people discuss ideas and they work on long-term research programmes and so on ... it's a friendly environment that we think it's important to offer."

HIRING

It seems to be working.

Five hundred people applied for a recent job advert to join Lynx's team spread across four floors of a modern office in the central district of Norrmalmstorg - the priciest stop on the local version of property board game Monopoly.

All of which is a far cry from the less salubrious residence Bergstrom and founding partners shared after spinning out from the proprietary trading desk of regional lender Nordbanken in 1999 with just $500,000 in assets.

"We had a very small office in the attic of one of the buildings here in the centre. A small office, but sufficient for the three of us," said Bergstrom, who began his professional life as a stockbroker. "It was easier starting a hedge fund 15 years ago, of course."

Since then, and particularly since joining forces with hedge fund multi-manager platform Brummer & Partners, the firm has grown to be one of the biggest systematic trading fund firms in Europe, investing 24 hours a day on behalf of a range of investors including pension funds.

A key advantage of using a trend-following strategy was the ditching of human biases in favour of cold data, said Bergstrom, who balances his love of numbers with interests in theatre and charitable work.

"As a trend follower you don't forecast when a trend will reverse. My experience from having worked in the financial markets for many years is that the trend tends to continue much longer than you expected."

That ability to avoid selling too early has helped Lynx to be 3.14 percent ahead in the year to Jan. 26, performance data seen by Reuters showed.

STAR-LESS

And unlike star "discretionary" managers such as Astenbeck Capital's Andy Hall or Andurand Capital's Pierre Andurand, who use daily human analysis of factors such as geopolitics and oil inventories to get an edge, Lynx is rather more hands-off.

The firm's investment committee, which consists of Bergstrom, his fellow partners - all of whom studied Engineering Physics - and key team heads talk regularly but meet just twice a year to implement changes to their models.

"The models will change the portfolios by themselves. Depending on how the markets behave, we will buy and sell in the markets and shift positions in the fund."

"If there is a strong trend coming from one sector or one specific market, our models will pick up on that and allocate risk to that trend. We don't have to discuss that."

With no real stars and a collegial atmosphere, the firm has little trouble attracting staff - something Bergstrom also puts down to the fund's base far away from the regional hub of London, where most fund managers choose to live.

A total of 39 firms running 75 funds are active in Sweden, with combined assets of $38 billion, industry data tracker Preqin said, in a global industry of nearly $3 trillion.

"Being in Stockholm rather than London or New York makes it easier to keep people. The financial industry in Stockholm is much smaller and, if you're a skilled quant guy, Lynx is probably one of those places you'd want to be.

"The good thing with that is we can have a very open environment, where we discuss different aspects of our programme together with the research team. We can be quite open about the models and how the investment process works and we know we will not lose that information to one of our peers in the industry." (Additional reporting by Maiya Keidan in London and Luc Cohen in New York; editing by Sinead Cruise and Andrew Roche)
Wolfgang Ballinger

The Cornell Daily Sun, Cornell University's student-run newspaper, is calling for the reexamination of the Greek system after the president of a frat was arrested Thursday on charges of sexual assault.

Wolfgang Ballinger, the president of Psi Upsilon, the top-rated fraternity at Cornell, was charged with first-degree attempted rape, first-degree criminal sexual act, and first-degree sexual abuse. The alleged sexual assault occurred around 2 a.m. on Sunday, January 31.

The 21-year-old has pleaded not guilty, his lawyer, James A. Baker, told People Magazine.

"Wolfgang Ballinger is not guilty of the charges that have been filed against him. His innocence will be established at the proper time and in the proper place  which is in the courts, not in the media," Baker told People.

We reached out to Baker and will update this post if we hear back.

The editorial in The Daily Sun urges the fraternity system to take stronger preventative measures to ensure its members don't commit sexual assaults. That editorial  signed simply "The Cornell Daily Sun"  suggests certain qualities evident in fraternities can make women who visit them or encounter their members vulnerable to sexual assault.

"As a vehicle of hegemony, brotherhood can promote groupthink, creating a social environment where sexual assault may become allowable behavior," the editorial said, citing two studies it says back up its claim.

One study was conducted at a large midwestern university in 2005 with 325 undergraduate men, a quarter of whom belonged to fraternities. The study found fraternity men were three times more likely than non-fraternity men to commit "an act of sexual aggression" during a three-month follow-up period.

The other was a 2007 study that looked at first-year men at a midsized public university. That study found that men who joined fraternities and had seen a rape-prevention program were less likely to commit a "sexually coercive" act than fraternity men in a control group who hadn't seen the program.

Story continues

Cornell placed Psi Upsilon on interim suspension last Wednesday. The fraternity may face further disciplinary action, according to a statement released by University President Elizabeth Garrett.

"We will be considering what additional steps should be taken to ensure the Greek community at Cornell is living up to our institutional standard of excellence and respect for others, the statement read.

NOW WATCH: Michelle Obama jokes that Barack was a bum in high school





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A man and vehicles are reflected in a price display at a gas station in Tokyo August 26, 2015. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

By Devika Krishna Kumar

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices fell for a third straight session on Monday, with U.S. prices piercing $30 a barrel again, as lingering concerns about oversupply deepened after a Saudi-Venezuela meeting at the weekend showed few signs of coordination to boost prices.

No tangible signs emerged from a meeting on Sunday between Saudi Arabia's oil minister Ali al-Naimi and his Venezuelan counterpart that OPEC and non-OPEC suppliers were ready to meet to discuss the price slump.

Hopes of an accord to shore up prices which are languishing close to 2003 have dimmed over the past week, but the meeting between cash-strapped Venezuela and the kingpin of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries was seen as "make or break" for a possible deal to boost prices that have slumped 70 percent since mid-2014.

Venezuela's oil minister Eulogio Del Pino, who was on a tour of oil producers to lobby for action to prop up prices, said his meeting with Naimi was "productive."

"But does 'productive' mean less production? The market thinks not, at least right now," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago.

Dominick Chirichella, senior partner at the Energy Management Institute in New York, said the possibility of a production cutting deal was "quickly fading into the sunset" and traders and investors were "once again left to focus on the reality of the oversupplied global market."

Brent crude was down 84 cents, or 2.5 percent, at $33.22 a barrel by 1:56 p.m. EST (1856 GMT), paring a fall of more than 3 percent earlier in the session.

U.S. crude sank 94 cents, or 3.04 percent, to $29.93 a barrel, also trimming losses after a drop of more than 4 percent earlier.

U.S. equities were also lower, punished by persistent fears about the global economic slowdown, while the U.S. dollar also remained under pressure.

While U.S. investors have trimmed their bullish crude bets, data on Monday showed investors in ICE's Brent crude now hold their biggest net long position since records began in 2011.

France's Total has, meanwhile, agreed to buy 160,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian crude for delivery in Europe, official news agency SHANA quoted Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying, showing Tehran's determination to claw back lost market share after the lifting of nuclear sanctions against the OPEC producer.

(Additional reporting by Barani Krishnan in New York and Ahmad Ghaddar in London; Editing by Marguerita Choy and W Simon)
Alaska Air Group's 4Q15 Revenues Climbed, Beating Estimates

(Continued from Prior Part)

Current valuation

As of January 22, 2016, Alaska Air Group (ALK) has a forward EV-to-EBITDA (enterprise value to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) multiple of 4.6x. The market is expecting EBITDA growth of 10% in the next four quarters.

Our analysis

As can be seen from the chart above, Alaska Air Groups (ALK) valuation has been below the industry median from 20092014. Its low utilization and yields as compared to its industry peers seem to be part of the reason.

ALK was able to move above the industry median only in mid-2015. From 20092014, although Alaska Airs performance was better than legacy players Delta Air Lines (DAL), American Airlines (AAL), and United Continental (UAL), it lagged behind regional players JetBlue Airways (JBLU), Spirit Airlines (SAVE), and Allegiant Air (ALGT).

Apart from company fundamentals, investors should also keep an eye on the airline industry as a whole, as industry fundamentals also impact the companys valuation multiple.

The airline industry fundamentals have seen tremendous improvements in the last two years. If industry fundamentals deteriorate or investors lose their appetite for risk, the valuation multiples can fall, too. On the other hand, an improving global travel and economic outlook would be a huge positive. Investors should watch out for those signs by following our airline industry insights.

A fuel price increase may be one of these risks. Because fuel is a major expense for the airline industry, rising fuel costs would have an immediate impact on profitability if airlines cannot pass on these costs to their passengers. This would also adversely affect valuations.

Investors should keep a watch on ALKs capacity expansion plans with respect to demand growth and its impact on utilization. Future expected margins should also be tracked, especially as analysts are expecting airlines margins to have peaked.

Story continues

Investors should also keep an eye on macro indicators such as economic growth and crude prices. We regularly provide updates on these indicators on Market Realists Airlines page.

Alaska Air Group (ALK) comprises 3.98% of the DWA Consumer Cyclicals Momentum ETF (PEZ).

Browse this series on Market Realist:
MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / February 8, 2016 / Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc. (CSE:EAC) ("Earth Alive" or the "Company") is very pleased to announce it has signed an exclusive three year agreement with Brenntag Latin America (BLA), a subsidiary of Brenntag AG (ETR:BNR) (OTC PINK: BNTGF), for the distribution and sale of its Soil Activator(TM) product, a non-crop specific, patent-pending and organic-compliant microbial biofertilizer.

This new agreement opens up access to major high-value agricultural markets across Central and South America and the Caribbean. Furthermore, our relationship with BLA will facilitate and expedite the registration process of the Earth Alive Ag technology in various regions, accelerating market penetration in the 18 Latin American countries where BLA operates. BLA offers one-stop-shop solutions, an extensive sales network, technical expertise, and value-added services such as just-in-time delivery, product mixing, formulation, repackaging, and inventory management.

"We are very excited to be working with Brenntag's agriculture division in this dynamic growth sector. With their reputation for quality, service, and innovation, Brenntag is the perfect partner for bringing Soil Activator(TM) to Latin America," stated David Gilmour, CEO of Earth Alive. "Brenntag offers the skills and resources to build on Soil Activator(TM) successes such as our recent banana fertilization project in the Dominican Republic ( http://earthalivect.com/banana-production/ )" he concluded.

Michael Warren, Earth Alive Vice President of Global Operations  Agricultural Solutions, stated, "Positive results are coming in from numerous on-farm commercial trials run over the last six months by Brenntag's clients in crops such as bananas, avocados, tomatoes, and grapes. Soil Activator(TM) is increasing yield and quality in the real world, and growers are seeing the solid returns on investment. These positive results have generated strong demand, and we have already shipped over 10,000 kg of product to BLA in advance of this exclusive agreement." Mr. Warren further added, "Fertilizer sales in Latin America represent an estimated $18B annual market, and this new relationship with BLA will put us on solid footing to be part of it".

Simon Neufeld, Chief Agronomist at Earth Alive, stated, "The most exciting developments in agriculture today are taking place in the biological sphere, and the microbial technologies contained in Soil Activator are revolutionizing global agriculture." He further elaborated, "Through extensive research, and multiple years of field testing, we have developed a trulyunique combination of microorganisms that work in the soil to increase available crop nutrients and stimulate growth. Our patent-pending technology couples these functional microbes with an innovative synergistic active that helps hold nutrients in place and increase availability for the growing crop. Our use of state-of-the-art microbiology techniques for quality control also ensures the production and distribution of a high quality product."

German Torres, Brenntag Latin America (BLA) Chief Executive Officer, and Eduardo Denyer, President of BLA North, jointly stated: "We are excited to be working with the Earth Alive team and their innovative microbial biofertilizer. Soil Activator(TM) is a unique product and a game changer in the market with a broad application and proven results in a broad range of crops. We are proud that Brenntag Latin America will be bringing it exclusively to the market." They further added, "Soil Activator(TM) will provide BLA with solid growth opportunities in the Ag market this year and beyond throughout Latin America."

About Earth Alive Clean Technologies:

Earth Alive aims to be a key player in world markets of environmentally sustainable industrial solutions. The company works with the latest innovations in microbial technology to formulate and patent innovative products that can tackle the most difficult industrial challenges, once only reserved to environmentally harmful chemicals and additives. The company is focused on environmental sustainability in 1) dust control for the mining industry, and 2) the agriculture industry.

About Brenntag:

Brenntag, the global market leader in chemical distribution, covers all major markets with its extensive product and service portfolio. Headquartered in Mulheim an der Ruhr, Germany, the company operates a global network with more than 490 locations in 72 countries. In 2014, the company, which has a global workforce of more than 13,500, generated sales of EUR 10.0 billion (USD 13.3 billion). Brenntag connects chemical manufacturers and chemical users. The company supports its customers and suppliers with tailor-made distribution solutions for industrial and specialty chemicals. With over 10,000 products and a world-class supplier base, Brenntag offers one-stop-shop solutions to around 170,000 customers. This includes specific application technology, an extensive technical support and value-added services such as just-in-time delivery, product mixing, formulation, repackaging, inventory management and drum return handling. Long-standing experience and local excellence in the individual countries characterize the global market leader for chemical distribution.

For additional company information, please visit: www.earthalivect.com

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" occur. Although Earth Alive believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc.,

1001, Lenoir Street, Suite B-338,

Montreal (Qc) Canada

H4C 2Z6

T.(438) 333-1680

For investor relations, please contact:

Mr. Frederick Chabot

e) frederick@contactfinancial.com

p) 438-863-7071

For media information and interview requests, please contact:

Mr. David Gilmour

e) dgilmour@earthalivect.com

(p) 514-814-2899

SOURCE: Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc
Recently recaptured drug kingpin Joaquin El Chapo Guzman is willing to plead guilty to drug-trafficking charges filed against him in the US  but under one condition.

He doesnt want to go to a high-security prison, Jose Refugio Rodriguez, one of Guzmans lawyers, told Univision last week.

Guzman suggested to me the possible option of reaching an agreement with the United States government to consent to the extradition, Rodriguez told Peniley Ramirez in an exclusive interview with Univision  his first time on camera in 36 years as a litigator.

Rodriguez said that the jailed Sinaloa cartel chief is willing to accept his culpability for the charges [that] the United States seeks.

[We would ask for] favorable conditions in order to face legal proceedings in the United States  Like? That he doesnt arrive at a maximum-security prison  and [that he gets there] after the penalty is negotiated, Rodriguez told Univision.

Elaborating on the conditions under which Guzman would make this plea, Rodriguez told Univision that in order for Guzman to renounce [his] right to a defense in Mexico, he would ask for the following: that he not be held in a maximum-security prison where he would not have contact with other inmates or where he would not see the light of the sun for more than an hour a day.

The request seems to refer to the conditions at the federal ADX prison, known as the supermax or the Alcatraz of the Rockies, in Florence, Colorado, where, according to The New York Times:

Inmates spend their days in 12-by-7-foot cells with thick concrete walls and double sets of sliding metal doors (with solid exteriors, so prisoners cant see one another).  Prisoners in the general population are allotted a maximum of 10 hours of exercise a week outside their cells, alternating between solo trips to an indoor gym (a windowless cell with a single chin-up bar) and group visits to the outdoor rec yard (where each prisoner nonetheless remains confined to an individual cage).

Story continues

The facility holds many of the USs most violent and well-known criminals in relative isolation.

Rodriguezs description also matches one made by Jhon Popeye Vasquez, one of the surviving members of Pablo Escobars Medellin drug cartel.

In August, Vasquez, Escobars chief hit man in the 1980s and 90s, said that such conditions would not be tolerable for a recalcitrant Mexican like El Chapo. But Vasquez was also confident that it would take 16 to 18 months to find Guzman  it took a little less than six  and that the drug lord would not be recaptured alive.

'H e refused to give information

Throughout the interview, published on Saturday, Guzmans lawyer, Rodriguez, stressed that his client would not be 'on his knees during a discussion with US prosecutors, because Guzman has many resources to combat extradition.

We are going to work the extradition [process] so that the United States doesnt find a man prostrate on his knees, begging for help, Rodriguez told Univision. So the American government sees that we have elements to win the extradition [case] in Mexico.

Rodriguez admitted that the possibility of negotiations with the US had not been addressed with any US official or agency.

But he did say that after Guzmans arrest on January 8, Mexican prosecutors had asked the kingpin to reveal names of Mexican-government officials who had been complicit with the Sinaloa cartel boss.

Many in Mexico and elsewhere have long suspected that Guzman and his cartel had been acting with the support of elements within the Mexican government, the governing party of President Enrique Pena Nieto, the military or other security agencies, or some combination of all three.

Theres a lot of speculation out there that hes got a lot of information on corrupt [military] officials, and other public officials, Marcos Jimenez, a former US attorney for the Southern District of Florida, told Business Insider the day after Guzmans recapture.

The Mexican government may offer Guzman a deal that precludes extradition in exchange for information on corrupt officials, Jimenez added.

I know that he was questioned on this point, Rodriguez said of his client, and he refused to give information.

Watch Univisions exclusive interview (in Spanish) here.

NOW WATCH: Watch newly released video of 'El Chapo being booked by Mexican authorities





More From Business Insider


Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) photographed at the presidential palace in Quito, Ecuador, on February 4, 2016 (AFP Photo/Rodrigo Buendia) (AFP)

Ankara (AFP) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday blasted as "laughable" Russia's accusation that Turkey was actively preparing to invade Syria.

"I find this Russian statement laughable... rather it is Russia that is currently engaged in an invasion of Syria," Erdogan said, quoted by the state-run Anatolia news agency.

Russia on Thursday had claimed Turkey was planning to invade Syria, saying it had spotted troops and military equipment on the border with the war-torn country.

"We have serious grounds to suspect Turkey is in intensive preparations for an armed invasion of the territory of a sovereign state -- the Syrian Arab Republic," Russia's defence ministry said in a statement.

Ties between Moscow, which supports the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Ankara, which is a staunch backer of the opposition, have been in tatters since Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on the Syrian border in November, claiming it had entered Turkish airspace.

Following a request from Assad, Moscow launched a bombing campaign in Syria in September, saying it needed to target jihadists like the Islamic State group before they cross into Russia. But air strikes have also hit the rebels opposed to Assad.

Tens of thousands of Syrians were apparently streaming towards Turkey on Friday as regime troops pressed a major Russian-backed offensive around Aleppo.
By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS - CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd has started formal proceedings to get EU approval for merging its Italian mobile telecoms business with Vimpelcom's, at a time when it is still in the throes of trying to win approval for its UK bid to create Britain's biggest mobile operator.

The two companies formally gave notification of their merger plan to the European Commission on Friday, according to a filing on the EU executive's website, with a decision due by March 11.

The proposed merger of 3 Italia SpA and Vimpelcom's WIND Telecommunicazioni is expected to come under close scrutiny because it will reduce the number of mobile network operators in Italy from four to three, a reduction which competition regulators think could lead to higher prices for phone users.

But Hutchison argues that by cutting costs the new combination of WIND and 3 Italia would be a more effective competitor against Telecom Italia and Vodafone.

The Hong Kong conglomerate, whose last two acquisitions in Austria and Ireland brought a similar reduction in the number of operators and were cleared only after it agreed to make concessions, said it was confident of getting approval for the Italian deal.

"This transaction will ensure that there is a strong third player in the Italian market that is able to compete head-on in the market place against the two larger operators," it said in a statement.

Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman's LetterOne fund owns 47.9 percent of Vimpelcom's voting rights.

The Commission can either clear the deal, with or without conditions, or open a full-scale investigation if it has substantial concerns.

Hutchison may have to offer concessions similar to those granted with 3 Group's acquisitions of O2 in Ireland and Orange Austria, said Brussels-based competition lawyer David Cantor.

"Italy lacks a robust mobile virtual network operator segment, relatively speaking, and it's therefore very likely the Commission will insist on the creation of a new 'fourth MNO' as a condition of clearance of WIND-Three," he said.

Story continues

The EU competition regulator last week warned Hutchison of the concerns it had for competition in the UK market from Three's proposed 10.3 billion pound ($14.93 billion) takeover of Telefonica's O2 UK, which will also reduce the number of mobile network operators there to three from four.

Hutchison is expected to offer concessions later this month and may seek a closed-door hearing where it will seek to persuade senior Commission officials and national competition agencies of the merits of the deal. The Commission is scheduled to rule on the case by April 22.

"Regardless of whether the Commission buys into Hutchison's recent promise to sell off network capacity to UK retail competitors post-merger, it's a good bet that clearance will require the merged company to exit one of the two prevailing UK network-sharing platforms," Cantor said.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Louise Heavens, Greg Mahlich)
Workers sleep during a lunch break at a street side iron shop in Mumbai Workers sleep during a lunch break at a street side iron shop in Mumbai, India, February 8, 2016. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India said its economy grew 7.3 percent in the October-December quarter from a year earlier, in line with expectations, and forecast that gross domestic product would expand an annualised 7.6 percent in the fiscal year ending in March.

The latest full-year estimate compares with a revised 7.2 percent growth a year earlier.

COMMENTARY

SAUGATA BHATTACHARYA, CHIEF ECONOMIST, AXIS BANK, MUMBAI

"Initial numbers seem to suggest that growth is stronger than earlier thought, but the GVA number, which is a more important number, is not throwing big surprises as per our estimates.

"Inventory growth has come down to 5.5 percent from 20.3 percent last year. That means there's been a massive drawdown in stock, which means there's still good demand in the economy."

"Overall the gross capital formation is also up from 4.8 percent to 5.3 percent which means even the capex engine has not slowed down, and is growing at a rapid pace."

ABHEEK BARUA, CHIEF ECONOMIST, HDFC BANK, NEW DELHI

"The manufacturing number seems to be a little too strong and is completely disconnected either with IIP (industrial output), which is theoretically possible. But even with the kind of margins and profits which we are looking at in the corporate sector, the GVA number seems to be a little elevated.

"I think the thing that worries me the most is the 8.6 percent nominal number, which seems to again highlight the fact there are, on an economy-wide level, deflationary pressures and complete lack of pricing power. And I suspect it is not entirely coming from commodity price deflation.

"I suspect the advance estimates will be pared down, because otherwise you need around a 7.6 percent kind of number for Q4, which is unlikely to sort of come through.

"There is discomfort, and I think the discomfort is stemming largely from the fact, the GVA number, especially on the manufacturing side, don't seem to correlate with anything at the more micro sort of ground level. And I think that's really what the concerns are.

Story continues

"Overall, the deflator is looking very, very worrisome and I think it should rekindle the debate on whether we should be completely guided by CPI on monetary policy decision, or whether we should take some kind of an aggregate measure of prices as a guide for monetary policy and other decisions."

RITIKA MANKAR, ECONOMIST, AMBIT CAPITAL

"3QFY16 GDP data could have been lowballed given that this can allow the government to justify fiscal slippage for FY17.

"The new GDP series and the information it is conveying, not just in terms of level but also in terms of the direction, seems counter-intuitive, simply because all our qualitative and quantitative data checks suggest GDP growth decisively decelerated in FY16 vs FY15.

"Our own proprietary tool based on real economy indicators suggests that economic momentum has been decelerating systematically from 1QFY16 to 3QFY16."

RUPA REGE NITSURE, GROUP CHIEF ECONOMIST, L&T FINANCE HOLDINGS, MUMBAI

"What I give maximum credence to is GVA (gross value added), and that is showing marginal improvement for the year as a whole on the back of improvement in agriculture and manufacturing.

"The third-quarter GDP has already started showing a slowdown and agriculture stresses because rabi is also lagging. It is difficult to see any pick-up in agriculture.

"So going by the undercurrent so far, I would say FY16 GDP may not be much different from FY15 GDP in terms of GVA."

SHUBHADA RAO, CHIEF ECONOMIST, YES BANK, MUMBAI

"The third-quarter data has surprised on the upside as high frequency indicators such as PMI, some segments in the services sector, and core industrial output (had) pointed to a loss in momentum.

"Therefore, the data looks difficult to correlate. Likewise, a contraction in agriculture was a negative surprise because the kharif output did not indicate it."

(Reporting by Neha Dasgupta and Manoj Rawal; Compiled by Rafael Nam)
Mexican telecom behemoth, America Movil S.A.B. de C.V. AMX, is slated to release fourth-quarter 2015 results on Feb 9, after market close.



Last quarter, the company reported loss in contrast to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of earnings, leading to a negative surprise of 120.83%. Moreover, the company posted negative surprises in all of the prior four quarters, with an average miss of 72.54%. Lets see how things are shaping up ahead of this announcement.



Factors Likely to Influence this Quarter



In the past few quarters, the companys results have been hurt by foreign currency impact. Thus, continuous adverse foreign exchange rate movement in several Latin American countries, especially the depreciation of the Brazilian real against the U.S. dollar, might affect earnings in the to-be-reported quarter.



Moreover, regulatory issues in Mexico, the companys aggressive promotional strategies and rising competition in the Mexican telecom industry are certain factors that may weigh upon the quarters results.



Meanwhile, grant of institutional waiver by Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) for the recently spun off towers, Telesites, to begin operations is a positive. Notably, the towers were listed on the Mexican stock exchange, last December. Also, IFTs approval regarding the prices the company can charge as interconnection fees, should somewhat offset the negatives.



Earnings Whispers



Our proven model does not conclusively show that America Movil is likely to beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. Unfortunately, that is not the case here as elaborated below.



Zacks ESP: America Movil has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. This is because both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are poised at 54 cents.



Zacks Rank: America Movil has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Note that, we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell-rated stocks) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.



Stocks to Consider



Here are some companies you may want to consider as our model shows these have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter:



Windstream Holdings, Inc. WIN has an earnings ESP of +16.33% and a Zacks Rank #2.



InterDigital, Inc. IDCC has an earnings ESP of +33.33% and a Zacks Rank #3.



Infinera Corporation INFN has an earnings ESP of +7.14% and a Zacks Rank #3.



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Zacks Investment Research
* Facing protests, France wants more EU livestock steps

* PM Valls to discuss Russian pork embargo with Medvedev (Writes through to add Commission reaction, details of French proposals to EU)

By Jean-Baptiste Vey

PARIS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - France wants new "market regulation measures" to help farmers hurt by low milk and pork prices and has submitted proposals ahead of a meeting of European Union agriculture ministers later this month, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Monday.

The government called on the European Commission to do more to help its struggling livestock sector, seeking to defuse protests in which farmers have blocked highways and supermarkets.

Prices for milk and pork have fallen below the cost of production for many European Union farmers as a Russian embargo on Western food has caused oversupply, and France says 35,000 of its livestock farms are at risk of going bankrupt.

The French government has offered hundreds of millions of euros in aid to livestock farmers since last summer. But with no sign of an upturn in market conditions, farmers have renewed street protests since the start of the year.

Speaking after a meeting with supermarket retailers about the farming situation, Valls said the Commission had so far "done too little, too late", and France had suggested steps to bolster the market ahead of the EU farm ministers meeting.

Asked about Valls' remarks, a Commission spokesman cited a 500 million euros ($556 million) aid package granted last year and urged EU countries to make full use of it.

In the dairy sector, French proposals include an increase in the floor price at which producers can sell into public storage, an export credit facility, and aid for farmers who cut output when prices fall, a memorandum submitted by France to the Commission and seen by Reuters showed.

France also called for a concerted effort to get Russia to lift a sanitary embargo on EU pork - which pre-dated a broad ban on Western food imposed in August 2014, the document showed.

Story continues

Valls said he would raise the issue with Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev during a meeting in Germany on Saturday.

The Commission, which manages the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, rejected last year the idea of raising dairy intervention prices or regulating volumes, defending a market reform that saw production quotas abolished last April.

Within France, the government is discussing potential measures with supermarket chains, frequently targeted in protests by farmers who blame them for pushing down prices.

Discussions with retailers will continue this week about a special fund for pig farmers, Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll said after the meeting.

Monday's gathering also looked at the possibility of changing French legislation to include farmers in annual price negotiations between food retailers and manufacturers, in order to ensure farmer production costs were taken into account, officials and retailers said.

The idea of maintaining milk prices at 2015 levels was also discussed as a way to give short-term relief to dairy farmers. ($1 = 0.8992 euros) (Writing by Gus Trompiz; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
A French livestock farmer watches as a lorry leaves after its contents were inspected at a roadblock near a toll booth on the autoroute in Ancenis, western France, January 27, 2016. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

By Jean-Baptiste Vey

PARIS (Reuters) - France wants new "market regulation measures" to help farmers hurt by low milk and pork prices and has submitted proposals ahead of a meeting of European Union agriculture ministers later this month, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Monday.

The government called on the European Commission to do more to help its struggling livestock sector, seeking to defuse protests in which farmers have blocked highways and supermarkets.

Prices for milk and pork have fallen below the cost of production for many European Union farmers as a Russian embargo on Western food has caused oversupply, and France says 35,000 of its livestock farms are at risk of going bankrupt.

The French government has offered hundreds of millions of euros in aid to livestock farmers since last summer. But with no sign of an upturn in market conditions, farmers have renewed street protests since the start of the year.

Speaking after a meeting with supermarket retailers about the farming situation, Valls said the Commission had so far "done too little, too late", and France had suggested steps to bolster the market ahead of the EU farm ministers meeting.

Asked about Valls' remarks, a Commission spokesman cited a 500 million euros ($556 million) aid package granted last year and urged EU countries to make full use of it.

In the dairy sector, French proposals include an increase in the floor price at which producers can sell into public storage, an export credit facility, and aid for farmers who cut output when prices fall, a memorandum submitted by France to the Commission and seen by Reuters showed.

France also called for a concerted effort to get Russia to lift a sanitary embargo on EU pork - which pre-dated a broad ban on Western food imposed in August 2014, the document showed.

Valls said he would raise the issue with Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev during a meeting in Germany on Saturday.

The Commission, which manages the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, rejected last year the idea of raising dairy intervention prices or regulating volumes, defending a market reform that saw production quotas abolished last April.

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Within France, the government is discussing potential measures with supermarket chains, frequently targeted in protests by farmers who blame them for pushing down prices.

Discussions with retailers will continue this week about a special fund for pig farmers, Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll said after the meeting.

Monday's gathering also looked at the possibility of changing French legislation to include farmers in annual price negotiations between food retailers and manufacturers, in order to ensure farmer production costs were taken into account, officials and retailers said.

The idea of maintaining milk prices at 2015 levels was also discussed as a way to give short-term relief to dairy farmers.

(Writing by Gus Trompiz; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Beirut (AFP) - Beleaguered rebels in northern Syria faced double defeat on Monday by both the Russian-backed regime and advancing Kurdish militia, as tens of thousands of displaced amassed on the Turkish border.

The worsening refugee crisis has pushed Germany and Turkey to ask NATO for help policing Turkey's shores, after two dozen more migrants drowned there en route to Greece.

In Ankara, German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with Turkish leaders, saying the two countries would ask a meeting of NATO defence ministers whether and how NATO could support coastguards.

Merkel said she was "horrified" by the suffering of people stranded on the Syrian-Turkish border after fleeing fighting in northern Syria.

Fierce clashes in the north of Aleppo province -- sparked by a week-long government assault with Russian air support -- have displaced tens of thousands of people.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said his government fears that violence could drive as many as 600,000 refugees to its border in a "worst case scenario".

The United Nations so far estimates that 31,000 people have fled from areas near and in Aleppo city, a vast majority of them women and children, according to Linda Tom, spokeswoman of the UN's humanitarian aid organisation.

Eight informal camps on the Syrian side of the border are at "full capacity", she said, amid reports that refugees are sleeping rough in fields and on roads.

Government troops and allied forces have seized a string of rebel-held villages, taking them to about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Turkey.

"It's the first time since 2013 that the Syrian regime has been this close to the Turkish border in Aleppo province," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor.

- Rebels 'collapsing' -

Kurdish forces have also pushed further east from their bastion in Afrin, seizing six villages in recent days after rebel groups withdrew.

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Opposition fighters are now squeezed "between the pincers of the army, which is pushing north, Kurdish forces coming from the west, and IS which dominates the east," Abdel Rahman said.

The regime offensive, one of the largest yet in the north, has cut a major rebel supply route out of Aleppo city.

Regime forces now have their sights set on taking Tal Rifaat, one of three remaining rebel bastions north of the provincial capital.

After capturing the village of Kafeen late Sunday, government forces are now just five kilometres (three miles) south of Tal Rifaat.

According to analyst Fabrice Balanche, Syria's regime aims to "close off the Turkish border to deprive the rebels of their logistical support".

- 'Total impunity' of regime -

More than 260,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria's bloody war, which diplomatic efforts have so far failed to resolve.

The most recent round of UN-brokered indirect negotiations in Geneva last month was "suspended" until February 25.

Last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told The Financial Times newspaper that "aerial bombing continued" when the talks began, making it "extremely difficult" for negotiations to take place.

On Monday, Moscow sharply criticised Ban, saying he had "practically" accused Russia of torpedoing the talks.

"This is clearly not what happened," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"We have always considered and continue to consider that comments from the chief administrator of an global organisation... should remain impartial and objective."

After talks in Washington between their top diplomats, the United States and Saudi Arabia said Monday they will push for an immediate ceasefire in Syria at international talks later this week.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir met ahead of the broader negotiations in Munich in Thursday.

Both cited UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access to besieged Syrian towns.

"And we hope that when we meet in Munich in the next few days, we'll be in a position where we can make progress on that goal," Kerry said.

In a scathing report published on Monday, UN investigators accused the Damascus government of "exterminating" prisoners in regime jails and detention centres.

"The mass scale of deaths of detainees suggests that the government of Syria is responsible for acts that amount to extermination as a crime against humanity," commission head Paulo Pinheiro told reporters in Geneva.

"Nearly every surviving detainee has emerged from custody having suffered unimaginable abuses."

Based on 621 interviews -- many of them with former detainees who witnessed deaths while in custody -- the report adds to a huge body of evidence from the commission and others, detailing horrific abuse, torture and killings in Syrian-run jails.
The New Hampshire primaries are only a day away. And in a state with approximately 800,000 voters, one block in particular will have a significant effect on the results for both parties: the tens of thousands of small business owners  and the hundreds of thousands of people who work for them (according to the Census Bureau). What are they thinking as they head to the voting booths Tuesday?

The issues they face certainly arent new. A slow growing-economy is a recurring theme.

Continued growth will be the biggest concern for my firm and our clients, says Angela Martin, a partner at a Portsmouth law office. Her firm, Devine Millimet, has worked with more than 450 New Hampshire small businesses over the past five years.

The economy continues to rebound, but on a slow pace, she says. Martin is concerned about the states aging population and the challenges keeping younger workers in its stagnant manufacturing and technology sectors.

Architect Christopher Carley, who runs C.N. Carley Associates in Concord, agrees.

My business is directly related to the health of the construction industry, Carley says. Investors and business managers need a high level of confidence in their prospects to make the leap of faith it takes to design and build. They need to believe that their income situation will continue to be healthy in order to create more business for us. Carley thinks that New Hampshires regulatory complexities are greater than in other parts of the country and inhibit growth.

New Hampshire is seeing slowing growth, warns Jayme Henriques Simoes, who is president of Concord-based Louis Karno & Company Communications. Declines in our workforce, housing and our aging infrastructure are taking its toll. We are linked economically to Boston, but there is no rail service to link Nashua, Manchester or Concord and that is a problem for business and for attracting younger people to locate here.

Health insurance resonates, too.

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Although a recent Kauffman study found that New Hampshires premium increases, at about 6%, is less than the national average for 2016, many small business owners are concerned about future increases and the long term sustainability of the Affordable Care Act. For example, Tina Annis, an attorney in Concord, happily reported a decrease in what her firm has been paying for health insurance recently  but she is worried about the future.

Health insurance is still very expensive and it continues to be an issue that concerns us. It remains one of our costliest items. And if the ACA is completely repealed [as some candidates support] were concerned that well have even [fewer] choices and our healthcare costs will increase.

Pam Peterson, who owns a small clothing company called Gondwana & Divine, also struggles with health insurance.

We need more options in the marketplace. Come this November we will be paying a very high premium for the older individuals on our staff. Currently our business covers 100% of health insurance premiums for eligible staff but Im not sure we will be able to continue this forever.

The lack of affordable healthcare and the complexity, uncertainty and frequently changing rules of the ACA are among my clients biggest concerns, John Ela, a management consultant based in Manchester, told me. Like the others, Ela believes that the high cost of healthcare affects both the states aging population and its ability to attract younger, more skilled workers.

Can the next president solve these problems for the states small businesses? The reaction is mixed.

Carley is optimistic.

Small business is the golden goose of the U.S. economy and this is a chance to return to an approach of policies that promote growth, he says. He adds that whatever happens, change will take time, saying that the effects of most activity in Washington dribbles down slowly to the provinces.

And others, like Peterson, arent feeling so sure: I have less faith now for big changes in America than I have had in the past.

Simoes, always the entrepreneur, isnt sure whether the candidates can solve all the states problems but one things for sure: the primaries have been good for his business. Weve picked up several primary related accounts, he reported. And that adds to our bottom line.

So what can the candidates learn? Growth and healthcare loom large in the minds of New Hampshire small business owners. And they can expect to hear the same issues from the other 20-30 million small business owners (and voters) around the country before this primary season comes to an end.

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Sundar Pichai Google

Google's Sundar Pichai is getting a nice payday to go along with his new role as CEO of the internet search company.

Pichai received roughly $183 million in stock, which will vest over a period of four years, according to a regulatory filing. The pay package appears to be one of the largest awarded to a Google executive.

Pichai became the CEO of Google in October, after the company restructured and created the new Alphabet holding company. Alphabet is comprised of the traditional Google Internet business and various separate companies focused on "other bets," such as the high-speed broadband business Google Fiber and the home appliance business Nest.

The hefty pay package underscores how important Alphabet's flagship search engine remains to the company, even as it diversifies into other projects, and how how much the company wants Pichai to stick around.

Pichai was awarded 273,328 Class C shares of Google stock, which will vest over a four year period, according to SEC documents filed on Friday.

According to Bloomberg, the pay package is the highest that Google has ever given to an executive officer whose equity grants have been reported in filings. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who is currently Executive Chairman, received two separate $100 million stock grants in 2011 and 2014.

NOW WATCH: The Be Like Bill Facebook memes driving everyone crazy have a darker side no one is talking about





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Over the weekend, North Korea earned further worldwide scorn after it tested a highly technical long-range rocket system.

Pyongyang claimed that the test was part of a peaceful and benign space program.

However, the rogue regimes latest launch is almost assuredly a cover for testing a ballistic and nuclear weapons program.

Gordon Chang, writing for The Daily Beast, notes that the satellite system that North Korea claims to have launched over the weekend would weigh essentially as much as a nuclear warhead.

This satellite launch could thus dovetail with Pyongyangs claimed successful testing and detonation of a miniaturized hydrogen bomb.

Although there is still no indication that North Korea would be able to develop missile and nuclear warheads en masse, let alone successfully deploy them beyond tests, this latest rocket launch is alarming.

Firstly, the missile had a range of 10,000 kilometers. A missile with such a range could hypothetically target large portions of the continental United States.

In October, Admiral Bill Gortney, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, assessed that North Korea has the capability to reach the [US] homeland with a nuclear weapon from a rocket, The Guardian reported.

Gortney also warned in an April 2015 news conference that he was confident that, according to a Pentagon assessment, Pyongyang would be able to place miniaturized nuclear warheads on its KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile.

However, Gortney did qualify this assessment.

Should one get airborne and come at us, Im confident we would be able to knock it down, he told reporters.

Secondly, each launch that North Korea attempts furthers the regimes military capabilities. Chang notes that previously it took Pyongyang weeks to prepare, assemble, calibrate, and carry out a missile launch giving the US and neighboring nations plenty of time to prepare for the test.

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The latest launch, however, only took a day.

The Taepodong [missile] is still an easy target before launch, but once it reaches the edge of space it becomes fearsome, Chang writes.

It has the range to make a dent in more than half of the continental United States. If its warhead is nuclear and explodes high above the American homeland, an electromagnetic pulse could disable electronics across vast swatches of the country.

In the face of such a challenge, the US has agreed to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system to South Korea.

The missile system is able to knock enemy missiles out of the sky, hopefully limiting the utility of any long-range missiles in North Koreas arsenal.

The decision to deploy THAAD missiles has been an ongoing point of discussion between South Korea and the US since at least last October.

By the end of 2016, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is scheduled to deliver an additional 48 THAAD interceptors to the US military, bringing the total up to 155, according to a statement from MDA director Vice Admiral J.D. Syring before the House Armed Service Committee.

According to the US Missile Defense Agency, there are more than 6,300 ballistic missiles outside of US, NATO, Russian, and Chinese control.

Other US partners around the globe are interested in purchasing THAAD.

NOW WATCH: Meet Americas THAAD: One of the worlds most advanced missile-defense systems that has China spooked





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ATHENS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Greece expects the review of its bailout performance to resume next week and conclude two weeks later, its finance minister said on Monday.

"We must convince them ... how we will reach the 3.5 percent of GDP primary budget surplus year by year," Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos told lawmakers. "The pension and tax reforms will contribute to this in 2018."

"We expect them (mission chiefs) to return in due course, not this week but sometime next week. Techical teams continue discussing the size of the fiscal gap," he said. "Once the institutions return, we will have two weeks to the final closing (of the review)." (Reporting by Michele Kambas)
donald trump

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was asked an emotional question Monday during a campaign event in Salem, New Hampshire.

A man started off by saying he was from an unnamed community in Connecticut in which Trump owned a home.

Trump correctly guessed the city was Greenwich.

"He's a rich guy. Did Hillary send you, by any chance?" Trump said, referring to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

The man said no and then pressed Trump about his hardline position on Syrian refugees. Trump has said that, in addition to barring new refugees fleeing the violence in Syria, he would send back any of the refugees already in the US.

"There's plans in place now to relocate a few Syrian families in the [Greenwich] community," the man told Trump. "The community has been very open and welcoming of these families. Some of their children are  ages 5, 8, 10, 12  are planning to go to school there."

He continued: "I think we all probably know what your general policies are toward refugees. I'm wondering if you would be able to look at these children in the face and tell them that they are not allowed to go to school in the community?"

Trump said he could, in fact, look those children in the face and tell them the US wouldn't accept them. The Republican front-runner warned that their parents could be aligned with the Islamic State, the terrorist group also known as ISIS.

donald trump

"I could look in their face and say, 'You can't come.'  I'll look them in the face," Trump said. "We don't know where their parents come from. Their parents should always stay with them. You have to keep them together. That's very important. But we don't know where their parents come from."

Trump said he had talked to the "greatest legal people" and "greatest security people" and those experts confirmed that there was no safe way to accept thousands of refugees fleeing the Islamic State and the oppressive Syrian government.

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But Trump also said he had a "a bigger heart than anybody in this room" when it came to protecting the refugees. He said he would instead create a safe zone for them in the Middle East so they could more easily return to Syria after civil war there ends.

"I don't think they should be moving into Greenwich, Connecticut," he said. "I don't think they should be coming into the United States."

Trump also said he was suspicious of the refugees' cellphones:

You see them on cellphones. Where the hell did they get their cellphones? This is a migration. They have no anything, and yet they have cellphones. And then they have cellphones with ISIS flags on them 

Where the hell did they get the cellphones? Who the hell pays the bill? Who's paying the bill for the cellphone? And you see little things like that. Does that make any sense, OK? But you look at it and you say, "We have enough problems."

NOW WATCH: An AT&T spokesperson and former refugee is now helping Syrian refugees in Greece





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(Adds details about firing of state environmental employee)

DETROIT, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said on Friday he wants officials to focus on solving problems around lead-contaminated drinking water in the city of Flint instead of laying blame as he said some have been doing.

"There are a number of folk out there that are spending their time mainly on the political side and the blame side," he said at a meeting in Flint of local and state officials responding to the crisis.

Snyder's comments came a day after liberal group Progress Michigan released emails showing high-ranking state officials knew about an increase in Legionnaires' disease in Genesee County, where Flint is located, and a possible link to the contaminated water almost a year before the governor said he got information about the outbreak.

Snyder, who has repeatedly apologized for the state's poor handling of the crisis, previously said he did not learn of the rise in Legionnaires' cases until last month.

The governor and state officials have been criticized for not catching the contaminated water sooner, with some calling for Snyder to resign.

Later on Friday, Snyder's office said the former head of the state Department of Environmental Quality's Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance unit, Liane Shekter Smith, was fired. She and a second employee were suspended last month, and a state spokesman cited a civil service rule allowing for termination due to failure to do one's job.

A second DEQ employee, environmental manager Stephen Busch, remains on suspension and no decision has been made on his status, state officials said.

Flint, near Detroit, was under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager when it switched the source of its tap water from Detroit's system to the Flint River in April 2014 to save money.

It switched back last October after tests found high levels of lead in samples of children's blood. The more corrosive water from the river leached more lead from the city pipes than Detroit water did. Lead can damage the nervous system.

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On Friday, lawmakers on a U.S. House of Representatives panel said they plan to hold a hearing next month to address Flint health and infrastructure issues. The energy and commerce panel did not have details on the date or who would testify.

This week, Congress held its first hearing into the Flint crisis. The House Oversight Committee did not invite Snyder, a Republican, to testify, something Democrats on the panel complained bitterly about.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit and Timothy Gardner in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish)
* U.S., South Korea to start talks on THAAD missile defense system

* China expresses "deep concern" over the discussions

* THAAD's radar could penetrate into Chinese territory

* Japan has considered THAAD, but says no concrete plan for now

* Rocket launch would spur Tokyo to deploy THAAD - expert (Adds Chinese media comment)

By Andrea Shalal and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - North Korea's latest rocket launch might kick off a buildup of U.S. missile defense systems in Asia, U.S. officials and missile defense experts said, something that could further strain U.S.-China ties and also hurt relations between Beijing and Seoul.

North Korea says it put a satellite into orbit on Sunday, but the United States and its allies see the launch as cover for Pyongyang's development of ballistic missile technology that could be used to deliver a nuclear weapon.

Washington sought to reassure its allies South Korea and Japan of its commitment to their defense after the launch, which followed a North Korean nuclear test on Jan. 6.

The United States and South Korea said they would begin formal talks about deploying the sophisticated Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, to the Korean peninsula "at the earliest possible date."

South Korea had been reluctant to publicly discuss the possibility due to worries about upsetting China, its biggest trading partner.

Beijing, at odds with the United States over Washington's reaction to its building of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, quickly expressed "deep concern" about a system whose radar could penetrate Chinese territory.

China had made its position clear to Seoul and Washington, the Foreign Ministry said.

"When pursuing its own security, one country should not impair others' security interests," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

TIPPING POINT

But the North Korean rocket launch, on top of last month's nuclear test, could be a "tipping point" for South Korea and win over parts of Seoul's political establishment that remain wary of such a move, a U.S. official said.

Story continues

South Korea and the United States said that if THAAD was deployed to South Korea, it would be focused only on North Korea.

An editorial in the Global Times, an influential tabloid published by the ruling Chinese Communist Party's official People's Daily newspaper, called that assurance "feeble".

"It is widely believed by military experts that once THAAD is installed, Chinese missiles will be included as its target of surveillance, which will jeopardise Chinese national security," it said.

Japan, long concerned about North Korea's ballistic missile program, has previously said it was considering THAAD to beef up its defenses. The North Korean rocket on Sunday flew over Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture.

Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Monday the Defense Ministry had no concrete plan to introduce THAAD, but added the ministry believed new military assets would strengthen the country's capabilities.

Riki Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, said the launch would give Japan momentum to deploy THAAD.

Washington moved one of its five THAAD systems to Guam in 2013 following North Korean threats, and is now studying the possibility of converting a Hawaii test site for a land-based version of the shipboard Aegis missile defense system into a combat-ready facility.

EFFECTIVENESS QUESTIONED

Some experts questioned how effective THAAD would be against the type of long-range rocket launched by North Korea and the Pentagon concedes it has yet to be tested against such a device.

THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. It has so far proven effective against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

John Schilling, a contributor to the Washington-based 38 North project that monitors North Korea, said THAAD's advanced AN/TPY-2 tracking radar built by Raytheon Co could provide an early, precise track on any such missile.

David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists, said that while THAAD could not shoot down the type of rocket launched on Sunday its deployment could reassure the South Korean public.

"Much of what missile defense programs are about is reassuring allies and the public," he said.

SUITABLE SITE IDENTIFIED

One U.S. official said the North Korean launch added urgency to longstanding informal discussions about a possible THAAD deployment to South Korea. "Speed is the priority," said the official, who asked not to be named ahead of a formal decision.

Renewed missile-defense discussions with the United States could also send a message to Beijing that it needs to do more to rein in North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, another U.S. official said.

South Korean officials have already identified a suitable site for the system, but it could also be placed at a U.S. base on the Korean peninsula, Ellison said.

THAAD is a system built by Lockheed Martin Corp that can be transported by air, sea or land. The Pentagon has ordered two more batteries from Lockheed.

One of the four THAAD batteries based at Fort Bliss, Texas, is always ready for deployment overseas, and could be sent to Japan or South Korea within weeks, Ellison said.

Lockheed referred all questions about a possible THAAD deployment to the U.S. military.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick in Washington. Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Tim Kelly in Tokyo and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Dean Yates and Lincoln Feast)
U.S. President Barack Obama (L-R) arrives with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry to deliver a statement on the Keystone XL pipeline at the White House in Washington November 6, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

In a Washington press conference shortly after peace talks over Syria's future fell apart earlier this week, US Secretary of State John Kerry again called on Syria's government and its supporters to end their military campaign and pursue a political solution to the conflict instead.

Days earlier, Gareth Bayley, the UK's special representative for Syria, told reporters in Geneva that "there is no military solution" to the conflict.

As the diplomats called for a peaceful resolution to the crisis, however, pro-regime forces were encircling Aleppo  Syria's largest city  aided by heavy Russian airstrikes that are estimated to have killed scores of civilians.

Some experts now say the line often repeated by Kerry and many of his western counterparts  that there is "no military solution" to the crisis in Syria  has actually allowed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies to pursue such a military solution with impunity.

"Moscow has used its 'co-convener' status of the Vienna peace process (which mandated the Geneva conference) as a cover to distract and occupy Washington and the West," Fred Hof, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and former adviser on Syria under the Obama administration, wrote on Thursday.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif makes a pledge makes a pledge during the second makes a pledge during the second 'Thematic Pledging Session' at the donors Conference for Syria in London, Britain February 4, 2016. REUTERS/Matt Dunham/pool

That, Hof continued, has allowed Russia to pursue its own "political-military objective: neutralizing the armed nationalist opposition to create for the West  for Washington in particular  the horror of a binary choice between Bashar the Barrel Bomber and Baghdadi the False Caliph."

He was referring to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the terrorist organization ISIS.

Analysts generally agree that any attempt to pursue a political solution while the Assad regime, Russia, and Iran pursue a military campaign is doomed for failure.

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But the Obama administration has so far failed to put adequate pressure on the Syrian government to stop its aerial bombardments and sieges of rebel-held areas. Those, incidentally, were two of the opposition's conditions that, because they were not met, compelled them to walk away from negotiations last week.

"It will take Russian and Iranian pressure for the regime to negotiate in good faith with the opposition," Hof said in an email to Business Insider. "But Russia and Iran both want Assad to prevail militarily against the nationalist opposition."

He added: "The Assad regime, being borne aloft militarily at the moment by Iran and Russia, is not very interested. Kerry is trying hard to talk them out of this. But each is interested in forcing the West into a binary choice between Assad the Barrel Bomber and Baghdadi, the ISIS 'caliph.' And both are confident that the West  led by the US  will reconcile with their guy, Assad, if Baghdadi is the only alternative."

russianairstrikesyria feb1 2016

Jeff White, a defense analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said that while Russia, Iran, and Assad are not interested in a political solution, pretending that they are while pursuing military objectives on the ground has come to form the core of their war strategy.

"The regime and allies are in it to win, not to negotiate a 'transition,'" White said in an email to Business Insider last week. "Negotiations and fighting are related parts of their war strategy."

He added: "The war will keep going until the regime prevails, increasingly likely, or Assad's allies abandon him, unlikely for the foreseeable future."

Nubl and Zahraa Syria

It is especially unlikely, given the Assad regime's recent battlefield victories.

Government troops, accompanied by Iran-backed Shiite militias and Hezbollah forces, reached the cities of Nubl and Zahraa outside of Aleppo last week. As such, the regime "succeed[ed] in a few days in what it had failed to do for over three years" thanks to heavy Russian air support, according to an Atlantic Council analysis by Faysal Itani and Hossam Abouzahr.

The offensive, moreover, was a huge blow to Turkey  a staunch opponent of Assad  as it effectively cut off Ankara's supply line to the rebels it had been supporting in Aleppo.

A scathing op-ed published by The Financial Times days earlier seemed prescient following the successful government offensive.



"Mr. Putin is treating Geneva as a smokescreen behind which to keep up his offensive," the editorial board wrote. "Instead of bullying rebels to attend the talks, the US and its allies should back their demand that Russia and the regime cease bombing the Syrian people. Geneva will otherwise be the venue for a third failure to end this pitiless war."

NOW WATCH: FMR. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Obama hurt US credibility after Syria crossed his red line'





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Bill Clinton

Former US President Bill Clinton on Sunday unloaded on Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and his supporters who have attacked his wife, Hillary, as she campaigns for the Democratic nomination for president.

Sanders and Hillary Clinton are fighting for the Democratic Party's nomination after a close race in Iowa that saw Clinton eke out a narrow victory.

Bill has hit the trail in New Hampshire, which holds its primary Tuesday, to campaign on behalf of his wife.

Speaking in Milford on Sunday, Bill attacked Sanders for pushing an antiestablishment message despite being a veteran politician himself.

After a long-running career in the House of Representatives and Senate as an independent, Sanders is running for president as a Democrat.

"'Anybody who takes money from Goldman Sachs can't possibly be president.' You heard that, sort of, in the last debate," Bill said, referring to Sanders' attacks on Hillary Clinton for accepting large speaking fees from Goldman Sachs. "Well after that CNN report yesterday he may have to tweak that answer a little bit. Either that or we're gonna have to get us a write-in candidate."

Bill Clinton was referring to a CNN story that detailed Sanders' fundraising with big-wig Democratic donors. Sanders has reportedly hosted events at retreats on Martha's Vineyard for donors who give more than $30,000 a year, according to the story.

"I practically fell out of my chair when I saw it," Bill Clinton said.

He also took aim at Sanders supporters who have supposedly attacked Hillary Clinton's backers online. Clinton supporters have been subjected to "vicious trolling" and "attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat," Bill Clinton said.

He mocked Sanders' supporters as having the view that "anybody that doesn't agree with me is a tool of the establishment" and said that "when you're making a revolution, you can't be too careful with the facts," hitting at one of Sanders' central campaign themes.

Story continues

His heated rhetoric comes as Hillary Clinton trails Sanders by a wide margin in the Granite State. Her campaign is looking to close the gap in the vote as much as possible.

Bill Clinton's Sunday riff earned comparisons to 2008, when Hillary Clinton faced off against another insurgent challenger  Barack Obama.

In The Washington Post, Greg Sargent called Bill Clinton's attacks "a tad over the top."

"Bill really should avoid any overt, reductive mockery of the appeal of Sanders' broad critique of our political system, which risks alienating Sanders supporters who are getting engaged in the political process, many no doubt for the first time in their lives," he wrote.

In a statement to CNN, Sanders campaign spokesman Mike Briggs called Bill's comments "disappointing."

"Obviously the race has changed in New Hampshire and elsewhere in recent days," Briggs said in the statement. "Bernie will continue to focus on his message  that America has a rigged economy that sends most new wealth to the top and is held in place by corrupt system of campaign-finance. The voters in New Hampshire and in America deserve a campaign that focuses on the real issues."

Bill addressed the controversy at a Hillary rally in New Hampshire on Monday, noting that he has to "be careful" about what he says.

"The hotter the election gets, the more I wish I was just a former president, not the spouse of the next one," he said.

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OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb 8, 2016) - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau today announced Canada's new policy to address the ongoing crises in Iraq and Syria and the impact they are having on the surrounding region. It will make a meaningful contribution to the Global Coalition's fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), while strengthening the ability of regional governments and local authorities to defend themselves, and rebuild over the long-term.

It is a whole of government approach that enlists several federal departments to work closely together to enhance security and stability, provide vital humanitarian assistance, and help partners deliver social services, rebuild infrastructure and good governance.

On the security front, Canada looked at how the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) could best contribute in the fight against ISIL in the region within the Global Coalition. In keeping with the mandate the government received from Canadians last fall, the government will focus on training and advising local security forces to take their fight directly to ISIL.

To this end, additional military resources will be dedicated to supporting Coalition partners at various headquarters and to training, advising and assisting Iraqi security forces in their efforts to degrade and defeat ISIL. While Canada will cease air strike operations no later than February 22, 2016, aerial refueling and surveillance activities will continue. As well, stabilization and counter-terrorism measures and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear security programming in the region will be enhanced

To help address the protracted and tragic crises in the region, Canada will focus on meeting the basic needs of those most impacted by the conflicts in Iraq and Syria, including refugees who have fled to neighbouring countries. We will also work with international partners to build local capacity in communities and countries hosting large numbers of refugees, such as Lebanon and Jordan. Activities will include helping partners: provide education, healthcare and sanitation; maintain and repair infrastructure; promote employment and economic growth; and foster good governance.

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Canada must do more to help find a diplomatic solution to the crises in Syria and Iraq. An enhanced presence on the ground will allow Canada to increase its engagement with local and international partners and participate more actively in multilateral efforts to resolve the crises and restore stability in the region.

The Government of Canada will contribute more than $1.6 billion over the next three years towards its new approach to security, stabilization, humanitarian and development assistance in response to the crises in Iraq and Syria, and their impact on Jordan and Lebanon.

Quotes

"Our new policy in Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region reflects what Canada is all about: defending our interests alongside our allies, and working constructively with local partners to build real solutions that will last. We will work with allies to defeat ISIL and the terrorist threat it represents. At the same time, we will help address the needs of millions of vulnerable people while helping lay the foundations for improved governance, economic growth and longer-term stability."

The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

"Our new approach to Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region will be challenging and dangerous at times. There will be lessons learned as we adapt to changing circumstances on the ground. I am confident that we are up to these challenges and that we will show the world all that Canada can accomplish in a crisis situation."

The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

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Helping Those Most Affected

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Announcing new course for Canada today to address the crises in Iraq, Syria and the region (91 characters)

Backgrounder

ADDRESSING THE CRISES IN IRAQ AND SYRIA AND IMPACTS ON THE REGION: HELPING THOSE MOST AFFECTED

On February 8, 2016, the Government of Canada announced a new approach to respond to the ongoing crises in Iraq and Syria and their impact on the region.

One of the key objectives of the approach is helping those most affected by the crises. To meet this goal Canada will work with experienced Canadian, local and international partners to:

deliver $840 million in humanitarian assistance over the next three years to support the basic needs of those hardest hit by the conflicts, including food, shelter, health care, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as protection and emergency education. Assistance will target the most vulnerable, including children and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence; and

deliver $270 million over the next three years to build local capacity to provide basic social services, (e.g. education, health, water, sanitation), maintain and rehabilitate public infrastructure, foster inclusive growth and employment - including by enhancing women's and youth employment - and advance inclusive and accountable governance. Programming will focus on helping women and youth, improving maternal, newborn and child health and advancing gender equality. It will also focus on promoting environmental sustainability.

Depending on local circumstances, programming in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria will help address:

the educational needs of children and youth;

the capacity of municipalities to provide basic services and manage tensions between hosting communities and refugees as required; and

youth and women's employment, including through training.

DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT

The solution to the crises in the region must be, first and foremost, political. As such, another priority of Canada's new approach is increasing its diplomatic role in helping to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria, and assisting the efforts of the Iraqi government to foster reconciliation.

In implementing our new approach, an increased presence on the ground in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon will allow Canada to engage more effectively with local and international partners and actively contribute to finding solutions to the issues facing these countries and the region.

Backgrounder

CANADA'S NEW APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE ONGOING CRISES IN IRAQ AND SYRIA AND IMPACTS ON THE REGION: PROMOTING SECURITY AND STABILITY

On February 8, 2016, the Government of Canada announced a new approach to respond to the ongoing crises in Iraq and Syria and their impact in the region.

One of the key objectives of this strategy is promoting security and stability. Canada will undertake the following activities, in close co-ordination with key Coalition allies and local and international partners to accomplish this goal:

Military efforts

Military efforts will continue to play an important role in setting the conditions necessary to deal with the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Subject to further discussions with the Government of Iraq and Coalition partners, Canada will extend its military engagement in Iraq and Syria under Operation IMPACT until March 31, 2017, and make the following contributions under its new approach:

increase its complement of military personnel to approximately 830, up from approximately 650. Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel will be deployed at various Global Coalition headquarters to further support Coalition members and Iraqi security forces in the planning and execution of military operations. More specifically they will provide high-demand expertise in the areas of operational planning, targeting and intelligence.



triple the size of its train, advise and assist mission to help Iraqi security forces plan and conduct military operations against ISIL. As part of this mission we will also:

deploy CAF medical personnel to provide training to Iraqi security forces in the conduct of casualty management in a battlefield context as well as to provide medical support to CAF personnel and our partners;

provide equipment such as small arms, ammunition and optics to assist in the training of Iraqi security forces. The provision of such equipment will be carried out in accordance with Canadian and international law, including the Law of Armed Conflict; and,

examine ways to enhance in-theatre tactical transport.

Air Contribution: maintain the current air contribution of one CC-150 Polaris aerial refuelling aircraft and up to two CP-140 Aurora aerial surveillance aircraft, along with associated aircrew and support personnel. These aircraft will continue to conduct operations throughout the Coalition theatre. As directed, the CAF will cease air strike operations in Iraq and Syria no later than February 22, 2016. As a result, the six CF-188 Hornets, along with associated aircrew and support personnel will be redeployed in a phased approach.

Regional Capacity Building: subject to further discussion with regional partners, Canada will enhance its capacity-building efforts with security forces in Jordan and Lebanon to help prevent the spread of violent extremism. Canada is also offering to provide the Government of Iraq with a team of strategic advisors to the Ministries of Defence and the Interior.

Canada will allocate approximately $264 million towards these efforts with an additional $41.9 million allocated for redeployment of personnel and equipment in 2017. Recognizing the complexity of the challenging security environment, we will assess at a later date whether the mission should be extended beyond March 31, 2017.

Non-military security efforts

Other Government of Canada security initiatives include:

$145 million over the next three years towards counter-terrorism; stabilization and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) security programming.

continuing efforts to: support security forces and law enforcement capacity building and training; stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters; cut off ISIL's access to financing and funding; counter ISIL's propaganda; and engage in other security and stabilization efforts, such as mitigating the risks posed by explosive remnants of war and providing assistance to enable the return of internally-displaced persons to newly liberated areas.

These initiatives will also be undertaken in close consultation and collaboration with local and international partners, including Coalition partners and allies.
Oncupinar (Turkey) (AFP) - Turkish humanitarian groups set up camps in Syria and sent in truckloads of aid Monday for tens of thousands of people stranded on the border after fleeing a Russia-backed regime offensive on the northern region of Aleppo.

Turkey, which has long pushed for a safe zone on the border, has vowed to help an estimated 35,000 people amassed on the frontier, many of them women and children.

But so far it has has kept the border closed despite warnings from aid groups of the desperate situation the Syrians were facing.

"Turkey has reached the limit of its capacity to absorb the refugees," Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told CNN Turk television.

"But in the end, these people have nowhere else to go. Either they will die beneath the bombings... or we will open our borders."

Aid agencies have warned of a desperate situation among the crowds queueing in the cold and rain at Bab al-Salama frontier post, which faces Turkey's Oncupinar crossing, and begun setting up camps on the Syrian side.

Many refugees are reportedly sleeping in fields and on roads.

The Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, which is providing food for 20,000 refugees, said it had set up a new camp with a capacity of 10,000, in addition to eight it already operates near Bab al-Salama.

"Our operations are aimed at taking care of people inside Syria," Serkan Nergis, a spokesman for the foundation, told AFP by phone.

"The numbers could soar and we are looking at how we can provide shelter for Syrians in safe areas."

Despite already hosting over 2.5 million refugees from Syria's civil war, Turkey has come under pressure to take in those fleeing the latest flurry of bombardments, while also being squeezed by European leaders to prevent those who cross into Turkey continuing on across the Mediterranean to Europe.

A Turkish official said the border crossing was open only "for emergency situations," adding that several injured people have been taken for treatment to Turkish hospitals.

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- Turkey will 'let brothers in' -

Dozens of aid trucks were seen crossing into Syria on Monday, along with medical teams and ambulances.

Mohammad Rahma, a 15-year-old who was blinded in a Russian air strike a month ago and wore bandages on his eyes, was among those allowed cross into Turkey for treatment, accompanied by his father Ahmad.

"We've been living out in the open because we don't have any place to stay," Ahmad, who came from Azaz, about 30 kilometres from Aleppo city, told AFP.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country has received over one million migrants in the past year, many of them Syrian refugees, was due in Ankara Monday to press the government to stem the flow of migrants to Europe.

Merkel was to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has warned that Turkey is "under threat" from the refugee tide but said that "if necessary, we have to, and will, let our brothers in".

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday that Turkey had already received 5,000 people fleeing the Aleppo offensive and another 50,000 to 55,000 were on their way.

Medical aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said three MSF-supported hospitals in the Aleppo region had been bombed.

- 'Situation desperate' -

"From what MSF can see the situation in Azaz district is desperate, with ongoing fighting and tens of thousands of people displaced," said Muskilda Zancada, head of the group's Syria mission.

"We... have seen problems with lack of space to accommodate people, and insufficient water and sanitation in many areas."

The EU has promised three billion euros ($3.3 billion) of aid in return for Ankara's help in staunching the flow of migrants landing on Greece's shores in packed boats from nearby Turkey.

But residents of areas along Turkey's border with Syria -- where most of the Syrian refugees in Turkey are living -- fear being overwhelmed by a fresh wave of new arrivals.

"Life here would be paralysed in the face of a mass exodus," said Tugba Kaya, from the border town of Kilis.

- 'Survival and dignity' -

Top diplomats from countries trying to resolve Syria's five-year conflict, which has claimed 260,000 lives and displaced half the population, are set to meet pm February 11 after peace talks collapsed last week.

The latest crisis began as Syrian government forces closed in on Aleppo city in their most significant advance since Russia intervened in September in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Regime troops advanced Sunday towards Tal Rifaat -- one of the last rebel strongholds in Aleppo province, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syria's mainstream rebels are now threatened with collapse after the regime severed their main supply line to Aleppo city.

Opposition forces and roughly 350,000 civilians inside rebel-held parts of the city face the risk of a government siege, a tactic employed to devastating effect against other former rebel bastions.

On Sunday an aid convoy entered the regime-besieged town of Moadamiyat al-Sham near Damascus, in a new joint operation organised by the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
By Paola Arosio and Gianluca Semeraro

MILAN (Reuters) - UniCredit's (CRDI.MI) chief executive, Federico Ghizzoni, has lost the support of several influential shareholders who are frustrated with the bank's weak share price performance and think he should step aside, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Leonardo Del Vecchio, a veteran entrepreneur who holds just under 2 percent of UniCredit and as recently as October had expressed his support for Ghizzoni, became on Monday the first big investor to publicly state the bank may need a new boss.

"Ghizzoni is a good banker," Del Vecchio told La Repubblica newspaper in an interview.

"But perhaps the bank today needs changes that are so radical that they can only be achieved through discontinuity."

Echoing Del Vecchio's view, four sources close to the situation said that Ghizzoni, who has headed Italy's biggest bank by assets since 2010, has lost the support of several other Italian and foreign shareholders.

Three of the sources said he could be replaced before the bank holds its annual shareholder meeting in mid-April, although one of them said investors were not unanimous on who should succeed him and this could help him stay on longer.

Bankers and the other sources have suggested UBS (UBSG.VX) Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti, a former UniCredit executive, and the Swiss bank's investment banking boss Andrea Orcel, as possible candidates for the job. The head of Merrill Lynch in Italy, Marco Morelli, has also been mentioned.

UBS declined to comment while Merrill Lynch in Italy was not immediately available for comment. UniCredit, which releases 2015 results on Tuesday, also declined to comment.

Rumours of investor dissatisfaction with Ghizzoni have dogged the bank for months as UniCredit, Italy's only globally systemically important financial institution, has failed to put to rest worries it may need a capital increase to bolster its finances.

Deputy Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, however, said on Thursday that Ghizzoni had the support of shareholders. Asked about Del Vecchio's statement on Monday, he declined to comment.

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The bank compares unfavourably with domestic rival Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI), which makes twice as much profit and has a higher core capital level. UniCredit has also paid out scrip dividends for the past two years.

With Italian banking shares suffering a sell-off due to concerns about their pile of bad loans, UniCredit shares have lost nearly 40 percent of their value since the start of 2016.

The bank, which has operations in 17 countries, became Italy's most successful international lender under Ghizzoni's predecessor Alessandro Profumo, who between 1999 and 2005 bought several banks in central Europe as well as Germany's HVB.

Historically such broad international exposure has helped to offset weakness in Italy's economy. But some now see it as a liability, inflating costs and leaving the bank vulnerable to the volatility of emerging markets like Russia, Ukraine and Turkey.

In an attempt to boost earnings, Ghizzoni presented a new business plan in November announcing 18,000 job cuts and vowing to restructure or sell businesses in Austria and Italy.

He has repeatedly ruled out the need for a capital increase and earlier this month said the bank's 2015 results were good and in some respects better than expected.

A foreign investor in the bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic, said UniCredit was perceived as lacking capital.

"It's fair to say that the current CEO is not getting strong support from investors," the investor said.

"So at this stage, only a good set of full-year results could bring down worries around capital. On the other hand, my feeling is a management change now would raise concerns about a possible capital increase."

UniCredit's biggest investor is Abu Dhabi state fund Aabar Investments (INPTVA.UL), followed by BlackRock (BLK.N): both have stakes of just over 5 percent. Italian banking foundations are also among the bank's core shareholders with a combined stake of around 10 percent.

(Additional reporting by Francesca Landini and Sinead Cruise; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Mark Potter and Rachel Armstrong)
HOUSTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Venezuela's crude exports to the United States fell 14.3 percent in January versus the previous month to 643,935 barrels per day (bpd) due to lower sales of diluted crude oil (DCO) to regular customers, according to Reuters trade flows data.

State-run oil company PDVSA and its joint ventures sent a total of 43 crude cargoes to the United States.

PDVSA's refining unit Citgo Petroleum was the main receiver. Other importers included Phillips66, Valero Energy and Chevron Corp, which was one of few customers receiving a larger volume of Venezuelan oil last month.

Sales of DCO made with Venezuelan extra heavy crude and naphtha decreased 39 percent, but shipments of Merey blend made with different types of crude rose 13.4 percent to 138,680 bpd, according to the data.

PDVSA has been buying at least one monthly cargo of African oil crude since last year for refining and blending. This year it has received three cargoes of Nigerian and U.S. crudes at its terminal in Curacao from firms Total, Lukoil and Citgo.

Lured by cheap prices and discounts, U.S. refining and trading firms are expected to import a record volume of African crudes in February, but Latin America's limited production capacity has not allowed it to see any benefit from the purchase increase.

Venezuela exported 772,880 bpd of crude to the United States last year, an increase versus record lows of 2013 and 2014.

(Reporting by Marianna Parraga; Editing by Sandra Maler)
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb 8, 2016) - Xylitol Canada Inc. ("Xylitol Canada", or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:XYL) is pleased to announce that Matt Willer has been appointed to the board of directors of the Company.

Mr. Willer has served as Vice-President Sales and Marketing for Xylitol USA Inc. since August, 2011. Previously, Matt was the founder and owner of Progressive Holdings, LLC, a California based, leading direct to consumer producer and marketer of xylitol products in North America, which was purchased by the Company in 2011. Roger Daher, a director of the Company, stated, "We are pleased to have Matt join the board. Matt brings with him a wealth of corporate and commercial experience that will serve the board and the Company well."

The Company also announces that Tom Kierans has resigned as a director of the Company. The Board and the Company would like to thank Mr. Kierans for his contributions and faithful service to Xylitol Canada over many years.

Trading of the Company's common shares will resume on the TSX Venture Exchange shortly due to the appointment of Mr. Willer as a director.

About Xylitol Canada Inc.

Xylitol Canada markets xylitol and xylitol based-products and is focused on becoming a major low-cost manufacturer of xylitol and related products, serving the global market from operations in North America. Xylitol Canada's business strategy is to leverage novel proprietary technology and processes to become North America's premier manufacturer of low cost, high quality xylitol from readily available environmentally-sustainable biomass. Xylitol is a natural sweetener which is marketed globally including Canada and the United States and is accepted by the American Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and the American Dental Association. Xylitol contains 75% less carbohydrates and 40% less calories than sugar, has a myriad of oral health benefits including the prevention of tooth decay and is safe for diabetics. To date, wider spread use of xylitol has been limited by the lack of a reliable, low cost, high quality supplier.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb 8, 2016) - Xylitol Canada Inc. ("Xylitol Canada", or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:XYL) is pleased to announce a proposed offering of convertible debentures (the "Debentures"), on a private placement basis, for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Debentures will accrue interest at a rate of 10% per annum with a maturity date that is three years from the date of issuance, subject to automatic conversion and redemption as described below. The principal amount of each Debenture and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon will be convertible into common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a price per Common Share of $0.10. The Offering is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").

In connection with the issuance of the Debentures, the Company will issue warrants (the "Warrants") equal to 20% of the aggregate number of Common Shares issuable upon the conversion of the Debentures. The Warrants will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price per Common Share of $0.15, for a period of three years from date of issuance.

The Debentures and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon will automatically convert into Common Shares upon the occurrence of the following: (a) the Common Shares closing at a trading price at or above $0.20 for a period of twenty consecutive trading days; (b) at the option of the Company, provided that the trading price of the Common Shares at the time of conversion is greater than the conversion price of the Debentures; or (c) if the Company is required to convert by any regulatory authority.

Subject to providing not more than 60 days' and not less than 30 days' prior notice, the Company may redeem the Debentures, in whole or in part at any time prior to the maturity date, at 110% of the principal amount of the Debentures then outstanding plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon.

The Debentures will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance. Proceeds from the Offering will be used for general working capital purposes and the Company may pay customary finders fees and commission to eligible arm's length third parties. The Offering is expected to close on or around March 15, 2016.

About Xylitol Canada Inc.

Xylitol Canada operates two business units that address the growing xylose and xylitol markets. Xylitol Canada's consumer packaged goods division is based in Denver Colorado and has grown from under $500,000 in revenue in 2010, to over $8,600,000 in 2014. Xylitol Canada operates a 50,000 square foot xylitol facility where it produces and packages a full catalog of natural sugar free products, most notably its natural sugar alternatives. Through this Denver based facility, the Company services major retail customers such as Loblaws, Whole Foods, Costco, Sprouts, and many others.

Xylitol Canada markets xylitol and xylitol based-products and is focused on becoming a major low-cost manufacturer of xylitol and related products, serving the global market from operations in North America. Xylitol Canada's business strategy is to leverage novel proprietary technology and processes to become North America's premier manufacturer of low cost, high quality xylitol from readily available environmentally-sustainable biomass. Xylitol is a natural sweetener which is marketed globally including Canada and the United States and is accepted by the American Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization and the American Dental Association. Xylitol contains 75% less carbohydrates and 40% less calories than sugar, has a myriad of oral health benefits including the prevention of tooth decay and is safe for diabetics. To date, wider spread use of xylitol has been limited by the lack of a reliable, low cost, high quality supplier.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Xylitol Canada to be materially different from any future anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to: the ability of Xylitol Canada to complete the Offering. While Xylitol Canada anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause its views to change, Xylitol Canada specifically disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Xylitol Canada's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Although the Xylitol Canada has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Xylitol Canada. Additional factors are noted under "Risk Factors" Xylitol Canada's financial statements and related management's discussion and analysis.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Travel is never a matter of money but of courage (Aleph, P. Coelho)
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The Senate ethics office has resumed its investigation into the conduct of the the Honourable Senator Don Meredith. Senator Meredith was appointed in 2010 on the advice of the Right Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P., but was expelled from the Conservative caucus last year, when he was accused of having a sexually-inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old.The Senate ethics office had suspended its work when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had become involved, so as to avoid interference with an ongoing police investigation. The RCMP have since stopped their investigation into the former Conservative senator.The investigation was prompted when the Honourable Senator Leo Housakos (Wellington, Quebec), then the Speaker of the Senate, asked the Senate ethics office to investigate Senator Meredith's conduct, believing that the rumours of the senator's conduct, if substantiated, constituted conduct unbecoming a senator. Lyse Ricard, Senate ethics officer, is also conducting a second investigation into Senator Meredith for workplace harassment with Senate employees.Senator Meredith is only one of a number of Conservative and former Conservative senators, appointed on Mr. Harper's advice during his time as prime minister, who have been investigated for inappropriate conduct, including for claiming ineligible expenses payments.
History of tied votes at the federal level

In the provinces

In the territories

With all of the hubbub in the United States this week about coin tosses, and the role that luck and chance have played in the ongoing race for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations, the CBC has published an article reviewing some of our own practices here in Canada. As it turns out, our system isn't necessarily all that much better. There is a patchwork of rules and standards across the country for the all-important tie-breaking vote.Tied votes in federal elections to the House of Commons are exceptionally rare. There have only been three (3) tied elections to the House and, in each of these elections, theat the time prescribed that ties were to be broken by the returning officer for the riding., Edouard Guilbault (Conservative) and F. Neveu (Liberal) tied in the Quebec electoral district of Joliette, each receiving 1,532 votes. The tie-breaking vote was cast by the returning officer, resulting in Guilbault's election to the House, where he served as a backbencher in the Conservative government of Sir the Right Hon. John A. Macdonald, G.C.B., K.C.M.G., P.C., P.C., Q.C., Nicholas Flood Davin (Conservative) and John K. McInnis (an independent candidate) each received 1,502 votes in the Northwest Territories electoral district of Assiniboia West. The vote being tied, the returning officer cast his vote for Davin, who would serve with the Conservative opposition., the Hon. Paul Martineau (Progressive Conservative), P.C., K.C.S.G., Q.C., and Paul-Oliva Goulet (Liberal) each received 6,448 votes in the Quebec electoral district of PontiacTemiscamingue. Because the vote was tied, the returning officer cast his vote for Martineau. He would meet the new House as the critic on mines and technical surveys, with his Progressive Conservative Party having been returned to the opposition benches.have followed the recent evolution of federal elections, and now call for by-elections in the event of a tied vote. This is the case in Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador., they continue the traditional Canadian practice of having the returning officer cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie. Some officials in those provinces have expressed concern that this arrangement means that the returning officer does not have the same right that other Canadians do to a vote by secret ballot (since their vote would be glaringly obvious)., a tied vote is resolved through luck or chance. In Prince Edward Island, this means a coin toss. In Nova Scotia, the tied candidates' names are written down on pieces of paper, and are placed in a box and shaken; the candidate whose name is drawn is elected.In the territories, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut conduct by-elections when an election is tied, just as we do for federal elections, and as most of the provinces do. For Yukon, tied votes are resolved through luck or chance, such as drawing the name from a hat. It's a toss-up (CBC News)
What horrible news....Canadas bombing mission over by Feb. 22; training mission to tripleOTTAWA  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada's fighter jets will end their fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria within the next two weeks.Canadian bombs will stop falling by Feb. 22, but the complement of military personnel in the region will climb to 830  up from the current 650  and will provide planning, targeting and intelligence expertise.The size of Canada's "train, advise and assist" mission will also triple, including additional medical personnel and equipment including small arms, ammunition and optics to assist in training Iraqi security forces."While airstrike operations can be very useful to achieve short-term military and territorial gains, they do not on their own achieve long-term stability for local communities," Trudeau told a news conference."The Canadian Armed Forces will now be allocating more military resources to training Iraqi security forces. We will be supporting and empowering local forces to take their fight directly to ISIL so that, kilometre by kilometre, they can reclaim their homes, their land and their future."The new Liberal mission will also include a team of strategic advisers to help Iraq's defence and interior ministries.Trudeau is making the announcement alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.The time frame of Canada's contribution to the mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, known as Operation Impact, is also being extended until the end of March 2017.Trudeau said Monday the government would be spending more than $1.6 billion over the next three years on the mission as a whole, including on security, stabilization, humanitarian and development assistance in the region.Canada has already committed $650 million in humanitarian aid for people affected by the Syrian civil war and $233 million for longer-term development.Trudeau's announcement comes days before Sajjan is due to leave for Brussels for a meeting with his NATO counterparts on Feb. 10-11.
Her Father Shot Her in the Head, as an Honor Killing

WHETHER it wins or not, the Oscar nominee with the greatest impact  saving lives of perhaps thousands of girls  may be one youve never heard of.It stars not Leonardo DiCaprio but a real-life 19-year-old Pakistani woman named Saba Qaiser. Her odyssey began when she fell in love against her familys wishes and ran off to marry her boyfriend. Hours after the marriage, her father and uncle sweet-talked her into their car and took her to a spot along a riverbank to murder her for her defiance  an honor killing.First they beat Saba, then her uncle held her as her own father pointed a pistol at her head and pulled the trigger. Blood spewed, Saba collapsed and her father and uncle packed her body into a large sack and threw it into the river to sink. They then drove away, thinking they had restored the familys good name.Incredibly, Saba was unconscious but alive. She had jerked her head as the gun went off, and the bullet tore through the left side of her face but didnt kill her. The river water revived her, and she clawed her way out of the sack and crawled onto land. She staggered toward a gasoline station, and someone called for help.About every 90 minutes, an honor killing unfolds somewhere in the world, usually in a Muslim country. Pakistan alone has more than 1,000 a year, and the killers often go unpunished.Watching the documentary about Saba, A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, I kept thinking that just as in the 19th century the central moral challenge for the world was slavery, and in the 20th century it was totalitarianism, in this century the foremost moral issue is the abuse and oppression that is the lot of so many women and girls around the world.I dont know whether A Girl in the River will win an Oscar in its category, short subject documentary, but it is already making a difference. Citing the film, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan has promised to change the countrys laws so as to crack down on honor killings.Sabas story underscores how the existing law lets people literally get away with murder when honor is the excuse. After doctors saved Sabas life  as police officers guarded the door so her father didnt return to finish the job  she was determined to prosecute her father and uncle.They should be shot in public in an open market, she told the filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, so that such a thing never happens again.The police arrested Sabas father, Maqsood, and the uncle, Muhammad, and their defense was that they did the right thing.She took away our honor, Maqsood said from his jail cell. If you put one drop of piss in a gallon of milk, the whole thing gets destroyed. Thats what she has done.  So I said, No, I will kill you myself.Maqsood said that after shooting Saba he went home and told his wife, I have gone and killed your daughter. He added: My wife cried. What else could she do? I am her husband. She is just my wife.Perpetrators of honor killings often are not prosecuted because Pakistani law allows families of victims to forgive a killing. So a man kills his daughter, the rest of the family forgives him, and hes off the hook.Tremendous pressure was applied to Saba by community elders to pardon her father and uncle. In the end, her husbands older brother  the head of her new family  told her to forgive and move on. There is no other way, he said. We have to live in the same neighborhood.Saba complied, and her father and uncle were released from prison. After this incident, everyone says I am more respected, her father boasted. I can proudly say that for generations to come none of my descendants will ever think of doing what Saba did. The families still live near each other, although the father insists he will not try again to kill Saba.The way to reduce honor killings is to end the impunity. Saba tried to do her part, and lets hope Prime Minister Sharif does indeed end the legal system of forgiveness.I wanted to start a national discourse about the issue, says Obaid-Chinoy, the films director. Until we send people to jail and make examples of them, honor killings will continue.Since 9/11, the United States has spent billions of dollars reshaping Afghanistan and Pakistan with the military toolbox; I suspect we would have achieved more if we had relied to a greater extent on the education and womens empowerment toolboxes.A starting point would be to encourage governments to protect teenage girls from fathers who want to murder them. Chipping away at this broad pattern of gender injustice is in the interest of all of us. It is our centurys great unfinished business.
HORRIFIC footage has emerged of a group of young men, including five migrants, laughing, dancing and singing in Arabic as they gang rape an unconscious 17-year-old girl.It is believed the attack happened after the girl passed out after drinking at a party.One of the rapists later told police: "She can't complain. Women must obey men."The shocking assault happened in November but was only discovered this week by a teacher at a school in Ostend, Belgium.A police probe was launched after a 14-year-old boy at the Ostend Technical Institute bragged about a photo of himself dressed in military fatigues and holding a sub-machine gun.cool story brohammed






True Blue: The Duchess of Cambridge wows in Alexander McQueen outfit as she carries out first engagement as honorary head of the RAF Air Cadets



Kate celebrates the group's 75th anniversary after taking over the role from the Duke of Edinburgh

By Agency, video source ITN07 Feb 2016 The Duchess of Cambridge has dazzled crowds with a daring Alexander McQueen coat as she carried out her first engagement as Honorary Air Commandant of the Air Cadets.While speaking to cadets, she revealed that Prince George has a passion for aeroplanes suggesting he would one day join the organisation himself.Lucinda Conder, 19, said that the Duchess told her she had shown Prince George images of Spitfires following a Royal engagement which had fired his imagination."He is now obsessed with the air cadets and wants to join," said Ms Conder, from Hammersmith in west London."We are going to have to push that one when he gets to age 12." Kate assumed her new role role in December, taking on the post from the Duke of Edinburgh who had been involved with the organisation for more than 60 years. The organisation this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. The Duchess now represents 42,000 air cadets aged from 12 to 19 and 15,000 adult volunteers at more than 1,200 units across the UK and abroad.At the RAF church of St Clement Danes in central London on Sunday Kate joined the congregation for a service to mark the anniversary.She wore an Alexander McQueen coat, Lock hat and Air Cadets Dacre brooch that was traditionally presented to the best female cadet. The brooch was presented every year between 1982, when girls were first admitted, up until last year, when it was agreed that girls should receive a sword like their male counterparts."It is quite an honour (to wear the brooch). I was the last cadet to wear it, and now she is wearing it. It is the best accessory," said Ms Conder who was the best female cadet in 2015.Afterwards she will be guest of honour at a reception at the Royal Courts of Justice where the cadets will get the chance to meet their new patron.The Duchess will also have the chance to learn more about their numerous programmes and activities by chatting to cadets, veterans and adult volunteers.The RAF Air Cadets comprises both the Air Training Corps (ATC) and the Combined Cadet Force (RAF).The ATC was first established in 1941 during the Second World War, with the aim of training young men in aviation skills before they joined the RAF.Carol Vorderman, a qualified pilot, described the Duchess as an ideal figurehead for the organisation.She said: "Her husband is a pilot. Her brother-in-law is a pilot. Her father-in-law is a pilot. Her mum used to work in an airline. She obviously has a great appreciation of the military and enthusiasm for youth. "
PASADENA, Calif. _ Not everybody loves Raymond. In fact, not everybody has even heard of Ray Romano, though his popular sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, ran for nine years and turned Romano into a comic star.

One person who had never heard of him was Martin Scorsese. The film director was casting HBOs explosive saga about the sex, drugs, and rock and roll era of the music industry of the 70s. And when Romanos agent read Vinyl, which premieres Sunday, he urged his client to submit an audition tape.

So I went to my closet and said, Do I have anything that looks 70s-ish? And sure enough, there was a shirt that looked a little bit Miami Vice. And luckily my hair was a little bit long. I came out of the shower andjust let the bangs fall down.And did this scene with my buddy, we videotaped, recalls Romano in a hotel room here.

They sent Scorseses casting partner the tape. She reported back that the director was familiar with the character in Vinyl, but had never heard of Romano.

Hes not a sitcom fan, shrugs Romano, hes a movie film genius and had never met, heard of me, or seen me _ which ended up being a blessing because he didnt have a preconceived idea of me. There was no baggage. They said Im in the running, and about three or four weeks later they said, Hes in the running.

And one day my agent and business manager both called on a conference call. I thought they werent both going to call me for bad news. They just told me, Congratulations, you got the part.

I said, Now the fear begins. Now I have to meet Martin Scorsese and actually act for him. Then I got excited, nervous. My agent told me to call him and have a conversation with him, and all day I was anxiety ridden. But he was great. He was easy, he was laughing, he was funny.

The trepidation was genuine for Romano, who still suffers doubts about being an actor. He started as a standup comic and still performs when he can. I really think if you were to ask me what are you a professional at? Im a professional standup. Am I a professional actor? I act. I dont know what a professional actor means. But I think in my core I am a professional standup comedian, he nods.

As negative as I am, as self-deprecating as I am about myself, Im really good at doing that. Acting is still a learning process. Its slow. You come from a sitcom, nobody wants to see you do anything dramatic. So you make your own show. You make Men of a Certain Age, and do a little comedy and a little drama, and some people see it. Then you do Parenthood, and some people see that. Then you get lucky to be cast in this thing.

Romano thinks that most standup comedians share a common denominator, They need what they get onstage; something that was missing from them, he says.

I, I dont want to criticize or blame anyone, but my father happened to be a guy who grew up without a father of his own. He had a hard time expressing himself. He was very undemonstrative. My one joke is if my father hugged me once Id be an accountant right now. I wouldnt have needed what I did.

Acting comforts him in a different way, he says. Its hard for me to express myself in my real life, that my father passed down to me, unfortunately. So its nice to put on a mask and a costume and be able to do it as somebody else. You dont mind the attention. Its exciting. Its exciting to get into someone elses skin and transform yourself.

It was a heady ride for Romano when he helmed the sitcom. But when Everybody Loves Raymond ended, Romano tumbled into a tailspin.

It was sad at first, then exciting because it was nine years of being in this bubble and working with all my energy. And then it was like an emotional crash.

The first year of the show, he didnt move from his native New York. The second year the family relocated to L.A. Romano had three small children at the time.

The kids grew up, we had another baby, but the whole time Im 24/7 consumed by the show. And then it ends overnight, and its like you come out of a submarine. And its literally almost like, I live HERE now? My kids are grown? Im not in New York anymore? It took a few months until the void overtook me. And I had trouble, a lot of emotional struggles until the next thing comes along.

Romano had been in therapy most of his life and was running out of things to say. But when the show was ending my therapist said, Do you want to start coming twice a week? I was like, I dont even want to come once a week. And sure enough, after three months I was going twice a week. He knew this was a big change for me.

Married for 28 years, the father of four (three still at home), Romano says, I would get sad during hiatus, I wasnt getting depressed, I was aimless. OK, youre this middle-aged man now with no direction. Financially I didnt have to work again, but spiritually and emotionally I did. My familys most important, but when Im happy Im a better parent and better husband, and work makes me happy.
No one was injured in an early morning fire on Monday at Meadowbrook Mobile Home Park on U.S. Highway 30.

Fremont Rural Volunteer firefighters were called at about 6:45 a.m. to Lot 6 at the mobile home park where a trailer was on fire.

When we got out on the scene, there was a pretty good amount of smoke on the inside of the residence. We noticed the fire was in the outside wall and underneath the trailer, said Fire Chief Wade McPherson.

McPherson said firefighters had to remove some flooring to get to the fire. They also removed some siding.

Firefighters had the fire under control within 15 to 20 minutes.

The crews did a great job, McPherson said.

Six people are believed to have lived in the trailer. The American Red Cross was at the scene as was a Nebraska State Fire Marshal.McPherson said the fire was believed to have started in an outside wall and to have been electrical, but the cause is still under investigation.

The loss from the fire is estimated at $10,000. Damage was mainly contained to the living room.

McPherson said the trailer is repairable and that most of the contents are still intact.

The fire was pretty well contained to one spot, McPherson said.

McPherson said the North Bend Rural Fire Department was put on standby for a short time.
Fremont police responded to a business Saturday evening after learning that alcohol might have been stolen from the property, Fremont Police reported.

Officers went at 8:52 p.m. to a business located in the 700 block of Davenport Avenue where they were informed that a 5-foot-10 male, possibly in his 30s or 40s wearing Carhartt coveralls and a brown hat, possibly left the store without paying for the alcohol.
Keene Memorial Library will host The Life and Legacy of Annie Oakley at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Charlotte Endorf, author and professional speaker, traveled over 130 hours to six states during the summer of 2015, tracking down the real story and truth about Annie.

Described as the Greatest Woman Rifle Shot and a star attraction of Buffalo Bills Wild West Show, Oakley thrilled audiences around the world with her haring shooting feats. A champion in a mans sport, she changed ideas about the abilities of women in the 19th century. Her fame and fortune came from her skills with guns.

Endorfs presentation dispels myth to reveal the real Annie Oakley. Fremont is the first place to host a book signing of her new book, Always on Target. She describes the book as something outside the box, put together with four illustrators and many photos from various museums.

The program is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by Humanities Nebraska.
Political science PhD specializing in delegate selection rules, presidential campaigns and elections. Founder of FHQ Strategies LLC
As the Zika virus continues to spread rapidly across the Caribbean, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT) announced that there have been no reported cases of the mosquito-borne virus in any Islands of The Bahamas.

The ministry said that BMOT and local industry partners have put several preventative measures in place and are working closely together to ensure that visitors are fully aware of the countrys health status.

The Ministry of Tourism is monitoring the situation closely and the destination is taking proactive measures to reduce the threat of a Zika outbreak, said Tourism Director General, Joy Jibrilu.



The Department of Environmental Health has launched an intensified fogging program in New Providence, Grand Bahama and the Family Islands to prevent the spread of the Zika virus.

The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) is also putting measures in place to ensure that visitors are protected.

President of BHTA Stuart Bowe said the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association continues to communicate with the Bahamas Ministry of Health (MOH) and regional partners such as the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) that are working in collaboration with Caribbean Tourism Organization, (CTO), and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) to mitigate the impact of the Zika Virus.

Efforts will continue to educate our sector re the Virus and we will update our Members and Industry stakeholders as Education forums, webinars are made available through our regional partners and health officials. We commend the Ministry of Health on their efforts to deploy mitigation efforts such as fogging and encourage our members to participate in professionally recommended prevention measures described in the varying educational forums deployed by our regional partners through the BHTA, Bowe said.

The Out Islands Promotion Board has also been active in putting in proactive measures to ensure visitors to the various Islands of The Bahamas are safe.

Over the past two weeks, The Bahamas Out Islands Promotion Board (BOIPB), has been in constant contact with its members regarding the Zika Virus. Once information is received from the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, this information is then shared with BOIPB member hotels in all of the islands, said Board Executive Director Kerry Fountain.

Proactive measures include:

Providing staff and guests with information on ZIKV so that they are aware of the signs and symptoms, how ZIKV is transmitted and how it can be prevented. Having insect repellant available to visitors. Avoiding storing water in outdoor containers to prevent them from becoming mosquito breeding sites. Covering water tanks or reservoirs so that mosquitoes do not get in. Avoiding the build-up of garbage, which can act as a breeding site for mosquitoes. Putting garbage in closed plastic bags and keep it in closed containers. Uncovering and unblocking gutters and drains to release stagnant water.



All travelers are advised to:

Stay informed about the ZIKV situation in countries they are travelling to.

Use insect repellents on exposed skin. Insect repellents that contain DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or IR3535 are the most effective and safe when used according to the label. If also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

Where possible, wear light colored long-sleeved shirts and long pants, socks and shoes to minimize exposed skin.

When indoors use air conditioning and keep the doors and windows closed, unless they are screened, to keep out mosquitoes. If this is not possible, sleep under mosquito nets to prevent bites.

What should you do if you feel sick and think you may have Zika?

Consult a healthcare professional if you are feeling ill, especially if you have a fever. If you have returned home, make sure to tell them about your travel to the Caribbean.

Use acetaminophen or paracetamol to treat fever and pain.

Get lots of rest and drink plenty of liquids.

Get lots of rest and drink plenty of liquids. A person infected with ZIKV will have the virus in their blood for the first week of infection. The virus can be passed on to other mosquitoes if they bite you while you are carrying the virus. Therefore, be especially careful to prevent mosquito bites during the first week to avoid spreading the disease.

Travelers are encouraged to visit Bahamas.com for any updates on Zika including messages from hoteliers or properties.
The office of the former President has announced that Seychelles founding President James R. Mancham has been bestowed and honored with the Africa Peace Award 2016.

Seychelles current President H.E. James A. Michel said, It is with immense pleasure that I convey to you, on behalf of the government and people of Seychelles, our warm congratulations for having been awarded the Africa Peace Award by the United Religions Initiative-Africa (URI-Africa).

This prestigious award is an acknowledgement and recognition to your outstanding contributions in the promotion of peace, democracy, security, interfaith harmony, intercultural dialogue and development in Africa as well as in nurturing the spirit of partnership at both continental and global levels.

We are extremely proud of this achievement which not only honors your remarkable contributions at the continental level but also honors Seychelles and the Seychellois people in what they represent today in their commitment to sustainable development, democracy and peace. We share your vision and commitment for a peaceful, harmonious and loving Seychelles.

Indeed, through this award, you have claimed yourself as honored and well-deserved place in the annals of the history of Africa. We play tribute to your statesmanship and celebrate with you this great accomplishment.

I wish you good health, happiness and success in all your future endeavors.

"Being recognized by the world at large for doing good shows one's efforts are appreciated as much at home and well beyond our borders. The Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and Culture and its Tourism Board always says thank you to Seychellois who helps to keep flying our flag high. We are a tourism destination and need to remain visible at all time. We salute Sir James Mancham for his latest recognition" said Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture.

Peter Baumgartner Chief Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi, UAE said, I am very happy and proud of you. I am glad to see your passionate, tireless work is getting its deserve recognition in the form of this prestigious award honor. I have no doubt, this recognition will give you even more energy to follow your vision for the region and the world for many years to come. Many congratulations from all of us at Etihad.

Hon. Jenny Shipley, former Prime Minister of New Zealand said, My warmest congratulations on this recent recognition. It is enormously significant to have been awarded the Africa Peace Prize for 2016. I personally, and I know, members of Le Club de Madrid will be immensely proud of this achievement and recognition. It is at very least a small statement of the huge impact that you have had through your lifetimes work.




a. Make a phone call: to a lawyer or relative or anyone



b. Ask to see a lawyer immediately: if you dont have the money ask for a Duty Council



c. A Duty Council is a lawyer provided by the state



d. Talk to a lawyer before you talk to the police



e. Tell your lawyer if anyone hits you and identify who did so by name and number



f. Give no explanations excuses or stories: you can make your defense later in court based on what you and your lawyer decided



g. Ask the sub officer in charge of the station to grant bail once you are charged with an offence



h. Ask to be taken before a justice of The Peace immediately if the sub officer refuses you bail



i. Demand to be brought before a Resident Magistrate and have your lawyer ask the judge for bail



j. Ask that any property taken from you be listed and sealed in your presence



Cases of Assault:An assault is an apprehension that someone is about to hit you



The following may apply:



1) Call 119 or go to the station or the police arrives depending on the severity of the injuries





2) The report must be about the incident as it happened, once the report is admitted as evidence it becomes the basis for the trial



3) Critical evidence must be gathered as to the injuries received which may include a Doctors report of the injuries.





4) The description must be clearly stated; describing injuries directly and identifying them clearly, show the doctor the injuries clearly upon the visit it must be able to stand up under cross examination in court.





5) Misguided evidence threatens the credibility of the witness during a trial; avoid the questioning of the witnesses credibility, the tribunal of fact must be able to rely on the witnesss word in presenting evidence





6) The court is guided by credible evidence on which it will make its finding of facts
Danish English

Company Announcement No. 05-2016:

FLSmidth has signed an EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract with a value of more than EUR 200m with the Algerian cement producer SARL Amouda Ingineering for the supply of a greenfield cement plant in Algeria. The plant will be located in El Beida (Laghouat), approximately 400 km from the capital Algiers.

The order includes engineering, equipment supplies, construction, commissioning and training. Once completed, the cement plant will have a capacity of 6,000 tonnes per day.

"EPC solutions are increasingly requested by the industry and we are very happy that SARL Amouda Ingineering chose FLSmidth as the preferred supplier based on a very close collaboration and our extensive knowledge of the region. Algeria is a very important market for FLSmidth and we have supplied several cement plants in the country," Group Executive Vice President of the Cement Division Per Mejnert Kristensen comments.

The order will be booked by the Cement Division and contribute beneficially to FLSmidth's earnings until early 2018.

-------------------------------------

Please address any questions regarding this announcement to Group Executive Vice President of the Cement Division Per Mejnert Kristensen, FLSmidth & Co. A/S at +45 36 18 18 00.

For further information about FLSmidth, please visit www.flsmidth.com.

Yours faithfully



Pernille Friis Andersen

Group Communications & Investor Relations
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) today announced that its board of directors has appointed two new members: Robert Ford, Executive Vice President, Medical Devices, Abbott and Mark Ginestro, Principal, Healthcare and Life Sciences, KPMG LLP. CLSA is the nation's largest statewide life sciences public policy advocacy and business solutions organization serving over 750 life sciences organizations.



"We are excited to welcome Robert Ford and Mark Ginestro to CLSA's board of directors," said Sara Radcliffe, CLSA President & CEO. "They bring extraordinary business and leadership expertise and experience to our growing organization. Their participation in our board will inform and strengthen our work in shaping public policy and driving solutions to help grow and foster California's life sciences sector. I'm very grateful for their support and that of their leading edge companies."



About Robert Ford



Robert Ford is Executive Vice President, Medical Devices at Abbott. He was appointed to his current position in June 2015. Previously, Ford served as Senior Vice President, Diabetes Care. Ford joined Abbott in 1996 as a Diagnostics Business Unit Manager for Abbott Brazil. He held various positions of increasing responsibility for Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Nutrition International and Abbott Diabetes Care, including Vice President, Diabetes Care, and Commercial Operations. Prior to joining Abbott, Ford held a marketing position with Becton Dickinson Brazil, where he worked in the consumer products division. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Boston College and masters of business administration from UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business.



About Mark Ginestro



Mark Ginestro is a principal in KPMG's Strategy Practice focusing on healthcare and life sciences. He brings 20 years of experience in strategy, market research, acquisition integration, divestiture carve-out, process improvement, regulatory compliance, organizational effectiveness, and change management. Ginestro has experience in all aspects of life sciences, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, and healthcare distribution. Ginestro also leads KPMG's initiatives and thought leadership in biosimilars. Ginestro's recent publications include How to Complete and Win in a World with Biosimilars and Medical Device Trends. Ginestro is a board member and past president of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Northern California.



Contact:

Will Zasadny

Manager, Communications

Wzasadny@califesciences.org

619-961-8848



About California Life Sciences Association (CLSA)

California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) is the leading voice driving innovation for California's life sciences sector. We work closely with industry, government, academia and other stakeholders to shape public policy, drive business solutions and grow California's life sciences innovation ecosystem. CLSA serves over 750 biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics companies, research universities and institutes, investors and service providers. CLSA was founded in 2015 when the Bay Area Bioscience Association (BayBio) and the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) merged to create the state's most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization. Visit CLSA at www.califesciences.org, and follow us on Twitter @CALifeSciences, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
DGAP-News: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG / Key word(s): Bond SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Publishes Comprehensive Information About Restructuring Concept 08.02.2016 / 15:45 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Release SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Publishes Comprehensive Information About Restructuring Concept - Information package available online - 2nd bondholder meeting at HILTON Hotel, Frankfurt am Main, on February 15, 2016 at 11 am - registration until February 12, 2016 at the latest - Extraordinary shareholders' meeting at HILTON Hotel, Frankfurt am Main, On February 16, 2016 at 10:30 am - registration until February 09, 2016 at the latest - The Board asks shareholders and bondholders to participate Kahl am Main, February XX, 2016 - The SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES) publishes comprehensive information about the balance sheet restructuring of the company including excerpts of the restructuring opinion. The information was published on today's February 08, 2016 on the home page of www.singulus.de under the category "Credit Relations" under the section "Second bondholder meeting on February 15, 2016". SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES invited the bondholders of the EUR 60,000,000.00 7.75% bearer notes 2012 / 2017 to a second bondholder meeting in Frankfurt am Main. The meeting will take place at the HILTON FRANKFURT am Main, Hochstrasse 4, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, on February 15, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. (CET). The concept for the restructuring of the existing corporate bond is submitted for resolution. This restructuring concept, which has already been coordinated structurally with the joint representative of the bondholders in the previous year, fundamentally provides for the bondholders' exchange of their respective bearer notes into acquisition rights. These rights entitle the bondholders to acquire a certain number of shares of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG as well as a certain number of notes of a secured bond, which will be issued by the company. In the course of the then following second bondholder meeting the Executive Board of SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES will report on the current course of business activities and will present the restructuring concept. The Board will also provide details about the preliminary financial key figures for the business year 2015. Furthermore, the company has convened an Extraordinary General Meeting of the company at the HILTON Hotel Frankfurt, Hochstrasse, 4, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, for Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at 10:30 am. The agenda items of this Extraordinary General Meeting amongst others include the resolution with respect to the corporate actions required for the restructuring. The Executive Board of SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES kindly asks all shareholders and bondholders to take part in the Extraordinary General Meeting and the second bondholder meeting, respectively, and to make use of their voting rights in any case. It is also possible to be represented by a representative or alternatively to authorize a proxy representative of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES. Prototype forms can be found on the home page under www.singulus.de. For the participation in the Extraordinary General Meeting a registration by February 9, 2016 at the latest is required. For the second bondholder meeting a registration by February 12, 2016 at the latest is required. The restructuring of the corporate bond is an essential prerequisite for the balance sheet restructuring of the company. Without this restructuring SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES will from today's point of view neither be able to achieve a balance sheet restructuring nor to safeguard sufficient liquidity in the future. Therefore, according to the current assessment of the Executive Board, the implementation of these measures and the concurrent approval of the bondholders and shareholders is the only feasible way to prevent an otherwise imminent insolvency of the company. Profile SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES develops technologies and machines for economical and resource-efficient production processes. The application areas include vacuum thin-film and plasma coating for wet-chemical processes as well as thermal process technologies. For all processes and applications SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES utilizes its know-how in the areas of automation and process technology in order to develop additional, attractive work areas with innovative products next to the existing application areas of Solar, Semiconductors and Optical Disc. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstrasse 103, D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890 Contact: Maren Schuster, Investor Relations, Tel.: + 49 (0) 160 9609 0279 Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications, Tel.: + 49 (0) 1709202924 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 08.02.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG Hanauer Landstrasse 103 63796 Kahl am Main Germany Phone: +49 (0)1709202924 Fax: +49 (0)6188 440-110 E-mail: bernhard.krause@singulus.de Internet: www.singulus.de ISIN: DE0007238909, DE000A1MASJ4 WKN: 723890, A1MASJ Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 435529 08.02.2016
CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An innovative partnership between The John Marshall Law School and technology company Anyone Can Learn to Code will result in a series of interactive online tools to assist victims of domestic violence in Illinois.



Professor Debra Pogrund Stark, director of John Marshall's Domestic Violence Clinic, wanted to find a way to improve access to legal information for domestic violence survivors, many of whom lack the resources to hire an attorney. Recognizing the unique needs of the prospective users, she imagined a welcoming and encouraging online legal resource that would mimic how an attorney would help a clienta virtual lawyer. Users would be led step-by-step through a fact-gathering process with tangible results and practical guidance.



Jay Wengrow, founder and CEO of Anyone Can Learn to Code, teaches programming and creates internships for his students, so they can get practical experience while doing good work for worthy organizations.



Stark and Wengrow have established a collaborative relationship where student code writers work with law students and supervising clinical attorneys to create technology-enhanced legal resources for survivors of domestic violence who must advocate for themselves.



The first project addresses tax liability and educates users about "innocent spouse relief." When an abusive situation leads to a spouse having financial liability that is solely attributable to the abusing spouse, the tax code allows for release from this liability, but it is difficult to obtain. The goal of the partnership between John Marshall and Anyone Can Learn to Code is to simplify the analysis and production of legal forms, so that a domestic violence survivor can determine whether he or she qualifies for the tax liability defense, and then produce the documents required to pursue the claim.



The law school and company will complete the interactive pre-qualifier and, before the end of the year, will create the interactive Form 8857. Guidance in tax-related matters is being supplied by Demetrius Karos, a Frankfort, Ill.-based tax and estate lawyer and CPA who is an alumnus of John Marshall and a supervising attorney with the law school's Domestic Violence Clinic. His daughter, Kayla Karos, is a J.D. candidate at the law school and works on the project in the Clinic, earning credit toward graduation for her efforts.



"I'm not aware of any other law school engaged in creating this kind of technology-enhanced legal resource designed especially for survivors of domestic violence," Stark said, "and we're looking forward to expanding the scope of the project as quickly as possible. We're working to create new and better ways to assist victims and survivors in desperate need of legal assistance."



About the Domestic Violence Clinic

John Marshall's Domestic Violence Clinic supports survivors of domestic violence by providing legal assistance; developing educational and training programs for the public, advocates, law students and attorneys; developing legal forms and resources that enable survivors to exercise their rights; and crafting empirical-based policy proposals to improve the law's response to domestic violence.



About the John Marshall Community Legal Clinics

John Marshall offers several clinical experiences through its Community Legal Clinics, including the nationally recognized Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic and the Fair Housing Legal Clinic. Law students gain valuable real-world experience in John Marshall's clinics. The National Jurist magazine has named John Marshall among the best in the country in providing practical training to law students. John Marshall earned an A- from the publication that is followed by current and future law students, law educators and the legal community.
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN), developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) for the U.S. Air Force, achieved 100,000 combat operational flight hours Jan. 30, 2016 providing critical communications capabilities to warfighters.

BACN is a high-altitude, airborne communications gateway that translates and distributes imagery, video, voice and data, often from disparate elements, enhancing situational awareness, communications and coordination for warfighters in the air and on the ground. BACN can act as a high-altitude relay and has been used for missions such as airdrop and airstrike operations.

BACN flies on seven separate aircraft  and two aircraft platforms  to provide persistent connectivity and operational support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. BACN currently operates on four E-11As, a modified Bombardier business jet, and three EQ-4Bs, Global Hawk Comms Gateway unmanned aircraft systems.

BACN achieved the 100,000 mile milestone flying more than 8,300 missions since the system was first deployed in October 2008. BACN has delivered a mission availability rate above 98 percent.

Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the development, fielding and maintenance of the BACN system. The company was awarded the first BACN contract in April 2005 by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
ARLINGTON , Va., Feb. 8, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) will award Marillyn A. Hewson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation, its highest industry award - the prestigious James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award  in recognition of her steadfast, career-long support and advocacy for a strong, responsive and resilient defense industrial base.

NDIA's Forrestal Award is to be presented on Thursday, May 12 by NDIA Chair of the Board Sid Ashworth and CEO Craig McKinley at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. The Forrestal Award is named in honor of James Forrestal, former Secretary of the Navy and the first U.S. Secretary of Defense. It is bestowed annually on a defense industry executive who has made unmatched contributions to the defense and aerospace industry.

"Marillyn Hewson epitomizes the spirit of NDIA's James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award through her leadership of an incredible organization of 126,000 men and women representing Lockheed Martin's commitment to a 100-year legacy of innovation and exceptional service to national security and a strong industrial base," said NDIA CEO Craig McKinley. "She has been a consistent thought and action leader for over 30 years with responsibilities reaching far and wide across the aerospace and defense community and beyond."

In her over 30 years with Lockheed Martin, Ms. Hewson has held a number of increasingly responsible executive positions, including President and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin's Electronic Systems business area. She has held several operational leadership positions, including President of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration; Executive Vice President of Global Sustainment for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; and President and General Manager of Kelly Aviation Center, L.P., an affiliate of Lockheed Martin. She has also served in key corporate executive roles, including Senior Vice President of Corporate Shared Services; Vice President of Global Supply Chain Management; and Vice President of Corporate Internal Audit.

Ms. Hewson is the Chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. She also serves as a Director of the Atlantic Council's International Advisory Board and a Vice Chair of The Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies. In September 2013, Ms. Hewson was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Export Council, the principal national advisory committee on international trade.

Ms. Hewson serves on the Board of Directors of DuPont and previously chaired the Sandia Corporation Board of Directors from 2010 to 2013. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, the Board of Governors of the USO, the Board of the National Geographic Education Foundation, and the Board of Directors of Catalyst.

About The James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award:

The James Forrestal Industry Leadership Award is a defense industry leadership award. The award is named in honor of James Forrestal and serves to recognize his support for a strong defense industrial base. The Forrestal Award recognizes outstanding leaders of companies in the defense industrial base.

The awardees meet the following criteria:

U.S. citizen

Strong record of business accomplishments

Broad understanding of the vital role the defense industrial base plays in ensuring the nation's security

Keen political instincts

An active supporter of the defense industrial base and its programs

Recipient's company must be NDIA Corporate Member

NDIA and its predecessor organizations (ADPA and NSIA) have given annual awards since 1979.

Previous Award Recipients include:

David L. Joyce, President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Aviation (2015)

Honorable Sean O'Keefe, CEO & Chairman, Airbus Group (2014)

Wesley G. Bush, CEO & President, Northrop Grumman Corporation (2013)

Ralph D. Crosby, Jr., Frm. Chairman of BOD and CEO, EADS North America (2012)

Robert J. Stevens, Chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin (2011)

James F. Albaugh, President and CEO, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (2010)

Ronald D. Sugar, Chairman, CEO and President, Northrop Grumman Corporation (2009)

-30-

About NDIA

The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is America's leading defense industry association promoting national security. NDIA provides a legal and ethical forum for the exchange of information between industry and government on national security issues. NDIA and its members foster the development of the most innovative and superior equipment, training and support for warfighters and first responders through its divisions, local chapters, affiliated associations and events.
Re: A recent report determined that although only 2 percent of [ #permalink

A recent report determined that although only 2 percent of boaters in Miami have been issued speeding tickets, 40 percent of the boaters issued tickets had received at least one ticket previously. Clearly, boaters who receive a speeding ticket are more likely to exceed the speed limit again in the future than boaters who have never been ticketed for speeding.



Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the above argument?



A) Boaters in Miami exceed the speed limit more frequently than boaters in other Florida cities.



B) Many boaters that were ticketed for speeding were ticketed more than once in the time period of the report.



C) Miami is more vigilant in ticketing boaters who exceed the speed limit than most other cities.



D) The number of boaters ticketed for speeding during the period of this report is less than the number ticketed during the period of the previous report.



E) During the period of this report, tickets were issued from only one location catching many of the same boaters again and again.







Argument - People who had received ticket in past will receive tickets in future -- > we got this conclusion based on the data



We have to weaken it - We can do that by saying THIS REPORT IS FLAWED



A- Compares with florida - no use

2- Strengthens the conclusion

3- Strengthens the conclusion in some extent since Miami is strict meaning boaters are making mistake

4- Comparison - of no use

5 - Yes if they are catching the boaters from same location again and again there is a flaw
Hi there,Thanks for sharing your information. I like the schools that you are targeting for the most part. Your GMAT is in the right range and you have a solid GPA in a rigorous undergraduate major. Your work experience is nice too, but don't forget about all of your leadership experiences - examples of resolving major conflicts, leading a group to achieve a certain milestone, and others. Your involvement is great, too - sounds like you have a lot of examples to share where you and your team made a significant impact in the community.The programs you mentioned are all good targets for you with Georgia Tech being the toughest given your profile (you should still apply). If you've only taken the GMAT once, and you have until R1 later this year to apply, why not give the GMAT another shot? Crossing over to the land of 700+ plus a higher IR will only boost your chances. Also, to get a better sense of fit, what do you want to do after your MBA?Best of luck!_________________
Before its independence in 1947, Britain ruled India as a co [ #permalink

Before its independence in 1947, Britain ruled India as a colony and they would relinquish power

Show Spoiler The following question came in one of tests. I am not convinced to the OA. Hoping somebody can explain.

only after a long struggle by the native people.(A) Before its independence in 1947, Britain ruled India as a colony and they would relinquish power(B) Before independence in 1947, Britain had ruled India as a colony and relinquished power(C) Before its independence in 1947, India was ruled by Britain as a colony and they relinquished power(D) Before independence in 1947, India had been ruled as a colony by Britain, which relinquished power(E) Before independence in 1947, India had been a colony of the British, who relinquished power
MADRID  Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia spiked earlier this month, with protesters storming the Saudi embassy in Tehran after the execution of a Shia cleric in the Kingdom. This is just the latest manifestation of the deep-rooted rivalry between the two Middle Eastern powers. But while their mutual enmity is longstanding, it is far from age-old, as it is sometimes portrayed. Given their common interests, a return to cooperation, though highly challenging, is not impossible.

Although it has been essential in establishing their national identities, these countries sectarian divide  Saudi Arabia is the Arab worlds leading Sunni power, while Iran is majority Shia  has not always been an element of confrontation in the region. It was not until 1501 that the Safavid dynasty established Shiism as the official religion of Persia, thereby distinguishing itself from its Sunni Ottoman neighbors, which were occupying part of their territory. During the subsequent two centuries, Persia confronted the Ottoman Empire  the heart of the Sunni caliphate  for regional supremacy.

In 1932, when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was established, it adopted Wahhabism  a school of Sunni Islam  as its official creed. Nonetheless, Saudi Arabia and Iran established diplomatic relations. In the 1960s and early 1970s, their security and political cooperation deepened, owing to a shared interest in confronting radical movements that threatened their monarchies. As they worked to limit Soviet-style communisms advancement in the Arab world, they emerged as key Cold War allies of the West, especially the United States.

In the late 1970s, however, a sectarian battle of identities flared up. Saudi Arabia, supported by the financial gains brought by rising oil prices, started expanding its security efforts by exporting Wahhabism. And it perceived a direct threat after 1979, when Irans Islamic Revolution toppled the Shah and the new regime declared itself to be the leader of Shia worldwide. In response to Irans call for the liberation of all Shia, Saudi Arabia redoubled its efforts to spread Wahhabism, intensifying the struggle between the two powers.

Though conflict has not erupted into direct confrontation, there has been no shortage of proxy battles, beginning with the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. More recently, it has shaped the course of Syrias civil war, in which Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad, who represents the Alawite sect of Shia Islam, while the Saudis are supporting anti-Assad Sunni forces. In Yemen, a Saudi-led coalition has used airstrikes to beat back the Houthis, Iran-backed Zaidi Shia rebels fighting the Sunni-led government  a conflict that has already claimed some 6,000 lives.

But, as in the past, the latest confrontation between the two powers is related to domestic developments. Both Iran and Saudi Arabia are currently undergoing important political and economic transitions that could leave their regimes vulnerable.

Iran, gearing up to elect a new parliament and Assembly of Experts (which chooses the countrys Supreme Leader) in February, remains in dire straits economically. The unemployment rate reached 11.4% in 2014, and is considerably higher among young people.



The international agreement on Irans nuclear program has now led to the lifting of sanctions; but the economic benefits are yet to be widely felt.

Of course, if President Hassan Rouhanis efforts to open Iran to the outside world continue, those benefits ultimately will be widely felt, fueling the growth of the middle class. But for precisely that reason, more conservative elements within Irans government are deeply suspicious of Rouhanis reformist agenda, viewing the potential emergence of a more worldly, pluralistic society as a serious threat to the regimes survival.

Indeed, although Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ratified the nuclear deal last year, he has repeatedly declared that he still mistrusts the US. In addition, the conservative-controlled Guardian Council  which comprises six theologians appointed by the Supreme Leader and six jurists nominated by the judiciary and approved by the parliament  has rejected 99% of reformist candidates for the upcoming election. It thus appears that parliamentary opposition to Rouhanis reforms is set to intensify.

Saudi Arabia, too, is at a turning point. Last year, following the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who ruled for a decade, his half-brother, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, ascended to the throne. Salman has since been shifting governmental responsibility to Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud.



These changes at the top are occurring in a context of severe economic decline brought on by the collapse of world oil prices; budget revenue has been depleted to the point that the fiscal deficit reached 15% of GDP last year.

In this unstable context, leaders in both Iran and Saudi Arabia seem to believe that continued confrontation will help sustain them in power, not least by reinforcing the notion that more change, especially in the form of increased economic or political openness, would be dangerous.

Friendly (or at least constructive) relations between both powers would thus appear to be a remote possibility, at least for the foreseeable future. But steps can be taken that might at least prevent tensions from escalating further. Khameneis condemnation of the attack on the Saudi embassy, which he called harmful for the country and Islam, was noteworthy in this sense.

Even with such steps, Iran and Saudi Arabia are highly unlikely to reach an agreement on Syria in the next round of international talks. But progress toward ending the war in Yemen  which is at an earlier stage than the Syrian war, and entails fewer international and regional interests  is possible, especially given Saudi Arabias economic travails. The key will be agreement on a cease-fire, as a precursor to a long-term resolution of the conflict.

While the gulf between Iran and Saudi Arabia runs deep, instances of pragmatic cooperation on specific issues like Yemen can help to build bridges. Doing so would benefit the entire region.
A Midtown construction worker suffered critical injuries Saturday afternoon after a piece of concrete landed on his head. According to authorities, the man, whose name has not been released, was knocked unconscious and rushed to Bellevue Hospital following the accident.

A spokesman for Tishman Construction told the Daily News that the worker had been on the 20th floor of 317 Madison Avenue when he was struck by a heavy piece of concrete debris at 2:30 p.m. yesterday. Tishman is currently working on the building, along with contractor Waldorf Demolition.

An FDNY spokesperson told Pix11 that due to the building's power being shut off, the unconscious man was lowered 18 floors down through a shaft in the building before being rushed to Bellevue.

Two construction workers were hurt at the same site last July when a ceiling collapsed above them. In that incident, one worker sustained life-threatening injuries.
Bill Clinton repeatedly attacked Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at a New Hampshire campaign rally Sunday, framing the Vermont Senator's policy platform as unrealistic, his record as inconsistent, and his supporters as "sexist," profane trolls.

Without using the term "Bernie Bro" directly, Clinton homed in women writers who have "gone online to defend Hillary, to explain why they supported her, [and] have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat."

It's worth noting that Sanders himself acknowledged and criticized the misogynists in the ranks of his supporters: "I have heard about it...It's disgusting. Look, we don't want that crap."

According to reports from the New York Times, Clinton delivered his speech to a crowd of a few hundred gathered at a middle school and strove to paint Sanders as a bad fit for both local residents and the country as a whole. Referring to Sanders's proposed single-payer health care plan, Clinton jabbed Is it good for America? I dont think so. Is it good for New Hampshire? I dont think so.

"When you're making a revolution you can't too careful with the facts,"Mr. Clinton said, mocking the Sanders campaign's lofty calls for a full-on political revolution.

The direct attacks on Sanders compounded throughout Clinton's 50 minute speech. He described the self-professed socialist's platform as "hermetically sealed" from reality and outrightly dishonest, referencing a mini-scandal last year in which the Bernie Sanders campaign took advantage of a hole in the Democratic National Committee's voter data.

From Bloomberg Politics:

It was your campaign that made 25 separate inquiries in the mere space of 30 minutes trying to breach information out of computers, he said. In private [the Sanders campaign] sent an e-mail complaining [about the Democratic National Committee] leaving the keys in the car, and said, All I did was drive off.

In an attempt to dismiss criticism over his wife's ties to Wall Street banks and lobbyist groups, Clinton turned the issue into another rebuke of Sanders' record. "[Hillary]'s getting it from the right, she's getting it from the left," Cllinton said. "If she were really so weak on Wall Street, would there really be two hedge fund managers setting up two super PACs and spending millions of dollars to attack her? No, they'd be attacking her opponent."

That lead to an attempt to paint Sanders, who has also received money from wealthy donors, as a hypocrite. "Anybody who takes money from Goldman Sachs couldn't possibly be president. He may have to tweak that answer a little bit, or we may have to get a write-in candidate."

Responding to Bill Clinton's attack, Sanders' campaign manager Jeff Weaver told Bloomberg "It's unfortunate that President Clinton is choosing to engage in the kind of negative attacks that he is on the eve of the New Hampshire primary."

"Clearly this is a sign that the Clinton campaign is very concerned about the state of the race," Weaver continued. Sanders currently holds a commanding lead over the Hillary Clinton campaign in recent New Hampshire polls.
The federal agency that regulates nuclear power plants is sending an inspector to pore over Westchester County's Indian Point plant after a spill leaked radioactive water into groundwater around the plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission prober will join investigators from the state Health Department and Department of Environmental Conservation looking into the cause of the spill that elevated levels of tritium in at least 3 of 40 wells at the facility. Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has repeatedly called for the plant to be closed, said the contamination was "alarming" and "unacceptable," but acknowledged that it is below federal safety limits.

"This is not the first such release of radioactive water at Indian Point, nor is this the first time that Indian Point has experienced significant failure in its operation and maintenance," Cuomo said in a statement. "This failure continues to demonstrate that Indian Point cannot continue to operate in a manner that is protective of public health and the environment."

Cuomo, federal officials, and Indian Point operator Entergy have all emphasized that the radiation currently poses no known threat to workers or nearby residents. In a statement, Entergy wrote:

While elevated tritium in the ground onsite is not in accordance with our standards, there is no health or safety consequence to the public, and releases are more than a thousand times below federal permissible limits. The tritium did not affect any source of drinking water onsite or offsite.

Neil Sheehan, spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told reporters that the inspector would join NRC regulators permanently stationed there to analyze the leakage as well as Entergy's response.

Environmental activists have long demanded the government close the plant, noting that it sits near two fault lines and that more than 20 million people live within 50 miles of it. The plant is just more than 30 miles north of the Bronx border and its oldest reactor is more than 50 years old. Transformer fires and other mishaps have taken parts of it offline several times in the last year, as Riverkeeper president Paul Gallay noted to the Daily News.

"The next one could be a catastrophe," Gallay said. "The stakes are just too high."

This isn't the first time the plant has leaked radioactive water, either. The News wrote:

A federal oversight agency issued a report after about 100,000 gallons of tritium-tainted water entered the groundwater supply in 2009, and elevated levels of tritium also were found in two monitoring wells at the plant in 2014.

Last month, Entergy sued the state over Secretary of State Cesar Perales trying to block the renewal of Indian Point's federal license by denying it a coastal safety certification it needs to renew with the feds. Perales's letter denying the approval cited the risk of earthquakes, the surrounding population density, the plant's proximity to the source of drinking water for much of the New York metro area, and the plant's killing of more than a billion fish in the Hudson River over the last four decades. In its suit, the utility giant argues that the state is overstepping its bounds in trying to regulate nuclear safety, a federal function, and that Perales's and Cuomo's arguments run contrary to their acceptance of the state's three other nuclear plants.

Entergy spokesman Jerry Nappi told the News that Westchester's burbling nuclear neighbor works fine, most of the time.

"Indian Point is online an average of more than 90% of the time, reliably providing electricity for about 2 million residences in New York City and Westchester County," he said.
Documentarian E.J. McLeavey-Fisher first encountered Elias Weiss Friedman, better known to canine lovers in the five boroughs as The Dogist, when Friedman approached him last winter to photograph his six-month-old Maltese Bobby. That encounter led to the lovely short documentary below, which offers a glimpse behind-the-lens into the life of a full-time Instagram canine photographer. "New York is a special place to be a documentarian street blogger," Friedman says. "I can't imagine doing this blog anywhere else. The city has its canine personalities in each of the neighborhoods."





"I'd already been a follower so I knew he had a really great thing going and that it would be super fun to follow him around too," McLeavey-Fisher told us. "But also there was a good NYC-centric story to be told, where dogs live different lives compared to being out in the country with backyards." They shot three days together spread out over the past year (in January, June and September).

Bo, German Shepherd (5 y/o), 12th & 3rd Ave., New York, NY  "He ate everything in our backyard." A photo posted by The Dogist (@thedogist) on Feb 7, 2016 at 6:28pm PST

Razzle, Border Collie (1 y/o), WSP, NYC  Merry Christmas!  A photo posted by The Dogist (@thedogist) on Dec 25, 2015 at 6:37am PST

Friedman was unemployed when he started the project two years ago; battling his own isolation, he found a unique rapport with his subjects and their owners (carrying a very tantalizing squeeze toy doesn't hurt). "Dogs have opened up a whole world for me that makes me less lonely," he says. He's still baffled by how the project has exploded, especially with no outreach and no advertising: "It's something people want and need."

Aiyna, Australian Shepherd (3 y/o), Union Square, New York, NY  "She thinks she's part cat. She has two cat sisters and she tries to go into the cat condo." A photo posted by The Dogist (@thedogist) on Jan 23, 2016 at 6:29am PST

Quick, Dogue de Bordeaux (2 y/o), 2015 AENC, Orlando, FL  "He's from the Czech Republic." A photo posted by The Dogist (@thedogist) on Dec 25, 2015 at 6:47pm PST

"I'm fascinated by people like Elias who create a career out of thin-air (or in this case, his camera, and Instagram account, and sidewalks full of dogs that we all walk past every day)," McLeavey-Fisher added. "And to see how much he's grown in popularity even in the past year is amazing. He's gone from like 600K followers when we first met to almost 2 million now, plus has a best-selling book too."
Brooklyn-based performance artist Niv Acosta says that Spa Castle employees barred him from the locker rooms and nude bathing areas at its Queens location on Sunday afternoon because he is transgender.

It is illegal under the NYC Human Rights Law to bar a transgender individual from a single-sex facility like a bathroom or locker-room. Acosta is a transgender man, and was assigned female at birth. His legal ID lists female.

Acosta, who also teaches performance art at NYU, told Gothamist that he arrived at Spa Castle in Queens with his girlfriend and another friend around 3:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. He was hoping to rejuvenate from his latest performance piece, Discotropic, which closed last month. "We were twerking for the first 20 minutes of the show," Acosta recalled. "To say the least it was very taxing on my body."



Acosta / Xeno Xeno (via Facebook).

"I'm not a sadist," he added. "I wasn't looking for pain. I just really needed a spa day, and I had a Living Social coupon."

Spa Castle guests are administered locker room keys and corresponding uniforms in the lobby upon arrivalpink for women and blue for men. "They basically process you and assume your gender right off the bat," Acosta said.

Acosta explained that he'd had an uncomfortable experience at the same location a year previous, when employees issued him a blue key. On that occasion, Acosta used the men's changing room, but asked for a pink key when he realized that he would be relegated to the men-only nude area. He was eventually granted permission to enter through the women's looker room, but the experience was a "huge hassle."

The nude areas are Acosta's favorite part of the spa, because they have more Jacuzzi options and heated pools.

On Sunday, Acosta was hoping to avoid confusion. "Let me get the pink key so I can be with people who have the same body as I do," he recalled thinking. "So I asked them to give me a pink key, and that's when it started rolling."

According to the NYC Commission On Human Rights Legal Enforcement Guide, "If a transgender [person] requests assignment to a facility corresponding to their sex assigned at birth instead of a placement corresponding to their gender identity, that request should be honored."

Rather than grant Acosta entry to the spa, the receptionist flagged down her manager. According to Acosta, the manager told him that he could enter the spa, but only if he agreed to change in a private bathroom upstairs and avoid all nude spa areas. Acosta refused, and demanded a refund, which was granted. Acosta then pressed the manager for further information. He recalls that the manager asked him if he was transgender, adding, "When we have trans clients, this is what we've had to do."

"I'm trans, but the purpose of bathing there is that I'm deciding to be female, but really that shouldn't be any of your fucking concern," Acosta told Gothamist on Monday.

"I am never, ever going back," he added.

Spa Castle General Manager Sean Lee confirmed on Monday that his staff is instructed to assign locker rooms according to the gender listed on a guest's legal ID (in Acosta's case, female). According to Lee, it is against company policy to ban guests from any part of the facility. He said that he had not been informed of the incident and would look into it right away.

However, Lee added that Spa Castle is a "family-oriented facility," and that sometimes guests "feel uncomfortable" around transgender guests. He said that if a complaint is issued, management is instructed to offer an alternative private changing room, which the guest can refuse.

Acosta said he was motivated to speak up on Sunday in part because of a recent governmental push to define and defend the rights of transgender and gender-nonconforming New Yorkers. New legislation gaining considerable support in the City Council would require all single-stall restrooms to be gender neutral, for example.

Violations of the New York City Human Rights Law can result in penalties up to $250,000.

"I think there aren't enough public spaces for self-care for people who are gender-nonconforming and that's a damn shame," Acosta said. "There are so many trans people in NYC alone, and it's heartbreaking that there are so few places where we can seek care that aren't a hospital or a clinic."

Acosta added that, as a trans person of color, he considers self-care an important statement. "It's a way to fight oppression," he said. "It's a very revolutionary act to say, 'I'm going to go take care of my body today, and recover from trauma or hard work.' I should be able to say that without 20,000 steps in between."

UPDATE: This piece has been updated to include language from the NYC Commission On Human Rights Legal Enforcement Guidance.
In a video made public on Sunday by officials, one airport worker takes the laptop and hands it to another employee.

The employees then hand it over to a man who was killed when the laptop explosion blew a hole in the plane's fuselage, said Abdisalam Aato, a spokesman for the Somali Prime Minister.

Both workers have been arrested.

Somali officials identified the lone fatality as suspect Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh. He was sucked out of the airliner through the hole from the blast Tuesday.

Bomber knew where to sit

Investigators suspect Borleh, a Somali national, carried a laptop computer with a bomb in it onto the plane, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

He knew precisely where to sit and how to place the device to maximize damage, the source told CNN.

Given the placement, the blast likely would have set off a catastrophic secondary explosion in the fuel tank if the aircraft had reached cruising altitude, the source said.

But the explosion happened at a lower altitude, between 12,000 feet and 14,000 feet, killing the Somali national and injuring two others.

Though preliminary tests showed the bomb contained a military grade of the explosive TNT, the source said, it failed to bring down Daallo Airlines Flight 3159. The pilot turned around and landed the Airbus safely in Mogadishu.

"Security at our airport is strong, but we need to do more," Aato told CNN in response to concerns about airport security. "While threats will always be there, this could happen at any other airport," he said.

Somalia asked U.S. officials for help with investigations, and several FBI agents are on the ground assisting in Mogadishu, the spokesman said.

"This was a sophisticated attack ... so we reached out to our international partners," Aato said.

Region in turmoil

Asked about comments reportedly made by the plane's pilot that security at Mogadishu Airport was "zero" with confusion over who accessed planes from the tarmac, the CEO of Daallo Airlines confirmed there had been concerns.

"He's right. You know, there are some lapses, otherwise this (would have) never happened," CEO Mohamed Ibrahim Yassin told CNN.

"You know the region is a region which is under turmoil ... so you can expect such things to happen," he said.

"It is happening all over the world, it's not only happening in Mogadishu. You know, this threat is all over the place. Now we'll add one more layer of security now. We have employed a professional security company ... to do secondary screening."

Militants behind attack

Investigators believe the attack was orchestrated by Al-Shabaab, although they are not certain Borleh was a direct member of the group, according to the source. No group immediately claimed responsibility.
News

VIDEO: Sheikh Sultan inspects progress of 'Hanging Gardens' project

Sheikh Sultan was briefed on the plans for the remaining stages in the implementation of the project, which extends over an area of one and a half million square feet, listening to the progress of work and the most important completed and remaining stages.
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At Tuesday nights Helena School Board meeting, the trustees plan to share insights they gained at their recent board retreat with facilitator Virginia Tribe exploring board governance.

The board meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, at Ray Bjork Learning Center, 1600 8th St.

What they learned in the retreat is causing them to take a step back from facilities planning to first focus on the districts educational vision, said board chair Aidan Myhre. We need more clarity.

The board intends to use two upcoming board retreats in March and April to outline the educational pieces in more detail before it takes the next steps in school facilities planning. School facilities should match the districts educational vision, said Myhre. For instance, the district cant promote more rigorous science standards if it doesnt have science labs or classroom sinks needed for the classes.

I think people want a stronger science program, she said. What do we need to make that happen? She also noted that art and music programming have facility needs, as well.

The retreat was important in helping the board see what it takes to be more effective, said school superintendent Kent Kultgen. Although there is an urgency to act on the bond, the board wants to get the educational vision done first.

In other matters, the board will have a first reading to call for an election May 3 for three district school board seats, which are currently held by Libbi Lovshin, Libby Goldes and Betsy Baur. As of last week, Kultgen said that at least two of the trustees were not planning to run.

Candidates need to file paperwork by March 24. Information and forms are available at the May Butler building and online.

The district must also determine levy amounts no later than April 1 to include them on the May 3 ballot, according the election resolution.

The board will hold second readings of a board policy increasing graduation requirements and approving the school calendar for 2016-17.

For more information, visit helenaschools.org.
An open letter to Gov. Bullock:

The Helena Hunters and Anglers Association thanks you for your decision to allow expansion of bison as a year-round component of wildlife populations north of Yellowstone Park. We recognize this decision as a modest step forward. We also believe it a significant step forward in wildlife conservation. This action asserts that buffalo, beyond the borders of a national park, are resident wildlife to be managed by the state as a public trust for all people.

Montana is not a casual bystander in the tragic saga of the bison. In 1876, as America celebrated its first centennial, 80,000 buffalo hides were shipped down the Missouri River from Fort Benton, it was their record year. That same year, Custer and the 7th U.S. Cavalry, riding in defense of manifest destiny, died on the hills above the Little Big Horn. Eight years later: the buffalo hide shipments from Fort Benton fell to zero; poachers were after the last wild buffalo that took refuge in Yellowstone Park. Two years after that, the U.S. Cavalry rode into Yellowstone to protect that tattered remnant from commercial poaching.

The buffalo of Yellowstone recovered. Today, we chase and harass them with horses and a host of machines; we force them back behind lines we draw on maps; and ship a growing number to slaughterhouses. In 2015 the kill was 737 with government wildlife agents shooting or sending to slaughter 511. This years target lies somewhere between 600 and 900. It is quite an irony that, since 1912, the buffalos image has been on the official seal of the U.S. Department of Interior  the federal agency most responsible for both past and current treatment of wild and semi-wild buffalo. While we struggle out on the land to meet our moral and ecological responsibility to the buffalo, in another ironic twist, the U.S. Congress considers legislation to make the buffalo Americas official mammal.

It is time to make space for this exceptional animal that has been more abused than any other form of wildlife in our nations history. Americans have restored a remarkable array of wild things from wild geese across a continent to grizzly bears in our wildest backcountry. It is now time to cut the buffalo in on this remarkable achievement and restore them as free ranging wildlife on lands beyond Yellowstone and out on the Great Plains where they just simply belong.

As the proverb says, the longest journey begins with the first step and we thank you for taking that step. Perhaps, with your help, in a coming spring season out on the Great Northern Plains of Montana, a truly wild newborn buffalo calf will wobble to its feet midst a lush June green-up of prairie grass and flower and -- be home! We can make it happen -- not for us -- not for the Department of Interior or the even the U.S Congress, but -- for them!

Stan Frasier is president of the Helena Hunters and Anglers Association.
Our president, Barack Obama, has produced much more sweeping changes than most of his supporters or detractors realize.

Gays can now marry and openly serve in the military. The health industry has been dramatically reformed and modernized. Carbon emissions are dropping, solar and wind energy is booming and Obama helped forge an international agreement on climate change.

Sixty-seven percent of Americans support president Obamas executive actions to expand background checks on gun sales. And his policies have kept us safe -- as safe as can reasonably be expected in a world close to chaos. Cuba and Iran shows that more talk can cut the use of war. Yes, he will leave a good legacy for a fine president and a good man.
A signing ceremony is planned for Feb. 22 to join Helena and an island community in Mexico as sister cities.

A small delegation from the city of Isla Mujeres, located on the Yucatan peninsula about eight miles off the coast of Mexico, is anticipated to arrive in Helena, Mayor Jim Smith told the city commission.

After the 11 a.m. ceremony in the commission chambers on the third floor of the City-County Building will be lunch at the Great Northern Town Center, Smith said.

Its great that theyre coming, he added.

The city may rent the trolley to give the delegation a tour of the town, and visits to the citys wastewater treatment plant, the state Capitol building and the Montana Historical Society may also be included, Smith said.

The delegation will be invited to attend that evenings city commission meeting, where they would be introduced to Helena, the mayor said.

Work to create a sister city relationship with a city in Mexico was initiated after Smith mentioned visiting the city to the consul of Mexico, who is stationed in Boise and initiated the agreement.

The consul visits Helena on occasion, and the newest appointment to the post, Celso Humberto Delgado-Ramirez, was in Helena last year. He too was interested in the sister city relationship.

Helena residents who speak fluent Spanish have volunteered to help with the delegations upcoming visit.

The memorandum of understanding that will link the two cities calls for them to create a working group to create an action plan for 2016, Smith said and explained I think thats where well get specifics.

The memorandum of understanding has some broad topics that include educational, cultural and recreational components, he noted.

Smith had said in late November, after an eight-page document had been offered for the citys consideration, that he hoped an agreement might begin to develop some exchanges and understanding between the two cities.

He said he didnt have anything in particular in mind for the relationship, nor did he believe Mayor Agapito Magana Sanchez of the city of Isla Mujeres had any specific goals as a result of the agreement.

Any assistance we can provide them and any assistance they can provide us is on the table, Smith had said.

Weve got lots to learn from each other, I think, he continued.

Well see where it leads.

Smith has visited the island and the city of Isla Mujeres a few times. He described the people there as very kind and generous.
Hometown: I was born in Springfield, but Ive lived in or around Decatur for 16 years, so Decatur/Macon County is now home.

Family: Husband, Zach, who is executive director for the Decatur Public Schools Foundation; daughter, Athena (15); twin sons Hadrian and Caius (11) and and little guy, Noah (3).

Education: B.A. in classics (archaeology) and history (ancient history, specifically) from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, MBA from Millikin University.

My Id rather be  bumper sticker would read, Id rather be Daydreaming. It is very satisfying for me to think about new ways of doing things, new products, better ways of working with people, new collaborations, etc. While daydreaming might sound flippant, it is a success strategy, too. I suppose the professional version of that same bumper sticker would be Id rather be visualizing, but that sounds pretentious.

Hobbies/interests: I am a dabbler, which means I am interested in many different things. Our farm is a great way for me to indulge in experimentation, practice and play. We have beautiful ponies, productive (read: murderous) barn cats, a bouncy puppy and my favorites, the quirky chickens. Last year we had a rooster named Rob Lowe.

My first job: Right out of college I took a part-time job as a recruiter for an IT recruiting company as I was waiting a semester to start law school. I enjoyed it so much I didnt go to law school and ended up staying in the information technology industry for 13 years or so.

Why I do what I do: There are so many reasons. Mostly it is because I get great joy cheering on individuals who are passionate about achieving their goals, making a difference, owning a business, creating a meaningful life, alleviating pain or challenges, transforming the world, etc. The world needs all these things. I work to help people align their own goals with other like-minded creators, innovators and entrepreneurs in order to start a movement and make the world a better place.

Personal approaches to challenges: I cannot remember who said it, but my philosophy on challenges is None of us is as smart as all of us. I try to engage others to use our collective wisdom. I try to put a positive spin on challenges and talk openly about how I am trying to solve them. People want to help solve problems, but they do not necessarily want to help if it comes across as complaining.

Community involvement: There are a number of Center for Entrepreneurship supported community organizations  Micro Business Network, Millikin Decatur Executive Association, SCORE, Youth Leadership Institute program through Partners in Education at Richland Community College, etc. I also sit on the board at Decatur Day Care Center.

What is your definition of an entrepreneur? It is someone who can recognize opportunity and lead an endeavor to both create and capture value in the marketplace. Owning a business might be one way to create and capture value, but it can also be created and captured as a social impact venture (what some might call nonprofit but that is just a tax designation) or within an existing corporation.

What is the Center for Entrepreneurship? The Center for Entrepreneurship at Millikin is a unique thing. We have an academic department focused on the discipline and practice of entrepreneurship with our students. We support an entrepreneurship major, minor, two undergraduate certificates and a graduate-level certificate.

We also have community outreach and youth development components to our mission. In the community, we work with collaborative partners on youth entrepreneurship, and we support small- to medium-sized businesses through the Micro Business Network, the Millikin Decatur Executive Association and SCORE counseling for small businesses. With youth we have piloted TechVentures on campus, held iSMARTgirls on campus for a number of years, worked with Decatur Public Schools on SMASH Camp summer program the past four years, co-sponsored the local Maker Faire and are now working with the Childrens Museum of Illinois on its Make Space collaboration.

What entrepreneurial experience do you bring to the center, the director's position? I have been an owner of businesses as well as worked innovatively inside organizations. Ive owned (or been an owner of) three companies: OpenII  a data integration technology company which held joint intellectual property with U of I, InVivo Ventures  a technology consulting company, and now our farm, Highpoint Ventures, which has Sangamon Welsh Ponies as our brand (or a prefix in the pony business). When I worked for Decatur Public Schools, I collaborated with amazing educators to transform traditional summer school into a camp-based program involving over 20 of our amazing local organizations. We turned the community into the classroom.

How does this experience benefit the students/business owners? Ive been involved with so many contract negotiations, sales presentations, tactical teams, strategic planning sessions, brand development, proposals, etc. Ive experienced a lot of failure, too, and I lived to tell the tale. Ive had to move money around to make payroll, call clients to politely remind them to pay an invoice quickly (Ive been on the other side of that too, coincidentally). Ive had to recreate myself a few times, invest time and effort in networking when it was hard to get out of bed in the morning, work incredibly hard at things without knowing if there would be any payoff, etc. All these things and more are hallmarks of entrepreneurship that are challenging to explain with books.

What is your take on the small business climate in the community? I believe we need inspiration. The number of new businesses starting in the area is pretty low. There is positive energy around logistics, so that is great, but Im not so sure those could be classified as small businesses. Frankly, what I am hearing from multiple places is that there is not a lot of access to risk capital for the small startup. Crowdfunding rules are changing soon, so that might be an interesting way of activating micro-investors in the community. But we need a boost. The Economic Development Coporation of Decatur and Macon County, city of Decatur, Chamber of Commerce, Richland and the Center for Entrepreneurship are working together on a Business Development Resource Center concierge service for any size business. Each situation is unique, and we need to all work together to make Decatur and Macon County rich soil for small businesses to grow.

What is the biggest challenge entrepreneurs face? It seems a lot of small business owners try to go it alone, not taking time to network and stay on top of changing trends. Or they focus on the detail and that takes a lot of time. It leaves them vulnerable to languishing rather than focusing on strategic growth.

What is being done to change this mentality? Earlier this year we had a Growth Venture class through SCORE and the Center to help small businesses focus on their growth potential. We learned a few things through that process, and are considering some different approaches going forward.

The center is beginning to reach out to people as young as middle school students. Why? People have asked me how young is too young to teach entrepreneurship? I dont think there is a too young, frankly, because it starts with an entrepreneurial and enterprising mindset. I would even argue that most children are naturally enterprising and creatively seek solutions until we adults start telling them there is one correct answer. Adults can and frankly need to be intentional about encouraging children to be OK with experimentation and failure so they continue their interest in creativity. Failure is an essential part of the creative process.

As far as why bother to try to instill an entrepreneurial mindset, there are various reasons, the most important of which is that our world needs young innovators and entrepreneurs to take on serious problems like poverty, energy, violence, and most importantly effectively leverage an increasingly globalized economy. Its important to note that being entrepreneurial can happen within a company or organization, and many existing companies are looking for people who can demonstrate that they think and act entrepreneurially. By that I mean they can recognize opportunity, assess risk and reward, find resources and lead the effort.

Im all for career path efforts that encourage students to think about what they want to be when they grow up, but Id be really excited if the conversation shifted to what all do you want to do as you grow up? or what impact will you make on the world? or how many jobs are you going to create?

Tell us about your collaborations with the Children's Museum of Illinois and the Decatur School District to inspire these young entrepreneurs? With Decatur Public Schools we have collaborated on SMASH Camp which is a summer camp for gifted students to learn and practice entrepreneurial concepts like recognizing opportunities, creating product and service ideas, and giving a business pitch. With Childrens Museum we saw an opportunity to bring the maker movement (DIY movement) to some of our youngest community members. The goal is to encourage iterative problem solving, and the littlebits library is an intriguing way to do that  and it hooks parents and caregivers, too. It is just as fun for adults to play with the littleBits.
Heading into New Hampshire, the race for the nomination of the once-genteel Republican Party seems to have entered a kind of Mad Max phase.

It is no surprise that Donald Trump is doing his best to create political mayhem. Trump was uncharacteristically subdued Monday night when he underperformed in Iowa, getting beaten by Ted Cruz and barely holding on to second place. But within 24 hours he was back in form, slashing and burning with abandon.

Trump seized on Ben Carson's complaint that Cruz's representatives at the Iowa caucuses had cheated, falsely leading Carson supporters to believe that their candidate was pulling out of the race; the message was that if they wanted their votes to count, they should cast them for Cruz. Trump thundered on Twitter that the "state of Iowa" should nullify the results and order a do-over; never mind that it is the Iowa Republican Party, not the state government, that runs the caucuses.

"Oh that voter fraud, you know, these politicians are brutal," Trump said at a rally. "They are a bunch of dishonest cookies, I want to tell you."

Cruz accused his rival of throwing a "Trumper-tantrum," Cruz's wordplay is never quite as sparkling as he seems to think, and his campaign maintained it was guilty of nothing except the practice of big-league politics.

The dispute doesn't amount to much, except in this one sense: Trump played it safe in the days before Iowa, even skipping a debate, but now he seems back to the hot-mess flamboyance that brought him this far. Polls show him with a 20-point lead in New Hampshire over all comers, according to the Real Clear Politics average. He needs to win big to remain the favorite for the nomination.

Cruz is riding high, of course, and can even dream of sneaking into second place in Tuesday's primary. But New Hampshire is unfriendly turf for him. Besides being the place where Trump hopes to get his mojo back, it is the state where the lagging establishment candidates  Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich  have to do well. If they don't, donors and endorsers may begin to coalesce around Marco Rubio, the only establishment hopeful who performed better in Iowa than the polls had predicted.

Indeed, such movement began Thursday when Rick Santorum, who didn't survive Iowa, gave Rubio his endorsement. Unhappily, however, Santorum struggled mightily when pressed by "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough to name one thing Rubio has accomplished in the Senate. After much hemming and hawing, Santorum acknowledged that "there isn't a whole lot," but protested that the question was unfair, since no one has accomplished much of anything in the Senate in recent years.

It is Christie, though, who has been sharpest, some would say "most vicious," in attacking Rubio since the Iowa vote. Christie's campaign is running out of money and time, and he seems to have decided to leave it all on the field in New Hampshire.

"This isn't a student council election, everybody. This is an election for president of the United States," Christie said Tuesday, in an attack aimed at Rubio. "Let's get the boy out of the bubble, and let's see if he's ready to play next week in New Hampshire, I'm ready to play."

The boy-in-the-bubble charge was only the beginning. Christie later said that Rubio "acts like the king of England," called him "the master of the drive-by town hall," accused him of being overly scripted and claimed he "just doesn't have any experience."

Bush is taking a more indirect approach. As we have seen in the debates, he is not exactly a master of the frontal assault. But he has been cheering Christie on, calling him "a great campaigner ... a good friend ... an effective governor." And the Bush campaign bought a full-page ad in the Union Leader, New Hampshire's biggest-circulation newspaper, in which eight leading Florida Republicans charged that Rubio "is not the best choice to serve as commander in chief."

With all the slashing and bashing on the Republican side, the Democratic race in New Hampshire almost seems reduced to undercard status; unless, of course, there is a surprise.

If Bernie Sanders, from next-door Vermont, wins the primary handily, as polls predict, nothing much changes. He and Hillary Clinton seem likely to wage a long battle of attrition.

For Republicans, however, New Hampshire is political life or death. Ronald Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment," not speaking ill of a fellow Republican, is being honored more in the breach than in the observance.
"The Republican Obama."

That's the new hot attack on Sen. Marco Rubio. Ted Cruz leveled the epithet at Rubio just days before the Iowa caucuses, which is a little ironic since Cruz has been called the same thing in the past.

But the leader of the opposition to Rubio, at least when it comes to this line, is actually someone not in the race: Joe Scarborough, the normally affable host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Contrary to all evidence, Scarborough has denied he has an unhealthy obsession with his fellow Floridian. But given Scarborough's near-relentless denigration of Rubio, objective viewers might wonder if Rubio had run over Scarborough's dog or toilet-papered his house one Halloween night in junior high school.

On Thursday morning's show, Scarborough launched into an extended tirade about the best ways for other Republicans to attack Rubio. Sounding a bit like an armchair general who can't wait any longer to be asked his opinion, Scarborough declared, "He is the Republican Obama. And he really is." Time magazine, Scarborough complained with more than a touch of resentment, "anointed him the Republican Party's savior before he threw his first pitch."

"Seriously," Scarborough added, "I have complained for years that Barack Obama was sold and marketed like a bag of potato chips, and when I have said it, every Republican has agreed with me, and I said it was a bad move for America when they had a chance to have a more experienced candidate. Even Hillary Clinton. So now Republicans are going ... down that road to elect a guy that has been marketed like a bag of potato chips. Good luck."

It's almost as if Scarborough forgot that Obama was elected twice.

Because he has a unique animosity for Rubio, Scarborough left out that his indictment applies in equal measure to Cruz, another first-term senator who hit the ground running for the White House. Indeed, Cruz has been in the Senate for even less time than Rubio.

Scarborough is certainly right that Rubio's list of Senate accomplishments is short. So is Cruz's, and for largely the same reasons. They haven't been around long, and in the last year, with Republicans in control, the GOP has mostly focused on limiting any further damage Obama can do.

Which brings us back to this whole "Republican Obama" thing. For Scarborough, not to mention Jeb Bush and N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, the charge that Rubio is a Republican Obama is meant to be a scathing indictment of Rubio's inexperience. But that may not be the way everyone hears it. They might hear: "He's a Republican who can win."

Moreover, while conservatives have rightly faulted President Obama for not being up to the job, particularly when it comes to foreign policy, that indictment isn't the one most on the right focus on. Rather, conservatives have been told, with good reason, that Obama has been a hugely effective progressive ideologue.

While Obama has been something of a disaster for the Democratic Party in terms of congressional and state offices, he still got Obamacare. He also helped steer same-sex marriage to a victory at the Supreme Court, a court where his two ideologically left-wing appointees sit. His EPA helped kill the coal industry while he's poured billions in subsidies into wind and solar boondoggles.

No Republican wants to emulate Obama's many failures, but few wouldn't love to emulate his successes, in a conservative way.

The point is, it depends what you mean by a Republican Obama. For instance, when Cruz was elected to the Senate, many conservatives hoped, and many liberals feared, that he would be a Republican Obama.

My National Review colleague Jay Nordlinger wrote back in 2009, before Cruz was elected, "Is he our Obama; a Republican Obama? Well, he is far less slippery than our new president. But there are similarities, especially where communications skills are concerned."

Every candidate's record is fair game. But by their very nature, arguments about a politician's record are arguments about the past. Rubio and Cruz, or as I like to call them, Los Hermanos Cubanos, can frame their candidacies on the future. In a year when a majority of Americans, and a super-majority of Republicans, think the country is on the wrong track, that's an advantage.

As Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen wrote last year, "Those who dismiss Cruz as a 'Republican Obama' should not forget what we call Obama today: Mr. President."
SPRINGFIELD -- Given the deep partisan divisions that have characterized his presidency, it strikes some as odd that Barack Obama is returning to Springfield this week to address the Illinois General Assembly on building a better politics  one that reflects our better selves.

When the speech, scheduled for Wednesday, was announced late last month, state Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, an Okawville Republican who served with Obama throughout his tenure in the Senate, said he doesnt think his former colleague has set a very good example as president.

And while Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner welcomed the visit and highlighted areas of common ground with Obama, he also told reporters, I dont know who in Washington can look and say, Hey, follow our model. 

But after Obama arrived at the Capitol nearly two decades ago as a political neophyte in the Illinois Senates minority party, he built a reputation as a lawmaker who could work across the aisle to get things done.

Mr. Obama was eager to work on legislation, said Kirk Dillard, then a Republican state senator from Hinsdale and now chairman of the Regional Transit Authority in the Chicago area, so he had to cooperate with Republicans.

Dillard recalled being told not long after Obama arrived in 1997 that the young lawmaker from the South Side was someone he should get to know.

The two ended up serving together on a four-member bipartisan task force assigned to tackle ethics and campaign finance reforms. The changes were being championed by, among others, former Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, then head of the Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University that now bears his name.

Dillard was the Senate sponsor and Obama the co-sponsor of legislation, approved in 1998, that banned lobbyists from giving gifts to lawmakers and enacted new campaign finance disclosure requirements, along with other reforms.

One of the highlights of my legislative career was, in fact, working rather closely in a bipartisan way on legislation with a man who turned out to be president of the United States, Dillard said.

The two later worked together with then-Attorney General Jim Ryan, another DuPage County Republican, on a law that requires police to collect racial data during traffic stops. Dillard also signed on as a co-sponsor to an Obama-backed measure that requires interrogations in homicide investigations to be videotaped.

Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield, also was involved in the ethics and campaign finance reform efforts of the late 1990s.

When youre trying to make those kinds of changes, youve got people on both sides of the aisle that are kind of invested in the status quo, Redfield said.

The reforms they were pushing for required the lawmakers who were leading the effort to work both across the aisle and within their own caucuses, he said.

Redfield noted that Dillard appeared in an Obama campaign commercial during the 2008 Democratic presidential primary. In the ad, which drew criticism from many within Dillards party at the time and during later campaigns for governor, he praises Obama for having worked on some of the deepest issues we had and being successful in a bipartisan way.

It certainly speaks to his ability to build relationships with members of the other party and work on issues, Redfield said.

But not all Republicans were so willing to work with Obama, said Denny Jacobs, a former Democratic state senator from East Moline.

Many in the GOP caucus saw Obama as someone on the rise and tried to get in his way, Jacobs said.

They really dropped that card on him quite a bit, he said.

From Jacobs perspective, Obamas strength was not bipartisanship but his ability to stay true to himself.

Win, lose or draw, he was going to put in what he thought was right, Jacobs said. And if he got Democrat  he didnt always get all the Democrats, including me  and if he got Democrat and Republican support, so be it. And if he didnt, well, he still fought the good fight.

Obamas speech to the body where he launched his political career comes amid an unprecedented budget standoff between Rauner and the Democratic-controlled legislature.

Although hes been gone just over a decade, its an entirely different world, Redfield said.

I wouldnt expect that this is going to change the nature of Illinois politics overnight, he said. Thats certainly not going to happen.
Armenia imported 37.4 tons of tomatoes from Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Holland and Greece in 2015. That same year, 135 tons of cucumbers were imported from Turkey, Iran, Georgia and Greece.

The tomatoes, imported by a handful of individual proprietors are sold at fairly cheap prices in local stores, undercutting local producers.

Given that the bulk of tomato imports hit the Armenian market during the winter holiday season, they strongly compete with local produce grown in hothouses burdened with high natural gas prices. Small producers dont have a chance in such conditions.

So whos importing Turkish tomatoes to Armenia?

Go to any Yerevan City supermarket and youll see crates of tomatoes with a Turkish brand name. We asked who the supplier was but no answer was forthcoming.

One of the large importers of tomatoes and cucumbers to Armenia is an outfit called Aknadzor Ltd. Founded in 2008, its wholly owned by Narek Sargsyan, the son of President Serzh Sargsyans brother Aleksandr.

Two other large tomato importers are Arsougrig Ltd. and Limon Ltd. The first is owned by Hovhannes Poghosyan who, according to my information, is a relative of a high police official. The latter is owned by Gyumri resident Ivan Tosounyan.

Poghos Gevorgyan, who heads a hothouse owners association in Armenia told Hetq that this year hothouses didnt plant any tomatoes this winter because they expected cheap imports from Turkey.

Natural gas is expensive and people dont want to spend extra money and then not be able to sell their produce given cheap tomato imports from Turkey. There are some hothouses selling tomatoes but the owners have experienced losses. The market is flooded with Turkish tomatoes right now, said Gevorgyan.

Gevorgyan says that local hothouse growers are getting hit from both sides. On the one hand, natural gas is expensive, thus cutting in to their bottom line, and on the other, cheap produce is being imported.

Instead of taking out a loan to pay for the natural gas, Ive advised local growers to spend a few bucks on some rope to hang themselves with and thus put an end to their misery, said Gevorgyan.

Gevorgyan told me that a few days ago a hothouse owner in Kotayk Province called him up saying that the utility had turned off his gas due to a debt, and that he didnt know how we was going to save the plants growing in thirteen hothouses.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Garnik Petrosyan believes that imports of produce are few in number and that they mostly hit the local market during the holiday season and winter months.

When our local produce hits the market in quantity, the issue of imports basically resolves itself. We cant just ban imports because how then can we meet consumer demand? Weve stated on numerous occasions that local produce doesnt meet local demand during the winter, said Petrosyan.

He said that he hothouse sector is taking off in Armenia and that currently some 85 hectares have been converted to hothouse production. Petrosyan believes that the sector will continue to develop and have a growing impact on local markets.

Petrosyan said that 23 tons of tomatoes and 16 tons of cucumbers have been imported to Armenia since January 1, 2016.

The deputy minister says that some hothouse owners raised the issue of postponing gas payments. According to Petrosyan, when hothouse association president Gevorgyan pleaded the case of local growers with the electric utility HayRusGazArd last year, he was told that the utility had financial problems of its own and expected to be paid on time.

It was a polite refusal of the ministrys proposal, said deputy minister Petrosyan.

Top photo: From Tatul Hakobyans Facebook page
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Another entrepreneur is unveiling another new brand in Wisconsin Dells, with the promise of another edible delight added to the downtown restaurant scene.

Belgiis Waffle Bar  the brainchild of Dells newcomer Mason Rudarmel  opens Feb. 15 at 126 Broadway, offering a selection of sweet and savory waffles, served with a variety of toppings, plus smoothies and coffee drinks.

Like MACS Macaroni and Cheese Shop before it, Belgiis looks like a nationally franchised brand come to town, with its Euro-styled logo and professionally designed website.

But the new waffle shop is actually a one-of-a-kind creation, launched right here in the land of entrepreneurs.

As its name (also created by Rudarmel) suggests, Belgiis will serve Belgian waffles, in this case the variety known as Liege  named for the place in Belgium where the dough-based recipe originally was invented.

Over in Europe they are really popular  here they gained popularity on food trucks on the East and West Coasts, said Rudarmel, who originally is from Salt Lake City, Utah.

The waffles will be paired with traditional and not-so-traditional sweet and savory toppings, the shops website indicates. Were crafting waffles for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

The shop will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday (closed Sunday). The hours will expand as tourist season arrives in the warm-weather months, Rudarmel said, but it will remain closed on Sundays.

With such waffle menu offerings as Country Gravy, Raspberry Lemon Curd and Nutella and Banana, the offerings sound difficult to resist, especially in the fresh-made manner in which Rudarmel plans to present them.

What Im trying to do is take a concept of what is normally food-truck food and apply it to brick and mortar, he said. Its a quick-serve restaurant, everything is made fresh right in front of your eyes, the dough is made fresh daily, and the idea is you move across the front of the counter like an assembly line.

Customers also will have the option of custom-designing their waffle, and Rudarmel said the food is just as good on the go as it is there in the small dining area.

The whole premise is we have a really simplified menu, really good-quality ingredients, and we just make a high-quality product right then and there, he said. We kind of take a modern take on traditional Liege (waffles).

Rudarmel plans to expand the menu, he said, and he hopes someday to duplicate the restaurant in other locales around the Midwest. Right now, though, hes getting ready for his first day of operation, and Thursday he was still busy at work getting his equipment and countertops ready for service.

Im the only one in the state who sells these waffles, he said. Well take a run at it, and see how it turns out.
The participation of two out-of-county Republicans in La Crosse County board races is raising concerns about partisanship in local elections.

Jeffrey Schultz of Madison and Jonathan Minneci of Lodi circulated papers to put four and six candidates on the ballot, respectively. There are no residency requirements for those circulating nomination papers, but it is extremely unusual for anyone from outside the county to circulate nomination papers on behalf of county board candidates, according to University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political science professor Joe Heim.

Ive never, never heard of people coming from Madison to gather signatures, Heim said.

Local politicians, including county board Supervisor Steve Doyle, are concerned about how the introduction of non-county residents as volunteers could change the tone of county politics.

I think it adds an element of outsiders meddling in our local government, and I dont think people appreciate that, said Doyle, a Democrat who also serves as the representative for Wisconsins 94th Assembly District.

Doyle said that Schultz and Minnecis positions in the offices of two Republican Assembly members  Ed Brooks and Bob Kulp, respectively  raised some red flags for him.

This also adds an element of what I would call unseemliness, where now you have paid professionals getting involved in what is usually referred to as citizen legislators races, Doyle said.

With his dual role as nonpartisan supervisor and Democratic representative, Doyle said he understands the importance of keeping party affiliations separate from local issues, which don't always fall along party lines.

This should not be bare knuckle politics. This should be public service, Doyle said.

The unprecedented help suggests county politics is becoming more partisan, Heim said.

Because of the small number of signatures required to get on the ballot  50  its unusual to have out-of-county friends gather those signatures on behalf of candidates for county board.

However, with several prominent members of the board being well-known Democrats, it suggests to the other side that they should get more involved in it as well, and thats what seems to be happening this year, he said.

Its unfortunate that partisan politics seems to be creeping into more and more things in the state, and this is just the latest manifestation of that, Heim said.

Schultz and Minneci, however, said they were volunteering to help friends in their spare time, rather than working in their professional capacity. Both men worked on Tony Kurtzs failed congressional bid, making local connections as they helped the Republican take on U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, in 2014.

When asked whether he would consider himself an outsider, Schultz said, Absolutely not. Im from Wilton. I went to school at (Onalaska Luther High School).

"No matter how anybody tries to portray it, its not a concerted effort by any party or anything. Its just people and a place Im interested in, he added.

Minneci said he volunteered to help six candidates as a friendly favor because of his interest in politics on all levels. Knocking on doors and chatting about local issues is important work that he enjoys, he said.

I dont see it as anything more than that, Minneci said.

Doyle was skeptical of their assertion that it was an innocent favor, calling it a little odd that they would travel so far to get involved in county politics. He pointed to the number of signatures gathered by candidates compared with the number gathered by Minneci and Schultz, including those of Kent Gabrielsen, who is running for the District 28 seat. Gabrielsen gathered three of his 67 signatures, with the rest gathered by Schultz, Minneci and Jason Knack of Onalaska, a member of the La Crosse County Republican Party executive committee.

Thats not friends helping friends. Thats somebody else simply taking over somebodys campaign, Doyle said.

Doyle questioned whether that assistance would affect the candidates priorities.

The candidates, however, say they have their neighbors best interests at heart, not their volunteers.

Gabrielsen, a real estate agent who lives in the town of Barre, said his main concern was keeping property taxes as low as possible, both for his neighbors and customers.

I just want to try to be more fiscally conservative, Gabrielsen said.

Gabrielsen hadnt met Schultz and Minneci before his campaign but has attended the same church as Knack for years. When Knack suggested Gabrielsen run and then offered to help gather signatures along with his friends Minneci and Schultz, Gabrielsen accepted.

Devin Schmidt, who gathered six of his own signatures and received help from Schultz, Minneci and Knack, said he appreciates the assistance but was running his own campaign against District 8 incumbent Peg Jerome.

Im not running as Devin Schmidt who is running with the rest of these Republicans, he said. Im just running as me.

Schmidt, who has known all three men since 2014, said Knack gave him the idea to run but he chose to take on the challenge because he views the board as a place where he can make a difference.

Schmidts focus is making sure that were not spending too much yet making sure the county is taken care of, whatever their needs might be, he said.

Knack suggested his friends run, then gathered signatures on their behalf, he said, because he believes they are the right people for the job.

Im proud to have helped them. Theyre really good people, Knack said.
UW-Madison last week announced the three finalists for the vice chancellor for university relations position.

The three finalists are:

Brent Colburn, the former assistant to the Secretary of Defense for public affairs for the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C.

Charles B. Hoslet, interim vice chancellor for university relations at UW-Madison.

Richie Hunter, vice chancellor and vice president of university marketing, communication, and media relations for the University of Houston System and the University of Houston.

Hoslet has been interim vice chancellor since last summer, when longtime UW official Vince Sweeney retired to start his own consulting firm. Sweeney was the first person hired as vice chancellor for university relations, taking on the role in 2009.

The vice chancellor for university relations is responsible for communications and relationship building inside and outside of the university, according to UW-Madison.

The vice chancellor is also responsible for making sure that all communication and marketing strategies are done for the good of the university community as well as the general public, a university spokeswoman said in a statement.

Each of the candidates will be giving public presentations from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Union South in the next couple of weeks.

Hoslet will present on Feb. 16, Colburn on Feb. 22, and Hunter on Feb. 23.

For those unable to attend, videos of the presentations will be available at provost.wisc.edu/vc-urelations.htm within at least a day of each of the presentations.

UW seeks farmers to submit crop yield data

Researchers at the UW-Madison are developing a way to measure crop yields using satellites in space, according to the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Theyve used this technique to create crop yield maps for Wisconsin and the Midwest.

In order to validate the accuracy of the new mapping technology, researchers are now seeking volunteer farmers to submit their crop yields from 2000 to 2015.

The ultimate goal for the new mapping technology is to identify  and someday predict  threats to crop yields such as weather, diseases, and pests, said a CALS spokeswoman.

Farmers who are willing to participate are asked to submit their data to yieldsurvey.wisc.edu.

For more information, contact Phil Townsend, UW-Madison professor of forest and wildlife ecology, at ptownsend@wisc.edu or 608-262-1669.
Attorney General Brad Schimel would need to go outside his offices conflict-of-interest guidelines in order to issue an opinion sought by GOP lawmakers and dairy interests who want more high-capacity wells permitted with fewer conditions attached.

Schimels fellow Republicans in the Legislature say the state is too slow in permitting wells that pump more than 100,000 gallons of water a day.

At issue is a 2011 state Supreme Court decision that confirmed state regulators must take into account the cumulative harm that several high-capacity wells can cause to the environment.

The legislators want Schimel to issue a formal opinion backing their position that a 2011 law restricting the authority of state regulators should take precedence.

Schimels office has already issued an informal opinion  which cant be applied as broadly as a formal attorney general opinion  saying the law, Act 21 of 2011, took precedence over an administrative law judges order calling on the state to place stricter conditions on a large farms waste water.

A spokeswoman for Schimel said Monday that he may issue the formal opinion even though his office is currently involved in litigation representing the state in cases where conservationists say regulators failed to use their authority to protect lakes, streams and wetlands.

Department of Justice conflict of interest guidelines arent binding laws, said Schimels spokeswoman, Anne Schwartz.

There have been a number of legal challenges surrounding high-capacity (well) permits, Schwartz said. If this guideline were strictly followed, then the attorney general would likely never be able to provide an opinion. Given the apparent confusion over the law, the Legislature felt it necessary to seek clarification from the attorney general.

But Carl Sinderbrand, a former assistant attorney general who represents a group of lake property owners who say the state has failed to regulate farms adequately, said it would be wrong for Schimel to issue an opinion.

The attorney generals involvement in related court cases would bring into question the fairness and impartiality of a formal opinion, Sinderbrand said.

Sinderbrand said he delivered a letter to Schimels office Monday asking him not to issue a formal opinion, which was requested by a state Assembly committee last week in a 5-3 party-line vote.

Attorney general opinions have no force of law, but they are considered persuasive, especially if the Legislature passes no laws contradicting them.

Water quality and use has emerged as a major theme of the current legislative session, with a variety of bills reducing safeguards for fish habitat, shorelines, groundwater and wetlands introduced by Republicans who control state government.

It (proposed water legislation) unfortunately has become reduced to a politically charged partisan issue, said Sinderbrand, who served in the attorney generals office from 1979 to 1990 and who was hired by the state to represent the DNR in the 2011 state Supreme Court case that has slowed well permitting.

Opinions of the attorney general, to be entitled to any credibility and influence, must be free from political influence, Sinderbrand said in the letter to Schimel. Given the present legislative activity, it would be imprudent for your office to enter this partisan fray.

According to criteria for attorney general opinions posted on the Department of Justice website: An opinion should not be requested on an issue that is the subject of current or reasonably imminent litigation, since an opinion of the attorney general might affect such litigation.

This is the second time in three years that such requests on high-capacity well permits have been made.

In 2013, state Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp asked for such an opinion to make clear the agencys authority.

On April 4, 2013, the attorney generals office wrote back declining because it was representing the DNR in several pending court cases on disputed high-capacity wells.

Understand we must respect the sometimes-competing roles we play in representing and advising agencies, the letter said.

The DNR has been challenged by businesses when it places constraints on water consumption and by landowners and conservationists when it is seen as allowing too much water to be pumped.

Top officials at the DNR, which issues high-capacity well permits to businesses such as farms, frac sand mines and food processors, would welcome a formal opinion from Schimel, said the agencys spokesman, George Althoff.

Legal questions about high-capacity wells came to a head in 2011 when the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the state Constitution gave the agency the authority and the duty to consider the impact of wells on state waters.

However, at about the same time the court ruled in the Lake Beulah Management District v. DNR case, the Legislature passed Act 21, which restricted state agencies from exercising action that wasnt spelled out in law.

The Supreme Court ruling said the law didnt affect its analysis of the Lake Beulah case, which rested on the constitutional provision requiring that public waters be held in trust by the state for the publics benefit.
The U.S. Postal Service is now considering two Downtown sites and one on the near East Side when it permanently moves its post office in the Madison Municipal Building, which will close for renovations this fall.

City officials are pushing for a Downtown site.

The Postal Service has been targeting its relocation to the QTI Group building on the 700 block of East Washington Avenue, but city officials recently presented two Downtown alternatives the Postal Service will consider.

The alternatives are the Manchester Building, 2 E. Mifflin St., on Capitol Square, and the former AT&T building, 315 W. Washington Ave.

Right now, were open to all alternatives, said Greg Shelton, a real estate specialist with the Postal Service. Im looking at everything right now. Were keeping a very open mind.

The Postal Service has set a public hearing on its intent to relocate the post office for 10 a.m. Wednesday in the lobby of the Municipal Building, 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

In anticipation of the hearing, city officials have scheduled time with Shelton on Tuesday to tour the two Downtown alternatives, and on Wednesday morning, Shelton is scheduled to meet with Mayor Paul Soglin, Ald. Mike Verveer, 4th District, and others.

We all strongly believe the Downtown post office should remain Downtown, Verveer said. I certainly dont consider the 700 block of East Washington Avenue to be Downtown. It would be a tremendous inconvenience. And symbolically, the Downtown of a state capitol deserves a post office.

The Municipal Building, built in the late 1920s, was initially a federal courthouse and post office, and was acquired by the city in 1979. It is home to multiple city services. In 2005, the U.S. Congress designated the post office there as the Robert M. La Follette Sr. Post Office.

The Postal Service intends to leave the Municipal Building permanently when the $30 million, two-year renovation begins late this fall. The Postal Service has eyed the QTI Group building, where it already has a presence, because space is available there and the timing of the end of its lease at the Municipal Building. The city has extended the lease, allowing more time to explore other options.

On Thursday, Capitol Neighborhoods Inc. issued a statement saying it is troubled to learn of a possible relocation outside the business district.

We understand that the facility will need to be temporarily relocated during the Madison Municipal Buildings renovation, and we desire that this temporary relocation be within our core business district, CNIs statement says. However, we oppose a permanent closing of the Robert M. La Follette Sr. Post Office in the Madison Municipal Building and strongly encourage any decision to include a dialogue with Downtown community and business leaders as well as public engagement.

The citys current plans do not include a return of the post office to the Municipal Building due to space and other considerations, Verveer said.

The city will move all city agencies during the renovation to rented space at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, 30 W. Mifflin St., and the former AnchorBank annex building at 126. S. Hamilton St. The Madison Credit Union will leave during renovations but return when the Municipal Building is reopened to the public.
Bob Dole may be 92 years old, but his grasp of the current political climate shows no sign of aging. When we recently spoke by telephone, the former Senate majority leader, two-time winner of the Iowa caucuses and 1996 GOP standard-bearer was eager to share his views on the 2016 Republican front-runners, particularly Sen. Ted Cruz.

I dont think Ted is a Republican. Hes a conservative extremist, and I think he uses the title Republican because theres no conservative extremist ballot. You know, he doesnt get along with anybody in the Senate. There are 54 Republicans and none are supporting him, Dole opined.

I think weve got 25 senators running for re-election, and I think it would be havoc to have Cruz as our nominee, because I think we would lose senators, governors, ... state legislatures and members of Congress. He doesnt get along with anybody. Nobody really cares for him in Congress. I think he has a few House members, but thats about it.

Thats tough talk from the Kansas native who himself felt victimized by a negative, narrowly won campaign when he was a freshman senator up for re-election in 1974. Dole famously won a nasty race against Congressman Bill Roy after airing whats still remembered as the mudslinger ad, a TV commercial showing mud being thrown at his own campaign poster as his opponents accusations against him were listed. When a narrator then corrected the record, the mud was cleared from the poster.

But, of course, Dole was never elected president. I told the man who lost to Bill Clinton by nine points that conservatives hearing his views on Cruz would remind him that we never elected a President Dole, President Mitt Romney or President John McCain, and that their failures were the result of the party not nominating pure conservatives.

We were traditional, conservative Republicans ... and some of the far-right voters did not support us because we didnt agree with their extremist views, Dole said. I dont know what they expected of us. But, you know, if you are elected youve got to deal with Congress, and you cant be so high-bound and so extreme that if you were elected you wouldnt be able to work with anybody in the Congress, and you dont call your Republican leader a liar on the Senate floor (as Cruz did), which never happened during my 28-plus years.

Dole has endorsed Jeb Bush but told me if it comes down to Cruz or Donald Trump, then: Im a big Trump supporter.

Donald probably knows 20 senators, Dole said. I dont know how many House members. And he probably contributed to many of them on both sides of the aisle. In my view, he has the right personality to work with members and make a deal. I dont mean to give away the store, but sometimes you have to compromise.

When I replied that compromise was now a dirty word, perhaps matched only in its condescension by establishment, the nonagenarian was ready.

I never had anybody come into my office and say, Im Joe from the establishment, he replied. I dont know what the establishment is, except it means youve had experience.

I told Dole he was my second-favorite native of Russell, Kansas. Arlen Specter was first. The Doles and the Specters went back a long way. Specters father would weigh his scrap metal on Bob Doles fathers grain scale in the 1940s.

My buddy, Dole said. He was brilliant.

The two had something else in common. Each was a member of the Wednesday lunch club, a Senate gathering of Republican moderates who gathered on Ronald Reagans watch. Other members included John Heinz, Bob Packwood, Mark Hatfield, Nancy Kassebaum, John Danforth, Charles Percy, Lowell Weicker, John Chafee, Bob Stafford, Alan Simpson, Slade Gordon, Ted Stevens and John Warner. Not only are they all gone from the Senate, but, more important, they havent been replaced by kindred spirits. Some have rewritten the history of the 1980s as the halcyon days of conservatism, overlooking that, according to annual voting analysis by the National Journal, a full 60 percent of the Senate during the Reagan years were moderates.

You just cannot say we dont need the moderates, Dole said. We have a lot of moderate voters in Iowa, and they want their vote to count, too, and they know that the state leans conservative, but not way conservative.

Amid his pessimism over his party, Dole expressed optimism about the new speaker of the House, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin: I think he has many opportunities, and maybe he can get those 43 knuckleheads, who vote against everything, maybe he can bring some of those onboard.

Bob Dole was on a roll, but finally, it was time to hang up. I told him I sensed a spring in his step, despite being 92.

Yeah, I thought if I got a little older, Id run again, he quipped.

For anyone wanting to hear more from Dole, he is easy to find. Every weekend, the man who came home from World War II with a disabled right arm, two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster holds court with the remaining of his brethren in the nations capital at the World War II Memorial that he labored for years to see built.

Dole served in the Armys 10th Mountain Division. On April 14, 1945, at the age of 21, he was leading a platoon in the Italian mountains. Trying to pull his radioman to safety while fighting a fortified Nazi position, Dole was hit in his right shoulder and back. He was not expected to survive. He lost a kidney, the use of his right arm and most of the feeling in his left arm. His recovery would take more than three years.

We can tell lies to each other, he says of his gatherings at the memorial, because nobodys around to prove anything.
The World Health Organization and its director general, Dr. Margaret Chan, were right to declare the Zika virus an international public health emergency, even if its suspected link to severe birth defects has not been proved.

The mosquito-borne disease is a serious threat: It is usually so mild as to be undetectable in adults, yet as it has exploded across South and Central America it has been followed by a surge in babies born with underdeveloped heads, a condition called microcephaly.

The emergency designation will galvanize coordinated international monitoring and action of the sort that was tragically missing in the first months of the Ebola pandemic. The World Health Organizations decision, however, could reduce travel to affected countries, which would be an economic burden.

Brazil, where Zika made its first major appearance in the Western Hemisphere last May, is especially fearful that visitors will stay away from the Olympic Games in August.

It cannot let that prevent it from being completely transparent about this serious threat and the steps it is taking to protect people. ...

In Latin America, where many nations outlaw abortion, some governments have advised that pregnancies be delayed, which can create only greater anxiety for women who have sadly limited control over such decisions.

All of this adds urgency to the work of medical researchers investigating any possible link between microcephaly and Zika infection, for which there is no cure. And it puts a heavy responsibility on the World Health Organization and institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pan American Health Organization to give clear and realistic guidance on how to avoid infection. The CDC has issued a list of countries pregnant women should try to avoid visiting and has advised travelers on how to protect against mosquito bites.

Fighting Zika will not be easy. Like Ebola, it is nurtured by heat, humidity and poverty, conditions that can be intensified by globalization and global warming. Unlike Ebola, Zika is primarily spread by a mosquito, the Aedes aegypti, which is rampant in hot climates. The risk of a major outbreak in the United States is low because of effective mosquito-control programs and air-conditioning.

A vaccine or an effective treatment is still a long way off. Immediate responses, such as increasing access to birth control and abortion, face stiff legal and cultural resistance in the affected region. That leaves mosquito control as the most effective weapon available now. One method being tried in Brazil is to release Aedes mosquitoes that are genetically modified to produce self-destroying offspring.

These and other measures should gain momentum now that Zika has been declared an emergency. That is essential not only to protect women and their babies, but also for improving the global response to other obscure germs waiting their turn in some hot, humid place....
Maybe theyre looking for leprechauns. More U.S. corporations are moving their headquarters overseas, in particular, to Ireland. The latest to depart is global car parts supplier Johnson Controls, based in Milwaukee.

Reported the New York Times, Johnson Controls said ... it was renouncing its United States corporate citizenship by selling itself to Tyco International, based in Ireland, a deal struck in large part to reduce its tax bill, which it said should drop by about $150 million annually.

Thats just the latest effort by corporate America to flee the United States. In the last year, Pfizer said it was leaving for Ireland, as did Medtronic, the medical device maker.

The moves are called inversion in corporate lingo and are made to avoid Americas 35 percent tax on corporate profits.

Other countries rates include: China, 25 percent; Japan, 24 percent; South Korea, 22 percent; Russia, 20 percent; Hong Kong, 17 percent; Germany, 15 percent; Canada, 15 percent; and Ireland, 12.5 percent. So a move to the Emerald Isle means a corporate tax cut of nearly two-thirds.

Among Democrats, not only self-proclaimed socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders has attacked the corporate exodus. Last week, Hillary Clinton blasted Johnson specifically for working to game the tax code and shelter money overseas to avoid paying their fair share. ... She promised to block deals like Johnson Controls and Tyco, and place an exit tax on corporations that leave the country to lower their tax bill.

That reminds us of the diploma tax the Soviet Union levied in the 1970 on educated people who wanted to emigrate.

The Republican presidential candidates all have called for addressing corporate flight by cutting the corporate tax rate. For example, Sen. Marco Rubio wants 25 percent, Sen. Ted Cruz proposes 16 percent and Donald Trump, 15 percent. ... Their approach  encouraging corporations to stay and use their profits to create more jobs  just makes more sense.
Libya is rapidly growing as a concern for the United States, joining Iraq and Syria as areas where the presence and influence of the Islamic State are increasing.

In the absence of a government, which was destroyed in 2011 by the United States, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and some internal elements, Libya remains the principal springboard for Africans fleeing across the Mediterranean in search of a better life in Europe. Migrants from the south are not as big a problem for Europeans as the refugees from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, but they, too, are difficult to absorb.

Libya is partly presided over  not governed  by rival groups, one in Tripoli, the former capital, and the other at Tobruk. Both pretend to be the legitimate government, but neither is accepted across the country.

Other nations tried to assemble a government of national unity, incorporating elements of both groups, in Rome last year. It didnt hold when the opposing leaders returned to Libya.

Another important element is the Islamic State group, based in Sirte, a port on the Mediterranean. Some speculate that the Islamic State is looking for a staging area outside Syria and Iraq, where it would be potentially safer from U.S. bombing and possible ground attack.

Libya offers the added advantage of access to oil money. Under former leader Moammar Gadhafi, Libya pumped more than a million barrels a day. Its daily production is now down to 400,000 barrels, but the Islamic State would have the income from at least part of that.

Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States needs to do something about Libya, a problem he inherited from predecessor Hillary Rodham Clinton, who pushed the intervention that overthrew Gadhafi.

He recently ruled out United States boots on the ground, something that should please Americans, given the futility of trying to resurrect Libyan governance.
Sadly, a state Assembly committee has already passed the bill to privatize Wisconsin's water, and the Senate is advancing the same legislation.

Of the 582 local water utilities, not one of them has asked for this change. However, former Assembly Majority Leader Steven Foti is a lobbyist for Aqua America, a private company that stands to gain from the passage of this bill. As a result, citizens could be left paying higher bills for water that is not safely regulated from an out-of-state company.

It is shameful that our elected officials would even consider jeopardizing the safety of Wisconsin citizens for the benefit of a private company. Sadly, this is the mantra of the Republicans across this state and across our country.

I urge citizens to get in touch with their senators and the senators on the committee to oppose SB 432. Let's keep our water safe and public.

-- Diane King, Fort Atkinson
Welcome to the homepage for author and publisher David J Howe. I'm the author and co-author of numerous books about the TV Show "Doctor Who", as well as being a freelance writer and Editorial Director of Telos Publishing Ltd.



If you'd like to comment on any of my musings, then just click on the 'comments' word under the post, and then on the 'Post a Comment' line under the post on the next screen.
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-08 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] Austrian minister: Greek-Turkish borders must close, refugees sent back [01] Austrian minister: Greek-Turkish borders must close, refugees sent back VIENNA (ANA-MPA / D. Dimitrakoudis) a The borders between Greece and Turkey must close and refugees caught trying to cross over into Europe should be sent back to Turkey, Austrian Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner was reported as commentnig to the Austrian daily "Der Standard", in statements published on Monday. Mikl-Leitner is scheduled to meet with Greek Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, in Vienna later in the day. "Rescuing [refugees] must naturally come first, but the automatic entry into the EU must not follow in the second place. People should be transported back to Turkey. They will then immediately stop the dangerous (maritime) approaches," she was quoted as saying. The Austrian minister has threatened Athens with expulsion from the Schengen area, in statements over the last two weeks, if "Athens doesn't finally do more to secure the EU's external borders." Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
by Arjun Walia

To succeed in your professional life isnt that hard, but to succeed in your personal life is a lot harder. To really be a human is a lot harder. We forget about that.

These are the words of Yann Arthus-Bertrand, director of the film Human, from which the clip below was taken.

The gentleman in the clip is Jose Mujica. Dubbed the worlds poorest president, he recently retired after a five year run as the president of Uruguay.

In the 60s and 70s, he was a Tupamaros freedom fighter, and was subsequently detained and put in solitary confinement for 13 years.

After holding several positions within the Uruguayan government, he eventually became the president of his country, serving from 2010 to 2015. Over the course of his life he has endured the unimaginable, and he offers us today some wisdom borne of his incredible experiences.

I dedicated myself to the struggle for change, to improve life in my society. And now, I am the president.

Below the video you will find 6 facts about life and the current human experience that will definitely have you questioning your role in this world.

1. Your Time Here Is Limited  What Are You Going To Do With Your Life?

And tomorrow, like everyone, Ill just be a can of worms, and disappear.

As Gandalf the Grey from J.R.R. Tolkiens The Lord of The Rings once said:

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

Life is indeed short, and our time here is limited, so ask yourself, what do you want to do with the time that has been given to you?

Being born today probably means youre going to spend most of your childhood in school, most of your adolescence in more school, and then most of your adulthood at work.

Unfortunately, even after expending all this effort and sacrificing all this time, many of us can barely afford a roof over our heads and healthy food on the table. We are, for lack of a better term, slaves to the system.

What is truly depressing about this cycle is that it is entirely unnecessary. Nothing about our existence inherently require us to live in this way.

And while we should of course be grateful for the opportunities we have in life and for being able to afford basic necessities  a luxury many people do not enjoy  we should nevertheless continue striving for more  more freedom, more choice, more autonomy.

Personally, I believe you can create your own life, or at least create joy in yourself regardless of your circumstances. I have been placed in multiple situations that I did not want to be in, but I chose to accept them and look at them as challenges and opportunities for growth.

In the meantime, I still engaged myself in my passions as much as I could. While we cannot always choose our circumstances, we can always choose our attitude about them.

Do what ignites your soul as much as possible  this is my philosophy. If you dont know what your passion is, start paying closer attention to the way things make you feel.

When you find yourself excited about something, take note of it, and begin to think of ways to incorporate it into your daily life. There is always a step you can take, no matter how small you perceive it to be.

If you have an intention in your heart, whether it is to make the world a better place or to help other people, that intention alone can be the starting point of something great, provided you take the necessary action steps to get there.

So I ask you again, what ignites your heart? What would you like to spend your time doing? What would you like to work towards?

Doing what you love makes you feel good, and we need more people on this planet who feel happy and fulfilled within themselves, radiating that positivity outwards.

I think the biggest takeaway from this is to be grateful for your life, and take full advantage of this precious gift while you can.

2. Changing The World Isnt Easy

I dedicated myself to the struggle for change I had many setbacks, many injuries, some years in prison. Anyway The routine for anyone setting out to change the world. Miraculously, Im still here. And above all, I love life.

If you are on this site and reading this article, theres a good chance you have within you the desire to change the world.

I receive emails all the time from people who want to have a positive impact, but they just dont seem to know where to begin. In many cases, they dont feel like they are even capable of having any significant impact on the world.

This is one thing that I have struggled with and still do; I often feel like my actions do not matter. Ive learned, however, that the change you effect in this world cannot be measured in dollars and cents or by Facebook likes and followers.

It is not quantifiable in that way. Your impact is measured by how you treat others in your everyday life. If you can operate from a place of inner peace, if you can be kind to others, and if you can maintain a desire to help people, you will be well on your way to making significant planetary change.

Its not an easy process. Your will is going to be tested and your buttons are going to be pushed. Most people who wish to spend their lives changing the world often experience hardships.

These hardships will make you who you are, these hardships are lessons. There is more than one way to change the world, and if your heart is calling you to a specific area, you must not be afraid to follow it.

You should, however, be aware that it will not be easy, but also that nothing worthwhile ever is. Following your heart means nourishing your soul.

3. To Be A Leader Your Values & Way Of Life Have To Reflect That of The Whole

I stand out because my values and way of life reflect those of the society to which I am honoured to belong.

This is what a real president does, and this is representative of a real democracy. Today, leaders of various countries do not represent and reflect the values of their society, but rather serve the corporations and big financial institutions that pay them.

The corporate control over government policy and various government initiatives is nearly absolute at this point and it is truly terrifying.

Current presidential candidate Bernie Sanders also brought up this fact in a recent debate with Hillary Clinton. You can read more about that and watch it here.

A real leader represents their country, not their sponsors.

4. Happiness Is An Inside Job

Either youre happy with very little, free of all that extra luggage, because you have happiness inside, or you dont get anywhere! I am not advocating poverty. I am advocating sobriety.

This is a common philosophy here at Collective Evolution. As yourself, are your wants really your own, or have they been programmed into you via mass marketing?

So many people continue to search for happiness in material wealth, only to find it and realize that such external factors can only provide a temporary sense of happiness.

We are constantly searching outside of ourselves to feel good or to experience joy or a sense of relaxation. While there are tools out there that can help you to achieve these states, I believe real joy begins within you.

True happiness is experienced from a place that has nothing to do with material wealth or external possessions. If you are chasing these things, you can expect the chase to continue for the rest of your life  or at least until you confront your inner demons.

But since we have invented a consumer society, the economy must constantly grow. If it fails to increase, its a tragedy. We have invented a mountain of superfluous needs. Shopping for new, discarding the old thats a waste of our lives! When I buy something, when you buy something, youre not paying money for it. Youre paying with the hours of life you had to spend earning that money. The difference is that life is one thing money cant buy.

5. It Doesnt Have To Be This Way

Today, most of the worlds resources are accumulated in the hands of a very small group of elite, also known as the 1 percent. They own everything, and the quote below basically explains why this need not be the case.

The world has been overtaken by greed, ego, and a lack of care for our fellow human being. We must return to our hearts if we are to move forward as a race.

Uruguay is a small country, and we dont have a presidential jet. We dont especially care to have one. From France we decided to buy a very expensive helicopter, a rescue helicopter with surgical facilities, to stand by in a remote area. Instead of buying a presidential jet, we got a helicopter that will be posted in central Uruguay to rescue accident victims, and offer ongoing emergency medical services. Its so easy! Do you see a dilemma? A president jet, or a rescue chopper?

Get the point? He then goes on to say:

It always comes down to that. It seems to me to be a question of sobriety. Im not suggesting we go back to living in caves or straw huts. Not at all. Thats not the idea. What I do recommend is that we stop wasting resources on useless things, on luxurious houses that require six servants to maintain We can live much more modestly. We can spend our resources on things that are really important for everyone. Thats the real meaning of democracy, the meaning that politicians have lost In Germany, they escorted me with 25 BMW motorcycles, they put me in a Mercedes-Benz, with doors that weighted 3 tons because of the armoring. What good is any of that?

It is dismaying, to say the least, that the money spent on one specific US military program alone  the building of fighter jets for example  could basically alleviate world hunger.

That allocation of the resources on our planet is so ludicrous, I dont really believe I even need to go into a discussion about it.

Its not a lack of resources. Its a lack of governance. Governments are preoccupied with winning the next election, with whos going to be boss. We fight for power and we forget people and world issues. The crisis is not environmental. Its political.

6. A Planetary Consensus Is Needed If We Are To Move Forward As A Human Race

Our civilization has reached a phase where we need a planetary consensus, and we are looking away from it. We are blinded by chauvinism and by the thirst for domination, especially the most powerful countries. They should be setting an example! It is shameful that for 25 years, since the Kyoto Accords, we are still dragging our feet to take basic measures. It is shameful. Man may very well be the only animal capable of self-destruction.

This is something I have felt for years, which is why I was so thrilled to come across a platform like Collective Evolution.

It represents, for me, that part of humanity that wants to move forward as one human race; it represents the urgency I feel within my own heart to come together as a collective and make change happen.

We need to re-birth our human experience, and in doing so we must inevitably go through birthing pains. Through this metaphor it becomes clear why we have such difficulty letting go of the norm and embracing change in our own lives.

That being said, having worked in this field for several years now, I can say with certainty that the planetary consensus is strong and no doubt growing by the day.

Our potential is truly remarkable, and we have yet to even comprehend how much we are capable of achieving.
by David Gutierrez

U.S. Navy sailors exposed to radioactive fallout from the Fukushima nuclear disaster have been falling ill, even as the Defense Department insists that they were not exposed to dangerous levels of radiation.

Many of the sailors have now joined in a class action lawsuit against Fukushima operators and builders Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), Toshiba, Hitachi, Ebasco and General Electric.

Even if they wanted to  which many do not  the sailors would be unable to sue the Navy. According to a Supreme Court ruling from the 1950s known as the Feres Doctrine, soldiers cannot sue the government for injuries resulting directly from their military service.



Mocked and attacked

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered multiple meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. It was the worst nuclear disaster in history, releasing twice as much radioactive material as the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

That same day, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was redirected to the coast of Japan to participate in relief work for tsunami survivors.

When sailors from the ship later began to fall ill, Congress asked the Defense Department for a report on the issue. The Pentagon report concluded that the sailors had not been exposed to enough radiation or contaminated water to cause health effects.

Yet in the four years since the disaster, at least 500 sailors have fallen ill, and 247 of them have joined the class-action suit.

The 100-page legal complaint chronicles their symptoms: an airplane mechanic suffering from unexplained muscle wasting; a woman whose baby was born ill; a sailor told his health problems must be genetic, even though his identical twin is perfectly healthy; and case after case of cancer, internal bleeding, abscesses, thyroid dysfunction and birth defects.

The defendants initially claimed that they could not be sued in a U.S. court, so plaintiffs attorney Paul Garner asked the sailors to come to a court hearing in San Diego, to offer moral support.

Nearly all of them refused, for fear of public attack. Initial plaintiff Lindsey Cooper, for example, had already been mocked by atomic energy experts on CNN and by conservative radio hosts. Others were afraid of being perceived as anti-military, or un-American.

Read more: Fukushima in a Nutshell: Here is the Truth

Powerful interests at stake

Only one plaintiff was willing to show up: Lieutenant Steve Simmons. Once a triathlon runner, Simmons fell ill a year after returning from Japan, suffering from hair loss, muscle wasting, migraines, bloody discharge and incontinence.

His fingers turned yellow or even brown, and his feet have now turned dark red. He suffers from whole-body spasms and must now use a wheelchair.

He has never received a diagnosis for his problems, and sometimes he wonders if his Defense Department doctors are deliberately withholding one, so that the Department need not be held responsible. One doctor, he said, told him it would be better if he didnt know the cause of his illness.

Disturbingly, Spiegel Online reported:

Early on, [Simmons] was in a military hospital in Washington DC together with three other men who had similar symptoms, he says. They had served on nuclear-powered submarines, but they disappeared from one day to the next, and when he asked what happened to them, everyone acted as though they had never been there in the first place.

Simmons believes that the Navy meant to do good with the mission to Japan, and does not blame USS Ronald Reagans commander, Captain Thom Burke, for what happened to him. But he is troubled by Burkes silence now, he says.

He believes that Burke will not speak out about the case because he hopes to become an admiral.

Personal, diplomatic and economic interests are all at stake, Simmons said. Theyre leaving us alone. Theyre closing their eyes, keeping quiet and waiting for it to blow over. There are sick soldiers everywhere, many in the hospital in San Diego, or in the medical center in Hawaii. They are ordinary folks who are poorly insured, with family and kids. Loyal and scattered. Most of them dont know how to react. Those who raise their voices are denounced in the Internet for being unpatriotic. You have to put up with a lot.

References: http://enenews.com; http://www.spiegel.de;
Cristal Snow returns to Finnish national selection after 8 years ( Can't save me , 2008) and comes out as a serious artist. Gone are the drag show elements and even facial make up and masks. The mysterious Cristal has since come out as his real self, and with a lot of experience as a media person in radio and online. Now he has left that succesful paert of his life for relaunching his music career. It first started back in 2007 when he had returned from New York where he studied in the City Collage theater and creative writing, and performing in clubs. Two albums and several minor hits later he put a stop to that and concentrate on other things, like a hugely popular parodies online. His vieo for this entry is directed by his sister, and has caused quite a stir. Now it will be interesting to see how he translates that to live stage. He's also a huge Eurovision fan and has been involved also as a commentator before. Check out his other videos after the jump...

15/20

Blogilkar: My first and biggest concern is how will be sing live and how the song will be presented. I have had a soft spot for Cristal and some of his old hits I have adored. This one's a well written song, fits the Eurovision and grows til the finishing climax. "You look like Jesus but taste like sin" is already a classic phrase. We might be close to something epic here or then it will fall flat. Time will tell. Therefor 4/5 until I see the staging and live.Jack: Cristal Snow is among the favoutites to represent Finland and even though I do like their song, I don't want it to win. The lyrics are cheesy and the tune itself is a bit forgettable but on a brighter note it's better than Donny's "Love Is Blind". 3/5Peter: I don't know if they're going blindly for the gay vote, maybe they are, but I'm missing something and I'm not sure how well this will be performed on stage. The song itself has little variation in it, though it's not as boring as it could be. It has potential depending on the other songs, but it's not a favourite. 3/5Robert: This one is clearly my favorite of this #UMK16. Immediately when I heard this for the first time, my attention was all there and I love the melody and the singing. Then I saw the video and it made it grow even bigger. Well done and hopefully this will be chosen for Finland 5/5
The governors in the Saturday night New Hampshire debate challenged the senators to point to their "accomplishments" in the Senate, whereas the governors touted their experience to "get things done." This is typical of big-government Republicans who look on Congress as a factory that produces laws and that in their view is the only thing that counts as an accomplishment. But often in Congress, your freedom is more often best protected by lawmakers who stop bad bills rather than pass them.

When Gov. Christie attacked Sen. Rubio, it was because he said Rubio could not claim credit for passing many bills. Sen. Rubio replied that the results of Gov. Christie included the fact that Moody's Investor Service has downgraded the credit rating of New Jersey nine times since Christie became governor and Christie never answered the question.

Both attacks in both directions were not completely fair. Sen. Rubio has served in the Senate majority for one year and before that no Republican bills passed under Sen. Harry Ried. Gov. Christie has faced a Democratic legislature his entire time in office.

But Christie's attack and that of other governors was worse, because as big-government Republicans they assume the duty of Congress is to pass more laws rather than repeal bad ones already on the books.
The Chicago Police reported 16 arrests, primarily at a Bank of America downtown branch. The people arrested had participated in a "sit in," refusing to leave, resulting in trespassing charges. The union is accusing the bank of overcharging and profiting from business with the school district.

Last Thursday night during the evening rush hour, several thousand members of the Chicago Teachers Union shut down multiple city streets with a huge march and rally. The teachers have rejected a contract proposal resulting in this show of union solidarity.

This was the fourth downtown march, protest, and rally I have covered and photographed in the past few weeks. On Christmas Eve, I followed the protest that shutdown Michigan Avenue associated with the Laquan McDonald police shooting. A couple of weeks before that, a similar group including the "Black Lives Matter" group was marching in front the archbishop''s house, resulting in multiple street closures.

Two weeks ago, I walked in the "March for Life" downtown with over 6000 pro-life advocates resulting in street closures. That was a little different than the others, as no arrests were made and it was more of a parade then a protest.

The teachers' march Thursday night appeared peaceful, yet very disruptive for pedestrian and car traffic. It also resulted in police and city resources being dedicated to crowded control. I did witness many people marching with families, small children, and many strollers. The temperature was around 32 degrees with other media reports saying it lasted for hours.

Chicago seems to at a tipping point as the city's money is running out. DNA Info, along with a couple other sources, is reporting that the Chicago Public Schools have 6000 less students then just a year ago - a result of charter schools and people moving out of the city. CPS probably should have closed a dozen schools just on the drop of enrollment alone, but it appears little change was made. This trend of declining enrollment has been seen for years, even in my area at New Trier High School in Winnetka - which just took passed an $89 million tax increase to build more classrooms. The point is Chicago is not the only district with spending and borrowing problems.

Taxpayers and watch dogs are very concerned about the spending in CPS, which is about 80% teacher compensation. Many citizens feel the teachers will have to work more for less money along with obtaining better results. Waste, fraud, mismanagement, and corruption are a concern as seen with the SUPES scandal resulting in the firing and indictment of the school superintendent Barbara Byrd Bennett. Over twenty million dollars disappeared in a questionable contract. There has been little media coverage since the summer. I wrote about this back in July HERE.

There is talk of state takeovers of CPS, along with possible bankruptcies of the unsustainable pension systems. The takeover could also void many of the labor agreements and contracts. Little is said about concerns of the residents, businesses, taxpayers, and students.

The teachers want more money and that's what the protest is all about. There simply is no more money. Where do we go from here?
Indian Motorcycles currently has Indian Roadmaster, Chief, Scout, Chieftain, Chief Dark Horse and the Chief Vintage, with a price tag of Rs 13.8 lakh to Rs 38 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in India since May 2011.

By India Today Web Desk: Luxury American bike brand Indian Motorcycle, which is sold through Polaris in India, is aiming to increase its sales by 50 per cent this year. The company achieved a 15 per cent market share in the 1,200cc-plus segment in the previous year.

Indian Motorcycles currently has the Indian Roadmaster, Chief, Scout, Chieftain, Chief Dark Horse and the Chief Vintage, with a price tag of Rs 13.8 lakh to Rs 38 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) in India since May 2011.

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However, Harley Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Triumph dominate the 1000cc domestic super premium bikes market.

ALSO READ: Indian Motorcycle opens its sixth dealership at Ahmedabad

Pankaj Dubey, Polaris India, Managing Director told PTI, "Currently, we enjoy 10 per cent of the 1,000 units per annum super premium bikes in the 1,200-cc category. We have set a target of growing our sales by 50 per cent this year and the market share to 15 per cent from the present 10 per cent."

Moreover, Indian Motorcycle is also planning to have twice the showrooms from the present six dealers in cities like Gurgaon (its first showroom), Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

"The new showrooms will come up in Kochi, Pune, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Indore and Goa this year," Dubey said.

Indian Motorcycle launched its high-end model, Indian Roadmaster Blue Diamond, for Rs 38 lakh (ex showroom, New Delhi) and announced a new variant to the existing Indian Chief Classic at the Auto Expo 2016.

The new Indian Blue Diamond Roadmaster comes with a 1811cc, thunder stroke, 111 engine and comes leaded with features like LED lights, fairing mounted instrument cluster featuring electronic speedometer, tachometer and fuel gauge with odometer and dual trip meters.

ALSO READ: Harley-Davidson launches 2016 Dark Custom line-up at Rs 4.52 lakh

However, Indian Motorcycle has no plans to set up shop in the country to reduce the pricing of its models like its rivals Harley Davidson.

Dubey told PTI, "The market is too low now and does not justify local assembly. Also, we don't have local spare-parts suppliers, which in fact is the biggest hurdle. Importing all parts and assembling here therefore makes no sense."

In 2011, Polaris Industries Inc, bought Indian Motorcycle and shifted operations from North Carolina to Spirit Lake, Iowa.

(With agency inputs).



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It is for the first time that a model manufactured by Maruti Suzuki is being exported to Japan where its parent Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) is based.

The first consignment comprised 1,800 units and was shipped from Mundra Port in Gujarat, where SMC is setting up a manufacturing plant to supply cars to its Indian arm. (Photo: Pawan Dagia)

By Press Trust of India: Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has dispatched the first shipment of its premium hatchback Baleno to Japan where it will be launched next month.

It is for the first time that a model manufactured by Maruti Suzuki is being exported to Japan where its parent Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) is based.

ALSO READ: Maruti Suzuki Baleno has been impressive till now

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"I am convinced that the Baleno will be the success story of 'Make in India', and the significance of Maruti Suzuki as the global production base will further expand," said Suzuki Motor Corporation President and COO T Suzuki, who was here to take part in the Auto Expo.

The first consignment comprised 1,800 units and was shipped from Mundra Port in Gujarat, where SMC is setting up a manufacturing plant to supply cars to its Indian arm.

ALSO READ: Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the next big hatchback

Maruti also plans to export the Baleno to over 100 global markets. The company and its supplier partners have invested Rs 1,060 crore in the development of Baleno, which is being manufactured at the company's Manesar plant.

Recently, around 200 dealers from Japan visited the Manesar plant to closely look at the manufacturing process of the product.

In the domestic market, the car has been well accepted and currently the company has over 80,000 bookings for the model.

ALSO READ: Maruti Suzuki Baleno bookings vroom past 40,000 mark

It competes with the likes of Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo and is sold through the company's new premium network of showrooms, Nexa.

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By India Today Web Desk: David Coleman Headley, convicted in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, today began his first deposition before a Mumbai court through video conference.

Headley was questioned by Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

First round of questioning:

Ujjwal Nikam: Who were your colleagues?

Headley: I was dealing with Sajid Mir directly.

Q: Anyone else?

A: Sajid Mir was my main contact of LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba). I met others too. Mir has asked me to change my name from Daood Gilani to David Headley.

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Q: What was Mir's reaction?

A: He approved of it. He was pleased.

Then Headley was shown Sajid Mir's photo which he identifies.

Q. Can you recognise his voice?

A: Yes.

Q: chal.chalao@yahoo.com is whose email id?

A: Sajid Mir.

Q: Is Sajid Mir also known as Wasi?

A: Yes.

Q: When did you visit Pakistan?

A: Immediately after Feb 15, 2006.

Q: What task was entrusted to you by Sajid Mir?

A: He wanted me to go to India to set up an office and a business so that I could stay there. He gave me instructions to make general videos of Mumbai.

Q: You asked him the purpose?

A: No, I didn't.

Q: You didn't ask because you were a true follower of LeT?

A: Yes, I didn't ask. I had a general idea already.

Q: How many times did you visit Mumbai with the new passport? Eight times?

A: Yes, that's correct.

Q: Seven times you arrived in Mumbai before attacks?

A: Yes

Q: From which country?

A: Most of the times I came from Pakistan, sometimes from UAE. Seven times from Pakistan, once from Abu Dhabi and Dubai in UAE.

Q: How many times after 26/11 did you come?

A: Once from Lahore. I gave incorrect information for visa to consulate general of India in Chicago to protect my cover. Everything about me was incorrect expect DoB, PoB, mothers nationality.

Q: How many attempts were made by LeT before 26/11?

A: Sajid had told me that two attempts were made before 26/ 11. September 8, 2008, was the first attempt but the boat hit a rock and the second was in October with the same set of people.

Second part

Q: Do you know Raymond Sanders? Can you identify his signatures? Is he the attorney at law at immigration law centre in Chicago?

A: Yes.

Q: To whom did he write letter for your visa?

A: Consul General of India, Chicago.

Q: On whose instructions?

A: I had asked my friend Tahawwur Hussain Rana who was working with him.

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Q: What did Sanders write in the letter?

H: To enable me to get visa for 5 years.

*The letter is shown to him*

Q: Are the contents of this letter true?

A: Yes , I applied for multiple entry business visa.

Q: How do you know Rana and since when?

A: We studied together for five years in school. After school, Rana became a doctor in the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.

Q: Did Rana know the purpose of your visit to India?

A: No, he didn't. He didn't come to know till the end. After attack, yes, but he didn't know the details.

Q: Why did you apply for a business visa?

A: So that I didn't have to apply again and again.

Q: Why did you establish an office in Mumbai?

A: So that I could come to India and my real identity would not be disclosed. I cooked up a story that I am an immigration consultant.

Q : Who gave you the advice to come?

A: I discussed it with Sajid Mir.

Q: Did you discuss this with anyone from the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan)?

A: Yes, with Major Iqbal from ISI.

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Q: Do you know Major Iqbal? Where was he serving?

A: I met him in Lahore but I don't where was he serving.

Q: Who introduced you to him?

A: Mr. Ali.

Q: In Pakistan, how many times did you meet Mr. Ali?

A: I was arrested in Landi Kotal near the Afghan border. He came to interrogate me. I was discharged because he intervened.

Q: How were you discharged by Ali?

A: Because I was charged to be a foreigner but had Pakistani ID card.

Q: Why did Mr Ali introduce you to Major Iqbal?

A: Because he thought I could be of assistance for intelligence work in India. Iqbal was working for ISI in Landi Kotal.

Q: Who was with you when you were arrested in Pakistan?

A: Abdul Rehman Pasha, a retired Major from the Pak army.

Q: Were you and Pasha to meet the drug smuggler?

A: Yes, because the smuggler could have helped us smuggle weapons into India.

Q: Who was this smuggler?

A: Zaid Shah.

Also read:

Who is David Headley? What is his connection to 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks?

David Headley deposition: Hafiz Saeed inspired, guided me on 26/11

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David Headley deposition: 11 revelations about 26/11 Mumbai attacks

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Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley told a Mumbai court today that Pakistani terrorists had attempted to target Mumbai on at least two occasions before the 26 November, 2008 strike which killed 166 people.

By India Today Web Desk: Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley told a Mumbai court today that Pakistani terrorists had attempted to target Mumbai on at least two occasions before the 26 November, 2008 strike which killed 166 people.

Deposing before the court from an undisclosed location in the US via video conferencing, Headley said he was a "true follower of LeT" and came to India eight times.

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Headley, who was made an approver in the 26/11 case, said that his main contact in LeT was Sajid Mir, also an accused in the case.

Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.

"I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity. After I got a new passport I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with," Headley said.

India to confront Pakistan over 26/11 with latest

Armed with latest Headley's deposition, India is planning to confront Pakistan over the 26/11 probe. Sources in the government have told India Today TV that India is considering sending fresh dossier to Pakistan to nail 26/11 masterminds.

Sources say the evidences being given by Headley is admissible in Indian court and Pakistan can no longer say that India is short of evidences.

Headley's statement in the Mumbai court is important as this evidence was recorded under under section 164 CRPC. Also Headley's statement is approvers evidence which will corroborate the circumstantial evidences.

Pathankot attack - Pakistan rejects India's evidence

Meanwhile, Pakistan has dismissed evidence provided by India over Pathankot terror attack and refused to act against Jaish-e-Mohammad boss Masood Azhar. Islamabad said India has not provided enough leads to suggest Azhar's role in January 2 attack in Indian Air Force base in Pathankot.

Six JeM terrorists and security men were killed in the pre-dawn attack. It took Indian security forces over 80 hours to sanitise the air base.

Also Read

26/11 Mumbai attacks: 35 questions answered by David Headley

Who is David Headley? What is his connection to 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks?

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David Headley deposition: Hafiz Saeed inspired, guided me on 26/11

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BJP president Amit Shah today said, that for the first time the country has a Prime Minister who takes great pride in cleaning rivers and spreading the cultural spirituality of the nation.

By India Today Web Desk: Lavishing praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah today said, that for the first time the country has a Prime Minister who takes great pride in cleaning rivers and spreading the cultural spirituality of the nation.

During his visit to Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Shah also said that Modi's mission is not confined to Ganga but other rivers too. The BJP president also said that whatever is there in Hindu culture and 'Sanatan Dharma', it is for everyone.

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Addressing a huge gathering, the BJP president added, "Modi has been working to protect the true tradition and culture of this country and this is a proud moment for Hinduism."

Uttar Pradesh is bound for elections in 2017.

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Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan created a furore on Saturday claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Lahore at the residence of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during his December 25 visit.

By India Today Web Desk: Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan created a furore on Saturday claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Lahore at the residence of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during his December 25 visit.

"Prime Minister visited Pakistan by breaking international laws. He also met Dawood there. Let him (Modi) deny. I will give evidence. Who all did he meet behind closed doors?" Khan claimed.

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The government rubbished Azam Khan's claims terming it "baseless, unfounded and totally false." Both the BJP and Congress attacked Azam Khan and said the senior UP minister's statement can not be believed.

Congress leader Tom Vadakkan said Azam Khan has been in public life for a long and he should not have made the statement without substantiating it.

"We may have differences with a lot of personalities but that does not mean we believe in whatever is said," Vadakkan said adding that Khan is the same person who asked UP policemen to trace his buffalo.

Big questions:

Why do politicians resort to cheap polemic? Loose talk inherent feature in Indian politics? Is it suitable for leaders to distort facts? Netas suffering from foot-in-mouth syndrome? Why do netas constantly hot below the belt? Loose talk - a disrespect of people's mandate? Is media guilty of encouraging careless netas? Are politicians misguiding nation by loose talk? Absurd remarks justified to attack opponents? Does cheap polemic yield political gains?

Who do the politicians often issue such insensitive statements? Are we also to blame because we accept and tolerate it?

Speaking on the show To The Point, Samajwadi Party leader Juhie Singh backed his party colleague Azam Khan and said when the UP minister has claimed that he has evidence regarding what he said then he should be allowed to present it in public.

"In this context, I would say it is a matter of national security," she said.

Senior journalist Ashok Malik termed Azam Khan's statement as silly and dangerous.

Not only Azam Khan, leaders of various political parties have often been seen giving senseless statements.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi recently said, "Poverty is a state of mind. It doesn't mean scarcity of food."

Representing the Congress on the show, CR Kesavan came out in support of Rahul, saying," To pick out a statement and say that it reflects his view points is extremely wrong. Rahul Gandhi's steadfast and steely commitment to the cause of the poor is well known."

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy asserted that, "There are two types of statements which can be criticised. One is like what Azam Khan said, it was a defamatory remark, it was a preposterous statement without any proof. Other type of statement, people use language, which should be used. There is a vast difference between the two. In this case, Azam Khan has made an allegation without any proof against the PM."

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When asked to comment over TMC leader Derek O'Brien's 'Modi is butcher of Gujarat remark', Roy said, "Derek O'Brien may be accused of using hyperbole. But the charge against Narendra Modi has stuck that he as CM of Gujarat either encouraged the riots or could not prevent it."

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Govt dismisses Azam Khan's allegation, calls it baseless, false





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The public works department (PWD) of the Delhi government has begun work on two long-pending flyovers at Dhaula Kuan to free the junction from daily traffic congestion.

The proposed flyover near Dhaula Kuan Metro Station will help facilitate unhindered flow of traffic from NH-8 to SP Marg.

By Rakesh Ranjan: There is finally some good news for scores of commuters coming to and from the IGI Airport in the national Capital. The public works department (PWD) of the Delhi government has begun work on two long-pending flyovers at Dhaula Kuan to free the junction from daily traffic congestion.

Two flyovers at Dhaula Kuan along with four other flyover projects have been put on fast track to decongest Delhi's arterial roads. With the Centre sanctioning Rs 3,250 crore, work on these projects will start in a couple of months. The fund will also be utilised on road widening projects to eliminate traffic snarls on 200 spots identified by the Delhi traffic police.

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Officials said all these projects were conceived by the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit government but they got stuck due to shortage of funds and three consecutive elections. However, a committee formed by the Union Urban Development Ministry had recommended revival of these projects as a long-term solution to Delhi's persistent traffic snarls.

According to the plan, the PWD will construct two flyovers at Dhaula Kuan - one on National Highway-8 and the other on Sardar Patel Marg-Cariappa Marg intersection.

The project has been cleared by the traffic engineering body UTTIPEC and sent to the DDA for approval. A PWD official said a flyover will be constructed near the Dhaula Kuan Metro Station and some road widening will be done to facilitate unhindered flow of traffic from NH-8 to SP Marg. The second flyover will be constructed on Cariappa Marg that will allow smooth vehicular movement from SP Marg to Delhi Cantonment and further up to Jail Road.

Traffic

Officials said there is always heavy traffic turning right on to Cariappa Marg from Sardar Patel Marg and a similar volume of traffic going straight towards the airport and Gurgaon - traffic movement get very slow on these stretches. According to the plan, the right turn towards Cariappa Marg will be closed. Instead, vehicles will go past the Dhaula Kuan Metro station and make a U-turn under the flyover, then turn left onto Cariappa Marg.

Traffic moving straight towards NH-8 will continue as usual. The straight moving traffic will have a three-lane road while the U-turn will be a two-lane road.

On the other carriageway, vehicles coming from NH-8 and going towards Dhaula Kuan, including buses, will be able to use the new three-lane flyover.

Drivers who need to turn left towards Cariappa Marg won't have to take the flyover any more.

Central funds

Well-placed sources said funding for most of these projects will be done by the Centre. Last year, UD Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had announced Rs 3,250 crore for Delhi's decongestion plan. The Centre has released Rs 1,500 crore for the state government. "We have submitted the estimate to DDA for approval. Subsequently, it will be sent to the urban development ministry. We will use this fund for constructing the flyover," PWD Secretary Sarvagya Srivastava said.

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Notably, the government has also granted Rs 1,665 crore for DDA and Rs 85 crore for North MCD. The DDA and Delhi Police have also been asked to suggest measures to unclog city roads, officials said. North MCD has been asked to complete remaining work of grade separator at Rani Jhansi Road (flyover from St Stephen's Hospital to Filmistan). This will reduce travel time from Karol Bagh to north Delhi from the current one hour to just 10 minutes.

The North MCD has also proposed three flyovers at Kirari, Ghevra and Narela, the cost of which will be partly borne by the civic body.

Rural projects

DDA, on the other hand, will be executing four projects in rural areas that would help in significant reduction of traffic congestion in the city. These include rail under-bridges (RUBs) at Holambi and Mundka and a railway over bridge at Narela.

ALSO READ

Delhi railway station will now have a waste-to-energy unit



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As per TRAI's ruling, telecom operators like Airtel and Vodafone have been banned from offering differential pricing for their services.

By Saurabh Singh: Reacting to TRAI's ruling that bans Facebook's Free Basics internet service in favour of net neutrality in India , the social networking giant on Monday said that it was disappointed with the telecom regulator's decision. As per TRAI's ruling, telecom operators like Airtel and Vodafone have been banned from offering differential pricing for their services. Further, they have also been banned from forging an alliance with content providers that may give some services a pricing advantage on the internet.

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"Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings," a Facebook spokesperson told IndiaToday.in.

Services like Facebook's Free Basics offer free access to a limited number of websites, thereby triggering widespread condemnation by those in support of net neutrality. Supporters who aspire for a fair and open internet argue that data providers should not be given the authority to favour some online services over others. As such, Free Basics has been in the thick of things for all the wrong reasons. Same goes out to zero rated plans like Airtel Zero .

"TRAI has today issued the 'Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016' that disallow(s) service providers to offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content being accessed by a consumer," the regulator said in an official statement.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) also expressed its disappointment over TRAI's decision to rule out differential pricing saying that the move blocks a possible avenue for India's less-advantaged citizens. "The telecom industry is disappointed with TRAI's decision to rule out differential pricing. "In our opinion, TRAI's regulation on prohibiting differential pricing constitutes a welfare-reducing measure of high concern by blocking a possible avenue for our less-advantaged citizens to move to increased economic growth and prosperity by harnessing the power of the Internet. We believe that this measure will have an impact on the Government's ambitious Digital India initiative," Rajan Mathews, Director General, COAI said.

Indian information technology trade association, NASSCOM meanwhile has welcomed the TRAI announcement on differential pricing. The ruling was in line with the trade association's recommendation to retain the provision to allow for reduced tariffs for public emergency, it said.

"Our submission highlighted the importance of net neutrality principles, non-discriminatory access and transparent business models aligned to the goal of enhancing internet penetration in the country. The TRAI announcement resounds with the submission made by NASSCOM and we would like to congratulate TRAI for enshrining the principles of net neutrality," R Chandrashekhar, president, NASSCOM said.

Rajeev Chandrsekhar who is Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha said that TRAI's ruling was in favour of consumers. "I personally think that this is a big win for Indian consumers and net neutrality. Congratulations TRAI and R S Sharma for standing up for consumers. This is a very powerful and positive first step taken by TRAI. Days of telcos controlling regulations and regulatory policy are over and it's consumer to the fore," he said.

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John Abraham, Sonakshi Sinha and the team of Force 2 have been denied permission to shoot in China.

By India Today Web Desk: John Abraham's Force 2 has hit a roadblock, thanks to China denying the team permission to shoot in the country. While the makers have been more than particular in ensuring that they use real locations while filming this sequel to the 2011 Force, their request to shoot in China was declined. Reason? The sensitive storyline of the film.

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PHOTOS: John Abraham and Priya Runchal step out together, put divorce rumours to rest

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When the team of Force 2 approached the China government seeking permission to shoot a few portions in the country, the request was declined. The Force 2 team had wrapped up their first schedule in Budapest, and were keen on moving to China from Hungary.

However, given the fact that the story deals with the intelligence agencies of several countries, including India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and China's Ministry of State Security, this Abhinay Deo film was not permitted to be shot in China.

The authorities' decision is said to have been made following apprehensions over the portrayal of China on celluloid.

As a result, the Force 2 team is now scouting for alternate locations. Vipul Shah, producer of the film, says, "The Chinese government refused to give us permission to shoot there due to the film's subject. We are still trying to convince them, although I don't think they will agree. So, we are also trying to figure out an alternate location. The sequel will be a step ahead from the first film (Force)."

Apart from John Abraham, who reprises his role from the first film, Force 2 stars Sonakshi Sinha in the lead role.

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Now you can shop for Affirmative Action-related books and support AAAED at the same time. As a partner with Amazon.com, AAAED has selected books that provide useful information about affirmative action, diversity and other equal opportunity issues.Go to: http://astore.amazon.com/ameriassocfor-20 for the latest publications and historical documents on affirmative action!
Google dedicated a doodle to Russian chemist, Dmitri Mendeleev to celebrate his 182nd birth anniversary. The doodle has been designed by artist Robinson Wood.

By India Today Web Desk: Google dedicated a doodle to Russian chemist, Dmitri Mendeleev to celebrate 182nd birth anniversary of on Monday. The doodle has been designed by artist Robinson Wood.

Mendleev, born on February 8, 1834 , formulated the periodic table in 1869, one of the biggest inventions in the field of chemistry. His basic principle of formulating the periodic table is the foundation of modern chemistry.

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Mendeleev proposed the logic underlying the behaviour of chemical elements and aligned them in proper order based on their valency and atomic weights. He had a great understanding of elements and their relative nature to other elements. He not only organised the then known some 40 elements in seven groups but also left spaces for the undiscovered ones.

He gave Sanskrit names to the 'missing elements' in his table.

Several contributions have been made to the table but Mendeleev's name stands out for his sheer vision and predictions.

Mendeleev, who was assigned to formulate the new state standards for the vodka as the Director of the Bureau of Weights and Measures, came up with the came up with the 40 per cent standard strength of Vodka.

Mendeleev also investigated the composition of petroleum, and helped to found the first oil refinery in Russia.



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Google paid over Rs.8 lakh to Indian who owned Google.com for one minute





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Union minister Kalraj Mishra has said the government will take a call on construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya after the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict on the appeal against the Allahabad High Court judgement on the title suit.

By Press Trust of India: Union minister Kalraj Mishra has said the government will take a call on construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya after the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict on the appeal against the Allahabad High Court judgement on the title suit.

"We must wait till the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict. Thereafter, depending upon the situation that emerges, the Centre will take a call on the issue," Mishra told reporters.

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"There has been no change in BJP's stand that Ram temple should be constructed at Ayodhya though we would proceed in a manner that is amenable to all," he said.

The Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was replying to queries about a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) meeting last week during which the Sangh Parivar outfit had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "break his silence" over the Ram Temple issue and pay a visit to Ayodhya to underscore his commitment to the cause.

"Modi is visiting places across the country and there is no reason why he will not go to Ayodhya. We respect the sentiments of our religious leaders, but they should keep in mind that the Prime Minister has to take his own decisions. They can rest assured that Modi will definitely go to Ayodhya at a time that he deems appropriate and also offer his prayers to Ram Lalla," Mishra said.

He said our holy men should remember that while BJP is not averse to the option of facilitating the construction of temple by an Act of Parliament, this would require support of two-thirds of the members of the House.

We must, therefore, concentrate on building a consensus, he said.

The BJP leader also rubbished Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan's allegation that Modi had met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim during his recent visit to Pakistan.

"By such utterances, the senior Samajwadi Party leader is lowering the credibility of his government in the state which is already facing grave resentment due to its absolute failure in maintaining law and order," he said.

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A heavy police presence, guarded convoys, new checkpoints and troop reinforcements have turned parts of the southern port city of Gwadar into a fortress.

By Reuters: A heavy police presence, guarded convoys, new checkpoints and troop reinforcements have turned parts of the southern port city of Gwadar into a fortress, as Pakistan's powerful military seeks to protect billions of dollars of Chinese investment.

Securing the planned $46 billion economic corridor of roads, railways and pipelines from northwest China to Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast is a huge challenge in a country where Islamist militants and separatist gunmen are a constant menace.

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The armed forces and interior ministry have sent hundreds of extra soldiers and police to Gwadar, the southern hub of the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and more are on their way.

"Soon we'll start hiring 700-800 police to be part of a separate security unit dedicated to Chinese security, and at a later stage a new security division would be formed," Jafer Khan, regional police officer in Gwadar told Reuters.

A senior security official in the town of around 100,000 people said a further 400-500 soldiers had been recruited as a temporary measure to protect Chinese nationals.

On a recent visit, an SUV carrying Chinese visitors was escorted by two police cars and an army vehicle, while police blocked traffic at every crossroad along the route. It was not clear who the passengers were.

Keeping foreign workers and executives safe in Gwadar, which has expanded significantly over the last 15 years largely thanks to Chinese investment, is relatively straightforward.

The same cannot be said of the corridor as a whole.

Its western branch passes north through Baluchistan province, where ethnic Baluch separatist rebels are opposed to the CPEC project and chafing under a military crackdown.

It skirts the tribal belt along the Afghan-Pakistan border where Islamist militant groups including the Pakistan Taliban and al Qaeda have long been based, and takes in Peshawar, scene of some of the worst insurgent atrocities of recent years.

Crackdown and anger

The main responsibility for securing the corridor, vital to Pakistan's long-term prosperity, lies with a new army division established in the last few months and numbering an estimated 13,000 troops.

Pakistan's Planning Ministry does not yet have specific estimates on how many jobs the CPEC will create in Pakistan, although officials believe the project could generate hundreds of billions of dollars for the economy over the long term.

Some of the police, army and paramilitary reinforcements deployed in the last year have been stop-gap measures while the new Special Security Division builds to full strength.

Enhanced security goes beyond Gwadar and across Baluchistan, an arid, sparsely populated province bordering Iran and Afghanistan which sits on substantial deposits of untapped natural gas.

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"We have tightened our security in those areas where the corridor is supposed to pass. We cannot allow Pakistan's economic backbone to be held hostage," Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, the provincial home minister, told Reuters.

The tough approach means anger is growing among separatist rebels and the broader Baluch community, a potential problem for the military as it pursues a two-pronged approach: amnesty for rebels willing to disarm and hunting down those who are not.

"We consider the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as ... an occupation of Baluch territory," said rebel spokesman Miran Baluch, a member of the Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF), adding its fighters would attack anyone working on the project.

"Thousands of Baluch families have been forced to flee the area where the CPEC route is planned. (The) Baluch (people) will not tolerate such projects on their land."

The low-level insurgency has hit development in the province for decades. In recent violence, five soldiers were killed by a remote-controlled bomb some 50km (31 miles) east of Quetta last month.

Also in January, two coastguards died in a bomb blast in Gwadar district, although in both cases it was not possible to determine who was behind the attacks.

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Progress "quite smooth"so far

Army chief General Raheel Sharif, who launched a prolonged assault on Islamist militants after Taliban gunmen massacred 134 pupils at a school in Peshawar in late 2014, will hope a sharp fall in violence nationwide will also benefit the CPEC.

Militant, insurgent and sectarian groups carried out 625 attacks across Pakistan in 2015, down 48 percent from 2014, said an independent think-tank, the Pak Institute for Peace Studies.

"Once people find they have a stake in this progress, the need for checkposts and barricades will disappear," he said this month in Quetta, as he and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif officially launched a new highway linking the city with Gwadar.

The Pakistani Taliban recently threatened to target important government and military installations that could inflict economic loss on the country, although they did not talk specifically about the CPEC.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said progress so far on the corridor was "generally speaking, quite smooth".

"The Pakistani government has done a great deal of work to protect the security of Chinese organisations and citizens. China is deeply thankful for this," Lu added.



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In his deposition, which began at 7 am, Headley said that he was a "true follower of LeT", and revealed that he had received directions from Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

By India Today Web Desk: David Coleman Headley, who was convicted of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, today began his first deposition before a Mumbai court through video conference. Headley turned approver in the case in December 2015.

In his deposition, which began at 7 am, Headley said that he was a "true follower of LeT", and revealed that his main contact in the terror outfit was Sajid Mir, also an accused in the case.

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Headley also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.

"I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity. After I got a new passport I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with," Headley told the court.

"The objective for coming to India was to set up an office/business so that I can live in India. Before the first visit, Sajid Mir gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai," he stated.

Headley also said that in his Indian visa application he had furnished all "wrong" information "to protect his cover". Raymond Sanders, who along with Tahoor Husain Rana ran an immigration business in Chicago, had recommended Headley's visa in July 16, 2007.

He reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House. His reconnaissance provided vital information for the 10 LeT terrorists and their handlers, who launched the attack.

"My 7 visits to India were directly from Pakistan and 1 from UAE. After receiving new passport I visited India 8 times, out of 8 times I visited Mumbai 7 times. Following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks I visited India on 7th March 2009 from Lahore to Delhi," he stated.

In the second half of the deposition, Headley identified Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed from a clip that he was shown, and said a speech the JuD chief had given had inspired him.

Headley revealed that Hafiz Saeed was the one who had directed him on how to carry out his work, and that two terror attack attempts had been made before 26/11 but they failed, and that the same 10 people who carried out the Mumbai attack had twice visited India.

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Headley had earlier confessed that the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks had been masterminded by the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He had also revealed that the attack had been approved by Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI).

Headley also revealed that the ISI had provided him with the funds to carry out a recce of Mumbai. Apart from Mumbai, Headley had also scouted around the Vice-President's residence, India Gate and CBI office in New Delhi before the 2008 terror attacks were carried out.

Headley is currently serving 35 years in an American prison after being convicted of being involved in the planning and execution of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, in which 166 persons were killed and 300 injured.

Also Read:

Hafiz Saeed told David Headley that India is the enemy of Islam



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Ever since the news of Hrithik Roshan's next came out, speculations were rife that the Bang Bang actor will romance his once-upon-a-time rumoured girlfriend Kareena Kapoor in the film. But the makers have rubbished the rumours and have roped in Yami Gautam for Sanjay Gupta's film.

By India Today Web Desk: Ever since the news of Hrithik Roshan's next came out, speculations were rife that the Bang Bang actor will romance his once-upon-a-time rumoured girlfriend Kareena Kapoor in the film. But the makers have rubbished the rumours and have roped in Yami Gautam for Sanjay Gupta's film.

ALSO READ: Hrithik Roshan to romance Kareena Kapoor in Sanjay Gupta's next?



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The love story will be produced by Rakesh Roshan and is expected to go on floors very soon. Director Sanjay Gupta, who has remained tight-lipped about his project, finally took to Twitter to talk about Kaabil.

GOOD MORNING :-)))

And what a wonderful morning it is. I woke up to our film #KAABIL officially announced by my Producer Rakesh Ji. Sanjay Gupta (@_SanjayGupta) February 8, 2016

Hunger to excell, passion to take your game to the next level, the drive to deliver at all cost is the fuel that drives team #KAABIL. Sanjay Gupta (@_SanjayGupta) February 8, 2016

Yami, who is currently busy promoting her upcoming film Sanam Re, will share the screen space with Hrithik for the first time in Kaabil. A source was quoted as telling BollywoodLife.com, "It's a big solo-heroine project for Yami, who has done films with Ajay Devgn and Varun Dhawan, where she had to share joint credit with another actress. There were speculations that actresses like Parineeti Chopra and Kareena Kapoor had been approached for the role in Kaabil, which director Sanjay Gupta later denied. It's a big feather in Yami's hat to be part of this project. Everyone from Gupta to Hrithik and his father Rakesh felt that Yami suited the role the best."

The filmmaker has further revealed that in addition to the lead actors, the supporting cast of Kaabil is equally exciting.

The supporting cast of #KAABIL is equally exciting. I'm so looking forward to work with my buddies from earlier & new actors that join us. Sanjay Gupta (@_SanjayGupta) February 8, 2016

Hrithik, who is busy wrapping up the shooting of Ashutosh Gowariker's Mohenjo Daro, will soon begin filming Kaabil with Yami. It is said that the film will be shot in a three-month start-to-finish schedule beginning from this month in Hyderabad.

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A police survey last year revealed that over 500 students from Africa were staying in India even after their visa had expired.

By Mail Today: Karnataka has decided to deport students, who are staying in the state even after the expiry of their visa, in the wake of recent disturbances in Bengaluru involving Africans.

"All foreign nationals, who are staying in Karnataka without a valid visa, will be deported. The police department is conducting a survey in association with the Foreigners Regional Registration office. We will involve the Centre in the process, as the Union government has to issue the deportation order," said Karnataka's Home Minister G Parameshwara.

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A police survey last year revealed that over 500 students from Africa were staying in India even after their visa had expired. Many of them had relocated to different states to evade the police.

Also read:

Teenage girl raped by a priest in Karnataka



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The dashing actor will reportedly be seen in the role of a Punjabi munda in a drama series on Hindi general entertainment channel, Colors.

By India Today Web Desk: Dashing RK of Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, aka Vivian Dsena, is back to fiction TV after a hiatus of about one-and-half years.

The actor, who was last seen in dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 8, is all set to star in a drama series on Colors. Vivian will be seen as a happy-go-lucky Punjabi munda in the show tentatively titled Gurdaspur.

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According to reports, the show will revolve around the pair of Chacha and Bhatija (uncle and nephew). Sudesh Berry has been roped in to play Chacha, while Vivian will play the role of Bhatija.

Sudesh Berry, who's also currently seen in Siya Ke Ram and Begusarai, confirmed the news to Telly Chakkar: "Yes, work is happening on the show. Surprisingly I am a Punjabi, and this will be my very first role in all these years in a Punjabi get-up," he told the website.

The show is being produced by Rashmi Sharma and the work is currently catching pace. Shooting of the show is likely to start soon. However, there's no update on the female lead of the show, yet.

Vivian Dsena started his acting career with a small role in Ekta Kapoor's Kasamh Se and went on to become a household name with his role of Abhay Raichand in Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani. In Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, he played the role of an arrogant and hot-tempered film star Rishabh Kundra aka RK. After the show ended in August 2014, Vivian took a break from daily soaps. In 2015, he participated in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and entertained the audience with his dancing skills.

Also read: Yuvika Chaudhary likely to play the lead opposite Ssharad Malhotra in Kasam



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The report aspires to help business and governments to leverage their strength as also envisions policy measures to help make improvements where required.

By Saurabh Singh: Maharashtra has emerged as the top ranking state in terms of overall Internet readiness index, according to a new report published by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indicus Analytics. The report titled 'Index of Internet Readiness of Indian States' pits Karnataka and Gujarat as close second and third while Telengana and Tamil Nadu rank fourth and fifth respectively. The bottom four states are all from the Eastern region, as per the report.

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Also read: TRAI upholds net neutrality, bans differential pricing in India



Delhi has emerged as the top state among smaller states in terms of Internet readiness index. The national capital is followed by Puducherry and Goa. At the same time, Chandigarh is ranked top among the Union Territories.

Internet Readiness index is a composite index of five components: e-Infrastructure index, e-Participation index, IT-Services and e-Governance index.

Also read: Airtel is wrong, Airtel Zero has everything to do with net neutrality



The factors influencing Internet readiness index of each state varies from one state to another. "In Maharashtra, though e-infrastructure is relatively low compared to Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat etc, yet the state surpasses others in all other components making it the best e-Ready society. In case of Karnataka, participation of citizen in ICT environment is lower than Kerala and Gujarat, yet on account of the high contribution of IT to overall economy and success in e-government initiatives makes the state the second most e-Ready environment in the county. Madhya Pradesh, though having a high rating in terms of participation, ranks low in all other components," says the report.

The report aspires to help business and governments to leverage their strength as also envisions policy measures to help make improvements where required. It takes into account a number of key internet using parameters such as: mobile subscribers above 15 years of age; share of private players; percentage of households using computer/ laptop with internet connection among others to rank Indian states for being Internet ready.

Also read: Zuckerberg says Internet.org doesn't breach net neutrality



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The Municipal Corporation of Delhi workers agreed to call off their 'indefinite strike' over the non-payment of salaries and allowances, today.

By India Today Web Desk: Workers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi agreed to call off their 'indefinite strike' over the non-payment of salaries and allowances, today.



The strike, which entered its 13th day, was called off after the three MCDs said they have released the arrears which would reach all the workers within two days.

While the sanitation workers claim that a majority of them have not received salaries for January 2016, the corporations said the wages were released in February.



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The bench will hear the pending wages issue on February 10.

The municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs) told a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath that the funds were released on February 5, but as some zonal offices were closed, everyone may not have received the wages and those who have not got their salary will get it in a couple of days.



The court also took on record the corporations' statement that there would be no impediment in release of wages to the workers for the month of January. During the brief hearing, the unions contended that salaries were not received by all as claimed by the MCDs.

They also said that due to trifurcation of the corporations the expenditure has increased by three times and sought unification of the three MCDs.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by Birender Sangwan who has sought lifting of garbage littered on streets due to the safai karamchaaris strik. The PIL asked the strike to be called off as it was causing hardship to the general public.

The submissions on behalf of the workers came pursuant to the court's notice to their respective unions on February 5 seeking their response to the PIL and the claim of the MCDs that salaries upto January 2016 have been released.

The court also remarked that the sanitation workers cannot "hold the city to ransom" by going on strike if they have been paid their salary.

It had also asked the Delhi government whether it intended to enforce the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

To this, senior standing counsel for the Delhi government, Rahul Mehra, on Monday told the court that ESMA had been revoked by the city administration in 2015.

However, the petitioner submitted that ESMA of Haryana has been extended to Delhi.

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Delhi garbage mess: SC declines to intervene in civic employees' strike



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Delhi Police today ruled out that six-year-old Divyansh Kakrora was sexually assaulted before he was found dead in Vasant Kunj's Ryan International School.

By India Today Web Desk: The Delhi government has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the death of six-year-old Divyansh Kakrora, who was found dead inside a water tank in his school in South Delhi on January 30. The government's order came hours after the Delhi Police ruled out that six-year-old Divyansh was sexually assaulted before he was found dead in Vasant Kunj's Ryan International School.

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Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi said the post mortem report received from AIIMS hospital does not suggest any sexual assault.

Divyansh was found dead in a water tank near the school's amphithreatre on January 30. His parents claimed that the boy was possibly sodomised and murdered.

Police have already registered a case of negligence and arrested school's principal and 4 others, who were later let off on bail.

Divyansh's father, Ramhet Meena, had been demanding a CBI probe into the mysterious death of his kid as he was not satisfied with Delhi Police's investigation so far.

Also Read

#RyanSchoolDeath: Ryan International didn't have key permit to run school



Ball, spectacles in Ryan school tank show other kids may have escaped tragedy



REVEALED: Divyansh's school diary shows Ryan International School's negligence

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Syed Ahmed Bukhari said that innocent Muslims should not be harassed in the name of fighting the Islamic State and that the security agencies must be more transparent while detaining terror suspects.

By India Today Web Desk: The Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed his concern over detention of Muslim youth in connection with the terrorist outfit Islamic State (ISIS).

Syed Ahmed Bukhari said that innocent Muslims should not be harassed in the name of fighting the Islamic State and that the security agencies must be more transparent while detaining terror suspects.

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"We are against terrorism. No religion supports terrorism," said the Shahi Imam.

In the meeting that lasted for half an hour, the Shahi Imam also raised the issue of minority character of the Aligarh Muslim University and the Jamia Millia Islamia. He told Modi that the government's stand in the Supreme Court on their minority character had created grave concern among Muslims.

"The prime minister has promised to consider these issues, and said his government won't take any step that may put communal harmony at stake," Bukhari said.

Several people, suspected to be sympathisers of ISIS, have been arrested from various parts of India in the past few months.

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In a huge embarrassment to ruling Samajwadi Party(SP) in Uttar Pradesh, an 8-year-old boy was killed in celebratory firing by party workers in Shamli district that led Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday to order the immediate removal of the area's SDM and Deputy SP.

By India Today Web Desk: In a huge embarrassment to ruling Samajwadi Party(SP) in Uttar Pradesh, an 8-year-old boy was killed in celebratory firing by party workers in Shamli district that led Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday to order the immediate removal of the area's SDM and Deputy SP.

In an ugly fallout from the incident, two crew members of a leading English news channel who went to the spot for coverage of the tragedy and agitation by angry locals were allegedly attacked by local SP leader and MLA Nahid Hasan and his aides.

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On his show News Today, Rajdeep Sardesai spoke to spokesperson of Samajwadi Party Gaurav Bhatia.

Speaking on the show, the leader condemned the incident. "The government has suspended the inspector, DSP. The party has suspended the block pramukh and a notice has been sent to the MLA," Bhatia said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav tweeted that he has directed the DGP to arrest all those involved in the firing incident and also cancel the arms license of those involved.

"Yadavakhilesh instructs CS to immediately remove SDM/DYSP from the district and disciplinary action to be taken against them," a tweet of the CMO said.

The boy, Sami, who was passing by Kairana area in a rickshaw, was hit during the firing by SP workers on Saturday. The workers were celebrating the victory of party candidate Nafisa in the local body polls from the town.



Also Read



Shamli tragedy: Akhilesh Yadav orders arrest of all involved in the firing



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The victim was passing by in a rickshaw when he was hit during the firing by SP workers.

By India Today Web Desk: An eight-year-old boy was killed in a celebratory firing by Samajwadi Party workers after victory in local polls in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh, triggering protests by locals. Police has registered a case of murder against Samajwadi Party candidate Gayyur Inam, who won the block pramukh election, his wife Nafisa and supporters.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav tweeted that he has directed the DGP to arrest all those involved in the firing incident and also cancel the arms license of those involved.

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The victim, Sami, who was passing by Kairana area in a rickshaw, was hit during the firing by SP workers yesterday, Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Jha said.

The workers were celebrating the victory of party candidate Nafisa in the local body polls from the town, he said, adding the boy later succumbed to his injuries.

A case has been registered against five persons, including the husband of the victorious candidate under relevant sections of the IPC, police said, adding efforts are being made to arrest the absconding accused.

Irate locals blocked the Khatima-Panipat Highway to protest the death of the boy.

Also read:

Akhilesh Yadav's intervention helps rescue kidnapped sisters

Asaduddin Owaisi attacks Samajwadi Party; says Dalits, minorities powerless

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After intense and exhausting search operation, which has entered its sixth day, rescue parties have hit the camp site and recovered the mortal remains of one of the ten soldiers who was buried in snow after an avalanche in Siachen.

By Shiv Aroor: After intense and exhausting search operation, which has entered its sixth day, rescue parties have hit the camp site and recovered the mortal remains of one of the ten soldiers who was buried in snow after an avalanche in Siachen. 10 soldiers, including a JCO, were buried in snow after an avalanche in the early hours of February 3 hit the Indian Army post located at an altitude of 19, 600 feet.

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A new camp has been established at the location to coordinate the rescue efforts as well as to continue vigil in the sensitive area. Rescue teams are cutting through upto thirty feet of ice at multiple locations where the soldiers, who were from the Madras Regiment, could be buried.

Probable locations are identified by using specialised equipment which was inducted along with the rescue teams. Reports from the ground indicate the efforts are hampered by frequent snow blizzards, extreme freezing temperatures and low visibility apart from the effects of rarefied atmosphere in such high altitude.

The teams are working round the clock and observing all precautions since the unstable ice and snow in the region could trigger fresh avalanches. Rescue efforts will continue till all the bodies are found.

Also Read

10 soldiers believed to be trapped in Siachen Glacier avalanche, rescue operations on

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Ahluwalia was trying to fly from Mexico City to New York City this morning, when Aeromexico stopped him from boarding the flight due to his "appearance".

Waris Ahluwalia stopped from boarding the flight due to his "appearance"

By India Today Web Desk: In a shocking act of racial discrimination, Hollywood actor, Waris Ahluwalia, was denied the right to board a flight because of his turban and beard.

Ahluwalia was trying to fly from Mexico City to New York City this morning, when Aeromexico stopped him from boarding the flight due to his "appearance".

Ahluwalia who dons many hats is a jewellery designer, a retailer, an actor and a model.

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A United States based civil rights NGO, The Sikh Coalition has expressed shock over the incident calling it "shameful".

"I'm always the one to get singled out and searched," The New York Times in its December 2013 article had quoted Ahluwalia, as saying.

This is not for the first time that Ahluwalia has been targeted in the US. In December 2013, his Gap ad was defaced in a subway station with slurs like "Please stop driving taxis."

Ahluwalia is known for his role in movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The Darjeeling Limited (2007) and Inside Man (2006), among others.



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Chinese and Indian border troops conducted a joint disaster relief exercise on Monday. This Sino-Indian military drill is seen as an attempt by the two nations to resolve a long-festering border dispute.

By India Today Web Desk: Chinese and Indian border troops conducted a joint disaster relief exercise on Monday. This Sino-Indian military drill is seen as an attempt by the two nations to resolve a long-festering border dispute.

The Sino-Indian dispute dates back to the brief border war of 1962.

While the leaders from both the countries pledged last May to settle their border dispute, a messy territorial disagreement remains.

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The two nuclear-armed armies practiced handling scenarios like rescuing trapped herders on Saturday, according to a statement posted on China's Ministry of Defence website.

"The exercises are designed to implement the Chinese-India border cooperation agreement, to jointly safeguard peace and stability in these areas," said the defence ministry of China in their statement.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed at a meeting in May to start annual visits between their militaries, expand exchanges between border commanders and start using a military hotline.

China lays claim to more than 90,000 sq km (35,000 sq miles) ruled by New Delhi in the eastern sector of the Himalayas. India says China occupies 38,000 sq km (14,600 sq miles) of its territory on the Aksai Chin plateau in the west.

India is also suspicious of China's support for its arch-rival, Pakistan.

ALSO READ:



Indo-China ties upgraded but relations still complex, says outgoing envoy



Indo-China border personnel meet held on the eve of New Year



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By India Today Web Desk: Google Inc.'s chief executive officer, Sundar Pichai has been awarded a record $199 million stock grant from Alphabet, the parent company that now owns the global search engine giant as part of a recent corporate reshuffling. Google's newly crowned CEO, India-born Sundar Pichai has received 273,328 Class C shares on February - reports Bloomberg -- that will grant him quarterly increments through 2019 should he remain on the job. The grant would make him one of the highest-paid executives of a publicly traded company this year. Moreover, this is also the biggest ever grant awarded to a Google executive officer.

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Google is known to grant equity awards to executives once every two years. Diane Greene, who has spearheaded Google's cloud business since November last year has been given $42.8 million in restricted stock by Alphabet similarly. Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat has received $38.3 million worth in equity that will vest under the same conditions as Pichai's, adds the report.

Alphabet Inc., headed by Google's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin recently overtook Cupertino major Apple as the most valuable publicly traded company in the world. It is the parent company that owns Google, along with Calico, GV, Google Capital, X, Google Fiber, Nest Labs and Verily. While Page is now the CEO of Alphabet, Sundar Pichai who was his former deputy has taken over his position as CEO of Google.

Amid all the hype, Amit Singhal, who runs Google's core search operations , has announced that he is leaving the company. Singhal was vice-president and a Google Fellow at the company and was instrumental in rewriting the search algorithm when he joined it in 2000.

"February 26 will be my last day at Google. As I entered the fifteenth year of working at Google, I've been asking myself the question, what would you want to do for the next fifteen? The answer has overwhelmingly been: give back to others. I am eager to see what kind of impact I can make philanthropically, and of course, to spend more time with my family," Singhal wrote.

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Though the incident took place last year, it came to light recently after the victim approached a hospital seeking abortion.

By Mail Today: The Karnataka police arrested an assistant priest of the popular Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple in Mangaluru for raping a 19-year-old girl.

Though the incident took place last year, it came to light recently after the victim approached a hospital seeking abortion.

According to the police, Harishchandra Rao (56) alias Appu Bhatta allegedly raped the girl, who worked at his home in August 2015. The girl became pregnant and the priest tried for a compromise by offering her monetary compensation involving local leaders.

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The girl was adamant on abortion and visited a hospital sometime in November. However, they refused to terminate the pregnancy and Appu Bhatta allegedly tried to prevail over the hospital management.

Later, the hospital management learnt the truth and informed the police. The victim approached the Bajpe police and lodged a complaint. Appu Bhatta was taken into custody and produced before a local court, which remanded him in judicial custody.

Also read:

Raped minor sexually assaulted again in Jharkhand hospital during her treatment



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Travel to one of these five romantic places in the world that provide the perfect setting for you to propose to your loved one.

The Eiffel Tower is seen in silhouette at sunset over the Seine River in Paris. Picture courtesy: Reuters

By Samonway Duttagupta: No matter how hard we try to hide, falling in love is one of the most beautiful things to happen to us. It's true that we look at the world differently -- we start appreciating the little things in life and are more affectionate towards the people we hold dear. However, only being in love can't be the end of the road. There has to be a moment when you would want to let your heart out and express your feelings to that special one. And for a moment that special, you must have a setting so beautiful, that it remains etched in your memory forever.

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Here are five romantic places in the world that provide the perfect setting for you to propose to your loved one.

Canals of Venice, Venice, Italy

Gondoliers row in an empty Grand Canal in Venice. Picture courtesy: Reuters

The shimmering canals, historic monuments, and romantic Italian ballads are enough to accentuate the feeling of love. Take a gondola ride on the Grand Canal and bend down on your knees with a diamond ring to propose the one you love. There can't be a better place in the world to hear that magical word -- "Yes."



Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower in Paris. Picture courtesy: Reuters

Paris -- the name is enough to remind us of a city steeped in romance. The heritage, the art, the locales, the food, there's so much in Paris to make you feel romantic. And what can be a better spot for a proposal than the city's very own Eiffel Tower? You can choose the second floor of the tower for a panoramic view of Paris to be the backdrop, or head to the restaurant on top for a chic ambience in company of some fine champagne.

Also read: Looking to go on a romantic holiday? You may like to consider this newly-opened island resort in the Maldives



Hot-air balloon ride at the Masai Mara, Kenya

A hot-air balloon takes off in Masai Mara game reserve. Picture courtesy: Reuters

Imagine this: a beautiful savannah in the middle of African wilderness, and a hot-air balloon taking you and your sweetheart high up in the skies, while the golden light of a setting sun making a setting so romantic that you can't ignore. Getting proposed in such a place can be no less than a dream come true for your loved one.

Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy

Tourists take pictures at the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Picture courtesy: Reuters

There's something strangely attractive about Trevi Fountain in Rome that draws thousands of couples to this place. Keeping the history apart, the old sculpture and an adjoining fountain make this place really romantic. Evenings provide the perfect setting for a proposal as the place is beautifully lit up with numerous lights.

Also read: Planning an international holiday? February is the cheapest month to fly out of India!



Central Park, New York, USA

People ride in a gondola on Central Park Lake at The Loeb Boat House Restaurant in Central Park, New York. Picture courtesy: Reuters People ride in a gondola on Central Park Lake at The Loeb Boat House Restaurant in Central Park, New York. Picture courtesy: Reuters

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Spread across a huge area of 778 acres at the heart of New York City, Central Park is the most visited urban park in the United States. Beautiful gardens, a lake, and the green landscape make this park one of the most romantic spots in the world. Propose your loved one while taking a gondola ride on the serene lake.

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The state of Assam is home to the world's largest river island, which is no less than a nature lover's paradise.

By Samonway Duttagupta: One of the biggest draws for anyone who's a traveller at heart, are places that are steeped in natural beauty. Be it a stunning view of the mountains that makes us pause on a road trip, or the shade of green in a rice field that has always fascinated us on a train journey, Mother Nature has been a major source of wanderlust for a lot of us.

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Majuli, the largest river island in the world, is a paradise for nature lovers. Located on the mighty Brahmaputra River in Assam, the island can be accessed via Jorhat district, which lies at a distance of 44km from this place. Back in the year 1991, this island was spread across an area of 1,256 square kilometres, but soil erosion over the years has reduced the size to 457 square kilometres.

Majuli is known for an unparalleled scenic beauty. Thanks to the Brahmaputra River, the river banks look beautiful with thick vegetation. Sitting at one of these banks, you will be able to enjoy stunning views of the setting sun and a fisherman rowing back his boat -- a setting that provides a kind of serenity that most nature-loving travellers come seeking for. If you happen to go on a walk across the agricultural belt of the island, vast stretches of paddy fields, rice fields, and water meadows bursting with hyacinth blossoms, will take you back to the days of childhood and trigger nostalgia. The best way to go on a nature tour in the island is to hire bicycles that are available on rent for the tourists.

Also read: India is home to the only floating national park in the world!



When you are done soothing your senses with amazing views and a pleasant weather, you can choose to go for birdwatching. Majuli is home to nearly 100 species of birds, including numerous those migrating from different parts of the world. Special birdwatching tours are organised by some knowledgeable locals.

A traveller looking to explore the cultural heritage of this place, must visit Majuli during the famous Raas Mahotsava. Usually held in the month of November every year, this festival provides the best chances for a traveller to catch glimpses of the region's traditional dances, drama recitations and a host of other cultural performances.

As far as accommodation is concerned, several budget hotels and guest houses are available. But Majuli can be best experienced by staying with the locals.

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Investigative reporting from the inner city to Wall Street to the United Nations This is the blogspot version InnerCityPress.com
APA petitions are one more tool we use to protect public lands or threatened wildlife by engaging federal agencies and pushing them to do better for the ...
To the best of my ability I write about my experience of the Universe Past, Present and Future
The federal government should do the practical thing by allowing refugees already in the country to earn a living here, rather than invite a new influx of workers from abroad, said parliamentarian M Kulasegaran.The Ipoh Barat MP - who is also a member of the Malaysian Parliament's Sir Lanka caucus - said figures compiled by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) hold that the country has 150,000 refugees, asylum seekers and illegal immigrants registered with the UN agency.Why bring in 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh when there are, and have been for a long time, one-tenth of that number here under the general category of refugees? asked the DAP national vice-chair.The government ought to be pragmatic and allow this suffering lot of refugees already here to earn a living, rather than consign them to the pathetic fate they endure every day of their wretched lives, asserted Kulasegaran.The federal legislator was speaking after a meeting of the parliamentary caucus, headed by PKR MP Johari Abdul in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.Of the 150,000 refugees in Malaysia, some 5,000 are Tamils from Sri Lanka who had fled the civil war (1983-2009) and oppression on the Jaffna Peninsula.Kulasegaran said the government's plan to bring in 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh and resettle 5,000 Syrian refugees in the country raises the issue of selective treatment of wretched masses from abroad.We have refugees here - among whom are Bangladeshis, Rohingyas, Tamils, Myanmarese, Pakistanis and unspecified others - who yearn to work and earn a living. Why not put them to work, rather than see them languish in desperation? he queried.If the economy continues to need low-paying labour, we should do the pragmatic thing and allow the refugees already here to work, he said.Kulasegaran said that sending the Rohingyas and Tamils back to their countries of origin would very likely leave them open to the human rights abuses from which they have fled.Many of them have been here for years and the compassionate thing to do is to allow them to work, he pointed out.He emphasised that Malaysia should adhere to the UN Convention on Refugees even if it is not yet a signatory - because that is the decent thing to do.
I WRITE NEWS ABOUT AND PUT NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM PERTAINING TO BIBLE PROPHESY HAPPENINGS.JOEL 3:20 But Judah (ISRAEL) shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.(THATS ISRAEL-JERUSALEM WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED AGAIN)-WE CHRISTIANS ARE ALL WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE TO OCCUR.SO WE CAN GO TO JESUS AND GET OUR NEVER DYING BODIES.SO WE CAN RULE OVER CITIES OURSELVES.WHILE JESUS RULES FROM DAVIDS THRONE FOREVER IN JERUSALEM.
[February 08, 2016] World Near Field Communication Market is Expected to Reach $24.0 Billion by 2020

PORTLAND, Oregon, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report published by Allied Market Research titled, "World Near Field Communication Market - Opportunities and Forecasts, 2014-2020", forecasts that the World Near Field Communication Market, would garner a revenue of $24.0 billion by 2020, registering a CAGR of 40.4% during the forecast period from 2015-2020. North America dominates the world NFC market, owing to the huge demand exhibited by the U.S. for near field communication technology. However, Asia-Pacific region is expected to exhibit a faster growth over the forecast period 2015-2020. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 )

To know more about the report, visit the website at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/near-field-communication-market In 2014, 1.2 billion smartphones were sold worldwide, which further increased by 7% in the first quarter of 2015. Increased penetration of smartphones and tablets in developed and developing regions, is the key driving factor for the growing adoption of NFC technology. Based on the product type, global NFC technology market is bifurcated into NFC chip, NFC tag, NFC reader, NFC enabled SIM and others. NFC readers garnered the maximum share in 2014 (accounting for 45%) of the total market revenue. In terms of growth, the other product segment is estimated to register the fastest CAGR of 43.9%, during the forecast period 2015-2020. Among the device type segment which comprises smartphones, PC & laptops and other devices (infotainment and stereo headphone), smartphones dominated the market in 2014, accounting for 60% share in terms of revenue. The key applications of NFC technology include contactless payment, information sharing, user authentication and access control, monitoring healthcare systems and others. Mobile or contactless payment dominated the global near field communication market by application, accounting for 33% market share in terms of evenue in 2014. It offers faster transactions as compared to conventional cash, credit or debit card transaction. However, monitoring healthcare systems segment would witness the highest CAGR of 42.8% during the forecast period. In this application, NFC sends data in encrypted form to reduce the possibility of information security breach.



Further, the world NFC market is analyzed based on geography into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA. North America dominated the world NFC market, accounting for 34.7% market share in 2014. The region would maintain its dominance during the forecast period. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth at a CAGR of 43.1% during the same period. Key Findings:

Mobile/contactless payment application dominated the world NFC market, owing to its outstanding benefits of secure payment

NFC readers contributed the largest market share in 2014. However, NFC chip and other NFC product segments are expected to exhibit a faster growth

North America would be the dominant geography in the NFC market throughout the forecast period (2015-2020) owing to the widespread adoption of NFC technology in different applications

would be the dominant geography in the NFC market throughout the forecast period (2015-2020) owing to the widespread adoption of NFC technology in different applications NFC technology is mainly used in different devices such as smartphone, pc/laptop and others, including NFC card and infotainment systems. Among all the devices, smartphone is the prime revenue contributor in global market The report also outlines the competitive scenario of the world near field communication market, providing a comprehensive study of the key strategies adopted by companies operating in the NFC market. Key companies profiled in the report include, Infineon Technologies, Apple Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Broadcom Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and Inside Secure (now acquired by Intel), amongst others. Similar Reports Published by Allied Market Research - Europe In-Building Wireless Market - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/europe-in-building-wireless-market World Wireless Audio Device Market - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/wireless-audio-device-market About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact:

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Technical support and consulting firm Absolute Logic has announced that it has acquired Cloud9 (News - Alert)-IT.

The financial terms of the deal for the firm that specializes in serving accounting, dentistry and manufacturing terms in Connecticut and New York.

For the companys clients, Absolute Logic promises that it will be business as usual.

Other than receiving correspondence under the Absolute Logic name, much of the day-to-day interaction for the clients will be no different, Absolute founder and CEO Al Alper said.

One of the advantages of dealing with smaller businesses is a more personal relationship with the company providing support, namely Cloud9-ITs founder Lars Andersson. Alper also promised that the companys clients would be able to continue this relationship with Absolute.

Those who are used to working with Lars will of course continue to do so. What we will offer additionally is extra tech support and resource which we believe will make an already excellent client experience even better, Alper said.

As evidence of the more personal connection smaller businesses offer, Alper said that he an Andersson had also known each other socially for years before the merger.

Andersson will be joining Absolute Logic as a business development specialist. An unnamed IT support person will also be moving to the company as well.

Andersson has also had an impressive career on his own, working in areas ranging from IT and small business consulting to network design and support, which he said was from the very inception of the PC.

He was optimistic about the merger.

Ive been looking for a firm to merge or partner with for some time, said Andersson, adding, And I never could find the right fit until now. Al (Alper) and I share the same philosophy of customer service, and I am very comfortable moving my client base over to Absolute Logic. I know that the added resources of our working together will greatly benefit all of our clients.

Edited by Kyle Piscioniere
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Israel: Apunalan de mediana gravedad a un nino judio de 11 anos y la Policia arresta a un arabe de 17
I've Been Reading Lately is what it sounds like. I spend most of my free time reading, and here's where I write about what I've read.
Join us on our faith journey as we follow Jesus to Ghana , West Africa!
Nicht Ihr Computer? Dann konnen Sie fur die Anmeldung ein Fenster zum privaten Surfen offnen. Weitere Informationen
And Getting Rid of the Blotches It is a wonderful, but also occasionally painful fact that landscape photography is often at its ...
Hi! I'm Jem. Join me as I blog about my personal experiences as a classroom and online teacher. Through sharing my written outputs I hope to help you fellow teachers who are looking for sample classroom activities and learning plans that you may use in your own classrooms. Also, my passion for mountain climbing is featured here, something that may provide some information on places to go for those who enjoy such. Happy reading. :)
Sherman Adams

Liewelyn Sherman Adams was best known as White House Chief of Staff for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. As with most politicians, Sherman Adams was involved in government service prior to his position as Chief of Staff.

Born on January 8, 1899, in East Dover, Vermont, Adams was educated in Providence, Rhode Island public schools, graduating from Hope High School. He received an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in 1920.

His college education was interrupted for a six-month stint in the United States Marine Corps during World War I. After returning from his service during World War I, Sherman was involved in the lumber business. He also had a career in banking in New Hampshire.

Adams entered New Hampshire politics as a Republican legislator from 1941 to 1944. He later served in the United States House of Representatives from 1945 to 1947. He lost in his campaign for the governorship in 1946. But in 1948 Adams succeeded in winning the office of governor of New Hampshire.

Sherman Adams was considered a very good governor as he called for increased state aid for the aged and for legislation which enabled the state's seniors to qualify for Federal Old Age and Survivors Insurance. In 1950 he formed a Reorganization Committee to recommend changes in state operations, and he called for the legislature to act on the recommendations.

Adam's called for frugality and thus made himself a virtual poster boy for Republican balanced budget values of the time. He served as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Governors from 1951 to 1952. He was then asked to be White House Chief of Staff for the new Republican president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was the first person in this position to have the title of "Chief of Staff."

Adams became one of the most powerful men in Washington during the six years he served as Chief of Staff. It appeared to many that he had virtual control over White House staff operations and domestic policy.

A joke circulated around Washington in the 1950s. Two Democrats were talking and one said "Wouldn't it be terrible if Eisenhower died and Nixon became President?" The other replied "Wouldn't it be terrible if Sherman Adams died and Eisenhower became President!" This was the perceived reputation that Adams had control of all the decisions that President Eisenhower proposed.

Unfortunately, Adams was pressured to resign in 1958, when a House subcommittee revealed Adams had accepted an expensive overcoat and rug from Bernard Goldfine, a Boston textile manufacturer who had business with the federal government. The story was first reported to the public by journalist Jack Anderson.

Following his political career, Adams returned to his New Hampshire home where he started Loon Mountain Corporation, today a major ski resort.

Adams died in 1986 and is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
SPRINGFIELD  Four months after the Illinois State Museum and its satellite branches closed to the public, the state Department of Natural Resources has announced a plan to reopen most of the facilities.

Using his amendatory veto power, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who shuttered the museum as a cost-saving measure, has rewritten a Senate bill to allow the main museum in Springfield, Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown and the Lockport Gallery to reopen. However, the Southern Illinois Art and Artisans Center at Rend Lake and the Chicago Gallery at the James R. Thompson Center would close permanently.

Under the governors plan, the state museum would begin charging admission fees and private fundraising efforts of the Illinois State Museum Society would increase to reduce the institutions reliance on state funding.

The state of Illinois is in a financial mess, Department of Natural Resources Director Wayne Rosenthal said at a news conference Monday morning at the museum, standing near a diorama of black bears on Lake Michigan sand dunes and other nature scenes. Weve got a crisis, so to move forward, its important to develop new models and new ways of thinking about how we operate and fund state government.

The governors proposal, developed with the department over the past several months, would save an estimated $1 million annually and would reorganize the museums management and organizational structure.

When the facilities would reopen is undetermined because the Democratic-controlled General Assembly would first have to concur with Rauners changes to the bill, which simply required the state to operate the museum and the four branches and keep them open to the public.

Rep. Tim Butler, a Springfield Republican, urged the Senate to take up the measure quickly.

I support this effort because I believe this is a reasonable, actionable step forward in reopening the museum, Butler said. I think it lays out a transformational future for the museum, a plan to engage the public in our community like we have not done before.

Butler suggested a $5 admission fee for adults and noted that other state museums in the region charge similar fees.

Democratic Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, who sponsored the original bill, said many of the changes Rauner proposed could have been implemented without locking the museums doors to the public.

Those things should have been proposed by the administration months ago, he said.

Manar said he is reviewing the proposal before deciding his next step.

The overarching question is, Did the governor overstep his constitutional authority in his veto message? he said.

Michael Wiant, director of the Dickson Mounds Museum, will become the interim director of the state museum, and the search will begin for a permanent replacement. Since the doors closed to the public Oct. 1, about 15 staff members have left, but key people remain in every department, Wiant said.

Unionized employees at the museum have been reporting to work throughout the closure because they filed a lawsuit challenging proposed layoffs. There has been plenty of behind-the-scenes work to keep them busy, Wiant said.

Guerry Suggs, who chairs the Illinois State Museum Board and wasnt at the announcement Monday, said this plan is probably as good as were going to get. He said the board has been open to admission fees in the past.

Like Manar, Suggs said he believes the agreement could have been worked out without closing the museums doors to the public.
MATTOON -- From now until June, the Mattoon Area Family YMCA was and will be home to more than exercise equipment and courts to play on, but also church services.

The Fields Church congregation has become mobile with its services in order to allow for timely renovations to its facility located at 900 Dewitt Ave E. For the first time following the start of renovations, the congregation met to pray and worship as they normally would -- this time in the Y's Bock Gym on Sunday.

(The YMCA) does a great job of partnering with other organizations, pastor Travis Spencer said.

Bumping up their normal service times, the church now has identical services at 9 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Sundays. Getting to the site around 7 a.m., church volunteers transform the YMCA facility into their makeshift church for the time being.

We have incredible volunteers who go above and beyond because they believe in our vision and the church, Spencer said. Serving is part of the DNA of who we are.

Then, they tear down right after the last service and cram the equipment into a 16-foot trailer.

Our church right now fits in the back of a trailer, he said. Its like a good game of Tetris every Sunday putting (the equipment back in the truck).

Each Sunday until the second week of June, when church leaders expect the renovation project to be done, they will repeat the process.

Spencer said when the church was in the planning process to expand roughly five years ago, it was decided they would congregate somewhere else, instead of staying in their facility, which would have lengthened the four-month project by two months.

Having just run through both services, Spencer said the congregation was very receptive and slightly excited about the new location for the time being.

It was different, but it created a lot of energy being in a new space, he said. The excitement of being in a new space just adds to it. We are a very fluid church.

While it was the congregation's first time meeting in the YMCA as a result of the renovations, it was not its first time in the building.

Its almost like a welcome-back party, Spencer said. I guess it isn't our first rodeo.

In 2000, the church community moved to its current facility, but not before selling its own first. For 18 months, in expectation to move into the new facility, they stayed at the YMCA.

Now, the renovations are largely space related. Spencer said additions will be made to the property and walls will be torn down to allow for more space within the existing facility. He said the renovations have been made specifically to not just accommodate the congregation's growing numbers but also for the community to use. He said the space could be used for employee training, big and small, for example.

We will have some great meeting space for the community to use, he said.

The renovations will mean approximately 2,000 square feet added to the 15,000-square-foot facility.




Job Description

ChildFund Ethiopia, an international non-profit humanitarian organization working in different regions of Ethiopia for the well-being of children, is seeking an experienced candidate for the position ofGrant Finance Officer at National Office.

The position holder will oversee, track and report on the expenditures for project/grant activities of the National Office. He/she ensure that grant/project related financial transactions are executed and documented in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, Ethiopian laws and regulations and donor requirements.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Demonstrated relevant work experience in accounting, including analysis, financial reporting, budgeting, and reporting systems

Strong understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, International Accounting Standards, internal controls, and segregation of duties

Excellent understanding of commonly used accounting and financial software and systems in Ethiopia and knowledge of the banking regulations of the country

Significant experience in financial monitoring, budgetary systems, and controls with strong analytical skills. Proven ability to prepare budgets and donor financial reports

Ability to communicate effectively and work across departments, with demonstrated experience in integrated project activities

Ability to work with diverse groups of people, including cross-functional relationships with members of staff at all levels in the organization

Highly organized and flexible in dynamic environment

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Programs including Excel, Word and Outlook

Self-guided, strong organizational and planning skills; Ability to work independently and under tight time constraints

Good written and oral communication skills in English

Qualifications/Experience

Bachelors in Accounting/Finance with six years of experience. NGO experience is advantageous

Terms of Employment: One year with a possibility of extension based on proven performance

Salary: Attractive salary and benefit package

Place of Work: Addis Ababa National Office with frequent travel to fields

Closing date: Feb 16, 2016









Your rating: none



Rating: 0  0 votes



How to Apply





Qualified candidates can apply in person, via e-mail or by sending non-returnable full CV and copies of supporting documents with cover letter on or before February 16, 2016 to:









ChildFund Ethiopia





Bole Sub City -Kebele 03 H.No. 2310, P.O.Box 5545





Tel.: 0116-612928





E-Mail: office@ethiopia.childfund.org





Addis Ababa





Please do not apply online if other application instructions are stated.Please do not accept payment requests at any of the recruitment phases!









11 total views, 11 today
Monday, February 08, 2016 Will NM Play On Presidential Trail? Candidates For Primary Finalized; Plus: Mayor Berry Hit On Double-Dipping, And: Buckhorn Tavern Redux



Democratic Party: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bernie Sanders; Republican Party:Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina John R. Kasich, Marco Rubio and Donald J. Trump.



The odds of all these candidates still being in the race come June 7th is slim to none, but if the nomination is still up in the air and New Mexico matters, we'll be ready.



DOUBLE-DIPPING



Then there's the mayor of ABQ so determined to shift responsibility (and blame) for his mismanaged police department to Santa Fe. . .



Our Alligators listed the double-dipping bill that would allow retired police officers to rejoin APD and other state police departments and continue to keep their pensions while drawing paychecks as DOA at this year's legislative session. They still feel it will be that way when it gets over to the Senate. Meantime a House committee in the Republican-controlled House



Mayor Richard Berry would have everyone believe that weve lost hundreds of officers over the past six years as a result of the states repeal of double dipping. Its the argument hes currently using to try and convince state lawmakers to overturn their repeal. Conveniently, he fails to mention that the 25% drop in officers coincides with his time as mayor. Ask those whove worn the badge under the Berry Administration and they will tell you it isnt double dipping, or retirement changes, or increased scrutiny that has officers headed for the exits, but rather its how this administration deals with and treats its police force. Deteriorating staffing numbers are actually a result of years of low morale.



BUCKHORN REDUX



Rowena Baca & Michael Olguin We'll get to the story on this photo in a minute but first. . .



Lee Huntzinger was one of many readers who were quick to correct us for a geography error in the first draft of the Friday blog. We said the Buckhorn Tavern was north of Socorro:



OMG Joe. Lol, I bet your inbox exploded this morning with folks wondering if you got lost in Texas or just turned your map upside down! As penance, you should drive back down and take a picture of the old Hilton bar while you knock down a green chile cheeseburger at the Owl :-). I've been eating burgers at the Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio for 40 years, but I always had to go SOUTH from Socorro to get there! It's a tradition when we go to the Bosque to see the birds.



Jerome Block wrote:



If you were having a hamburger North of Socorro, you must have been at the Lemitar truck stop!



Self-described Las Cruces senior citizen Violent Cauthon writes that you should go deeper into the south to find the dream burger:



Joe, Joe, Joe, who are these consumers who believe the Owl Cafe green chile cheeseburgers are worth talking about? I have told you before about Burger Nook on Madrid off N. Solano in Las Cruces.



And reader John somehow ties in the Buckhorn to the news that the



Hello Joe, Did you happen to read the glowing news story on Susana Martinez being touted by the Hispano Chamber? I had to read three times and came to the conclusion that the national Hispanic group had to be referring to another Susana and another New Mexico. And yes, Joe, the Buckhorn burgers Are that Gooood! Maybe the Hispanics mentioned above should have asked folks at the Buckhorn about Susana. . .



Now about that photo posted with this story. It pictures Rowena Baca the owner of the



This is the home of New Mexico politics.







Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.



( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2016 You never know. Maybe this is the year when New Mexico's very late presidential primary makes a difference. While right now we have hot nominating contests in both major parties, the pros think by the end of March the matter should be settled, but just in case here are the official NM prez candidates as certified by the Secretary of State:The odds of all these candidates still being in the race come June 7th is slim to none, but if the nomination is still up in the air and New Mexico matters, we'll be ready.Then there's the mayor of ABQ so determined to shift responsibility (and blame) for his mismanaged police department to Santa Fe. . .Our Alligators listed the double-dipping bill that would allow retired police officers to rejoin APD and other state police departments and continue to keep their pensions while drawing paychecks as DOA at this year's legislative session. They still feel it will be that way when it gets over to the Senate. Meantime a House committee in the Republican-controlled House has approved the measure to bail out Mayor Berry's understaffed department. APOA VP Shaun Willoughby wants to get some digs in before the measure passes out of the House:We'll get to the story on this photo in a minute but first. . .Lee Huntzinger was one of many readers who were quick to correct us for a geography error in the first draft of the Friday blog. We said the Buckhorn Tavern was north of Socorro:Jerome Block wrote:Self-described Las Cruces senior citizen Violent Cauthon writes that you should go deeper into the south to find the dream burger:And reader John somehow ties in the Buckhorn to the news that the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Gov. Martinez to be the GOP VP candidate:Now about that photo posted with this story. It pictures Rowena Baca the owner of the Owl Bar and Cafe , located across the street from the Buckhorn in San Antonio and Michael Olguin, former state House Majority Leader and brother of Buckhorn owner Bobby Olguin. We talked about how many politics consider Rowena's Owl the Republican pit stop in San Antonio while Bobby holds court for the Dems. But judging from this pic, the burgers are really bipartisan--besides tasting great.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)
Rupert Macnee and Chad Davis joined NET in new assistant general manager positions. Macnee joined NET as the assistant general manager for broadcast production. Davis joined NET as assistant general manager for digital and multimedia. Both started Feb. 1.

Macnee has extensive experience in the television industry on both the commercial and non-commercial sides. His roles include working as writer, producer, director and executive producer at FOX, NBC, KNBC, KCTS and Discovery among many others. Most recently he was an executive producer of Darwins Brave New World, a three-part-miniseries, broadcast internationally on CBC Television in Canada, ABC in Australia and History Television in the United Kingdom.

The position provides leadership, management and administration for NET broadcast content production.

Rupert brings to us a unique blend of experience, passion, wisdom and good humor, said NETs General Manager and CEO Mark Leonard. He will be a fantastic addition to our content team.

Macnee earned a Master of Arts degree in adult education at California State University, San Bernardino.

Davis is a senior director of digital media for a trade association in Washington, D.C., where he brings experience managing its digital media team, leading migration for a new website, developing and management of e-commerce tools and supervising web and social media analytics reporting. He also served as the associations director of social media and has worked at KNME, WETA and WGBH/WGBX.

This is an exciting time in the public media industry with so many new ways of creating and distributing content, as well as interacting with our audiences, Leonard said. We are excited to bring Chads skills and experience to our NET team.

Davis received his bachelors degree from Indiana University Bloomington and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

This leadership position, in collaboration with the assistant general manager for broadcast production, will work to build and manage relationships for content creation which will serve Nebraska consumers and constituents providing high quality content to gain audience.

NET operates the statewide public service network which includes NET Television, NET Radio, NET Learning Services and NET Technology Services. To learn more, visit netNebraska.org.
A shotgun blast fired from inside a car at Schramm Park sent Russ Zeeb scrambling for cover  and pondering his family's future.

"At that time I thought about two things, and that's my grandchildren, my daughter, my wife, and how they were going to survive without me," the retired Sarpy County sheriff's deputy said Monday, recounting a 2011 incident he escaped without harm.

"When that blast took off, it makes you think and it makes you wonder."

Zeeb, now president of the committee that oversees the Nebraska Law Enforcement Memorial in Grand Island, supports a measure by state Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha to provide a $50,000 death benefit for families of law enforcement officers, firefighters and corrections officers who die on duty.

"It's the state's recognition that this is very dangerous work," Mello said of his proposal.

Nebraska has had at least eight line-of-duty deaths in the past 16 years, Mello told members of the Legislature's Business and Labor Committee during a public hearing Monday at the Capitol. Some groups believe the actual number is at least twice that high, but the state has no centralized record.

Associations representing thousands of public safety officers across the state turned out for Monday's hearing to support Mello's bill (LB836).

No one testified in opposition, but some committee members asked pointed questions about whether it is necessary.

Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has long been critical of police, said cops already willingly take on whatever risks their positions involve.

"They're paid and they wanted the job," he said. "Where is the state's duty in regards to this?"

Public safety officers' families are already eligible for nearly $340,000 in death or serious disability benefits from the federal government. Many state and local agencies also include death benefits such as life insurance in their compensation packages.

Yet all neighboring states also offer death benefits similar to those proposed for Nebraska, Mello said.

That could make the difference in recruiting new officers, particularly in smaller departments that can't offer extensive benefits packages, said Jason Cvitanov, president of the Bellevue police union and secretary of the Nebraska Fraternal Order of Police.

Others questioned why police officers' deaths should be treated any differently than other workplace deaths.

State Sen. Dave Bloomfield of Hoskins, a retired truck driver, said the grieving process is the same.

"I've been through it many times, and I'm unfortunately familiar with it," he said.

Nebraska averages about 36 workplace deaths each year, said Rod Rehm, a personal injury lawyer from Lincoln.

Take steel workers, he said: "I've had those guys fall off roofs and die and get crushed. They're doing a hell of a community service. So are road workers. So are the packing plant workers who get chewed up and spit out like the hamburger they're making."
The Lincoln Airport Authority is considering filing a lawsuit against IAC Acoustics for more than $9.5 million in lease payments on which the company has defaulted.

IAC Acoustics laid off more than half its staff of around 200 in November in two separate actions two weeks apart. Employees told the Journal Star at the time that they were told the plant would close within a month, although company officials declined to confirm that and said they were evaluating options.

It appears those options were a sale of the noise-control products manufacturer in pieces.

According to a news release issued last month, Sound Seal, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of acoustical and noise-control products, bought IAC Acoustic's commercial sound-proofing division, which manufactures sound-proofing products for recording booths, hearing testing rooms and other industries. The company also took possession of the IAC Acoustics name.

In December, Nelson Global Products Inc., a Wisconsin-based producer of exhaust products for the commercial vehicle market, bought IAC's line of mufflers and emissions-control equipment for industrial machinery.

Neither company will keep any of the operations in Lincoln. Nelson said in its release that production would move to its facility in Arcadia, Wisconsin, while Sound Seal will move production of the division it bought to the Chicago area.

David Haring, executive director of the Lincoln Airport, said Nelson Global has already transitioned all of its equipment out of IAC Acoustics' former building at 3901 W. Kearney St. in the LNK Enterprise Park. Sound Seal is still in the process of moving products and equipment and should be completely out by mid-to-late March.

After that, the 250,000-square-foot state-of-the-art production facility will be empty.

The Airport Authority issued $15 million in bonds to pay for the new production facility, which opened in 2014, and the company still owes more than $9.5 million.

When it opened, IAC Acoustics, which bought GT Exhaust in 2012, announced plans to expand and hire 100 people.

But instead of growing, business dried up in less than 18 months.

Haring said the Airport Authority voted at its Jan. 29 meeting to authorize pursuing claims against IAC Acoustics, including filing a lawsuit if necessary. Haring said no decision has been made yet on filing a suit.

While tenants occasionally default on leases in the Airport Authority's industrial buildings, Haring said there has never been one even approaching the scope of IAC Acoustics' default.

Even though the company has not yet filed for bankruptcy protection, Haring said it is clear the business is not financially sound.

"We're well aware that the chance of us recovering all of (the lease amount) or any of it is not likely," he said.

He said that in the short term the loss of the lease payments will not cause the Airport Authority any financial hardship, but a long-term vacancy in the space could become a problem.

"Right now our focus is trying to get the building released," Haring said.
In a law review article I wrote 15 years ago about cognitive decline on the U.S. Supreme Court, I predicted that, in the coming years, no one would take action to mitigate the problem. Instead, another half a dozen mentally decrepit justices would join the roster of jurists who harmed their court and hurt their own reputations by remaining on the bench too long.

Although most justices who have retired since then left with their wits (more or less) intact, Im concerned that my prediction is about to come true.

Today we have four Supreme Court justices who are superannuated: Stephen G. Breyer is 77, Anthony M. Kennedy will turn 80 this summer, Antonin Scalia will celebrate his 80th birthday on March 11, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg will celebrate her 83rd four days later. Both Clarence Thomas, 67, and Samuel A. Alito Jr., 65, also qualify for Social Security. None of these justices has indicated that he or she will step down anytime soon, even if a like-minded individual wins the White House this year. (Officeholders in the apolitical branch often time their retirements for when an ideological cognate sits in the Oval Office.)

In the past, once-revered justices such as William O. Douglas and Hugo Black could at least count on relative privacy when they doddered into senility; the press didnt check behind certain closed doors. But with Justice Breyer showing up on TMZ, Justice Alito and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. (age 61) regularly attending public sporting events, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor (age 61) getting spotted at Costco, a secret breakdown is no longer realistic.

That the two oldest justices, Ginsburg and Scalia, represent opposite poles of the ideological spectrum is a happy accident, as calls for reform must have a nonpartisan hue. Although neither has had a confirmed episode of cognitive decline, theyre both putting themselves in the way of embarrassment.

Ginsburg fell asleep during the State of the Union (twice), the papal address and even during an oral argument; she also speaks about pending cases, which, if not a sign that shes forgotten the rules, is an indication that shes beyond respecting them. Scalia once called himself an old fogey who doesnt understand the world in which he lives, and he sounds increasingly irritated in his opinions and public speeches.

The problem of an aging judiciary extends beyond the Supreme Court to the hundreds of elderly federal judges across the country. The average age of these jurists is now over 70, with many in their 80s and 90s. The 94 U.S. district courts and 13 courts of appeals decide more than 98 percent of all cases with federal jurisdiction, so the continued mental acuity of these jurists should be a concern for all of us who use interstate commerce or expect due process.

If theres a silver lining, no pun intended, its that some of these jurisdictions have implemented programs to promote sharpness in judges as they age. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, for instance, offers a battery of mental health assessments, hosts discussions with neurological experts and has created a hotline where staff may report signs of cognitive decline in their colleagues. Such measures are necessary because its hard for friends and family members, let alone the individual in question, to know if a tendency to, say, forget ones keys is innocuous, or portentous.

Unfortunately, the 9th Circuit program and a handful of others across the country exist in isolation, as there is no judiciary-wide strategy to cope with cognitive decline. That should change. Chief Justice Roberts should use his authority as head of the federal judiciary to require his high court colleagues and others to undergo regular mental health checkups.

Further, he could recommend a judicial retirement age of 70 or 75, as is done in the rest of the Western world. He and future nominees to the bench could even pledge to serve for no more than 18 years, as has been suggested by constitutional scholars and interest groups on the left and right as a reasonable limit on judicial tenure.

Our court system and the law benefit from the wisdom of judges with many years of experience. But the federal judiciary, especially given congressional dysfunction, is simply too important to leave in the hands of old fogeys.
The 50th anniversary of the Lincoln Electric System was celebrated Feb. 1 in dignified fashion, befitting the publicly owned utilitys maturity and status.

Its worthwhile to look back for a reminder that things were not always this serene.

As the Journal Star reported in a front-page story, LES was born of citizen outrage after power outages lasted for days after an October storm.

In fact back in the 1960s, massive power failures were nearly annual events, sometimes due to the weather, but also because of more manageable causes, like human operational error or the systems inability to keep up with the demand for electricity.

It was a chaotic time, the Nebraska Power Review Board says on its website, when terms such as battling utilities and warring power districts were common in news stories and the comments of political leaders and editorial writers. Local and statewide political fights among utilities occurred virtually every legislative session. Lawsuits among utilities appeared at times to be the normal way of doing business.

In Lincoln the City Light &Water Department served about a quarter of the Capital City.

Consumer Public Power, now known as the Nebraska Public Power District, had the rest, and it was loath to give up its share.

It took state legislation to enable Lincoln residents to grab control of their own destiny. In 1970 voters approved creation of an administrative board of nine members nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the council.

The legendary Walt Canney, first administrator of LES, described the mess the new board confronted. Some of the transmission lines were 50 years old. Some streets had power lines on both sides. There no comprehensive maps of the citys infrastructure. Equipment was stored at 25 sites all over the city. People were installing air conditioners, and sometimes the system just couldnt cope with the load.

Contrast that with today, when LES boasts that its service reliability is among the highest in the industry at 99.99 percent. Its rates were ninth lowest in the annual survey of 106 cities. LES residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours pay $73.15, 38 percent less than the survey average of $117.23.

Amazingly, LES can meet half its retail load with renewable energy.

The lesson of history, however, is that none of this should be taken for granted. Chaos and darkness lurk. Thats something to think about the next time you flip a switch.
Ms. Pansing Brooks, I read with interest, visited the Youth Detention center here in Lincoln, as reported in the Journal Star ("Senators, county commissioners tour juvenile detention center," Feb. 2). Two things that are very interesting; the center is not operating at capacity and the director stated the young people there are often detained longer than necessary due to a lack of mental health treatment. I have written Sen. Brooks before regarding the lack of services available in our community for mentally ill adolescents and this article illustrates the problem.

I work with at-risk youth who are in need of services unavailable to them and their families and, as a result, they end up in a detention facility that is not designed to treat the mentally ill. In addition, the youth that are involved in the probation system, whether that is due to delinquency or truancy, are not held accountable for their continued offenses due to lack of resources.

I am the coordinator of the School and Community Intervention Program, designed to assist youth and their families faced with substance abuse and mental health issues. A large proportion of the youth identified this school year are already in the system, meaning they are on probation, house arrest or involved with truancy court. I have sat in meetings with probation officers, family preservation and case managers in which the youth openly states they are in violation of the conditions of their probation and there is no consequence.

I truly believe that part of our problem is the separation of systems. You cannot separate substance abuse, mental health and juvenile delinquency. Incorporating these systems as one is essential to our success in helping families and youth in need.

Barbara Pester, Lincoln
Rep. Brad Ashford on Monday told his former colleagues in the Nebraska Legislature that the state has embraced "the most wonderful way to govern" with its nonpartisan legislative body.

"We can have firmly held views," Ashford said. "But we get things done."

"It does make a difference, this place," the first-term Democratic congressman said. "That's also who we are. We are different. We should be proud."

Ashford, who won metropolitan Omaha's 2nd District House seat in 2014, served in the Legislature from 1987 to 1995 and again from 2007 to 2015. He has been a registered Republican, Democrat and independent.

As a member of the House, Ashford has entered a fiercely partisan environment, although he said he has reached out to and connected with Republican members and he gave credit to House leadership for its work in hammering out a bipartisan budget agreement.

Ashford met informally with a couple dozen senators who responded to an invitation to join him for a briefing and questions over coffee and doughnuts.

ISIS, trade, foreign policy, national security and highway funding were all on the table.

Ashford said he is convinced the pending Asia-Pacific trade agreement, which he supports, is essential for the future of the United States "even though my labor friends are not too happy with me."

Although there is no guarantee that necessary federal funding will be provided to build a new runway at Offutt Air Force Base, thus securing continued location of the 55th Wing, the congressman said the outlook probably is as good as it can practically be.

"I think nothing is secure in the Air Force right now" because of budget pressures and planned military force reduction, Ashford said. "Nothing is secure until we start building."

"No base in the country is secure," he said, "but we are as secure as we can be."

Estimated cost of a new runway is $84 million to $117 million.

At stake are 5,500 military and civilian jobs associated with the 55th Wing, which carries out a global reconnaissance and intelligence mission.
Chelsea Clinton will be featured at organizing and fundraising events in Omaha on Feb. 17 to boost her mother's presidential campaign.

Her scheduled appearances provide the latest evidence that Hillary Clinton plans to compete vigorously in Nebraska's Democratic presidential caucuses on March 5.

She previously signaled her intentions at a public rally in Omaha in December, when campaign staff members gathered names of supporters and potential campaign volunteers.

Chelsea Clinton will attend an organizing event where she will "talk with Nebraskans about what is at stake for women and families in this election and how her mother will make a difference for Nebraskans as president," the Clinton campaign stated in an announcement.

The event will be free and open to the public with details yet to be announced.

Chelsea Clinton will be featured at a private fundraiser at The Slowdown in Omaha on the same day.

Tickets are priced at $150 to $2,700. The latter price will include an invitation to a future event with either Hillary Clinton or former President Bill Clinton.

Hillary Clinton lost Nebraska's Democratic caucuses eight years ago when Barack Obama, then an Illinois senator, competed vigorously for the caucus votes.
Sen. Deb Fischer on Monday endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio's bid for the Republican presidential nomination and said she will campaign for him in coming weeks.

Fischer's endorsement came on the eve of New Hampshire's presidential primary election and on the heels of a GOP presidential debate during which Rubio was targeted by several of his opponents and emerged with critical media reviews.

Fischer said her support for Rubio, a first-term Florida senator, centered on his strength in national security and defense issues along with the positive nature of his campaign.

"Running a positive campaign is very important to me," Nebraska's first-term senator said.

"Nebraskans understand the threats we are facing in the world," Fischer said during a telephone interview prior to her endorsement announcement on Fox News.

"No one has a deeper knowledge of the global challenges than Marco," she said.

Fischer, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said "we're going to be electing a commander-in-chief and our focus needs to be on national security."

Rubio is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

"I've always been impressed with Marco," Fischer said. "I watch how he connects with people. He inspires people.

"I am very excited about him and would hope to give him a bump in New Hampshire."

Rubio campaigned for Fischer in her 2012 Senate bid. He was featured speaker at the Nebraska Republican Party's most recent Founders Day celebration.
Dear Dr. K: I have been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ. My doctor wants me to have surgery. But recently I read about a study that said not all women with this type of breast cancer even need to be treated. Can you help clear this up?

Dear Reader: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a type of breast cancer. In DCIS, the cancerous cells are contained within the breast's ducts (which carry milk to the nipple) but have not invaded surrounding tissue.

The standard treatment for DCIS is surgery. This might mean a mastectomy, which removes the entire breast and usually some nearby lymph nodes. Or it might be a lumpectomy, which removes only the cancerous tumor and a small amount of healthy tissue around it. Surgery may be followed with radiation therapy, designed to kill any possible remaining cancer cells in that breast.

But a recent study suggests standard treatment may be too aggressive. The researchers studied more than 108,000 women with DCIS. The main finding of the study was that the chance of premature death in women of all ages who had DCIS was no greater than in women without DCIS. However, the chance of death from breast cancer was higher in women younger than age 35, and in African-American women, who had DCIS.

Some media coverage of this study left the impression that DCIS doesn't need to be treated. In fact, all patients in the study received some form of treatment. What the study does say is that none of the treatments differed very much from one another with respect to ultimate survival.

Here is the dilemma: DCIS constitutes about 20 to 25 percent of all breast cancers that are found by screening tests (usually mammograms). Under the microscope, the cancerous cells of DCIS have a similar appearance to the cells of breast cancers that are invading the breast. Even though DCIS is not invading the breast, it looks like it might do so in the future.

About 50,000 to 60,000 DCIS lesions are removed each year in the United States. Yet the number of cases of invasive breast cancer has not gone down. That seems to mean that in most women who have the DCIS surgically removed, it never would have invaded the breast or spread. But in a few, it would have.

The problem is, we haven't yet figured out a way to identify the relatively few DCIS tumors that will invade and spread from the larger number that won't.

You and your doctor are going to have to consider your individual risk factors. If your doctor thinks that not having surgery, just closely monitoring the DCIS, is an option, you would need to decide if you are comfortable with that plan.

Some men face a similar dilemma. Some prostate cancers never spread. There are pretty good, but not perfect, ways of identifying those "indolent" cancers. Often, men and their doctors choose not to remove these cancers, but just to monitor them.

Fortunately, the majority of women with DCIS have an excellent prognosis. Their cancer does not spread.
This past weekend was a bittersweet time for Kevin and Laura Clark.

A year ago, Kevin was racing from Barnes, Kansas, to Bryan East Campus with pregnant wife Laura in tow. When the couple left their home two hours south of Beatrice, they had no idea that their lives were about to take a dramatic twist.

They made it as far as U.S. 77 near Saltillo Road when Kevin had to pull over with Laura in the middle of giving birth.

By the time he was able to pull over and hop in the back seat to help Laura, the first baby was "already out," Kevin said Sunday, not remembering if Savannah or Kaleb was born first.

Emergency responders arrived, but the second baby already was out.

Despite not being prepared -- the babies were born three months premature -- the Clarks were ecstatic. But their elation quickly turned to sadness.

Two days after being born on Feb. 5, Savannah died. Kevin said blood vessels in her head and lungs had burst and doctors were unable to stop the bleeding.

A year later, Kaleb, who weighed about 2 pounds when he was born, now weighs more than 16 pounds, is 27 3/4 inches long and "crawling all over the place," his father said.

(Kalebs birthday) was kinda bittersweet, Kevin said. We celebrated his birthday and hes doing fantastic, right up where he should be. But its bittersweet because we wish Savannah was here, too.

To celebrate Kalebs first birthday, he got his first taste of chocolate cake and some vanilla ice cream, and opened some presents. Before his party, the family went outside to release a yellow balloon in Savannahs memory.

Savannahs balloon isnt the only one the Clarks release each year.

In 2010, their first son, Kaden, died after contracting a virus as his fifth birthday approached. Doctors never were able to determine what exactly killed Kaden.

Each year on Kaden's birthday, the Clarks release a red balloon in his honor. Kadens passing, Kevin said, prepared them for Savannahs death, in a way.

Having lost Kaden a couple of years ago, we have kind of been through it once before, Kevin said. I wont say it gets easier, but you learn how to manage it and youve got to be there for each other and help each other along through that. Youve got to keep your focus toward God.

On Friday, the Clarks received a number of Facebook messages and texts wishing Kaleb a happy birthday. Looking back a year later, Kevin said hes had time to reflect on the experience and see their growth as a family.

Today, its like if youd asked me a year ago, I wouldnt have thought I could ever have (help my wife give birth like that), Kevin said. Today its like, Wow, we went through that and here we are. Its not something I would ever wish on someone else to do. Were just thankful that we have Kaleb here with us.
RACINE  The nationwide Planet Fitness chain intends to enter the Racine market for the first time with a large, 24-hour fitness and health center inside Regency Mall.

Pending city approvals, the Newington, N.H.-based company will build an 18,000-square-foot fitness center between H.H. Gregg Appliances and Burlington Coat Factory in the south-central part of the mall.

Nine stores inside the malls southwest entrance will be replaced or affected, explained Project Director Tim Connolly of Cleveland-based K2M Design, which will provide Planet Fitness the white box, or blank shell, for the business. The five stores along the east side of that corridor will be replaced and four more stores along the main corridor will be shortened from the rear.

City Associate Planner Jill Johanneck said Planet Fitness members will enter from within the malls southwest corridor. The business also will have an exit door through the malls south exterior wall, facing Durand Avenue.

Connolly said an extendable gate will be stretched into place at closing time to separate the 24-7 Planet Fitness members from the rest of the mall.

He said K2M is also doing a similar project for Planet Fitness at East Towne Mall in Madison.

The plan is for K2M to turn over the blank shell at Regency to Planet Fitness in early May, Connolly said. No Planet Fitness spokesperson could immediately be reached for comment.

Planet Fitness has a basic membership for $10 per month.

In addition to exercise facilities, the fitness center also will include ancillary services such as tanning, therapeutic massage and retail sales of fitness-related products, the application states.

The business is expected to have seven full-time and 10 part-time employees.

According to its website, Planet Fitness was founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H. The publicly traded company now has more than 1,000 locations in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Dominican Republic. More than 90 percent of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent franchisees.

The Racine Plan Commission will consider a request Wednesday for a major conditional-use permit to allow facade and landscaping changes for the Planet Fitness project. Mall owner CBL & Associates has signed off on the application. The Plan Commission meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. in Room 205 of City Hall, 730 Washington Ave.
WATERFORD  For the second time in almost 100 years, Waterford residents can help create a riverside park almost from scratch  a rare opportunity in an era of suburban sprawl.

In 1919, a group of 10 village business owners  the Ten Club  donated land along the Fox River to create a village park. A store had stood on the land, but burned down in 1898.

The park became known as Ten Club Park, and the groups philanthropy set an exemplary tone for community involvement.

The Ten Club began a tradition of community involvement that continues to this day, Waterford Village President Tom Roanhouse said in his State of the Village address. Those 10 men probably never realized that their act of commitment to community set the standard for local philanthropy that is unmatched.

Village officials are seeking the same kind of community engagement as they work to redesign Ten Club Park. The state Department of Transportation is renovating the intersection of First and Main streets, which incorporates the route of state highways 83 and 20 in the villages downtown. As part of that project, the village plans to revitalize the area.

This is an opportunity for residents to become engaged and create a park that hopefully will last a long, long time, said Village Administrator Rebecca Ewald.

For the past several years, the village has developed concepts for what downtown could look like after the DOT completes its work in 2018. Officials are moving to preliminary plans and will ask for public input in the next several months, Ewald said.

Not a lot of people utilize the area right now, Ewald said. We want to change that. We would like to know what the residents would like to see there.

Preliminary plans for the park show a new gazebo  to replace the one built in 1920 and razed several years ago  public parking south of the park, ornamental fencing, a historic outlook and a public plaza and cafe.

One thing certain about the project is that Ten Club Park will get bigger. The land on which the now-demolished Riverhouse Pub & Grill stood will be incorporated into the new park.

No plans are etched in stone and no money has been spent yet, Ewald said.

Village officials this month reviewed a timeline to inform the public about the plans and collect public input. A public meeting on the plan has been tentatively set for April 13, the timeline states.

The Village Board would make final recommendations on the concept plan in August, the timeline states.

This is a great opportunity, Ewald said. Residents have a chance to help make our history for decades to come.
After a rocky 2015, Gov. Scott Walker has begun trying to rehabilitate his political standing in Wisconsin.

Walker spent much of last year running for president, only to see his campaign disintegrate while racking up more than $1 million in debt.

The Legislature controlled the states political agenda, while Walker took lumps for cutting higher education funding, trying to gut the state Public Records Law and overseeing a job-creation agency mired in controversy.

A year after winning his third election in four years, his job approval level had dropped more than 10 points to an all-time low of 37 percent.

But since exiting the presidential race in late September, Walker has redirected his attention to state governance while floating the possibility hell run for a third term in 2018.

In October he kicked off a Working for Wisconsin tour of factories, schools, and health care clinics to tout his policies. In December, he quietly launched a series of invitation-only meetings dubbed the 2020 Vision Project to solicit feedback on future initiatives from citizens in all corners of the state. And in a State of the State address devoid of major initiatives, he offered proposals to assist student loan borrowers and pledged any savings from potential changes to state employee health insurance would fund public K-12 education  two policy areas more typically linked to Democrats.

Reaching out to a broad swath of the public is what former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, who was elected a record four times to the post, said Walker needs to do to boost his appeal, but even that might not be enough to win a third term.

I would advise him not to even consider it, Thompson said in an interview. You cant win when youre at 38 percent approval rating. The state is divided. The hurdles are too high for him.

Walker shrugs off any pessimism about his prospects based on his low approval rating, noting hes been there before after tens of thousands of protesters bellowed against his changes to public sector collective bargaining only to come up short in the 2012 recall election.

In 2011 my poll numbers were so low that Time Magazine called me Dead Man Walker, Walker said last week, a reference he made during the presidential campaign when his poll numbers tanked. For us its just steady. We dont get too high when things are good, we dont get too low when times are challenging. We just persevere going forward.

Taking notes

After five busy years in office, Walker has entered the first stretch when hes not in the thick of a state budget, state or national election, or both. That has afforded him the opportunity to spend more time connecting with local officials and residents across the state.

At a recent invitation-only meeting in Kewaunee, Walker led the discussion in jeans and a plaid button-down shirt jotting down answers on a whiteboard, according to participants. The questions, they said, included: Whats good about Wisconsin and your community? What do you want your community to look like seven to 10 years from now? And what can be done to ensure that vision?

That Walker took notes and spent time after the discussion talking to each of the 34 participants impressed John Pagel, a Kewaunee County Board member and Walker supporter. Pagel also said he was surprised that Walkers job approval rating has dropped in the Fox Valley more than other areas of the state given the low unemployment in the area.

It was just a regular old Joe coming to the meeting, Pagel said. Hes just trying to show that he really cares. I think it will improve what his ratings are. Its easier to solve problems if youre doing it together rather than everybody pulling in the opposite direction.

Cathy Pabich, a retired librarian and environmental advocate from Algoma who signed the 2012 Walker recall petition, said she was disappointed the format didnt allow for more dialogue about problems facing the state. She said water quality issues have been a major concern in her area, but after hearing about those issues at the meeting, Walker didnt mention them in his State of the State address.

The governor didnt address what was being shared, Pabich said. He recorded it. He listened. But I cant say he gave us a response to any of the issues that were raised.

Pabich, who was referred to the governors office for an invitation by Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, said the audience was made up of mostly Walker supporters. Pagel said he didnt have a read on the political composition, but noted there were several local elected officials, business owners, school superintendents and four high school students.

Walker plans to lead a couple of similar meetings each week over the course of the year, spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said. The events are not open to the general public or the media, though Walker has touted their diversity, noting they include principals, farmers, small-business owners, local government officials, retirees, veterans, teachers, construction workers, union members, parents, high school students, nurses, charitable organization leaders, superintendents, insurance agents, ministers, college students, machinists, law enforcement and a librarian.

These meetings provide an opportunity for Governor Walker to listen to a diverse group of people in a setting that allows for a candid discussion about issues important to them and their communities, Patrick said. Our ultimate goal is for people to feel comfortable and not intimidated, so they provide honest and unvarnished feedback.

Kory Kozloski, executive director of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said Walkers invite-only events arent helping move the state forward.

With his approval record at all-time lows, Walker is doing everything he can to distract voters from the GOPs misplaced priorities, Kozloski said.

Approval drop widespread

Walkers efforts to connect with citizens have yet to show up in his job approval numbers, which were at 48.6 percent in a composite of the four Marquette Law School polls taken before the 2014 election. In a composite of the last four polls since August his job approval level is 38.2 percent. Last months poll found 61 percent of respondents do not want Walker to run for a third term.

Republican strategist Mark Graul didnt put much stock in Walkers current polling slump.

I dont think theres any question that his presidential run caused him some turbulence here in Wisconsin, Graul said. Part of the thing about Gov. Walker is he did so much, so fast, people are like, OK, whats next, guy?  When you get into the meat and potatoes of governing it doesnt get as exciting as some of the generational reforms he was able to enact.

Walkers job approval rating has dropped significantly among both Republicans and independents, though not among those who describe themselves as very conservative.

The decline in his approval is widespread, poll director Charles Franklin said. It crosses most political and demographic boundaries, though its larger in some groups than in others.

Among Republicans Walkers approval level dipped from 92.5 percent in fall 2014 to 84.2 percent more recently.

Walkers support has plummeted the most among self-described independents and independents who lean Republican. Among the latter group his approval level fell 22.3 points to 60.9 percent, though Franklin noted those voters are more likely than self-described independents  whose approval of Walker dropped 19 points to 23.2 percent  to vote for Walker if he runs again.

Walker also has seen his support evaporate in the northern part of the state, where his approval level is down 21.2 points, and the Fox Valley region, where it is down 16.5 points. In the conservative stronghold of Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties, Walkers approval level is down 10 points to 54.9 percent.

The one place his approval level increased over the past year, by 5 points to 28.5 percent, was in Milwaukee County, though Franklin noted the increase was not statistically significant because of a smaller sample size. In September Walker signed a bill committing $80 million from the state over 20 years to a new Milwaukee Bucks arena, a move that was panned by some conservative groups.

Josh Robinson, a national Republican strategist who was the political director of the Republican Governors Association in 2011 and 2012 and involved in developing the get-out-the-vote messaging strategy for Walkers recall victory, said the key for Walker is to do what he does best: communicating directly with the voters.

As the presidential election clears out, voters in Wisconsin will be able to focus more on the governor, Robinson said. In the polling we did, leadership, making the tough decisions was something that independents were driven toward. They could possibly disagree with him on other issues, but him being a leader, making the tough decisions Wisconsin needed was what resonated with independents.
If youre mad at the news the Glendale-based Johnson Controls is, through its merger with Tyco International moving its corporate headquarters to Ireland to avoid paying the higher American corporate tax rate, wed advise you to send your anger in the right direction: Toward Congress.

The merger will save Johnson Controls an estimated $150 million on U.S. taxes, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Jan. 30. Its an action known as a tax inversion. The United States has the highest corporate tax rates in the world  a statutory rate of 39.1 percent and a marginal effective rate of 35.3 percent  making inversion all too popular with American companies. In 2014, for example, Chicago-area companies AbbVie, Horizon Pharma, Medtronic, Chiquita Brands and Mylan moved their corporate headquarters across the Atlantic to take advantage of lower corporate tax rates.

The failure to modernize the federal tax code has pushed American businesses to move overseas, wrote Brett Healy of the free-market Wisconsin-based think tank MacIver Institute. Our politicians have failed us, not Johnson Controls.

Were inclined to agree.

Theres blame to go around for the corporate tax rate staying as high as it is. During the October 2013 budget standoff between President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans, with the threat of a government shutdown looming in the air, Wisconsin 1st District Congressman Paul Ryans effort at making tax reform part of the budget deal was thrown overboard as tea party Republicans, led by U.S Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, demanded the defunding of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, as part of any budget deal. The president called Cruzs bluff, and a budget deal was reached without any defunding of Obamacare  but also without any serious effort to take up Ryans tax reform proposals.

In the spring and summer of 2014, with American companies fleeing, congressional Democrats introduced legislation to prevent companies from engaging in inversion, and to punish those that did. That legislation went nowhere, but more importantly thats treating the symptom instead of the disease.

Then, after the Republican victories in the November 2014 midterm elections, Ryan ascended to chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. In an interview with The Journal Times that month, Ryan said he expected tax reform to be a big issue in 2015.

We dont recall a lot of action on tax reform taking place last year. Perhaps prospects will improve now that Ryan is speaker of the House.

We understand that Republicans are almost always in favor of lower taxes, and the Democrats dont want to see the loss in tax revenue that would come from reducing the corporate tax rate. But theres no tax revenue to be collected at all when a company relocates its corporate offices in another country.

Businesses look for means to avoidance, ways to pay less in taxes. At the moment, corporate inversion is the path that has been drawn up. Members of both political parties, whether in Congress or the White House, should have an interest in creating an American business climate in which companies want to be here and not someplace else.
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[JURIST] The Algerian Parliament on Sunday approved a package of constitutional reforms by a vote of 499-2, with 16 abstentions. The reforms include a two-term limit for the office of the president [Al Jazeera report] and recognition of the Amazigh language as an official language in Algeria. Amazigh is spoken by the nations indigenous Berber population. While Amazigh was recognized as a national language in 2002, the constitutional reforms mean the language will be accepted on official government documentation [BBC report]. The two-term limit was lifted in 2008 to allow current president Abdelaziz Bouteflika [BBC profile] to run for a third term. Bouteflika was elected to another five-year term in 2014, but concerns about his health following a stroke in 2013 have led many to question if he will remain in office until the end of this term in 2019. The Algerian press service announced [press release, in French] the new constitution is a consecration of the rule of law and true democracy. Supporters of the constitutional reforms in Algeria argue the new laws will support real democracy, while critics suggest there will be little practical change.

The modification of presidential term limits by constitutional reform has long been an issue in many African nations. Last month UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged [JURIST report] African leaders to avoid using loopholes and undemocratic constitutional changes to cling to power. In his address at the twenty-sixth African Union [official website] Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ban stated, [l]eaders should never use undemocratic constitutional changes and legal loopholes to cling to power. We have all seen the tragic consequences when they do. Leaders must protect their people, not themselves. He also lauded those African leaders who have stepped down from their positions and respected constitutional term limits. In January protests and demonstrations took place across the Democratic Republic of Congo [JURIST report] to oppose the proposed changes in national law that would allow President Joseph Kabila to extend his presidential term past the allotted two-year limit.
Amnesty International [advocacy website] (AI) warned [press release] Monday that the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) [official website] is insufficiently equipped to handle dangers of instability and deadly violence to civilians in Central African Republic (CAR). AIs investigative report [text] describes how major gaps in personnel and equipment led to the UN peacekeepers failure to prevent and contain a serious outbreak of violence in Bangui last September that resulted 75 deaths, many of which included civilians, at least a dozen rapes, and the displacement of 42,000 people. AI also found that MINUSCA was unable to respond to some requests from medical personnel to help transfer individuals severely wounded in September. AI is calling for a major review of MINUSCAs capacity to carry out its mandate, covering factors such as training, equipment, coordination and personnel strength. In January the French Minister of Defense announced the withdrawal by the end of the year of a majority of the countrys 900 troops present in CAR, adding urgency to such a review. Ensuring the peacekeeping force is well-equipped to prevent and contain large scale violence, as well as support the government in ensuring justice, must be an absolute priority to help end the cycle of conflict and injustice that has blighted CAR for so much of its history, said Steve Cockburn, AIs Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa. The UN Security Council [official website] will be discussing the renewal of MINUSCAs mandate in April.

Violence has persisted in the CAR since the predominately Muslim-based Seleka rebels ousted former president Francois Bozize [BBC profile] in March 2013. More than 400,000 people remain displaced due to the violent overthrow, with over a half million more people seeking refuge in other countries. In November UNICEF [child advocacy website] called for [press release] aid to approximately 1.2 million children distressed by conflict [JURIST report] in the CAR. Last January members of a UN investigatory commission reported that crimes against humanity have been widely committed by all parties to the conflict in the CAR, prompting the commission to call for the establishment of an international court [JURIST report] to objectively investigate and prosecute crimes. Earlier that month the UN published a report stating that violent acts committed in the CAR constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity [JURIST report], but not genocide. Despite this finding, members of the international community maintain that there is much work to be done [JURIST op-ed] in the nation. In 2014 the International Criminal Court [official website] opened a second investigation [JURIST report] into CAR war crimes.
The international Venice Commission, a branch of the Council of Europe [official websites], began an investigation [press release] Monday into Polands recent changes to its Constitutional Court [official website, in Polish]. The review was requested by Polish officials after the change in law in December resulted in street protests and international criticism [NYT report]. Although the Council of Europe, and the Venice Commission under it, are not part of the EU and will not make a legally binding decision, the outcome will be announced in March and is expected to influence EU investigations into the recent actions taken by the government under the Law and Justice Party (PiS) [official website, in Polish].

The EU is examining the decision regarding the Constitutional Court as well as new media laws passed in January [JURIST reports]. Earlier this month the Polish government passed a controversial surveillance law [JURIST report] that grants the government [press release, Polish] greater access to digital data and broader use of surveillance for law enforcement. The PiS, a conservative party elected in October, holds an overwhelming majority [BBC report] of positions in the Polish government including the lead in both parliamentary houses and the presidency. In December the leader of the European Parliament [official website] compared PiS rise to power in Poland to a coup [BBC report], leading to Parliament calling for an apology. PiS has rejected [DW report] criticisms that its policies are undermining democracy in Poland. However, there is a larger concern in the EU that new Polish law will erode checks and balances on government powers.
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Anti-Islam movement PEGIDA stages protests across Europe

Germany's anti-Islam PEGIDA movement staged rallies in several cities across Europe on Saturday to protest against the arrival of hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.
NC cadres clash in Rautahat

A clash ensued between two factions of Nepali Congress (NC) following a dispute as part of local level convention in Chandranigahapur-3 Rautahat on Sunday.
A time for caution

Nepal should not make hasty decisions when it comes to revaluating the 1950 treaty
Energy, Forest ministries argue about eco issues

The government is close to announcing an Energy Emergency to remove procedural hurdles in the way of the development of hydropower and transmission lines
Fake degrees: Rajbiraj doctor rounded up

A day after police made public 12 doctors who were held on the charge of falsified academic credentials, another doctor working at a government hospital in Rajbiraj was arrested on Sunday.
Haiti president steps down without successor in place

Haiti's President Michel Martelly has stepped down at the end of his term amid tension over how he is to be replaced.
Hotel business booms in villages around Pokhara

Entrepreneurs have been increasingly attracted to establishing hotels in locations surrounding Pokhara due to a sharp rise in the number of visitors.
Import through Birgunj picks up

Trade is picking up across the Raxaul-Birgunj border which opened on Friday after being obstructed for nearly four months.
India ready to assist Nepals priority projects: Indian Minister Jaitley

Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, who is in Indian Capital New Delhi to lay groundwork for upcoming visit of Prime Minister KP Oli, held a luncheon meeting with his Indian counterpart Arun Jaitley at Hotel Taj on Monday.
Indonesian bootleg alcohol kills 24 in central Java

At least 24 people have died in recent days in central Java, Indonesia, from drinking illegally-produced alcohol.
Madhesi Morcha puts off protest programmes

The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) has decided to call off their programmes of strike, border blockade and protest.
Nepal to host regional conference to protect migrants rights

The government is planning to organise a South Asian ministerial-level conference in Kathmandu to explore possible areas of cooperation to ensure protection and promotion of the rights of migrant labourers of the region.
New refugee camps go up inside Syria as Turkey stems flow

Turkish aid workers have been setting up tents and distributing supplies for thousands of new Syrian refugees kept from entering Turkey at the border.
Whoever wins the US election in November and takes office in January will be the oldest president ever inaugurated. Trump was the oldest president to win a first term in 2016, and if he wins a second term he'll by 74 at his 2021 inauguration. If Biden wins, he'll be 78. That's pretty old! But septuagenarian presidents are a common occurrence in Africa. When Robert Mugabe was forced from office at age 93 he was the oldest head of state in the world. I posted the ages of all the presidents in ECOWAS countries two years ago. Five out of 15 were 70 years or older. Todd Moss and Stephanie Majerowicz of the Center for Global Development speculated that large gaps could lead to public anger, protests, and government turnover. We can test that hypothesis over the past two years. Below is the list from 2018; if the president hasn't changed I just posted the new age, and if he was recently re-elected. If the president did change, I post the new president with his new age, an
Taiwan earthquake: Woman and man rescued from collapsed building

Two people have been pulled alive from the ruins of an apartment building two days after it collapsed in a powerful earthquake in Tainan City in Taiwan.
Zero rhino poaching year marked

The Chitwan National Park (CNP) has marked its third zero poaching year for endangered rhinos.
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A blog on Singapore defence and the SAF that goes Above & Beyond The Obvious -The views expressed on this blog are my personal views and/or opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD). Copyright  2009-2020. David Boey. All rights reserved. Follow us on Twitter @SenangDiri
South Korea's foreign minister plans to visit the headquarters of the United Nations and Germany this week to drum up international support for punishment over North Korea's nuclear test and missile launch, his ministry said Monday.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se plans to visit the U.N. headquarters in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he will ask the U.N. Security Council to slap stronger and more effective sanctions on North Korea, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The U.N. Security Council is working on a fresh resolution for sanctions against North Korea following its nuclear test on Jan. 6.

It strongly condemned North Korea's long-range rocket launch Sunday, vowing to "expeditiously adopt a new resolution" with significant measures.

Yun will also meet with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to appeal for cooperation for the U.N. Security Council resolution to come out as early as possible, it added.

Progress over an adoption of the resolution has been slow mainly because China and Russia, two veto-wielding permanent members to the Security Council have been lukewarm about more stringent sanctions against the North.

After wrapping up a two-day visit to New York, South Korea's top diplomat will fly to Germany to attend a global forum on security in Munich, the ministry said.

At the Munich Security Conference to be held from Thursday until Saturday, Yun plans to seek cooperation over tougher sanctions against North Korea.

Yun will have talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, European foreign ministers to the U.N. Security Council and other top diplomats, it added. (Yonhap)
The Kansas Infidel blog and The Religion of Peace Update are protected free speech pursuant to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. In God we trust. May God turn His shining face on this great nation as he did during the Revolutionary War. Copyright  2011-2019 The Kansas Infidel blog and The Religion of Peace Update. All Rights Reserved.



A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country ~ Texas Guinan
The Democratic presidential campaign is most obviously a fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. It is also a contest over what kind of party Democrats want to have and what level of purity will be required to be part of it.

The partys leftward swing this year, made obvious by the surge of support for democratic socialist Sanders and his call for political revolution, marks a direct reversal of the partys shift to the center in the 1990s. That lurch, engineered by Clintons husband Bill and his allies, moderated the party after its loss of five of six presidential campaigns from 1968 through 1988 and ushered in a period of top-of-the-ticket Democratic dominance and, for a time, control of Congress.

Clintons response to Sanders strength has been to put forward her own brand of pragmatic liberalism and to insist that her plans are more achievable given Republican strength on Capitol Hill and a deeply divided country. That is a less-than-satisfying response for many Democrats who want to seize on this campaign to pick a nominee who reflects the partys more-liberal present and not its moderate past.

Both Sanders and Clinton are riding the impact of increased partisanship and polarization in the country, the same factors that have forced Republicans through internal bloodbaths.

A Gallup survey released earlier this year showed the growth of more ideological wings in both parties. Among Democrats, 45 percent identified themselves as liberal, up 6 points since 2011 and 16 points since 2000. The change has been driven in large part by a growing minority vote and the increasing youth of the party.

Republicans growing pains were the mirror image, with self-identified conservatives growing to 68 percent of the party, up 6 points since 2000.

The fight over what defines a Democrat will spark repercussions throughout the presidential race and into the general election, for the different answers suggest vastly different paths to the presidency.

Sanders view is that by drawing enthusiastic support he can expand turnout nationally and in the states to create a mandate for his ideas.

Democrats win when there is a large voter turnout, when people are excited, when working people, middle-class people and young people are prepared to engage in the political process, the Vermont senator said Thursday.

Clinton portrayed herself as the natural successor to President Barack Obama and someone whose views would find support among both Democrats, independents and moderates who might be put off by Sanders inciting call.

I believe  that I am the strongest candidate, she said. But what Im concerned about is the views of many Democrats who know their states, who know how hard it is to win a general election.

The fight between Clinton and Sanders has become tart and antagonistic in recent days as the two have battled over whether Clinton is a progressive, the self-definition of many of the partys liberal voters.

In the debate, Clinton objected that Sanders was setting himself up as the self-proclaimed gatekeeper of the progressive wing.

I am a progressive who gets things done, Clinton said. Ive heard Senator Sanders comments, and its really caused me to wonder whos left in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Under his definition, President Obama is not progressive because he took donations from Wall Street; Vice President Biden is not progressive because he supported Keystone; Sen. (Jeanne) Shaheen (of New Hampshire) is not progressive because she supports the trade pact. Even the late, great Senator Paul Wellstone (of Minnesota) would not fit this definition.

Asked if he had established a definition of progressivism that was too narrow, Sanders said that a threshold issue was campaign finance and that candidates like Clinton, who has raised vast sums from Wall Street, didnt pass muster. He also illustrated a contradiction when he said that Obama, who also has raised millions from Wall Street, was acceptably progressive.

Much of the dispute has taken on a personal cast. Clinton has clearly been irritated that her status in the up-and-coming segment of the Democratic Party was being questioned after she suffered decades of criticism from Republicans and their conservative allies who have accused her of being too liberal. She also noted three times in the two-hour debate that she is the target of new ads paid for by hedge fund financiers  a bit of irony given Sanders criticism of her Wall Street ties.

Every step along the way, I have stood up and fought and have the scars to prove it, she said.

It is her history, however, that gives some Democrats pause. Her husbands push for the North American Free Trade Agreement is still a point of dispute among opponents, particularly in organized labor, which at the time argued that American jobs would be lost. Trade  and Clintons more moderate views on the subject  have been one of the areas cited by Sanders when he critiques her positions.

Sanders reflects the liberal state in which he has spent his political career. Clinton has seen firsthand the national tableau that for years has required a whiff of moderation for a Democratic candidate to succeed.

Bill Clintons 1992 campaign was greatly aided by his support for welfare reform, a centrist position that set him apart from the liberal Democratic nominees who had preceded him. Obama had an easier task given overwhelming turnout for his 2008 election, but his trade and environmental views since have led to charges that he, like Clinton, is no progressive. And across the country, nearly all Democrats who have succeeded in winning races for governor have taken more moderate stands than Sanders.
The River Valley Media Group has named Vernon County Broadcaster managing editor Matt Johnson and Jackson County Chronicle and Tomah Journal executive editor Matthew Perenchio the groups new weekly publishers.

Johnson and Perenchio bring more than 40 years of combined community journalism experience to overseeing RVMGs eight weekly publications, including newspapers in Black River Falls, Viroqua, Westby, Tomah, West Salem, Onalaska and Holmen in Wisconsin, and La Crescent in Minnesota.

The papers are owned by Lee Enterprises and are part of a group that includes the La Crosse Tribune, Winona Daily News and Chippewa Valley Newspapers.

Johnson has been a community journalist in Wisconsin since 1989. He was editor of the Fennimore Times from 1992 to 2002 and has been managing editor of the Vernon County Broadcaster in Viroqua since 2002.

A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate with a double major in journalism and political science, Johnson was the recipient of a Lee Enterprises Presidents Award for excellence in journalism in 2012 and twice has been nominated for the Lee Spirit Award by the RVMG.

Perenchio began his journalism career in 2001, and he worked for newspapers in Rosemount and Farmington in Minnesota, and Hudson, Prescott and West Salem in Wisconsin before joining the Jackson County Chronicle in Black River Falls in 2008.

A UW-River Falls graduate with a major in journalism and a double minor in history and professional writing, Perenchio has overseen three newspapers that six times have been named the Wisconsin Newspaper Associations weekly Newspaper of the Year.
After years of debate and numerous court challenges, 2016 is the year the rubber hits the road for voter ID in Wisconsin.

The voter ID requirement takes effect in a statewide election for the first time this year.

The state elections board has created a Bring It To The Ballot voter ID website as a public resource about the requirement.

Here are some questions and answers on how voter ID affects you:

When do I need to show an ID?

Every time you head to the polls to vote, starting with the Feb. 16 spring primary. Voters must also be registered prior to voting.

Why now?

Voter ID in Wisconsin isnt new; Republican lawmakers and Gov. Scott Walker enacted it into law in 2011.

But the law has been on hold, with a few brief exceptions, since that time while a series of legal challenges to it filtered through the courts. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the law, paving the way for voter ID to be implemented.

What if Im voting absentee?

Youre still required to provide an ID. If youre voting absentee in person at your local municipal clerks office, you can show your ID then. Or if youre requesting an absentee ballot by mail, email or fax, you must provide a copy of your ID with your request.

There are exemptions from this requirement for military, permanent overseas and confidential voters.

Theres also an exemption for voters who are indefinitely confined  meaning they would have difficulty getting from their home to the polling place on Election Day due to age, illness or disability  or living in care facilities such as nursing homes.

What kinds of IDs qualify?

You must bring one of a list of IDs sanctioned under state law. The following are acceptable if theyre current or recently expired  meaning they expired after Nov. 4, 2014:

Photo IDs issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, including driver licenses, state ID cards and learner permits.

Military IDs issued by a U.S. uniformed service.

U.S. passports and passport cards.

An ID issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin (acceptable even if expired before Nov. 4, 2014).

The following IDs also are acceptable.

Certificates of naturalization issued not earlier than two years before the date of the election in which youre voting.

A driving receipt or ID card receipt issued by the Wisconsin DOT no more than 45 days ago.

A citation or notice of intent to revoke or suspend a Wisconsin DOT-issued driver license dated within 60 days of the election.

You also may use some student IDs from colleges, technical colleges or universities, though that makes things more complicated.

What are the strings attached to a student ID?

In addition to the student ID, you also must provide a separate document, such as a tuition statement, that proves your current enrollment at the applicable college or university. Also, the student ID must expire no later than two years after it was issued.

Another wrinkle is that the IDs issued by some public colleges and universities dont comply with the requirement.

What if the address on my ID is out of date?

It does not matter if the address on your ID isnt the same as where youre registered to vote. Youre using your ID to prove your identity, not where you live.

What if I dont have one of these IDs?

You may obtain an ID from the state Division of Motor Vehicles for free. Be sure to check the box that says you need the ID for voting.

When you go to your local DMV, youll need to bring documents that prove your name, date of birth, identity, citizenship or legal status, and Wisconsin residency.

According to the Bring It To The Ballot website, most people will be fine if they bring a certified birth certificate, a Social Security card, and a utility bill or cell phone bill.

You must bring the original documents; copies wont work.

What if I dont have a birth certificate?

You will need to bring the documents you do have to the DMV office, where they will help locate your birth record for free.

As part of the process, you must fill out an application claiming that the documents you need are unavailable.

The information provided on this form is used to communicate with state and federal partners to verify unavailable documentation, according to the state DMV. Once that verification is made, the ID will be processed and mailed to the applicants address.

What if I go to vote but forget my ID?

You have the option to vote without your ID by casting a provisional ballot.

But theres a crucial catch: Your vote wont be counted unless you return to show your ID.

If you can return to your polling place on Election Day with your ID, you can do so any time before 8 p.m.

If you cant return to your polling place the same day, you have until 4 p.m. on the Friday after Election Day to visit your local municipal clerks office to show your ID.

Can I vote now?

Yes. Early and absentee voting for the spring primary are underway. You can request an absentee ballot by mail, email or fax, so long as your request reaches your local municipal clerk no later than 5 p.m. Thursday. Early voting in-person at local municipal clerk offices lasts until Friday. Check with your local clerk for office hours.
It was a presidential meeting  of sorts  between the Pederson family of Lanesboro and former President Bill Clinton at a rally at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, late last month.

Brothers Cade Pederson, 17, and Coy Pederson, 15  both presidents themselves, of their respective classes at Lanesboro Public Schools  were hoping for a chance not only to see the former president but to meet him. Clinton, meanwhile, was campaigning for someone who hoped to join their exclusive club  former first lady Hillary Clinton.

The boys parents, Traci and Cory Pederson, knew taking their boys to see the former president would be worth the experience but did not realize how big the trip would prove to be.

It started when they ended up in the front row for the speech.

I happened to look at my boys faces and their reaction  total awe and amazement  let me know that at that moment I had provided a possible once-in-a-lifetime experience, Traci said.

That was the best part of Cades day, he said, just hearing Clinton speak.

He is an extraordinary speaker, he said, adding: But of course hes had a lot of practice.

Once Clinton finished his speech, he made his way down the front row for pictures and signatures, as he often does, and the family jumped at the chance to take an all-presidential photo of Clinton and the two boys.

What did Clinton have to say to them?

I dont even really recall what he said, because I was in such shock. We quickly snapped a photo, and he was already off to the next person, Cade said.

And we were just standing there like, Wow, that just happened.

The brothers said they have always enjoyed politics and anything related to current events, regardless of the political affiliation of the people and the events they study.

For their mother, that was all the motivation the family needed to make the trip to Waverly.

We thought that exposing our boys to something as important as this could only produce positive effects, Traci said. Since both of our boys have an interest in history, current affairs, why not feed that interest?

In fall 2016 Cade will attend Wartberg to study biology, though he hasnt ruled out looking at politics as a potential career.

Its a little to early to think about that, he pointed out.

Coy, meanwhile, is considering studying political science, in all stripes.

I think the most important thing is to be politically open-minded and open-minded in general, and I think (affiliation) really restricts people, Coy said.

And for Traci, the visit was less about politics and more about a parenting win.

We all know how hard parenting can be, and we constantly are asking ourselves, Are we doing anything right? she said. Well, I can honestly say that on Thursday, January 28, my husband and I did do something right because all the way back home all our boys could say was, Thank you, Mom and Dad. That was awesome.
GRAND PORTAGE, Minn.  Curtis Gagnon still holds the summons from 1984, a small piece of paper ordering him to court for shooting a moose off reservation land  a mistake, he said, that triggered four years of living hell.

Hed shot the animal but it ran. He followed its bloody trail for miles but never found it. That night, Gagnon told the Grand Portage bands game warden where hed shot the moose. He said, Curt, you werent on the reservation. I said, What? No!

Gagnon knew hunting off reservation land, outside the states sanctioned hunting seasons, was illegal. He also knew that when his ancestors sold the federal government 5 million acres of whats now northeast Minnesota, the 1854 treaty included language stipulating that Ojibwe people would have the right to hunt and fish on that land.

He decided to force the question. It has to be taken to court. It has to be made public, he recalled. The word has to get out that were going to stand up for our rights.

Gagnons stand decades ago echoes whats happening today in Minnesota. Four Ojibwe protesters were charged in January for illegally harvesting wild rice and netting fish. On Feb. 1, they pleaded not guilty in Crow Wing County District Court.

Like Gagnon, the protesters wanted to be arrested to force a judge to rule definitively if an 1855 treaty gives Native Americans here the right to hunt and fish outside state law.

Gagnons story, though, also shows that getting a final answer wont be easy.

He sued the state, and was eventually joined by his band, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, as well as the Bois Forte and Fond du Lac bands. They wanted a federal court to affirm the rights spelled out in their 1854 treaty with the U.S. government.

But before the courts ruled on those rights, the bands and the state compromised. Grand Portage and Bois Forte bands each receive around $1.6 million a year. In return, the bands agreed, with a few exceptions, not to fish commercially, and not to spear or use gillnets during the spawning season  practices that have generated controversy at Minnesotas Lake Mille Lacs and in Wisconsin.

Despite the money  band members get about $1,800 a year from the agreement and can still exercise many of their off-reservation treaty rights  the settlement deeply divided the Grand Portage band.

Curtis Gagnon and others opposed it. They argued their treaty rights were not for sale. I thought rights were sacred, he said. But band members eventually approved the settlement overwhelmingly in a referendum.

The deal, though, kept the peace and provided band members many benefits, said Grand Portage Chair Norman Deschampe.

Deschampe, who served on the Grand Portage tribal council at the time of the deal, said the band did not want to see the conflict over fishing that had erupted in Wisconsin.

Our band members have longer seasons, more liberal bag limits, that kind of thing, he said. If we want out of it, the agreement is written such that we have to give a years notice and we can withdraw.

Thats what the Fond du Lac Band did. A year after agreeing to the settlement, the band backed out, and sued the state, with a federal court eventually upholding their treaty rights.

That means the Fond du Lac band doesnt get cash from the state, but members are also not subject to the same restrictions as the other two bands.

So far that hasnt led to too much friction with the state. But last year, for the first time, the Fond du Lac band did authorize limited spearing for its members on some lakes in the 1854 ceded territory.

The band consulted with the state to determine a safe harvest limit, said Ed Boggess, who directs the DNRs fish and wildlife division. But its more than what is allowed to the other two bands that are under an agreement. And so that could create some concerns. So far its been relatively quiet, he said.

Fond du Lac band leaders did not agree to an interview for this story. But in 2014, Council Member Ferdinand Martineau told MPR News he didnt expect any anti-Indian activity.

Weve proven over the years that we can do things the way theyre supposed to be done, that the resource issue is the most important issue, he said. Providing band members with an opportunity for subsistence fishing is important to us.

Martineau said at the time the Fond du Lac band just wanted to finalize its 1854 treaty rights. Twenty years after prevailing in court, the band and the state still havent reached an agreement spelling out exactly how those rights can be exercised. Its getting close to being finalized, said the DNRs Boggess, who declined to offer more specifics.

In the interim, the band has operated under its own fish and wildlife code, with its own biologists, conservation officers and other staff.

The Grand Portage and Bois Forte bands regulate off-reservation fishing, hunting and gathering for their members through a group known as the 1854 Treaty Authority.

If a band member wants to go deer hunting, he comes to us and gets a permit, and abides by our regulations, said Sonny Myers, the authoritys executive director, who describes the organization as kind of a DNR for band members. We have a conservation code that regulates all our activities. Its not a free-for-all, as some people think.

The authority and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources even cross-deputize their conservation officers. That means 1854 Treaty Authority personnel can arrest non-Indians on the ceded territory; and DNR officers can cite band members.

Myers and DNR legal counsel Sherry Enzler say the 1854 settlement has been a success.

For the most part, we have not had major issues with either Bois Forte or Grand Portage, Enzler said, citing as an example the bands recent decision to go along with the state and cancel their moose hunts. The decision came amid broader state concerns about northeast Minnesotas declining moose population.

The Grand Portage band, though, disagrees with the DNRs decision to suspend the moose hunt, because band officials dont think it would have an impact on the animals population. We still contend that we dont think the tribal harvest is going to affect it, said Deschampe, the bands chairman, adding the agreement with the state has an arbitration process in the event the band wants to push the process.

The 1854 Treaty settlement reached with the Bois Forte and Grand Portage bands does give the state more certainty, said the DNRS Boggess.

Once you go through litigation, you end up with whatever the federal courts decide, he said. Its much less defined in terms of whats allowable and whats not, so it does make it more challenging.

Boggess said its premature to say whether the state should seek a settlement over the 1855 Treaty rights. The courts first need to decide whether those off-reservation rights exist, he added.

Now 66 years old, Curtis Gagnon is proud of the treaty rights battle he helped ignite more than 30 years ago, he said as he held a cone-shaped moose call crafted from birch bark his son made for him to commemorate the actions he took back in 1984.

But he doesnt think the battle he started his over, in the 1855 treaty area, or close to home in the 1854 ceded territory. Even today, he said hed support the Grand Portage band backing out of its agreement with the state and going back to court, to force a federal judge to rule that the band has full rights in the ceded territory, that Minnesota cant take away our rights.

Shooting that moose, he added, might just be the stepping stone for continuing to get more treaty rights.

Shooting that moose might just be the stepping stone for continuing to get more treaty rights. Curtis Gagnon
MONROE  The woman convicted of embezzling from a New Glarus nursing home wants the Green County district attorney to produce key evidence he was ordered to give her after a new interview with a former nursing home administrator contradicts the district attorneys claim that he never received that evidence from New Glarus Home.

A lawyer for Joyce Ziehli, 57, on Wednesday asked Green County Circuit Judge Thomas Vale to require District Attorney Gary Luhman to disclose all of the New Glarus Home business records that Vale ordered him to produce nearly two years earlier. The case against Ziehli went forward last fall without those records and ended in a plea deal.

The motion filed by Ziehlis lawyer Cole Ruby said the records wouldnt negate her guilt but were crucial in disproving claims made by New Glarus Home that she stole large sums of money over a long period of time.

Ziehli, who was the nursing homes bookkeeper for 31 years, was sentenced by Vale last March to 2 years in prison, 15 years of extended supervision and ordered to pay $296,000 in restitution after a plea deal in which she agreed to plead no contest to five counts of theft of more than $10,000 from a business.

Ziehli revived the case after former New Glarus Home executive director Rick Colby told a private detective hired by Ruby that all the nursing home records that he was ordered to produce, including key journal and ledger entries, were gathered and given to DA Luhman about two weeks before the plea deal was reached in October 2014. The contents of the Colby interview in December by private detective Dawn Johnson were summarized in a report attached to the motion.

Reached by the Wisconsin State Journal last week, Colby declined to comment.

Colby took the executive director post in September 2013, after the accusations against Ziehli surfaced in January of that year. Colby resigned last month so he could tend to an ill family member, according to interim executive director Erin Francois.

The defense has presented evidence demonstrating that (Luhman) failed to disclose material evidence in (his) possession prior to Joyces plea, despite being informed how such evidence would have exculpatory value to the defense, despite the statutory discovery obligation and despite Vales order that the records must be shared, the motion says.

The motion will help Ziehli find out for certain if Luhman has the records, Ruby said in a phone interview. If so we want to review them and, if not, we need to find out what exactly happened.

Ziehli accepted the plea deal and agreed to the restitution amount after she was told that she could not obtain the ledgers and journals she needed to disprove some prosecutors claims and to show that the actual theft amounts were much lower, according to the motion.

She believed the records had been destroyed. Had she known the records still existed, Joyce would not have entered her plea or accepted the restitution stipulation. Thus the evidence from the records is clearly relevant to an issue of consequence, the motion said.

After looking through all of the files kept by Ziehlis defense attorney, Robert Duxstad, Ruby also determined that Luhman never contacted Duxstad to tell him he had the evidence. There is nothing (in the files) notifying the defense that additional records had been produced, Ruby said.

Luhman did not return messages left at his office. He must make his response to the court by March 25.

The remedy for failing to produce evidence in the context of a plea agreement is usually an opportunity to withdraw the plea, Ruby said. But it can also lead to a reduction of sentence and restitution owed, or dismissal of charges if its proven that records were purposely destroyed, according to the motion.

Ziehli was charged with six counts of theft from a business in January 2014 after the nursing home produced a lengthy report by a forensic accountant it hired that said Ziehli stole $850,000 over a 10-year period starting in 2003. Another forensic accountant hired by Duxstad challenged the findings of the nursing home report, and Duxstad requested 15 categories of records that he said were needed to fully analyze the nursing homes claims. On Feb. 6, 2014, Vale ordered Luhman to produce those records, including copies of the nursing homes general ledgers and journal entries that Duxstad said were most important to Ziehlis case.

At Ziehlis preliminary hearing on June 11, 2014, Luhman told Vale that the nursing home had turned over all of its records to him and they didnt include the journal entries. A skeptical Duxstad made another official request for the information in August.

Johnson, the private investigator, wrote in her report for Ruby that Colby told her during an interview on Dec. 1 that he followed the case closely and was aware of the order for Luhman to produce additional records. Rick Colby advised me that if the defense never received these records then he has no idea why. Rick suggested I talk to DA Luhman, Johnson said in the report.
SEOUL, South Korea  For North Koreas propaganda machine, the long-range rocket launch Sunday carved a glorious trail of fascinating vapor through the clear blue sky. For South Koreas president, and other world leaders, it was a banned test of dangerous ballistic missile technology and yet another intolerable provocation.

The U.N. Security Council responded at an emergency meeting Sunday by issuing a statement strongly condemning the rocket launch and pledging to expeditiously adopt a new resolution with significant new sanctions.

The rocket was launched from North Koreas west coast only two hours after an eight-day launch window opened Sunday morning, its path tracked separately by the United States, Japan and South Korea. No damage from debris was reported.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space program, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after liftoff. It vowed more such launches. A U.S. official said it might take days to assess whether the launch was a success.

The launch follows North Koreas widely disputed claim last month to have tested a hydrogen bomb. Washington and its allies will consider the rocket launch a further provocation and push for more tough sanctions.

The U.N. Security Council held a closed-door emergency meeting at the request of the U.S. and Japan. The statement approved by all 15 council members underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle contribute to North Koreas development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons. It stressed that using ballistic missile technology is a violation of four Security Council resolutions dating back to 2006.

North Korean rocket and nuclear tests are seen as crucial steps toward the Norths ultimate goal of a nuclear armed missile that could hit the U.S. mainland. North Korea under leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to bolster its nuclear arsenal unless Washington scraps what Pyongyang calls a hostile policy meant to collapse Kims government. Diplomats are also pushing to tighten U.N. sanctions because of the Norths Jan. 6 nuclear test.

In a development that will worry both Pyongyang and Beijing, a senior South Korean Defense Ministry official, Yoo Jeh Seung, told reporters that Seoul and Washington have agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of the THADD missile defense system in South Korea. North Korea has long decried the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, and Beijing would see a South Korean deployment of THAAD, which is one of the worlds most advanced missile defense systems, as a threat to its interests in the region.

In a statement, North Koreas National Aerospace Development Administration, in typical propaganda-laden language, praised the fascinating vapor of Juche satellite trailing in the clear and blue sky in spring of February on the threshold of the Day of the Shining Star.

Juche is a North Korean philosophy focusing on self-reliance; the Day of the Shining Star refers to the Feb. 16 birthday of former dictator Kim Jong Il. North Korea has previously staged rocket launches to mark important anniversaries.

The global condemnation began almost immediately.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye called the launch an intolerable provocation. She said the Norths efforts to advance its missile capabilities were all about maintaining the regime in Pyongyang and criticized the North Korean leadership for ignoring the hardships of ordinary North Koreans.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to take action to totally protect the safety and well-being of our people. U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice called the Norths missile and nuclear weapons programs a serious threats to our interests  including the security of some of our closest allies.

The Foreign Ministry in China, the Norths only major ally and its protector in the U.N. Security Council, where Beijing wields veto power, expressed regret that, disregarding the opposition from the international community, the (North) side obstinately insisted in carrying out a launch by using ballistic missile technologies. A statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the rocket launch, calling on the North Korean leadership to think about whether the policy of opposing the entire international community is serving the interests of the country.

South Korean opposition lawmaker Shin Kyung-min, who attended a closed-door briefing by the National Intelligence Service following Sundays launch, said the NIS believes that the rockets payload satellite was about twice as heavy as the 220-pound satellite it launched in 2012. The NIS estimates that if the rocket would have been used as a missile, it would have had a potential range of about 3,400 miles, Shin said.

Kim Jong Un has overseen two of the Norths four nuclear tests and three long-range rocket launches since taking over after the death of his father, dictator Kim Jong Il, in late 2011. The U.N. Security Council prohibits North Korea from nuclear and ballistic missile activity. Experts say that ballistic missiles and rockets in satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology.

If North Korea has only nuclear weapons, thats not that intimidating. If they have only rockets, thats not that intimidating, either. But if they have both of them, that means they can attack any target on Earth. So it becomes a global issue, said Kwon Sejin, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
Connor Franta, a La Crescent native whose faithful fan base of 5.2 million YouTube subscribers has helped his videos reach more than 300 million views since 2010, has been recruited to join The Recording Academy.

In yet another move highlighting the Internets impact on the music industry, Franta is now the newest member of the academy, which is the entity that chooses the winners of the Grammy Awards. The academy exclusively told Forbes about his membership during a private meeting with Franta at The Recording Academys headquarters in Los Angeles. The decision comes just six months after the 23-year-old launched his Heard Well record label that focuses on compilation albums compiled by him and other YouTube personalities.

Just like music, The Recording Academys membership body is always evolving  from Justin Bieber on YouTube six years ago, to Best New Artist nominee Tori Kelly today, its no secret that the Internet is a major vehicle for talent discovery and fan engagement, Laura Segura Mueller, the academys senior managing director of membership and industry relations, told Forbes. Music entrepreneurs like Connor bring a fresh perspective to the academy and we welcome his unique experience to the mix as an associate member.

As an associate member, Franta will not be one of the roughly 13,000 members who are allowed to vote for Grammy nominees and winners (voting is reserved for music creators), but he is allowed to submit projects to be considered for Grammy nominations. He joins about 4,600 other associate members, including music executives, label heads, publicists, managers and journalists.

Once I heard they wanted me to be part of the academy, I was just blown away, Franta told Forbes. Its great for me being part of the YouTube community because its a new realm we really havent gotten into  its a whole social age and this will let our voice be heard for the Grammys. Its an honor. Its definitely the way of the future, and Im just one of the first of many. Its a total honor to be the first, and Im definitely going to use the platform well and do the Internet justice.
The University of Minnesota Extension Dairy Team and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture will host a workshop on managing nutrition, health, and milk quality in a commercial goat dairy in southeast Minnesota in early March.

The workshop will be held on Saturday, March 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Charles Community Center. Pre-register so that we can plan for food by contacting Wayne Martin at marti067@umn.edu or 612-625-6224. There is a $10 charge per person to cover the cost of food. Pay at the door.
WESTBY  Jeannette Senora C. (Flores) Fox, 56, of rural Westby passed away peacefully Feb. 6 2016, at Bland Bekkedal Center for Hospice Care in Viroqua, after a battle with cancer.

Jeannette was born Nov. 17, 1959, in Managua, Nicaragua, to her parents, Gustavo and Marina (Guerrero) Flores. She married John Fox in 1982. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a bachelors degree in Spanish education in 1986, and later earned her masters degree in Spanish literature from the University of Northern Iowa in 1994. The Foxes moved to Westby, where John worked as a tech ed teacher, while Jeannette finished her teaching degree and eventually taught Spanish at Westby High School. Jeannette was a dedicated and extremely talented teacher who had a profoundly positive impact on thousands of students during her 27 years of teaching. She retired from the Westby Area School District in 2015, but continued teaching Spanish at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the fall of 2015, and also worked as a Spanish to English translator at Scenic Bluffs in Cashton, during that time. Jeannette greatly enjoyed traveling the world with both her students and her family. She organized and chaperoned numerous school trips to Central America and Spain. But, she most enjoyed traveling with her daughter Caitlin, sharing a passion for discovering foreign cultures.

Jeannette is survived by husband, John; and daughter, Caitlin. Jeannette is also survived by her sister, Alina Zamora from Germantown, Md.; and brother, Gustavo Flores, from Madrid, Spain; mother-in-law, Jean Fox; sisters-in-law, Joan Mortimer, Barbara Bowes, Janet Driscol and Christine Morrissey; along with numerous nieces and nephews; and her special friends, Pam Geier, Sue Hamilton and Shona Taplin.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by two brothers, Stuart Flores and Jimmie Flores.

Jeannette and her family greatly appreciated the exemplary and compassionate care provided by the staff at Bland Bekkedal Center for Hospice Care. Jeannette was deeply moved by the tremendous outpouring of support shown by the community during her brief illness. Over the past month, Senora greatly enjoyed the more than 100 visitors, mostly her past students from Westby High School, whom she always held so close to her heart.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at St. Marys Catholic Church, Viroqua. Fr. Michael Gorman will officiate. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the Mass Saturday at the church. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Jeannettes life.
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03 (4) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (4) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (2) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (3) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (4) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (4) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (3) Jul 15 (5) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (8) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (3) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (4) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (3) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (3) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (2) Jun 21 (1) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (3) Jun 15 (7) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (5) Jun 11 (4) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 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27 (2) Aug 24 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (1) Aug 18 (3) Aug 16 (1) Aug 15 (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)
A new report out from researchers at the University of Wyoming illustrates the role land use planning plays in wildfire costs. From the press release:

According to the report, available from UW Extension at www.bit.ly/Firedevelopmentcost, the dramatic rise in firefighting costs over the last decade is due, in part, to the growth of residential development in the wildland-urban interface.

Protecting homes from fire is dangerous and expensive. Solutions to rising costs must address that reality, Scofield says.

Costs are higher in the wildland-urban interface because firefighters shift from simple fire containment to structure protection, she says, adding that the cost of full suppression is significantly higher.

Widely dispersed developments and isolated homes also require more resources to protect than homes clustered in one area. Scofield says land-use decisions at the town and county levels have major consequences for federal wildland fire management.

Our research offers local governments a middle ground between legislation that ignores the increased suppression costs of development in the wildland-urban interface and policies that exclude that development altogether, she says.

Using data from 291 wildfires in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming from 2002-2011, researchers found a single isolated home can add $225,000 to overall firefighting costs, while a home within a dense cluster can contribute as little as $100.

The Wyoming Open Spaces Initiative supports Wyoming citizens conservation of open spaces through research, information, education and decision-making assistance, according to its website. Its research explores agricultural sustainability, community planning and development, wildlife and other cultural, economic and environmental issues.
Monday, February 8, 2016

The Colorado House Judiciary Committee narrowly approved a right-to-die bill for the state following a contentious hearing. Proponents argues that the bill will allow those facing certain death at the hands of often painful and debilitating diseases the dignity to die at a moment of their own choosing. They also point to the Oregon right-to-die law which has been effect for nearly two decades as an example of how the legislation will bring comfort to those facing a capricious death and allow them to pass in a place of their choosing. But critics have jumped on aspects of the bill as not offering enough safeguards against coercion by heirs who seek a quick to avoid massive medical bills for end of life care. Particularly, the ability of a witness to also be a beneficiary under the terminal patient's estate. The bill will now head to the House floor for debate although a similar measure was recently voted down in a Senate committee.

See Emma Gannon, Colorado Assisted Suicide Bill Advances, Courthouse News, February 5, 2016.

Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/trusts_estates_prof/2016/02/fierce-debate-in-colorado-as-house-committee-approves-right-to-die-bill.html


After a week-long attack from Russian warplanes, some Syrian rebels are withdrawing from the fight in northern Syria.

The rebels are fighting against forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Some anti-Assad forces have taken shelter in tunnels or bomb-made craters, but some fighters are quitting.

Ahmad is a 20-year-old rebel fighter. He made the decision to withdraw from the fighting. He told VOA about the battles near Aleppo in northern Syria.

The first day, the fight, it was easy, he said. After that, the second days and the third, it was very difficult. We lost a lot of people, a lot of friends, a lot of fighters.

On the fourth day of fighting, Russian warplanes bombed everything in the area. Ahmad said he could feel and hear the force of the Russian bombs.

About 100 fighters withdrew from the battles. Ahmad said they withdrew because they felt betrayed. He said friends of Syria like the United States, western countries and other Gulf nations betrayed the fighters.

He also blamed the Free Syrian Army rebels and other Islamist brigades for not joining forces to defeat the Assad government's forces. It might be too late, he said.

The civil war in Syria will enter its fifth year this March.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Jamie Dettmer reported on this story for VOANews.com. Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

tunnel  n. a passage that goes under the ground

crater  n. a large round hole in the ground made by the explosion of a bomb

quit  v. to stop doing an action or activity
This is Whats Trending Today.

The Republican debate Saturday night in New Hampshire was one last chance for presidential candidates to appeal to voters ahead of the states primary vote on February 9.

But before the debate even began, something funny happened. And people are still talking about it today.

ABC News showed the debate live on television. At the beginning of the broadcast, the debate announcers called each candidate's name. The candidates were to walk out on stage one-by-one.

First they announced New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. He walked out onto the debate stage.

Next, they announced Ben Carson. Dr. Carson took a few steps, and then he stopped. He did not come out on stage when his name was called.

A worker for ABC News backstage told Carson go, go, go. But Carson continued to wait in the hallway that led to the stage.

Next, the announcers introduced Texas Senator Ted Cruz. Cruz had a funny look on his face, and walked right past Dr. Carson onto the stage.

Then they introduced businessman Donald Trump. But, he did not come out onto the stage, either. So for a few minutes, the camera showed Carson and Trump standing together in the hallway. The rest of the candidates looked confused as they walked past them onto the stage.

The announcers did not know what to do either.

The TV comedy show Saturday Night Live made a joke about the incident just a few hours later. One of the show's comedian joked: Here is actual footage of Ben Carsons entrance, where the one thing he forgot to do was enter.

On social media, people posted about the debate's confusing beginning. Many people wondered what happened.

One Twitter user posted: I never thought watching 7 people walk onto a stage would be so funny..."

Another trending campaign incident this weekend happened during Hillary Clintons rally in New Hampshire. Clinton is in a close race with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination.

At the rally on Saturday, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright introduced Hillary Clinton to the crowd. Albright was the first woman to serve as Secretary of State, a position Hillary Clinton also held.

Clinton would be Americas first woman president if she is elected in November.

During the introduction, Madeleine Albright asked women to be more supportive of Clinton. Albright said that while Bernie Sanders talks about a political revolution, a true revolution for America would be electing a woman president.

She also said, There is a special place in hell for women who dont help each other. Albright has said that line before at events in the past.

On social media, people reacted to Albrights words. Some felt the statement was offensive.



Also this weekend, women's rights advocate Gloria Steinem also spoke about the importance of women supporting Clinton.

On a television show Friday night, Steinem suggested that young women support Bernie Sanders because he has a lot of young men working on his campaign. Young women, she said, are working to elect Sanders because they have a better chance of finding romance along the way.

The comments made some people angry. And they voiced their concern on social media.



And thats Whats Trending Today.

Im Ashley Thompson.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

Who do you think will become the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

impress  v. to cause (someone) to feel admiration or interest

romance  n. an exciting and usually short relationship between lovers

stage manager  n. a person who is in charge of the stage, scenery, lighting, etc., for a performance in a theater

confuse  adj. unable to understand or think clearly

rally  n. a public meeting to support or oppose someone or something

primary  n. an election in which members of the same political party run against each other for the chance to be in a larger and more important election


The United States will spend $37.9 billion on foreign aid in 2016.

That is about $2 billion more than 2014. But it still amounts to less than 1 percent of the U.S. governments $4 trillion budget.

Most Americans believe the percentage is far greater.

The Kaiser Family Foundation last year asked 1,500 Americans what portion of the federal budget goes to foreign aid. The average answer was 25 percent, Kaiser said.

That is 25 times the correct percentage.

Which nation gets the most aid?

A new breakdown from the State Department shows the top 15:

Israel, $3.1 billion Afghanistan, $1.51 billion Egypt, $1.45 billion Jordan, $1 billion Pakistan, $803 million Nigeria, $607 million

Also on the top 15 list are Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda and the West Bank and Gaza. Others include Ethiopia, South Africa, Iraq, South Sudan and Somalia.

You can see how much the United States provides in foreign aid to countries and territories at this U.S. State Department website.

Foreign aid is not a big issue in the 2016 presidential race. The top issues are terrorism, immigration and how to improve the U.S. economy.

But members of Congress often debate whether foreign aid is effective. They also debate whether the foreign aid budget is divided up in a smart and fair way.

The Congressional Research Service says it is hard to tell.

In most cases, the success or failure of U.S. foreign aid programs is not entirely clear, in part, because historically most aid programs have not been evaluated, the research service says.

The United States first offered foreign aid after World War II, helping to rebuild Europe. The programs have continued ever since.

Still, the Kaiser Family Foundation said Americans remain doubtful about foreign aid.

Kaiser said nearly half believe the United States spends more than its fair share on international health problems. As an example, Kaiser cites the Ebola crisis in Western Africa during 2014 and 2015.

Hillary Clinton, a Democratic presidential candidate, strongly supported foreign aid as U.S. Secretary of State and continues to do so.

The 1 percent of our budget we spend on all diplomacy and development is not what is driving our deficit, Clinton said.

Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders has not made campaign statements on foreign aid. But as a senator, he tried  unsuccessfully  to cut funding for the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said he wanted the money for the IMF to go to foreign aid for poor nations.

On the Republican side, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said a lot of foreign aid has been wasted. But if spent effectively, he said, foreign aid can advance U.S. foreign policy goals.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump has not spoken in detail about foreign aid. But Trump said he would send U.S. funding to create a safe area for Syrians displaced by the civil war.

He sees that as an alternative to accepting more Syrian refugees in the United States.

I would help them economically, even though we owe $19 trillion, Trump said, referring to the current U.S. debt.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, another Republican presidential candidate, said the United States must stop sending foreign aid to nations that hate us.

I'm Mario Ritter.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

Share your views in the comments section, or by reaching on our Facebook Page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

billion  n. the number 1,000,000,000 : one thousand million

trillion  n. the number 1,000,000,000,000 : one thousand billion

effective  adj. producing a result that is wanted : having an intended effect

afford  v. to be able to pay for something

advance  v. to move forward

displace  v. to take the job or position of (someone or something

alternative  n. something that can be chosen instead of something else


President Barack Obama is asking Congress for more than $1.8 billion to fight the Zika virus in the United States and other countries.

The White House said Monday that most of the money would be spent in the United States on programs to combat the virus, which is spread by mosquitos. These initiatives include mosquito control programs, vaccine research and health care services for low-income pregnant women.

President Barack Obama urged calm in an interview that aired on Monday. The good news is this is not like Ebola, people dont die of Zika. A lot of people get it and dont even know they have it, he told CBS News. But there shouldnt be panic on this, this is not something where people are going to die from it. It is something we have to take seriously.

Spread of Zika virus

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the top federal public health agency. It has reported 50 cases of Zika among U.S. travelers from December 2015 to February 2016.

In the latest outbreak, Brazil reported the first case of Zika virus in May 2015. The Pan American Health Organization said 26 countries and territories in the Americas have reported cases of the virus since.

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika a global health emergency. The global health organization also predicts that Zika could infect as many as 4 million people in the Americas this year.

Zika causes no symptoms in 80 percent of people who are infected and only mild symptoms in people who fall ill.

Scientists believe it can cause microcephaly, a birth defect that causes babies to have abnormally small heads and problems with learning. U.S. health officials said their greatest concern is for pregnant women who develop Zika.

The Zika virus is a disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available. But drug companies in India, Japan and France announced that they are working to develop possible vaccines.

Im Mary Gotschall.

Mary Gotschall adapted this story for Learning English from VOANews.com and other sources. Hai Do was the editor.

Do you have an opinion about this topic? Let us know what you think in the Comments section below, or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

mosquito  n. a small flying insect that bites the skin of people and animals and sucks their blood

symptom  n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present

panic  n. a situation that causes many people to become afraid and to rush to do something  usually singular

territory  n. an area of land that belongs to or is controlled by a government
Follow my life quest to photo 5000 species of Birds (2313 now)
"Political ideas that have dominated the public mind for decades cannot be refuted through rational arguments, they must run their course in life and cannot collapse otherwise than in great catastrophe."




Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus Tata Sons Ltd., has invested in Invictus Oncology Private Limited, an innovation-driven oncology company developing next generation cancer therapeutics, the company announced in a press release.

This comes on the heel of the first B2B start-up, Moglix that was the latest investment of Tata.

Tata has invested in the company as part of the first close of Invictuss Series A financing round, joining existing investors Navam Capital and Aarin Capital.

In the past 18 months, Tata has invested in a slew of start-ups, founded by Indian entrepreneurs, including Mogilix - B2B industrial goods start-up Moglix, Infinite Analytics Inc. - data analytics start-up, Snapdeal, Paytm (One97 Communications Ltd) - digital wallet provider, Ola (ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd) -cab hailing service, Tracxn Technologies Pvt. Ltd - data analytics company, Dogspot.in -online pet supplies store and Zivame -- online lingerie store.

The funds raised will be used to advance Invictuss lead molecule to completion of Phase I clinical studies, and to file a second Investigational New Drug (IND) application, milestones which translate into substantial value inflections for Invictus Oncology over the next 12-18 months.

Invictus Oncology employs a supramolecular technology platform to design anti-cancer drugs that home into the tumor and modulate the tumor immune response. Its lead molecule, IO 125, has already been validated in multiple cancer models, and is poised to enter IND-enabling studies to obtain US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) approval for initiating clinical studies, according to the company.

Invictus Oncology has already developed a deep pipeline of molecules, which address a $20 billion market opportunity in the oncology space. Recent acquisitions and partnership deals in this area have taken place at multi-billion dollar valuations.

I have admired Ratan Tatas insights and astute assessment of technology for decades now. So I am thrilled he has invested in Invictus, which is not just developing groundbreaking innovations for cancer treatment, but is also among the very first startups based out of India to tread the path of novel discovery and biotech innovation, said Invictus co-founder Dr Raghunath A. Mashelkar.

Tatas investment is a strong affirmation of the quality of the technology that Invictus has developed. We are getting excellent traction from investors, both from India and outside said Dr Shiladitya Sengupta, Co-Founder of Invictus and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Invictus Oncology is a biopharmaceutical company based in Delhi focused on the development of novel therapeutics for cancer treatment. It has co-founded by Harvard Medical Schools Dr Shiladitya Sengupta and Padma Vibhushan Dr Raghunath A. Mashelkar.

Navam Capital is a venture capital firm focused on seed and early-stage investments the in energy, technology and health care sectors. Aarin Capital invests in innovative ideas in the health care, life sciences and technology based products and services business pursuing large market opportunities that are led by driven and committed teams.
There is no god-given right to any democratically elected government to misuse the public money. Nor a government can run institutions that have proved their ability to lose money consistently for decades. The survival of such entities should be left to market-competition, not to the mercy of public exchequer/taxpayer. The biggest case in hand is Indias government-owned public sector banks (PSBs) which have excelled in the art of draining public resources.

No government, whether the UPA or NDA or the mighty Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have been able to make any notable progress so far in improving the operations of PSBs. These banks still struggle to do their basic job i.e. lend money and get it back with interest. The question here is despite this proven inefficiency in managing state-run banks, which control 70 percent of the banking industry, why Indian government is still holding on to their public sector ownership? The question, in the current context, should be logically directed to the incumbent, the Narendra Modi government.

It wouldnt be an exaggeration if one says that Indias state-run banks are on the verge of a crisis. Over 90 per cent of the total bad loans of Indian banks (currently stands over Rs 3,00,000 crore) is on the balance sheets of these entities. Their restructured loan portfolio would be nearly double this amount, if one goes by industry estimates. These two categories together, termed as stressed assets, would make up around 11-12 per cent of the total bank loans given.

But, that isnt all. There is good chunk of bad or near-bad loans banks havent disclosed even yet, fearing provision requirements and bad name. No one has any estimate of these hidden bad loans since banks often latch on to technicalities to show they are performing (or the money is coming back), even when they are not. Every outgoing bank chief of government banks religiously cover up the bad loans at that point in time and pass on the provisioning burden to their successors, who, in turn will do the same to their successor. That chain goes on.

This is a reason why RBI governor, Raghuram Rajan, brought in stricter norms of early recognition of stress in assets, stopped restructuring of loans with RBI dispensation and put a deadline of March 2017 to banks to declare all their bad loans (or in other words clean up their balance sheets. Also, the amount of written off by banks have been huge. According to an Indian Express report, which has received information from RBI on an RTI, state-owned banks wrote off a total of Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad debts between financial years 2013 and 2015, much more than they had done in the preceding nine years. The report quotes the figure shooting up from Rs 15,551 crore in the financial year ending March 2012, to Rs 52,542 crore by the end of March 2015.

What the NDA has done so far?

The Modi government launched Indradhanush package for state-run banks last year as per which these banks will be given Rs 70,000 crore capital, initiated HR reforms and measures to enhance efficiency in operations with the government staying away from their operations and gradually bring down stake in these entities. There have been some steps taken such as splitting the posts of chairman and managing director and looking for private sector talents to lead government banks.

But, the point is these small reform steps have hardly translated into the larger issue of promised autonomy in their operations, which still remain a pipedream for banks. The solution, as Firstpost has highlighted several times in the past, is to privatise these banks, ensuring that the ownership gets diversified and do not fall into the hands of a few parties giving room for misuse. To carry forward with its social sector agenda, the government can retain ownership of few large banks such as State Bank group, with widespread network and leave the rest out of its direct control.

How did NPA worsen in PSBs? The answer lies in a mix of factors including reckless lending to large corporations for several years, putting volume-business, not the quality of assets and, finally, the vulnerability of public sector banks to crony capitalists, who use banks to their advantage using the infamous political-corporate nexus. For any government, it is difficult to control such nexus since all political parties are directly or indirectly the beneficiaries of the same corporations for political funding.

Burden of populist schemes

Secondly, the government continues to treat these entities as their extended arms. The rollout of any government schemes or any populist measures instantly become the primary responsibility of these entities (There are many examples: 2008 farm loan waiver, 2014 Jan Dhan Yojana and so on). This impacts the performance, credit assessment and, finally, profitability of state-run banks. These banks are also forced to do directed lending to risky projects, where private sector banks take little interest generally (for example long-gestation infrastructure and power projects). One must remember that a big chunk of restructured loans, are from infrastructure and power projects, are on the books of state-run banks. As against this, private sector banks focus on quality of assets and profitability.

Given that the banking landscape has changed in the last one year with the RBI opening doors to dedicated banks to push financial inclusionpayments banks and small finance banks, it is time the government gradually let go of its hold on large state-run banks and provide them private sector character. Any social sector initiatives can be rolled out directly through bank accounts but not forcing banks to use their resources for the same.

If one takes a broad range, the government holds stakes ranging from 56 percent to 84 percent in 27 state-run banks. To be precise, the government has more than 70 percent stake in 12 state-run banks. This promised capital infusion is inadequate since banks requirement is much higher if one takes into account the Basel III requirements, provisioning needs on bad loans and the money needed for further credit expansion.

Once the government frees the public sector banks from the public sector tag, the responsibility of feeding these banks with large capital infusion every year will no longer be the budget responsibility. The government can use that money for other productive use. Then, the onus of finding money to survive will be left with individual banks. Those who run their books well, will survive, others will gradually perish or reduce themselves to shadow banks. It doesnt make any sense for the government to hold on to their ownership. Its too big a problem for the government to handle now.

Data from Kishor Kadam
TAINAN, Taiwan Rescuers pulled out alive an eight-year-old girl and her aunt from the rubble of a Taiwan apartment block on Monday, more than 60 hours after it was toppled by a quake, as the mayor of the southern city of Tainan warned the death toll could exceed 100.

The official death toll from the quake rose to 38, with more than 100 people missing.

The girl, named as Lin Su-Chin, was conscious and had been taken to hospital, Taiwan television stations said. Her aunt, Chen Mei-jih, was rescued shortly after.

The quake struck at about 4 a.m. on Saturday (2000 GMT Friday) at the beginning of the Lunar New Year holiday, with almost all the dead found in Tainan's toppled Wei-guan Golden Dragon Building.

Rescue efforts are focused on the wreckage of the 17-storey building, where more than 100 people are listed as missing and are suspected to be buried deep under the rubble.

Earlier, Wang Ting-yu, a legislator who represents the area, told reporters that a woman, identified as Tsao Wei-ling, was found alive, lying under her dead husband. Their two-year-old son, who was also killed, was found nearby.

Another survivor, a man named Li Tsung-tian, was pulled out later, with Taiwan television stations showing live images of the rescues. Several hours later, Li's girlfriend was found dead in the rubble.

Tsao and Li were both being treated in hospital.

Tainan Mayor William Lai said during a visit to a funeral home that rescue efforts had entered what he called the "third stage".

"There are more fatalities than those pulled out (alive), and the number of fatalities will probably exceed 100," Lai told reporters.

Rescuers continued to scramble over the twisted wreckage of the building as numbed family members stood around, waiting for news of missing relatives.

Taiwan's government said in a statement 36 of the 38 dead were from the Wei-guan building, which was built in 1994.

President-elect Tsai Ing-wen, who won election last month, said there needed to be a "general sorting out" of old buildings to make sure they were able to cope with disasters like earthquakes.

"There needs to be a continued strengthening of their ability to deal with disasters," she said.

Outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou, speaking to reporters at a Tainan hospital, said the government needed to be a better job in ensuring building quality.

"In the near future, regarding building management, we will have some further improvements. We will definitely do this work well," Ma said.

Reuters witnesses at the scene of the collapse saw large rectangular, commercial cans of cooking-oil packed inside wall cavities exposed by the damage, apparently having been used as building material.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also conveyed condolences to the victims, state news agency Xinhua reported late on Sunday, and repeated Beijing's offer to provide help.

China views self-ruled Taiwan as a wayward province, to be bought under its control by force if necessary.

(Additional reporting by Faith Hung in TAIPEI and Megha Rajagopalan in BEIJING; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Paul Tait and Nick Macfie)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
New Delhi: The Centre on Monday demanded an independent probe into the attack on journalists in Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh, calling it condemnable.

"Attack on journalists in Uttar Pradesh is condemnable. An independent probe into the incident should be carried out," Information & Broadcasting and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted.

Attack on journalists in Uttar Pradesh is condemnable. An independent probe in to the incident should be carried out.  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 8, 2016

Two journalists of a leading English news channel were attacked allegedly by a local Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Nahid Hasan and his aides when they had gone to cover the incident in which a 8-year-old boy was killed in celebratory firing by party workers in Shamli district.

The boy, Sami, who was passing by Kairana area in a rickshaw was hit during the firing by SP workers on Sunday.

The workers were celebrating the victory of party candidate Nafisa in the local body polls from the town.

The UP unit of BJP alleged that the attack on media persons was a "planned" assault which indicated "anarchy" in the state.

PTI
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said Arunachal Pradesh Governor JP Rajkhowa cannot summon "at his whims" the state Assembly session after he decided to advance it by nearly a month to test the majority of the crisis-hit Congress-led Nabam Tuki government.

"The Governor cannot summon the assembly session at his whims. The occasion has not arisen here (in Arunachal Pradesh) as we have been saying from the beginning. Here the situation was not so," a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice JS Khehar observed. Arunachal Pradesh is currently under President's rule.

The court also said there was nothing wrong if a no-confidence motion is passed against the Tuki government, which faced a rebellion, in the state assembly when the Deputy Speaker was in charge of the House proceedings after removal of the Speaker.

The court made the observations when during the hearing senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for some rebel Congress MLAs, reiterated his stand that the Governor was not barred from summoning the assembly session on his own, without the aid and advice of the Chief Minister and his council of ministers.

"The only precondition is that there has to be some business to be transacted by the House and the Governor is not barred," he said.

Once the House is in session, the Governor has no role to decide as to what business it should transact as it is then the duty of the assembly, the senior lawyer said.

"The general rule is that the constitutional powers should be construed liberally," he said, adding that the Governor has discretionary powers under special circumstances.

The court, which is hearing a batch of pleas on certain powers of the Governor under the Constitution, would resume hearing on Tuesday.

The court had earlier questioned Rajkhowa's decision to advance the assembly session to December last year from this January, asking what difference would it have made if the sitting was held as originally scheduled.

"What would be the change or difference if the assembly proceedings would have taken place on pre-scheduled January 14 instead of December 16," the bench had then asked.

On the issue of Deputy Speaker, the bench on Monday said, "If Deputy Speaker assumes office of the Speaker and is in charge of the House after the Speaker is removed and a group of MLAs stand up and move no-confidence motion against the government (and) it is passed, then what is wrong? I do not think there is anything wrong."

"Prima facie, you (bench) may be right," senior advocate and jurist FS Nariman, appearing for Congress leaders, said.

The bench, which also comprised Justices Dipak Misra, MB Lokur, PC Ghose and NV Ramana, also raised some procedural issues like whether such business (no confidence motion) has to be there in the list of business of the assembly.

PTI
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley on Monday unleashed a goldmine of information for Indian authorities on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, deposing via video conference from a US jail before Special TADA Court Judge GA Sanap in Mumbai. Headley is scheduled to speak again Tuesday.

Headley, an LeT operative who is currently serving 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks, detailed the sequence of events leading up to the 26 November, 2008 assault as he deposed before Special Judge GA Sanap for nearly five-and-a-half-hours.

Among the stunning disclosures - two unsuccessful attempts were made in Mumbai in September and October 2008 which failed, before the final strike at multiple locations in south Mumbai on November 26-29, 2008.

Headley spilled the names of officials connected to the Pakistan Army and spoke of their role, its dreaded Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the LeT and others who were involved in the conspiracy, planning and execution of the 26/11 attacks which killed 166 people and injured hundreds more.

"Headley has made several sensitive revelations. We are satisfied with the evidence," said Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, visibly pleased.

Headley also named LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and his close associate Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi -- both suspected right from the beginning since the investigations were launched by Indian agencies after the attacks.

Naming two people directly linked with the Pakistan Army and the ISI -- Major Iqbal and Major Ali -- Headley unravelled how he was arrested by the Pakistan Army around 2002 when he was going to meet a drug smuggler to make arrangements to send arms and ammunitions consignments to Kashmiri groups fighting the Indian Army.

The two army majors also supervised his two-year-long training by the LeT at a camp in Muzaffarabad, which is in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), he added.

Admitting he was an LeT functionary, Headley identified a picture of his main contact in the terror group - Sajid Mir - and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and said he was "inspired" by Saeed's fiery speeches to join and was trained by the terrorist group in 2002.

The Hindu reports on the details of the Headley-Sajid Mir connection.

Both Saeed and Lakhvi used to address these terror training camps, while others like Abu Furkad, Sanaullah, Abu Hanzala, Abu Saif, Abu Fahadullah and Abu Usman were his trainers, he said.

In those two years, he was given leadership training, how to handle AK-47 assault rifles, bombs and explosives.

To a query by Nikam on "sophisticated weapons training", Headley said if an AK-47 was sophisticated, then he was trained to operate it.

In 'Daura-e-Khas, which is a more advanced training, he was taught to handle weapons, arms, explosives and ammunition, the LeT operative said.

He said he was also given 'Daura-e-Ribat' training, an intelligence course in which setting up of safe houses and reconnaissance are taught. The center where it is taught is in Mansera, 40 miles from Abbottabad, a place in Pakistan where former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed by the US.

About the motive behind joining the LeT, Headley said he wanted to assist the Kashmiris fighting against the Indian Army in the border state.

But, when he desired to join the Kashmiris, Saeed dissuaded him and said he had another "important assignment" for him in mind.

On the two unsuccessful attempts to wreak havoc in Mumbai that year, Headley said 10 terrorists were to strike in the first attempt in September 2008, but the terrorists' boat hit some rocks in the Arabian Sea, resulting in loss of weapons and ammunition, but those on board survived as they wore life jackets.

The second attempt came in October, with the same people involved as in the first, but that also failed for unknown reasons, before the third and successful attack was executed on 26 November that year, he said.

Headley provided details of his passport with an American name and spoke of his 7-8 trips to Mumbai and one to New Delhi between 2006 and 2008 before the 26/11 attacks.

The trips included seven via Pakistan and one via the UAE. He made yet another trip to Mumbai on March 7, 2009, after the terror attack was successfully executed.

Sajid Mir, his LeT handler who had advised him to change his name even in the passport, had told him to make general video shoots of various locations in Mumbai.

To a question by Nikam, Headley named one person  Raymond Sanders, a visa consultant, who helped him get an Indian visa in Chicago.

With the exception of date of birth and nationality of mother, the place of birth, passport number, pretty much everything is incorrect,Headley said of his attempts to get an Indian visa at Chicago, reports The Indian Express.

Earlier, Headley, 56, said he was born on June 30, 1960, in the US and shifted to Pakistan later where he changed his name to Daood Sayeed Gilani, which was appreciated by Hafiz Saeed and others in LeT.

Flanked by three people at an undisclosed location in the US  his attorney John, US attorney Sarah and a person identified merely as Bob -- Headley was administered the oath at 7.30 a.m. and Special Public Prosecutor Nikam started firing questions at him.

"The evidence coming out today could be very significant," said eminent lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, who is helping out Headley's attorneys in connection with the procedural issues pertaining to Indian laws.

Another LeT functionary, Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who is now facing trial in the 26/11, appeared through video-conferencing from Arthur Road Central Jail, appeared irked by Headley's revelations and was seen taking notes.

At a previous hearing on December 10 last year, the special TADA court judge had pardoned Headley and made him an approver in the case, subject to certain conditions.

Headley had already confessed to his role in the offences in the US for which he is seving a 35-year sentence.

The five-hour court proceedings  which will resume on Tuesday  were held here amidst tight security with over 100 policemen deployed in and around the Mumbai City Civil and Sessions Court.

FIRST ON CNN-IBN | Explosive details of David Headley's courtroom revelations #HeadleyExposesPak pic.twitter.com/csSdDG7AEI  CNN-IBN News (@ibnlive) February 8, 2016

#HeadleyExposesPak | Here's a backgrounder of Mumbai 26/11 prime accused David Coleman Headley pic.twitter.com/8lkMtbbITO  CNN-IBN News (@ibnlive) February 8, 2016

With PTI & IANS
Ujjwal Nikam, special public prosecutor in the 26/11 case, told reporters on Monday that David Coleman Headley made some 'sensitive revelations' related to the case.

Nikam also said that two unsuccessful attempts before the attack on 26 November were made in September 2008 and October 2008.

Speaking about the role of Headley in the terror attack, Nikam said that he worked with a smuggler to send weapons to India. He also said that Major Iqbal and Major Ali  accused of being the attackers' handlers  were from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence( ISI).

"It is clear that there is a close nexus between the ISI and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, as per the revelations by Headley," said the lawyer, adding, "I am absolutely satisfied with what David Headley has revealed in today's deposition."

Headley reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Mahal Hotel, Trident Hotel and Nariman House.

His reconnaissance provided vital information for the 10 LeT terrorists and their handlers, who launched the attack.

In his deposition which began at 7.30 am, Headley said that he was a "true follower of LeT" and came to India eight times  seven before the terror attack on 26 November, 2008 and once after that.

Headley, who was made an approver in the 26/11 case, said that his main contact in the LeT was Sajid Mir, also an accused in the case.

With inputs from PTI
Chennai: A day after a man was killed and three others were injured in a mysterious explosion in Vellore, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday said it was a meteorite fall that caused the mishap.

"A mishap occurred yesterday when a meteorite fell in the campus of a private engineering college in Vellore district's K Pantharappalli village...," she said in a release in Chennai.

Condoling the death of a bus driver, Kamaraj, of the college in the incident, she announced a solatium of Rs 1 lakh to his family and Rs 25,000 each to the three injured persons from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund.

"I have ordered the Vellore district administration and hospital officials to provide them best treatment," she said.

Window panes of the college buses and several glass planes of the building were damaged when the meteorite fell.

Kamaraj lost his life after the meteorite fell near him as he was walking past the building.

The meteorite fall caused an explosion. It also created a small crater near the building complex.

PTI
Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday told a special court in Mumbai that former MP Sameer Bhujbal, nephew of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, had floated several companies to channel and launder proceeds of "criminal activity".

The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act Court accepted the ED's request for judicial custody for Sameer. He was remanded in judicial custody till 22 February.

"Several companies were floated by the accused with his employees as directors which were utilised for layering of funds through a maze of transactions and such laundered funds were then channelled into the business activities of these companies. The economic rationale of forming multitude of such companies appears to be for channelling and laundering the proceeds generated out of criminal activity," the agency said

in its remand plea.

Investigations to trace the colossal proceeds of crime amounting to Rs 870 crore siphoned off by the accused through a premeditated conspiracy were underway, it added.

Sameer was not fully cooperating with the investigation, was giving evasive answers and attempting to conceal the facts, the remand application said.

"During the period of custody of the accused, the Directorate made efforts to apprehend some of his key associates, namely, Nilesh Shahu and Satyen Kesarkar, but in vain. These two individuals are confidantes of the Bhujbals and their testimony is crucial," it said.

Senior counsel Amit Desai, appearing for Sameer, however, took objection and said while Nilesh is not in the country due to prior commitments

Satyen visited the ED's office in Delhi on Sunday.

"It is wrong to say that Sameer is not cooperating. Whatever details he is aware of he has told the agency. But these transactions are over a decade old. The agency should take the assistance of experts in such matters," Desai argued. The agency in its remand plea further claimed that it had issued summonses to the directors of the companies floated by the Bhujbals, asking them to remain present and submit necessary documents. However, the documents were never submitted. "It is only after the arrest and grant of custody of the accused that documents have been submitted," the ED said.

"Preliminary scrutiny of the documents reveal that there are large number of interlinking transactions among the companies. The nature of transactions is very complex," it said.

As the court remanded Sameer in judicial custody till 22 February, advocate Desai filed an application seeking home food and medicines for Sameer in jail. He added that a bail application will be filed soon.

PTI
Noted alumni of St Stephen's College, including historian Ramachandra Guha and chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, were on Saturday denied entry into the campus to attend a condolence meeting as permission had not been sought for the event.

College principal Valson Thampu said the college was not a "public park" that anyone could walk in without following protocol.

The event was to be held in memory of Rohtas, 65, the owner of a dhaba on the campus loved by generations of Stephen's alumni for its samosas and gulab jamuns. He died last week of tuberculosis and pneumonia. Around 100 alumni of the college had gathered outside the campus yesterday for a prayer meeting for Rohtas but they were denied entry by the guards.

Later, Guha and Subramanian were allowed to enter the college along with a few other alumni, but many were stopped.

Read the full article here.
United Nations: The United Nations Security Council on Sunday condemned North Korea's latest rocket launch and vowed to take "significant measures" in response to Pyongyang's violations of UN resolutions, Venezuela's UN ambassador said.

"The members of the Security Council strongly condemned this launch," Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, president of the council this month, told reporters. He said the launch was "a serious violation of Security Council resolutions."

US Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. DPRK's (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer."

On Sunday, the UNSC began an emergency meeting on North Korea's rocket launch on Sunday and diplomats said they expected the 15-nation body to condemn Pyongyang and redouble efforts to agree on new sanctions.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the closed-door session, France's UN ambassador, Francois Delattre, described North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on Sunday as an "outrageous provocation."

"That's why weakness is not an option," he said. Asked about plans for a Security Council resolution to impose sanctions following a North Korean nuclear test last month, Delattre said: "The sooner the better, the firmer the better."

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Sunday he had spoken with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida and both had agreed the Council should take strong action against North Korea.

Council diplomats said they expected it to issue a unanimous statement of condemnation on Sunday. They said that, in the coming days and weeks, Beijing and Washington would continue bilateral discussions on the outline of a new resolution to expand existing UN sanctions on North Korea.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one senior Western diplomat said he hoped the council would be able to vote on a new sanctions resolution this month.

He said the Americans had been pushing for tough new measures that went beyond targeting North Korea's atomic weapons and missile programs, while China wanted any future steps to focus on the question of non-proliferation.

One diplomat told Reuters that Washington was hoping to tighten international restrictions on North Korea's banking system while Beijing was reluctant to support that for fear of worsening conditions in its impoverished neighbor.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi declined to comment to reporters when entering the council session, saying only that the council was "working very hard."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday condemned the rocket launch and urged North Korea to "halt its provocative actions."

Pyongyang has been under UN sanctions because of its nuclear weapons program since it first tested an atomic device in 2006.

The United States and China began discussing a UN sanctions resolution after Pyongyang's 6 January atomic test.

Reuters
Mark Bailey* trusted Sydney builder Paul Logan to renovate the kitchen and laundry in his new North Bondi pad for $7200, having conducted a licence check.

Over the next month the banking professional forwarded $5900 to Mr Logan, who kept making various excuses as to why he had not yet begun any work.

"He kept trying to get more time. He kept saying another man had the new doors locked up in a warehouse, he was going overseas. It just went on and on. It just got ridiculous," said Mr Bailey.

Fed up, Mr Bailey lodged a complaint with the home building watchdog, NSW Fair Trading, which had received numerous complaints about Mr Logan over the years.
Footage has emerged of a five-metre-plus great white shark swimming around game fishing boats off Narooma on the NSW Far South Coast.

Deckhand Michael Muscat took the footage from the charter boat Tru-Dee V, whose crew first saw the shark.

Mr Muscat shot the footage on his GoPro camera over the side. It shows the shark swimming leisurely past the boat.

The shark was seen just south of The Kink on the edge of the Continental Shelf between Narooma and Bermagui last week.
The ABC has admitted to an "error" in a story that claimed a five-year-old raped at Nauru was slated to return to the island and face his attacker, after immigration officials on Monday labelled the report a "figment".

The report on ABC's 7.30 program this month said paediatricians had detailed their concerns about the child. It came on the eve of a High Court ruling that ultimately found the government's offshore detention network was lawful.

Michael Pezzullo, secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

At a Senate estimates hearing on Monday Immigration Department chief Michael Pezzullo denied the reports, saying "there is no five-year-old child  it's a figment".
Scandal is threatening to engulf another Turnbull government minister, with Labor accusing Stuart Robert of potentially breaching frontbench rules over his role in a mining deal between a major Liberal Party donor and China.

Mr Robert has admitted travelling to Beijing in a "private capacity" to attend an August 2014 signing ceremony between Nimrod Resources' Paul Marks and Communist Party officials from the Chinese government-owned company Minmetals.

Then assistant defence minister in Tony Abbott's government, Mr Robert was on leave at the time and paid for the trip himself. But a Minmetals press release from the time says Mr Robert was there on behalf of the government and made a speech.
Three Melbourne men who pleaded guilty to gang raping a 17-year-old backpacker in Croatia but avoided a trial by paying $30,000 have sparked fierce debate about making financial settlements with victims of sexual assault.

Fairfax Media can reveal that Dylan Djohan, 23, Ashwin Kumar, 23, and Waleed Latif, 21, all from Melbourne, were handed a one-year prison sentence, which was then immediately commuted to a five-year good behaviour bond.

Under a deal between Croatian prosecutors and their defence lawyers, the young men were required to pay the Norwegian girl 20,000 (about $31,500).

The rape happened in July 2015 at a late-night bar in the resort town of Split on Croatia's Adriatic Coast.
Ouagadougou: Australian woman Jocelyn Elliot, who was kidnapped along with her husband Ken by al-Qaeda militants before being released on the weekend, has arrived in Burkina Faso's capital.

Mrs Elliot and her husband were kidnapped in mid-January by al-Qaeda-affiliated militants from the northern Burkina Faso town of Djibo, near the Mali border, where the Christian couple had been operating a 120-bed medical clinic.

Jocelyn Elliott is greeted at the airport in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Credit:AP

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Mahgreb claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, though the group said in an audio recording on Friday that it would release Jocelyn Elliot so as "not to make women involved in the war".
Brazilian officials will soon decide whether to amend the South American nations rigid procedures for sharing Zika samples, the Cabinet chiefs spokeswoman said, as officials announced that they were sending a set of samples to U.S. researchers amid complaints of hoarding.

The developments came on the heels of an Associated Press report earlier this week that revealed that international health officials were frustrated at Brazils refusal to share enough viral samples and other information to answer the most worrying question about the outbreak: Whether the disease is truly causing a spike in babies born with abnormally small heads?

Cabinet chief Jaques Wagner planned to meet with the health minister and science and technology minister next Wednesday to craft a presidential decree to reform Brazils biosecurity law, Sonia Abranches, a spokeswoman for Cabinet chiefs office, told the AP.

Abranches said she could not provide more details on what the changes might look like or comment on whether Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff would enact the decree.

In a statement to The AP, the health ministry said it was at the disposal of international researchers studying Zika.

In a statement posted to its website Thursday, the ministry said that two-thirds of the material gathered during recent field work with an American team would be shipped to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The ministry did not answer multiple requests for more details on the sample sharing.

Paulo Gadelha, president Fiocruz, a state-run health research institute in Rio, said that cooperation was important but that it had to be tightly regulated.

It cant be an out of control sending of material abroad, or vice versa, he said. This must be protected, regulated by rules that guarantee the greater scientific objective and the equality and the horizontality of the cooperation.

U.S. and U.N. officials have told the AP that Brazil has so far probably shared fewer than 20 samples when experts say hundreds or thousands of samples are needed to track the virus evolution and develop accurate diagnostics and effective drugs and vaccines. Many countries national laboratories are relying on older strains from outbreaks in the Pacific and Africa, the AP found.

After the storys publication, the World Health Organization sent out a flurry of messages acknowledging that existence of a data gap.

Given the complexity of unanswered questions on Zika & (associated) disease, our goal is to encourage all researchers to share their data ASAP, the WHO said on Twitter. Rapid data sharing is critical during an unfolding health emergency.

The number and precise nature of the samples was not made explicit. It was also unclear under what conditions the Brazilian viruses were being shared.

One crucial question is whether the bilateral sharing comes with any strings attached, said Lawrence Gostin, a global health law expert at Georgetown University. In an email, he said countries would likely be reluctant to share samples freely without agreements to ensure they wouldnt be frozen out of any resulting products from their viruses, like drugs and vaccines.

Zika was discovered in a Ugandan forest in 1947; until last year, the virus had never caused serious disease. It has now spread to more than 20 countries. AP
Greetings from the Afro-IP team and best wishes to our readers. As this little blog and community shoots through the 40000 page view per ...
Through narrative we become more human. Truth is beauty. Exploration is infinite.

I am C.M. Mayo, writer, poet, and literary translator. Member, Texas Institute of Letters. www.cmmayo.com

Ive been blogging here at Madam Mayo since 2006 about my works, recommended reading, and whatever and whomever else pops up a-blinking on my super-extra-interesting radar.

Why the funny name? A poet once wrote to me, Dear Madam Mayo, and I thought that was hilarious. (Ha, Im old enough to remember the Gang of Four.)

In 2019 I will once again be blogging on Mondays, except when not, devoting the second Monday of the month to my writing workshop students and anyone else interested in creative writing, and the fourth to a Q & A with a fellow writer.
The latest polling released Monday by Idaho Politics Weekly found Idahoans to be divided over the state government taking control of federal land, although more oppose the idea than favor it.

A clear majority were against the militia occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

And when it comes to the presidential race, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are the favorites of the Republicans and Democrats, respectively.

The poll of 621 adults was done from Jan. 21 to 31 and has a 3.9 percent margin of error.

In the presidential race, Clinton has gained in the polls in Idaho over Bernie Sanders  54 percent of Democrats favor her now, opening up a 10-point lead on the Vermont senator. In December, they were much closer at 44-41. Sanders got 42 percent support from Democrats in this latest poll.

As for the Republicans, the poll showed Trump with 31 percent, followed by 19 percent for Ted Cruz, 13 percent for Ben Carson and 11 percent for Marco Rubio.

The Republicans will choose their presidential candidate in a primary on March 8, the Democrats in a caucus on March 22.

When it comes to lands issues, 48 percent of those polled favor continued federal control, 42 percent want state control and 11 percent were undecided. The divides here followed partisan lines  Republicans want state control by 51-39, independents oppose it 43-47 and Democrats are against it 19-72.

An interim committee studying public lands issues gave a report at the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, and several bills on the topic were introduced, although the toothier ones, such as a proposal to join an interstate compact to work on taking state control of federal lands, didnt pass. There havent been any major proposals yet this year, but Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, plans to introduce a bill into the Senate Resources and Environment Committee to let counties declare a catastrophic public nuisance on public lands and request abatement from land management agencies.

As for the militia occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, 61 percent of Idahoans polled opposed it, while 25 percent supported it and 14 percent had no opinion.
Idahos Wolf Depredation Control Board is seeking another $400,000 to fund its efforts in 2016-2017.

In 2015, the board investigated 84 wolf depredation complaints brought by 51 livestock producers in 15 counties, Todd Grimm, Idaho state director of U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife services, told legislators on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee Monday. Of them, he said 59 were confirmed as wolf attacks and the board killed 72 wolves last year.

If the original budget request passes, this would be the third year in a row the board was funded with $400,000 from the general fund. The board was created to kill wolves that attack livestock, deer and elk. The livestock industry and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game also help to fund it.

Wolf Board member Richard Savage argued that the boards success shouldnt be measured by comparing the number of wolves killed to dollars spent, as some people do. This, he said, doesnt factor in the economic costs of wolves killing livestock.

At this point, there is no possible way that we could put a dollar amount on the cost of depredation by wolves in the state of Idaho, he said.

The board has spent about $318,000 this year and still has a $655,000 balance, according to the boards budget presentation. This led Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, to suggest just appropriating $200,000 now, and giving the board more money later if it needs it.

Im just wondering if it would make more sense to have less of a reserve than a whole years budget, Gannon said.

Savage said that Gannon may be right, but I dont think we know that answer yet. He said he feels strongly about the boards work, having represented livestock interests in Idaho for more than 20 years.

I think its important that we always have money in the account so the helicopter depredation occurs, Savage said.

Sen. Bert Brackett, a Republican rancher from Rogerson, said he has talked to a fellow livestock producer who said some of their animals died from infections after being wounded, possibly by wolves attacking them for sport or training their pups how to kill. Savage and Grimm said there have been other cases reported to them where wolves injured animals but didnt kill them.

Weve found chewed-up animals for a long time, Savage said.

Brackett said more investigation into those kind of attacks might be needed, with more collaring of wolves to track them.

As you develop work plans and strategies, it seems like more collaring will be necessary, and I think its imperative that you have the resources there to follow up and do what you need to do, he said.
COLEMAN, Texas  Clinton Easter, 47, was convicted Jan. 28 of two first-degree felony cattle theft charges in Coleman County, Texas, and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Easter, of Eastland County, will serve 30 years confinement concurrently on each case. Easter had also been charged with the same of similar offenses in Eastland, Comanche and Stephens counties.

Easter confessed to the crimes and Coleman County District Attorney Heath Hemphill prosecuted the case.

Easter was found guilty after an investigation, led by Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Rangers Joe Roberts and H.D. Brittain, revealed he was responsible for the thefts. TSCRA Special Rangers Wayne Goodman, Marvin Wills and John Bradshaw assisted with the investigation.

Roberts said additional prosecutions are expected to be handed down in this case.

Through the teamwork of TSCRA Special Rangers, law enforcement authorities and District Attorney Hemphill, we were able to send a clear message that cattle theft comes with extremely severe consequences, said Roberts. I appreciate those who worked with us throughout the investigation to make sure justice prevailed.

TSCRA has 30 special rangers stationed strategically throughout Texas and Oklahoma who have in-depth knowledge of the cattle industry and are trained in all facets of law enforcement. All are commissioned as Special Rangers by the Texas Department of Public Safety or the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
SALT LAKE CITY  A federal judge began hearing evidence Monday in a child labor case involving a Utah polygamous sect, including testimony from a former member who says she would have been kicked out of the faith if she didnt work on a pecan harvest.

Alyssa Bistline said she started work on the pecan ranch at age 13 at the direction of polygamous leaders. She said she was expected to work harvests on and off until she left the sect in 2013.

I well understood that if I didnt go, I was in big trouble, said Bistline, 21. They said, If you rebel or disobey, you will lose your family or you will removed.

Federal labor investigators say Paragon Contractors used 1,400 unpaid laborers, including 175 children, from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints during a 2012 harvest captured by news cameras about 300 miles south of Salt Lake City. The Hurricane-based company is closely affiliated with the FLDS church, prosecutors say.

Paragon denies wrongdoing, saying women and children from the sect led by the imprisoned Warren Jeffs were volunteering to collect fallen nuts, not working as employees.

Were not here to try the church. Thats another case for another day, company lawyer Rick Sutherland said.

The harvest manager, not company leaders, made the arrangement, and families were allowed to keep half of what they gathered, Paragon attorneys say.

The U.S. Labor Department is asking a judge to hold Paragon in contempt of court for violating a 2007 order against using child labor and wants the company to pay back wages. U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell is set to hear three days of testimony.

Farm work is generally exempt from child labor laws in Utah as long as its done outside school hours. Paragon says the 2012 pecan harvest cant be considered a school day because children in the sect are homeschooled and minors were with their parents.

Federal attorneys disagree. They say it doesnt matter whether the children were taught at home; they still shouldnt have been working during public school hours.

The government says children as young as 6 worked for long hours, got sick from crawling over the damp ground and were sent to work even if they were allergic to nuts.

Paragon and several members of the polygamous group already have been fined a total of $1.9 million after a labor investigation found sect leaders directed the harvest.

Authorities say those leaders are loyal to Jeffs, who is serving a life sentence in Texas after being convicted in 2011 of sexually assaulting underage girls he considered brides.

The sect, a radical offshoot of Mormonism, does not have a spokesman or a phone listing where leaders can be contacted.

Two of Jeffs brothers declined to discuss church business when they were called to testify in the child labor case in January 2015. A lawyer for Nephi and Lyle Jeffs said then that the government was trying to go beyond the pecan farm and into other FLDS activities in a way that bordered on harassment.

The hearing comes as federal prosecutors are suing members of the sect in a separate case in Phoenix. They contend two towns on the Arizona-Utah line that are dominated by the FLDS church have discriminated against nonmembers and are serving as an enforcement arm of the sect.

The towns deny the allegations and say religion isnt a motivating factor in their decisions.

Sect members believe polygamy brings exaltation in heaven. It is a legacy of the early teachings of the Mormon church, but the mainstream faith abandoned the practice more than century ago.
Monsanto Co. wanted Syngenta so badly it pursued the pesticide producer for four years and made three separate takeover offers. Yet losing out to a Chinese bidder could be the best outcome for the seed company.

State-owned China National Chemical Corp.s agreement Wednesday to buy Syngenta for about $43 billion ends Monsanto Chief Executive Officer Hugh Grants vision of combining the Swiss companys weed- and bug-killing chemicals with the worlds largest genetically modified seed business.

Victory for ChemChina, as the company is also known, means paying 17 times Syngentas trailing 12-month earnings, exceeding the multiples paid in 10 comparable deals, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Such a deal would have been too expensive for Monsanto, according to Chris Shaw, a New York-based analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt & Co.

Monsanto is better off having not overpaid for Syngenta, Shaw said Tuesday in a note, ahead of the official announcement of the ChemChina offer. Theres benefit on a strategic basis as well.

That benefit, according to Shaw, lies in St. Louis-based Monsantos strong position in modified seeds and precision agriculture, the term for software that advises farmers on seed selection and the application of pesticides and fertilizers.

The U.S. company told investors in November it expects to add $3.5 billion in gross profit by 2019 as it rolls out new products. Big drivers of growth are expected to include Intacta soybeans, modified to combat insects in South America. The company said Wednesday a new soybean engineered to withstand the application of both Roundup and dicamba herbicides is now available in the United States and Canada

And then theres Monsantos precision-agriculture app for tablet computers and smartphones, which provides real-time data on soil conditions, weather and yields. Monsanto envisages farmers around the world paying to use the app on as many as 400 million acres by 2025. Compared with all of that, Syngentas crop chemicals are mundane, Shaw said.

We have a strong stand-alone growth plan and our shareowners can be assured we will continue to remain disciplined, Monsanto said in a statement Wednesday, in response to questions about the ChemChina offer.

The ChemChina deal comes less than two months after Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. agreed to merge, as a prelude to splitting into three separately traded companies. One of those new businesses would include an agriculture company larger than either Monsanto and Syngenta.

If Monsanto still wants to add more pesticides, German companies Bayer and BASF may want to strike a licensing deal or even sell off some assets, John Roberts, a New York- based analyst at UBS Securities, said by phone Tuesday. BASF and Bayer spokesmen declined to comment on potential deals.

Any potential opportunity would need to continue to meet three critical objectives, Monsanto said in its statement. It must be a strong strategic fit, it must provide synergistic value and it must result in a responsible capital structure.

Bayers agriculture business is similar to Syngenta, and the company eventually may want to exit the sector to focus on its health-care business, Roberts said. Monsanto already collaborates with BASF on developing gene-altered crops, providing a ready avenue for talks on pesticide deals, he said. But its possible BASF and Bayer could strike their own merger within Germany, much as Dow and DuPont are doing in the U.S., he said.

We expect Monsanto to deepen relationships with BASF, Jonas Oxgaard, a New York-based analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, said Wednesday in a note.

Oxgaard sees Syngentas acquisition as a net negative for Monsanto. UBSs Roberts says that even if the company remains on the sidelines, it will still benefit from the deals being done by its largest rivals, which will raise performance across the industry.

The industry being more consolidated wont hurt Monsanto, he said. Consolidation usually benefits everybody.

Monsanto is better off having not overpaid for Syngenta. Theres benefit on a strategic basis as well. Chris Shaw, a New York-based analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt & Co.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  New Mexico has succeeded in a lengthy legal battle aimed at barring a horse slaughter operation from opening in the state.

A state district judge in Santa Fe granted an order late Thursday that finalizes a settlement reached with the attorney generals office, animal advocates, Valley Meat Co. and other associated businesses.

Valley Meat had sought to convert its cattle processing plant in Roswell to the slaughtering of horses but the state filed a lawsuit in 2013 in hopes of stopping those plans, saying such an operation would violate New Mexicos environmental and food safety laws.

Bruce Wagman, an attorney for the horse advocacy group Front Range Equine Rescue, said Friday the order and previous rulings from the judge effectively end any chance of a horse slaughter operation opening in New Mexico.

This is the end, Wagman said. It cant happen here in New Mexico.

Blair Dunn, an attorney for Valley Meat, said the closure of the case means his clients will no longer be harassed by the attorney generals office and the others who joined the fight.

Still pending is a federal lawsuit and a counter claim in state district court in which Dunns clients are seeking a jury trial to decide damages for what he called a malicious use of the legal process.

These groups used the process to destroy these peoples business, he said.

During the legal wrangling, proponents had argued that domestic slaughter was the most humane way to deal with a rising number of abused and abandoned horses. Currently, unwanted horses are shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.

The last domestic horse slaughterhouses closed in 2007, a year after Congress initially withheld funding for the required federal inspections of the slaughtering process. After the money was restored in 2011, plants in New Mexico, Missouri and Iowa began trying to start horse slaughtering.

The resumption of commercial horse slaughter in the U.S. was again derailed in 2014 when President Barack Obama signed a budget measure that withheld the funding for inspections. That money has yet to be restored.

The lawsuit by the state, which was joined by the horse rescue group and others, was meant as a possible insurance plan in the event the federal government authorized funding for inspections in the future.

The order issued Thursday by Judge Matthew Wilson makes permanent an injunction he granted in January 2014 to prohibit the Roswell company from moving forward with its plans.

After receiving the order, state Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a statement that there is no place for horse slaughter in the state of New Mexico.

This is the end. It cant happen here in New Mexico. Bruce Wagman, attorney for Front Range Equine Rescue
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) | The Mormon church has come out against a Utah bill that would allow the medical use of edible pot products, a position that could be a serious blow to one of two medical marijuana proposals before state lawmakers.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said leaders are worried about the unintended consequences of the measure proposed by Republican Sen. Mark Madsen of Eagle Mountain. A majority of Utah lawmakers are members of the Salt Lake City-based faith, and the church's position on an issue can be decisive.

The church doesn't object to another, more restrictive medical marijuana bill that would allow access to a marijuana-infused oil, church spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement.

Madsen told The Salt Lake Tribune that church lobbyists told him and legislative leaders about their opposition, but declined to explain their reasoning.

"Maybe they don't want to be known as the special interest who put their thumb on the scale and decided this for everyone in the state," Madsen told the newspaper. "If they're going to put their thumb on the scale politically and force everyone to a standard, then I think they owe something of an explanation to the people."

Both medical marijuana bills have gotten committee approval and are expected to be debated before the full Utah Senate within the next week.

Madsen's proposal would allow tens of thousands of residents with chronic or debilitating conditions access to edible products, but ban smoking pot. Madsen argues Utah should join more than 20 other states that have passed medical marijuana programs. But some Republicans have already said they worry the plan is too broad. The measure died by one vote as last year.

The other marijuana proposal would allow a few thousand people diagnosed with cancer, HIV and other conditions to use a marijuana-infused oil. The cannabidiol oil is made from a strain of the cannabis plant that's low in THC, the hallucinogenic chemical in marijuana, and high in CBD, a chemical that some believe helps fight seizures. A restricted law passed two years ago allowed those with severe epilepsy to have the extract oil if they get it in other states like Colorado.

The plan sponsored by Sen. Evan Vickers of Cedar City and Rep. Brad Daw of Orem, both Republicans, would set up strict controls on licensing and tracking of those approved to produce and dispense the oil. Doctors recommending the treatment would be registered with the state and undergo training, and their patients would be issued a medical cannabidiol card.

The Utah Medical Association supports that proposal, but some people suffering from chronic pain criticize it. They argue their health conditions don't qualify or that they need treatment from products that include higher levels of THC.
TWIN FALLS  The spring-fed Silver Creek is known for its prolific numbers of fish and insects, drawing thousands of fly fishermen year after year. North of Picabo, the creek winds through private and public-managed lands.

Idaho Fish and Game has finalized an agreement on private ranchland granting public access along 2 miles of the banks downstream of the U.S. 20 highway bridge for years to come.

That is a really, really popular fishing area, said Roger Phillips, a spokesman for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. It literally attracts people from all over the world.

The state made a deal with the Nick Purdy family, which has owned a stretch of property alongside the creek since the 1880s. The Purdy family had temporary agreements with Idaho to grant public access in past years, but this latest pact grants the state a permanent easement, said Magic Valley Region Wildlife Habitat Manager Mark Fleming.

You cant predict what will happen down the road with an annual agreement, Fleming said.

In exchange, the Purdy family was granted about 30 acres of state land, which it has been farming hay and grain on for years by agreement.

The main reason for doing it is Silver Creek is so special that I dont really look at anybody owning it, Nick Purdy said. Its such an asset to the area and to the state. To lock it up just isnt right.

The value of the easement was compared one-to-one with the value of the parcel of farmland for an equal exchange, Fleming said.

Purdy, however, said the easement is priceless.

It wasnt a fair trade at all, he said. But it doesnt matter.

A deal was made, more or less, to justify giving the access, he said.

The state will keep public access to the creek on the parcel of farmland, as well as a conservation easement for riparian habitat. Fish and Game also secured a road easement, Fleming said.

The public shouldnt notice anything different as far as access to the creek goes, he said.

The 2 miles of secured easement along Silver Creek about doubles the public access to the banks, and is split among three segments, he said. The public has access along both sides of Silver Creek within 30 feet of the high water line along the edge of the creek.

Greg Loomis, a fly fishing guide for Ketchum-based Silver Creek Outfitters, said most of the better fishing in Silver Creek is in the upper part of the creek, but the easement is a good deal that helps spread out fishermen.

Mostly what is fished in Silver Creek is trout  and the majority in this part are brown trout, he said. The fish can reach up to 24 to 26 inches. While some people may use the banks, Loomis believes most outfitters will probably just float on by.

I dont see really a whole lot of changes in the numbers of people using it, he said.

Still, Loomis predicted the area is likely to see a number of fly fishermen in early June.

The 2 miles of public easement on the Purdy land are open for fishing from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Nov. 30, Fleming said. During this time, there is a two-trout limit, with none between 12 and 16 inches.

Fly fishing is also allowed from Dec. 1 through the last day of February for unlimited catch-and-release only.

These kinds of projects that have long-term benefits for the public are what Idaho Fish and Game strives to achieve every day, Fleming said.

Looking ahead, no matter who the property owner is, that easement will be secure for the future, Purdy said.
Seniors Wellness

The Twin Falls Senior Center will hold a presentation for senior citizens at 12:15 p.m. Monday at 530 Shoshone St. W.

Connie Campbell of Syringa Place will speak on When drugs deplete nutrients.

Free; 208-734-5084.

Breastfeeding

Free Breastfeeding 101 class, 7 p.m. Monday in the Oak Room on the lower level of St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

Topic: Breastfeeding basics for new and expectant mothers. Babies are welcome.

Free; pre-registration is required, 208-814-0402.

Ostomy Support

Ostomy Support Group, 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the Pine Room on the lower level of St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

The meeting is for ostomy patients and their families.

Free; 208-308-6153.

Parkinsons Support

Magic Valley Parkinsons Support Group will meet at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the Jerome Public Library, 100 First Ave. E.

Those with Parkinsons and their spouses and caregivers are invited to attend the free meeting. The National Parkinsons Foundation has donated DVDs containing PD expert briefings from the Interactive Educational Series, and the group will focus this month on Tips for Better Living with PD.

The support group meets monthly on the second Wednesday. Information: nfturley@att.net or 208-358-5807.

Childbirth

St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Centers prepared childbirth classes, 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 10 through March 9, in Oak Rooms 2-3-4 on the lower level of St. Lukes, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

Topics: Wellness during pregnancy; labor and delivery process with relaxation and breathing techniques; caesarean birth; postpartum care for mother and newborn; infant CPR; car seat and home safety; and a tour of the maternal and child units.

Bring a labor-support person if possible.

Cost is $25 for a five-week session. Pre-registration is required: 208-814-0402.

Alzheimers Support

Alzheimers Association, Greater Idaho Chapters Caregiver Support Group meeting, 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at DeSano Place Suites, 545 Nevada St., Gooding.

The group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays every month.

Information: 208-934-4623.

Laughter Exercise

Laughter Therapy, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Twin Falls Senior Center, 530 Shoshone St. W., with Mary Martinat, a retired physical education instructor.

Learn how laughing can relieve stress and improve your breathing.

Free. 208-734-5084.

Heart Health

St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center is offering a free heart health seminar at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in the Oak Rooms on the lower level of St. Lukes, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

The topic is Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Blood Thinners by Dr. Crandall.

Pre-register: 208-814-0095.

Infant Safety, CPR

Infant safety and cardiopulmonary resuscitation class, 6:30-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the Oak Rooms on the lower level of St. Lukes, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

New parents, grandparents and caregivers learn CPR and what to do if a baby chokes. The class isnt a certification course.

Free; no registration required. 208-814-0402.

Childbirth

Childbirth refresher course, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, in the Oak Rooms on the lower level of St. Lukes, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

Topic: Review of childbirth preparation and medical center procedures, and a tour of the maternal and child unit. Bring a labor support person, if possible.

Cost is $15; pre-registration is required: 208-814-0402.
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter faces a profound dilemma. He leads the department that has jurisdiction over the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that detains Islamic militants. At the same time, his boss, President Obama, is determined to close Guantanamo to fulfill a campaign promise he made eight years ago. In fact, the presidents single-minded focus on closing Guantanamo in the waning months of his administrationas illustrated by the recent release of 10 dangerous detainees, with the promise of more releases to comeis endangering American lives as well as those of our friends and allies.

This I believe  and know firsthand  based on my experience during my last five years with the George W. Bush administration while serving as the senior government official responsible for the decision to transfer or release enemy combatants from Guantanamo.

Contrary to what some may believe, Bush had no desire to hold any person at Guantanamo who did not absolutely need to be there. The guidance I received was to first determine through careful vetting which detainees posed less risk and then decide whether transfer or even release was appropriate  the opposite of the Obama White Houses approach. The process involved input from many federal agencies and defense organizations, military and civilian. I personally read the dossiers and each organizations recommendationmany of which were in conflict  before making a final decision. Obviously, a recidivism rate of zero is unattainable. Seeking the right balance was an agonizing task that often had to be conducted on the basis of incomplete information.

Early in the process, low-level and less-threatening detainees were returned to their home countries as it was decided that they would not likely return to the fight. In time, the cases became more complex. Those remaining at Guantanamo had a record of participating in terrorism, financing terrorism or outright leadership of terrorist activity.

After being assured by host countries that returned detainees would be reformed, held in local detention or otherwise monitored, I transferred some higher-risk detainees from Guantanamo. Over time, it was learned that some of those assurances had not been honored and that detainees were returning to the fight. Some were recaptured or killed fighting U.S. and allied troops. Some engaged in terrorist attacks on civilians. Despite this record and risk, we expended great effort  including extensive intelligence collectionto be certain that the continued holding of any detainee was absolutely justified by the threat he posed.

In retrospect, by trying to be as fair as possible, I approved the transfer of too many higher-risk detainees who went on to kill again. That weighs on my conscience.

When I left office at the end of the Bush administration, there were more than 200 detainees at Guantanamo. Based on what I knew then I had studied each file many times  none would have been approved for release. Under Obama, more than half have been releasednone of them low risk according to the vigorous vetting we had conducted during the Bush administration. Statements to the contrary by the White House are misleading at best.

To release more detainees, other than ones such as the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks who are hopefully detained forever, Obama still must go through the Defense Department, which has jurisdiction over Guantanamo.

From my perspective, Carters choice, though wrenching, is very clear. He should resist intense White House pressure and refuse to approve any further transfers of detainees. And if given no choice by the president, he must be willing to give up his job as defense secretary.

Perhaps such a dramatic decision by the secretary would force the president to recognize the truth of his actions: Transferring high-risk detaineeswho will almost certainly rejoin the fightposes a clear and present danger to our country and to our allies security.
This appeared in Sundays Washington Post.

The question of whether women should  like men  be required to register for the military draft was thrust into the national conversation last week by Army and Marine Corps leaders who favor the idea. Now that women are eligible for all combat roles, it is a natural question.

But is the Selective Service system needed at all, for men or women? Wouldnt it make more sense, as presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton suggested during Wednesdays CNN town hall, to put the effort instead into registering all Americans to vote when they turn 18?

Gen. Mark A. Milley, Army chief of staff, and Gen. Robert B. Neller, commandant of the Marine Corps, Tuesday told the Senate Armed Services Committee that they favor having all Americans who are physically qualified register for the draft, which applies to those ages 18 through 25. The comments favoring the inclusion of women in Selective Service registration constitute a first in the Defense Department. Other military leadersincluding Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Army acting secretary Patrick Murphy  did not endorse the idea, pushing instead for a national debate on the issue.

Congress should take up that suggestion and start with a clear-eyed assessment of what purpose is served by the Selective Service system and the millions of dollars devoted to it. The draft hasnt been used since 1973. The all-volunteer military has proved successful and is favored by military leaders over forcing people into service for relatively short terms. Given the 402-to-2 vote in the House against a draft in 2004, its clear there is no political support for its comeback. The strongest argument for maintaining the registration system is in the remote possibility of a major calamity confronting the country, but other government databases, nonexistent when the Selective Service Act was enacted in 1917, are available to assist in a mobilization.

A far more urgent need for the country is getting people registered to vote. It is estimated that 24 percent of eligible Americans, or 51 million people, are not registered to vote, and studies show the percentage is even higher for those between the ages of 18 and 24. One big reason is an outmoded and mistake-prone system of registration that needlessly frustrates access to the ballot. When U.S. citizens reach the age of 18, they should automatically be registered. Once they are signed up to vote, they should stay registered. Its what Clinton talked about last week in New Hampshire, and a similar plan has been backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont. States have the means to do this, asOregon is showing with a system in which anyone who has or obtains a drivers license is automatically registered to vote unless they opt out. California plans to follow suit. Voting is a civic duty. Government should make it easier, not harder, to do.
The story of how and why Jenny Steinke died last summer might be the kind of story that would goad a legislature into action. Thats because, had the legislature voted differently at any point over the last few sessions, she might be alive today.

Jenny Steinke, 36, of Idaho Falls, had for some years endured asthma, but generally managed it with the use of inhalers. In late August, her condition got worse, but she and her husband Jason put off medical treatment until insurance at Jasons new job started on September 1. For a long time up to then they had been uninsured, since their employers hadnt provided health insurance as part of the employment package. A serious brush with the medical profession, not to mention an actual useful health insurance policy, was financially either out of reach or a disastrous proposition.

The Steinkes were not a rare fluke case in their lack of health insurance. State officials have estimated 78,000 Idahoans are similarly caught in a gap, outside the provisions for a state health insurance exchange policy, or for Medicaid coverage. In many other states, as part of the Obamacare effort, Medicaid was extended to cover people like the Steinkes. Idaho is one of the states where it hasnt been; while several task forces have recommended the expansion, the legislature has been resistant.

With medical assistance, asthma usually isnt life-threatening. But Jenny Steinkes case got worse quickly, unexpectedly fast, and hit a crisis. By the time she got to an emergency room, she was in a desperate condition. About three days later, she died.

On Tuesday Jenny Steinkes physician, Kenneth Krell, the critical care director at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, reflected on her case as he spoke to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee about the possibility of Medicaid expansion.

Krell told how the Steinke case, and others not so different, and their implications haunted him: I kept asking myself, how could this be? How could, in a state like Idaho where we care about each other, could I be seeing deaths and really damaging illness on a nearly daily basis as a result of failure to expand Medicaid that cost tangible lives? Its difficult to understand.

He added, Nearly one patient per day dies in this state as a result of not having Medicaid expansion. And thats a direct result of that failure to obtain care at a stage when the disease process could be treated effectively and not only death, but hospitalization and illness prevented.

That adds up, as the headlines around the state noted, to around 1,000 Idahoans who have died over the last three years because the legislature chose not to expand the reach of Medicaid.

After the hearing, no vote on Medicaid expansion was taken by the committee. The chairman did not, however, rule out a vote at some later time.

If Jenny Steinke were the only person who died because of that decision, the moral case involved here would be clear enough. But hundreds of Idahoans dying every year?

All legislative decisions involve weighing the good and the bad, and sometimes those decisions are close and difficult. (This is not, I should note, a case of inadequate resources; the state would actually save money with Medicaid expansion.)

Here, you have a lot of lives on one side of the equation, and on the other side  well, what, exactly, is it in this decision that is worth more than saving a life every day?
About Me Mohd. Kamal bin Abdullah I am Mohd. Kamal bin Abdullah, who resides in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. I hold a post-graduate law degree from the United Kingdom. I blog to tell MALAYSIANS THE TRUTH. View my complete profile

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Welcome !

The Huli Wigmen don't mind perpetuating the myth of their man-eating ways if it keeps the missionaries at bay, but the truth be told -- they are warm and gentle people who would never harm a visitor to their land.



Welcome to Hela Province . " Great people, Great province"




Senior Gold Producer Goldcorp Takes Large Stake in Nevada's Gold Standard Ventures

When Gold Standard Ventures announced on February 1 that Goldcorp would be investing CA$16.1 million for 9.9% of the junior's shares, industry watchers took notice. In this analysis written exclusively for Streetwise Reports, Thibaut Lepouttre, editor of Caesars Report, speculates on why the major acted when and where it did, and what it might mean for the future.

Good news travels fast, and whenever a gold exploration company is able to raise a decent amount of cash in the current market circumstances, the market's ears usually perk up. Enter Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (GSV:TSX.V; GSV:NYSE). Not only was this Nevada-focused gold explorer able to attract CA$16.1 million (CA$16.1M) in new funding, this placement was also conducted at a premium to the market price (16% above the 20 day Volume Weighted Average Price [VWAP]) and allowed senior producer Goldcorp Inc. (G:TSX; GG:NYSE) to initiate a relatively large stake in Gold Standard.

I would like to take a moment to explain the importance of not just being able to raise cash at a premium, but raising it from one of the industry's most respected companies. Goldcorp usually has a conservative investment approach and the company most definitely isn't acquiring stakes in companies on a daily basis. In fact, Goldcorp has been selling some non-core assets in the recent past, but now seems to be in buying mode again.

So what exactly attracted Goldcorp to make this investment?

First, one could immediately point to the flight towards safety-paradigm as several larger producers are falling back on North American assets to reduce the exposure to geopolitical risk. However, those companies usually start by consolidating assets in the regions where they already have a presence, and as Goldcorp has no activities in Nevada, one cannot consider the stake in Gold Standard to be just a minor event.

Goldcorp historically isn't interested in remaining a passive investor, and we have the impression this investment in Gold Standard Ventures is just a first step to maneuvering itself into a better position to perhaps take full control of Gold Standard and its Railroad-Pinion project.

Secondly, Goldcorp isn't the first company to recognize the potential of the Dark Star zone at Railroad-Pinion, as in the second quarter of last year, Gold Standard attracted OceanaGold Corp. (OGC:TSX; OGC:ASX) as another strategic shareholder. In fact, Gold Standard's two most recent private placements were with two existing producers, as both mid-tier producer OceanaGold and now senior producer Goldcorp invested approximately CA$32M in Gold Standard Ventures. What better way to show validation of the project than to get two sizable investments from such credible companies all while increasing shareholder value as the two investments were done at $0.65/share and $1/share, reflecting a significant increase in share price. . .impressive.

And finally, the most recent drill results at the Dark Star deposit were real eye-openers, as the drill bit intersected long intervals of oxide rock with an above-average gold grade, indicating Gold Standard Ventures might have an elephant by its tail.

Source: Gold Standard Ventures

Two is company, three is a crowd? Not in Gold Standard's case!

With OceanaGold and Goldcorp now being large shareholders of Gold Standard, one would think this might reduce the appetite of any other potential strategic investor, but don't be too sure about that. Down the road from Dark Star is Newmont Mining Corp.'s (NEM:NYSE) Emigrant mine and as the synergies between the Dark Star and Emigrant mine could be enormous, we would expect Newmont to be very interested in exploring its options.

That is perhaps the most interesting feature of Gold Standard, as not only will it be able to play out two companies against each other further down the road, a third company might be invited to the party as well. Or, well, it could invite itself to the dance.

Gold Standard will now have CA$2540M in the bank.

Once this financing deal with Goldcorp closes, Gold Standard Ventures will see its cash position increase to at least CA$25M (assuming OceanaGold does not exercise any of its anti-dilution rights) and up to CA$40M (assuming OceanaGold increases its stake to 19.9%, which it is allowed to do).

That's a lot of money for an exploration company and we expect Gold Standard to design a very aggressive drill program at Railroad-Pinion for 2016. No definitive plans have been made just yet, but we would expect the company to spend quite a few million dollars on the 2016 exploration campaign. It wouldn't surprise me to see Gold Standard kicking off a 40,000+ meter drill program that could be expanded if there is a need to do so. As the average cost per drilled meter has come down considerably in the past few quarters, Gold Standard could actually complete such a drill program at a cost of less than CA$7.5M.

It would make a lot of sense to focus on the targets towards the eastern side of the currently known mineralization as this would be the most efficient way to test the size of the project and to quickly build an inventory of gold ounces in the ground.

Conclusion

With a mid-tier and a senior gold producer having taken strategic stakes in Gold Standard Ventures in the past few quarters, the project continues to be derisked and Gold Standard Ventures now has ample cash to drill quite a lot of meters. Gold Standard has spent years putting together the second largest continuous land package in the Carlin Trend after Newmont Mining, which sets up the possibility for a meaningful size discovery.

2016 will be a very important year for Gold Standard as a new large drill program will increase the company's understanding of the mineralized zone. And even after drilling 40,00050,000 meters, Gold Standard should still end the year with in excess of CA$15M in the treasury (assuming OceanaGold does not exercise its anti-dilution rights), which makes this company stand out from the crowd.

Thibaut Lepouttre is the editor of the Caesars Report, a newsletter and mining portal based in Belgium that covers several junior mining companies with a special focus on precious metals and base metals. Lepouttre has a Bachelor of Law degree and two economics masters degrees that have forged his analytical approach to the mining sector. Considered a number cruncher, Lepouttre focuses on the valuations of companies and is consistently on the lookout for the next undervalued mining company.

Want to read more Gold Report interviews like this? Sign up for our free e-newsletter, and you'll learn when new articles have been published. To see a list of recent interviews with industry analysts and commentators, visit our Streetwise Interviews page.

DISCLOSURE:

1) Thibaut Lepouttre wrote this article for Streetwise Reports, publisher of The Gold Report, The Energy Report and The Life Sciences Report.

2) The following companies mentioned in the interview are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Gold Standard Ventures Corp. The companies mentioned in this interview were not involved in any aspect of the interview preparation or post-interview editing so the expert could speak independently about the sector. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services.

3) Thibaut Lepouttre: I own, or my family owns, shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: None. I personally am, or my family is, paid by the following companies mentioned in this interview: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this interview: None. I was not paid by Streetwise Reports for participating in this interview. Comments and opinions expressed are my own comments and opinions. I determined and had final say over which companies would be included in the interview based on my research, understanding of the sector and interview theme. I had the opportunity to review the interview for accuracy as of the date of the interview and am responsible for the content of the interview.

4) Interviews are edited for clarity. Streetwise Reports does not make editorial comments or change experts' statements without their consent.

5) The interview does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer.

6) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise during the up-to-four-week interval from the time of the interview until after it publishes.

Streetwise - The Gold Report is Copyright  2014 by Streetwise Reports LLC. All rights are reserved. Streetwise Reports LLC hereby grants an unrestricted license to use or disseminate this copyrighted material (i) only in whole (and always including this disclaimer), but (ii) never in part.

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Good Monday Morning Jungle,





The theory parts contain:

FRIDAY

Basework in Progress

... and more basework!

SATURDAY

Miniature's were primed during noon and ready to go!

Pfft! pfft!

More theory and even more theory.

Questions, answers, jokes and explanations.

Following explanations of Roman works best with hands on!

More explanations from the teacher.





Habiliblabibabalab!

SUNDAY

Thank you all for a great weekend!

today Massive Voodoo takes a closer look on Roman's recent Jar's Beginners Class in Augsburg, Germany which took place in the middle of January.The class was special as it was held in english language. Many thanks to all the students of this seminar who travelled far and short to come to this class and have Roman as a teacher on their miniature painting skills. Special thanks towho travelled from Czech Republic and toandwho travelled all the way from warm Turkey to cold and snowy Germany.Thanks to, who took part in the class and also filmed here and there to provide a wonderful interview video with Roman in the future.We did meet up in Roman's old school, where he studied to become a teacher. It is a great workshop venue for such events.Thanks to the supporters of this class who made the class wonderful due their help in sponsoring some of their products, beside Roman's crazy material collection:The wordmight be confusing to many first time participants of this class.It is not a class for 'only' beginners. In fact it is a class for every person, at every age interested in figure painting, whatever their experience level is.'Beginners class' means here thatgives an introduction into his way of thinking while painting, in detail a lot of important theory is explained while doing a walk through Art History and is used in practical exercises. During the weekend you will not only learn to improve your painting skills, you will also learn thebehind everything explained and with that you will be able to teach yourself in your own hobby future by just recognizing what nature has to offer.- Learn to see your world with different eyes- Introduction into basing composition- Learn how to feel harmony in different aspects- Important contrasts for figure painting- Explanation about how to paint a light situation on your figure- Understand colour theory and learn how to use it properly- Learn about different materials, their unique properties and learn to paint them- Learn to lose fear of doing something wrong- much more!We did start Friday night with basing, a lot of theory on different aspects, cleaning and preparing the models: A demonette.Saturday is always the longest day of this weekend class. Several hours spent in front of a project can make this experience very intense for everyone and Roman was very happy to see everyone working concentrated and with joy on their individual setups.Many thanks to, a true veteran of Roman's classes who helped Roman and the other students with his generous help during the class.While Saturday pushed everyone forward in his project, Sunday was the day of mainly going into detail work. Roman explained, helped everyone on theirand managed to push his students to really beautiful projects.Thanks toonce again for taking many photos of the class and poviding them to Roman for this review. Roman himself wasn't able to shoot much photos as he was busy all around.Roman left the class exhausted and as a proud teacher. He hopes that all of you paint on with joy and always remember: Learning never stops!Keep on happy painting and thanks for your support!
Israels infrastructure, energy and water minister, Yuval Steinitz, told a gathering at Beersheba on Saturday that Egypt has cooperated with Tel Aviv up to a certain level in their efforts to destroy tunnels used by Hamas for smuggling and launching attacks.

His comments raised concerns of the Israeli defense ministry because security cooperation between the two countries is kept secret due to criticism it triggers from Egyptians.

Egypt has pumped sea water into tunnels between the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip after declaring the area a buffer zone as it tries to fight against terrorism. Steinitz said some Hamas tunnels were flooded, to a certain extent at our request before adding that flooding is a good solution in that realm. He said the security coordination between Israel and Egypt was better than ever hinting that the arrival of President Sisi has contributed to improving the two countries relations, while former president Mohammed Morsi was a strong critic of the Jewish State.

Sisi and his regime are extremely reluctant to disclose publicly their relationship with Israel, concerned that opposition forces will fuel populist anger by painting Sisi as a collaborator with Israel. Steinitz expressed regret for the unintended impression he caused.

Hamas recently claimed that it is working to launch high quality terror attacks against Israel from the West Bank but a senior Hamas official was quoted by The Times of Israel on Thursday as saying that the organizations stance is clear and that it does not want an escalation of violence and it does not want war.

Prime Minister Netanyahu warned on Sunday that if they are attacked from the tunnels in the Gaza Strip they will retaliate with much more force than Operation Protective Edge making reference to the 50-day summer war in 2014.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is unhappy with the US after an envoy of President Obama last week paid a visit to Kobani, in Syria.

Kobani is under the control of the military wing of the Kurdish Democratic Party, called the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG).

Ankara considers the group as a terrorist organization due to its close ties with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Erdogran stressed that the U.S should choose between Turkey and the Kurdish armed groups asking is it me who is your partner or the terrorists in Kobani?

Brett McGurk visited Kobani when talks in Geneva were ongoing. The Kurdish Democratic Party (PYD) has been receiving US support to fight the Islamic State and Obamas envoy said his visit was aimed at reviewing the fight against ISIS. The group has been able to repel the attacks of the extremist group after forcing it out of Kobani last year.

Erdogan also questioned US policies asking do you accept the PKK as a terrorist organization? Then why dont you list the PYD and the YPG as terrorist organizations too?

PYD was not invited to the Geneva talks after strong opposition from Turkey.

Ankara is opposed to relations or support of Kurdish armed groups due to fears that the creation of an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria would trigger separatist claims among Kurdish Turks.

Ankara has recently barred Syrian refugees from entering through its Oncupinar border crossing point which faces the Bab al-Salama frontier post inside Syria. Deputy Prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said the country has reached the limit of its capacity to absorb refugees while admitting that we are not in a position to tell them not to come. If we do, we would be abandoning them to their deaths.
The local inhabitants of all walks of life and tribes of the Moroccan Sahara provinces have hailed the new visit King Mohammed VI is paying to the region, expressing joy and happiness over such a visit that heralds new development projects likely to upgrade living standards in the region.

They massively welcomed the Sovereign in both cities of Laayoune and Dakhla chanting Long life to the King and waving the Monarchs photos along the route of the royal procession, as shown in TV footage.

It is King Mohammed VIs second visit to the region in three months. In Laayoune, the Monarch has launched and inaugurated several socio-economic projects destined to create jobs for the local inhabitants and contribute to fostering the regions socioeconomic development.

Among the projects launched, there is a technology park that will include teaching and research departments that will focus on the Sahara environment, a support pole in the economic development of the South, a cultural center and social facilities.

The high-tech Foum El Oued-Laayoune center will create nearly 1.8 million working days during its construction and will provide 1,200 permanent jobs when completed by 2022.

The high-tech park will include the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, a high school of excellence and an industrial competence center.

These new structures and entities will reinforce and diversify the training offer in the southern provinces and will meet the needs of the region population in matters of higher education & academic research and make of the center a reference institution in Morocco and in the sub-Sahara region.

The Sovereign also launched constructed works of Phosboucraa industrial complex of fertilizer production. This integrated project seeks to create job opportunities by processing the extracted phosphate on the spot. It will help enhance the regions competitiveness and usher in new professions associated with phosphate fertilizer processing activities (engineering, construction, maintenance, management projects etc.)

These landmark undertakings are part of a global development model set out for the region. The new royal visit to the Sahara comes as a follow-up to the Kings trip to the region last November to mark the 40th anniversary of the Green March.

During that visit, the King launched large-scale projects destined to improve the areas infrastructure and transform the region into a model of integrated development as well as a link between Morocco and Sub-Saharan Africa.

We want this development model to seal these provinces integration into the unified homeland and to enhance the influence of the Sahara region as an economic hub and a crucial link between Morocco and its African roots, the Moroccan monarch had then said in a nationwide TV address made from the city of Laayoune on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Green March.
Exposing people to short flashes of light while theyre sleeping could provide a fast and efficient method of preventing jet lag, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

This could be a new way of adjusting much more quickly to time changes than other methods in use today, said Jamie Zeitzer, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

Zeitzer is senior author of the study, which was published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The lead author is Raymond Najjar, PhD, a former postdoctoral scholar at Stanford now at the Singapore Eye Research Institute.

Researchers led by Zeitzer have been working on developing an optimal technique for using light exposure to help people adjust more quickly to changes in their sleep cycles. Current light-therapy treatments for sleep disturbances include sitting in front of bright lights for hours at a time during the day, which allows you to transition your body clock to a new time zone in small steps prior to taking a trip.

Night light

In an earlier study, Zeitzer and his colleagues found that light therapy works best at night because the bodys circadian rhythms, which control sleep cycles, are more sensitive to light at night, even through closed eyelids.

In the latest study, Zeitzer and Najjar found that short flashes of light at night are more effective than continuous light exposure and could further speed up the process of adjusting to a different time zone before a trip.

The transfer of light through the eyes to the brain does more than provide sight; it also changes the biological clock. A persons brain can be tricked into adjusting more quickly to disturbances in sleep cycles by increasing how long he or she is exposed to light prior to traveling to a new time zone.

After arriving in a new time zone, the body will eventually adjust on its own, but at a slow pace of about one hour a day. Meanwhile, jet lag, which occurs because your bodys clock is still synced to your original time zone, can cause fatigue, lack of alertness, a general feeling of malaise and sometimes gastrointestinal problems.

Biological hacking

Light therapy is designed to speed up the brains adjustment to time changes. By conducting light therapy at night, the brains biological clock gets tricked into adjusting to an awake cycle even when asleep. Its a kind of biological hacking that fools the brain into thinking the day is longer while you get to sleep, Zeitzer said.
The Islamic State groups offshoot in Egypt released photos of a new training camp allegedly set up in the countrys desert. Egyptian security forces are fighting against militant and terror groups in the northern part of the country especially in the Sinai Peninsula.

The released images taken at the Abu Hajr al-Masri training camp in the remote Sinai desert highlight the constant danger that exists in the area. The government is called to increase security as safety concerns continue to be a major issue, keeping tourists out of the country.

The Abu Hajr al-Masri training camp is named after a former Egyptian terrorist. The images released by the Islamic State showed a group of what seems to be recruits dressed in balaclavas and black robes performing some exercises. They were seemingly having fitness training, practicing with weapons and military tactics in different formations. Some of the fighters are shown tackling an assault course, including jumping through burning metal hoops and crawling along the ground.

Authorities in Cairo have not reacted to the images released by the extremist group that analysts think could have been made public in defiance of the governments efforts to free the Sinai peninsula from terrorist and militant groups.

The pictures of an IS training base in the North African country could serve as a deterrence to would be visitors considering that there was an attack on a hotel in Hurghada in January. In October 2015, the Islamic state claimed responsibility for downing a Russian passenger Airbus killing everyone on board. Russia suspended its flights to Egypt and will resume them only when safety requirements at Egyptian airports are approved by Moscow.
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It is possible to measure the alcohol consumption of a given population based on the presence of a stable metabolite excreted in urine in wastewaters: ethyl sulphate. The University of Valencia has taken part in this study, which has scientifically quantified the massive spike in drinking in Valencia during local festivities.

A new method for measuring alcohol consumption has scientifically quantified the massive spike in drinking in Valencia during local festivities.

Researchers at the University of Valencia (UV) have developed a technique for measuring a population's alcohol consumption in real time based on the levels of metabolic by-products reaching wastewater treatment plants. It has shown that average consumption rockets to 400% during the city's annual festivities, known as Fallas. Indeed, it peaks at up to six times normal levels on the final night.

This will come as no surprise to anyone who has experienced Fallas and lived to tell the tale. Spain in general is well-known for its festive celebrations, from the tomatina in Bunol to Pamploma's bull run and Seville's Holy Week, among many, many others. Valencia is no exception. Fallas is a five-day bonanza of traditional dress, parades, professional-level fireworks and some pretty serious street parties. So serious it would seem that average alcohol consumption shoots up to four times normal levels!

The new technique is based on the detection of ethyl sulphate, one of the more stable chemical compounds released in our urine after we consume alcohol, at the city's wastewater treatment plants. Already used in workplace and rehabilitation centre alcohol testing, this compound is now being proposed as an indicator of real-time per capita alcohol consumption.

Existing estimations of per capita alcohol consumption rely on surveys and sales figures, which are limited, since they do not take into account either homemade alcohol production, stockpiling or wastage. They can tell us how much we buy, where we buy it and when, and how much we think we drink in an average week, but these indicators cannot accurately reflect how much we actually drink and when.

This research can and, to the mirthful pride off of many a Valencian, just has. "The sewers don't lie!", one regional newspaper has declared, and it's not wrong: ethyl sulphate inevitably finds its way out of our bodies and into wastewater treatment plants, where it can be detected using advanced techniques like those developed at the University of Valencia (specifically, a combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry).

The results show alcohol consumption rise sharply at the start of the five-day holiday to four times normal drinking levels, higher even than your standard weekend drinking. Figures continue to rise until reaching a peak of 600% on 19th March, the official bank holiday, and the day after the final big night of partying.

Indeed, this technique is so sophisticated that it can even reveal what tipple we have over-indulged in. In the case of Valencia during Fallas, beer comes in at first place, accounting for 50% of all alcohol consumed in this period, followed by spirits (28%) and wine (20%).

As researcher Yolanda Pico tells us, this new technique is good news from a health perspective, as it will now be possible to monitor and therefore predict drinking levels at a particular event or during festive periods, and act accordingly. Peaks in consumption will no longer be diluted into annual and/or nationwide figures, giving us a much more detailed picture of alcohol consumption.

Explore further Genetic component of alcohol consumption confirmed in Western populations

More information: Maria Jesus Andres-Costa et al. Estimation of alcohol consumption during "Fallas" festivity in the wastewater of Valencia city (Spain) using ethyl sulfate as a biomarker, Science of The Total Environment (2016). Journal information: Science of the Total Environment Maria Jesus Andres-Costa et al. Estimation of alcohol consumption during "Fallas" festivity in the wastewater of Valencia city (Spain) using ethyl sulfate as a biomarker,(2016). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.09.126
A new study suggests that people are more likely to misidentify a toy as a weapon after seeing a Black face than a White face, even when the face in question is that of a five-year-old child.

The research is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

"Our findings suggest that, although young children are typically viewed as harmless and innocent, seeing faces of five-year-old Black boys appears to trigger thoughts of guns and violence," said lead study author Andrew Todd, an assistant professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa.

The inspiration for the series of studies, conducted by Todd and University of Iowa colleagues, Kelsey Thiem and Rebecca Neel, began with a real-life observation:

"In this case, it was the alarming rate at which young African Americansparticularly young Black malesare shot and killed by police in the U.S.," explains Todd. "Although such incidents have multiple causes, one potential contributor is that young Black males are stereotypically associated with violence and criminality."

Previous research has shown that people are quicker at categorizing threatening stimuli after seeing Black faces than after seeing White faces, which can result in the misidentification of harmless objects as weapons. Todd and colleagues wanted to find out whether the negative implicit associations often observed in relation to Black men would also extend to Black children.

The researchers presented 64 White college students with two images that flashed on a monitor in quick succession. The students saw the first imagea photograph of a child's facewhich they were told to ignore because it purportedly just signaled that the second image was about to appear. When the second image popped up, participants were supposed to indicate whether it showed a gun or a toy, such as a rattle. The photographs of children's faces included six images of Black five-year-old boys and six images of White five-year-old boys.

The data revealed that the student participants tended to be quicker at categorizing guns after seeing a Black child's face than after seeing a White child's face. Participants also mistakenly categorized toys as weapons more often after seeing images of Black boys than after seeing images of White boys.

However, they mistakenly categorized guns as toys more often after seeing a White child's face than after seeing a Black child's face.

The researchers' analyses showed that the negative bias linking Black faces with threatening objects was driven entirely by automatic associations, which can unintentionally influence behavior.

In a second set of experiments, 131 White college students were shown faces of both children and adults before categorizing the second image as either a tool or a gun.

Again, Todd and colleagues found that seeing a Black face, regardless of whether it belonged to an adult or a child, elicited a bias whereby the participants categorized objects as weapons. Participants classified guns more quickly after seeing a Black face than after seeing a White face, and were more likely to mistakenly classify the non-threatening objects as guns after seeing a Black face.

A final experiment revealed that even threat-related wordsincluding "violent," "dangerous," "hostile," and "aggressive,"were more strongly associated with images of young Black boys than with images of young White boys.

"One of the most pernicious stereotypes of Black Americans, particularly Black men, is that they are hostile and violent," Todd and colleagues write. "So pervasive are these threat-related associations that they can shape even low-level aspects of social cognition."

The researchers were surprised to find that images of harmless-looking five-year-olds could elicit threat-related associations that were on par with those elicited by images of adults. Todd and his colleagues hope to conduct further research into the extent of this implicit bias, investigating, for example, whether it also applies to Black women and girls.

Explore further Multiracial children often identified as black

More information: A. R. Todd et al. Does Seeing Faces of Young Black Boys Facilitate the Identification of Threatening Stimuli?, Psychological Science (2016). Journal information: Psychological Science A. R. Todd et al. Does Seeing Faces of Young Black Boys Facilitate the Identification of Threatening Stimuli?,(2016). DOI: 10.1177/0956797615624492
(HealthDay)A case of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) two days after phendimetrazine use has been documented and published online Feb. 4 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Ah Ran Cho, M.D., and Young Hee Yoon, M.D., from the University of Ulsan in Seoul, South Korea, describe a case of CRVO that developed in a women in her 40s after taking phendimetrazine for two days. The patient presented with sudden painless loss of vision in her left eye for three days. She had begun to take phendimetrazine for weight loss two days before symptom onset.

The researchers found that corrected visual acuity was 20/20 OD and 20/63 OS on ophthalmologic examination. Intraocular pressures were 16 and 17 mm Hg OD and OS, respectively. Optic nerve head swelling and dilated and tortuous vascular changes with multiple dot and flame-shaped hemorrhages were seen on fundus examination of the left eye; the right fundus appeared normal. Severe macular edema was seen on optical coherence tomography. The patient's blood pressure was 166/103 mm Hg, but there was no evidence of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease. After intravenous administration of esmolol, her blood pressure decreased to 128/82 mm Hg. She was also treated with an intravitreous injection of bevacizumab. Visual acuity had increased to 20/40 OS at one-month follow-up.

"Ophthalmologists should consider the association that was identified in this patient," the authors write.

Explore further IOP spikes common after cyclophotocoagulation

Copyright  2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Children with asthma tend to have the worst symptoms at the same times each year. Illustration based on 7 years of asthma hospitalization data from across Texas. Credit: Rosalind Eggo

The most dangerous times of year for children with asthma are soon after their schools reopen after a break, and a new study finds that cold viruses are largely to blame.

Health experts have observed that children with asthma tend to have the worst symptoms at the same times each yearwhen school starts in the fall and after extended breaks such as Spring Break. Researchers previously speculated that environmental factors such as air quality in schools might be to blame, but the new study confirms that the primary driver of seasonal waves of worsening asthma symptoms, which can lead to hospitalizations, is the prevalence of common colds.

"This work can improve public health strategies to keep asthmatic children healthy. For example, at the riskiest times of year, doctors could encourage patient adherence to preventative medications, and schools could take measures to reduce cold transmission," says Lauren Meyers, professor of integrative biology and statistics and data sciences at The University of Texas at Austin and senior author of the paper published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Exacerbations, the medical term for worsening asthma symptoms, result in millions of missed work and school days and $50 billion in direct health care costs in the United States each year.

Earlier studies into the cause of exacerbations involved swabbing individual patients to detect viruses, but Meyers, a mathematical biologist, and her team investigated population-wide patterns of how common colds circulate among adults and children throughout the year to learn about the role of the viruses. The researchers built a computer model that incorporated possible drivers of asthma exacerbations and compared the output of the model to a large set of real-world health data: the timing and locations of about 66,000 asthma hospitalizations from cities across Texas during a seven-year period. By testing each driver independently, the researchers could determine the relative impact of each and find the weighted combination of factors that best fit the data. They determined that the spread of cold viruses, which is heavily influenced by the school calendar, is the primary driver of asthma exacerbations.

"The school calendar predicts common cold transmission, and the common cold predicts asthma exacerbations," says Meyers. "And this study provides a quantitative relationship between those things."

The authors speculate on the mechanism behind this relationship: When children are out of school, they tend to spend less time with other children and are exposed to fewer viruses. As a result, their viral immunity decreases. When they return to school, they are exposed to viruses at much higher rates, and this is also the time when they are most susceptible.

The researchers also found that for adults, unlike children, the primary driver of asthma exacerbations is prevalence of the flu virus.

Finally, the team developed more accurate rates of transmission of cold viruses than have been produced by previous studies. That information might help shed light on how common colds spread, and how we can protect people who are most vulnerable to them.

The paper's first author is Rosalind Eggo, a former postdoctoral researcher at UT Austin who is currently a research fellow at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She conducted the primary analyses in the study.

Explore further New research on preventing fall asthma exacerbations

More information: Respiratory virus transmission dynamics determine timing of asthma exacerbation peaks: Evidence from a population-level model, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1518677113 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Respiratory virus transmission dynamics determine timing of asthma exacerbation peaks: Evidence from a population-level model,
Over 92 per cent of Danes know how to boil an egg, while less than one in ten have tried their hands at making homemade sushi or fish soup from scratch. Credit: Colourbox

Last year, researchers from Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University developed a so-called quality index, a tool applied when mapping the factors that matter in Danish people's perception of food quality. This year, the tool has been adjusted and extended. The "Quality Index 2015" was ordered and financed by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark (now: the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark) as part of an agreement with Aarhus University on research-based public sector consultancy.

The quality index has been developed in collaboration with "Food Culture" (Madkulturen), which is a self-governing institution under the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark.

The reason for developing the index and measuring the levels of consumer satisfaction is that extant knowledge of the consumers' perception of food quality is both fragmented and dated. Last year, researchers also studied how satisfied we were with the food we are able to buy, and on a general level, we are quite satisfied - even slightly more satisfied than the year before. "This is most likely due to an overall increase in consumer optimism," says George Tsalis, research assistant at the MAPP Centre and one of the authors of the 2015 Quality Index, and emphasises:

"You need to look at a longer period of time to spot an overall tendency. What we have here is a snapshot of how things are."

Soft-boiled eggs or homemade sushi

This year, the section of the tool which concerns Danish people's kitchen skills has been significantly extended compared with last year. Here, questions include everything from the level of difficulty in the dishes we make to our knowledge of storage, health and taste. While more than 92 per cent of Danes know how to boil an egg, less than one in 10 have tried their hands at making homemade sushi or cooking a fish soup from scratch.

Our kitchen skills and our knowledge of how to store and prepare food is perhaps not surprisingly closely linked to our level of education and income. The more educated we are and the more money we earn, the more advanced we are in the kitchen, and the more we care about quality when we go shopping.

But why is it even necessary to explore whether Danes know how to make mayonnaise or fillet a fish?

"Skills are a manifestation of something else found on a higher level. Our skills say something about our entire lifestyle, our approach to food, meals and consumption, so skills are an integrated part of the tool," George Tsalis explains.

What type?

In the study, researchers have divided consumers into five segments according to their eating habits and purchasing patterns: The quality-aware are people who shop in delis, care about natural and organic food and experiment in the kitchen. 26 per cent of Danes belong to this group.

The next group comprises the organic-efficient, who, like the quality-aware, care about organic food, but who are less concerned with cooking and preparing the food compared with the quality-aware. The organic-efficient make up 25 per cent of the participants in the study. Then there are the unconcerned consumers, who make up 24 per cent of the participants. They care less about whether or not food is organic, natural or contains additives. They do, however, care more about cooking than the organic-effective, and they willingly try out new recipes. 17 per cent of us are conservative consumers, who buy more ready-made dishes than others and steer clear of great culinary adventures.

Finally, we have the disengaged, who make up 9 per cent of the population. As the name suggests, they care little about the quality of their food or their meals. The group of disengaged is, however, almost half the size of what it was in last year's study. Here 16 per cent of us did not think much about cooking skills or shopping for food.

For more information on the different types, please see last year's Quality Index.

Did our grandmothers have better kitchen skills?

The study shows that people under 30 generally know less about cooking, taste, storage and health than older people. However, this does not mean that the younger generations have lost certain skills, George Tsalis points out:

"It is a natural process. These people will also get to be 40, 50 and 60 years old, and as we do get smarter with age, this group will not remain at the same level of knowledge and competences throughout their lives."

Willingness to pay

The participants in the study were also asked about their willingness to pay more for certified food products with specific quality stamps such as products that are animal friendly, locally produced or organic, etc. Here, the study showed that, just as in the 2014 study, many Danes (75 per cent) are willing to pay slightly more for animal-friendly products. The quality stamp certifying that the products are animal friendly is also the stamp which would persuade most peopleeven the disengagedto pay more.

"Personally, I find it positive that the 2014 results regarding animal welfare were not just coincidental. This year's study confirmed that people are not just concerned with their own welfare, but also with the welfare of the animals that end up on their plates. This shows that the consumers are engaged and involved. We are not just unconscious consumers," says George Tsalis.

The contribution of the index?

George Tsalis is careful not to draw any overall conclusions about Danish people's food habits on account of two years' of studies. But the quality index is an important tool for monitoring our habits, consumption and approach to food quality over time.

"The small changes that happen from year to year are to be expected, and they say nothing about an underlying or permanent change in the state of affairs. But if you measure the same factors again in 10 years, I think that we will see other patterns in our consumption, level of satisfaction and the general approach to food and meals."

By measuring Danish people's overall satisfaction with food and the other parameters over time, you can monitor significant changes in the population's attitudes, purchasing and eating habits. This allows you to take action at an early stage via specific initiatives or campaigns if politicians wish to push people in a certain direction e.g. to persuade them to eat more healthily or to cook more from scratch.

Explore further Divided opinions on vitamin D enrichment

More information: The results have been published in a report from the DCA - Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture - at Aarhus University. The results have been published in a report from the DCA - Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture - at Aarhus University. Download the report Kvalitetsindeks 2015  et instrument til kortlgning af fdevare-forbrugernes kvalitetsopfattelser", DCA report number 069, December 2015.
This tiny device, the size of a small paperclip, is implanted in to a blood vessel next to the brain and can read electrical signals from the motor cortex, the brain's control centre. These signals can then be transmitted to an exoskeleton or wheelchair to give paraplegic patients greater mobility. Users will need to learn how to communicate with their machinery, but over time, it is thought it will become second nature, like driving or playing the piano. The first human trials are slated for 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. Credit: The University of Melbourne.

The brain machine interface consists of a stent-based electrode (stentrode), which is implanted within a blood vessel in the brain, and records the type of neural activity that has been shown in pre-clinical trials to move limbs through an exoskeleton or to control bionic limbs.

The new device is the size of a small paperclip and will be implanted in the first in-human trial at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in 2017. The participants will be selected from the Austin Health Victorian Spinal Cord Unit.

The results published today in Nature Biotechnology show the device is capable of recording high-quality signals emitted from the brain's motor cortex, without the need for open brain surgery.

Principal author and Neurologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Research Fellow at The Florey Institute of Neurosciences and the University of Melbourne, Dr Thomas Oxley, said the stentrode was revolutionary.

Dr Oxley is currently based at Mt Sinai Hospital in New York.

"The development of the stentrode has brought together leaders in medical research from The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne and the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. In total 39 academic scientists from 16 departments were involved in its development," Dr Oxley said.

"We have been able to create the world's only minimally invasive device that is implanted into a blood vessel in the brain via a simple day procedure, avoiding the need for high risk open brain surgery.

University of Melbourne neuroscientist Dr Thomas Oxley is the brainchild behind the invention of the stentrode device. Credit: University of Melbourne

"Our vision, through this device, is to return function and mobility to patients with complete paralysis by recording brain activity and converting the acquired signals into electrical commands, which in turn would lead to movement of the limbs through a mobility assist device like an exoskeleton. In essence this a bionic spinal cord."

Stroke and spinal cord injuries are leading causes of disability, affecting 1 in 50 people. There are 20,000 Australians with spinal cord injuries, with the typical patient a 19-year old male, and about 150,000 Australians left severely disabled after stroke.

Co-principal investigator and biomedical engineer at the University of Melbourne, Dr Nicholas Opie, said the concept was similar to an implantable cardiac pacemakerelectrical interaction with tissue using sensors inserted into a vein, but inside the brain.

"Utilising stent technology, our electrode array self-expands to stick to the inside wall of a vein, enabling us to record local brain activity. By extracting the recorded neural signals, we can use these as commands to control wheelchairs, exoskeletons, prosthetic limbs or computers," Dr Opie said.

"In our first-in-human trial, that we anticipate will begin within two years, we are hoping to achieve direct brain control of an exoskeleton for three people with paralysis."

"Currently, exoskeletons are controlled by manual manipulation of a joystick to switch between the various elements of walkingstand, start, stop, turn. The stentrode will be the first device that enables direct thought control of these devices"

Neurophysiologist at The Florey, Professor Clive May, said the data from the pre-clinical study highlighted that the implantation of the device was safe for long-term use.

"Through our pre-clinical study we were able to successfully record brain activity over many months. The quality of recording improved as the device was incorporated into tissue," Professor May said.

"Our study also showed that it was safe and effective to implant the device via angiography, which is minimally invasive compared with the high risks associated with open brain surgery.

"The brain-computer interface is a revolutionary device that holds the potential to overcome paralysis, by returning mobility and independence to patients affected by various conditions."

Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of Medicine at Departments of Medicine and Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne said the development of the stentrode has been the "holy grail" for research in bionics.

"To be able to create a device that can record brainwave activity over long periods of time, without damaging the brain is an amazing development in modern medicine," Professor O'Brien said.

"It can also be potentially used in people with a range of diseases aside from spinal cord injury, including epilepsy, Parkinsons and other neurological disorders."

Explore further Researchers work on device to let paralyzed limbs move

More information: Minimally invasive endovascular stent-electrode array for high-fidelity, chronic recordings of cortical neural activity, Nature Biotechnology, DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3428 Journal information: Nature Biotechnology Minimally invasive endovascular stent-electrode array for high-fidelity, chronic recordings of cortical neural activity,
Irish investors urged to consider worlds most exciting economy

By Chinedu Onyejelem

Investors in Ireland have been urged to consider Nigerias Enugu State as a destination for sustainable direct foreign investment.

The call was made by the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi during a meeting with prospective investors at the Ireland Enugu State Mini Investment Summit, held recently in the Westin Dublin Hotel as part of the Governors three-day official visit to Ireland organised by Metro Eireann.

Addressing the more than 130 participants, Gov Ugwuanyi said his drive is part of initiatives of the state government to diversify the states economy, generate employment and generally boost economic activities in the state for the benefit of all concerned.

He said Enugu State, popularly known as the Coal City, has vast potentials, promise and prospects, adding that investors who avail of them stand to benefit immensely  and that his government and Nigeria as a whole have confidence in investors from Ireland.

Our visit here has been partly inspired by the assurance given by the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, during his recent tour of Nigeria, of plans by the Republic of Ireland to expand its investment portfolio in Nigeria in the next four years, the governor added.

Ireland, as a matter of fact, has maintained a strong trade relationship with Nigeria dating back to 1961 when she established her first ever Embassy in Africa in Nigeria.

Gov Ugwuanyi said the vast opportunities that exist were acknowledged by Minister Coveney, who stated then that despite a very challenging environment with increasing demand for food, energy and infrastructure, Nigeria is possibly the most exciting economy in the world to work in considering the potential for growth and expansion in terms of resources, in terms of population growth.

Telling the Mini Investment Summit that Enugu State would like to play a major role in helping Ireland achieve its investment plans in Nigeria, Gov Ugwuanyi said that Enugu State is a very viable and safe place for [investors] to do business in Nigeria and indeed the west African sub-region.

He said Enugu State has high standing as the political, administrative and cultural capital of the south-eastern part of Nigeria and more recently has attained status as an economic powerhouse and investment haven with hundreds of local and foreign investors having located and relocated their businesses to the state.

The governor stressed that his administration has launched numerous developmental efforts aimed both to better the lives of the people and also to enable potential investors to have easy access and operate conveniently in any part of Enugu State in which they choose to invest.

All of these have been instrumental to Enugu State being named the safest state in the country and Enugu, the state capital, being listed in 2014 among the 100 most resilient cities in the world  the only one in Nigeria and one of the five in Africa  by the Rockefeller Foundation, he said.

With a thriving population of over four million, Enugu State is also richly endowed with natural and human resources that offer almost inexhaustible investment opportunities to both local and foreign interests.

Opportunities exist in agriculture and agro-allied enterprises with the vast expanse of fertile lands and the [beneficial] weather that the state possesses. Large deposits of the relevant minerals offer great opportunities in coal, cement, oil, gas and ceramics production.

The three-term member of the Nigeria Federal House of Representatives added that the establishment of a free trade sone at the states 9th Mile Corner zone will provide further opportunities in manufacturing covering many fields of production such as motor vehicles, building materials, wears, plastics, machine tools, educational equipment, pharmaceuticals, toys, household goods and more.

Opportunities also abound in waste management, tourism, healthcare services, power generation (using coal and gas), water resources, beverages production and also in the fields of education, financial services, engineering, construction and technology.

It may help to know that Enugu State is host to the largest Heineken plant in the world outside the Netherlands and that Guinness, which is the largest Irish export to Nigeria, also acquired land in Enugu but has unfortunately left it undeveloped, he said.

I am glad to inform you that we have already set out an industrial park in Enugu that could host the kind of investments that we envisage. Enugu also has in international Airport that makes travel to and fro the city much easier.

Gov Ugwuanyi urged all organisations and private business people from various countries who participated in the summit to seize the opportunities he highlighted and seriously consider investing in Enugu State.

We assure you of our preparedness to offer incentives and do all that is necessary to ensure that such investments will not only flourish and remain safe in Enugu State, he said, adding that his administration will work out in a manner that will satisfy the interests of all parties involved.

The governor and members of Enugu State economic team, including chair Mgsr Prof Obiora Ike, engineer Kevin Onah and chief Loretta Aniagolu, took part in a closed-door meeting with several Irish investors. The summit was also an opportunity to meet former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, during whose tenure Ireland became a tiger economy.

The three-day official trip included a tasting of pineapple grown in Enugu State by a Brazilian company, as well as visits to Dublin Bus and Dublin City University, where DCU president Prof Brian MacCraith and the Enugu State Commissioner for Education signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the potential for economic development in Enugu State across a wide range of initiatives in education and training, entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

Governor Ugwuanyi also received the Metro Eireann International Outstanding Leadership Award, organised in conjunction with Kingdom Media Ireland (Kingdom Media Network Inc Nigeria)  turn to page 05 for more.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DEMOCRAT PARTY? I can no longer remain in todays Demo Party that is now under the control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue and stoke anti-white racism, actively undermine our freedoms, are hostile to people of faith, demonize the police and protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans, believe in open borders, weaponize the national security state to go after opponents.TULSI GABBARD
@ByKristenMClark

Welcome to Week 5 of the 2016 session. Wednesday marks the halfway point! Most lawmakers will be back in town by this afternoon for committee meetings, with a regular schedule of work resuming Tuesday.

Here are some items we're watching today.

* Should future legislative sessions starts in January? The House government operations budget committee will consider a bill to do that for not next year, but in 2018. If enacted, that would mean a full year between the end of this session and the start of the 2017 session next March, but then another short window between 2017 and 2018 sessions. The hearing starts at 3.

* A Senate committee will take up a nondiscrimination bill for LGBT Floridians. It's the first time the legislation has ever had a hearing. The Senate Judiciary Committee at 1:30 p.m. will consider the controversial bill, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state's civil rights protection laws, but it's already garnered opposition from social conservative and religious groups.

* Also before the Senate Judiciary Committee: a non-binding "memorial" urging Congress to repeal the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966, which is often referred to as the "wet foot, dry foot" policy. It's on the agenda but it could get postponed until Tuesday. The House version also is slated to be heard Tuesday.

* This afternoon, the Senate Criminal Justice will consider fixing Florida's death penalty in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that deemed its sentencing procedure unconstitutional. Unlike the House, the Senate is proposing to go all the way and require unanimous jury recommendations. The hearing begins at 4.

* Community leaders from the western part of Tampa Bay will spend the evening at the Capitol, with "Leadership Pinellas" hosting a reception on the 22nd floor.
@PatriciaMazzei

NASHUA, N.H. - Jeb Bush packed a town hall Sunday with people who, in several cases, said they came to see him because they saw him take on Donald Trump in Saturday nights debate.

His performance in the debate last night was worthy to come see him, said 47-year-old Bryan Harms of Amherst. I love that he actually hits back against Trump. Someones got to do that a little bit  at least he has the guts to do that.

Harms, an independent voter, plans to cast his ballot for Bush rival John Kasich. But he had brought a friend to see Bush anyway.

And Bush drew undecided voters too.

I thought he did a good job showing he had experience, said 51-year-old Republican Kevin Giroux of Nashua. Hes torn between Bush and Chris Christie, whom he said had the most memorable debate moment when he hammered Marco Rubio.

He was ducking the questions, Giroux said of Rubio.

Bush played up his feud with Trump, repeating his debate attack on Trumps support of eminent domain and adopting a Trumpian tone to call the celebrity businessman out for bashing combat veterans like Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Donald Trump, youre the loser! Bush said. He received a standing ovation.
@PatriciaMazzei

NASHUA, N.H. - The last question at Marco Rubios first town hall Monday might have been the most interesting. And, for all the talk about how much candidates prefer to talk about policy, this one was about politics.

Who would be his dream governing team?

Naming one would be presumptuous, Rubio told employees at BAE Systems, an electronics contractor. But he rattled off a list anyway.

Despite our differences, I think the Republican candidates that are running and that have run over the past few weeks are very talented people, he said. Then, he continued: I dont want to get overly partisan about any of this but  why not?

There were laughs.

First of all, the diversity of our field. The Republican field has a woman, an African-American, two Hispanic-American running, so its very diverse, Rubio said. Number two, the talent of our people: three governors, at one point three U.S. senators, a former U.S. senator - actually, more than three governors. One of the most famous business people in the world.

Ask yourself this: Who is the up-and-coming, talented, 45-, 50-year-old Democrat nationally? Who is it?

Ill give you a few minutes, he deadpanned. They dont have any. Thats why their field is down to two people.

And then he named the GOPs deep bench outside of the presidential field: U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire (a hometown favorite), Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina about the same age as I am (the next state that votes), Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico.

Therell be no shortage of talented people to rely on for all sorts of things. And I have said from the beginning of this race, from this Republican field I think theres a president a potential vice president, Cabinet people, future presidents.

Were blessed to have a very talented field, he concluded. Its just made it for a very messy and competitive process in the long term.
@ByKristenMClark

A few months before lawmakers began debating how best to fund after-school programs next year, one prominent South Florida businessman put a bug in Republican Gov. Rick Scott's ear to increase state funding for the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

In an email to Scott's office in early October -- obtained by the Herald/Times through a public records request -- auto dealer Rick Case asked Scott to recommend $20 million total next year for the state Boys & Girls Clubs, with $10 million each from the departments of Education and Juvenile Justice.

"I do have some community business that I need your help with leading into the 2016 Legislative Session in January," Case led his email, after noting how he was "looking forward" to seeing Scott at Case's daughter's upcoming wedding.

Case pointed out that the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs took a 50 percent cut in its state funding this year, which meant the Broward County Boys & Girls Club -- with which Case said he is "deeply involved" -- also lost almost half of its state aid received by way of the alliance.

"We are working hard here in Broward to make up that shortfall, but I really need you (sic) help to make our kids a priority in your budget submission this year," Case wrote.

He added: "You have to agree with me that there are few organizations that have an ROI (return on investment) like Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs in the State of Florida. Placing us in your budget will send a resounding signal for our efforts in every club working in their respective counties across the state."

It doesn't appear the plea had an effect on Scott, who recommended less funding for the alliance this year.

Scott's budget proposal kept education funding for the Florida Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs flat at $2.5 million for next year and recommended $600,000 in juvenile justice funding (down from $3 million this year).

Designated funding for after-school and mentoring programs are a point of contention in the Legislature's budget proposals for 2016-17.

The Senate wants to do away with line-item funding and replace it with a competitive grant program that more non-profit program providers can access. Senate education budget Chairman Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, said that deciding which aftercare programs are funded by individual line items each year is so much a function of lobbying" that he wanted a more fair process. More here.
Don Vito: "You're not middle anything. You're top grade. Top grade, you hear me? Anybody else call you this middle thing, and I bust some knee caps. Capice?"
Miss Media Junkie's commentary, reviews, meta, and ramblings on watching movies and TV.
HAMILTON  A kindergarten student at Washington Primary School had surgery on his heart in December.

Now, he's raising funds for the American Heart Association to help other children who need heart surgery or other medical intervention.

Easton Fryer, 5, said his heart had a hole it in.

He had surgery in December to have a Cardioform Septal Occluder installed. The shape is similar to a butterfly, and it closed the hole in his heart.

The doctor put a butterfly in my heart, Easton said.

Easton's mom Sarah Fryer said there were no symptoms  they went in for a preventive checkup and the doctor noticed his heart didn't sound right.

They heard a weird swishing sound that did not make any sense, Sarah Fryer said. That had them look deeper and they discovered it was just an extra flap of skin that would be fine with time, but they did find a hole. The hole was 9 millimeters and so we had to have a device put in to close the hole.

Washington physical education teacher Erin Chapman said she is teaching students where their hearts and lungs are located and uses the images of Easton's heart.

I just tell them this is an X-ray where you can see under the skin and see where the heart is and where the lungs are, and where the heart got fixed, Chapman said. The students say it kind of looks like stitches or a flower.

As for the fundraiser, Washington Primary School teamed up with the American Heart Association.

Kids get sponsors and tell people what they know about hearts and heart disease, Chapman said. They have strong healthy hearts and so will jump rope for kids that are out there that maybe cant. Weve been talking about how they can take care of their hearts, make heart-healthy habits and tie that all in for heart month.

In physical education class this week, the students will visit different stations and jump rope (a newly acquired skill), hula-hoop and dance.

These are all heart-healthy activities and weve been talking about how to keep your heart strong since we are so lucky to have healthy hearts, Chapman said. This helps special kids with heart problem to be like us. Maybe all they need is help from the doctor. Easton is good as new now.

Easton said he is eager to help other children with heart troubles by having this fundraiser.

So people whose heart doesnt work well can be fixed, he said.

Interested donors can contribute by sponsoring a Washington student or by visiting Easton's fundraiser page at social.heart.org/4K72R3j.
Student performers from the Missoula area took part in a celebration on Sunday to welcome the Chinese New Year.

The event, held at the University of Montana, coincides with the lunar new year on Monday. It was organized by UMs Confucius Institute, which offers Chinese language and culture classes and after-school programs at elementary, middle and high schools across Missoula. It also offers online programs across the state.

Abraham Kim, the director of the Mike and Maureen Mansfield Center at UM, delivered the opening remarks for the show, welcoming in the Year of the Monkey, representing the ninth sign of the Chinese zodiac.

If you are born in the Year of the Monkey, youre supposed to be smart, cunning and able to do a lot of things, Kim said.

Kim said the Confucius Institute is a key program that both represents the diversity of the Missoula community and stresses the importance of a global education. Sundays event at the University Center at UM, an annual tradition since 2009, took the form of a Chinese culture-themed talent show.

The Chinese Lunar New Year is an opportunity for students to demonstrate what theyve learned in the class, Kim said.

Students from Paxson and Lewis and Clark elementary schools started the show with a set of songs performed in Mandarin. They were followed by Molly Agard, Ava Tooke and Olivia Schroeder from Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre, which has sent touring dancers to China in recent years, who performed a Chinese-themed dance from The Nutcracker.

***

The Confucius Institute, and its parent organization the Mansfield Center, also organize foreign exchange trips every summer that send Missoula students to China. This year they are adding a special performing arts collaboration with Missoula Childrens Theatre and the Chinese National Theatre for Children.

Last year, MCT sent some of its staff to China to teach 60 children to perform its production of Princess and the Pea. This fall 25 of those kids will be coming to Missoula to be a part of a play alongside local kids.

Jonna Michelson, marketing director for Missoula Children's Theatre, said they will also send a group of high school students to China this summer to perform three different shows as part of the China Childrens Theatre Festival in Beijing.

Missoula Children's Theatre hopes to bring at least 10 Missoula students ages 12 to 18 with them in July. Although no prior acting experience is necessary, Michelson said the kids will need at least a beginner-level understanding of Mandarin. Auditions for the trip are scheduled at 1 p.m. Feb. 15 at Missoula Children's Theatre.

The Chinese National Theatre for Children is going to be sending a director to Missoula, likely in June, to rehearse with them before they go, Michelson said.

Brady Allard was one of the audience members at Sundays show. He said seeing how much the youngest students had learned of the Mandarin language was very impressive.

It made me wish that I had been able to do something like this when I was a little kid in school, he said.
MOIESE  In a major change of direction, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service entered into discussions late last week that could lead to the agency supporting legislation to transfer the National Bison Range to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Noreen Walsh, director of FWSs Mountain-Prairie Region, informed FWS employees of the decision in an email late Friday afternoon. National Wildlife Refuge System Chief Cynthia Martinez followed up with a similar email Friday evening.

In an effort to achieve the best, long-term solution for our many conservation priorities, the specific conservation goals of the National Bison Range, and to support the principles of Indian self-determination there was a discussion today with the CSKT about the potential for the Service to support legislation that would transfer the lands comprising the National Bison Range to be held in trust by the United States for the CSKT, Walsh wrote her email, which was obtained by the Missoulian.

She cited the inability to reach another annual funding agreement with the tribes that would allow CSKT to jointly participate with FWS in the management and operation of the Bison Range.

Transferring the land to the tribes would end more than a century of Fish and Wildlife Service management of the Bison Range, and remove it from the National Wildlife Refuge System.

It would require the approval of Congress.

As the original managers of the bison herd on the Flathead Reservation prior to the establishment of the National Bison Range, we look forward to learning more about the opportunities related to U.S. Fish and Wildlifes proposal of restoring tribal ownership of the Bison Range, CSKT spokesman Rob McDonald said in a written statement Monday.

As with all of the tribes lands, we are committed to the responsible management of the land in a way that is consistent with tribal values  values we share with all Montanans, McDonald added. Our goal has always been a stable, thriving reservation, and we welcome the chance to continue working to achieve that goal for the benefit of the entire community.

***

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which has strongly opposed any tribal involvement at the Bison Range, warned again Monday that 18 other U.S. national wildlife refuges and 57 national parks could be ceded to other Indian tribes if such a precedent is established.

Once again, the National Bison Range is a political trading card whose conservation mission is an afterthought, Jeff Ruch, PEERs executive director, said.

Jeff King, project leader at the Bison Range, said he had been told to refer questions to Anna Munoz, assistant regional director for external affairs at FWSs Mountain-Prairie Region headquarters in Colorado.

All I can say is that were at the very beginning of discussions, Munoz said. We believe right now is the right time to begin the transition into a trust for a refuge that long ago was carved out of the lands of the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Munoz confirmed that the Fish and Wildlife Service would no longer have responsibility for the Bison Range if the lands were transferred into a trust.

She declined to comment on PEERs accusations that such a move would leave other public lands open to similar moves, and declined to comment when asked why negotiations for a third annual funding agreement with CSKT had failed.

The first one, in 2005-06, was ended by FWS amid heated accusations and exchanges from both sides. A second agreement returned the tribes to the Bison Range alongside FWS in 2009-10, and the partnership seemed to be working much better. A federal judge pulled the plug on it, essentially because an environmental assessment had not been done.

PEER filed the lawsuit that undid the most recent agreement.

***

On the same day FWS approached the tribes about opening discussions on transferring the wildlife refuge late last week, Walsh and two other agency officials also met with Bison Range employees in Moiese.

I emphasized that they will all remain valued employees of the Service, regardless of the outcome of these discussions, Walsh wrote to FWS personnel across the Mountain-Prairie Region.

Walsh noted that Congress would have to approve the transfer and therefore, at this point, we dont know if or when such a transfer would occur. Today was our first discussion with the CSKT about the idea.

In her email, Martinez, the refuge system chief, said, Anyone who knows the history of the Bison Range knows that our employees have worked and lived with uncertainty regarding the Bison Range for many years now.

Munoz said seven FWS employees work at the Bison Range, which is sometimes called the crown jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge System  although others, led by the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, are often referred to the same way.

Walsh was accompanied to the Moiese refuge Friday by Will Meeks, assistant regional director of refuges, and Mike Blenden, refuge supervisor for Montana, Wyoming and Utah.

I wanted you all to know why we entered into these discussions, Walsh noted in her email.

The Bison Range was established within the boundaries of the Flathead Reservation in 1908, for the express purpose of conserving the American bison during a time when the species was on the verge of extinction, Walsh said.

Since then, the Service as well as our federal, state and tribal partners have made great strides in conserving bison and re-establishing herds throughout their historic range, the email continues.

Also, while we have desired a meaningful partnership with CSKT at the National Bison Range, a mutually acceptable agreement has been elusive, Walsh wrote. Given that we are today in a much better place regarding the future of bison, that we have much work to do on landscape-scale conservation efforts, and that we want to strengthen our partnership with the CSKT, we believe that now is the right time to investigate the possibility of transferring the refuge, which was long ago carved out of tribal lands, into trust for the benefit of the CSKT.

Walsh added that it was not an easy decision to come by, nor one that was taken lightly, but in the end, I believe that this is a good path for the Service, the CSKT, and for the conservation of our fish and wildlife resources.

***

CSKT has been trying to become a part of the operation and management of the Bison Range for 22 years, ever since the 1994 Tribal Self Governance Act enabled the tribes to do so.

Despite PEERs insistence that previous funding agreements ceded control of the refuge to the tribes, Fridays email from Walsh signaled the first time FWS has actually considered doing exactly that.

On Monday, PEER disputed Martinezs claim that transferring the Bison Range to CSKT does not represent a new direction for the refuge system.

Many other tribes have similar legal status covering 18 refuges in eight states, including all of the Alaska refuges, PEER said.

Those 18 refuges make up 80 percent of the land area in the National Wildlife Refuge System, it said.

Similarly, 57 National Park Service units in 19 states are similarly situated, the organization added.

That includes Glacier National Park, next to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

It appears that the Service is rewarding long-standing intransigence by the CSKT in reaching an agreement which would keep the Bison Range in the National Wildlife Refuge System, PEER went on, and in doing so will encourage other tribes to follow the same disengaging playbook.

McDonald encouraged people with questions or comments about the potential transfer to contact FWS, which approached the tribes with the idea.

"We ... look forward to working with the community to make the Bison Range an even better place for the public to enjoy and learn about the majestic bison," McDonald said in his statement.
With more than 40 years of experience and more than 50 albums, the Kronos Quartet has a surplus of material for its concerts.

Next weekend's program in Hamilton features works that were all commissioned or arranged specifically for Kronos, which has gained critical acclaim and Grammy Awards for its exploratory and global outlook on what a string quartet can play.

The concert will range from a 1930s blues song, a Scandinavian traditional, a Malian new-music piece and a Serbian composition inspired by Roma music, to name just a few.

"Our approach is always to make the most exciting musical experience that we can put together with what we have in our toolbox at any point," violinist David Harrington said in a phone interview on Friday. Rounding out the current lineup are John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola) and Sunny Yang (cello).

"We're focusing on music that we for sure have never played in Montana, and we're focusing on relationships with composers that are really important to us," Harrington said.

Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov has written 14 pieces for Kronos. Bryce Dessner, perhaps more widely known as the guitarist for the National, has composed five works; new-music pioneer Terry Riley has written 25. Canadian Nicole Lizee, who employs turntables and electronics, is at work on her fifth piece. The quartet is planning an entire album of material by New Yorker Michael Gordon, a leader in the wide-ranging Bang on a Can music collective.

The Valentine's Day concert will boast one of the first U.S. performances of a new work Malian composer Fode Lassana Diabate wrote for Kronos as part of an upcoming album-length collaboration.

Diabate, a virtuoso on a wooden xylophone called the balafon, has written a five-section suite for the quartet that spotlights one member as a soloist in each section before bringing them all together for the ultimate section.

"The fifth movement is a total group piece. There's nothing else like it in the string quartet repertoire. And so we're delighted to be bringing some of that piece to Montana," he said.

Kronos collaborator Jacob Garchik created "a note-for-note arrangement" of Diabate's composition that Harrington likened to a Bach organ piece re-orchestrated for a modern ensemble.

"When I think of Lassana's ability and flexibility, the first musician that comes to mind is Bach," he said.

Diabate is one the composers Kronos selected for its ambitious "50 for the Future" project.

"We're creating a repertoire of music for the next generation of quartet players. We're trying to give young players the chance to explore the world of music the way Kronos does," he said.

They commissioned new works and will make them available at no cost, including the recorded performances, sheet music, composer interviews and more, starting in mid-April.

"Groups from all over the world will be able to add this music to their repertoire and have access to the most important information about this music," he said.

He said it's difficult or near-impossible to gain access to resources like these, as public and university libraries and publishing companies haven't kept up with new composers.

"When I was 12 years old I could go down to the Seattle Public Library and and check out the music that interested in me that I knew about at that point. The libraries had it at that point," he said. He hopes they're used by groups young and old, professional and amateur, and not specifically string quartets either, broaching the idea of recorder quartets or saxophone quartets.

***

Another new work on the Hamilton program is "Dadra in Raga Bhairvai," by Hindu classical violinist N. Rajam, in an arrangement by Reena Esmail.

"We just gave the premiere last night, and there's nothing that we've done in the last 42 years that has expanded the sonic palette of Kronos as much as 'Dadra in Raga Bhairvai,' I can tell you that," Harrington said.

He said every once in awhile, he hears something that "totally changes the way I think about my instrument and the instruments of Kronos," and "Dadra" is one of them.

While the composition is only nine or 10 minutes long, the quartet has "spent more time working on the sonics of that piece than anything that we've ever done," he said.

While Kronos has used sounds outside the classical realm for years, Nicole Lizee's "Death to Kosmische" has unusual instruments even by the quartet's standards.

Lizee's piece pays homage to kosmische musik, the experimental, electronics-laden German music of the 1960s and '70s. In the course of the performance, members of Kronos set down their strings for all manner of electronic gadgets.

There's an OmniChord. "It's this little handheld keyboard instrument that kind of sounds like a cheesy organ," Harrington said.

And there's a Stylophone, a mini keyboard operated with a stylus, plus minimal drum beats from a vintage record player.

"When is the last time that a string quartet brought kosmische music to Montana. Or anywhere?" he said.

"That's the world we all share now, there's all these possibilities that don't come up very often. You can explore them and make new root systems for the future," he said.

There will be some familiar music for Hamilton listeners, too.

The tense and dramatic "Lux Aeterna," from Clint Mansell's score to the Darren Aronofsky film, has been used in numerous trailers and heard around the world.

They'll also perform a relatively recent arrangement of a hit by the Who. It's a song that might have been many rock fans' first experience with an extended violin solo.

"When we did our Terry Riley festival last June, we decided to play Pete Townshend's 'Baba O'Riley' and it's become one of our favorite pieces," he said.

Vladimir Martynov's "The Beatitudes" was featured in "La Grande Bellezza" (The Great Beauty), which won the Academy Award for best foreign language motion picture in 2013.

Harrington first heard the Russian composer's serene piece when he was assembling a program for a concert marking the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The first third favored music from the Middle East; the second targeted the event itself; and the last was to contemplate what music had to offer in the wake of terror.

He was searching for "the most beautiful music" he could find when a Moscow choir director gave him a CD of Martynov's music and he wrote a letter to the composer.

"Within a week or so he sent this unbelievable version 'The Beatitudes,' and we're bringing that to Montana," he said.

Harrington in particular is excited about the Treasure State tour, which also has stops in Billings and Big Sky.

"We're delighted to be coming to Montana, and my family has roots in Montana so in a certain way I feel like I'm coming home," he said.

His father attended college in Butte after growing up on a homestead in Ridge, tucked in the far southeastern corner of the state.

"I was able to visit the grave of my grandfather, whom I never met," Harrington said. "It was a very deep experience."
RONAN  For nearly three decades, Sherri McDonald has been warning Ronan residents on the brink of retirement not to tell her they werent sure what they would do with all their newfound free time.

She could, she would assure them, find plenty for them to do.

Now that McDonald has recently retired  at the age of 83, as chairwoman of the local food bank, the Ronan Bread Basket  shes the one with more time.

Which is why, on Thursday morning, she was still volunteering at the Bread Basket.

Shes kept at least one of her many former duties, meeting driver Dave Costilla and helping him unload donated food that the Polson Loaves and Fish Pantry shares with its Ronan neighbors.

Costilla works for Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, which donates his time, a vehicle and fuel to make the weekly pickup and delivery.

The college has given us a driver for 15 years, McDonald says, although she counts the important help Salish Kootenai College provides as the least of what shes solicited to help feed the needy.

I had the president of the college in my pocket, she says with a grin.

***

Sherri  who has been married to Joe McDonald, one of Salish Kootenai College's founders and former presidents, for 63 years  has been a driving force behind the Bread Basket.

The idea was born at a Cursillo at the Ronan Catholic Church in 1987. Cursillo participants spend three days at a retreat learning, among other things, how to better serve as Christians.

On the fourth day, McDonald says, you go out and do some of the Lords work.

That fourth day has stretched out into 29 years for McDonald.

She says she, Gloria Kramer and Chris Schrider came out of the Cursillo with the notion of starting a food pantry that would combine the efforts of individual local churches and groups to help feed those in need.

We had a meeting, and invited all the churches in town, McDonald says. They asked me at the meeting if I would be the chairman. I said I would if I could raise $3,000 to get us started.

***

Although she says she picked the number somewhat randomly, It turned out to be just about right for what we needed to get going.

McDonald  who started keeping a notebook of all they were doing at that first meeting  can show you the page, not far in, where she listed dozens of businesses in Ronan she visited seeking donations to get the Bread Basket off the ground.

They came through.

Next, they had to find a building. A former filling station across the street from St. Luke Community Hospital was available for rent.

They had to clean it, find everything from furniture to freezers, get shelves built (that in with the college president paid off again; Salish Kootenai College students made them), open a bank account and scour the town for volunteers, McDonald says.

Polson Loaves and Fish, which had been in existence for eight years at the time, showed the Ronan group the ropes of running a food pantry. Sherry Stevens and Sandy Center of what was then called the Northwest Montana Human Resource Center in Kalispell helped guide them through all the rough spots and government guidelines, McDonald says.

Finally, the Ronan Bread Basket opened its doors.

Only two families came in the first day, McDonald says. People didnt know where we were.

***

Today, 200 needy families from Ronan and Pablo visit the Bread Basket every month.

We just dont have the jobs, McDonald says of the area.

Volunteers take their information and fill sacks and boxes for those seeking help. Guidelines taped to refrigerators and freezers tell them how much to give to families of one to three people, four to seven people and eight or more.

The Bread Basket provides macaroni and cheese, flour, butter, sugar, cereal, oatmeal, salt, eggs, soup, vegetables, fruit, tuna, milk, bread, rolls, peanut butter, potatoes, canned tomatoes, rice or beans, sour cream, coffee creamer, cottage cheese, yogurt, juice, ham and hamburger meat and whatever else it may have on hand.

Some months we have things, some months we dont, McDonald says. We look at it as, if youre a family of three with absolutely no food, what could you live on for three to four days?

Theyll soon have 1,200 cans of soup, thanks to the Ronan Seventh-Day Adventist Church, whose Souper Sunday drive collects 2,400 cans and divides it between the Ronan and Polson pantries.

The Montana Food Bank Network is a big help, McDonald says. The Town Pump Charitable Foundation and Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation contribute, as do many others  including Hubbards Yellowstone Outfitters, which gives $5,000 a year to the Bread Basket.

I dont know why, but I write and thank them, McDonald says. We sure wont turn it down.

***

McDonald, who was born in Minnesota, grew up in Miles City.

She met her husband when they were both students at what was then Western Montana College in Dillon. The McDonalds have four children, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Im going to miss it, Sherri says of the Bread Basket  even as she continues on as one of the food pantrys 40 volunteers. Im going to be 84 in two weeks. I have friends who are still going full-blast in their 90s, but my body is saying, hey, lets rest a little bit.

It takes two people to replace McDonald, according to Judy Preston, the new chairwoman of the Ronan Bread Basket.

Im not kidding you, Preston says. Ill do the fundraising, run the meetings and be the face of the Bread Basket, and Patti Mocabee is doing all the reporting, administrative work and record keeping.

Theyre planning to honor McDonald from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, for all the years she has steered the food pantry. Fittingly, it will happen at the same location where the idea for the Ronan Bread Basket was born  at Sacred Heart Parish Hall in Ronan.
Approximately 11.7 million nonresident travelers visited Montana in 2015 and spent nearly $3.6 billion here, according to preliminary estimates by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. While the number of visitors increased by 8 percent over 2014, the total amount spent by those travelers decreased nearly 8 percent, mainly due to lower fuel costs and the plummeting value of the Canadian dollar.

Tourism directly supports more than 37,000 jobs, and supports 52,750 jobs total, in the Treasure State. Nonresidents contributed more than $208 million in state and local taxes last year.

A recent survey found that 59 percent of tourism-related business owners saw an increase in customers last year.

Brendan Bannigan, owner of the Grizzly Hackle in Missoula, was one of those.

I would say there was an increase, said Bannigan, whose business offers fly fishing gear and guided trips. Obviously the weather, in terms of smoke and low water, impacted us a little bit, but I dont think I would say we saw a decrease.

Bannigan said business was decent, all things considered. Last years drought and wildfires were about the worst conditions a business that relies on good fishing can experience.

Conditions were about as unfavorable as they can be, he said.

***

During a recent Economic Outlook Seminar in Missoula, ITRR Director Norma Nickerson said research has shown that so-called millennials spend considerably less than baby boomers when they travel.

Bannigan, for one, said he hasnt noticed a difference between the spending habits of young and older customers.

Weve got people that come on guided trips that are younger and are spending money and also buying merchandise, he said.

He did, however, acknowledge that people seem to be spending less money these days, even if the number of customers is increasing.

We have a lot of return customers, he said. For the most part, a lot of the walk-ins are buying hats and shirts. They arent buying $700-$800 rods and reels. Theyre not spending as much money as they probably were 10 years ago.

Looking forward, a survey by ITRR found that 61 percent of businesses expect to see visitation increase in 2016. The ITRR projects an increase in airport deboardings of 3.2 percent from 2014 to 2015 in Missoula, and that because gasoline is so inexpensive, people can travel more often and likely are taking more weekend trips.

However, Canadians represent typically 14 percent of all nonresident visitors to Montana, and the value of their dollar is decreasing. While the number of Canadians in Montana is remaining steady, their spending appears to have tapered off during the past year.

Kara Grau, the assistant director of economic analysis at the ITRR, said the picture is pretty rosy for tourism-dependent businesses.

A lot of businesses are just happy to see increased traffic, she said. Even if statewide spending overall looks like it may have decreased. Fuel is the biggest expenditure of nonresidents, so thats a big part of the picture. And the decrease in value of the Canadian dollar had a significant impact. Canadians used to shop for appliances, back-to-school supplies and even groceries here; they are doing a lot less of that currently.

Grau said preliminary estimates have tourist spending increasing by about 2 percent in 2016, but that could change due to outside factors such as falling foreign currency values.

Bannigan said hes confident about a nice 2016.

Were thinking its going to be an increase, he said. Were excited that we see as much snow as we have already, and were hoping it lasts and continues. Were feeling really good about the upcoming summer.
Two Republican wannabe leaders appear to be seriously out of touch with Montana reality. Jennifer Fielder, a state senator from Thompson Falls, is the new CEO of the American Lands Council, an organization dedicated to turning federal public lands over to the states. Meanwhile, GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte said he wants somebody from industry to head the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, effectively putting the fox in charge of the henhouse.

Fielder told reporters, I believe it is the right thing for Montana and thats the whole reason I support local decision making. Fielders right thing is to ignore the U.S. Constitution and the Enabling Act and cede control of federal lands to the states. Why Fielder continues her fight for local control over lands belonging to all 320 million Americans when she couldnt even get her land transfer bills out of the Republican-controlled Montana Legislature last session is puzzling.

There are very good reasons for Fielders legislative failures and she would do herself and the rest of Montana a big favor if she actually took a trip around the state to talk to our citizens about where they stand on such a transfer. If she wants the opinion of the vast majority of Montanans, that means getting out of the boonies and going to the urban centers where most Montanans live.

If we put together Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell and Butte, it would comprise about 364,943 people just within the city limits, not counting the considerable population concentrated in their surrounding urban areas. What Fielder would find is that most Montanans live in their own modest homes which they either own or rent on small city lots. They do not have vast, privately owned acreages.

But what Montanans do have is some of the nations best access to federally owned lands where they can hunt, fish, hike, birdwatch, ski and camp among many recreational and educational pursuits, most of which are free. Its simply ludicrous that Fielder thinks Montanans will give all that up in exchange for her vision of more resource extraction from public lands.

Unfortunately, Fielder is not alone in her fantasies of what Montanans want. The GOPs Gianforte appears not to even know how Montanas government actually works. After calling for an industry leader to head the states primary environmental permitting agency, Gianforte got a quick lesson in civics from the Montana Environmental Information Centers Jim Jensen. First of all, DEQ is a regulatory agency. It isnt the Montana Department of Commerce, the purpose of which is to promote industry, Jensen told reporters. DEQs job is to regulate polluting industries to protect the public health and natural environment of Montana. Putting an industry representative in charge of the regulatory agency would destroy the credibility of that agency.

Given that Jensen has been dealing with state agencies for more than 30 years both as a legislator and head of an environmental watchdog group, its safe to say he might have a tad more knowledge in this area than Gianforte, who has never held office nor dealt with Montanas many complex environmental issues.

In yet another example of his extreme public policy naivete, Gianforte says he wants to bring competency, common sense, and balance to assure a clean environment. Is common sense a better path to competency at DEQ than having it led by individuals who are actually highly educated in environmental science? I dont think so.

When Gianforte starts throwing around GOP happy-talk about balance, it might do him some good to actually check the status of environment vs. industry balance in Montana.

Westslope cutthroat trout are down to 5 percent of their original habitat. Wild bison exist in a tiny enclave in and around Yellowstone National Park when millions once roamed the Great Plains. The heavy thumb of extractive industries long ago destroyed any semblance of balance on the environmental scale for bull trout, grizzlies, grayling, lynx, goshawks, sage grouse and a host of other species that have been devastated by the activities Gianforte lauds.

Want to restore balance? Great, lets start with cleaning up all the leaking mines, polluted rivers, weed-infested stumpfields, destroyed ecosystems, decimated fish and wildlife populations and then, maybe, we can talk about needing the balance of more polluting industries.

The Republican Party has become the laughingstock of the nation thanks to the antics of Donald Trump and his fellow presidential wannabes. The last thing Montanans need is to emulate the national GOP clown show here at home.
The District Courts verdict is in: Montana needs more judges to handle growing caseloads.

That fact was evident to many Montanans in the fall of 2014 when the national court standards review indicated that the statewide caseload called for about 20 more judges than were on the bench. But with the 2015 Legislature starting in a few months and the judiciary budget already proposed, no additional judges were requested.

Instead, lawmakers created the Judicial Redistricting Commission to assess whether revision of district boundaries is necessary to even out the workload. That seven-member commission chaired by Yellowstone County District Judge Gregory Todd met this week and reached consensus that redistricting probably isnt going to solve the court overload problems.

***

Busiest judicial district

Todd is one of six judges in the states busiest district. According to national standards, Yellowstone County should have had six additional judges to handle the 2015 workload. Its important to note that this judicial district saw an increase in case filings of 8.56 percent last year  double the state average.

Altogether, Yellowstone County District Court counted 9,750 cases filed in 2015. That's 835 more than in 2014.

Not only did the number of cases rise, but also the county saw a big increase in the most time-intensive cases: civil child abuse and neglect. Counting new and reopened cases, the Yellowstone County attorneys office filed cases to protect 512 children who were found to be abused or neglected.

The court workload is calculated with a formula that weighs cases based on time intensity; the formula also factors in travel. Thats a major consideration for Montana judges who cover more than one county and regularly spend hours shuttling between distant courtrooms.

Yellowstone County judges are the most overloaded, according to the statewide study. However, they are not the only ones. The districts including Helena, Missoula, Great Falls and Kalispell each need two more judges. Bozeman needs one more.

Most other districts are ranked as needing more judicial help, but less than another full-time judge. Only the 14th and 15th judicial districts are ranked as have adequate judicial staffing. The 14th (Golden Valley, Mussellshell, Meagher and Wheatland counties) is ranked as having 0.38 of a judge more than needed for the 2015 caseload. The 15th Judicial District (Daniels, Sheridan and Roosevelt counties) had a mere 0.04 of a judge more than needed. Each of those districts has just one District Court judge now.

A revision of the 14th District boundaries might help a little, but it wont significantly ease the overload problem that exists in all the states largest cities.

Judges and their staff are paid out of the state budget. Counties are responsible for providing the space for the judicial offices and courtrooms. That will be a challenge in Yellowstone County, where courthouse office space is fully occupied.

***

Frugal budget requests

The Montana judiciary has historically been frugal, and Chief Justice Mike McGrath has continued that policy in his budget requests. The last time the Legislature was asked to fund six new judges, the data showed Montana needed a dozen. The Legislature approved three, including one for Yellowstone County. Mary Jane Knisely was elected to that judgeship. Now that Knisely is completing her first six-year term, demands on the Yellowstone County District Court have grown so much that six additional judges can be justified.

Nobody expects the Legislature will fund all 21.2 judges that would be needed to meet national workload standards. Frankly, it will be surprising if the judiciary gets as many as six new judges and as many special masters, who are attorneys appointed to do some of the work of judges.

Lawmakers as well as candidates for the Legislature need to hear from people who have business before Montana courts. When the courts are overloaded, cases may take much longer to resolve. Child protection cases and criminal charges get priority. Other civil cases wait.

The Judicial Redistricting Commission is providing due diligence on judicial staffing. Its finding more evidence that the case of court overload must be resolved by adding judges in 2017.
KALISPELL  Tyson Niewoehner simply smiles when asked how he and his wife, Shelley, will celebrate Valentine's Day this year.

He already demonstrated his love for Shelley in a way very few men ever have a chance to experience: He gave her a kidney.

The couple underwent the transplant operation Nov. 18 at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, and the two continue to recover at their Bigfork area home.

Tyson insists it was no big deal. You see a loved one suffering and you do whatever it takes to make it better.

"I think a lot of people would do it," he said about donating his kidney. "When you see what they go through on dialysis."

He had witnessed his wife transformed from an active outdoors enthusiast to a subdued patient going through dialysis three times a week.

"Her body was completely zapped," Tyson recalled. "I had this picture of her going through all that."

Shelley was born with reflux nephropathy, a condition in which the kidneys are damaged because urine backflows from the bladder into the kidneys. The condition didn't give her any trouble growing up  she didn't even know she had it  and she gave birth to two daughters, now ages 22 and 23, without any problems.

The condition gradually began to affect her health. She was diagnosed in 2007 and by June 2012 began dialysis.

"I was pretty sick," she recalled.

Shelley was immediately placed on the organ donor registry, but knew the odds of finding a donor weren't in her favor. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are on the waiting list for kidneys. On average, 3,000 new patients are added to the kidney waiting list each month, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

Even more sobering, 13 people die each day while waiting for a life-saving kidney transplant.

Tyson then began exploring whether he could be a donor and found he has O positive blood, which is compatible with Shelley's O negative blood. Through cross-matching, a sensitive test performed on both the kidney donor and recipient, doctors can determine whether or not the recipient of a kidney will respond to the transplanted organ.

Doctors at a Spokane hospital declined to do the transplant, taking a more conservative approach to the cross-matching analysis. The Niewoehners then went to the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, where physicians gave a favorable nod to the transplant.

The couple wanted another opinion, though, and opted for the Seattle hospital where the transplant later was completed.

There was a time lapse of about eight months because Tyson's initial blood tests showed a small amount of blood was spilling into his urine. It's not an uncommon thing to happen, and can be caused by a urinary tract infection or even heavy physical labor.

When Tyson's blood tests showed the condition had corrected itself, the surgery was a go.

Tyson underwent counseling and a psychological evaluation "to make sure you're in the right state of mind," he explained. "They want to make sure you're not pressured. The doctor said, 'You can stop anytime you want to until you go under'" the anesthesia.

He never doubted he would go through with the organ donation.

"I came out of it feeling amazing," Shelley said about the surgery aftermath. "He came out looking pretty rough."

Tyson rebounded quickly, though, and learned afterward that doctors described the kidney he donated as "robust."

"They said it was a powerhouse kidney," Shelley beamed.

Instead of removing one of her kidneys, doctors spliced in Tyson's kidney, leaving her with three kidneys.

"I have a kidney bump," she said, showing a slight bulge on her stomach where her husband's kidney protrudes.

***

After the Niewoehners were released from the hospital, Shelley was re-hospitalized for several days after she experienced surgery-related intestinal problems.

The couple was able to come home for the Christmas holiday season, but have traveled to Seattle every two weeks for checkups.

"After the three-month mark, they can release you to the local hospital," Shelley said.

In early February, Tyson will be able to return to his job with Halliburton. He works with an oilfield fracturing crew in the Williston, North Dakota, area.

Shelley's parents, Dick and Lillian Levi of Bigfork, traveled to Seattle to lend their support during the transplant surgery, and Shelley's daughters, Taylor and Riley, also were there to offer support.

"I had faith that everything would turn out," Lillian said. "I'd been praying for a long time for Shelley. If I didn't have a belief system I probably would've been a basket case."

Both the Levis and Niewoehners are feeling blessed by the outcome.

"He's a pretty amazing guy," Shelley said about her husband. "He never had any doubts."
HELENA  The lone doctor at Parker Medical Center in Lincoln will be leaving at the end of June.

A search for Dr. Leonard Blinders replacement is underway, said Jill Steeley, director of PureView Health Center in Helena. PureView provides staffing for the Lincoln clinic.

Steeley anticipates replacing Blinder with either a physician or a nurse practitioner.

Blinder will have worked at the clinic for two years by the end of June and, according to Jim Bosshardt, chairman of the Lincoln Hospital District, he will stay on as medical director for the Lincoln Volunteer Ambulance Service.

Calls to Blinder to comment on his departure were not returned for this story.

Bosshardt said the community is sorry to see Blinder go and is hopeful to find another doctor quickly to fill his spot.

We are committed to keeping health care services available in Lincoln. I am confident thats going to happen, Bosshardt said.

The intent is to have the person who is hired live in the community as Blinder does and provide weekday service from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Steeley said.

Starting pay is about $150,000 a year for a physician and about $70,000 a year for a nurse practitioner, she said.

Recruiting for the position is difficult, Bosshardt said, explaining that Lincoln is a rural community, adding to the recruiting challenges.

Lincoln is about 75 miles northwest of Helena and involves crossing the Continental Divide, which can be difficult depending on weather and road conditions.

Michele Kegel, a member of the Lincoln Hospital District board, said she is concerned whether a medical provider will be found who wants to live in Lincoln.

The alternative to having a resident medical provider would be for PureView to send a physician or medical practitioner to the community periodically each month, she said.

If Lincoln residents choose to go elsewhere for medical care because its not conveniently available locally, getting them to again seek service in Lincoln will be difficult, Kegel noted.

That is definitely a concern that quite a few of us have, she added.

While relations between the hospital board and PureViews predecessor were strained prior to Seeleys arrival, Bosshardt is pleased with the current relationship.

The environment working with the county and PureView is the best weve ever had, and I am confident that things will be worked out to maintain that health care services are available for all the residents of the upper Blackfoot Valley, Bosshardt said.

Kegel has a different view of the relationship between the hospital board and PureView based on what shes heard, and said its her belief that PureViews management of staff is what prompted Blinder to announce his departure.

Bosshardt points to the issue of salary.

The money paid by the county for a physician leaves the county behind the 8-ball, he said.

PureView is also evaluating options for restoring dental service to the Lincoln clinic, Steeley said, as there are now two dentists on the health centers Helena staff.

Dental service could be offered perhaps twice a month, she added.

Along with dental service, Steeley wants to offer tele-med service for mental health issues, although bandwidth at the clinic is hindering that effort.

However, she said she is hopeful that both services may be available in Lincoln through PureView within the next six months.
KALISPELL  After gaining recognition as Snowboarder Magazine's 2016 Big Mountain Rider of the Year, Jason Robinson celebrated the capstone in his career by settling into plush new digs - an aluminum box.

For Robinson, a 31-year-old Whitefish native who divides his time squarely between riding epic big-mountain lines in Alaska and British Columbia, train-hopping his way to the National Hobo Convention in Iowa, traveling internationally, and starring in high-profile film edits that anchor some of the industry's top-ranked productions, life inside the box isn't much of a departure from the one he's created outside of it.

The 8-by-16-foot repurposed storage container measures 116-square-feet inside. It sits on a trailer that Robinson tows behind his '91 Dodge Ram, which is retrofitted with a dual-fuel diesel line that runs on vegetable oil. A solar array affixed to the roof generates his electricity, and a shoebox-sized, hyper-efficient gas stove designed for a sailboat heats the interior.

To be sure, the new mobile abode is a step up from the tent he'd been living in on a friend's farm in West Valley. Having not paid rent in two years, it affords him the opportunity to travel at leisure, chasing snow and surf in classic dirt-bag style while mounting a professional snowboarding resume that is suddenly outpacing a magic beanstalk in its rise to prominence.

"Sometimes to think outside the box, you have to move into one," Robinson said on a recent January morning, a couple weeks shy of his planned departure for an avalanche-safety seminar in British Columbia.

Robinson's journey out of and into the box has been a tumultuous one, and at one point he nearly gave up on his dream to snowboard professionally, joining the humdrum of the rat race until his younger brother and best friend, Aaron Robinson, shook him out of complacency.

It wasn't until Aaron's tragic death in a snowboarding accident in 2011 that Jason would begin to transcend the malaise that might have derailed his dreams. But in life, and in death, his younger brother has always pushed him.

"I went to school and was working a day job at Mount Shasta (California) and every once in a while Aaron would pass through on his way to some snowboarding event," Jason said. "His spirits and ambition were so high. That gave me the jumpstart to get back into snowboarding on a more committed level. He was living the life he wanted whereas I was living the life I felt like I should be living."

Perhaps it's not surprising that Robinson bootstrapped his professional snowboarding career out of humble origins. Born of a foundation that has endured cracks and fissures and unimaginable tragedy, its dazzling trajectory has also healed stronger over time, like a broken bone.

And Robinson has finally tapped its marrow.

On a recent powder day on Big Mountain at Whitefish Mountain Resort, Robinson's hometown ski hill that doubled as a daycare center for him and his brothers growing up, he effortlessly threw backflips off dump truck-sized cliffs, navigated tight tree lines with aplomb and spun inverted circles off side-hit features that nobody else could see  literally. The terrain was obscured by an impenetrable fogbank, the contours blotted out by ice-encrusted goggles and a barrage of chalky face-shots.

But Robinson's intimate, intuitive knowledge of Big Mountain allowed him to peer through the miasma and envision the winter wonderland that sculpted his snowboarding talents and defined his formative years, scanning the slopes as though with X-ray vision, riding on instinct.

It's all about instinct. At times Robinson has ignored it, and at other times it's probably helped him avoid injury or even death  like when he's backed off a questionable line with a film crew on hand. But one thing is clear  instinct is a big part of what's led Robinson out of, and into, the box.

Robinson started snowboarding when he was 9 years old, and he and Aaron were quickly swept up in the sport's momentum, pushing one another while looking toward Big Mountain's old guard of talented snowboarders for guidance.

It wasn't long before the Robinson brothers were entering a league of their own, earning sponsorships from established and emerging companies and honing their freestyle skills at their local hill.

But as Aaron began to pursue big mountain riding and gain attention while competing at a higher level, Jason wasn't seeing the same results. He fell into the workaday grind and started planning for a future that wasn't dominated by snowboarding.

"I started thinking that maybe the moment had passed," he said. "But then I saw how much fun my brother was having pursuing his dream and it really pulled me out of my own head."

By 2010, Jason was riding for Lib Tech and Dakine, among other top names in the industry, being paid in the currency of free snowboarding product and admission to freestyle competitions. He had fallen in with film companies like Think Thank and People Films, specializing in urban missions, backcountry lines and everything in between.

Meanwhile, Aaron had just won the North Face Masters of Snowboarding, which he would go on to win the following year. As a team rider for K2 Snowboarding, Volcom and Airblaster, Aaron was also spending time riding big mountain lines in Chile, filming and shooting with K2.

On July 19, 2011, while on an expedition in Chile, Aaron died tragically in a snowboarding accident at a popular backcountry area known as Santa Teresita, adjacent to the El Colorado ski area. He was 24.

The shock of Aaron's death rocked Jason, who couldn't comprehend the loss. To deal with the grief, Jason committed himself to snowboarding more than ever before.

"The grief of losing Aaron definitely drove me deeper into snowboarding. It was so sudden and gnarly, and I didn't know how to channel those emotions. Snowboarding became like a drug. It was all I did," he said.

Jason threw himself further into snowboarding, pushing himself to ride harder than ever.

In 2013, he placed third at the legendary Mount Baker Banked Slalom in Washington, which put him on the map.

Still, Robinson  whose transient lifestyle occasionally takes him off the grid and had him spending one recent summer living on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation  almost missed the call from vaunted cameraman and director Justin Hostynek, of Absinthe Films.

Hostynek tapped Robinson to join the crew for two months in Haines, Alaska, heli-boarding big mountain lines for the upcoming production of the celebrated edit "Dopamine."

The only problem was that Robinson would have to come up with $20,000 to pay for the expedition.

"I didn't have the funds, so I asked Justin if he could front me," Robinson said. "It was scary, because I knew I might spend the entire two months tumbling down the mountains and I'd still be out 20 grand. Fortunately, I felt solid and ended up with the opening part."

After three seasons riding and shooting in Alaska, including parts in the praised Absinthe film "Eversince," Robinson said he's become addicted to heli-boarding and big-mountain lines.

But he's never lost sight of his roots, without which he wouldn't have developed into the same person, or the same caliber of snowboarder.

"More than anyone in my life, Aaron has had the biggest influence on me, as a snowboarder and as a human being. It's crazy to think about, but as much as he influenced me in life, his influence has probably grown in his death," Robinson said.

The recent accolades from Snowboarder Magazine were a welcome surprise, he said, particularly because the honor was bestowed on him by his peers - in addition to winning the Big Mountain Rider of the Year award, he also placed fourth overall for all-around Rider of the Year.

"J-Rob may be the most underrated snowboarder in history," pro snowboarder Eric Jackson said, employing Robinson's nickname.

"Jason is sick. I've traveled with him only a couple times and he's loose and it's rad to see him charge so hard after seeing how mellow and humble he is in real life," said Quebec-born snowboarder Louif Paradis.

Austrian powerhouse Wolfgang Nyvelt added to the kudos: "The first time I saw Jason ride in person I could see that he had some kind of special gift. He rips any kind of terrain but his approach to natural features and big mountains is so unique you never can tell what he will come up with," he said. "One of my favorite riders of all time for sure."

Reflecting on the past five years, Robinson acknowledges that the learning curve has been steep, both as a snowboarder trying to find purchase in a volatile industry, and as a person trying to pursue his dream.

As Robinson massages the final parts into his new home, affectionately called "Le Box," and prepares to embark on another winter's worth of travel, he's confident that moving into such a tiny space is going to allow him to live bigger than ever.

"What happens outside the box is going to be as essential to the adventure as what happens inside," he said.
BILLINGS (AP)  A steep hike in electricity rates for 26,000 homes and businesses in eastern Montana is up for consideration this week by state regulators who have aired prior concerns with the proposal.

Montana-Dakota Utilities says the 21 percent increase is needed to cover costs that include $400 million in pollution controls at coal plants in Montana and South Dakota.

A hearing on the company's request before the Public Service Commission was set to begin Tuesday and is expected to last several days.

Commissioners in December rejected an interim increase sought by MDU, saying they needed to study the matter further.

A final order is due by March 25.

When the rate increase was announced last year, it included a fee for some customers who use their own wind or solar power. That provision has been dropped.
BILLINGS -- The Montana Board of Public Education approved a plan for high school juniors to take the ACT in place of Smarter Balanced exams to fulfill national testing mandates this spring, but not without debate.

Board members criticized Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau at the boards January meeting for not informing them of the change. She announced the change at the same time results from glitch-plagued Smarter Balanced results were released. The board still backed up the move for this school year at its meeting Thursday.

Rather than just getting information from the newspapers, I think it would be good that Denise could tell us what was going on, board member Paul Andersen said in January.

At that meeting, Juneau chalked up the situation to a timing issue.

It happened in between your November board meeting and this (January) meeting, she said. Schools had to be notified.

Board chairwoman Sharon Carroll wasnt convinced.

We have emails and phones, she said. There are other ways of communicating.

Juneau maintained that meetings were typically used for official communication.

The issues seemed to be less between board members and Juneau than indicative of concerns over uncertainty about the boards role and authority over superintendent decisions. Board members also raised concerns after Juneau decided to allow schools to opt out of glitch-plagued Smarter Balanced testing last spring, as first reported by the Missoula Independent.

Im just worried that this decision just gets made, and theres no discussion, Andersen said in January. Is that your decision to make? Or do you make a recommendation to the board, and then the board decides on that?

No one attending Januarys conference call meeting seemed to have a definitive answer, although Juneau noted that the Board had previously approved the ACT for assessment.

I trust Superintendent Juneau with my life, but Im worried about the precedent we set, Andersen said.

Juneau said that there were extensive discussions about the change within OPI and with school administrators.

There were also academic concerns. The ACT, while considered a reliable indicator of college readiness, isnt aligned to Montana standards. Smarter Balanced tests are. Montana has offered the ACT to all juniors since 2014.

The alignment piece, I think, is key, said Angela McLean, a former board member who recently took an Indian education position after stepping down as lieutenant governor. She represented Commissioner of Higher Education Clay Christians office during the meeting.

Several board members emphasized the need to provide clarity to school districts about what test juniors will take this spring.

Im a teacher. I want to know, said Carroll, who teaches at Carter County High School in Ekalaka.

The board will examine testing rules and its authority at subsequent meetings, Carroll said Thursday.
Hamburg, Germany  LAST week a United Nations panel ruled that Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks who has been living in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, had been arbitrarily detained, and called for his immediate release. Though Mr. Assange says he will remain in the embassy, the ruling was hailed by his legions of supporters, who saw it as a rare instance of justice for a man they believe has been persecuted for exposing government secrets.

Theres no doubt that WikiLeaks, which Mr. Assange founded in 2006, has been a boon for global civil liberties. The problem is that the project is inseparable from the man. Mr. Assange has made little secret about his skepticism toward Western democracy and his willingness to work with autocratic governments like Vladimir V. Putins Russia. His personal politics undermines WikiLeaks neutrality  and the noble cause for which WikiLeaks used to stand. What we need is a WikiLeaks without the founder of WikiLeaks.

The idea behind WikiLeaks is simple, and ingenious: an online drop box that provides maximum security for whistle-blowers in the digital age. Anyone determined to disclose corporate or government misbehavior  from tax fraud to war crimes  can be sure that the heavily protected WikiLeakss submission system ensures their emails and uploads cannot be traced.

The idea to unmask lies and reveal illegitimate secrets has worked well. Whistle-blowers submitted material that proved corruption of the former Kenyan president, tax-avoidance strategies employed by big European banks, and indiscriminate killings of civilians by an American attack helicopter in Iraq. News outlets, including The Guardian, Der Spiegel and The New York Times, helped Mr. Assange spread the scoops.
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania  An investigation into the death of a British helicopter pilot who was looking for poachers near Serengeti National Park has uncovered a criminal poaching ring led by a rogue intelligence officer, the Tanzanian authorities said on Monday.

After a weeklong manhunt that involved house-to-house searches in villages surrounding the reserve, at least nine people have been arrested in connection with the death of the pilot, including Iddi Mashaka, a former police officer who used his current position as an intelligence officer with a regional conservation authority to help the poachers travel undetected, said Lazaro Mambosasa, the regional police commissioner. With the arrests, the authorities said, the ring has been dismantled.

The pilot, Roger Gower, 37, was shot on Jan. 29 while conducting anti-poaching surveillance over the Maswa Game Reserve. He and a colleague, Nick Bester, came across a newly killed elephant and circled back to take a closer look, and their helicopter was shot at by poachers who were apparently still at the scene, the police have said. A bullet from a .458 hunting rifle punctured the floor of the helicopter and ripped through Mr. Gowers leg and shoulder. He managed to land the helicopter but died from his injuries before help could arrive.

Among those arrested was the gunman, Njile Gonga, 28, who led the police to the rifle, hidden on his roof, and to tusks he had taken from the elephant, Mr. Mambosasa said.
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There arent many US cities that can successfully host a ten-day film festival spotlighting the Jewish community, let alone keep it going for over two decades. San Diego is a happy exception, as the San Diego Jewish Film Festival , now running through February 14th for its 26th year, proves.

Rev. Chris Carpenter , resident film and stage critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine . By, resident film and stage critic ofand
Six-year-old Annalyn Halvorsen loves mermaids because they have super powers.

The "wise-beyond-her-years" Butte girl is super in her own right as she faces a medical diagnosis that may one day cause her heart to fail but will not crush her precocious spirit.

"She is sick and dying and full of life," said Annalyn's father, Wayne Halvorsen, in an emotional interview with The Montana Standard.

Annalyn was born six weeks early at St. James Healthcare and within a day was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare heart defect that causes the heart to be severely under-developed.

The then-tiny newborn and her mother, Lisa Rooney, were immediately flown to Seattle Children's Hospital where the family was told multiple surgeries would be needed to increase the blood flow to Annalyn's body and bypass the left side of her heart to restore heart function.

Annalyn had her first procedure at less than a month old at the Seattle facility and a second one when she was 6 months. By age 4, her parents learned her left lung was not working. A double lung-heart transplant, they were told, had a "maybe five-year survival rate."

Butte's elevation of more than 5,500 feet caused Annalyn to be "very hypoxic," said Rooney.

"She couldn't run, play like other kids" and had little appetite, she said.

A third procedure at a San Francisco hospital by the surgeon who performed the first two surgeries in Seattle failed during Annalyn and Rooney's several-month stay in the Golden Gate City.

In November 2014, Rooney took her daughter to the Oregon coast to live with family and benefit from the lower elevation.

But Annalyn suffered from severe medical post-traumatic stress and was miserable, said Rooney, her voice breaking. She added that Annalyn could not eat, vomited blood several times a day, and ended up with aspiration pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs and bronchial tubes.

In early 2015, Halvorsen said he and Rooney made the decision to seek a heart-lung transplant at a Palo Alto, California, children's hospital, where they were told their daughter was in advanced heart failure.

Rooney said Annalyn's kidneys were also failing, her liver was enlarged, and her one good lung had started to fail.

"We thought she was going to die," Rooney said.

A transplant would require Annalyn to take "massive diuretics" and lose 15 pounds of fluid that she had retained due to her failing heart. Five weeks went by, and she had only shed four and a half pounds of fluids.

"By the fifth week, she was devastated" said Rooney, adding that Annalyn kept saying, "'I just want to go home and sleep in my bed.'"

Annalyn longed to return to Butte; she even missed the taste of her hometown water. If she only had five days in Butte, it would be better than multiple procedures and hospital stays, the family decided before bringing her home in June 2015.

"When we stepped foot in Butte, she was like 'I'm home.' It's what's kept her living," Rooney said.

Halvorsen and Rooney had divorced the previous year. Halvorsen kept the home fires burning with son Chance, now 20, while Rooney sought treatment for their daughter on the West Coast.

Rooney and Annalyn's homecoming signaled a new chapter for the family and a conscious effort to make every moment count, because "it's about her."

A supportive community of family and friends sustains them, Rooney said. A gift of a king-size bed has become a sanctuary, creating a safe and cozy place for Annalyn to bask in her parent's love each night as she slumbers next to her oxygen machine, her beloved Chihuahua Bentley, and pet cat.

The 37-pound girl, who adores Harry Potter, caramel vanilla ice cream and knock-knock jokes, has touched the lives of many, including the men and women of the Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department.

When Undersheriff George Skuletich invited her to participate in the city's Fourth of July parade, she asked to join with the police. She was sworn in at an official ceremony July 3 and received a badge, certificate and uniform.

"She calls me her partner," said Skuletich with a smile.

The undersheriff revealed that a 9-year-old niece died from a heart condition. That experience helped to fuel his close bond with Annalyn, whose parents Skuletich said are lifelong family friends.

At the Butte Police Protective Association annual holiday celebration Jan. 16, Annalyn was awarded Officer of the Year for "arresting" a criminal named Kevin, a Butte detective who had agreed to dress up like a "bad guy" so that Annalyn could get her wish of feeling like a real cop.

"It was great; she got a standing ovation," Skuletich said, adding that Annalyn met her arrestee, who told her he turned his life around and was now working with the police department.

"It's been a special thing for the department. Every officer has adopted her as one" of their own, Skuletich said. "I just look at Annalyn  the toughness is an inspiration."

Rooney said the recognition by law enforcement is heartwarming and has had a profound impact on her little girl.

Each day is a gift to Annalyn and her family. Her buoyant spirit and humor make surprise visits. On Friday, her parents asked her how bats navigate.

"Echolocation," she said excitedly. "They sleep in the day just like my brother."

"He's famous too. He told me to say that. He asks my dad for money. I don't do that 'cause I already have money," said Annalyn proudly.

Rooney said her daughter is physically unable to have a much-needed transplant. Annalyn runs hot, and her rosy cheeks indicate fluid retention. She takes three different "powerful" diuretics every six hours in addition to other medications.

Being angry at God has been a fierce reality bite, but Rooney is thankful for the time they have with Annalyn.

Rooney has learned patience and humility. For Halvorsen, his daughter's battle has taught him to live each moment.

Along the journey, Rooney has seen Halvorsen's compassion and a father who has been present.

"I think of how much he's truly given of himself for the goodness of our family," she said.
Brother Frederick Louis Frick Jr., 89, passed away peacefully on Jan. 29, 2016, in New Rochelle, New York, at the St Josephs Residence. A member of the Brother Edmund Rice Christian Brothers, he passed while in the loving care of those with which he served.

Fred was born on May 4, 1926, in Bozeman, Montana to Frederick Louis, Sr. and Anna (Ginther) Frick. As a little boy, he moved to Butte along with his big sisters, Jeanne (Yakawich) and Marianne (Gallion) graduating from Boys Central High School in 1944. Called to serve his nation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy at 17, trained at Farragut, Idaho, and served aboard a famous aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Yorktown in the Pacific Theater of war. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, he survived numerous Kamikaze attacks on his ship. Yeoman Second Class Frick served honorably and was discharged June 3, 1946 ,having earned the: Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Metal- 5 stars, American Area Campaign Metal, World War II Victory Metal, and the Philippine Liberation Metal-1 star.

Known to his fellow Brothers as Louie and Unk to three generations of nieces and nephews, he attended Gonzaga University and graduated from the College of San Francisco. He entered the Christian Brothers congregation on June 29, 1948, taking his perpetual vows on Sept. 8, 1956. He would dedicate the rest of his life to serving others, educating youth, and helping bring them all closer to Jesus Christ.

Throughout his life, Brother Frick taught at numerous high schools from Hawaii to New Jersey including beloved principal at Buttes Boys Central. Additionally, he served as the first Provincial (Brother Rice Providence) of the Western United States Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. He returned as a counselor to the Western American Province in 1975. Additional ministries included: Briscoe School (Kent, Washington), Cantwell H.S. (Montebello, California), Essex H.S. (Newark, New Jersey), Palma H.S. (Salinas, California), Brother Rice H.S (Birmingham, Michigan), Ryan Hall Community (Lockport, Illinois), Leo H.S. (Chicago, Illinois), St. Patricks H.S (Vallejo, California), Damien Memorial H.S. (Honolulu, Hawaii), and St. Josephs Residence in New Rochelle, New York.

Unk had a passion for nature, fishing, and always had a special love for Butte, Montana. He touched countless lives and made the world a better place  rest now good servant.

A Mass of Christian Burial and interment for Brother Frick took place in New Rochelle. Interment is at the peaceful Christian Brothers Cemetery in West Park, New York.

We wish to offer a heartfelt thank you to the staff of St Josephs Residence and especially Brother Vincent McNally who so lovingly cared for our beloved Unk.

Donations may be made in his memory to St. Josephs Residence, 30 Montgomery Circle, New Rochelle, New York 10804.

Express condolences at www.mtstandard.com.
Tech student receives $5,000 scholarship

Nicole Rudolph, a Montana Tech Health Care Informatics student, has received the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Undergraduate Scholarship, worth $5,000, one of three scholarships awarded in 2015 by the HIMSS Foundation.

Rudolph is pursuing a B.S. in Health Care Informatics with a minor in Computer Science. She is on both the Deans and Chancellors Honor Roll List and has an overall GPA of 3.97.

Rudolph attended HIMSS15 in Chicago, where she volunteered as a program assistant, attended educational sessions, and was in the audience for keynote speaker, former President George W. Bush. She also completed a 500-hour program-required internship at the local Community Health Center. She plans to pursue a master's degree in business administration and/or healthcare administration.

HIMSS will honor 2015 scholarship winners at a gala in Las Vegas in March.

Tech department head receives award

Courtney Young, Ph.D., department head and the Lewis S. Prater Professor of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Montana Tech, has been awarded the 2016 Mineral Industry Education Award from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration/American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers.

The award recognizes distinguished contributions to the advancement of mineral industry education. Young will receive the award at the SME 2016 Annual Conference and Expo dinner in Phoenix Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Young is a graduate of three mineral/coal processing and extractive metallurgy institutions having obtained his BS in Mineral Processing Engineering from Montana Tech in 1984, his MS in Mining and Minerals Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1987, and his Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Utah in 1994.

He teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate mineral-related courses.

Musician to teach blues rock class

DILLON  Musician Dave Walker will teach a free, public master class on blues rock at the Main Hall Small Auditorium, University of Montana-Western in Dillon, on Friday, Feb. 12, at 10 a.m.

Walker is best known as a member of the rock groups Savoy Brown, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath and others. He is an active part of the Southwest Montana music scene and performs as the Dave Walker Band.

Walker will be joined by fellow musician and UMW staff member Bill Dwyer. Both musicians have played together for a number of years.

Students from fine arts professor Brent McCabes history of rock n roll class will have blues compositions ready for Walker and Dwyer to perform.
Last week, a group of church friends held a town hall meeting in Brunswick, Georgia. Their purpose is embodied in their name: Justice For Caroline Small.

Chances are, youve never heard of her.

She was a waitress, a mother of two girls and a woman with mental-health issues who was in and out of drug-treatment programs for much of her life until she was killed by police in June 2010. Her death was every bit as outrageous as those of Oscar Grant, Eric Garner,Walter Scott, Freddie Gray and Tamir Rice, but has received only a fraction of the attention.

Indeed, unless you live in Georgia or North Florida, you probably dont know her story. And you should. As told in news reports and a dashcam video, it goes like this:

A police officer responds to a call of a woman doing drugs in a parking lot. When he tells her to shut off the car, she takes off. A four-mile, low-speed chase ensues. It ends when a police car bumps her vehicle, spinning it to a stop.

With one police car sitting nose to nose, another on her passenger side, a utility pole behind her, a ditch on her left and all four tires gone, Small has nowhere to go. Still, she shifts into reverse and then forward, banging uselessly against the utility pole and the patrol car. Police yell at her to get out. Instead, she tries again  back against the pole, forward, bumping the car. And Sgt. Corey Sasser and Officer Todd Simpson open fire, tattooing her windshield with .45-caliber rounds.

Afterward, they discuss their marksmanship: I hit her right in the face  right on the bridge of the nose, says Sasser. Simpson waves off a former EMT who approaches to render aid. Shes dead. I shot her in the head. Her head exploded.

Small actually died seven days later. Sasser and Simpson were cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury and by internal affairs. A civil suit was dismissed.

Justice for Caroline was formed last year after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a local ABC News affiliate investigated the shooting and found that police, seeking to protect their own, interfered with a supposedly independent probe, while the district attorney deferred to them at every step, paving the way for the grand jury to clear the two officers.

Perhaps most damning: The investigation concludes police tampered with the crime scene and manufactured misleading evidence. Grand jurors were led to believe Small had room to maneuver her car and could have run the officers down. The dashcam video  search it online for yourself  proves the unarmed woman was hemmed in and posed no immediate threat.

So Justice for Caroline is calling for a new investigation of the shooting and a probe of the police department itself. In a nation that has come to think of the police shooting of unarmed people and the protests thereof as a black thing, they are an anomaly. Visit JusticeForCaroline.com and you will find, as one told an AJC reporter, old-time, white middle-class people.

As such, they provide a wordless yet eloquent reminder that, although African Americans bear the brunt of our unwillingness to demand accountability for police misbehavior, unchecked power ultimately has no racial loyalties. The refusal to understand that is a dangerous luxury none of us can afford.

As a member named Kay Allen told the AJC, this shooting of a 35-year-old white woman changes in some ways the way that you view the police and just thinking they are there to protect you. And its kind of like, Well, maybe not. Maybe theres another side to things that we dont always know about. 

It is the kind of dawning realization that often precedes enlightenment. And in that sense, Justice For Caroline might be a small step toward justice for us all.

-- Leonard Pitts is a columnist for the Miami Herald.
When someone says they are family, it carries weight. It means that you have a bond, a harmony and a responsibility for other people. It does not have to be by blood, but by conviction of a kinship.

There is no greater demonstration of what family means than being a caregiver. In Wyoming, more than 66,000 people personally exemplify being family each day by taking care of a loved one, whether it be their child, parent, friend, spouse or any other person that they consider family.

Someone so important to them that they are willing to sacrifice or meld their individual lives with that person so they can care for them through times of illness, financial hardship, aging, or disability.

Caregivers are superheroes. They are invaluable. They are nobility in our state for their commitment and dedication to taking care of those they consider family. It is estimated that they contribute upwards of 62 million hours of care each year that is worth an estimated $817 million in care.

But they dont ask for a paycheck. In fact, at times, some of them have forgone a paycheck to take care of their family.

As we begin 2016, it is time to ask how can we support or strengthen the efforts of these Wyoming caregivers. What can we do to help them succeed at caring for their family? There is a simple step that can be taken to start the ball rolling. To lead to a comprehensive system of resources that can support caregivers and their work.

That step is the passage of the Wyoming Caregiver Act. The Caregiver Act supports family caregivers when their loved ones go into the hospital, and it helps them learn what they must do to safely provide care when theyre discharged home.

The act requires hospitals to:

-- Record the name of the family caregiver when a loved one is admitted into a hospital.

-- Notify the family caregiver if the loved one is to be discharged to another facility or back home.

-- Consult and prepare the family caregiver on the medical tasks  such as medication management, injections, wound care and transfers  that the family caregiver may perform at home.

These three steps seem simple and some may wonder why we dont already do this. Generally, hospitals in Wyoming do. That is the reason the Wyoming Hospital Association stands in support of this legislation as well.

By putting these three provisions into law, we say as a state that we support caregivers and their devotion to their families. Family caregivers play a critical role in helping to keep their loved ones from being readmitted to the hospital, out of costly institutions and safe at home. This act can help support those efforts. And it requires no additional funding to be implemented.

Take the time to tell a caregiver you know whether it is a co-worker, neighbor or someone in your family, thank you. And tell your legislator that it is important to you and to our state that they support the Wyoming Caregiver Act.

-- Tim Summers is AARP Wyoming state director.
Faith, science and politics have had an uneasy relationship. Should and can the three be kept separate? Should faith be tested scientifically? Should faith control politics and science? These questions, which were at the heart of the recent discussion of faith and science at Montana Tech, are burning issues in Montana and the U.S.

All three areas look at truth from a particular, differing perspective. Certainly, science is not the only source of truth. The problem occurs when religious groups attempt to impose their views on science and the democratic state. (I focus on the Christian religion as did the speaker at Montana Tech.)

Let us consider the past relationship of religion and science. Contrary to the view presented at Montana Tech, for most of history, institutionalized Christianity has attempted to control science. Galileo, Newton, Copernicus, Descartes, Darwin, Halley, Hubble and others were persecuted by the Church for unorthodox views. This control only began to weaken in the late 19th century when education and science were secularized. For example, Christian colleges ignored Newton and Copernicus and spent their time discussing what language the angels spoke. The epitome of the Christian opposition to science came when the rector of the Catholic University of Cervera answered the concerns of the Spanish king that unorthodox teaching was seeping into the curriculum: Far be it from us the dangerous novelty of thinking.

This is not an arcane historical point. Today, fundamentalist religions are still trying to force their religious beliefs on science. Take for example the push to see the Bible as scientific fact in areas like creationism and the ludicrous notion that the earth is only 6000 years old. While faith is not capable of rational demonstration, the irrational should not be forced on science. When a religion seeks to have their scripture accepted as scientific truth, I have a problem. When Christians argue that the Bible is historically accurate, I have a problem. The Bible was not meant to be a history or a science text.

There are fundamental differences between science and religion. Religion tends to promote a dogmatic, authoritarian view as to how truth is discovered, whether the truth is centered in the Bible or the clergy. The word of God is true; those who do not believe are in error and should be reformed either through instruction or persecution. That epistemology may be acceptable for the followers of a particular religion but should not be imposed on others. Religion and science differ in terms of methodology, openness, and subject matter.

Similar problems have occurred when religion attempts to control democratic politics. We certainly see this problem today in the U.S. regarding issues such as reproductive rights, gender equality and identity, health care and education, where fundamentalist religions are trying to impose their views on the state and make their religious commandments secular law for allbelievers and non-believers. It is really not much different from what we condemn in Islamic states. Religion and democracy have conflicting views about the nature of political truth, how political truth is discovered, human nature, the ends they pursue, the virtue of compromise, tolerance and diversity, the nature of freedom, and what constitutes authority.

Religion seeks to impose its Truth on all. After all if I have the Truth revealed by scripture or clergy, there is only one Truth. All should conform to the Truth. In Pope Pius IXs Syllabus of Errors, we find: Error has no rights. No wonder religious based political discourse soon ends in fanaticism and intolerance, if not persecution, of opposing views.

The philosopher Michael Polyani said that all truth is perspectival. Science has a perspective. Religion has a perspective as do philosophy, art, literature, music and history. All perspectives need to be nurtured and respected. After all there is no Catholic algebra or Baptist chemistry. Education should foster tolerance of opposing views. Science could not exist without nurturing tolerance. Democratic decision making demands tolerance and discussion of opposing views. President John Kennedy said: Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to ones own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others. If we cannot end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

-- John Ray, Ph.D, is a professor of political science at Montana Tech. He has published and made presentations at venues such as Oxford University on the relationship of science, religion and politics. The views expressed in this editorial are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Montana Tech.
Michel Martelly made his farewell speech to Haiti as he departed office Sunday with no successor yet chosen because a runoff election was delayed for a second time last month amid protests and deep suspicions about irregularities. In a nearly 20-minute speech before a joint session of parliament, Martelly said his "biggest regret is that the presidential election was postponed." Addressing the Haitian people, he said he worked as hard as he could to improve the country and was "ready to

More details here...
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Area lawmakers say the biggest issues the state legislature is facing are school funding and the ever-increasing funding need for Medicaid.

An audience of around three dozen gathered at Muscatine Community College Saturday morning to hear State Senators Chris Brase, of Muscatine, Bob Dvorsky, of Coralville, and Tom Courtney, of Burlington, all Democrats, and State Representatives Gary Carlson, of Muscatine, Bobby Kaufmann, of Wilton, and Tom Sands, of Columbus Junction, all Republicans, answer questions and discuss issues during a legislative forum hosted by MCC and the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

EDUCATION ISSUES

Tammi Drawbaugh, president of the Muscatine School Board, said the board is working hard to be financially responsible but is facing some tough decisions. Proposed allowable growth rates for K-12 schools have ranged between two and four percent. "How can we best work with you to get that higher number we've been talking about?" she asked the lawmakers.

"There isn't a better tool than communication," Sands answered. He said he hopes the school funding issue will be resolved in February or March instead of May or June. "I don't see much of a pathway above two percent," he cautioned.

"We all support education, but we have to balance the whole budget discussion," said Carlson. "I don't see a 4 percent increase. I think it's more like two-point-something."

Courtney advised Drawbaugh to call the Governor's office as much as possible. "He's the guy at the top and makes the decisions," Courtney said. "He wants to be the education governor, so get ahold of the education governor and tell him how you feel."

"Make sure you communicate with your community," Brass advised. "That's who you're going to hear the impact from."

Muscatine School Board Member Nathan Mather said he wasn't asking for more money but for more flexibility in settling school district labor contracts instead of the current binding arbitration system.

"The system is actually working," Dvorsky responded. "If it's not broke, why fix it?"

Courtney said he'd be willing to look at it, but he cautioned a change could also allow teachers to go on strike.

Carlson said the House passed a bill last year allowing more flexibility, and he supports it.

Sands said he also will continue to support it. "It needs to be a balance that both sides need to have an equal chair at the table," he said.

"I'm a 'hell, yes,'" said Kaufmann. "I voted for it. I'll vote for it again."

MCC student Jordan King asked for more support for community colleges. "How can we work together to keep community college education affordable?" he asked the lawmakers.

"It's completely unacceptable that community colleges were at the bottom of the funding totem pole last year," Kaufmann responded.

"We're hopeful they will be better funded this year," Carlson added.

Dvorsky said he offered the only proposal to increase community college funding last year, but the Governor vetoed it along with a proposed increase for K-12 funding. "We'll do the best we can for community colleges and K-12," said Dvorsky.

Brase said community colleges are important for economic development and for teaching the job skills demanded by business and industry. "We need to invest more in our community colleges," he said.

MEDICAID, MEDICAL ISSUES

Philip Wiese, a resident of Kaufmann's House district, told the legislators his sister is confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy, and her medical decisions are now being made by insurance companies instead of her family. He asked the lawmakers what they can do about it.

Courtney replied Wiese's situation is a result of executive action by the Governor who said he could save money for Iowans by paying millions of dollars to three private companies. "We have a bill to stop the whole thing," said Courtney. "If the governor has a plan for health care, let's do the plan. But let's take some time to figure it out and do it right."

"I don't see how this can add up to save us money," Brase added.

"In all my years in the legislature, I've never seen such stonewalling," said Dvorsky. "This is total over-reach by the executive. They just shove it down our throats."

Carlson said the intent is to be more efficient with the source of services, but the rising cost of Medicaid has to be controlled. "It's now at 25 percent of the budget," he said. "We're on our way to Medicaid being 30, 35, 40 percent of the budget."

Sands said the governor's plan has been rolled out too quickly, but the intent is in the best interests of all Iowans. "Our decisions should be based on what's best for the people of Iowa and on the facts," he said.

Kaufmann agreed the timeline has been hurried. "Please get ahold of me to see that your sister is connected to the services she needs," he told Wiese.

Shelly Van Winkle of Muscatine, who advocated for medical marijuana during last year's legislative forums, brought the issue back Saturday morning. "What are you doing to get a cannabis bill passed?" she asked.

Carlson replied there was a study about medical marijuana last year at the University of Iowa, but he doesn't know the status of it, and the legislature wants to see it. "I think that would give people a firmer ground, at least for the treatment of epilepsy," he said.

Dvorsky added he also would like to see the study results, but he wasn't hopeful a bill would be passed this year. "I think, unfortunately, the mood of the session will be a shorter session -- the budget, and then we get out," he said.

"All medical decisions should be made by patients, doctors, and the FDA," said Courtney. "The feeling is the governor's not going to do much with it."

Sands said he believes cannabis oil has some promise as a medicine, but any decision should be made by the FDA and the medical profession, not the legislature. Kaufmann said 95 percent of his constituency told him last year to support it, and he'll continue to support it.

OTHER ISSUES

Greg Jenkins with the Chamber asked about bringing certain depreciation deductions in Iowa's income tax in compliance with the federal deductions.

Sands replied the Section 179 deduction needs immediate consideration.

"To not couple (these deductions) would be an incredible disservice to our middle class," Kaufmann added.

Carlson said the House has passed a bipartisan bill to couple the taxes. "It certainly impacts families and a lot of small manufacturers," he said.

But Dvorsky said the deductions would cost Iowa $97 million, and the Governor doesn't recommend it, making it a major problem to get into the budget.

"The Governor usually gets his way, and he says it won't work," added Courtney.

Sue Johannsen, a member of the League of Women Voters, asked about restoring voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences. "In 38 states and the District of Columbia, voting rights are automatically restored for most felons," she said. "Iowa is one of three states where felons permanently lose their voting rights."

Sands replied he would not support automatic return of voting rights. "I think it's something they should apply for," he said.

Kaufmann said he would support a tiered system returning rights according to the degree of the felony. Carlson agreed.

Dvorsky said felons can apply to regain their voting rights, but it's practically impossible because there are so many steps involved. "We should have some system where they can get them back," he said.

Brase agreed. "I think it depends on the crime committed," he said. He also said he supports "ban the box," which would remove the box from job application forms asking if the applicant has been convicted of a crime.

Courtney said the Senate is working on a ban the box bill. "The Governor has given indications he might be in favor of something like that," said Courtney.

The next legislative forum will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 5 at Muscatine Community College.
Bill Clinton, so the saying goes, was America's first black president.

Novelist Toni Morrison dubbed him so, noting that he displayed "almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald's-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas."

The analogy stuck because people saw Clinton's rapport of kinship and familiarity that crossed racial lines.

His wife is not blessed with the same attributes. This became starkly apparent in 2008 when she faced a formable political challenger for the Democratic presidential nomination and lost as African-American voters flocked to him.

This go-around, it's not an upstart biracial senator from Illinois who is challenging Hillary Clinton for the coveted prize in this election cycle. It's a 74-year-old white guy with a Mister Rogers appeal.

Bernie Sanders is the exclamation point on bad news for Clinton. In the Iowa caucuses, Sanders' virtual tie in votes showed that Clinton can't rest on her substantial resume.

Clinton cannot take black voters for granted. Sanders may not win enough African-American support to snag the Democratic nomination away, but he'll give her a considerable run for it, even in Southern states like South Carolina, whose Democratic primary will take place at the end of the month.

Sanders' appeal is that he acknowledges something that African-Americans know viscerally: There is no post-racial America. He has also offered a forthright critique of wealth and income equality in America, along with measures to rectify it. All he has to do is package his message right.

The election of Barack Obama did not substantially alter the lives of most black Americans. True, it was a collective emotional achievement for much of America, and especially for black America. Yet it's ludicrous to believe that one man in the highest office of the land, even serving two terms, was going to undo the entrenched realities of race in America.

African-Americans, segregated and humiliated first by slavery and then by segregation, and further still by subtler forms of bias and discrimination that are still with us, are lagging behind other people of other races and ethnicities in employment and economic and educational attainment.

By the time the recovery began from the most recent recession, African-Americans had lost the most ground and now have to make harder strides to catch up.

Those without wealth invested in stocks and those whose work skills are less in demand  especially people whose families are less firmly entrenched in middle class  are struggling. And Sanders speaks well to these voters, especially to a new generation that is worried that they won't be able to achieve, not due to personal failings but because systems of government such as taxation and justice are rigged against them.

In Iowa, Sanders swept Clinton with voters under 30, winning by a 70-point margin. He also won resoundingly with voters aged 30 to 44.

Iowa, some shrug, is overwhelmingly white. True.

But what if younger African-American voters aren't as beholden to the idea that they must stick with the Clinton team, even if Hillary is a surrogate of Obama? Some evidence of this is appearing.

In recent weeks former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner has become a vocal advocate, along with the attorney who represented the Walter Scott family. Some rappers have begun advocating for him, plying their networks on social media. And the revered scholar Cornel West has been actively campaigning and took to Facebook with a post that begins, "Why I endorse Brother Bernie...."

It reads, in part: "I do so because he is a long-distance runner with integrity in the struggle for justice for over 50 years. Now is the time for his prophetic voice to be heard across our crisis-ridden country, even as we push him with integrity toward a more comprehensive vision of freedom for all."

All Sanders has to do is speak ferociously for the underdogs of society, for the masses of people who have been left behind. And he is very adept at connecting these dots.

A good example is Sanders' platform on racial justice. It seeks to address what he defines as "the five central types of violence waged against black, brown and indigenous Americans: physical, political, legal, economic and environmental."

And he fully defines each, with grim examples of the harm they have caused. Then he offers his solutions.

Black Americans know these realities in ways that are starkly personal.

The question is: What must Sanders do to convince black voters that he can and will address them?

Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star. Readers may email her at msanchez@kcstar.com.
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
is a wonderous "hot dish" of nature, places and people.
Will Nhlanhla Nene head up the Africa regional centre of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA (Brics) nations new Development Bank? Economist Dawie Roodt doesnt think so. He suspects that Nene will land a cushy directorship within the private sector.

News24 reported on Friday that Nene, who has been an ANC Member of Parliament (MP) for more than a decade, quit in December but his resignation was processed only last month.It has come to light that Nene. He resigned from parliament subsequent to his hasty removal as finance minister by President Jacob Zuma on 9 December last year.

Nene told News24 he felt it was proper for him to resign as an ANC MP.

It is another feather in his cap, Roodt told Fin24. The fact the Nene resigned as an MP was certainly the honourable thing to do.

What distinguishes Nene from other MPs, said Roodt, is his employability.

If this had happened to one of the other MPs, chances are they would have remained on as an MP simply because they cant find other jobs. That is the reality. That is the quality of our MPs.

But Nene is different. Nene has the experience. He has shown himself to be a competent minister of finance. He has shown that he can do the right thing and even stand up to Zuma and I think his resignation from parliament is another sign of that.

At the time of Nenes shock axing, which wiped out billions on the JSE, Zuma indicated that he had been earmarked for a post at the Brics bank based in Johannesburg.

Is he going to go to the so called Brics Bank? I dont think so. I think that Zuma simply used that as an excuse to fire Nene.

It is widely believed that Nene was axed over his resistance to the governments nuclear build programme and a loss-making SAA deal.

Will the private sector snap up Nene?

Roodt pointed out that Nene has a good chance of landing a job in the private sector.

I am pretty sure that the private sector will offer him a directorship somewhere and that is something that very few MPs will be offered  and I think that is also part of the reason why he resigned.

Peter Attard Montalto, emerging markets economist at Nomura, told Fin24 that Nenes departure as an MP proves his deep integrity.

He has come through this rough past month with his standing enhanced, he explained. He clearly does not want to speak out yet [on his ousting as minister], though [he] gives a subtle hint as to the uncertainty of [whether] this Brics nomination is real or not.

However, Brics Bank vice president and chief financial officer Leslie Maasdorp confirmed to BDLive last month that Nene was indeed formally nominated by the government to the bank, adding that the role will be filled with urgency.

Fin24

More on the government

How private institutions replaced poor government services in South Africa

Sell the SABC  here is the DAs plan for South Africa
The hacker group Anonymous has set its sights on corrupt African governments, with South Africa high on the list.

In a statement, the hackers announced that Operation Africa is an ongoing effort by several activists within anonymous who have begun collaborating.

The focus of the operation is a disassembly of corporations and governments that enable and perpetuate corruption on the African continent.

There is a focus on child abuse, child labour, and Internet censorship within Africa.

We will continue to fight until all of our brothers on the continent are freed from the shackles of corruption and greed, the hactivists said.

Seven governments were listed as targets in the planned attacks: Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Sudan and South Sudan, and Ethiopia.

Softpedia reported that successful attacks on companies and organisations in Rwanda and Uganda have already been executed.

If the hackers stick to the #OpAfrica list order, then South Africas government is next, the Softpedia report stated.

Hat tip to Htxt for spotting the report.

More on security

Should your Internet browser history remain private?

This is when SAs ISPs hand over the private information of pirates
Addressing the academic advising needs of the Mid-Atlantic region: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia
Pediatrician. Geneticist in Training. Runner. Muslim. Little person. South Asian. Female. Thankful. Optimistic. Tends to take road that is less traveled. Opinions expressed are my own.
(Credit: Rooksana Hossenally)

Members from the Takahashi-gumi Yakuza celebrate during the second day

of Tokyos Sanja Festival. (Credit: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert/Getty Images)

Traditional Japanese irezumi differs from other types of tattooing as it is usually done as a full body suit or as an arm or leg sleeve, cut off at the neck, wrists and ankles in order to hide the artwork under clothes. The tattoos have a long history dating to before the Edo period (1603-1868). In the 18th Century, they became popular in Japans red light districts and began to incorporate figures from historical texts. These tattoos were created by carvers who made the wooden moulds used to produce prints depicting stories inspired by the philosophical and spiritual legends.These tattoos have been a taboo art form, a sign of intimidation or a connection to the underworld, but 69 year old tattoo master Horiyoshi III has spent his life using irezumi to keep alive traditional Japanese culture  a cryptic history of dragons, street knights and samurai.More: BBC
At this rate, this year might produce the most social media wars we have ever experienced in Kenya. A week after Nameless and Octopizzo squashed their beef, the bug has now bitten activist Boniface Mwangi and lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi who were locked in a fiery twitter chat-fight all weekend long.

The two crusaded each others dirty linen on twitter with Boniface accusing Ahmed of being corrupt. The activist said that if Kenya was not corrupt, Ahmednasir would be an ambulance chaser and not as wealthy as he is right now. He also added how the lawyer only chooses to represent wealthy clients and has never helped the poor get justice.

On the receiving end, The Grand Mullah came out guns blazing to tell Boniface that he is a man who has fattened his bank balance from funds that he gets from donors. Well, if you thought that tweefs are for attention seeking artistes then you are wrong because even our learned friends know how to troll each other with hard hitting statements.

Heres part of the chat-fight.












Celebrated Citizen TV news anchor Kanze Dena last week opened up about her life in a candid interview with Citizen Digital.

She talked about how she struggled with low self esteem, and how she contemplated suicide among other facets of her life that many did not know.

Heres how the interview panned out

Kanze is a born tao

I was brought up in two different places because my mum worked in Mombasa and Nairobi. Most of the times I would go to school in Nairobi, and go to Mombasa for holidays.

Even my shagz  Mazeras  is a cosmopolitan area. It is an area where Methodist Missionaries camped in colonial times. The place has a railway line passing through it, and I saw Nairobi or Mombasa bound buses making their trips.

She is responsible  at least to those who know her personally; could it be that she is the first born?

I am the middle child; my mother had three other kids before me and two others after me. Technically, I am the fourth born in a family of six (five girls, one boy). I was raised by a single mother.

My brother was way older than me; we have nearly 12 years between us. He wasnt given much preferential treatment; only the last born was accorded special attention  my mother was very fair.

I was the most playful and cunning one among my siblings. I remember when I was 12 and living in Nairobi, my mother banned me from playing outside our house.

There was this gap in our bathroom window. I used to climb stools and jump through it so that I could go play with my friends. One fateful day, our house help got tired of seeing me sneaking out. So, she locked the window and there wasnt any other place I could use to get back in besides the main entrance.

Unfortunately, that time (5:30 pm) my mum was driving in and she questioned why I was out of the house  especially after shed warned me against playing outside. She thoroughly beat me! I even said to her: I doubt if you are my mum.

Kanze and her mum eventually resolved their differences amicably: We sat down and agreed that during school holidays, I would travel to Mazeras so that I could play as much as I wanted.

Which games did she play?

Kode, pushing tyres, pulling toy cars, bladaa, climbing treesI think I was up to par with my male colleagues. When they asked me to play any game, I would fit in and be one of them. I didnt notice any gender difference when I was playing with them.

With that amicable relationship with boys, at what time did she realise she is different  at least biologically?

When I joined boarding school for upper primary classes, I realised I had serious body changes. I looked at other girls whom I shared a classroom with (standard five, six) and noticed they werent developing as fast as I was. My breasts had developed, my hips had broadened and men would stare at me.

She quickly learnt that she was different  according to her, in a bad way.

Naturally, I have slightly bowed legs  I did not consider that my unique gait was wrong because no one at home mocked me.

When I became conscious of my development, I realised I walked differently from other girls. That is the point that I started keeping to myself. I toned down my playfulness  I was wondering what was wrong with me. Men laughed at me.

Id slouch because I wanted to hide my breasts. Id wear long clothes to hide my legs too  I used to be very shy.

That, she says, was when she marked the beginning of her struggles with low self-esteem.

I did not feel like I was as beautiful as other girls. The guys would always laugh at me  Huyu msichana ywatembeaje? Theyd constantly ask.

How did she deal with all this negative energy?

I would lock myself in a secluded room and bury my head in books. Thats where they could not get me because we fought for top spots in class.

I am also a talented actor; so during drama festivals, I would act and recite poems exemplary well. I had something that everyone applauded me for. That was my escape.

In Embu and Eastern Province I was a well-known person! Should you ask someone who studied during my times if they remember a girl by the name Kellen Kanze, they would affirm that they do.

That was my world. When I walked on stage, I commanded the audience  whether I was acting in a play, dancingIt allowed me to get away from the fact that everybody would laugh.

Boys would come and talk to me because I had become a star! They respected my Swahili prowess and articulation. I think that was a mechanism God gave me to survive.

The moment drama festivals were done, Id go back to the same cocoon and realise I am different from other people. For a very long time, Id never allow myself to wear clothes that were fitting. I thought I had a big bust and unattractive legs.

When I was in standard seven, I was appointed the schools head girl. I felt a little bit important, but still; I did not want to be different. Honestly, if I had the opportunity to enhance my looks and alter parts of my body, I would have changed the way my legs looked.

How did she finally overcome low self-esteem?

It has been a long journey for me to come to terms with my body  to know that it was mere biology that played a part in my fast development, that it wasnt my fault. By the time I understood all that, I had already ruined my posture  even now I slouch.

I am more victorious now than I was then. However, I still face criticism from people who think I am less than beautiful  especially women. I have encountered some who occasionally give me side-eyes because of my gait.

On contemplating suicide

Low self-esteem pushed me to contemplating suicide at one point. Right now I am in a better place. I am more victorious.

Ladies who suffer esteem issues are vulnerable, and they often fall for men who assure them. Did she fall for the trap?

It happened many times. I remember receiving many letters in high school (Kyeni Girls). During assembly, my name would be called out as girls got letters, mostly from their boyfriends.

When I completed school, there were no men to boost my self-esteem by writing me letters. I joined college and got my first serious boyfriend.

Unfortunately, I fell pregnant. Sadly, after delivery, my daughter Natasha died at three months. I felt like I was a failure. I grew up during the age when pregnancy outside wedlock was treated like a very big sin! It was a battle, but I managed to survive through the pregnancy. When my daughter died, I was like: Hee, hapa Mungu amenipa kichapo!

The death of my daughter took me through a period of depression! I wondered: Will I be the girl who everybody knows gave birth; but her daughter died? She went through all that, now she has nothing to show for it?

On getting a son and losing a mother

I joined the church believing God will surely help me. For a moment, everything seemed positive.

Storm clouds started to gather again when she realised that she was pregnant with her son, Amani.

The sad memories of the death of my daughter reoccurred. Consequently, I was buried in deep thoughts. I wondered if Id make a good mother, and if Id get married afterwards. My relationship with my baby daddy wasnt good at that time. The period was a turbulent one for me.

My mother also fell sick around that time. She was diagnosed with colon cancer and she needed financial support. I was unable to support her as I had just delivered Amani.

Sadly mum passed away on August 8, 2007. It was a big blow! I wish she was alive to see me read news on TV today.

Like most mothers, Kanze questions if she is the best parent for her kid. Her 10-year-old son, however, tells her that she is the best mother on earth.

He tells me: Mummy, you are the best mum ever!

That statement melts my heart! When he wakes up, he comes to my room, greets me and inquires about my health. Amani then hugs me, and tells me he loves me. That has made me feel strengthened.

How she landed a job at KBC

Kanze Dena studied Journalism and Mass Communication at Foundation College of Professional Studies.

She got her first job at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) as a radio presenter shortly after completing her internship.

One day I was going to read 4pm radio news, and there was someone who did not show up to read the television bulletin. In the process of rushing to the radio studios, the TV news producer saw me and asked me to anchor the 4pm bulletin. They handed the radio bulletin to another person  Khadija Ali.

It was my first day on TV; I did not know matters make up or grooming for TV Actually, I was kind of a tomboy.

I read the news, and afterwards the boss called me. I had blundered a bit, but he told me that from that day henceforth Id be reading 4pm news on TV. I was later promoted to reading 7pm bulletin alongside Badi Muhsin; I owe a lot to him.

I remember the first time we went on air as a pair, my voice failed me  I had panicked. It came out with a shriek. Badi read the lead story; and when we took a commercial break, he told me: Nini bana, nini wewe waniangusha? Soma! Mimi hapa wazungumza nami, hebu waeleze wakenya jinsi unavyonieleza imagine uko chumbani mwako wapiga gumzo.

After that I gained confidence and he mentored me all the way; from 2003 to around 2006 at the KBC. I joined Citizen TV in March 2007.

Has she overcome her insecurities?

Even now, I dont believe that I am beautiful. People send compliments, but the damage had been done  I had already told myself I am not beautiful. I dont have the legs that other girls have; I dont have the posture that all the other beautiful girls have I am definitely not that ultimate beauty! However, I appreciate that people perceive me to be beautiful, concludes Kanze.

Courtesy: Citizen Digital
Former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza granted NTV an exclusive interview. She recounted her time at the Judiciary and her disgraceful exit.

Speaking to Larry Madowo, Baraza revealed that she tendered her resignation after hearing Chief Justice Willy Mutunga make some statement on Citizen TVs morning show Cheche while her appeal was ongoing. According to her, Mutunga had already pre-judged her and she would not get a fair hearing.

In the nearly hour-long interview, Baraza spoke extensively about that incident at the Village Market that led her to losing the job, plus the bribery claims that followed.

She also spoke of the personal tribulations she went through during that period. She talked of how Maina Kageni had been speaking ill of her on his show. Apparently, the radio host talked of how Nancy Baraza had gone to the pharmacy at Village Market on that day to buy condoms and vibrators.

My discourse was shaped by a man called Maina Kageni. I hear people listen to something called Maina Kageni People were telling me much later that the conversation (on Maina and Kingangi in the morning) was that I had gone to that pharmacy to by condoms and a vibrator. She said bluntly. That Maina Kageni thing shaped the discourse.

The former Deputy also revealed that she would receive some phone calls from haters celebrating her ousting, telling her that she will no longer have the big cars and the big house. She laughed off the remarks saying she has always been rich and successful.

I bought my first house in Lavington at 29 I bought a brand new BMW, imported from South Africa at age 32, she boasted.

Heres the full interview in two parts. Watch her speak about Maina Kageni on part 2 from around minute 8:30.

Part 1



Part 2


LOS ANGELES  Gusty Santa Ana winds blew through mountains and valleys of Southern California again Monday, raising temperatures well above winter levels and increasing the risk of wildfires as humidity levels fell.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for fire danger across most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, while wind warnings and advisories were posted for much of the region's other counties from the Central Coast to San Diego.

Monday was predicted to bring the strongest winds of the current Santa Anas, which brought summerlike conditions during the weekend.

Downtown Los Angeles hit 85 degrees before noon, 17 degrees above normal for Feb. 8, the NWS said. Unseasonable warmth also spread into Northern California.

On Sunday, the Santa Anas fanned a brush fire that briefly threatened homes in Ventura County near the Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo. Winds also spread fire through four large piles of compost at a waste facility in the San Bernardino County city of Fontana.

The winds were formed by a strong area of high pressure over the Great Basin that causes air to flow toward Southern California, where it heats up through compression as it flows down through canyons and passes into the Pacific Ocean. The dry air greatly lowers humidity levels, sapping vegetation of moisture and making it ready to burn.

While the El Nino ocean-warming phenomenon in the Pacific has spawned storm systems that have repeatedly brought rain to Northern California and built a snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, Southern California has had only a few significant storms this winter.

Downtown Los Angeles has recorded 4.2 inches of precipitation since the Oct. 1 start of the rain year  a deficit of nearly 3.81 inches to date.

Past El Ninos have sometimes brought extended periods of storminess that led to destructive flooding and debris flows.
A Voice Found Inc. (AVF), a career counseling and scholarship service, is accepting applications for its 2016 scholarships for local students pursuing vocational career education and training.

AVF offers scholarships in 12 different career areas including agriculture, automotive technology, barber/beautician arts, business administration, culinary/hospitality services, early childhood education, engineering/applied technology, health sciences, health technology, industrial/trade technology, nursing and public safety.

In its 11th year of scholarship offerings, AVF seeks young people who are interested in pursuing a career track through formal training and education.

As the costs of training and education continue to challenge many students in todays economy, our scholarships are just a small way to help defray some of these costs and to show support to young people who will be providing vital services to our society in the future, said Helen McDermott, AVFs director and president. We hope to attract career-oriented young people for our scholarships, students pursuing training and education toward readily employable skills.

Marisol Mendoza, a 2015 Calistoga High School graduate attending Fresno State University, said, I am honored to have been given the 2015 Fred Giacomini Agriculture Scholarship award.

This scholarship will not only allow me to go to Fresno State University, but to reach for my dreams of becoming a winemaker. It has taken a huge weight off my shoulders and my parents. I am very fortunate to have the A Voice Found organization in my community and am extremely grateful.

Interested and qualified individuals are encouraged to apply for an AVF scholarship by the deadline of March 4. Copies of the scholarship application and program description are available in the local high school and college counseling offices or online at AVoiceFound.org.

AVF is a local nonprofit established in 2005 to meet the needs of teenagers and young adults who have obstacles to education, training and employment by helping them to create their own visions for the future.

In addition to scholarship opportunities, AVF provides advocacy and support through individual counseling and career planning services at no cost to the participants.
At 5:25 p.m., an officer stopped a BMW driven by Antonio Paniagua, 30, of Windsor at South Kelly Road and Cafe Court, according to Sgt. Dave Ackman. Paniagua was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence, a felony allegation because it was his fourth such arrest within 10 years, Ackman said.
Turn on the TV next time a NASCAR stock car race is on and get a good look at the coveralls worn by the drivers. They are covered with patches bearing the logos of many and varied companies that sponsor their automotive efforts, from oil and car-making companies to breweries.

Now imagine a normally staid state legislative hearing, where politicians of both major parties today show up in conservative business suits. Those folks could soon look like a stock car racing crew if an initiative now circulating makes the November ballot and passes.

The measure, formally called the Name All Sponsors California Accountability Reform (or NASCAR. Get it?) Initiative, would require all state legislators to wear the emblems or names of their 10 top donors every time they attend an official function.

The measures sponsor, Rancho Santa Fe businessman John Cox, takes delight in the idea and has already done some touring around California with 120 life-size photographic cutouts of politicians dressed up as they might have to under his plan.

This idea has some similarity to part of the defeated 2006 Proposition 89, an attempt to set up a publicly financed election system that would also have required every privately financed political ad, whether on television or in newspapers or mailed fliers, to list its three biggest financiers in type as large as the biggest print anywhere else in the ad.

That proposition lost, but not because of the donor exposure provision. It went down by a 76-24 percent margin because voters didnt want to be taxed for the sake of politicians.

Theres no tax associated with the NASCAR initiative, which Cox, a former chairman of the Cook County (Chicago) Republican committee, is willing to finance to the tune of $1 million.

The whole is to hold the entire corrupt, stupid system up to ridicule, said Cox, who ran unsuccessfully in Illinois for both Congress and the U.S. Senate before moving to California in 2008.

One who appreciates the sentiment behind this is Jamie Court, head of the Consumer Watchdog advocacy group, which sponsored Proposition 89. This could definitely make politics more racy, he said. If this passes, it could turn the statehouse into a nudist colony because no one would want to pin their real owners onto their clothes. We might even discover that the emperors really dont have any clothes.

There is, you might guess, some question over whether forcing lawmakers to wear signage is constitutional, or might be a violation of their First Amendment free speech rights. Of course, no one forces them to be legislators, any more than stock car race drivers are dragooned into that calling.

Cox, for one, would welcome a court challenge on the constitutionality of dictating dress in the state Capitol. That would be wonderful, he said. The real point here isnt to force anyone to wear anything, but to fix our broken, ridiculous system. Its a system where people who want things from government pay for and staff the campaigns of the folks who will run that government. Any objective person would call that corrupt.

Cox, however, stops short of calling California more corrupt than his old Chicago stomping ground. I havent lived here long enough to make that comparison, he said.

Hell need 365,880 valid voter signatures to qualify this idea for the ballot, and Cox is convinced his $1 million commitment will be more than enough to pay for getting it on the ballot.

The petition drive outfit weve hired says this is the biggest slam dunk theyve ever seen, he said. Theyre having the petition carriers use it as a lead item to make it easier for them to get signatures for other initiatives.

Hes also trying to do much of the petition drive online, the measure providing printable sheets with room for only three signatures, thus making it easier for backers to get a full sheet to send it in.

The bottom line: For anyone who wants to afflict the powerful and make lawmakers feel anxious and perhaps a bit threatened, this could be a strong  also amusing  vehicle.
Californias state and local governments hit us with about $250 billion in taxes every year, $6,000-plus per Californian.

A new report from the Tax Foundation, based on 2012 data, puts Californians tax burden at 11 percent of personal income, the fairest way to calculate and compare.

Whether that burden is too high, too low or about right is a matter of perpetual debate in political, media and academic circles.

It was the sixth-highest level of any state in 2012, but it had dropped from fourth in the 2011 rankings as the percentage also declined from 11.5 percent. Its also consistent with the states level of taxation over the last several decades, according to the databank maintained by the Tax Foundation.

Just before the passage of Proposition 13, Californias iconic property tax limit, in 1978, state and local taxation was 12.2 percent of personal income, the nations fourth highest.

With property taxes reduced and then limited, California dropped to under 11 percent and its burden has varied only marginally in the nearly 40 years since, ranging from a low of 10.5 percent in the early years of the last decade to as high as 11.7 percent in 2010.

Parenthetically, were California still taxing at the 12.2 percent pre-Proposition 13 level, it would mean about $15 billion more in state and local revenue each year and put California in a tie with New Jersey for No. 3 behind New Yorks 12.7 percent and Connecticuts 12.6 percent.

These numbers frame what is likely to be a fierce debate this year over California taxes, centered on a November ballot measure to extend the temporary surtaxes on high-income Californians that voters adopted in 2012.

Were that measure to be passed, its impact would be about $8 billion a year, or less than a half-percent of the $2.2 trillion in personal incomes that Californians are expected to receive this year.

Placed in that context, therefore, the pending tax measure is fairly small potatoes, even though its considered to be very important by the public employee unions that will attempt to persuade Californians to pass it.

By happenstance, the Tax Foundation report coincided with another from the California School Boards Association in support of a lawsuit by it and other school groups, seeking more state money. It declared that California needs to spend as much as $42 billion more each year on K-12 schools to prepare the states 6 million students for higher education and jobs.

The CSBA didnt exactly say that taxes should be raised by that much to elevate per-pupil school spending into the upper ranks of the states  alongside New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and other high-taxing states. But that was clearly its implication.

A $42 billion tax increase would push Californians burden to about 13.5 percent of personal income, well over what it was before Proposition 13 passed and the highest of any state in the last four decades.

How high is too high? Its a good question.

Dan Walters writes for The Sacramento Bee.
Are we the homeowners of Napa County paying for tourists' sanitation?

Napa homeowners, especially this past year, have significantly reduced their water use. Sanitation use should be tied to the amount of water usage.

Its obvious that the increase in rates in the past and the increase proposed for the future is to cover the 60,000 workers who come to Napa Valley every day to work and the 3.5 million tourists who visit us each year.

The sanitation district needs to prove to homeowners that we are not subsidizing the water and sanitation used by the tourist industry.

It is time for the Napa Sanitation District to come clean about their rate structure. Napa Sanitation, speak up now or the Napa community will veto your proposed rate increase.

Greg Weinerth

Napa

Editor's note: The Register asked the Sanitation District whether the rate increase was, indeed, being implemented to subsidize tourism. The district responded with the following:

Napa Sanitation District has three classes of customers: residential, commercial, and industrial. Commercial and industrial customers are billed based upon their water usage and strength of waste, while residential customers are billed a flat fee.

"Commercial customers such as restaurants and hotels pay sewer fees based on the actual amount of water the business uses. So, if more people frequent the restaurant or hotel, the sewer bill services goes up. In this way, tourists pay their share of wastewater treatment.

"Under Proposition 218, it is illegal for one class of customer to subsidize the rates of another class of customer. Napa Sanitation District fully complies with Proposition 218 and does not use residential rates to subsidize any commercial or industrial users rates.

"As the writer stated, homeowners in Napa have reduced their water usage during this time of drought. While we most definitely commend those that have practiced conservation, it is important to remember that much of the water saved was for outdoor uses, which is not water that comes to Napa Sanitation District for treatment.

"A detailed explanation of how the increased revenue will be invested in sewer improvements was included with the Proposition 218 notice that was mailed to every property owner in Napa. This information can also be found on our website at NapaSan.com.
UNITED NATIONS

Investigators identify Syria site of possible sarin attack

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has identified the Damascus suburb of Daraya as the site of a possible sarin gas attack last year, citing blood samples provided by the Syrian government.

In a report to the U.N. Security Council circulated Monday, the watchdog describes a Feb. 15, 2015 incident where government soldiers reported a strange smell and began exhibiting symptoms consistent with sarin gas.

The report says the soldiers, who were under fire, were unable to determine where the chemical came from.

Blood samples found four individuals were exposed to sarin or a sarin-like substance, but investigators were unable to determine the exact date of exposure. They also could not guarantee the integrity of the samples between the time they were drawn and when they were sealed.

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

Tanzania arrests more suspects in slaying of British pilot

Police in Tanzania say they are holding a total of nine suspects over the killing of a British helicopter pilot who was on an anti-poaching mission.

Simiyu regional police commander Lazaro Mambosasa said Monday that seven more suspects were arrested for the shooting death of Roger Gower, who was on a joint operation with Tanzanian wildlife authorities when he was shot. Gower died Jan. 29 in Maswa wildlife reserve, near Serengeti National Park.

Mambosasa said some of the suspects identified the man who pulled the trigger. Three elephant tusks and 29 firearms were seized in the operation to arrest Gowers killers.

Tanzania has been identified as a key hotspot for elephant poachers.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

Dubai ruler says Emirates to privatize government services

The ruler of Dubai says authorities hope to privatize some government services in the oil-rich country.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as the United Arab Emirates prime minister, made the comments on Twitter Monday night after appearing at the World Government Summit being hosted in his city-state. He also announced that some government ministries would be merged.

The series of tweets sent out to coincide with the summit did not offer a timeframe for how the plans would be implemented.

The United Arab Emirates is a federation composed of seven autonomously ruled emirates. The ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, serves as the countrys president.

LONDON

Storm Imogen lashes Britain with wind, huge waves

Hurricane-force winds and huge waves are battering Britains coastline as the country is soaked by a winter storm.

More than 13,000 homes were without power Monday as Storm Imogen battered Ireland, Wales and southern England.

Coastal towns are being soaked by sea swells caused by the combination of strong winds and high tides. Weather forecaster the Met Office says a 63-foot wave was recorded off St. Ives in southwest England.

Sustained winds of up to 121 miles an hour were recorded at the Fastnet lighthouse near Irelands southwest coast.

The storm is causing cancelations to trains, planes and ferries, and travelers are being warned to take care.

Rescuers say two children suffered serious leg injuries when a stone wall collapsed on them in a central England village.

BANGALORE, India

Leopard wanders south Indian school, injures 3 before caught

A leopard wandered into a school in southern India and injured three people as it tried to escape, officials said.

Onlookers including TV news crews watched the chase, which lasted several hours until forest workers shot the big cat with a tranquilizer dart on Sunday afternoon, according to Press Trust of India news agency.

The agency quoted school officials as saying the leopard was first seen on closed-circuit TV before dawn inside the private Vibgyor School in Bangalore, and then disappeared into some surrounding bushes.

The big cat later scaled a wall to re-enter the school grounds. It attacked and injured three people including a veterinarian and a man who was trying to climb over a gate to get away, the agency reported. Police said the three are being treated in a hospital.

VATICAN CITY

Vatican stresses policy role of sex committee after ouster

Pope Francis sex abuse commission is stressing that its sole purpose is to propose initiatives to protect children from pedophiles, after it effectively suspended a member who wanted it to take on a more activist role.

The commission told Peter Saunders on Saturday to take a leave of absence after he criticized the slow pace of reform and pressed to have the commission intervene immediately in individual cases, rather than just craft long-term policies to fight abuse.

In a statement Monday, the commission cited from its founding documentation that its specific task is to provide the pope with proposals to protect children and help local churches take responsibility for the problem.

It didnt mention Saunders, a British survivor of abuse, in the statement concluding its weeklong plenary meeting.
Pacific Union College will welcome Marilyn Chandler McEntyre, Ph.D., as the featured speaker for the 2016 Frank A. and Florine A. Longo Lecture Series. McEntyre will speak at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18, in Scales Chapel at Pacific Union College.

McEntyre is a writer and professor of medical humanities at UC Davis and the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program in California.

A scholar and retreat leader, McEntyre is a frequent lecturer on issues of medicine and literature. She said she hopes to foster life-giving conversations about the things that matter most. Her lecture, Peace, Love, and a Few Good Verbs, will explore strategies for the stewardship of words, a stewardship that keeps words honed and sharp for precise thinking.

According to McEntyre, Word choices are moral choices. The words we choose have consequences in our lives and others lives. Her lecture will reflect on how good stewardship of words  precise, lively, accountable verbs in particular  can help foster awareness of the processes in which everyone participates.

Her writing has appeared in The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Books and Culture, Sojourners, Presbyterians Today, Comment, Conversations, Academic Medicine, and a range of academic journals. She has written more than a dozen books, with her most recent, A Faithful Farewell, published in spring 2015.

The event is open to the public and free to attend. Visit PUC.edu or contact the colleges office of public relations at pr@puc.edu or 965-6303 for information.
When writing an opinion I often fret that either I do not have any idea about which to write or that I will do so in a way that is not true ...
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow and Moldovan Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Galbur met on Monday (8 February 2016) for talks on strengthening the partnership between the Alliance and Chisinau. Ambassador Vershbow thanked Moldova for its continued contributions to the Alliance-led mission in Kosovo and underlined that all NATO Allies support Moldovas sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

During their meeting, the Deputy Secretary General reiterated NATOs support for Moldovas ongoing reform efforts and for capacity building in the defence and security sector. NATO and individual Allies continue to assist Moldova in creating modern, mobile and well-equipped forces that are interoperable with those of other countries. The Defence Capacity Building Initiative, endorsed at the NATO Wales Summit in September 2014, will assist Moldova in strengthening and modernising its armed forces and reforming its national security structures. Ambassador Vershbow welcomed progress on Moldovas new National Security Strategy, an important step that will allow Moldova to identify necessary forces and capabilities.
Check this out, Halak scores on himself, I am not sure I have ever seen this move. So far this season Halak has been tough to beat, Halak s...
A solar-powered bus described by its Ugandan makers as the first in Africa has been driven in public.

Kiira Motors' Kayoola prototype electric bus was shown off at a stadium in Uganda's capital, Kampala.

One of its two batteries can be charged by solar panels on the roof which increases the vehicle's 80km (50 mile) range.

The makers now hope to attract partners to help manufacture the bus for the mass market.

Kiira Motors' chief executive Paul Isaac told BBC News that he had been "humbled" by the large and positive reaction to the test drive.

People have been excited by the idea that Uganda is able to produce the concept vehicle, or prototype, and Mr Musasizi said he wanted it to help the country "champion the automotive, engineering and manufacturing industries" in the region.

He also hopes that it will generate employment, predicting that by 2018, more than 7,000 people could be directly and indirectly employed in the making of the Kayoola.

If it is mass produced, each bus would cost up to $58,000 (40,000), which Mr Musasizi says is a a competitive price.
At some point we stop liking our own reflection in an ordinary mirror. And this brings about the striving for changes in life, which finds its expression in the desire to play around our appearance.

But can the changes in appearance impact ones fate?

Its not my case, Etienne Dumont, one of the most tattooed men on the planet, told Armenian News  NEWS.am.

I have exactly the same job and the same friends. I'm living in the same town, he added.

Dumont, who is an art critic, became famous in 2009 after Europart09 exhibition held on occasion of Dumonts 60th anniversary in Geneva. His portraits made by twelve photographers were displayed at the exhibition.

A

Etienne Dumont was born on 27 June 1948. He had his first tattoo done in the 1980s in Lausanne, when he was about 30.

It was a small eagle. It's now somewhere under another tattoo, in the right arm. I don't remember my feelings then. Probably the surprise to have really done it, Dumont said.

Over time, however, having tattoos done on his body turned into a real passion. First Etienne Dumont applied black and white tribals, which turned into colored ones after having seen a Polynesian mask at the Orsay Museum.

By 2005, his entire body was covered with tattoos. But he did not stop at that, and he added silicone implants in his hands, as well as implants in the form of horns under his forehead skin, earrings in his earlobes and organic glass piercings in his lips and nose. The art critic and journalist, however, noted that he does not set a specific meaning to his tattoos. Its just decoration, he added.

For a long time, Etienne worked at La Tribune de Geneve daily newspaper, which is one of the most prestigious French-language publications in Switzerland. Today he cooperates with no less influential economic magazine Bilan. Etienne Dumont said no conflicts occur between him and the society because of the way he looks. To put it another way, he doesnt have to defend his otherness.

How do people react on me? Kids are more natural than adults. Most teenagers are loud and stupid. But with everybody.

I always dreamed to be tall, and I am short...  Etienne confesses, responding to the question on whether he feels handsome. Beauty is a matter of taste. The problem is that a lot of people consider the same things beautiful at the same time.

The art critic and a journalist has no family. He says he lives the moment, does not believe in destiny, and does not think about the next day. Im not a superstitious man. I do not care about signs. Things just happen, Etienne Dumont added.

According to Etienne, the main problems of the modern society are the climate change, overpopulation, unemployment and religious madness. Who feels really good in today's world? he said.
Admiral: U.S. should now prepare for Chinese 'invasion' of Taiwan

Harutyunyan: I cannot imagine Artsakh's future without presence of Russia

Harutyunyan: Without questioning path of our independence, we must meet with Baku

Prime Minister of Finland does not think that Hungary and Turkey will block country's application for NATO membership

Iranian FM: U.S. made hasty statements in connection with protests

Former Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim involved in car accident in Karabakh

Arayik Harutyunyan: Artsakh people's right to self-determination is non-negotiable

Iranian MFA calls it important to form platform with Armenia and India on North-South corridor

Details of EU monitoring mission in Armenia are known

Foreign Ministry: It seems Ankara is more interested in opening corridor through Armenia than Azerbaijan

Mirzoyan: Unexpected third countries support Azerbaijani interpretation of road to Nakhchivan

Foreign Ministry: Armenia, Iran and Bulgaria initial agreement on creation of Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor

Israeli Defense Minister to visit Ankara

Armenian Foreign Minister names main obstacle to solving problems with Azerbaijan

Erdogan once again raises issue of so-called 'Zangezur corridor'

Armenian and Iranian FMs to open Iranian Consulate General in Syunik province tomorrow

Abdollahian: Aliyev assured that he does not want border changes, Iran will prevent implementation of such idea

Iranian Foreign Minister in Yerevan supports '3+3' platform

Iranian Foreign Minister recalls Tehran's 'red lines' in regional issues

Mirzoyan: We highly appreciate Iran's principled position regarding territorial integrity of Armenia

UK imposes sanctions against Iran for alleged delivery of drones to Russia

Yerevan hosts meeting of Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in narrow composition

Armenian and Iranian Foreign Ministers meet in Yerevan in extended format

Charles Michel: EU energy deal possible, but difficult

Erdogan says Baku should demand 'compensation' from Yerevan

Pashinyan: EEU mechanisms are of great help, trade turnover between Armenia and Belarus has doubled

Yair Lapid: Russia-Iran relations are serious problem for Ukraine, Europe, and whole world

Amir-Abdollahian: Iran is against presence of foreigners in this region, both in Azerbaijan and Armenia

Pashinyan at EAEU meeting: Fundamental principles of world economic system in question

Iranian Foreign Minister's official visit to Yerevan begins

Macron says Germany should not isolate itself in Europe

EU begins deployment of mission on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Trump's son made fun of Zelenskyy's ability to ask West for money

EU to provide emergency aid for Armenia residents affected by recent Azerbaijan military aggression

Azerbaijan army units fire at Armenia positions

Mikhail Mishustin arrives in Yerevan

EU approves new sanctions against Iran over alleged drone deliveries to Russia

Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting begins in Yerevan

Baku calls OSCE mission to assess situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border 'private visit'

On fourth day of IRGC military exercises on border with Azerbaijan, artillery destroys planned targets

Liz Truss quits as UK Prime Minister

Turkey parliament to consider extending Turkish militarys mandate in Azerbaijan

Dollar falls, euro rises in Armenia

Russias Putin ratifies agreement on simplification of payments for goods transit within EEU territory

Stoltenberg: Almost all NATO countries have agreed to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance

Ombudswoman of Armenia: Azerbaijan prevents removal of remains of fallen soldiers

Zakharova: Matter of holding CSTO Collective Security Council meeting being worked out

Ombudswoman of Armenia: I received video materials from EU special representative about Azerbaijanis

Armenia Security Council chief, UK army general discuss cooperation in security

Armenia and Kazakhstan discuss bilateral military cooperation

Iran says U.S. and Israel won't be able to split the republic

201 bodies are identified of Armenia soldiers who died as result of September military aggression by Azerbaijan

Iran FM to arrive in Armenia today

Turkey, Azerbaijan presidents officially open international airport in occupied Artsakh territory

Armenia President visits several leading Bulgaria IT companies

Ruben Vardanyan: I will assume Artsakh State Minister position at beginning of November

Armenia PM on making EU observation mission permanent: I'm not sure about that

US State Dept.: Our ultimate goal is peaceful resolution between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Armenia, Qatar to collaborate in tourism sector

Turkey president travels to Azerbaijan

Bandits in Russia cut off Armenian man's hands, shoot him in legs

President of Armenia, mayor of Bulgarias Plovdiv discuss avenues for deepening of cooperation

Armenia has new customs attache at Upper Lars checkpoint on Russia-Georgia border

Karabakh official: Baku goes for gradual escalation, provocation of situation

Armenia to get 33mn grant from EU for police, migration service, business development in Syunik Province

Lacote: OSCE observation mission deployment will contribute to respect of Armenia territorial integrity

World oil prices going up

Russia extends flight restrictions at 11 airports

Newspaper: Karabakh delegation to head for Moscow, meeting with Putin considered probable

Newspaper: Azerbaijan aggression on September 13 paralyzes Armenia public administration for some time

Azerbaijan army opens fire towards Armenia positions at midnight

Retired US Air Force general is offered consulting job in Azerbaijan at rate of $5,000 a day

White House is puzzling over how to avoid meeting between Putin and Biden at G-20 summit

Eduard Aghajanyan: Once again I remind that Armenia was deprived of opportunity to protect rights of people of Artsakh

U.S. says that limiting Russian oil prices is not aimed at OPEC

OSCE sends mission to Armenia to assess situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border

Jeff Bezos warns that U.S. economy may face recession

Kiev says nearly 40% of Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been damaged

Raisi: Iran will use all its capabilities and potential to end war in Ukraine

Qatar gets first pandas in Middle East

Armenian president delivers lecture at St. Kliment Ohridski University in Sofia

More than half of Britons think Liz Truss should resign

Bloomberg: Putin and Erdogan's cordial relationship arouses Western anger

Dutch government invests up to 3.5 billion in military procurement

Erdogan discusses latest developments in Ukraine with Zelenskyy

School in Paris expels student from class for denying Armenian Genocide

Germany would like to participate in EU observer mission to Armenia

U.S. is considering plan to co-produce weapons with Taiwan

Poland to buy K239 Chunmoo from South Korea

Air defense system repels several missile attacks by Ukrainian troops at Kakhovskaya HPP

Baku court does not definitively terminate criminal prosecution of Yunus spouses

Liz Truss has no plans to resign

CSTO countries agree on draft agreement on standardization of military equipment

EU countries agree to sanction eight people and organizations over Iranian drones

Congressman David Price meets with rector of Yerevan State University

Chairman of Amsterdam City Court visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex in Yerevan

ASPU supports process of unification of universities

Deputy Chief of Police on new draft law: 'Citizen of Azerbaijan' is extremely relative notion

Benny Gantz: Israel will not supply weapons to Ukraine

Saudi Arabia lifts ban on Turkish soap operas
YEREVAN.  Swedens oldest museum, the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren), is hosting Days of Armenia organized jointly by the museum and the Embassy of Armenia in Stockholm.

The Royal Armoury, which is located inside the Royal Palace of Stockholm, hosted a lecture on Armenian-Swedish historical relations. Members of the Swedish Royal Court, MPs, ambassadors accredited to Sweden, heads of cultural institutions, intellectuals and media representatives, and members of the Armenian community attended the event.

Artsvi Bakhchinyan, senior researcher from the Institute of History of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, who has authored monographs and articles on Armenian-Swedish relations, introduced the historical connections, and economic and cultural ties between the Armenian and Swedish peoples since Middle Ages until the beginning of 20th century, reflected on the role of the nobles, diplomats, and royal courtiers of Armenian descent in the social and political life of Sweden.

The central event organized at the museum is the exhibition entitled Tracing the Raw Silk Trade: Armenian merchants at the Court of Karl XI. It is devoted to the history of the first silk import to Sweden, which was carried out in 1687 by Armenian merchants of New Julfa and accompanied by the special envoy of the Swedish monarch, Ludwig Fabritius. They visited Stockholm to negotiate the northern direction of the Silk Road, which led to the signing of a trade agreement with Karl XI. The Armenian merchants were given a privileged right of import for their goods via Russia to Sweden and then to several other European countries.

The exhibition showcases the original text of the agreement, one of the seven gold-plated sabers presented by merchants to the Swedish King, the ceremonial mace of merchants, and a number of other unique artifacts.

The exhibition will be presented throughout 2016.
YEREVAN.  President of the National Assembly (NA), Galust Sahakyan, on Monday received a delegation, led by President Maja Gojkovic of the NA of Serbia, which has arrived in Armenia on an official visit.

Sahakyan noted that even though Armenian-Serbian relations have a history of many years based on mutual benevolence and support, the fact of backing the two anti-Armenian resolutions in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Winter Session by almost all members of the Serbian delegation to PACE was a surprise for Armenia. In his words, this contradicts the spirit of the age-old friendly relations of the two countries, and Serbias official position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Galust Sahakyan considered it necessary to form and active dialogue between the parliaments of the two countries, and noted that as a result, it might be possible to settle the situation created as a consequence of voting of the Serbian delegation to PACE.

Speaker of the Armenian parliament noted that one of the priorities of Armenias foreign policy is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the resolution of which Armenia sees within the framework of only format accepted by the international communitythe three OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

Despite the fact that Azerbaijan tries to impede the peaceful settlement of the problem in all methods, we will continue to adhere to our position of solving the conflict through negotiations, not giving in to the provocations of the opposite side, Sahakyan stressed.

Referring to the formation of close economic ties between Armenia and Serbia, the head of the Armenian parliament stated: We should both use the existing potential for reaching tangible results for the welfare of the two peoples.

Also, Galust Sahakyan noted that one of the key issues of Armenias foreign policy is the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and underscored that Armenia will make all efforts to achieve the international communitys full recognition of this tragedy.

Gojkovic, for her part, highly evaluated the friendship relations between the two countries, particularly, the deepening of parliamentary cooperation and the intensification of the bilateral ties. Highlighting the partnership within the international organizations, she proposed to intensify cooperation between the two parliaments. She stated that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, on the basis of the Madrid Principles.

She expressed her gratitude to Armenia for supporting Serbias sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Kosovo issue.

After the talk in parliament, Galust Sahakyan and Maja Gojkovic made a joint statement summing up the results of their meeting.

Afterwards, they planted a fir in the Grove of Recollection, in the parliamentary park.
YEREVAN. - Armenia is ready to kick-start the cooperation with the EU.

President of Armenia Sezh Sargsyan said the aforementioned today during the reception of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) President Jan Zahradil.

The Armenian-EU cooperation, including EU parliamentary cooperation, the EU-supported reforms carried out in Armenia, as well as a range of issues of mutual interest were discussed at the meeting.

The President stressed that Armenia is ready to advance the cooperation with the EU in the sphere of promoting reforms, mobility, efficient management, democracy, human rights, multi-sector economic cooperation, as well as other areas of mutual interest.

According to Sargsyan, the cooperation with the partners of the European Parliament also plays an important role in this process.

Besides, Sargsyan noted that the active cooperation between Armenian and EU, including the high-level visits, prove the continuous development of the Armenian-EU ties.

Referring to the launch of the negotiations round the new comprehensive Armenia-EU legal document in Brussels by the end of the year, Sargsyan stressed that Armenia expects normal negotiations and hopes that the sides will successfully complete that important process.

Upon the request of the guest, Sargsyan also referred to Armenias domestic and foreign policy, presented his viewpoints on modern international issues and regional challenges, as well as informed on the recent developments of the negotiation process aimed at the peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict.

For his part, Mr Jan Zahradil presented to the Armenian President the path of his party, its current priorities and the activity of that leading European political force. He also stressed that the party is interested in developing cooperation with Armenia both in inter-party and Armenia-EU formats.
YEREVAN, - The exhibition Inspired by Indiaby Armenian painter Andranik Asatryan, 27, opened at the Artists' Union of Armenia, today.

I took interest in Indian art when I was a sophomore and had to decide on the topic of my thesis. First I was thinking of work based on Ara the Handsome and Shamiram but once I heard Indian music, which connected me with India, the young painter told Armenian News  NEWS.am.

He painted his first work on Indian subject years ago.

Indian culture appealed to Andranik so much that he started learning Indian on his own and read books to understand it better. Today he is presenting a whole range of paintings, crowns and dolls to the public.

My works are called fantastic and surrealistic in style, that is I paint fantastic, illusionary ideas, feelings and values. My aim is to show high human values so that people preserve them, he said.

Andranik hasnt yet been to India, but he is sure that if his dream once comes true and he finds himself in India, it will boost his creativity and excitement.

Can you imagine a man who hasnt been to India but presents India in a way which can make impression on you? His paintings are mainly from Indian mythology. Im sure Andranik has a bright future,said Indian Ambassador to Armenia Suresh Babu, who also attended the exhibition.

The exhibition was held in cooperation with the Indian Embassy in Armenia and Armenian-Indian FriendshipNGO.

Photos by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am
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BENGALURU: With the population growing at a rapid rate and projected to exceed 10 billion by 2050, the challenges for the food producers to meet the growing demands are numerous. With very less land available for farming, scarcity of water and growing concerns about global warming, things look really bleak to feed billions of people living on this planet. From farm to table, much has changed about food production.

For thousands of years, human beings have been engaged in improving the crops and animals they raise. Over the past 150 years, scientists have assisted their efforts by developing and refining these techniques of selection and breeding. Though considerable progress has been achieved, conventional selection and breeding are time consuming and bear technical limitations. The growth of genetically modified crops has been rapid, but it is still restricted to some specific areas. In the case of genetically modified crops, most of the commercial applications developed so far are directed towards reducing production costs, not towards meeting the needs of the consumers.

Speaking at the 23rd Annual Cattlemens College, sponsored by Zoetis and held in conjunction with the 2016 cattle industry convention and trade show in San Diego, CA, Dr. Robert Fraley, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Monsanto shared 10 important points about feeding the world and the GMOs. Here are some of the points as reported by Amanda Radke, reporter at BEEF Daily:

1. By 2050, worlds population will increase to 10 billion and these people are going to need to eat and this is going to be a massive challenge. Its not about now; its about the next generation when it comes to food security that will pose a greater threat.

2. In order to meet the increased demand of US beef, there will be a need of the production capacity of another Illinois. In 2015, 2.0 billion bushels of corn were produced, but by 2050, there will be a need of 2.8 billion bushels of corn to raise enough beef to meet the growing demand.

3. There have been some great developments in food technology. The biggest achievement is how dramatically breeding has improved. Agriculture can now improve plants and animals by genetically modifying them.

4. Today, there are 30 countries around the world raising GMO crops, which has helped raise yields by reducing weed and insect pressure. GMO crops are grown on one quarter of the worlds farm land. Nearly 4.4 billion acres of GMO crops have been grown since 1996.

5. GMOs are the most thoroughly studied food products ever. Despite the public outcry of the dangers of GMOs, they offer huge benefits with improved yields, reducing the need for pesticides and insecticides. And it is important to note that there hasnt been a single instant of a food safety issue from GMOs.

6. For folks who think GMOs arent natural, think about this: The human genome has been carefully studied by scientists and it has been found out that all people contain 100-200 genes from other species. It turns out that GMOs are pretty natural and have got no such harmful effects on humans.

7. Agriculture has benefitted from technology and the people who grow our food have sought new ways to improve their own lives and ours by producing more with less. There are 50 billion microbes in 1 tablespoon of soil. A soil fungus or bacterium grows on the roots and make nutrients such as phosphate or nitrogen available for plant use. Yield increases are possible due to superior nutrient uptakes in plants early-life stage.

8. Everything we eat today was adapted and modified from foods around the world to grow in the US. Monsanto is focused on empowering farmers large and small, to produce from their land, while conserving most of the worlds natural resources like water and energy.

9. Globally agricultural production could probably meet the demands up to 2030, even without major advances in biotechnology. However, could be a major tool in the fight against hunger and poverty, especially in developing countries. Because it can deliver solutions where conventional breeding approaches have failed, it could greatly assist the development of crop varieties able to thrive in difficult environments, where many of the worlds poor live and farm. About 37% of the public think that GMOs are safe, but almost 97% of the AAAS scientists believe GMOs are safe.

10. Monsanto has been focused on everything, but just hasnt taken the time to reach out to the customers. They need to listen, communicate and engage with the public in the way the public wants to get the information.

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College of Business named to best for vets list

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondales College of Business today (Feb. 8) once again earned national recognition for the services, support and culture it provides to veterans.

Military Times named SIU to its Best for Vets: Business Schools 2016 list. This is the third consecutive year the business college has earned a spot, coming in this year at No. 55. The complete rankings are available online at http://bestforvets.militarytimes.com/business-schools/2016/.

We are honored to be ranked among the best schools that serve our veterans, Jason Greene, interim dean and Henry J. Rehn Professor of Finance, said. We are proud to be a chosen destination for veterans and to partner with them in achieving their educational and professional goals. We are a better business school because of their inclusion and the leadership and experience they bring to the classroom.

The Military Times organization includes Amy Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corp Times. The rankings will be included in the issues of each of those publications that hit newsstands this week as well as in the online version of each and at MilitaryTimes.com. The Best for Vets: Business Schools editorial project evaluated 180 business schools on the basis of university culture, student support, academic outcomes and quality, academic policies and cost and financial aid. The rankings list includes the top 77 programs.

SIUs College of Business is very highly rated and their online MBA and online bachelors degrees in accounting and business and administration are very highly rated and provide an excellence service to our military and veterans as well as to the general public, Paul S. Copeland, SIU veterans services coordinator, said.

SIUs commitment to providing outstanding educational opportunities to active duty personnel and student veterans is longstanding. The university was among the first in the nation offering off-campus academic programs to military personnel in 1973 at Scott Air Force Base.

As of the fall 2015 semester, SIUs enrollment included 1,153 student veterans. That total includes 582 on-campus student veterans along with 365 veteran students at 33 extended campus sites and 206 online veteran students, according to Copeland. Some of them are active duty personnel.

The university as a whole earned a spot in the top 40 on the Best for Vets: Colleges 2016 list, announced in November by Military Times magazine. SIU has been on the list each of the five years it has been published.

SIU also recently earned the Military Friendly School ranking for 2016, the seventh straight year for the honor, from Victory Media, whose publications include G.I, Jobs magazine. The university has earned a spot on that list seven consecutive times, each year rankings have been published. In addition, SIU was chosen in December as a Top School by Military Advanced Education and Transition magazine, an honor earned each of the nine years the list has been published.
Seven students earn cybersecurity scholarship

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Seven students from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and regional community colleges are recipients of a National Security Agency grant-funded scholarship that will prepare them for careers in cybersecurity.

Each student is receiving a $1,000 scholarship from the Southern Illinois Collegiate Cyber Co-op, which includes SIUs School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies and seven regional community colleges. A second round will start this month, and another eight students will earn $1,000 scholarships for completing required cyber security exercises and essays.

Tom Imboden, associate professor in the School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies, said the program creates an incentive for students to study cybersecurity and pursue that as a career field. Applicants are required to invest time and effort completing a set of five security and related exercises to be eligible for scholarship consideration. All students who apply learn entry-level security skills as part of the application process, giving them a head start in their studies.

Community colleges involved are: John A. Logan College, Carterville; Kaskaskia College, Centralia; Lake Land College, Mattoon; Rend Lake College, Ina; Shawnee Community College, Ullin; Southeastern Illinois College, Harrisburg, and Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville.

First-round scholarship recipients, listed by hometown, major if known, and institution, are:

Buffalo Grove: Bryan McCarthy, junior, information systems technologies, SIU Carbondale

Chicago: Joel Carter, senior, information systems technologies, SIU Carbondale

Goreville: Carl Stiff, Shawnee Community College, Goreville

Lawrenceville: Colten Gibbons, senior, information systems technologies, SIU Carbondale

Mattoon: Mark Blume, Lake Land College

Morris: Steven Mangano, senior, information systems technologies, SIU Carbondale

Greenville: Damik Sabatos, Kaskaskia College

In 2011, the universitys School of Information Systems and Applied Technologies earned the designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education from the Department of Homeland Security and the NSA.

SIU also has nearly a decade of providing cyber security educational opportunities and participating in collegiate cyber defense competitions. For more information on the scholarship program, visit isat.siu.edu .
Seeking dialogue on investment responsibility

Alison Colwell, who recently joined Stanford to lead the new Investment Responsibility Stakeholder Relations program, brings global experience and a passion for bringing people together.

Alison Colwell joined Stanford in January as director of Investment Responsibility Stakeholder Relations (IRSR)  a new role focused on enhancing Stanford's ability to manage, and engage with the campus community on, issues of investment responsibility.

L.A. Cicero As the director of the new Investment Responsibility Stakeholder Relations program, Alison Colwell will engage with the campus community on issues related to responsible investment of the university's endowment.

Her position, which reports to the President's Office, serves as a central point of contact for the Stanford community on questions related to responsible investment of the university's endowment. The position also supports the Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility and Licensing (APIRL), a 12-member committee of students, faculty, staff and alumni that provides advice to the Board of Trustees on investment responsibility issues.

Colwell brings to Stanford more than 10 years of sustainability experience globally and in the United States, including roles with the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, United Nations and International Development Research Centre. She most recently worked as an associate director at BSR, a global nonprofit sustainability consultancy, leading human rights, stakeholder engagement and community development projects. She has undergraduate degrees in business and international development from Queen's University, Canada, and a graduate degree in public policy and administration from Carleton University, Canada.

Colwell shared with Stanford Report some perspectives on her new role.

What are the responsibilities of your role for Stanford?

It is an exciting new role with many components. Essentially, I can group my responsibilities into four areas.

The first is facilitating stakeholder processes around investment responsibility, as the staff person for the well-established APIRL and the Trustees' Special Committee on Investment Responsibility. The second is integrating the Stanford community's voices and expertise into those processes, along with external research on issues being considered in those processes. The third is engaging with the Stanford community, conducting research and speaking with experts to identify emerging trends related to investment responsibility. And the fourth is acting as a liaison between the Office of the President and the Stanford community on these issues, and coordinating with the Stanford Management Company, which is the entity that manages Stanford's endowment. All aspects of my role are related to community engagement and dialogue.

Outside of my official role, I have already had the opportunity to mentor a few students about careers in sustainability. And I have been enjoying the opportunity to hear some of the great speakers who come to Stanford, including one of my human rights heroes, Bryan Stevenson.

What is the work of the IRSR program focused on right now?

I am working very closely with the APIRL, which is actively reviewing a request from Fossil Free Stanford to divest from oil and gas companies. Climate change is an important and very complex issue that requires research and investigation. The APIRL is investing the time to do so and has accessed expertise within the Stanford community to understand the issues thoroughly.

I'm also starting to meet more broadly with students, faculty and staff to hear their ideas and perspectives. I've been so impressed by the people I have met! They are smart, thoughtful, passionate and committed to both Stanford and global issues beyond Stanford. I am also learning the systems and processes at Stanford, will soon begin planning the APIRL annual town hall and am generally working on how best to structure the operations of the Investment Responsibility Stakeholder Relations program on an ongoing basis. I would love insights from the Stanford community on how best I can be a resource and enable two-way dialogue.

What interested you in this role at Stanford?

Community input has long been a part of Stanford's approach to investment responsibility. The creation of my role exemplifies Stanford's commitment to dialogue and stakeholder engagement. Part of why I was interested in this position is because I believe Stanford has been a leader in this area  and in on-campus sustainability, as well. I was extremely impressed by the huge investment Stanford made in its campus energy system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

As a human rights and stakeholder engagement specialist, I have had the privilege of working on sustainability with communities, companies, governments and universities all over the world. I have worked on a wide range of issues, including labor rights in factories, sustainable community development near large-scale mining projects, human rights for Haitian migrant laborers in the sugarcane fields of the Dominican Republic and human trafficking in the travel and tourism industry. I have seen the challenges communities face to find dignified work, to provide for their families, to access health, education, water and energy. I also have seen the participatory solutions developed by these communities with companies, governments and universities. I often have served as a facilitator and enabler  listening to and incorporating diverse voices, finding common ground and inspiring collaborative solutions.

I hope to apply these experiences to my stakeholder relations role here. Stanford's brilliant and passionate people are contributing to solving some of the toughest global challenges. I'm thrilled to be a part of this community.

How are you hoping to engage with the campus community, and what is the best way for people to be in touch with you?

I'm a resource for everyone in the campus community with questions and concerns about these topics. At a minimum, I can be a first stop to help get questions answered. I have already had a few great conversations with students and am looking forward to many more.

I can be reached by email anytime at IRstakeholders@stanford.edu or by phone at (650) 723-2318. And please come introduce yourself at the APIRL town hall when it is scheduled later this year  information about it will be on our website.
Paul Armer, former director of Stanford Computation Center, dies at 91

A manager and lecturer in the Computer Science Department, Paul Armer voiced early concerns about computer privacy and surveillance.

Courtesy Katherine Armer

Paul Armer, an early director of the Stanford Computation Center and faculty member who was a pioneer in computing and its social implications, died Jan. 6 in Stanford Hospital. He was 91.

Armer led the computing center from 1968 until 1970, and then lectured in the Computer Science Department from 1972 until the 1980s. In those years, what was called the Computation Center operated as a nonprofit business, selling computer time on IBM and Burroughs machines to campus programs, said Edward Feigenbaum, professor emeritus of computer science at Stanford who held the director position before Armer.

"Paul was an intelligent manager, and he was interested," Feigenbaum said.

As an instructor, Armer taught a variety of classes. One introductory class, for example, was designed to "acquaint students from all departments with what a computer is; the remarkable variety of applications of computers; how computers affect our lives; and the growing impact of these information processing machines," according to the course prospectus.

"He lectured on computers and society," Feigenbaum said, and worried early on about computer privacy and surveillance. Armer predicted in the mid-1970s that electronic banking, which then did not exist, would be dangerous.

"Such a system," Armer wrote, "not only collects and files a great deal about your financial transactions  and that means a great deal of data about your life  but the system knows where you are every time you make such a transaction."

"Paul was in the category you would call 'world's nicest people,'" Feigenbaum said. "He had an expression: One should always tell the truth because one has only one story to remember that way."

Armer was an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served during World War II in the European theater, earning three medals before discharge.

A native of Montebello, California, Armer graduated from UCLA in 1946 with a degree in meteorology. He was an avid birdwatcher, photographer and conservationist. He and his wife, Joan Roberts Armer, were peace workers and friends of Daniel Ellsberg, who in 1971 leaked the Pentagon Papers, a secret government history of the Vietnam War, said his daughter, Katherine Armer.

In the late 1940s, Armer began work at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California, where for 10 years he was head of the computer science department, which built the JOHNNIAC, an early computer used for engineering calculations. "He was always cutting edge," Feigenbaum said. "When someone came up with a new idea, he was always on it."

Armer maintained close relations with computer scientists in the Soviet Union, and was a member of a U.S. computer delegation to the U.S.S.R. in 1959. He believed open information exchange was essential to innovation, said his daughter.

Armer went on to become the founding executive of the Charles Babbage Institute, an archives and research center dedicated to preserving the history of information technology.

Armer suffered from dementia for the last 10 years of his life. He was a champion of science and donated his brain to be studied under the direction of neuropathologist Dr. Edward Plowey and the Stanford Neurosciences Institute.

"He would be pleased that in his death, he will continue to contribute to research at Stanford," said Katherine Armer, specifically work being done on brain aging, supported by the NIH/NIA-funded Stanford Alzheimer's Disease Research Center; the Stanford Health Care Brain Bank; and the Stanford Brain Rejuvenation Project.

Armer is survived by his wife, Joan Roberts Armer, and their three children, Kendra, Katherine and Michael; three children from his first marriage: Christine, James and Mary-Kay; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Frances Ring, and their son, Thomas.

A memorial service will be held in the spring.

The family has established a memorial fund, and contributions may be made to benefit the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. Gifts can be made online at www.parksconservancy.org or by check to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Building 201, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123. Please indicate that your gift is in memory of Paul Armer.
Run to honor those who have fallen

For the ninth year, the midshipmen of the University of Floridas NROTC program will host the Fallen Heroes 5K run to benefit the UDT-SEAL Association and the Gainesville Fisher House Foundation.

The run will take place Sunday, March 20, at 9 a.m., starting and finishing in the UF commuter lot at 1273 Gale Lemerand Drive. Day-of-race registration will open at 7:30 a.m. The cost is $20. Participants may also register at active.com/gainesville-fl/running/distance-running-races/the-9th-annual-fallen-heroes.

The UDT-SEAL Association is a Veterans Support Organization whose members include those who have served, are presently serving or who strive to serve the Naval Special Warfare community. Their goal is to assist members and their families by improving quality of life. The Gainesville Fisher House Foundation supports Americas military personnel by providing a living facility that allows family members to be close to their loved ones during hospitalization.

The Fallen Heroes 5K run also honors Petty Officer 2nd Class James Suh, USN SEAL, Lt. Thomas Fouke, USN, and all others who gave their lives in support of the global war on terror.

The race is sponsored by Fit2Run, who will present a $50 gift card to the first-place male and female contestants.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he would reveal the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. Headley's deposition is being recorded via video conferencing and it will continue for next few days as well. Headley (55) was pardoned on December 10 and made an approver by Additional Sessions Judge G A Sanap who presides over special cases related to terrorism, including those under the now repealed TADA. Highlighting the importance of the evidences that are expected to be brought to fore by Headley, senior Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said, "The evidence of David Headley is important for two reasons - One of the Indian terrorists Abu Jindal who was in Pakistan and against whom the trial is pending. So, David Headley may give the broader aspect of the criminal conspiracy. The second aspect of the evidence of David Headley would be that why the conspiracy was hatched, who were the persons behind the criminal conspiracy and how it progressed with ultimately a huge death toll of 160 persons." Headley's maps and videos helped ten Pakistani fidayeens land by sea on Mumbai's shores and launch one of the audacious attacks on the financial capital, killing over 166 people and injuring 300. Between November 26 and 29, 2008, terrorists rampaged through two five-star hotels Oberoi and Taj Mahal Palace, Jewish outreach centre at Nariman House, Cafe Leopold, all in Colaba, besides Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Cama and Albless Hospital. While nine terrorists were killed during the response operations, a lone gunman Ajmal Kasab was tried and hanged on November 21, 2012 at Pune's Yerawada jail. The FBI arrested Headley in October 2009 at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago while on his way to Pakistan. US District Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago sentenced him to 35 years in prison for his role in Mumbai attacks on January 24, 2013. (ANI)
According to reports, two Indian Smugglers and two Pakistani smugglers were exchanging the packets of Heroin when they were intercepted by BSF soldiers. The smugglers fired at the BSF jawans and the gun battle ensued after BSF personnel fired back in retaliation.

All four smugglers were killed in the exchange of fire.

The security personnel have recovered 10 kg Heroin and two pistols from the smugglers. (ANI)
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he is expected to reveal the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. It is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a foreign terrorist is providing his evidences through video link. Here is how Headley became an 'international' terrorist from being a nondescript:- February 8, 2016: Headley deposes before a special Mumbai court from an undisclosed location in the United States through video conference on between 7 am to 12.30 pm. The deposition is being recorded via video conferencing. December 10, 2016: Headley was pardoned and made an approver by Additional Sessions Judge G.A. Sanap who presides over special cases related to terrorism, including those under the now repealed TADA. The court had told Headley that he "disclose full and true facts leading to the happening of the attacks within his knowledge and the persons concerned, disclose his role and the role of others, disclose facts which he has admitted before the U.S. court in Illinois and truthfully and correctly answer the prosecution's questions unfolding the entire criminal conspiracy and other offences." Accepting his role in the attacks, Headley said, "I pleaded guilty in the past to the charges in the US and I admitted I was a participant in these charges... I appear here ready to answer questions regarding these events, if I receive a pardon from this court." January 24, 2013: US District Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago sentenced him to 35 years in prison for a dozen federal terrorism crimes relating to his role in planning the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and a subsequent proposed attack on a newspaper office in Denmark. According to Headley's guilty plea and testimony, he attended the following training camps operated by Lashkar: a three-week course starting in February 2002 that provided indoctrination on the merits of waging jihad; a three-week course starting in August 2002 that provided training in the use of weapons and grenades; a three-month course starting in April 2003 that taught close combat tactics, the use of weapons and grenades, and survival skills; a three-week course starting in August 2003 that taught counter-surveillance skills; and a three-month course starting in December 2003 that provided combat and tactical training. December 2011: The National Investigation Agency had filed a charge-sheet accusing Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana, Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed and seven others of conspiracy. The charge carries death penalty. October 3, 2009: Arrested by the FBI at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago while on his way to Pakistan. March 2009: After the Mumbai attack, Headley made a sixth trip to India to conduct additional surveillance, including of the National Defense College in Delhi, and of Chabad Houses in several cities. September 2006- July 2008: Headley made five extended trips to Mumbai each time making videotapes of various potential targets, including those attacked in November 2008. Before each trip, Lashkar members and associates instructed Headley regarding specific locations where he was to conduct surveillance. After each trip, Headley traveled to Pakistan to meet with Lashkar members and associates, report on the results of his surveillance, and provide the surveillance videos. Before the April 2008 surveillance trip, Headley and co-conspirators in Pakistan discussed potential landing sites in Mumbai for a team of attackers who would arrive by sea. Headley returned to Mumbai with a global positioning system device and took boat trips around the Mumbai harbor and entered various locations into the device. February, 2006: After receiving instructions in late 2005 to conduct surveillance in India, Headley changed his given name from Daood Gilani in Philadelphia to facilitate his activities on behalf of Lashkar by portraying himself in India as an American who was neither Muslim nor Pakistani. November 26-28, 2008: 10 attackers trained by Lashkar carried out multiple assaults with firearms, grenades and improvised explosive devices against multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, the Leopold Cafe, the Chabad House and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, each of which Headley had scouted in advance, killing approximately 164 victims and wounding hundreds more. November 2008: Headley was instructed by a Lashkar member in Pakistan, to conduct surveillance of the Copenhagen and Aarhus offices of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten in preparation for an attack in retaliation for the newspaper's publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. (ANI)
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he is revealing the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. He is what we know so far: 1.I was a true follower of Lashkar-e-Taiba 2.Sajid Mir of Lashkar-e-Taiba was my main contact 3.After I changed my name, I disclosed this information to my colleague Sajid Mir of LeT 4.Sajid Mir wanted me to setup some business or office in India 5.After I changed my name, within few weeks I visited Pakistan 6.I changed my name so that I could enter India. I wanted to enter India with an American name 7.Sajid Mir (LeT) specified object of his intention before my first visit to India 8.Sajid Mir (LeT) asked me to take general video of Mumbai city 9.I visited India eight times after receiving the new passport. Out of eight times, I visited Mumbai seven times 10.My seven visits to India were directly from Pakistan and one from the UAE 11.After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, I visited India on March 7, 2009, from Lahore to Delhi 12.All details except the place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality and passport number were incorrect in my visa application. 13. The first attempt was in September 2008, which failed because the boat hit some rocks in the ocean. The people on boat were saved as they were wearing life jackets. Weapons and explosives were lost. 14. The second attempt was made after a month in October 2008. Those involved in first attempt were involved in this as well, but the attack failed. 15. It was in the third attempt that the attack was successful i.e. on November 26, 2008. 16. Retired Major Abdur Rehman Pasha and I were arrested in Landikotal area near Pakistan-Afghan border because I looked like a foreigner. During my arrest, Major Ali came to interrogate me. 17. During my interrogation, I showed my Pakistan ID card and they released me 18. During the interrogation, I gave the information to Major Ali that I am holding a business office in India. Major Ali thought that I will be beneficial for gathering intelligence from India. 19. He introduced me to Major Iqbal of Pakistan's ISI. This is a developing story and will be updated as information pours in. (ANI)
A Special Police Officer (SPO) who decamped with a weapon from a police station in the downtown has been arrested in the central Kashmir district of Badgam, official source said here today. They said SPO Riyaz Ahmed, posted at police station Rainawari in the downtown city decamped with service rifle of constable Showkat Ahmed on February 5. Ahmed a resident of Khan Sahib in Budgam district, was nabbed alongwith the stolen weapon at Beerwah yesterday. An FIR was registered and a departmental inquiry launched, they said. This was the second incident in 2016 and third during the past one year. On January 16, a Personnel Security Officer (PSO) Shakoor Ahmad , one of the guards of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and SDPO Bijbehara Irshad Ahmad Bhat in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district, decamped with the four AK rifles. However, two AK rifles were recovered from two friends of Shakoor, who have also been arrested. In March last year, Naseer Pandith who was posted on guard duty at the then Works Minister Altaf Bukhari's residence in Sheikhbagh area of Srinagar decamped with a service weapon. Shakoor and Naseer could not be traced though security forces and state police conducted raids and search operations at several places.UNI BAS ASM SB PR1047 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-578943.Xml
In yet another confirmation of Pakistans involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks, LeT operative David Coleman Headley, one of the prime conspirators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, today told special MCOCA court that he was trained in that country and given an assignment to do recce of Mumbai before the attack.Deposing before the special court through video conferencing, Headley said he had two passports-- one by the name of Dawood, which he had surrendered to American authority seeking new passport in David Headley's name. On availing it, he went to Pakistan, where he was given the assignment to do recce of Mumbai and open an office in the commercial capital.Headley further said he had visited Mumbai eight times and once after the attacks. He was trained by the Pakistani Army school, he claimed.This is for first time in legal history that a foreign terrorist is deposing before the special court in India to record his statement. An American Investigating team was also present in the court to monitor the proceedings, along with Headley's advocate Mahesh Jethmalani.The deposition began at 0700 hrs, which will continue till 1230 hrs and resume tomorrow morning, a top police officer said here. He is currently serving 35-year sentence in the US prison for his involvement in conspiracy in the same case. UNI ST NAZ SV 1158 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-579065.Xml
With Shivani's death last night, the species of white tiger came to an end in the zoo. "The six-year-old big cat fell sick critically yesterday. Veterinary doctors provided treatment to her but despite it, they could not save her life," Zoo In-Charge Uttam Yadav told UNI here today.

The post-mortem will ascertain the exact cause of the feline's death, the sources said.UNI XC-BDG SV PR1212

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Leaving no stone unturned to provide mega security cover to the Air Force Stations across the state of Jammu and Kashmir post Pathankot attack, smart fencing will soon guard the air bases in Jammu and Kashmir. Six Pakistani terrorists had stormed the 18 Wing fighter base in Pathankot on January 2 in which seven soldiers were also killed in the strike that exposed security gaps, forcing the Air Force to conduct a safety audit. The Ministry of Defence is very much concerned about the safety measures around the Air Force Stations across the state, post Pathankot attack and in view of that, the Air Force Stations based across this sensitive region will soon be surrounded by smart fences, defence sources here told UNI terming the Pathankot attack as a learning experience. Sources said that Bharat Electronics Limited has been assigned the task and will provide the smart fences in Jammu and Kashmir, adding, the smart fences would be used across all the air bases. The sources said that no doubt there might be some gaps or security lapse, which led to Pathankot attack and a group of six Pakistani terrorists forced the government to spend over Rs 8,000 crore to provide security to airbases. Being situated a few km away from an international border, the Jammu based Air Force Station is very sensitive and can be the target of anti-nationals. So the airbase requires immediate smart fencing to prevent any untoward like incident, the sources asserted. Jammu based Air Force Station, which is situated on outskirts, is densely surrounded by civilian population, which can pose a major threat to it. Jammu, Udhampur, Awantipora and Leh based Air Force Stations in J&K fall under Western Command. They, however, said that the violation of guidelines (unwanted construction around Air Force Stations) has been taken up with the government after the Pathankot attack to ensure that rules, including no construction within 100 metres of any airbase and within 900 metres of its ammunition depots, were implemented. The IAF has also planned to induct at least 10 more units of Garud commandos with 70 to 80 men each to secure its bases. The IAF is in the process of finalising a Rs 8,000-crore comprehensive security proposal for its 54 main flying bases in the country, which include a smart perimeter intrusion system, CCTVs, motion detectors, quadro drones and the cost will come to about Rs 100 to 150 crore per base, sources added.UNI VBH CJ RP1552 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-579425.Xml
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Union Food and Consumer Protection Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to resign from his post and demanded a CBI probe into the killing of his party leader Brijnathi Singh on the outskirts of the state capital last Friday. Mr Paswan told mediaersons here that Mr Kumar could not escape from owning moral responsibility for deteriorating law and order situation after the coming of Grand Alliance government in the state. He said the Chief Minister should immediately resign from his post in such asituation. He said family members of slain LJP leader had claimed that the gruesome murder was an offshoot of a political conspiracy and asked the state government to recommend for a CBI probe to unravel the truth. The LJP chief said the way criminals used AK 47 assault rifle to gun down Singh on the outskirts of the state capital, it exposed the state government's incapability to rein in desperadoes. He said the slain LJP leader hailed from Raghopur constituency in Vaishali district, being represented by Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav in the state Assembly. Mr Paswan said, "Jungle Raj" had already returned to the state as criminals were striking at their will. He alleged that the common people were living in terror as jungle raj days of 1990s were prevailing. He said that criminal cases were being reported from across the state on a regular basis and now outlaws emboldened by an "ineffective" government had started making politicians their targets too. He said JD(U) and RJD leaders were only trying to take the people of the state for a ride by claiming that the rule of law was prevailing in the state.UNI DH AD SW AS1534 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-579353.Xml
Taking Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticism as appreciation, National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah today said BJP has accepted that NC will win if elections are held in the Jammu and Kashmir. The former Chief Minister had yesterday asked Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti to be bold enough to break alliance with the BJP if she is not ready to form the new government in the state. However, the BJP reacted sharply today and criticised Mr Abdullah for suggesting the PDP to snap ties with them and said the NC leader had become restless as he can't stay away from power. Senor BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh asked why is Mr Abdullah in such a hurry? Why cannot he be in peace? He has become restless after the CM's post was taken away from him. He can't stay away from power that is why his restlessness is increasing,? Reacting to BJP Mr Abdullah taking to micro blogging site Twitter today said But thanks for accepting that @JKNC_ will win the elections when they are held. Really appreciate vote of confidence. Jammu and Kashmir is under Governor rule since January 8, a day after the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in AIIMS, New Delhi. Mr Sayeed was heading a PDP-BJP coalition government in the state since March last year after both the parties agreed on a Common Minimum Programme (CMP), after compromising with their known stands on a number issues as 2014 general election witnessed fractured mandate in the 87-member-House. Governor rule was imposed after PDP and BJP failed to form a fresh government in the state though they have not formally break their alliance so far. Mr Abdullah has said there could be no alliance with the BJP. However, his father and the NC president and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah had said that any proposal from BJP for formation of alliance government will be considered. The PDP still is single largest party with 27 members after the death of Mr Sayeed followed by BJP 25, NC 15 and Congress 12 and Peoples Conference two, CPI(M) and PDF one each and three independents in the 87-member House.UNI BAS SW AS1619 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-579320.Xml
According to the police the car had hit the rear of the tractor trailer fitted with a water tank.

The driver of the tractor trailer has also suffered serious injuries,reported Lanka Page website.

The deceased were returning to Kandy after attending a funeral in Kegalle, when they met with the fatal accident.

Major Buwaneka Jayasundera (41) and R. S. S. Gunasekara (41) of Yatiwawala Katugastota succumbed to their injuries sustained in the accident while two others who were injured and are receiving treatment at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital.(ANI)
It was a historic day for Himachal Pradesh when it signed record 17 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) in the field of skill development with various industrial organisations and Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) here today. The MoUs were signed between Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam (HPKVN) and 17 industrial organisations, including three with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), in the presence of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. These SSCs represent more than 20 Central Ministries and 50 large Industry Associations which would partner HPKVN in demand based and quality driven skill development. Technical Education Minister G S Bali, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anil Sharma were also present on the occasion. The Chief Minister also launched the Himachal Pradesh Skill Development Initiative which is aimed at increasing employment opportunities of the unemployed youth of the state both through wage employment and self employment opportunities through appropriate skilling on a mission mode. The Chief Minister said the signing of MoUs with different industrial organisations and SSCs would give an edge to the state on skilling, assessment and placement issues. He said these SCCs had placed the demand for training of thousands of people from the state besides ensuring placement of the trained youth. He said setting up of HPKVN was a major initiative of the state government which would go a long way in providing an umbrella framework to improve coordination and convergence and reduce duplication across the skill development programmes being run by various departments.MORE UNI ML DB SW AS1643 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-579567.Xml
Senior leaders Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Harinder Singh Harry Mann joined the Congress along with thousands of their supporters today. Both the leaders were welcomed into the party by former Chief Minister and Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh. AICC secretary incharge Harish Chaudhary, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, former Union Minister Preneet Kaur, Campaign Committee vice chairman Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Rana Gurjeet Singh were also present on the occasion. Welcoming the leaders into the party fold, Capt Singh said, "This will strengthen the party further in the state". He said that the leaders had joined the party without any condition. He said the resignation of the two senior leaders from the Akali Dal and joining the Congress was not only reflective of the anti-Akali mood prevailing in Punjab, but also indicated that people were looking forward to the Congress to form government in the state. Replying to questions, he said the allotment of tickets was the prerogative of the Congress high command only. Mr Dhillon said he had rejoined the Congress as his workers and supporters were not getting due justice in the Akali Dal. He said sitting Akali MLA N K Sharma had unleashed a reign of terror against his supporters and false cases were slapped against them. He also made it categorically clear that he had not come to the Congress with any motives. I have left the government to safeguard the interests of my workers, he said, adding that under current circumstances only the Congress under the leadership of Capt Amarinder could steer Punjab out of its crisis. Mr Harry Mann said that he had about three decades of political experience and had worked in the Congress on important positions. He said that he had joined the Congress since he was of the firm belief that while the Akali-BJP alliance was on the way out, the Aam Aadmi Party could not be trusted. Under these circumstances average Punjabi believes that only Capt Amarinder can provide best leadership to the state, he added.UNI DB SW NS1701 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-579675.Xml
Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today warned the Aam Aadmi Party not to behave as anarchists as Punjab cannot afford another era of violence and bloodshed. If you want to come to Punjab come as a democratic party and not as anarchists crying inqilab (revolution), he said, referring to the circulation of posters in different villages invoking people to revolution. Please do not try to mislead our youth for your petty political ends, he asked the AAP. Addressing a press conference after inducting senior leaders Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Harry Mann into the party here, Capt Singh said, spreading and circulating anonymous pamphlets asking people for revolution and targeting the leaders of mainstream parties was obviously an attempt by the AAP to spread chaos and anarchy which is highly condemnable and unacceptable. He said those coming from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar must realised that they have no right to spread anarchy and unrest in Punjab as they seem to be intending to do. Nobody in Punjab wants the situation to go back to the dark era, he said, while hoping that the better sense will prevail among the AAP and it will behave in a democratic manner and not as anarchists.UNI NC SW AS1701 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-579680.Xml
David Headleys fresh revelations on the 2008 Mumbai terror attack will help Indian agencies nail his Pakistani handlers and take the case to a very logical conclusion, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Monday. "It is already known who is involved in the entire case and where is the background of Headley's working system and support. It will help us," Rijiju told reporters here. He was speaking after Headley testified before a court in Mumbai through videoconferencing from an undisclosed location in the US where he has been held for alleged terrorist activities. In his revelations, Headley named Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and said a "colleague" from the terror group, Sajid Mir, was his main handler. Headley also told the Mumbai court that Mir was a suspected operative of the Pakistani spy agency. He said he was "influenced" by Saeed to join the Lashkar before he took his first "course" on training with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad - the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Headley, currently serving 35 years' prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attack that also killed foreigners, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business. India blames Pakistani terrorists and the ISI for the attack that killed 166 people in Mumbai in a carnage that lasted for about three days from November 26, 2008. Pakistan has been slow in prosecuting one of the Laskhar masterminds Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and his four associates who allegedly gave instructions to the 10 Pakistani attackers who sailed into India from Karachi. Pakistan has attributed the slow progress in the case to the lack of evidence in nailing the five accused. India now believes that the Headley revelation will help in proving its claim that the Lashkar militants were involved in plotting the attack. It will lead us to a very logical conclusion of the case, Rijiju said. The difference between the state and non-state actors will come to an end after this statement." --Indo-Asian News Service sar/pku/mr ( 367 Words) 2016-02-08-18:17:34 (IANS)
"CBI probe ordered in Ryan School Death case. Hope for fair and speedy Justice For Divyansh," Sisodia tweeted.

Earlier, Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi today said that they have received the post-mortem report of the death of six-year-old Divyansh Kakrora and said that there was no prima facie indication of any sexual assault.

The child's father earlier alleged that his son may have been sodomised before his death.

The Delhi Police had last week said they would probe all angles and theories concerning the death of the boy, whose body was found in a water tank under the school's amphitheatre on January 30. (ANI)
"A very Happy New Year to Chinese friends around the world. May the Year of the Monkey bring joy and prosperity in your lives. Dear Korean friends, Seollal greetings to you all. Have a great year ahead," the Prime Minister said in a series of tweets.

"To the wonderful people of Mongolia, Happy Tsagaan Sar. Praying for a year filled with joy, good health and prosperity. T?t greetings to the people of Vietnam. May this year be full of joy and prosperity", the Prime Minister added.

Monday marks the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, China's biggest and most ceremonious holiday.

Though China officially operates on the international Gregorian calendar, the traditional lunisolar calendar maintains ceremonial significance, and so every year, around the new moon closest to the beginning of spring. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Monday said Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa can't summon on his "whims and fancies" the assembly session to test the majority of Chief Minister Naban Tuki's government (since dismissed). "You (governor) can't ask (the house to assemble) on your whims and fancies," an apex court constitution bench comprising Justices Jagdish Singh Khehar, Dipak Misra, Madan B. Lokur, Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and N.V. Ramana observed. The court's observation came in the course of the submissions made by senior counsel Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for 14 MLAs disqualified by Speaker Nabam Rabia, who defended the governor's action to summon an assembly session on December 16 at a community hall in Itanagar. Dwivedi contended that if the governor is satisfied that the chief minister has lost the majority support in the assembly he could ask the latter to convene the assembly session to prove his majority. If the chief minister fails to do so, the governor has three options - dismiss the government under Article 164 (1) of the constitution, send a report to the president invoking Article 356 or call the session of the assembly. As Justice Khehar observed that the governor could not summon the assembly on his whims and fancies, Justice Dipak Misra observed that the "occasion has not arisen here (in the case of Arunachal Pradesh)". In another poser, the bench asked Dwivedi: "Who has the primacy in such a situation?" As the senior counsel said that "primacy is with the elected government", the court asked if there was any discretion with the governor. Dwivedi reiterated that if the chief minister failed to convene an assembly session, the governor in exercise of his discretionary power was entitled to call the assembly session. In a related development, Speaker Nabam Rabia has moved the apex court to seek status quo in the matter. Senior counsel Fali S. Nariman told the court that Deputy Speaker T. Norbu Thongdok had written to Governor Rajkhowa that he was the speaker and sought records pertaining to the speaker's office as custodian of the assembly. Nariman said the governor had sought legal opinion on Thongdok's plea. Making it clear that it would not pass orders on a daily basis on the affairs of Arunachal Pradesh, the court said it will decide when Rabia's plea filed on Monday evening is put up before the bench. Meanwhile, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court that the offices of the chief minister and other ministers have not been sealed as contended by the petitioners who challenged the imposition of President's Rule in the state. Rohatgi said documents and files allegedly taken into possession on the governor's instructions ran into one lakh pages, adding that the petitioners, including Congress Party's chief whip in Arunachal Assembly Rajesh Tacho, should indicate what documents they required and the same would be furnished to them. Making it clear that the list provided by the attorney general was not exhaustive, the court said that the petitioners would be provided with full details of the documents in the possession of the state and they would then indicate which documents were required. "You give the whole list. This is not the whole list. Give the entire list (of the documents connected with the matter before the court)," the bench told the attorney general. The constitution bench is hearing petitions filed by the Congress leaders challenging Governor Rajkhowa's report to recommend the imposition of President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh, subsequent presidential proclamation and other matters rooted in the political imbroglio. The hearing in the case will continue on Tuesday. --Indo-Asian News Service pk/tsb/bg ( 613 Words) 2016-02-08-19:57:35 (IANS)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today greeted the people of China, Korea, Mongolia and Vietnam on the lunar New Year celebrations.''A very Happy New Year to Chinese friends around the world. May the Year of the Monkey bring joy and prosperity in your lives,'' a message read.''Dear Korean friends, Seollal greetings to you all. Have a great year ahead,'' he greeted Korean citizens. He greeted the people of Mongolia, saying ''To the wonderful people of Mongolia, Happy Tsagaan Sar. Praying for a year filled with joy, good health and prosperity.''''Tt greetings to the people of Vietnam. May this year be full of joy and prosperity," the PM tweeted.UNI SD AJ SW1830 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-580051.Xml
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh seeking a CBI probe into the case in which a court had sentenced eleven persons, including three local CPI(M) leaders to life imprisonment.

The fresh demand came in the wake of allegation by Ms K K Rama, wife of the late RMP leader, that the government was deliberately delaying the process to save some CPI(M) leaders.

It is because of a secret understanding between Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and the CPI-M that the case of is not handed over to the CBI. I will begin an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Secretariat if the government delays the process further, Ms Rema said earlier.

In a statement here, Mr Chennithala pointed out that the state government had approached the Centre on a number of occasions. However, the Centre refused to hand over the case to the CBI stating that a court had already pronounced its verdict in this case.

''We have done everything possible from our side. Now it is up to the Centre to take a decision in this regard,'' he added.

Mr Chandrasekharan, a CPI(M) rebel who floated a parallel Left outfit called Revolutionary Marxist Party in his home turf Onchiyam in north Kerala, was hacked to death in May 2012.UNI CR VV AK2023

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The mother of IUML activist Ariyil Shukoor , Ms Athika welcomed the Kerala High Court ordering CBI probe into the conspiracy angle of 2012 Shukor murder. Talking to newspersons at her house at Keezhara, Ms Athika said " we are believing Almighty and he cannot abandon ours". She also said the family are expecting more and they will gone to maximum to take legal actions against the accused, who were led to kill my son Shukkoor. She said the family has not satisfied the Kerala Police probe and alleged that Police and CPI(M) are hand in glove , so the investigation of police is not satisfactory. Ms Athika said following the CBI probe more inquiry will be hold in this case. She said' I am a normal women and have sake four years of pain (since 2012) due to the murder of Shukoor, and my pain will not measured by any one. What mistake had did by Shukoor to kill by CPI(M) activists, She said they will continue the legal fight up to get the deserve punishment to the real accused. Meanwhile, District Congress Committee(DCC) President K Surendran also welcomed the High court ordered for a CBI inquiry. He also demanded that CPI(M) should clear that what stance had taken by CPI(M) that Shukkoor murder probe will not given to CBI. CPI(M) sources said they would approach apex courts to question the High Court order to a CBI probe in this case.UNI AK VV AK2033 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0324-580318.Xml
The sub-committee, which is on a two-day visit to the city, has convened an interactive meeting with newspersons here today..

Speaking on the occasion, the convenor said the PCI is a quasi-judiciary body set-up by the act of Parliament to take care of the interests of the press at large.

Mr Gurinder also said the aim of the sub committee visit is to look into the problems confronting media with regard to advertisement, accreditation policies and redress them.

Outlining the objectives of model advertisement policy, Mr Gurinder said that it is proposed to bring all agencies under one category, without any discrimination.

At the meeting, media-persons appealed to the committee to look in to the issues faced by Small and Medium news papers.

They also urged to include small and medium news papers in journalist housing schemes. while allotting house sites.

Among the demands put forth by small and medium newspapers representatives are, inclusion of small and medium newspapers journalists in accreditationcommittee as members, release of classifieds to small newspapers, release of ads to periodicals on par with other media and so on, so forth, were brought to the notice of sub committee.

Mr Gurinder assured that all issues will be examined and referred to the concerned department. UNI KNR KVV AK 2010

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Reacting to the revelations by David Headley, one of the masterminds behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes that left 166 people dead, in a Mumbai court, the Congress today said the Central government should confront Pakistan with the latest evidence to ensure that the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks are brought to book.Talking to mediapersons here, AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari said, ''After the 26/11 attacks, Pakistan has been provided with a lot of evidences. Not just 26/11, Islamabad has been involved in various terrorist attacks that happened prior to the 26/11 attacks and it has been, from time to time, been provided the evidences of its involvement.''In fact, the biggest evidence has been the Masood Azhar, who is involved in the Pathankot terrorist attack. He was one of the terrorists whose release was secured by the hijackers of the IC-I84 and they went to Pakistan.''Mr Tewari said the basic question was whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had said during the campaign for the Lok Sabha polls that ''terror and talks can not go together'', can put pressure on Pakistan to ensure that the trial in the 26/11 case can make some headway.''The basic question is not of proof. Rather it is about how the central government is able to use that to put pressure on the Pakistan Government to ensure that the perpetrators of the 26/11 attack are brought to book,'' Mr Tewari said.Earlier, AICC spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the government should put pressure on Pakistan as well as the international communities with the statement by Headley.''This is very important to confront not only Pakistan but also the international communities,he said.In his deposition before the court, Headley revealed Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence involvement on the 26/11 terror attacks. He said two attempts to attack Mumbai failed before a third succeeded in November 2008.Headley, who testified via video link from an undisclosed location in the US, told the court that Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar planned the 26/11 attack.He named Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed, whose speech, he said, inspired him to join the terror group. Headley has also detailed the Lashkar's activities, saying it has planned and executed terror attacks all over India.UNI AR AJ 2210 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-580477.Xml
Congress vice president Rahul gandhi today welcomed the ruling by the Telecom regulatory authority of India (TRAI) issuing a regulation prohibiting differential pricing for data services.''I Welcome TRAI's ruling in support of #NetNeutrality. Big win for Internet users in India! . Congratulations to all those who campaigned tirelessly &fought hard to ensure that our Internet remains free &equal for all!,'' Rahul said in a statement after the Telecom sector watchdog TRAI today issued regulation prohibiting differential pricing for data services. In a statement welcoming the order by TRAI, AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said that the decision vindicated the demands raised consistently and unequivocally by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi as indeed millions of net neutrality supporters, activists and Internet users across the country.The Congress also expressed the hope that the Government would continue to listen to the voice of people and take decisions in support of their cause rather than further the profiteering motives of a few. ''The Congress welcomes the decision of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to negate differential/discriminatory data pricing and ensuring net neutrality. The decision, though taken after contradictory posturing on part of the Government, vindicates the demands raised consistently and unequivocally by Mr Rahul Gandhi as indeed millions of net neutrality supporters, activists and Internet users across the country. ''We salute their spirit and resolve. It proves that determination and grit of 21st century Indians on an idea like free internet founded on core value of freedom can win over the interest of big lobbyists and corporations,'' AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala said in a statement.Pointing out that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had been making a strong pitch for net neutrality, Mr Surjewala said, ''May we underline that Congress Vice President, Shri Rahul Gandhi had stood alongside the net neutrality activists, met up with them on more then one occasion and raised the issue inside and outside Parliament.''Telecom sector watchdog TRAI today issued regulation prohibiting differential pricing for data services. After that, any telco that is found in contravention of this rule will be liable for penalty at the rate of Rs 50,000 per day, subject to a maximum fine of Rs 50 lakh.Existing tariff plans in violation of this regulation will be allowed to expire subject to a maximum period of six months.''The regulation essentially means that no telecom service operator can discriminate on the basis of platform, application, website and source. All things that are on Internet will be subject to this regulation,'' TRAI Chairman R S Sharma said while briefing media on key aspects of the regulations.The regulation provides for one-off exceptions in grave emergencies like the one that arose in Chennai recently from unprecedented rains. Exception is also allowed for close networks.Welcoming the TRAI decision, Mr Surjewala expressed the now the Government hope that the Governemt would look seriously and sincerely into the issue of Call Drops.''We hope that now the Government will look seriously and sincerely into the issue of Call Drops that is - afflicting nearly 100 crore mobile phone users across service providers,'' Mr Surjewala said adding that ''the Congress party hopes that the Government will continue to listen to the voice of people and take decisions in support of their cause rather than further the profiteering motives of a few.''UNI AR AJ 2129 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-580528.Xml
Supreme Court today asked the central government to provide all the documents seized from the offices of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Nabam Tuki, and his cabinet colleagues after the imposition of President's Rule in the state."The question of choice will emerge only after you give the whole list," a five-judge constitution bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, and also comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Madan B. Lokur, P C Ghosh and N V Ramana, said. "You (Centre) give the full list of whatever have been seized and let them decide as to what they want and what they do not want," the SC said. Attorney General (AG) Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Centre, referred to a fresh interim plea of Arunachal Pradesh government saying it would be difficult to give all documents to the petitioners (Tuki and other Congress leaders) in pursuance of the court order.Rohatgi pointed out that as there are thousands of files, having lakhs of pages and, moreover, most of them may be irrelevant and unrelated to this case."You have to give the whole list. This is the partial list. Let them choose from the list of documents, possibly having nexus with the case or possibly not having nexus with the case. You cannot say right now. You have to give the entire list," the bench said.MORE UNI XC AJ 2225 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0109-580537.Xml
Five members of a family, including two women and a child, died on the spot today in Pithampur industrial town, when their car was involved in a collision with a dumper on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway as an overtaking attempt went horribly wrong. Police said the family was heading for Kanpur from neighbouring Maharashtras Solapur to attend a wedding. The bodies have been placed at the local government hospital. The heavy vehicle was seized but the driver and cleaner are absconding.UNI XC-AC PY AJ SB2324 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-580556.Xml
Acting on a tip off that beef was being supplied door-to-door in the Itwara area in violation of the Act, superintendent of police Paramjit Singh Dahiya constituted a squad which took action against the accused last night.

The police team raided a place at Itwara locality and confiscated 3.75 quintal beef along with 57 packages of fat and took into custody seven bullocks and four cows all worth Rs 1.96 lakh, police said today.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mohammad Irshad Ahmad Raza, Mohammed Fayaz Mohammad Qureshi, Mohammad Aziz Qureshi, Mohammad Qureshi, Md Salman Qureshi and Sheikh Khalil Shaikh Rasool.UNI XR/VKB SS PY AJ SB2319

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A local court today extended police custody of Sameer Sardanha by four days, who was taken into custody February 3, for allegedly moving in a suspicious manner at the Vasco railway. Sardanha (44) was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Vasco. The court also provided government lawyer to the accused, son of ex-Army officer, to plead his case. Meanwhile, police is verifying email address and telephone details of Sardana. Inspector general of police V Renganathan told media persons here, ''We have written to various international email hosting agencies, including google.com. However, they have not responded yet. Police will also recover deleted data from his laptop if any." Goa Police arrested Sardanha when he was found loitering at Vasco Railway Station on February three. He had been allegedly gathering information about bomb blasts which had taken place across the country in the past. He had been questioned by Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Intelligence Bureau and National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths. However, police have not been able to link him to any terror plot. Sardana, who claimed to be a chartered accountant working in a multi-national company, was arrested under preventive custody under section 41 of Criminal Procedure Code. He was staying in the dormitory of the railway station since January 22 and extending, since then before he was arrested. Goa Police became alert following a letter threatening to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was received by the State Secretariat on January 13.UNI AKM SS PY AJ2312 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-580553.Xml
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav today ruled out any possibility of holding 'Janata Durbar' separately from that of the Chief Minister, as used to be done by his predecessor Sushil Kumar Modi. Mr Yadav, who was present at "Janata Ke Durbar Mein Mukhya Mantri" organised at 1 Anne Marg, the official residence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, told media persons that his doors remained opened for all in seven days of the week and he did not need to hold 'Janta Durbar' separately. Responding to a query about possibility of initiating the practice of holding separate 'Janata Durbar' as used to be done by his predecessor Sushil Modi, he reiterated that there was no need for him to do so. "Both I and my father RJD supremo Lalu Prasad meet hundreds of the people every day at our residence and try for redressal of their grievances", Mr Yadav said adding that atmosphere of their house was such that they kept finding solutions of the people meeting them.MORE UNI KKS AKM PY AJ VN2325 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-580383.Xml
Indra Gandhi Medical College Hospital Senior Medical Officer Ramesh Chand said that a 31year- old woman from Kinnaur district, who was admitted in hospital on Saturday night with symptoms of swine flu, was tested positive for H1N1 virus and succumbed last night.

He said one-year-old child belonged to Totu, outskirt of this capital town, one each patient from Kangra and Sundernagar of Mandi district had been killed to swine flu this year.

With the death of woman, the death toll due to the dreaded virus rose up to four this year, he added.

He said nine positive cases for H1N1 influenza have been reported in the IGMCH.

Health Director D S Gurang said number of swine flu cases were pouring in the state.

Mr Gurang said mask, drugs and swine flu kits have been dispatched to every district to check the outbreak of pandemic in the state.

However, he showed ignorance of sudden spurt in swine flu cases and said that advisory has been issued in the state to alert the people and health department to cope up with emergent situation as H1N1 likely to spread more in the winter season.UNI ML PY AJ SB2332

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Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said under the development oriented policies of BJP government, every district is progressing at an accelerated pace and the development works announced by the state government are being implemented. Mr Khattar was interacting with media persons after laying the foundation stone of various projects costing about Rs 100 crores near Karna Lake here today. He laid foundation stones of two lane road from Karnal-Kaithal Road bypass near Karna Lake, strengthening of road from NH 44 to Taraori, up to Indri drain and construction of four lane and widening and strengthening of Newal Gheer - Garhi Birbal Road today. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of construction of 10 meter wide Western Bypass from Karna Lake to Karnal-Kaithal Road and in the first phase of its construction about six-and-a-half km long road would cost Rs 57.9 crore. A railway under pass would also be constructed on this road. With the construction of this road, heavy vehicles coming from Kaithal, Jind and Pehowa would not have to enter the city for moving towards Chandigarh, Delhi, Meerut, Yamunanagar and Uttar Pradesh. The construction work of this road would be completed in next 18 months. About 33-km long road from Kunjpura road to Garhi Birbal would be widened from 5.5 meters to 7 meters and a sum of Rs 29.26 crore would be spent on it. This road would pass through villages, Newal, Bada Gaon, Gheed, Chaurpura, Bayani, Badarpur, Kalsora, Samaspur, Mussepur, Labkari, Garhi, Birbal, Kharak and Chaugama. It would take about one year for completion of these works. A sum of over Rs 4.23 crore would be spent on NH 44 to Taraori, strengthening of road up to Indri drain and construction of four lane. The work on this project is expected to be competed in one year.UNI DB AJ SB2330 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-580489.Xml
According to The Express Tribune, six gunmen attacked the airbase in Pathankot on January 2, leading to a three-day-long standoff that killed seven soldiers.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after India shared the 'leads' with Pakistan.

Subsequently, a crackdown was launched in Punjab against the JeM, its headquarters was sealed and dozens of activists detained. T

he SIT has since been working on the Indian 'leads'. It is also expected to visit India to study the evidence the Indians have.

Officials privy to the SIT investigations said that Pakistani authorities have conveyed to New Delhi that there was no substantial evidence that could prove the involvement of Maulana Azhar in the Pathankot assault. (ANI)
North Korea launched a long-range rocket carrying what it called a satellite, drawing renewed international condemnation just weeks after it carried out a nuclear bomb test.North Korea drew renewed international condemnation and the threat of more sanctions yesterday after launching a long-range rocket in defiance of United Nations rules just weeks after it carried out a nuclear bomb test. Critics of the rocket programme say it is being used to test technology for a long-range missile.South Korea and the United States said they would explore whether to deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea "at the earliest possible date." The US Strategic Command said it had detected a missile entering space, and South Korea's military said the rocket had put an object into orbit. North Korea said the launch of the satellite Kwangmyongsong-4, named after late leader Kim Jong Il, was a "complete success" and it was making a polar orbit of Earth every 94 minutes. The launch order was given by his son, leader Kim Jong Un, who is believed to be 33 years old. North Korea's state news agency carried a still picture of a white rocket, which closely resembled a previously launched rocket, lifting off. Another showed Kim surrounded by cheering military officials at what appeared to be a command centre. Isolated North Korea's last long-range rocket launch, in 2012, put what it called a communications satellite into orbit, but no signal has ever been detected from it. "If it can communicate with the Kwangmyongsong-4, North Korea will learn about operating a satellite in space," said David Wright, co-director and senior scientist at the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Even if not, it gained experience with launching and learned more about the reliability of its rocket systems." The rocket lifted off at around 9:30 a.m. Seoul time (0600 IST) on a southward trajectory, as planned. Japan's Fuji Television Network showed a streak of light heading into the sky, taken from a camera at China's border with North Korea. North Korea had notified United Nations agencies that it planned to launch a rocket carrying an Earth observation satellite, triggering opposition from governments that see it as a long-range missile test.The UN Security Council condemned the launch in an emergency meeting on Sunday, and vowed to take "significant measures" in response to Pyongyang's violations of UN resolutions, Venezuela's UN ambassador said. US Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. DPRK's (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer." The United States and China began discussing a UN sanctions resolution after Pyongyang's Jan. 6 atomic test. North Korea had initially given a Feb. 8-25 time frame for the launch but on Saturday changed that to Feb. 7-14, apparently taking advantage of clear weather on Sunday. North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration called the launch "an epochal event in developing the country's science, technology, economy and defence capability by legitimately exercising the right to use space for independent and peaceful purposes". The launch and the nuclear test are seen as efforts by the North's young leader to bolster his domestic legitimacy ahead of a ruling party congress in May, the first since 1980. North Korea's embassy in Moscow said in a statement the country would continue to launch rockets carrying satellites, according to Russia's Interfax news agency.NEW MISSILE DEFENCE?South Korea and the United States said that if the advanced missile defence system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) was deployed to South Korea, it would be focused only on North Korea.Seoul had been reluctant to discuss openly the possibility of deploying THAAD. South Korean President Park Geun-hye termed Sunday's launch an unforgivable act of provocation. "North Korea continues to develop their nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and it is the responsibility of our Alliance to maintain a strong defense against those threats," General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, US Forces Korea commander, said in a statement. China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, repeated what it says is "deep concern" about a system whose radar could penetrate its territory. South Korea's military said it would make annual military exercises with U.S. forces "the most cutting-edge and the biggest" this year. North Korea objects to the drills as a prelude to war by a United States it says is bent on toppling the Pyongyang government.The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea. US Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would work with the U.N. Security Council on "significant measures" to hold North Korea to account for what he called a flagrant violation of U.N. resolutions on North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology. Kerry held a telephone conversation with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on Sunday, according to the State Department. South Korea's navy retrieved what it believes to be a fairing used to protect the satellite on its journey into a space, a sign that it is looking for parts of the discarded rocket for clues into the North's rocket programme, which it did following the previous launch. China expressed regret over the launch and called on all sides to act cautiously to prevent any escalation. China is North Korea's main ally, but it disapproves of its nuclear weapons programme. Russia, which has in recent years forged closer ties with North Korea, said the launch could only provoke a "decisive protest," adding Pyongyang had once again demonstrated a disregard for norms of international law.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the launch with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, the foreign ministry said later, with Japan initiating the phone call. Russia stressed the importance of diplomacy in defusing the tension in northeast Asia during the call, the foreign ministry said in a statement.NUCLEAR ASPIRATIONSNorth Korea has been under UN sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006. It has conducted three more atomic tests since then, including the one last month, along with numerous ballistic missile launches.North Korea has said that last month's nuclear test, its fourth, was of a hydrogen bomb. The United States and other governments have expressed doubt over that claim. North Korea is believed to be working on miniaturising a nuclear warhead to put on a missile, but many experts say it is some way from perfecting such technology.It has shown off two versions of a ballistic missile resembling a type that could reach the US West Coast, but there is no evidence the missiles have been tested.REUTERS KU GC0430 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0348-578855.Xml
An Oscar-winning filmmaker hopes her latest Academy Award-nominated documentary will help bring tougher laws against honour killings in Pakistan, which account for the deaths of hundreds of women and men each year. The film, which follows the story of a young woman who survived attempted murder by her father and uncle after marrying a man without their approval, was nominated for an Oscar in January, prompting Pakistan's prime minister to pledge to take a firm stand against the "evil" practice. More than 500 men and women died in honour killings in 2015, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Many of these crimes, carried out by relatives who say their mostly female victims have brought shame on the family, are never prosecuted, observers say. "People need to realise that it is a very serious crime," Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy told Reuters in an interview in the southern city of Karachi. "It's not something that is part of our religion or culture. This is something that should be treated as pre-meditated murder and people should go to jail for it." Obaid-Chinoy's film "A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness", scheduled to air on HBO in March, tells the story of 19-year-old Saba from Pakistan's Punjab province. After marrying a man without the agreement of her family, Saba's father and uncle beat her, shot her in the face, put her in a bag and threw her in a river, leaving her for dead. Saba survived, and set out to ensure that her attackers were brought to justice. Her father and uncle were arrested and went to jail, but Saba was pressured to "forgive" her attackers. That option under Pakistani law can effectively waive a complainant's right to seek punishment against the accused, even in the case of attempted murder. Altering the law to remove the possibility of "forgiveness" could help reduce the number of honour killings in Pakistan, advocates of such a change say. An act that would amend the law across Pakistan was passed by one house of parliament last year, but did not clear the other chamber due to delays, said Sughra Imam, who introduced the bill when she was a lawmaker.Both she and Obaid-Chinoy hope the attention the film has received abroad and at home, including from Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, might help push the amendments through. "The greatest win of 'A Girl in the River' would be if the prime minister does take the lead, brings the stakeholders on board and they pass the (act)," Obaid-Chinoy said. After the film was nominated in the short documentary category, Sharif issued a statement congratulating the filmmaker and pledging his government's commitment to rid Pakistan of the "evil" of honour killings by "bringing in appropriate legislation." Obaid-Chinoy has already won an Oscar in the same category for "Saving Face", a film about acid attacks in Pakistan. Sharif invited the director to screen the new film at his residence to an audience of prominent Pakistanis.Although it is not clear exactly how Sharif proposes to change existing legislation, Obaid-Chinoy said his reaction was a pleasant surprise. "This could be (Sharif's) legacy ... that no woman in this country should be killed in the name of honour, and if she is, people should go to jail for it," she said."The world is watching."REUTERS KU GC0437 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0348-578856.Xml
US Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is polling in the low single digits nationally but may be poised to play the role of spoiler in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary by cutting into the support of higher-profile rivals such as Marco Rubio. The Ohio governor, who is vowing to erase the US budget deficit without shredding the safety net for poor Americans, has built a base of support among moderate Republicans and independent voters, who wield special clout in New Hampshire because they can vote in either party's primary. Kasich, 63, has the support of about 12 to 14 per cent of New Hampshire's voters in recent polls. The former congressman has staked the viability of his White House aspirations on New Hampshire, whose pivotal primary is part of the state-by-state contests to pick the party nominees for the Nov. 8 election to replace Democratic President Barack Obama. While well behind billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump, Kasich's poll numbers are close to those of Rubio, a US senator from Florida who is seeking to build on his momentum after a third-place finish in last Monday's Iowa caucuses behind Trump and winner Ted Cruz, a US senator from Texas. "I found great clarity here in New Hampshire," Kasich said on Sunday in Concord. "These town halls, you know, they're getting bigger and I don't know how I feel about them getting bigger." The event marked his 102nd town hall in the state. For the 100th, in Bedford on Friday, the campaign celebrated with confetti and a cake that was served to voters attending the event. Kasich told stories of personal connections he said he had made with voters at town halls, including with a woman whose daughter has struggled with addiction."She said: 'My daughter has been sober for 11 months,'" Kasich said, asking the crowd: "Do you have any idea what this lady's life is like?'"He added he had promised to call the daughter and tell her: "Your mom is counting on you."RISING PROFILE?The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll put Kasich's support nationally at 3.4 per cent. Kasich himself jokes about his lack of name recognition, saying voters often mispronounce his last name. But among New Hampshire voters, a Monmouth University poll released on Sunday found Kasich at 14 per cent, compared with 30 per cent for Trump and 13 per cent for Rubio and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Rubio was criticized last year by Republican strategists who said he had not done enough to woo voters in New Hampshire in intimate settings such as coffee shops and town halls. This year, however, he has campaigned intensively in the state and often holds town halls. But Rubio came under heavy attack in the Republican presidential debate on Saturday from rivals who accused him of being too inexperienced for the White House. Kasich delivered a positive message during the debate that could appeal to New Hampshire Republican voters, who famously make up their minds late and never seem in the mood to follow the lead of the Iowa caucuses. Some of Kasich's supporters are passionate about him. "It's authenticity, brother. You have my vote," one man told him at the Bedford town hall.Others were weighing their options. Tim Vanblommesteyn, 62, who attended the Kasich town hall in Concord, said he was "disgusted" with both political parties but liked some of what the Ohio governor had to say. The small-business owner and self-described independent praised Kasich for taking what he said was a "principled stand" on immigration reform, an issue that has aroused fiery campaign rhetoric, including from Trump, who has called for deporting illegal immigrants. Kasich has said the United States should secure its borders but that illegal immigrants who have not committed a crime should be able to pay back taxes and get on a path to legalization.Anne Brena, 53, a Democrat from neighboring Vermont, said she came to the Concord event to learn more about the governor. Brena said she thought Democrat Bernie Sanders, a US senator from her home state, was too liberal to win the general election and she has concerns that his rival, former Secretary of Stat Hillary Clinton, has too much "baggage" to win the White House."John Kasich is the only Republican that sounds reasonable," she said. REUTERS KU GC0605 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0348-578860.Xml
North Korea's latest rocket launch may kick off a rapid buildup of US missile defenses in Asia, according to US officials and missile defense experts, something that could further strain ties between the United States and China. North Korea says it put a satellite into orbit yesterday, but the United States and its allies see the launch as cover for Pyongyang's development of ballistic missile technology that could be used to deliver a nuclear weapon. Washington vowed to ensure that the United Nations Security Council imposed serious consequences on Pyongyang after the launch, which followed a Jan. 6 North Korean nuclear test, and sought to reassure its allies South Korea and Japan of its ironclad commitment to defending the region. The United States and South Korea issued a joint statement just hours after the launch saying they would begin formal discussions about deploying the sophisticated Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, to the Korean peninsula "at the earliest possible date." South Korea had been reluctant to discuss openly the possibility of deploying THAAD due to worries about upsetting China, its biggest trading partner. Beijing, at odds with the United States over Washington's reaction to its building of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, has expressed "deep concern" about a system whose radar could penetrate its territory. Russia has also raised concerns about increased U.S. missile defense assets in Asia.TIPPING POINTBut the North Korean rocket launch, on top of last month's nuclear test, could be a "tipping point" for South Korea and win over parts of Seoul's political establishment that remain wary of such a move, a U.S. official said. South Korea and the United States said that if THAAD was deployed to South Korea, it would be focused only on North Korea. Washington moved one of its five THAAD systems to Guam in 2013 following North Korean threats, and is now studying the possibility of converting a Hawaii test site for a land-based version of the shipboard Aegis missile defense system into a combat-ready facility. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said in November that Tokyo would consider deploying THAAD to bolster ballistic missile defenses. Japanese officials could not immediately be reached for comment on whether Tokyo would now seek a THAAD system after North Korea's rocket flew over Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture on Sunday.Riki Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, said the launch would give Japan momentum to do so. Some experts questioned how effective THAAD would be against the type of long-range rocket launched by North Korea and the Pentagon concedes it has yet to be tested against such a device. John Schilling, a contributor to the Washington-based 38 North project that monitors North Korea, said THAAD's advanced AN/TPY-2 tracking radar built by Raytheon Co could provide an early, precise track on any such missile. But it could also carry out similar tracking of the ICBMs that China counts on for strategic deterrence. THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. It has so far proven effective against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists, said that while THAAD could not shoot down the type of rocket launched on Sunday its deployment could reassure the South Korean public. "But this would mainly be symbolic," he said. "Much of what missile defense programs are about is reassuring allies and the public with little or no capability to actually do that." George Lewis, a missile defense expert at Cornell University, said THAAD might provide useful information if a rocket like that launched on Sunday was ever fired against U.S. territory, including Guam.SUITABLE SITE IDENTIFIEDOne U.S. official said the North Korean launch added urgency to longstanding informal discussions about a possible THAAD deployment to South Korea. "Speed is the priority," said the official, who asked not to be named ahead of a formal decision. Renewed missile-defense discussions with the United States could also send a message to Beijing that it needs to do more to rein in North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, another U.S. official said. South Korean officials have already identified a suitable site for the system, but it could also be placed at a U.S. base on the Korean peninsula, Ellison said. THAAD is a system built by Lockheed Martin Corp that can be transported by air, sea or land. The Pentagon has ordered two more batteries from Lockheed. One of the four THAAD batteries based at Fort Bliss, Texas, is always ready for deployment overseas, and could be sent to Japan or South Korea within weeks, Ellison said.Lockheed referred all questions about a possible THAAD deployment to the US military.REUTERS KU GC0708 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0348-578868.Xml
Chinese and Indian border troops have conducted a joint disaster relief exercise, China's defence ministry said today, signalling warming ties between the two Asian powers as they seek to resolve a long-festering border dispute. Leaders from the two nuclear-armed neighbours pledged last May to cool their border dispute, which dates back to a brief border war in 1962, although a messy territorial disagreement remains. The two armies practised handling scenarios like rescuing trapped herders on Saturday, according to a statement posted on China's Ministry of Defence website. "The exercises are designed to implement the Chinese-India border cooperation agreement, to jointly safeguard peace and stability in these areas," the statement said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang agreed at a meeting in May to start annual visits between their militaries, expand exchanges between border commanders and start using a military hotline. China lays claim to more than 90,000 sq km ruled by New Delhi in the eastern sector of the Himalayas. India says China occupies 38,000 sq km of its territory on the Aksai Chin plateau in the west.India is also suspicious of China's support for Pakistan. REUTERS PS PR0838 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-578883.Xml
Speaking at a meeting of UNP members in Kuliyapitiya, Mr. Wickremesinghe said some members should work full time to promote the party, reported Lanka Page website.

The party won't last if every member of it gets involved with the Government, he said.

Wickremesinghe said a new programme will be carried out to promote the party in the village level.

He said the approval of the working committee will be sought for all the new moves.(ANI)
China has pledged to reward people who report online "terrorist" content up to 100,000 yuan (15,200 dollars) for each tip off, after giving out 2 million yuan worth of rewards last year, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday. "The Internet has become a channel for terrorists to spread extremist religious ideas, provoke ethnic conflicts and advocate separatism," Xinhua quoted an unnamed source from the Cyberspace Administration of China's (CAC) reporting centre as saying. The person said Twitter-like microblogs and popular instant messaging services such as WeChat were among tools used by terrorists to "brainwash" young women and children, and encouraged the public to provide tip-offs via a telephone hotline. The centre's source said the most valuable tip off could receive 100,000 yuan, Xinhua reported.Giving unusual details of their efforts last year, the centre in 2015 received reports of more than 20,000 cases, and handed out 2 million yuan worth of rewards, it said. The CAC could not immediately be reached for comment during a public holiday in China. In December, China called for a crackdown on online audio and video recordings used by "terrorists", after the Islamic State purportedly released a Chinese-language song to recruit militants. The government says it faces a serious threat from Islamist militants and separatists in energy-rich Xinjiang, where hundreds of people have been killed in violence in recent years. Rights groups, however, doubt that a cohesive militant Islamist group exists there, saying the violence stems from popular anger at Chinese controls on religion and culture. REUTERS PS PR0029 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-579105.Xml
The Special Investigation Team(SIT), formed by Pakistan to probe the Pathankot terror attack, has found no substantive evidence that banned Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar has masterminded the strike. Pakistani media quoting Express Tribune said the team had worked on the leads provided by India which has blamed the JeM for the attacks carried out on the Air force base in Punjab province bordering Punjab. The Express Tribune has learnt from official sources that Pakisatni authorities had communicated to New Delhi that their team had found no substantial evidence that could nail Masood Azhar in the Pathankot case. The SIT had sought further information from India but the county has refused to share it, the officials said. They, however, said that the team had not ruled out involvement of some low cadre members of JeM but that too could be proved only New Delhi parted with information they asked for. The attack had taken place on January 2, a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modis historic and surprise visit to Lahore and his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif there. The Pathankot derailed the Foreign Secretary level talks that were to take place in the middle of the last month.UNI XC NAZ SW 1609 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-579602.Xml
A suspected suicide bomber who blew a hole in the fuselage of a Daallo Airlines plane last week and forced it to make an emergency landing in Mogadishu was meant to be on a Turkish Airlines flight, the Daallo chief executive said today.The bomber was sucked out of the plane through the one-metre wide hole when the blast ripped open the pressurised cabin in mid-air, officials said. The pilot landed the plane in the Somali capital, from where it had taken off.No group has so far taken responsibility for the attack but a U.S. government source last week said the United States suspects Islamist militant group al Shabaab, which is aligned to al Qaeda, was responsible for the blast.Mohamed Yassin, Daallo Airlines chief executive, said most of the passengers who were on the bombed flight were scheduled to fly with Turkish Airlines, but were ferried to Djibouti by one of his planes after the Turkish carrier cancelled its flight, citing bad weather."That particular passenger (who was behind the blast) boarded the aircraft on a Turkish Airlines boarding pass and was on the list for the Turkish Airlines manifest," Yassin told Reuters by telephone from Dubai.Yassin said Daallo picked up the 70 stranded Turkish Airlines passengers to fly them to Djibouti, including the suicide bomber. In total, the flight had 74 passengers.Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Somalia, mired in conflict since civil war broke out in 1991, has few air links outside East Africa. In 2012, Turkish Airlines became the first major international commercial airline to fly out of Somalia in more than two decades.Mogadishu's heavily guarded airport, which is often compared to the Green Zone in Baghdad, has several safety perimeter fences and checkpoints. It houses a large U.N. compound along with several other Western embassies.Somali officials said an investigation had been launched and arrests made, including airport workers.CCTV footage released by the Somali National Intelligence Agency (NISA) appears to show two airport workers inside the terminal handing the suicide bomber a lap top stuffed with explosives, according to the government spokesman."Some of the people that we have arrested are co-operating," spokesman Abdisalam Aato told Reuters. He said security at the airport has been stepped up and that the government was seeking new technologies to improve screenings.Al Shabaab, which wants to topple the government and impose a harsh version of Islamic law, has targeted the airport in the past. It has also attacked the Turkish embassy in Mogadishu.Yassin said Daallo has been reassured by Somali officials that security was being improved, and will keep flying to Somalia. We have been there for 25 years," he said. "Our efforts to keep Somalia linked to the rest of the world will continueREUTERS CJ VP1620 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-579632.Xml
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov today dismissed Wests accusation that Russia was responsible for the suspension of intra-Syrian talks, stressing that terrorist groups should not be represented at the negotiations."Russia can hardly be held responsible for the suspension of negotiations, for bearing some imaginary blame for that," Mr Peskov told reporters.Intra-Syrian talks on the settlement of the conflict in the country was scheduled to begin in Geneva in the first days of February. However, several days later, they were postponed till the end of the month. UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, expressed the hope that contacts between the parties to the Syrian conflict would resume in Geneva on February 25. Some Western countries claimed that the Russia-supported offensive of the Syrian army was upsetting the chances of a peace settlement.Mr Peskov reiterated that Russia was providing support for the Syrian army in its offensive operations against terrorist groups.Terrorist groups are not taking part in these Intra-Syrian talks and they should not take part in them," Mr Peskov said, adding that nobody questioned the feasibility of further struggle against these terrorist groups."Russia provides support for the legitimate leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic in the struggle with terrorism and terrorist groups and at the same time pushes ahead with efforts along the political and diplomatic track," Mr Peskov said earlier. "We are aware that the process of negotiations will be uneasy and time-consuming. But we hope that it will continue this way or another," he said.UNI XC CJ RP1650 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-579651.Xml
Chechen forces loyal to the Kremlin are on the ground in Syria gathering military intelligence deep inside Islamic State-controlled territory which the Russian air force is using to identify bombing targets, Russian state TV has said.Chechen intelligence agents have also infiltrated the ranks of the militant group, according to Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, who said he had sent undercover agents to train alongside its fighters at the start of the Syrian war."According to Ramzan Kadyrov, an extensive spy network has been set up inside Islamic State," said Russian state TV, whose coverage usually reflects the Kremlin line."The republic's (Chechnya's) best fighters were sent there. They are gathering information about the structure and the number of terrorists, and are identifying targets for bombing and documenting the bombing's results."The assertions were contained in a teaser for a TV documentary to be broadcast on Wednesday on the state-controlled Russia 24 channel.Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, declined to confirm the presence of Chechen forces in Syria.Russia launched air strikes in Syria on Sept. 30 and has set up an air base to complement an existing naval facility. It has infantry and armour there to protect its assets and has military trainers and advisers working with the Syrian army.Western diplomats have said Russian special forces are also active in Syria; Russian authorities have been coy on that.But state TV, in the teaser which was broadcast on Sunday evening, said the time had now come to talk about the forces who were helping coordinate Russian air strikes in Syria "at the cost of their own lives."It showed a training camp in Chechnya, which it said was where soldiers now active in Syria had honed their skills.Hundreds of heavily armed men with four-wheel drive vehicles were shown lined up, with one man shown repeatedly firing a pistol as he navigated what looked like a special urban warfare training course.Kadyrov, a former Chechen rebel turned Kremlin loyalist, was also shown firing a high-powered weapon at a target himself. He said his men in Syria had suffered losses.Kadyrov said in October he wanted to send Chechen servicemen to Syria to take part in "special operations" but would only do so if Putin authorised such a deployment.Russian forces fought two brutal wars against Chechen insurgents, but the region has since been given a large measure of autonomy within Russia and been rebuilt. Kadyrov says he is one of Putin's staunchest supporters. REUTERS CJ NS1702 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-579726.Xml
Police in the Maldives arrested a judge and former prosecutor general over their alleged involvement in issuing a fraudulent court order to arrest President Abdulla Yameen, a presidential spokesman said on Monday. But the main opposition, led by jailed former leader Mohamed Nasheed, who is now in London for surgery, said the government was trying to cover up corruption, including money-laundering. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected president, was jailed for 13 years on terrorism charges last March over the alleged abduction of a judge, after a rapid trial that drew international condemnation. On Sunday, a magistrate's court from an atoll close to Male, the capital, issued an arrest warrant for Yameen in a police investigation, government officials and police said. In a statement, the police said a group of individuals influenced a judge to issue the warrant against Yameen.Some of them tried to get police to act on the false court order, while another group of activists tried to stage a gathering outside Yameen's official residence, police said. "The warrant is fraudulent because it didn't originate from any official authority," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Hussain Shihab told Reuters. Former Prosecutor General Muhuthaz Muhsin, who was impeached by parliament last year, and Ahmed Nihan, a magistrate's court judge, were arrested on Sunday after an initial investigation, he added. Muhsin was later released, two Maldivian diplomats in Colombo, who asked not to be identified, as they were not authorised to speak to the media, told Reuters. They did not state the reason for his release. Muhsin and Nihan did not immediately respond to telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment.Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said it had evidence to implicate President Yameen in corrupt activities, however. "Nasheed calls on the Maldives Police Service to uphold the law, and not to attempt to cover up evidence of President Yameen's involvement in corruption, money laundering, terrorist financing," the MDP said in a statement.REUTERS CJ VN1900 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-580155.Xml
An explosion damaged a car in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported, an incident the Islamic State militant group said was caused by a bomb one of its members had affixed to the vehicle. Saudi Arabia in 2014 declared Islamic State a terrorist organisation and has detained hundreds of its supporters. The group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria, has staged a series of attacks in the kingdom. A police spokesman said a citizen had reported that his car had been damaged by a blast on Monday while parked in front of his house in the city's Al-Azizia district, according to SPA. There were no injuries. Some nearby vehicles also were damaged. In a statement released on the Telegram social messaging platform, Islamic State's Amaq news agency said the blast was caused by a "sticky bomb" attached to the vehicle of a member of the Saudi armed forces, the SITE monitoring service reported. A Saudi interior ministry spokesman was not immediately available for comment. On Jan. 29 an attack at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in the al-Ahsa district in Eastern Province killed four people and injured 18. It was among a string of attacks claimed by the Sunni Muslim jihadists that killed around 50 Saudis in the past year.REUTERS CJ VN2016 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-580390.Xml
A special investigation team set up in Pakistan to probe a deadly assault on an Indian air base last month found no evidence implicating the leader of the group India blamed for the attack, Pakistani security officials said today.The officials said the team interrogated Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar and his associates and found no evidence linking him with the January 2 attack on the Pathankot air base in northern India that killed seven Indian military personnel."We searched their homes, seminaries, hideouts and also examined their call records for past three months and found nothing dubious," a security official with links to the investigating team said.The raid on the air base stalled efforts to revive bilateral talks between the nuclear-armed neighbours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, in December.India has long accused Pakistan of using Kashmir-based militants like Jaish-e-Mohammad, or Army of Mohammad, as a proxy to mount attacks on Indian soil.A 2001 attack on the Indian parliament, which India also blamed on Jaish-e-Mohammad, nearly led to a war between the nations.Pakistan denies giving any aid to Kashmir-based militants these days, although it admits doing so in the past.Indian government officials say Jaish-e-Mohammad was also behind the Pathankot attack and say they provided evidence to the Pakistani government to prove it.A spokesman for India's foreign ministry declined to comment on reports of the special investigation team's findings.In January, Pakistani authorities detained Azhar and several members of Jaish-e-Mohammad, sealed offices belonging to the outfit, and shut down several religious schools run by the group.The security officials said today that Azhar remained in custody, but did not say whether authorities were considering his release.The investigating team has not ruled out the possibility that other members of Azhar's group may have been involved, the officials said.It also continued to look into groups affiliated with the United Jihad Council, an alliance of pro-Pakistan militant groups based in the Pakistani-administered part of the divided Kashmir region that claimed responsibility for the assault in Pathankot.Jaish-e-Mohammad did not claim responsibility for the attack, but praised it in a statement released a few days afterward.REUTERS PY SB2210 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0298-580602.Xml
The abortion debate has intensified in South and Central America as the Zika virus, linked to severe birth defects, spreads throughout the region.

Latin America has the most restrictive abortion laws in the world, according to Jennifer Kates, vice president and director of global health and HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit focusing on U.S. and global health issues.

But it's hardly alone. Other global regions with restrictive abortion laws include the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Most nations, about 96 percent, permit abortion to save a woman's life, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center analysis of 196 countries based on 2013 United Nations data. The six countries that outlaw abortions under any circumstances are Chile, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Vatican City and Malta, according to Pew.

If history is any guide, however, countries may see a loosening of restrictions in coming years. Laws governing abortion have become more liberal worldwide in recent decades, Kates and others say.

"Over the last 20 years, over 30 countries have liberalized their abortion laws," says Katherine Mayall, global advocacy adviser for the Center for Women's Reproductive Rights, a legal advocacy nonprofit pushing for more reproductive rights worldwide.

[READ: What rubella can teach us about Zika.]

Brazil could be one of those countries. In the South American nation, where nearly 1.5 million people have caught Zika, abortion is illegal except in cases of rape or when a woman's life is in danger. But Brazil's legal scholars plan to ask the country's highest court to allow pregnant women to be permitted to have abortions when their fetuses are found to have abnormally small heads, according to The New York Times.

Below are 10 countries with some of the world's most restrictive abortion laws:

Country Abortion Policy Brazil Permitted only in case of rape, to save a woman's life, a few other limited circumstances Chile Illegal without exception Ireland Allowed only to save a woman's life Nigeria Allowed only to save a woman's life and in some cases health Iran Allowed only to save a woman's life Saudi Arabia Allowed only to save a woman's life or health, requires spouse/parental approval Indonesia Allowed only in cases of rape, to save a woman's life, fetal impairment, requires spouse approval Philippines Illegal without exception Argentina Allowed only to save a woman's life, health and in cases of rape

Devon Haynie is news editor, international for U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dhaynie@usnews.com.
Insert chirping-bird and flute sounds here: Valentine's Day is upon us, a time when the chocolates fly, the mushy poems lie, and investors in love decide how much they'll buy. From each other, that is.

As a force of irrational exuberance even former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan cannot explain, love is indeed too often blind when it comes time to unite portfolios and pool finances. Think of it like an investor who pours money into a pet stock without taking time to check the numbers. And here's one statistic that cannot be ignored when it comes to couples and their money: Half of marriages still end in divorce.

"Financial issues consistently are among the top reasons why marriages fail; complex emotions are tied to money," says Stephen T. Diltz, senior financial advisor and senior vice president of Diltz Schroeder & Associates of Merrill Lynch, located in the Chicago area. "Whatever a couple's biases, hopes and expectations are about money, they should commit to the responsibility of open and regular dialogue at the time they combine their finances."

So between the investment you make in your partner and the cold, hard truth that love is an even-money crapshoot, what can happy couples do to grow an investment future together while protecting themselves -- and each other -- from unforeseen consequences? Financial experts offer 10 tips to make the most of marrying investments and finances.

Newlyweds: It's time to get fresh. No matter where you and your better half stood financially before you stood at the altar, you have a rare opportunity to chart an entirely new course. "Starting fresh is always a good idea," says Monica Bucciarelli, a member of the AICPA's National CPA Financial Literacy Commission. "Consider new bank and investment accounts and new wills, all geared toward the realities of the new relationship and situation. Starting fresh usually makes both parties feel invested and in control as opposed to just being inserted into old or existing ways of doing things."

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An advisor swan song: Breaking up is hard to do. Marrying your partner doesn't mean a union of financial advisors; in fact, that's a tough feat to pull off. "If assets are combined, having two financial advisors could make it difficult for them to do their jobs and for the couple to receive value," Diltz says. What to do, then? "The couple should consider having a primary financial advisor positioned as a holistic planner," he says. That could be one of the two -- or someone entirely new -- who helps the couple "understand their combined asset allocation, risk tolerance and asset location," he says.

Tricks of taking love to the bank. If you and your honey start by keeping separate bank accounts, be careful. "It seemingly encourages the attitude that my money is mine and mine alone," says Min Zhang, CEO of Totum Wealth in Los Angeles. "However, if one has automated payments and credit cards, it can be difficult to reorganize this, not to mention ordering new checks." A good mutual target, Zhang suggests, is to start a new joint account that allows for spending transparency and a gentle path to financial union while preserving some autonomy.

Your better half may have a worse half. In today's cash-conscious climate, "You never told me about that old boyfriend" might as well be replaced by "You never told me about that car loan default." "Recognize that when you marry, your credit score will be impacted by each other's history," says Bellaria Jimenez, managing partner of MetLife Premier Client Group, based in Cranford, New Jersey. "This could negatively affect the purchase of a new home as an example." You may also discover that your partner has a spotty or even nonexistent investment history, another factor in creating financial imbalance.

Speak now or forever hold your pieces. If you thought picking out china patterns was tough, wait until it comes time to align your investment priorities. "Complicated issues are important to discuss," says Larry Athan, partner in the Trusts & Estates Group of Posternak Blankstein & Lund, a Boston-based law firm. "Couples often have different philosophies regarding spending, saving, investing and incurring debt -- and this can cause major long-lasting divisions between couples if not discussed and resolved early on."

Re-marrieds with children: Don't kid around. Previously married newlyweds with children shouldn't count on financial bliss of Brady Bunch proportions, says Keith Baker, a professor of mortgage banking who teaches personal finance courses at North Lake College in Irving, Texas. "You're now combining two families and need to think about keeping your assets separate," he says. After all, it's for the kids: "to maintain your ability to transfer assets to your children, and at the same time, your new spouse's assets can go to his or her children," he says.

One time to say yup to the prenup. This issue isn't so clear-cut as when a princess marries a pauper. (After all, the pauper may want to hang on to his beer can collection at all costs.) "One common practice I usually recommend to clients in a family business is to keep the business assets separate, especially when other family members are involved in that business," says Chuck Mattiucci, a financial advisor at Fragasso Financial Advisors in Pittsburgh. "In the unfortunate event the couple should divorce, the business assets won't be affected, therefore insulating the other family members and stakeholders."

True love has its limits. Especially if you want to set common investment goals, you have to share common priorities that put the curb on, say, retail therapy. "Set a threshold for purchases that needs to be discussed as a couple," says Mikel Van Cleve, director of personal finance advice with USAA. "For example, if a purchase exceeds $100, you must agree as a couple before the purchase is made." (Whether you want to make exceptions for stock purchases is your call.)

Spenders and savers need mediators. "The most common problem I see from couples is that one wants to save for the future and one wants to spend everything now," says David Henderson, a financial planner with Client One Securities, located in the Kansas City area. "This can be a real challenge and can cause major problems long-term if it isn't resolved. Sometimes going to a counselor is a good way to work through these issues."

Make goals the goal. Before landing that catch, you had the objective of meeting Mr. or Ms. Right. With that off your bucket list, now's the time to take that first shared leap of faith as you invest your way to happiness. "Goals are so simple but so powerful," says Laura Catalano, manager of E-Trade Financial's Chicago office. "Setting and agreeing on financial goals will allow couples to be on the same page, alleviate future money concerns and ultimately support a prosperous marriage."
Ankara (Turkey) (AFP) - Around 30,000 Syrians are at the Turkish border after fleeing a Russia-backed regime offensive on the northern region of Aleppo, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

With his country facing mounting pressure to open its border, Davutoglu said the refugees would be admitted if need be, although Turkey should not be expected "to shoulder the refugee issue alone."

"Around 30,000 Syrians have now massed," the border with northwestern Syria which remains closed, he told a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Davutoglu, whose country is hosting 2.7 million Syrian refugees, said Turkey would take refugees "if necessary."

"Obviously, as always, we will provide for our Syrian brothers and accept them when necessary," he said.

But he warned: "No one should assume that just because Turkey is taking in all the refugees that it should be expected to shoulder the refugee issue alone."

Merkel's visit is aimed at pressing Turkey to make good on pledges to do more to reduce the influx of refugees to Europe.

It came as 33 people died off Turkey's coast attempting to reach Greece in two separate tragedies on Tuesday.

The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros ($3.2 billion) in financial assistance.

The EU on Wednesday finally reached an agreement on how to finance the deal.

But the deal and the onset of winter do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily.

Davutoglu said Turkey and Germany would "cooperate better" to make EU's border agency Frontex more efficient.
Juba (AFP) - At least 40,000 people are being starved to death in South Sudan war zones on the brink of famine, the United Nations said Monday, in a plea to rival forces to let aid in.

The figures released in a UN report describe some of the worst conditions yet in more than two years of a civil war marked by atrocities and accusations of war crimes, including the blockading of food supplies.

Conditions are "escalating", the UN said, with already over 2.8 million people needing aid, almost a quarter of the country.

"Nearly 25 percent of the country's population remain in urgent need of food assistance, and at least 40,000 people are on the brink of catastrophe," the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN children's agency UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a joint statement.

"Families have been doing everything they can to survive, but they are now running out of options," said UNICEF country chief Jonathan Veitch.

"Many of the areas where the needs are greatest are out of reach because of the security situation. It is crucial that we are given unrestricted access now."

The warning comes three months after the last UN-backed specialised hunger assessment, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report.

That October report warned of a "concrete risk of famine" without aid, but areas remain too dangerous for experts to access, meaning it was not possible to gather the statistics needed to declare famine.

- 'Likely to deteriorate' -

There has been no let up in the conflict and while some food has been delivered, civilians report dire conditions.

The army and rebels have repeatedly accused each other of breaking an internationally-brokered August ceasefire.

The IPC lists famine as a technical measure, which classifies hunger on a scale of one to five. Level five is classified as "catastrophe", and when stretched to 20 percent of the population, becomes famine.

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A year ago famine was averted only after a huge intervention by aid agencies.

Those worst affected are in the northern battleground state of Unity, once the country's key oil producing region, but now the scene of some of the heaviest fighting, including the mass abduction and rape of women and children.

The counties of Mayendit, Koch, Leer and Guit are hardest hit, with people there surviving by scavenging swamps for water lilies and fish, but those will dry up in the dry season in coming months.

With fighting making those areas too dangerous to visit, IPC experts measured malnourishment from those fleeing the hunger zone into a UN peacekeeper base in Bentiu, where some 120,000 people are sheltering.

It warned that people there were already "destitute" and "the situation is likely to deteriorate."

- Hunger across Horn of Africa -

Civil war erupted in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of planning a coup, setting off a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines.

Last week South Sudan lawmakers passed a controversial bill restricting numbers of foreign aid workers, sparking fears it will hinder efforts to help millions in need, as well as breaking the August peace deal.

UN aid chief in South Sudan Eugene Owusu said he was concerned as the "wide-ranging and negative ramifications for the humanitarian operation at a time when needs are higher than ever."

The UN said conditions are "particularly worrisome" because they show an increase in hunger during the post-harvest period, when people should have the most food, warning that the hunger season will start earlier and last longer than normal.

South Sudan also faces economic collapse with soaring inflation.

"Many traders are going out of business as cereal prices hit record high prices," the IPC report read.

While South Sudan's hunger is sparked mainly by war, drought across the Horn of Africa is also putting millions at risk, with floods and failed rains caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

In Somalia, the UN warned on Monday that over 58,000 children will starve to death without urgent aid, with 950,000 people struggling every day to find food.
North Koreas rocket launch this weekend has prompted the United States and South Korea to revive talks about placing a controversial missile defense system on the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang claims it used a Kwangmyongsong rocket to put a satellite into orbit on Sunday, but Washington and Seoul believe thats just a cover story to obscure the Hermit Kingdoms latest demonstration of ballistic missile technology that could be used to deliver a nuclear weapon.

Related: $583 Billion Defense Budget Covers Russia, China, and ISIS with New Weapons

Now the longtime allies are set to formally discuss deploying the U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, known as THAAD, to South Korea.

"In response to the increasing North Korea's threat, ROK and the U.S. will officially discuss deploying THAAD to U.S. forces in Korea to improve its missile defense posture," Yoo Jeh-seung, a top planner at the South Korean Defense Ministry said.

The system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, can target short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in flight.

"North Korea continues to develop their nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and it is the responsibility of our alliance to maintain a strong defense against those threats," said Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, the head of U.S. forces in Korea.

Related: How to Blast Billions from the DOD Budget

Japan has also been considering adding THAAD to boost its own missile defenses.

One THAAD system costs $800 million. That price tag, and lingering questions about the systems effectiveness against long-range rockets, has led Washington to buy only five of the weapons, much to the dismay of missile defense proponents.

Washington deployed one of its five THAAD systems to Guam in 2013 following another round of North Korean belligerence. South Korean officials have resisted previous efforts to place the weapons system on their territory because THAADs radar systems would be able to scan territory that includes mainland China, a no-go with Beijing.

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However, China hasnt weighed in on North Koreas latest provocation, and talk of putting a U.S. missile defense system on the countrys doorstep could be a ploy to force Beijing to take a stronger hand with Pyongyang.

The rocket launch seeped into the presidential campaign in the U.S. over the weekend.

With respect to North Korea and what we should do now, one of the first things we should do is expand our missile defense capacity. We ought to put missile defense interceptors in South Korea. South Korea wants them, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said during Saturday nights GOP debate, a line echoed by other White House hopefuls and congressional Republicans.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's Amaya Inc, operator of online gambling website PokerStars, said on Monday that a special committee of its board has tapped Barclays to review an expected all-cash offer from its Chief Executive David Baazov. Earlier this month, Amaya disclosed that it had received a non-binding proposal from Baazov to take the company private for C$21 a share. The company said the special committee has also engaged Blake, Cassels & Graydon as its legal advisor in connection with the notice received from Baazov. The special committee said it has yet to receive a formal bid and that there can be no assurance that Baazov's notice will result in a formal bid or offer. Baazov has indicated in a regulatory filing that he had recently begun preliminary discussions with a small number of potential investors and it was his intention, subject to certain contingencies, to submit a formal proposal at or about the end of February. Amaya shares were down 35 Canadian cents at C$18.65 in early trading in Toronto on Monday. (Reporting by Euan Rocha; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
By Zandi Shabalala CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's Anglo American Platinum will cut 1,000 jobs at its struggling Twickenham mine, the firm's chief executive said on Monday, but ruled out a sale of the mine. Amplats, a unit of global mining group Anglo American, is pivoting its strategy on newer and more mechanised mines and removing unprofitable ounces following a record five-month strike in 2014 that damaged the viability of its mines. Platinum prices have been battered by growth concerns in key consumer China and oversupply worries forcing firms to abandon projects and sell mines to cope. "That's unfortunately one of the outcomes of putting a project like that on care and maintenance. And it's about 1,000 people affected," Chief Executive Chris Griffith told Reuters at a mining conference in Cape Town when asked about job cuts. Amplats said last year that its mechanisation drive would be implemented at Twickenham, a mine project it has been developing in South Africa as it prepares to shed labour-intensive assets. Griffith on Monday said the company ruled out selling Twickenham project and will consider restarting the project again when the platinum market improves. It was not immediately clear how many people work at the mine, or when the job cuts would take effect. "Its a very tough pricing environment and we have to make sure that we look at every area of costs," he said, adding that the mine was losing money. Amplats impaired Twickenham, which is based in the northern Limpopo province, for 3.5 billion rand ($219 million) and has started a consultation process with unions on job cuts. The National Union of Mineworkers, which is the majority union at the mine, said it would oppose the job cuts. "We are worried about the jobs bloodbath in the South African mining industry. Are mining companies here to create jobs or are they here to cut jobs? It looks like the companies are here to cut jobs and focus on profits," NUM spokesman Livhuwani Mammburu said. Mining firms in Africa's most industrialised are struggling due to weakening global commodities prices for the country's platinum, gold, iron ore and coal exports. Amplats reported an 86 percent drop in full-year profit on Monday, hit by write-downs and restructuring costs amid plunging commodity prices. ($1 = 16.0115 rand) (Editing by James Macharia)
Two frog species with a bizarre behavior have been discovered in Taiwan: The tadpoles of the newfound tree frogs munch on their mom's gooey, unfertilized eggs.

One of the newly discovered tree frogs  Kurixalus berylliniris, which is Latin for "green-colored iris"  has emerald-hued eyes and a slim body that can be either a dark green or deep tan. Discovered in wet forests in eastern Taiwan, the frogs are dimorphic, with the females having a slight size advantage, measuring 1.6 inches (41 millimeters) in length, compared with the male's 1.37-inch (35 mm) bodies.

Some of the K. berylliniris tadpoles the scientists collected showed creamy, yellow tummies, suggesting the youngsters had feasted on some of their mama's eggs, study leader Shu-Ping Wu of the University of Taipei and colleagues noted online Jan. 28 in the journal ZooKeys.

The other newbie was named Kurixalus wangi in honor of herpetologist Ching-Shong Wang. This golden-eyed frog is tiny, with males measuring some 1.18 inches (30 mm) in length and females extending 1.34 inches (34 mm). Compared with its eyes, the frog's body is pretty drab, with brownish-green skin covered in dark-brown and black spots. The animal's belly and throat are whitish. [See Photos of 40 Freaky Frogs]

Both tree frogs lay their eggs in tree holes, the researchers found.

The two frog species, as compared with each other and other species, had different mating calls, distinct genetic compositions and other genetic features, and diverse morphological characteristics, leading the researchers to conclude these were two new species.

"Although Taiwan is a highly developed island with significant alterations to the natural landscape and destruction of critical habitats for amphibians, it is noteworthy that during the last 50 years, six of the seven newly described frog species in Taiwan were tree frogs inhabiting forested areas," the researchers wrote in their journal article.

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First, imagine a starship. Now, imagine youre on it, cruising out to Alpha Centauri, or some distant speck of light in the great beyond. This starship has a great gym, and great lookout windows too. All is well with your trip until you get a nasty burn on your hand when you spill your Earl Grey tea. You rush to the infirmary, but youre not too worried. You know the doc can 3-D print you a custom dressing that can significantly reduce the time itll take your burn to heal.

Imagined starships like these are filled with imagined technologies and medical advances, but in the case of this kind of wound dressings, its not so sci-fi. An Aurora, Colorado company called Sharklet Technologies has developed a clever dressing design that it believes could markedly improve the way we treat deep cuts and major burns.

I came across Sharklets wound-healing technology last fall at the fifth 100-Year Starship Symposium, held in Santa Clara, California. The symposium, organized and run by former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, brings together scientists, engineers, business people, philosophers, and artists of a certain mindset to consider what it might take to build a spaceship to another star system, and to do it within the next century.

Recommended: The U.S. Is Running Out of Nurses

It was, no doubt, a gathering of enthusiasts. Predictably, some of the symposium presentations dealt with far-out ideas, thought experiments, and exploratory, early-stage researchthe kind of stuff serious scholars and entrepreneurs might talk about in private, but rarely in public. For instance: how to build a mockup starship on Earth, how religion might evolve in space, which textiles and apparel might be best for interstellar travel, how to make relativistic propulsion systems, and how we might hunt for water-independent alien life.

As a science journalist with more than a decade of experience, I was skeptical. Scouring the program and listening to a few presentations I found a mix of philosophizing and hard data, mathematical hand waving and products-in-development. It wasnt clear thered be anything worth covering.

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But one symposium session did catch my eye. Chelsea Magin, a product developer at Sharklet Technologies was presenting an alluringly titled talk called 3-D Printed Sharkskin for Enhanced Interstellar Wound Healing. Who could ignore all of those buzzwords stuffed into a single sentence?

I was pleased to learn that the presentation was well grounded. Much of space travel is about sustaining human life while were traveling, says Magin, referring to space medicine in general. Being able to 3-D print is a more sustainable way of doing it, she says. Youre not carrying around boxes and boxes of wound dressings.

Thats good news for a starship, which, as a closed system of people living in close proximity, could easily breed bacteria and infections.

In fact, most problems in space and on ultra-long duration missions often boil down to issues of scarcity, adaptability, and efficient use of resources. Not too different, actually, from living well on Earth. Think about rural burn units, remote battlefields, and rural hospitals. Some starship technologies might actually have some real-world applications.

Sharklets wound dressings are made from a double-layered biodegradable material that can be printed into the shape of a specific gouge or cut, Magin explains. On the top layer are a series of ridges and valleys about two micrometers across. These features effectively direct the migration of healthy skin cells into the wound. The microscopic topology of the dressings are patterned after the same topology found in sharkskin, which keeps barnacles and algae from stickingits a topology that whales and most boats dont possess, and its what keeps a sharks skin clean and free of so-called biofouling.

Recommended: Can America Put Itself Back Together?

Magin says that the dressing design takes advantage of the natural impulse for skin cells to migrate. At the edges of a wound, skin cells receive biochemical signals that tell them theyre not fully surrounded by other skin cells, so they move in random directions until they are. If youve just cut yourself shaving, the cells dont have much ground to cover, but a deeper gash is harder to traverse. This is where the patterns of sharkskin can help.

Magins team has mathematically designed the size and shape of the patterns and the composition of the material to best guide the randomly moving skin cells to where they need to be.

The bodys natural reaction is to close itself off to the environment, says Anthony Atala, the director of the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a researcher not involved with Sharklets technologies. Theres a sort of race between skin cells that heal a wound and scar tissue, he says. When skin cells cant make it there in time, cells called fibroblasts fill the gapand thats how scars form.

Sharklets approach of aiding cell migration with microchannels is a good one, Atala adds. Its an intense area of research as well as an area of promise because youre providing that microstructure, he says.

The dressings, literally called Sharkskin, have been run through lab tests in petri dishes and pre-clinical studies with animals. Over the course of the study, the researchers saw 64 percent more skin-cell migration in petri dishes. In animals, they saw a 31 percent improvement in the healing of those with the dressing than with those untreated. The findings will be published in a special thematic issue of the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine called Immuno-engineering Materials. Magin says the team is continuing preclinical animal trials and expects clinical trials in two to three years.

Theres a sort of race between skin cells that heal a wound and scar tissue.

Sharklet is also developing technology that uses similar microscopic ridges on surfaces in high-touch locations, like door handles, countertops, and cell phones, to deter bacteria growth. One immediate application, and where Sharklet is currently putting efforts, is to reduce hospital-acquired infections from some of the more persistent bugs like MRSA. Good news for a starship too, which, as a closed system of people living in close proximity, could easily breed bacteria and infections.

Magin says that the company is mostly focused on earthbound problems and solutions, but has recently garnered interest from the aerospace industry in Colorado. Whats good for burn units, battlefields, and starships is also good for the International Space Station, and proposed missions to asteroids, the moon, and Mars.

Of course, no one knows what medical technology will fly on a starship or even if starships will fly at all. But from the 100 Year Starship Conference I learned that if you frame your fantasy starship problem just right, you might also be able to do some good here on Earth.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
LONDON (AP)  Benedict Cumberbatch and Emma Watson have new roles: Visiting fellows at Oxford University.

The actors are among 11 non-academics to have accepted appointments at Oxford's Lady Margaret Hall.

Visiting fellows are normally appointed for three years and are encouraged to visit, dine, debate or perform at the college.

Alan Rusbridger, the school's principal and former editor at the Guardian newspaper, said he hoped the chosen fellows would enhance the cultural life of the college and help bridge the academic community with their various fields.

Other visiting fellows include Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys, film director Beeban Kidron, a neurosurgeon, a judge and a police constable.

Read More: Eddie Redmayne to Co-Host L.A. Reception for U.K. Film Campaign
Ankara (AFP) - Turkey and Germany will ask NATO to help police the Turkish coast and stop traffickers from sending migrants on dangerous sea journeys, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday.

"We will use the NATO defence ministers' meeting (from Wednesday) to talk about the situation in Syria as well as whether and to what extent NATO can help in monitoring the situation at sea and lend support to (the EU's border agency) Frontex and Turkish coastguards," she said after talks in Ankara with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Merkel said German and Turkish police would also step up cooperation in halting illegal migration and cracking down on human smugglers.

About 360 migrants drowned in the Mediterranean in January alone, according to the International Organization for Migration, and the EU views Turkey's aid as crucial in stopping would-be asylum seekers from embarking on the sea journeys.

Ankara struck a deal with the EU in November to stem the migrant influx into Europe, in return for three billion euros ($3.2 billion) in financial assistance to Turkey.
Is limited Internet access for hundreds of millions of people superior to unlimited Internet access, as enjoyed by a limited set of the population? Indian regulators say no, dealing a blow to Facebooks Free Basics program and others like it.

In its ruling Monday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) banned zero-rated Internet services, saying:

(1) No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content. (2) No service provider shall enter into any arrangement, agreement or contract, by whatever name called, with any person, natural or legal, that has the effect of discriminatory tariffs for data services being offered or charged to the consumer on the basis of content.

There are exceptions, such as in the case of providing emergency services, or at times of grave public emergency, TRAI said in the ruling, which the agency said it would review in two years.

Recommended: Facebook's Setback in India

Violators, the agency said, will be fined an equivalent of about $735 a day, up to a maximum of about $73,000. The amount may be a pittance to Facebook, which was not specifically named in Mondays ruling, but the decision is a major blow to the company that had expended time and money toward promoting Free Basics in India. The service offered Indians access to a few websites without using up the data plans on their cell phones.

Last year, on a visit to India, Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder and CEO, described the service as our mission is to give everyone in the world the power to share whats important to them and to connect every person in the world. But protests against Free Basics began in India almost as soon as the program was announced.

Heres a summary of the two sides of the debate, courtesy of Gizmodo:

Last year, Indian net neutrality activists argued that Free Basics was a way for Facebook to shape internet access. Which is true. Zuckerberg & Co. countered that its actually a way to connect people who may otherwise not have internet access. Which is also true!

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Another way to look at Mondays decision (via TechCrunch): While this may be a victory for net neutrality supporters, others might see it as a step back for the wider growth of smartphone usage in the country, where a large part of the population cannot afford services without subsidies.

India is seen as one of Facebooks biggest markets for growth. The Free Basics program is offered in about three dozen countries, but none of them come close in size to India, where only about a quarter of the nations 1.2 billion people are online. Facebook said it was disappointed with TRAIs decision.

Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform, it said in a statement Monday. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
London (AFP) - A British EU exit could mean thousands of migrants landing on Britain's shores "overnight", the government said, stepping up the rhetoric in the campaign ahead of a referendum on membership.

Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said a "Brexit" could undermine a Franco-British bilateral agreement that allows Britain to carry out border checks on French soil, stopping many migrants.

"Should Britain leave the EU there's no guarantee those controls would remain in place," Cameron's spokesman told reporters at a daily briefing.

"If those controls weren't in place there would be nothing to stop thousands of people crossing the Channel overnight and arriving in Kent (southeast England) and claiming asylum," he said.

The Le Touquet border treaty was signed in 2003 by the then British and French interior ministers David Blunkett and Nicolas Sarkozy following a series of riots at the Sangatte migrant camp near Calais.

The treaty allowed for joint British and French border controls in Channel ports in France, easing the pressure on Britain's border force that came from the thousands of migrants from Sangatte who were making daily attempts to board Channel Tunnel trains.

"There are any number of opposition politicians in France who would love to tear up the excellent agreement we have with France," Cameron said after a speech later in the day.

"I don't think we should give those politicians any excuse to do that," he added.

Many in northern France believe that getting rid of British border controls in France would mean the end of controversial migrant camps like the "Jungle" as well as easing the burden on French police.

Xavier Bertrand, the newly-elected head of the northern French region that includes the port of Calais, said the British government's comments meant that revising the treaty was "no longer taboo".

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Bertrand, from the opposition Republicans party, hailed the comments as "a turning point".

If Britain were to leave the European Union "they would automatically take the border back. If they stay, we cannot remain as we are," he added.

- 'Scaremongering'? -

The warning about migrants arriving in Kent -- a picturesque area known as the "Garden of England" for its fruit and hop growing -- was described as a political move by Cameron ahead of the referendum.

"Arguments to this effect are likely to play a significant role in the campaign, on both sides of the referendum question, said Marley Morris of think tank IPPR.

"But our research suggests that claims that EU migration will remain high or increase in the event of Brexit do not wash with the public."

Cameron's words were quickly contested by Britain's anti-EU campaigners, who said the border deal would not be affected by the country's EU membership status.

Arron Banks, co-founder of the Leave.EU campaign, accused Cameron of "scaremongering".

"The agreement we have to process migrants in Calais is with France, not the EU. There is no reason for this to change on leaving the EU," he said.

Immigration is the central issue for many Britons in the debate over whether Britain should stay or leave the European Union ahead of an in-or-out referendum expected to be held later this year.

Recent opinion polls indicate that more Britons want to leave than want to stay and experts say attitudes have hardened in reaction to Europe's migrant crisis.

Rob Whiteman, a former head of Britain's Border Agency, supported Cameron by saying Brexit would mean "almost certainly" that France would end the treaty.

"There has been lots of upsides for the UK since the treaty was negotiated in 2003, not much upside for the French," he told BBC radio.

"Before that treaty was put in place asylum claims were running at 80,000 a year in the UK. They are now running at about 30,000 a year so we would probably see, let's say, another 50,000 asylum claims a year which we used to get before the treaty came in."
London (AFP) - Chelsea and France defender Kurt Zouma will have surgery this week on a knee injury set to rule him out for the rest of the season and Euro 2016, the Premier League club revealed on Monday.

Zouma injured his anterior cruciate ligament in Chelsea's 1-1 Premier League draw against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The 21-year-old centre-back landed awkwardly early in the second half and was taken off on a stretcher.

"Kurt will undergo surgery in the next 48 hours and is expected to be out for approximately six months," a statement on Chelsea's official website read.

Zouma's injury is a devastating personal blow as he had established himself as a regular in Chelsea's defence this season and also hoped to feature when France challenged for the Euro 2016 crown on home turf.

Maintaining an optimistic front, Zouma vowed to return from the injury better than ever.

"Scan today has shown I injured my ACL. I will have surgery this week and will come back stronger. Thank you everyone for all the messages," he tweeted.

Zouma has started 16 of the last 19 Chelsea matches in all competitions, displacing Gary Cahill as first-choice alongside captain John Terry.

Cahill, the England vice-captain, will welcome the opportunity to return to the starting line-up, even if the circumstances are unfortunate for a team-mate.

Chelsea left-back Cesar Azpilicueta told the Evening Standard: "Gary is one of the veterans of the team. We know his quality and in this squad, it is always important to be ready.

"We need everybody, we have big games coming up and all of us have to be ready."

With Zouma out, Cahill will likely line-up alongside Terry in Saturday's Premier League clash with Newcastle.
BOGOTA (Reuters) - The National Liberation Army, Colombia's second-largest leftist rebel group, must release a civilian and a soldier held hostage before the government will agree to begin a peace process, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Monday. The two sides have been holding preliminary talks for more than two years while the government negotiates a peace deal in Cuba with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, the country's better known leftist rebel group. The talks with FARC look set to reach a final deal in the coming months. The National Liberation Army (ELN) have been holding civilian Ramon Jose Cabrales, of eastern Norte de Santander province, for five months. Government soldier Jair de Jesus Villar was captured last week in Antioquia. "We demand the liberation of Corporal Villar and of citizen Ramon Cabrales," Santos said after meeting with security officials in the city of Arauca. "If they (ELN) want to begin any type of negotiation they must liberate these hostages." The ELN set off six explosives, targeted at an army brigade, in Arauca on Monday. There were no injuries. FARC leaders said on Monday that peace in Colombia would be "incomplete" if the ELN, which has about 2,000 fighters, does not participate in negotiations. "The ELN cannot be left out of the peace process," FARC head negotiator Ivan Marquez said. Colombia's government warned last week that time was running out to begin peace negotiations with the ELN. The group has battled a dozen governments since it was founded in 1964 and is considered a terrorist group by the United States and European Union. It has continued kidnapping and attacks on infrastructure even during the exploratory talks. More than 220,000 people have died in the conflict between the government, leftist rebels and right-wing paramilitaries. (Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta in Bogota, additional reporting by Nelson Acosta in Havana; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Paul Simao)
Brazzaville (AFP) - A former Congolese army chief and presidential advisor announced Monday he plans to run in the March 20 election and challenge President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has been in power in Congo-Brazzaville for more than 30 years.

"I will be a candidate... I felt called to by the people and I decided to cross the Rubicon," General Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko told AFP by phone from Bangui.

"I know the country well, its challenges and its history," the ex-officer in his sixties, who wants "to propose projects and a lot of reforms", said without elaborating.

Congo's military chief from 1987 to 1993, Mokoko is currently special representative of the African Union Commission in the neighbouring Central African Republic.

Mokoko is a longtime ally of Sassou Nguesso, but on February 3 he announced his resignation as the president's advisor on peace and security, a post he had held since 2005.

Later on Monday Gilda Rosemonde Moutsara Gambou, 41, became the first woman to announce her candidacy in next month's presidential vote, running for her small "Free Conscience" party.

"The time has come for a new generation to show the Congolese nation and the whole world that it is ready to pick up the baton," the writer told dozens of supporters.

Moutsara Gambou is the second woman to run for the Congolese presidency. Angele Bandou, a nun, ran in the presidential elections in 1992 and 2002.

She was assassinated in 2004.

Mokoko and Moutsara Gambou become the eighth and ninth candidates vying to replace Sassou Nguesso, who is seeking re-election after winning a referendum that eliminated the constitution's two-term limit.

He led Congo under one party rule from 1979 to 1992, then returned to power after a civil war in 1997 and won multi-party polls in 2002 and 2009.
The ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan, is affecting policy-making in Washington in increasingly strange and unexpected ways as lawmakers scramble to find a solution.

Last week Democratic Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both of Michigan, proposed to add $600 million of emergency aid to a major energy bill, with $400 million going toward replacing old lead pipes in the Flint River.

Related: How the Flint Drinking Water Crisis Became a Political Punching Bag

Democrats blocked the bipartisan legislation from getting a vote after Republicans refused to include the extra money.

On Monday, the leaders of the Senate Energy Committee indicated they still hadnt ironed out the wrinkle.

We have spoken with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to remind them of the many good provisions in our bill. And we have gauged what might be possible to help the people of Flint, Michigan and other Americans impacted by contaminated drinking water, committee chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) said in a joint statement.

Related: Flints Drinking Water Crisis Just Got More Toxic with Legionnaires Disease

Meanwhile, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) thinks money to address the unprecedented contamination should be wrapped into $1.8 billion emergency supplemental request to combat the mosquito-born Zika virus, the spread of which the World Health Organization recently declared a global emergency.

As we prepare for the emerging threat of Zika, we must also address the man-made catastrophe that continues to shadow the children of Flint, she said in a statement. We have a moral responsibility to be there for the thousands of children who have already been exposed to unconscionable levels of lead. Funding to address the crisis in Flint should be added to this emergency supplemental bill.

Related: Michigan governor to request federal aid in Flint water crisis

Right now $1.48 billion would go to the Health and Human Services Department, which would in turn direct it to the Centers for Disease Control. Another U.S. Agency for International Development would get $335 million and $250 million would to go health agencies based in Puerto Rico, which has reported cases of the disease.

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Its unclear if Pelosis idea will gain any traction on Capitol Hill but that isnt slowing down the scramble to come up with an answer to the contamination disaster.

Flint Mayor Karen Weaver is slated to appear before the House Democrats Steering and Policy Committee on Wednesday to talk about the crisis. Democrats also invited Michigans Republican Governor Rick Snyder to appear but he passed on the invitation.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
Nicosia (AFP) - A Cyprus-based budget airline said Monday it has secured investment from a wealthy Hong Kong group that brings it closer to launching flights and replacing the island's shuttered national carrier.

"This broadens our investor base to include both Cypriot and Chinese capital and is a major boost to our plan to launch operations this year as Cyprus' new flag carrier," said Gregory Diacou, chairman of the carrier Cobalt.

Diacou said it was the first major foreign investment in Cyprus since the island secured a 10-billion-euro (at the time $13 billion) bailout to save its economy and failing banks in March 2013.

The amount was not disclosed and neither was the name of the Hong Kong company, which it said was on the Fortune 500 list of the world's top firms.

The government confirmed last month that Cobalt was one of three Cypriot firms that had applied for an air operators certificate (AOC) from civil aviation authorities.

Cobalt's chief executive Andrew Pyne said the January 2015 closure of bankrupt national carrier Cyprus Airways had created "a vacuum in terms of an airline that puts Cyprus first and promotes the island as its home".

He said the airline would establish Cyprus as a major aviation hub, capitalising on its geographical location, and aimed to create 500 local jobs over the next five years.

Cobalt plans to launch with links between Larnaca and destinations across Western Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.

It later aims to add long-haul flights to China, South Africa and the United States.

The Mediterranean holiday island's top tourist markets are the UK followed by Russia. Around 70 airlines fly to Cyprus, where tourism revenues account for around 12 percent of GDP.

Tourist arrivals hit a 14-year high in 2015, reaching 2.65 million.
By Bill Berkrot and Anthony Boadle NEW YORK/BRASILIA (Reuters) - Experts on microcephaly, the birth defect that has sparked alarm in the current Zika virus outbreak, say they are struck by the severity of a small number of cases they have reviewed from Brazil. Consultations among doctors in Brazil and the United States have increased in the last two weeks, and some of the leading authorities on the condition are finding patterns of unusual devastation in scans of the newborns' malformed brains. While it's not known how representative the scans are, the early observations of these doctors point to a tough road ahead for the babies, their families and their communities and heighten the concern surrounding Zika, which is suspected of causing microcephaly. "We are in the process of very rapid information gathering on what has been seen," said Dr. William Dobyns, a geneticist at Seattle Children's Hospital. "The condition that I've been able to review, very preliminarily, is more severe than simple microcephaly." The Zika virus is transmitted by mosquito, causing mild symptoms in about 20 percent of cases, and most people experience no illness at all. But a spike in reported microcephaly cases among babies in areas of Brazil with Zika outbreaks has triggered an international effort to determine whether the virus causes the condition. The suspected association moved the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday to declare an international health emergency. Dobyns has spent 30 years researching and treating microcephaly, a condition defined by abnormally small heads in newborns that can lead to developmental disabilities, from mild to severe. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has sought out his expertise in understanding the unfolding epidemic. With a small group of geneticists and other microcephaly specialists, he recently reviewed scans of a handful of babies sent by a colleague in Brazil. All the experts were struck by the scale of malformations, he said. "These children have a very severe form of microcephaly," Dobyns said. "The brain is not just small, it's small with malformations of the cerebral cortex and calcifications. It has the appearance of a very severe, destructive injury to the brain." Particularly alarming, Dobyns said, is the presence in the Brazilian cases of excess spinal fluid between the brain and skull of the babies. "If the brain is growing and then suddenly shrinks, then you'll see fluid between the brain and skull," he said. "It has a pattern that suggests that the brain has actually decreased in size." Dr. Leonardo Vedolin, a neuroradiologist and researcher at the Moinhos de Vento hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, shared with Dobyns scans of two more microcephalic babies this week. The doctors belong to a brain defects study group that convenes via videoconference each month. The group is now focused on Zika. Neither Vedolin nor Brazil's Health Ministry were able to provide a breakdown on the severity of confirmed microcephaly cases. In general, Vedolin said, 5 percent of microcephaly cases are severe. But the proportion appears greater among the cases in Brazil, he said. THE CASELOAD Public health officials in Brazil are investigating more than 4,000 cases of suspected microcephaly, and have confirmed more than 400. Prior to the Zika outbreak, Brazil saw on average 163 cases annually of microcephaly over the past five years, according to WHO. In 17 of the new cases, the presence of Zika was identified in the mother or the baby. A study of 35 Brazilian babies born with microcephaly during the Zika outbreak reported by the CDC Jan. 29 added strength to the suspected connection. The mothers of all 35 infants had lived in or visited Zika virus-affected areas during pregnancy, the report said. Twenty-five infants had severe microcephaly, and 17 had at least one neurologic abnormality. Dr. Frank Esper, an infectious disease expert from Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, said he expects a steady wave of studies on Zika and microcephaly that will provide a much clearer picture over the first half of 2016. By the broadest definition, about 2.3 percent of all babies are microcephalic, Dobyns said. Some cases are so mild they involve no complications at all. About one tenth of one percent of the cases are so severe that lifelong care is required, he said. There are many known causes, including a wide range of genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, as well as oxygen deprivation to the fetus, cytomegalovirus and severe fetal alcohol syndrome. Lifespan in severe cases can be months or as long as 10 years, depending on proximity to good medical care, Dobyns said. Dr. Dawn Nolt, a member of the American Association of Pediatrics' (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases, and other doctors, said more severely affected children often require treatment for epileptic seizures, as well as physical, respiratory and speech therapy. They may need help with everyday activities, such as eating or walking. "It's crucial to go to a care center with good neurology and genetics teams that can evaluate the child comprehensively," said Dr. Ghayda Mirzaa, a pediatric neurologist and colleague of Dobyns at Seattle Children's. Doctors in Recife, Brazil are sending mothers with afflicted babies for therapy to help stimulate eyesight, hearing and motor skills to minimize retardation in mental and physical development. There are a handful of centers of microcephaly research and treatment in the U.S., including Dobyns' hospital in Seattle. The consultations of physicians like Dobyns in the Brazil cases is informal at this point but could form the basis for an organized exchange of expertise that will inform the ongoing care of the children of the epidemic. "We need to get the message out that this is real, and coming, without getting everybody to panic," Dobyns said. "There will be a steep curve of new information coming in." (Reporting by Bill Berkrot and Anthony Boadle; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Lisa Girion)
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Netherlands has stepped up the monitoring of traffic crossing its frontiers, a government minister said on Monday, as countries across Europe move to tighten border controls in response to an unprecedented migration crisis. The move follows a decision last September to deploy mobile border guard units along roads and railways lines to intercept migrants and separate them from asylum seekers. "Those measures helped, but we were still seeing a rising number of smugglers being arrested, and you are seeing more people coming from safe countries, who aren't eligible for asylum," state secretary Klaas Dijkhoff told reporters. The Netherlands received 200,000 immigrants last year, which fueled a backlash against immigration in a country that was once known for the generosity of its open-borders policy. In the 1960s, a period of high growth, the country opened its borders to migrant workers from Turkey and Morocco. By slowing traffic as it crossed the border, border police would be better able to pick out vehicles that needed closer attention, Dijkhoff said. Last year, Dutch border police arrested 330 people on suspicion of people smuggling, 200 of them during mobile border checks. The measures would mean that arrivals from safe countries and those who had made asylum applications in several countries could be told there was no point in going further, he said. Safe countries are designated under European rules, meaning migrants from those countries cannot claim asylum on the grounds of war or the risk of oppression or torture. The aim was not to reimpose border controls as Europe seeks a solution to the crisis, Dijkhoff said. "We want to reach a deal with Greece and Turkey to close the borders, but until that happens we will have to take our own measures." The vast stream of migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East has forced countries across the European Union to impose extraordinary protective measures, placing the bloc's passport-free Schengen zone under pressure. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Alison Williams)
Rome (AFP) - Italy demanded Monday that Egypt help ensure the killers of an Italian student are brought to justice, as Cairo rejected charges that the security forces were involved.

Rome said it would not allow the fate of Giulio Regeni to be brushed under the carpet as anger mounted over the Cambridge University student's torture and killing in Cairo.

With the media publishing gruesome details of Regeni's treatment and pointing the finger at Egyptian security services, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was under pressure to authorise a state funeral for the slain 28-year-old.

Regeni disappeared on January 25 and was found dead on February 3. An Italian autopsy carried out following his corpse's repatriation at the weekend concluded that he was killed by a violent blow to the base of his skull having already suffered multiple fractures all over his body.

- Rome demands truth -

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that Egypt appeared to be cooperating with a team of Italian detective and forensic investigators dispatched to Cairo.

But he warned: "We will not settle for alleged truths."

Gentiloni, in an interview with daily La Repubblica, added: "We want those really responsible identified and punished on the basis of law."

In Cairo on Monday Egypt's interior minister rejected charges of security forces involvement.

"This did not happen," Magdy Abdel Ghaffar said at a press conference when a reporter asked if Regeni had been arrested by the police.

"It is completely unacceptable that such accusations be directed" at the interior ministry, he said. "This is not Egyptian security policy -- Egyptian security has never been accused of such a matter."

La Repubblica reported that, as well as being systematically beaten, Regeni had his finger and toe nails pulled out in a pattern of torture which the daily said suggested that his "death squad" killers believed him to be a spy.

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Regeni was in Egypt working on a doctoral thesis on Egyptian trade unions. It has emerged since his death that he was also writing, under a pseudonym, for a communist Italian daily Il Manifesto, fuelling speculation that links to local opposition figures may have resulted in him being targeted.

Regeni, whose studies included Arabic and Arab literature, was last seen as he left his home on the fifth anniversary of the Arab Spring uprising that ended longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak's 30-year reign.

Cairo was almost deserted that day, as Egyptian authorities clamped down across the capital.

Italian officials' anger over Regeni's death was exacerbated by their being initially informed the student had been killed in a road accident.

- Punch in the stomach -

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has been particularly outspoken, describing seeing the results of the autopsy as a "punch in the stomach" and Regeni's killers as "inhuman and animalistic."

Alfano said he was in favour of Regeni being given a state funeral later this week.

"There is a protocol to be respected and the President of the Council of Ministers (Renzi) decides, but I would say this is about the death of a young man who honoured all of Italy and the idea of a state funeral should be taken very seriously."

Renzi faces a difficult balancing act in handling the fallout from Regeni's death. Too much overt criticism from Rome of the military-backed regime in Cairo could jeopardise the hopes of the murder inquiry ever getting to the truth.

Italy also has major business interests in Egypt and will need Cairo's support if a planned Italian-led peacekeeping force is sent into neighbouring Libya to help stabilise the country, if and when a new national unity government is established there.

"Egypt is our strategic partner and has a fundamental role in the stabilisation of the region," Gentiloni said.

"But here we are confronted with a different problem, the duty of Italy to defend its citizens and to ensure that when they are victims of crime, the guilty are brought to justice."

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has insisted Cairo is committed to finding the killers.

"People are jumping to the conclusion that he was interrogated but that has not been proven," he told Corriere della Sera's Sunday edition.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's central bank has received $900 million from the China Development Bank under a $1 billion financing agreement signed last month, Central Bank Governor Tarek Amer said in state newspaper al-Ahram. The $900 million will raise Egypt's dollar reserves to around $17.4 billion, Amer was quoted as saying. Egypt, which relies heavily on imports, has been facing a foreign exchange crisis since a popular uprising in 2011 toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak and drove away tourists and investors, both major sources of hard currency. Reserves held at the central bank tumbled to around $16.48 billion in January from around $36 billion before the uprising. Investment and aid deals worth billions of dollars were signed on Jan. 21 during a visit to Egypt by China's President XI Jinping. [ID:nL3N1553W9] (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Asma Alsharif; Editing by Catherine Evans)
People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could someday be treated with the help of an electric patch worn on their head when they are sleeping, researchers say.

However, much further research is needed to confirm whether this treatment is actually effective or not, experts added.

In the small new study, 12 people who had been suffering from PTSD and depression for an average of 30 years  and were already being treated with psychotherapy, medication or both  wore the patch each night while sleeping, over an eight-week period. The researchers found that the severity of the participants' PTSD decreased by an average of more than 30 percent, and the severity of their depression dropped by an average of more than 50 percent, over the study period.

"Most patients with PTSD do get some benefit from existing treatments, but the great majority still have symptoms and suffer for years from those symptoms," Dr. Andrew Leuchter, senior author of the study and a psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a statement. "This could be a breakthrough for patients who have not been helped adequately by existing treatments."

PTSD is a mental illness marked by severe anxiety, flashbacks and uncontrollable thoughts about a traumatic event. About 3.5 percent of the U.S. population has PTSD, the researchers said, including soldiers who have been in combat, and people who have survived terrifying events.

People with PTSD may try to avoid situations that could trigger flashbacks, which sometimes makes them reluctant to socialize or venture from their homes, leaving them isolated, the researchers said. People with the disorder are six times more likely than people who don't have PTSD to die by suicide, and they are at increased risk for marital difficulties and dropping out of school.

For the participants in the new study  who were survivors of rape, car accidents, domestic abuse and other traumatic events the new patch delivered a kind of treatment known as trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS). Prior research found that TNS can treat people with epilepsy who aren't helped by medication as well as people with depression who aren't helped by therapy, the researchers said. [Bionic Humans: Top 10 Technologies]

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While a patient sleeps, a 9-volt battery powers the patch, which sends a low-level electrical current to nerves that run through the forehead. These nerves send electrical signals to parts of the brain, such as the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex, which regulate mood, behavior and cognition, and that previous studies found were linked with PTSD.

The study participants had chronic PTSD and severe depression. An average of 30 years had passed since the traumatic events that had left them depressed, anxious, irritable, hypervigilant, unable to sleep well and prone to nightmares.

While they continued their regular treatments, they also wore the patch when they slept, for 8 hours a night. The participants completed questionnaires about the severity of their symptoms and the degree to which the disorders affected their work, parenting and socializing at the start and end of the study.

"We're excited that we're seeing strong evidence that TNS may be helpful to patients with PTSD," Leuchter said. "This was a group of patients that had been ill for years, and had been through all the best available treatments without significant relief for most of their symptoms. The fact that we could relieve symptoms in this chronically and seriously ill group was surprising and very encouraging."PTSD symptoms stopped completely for one-quarter of the patients in the study. In addition, participants generally said they felt better able to take part in daily activities.

The treatment worked best in patients who used the device consistently for eight weeks  participants who were inconsistent in using the device did not have as good outcomes, Leuchter said. Future research will examine the long-term effects of this treatment, he added.

"I recall one woman who came in who was just delighted," Leuchter told Live Science. "After using the device for just a few weeks, she said she was able to sleep through the night for the first time in years without nightmares."

This is the first evidence that TNS can help treat people with chronic PTSD, the researchers said. The treatment showed no serious side effects during the course of the study. "Some subjects showed some slight skin irritation on the forehead where the patch was applied, and this was easily addressed by moving the patch or applying some skin cream," Leuchter said.

"Some of the study subjects have continued to use the device for months or years as part of the study and have continued to show benefit," Leuchter said. "Some other subjects who stopped using the device also have maintained their improvement." [5 Amazing Technologies That Are Revolutionizing Biotech]

One of the participants died by suicide in the seventh week of the study. The person had denied having any suicidal thoughts at the start of the research and throughout it. The researchers noted the participant's treating psychiatrist, who was not affiliated with the study, concluded the suicide was more likely related to the person's underlying psychiatric illness than to the device or study.

Much further research is needed to see whether this strategy is actually effective at treating PTSD, said Dr. Paul Rosch, a clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College who was not involved in the new study.

He noted this preliminary study was small, and no sham treatment was given to participants to examine whether any benefits of the study were due to the device itself or just the placebo effect, "which is not uncommon in electric and magnetic stimulation studies," Rosch told Live Science.

The researchers are now testing the patch in a larger study  they are recruiting 74 veterans who have served in the military since 9/11. PTSD affects a greater percentage of military veterans than civilians an estimated 17 percent of active military personnel experience symptoms, and about 30 percent of veterans who have returned home from service in Iraq and Afghanistan have had signs of the disorder, the researchers said.

In this larger study, half of the veterans will get TNS, and half will receive a fake TNS patch. At the end of this study, volunteers who got the fake patch will receive the option of undergoing actual TNS.

"PTSD is one of the invisible wounds of war," study lead author Dr. Ian Cook, of the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a statement. "The scars are inside, but they can be just as debilitating as visible scars. So it's tremendous to be working on a contribution that could improve the lives of so many brave and courageous people who have made sacrifices for the good of our country."

Cook, who co-invented TNS, is now on leave from his position at UCLA and is serving as chief medical officer at NeuroSigma in Los Angeles, which is licensing the technology and funding the research. NeuroSigma is already marketing the patch overseas and has plans to make it available to patients in the United States.

The scientists detailed their findings online today (Jan. 28) in the journal Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface.

Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LAGOS (Reuters) - Etisalat Nigeria has filed a court case against rival MTN over the use of a new frequency band which MTN acquired when it bought internet provider Visafone, it said on Monday. South Africa's MTN bought the privately held Nigerian firm Visafone last month to improve its broadband services in its biggest market, giving it access to the use of 800 MHz frequency band on CDMA technology. MTN operates 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency bands which the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) renewed last November, similar to frequencies operated by Etisalat and India's Airtel that use GSM technology. "The action is considered necessary to challenge the use of the spectrum by MTN at this time," the local arm of Abu Dhabi-listed telecoms firm Etisalat said in a statement. "The use of the 800 MHz spectrum to deploy broadband services ahead of its competitors ... will further entrench MTN's dominance in the Nigerian telecommunications sector". Etisalat said it was in contact with the NCC to understand the logic of its decision to approve the MTN deal despite declaring the South African firm a dominant player in Nigeria's wholesale and retail voice markets in 2013. MTN and the NCC did not respond to requests for comment. The legal challenge is the latest headache for MTN in Nigeria, which contributed more than a third of the company's total revenue in 2014. Nigeria's telecoms regulator fined the South African company $5.2 billion last year for failing to disconnect unregistered lines on time, before reducing the penalty by a quarter in December. MTN is contesting the fine, which is greater than its past two years of net profit. Mobile phone subscription in Nigeria, Africa's biggest telecom market, has grown in leaps and bounds since the advent of GSM technology in 2001 but average revenue per user (ARPU) has been on a downward trend due to increased competition. MTN has 62 million lines in Nigeria while Visafone has 2 million. Etisalat ranks fourth in the industry with 23.5 million subscribers, according to NCC's data. (Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Ulf Laessing and Adrian Croft)
By Jeffrey Dastin (Reuters) - The rapidly spreading Zika virus is discouraging many Americans from traveling to Latin America and the Caribbean, with 41 percent of those aware of the disease saying they are less likely to take such a trip, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows. The poll is the latest sign the virus, suspected to be linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil, could depress travel to popular cold-weather getaways in the coming months. Airlines and cruise ship operators have yet to report drops in bookings because of Zika, and analysts have downplayed the impact that newly sedentary parents-to-be could have on their revenue. Still, awareness of the mosquito-borne virus has surged to nearly two-thirds of Americans, according to the poll of 1,595 adults in the United States conducted Feb. 1-5. That compares with 45 percent who had heard of Zika in a Reuters/Ipsos poll from late January. "I am actively trying to get pregnant with my husband, so I am a little bit concerned," said Erica, a respondent who said she was bitten by a mosquito during a January trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Zika has been reported. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised pregnant women to avoid travel to areas with an active outbreak of Zika, and the World Health Organization has declared an international emergency over the disease. Erica, who asked only to be identified by her first name for personal reasons, said she no longer plans to visit Jamaica this summer to celebrate her wedding anniversary. "Weve definitely gone back to the drawing board on that," she said, referring to the island, which is on the CDC warning list. Of those aware of the virus, 41 percent said they were less likely to travel to Puerto Rico, Mexico or South America in the next 12 months because of Zika, the poll found. Some 48 percent said Zika had not changed the likelihood of their visiting those destinations, while others did not know. Six out of 10 Americans aware of Zika said the virus concerned them, including 18 percent who said they were very concerned, according to the poll. "It's contagious, and it's new," said respondent Toni Brockington, 42, who lives near Fort Bragg, California, and had considered visiting Mexico before learning about the outbreak. "The virus, along with the reports of violence and drugs and tourist ransoms, is making it less and less attractive." Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes the birth defect microcephaly. Brazil is investigating the potential link between Zika infections and more than 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly, a condition marked by abnormally small head size that can result in developmental problems. Researchers have identified evidence of Zika infection in 17 of these cases, either in the baby or in the mother, but have not confirmed that Zika can cause microcephaly. The poll of Americans' concerns and travel plans have a credibility interval - a measure of accuracy - of 3.8 percentage points. (Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Christian Plumb and Lisa Shumaker)
Warsaw (AFP) - European legal experts on Monday began a fact-finding mission in Poland to determine if Warsaw's new right-wing government has violated the EU member's constitution and democracy rules.

Last month, the European Union launched an unprecedented probe into controversial reforms to the constitutional court and increased control over state media by the new Law and Justice (PiS) government after it swept to power in October elections.

Legal experts advising the Council of Europe, an international organisation that seeks to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law, will share their findings with the European Commission.

The Commission has in turn said it will review Poland's responses by March.

Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said Monday her government would "pay attention and be very open to the proposals" of the visiting legal experts.

But she would not be drawn on how Warsaw plans to react to possible criticism.

She spoke at joint press conference in Budapest along side Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban.

The reforms in Poland are seen as emulating those of Orban, who has regularly been accused of undermining key democratic checks and balances since 2010, and who has also had a testy relationship with Brussels.

Poland's Constitutional Court chief justice Malgorzata Gersdorf questioned several legal moves by the government "that raise doubts" about the court's independence, court spokesman Dariusz Swiecki told reporters.

Headed by Gianni Buquicchio, the group of experts sent by the Venice Commission, the Council's consultative body on constitutional matters, arrived at the invitation of Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski for a first hand glimpse of the reforms.

After meet with PiS-allied President Andrzej Duda, Buquicchio told reporters he was in Poland to "help" resolve the matter, but that the main "responsibility" lies with Polish politicians.

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The PiS's legal moves triggered a series of demonstrations and harsh criticism from Warsaw's EU partners.

The EU's investigation threatens to inflame already tense relations with Poland and other eastern European countries such as Hungary who resent what they see as Brussels' interference.

Led by eurosceptic ex-prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the populist-orientated PiS won an unprecedented majority in October's general election after eight years in opposition during two consecutive terms under Civic Platform liberals.
By Humeyra Pamuk ONCUPINAR, Turkey (Reuters) - As the number of Syrian refugees now amassing on the Turkish border swells into the tens of thousands, Ankara's long-standing open door to migrants may be closing. An assault by Russian-backed Syrian government forces around the city of Aleppo has sent more than 30,000 people fleeing to the Turkish border gate of Oncupinar in the past few days, and officials say tens of thousands more could be on the move. The surge has created a bitter irony for Turkey. Praised on the one hand for taking in more than 2.5 million refugees from Syria's five-year war, it is also under pressure to stop their perilous onward journeys to Europe, and to prevent radical militants from sneaking over what was long a porous border to carry out attacks in Turkey or abroad. Yet as it tries to keep the gates shut at Oncupinar and provide aid across the border instead, it now finds itself facing calls to let people in. "We have much wider considerations now ... There are terrorist organizations that weren't there when the Syrian conflict first began," a senior government official who deals with immigration issues said, explaining how the situation on the border had changed in recent years. A growing number of refugees just wanted to use Turkey as a staging post to Europe despite the dangers, he said, leaving Ankara with a responsibility to stop incidents like the drowning of a Syrian toddler last September as his family tried to reach the Greek islands, an image which stirred worldwide sympathy. "Let everyone in and you may see another Aylan Kurdi." Turkish aid groups are delivering food and supplies to tent villages on the Syrian side of the border at Oncupinar and the local authorities say there is no need, for now, to open the gates. President Tayyip Erdogan has said that, if necessary, the refugees will ultimately be allowed in. Ankara has long argued that the only sustainable way to manage the migrant flow is to establish a "safe zone" inside Syria, an internationally protected area where displaced civilians can be given refuge without crossing into Turkey. The idea has gained little traction with Western leaders, who see battling Islamic State in Syria as the main priority and fear protecting such a zone would put them in direct military confrontation with President Bashar al-Assad's forces. But on a small scale, Turkey is putting it into practice at Oncupinar. A wounded teenager and his father were let through by foot early on Monday, while a trickle of ambulances ferried the badly injured to hospitals in nearby Turkish towns. But for the majority, the border is firmly closed. "Unless their lives are in danger, unless there's an imminent risk, the arrangements on the Syrian side have the capacity to accommodate them," the government official said. WAITING TO ENTER TURKEY In the camps at Bab al-Salama on the Syrian side, where children play in muddy lanes between rows of tents lashed by rain, some are starting to wonder whether they are still welcome in a country they once saw as a guaranteed safe haven. "I have been here for the past month. I am waiting for Turkey to open the door," said Dilel Cumali, a woman who fled from Dera'a in Syria's southwest near the Jordanian border. "There are no beds, no food, nothing to wear. We had to sleep where it's wet and there's nothing to cover ourselves with. There is nothing to feed the kids. We don't want anything. All we want is to get inside Turkey." Under a November deal with the European Union, Turkey agreed to do more to integrate its refugee population - now the world's largest - and try to lower the number of asylum seekers arriving in Europe after over a million streamed onto the continent in 2015, many by sea from Turkey. At least 22 migrants drowned after their boat capsized in the Aegean sea off the Turkish coast on Monday, suggesting the exodus shows no sign of abating. Asked on Saturday about the migrants at Oncupinar, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Turkey had a moral and legal duty to protect refugees, adding EU support to Ankara was aimed at guaranteeing it could cope with them. FRUSTRATION Turkey, a NATO member with a 900 km (560-mile) border with Syria, is increasingly frustrated at the international failure to do more to stop the bombing by President Bashar al-Assad's forces and his allies including Russia, which it sees as the root cause of the migrant flows. "Those who can't say stop the bombardment are saying stop the immigration wave. If you're serious, stop the authors of that cruelty," said Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan, a long-standing Erdogan advisor. A suicide bombing in Istanbul last month which killed 10 German tourists, carried out by a Saudi-born Syrian who entered Turkey as a refugee, served only to highlight the risks. Around Oncupinar, eight camps were set up on the Syrian side for some 60,000 people even before the latest influx, according to Oncupinar governor Suleyman Tapsiz. A ninth is being built. "There is a perception that Turkey has shut its doors and is not doing anything. On the contrary, there are major efforts to accommodate these people on the Syrian side," a second Turkish government official said. "It's not like we're shutting our doors in their face." A flag of the opposition Free Syrian Army fluttered over the road that leads out from a camp at Bab al-Salama to the Syrian city of Azaz, one of the last towns between the Syrian army's advance and the Turkish border. Opposition fighters holding Kalashnikovs milled around nearby. "I fled Assad's and Russia's bombardment. Please tell them to open the doors so we can move to safety. We have no safety here," said Sabah al-Muhammed, an elderly woman who said she had walked for 10 hours to reach the border. Even amid the chaos of Syria's war, the message that Europe's borders were closed had reached her. "I swear to god, we dont want to go to Europe, we dont want Europe. We are Muslim people and we want to live in a Muslim country," she said. (Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by David Dolan and Philippa Fletcher)
(Reuters) - President Barack Obama is set on Tuesday to unveil his budget proposal for fiscal year 2017, his final year in office. But since the Republican-controlled Congress controls the purse strings, much of Obama's plan likely will be shelved. The following are some of the proposals that will be included: PENTAGON The Pentagon will ask for more than $7 billion for the fight against Islamic State, up about 35 percent from the previous year's budget request to Congress, and wants a fourfold increase for military training and exercises in Europe to support NATO allies. TAX ON OIL In a long-shot bid to raise $20 billion to expand transit systems and research self-driving cars, Obama will propose a $10-a-barrel tax on crude oil. RENEWABLE ENERGY FUNDING Obama will seek a 20-percent boost for renewable energy research funding to a total of $7.7 billion. TAX CREDIT FOR BUSINESSES WORKING WITH COLLEGES Obama will propose a $2.5 billion tax credit over five years for businesses that invest in community college programs and then hire their graduates. PAY RAISE FOR FEDERAL WORKERS The budget will propose a 1.6 percent pay increase for military and civilian federal personnel. OPIOID ADDICTION TREATMENT Obama will ask for $1.1 billion in new funding to expand treatment for people addicted to heroin and prescription pain killers, a growing epidemic. AID TO COLOMBIA Obama pledged more than $450 million in aid to Colombia to help with security and integrating rebel combatants into society under a pending peace deal to end Latin America's longest war. POVERTY AID Obama will propose $12 billion over 10 years to supplement food stamps for poor families when school meal programs are closed in the summer, $2 billion in emergency aid for families in crisis, a combined $328 million in education and housing grants to poor neighborhoods, and a $15 million pilot program to help poor families move to better neighborhoods. MEDICAID EXPANSION The budget will include three years of federal funding to 19 state governments that passed up an earlier offer to expand Medicaid coverage for more than 4 million low-income people. TWEAK TO "CADILLAC TAX" Obama will ask for tweaks to a tax on certain health insurance plans that is unpopular with labor unions. JOBS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE The White House will ask for $5.5 billion in incentives for businesses that hire young people and $200 million for apprenticeship programs. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION Obama will propose $4 billion for states and $100 million for school districts to expand computer science in schools. COAL COUNTRY The budget will include $1 billion over five years to help coal-mining regions with economic development. CANCER RESEARCH The White House will ask for $755 million for Vice President Joe Biden's "moonshot" effort to find new cancer treatments. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH The budget will include $700 million in agricultural research grants, double the spending level in 2016. MENTAL HEALTHCARE Obama has proposed $500 million to boost access to mental healthcare as part of his push to address gun violence. NATIONAL BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU Obama will propose $95 million for a new office responsible for background checks for federal employees. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS As part of reforms to the criminal justice system, Obama will ask for $24 million for better housing for inmates with serious mental illnesses. RETIREMENT SAVINGS Obama will propose tax credits for small businesses offering 401(k) plans or expanding access to retirement savings programs. UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE Obama will seek to expand unemployment insurance to more types of workers, provide wage insurance for workers moving to lower-paid positions, and provide incentives to states for retraining or relocating workers. BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES (ATF) Obama will ask for funding to hire 200 new ATF staff to enforce gun laws. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Ayesha Rascoe and Jeff Mason; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Bill Trott and Chizu Nomiyama)
By Jon Herskovitz

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas legal panel voted on Monday to disbar a former prosecutor for sending an innocent man to death row by presenting tainted testimony and making false statements that undermined the defendant's alibi.

The Board of Disciplinary Appeals appointed by the Texas Supreme Court upheld a state licensing board's decision to disbar Charles Sebesta for his conduct in convicting Anthony Graves, who spent 18 years in prison on charges of setting a fire that killed six people before being freed.

Graves, who spent 12 of those years on death row, had sought to have Sebesta disbarred.

Sebesta had convicted Robert Carter for the murders and tried to get Carter to say Graves was an accomplice. But the day before he was to testify, Carter told Sebesta he acted alone and Graves was not involved, the board said.

"Sebesta never disclosed this information to the defense," the board said.

Sebesta then presented false testimony implicating Graves, crucial in a conviction since there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime, it said.

Before Graves' attorney was to present the alibi witness, Sebesta falsely stated in court that the witness was a suspect in the murders and could be indicted. The witness refused to testify and left the court, it said.

Graves' conviction was reversed in 2006 and he was remanded for a new trial. In 2010, a special prosecutor found there was no credible evidence that Graves was involved in the murders and Graves was then released.

Sebesta said he was being unfairly treated and that Graves was justly convicted.

"I am concerned about the process," he said in a telephone interview, adding he was being targeted by state bar attorneys.

"My opinion is that we presented the evidence we had and felt like it was sufficient," he said of the Graves case.

One of Graves' pro bono lawyers applauded the decision.

In rejecting Sebestas argument, the Board of Disciplinary Appeals found that Charles Sebestas misconduct was so egregious that they characterized him as having unclean hands. That certainly is a fitting description, said Neal Manne.

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A study this month said that U.S. exonerations hit a record high in 2015 as more prosecutors have been looking at troubled cases.

The issue has gained additional attention because of the hit Netflix documentary series "Making a Murderer," which suggests authorities planted evidence against two Wisconsin men convicted of murder. The allegation has been rejected by local law enforcement.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz)
France's southwestern Cahors region is a new frontier for foreign investors, from Argentine winegrowers doing the "Malbec tango" to potential investor "ambassadors" from China.

Cahors is the new go-to destination for foreign investors as wine-growing land is becoming scarce -- and therefore exorbitantly expensive -- in other French regions.

"You can't afford anything in Bordeaux or the Rhone or even in the Loire anymore," says Chilean specialist Pedro Parra, who works for Argentine wine firm Altos Las Hormigas. "Cahors is all that's left."

Besides, Cahors -- whose dominant grape is the deep purple Malbec -- is attractive as a wine "that we can't make in our country", he said.

Also beating a path to the region are Chinese investors as the taste for French wines continues to grow exponentially in China.

"The Chinese are coming to see us soon to sign a partnership," says Sebastien Sigaud of the Cahors domain Metairie Grande du Theron.

The famous limestone plateau around Cahors is known for its high calcium content, which brings the freshness and minerality that define the region's wine.

"We don't have that calcium back home" in Argentina, said Parra, trudging through a path between rows of vines and stooping to crumble some of the distinctive white rock between his fingers.

"Up there, I can see 2,000 crates at $100 each," he said, pointing to the top of a steep slope where a stretch of woodland has just been cleared.

Altos Las Hormigas co-founder Antonio Morescalchi, after discovering Cahors' "extraordinary potential" in 2013, has created a joint venture with three local companies.

Under the deal, the Cahors vintners will produce the wine with advice from Altos Las Hormigas, which in turn will market the result.

"It's a win-win partnership," says Jeremy Arnaud, head of marketing for a Cahors winegrowers federation, with the region standing to gain in international status while piggy-backing on the vast sales network developed by Argentine Malbec.

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"The Argentinians have the potential to show our wine to a lot of people," said one of the partners, Germain Croisille of the Chateau les Croisille.

"Before, we used to make a retail wine that sold for 1-1.30 euros per litre. Now we'll be able to sell bottles for at least $16 (15 euros)."

- 'Malbec tango' -

The advent of the Argentines is in a sense a homecoming for Cahors, whose vintners introduced the Malbec grape to the New World in the 19th century after escaping the devastating phylloxera plague that devastated their vines.

This back-and-forth, dubbed the "Malbec tango", today sees Argentine oenologist Leo Borsi producing wine in France while Cahors counterpart Pascal Piero owns an estate in Argentina, which has the most extensive Malbec acreage in the world.

With the Argentine palate in mind, Borsi has selected his plots to make a Cahors he says is "a little more exportable", with 3,000 bottles destined for export to Buenos Aires.

Costing an average 11,000 euros per hectare (2.5 acres), land in the Cahors region "is three times less than in Argentina and three to four times less than a Cotes du Rhone village," Arnaud says.

Borsi and Parra are not alone in targeting the area, with Herve Joyau, a Malbec pioneer in Argentina, taking on an estate in the nearby Lot region.

The surge in enthusiasm for the Cahors region is a cause of concern for some.

"We are handing them history, (wine) DNA on a plate," warns Alain-Dominique Perrin, owner of the prestigious Chateau Lagrezette domain. "I do not quite see how that is to our advantage. "

Others are more optimistic.

"The Chinese are not predators," insists Bertrand-Gabriel Vigouroux, Cahors' foremost wine merchant and the owner of Chateau Haute-Serre.

"A Chinese investor can become an ambassador for Cahors wines."

In any case, Thomas Chardard, a vintner who is also president of the Lot chamber of commerce, asks: "How can we stop them?"
Paris (AFP) - France's former budget minister Jerome Cahuzac, who stashed millions abroad while cracking down on tax cheats at home, went on trial Monday for tax fraud and money laundering.

The 63-year-old former rising star in the French Socialist Party, now dubbed the finance ministry's "Pinocchio", fended off reporters as he arrived at the Paris criminal court.

His ex-wife and co-defendant Patricia Menard, with whom he ran a lucrative hair transplant clinic, arrived separately.

Nearby, dozens demonstrated against the impunity of the banking system, with one cigar-chomping protester in top hat and tails impersonating a banker.

Cahuzac and Menard face up to seven years in jail and two million euros ($2.2 million) in fines if found guilty of tax fraud and money laundering.

The defence opened by challenging the constitutionality of the case, arguing that Cahuzac has already settled his debts and should not be tried twice over the same matter.

"Even if the press calls someone a 'pariah' we can still follow the law, and (the double jeopardy recourse) is a question of law," said Cahuzac's lawyer Jean Veil.

Both Cahuzac and Menard have paid back taxes and penalties, their lawyers argued. The court was told she had paid more than two million euros, although no figure was given for the ex-minister.

The court will announce Wednesday whether to allow consideration of the constitutional question, in which case the trial could be delayed by several months. If not, it is scheduled to end on February 18.

In an opening argument dripping with sarcasm, prosecutor Jean-Marc Toublanc observed: "When (Cahuzac) was minister, he had a law passed... to increase the penalty for tax fraud. Today, the law shouldn't be applied to him?"

- 'Remorse' -

The scandal was the first of a series that have tarnished the presidency of Francois Hollande, who had promised a squeaky clean government after succeeding Nicolas Sarkozy, the subject of several graft investigations, in 2012.

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To begin with, Cahuzac vehemently denied the allegations, notably before parliament and to Hollande, after the Mediapart news website broke the story in December 2012.

Cahuzac, whose remit included fighting tax fraud, lodged a defamation suit against Mediapart.

But the trained surgeon resigned his post after a formal investigation was launched in March 2013.

Two weeks later, he confessed to having held an account with Swiss banking giant UBS and said he was "consumed by remorse".

The scandal prompted Hollande to order his ministers to disclose their personal wealth, a first in France, where personal finances are rarely discussed and the wealth of public officials had long been considered a private matter.

But many, including Cahuzac himself, say he has served as a scapegoat as tax havens continue to conceal riches, not just for individuals but also for corporations, notably banks.

The protesters outside the court Monday, who partially blocked a bridge over the Seine with chairs stolen from banks, said Cahuzac's case did little to change the status quo.

"They say the Cahuzac affair was an electroshock, but only small steps have been taken," said activist Thomas Coutrot, claiming: "French banks are massively present in tax havens."

- 'Family affair' -

Prosecutors described the Cahuzacs' swindle as "determined" and "sophisticated" as well as a "family affair" that also involved the ex-minister's mother, although she is not on trial.

Also in the dock are the divorced couple's erstwhile advisers, Swiss banker Francois Reyl and Dubai-based lawyer Philippe Houman.

The Reyl bank of Geneva, which in 2009 allegedly helped Cahuzac transfer funds to Singapore to avoid detection, is also being tried.

The story of the fraud began when a "friend" opened an account with UBS in 1992. Then Cahuzac himself opened one in his own name the following year. In 1998, all the funds were allegedly transferred to Reyl, totalling some 600,000 euros by 2009.

That was when Switzerland's tradition of banking secrecy began to fall apart.

Cahuzac then allegedly channelled the funds to Singapore, taking a labyrinthine route through a shell company registered in the Seychelles set up by Houman, the Dubai-based lawyer.

For her part, Menard is alleged to have deposited cheques from British clients in a secret Isle of Man account, which press reports said held some 2.5 million euros.

She then opened her own account in Switzerland, reportedly containing one million euros, as her marriage with Cahuzac began falling apart.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hasnt been well served by her surrogates in the final days of campaigning leading up to Tuesdays critical New Hampshire Democratic primary.

On Sunday, former President Bill Clinton delivered a tirade against Sen. Bernie Sanders during an appearance in tiny Milford, NH. He accused the Vermont democratic socialist of making impossible promises like Medicare for all, dismissing anyone who disagrees with him as a tool of the establishment and fomenting sexist attacks on his wife and other women who stand up for her.

Related: Sanders Closes the Gap on Clinton  and Cleans Up Against the GOP

When youre making a revolution, you cant be too careful with the facts, Clinton told a small gathering of supporters at a high school in mocking Sanders call for revolutionary change in politics and the economy.

Bill Clintons dyspeptic speech in a state that helped lift his floundering presidential campaign in 1992 raised the eyebrows of many Democrats and was reminiscent of the way he lashed out against Barack Obama in South Carolina during his wifes failed first campaign for the Democratic nomination in 2008.

But that pales by comparison with the huge missteps that two of the giants of the womens movement  Gloria Steinem and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright  made in the service of Clintons struggling campaign effort in New Hampshire over the past several days.

Steinem, the 81-year-old author, social activist and co-founder of the feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s, only half-jokingly suggested last Friday during an interview with talk show host Bill Maher that young women are attracted to Sanders campaign because thats a good way to meet boys. Albright, 78, the first woman to serve as secretary of state, glibly declared during a joint appearance with Clinton last week, Theres a special place in hell for women who dont help each other climb the ladder.

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Related: Clinton Attacks Sanders $14 Trillion Health Plan as Wishful Thinking

Clinton laughed, slowly clapped her hands and profusely thanked Albright. The message to women was clear: You have to be almost misogynistic to think seriously about voting for Sanders over Clinton.

The response came fast and furious over social media  and it was mostly bad news for Clinton.

Shame on Gloria Steinem and Madeleine Albright for implying that we as women should be voting for a candidate based solely on gender, Zoe Trimboli, a Sanders supporter from Vermont and a self-described feminist, wrote on Facebook, according to a report by The New York Times. I can tell you that shaming me and essentially calling me misinformed and stupid is NOT the way to win my vote.

A basic lesson in politics is that you can't browbeat or guilt trip people into backing a candidate, said Larry J. Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientists and the director of the Center for Politics.

Sanders, the champion of progressives and young voters, is leading Clinton by double digits in New Hampshire and is expected to win easily Tuesdays first-in-the-nation Democratic primary. Clinton is desperately attempting to narrow Sanders lead, but she has been thwarted by a startling decline in support from women  especially young, idealistic college students who one might assume would want to help make history by electing the first female U.S. president.

Related: Clinton Insists Shes Not Beholden to Wall Street While Raking in $21.4 Million

Yet when contrasted with Sanders fiery rhetoric and skys-the-limit promises of universal health coverage and free college tuition, Clintons heavily policy-oriented speeches and pragmatic pronouncements on the limits to what can be done in Congress have little appeal to many younger voters, including women who feel no inherent loyalty to the 68-year-old former first lady.

Probably more than anything else, Clinton continues to suffer from widespread voter distrust in the wake of revelations over her mishandling of sensitive and classified emails while she served as Obamas secretary of state and Sanders oft-repeated complaint that she is too closely allied with Wall Street and accepted $675,000 in speaking fees from Goldman Sachs.

Sanders drew huge support for young voters, including women, in last weeks Iowa Democratic caucuses. And a Wall Street Journal/NBC/Marist College poll of Democratic voters in New Hampshire last week showed that 64 percent of women under the age of 45 favored Sanders while just 35 percent supported Clinton.

Steinem and Albright have both apologized for their ill-advised public statements, but the damage has been done.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
CAIRO (Reuters) - General Motors has temporarily suspended its operations in Egypt due a currency crisis, a company source told Reuters on Monday.

Import-dependent Egypt has been in economic crisis since a 2011 uprising and subsequent political turmoil drove foreign investors and tourists away. Dollar reserves have more than halved to $16.4 billion since then.

"The entire sector has a currency crisis we can't make a car without some of the parts. We stopped production temporarily as of yesterday until we can clear the imports held up in customs," the source said.

"There is still some leeway with the government and the banks to solve the issue."

General Motors's Egypt operation includes assembling trucks and cars. It makes 25 percent of Egypt's vehicles.

Egypt's central bank has been rationing dollars and keeping the pound artificially strong at 7.7301 per dollar through weekly dollar auctions.

(Reporting Ehab Farouk; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Conakry (AFP) - Hundreds of people joined a march in Conakry Monday in memory of journalist El Hadj Mohamed Diallo who was shot dead last week in clashes outside the offices of an opposition party.

Five media associations called for justice and a "press-free day" on Tuesday in honour of Diallo who died on Friday after receiving a bullet to the chest in the capital Conakry.

The four-hour march by some 300 journalists, civil representatives and ordinary citizens took place without incident and ended up in front of the justice ministry building.

The protesters demanded justice for Diallo, who worked for the private Guinee7 news website and the weekly L'Independant.

He had been standing outside the headquarters of the main opposition party, Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), when violence broke out over the recent removal of the party's vice president, Amadou Bah Oury.

Bah Oury had gone to the headquarters intending to challenge the decision to expel him from the party leadership. But his presence sparked clashes between supporters and the building's security guards during which shots were fired.

One of the bullets struck Diallo, who later died in hospital.

Both the UFDG and Bah Oury blamed each other for the unrest in separate statements on Saturday.

According to relatives, Diallo was married and had a young daughter.

He was buried on Sunday in the Conakry suburb of Ratoma.

In a joint statement five press associations urged "all Guinean media to observe a press-free day" on Tuesday.

During the march, the protesters chanted that this was "one death too many,".

Some carried a banner bearing the message; "we demand justice for the victim, the widow and the orphan".

"We will throw as much light as we can on this matter," so that those responsible are brought to justice, marchers' spokesman Fatoumata Diallo said in front of Justice Minister Cheick Sako.
By Joseph Guyler Delva PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Michel Martelly stepped down as Haitian president on Sunday, leaving a deeply divided country in the hands of a disputed interim government, while the first day of Carnival celebrations was canceled as violent protests erupted. The mood was grim on what should have been a festive day that would have marked a newly elected president, as well as the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship and the start of the Caribbean country's Carnival. Riot police clashed with protesters and Martelly handed back the presidential sash without anyone to succeed him. Weeks of unrest set off by a first-round election that critics say was fraudulent meant the impoverished nation was unable to hold a runoff to chose a new president before Martelly's term ended. Under a last-minute agreement welcomed by Washington and other foreign powers, parliament is due to choose a temporary president in the next few days. Elections are set for April 24 and the winner would take office in May. But there is a major catch. A group of eight losing candidates from the first round rejected the notion of parliament choosing the interim president, and called instead for a Supreme Court judge to lead the process. The group, which includes the opposition candidate for the runoff, Jude Celestin, believes the parliamentarians, who were elected in the same flawed October first round, do not have the legitimacy to oversee the interim government or a new vote. "This alleged agreement attempts to validate the 2015 elections as if they were regular, regardless of popular protests that resulted in numerous casualties," spokesman Samuel Madistin said in a statement. Madistin said the agreement reflected the position of part of the international community and Haiti's ruling class. Opposition protesters and police clashed again in downtown Port-au-Prince on Sunday in the area that hosts the capital's heavily attended and raucous annual Mardi Gras celebrations, with some groups trying to attack Carnival stages. The Carnival organizing committee called off the first day of the festival, citing the unrest. Two top musical groups had already pulled out, with bandleader Roberto Martino saying his group, T-Vice, might not take part at all. Martelly formally left office during a ceremony at the national assembly, guarded outside by U.N. troops and riot police. Assembly President Jocelerme Privert called for a "truce" to allow enough stability to organize the elections, already postponed three times, most recently in January. Any interim government will have to overcome strong disagreements about which candidates can participate, since many are convinced the first round unfairly favored ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise. Martelly's government denied any wrongdoing. (Reporting by Joseph Guyler Delva; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Jerusalem (AFP) - Hamas on Monday denied Israeli accusations that wounded Islamic State group fighters from Egypt had been smuggled through tunnels to receive medical care in the Islamist-run Gaza Strip.

Israeli General Yoav Mordechai had accused the jihadist group of smuggling wounded fighters from Sinai Province -- the IS affiliate in northern Egypt -- through tunnels into the Palestinian enclave for treatment.

"We have reliable information that the members of ISIS in the Sinai entered the Gaza Strip via tunnels to be treated in Hamas hospitals," Mordechai said in an interview with the Arabic-language website Elaph.

Mordechai heads the defence ministry body responsible for coordinating Israeli government activity in the Palestinian territories (COGAT).

He alleged that wounded militants were taken to hospital in Khan Yunis, according to a transcript of parts of the interview provided to AFP by COGAT, but provided no firm evidence for the claim.

The Hamas interior ministry immediately dismissed the allegations as "false".

Spokesman Iyad al-Bozom said the allegations were "aimed at inciting against the Gaza Strip and causing tension in the relationship between the Strip and the Arab Republic of Egypt (while) working to tighten the siege".

Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said hospitals in the enclave treat only local residents.

An Israeli blockade severely restricts the movement of people and goods into and out of the territory, and Egypt's sole border with Gaza has also remained largely closed since 2013.

Egypt has been accused of destroying tunnels that Gazans used to smuggle goods and food in but which were also allegedly used for moving weapons.

In late 2014, as part of an attempt to restore peace in its restive northern Sinai region, Egypt began setting up a buffer zone on its border with Gaza and destroyed hundreds of tunnels.

Last September, Egyptian forces carried out digging work that Palestinians say flooded the last remaining tunnels there.
By David Nelson, CFA

Every day investors are subjected to an endless parade of stock recommendations from analysts, portfolio managers and even celebrities while watching their favorite financial news channel. A 5 minute interview isnt going to give much detail other than the story surrounding the stock and maybe nothing at all on the fundamental.

Unfortunately, for too many investors, thats where the research begins and ends. The industry, the products offered, management and the history of the company are all important, but its only one part of the decision making process.

As an investor, its important to understand just what you are entitled to as the owner of a stock. As a shareholder, you are entitled to your pro rata share of the earnings and or dividends of the company in question. In the end, it always comes down to the numbers.

Individual investors often feel at a disadvantage to the institutional crowd, who have Bloomberg terminals, Factset Databases and an endless number of analysts to talk to. Look, these sophisticated terminals are the work horses of the financial community, and portfolio managers, including yours truly, use them. However, at a cost of $20,000 -$100,000 per year, its probably out of reach for most retail investors.

Dont despair, because right at your fingertips, you have more than enough data to conduct detailed analysis. When I dont have access to some of the products mentioned above, I go right to Yahoo Finance. Within its stock pages, you will be quickly able to identify healthy growing companies and also zero into the data that puts some of your stocks in the penalty box.

Lets get started

Youre watching TV, and a talking head youve seen before suggests Facebook (FB) is a buy. You know the company and probably use it every day to keep in touch with your family and friends. Youve heard it is getting into virtual reality, and that sounds promising. So what about the numbers?

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Summary Page  Facebook (FB)

Source: Yahoo Finance

This is where it all starts. I get a quick look at the stock price and an interactive chart to look at price history. I can see right away this is a pretty large company with just over $300 billion in market cap, but when I look below I see it has a PE (Price Earnings Ratio) of just under 83 over the last 12 months. It looks expensive, so well have to dig deeper later.

Interactive Charts (A picture is worth 1000 words)

Source: Yahoo Finance

Price performance is important, and theres no better tool to analyze price history then a good old fashioned chart. Here we can see trends, support levels and much more. I immediately click on a 1 year chart. The chart looks great--it's obviously in an uptrend, but its pretty easy to see its extended having jumped close to 20% on the heels of a monster earnings report. Preferably, wed like to buy this stock on some kind of pull back, which might be in the works--but were getting ahead of ourselves. Lets get back to the numbers.

Analyst Estimates Page

For me, this is the most important page and data set to determine whether or not Im going to buy this stock. Lets zoom into EPS Trends and dig in further. This one little section is a wealth of information. I can see for 2016, Facebook is expected to earn $3.14. Take out that calculator and divide it into the stock price, and its current year PE is about 35 for the current year and 27 based on next years earnings of $4.12. It's still a lot more expensive than the overall market, but lets see if its growth justifies that high multiple.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Some quick math shows that Facebooks earnings are expected to grow about 31% from this year to next. That 35 PE doesnt look so bad now because its PEG ratio, Price Earnings/Growth is just over 1, or 1.09 to be exact. Most growth at the right price, or GARP investors, believe a Peg ratio near 1 is attractive.

Source: Yahoo Finance

EPS Revisions - Are analysts raising their estimates or are they cutting them? Rising estimates can be an indication that fundamentals are improving. In the last 30 days, 45 analysts covering Facebook (FB) have raised their numbers and only 1 has cut.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Sales Growth

Too often, investors neglect this line item. For years companies like IBM have been able to grow earnings in double digits without growing sales using financial engineering gimmicks like stock buybacks and cutting costs. Eventually, your run of things you can cut, and the game is over. A quick look at a long term chart of IBM (IBM) shows that investors have been punishing that stock for years.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Here, in the case of Facebook, there is no such problem. Sales growth is expected to be above 40% this year.

Income Investors (Key Statistics Page)

Growth companies like Facebook (FB) often dont pay a dividend, so lets look at a couple of income producing stocks. Investors looking for income often turn to the energy sector. Two of the largest, Exxon (XOM) and Chevron (CVX), both have above-average dividend yields.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Source: Yahoo Finance

Exxon comes in at 3.91%, but Chevrons 5.27% is much higher--so is that the stock to buy?

Like most things in finance, were going to have to dig a little deeper. The worst thing that can happen to an income investor is for one of their stocks to cut the dividend. One of the best ways to identify potential problems is to look at the payout ratio.

(Payout Ratio = Dividends per share / Earnings per share)

The payout ratio for Exxon is about 60%. Sixty percent of their earnings are being used to pay that dividend. On the other hand, Chevron is paying out close to 93% of earnings to support the dividend. Not much wiggle room there. Some companies pay out more than 100% of earnings, and the only way to do that is to borrow money and take on debt.

Despite the fact that Chevron has a higher yield, Exxon looks like the healthier choice. Remember, in volatile markets you can lose that dividend in an hour, so make sure you look beyond the yield.

Summary

Next time someone recommends a stock, go to these pages and kick the tires. Weve only touched on a few investment tools available, and over time you will find many more. Remember there is no Holy Grail, and no one data point can guarantee a good choice. Investing is as much an art as it is a science. Every company has a story, but not every stock has the numbers to back it up.

Disclosure: funds managed by David Nelson are long Facebook. No positions in XOM or CVX.
What Could Drive Freeport-McMoRan's February Performance?

(Continued from Prior Part)

Russia-OPEC talks

Rumors have been flying about the proposed Russia-OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) talks. Crude oil prices have seen extreme volatility as the will they wont they sentiments seem to change frequently. There have been reports that OPEC and Russia are planning to reduce crude oil output in a coordinated way. So why should Freeport investors care about the proposed talks?

To be sure, lower energy prices benefit pure-play copper producers including Southern Copper (SCCO) and Turquoise Hill Resources (TRQ), as lower prices lead to lower unit production costs. However, falling crude prices also negatively impact investor sentiments, leading to downwards price action in other commodities as well.

Energy prices

A rebound in energy prices will provide a lifeline to Freeport-McMoRan (FCX). Higher energy prices will help Freeport in two ways. First, the companys earnings and cash flows will improve if crude oil prices rise from these levels. In its 4Q15 earnings conference call, Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) projected that free cash flows will be at the break-even level in 2016. Freeport has assumed copper at $2 per pound and Brent at $34 per barrel for this guidance. If Brent rises above the price levels that Freeport has assumed, its 2016 cash flows might come in higher than the companys guidance.

Energy asset sales

Secondly, stability in crude oil prices will help Freeport in finding suitable strategic alternatives for its energy business. Simply put, Freeport will be able to get better value for its energy assets if stability returns to the energy market.

However, will OPEC and Russia be able to strike a deal? Will economics prevail over politics? For that, well have to wait and watch. Meanwhile, several other factors could impact Freeports 2016 performance. You can explore them in detail in our series An Investors Guide to Freeport-McMoRans 2016 Outlook.

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You can also consider the Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) to get diversified exposure to the materials sector. Together, Freeport and Newmont Mining (NEM) form ~4% of XLBs portfolio.

Browse this series on Market Realist:
Facebook offered the people of India a trade: free internet in exchange for a little bit of online freedom. And India said no.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India  the country's version of the FCC  put out new laws that banned Facebook's Free Basics program on Monday. Free Basics is a system that gives free internet access to people in countries like India who lack it. The catch? Facebook chooses the services you can access. Those services include Facebook, of course.

The new regulation, which says that "no service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content," didn't explicitly use Facebook's name, but this puts a clear end to the fight between Facebook and Indian activists  at least until the laws come up for review in two years.

"It's imperialism and the East India Company all over again. Under the lie of 'digital equality.'"

Facebook spent the past few months waging a hearts-and-minds campaign to get the people of India onboard for Free Basics. The company put up billboards in New Delhi and took out full-page advertisements in major Indian publications. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg hosted the prime minister of India at Facebook's headquarters to pledge his allegiance to getting the Indian people online.

No @facebook, we are better without your Free Basics. Billboard near Bangalore Airport. cc @nixxin #NetNeutrality pic.twitter.com/JFxCTeCoAZ https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW31E8tU0AEobV3.jpg:large

In response, the people of India took to the streets to protest.

Activists for net neutrality said that Facebook was using India's need for world-class internet connectivity as an opportunity to grow their user base. Free Basics and other "zero-rating" services let users browse without incurring data charges, letting big corporations prioritize some services over others. This puts an American company like Facebook in charge of what content the people of India get priority access to.

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"It's imperialism and the East India Company all over again, under the lie of 'digital equality,'" Indian venture capitalist Mahesh Murthy wrote in late December.

Finally, Zuckerberg himself wrote an op-ed for the Times of India, scolding activists, technologists and legislators for spreading "false claims," and saying that the cause of getting people online was worth whatever little trades the Indian people give over to Facebook in the process.

"Who could possibly be against this?" Zuckerberg asked.

Now he knows.
By Himank Sharma MUMBAI (Reuters) - Indian restaurant search and food delivery service Zomato, one of only a handful of Indian start-ups to succeed abroad, said on Monday it had broken even in key markets including India and is on track to make a profit as early as June next year. The result comes as Zomato seeks $200 million in funding, a source close to the group said, in an increasingly tough environment for start-ups. Zomato, which makes money through advertising and its delivery service, said it had hit operational break-even in India, the UAE, Indonesia and three other markets in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Together, they account for the three-fourths of the company's revenue, co-founder and chief executive Deepinder Goyal told Reuters. "The fundamental model of our business is that in mature markets we should make profits and they shouldn't need any more outside money to grow," Goyal said. Zomato is set to start its $200 million funding round in April, the source close to the company said, adding it is in discussions with Chinese internet conglomerates Alibaba Group and Baidu Inc for investments. The source declined to be identified because the discussions are private. Last month, a Baidu executive told Reuters the company was in talks to invest in Zomato among other Indian startups. [nL3N14X48D] Goyal declined to comment on the companys fund-raising plans. Zomato has operations in 17 other countries including the United States, Britain and Australia, and has so far raised $225 million from investors including Temasek, Sequoia and Info Edge. Indias consumer internet startups have attracted billions of dollars in venture capital funding in the last couple of years on the prospects of rising income levels and increasing internet penetration in a county of 1.2 billion people. However, industry insiders say funding is becoming harder to come by, as investors focus on profits to justify sky-high valuations. [nL3N1523RN] India's hyper-competitive food-tech industry saw a series of mass lay-offs late last year with Nexus Ventures-backed TinyOwl and Rocket Internet backed-Foodpanda restructuring operations after expanding too fast. Zomato also scaled back its delivery operations in four Indian cities last month and laid off 300 employees last October. (Reporting by Himank Sharma; Editing by Stephen Coates)
FilmRise has acquired exclusive worldwide distribution rights to Maris Currans Five Nights in Maine, the Toronto Film Festival indie drama that stars David Oyelowo, Dianne Wiest and Rosie Perez. A late-summer theatrical release is planned day-and-date with digital and VOD. The pic, which world premiered in Torontos Discovery section, centers on a man (Oyelowo) reeling from the tragic loss of his wife who travels to rural Maine to seek answers from his estranged, cancer-stricken mother-in-law (Wiest).

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The fight is on to save human limbs: As the rate of diabetes continues to rise, the foot ulcers and chronic wounds that can come with the condition  and can lead to amputations in severe cases  remain a persistent problem.

To address it, medical professionals are now turning to wound dressings made from human amniotic membrane, a tissue found in the human placenta.

With this innovative approach to treating wounds, doctors are giving another option to patients whose wounds won't heal using existing treatments. The method uses a substance that would otherwise end up discarded as medical waste following a birth.

"When you put membrane on the wound, the wound starts to heal faster," said Dr. Dusko Ilic, a physician and stem cell science professor at King's College London who specializes in regenerative medicine. In a new article, published Jan. 12 in the British Medical Bulletin journal, Ilic and his colleagues reviewed the use of medical products made from human amniotic membrane tissue to treat chronic wounds.

The human amniotic membrane is a thin, intricate protein mesh that covers the placenta as a fetus develops. When a pregnant woman's "water breaks," this is the protective layer that ruptures. Following birth, the membrane comes out of the woman's body along with the rest of the placenta.

The membrane resembles a piece of standard cling wrap, but it is full of growth factors, stem cells and nutrition for embryo development. The cells are stripped away when the membrane is prepared for use as a wound covering, leaving behind the protein scaffold, which is rich in one protein called collagen. [5 Amazing Technologies That Are Revolutionizing Biotech]

"What actually helps the healing is that intricate network of the proteins," Ilic said.

When wounds don't heal

Diabetic ulcers affect 15 percent of people with diabetes during their lifetimes, and these wounds lead to more than 70,000 amputations annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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The wounds develop because persistently high levels of blood sugar can damage nerves over time. This nerve damage, called neuropathy, interferes with the body's normal protective mechanisms. People with diabetes may not sense that they're putting too much pressure on one part of a foot for long periods of time, producing painful sores. The disease can also dry out skin, leading to cuts on the foot a person with diabetes may not even feel. Poor blood circulation means broken skin takes longer to heal, increasing the risk of infection.

Although studies have shown that wounds heal significantly faster when amniotic membrane products are used, Ilic found that there are only two major companies in Europe that are making products that use the membrane. The number of manufacturers is larger in the United States, but dressings made from the membrane still aren't commonly found in hospitals or clinics here.

"The wound-care community is relatively small," said Chris Liscio, director of regenerative tissue products at Derma Sciences, a medium-sized company in Princeton, New Jersey, that makes amniotic membrane dressings. Most diabetic wounds are treated by primary care physicians, or sometimes emergency doctors, he added.

Once ulcers set in, they can be difficult to heal, he said. In people with such wounds, "circulation is bad, nerves are damaged and sometimes [the wounds] persist for ages  for years," Ilic said.

The ulcers can lead to worse outcomes for patients. In one 2007 study, published in the International Wound Journal, researchers at Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago found that approximately half the patients receiving a diabetes-related amputation would not be alive in five years. That mortality rate is similar or worse than those of many common types of cancer.

For the toughest wounds, amniotic membrane really does help, Ilic said, especially those that haven't responded to other treatments. [Bionic Humans: Top 10 Technologies]

In one clinical trial, which tested a membrane product from Marietta, Georgia-based company MiMedx, researchers looked at 84 patients with diabetic ulcers ranging from 2 and 20 centimeters (0.79 to 7.9 inches) across. The ulcers had completely permeated the skin layers and still remained open after a month. The researchers treated the patients with either the membrane or traditional wound care, and then checked to see if the wounds were at least 40 percent closed within one month of treatment. Of those treated with an amniotic membrane product, 62 percent met the benchmark, compared to 32 percent who had received standard treatments, according to results published in 2014.

The idea of using this membrane is not new. In 1910, Dr. J.W. Davis at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore tried using the tissue as a skin graft and found it performed well. Throughout the early part of the century, medical researchers continued to experiment with the material, and found success using it for eye surgery.

Using the translucent membrane for wound dressings remained a fairly common practice until concerns about disease transmission interfered. The membrane was used less in the years after World War II, Ilic said. Then the rise of AIDS and other blood-borne diseases in the 1980s and 1990s caused the membrane to fall out of favor. Scientists turned to pigs and cows for skin substitutes.

However, within the past decade or so, researchers developed methods to safely test, sterilize and process the membrane for use in dressings, Ilic said. The membrane is used today most commonly as biological dressing in ophthalmology. Only within the past five years or so have specialists started using advanced amniotic membrane products to treat diabetic wounds.

Several American companies make medical products from human amniotic membranes, including Derma Sciences, MiMedx and Osiris Therapeutics in Columbia, Maryland. Each company differs in how it processes the membrane, using proprietary methods. Liscio said there are generally two versions of the product, either cryogenically frozen or prepared for off-the-shelf use, like Derma Sciences' version.

Usually the companies collect membranes from women who have planned C-sections. That way, there is minimal damage to the placenta, Liscio said. Within hours of the membrane donation, the company begins processing the material.

MiMedx has a patented process called Purion for cleaning and preservation. Derma Sciences uses technology called Dryflex, which allows the final, sterile product to be stored up to five years.

Gaining wider use

While the products are available on the market and could potentially be employed by any physician, use currently tends to be limited to specialized wound care centers.

"Medical staff has to get it embedded in their heads," Ilic said. "This exists. This is really working."

Amniotic membrane derived from human tissue is relatively free of any significant side effects when used in the sheet form, said Dr. Donald Fetterolf, chief medical officer for MiMedx. Each membrane must be prepped and sterilized using strict American Association of Tissue Banks guidelines. "Tissue rejection or allergic reactions as a result have not been reported," he said. "The natural antigens that [would] identify a tissue as 'foreign' are not present in this unique environment."

The downside of using amniotic membrane products is that the cost to cover one wound can be incredibly high. "They're different sizes, but the price can range from $400 to $4,000 easily," Liscio said. Insurance coverage for amniotic tissue products varies widely as well.

The applications extend beyond aiding people with diabetes, to those with burns or diseases such as epidermolysis bullosa, a painful genetic disorder in which the skin surface peels away. For a patient with that condition, even using a towel would cause wounds, Ilic said. [Top 3 Techniques for Creating Organs in the Lab]

Additional randomized clinical trials are now underway for human amniotic membrane products, but these studies are expensive to conduct.

"Just like with every new medicine, it has to pass time and then people embrace it," Ilic said.

Liscio said he sees the field growing rapidly in the future. "The diabetes problem is not getting better," he said. "If you can do something to delay an amputation or even prevent it, the person could have a much better quality of life."

As for production, Ilic said he is confident plenty of amniotic membrane will be available. "Production is extremely cheap," he said. "And resources? The whole human race."

Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Kirkuk (Iraq) (AFP) - The Iraqi army is deploying thousands of soldiers to a northern base in preparation for operations to retake the Islamic State group's hub of Mosul, officials said on Monday.

IS seized Mosul in June 2014 and except for air strikes has held Iraq's second city largely unopposed for more than 18 months as the country's security forces battled the jihadists in other areas.

"Units from the Iraqi army have begun arriving to a military base near the Makhmur district to start launching initial military operations toward Mosul," a staff brigadier general told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Makhmur lies around 70 kilometres (45 miles) southeast of Mosul.

"There are three brigades located in that base now," and their number will eventually reach 4,500 soldiers, said the officer, who is part of the security command tasked with retaking Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital.

Iraqi forces recaptured Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, west of Baghdad, in December in a major blow to the jihadists.

But Mosul is expected to be the most difficult battle of Iraq's war against IS due to its size, the presence of large numbers of civilians in the city, and the long period the jihadists have had to prepare defences.

It is the largest city held by IS, and along with Raqa in Syria is one of the two main hubs for the jihadists' operations.

The initial aim is to sever IS supply lines between Mosul and areas farther south including Hawijah in Kirkuk province and areas near Baiji in Salaheddin, the army officer said.

Iraqi forces have worked slowly and deliberately to isolate other IS-held cities such as Tikrit and Ramadi before launching assaults to retake them, and cutting off Mosul will likely take longer than either.

- $10 million base -

Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland, the commander of the US-led operation against IS, has said that Iraqi generals do not think they will be able to recapture Mosul until the end of 2016 or early 2017 at the earliest.

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A Kurdish official said that most of the soldiers deployed to Makhmur, which is located within territory controlled by Iraqi Kurdistan, are ethnic Kurds from the Iraqi army.

"These forces came with the approval of the presidency and government of the Kurdistan region of Iraq," said Halgurd Hekmat, a spokesman from the ministry responsible for the autonomous region's peshmerga forces.

The base will be for both soldiers and aircraft, Hekmat said.

Shakhwan Abdullah, a Kurdish lawmaker on the federal parliament's security and defence committee, confirmed that Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan had coordinated on the deployment.

"Establishing this base cost around $10 million," said Abdullah, adding that the base would be turned over to Kurdish peshmerga forces after the recapture of Mosul.

Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi visited the Makhmur base on Saturday, ordering that all measures be taken to speed up the completion of the site, the ministry said.

Multiple Iraqi divisions collapsed during the early days of IS's 2014 offensive, abandoning thousands of vehicles as well as weapons and other equipment to the jihadists.

IS ultimately overran around a third of the country, but Iraqi forces have since regained significant areas from the jihadists, with the help of US-led air strikes and training.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel plans to increase the number of entry permits it grants to Palestinian workers, Palestinian and Israeli sources said on Monday, in a drive to ease economic hardship that has contributed to a wave of Palestinian attacks. Publicly, the Israeli government has accused Palestinian leaders, including President Mahmoud Abbas and Islamist groups, of inciting violence. But Israeli security officials have also cited desperation among young Palestinians who see a bleak economic future for the occupied West Bank. A Defence Ministry official confirmed a report in the Haaretz newspaper on Monday which said Israel would increase the number of work permits given to Palestinians by 30,000. "A few plans are being looked at," a second Israeli official said. About 55,000 Palestinians currently have permits to work in Israel, mostly in construction and agriculture, the Bank of Israel says. They must clear Israeli security checks before the documents are issued. An additional 30,000 undocumented Palestinian laborers also enter Israel each day. The new plan would raise the number of Palestinian workers vetted by Israeli security officials. Police say most of the near-daily Palestinian attacks since October, which have included stabbings, shootings and car rammings, have been carried out by Palestinians who cross into Israel without permits from the West Bank. The attacks have killed 27 Israelis and one U.S. citizen in the past four months. Israeli forces have killed at least 156 Palestinians in that period, 101 of them assailants, the authorities say. It was not immediately clear when the plan would be implemented and whether it needed final approval from Israel's security cabinet. The Palestinian Workers' Union said it had received notification of the permit plan from Israel. "Workers are supposed to begin to apply for the permits," said its secretary, Shaher Saad. In the West Bank, about 30 percent of Palestinians between the ages of 20 and 29 are unemployed, according to data from the Palestinian Statistics Bureau for the third quarter of 2015. Israeli Workers' Hotline, a rights group, said Palestinian laborers were often subject to exploitation. "They provide cheap labor," said Raja Zaatry, the group's coordinator for Palestinian workers, adding that they rarely enjoyed pension, health and minimum wage rights. The bloodshed has also stemmed from Palestinian frustration over long-stalled peace talks, which have failed to end Israeli occupation of lands they seek for an independent state, and anger at perceived Jewish encroachment on a contested Jerusalem shrine. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell and Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Gareth Jones)
By Dan Williams and Matt Spetalnick JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel may be unable to reach a new defense aid agreement with the Obama administration and could wait for the next U.S. president to secure better terms, a senior Israeli official said on Monday in a veiled rebuke signaling a snag in negotiations. But a senior U.S. official urged Israel to accept an increased 10-year multibillion-dollar package that President Barack Obama is offering, saying whoever occupies the White House next would be unlikely to demonstrate any greater commitment to Israels security. Differences between the two sides, which surfaced after a round of negotiations on a new defense memorandum of understanding (MOU) last week, underscored continuing tensions over last years U.S.-led nuclear deal with Iran, Israels regional arch-foe. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted by local media on Monday as telling his cabinet that if Israels security needs were not sufficiently met, he would hold off on signing an aid deal and wait for the next U.S. president, who will take office next January. Netanyahu, who has a history of testy relations with Obama, might be hoping for more sympathetic treatment from the next administration, whether Democratic or Republican. But his comments could also be a negotiating ploy to win concessions. In an apparent swipe at the Obama administration, cabinet minister Zeev Elkin, a Netanyahu confidant in the ruling right-wing Likud party, said Israel was still waiting for a realistic offer from the United States. Current U.S. defense payouts to Israel, worth about $3 billion annually, expire in 2018. Officials say Netanyahu opened talks with a request for an increase to $5 billion annually, an amount the United States was unlikely to accept. An Israeli official said on Monday that Netanyahu was hoping for about $4 billion, and would seek hundreds of millions of dollars separately for military projects such as missile defense. A U.S. congressional source said, however, that MOU discussions had focused on a U.S. offer of about $3.7 billion. WAITING GAME "When the accord with Iran passed, the U.S. president pledged that he would do everything to provide a proper response for Israeli security," Elkin told Israel's Army Radio. Nevertheless, he said it was "possible" that Netanyahu would wait for the next White House occupant to clinch an MOU. Israel, Elkin said, wants an MOU that "reflects a realistic assessment in terms of U.S. aid, in light of the big changes that U.S. policy promises for the Middle East. After all, these things are not divorced one from the other." He was referring to the international deal that curbed Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief - which Israel had adamantly opposed - and the potential ensuing flow of funds to Tehran's militant allies, as well as U.S. arms sales to Arab states looking to offset Tehrans regional clout. The Obama administration wants a new deal before the president leaves office as part of his legacy. Officials on both sides say agreement is unlikely before an expected Netanyahu visit to Washington in March but have not completely ruled it out. Speaking before the latest talks, the third round so far, a U.S. official told Reuters that any MOU should not be interpreted as compensation to Israel for the Iran deal. The senior U.S. official insisted on Monday that the administration was confident of reaching a new MOU that meets Israels needs and said that despite a challenging budget environment it would constitute "the largest single pledge of military assistance to any country in U.S. history. Israel is of course free to wait for the next administration to finalize a new MOU should it not be satisfied with such a pledge, the official said. "But we would caution that the U.S. budgetary environment is unlikely to improve in the next one to two years, and Israel will certainly not find a president more committed to Israel's security than is President Obama. (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal and Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
(Reuters) - The jailed leader of the occupation of a U.S. wildlife refuge in Oregon, in a statement released on Monday, called on elected officials from mostly Western states to voice support for free speech and civil disobedience and to visit their constituents in federal custody.

"It is your duty to hold federal agencies at bay, protecting the people in your state," said Ammon Bundy, according to the transcript of a telephone call he made on Saturday from jail and released by one of his lawyers.

Bundy also urged elected representatives in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Washington state and Ohio to support the right to assemble.

Bundy and 10 others were arrested in Oregon in late January, most of them during a confrontation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and state police on a roadside where a spokesman for the group, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was fatally shot. A 12th member of the group turned himself in to police in Arizona.

Two of those arrested have been released on condition that they wear electronic tracking devices while awaiting trial, leaving 10 of the former protesters, including Bundy, in custody.

Four armed anti-government protesters still at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge were indicted last week with the 12 others on charges of conspiring to impede federal officers during an armed standoff at the compound.

The takeover at Malheur started on Jan. 2 when Bundy and followers seized buildings at the refuge in a protest against federal control over millions of acres public land in the West.

A judge cited the continuing standoff as an obstacle to the release of at least some of those still in custody. They are to be arraigned on Feb. 24.

Tensions have flared in the town of Burns, 30 miles (48 km) from the refuge, with hundreds of demonstrators and residents angry about the occupation and its supporters.

Bundy has released statements previously, defending the takeover and urging the four holdouts to stand down.

Members of the Burns Paiute Tribe, native Americans whose land previously encompassed the preserve, have criticized Bundy and his group.

(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales; Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Dan Grebler)
Japan has assured Australia it will share its most secret stealth technology if it wins a contract to design and build Canberra's next generation of submarines, a report said Monday.

Three international bidders are competing for the project worth up to Aus$50 billion (US$36 billion) to replace Australia's current diesel and electric-powered Collins Class submarines which are set to be retired from about 2026.

The tender process is now closed with submissions received from DCNS of France, Germany's TKMS and the Japanese government.

Besides matching the range and endurance of the Collins Class, the new generation of subs are expected to offer superior sensor performance and stealth capabilities.

Japan's Deputy Defence Minister Kenji Wakamiya said Tokyo ordinarily only shared details of its Soryu class submarine with the United States, but Australia was also considered a deeply trusted ally.

"It is of major importance to us that we will be sharing this secret technology with Australia," he told The Australian newspaper in comments published Monday.

Wakamiya added that Tokyo's willingness to do this demonstrated the importance it placed on maintaining regional security.

"Please also recognise that this decision was based on Japan seeing Australia as a very important partner," he said.

"And I believe that a joint project to build the new submarine would contribute greatly to maritime safety in this region."

Late last year Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani echoed similar sentiments that picking Tokyo could help ensure maritime security in the Asia-Pacific.

He was alluding to the importance of allies such as the US, Japan and Australia working together in the face of China's growing military might.

For Australia, cooperating with Japan -- whose Soryu is widely seen as the best submarine of its type - risks angering its biggest trading partner China.

According to the report, Japan is offering to build a new Soryu with its hull extended six to eight metres (20 to 26 feet) to carry more batteries and fuel to take account of the massive distances the Australian navy travels.

The tender process has been politically sensitive, with Canberra keen to maximise Australian industry involvement and jobs. There are fears that any off-the-shelf purchase could kill off the domestic shipbuilding industry.

Japan, France and Germany all have said they will build a large part or all of their submarines in Australia with the competitive evaluation process expected to take 10 months.
By Osamu Tsukimori TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese government fund may reduce its stake in Tokyo Electric Power Co <9501.T> to below 50 percent in 2017 if the company achieves its goals including its first bond issuance in six years, the company's president said. Tepco was saved from bankruptcy by the government in 2012 following reactor meltdowns at its Fukushima-Daiichi plant after an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. Tepco, owned 50.1 percent by the government fund, will be vetted in March 2017 to see if the targets set by Tokyo have been achieved. Then the government may lower its stake to below 50 percent next year and in stages to zero by early 2030s. "The process for attaining the goals is progressing smoothly," Tepco President Naomi Hirose told a group of reporters on Friday. "We are not optimistic but the situation is not disastrous." Almost five years after the disaster, Tepco has lowered radiation levels at the plant and increased substantially the areas where workers can walk around with no full-face masks on, he said. Asked whether Fukushima-Daiichi plant's decommissioning will complete within 40 years as planned, he said: "That's a tough question. But once the fuel debris is removed, the risks would fall dramatically." The Fukushima disaster had led to the shutdown of all of Japan's reactors for stringent safety checks, forcing operators to import record amounts of coal and expensive LNG for power generation. Tepco recently made a step forward in restarting its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant after clearing a key hurdle on quake projections. But its original goal to restart two reactors in 2014 has been indefinitely delayed due to time-consuming safety checks by the regulator. Tepco posted a record recurring profit in the nine months to December, not relying on nuclear power generation, helped by the significant savings in fuel procurement and a lag of several months for the effect of falling energy prices to be passed on to consumers. "It is difficult to post sustainable profits without nuclear power," Hirose said, adding if oil spiked to $50 a barrel it would be worse off financially. Ahead of the 8.1 trillion yen ($69 billion) retail power sector liberalisation from April, Tepco anticipates that its lion's share will be eroded. But it aims to complement that by entering other monopolies' turfs, winning overseas power business and entering city gas business in future, he said. (This story has been refiled to remove EMBARGO tag in headline, no other change to text) (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Stephen Powell)
News by YKA Staff:

Net Neutrality

Net neutrality activists are hailing the move by TRAI as a big win for net neutrality in India as the telecom regulator on February 8th, barred telecos from charging discriminatory prices for web access.

In what could be a game-changing recommendation, PTI reported that TRAI has provided for a penalty of Rs. 50,000 for each day on service providers if they flout the order. This penalty would be subject to a maximum of Rs. 50 lakh.

Unveiling the details of the regulations, effective today, titled Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016, TRAI Chairman R.S. Sharma said, No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content.

This comes after a long-running debate on net neutrality wherein Facebook has been facing flak for its Free Basics platform, while operators like Airtel have been at the receiving end for similar plans announced earlier.

Anything on the Internet cannot be differently priced. This is the broad point that we have highlighted in regulation, Sharma said. He also added that plans which are active in contravention of the new regulations should cease to exist in 6 months. The new regulations have been notified in Gazette and are effective from today.

The TRAI order is seen as a setback to Facebook which had plans to roll out Free Basics, providing access to a limited set of websites for free. This was seen as undermining the equal-access precepts of net neutrality.

NDTV has tweeted Facebooks response on this:

.@facebook says disappointed with TRAI order banning differential pricing, 'will continue efforts to bring more people online'  NDTV (@ndtv) February 8, 2016

TRAI went on to say, No service provider shall enter into any arrangement, agreement or contract, by whatever name called, with any person, natural or legal, that has the effect of discriminatory tariffs for data services being offered or charged to the consumer on the basis of content.

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However, service providers have been allowed to reduce tariff for access in case of providing emergency services.

We have not defined emergency services. But in case of such services, operators have to inform TRAI within 7 working days, Sharma said. .

Inputs by PTI

The post Just In: Net Neutrality Gets A Win As TRAI Says No To Differential Pricing For Data appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz, an award-winning online platform that serves as the hub of thoughtful opinions and reportage on the world's most pressing issues, as witnessed by the current generation. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out more.
A controversial tool used by law enforcement to track the location of suspects via their cell phones could take a major hit next week in Maryland. On Tuesday, the court of appeals will hear arguments in a case that challenges the states use of cell-site simulators, known as Stingrayswhich mimic cell towers to track a phones locationto follow Baltimore resident Kerron Andrews, a suspect in a murder case.

The surveillance equipment triggers a response from cell phones in the area that relays data about their location and use to the device. The key problem for privacy advocates is that such devices are a blunt instrument: Rather than getting responses from a specific suspects phone, they elicit data transfers from all cell phone users in range.

This case will likely result in the first appellate court decision anywhere in the country squarely addressing how the Fourth Amendment squarely applies to Stingrays, said Nathan Freed Wessler, a staff attorney with the ACLUs Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project. Because of the tremendous and corrosive secrecy that law enforcement applies to Stingray use, very few courts have had the chance to weigh in.

Advocates are especially concerned with law enforcements ability in many states to use Stingray technology without obtaining a warrant. While Maryland has since passed legislation that requires a warrant to track the location of a cell phone, the statute didnt exist at the time Andrews was tracked down. Many states have no such legislation, allowing police to use Stingrays after acquiring a court order that demands a lower standard than a full warrant, for which they would have to demonstrate probable cause.

In late January, the states attorney general, Robert Taylor, turned heads when he implied in a brief that any person who leaves his or her cell phone on is consenting to government tracking.

While cell phones are ubiquitous, they all come with off switches. Because Andrews chose to keep his cell phone on, he was voluntarily sharing the location of his cell phone with third parties, wrote Taylor in the states brief.

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In a related development, in Wisconsin this week, Wessler and his colleagues, along with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, filed a brief challenging the Milwaukee Police Departments warrantless use of a Stingray. The legal questions at stake are almost identical to those raised by Andrews case, and Wessler says the issue will continue to arise as states struggle to adapt to the use of this technology.

While the looming decision in Maryland wont be legally binding in other states, it could establish a precedent as judges are repeatedly asked to address these questions about Stingray use.

It has the potential to be a persuasive source of authority as courts around the country grapple with how to apply the old protections of the Fourth Amendment to this new technology, Wessler told TakePart.

Related stories on TakePart:





 This Drone Law Put Privacy Front and Center but Left Out Something Even Scarier

 Edward Snowden Probably Deserves Credit for These 3 Privacy Victories

 Appeals Court Backs NSAs Phone Data Surveillance Program

Original article from TakePart
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Forces allied to Libya's eastern government carried out air strikes on Islamic State militant areas of Derna city, but an aircraft later crashed because of mechanical failure, a spokesman said on Monday. Libyan National Army forces, led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar, carried out an air strike on the Hay Arrbamiya area of Derna, a city that has been the scene of fighting between Islamic State militants and rival Islamist fighters. An eyewitness in the city confirmed an airstrike on Derna in the area controlled by Islamic State but could not give details on any damage or casualties. "An aircraft of the LNA, a MiG-23, crashed due to a technical problem," LNA local spokesman AbdulKareem Sabra said, adding it had been involved in air strikes on the city. "The pilot managed to escape and is well." Libya is caught in a conflict between two rival factions, each with its own government and backed by competing brigades of former rebels who once battled together against Muammar Gaddafi in their 2011 uprising. The United Nations has backed a separate national unity government, which is still trying to gain support and traction on the ground and overcome divisions before establishing itself in Tripoli. Air strikes by unidentified jets often target suspected Islamist militant targets, including fighters loyal to Islamic State who have been present in Derna and have a stronghold further west along the Mediterranean coast in the city of Sirte. (Reporting by Ayman Al-Warfalli; writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
London (AFP) - London has ramped up its foreign exchange reserves in a move described by British media on Monday as a war chest against market chaos should Britain leave the European Union.

Currency reserves jumped 34 percent to $98.2 billion (87.9 billion euros) in January 2016, from $73.4 billion for the same month a year earlier, according to recent data from the Bank of England (BoE) -- which manages the Treasury's foreign exchange funds.

The nation's emergency "war chest" has been ramped up to guard against a "disorderly collapse" in the pound and equity markets if Britons vote in a key referendum expected later this year to leave the European Union, The Times newspaper said on Monday.

The reserves are mostly held in dollars.

However, both the BoE and the government declined to comment on why the currency reserves have risen so rapidly over the past year.

"We do not entirely know what the government intentions are," said Scott Corfe, economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

"But that certainly can be one explanation -- accumulating currency reserves as a precaution -- because there would be some volatility in the event of Brexit," Corfe told AFP.

Economists warn that the pound could potentially collapse by 20 percent in value, in the event of a British exit.

"Faced with a Brexit, we would expect the authorities to welcome a weaker pound," said David Owen, chief European economist at Jefferies.

A weaker British currency would likely boost the nation's exporters because it makes their goods cheaper for international buyers using stronger currencies.

"The key thing here is see a managed depreciation of sterling -- with the (Treasury) still able to successfully issue gilts, rather than something more of a rout," Owen warned.

Support for Britain leaving the EU has risen since Prime Minister David Cameron unveiled plans for a deal to keep the country in the bloc, a poll showed Friday.

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The survey showed 45 percent now wanted to leave the EU, ahead of 36 percent who wanted Britain to remain in the 28-member club.

That marked a three point rise for those in favour of a so-called "Brexit" since a poll taken a week earlier.

Cameron has set a deadline of the end of 2017 to hold a referendum on whether Britain should stay in the EU, but sources say he is keen to push a vote through by June.
When Queen Ranavalona I suspected someone of disloyalty, she invited them to a meal consisting of three servings of chicken skin and a dose of poison from the tangena tree. If the guest regurgitated all of the chicken, he was absolved of the alleged crime. But if the accused failed to vomit up all three pieces of skin, or keeled over dead, guilt was established and the survivor was hauled off  for execution.

Ranavalona, who ruled swaths of Madagascar in the 19th century, appreciated French fashion and European technology. She wasnt, however, a fan of Christianity or the colonizing tendencies of the British and French, whod been vying for domination over the island for years. The so-called tangena trial, used widely throughout Madagascar before Ranavalonas ascension to the Merina kingdoms throne in 1828, became her favorite method of administering justice and killing off thousands each year.

Christian influence had spread to areas beyond royal control and become a threat to the institution of the Merina state itself.

Her other torturous favorites included progressive amputation, crucifixion, pouring boiling water over victims heads, sawing people in half and forced death marches. But to understand the brutal methods that Ranavalona employed during her reign, especially against Christians, we need to look at how the church threatened her power. The basis of Merina loyalty to the crown, says Gerald M. Berg, a history professor at Sweet Briar College, was the belief that the beneficence of Merina ancestors flowed through the monarch to her followers. That belief was being challenged by Christianity, which was seen as trying to redirect loyalty from Merina ancestors toward foreign ones like Jesus. When Ranavalona assumed the throne after her husband Radama Is death, she proved innovative, boasting at her inauguration that she was not a woman but a man, and so beware, for she could be just as brutal as former male rulers, Berg explains.

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Ranavalona i

Ranavalona i

Source: CC

Western narratives painted Ranavalona as a cold-blooded monarch who made it illegal for her native subjects to practice Christianity. She canceled treaties with Britain, kicked out foreigners and missionaries, expanded the scope of her kingdom through extensive military campaigns and tried to make Madagascar as non-European and self-sufficient as possible. One of her biggest problems in doing so, however, was the lost income from slave exports.

The Merina elite had met the British Abolition of the Slave Trade Act of 1807 with mercantile skepticism. Gwyn Campbell, director of the Indian Ocean World Centre at McGill University, argues in his paper The Adoption of Autarky in Imperial Madagascar, 18201835 that the Merina economy was in dire condition because slave exports were at first restricted by the British, and later prohibited. He believes that even though Europeans tended to view Radama I as an enlightened and progressive monarch and Ranavalona as an irrational xenophobe, she was simply continuing the work of her late husband.

Radama broke with the British in the mid-1820s after realizing that, despite promises, they had failed to replace slave exports with legitimate ones, instead menacing his kingdom with British free-trade imperialism, Campbell writes. Radama effectively confined Western influence to activities that benefited his rule. But by the time he died, this Christian influence had spread to areas beyond royal control and become a threat to the institution of the Merina state itself, Berg says. This explains Ranavalonas more ruthless suppression of Christianity: Belief in any foreign god with foreign ancestors diminished her legitimacy.

Ranavalona wasnt entirely immune to Western progress. She enjoyed wearing French fashions and even directed the development of technologies like metallurgy. But this fiery monarch was never shy about shedding blood to stamp out anyone she believed threatened her crown. Although she didnt target Europeans specifically while persecuting Christians, she wasnt above taking heads of European soldiers killed while trying to oust her and mounting them on spikes as a warning to would-be invaders. The queen known as the Cruel died peacefully in her bed in 1861 at the age of 83, having kept her kingdom largely free from colonial rule throughout her long and bloody reign.

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When Lev Grossman put pen to paper for The Magicians book series, he was in large part inspired by the expansive world J.K. Rowling had created with her Harry Potter franchise. So its not surprising that the new SyFy series based on the trilogy is being hailed as a Harry Potter for grownups, nor that there are more than a few similarities between the two.

Lev Grossman was applying some of those fantasy tropes to the less black-and-white adult life situations that you find yourself in when youre not a 10-year-old boy anymore showrunner Sera Gamble tells The Hollywood Reporter. Harry Potter pushes the question of what happens when you get an acceptance letter to a magical school when youre a kid. We start from a similar place when youre rounding out college, getting ready to step into the adult world and then you get your magical acceptance letter.

Below, THR digs into the biggest similarities between the two:

Both series feature hidden magical schools.

Harry Potter has Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, while The Magicians  at least the first season  takes place mostly at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy (shortened to Brakebills University for the series). Both schools are protected by powerful spells to be hidden from muggles, hedge witches and more, but both also have their weak points that leave them sometimes open to attack.

Both series follow a new magician as he hones his skills.

Harry Potter was the boy who lived miserably in the cupboard under his aunt and uncles stairs, but was whisked away to elevate his own status in a world he never knew existed when he was old enough. Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) was dealing with deep depression and psychological issues when a spell led him to the Brakebills gates to take the graduate schools entrance exam. When he passed, a world he also never knew existed was unveiled.

Read More: 'The Magicians' EP: "There's Enough Material for Six Seasons"

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Both series utilize teachers to help them get where they need to be.

Hagrid, McGonagall, Snape, Dumbledore and the never-ending fleet of Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers were a huge part of the Harry Potter world. They would show up when the students were in trouble, usually in part to help save the day. The Magicians utilizes Dean Fogg (Rick Worthy) and Prof. Sunderland (Anne Dudek) in much the same way  theyre there to save the day when needed, but mostly lend lots of friendly but vague advice, leaving the students to fend for themselves.

Both series place high importance on friendship.

Without Ron and Hermione, Harry wouldnt have triumphed over Voldemort by the series end. In fact, most of the narrative focused on the trios friendships and their ups and downs over the seven years the books take place, culminating in a lifelong bond. So far in the early days of The Magicians, Quentins fallout with Julia (Stella Maeve) has led to some gnarly repercussions for them both, but Quentin has also been forced to lean on some of his new Brakebills friends in order to learn more about magic and himself.

Both series look for the good and evil in everyone.

Snape was one of the most infamously bad good guys in Harry Potter history. While there isnt one particular character in The Magicians so far who fits this exact bill, there are no squeaky clean good guys either. Each character has a complex balance of good and evil, and is driven toward one tendency or the other depending on their particular motives of that episode.

Both series have a big bad that shall not be named by their real name.

Voldemort versus Moth-Man (or The Beast). Who would win in a fight?

Both series rely heavily on the presence of books.

Harry Potter became obsessed with several textbooks over the course of his schooling, including ones with teeth that tried to rip his hand off, a potions book with some dangerous spells and the one that Dumbledore left them that led to Voldemorts ultimate defeat. In The Magicians, Quentin is obsessed with a series of books taking place in a magical land called Fillory. Through them he learns more magic, spells and mythos than ever before, especially when coupled with his learnings at the university.

Both series have plots that are driven by dark magic.

In order to keep the plots of both series moving along, not everything can be hunky dory for everyone all the time. So while there are some lighthearted moments in each (perhaps more so in Harry Potter), each problem presented to the characters typically comes with a heaping dose of dark magic that serves as the antagonist. Whether thats characters using dark magic spells or unknown forces using the brand against the leads is interchangeable, but its usually present.

Both series put prejudice front and center.

Hedge witches and Mudbloods have more in common than just their offensive names. While Hogwarts in principle was accepting of the former, there were students and parents who believed only pure-bloods should be allowed to practice magic. In much the same way Brakebills has a mysterious process for turning out some with magical abilities, forcing them to become hedge witches in order to fulfill their destinies instead.

The Magicians airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on SyFy.

Do you see similarities between the two? Sound off in the comments below.

Twitter: @amber_dowling
By Donna Owens BALTIMORE (Reuters) - An FBI agent on Monday accused lawyers for a convicted murderer of manipulating cell phone records in their bid to win a retrial for the Maryland slaying made famous by the podcast "Serial." Adnan Syed, 35, is serving a life sentence for the 1999 strangulation of his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Syed's lawyers are seeking a new trial based on new evidence amid questions about the fairness of the case that were raised by the podcast in late 2014. During the fourth day of a hearing in Baltimore City Circuit Court, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Chad Fitzgerald said defense lawyers had shown him "manipulated evidence" of cell phone records when he was on the stand last week. "I figured out what you were doing. I think you got caught in your game," Fitzgerald said under questioning by defense lawyer Justin Brown. He also praised the analysis of the records made by AT&T engineer Abe Waranowitz for the original trial. Fitzgerald testified for the prosecution on Friday that Waranowitz' analysis was accurate in placing Syed at Baltimore's Leakin Park. Lee's body was found there in February 2000. Syed's defense team has argued that the cell phone evidence was undependable. Waranowitz has filed an affidavit saying he was unaware at the time that outgoing calls were reliable but incoming calls were not. Lawyers for Syed have contended before Judge Martin Welch that his conviction verdict was unfair, based on inadequate legal counsel, cell phone records and other issues. Under questioning by Deputy Attorney General Thiru Vignarajah, defense expert and attorney David Irwin on Monday repeated his testimony from last week, saying that Syed's original lawyer, Cristina Gutierrez, had failed to contact a possible alibi witness. Irwin said that Gutierrez's skills were slipping at the time of the Syed trial. She was later disbarred and died in 2004. The witness, Asia McClain Chapman, said on the witness stand last week that she spoke with Syed at a library the day that Lee went missing. Under defense questioning, a security guard at the library who testified anonymously said that he could not recall seeing Syed there that day. Syed's legal team rested its case on Monday. In a statement released through the Maryland Attorney General's Office on Sunday, Lee's family said that the original trial had shown that Syed was guilty. "The events of this past week have reopened wounds few can imagine," the family said. (Editing by Ian Simpson, W Simon and Alistair Bell)
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Detainees held by the Syrian government are being killed on a massive scale amounting to a state policy of "extermination" of the civilian population, a crime against humanity, United Nations investigators said on Monday. The U.N. commission of inquiry called on the Security Council to impose "targeted sanctions" on high-ranking Syrian civilian and military officials responsible for or complicit in deaths, torture and disappearances in custody, but stopped short of naming the suspects. The independent experts said they had also documented mass executions and torture of prisoners by two jihadi groups, the Nusra Front and Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. These constituted war crimes and in the case of Islamic State also crimes against humanity, it said. The report, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Deaths in Detention", covers March 10, 2011 to November 30, 2015. It is based on interviews with 621 survivors and witnesses and evidence gathered by the team led by chairman Paulo Pinheiro. "Over the past four and a half years, thousands of detainees have been killed while in the custody of warring parties," the Commission of Inquiry on Syria said. The U.N. criticism of the Damascus government comes at a time when its forces have been advancing with the aid of Russian air strikes. A Moscow-backed government assault near the city of Aleppo this month marks one of the biggest momentum shifts in the five year war and helped torpedo peace talks last week. Pinheiro, noting that the victims were mostly civilian men, told a news briefing: "Never in these five years these facilities that are described in our report have been visited and we have repeatedly asked the government to do so." There was no immediate response by the government of President Bashar al-Assad, which has rejected previous reports. "Prison officials, their superiors throughout the hierarchy, high-ranking officials in military hospitals and the military police corps as well as government were aware that deaths on a massive scale were occurring," Pinheiro said. "Thus we concluded there were 'reasonable grounds' - that is (the threshold) that we apply - to believe that the conduct described amounts to extermination as a crime against humanity." NAMES KEPT IN U.N. SAFE Tens of thousands of detainees are held by the government atany one time, and thousands more have "disappeared" after arrest by state forces or gone missing after abduction by armed groups, the report said. Through mass arrests and killing of civilians, including by starvation and denial of medical treatment, state forces have "engaged in the multiple commissions of crimes, amounting to a systematic and widespread attack against a civilian population". There were reasonable grounds to believe that "high-ranking officers", including the heads of branches and directorates commanding the detention facilities and military police, as well as their civilian superiors, knew of the deaths and of bodies buried anonymously in mass graves. They are thus "individually criminally liable", the investigators said, calling again for Syria to be referred to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), a decision that only the Security Council can take. "It depends on the political will of states. Apparently for Syria now, there is none - there is total impunity, unfortunately," said panel member Carla del Ponte. "We are still waiting for a green light for international justice," she said. "The Security Council doesn't do anything and can't do anything because of the veto", she added, a reference to Russia, Assad's ally, which has repeatedly used its power as a permanent Council member to block resolutions against Damascus. Over the past four years, the investigators have drawn up a confidential list of suspected war criminals and units from all sides which is kept in a U.N. safe in Geneva. Pinheiro said "we have included new names" but gave no details. Del Ponte disclosed that the U.N. investigators have provided judicial assistance to various authorities in response to 15 requests for information on foreign fighters in Syria. She declined to identify the countries involved, but later told Reuters: "These are low-level and middle-level perpetrators because they are foreign fighters, not high-ranking." The Nusra Front, which is allied to al Qaeda, and Islamic State, which has proclaimed a "caliphate" in swathes of Syria and Iraq, have committed mass executions of captured government soldiers and subjected civilians to "illicit trials" by Sharia courts which ordered death sentences, the report said. "Due to their exclusive control of large territories and its centralized command and control structure the so-called ISIS established detention facilities as far as we know are in Raqqa, Deir al-Zor and Aleppo. Serious violations were documented in these facilities, including torture and mass executions," Pinheiro said. "Accountability for these and other crimes must form part of any political solution," the investigators said, five days after U.N.-sponsored peace talks were suspended without any result. DEAD BODIES Raneem Matouq, daughter of prominent lawyer Khalil Matouq missing since Oct 2012, said she had been held for two months in 2014 at Military Security Damascus Branch 227 after being arrested for her own "peaceful activism" while a student. Inmates at the detention facility, estimated to hold several thousand, have died as a result of torture, disease and appalling prison conditions, including chronic lack of food, according to the U.N. report. "I was with 10 other girls in a room one-and-a-half metres long by two meters long. For guys it was a room the same scale but they had 30-40 men, with dead bodies," Matouq told Reuters on a visit to Geneva last week with Amnesty International. "It was full of insects, we were sleeping on the floor, there was no toilet," she said. "We were allowed to go to the toilet three times a day, we called it 'the picnic' because we could walk outside. "Sometimes we would find dead bodies inside the toilet (area). It was so horrible, they were all men." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Ralph Boulton and Peter Graff)
BELLEVUE, Ohio  At 2:15 in the morning, an insomniac corporate defense lawyer in San Francisco finished crafting a revolutionary scientific theory.

Now Evan Nelson of the law firm Tucker Ellis & West needed a scientist willing to publish it in a medical journal. If his theory were given scientific validity, Nelson could use it to win lawsuits.

Nelson defended companies that had exposed people to asbestos, a heat-resistant, fibrous mineral. Asbestos causes several deadly diseases, including mesothelioma, a rare cancer that often drowns the lungs in fluid.

Nelson had expressed frustration with the argument that asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma. After scouring the scientific literature and applying his own logic, Nelson came up with a new culprit: tobacco.

Nelson sent a typo-ridden email to Peter Valberg of Cambridge, Massachusetts. A former professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, Valberg was by then a principal at the environmental consulting firm Gradient Corporation, with offices in Harvard Square.

We can collaborate to publish several key, revolutionary articles that you will see unfold as I present this stuff to you, the lawyer wrote in the 2008 email.

Citing a few scientific articles, Nelson drew a hypothetical link between the fact that cigarette smoke contains radioactive particles and limited evidence that people exposed to radiation had higher rates of mesothelioma.

It is amazing that no one has pout [sic] this together before me, but I am confident that you will agree it is solid science that proves tobacco smoke causes mesothelioma  you just have to look at the tissue [sic] through the proper lense [sic].

There was an obvious problem with Nelsons science. Researchers for decades have exhaustively analyzed data on the health of hundreds of thousands of smokers. Since 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General has summarized the findings of study after study, none of which shows evidence that tobacco causes mesothelioma.

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Valberg wrote back within hours, calling Nelsons scientific theory very intriguing. He was game to try to disseminate it in peer-reviewed journals. He later sent Nelson a contract agreeing to write the first of three articles and even offered him a 10-percent discount. In the meantime, Valberg would adopt Nelsons theory as an expert witness in lawsuits, using it against mesothelioma victims such as Pam Collins of Bellevue, Ohio.

Related: About 'Science for Sale'

This story is part of Science for Sale. Corporations are steering millions of dollars to scientific consulting firms to cast doubt on health concerns surrounding toxic chemicals. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.

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The emails offer a rare glimpse into a world where corporate interests can dictate their own science and scientists for hire willingly oblige. Its a phenomenon thats grown in recent decades as government-funded science dwindles. Its effects are felt not only in courtrooms but also in regulatory agencies that issue rules to try to prevent disease.

The National Institutes of Healths budget for research grants has fallen 14 percent since its peak in 2004, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. With scarce resources, theres little money for academics to study chemicals that most already deem to be toxic. Yet regulatory officials and attorneys say companies have a strong financial interest in continuing to publish research favorable to industry.

Gradient belongs to a breed of scientific consulting firms that defends the products of its corporate clients beyond credulity, even exhaustively studied substances whose dangers are not in doubt, such as asbestos, lead and arsenic.

Gradients scientists rarely acknowledge that a chemical poses a serious public health risk. The Center for Public Integrity analyzed 149 scientific articles and letters published by the firms most prolific principal scientists. Ninety-eight percent of the time, they found that the substance in question was harmless at levels to which people are typically exposed.

They truly are the epitome of rented white coats, said Bruce Lanphear, a Simon Fraser University professor whose own research showing that even tiny amounts of lead could harm children has been called into question by Gradient scientists. A panel of experts convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded in 2012 that there is no reliable evidence for a safe level of lead.

Valberg and other scientists at Gradient declined to be interviewed for this story, as did the firms president, Teresa Bowers. On its website, Gradient says it has applied sound science and rigorous data analysis to help our clients resolve challenging environmental problems.

Nelson, now 51, lost his job in 2013 after his new law firm learned of the Valberg emails. Three years later, he is still unemployed and living with his in-laws.

I get that trying to say that radiation from tobacco smoke causes mesothelioma, thats on the fringe, he said in a recent interview. In all my conversations with Gradient, I was always very clear that I wanted them to look at the science and I didnt want them to do anything that the science didnt support.

The techniques of consulting firms like Gradient evoke the tobacco industrys strategy of creating doubt about science. Gradient doesnt do its own animal or human studies. Often, it criticizes the work of others.

Douglas Dockery, chairman of the environmental health department at the Harvard School of Public Health whose work on air pollution is a frequent target of Gradient scientists, described their critiques as lame.

For the academic, theres no value in going back and trying to refute these low-quality or poor-quality studies, he said. You want to make real advances.

He noted that Gradient sometimes attacks others work through letters to journals, which dont go through peer review but have the air of authority. Thirty of the 149 publications the Center analyzed were letters.

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Stalling regulations

Nearly half of Gradients articles that are peer-reviewed are published in two journals with strong ties to industry, Critical Reviews in Toxicology and Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, the Centers analysis found.

These articles are often aimed directly at regulators. The Department of Health and Human Services National Toxicology Program, for example, listed styrene, used to make foam cups, as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. Scientists at Gradient responded with an article paid for by the styrene industry saying the government finding was wrong.

Besides publishing articles, Gradient also routinely submits comments and attends hearings when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing a chemical to determine its toxicity. The firm is one of several that the chemical industry relies on to stall regulations.

Those efforts have been enormously successful, especially during the Obama administration. While there are more than 80,000 chemicals available for commercial use, the EPA over the past 30 years has assessed the health risks of only 570. These scientific assessments are necessary before any new regulation can be enacted. So the EPAs chemical research office has become a bottleneck that the chemical industry has targeted.

Industry and Congress pounced on criticisms of the EPAs chemical assessment process from the National Academy of Sciences, prompting the agency to start dozens of reviews of toxic chemicals all over again. Many, like its reviews of formaldehyde, arsenic and hexavalent chromium, had been in the works for years.

During the Bush administration, the EPA said it needed to assess at least 50 chemicals a year to keep pace. But in the past five years, the agencys Integrated Risk Information System has completed only six reviews  an all-time low. Last year, it failed to complete a single one.

The reviews rely heavily on published literature. The industry has argued that its research tends to be dismissed, putting pressure on the EPA to explain how much weight it gives each article. The EPA also has responded to criticisms that its chemical reviews have been cloaked in secrecy by holding more public meetings, which are dominated by industry scientists.

Gradient scientists have played an active role in trying to prevent tighter regulations.

In 2010, they helped delay for years the EPAs review of arsenic, a substance most Americans regularly consume in water, rice, fruit juices and other foods. Agency scientists were about to report that arsenic posed a much greater health risk than previously thought, even at the amount the EPA currently allows in drinking water. They determined that for every 10,000 women exposed daily to the highest amounts of arsenic allowed by law, 73 eventually would get lung or bladder cancer.

Gradient scientists argued that the EPA left out the most recent research on arsenic and should redo the analysis. The omission was due mostly to delays by the Bush administrations Office of Management and Budget, which had to approve all EPA scientific reviews. Some members of Congress latched on to Gradients argument to accuse the EPA of cherry-picking data. They twisted the agencys arm to start the analysis over again.

The EPA was going to ban most uses of pesticides containing arsenic at the end of 2013. But without a scientific review, it had to postpone the ban indefinitely.

Gradient also helped persuade the Food and Drug Administration to declare another ubiquitous chemical, bisphenol A, harmless. That controversial decision was made in 2008. Nearly all Americans are routinely exposed to BPA in canned food, plastic bottles and cash-register receipts.

Hundreds of articles by academic scientists have linked BPA to health problems in humans, including infertility, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. In 2006, Gradient scientists published an article attacking dozens of academic studies that had reported reproductive problems in rats and mice fed BPA. The FDA cited Gradients article and a few industry studies in its decision.

Gradient maintained that humans are exposed to far less BPA than the animals in those studies. Frederick vom Saal, a University of Missouri professor who has investigated BPA for more than two decades, called that argument complete nonsense.

You create a false statement of fact, and then you discount a whole literature, vom Saal said.

A group of academic researchers were so outraged by an article on BPA written by Gradients Julie Goodman and Lorenz Rhomberg that they wrote a lengthy response with a table listing all the false statements in it.

In this article, there is nothing that is true, vom Saal said. Its ridiculous. And thats how they operate.

Rhomberg, who once worked at the EPA, now sits on a panel that reviews all of the agencys toxic chemical assessments before they become final.

Adam Finkel, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a former official at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, was close friends with Rhomberg for many years. He says hes perplexed by how his friend seems to have changed since he joined Gradient.

In 1997, Dr. Rhomberg submitted brilliant comments to our OSHA regulation on [the solvent] methylene chloride, in which he skewered a half-baked industry theory that the cancers it caused in animals were irrelevant to humans, Finkel said. Nowadays, I see him routinely cheerleading for some of the same sorts of unconvincing arguments designed to make substances seem less risky."

Asked to respond, Rhomberg said, Open discussion about the evidence and how it is to be appropriately interpreted is essential to the scientific process, and any claims that paint as illegitimate the making of critical comments is destructive of the scientific process.

Finkel is especially upset with arguments Gradient made in trying to prevent the EPA from listing a little-known chemical called n-propyl bromide as a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act. Gradients Goodman wrote a lengthy public comment in 2014 paid for by a maker of n-propyl bromide. In it, Goodman argued that a government study showing high rates of cancer among rats exposed to the chemical had no relevance for humans.

Finkel said Goodman offered no proof to support this but was just making stuff up. He said he found the document offensive because hundreds of workers are exposed to the chemical and some have suffered serious disabilities. In 2013, The New York Times told the stories of furniture workers in North Carolina who found it difficult to walk after being exposed to n-propyl bromide for only a few weeks.

Defending such a product, Finkel said, is not your finest hour when youre talking about something we know is killing people.

Harvard ties

Gradient was founded in 1985, about the same time as two of its biggest competitors: Environ and ChemRisk. When the company was bought in 1996 by The IT Group, a hazardous-waste-disposal company, it was reporting annual revenues of $5 million. But Gradient was sold back to its founders in 1999 and no longer reveals its finances.

The company often touts its ties to Harvard. Several of its scientists used to be on faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Some continue to teach there as adjunct faculty.

Gradients clients include two of the most powerful lobby groups in Washington, the American Petroleum Institute and the American Chemistry Council. Other frequent clients include Navistar, a diesel truck manufacturer, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a regulatory agency that has a history of aligning with industry.

Gradient has become a leading scientific voice in trying to prevent further regulation of air pollution. That puts its scientists at odds with former colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health, such as Dockery.

Dockery was among a team of scientists at Harvard who after the Arab oil embargo in 1973 set out to evaluate the health effects of burning domestic coal instead of foreign oil to generate power. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Harvard scientists recruited more than 8,000 volunteers in six cities living near coal-burning power plants. Monitors were used in each city to measure soot and smog.

After collecting data for 15 years, the researchers themselves couldnt believe what they were finding. People who lived in communities with the dirtiest air died on average two years younger than those who breathed cleaner air. That meant that eliminating air pollution could increase life expectancy in some cities to the same degree as if scientists had found a cure for cancer.

The results of the Six Cities Study were so dramatic that researchers decided they couldnt publish them without corroboration, Dockery said. The Harvard scientists were able to convince the American Cancer Society to share data on the health of 1.2 million volunteers tracked since 1982. The researchers matched it to EPA data on soot and came up with similar results.

For a while, the studies attracted little attention. But that changed in 1997 when the EPA  under pressure from courts to enforce the Clean Air Act  used the studies as the basis for new air-pollution rules.

According to the EPA, none of its regulations saves as many lives as the Clean Air Act. The agency estimates that in 2010, rules on soot and smog kept 164,000 Americans from dying prematurely, mostly from heart attacks. By 2020, it expects the number of lives saved annually to rise to 237,000.

But the regulations are expensive. The EPA estimates that industry will have spent a total of $65 billion on pollution controls by 2020.

Related: EPA chemical assessments halt in 2015

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Facing intense criticism from industry, the Harvard researchers agreed to have a third party reanalyze the data. It was given to the Health Effects Institute, a respected scientific firm funded by both the automotive industry and the EPA.

The three-year wait for the institutes results was nerve-wracking, Dockery said. But the reanalysis ultimately confirmed the findings of the Harvard researchers.

After that was released we thought the issue was settled, Dockery said.

Since then, however, Gradient scientists have taken a leading role in trying to cast doubt on the studies findings. Gradient has published 37 articles on different aspects of air pollution, funded by the American Petroleum Institute, Navistar and the International Carbon Black Association, whose members are subject to clean-air regulations.

Related: Costs and benefits of the Clean Air Act

In congressional testimony in 2012, Goodman accused the EPA of being biased by giving too much weight to the Harvard and American Cancer Society studies while ignoring dozens of other epidemiology studies ,  including many that found no health problems caused by current levels of air pollution.

In her testimony, Goodman cited only six studies that she said show no harmful effects from soot. But two of those studies were funded by industry. And authors of the other four say their findings supports those of the Six Cities Study.

It would be wrong for her to say that we didnt find an effect, said Dr. Bill McDonnell, a former EPA scientist whose work was cited by Goodman. We did find a relationship. It just seems like you can just make up your own facts now.

Mrs. Goodman and the company she works for have a reputation of misrepresenting the science consistently, said Bert Brunekreef, director of the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences at Universiteit Utrecht in the Netherlands and co-author of two of the articles.

A team of European researchers led by Brunekreef combined the results of more than 20 studies done in the United States, Europe and Asia and found that as people are exposed to more fine-particle soot, they are more likely to die prematurely, especially from heart disease. In Dockerys mind, the question of whether soot is linked to early deaths is beyond dispute.

One of the disappointments about Gradient is they tend to go over these same arguments that have been thoughtfully discussed previously, Dockery said. It doesnt advance the science very much.

Since 2013, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a regulatory agency, has paid Gradient $1.65 million to challenge the EPAs scientific analysis of the benefits of reducing ground-level ozone, also called smog. Gradient already had been doing similar work for the American Petroleum Institute.

Goodman has criticized a U.S.-government-funded study led by a group of public-health scientists at the University of California, Berkeley. The study explored whether smog was linked to deaths.

Michael Jerrett, the lead author of the ozone study, explained that researchers analyzed health records of 448,850 people in the American Cancer Society database for a period of 18 years. The volunteers lived in 96 cities.

The researchers found that, just as with soot, people in the smoggiest cities die prematurely.

It remains the only study to find a long-term effect on mortality from ozone, Jerrett said.

In a 2011 letter published in Environmental Health Perspectives, Goodman described the work as an uncorroborated study that likely misinterpreted the findings regarding ozone effects. Jerrett was not given the opportunity to respond.

I felt that that letter was not following the normal conventions that we would use for scientific debate in the literature, he said.

The ozone study was published in 2009 in the venerable New England Journal of Medicine. Jerrett said it went through two rounds of peer review with more than 50 pages of questions and another 40 pages of responses.

I dont think weve misinterpreted the findings at all, he said.

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Gradient in the courts

Gradient doesnt just take on high-profile targets like Harvard researchers. It also helps companies defend themselves against ordinary people like Pam Collins, a high-school graduate from Bellevue, Ohio.

In 1965, at age 21, Collins landed a good-paying job at the General Electric light-bulb plant in Bellevue.

She was a hard worker. Didnt take any shortcuts, recalled Gail Veith, who worked alongside Pam Collins.

For 14 years, Collins job was to stamp the GE monogram on the tops of quartz light bulbs used in projectors. Every 15 minutes, she would tug on a pair of gray, fuzzy gloves and push trays of the bulbs into an industrial-grade oven so the ink would dry.

The gloves were dusty. When we would throw them off, over on the table, you could see little stuff coming off of them, she said years later.

A recession in the early 1980s hit factories in Ohio especially hard. By 1985, GE had shut down the light-bulb plant.

Years later Collins suffered from fluid buildup in her lungs, one of which collapsed. On October 1, 2007, Collinss doctor told her she had mesothelioma; her right lung was removed not long afterward at the Cleveland Clinic.

Collins was miserable at that point, said her brother, Tom Smith. She couldnt catch her breath. She was always tired.

I dont think she ever recovered from that surgery, recalled her youngest son, Jason. She just whittled away.

Jason had his mother move in with him for a while. She weighed only 98 pounds and needed help just to stand in the shower. Eventually, Jason felt he had no choice but to put her in a nursing home. He teared up talking about it.

As it turns out, the dusty gloves Collins had used at the GE plant were made of asbestos. She knew that at the time but trusted the company not to expose her to anything that could make her sick. Her son says she would get emotional thinking about how she was betrayed. She sought out a law firm in Cleveland for help with the bills. One of the lawyers on the case was Shawn Acton, who had been trying mesothelioma cases for years.

Collins lawsuit started out routinely. But it quickly became like no other case Acton had tried. He remembers reading a report from a scientist hired by the law firm defending the manufacturer of the gloves. The report, written by Valberg, said:

First, to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, Ms. Pamela Collins' described use of asbestos gloves most likely did not cause or contribute to her developing pleural mesothelioma.

Second, to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty, Ms. Collins' carcinogen and radiation dose from her exposure to tobacco smoke most likely did increase her risk for developing pleural mesothelioma.

I almost fell out of my chair, Acton said in a recent interview. Ive cross-examined some of the best defense experts in the country. And Ive never heard even the most hardcore advocate for the defense ever claim that smoking causes mesothelioma. Nobody has ever gone that far before Peter Valberg.

Acton did a little research and discovered that Valberg had just co-authored an article in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity saying that cigarette smoke emits radiation. And he noticed that the article was funded by the law firm representing the maker of the gloves.

Acton had no idea that months earlier a lawyer at the firm, Evan Nelson, had concocted the scientific theory that Valberg was using against Collins. Or that Valberg and colleague Goodman had emailed drafts of the article in advance to the lawyer, as their contract required.

Acton flew to Boston in April 2009 and deposed Valberg under oath, asking why he had written the article and why the defense firm had paid for it.

Valberg: So because Im interested in the risk factors of radioactivity, and Julie Goodman is a molecular biologist  we both felt this was a useful piece of work to put out there and see what the rest of the scientific community might say about it. 

Generally, these articles require more time than we actually bill to a company. So Gradient contributes to these as an encouragement for people to do professional development. 

Acton: Who asked Tucker Ellis & West to contribute, as you put it, to the funding of this article?

Valberg: We said, This is work we can do. So we asked them to contribute. 

Acton: Did you discuss aspects of the article with anyone at Tucker Ellis & West before it was published?

Valberg: No. I mean, they knew we were working on it. They didn't have drafts. They didn't make comments, scientific comments, and so forth.

Q. So you never sent a document to Tucker Ellis & West in draft form before that article identified as Plaintiff's Exhibit 24 was published?

A. Not to my knowledge, no.

Acton would not learn until years later that what Valberg said was not true.

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Damning emails

A few days after that testimony, David Durham, a 67-year-old retired electrician in Louisville, Kentucky, would be diagnosed with mesothelioma. Durham had been exposed to asbestos through work he did at some of Louisvilles biggest factories, his lawyers alleged in a lawsuit.

But a physician testifying on behalf the companies blamed Durhams mesothelioma in part on radiation treatments he received for cancer in 1967. The doctor relied on a few articles recently published in scientific journals, including one in Cancer Causes and Control. The authors of that review included Goodman and Valberg.

When Durhams lawyers, Hans Poppe and Joseph Satterley, realized that this article was funded by Tucker Ellis & West, one of the law firms for the defense, they decided to subpoena all records the firm had about that article.

They were stunned when they started reading the 498 pages of emails between Nelson, Valberg and Goodman.

This is not the way real science works. It doesnt start with a lawyer coming up with a theory, Poppe said.

Nelson told the Center that his former law firm should not have released the emails because they were confidential under attorney-client privilege. He is suing Tucker Ellis & West for damages. He said the firm didnt release other emails showing he didnt want Gradient to publish anything unsupported by science.

Nelson acknowledges that the science used in asbestos lawsuits can be twisted.

In one way Im glad that Im out of asbestos litigation because I think theres a lot of corruption in it, including on the part of lawyers working for mesothelioma victims, he said. Ive heard other attorneys telling experts This is the opinion Id want you to have. 

Nelson said he never did such a thing, and doesnt think Gradient did anything improper in the Collins case. Still, he said, no law firm wants to hire him because opposing counsel could always say, Look what Nelson did over here, and hes trying to do the same thing here.

The emails revealed that Valberg and Goodman had trouble getting the three Nelson-commissioned articles published in journals. Two of the three eventually were accepted. But the article linking cigarette smoking to mesothelioma never made it into print.

The first sentence of that article said, Cigarette smoking may increase mesothelioma risk in individuals not exposed to asbestos.

In a deposition, Goodman tried to distance herself from the notion that she simply agreed to publish Nelsons scientific theory. A lawyer for a mesothelioma victim asked Goodman if the source of the funding had had any influence on the article.

Goodman: No, and that should be obvious by the fact that our opinions are different than those of Evan Nelson in many cases.

Poppe: In what way?

Goodman: Well, for example, he believed that the epidemiology evidence showed an association between smoking and mesothelioma, and we did not conclude that.

The manuscript Goodman and Valberg wrote concluded there was data suggesting that cigarette smoking causes mesothelioma, in keeping with Nelsons theory. Goodman and Valberg conceded that no study of smokers had ever shown the link, but said such studies were statistically weak because they didnt include enough smokers.

One of the scientists asked to review the manuscript for the journal Human and Ecological Risk Assessment didnt buy this explanation. NOT TRUE, the reviewer wrote in all caps.

As a standard practice, peer-reviewed journals send manuscripts to other scientists, who comment anonymously and recommend for or against publication. In this case, all three reviewers gave the article a thumbs-down.

Another reviewer said, The logic in this paper is very fuzzy.

And the final reviewer said, This paper presents what I consider a highly biased review of the evidence that tobacco exposure is associated with an increased risk of mesothelioma. I strongly suspect the authors must work with someone with a strong financial interest in this subject.  The evidence that tobacco smoke is associated with mesothelioma is if anything extremely weak, and hardly convincing.

Even Nelson questioned Goodmans commitment to getting the paper published. I dont know how hard she tried, he said.

Goodman continues to testify in mesothelioma lawsuits and write articles exonerating asbestos. Citing other industry-funded research, she wrote in 2013 that the most common form of asbestos  chrysotile  wasnt responsible for higher rates of mesothelioma and lung cancer in electricians.

This has become a standard defense in asbestos cases. The position is rejected, however, by most of the scientific community. In 2012, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, concluded that all forms of asbestos cause mesothelioma. That same year, a coalition of nine epidemiological organizations issued a joint statement calling for a worldwide ban of asbestos.

Numerous well-respected international and national scientific organisations, through an impartial and rigorous process of deliberation and evaluation, have concluded that all forms of asbestos are capable of inducing mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other diseases, the statement said.

At the time, Goodman served on the board of directors of one of the organizations, the American College of Epidemiology, which endorsed the statement. Behind the scenes, she tried to prevent it from being issued. After reviewing a draft, Goodman wrote:

I do not think this document accurately reflects the science. Before I go on, I would like to mention that I am involved in asbestos litigation. While I understand that some may perceive my position as biased, I feel that it puts me in the position of being quite familiar with the most up-to-date science.

Goodman went on to argue that there is a safe dose of asbestos.

She was outvoted by her colleagues on the board. The statement wound up being endorsed by 227 public-health organizations and experts.

The following year, citing other industry studies, Goodman again asserted in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology that there is a safe dose of chrysotile asbestos. In the same article, she contradicted the work she did for Evan Nelson, writing that smoking has not been associated with mesothelioma.

Pam Collinss lawyer said efforts by industry consultants to absolve asbestos of blame show they will say almost anything.

Why are some of these companies putting so much money into research to be published in scientific and medical journals years and sometimes decades after they stop making the product? Acton asked rhetorically. Is its purpose for the advancement of medicine? Is its purpose to address a public health concern? Its purpose is for litigation. Its science for sale.

This story is part of Science for Sale. Corporations are steering millions of dollars to scientific consulting firms to cast doubt on health concerns surrounding toxic chemicals. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.

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Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Why is Fox News feuding with Donald Trump? Stephen Colbert asked FNC show host Megyn Kelly on tonights live post-Super Bowl broadcast of The Late Show. What do you have against that good man. Hes just a billionaire who also wants to have the nuclear launch codes.

Kelly responded: Donald Trump has been on Fox News 140 times in the last year. We are not feuding with him. But he does have a beef with me.

Colbert noted Trumps tweet of a while back in which he said he would not call Kelly a bimbo because that would be politically incorrect, and would instead call her a lightweight reporter, wondering if Kelly would like to refuse to call Trump a blowhard or second-place loser.

RelatedObama Opens Stephen Colberts Live Late Show After Super Bowl

The only thing I really wanted to ask him was, he recently said his supporters are so devoted to him he could go in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and he wouldnt lose a single voter. In response to which I want to ask him, Were you talking about me?' Kelly said with a smile. I never go there anymore.

Kelly has emerged as one of the lead characters in the countrys most watched TV series, The GOP Debates, after she was cited by Republican front-runner Trump as being among

Donald Trump MegynKelly 2-shot

the reasons he boycotted FNCs recent debate on the eve of Iowa caucuses. Its a move Trump later said may have cost him the win among GOP hopefuls in that state. Trump had a run in with Kelly at the first GOP debate of this election cycle, in August, when she opened with a question to Trump: Youve called women you dont like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president? And how will you answer the charge from Hillary Clinton, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee, that you are part of the war on women?

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Trump subsequently said of Kellys question-asking: You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her  wherever. That debate exchange, and his subsequent comments, turned the FNC primetime star into a household name, and a Vanity Fair cover  which Colbert held up once or twice during his interview tonight.

RelatedDonald Trump Feud + Preternatural Charisma = Megyn Kelly On Vanity Fair Cover

When Kelly moderates the next GOP debate, which Donald Trump has said he will attend, her first question should be: Mr. Trump: Boo! Colbert suggested. Kelly had her own thoughts on that.

Im going to start with Apology accepted,' Kelly said.

Our moneys on Trump having something to say about that on Twitter at the crack of dawn Monday morning.

And then were going to have at it, like weve had at it with all the other guys  and Carly  up there, Kelly said. She and GOP candidate Carly Fiorina appear to be on a first-name basis.

RelatedMichael Moore-Megyn Kelly Lovefest Features Talk Of Trump, Obama, Pizza  But Not Flint

Colbert wondered how the elected officials whove done time at GOP debates kids tables feel about having Donald Trump the lead guy at the Big Boys table at virtually every debate since the White House race began.

Trump has electrified the Republican base, Kelly acknowledged.

Colberts Late Show tonight is live, as is Kellys primetime show every weeknight. I love it. I think it adds a lot to the show, Kelly said. If youre not live at 9, because the shows around me are taped, you lose a lot.

Bill OReilly and Sean Hannity, between whose programs Kellys is sandwiched on FNCs schedule, are phoning it in, Colbert said, throwing Kelly an opening.

Lets just say they tape earlier in the day, which is an advantage to us, Kelly replied, smiling again.

Wow, Colbert responded, as his studio audience made surprised noises too.

Trumps least favorite debate moderator was a later booking for Colberts post-Super Bowl broadcast. She joined Whiskey Tango Foxtrot stars Tina Fey and Margot Robbie, Zoolander 2s Will Ferrell, and Colberts former Comedy Central colleagues Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who are starring together in Keanu, as Colberts show makes TV history in becoming the first late-night series to snag a live post-Super Bowl broadcast.

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Melania Trump wouldnt be your typical first lady. An immigrant from Slovenia, she became a naturalized citizen after marrying billionaire real estate tycoon Donald Trump in 2005. A former model who kicked off her career in the United States in 1996, Mrs. Trump spends her time building an empire of her own while the Donald runs for the most powerful office in the world.

Though typically pictured as the quiet and elegant better-half of the headline producing Republican candidate and reality TV star, Melania Trump is very much a successful entrepreneur in her own right, who lets her work speak for itself.

1. Shes a naturalized citizen.

If Donald Trump, a leading frontrunner on the GOP side of the presidential race, is voted into office, she would be the second first lady in the history of the United States to not have been born within the nation, along with John Quincy Adams wife Louisa.

It was a move she says was brought on by her successful career as a model. I came here for my career, and I did so well, I moved here, Melania Trump told Harpers Bazaar in January. It never crossed my mind to stay here without papers. That is just the person you are. You follow the rules. You follow the law. Every few months you need to fly back to Europe and stamp your visa. After a few visas, I applied for a green card and got it in 2001. After the green card, I applied for citizenship. And it was a long process.

2. She has a massive QVC empire.

The potential first lady has already had the rights reserved to her first name for a widely successful jewelry line with the retail giant QVC. The line, titled Melania Timepieces & Fashion Jewelry, features diamond studded watches, decorative bracelets and

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3. Donald Trump first asked her out while he was on another date.

He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didnt give it to him, Trump told Harpers Bazaar. I said, I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you. I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me  if it was a business number, what is this? Im not doing business with you."

She says Donald Trump gave her at least three phone numbers to choose from, including his office and his personal line. The two met a few days later and began dating in New York City shortly after. The rest, of course, is history.

4. Shes been more open about her sexuality than any first lady to date.

Melania Trump would also be the first wife of a president to ever pose nude for a publication, as she did for British GQ in 2000. She also called in to the Howard Stern radio show that same year, revealing she wasnt wearing much during the time of the interview and was enjoying "incredible sex on a daily basis with the Donald  sometimes more.

5. Shes very political  but youll never hear about her views.

Im choosing not to go political in public because that is my husbands job, Melania Trump told Harpers Bazaar. Im very political in private life, and between me and my husband I know everything that is going on. I follow from A to Z, but I chose not to be on the campaign. I made that choice. I have my own mind. I am my own person, and I think my husband likes that about me."

As for her thoughts on her husbands campaign? "I give him my opinions, and sometimes he takes them in, and sometimes he does not. Do I agree with him all the time? No. I think it is good for a healthy relationship. I am not a 'yes person. No matter who you are married to, you still need to lead your life. I dont want to change him. And he doesnt want to change me.
Who has time for water that cannot pass a quality test when you can legislate the love that dare not speak its name?

The Michigan Senate recently passed a bill that outlawed sodomy, traditionally defined in legalese as either oral or anal sex. If the bill passes the Michigan House, sodomy could be punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The ban was attached to an anti-bestiality bill, part of a package of bills called "Logan's Law" the state Senate is looking to pass to protect pets from abusive owners. By adding the words "with mankind" to a clause outlawing bestiality it not only outlawed sodomy and bestiality, but equated the two.

Michigan joins about a dozen other states that have sodomy bans on their books, even though the Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional in a 6-3 vote in the 2003 Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas. That case started with the 1998 arrest of two gay men who were having consensual sex in their private apartment; the case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court.

States that have kept these bans on the books send a clear anti-gay message, even if they don't spell it out. Michigan's ban does not refer specifically to same-sex pairings, but four states with sodomy laws specifically ban same-sex pairs from engaging in consensual anal sex: Montana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

States highlighted in dark red are those that still have sodomy bans on the books, despite them being unconstitutional.

There's still time to amend the language, but according to Republican Sen. Rick Jones that would put the entire bill in jeopardy.

"The minute I cross that line and I start talking about the other stuff, I won't even get another hearing. It'll be done," Jones told New Civil Rights Movement. "Nobody wants to touch it. I would rather not even bring up the topic, because I know what would happen. You'd get both sides screaming and you end up with a big fight that's not needed because it's unconstitutional."

Sen. Rick Jones

Jones also said he would be in favor of trying to strike down the sodomy ban eventually, but not right now.

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"If we could put a bill in that said anything that's unconstitutional be removed from the legal books of Michigan, that's probably something I could vote for," he said. "But am I going to mess up this dog bill that everybody wants? No."

Meanwhile, it is still completely legal to give a town's residents  including its jail inmates  toxic water, without consequence.

h/t New Civil Rights Movement
By Karolina Tagaris ON BOARD THE AGIOS EFSTRATIOS, Greece (Reuters) - They waved, cheered and let out sighs of relief as their rubber boat, packed with dozens of mainly Syrian and Afghan refugees, approached the Greek coast guard ship that would rescue them at open sea near the island of Lesbos. After being pulled aboard one by one, the men, women, and children staggered, exhausted and relieved, to the boat's rear, where they huddled alongside strangers on Monday and waited quietly to be transported to the shore. They were among more than 300 people, including scores of children and babies, rescued in under two hours from six rubber dinghies by the Greek vessel Agios Efstratios, patrolling near the Turkish border. By early afternoon, more than 1,500 refugees and migrants reached the eastern Aegean island, a sharp rise in the rate of arrivals from Turkey after days of gale force winds and freezing temperatures. Over a million people fleeing war, persecution and poverty in the Middle East and Africa have taken rickety boats across the Mediterranean to Europe since early last year. Over 50,000 people have arrived in Greece in 2016, the United Nations' refugee agency, UNHCR, says. Thousands have died trying to reach Europe, and on Monday alone 27 migrants, 11 of them children, drowned off Turkey's Aegean coast as they tried to reach a Greek island, the Turkish coast guard said. "We left from death," said 28-year-old Esma, face framed by a cream-colored headscarf, who fled fighting in Syria's biggest city of Aleppo with her two children, hoping to reunite with her husband in Germany. Sitting nearby, young girls consoled their crying siblings, one mother breastfed her hungry infant, while another woman kissed a copy of the Koran and held it up to her forehead. For most on board, the hardest and most dangerous part of their journey will end once they reach Greece and continue their trek through the Balkans to wealthier northern Europe. Eighteen-year-old English student Siba, who fled the Syrian city of Deir al-Zor, said her family spent 25 days trying to cross into Turkey from different entry points and five days on the Turkish coast, unable to board their boat to Greece because of choppy seas and storms. Asked what drove them to leave Syria, she imitated the sound of explosions and said: "Our house is finished... My uncle is dead. He died in front of my eyes. His head was cut," she said. Others spoke with sorrow of being forced to leave their homes. Mustafa, a 24-year-old mathematics student, also from Syria, said he longed for the time that refugees would be able to return safely to their country. "No one wants to go. All the people want is to go back to Syria. If the war (ends), everyone will go to Syria and build the country," he said. (editing by Ralph Boulton)
LONDON (Reuters) - The chairman of an influential committee of British lawmakers has asked finance minister George Osborne to make clear that banks should not be able to offset regulatory fines against their corporation tax bills. In a letter sent to the Treasury, Conservative lawmaker Andrew Tyrie said it was important lenders were paying the full cost of misconduct penalties. "It would be wholly unacceptable if taxpayers, having bailed out the banks in 2008, were to find themselves partly responsible for paying the banks' fines," Tyrie said in the letter, published on Sunday. British banks have been fined billions of pounds by global regulators since the 2007-09 financial crisis for a slew of mis-selling scandals, alleged market manipulation and regulatory breaches. Tyrie, who chairs Britain's Treasury Select Committee, also requested clarification from Osborne that settlements reached with foreign regulators should also prohibit UK tax deductability. He said, however, that costs for banks related to independent reviews ordered by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority to determine whether or not misconduct took place should be tax deductable, so long as no wrongdoing was found. (Reporting by Richa Naidu; Editing by Mark Potter)
By Dustin Volz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. National Security Agency on Monday outlined a reorganization that will consolidate its spying and domestic cyber-security operations, despite recommendations by a presidential panel that the agency focus solely on espionage. The NSA said the reorganization, known as NSA21, or NSA in the 21st century, will take two years to complete, well into the first term of whoever is elected president in November. A review board appointed by President Barack Obama recommended in December 2013 that the NSA concentrate solely on foreign intelligence gathering. The board's recommendations came as the United States was reeling from disclosures from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden about the collection of vast amounts of domestic and international communications data. Under the board's plan, a separate agency would have been housed within the Department of Defense with responsibility for enhancing the security of government networks and assisting corporate computer systems. Ignoring that recommendation, the Obama administration will replace its separate spying and cyber-defense directorates with a unified organization responsible for both espionage and helping defend U.S. computer networks. The "new structure will enable us to consolidate capabilities and talents to ensure that we're using all of our resources to maximum effect to accomplish our mission, NSA Director Mike Rogers said in a workforce address made publicly available on Monday. Some technology specialists and privacy advocates have said the government agency responsible for building and exploiting flaws in computer software for spying purposes should not be the same one entrusted to warn companies about detected software weaknesses. The presidential panel cited concerns about potential conflicts of interest between the NSAs offensive and defensive objectives, in addition to the need to restore confidence with the U.S. technology industry to induce better cyber-security collaboration. I hope the NSA will explain its strategy for continuing to rebuild trust with the private sector, Peter Swire, a professor of law at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who served on the five-member review group, said on Monday. In November, the NSA told Reuters it informed U.S. technology firms more than 90 percent of the time about serious software flaws it found. The spy agency did not say how quickly it alerted those firms, leaving open the possibility it exploits software vulnerabilities before sharing details about them. (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Peter Cooney)
By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepals ethnic minority groups lifted a four-month-old blockade along a major trading point with India on Monday, saying it didn't want ordinary people to suffer anymore, but vowed to carry on with its campaign against the new constitution. The Madhesi Front of four small parties based in the Tarai lowlands launched the strike in September to force Nepal's major political parties to amend the new charter and give them a greater role in the power structure. But the strike has led to a severe fuel shortage, and last week traders, fed up with the prolonged closure of the border crossing, burned the tents of the Madhesi activists and removed the barriers they had placed on the open border with India. "We have called off the protests at the border, transport strike and closure of government offices, said Sarbendra Nath Shukla of the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, part of the Madhesi Front. Trucks began moving through the main border point at Birgunj for the first time in more than four months on Friday after the traders chased away the protesters. Nepal made changes to the constitution to ensure greater participation of the Madhesis in parliament but the community leaders said the amendments failed to address their central fear of redrawing the provincial borders in a way that would divide them. Shukla said the Madhesi Front would try to rally the public against the new charter with signature campaigns and public meetings. (Additional reporting by Ross Adkin; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria's army on Sunday said it has launched a probe into recent attacks by Boko Haram militants which claimed dozens of lives of lives near Maiduguri, capital of northeast Borno state.

At least 85 people died when insurgents stormed and torched a village on January 30, the third attack in four days defying President Muhammadu Buhari's claim Nigeria had largely defeated the jihadist group.

"The recent unfortunate attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on communities close to Maiduguri, despite our successes, call for concern," the army said.

"The Nigerian Army has already commenced investigation into the attacks... All cases of indiscipline and related acts of misconduct including human rights abuse in the operations will be tried by the Special Court Martial," said the statement said, without clarifying what the probe was investigating.

Thousands of people have fled their homes near Maiduguri for the capital and many are afraid to return, despite government assurances of their safety, after the recent attacks.

Buhari in December claimed that Nigeria had largely won the fight against Boko Haram, but since then the militants have killed dozens in raids and suicide attacks, including across the border in Cameroon.

Rights group Amnesty International has also accused the military itself of committing war crimes and possible crimes against humanity in the course of its operations against the group.

Boko Haram, which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since the start of its insurgency in 2009.
By Andrea Shalal and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's latest rocket launch might kick off a buildup of U.S. missile defense systems in Asia, U.S. officials and missile defense experts said, something that could further strain U.S.-China ties and also hurt relations between Beijing and Seoul. North Korea says it put a satellite into orbit on Sunday, but the United States and its allies see the launch as cover for Pyongyang's development of ballistic missile technology that could be used to deliver a nuclear weapon. Washington sought to reassure its allies South Korea and Japan of its commitment to their defense after the launch, which followed a North Korean nuclear test on Jan. 6. The United States and South Korea said they would begin formal talks about deploying the sophisticated Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, to the Korean peninsula "at the earliest possible date." South Korea had been reluctant to publicly discuss the possibility due to worries about upsetting China, its biggest trading partner. Beijing, at odds with the United States over Washington's reaction to its building of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, quickly expressed "deep concern" about a system whose radar could penetrate Chinese territory. China had made its position clear to Seoul and Washington, the Foreign Ministry said. "When pursuing its own security, one country should not impair others' security interests," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement. TIPPING POINT But the North Korean rocket launch, on top of last month's nuclear test, could be a "tipping point" for South Korea and win over parts of Seoul's political establishment that remain wary of such a move, a U.S. official said. South Korea and the United States said that if THAAD was deployed to South Korea, it would be focused only on North Korea. An editorial in the Global Times, an influential tabloid published by the ruling Chinese Communist Party's official People's Daily newspaper, called that assurance "feeble". "It is widely believed by military experts that once THAAD is installed, Chinese missiles will be included as its target of surveillance, which will jeopardize Chinese national security," it said. Japan, long concerned about North Korea's ballistic missile program, has previously said it was considering THAAD to beef up its defenses. The North Korean rocket on Sunday flew over Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture. Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Monday the Defense Ministry had no concrete plan to introduce THAAD, but added the ministry believed new military assets would strengthen the country's capabilities. Riki Ellison, founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, said the launch would give Japan momentum to deploy THAAD. Washington moved one of its five THAAD systems to Guam in 2013 following North Korean threats, and is now studying the possibility of converting a Hawaii test site for a land-based version of the shipboard Aegis missile defense system into a combat-ready facility. EFFECTIVENESS QUESTIONED Some experts questioned how effective THAAD would be against the type of long-range rocket launched by North Korea and the Pentagon concedes it has yet to be tested against such a device. THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. It has so far proven effective against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. John Schilling, a contributor to the Washington-based 38 North project that monitors North Korea, said THAAD's advanced AN/TPY-2 tracking radar built by Raytheon Co could provide an early, precise track on any such missile. David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists, said that while THAAD could not shoot down the type of rocket launched on Sunday its deployment could reassure the South Korean public. "Much of what missile defense programs are about is reassuring allies and the public," he said. SUITABLE SITE IDENTIFIED One U.S. official said the North Korean launch added urgency to longstanding informal discussions about a possible THAAD deployment to South Korea. "Speed is the priority," said the official, who asked not to be named ahead of a formal decision. Renewed missile-defense discussions with the United States could also send a message to Beijing that it needs to do more to rein in North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, another U.S. official said. South Korean officials have already identified a suitable site for the system, but it could also be placed at a U.S. base on the Korean peninsula, Ellison said. THAAD is a system built by Lockheed Martin Corp that can be transported by air, sea or land. The Pentagon has ordered two more batteries from Lockheed. One of the four THAAD batteries based at Fort Bliss, Texas, is always ready for deployment overseas, and could be sent to Japan or South Korea within weeks, Ellison said. Lockheed referred all questions about a possible THAAD deployment to the U.S. military. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal, David Brunnstrom and Matt Spetalnick in Washington. Additional reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Tim Kelly in Tokyo and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Dean Yates and Lincoln Feast)
North Korea has apparently launched a satellite to orbit, in a move that the United States and other nations quickly condemned as an attempt to further develop a prohibited long-range missile capability.

The liftoff occurred from the Sohae launch facility in western North Korea at 7:29 p.m. EST Saturday (Feb. 6; 0029 GMT and 8:59 a.m. local North Korean time on Sunday, Feb. 7), according to a media advisory from the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).

"The missile was tracked on a southerly launch over the Yellow Sea. NORAD determined that at no time was the missile a threat to North America," the USSTRATCOM advisory read, referring to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint effort of the United States and Canada. [Images: North Korea's Rocket Program]

North Korean officials claimed the launch succeeded in putting an Earth-observation satellite called Kwangmyongsong-4 into orbit. USSTRATCOM officials told CNN that at least two new space objects were detected after the liftoff; these are likely the satellite and the rocket's first stage, an expert told CNN.

Officials in the United States, Japan, South Korea and a number of other nations, however, viewed the launch as primarily cover for the testing of military missile technology. North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, and experts believe the secretive, unpredictable nation is working to develop the means to deliver them great distances.

Pyongyang has certainly voiced a desire to use nuclear weapons against its perceived adversaries. In 2013, for example, North Korean officials  apparently angered by United Nations sanctions and joint U.S./South Korean military exercises  said they would turn Washington, D.C. and other major American cities into "seas of fire."

Saturday's launch came just one month after North Korea (which is also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK) conducted an apparent nuclear test. Pyongyang claimed the Jan. 6 test involved a hydrogen bomb, but outside experts said it instead probably detonated a less-powerful fission weapon, which North Korea has tested multiple times in the past.

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UN Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from conducting ballistic-missile and nuclear-weapons tests. So Saturday's liftoff elicited nearly immediate condemnation from the United States, Japan, South Korea and other nations.

"This is the second time in just over a month that the DPRK has chosen to conduct a major provocation, threatening not only the security of the Korean peninsula, but that of the region and the United States as well," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement Saturday.

"We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea [South Korea] and Japan," Kerry added. "We will continue to work with our partners and members of the UN Security Council on significant measures to hold the DPRK to account."

North Korea has now conducted four known nuclear tests, as well as a number of long-range missile/rocket launches. Attempts to loft satellites in 1998, 2009, and April 2012 failed, while a December 2012 launch apparently did place an object in orbit (though it's unclear if that object is actually doing anything as it zips around Earth).

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.

Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
thaad missile lockheed martin

The most advanced missile system on the planet can hunt and blast incoming missiles right out of the sky with a 100% success rate  and it appears to be headed to North Korea's backyard.

On the heels of bilateral sanctions by Seoul and Washington, plus layers of UN sanctions, the Pentagon agreed to equip South Korea with the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system.

"North Korea's continued development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction require the alliance to take this prudent, protective measure to bolster our layered and effective missile defense," US Army Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of US forces in South Korea, said in a statement.

The pressure to deploy THAAD began after North Korea tested its fourth nuclear bomb on January 6 and then launched a long-range rocket on February 7.

"Oh, it's going to happen. It's a necessary thing," US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during a discussion at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York in April.

"We need to defend our own people. We need to defend our own allies. And we're going to do that."

With its unmatched precision, Lockheed Martin's $800 million THAAD system can equalize tensions around the world with its mobility and strategic battery-unit placement.

"It is the most technically advanced missile-defense system in the world," US Army Col. Alan Wiernicki, commander of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, told Business Insider in an interview.

"Combatant commanders and our allies know this, which puts our THAAD Batteries in very high global demand," Wiernicki added.

And that demand seems poised to rise.

Deploying America's THAAD

Currently, there are five THAAD batteries  each of approximately 100 soldiers  assigned to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. One of those batteries was deployed to Guam in April 2013 in order to deter North Korean provocations and further defend the Pacific region.

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Meanwhile, negotiations to equip South Korea with a THAAD battery have been ongoing since South Korean President Park Geun-hye's October 2015 visit to the White House.

However, China argues that deployment of the THAAD system will further destablize the region.

"China strongly urges the United States and South Korea to stop the deployment process of the THAAD anti-missile system, not take any steps to complicate the regional situation and do nothing to harm China's strategic security interests," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"[China] knows full well that the THAAD being deployed to South Korea is not aimed at it at all," Yoo Dong-ryol, who heads the Korea Institute of Liberal Democracy in Seoul told Reuters.

"It just doesn't like more American weapons system being brought in so close to it."

Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong warned that deploying THAAD would irreparably damage relations between the countries, The Chosunilbo reported.

thaad range

THAAD deployment, Qiu said, "would break the strategic balance in the region and create a vicious cycle of Cold War-style confrontations and an arms race, which could escalate tensions."

During US Secretary of State John Kerry's February visit to Beijing, he explained that the US was "not hungry or anxious or looking for an opportunity to deploy THAAD," CNN reported.

"THAAD is a purely defensive weapon. It is purely capable of shooting down a ballistic missile it intercepts. And it is there for the protection of the United States," Kerry added.

Depending on THAAD's location in South Korea, the system is capable of countering almost all incoming short-and medium-range ballistic missiles from North Korea by using 'hit to kill' lethality.

THAAD's 'hit to kill' lethality

Impressively, the THAAD interceptor does not carry a warhead. Instead, the interceptor missile uses pure kinetic energy to deliver "hit to kill" strikes to incoming ballistic threats inside or outside the atmosphere.

Each launcher carries up to eight missiles and can send multiple kill vehicles at once, depending on the severity of the threat.

Lockheed Martin's missile launcher is just one element of the four-part antimissile system. The graphic below shows the rest of the components needed for each enemy-target interception.

thaad gfx

THAAD's first line of defense is its radar system.

"We have one of the most powerful radars in the world," US Army Capt. Kyle Terza, a THAAD battery commander, told Business Insider.

Raytheon's AN/TPY-2 radar is used to detect, track, and discriminate ballistic missiles in the terminal (or descent) phase of flight.

The mobile radar is about the size of a bus and is so powerful that it can scan areas the size of entire countries, according to Raytheon.

thaad amanda raytheon

Once an enemy threat has been identified, THAAD's Fire Control and Communications (TFCC) support team kicks in. If there is a decision to engage the incoming missile, the launcher fires an interceptor to hunt for its target.

Here's what a launch looks like from far away:

While in flight, the interceptor is designed to track the threat and obliterate it in the sky.

The following infrared imagery shows THAAD demolishing the target:

By the end of 2016, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is scheduled to deliver an additional 48 THAAD interceptors to the US military, bringing the total up to 155, according to a statement from MDA director Vice Admiral J.D. Syring before the House Armed Service Committee.

According to the US Missile Defense Agency, there are more than 6,300 ballistic missiles outside of US, NATO, Russian, and Chinese control.

The United Arab Emirates became the first foreign buyer after signing a deal with the Department of Defense for $3.4 billion. Saudi Arabia and Qatar have "expressed interest," according to Richard McDaniel, vice president of Patriot Advanced Capability programs at Lockheed Martin. "We expect deals," he added.

Currently, the US maintains 28,500 troops in South Korea.

NOW WATCH: Meet America's THAAD: One of the world's most advanced missile-defense systems that has China spooked





More From Business Insider


By Caroline Humer NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S.-based health insurers Cigna Corp and Aetna Inc. have struck deals with Novartis AG for a performance-based price for the Swiss drugmaker's new heart drug, Entresto, the companies said on Monday. The agreements are among the few performance-based deals that have been made public by drugmakers and U.S. managed-care companies, which say they have been having more discussions about linking price to health outcomes in order to cut unneeded drug spending. Drug prices jumped about 13 percent in the United States last year, spurring a public outcry and moving the issue onto the campaign platform of Hillary Clinton and other U.S. presidential candidates for the November 2016 election. Under the agreement, Cigna said its payments to Novartis will be linked to how well the drug improves the relative health of Cigna customers. Entresto is approved for the treatment of chronic heart failure. Specifically, Cigna said payments will be based on a reduction in the proportion of customers who are admitted to hospital for heart failure. The agreement applies to Cigna's commercial business and does not apply to its Medicaid or Medicare plans. Entresto, which costs about $12.50 a day, or $4,560 per year, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July. It is cheaper than some other new drugs, but costs more than analysts expected. The Boston-based Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, an independent group that analyzes drug prices, has said the price should be 17 percent lower. Aetna, in an emailed statement, said it signed a value-based agreement with Novartis that is based on the drug replicating results that it achieved during clinical trials. In trials, Entresto cut hospitalizations and the rate of cardiovascular death related to heart failure. Aetna did not provide further information about the terms of the agreement. Novartis Chief Executive Joe Jimenez has publicly discussed signing more outcome-based pricing deals. A Novartis spokesman on Monday confirmed that the company's head of pharmaceuticals, David Epstein, was referring to Cigna and Aetna when he said during an investor conference call late last month that Novartis had signed deals with two health insurers. Epstein, on the Jan. 27 call, said that under the deals, Novartis had agreed to a base price and a modest rebate, which would fluctuate based on hospitalizations and savings to the plan. (Reporting by Caroline Humer; Additional reporting by John Miller in Zurich; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Leslie Adler)
President Barack Obama has asked Congress for $1.8bn in emergency funding to help combat the Zika virus.

The money would be used to expand mosquito control programmes, boost vaccine research and educate health care providers and pregnant women, among other things, the White House said in a statement.

Some 50 cases of the mosquito-borne illness have been confirmed among US travellers to affected areas from December through 5 February, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Zika usually causes mild or no symptoms, but mounting evidence suggests that infection in pregnant women is linked to an increase in the number of babies born with microcephaly, which causes abnormally small heads and brains.

:: Zika Infects 3,100 Pregnant Women In Colombia

In an interview on CBS This Morning, Mr Obama said: "What we now know is that there appears to be some significant risk for pregnant women and women who are thinking about having a baby."

The President, however, cautioned that "there shouldn't be a panic on this".

The White House said the US "must be fully prepared to mitigate and quickly address local transmission" as spring and summer approach, bringing warmer temperatures and larger mosquito populations.

Last week, Florida declared a health emergency in five counties, where at least 12 cases have been diagnosed.

:: Zika Virus: Will It Spread And Can We Stop It?

It came a day after health officials in Texas announced that a Zika patient in Dallas acquired the virus through sexual contact - raising fresh fears about the disease.

The virus is typically transmitted through bites from infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are common in Florida, along the US Gulf Coast and states that border Mexico.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared an international emergency and warned Zika could infect up to four million people in the Americas and spread worldwide.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by telephone on Monday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about Canada's role in the international effort to combat Islamic State, the White House said. Obama "welcomed Canada's current and new contributions to coalition efforts and highlighted Canada's leadership in the coalition," the White House said in a statement. Trudeau on Monday said Canada would pull out its six jets that have been bombing targets in Iraq and Syria as a part of the fight against the Islamic State. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by David Alexander)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Italian President Sergio Mattarella met on Monday in the White House and discussed efforts to work together to combat the Islamic State in Libya. During a meeting in the Oval Office, Obama and Mattarella talked about the need to help Libya form a united government. "That will allow us to help them build up their security capacity and to push back against efforts by ISIL to gain a foothold in that country," Obama told reporters after the meeting, using an acronym for Islamic State. Islamic State forces have attacked Libya's oil infrastructure and taken control of the city of Sirte, exploiting a power vacuum in the North African country where two rival governments have been battling for supremacy. Obama and Mattarella also discussed the refugee crisis facing Europe and the situation in Iraq and Syria. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Eric Walsh)
Former telephone company employee Tony Marano is seen at a speaking engagement in Toyko in 2015, in this handout picture courtesy of Akira Semba. REUTERS/Akira Semba/Handout via Reuters

(This version of the story clarifies 15th paragraph to indicate that Marano and many in Japan's right wing have interpreted a 1944 U.S. Army report as saying the women were willing prostitutes, not that the Army stated they were willing prostitutes)

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters)- Somewhere in the Dallas area, a retired man sitting in a home office is making social media videos backing Japanese right-wing views that have made him a celebrity among hawks in the Asian country.

Hardly known in the United States, Tony Marano, 66, is called the "Texas Daddy" in Japan, where he has spawned a small industry that includes books, speaking tours, T-shirts emblazoned with his cartoon likeness and scores of videos, some of which have been viewed more than 300,000 times.

To his critics, however, he is a mouthpiece for Japanese nationalists.

"I am just expressing my opinion," said Marano in an accent that gives away his Brooklyn upbringing. "Why are they fearing this little guy? I dont mean any harm to them."

He is one of a small group of Westerners embraced by Japan's right wing, but stands out with his jocular demeanor and sharp tongue.

Marano, who often wears T-shirts in videos and suits for speeches, unexpectedly grabbed attention in Japan about seven years ago when he began criticizing Sea Shepherd, a U.S.-based marine conservation group, in its aggressive campaigns to halt Japanese whaling.

Videos he posted from Texas made their way to Japan, where they developed a following.

He became more intrigued about Japan, conducting more research and posting more videos. His notoriety snowballed as more people began paying attention.

A publishing deal followed and within a few years, his Japanese supporters set up an office called the Texas Daddy Japan Secretariat. He has published seven books in Japanese and is set for more exposure with another three books this year, the office said.

Marano is a former telephone company employee who has spent about half of his life in Texas and put together a YouTube video channel called "PropagandaBuster." He speaks little Japanese.

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Marano says his mission is to bolster a military alliance among the United States, South Korea and ally Japan, and to speak truth to power.

He has released more than 80 videos in the past year that run with Japanese subtitles provided by the Secretariat, which has seven translators and three editors to prepare the works for the Japanese audience.

One hot topic has been the women forced to work in Imperial Japanese military wartime brothels and euphemistically known as "comfort women."

Scholars continue to debate the number of women across Asia who were sexually exploited. South Korean activists say there may have been as many as 200,000 Korean victims, but only a few have come forward.

Marano and many in Japan's right wing have interpreted a 1944 U.S. Army report as stating the women were willing prostitutes, a position critics said is wrong.

"To say that the Japanese Imperial Army was on a sexual rampage, that is inaccurate," Marano said. "This whole comfort women story stinks."

About two years ago, Marano triggered a firestorm of criticism on South Korean social media when he waved Japanese flags and sat next to a statue dedicated to comfort women in Glendale, California. He said he received death threats.

Japan and South Korea in December reached an agreement to resolve the issue that has been a thorn in their relations for decades, in which Japan made an apology and promised about 1 billion yen ($8.5 million) for a fund to help former comfort women.

The Japan-U.S. Feminist Network for Decolonization, an advocate for the women, accuses Marano of historical denialism on comfort women and being unaware of what is being published under his name in Japanese.

"The positions he takes are based on the complete distortion of the historical documents," said Emi Koyama, the co-founder of the California-based group.

(Editing by Matthew Lewis)
By Isla Binnie and Mahmoud Mourad ROME/CAIRO (Reuters) - Italy demanded on Monday that Egypt catch and punish those responsible for the death of a student found tortured by a roadside in Cairo, and the Egyptian government dismissed suggestions its security services could have been involved. Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old graduate student at Britain's Cambridge University, had been researching independent trade unions in Egypt and had written articles critical of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's government. The incident has strained ties between Rome and Cairo, which has made no arrests so far. "We want the real perpetrators to be discovered and punished according to the law," Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told La Repubblica newspaper on Monday. He said Italy "will not be satisfied with suppositions" to explain the death. The discovery of Regeni beaten and burnt with cigarettes prompted insinuations by some journalists and social media users that he had suffered police brutality. La Repubblica compared his injuries to those security services would inflict on a spy. At a news conference in Cairo, Egyptian Interior Minister Magdi Abdel Ghaffar, visibly agitated, dismissed those accusations as "mere assumptions". "This is jumping to conclusions without any evidence ... This has bothered and depressed us greatly, that such things are being said of the Egyptian security apparatus," he said. "SOMETHING INHUMAN" Rights groups say police often detain Egyptians on scant evidence and that they are beaten or coerced. Scores have disappeared since 2013, the groups say. Egypt denies allegations of police brutality. Abdel Ghaffar said Egypt was gathering information about Regeni's death. Asked whether it could have been apolitical, the result of a mugging or kidnapping gone wrong, he said: "We can't tell for sure, we are still investigating his relationships." An initial autopsy in Egypt showed Regeni had been hit on the back of the head with a sharp instrument, according to a senior official at the Cairo public prosecutor's office and a forensic doctor. Both spoke on condition of anonymity. A second autopsy in Italy "confronted us with something inhuman, something animal", Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told Sky News 24 television on Sunday. "It was like a punch in the stomach and we haven't quite got our breath back yet." Italian media reports that the second autopsy showed Regeni's neck was broken have not been officially confirmed. Italian opposition parties have demanded that Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's government take a tougher stand with Egypt. "The death of Giulio Regeni, who was tortured to death, is still opaque and shrouded in shadows," said the opposition 5-Star party. "We demand the truth." (Additional reporting by Omar Fahmy and Ahmed Abouleinen in Cairo, Editing by Philip Pullella and Ralph Boulton)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - A special investigation team set up in Pakistan to probe a deadly assault on Pathankot air base last month found no evidence implicating the leader of the group India blamed for the attack, Pakistani security officials said on Monday. The officials said the team interrogated Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar and his associates and found no evidence linking him with the Jan. 2 attack on the air base in northern India that killed seven Indian military personnel. "We searched their homes, seminaries, hideouts and also examined their call records for past three months and found nothing dubious," a security official with links to the investigating team said. The raid on the air base stalled efforts to revive bilateral talks between the nuclear-armed neighbours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, in December. Pakistan and India have fought three wars since becoming separate countries in 1947, two of them over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. India has long accused Pakistan of using Kashmir-based militants like Jaish-e-Mohammad, or Army of Mohammad, as a proxy to mount attacks on Indian soil. A 2001 attack on the Indian parliament, which India also blamed on Jaish-e-Mohammad, nearly led to a war between the nations. Pakistan denies giving any aid to Kashmir-based militants these days, although it admits doing so in the past. Indian government officials say Jaish-e-Mohammad was also behind the Pathankot attack and say they provided evidence to the Pakistani government to prove it. A spokesman for India's foreign ministry declined to comment on reports of the special investigation team's findings. In January, Pakistani authorities detained Azhar and several members of Jaish-e-Mohammad, sealed offices belonging to the outfit, and shut down several religious schools run by the group. The security officials said on Monday that Azhar remained in custody, but did not say whether authorities were considering his release. The investigating team has not ruled out the possibility that other members of Azhar's group may have been involved, the officials said. It also continued to look into groups affiliated with the United Jihad Council, an alliance of pro-Pakistan militant groups based in the Pakistani-administered part of the divided Kashmir region that claimed responsibility for the assault in Pathankot. Jaish-e-Mohammad did not claim responsibility for the attack, but praised it in a statement released a few days afterward. (Reporting by Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore and Douglas Busvine in New Delhi; Writing by Krista Mahr; editing by Katharine Houreld)
The bullying presence of a big, undiscovered "Planet Nine" isn't necessary to explain the strange orbits of a handful of objects in the outer reaches of the solar system, new research suggests.

Last month, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown, both astronomers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, proposed the existence of Planet Nine, a world perhaps 10 times more massive than Earth that orbits far beyond Pluto, completing one lap around the sun every 10,000 to 20,000 Earth years.

Batygin and Brown didn't see Planet Nine; rather, they inferred its existence based on the odd orbital characteristics of six bodies in the "scattered disk" portion of the Kuiper Belt, a realm of icy bodies that lies beyond Neptune. For example, these six objects all have similar "arguments of perihelion." ['Planet Nine' Worlds Are the Most Common Ones We Know (Infographic)]

A body's argument of perihelion is basically the ratio of how much it pitches (wobbles forward or backward) to how much it rolls (moves left or right) as it orbits the sun, said Ann-Marie Madigan, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. This characteristic should be random from one Kuiper Belt object (KBO) to another, she added.

Imagine seeing a number of boats spread across San Francisco Bay that are all pitching and rolling in the same direction, and with the same pitch/roll ratio, Madigan said Jan. 26 during a talk at the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute in Mountain View, California.

"That would be really strange," Madigan said. "And so this is why it's so strange that these minor planets in the outer solar system are doing this."

Therefore, something must be shaping the orbits of these far-flung bodies, the reasoning goes. Batygin and Brown believe the culprit is the hypothesized Planet Nine; their computer models suggest this undiscovered world is about 10 times more massive than Earth and orbits the sun on a highly elliptical path, coming within perhaps 200 astronomical units (AU) of the sun and getting as far away as 600 to 1,200 AU. (One AU is the average distance from Earth to the sun  about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers. For perspective, Neptune orbits 30 AU from the sun, and Pluto never gets more than 49 AU from our star.)

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But Madigan and her co-author Michael McCourt of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics say there's another possible explanation. Modeling work performed by the duo suggests that the scattered-disk objects could "self-organize," pushing and pulling each other into their unusual orbits  as long as there are a whole lot of them out there. ['Planet Nine': Facts About the Mysterious World (Infographic)]

If the total mass of all of the minor planets in the scattered disk is roughly equivalent to the mass of Earth, the resulting orbit shaping would have occurred within about 600 million years of the solar system's birth, Madigan said during her SETI Institute talk.

"So we really need that much mass in minor planets for this to happen in the solar system," she said. "If there was much less mass, this wouldn't occur [with]in the age of the solar system."

The implication, Madigan added, is that "we should have a new Kuiper Belt that's far more massive than the current-day Kuiper Belt, at larger distances, and preferentially lifted off the plane of the major planets."

Batygin and Brown considered Madigan and McCourt's "inclination instability" idea, which will be published next month in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. But Batygin and Brown regard the prospect of Planet Nine as more probable, in large part because, they say, surveys suggest the scattered-disk region doesn't harbor nearly enough minor planets.

"To this end, it is worth noting that although the primordial planetesimal disk of the solar system likely comprised tens of Earth masses, the vast majority of this material was ejected from the system by close encounters with the giant planets during, and immediately following, the transient dynamical instability that shaped the Kuiper Belt in the first place," Batygin and Brown wrote in their Planet Nine paper, which was published online last month in The Astronomical Journal.

"The characteristic timescale for depletion of the primordial disk is likely to be short compared with the timescale for the onset of the inclination, calling into question whether the inclination instability could have actually proceeded in the outer solar system," they added.

This astronomical debate should be settled by observations in the coming years. If Planet Nine exists, powerful instruments such as the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii should be able to spot it, Brown has said. And surveys using big ground-based scopes should also be able to determine if a massive disk of minor planets does indeed circle the sun far beyond Pluto's orbit, Madigan said.

"We need more mass in the outer solar system," she said. "So it can either come from having more minor planets, and their self-gravity will do this to themselves naturally, or it could be in the form of one single massive planet  a Planet Nine. So it's a really exciting time, and we're going to discover one or the other."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.

Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
By Jon Herskovitz

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A police officer in Texas fatally shot a naked man on Monday who charged at officers and had been reported acting aggressively toward people in a neighborhood of Austin, police said.

The officer who shot the black male of about 18 years of age is a veteran of more than 10 years on the Austin force.

The race of the officer was not given but the killing comes as protesters in San Antonio are questioning if race was at play in the fatal shooting by police in the city to the southwest of Austin last week of an unarmed black man.

Austin police said they received multiple phone calls of the man acting suspiciously and aggressively. Officers arrived on the scene and confronted the man, a police official said.

"This subject did not comply with the commands that the officer was giving and instead charged at the officer," Brian Manley, chief of staff for the Austin Police Department, told reporters.

"The subject was struck by the gunfire," he said adding he died later at an area hospital.

Part of the incident was recorded on police video camera. The shooting was not on camera but there is audio available, he said.

Manley did not say if the man had a weapon. He added officers did not deploy Tasers on the suspect.

Several incidents nationwide in the past several months where unarmed minorities have been fatally shot by police have raised questions about the role of race in U.S. policing and spawned numerous protests.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Alistair Bell)
By Emily Stephenson and Amanda Becker MANCHESTER, N.H. (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is polling in the low single digits nationally but may be poised to play the role of spoiler in Tuesdays New Hampshire primary by cutting into the support of higher-profile rivals such as Marco Rubio. The Ohio governor, who is vowing to erase the U.S. budget deficit without shredding the safety net for poor Americans, has built a base of support among moderate Republicans and independent voters, who wield special clout in New Hampshire because they can vote in either party's primary. Kasich, 63, has the support of about 12 to 14 percent of New Hampshires voters in recent polls. The former congressman has staked the viability of his White House aspirations on New Hampshire, whose pivotal primary is part of the state-by-state contests to pick the party nominees for the Nov. 8 election to replace Democratic President Barack Obama. While well behind billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump, Kasich's poll numbers are close to those of Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida who is seeking to build on his momentum after a third-place finish in last Monday's Iowa caucuses behind Trump and winner Ted Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas. I found great clarity here in New Hampshire, Kasich said on Sunday in Concord. These town halls, you know, theyre getting bigger and I dont know how I feel about them getting bigger. The event marked his 102nd town hall in the state. For the 100th, in Bedford on Friday, the campaign celebrated with confetti and a cake that was served to voters attending the event. Kasich told stories of personal connections he said he had made with voters at town halls, including with a woman whose daughter has struggled with addiction. She said: My daughter has been sober for 11 months," Kasich said, asking the crowd: "Do you have any idea what this ladys life is like?'" He added he had promised to call the daughter and tell her: Your mom is counting on you. RISING PROFILE? The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll put Kasichs support nationally at 3.4 percent. Kasich himself jokes about his lack of name recognition, saying voters often mispronounce his last name. But among New Hampshire voters, a Monmouth University poll released on Sunday found Kasich at 14 percent, compared with 30 percent for Trump and 13 percent for Rubio and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Rubio was criticized last year by Republican strategists who said he had not done enough to woo voters in New Hampshire in intimate settings such as coffee shops and town halls. This year, however, he has campaigned intensively in the state and often holds town halls. But Rubio came under heavy attack in the Republican presidential debate on Saturday from rivals who accused him of being too inexperienced for the White House. Kasich delivered a positive message during the debate that could appeal to New Hampshire Republican voters, who famously make up their minds late and never seem in the mood to follow the lead of the Iowa caucuses. Some of Kasichs supporters are passionate about him. "It's authenticity, brother. You have my vote," one man told him at the Bedford town hall. Others were weighing their options. Tim Vanblommesteyn, 62, who attended the Kasich town hall in Concord, said he was disgusted with both political parties but liked some of what the Ohio governor had to say. The small-business owner and self-described independent praised Kasich for taking what he said was a principled stand on immigration reform, an issue that has aroused fiery campaign rhetoric, including from Trump, who has called for deporting illegal immigrants. Kasich has said the United States should secure its borders but that illegal immigrants who have not committed a crime should be able to pay back taxes and get on a path to legalization. Anne Brena, 53, a Democrat from neighboring Vermont, said she came to the Concord event to learn more about the governor. Brena said she thought Democrat Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from her home state, was too liberal to win the general election and she has concerns that his rival, former Secretary of Stat Hillary Clinton, has too much baggage to win the White House. John Kasich is the only Republican that sounds reasonable, she said. (Reporting by Emily Stephenson and Amanda Becker; Editing by Caren Bohan and Peter Cooney)
A new transparent, bendable pressure sensor could be incorporated into a pair of latex gloves and one day help doctors check women for breast cancer, without requiring X-rays, researchers say.

Doctors often touch and feel patients' bodies, applying small amounts of pressure with their hands, when assessing patients' health. For instance, any hard spots or lumps may be a sign of abnormalities such as tumors.

In fact, doctors may rely heavily on their "tactile feeling" of a patient's body to figure out whether the person may have cancer, said study senior author Takao Someya, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Tokyo.

Pressure sensors could help doctors analyze their patients' health with greater precision than is possible with their natural sense of touch, the researchers said. "Tumors are normally more rigid than breast tissue, so we can input that data to a sensor-attached glove," Someya told Live Science.

However, because human bodies are generally soft, sensors that touch bodies must be soft too, in order to work well. But so far, pressure sensors that are soft have been vulnerable to bending, and these devices could not distinguish their own bending from the variations in pressure in the object they were supposed to measure, the researchers said.

"Many groups are developing flexible sensors that can measure pressure, but none of them are suitable for measuring real objects, since they are sensitive to distortion," study lead author Sungwon Lee, also of the University of Tokyo, said in the statement. [10 Technologies That Will Transform Your Life]

Now, the scientists say they have developed an ultrasensitive transparent pressure sensor that can accurately detect pressure even when the sensor is distorted to an extraordinary degree.

The researchers made the sensor from composite fibers containing graphene, which are sheets of carbon just one atom thick, and carbon nanotubes, which are carbon pipes only nanometers (billionths of a meter) in diameter. They took meshes of these pressure-sensitive, 300-to-700-nanometer-wide fibers and embedded them in thin, light, transparent, elastic plastic sheets.

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When this flat sensor is bent, the nanofibers can shift around in the spaces inside the mesh, so their sensor capabilities do not change much even when the sensorsare bent to an extreme degree. However, the sensor can still respond when compressed by pressure.

In experiments, the device successfully measured pressure even when it was placed on the soft, movable 3D surface of a balloon that researchers pressed their fingers into. In addition, when the scientists wrapped their sensor around an artificial blood vessel made of plastic and filled with water, they found that "it could detect small pressure changes," as well as how fast the pressure was changing, Lee said in the statement.

The researchers noted that it was too early to suggest that pressure-sensitive gloves could replace mammography, which uses X-rays to diagnose and locate breast tumors. Still, one day, "the new sensors may offer easy and painless monitoring of tumors without exposure to radiation," Someya said.

This new sensor could also make robots sensitive to pressure, Someya said.

"Imagine that you are shaking hands with a robot that has soft skin," Someya said. "Currently, there is no pressure sensor that accurately works" once it is bent, he said. If the pressure sensor malfunctions, shaking hands with such a robot could be very dangerous, since the robot might end up accidentally crushing a person's hand.

In the future, the researchers want to design a stretchable pressure sensor that can accurately detect pressure even when the device is stretched, Someya said.

The scientists detailed their findings online Jan. 25 in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Bogota (AFP) - Colombia vowed Monday to step up the fight against the country's second-biggest rebel group, despite claims it was ready to join in a peace drive to end decades of conflict.

President Juan Manuel Santos spoke after a meeting of security officials prompted by an attack early Monday on a military brigade, blamed on the leftist ELN, or National Liberation Army.

He said he had ordered the military "to intensify operations against the ELN and all the forms of delinquency that stem from its presence."

The attack raised tension amid efforts to include the ELN in peace efforts alongside the FARC, Colombia's biggest rebel force, aimed at ending half a century of conflict in the South American country.

"The ELN is dead wrong if it thinks that with attacks like this it can smooth the path to peace," Santos said.

"If they think it will strengthen their position at the negotiating table, they are totally mistaken."

The Colombian government has been holding peace talks for the past three years with the leftist FARC.

In 2014, he also launched efforts to convene formal peace talks with the ELN, without calling a ceasefire between the group and government forces.

Santos is demanding the ELN release two captives as a condition for any peace deal.

The FARC and the government have said they aim to sign a peace deal by March 23.

An agreement to start peace talks with the ELN has not yet been reached.

The FARC however said Monday it believed the ELN was ready to start negotiations "as soon as possible."

"The ELN cannot stay outside the peace process," the FARC's chief negotiator Ivan Marquez told reporters in Havana, where the negotiations are ongoing.

"We have grounds to assert that its leaders want to start peace discussions as soon as possible with the Colombian government. A peace without the ELN would be an incomplete peace."
Moscow (AFP) - Russia's central bank said Monday it had revoked the licenses of two more banks as part of government efforts to consolidate the sector as economic troubles mount.

Russia's 67th lender by assets, Intercommerz had failed to adequately assess risks despite the poor quality of its assets, the central bank said.

"At the same time the bank was involved in dubious transactions," it added.

The Bank of Russia also said it had revoked the license of a smaller lender, Alta-Bank.

The country's 186th bank by assets, Alta-Bank had failed to meet its obligations to creditors, the central bank said.

The Russian authorities have been trying to clear the banking sector of hundreds of fragile banks which are often found to employ doubtful or illegal practices.

The ruble's recent fall has exacerbated this, leading to dozens of bankruptcies in the sector.

Last month, the Russian authorities declared Vneshprombank, the country's 40th-biggest lender by assets, insolvent. The bank counted several members of the country's political elite as clients.

The central bank said it withdrew Vneshprombank's licence because of its financial difficulties and involvement in money-laundering.
Geneva (AFP) - Former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is currently probing rights abuses in Syria, on Monday backed Russia's air strikes on "terrorist groups" in the war-torn country.

"Overall, I think the Russian intervention is a good thing, because finally someone is attacking these terrorist groups," Del Ponte told Swiss public broadcaster RTS, listing the Islamic State group and Al-Nusra among the groups targeted.

But Del Ponte, a member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, quickly added that the Russians apparently "are not distinguishing enough between the terrorists and others, and that is not as good."

Her comments came amid international bickering over the Russian air strikes and what role they played in undermining last week's peace talks to end the country's five-year war.

Moscow launched a bombing campaign in Syria last year at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying it was targeting the Islamic State group and other jihadist organisations.

The West has accused Russia of targeting more moderate factions that oppose Assad's regime, and Syrian activists say the strikes have killed civilians, allegations Moscow dismisses as "absurd".

UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura last week suspended attempts to begin a dialogue between al-Assad's regime and the opposition, as Russia pressed on with its bombing campaign on the ground.

One day after the talks broke down, Russia's defence ministry said that air strikes had hit 875 "terrorist targets" in Syria since the start of the month.

Del Ponte, a 68-year-old Swiss national who came to prominence investigating war crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, also touched on another sensitive subject Monday, saying she thought Assad should be included in peace negotiations.

"If you want a ceasefire, if you want peace, you first have to negotiate with the government," she said, pointing out that the late Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic was already under investigation when the US negotiated the 1995 Dayton accord with him that ended Yugoslavia's bloody war.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Monday held out the possibility of sending Saudi special forces into Syria as part of a U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State. "There is a discussion with regard to a ground force contingent, or a special forces contingent, to operate in Syria by this international U.S.-led coalition against ISIS and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has expressed its readiness to provide special forces to such operations should they occur," he said. Al-Jubeir spoke to reporters after he met for the second day in a row with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Their talks focused on conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Al-Jubeir declined to say how many troops Saudi Arabia might be prepared to send. Last week an adviser to the Saudi defense minister said Saudi Arabia was ready to participate in any ground operation in Syria but did not specify the possibility of sending special forces. Four months of Russian air strikes have tipped momentum toward Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the nearly-five year Syrian civil war in which at least 250,000 people have died and more than 10 million have fled their homes. The Syrian army advanced toward the Turkish border on Monday in a major offensive backed by Russia and Iran that rebels say now threatens the future of their nearly five-year-old insurrection against Assad. U.S. President Barack Obama has resisted committing U.S. ground troops to the Syrian civil war given the U.S. experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he last year decided to deploy up to 50 U.S. special operations forces "We welcome this proposal by the Saudis to intensify their efforts by introducing some sort of ground elements into Syria," U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said at his daily briefing. "Exactly what that's going to look like and how that's going to play out I just don't think we can say right now." (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Bernard Orr)
By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People use a lot of words to describe the reviled cockroach: disgusting, ugly, sneaky and repulsive, to name a few. But it may be time to add a surprising new one: inspirational. Scientists said on Monday they have built a small search-and-rescue robot, inspired by the ability of cockroaches to squeeze through tiny crevices, designed to navigate through rubble to find survivors after natural disasters or bombings. "We feel strongly that cockroaches are one of nature's most revolting animals, but they can teach us important design principles," University of California, Berkeley integrative biology professor Robert Full said. Using a specially built obstacle course, the researchers observed how cockroaches scurried in less than a second through crevices smaller than a quarter of their height by compressing their jointed exoskeletons in half. Once inside the crevice, the cockroaches managed to move rapidly, at nearly 20 body lengths per second, with their legs splayed completely out to their sides. "If you scale it up to the size of a human, it would be equivalent to about 70 miles per hour (113 kph), over twice the speed of the fastest sprinter," said Harvard University biologist Kaushik Jayaram, who worked on the research while at UC-Berkeley. The researchers said the cockroaches were about a half inch (13 mm) tall when they ran freely, but compressed their bodies to about a 10th of an inch (2.5 mm) to get through cracks. Experts have been studying animal locomotion in order to invent robots that can maneuver in tough environments. For example, sidewinder rattlesnakes inspired a serpentine robot. "Nature has a library of design ideas. This diversity enables discovery. You never know where basic research will lead. The most important discoveries are often from the most unexpected creatures, some of which are disgusting," Full added. The observations involving the species Periplaneta americana, the American cockroach, inspired the design of a prototype soft-bodied, multi-legged robot called CRAM (Compressible Robot with Articulated Mechanisms) that in the future could be used in swarms to help locate survivors in collapsed structures. The simple and inexpensive robot, 7 inches (18 cm) long, 3 inches (7.6 cm) tall and weighing 1.6 ounces (46 grams), was constructed using an origami-like manufacturing technique, Jayaram said. It can reorient its legs and compress its body like a cockroach to get through "vertically confined spaces," Jayaram added. The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Bidvest Group Ltd on Monday said it plans to spin off and separately list its food business on the local stock exchange, beginning the industrial conglomerate's latest attempt to separate its biggest division. Bidvest, a sprawling company involved in businesses from shipping to selling household mops, has said in the past that the food business should be separated because its value was not reflected in the company's share price. Founder and chief executive Brian Joffe jettisoned plans to list the division in London in 2014, and rejected buyout bids for it three years earlier. "To provide shareholders with the opportunity to participate directly in Bidvest's food service operations, Bidvest intends to unbundle and separately list the food service business," the company said in a statement. The division, Bidvest's biggest and one that contributes over half of the company's sales of 200 billion rand ($12.51 billion), supplies pubs, restaurants and hotels in Europe, South America and Asia. The division competes with companies such as Sysco Corp of the United States. ($1 = 15.9814 rand) (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's government wants the black economic empowerment legal battle settled outside the courts, the mining minister said on Monday, to end uncertainty over a policy meant to spread economic wealth to the black majority. Empowerment goals set by the mining charter a more than a decade ago to redress the absence of South Africans excluded from the mining industry, required that black partners own 26 percent of companies by 2014. Data from South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources, published in May, showed that the mining industry had failed to meet those targets. This was challenged by the Chamber of Mines, which took the government to court. "We believe that they will withdraw and give the process a chance to unfold out of court," Mosebenzi Zwane, the Minister of Mineral Resources, told a media briefing. Regulatory uncertainty is a key concern for miners in Africa's most industrialised but struggling economy, which has been hard hit by job cuts due to weakening global commodities prices for its platinum, gold, iron ore and coal exports. The government wants to enforce a requirement that 26 percent of all mining companies be in black hands by 2014. The state disqualified any transactions where black owners had sold out their shares in the companies, taking down the average empowerment level to 20 percent. The Chamber of Mines however argues that once a company has sold 26 percent of its stake it had already met the empowerment principle even if shareholders subsequently sold of their stake. "We have taken a stance as government, that working together with the primary right holders, let's deal with this matter out of court. It is in the interest of all parties," Zwane said. The Chamber of Mines said that it preferred to reach a "negotiated settlement", but for now the court case was continuing. "The application has not and will not be withdrawn until we reach a negotiated settlement," Charmane Russell, a spokeswoman for the chamber told Reuters. (Editing by James Macharia)
The big-picture numbers that people rely on to describe how the economy is doing currently look pretty good: Unemployment is around 5 percent (which is considered very healthy by economists, because there will always be some people changing jobs in a good economy), and hundreds of thousands of jobs are being added every month.

But another important metric, wage growth, has been sluggish compared with pre-recession levels. On average, workers simply arent seeing their pay increase as quickly as it has at other times. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, real average hourly earnings increased by 1.8 percent in 2015. In a better year, earnings might rise 3 or 4 percent.

While a lot of workers are wondering when theyll get their next raise, there are a number of Americans whose paychecks are increasing much more swiftly. In fact, if the BLS were to calculate earnings growth only for full-time workers who have been in the workforce for a while and arent retiring, it would come out closer to 4 percentmore than twice the average for all workers. When you look at different sectors and different segments of the workforce, it really gives you a different picture of the wage growth, says Ahu Yildirmaz, the lead economist at ADP Research Institute, the payroll processor that puts together the private-sector jobs report.

Recommended: The Crisis Facing America's Working Daughters

Among those full-time workers who are seeing healthy wage growth, those who switch jobs are doing particularly well. According to ADPs data, full-time workers who changed jobs saw their paychecks increase an average of 4.5 percent, an improvement over the 3.9 percent average that covers all full-time workers. (In one extreme illustration of the power of switching jobs, the salary of one Alabama engineer increased by 31 percent over 4 years by changing jobs every six to 12 months.) This effect was even stronger in the midwest and northeast, where full-time-job switchers saw over 5 percent wage growth.

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Breaking the data down by age, ADP also found that the wage increase from full-time-job switching was most pronounced for workers aged 25 to 34. In general, younger job holders saw their wages rise much higher than the 35 [and above] workers, says Yildirmaz, adding, This is the time of life when workers acquire skills rapidly and enjoy frequent promotions. This dynamic slows considerably for mid-life workers, aged 35 to 54, and for 55 and above, its even slower.

Were seeing that most of the sectors, the switchers are actually able to increase their wages, says Yildirmaz. But the exception is the energy sector, in which full-time workers are taking lower-wage jobs in order to stay employed. Job switchers in construction and manufacturing also didnt fare as well.

Job switching was not quite as promising for part-time workers, either. Generally, switching from a part-time job to another part-time job, or switching from part-time to full-time resulted in lower wage growth. Yildirmaz says that this indicates that part-timers are likely willing to accept lower hourly wages in exchange for more hours (and thus higher total income), and benefits.

Recommended: Can America Put Itself Back Together?

The correlation of job switching and slightly higher wage growth is strongest for full-time young workers, and non-existent for part-time workers and those in struggling industries. What that suggests is the fact that its not the act of changing jobs that raises payits having skills that are valued in todays economy and that allow workers to get and negotiate better job offers than the post-recession status quo.

Beyond how moving to a new employer can affect an individual worker, it can also send economists a message about the labor market more generally. Economists, aware that during economic expansion workers will switch jobs for a multitude of reasonsfrom getting higher pay to improving job satisfaction to seeking out more flexible scheduleshave found that high rates of switching can foreshadow higher wage growth for other workers too.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan's military on Monday called on civilians displaced by two weeks of fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra to return to their homes, claiming to have captured most of the area.

The rebels strongly denied the claim and urged the international community to intervene to protect civilians.

Clashes flared between insurgents and troops in Jebel Marra, a stronghold of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army led by Abdulwahid Nur (SLA-AW), on January 15 and tens of thousands of civilians are thought to have fled the fighting.

"The armed forces, announcing they have extended their control over the Jebel Marra area and have secured all roads and tracks and important sites, invite all citizens in the area to return to their villages," army spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami said in a statement.

"The armed forces are still continuing their efforts in the area to complete the combing of the small remaining pockets" of Jebel Marra, the spokesman said.

But Abdulwahid Nur, head of the SLA-AW, denied his forces had lost control of the area.

"I will say that is not true at all, that is a lie," Nur told AFP by telephone from France.

"Since January 25, they have been continuously attacking us from eight directions" in Jebel Marra, he said.

He called the fighting "a tragedy, with the silence of the international community".

Access to Darfur is strictly limited by the government, making it almost impossible to independently verify accounts from both sides.

Tens of thousands of civilians are thought to have fled the latest clashes, which came after a period of relative calm following President Omar al-Bashir's extension of a ceasefire in the area in a New Year's Eve speech.

The military said in their statement they were responding to violations of the ceasefire, but the SLA-AW said troops tried to fight their way into the area.

The army's call for civilians to return came after the United Nations warned that civilians displaced by the fighting were facing dire humanitarian conditions.

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"They are basically in need of everything," said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Marta Ruedas.

- 'Worst civilian displacement' -

The surge in violence "has seen, as a result, the worst civilian displacement that we have seen in the UN in the past decade" in Jebel Marra, she said.

The UN has been unable to gain access to some of the areas worst affected in Jebel Marra, which straddles North, South and Central Darfur states, and has been unable to verify the number of people displaced into the surrounding areas.

Ethnic insurgents in the western Darfur region in 2003 mounted a rebellion against Bashir's Arab-dominated government over claims they were being marginalised.

Bashir unleashed a bloody counter-insurgency using militia, ground troops and jet bombers that saw him indicted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges in 2009, which he rejects.

Some 300,000 people have been killed the conflict and there are 2.5 million people in the region who have been displaced, according to the UN.
ZURICH (Reuters) - Zurich police used tear gas and rubber bullets to try to break up a group of around 100 Kurdish activists holding an unauthorized demonstration outside the Turkish consulate in Switzerland's financial capital on Monday. Police said the crowd threw stones, flags and other objects at the building, forcing authorities to seal off the area. One person was detained in the incident, which followed a largely peaceful march by demonstrators through downtown Zurich in the morning. Police said the demonstrators were protesting against conditions in Turkey. At least nine civilians and 16 rebel fighters died when security forces battled militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast, the army and the region's main political party said on Monday. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Gareth Jones)
So much for the Syrian peace process. With the opening of talks in Geneva last Monday, their collapse two days later, and little hope their resumption February 25th will bear much more fruit, the four-year war in Syria takes a new turn.

New reality No 1: The global community is not equippednot yet, anywaywith the institutions and mechanisms needed to address 21st century conflicts. Astonishing as it is to say, we dont know what to do as a nation of 23 million turns into a killing field. We need the kind of large minds our political systems no longer produce.

Related: Has Putin Turned the Tide in Syria?

New reality No. 2: The Obama administration has painted itself into a tight little corner on this one and left itself few paths, if any, out of it. Of all the mistakes Obama and his policy people have made on the foreign side, this one will go down as one of the worst.

Washington needed the talks to yield some modest benefit almost as much as suffering Syrians. Geneva was the proving ground for its contentionor pretensethat there are Syrian moderates worthy of backing in their fight against ISIS, or the Bashar al-Assad government in Damascus, or both.

There are plenty of democratically minded Syrian citizens, of course, but those carrying guns, including al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda affiliate, dont fit the definition. As one non-Islamist activist told The New York Times Anne Barnard while walking along Lake Geneva after the talks collapsed, We cant deny that Nusra is among us. It would be like saying this lake is made of milk.

A power vacuum was evident even before the Geneva conference convened, and new facts on the ground have filled it fast.

First, the Syrian Arab Army, with Russian air support, is now winning the war. As of last week the S.A.A. was reported to be within four or five kilometers of Aleppo, Syrias largest city. Theres no more pretending on this point.

Related: Clinton and Sanders Lock Horns Over U.S. Syria Policy

Second, the Saudis just proposed sending troopsprobably special operations unitsinto the war. And on Sunday, the United Arab Emirates asserted that its ready to follow suit.

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This idea is rampant with complications. So is the increasing military involvement of the Turks, who are Washingtons other regional ally in the coalition against against who knows whom? Its either ISIS, as declared, or Damascusas is cynically evident on the ground.

All in, it starts to look like truth time for the Obama administration. Its intentions in Syriadefeat the Islamic State or oust Assadhave been a blur for nearly two years, and this tricks now part of the problem, not the solution.

The vexing dilemma for Obama and Secretary of State Kerry, which they created, is what happens when they clarify the strategic goals. There seems little avoiding this in the post-Geneva context, but many contradictions are likely to be exposed.

Related: U.S.-Led Coalition Aims to Recapture ISIS 'Caliphate' In Iraq, Syria

First, its fine to say the S.A.A. and the Russians are to blame for the failure in Geneva, as Ban Ki-moon the U.N.s secretary-general, asserted over the weekend. The second half of the point is that the Saudi-backed opposition left town because its losing the warthe war against Assad, of course, not ISIS.

As the Syrians and Russians make plain, neither distinguishes one Islamist militia from another. Why are some armed Sunni radicals waging a sectarian war against a Shiite regime different from others? And where are the moderate democrats carrying TOW anti-tank missiles?

The freedom fighter narrative is collapsing as we speak. Now what?

Second, the nature of the coalitions regional leaders cant any longer be swept under the rug. Saudi Arabias participation in the bombing campaign against ISIS was never more than a gesture; Riyadh and the Emirates are suddenly motivated because their war is at bottom sectarian and their guys are losing it.

Whats the Obama administration going to do in response to these two surprise offers to commit ground troops? Itll be interesting to see. As to the Turks, theyre fully out of the closet: The Erdogan governments objectives are Sunni nationalist: a coup in Damascus and the destruction of the Kurdish autonomy movement.

Related: Syria Says Any Foreign Aggressors Will Go Home "In Coffins"

Its hard to see, finally, how Washington can continue to escape from the logic of a tactical united front with the Russians, but to enter into one is to abandon the strategic-rivalry aspect of the Syrian crisis.

On the diplomatic plane, Kerry has used his comfortable relationship with Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, to identify common ground. They appear to be eye to eye now in recognizing that the worlds enemy is ISIS and ousting Assad would simply produce another Libya.

But the administrations divided on the Syrian question. He does one thing and the people who hand out hardware do another.

Post-Geneva, its time to clean up the act. If talks reconvene later this monthan if at this pointthe menu should be prix fixe: Youre either unambiguously dedicated to destroying the Islamic Statewhich will require much of the opposition to realignor youre disinvited to the party and the bouncers will see you to the door.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
A group of Ohio high schoolers spent the days leading up to the Iowa caucus zig-zagging the Hawkeye State attending campaign events for presidential candidates on an unconventional field trip.

"Not only do they now know more details about the candidates and how they feel on the issues and the process of caucusing, but a lot of them, I think that they will always have an interest in politics because of this trip," says Caitlin Rudisell, a social studies teacher at Taylor High School in Ohio, who accompanied students taking Advanced Placement government on the trip.

Rudisell says they weren't quite sure what to expect before they made the roughly 11-and-a-half hour bus trip to Iowa, since information on public events for the presidential candidates was often changing. They relied on information from the candidates' websites and a candidate tracker to decide which events to attend.

Students ended up attending events for most of the presidential candidates, including Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, she says.

[Foster civil discourse in high school civics classes.]

During the actual caucuses, the students had plans to volunteer at a precinct and watch the events unfold, but winter weather changed their plans. They had a viewing party in their hotel instead, she says.

But these weren't the only teens taking part in political events on school trips for the Iowa caucus; there were also high schoolers from Illinois and Minnesota on similar trips.

And this week, more than 100 AP government students from Mamaroneck High School in New York are in New Hampshire for the state's primary. Social studies teacher Joe Liberti organized a trip for a smaller number of students in 2012.

"It was beyond my expectations, it was just tremendous," he says. "I have to say, I have never seen students so affected by any educational experience, and so once I came back from that, I knew I was going back in 2016."

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Twenty-one students on this year's trip are working as journalists, and are publishing their coverage of the trips' events on a Medium site created for the trip, says journalism teacher Evan Madin, who helped organize the trip.

"They are going to learn how to interview on the spot, create an angle on the spot, learn how to deal with a press conference," he says. "I mean these are all skills that you can talk about and lecture in class, but to actually experience it is a whole other thing."

Five students are documenting the trip as videographers. The rest are spending the trip campaigning for a candidate of the party of their choosing, Liberti says.

"Every night, we dedicate a half hour to reading up on our candidates and just making sure that we know all our stuff," says senior Victoria Patti, 17, who is campaigning for Bernie Sanders on the trip, on her preparations for the journey.

She's enjoyed watching her candidate rise in the polls, she says. On Election Day, she'll be 18 and plans to vote.

"If you don't have students practice being active in our political system, they will more than likely not be active when they are older," says Liberti. "If you want people to develop good habits of citizenry, you need to start when they are young."

[Learn how national political conventions offer teachable moments for high school students.]

While not all high school social studies teachers can organize election-themed field trips like these, they could use the following online resources to teach the election in class.

-- TodaysMeet: Rudisell uses this chatroom-style site for educators to host discussions with students during debates.

-- Political survey sites: Liberti has used political quizzes from The Advocates for Self-Government, ISideWith.com, Nolan Chart and " PBS NewsHour" to facilitate class discussions.

-- News publications: Every Friday, Liberti sends his students links to clips from " PBS NewsHour" and " Washington Week with Gwen Ifill" -- which are great wrap-ups for students, he says.

He also recommends the publications FiveThirtyEight, RealClearPolitics, Politico and election resources from the The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal.

Rudisell recommends these materials for teaching the election process from C-SPAN.

Have something of interest to share? Send your news to us at highschoolnotes@usnews.com.

Alexandra Pannoni is an education Web producer at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at apannoni@usnews.com.
At least 45 boxes filled with archaeological treasures have been returned to Italy after they were hidden in a Geneva warehouse by a disgraced British art dealer, Swiss authorities said.

Swiss investigators suspect that tomb robbers illegally dug up most of these antiquities at ancient cemeteries in central Italy's Umbria and Lazio regions, where the Etruscan civilization thrived 2,500 years ago before the rise of Rome.

The Etruscans are particularly famous for producing beautiful sarcophagi, or coffins, carved with reclining life-size human figures. The Italian Carabinieri Art Squad first came to Swiss authorities in March 2014 with information about one of these sarcophagi that might have been stolen during an illegal excavation and deposited in Geneva's Ports Francs, or Free Ports, the Geneva Public Prosecutor's Office said in a statement last month.

A search, led by Claudio Mascotto of the Public Prosecutor's Office, brought authorities to a warehouse, where they found not one but two of these terra-cotta sarcophagi among dozens of other artifacts, including bas-reliefs, painted vases, frescos, statue heads, busts and other votive or religious pieces. [See Photos of the Stolen Archaeological Treasures]

The objects, which were officially handed over to Italy in mid-January, were to be unveiled in Rome this week, the U.K.'s Telegraph reported.

Because Swiss authorities don't publicly disclose the names of the parties in such legal proceedings, the statement only revealed that these objects were deposited in the warehouse space by "a former high-profile British art dealer, whose name has been linked in the past to the trading of several looted antiquities throughout the world." Many media outlets were quick to link that description to Robin Symes, a dealer accused of selling illicit Italian antiquities to Western art institutions, such as the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which has been forced to return many of these objects.

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Christos Tsirogiannis, a forensic archaeologist and researcher who studies the illicit antiquities trade at the University of Glasgow's Trafficking Culture project, said he actually recognized some of the Etruscan antiquities when the Swiss authorities published photos of the trove.

Tsirogiannis has access to a photo archive that was confiscated by authorities from Giacomo Medici, a notorious Italian dealer who was convicted for antiquities trafficking in 2004 and was one of Symes suppliers. (Symes and Medicis involvement in the black market for antiquities was documented in Peter Watson and Cecilia Todeschini's 2006 book "The Medici Conspiracy," published by PublicAffairs.)

Tsirogiannis showed Live Science photos of the heads from the two Etruscan sarcophagi in separate images from the Medici archive. He noted that the photos released by the Swiss authorities shows these heads attached to the two sarcophagi, as if they had never been broken.

"I am not aware if the Carabinieri made the match, or whether they are repatriating the sarcophagi just because they are Etruscan and found in the Geneva warehouses of Symes," Tsirogiannis said.

The 1973 UNESCO Convention made it illegal to import, export or transfer ownership of cultural property. Switzerland signed this agreement in 2003, and this case is not the first time the nation has acted on that convention to return illegal antiquities to other countries. Henri Della Casa, a spokesman for Geneva judicial authorities, said antiquities found in the Geneva Free Ports were returned to Turkey last year and that other cultural property investigations are ongoing.

"The public prosecutor is very happy with the conclusion of these proceedings and is very satisfied to have handed back these remains to Italy," Della Casa said.

The Geneva Free Ports have become popular storage spaces among art collectors because of the high security and lack of taxes and duties. The Italian antiquities in the latest case had been stored there for more than 15 years, and they were registered under the name of an offshore company, Swiss authorities said.

But Artnet News reported that changes in regulations for the Free Ports that went into effect this year should make it more difficult to hide illicit antiquities in Swiss warehouses. Some of these changes include a six-month cap on the storage of objects intended for export and a new requirement to disclose the contents of crates moving in and out of the duty-free warehouses.

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By Ginger Gibson and Alana Wise WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican White House front-runner Donald Trump said on Sunday he would be open to harsh measures to deal with the threat from Islamic State, including going beyond the controversial interrogation tactic known as waterboarding. In an interview on ABC's "This Week" program, Trump discussed reviving the tactic and implementing other interrogation techniques, pointing to the recent beheadings of Christians in the Middle East as evidence of the need for stronger interrogation methods for suspected operatives of extremist groups. "We're like living in medieval times," he said. "If I have to do it and if it's up to me, I would absolutely bring back waterboardng. And if it's going to be tougher than waterboarding, I would bring that back, too." When pressed by interviewer George Stephanopoulos if that meant the United States employing similar methods of beheading captors, Trump responded: "We're going to do things beyond waterboarding," adding, "Perhaps, if that happens to come." The issue of waterboarding and other methods of interrogation was raised during Saturday night's New Hampshire Republican debate aired on ABC, with the billionaire businessman saying he would not only revive the controversial method's use, but bring back "a hell of a lot worse" if elected. Waterboarding is the practice of pouring water over someones face to mimic drowning as an interrogation tactic. Critics say it is torture, and Democratic President Barack Obama banned use of the method days after taking office in 2009. Trump's rival and a fellow leader in opinion polls, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, said during the debate that he would only allow limited use of the practice but said it did not constitute torture. Waterboarding was used by the CIA under the Bush administration during the early days of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Its defenders say it helped to keep America safe by garnering more information from captives, but critics argued the method never actually yielded actionable intelligence. Republicans have been critical of Obama's decision to eliminate the practice, saying it telegraphs a position of weakness to the nation's enemies and concedes that the United States erred in using waterboarding. On Sunday, Trump argued that the "evil" nature of modern times required more robust interrogation techniques, saying that U.S. enemies are thriving in the absence of them. "They laugh at us. Our enemies laugh at us, George. They say waterboarding, they don't even think it's a form - you know, they don't even view that as real torture," he said. New Hampshire, where Trump maintains a lead over Republican rivals in the U.S. nominating contest for the Nov. 8 election, casts its primary ballots on Tuesday, the week after Iowa kicked off the process. (Editing by Caren Bohan, Mary Milliken and Jonathan Oatis)
By Steve Holland and Amanda Becker MANCHESTER, N.H. (Reuters) - White House hopefuls Donald Trump and Jeb Bush opened political hostilities on Monday as Republican and Democratic candidates stormed across New Hampshire in a final flurry of events before the state's crucial first-in-the-nation primary. The stage was set for the vote on Tuesday, with New York billionaire Trump enjoying a big lead in opinion polls of the state's Republican voters and a host of rivals jockeying to emerge as his chief challenger for the Republican presidential nomination in the Nov. 8 election. In the race for the Democratic nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders from neighboring Vermont sought to hang on for a much-needed victory over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a week after a razor-thin loss to her in the Iowa caucuses. Sanders told a crowd of about 500 people in Nashua that his call to eradicate income inequality and level the economic playing field for lower- and middle-class workers was resonating. "I'm here today to ask your support, to join us in making that political revolution," he said. Polls showed his big New Hampshire lead tightening but still sizable. Clinton hoped to make the finish close in a feat much like her husband's, former President Bill Clinton, in 1992 when he declared himself "the 'Comeback Kid.'" For those of you who are still deciding, still shopping, I hope I can close the deal, Clinton said at Manchester Community College, campaigning with her raspy-voiced husband and daughter Chelsea. Clinton was reported by Politico to be pondering a staff shakeup out of concern at the messaging of her campaign. I have no idea what theyre talking about or who they are talking to," Clinton, responding to the report, said on MSNBC. "Were going to take stock, but its going to be the campaign that Ive got. Im very confident in the people that I have." A snowstorm swept across the state but it did not slow down the last, tense full day of campaigning ahead of the primary. Trump, still rankled that Bush hit him hard at a candidates' debate in Manchester on Saturday night, peppered his stump speeches with attacks on the former Florida governor at events in Salem and Londonderry. "This stiff, Jeb Bush," Trump said. "He's a total stiff. ... If you had a company, you wouldn't even hire him. He's like a child, like a spoiled child." Bush fired off a tweet referring to Trump's comment last summer that Senator John McCain, the party's 2008 presidential nominee who spent 5-1/2 years in a North Vietnamese prisoner of war camp, was not a hero because he got captured. "@realDonaldTrump, you arent just a loser, you are a liar and a whiner. John McCain is a hero. Over and out," Bush said. Senator Marco Rubio's shaky performance at Saturday's debate gave hope to his rivals that the Floridian's rise after a strong third-place finish in Iowa could be blunted. Bush, Ohio Governor John Kasich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are fighting to finish strongly enough in New Hampshire to justify staying in the race and taking their campaigns to South Carolina, which holds its primary on Feb. 20. As the New Hampshire polls stand now, Trump would win and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who won Iowa; Rubio; Kasich; Bush; and Christie would end right behind him in a tight bunch. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and businesswoman Carly Fiorina are also in the race. Rubio wilted under an attack by Christie at the debate, repeating rehearsed lines from his stump speech in defending himself against criticism that he is not experienced enough to be president. The moment triggered commentary comparing Rubio to a robot, both in the news media and on social media. Rubio's point was that even though he is a first-term senator, he should not be compared to Democratic President Barack Obama, who was a first-term senator when elected in 2008. He said at the debate that Obama has pushed the country in the wrong direction because of his political beliefs, not from inexperience. The core of this campaign is that statement, and I am going to continue to say it: Barack Obama is deliberately carrying out a strategy to change America: He wants to redefine this country," Rubio said on CBS's "This Morning." (Additional reporting by John Whitesides and James Oliphant in New Hampshire and Doina Chiacu in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey and Germany plan to seek help from NATO allies in monitoring the flow of migrants from Syria trying to get to Europe across the Aegean Sea, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Monday. Speaking at a joint news conference in Ankara with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Davutoglu said the matter would be jointly raised by the two countries at a meeting of NATO defense ministers on Thursday. "Turkey and Germany will together recommend to NATO ... NATO becoming involved concerning the consequences of the flow of refugees from Syria," Davutoglu said. "In particular, we will make a joint effort on the effective use of NATO's observation and monitoring mechanisms on the border and in the Aegean," he said, giving no further details. Migrants have entered Europe by a variety of routes, over sea and over land from Turkey, via Libya and by a northern route through Russia into Scandinavia. Monitoring those movements is important to efforts to control the flow. Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter that support for the Turkish coast guard and the European Union's Frontex border agency would be discussed at a "NATO level". U.S. President Barack Obama, whose country's forces dominate the North Atlantic defense alliance, said after a call with the Italian head of state that he wanted to work with NATO allies to address Europe's refugee crisis. At the organization's Brussels headquarters, a NATO official noted that "assurance measures" agreed in December to help Turkey deal with the spillover from fighting in Syria and Iraq included more intelligence and surveillance in the region, including naval and air patrols in the eastern Mediterranean. The official added, however: "NATO is not directly involved in responding to the migration crisis at present." More than 900,000 people fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other war-torn or impoverished countries arrived in Greece from Turkey last year, often risking their lives to cross the Aegean in overloaded boats. Hundreds have died in the attempt. (Reporting by Ercan Gurses in Ankara, Noah Barkin in Berlin and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Ralph Boulton)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan threatened in November to flood Europe with migrants if European Union leaders did not offer him a better deal to help manage the Middle East refugee crisis, a Greek news website said on Monday. Publishing what it said were minutes of a tense meeting last November, the euro2day.gr financial news website revealed deep mutual irritation and distrust in talks between Erdogan and the EU's two top officials, Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk. The EU officials were trying to enlist Ankara's help in stemming an influx of Syrian refugees and migrants into Europe. Over a million arrived last year, most crossing the narrow sea gap between Turkey and islands belonging to EU member Greece. Tusk's European Council and Juncker's European Commission declined to confirm or deny the authenticity of the document, and Erdogan's office in Ankara had no immediate comment. The account of the meeting, in English, was produced in facsimile on the website. It does not state when or where the meeting took place, but it appears to have been on Nov. 16 in Antalya, Turkey, where the three met after a G20 summit there. "We can open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria anytime and we can put the refugees on buses ... So how will you deal with refugees if you don't get a deal? Kill the refugees?" Erdogan was quoted in the text as telling the EU officials. It also quoted him as demanding 6 billion euros over two years. When Juncker made clear only half that amount was on offer, he said Turkey didn't need the EU's money anyway. The EU eventually agreed a 3 billion euro fund to improve conditions for refugees in Turkey, revive Ankara's long-stalled accession talks and accelerate visa-free travel for Turks in exchange for Ankara curbing the numbers of migrants pouring into neighboring Greece. In heated exchanges, Erdogan often interrupted Juncker and Tusk, the purported minutes show, accusing the EU of deceiving Turkey and Juncker personally of being disrespectful to him. The Turkish leader was also quoted as telling Juncker, a former prime minister of tiny Luxembourg, to show more respect to the 80-million-strong Turkey. "Luxembourg is just like a little town in Turkey," he was quoted as saying. The tense dialogue highlighted the depth of mutual suspicion at a time when the EU is banking on Turkish help to alleviate its worst migration crisis since World War Two. The EU says the flow of people from Turkey, which hosts more than 2.5 million Syrian refugees, has not decreased in any significant way since the bloc's joint summit with Ankara in November, when they had agreed the fund for refugees there. The report prompted a member of the European Parliament from the Greek centrist party To Potami to ask the European Commission to confirm the purported talks. "If the relevant dialogues between the EU officials and the Turkish President are true, it seems that there are aspects of the deal between Ankara and the EU which were concealed on purpose," Miltos Kyrkos said in the question he submitted to the Commission. "We want immediately an answer on whether these revelations are true and where the Commission's legitimacy to negotiate, using Turkey's accession course as a trump card, is coming from," Kyrkos said. (Reporting by Michele Kambas in Athens, Orhan Coskun in Ankara and Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels; Editing by Paul Taylor and Tom Heneghan)
Kilis (Turkey) (AFP) - Outside a hospital in the Turkish border town of Kilis, a young nurse sums up the concerns of many residents about Syrian refugees. "I already feel I am not in Turkey," says Tugba Kaya.

"It's like Syria here. Every step you take in Kilis you come across a Syrian."

As Turkey ponders whether to let in tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing a major Russian-backed regime offensive around Aleppo, Kaya said she feared the consequences of yet another influx.

The town is the only major urban centre in Turkey with a majority of Syrians, and the feeling among many locals is that it can take no more.

"Life here would be paralysed in the face of a mass exodus," Kaya added.

Since the start of the Syrian civil war nearly five years ago, Turkey has become the biggest country for Syrian refugees, with more than 2.7 million on its soil.

Of those only 250,000 of them live in camps, with the rest in urban areas.

The latest wave of refugees -- including women and children -- has been massing at Syria's Bab al-Salama border crossing since Friday.

And with opposition forces and 350,000 civilians in rebel-held areas of the divided city of Aleppo facing a possible government siege, at least 70,000 more are expected to head to the border unless Damascus stops its assault.

- Unemployment and hunger -

The town of just under 100,000 lies five kilometres (three miles) north of the Turkey-Syria border, some 10 kilometres from the Syrian town of Azaz.

Turkish officials estimate that there are around 120,000 Syrians living in Kilis, about 34,000 in camps.

Resident Yasar Mavzer said the influx was having serious consequences for locals.

"Unemployment and hunger among the Turkish population of the town abound because of so many Syrians. Rents have skyrocketed," he said, angrily. "The state must take care of its people first."

The middle-aged man accused the Turkish government of forgetting its own people by taking in so many refugees.

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"Everything is for Syrians. Jobs, houses... The people here are also human beings," he said. "It would be much better if Syrians were sheltered in a safe zone inside Syria, rather than in Turkey."

Mehmet Zeytcioglu, 50, owner of a grocery shop in Kilis, said the sheer number of Syrians was putting pressure on jobs.

"Our Kilis is a small town which is unable to bear such a large number of people," he said, adding: "Let Allah help them too."

Murat Erdogan, director of the Migration and Politics Research Centre at Ankara's Hacettepe University, told AFP Turkish residents' unease was "natural" and should be taken seriously.

Advantages, he said, included a revival in trade and jobs for locals at the camps, but he said there were also disadvantages.

"There are disruptions in municipal services and the number of crimes could increase if more Syrians flock to the town, testing the patience of locals," he said.

Residents are also concerned about security.

The town has been hit several times by shells fired from the Syrian side and the thud of explosions from the latest offensive can be felt in the town.

"I am very scared. I believe our lives are in danger," added Kaya.

- Court to coffee shop -

Syrians in the town, meanwhile, have tried to reclaim their lives, setting up their own shops and businesses.

Mohamad Hamidi, who was a lawyer in Syria, now runs a cafe in Kilis.

With Arabic music playing in the background, Hamidi said he had established a new life in the town and been made to feel welcome by locals.

"I was financially in a good state when I arrived in Turkey in 2013, so I rented this shop. I've been working here since then. I went from being a lawyer to a coffee shop employer," he told AFP.

"We are always in touch with Turkish people who always come to my cafe... Turkish people have received us Syrians well. They treat us better than Jordanian and Lebanese people."

But however welcoming Turkey may have been, it is still not home, according to Syrian mother Sabah Al-Ali.

Although grateful to Turkey for giving her a safe haven, she yearns for the day when she can return home to Aleppo.

"We are living here but it's not like we feel at home because our country is precious to us," she said.

"That is where our home is."
By Melissa Fares

(Reuters) - Two women banned from Tinder last week for aggressively promoting U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders have been allowed back on the dating app and say they will resume telling prospective matches to "feel the Bern."

Robyn Gedrich, 23, from New Jersey, and Haley Lent, 22, from Iowa, were locked out of Tinder after others on the "hook-up" app accused them of spamming them with hundreds of pro-Sanders messages. News of the ban went viral on social media.

Both women said on Monday they were able to sign back into the platform.

"I definitely plan to continue meeting new people and promoting Bernie Sanders via Tinder," Lent said in a Twitter message to Reuters.

"I have been focusing on swiping slower to be able to have more in depth conversations today," Gedrich said by email. "Hopefully that will translate to more support for Bernie, rather than the dismissal I was receiving before."

A spokeswoman for Tinder, which is part of Match Group Inc, owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, said the company would have no further comment. On Friday, a Tinder spokeswoman said: "We whole-heartedly support people sharing their political views on Tinder, but we don't allow spamming. So feel free to spread the Bern, just don't spam."

"Feel the Bern" has become a popular rallying cry among Sanders supporters.

Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is locked in a tight race with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination for the November election. The two square off on Tuesday in the New Hampshire primary.

(Reporting by Melissa Fares in New York; Editing by Dan Burns and Peter Cooney)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies conducted ten strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria on Sunday, the Combined Joint Task Force leading the operations said in a statement released on Monday. In Iraq, nine strikes coordinated with the Iraqi government targeted the militant group near five cities, the task force said. The largest attack consisted of four strikes near Mosul, which targeted a large IS tactical unit and destroyed five fighting positions, among other targets, it added. Near Ramadi, two strikes destroyed two IS vehicles, a car bomb and an anti-air artillery piece, the military's statement said. In Syria, one strike targeted IS near Al Hasaka in northeast Syria, according to the statement. (Reporting by Clarece Polke)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon confirmed on Monday that it will start formal talks with South Korea on deploying an advanced missile defense system to South Korea to counter the growing threat of North Korea's weapons capabilities after its rocket launch this weekend. U.S. military officials have said the sophisticated system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) was needed in South Korea. South Korea said on Sunday it and the United States would begin talks on the THAAD, after North Korea launched a long-range rocket earlier carrying what it has called a satellite. "We feel confident that our posture right now is adequate to the challenge and the task," said Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook. "But we do think adding THAAD would simply only improve that posture and improve if you will the reassurance level for our allies." (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Phil Stewart)
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's cost watchdog has recommended that patients with high cholesterol should not get Sanofi and Regeneron's new cholesterol-lowering injection Praluent, although Amgen's similar drug Repatha will be available. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost watchdog said in draft guidance on Monday that Praluent's benefits were uncertain and it was likely to overshoot standard cost-effectiveness thresholds. NICE, which decides if drugs should be used on the state health service, had initially reached a similar decision for Amgen's product in November. But in a change of heart on Friday it said Repatha could be an option for some patients, provided it was supplied at an agreed - but undisclosed - price discount. Both Praluent and Repatha belong to a potent new class of drugs known as PCSK9 inhibitors that have proved highly effective at lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler, editing by David Evans)
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain should make a decision on where to build a new runway this summer, its transport minister said on Monday, dismissing concerns it could be further delayed by a referendum on EU membership. Prime Minister David Cameron could reach a deal over Britain's ties with the European Union at a summit later this month, paving the way for a public vote on membership of the bloc as soon as June. Transport Minister Patrick McLoughlin said he did not think a June referendum would derail the current timetable for deciding on expanding either Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport, or Gatwick, its second-busiest. The decision has been repeatedly delayed. "If the referendum is June 23, the date that has been talked about, then I think we still could be on target to make it (the decision) before the end of July," McLoughlin told a panel of lawmakers, adding that he did not know when the vote would be. "I very much hope that by the summer of this year we will have a location decision," he said. Heathrow's campaign to build a new runway received a blow in December when the government delayed the politically charged decision to summer 2016, saying it needed to do more work on the environmental impact of expansion. Few disagree that London needs a new runway to remain economically competitive, but its location has been disputed for over 25 years and no new runway has been built in south east England since World War Two. Heathrow, to the west of London, is operating at full capacity. It was recommended over Gatwick last year as the site for expansion by an independent commission. In his first speech since the government announced it would postpone a final decision on airport expansion, Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said later on Monday that he was confident that the government would back Heathrow. "After the EU referendum, the biggest issue for the Prime Minister is delivering the sustainable growth that will tackle the deficit and create that prosperity," he said. "Only saying 'yes' to Heathrow expansion will help him deliver that vision." He said that should the government make a decision to back Heathrow by this summer, a new runway could be built by 2025. (Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Stephen Addison and Alexander Smith)
Washington (AFP) - The US military wants to send a sophisticated missile defense system to South Korea "as quickly as possible," the Pentagon said Monday as it seeks to counter an ever-defiant North Korea.

After Pyongyang's launch of a long-range rocket on Sunday, South Korean and US military officials said they would start formal discussions on placing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) on the North's doorstep.

Though the launch saw North Korea successfully blast a satellite into orbit, the United Nations and world powers quickly condemned the action as evidence Pyongyang is continuing to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the US mainland.

The launch came only weeks after North Korea carried the latest in a series of underground nuclear tests.

"Without getting into a timeline, we'd like to see this move as quickly as possible," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said of a possible THAAD deployment.

"We are beginning the consultations now and in the current days with the South Koreans, and we expect that this will move in an expeditious fashion."

America's highly deployable THAAD system fires anti-ballistic missiles into the sky to smash into enemy missiles either inside or outside the Earth's atmosphere during their final flight phase.

The interceptor missiles carry no warheads, instead relying on kinetic energy to destroy their targets.

While China firmly opposes the deployment of such anti-missile hardware so close to its borders, the move to place THAAD in South Korea underscores Washington's frustrations with Beijing's failure to take a tougher line with Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons program.

Cook stressed the missile defense system was in no way meant to pose a threat to China.

"If the THAAD system were deployed to the Korean Peninsula, it would be focused solely on North Korea, contribute to a layered missile defense that would enhance the alliance's existing missile defense capabilities against potential North Korean missile threats," he said.

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"This is a defensive system put in place. We don't believe it should pose any kind of concern to the Chinese."

- Rapidly deployable -

A US defense official told AFP the anti-missile system could be deployed within one to two weeks of a deployment order.

"Once... decisions are made, that (timeframe) is possible," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The THAAD system, in service since 2008, includes truck-mounted launchers, radars, interceptor missiles and global communications links.

Five THAAD batteries are currently operational, according to the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, and two more were ordered in 2014.

One of these is permanently based in Guam, home to a large US military base in the Pacific, to protect against any North Korean missiles.

About 28,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea and the two forces have very close military ties.

Cook said an eventual THAAD deployment would be operated by US forces in South Korea.

"The United States remains fully committed to the security of our allies in the region and we will take all necessary steps to defend ourselves and our allies and respond to North Korean provocations," he said.
Washington (AFP) - The United States and Saudi Arabia will push for an immediate ceasefire in Syria at international talks later this week, their top diplomats said Monday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir met in Washington to prepare for broader negotiations in Munich in Thursday.

There, the 17-nation International Syria Support Group will debate ways to restart a struggling UN-led effort to get Syria's warring parties to the table.

Kerry and Jubeir said they hoped the contact group, which includes the Syrian regime's allies Russia and Iran, would agree to a rapid ceasefire on the ground.

"We have a tremendous stake in trying to resolve the problems in the region before they consume all of us," Jubeir said, giving brief remarks with Kerry.

Both Kerry and Jubeir cited UN Security Council resolution 2254, which calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access to besieged Syrian towns.

"And we hope that when we meet in Munich in the next few days, we'll be in a position where we can make progress on that goal," Kerry said.

Russia was among the countries which approved UNSC 2254 in December but has continued to bomb opposition positions on behalf of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The continued bombardment of rebel-held towns was among the reasons given by the Saudi-backed opposition coalition for not cooperating with the UN peace talks.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura is trying to get the Geneva ceasefire talks back on track, but is relying on the ISSG countries to pressure the warring parties.
Washington (AFP) - The United States welcomes a Saudi offer to deploy special forces to support a coalition ground operation against the Islamic State group inside Syria, the kingdom's foreign minister said Monday.

Speaking after a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said any operation would be US-led but that Saudi Arabia would play a leading role.

"The United States government was very supportive and very positive about the kingdom's readiness to provide special forces to the operation in Syria, should the international coalition make a decision to do so," he told reporters.

"So the kingdom will be part of it," he said. "That support came from the White House, it came from the State Department, it was natural for Secretary Kerry to support such a decision."

Jubeir said the idea for a possible ground operation had come from Washington, and that members of the 65-strong coalition against the Islamic State would expect the United States to lead it.

State Department spokesman John Kirby confirmed that the United States welcomed the Saudi offer, and that discussions were ongoing, but would not comment on the nature or timing of any operation.

"We are talking about a ground element," he said. "We have discussed the potential value of a special operations capability inside that element, which would be valuable. "

The United States has publicly confirmed that it has sent a small number of special operations forces to eastern Syria to help local militias fight the Islamic State group.

But debate continues in Washington about the advisability and final size of a possible larger ground operation against the hardline group.
Manchester (United States) (AFP) - Voters in New Hampshire, set to hold the United States' first presidential primaries on Tuesday, sometimes surprise and often make up their minds at the last moment.

The results could change the campaign's course, with weaker candidates knowing that a poor showing might signal the end of their White House dreams for 2016.

Here's what's worth watching closely:

DONALD TRUMP: After leading 75 consecutive polls in New Hampshire since May, the controversial billionaire is hoping to erase last week's humiliation in Iowa, where he came second in the state's Republican caucuses that kicked off the nomination race.

That result followed his decision to snub a debate after polls put him in first place.

But the last Republican debate on Saturday went relatively well for Trump. Two Monday polls put him 21 and 14 percentage points ahead of his nearest Republican rivals. Anything short of victory on Tuesday, however, risks seriously undermining his image as a winner who wants to "make America great again."

The second-place finisher is also worth watching. Polls predict a heated contest between establishment candidates Marco Rubio and John Kasich, and Ted Cruz, the ultraconservative Texas senator who won in Iowa.

HILLARY CLINTON: The former secretary of state faces a tough challenge in New Hampshire from Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist senator from neighboring Vermont, who has led 33 consecutive polls since early January. Two Monday polls put him 12 and 16 points ahead in the state.

Clinton won a razor-thin victory in Iowa last week with 49.8 percent against Sanders's 49.6 percent.

If she can close the gap on Tuesday, experts predict she can seize back the initiative ahead of primaries in southern states where she is the big favorite. If Sanders scores big, however, the race for the Democratic nomination could last longer and prove more difficult than expected for the candidate who began her campaign as the undisputed frontrunner.

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Clinton pulled off a victory over Barack Obama in New Hampshire in 2008 -- after the future president upended the race by defeating her in Iowa. In 1992, her husband Bill's second-place finish saved his presidential campaign, earning him the nickname "the comeback kid."

MARCO RUBIO: The telegenic Florida senator -- the Republicans' youngest candidate at age 44 -- is hoping to capitalize on his better than expected results in Iowa. He placed third, surprisingly close to Trump, making him the hope of establishment Republicans looking to back a candidate more presentable than Trump or Cruz.

However, Rubio performed poorly during the Republican debate on Saturday night, when he was lambasted for mechanically repeating the same tirade against Obama five times.

GOVERNORS: Jeb Bush -- the former Florida governor and son and brother of presidents -- Ohio Governor Kasich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are fighting to maintain their credibility and in Christie's case, his survival in the race. The moderate Kasich could surprise in a state where 44 percent of voters are independents who tend care more about ideas than party affiliations.
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Jordan Norwood just made Super Bowl history. His 61-yard return, on which he was actually bumped slightly before the ball touched him  an interference call that wasnt noticed by anyone, it seems  set up Denver for another field goal from Brandon McManus.

The Broncos are struggling against the Panthers D on a short field, but this historical return still led to points.
Rewards junkies are always looking for a way to pile up more miles or points without getting on an airplane.

The good news is that there are plenty of great ways to do that. Applying for a credit card with a big sign-up bonus is maybe the best example, but is hardly the only way. Dining in the right restaurants can get you extra points, too, as can buying items through a card issuer's shopping portal. There are seemingly as many ways to boost your miles as there are cardholders seeking to boost them.

However, that doesn't mean every way to grab more rewards is a wise move. Take, for example, paying your taxes with a credit card.

What a great idea! I have enough money to pay for my taxes, but why not just pay for it on my credit card and pocket the extra miles?

It's simple: The math usually doesn't work.

Here's why ...

Most rewards credit cards give one point per dollar spent. Yes, those multipliers can be far higher in certain cases, especially when rotating bonus categories are involved. However, one point per dollar -- in other words, a 1 percent return -- is typical in the industry. That's all well and good until you notice that the typical convenience charge for paying taxes with your credit card ranges from 1.87 percent to as high as 3.93 percent.

Paying 3 percent to get a return of 1 percent?

You don't have to be an accountant to understand why that's a bad deal. Overpaying to get rewards is seldom a good idea. It's the same trap that awaits people who want to pay college tuition with a credit card. The convenience fee that you'll be stuck with will typically turn a sweet, alluring deal into a money-losing proposition.

Can it ever work?

That doesn't mean paying for taxes with a credit card can never make sense. Again, it's all about the math.

The Internal Revenue Service lists four payment processors through which you can pay via credit card when you file electronically and then three other payment processors that let you pay your taxes via credit card over the phone. The phone-based options have the lowest convenience fees, ranging from 1.87 percent to 2.25 percent.

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If you have a cash back card that gives you 2 percent back on every purchase -- the Citi Double Cash card, for example -- and you opt to pay your taxes via the processor that charges the 1.87 percent fee, the math actually works in your favor, albeit narrowly. You'd pay 1.87 percent to get 2 percent back, turning a 0.13 percent profit. In real money terms, if you were paying a $5,000 tax bill with your credit card, you'd pay a $93.50 convenience fee in order to earn $100 worth of rewards -- a $6.50 profit. It's not going to make you rich, obviously, but it is a profit nonetheless.

The plan isn't foolproof, however. If you can't pay the balance off immediately, there's a good chance that all of your profit will be eaten up quickly by interest charges.

Is it possible to write off the processing fee?

In the long run, it might even be possible to boost your profit a bit further by writing off some of your processing fee. The credit card processing fee can be included as a miscellaneous deduction on Schedule A. According to the IRS, miscellaneous deductions include: tax preparation fees; unreimbursed employee expenses, like costs involved in searching for a new job; and other expenses, such as credit or debit card conveniences fees.

It's not quite as simple as it may sound, though. In order to write off miscellaneous deductions, the total amount of those deductions must total at least 2 percent of your adjusted gross income -- and you can only deduct the amount exceeding that 2 percent. Here's an example:

-- Say your AGI was $75,000 in 2015, and your miscellaneous deductions total $1,800.

-- You would be eligible for a write-off, since $1,800 is more than 2 percent of $75,000. (Two percent of $75,000 is $1,500.)

-- However, since you're only able to deduct the amount of deductions exceeding 2 percent, the amount that you'd be able to deduct would be only $300.

So unless you have a really large tax bill or a lot of other potential miscellaneous deductions to include, it is probably best to not count on writing off that fee.

The Bottom Line

For most Americans, paying taxes with a credit card isn't wise, simply because of the math. It just doesn't make sense to pay a 2.5 or 3 percent convenience fee in order to get a reward of 1 percent back.

If, however, you're willing to take the time to use the least expensive credit card processing option offered by the IRS and you can pay for it with a card that rewards you with at least 2 percent on purchases and you're absolutely, positively, beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt sure that you can pay the entire bill off immediately without paying your credit card issuer any interest, you might be able to make a profit by paying your taxes with a credit card.

That profit would be tiny, though -- about one-tenth of 1 percent. Knowing that, you're probably better off choosing another way to pay Uncle Sam and focusing your rewards efforts on more lucrative goals.

Matt Schulz is the senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com, a site dedicated to helping people make smart decisions about obtaining and using credit. You can follow him on Twitter at @matthewschulz.
San Francisco (AFP) - Yelp shares took a roller coaster ride on Monday after quarterly earnings that beat expectations were accidentally released before the close of market.

Late day trades on the New York Stock Exchange sent Yelp shares soaring and plunging after earnings were disclosed prematurely.

Yelp shares were down more than 12.5 percent to $15.81 about 19h30 GMT.

The website that serves up crowd-sourced reviews of businesses reported a loss of $22.2 million in the final three months of last year on revenue that climbed more than 40 percent to $153.7 million when compared to the same quarter in 2014.

The San Francisco-based company also announced that chief financial officer Rob Krolik will step down from the position this year after a replacement is hired.

"I am a strong believer in the power of Yelp to help consumers and local businesses alike," Krolik said in an earning release.

"After almost five years with Yelp, I am ready to take some time off to spend more time with family," Krolik said in an earning release.

Yelp and Angie's List face increasing competition from TripAdvisor and other online players such as Facebook and Amazon.
After a person in Dallas was confirmed to have contracted the Zika virus through sex, U.S. health officials are warning men who travel to countries where Zika is spreading to take steps to prevent spreading the virus through sex.

If a man has a pregnant partner, and has traveled to any of the more than 20 countries where Zika virus is spreading, he should either abstain from sex, or use condoms, until the end of his partner's pregnancy, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today (Feb. 5).

The warning comes because health officials are concerned about a strong link between Zika virus infection during pregnancy and a birth defect called microcephaly, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and face lifelong cognitive impairments.

"We know that this is anxiety-provoking for women who are pregnant and [for] their families," Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, said in a news conference today (Feb. 5). But there are things that people can do to lower their risk of contracting the virus, including rigorously protecting against mosquito bites, which are the usual mode of Zika transmission, and following the new guidelines to prevent sexual transmission, Frieden said. [Zika Virus FAQs: Top Questions Answered]

Although the Zika virus stays in a person's blood for only up to a week after the individual is infected, it's unknown how long the virus could stay in a man's semen. That's why the new recommendation for precautions during sex is for a woman's entire pregnancy. In one study, researchers found that the virus may have been present in a man's semen for up to 10 weeks after he got sick.

"We are quite literally discovering more about Zika each and every day," Frieden said.

The CDC also said that women who aren't pregnant, but who are concerned about contracting the virus through sex could consider using condoms during sex or abstaining if their partner has traveled to an area with Zika cases. The agency noted that Zika infection is usually mild, and about 80 percent of people who are infected with the virus have no symptoms at all.

Story continues

In the Dallas case, a person contracted Zika virus after having sex with a man who had recently returned from Venezuela, and had symptoms of the infection. Still, sexual transmission of Zika virus is thought to be rare; there are just three known reported cases of the virus spreading through sex.

Frieden emphasized that the primary way Zika spreads is by mosquito bites.

It's not known whether Zika virus is also present in a person's saliva when the individual is infected, but the CDC is not currently issuing any recommendations about avoiding kissing, Frieden said. It's also not known if a woman who is infected with Zika can spread the disease to a man through sex, the agency said.

The CDC recommended that all pregnant U.S. women consider postponing travel to the areas where the Zika virus is spreading, including 24 countries in Central and South America.

So far, there have been 51 cases of Zika virus in the United States (not including cases in the territories such as Puerto Rico or American Samoa), and of these, 50 concerned people who caught the disease while traveling.

Pregnant women who travel to areas where Zika is spreading should be tested for the virus within two to 12 weeks after they return, even if they don't have symptoms, the CDC said.

Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Wetmen rob patrons at gunpoint

A total of six patrons were robbed by the bandits who drove off in the car.

Police said the bandits beat employee Kanhiya Ramkissoon on the head as she was relieved of her laptop computer, cell phone and gold chain.

According to a police report, at about 10.20 pm on Saturday, Ramkissoon, Dave Hosein, Curtis Garcia, Barry Ramroopsingh, Anderson Seepersad, Kester John and Shazad Khan were at Crawfords Bar when four gunmen stormed the bar and announced a hold-up. They proceeded to rob the patrons at gunpoint of all their valuables. They later made good their escape in the waiting Nissan Tiida which was parked a short distance away, investigators reported.

PC Clarence is continuing investigations.

Wetman is a Trini term, used especially on social media, given to a man or men who specifically drive or use a Nissan Tiida vehicle in order to pick up girls (usually underage female students) for sex and also use this vehicle to commit robberies and other crimes.
6 in court on shop breaking, larceny charges

The charge is that on Saturday January 30, the men broke into Lackheerams Grocery and Bar at Canque Village, Biche and stole a quantity of alcohol, cigarettes, cash, a CCTV DVR system and other items valued $20,000. Officers of the Biche police led by Sgt Garcia along with Cpl Singh, Cpl Joseph, WPC Ferguson, PCs Manna, Borneo, Williams, Mendoza and Tom responded and executed a search warrant at a house in Gadar Avenue, Biche, where some of the items were recovered.

The officers then journey about half mile into the bushes at the back of the house and recovered all of the items and arrested the six men. With the assistance of Insp Ken Lutchman and PC Ravi Gadar of the Sangre Grande CID, the officers continued an intensive enquiry an the six men were subsequently charged for the offence.

The magistrate also commended all the officers who were involved in the enquiry.
Cops probe shooting

The gunman demanded cash and after receiving an undisclosed sum, he shot Duncan in the leg before running off.

Duncan who is from Bethel was taken to hospital for treatment.

Following intense investigations, Tobago detectives detained a suspect who is assisting investigators in their enquiry into the shooting and robbery.

Meanwhile, Tobago police are continuing investigations into the body of a man which was found last Friday floating in the sea behind the ANR Robinson International Airport.

Newsday was told the body was discovered by employees of the neighbouring Sandy Point Hotel at about 11 am.
Old time mas

From the colourful fancy Indian mas to the bats and midnight robber take your pick of favourite traditional characters.
Taste and enjoy TTs story

If youre wondering where to start in such a monumental endeavour, and if you dont want a heavy, stuffy read, then invest in a copy of A Walk Back in Time: Snapshots of the History of Trinidad and Tobago by Angelo Bissessarsingh.

Hot off the press, and just in time to fill the gap that Carnival leaves, Bissessarsinghs book is, in the authors own words ,  not meant to be a history text that laboriously chronicles events according to dates and names. The author says his purpose is to: Provide the reader with short insights into the rich diversity that is the story of Trinidad and Tobago. The story begins with vignettes and reminiscences about Trinidads remarkable story of cocoa.

In that short chapter, Bissessarsingh shows Trinidad and Tobagos importance in the world.

This is a book that deals with the sublime and not the ordinary, stereotypic images that define us.

Readers will immediately realise that the operative word in this book is snapshots, both literally and figuratively speaking.

History is often about discovering a past you knew nothing about, and thats why one of my favourite chapters is Whaling in the Bocas. Theres even a picture of Copperhole on Monos Island where large copper boilers made oil out of whale blubber.

The author transcends the visual and presents chapters that readers can almost taste, smell and feel with snapshots of how the Trinidad food we take for granted was once cooked.

The development of Trinidads culture includes a taste of calypsos roots and a glimpse at the inception of Carnival.

Each chapter is written in the clear, crisp and vivid language.

Chapters are short, light, informative and most importantly entertaining. There is a story to be told in the juxtaposition of chapters where readers can find a chapter on Corbeau  an Under- Appreciated Bird: followed by Royal Visits.

I particularly like the structure of the book, which begins with vignettes and reminiscences, a more human aspect of history, and then moves to landscapes, streets and buildings, which show key landmarks in the development of Trinidad culture. I enjoyed the chapter on ice and how it was introduced to Trinidad.

Bissessarsingh finds clever ways to keep the story moving while changing the pace and mood of the book. A section that connects roads and bridges together, takes the reader on a nostalgic trip to the country.

This section is juxtaposed with the more dramatic section of Hard Lessons Learnt which includes The Water Riots.

Bissessarsingh shows boldness and creativity by placing the subjects of Amerindians, slavery, peasantry and Independence near the end of the book. These are topics that seem to form the crux of many Caribbean history books so it is a refreshing change to see other aspects of history taking centre stage. The book ends on a whimsical note with a chapter on Trinidad folklore.

A Walk Back in Time Snapshots of the History of Trinidad and Tobago is a literary treasure that captures the spirit of Trinidad and its history. It feels like a labour of love and a source of pride. It is a timeless keepsake that we are lucky to have. Snapshots.

is available in Nigel Khan and Paper Based Book stores.
Carnival success for UTT students

Among the standouts is Helon Francis who copped the 2016 Young Kings title. Francis, a Year Three student of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in the Performing Arts programme, won the competition on January 25 at the Queens Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, with his rendition of The Real Bandits. Francis placed third in the Social Commentary final at the Savannah last Thursday and he was also a finalist in last nights Dimanche Gras Calypso Monarch competition at the Savannah.

Keva Ann Blackman, music teacher and pan arranger for Tacarigua Presbyterian Primary School, ushered her school band into first place in the Schools Panorama competition.

Also, recent graduate from the Certificate in Music Technology programme, Derek Pereira won the inaugural International Soca DJ competition held on January 30 at the Queens Park Savannah. He is also the producer of The RR Riddim, one of the more popular riddims for the Carnival, featuring artistes such as Blaxx, Bunji Garlin, Orlando Octave, Salty and others.

The riddim, which features all-live instrumentation, was performed and engineered entirely by students and graduates of the Certificate, BFA in Performing Arts and MA in Carnival Studies programmes, said a media release from UTT . Other students who have made their mark at this years festivities include: Tamico Moore and Michelle Henry, who qualified for the semi-final round of the National Calypso competition at Skinner Park, San Fernando. Moore also won the Carapichaima Monarch competition and placed second in the Couva Monarch final last Friday.

Mikail Salcedo and Mickiel Gabriel whose bands, East Side Symphony and West Side Symphony, respectively, qualified for the Small and Medium Band categories at the National Panorama competition and Aaron Clarke and Kevin Duncan, arrangers for the New Boys Symphony, also placed in fifth position coming out of the single pan semi-finals.

Leon Smooth Edwards and Seion Gomez, pan teachers at the academy, qualified in the Large and Medium Bands category in last Saturdays National Panorama Finals at the Savannah. Edwards arranged Leave We Alone for Massy Trinidad All Stars while Gomez arranged Bass On Fire for NLCB Buccooneers.

Here is a list of some of the APA students mentioned and their programme specialisations: Helon Francis, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Music (Voice); Tammico Moore, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Music (Voice); Mickiel Gabriel, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Music (Voice); Mikail Salcedo, Artist Diploma in Music Performance Music (Pan); Aaron Clarke, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Music (Pan) Kevon Duncan, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Music (Pan).
DESPERS DOES IT

At about 1.42 am, playing in position 13nine out of ten, the band performed 13a distinctly despers musical 13arrangement of Different Me as 13arranged by Carlton Zanda Alexander.

The players had a wonderful 13start and from there it was just 13magical. After the introduction 13Zanda came through the bass on 13the eastern side of the stage to take 13up his position in front of the band.

For eight minutes and two seconds, 13Desperadoes held the Queens Park 13Savannah audience in awe.

The arrangement was much 13different from the one played at 13the semi-finals. Zanda kept to the 13song with the bass line rumbling 13through out and when they were 13finished the decibel level of the applause 13was off the chart. After the 13victory captain Kelvin Holder said, 13This victory was well deserved, we 13have been longing for this for the 13last fifteen years. We worked very 13hard and every night before practice 13we came together and started 13with a prayer.

This victory is for the community 13of Laventille and I praise Zanda 13who is very easy to work with, 13he is so humble. It reminds me 13of the days of Clive Bradley. The 13music was a conversation, orchestrated 13and colourful where each 13instrument played its part, the bass 13and midrange working in harmony 13with the tenors.

We want to educate the younger 13folks about how great this steel 13orchestra is so they can give praise 13where its due. We now hope the 13membership grows. 13After the victory, Trinidads 13great jazz musician, Clive Zanda 13was seen on stage celebrating with 13members of his family. Arranger 13Carlton was not on stage to celebrate.

This victory is number eleven 13for Desperadoes, two more than 13their nearest rivals Renegades and 13All Stars both with nine victories.

Before Desperadoes, First Citizens 13Supernovas repeated their 13semi-final performance at just 13about the same time (around midnight).

Playing Amrit Samaroos 13arrangement of Breakthrough 13this band truly broke all barriers to 13end up in second place, one point 13behind the winners. Without a 13doubt Dr. Jit Samaroos music lives 13on through his son Amrit. The 13arrangement was exciting, wellpaced 13to cause the desired effect of 13a breakthrough but with a classical 13quality.

Semi-finals leader Phase II Pan 13Groove in partnership with Hadco 13moved their performance time 13from six minutes 38 seconds to 13seven minutes but it just was not 13enough to overcome Desperadoes 13and Supernovas. Their performance 13of Madd Music showed 13echoes of Kitchener, with sweet 13runs and a very good sound. Arranger 13Len Boogsie Sharpe remains 13the only man to go out on a 13limb and be different with the music 13on a final night.

Duvone Stewart and bp Renegades 13just could not bring home 13the victory for their former arranger 13Dr Jit Samaroo. They tied for 13third with Phase 11 for their rendition 13of Music Inside Meh Head.

Caribbean Airlines Invaders came 13in fifth with their performance of 13Arddin Herberts arrangement of 13Take Dat. They produced a very 13rich sound with plenty energy 13coming from the players who also 13sang the lyrics of the chorus. The 13performance was rhythmic and enjoyable.

Defending champions Massy 13All Stars came in sixth with their 13performance of Leon Smooth Edwards 13arrangement of Leave We 13Alone. PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars 13performed Panoramic as arranged 13by Professor Liam Teague 13and they could have easily won the 13best dressed award for the night.

RBC Redemption Sound Setters, 13NLCB Fonclaire and Skiffle completed 13the programme on the 13night. Skiffle went over the playing 13time by twenty-two seconds thereby 13loosing several points.

Fonclaire changed their arrangement 13from semi-final instilling 13some more soul in the song but still 13could not get the necessary points 13to push them to the top. RBC Redemption 13Sound Setters continues 13to be that one Tobago band to 13make the finals every year. Their 13performance of Michael Toby and 13Darren Sheppards arrangement of 13No No We eh Going Home had 13good rhythm.

This year the bands chose to 13use pyrotechnics and confetti to 13showcase their performances but 13at most times this proved to be a 13distraction. In their first year in 13the Large Band division First Citizen 13Supernovas also picked up the 13Peoples Choice Award of $10,000.

Pan Trinbago honoured Bertrand 13Kelman, Damien Holder, Wallace 13Austin and Curtis Pierre for their 13contribution to the pan movement.

Minister of Community Development, 13Culture and The Arts Dr.

Nyan Gadbsy-Dolly was on hand 13to distribute the trophies to the 13winners. (See Page A5) 13DES PERS WIN FILE 13Year*Song*Arranger 131966*Obeah Wedding*Beverly 13Griffith 131970*Margie*Clive Bradle6y 131976*Pan in Harmony*Clive 13Bradley 131977*Crawford*Clive Bradley 131983*Rebecca*Clive Bradley 131985*Pan Night and Day*B.

Griffith & R. Greenidge 131991*Musical Volcano*Robert 13Greenidge 131994*Fire Coming Down*Robert 13Greenidge 131999*In my House*Clive Bradley 132000*Picture on my Wall*Clive 13Bradley 132016*Different Me*Carlton Zanda 13Alexander 13 13
Socadrome returns

In addition, Lionel Jagessar and Associates, playing traditional Indian mas, would open the show at eight oclock in the morning along with Rosalind Gabriels presentation, Another Day in Paradise, a half hour later.

Hunte told Newsday that other bands were encouraged to participate in the Socadrome and officials from several large bands indicated they would cross the stage, time permitting.

We are hoping more bands will choose to offer their masqueraders the opportunity to experience the easy access and fast flow at the Socadrome.

What we are offering is an enhancement to the carnival road experience as masqueraders and spectators alike love the option of the Socadrome, said an organiser.

There would also be a bouncy castle for kids; traditional mas, including blue devils, bats, and pierrot grenade; steelpan; and soca provided by Roy Cape All Stars with Blaxx and Ricardo Drue.

Patrons are encouraged to bring their coolers, but no glass bottled are allowed.

According to Hunte, the organisers received a lot of positive feedback from masqueraders and spectators, as well as a lot of interest both locally and abroad.

The focus of the Socadrome was never to be just our stage. This is really an opportunity for a different type of showcase. No one could replace the savannah but the reality is, by having the Socadrome we have almost 10,000 masqueraders off the parade route in the morning period making for a better flow at the Savannah for everyone else, said Hunte.

She was also glad to note that the National Carnival Commission (NCC) decided that, unlike last year, bands would not be disqualified from the Parade of the Bands competition for going to the Socadrome stage although it was not a judging point.

However she said the organisers would love the NCC to consider having the Socadrome as a judging point one day.

The new NCC Chairman, Kenny De Silver, is very open to the Socadrome. This was a rushed year but we are looking forward to working with the Carnival authorities in the future to continue to make this a better success and an enhancement to an already great national Carnival, she said. The show is expected to end at 4 pm.

Admission to the Socadrome is $10 for adults, children are free once accompanied by an adult, and parking is available at MovieTowne for $50.
Kneisha crowned Miss Central Trinidad

She was sponsored by Trinsulate 2 Caribbean. I have quite learnt a lot from this pageant. It has served to build my self-confidence and self-esteem to enter the shows of the kind in the future, said an ecstatic Shepherd, who was also selected as Miss Amity, one of the special individual categories. First runner-up was Justice Carrington (Miss New India Assurance), with Sherrice Andrews (Miss Virgo Consultants) taking second runner-up position.

Carrington also captured two individual prizes, Miss Elegance and Best Gown. Anastasia Raphael ((Miss Club Deja Vous) won the individual category of Miss Amity; while Andrews won Best Costume.

Other contestants who participated in the pageant were Camisha Cook (Miss Metro Hotel/ Couva); Nandani Sampath (Miss Couva/Pt Lisas Chamber of Commerce); Anuradha Seecharan (Miss Couva/Tabaquite/ Talparo Regional Corporation); Aaliya Gonzales (Miss KS Chinpire Contracting Services).

Marva Lewis, coordinator of the Miss Central Trinidad Pageant, said she was very proud of all the contestants who did justice to the traditions of the pageant despite the short lead-up to carnival. We had some wonderful young ladies who graced our stage this year. This event is the stellar attraction in Central Trinidad and we certainly lived up to expectations judging from the response of the huge crowd throughout the night, Lewis said.

Ramchand Rajbal Maraj, CCC Chairman, thanked all the sponsors for partnering with Couva Carnival 2016 and appealed to others to come on board to keep the traditions alive.
Miss UWIverse delegates meet Minister

The UWIverse pageant is an annual event hosted by the UWI St Augustine Campus Guild of Students.

The theme this year, True Beauty Exemplified, seeks to expose delegates to influential female figures who can mentor delegates and encourage them to develop both professionally and socially.

Minister Webster- Roy, in her discussions with the delegates, encouraged them to create a life plan and work their plan by continuously reviewing and refining their goals and efforts.

Minister shared her secrets to success and how to maintain an adequate work life balance.

The Minister, Permanent Secretary and Staff at the Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs) wish them all the best on their journey.
Finance Minister advises, no VAT on pan

Referring to the VAT (Amendment to Schedule 2) Order 2016, the ministry said, This schedule identifies items that are zero-rated. Any item which has not been identified on this schedule is subject to VAT at the rate of 12.5 percent. Among the items which do not attract the new VAT rate are steelband instruments, listed as number 29 in the notice. The food items which remain zero rated include milk, cheddar cheese, corned beef, baking powder, rice, wheat flour, brown sugar, curry and toilet paper. Milk includes fresh animal milk, dry or powdered milk, dry or powdered skim milk and evaporated milk but excluding cream, condensed milk and milk which is concentrated or contains added sugar or other sweetening matter.

Live birds, fish, crustaceans, molluscs or other animals of a kind generally used as or yielding or producing, food for human consumption are also on the zero-rated list. Also not attracting the new VAT rate are, medicines and drugs of a kind available only by prescription, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, toothpaste, soap, diaper, crude oil, natural gas, new private motor vehicles or new goods vehicles which are manufactured to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

The Order also states that used private motor vehicles or used goods vehicles which are manufactured to use CNG and are not older than two years from the year of manufacture, also do not attract the new VAT rate. The Order explains, This item comes into operation on January 1, 2016 and expires on December 31, 2018. The revised VAT regime was implemented last Monday.

The Trade and Industry Ministrys Consumer Affairs Division has also established a special hotline and email address for persons to express any concerns they have about VAT.
PM: Govt retreat in Tobago

The Prime Minister further disclosed that following this Cabinet meeting, the Government will hold a two-day retreat on the sister isle. Rowley told Newsday, The Cabinet meets in Tobago at the Madgalena Hotel on March 3. Immediately after, the Government goes into retreat, Friday (March 4) and Saturday (March 5).

The Prime Minister explained, Late last year when I met with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), one thing that was agreed upon was closer contact and collaboration between Central Government and the THA. Rowley said, To this end, we agreed that to facilitate this decision, the Cabinet should sit in Tobago at least twice per year. This is the first of this arrangement. During the retreat, the Government is expected to look at the work programmes of all its ministries and make preparations for the mid-year review in April. Rowley is scheduled to leave the country on February 15 to attend the 27th Inter-Sessional Conference of Caricom Heads of Government in Belize.

The conference takes place on February 16 and 17. Rowley is expected to make a presentation to Caricom leaders on security. This country holds responsibility for security in the quasi-Caricom cabinet.

Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dennis Moses, who was recently appointed a Minister in the National Security Ministry, is a member of a 12 person delegation that will accompany the Prime Minister to Belize.

At last Thursdays post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie said no decision has been made as yet as to who will act as prime minister while Rowley is in Belize. Since last Septembers general election, Finance Minister Colm Imbert has acted as prime minister on each occasion that Rowley has been out of the country.
PP emasculated CSO

Speaking at a ceremony last week to hand out instruments of appointment to members of the Task Force charged with establishing the NSITT on or before January 2017, Robinson-Regis declared, There can be no better, more telling reason for the establishment of an institute such as this than the international embarrassment by our countrys downgrade by Moodys, the international credit rating agency, during the course of 2015. Saying that Moodys report was very scathing and its authors were not diplomatic, Robinson- Regis said Moodys noted that under the PP, we lacked the statistical horse power necessary to inform government policy formulation. She continued, They (Moodys) said the last government had severely emasculated the once proud CSO. They had cannibalised the office to the extent that the Duke of Port-of-Spain could proudly lead his members out of the offices which had been deemed non-compliant by the OSH Authority. The Minister noted that of more recent vintage was former Central Bank Governor Jwala Rambarrans announcement on December 4, that this country was in recession.

Robinson-Regis said official, credible data to show this was the case, did not accompany the gentlemans declaration, leaving many doors open to speculation.
Energy Committee seeking advisers

In a release posted on the Parliaments website, one adviser must specialise in downstream oil and gas operations with specific focus on petrochemical and other gas intensive industries.

The second adviser must have expertise in upstream oil and gas operations with specific focus on development, exploration and production. The successful candidates will be required to assist with the Committees work from time to time on a needs basis through certain activities.

These include the provision of expert advice and analysis pertaining to certain subjects on the request of the Committee and within a specified deadline; provision of professional guidance to the Committee in question formulation and information extraction in relation to technical issues on the various subject matters and attend committee meetings as requested by the JSC.

The deadline for the receipt of applications for these posts is February 21. This committee is chaired by Finance Minister Colm Imbert.

Other members of the committee include National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon and Independent Senator David Small.

The House of Representatives and the Senate are currently adjourned to dates to be fixed.

Parliament is expected to resume later this month, with both Houses due to ddebate a second finance bill which will deal with incentives for the private sector for housing construction.

In his address to the nation on December 29, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley identified this as one method of stimulating economic growth in the country.
What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames

news
Text of PM Modi address at International Fleet Review 2016

Visakhapatnam, Mon, 08 Feb 2016 NI Wire

Honourable Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Chief Ministers

My Cabinet colleagues;

Delegates of Foreign Navies;

Brave and proud men and women of the Indian Navy; and

The resolute people of this great city- Visakhapatnam.

I am privileged to visit Visakhapatnam. The city has a special place in the heart of all Indians.

My last visit to Vishakhapatnam was in October of 2014.

At that time, Cyclone Hudhud had left the city shattered in pieces.

But, the people of Vishakhapatnam smiled in the face of adversity.

It is a tribute to the city that within 14 months, you have risen against all odds to welcome the Navies from across the continents in this International Fleet Review.

A little over a year ago, we saw the full fury of the ocean. Today, thanks to the spirit of the people of Visakhapatnam, we are discussing how the oceans can be a source of economic prosperity for all of us.

For its courage and resolve, we all salute the city of Visakhapatnam.

My profuse thanks to the men and women of the Indian Navy for their tireless dedication for making this Fleet Review a truly historic success.

My sincere gratitude also to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naiduji for his strong support for this international event.

For me personally, witnessing the harmony among the best of International Navies here has been a rewarding experience.

Just over three months earlier in October, we welcomed in Delhi, for the first time ever, all the 54 African nations, including over 40 Heads of State for the 3rd India-Africa Summit.

A few weeks earlier in August 2015, India had hosted in Jaipur 14 Heads of the State for the Second Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation.

Just day before yesterday, we welcomed all the SAARC countries for the 12th South Asian Games in Guwahati.

And today it is our pleasure to welcome 50 foreign Navies from every corner of the globe at India's second International Fleet review- the first one on India's East Coast.

Your participation is a message of cooperation and friendship that we deeply cherish.

On behalf of my countrymen, I thank you all for accepting our invitation and joining in this event with such spirit.

To build on the gains from today's gathering, India would host the first ever Global Maritime Summit in April this year.

Its priority would be to scale up and strengthen the vibrant trade / investment / technology and commercial linkages between India and other maritime nations.

Friends,

The oceans and worlds waterways are global commons. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam the concept of whole world as a family  is perhaps most vividly witnessed on the oceans of the planet, that connect us all.

The last time India hosted the International Fleet Review was in the year 2001, in the city of Mumbai.

The world of 2016 is vastly different.

Its politics is turbulent, and its challenges complex.

At the same time, the oceans are the lifelines of global prosperity. They present us with great economic opportunities to build our nations.

Over 90% of global merchandise trade is carried on the oceans.

Over the last 15 years, its value has grown from about 6 trillion dollars to about 20 trillion dollars.

Oceans are critical for the global energy security as over 60% of worlds oil production moves through sea routes.

Our ability to reap economic benefits from the oceans rests on our capacity to respond to the challenges in the maritime domain.

The threat of sea borne terror, of which India has been a direct victim, continues to endanger the regional and global peace and stability.

Piracy too remains a strong challenge.

The threat of natural disasters like tsunamis and cyclones is ever present.

Manmade problems such as oil spills, climate change continue to risk the stability of the maritime domain.

A peaceful and stable maritime environment is, therefore, critical for the regional and global security. It is also a must to harvest the riches of the oceanic ecosystems.

Given the scale and complexity of modern day challenges, the international maritime stability cannot be the preserve of a single nation.

It has to be a shared goal and responsibility of all the seafaring countries.

To this end, the Navies and maritime agencies of the world need to work together, and engineer virtuous cycles of cooperation.

But, where necessary, they also need to act to secure the international sea lanes of communication.

I believe that if oceans were to propel our economies, then we must:

 Use seas to build peace, friendship and trust, and curb conflict;

 respect and ensure freedom of navigation; and

 cooperate, not compete in responding to the challenges in the seas.

The large presence of foreign Navies at this Fleet Review is a confirmation of our shared urge to walk the pathways of peace and cooperation to keep the maritime domain safe and secure.

Friends,

India is, and has always been, a maritime nation.

India's ancient Sanskrit texts also refer to the oceans as the storehouse of Chaturdashanam Ratnanam, the 14 gems.

Surrounded by sea from three sides, India has a long coastline of over 7500 kilometres.

We have been blessed with a rich maritime heritage ever since .Lothal in Gujarat became one of the earliest sea ports of the world.

Indias central location in the Indian Ocean has connected us with other cultures, shaped our maritime trade routes, influenced Indias strategic thought, and defined our maritime character.

Since the days of the Indus Valley Civilization, India has maintained an extensive network of maritime links, including with Africa, Western Asia, the Mediterranean region, the West, South East Asia and the Far East.

We are delighted that the Navies from all these regions have joined in this Fleet Review.

The Photo Essay book on the Maritime Heritage of India, that I have just released, showcases this glorious maritime tradition.

Friends,

In moderntimes too, the oceans, especially the Indian Ocean, occupy a vital place in Indias national security and economic prosperity.The waters of the Indian Ocean touch the shores of over 40 countries.

About half of world's container traffic; and close to one-third of world's cargo traffic passes through this region.

90% of our trade by volume and 90% of our oil imports are carried on the seas.

Indias 1200 island territories, and our huge Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million square kilometers makes clear the economic significance of the Indian Ocean.

For us, it also serves as a strategic bridge with the nations in our immediate and extended maritime neighbourhood.

In March last year, in Mauritius,I had spelt out our vision for the Indian Ocean.

The Indian Ocean Region is one of my foremost policy priorities. Our approach is evident in our vision of Sagar, which means Ocean and stands for  Security And Growth for All in the Region.

We would continue to actively pursue and promote our geo-political, strategic and economic interests on the seas, in particular the Indian Ocean.

To this end, India's modern and multi-dimensional Navy leads from the front. It is a force for peace and good.

A network of growing political and economic maritime partnerships, and strengthening of regional frameworksalso helps us pursue our goals.

Friends,

Indias quest for economic prosperity through oceans is a part of our larger efforts to transform India.

We are not just a bright spot in the global economy. Regionally and internationally, we are a pillar of stability and an important growth centre.

India's rise is in harmony with the goal of maintaining the regional and global peace and security.

Within the country, there is great optimism, enthusiasm and a can do mindset.

This optimism comes from the energy and enterprise of our confident youth.

It also comes from our bold and sustained measures to transform our country, improve our laws, processes and institutions.

We are launching new initiatives and creating opportunities to empower people, and give them a sense of ownership in nation's progress.

Make in India, which has re-ignited our manufacturing sector is one such initiative.

Defence manufacturing and ship building are among its focus areas.

In a week from now, on 13 February, we would hold 7 days of global engagement under "Make in India" in Mumbai.

During this time, the best in the global industry would link up with the innovation, design and manufacturing opportunities of India- the world's fastest growing economy.

We want to invite the world to Make in India, Make for India, and Make for the World.

We take pride in the fact that of all the Indian Naval ships participating in this Fleet Review, at least 37 are Made in India  a number that will surely rise in the coming years.

Our Skill India program is building institutions that train, support, encourage and guide our 800 million youth on the path of entrepreneurship.

Our skilled youth are ready to respond to the national and global manpower demands of the 21st century.

An important part of Indias transformation is my vision of Blue Economy in its widest sense.

The Blue Chakra  or the wheel  in our National Flag, represents the potential of the Blue Economy.

An essential part of this pursuit is the development of India's coastal and island territories: but, not just for tourism.

We want to build new pillars of economic activity in the coastal areas and in linked hinterlands through sustainable tapping of oceanic resources.

Strengthening our marine research, development of eco-friendly, marine industrial and technology base, and fisheries are other elements of our goal.

In this endeavour, I see youth in the coastal areas as our true assets. They have a natural and deep understanding of the Oceans.

They could lead the way in the development of blue economy in India.

In partnership with all the coastal states of India, I want to shape a special program of skilling India's youth in the coastal areas of the country.

Friends,

In the end, let me once again congratulate the Indian Navy for the flawless conduct of this grand event.

For the homeward journey of all our Naval friends from across the world, may you always have fair winds, following seas, and many a fathom below your keel.

Thank You.

Jai Hind!

Source: PIB
Almost a month after Stephen Hawking and his colleagues posted a paper about black holes online, physicists still cannot agree on what it means.

Some support the preprints claim  that it provides a promising way to tackle a conundrum known as the black hole information paradox, which Hawking identified more than 40 years ago. I think there is a general sense of excitement that we have a new way of looking at things that may get us out of the logjam, says Andrew Strominger, a physicist at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a co-author of the latest paper.

Others are not so sure that the approach can solve the paradox, although some say that the work illuminates various problems in physics. In the mid-1970s, Hawking discovered that black holes are not truly black, and in fact emit some radiation. According to quantum physics, pairs of particles must appear out of quantum fluctuations just outside the event horizon  the black holes point of no return. Some of these particles escape the pull of the black hole but take a portion of its mass with them, causing the black hole to slowly shrink and eventually disappear.

In a paper published in 1976, Hawking pointed out that the outflowing particles  now known as Hawking radiation  would have completely random properties. As a result, once the black hole was gone, the information carried by anything that had previously fallen into the hole would be lost to the Universe. But this result clashes with laws of physics that say that information, like energy, is conserved, creating the paradox. That paper was responsible for more sleepless nights among theoretical physicists than any paper in history, Strominger said during his talk.

The mistake, Strominger explained, was to ignore the potential for the empty space to carry information. In their paper, he and Hawking, along with their third co-author Malcolm Perry, also at the University of Cambridge, turn to soft particles. These are low-energy versions of photons, hypothetical particles known as gravitons and other particles. Until recently, these were mainly used to make calculations in particle physics. But the authors note that the vacuum in which a black hole sits need not be devoid of particles  only energy  and therefore that soft particles are present there in a zero-energy state.

Arxiv  Soft Hair on Black Holes

Abstract

It has recently been shown that BMS supertranslation symmetries imply an infinite number of conservation laws for all gravitational theories in asymptotically Minkowskian spacetimes. These laws require black holes to carry a large amount of soft (i.e. zero-energy) supertranslation hair. The presence of a Maxwell field similarly implies soft electric hair. This paper gives an explicit description of soft hair in terms of soft gravitons or photons on the black hole horizon, and shows that complete information about their quantum state is stored on a holographic plate at the future boundary of the horizon. Charge conservation is used to give an infinite number of exact relations between the evaporation products of black holes which have different soft hair but are otherwise identical. It is further argued that soft hair which is spatially localized to much less than a Planck length cannot be excited in a physically realizable process, giving an effective number of soft degrees of freedom proportional to the horizon area in Planck units.

Conclusion

They have reconsidered the black hole information paradox in light of recent insights into the infrared structure of quantum gravity. An explicit description has been given of a few of the pixels in the holographic plate at the future boundary of the horizon. Some information is accessibly stored on these pixels in the form of soft photons and gravitons. A complete description of the holographic plate and resolution of the information paradox remains an open challenge, which we have presented new and concrete tools to address.

SOURCES  Arxiv Soft Hair on Black Holes, Nature
We believe all Children should have the resources to have a healthy and fulfilled live, and that the vulnerable children of Zimbabwe, Africa are strong, vibrant, contributing Members of their Communities, their Country and The World.
Louisiana came out of 2015 struggling, according to recently released data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia that has us among the seven states not doing so well.

Historically low oil prices might be to blame for the dip in Louisiana's economy. The data from the Philadelphia Fed uses the "state coincident index, which measures things like employment, hours worked in manufacturing and the unemployment rate to create an estimate of how economic growth has changed for each state over the past three months." The index shows Louisiana's economy contracting toward the end of 2015.

Joining Louisiana on the struggle bus? North Dakota, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Illinois, Mississippi and Alaska. We can always count on Mississippi to keep us company in the low end of states rankings.

 The seven states that are doing much worse than the rest [Washington Post]
Tunisia defense minister Farhat Hachani announced that the first phase of the fight against the flow of terrorists between Tunisia and Libya has been completed with the construction of a wall and trenches along the border.

The construction was initiated after two major attacks targeted Tunisia last year. The assaults were carried out by Tunisian extremists who had undergone training in terrorist camps inside Libya.

Minister Hachani was at the border when he made the announcement claiming that it will help to protect out border and stop the threat posed by the extremists. The wall and trenches are a little more than a 1,5kilometre away from Libyan border and cover around 250km running from Ras Jedir to Dhehiba in the southern part of the country. They are expected to stop land vehicles packed with fighters, weapons or other smuggled items from entering Tunisia.

Construction was planned to take a year but it was completed after only four months and now awaits the arrival and installation of electronic monitoring systems. US and German military and technicians will travel to Tunisia to install these equipment and train members of the Tunisian army.

Tunisia will sign an agreement with the two countries to legalize the presence of foreign military officers in the country.

Tunisia has been able to stop extremist groups from setting up camps within its territory although the phenomenon continues to be a major challenge in the Chaambi Mountains located on its border with Algeria.

More than 3000 Tunisians have allegedly joined the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.
Algerian lawmakers Sunday re-introduced two-term limit into the national constitution formerly removed by President Bouteflika in a move to stay in power for life.

The two-term limit is part of a package of modifications adopted by 499 lawmakers to two, with 16 abstentions.

Long demanded by the opposition, the modification comes as the regime struggles to prepare for a post Bouteflika era. The 78 year-old ailing Algerian President has been unable to run the country even though Premier Sellal recently claimed President Bouteflika has been in full control of the countrys affairs.

In 2008, Bouteflika removed the constitutional restriction preventing him from running for a third term and even a fourth term in 2014.

The amendments supporters argue that return to the two-term will enable the country to build more democratic institutions and spare it political haggles.

The opposition cast doubt on the regimes true intention saying the reforms will not end the ruling FNLs predominance on the countrys political life.

According to former Prime Minister Ali Benflis who lost two times to Bouteflika in elections, the latest reforms are nothing but a constitutional coup adding that they only seek to settle rivalries that have cracked the ruling party.

The text which bans Algerians with dual nationalities from holding state positions is vividly criticised by the hundreds of thousands of France-settled Algerians holding the French nationality, as the amendments make of them dubious Algerians and potent traitors.

Human rights organizations also reject the new reforms as attempts by the regime to brush under the carpet the crimes it committed in the 1990s and which resulted in the death of 200,000 people.

The new text also bars Islamist parties from running for presidential elections, a way to avoid re-occurrence of the 1992 land slide victory of the Islamist Salvation Front. The FIS victory was followed by the dissolution of the party and bloody clashes with the army that marked the darkest pages of Algerias history with hundreds of thousands of people killed.
Moroccan ground forces will reportedly be dispatched to Syria to combat on the side of the Saudi-led combat forces to drive out Islamic States (IS) fighters.

Moroccan Arabic daily Assabah Monday quoted Saudi military sources as saying that Morocco will send troops to war-torn Syria to combat on the side of the Saudi-led coalition forces. Aside from Morocco, Turkey, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE and Qatar have announced they will send military troops in Syria, Assabah said in its Monday publication.

Moroccos involvement has been also confirmed by the US television network CNN which has indicated that Morocco has pledged to take part in Saudi-led operations.

The Moroccan local paper also indicates that a Saudi senior military officer told the American network that the Sunni Gulf giant is planning military drills in the north of the country in the framework of the future operation.

Another senior Saudi military officer according to reports said that the future drills will take place in March and around 150,000 soldiers from Saudi Arabia (majority of them), Egypt, Sudan and Jordan are expected to participate.

Morocco has been taking part in air operations in the US-led coalition shelling IS fighters positions in Syria.

President Assads regime has however warned against foreign intervention in Syria without its accord and his foreign minister Walid al-Muallem stated that it would be considered as an aggression that should be resisted by every Syrian citizen. He said they are on track to win the war after successive battle achievements.
During the Council of Ministers chaired Saturday in the southern city of Laayoune, King Mohammed VI appointed some 40 new Ambassadors to several foreign capitals.

The official list of the new ambassadors has not been disclosed yet, but press reports, quoting reliable sources from the Foreign Ministry, leaked some names.

Among these, there is Lalla Joumala and current ambassador to London since 2009. If confirmed, the Princess and diplomat will pack and go to Washington to replace Rachad Bouhlal.

Princess Lalla Joumala is the maternal first cousin and the paternal second cousin of King Mohammed VI; daughter of Prince Moulay Ali (a cousin of King Hassan II) and Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra, the eldest daughter of Mohammed V, half-sister of King Hassan II and aunt of King Mohammed VI.

Lalla Joumalas parents had a special relationship with the ruling family, as her father, Prince Moulay Ali, had shared with the royal family the ordeal of exile in Madagascar, from August 1953 to November 1955 and built up a strong friendship with the then Prince Moulay Hassan. This friendship stood up to the test of time when the Prince became King of Morocco in 1961 and also bound King Mohammed VI and his cousins, Moulay Abdallah, Moulay Youssef and their eldest sister Lalla Joumala.

Lalla Joumala, born in 1962, could have followed the traditional pathways of princesses, limiting her activities to her family and protocol duties.

Yet, Lalla Joumala was dreaming of a different life and was determined enough to reach her goals and go to the end of her dreams.

She first left the Royal High School, attended by all princes and princesses, and enrolled at the French missions high school in Rabat, not without a kind of tug-of-war with the Late Hassan II, who was against the idea. She had to struggle again to be allowed by her uncle King Hassan II to go to London to carry on her university studies. She got a degree in history and political science from the School of Oriental & African Studies at London University.

Despite his apparent opposition to her choices, King Hassan II reportedly appreciated her voluntarism, dedication and her challenging, independent and daring spirit.

When she returned to Morocco, she devoted her time to voluntary work in social NGOs, like Al Ihssane association that was chaired by her cousin and youngest sister of King Mohammed VI, Princess Lalla Hasna, and that was taking care of orphans. She launched many initiatives to spur public interest in social activities and raise funds for NGOs.

Besides her great generosity towards the needy, she was close to many intellectuals and artists, encouraging the ones and helping the others. She was also known for her availability to anyone in need of an attentive ear or a sound advice. And of course, she was interested in domestic and international issues, whether political, economic or social.

In the late nineties, she was named Deputy Chief of Moroccos Mission to the United Nations and in 2001 she led the Moroccan delegation to the UN session on AIDS / HIV in New York.

Thanks to her PR capabilities, her mastery of English and her deep knowledge of the AIDS issue, her mission was very successful, as pointed out later by analyst Mustapha Sehimi.

Between 2004 and 2009, the Sovereign entrusted her with several missions, including the setting up of the King Mohammed VI Chair of Mediterranean Studies at St. Anthonys College (Oxford University) and the preparation of the exhibition of the holy books of the three Abrahamic religions, titled Sacred which displayed from April 27 to September 27 2007, the most outstanding & comprehensive collection of the holy books of the three religions, ever assembled in one place.

In January 2009, Lalla Joumala was named ambassador to the UK, a mission she accomplished with success. Nothing surprizing. She was aware that as a Princess, she had to do more and better than a mere ambassador. She actually managed to boost relations between the two countries, mainly in the economic and cultural fields, to reactivate the British-Moroccan Business & Investment Council and to promote the Morocco bound in the UK through an active participation in all tourism-related events.

And in recognition for her distinguished contributions to diplomacy in London, Princess Lalla Joumala was granted April last year the prestigious Diplomat Magazine Award, another token of her stature as a Princess and as an Ambassador.

Banking on her experience in UK, wherein Lalla Joumala is highly regarded by foreign peers and Moroccan community, the Princess, who masters the art of tact and diplomacy, will certainly give a new momentum to Morocco-US strategic partnership in her new position as ambassador to Washington. Success in her new diplomatic mission is hers.




One of the key benefits state bar associations provide their members is complimentary access to online research services. Fastcase and Casemaker are the leading service providers in the field, each with a nearly equal share of the state bar association membership market. You can see the breakdown as of 2014 at this blog post from the Duke Law Library. Texas is unique (of course!) offering its members complimentary access to both Casemaker and Fastcase . Both the Casemaker and Fastcase products are solid legal research platforms, providing excellent coverage of primary law (and some secondary sources) with good search functionality.Over the last few years, some state bar associations have chosen to move to one service after years with another. The Pennsylvania bar now offers Casemaker instead of InSite, and the Georgia bar partnered with Fastcase in 2011, choosing to no longer offer Casemaker as a member benefit.Last week, Fastcase sued Lawriter (Casemakers parent company), seeking a declaratory judgment that Lawriter cannot prohibit Fastcase from publishing the Georgia Regulations in its subscription legal research service. Lawriter, the designated publisher of Georgia Regulations, claims sole rights to its distribution. Lawriter demanded via letter that Fastcase remove the Georgia regulations from its service. Despite not knowing the contractual agreement between the State of Georgia and Lawriter, it seems difficult to imagine that Lawriters publication of public domain materials online involved a substantial original contribution that would allow for its protection under copyright law.The issues in this case bring to mind the litigation between West Publishing and Mead Data Systems in the 1980s. For more background, and an excellent discussion of the availability of copyright in legal publishing, see the Law Centers own Professor Craig Joyces article (with L. Ray Patterson),, 36 UCLA L. Rev. 719 (1989). Professor Joyces article was also cited in Fastcases Complaint for Declaratory Judgment, which may be read here
By Emily Stephenson and Amanda Becker

By Emily Stephenson and Amanda Becker

MANCHESTER, N.H. (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate John Kasich is polling in the low single digits nationally but may be poised to play the role of spoiler in Tuesdays New Hampshire primary by cutting into the support of higher-profile rivals such as Marco Rubio.

The Ohio governor, who is vowing to erase the U.S. budget deficit without shredding the safety net for poor Americans, has built a base of support among moderate Republicans and independent voters, who wield special clout in New Hampshire because they can vote in either party's primary.

Kasich, 63, has the support of about 12 to 14 percent of New Hampshires voters in recent polls. The former congressman has staked the viability of his White House aspirations on New Hampshire, whose pivotal primary is part of the state-by-state contests to pick the party nominees for the Nov. 8 election to replace Democratic President Barack Obama.

While well behind billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump, Kasich's poll numbers are close to those of Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida who is seeking to build on his momentum after a third-place finish in last Monday's Iowa caucuses behind Trump and winner Ted Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas.

I found great clarity here in New Hampshire, Kasich said on Sunday in Concord. These town halls, you know, theyre getting bigger and I dont know how I feel about them getting bigger.

The event marked his 102nd town hall in the state. For the 100th, in Bedford on Friday, the campaign celebrated with confetti and a cake that was served to voters attending the event.

Kasich told stories of personal connections he said he had made with voters at town halls, including with a woman whose daughter has struggled with addiction.

She said: My daughter has been sober for 11 months," Kasich said, asking the crowd: "Do you have any idea what this ladys life is like?'"

He added he had promised to call the daughter and tell her: Your mom is counting on you.

RISING PROFILE?

The latest Reuters/Ipsos poll put Kasichs support nationally at 3.4 percent. Kasich himself jokes about his lack of name recognition, saying voters often mispronounce his last name.

But among New Hampshire voters, a Monmouth University poll released on Sunday found Kasich at 14 percent, compared with 30 percent for Trump and 13 percent for Rubio and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Rubio was criticized last year by Republican strategists who said he had not done enough to woo voters in New Hampshire in intimate settings such as coffee shops and town halls. This year, however, he has campaigned intensively in the state and often holds town halls.

But Rubio came under heavy attack in the Republican presidential debate on Saturday from rivals who accused him of being too inexperienced for the White House.

Kasich delivered a positive message during the debate that could appeal to New Hampshire Republican voters, who famously make up their minds late and never seem in the mood to follow the lead of the Iowa caucuses.

Some of Kasichs supporters are passionate about him.

"It's authenticity, brother. You have my vote," one man told him at the Bedford town hall.

Others were weighing their options.

Tim Vanblommesteyn, 62, who attended the Kasich town hall in Concord, said he was disgusted with both political parties but liked some of what the Ohio governor had to say.

The small-business owner and self-described independent praised Kasich for taking what he said was a principled stand on immigration reform, an issue that has aroused fiery campaign rhetoric, including from Trump, who has called for deporting illegal immigrants.

Kasich has said the United States should secure its borders but that illegal immigrants who have not committed a crime should be able to pay back taxes and get on a path to legalization.

Anne Brena, 53, a Democrat from neighboring Vermont, said she came to the Concord event to learn more about the governor.

Brena said she thought Democrat Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from her home state, was too liberal to win the general election and she has concerns that his rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has too much baggage to win the White House.

John Kasich is the only Republican that sounds reasonable, she said.

(This version of the story was refiled to fix typographical error in Clinton's former title, paragraph 22)

(Reporting by Emily Stephenson and Amanda Becker; Editing by Caren Bohan and Peter Cooney)

SAP is the sponsor of this content. It was independently created by Reuters' editorial staff and funded in part by SAP, which otherwise has no role in this coverage.
BRIAN SNYDER

WASHINGTON/MANCHESTER, N.H. (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign chair denied a Monday report that she is considering staff changes after the New Hampshire nominating contest on Tuesday.

"There is zero truth to what you may be reading. It's wrong. Hillary stands behind her team, period," Chairman John Podesta tweeted.

Podesta was responding to a Politico report that Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had planned to reassess staffing and strategy after the first four primaries but are becoming increasingly critical of their aides and demanded the evaluation sooner.

The former secretary of state would be more inclined to add new staff rather than fire current employees, according to the Politico story, which cited six unnamed sources.

Clinton, once the clear front-runner for the Democratic nomination, has lost ground to challenger Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont who is expected to win the New Hampshire primary. Last week she narrowly beat Sanders in the Iowa caucuses, the first nominating contest for the Nov. 8 election.

Asked by MSNBC about the Politico story, Clinton said: I have no idea what theyre talking about or who they are talking to."

"Were going to take stock, but its going to be the campaign that Ive got," Clinton said in the interview with MSNBC.

"Im very confident in the people that I have. Im very committed to them. Theyre committed to doing the best we can," she said.

(Reporting by Megan Cassella and Amanda Becker; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Cynthia Osterman)

SAP is the sponsor of this content. It was independently created by Reuters' editorial staff and funded in part by SAP, which otherwise has no role in this coverage.
STEPHANE MAHE

(Reuters) - Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, said he is considering running for U.S. president in 2016, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

The 73-year-old founder of the eponymous financial information group was critical of the quality of debate in the presidential contest and said he was "looking at all the options" when asked whether he was considering a run, the newspaper said.

Bloomberg has told aides to draw up plans for an independent campaign for the U.S. presidency, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters on Jan. 23, confirming a report in the New York Times.

He would be willing to spend at least $1 billion of his own money on a campaign for the November 2016 election, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the former mayor's thinking.

Bloomberg has given himself an early March deadline for entering the race, the source said, after commissioning a poll in December to see how he would fare against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Republican and Democratic front-runners.

No third-party candidate has ever won a U.S. presidential election. But Bloomberg, who has close Wall Street ties and liberal social views, sees an opening for his candidacy if Republicans nominate Trump or Texas Senator Ted Cruz and the Democrats nominate Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, the source said.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed a third-party presidential run by Bloomberg would be a long shot but could help real estate mogul Donald Trump if he lands the Republican nomination.

In a matchup between Trump and Clinton, adding Bloomberg's name to the ballot would trim Clinton's lead over Trump to six percentage points from 10, according to the poll conducted from Jan. 23 to Jan. 27.

In a matchup pitting Trump versus Sanders, adding Bloomberg would erode Sanders' lead over Trump to seven points from 12, the poll results showed.

In all matchups, Bloomberg himself would land just 10 percent or less of the vote in November.

The 73-year-old financial information industry billionaire, who earned a reputation as a social liberal with strong Wall Street ties during his time as New York City mayor, has considered a White House run for years.

While Bloomberg's chances in an election currently look grim, a possible silver lining for him is that he has yet to make a first impression on most Americans.

(Additional reporting by Dustin Volz and Steve Holland in Washington and Chris Kahn in New York; Reporting by Eric Walsh in Washington; Editing by Andrew Hay)

SAP is the sponsor of this content. It was independently created by Reuters' editorial staff and funded in part by SAP, which otherwise has no role in this coverage.
By Steve Holland and Amanda Becker

By Steve Holland and Amanda Becker

MANCHESTER, N.H. (Reuters) - White House hopefuls Donald Trump and Jeb Bush opened political hostilities on Monday as Republican and Democratic candidates stormed across New Hampshire in a final flurry of events before the state's crucial first-in-the-nation primary.

The stage was set for the vote on Tuesday, with New York billionaire Trump enjoying a big lead in opinion polls of the state's Republican voters and a host of rivals jockeying to emerge as his chief challenger for the Republican presidential nomination in the Nov. 8 election.

In the race for the Democratic nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders from neighboring Vermont sought to hang on for a much-needed victory over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton a week after a razor-thin loss to her in the Iowa caucuses.

Sanders told a crowd of about 500 people in Nashua that his call to eradicate income inequality and level the economic playing field for lower- and middle-class workers was resonating.

"I'm here today to ask your support, to join us in making that political revolution," he said.

Polls showed his big New Hampshire lead tightening but still sizable. Clinton hoped to make the finish close in a feat much like her husband's, former President Bill Clinton, in 1992 when he declared himself "the 'Comeback Kid.'"

For those of you who are still deciding, still shopping, I hope I can close the deal, Clinton said at Manchester Community College, campaigning with her raspy-voiced husband and daughter Chelsea.

Clinton was reported by Politico to be pondering a staff shakeup out of concern at the messaging of her campaign.

I have no idea what theyre talking about or who they are talking to," Clinton, responding to the report, said on MSNBC. "Were going to take stock, but its going to be the campaign that Ive got. Im very confident in the people that I have."

A snowstorm swept across the state but it did not slow down the last, tense full day of campaigning ahead of the primary.

Trump, still rankled that Bush hit him hard at a candidates' debate in Manchester on Saturday night, peppered his stump speeches with attacks on the former Florida governor at events in Salem and Londonderry.

"This stiff, Jeb Bush," Trump said. "He's a total stiff. ... If you had a company, you wouldn't even hire him. He's like a child, like a spoiled child."

Bush fired off a tweet referring to Trump's comment last summer that Senator John McCain, the party's 2008 presidential nominee who spent 5-1/2 years in a North Vietnamese prisoner of war camp, was not a hero because he got captured.

"@realDonaldTrump, you arent just a loser, you are a liar and a whiner. John McCain is a hero. Over and out," Bush said.

Senator Marco Rubio's shaky performance at Saturday's debate gave hope to his rivals that the Floridian's rise after a strong third-place finish in Iowa could be blunted.

Bush, Ohio Governor John Kasich and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are fighting to finish strongly enough in New Hampshire to justify staying in the race and taking their campaigns to South Carolina, which holds its primary on Feb. 20.

As the New Hampshire polls stand now, Trump would win and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who won Iowa; Rubio; Kasich; Bush; and Christie would end right behind him in a tight bunch. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and businesswoman Carly Fiorina are also in the race.

Rubio wilted under an attack by Christie at the debate, repeating rehearsed lines from his stump speech in defending himself against criticism that he is not experienced enough to be president. The moment triggered commentary comparing Rubio to a robot, both in the news media and on social media.

Rubio's point was that even though he is a first-term senator, he should not be compared to Democratic President Barack Obama, who was a first-term senator when elected in 2008. He said at the debate that Obama has pushed the country in the wrong direction because of his political beliefs, not from inexperience.

The core of this campaign is that statement, and I am going to continue to say it: Barack Obama is deliberately carrying out a strategy to change America: He wants to redefine this country," Rubio said on CBS's "This Morning."

(Additional reporting by John Whitesides and James Oliphant in New Hampshire and Doina Chiacu in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

SAP is the sponsor of this content. It was independently created by Reuters' editorial staff and funded in part by SAP, which otherwise has no role in this coverage.
By Melissa Fares

(Reuters) - Two women banned from Tinder last week for aggressively promoting U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders have been allowed back on the dating app and say they will resume telling prospective matches to "feel the Bern."

Robyn Gedrich, 23, from New Jersey, and Haley Lent, 22, from Iowa, were locked out of Tinder after others on the "hook-up" app accused them of spamming them with hundreds of pro-Sanders messages. News of the ban went viral on social media.

Both women said on Monday they were able to sign back into the platform.

"I definitely plan to continue meeting new people and promoting Bernie Sanders via Tinder," Lent said in a Twitter message to Reuters.

"I have been focusing on swiping slower to be able to have more in depth conversations today," Gedrich said by email. "Hopefully that will translate to more support for Bernie, rather than the dismissal I was receiving before."

A spokeswoman for Tinder, which is part of Match Group Inc, owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, said the company would have no further comment. On Friday, a Tinder spokeswoman said: "We whole-heartedly support people sharing their political views on Tinder, but we don't allow spamming. So feel free to spread the Bern, just don't spam."

"Feel the Bern" has become a popular rallying cry among Sanders supporters.

Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, is locked in a tight race with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination for the November election. The two square off on Tuesday in the New Hampshire primary.

(Reporting by Melissa Fares in New York; Editing by Dan Burns and Peter Cooney)

SAP is the sponsor of this content. It was independently created by Reuters' editorial staff and funded in part by SAP, which otherwise has no role in this coverage.
Over the next two days, the City Council will debate two rezoning proposals introduced by the Mayor de Blasio's administration: Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) and Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA). Both proposals are part of the mayor's ambitious Housing New York plan, which seeks to add and maintain 200,000 units of affordable housing across the five boroughs over the next 10 years. Both proposals have been controversial with many community groups coming out against their implementation. But as the City Council gets ready to add its own set of changes to the plans, Curbed is taking a look at both proposals and seeing what they actually have to offer, and examine why people are concerned.

What is Mandatory Inclusionary Housing?

MIH essentially calls for the creation of a set amount of affordable housing at new developments where developers are seeking rezoning for those projects. Here are some of the salient features of the plan:

 The affordable housing created through this program would be mandatory and permanent.

 The City Council and the City Planning Commission would require developers to enforce one or both of the following conditions in the new developments: 25 percent of the residential floor area must be affordable to families averaging 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), or about $46,620 for a family of three. The second condition asks for 30 percent of the residential floor area to be affordable to a family averaging 80 percent of the AMI, or $62,150 for a family of three.

 These city agencies can also enforce a "limited workforce option," which has its own set of guidelines, one of them being no units in the building going to families making over 130 percent of AMI, which is $101,010 for a family of three.

 In comparison to other major cities where mandatory affordable housing programs are currently in place, New York has a much greater percentage requirement on affordable units. The former two cities have between 15-20 percent, whereas New York is asking 25-30 percent.

What are the criticisms of MIH?

Critics argue that while it addresses an affordable housing shortage, 60 percent AMI is a lot higher than many families can afford and that a lot of people in need would actually get left out. The administration agrees but counters by saying that while the income bracket might not address all populations, this plan is one of several that are part of the Housing New York plan and that there different plans in place to address different income levels.

What's the difference between that and Zoning for Quality and Affordability?

ZQA is slightly more complicated than MIH, but in essence, it deals with zoning that would allow for taller buildings in some neighborhoods, and would increase affordable senior housing. Some of its big points:

In neighborhoods with medium and high density zoning districts:

 Residential buildings could get taller no more than five feet in most cases, if the developer provides a taller ground floor.

 Buildings that provide affordable senior housing or inclusionary housing can increase their height by one or two floors at most in a majority of cases.

 There would be a limit on the number of stories, so floors can't be crammed in based on height requirements.

In low density zoning districts, it would:

 Allow for the creation of a wide range of affordable senior housing and care facilities, which also holds true for medium and high density zoning areas.

 Modify existing zoning for walkup buildings and allow for creation of elevators in buildings not taller than four to six stories.

What are the criticisms of ZQA?

Some of the concerns voiced against this plan include the fact that these new taller buildings could alter the character of particular neighborhoods, and take away parking spots. The administration has countered by saying that there are limitations set in place to control the nature of building.



Who is for and against these proposals?

Over 90 percent of the city's 59 community boards are opposed to these proposals as they stand today. They have been joined in this opposition by several borough presidents, and housing advocates as well. Those in Mayor de Blasio's camp include the AARP, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, and a host of union groups like the Hotel Trades Council and District Council 37.

What happens next?

Both proposals went through an extensive public review process that began last fall. At present the plan is in its final stage, which is the City Council review. The Council will deliberate, suggest changes, and take a vote on the plans next month.

 Planning Commission Vote Will Send Zoning Proposals to City Council [Gotham Gazette]

 Two Affordable Housing Proposals Clear Hurdle [WNYC]

 Ahead of Council vote, mayor's allies organize in defense of housing agenda [Politico]

 City Planning Approves De Blasio's Contentious Zoning Proposals [Curbed]
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Aung San Suu Kyi has been fighting for democracy all her life. Photo: Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images

Myanmar might get its first woman president before the United States does, even though the leading candidate  Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi  is, at least for now, constitutionally ineligible for the job. Back in November, the National League for Democracy party, which is led by Suu Kyi, won national elections by a landslide, ending decades of military rule. As Suu Kyi  who spent 21 years as a political prisoner before her release in 2010  is the clear favorite to become president, the NLD is in talks with commander-in-chief General Min Aung Hlaing to get around the law, and the negotiation is going well, The Guardian reports.

Myanmars constitution (chapter three, no 59(f), if you want to get really specific) requires that he himself, one of the parents, the spouse, one of the legitimate children or their spouses not owe allegiance to a foreign power. That he suggests that only a man can be elected president, although, fortunately, nobody seems to be trying to make that point. On top of that, and less arguably, Suu Kyis late husband, as well as both of her sons, were and are British, making her ineligible. Theres also a clause that necessitates the president have military experience (she doesnt). Since 25 percent of seats in both houses of parliament are reserved for the military, and the NLD has most but not all of the rest, it will need to pull some military leaders over to its side to override that clause of the constitution. (Doing so will require 75 percent of the vote.)

Despite the obstacles, NLD central committee member Kyaw Htwe expressed optimism. I think everything will be fine, he told The Guardian. The negotiations will be positive for our leader Aung San Suu Kyi to become president. (Apparently Myanmar birthers are less numerous than American ones are.) The official nominees wont be announced until March 17; there will be one each from the upper house of parliament, the lower house, and the military. Even if she doesnt win the nomination, with her party in power Suu Kyi will likely run things from behind the scenes because, lets be honest, women get shit done.
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Were looking at six more weeks of winter and ten more years of cheap gas, according to a groundhog and the worlds largest independent oil-trading house.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Vitol Group BV chief executive officer Ian Taylor predicted that the combination of slowing Chinese growth and the booming U.S. shale industry will prevent oil prices from rising any higher than $60 a barrel in the next decade.

We really do imagine a band, probably between $40 and $60 a barrel, Taylor told the news service. I can see that band lasting for five to ten years. I think its fundamentally different.

The lower boundary of that range would offer little relief to petrol states and oil producers  Brent crude currently trades around $33 a barrel. And Taylors best-case scenario for energy producers would merely bring prices back to where they were last July, when the oil industry already considered itself in crisis.

Per Taylor, the problem for oil producers is threefold:

1. The energy industry expanded to keep pace with Chinas unsustainable construction boom, which is now winding down.

2. The global economy has become more efficient in its consumption of crude.

3. The shale boom in the United States and Irans opening to the world will ensure that the market remains glutted with supply, even if China were to return to a more robust rate of growth.

As a consumer-dominated economy, low oil prices could redound to the United States benefit, even as they hurt our domestic energy industry. But at least some economic analysts believe long-term low prices in the energy sector could be disastrous  last week, Citi named such a scenario Oilmageddon.
Singing Nina Simone covers at the reopening of Le Carillon. Photo: Denis Allard

The Arrondissements: The bulk of the attacks took place in these adjacent Right Bank neighborhoods, which have about 250,000 residents combined. Illustration: Adam Cruft

From morning till night, Parisians have been gathering at the Place de la Republique. Since November 13, it has become a living memorial  just steps from where the terrorists attacked. The statue of Marianne, which passersby had stopped noticing years ago, is now where people flock: to light candles, to write messages, to leave drawings. They come to cry and to talk, as if they dont have a choice. Madonna showed up discreetly one night to give an impromptu acoustic performance. She sang Imagine. And Like a Prayer.

The neighborhood where I work, the 11th  both working class and gentrified  which extends from Republique down toward the Bastille and up near Belleville, full of restaurants and bars, is in many ways the heart of Paris. Today its residents are at once worried and combative, determined to go to rock concerts, to drink on the terraces of cafes, to meet sadness with camaraderie. The desire to be together has won out over the fear of leaving ones house.

Le Carillon, one of two adjacent restaurants where 15 people were killed, reopened January 13. That night, a young woman, accompanied by a friend on the piano, sang Nina Simones Feeling Good. And in the streets of the 10th and the 11th, it almost seems as if everyone has the words to that song floating in their heads. We are not feeling good, but we are feeling better, for, as the historic motto of Paris reminds us: Fluctuat nec mergitur. If the city has been tossed by the waves, it refuses to sink. Jean-Marie Durand, editor at Les Inrockuptibles.

A Week Later, I Was Even Able to Laugh.

Illustration: Adam Cruft

Valerie Spasojevic, owner of Le Centenaire, a restaurant around the corner from Le Bataclan

Almost everyone who was at my restaurant that night came back out of solidarity the following Friday. A week later, I was even able to laugh with the man who had been shot in the leg  a waiter at Le Bataclan. Monday morning I was short of breath coming back to work. I started to have major anxiety. Im doing better now. It comes in waves. One day youre okay, the next you arent. Parisians havent changed their habits. Theyve been wonderful. The tourists have, though. So the weekend is okay, lunch is okay, but at the beginning of the week, it was really the tourists we counted on, and they just arent here anymore. Dinner service early in the week is a bit sad now.

I Wrote a Song to Make Sure the Attacks Will Not Be Forgotten.

Illustration: Adam Cruft

Axiom, a rapper whos lived in the 11th for eight years

My childhood friend Ludovic Boumbas was killed at the restaurant La Belle Equipe. I wrote the song Ludo to make sure the attacks are not forgotten. I dont think this happened in the 11th by chance; its here where diversity works. And that bothers not only the jihadists but all of the extremists, including the extreme right. They think everyone should stay in their own sector. People call the 11th bobo (bourgeois boheme), but its also paubo (pauvre boheme). And so youll see all kinds of people here: actors, guitarists, journalists. Theres a certain socioeconomic diversity, which is important, and theres also a racial diversity. At the same time, artists arent moving to the 11th anymore, because they cant find housing. Its too expensive. Even the basements are too expensive.

Where People Went to Clear Their Minds

Photo: Camille Malissen/Courtesy of Seymour Projects

For the month of November, Melissa Ungers spa for your mind, Seymour+, was free to anyone who needed it. The storefront, located near the Canal Saint-Martin, features five meditative rooms, where visitors are instructed to perform different writing and drawing exercises. Unger says, People are thanking us that were here and going deeper within their processes within the space.

Andre Saraivas Grand Amour Hotel Still Had a Grand Opening on November 27

At the Grand Amour Hotel restaurant. Photo: Denis Allard

A few days after the attacks, we were on our terrace, and everybody went together outside to show that we were not scared. Nobodys going to scare us. The French, we have this tradition of resistance. I used to live in the 10th when I was young. My first art studio was on Rue du Faubourg Montmarte. Back then, it was a kind of scary neighborhood, where all the drug dealers and the prostitutes used to hang out. The drug dealers stayed, but theyre selling different drugs.

Resister

Literally, it means to resist.

The word obviously has a loaded history here, but its taken on a new meaning: not being afraid to go out and have a drink. Says Slate France writer Nicolas Santolaria, Its about partying and not about beating people up. But hes noticed an unsettling development. Some of these slogans that came about after the attacks, like #resister, #jesuisenterrasse (Im out on the terrace), #tousaubistro (Everyone to the bar) were orchestrated by the cafes themselves. There was an ad for Beaujolais Nouveau that made use of the idea of resisting. As Frederic Beigbeder, editor of the magazine Lui, puts it: People are sad and scared, but at the same time theres a strange feeling of being a hero if you drink a glass of wine in the street. We joke: I am the General de Gaulle of mojitos! And heres the Jean Moulin of caipirinhas! 

Now Can You Please Stop Calling This the Brooklyn of Paris?

Vanity Fair France columnist John von Sothen vents.

News outlets have been referring to the 10th and 11th as Pariss Brooklyn. Now when people ask me what the 10th is like, I say its the Brixton of Paris. Or its the Silver Lake of Paris  thats my new bit. Its funny because people in the 10th are always complaining that theyre being categorized unfairly by this whole Brooklyn thing. Youll talk to a French guy who will be like, The 10th has its own identity, blah, blah, blah. But at the same time these are the very people who are opening up the whiskey distilleries and fixed-gear-bike shops, all with this Brooklyn aesthetic. Im annoyed by both sides. Brooklyn is an easy way to label a place thats diverse or affordable, which is ironic because that doesnt correspond with Brooklyn today. The incomes here are nothing compared to New York.

 Even Though Theres a Kebab Shop With Marcel Breuer Chairs

Where people looking to take back their neighborhoods are actually going.

Nous Sommes en Terrasse, a symbol of eating out as defiance. Photo: Denis Allard

Louie Louie

It opened in December, and its not your run-of-the-mill pizzeria: There are marble floors and copper light fixtures. I love their thin-crust diavola. They have a barman who crafts cocktails like the Beurresalino daiquiri. Amelie Darvas, chef and co-owner of Hai Kai

Jones Cafe Restaurant

The restaurant Bones just transitioned into an open-all-day cafe called Jones. It has a stripped-down vieux bistrot style. I like that you can drink wine from bottles that are already open. Pierre Jancou, chef-owner of Le Ptit Cafe, opening in March

Rococo

The kebabs here are like street food deluxe. All food is made on the premises, and youll find atypical vegetables like cauliflower on the kebabs. Its neo-industrial with Marcel Breuer chairs. Gabriel Stein, owner of Ose African Cuisine

Gravity Bar

The rounded wood ceiling gives an interesting shape to the space. They send out plates like sea bream with squash, and for cocktails, I skip the menu and just tell the barman, Michael, what Im in the mood for. Romain Tischenko, chef and owner of Le Galopin

Overheard at Le Carillon the First Saturday After It Reopened

The Scene

The bar was bustling and full of well-wishers and complicated feelings. And then a Scientologist walked in 

Scientologist to barman (gesturing to the book in his hand)

Do you know about Scientology?

Barman

Look, Im busy.

Scientologist, turning to Coco, the owner

After experiencing tragedy, people need direction  I think youll find that L. Ron Hubbard has some instructive lessons 

30-something pubgoer

Yeah, man, after what happened here, what they really need right now is more religion.

Meanwhile, What Is That Smell?

Plus other issues preoccupying 10th and 11th dwellers.

The Dredging of the Canal

In emptying the Canal Saint-Martin of its stagnant water, the city of Paris is trying to keep the complex ecosystem of birds, fish, and other organisms healthy for the coming decade. Day by day, new objects revealed themselves  bicycles, computers, motorcycles  but what hit the pedestrians most as they stared at the bottom of the canal in January was the potent odor. A few businesses nearby, including bistro La Marine, have decided to close and time renovations to coincide with the canals desertification; they will reopen once the water returns and the air is fresh again in April.

The Refugees

Farther north along the edges of the canal in the 10th, not too far from the Gare du Nord, volunteers are looking to help house and feed the hundreds of homeless refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and other countries who have taken to sleeping in open spaces near the Jardin Villemin and the Boulevard de la Chapelle. Residents and councilors in the arron dissement have pushed forward programs, alongside the municipal and national governments, to set up food kitchens as well as to open a permanent shelter in the 10th.

The Green Spaces

On a more upbeat note, after almost ten years of work by locals, the gaps of green space along the Boulevards Jules Ferry and Richard Lenoir  which connect the bottom of the Canal Saint-Martin to the 11th Arrondissement, past the Bataclan, all the way to Place de la Bastille  are getting closer to being filled. With any luck, the city will soon approve the final proposal that will create a mile-long park running down the center of the boulevards. It will be a rare patch of nature in this part of Paris, to be open 24/7 year-round.

The Book Thats Taken On New Meaning: Arab Jazz.

Photo: Maclehose Press

Karim Miskes 2012 thriller Arab Jazz  a tale of murder and religious extremism  has since gained a strange prescience. The Kouachi brothers (who attacked the Charlie Hebdo offices in the 11th) raced their getaway car through a neighborhood thats central to the book, prompting Miske to wonder, in an interview with the Independent, What is happening? Why have these people invaded my book? 

Reporting by Mark Byrne, Sarah Dohrmann, Elisabeth Fourmont, Carl Swanson, and Alex Toledano.

*This article appears in the February 8, 2016 issue of New York Magazine.
Against bugs. Photo: Getty Images

President Barack Obama will ask Congress for an emergency $1.8 billion to fight the Zika virus abroad and, one hopes, arrest its spread inside the U.S. What we now know is that there appears to be some significant risk for pregnant women and women who are thinking about having a baby, Obama said in an interview on CBS This Morning. He was quick to add, however, that there shouldnt be a panic on this. We still havent found a sick mosquito Stateside (as of Monday, anyway).

The largest share of the funding ($828 million) would go to the CDC. But $250 million would be allocated for a one-year Medicaid expansion in Puerto Rico, where people have gotten directly sick; $200 million would go to vaccine research; and $210 million will be put into a new fund for newly confirmed cases. The rest of the money will help other countries fight off the disease, which causes only mild symptoms in adults but is extremely dangerous to a fetus in utero.

There have been 50 confirmed cases of Zika in the U.S. since December, among Americans whove gone abroad. The newest STD to fear has also been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization and has inspired some to call for an end to Aedes mosquitoes entirely. The U.S. Olympic Committee has told athletes that they should consider skipping the 2016 summer Games, which are in Rio de Janeiro, if they are concerned.
The odds were not in his favor. Photo: Manfred Bortoli/SOPA RF/Corbis

The worlds longest odds came into play for a Mr. V. Kamaraj on Saturday as he crossed the campus of Bharathidasan Engineering College in Tamil Nadu, India, and became the first person in recorded history to have been killed by a meteorite. The stone essentially exploded as it fell, shattering the glass in cars and windows and severely injuring Kamaraj, who later died. Three others were also hurt by the strike, which left a four-foot crater near the colleges cafeteria. There was a noise like a big explosion, G. Baskar, principal of the college, told The Wall Street Journal. It was an abnormal sound that could be heard till at least 3 kilometers away.

Although it was originally reported as a bomb blast, rock fragments found near the scene suggested a more celestial projectile, and on Sunday the states chief minister released a statement confirming it was in fact a meteorite, calling its fall and Kamarajs death a mishap and offering his family (as well as those injured) some cash.

Crater formed due to meteor impact at Nattrampalli, vellore. looks like a powerful impact. pic.twitter.com/POlim224pn  Prashanth (@itisprashanth) February 7, 2016

Windows shattered due to Meteor impact at Naatraampalli, Vellore. Just like russian meteor impact . pic.twitter.com/5ioJdNBV1c  Prashanth (@itisprashanth) February 7, 2016

Piece of a meteorite found at a private engineering college in Vellore. One person was dead in the explosion. pic.twitter.com/TON5qzIw7N  J Sam Daniel Stalin (@jsamdaniel) February 7, 2016

Meteoroids  thats what theyre called before they land  tend to break up on the way down, often raining fragments over a wide area. Only one other person is known to have been directly hit  Ann Hodges, who was napping in her Alabama home in 1954 when a rock fell through the roof and hit her on the hip  but she survived. A meteorite that exploded over Russias Ural Mountains back in 2013 injured close to 1,000 people and damaged thousands of buildings, but no one was directly hit or died there either.

The odds of being struck and killed by a meteorite in your lifetime are small but not absent: About 1 in 700,000, according to astronomer Alan Harris. But that figure is vastly skewed by the prospect of a big meteor that wipes out 6 billion people in one go. The odds of an individual injury like this are closer to, say, a Powerball win and a lightning strike on the same day.
Trump has offered to build a ballroom for the White House, but not a dungeon, yet. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

While there was some discussion among the Republican candidates at Saturday nights debate in New Hampshire as to whether or not waterboarding was a form of torture (it is), Donald Trump went below and beyond everyone else on stage to insist that not only would he reinstitute waterboarding against Americas enemies, he would bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding as well. Speaking with CNNs Jake Tapper on Sunday morning, Trump elaborated on his position and confirmed that he would go through a process and get [waterboarding] declassified as a war crime in order to use it, at a minimum, against ISIS if hes elected president. So far, Trump has not explained what forms of torture he would bring back that are worse than waterboarding, which is essentially simulated drowning. You can say what you want I have no doubt that it does work in term of information and other things, Trump insisted to Tapper, though its worth noting that torture doesnt actually work when it comes to gathering useful intelligence from prisoners.

Regarding the rest of the GOP fields responses to the torture question Saturday night, Ted Cruz stood by the Bush-administrations discredited assurance that waterboarding was a form of enhanced interrogation, not torture, though either way he wouldnt bring it back in any sort of widespread use. Jeb Bush changed his position, from saying he wouldnt rule it out, to last night saying that he was happy with Congresss ban on waterboarding as it was. Marco Rubio dodged the question by insisting it would be inappropriate to discuss his future plans for Americas interrogation techniques. Regardless, though Rubio missed the Senate vote on banning torture, he has said he would have voted against the ban, and on Saturday night championed the idea of filling up Guantanamo with new prisoners to interrogate.

Though he was not asked about it on Saturday night, New Jersey governor Chris Christie has previously said he did not consider waterboarding torture and would not rule it out as an interrogation method. Carly Fiorina supports the practice as well. Ben Carson has made a statement that seems to suggest he would consider waterboarding prisoners, too. Its not clear what John Kasichs position is.
Designer of House of Waris, Waris Ahluwalia. Photo: Mike Pont/Getty Images

Waris Ahluwalia, designer behind House of Waris and actor-slash-man-about-town, took to Instagram this morning to reveal that hed been barred from boarding a flight because of his turban. Ahluwalia, who had been on a trip to Mexico, took a photo of himself and his boarding pass for an Aeromexico flight back to NYC, explaining in a caption that hed been prohibited from boarding.

Ahluwalia, notably the first Sikh man to star in a Gap ad campaign (in 2013), spoke to the New York Daily News about the incident. When airline personnel asked Ahluwalia to remove his turban, he said, That is not something that I would do in public. Thats akin to asking someone to take off their clothes.

The jewelry designer told security that he would not remove his turban without going into a private screening room, to which he was told, You will not be flying Aero Mexico. You will need to book another flight. As Ahluwalia waited for another flight back to New York, he told the Daily News that this opportunity is a chance for growth. He continued, The only thing that I have right now is maybe the ability to reach some people and make a change.
Bronx, Br oo klyn, Broadway Saoirse Ronans New York.

Photographs by Erik Madigan Heck

The woman next door to us had two sisters. One emigrated to England, the other to America. The English sister worked in an office in Liverpool; the American sister was a housekeeper for a family in Connecticut who were, my mother said, fabulously wealthy. Each summer, both sisters came home to Ireland for a few weeks. The English sister was quiet and remained in the shadows. The American sister, on the other hand, was all glitter and fascinating talk. She came with suitcases filled with clothes that had been cast off by her American employers. Women visited from all parts of our town to look at these clothes, to marvel over the bright colors and the fashionable cuts. Every afternoon, you could hear the noise of cooing coming from the house next door as the American sister produced another dress or costume or cardigan, or showed them the sort of shoes they had only seen in the movies.

Saoirse Ronans parents came to New York in the 1980s, two decades after our neighbors sister and three decades after the protagonist of my novel Brooklyn, whom she would come to play onscreen. Saoirse was born in New York and then taken home to Ireland when she was 3. Having parents who had lived in America singled you out in Ireland; even the idea of living there until you were 3 gave you a sort of glamour, a glamour that was often belied by the sort of work that Irish immigrants did in New York in the 1980s and by their living conditions.

Related Saoirse Ronan on Seeing Santa in the Sky and Returning to the City of Her Birth

The Ronans, on their return, came to live close to my town in Ireland. In fact, as Saoirse was growing up, they used to go to my local cinema. Thus she knows the inflections of my town, the tiny details of behavior and the mannerisms. But she knows something else, too, which sets her apart and gives her a sort of distance, a grandeur. She seems to have a real sense of her own almost ethereal beauty. You notice this when she comes into a room. She has a way of holding herself apart, controlling the light, controlling the response of those who turn to watch her.

And this can then dissolve into easy laughter or self-deprecating ease. It is as though she has aspects of both of the two sisters who emigrated from Ireland. She invites envy, she lives in light, she loves glamour, but she also moves easily into the shadows.

At the age of 12, when Saoirse played the lead part in the movie Atonement, she found a way of transcending Irish America and small-town Irish life, and later, in films like The Lovely Bones and The Grand Budapest Hotel, she managed to transform herself, as though as an actress she was emigrating again, this time to a place of her own choosing. But she had never played an Irish role on film until Brooklyn, she had never conjured with her own ambiguous legacy as someone familiar with rural Ireland who was also intensely glamorous and ready to be transformed.

Like all of us in Ireland, she learned the national need to be funny and to be ready to be amused and the demand to be self-deprecating when necessary, which is most of the time. In Ireland, people are skilled at playing the one who has known defeat. But watching Saoirse over the past while, I have noticed, especially when she is alone in her thoughts, or when she is aware of being watched, a deep knowledge of her own worth, a way of standing and moving that suggests a self-conscious poise and a refusal to accept defeat or to allow self-deprecation to undermine her own rare talent.

During the filming of the movie, to amuse me, they gave me the part of an extra, making me wear an old suit and a cap and placing me in front of Saoirse in a line of immigrants waiting to get into America. As we waited each time for the scene to be reshot, I observed how funny she was, how ready to be amused even by the smallest thing, how willing to appear ordinary, as though starring in the film were no big deal. But then, when it would come time to work, she would change completely. She would adjust her posture, look around carefully as though deliberately pulling the light in toward her wonderfully expressive face. She created a barrier around herself. There were no more jokes, and there was nothing self-deprecating about her. She had moved from Ireland to America in a few seconds, or moved from being a child star to a stunning actress.

Ronan in Brooklyn. Photo: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

In the film, the change that happens to Saoirses character is registered in how she dresses, the colors she wears. Her clothes in turn affect her posture, how she smiles, how she deals with the world. The story began for me by watching Irish people like our neighbors sister who came home from America, people who had a sort of high self-confidence that no one in Ireland had, people who seemed to relish being observed with admiration as they walked through the town. They had white teeth and good suntans. They thought life was short.

It was easy then to imagine the sort of young Irish emigrant who lives in the shadows gradually becoming a new person in the early 1950s because of American fashion. Eventually, Brooklyn slowly came to seem like a haven to the young Eilis Lacey, as it did to many others of her generation, as it did also in the early years of this century when parts of Brooklyn such as Williamsburg became havens for anyone who was young and talented and could not afford to live in Manhattan. In 2000, when I came to teach at the New School, I discovered that the students were not living in the East Village anymore (not to mention Greenwich Village). They were all making a virtue out of Brooklyn, citing dives and drinking holes there with awe and wonder in the same way as previous generations had spoken of the White Horse or the Kettle of Fish. Everyone in their right mind, they made clear to me, lived in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn, today, is a set of erasures. No matter what you do, even if you spend your time obsessing about the price of real estate, Brooklyn is filled with ghosts, perhaps more than any other place in America. So many countries  Norway, Ireland, Italy, for example  sent vast numbers of people to Brooklyn in the first half of the 20th century. You can still trace the Irish from the plaques and nameplates in the Catholic churches. Part of Eighth Avenue in Brooklyns Sunset Park, which is now populated by Chinese people, was known as Lapskaus Boulevard because of the number of Norwegians living there  lapskaus being a sort of Nordic beef stew. Bay Ridge was known as Little Oslo. There were nearly 60,000 Norwegians living there by 1940.

About a decade ago, I started occasionally going to Mass at St. Boniface in Downtown Brooklyn and then walking from there to Clinton Street in Cobble Hill, where a friend has a neighbor whose house was an Irish boardinghouse until the 1970s. This is a journey I began to imagine for my protagonist in the novel, and as I made the walk from my Catholic church to Cobble Hill, especially at night, it was not hard to imagine how lonely this might have been for so many Irish people, the streetscapes unlike anywhere in Ireland. And then it struck me how enabling it also might have become, how slyly happy you might be, knowing you were not about to meet your aunt, or your cousin, or anyone you knew. You could invent yourself here, even if the term self-invention was not yet understood by you.

In the scenes where she is homesick in the film, Saoirse used her own experience of leaving home, of going on her own for the first time to live in London. London is filled with excitement now that they have given up serving English food in their restaurants; it is even cool to be Irish there at the moment. (We are sexier and funnier and better looking and generally smarter than they are.) No London gathering is complete without us.

But London is an even more difficult city than Brooklyn to be alone in. The suburbs are all spread out and strange and distant. It is like living in a Yonkers with a good transport system and people talking with English accents.

Eiliss newness, her rawness, her sadness are suggested in the film by her dark-green coat, by her lank hair, by a fearful way of moving. The first big change is when she appears on the steps of Brooklyn College wearing a necklace, her hair freshly done, with new light in her eyes and a new ease in her movements. And then, after considerable preparation, when she goes to Coney Island with Tony, her Italian boyfriend, she walks as though this world belongs to her.

But still, Saoirse does not display a fixed sense of herself as fantastically glamorous when her character returns to Ireland. Instead, she manages to capture the ambiguous performance we all try on when we come home from America. Sometimes she tries to fit in, to pretend that she has not changed at all and that being away is no big deal; other times she flaunts her new self. There is one moment when she walks through the small Irish town wearing sunglasses and a brightly colored dress when she seems like a returned Yank, like our neighbors sister, ready to gather the poor natives around her to show them the style she has acquired.

What Saoirse captures in the film more than anything else, however, is the drama of her own growth, by which she overcomes the conflict between her way of being Irish  never showing arrogance or pride, being happier always in the shadows  and an acute knowledge of her own power.

By the time she is back on the boat to Brooklyn, both the protagonist and the actress have transformed themselves. That final scene on the boat shows what a majestic change has taken place. While her posture is different and her clothes are amazing, there is something in her aura, reflected in the clarity of Saoirses gaze and the sort of shy distance in her smile, which suggests that her spirit has remained stable. In that sense of stability mixed with mystery, Saoirse Ronan manages to give the character the afterglow of someone who has become intensely real for herself and for others. She has come home to a place that is neither Brooklyn nor Ireland but rather a place that she herself has imagined and embodies.

Styling by Rebecca Ramsey; hair by Ted Gibson for Jed Root; makeup by Aya Komatsu at BRIDGE using CHANEL Beaute; nails by Elena Capo at the Wall Group.

*This article appears in the February 8, 2016 issue of New York Magazine.
The French photographer Jacques Henri Lartigue was 69 when he walked into the Museum of Modern Art, met the young curator John Szarkowski, and was offered an exhibition on the spot. After the museums 1963 showcase, the unknown amateur became world-famous: Richard Avedon edited his first book, Frances president commissioned him to take his official portrait, and magazines like Vogue and Harpers Bazaar hired him to shoot fashion spreads.

Best known for his black-and-white photographs, Lartigue captured his aristocratic family at leisure as well as friends like John F. Kennedy, Picasso, and the director Federico Fellini. Unbeknownst to much of the world, however, was his love for color photography: Of over 100,000 photographs left behind after his death, 30 years ago, a third of his archive was captured in color.

In the new book Lartigue: Life in Color, published by Abrams, a trove of previously unseen color photographs showcase the women the photographer loved. Click ahead to see his vivid portraits, including his first wife, Bibi, in Paris, wearing a fur coat and red-stained lips, and his third wife, Florette, who sits with Picasso at a bullfight in Vallauris.
Saoirse Ronan. Photo: Erik Madigan Heck

Eight years ago, Saoirse Ronan made her first impression on U.S. audiences in Atonement as Briony, the confused, vengeful girl whose lie sets the plot in motion. That watchful, unsettling performance won her an Oscar nomination at age 13. Since then, she has made a couple of film appearances per year at most (a child assassin holding her own against Cate Blanchett in Hanna; a clever baker in The Grand Budapest Hotel), staying more or less above the Hollywood fray (thanks in large part to the grounding influence of her parents  her father, Paul, is a working actor). That may prove tougher now: At 21, shes again an Oscar nominee, this time as a leading actress, for her performance as Irish immigrant Eilis in Brooklyn. Ronans own immigration experience was the opposite of Eiliss: She was born in the Bronx and lived there until she was 3, then moved back to Ireland. But now shes returned to the city that has such a hold on her imagination to make her Broadway debut in The Crucible as Abigail Williams  a confused, vengeful girl not unlike her first big role. We talked to her about going onstage for the first time and discussing child stardom with Jodie Foster. Her name, by the way, is pronounced Sir-sha. Rebecca Milzoff



Related Stories Brooklyn Author Colm Toibin on Saoirse Ronans New York

When you go to L.A., everyone has an idea in their head of what L.A. is or what Hollywood is, and its just not like that at all  its just a big desert where everythings spread out. I feel like you come to New York and it just exceeds your expectations. Every now and again, you just go, Im in New York. This is fuckin great. I did that the other day  I was on the subway and I thought, The last time I was properly on a subway train I was 3!

I do feel like if they took a cloth to scrub them a little bit it wouldnt hurt [laughs]. Even the subway train we had in Brooklyn  I had no idea thats how it would have been 50 years ago, but Jesus, can you imagine in the summer how hot it wouldve been?

Ive only hung out in Brooklyn a little bit, to be honest. We only did two days shooting for Brooklyn on Clinton Street, and Ive gone back there since  I have friends who live in Boerum Hill and Cobble Hill. I imagine if I were to stay here after the play, which I most likely will, thats where Id go. Its got such a lovely feel, doesnt it? Such a nice neighborhood feel.

I literally have never, ever, done a professional play before. I had done school plays when I was 5 to 12  a tree, an evil queen; I think I played a bumblebee. But apart from that [no] theater at all. I was always cautious about taking on a play when I was younger. I knew from my dads own experience that you really need stamina. He never went to school for it. Mom and he just came over to work  a lot of that generation chose work over college because it was kind of the more realistic route at the time. And Mom became a nanny and my dad started working in a bar. And a lot of Irish actors would go in and they got to know him, and one of them eventually asked him to audition for a play. He just learned on the job. I think it was the best way for both of us  it shaped how we work. So I was aware that to take on something like that when you were just a kid, to me it wouldve been just a bit presumptuous. But Ive always said that when I was about 21, thats when Id do a play.

Ben Whishaw and Ronan in rehearsals for The Crucible. Photo: Jan Versweyveld

I only just started rehearsals. You feel everything. Your brain just doesnt stop. Its different from film  usually my preparation is learning my lines and then going on set and trying different things out, and hopefully you capture it and then its done, out of your hands. Whereas with a play, its constantly evolving. Theres no real respite. Youre thinking of every possible [meaning] one line could have.

Abigail is almost like Briony if she was about 16. I think with Abigail, theres this sense of abandonment that all the girls have. There were so many attacks on these little Puritan villages, and so many of their parents were killed  so that sense of authority theyd get from parents is gone. John Proctor kind of gives her that purpose and makes her feel like shes stronger and bigger. A lot of the [orphaned] girls back then were swapped around from one household to the next; once they got to a certain age they were sent to live with a different family. So youre surrounded by this fairly cold community, with rules for everything, and shes a teenager becoming a sexual creature but shes still a child in some ways  theres just loads to think about, and Im still bloody figuring it out, and I know I will be for quite a while.

We rehearsed a scene today where gradually everyone quietly starts to turn on each other and looks as though they could kill someone, and you see how, like in religion, it can become so extreme when you follow it to the letter. Suddenly youre not able to be human, almost, you know? Of course they ended up taking people to court if someone looked at them wrong, or blaming someone for the loss of their child, or whatever it is. I started reading this book by Stacy Schiff, and to know that at the time, some men got into Harvard based off, like, the amount of meat that was given by their fathers to the college! A whole round of beef would pay for a years tuition. Its mental.

Its funny, I didnt really feel [some of the pressures of Hollywood] when I was younger. I feel it a bit now, and I could see a change when Hanna came out, because it was the first sort of commercial success Id had, apart from Atonement, and I was very young then  a lot of that went over my head. Part of it was that Id grown up outside L.A., so I wasnt exposed to the competitive side of that world, where you feel like you have to do a thousand and one things in order to keep up with everyone else. I didnt have that pressure of feeling like I needed to be exposed more or do a big studio film in order to get more work. It was down to the type of work I wanted to do. At the end of the day, its sort of like your portfolio. A piece of work is something you put time and hard work into, and you want to be able to stand next to it and say you really believed in it.

I was talking to someone who started out as a child actor, last night, and went on to do incredible things, and we were both saying it was a huge, huge influence to have our mothers with us when we were young and mothers who came from more of an ethical standpoint than a business one. To have someone with you from 10 to 19 when youre on a set, who has perspective and is only there to look out for you, it really means that you have a more realistic way of looking at this entire world. [It was] Jodie Foster. Shes absolutely amazing.

Styling by Rebecca Ramsey; hair by Ted Gibson for Jed Root; makeup by Aya Komatsu at BRIDGE using CHANEL Beaute; nails by Elena Capo at the Wall Group.

*This article appears in the February 8, 2016 issue of New York Magazine.

Photo: Erik Madigan Heck

Photo: Erik Madigan Heck

Photo: Erik Madigan Heck

Photo: Erik Madigan Heck

Photo: Erik Madigan Heck

Photo: Erik Madigan Heck
Ancient Violence in Kenya Confirms, and Does Not Refute the 1986 Findings in Saharasia





http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/09/why-dont-we-know- the-age-of-the-new-human-ancestor-homo-naledi/405148/#article-commen ts





This above article details a fascinating archaeological find, recently published in Nature magazine. But I would refute any assertions that this provides proof for an inherent or genetic disposition towards human social violence.





There are few such massacre sites of this age, Jebel Sahaba and now Nataruk, plus a few isolated and often far more ambiguous finds dated to around the same early epoch -- c.10,000-14,000 BP. As I detail in my Saharasia research and book, 2nd Edition with the "Update on Saharasia" Appendix, this epoch was characterized by intensive dry conditions across North Africa and adjacent regions, in a condition similar to what we have today. In between those two dry epochs was the North African Wet Phase, which was characterized by a general absence of evidence for warfare or violence, in either archaeological remains or cave-paintings.





After c.6000 BP, which marks the start of the most recent dry epoch, social violence and war becomes abundant in archaeology, and remains so all the way down into modern times. My Saharasia study provided the first detailed analysis of this timeline and geographically-correlated association between epochs of desertification with mass migrations, famines, starvation and subsequent serious disturbances in human social behavior which leads to violence and war. This body of work has been around since the 1980s, and secures evidence of a desertification-violence mechanism which appears at work in these very early finds in Jebel Sahaba and Nataruk as well.





Additionally, as detailed in my "Update" Appendix article, there are long stretches of ancient archaeology where skeletal finds and general archaeology shows no evidence of violence at all. But those diverse findings don't make too much sense until they are plotted on world maps, and then correlated with modern and ancient regions of intense hyperaridity, and migration patterns that bring disturbed violent people from a region of hyperarid conflict into moister areas previously characterized by peaceful conditions. My Saharasia provided that evidence in spades, but because the findings cannot be reconciled with modern academic prejudices towards a genetic causation for human violence, it rarely gets mentioned.





Backing up a bit, the massacre site at Jebel Sahaba in the Upper Nile region of Southern Sudan, is close to this new one at Nataruk, which I note in Saharasia has an oldest date estimate at around 14,000 BP (Before the Present -- subtract 2000 years to correct to BC). The Nature article referenced above puts Jebel Sahaba at an even older date, farther back into a very early epoch of hyperaridity, than those at Nataruk (c.10,000 BP). Dating methods for archaeological finds in the hard-pan desert regions are largely approximations, given how blowing winds or rare torrential rains tend to wash away sediments and leave artifacts and skeletons sitting close to the bare surface.





Significantly, however, in both these cases of Nataruk and Jebel Sahaba, those early dates place them towards the end of a very early North African Dry phase, and near the start of the well-documented North African Wet phase. The climate cycled between wet and dry several times over Africa, and Lake Turkana underwent many fluctuation in its depth, as part of the climate-affected Rift Valley and Nile River system. For example:





~20,000 BP to ~10,000 BP ==>> hyperarid conditions across North and East Africa, dry hardpan, rocky and sand dunes deserts, punctuated by rare oases or exotic rivers flowing in from the moister tropics or mountain ranges only.





~10,000 BP to ~6,000 BP ==>> North African Wet Phase, abundant rains, streams, rivers, giant lakes, with bones of big browsers such as elephant, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, fish, and some human settlement remains.





~6000BP (or 4000 BCE) to Present ==>> Dry North Africa, hyperarid, similar to the same condition of pre-10,000 BP. Hardpan, rocky desert & sand dunes predominates.





On pages 221-222 of my Saharasia, there are several graphics detailing the periodicity of the North African Wet Phase (c.10,000-6000 BP) and an even drier period before then, lasting from around 20,000 BP through c.10,000 BP. Both Nataruk and Jebel Sahaba, and the outliers mentioned in the video accompanying the above weblink, fall within a period of change from severe aridity to wet conditions. Whatever was the condition of the human character structure in the centuries or millennia prior to either Nataruk or Jebel Sahaba, it would have gone through a similar desert-famine-migration-starvation-violence transformation, though not at the same levels of human population as existed in the period after c.6000 BP (or 4000 BCE), where extensive and explosive evidence for human violence is found across North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia (Saharasia) and spreading out into the borderlands.





Confirmation on that much earlier arid phase, with more discussion on Jebel Sahaba can be found on pages 433-434 of the 2nd edition of my Saharasia book, in the Appendix article "Update on Saharasia". I reproduce two climate maps from J. Adams at Oak Ridge Nat. Lab, showing African conditions during the earliest dry phase of c.21,000 - 8,000 BC (or 23-10,000 BP), followed by the North African Wet Phase of c.8000-4000 BC (10-6000 BP). The current dry period came after c.6000 BP or 4000 BC and is of course associated with the appearance of developing city-states, and very widespread social violence that developed in the wake of that serious and devastating, and basically permanent (over millennia) climate change.





It is logical to assume the same desert-famine-migration-starvation-violence mechanism was at work in those areas of very early dry conditions, to create a similar violence, though of more greatly limited geographical extent, as what happened after the c.6000 BP drying event.





James DeMeo, PhD





Author of Saharasia: The 4000 BCE Origins of Child Abuse, Sex-Repression, Warfare and Social Violence, In the Deserts of the Old World

http://www.amazon.com/Saharasia-Origins-Sex-Repression-Warfare-Viole nce/dp/0980231647









UPDATE:

I just came across another author who has criticized the Nature article, arguing as I do that it does not affirm any genetic basis to human social violence and war. See:





10,000-Year-Old Massacre Does Not Bolster Claim That War Is Innate, by John Horgan

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/10-000-year-old-mass acre-does-not-bolster-claim-that-war-is-innate/


Amy Jo Zook

3520 State Route 56

Mechanicsburg, OH 43044

- Amy Jo Zook





Previous Ohio Poets of the Year

1976

1977 1978

1979 1980

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992



1993 1994 Hallie Cramer Muriel de Chambrun Virginia Moran Evans Cecil Hale Hartzell Celia Dimmette Novella Humphrey Davis Daisy Lee Donaldson Mary Oliver James Magner, Jr. James C. Kilgore no award given Charlotte Mann Richard Hague Michael J. Rosen J. A. Totts Timothy Russell Amy Jo Schoonover Robert Wallace Bonnie Jacobson David Baker Debra Allbery Grace Butcher Frankie Paino David Citino Tom Andrews Michael J. Bugeja A Sprig of Bittersweet Sudden Soring To Seek the Sun Song on the Anvil Ocean Carry Us Far There Was This Place Surface Fragments Twelve Moons Till No Light Leaps African Violet --- Grape Pitcher Ripening A Drink at the Mirage Outside the Dream The Possibility of Turning to Salt New & Used Poems The Common Summer Stopping for Time Sweet Home, Saturday Night Walking Distance Child, House, World The Rapture of Matter The Discipline The Hemophiliac's Motorcycle After Oz 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

2006 2007 2008 2009

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

2015

2016

2017

2018 Alberta Turner Lou Suarez William Matthews James Cummins Susan Grimm Miriam Vermilya Myrna Stone Pauletta Hansel Deanna Packard Elton Glaser Cathryn Essinger Herbert W. Martin David Hassler Martha Collins William Heyen Stephen Haven Terry Hermsen Will Wells George Looney Linda Ann Schofield Lianne Spidel Dzvinia Orlowsky David Lee Garrison Jeff Gundy

Maggie Smith

Kathy Fagan

Susan Glassmeyer Beginning With And Losses of Moment Time & Money Portrait in a Spoon Almost Home Heartwood The Art of Loss Divining ln Dreams We Kiss Ourselves Goodbye Pelican Talks My Dog Does Not Read Plato Escape to the Promised Land Red Kimono, Yellow Barn Blue Front The Confessions of Doc Williams Dust and Bread The River's Daughter Unsettled Accounts Open Between Us Psalms of the Hood What to Tell Joseme Silvertone Playing Bach in the D.C. Metro Somewhere Near Defiance

The Well Speaks of Its Own Poison

Sycamore

Invisible Fish









NOTE: This article was edited on March 19, 2019 to include the winners for 2016-2018.

Nominations Now Being AcceptedSince 1976, the Ohio Poetry Day Association (founded in 1937 by authorization of the Ohio Legislature) has been naming annually an Ohio Poet of the Year, basing its choice on a book published in the previous one to two years. The award is based on the one book and not on an aggregation of work published over some time.During the first several years, selection was made by the Poetry Day Board, acting as a committee of the whole. In the past 20 or so years, there has been a coordinator and a group of (lately) four judges, different each year, who are chosen to represent academic and non-academic outlooks, and to include generally an equal number of male and female judges, one of whom is a former Poet of the Year.One variation is that in the 50th and 75th years of Poetry Day (the competition had not existed at the 25th year), instead of honoring an already-published book, the OPD Association has offered a contest for a chapbook manuscript and has published the winner, thus giving the award to a brand new book rather than one already extant.Several rules govern for the poet and the book to qualify. First is that poets may not self-nominate, but their books can be offered by others: a publisher or editor, a college faculty or member thereof, a writers' or poets' organization, any other person of poetic standing in the state, or from the lists of books newly published that are put out by the Ohioana Library several times a year. The poet must be a native or a resident of Ohio, or if neither, must have lived in Ohio long enough to have formed serious ties to the state. (A list of former winners of Poet of the Year follows.)The book nominated must be longer than a chapbook (i.e., more than 48 pages) and not a "collected" or "complete" worksthe former because it gives too few poems to consider, and the latter because it is generally uneven in quality. The book may be from a commercial or university press or self-published, but it may not come from a vanity press. Books nominated will be screened for quality and to ensure that there are not too many of them for judges to consider. For example, one year there were eight nominations, and the judges complained at so many. Generally, the list is three to five books.Previous awards or honors to the book are allowed. Poets who have previously been nominated may be so again, for a different book, but no one will be chosen a second time as Poet of the Year. Only one book is required to accompany the nomination, for all the books will be sent to the judges in a round-robin fashion and eventually returned to the coordinator when all votes have been submitted.The person chosen as poet of the year will be notified in the late summer and invited to be the luncheon speaker at Ohio Poetry Day weekend in October. The award consists of $200 and a commemorative plaque, with one poem for the chosen book also being published in the year's BEST OF collection of general contest winners.Ohio poets are writing and publishing great collections of poems. I encourage readers to submit their nominations soon.
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Applications are invited to qualified Malaysian citizens to fill the following position: -1. Pembantu Pegawai Teknik, Business TV & Special EventJob RequirementPurpose :--To assist in managing project development for all MYTV project.-Education:- Diploma in Engineering (Electrical or Communication) or equivalent-Special/Professional Certificate :- Diploma / able to speak & write in EnglishYears of Experience :--1-2 years working experience in technical & mgmt.-Fresh graduate are encourage to apply. Preferably male.Fields of Experience :--Must have good communication skill-Work well with supervisor, peers and external customer requestPersonality Traits :--Self driven-Determine-Able to work under pressure to meet customer request
lol that's a blunt

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and crazy that some parents would prefer that...

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He's 15. He shouldn't be smoking weed (or anything else) or drinking.

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lmao he's a teenager though.. i mean i'm not saying teenagers should be drug addicts at 15 but i don't see the big deal in a 15 year old sparking a doobie once in a while or having a drink. they're supposed to be 16 in clueless and they're rich kids who drink and smoke at parties. why would rocco be any different tbh



Edited at 2016-02-08 02:32 am (UTC)

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I feel like 15 is pretty average for experimenting with drugs and alcohol. I was 14 the first time I drank hard liquor, and 16 the first time I smoked pot. That was the average age for everyone I grew up around.

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I'm a huge pothead ngl, but kids should not be doing drugs or anything to fuck up their development when they're this young. Also from that quote from his father, I'm assuming he's used to doing whatever he wants and does a lot more shit than just smoking blunts.

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Is that quote for real? SMH.

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thats how all rich artiste~ people feel tbh

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Yep



That's the reason he wants to be with his dad instead of Madonna



Because Madonna is very strict and makes him go to school while his dad lets him do whatever he wants

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mess.. madonna needs to show that to her lawyers

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right? it's not fair to make her be the Bad Guy all the time, though the situation must suck for everyone.

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He's the Bob Geldof style parent - once the kids' bills are paid, responsibility's over.

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That's what everyone has been talking about. Guy just let him do whatever he wants, and Madonna is a strict parent and that's why he don't want to go back to NYC, because she makes him to actually do his homework and study.

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Totally.

Madonna is designated primary residential parent after their divorce, and Guy should've let him go. He's just being a dick he's always been.

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Yeah, I mean what 15-year-old boy wouldn't rather live with a father who lets him skip school, smoke and drink instead of a mother who is known to be pretty strict about all those things? Madonna may be a narcissist, but she does seem to be the better parent here.

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I'm so mad they didn't show any clips of her in that halftime show retrospective.

Also oh @ Guy's comment. Father of the year, clearly.

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mte

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I mean they played her song in the Pepsi commercial when they were going thru the decades right before the performance I think that was enough

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I guess

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so is this a weed post now



My tolerance is crazy high. I didn't even realize how much I've been smoking today, sort of out of sadness sort of out of boredom. I need something to do on the weekends. :/

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i had to give it up a year ago bc i would have panic attacks at the tiniest puff



it sucked lol I gave the rest of my 1/2oz to my friend as a gift and am looking to sell my nice glass bong somewhere :(

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I'm gonna attempt to give it up, but it's been hard with V-Day coming up and when I get really sad at nighttime (or in this case, all weekend) I like to have a bowl to calm myself down.



Try reddit! r/entwives is a great place with lots of cool women stoners :)

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i feel you so much re: smoking when you're sad or bored, but it's gotten to the point where i feel like smoking has become so counterproductive? i have to give it up for a bit for work, but lately it's just been paranoia and anxiousness--neither of which used to happen.



maybe try a tolerance break until v-day

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ugh i'm about to meet up with this guy who smokes ALOT and I'm afraid of making a fool of myself

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lmao are u me? i keep trying to buy small bags to train myself to keep a bag going as long as possible but i fail every time and keep wasting my money

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I recommend starting a new book

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exercising helps cause then you get a ~natural high and don't need as much weed to feel good

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Do u Smoke regular? Regular i could smoke all day but exotic helps me limit how much i Smoke

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i stop smoking for a month and a half so now that my friend gave me so much weed i'm done with 2 puffs, i don't know what i'll do with all this pot

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i've been wanting to get into smoking for this very reason but have been too lazy to try to find a hookup. probably for the best tbh.

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Fucking same im so bored but dont wanna stop, haha not drinking is gr8!

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I'm probably just weird, but I'm a Coloradan who hates smoking things with THC. I prefer edibles, but even still, THC gives me the worst migraines, so I can't even enjoy it. I'm a huge fan of CBD and CBD oils because they help me with my chronic pain, though. I finally got a company to give me free pure CBD to smoke in my vape pen, but I'd rather take it orally, and I'm all out of CBD drops. I was using Charlotte's Web for a bit, but at $250 a bottle for even being one of their "patients in need", I can't afford that. I'm still seeking a good alternative.

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Take a break for a bit, even a few days will help



I don't know anyone in my state to buy from, so I go out of state to get it when I visit a friend, I see her like once a month. I've managed to make it so a 4th lasts me about 3 weeks, so then I get like 2 weeks off. I like it, tbh.

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I have the tiny suspicion that the OP is a little bit biased. But that never happens here, so I'm probably wrong.

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Imagine growing up with a narcissistic freak like Madonna. You would want to self-medicate too.

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the only thing he's in London now, and living with "narcissistic" doesn't want to make you smoke pot.

Did you enjoy Lady Gaga's dancing to Express yourself at half time show?

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Madonna is a horrible person. I'm sure his childhood was miserable and he has a lot of trauma to deal with.



Lady Gargoyle singing Madead? I thought Gag did the US anthem or whatever ;/

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lol I literally did. At least Madge can afford the therapy bills.

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no wonder a teen would want to stay with that parent



kids/teen need a limit, learn responsibilities. Seems like she's done a pretty good job with her oldest daughter

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Yep



Shes actually being a parent and setting some rules for him since he's only 15 while his dad lets him do whatever and even skip school

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ot? but omg ontd the weirdest thing just happened. I was getting something from the freezer and I found a small plastic jar with what looked like a folded piece of paper in it with some ice. I took it out, opened and it was the name of a women written a bunch of times in my mom's handwriting



I went to Facebook and easily found her. we have my mom as a mutual friend.



I googled it and it seems like a ritual-thing to keep someone away from you (or from someone you know) wtf mom

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it's some voodoo thing

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dafuq

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your moms in love

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Omg i laughed sorry bb

This reminds me in my old neighborhood someone hung a voodoo doll on a tree and it got a lot of ppl riled up

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Yes it is lol my mom does it alot lmaoo

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Is this a common thing..? Ik a lot of ppl use sage but ive never heard of this 

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Lol does it work? because if my mom dislikes someone to the point of doing such a thing I sure as hell hope it's working for her hahah

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Isn't that a spell thing?

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lmaoo

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I just googled it too and

You could add items such as dead bugs, or even urine to dominate the situation.



well

You do you, mom!

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It's a binding ritual to keep someone the fuck away from you. The ice is to "freeze" the negativity that the person has for you.

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Maybe she can start by unfriending her on Facebook.

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I'm with Guy on that quote tbh. Or at least I too am anti-school when it comes to those that really don't give a shit about the kids and make it more of a memory game and force them to learn things that really aren't important to the world they're supposed to be going out into. And don't get me started on the teachers who have no business being around children in any sense or dress codes or how some schools operate more as prisons than learning establishments.

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Yeah ia that the school system is beyond fucked in most of the country.

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I just started a new job that involves visits to middle schools (7-8th grade / 12-13 year olds) and observing teachers. Some teachers clearly want the kids to learn, not just memorize; one teacher in particular really emphasized the importance of studying and reading to her kids. But then there were others who just did not seem to give much of a shit of what the kids will learn as long as they aren't being annoying or breaking the rules. When I had a break, I went to the lunchroom and there was a Latina teacher saying the n-word over and over again to a co-teacher when talking about students. :/



But at the end of the day, an education is better than no education. Although it shouldn't just be the responsibility of the schools to teach kids, it should also be on the parents (and when the kids get older on them too).

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That makes me so mad. Like any profession, there are many teachers that get into education for the wrong reasons. Its just exacerbated because of the profound importance of education. Did you report that teacher?

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I'm probably biased because my mom is a teacher but whenever I speak to people about the education system, it seems as though they are not well versed in its policies. I can only speak for the American school system--which is a hot mess--but I've found that most parents do not know how to advocate for their children. It's really sad but sometimes parents need to be pests in order to get things done wrt their child's education.



Guy--and other rich people--being "anti-school" is total fucking bullshit. He has the money and resources to provide exceptional education for his children. I wouldn't be surprised if he just doesn't see the value in education.

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I observed and taught high school World History for a year to get a teaching certification and seeing how the system operates in real time and having to work in it fucked. me. up.



Like, it was sad to see so many teachers in my department do THE ABSOLUTE LEAST and get away with it (which they were somewhat proud of considering their behavior/comments during departmental meetings) while you have teachers on the other end of the spectrum that work from sun up to sun down to make sure ALL (or at least a majority) of their kids get a fair chance to learn a subject.

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My boyfriend comes from a family that's OBSESSED with academic achievement and it fucked him up so badly. He did well, got into Ivy League schools, graduated cum laude etc but it broke him in the process. He never had the freedom to just be a kid and explore his interests and he's still dealing with his lack of identity and purpose now that school is over. Meanwhile my mom was a Guy Ritchie type and let me run free and I still did well in school and have a much stronger sense of independence and self. So I'm definitely with Guy Ritchie on this one

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Same. The traditional school system was put in place in the 1800s around the needs of parents who had to go to work and has never been changed. It needs change, desperately. Kids don't need to start school until 6-7 and as the best education system in the world (Finland) has proved, homework is completely unnecessary.



Kids aged 4 are coming home with an hour of work a night. Like, really? They're 4 years old! They should be worrying about what to make out of legos, not homework.

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IA. I went to school in germany and here the school system is a mess too. I had so many teachers who just did not give a shit and made us do all the work in learning the stuff they were supposed to teach us.

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oh no! a teenager smokes a joint!

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Obviously she cares since she's the one trying to get him back to New York so he can return to school

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She was super against Lourdes smoking but Lourdes dgaf

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lol @ that quote oh my



Not that the educational system isn't fucked up and totally in need of reform, but...

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It may be. But Guy Ritchie is from money so I doubt he'd know 'bad' education if it bit him on his privileged arse.

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shame on aero mexico. revolting.

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come the fuck on aeromexico.

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fucked up :/

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SMDH

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Yesterday some idiot took a picture of a Muslim guy in the metro here and uploaded to a local facebook account that shares "funny" pictures and the comments were the typical racist, ignorant shit which is so fucking sad and ironic because we're mocked by other racist and ignorant people for being a 3rd world country...

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How would you know he's Muslim? They don't wear identifying symbols or something (yet).

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i thought about it but it was too late and didn't want to edit

yer right, harry http://bit.ly/1nYwonq i thought about it but it was too late and didn't want to edit

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MTE we don't help ourselves at all

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ugh :(

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Your religious beliefs don't really matter all that much, buddy.



If we don't want to make special allowances for other religions, in a number of varying cases in which policy imposes on their religious beliefs, then we can't for this either.

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ikr? and it's not even like he HAD to be so cooperative (I wouldn't have tbh)

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they probably didn't read the source and assumed that he refused to take it off altogether. not that that would make the situation any less disturbing. the fact that he was flagged solely on the basis of his appearance, frightens me.

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you're a disgusting asshole

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Do you even know what you're talking about? He offered to take the turban off in a private screening room, which was a reasonable request.

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Not today satan.

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rot in hell.

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stfu please

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but honestly do you come into posts to sound edgy and piss people off? because you're not edgy. you're disgusting and uneducated and a horrible person.



Edited at 2016-02-08 07:34 pm (UTC)

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shocked that you have a shitty opinion

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your life must be so sad and empty, i pity you

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why are you even here? do you get off on being told off?

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Did youdid you even read the article and that Waris even tried to accommodate?



This is what happens when you put a thirst for inbox notifications before reading comprehension.

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is your inbox nice and full? are you happy now?

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Excuse me? Ask a Sikh myself, go fuck yourself and get off of ONTD.

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no one ever asks orthodox women to remove their wigs, though. so why should he have to remove his turban?

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It's INSANE and makes no sense. If all Muslims were terrorists we'd be fucked lol. It's a major religion like come on.

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And assumed Muslim people, since this man is not Muslim.

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The fact that most people don't seem to understand or even care about the difference makes me so angry

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As a Sikh, fuck this shit. He offered to take off the turban in a private room, but the airline refused to cooperate. Bunch of dipshits. Hope they publicly apologize.

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disgusting but not even surprising :(

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This is so disappointing but unsurprising. People are so ignorant and disrespectful of other people's religions. It's appalling.

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A friend of mine is South Indian, but people think he's Middle Eastern (idk cause he has light skin?) all the time and he constantly gets stopped at airports around the world. About a year ago he was flying from Florida to New York, and he was stopped by TSA because apparently his backpack had "explosive material" on it and they kept him for a couple hours for them to find nothing.

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I knew some bitch who bragged about reporting what sounded like a Sikh just for being 'suspicious' ie making her white self nervous for existing in an airspace while brown. They then searched and gave them a hard time, just off of the word of some random ass lady, it's gross.

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Edited at 2016-02-08 07:35 pm (UTC) How I imagine that person:

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Why would she brag about reporting it if she was wrong?

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Apparently that "explosive material" stuff happens quite often. One of my coworkers (white girl) was detained because apparently some fancy hand cream she used had an ingredient that pinged it. So stupid.

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my sister has two coworkers, one Indian and one Azerbaijani, and they have some stories to tell. one of them was detained in NY and they took her purse, wallet, and passport, it wasn't until she used her law degree that they let her go.

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Lol such BS. I was in NYC with a white friend and we went to the Empire State Building. During the security screening a knife showed up in her backpack but when we searched the backpack they couldn't find it. They ran the backpack several times and it kept appearing, but they just let her blonde ass through. Turns out the knife was in an awkwardly hidden pocket she forgot about.



I can't help but to think what would've happened if it was my ethnic ass or any other POC.



Edited at 2016-02-08 07:46 pm (UTC)

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if you think that white americans know the difference between ANY shade of brown person, you are mistaken.

your friend doesn't get stopped because he's light, he gets stopped because he ain't white.

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I'm Latina but to gringos I apparently look Middle Eastern and I remember having to empty my makeup bag in the Denver airport. I didn't have any of my liquid things in it, just lipgloss, my brushes, blush and a mascara. The TSA employees keep opening, everything up, rummaging, trying to find something. It was so infuriating. I can't imagine having to go through that everytime I travel. That's awful for your friend and the many that go through this daily.

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my dad gets stopped all the time and he's anglo indian

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I'm a recipe for disaster because I'm really stubborn about those big body scanners. All the initial reports where they kept changing the data about the amount of radiation, the story where they caught a TSA agent masturbating to the images, etc. really turned me off of them. There's also the whole degradation of privacy rights as a result of those scanners... But yeah, I'm South Indian AND I ask for a pat down when I travel. I'm like an over-eager TSA agent's wet dream.

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I can't even imagine the additional stress brown poc have to deal with while traveling, it's one of the few times being black is an advantage.

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I travel pretty frequently internationally, and if it's between a brown person and a black person they go for the brown peeps every time. I've never been selected in all my travels, and I'm coming from an island with dreadlocks. They're usually amazingly nice to me, maybe I'm just lucky

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not if you're black and muslim

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not an advantage for me. i've gotten searched idk how many times including my hair..also for bombs. so yeah.

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yeah, but then if you're natural they alwaaaays wanna touch your hair. I say fine but only if they change gloves. Idk how they think I could hold a weapon or anything threatening in a bun and especially after just going through a metal detector...

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for me and my female cousins, we never get much of a hassle, but with maybe one or two exceptions among them, my dad, brothers, male cousins and uncles are all over 6'2 so they always get some kind of higher security mess pulled on them. like, my male cousins are college basketball coaches, navy doctors in training, own their own businesses, live in some of the wealthiest areas in maryland, but no matter how high a black man gets, those in charge will always see him as a lowlife thug. it's infuriating.

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nah, my black ass constantly gets screened, especially when i wear my natural hair out...then they feel up my hair as well. it's gross af.

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It's an advantage, but not by much. It may not happen AS often to you, but when I used to travel frequently, I'd definitely see more black people "randomly selected" for screening than whites. I used to think it didn't happen as much to East Asians, but then when I went on my senior class trip, all the East Asian kids were "randomly selected" for additional screening (my white teachers were PISSED; they tried to play it off like it wasn't a big deal but you could tell they even noticed it). As a brown POC, we're just on two sides of the same racism coin; no one's a real winner here except the white folk.



Which is seriously weird to me, because the biggest gun/weapon lovers in this country are white Americans. They're the ones more likely to forget they have a concealed carry in their purses.

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I was SSSS'd before and I'm still clueless as to why.

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I always get picked for it. :/

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my sister gets flagged often, we think because she travels so often, particularly to Jamaica, and they suspect she's a drug mule.

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I'm a white male so despite flying 20+ times in the last year alone, it's never happened in my life.

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They've even let me on planes with large pocket knives in my carry on that I forget to take out before I fly

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Yep. I'm white and fly constantly all over the place and have never once been stopped even for a moment

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It really depends. I'm brown and no one in my family has ever been searched or anything. It happens but I really don't think it's like a huge epidemic people make it out to be. Thought it's obviously going to be more common if you wear something identifiable cause airport security people are dumb and lazy as hell and are gonna go the easy route.



Edited at 2016-02-08 08:01 pm (UTC)

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Yeah I'm a white female and I've never been flagged. I've traveled to Turkey in the last year, which actually should make me suspicious, but in the dozen times I've flied since then they've never cared about me one bit.

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I've gotten it often (lebanese girl), but since I started printing my boarding passes at home, I haven't come across it. I'm not sure if it made a difference lol.

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I get flagged all the time thanks to my insulin. It's annoying as hell. I wanted to kill someone, killing myself by not having medicine would be a shitty way to do it. I even get doctor notes to take with me.

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I'm Iranian and I've never been picked for it. I've never been flagged, stopped randomly, anything really, at any airport I've been to. And I've been to many. But I'm curious as to what'll happen now that the US has brought up the Visa requirement for Iranians.

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i'm a white, blonde female and get stopped once in awhile, especially to/from mexico. flying back to san diego from minneapolis, i was additionally screen for having salt/pepper shakers in my bag and they had to drug test them. i was stopped in london and germany for addt'l screening.

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My mom and I get flagged a lot. We think it's because we usually fly one-way trips with no return trip booked and don't check baggage a lot.



Edited at 2016-02-09 04:32 am (UTC)

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the only time i've ever been stopped was when i was wearing a really tight dress

like yeah... definitely hiding something under there

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In the oil patch today, it is indeed the survival of the fittest. So when one of the largest producers in Iraqi Kurdistan, Genel Energy Plc, comes out swinging with production costs as low as $1 per barrel, it inspires a new confidence that may or may not be sustainable given the regional security threats and the difficulties producers are having getting paid for their oil.

Still, its an impressive number that renders Kurdistan one of the cheapest oil venues on the planet.

Fall in Genel vs Crude Oil

(Click to enlarge)

With such low production costs, one would assume that the price of Genel would outperform oil; however, the reverse is the reality: Genel is underperforming oil by a large margin.

Though Genel is in a strong position to survive this downturn considering its low cost of production, the uncertainty of payments due by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are cause for concern. The KRG has approximately $1.7 billion of payments due to three companies: Genel, DNO and Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd, as reported by Bloomberg. Related: Gazprom Braces For Gas Price War With U.S. LNG

In addition to the outstanding KRG invoices, the recent gas pipeline explosion near the subdistrict of Shwan, which disrupted the main power station that supplies almost half of Kurdistans electricity, raises serious security concerns for the region.

Unlike the rest of Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan has been a comparative safe havenand a great place to do business, even if its unilateral oil agreements with foreign companies sparked the ire of the Iraqi central government in Baghdad. But as the conflict in Syria has spread to parts of Northern Iraq that border Iraqi Kurdistan, there are some indications that the KRGs security could be breached.

And the liquidity issues faced by the KRG, which have led to delayed payments to companies, may dampen investor enthusiasm.

These concerns are directly responsible for lowering the stock price of any company that holds a major stake in Kurdistan. However, Bloomberg reports that 70% of the analysts are positive on Genel, which means that despite todays legitimate concerns, analysts are hopeful of a solution to the issues plaguing Kurdistan.

With any small rise in crude oil prices, companies like Genel will see a quantum jump in their profits, and companies that can produce oil at $1 per barrel will continue to attract investments in the region. Related: Oil Majors Converging Here Could Mean A New Hotspot

Everything now depends on how investors view the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan. They took their first leap of faith by betting that Baghdad would not be successful in stopping the KRGs move to export their own oil, independent from the central government. They won this bet, despite threats to ban companies operating in Kurdistan from getting in on the rest of Iraqs oil play, and some half-hearted attempts to tie up exports in legal battles and sue the traders.

But then the Islamic State stormed onto the scene, and while the Kurdish Peshmerga are Baghdads saving grace in terms of keeping the terrorist group from taking over the oil-rich Kirkuk areawhich lies in between Baghdad and the territory controlled by the KRGthere are concerns that the KRG might not be able to hold them back forever, constrained by funding and experiencing some internal tensions that could be destabilizing.

The gas pipeline explosion certainly doesnt help, but investors respond more to the payments situation that they do to vague security concerns.

On 1 February, Genel and DNO saw their share prices jump after the KRG confirmed it would make its payments for crude exports a regular thing this year, and that it would start paying off its $1 billion in debt to these companies.

Genelled by former BP chief Tony Haywardhas been the darling producer here, and while its been averaging about $2 per barrel for production costs, it recently lowered this in some areas to $1 per barrel. And its been producing almost 85,000 barrels per day since the beginning of last year. But its also racked up sizeable debtalmost $240 millionpartly due to the KRGs inability to pay them. Related: Non OPEC Oil Production To Collapse In 2016

At stake are some 12 billion barrels of oil with an upside potential of 60 billion barrels, and estimated reserves of some 45 billion barrels, along with 22 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. This makes Iraqi Kurdistan the eighth largest oil and gas venue in terms of reserves. And authorities expect that they will export 1.65 million barrels of oil and 10 billion cubic feet of natural gas this year.

So, Genel is producing at rock-bottom prices here, the Kurds are promising to pay up and investors are still interested in getting in on this game. This is enough for KRG leader Massud Barzani to declare that the time has come for a referendum on statehood. This, along with the continued threat of ISIS, will be the next challenge to test investor confidence in this cheaper-than-cheap venue.

But either way you look at it, $1 per barrel production costs are extremely tantalizing, and investors have braved far worse venues for far higher costs.

By Rakesh Upadhyay of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
compfight.com

Soon there may be a deep budget cut for Behavioral Health Services, an $8 million cut. Governor Martinez wants a 1.2% cut but the Legislature wants to cut 19% of the Behavioral Health Services budget. You read that right: 19%. Martinez has previously stated that she wants more money going towards Behavioral Health Services, though she could have been referencing that in regards to childrens services.

What about in 2013 when Martinez office accused 15 behavioral health providers of fraud? Because of these investigations, some of these providers had to close. Around that time in 2013, 85% of Medicaid customers in the state went to these providers. And guess what? 13 out of 15 were cleared of any wrong-doing today.

The Legislature wants to shift most of the costs over to Medicaid, but its been noted that that definitely wont cover training police/response teams that deal mainly with people behavioral health issues and substance abuse issues. This will also affect 25 programs and over 20,000 people in the state. This would especially affect Rio Arriba County which has been getting $500,000/year for the last 5 years. Rio Arriba has one of the highest heroin overdose rates in the US; 10 times more than the national average.

How can New Mexicans dealing with behavioral health issues, particularly with substance abuse issues, get help without the necessary resources? When essential health programs are cut back or taken away, the problem doesn't go away, it gets worse. If youre disturbed by this issue like I am, heres a resource for you so you can email your legislators, senators, representatives, governor and other local officials.

Lets do better, New Mexico.


2015 actually wasnt all that bad for Gazprom. The giant state gas company posted strong European delivery figures and it saw sizeable growth in both net sales and profit.

Of course, for Gazprom, bad  as a subjective and cursory metric of appraisal  has an entirely different meaning than it did, say a decade ago, when the companys market valuation was more than $320 billion higher than it is today. Between the lines, Gazproms reliance on Europe has probably never been greater and the broader state of Russias economy looms large. To be sure, Gazprom has market-moving capabilities, but its largely reactive strategy leaves little room for error in an increasingly competitive 2016.

Taking a closer look at 2015, net sales to the Western European market (including Turkey) were up 17 percent through September 30 compared to the same period the year prior, driven by cheaper prices and ruble depreciation  revenue is down significantly in dollars. That offset declines of 4 percent and 2 percent in the former Soviet Union (FSU) and domestic markets respectively. Related: Despite Bold Predictions, T. Boone Pickens Sells All Oil Holdings

Measured by volume however, deliveries fell a combined 9 percent to Russia and FSU countries in the same period, and dropped nearly 5 percent overall, despite increased volumes to Western Europe. Westward growth remained strong in Q4, and by years end 2015 deliveries to the European Union and Turkey reached 159.4 billion cubic meters (bcm), up almost 9 percent from 2014.

One month into 2016 the trends are largely unchanged. Demand for Russian gas is growing in its most key market. Gas exports to non-CIS Europe increased by 36 percent in January year-on-year to over 8 bcm. Growth was particularly pronounced in Britain, Germany, and Poland, pushing Nord Stream utilization to greater than 70 percent. Notably, exports to the Turkish market rose 3.4 percent.

Glancing east briefly, market penetration remains a few years away. Gazprom has earmarked roughly $1.2 billion for construction of the Power of Siberia pipeline in 2016  and is willing to proceed further without Chinese backing  but commodity prices remain well below Russias believed breakeven price for gas exports to China. Barring a quick market turnaround, Russian deliveries to the patient Chinese market are unlikely before 2021 at the earliest. Related: Obama Proposes $10 Tax On Each Barrel Of Oil

Looking ahead  and as the pivot returns west  Gazprom and Russia face a number of internal and external pressures. With its wait-and-see approach played out, and seemingly more self-aware than it has ever been, Gazprom may look to take a more proactive, albeit cautious, slant in 2016.

That starts with defending its European market share, which the company plans to keep at around 30 percent for the next two decades. Gazprom aims to ship a record 162.6 bcm to the EU and Turkey by the end of 2016, followed by a jump to 166.1 bcm in 2017 and 166.3 bcm in 2018. Toward that end, the company plans to boost production to approximately 480 bcm for the year, some 60 bcm greater than 2015s historical low.

While Gazprom would like to avoid significant price competition, the company will not likely hesitate to undercut upstart U.S., and/or Australian LNG should it infringe upon its market pretensions. In fact, that strategy may be its only way to realize profits in the medium-term.

Gazprom estimates European prices for its fuel will fall to about $200 per thousand cubic meters ($5.45/mmbtu) in 2016, down more than 40 percent since 2014. Related: U.S. Rig Count In Free Fall: Plunges By 48 In One Week

However, it may need to go lower; the short-run marginal cost of U.S. LNG is still very much competitive at that price. Just how low is something that Gazprom would rather not find out, though, it has the low-cost supply to push prices into the $4-5/mmbtu range, at least briefly. In any case, its worth it. Defending the price, and not the market share, could cost Gazprom some $25 billion in revenue over the next five years.

Internally, Gazprom faces pressure to maximize revenues for a struggling Russian government. For the first time since the latest financial crisis began in late 2014, a majority of Russian citizens have a negative view of their countrys economy, and most think it will only worsen. In response to middling domestic figures, Gazprom and its subsidiary Gazprom Neft are exploring ways to market Gazprom Nefts increasing supply of gas at free market rates, something Gazprom itself is precluded from.

Gazprom has struggled to save face following its high-profile political moves in 2006 and 2009, but it has done reasonably well (read: only marginally better) to avoid mixing business and politics since. The degree to which those two forces mix in 2016  and they will mix  is a crucial variable as Gazprom toes the line between subjection and self-determination.

By Colin Chilcoat of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The prospects for an emergency OPEC meeting to initiate coordinated production cuts took a hit this weekend. Venezuelas oil minister Eulogio del Pino flew to Riyadh to meet with Saudi officials, which followed a recent trip to Moscow to gin up support from Russia for their cooperation. Venezuela has sent a formal request to OPEC for an emergency meeting, and del Pino has been conducting some shuttle diplomacy to build support to stabilize oil prices.

However, after meeting with Saudi Arabias oil minister Ali al-Naimi, a very powerful voice in forming OPEC strategy, the meeting adjourned with no agreement. Although al-Naimi said that the meeting was successful and had a positive atmosphere, the comments were noticeably lacking any mention of an agreed upon strategy or even a confirmation that an emergency meeting would take place. Nothing really happened at the meeting, an OPEC official told The Wall Street Journal. Related: Despite Huge Losses Oil Companies Reluctant To Shut In Production

That will likely deflate some of the hopes that OPEC would cut production, a possibility that was largely responsible for a brief but sudden rally in oil prices at the end of January. Speculation grew as several major oil producers, including Russia, Iraq, and Iran, gave varying degrees of support for an emergency meeting, all with the caveat that other top oil producers would have to go along for them to do so.

Along with a tepid jobs report in the U.S. on February 5 and persistent oversupply in the oil markets, the relatively uneventful meeting in Riyadh will drag down oil prices to start the week. On Monday morning, WTI was off by 2.5 percent to $30 per barrel, and Brent dropped to $33.50 per barrel, or a 1.6 percent decline.

By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Chesapeake Energy, the second largest natural gas producer in the United States, came under severe pressure on Monday after rumors surfaced that the company was near bankruptcy.

Over the weekend, the publication Debtwire reported that Chesapeake sought the help of Kirkland & Ellis to help it with its debt, fueling speculation that Chapter 11 bankruptcy was not far away. When the markets opened on Monday, Chesapeake paid the price. Its share price tumbled by more than 50 percent. Trading was briefly halted, but by midday, the companys stock was down 33 percent.

Chesapeake dismissed the concerns, saying that it "currently has no plans to pursue bankruptcy and is aggressively seeking to maximize value for all shareholders." Chesapeake has $10 billion in debt and only $1.8 billion in cash on hand. The companys stock is down by more than 93 percent over the past 12 months.

By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Muhammad bin Salman, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabias (KSA) Deputy Crown Prince, has publicly stated his personal support for selling shares to the public in Saudi Aramco.

Saudi Aramco Not Likely To Include Petroleum Reserves In An IPO

Khalid al-Falih, the Saudi Aramco Chairman, stated at the Davos conference last month that any offering would not include the companys oil reserves. Not including any reserve information in a public offering means that the number shown in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) data will continue as the KSAs official public estimate of its oil reserves.

Any Saudi Aramco public listing appears likely to include downstream and some exploration and production assets in the company.



Related: Global Oil Production On Pause, But Decline Seems Imminent

How Much Oil Does Saudi Arabia Own?

The official OPEC report states that at year end 2014 the KSA had proven crude oil reserves of 266.58 billion barrels. The Society of Petroleum Engineers defines reserves as the quantities that remain to be commercially produced as of a given date, under stated economic and operating conditions.

No Twilight In KSA Desert Anytime Soon

Matthew Simmons generated significant controversy with the publication of Twilight in the Desert in 2006. The book prompted significant global debate around the concept of Peak Oil  a debate which has largely been settled with the unconventional tight oil revolution that demonstrates the paradigm changing opportunity that best in class technology and practices has brought to the exploration and production of oil and gas.



Related: The $2 Trillion Gift From Oil Companies To Consumers

How Much Oil Can Saudi Arabia Export?

While estimates of ultimate petroleum recovery affect geopolitical and financial analysis of individual oil producing countries, the ability to export oil is a more significant driver of prompt global price. The KSA continues to internally consume a large percentage of its crude oil production. Some analysts believe that austerity measures in the KSA and slower economic growth generally in oil exporting countries will slow internal consumption, thus yielding a relatively higher percentage of future produced crude available for export than forecast in earlier years.

The KSA has aggressively invested in downstream assets in North America to ensure long-term access for its crude oil exports. The KSA plans additional investment in downstream China assets as it fights for market share with Russia and other exporters.



Related: Russia So Desperate It Could Sell Off State-Owned Oil Assets

What Is The Future Of Saudi Arabia?

The KSA is currently undergoing more socioeconomic and economic change than any time in recent history. The substantial ongoing war and political violence throughout the Middle East has introduced a level of uncertainty to geopolitical assumptions regarding the future of the KSA.

While taking shares in Saudi Aramco public will reveal greater economic transparency regarding assets tied to the share offering, not including any oil reserves means that reserve analysis will continue to look to self-reported data from OPEC and the KSA itself to estimate total global hydrocarbon reserves and estimate ultimate recovery.

By Tom Morgan via DrillingInfo

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:




Hillary Clinton: 'What Happened in Flint Is Immoral'





Thank goodness Hillary Clinton (and Senator Bernie Sanders) is keeping the focus on the plight of Flint citizens who are feeling powerless to get results from the Republican Governor Rick Snyder. Mrs. Clinton is also visiting Flint, to continue the pressure on Governor Rick Snyder.





Clinton started her remarks during her Flint visit the way she often does in a house of worship, with a psalm: "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it," she said, quoting Psalm 118:24.





Mrs. Hillary Clinton speaks in Flint Michigan on February 7th, to the people harmed by the lead poisoning in the water supply

Clinton praised Mayor Weaver as "someone who is working every way she knows how to provide the help and support that all the people of Flint deserve to have."



Problems with the Flint Michigan's water was reported almost as soon as the city's municipal manager, appointed by Governor Snyder, supported an initiative to save money by changing the source of the city's water supply. In the past, Flint received it's municipal water from the Detroit resovoir. But, to save money, the municipal manager changed the source to the Flint River. That's when the trouble began over two years ago. Now, irreversible damage has been done to children who have been drinking the lead poisoned water. If lead poisoned water had been caused by a terrorist attack, the Republicans would be demanding for political heads to roll. Unfortunately, because the decision to change the water source was made by the state's Republican administration, the issue isn't considered to be a national crisis, like it would otherwise have been.



Democrats must remind the Michigan people and the American voters about the risks of putting Republicans in charge of government. With Republicans in charge, the cost of government becomes so austere as to put the public health in danger.



MLive.com repots: FLINT, MI  Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton visited Flint on Feb. 7th.



The former senator and Secretary of State visited the city and she used the stop to encourage support for a federal funding proposal to help the city deal with its water crisis, according to a Clinton aide.



News of the trip comes a day after the Democratic National Committee agreed to Clinton and rival Bernie Sanders in Flint for March 6.



"We should use the spotlight of the presidential campaign to keep the focus on Flint, and to lift up the historic underlying issues that Flint and too many other predominately low-income communities of color across America are struggling with every day," Clinton campaign chair John Podesta said.  Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton visited Flint on Feb. 7th.The former senator and Secretary of State visited the city and she used the stop to encourage support for a federal funding proposal to help the city deal with its water crisis, according to a Clinton aide.News of the trip comes a day after the Democratic National Committee agreed to sanction a debate between "We should use the spotlight of the presidential campaign to keep the focus on Flint, and to lift up the historic underlying issues that Flint and too many other predominately low-income communities of color across America are struggling with every day," Clinton campaign chair John Podesta said.



Clinton previously discussed the water issue during a debate in Charleston, S.C., and penned an op-ed for MSNBC. She has also previously sent top aides to the city to meet with Flint's Mayor, Karen Weaver, who was replaced by Governor Snyder, with the municipal manager, that caused the Flint Water Crisis.

Incredulously, the Republicans' presidential candidate's debates have not mentioned the Flint Water Crisis. Shame on them.



FEB 7 2016, 6:44 PM ET

Labels: Governor Rick Snyder, Mayor Karen Weaver
The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the opinions of OnMilwaukee.com, its advertisers or editorial staff.

Over the weekend, word came that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, beginning Feb. 15, will limit comment thread postings to its subscribers only, which means peoples identities will not be secret (at least to JS).

Good. About time. What took them so long?

However, they arent going far enough. People will still be able to hide their real identities from the public at large. This is wrong. So theyre taking a decent step here, but theyre not going far enough. Limiting the comments to subscribers verifies a persons identity; make them use it.

The newspapers comment threads have long been an ugly bog of sexist, racist name calling. Wide open anonymity is a troll breeding ground, one that harms people and the community. The thoughtful comments that exist are drowned out by the cyber hate trolls. Credible news organizations should take ownership of their own platforms; they should take responsibility for whats on them.

(Editor's note: OnMilwaukee staff members personally approve and disapprove all Talkback "comments" on the site. On Facebook, posts cannot be declined, but inappropriate comments can be hidden to general readers.)

Hate trolls usually lack the guts to put their names to their drivel. Credible news organizations should make them put their names to it. Say what you want about me, but I put my name to what I write.

The Internet is a double-edged sword. Every news organization, in my opinion, has an obligation to clear away the abuse. This isnt about censoring vigorous debate; it brings to mind the old definition of obscenity. You know hate when you see it.

Have some standards.

The JS is not unique in this regard. Cyber abuse exists on many forums. Weve all seen that, right? But supposedly credible news organizations should have more standards than Reddit.

Usually, hate trolls have an agenda of some sort (often its political). As for the JS comment threads, I long ago lost track of how many names and sexualized attacks and utterly false statements have been made about me on them too. I know I am not unique.

Crime stories, especially, bring out the worst in people. The Journal Sentinels crime story comment threads are often overtly racist. Were better than this as a community. Major news organizations shouldnt run any comment on their sites that they wouldnt run in a letter to the editor. Would they run overtly racist letters to the editor? Of course not.

On the web, serious news organizations should act as gatekeepers of verified, credible information. The local TV news stations social media pages are just as bad. Ive been routinely shocked by the racist comments that are posted on those threads. Since no news organization has time, likely, to moderate all of this, they should at least regulate it. Do that by making people reveal their names. That will stop the worst of it.

In that way, the JS isnt going far enough. Theyre still going to allow people to use handles; they just have to be subscribers, so the JS will know who they are. Frankly, I think we should all know who they are. I also think all news organizations have a responsibility to find the time to delete the worst stuff.

There is something about the impersonal nature of the Web that makes peoples inner viciousness come out. I just saw the movie "The Revenant," which is basically about everyone trying to kill everyone else (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. bear, man vs. woman and so on). I left the theater and thought, "We still do this. We just use the Internet to kill each other now." Maybe thats the base human instinct. Social control regulates it. Insert some.

I doubt the JS cares about the cyber attacks on me (Ive complained about false, vile, sexualized abuse to them in the past that they simply refused to take down), but Im glad they (belatedly) care about the attacks on everyone else. A major daily newspaper should not allow its site to be taken over by racist, sexist trolls. Thats not censorship. Its about common decency.

This sort of thing is very damaging. Consider. Since I started voicing my opinion in the public square, Ive been:

Called a whore (too many times to count).

Called a bitch (too many times to count).

Called a slut (too many times to count).

Called the c-word (too many times to count; there was even a talk radio segment about me being called the c-word after a liberal blogger directed that word at me).

Been threatened with rape (more than once).

Been threatened with bitch-slapping.

Been emailed pictures of strange mens genitals (more than once).

Been called ugly, stupid, a bimbo and really every insult you can think of.

Had my (obviously clothed) Facebook profile picture photoshopped into a photo montage of a naked woman who is not me and didnt really look like me  complete with my Facebook URL. This photo was placed on porn sites throughout the world, causing me to be harassed by name-calling strangers from foreign countries. When I reported this to the police, they said there was nothing they could do about it because it was not illegal because the naked woman was not really me. This happens to celebrities all of the time, I guess. And its not a crime if its not really them even if its designed to gin up harassment of them.

Had a womans face who vaguely looked like me photoshopped on a picture of a naked porn star and then this was emailed to me. The police got involved in that one too. I long ago reached the end of my rope for this kind of abuse.

Had fake satire sites that were created on social media solely to relentlessly mock, name call and viciously insult me and subject me to sexualized comments and attacks.

Its really endless. It literally happens every single week. And its happened for 10 years, ever since I started voicing my opinions in the public square about politics. I dont mind vigorous challenge about my ideas; I enjoy that. It goes much beyond that. And its not just men; its often women. Its one thing to be called these things on unregulated sites. Its another thing to be called some of them on major news organizations platforms.

So, the JS decision regarding comment threads really resonated with me. This problem is especially common when it comes to women in the public eye (we ALL have such stories), although I am sure men in the public eye endure it also (just look at the stuff Scott Walker is called). People dont see public figures as human beings.

When this sort of venom and cyber abuse is directed instead at generalized groups of people like you see on some of the racist comment threads  such as at Muslims as a group, at African-Americans as a group, and so on  it causes emotional harm to the individuals who belong to those groups.

This kind of cyber abuse is extremely damaging to human beings. It leads to suicide. It leads to silencing of voices. It leads to emotional harm. It leads to reputational harm. On my Facebook wall, when I see people get this ugly, I delete it. I have a longstanding policy of banning people who are repeat offenders or who lodge overt ad hominem attacks (my ban list is, sadly, very, very long). I try to stop personal attack flame wars against other commentators on my wall midstream. I am trying to create a forum where people of different political backgrounds can debate the news of the day with civility.

I challenge all news organizations in town to start doing the same. Unless they want the comments because its online traffic. If so, then for shame.

So, the Journal Sentinel was right to regulate its comment threads, and everyone else with any decency should do the same. Im just not sure why it took them so long.
"With so many great things going on in Milwaukee, it is an honor to report on the state of the city.

"Thank you Principal Chris Her-Xiong and Kongcheng Thao. And thank you to the adorable performers who delighted us this morning. Let's give them another round of applause.

"I also want to acknowledge Alderman Jim Bohl who represents the neighborhood were in this morning. Alderman Bohl, thank you for being here.

"We're happy to be here at the Hmong American Peace Academy. The story that emanates from this building is one that every American can be proud of. It is an American story.

"And at a time when politicians are critical of immigrants and refugees, it is important to remember how exactly this program, and this school came to be.

"After American troops left Southeast Asia in 1975, the Hmong, our loyal allies in Laos, became targets of the communist regime. Men, women and children escaped into Thailand and from there made their way to safe havens around the globe. Many came to the United States. At age 10, Chris and her family made that incredible journey: a journey from a war-torn country to Thailand, to Iowa, to Milwaukee.

"Chris received her college degree and in 2004 started the Hmong Peace Academy, the only Hmong school in the state of Wisconsin. The story of Chris and her family and those of her students and their families are American stories, reflective of what is good about our Country, our city, and should add clarity to the current national debate.

"The work underway here at the Hmong American Peace Academy is exceptional. This is a school where student success is paramount, where the rich Hmong culture is celebrated, and where character development is an integral part of learning. The Hmong American Peace Academy has a charter from Milwaukee Public Schools and has grown steadily over the past decade. From K-4 through 12th grade; more than 13-hundred students learn here.

"Its an award winning school thats educating Milwaukees future leaders. There is a wonderful spirit here that brings together committed teachers and administrators with engaged parents, and students giving their best efforts. "Weve seen this formula work at other Milwaukee schools such as Golda Meir, Rufus King, Ronald Reagan, Milwaukee College Prep, Bruce Guadalupe, Carmen, and many more. "Lets celebrate the Hmong American Peace Academy and all the great schools in our city. "Parents want the best for their children. They want good schools. And that is driving change throughout education. But we cannot just focus on buildings and systems. We must also focus on the needs of struggling students. Too many students in the City, regardless of what type of school they attend, have trouble meeting grade-level reading standards. "Through my work with Milwaukee Succeeds, we have placed a renewed focus on third grade reading levels making sure kids are on the right track to achieve in school and ultimately graduate from high school. "Thank you to Bader Philanthropies, Herb Kohl Charities, Northwestern Mutual Foundation and United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the major funders for Milwaukee Succeeds. "But there is more to be done. "We need kids to be picking up books and learning during the summer. Thats why Ive been so committed to the librarys summer reading program. We need to address the achievement gap and summer school is one way to do it. "I want to thank State Superintendent Tony Evers for convening a group of school and community leaders to start planning an expanded summer school enrichment program. "The first meeting included representatives from public, choice and charter schools and individuals from community organizations like the Boys and Girls Club and the Y. And the focus was on kids. "In the coming months, we will be planning how we can allow more students to have the option of a full-day experience to learn and explore new ideas during the summer. I will also be working with Dr. Evers and MPS Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver to secure funding. I want to launch an expanded Summer Enrichment Program this year. "It's a start, and I would love your help. Thank you Dr. Evers and Dr. Driver for your leadership. "Im also asking all of us to join Dr. Drivers call for the state to increase funding of early childhood education. Early learning must be a citywide priority; it must be a statewide priority. "The health of our babies, our young people and our families is equally important.

"Last year, for the first time since we've kept records, the number of babies born to teenagers in Milwaukee dropped below 300. Since 2006, we have reduced that rate by 54 percent, and the rate for African-American teens is at an historic low. "We also saw progress in our work on decreasing infant mortality. Im pleased to share that the overall infant mortality rate has declined to 9.9 per 1,000 births, including declines in every racial and ethnic group. "Since I became Mayor, the citys overall infant mortality rate has decreased by 17 percent. Infant mortality is a complex problem that requires a comprehensive approach. We will continue our work to drive down the number of preventable infant deaths. "By far, the leading cause of infant deaths in our city is prematurity  babies who are born too small, too soon to survive. The causes of prematurity are not solely medical  they are also social and economic. That is why we are working hard to build a community of support around Milwaukee families. We do this through our home visitation programs, which last year served more than 400 families. And these programs are working. "It was almost nine years ago that Jasmine Rocha enrolled in our home visiting program. She was young, pregnant  and needed support. A City nurse became her ally, working through her health and wellness needs and also developing plans to ensure that Jasmine would feel prepared. On November 4, 2007, Jasmine delivered a healthy baby girl. She's not here today because she's in school. But the lessons learned from her home visiting work didnt end there. "Today, Jasmine is on pace to graduate with her Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree in May. Her career goal is to become a public health nurse, because she knows first-hand that home visiting programs work. Please join me in welcoming Jasmine here this morning. "My commitment to lead abatement goes back to my days in Congress and were making great progress. In 2015, we continued to increase the number of lead-safe homes in Milwaukee through a $3.9 million federal grant. This grant will create 710 lead-safe homes over three years. "Through this work, we have dramatically reduced childhood lead poisoning in Milwaukee. I want to thank Common Council President Michael Murphy who has been a staunch ally in improving the health of our children. Speaking of healthy children, Im so pleased to have Peggy Troy, Chief Executive Officer of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, with us this morning.

Peggy and her team recently announced the new Childrens Hospital Midtown Clinic. "The clinic will offer pediatric and adolescent primary care, behavioral medicine and dental care on the Citys northwest side, an area that has few health care options and a large population of children. With an opening date this summer, the clinic will feature state-of-the-art technology designed specifically for pediatric patients. Thank you, Peggy, for all you are doing for the kids in this community.

"By giving Milwaukees most vulnerable children access to excellent health care, we are ensuring a brighter future for our city. And in this next school year, in addition to our Back to School Health Fair, we will be partnering to place nursing students in 24 schools. "A healthy city, by definition, has healthy neighborhoods. "In the most recent assessment, citywide property values are up  with stability in the value of residential properties and increases in the value of commercial property. "In light of the turmoil of recent years, that is very good news. We have accomplished a lot, but we are not letting up. We put in place an ambitious and aggressive effort to sell city-owned foreclosed homes to responsible owners. And in 2015, we sold 511 homes to new owners  and about 60% of the buyers are owner-occupants. "Weve reached an important milestone. Since my Strong Neighborhoods effort started in 2014, we now, just last week, have sold 1000 improved properties. And with us here this morning is Milwaukees newest homeowner, Anthony Banyard, who purchased home number one thousand. Please join me in congratulating him. "Think of what this means. Across a broad swath of Milwaukee, city-owned foreclosed homes had been lowering neighboring property values, drawing down city resources to pay maintenance costs, and disrupting the character of residential areas. Now, when we get a family to own and live in a vacant home, we are restoring the fabric of the neighborhood. Its an investment in the areas future. "Thank you Alderman Ashanti Hamilton for your thoughtful work on the Strong Neighborhood program. I am very optimistic about the future of Milwaukees neighborhoods. And so are residents throughout the city. Last year we handed off hundreds of city-owned vacant lots to adjacent property owners - who are converting them into gardens and play areas. "Weve demolished nearly 600 run-down properties, making neighborhoods safer. And we've created 50 part-time jobs by deconstructing some of these properties. "Were partnering with groups large and small. "The newly-formed WestSide Partners brought together Harley-Davidson, MillerCoors, Marquette University, Aurora Healthcare and Potawatomi to map a course for that areas future. "They are devoting a lot of resources and energy to our West side, and I thank them for that. "Marquette President Mike Lovell and Aurora President Nik Turkal recently announced their plans to build a 12-acre, $120 million Athletic Research Center on West Michigan Avenue between 6th and 10th streets. The development will include research facilities, health and wellness clinics and an indoor lacrosse field. This project is an incredible investment. Thank you Marquette, and thank you Aurora. "Across the City we work with over 30 BIDS - Business Improvement Districts.

"The Greater Mitchell Street BID partnered on conversion of the old Goldmans Department Store into the new Gerald Ignace Center which will expand health services to the Citys American Indian Community. "The Cesar Chavez Drive BID announced its plans to install a statue of famed civil rights champion Cesar Chavez at a prominent location in the neighborhood.

Alderman Jose Perez has been actively engaged in both these projects. "Walnut Way's Wellness Commons organized the community to recruit Outpost to the neighborhood and help launch The Juice Kitchen, a local business providing healthy options to the people of the neighborhood. And I can tell you firsthand that their smoothies are great! "To all the Business Improvement Districts, thank you for believing in and investing in our Milwaukee neighborhoods! "Mark Mone, Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee has been busy too. Under his leadership, the $80 million Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Center opened. It's the first new academic building on the UWM campus in 20 years. This amazing facility houses state-of-the-art research labs, and space to support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs. This is a fantastic addition to Milwaukees eastside, and a wonderful asset to the Citys research and start-up efforts. Thank you Chancellor Mone and UWM. "I love libraries. "Libraries are neighborhood jewels with amazing resources. "They help develop a childs language, reading, critical thinking and imagination. They bridge the digital divide, improve access to information and make a connection to the outside world. "Im pleased to announce Superintendent Driver, Library Director Paula Kiely and I have accepted President Obamas Connect-ED Library Challenge and together we will work to get library cards to all schoolchildren in the city, so they have the opportunity to learn and thrive with access to the Citys impressive library system. And impressive it is. "We just reopened our completely renovated Tippecanoe branch. Let me tell you, this is not your grandmas library. There youll see a beautiful community room, a secret outdoor garden for story time, books, computers, DVD's, and more. I want to thank Alderman Terry Witkowski who oversaw this renovation every step of the way. "Next up are Forest Home and Mill Road Libraries. And there youll see the same innovation and quality design that residents have come to expect from our libraries. "I'm proud to say we are on track to fulfill my vision to upgrade all of our neighborhood libraries by 2020. It's far more than books. We're connecting, teaching, convening. We're nurturing, answering, enlightening. Our libraries will remain vibrant, well-funded and well- cared for.

"As we continue to build a stronger Milwaukee, too many good people are not sharing in the opportunities in the recovering economy. We are working to change that. "Our workforce investment board has been a leader  a strong partner  in connecting people with work. "In 2016, were renaming our workforce investment board to more closely match its mission. From this point forward, it will be known as EMPLOY MILWAUKEE. And we're going to continue to bring workers and jobs together through my Mayor's Manufacturing Partnership Initiative. "Now I have some really good news to report. And I want you all to listen. At the end of 2015, there were more Milwaukee residents working than at any point since 2001. That's really good news. "But we know there are impediments and challenges for some of our neighbors when they seek employment. That is why I created the Compete Milwaukee initiative. As part of Compete Milwaukee, were helping to place individuals in short-term jobs within City departments. "These are workers who might have a barrier to employment  perhaps a lack of experience or a criminal conviction  that makes their job search particularly challenging. We have created opportunities for about 200 Milwaukee residents in this transitional jobs effort, and a number of these individuals now have private sector jobs. That means theyre earning wages, paying taxes, maintaining dignity, adding to the economy, and showing there is a path out of joblessness. "I want to acknowledge Alderman Russell Stamper for working with us on Compete Milwaukee. "One of these workers is with us here this morning. Please join me in welcoming Jacqueline Matheny. Jacqueline participated in my Compete Milwaukee program. Her responsibilities included inspecting city-owned properties. She has since gone on to full-time employment and credits Compete Milwaukee with providing her an opportunity to gain valuable work experience. Congratulations Jacqueline. "Earn & Learn, a program dear to my heart, continues to offer Milwaukee young people their first job  an on-ramp to lifelong success. "We all remember our first jobs  and how important those jobs were for our careers.

I want every Milwaukee young person to have that first job experience that teaches basic workplace lessons  and provides a paycheck. "Since 2005, nearly $25 million has been raised to employ Earn & Learn teens in Milwaukee. Thats a lot of hope and opportunity. More than 25,000 teens have been hired. "Milwaukee workers are changing our downtown skyline. And the most prominent part of that change is the Northwestern Mutual Tower. As the building rises, so does the investment in Milwaukee residents.

"Nearly 30 percent of the project contracts have been awarded to local small businesses, totaling over $100-million. "These companies now have the chance to grow and prosper because of Northwestern Mutuals investment in Milwaukee. The work with these businesses is only part of the story. Because of Northwestern Mutuals commitment to our Citys "resident preference program", more than 200 Milwaukeeans  largely unemployed or underemployed people  have worked more than 46 percent of the construction hours on the tower. These local workers are earning wages, gaining experience, and contributing to the local economy. "Im pleased work has started on another Northwestern Mutual project, a 33-story residential, retail and parking building. "And the list goes on. 833 East Michigan is nearing completion. So is the new hotel in the 3rd Ward. Big investments  and big plans  are in store for the downtown Post Office building and the Grand Avenue. "The Night Market on West Wisconsin Avenue has brought a great combination of vendors, entertainment, diversity and energy to this city hot-spot. If you haven't done so already, I strongly encourage you to enjoy a Night Market later this year. "We are a proud partner with the Bucks Arena Project, and I want to thank the members of the Milwaukee Common Council for their thoughtful vetting of this project. "The engagement of community leaders on the future of downtown is very positive and encouraging. An accomplished and renowned planner, Toni Griffin, is bringing downtown leaders together to chart a course for its future with an emphasis on inclusivity and the surrounding neighborhoods. Thank you, Toni. And thank you, Alex Molinaroli of Johnson Controls, and Julia Taylor of the Greater Milwaukee Committee for your leadership on this effort as well. "And good things are happening on the near South Side too. Freshwater Plaza at First and Greenfield will feature a new neighborhood grocery store, and the nearby Zurn headquarters is under construction. "All across Milwaukee new housing is being constructed and home owners and businesses are making sustainable investments. Since 2004, more than 14,000 new housing units have been built or are under construction. This includes affordable housing units, the downtown housing renaissance and homes in every aldermanic district. "On the northwest side of the City, HellermanTyton and Direct Supply are thriving  adding employees and increasing business. My administration and Alderman Bob Puente are finding ways to partner with these companies and others so that their growth can take place right here in our City. "Milwaukeeans are investing in a more sustainable future as well. You see the results of our sustainability work in every corner of the city.

"Youll find new energy in the Menomonee Valley, where weve recycled polluted land into an eco-industrial district, where urban bike trails co-exist with new manufacturing operations.

The Green Corridor showcases community gardens, green infrastructure, and a solar flower on the south side. Weve partnered to create three urban parks for residents to enjoy: the Rotary Centennial Arboretum, Lakeshore State Park, and Three Bridges Park. In the last five years, nearly one hundred homeowners have installed solar panels in five neighborhoods. "And, on the north side, my HOME GR/OWN initiative has turned 20 vacant lots into pocket parks and community orchards. I want to thank Alderman Mark Borkowski who offered solid suggestions for Home/Grown at last weeks committee meeting. "No issue is more important to me or to the people of Milwaukee than public safety. The work the men and women of our police and fire departments perform is key to a safe community and Im proud of them. "Let me give you an example of innovation thats promoting public safety. When the Fire Department found it was returning to the same addresses repeatedly for emergency medical responses, it developed a more proactive approach. Now, instead of waiting for an emergency call, our paramedics are scheduling visits to at-risk residents. Its a more efficient use of our resources and just as important, were helping those who need it the most. "The Police Department has taken an ambitious stance toward the promising Trauma- Informed Care. Weve partnered with Milwaukee County to make sure children and families impacted by violence and exposed to trauma get the help they need. "Weve made great strides in implementing Crisis Intervention Training department-wide, so that officers are prepared to handle interactions with residents in the most challenging and mentally stressful situations. "The department is on-track and on-budget to have every police officer outfitted with a body camera by the end of this year. Weve rolled out 1200 body cameras already and they have proven helpful in addressing citizen concerns and complaints. "2015 was a challenging year for Milwaukee. We were not alone, as many American cities experienced an increase in gun violence. After several years of continual reductions in crime, we experienced significant increases in nonfatal shootings and homicides. But is has not deterred our officers who took more than 2,500 guns off of our streets in 2015, a 9% increase over the previous year. "Its a fact: too many criminals are armed. We need to look closely at what has changed and take every possible step to get guns out of the hands of criminals and put criminals who use guns in prison. There are too many suspects and victims with criminal histories. We introduced legislation to provide certainty in sentencing for VIOLENT felons who then commit a crime with a gun. Chief Flynn and I went to Madison, testified and the legislation is now law. "We are not doing our young offenders any favors if they commit multiple car thefts and are free to continue to break the law. Our car theft arrests are up, our police pursuits are up; but the disincentives to stop engaging in criminal behavior, have not sunk in. The entire juvenile justice system, including the county and state must focus on this issue and must engage the Milwaukee Police Department to find solutions. Lives are at stake.

"Violence has a significant impact on the public health in Milwaukee. We have built a strong coalition around sexual assault and domestic violence, and have developed partnerships that are building collaboration and supporting youth-led initiatives to end violence. "I'd like to recognize a longtime city employee and director of the Office of Violence Prevention, Terry Perry. She has worked tirelessly to address the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault. Please join me in thanking Terry. "I want to mention the new Sojourner Family Peace Center. I visited there just last week. Sojourner brings together resources for families facing difficulties. Counseling, health care, police, prosecutors, and shelter are all under one roof. It is an absolutely amazing place. "We are now building a broader coalition to support our work around youth violence prevention and youth development. The best work always begins in our neighborhoods. I see the impact of organizations like Running Rebels, the United Community Center and We Got This. "Our emphasis will be on youth development and preventing youth violence because we need to ensure that every young person can achieve their goals and build a successful future. "Were able to make these important investments in health, neighborhoods, libraries and public safety because weve laid a solid fiscal foundation. Through our disciplined approach, we have managed our City's finances with a focus on maintaining valuable city services and positioning Milwaukee well for the future. Unlike cities throughout the country, weve done all of this without laying off a single police officer, firefighter or closing any libraries. And, my 2016 budget provides a tax levy freeze. I want to thank Alderman Nik Kovac, the Chair of the Councils Finance Committee for his willingness to work with us and his thoughtful approach to the budget process. "Our infrastructure investments have reduced replacement cycles. Funding for streets, street lighting, water mains, and sewers has increased by $40.6 million since 2004. Thats nearly 95%. Neighborhood investments like these pay dividends for residents and small businesses alike. "The positive momentum were experiencing has drawn the attention of Washington D.C. Most recently, we were the recipient of a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods grant that will help transform a part of the northwest side of Milwaukee, including Westlawn. Weve brought more than 25 partners to the table who are focusing millions of dollars in additional investment in the area. "People are transforming our City and Im proud to be leading efforts that have brought so many people to the cause of making Milwaukee an even greater city. Here are a few of our all-stars: "Its people like Patty Pritchard Thompson who is a constant cheerleader for her Bayview community, and events like Chill on the Hill.
Its a sad day for pizza lovers. According to an announcement published this morning on Channel3000.com, James Martin Pedersen has died.

Pederson, best known as the face of Wisconsin-based pizza chain Rocky Rococos, was a long-time Madison resident whose style became the heart and soul of the popular pizza brand.

Wooing the public with his white suit, round sunglasses and his distinctive deep voice, Rococo starred in countless commercials through the 1980s and '90s  including the one below -- becoming an indelible part of Wisconsin pizza culture.

Heck, he even made Andy Tarnoff's recent list of Milwaukee-themed Halloween costumes.

Rocky Rococo opened its first location on Gilman Street in Madison in 1974 and quickly became a local institution. Founded by business partners Wayne Mosley and Roger Brown, Rocky Rococos became known for its signature pan-style pizza, breadsticks, salad bar and individually boxed slices.

Today, Rocky Rococo boasts 40 locations, mostly in Wisconsin, with a corporate headquarters in Oconomowoc.
Sendiks will soon be the new owner of Grasch Foods at 13950 W. North Avenue in Brookfield.

An announcement released this morning indicates that  after three generations of business  the Grasch family will be retiring from the grocery business, selling its property and and business to the Balistreri family. The store will become the 13th location for brothers Ted, Patrick and Nick Balistreri and their sister, Margaret Harris, who also operate 11 full-line Sendiks Food Markets and a small-format Sendiks Fresh2GO store in Bayside.

The release notes that the property, which has been home to Grasch Foods since 1957, will transition to its new identity as a Sendiks Food Market in the coming months. Current Grasch Foods employees will be given the opportunity to join the Sendiks family.

"We are very proud of the legacy of Grasch Foods," said Bill Grasch, who owns and operates Grasch Foods along with siblings Bob Grasch and Mary Jo Stark. "Through the years, our customers have become like family, and it was important to us that they continue to receive the service they deserve. The Balistreri family has an excellent reputation, and we know our customers will be in good hands."

The first Grasch Foods store was established by Anton and Mary Grasch at North 45th Street and West Lisbon Avenue in the 1930s. The Graschs sold the business to their son and daughter in law, Tony and Josie, who moved the business to its current location in 1957. Current owners Bob Grasch, Bill Grasch and Mary Jo Stark took over as partners in 1980.

The original 6,500-square foot store, which was spacious for the time, has been expanded and remodeled several times and now boasts 28,000 square feet of space.


Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton - Caricatures

(Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA



A SHADOW OVER THE DEMOCRATIC RACE

This opportunity grows out of a shadow that hangs over the campaign for the Democratic nomination. It is widely recognized that any Democrat who is elected president will be unable to accomplish much of what he or she is calling for.

On the big issues -- whether it's climate change, or guns, or immigration reform, or campaign finance, or widening inequality -- legislation is required. But as things now stand, any Democratic president will almost certainly be blocked by the Republicans in Congress. Although we hear talk about the ability "to reach across the aisle," after the last seven years -- with a Democrat downright eager to reach across the aisle -- we should know better.

During these years, we've seen the Republicans obstruct President Obama wherever they could, on virtually every front -- blocking even Republican ideas and stonewalling the president's nominations-- in order to make him fail. There's no reason to believe they'd stop their wall-to-wall obstructionism with a President Hillary Clinton or a President Bernie Sanders.

Why would they stop? Their strategy has worked well for them over the past seven years. In 2010, their lies and obstructionism on health care reform were rewarded with a big electoral victory. And they swept to still more power in Congress again in 2014, after their obstructionism gave America the least productive Congress in history.

It's hard to imagine these Republicans working constructively with President Hillary Clinton-- not after they've been demonizing her since the 1990s. (Remember the charge that she'd murdered her friend Vince Foster?) The Republican base is so convinced that she's really evil that they'll support combat, not cooperation.

Nor will Republicans be interested in working with the "socialist" Bernie Sanders. That word is enough of a cover for them to adopt a policy of total non-cooperation with President Sanders, just as they've done with President Obama.

So, for any of the ideas these two strong candidates are proposing to actually move forward, one of two things must happen. Either the Republican Party has to change, or the power of the GOP to obstruct progress has to be taken away.

The Republican Party shows absolutely no sign of changing into one interested in bi-partisan cooperation for the betterment of America. If anything, the current presidential race indicates that the GOP is going still further off the deep end.

So, for the foreseeable future, all the progress Sanders or Clinton seek requires taking power away from this Republican Party. That means defeating them in elections. And winning those elections requires changing public opinion.

The job for any would-be Democratic president, therefore, is to persuade enough of those who have supported Republicans to withdraw that support, and to inspire the liberal base to act with determination to bring their leaders to power.

The good news is that this campaign gives Hillary and Bernie the opportunity to get to work together to achieve that goal--starting now!

WE NEED A DIIFERENT KIND OF DEBATE

Does anyone really think that the best criterion for choosing the Democrats nominee is who's best at fighting the other?

Yes, we need a fighter, but the fight the Democratic standard bearer needs to fight is not against a rival Democrat but against the force that stands in the way of accomplishing everything he or she is calling for.

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Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"Rob Kall gives readers an important wake up call to the bottom up power that they have to protect their rights, powers, and freedoms. His advice applies to all aspects of life, including politics, economics, journalism, entertainment, and psychology and wellness. Kall's book explains the differences between the top-down leadership approach of dominating, fear based, disconnected authoritarianism and the bottom-up connection consciousness that emphasizes values, justice, fairness, equity, and kindness. This book helps readers see the whole elephant as opposed to the disconnected parts. Kall gives great advice as to intensifying, expanding, prolonging, and deepening connections. With his professional background, Rob Kall is the perfect person to write this book. This is a very well-researched book that includes dozens of insightful interviews with top-notch experts. Kall shows how bottom-up small acts can produce massive results. He emphasizes that since we cant avoid this emerging bottom-up connection revolution, we need to learn how to navigate and embrace it. This bottom-up leadership will result in power to the people. This is a fascinating and insightful book, especially in this new era of digital hunting and gathering."



Larry Atkins, author of Skewed: A Critical Thinker's Guide to Media Bias
Reprinted from Truthdig

What is in the mind of someone who knowingly poisons children and impairs their lives? Why did the politicians, regulators and bureaucrats who knew the water in Flint, Mich. was toxic lie about the danger for months? What does it say about a society that is ruled by, and refuses to punish, those who willfully destroy the lives of children?

The crisis in Flint is far more ominous than lead-contaminated water. It is symptomatic of the collapse of our democracy. Corporate power is not held accountable for its crimes. Everything is up for sale, including children. Our regulatory agencies -- including the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality -- have been defunded, emasculated and handed over to corporate-friendly stooges. Our corrupt courts are part of a mirage of justice. The role of these government agencies and courts, and of the legislatures, is to sanction abuse rather than halt it.

The primacy of profit throughout the society takes precedence over life itself, including the life of the most vulnerable. This corporate system of power knows no limits. It has no internal restraints. It will sacrifice all of us, including our children, on the altar of corporate greed. In a functioning judicial system, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Flint's former emergency manager, Darnell Earley, along with all the regulatory officials who lied as a city was being sickened, would be in jail facing trial.

Hannah Arendt in "The Origins of Totalitarianism," Gitta Sereny in "Into That Darkness," Omer Bartov in "Murder in Our Midst," Alexander Solzhenitsyn in "The Gulag Archipelago," Primo Levi in "The Drowned and the Saved" and Ella Lingens-Reiner in "Prisoners of Fear" argue that the modern instrument of evil is the technocrat, the man or woman whose sole concern is technological and financial efficiency, whose primary measurement of success is self-advancement, even if it means piling up corpses or destroying the lives of children.

"Monsters exist," Levi noted, "but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men." These technocrats have no real ideology, other than the ideology that is in vogue. They want to get ahead, to rise in the structures of power. They know how to make the collective, or the bureaucracy, work on behalf of power. Nothing else is of importance. "The new state did not require holy apostles, fanatic, inspired builders, faithful devout disciples," Vasily Grossman, in his book "Forever Flowing, wrote of Stalin's Soviet Union. "The new state did not even require servants -- just clerks."

We churn out millions of these technocrats or clerks in elite universities and business schools. They are trained to serve the system. They do not question its assumptions and structures any more than Nazi bureaucrats questioned the assumptions and structures of the "Final Solution." They manage the huge financial houses and banks such as Goldman Sachs. They profit from endless war. They orchestrate the fraud on Wall Street. They destroy the ecosystem on behalf of the fossil fuel industry. They are elected to office. They are empty shells of human beings who stripped of their power and wealth are banal and pathetic. They are not sadists. They do not delight in cruelty. They are cogs in the machinery of corporate power.

These technocrats are numb to the most basic of human emotions and devoid of empathy beyond their own tiny inner circle. Michigan state officials, for example, provided bottled water to their employees in Flint for nearly a year while city residents drank the contaminated water, and authorities spent $440,000 to pipe clean water to the local GM plant after factory officials complained that the Flint water was corroding their car parts. That mediocre human beings make such systems function is what makes them dangerous.

The long refusal to make public the poisoning of the children of Flint, who face the prospect of stunted growth, neurological, speech and hearing impairment, reproductive problems and kidney damage, mirrors the slow-motion poisoning and exploitation of the planet by other corporate technocrats. These are not people we want to entrust with our future.

Theodor Adorno warned in his essay "Education After Auschwitz" that if we did not create an educational system that taught us to think morally and trained us how to make moral choices, another Auschwitz would appear on the horizon. Schools must teach more than vocational skills; they must teach values. They must, as Adorno wrote, teach citizens about "the societal play of forces that operates beneath the surface of political forms." And they must do this "without fear of offending any authorities."

We live in an age that has eradicated social and cultural consciousness and left us in a rootless, ahistorical, emotionally driven void. Whole populations in our poorest communities are poisoned or, in countries such as Iraq, murdered en masse. But we have no context for measuring human actions and human evil. We find our collective identity in childish nationalist cant and patriotic propaganda that bombards the airwaves, not in the cold reality of our callousness and ruthlessness. We do not know who we are.

"People who blindly slot themselves into the collective already make themselves into something like inert material, extinguish themselves as self-determined beings,"Adorno writes about the technocrat. "With this comes the willingness to treat others as an amorphous mass."

"The manipulative character -- as anyone can confirm in the sources available about those Nazi leaders -- is distinguished by a rage for organization, by the inability to have any immediate human experiences at all, by a certain lack of emotion, by an overvalued realism," Adorno goes on to say in his 1966 essay. "At any cost he wants to conduct supposed, even if delusional, Realpolitik. He does not for one second think or wish that the world were any different than it is, he is obsessed by the desire of doing things [Dinge zut un], indifferent to the content of such action. He makes a cult of action, activity, of so-called efficiency as such which reappears in the advertising image of the active person. If my observations do not deceive me and if several sociological investigations permit generalization, then this type has become much more prevalent today than one would think."

Humanity as an idea, as the philosopher Alain Finkielkraut has pointed out, is itself mortal. It can be extinguished along with millions of human beings. "Barbarism is not the inheritance of our prehistory," Finkielkraut reminds us. "It is the companion that dogs our every step."

"Indeed, one of the most frightening consequences of the Holocaust may well be that rather than serving as a warning to preserve humanity at all cost, it has provided a license to privilege physical survival over moral existence," writes Omer Bartov in "Mirrors of Destruction." "This may be one reason, along with the realization that mass murder has continued unabated since 1945, that such men as [Tadeusz] Borowski, [Jean] Amery, Paul Celan, and [Primo] Levi finally decided to put an end to their own lives."

We have turned our universities into temples dedicated to corporate vocational training. Most graduates of Princeton or Harvard have no more ability to question the operating systems of the corporate state than an inner-city boy or girl who is taught basic functional literacy only so he or she can stock shelves or sell fast food. We all have our place in the great machine of corporate self-immolation. We all are drones. The technical skills vary from intricate and complex to rudimentary. But the commonality is that we lack the capacity to measure our actions against the ideas, outrages and injustices of the past. We have ceased to be moral beings. The devil in Goethe's "Faust" grasps that the element most essential to the perpetration of evil is the obliteration of memory.
Hillary Clinton is an exceptionally skillful politician. Collectively, she and her husband Bill have parlayed their political experience into at least $125 million in speaking fees alone. According to Bloomberg, Hillary was paid $12 million in the 16 months after leaving her role as US secretary of state. Knowing she'd likely run for president, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley (and other big Wall Street corporations) gladly paid her $2.9 million in speaking fees alone. The same Wall Street corporations then gave her campaign super PACs millions more. Coincidence?

Clinton is surely aware that Wall Street won't give politicians millions without expecting something big in return. In a Des Moines Register interview, she justified her $250,000-per-event Wall Street speaking fees, saying, "What they were interested in were my views on what was going on in the world ... there's a lot of interest in getting advice and views about what you think is happening in the world." Does she honestly expect the American people to believe Wall Street pays her $250,000 for a one-hour talk because they want her views on the world? She most surely knows that Wall Street wants her political influence.

In that same interview (as if to say, "Bernie does it too"), Clinton attacked Bernie Sanders for his 2000 vote for deregulating swaps and derivatives (the Commodity Futures Modernization Act), which was one of the main causes of the economic collapse in 2008. Of course, she didn't mention that Sanders forcefully spoke out against the bill, and Sanders, like the rest of Congress, was essentially blackmailed into voting for it. She didn't mention the bill was inserted at the last minute in omnibus legislation needed to keep the government going. She didn't mention only four members of Congress dared to vote against it. She didn't mention the bill came from a deal between her husband and the Senate Banking Committee chairman, Phil Gramm. Bill Clinton signed the bill into law, ensuring Hillary would collect millions from Wall Street for her Senate campaign (and she did).

After speaking at a town hall in Manchester, New Hampshire, in January, Hillary Clinton was asked if she would release the transcripts of her $600,000 speeches to Goldman Sachs (a bank that just agreed to pay $5 billion for mortgage fraud). She laughed and turned away. Political pop quiz: Would those transcripts reveal: A) Clinton telling Goldman Sachs, "cut out that mortgage fraud right now" or B) Clinton pandering for super PAC campaign money?

Clinton distorted Bernie Sanders' single-payer health-care plan in a deceitful way. She emphasized the billions in taxes that would be needed to fund a single-payer system without mentioning the many billions more that would be saved by eliminating individual and company health-care premiums. As a well-informed advocate of health-care reform, she's surely aware single-payer countries provide generally superior health care for less than half of what we pay - for everyone. She's also surely aware single-payer would cost the giant health insurance corporations billions in profits. According to The Intercept, from 2013 to 2015, Clinton took in $2.8 million (on top of the above $2.9 million) from 13 paid speeches to the health-care industry. Does she honestly expect the American people to trust her judgment about single-payer health care?

Clinton conveniently reversed her positions on several big issues including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), immigration, gun control, the Keystone XL pipeline, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Iraq war and same-sex marriage. In each of these "evolutions," she went from a less popular position (among liberal Democrats) to a more popular one. Coincidence? She insists her flip-flops were motivated by new or better information, but she often evades citing clear examples. What new information did she suddenly discover about same-sex marriage that changed her mind other than polls showing growing public support among liberal Democrats?

Assume Clinton's being honest. Assume it wasn't political expediency, but rather new or better information that motivated her reversals on these major issues. What does that say about her future judgment? Many, including Bernie Sanders, got these issues right the first time.

George Orwell said, "In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act." It appears that Clinton isn't ready to go quite that rogue.

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The seven-million strong American Muslim community has voted overwhelmingly voted for Democrat s since 2004 and a recent poll released by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) indicates that the American Muslims will follow this trend.

The CAIR survey finds that 67 percent will vote for Democratic Party candidates. More than half of respondents said they'd vote for Hillary Clinton and 22 percent back Bernie Sanders. More than 85 percent of Muslims who voted backed President Barack Obama in 2012, according to a CAIR poll.

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, has support of mere 7.4% Muslim Americans while his rival, Ben Carson has support of mere 5%.

The CAIR released the results of the survey of registered Muslim voters in the six states with the highest Muslim populations on Feb 1st, hours before the Iowa caucuses kick off voting in the 2016 presidential election.

Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed identified as Democrats and 15% said they are Republican.

The number of Muslim voters who say they will turn out for the primary elections is higher than in a similar poll for the 2014 midterm elections. The voters were asked: Do you plan to vote in your upcoming state primary election? Almost 73.8% responded yes.

"The increase in the number of Muslim voters who say they will go to the polls in their primary elections indicates a high level of civic participation that may be driven at least in part by concern over the rise in Islamophobia nationwide," CAIR Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw said.

"Toxic political attacks from the Trump and [Dr. Ben] Carson campaigns are definitely driving interest" from Muslim voters to participate in the primaries, McCaw told the Newsweek.

Islamophobia was ranked as the No. 1 issue for the Muslim voters polled by CAIR. About 30% of the Muslims surveyed said they think Islamophobia is the most important issue going into 2016. The economy and health care also topped Muslims voters' list of concerns, according to the survey.

Muslim voters have strong turnout and CAIR's survey found that 74 percent of the registered voters polled intend to vote in this year's election.

Given the increasingly polarized state of the electorate, blocs like Muslim Americans can take on outsize importance--and they have shown themselves to be swing voters.

David Graham of The Atlantic says: "Prior to the 2000 election, Muslims tended to be a fairly splintered group, often voting more based on ethnicity than a shared religious identity. During that race, George W. Bush made Muslim outreach a priority, and he did well with the bloc. But following the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Muslim vote has swung strongly toward Democrats, driven by opposition to wars in the Middle East and concerns about civil liberties and Islamophobia stateside."

Since the Bush campaign in 2000, the Republican Party has become increasingly strident in its rhetoric about Islam, Graham says adding:

"The single most important issue that comes up in conversations with Muslim advocates and leaders is the growth of Islamophobia and the persistence of anti-Muslim rhetoric among Republicans. The 2010 controversy over a proposed Islamic center in lower Manhattan--calledas the "Ground Zero Mosque" by its opponents -- helped to make this rhetoric a national issue. Many Republican leaders joined in the chorus against the mosque and kept talking about Islam throughout the 2012 election.

"During this election, GOP presidential candidates have gone further. Ben Carson said he thought a Muslim should not be president. Republican governors, as well as some Democrats, have asked the federal government not to resettle Syrian refugees in their states. Republican candidates have offered bills in Congress to end the refugee program. Donald Trump suggested registries and special IDs for Muslims, before making his suggestion that Muslims -- immigrants, tourists, and perhaps even citizens -- be barred from entering the United States."

The shift by American Muslims away from the Republicans is dramatic, "and the truest example of a backlash we've seen," says pollster John Zogby. "This is virtually unprecedented."

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Part1: Kasskara: Sunken Land of the Hopi Ancestors



Part 2: Kasskara: Destruction of the Third World



Part 3: Kasskara: Kachinas



A long time before Kasskara and Atlantis were "absorbed into the earth" as White Bear described it, the Kachinas noticed that to the east, a continent was emerging out of the water. "It was the same country as that we had lived on in our Second World, Topka, but its appearance was different, so now we called it the Fourth World," White Bear said. He explained how global cataclysms can occur periodically, inducing massive geological changes:

These emigrants arrived from the Third World to the Fourth in three types of vehicles, White Bear said. The initial group arrived in "flying shields" (spaceships). These were assigned to important, high-ranking people who had priority because they were tasked with establishing the new colony. As these people arrived first, they were highly esteemed. The Kachinas, being space travelers, knew where the new land was, and they brought these leaders first. "The Kachinas could do that because they had flying shields," White Bear said. "Our people did not have them, and we could not build them, but you recall that people of Atlantis also had flying shields. They had not received them from the Kachinas, who had left them behind. The Atlanteans built them with their malevolent power as I have already told you," White Bear said, describing the process we today call "reverse engineering".

The first clans arrived here a long time before Kasskara completely sank. Among the more important of the groups that arrived by the flying shields included the Clan of Fire, the Clan of the Snake, the Clan of the Spider, the Clan of the Bow, the Clan of the Lizard, the Clan of the Eagle and the Clan of Water. "The complete listing shows the Clan of the Bow towards the end because this clan acted badly in the Third World. But some people of the Clan of the Bow were still important," White Bear said. "Even if many had taken part in the destruction of the Third World, all had not left the path of the Creator. This is why they were saved."

The second group of people was transported on "big birds" (aeroplanes). The Hopis' March festival, Powamu, recalls these events. White Bear took part in this ceremony at Oraibi when he was a young man, which allowed him entrance to the Powamu society. "Before the ceremony, the chief of our tribe sang a song that evoked the Third World that we had left and spoke about the malicious queen who had conquered the greatest part of the world and whose influence was so harmful," he said.

Many people were fearful during this time because the old continent, Kasskara, was sinking fast--one city after another was being destroyed. The water kept rising and covered most of the continent. Yet our people knew that they were to be saved.

The third group consisted of those who were still at the beginning of their search for spiritual power. "My clan, the Clan of the Coyotes (on maternal side), was part of it. I know it from my mother who belonged to this clan, like her parents," he said. "They had a precise knowledge of these events because they kept them in their memories in order to transmit this knowledge like a heritage to the Fourth World."

White Bear said these people came by boats and had to struggle for a long time. While many people could come by air, others had to fight to arrive on this continent. "We do not forget these events because everything that is difficult to obtain is more appreciated and one will always remember it," he noted. "The people who arrived by boats belonged to the lower clans with little power, and for this reason they had been subjected to the influence of the Clan of the Bow with its destructive plans and motivations. Although the people in the third group took part in the destruction, they did not intend to do so, so they were offered a chance to escape," he said. Throughout this group's migration in the boats, they accepted the protection of the Kachinas. Each clan had a Kachina assigned to guide its members safely to the new continent. "The Kachinas could make themselves understood, but humans did not have the privilege to speak with them. The Kachinas advised and directed them towards islands where they could rest," White Bear said.

The Clan of the Flute celebrates a ceremony that refers to this boat journey, and in this way the Hopi remember each detail and stage of that epic ocean passage, an event which is recalled to them by a row of seven statues (moai) on Easter Island (Rapa Nui). "These statues represent the seven worlds which we must cross," White Bear said. "Easter Island is the only island on our way which did not sink completely in the ocean after our passage."

On the subject of the "seven worlds" that White Bear mentions, a little context might help illuminate. The Hopi actually speak of "Nine Worlds" or "universal kingdoms", which were manifested according to the Creator Taiowa's plan. One kingdom was reserved for Taiowa, and one for his "nephew" Sotuknang. The other seven "worlds we must cross" are related to vibratory centers (chakras) in the human being, corresponding on a physical level to the glands.

By these means people were shepherded to the South American continent in order to be established there. White Bear described it:

"At that time the highest part was already above water. But you should know that not all who survived Kasskara could come here. We, the Clan of the Coyotes (on his mother's side), were the last to arrive. Those who left after us were taken along by currents towards other lands because they had not been selected to come here. Some arrived in Hawaii, a part of the Third World that had not been destroyed. Others arrived on southern Pacific Islands and others on an island which is part of Japan today, as I learned a few years ago," White Bear said. "A young man from this island visited me. He had read the Book of Hopi. He came to tell me that his grandmother told him exactly the same stories concerning the old world. There are, therefore, a certain number of people who could not come here although they have the same origin and come from the same continent: Kasskara. This is why on Hawaiian Islands the initiated people are called Kahuna, which was the same word as Kachina.

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Reprinted from Gush Shalom

SO NOW we have another anti-Semite. Mazal Tov ("good luck") as we say in Hebrew.

His name is Ban Ki-moon, and he is the Secretary General of the UN. In practice, the highest international official, a kind of World Prime Minister.

He has dared to criticize the Israeli government, as well as the Palestinian Authority, for sabotaging the peace process, and thereby making Israeli-Palestinian peace almost impossible. He emphasized that there is a world-wide consensus about the "Two-state Solution" being the only possible one.

The formulation sounded neutral, but Ban made it quite clear that almost the entire fault lies with the Israeli side. Since the Palestinians are living under a hostile occupation, there is not much they can do one way or the other.

Anyone blaming Israel for anything is, of course, a blatant anti-Semite, the latest addition to a long line, starting with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, a few thousand years ago.

I AM not criticizing Ban, except for being too soft-spoken. Perhaps that is the Korean style. If I had been -- God forbid -- in his place, my formulation would have been a lot sharper.

Contrary to appearances, there is no great difference between Ban and Bibi, as far as the prognosis is concerned. A few weeks ago, Binyamin Netanyahu announced that we shall "forever live by the sword" -- a Biblical phrase going back to the admonition of Avner, King Saul's general, who cried out to King David's general Yoav "Shall the sword devour for ever?" (I always liked Avner and adopted his name.)

But what is good for a patriot like Netanyahu is not good for a Jew-hater like Ban. So to hell with him.

NETANYAHU MAY have disliked Ban's statement that the "Two State Solution" is now the consensus of the entire world. The world except Netanyahu and his cohorts.

That was not always so. Quite the contrary.

The Partition Plan was first adopted by the British Royal Commission appointed after the 1936 Arab Revolt (called "the Events" by the Jews) in which many Arabs, Jews and British soldiers died. In this plan the Jews were allotted only a small part of Palestine, a narrow strip along the sea, but it was the first time in modern history that a Jewish state was envisioned. The idea caused a deep split in the Jewish community in Palestine (called the "Yishuv"), but the outbreak of World War II put an end to the plan.

After the war and the Holocaust, there was a world-wide search for a permanent solution. The General Assembly of the new United Nations decided on the partition of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. The Jewish leadership formally accepted this, but with the secret intention of enlarging the territory of their state at the first opportunity.

This opportunity came soon enough. The Arabs rejected partition and started a war, in which we conquered much more territory and annexed it to our fledgling state.

With the end of the war, by early 1949, the situation was thus: the enlarged Jewish state, now called Israel, occupied 78% of the country, including West Jerusalem; the Emir of Transjordan retained the West Bank of the Jordan with East Jerusalem and changed his title to King of Jordan; the King of Egypt retained the Gaza Strip.

Palestine had disappeared from the map.
Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website



NOTE: Readers are asking to know who, in addition to the Western-financed NGOs, are the Fifth Columnists inside Russia. Michael Hudson and I left the description general as Atlanticist Integrationists and neoliberal economists. The Saker provides some specific names. Among the Fifth Columnists are the Russian Prime Minister, head of the Central Bank, and the two top economics ministers. They are springing a privatization trap on Putin that could undo all of his accomplishments and deliver Russia to Western control.



Two years ago, Russian officials discussed plans to privatize a group of national enterprises headed by the oil producer Rosneft, the VTB Bank, Aeroflot, and Russian Railways. The stated objective was to streamline management of these companies, and also to induce oligarchs to begin bringing their two decades of capital flight back to invest in the Russia economy. Foreign participation was sought in cases where Western technology transfer and management techniques would be likely to help the economy.



However, the Russian economic outlook deteriorated as the United States pushed Western governments to impose economic sanctions against Russia and oil prices declined. This has made the Russian economy less attractive to foreign investors. So sale of these companies will bring much lower prices today than would have been likely in 2014

Meanwhile, the combination of a rising domestic budget deficit and balance-of-payments deficit has given Russian advocates of privatization an argument to press ahead with the sell-offs. The flaw in their logic is their neoliberal assumption that Russia cannot simply monetize its deficit, but needs to survive by selling off more major assets. We warn against Russia being so gullible as to accept this dangerous neoliberal argument. Privatization will not help re-industrialize Russia's economy, but will aggravate its turn into a rentier economy from which profits are extracted for the benefit of foreign owners.

To be sure, President Putin set a number of conditions on February 1 to prevent new privatizations from being like the Yeltsin era's disastrous selloffs. This time the assets would not be sold at knockdown prices, but would have to reflect prospective real value. The firms being sold off would remain under Russian jurisdiction, not operated by offshore owners. Foreigners were invited to participate, but the companies would remain subject to Russian laws and regulations, including restrictions to keep their capital within Russia.

Also, the firms to be privatized cannot be bought with domestic state bank credit. The aim is to draw "hard cash" into the buyouts -- ideally from the foreign currency holdings by oligarchs in London and elsewhere.

Putin wisely ruled out selling Russia's largest bank, Sperbank, which holds much of the nation's retail savings accounts. Banking evidently is to remain largely a public utility, which it should because the ability to create credit as money is a natural monopoly and inherently public in character.

Despite these protections that President Putin added, there are serious reasons not to go ahead with the newly-announced privatizations. These reasons go beyond the fact that they would be sold under conditions of economic recession as a result of the Western economic sanctions and falling oil prices.

The excuse being cited by Russian officials for selling these companies at the present time is to finance the domestic budget deficit. This excuse shows that Russia has still not recovered from the disastrous Western Atlanticist myth that Russia must depend on foreign banks and bondholders to create money, as if the Russian central bank cannot do this itself by monetizing the budget deficit.

Monetization of budget deficits is precisely what the United States government has done, and what Western central banks have been doing in the post World War II era. Debt monetization is common practice in the West. Governments can help revive the economy by printing money instead of indebting the country to private creditors which drains the public sector of funds via interest payments to private creditors.

There is no valid reason to raise money from private banks to provide the government with money when a central bank can create the same money without having to pay interest on loans. However, Russian economists have been inculcated with the Western belief that only commercial banks should create money and that governments should sell interest-bearing bonds in order to raise funds. The incorrect belief that only private banks should create money by making loans is leading the Russian government down the same path that has led the eurozone into a dead end economy. By privatizing credit creation, Europe has shifted economic planning from democratically elected governments to the banking sector.

There is no need for Russia to accept this pro-rentier economic philosophy that bleeds a country of public revenues. Neoliberals are promoting it not to help Russia, but to bring Russia to its knees.



Essentially, those Russians allied with the West -- "Atlanticist Integrationists" -- who want Russia to sacrifice its sovereignty to integration with the Western empire are using neoliberal economics to entrap Putin and breach Russia's control over its own economy that Putin reestablished after the Yeltsin years when Russia was looted by foreign interests.

Despite some success in reducing the power of the oligarchs who arose from the Yeltsin privatizations, the Russian government needs to retain national enterprises as a countervailing economic power. The reason governments operate railways and other basic infrastructure is to lower the cost of living and doing business. The aim of private owners, by contrast, is to raise the prices as high as they can. This is called "rent extraction." Private owners put up tollbooths to raise the cost of infrastructure services that are being privatized. This is the opposite of what the classical economists meant by "free market."


Iowa Caucus

(Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA



What Happened To The Votes?

Iowa caucus voters had yet to catch their breath and sleep before accusations wired through satellite that cheating had commenced. First, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accused Texas Sen. Ted Curz of using fear tactics and little white lies to convince Ben Carson supporters to vote for him.



In addition, reports surfaced that Sen. Cruz sent out mailings shaming registered voters for neglecting to vote in past caucuses. With scorn, the letter inferred if behavior repeated a scarlet letter style shame would follow. So much for the democratic right to forfeit voting.

Now it's the Democratic Party turn to deal with accusations of cheating. The Democratic state party officials have confirmed errors found during the process of collecting and counting votes for Iowa's voters.



Bush vs. Gore 2.0.



The Des Moines Register calls for a thorough audit of votes captured in the caucus of Democratic voters. An immense chorus of concerns raised after a "razor thin" victory for Clinton against Sanders. Some reports suggested Clinton was declared the victor based on a coin toss, which won her additional delegates. Also, some Iowan voters expressed concern that some districts had no representative for Sanders -- thus, there is a possibility a vote was disregarded or incorrectly applied to Clinton.

The Des Monies Register editorial board writes, "Once again the world is laughing at Iowa. Late-night comedians and social media mavens are having a field day with jokes about missing caucusgoers and coin flips," it said. "That's fine. We can take ribbing over our quirky process. But what we can't stomach is even the whiff of the impropriety of error."

It's to be noted; the Des Moines Register endorsed Clinton early this year. It appears the Register is accusing the Sanders campaign of possibly cheating Clinton of well-earned votes. The paper has requested a quick but mandatory overview, you know, "for the sake of democracy," to determine how votes were collected and delegated.

Unlike the Republican Party, the Democratic Party does not release the actual number of votes for the candidate. Instead, they reveal by delegates the candidate accrued based on the volume of votes earned.



The Register goes on to say, "Too many questions have been raised. Too many accounts have arisen of inconsistent counts, untrained and overwhelmed volunteers, confused voters, cramped precinct locations, a lack of voter registration forms and other problems," it said.

The paper adds, "Too many of us, including members of the Register editorial board who were observing caucuses, saw opportunities for error amid Monday night's chaos."

In light of the Registers concern, Clinton's team has ramped up calls for a recount. The Clinton team questions how precincts relegated votes regarding delegates. Additionally, Sanders team has joined the chorus of recount requests and calls for a complete "release of raw vote totals at each precinct."



The Curious Case Of Delegate Assigned

Charles P. Pierce of Esquire writes, "If you're keeping score at home, the Iowa caucus process passed ridiculous on Tuesday and it has kept going into whatever is to found far beyond it. Apparently, Sanders won 19 delegates and Clinton seven in Grinnell Ward 1. With no explanation, one delegate was shifted to Clinton. It wasn't discovered until the next day by the precinct chair J Pablo Silva.

Pierce adds, "In the old days, when Democrats knew how to do politics right, a change like this would have required a substantial bribe of whiskey and strippers, as well as a decent county job for the idiot nephew of the country chairman. To paraphrase George C. Scott in Patton, god, how I hate the 21st Century."

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November 15, 2021 I grew up in a church that said you had to speak in tongues to get saved and go to heaven. I often prayed fervently starting at the age of 5 for the experience in the prayer room at church, where people would cry and wail, and roll on the floor. One 80-year old lady would get happy in the spirit and run laps around the church. That was always entertaining. About my sophomore year in college, I became transformed by the protest of the Vietnam War, the anti-nuclear movement, Eastern philosophy, the study of psychology, smoking reefer, and of course, democratic socialism, which I started believing could save the world. Two times in my twenties and thirties, I am embarrassed to say, I had brief periods where I went back to being a Christian fundamentalist or an evangelical Christian. Later going to a liberal seminary, where I studied the New Testament like a scientist, helped me realize that there was little grounds for believing in the virgin birth, the trinity, and the unique resurrection of Jesus in the way that evangelical Christians believe. Now I believe that Jesus could have been a highly evolved yogi to achieve the various things he allegedly achieved. Growing up in an anti-intellectual home, I had the most trouble with high school courses like U.S. history, which seemed like a boring subject that was a waste of time. Later in my life, European history would become an important and fascinating subject. Fascinated with yoga and meditation, I starting reading many of the books written by Swami Rama. When I later met him in person and was initiated and given a mantra (which I never did repeat over and over as suggested), I remember that being in his presence was the most powerful spiritual experience I have ever had in my life: I felt rapturous love and indescribable bliss. So I became convinced that meditation and spiritual disciplines can transform a person. In my mid 50s, I started advocating the integration of the Perennial Philosophy (that's the term Aldous Huxley used; it is also referred to as Ageless Wisdom, describing the nondual, mystical experience) with a democratic form of socialism as a way to save individuals and the world. I created a website called www.NowSaveTheWorld.com because the website name SaveTheWorld.com had already been taken by somebody else. I created this website in 2010 right before I retired at age 60 from being a teacher of high school special education and also of general elementary education, mostly third grade. In March 2020, I changed the name to WorldWithoutEmpire.com. Buddha said that desire is the cause of suffering, but sometimes individuals do not want to give up their attachments and desires--in romance, for example. In mindfulness meditation, we temporarily disidentify with our thoughts, beliefs, and memories, becoming detached and objective. This gives us a fresh new insight and perspective about ourselves, others, and the world. Yogis, Buddhists, and Christian mystics have found a higher joy and inner peace that the world cannot comprehend. But it is okay if we're not there yet. From a cosmic perspective and knowing that a part of us never dies when we leave this earth--everything is perfect just the way it is. The human species will evolve and thrive when we desire to save every person on the planet, when we become concerned about the Self-actualization of every individual in every nation. I have supported a democratic form of socialism in the over 100 articles that I have written. But since it seems that the vast majority of socialists (like capitalist liberals) support the official Covid narrative regarding the lockdowns, the wearing of face masks, and forced vaccination--I identify with the conservatives on this issue and support the idea of getting off the grid and forming intentional vegan communites away from the cities. To create a more democratic world, we need to equally empower the 7 largest national political parties in every country. No political party has a right to impose its ideals on others or prevent the free speech of other parties. Everyone must respect a democratic process. But it is not very democratic to only have 2 political parties. I also support a Democratic World Government, which is the opposite of New World Order imposed autocratically. But a world government should not be allowed if the majority of the world does not want it. If a world government is ever formed, a majority of world citizens must have the right to democratically disassemble it, if they do not like it.
by Rep. Gail Whitsett

In response to a question posed to me recently, its my opinion that public input has no value in a completely controlled and strictly adhered to agenda like we are seeing this session. The outcome is pre-determined and the bills that are allowed to a floor vote will pass.

I still urge people to testify and we minority party legislators still speak up on the floor and in committees and vote no  but the outcome is fully predetermined. Thats how it is this session and thats how it was last session. Thats how it is anytime you have a supermajority or near supermajority.

Even the moderate Democrats are so afraid of their leadership and the loss of their committee chairmanships and committee assignments that they concede to the stated agenda and vote party line.

An exception is when they are in swing districts and the leadership determines they can vote moderately, and allows them to vote their constituency because it wont affect the outcome of the floor vote. The other times they are expected to vote en bloc along strictly party lines to make a point in the media.

This is how sausage is made, sadly.

Over the course of our first few days in session, certain members of the majority party in the House are even admonishing the minority party representatives for daring to speak up about the predetermined agenda in our limited three minutes at the end of each daily session. It seems as though some in leadership are attempting to silence the only thing we have left to use  our voices.

This results in a total and complete disenfranchisement of most rural voters, and certainly all of those who are represented by minority party legislators.

The legislative process should be open and all elected officials should be afforded the same respect. That means we are tolerant of all speakers and their issues, not just those issues that the majority party wishes to consider. It was really quite embarrassing to view the public attack by a member of leadership on a Republican member for suggesting that he wished we could all sit down to dinner and work on issues instead of being subjected to these many major policy changes being forced on the citizens of the state in an incredibly short session. Short sessions, that by the way, were not meant for major policy changes.

If we are denied our ability to speak about the controversial subjects, through methods of public intimidation and humiliation by the majority party, we truly are existing and trying to govern in nothing more than a one-party authoritarian regime.

Many from both parties are reluctant to speak out for fear of having their bills killed in committee or later on the floor. Whether this fear is real or simply implied, the result is the same. We, and our constituencies, are effectively silenced, and we are no longer a representative constitutional republic.

Rep. Gail Whitsett is the Republican state representative from District 56  Klamath Falls
A Eurasian Golden Triangle is emerging with China, Russia and Iran as the three key points, F. William Engdahl notes.

 AP Photo/ Ebrahim Noroozi Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, right, and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping shake hands at the conclusion of their joint press conference at the Saadabad Palace in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016

The latest Sino-Iranian rapprochement has prompted a lively debate regarding the new Eurasian "world order.""Sometimes profound tectonic shifts in the global politics arise from the least noticed events. Such is the situation with Iran and the recent visit to Tehran of China's President Xi Jinping. What emerged from the talks confirms that the vital third leg of what will become a genuine Eurasian Golden Triangle, of nations committed to peaceful economic development, is now in place," American-German researcher, historian and strategic risk consultant F. William Engdahl writes in his article for New Eastern Outlook.On January 23, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani signed almost 17 agreements on economic and technological cooperation. Furthermore, the leaders announced they will cooperate on the China-led One Belt One Road initiative.The researcher calls the formal inclusion of Iran into China's New Economic Silk Road project "a giant positive step." According to Engdahl, it will allow Tehran to "break years of economic isolation" and will open doors to the region's economic development.Pakistani columnist Afzal Hussain echoes Engdahl's stance."The lifting of economic sanctions from Iran provides trade opportunities for regional countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Russia, and Central Asian Countries particularly, Tajikistan. The trade activity will generate billions of dollars not only for oil rich Iran but also for the countries having close economic relations with Iran," Hussain noted in his article for The Nation, the Pakistani media outlet.Hussain views Pakistan as a "geographical corridor" between China and Iran."The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project has become more vital after latest trade accords between Iran and China," he underscored.The Pakistani columnist highlighted Russia's determining role in the region and expressed his confidence that China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia will bolster trade and economic growth in Central Asia and beyond.Referring to the fact that Iran currently has SCO Observer status Engdahl envisages that Iran will be formally admitted as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at their next annual meeting this summer.In contrast to those experts who regard the recent Sino-Iranian rapprochement as a potential apple of discord between Beijing and Moscow, the researcher points to the fact that the countries would rather create a mutually beneficial triple alliance, a future cornerstone of a unified Eurasia."We're seeing the emergence of a true Eurasian Golden Triangle with China, Russia and Iran as the three key points," Engdahl underscores."With the stated plan to route the Silk Road rail infrastructure to assist the mining of new gold for currency backing of the Eurasian member states, including now Iran with its significant own unexploited gold, the hyper-inflated, debt-bloated dollar system is gaining a formidable positive alternative, one committed to peace and development," the researcher concludes.
King Salman warned countries , not to interfere in the kingdom internal affairs

RIYADH: Saudi Arabias King Salman on Sunday called on other countries not to interfere in the kingdoms internal affairs in what appeared to be a rebuke to Riyadhs main foe Iran, which it accuses of attempting to stir unrest.



It is our right to defend ourselves, without interfering in the affairs of others. We call on others to not interfere in our affairs, Salman said in a speech opening the annual Janadriya cultural festival in Riyadh, state news agency SPA reported.



We cooperate with our Arab and Muslim brothers in all areas in defending our lands and ensuring their independence and guarding their government systems as sanctioned by their peoples, he added.



Salman did not elaborate, but his remarks seemed aimed at Iran, which Riyadh accuses of destabilizing Arab states and spreading sectarianism by backing militias in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen and fomenting unrest in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.



Iran denies seeking to destabilize the region or incite sectarian hatred. It in turn accuses Riyadh of fomenting discord by backing rebels in Syria, going to war in Yemen and propagating an ultra-conservative Sunni Muslim school that declares Shias heretical.



The Saudi king, who succeeded to power a year ago after the death of his half-brother Abdullah, brought together a coalition of Arab states to back military action in Yemen to restore its government after it was ousted by an Iran-allied militia.
Pak Europe agreed on issue of readmission of illegal immigrants: Nisar Ali

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the European Union have agreed to sort out differences over the issue of readmission of illegal immigrants.



In a statement issued here on Sunday, Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan praised the EU for understanding Pakistans concerns over implementation of the EU Readmission Agreement (Eura) suspended over three months ago.



The broad-based understanding between the EU and Pakistan was reportedly reached at a recent meeting of the Joint Readmission Committee (JRC) in Brussels.



The interior minister and the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, had decided in November last year to hold the JRC meeting.



Chaudhry Nisar had shared Pakistans serious concerns with Mr Avramopoulos over the loopholes in implementation of Eura which, according to him, had seriously undermined fundamental rights and, in some cases, the dignity of Pakistani immigrants and refugees. The minister had stressed the need for immediately resolving the issue.



On Pakistans concern over people being deported without due verification, the EU has now agreed to the verification process proposed by the Ministry of Interior and promised to ensure deportation strictly in line with the readmission accord, immigration laws and procedures acceptable to Pakistan, says a handout issued by the ministry.



It says that the EU has welcomed the standard operating procedures developed by Pakistan for transparent and speedy processing of verification applications as well as Pakistans initiative of developing an electronic platform for the issuance of Emergency Travel Documents to verified deportees.



Appreciating the newly developed system of interrogation by Pakistans Federal Investigation Agency with a view to taking action against human traffickers and smugglers, the EU has agreed that a 15-day prior information in case of deportees through chartered flights and three days in case of commercial flights will be shared with Pakistan to help FIA to make necessary arrangements for their reception and interrogation.



In response to Pakistans demand, the EU acknowledged the need for sharing the evidence beforehand in cases where a deportee is accused of criminal or terrorist activity.



The JRC also discussed EUs broader engagement with Pakistan, including legal migration and mobility as well as reintegration of migrants sent back from the European Union.



The meeting ended with a commitment to enhance cooperation in managing current migration and security issues in order to take stronger action to meet the challenge.



Chaudhry Nisar said that immigration was posing problems not only for the EU countries but was also a source of embarrassment and concern for Pakistan. He said EUs understanding of Islamabads concerns would provide a good platform for Pakistan and the EU to work together with greater coordination in this area.



The minister had announced suspension of Eura last year alleging that the accord was being misused.



The agreement reached in 2010 was meant to establish, on the basis of reciprocity, rapid and effective procedures for identification and orderly return of people illegally staying in a country back to their country.



We will not allow any plane carrying deportees (under the agreement) unless we verify their nationality status and get details about the charge and evidence against them, Chaudhry Nisar had said. Without naming any country, he had stated that two powerful European countries were sending Pakistanis back on baseless terrorism charges.



Those who give lectures on fundamental rights to us should respect fundamental rights of Pakistanis, he had said, adding that since Britain was following the agreement in letter and spirit the accord with it would remain intact.



The minister had also warned that airlines which carried deportees back to Pakistan without his ministrys permission or without travel documents would have to pay unspecified fines.



In December last year immigration authorities at various airports of the country refused to accept over 50 migrants at the Islamabad Airport for not having proper travel documents. All illegal deportees were sent back to European countries, including the UK and Greece, from where they had been deported.



The FIA claims that it has also deported more than 160 foreigners who had entered Pakistan illegally during the past one year.



On the directives of the interior minister, the FIA launched a countrywide crackdown on human traffickers to control the flow of immigrants, especially to Europe.



Pakistan also instructed its diplomatic missions in European capitals to demand evidence of a potential crime when host countries sought to deport illegal immigrants being held on terror charges to Pakistan.
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...
I'm not giving examples of fake news items, because research has shown that when this is done, many people will remember the debunked &q...
Meteorologist Paul Douglas writes about Minnesota weather daily, trying to go beyond the "highs" and "lows" of the weather story to discuss current trends and some of the how's and why's of meteorology. Rarely is our weather dull - every day is a new forecast challenge. Why is the weather doing what it's doing? Is climate change a real concern, and if so, how will my family be affected? Climate is flavoring all weather now, and I'll include links to timely stories that resonate with me.
Paul R. Gregory is a Research Fellow, Hoover InstitutionCullen Professor of Economics, University of Houston. He is also a research professor at the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin. He is chair emeritus of the International Advisory Board of the Kyiv School of Economics. He serves as co-editor of the Yale-Hoover Series on Stalin, Stalinism, and Cold War. He has co-edited archival publications, such as the seven volume History of Stalin's Gulag (2004) and the three-volume Stenograms of Meetings of the Politburo (2008). Gregory is the organizer of the Hoover Sino-Soviet Archives Workshop that takes place in the summer at the Hoover Institution.His recent publications include Lenin's Brain and Other Tales from the Secret Soviet Archives (Hoover 2004) and Terror by Quota (Yale, 2009).Paul Gregory has a regular blog Forbes.com






Victoria Smith, killed by black adoptive parents at age 3







(Isaiah 62:1)





A 19th century Democrat political poster below:

















Leftist tolerance







African immigrants in the Western world





Bloomberg







JFK knew Leftist dogmatism





Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner once turned down a dinner invitation to the Kennedy White House because it was a hundred miles away. Thats a long distance to travel only to get some food.







-- Geert Wilders







The most beautiful woman in the world? I think she was. Yes: It's Agnetha Faltskog





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A beautiful baby is king -- with blue eyes, blond hair and white skin. How incorrect can you get?





Kristina Pimenova, once said to be the most beautiful girl in the world. Note blue eyes and blonde hair







Enough said







A face of Leftist hate: Cory Booker, (D-NJ)







There really is an actress named Donna Air. She seems a pleasant enough woman, though





What feminism has wrought:



There's actually some wisdom there. The dreamy lady says she is holding out for someone who meets her standards. The other lady reasonably replies "There's nobody there". Standards can be unrealistically high and feminists have laboured mightily to make them so





Some bright spark occasionally decides that Leftism is feminine and conservatism is masculine. That totally misses the point. If true, how come the vote in American presidential elections usually shows something close to a 50/50 split between men and women? And in the 2016 Presidential election, Trump won 53 percent of white women, despite allegations focused on his past treatment of some women.





Political correctness is Fascism pretending to be manners





Political Correctness is as big a threat to free speech as Communism and Fascism. All 3 were/are socialist.





A good thought from Thomas Sowell: "The phrase "glass ceiling" is an insult to our intelligence. What does glass mean, except that we cannot see it? In other words, in the absence of evidence, we are expected to go along with what is said because it is said in accusatory and self-righteous tones."





The problem with minorities is not race but culture. For instance, many American black males fit in well with the majority culture. They go to college, work legally for their living, marry and support the mother of their children, go to church, abstain from crime and are considerate towards others. Who could reasonably object to such people? It is people who subscribe to minority cultures -- black, Latino or Muslim -- who can give rise to concern. If antisocial attitudes and/or behaviour become pervasive among a group, however, policies may reasonably devised to deal with that group as a whole





The American Psychological Association is generally Left-leaning but it is the world's most prestigious body of academic psychologists. And even they (under the chairmanship of Ulric Neisser) have had to concede a large gap (one SD) in black vs. white average IQ.





Black lives DON'T matter -- to other blacks. The leading cause of death among young black males is attack by other young black males





Leftist logic: There are allegedly no distinctions between groups of humans, yet we're still supposed to celebrate diversity.





Identity politics is a form of racism





'White Privilege'. .. Oh yes. .. That was abundant in the Irish potato famines. ... And in the Scottish Highland Clearances. ...And in transportations to Australia. ... And in Workhouses. ... 'White privilege' was absolutely RIFE!





Psychological defence mechanisms such as projection play a large part in Leftist thinking and discourse. So their frantic search for evil in the words and deeds of others is easily understandable. The evil is in themselves. Leftist motivations are fundamentally Fascist. They want to "fundamentally transform" the lives of their fellow citizens, which is as authoritarian as you can get. We saw where it led in Russia and China. The "compassion" that Leftists parade is just a cloak for their ghastly real motivations





Occasionally I put up on this blog complaints about the privileged position of homosexuals in today's world. I look forward to the day when the pendulum swings back and homosexuals are treated as equals before the law. To a simple Leftist mind, that makes me "homophobic", even though I have no fear of any kind of homosexuals.



But I thought it might be useful for me to point out a few things. For a start, I am not unwise enough to say that some of my best friends are homosexual. None are, in fact. Though there are two homosexuals in my normal social circle whom I get on well with and whom I think well of.



Of possible relevance: My late sister was a homosexual; I loved Liberace's sense of humour and I thought that Robert Helpmann was marvellous as Don Quixote in the Nureyev ballet of that name.



Bible references on homosexuality: Romans 1:27; Jude 1:7; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Mark 10:6-9; Matthew 19: 4-16; 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11; 1 Corinthians 7:2; Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Genesis 19:4-8





One may say that the person who gets in trouble with drugs is just as dumb without them





I record on this blog many examples of negligent, inefficient and reprehensible behaviour on the part of British police. After 13 years of Labour party rule they have become highly politicized, with values that reflect the demands made on them by the political Left rather than than what the community expects of them. They have become lazy and cowardly and avoid dealing with real crime wherever possible -- preferring instead to harass normal decent people for minor infractions -- particularly offences against political correctness. They are an excellent example of the destruction that can be brought about by Leftist meddling.





I also record on this blog much social worker evil -- particularly British social worker evil. The evil is neither negligent nor random. It follows exactly the pattern you would expect from the Marxist-oriented indoctrination they get in social work school -- where the middle class is seen as the enemy and the underclass is seen as virtuous. So social workers are lightning fast to take children away from normal decent parents on the basis of of minor or imaginary infractions while turning a blind eye to gross child abuse by the underclass





"In the end every feminism ends up being a machismo with a skirt" -- Pope Francis, February 23, 2019





Racial differences in temperament: Chinese are more passive even as little babies





The genetics of crime: I have been pointing out for some time the evidence that there is a substantial genetic element in criminality. Some people are born bad. See here, here, here, here (DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12581) and here, for instance"





Gender is a property of words, not of people. Using it otherwise is just another politically correct distortion -- though not as pernicious as calling racial discrimination "Affirmative action"





Postmodernism is fundamentally frivolous. Postmodernists routinely condemn racism and intolerance as wrong but then say that there is no such thing as right and wrong. They are clearly not being serious. Either they do not really believe in moral nihilism or they believe that racism cannot be condemned!





Postmodernism is in fact just a tantrum. Post-Soviet reality in particular suits Leftists so badly that their response is to deny that reality exists. That they can be so dishonest, however, simply shows how psychopathic they are.





So why do Leftists say "There is no such thing as right and wrong" when backed into a rhetorical corner? They say it because that is the predominant conclusion of analytic philosophers. And, as Keynes said: "Madmen in authority, who hear voices in the air, are distilling their frenzy from some academic scribbler of a few years back





Children are the best thing in life. See also here.





Juergen Habermas, a veteran leftist German philosopher stunned his admirers not long ago by proclaiming, "Christianity, and nothing else, is the ultimate foundation of liberty, conscience, human rights, and democracy, the benchmarks of Western civilization. To this day, we have no other options [than Christianity]. We continue to nourish ourselves from this source. Everything else is postmodern chatter."





Consider two "jokes" below:



Q. "Why are Leftists always standing up for blacks and homosexuals?



A. Because for all three groups their only God is their penis"



Pretty offensive, right? So consider this one:



Q. "Why are evangelical Christians like the Taliban?



A. They are both religious fundamentalists"



The latter "joke" is not a joke at all, of course. It is a comparison routinely touted by Leftists. Both "jokes" are greatly offensive and unfair to the parties targeted but one gets a pass without question while the other would bring great wrath on the head of anyone uttering it. Why? Because political correctness is in fact just Leftist bigotry. Bigotry is unfairly favouring one or more groups of people over others -- usually justified as "truth".





One of my more amusing memories is from the time when the Soviet Union still existed and I was teaching sociology in a major Australian university. On one memorable occasion, we had a representative of the Soviet Womens' organization visit us -- a stout and heavily made-up lady of mature years. When she was ushered into our conference room, she was greeted with something like adulation by the local Marxists. In question time after her talk, however, someone asked her how homosexuals were treated in the USSR. She replied: "We don't have any. That was before the revolution". The consternation and confusion that produced among my Leftist colleagues was hilarious to behold and still lives vividly in my memory. The more things change, the more they remain the same, however. In Sept. 2007 President Ahmadinejad told Columbia university that there are no homosexuals in Iran.





It is widely agreed (with mainly Lesbians dissenting) that boys need their fathers. What needs much wider recognition is that girls need their fathers too. The relationship between a "Daddy's girl" and her father is perhaps the most beautiful human relationship there is. It can help give the girl concerned inner strength for the rest of her life.





A modern feminist complains: "We are so far from having it all that we barely even have a slice of the pie, which we probably baked ourselves while sobbing into the pastry at 4am."





Patriotism does NOT in general go with hostilty towards others. See e.g. here and here and even here ("Ethnocentrism and Xenophobia: A Cross-Cultural Study" by anthropologist Elizabeth Cashdan. In Current Anthropology Vol. 42, No. 5, December 2001).





The love of bureaucracy is very Leftist and hence "correct". Who said this? "Account must be taken of every single article, every pound of grain, because what socialism implies above all is keeping account of everything". It was V.I. Lenin





"An objection I hear frequently is: Why should we tolerate intolerance? The assumption is that tolerating views that you dont agree with is like a gift, an act of kindness. It suggests were doing people a favour by tolerating their view. My argument is that tolerance is vital to us, to you and I, because its actually the presupposition of all our freedoms. You cannot be free in any meaningful sense unless there is a recognition that we are free to act on our beliefs, were free to think what we want and express ourselves freely. Unless we have that freedom, all those other freedoms that we have on paper mean nothing" -- SOURCE





RELIGION:



Antisemitism in the Koran





Although it is a popular traditional chant, the "Kol Nidre" should be abandoned by modern Jewish congregations. It was totally understandable where it originated in the Middle Ages but is morally obnoxious in the modern world and vivid "proof" of all sorts of antisemitic stereotypes





What the Bible says about the transexual craze: The male-female distinction is the only innate human distinction God cares about: God created mankind in his own image . . . male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27). He created them male and female and blessed them (Genesis 5:2). No ethnic or racial distinction matters in Genesis, only the male-female distinction.





What the Bible says about homosexuality:



"Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; It is abomination" -- Lev. 18:22



In his great diatribe against the pagan Romans, the apostle Paul included homosexuality among their sins:



"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.... Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" -- Romans 1:26,27,32.



So churches that condone homosexuality are clearly post-Christian





Although I am an atheist, I have great respect for the wisdom of ancient times as collected in the Bible. And its condemnation of homosexuality makes considerable sense to me. In an era when family values are under constant assault, such a return to the basics could be helpful. Nonetheless, I approve of St. Paul's advice in the second chapter of his epistle to the Romans that it is for God to punish them, not us. In secular terms, homosexuality between consenting adults in private should not be penalized but nor should it be promoted or praised. In Christian terms, "Gay pride" is of the Devil





The homosexuals of Gibeah (Judges 19 & 20) set in train a series of events which brought down great wrath and destruction on their tribe. The tribe of Benjamin was almost wiped out when it would not disown its homosexuals. Are we seeing a related process in the woes presently being experienced by the amoral Western world? Note that there was one Western country that was not affected by the global financial crisis and subsequently had no debt problems: Australia. In September 2012 the Australian federal parliament considered a bill to implement homosexual marriage. It was rejected by a large majority -- including members from both major political parties. The tide turned in 2017, however, with a public vote authorizing homosexual marriage in Australia





Religion is deeply human. The recent discoveries at Gobekli Tepe suggest that it was religion not farming that gave birth to civilization. Early civilizations were at any rate all very religious. Atheism is mainly a very modern development and is even now very much a minority opinion





"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20 (KJV)





I think it's not unreasonable to see Islam as the religion of the Devil. Any religion that loves death or leads to parents rejoicing when their children blow themselves up is surely of the Devil -- however you conceive of the Devil. Whether he is a man in a red suit with horns and a tail, a fallen spirit being, or simply the evil side of human nature hardly matters. In all cases Islam is clearly anti-life and only the Devil or his disciples could rejoice in that.



And there surely could be few lower forms of human behaviour than to give abuse and harm in return for help. The compassionate practices of countries with Christian traditions have led many such countries to give a new home to Muslim refugees and seekers after a better life. It's basic humanity that such kindness should attract gratitude and appreciation. But do Muslims appreciate it? They most commonly show contempt for the countries and societies concerned. That's another sign of Satanic influence.



And how's this for demonic thinking?: "Asian father whose daughter drowned in Dubai sea 'stopped lifeguards from saving her because he didn't want her touched and dishonoured by strange men'



Islamic terrorism isnt a perversion of Islam. Its the implementation of Islam. It is not a religion of the persecuted, but the persecutors. Its theology is violent supremacism.



And where Muslims tell us that they love death, the great Christian celebration is of the birth of a baby -- the monogenes theos (only begotten god) as John 1:18 describes it in the original Greek -- Christmas!





No wonder so many Muslims are hostile and angry. They have little companionship from women and not even any companionship from dogs -- which are emotionally important in most other cultures. Dogs are "unclean"





Some advice from Martin Luther: Esto peccator et pecca fortiter, sed fortius fide et gaude in christo qui victor est peccati, mortis et mundi: peccandum est quam diu sic sumus. Vita haec non est habitatio justitiae





Latina est immortalis





On all my blogs, I express my view of what is important primarily by the readings that I select for posting. I do however on occasions add personal comments in italicized form at the beginning of an article.





I am rather pleased to report that I am a lifelong conservative. Out of intellectual curiosity, I did in my youth join organizations from right across the political spectrum so I am certainly not closed-minded and am very familiar with the full spectrum of political thinking. Nonetheless, I did not have to undergo the lurch from Left to Right that so many people undergo. At age 13 I used my pocket-money to subscribe to the "Reader's Digest" -- the main conservative organ available in small town Australia of the 1950s. I have learnt much since but am pleased and amused to note that history has since confirmed most of what I thought at that early age.



I imagine that the the RD is still sending mailouts to my 1950s address!





Germaine Greer is a stupid old Harpy who is notable only for the depth and extent of her hatreds





Even Mahatma Gandhi was profoundly unimpressed by Africans







http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/42197/20121106-1520/jonjayray.comuv.com/

There are also two blogspot blogs which record what I think are my main recent articles here and here . Similar content can be more conveniently accessed via my subject-indexed list of short articles here or here (I rarely write long articles these days)If the link to one of my articles is not working, the article concerned can generally be viewed by prefixing to the filename the following: Selected pictures from blogs (Backup here Another picture page (Rarely updated)(My frequent reads are starred)Email me here (Hotmail address).The archives provided by blogspot below are rather inconvenient. They break each month up into small bits. If you want to scan whole months at a time, the backup archives will suit better. See here or here
A historic high school in West Philadelphia will be converted into an apartment building, according to multiple reports. It was announced on Friday that a Brooklyn-based developer, Heights Advisors, had acquired $24 million to redevelop the four-story West Philadelphia High School into 268 apartment units.

Located on 4700 Walnut Street, the late Gothic revival high school was built in 1912 and shuttered in 2011. Students moved to another, newer building a few blocks away, while the former school, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, sat abandoned for years.

The construction loan was a long time coming, since this will be the developers' first project in Philadelphia.

According to the Height Advisors website, the rehabilitation project on the 442,200-square-foot building won't begin until 2017.

 Brooklyn firm to develop former West Philly High building as apartments[PI]
Pedestrian detection system was developed in the Statistical Visual Computing Lab at UC San Diego. Credit: Statistical Visual Computing Lab, UC San Diego

What if computers could recognize objects as well as the human brain could? Electrical engineers at the University of California, San Diego have taken an important step toward that goal by developing a pedestrian detection system that performs in near real-time (2-4 frames per second) and with higher accuracy (close to half the error) compared to existing systems. The technology, which incorporates deep learning models, could be used in "smart" vehicles, robotics and image and video search systems.

"We're aiming to build computer vision systems that will help computers better understand the world around them," said Nuno Vasconcelos, electrical engineering professor at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering who directed the research. A big goal is real-time vision, he says, especially for pedestrian detection systems in self-driving cars. Vasconcelos is a faculty affiliate of the Center for Visual Computing and the Contextual Robotics Institute, both at UC San Diego.

The new pedestrian detection algorithm developed by Vasconcelos and his team combines a traditional computer vision classification architecture, known as cascade detection, with deep learning models.

Pedestrian detection systems typically break down an image into small windows that are processed by a classifier that signals the presence or absence of a pedestrian. This approach is challenging because pedestrians appear in different sizesdepending on distance to the cameraand locations within an image. Typically, millions of windows must be inspected by video frame at speeds ranging from 5-30 frames per second.

In cascade detection, the detector operates throughout a series of stages. In the first stages, the algorithm quickly identifies and discards windows that it can easily recognize as not containing a person (such as the sky). The next stages process the windows that are harder for the algorithm to classify, such as those containing a tree, which the algorithm could recognize as having person-like features (shape, color, contours, etc.). In the final stages, the algorithm must distinguish between a pedestrian and very similar objects. However, because the final stages only process a few windows, the overall complexity is low.

Traditional cascade detection relies on "weak learners," which are simple classifiers, to do the job at each stage. The first stages use a small number of weak learners to reject the easy windows, while the later stages rely on larger numbers of weak learners to process the harder windows. While this method is fast, it isn't powerful enough when it reaches the final stages. That's because the weak learners used in all stages of the cascade are identical. So even though there are more classifiers in the last stages, they're not necessarily capable of performing highly complex classification.

Deep learning models

To address this problem, Vasconcelos and his team developed a novel algorithm that incorporates deep learning models in the final stages of a cascaded detector. Deep learning models are better suited for complex pattern recognition, which they can perform after being trained with hundreds or thousands of examplesin this case, images that either have or don't have a person. However, deep learning models are too complex for real-time implementation. While they work well for the final cascade stages, they are too complex to be used in the early ones.

The solution is a new cascade architecture that combines classifiers from different families: simple classifiers (weak learners) in the early stages complex classifiers (deep learning models) in the later stages. This is not trivial to accomplish, noted Vasconcelos, since the algorithm used to learn the cascade has to find the combination of weak learners that achieves the optimal trade-off between detection accuracy and complexity for each cascade stage. Accordingly, Vasconcelos and his team introduced a new mathematical formulation for this problem, which resulted in a new algorithm for cascade design.

"No previous algorithms have been capable of optimizing the trade-off between detection accuracy and speed for cascades with stages of such different complexities. In fact, these are the first cascades to include stages of deep learning. The results we're obtaining with this new algorithm are substantially better for real-time, accurate pedestrian detection," said Vasconcelos.

The algorithm currently only works for binary detection tasks, such as pedestrian detection, but the researchers are aiming to extend the cascade technology to detect many objects simultaneously.

"One approach to this problem is to train, for example, five different detectors to recognize five different objects. But we want to train just one detector to do this. Developing that algorithm is the next challenge," said Vasconcelos.

The work, titled "Learning Complexity-Aware Cascades for Deep Pedestrian Detection," was presented Dec. 15, 2015 at the International Conference on Computer Vision in Santiago, Chile.

Explore further Google team rises to 2014 visual recognition challenge
The researchers undertake their initial investigation using the model plant Arabidopsis, but at a later stage they will also include proteins from commercially important crop species. Credit: Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences

Some proteins behave rather anarchistic. Unraveling their unusual behavior might hold the secret to develop crops with a higher tolerance to stress. A group of researchers at the University of Copenhagen will unveil the mysteries of these disordered proteins thanks to a 7 million kr grant from the Villum Foundation Young Investigator Program.

Plants with less stress

Usually the structure of a protein determines its function. However, due to yet unknown mechanisms some proteins carry out their functions without having such deterministic structures.

Meike Burow, Associate Professor at DynaMo Center, Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, will head an ambitious project that aims at disclosing the true nature of a special group of anarchistic plant proteins.

Meike Burow explains, "We will undertake basic science and hope to uncover the mechanisms that regulate the plants' defence against stress factors, such as attacks by bacteria or drought. However, we expect that in a foreseeable future our results will lead to the development of new crop species that are better at coping with external stress."

Fluctuating structure

Currently Meike Burow and her colleagues investigate proteins in the model plant Arabidopsis, but they plan to also study proteins from commercially interesting crop species at a later stage.

Meike Burow is especially interested in a group of six proteins, which switch the production of the plant's defence compounds on and off. These six proteins do not have a well-defined structure, but seem to change shape depending on cues from the environment.

"Our aim is to find out how the fluctuating structure of these proteins is related to their function. We are also very interested in how this relationship developed", Meike Burow explains. She continues,

"We have studied regulation of plant metabolism for many years, but we have realized that there is a gap in the knowledge about proteins involved in the synthesis of defence compounds. A major part of the proteins that switch specific pathways on and off have these variable structures, but nobody can explain how it works. Our experiments suggest that it is the unstructured part of these proteins that is essential for them to carry out the right function at the right time."

Human disease control

Even though her project primarily focuses on mechanisms in plants, Meike Burow hopes that someday her results will also lead to prevention or cure of diseases in human beings.

"The group of proteins we are scrutinizing are not only present in plants. They are also found in most animals, including ourselves and it is well known that when essential proteins malfunction, it may lead to severe diseases," says Meike Burow and elaborates,

"Once we understand the full mechanisms of the relationship between structure and function of a given disordered protein, we can use this knowledge to prevent - or maybe even cure - certain human diseases caused by malfunctioning proteins."

Explore further Plant protein structure database will help to uncover unknown functions of plant genes
Messages from the earth will be beamed to the stars. Credit: Paul Quast

Messages from around the world are to be beamed into space at the speed of light as part of a cultural project to create a celestial time capsule.

In autumn 2016, dispatches from the public will be converted into radio waves and broadcasted towards the North Star, Polaris, this autumn, reaching their destination in 434 years.

The interstellar message in a bottle will comprise of people's responses to a single question: how will our present environmental interactions shape the future?

A Simple Response to an Elemental Message is a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh, and the UK Astronomical Technology Centre (UKATC) along with other partners.

Within 21 hours of transmission, the signal will have travelled deeper into space than mankind's first message to the stars, Voyager 1, which was launched in 1977.

Project Coordinator Paul Quast said Polaris was chosen as the destination because of its cultural significance as a reference point for navigators and star gazers.

Researchers will be able to use the responses to gauge if there are significant geographical differences in how people think about the environment and the future of the planet.

Edinburgh College of Art postgraduate student Mr Quast said: "We are at a pivotal point in this planet's history. Our present ecological decisions will have a massive impact on the future for all Earth's inhabitants. This project will create a culturally-inspired message in a bottle capturing global perspectives that will travel into space for eons."

The public are invited to visit the official website, http://www.asimpleresponse.org, and leave their contributions to be broadcast into the cosmos.

The website is available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. German, Arabic, Russian and Mandarin will be available soon.
European bison imported from Poland now roam Denmark's Baltic island of Bornholm in places where the animals haven't lived for thousands of years. Meanwhile, in a far corner of Siberia, scientists are attempting to reconstruct an ecosystem that was lost many thousands of years ago along with the woolly mammoth by introducing bison, musk oxen, moose, horses, and reindeer to a place they call Pleistocene Park.

These efforts to "rewild" the landscape have become increasingly popular in some corners, but researchers writing in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on February 8 say that scientific evidence supporting the potential benefits of this form of restoration is limited at best. As history has shown, the introduction of species into new places is often met with unexpected, negative consequences for the environment.

"Implementation of rewilding in the field is already occurring," says David Nogues-Bravo of the Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate at the University of Copenhagen. "However, scientifically we are in the dark about the consequences of rewilding, and we worry about the general lack of critical thinking surrounding these often very expensive attempts at conservation. Practitioners mustn't assume that scientists are able to predict the full consequences of introducing novel species to dynamic and ever-evolving ecosystems."

Nogues-Bravo and his colleagues say that before implementing rewilding in the field as a major conservation approach, more basic research is needed about the consequences of modifying ecosystems. They argue that, for now at least, conservation efforts should focus instead on protecting biodiversity and on reducing major threats to the environment, such as deforestation, climate change, and invasive species.

"We don't know what the consequences of rewilding may be, and rewilding may also bring de-wilding in the form of local and global extinctions," says Carsten Rahbek, also a co-author. He and Nogues-Bravo note the potential also that rewilding might draw down already limited funds available for less splashy, but more scientifically supported, conservation projects.

Daniel Simberloff, a co-author from the University of Tennessee, says that the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is often highlighted as a success story through its cascading effects on the landscape. But the influence of such reintroductions can be highly variable and hard to predict.

"Only in some cases do you find evidence of strong cascading effects of large mammals, while other examples show only weak effects or even unexpected, but dramatic, negative consequences," Simberloff says. "Therefore, we advocate caution and careful consideration both for the animals that are rewilded and the ecosystems they are placed into."

While hard work, vigilance, and creativity on the part of scientists, conservation practitioners, and policy makers are required to face the world's sixth mass extinction event, the researchers write, "our hope is that the hard work is grounded in detailed ecological theory and offers clear conservation benefits to all of biodiversity and not just the opportunity to see large, wild beasts roaming the landscape."

The researchers say that they are now exploring the feasibility, adequacy, and risks of rewilding by studying fossil remains and their DNA in museums around the world. Their goal is to understand changes in ecosystems that occurred in past "natural experiments" that resemble rewilding.

Explore further Rewilding the future

More information: Current Biology, Nogues-Bravo et al.: "Rewilding is the new Pandora's box in conservation" Journal information: Current Biology , Nogues-Bravo et al.: "Rewilding is the new Pandora's box in conservation" dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.12.044
Dont lock it away, do something useful with it. Credit: notbrucelee, CC BY-SA

Data has the power to revolutionise and disrupt the way societies are governed. None more so than open data, which is free to access, free to use and can be shared by anyone. It's non-personal and can be used to identify and predict large-scale trends and behaviours. This is as opposed to closed data that is restricted to internal use by an organisation.

Many organisations are now seeing the benefits of open data. The European Union Open Data Portal, the British government's efforts under the banner of Opening up Government, and the Global Open Data Index are three examples of initiatives that bring together and make available large amounts of data about industry, health, education, and employment among other fields.

Others focus on improving transparency, for example where UK taxpayers' taxes are spent, or how farm subsidies are spent across Europe. There are also organisations, such as the Open Society, that call for greater transparency in order to hold government to account.

So the availability of open data creates opportunities for all kinds of organisations, government agencies and not-for-profits to come up with new ways of addressing society's problems. These include predictive healthcare, and planning and improving London's public transport system.

In fact, Transport for London was one of the first public bodies to put open data to use to create new applications. More than 5,000 developers have registered to use its data, distributed through 30 feeds. This includes journey planning, disruptions, arrival and departure predictions, timetables, routes and fares. Collaborations with developers have led to the popular app, Citymapper, and accessible apps such as the Colourblind Tube Map.

Insight into action

Data and where it comes from: closed, shared, and open models. Credit: ODI, CC BY-SA

Collaborations between multiple partners can help convert open data from insight into action. However, it requires data providers, data users and data developers to come together for a common goal as is the case with Future City Glasgow.

In 2013 Glasgow City Council won 24m in funding from Innovate UK to identify ways of using technology and data to make life in the city safer, smarter and more sustainable. This was based on making large amounts of non-sensitive and non-personal data from various providers openly accessible online. Using this data, developers create new applications that organisations and individuals alike can use.

Currently more than 370 open datasets are available that map the activities of the city, including travel, demographic, education, energy, health and safety data. This is cross-referenced with real-time data from CCTV, traffic management, Police Scotland, community enforcement and emergency services. Anyone visiting or living in the city has access to a personalised dashboard with real-time updates and information that can help them navigate the city. More cities throughout the UK are now putting technology in place to take advantage of open data.

Initiatives like Future City Glasgow use open data to create predictive systems that provide the information citizens need to make better day-to-day decisions. By drawing on shared data, local government and other public bodies can allocate resources more effectively to solve specific problems in a proactive way.

To really make open data initiatives like this work it's vital that those behind them get buy-in from the public  in order to share their data, and to gain their trust that it will be securely held and properly anonymised where necessary. Security is a major challenge due to cyber-attacks and data breaches.

Open data disruption

The future of open data is a collaborative process with the aim of providing civic benefits. Organisations need to share their data and work together to create novel uses for it that make our lives easier or richer. Using data that describes the patterns behind how we live can help us solve problems in ways we might not have foreseen.

Take the city of Louisville, Kentucky, in the US. Louisville is among the worst cities for those with asthma. The AIR Louisville project is trying to change that by bringing together health management company, Propeller Health, the Institute for Healthy Air, Water and Soil and the City of Louisville's public health department. The solution is a smart inhaler that tracks when, where and how often residents of Louisville experience asthma symptoms. Combined with real-time traffic and weather data, this information can help doctors and public officials track down problem areas and trigger points, and start to take steps to improve air quality in identified areas.

In all these cases, the way to fast-forward innovation and create new solutions to problems is to create open data partnerships with participants who are willing to share and collaborate on new disruptive initiatives. Many of these initiatives have already proven to bring benefits to people, government and businesses. It is a new era of increased transparency and democracy where data is no longer in the hands of only commercial organisations. Using open data presents opportunities for commerce, while also improving communities and everyday living for citizens.

Explore further Eight cities cited in data program from ex-NYC mayor Bloomberg

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.


The six most stable conformers composing histamine in the gas phase. Credit: Denis Tikhonov et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.

A group of scientists from Lomonosov Moscow State University studied histamine molecules in the gas phase using an electron beam. The study involved both experiment and calculations, and the results have been published in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. The authors specialize in the study of bioactive compounds and medicines.

Histamine is a biologically active substance involved in the regulation of many functions of organisms. It is the cause of several pathological conditions, in particular allergic reactions.

The allergic action of histamine is expressed via interaction with several receptors located on the cell surface. Histamine is often compared to a key and receptors to locksunlocking activates a number of different physiological processes, including headaches, skin rashes, diarrhea, and even anaphylactic shock. Modern antiallergic medicinesantihistaminic drugscompete with histamine for the receptors, preventing the "key" from getting close to the "lock." Unfortunately, the geometry of histamine is still poorly understood, and determining its structure is important for assessing its properties and potential.

"It's very hard to get data on the geometric structure of histamine," says co-author Leonid Khaikin, a lead researcher at the Laboratory of the Chemical Faculty of Lomonosov MSU. "This is due to the fact that in this case, the geometry of the individual conformers constituting histamine is determined by so many factors influencing each other."

The experimental method used by researchers from Moscow State University was gas electron diffraction. Basically, it uses a beam of fast electrons in high vacuum passing through the vapor of the investigated substance. Electrons are scattered by collisions with the molecules, and the resulting diffraction pattern is recorded.

"This pattern can be used to understand the geometry of the molecule. One can compare it to a fingerprint, which helps to determine its owner," Khaikin explains. "In other words, the diffraction pattern obtained is characteristic of histamine, and by analyzing this picture, we can infer the geometric characteristics of the molecule encrypted in the pattern. The problem was also in the fact that such a 'fingerprint' could be left by more than one 'finger' (histamine conformer). Therefore, we had to carry out multiple quantum-chemical calculations and to use reported spectroscopic data for vibrational and rotational spectra, and so on."

Purely analytical work came after the experiment. According to Khaikin, analysis of the obtained diffraction pattern was the most time-consuming and difficult part of the study, taking several months of hard work. As a result, MSU scientists were able to adjust all the available experimental and theoretical data on the structure of histamine. It was also possible to predict theoretically the mechanism of so-called tautomerization of histamine, a spontaneous transition of the molecule from one structural state to another. It has helped to reconcile the data observed in different experiments.

The results can now be used in different reference databases of structural and spectral data, for further development of theoretical concepts of structural chemistry and evaluation of the reactivity of the compounds. As often happens with the results of fundamental science, it will likely take a long time before researchers find practical application of these results in medicine. Quite possibly, knowledge about the mechanism of histamine molecule transition from one structural state to another might help to find more effective drugs against allergies.

Explore further Hay fever medicine reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
For Immediate Release

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) expressed concern today over credible reports that Turkish security forces are blocking access to urgent medical care for the sick and wounded in the course of their operations in southeastern Turkey.

PHR, the World Medical Association, the British Medical Association, the German Medical Association, and other leading medical groups have all condemned the obstruction of health care and reports of the killing of unarmed civilians in the region.

The Turkish government and its security forces are demonstrating a blatant disregard for the health and wellbeing of their people, said Dr. Vincent Iacopino, PHRs medical director. These extended curfews are dramatically limiting access to health care and are preventing medical workers from providing desperately needed care.

In addition to the curfews, reports indicate that the government is cutting the delivery of water, food, and electricity, all critical to the provision of basic health care.

The groups also expressed alarm about reports of legal action and other forms of harassment taken against academics, health professionals, and human rights activists who have called on the Turkish government to respect international human rights law. The Turkish government has a recent history of deliberate attacks on and repression of the medical community, which PHR has documented.

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here.
Taking A Look at MasterPass

You can order pad Thai or new living room furniture with just one swipe of your finger these days, which is straight-up magic from Merlin when you think about it. Technology has made life easier, right? While you can order ten pounds of birdseed from anywhere in the world thanks to the iDevice of your choosing, both consumers and merchants agree that the digital checkout process can be long and complicated. Your one tangible wallet provides you with several payment options; with all of the advancements in Merlin-style-magic technology, youd think there would be a digital wallet that works similarly.

MasterCard stepped in to design a service for consumers and merchants who want the most simplified checkout process ever. In 2013, the company launched the MasterPass app, which was the first mobile wallet of its kind: it provides both security and universal acceptance as an open platform wallet. In other words, the service allows the customer to pay with any credit card, debit card, or prepaid card the merchant acceptsand yes, that means customer dont even have to be MasterCard holders to use MasterPass.

How it works

MasterPass eliminates the need to enter financial and shipping information at every new merchant site, or store financials across a number of appsnot only does this streamline the transaction process, but its also a better safeguard to sensitive information.

Heres how it works: first, create a digital wallet through the app. When you decide to buy an item from a merchant, you simply click on the MasterPass icon on the website, sign in to the app, choose and authenticate your wallet and shipping address, and thats itcomplete checkout as usual on the merchants page. To review: sign in, click, click (or swipe, swipe if youre on an Android or iPhone). MasterPass does all the work as far as transferring funds and shipping information to the merchant, who submits the payment information to their acquirer as usual for processing.

Benefits for everybody

The MasterPass is a win-win whether youre buying or selling:

Customers like loyalty programsrewards point turn into freebies or discounts, and whats not to like about those? Businesses like loyalty programsrepeat customers are the best customers. MasterPass understands both sides of the coin, and as an open wallet, the app accepts loyalty cards to earn points with every use.

MasterPass wont show up as the merchant of record, which makes for an easier transaction experience for customers and merchants alike.

When transactions happen, fraud scoring takes place as this is now an industry standard. MasterPass safeguards user accounts with multiple layers of security (CVC check, address verification, and text alerts) plus optional security features. MasterCard and MasterPass work with bank partners Fraud Prevention programs as well.

An unbeatable price?

MasterPass is free! There are no fees for consumers or merchants to use the app. (Merchants may incur costs to implement MasterPass on their sites if they use third-party resources to help.) Merchants only have to create a free Merchant Account and agree to abide by the rules of service, and they can cancel the account at any point, penalty-free.

One secure app that makes it easy to checkout from with any card from your wallet, and for free? It sounds like its worth experimenting with this kind of magic.

Other payment and credit card related articles of interest:
Welcome

Welcome to Conservative Musings. The purpose of this blog is to discuss with everyone (conservatives, moderates, independents and progressives) the issues of the day in an intelligent discussion. We believe that discussion can lead to agreement or an agreement to disagree but it must be held in a mutually respectful environment. We learn nothing from name calling or argument for argument's sake therefore we will not allow that to happen here.







We will post our point of view and want a spirited discussion of the issues. Please express your opinions, hopefully we all can learn.




While there are dozens Branches deserving of recognition, the Branch that rose to the top of this years field did so through tireless effort and selfless support of QDMA. What makes this Branch extra special is their community involvement and impact. Since it was founded 11 years ago, they have averaged nearly a dozen education and outreach events each year. These efforts include starting numerous QDM Cooperatives, which now encompass over 46,000 acres; staffing booths at three county fairs; conducting an Aging on the Hoof program for numerous area groups; conducting a Quality Deer Hunter training program that teaches shooting form, rifle and bow tuning and even proficiency; sponsoring a new hunter initiative which pairs youth hunters with mentors and properties on which to hunt; donating a robo-deer to law enforcement and supporting anti-poaching legislation; hosting a statewide outdoor writers conference field trip; and funding local scholarships and gifting QDMA in the Classroom memberships. Over the past 11 years, their local banquets have generated 1,375 memberships and raised more than $168,700.
BOLTON | A Corinth man was arrested Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl at a campsite in Bolton, police said.

Leon A. Hickok, 63, of Angel Road, was charged with first-degree criminal sexual act, a felony, after an investigation by the Warren County Sheriff's Office and State Police, authorities said.

Police were contacted in November after the girl disclosed that an acquaintance had sexual contact with her while at a private campsite on East Schroon River Road over the summer, police said.

Hickok was arraigned in Lake George Town Court and sent to Warren County Jail for lack of bail, but was free on bond as of Monday.

Sheriff's Investigator John Maday handled the case, assisted by State Police Investigator Joseph Bearor.
The Lake George Land Conservancy ended 2015 by buying one major parcel on the Washington County side of the lake and began 2016 by getting the approval of the Fort Ann Planning Board to preserve another parcel in the county.

The land conservancy purchased the 140-acre Reed parcel in the middle of South Mountain for $210,000 in December.

Funding for the acquisition came from grants from the Helen V. Froehlich Foundation ($135,000), the Wildlife Forever Fund ($10,000) and individual donors.

The South Mountain range is in the northeastern corner of Lake George, a 4.5-mile stretch between Mount Defiance in Ticonderoga and Anthonys Nose in Putnam.

Executive Director Jamie Brown said the goal is to protect the ridgeline and the views from there. The land conservancy obtained the rights to Anthonys Nose in December 2014.

Our hope is to connect trails all the way to Mount Defiance, Brown said. The Reed purchase is in the middle of that and should make it easier to complete the trails.

Brown said the hope is for five miles of trails, which will allow for excellent views of Lake Champlain. Further efforts are underway to connect Anthonys Nose to the land conservancys Last Great Shoreline and Gull Bay Preserves.

The ridge line is mostly undeveloped and provides a continuous stretch of forest habitat for wildlife, Brown explained. He said ridge line protection is also important for the lake. Development on steep slopes can have an adverse effect on water quality as a result of increased erosion and sedimentation.

In addition to providing wildlife habitat for forest creatures, the property contains a large vernal pool, possibly one of the largest vernal pools in the Lake George watershed. Vernal pools are critical breeding habitats for amphibians, including frogs and salamanders. In addition, birds such as egrets, ducks and hawks use vernal pools as a seasonal source of food and water.

Fort Ann plans

The land conservancy is also in the process of accepting a donation of about 6.6 acres on the Lake George Shoreline in Fort Ann.

The property would be accessible only by boat. Warren Rosenthal of the land conservancy told the Fort Ann Planning Board last month that there would be no access from Whipple Way, but rather only by kayak, canoe or boat. There will be no access by vehicle and no parking lot.

Rosenthal said the land in that area is very shallow and rocky. You couldnt even get a powerboat in there, he said. It is not developable.

It has great conservation value, and there are trees that have not been cut in 100 years, Rosenthal told the board. Land like this is very rare for this part of the lake.

Brown said the plans are still tentative, pending approval from the Adirondack Park Agency.

The group already has land in Fort Ann. In fact, Brown said the Pilot Knob property is used more than any other conservancy land.

The land conservancy has been very active recently. Last July, the conservancy purchased 73 acres on the Pinnacle, a mountain in Bolton, for $525,000. The land trust then sold the land, with a conservation easement, to the town for $150,000.
Warren County supervisors will meet Wednesday to take the first step in deciding how and when to replace the county administrator.

But not everyone is on board with filling the position when Administrator Paul Dusek retires as of March 30.

Warrensburg Supervisor Kevin Geraghty, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, said he believes the board should begin a search to replace Dusek as soon as possible.

It needs to be filled. You need an administrator, Geraghty said.

But Queensbury at-Large Supervisor Doug Beaty said he plans to propose that the board leave the position vacant for six months and allow Deputy Administrator JoAnn McKinstry to handle Duseks duties.

Beaty said he believes there is support on the board for a pause with the position, which will save money and potentially streamline the countys operations. He pointed to how well the decision to hold off on filling the tourism director position has worked out, with the deputy director getting good reviews for her work in the directors stead.

Im not sold we need an administrator. If JoAnn is doing a good job, maybe we can move to a county manager and have her serve as manager, Beaty said.

Geraghty said he would like Dusek to assist with the search to find the replacement, though Beaty said he does not believe Dusek should be involved in light of concerns over his work performance.

Certainly we can use his expertise to help find his replacement, Geraghty said.

If the board does decide to hire a new administrator, the salary should not top $110,000, Beaty said. Duseks salary for 2016 was scheduled to top $135,000.

The board should also look into whether the deputy administrator position is needed as it figures out what to do in light of Duseks retirement, Beaty added.

Im a firm believer in smaller government, not bigger government, he said. I dont see personally that we need an administrator and an assistant administrator.

Neighboring Washington County does not have a deputy administrator, though Saratoga County, which has nearly three times the population of Warren County, does have a deputy administrator.

Glens Falls 2nd Ward Supervisor Peter McDevitt said he thinks the administrator position needs to be filled rather quickly, particularly with a new county attorney coming aboard.

I would be inclined to hire a new administrator. I think there has to be someone minding the store for the county, he said.

The county boards Personnel Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to discuss the issue.
Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether 

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Identifying the Roots and the Resolve of the Arab-Israeli Conflict Sam Rohrer explores the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict in this discussion with Bill Salus. Topics discussed include: When and Why It Started. Gods Response: Past and Present. Resolving the Conflict, (Psalm 83)

Biden calls for a 2-State solution and Hurricane Ian bites back In this prophecy update Tom Hughes and Bill Salus look at the Hurricanes that hit Canada and Florida in possible relation to Lapid's, Biden's and Trudeau's push for a 2-State solution. Also discussed are the topics of the Obadiah fatal Palestinian Prophecies, the Destruction of Damascus and much more.

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The IDF in Bible Prophecies In this teaching video, Bill Salus identifies several unfulfilled Bible prophecies that involve today's Israeli Defense Forces.

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Prophecies that can occur between Now and Eternity This message was given by Bill Salus at the Harvest Christian Centre Prophecy Conference 2022 in Park Hills, Missouri on 9/9/2022. He presents a Last Days 12-Stage Timeline of Prophecies that could occur between Now and Eternity which he has written about in his 5-book series, the NOW, NEXT, LAST, FINAL and MILLENNIUM Prophecies. He focuses this presentation on the Pre-Tribulation prophecies; prophecies that could find fulfillment before the Rapture.

The Wars Leading to Armageddon Join Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales on this Prophecy Watchers TV show as they explore some of the unfulfilled biblical wars.

The Road to Armageddon: The Pre-Tribulational Prophecies Trailer ...This is the official trailer for a new 4-disc DVD from Prophecy Watchers TV that features Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales.

Emergence of the Exceedingly Great Israeli Army in Bible Prophecy ...In this 5-minute video, Bill Salus and Tom Hughes explore how the Israeli Defense Forces exist in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. This video is an excerpt from the Pre-Tribulation Prophecies DVD.

The Terrorization of Egypt by the Israeli Defense Forces in Isaiah 19:16-18 ...In this short 4-minute video, Bill Salus and Tom Hughes discuss the future prophecies about Egypt in Isaiah 19:1-18. Egypt's peace pact with Israel ends when Isaiah's prophecies begin. This video is an excerpt from the Pre-Tribulation Prophecies DVD.

Does Psalm 83 Describe Israels War BEFORE Gog & Magog? ...On today's Watchman Newscast, host Erick Stakelbeck is joined by author Bill Salus of Prophecy Depot Ministries to break down the Bibles mysterious Psalm 83 passage and whether it describes a future war between Israel and its enemies, led by Iran and its proxies. Some say this passage was already fulfilled in 1967 or 1948. However, Salus believes these events have yet to take place and will transpire before the war of Gog and Magog. Could Psalm 83 set the stage for Gog/Magog showdown as described in the Book of Ezekiel?

Future Prophecies Revealed | Tom Hughes and Bill Salus ...For the last 10 years Bible prophecy experts, Bill Salus and Pastor Tom Hughes have opened Gods Word and discovered a series of little-known future prophecies that have escaped the notice of most Christians. This TV show explores some of them.

The Spiritual Survival Kit for Those Left Behind ...If the Rapture happened today, would you or someone you love, be left behind to face the travails of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period? This treacherous period is when God pours out His wrath through a series of twenty-one judgments on Christ-rejecting humanity. Its undoubtedly the worst time to be alive in the history of the planet and the signs of the times point out that this time draws frightfully near! PREPARE YOUR LOVED ONES WITH THE SPIRITUAL SURVIVAL KIT FOR THOSE LEFT BEHIND.

Disaster in Iran: Iran has Double Trouble in the End Times Pastor Tom Hughes and Bill Salus explain the Jeremiah 49:34-39 prophecy of Elam. It seems ready to happen and it appears to be a nuclear disaster by the Persian Gulf. (This is an excerpt from their Pre-Tribulation Prophecies DVD).

The Destruction of Damascus is a Pre-Tribulational Bible Prophecy Bill Salus and Tom Hughes explain the Isaiah 17 prophecy about the destruction of Damascus. This is an excerpt from their Pre-Tribulation Prophecies 2-Disc DVD.

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Will Ancient Prophecies be Fulfilled in Our Lifetime? On this Prophecy Watchers show, Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales reveal some ancient biblical prophecies that could happen in this generation.

Iran's Double Trouble in the End Times In this interview with Kurt Hudspeth and co-host Dr. Larry Miller of the God Family and Radio Show, Bill gives his insight, based on years of study, into the future biblical battles that are now stage setting. These end times epic events will have a global impact and our world will be shaken. Bill sees Prophecy as a witnessing tool that authenticates the sovereignty of God, Who told us the end from the beginning and wants to inform us because He loves us. Bill hopes that as Christians learn about these things in the Word of God that they will evangelize to the lost.

RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: What Are The Prophetic Implications For Israel? ... Tom Hughes and Bill Salus give a timely update on Ukraine, Russia, USA and Israel in prophecy.

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The Coming Ezekiel 38 Invasion TV Show ...Bill Salus explains why Ezekiel 38 is the marquee event of the end times.

What Happens in the Aftermath of Ezekiel 38 and 39? In this Prophecy Watchers TV show Bill Salus and Mondo Gonzales explore the important details about what happens in the aftermath of the Lord's supernatural defeat of Russia, Turkey, Iran and their hordes in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

The MIDEAST WAR is COMMING! Tom Hughes and Bill Salus start with a Mideast update. Then Bill addresses Daniel 11:37, (will the Antichrist be a homosexual)? Also explored is whether or not the 144,000 Jewish evangelist are virgins as per Revelation 14:4. Several other prophetic topics are discussed.

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The Global Government in the Millennium - Christ Rules with a Rod of Iron In this short video Bill Salus teaches about the global government in the MILLENNIUM. This message explains how and why Jesus Christ rules with a rod of iron. Discover the Jewish and Gentile branches of government during this 1000 year Messianic Age.

Psalm 83: Is it an unfulfilled prophecy? In this 8-minute video below, Bill Salus responds to his critics about the Psalm 83 prophetic war





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The Destruction and Restoration of Planet Earth ...This short 2 1/2 minute video is taken from the Bill Salus DVD entitled, The MILLENNIUM Prophecies and the NEW JERUSALEM. At the end of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period the present planet will be destroyed, but the good news is that Jesus Christ will restore the earth to its former glories for the MILLENNIUM.

...In this short video, Bill Salus peers into the prophetic future and shares what he foresees coming in the Middle East. The stage is clearly set for, not one, but several last days biblical wars to happen. These epic foretold events could turn 2022 into an apocalyptic year. This video excerpt was taken from the timely Prophecy Watchers TV show entitled, Prophecy Update: Israel's Nuclear Showdown with Iran. This Prophecy Watchers show can be seen below.

Prophecy Update: Israel's Nuclear Showdown with Iran Join Mondo Gonzales and Bill Salus as they discuss and analyze the momentous events that are happening in Israel currently. The Nuclear talks in Vienna are going nowhere. Israel passed a $1.5 billion dollar legislative packet in October authorizing the training and preparation for a direct attack on Iran's nuclear sites. Iran's brigadier general openly acknowledges recently their desire to wipe Israel off the map. This isn't just the typical saber-rattling. There are new red lines that are being crossed and Israel is now being forced to take decisive action as Iran poses an existential threat.

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The Eternal Order and The New Jerusalem On this Prophecy Watchers TV show, Bill Salus explains the highlights of the Millennium and the Eternal Order that follows. He also covers the events in the Aftermath Age, which is a time period between the Millennium and Eternal Order.

Bill Salus and Tom Hughes are together again. This timely video explores several Pre-Tribulation Prophecies. This show ends with a live Q and A.

The MILLENNIUM Prophecies: the 75-Day Interval ...On this Prophecy Watchers TV show Bill Salus explains what happens in the 75-Day Interval that sets up the Millennial Kingdom.





The 3 Jerusalems (Bill Salus article)



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Bill Salus & Tom Hughes Reveal The Pre-Tribulation Prophecies WATCH THIS RECENT PROPHECY WATCHER TV SHOW...

Salus and Marzulli discuss groundbreaking Bible prophecies ... This video received over 150,000 views, but was recently censored. So we have reposted it. Watch it before it gets removed again.

Mideast Update: The 3 Hamas Prophecies (11:25 minute video) Did you know that the Hamas and Palestinians appear to be identified in Bible prophecy? In this Mideast Update, Bill Salus discusses the current Hamas vs. Israeli conflict and reveals the 3 prophecies that appear to allude to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza.

Vintage Video: The Post-Rapture Pre-Tribulation Gap Period ...Bill Salus explains the gap of unspecified time between the Rapture and the Seven-Year Tribulation Period....We are building our YouTube channel by posting NEW and OLD videos into a library for our viewers. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE by clicking the YouTube button at the bottom right of this video. It will take you to our channel and then click on the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON.

2021 Update: Why America Will Fall From Superpower Status (Part 1) ...In this 24-minute video Bill Salus points out that America is morally and spiritually bankrupt. He identifies when the USA said "GOODBYE GOD," and how that provoked GOD to abandon America.

Why America will Fall from Superpower Status (Part 2) ...In this video, Bill Salus provides a summary of the Ezekiel 38 prophecy. Bill also presents the biblical, historical, archaeological, geographical and geo-political arguments that America is a cowardly young lion of Tarshish in Ezekiel 38:13. This means that America is a sideline protestor during the end times Magog Invasion into Israel. As such, America is pictured in a less than super-power status. Bill presents the possible scenarios that could cause America to decline between now and the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.

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The LAST Prophecies on Prophecy Watchers TV Bill Salus has another information packed visit with Gary Stearman of Prophecy Watchers. They highlighted some key content of Bills new book, The LAST Prophecies. What is meant by the Final/Terminal Generation? What is the end times timeline? What starts the 7-year Tribulation and what is its purpose? They also discussed that there will be a final worldwide revival amidst the judgments of the Trib-Period and also pondered, what are the end time technologies that the ancient apostles and prophets tried to describe?

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The Catholic Church in the Tribulation ... Bill Salus explains the future of the Catholic Church in Bible prophecy.

Revealing the Mystery of End Times Babylon Dr. David Reagan and Nathan Jones interview Bill Salus on Christ in Prophecy TV. The topic that is discussed is the true identity of the GREAT CITY called Mystery, Babylon. Is it New York City, Jerusalem, Mecca, Rebuilt Babylon, Iraq, or is it Rome, the city that sits on seven-hills? Watch this TV show to hear the arguments that strongly suggest that the Harlot world religion is the Catholic Church and that the GREAT CITY that it's headquartered in is ROME!

BILL SALUS EXPLAINS WHY PSALM 83 IS A NOW PROPHECY ON PROPHECY WATCHERS TV ... Many prophecy buffs believe that Ezekiel 38 is the prophecy that could happen Now, but Bill Salus explains why that is not likely. He says Psalm 83 is a Now Prophecy, but certain preconditions exist today that suggest Ezekiel 38 is a Next Prophecy.
ANOTHER BLOG FROM NEVILLE STEPHENS ON BIBLICAL ESCHATOLOGY.
The move was to ensure that every farmer get access to these seedlings free of charge to replant as well as raise the countrys cocoa output from the current 850,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes.

Dr Stephen Opuni, Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, said this when a two member delegation from DZ Bank, a German Financial Institution, visited the company to acquaint themselves with the operations as part of activities to mark farmers durbar in the Eastern Region.

COCOBOD signed 1.8 billion dollars loan agreement with some 25 international banks to improve on its operations.

The entourage visited the Brekumanso cocoa hybrid seedlings and cocoa farms in Akwadum and interacted with the farmers on their operations.

Dr Opuni said the company was improving the cocoa roads to facilitate transportation and has embarked on free mass spraying exercise to get rid of diseases that affects cocoa.

He said their outfit had engaged the services of 500 extension officers to educate cocoa farmers on best practices in their field of farming and has supported wards of farmers with cocoa scholarship for better education.

Dr Opuni urged the farmers to take advantage of the opportunities given them and rehabilitate the abandoned cocoa farms for improved production.

He encouraged the youth to sign up to the youth in cocoa farming project initiated by COCOBOD to be productive in their fields of endeavour and enjoyed the benefits associated in cocoa farming.

He appealed to the traditional authorities to make land available for the youth to venture into cocoa farming and reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.

The German delegation expressed satisfaction at the Companys output and initiative in improving seedlings for the farmers.

Nana Obeng Akrofi, Regional Chief Farmer for Eastern Region, has complained the activities of illegal mining which has affected the work of the cocoa farmers and urged authorities to help address the problem.
But something Gates did not discuss was the news that the largest and most significant African adopter of GM crops  Burkina Faso  recently began a phase out of Bt cotton. Bt cotton is the most widely grown GM crop by poor farmers in Africa.

How Burkina Faso came to be an early adopter

In 2003 Burkina Faso became one of the first African countries to begin field trials of Bt cotton. This was done in partnership with the agriculture company Monsanto. Bt refers to a toxin  Bacillus thuringiensis  that kills one of the worlds most common and pernicious cotton pests, the bollworm. Monsanto agreed to backcross the Bt gene onto local Burkinabe varieties, which were subsequently released to farmers in 2008.

Burkina Fasos adoption of Bt cotton made big news. Not only is Burkina Faso consistently one of Africas largest cotton producers, but cotton is also seen as the engine driving rural development throughout large parts of the country.

The introduction of Bt cotton has reportedly boosted total cotton production. In 2014, Burkina Faso had the largest number of total GM crop producers on the African continent. It has more than 140,000smallholder farmers cultivating Bt cotton.

Burkina Fasos success story has been celebrated as an example of how GM crops can help poor farmers. Many farmers have enthusiastically adopted the technology, and for good reason. Studies show that Bt cotton has increased yields and profits. The average Bt cotton farming family gained 50% more profit than from conventional cotton. This is despite the very high cost of Bt cotton seed.

Bt cotton growers also use significantly less pesticide. The total number of sprayings has gone down from six to two, reducing exposure of damaging chemicals and saving valuable labour time.

Why the reversal

But Bt cotton hasnt been a blessing for everyone.

The inferior lint quality of Bt cotton has caused severe economic losses for Burkinabe cotton companies. This has prompted a complete phase out of all Bt cotton production over the next two years. Company officials and Monsanto representatives cite two problems with lint quality.

Inferior lint quality is not a big deterrent for farmers, who sell their cotton at a guaranteed price to the cotton companies. But it is a critical issue for the companies themselves. The combination of shorter staples and lower lint quantities substantially undermines profits.

These cotton companies also control the provision of seeds and inputs to farmers and were able to unilaterally phase out Bt cotton. This is much to the dismay of many Bt cotton farmers.

Complex debates

The story of Bt cotton in Burkina Faso underlines the complex nature of debates around the potential for GM crops to help poor farmers. In this case the technology does what it is supposed to do: confers pest resistance, reduces pesticide use and increases yield. Many farmers like it, and want more of it.

But an unexplained impact on staple length means the cotton companies are shifting away from this technology. This technical hurdle will need to be overcome for Bt cotton to continue as a success story in Burkina Faso.

Burkina Fasos reversal on GM cotton also raises some worrying questions for the future of GM crops on the continent. Will different GM crops also have unintended and detrimental consequences? Can the institutions and companies in charge of their development be trusted to transparently show both the pros and cons to their adoption?

This case also calls into question the philosophy behind GM crop introductions  that genetically engineered scientific breeding programmes can address farmer needs.

The Burkina Faso case demonstrates the perils of such a narrow, trait specific approach to addressing agricultural development. Sometimes focusing on a single trait  in this case pest resistance  can have unintended and harmful consequences for other important traits  in this case, cotton quality.

At Davos, Gates said:

Why the reversal

But Bt cotton hasnt been a blessing for everyone.

The inferior lint quality of Bt cotton has caused severe economic losses for Burkinabe cotton companies. This has prompted a complete phase out of all Bt cotton production over the next two years. Company officials and Monsanto representatives cite two problems with lint quality.

Inferior lint quality is not a big deterrent for farmers, who sell their cotton at a guaranteed price to the cotton companies. But it is a critical issue for the companies themselves. The combination of shorter staples and lower lint quantities substantially undermines profits.

These cotton companies also control the provision of seeds and inputs to farmers and were able to unilaterally phase out Bt cotton. This is much to the dismay of many Bt cotton farmers.

Complex debates

The story of Bt cotton in Burkina Faso underlines the complex nature of debates around the potential for GM crops to help poor farmers. In this case the technology does what it is supposed to do: confers pest resistance, reduces pesticide use and increases yield. Many farmers like it, and want more of it.

But an unexplained impact on staple length means the cotton companies are shifting away from this technology. This technical hurdle will need to be overcome for Bt cotton to continue as a success story in Burkina Faso.

Burkina Fasos reversal on GM cotton also raises some worrying questions for the future of GM crops on the continent. Will different GM crops also have unintended and detrimental consequences? Can the institutions and companies in charge of their development be trusted to transparently show both the pros and cons to their adoption?

This case also calls into question the philosophy behind GM crop introductions  that genetically engineered scientific breeding programmes can address farmer needs.

The Burkina Faso case demonstrates the perils of such a narrow, trait specific approach to addressing agricultural development. Sometimes focusing on a single trait  in this case pest resistance  can have unintended and harmful consequences for other important traits  in this case, cotton quality.

At Davos, Gates said:

This suggested that the inevitable advance of GM crops across the continent. Meanwhile, after several years of producing GM crops, Burkina Faso looks ready to abandon this technology.

This suggested that the inevitable advance of GM crops across the continent. Meanwhile, after several years of producing GM crops, Burkina Faso looks ready to abandon this technology.
Speaking at a two-day workshop for selected journalists in Tamale, the national coordinator of the group, Zakaria Iddi said Cocoa and shea are quite different; they need different agencies and strategies to deal with their issues. Putting shea under Ghana Cocoa Board makes the sector retrogress.

The workshop was held to enhance the knowledge of journalists and to also help improve the sectors development potential.

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Mr Iddi added The shea sector embedded under COCOBOD has made it difficult for this sector to get much-needed attention from government and investors.

The Shea sector, he said, had engaged over 900,000 people, mainly women, adding that the "Sector can engage still more if government heeds the call of stakeholders to act on separating the sector from COCOBOD."

Mr. Iddi also noted that decoupling the Shea sector from the COCOBOD, will increase investment opportunities in the sector and the entire value chain.

The Ghana Cocoa Board Act puts cocoa, coffee and shea under the COCOBOD. However, cocoa has dominated the economy, starving coffee and shea of the needed investments and attention from government.

The shea sector embedded under COCOBOD has made it difficult for this sector to get much-needed attention from government and investors, he said.
One of the major strategies to reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is through policies to increase and modernise agricultural production. Up to 90 per cent of people in some African countries are smallholder farmers reliant on agriculture, for whom agricultural innovation, such as using new seed varieties and cultivation techniques, holds potential benefit but also great risk.

In the 1960s and 70s policies supporting new seeds for marketable crops, sold at guaranteed prices, helped many farmers and transformed economies in Asian countries.

These became known as green revolutions. The new wave of green revolution policies in sub-Saharan Africa is supported by multinational companies and western donors, and is impacting the lives of tens, even hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers, according to the studys lead author Dr Neil Dawson.

The study reveals that only a relatively wealthy minority have been able to keep to enforced modernisation because the poorest farmers cannot afford the risk of taking out credit for the approved inputs, such as seeds and fertilizers. Their fears of harvesting nothing from new crops and the potential for the government to seize and reallocate their land means many choose to sell up instead.

The findings tie in with recent debates about strategies to feed the world in the face of growing populations, for example the influence of wealthy donors such as the Gates Foundation, initiatives such as the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, and multinational companies such as Monsanto in pushing agricultural modernisation in Africa. There have also been debates about small versus large farms being best to combat hunger in Africa, while struggles to maintain local control over land and food production, for example among the Oromo people in Ethiopia, have been highlighted.

Dr Dawson, a senior research associate in UEAs School of International Development, said: Similar results are emerging from other experiments in Africa. Agricultural development certainly has the potential to help these people, but instead these policies appear to be exacerbating landlessness and inequality for poorer rural inhabitants.

Many of these policies have been hailed as transformative development successes, yet that success is often claimed on the basis of weak evidence through inadequate impact assessments. And conditions facing African countries today are very different from those past successes in Asia some 40 years ago.

Such policies may increase aggregate production of exportable crops, yet for many of the poorest smallholders they strip them of their main productive resource, land. This study details how these imposed changes disrupt subsistence practices, exacerbate poverty, impair local systems of trade and knowledge, and threaten land ownership. It is startling that the impacts of policies with such far-reaching impacts for such poor people are, in general, so inadequately assessed.

The research looked in-depth at Rwanda's agricultural policies and the changes impacting the wellbeing of rural inhabitants in eight villages in the countrys mountainous west. Here chronic poverty is common and people depend on the food they are able to grow on their small plots.

Farmers traditionally cultivated up to 60 different types of crops, planting and harvesting in overlapping cycles to prevent shortages and hunger.

However, due to high population density in Rwandas hills, agricultural policies have been imposed which force farmers to modernise with new seed varieties and chemical fertilisers, to specialise in single crops and part with archaic agricultural practices.

Dr Dawson and his UEA co-authors Dr Adrian Martin and Prof Thomas Sikor recommend that not only should green revolution policies be subject to much broader and more rigorous impact assessments, but that mitigation for poverty-exacerbating impacts should be specifically incorporated into such policies. In Rwanda, that means encouraging land access for the poorest and supporting traditional practices during a gradual and voluntary modernisation.
Mr Owusu was run over by a company vehicle during a swoop on galamsey operators in a concession of AGA at Obuasi. He was then rushed to the hospital where he was declared dead.

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Police reinforcement in Obuasi could not overpower the illegal miners, the acting Head of Operations at Anglogold, Fred Nsarko, told Accra based Citi FM.

The Municipal Chief Executive Officer and the police in Obuasi held a crisis meeting over the incident with the management of AGA.

A conditional Investment Agreement between AGA and Randgold Resources Limited was terminated by the latter in December last year, saying it does not " Meet the company's criteria".

Although AngloGold Ashanti and Randgold agreed on works towards improving returns of the project and alos secure an appropriate set of consents from the Government, initial feasibility studies have discouraged Randgold from proceeding with the deal.
All that CET did, that in the next five years, any country that feels strongly about the sudden change of rates should just list them and bring it to ECOWAS, and it will be given approval to do something about it. In those five years you are supposed to adjust, Mr Dzadzra was quoted by Citi FM as saying.

In Ghana there is a reason why our rice is 20 percent because we are protecting local rice and we will continue to protect them. In the next five years we have to do is to help the local rice producers to produce competitively so that in the next five years, we will reduce to 10 percent. This period should make them learn to package, add quality to them so that after five years naturally, the competition with the foreign rice will be reduced, he added.

The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana and GUTA have accused government of selecting applying the CET.

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According to them, where the CET requires high tariffs, government has complied with the law . However, where tariffs are supposed to come down in line with the CET, government is reneging on that.

" Whereas the ECOWAS Common Tariff Regime stipulates a 10% import duty on rice, Ghana is charging 20%. It must be a flat 10% in accordance to the stipulations" Samson Awingobite, the executive director of the Importers and Exporters Association told Pulse business.

" Our Francophone counterparts like the Ivorians do not charge levies like the National Health Insurance Levy and the Value Added Tax as part of their import charges. This means that government will have to streamline those charges charges to,." he added.

The CET is one of the instruments of harmonising ECOWAS Member States and strengthening its Common Market.

The law is composed of four tariff rates of custom duty, namely 0 % for Essential Social Goods, 5% for Goods of Primary Necessity, Raw Materials and Specific Inputs, 10% for Intermediate Goods and 20% for Final Consumption Goods.
Who has heard a horror story of people battling against their insurance companies for what they thought they were entitled?

At Pulse.com.gh we have found that the situation is almost the same everywhere else in the world, and it is primarily because people don't understand what insurance means and how it works.

"When I am able to build my house, by the grace of God, I will insure it", a 27 year old mechanic I spoke to tells me. And when I asked why,he said,

His answer did not surprise me. That is exactly what I used to think about insurance- that it turns a misfortune into a massive money making opportunity. I insure my car, if anything happens to it, I get millions of Cedis. My mum gets a life insurance policy, should anything happens to her (touch wood) I become a millionaire from the amount of money due me from her insurance policy.

1. This principle of insurance is called the principle of indemnity.

Here, we look at the principles of insurance as well as conditions under which your insurance company will not honour your insurance claim.

2. Principles of Insurable Interest

This means that you must have a personal interest in the object you are insuring.

A person has an insurable interest when the physical existence of the insured object gives him some gain but its non-existence will give him a loss. So you cannot get insurance for a friend's car, you can only get insurance for your own car

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3. Principle of Contribution

This means that you cannot get a double insurance compensation on an insured item, even if you have acquired two policies for the same item. This practically means that you cannot get get compensation from two insurance companies on the same third- party motor insurance, even if you insure you car with the two companies. The two companies will have to share the cost of your indemnity or compensation. You are therefore better off sticking with just one policy.

4. Principles of Subrogation

For example: If Mr. Abu crashes his car, the insurance company must replace it, once he satisfies all the conditions. But according to the Principle of Subrogation, Mr. Abu cannot have a new car, plus his damaged one. That will be two cars. He must have only one car.

The ownership of the property is shifted to the insurance company once they replace it.

5. Principle of Loss Minimization

It is your duty to minimize damage to your insured property in times of a disaster, like flood. You are required under this principle to take steps to control, minimize and save damage to the property. You cannot be careless just because you have acquired an insurance policy for the property.

For example:- If Mr. Abu's car is set on fire by an electrical fault, he must do everything possible to put out the fire. He is expected to call the fire service, or ask others for help and additional fire extinguishers. He cannot just stand by and watch the car burn, just because he has insurance for it.

6. Principle of Causa Proxima

Under the principle of Causa Proxima it implies that a property can only be insured for the most immediate cause of damage and not all causes of damage. So in the case of a claim, the insurance company will only pay if the cause insured against is the most immediate cause of the distraction.

7. Principle of Utmost Good Faith

This is the most primary and principal principle of insurance. This means that all agreements are signed by both parties ( insured and the insurer).
On their way, the men stopped the car, and forced him to take off his clothes. "They told me they wanted to see my private parts and then sexually assaulted me," said Tshabalala.

The gay man went to open a case with the police but instead the officers burst into laughter and made fun of him. According to Pretoria North Reckord, the police officers who treated Tshbalalala with scorn could themselves face the law after he was advised to file a case with the independent police investigative directorate.

The directorate investigates cases of misconduct against the police. Soshanguve police spokesperson, Lolo Mangena said: "Legally that is discrimination. When you are treated unfairly in certain areas of the law, that is discrimination. That is not how we operate as police.

If you are treated unfairly or differently from other people because of gender, sexual orientation, religion, skin colour, political or intellectual ability, a complaint can be laid against the police officers who assisted him. That is if he can remember them, their names, or at least can identify them."

Mangena said Tshabalalas ordeal at the police station was tantamount to sexual assault. Mangena advised him to file a complaint with the directorate. "This is another sort of discrimination. This means he was hassled in a sexual way and he did not like it.
Onlookers including TV news crews watched the chase, which lasted several hours until forest workers shot the big cat with a tranquilizer dart on Sunday afternoon, according to Press Trust of India news agency.

Read more:Lesbian tricks man to impregnate her and dumps him

The agency quoted school officials as saying the leopard was first seen on closed-circuit TV before dawn inside the private Vibgyor School in Bangalore, and then disappeared into some surrounding bushes.

Read more: Policemen sanctioned for mocking sexually abused gay man
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital released a statement over the weekend saying it has suspended operations at the three clinics under the Department of Surgery, which are the Urology Clinic, General Surgery Clinic and Neurosurgery Clinic.

Chief Executive Officer, Gilbert Buckle explained that the three clinics have been closed for almost two years due to human error in procuring some consumables for the facilities.

He was however hopeful that the three would be reopened in March.

Some lives have been lost in the process, with many Ghanaians asking for the health ministry to intervene.

But, the Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia has explained that matters such as these should be left with the hospital authorities and its Board to manage.

"When issues of this nature come, I ask the questions. But I'm not going to encourage that the ministry micro-manages any health institution. If we do that, we immediately destroy the process and the system. We should ask the questions and ensure that those that are responsible for management manage," the minister said.

The minister, who expressed shock as to why the public is getting to know about the closure of the clinics after two years said it behoves communicators of various hospitals to make information of such degree available as early as possible.

"When issues of this nature occur, it is important that the public relations and communications department of Korle Bu must speak up very quickly. Because most of these issues are specific to the institutions, and much as we may like to talk to the minister directly, I think that when u go to specifics as in policies, you may want to deal with those who are responsible," he added.
According to Jon Benjamin, Bishop Daniel Obinim should prove his critics wrong by transforming to a snake on live television, if he has the powers to do so.

Read more: Bishop Obinim and wife dance to celebrate court victory

"While on the subject, does anyone actually believe this? Why doesn't he do it live on TV to prove it to all of us?," he wrote on his Twitter handle.

Bishop Obinim speaking on OBTV said "I can transform into a snake and enter any room, bite my target and just disappear."

He however added that even though he is not an animal, he can spiritually transform into a snake, dog and a lion and as such does not want anyone to dare him.

See also: Obinim endorses fornication
Minister designate for Upper East Region, Albert Abongo and Central Region minister designate, Kweku Rickett Hagan, will be vetted today.

Minister designate for Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye would appear before the vetting committee chaired by Ebo Barton-Odro.

Prosper Bani was last year February relieved of his post and was replaced with Julius Debrah.

Fiifi Kwetey replaced Dzifa Atsivor who resigned from her position on December 23, 2015 over the controversial GHc3.6 million bus re-branding saga.

Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna has also been appointed the new Minister for Food & Agriculture.

Hon. Mark Woyongo (MP) has meanwhile been reassigned to the Presidency as Minister of State.

The second batch which includes former Chief of Staff, Prosper Douglas Bani, Minister Designate for the Ministry of the Interior, Ms. Mavis Ama Frimpong, Regional Minister Designate for the Eastern Region would appear before the committee on Tuesday for vetting.
The event will he held under the distinguished patronage of the First Lady of the Republic of Ghana and President of the African First Ladies Against HIV & AIDS (OAFLA), Her Excellency Dr. Lordina Mahama.

Read more: Mahama celebrates Christmas with Bole kids

The UN Under-Secretary General and UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin will give the keynote address at the opening ceremony of this significant conference.

Curious Minds, a youth-led organization is coordinating this critical conference under the theme Realizing Demographic Dividend in Africa: the Critical Importance of Adolescents and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

In a press release, it was stated that Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin will give a lecture to the Honourable Members of Parliament on Ghanas development prospects given the nations population dynamics, sexual & SRH&R, the demographic dividend & achieving the 2030 Agenda in the context of Ghanas development vision on Wednesday 10 February 2016.

He will also participate in a Ministerial round table being organized with the endorsement of the Office of the President of the Republic of Ghana on the topic  Risk and Opportunity in Ghanas Harnessing of the Demographic Dividend on Thursday 11 February 2016.

With Dr. Osotimehins passion to support adolescents and youth especially vulnerable girls in reaching their full potential, he will pay a working visit to the Malam Atta Market to interact with kayayei on Thursday 11 February 2016.

The National Development Planning Commission and the UN in Ghana will also capitalize on the UN Under-Secretary Generals visit to commemorate the appointment of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, the President of the Republic of Ghana, by the UN Secretary-General as Co-Chair of Eminent Advocates Group for the Sustainable Development Goals which came into effect January 2016 on Friday 12 February at the Accra International Conference Center.
Health Minister, Alex Segbefia toured Korle Bu with the hospital chief executive Dr. Gilbert Buckle on Monday morning, 8 February.

Dr Buckle expected the clinics would reopen in October once they have the basic equipment.

Monitors, specialised needles, wiring and consumables which the hospital needs have been ordered, he said.

Pulse.com.gh visited the hospital which released a statement last week staying the three clinics under the Department of Surgery to be affected are Urology Clinic, General Surgery Clinic and Neurosurgery Clinic.

It said the closure would allow for work to be completed in some of the theaters and recovery wards.

The hospital said the closed clinics will be rehabilitated and re-equipped to improve the quality of care.

Dr Buckle said emergency cases will be attended to but not referrals.

He added that the pressure on Korle Bu has been because the ground floor of the main ICU has been closed for renovations and the hospital is short of nurses.

He has asked sister hospitals like 37 to help.
The Visa and Documentation Fraud Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service uncovered one of the largest illegal SIM Box network operations at Gbawe, near Accra, at dawn last Friday.

TOR TO RESUME OPERATIONS

After almost two years of inactivity, the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is set to resume operations.

PRESIDENT MAHAMA COMMENDS ZOOMLION

President John Mahama has commended Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a private waste management company for its role in waste management in the country.

2 SOLDIERS PERISH AT PEKI

Two soldiers and a civilian driver of the Ghana Armed forces (GAF) have been killed in a gory accident at Peki-Wudome in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region.

WOMAN RAPED, KILLED IN FARM

A 40 year-old woman, Awonye Mary aka apataa, was found dead on her farm at Apegusu, a farming community in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region, Sunday morning and is suspected to have been raped and killed by Fulani herdsmen.

BRIBERY SCANDAL HITS CJS OFFICE: JUDGE ACCUSES JUDGE OF BRIBERY

A private legal practitioner I.B Akwantey has petitioned President John Mahama to remove from office Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei of the Court of Appeal for allegedly collecting money judges of the lower bench for promotions and the opportunity to study abroad.

NORTH ATOMIC RESIDENTS CONTRACT RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Most residents in the North Atomic community are suffering from severe dust pollution, with some diagnosed to be suffering from upper respiratory infections as a result of laterite spread on their roads.

IMMIGRATION SERVICE TO ENFORCE ALIEN REGISTRATION LAW

The Ghana Immigration Service has begun deliberations with the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Ghana Hoteliers Association to find an amicable way to implement the Aliens Registration Regulation 1974 (LI 856).

100 NEW METRO BUSES BEGIN SERVICE

The management of Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) has increased its number of buses on the various routes in the Greater Accra by an addition of over 100 buses.

RAWLINGS URGES GHANAIANS TO VOTE ACCORDING TO CONSCIENCE

Former president, Jerry John Rawlings has called on Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be coerced by any political party or its leadership to vote for him or her in this years elections.

KORLE BU CLOSES DOWN 3 SURGICAL UNITS

Three surgical facilities at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital would from Monday not operate until further notice. The decision to suspend the use if the clinics was taken last Friday to allow works to be completed in some of the theatre and recovery wards in the Department of Surgery which are being rehabilitated.

IMF SHOWS FAITH IN ELECTION YEAR BUDGET

Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Min Zhu has said that the fund is highly confident Ghanas executive government will not overspend its budget as it seeks a renewal of its mandate at the November 7 polls.

SAVINGS BOOSTER TO OFFER HIGHER RETURNS
Just a week ago the civil action group wrote to the Attorney-General and Minister for Transport, requesting all the information surrounding the Smarttys Bus branding contract that has been impugned by the Attorney-General after it was revealed the Ministry of Transport paid Smarttys Management and Productions 3.6 million for the rebranding of 116 Metro Mass Transit buses.

Since then, Minister of Transport Dzifa Attivor resigned and the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah ordered the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to recover GH1.9 million from Smarttys Management Limited.

The money is to be repaid by the end of March this year.

However, OccupyGhana was not satisfied with the case ending with the resignation and refund.

It had called for all information surrounding the impugned bus branding contract to be made public and said it was the constitution right of citizens to access it.

Denied the information by the Attorney-General's office because the case is before the court, OccupyGhana said it would not accept the excuse and said if the Attorney-General is unprepared, unwilling and unable to respect the right of the citizen to information, then we have no other recourse but to resort to court action.

In a statement, the group said it was within its rights to receive the information and the Government was not protected by public interest privilege as the group believes that most of the circumstances surrounding the impugned transaction amounted to corruption, misuse and waste of public funds, and the government was blocking the release of the information.

OccupyGhana speculated that if the information was released it might find the bus branding job was actually concluded and the money paid even before the Ministry of Transport wrote to Smarttys for a quotation for the job; and that even before the same Ministry of Transport applied for approval for single-source procurement from the Public Procurement Authority.

The vacuous and trifling nature of this excuse fortifies our belief that the government has something to hide, and that all efforts are being made to ensure that the information surrounding this impugned transaction, particularly the Attorney-Generals own far-reaching report on the matter, are suppressed to protect certain persons who acted in that transaction, from exposure and possible prosecution, the statement said.

They added the response from the Attorney-General was worrying considering the arguments of this same Attorney-General in support of the constitutional right of the citizens to information, in the very recent Supreme Court case of Dery v. Tiger Eye & 2 Others.

The court rightly reminded all persons that true justice and power flow from the people, who have a right to know.
He was certain that that would be the only way Ghana will benefit from the activities of the herdsmen as well as minimize their activities within the country.

We must institute a cattle tax because they are grazing on the resources of this country. The grass belongs to this country, the Minister said during a panel discussion on Citi FM.

Government has over the years struggled to finds a permanent solution to the problems caused by Fulani herdsmen who allow their cattle to graze on the farm lands of Ghanaians.

The most affected community in Ghana is Agogo in the Ashanti Region. According to the residents, the Fulani herdsmen rape their women and murder their relatives who dare challenge them for destroying their farms.

The youth in the area threatened to prevent their chief from celebrating his 40 anniversary as Omanhene of the area.

But Alhaji Fuseini is of the view that both the youth and the Member of Parliament for the area are addressing the issue wrongly.

You cannot have an emotional solution to a rather difficult situation. What the MP did was an emotional solution. You could see clearly that we need a carefully thought out solution to this problem. You dont need to further exacerbate situations. Its a failing of a sort, he remarked.

He however clarified that he is in no way suggesting that the MP perpetuated an illegality but all I am saying is that the approach was wrong.

You dont use an emotional approach to solve a problem of this nature. You need to engage the people and let them understand that there are ways of doing things and doing things well, he stressed.
All elections are important, but in some countries they carry particular weight. Key ones coming up are:

Senatorial, state and federal constituency elections in

Burkina Faso also experienced fundamental change in 2015 with the departure of President Blaise Compare. The change must be consolidated with electoral participation of citizens and normalisation of politics in soon-to-be-held municipal elections.

Elections in the Central African Republic will be closely watched. They present an opportunity for stabilising a country that has experienced conflict.

Zambias situation is unique. Its recent elections led to a change of government through the ballot  a rare phenomenon in African politics. Presidential and general elections are due in August.

The DRC presidential election set for November will also be scrutinised because of previous violence and the countrys propensity for instability.

Ghanas general elections in November ight provide lessons on how to trust in the power of the ballot and run elections peacefully. But its leadership faces severe constraints given that the economy is in the doldrums. It has had to turn to the IMF for assistance.

South Africa will arguably hold its most important municipal elections since 1994. To be held between May and August, the elections will test the popularity of the governing African National Congress. Signs are its support is falling in some municipalities.

Elections this year will be held as economic growth shows signs of slowing in Africa. Tougher economic times might heighten electoral stakes.

The good and the bad of 2015

In 2015 almost 20 African countries held municipal, regional, general, presidential elections and by-elections. Two referenda were also held in Rwanda and the Republic of Congo Brazaville.

Rwandas citizens apparently voted overwhelmingly in favour of extending President Paul Kagames term of office, possibly until 2034. The referendum ostensibly suggests that the incumbent respects the popular will by subjecting the term limit to the vote.

The Republic of Congos President Dennis Sassou Nguesso also called a referendum to amend the presidential term and age limits, a move rejected by opposition parties. He thus joined African leaders who devise innovative means to cling to power while opposing the provisions of the African Charter on democracy, elections and governance.

But how significant are elections in Africa?

Regular changes of government through free, fair and democratic elections that reflect the wishes of the majority of voters are critical for democratisation.

The 2015 polls could tempt us to perceive elections as a reliable measure of democratisation. But 2015 presented mixed opportunities and drawbacks for democratisation. A major drawback is that some leaders clung to power and elections simply became rubber stamping exercises for the incumbents. This happened in the DRC, Rwanda, Congo (Brazzavile) and Gabon.

Elections are an essential component of democratisation, but other more important measures include:

narrowing the rich-poor gap,

improving living standards and promoting active citizenship,

freedom of expression and media,

respect for human rights and rule of law, and

accountable public representatives.

Isolated successes were registered in last years elections. Some countries for once conducted polls acceptable to local opposition parties, civil society and domestic and international observers. Fewer incidents of violence were seen. Tanzania was a particular case in point.

But, nothing spectacular emerged from Africas 2015 elections. Some polls actually perpetuated the usual stereotype of violent elections that threaten peace, stability and democratisation.

They also presented doubts about some incumbents legitimacy to rule.

Unfulfilled expectations

There were high expectations about the impending polls early in 2015.

First, they were expected to continue the 1990s trend of further democratisation but with the hope that they would comply with international and African Union standards. Such elections must have integrity, be free, fair and reflect the wishes of the electorate.

Zambias presidential elections early in 2015 following the death of President Michael Sata provided some interesting lessons. The opposition claim that the election results didi not reflect the will of the people.

The process therefore remains incomplete. Zambians will hold presidential elections followed by parliamentary and local government polls in August.

Second, Africas 2015 elections were expected to consolidate democracy at least in countries that now hold regular polls.

And thirdly, the 2015 elections were also expected to help produce leaders with greater legitimacy and accountability.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Ethiopia, Burundi and the DRC produced results where the pendulum swung towards questionable and mediocre ends contrary to election best practices. Thus, this expectation remains unfulfilled.

Ethiopias election results suggested a landslide victory for its governing party despite opposition allegations of irregularities. Such scenarios usually create legitimacy crises and may undermine governments accountability.

For Burundi, the current turmoil is traceable to its questionable elections after ignoring advice that they be postponed to allow for a more conducive atmosphere. The subsequent polls were boycotted by the opposition. They were also shunned by African and international observers.

Third term machinations

Admittedly, citizens have a right to propose constitutional amendments to allow leaders to govern for as long as electorates want. But the tendency by some leaders to extend terms by manipulating national constitutions weakens democratisation and constitutionalism.

President Pierre Nkurunzizas amendment of Burundis constitution and his decision to run for a disputed third term is a case in point.

The era of military coups, dictatorship and authoritarianism might be declining. But leaders who resort to manipulating electoral and constitutional mechanisms and intimidating citizens to prolong their stay in power pose new challenges.
According to the group, Tanko Rashid was indicted in a report for embezzling money at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) when he was the Regional Manager of the Scheme. hence the demonstration against his appointment.

The angry youth who marched to present a petition to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council said Tanko Rashid's appointment should be revoked.

Deputy Secretary, Mohammed Weimah spoke to Citi FM said "Tanko Rashid alias computer, was indicted in a report for embezzling money at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) when he was the Regional Manager of the Scheme. Tanko Rashid also defrauded the NDC of over forty thousand Ghana cedis which was meant for party polling agents."
Last week Nigerians saw the shocking pictures of the talented actor on his sick bed as he tried his best to cope with his heart and lung diseases.

Olumide Bakare has cried out for financial help to help him deal with this ailment.

The actor has now granted his first interview since he was admitted to UCH. In his interview with City People Olumide Bakare spoke at the origin of his ailment.

It has started since 2013 but it wasnt as bad as it is now. We have treated it but you know things like that dont go easily. About 15 days ago, the sickness resurfaced and I was rushed to the emergency unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan where I have been admitted Olumide Bakare told City People.

The Yoruba actor revealed the exact ailment he is suffering from. After the test was conducted, the result revealed that I am suffering from  which has to do with heart related issues. From the diagram, it showed that there is a blockage in the vein that takes blood to the heart.
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The Abeokuta, Ogun State born Oluyinde, according to the report, had visited his mother at about 2pm on the day of the incident at her rented apartment on Bunmi Christopher Close, and the duo were reportedly indoors discussing when an argument erupted between them, leading to the son stabbing his mother to death.

Neighbours who reported the case to the police at the Oko Oba Police Division, said they heard the mother screaming for help and begging her son not to kill her but by the time help could come her way, he had already stabbed her and was found in the pool of her blood, while he managed to escape from the scene before he was later apprehended the next day.

The neighbour who did not want his name narrated how it happened:

It was last year that the woman moved in with her husband. She was about 57. She was a goldsmith. One of her grandchildren, the daughter of her first daughter, was staying with her before this incident happened.

The father, however, died last year from sickness. He could not talk for some time before the sickness eventually claimed his life.

At about 2pm on Friday, I was in the kitchen when I heard some sharp cries from the womans room. She was calling on neighbours for help. Others and I went to the womans door but it was locked.

So, I went round and opened the window; I saw Ibrahims hand; it was wet with blood, but he refused to open the door. We asked him why he attacked his mother; all he said was that it was his mother who killed his father.

We were all shocked. The man is a barber. He plaits hair too. He, however, managed to escape. The police later arrested him and brought him to the house on Saturday.

The strange thing is that the duo had not fought before in the house. Ibrahim did come once in a while to check his mother. He is the second child. He has an elder sister and a younger brother.
The 40-year-old woman who is from the Latina province, according to her husband who took the case to court, maltreated his family and refused to do the cooking and cleaning.

He added that a lot of food ended up being wasted because she preferred throwing them in the garbage rather than being eaten.

'The poor, neglected husband also claimed that she kicked him out of the bedroom and that he had been insulted by two years of negligence and being forced to live in conditions with poor hygiene.'

The woman could spend from two to six years in prison if she is found guilty.
President Muhammadu Buhari had mooted the idea of banning the use of the apparels until the terrorists are defeated but many have argued that Nigeria, a ban on the use of the apparel would mean placing a restriction on those who use it and see it as a clampdown on Islam.

Countries like Chad, Niger and even the Gambia, where they have a larger Muslim population, have placed a ban on the use of Hijab in public but proponents of the Hijab in Nigeria have warned the government against considering it, especially going by the fact that religion is a very touchy issue in the country and many would see it as clamping down on the rights of the Muslims.

So we also wanted you to be part of the debate by coming up with this teaser:

How Nigeria voted:

76% - Yes, they pose security risk

24% - No, it would not stop the suicide bombings

0% - Undecided
85 people were reported to have lost their lives in a brazen attack by the sect on Dalori, a town near Maiduguri, the state capital, in January.

The recent unfortunate attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on communities close to Maiduguri, despite our successes, call for concern, the army said via a statement released on Sunday, February 7, 2016.

The Nigerian Army has already commenced investigation into the attacks All cases of indiscipline and related acts of misconduct including human rights abuse in the operations will be tried by the Special Court Martial, it added.

The terrorists were also reported to have burned children alive during the attack on Dalori.
The woman, identified simply as Hajiya Aishatu, said further that the girls return is not in Nigerias interest, The Nation reports.

Bringing back chibok girls would amount to importing Vampires into the Country, the campaign for Chibok girls is not in the interest of this country, she said during an interview in Jos, Plateau State.

Chibok girls are not existing anywhere in the world, most of them had been used as suicide bombers by those who abducted them.

Young girls involved in suicide attacks in the last two years till date were the Chibok girls, it will be a waste of time for anyone to be talking of rescuing Chibok girls.

If at all Chibok girls exist anywhere, bringing them back to Nigeria will even spell doom for this country because they have been trained to see the country as the land of evil men, she added.

Her warning comes after former president, Olusegun Obasanjo said, on Friday, February 5, 2016, that anyone promising the girls return is telling lies.
Abubakar gave the assurance over the weekend while inspecting Air Force projects in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Daily Trust reports.

What I can tell you is that we are doing everything humanly possible to deal with all the challenges that there are in the current insurgency going on, that of course involves our trying to locate not only the Chibok girls but every Nigerian that is kidnapped, he said.

We are working day and night through intelligence gathering and surveillance. We are expending a lot of flying hours to make sure we are able to locate Chibok girls and every Nigerian that is kidnapped, he added.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier also assured that his government would rescue the girls alive.
Falana in a letter to the minister of finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun said the International Monetary Fund will impose harsh conditions on the Government before the loan is approved.

Punch reports that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria said From the foregoing, you will agree with us that the hapless Nigerian people should not be made to pay for the gross mismanagement of the national economy by the Federal Government and the profligacy of the pampered members of the ruling class.

Instead of taking a loan of $2.5bn with dangerous conditionalities from the World Bank, the Federal Government should recover the aforesaid loans and revenues of not less than $66.5bn with the assistance of the anti-graft agencies.

Adding that While acknowledging the concerted efforts to recover the looted wealth of the nation through the anti-graft agencies and the Arms Procurement Panel, the Buhari Administration should embark on the immediate recovery of the aforesaid loans and accrued revenues with a view to financing the 2016 budget and the infrastructural development of the nation.
Speaking on Monday, February 8, during the budget defence session with the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes, Magu said former Minister of Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is being investigatedin connection with corruption activities carried out during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He said a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke and her close associate, Kola Aluko, are also on the EFCC investigation radar.

Aluko was allegedly used to move huge stolen funds out of the country.

Responding to questions by a member of the committee, Hon. Razak Atunwa,

very soon, we will go into the petroleum industry", Magu said while responding to Hon. Razak Atunwa's question on whetherthe two ex-ministers and Aluko were included in the EFCC investigative list.

Such investigation requires that we have to build capacity, we have to bring in experts to enable us tackle what we are doing properly and the investigation must be conducted properly. We have internal lawyers and external lawyers, we have to pay insurance, he added.
He stated this in an interview with Financial Times.

The Emir stated that Buhari has put an end to the (crude) swap regime which is also one side of rent-seeking and corruption. He has made the NNPC start producing accounts, so there is greater transparency.

These measures are good for the economy and display strong political will to change the system. But getting monetary and fiscal policies right will be crucial for broader progress in structural reform.

Sanusi however expressed surprise at Buhari's move to support forex regime, stating that the President's anti-corruption fight was totally inconsistent.

He said the monetary policy regime has very obvious drawbacks that far outweigh its dubious benefits."

Unfortunately, because the exchange rate is right out there in front now, monetary policy is being seen as the barometer for broader economic thinking, he said.

He added that, It is sad that on this one policy you get it so wrong that you risk taking away attention from everything else you are doing.

On why he did not devaluate naira when he was CBN governor, he said at the time, the country had reserves of over $40bn and an oil price at over $110.

He said there is no easy way out of the current situation, stating that devaluation is a bitter pill.

He noted that the countrys economic misery has deepened, with the currency peg and restrictions in the foreign exchange market creating a lot of speculative and precautionary demand.

Exporters and investors are holding on to foreign currency, as no one would sell at the rate the government is setting, while the government does not have the reserves to keep the exchange rate at its official level in the market.

These policies have been tried in different parts of the world and in this country before and they have just never worked. No matter what the stated intention behind them, they are wrong, he said.
Obasanjo made the comment on Friday, February 5, 2016, while speaking at an event organized by the Staff Club of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Premium Times reports.

The former president heard about the kidnap 8am in the morning of the abduction but failed to act until 72 hours later and by then it was too late, Obasanjo said.

Anyone saying they (Chibok girls) will return is telling lies, maybe some of them will return to tell their story, he added.

Obasanjo had expressed a similar sentimentduring an interview with Rosie Collyer of Radio France Internationale (RFI) in 2014, the year the girls were abducted.

We will never be able to get those girls again. And the story of those girls will go on for the next 30 years, he said.

Some of them will come out when they are adults or they will be sent back when they are pregnant by those who have captured them. If anyone is thinking of being able to get those girls released intact, he must be day dreaming, he added.

President Muhammadu Buhari had recently said, during a trip to France, that his government would rescue the missing girls alive.
He was jailed in 1985 after been convicted for his involvement in the plot to overthrow the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, a sentence he said he did not deserve.

When I was in prison, I had joy. I was always bubbly, teaching and preaching to other prisoners", Obasanjo said while delivering the BSNs annual lecture titled: Man in pursuit of happiness.

He added, it was because of the joy I had found in God, although it can be said to be abnormal that one is in prison and is happy.
Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High court in Lagos renewed Tompolo's arrest warrant on Monday, February 8, and dismissed the application filed by the ex-militant's lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo, urging the court to set aside an order of substituted service.

The judge had initially ordered the ex-militant arrest on January 14 but his lawyer the defendants lawyer claimed in court on Monday he had not been properly served with the summons.

Up till today the first defendant has refused to honour the invitation of the court to appear before it.

"The whole essence of service is to make the person aware of charges facing him. By bringing an application before the court, the first defendant had become aware of the charge before the court", the judge said.

Justice Buba adjourned the case till February 19 and ordered relevant security agencies to produce Tompolo.

The ex-militant is facing 14 counts of theft and money laundering between 2012 and last year totalling just over $175 million (157 million euros).
He gave the warning over the weekend while addressing troops at the 242 Recce Battalion Ibereko in Badagry, Lagos.

The troops are expected to relieve those currently fighting militants in the North East.

He also urged the soldiers fighting Boko Haram to maintain the current tempo in routing the terrorists, stating that the federal government had made funds available for the operation.
CBS made the announcement in a promo which aired during the Super Bowl 50 telecast. According to the promo, the series will air its finale episode on May 8.

The show which revolves around the character Alicia Florrick, aired its first episode on September 22, 2009.

ALSO READ: undefined

About series.

When a very public sex and political-corruption scandal lands her husband, Peter, in prison, Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies ) must get past the humiliation and betrayal and assume responsibility for her family. She resumes her career as a defense attorney, shedding her persona as the embarrassed wife of a politician, and takes charge of her destiny. Years later, after Peter wins the gubernatorial election, Alicia must balance her evolving career and family responsibilities with her new position as first lady of Illinois.

ALSO READ:

Creators of the show Robert and Michelle King, stated that they intend to conclude Alicia's story with the seventh season. Thanking their fans via Twitter, they revealed that the last episode will be called "End."
He said We are not by any stretch of imagination suggesting that the draft budget is beyond comments or reproach. Nor do we wish to dwell on this simply to make a point.

To do that will drive away good citizens from pointing out needed corrections and, ultimately defeating the change mantra of the administration.

Adding that The budget is a Nigerian budget and citizens reserve the right to examine its content and provide their own perspectives.

As the draft goes through the approval process, this and many other aspects will continue to generate interest, criticism, commendation and sometimes condemnation in discussions in the parliament, the media and the court of public opinion.

We believe that the process of change will be affected by, and stands to gain from these debates especially where there is good faith on all sides.

Government has no reason whatsoever to mislead the citizens on the budget and on all other matters for whatever reason, Shehu said.
The Ekiti Governor also said he was aware of a plot by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to get the Supreme Court to overturn his elections.

He added that he will continue speaking openly on issues that concern Nigeria.

Fayose has been in the centre of controversies recently, following revelations by the embattled former secretary of the Ekiti state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Temitope Aluko, of how Governor Fayose used the Nigerian Army to rig the governorship elections in the state.

Aluko also alleged that Governor Ayo Fayose received $37 million from former president, Goodluck Jonathan to rig the June 2014 elections in the state.
The two months salary was paid last week and then quietly taken back by the government, according to Punch.

I had gone to the bank on Friday to withdraw money from the Automated Teller Machine but was disappointed when there was no money in my account. On enquiry, I was told that the government had instructed banks to recall payment, a civil servant, identified as Akindele, told Punch.

In reaction however, the Commissioner for Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi, said that the development was due to an error which would be corrected.

The error is from the service provider and it has been rectified, he said.

Some lucky civil servants reportedly withdrew their salaries before the money could be taken back by the government.
The report of the panel, which was submitted to the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, in January, had recommended the compulsory retirement of two officers, the prosecution of one officer for collecting bribe and asked that three other officers lose their command.

Speaking to Punch, Falana said if the report indicts Fayose, a former secretary of the Ekiti chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, Temitope Aluko, who made staggering confession two weeks ago about the alleged rigging, could be used as the Federal Government witness against the Governor.

Aluko had alleged that the military was used to influence the election to favour Fayose, adding that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan also gave the Governor $37million to perfect the manipulation.

Falana said: The army authorities had investigated the fraudulent governorship election purportedly won by Mr. Ayo Fayose in June 2014. It has been confirmed that it was not an election but a coup executed by armed soldiers led by one General (Aliyu) Momoh.

The panel which investigated the shameful event has recommended the dismissal of a number of military officers and the further investigation of others by the EFCC over the money illegally collected by them for the purpose of subjecting voters to horrendous harassment and brutalisation. Captain Sagir Koli watched the whole messy show and decided to record Momoh and his accomplices.

He added that all the indicted suspects will be arrested and prosecuted once the panel report is released and the EFCC investigation on the alleged N4.8bn "which was criminally diverted for the election" is concluded.

On whether immunity clause will protect Fayose or not, Falana said there is no immunity for impunity as far as electoral malfeasance is concerned. In the cases of Obi v Mbakwe, Alliance for Democracy v Ayo Fayose and Amaechi v INEC it has been established that governors cannot hide under the immunity clause to commit electoral fraud.

By the strict interpretation of section 308 of the Constitution no court process can be issued or served on a governor. But because immunity cannot be pleaded or invoked to cover electoral fraud, elected governors are served with court processes and dragged to court to respond to allegations of electoral malpractice.
It is true we campaigned on the change mantra, but this change mantra is largely misunderstood by Nigerians, he said.

They misinterpreted it to mean that as soon as Buhari is sworn in, immediately things will change in Nigeria. It does not happen that way. Nigerians cannot continue to do things the same way and expect different results. Indiscipline and corruption are not restricted to people at the top.

Each Nigerian has a role to play and that is why we are launching the campaign. If Nigeria reduces corruption to the level in Ghana and Malaysia, Nigerias GDP will increase to $2 trillion from N514 billion in 2030.

Here, we are trying to rebuild Nigeria and lay a new foundation where companies will be able to operate. If we can cut corruption, even if oil price is $10 per barrel, we will still be able to achieve targets, he added.
He said Having undertaken to prove his innocence at the Code of Conduct Trubunal Senator Saraki should resign as senate president so as to preserve the integrity of the National Assembly.

When Senators Chuba Okadigbo and Adolphus Wabara were indicted they were made to step down as senate presidents.

The Supreme Court on Friday, February 5, 2016 ruled that the trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki on corruption charges must continue.

The Senate President who was accused of asset declaration fraud by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), said he was disappointed at Supreme Court's decision.
Saraki made the pledge at Nkalagu, Ishiellu Local Government Area of Ebonyi during a thanksgiving held by

According to him, rehabilitating federal roads in their states was a huge sacrifice from state governors for the development of the country.

"The state governments need to be encouraged to get the refunds because if this is not done, they will be discouraged to do more.

"The senate would definitely support them on this issue as it is for the peoples' good," he said.

It will be under the condition for Ebonyi that the funds would be used to develop Nkalagu where the agreement of our assistance was reached, he said.

Saraki said that Ebonyi central constituency made no mistake in choosing Ogba to represent, saying that he had distinct qualities.

The state governor, Dave Umahi, in his remark, commended the senate for its untiring efforts and sacrifices for the unity and development of the country.

We, however, beg you to intervene in the issue of refunding the state governments of funds expended in rehabilitating federal roads in the country.

State governments are owed a total of N556 billion by the Federal Government on rehabilitated roads; we seek a law that makes it mandatory to refund states whenever such projects are executed.

We would even accept the refund of initial 50 per cent of the funds with negotiations on the balance as the federal roads are used by citizens of the various states, he said.

He congratulated Ogba on the occasion and noted that all current political office holders in the state achieved success by the special grace of God.

Ogba, who thanked Saraki and the people, said that the occasion was unique because it marked his unprecedented victory over forces that tried to steal the mandate given to him by God.

I therefore rededicate myself to the service of my people, to bring sustainable and people-oriented development in agriculture, infrastructure, among others, he said.
Wike further accused Buhari of being one-sided in the anti-graft war, according to The Cable.

We will not support the fight against corruption. People took our money from the state, and we wrote to the police asking them to go and make a statement; nothing has come out of it, he said.

We wont take anybody to the EFCC because I know what will happen. We know how to fight our own way. We wont support that war against corruption that they are doing," he added.
The MBA student said he was attacked on Thursday, February 4.

Nigerian students took to the streets on Saturday, February 6 to protest the attack. A protest was also staged for the assault on the Tanzanian woman in Bengaluru earlier in the week.

We came here to study and make our future better, but we are labelled drug peddlers and criminals. If anyone of us is found guilty, we will cooperate with the police, we are ready for any legal action. said one of the students at the protest.

Many a time, the police treat us differently and do not respond properly, said another student at Dharna Chowk.

In response to the attack on Mr. Dola, the police in the area started an initiative to interact with Nigerians and other nationals residing in the area, to avoid a repeat.

Police denied allegations that Mr Dola had been threatened with a knife and a shotgun during Thursdays attack.

After inquiry, we arrested two youths. But we did not find a shotgun or a knife, said Banjara Hills inspector P. Murali Krishna.
The 50-yr-old former speaker House of Reps. and his 36-yr-old bride, Mairo Mustapha Balarabe performed their Nikkai on Thursday , February 4, in Kano state. The ceremony was said to be a small one with a few friends and family members of the couple in attendance.

Earlier, rumours had it that Tambuwal whose first wife is Hajiya Mariya Aminu had married Balarabe in a 'secret' ceremony. But contrary to reports, the bride's friend debunked the rumours, setting the record straight.

Identified as Jaafar Jaafar on Facebook, friend of the new Mrs. Tambuwal said the couple have been 'courting' for a while, so it was right thing to marry her.

Jaafar also alleged in the post titled 'Celebrating Mrs. Tambuwal' that the governor didn't want to make the wedding elaborate so as not to spend state funds.

Read his post below:

Celebrating Mrs. Tambuwal

I knew about Maryam Mairo Mustaphas years of courtship with Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, since he was the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

I planned to travel to Kano from Abuja to attend the wedding on Friday, but a last-minute official engagement spoilt my plan. Mairo wont easily forgive me for this.

Tambuwal and Mairos plan to marry was deliberately delayed until he left office as Speaker of the House of Representatives. But as fate would have it, Tambuwal got another office, a situation that ultimately defeated his aversion to publicity and pomp and pageantry inherent in political office holders marriage.

To set the records straight for gossip news sites that concoct stories to amuse their readers, it was not a secret marriage as all the mandatory rites provided by Islam were fulfilled. The Chief Imam of Kano, Professor Sani Zahraddeen, officiated the marriage at the residence of her guardian, Lawal Mukhtar, a dowry was paid and family members, relatives and friends witnessed it.

Tambuwals preference to low-key marriage is understandable. In Nigeria, once the marriage of a governor is made public, it will become a state affair, and the public till will be tilted to fund the private affair. In such marriages, public funds are usually used to fund elaborate parties, chartered flights, mothers eve, (and even grandmothers eve), celebrity magazines, etc.

Well-educated, unassuming, kind and accomplished woman, Mairo garnered years of work experience in telecoms, oil and gas, IT, and energy sectors.

Mairo Mustapha Balarabe is a daughter of a former Member of the House of Representatives (1979-1983) and one of the educated disciples of late Malam Aminu Kano. Among the Members of the House of Representatives from Kano in those days, late Mustapha Balarabe and Sidi H. Ali were the only ones who remained loyal to Malam Aminu Kano.

At a point, Malam Aminu Kano considered him for the governorship ticket of PRP in 1982, but the permutation changed when Sabo Bakinzuwo, a senator then, picked the ticket. He was later appointed the commissioner of finance in the Sabo Bakinzuwo administration in 1983. He died in 1986.

Although it is a special moment for Mairo, but she surely will be in tears. In such a special day when Hajia, who died in 2011, was not alive to see Mairo in her matrimonial home, counsel her, embrace her, pray for her, it will be a mixed feeling of joy, grief and tears.
Government officials said the amendments fulfilled Bouteflika's promises to strengthen democracy, but opposition leaders dismissed them as superficial tweaks to a system long dominated by the ruling FLN party and the military.

The FLN along with the RND and other pro-government parties hold a majority in both chambers of the parliament and 499 out of 517 lawmakers present voted in favor, with 16 abstaining. Several opposition parties boycotted the vote.

"The reforms we have started allow us to move to a new political and constitutional phase, based on democratic principles," Bouteflika said in a statement read by the senate chief on his behalf.

Approval of the reforms should prompt the naming of a new government cabinet by Bouteflika, an independence-era veteran whose has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013 despite re-election in 2014 to a fourth term.

The constitutional reforms were approved at a delicate time for the North African OPEC member, whose government is facing a sharp slide in oil prices that has slashed its revenues and forced it to trim spending.

The amendments limit presidents to two terms in office, reversing a reform Bouteflika's government introduced in 2008, allowing him to be re-elected in 2009.

According to the reforms, the president must now consult with the majority in parliament when choosing a prime minister, and create an independent election monitoring body.

"The constitutional revisions contain some positive things and improvements, but they do not reflect any real political reform," Djelloul Djoudi, a member of the opposition Workers' Party, said.

The amendments also officially recognise the Amazigh language spoken by Berbers, the original inhabitants of North Africa before the seventh century Arab invasion.
But the main opposition, led by jailed former leader Mohamed Nasheed, who is now in London for surgery, said the government was trying to cover up corruption, including money-laundering.

On Sunday, a magistrate's court from an atoll close to Male, the capital, issued an arrest warrant for Yameen in a police investigation, government officials and police said.

In a statement, the police said a group of individuals influenced a judge to issue the warrant against Yameen.

Some of them tried to get police to act on the false court order, while another group of activists tried to stage a gathering outside Yameen's official residence, police said.

"The warrant is fraudulent because it didn't originate from any official authority," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Hussain Shihab told Reuters.

Former Prosecutor General Muhuthaz Muhsin, who was impeached by parliament last year, and Ahmed Nihan, a magistrate's court judge, were arrested on Sunday after an initial investigation, he added.

Muhsin was later released, two Maldivian diplomats in Colombo, who asked not to be identified, as they were not authorised to speak to the media, told Reuters. They did not state the reason for his release.

Muhsin and Nihan did not immediately respond to telephone calls from Reuters to seek comment.

Nasheed's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said it had evidence to implicate President Yameen in corrupt activities, however.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
It isnt that I dont appreciate the Coen brothers dramas. But oh, how I love their comedies. Hail, Caesar! simultaneously takes a poke at Old Hollywood while lovingly embracing it.

Youll see a Busby Berkeley-style production, a singing cowboy production, a Gene Kelly-type musical sequence and scenes derived from Ben-Hur. This is a gentle humor, never mean-spirited, that results in more chuckles than belly laughs.

The central character is Eddie Mannix, played beautifully by Josh Brolin. (Mannix was a real film studio executive who helped the stars maintain untarnished public images.)

We follow the fictionalized Eddie, who is the head of Capitol Pictures, throughout a day in his life, first meeting him in a confessional. Eddie then goes out to grapple through a day that includes these issues:

 Star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) is being held for ransom by a group of Communists that demand $100,000.

 Swimming sensation DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johansson) discovers that she is pregnant. Now Eddie must concoct a story to salvage her reputation.

 Director Laurence Lorenz (Ralph Fiennes) has been forced to use cowboy star Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich, Beautiful Creatures) in his latest film, and has discovered that Hobie is incapable of delivering his lines.

 Gossip columnist sisters Thessaly and Thora Thacker (both played by Tilda Swinton) pursue Eddie because they want exclusive stories from him.

 Lockheed Martin has offered Eddie a plum position. But how can Eddie leave show business?

The framework of the movie is much like a comedy from the era it depicts, with an assemblage of skits strung together on the loose framework of Eddies life.

Clooney, as always, is marvelous as a kind of Charlton Heston performer. Not surprisingly, he owns every scene in which he appears.

(Incidentally, Hobie Doyle's date is named Carlotta Valdes, also the name of a character mentioned in Alfred Hitchcocks 1958 movie Vertigo.)

Hoofer Channing Tatum demonstrates his incredible talent in the dance number in which he also sings and deftly delivers comic lines (its a little like a cross between a scene from Singing in the Rain and South Pacific.) This scene alone is worth the price of admission.

Those who enjoy American movies produced under the Motion Picture Production Code guidelines and who are familiar with the era itself will especially appreciate this film. The script is full of the snappy dialogue and slang (youll hear dames and gams, for example) thats typical of these shows.

If you love older movies, youll enjoy this Valentine to the Hollywood of yesterday.
The city of Rock Island's on-hold plans to sell the historic Hauberg mansion and surrounding acreage has stirred a lot of memories for Cynthia Burke, of East Moline. For her, the property and its former owners are not the long-ago stuff of history books, but part of her daily life.

Burke is the great-niece of John Hauberg Sr. and his wife, Susanne Denkmann, who were the original owners of the property and whose family gifted it to the city in the mid-1950s after their deaths.

Burke's middle name is Sue  after "Aunt Sue" Hauberg  and among her condo's furnishings is a walnut bedroom set that belonged to the Haubergs' daughter, Catherine. Burke uses it every day.

It consists of a bed, dresser with six drawers, dressing table with three mirrors and a bench, glass-fronted cabinet, writing desk with cubbyholes and small rocking chair.

Burke keeps photos of different family events, including those picturing John and Susanne, in her desk drawers, and she is in close contact with many of the elder Haubergs' grandchildren. Her memories are many.

As children, she and her cousins played "dress up" in the home, using clothes from a cedar-lined closet. Another time they played "hotel," assigning room numbers to the upstairs bedrooms and setting up a front desk on the main floor.

The home had an elevator and the girl relatives learned how to stop the car between floors if they were trying to get away from the boy relatives.

A special treat was sugar cookies with a pecan in the middle baked by a cook named Mrs. Carlson. And "out of the ice box we could have any pop we wanted but no root beer because that was Mr. Hauberg's favorite," Burke said.

Attending dinners there, she learned to eat chicken with a knife and fork because, even as a youngster, she perceived that picking chicken up with one's fingers was not the proper thing to do. She also learned the purpose of the little bowl of water next to the dinner plate.

Although visitors now reach the Hauberg mansion from 24th Street, the original driveway curved up the broad hill behind the house.

Burke says the 24th Street entrance was added in the late 1920s when the Haubergs were asked to host Prince William of Sweden who was visiting Augustana College. The new way was more convenient, she said.

Last major family function

The last major family function in the home was a reunion in 1998, attracting 50 to 60 relatives, some as far away as Australia.

They visited the original Hauberg farm near Hillsdale, established by John Hauberg's grandfather, who came from Germany, and the family mausoleum at Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island.

The hit of the reunion, though, was a scavenger hunt in the mansion.

"The younger generation didn't know that much about the house, so we had a scavenger hunt," Burke said. Teams were created of equal older and younger members and were given clues to find certain things in the house.

A year later, she drove John Hauberg Jr. to the home that he called "the great house" during what she believes was his last visit to Rock Island before his death in 2002.

The home wasn't open so "he peeked in the windows, wandered the grounds, reminiscing, took a lot of pictures."

The grounds belong to all

The grounds are particularly memorable to many Rock Islanders not related to the Haubergs because they were accessible any time of the day or night, and kids played in them.

The late writer David R. Collins, of Moline, wrote a piece about the property titled "Heroes in the woods." Here's how it begins:

"It was Sherwood Forest.

"It was the Sante Fe Trail.

"It was the sands of Iwo Jima.

"Yes, and it was in Rock Island, Illinois."

It was John Jr. and his sister Catherine  whose bedroom set Burke has  who decided to donate the mansion to the city.

"In its day, it was considered quite modern," Burke says of the house. "It was not what they were building."

Construction occurred just as the Victorian era was ending, and architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries, including John Spencer, were taking design in a different, more clean-line direction called the Prairie style.

The tendency for tulips

Which brings us to the tulips.

One of the hallmarks of the Prairie architects was that they incorporated stylized plant motifs in their work.

The Hauberg mansion is rife with the tulip motif  tulips are carved in stone, plaster and wood and melted in glass  because, as the story goes, tulips were Susanne Denkmann's favorite flower.

Several years after the Hauberg mansion was built, Spencer replicated the tulip motif in a house in River Forest, Ill. Tulips are used on the decorative panels above the exterior columns and front door, the indoor and outdoor light fixtures, the living room mantel and on 100 art glass windows, according to an online sales listing for the home from 2012.

Apparently Spencer liked tulips, too.
Quad-City teens are doing some of the same work as Facebook founder and billionaire Mark Zuckerberg  at least his philanthropic efforts.

Ana Eganova, Rock Island, and Carrie Peterson and Diana Wu, both of Bettendorf, are among 30 students from 10 Quad-City high schools who are involved with Teens 4 Tomorrow, or T4T, an initiative from the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend.

Founded in 2002, T4T is a youth philanthropy program that teaches teens to be grant-makers. Community mentors take part, and the teens do significant research before any money changes hands, according to Kelly Thompson, director of programs at the Bettendorf-based philanthropic organization.

Eganova, 18, who is originally from Russia, is in her first year of the program. The senior at Rivermont Collegiate in Bettendorf said the activity is a good fit for her interests.

"We have to decide how to spend the money," she said. "We cannot give money to everything."

The students meet once a month in the foundation offices. "We talk about the grant-making process," Thompson said.

The teens also split into committees, where they do jobs such as interviewing mayors and community leaders about their opinions on what should be funded.

Peterson, 15, a junior at Pleasant Valley High School, said the committee activities help the organization to run more smoothly.

She and others agree that one of the greatest aspects of T4T is meeting teens from other parts of the Quad-Cities.

A membership committee, for example, hosts ice-breakers for the teens, prompting them to interact and exchange information. There are pre-meeting games and events.

Peterson is personally interested in Habitat for Humanity Quad-Cities, but others have their own topics: Eganova is concerned about poverty, while Wu, a senior at PV, said her top priority is mental health.

"This is an issue in our community," said Wu, who is in her first year in the program. "It is important that those with mental illness have the same opportunities as others," Wu said.

Those in the T4T program are involved in their schools and communities, Thompson said. The program provides them a chance to take that next step in helping others.

The T4T program was promoted by a benefactor, Arlene Elliott, co-founder and co-owner of Elliott Aviation, Moline, who died in 2010. Arlene Elliott could see the need for such education in the Quad-Cities, Thompson said. The program was funded initially with a $5,000 grant, but that has bumped up to $10,000 per year.

This year, Thompson said, the teens decided it was important to "bridge the river" in giving. "Serving both Iowa and Illinois encourages us to be more unified," she said.

After the T4T members make decisions, they set priorities and create criteria for the grants. That helps them write questions for applications, which are subsequently distributed through the Community Foundation.

Once the applications for the grants come back, the students will do site visits, Thompson said.

Grant decisions are made in May.
A couple of first-generation college grads recently wrote to "The Ethicist" advice column in The New York Times Magazine with a familiar moral quandary:

"We are struggling with choosing a public school for our son, who will enter kindergarten this year. ... Do we let our neighborhood kids and our own values down by fleeing to a higher-testing public school in a richer part of the city? Or do we let our son down by sending him to the neighborhood school, which we fear will not put him on solid educational footing?"

The Ethicist responded: "You don't owe it to all the other children in your neighborhood to give their interests the same weight as their parents do. Your special obligations are to your own child. ... And what you owe is not heroic commitment, 'turning the school around' by your own efforts."

Predictably, some commenters on the article were disappointed with this advice. They wondered what it would hurt to take a chance and see how it goes; maybe try to make a difference for (BEG ITAL)all(END ITAL) the kids at the school.

Trust me, it hurts.

My husband and I were that same couple, years ago. Thinking we could make a difference, we chose to put our sons into our local school -- in a district whose student body was nearly 70 percent low-income and had performed so poorly for so long that it had been taken over by the state.

We believed that what we did at home -- reading to our kids nightly, modeling good study habits, providing enrichment activities like traveling and extracurricular music, swimming and martial arts classes -- would easily overcome any challenges associated with attending a failing school district.

And we committed to elevating the system.

We attended parent meetings, filled out school-improvement surveys, kept in close touch with teachers, principals, administrators and the district superintendents to address issues from poor teaching to nightmarish transportation (our older son, on his first day of kindergarten, was brought home by the police because of the inept school-bus system).

We complained about the junk food served every day for breakfast and lunch, we donated money for programs and scholarships. I ran (unsuccessfully) for the school board.

All that effort amounted to nothing.

Our kids sat in classes with children whose parents simply didn't have the social capital, income, savvy or time to make a difference in what happened at school. Year after year, instead of getting better, the district -- located in a community with a fair amount of middle-class families who started jumping ship for private schools after the second grade -- just stayed bad.

The stories my children told after school were outrageous. Teachers who showed videos most days, out-of-control classrooms, kids tossing off insouciant one-liners like: "You didn't actually expect me to do my homework, did you?" Middle school brought fights, gang activity and an increased police presence.

When it was time for my older son to start high school -- the very school I had taught in for a year and knew prepared no more than 24 percent of its graduates to be "college ready" -- we fled.

It took a move of less than half a mile to a neighborhood with significantly more expensive homes to get my sons into one of the best public high schools in our state.

Last week, however, I learned how long the effects of a poor educational environment in the early years linger.

My younger son -- who benefited from a better school starting in seventh grade, but at the end of eighth 8th grade was so behind that I had to pressure his counselors not to place him in remedial freshman English classes -- is underperforming compared to his high school, district and state peers in both English and math, according to the results of his latest standardized test scores. Luckily, he's doing well in his classwork.

Good intentions and even good actions are not enough to transform a poorly performing school into one that can provide an adequate education for your kids. School systems take decades to turn around -- and require a long-term investment plus local and state political pressure to act -- while our children's formative years fly by.

It's sad, but do not be ashamed to send your kids to the best school you can possibly afford. You'll likely regret it if you don't.
We are here not to discuss the complex #OscarsSoWhite controversy but to address another sore point with perhaps similar origins: the #OscarsSoGorgeous phenomenon.

At the risk of running afoul of some ardent fan clubs, let us note that the Academy Awards for best actress tend to favor the young and beautiful, often for playing the down and out. Some older actresses survive the nominating process, but observe how many wouldn't be there had they not established their careers on earlier goddess roles.

This helps explain why there are so few good parts for women who are dark and short -- or, for that matter, white but less than spectacular. As with the lack of black nominees, the perpetual dearth of non-beautiful actresses surely reflects the socializing preferences of the white men in charge.

This is not to disparage Jennifer Lawrence's acting talents, which many say are considerable. But it seemed odd that she was chosen to play the lead in "Joy," a performance for which she has been nominated as best actress. "Joy" is based on the true story of Joy Mangano, a hard-luck working mother who found success inventing and selling homely mops.

Now the real Mangano is a fine-looking woman with strong Mediterranean features. But she was not born porcelain-skinned and blue-eyed. She did not pursue her dreams with a team of hair stylists maintaining the highest standards through her deepest indignities.

The Hollywood version lingers on endless close-ups of Lawrence's mug -- a picture of northern European perfection, currently a "face of Dior." Of course, Lawrence has been on the cover of Vogue, which calls her "Hollywood's blockbuster blonde."

In 2006, Julia Roberts won best actress for "Erin Brockovich," a real-life story about a blunt, working-class girl's legal victory. Nothing wrong with the real Brockovich's looks, but Erin was never the Roberts-level babe who could dominate the glossies from the lowliest fan mags to Vogue.

Roberts broke into stardom in "Pretty Woman," playing a character who was supposed to be beautiful. Had Roberts not already achieved stardom as a dazzler, would she have been cast in the meaty role of a vulgar crusader?

The 2003 Oscar went to former model Charlize Theron for her role as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in "Monster." Fan magazines at the time marveled at how teams of makeup artists were able to turn a stunner into an ugly wretch.

You'd think that roles to play these tortured women would create opportunities for extraordinarily talented actresses of ordinary appearance, but that's not how Hollywood usually works. Hollywood demands that female actors do double-duty as thespians and glamour queens.

On Oscars night we see how, when it comes to gender, Hollywood actors inhabit two entirely different planets. The men romp into the Dolby Theatre, while the women must run the gauntlet of red carpet humiliation. You see them freeze in cheesy poses, every detail of their facades followed by a week of microscopic critique.

At the ceremony itself, the male winners joyfully bound up the stairs to the stage. The female winners in spikes gingerly climb the stairs, no doubt terrified that a heel could lock into a long hem.

So this is a night to pity the bombshells as well as the great female actors who never had the chance to win the great parts. Why even bother with this dated vision when we can stream fascinating stories of three-dimensional women on our own screens day or night? And small wonder the Oscar audience numbers have been tanking.
So, let me get this straight. The editorial board of the Quad-City Times excoriates the legislative body of the state of Illinois relentlessly for allowing the state to amass a deficit in the $100 billion dollar range. And rightfully so.

Then like the proverbial politician who speaks out of both sides of his mouth, you endorse an avowed socialist for president of the United States. Maybe you were unaware of the fact that this country is $19 trillion dollars in debt. You condemn an entrenched system in Illinois that fueled the state debt. Yet the editorial board criticized presidential candidate Ted Cruz for daring to try to shake things up on the national level where that system is just as entrenched.
SPRINGFIELD  Four months after the Illinois State Museum and its satellite branches closed to the public, the state Department of Natural Resources has announced a plan to reopen most of the facilities.

Using his amendatory veto power, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who shuttered the museum as a cost-saving measure, has rewritten a Senate bill to allow the main museum in Springfield, Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown and the Lockport Gallery to reopen. The Southern Illinois Art and Artisans Center at Rend Lake and the Chicago Gallery at the James R. Thompson Center would close permanently, however.

Under the governor's plan, the state museum would begin charging admission fees and private fundraising efforts of the Illinois State Museum Society would increase to reduce the institution's reliance on state funding.

"The state of Illinois is in a financial mess," Department of Natural Resources Director Wayne Rosenthal said at a news conference Monday at the museum, standing near a diorama of black bears on Lake Michigan sand dunes and other nature scenes. "We've got a crisis, so to move forward, it's important to develop new models and new ways of thinking about how we operate and fund state government."

The governor's proposal, developed with the department over the past several months, would save an estimated $1 million annually and would reorganize the museum's management and organizational structure.

When the facilities would reopen is undetermined because the Democratic-controlled General Assembly would first have to concur with Rauner's changes to the bill, which simply required the state to operate the museum and the four branches and keep them open to the public.

Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, urged the Senate to take up the measure quickly.

"I support this effort because I believe this is a reasonable, actionable step forward in reopening the museum," Butler said. "I think it lays out a transformational future for the museum, a plan to engage the public in our community like we have not done before."

Butler suggested a $5 admission fee for adults and noted that other state museums in the region charge similar fees.

Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, who sponsored the original bill, said many of the changes Rauner proposed could have been implemented without locking the museum's doors to the public.

"Those things should have been proposed by the administration months ago," he said.

Manar said he is reviewing the proposal before deciding his next step.

"The overarching question is, did the governor overstep his constitutional authority in his veto message?" he said.

Michael Wiant, director of the Dickson Mounds Museum, will become the interim director of the state museum, and the search will begin for a permanent replacement. Since the doors closed to the public Oct. 1, about 15 staff members have left, but key people remain in every department, Wiant said.

Unionized employees at the museum have been reporting to work throughout the closure because they filed a lawsuit challenging proposed layoffs. There has been plenty of behind-the-scenes work to keep them busy, Wiant said.

Guerry Suggs, who chairs the Illinois State Museum Board and wasn't at the announcement Monday, said this plan "is probably as good as we're going to get." He said the board has been open to admission fees in the past.

Like Manar, Suggs said he thinks the agreement could have been worked out without closing the museum's doors to the public.
DES MOINES  A proposal that could result in county clerks of court processing hundreds of thousands of citations generated by traffic enforcement cameras hit a caution light Monday.

A House Transportation subcommittee didnt kill, but declined to advance House File 2109 that would establish rules for the operation of traffic enforcement cameras and route the fines through the clerks offices, a move one lobbyist told legislators would be an unfunded mandate. Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Greg Heartsill, R-Dallas-Melcher, said the bill needs work. If it is advanced to the whole committee it likely will be with amendments.

In Cedar Rapids, for example, more than 500,000 citations worth more than $22 million have been issued since 2010. Under the bill, the citations would be processed by the clerk of courts office. Ninety percent of the fine would be retained by the city 10 percent would go into the state general fund.

That could be interpreted as an unfunded mandate because the clerks office in counties where traffic enforcement cameras are being used might have to hire additional staff to handle the work, Gary Grant, who represents the city of Cedar Rapids said.

There is some concern, he added, that the bill could amount to a ban on the use of the cameras.

The Iowa Department of Transportation also raise concerns because it has established administrative rules for the cameras, according to Steve Gent, director of traffic and safety.

We think theyre pretty good, Gent said about the rules that are based on national standards. They address some of the issues in HF 2109, such as requiring local law enforcement to certify the calibration of the cameras.

He reminded the three-member panel there are number of lawsuits pending that involve the DOT and use of the cameras, including one involving Cedar Rapids. They may go to court later this year. The city also is being sued by people who have been issued camera-generated citations.

Rep. Greg Heartsill, R-Melcher-Dallas, the bills sponsor, was concerned that because the companies operating the cameras are for-profit, there could be some blurring of the lines between profit and public safety.

Mike St. Clair, who represents Gatso, one of the camera vendors, said the company would welcome a regulatory framework to address concerns. But this bill, I dont think it gets us there.

And Robert Palmer of the Iowa League of Cities said the arrangement with the camera vendors is the sport of public-private partnership that allows cities to operate at a lower cost versus us hiring staff and buying the equipment.




STARGAZING

Visiting Arizona was extremely rewarding. We comfortably managed to squeeze a lot into three days. In fact, we did so much that it felt like we'd been there for a week. We had a couple of 'musts' that we scheduled for ourselves but we were so casual and spontaneous about the fringe activities so there was zero stress; it was 100% enjoyment. The state is so vast and we experienced totally different topography and plant life and weather from our starting point in Phoenix to our northernmost stop in Page. It was definitely a whirlwind experience and I loved every minute of it.We both woke up early on Friday morning in our respective homes and met at the airport. Security went super smoothly, we boarded our flight, and landed an hour earlier than expected in Phoenix.Here's what I packed:I'm not going to lie; I was seriously tempted to pack every item of plaid flannel I own, but I stuck to one plaid shirt and one scarf and went for a relaxed vibe as the theme. The key to packing for this trip was to focus on layers because the temperature in the desert changes drastically with the sun. And I did a little bit of repeating so that I could pack a tiny little bag.As soon as we landed, we hopped onto a free shuttle bus over to the rental car center (which was a 10 minute ride). We grabbed an adorable compact car (a light blue Toyota Yaris) from Dollar Car Rental (about $100 total for the three days). The salesman tried to upsell us by telling us the compact car would only be able to do 45mph on the mountainous roads heading towards Sedona. What a bozo. Our little Yaris managed just fine and we were actually reprimanded for speeding at one point (more on that later) so hah!We hit the road and made a beeline for In-N-Out to grab some lunch. We headed to the location on Tatum Boulevard, which was kind of perfect, as D is a huge Channing Tatum fan. With our early morning flight and the time difference, our stomachs were roaring for some sustenance and I don't think there's anything better than a good quality burger and fries to quell that growling. I was in heaven with my cheeseburger (animal style) and fries and pink lemonade. D opted to leave her burger plain and got her fries animal style.After lunch, we climbed back into the car and drove straight up to Sedona. It was about an hour and a half ride, during which we marveled at the saguaro cacti, faroff snowcapped mountains, and eventually the red rocks surrounding our destination.We checked into our hotel, the Southwest Inn, and dropped our bags off in our room before heading out to do some exploring. The inn was a bit kitschy, with its pueblo-mimicking architecture and the overly western decor. However, our room was clean and comfortable (I especially enjoyed the fireplace) and the hotel itself was quite conveniently located. Plus, it was a pretty affordable option (at $160 per night).Our first stop was the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The chapel was built in the 50s, commissioned by a local rancher who was inspired by the construction of the Empire State Building. It's an incredibly gorgeous structure worth visiting, whether you are religious or not. This sleek, clean style of architecture is harmoniously built into one of Sedona's vortexes. The location gives off such serene energy.There are a few areas around the chapel for parking and though we easily found a spot for our car, I can imagine that it may get quite crowded in the high season. We parked at the base so that we could slowly climb up and experience the chapel from all angles.The contrast of the blue sky to the red-orange geology is one of the prettiest natural wonders I've ever experienced. And of course, a similar view of the Sedona landscape can be experienced from inside the chapel too. Imagine worshipping in that environment; it'd be impossible not to believe in a higher power after that.As we were driving back towards the center of town, we saw the Tlaquepaque shopping area so we stopped by just to browse a little.Though the wares being sold in the stores were somewhat underwhelming, I loved the shopping center itself. It was rather serene and quite pretty and that made the browsing experience much more enjoyable.Our next little adventure was to hit up Cathedral Rock, another one of Sedona's famous vortexes. However, due to some flooding, we were unable to do the hike we wanted. Instead, we enjoyed the landscape from a bit farther off at the viewpoints along Red Rock Loop Road.We booked an early dinner so that we could enjoy the sunset whilst we dined. We rode over to the Enchantment Resort around 17:15, which put us there in time to enjoy the light bouncing off of the red rocks all the way until 18:00 when the sun dipped low enough to put us in darkness.I started my meal with a honey crisp apple artisan soda, which was lovely and crisp and sweet. For my main, I went for the taco platio which allowed me to try one of each taco (prime rib, swai, pork, and chicken). The tacos were amazing and built on top of deliciously soft and pliable fresh corn tortillas. D opted for the shrimp & grits and she generously allowed me a taste. The grits were super creamy and the sauce and seasoning on the shrimp was really lovely and flavorful. This place was a little chintzy, considering they charged $6 for chips and salsa, which most restaurants gave us for free but other than that, it was a delightful meal.For dessert, we shared the chocolate cake with "grandma's frosting" and vanilla bean gelato. The cake was warm from the oven and the accoutrements were super decadent.After dinner, it was basically pitch black outside (thanks to the lack of light pollution) so we took a short ride over the hill to the Doe Mountain trailhead where we sat around staring up into the night sky.I made a sad attempt at doing some star photography. But, with my limited photography skills, the absolute lack of light to set up my camera, and my fear of potentially dangerous wild animals lurking in the darkness, I only stayed outside long enough to capture about a half dozen shots. Even though they're not quite right (I didn't focus "to infinity" so the stars are more like bokeh than pinpoints of light), you hopefully you can get an idea of how beautiful it was. The stars out there are unreal and ridiculous. Some were different shades of blue and green, some would twinkle ridiculously hard, and a few of them were shooting stars.The best part though, was the sheer quantity of them. It made it difficult to point out constellations; the only one I could recognize was Orion's Belt. I see Orion's Belt at home all the time, but out in Sedona, I was also able to see his shoulders and his legs.After our date with the heavens, we drove back to our hotel to get some sleep. Saturday had a full itinerary and we needed to get up early. Luckily, with the time difference, I knocked out as soon as my head hit the pillow.xoxo.
Ralph and Grace have been happily married for 41 years. We currently reside in Toronto. We have a beautiful daughter Laura who is married to Jason Van Meppelenscheppink. Jason and Laura have three beautiful children (Jordan, Hailey and Brody) and they currently live in St. Thomas. This blog is about our lives and how we have been blessed.
hingis.ch forums Former World No 1 Martina Hingis won her first title in seven years when she partnered Sabine Lisicki to win the Women'...
When thinking about South Dakota, naval prowess might not be the first thing to come to mind. Still, our state has a strong and proud naval history  from the men and women who have answered the call to serve to the ships that have borne the name USS South Dakota.

In the 20th century, two naval battleships were named after our great state: the USS South Dakota (ACR-9) commissioned in 1908 and the USS South Dakota (BB-57) commissioned in 1942. The BB-57 was one of the most decorated warships of World War II.

Now, our state is being honored a third time. The U.S. Navy has commissioned a new USS South Dakota, the SSN-790. This Virginia-class submarine is already under construction and is expected to be completed in August of 2018. It will be the first submarine to bear the name USS South Dakota.

This namesake will be more than a fleeting, ceremonial connection between the new submarine and our state. A commissioning committee has been brought aboard to support events surrounding the submarines keel laying, christening and commissioning. Perhaps more importantly, the committee will work to forge a relationship between the state and the submarine for the duration of its service.

This coming week, we will start to build that relationship when the USS South Dakotas commanding officer, Commander Ronald Withrow, and four members of the boats crew will be visiting South Dakota.

They wont be able to make it to all of the great places in South Dakota, but they are doing their best to fit as much as possible into a few short days.

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, theyll be visiting the USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial, meeting with veterans groups and stopping at a school in Sioux Falls. The next day theyll stop in Pierre where Commander Withrow will address both houses of the Legislature and the group will visit the Cultural Heritage Center.

Then on Friday the group will travel west to spend time at the Ellsworth Airforce Base, go to the Black Hills Stock Show, and experience Americas Shrine of Democracy.

I look forward to meeting Commander Withrow and the crew members. It is sure to be a good visit, and it wont be the only visit. I also look forward to supporting the commissioning committee as they work to raise funds, talk to people across the state about the USS South Dakota and develop long lasting ties with the crew of the boat.

The SSN 790 represents more than just a submarine. It offers an opportunity to continue the USS South Dakotas history of protecting our nation.
A new $18.43 million hospital will not only expand health care options for residents and visitors in Custer, but also boost the economic health of the city and the southern Black Hills.

The new 42,000-square-foot hospital will be built through a private-public funding partnership between the city of Custer and Regional Health of Rapid City and will replace the city's aging existing hospital.

Having a new hospital here could be one of the biggest factors of any sort of economic or population growth we see over the next 20 to 50 years. It could be one of the biggest influences of that, bar none, said Custer Mayor Jared Carson.

Its going to be big deal, not just for Custer but for the whole Southern Hills, he said.

Custer Community Health Services, Inc. now owns the hospital and clinic at 1039 Montgomery St. that is housed in a building dating back to 1962 and leased by Rapid City-based Regional Health.

Carson said the hospital board and the city have been looking at options for revamping or expanding the clinic for several years. Attempts to renovate the current facility spanning more than a decade fell short, leading CCHSI and Regional to begin talking about a possible merger about five years ago.

The negotiations led the city to shift from operating the hospital and clinic, with the CCHSI board overseeing operations.

The city decided to "move to what essentially everybody does, which is look to the private sector to provide that service, Carson said.

The merger agreement, announced at a Custer City Council meeting last week, means Regional Health will own and operate Custer Regional Hospital and finance all but $4 million of the projected $18.43 million cost of the proposed new 42,000-square-foot facility.

The city will chip in revenues from a city sales tax, capped at a maximum contribution of $375,000 per year, to pay for its portion of the hospital construction, Carson said.

Custer Community Health Services will continue to provide an advisory board once Regional Health takes ownership of the new hospital, to be built just to the east of the current hospital on the south side of Montgomery Street.

The new hospital will provide emergency services as well as hospital and clinic care.

We are seeing growth in clinic services and well have new physicians joining us in the fall, said Veronica Schmidt, president of Custer Regional Hospital. Our current clinic setting will not accommodate growth.

The new building will feature the same number of beds 11 as the current hospital, but most of the new beds will be in private rooms, not doubled up as they are now, said Regional Health President Kyle Richards.

We have outstanding providers in Custer and this will give them and our caregivers a better place to practice medicine for our patients and families. Its just going to be a state-of-the-art facility that we can do a lot of things, from specialties to looking at the future growth of Custer, Richards said.

Once the new building is completed, the old building will be torn down and the roughly 3-acre site will be returned to green space and deeded back to the city, Schmidt said.

Richards said Regional Health is excited to bolster health care for Custer and the Southern Hills with a new facility.

This is a culmination of a great partnership between ourselves, the Custer Community Health Services, Inc. board and ... the city of Custer, Richards said.
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. | When Ted Cruz last month mocked Donald Trump's "New York values," it wasn't entirely clear what he was implying.

Last week, we got a clue: For Cruz, "New York" is another way of saying "Jewish."

At an event in New Hampshire, Cruz, the Republican Iowa caucus winner, was asked about campaign money he and his wife borrowed from Goldman Sachs.

Cruz, asserting that Trump had "upward of $480 million of loans from giant Wall Street banks," said: "For him to make this attack, to use a New York term, it's the height of chutzpah." Cruz, pausing for laughter after the phrase "New York term," exaggerated the guttural "ch" to more laughter and applause.

But chutzpah, of course, is not a "New York" term. It's a Yiddish  a Jewish  one. And using "New York" as a euphemism for Jewish has long been an anti-Semitic dog-whistle.

I followed both Cruz and Trump this past week at multiple campaign events across New Hampshire. It was, in a sense, a pleasure to see them use their prodigious skills of character assassination against each other. It was demagogue against demagogue: lie vs. lie. Both men riled their supporters with fantasies and straw men.

But there were discernible differences. Trump owned anger. Cruz, by contrast, had a lock on nastiness. Trump is belligerent and hyperbolic, with an authoritarian style. But while Trump fires up the masses with his nonstop epithets, Cruz has Joe McCarthy's knack for false insinuation and underhandedness. What sets Cruz apart is the malice he exudes.

Cruz jokes that "the whole point of the campaign" is that "the Washington elites despise" him. But Cruz's problem is that going back to his college days at Princeton, those who know him best seem to despise him most. Not a single Senate colleague has endorsed his candidacy, and Iowa's Republican governor urged Cruz's defeat, then called his campaign "unethical."

Ben Carson, who rarely has a bad word to say about anybody in the GOP race, accused Cruz of "deceit and dirty tricks and lies" last week after the Texan's campaign spread the false rumor during the Iowa caucuses that Carson was quitting the race. Two former rivals who also appeal to religious conservatives, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum (who endorsed Marco Rubio), have questioned Cruz's truthfulness, too.

Sarah Palin, whose support for Cruz in 2012 got him elected to the Senate, last week denounced him after a Cruz surrogate accused her of accepting payment from Trump to back him. She, too, accused Cruz's campaign of "lies," a "dirty trick" and "typical Washington tactics."

Cruz, in Nashua, slashed back at his one-time benefactor: "It seems if you spend too much time with Donald Trump strange things happen to people." Somebody in the crowd shouted "Fire Palin!" and the audience cheered.

Iowa's secretary of state, a Republican, issued a statement before the caucuses accusing Cruz's campaign of "false representation" because of a mailing to voters charging them with a "voting violation" and assigning them and their neighbors' phony grades.

After Cruz's caucus-night skullduggery  a campaign email to supporters and a tweet by a Cruz national co-chairman suggesting Carson was quitting the race  his response continued the deception. Though he apologized to Carson, he said that "our political team forwarded a news story from CNN" and "all the rest of it is just silly noise." But CNN said nothing about Carson dropping out.

After Trump, in his overblown way, accused Cruz of stealing the election, Cruz replied, righteously, that "I have no intention of insulting him or throwing mud."

No? He accused Trump of "a Trumpertantrum." He said Trump as president "would have nuked Denmark." He said Trump "doesn't have any core beliefs." He mischaracterized several of Trump's positions, saying "he wants to expand Obamacare," that "for his entire life, 60 years, he has been advocating for full-on socialized medicine" and that Trump favors "amnesty" for illegal immigrants and "wants to deport people that are here illegally but then let them back in immediately and become citizens." He speculated that Trump may have "billions" in loans and said the concept of repaying loans is "novel and unfamiliar to Donald."

The misrepresentation isn't limited to Trump. In a single speech in Nashua, he mischaracterized things said by, among others, Jimmy Carter, Chris Wallace, guests on Sean Hannity's show, Atlanta's mayor, Rubio and, of course, President Obama.

I asked the Cruz campaign for substantiation of several of Cruz's accusations but received nothing. Unsurprising: Cruz's purpose is not to inform but to insinuate.
ECHR to review Russian citizens complaints over placing German flag on FSB building

MOSCOW, February 8 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has consolidated two applications filed by Russian national Mikhail Feldman convicted of raising a German flag over Federal Security Service (FSB) building in the city of Kaliningrad over detention and unfair trial, his lawyer Irina Khrunova tols RAPSI on Monday.

In October 2015, the Kaliningrad Regional Court rejected appeals filed by three Russian nationals against the sentence they received for raising a German flag over Federal Security Service (FSB) building in the city of Kaliningrad.

Investigators claimed that Feldman, Savvin and Fonaryov committed an act of vandalism based on political and social hatred in March 2014.

On June 17, Mikhail Feldman, Oleg Savvin and Dmitry Fonaryov were sentenced to prison terms varying from 13 to 14 months. They were immediately released from the courtroom as they have already served these terms at the pretrial detention center.

In October 2014, Feldman, a member of a local movement called the Pubic Defense Committee, turned to the ECHR over alleged violation of Article 5 (Right to liberty and security of person) and Article 10 (Freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights. In January 2016, he lodged a complaint against the sentence.
Moscow teen school shooter again sentenced to compulsory treatment

MOSCOW, February 8 (RAPSI, Artem Ponomarev) - The Moscow Regional Military Court on Monday ruled to send school student Sergey Gordeev, who took his classmates hostage and shot two people in February 2014, for compulsory medical treatment, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

The injured persons will appeal the courts decision.

The trial was held behind closed doors because the defendant is under-age person.

The incident took place on February 3, 2014, when Sergey Gordeev, 15, brought a rifle and a carbine to school. He killed a police officer and a teacher, injured one more person and took hostages.

The Investigative Committee found that the student fired at least 11 times from the small caliber rifle before he was arrested.

The teenager partially admitted his guilt. The psychiatric evaluation showed that he is mentally fit. Last summer, the Moscow City Court confirmed the original courts ruling that the student undergo compulsory medical treatment.

In late September, relatives of victims filed a cassational appeal with the Presidium of the Moscow City Court. They requested that the original ruling of the Butyrsky District Court be overturned as well as the ruling of the Moscow City Court in the appeal. They wanted the case to be returned to the court of original jurisdiction for a review starting from initial proceedings. On November 13, the Moscow City Court Presidium revoked a ruling ordering Gordeev to undergo psychiatric treatment.
Despite a successful program to eliminate cattle fever ticks during the first half of the 20th century, these ticks still manage to cross the Mexican border into Texas. A new vaccine developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) could control these pests and help prevent a reinfestation of cattle fever ticks in the United States.These ticks can transmit pathogens that cause bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis  diseases that can kill cattle.While sequencing the cattle ticks genome, insect physiologist Felix D. Guerrero and his colleagues at the ARS Tick and Biting Fly Research Unit in Kerrville, Texas, identified several proteins that, when formulated as a cattle vaccine, could potentially kill cattle ticks. One of the proteins, aquaporin, was developed into a recombinant tick aquaporin protein vaccine.ARS researchers collaborated with their partners at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) to test the vaccines ability to protect cattle against infestation.In two trials, animals infested with a known amount of cattle tick larvae were divided into two pens in Brazil. In each trial, one group was vaccinated with the aquaporin vaccine, and the other group was not.When scientists compared the groups, they found that vaccinated cows had 75 percent and 68 percent fewer ticks than unvaccinated cows. Results indicated that the aquaporin protein was effective as an antigen in cattle vaccines to help prevent cattle fever tick infestations.Although a few chemicals are available to treat cattle, ticks have developed resistance to most of them, according to Guerrero. The ARS-patented aquaporin protein vaccine provides an alternative to chemicals to reduce the risk of tick infestation. ARS is exploring the possibility of producing a commercial aquaporin vaccine with a private company.ARS is USDAs principal intramural scientific research agency, and this research supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security.
BILLINGS  Trespassing and digging by artifact hunters near historic Fort Ellis in October has several Montana officials and state historians worried about what may have been lost or destroyed.

I dont think the public realizes how destructive this can be, said Martin McAllister, owner of Archaeological Damage Investigation and Assessment in Missoula.

Questions have also been raised about how the incident was handled, with no charges pressed against the violators. And the episode highlights the weakness of state laws regarding such violations. At most, even if the diggers were charged they would have faced only misdemeanor charges.

History

Fort Ellis was a key military post from 1867-1886, not only for the Gallatin Valley, but also to provide soldiers for the Battle of the Little Bighorn and to protect the construction of the railroad along the Yellowstone River. The fort was named after Augustus Van Horne Ellis, a Union colonel who was killed in the battle of Gettysburg.

It was the largest government presence in the region, said Tom Rust, a Montana State University Billings associate professor of History who has written a book about the fort. It was pretty important strategically, and it was a huge economic stimulus for Bozeman, especially after the Bozeman Trail closed.

The Fort Ellis Research Farm, under the aegis of the Montana State University College of Agriculture & Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, has conducted livestock research on 640 acres where the fort once stood on the eastern edge of Bozeman since 1930.

You could say that whole 640 acres is a historical site, said Barry Jacobsen, associate director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station and department head of MAES research centers.

Diggers caught

It was on Oct. 22 that Bob Brekke, who works at the ag station, called MSU police to report that people were seen digging on the property. An officer responded, found three trespassers digging in a pit and let them go with a warning.

It wasnt a large excavation. It was a pretty old site, said Robert Putzke, MSU police chief.

Since the property wasnt signed or fenced, the people involved thought they were on public property, and Brekke decided not to press charges, so no citation was issued. Putzke said the officer found the amateur diggers very apologetic and very cooperative.

The diggers indicated they had found two old bottles, possibly from a trash pit, and agreed to rebury them. The officer asked the people if they had found any other artifacts and they replied negative. Putzke said it wasnt clear whether they had received tacit approval from someone working at the ag station to explore the site.

The officer acted at the request of the caretaker not to cite the diggers, Putzke said. He said following concerns voiced by others about a possible federal violation he contacted the FBI, but because the men were digging on state land its a state offense, not federal.

Under the Montana Antiquities Act such charges, if they were filed, are misdemeanors punishable by a $1,000 fine, six months in the county jail or both. Federal law is much stricter. A violation on federal land is subject to the Archaeological Resources and Protection Act, enacted in 1979. Violation of the federal law is a felony, punishable by up to two years in jail and can include confiscation of any equipment used in the crime, such as vehicles.

The old American Antiquities Act penalties were so weak it was a joke to the looters, McAllister said. But theyre afraid of ARPA because they could lose all of their equipment. And in some instances that drives them onto state land.

Stirring things up

When Livingston archaeologist Larry Lahren heard about the diggers, and about the fact that no one was charged and no damage assessment at the site was conducted, he sought more action. He wrote MSU president Waded Cruzado in January seeking a more concerted response including an assessment of the damage, development of a mitigation plan and the issuance of a report. He also accused MSU officials of covering up the incident.

Lahren said he never received a response from Cruzado and said hes done about as much as he can to expose the incident.

Im the Darth Vader now, I guess, he said.

We appreciate Larrys tenacity because we as state employees dont feel like we can push as hard as the public, said Stan Wilmoth, state archaeologist for the Montana Historical Society. Larry has told me more than the university. When we called and made inquiries (MSU) told us they were handling it.

Wilmoth said he requested an incident report from the police and other firsthand sources of information to assess possible damage, and MSU officials said no. This despite the fact that the Montana State Historic Preservation Office promotes the preservation of the state's historic and cultural places.

MSU follow-up

Jacobsen, the experiment station department head, said he doesnt understand why its such a big story. In the wake of the incident the department has posted no trespassing signs and asked law enforcement agencies to increase their patrols of the area. In addition hes asked members of the schools sociology and anthropology department to visit the site and assess possible damage and suggested people working at the ag site receive training about the historical value of the land.

Mike Neeley, associate professor of anthropology at MSU, said he plans to visit the area in the spring to see what sort of damage has been done to the site. Whether that would involve an excavation he wasnt sure.

He said it was his understanding that there was a fairly good-sized pit, maybe 12 feet across, that had been dug. He couldn't say whether that had occurred in October, was from erosion or was from an earlier dig.

Were just trying to help them manage that resource and ensure it stays protected, Neeley said.

Lost context

No matter what Neeley finds, McAllister and others say irreparable damage has already been done.

An artifact by itself tells us very little about human behavior, he said. If you find it intact we have a much better chance of reconstructing the type of behavior there. Thats why archaeologists hate looters. They are contextual destroyers. And once its destroyed it cant be put together again.

Unfortunately for archaeologists like Wilmoth, state agencies are reluctant to press charges even when violators are caught. He faced a similar instance when metal detectors dug on property owned by the Department of Corrections in Deer Lodge.

Its one of these larger issues, he said. These artifacts belong to all of us.

Collecting business

Although the history of Fort Ellis may seem too recent to be of value, Wilmoth said spurs, buttons and epaulets collected from western military sites are popular-selling items for collectors.

The public finds that history very provocative, he said.

McCallister said the trade in antiquities was valued as a $7 billion industry according to an Interpol report, the International Criminal Police Organization. He said meth users have become a big concern on federal lands since the drug gives them energy to dig for long periods, they like to be alone and the money received for artifacts can purchase more meth.

Meth makes them ideally suited to artifact theft, he said.

Without charges filed and a further investigation, historians and archaeologists can only speculate about what the diggers caught on the MSU property may have found or even sold prior to being caught. MSU Billings professor Rust is worried that the diggers may have disturbed the site of the forts laundry.

That would be more of a loss because women on military posts have been radically understudied, he said. If thats where they hit, there is some information that regretfully will be lost.
Standing before a courtroom packed to capacity, Anne Stout told a district judge Friday that her husband was more than just her companion - he was her best friend.

Within the half hour, Ravalli County District Judge Jeffrey Langton sentenced the 43-year-old Darby woman to life in prison for shooting her husband, Bill Stout, while he slept, in June 2007.

Stout was convicted of deliberate homicide in Langtons court in June 2008 following a three week trial that included testimony from more than 60 witnesses. It took the jury less than six hours to return with a verdict.

On Friday, Stout faced the judge clad in an orange jumpsuit and with her hands and feet in shackles, during the two and a half hour long sentencing hearing.

Langton said he didnt find any mitigating circumstances for the murder in a pre-sentence report, which indicated that Stout failed to show remorse for the killing.

County prosecutors recommended a life sentence without the possibility of parole. They said Stout subjected her husband to two years of public and private humiliation before shooting him after she discovered hed been involved in an affair and that she had carefully planned the murder.

Langton left the door open for parole, but only after the woman was psychologically evaluated and completed any recommended mental health treatment.

Stout appeared to suffer from an inability to accept reality, which wont be cured by a few counseling sessions, Langton said at the sentencing hearing.

Ms. Stout has a great deal of soul searching and mental health work for this (rehabilitation) to ever be possible in this case, Langton said.

Before passing judgment, Langton provided a brief biography of Stout and outline of the case.

Stout was born in California and was part of a household of seven. She had no relationship with her father after the age of 4. When she married Bill in the mid-1980s, shed already had a child, who was raised by the couple.

There was no remarkable martial history until 2000, when the couples oldest child committed suicide, Langton said. That event caused a fracture in the relationship - for some reason, Bill Stout blamed his wife for the suicide and the couple began to fight, he said.

In 2004, Bill Stout took out a $500,000 life insurance policy on himself. His wife was the sole beneficiary. The policy included a clause that would disallow payment should Bill Stout commit suicide in a two year period beginning in January 2005.

In March 2005, Bill Stout was involved in a brief affair with an old girlfriend while on an out-of-state trip, which included some creative correspondence, Langton continued.

Anne Stout discovered the affair in May 2005.

From every indication, your reaction was more intense than one might expect, Langton said.

Stout created a fictitious e-mail account in 2005 and began a campaign to torment her husband by sending fabricated e-mails addressed from the other woman to her husband and his family and friends.

You began a lengthy, really troubling campaign of vindictive, surreptitious attacks on Bill and not just directed to him, but your own children, family and neighbors. Everybody important in Bills life, Langton said.

The activities continued to escalate even though Stout told her husband shed accepted him back in the marriage, the judge said.

It was really, really extreme behavior  it went on for months. You never trusted Bill after that, Langton said. You thought he was devious  I think Bill was probably doomed from that point on.

Bill Stouts decision to sell the house in May 2007 was probably the straw that broke the camels back, the judge said.

On May 31, 2007, Bill Stout reported his Beretta 9mm pistol and two magazines stolen.

Ten days later, Anne Stout fixed her husband a nice dinner, saw their son out the door, had sex with Bill, and while he slept, shot him with his own handgun, Langton said. When her son returned later that evening, Stout acted normally.

The mother and son got up the next morning and went to Missoula for breakfast and a shopping trip to the mall, the judge said.

Stout reported finding her husbands body when they returned home.

All of that indicates some degree of a lack of emotion, Langton said.

Stout continued to deny any involvement in the murder even as evidence continued to mount.

Investigators later discovered internet searches on her computer with titles like how to kill someone or how to poison someone and get away with it. They discovered a note in Stouts handwriting on how to operate the handgun. The gun was found wrapped in a towel in a saddlebag on her husbands motorcycle.

This wasnt a case where a person was overcome in a moment of passion, said County Prosecutor Bill Fulbright.

This was something that was planned out, Fulbright said. It was not an impulsive thing.

Stouts son, mother and brother asked the court to allow Stout a second chance by retaining a right to ask for parole.

Noah Stout said thats what his father would have wanted.

This hearing is for justice for my father, Noah Stout said. When I think of justice for him, I dont see that as his grandchildren getting to know their grandmother by putting their hand against a piece of bulletproof glass.

Noah Stout said he wasnt there to ask the judge to disregard the verdict, but to give my mother no chance ever again  that isnt the right thing. Its not something my father would have wanted.

Stouts mother, Irma Moreno, told the judge she still believes her daughter was not guilty.

Mothers know their children, she said, with a voice choked with emotion. I know that my daughter is a good individual  I wish that I had been able to protect my daughter from this terrible ordeal.

Stouts brother, Jose Luis Moreno, said Bill Stouts death left a large void in the familys life and sentencing Stout to life without a chance for parole would just make it worse for all of us and her children  We all love her. We havent given up on her and we never will.

Langton also ordered Stout to pay the costs accrued by the state public defenders office and other court costs.

Montana State Regional Public Defender Ed Sheehy told the court his offices costs amounted to $15,000.

Ravalli County Prosecuting Attorney Geoff Mahar challenged that amount saying a more realistic fee for two attorneys working for a year to put together a deliberate homicide defense would be between $70,000 and $100,000.

Theres a whole segment of the population out there who are paying for this defendants defense  this (the $15,000 estimate) is like a 1985 bill. Judge, its 2008, Mahar said.

A hearing on the matter was set for Nov. 26.

Sheehy said he would appeal Stouts conviction of deliberate homicide saying the case was based on circumstantial evidence and there was no one who could testify that Stout actually shot her husband.

In her statement to the court, Stout asked that she be allowed the chance to return to her family as quickly as possible to help her sons recover from the loss of their father.

Allow our family the seeds of hope, Stout told Langton.

Your children will be deprived of your company, Langton said. Its not because youve been convicted of the crime. Its because you committed the crime.

Editor Perry Backus can be reached at 363-3300 or editor@ravallirepublic.com
A Hamilton woman was charged with felony criminal child endangerment after her daughter called a teacher to report that her mother was driving drunk.

Jenny Lee Zito, 42, appeared last week on the felony charge and a misdemeanor count of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol.

According to charging documents, emergency dispatch received a call from a woman who reported that she had received a text from one of her 13-year-old students.

In the text, the girl told her teacher that she was currently a passenger in her mothers vehicle and her mother was driving while intoxicated.

A Hamilton Police sergeant spotted the vehicle in question driving on Desta Street.

When the officer made contact with Zito, who was driving, he immediately smelled an overwhelming odor of alcoholic beverage and noticed that her eyes were red and watery. Zitos speech was also slurred, said the affidavit.

Zito told the officer that her daughter was upset about her drinking and that they were attending counseling together.

Zito said she had two beers before driving, one at 4 p.m. and the other at 5:30 p.m. The initial call from dispatch came in at about 6:45 p.m.

Zito was unable to perform field sobriety tests. An initial breath sample resulted in a 0.225 BrAC. A subsequent breath test at the county detention center found a 0.205 BrAC.

In Montana, a driver is considered impaired with a .08 BAC.

The police sergeant also spoke with Zitos 13-year-old daughter, who was a passenger in her mothers car.

The affidavit said the girl told him that she believed her mother was driving intoxicated. The girl said her mother was an alcoholic who placed vodka in water bottles. She told the officer she watched her mother drink out of a water bottle earlier and she suspected it was vodka.

Ravalli County Justice Jennifer Ray set bail at $5,000.
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Realpolitik on ISIS and Iran

Michael S. Goldstein

There may be valid reasons for the United States to choose not to destroy ISIS at this time. After due consideration, the next administration may decide to focus our efforts on the much more dangerous enemy, Iran. If so, our new president's first foreign policy priority in 2017 must be to eliminate any possibility that Iran can develop and field nuclear weapons of any type. Once Iran has deployed nuclear weapons, our options will be quite limited.

Our new president will have a legal free hand in revoking the Iran Deal by executive order. Neither the US House nor the Senate actually voted on the Iran Deal under the Corker legislation. On September 10, 2015 the House passed and sent to the president House Resolution 411, "Finding that the President Has Not Complied with Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015" [the Corker Legislation]. The following day, September 11, 2015, the House passed HR 3460, "To Suspend Until January 21, 2017, the Authority of the President to Waive, Suspend, Reduce, Provide Relief from, or Otherwise Limit the Application of Sanctions Pursuant to an Agreement Related to the Nuclear Program of Iran." In short, the House did not vote approval or disapproval of the Iran Deal because the administration had failed to comply with the Corker legislation requirement that the full document be disclosed to Congress prior to its legislative consideration.

The Senate, due to Senate Democrats' intransigence and the Senate rules, was unable even to bring the Iran Deal to a vote under the Corker legislation, and thus did not vote on the Deal either. Neither chamber having considered it, the "Deal" has no American legislative legitimacy at all. The Iran Deal continues to be what it was, an executive order, and another executive order from the new president can cancel it in its entirety. That is a start to ridding us of Iran's nuclear threat, but it will not return the now-unfrozen financial assets that have been gifted to Iran by Barak Obama's action.

Lost amid the fog of years of Iran nuclear negotiations by both the Bush and Obama administrations, the furor over the present administration's abject surrender to the Iranians on this nuclear deal, and the subsequent release of sanctions, is the conclusion that was obvious from the beginning. When I first began lecturing in 2009 on the dangers of a nuclear Iran, I posited that no amount of sticks in the form of economic sanctions, or carrots such as sanctions relief, would deter the present Iranian regime from accomplishing its plan to pursue, and its goal to obtain, nuclear weapons. I discussed this with Ambassador John Bolton when he was presenting on the same subject, and he agreed with this conclusion. There are only two ways to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon (warhead and delivery systems). The first is by true regime change in Iran. The second is by application of military force to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructure.

Regime change in Iran would have been much easier during the Green Revolution of 2009 than today. In 2009 we had time before the regime's acquisition of nuclear weapons to assist the Iranian students in getting regime change done and taking their country back from their theocratic supremacist totalitarian masters, cheaply and quickly. Michael Ledeen of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies wrote in Human Events on June 19, 2009 that the main support needed by these students was "to get accurate information to the Iranian people about what is going on inside Iran.... [T]he regime is doing everything it can to shut down reliable tweeters and flood the network with disinformation." One of the methods proposed by Ledeen:

"We should be able to get some working satellite phones into the country, so that people can call out with up-to-date information, which we could then turn around and broadcast back to the Iranians. Once upon a time there was a CIA that could do such things; I doubt they are up to it today, but there are lots of businesses that can do it. Ditto for laptops, servers, etc."

In a seminar in the same timeframe Ledeen stated that such a satellite phone assistance program would have cost the United States less than $2 million -- and the CIA probably could have done it. But we recently learned that in 2009 the Obama administration forbad the CIA from providing the students with any assistance. This best opportunity for both the Iranian people to remove its theocratic totalitarian regime, and for the United States to benefit from this change because a new Iranian regime would probably not continue the nuclear weapons program, was deliberately rejected by our president.

Military force is what's left. In 2015 the Obama administration, in pushing the Iran deal on the public, claimed that the only two alternatives were approval of "The Deal" on the one hand, or war on the other. We have "The Deal," and it guarantees that there will be a war. The only question is whether this will be a conventional weapons war before Iran can field nuclear weapons; or a nuclear war after it has successfully done so.

Because doing nothing about this existential threat to the United States is unthinkable (although many in the administration have indeed thought about it and made its creation U.S. policy), eliminating the possibility that Iran can develop or acquire nuclear weapons is an end that would justify the expenditure of American blood and treasure. The alternatives: a nuclear arms race between Iran and Sunni Arab states in the Middle East which would almost certainly result in a regional nuclear war; the almost certain annihilation of Israel if it does not first stage its own pre-emptive military campaign against Iran's nuclear weaponization program; and, most importantly for the United States, Iran's development of long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to pair with its nuclear warheads. Iran does not need ICBMs to attack European cities; it can already strike most of them with the ballistic missiles it has now. Such ICBMs are needed for no purpose other than to perpetrate nuclear attacks against New York City, Washington, DC, Kansas City, Phoenix, and other American cities.

Iran with nuclear weapons will not be deterred by our own nuclear arsenal from attempting to conquer the West in the name of Islamic Jihad as we deterred the Soviet Politburo from using its nuclear weapons in the name of International Communism. We cannot afford to make the mistake of "mirror imaging" regarding Iran, projecting our own ideals, values, priorities and mindset onto others (definition thanks to Selwyn Duke), a sometimes powerful and critical error of intelligence analysts. Their civilization is not our civilization, and their actions will not be what we would do in similar circumstances. The prospect of world chaos and the coming of the 12th Mahdi will drive the Iranians to nuclear threats, and eventually to nuclear action, if the West does not first submit to Islam and Shari'a Law.

We must strongly urge our presidential candidates to select the smartest and most experienced Middle East advisors, and task them to begin now to create the Grand Strategy for the Middle East which we will need to begin to implement in January, 2017. These advisors should include civilians and former military, and must exclude anyone who has had any connection with any of the approximately 250 Muslim Brotherhood organizations in the United States, including but not limited to CAIR and ISNA, which have been advising our current administration. Ben Carson pegged the Muslim Brotherhood perfectly during the January 28 debate, and readers should educate themselves further on the Brotherhood's infiltration of our government and our private institutions, at e.g., http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/the-muslim-brotherhood-in-america/; http://bethanyblankley.com/2015/03/04/the-muslim-brotherhoods-infiltration-of-the-american-government/; http://bethanyblankley.com/2015/03/05/muslim-brotherhood-civic-organizations-and-agents-in-u-s-government/; http://bethanyblankley.com/2015/03/18/the-betrayal-papers-part-iii-the-muslim-brotherhoods-expansive-network-in-america-from-common-core-to-amnesty-to-purging-the-u-s-military-of-christians/; http://bethanyblankley.com/2015/03/24/the-betrayal-papers-part-iv-obama-muslim-brotherhood-constructed-arab-spring-genocidal-isis-and-americas-self-destruction/.

If history is a guide, waiting until the inauguration to begin to plan this Grand Strategy would be dangerous. Most of the candidates have made promises about what they will do their first day in office, but they may not have the luxury of time to fulfill even a portion of those promises right away, let alone time to create such complex national security strategies. Crises will fly thick and fast from the word go.

It has happened before. When President Abraham Lincoln arrived at his White House office from his first inauguration ceremony in 1861, he found waiting on his desk a letter from Major Robert Anderson, the commander of Federal forces at Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Major Anderson reported that his command was very short of food and needed immediate resupply if he were to hold out against a probable attack by militia forces of that seceded southern state. The Fort Sumter crisis required almost all of the new president's time and attention for weeks. Creation of his strategy to conduct the Civil War, which was most likely to begin soon, was pushed into the background, as were a host of other pressing issues.

One possible scenario for consideration by the committees our presidential candidates will create to determine our Grand Strategy for the Middle East: Realpolitik must be the basis of our policies with ISIS and Iran. A strong, resolute president who is willing to push both parties, with the help of a (very) reformed Department of State, which will not be permitted to undermine him, will be able to achieve our strategic goals in the Middle East. Iran will not be our ally, in spite of President Obama's previous policy. ISIS will not be our ally either, but rather our tool in countering Iran. If ISIS does not come around in the face of a then-credible U.S. promise of its destruction, that destruction by American military action will remain our alternative.

Michael S. Goldstein is an attorney in private practice in Ohio, a retired naval officer, and a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Mr. Goldstein is active with eGeneration Foundation, a charitable educational foundation in the Generation IV Advanced Nuclear Energy community, at www.eGeneration.org. Readers can contact him at michaelgoldstein3386@gmail.com.
Sagarmatha Network Pvt. Ltd. is the organization dedicated in the field of printing, publishing service since 2001. As part of media, we've been publishing Review Nepal, an English medium weekly registered at District Administration Office (DAO) Kathmandu with registration number 130-162-163 and reviewnepal.com as an online digital newspaper, with registration number 849-075-076 at Department of Informational and Broadcasting (DIB) from Kathmandu, Nepal since 2003.
My latest publications, essays on various topics, such as Cajun Louisiana and the Cumberland Plateau, book reviews, and commentaries about the life of the spirit are included among the blog postings. Poems excerpted from my books, and portions of my sermons over the years are included also.
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Adrian Martinez thrives in K-State offense

Turning Adrian Martinez loose has not come back to bite Kansas State. The senior quarterback has yet to turn the ball over this year.
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Out of the Box is a collection of Jeddah-based journalist Sabria Jawhar's opinion pieces and reports. It also contains other articles that she believes should be shared with others.
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 "Was there a Ferguson Effect on crime rates in large U.S. cities?" | Main | FSR accounting of state of federal sentencing reform efforts at end of 2015 

February 7, 2016

A useful reminder that, even after Montgomery, SCOTUS will continue to be asked to address juve LWOP

BuzzFeed News reporter Chris Geidner has this effective new piece discussing the reality that SCOTUS is sure to be presented in the years ahead with Eighth Amendment challenges to any and every LWOP sentence given to a juvenile offender. The piece is headlined "An Uncertain Path Ahead For Juvenile Sentencing Cases Still Before The Supreme Court," and here are excerpts:

Cortez Davis is serving life in prison under Michigans felony murder statute for a killing that occurred when he was 16 years old. Davis was not the gunman, the trial judge in his case found, but was a participant in a robbery when the fatal shooting took place. Nonetheless, under the Michigan law, because he was a key participant in the underlying felony, he was charged with felony murder. Davis was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole  the mandatory sentence in the mid-1990s. More than a year ago, lawyers for Davis asked the Supreme Court to take up their clients challenge to a lower court decision that upheld that sentence. Now, following a recent Supreme Court decision, his challenge and several others are likely to be sent back to lower courts  a move that could, depending on what state courts do next, put off even further the chance people like Davis have to reduce or end sentences the court has repeatedly thrown into question in recent years. The petitions ask the justices to address how and under what circumstances states can sentence juveniles to life without parole, including in a handful of cases in which the convictions are for felony murder. Over the past decade, the court has taken up several cases addressing juvenile justice issues. The court ended the eligibility of juveniles for the death penalty in 2005, and has since, in a series of rulings, narrowed the eligibility of juveniles for life sentences. Last week, the court handed down yet another significant ruling on juvenile sentencing  this one in the case of Henry Montgomery  that deals with complicated legal issues, but has major consequences. The court, in an opinion by Justice Anthony Kennedy, held that the 2012 ban on sentences of mandatory juvenile life in prison without the possibility of parole applied not just going forward, but also to those sentenced in the past like Montgomery. Montgomery is in jail for a killing he committed at 17 in 1963.... Far from a narrow procedural ruling, Kennedy explained that the 2012 ruling  Miller v. Alabama  was a substantive one, and, in its wake, it will be the rare juvenile offender who can receive that same sentence. While Montgomerys case was pending, however, the court left several related cases like Daviss one  all of which ask the court to go further down this path  waiting for action from the justices. Most expect the justices now to send those cases back to lower courts to consider how the Montgomery decision affects their respective cases. During that period, how state courts interpret the Supreme Courts ruling could vary widely. How rare is the rare juvenile that Kennedy writes about whose crime reflects irreparable corruption? How do states make that determination?... On Jan. 25, Kennedy detailed the courts decision that Louisiana had to give retroactive effect to the Supreme Courts 2012 decision in the Miller. In the wake of that decision, its likely that the justices will send Daviss case back to the Michigan Supreme Court to reconsider it. As Kennedy suggested in the Montgomery decision, Michigan either could re-sentence Davis  considering whether his crime reflects permanent incorrigibility  or make him eligible for parole consideration. If Davis is re-sentenced instead of being granted a chance at parole, however, and if he is sentenced to life again, then he likely would go back to the U.S. Supreme Court  asking the court, again, to hear his case on the felony murder question. (As is already being seen in Montgomerys case, state officials in Louisiana have told the states supreme court that their aim is to re-sentence those with mandatory life without parole sentences, rather than give them the possibility of parole.)

February 7, 2016 at 03:40 PM | Permalink

Comments

States, prosecutors, state courts should resist this unadulterated bullshit as much as they possibly can.

Posted by: federalist | Feb 7, 2016 5:55:48 PM

Can you expound, federalist, on what you mean by "resist" and what you mean by "unadulterated bullshit"?

Are you saying state executive and judicial officials should just refuse to comply with the Montgomery ruling that Miller is to be applied retroactivity in state collateral appeals? Or are you saying that they should comply formally with Miller/Montgomery, but then always seek any and every means to re-sentence to an LWOP term any and every juvenile previously sentenced mandatorily to LWOP?

In various settings, you frequently assert/complain that certain rulings/decisions with which you disagree are "lawless." Thus, I am inclined to think that you are not advocating what others might call a "lawless" response to Miller/Montgomery. But at the same time you seems to be describing the SCOTUS-made law here as "unadulterated bullshit" and so maybe you do endorse a kind of lawless action by state officials (such as Kim Davis?) if and whenever they perceive SCOTUS-made law to be "unadulterated bullshit."

Please understand, federalist, I am not trying to bait you here. Rather, I am seriously interested in the legal/practical advice you would give to state prosecutors and judges on the ground in Louisiana, which appears to have as many as 300 cases now impacted by Miller/Montgomery.

Posted by: Doug B. | Feb 8, 2016 1:58:58 PM

First of all, the retroactivity decision is utterly ridiculous. Kennedy & Co. invented, out of whole cloth, this idea that there is some justiciable standard of incorrigibility that somehow can be determined objectively. Or to state it alternatively, only "incorrigible" teens can get LWOP, with incorrigibility somehow a judicially reviewable question:

"it at least did not impose the substantive (and hence judicially reviewable) requirement that the aggravators must outweigh the mitigators; it would suffice that the sentencer thought so. And, fairly read, Miller did the same. Not so with the incorrigibility requirement that the Court imposes today to make Miller retroactive."

Silliness on stilts. So what to be done about it? No state should allow its judicial system to be commandeered this way. So make all stuff go through federal courts and don't concede anything. Don't provide for counsel--let them rot.

Make litigation a death slog. Argue that a criminal history post or pre crime proves incorrigibility as a matter of law. Remove parole eligibility for even the slightest of post-crime offenses. Impose draconian conditions on parole.

In other words, do anything and everything to keep these guys in prison.

Posted by: federalist | Feb 8, 2016 6:58:05 PM

Post a comment
 "Restitution and the Excessive Fines Clause" | Main | "Their 'compassion' is seriously flawed: Politicians care about white addicts  but still love the racist drug war" 

February 8, 2016

Notable report on another EDNY federal judge objecting to harsh provisions of federal child porn laws

A helpful reader alerted me to this notable new New York Daily News report about another notable effort by a notable federal district judge in the Eastern District of New York expressing his disinclination to punish a child porn downloader as severely as federal prosecutors seem to want. The article is headlined "Queens man charged with receiving 50,000 kiddie porn images can have unsupervised contact with his children," and here are excerpts:

A federal judge pooh-poohed the concerns of law enforcement officials, ruling that a Queens man charged with receiving nearly 50,000 kiddie porn images on the dark Web can have unsupervised contact with his two young children, the Daily News has learned. It comes down to money, Judge Frederic Block explained in Brooklyn Federal Court last week. Its a financial burden on the family if they have to hire people to sit there and watch them. I dont see his children at risk. Both the Brooklyn U.S. attorneys office and the pretrial services office of the Eastern District of New York disagreed, arguing that Naray Palaniappan, a computer consultant, should not be alone in his Jackson Heights home with his children, ages 2 and 4. The federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act routinely requires, as a condition of bail, that defendants in Palaniappans situation be accompanied by a monitor in the presence of children. Palaniappan, 39, was nabbed last year in a nationwide FBI investigation of online pervs who troll a hidden region of the Internet, known as the dark Web, which is not accessible through conventional search engines. Palaniappan, who investigators linked with the user name JiminyCracket, allegedly received a massive trove of child pornography that included videos of young girls being raped by adult men. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gopstein advised the judge that Palaniappan failed a lie detector test, administered by the FBI, in which he was asked if he had sexual contact with minors. He has yet to complete a voluntary parenting program administered by the city, which could have bolstered his case that he isnt a danger. There are troubling issues and we are talking about children, Gopstein argued. But Block, unmoved, lifted the restriction two weeks ago. On Thursday, Block brought Palaniappan and his wife into court for an update. I assume he hasnt molested his children since we last left, Block said. Palaniappans wife told the judge she didnt object to leaving their kids alone with him. The judge also blew up when a prosecutor told him that Palaniappan had been offered a plea deal that calls for a mandatory five-year sentence. You think this man should be in jail for five years? Block asked three times.... Block threatened to have Palaniappans case transferred to Federal Judge Jack Weinstein, who has openly challenged mandatory tough sentences in some child pornography cases. It was unclear whether he was serious. Defense lawyer Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma told The News that Blocks decision is well-reasoned and based on several reports, all positive, by the family service agencies overseeing Palaniappans case.

The way in which Judge Block handled this pre-trial issue of supervision leads me to think, ironically, that federal prosecutors are now almost certain to demand that this defendant plead guilty to a child porn receipt charge which carries a five-year mandatory minimum rather than to allow him only to plead to a CP possession charge which carries no mandatory minimum. Clearly, Judge Block does not view this defendant as a threat in the same way federal prosecutors do, and that suggests to me federal prosecutors will use the tools they have at their disposal to try to legally preclude Judge Block or others from showing leniency to this defendant.

Especially in the wake of Judge Jack Weinstein's recent notable sentencing ruling in US v. RV (discussed here), I am starting to sense there may be something of a sentencing turf war starting to emerge in Eastern District in these kinds of child porn cases. For that reason and others, I would now not be surprised if the EDNY federal prosecutors are going to be even less inclined to cut any child porn defendants any kind of breaks in the plea process in all current and future cases.

February 8, 2016 at 11:35 AM | Permalink

Comments

50,000 images, that equates to 75 images per pic, or 666 pictures. I wish the reporters would just say it like it is instead of using big numbers to exaggerate the story.

Sure, the guy did wrong, and requires some form of punishment, but, I'm with the judge, "Five years? You think this man should be in jail for five years?"

Long prison sentences for CP accomplish nothing.

Posted by: kat | Feb 9, 2016 11:30:56 AM

No jail. Just cut off his tail. You know what I mean jelly bean.

Posted by: JackMehoff | Feb 11, 2016 10:35:13 AM

Do you think the judge asign to my son case would consider something like this or is something that has to come directly from the judge heart and no by sugestion

Posted by: Concern father | Mar 28, 2016 4:08:58 PM

Post a comment
Super Bowl ads! For some of us who don't mind the corporate shilling, these are the only watchable parts of this national obsession nicknamed The Big Game.

As Ad Age tells us, the price of a 30-second Super Bowl ad spot has gone up 11 percent each year for the past five Super Bowls, and ad placements this year were going for between $4.6 million and $5 million each. And at that link you'll see the full roster of all the companies that coughed up that much and more to advertise this year.

Below, the best of the bunch, in our opinion, as we finally, finally, wind down our coverage of Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco.

Heinz, 'Meet the Ketchups'

This "wiener stampede" might just win.

Mountain Dew, 'Puppy Monkey Baby'

There hasn't been a Mountain Dew ad during the Super Bowl in 15 years, so they pulled out all the stops with this nightmare mashup of three of the internet's favorite things, puppies, monkeys, and babies, created by BBDO New York.

Avocados from Mexico, 'Avos in Space'

Way to make us all feel small, avocados.

Marmot's Little 'No Homo' Joke

It was their first time advertising at the Super Bowl, and Marmot went for a "no homo" joke, but it's sort of cute.

Doritos, 'Ultrasound'





The Sabotkas from 'The Wire' in 'The Longest Chase' for Toyota Prius

The actors who played the family of dock workers from Season 2 of The Wire, Chris Bauer, James Ransone, and Pablo Schreiber reunited as bank robbers on a getaway in this fun car chase.

Amy Schumer and Seth Rogan for Bud Light

"Just wait til you see our caucus."



T.J. Miller and Shock Top Orange Slice Exchange Insults



ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos





Acura NSX with David Lee Roth Isolated Vocals

You've still got it, Diamond Dave.

Helen Mirren for Budweiser

You are an "oxygen wasting human form of pollution" if you drive drunk. You heard it here.

Honorable Mention...

X-Men: Apocalypse

Obviously.
Meet Dr. Juergen Pichler Levine (left) and Jim Gantt (right). They arrived at Super Bowl 50 "midway through the first quarter," reports the Chron.

Why? "Our private jet arrived late" Pichler Levine, who Haute Living recently described as an "Austrian entrepreneur" said. The men, both Broncos fans, were flying from Houston when they were stuck in a holding pattern in San Jose. Then their Uber driver "didnt know anything, Pichler Levine said, making them even later to the ball(game). In fact, reports the Chron, the duo were "possibly the last ticketed fans to pass through security at the east gate."

When told of that dubious distinction, Pichler Levine, who describes himself as a "Peacekeeper - Pilot - Producer - Composer" on his Instagram account had the kind of response you might expect from a guy who takes a private jet then bitches about his Uber driver.

We could give a fuck, he reportedly said. We are rich.
A conservative nonprofit threatened to sue the city of San Francisco on Thursday, claiming that the recently constructed open-air urinal in Dolores Park is illegal and insisting it must go. Arguing that the pissoir is indecent, that it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and discriminates against women, the Sacramento-based group gave city officials until February 24 to remove it from the park, or face legal action.

As you surely recall, the toilet was constructed after a lengthy process of community input, and seeks to mitigate the unfortunate reality of (mostly) men relieving themselves on or beside the Muni tracks that run along the west side of the park. The urinal is also adjacent to a section of the park favored by gay men known as "Gay Beach"  a fact which may play into the threatened lawsuit.

The Pacific Justice Institute, the group threatening to sue, has been identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an "active anti-LGBT group." This fact helpfully puts their bizarre rhetoric about a spot for men to pee in context.

This is more than stunning and disgusting," as Frank Lee of the Pacific Justice Institute bloviates in LA Times. "It's a human regression of mankind. If this is not stopped, this will become the norm in San Francisco and spread to other cities."

The horror.

Upon reading the Pacific Justice Institute letter, it becomes clear that a big concern of the group is that someone at the park might accidentally see a penis. Now, we don't think people should be exposed to others' genitalia unless they consent to said exposure (which, in the case of consenting adults, expose on!), but equating someone relieving himself in a designated area behind a (admittedly flimsy) privacy screen with public indecency is a stretch.

However, in an ironic twist, the Pacific Justice Institute is arguing that a law pushed by gay San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener gives them the legal right to demand the urinal's removal for this very reason.

"San Francisco's Board of Supervisors has recognized and further articulated the self-evident proposition that privacy is invaded when a member of the public is 'unwillingly or unexpectedly exposed' to 'a person's private parts' S.F. Police Code S154(a)," reads the letter. "Urinating in the hole at the present location is an act facially in contravention to the text of the above-quoted law. It is important to note that this section, introduced by Supervisor Wiener, has survived legal challenge."

And in case there is any confusion about what is driving the anti-pissoir crusade, the organization helpfully clears it up.

"In sum, because the act of public urination causes innocent members of the community to unwillingly and unexpectedly be exposed to intimate parts of a stranger's body, the open-air pissoir necessarily intrudes upon privacy."

City officials, for their part, are taking the legal threat seriously.

We intend to give their legal theories all the consideration they deserve, Matt Dorsey, a spokesman for the City Attorneys Office, told the Examiner.

The newly renovated Dolores Park, which fully re-opened to the public last month, has 28 toilets  including the urinal. If the Pacific Justice Institute has their way, that number will soon be 27, and men will likely return to pissing in the bushes.

All previous pissoir coverage of SFist.
My musings, reflections on life here in Shiloh, Israel. Original, personal, spiritual and political. Peace, security and Israeli sovereignty. While not a "group blog," Shiloh Musings includes the voices of other Jews in The Land of Israel. **Copyright(C)BatyaMedad ** For permission to use these in publications of any sort, please contact me directly. Private accredited distribution encouraged. Thank you.
HAVANA | The 3.5 million tourists who flooded Cuba last year downed oceans of mojitos, lakes of daiquiris and rivers of thin, sour beer. Only an odd few accompanied their ropa vieja and croquetas with wine  mostly overpriced, low- to mid-grade vintages from Chile, Argentina and Spain.

That may be about to change, at least around the margins of Cuba's once-dismal dining scene. Some of the United States' largest vintners want to turn this island of sweet rum and flat state-brewed beer into a haven for robust California zinfandel, oaky chardonnay and powerful cabernet sauvignon.

Thousands of private restaurants have cropped up around Cuba in recent years under economic reforms designed to soften the shock of cutbacks in the troubled state-controlled economy.

Particularly on the high end, those restaurants' clients are increasingly American, part of a 76 percent surge in U.S. tourism  to 161,174 last year  that followed Presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama's declaration of detente at the end of 2014.

Hoping to ride both trends, about 100 California wine producers, distributors and exporters descended on Havana this week for a two-day symposium to reintroduce Cuban restaurant owners and managers to their products.

The California Wine Symposium was organized by the California Wine Institute, associations of Napa and Sonoma valley wine producers and Sonoma-based U.S. Cava Exports, a two-year-old company founded to export California agricultural products to Cuba. The event featured tastings, talks on California's vineyards and one-on-one meetings between U.S. business people and Cuban restaurateurs and state officials.

"This is a spectacular meeting," said Orlando Rodriguez, owner of Waoo!!, a three-year-old, 20-employee restaurant in Havana's trendy Vedado neighborhood. "It arouses interest, which prompts business, which creates profits."

Some 50 private restaurants, or paladares, and hundreds of sommeliers and buyers for state-run restaurants attended the conference, whose participants included representatives of the E&J Gallo and Francis Ford Coppola wineries.

It's been legal for Cuba to buy wine and other agricultural products from the U.S. for years but Cuban officials say they stopped importing California wine in 2005 because the U.S. trade embargo prohibits American producers from selling agricultural goods to Cuba on credit. Obama allowed sales of most goods to Cuba on credit through executive action last week but lifting the ban on credit for farm products would require an act of Congress.

Cuba has never been a big wine-drinking country, but it imports some 360,000 cases of wine a year from countries that allow sales on credit.

Darius Anderson, head of U.S. Cava Exports, said he hopes to be shipping California wine to Cuba by the end of the year.

"We're working on the shipping, we're working on the financing, and we hope to have them all solved by mid-year, have two or three containers on the water and get them here by the holidays," he said.

Only a small number of Cuban government agencies are allowed to import goods, creating a chokepoint of inefficiency and bureaucracy that makes it virtually impossible for private businesses to bring in large quantities of goods from other countries.

Paladar owners depend on black-market goods, items bought at retail stores or supplies brought in the suitcases of people paid to "mule" products from the U.S. and other countries. The lack of a legal wholesale market is widely seen as one of the main hindrances to the efficient development of private enterprise in Cuba.

"It doesn't matter to me if a private person or the state does the importing. What matters is that there's somewhere to buy this wine," said Julio Valdes, a representative of the Five Corners Trattoria in Old Havana. "It's important for us to have a variety for our clients. Right now we have Chilean, Italian and Spanish wine that we buy in stores bit by bit."

Francisco Chacon, sommelier of the state-run Conde de Villanueva hotel, said he is focused on the ratio of price to quality and the U.S. being just 90 miles from Cuba offers a major advantage.

"It makes much more economic sense for us to bring a wine from the United States than from Spain," he said.
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa | In a nondescript basement office, Julie Hulstein pulls out pictures of a tent that changed her life.

On a mission trip to Haiti, a teenage girl invited Hulstein into her home  an open-air shack constructed of sticks and salvaged pieces of packing plastic, tarps, tattered clothes and cardboard.

The Westerner stepped inside, feet padding on the dirt floor, and listened to the 17-year-old girl abashedly reveal she felt unworthy of Jesus love.

She was living as a prostitute to feed her younger siblings.

Hulstein offered what comfort she could. With seemingly no parental figure in her life, the girl began repeating a jolting remark, calling the retired music teacher Mom Julie. When it was time to leave, Hulstein looked back at the teen standing by her tent, and all she could see was her own daughter, who was that age, staring back at her in the midst of despair.

Hulsteins heart broke.

I couldnt live my comfortable life without some kind of a response, she said.

Destitution dwelled in the tent city. The aftermath of the earthquake devastated a country that had already been shaken by political unrest, poverty, violence.

Hulstein devised a plan to provide jobs by making jewelry, even though the women had no jewelry making skills to speak of. Many of them had never been to school or worked at all. Today, they stand tall.

Over the past five years, Vi Bella has grown to include two workshops in Haiti and one in Mexico. The company also employs women in transitional housing near its home office in Sioux Center. Altogether, there are more than 45 employees and 70 ambassadors or direct sales consultants.

Of the original people hired in Haiti, no one has quit.

The artisans are able to feed their families, send their kids to school and help some of the most downcast people in their communities.

The jobs change lives, Hulstein said.

In more ways than one, the handmade bracelets, necklaces and earrings tell a story of redemption.

When the first Vi Bella workshop opened in Haiti, everything was made from plastic bottles that washed up on beaches and crunched under foot.

Village boys collected bottles galore. The money they earned helped pay for school. But after about a year, they worked themselves out of a job. The littered landscape was clean.

Now, many of Vi Bellas items are made from an assortment of recycled materials like denim, oil drums, bottle caps, newspapers and magazines.

Three designers in Sioux Center develop the patterns for new pieces. The production is done by artisans in Haiti and Mexico.

The shipping process presents one of the biggest obstacles since Haiti does not have a mail system. The lack of infrastructure gives way to corruption.

One time in Port-au-Prince, miscreants intercepted a shipping container of supplies and demanded a $36,000 ransom. Now, Vi Bella relies on a network of trustworthy sources  mostly mission groups  to get things where they need to go.

Starting a business like this wasnt part of Hulsteins retirement plan. After 27 years as a band director and music teacher, she was ready to settle into a new role as full-time grandma. But as a woman of faith, she was compelled to act after going to a place she did not want to go and seeing the ugly truth about poverty.

Its been a journey that oscillates between heartbreak and joy  but one thats beautiful none the less.
Updated at 3:10 p.m.

Police Chief Doug Young gave details at a news conference Monday about the shooting that left one Sioux City police officer and a suspect wounded Sunday morning.

Police received a complaint of a robbery at 2940 Park Ave., which is part of the Valley Park Apartments, at about 11:15 p.m. Saturday.

A 19-year-old robbery victim said that a juvenile female suspect had lured him into a building. The investigation led officers nearby to 2947 Park Ave.

When officers entered the complex of five apartments, they smelled the odor of marijuana emanating from C13.

The officers entered, and saw in plain view several handguns and long guns, Young said.

Eight people in the apartment were searched, cuffed and secured.

While awaiting to transport each of the suspects, Isaiah Mothershed, 18, of Sioux City, was taken outside.

But a lack of vehicles meant he had to wait, so officers took him back inside the apartment, still handcuffed with his hands behind his back, and sat him on the couch.

Thats when Mothershed reached into the couch and grabbed a .40 pistol, turned and shot Officer Ryan Mortiz, 42, Young said.

The 13 year veteran of the force received a gunshot wound to the left thigh, the bullet passing through without striking anything vital. Moritz then lunged at Mothershed, trying to get the gun.

In the ensuing struggle, the gun went off again, striking Mothershed in his own leg, Young said.

No Sioux City police drew their own weapons.

Both were administered first aid on the scene, then taken to Mercy Medical Center. Moritz was discharged quickly, his wounds considered non-life threatening.

In fact, Young said Moritz hopes to return to work next week.

However, Mothershed is still in the hospital his current condition is unknown.

Mothershed is charged with two counts of attempted murder and five counts of robbery, one count of which is connected to a home invasion in December.

Five others were arrested from the apartment: Austin Bulizak, 16, Macayla Knight, 17, Jamaal Ferguson, 16, Justin Ferguson, 19, Robert Seaberry, 20. Each are charged with robbery, among other crimes, Young said.

Justin Ferguson was on the lease of the apartment, Young said.

Mothershed is known to police for an incident in July that led to kidnapping charges pressed against him, but the case was later dismissed.

Its very disturbing to the department and officers who work hard here to put criminals in jail, Young said about Mothersheds case. I dont know what the circumstances were to dismiss the charges, but we know what (Mothershed) is capable of doing. Hes shot a police officer.

Young wouldnt comment on if the robberies the group is suspected of is considered gang activity.

With three shootings of Sioux City police officers in as many years, Young said a lack of respect and poor attitude is to blame for the rise in police shootings in recent memory.

We have to continue to train, train, train, Young said. Were vulnerable at a lot of times during this job and things happen. But we do what we can to protect ourselves and others.

Updated at 2:10 p.m.

At a news conference Monday, Police Chief Doug Young identified Ryan Moritz as the officer who was allegedly shot by Isiah Mothershed during an arrest Sunday morning at a northside apartment.

Mortiz, 42, is a 13-year veteran of the force and member of the K-9 unit. His dog was in the car at the time of the shooting.

Moritz was treated and released from Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City from a flesh wound to his left leg. He is now recovering at home and expects to return next week, Young said.

Isaiah Mothershed is accused of shooting Moritz as he and other officers investigated a string of burglaries and robberies throughout the city.

During a struggle with officers for his own gun, Mothershed accidentally shot himself in the leg, Young said.

Mothershed, who is being treated at Mercy Medical Center, has been charged with first-degree attempted murder, first-degree robbery and numerous other charges.

None of the police officers fired a shot during the incident, Young said.

___________________________________________________________

Our previous story

SIOUX CITY | Sioux City Police Department Chief Doug Young will give a Monday afternoon update on the officer who was shot Sunday morning during an investigation.

Young on Monday morning said information on the identity of the officer and health details would be shared in a 2 p.m. press conference at police headquarters downtown.

Police said an armed suspect linked to a string of robberies and burglaries shot the officer before shooting himself.

According to a Sunday police department news release, Isaiah Mothershed, 18, shot and wounded a 13-year veteran of the police force inside an apartment on the city's northside. The officer was treated and released at a city hospital.

Mothershed, who was wounded from his self-inflicted gunshot, was arrested and is in police custody. A Mercy Medical Center-Sioux City official on Monday morning said there is no information available on whether Mothershed is a patient. A search of Woodbury County Jail records showed Mothershed was not being held in the facility Monday morning.

The shooting occurred as police investigated numerous robberies and burglaries that led them an apartment at 2947 Park Ave. Several neighbors declined to speak on the record to the Journal Sunday.

Mothershed was accused in July of kidnapping a man and a teenager at gunpoint and burning them with a heated object. The charges were later dismissed.

On Jan. 19, Mothershed pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug possession charges and was sentenced to five days in jail.

Sunday was the first shooting in Sioux City in 2016, and the first of a Sioux City police officer on duty since officer Jill Ohm was shot on Oct. 3, 2014.
Watching last Thursday's debate between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders one might have thought a Republican had been in the White House for nearly eight years.

Hearing their complaints about the economy (bad), discrimination (rampant), health care (too many without it), unemployment (too many not working, or working at low-paying jobs), it appeared hope had died and change is all we have left in our pockets.

To hear these two ultra-liberals tell it, we are a horrible, miserable, evil nation. We are bigots, we are greedy because we won't surrender more of our income to the government gods, we hate anyone who isn't white, male and heterosexual, and we want to deport everyone who isn't a Christian.

I wouldn't want to live in a country like that, would you? But that is not who we are. It is only who Democrats think we are.

Hillary Clinton hasn't yet released transcripts of speeches she gave to Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers. When asked why not, she reverted to familiar Clinton obfuscation, promising to "look into it."

In fact, Laura Myers, of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, writes that, according to Clinton's standard speaking contract, she "... won't allow any press coverage or video- or audio-taping ..." of her speeches, for which she charges six figures. McClatchyDC adds that the former secretary of state "routinely demanded that a stenographer be present at her events so she could maintain a record of what she said." So we know the transcripts exist. Want to bet they're never released? Look how long and how many lawsuits it took to pry her emails from the State Department. And we still haven't seen them all.

She didn't ask for those big speaking fees, she said. They just gave the money to her. Why would anyone expect those generous Wall Street brokers and hedge fund managers to ever ask for anything in return? How dare you!

During this and in previous Democratic debates, we heard nothing about what you can do to make your life better. It is all about government. Clinton and Sanders would never qualify for membership in the Optimist club. Theirs is a steady stream of gloom, doom and pessimism. America's best days are behind us and they weren't so good after all. Slavery, racism and denial of women's rights ... the list goes on.

In Bernie Sanders' America no one will ever have to work again. College will be "free," as will health care. The "rich" will pay for it all. Never mind that taking away their incentive to work and make a profit will reduce the amount of money they make and the government can take. Bernie will just borrow it from others and America will become like Greece. Socialism seems nothing more than mutually shared poverty. Adopt it, and we will all be equally poor.

At last Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast, Mark Burnett, president of MGM Television and Digital Group, and his actress-wife and co-producer Roma Downey, told stories about immigrating to America -- he from England and she from Northern Ireland. Burnett, fresh from service in the British Army, took a job as a chauffeur and part-time nanny in Los Angeles. Downey's first job was checking coats at a fancy New York restaurant where she said she could not afford to eat.

Burnett can now see the house where he once worked from his office window in Beverly Hills. He and Downey are producing biblical and family-friendly television programs. They own a home in Malibu.

These are the kinds of success stories we used to tell and examples we used to urge Americans to follow. No matter one's present circumstances, you could make it in America. Success stories aren't in the Democratic playbook. For Democrats, the only way to improve your life is for you to rely on government led by Democrats. Those who make it on their own it seems are punished by higher taxes and more regulations.

"The sun will come out tomorrow," sings an optimistic Annie in the Broadway musical. For Hillary and Bernie, it's a "hard knock life" and it's always midnight in America.
Picking a business structure is usually the first big decision for any new business owner. My own companies have helped tens of thousands small businesses get started with an LLC or corporation  and as such, Ive heard countless reasons why business owners think they should (or shouldnt) incorporate. There are some common misconceptions associated with incorporation, often related to trying to avoid state taxes or any liability.

To help new business owners better understand the benefits and limitations of corporations and LLCs, heres an overview of some of the key facts, divided into three main areas: liability protection, taxes, and formality.

Liability Protection: Putting Separation Between the Business Owner and the Business

One of the main reasons for a small business to incorporate or form an LLC is to help protect the personal assets of the business owner(s) from anything that happens in the business. For example, if the business should be sued or cant pay its debts, the corporate shield of a corporation or LLC helps protect the owners personal assets from the settlement or debts.

Some business owners mistakenly think that theyre absolved of all personal responsibility once they incorporate or form an LLC; however, this isnt the case. As an example, lets say youre the business owner of an LLC and you perform some kind of work for the business. Unfortunately, youre negligent in the course of doing this work and your negligence causes damages and someone decides to sue. You might still be personally liable, because the damages were a result of your own personal actions.

Heres where its important to understand the difference between a tort and contractual lawsuit. An LLC or corporation can protect you from personal liability for contractual lawsuits (e.g. your business doesnt hold up its end of a deal) but not against tort lawsuits (e.g. your personal actions cause the damages). This is why its smart to get a good insurance policy if youll be performing work yourself.

The other key detail to know is that if your business employs contractors or employees, the corporate shield of a corporation or LLC will protect you from personal liability against things that your employees might do. This is why it can be critical to incorporate/form an LLC if anyone else works in your business.

The bottom line? Incorporating or forming an LLC is a crucial step for protecting your personal assets. However, its not bullet proof protection, particularly if youre actively working in the business. Youre responsible for your own actions.

Taxes: State Taxes, Self-employment Taxes, and More

Small business owners usually have taxes on their mind when they consider incorporating. Some think they can incorporate in a low-tax or no-tax state to avoid paying state income taxes altogether. Others are looking to lower what they pay in self-employment taxes while working as a self-employed professional.

Here are some of the key things to know when it comes to taxes and corporations/LLCs. First, for state income taxes, it doesnt actually matter where the business is incorporated; it matters where you conduct business. So, if you live and run a business in California, youll need to pay state taxes on income earned in California- even if your business is incorporated in Nevada.

Forming an LLC or corporation does give you some flexibility in how your business is taxed  and this might work in your favor. For example, if you elect S Corporation treatment for your corporation or LLC, you may be able to lower what you pay in self-employment taxes by dividing your income into salary and dividends (note: you should work with a tax advisor for this). In addition, corporations and LLCs often qualify for additional tax benefits and deductions that arent available to individuals and sole proprietors.

Formality  Settling Potential Disagreements Among Owners

Whenever a business has more than one owner, theres always a chance that a disagreement will arise  no matter how close the owners may be. Without a formal agreement, there can be misunderstandings about how much of the business each founder owns or what to do should one owner want to leave the business.

When you incorporate the company and issue stocks, youll prevent these kinds of misunderstandings and have a formal procedure for transferring ownership. Even if you dont incorporate and choose to form an LLC instead (where you dont issue stock), the LLCs Operating Agreement can help formalize your business governance and ensure everyone is on the same page.

The bottom line? Incorporating or forming an LLC lays the proper legal foundation and is an important step for any company. Just be sure you understand the details: it should never be considered an easy way to avoid taxes or taking responsibility for your own actions.

LLC/Corp. Illustration via Shutterstock



CorpNet offers business formations, filings, state tax registrations, and corporate compliance services in all 50 states. Express and 24 hour rush filing services available upon request. Click here to learn more.
Thanks to Mike for the link!

To four-star generals and admirals, among them the regional combatant commanders who plan and fight the nations wars, the directive tells them: Incorporate climate change impacts into plans and operations and integrate DoD guidance and analysis in Combatant Command planning to address climate change-related risks and opportunities across the full range of military operations, including steady-state campaign planning and operations and contingency planning.

The directive, Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience, is in line with President Obamas view that global warming is the countrys foremost national security threat, or close to it. Mr. Obama says there is no debate on the existence of man-made global warming and its ensuing climate change. Supporters of this viewpoint label as deniers any scientists who disagree.

But there are stubborn doubters. A climate center in Colorado has said its researchers looked at decades of weather reports and concluded there has been no uptick in storms. The United Nations came to a similar finding, saying there is not enough evidence to confirm an increase in droughts and floods.

The funny thing? I have no problem with not hearing pushback from the service chiefs. I mean why? This is an order without meaning. It will have no real bearing on military activities and is stupid in a handbag. How do you incorporate climate change impacts into a military action?

I would like to say I'm surprised but I'm not. This is the flailing of people that realize that they're in the last year of power and want to make as many changes as possible for a legacy and to hopefully (in their opinion) make it stick for future administrations.The real problem is that civilian leadership in the Pentagon is anything but serious. We don't have to worry about the silliness of announcements like this that are designed to pump up the tree hugging portion of their base. What we need to worry about is the real damage that can be done in this last year.Hang on! It's gonna be a bumpy ride and since the Republican controlled Congress has shown an inability to be a check on the executive then we can expect more of this. Much more.
There are many fitness goals out there that we desire. Some of us want to be leaner and others wish to put on muscle mass. The thing is, for you to achieve your fitness goals, you need to
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
WASHINGTON

(Feb. 7, 2016)The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced the following contract awards that pertain to local Navy activities., is being awarded an estimated maximum valuefirm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the fiscal 2016 depot-level maintenance support and sustainment for up to four F/A-18A/B/C/D aircraft. Services to be provided include performance of high-flight-hour (HFH) inspections, HFH recurring inspections, additional inspections, modifications and liaison engineering. Work will be performed in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada (80 percent); and Waco, Texas (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in November 2018. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2016 operation and maintenance (Navy), funds in the amount of $14,532,460 are being obligated at time of award, $981,307 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals and two offers were received. The, is the contracting activity (N00019-16-D-1003)., is being awarded anmodification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-15-C-0116) to exercise an option for four APY-10 radar system production kits and related support for the P-8A Poseidon full-rate production aircraft (Lot VII) for the Navy. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas (99 percent); and Seattle, Washington (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed in June 2018. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,001,832 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The, is the contracting activity.
By Richard E. Vatz

Too long, too vague, too unequal

By Len Lazarick Len@MarylandReporter.com

The Republican debate in New Hampshire Saturday night, three days prior to the primary, promised drama, despite the plethora of debates.There was the first hint of Donald Trumps support diminishing, due to his missing the Iowa debate, and his charisma taking a hit due to his post-debate craziness exemplified by a short-lived demand of a do-over of the Iowa caucuses.There was the hint of a major surge in popularity of Marco Rubio, perhaps due to what the Wall Street Journals Peggy Noonan claims is the perception that he is the only normal Republican among the front-runners.The exclusion of the only woman in the running, Carly Fiorina, added to the tension. And Chris Christie may have been feeling desperation, as he argued before the debate, unintelligibly, that there will be general desperation since people are voting.Once again the candidates were placed on stage according to their polling numbers, despite the fact that the polls were off in Iowa, even more than the margins of error.It was the best of debates; it was the worst of debates. Marco Rubio must have had a brain freeze: in the first half of the debate, he strangely repeated 3 times with the same words irrelevant attacks on President Obama for not knowing what he's doing.In exchanges with Chris Christie, Rubio mostly ignored the New Jersey governor's attacks on the senator's lack of decision-making experience. Ben Carson was relatively ignored for much of the debate. John Kasich was not asked a question for the first half hour. Time distribution got just a little better as the debate proceeded.David Muir used the first question to Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Ben Carson to ask about Trump's temperament. Subsequent questions were less referential to Trump, who was a little less pompous in this debate.improved somewhat from his weakest start in any debate thus far. He got his act together as the evening progressed: Obama's inability or unwillingness to confront North Korea; defense of his immigration position pursuant to the problematic Gang of Eight proposal; the lack of fairness of raising taxes on the wealth and the overtaxing of businesses; his sophistication on ISIS and the Sunni forces and the complexity of the Shiite-Sunni conflict; and his pointing out the passes that debate media have given to Hillary Clinton on abortion and questioning on her Benghazi irresponsible and contradictory claims.as always, a pleasant, intelligent responsible citizen who did not add much to policy issues and questions. To be fair, he was not asked a lot.was the least offensive he has been and the most collegial, save an attack on Jeb Bush on a discourse on the necessity of eminent domain. Mostly strong on every foreign policy issue but with generalizations only. He'd keep waterboarding "and a lot worse." We need to "win" more, he says. He was more knowledgeable on domestic issues.had one of his best and least personally offensive nights. He wouldn't take the bait from Muir to attack Trump. He was not particularly articulate about North Korea, but in fairness it was the very day of their testing new ballistic missiles. He was strong on foreign policy otherwise. He gave a surprisingly moving, poignant story about his half-sister dying of a drug overdose, and he thus showed vulnerability for the first time., as noted, was not asked a question until thirty minutes or so had passed. When he became more involved, he was pretty articulate and presidential: on North Korea's missile launch, for example, and how he would handle his first 100 days, he was quite impressive.had perhaps his best night: he was strong and forceful on Libya, Guantanamo, and the importance of the United States' not signaling weakness. Dogged by halting speech in former debates, he was far clearer, fluent and resolute tonight. He stated simply and convincingly that closing Guantanamo was foolhardy and revelatory of the Obama foreign policy weakness and passivity.may have been the most improved. His attacks on Rubio and his executive inexperience were telling and ineffectively countered by the senator. His point about hostage negotiation's encouraging hostage-taking was strong and indisputable, as was his point about overtaxing the wealthy having paradoxical consequences of revenue loss.One of the weaknesses of this debate was the consistent booing by the audience whenever they disagreed with certain candidates. Trump complained that they were not a representative sampling of voters but lobbyists and donors in the tank for particular candidates. No matter: it just makes no sense to allow a debate to be controlled by an audience,Not a strong first half of the debate, but a much better second half. It may have been a consequential night for the candidates. Not a good night for Rubio, certainly not in the first half of the debate; a strong night for Christie; a good night for Bush; a pretty good night for Kasich, Cruz and Trump, who was a little less egocentric and baiting than usuala little. Carson was again the attractive, politically nondescript participant.Enough already. Two and a half hours, seven candidates, lopsided questions all over the place. Thank goodness for the DVR so you can watch it in palatable segments.If the candidates are supposed to be equal then they should be treated equally. And if they are asked a direct question, they should be forced to actually answer the question with a follow up, not thanked for a non-answer.The chart from Graphiq shows the unequal time. (Data curated by InsideGov)For once, Donald Trump did not dominate on time, but he did not suffer, as most attacks landed on Marco Rubio, and Trump himself did not attack. He is forceful and utterly vague. What exactly is his plan to replace Obamacare? Who knows? There is no mention of it on his website to explain his elusive answer.Despite that, another graph shows he gained the most Twitter followers, almost as many as all the other candidates combined. And how did Rand Paul, who has abandoned his campaign, gain more Twitter followers than half the people on the stage?The trends on Google searches show Marco Rubio had the most, but it's not clear whether that was a positive or negative.Marco Rubio had no good answer for his lack of executive experience, so he repeated a bad answer. You can see why Chris Christie was such a good prosecutor, and did anyone notice Gov. Larry Hogan come up after the debate and give him a hug?There was some wasted time about Ted Cruz's staff spreading the false report that Ben Carson was dropping out, but then again Carson outdoes even Trump on vagueness.I think I'm going to give up these debates for Lent, which starts Wednesday.
CALLAWAY, Md. (Feb. 8, 2016)SMECO, the electric power co-op which serves the southern Maryland region, filed a formal complaint against J.P. Morgan Ventures Energy Corporation (JPMVEC) on Feb. 1 with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In the complaint, SMECO states it believes that JPMVEC does not intend to transfer Capacity Performance (CP) credit to SMECO, starting with the 2016-2017 Delivery Year that begins June 1, 2016.



The dispute involves a "Capacity Purchase and Day Ahead Heat Rate Call Option on Physical Electricity" entered into by both parties on April 28, 2011. The option provides SMECO a 225 MW Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) capacity credit from the Brandywine Generation Facility at Brandywine in exchange for a monthly payment by SMECO to JPMVEC, according to the complaint.



In the complaint, SMECO estimates its financial impact from loss of CP credit as follows:



 Delivery Year 2016-17: $1,221,198.75



 Delivery Year 2017-18: $2,586,937.50



 Delivery Year 2018-19: $1,214,628.75



 Delivery Year 2019-20: $1,214,628.75



*Delivery Years after 2018-19 based on assumption that 2018-19 is indicative of later years.



SMECO is requesting that FERC render a decision on the complaint before June 1, 2016.



The Notice of Complaint and Complaint are included in their entirety.
Navy logos for NAWC-AD Aircraft Division and NAVAIR.

HOLLYWOOD, Md.

(Feb. 8, 2016)Since the construction of Naval Air Station Patuxent River more than 70 years ago, its core mission has always been to research, develop, test and evaluate new aircraft and related systems for the U.S. Navy. But, with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) having made its home there, some defense industry insiders worry that the bases image as a hub for engineering and testing excellence has been overshadowed.It is not difficult to see why. NAVAIR deals primarily in acquistion of weapons and other systems and is a massive $40 billion-a-year entity. The Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD,) which is a subordinate command to NAVAIR, in comparison does $3 billion each year in defense business and is the heir to what used to be the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River.The difference though, is that NAWCAD is where the real work is done to ensure the future of naval aviation, insiders say.The perception were concerned with is that after the BRAC [base realignment and closure] the Pentagon interfaces more with NAVAIR than with NAWC-AD, said Bob Wirt, executive director of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance and former F-18 test pilot.The branding behind the image of naval aviation is getting lost in the quagmire of bureaucracy.That branding, as a place where naval aviation is king and the chief attraction for work is the chance to actually touch cutting edge aircraft and technology, is important to make sure the best and brightest engineers and scientists, often just out of college, will come to work here.That continual flow of new talent is needed, Wirt said, not just to ensure NAWC-AD continues to be competitive and relevant but that the country continues to get the best aircraft and weapons it can.That, very definitely, is a real challenge, Wirt said. Getting them to come here.Apparently, leadership at NAWC-AD is interested in reasserting its imporatance in the scheme of the naval air station, since Leslie Taylor, the executive director at the command, is set to give a presentation this month to the Patuxent Partnership about the importance the activity still holds.If the brand of NAWC-AD is being obscured by its larger cousin at NAVAIR, then bureacracy and even higher policy is keeping it from reaching its full potential, said County Commissioner Todd Morgan, who for 35 years has worked in the defense contractor industry.He said that many other government agencies realize the engineering and scientific testing infrastructure NAWCAD has to offer and want to have their project work done here, whether it be drone systems for special operations or border patrol and drug enforcement agencies.The problem, he said, is that policy at the Pentagon level makes it difficult for funding to be committed to work at NAWC-AD for projects other than naval aviation.This is a goldmine waiting to be opened, Morgan told The County Times. I think they could do more. Our argument is that its all taxpayer money at the end of the day. Wirt said that personnel at NAWCAD were aware of the limitations they faced.Pax River works very hard but not always very smart because of policy, Wirt said. Theyd prefer not to do it that way.NAWC-AD had to reassert itself, Wirt said, so it could stay at the top of its game both with technology and with those who make that technology possible.There is not a technology infrastructure like this one anywhere else, Wirt said. Its second to none. You never want to get behind the power curve.
James Stewart Brown, III, 34, of Chesapeake Beach, was arrested on February 6 and charged with Failure to Obey a Lawful Order and Disorderly Conduct. He was also served with an open warrant.

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.

Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://so.md/expungeme.

(Feb. 8, 2016)The Calvert County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.WEEKLY SUMMARY: During the week of February 1 through February 7, deputies responded to 1,505 calls for service throughout the community.BURGLARY CASE #16-6443: On February 4, Deputy R. Wilson was called to Pinewood Court in Chesapeake Beach for the report of a home burglary. Sometime between January 27February 4, someone entered the unoccupied home and stole a heat pump motor.BURGLARY CASE #16-5821: On February 1, Deputy T. Holt was dispatched to Catalina Drive in Lusby for the report of a burglary. Sometime earlier in the day someone forcibly entered the home and stole a 40" Sony TV and the victim's checkbook.BURGLARY CASE #16-5676: On February 1, Deputy M. Trigg responded to Skipjack Road in Prince Frederick for a burglary that took place in the overnight hours of January 31 - February 1. The suspect (s) entered unlocked sea containers and removed several Zhejiang Qiye 4-wheelers and a Generac 3250 watt generator. If anyone recalls seeing suspicious activity in the area during this time period, they are asked to contact the Sheriff's Office.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-6598: On February 4, Deputy T. Mohler was dispatched to Lottie Fowler Road in Prince Frederick for the report of a damaged vehicle. Sometime overnight the suspect(s) gained entry to a vehicle by breaking out the window. At this time nothing appears to be missing.DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY CASE #16-6057: On January 31, Deputy G. Shrawder was called to Hallowing Point Road in Prince Frederick for the report of damage to property. A vehicle was driven through the front yard of the victim's property, causing tire tracks and ruts. There are no suspect(s) at this time.DISORDERLY CONDUCT CASE #16-6876: On February 6, Deputy T. Mohler received a radio dispatch regarding a suspicious vehicle seen in the Prince Frederick Crossing subdivision and the sole occupant was armed with a knife. After a vehicle pursuit involving a PIT maneuver, the vehicle was brought to a stop. After a brief struggle, James Stewart Brown, III, 34, of Chesapeake Beach was removed from the vehicle and ultimately transported to the Detention Center where he was charged with Failure to Obey a Lawful Order, Disorderly Conduct and served with an open Warrant.THEFT CASE# 16-6624: On February 4, Deputy T. Mohler received a call of a theft from vehicle, which was parked at the shopping center on Market Square Drive, in Prince Frederick. The vehicle owner mistakenly left the vehicle unlocked and their wallet on the seat.THEFT CASE #16-6567: On February 5, Deputy M. Trigg was called to Lottie Fowler Road, in Prince Frederick, for the report of a theft from vehicle. Sometime during the night a suspect(s) entered the victim's unlocked vehicle and stole two 12" Buck hunting knives.THEFT CASE #16-6041: On February 2, Deputy E. Basham responded to the Prince Frederick Giant grocery store for the report of a stolen wallet. When the victim entered the store he had his wallet in his pocket. At some point, while shopping, someone bumped into him and he suspects that is when he was the victim of a pickpocket.THEFT CASE #16-6007: On February 2, Deputy P. Mosely was dispatched to Lake Drive in Lusby for the report of a theft. Sometime between January 21January 22, someone removed the rear registration plate from the victim's vehicle.THEFT CASE #16-5700: On February 1, Deputy E. Basham was called to Jibsail Drive, in Prince Frederick, for the report of a possible theft. Sometime overnight suspect(s) cut the locks off storage trailers and moved items around. Nothing appears to be stolen and there are no suspects at this time.
PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (Feb. 8, 2016)The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners announced today that Dominion Cove Point will construct a 50,000-square-foot warehouse and office facility at Patuxent Business Park (PBP) in Lusby. Construction of the new facility, the first to be located in the business park, will commence in late spring 2016.



Dominion Cove Point will build the warehouse and office facility on an 8.3-parcel in the business park, with completion expected by the end of 2016.



"Patuxent Business Park is an excellent location for our new warehouse and office space, said Mike Frederick , vice president LNG operations, Dominion Cove Point. It meets our needs for a nearby location with easy access to Route 2/4. The project will help strengthen our ties with the southern Maryland community and we appreciate Calvert Countys support in helping to bring it to fruition."



We congratulate and thank Dominion for their continued investment in our community and are thrilled to announce this new project, said Evan Slaughenhoupt Jr., president of the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners. Dominion is currently constructing the largest economic development project ever seen in the state of Maryland at its Cove Point liquefied natural gas terminal in Lusby. Dominion remains actively engaged with county government throughout the course of the terminal expansion and maintains open lines of communication. We know this collaboration will continue as they embark on construction of a new building at Patuxent Business Park.



Dominion Cove Point is a vital part of our community, said Calvert County Director of Economic Development Linda Vassallo. We are proud of Dominions contributions to our local economy and quality of life. This new project continues that commitment and fits perfectly with our development goals for Patuxent Business Park.



PBP is a 92-acre business campus designed to accommodate a variety of uses including Class A office and flex space. The park was created in 2002 through a partnership with the Maryland Department of Commerce, the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) and the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners.



Dominions decision to build a new facility in Patuxent Business Park is great news for Calvert County and the state and we thank Dominion for their commitment to growing and investing in Maryland, said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. Patuxent Business Park offers a unique advantage to businesses looking to locate or expand in Southern Maryland, with its proximity to our nations capital as well as the growing community in and around the Patuxent Naval Air Station. We look forward to working with our county partners and MEDCO to welcome more companies to the park.



MEDCO has been a partner in developing Patuxent Business Park since its inception, said Robert Brennan, MEDCO executive director. As part of our mission we assist jurisdictions and other partners to increase business activity and commerce in Maryland. PBP remains a development priority for MEDCO and we are excited to have Dominion Cove Point as our first construction project at PBP.
PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.

Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: http://so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at http://so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at http://so.md/expungeme.

(Feb. 8, 2016)The Prince Frederick Barrack of the Maryland State Police (MSP) today released the following incident and arrest reports.THEFT: On 2/1/2016 at 7:09 am, Trooper Warrick responded to the 100 block of Buckler Rd. in Huntingtown for a theft complaint. The victim reported a cell phone had been removed from the residence without permission and car keys had been removed from the location where they are normally kept. Later the same day, the victim located the car keys in the home and the cell phone was later returned. An application for charges of theft has been sent to the District Court Commissioner's Office. Case remains open.POSSESSION OF HEROIN: On 2/4/2016 at 9:08 am, Trooper Warrick stopped a vehicle on Rt. 231 in Prince Frederick for traffic violations. Several criminal indicators were observed and a K-9 scan was requested. A positive K-9 scan provided probable cause search of the vehicle. Heroin and drug paraphernalia were located in the vehicle. James E. Stratchko, 29 of Upper Marlboro, was arrested for possession of these items and was incarcerated at the Calvert County Detention Center.Kevin D. Craft, 40, of Prince Frederick, arrested on 02/03/2016 @ 11:08 pm by TFC S. MatthewsJames A. Rochon, 35, of Huntingtown, arrested on 02/04/2016 @ 04:16 pm by Cpl. M. NewmanLarry D. Rouse, 62, of Upper Marlboro, arrested on 02/06/2016 @ 06:30 pm by TFC K. RowePerry P. Washington, 63, of Marbury, arrested on 02/06/2016 @ 10:56 pm by TFC B. BrayAshleigh H. Alexander, 20, of Port Republic, arrested on 02/07/2016 @ 02:18 am by TFC S. Barlow
Celeste Camerino, the oral health program coordinator with the Charles County Department of Health assists Dr. Helen Lee-Virgil place dental sealants on Brett Wilkinson, a second grade student at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School. Dental sealants can prevent 70 percent of tooth decay, according to the Surgeon General. (Photo: CCPS)

LA PLATA, Md.

(Feb. 8, 2016)For very little investmentthe cost of a toothbrush, toothpaste, some floss and dental sealantsa parent could reduce the chances of a child developing tooth decay by 70 percent. Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease with 51 million school hours lost nationwide to poor oral health."A child can't concentrate if they're in pain," said Dr. Dianna Abney, health officer for the Charles County Department of Health during a free dental clinic held at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School. If a child has a toothache, chances are they can't eat; if they can't eat, they can't learn, she said.The Maryland School Sealant Program is grant funded through the Center for Disease Control and the Health Resources and Services Administration allowing the Maryland Office of Oral Health to provide screenings and sealants to children served by 13 health departments in the state.From September to May, the Charles County program spends a week in 11 elementary schoolssix of which are Title 1 schoolsseeing students whose parents signed permission slips for the program, said Celeste Camerino, oral health program coordinator. Each year, about 700 to 800 Charles County students take part in the program that started in 2008.Maybe parents don't have dental insurance, or their schedules are too packed to make an appointment. Dentists going into schools to reach children is an easy fix, Abney said. "We provide free access to dental care in a place where a child feels safe and it's convenient," she said.Zachary Saunders, a second grader, tries his best to brush his teeth every morning and night so "they don't fall out." And he said he makes an effort to stay away from too much candy. "But I can't help myself," he admitted.Healthy teeth are important, said Brett Wilkinson, also a second grade student grade student at Mitchell."So they don't break in half  How am I going to be able to eat if they all break," he asked. "And I get really hungry."Sealants go over six-year molars, said John Welby, director of the Oral Health Literacy Campaign with the Office of Oral Health of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.While other teeth are smooth, molars are rougher and bigger with pits and grooves that are breeding ground for bacteria, he said. Dental health is tied to overall physical well-being, Welby added.There have been connections tying poor oral health to diabetes and heart disease. One of the most stunning stories about the importance of oral health in children is the 2007 death of Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old Prince George's County boy who died after bacteria from an abscessed tooth spread to his brain, Welby said."Oral health is an infectious disease," he said. "And it's 100 percent preventable through simple means: brushing twice a day, getting fluoride96 percent of Maryland's tap water has fluoride in itand getting sealants."
NASA astronaut Tim Kopra sets up hardware for the Burning and Suppression of Solids  Milliken, or BASS-M, experiment. The BASS-M investigation tests flame-retardant cotton fabrics to determine how well they resist burning in microgravity. Results benefit research on flame-retardant textiles that can be used on Earth and in space. Credit: NASA. NASA

The Expedition 46 crew members are wrapping up their work week on different types of research including botany, bone loss and pilot testing. The crew also checked for pressure leaks, worked on life support gear and continued cleaning up after a spacewalk.

Plants are being grown on the International Space Station so future crews can learn to become self-sustainable as they go farther out in space. Commander Scott Kelly took photos of the botany work today as part of the Veggie experiment.

The commander started his day in Japans Kibo lab module with British astronaut Tim Peake stowing a Cyclops satellite deployer and checking for leaks in the airlock. Kelly also joined Flight Engineer Tim Kopra cleaning up after installing the refurbished Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly the day before.

Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko participated in a couple of experiments today looking at bone loss and pilot performance in space. He also checked for pressure leaks before the Progress 61 supply ship undocks March 29. His fellow cosmonauts Sergey Volkov and Yuri Malenchenko are still stowing tools and gear after Wednesdays spacewalk.

On-Orbit Status Report

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock Pressurization and Leak Check: Kelly opened the JEM Airlock inner hatch and extended the Slide Table into the JEM. Peake then removed Cyclops from the Slide Table and stowed it for future use.

Russian Pilot-T Experiment: Kelly performed a session of the Russian experiment Pilot-T today. The goal of Pilot-T is to improve methods and develop equipment to assess and predict crewmember performance reliability during the execution of complex operator tasks (such as piloting a space vehicle or controlling transport and robotic equipment on the surface of a spacecraft) during various stages of long-term spaceflight.

Education Payload Operation (EPO): Peake recorded a video message encouraging and inspiring pupils and schools that are taking part in the Education Resource Office  United Kingdom (ESERO-UK) Primary School Project. The recording is part of the European Space Agencys (ESA) Principia mission to support education activities for 500 primary schools around the UK.

Reaction Self Test: Kelly and Kornienko completed sessions today for the Reaction Self Test investigation after they woke in the morning and prior to their sleep period. Reaction Self Test helps crewmembers objectively identify when their performance capability is degraded by various fatigue-related conditions that can occur as a result of ISS operations and time in space (e.g., acute and chronic sleep restriction, slam shifts, extravehicular activity (EVA), and residual sedation from sleep medications).

Orbital ATK (OA)-4 Cargo Operations: The crew transferred trash into the Cygnus vehicle today. An estimated 6 hours remain to complete the trash loading. Cygnus is scheduled to unberth from ISS on February 19th.

Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) Demonstration: Today is the second day of 3 days of activities designed to validate robotic transfer of battery style Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) prior to the delivery of new ISS batteries on HTV-6. A successful demonstration will allow planners to reduce the number of EVAs to install the batteries. Yesterdays activities to move the MBSU Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism (FRAM) to Enhanced ORU Temporary Platform (EOTP) side 2 were successful. However ground controllers were unable to use the ORU Tool Changeout Mechanism (OTCM) to grasp the Right-hand Off-Set Tool (ROST) so the MBSU secondary bolt operations were completed using the OTCM. Today the ground will remove the MBSU from the FRAM structure and temporarily stow the MBSU on EOTP side 3 before returning the MBSU back to the FRAM. Tomorrow the demonstration will conclude when the MBSU FRAM is moved back to its home on Express Logistics Carrier 2.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

ISS crew and ???? (RSA Flight Control Management Team) weekly conference

JEMAL  Slide Table extension

CYCLOPS  Experiment Ops

Operations with EXPOSE-R P/L, Test Air Tight Containers, and [???] containers after EVA-42

PILOT-T. Preparation for the experiment

JEM Airlock (JEM AL) Troubleshooting Preparation

PILOT-T. Experiment Ops

CYCLOPS  Experiment Ops

JEM Airlock (JEM AL) Troubleshooting Closeout

Fine Motor Skills  Test

JEMAL  Slide Table Retraction

Tagup after EVA-42

EPO  Recording Project

Soyuz 718 Samsung Tablet Recharge  Initiate

PILOT-T. Experiment Ops

Psychological Evaluation Program (WinSCAT)

Food Frequency Questionnaire

Stow Earlier Installed Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK)

Log out of SSC12 in preparation for remote Radiation Detector ops by the ground

PILOT-T. Closeout Ops

Orlan-MK Equipment Pre-pack for Stowage and Disposal after EVA

On MCC GO ??? 429 and ??? Interface Leak Check

CIR  Upper Rack Doors Open

CIR  Hardware Removal and Relocation

Food Frequency Questionnaire

IMS Tagup

Removal of Portable Repress Tank (???) No.17 from SM [??] and stowage

EVA Video Data Downlink from Glisser-M CIR  Hardware Removal and Relocation

VEG-01  Plants Photo

Soyuz 718 Samsung Tablet Recharge  terminate

CIR  Upper Rack Doors Close

???-?? Hatch Opening

HABIT  Experiment Ops

EPO  Experiment Ops

On MCC GO ???-?? Hatch Opening

Installation of Quick Release Screw Clamps on SM Aft side

Progress 429 (SM Aft) Deactivation, Air Duct Installation

EXPOSE-R. Cable Demate

PAO Event with a 1 Year Mission crew

EPO Hardware Stow

??? Maintenance

SHD  Weekly Questionnaire

Reaction Self-Test (Sleep)

Completed Task List Items

PDH2 T/S Setup

SSC10 Shell Swap

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Nominal System Commanding

SPDM MBSU Demo Day 2

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Saturday, 02/06: Weekly Cleaning, Crew Off Duty, SPDM MBSU Demo Day 3

Sunday, 02/07: Crew off Duty

Monday, 02/08: Ocular Health, ELF QD Troubleshooting, BASS-M, EMU Swap, Cargo Ops, FPS Procedure Review, MT Translate to WS-4

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  Off

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  Off

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2) -On

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Override

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Idle

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Operate

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Full Up

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Off
A COMPANY called Unicorn Systems will create new IT jobs in Presov soon, extending its portfolio with a new development centre on Kupelna Street.

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Several dozen IT specialists will find jobs at the Presov branch, working on software solutions at an international level, company spokeswoman Jana Krajcovicova told the TASR newswire. This provides an opportunity not only for experienced IT workers but also for students and fresh graduates. Unicorn Systems expects the number of its employees in Presov to grow continuously.

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We decided to create a new development centre in eastern Slovakia because we need new employees to create a solid base for the future tasks of Unicorn Systems, production stream director Richard Schwartz said. We believe that there is huge potential among young and clever IT people.

Unicorn Systems currently employs over 1,100 ICT specialists, managers and IT experts. The company has been continuously growing, developing and launching new projects, in a similar way to the entire IT industry worldwide. It has been operating since 1990 and has opened 15 development centres so far in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Ukraine.
NURSES and midwives who filed resignations recently agreed with the proposal made by Prime Minister Robert Fico whereby they were urged to go back to their jobs.

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However, they insist that some conditions must be met first, Nurses and Midwives Trade Union (OZSaPA) head Monika Kavecka said on February 5.

The conditions demanded by the nurses and midwives in writing include employment contracts for an indefinite period of time for the same jobs they had prior to leaving. They also demand that adequate staff numbers in hospitals be ensured, as well as guarantees of higher salaries as envisaged in the law effective as of this January, and no negative impacts for the nurses who left.

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Kavecka also called on Prime Minister Robert Fico to begin talks on conditions under which the nurses would resume their jobs in 10 hospitals. Unless the job contracts are signed, the nurses will not go back to work, she added.

If they return, theyll see remuneration even for the days when they werent at work, as if nothing had happened, Fico said earlier on Friday in reference to those nurses whose notice periods became effective on January 31.

However, in Kosice on February 6, Fico said: On an individual basis, every single nurse intending to return is entitled to hold talks with hospital directors on her individual remuneration contract, speaking in response to Kavecka. Lets not link these things with the memorandum draft sponsored by the unionists, please, because professional organisations have called that document unfeasible, the PM said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Many even talk about the document being unconstitutional. We called the document clear evidence that the unionists dont want to arrive at an agreement, said Fico, reiterating that individual nurses can still cut deals with their hospitals.

The next day, Fico added that he sees no reason to provide bigger salary hikes to nurses who filed mass resignations. The government guarantees money for salary hikes under the new legislation, Ficos spokesperson Beatrice Szaboova informed TASR. The memorandum draft as submitted by the unionists is unworkable and, according to professional organisations, also unconstitutional. So, it cannot form any basis for individual employment contracts, she said. With this knowledge, nurses can hold talks with hospital directors on an individual basis, but only in accordance with valid legislation and collective agreements.

The prime minister rejects the twisting of his statements by unionists and extends his gratitude to those nurses that have already chosen to return to their patients, according to Szaboova. He harbours extraordinary respect for these nurses and for health workers who have never abandoned their patients. He also welcomes the fact that other nurses, whose employment has been terminated, are ready to return to work, she summed up.

Read also:

Read also: Nurses leave hospitals Read more

Earlier on February 7, OZSaPA representatives announced that they would hold talks with hospitals on Monday, February 8, to work out individual agreements for nurses who filed their resignations. Well do so based on the prime ministers reassurances on Saturday that nurses can carve out better individual conditions in talks with hospital managements, reads a written statement from its head Kavecka.

The compromise proposal of the Nurses and Midwives Trade Union (OZSaPA) and the Slovak Nurses and Midwives Chamber on resolving the current crisis in several hospitals involving mass resignations of nurses can end up at the Constitutional Court. If the compromise proposal was accepted by hospitals, it would result in a return of virtually all nurses. Nevertheless, dozens of small and medium-sized hospitals are not happy about the proposal.

If the memo between the nurses trade unions, chamber and the Health Ministry is signed, without being subsequently covered in financial terms from the state budget, we dont see any possible way of implementing it via the Association of Slovak Hospitals (ANS), so well consider presenting the memo for examination to the Constitutional Court, an ANS press release states, as quoted by TASR.

UPDATED: The Teaching Hospital in Trnava already announced on February 8 that it does not agree with a flat re-hiring of all nurses who had filed notices, arguing that in the meantime it duly hired medical staff to replace the missing nurses, and cannot imagine sacking them now, in order to hire back those who had left.
THE NATIONAL Criminal Agency (NAKA) has, of its own initiative, responded to suspicions emerging in the media by analysing all contracts concluded by the state-owned health insurer VsZP, including those with Klinika Kostka.

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The decision regarding the suspicions will be made after thorough analyses and necessary criminal procedures are made, the TASR newswire learnt from Police Corps President press department on February 5.

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On February 2, the opposition Siet party drew attention to extraordinary profits enjoyed by Dr. Pavel Kostka under Robert Ficos government due to special VsZP payments. Kostkas clinic specialises in massages and rehabilitation.

In the meantime, Transparency International Slovensko watchdog discovered that Klinika Kostka also received money from the Prime Ministers reserve and European funds.

VsZP argued that the contract establishing a unique payment code for Klinika Kostka was already signed back in 2011 under former director Marian Faktor (a nominee of Christian-Democratic Movement-KDH), and that the deal was abrogated in 2015. In his rebuttal, Faktor claimed that the agreed sums were significantly lower and that the blame for original health treatment payments of 10,000 per month swelling up to 1.5 million per year rests squarely with the ruling Smer party.

Kostka, owner of the clinic, rejects Siets criticism, describing it as an election campaign move.

Read also:

Read also: Doctor allegedly earned on contract with health insurer Read more

The state-owned health insurer VsZP has launched itself an audit of Klinika Kostka, and parliamentary health committee chair Richard Rasi (of Smer) is convinced that it will take only a few days to shed light on how much truth there really is to the recent statements. Whether or not everything was in order will be revealed by the audit, said Rasi on RTVS political show Sobotne Dialogy (Saturday Dialogues). Rasi stressed that the clinic does not specialise only in massages but also in the extensive provision of health treatments for thousands of patients.

Former health minister [2010-12] and current KDH MP Ivan Uhliarik, also on the show, considers the case of Klinika Kostka to indicate an absolute failure, with the blame lying on both VsZP and Health Minister Viliam Cislak. He maintains that money has been thrown out the window on activities that could have been carried out at a much lower cost. He also objects to pinning the blame on Marian Faktor, under whose tenure a unique payment code was assigned to the clinic, claiming that it suits Smer to have someone take out millions of euros and then frame a predecessor.
WITHIN THE so-called humanitarian transfer programme, Slovakia will host 58 citizens from Eritrea.

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The plane with 58 Eritreans on board landed at Kosice airport on February 4. They came under the humanitarian transfer programme which has been carried out since 2009, to spend six months in the refugee camp in Humenne in the Presov Region and then to be sent to the USA.

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They joined a group of 85 citizens of Somalia and Lebanon who came to the Emergency Transit Centre (ETC) last September. None of these people seek asylum in Slovakia, the Interior Ministry informed the Pravda daily.

These people are threatened by prosecution and their life is in danger, the TASR newswire wrote. In Slovakia, they will prepare for the life they are expected to lead in the country where they shall be relocated for good, i.e. the USA. None of these refugees is an asylum claimant in Slovakia, and none is in asylum proceeding here, Michaela Paulenova of Interior Ministry stressed, reacting to the information of parliamentary Sanca party on refugees arriving to Slovakia. She also added that the country has been accepting refugees for temporary stays within humanitarian transfer since 2009, in cooperation with the UNHCR and International Organization for Migration (IOM). Slovakia has found a new home in this way for a thousand refuges since 2009, mainly endangered groups, families with children or mothers with children, Paulenova added for TASR.

In Humenne, refugees are to stay for a maximum of six months; they will go though security interviews, health checks and courses of cultural orientation to prepare for life in the USA. The activities within the Humanitarian Transfer of Refugees project are financed by the US Government through USRAP (United States Refugee Admissions Program), or by similar programmes of other relocation countries.
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Q: When is a coffee shop more than just a coffee shop?

A: When Bryan Jackson and Reina Alexander have a hand in it.

From the beginning, Brooklyn Coffee was meant to be more than just a coffee shop. If anything, Jackson wanted it to be a design collective, bringing like-minded people together in a new way. This tilt toward design, along with branding and curation, is patently evident: everything about Brooklyn Coffee is highly curated and extremely polished. One could say that it would have to be, since it is so small; there isnt much room for choice or clutter, but it works.

For each product that Brooklyn Coffee sells, the approach seems to be choosing one high-quality option and sticking to it, rather than faffing around with choices for the sake of it. Its a single-roaster cafepartnering with Caravan, which has brought exciting opportunities (more on that later). The shop sells one magazine (Drift), one type of mineral water (Topo Chico, of course), one kind of soda (Cawston Press), beer from a single local brewery (Brew By Numbers), assorted chocolate bars from a California-based company (Compartes), and a small selection of teas from a London-based company (Rare Tea Company).

The merchandise on offermugs, totes, and T-shirts featuring Brooklyn Coffee brandingare all collaborations with local artists and graphic designers, some of them students at prestigious art colleges like Central St. Martins.

In an exacting way not seen in many coffee shops, the leading thought for the cafes design seems to be form follows function. The entire Brooklyn look, feel, and flow is created to suit the interaction between customer and barista.

Reina and I were very calculated in what we wanted the shop to look like, explains Jackson. Not just aesthetically, but how the materials in use would lean toward the kind of service we want to provide. Everything is at leaning height; no distractions on the walls, everything is clean. So the focus is on the coffee and the interaction with the people behind the counterwhich, depending on who you ask, is as important as the product youre pitching, if not more.

Or, in a nutshell, he wants to be as approachable as possible in a unique environment.

While Brooklyns design and atmosphere are certainly unique among the plethora of London coffee shops, its what Jackson and Alexander have done in the space that most sets them apart. For cafes of their size, its often difficult to obtain exclusive coffeesthis is something more likely to be seen at larger, multibranch cafes. But theres a lot to be said for Brooklyns relationship with Caravan and their determination to offer something truly unique in London.

Last year, through Caravan and Raw Material Coffee (for which Caravan is the sole EU distributor), Brooklyn was able to offer a truly exclusive coffee from Barner Ramirez at Finca Buenos Aires in Colombia. The coffee, of which there were only two sacks, entirely went to Caravan, which roasted it to suit the particular flavor palates of Brooklyn Coffee. It ran out in about 10 days, and was such a success that Jackson and Alexander are already planning to do it again this year.

As the specialty-coffee world becomes more and more crowded, especially in hub cities like London, it can be difficult to find cafes that truly stand out: coloring outside the lines, creating their own formula, stretching the idea of what a coffee shop can and should be. Thankfully, Brooklyn Coffee is one of those placesdoing their own thing and excelling at it.

Kate Beard is a Sprudge staff writer based in London. Read more Kate Beard on Sprudge.
After the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been in turmoil. A number of political factions, some of which are radical Islamist organizations, are fighting each other to control the country.

Amid this political chaos, Daesh seized parts of Libyan territory, primarily around the town of Sirte in November 2014. According to the latest data from the Pentagon, there are over 6,000 Daesh fighters in Libya.

Since Daesh doesn't seem to have enough forces yet to overrun the entirety of Libya and take control of its oil fields, however, the terrorists are first trying to put spokes in the wheels of their enemies by destroying their oil supplies.
On Sunday, North Korea fired a long-range rocket, defying a UN Security Council resolution which bans the country from launching rockets that may be used as ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads.

Following the incident, the UN Security Council held an emergency session and called for a response to North Korea's action. Despite Pyongyang stating the launch was made for scientific purposes, some nations saw it as a front for a ballistic missile test, and therefore a threat to the international community.

"I don't think they [the UN] can come with very much, frankly, I mean they can make things slightly more inconvenient for the servicing of consumption needs of very top segments of North Korean society, but I don't think they can do anything else," Professor Dunn, who teaches politics at King's College in Cambridge, told Radio Sputnik.
Peugeot also gave Iran's Khodro 311.6 million euros in discounts and financial rebates. The sum includes 140 million euros in discount fees, which the Iranian company will pay Peugeot to manufacture two million cars in the future.

"With the discount of 70 euros per car, Peugeot will receive only 30 euros fee per car for the two million vehicles that would be built in Iran," Yekke-Zare said, as cited by France-Soir.

According to Olivier Salmon, the spokesman for Peugeot, the deal signed between the two companies is a "balanced agreement for both partners," according to the French newspaper.

The first Peugeot-manufactured cars will become available in 2017.

The French car manufacturer became the first Western firm to sign an agreement with an Iranian company after the end of international sanctions in mid-January. The director of Khodro said that his firm had negotiations with other major European car manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Italy's Fiat.

Iran is considered a country with the greatest potential for growth in the automobile sector. The Iranian automobile production had 1.65 million cars sold in 2011; however, the number drastically fell to 740,000 in 2013 due to the sanctions. According to Peugeot estimates, the number of cars sold in Iran would reach 1.6 million in 2018 and two million in 2022.
No Western leader has travelled to North Korea. No Western leader has met the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. There are no regular diplomatic exchanges between Western governments and North Korea. Such diplomatic contacts as exist happen no higher than ambassador level.

Instead of talking to North Korea Western leaders shout at it. They are then surprised it shouts back.

How Western leaders think they can persuade North Korea to do or stop doing something without talking to it is a mystery.

What makes it even stranger is that when diplomacy was tried with North Korea it actually worked.

A framework agreement was reached in 1995 which caused North Korea to freeze its nuclear program in return for a promise the US would normalize relations and supply North Korea with light water reactors.

The US reneged on the agreement. The light water reactors were never supplied and the normalization of relations never took place.

The North Korean nuclear program which had been frozen for eight years accordingly in 2003 resumed with a vengeance.

Western leaders have learnt nothing from this. They continue to threaten North Korea with more and more sanctions as North Korea accumulates more and more weapons.

None of this should be taken as a defense of the North Korean regime. Dislike of the regime should not however be used as an excuse for a policy that has utterly and completely failed.

It is now too late to get North Korea to give up its weapons.
Supporters and opponents of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel tend to believe that, in dealing with the migrant crisis, she is playing a "game of morality". There's a widely spread opinion that by taking upon herself an ethical initiative and throwing open the doors for millions of families that have lost their homes, Merkel is trying to pay penance for Germany's historical sins. Some accuse her of "moral imperialism", while others call her a hero. But noone has come close to understanding the true motives behind her open door policy, director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, Thorsten Benner, wrote in Politico.

This crisis has been brewing up for quite some time, he explains. The EU has been ignoring improved living conditions for refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan and poor protection of external borders. It didn't notice how Greece has become a haven for illegal transporters of refugees around the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, certain politicians have been stoking anti-Muslim sentiment among the international community. With the humanitarian crisis in the center of the Old World and the decline of influence of the Schengen agreement, the situation was gradually getting out of control.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Cameron is set to announce the establishment of six so-called "reform prisons" by the end of 2016, which will have their budgets managed by governors, who will have "complete control" over the way the facilities are run, according to the media outlet.

"It can be easy for us all  when prisons are closed off by high walls and barbed wire  to adopt an 'out of sight, out of mind' attitude. I want this government to be different," Cameron is expected to say, as quoted by the Sky News television channel.

In the first ministerial speech on the prison system in 20 years, Cameron is also set to increase oversight of prison management.
According to the latest opinion polls over 55 percent of the Dutch electorate are going to vote against the measure and only 44.5 will vote for Ukraines proposed association with the 28-nation European Union

The year 2016 will be very dangerous, even critical for the EU, Thierry Mariani, a former Transport Minister and a member of The Republicans (a center-right political party led by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy) said in an interview with Moscow-based newsmagazine Ogonyok.

In the April 16 referendum the Dutch will vote on EU-Ukraine association. Judging by the recent opinion polls, most of them are going to vote against it. If they do, it will mean that Europeans are already fed up with this open door policy and are no longer able to pay for everyone, he stressed.
David Davis, one of Cameron's own MPs, said the emergency brake plans could actually have the reverse effect and lead to increased migration to the UK in the short term, as people look to move to Britain before any changes are implemented.

@StrongerIn They could do it if we remain too.  Sue (@English_Woman) February 8, 2016

Mr Stephenson agreed, arguing that the nature of the proposals  which would see EU nationals receive in-work benefits at differing rates after living in the UK for a number of years  could "ironically create a pull factor for people to stay."

"If people start to get benefits after a couple of years, and it goes up every year, it's almost like a pay rise each year for staying in the UK," he said.

Legal Concerns Loom Large

Despite confidence in some quarters that the plans will be agreed upon politically, there are also concerns over the legality of any moves to implement an emergency brake on benefits, as it is not included in any EU treaties.

"What essentially David Cameron will be offering the British people is the equivalent of an unsigned contract to say 'the check's in the post and we'll hopefully get these changes in a few years time,' " Stephenson told Sputnik.

He believes that EU nationals may be able to take the UK to the European Court of Justice, and win, if they are prevented from accessing in-work benefits in Britain.

"We think these changes will be pretty meaningless. Even if they do get into law, we don't thin they'll be legal.

"It's not a well thought-out policy. It will be a total nightmare to administer."
Russia and France may be rivals in the Third World markets but at the same time they remain allies. France, unlike Germany, refused to scrap its nuclear energy production.

When asked why France wanted the anti-Russian sanctions go, Yuri Rubinsky said that first, because its trade turnover with Russia had dropped to just over $10 billion over the past 12 months, and kept going down.

Before the sanctions were introduced France was Russias fourth biggest trade partner in the EU after Germany, Italy and The Netherlands. Now the trade turnover is almost 40 percent down with Russian exports to France a tad over $5 billion, just like the French exports to Russia, he added.

The French agricultural lobby has been the most vocal proponent of lifting the sanctions. France accounts for a hefty 40 percent of the EUs farming production and pig farms, especially in Brittany, play a big role here.

The pig farmers economic losses from the sanctions amount to $50 billion and they shared their frustrations with Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll, who likewise wants the sanctions to go and also happens to be a close friend of President Hollande.

With the 2017 presidential and parliamentary elections less than a year away, the government and the President who apparently wants to run again are very sensitive to the public sentiment, Yuri Rubunsky emphasized.
"So, it's greatly beneficial for the tobacco companies in the long term, if thousands of young people take up smoking," Dr Filippidis told Sputnik.

However, Iakovos Kargarotos, vice-president of Philip Morris International's affiliate in Greece, Papastratos AVES, told Bloomberg Business: "Illicit cigarette and bulk tobacco trade strips the Greek state from significant revenue each year that could be used for paying pensions, salaries and social benefits.

Illegal cigarettes, alcohol and fuel burn a huge hole in Greece's income https://t.co/CVCtJD1OAh pic.twitter.com/8C3qLRgODA  Bloomberg Business (@business) February 8, 2016

"It creates a big public revenue hole that taxpayers have to fill," Kargarotos said.

More people smoke in Greece than in any other European country, Dr Filippos Filippidis, told Sputnik, suggesting that the Greek government is "lacking the political will to do something about cutting the number of people who smoke or raise tax on tobacco". He thinks this failure of the Greek government is "either down to total incompetence  or another interest".

A recent report found that 3.9 billion illegal cigarettes were smoked in 2013  four times as much in 2009, which estimated that it denied the public purse approximately US$626 million (565m).

"Even though there has been a reduction in the number of people who smoke in the last five years  it's still the highest in the European Union. The former Greek prime minister once met with Philip Morris and praised their investment," exclaimed Dr Filippidis.

"The current government has planned to enforce the tobacco control legislation but it hasn't really happened," he added.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  French Gen. Christian Piquemal was detained on Saturday for allegedly co-organizing an illegal Pegida rally in the northern French city of Calais, home to a huge camp of mostly African migrants. He was reportedly released on bail earlier today, pending a court hearing in May.

"This was not a reaction of local authorities  the government is behind it [the arrest]," former French Army Gen. Didier Tauzin claimed.

Tauzin, who has been critical of the French government over its military involvement in Rwanda in the 1990s, said that French authorities were not legitimate anymore.
Professor Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Texas, told Radio Sputnik that it is too early to get into a tail-spin over the reported outbreak.

Zika is ordinarily considered a fairly mild illness when it strikes adults, sometimes without any symptoms at all, at other times it will cause rash, fever, headache and pain. But recently, the disease was linked to a severe birth defect called microcephaly, which causes the underdevelopment of the head and brain. Babies with microcephaly often miscarry before they are born, or they die at birth. Those who survive are usually very disabled.

"The biggest scare right now is the link with microcephaly," Hotez confirmed.
Recalling the struggle, Abu Farah mentioned that he took up any job that was offered to him. I took up almost any kind of work. I can only say that I harmed no one and even helped many who found themselves in a difficult situation. However, for me personally, the most important thing that remains is that my wife and I were able to go through this and stay alive. There is no turning back.

The RIA correspondent was taken to a community where Abu Farah and his wife Suad are residing, where the correspondent met with the wife who shared her views of living in the new community and the dangers they faced.

"Its always the common people, who are far away from political games who suffer the most. There are forces that want to take advantage of their plight, navigate the situation in a favorable direction for them, Suad said.

She explained that in some disadvantaged areas of Latakia there are agitators of the militants who promise locals good money in exchange for Russian heads.

The sum is about one million pounds (about 2.7 thousand dollars). For many of the people living here it is a real chance to get out of the terrible poverty in which they live, Suad said.

The living conditions of displaced persons in Syria are far from European standards; hence, any additional household items give a great advantage. The couple the RIA correspondent met lives in just one room and the furniture consists of a table and a small bed. There is also a small oven around which neighbors of Abu Farah and Saud gather on cold Latakian evenings, hoping for warmer days ahead.
Nursel Kilik, an activist defending the rights of Kurdish women in Europe, spoke to Sputnik in an exclusive interview saying, We wake up every morning, knowing about the dreadful event, the massacre and the crime. In the town of Cizre, located in the Turkish Kurdistan, more than 60 people were executed and burnt. The Turkish army used chemical weapons against them.

She further said that their bodies were found in two different buildings. What is happening now is happening to a general silence, the world has turned a blind eye. These atrocities, crimes against humanity, these war crimes whose victims are residents of Turkish Kurdistan, continue, while their coverage in international and local press is banned, particularly by the government of the AKP [Justice and Development Party, the ruling party in Turkey].

Kilik said that these people were represented as terrorists, that they were civilians who were seriously injured or killed, as they were kept for more than 52 days in the two basements.
Last week, Saudi Arabia expressed readiness to send its ground forces to Syria to fight Daesh terrorist group.

Saudi Arabia is notorious for its attempts to spread radical Islam and support its adherences all around the world. Although it does not back up Daesh in particular, it may provide assistance to other extremist groups and thus contribute to the deterioration of security in the region, journalist Rainer Sollich wrote for Deutsche Welle.

Moreover, the intervention of Saudi Arabia will be strongly opposed by Iran and Russia, which are actively involved in the fight against terrorism and support Damascus. Iran, among other things, perceives Saudi Arabia as a pure evil, since for a long time Saudi rulers sought to expand radical Sunni beliefs throughout the Middle East, he wrote.
Today, great pains are being taken so as not to hold a referendum in Montenegro in regard to it joining NATO because its clear that the pro-Atlantic forces arent sure that the Montenegrin people, if theyre given the chance to freely speak their minds, will rush with open arms to those who not so long ago bombed them, Meshkov said.

NATO bombed the tiny west Balkan state 16 years ago when Montenegro and Serbia were part of Yugoslavia.

In the post-Cold War era, NATO saw a 75-percent increase in membership  from 16 to 28 members. The 12 new members were all in the Eastern Europe, either former Warsaw Pact member states, including three former Soviet republics, or former Yugoslav federal republics.
Gabriel expected to take "another step to reconcile with Russia," an article in Die Welt read. He confirmed he will attend the Russian Business Day in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in May.

"Hundreds of Russian businessmen are expected to come to the town of Rostock. Two years ago the regional government held the Day of Russian businessmen to maintain economic ties between Germany and Russia. At the time, the event came under criticism due to the Ukrainian crisis," according to the article.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has traditionally held close ties with Russia, Minister-President Erwin Sellering said.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Saturday, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said that if the public voted against the EU-Ukraine association agreement in the upcoming referendum, under Dutch law, the government would have to review its position on the treaty.

The Netherlands is the only EU country, which has not yet ratified the Ukraine-EU association deal.

The Dutch government decided to hold a non-binding referendum on the Ukrainian association agreement after over 400,000 people signed a petition asking to put the matter to a nationwide vote.
MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Saturday, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said that if the public voted against the EU-Ukraine association agreement in the upcoming non-binding referendum, under Dutch law, the government would have to review its position on the treaty.

"My party, the Socialist Party (SP), has opposed in both Houses the ratification of the Treaty. It now will campaign for a 'No' vote. Main argument is that this Treaty, under the actual circumstances, will work out bad for the citizens of Ukraine, bad for the citizens of the Netherlands and bad for European cooperation based on the protection of peace and prosperity throughout the continent," Tiny Kox said.

Kox said that the Dutch government will campaign for a "Yes" vote even though opinion polls show that the "No" camp is currently in the lead.
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"It is Russias aerial campaign of the past few months that helped the Syrians realize that they can fight on and destroy the international terrorists in their country," he said.

General Konashenkov added that before Russia launched its aerial campaign in Syria, NATO countries had spent almost three years imitating a fight against international terrorism.

"No one in the West then talked about a negotiated settlement in Syria. All they did was fixing the date of the countrys final breakup a-la Libya where the NATO countries felt so free to establish Western-style democracy," Igor Konashenkov said in conclusion.
Alexander Krasovitsky, the head of the Bumerangs maker, the Military-Industrial Company, heaped praise on what he describes as a machine you simply cant kill.

This is a new generation vehicle, better armed and better protected, both actively and passively, and boasting an advanced system of control, which exceeds what you can find on the very best foreign analogues, Krasovitsky told RIA Novosti.

First presented during the 2015 Victory Day parade on Red Square, the Bumerang is already being eyed by foreign militaries.
2. Bad Student

When young Mendeleev was in school, he wasn't the best student. On the contrary, he managed to fail a few of his classes and even had to repeat a whole year all over again due to unsatisfactory grades while at a pedagogical institute in St. Petersburg. His least favorite subjects at school were Latin and Bible Studies.

3. Suitcase Manufacturer

Among the residents of St. Petersburg, Mendeleev was also known as a master of suitcase making. Mendeleev's suitcases and travel bags were of excellent quality and highly valued among Russian merchants. His secret to making amazing suitcases was a special kind of glue, which Mendeleev discovered while studying different kinds of adhesive substances.

4. Inventor of Vodka

There is a popular myth that Mendeleev invented vodka. Well, that's not true, as the alcoholic drink had of course existed long before Mendeleev was even born. The myth that Mendeleev invented vodka was born after the scientist defended a dissertation on the combination of the pure form of alcohol with water. Mendeleev studied the ratio between alcohol and water, which caused the maximum decrease in the volume of the liquids mixed. He found it to be a solution with the mass fraction of alcohol equal to 46 percent. His dissertation had nothing to do with vodka or its invention.

5. Never Won Nobel Prize

Although Mendeleev was nominated to receive the Nobel Prize on three different occasions, he was never given the prize. Some argue that the main reason why Mendeleev wasn't given the Nobel Prize for his outstanding scholarly achievements was due to a conflict with the Nobel brothers.
"These aircraft have been chosen to accomplish the assigned tasks," military expert Mikhail Khodarenok told RBK.

The Su-24 can carry up to 7,500 kg of weapons, including fragmentation ballistic bombs, up to a distance of up to 560 km. The Su-34 has even greater capabilities  up to 8,000 kg of bombs at a distance of up to 1,100 km. According to the expert, in order to be fully engaged in combat, those aircraft should take off from an airfield close to the battlefield. As such, most of the Russian airstrikes in Syria have been carried out by Su-24 and Su-34 bombers.

Long-range bombers, including the Tu-22, Tu-95 and Tu-160, have also been involved in the operation. Tu-22 bombers took off from an airfield in Russias Mozdok, while the Tu-95 and Tu-160  from an airfield in Engels.

According to Khodarenok, using the Tu-22 in Syria is not as effective as it could be.

"With its maximum capacity of 22 tons of bombs, the Tu-22 cannot fly from Mozdok to Syria. It can fly with eight tons, but this is the same that the Su-24 can do," he explained.

In one week, Tu-22 bombers carried out only 23 sorties. Nevertheless, according to the analyst, using strategic bombers is a good chance to show off the capabilities of all branches of the Russian Air Force.

The US does not have a base in the conflict zone. Its aircraft take off from airfields in Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey and the UAE as well as four aircraft carriers of the Fifth Fleet of the US Navy in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. At the same time, this allows for the US to use more aircraft than Russia.
The Supreme Indigenous Council of Michoacan, Mexico, accused the Catholic Church of being involved in mass genocide, which started with the Spaniards' arrival to the Central American region in the 16th century.

The statement noted that, by the beginning of the 17th century, there were less than 700,000 native inhabitants left alive, from an original population of about 25.2 million, which makes the Spanish intervention and invasion of the Americas one of the largest acts of genocide in history.

"For over 500 years, the original people of the Americas have been ransacked, robbed, murdered, exploited, discriminated and persecuted," the statement reads. "Within this framework, the Catholic Church has historically been complicit and allies of those who invaded our land."
A classy veteran competing in open/invitational events for the past few seasons, Allthatgltrsisgold p,2,1:52.3; 3,1:49 ($824,471) was put to rest at Miami Valley Raceway in Ohio on Saturday, February 6, 2016, following an injury.

This was the same track where he had scored a decisive victory in his previous start.

The son of Cams Card Shark and the Life Sign mare Glitter N Glitz raced 123 times, resulting in 34 wins, 14 seconds, and 14 thirds. While he did earn victories in some stakes events in a crop which included the likes of Rock N Roll Heaven, Rockin Image, and Sportswriter, he was most known for his gutsy performances in the open/invitational ranks at racetracks throughout the Midwest.

Bred and owned by Victory Hill Farm of LaGrange, Indiana, he was brought along slowly by design. Since prior foals from Glitter N Glitz had gotten really racy, really fast -- which was their downfall -- the connections wanted to make sure Allthatgltrsisgold did not take that same path. They recognized his talent and laid the ground work for a long racing career for the stallion.

Qualifying in June of his two-year-old year at Hoosier Park, it did not take long for Allthatgltrsisgold to show his speed and versatility on the racetrack, even defeating aged horses. He won several events that season, en route to a freshman mark of p,2,1:52.3.

Coming back even better at age three, he started his season with a sharp p,3,1:53.2 qualifying effort, again at Hoosier Park. Embarking on a stakes campaign, he scored victories in The Horseman and Monument Circle in his home state. However, he earned his lifetime mark of p,3,1:49 in the consolation of the 2010 North America Cup, where he was parked out nearly the entire mile.

Maturing even more from age three to four, he started off his season at the Meadowlands. On a cool night in New Jersey, after already winning a leg, he came from the back of the pack and used a :25.4 final quarter to win the final of the Aquarius Series.

Upon returning to Indiana, he reeled of four invitational victories in a row.

During his six-year-old year, he started serving double duty, as he was bred to a few mares while also racing. Always classy and professional, his time in the breeding shed did not change his attitude and behavior in the barn or on the racetrack. He was able to separate the two roles and continue to be a pleasure deal with for all those around him. His oldest foals will hit the racetrack later this year.

Trained throughout most of his career by Bobby Brower, and groomed by his wife, Debbie, he will be truly missed. To them, as well as Dr. Maria King of Victory Hill Farm, he was not just an animal, he was part of the family.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Allthatgltrsisgold.

(with files from Hoosier Hoofprints)
The Harness Horse Youth Foundation has announced an extensive 40th anniversary summer program schedule which includes several new locations and also the organizations established leadership program at the Goshen Historic Track in New York.

The complete 2016 schedule information, is available here. Applications will go live on the website in mid-February. HHYFs popular five-day overnight camps, for students 12-14, will be held June 18-22 at the Delaware, Ohio Fairgrounds; at Vernon Downs in New York from July 12-16, and at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Wilkes Barre, PA from July 19-23. A five-day, non-overnight camp at Gaitway Farm in New Jersey will be held July 25-29.

These camps culminate with driving exhibitions. One participant from each location will be invited to participate on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands Racetrack on August 6. The leadership program for high-school-age students with previous HHYF experience is set for Goshen Historic Track and the Harness Racing Museum from July 5-9. All events feature hands-on experience, including driving the organizations stable of Trottingbred horses as well as field trips and guest speakers.

Shorter introductory programs for children ages 11 and up are scheduled for Ahoskie, North Carolina on June 25 and 26; Ocean Downs (date pending) in Maryland on June 28; Rosecroft Raceway, also in Maryland, on June 30 and at Ohios Scioto Downs on August 9. Check the website for possible additional public programs. A number of closed programs for interested groups (4-H, scouts, etc.) are scheduled and dates remain available for additional programs for similar organizations.

It seems only fitting that we will begin our season at the home of the Little Brown Jug and end at the Hambletonian to celebrate our 40th anniversary, explained HHYF Executive Director Ellen Taylor. The Ohio camp returns us to our roots as the organization began in Ohio back in 1976.

(Harness Horse Youth Foundation)
Since arriving on the continent of Africa as missionaries, we have taken chances, faced challenges, and seen many changes. Through it all, we have experienced God's faithfulness and provision. As new missionaries, we claimed 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 as our life verses, reminding us that "God is our adequacy." We relied on God's help as we adapted to new cultures and learned to use our professional skills in new ways. We sought His help as we built relationships with our missionary co-workers and those we serve in Africa.

As we continue to serve, we continue to rely on God to be our adequacy. In Uganda we encounter great challenges, yet great joys as we experience God working to bring wholistic transformation to lives. We are excited about continuing to serve God in Uganda and the surrounding countries. As we grow in our personal relationships with Christ, we want to share more of the abundant life in Him with others.
PRAY FOR THE MILITARY; go to: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.com/prayer101/ 140ksnow_v2-600px

LIFE AT CONCEPTION ACT: Please go to the following website and sign a peition call Congress to vote for a Life at Conception Act to finally have long-overdue protection for the unborn in our laws. http://nationalprolifealliance.com/rlacw_petition.aspx?pid=rs3&npla=I1ABBX12I.

PRAYER REQUEST: Heavenly Father, may our elected leaders work to solve our nation's many and great problems without ANY consideration of whether it furthers their political career, satisfies the desires of some special interest constituency, or promotes an ideological agenda that will be harmful to the welfare of this great Republic so blessed by God. May their efforts be based on the best interests of this country and Biblical principles that honor You. May they prove to be of such courage and integrity as to make the hard but necessary decisions that need to be made if America is to remain strong for not just years but generations to come. May you strengthen the resolve and add to the numbers of those who will, and in future elections remove all those who will not, for those who will not will prove to be either incompetent or treasonous and not deserving to serve America. And help each American to stay informed, discerning of what they hear their leaders say, and holding each one, especially those specifically representing them, accountable throughout their time in office, with calls, emails, faxes and letters. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.

MUST READ: "Indivisible" by James Robinson and Jay Richards. gives a Biblical view of many of the key issues of our day as very few books I have ever read. Get a copy for yourself and your friends and especially your children. It's that good, that helpful. The perfect gift. Go to at: http://www.lifetoday.org/resources/current-offerToday.org/resources/current-offer and support and a great ministry in the process.

BIRTH CERTIFICATE. Be sure to have on hand a copy of your Birth Certificate. I just learned that (at least in Florida) I need a copy of it in order to get a replacement driver's license (which may have expired and you did not receive a notice from the DMV (as was my experiencve. And it will take 6-8 weeks for me to receive my copy!) It's all part of new Homeland Security regulations. So don't get caught off guard and be seriously inconvenienced as I have been.

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JOURNAL: 4/25 - I've been discouraged the past few weeks as I have been given much fewer work shifts than I started the year receiving and have received weekly throughout my time at the store. I will be doing my first shift at ANOTHER store tomorrow AND next week will be working 2 shifts elsewhere in the store to equal only 2 shifts I will be working at my regular job. What makes it worse is that I've not been given any assurance if things will improve anytime soon - or maybe get even worse. I've tried hard not to become discouraged as I always work as hard as I can.

JOURNAL: 4/5 - What a great Easter weekend! 1) It started on Sat. when I had my first shift that did not involved the Seafood department in the almost 4 1/2 years I've been at the store. I was assigned to be at the front of the store to wipe down carts when they were returned from the parking lot so that it would be clean for customers to use them. When I asked others who had done the job about what it was like, they told me how boring it was when things were very slow. Well, God blessed me with a very busy day before Easter and there was a steady strem of customers. As soon as I reported for my shift, I just got into a zone and began greeting people with enthusiasm as they entered the store. As I found myself really enjoying doing that, I began to reflect why I the work was such a good fit for me. God suddenly reminded me of how decades ago I had seen a news story about a Wal-Mart greeter and told myself that I would enjoy doing that. Of course, I was quite disappointed when I learned that the store had discontinued such a practice and I gave up on the dream I had had those many years ago. And so Saturday's job assignment was just my instinctive response to having an opportunity to do what I had once wanted to do. And I had so much fun! There were some memorable highlights - especially the look of appreciation I saw on many customers faces at being acknowledged and welcomed. (I laugh every time I reclall the times I was so excited that, rather than saying "Welcome to Publix" I blurted out "Welcome to WALMART" to which only once customer looked back to give me a double take. As I've had a chance to reflect further on that time on Saturday, I've wondered if there will be a job opening at the gatherig of believers at our temporary heaven for a greeter (: I can see how I would have a great time after I get there greeting people who come after me and welcoming them! Hmm. I just picture myself standing at the entrance with my two pet cats greting people as they arrive. How much fun will that be! (: ; and 2) Yesterday, the small house church I've been atteending for several years now had a special Easter service at a business office. Everyone there to set up for the service was busy doing something and I wasn't sure what I could do. Suddenly I saw my opportunity and went to the front door and standing there began greeting the people as they arrived. Once again, FUN! , and 3) Then, as I was relaxing d uring the early evening I got a call from my good friend of many years ( who with here husband sent the laptop I now use daily) and Becky and I ended up talking for about an hour and a half. What a great day!

JOURNAL: 3/28 - 1) Thanks to friends Carl and Russ, my new lap top computer is now working very well - though there are still things to adjust to. (; I just hope I don't wear out their patience as I keep needing to re-learn things. I really think that if I were one of Snow White's dwarfs, my name would be "HelpLess>" ): 2) I'm excited to have plans to participate in this year's Walk for Life on April 17th and am trying to remain hopeful sponsors will come through again this year; 3) I've been disappointed that my hours at work have been cut back to almost half of what they were at the end of last year. it doesn't look good that I will have worked enough by the fall to qualify for the company's health insurance plan. (don't have ANY right now); and 4 ) I've also been discouraged to wake up very tired most mornings - which I guess fits in with having more days off, but that still is not good.

JOURNAL 2/15 - God Comes Through Again! - After several failed attempts to even pull up my workplace Publix site at home to make an appointment to get a COVID vaccination shot, I was resigned to waiting for some future time when I might finally get on. (Not that I've been too concerned about gettting one.) Then, this past Sat., I shared my frustrating experiences with the pharmacist at my store who said that they had no more appointments to give out. THEN, just 5 minutes before my shift started, a pharmacist assistant stopped by the breakroom I was in to say that they had a shot to give me if I came "NOW!" Needless to say I literally ran over but it ended up taking about half an hour for them to make the necessary phone calls to arrranage for me to get a shot. But sure enough, I ended up finding myself rolling up my left arm sleeve and getting a shot! Not only that but I was given an exact time in one month to come by to get my second shot without having to go through the process of trying to secure an appointment. (I honestly think they were concerrned that I am so old - will be 70 this June - that they made a special attempt to arrange for me to get the shot.) I just praise God that I have another example of how He will step in and help his children when they are ready to give up. It was a great reminder that everything is in God's timing to do His way. How cool is that! PRAISE HIM!

JOURNAL 2/6 - Good News, Bad News! 1] While my work hours continued to be cut the past 2 weeks, there are signs that may finally be ending in the coming week. and 2] I didn't get as much done as I wanted to with the extra time I had at home the past few weeks. AND what made it most discouraging was that my computer has slowed to where it now takes me several hours to do what I usually could do in a half hour! I desperately need a faster computer but have no idea where to turn for help. [Also, found out the other day that I will need to get $5-6 hundred dollars work on my 25 year old car.]

JOURNAL: 1/27 - -Briefly stated, since last Thursday, I've become aware that at least for the forseeeable future my employer will continue to cut my work hours drastically, due to nothing I have failed to do. Needless to say it has been greatly disappointing. As they try to find other places in the store for me to possibly get more hours, GOD directed me to an article by Dr. David Jeremeiah in a monthly devotional. He pointed Christians to look at Colossians 4:2-4 in light of unexpected things happening in our life. In those verses, First, God would call us to earnestly pray Him expressing our need. Then, we are to look for the many things He has blessed us with that we can be thankful for. Third, as we look at our new sitution, we need to look for new opportunities to accomplish His purposes. (In my case, new work situations could introduce me to many fellow employees I have yet to meet whom God wants me to engage with. And four, I must be ready to effectively share the gospel as He opens the door to share Christ with the new people I will suddenly be in contadct with. Bottom Line REminder: God is NEVER surprised by whatever happens in our life. He is working it all for OUR good and to further accomplish HIS purposes. Believers need not fear the unexpected because we ALWAYS have a loving God who has it ALL worked out! Praise Him. [Note also Ex. 4:31 "And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and WORSHIPPED!]Breifly stated, since last Thursday, I've become aware that at least for the forseeeable future my employer will continue to cut my work hours drastically, due to nothing I have failed to do. Needless to say it has been greatly disappointing. As they try to find other places in the store for me to possibly get more hours, GOD directed me to an article by Dr. David Jeremeiah in a monthly devotional. He pointed Christians to look at Colossians 4:2-4 in light of unexpected things happening in our life. In those verses, First, God would call us to earnestly pray Him expressing our need. Then, we are to look for the many things He has blessed us with that we can be thankful for. Third, as we look at our new sitution, we need to look for new opportunities to accomplish His purposes. (In my case, new work situations could introduce me to many fellow employees I have yet to meet whom God wants me to engage with. And four, I must be ready to effectively share the gospel as He opens the door to share Christ with the new people I will suddenly be in contadct with. Bottom Line REminder: God is NEVER surprised by whatever happens in our life. He is working it all for OUR good and to further accomplish HIS purposes. Believers need not fear the unexpected because we ALWAYS have a loving God who has it ALL worked out! Praise Him. [Note also Ex. 4:31 "And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and WORSHIPPED!]

JOURNAL - 12/9 : PURRTY: Bad News, Good News 2X - Last Friday I received word that tests show that my special friend and housemate has renal failure that is tied into her having kidney problems. (Again, my last cat friend Squeaky died in large part to undetected kindney infection.) She is being treated with a special prescription diet that she has taken to, though it is limited to just 1/2 cup a day. I am believing God that with the right treatment, my friend willl somehow make it not just to her 15th birthday next April but even surprass Squeaky and reach her 20th birthday. One blessing that has happened that may or may not be related but since last Wed she has taken to cuddling up with me whenever I lay on the bed under my warm blanket. She has not done that in many months and those are very special times for me. In fact, I'm off to have some of that special time right now!

JOURNAL: 11/28 - What Can I Say: 1) I had a close call on Tuesday when I found an email that announced confirmatkon of an order for over $5,000 of stuff from Amazon. It did look very real and so I called the number provided and got into a conversation with 2 guys with thick accents that made it hard for me to understand. They finally lost me when they asked me to go to any store nearby and buy 3 E-Bay cards that would be used to stop the crooks from purchasing things from E-Bay in the same way. THAT just didn't make any sense. The fact that there had been no money taken out of my bank account in the first place also told me that what a friend I emailed had told me was probably true - it was all a scam! I should have been angry but I was just simply relieved. It all just made me feel embarassed to be another senior who almost got taken. While their email didn't allow me to send a reply, I very much wanted to send them a reply that included Heb. 10:31 and Rev. 20:15! Whatever money I might have been taken for really does pail in comparison to the eternal judgement the scammers face. 2) Took Purrty to see the vet for follow-up for some anti-biotics she was given several weeks ago. The vet expressed concern that Purrty continuing to occasionally pee and poop outside her litter boxes might mean she has some kidney infection. That really scares me as my last cat Squeaky died in large part to an undetected kidney problem. I am supposed to take her back Monday for some tests. I do wish that if there is some problem they can treat it with some kind of medication (sigh). and 3) I continue my fast of ice cream as I and the over 70 million who voted for President Trump's re-election wait for some kind of miraculous court ruling. I find it hard not to feel fear for the US should the president not be re-elected.

JOURNAL: 11/24 - Four Years. 1 Sam. 2:30 - I started working at Publix Market in Avalon 4 years ago TODAY. It was a struggle the first few weeks in getting used to working in a retail outlet. There have been many times of mistakes and struggles but somehow the Lord has brought me through it all. I confess that I first looked at it only as a place to have employment to earn money to pay my bills. (I began at age 65 because I suddenly discovered I didn't qualify for Social Security or Medicare - and still don't) But it wasn't long before I realized that GOD has me working especially to meet people - and I have met many dozens - of fellow employees and customers. I've sought to BE Jesus as best as God has enabled me and have also tried to share the gospel with as many as I could. I've come to regard my workplace as my "mission field" and it's now the primary reason I believe God has me there. How much longer will I be here? As long, I suppose, as God gives me the health and ability to continue doing a good job. As I've told many, my job is an adventure, another chapter in the life journey God has called me to for over 47 yeasrs now. PLEASE PRAY WITH ME that as long as I am here I can make some kind of impact for the Kingdom. I do it all by faith, trusting God that just maybe I am making a difference that honors Him. Other than that, nothing else matters.

JOURNAL: 11/18 - ANOTHER Incredible Week! - 1) I was saddened at work to learn that my most favorite asst manager was suddenly being transferred and leaving to work at another store. ( I still can't get over how many people leave and new people replace them.) I am glad I was able to give her several gifts and included a 3 page letter in which I shared the gospel. 2) On the upside at work, I've had conversations with 5 people in the past 2 weeks, 4 of them for the first time! That is more than I have had in almost the past 6 months; am so blessed! and 3) as I was leaving work, I noticed my car keys was not in my pocket but didn't panic as I now always carry a spare in the other pocket. Then, when I got to my car, I found the missing key lying on the ground right next to my car! (Amazing that no one found the key lying there and drove off with my car!) GOD has protected me in this way so many times it's almost scary. He truly is a GOOD God!

JOURNAL: 11/7 - WHAT A WEEK! After having learned that 2 of my friends from when I first became a Christian (47 years ago this past Tues.) had both died recently within weeks of each other, I learned MONDAY that my former ministry leader and friend, Ben Jennings, had been in ill health and died in August of LAST YEAR! Then, Tues was supposed to be a fun day - to celebrate my 47th "re-birthday" and hopefully to see the president re-elected and to have my new refrigerator finally delivered. Not only was the election results put on hold, but the refrigerator that was delivered was MUCH smaller than what I had expected and so I was forced to have them take it back. Over the next few days, it took several phone calls to finally arrange to have a new fridge delivered - thankfully by THIS FRI. The stress of those calls and the on-going election drama was weighing on me when I went to work on Thurs. after my day off on Wed. But just as I was waiting to start my shift, the breakroom was suddenly filled with young adults expressing very anti-Trump sentiments. It got to where one young lady suddenly blurted out things like "oh, she (a woman who had previously worked at the store) was such a racist!" and "minorities who voted for Trump are just so stupid!." Finally, a young man I know is a Christian suddenly blurted out, "I am pro-life but the govt. shouldn't be interfering with a woman's right to have an abortion." THAT was when I finally wanted to say something but then the room suddenly emptied out. All through my shift I felt great stress and anger and sadness that so many young people were so accepting of politically correct talking points and that they would determine our future leaders. I somehow made it through my shift and to my car where I proceeded to turn to the local Christian music station, not knowing what music I would be hearig as many times I don't recognize the current popular Christian songs. Just then, though, they were playing "Jingle Bell Rock," a fun song from many decades ago, and I found myself just burssting out laughing. That song was followed by "Hark the Hearald," my favorite Christmas carol, which was then followed by Johnny Mathis singing "Sleigh Bells." I remember just bursting out laughig and sang long. Though a bit early for Christmas music, I took that music to be God's way of releiving my stress and simply making me forget all the negatives I've had to absorb lately and to simply FEEL good. Since then, I did get a great fridge delivered yesterday and have been trying to get some rest. I'm a little concerned I may be coming down with a cold, but the Christmas music and the new fridge have helped to ease the stress of the election uncertainty. Also, my reading of Revelation as part of my churh's Bible reading plan has reminded me that yes, ultimately, with God in control somehow ALL will be well for good one day!

JOURNAL: 10/29 - I got a surprise call last night from my former mentor Leonard A. Mahoe. I got an even greater surprise when he told me - in response to my inquiry about my former mentor Hal Jones - that not only had Hal died several days ago after suffering a heart attack, but that several weeks ago another mentor Tom Nakamine had died after a 24-year battle with cancer. Even with the sadness I felt, I was comforted by the phrase God placed on my heart while I worked on Tueday after having learned I will not qualify for Publix health insurance for at least another year. I was comforted by the thought that even more valuable than any health insurance policy was the knowledge that as a believer in Christ, I have "Eternal Heavenly Assurance." My long time friends are now at HOME with Jesus and one day I will get to join them. How great will THAT be!

JOURNAL: 10/25 - Overall, it was a good week. 1) Started off bad on Monday night when I god into a LOUD argument with an assistant manager (being falsely accused of something continues to cause me to "lose it"); 2) but Monday was also the day I was finally able to secure a new frdige (though a little smaller than my present one) - this one online from Best Buy. I was first told the delivery would not be until Dec. 8th but on Tues. it was moved up to Nov. 3. just 10 days away!, 3) finally arranged to take Purrty to see the vet on Monday to see if she does not have a urinal tract infection and have it treated; and 4) was able to talk briefly with new guy Sam in the meat dept. over one of his break, even though my attempts to have conversations with several others I've connected with didn't happen because our schedules conflicted. Very discouraging! But agagin, not a bad week.

JOURNAL: 10/10 - 1) I've started to get to know a co-worker to where I am ready to begin sharing the gospel with her but our schedules just haven't allowed for us to have time to touch base recently. I do PRAY that I can resume talking with her soon. and 2) I may need to replace my refridgerator VERY soon and am hopeful of an appliance repair guy giving me input. I PRAY that I can see this resolved soon.

JOURNAL: 9/19 - GENday! What a crazy time it has been with so many "surprises" (mostly unwelcomed) during the past nearly 5 months. It was all symbolized by my finding one of my 2 Dollar Store yard ornaments missing from the tree in my front yard. It's never happened before and it makes me sad to think someone would do something so petty. I guess it's just the kind of times we've devolved into. I do take pleasure, however in that I mark my 70th GENday today. I re-posted my article from 8 years ago explaining it and hope that others will also start noting the day and help develop the mindset that our lives do not begin when we are born but when we were first created in our mother's womb. From CONCEPTION, ALL life is precious!

JOURNAL: 8/22 - 1) About 2 weeks ago, what I thought was a mosquito bite had grown to be the size of my thumb! I saw a doctor 2 days later and she gave me some anti-biotics which seems to have significantly lowered the size of the inflamation. (She believes it was caused by a skin infection at the site, though I have no idea how that happened.) I'm praying the swelling will finally disappear as I just took my last pill this morning. 2) I've felt esp. tired and feverish since Tuesday during the morning and early afternoon hours. (No, I'm sure it's not THAT!) I'm praying that I will be able to see an improvement in the days ahead.

JOURNAL: 7/15 - 1) Purrty has become as well as ever, though he still is a bit finicky about eating the good food given to him. It's hard not to spoil her with special treats, esp. when she makes me happy when she does eat her food as she should. 2) I've learned that I should have been more careful in agreeing to the treatments of the dentist I have had since last fall. They may have not only been too extreme measures but also more costly than they needed to be. I just saw another dentist who suggested a different and less expensive treatment plan. Now to decide whether to trust in this dentist's recommendations. Frustrating when seeing a "professional" becomes a questioin of who can you trust.

JOURNAL: 7/4 - PURRTY UPDATE: As I said in my last post, Purrty has been doing well - overall. HOWEVER, she continues to be spoiled in her eating, not going near the dry food she should be eating and meowing repeatedly for some cooked chicken that I was giving her as a treat. She woke me up about 3 am this morning and when I put dry food in front of her, she refused again and again to eat anything. It got me so mad I started screaming and could have punched a hole in the wall but instead kept slapping my hands together loudly in frustration. I need for Purrty to finally not be so fussy and just eat her food. Pray I will remain persistant and stay calm and that she will finally get back to eating as she did months ago.

JOURNAL: 7/1 - PURRTY UPDATE: She has been eating well, not throwing up, and pooping more often. I have never felt like she is "back to normal" in about 2 months. So encouraged!

JOURNAL: 6/26: Purrty finished her anti-biotic treatment this past Tuesday. But she continues to hardly eat the good, balanced dry food she had eaten before her recent health episode. She is just so thin. She seems to only want "human food" like cooked chicken but the vet says that she needs balanced food. It's been suggested she may need to see a specialist who will charge between $800-$1000 for a consultation and blood work. I continue to be frustrated as to how to proceed. I can' help but feel like I'm being milked like a "cash cow" when all I want is to have my best friend healthy and well. I hug her and pray over her every chance I get but I have no sense of what God wants me to do next. I don't remember feeling so helpless and joy-less. I am asking God to give me wisdom and His supernatural joy during this very difficult time.

JOURNAL: 6/18: Ilm feeling overwhelmed with all the things that's been happening. 1) Most important, Purrty - who's lost a lot of weight lately - is continuing to eat rather little. The vet is recommending more expensive blood tests and even to go to see a specialist. I SO do love Purrty and will of course do anything to help her be healthy, but it's all becoming so costly. I keep trying to be sure whatever is recommended is absolutly necessary but nothing seems to be inexpensive. It's hard not to be conscious of all the work you've had to do to earn the money to pay for things like blood tests and now specialists. Add to this past few days is the battle each morning to pry open Purrty's mouth to get her to take her liquid medicine. 2) On top of this, there is discovering that I need to get my driver's license renewed and that, with the COVID- 19 changes, I have to have an appointment to do that and can't get one for at least another week. Then there is learning that I need to climb up on my roof to clean the gutters and address some other problems in my yard. It's all just got me worn out with surprise after surprise. I just praise God HE is still in control and HE is never surprised!

JOURNAL: 6/14 - The vet left me a message yesterday saying that the extensive tests they did on Purrty showed that one of the problems he has is a urinary tract infection. In order to deal with that, I'll need to give him ORALLY a liquid antibiotic. I tried to hide it in his food but then I go back to strictly dry food on Monday. And so, after MUCH prayer, I finally got Purrty to settle down enough for me to pry open her mouth to shoot the liquid in. Sheesh - we BOTH hate that! I just pray that the medicine does it's job. (I also learned that she still has fleas but I don't know what more to do for her,)

JOURNAL: 6/11 - This past Monday was particularly difficult. My cat Purrty has continued to vomit every few days and I wasn't sure what the problem was. Then on Monday, an email appeared in my email box in which a veterinarian said that an animal vomiting could mean it had cancer. Yikes! 2) Then, later in the afternoon at work, I learned of a fellow worker whose dog had suddenly died several weeks ago because of undetected cancer in his body! This person insisted that there was some kind of blood test to detect for cancer in animals. This turned out to be wrong.) Talk about being distracted when I finally went to work that day by the emotions all this caused. The next day I made an appointment for a vet to check out Purrty. Yesterday the vet saw the need to run over $500 in various tests to try to see what exact problems there might be with Purrty. At this time, the doctor is still waiting for final results from the tests they ran. Meanwhile, I'm struggling with the thought that I would have to say good-bye to Purrty, who is not just "a pet" but my closest love one. This has all been expensive but I am ready to do anything to help extend the life of my best friend. It's just one of the hardest things I've had to release to God's care in a long time.

JOURNAL: 5/30 - In the 3 1/2 years that I have worked at Publix, last night clearly stands out as one of the highlights. One of the assistant manaers, Katy, arranged a special graduation celebration for the dozen employees at our store who have just graduated from high school or college but because of the pandemic will not have the traditional graduation ceremony by their school to celebrate their great acheivement. Right as my shift ended, she had an area near the store's entrance marked off with even a small stage on which each graduate was able to walk across, get their picture taken, and receive an achievement award from Publix. She even arranged to have some of the musically gifted employees to form a small orchestra to play the traditional graduation march and she gave a great commencement speech besides. Her efforts to affirm those young people just emphasizes how much I believe that one of the key tasks of management is to affirm their workers as much as possible. Katy does that as well as anyone I know. It is truly a PLEASURE to work at Publix when there are managers like her.

JOURNAL: 5/21 - I'm very encouraged that Purrty appears to be back to normal. And now that I finally started her on a topical medication, she should remain healthy as I keep up the treatments each month. I as well have gotten much needed rest after the past month of focusing on getting her better. I'm very grateful for the many prayers offered up for her and myself. I just hope there is not another repeat of that anytime soon.

JOURNAL: 5/13 - Just got back from taking Purrty for another blood test. I was stunned to have the technitian returning her to me to comment that they found fleas on her. I had noticed she was scratching a bit the past few days but refused to believe that there were any fleas on her, esp. when I daily had been combing her and not finding any fleas. I just pray that getting her some flea medication will make a difference and that the vet will NOT have me do another flea treatment. That just takes so much effort to do. It's all so discouraging after I thought there had been great progress made last week. / 6 pm - Just spoke with the vet who said that Purrty's red blood cell count is finally up to 30, which is normal. The fact that she had fleas on her may just may mean they are responding to the house being treatment. In a few days, I will now start her on a topical treatment that shoud hopefully bring the flea problem under control. Praise God!

JOURNAL: 5/6 - It's been quite a 2 1/2 weeks since my last post. Just 2 hours after the encouragement of Purrty finally drinking some water, I noticed her looking deflated with a look that said, "I'm reallynot doing well." This time I didn't hesitate and rushed her to the animal emergency hospital down the street. After sitting in the car for 3 hours waiting to even be allowed into the building, we then waited another hour before they took her in for the vet to see her. I was finally told that Purrty was suffering from acute blood anemia and would need a blood transfusion. I remember going numb when the paper they had me sign to allow the procedure asked if I wanted them to use CPR or DNR (allow her to die!) in case something went wrong during the transfusion! That night, I almost had an emotional breakdown expecting to go home and getting a phone message saying that Purrty had died! What followed was a battery of tests the next day with they telling me that I needed to treat my house for fleas as Purrty had ben attacked by them. (How does a strictly indoor cat get attack by fleas enough to almost kill her?!!) I ended up suspending my blog for 2 weeks and spending every day doing major cleaning in my house. Then yesterday, I finally flea bombed every room in the house, including the garage. (Once the stress of cleaning for hours and then going to work caused me to become short of breath. Then, this past Sunday, I got up and felt the wind had been knocked out of me and spent 3 hours sleeping before getting up and doing more cleaning and then going to work.) TODAY: Just a little after 1 pm I got a call from the vet who went over Purrty's bloodwork from this morning. At the time of her transfusion several weeks ago, her red blood cell count had fallen to only 10 points when it should be around 30 points. After the transfusion, her count went up to 20 points but that was still quite low. Last week, her blood count had only gone up ONE point, which was discouraging but at least it had not decreased. The vet told me that TODAY's count was up to 28 points - which is spectaular but she still wants to see Purrty reach the 30 point level and so she will be checked again NEXT WED. I PRAY that Purrty will continue to improve and reach that threshold next week. Also pray that the flea treatment I did yesterday - including the garage! - was effective in killing whatever flea eggs that had been in the house. I PRAYALSO that I will not have to repeat that treatment again in a month as the vet suggested. PRAISE GOD for today's great news!

JOURNAL: 4/19 - This past Wed., I noted my precious cat Purrty's 14th birthday. The following day I noticed that she was not eating or drinking water. Yesterday, after she started eating, I held of f taking her to the emergency animal hospital . It was hard to wait since my last cat Squeaky died suddenly just before her 20th birthday because of conditions she was suffering that i did not know about. All night at work, I wondered what I should do and was in constant prayer. Then,when I got up this morning, I presented a fresh bowl of water to Purrty, and she drank for a good while. Talk about feeling like Resurrection morning! Wow! Thank you Lord for such an ecnouraging answer to my many prayers!

JOURNAL: 3/19 - I praise God that thus far he has allowed me to have good health in the midst of this going worldwide health crisis. I was, however stressed out and disappointed earlier this week when: 1) A customer I was helping at work suddenly "lost it" when my hand accidentally touched a food product I was handlng. Even after I corrected my error, she ended up complaining to the store manager, who not only came to my work error to call me on it, but who also called my dept manager at home and he called and called me out as well. (The stress this caused me was in addition to several other customers who presented stressful orders. That was also my fifth straight work day and so I was already exhausted.) It was one of the most difficult nights I've ever experienced. Now, if you can get this virus if you are too stressed out, then...., and 2) I had purchased advanced tickets for a special film showing and been looking forward to spending time with some friends this past Tues. only to learn just 10 minutes before they were to come and pick me up that the theatre had closed because of the virus. Ouch! The only bright spot was having the thougt occur to me - in the midst of that horrible Monday night - that while I have only several rolls of toilet paper, my cat has about a 7 month supply of cat litter stored in my garage. I smiled when I thought of my trying to use cat litter (: P.S. - When I returned to work, I was surprised to find our managers had laid out a table in our employee breakroom covered with all kinds of treats to thank us for all our work during these difficult days. Then later, one of my first customers kept thanking me for my service. Through these actions, I felt God assuring me that yes, He would give me things to encouage and sustain me through this difficult time.

JOURNAL: 2/19  I praise God that my health has been well after the antibiotic I was given to deal with the chest congestion I had finally knocked that out 2 weeks ago. Right now, I find myself focused on 2 things: 1) trying to secure more sponsors for my effort this year in the Walk for Life fundraiser. The response has been slower than in past years but I am trying to remain hopeful that at least the minimum goal I have set will be exceeded  as will the goals of others Walking with me from my church.; and 2) looking for more opportunities to share Christ with co-workers and customers. Then, just last Friday, I had a chance to briefly speak with a customer who had announced that he and his wife would be leaving the area at the end of Feb. and that he would probably not be returning to shop at the store. I was passionate as I shared with Pete, and only hope that at the next  and probably last meeting we have when he stops by for the last time  I would share that which would cause him to understand the need to trust in Christ and come into a relationship with God. Ive always known I would be a sower of the gospel but I still struggle to want to be part of the harvest, of actually seeing people come to Christ. I pray that Pete will be part of that harvest.

JOURNAL: 1/18: On 1/2, I started to get a running nose. Took some over the counter nasal decongestant but a week later I ALSO started to have chest congestion. The over the counter medicine I took didn't do much for the congestion and so this past Wed I finally so my doctor. She gave me an antibiotic that is supposed to work in a week. It seems to be helping but hope the congestion is finally cleared up by next Wed.

JOURNAL: 3/19 - I praise God that thus far he has allowed me to have good health in the midst of this going worldwide health crisis. I was, however stressed out and disappointed earlier this week when: 1) A customer I was helping at work suddenly "lost it" when my hand accidentally touched a food product I was handlng. Even after I corrected my error, she ended up complaining to the store manager, who not only came to my work error to call me on it, but who also called my dept manager at home and he called and called me out as well. (The stress this caused me was in addition to several other customers who presented stressful orders. That was also my fifth straight work day and so I was already exhausted.) It was one of the most difficult nights I've ever experienced. Now, if you can get this virus if you are too stressed out, then...., and 2) I had purchased advanced tickets for a special film showing and been looking forward to spending time with some friends this past Tues. only to learn just 10 minutes before they were to come and pick me up that the theatre had closed because of the virus. Ouch! The only bright spot was having the thougt occur to me - in the midst of that horrible Monday night - that while I have only several rolls of toilet paper, my cat has about a 7 month supply of cat litter stored in my garage. I smiled when I thought of my trying to use cat litter (: P.S. - When I returned to work, I was surprised to find our managers had laid out a table in our employee breakroom covered with all kinds of treats to thank us for all our work during these difficult days. Then later, one of my first customers kept thanking me for my service. Through these actions, I felt God assuring me that yes, He would give me things to encouage and sustain me through this difficult time.

JOURNAL: 2/19  I praise God that my health has been well after the antibiotic I was given to deal with the chest congestion I had finally knocked that out 2 weeks ago. Right now, I find myself focused on 2 things: 1) trying to secure more sponsors for my effort this year in the Walk for Life fundraiser. The response has been slower than in past years but I am trying to remain hopeful that at least the minimum goal I have set will be exceeded  as will the goals of others Walking with me from my church.; and 2) looking for more opportunities to share Christ with co-workers and customers. Then, just last Friday, I had a chance to briefly speak with a customer who had announced that he and his wife would be leaving the area at the end of Feb. and that he would probably not be returning to shop at the store. I was passionate as I shared with Pete, and only hope that at the next  and probably last meeting we have when he stops by for the last time  I would share that which would cause him to understand the need to trust in Christ and come into a relationship with God. Ive always known I would be a sower of the gospel but I still struggle to want to be part of the harvest, of actually seeing people come to Christ. I pray that Pete will be part of that harvest.

JOURNAL: 1/18: On 1/2, I started to get a running nose. Took some over the counter nasal decongestant but a week later I ALSO started to have chest congestion. The over the counter medicine I took didn't do much for the congestion and so this past Wed I finally so my doctor. She gave me an antibiotic that is supposed to work in a week. It seems to be helping but hope the congestion is finally cleared up by next Wed.

JOURNAL: 3/19 - I praise God that thus far he has allowed me to have good health in the midst of this going worldwide health crisis. I was, however stressed out and disappointed earlier this week when: 1) A customer I was helping at work suddenly "lost it" when my hand accidentally touched a food product I was handlng. Even after I corrected my error, she ended up complaining to the store manager, who not only came to my work error to call me on it, but who also called my dept manager at home and he called and called me out as well. (The stress this caused me was in addition to several other customers who presented stressful orders. That was also my fifth straight work day and so I was already exhausted.) It was one of the most difficult nights I've ever experienced. Now, if you can get this virus if you are too stressed out, then...., and 2) I had purchased advanced tickets for a special film showing and been looking forward to spending time with some friends this past Tues. only to learn just 10 minutes before they were to come and pick me up that the theatre had closed because of the virus. Ouch! The only bright spot was having the thougt occur to me - in the midst of that horrible Monday night - that while I have only several rolls of toilet paper, my cat has about a 7 month supply of cat litter stored in my garage. I smiled when I thought of my trying to use cat litter (: P.S. - When I returned to work, I was surprised to find our managers had laid out a table in our employee breakroom covered with all kinds of treats to thank us for all our work during these difficult days. Then later, one of my first customers kept thanking me for my service. Through these actions, I felt God assuring me that yes, He would give me things to encouage and sustain me through this difficult time.

JOURNAL: 2/19  I praise God that my health has been well after the antibiotic I was given to deal with the chest congestion I had finally knocked that out 2 weeks ago. Right now, I find myself focused on 2 things: 1) trying to secure more sponsors for my effort this year in the Walk for Life fundraiser. The response has been slower than in past years but I am trying to remain hopeful that at least the minimum goal I have set will be exceeded  as will the goals of others Walking with me from my church.; and 2) looking for more opportunities to share Christ with co-workers and customers. Then, just last Friday, I had a chance to briefly speak with a customer who had announced that he and his wife would be leaving the area at the end of Feb. and that he would probably not be returning to shop at the store. I was passionate as I shared with Pete, and only hope that at the next  and probably last meeting we have when he stops by for the last time  I would share that which would cause him to understand the need to trust in Christ and come into a relationship with God. Ive always known I would be a sower of the gospel but I still struggle to want to be part of the harvest, of actually seeing people come to Christ. I pray that Pete will be part of that harvest.

JOURNAL: 1/18: On 1/2, I started to get a running nose. Took some over the counter nasal decongestant but a week later I ALSO started to have chest congestion. The over the counter medicine I took didn't do much for the congestion and so this past Wed I finally so my doctor. She gave me an antibiotic that is supposed to work in a week. It seems to be helping but hope the congestion is finally cleared up by next Wed.

JOURNAL: 3/19 - I praise God that thus far he has allowed me to have good health in the midst of this going worldwide health crisis. I was, however stressed out and disappointed earlier this week when: 1) A customer I was helping at work suddenly "lost it" when my hand accidentally touched a food product I was handlng. Even after I corrected my error, she ended up complaining to the store manager, who not only came to my work error to call me on it, but who also called my dept manager at home and he called and called me out as well. (The stress this caused me was in addition to several other customers who presented stressful orders. That was also my fifth straight work day and so I was already exhausted.) It was one of the most difficult nights I've ever experienced. Now, if you can get this virus if you are too stressed out, then...., and 2) I had purchased advanced tickets for a special film showing and been looking forward to spending time with some friends this past Tues. only to learn just 10 minutes before they were to come and pick me up that the theatre had closed because of the virus. Ouch! The only bright spot was having the thougt occur to me - in the midst of that horrible Monday night - that while I have only several rolls of toilet paper, my cat has about a 7 month supply of cat litter stored in my garage. I smiled when I thought of my trying to use cat litter (: P.S. - When I returned to work, I was surprised to find our managers had laid out a table in our employee breakroom covered with all kinds of treats to thank us for all our work during these difficult days. Then later, one of my first customers kept thanking me for my service. Through these actions, I felt God assuring me that yes, He would give me things to encouage and sustain me through this difficult time.

JOURNAL: 2/19  I praise God that my health has been well after the antibiotic I was given to deal with the chest congestion I had finally knocked that out 2 weeks ago. Right now, I find myself focused on 2 things: 1) trying to secure more sponsors for my effort this year in the Walk for Life fundraiser. The response has been slower than in past years but I am trying to remain hopeful that at least the minimum goal I have set will be exceeded  as will the goals of others Walking with me from my church.; and 2) looking for more opportunities to share Christ with co-workers and customers. Then, just last Friday, I had a chance to briefly speak with a customer who had announced that he and his wife would be leaving the area at the end of Feb. and that he would probably not be returning to shop at the store. I was passionate as I shared with Pete, and only hope that at the next  and probably last meeting we have when he stops by for the last time  I would share that which would cause him to understand the need to trust in Christ and come into a relationship with God. Ive always known I would be a sower of the gospel but I still struggle to want to be part of the harvest, of actually seeing people come to Christ. I pray that Pete will be part of that harvest.

JOURNAL: 1/18: On 1/2, I started to get a running nose. Took some over the counter nasal decongestant but a week later I ALSO started to have chest congestion. The over the counter medicine I took didn't do much for the congestion and so this past Wed I finally so my doctor. She gave me an antibiotic that is supposed to work in a week. It seems to be helping but hope the congestion is finally cleared up by next Wed.

JOURNAL: 3/19 - I praise God that thus far he has allowed me to have good health in the midst of this going worldwide health crisis. I was, however stressed out and disappointed earlier this week when: 1) A customer I was helping at work suddenly "lost it" when my hand accidentally touched a food product I was handlng. Even after I corrected my error, she ended up complaining to the store manager, who not only came to my work error to call me on it, but who also called my dept manager at home and he called and called me out as well. (The stress this caused me was in addition to several other customers who presented stressful orders. That was also my fifth straight work day and so I was already exhausted.) It was one of the most difficult nights I've ever experienced. Now, if you can get this virus if you are too stressed out, then...., and 2) I had purchased advanced tickets for a special film showing and been looking forward to spending time with some friends this past Tues. only to learn just 10 minutes before they were to come and pick me up that the theatre had closed because of the virus. Ouch! The only bright spot was having the thougt occur to me - in the midst of that horrible Monday night - that while I have only several rolls of toilet paper, my cat has about a 7 month supply of cat litter stored in my garage. I smiled when I thought of my trying to use cat litter (: P.S. - When I returned to work, I was surprised to find our managers had laid out a table in our employee breakroom covered with all kinds of treats to thank us for all our work during these difficult days. Then later, one of my first customers kept thanking me for my service. Through these actions, I felt God assuring me that yes, He would give me things to encouage and sustain me through this difficult time.

JOURNAL: 2/19  I praise God that my health has been well after the antibiotic I was given to deal with the chest congestion I had finally knocked that out 2 weeks ago. Right now, I find myself focused on 2 things: 1) trying to secure more sponsors for my effort this year in the Walk for Life fundraiser. The response has been slower than in past years but I am trying to remain hopeful that at least the minimum goal I have set will be exceeded  as will the goals of others Walking with me from my church.; and 2) looking for more opportunities to share Christ with co-workers and customers. Then, just last Friday, I had a chance to briefly speak with a customer who had announced that he and his wife would be leaving the area at the end of Feb. and that he would probably not be returning to shop at the store. I was passionate as I shared with Pete, and only hope that at the next  and probably last meeting we have when he stops by for the last time  I would share that which would cause him to understand the need to trust in Christ and come into a relationship with God. Ive always known I would be a sower of the gospel but I still struggle to want to be part of the harvest, of actually seeing people come to Christ. I pray that Pete will be part of that harvest.

JOURNAL: 1/18: On 1/2, I started to get a running nose. Took some over the counter nasal decongestant but a week later I ALSO started to have chest congestion. The over the counter medicine I took didn't do much for the congestion and so this past Wed I finally so my doctor. She gave me an antibiotic that is supposed to work in a week. It seems to be helping but hope the congestion is finally cleared up by next Wed.

JOURNAL: 3/19 - I praise God that thus far he has allowed me to have good health in the midst of this going worldwide health crisis. I was, however stressed out and disappointed earlier this week when: 1) A customer I was helping at work suddenly "lost it" when my hand accidentally touched a food product I was handlng. Even after I corrected my error, she ended up complaining to the store manager, who not only came to my work error to call me on it, but who also called my dept manager at home and he called and called me out as well. (The stress this caused me was in addition to several other customers who presented stressful orders. That was also my fifth straight work day and so I was already exhausted.) It was one of the most difficult nights I've ever experienced. Now, if you can get this virus if you are too stressed out, then...., and 2) I had purchased advanced tickets for a special film showing and been looking forward to spending time with some friends this past Tues. only to learn just 10 minutes before they were to come and pick me up that the theatre had closed because of the virus. Ouch! The only bright spot was having the thougt occur to me - in the midst of that horrible Monday night - that while I have only several rolls of toilet paper, my cat has about a 7 month supply of cat litter stored in my garage. I smiled when I thought of my trying to use cat litter (: P.S. - When I returned to work, I was surprised to find our managers had laid out a table in our employee breakroom covered with all kinds of treats to thank us for all our work during these difficult days. Then later, one of my first customers kept thanking me for my service. Through these actions, I felt God assuring me that yes, He would give me things to encouage and sustain me through this difficult time.

JOURNAL: 2/19  I praise God that my health has been well after the antibiotic I was given to deal with the chest congestion I had finally knocked that out 2 weeks ago. Right now, I find myself focused on 2 things: 1) trying to secure more sponsors for my effort this year in the Walk for Life fundraiser. The response has been slower than in past years but I am trying to remain hopeful that at least the minimum goal I have set will be exceeded  as will the goals of others Walking with me from my church.; and 2) looking for more opportunities to share Christ with co-workers and customers. Then, just last Friday, I had a chance to briefly speak with a customer who had announced that he and his wife would be leaving the area at the end of Feb. and that he would probably not be returning to shop at the store. I was passionate as I shared with Pete, and only hope that at the next  and probably last meeting we have when he stops by for the last time  I would share that which would cause him to understand the need to trust in Christ and come into a relationship with God. Ive always known I would be a sower of the gospel but I still struggle to want to be part of the harvest, of actually seeing people come to Christ. I pray that Pete will be part of that harvest.

JOURNAL: 1/18: On 1/2, I started to get a running nose. Took some over the counter nasal decongestant but a week later I ALSO started to have chest congestion. The over the counter medicine I took didn't do much for the congestion and so this past Wed I finally so my doctor. She gave me an antibiotic that is supposed to work in a week. It seems to be helping but hope the congestion is finally cleared up by next Wed.

JOURNAL: 1/1 - Can't believe it's been over 2 months since I last posted a personal update. Just seemed to be as busy as ever and not much new happening. Just to make note here: 1) I felt I was too busy to send out Christmas cards this year. But then, when I started with one to a co-worker who has been recovering from injuries from an accident for several months now (Brandon), it got me to write cards with about 2 pages of writing to a fellow Christian at work (to encourage her); a follow-up to a card explaining the gospel I had written several years ago to my immediate supervisor at work ; cards with about 2 pages of personal notes to each of about 8 fellow employees at work. Phew! A lot of effort but I'm greatful God gave me the energy and wisdom to do so; 2) Been blessed by my neighbor Matt who has continued to come over and do yard work for me without my ever asking him as well as help me with other projects for the home, as he did just yesterday; and 3) struggle to remain hopeful that I will be able to connect with at least one fellow employee in the months to come about spiritual things. Being a sower of the gospel can be discouraging when there is rarely an affirmative response from someone. But there is something about a new year starting that renews my hope for such a breakthrough. Praying much for that anyway.

JOURNAL: 10/30 - Trick or Treat? Confronting people has never come easy for me. But lately, I've found myself becoming bolder in confronting unfairness. a) I pressed the telephone company rep. as to why they were ready to increase my rates in December (that I was suddenly told about) when they were at the same time supposed to lower my rate for being a loyal customer - all discovered when I simply challenged him about the rate I've been paying!; b) I challenged a drug store manager as to why they had a product on sale that would expire before all the medicine could be used!; c) I confronted a customer at work who i suspected was involving me in trying to get away with paying less than what she was required to. I've just become fed up with wrong doing I see around me and being the victim of others' unfair actions.

JOURNAL: 10/23 - Wow, what a week it's been! Just hours after posting my blog post for the day which included my latest Journal entry, my internet went down. It has stayed that way (which also meant I couldn't use my phone since then because my phone system is tied to the internet) for the past week. Talk about causing stress -yikes! I had to bother my neighbor EVERY DAY to use her phone; praise God she was very understanding and patient. By this past Monday and Tuesday night at work, however, I felt the strain and barely made it to my first day off in a week TODAY, when the technician from the phone company finally came by to fix things. Though these have been a difficult week, I was blessed by my neighbor as well as another neighbor suddenly stepping forward to pressure wash my driveway and work on my front yard as well as by a friend who came by to take a look at the computer (though he was unable to solve the problem). Finally, I did receive the disappointing news just today that the platelett level in my blood has become too low for me to continue giving phresis blood donations (that helps cancer patients and which enables me to give as often as every other week!) I've enjoyed giving in thart way for MANY years; it's very sad to see my opportunities to help in this way end.





JOURNAL: 10/16 - Wow! What a 2 weeks it's been! During that time 1) I finally had my major dental procedures completed AND I've finally established good dental habits that should help me prevent great troubles in the future; 2) I've started doing daily walks for exercise after suspending them for several years; 3) my platelet level has suddenly become good enough for me to resume giving pheresis blood donations (allows me to make donations every 2 weeks rather than every 2 months; yes, I enjoy donating blood more than any other activity); am also excited that my last donation allowed me to reach the 40 GALLON mark!; 4) in the wake of one co-worker being seriously injured in a motorycle accident AND another's roommate suddenly collapsing at home AND my almost being run off the road by another driver AND just learning of a friend who had been battling cancer having died 2 months ago, I've been struck by the urgency to share Christ with others. And so, last Thurs. I asked a co-worker directly if he was certain he would be granted entrance into Heaen should he suddenly die. When he confessed he wasn't sure, I handed him a gospel tract and challenged him to read it - not really sure he would even bother. Well, the next day he told me that he had not only read it but had prayed the prayer it contained to place his trust in Christ! I've not had a chance to confirm if he truly understood what he did but at least the door is hopefully opened to discuss spiritual truths with him. This has been so encouraging as I have rarely had a chance to share Christ with someone in awhile as well as not seen someone I knew actually receive Christ in a LONG time. Whew! It's truly been some 2 weeks!

JOURNAL - 10/2 - 1) I just completed several expensive dental procedures. I pray that the dentist's work will prove lastnng and that I will be more discipled personally to take care of my dental health. 2) I've also been struggling with anemia for many months now. The doctor think it's low iron in my blood but hasn't found an answer to my constant tiredness. I pray that I would see a breakthrough in renewed energy SOON. 3) I've been at my job at Publix for almost 3 years. I've had only several opportunities to share Christ with other employees. I SO want to be able to BE JESUS and get a chance to SHARE Jesus with more fellow employees and customers I've gotten to know. zI pray that God would bless me with some great breakthroughs in the months ahead. (I mark my 3rd anniversary working there just after Thanksgiving.) 4) My cat Purrty has been especially finicky about his food lately. I need to take him to the vet but am wary of having to pay for some expensive procedure to help her be better.

JOURNAL: 9/11 - Late last month, I secured a temporary dental insuance policy that was going to help me greatly in offsetting great expenses awaitiing further dental proceedures this week. Then, just last Friday, I learned that the insurance company had not been given the proper notice of my signing up and so I was going to lose out of the savings I thought I had secured. What followed was hours of back and forth with the insurance company and my dental office, with even at one point yesterday morning that I was on the verge of just cancelling everything. But just when I was about to do that, an insurance company rep. (the 4th or 5th one I had talked to) finally worked things out with the dental office. The hassles of trying to work with an insurance company again incredibly stressed me out. It's hard to know why things are made so much more complicated, with details being unveiled after I had signed up. Sheesh!

JOURNAL: 8/24 - It's been quite a few weeks. 1) When I had my stressful week 2 weeks ago, I was so anxious to go home one night that I suddenly raised my voice at a customer. The woman reported me to the manager and for awhile I thought I might get fired. I did end up with a reprimand in my record, despite my explaining the situation to my boss. (It is discouraging how the many times customers commend me after I've waited on them rarely get reported but one customer's complaint does.) On the plus side, the bleeding from the dental surgery finally stopped a week later AND I've been able to find some temporary dental insurance that should save me hundreds on procedures I did have to postpone till the beginning of Sept. Then, last week, in trying to get my cat into her pet carrier, I was scratched up really bad. Later, after she was given her vaccinations, I was told she probably needed to have her teeth cleaned (the coincidence with my condition is kind of funnywhich I have since learned could cost as much as $400! Yikes! Crazy! Finally, just this past Thursday, my doctor said that blood tests I had taken show I have been feeling increasingly fatigued because I have low iron in my blood. Hopefully the rather inexpensive supplements I've started taking - along with watching my diet more - should help. BUT, I also found out that I need to get a colon cancer screening done but since I don't have insurance I'm not sure where to go. So much to trust God for.

JOURNAL: 8/10 - This was incredible week for unexpected major expenses. 1- My car maintenance visit on Monday ended up costing almost $200, and 2- I ended up having 2 days of dental proceedures. The proceedures themselves didn't hurt but the cost of them and some others I also need done soon causes me to finally get dental insurance. I PRAY that I can secure something that really helps me BY NEXT WED when I am supposed to have my next proceedure. (I took an ibuprophen before going to work yesterday to help with bleeding at one site and - not sure if it was the cause - ended up w/ an upset stomach and light-headedness while at work, forcing me to have to leave work early.)

JOURNAL: 8/5 - After the month of June was filled with many MAJOR expenses, it was good to have no such last month. But then, last Thurs., Aug. 1, I learned that I will need to undergo major dental surgery tomorrow AND that there will probably be more procedures coming up. (Praise God, not having insurance, I was also able to discover a dental discount plan that should help a lot.) Then on Sat, when I called a retired friend of 3 decades for a talk we have every few weeks, I learned from her son-in law that she had gone home to Jesus almost a week ago. All of this and suspecting a customer/friend at my workplace may have died recently AND struggling with fatigue for several weeks now has made for a difficult time. (A great distraction from all of this have been 2 great books from the public library I've enjoyed reading.)

JOURNAL: 7/13 - The week was highlighted by my cat Purrty lying on my stomach while I watched my favorite show of the summer, America's Got Talent. She had not done that for almost 2 months and the time of companionship was definitely very special. Also, in continuing to do cleaning around my house, I "accientally" discovered a digital camera I thougt I had mistakenly thrown away YEARS ago! Now to just get someone to help me figure out if it still works AND how to use it.

JOURNAL: 6/29 - After several weeks of struggle trying to secure home owners insurance and encountering roadblocks and being repeatedly passed from one sales rep to another, I FINALLY was able to secure a good deal yesterday. It all contributed to an incredibly stressful month of June that I am so grateful is finally coming to an end. I can only PRAY that I can catch my breath and be able to work on other things with less hassle. One of the bright spots this past month was celebrating my birthday (after not having done so for 35 years0 as a tribute to my Mom and Dad (Mother's Day and Father's Day both preceeded my birthday0). I also took great pleasure in the the 3 audtions on the program "America's Got Talent" that I have noted on my blog post that are so amazing and fun to watch.

JOURNAL: 6/10 - Although I've made some incredible progress in house-cleaning recently (my master bathroom has not looked this good in a LONG time - yeah!), AND I am glad that after over 6 weeks my bathroom mold problem will finally be worked on beginning tomorrow (another yeah! - though it will be expensive and I am trusting God the guys will do a good job), there are still a whole lot of things that remain for me to do. I am trusting God to see that they get done, though it may still be awhile. As physically and emotionally tired as I continue to be, it has therefore been a blessing to have watched 2 particlar acts on America's Got Talent in the past 2 seeks. What's inspired me is how Kodi Lee and Ryan Neimiller demonstrate that our limitations don't need to cause us to live in defeat but to triumph over them. God bless these guys; I do hope a LOT of people are inspired as well in watching them.

JOURNAL: 5/31 - In the past 2 weeks, I've been blessed to 1) to see my car fixed for a reasonable price, 2) finding a less expensive auto insurance policy, 3) being able to get a lot of overdue house-cleaning done in the continuing struggle with my home bug problem, and 4) finally getting a mold problem diagnosed and hopefully soon treated (praying it won't be at too excessive a price). But with all of this, I have been repeatedly disappointed by those who I've learned have not done well the work I paid them to do and have otherwise sought to take advantage of me. It's led to a struggle to keep from becoming cynical of those who offer to help and feeling helpless to being again taken advantage of by someone. Add to this learning that one long time friend may not live out the week and that another may be close to death as well. It's all caused me to become physically as well as emotionally exhausted. I find myself having to stop and take a deep breath often.

JOURNAL: 5/18 - I was reminded of that old expression "when it rains, it pours." Still waiting for the mold question to be resolved but am hopeful it may not be there afterall. Meanwhile, I am also dealing with a long running bug problem in my home (LONG story) as well as the need to make decisons about car, home, and eventually health insurance. Then last night, as I was driving home from work just after 9:30 pm, I saw that the check engine light had come on. I took it in to get it checked this morning, and while it mainly deals with fixing things that affect gas mileage , the cost to repair is VERY expensive, such that I may need to look for another used car rather than pour money into my 22 year old car that's obviously wearing out. I have no idea how to find a good car that' affordable and can only hope I will be able to do so before a more major problem erupts on this car. As I was feeling overwhelmed, I was led to consider the words of the classic hymn "His Eye Is On the Sparrow." It reminded me of the prophet Habbakuk, whose book I read just the other day. (See esp. 3;17-18) It assured me that I can ask questions of why God allows certain things to happen, but in the end I am led to rejoice in a God who knows my needs fully just as He knows that of the tiny sparrow; PRAISE GOD! (Matt. 10:29-31)

JOURNAL: 5/11 - I've been anxious for several weeks now as there is a possibility of mold having formed in my master bathroom wall as a result of a water leak. Have been hopeful a friend could come by and help determine the problem and try to fix it but he's been repeatedly delayed. Praying to be able to rest fully in God's provision and protection.

JOURNAL: 4/15: Yesterday was Palm Sunday and yet you wouldn't know it as again I attended "church" where there was no mention of it. I wonder why Catholic churches note the day but Protestaant churches such as the ones I've attended in recent years let the day go by without any comment. But then yesterday, when I was reading a devotional later in the day, I was WOWed by the comment that Jesus's entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before He went to the cross foreshadowed when - one day soon - He WILL return as King. How cool is that! It encourages me to want to help as many as I can to be ready for His return.

JOURNAL: 3/28 - What a great night ! I was able to send several hours with 2 great friends while attending a special premiere of the movie "Unplanned." It's the powerful story of a former director of Planned Parenthood who left her job and started a ministry to those working in abortion clinics. What an amazing movie; and we even began the evning with the entire audience gathering for a group photo, being led in prayer, and then reciting the pledge of allegiance! I just pray that many will go to see this movie, esp. those who are not sure why it's important to stand up for the unborn. Speaking of which, I'm still several hundred dollars short of my new goal for participating in the Walk for Life THIS SAT. I pray that God will move enough other people to sponsor me to see that goal reached. How great will that be!

JOURNAL:2/28 - It's been a disappointing month now for 2 reasons in particular: 1) I've felt tired even after my schedule has finally allowed me to regularly have 2 days of "rest" after working for 5 straight days. I've started taking a B vitamin daily as several have suggested but have yet to feel it making a difference. And 2) I've had very few conversations lately with other employees at work during the times I've continued to go about an hour early to be available. I've also sadly learned that employees tend to leave working at the store without any official word and so I may not know when I've shared with someone for the last time. And so I can never know when I've had my final opportunity to share Christ with someone, and that is very discouraging.

JOURNAL: 1/25 - Yesterday, on my way to work, I was preoccupied trying to figure out how I had misplaced a watch I had just purchased the other week to replace one that I had lost. The frustration I felt almost caused me to not see some children crossing a street as I zipped along through a narrow point in the road. But then, when I reported for my shift at work, I was almost immediately told that one of the workers in the adjacent meat dept. (who I had not known well because he worked the day shift and often left before I arrived) had unexpectedly died Wed night in his sleep of an apparent heart attack. I quickly forgot about my watch and for the rest of the evening repeatedly asked God if I had done all that I could to share Christ with him. Further, I wondered if I was really doing all I could to help others I knew to understand the importance of being prepared for eternity. To emphasize this, when a co-worker said, "Well, you never know when your time is up" I said, "Yes, but you better be ready for it when it does happen." I am now thinking through how I can be more intentional in finding occasions to share with other employees, even if it means coming to work HOURS early just to catch them on their lunch breaks.

JOURNAL: 1/11 - As I've reflected on the past year, I note some especially encouraging high points: 1) the amazing forgivness of my entire HUGE hospital bill almost a year ago, 2) regular conversations with some good friends who God has used to encourage me, 3) continuing to feel connected with some fellow employees and customers at work, including favorable responses to my sharing about the need for a relationship with God; 4) continued good health of my cat/companion Purrty, who continues to be a daily blessing; 5) all 3 of the college teams I cheered for in their post season games WON! (I am especially blessed that my overall favorite team - the Florida Gators - beat their arch rival FSU Seminoles (first time in years) but also soundly beat their bowl oppoent Michigan; and 6) the recent help of my good friend Russ who spent several hours last Sunday installing a new faucet for my kitchen sink. His servant spirit reminds me of being blessed the year before last by friends at church who came by to put up my backyard fence that had been blown down by a recent hurricane. I am SO blessed!

JOURNAL: 12/21 - It's turning out to be a rather "blue" Christmas for me. Besides just not feeling "connected" with many people during this "holly, jolly" time, things have been esp. difficult at work, with my making mistakes that at one point led me to scream so loud, if I hadn't been in a rather enclosed room I'm surprised the entire store didn't hear me ): The one encouraging thing was - in the midst of all this - being able to write Christmas cards to 9 fellow employees and customers in which I reached out to them with the gospel. I was just blessed last night when 2 of the customers I just handed cards to were so appreciative of my even taking time to get them a card. I only pray that they will have a positive response to what I shared. THAT would really make up for how difficult things have been lately.

JOURNAL: 12/8 - 1) Last Sat., I had just started my work shift when suddenly my nose started bleeding! Since I couldn't recall when that last happened and why it would do so then, it was a scary time. I tried twice to stop the flow with an ice pack but when each attempt succeded for awhile but then failed again, I finally asked the store manager permission to leave work. I ended up resting the rest of that day and the next with no change. Then suddenly on Monday - as I was resigned to need to visit the doctor, I noticed that the bleeding had completely stopped! As best as I've been able to determine, the ibuprophen that I had been taking for several days before this all happened (to deal with a slight fever) worked to thin my blood and, with my nasal passage already weakened by dealing with sniffles as well, I broke some blood vessel. Praise God it finally stopped! 2) At work, it's been discouraging that what should be a busy holiday season has not resulted in much customer flow and so my hours have been significantly cut. Once again the effects of being a part-time employee!, and 3) All of this - and some other things weighing on me - has just made for this to be another "blue Christmas." I'm trusting God to send encouragement through His Spirit!

JOURNAL; 11/24 - 1) I was very blessed to have been able to spend time with my pastor and his family on Thanksgiving. It's great to have been able to celebrate the special day with others for the third straight year! and 2) It is very satisfying to have posted my 2500th!! blog post today. (This is assuming I've counted them accurately but it should be right.) I never imagined when I started blogging over 7 years ago that I would reach this milestone. I only hope there are more people actually reading and being blessed by the things I post. I will continue to do so by faith as the Lord continues to lead and enable me to.

JOURNAL: 11/12: Yesterday was one of the most difficult days I've experienced in quite a while as I found myself saying in effect "Good-bye" to many people I've come to know at the church I've attended for more than 4 1/2 years. For awhile now, I've felt God leading me to transition elsewhere for many reasons. No, it's not because I was not attending a "perfect" church because I've long known there is no such place. There are just churches that are a "better fit" for who we are and how we feel comfortable to worship God with others. I believe I have found such a place - a house church such as that which millions around the world worship in  and God has clearly told me that I needed to leave the church I've been attending for over 4 1/2 years now. And so I did so yesterday and it was VERY HARD. Yes, I made sure those I spoke with and gave hugs to had my contact information and encourage each one to keep in touch and let me know their praises and prayer requests. But my past similar experiences tell me that many will not do so and that our relationship has somehow come to an end this side of Heaven. The sadness of that time AND the memory of the hundreds Ive known (and forgotten) throughout my life really struck me last night as I sought to go to sleep. Praise God many Ive said good-bye throughout my life were believers but many others were those I knew before I became a Christian and who I have no idea if I will see one day when we all arrive HOME. Memory can be such a blessing but also such a painful thing to endure the longer one has lived.

JOURNAL: 11/3 - What can I say, but TODAY is one of my most favorite days of the year because with it I mark my spiritual RE-BIRTHday. Today is a milestone because it's my 45th but I greet it with mixed feelings. I have many great years to look back on in my walk with God and I am grateful to be working and having a place where I can go a number of times each week to BE JESUS and hopefully SHARE JESUS with co-workers. I don't know how successful I've been in doing the first part but I've been disappointed with the few opportunities I've had to share Christ with others. I'm not sure if I need to be more intentional in sharing the gospel or if God has just not chosen to give me more open hearts to shre with. ALSO, it's hard not to think of 45 years of walking with the Lord and not being aware of how I've failed to live more of a Spirit-filled/holy life. I can only pray that in the years I have remaining on this side of Heaven, I will be a more faithful servant of our Lord than I have been. In the meantime, I've recently been blessed by several God blessings, among them being able to find time to read a great novel, "Without Warning" that has to do with a man's seeking to understand the gospel in the midst of pursuing a vicious terrorist. It was 458 fast paced pages that I greatly recommend others reading. Also, I "happened" to come across a fascinating book by Nancy Leigh DeMoss entitled,"Choosing Gratitude" in the public library the other day. So filled with great insights. Well, back to my ice cream! (See post.)

JOURNAL: 10/27 - 1- I continue to receive confirmation from God that a transition to another church is coming soon. It's still sad to think of not having regular contact with many people I've come to know but God has used different things to encourage me that this is the time and the place to transition to; 2- I've continued to be disappointed that I haven't had many conversations with people at my workplace. BUT just yesterday I was blessed to be able to talk to a young girl who just graduated HS and is focused on working and making money to attend a Christian school in New Zealand. It was great to learn that her parents work with Crusade. I hope to have more opportunities to talk with and encourage her. I try to stay hopeful that there will be more opportunities to converse with people soon.

JOURNAL: 10/12 - Had a great time visiting a house church this past Sunday. I had an even greater time sitting and talking with the overall pastor yesterday. So affirming and encouraging. I look forward to how directs me from this point on.

JOURNAL: 10/1 -Yesterday, while I waited with others for the worship service to begin, you had to know that "the elephant in the room" was what nearly the entire country witnessed this past Thursday. Of course, there were those like the woman I ran into who could only gush about California considering a law requiring environmentally-friendly pasta straws! I was so incredulous I could only shake my head and walk away. What the nation witnessed was no less than the personal pain of victims of one party's partisanship and one of the founding principles of democratic justice being turned on it's head - how someone was deemed guilty until he could prove innocence. It reminds me of what is happening in scores of other countries where those in power imprison those they simply declare guilty without due process of the law. I think particularly of Pastor Brunson falsely being accused on crimes in Turkey of which he is clearly innocent. Is that kind of anarchy what our country is headed for? May we all pray that is not the case! But based on what we were witness to last Thurday, we have much to fear. In this regard, I find the outburst of Senator Linsey Graham of SC (whom I often disagree with) the most refreshing moment of an otherwise sickening and sad day. (Please note his words quoted below.) It was one of those shining moments when you see - on true "reality" TV no less - someone saying, "Enough!" Finally, I waited in vain for something to be said of all this as part of the worship time yesterday, if but prayer for our nation. I was greatly disappointed as nothing was said to address "the elephant in the room" and am saddened that - with the only real access to the Supreme God of the universe as His children - not even a moment of intercession was offered. That silence, in my view, only adds to the tragedy of what is besetting our nation. This time in our country's history was certainly more significant than the use of environmentally-friendly pasta straws! (Sheesh!)

JOURNAL: 9/14 - 1) It's been a week of fighting a cold that started with a runny nose on Monday and turned into chest congestion by Tuesday. Have been trying over the counter drugs that have dealt with it somewhat but will need to finally make an appointment to see a doctor if it's not completely under control by next week. If it's the flu, I so regret having waited to get the shot we are encouraged to get. 2) Saddened that 2 of my fellow employees at my Publix store have left - one before I could go over the gospel with her (though I did give her some evangelistic materials on her last day) and the other the young man I spoke of in my lst entry who I have shared the gospel with but wanted to emphasize the urgency of his decision before he left but he ended up leaving earlier than I expected. I'm continuing to feel an urgency to not wait so long to speak to people about their spiritual destiny. And 3) I'm excited to be visiting another church this Sunday for only the second time in many years. I don't know where this might lead but am open to God's prompting.

JOURNAL: 9/3 - It's been discouraging to not have many opportunities to interact with fellow employees during my meal breaks lately. It's been even more so in learning that threee guys that I've gotten to know are planning to leave their jobs in the coming week. I've gotten to share the gospel with 2 of them but have met disinterest. However, this past Sat. I was surprised when one of them suddenly asked me, "Do Christians think it's okay to seek revenge?" It turns out that his work environment is very "toxic" and so he plans to leave. I began to share with him occasions in my life when I could have wanted to "get even" with others but I chose not to. He seemed sober after awhile. Then, when several of my accounts involved my time in pro-life activism, he suddenly asked a question about abortion. That opened up for me to get to share extensively on one of my most passionate subejcts. Before we parted, I asked if it was okay if I prayed for him. He smiled and said, "Sure." I am PRAYing that he will consider not leaving but merely being asked to transfer to another dept. I further PRAY that I will get to share with each one preparing to leave before they do. It's all added a greater urgency to my sharing Jesus with people just knowing that any of them could suddenly leave their job.

JOURNAL: 8/22 - For many years and many, many times while I was not working years ago, I found great pleasure in giving phresis blood donations. About 3 years ago they said that they suddenly found an abnormality in my blood and forbid me to give blood again. I tried to get them to re-test me as I had no symtoms but they refused and required me to pay the expenses of having it tested. I refused and have not given since. Well, several months ago, as part of an overall series of blood work, the new doctor I had had me get a blood test ($40) that in effect confirmed I had nothing abnormal in my blood. And so, I was finally given clearance last week and TODAY I was finally able to donate again - for the first time in over 3 years. It may not seem like a big thing to many people but I SO enjoy the opportunity to give blood and probably help someone. It made for a great day!

JOURNAL: 8/16 - 1) Stressed by 2 of life 's irritations the past few days: a) While watching my most favorite show of the summer Tuesday night, I accidently hit a button on my remote and now I can't get the thing to work again and so have been without television completely since. I have no idea what to do that I haven't tried. ): b) Yesterdy, while turning off the faucet in my kitchen, water unexplainably started gushing from the faucet and would not stop for about 5 minutes; I tried to shut off what I thought was the control under the sink but I couldn't get it to move. Fortunately it suddenly stopped flowing but now I will be waiting till Sat. when a friend plans to come by to look at it. Frustratingly, it means using the bathroom sink to wash things as I don't dare try to turn the faucet back on. ): And 2) Have been discouraged that for several weeks now, I've not met anyone new nor had any good conversations with others I meet in the employee breakroom. I've been encouraged to read about nearly 2,000 members of the Army in Missouri making professions of faith in just the past 6 months, affirming to me that God's Spirit works when and where He chooses and that where I am and now may just not be HIS place and time. Also, in beginnin to read the book of Ezekiel (as I read through the Bible this year), I've been reminded how God calls each of us to simply be faithful to do what we can and that afterwards we are not responsible for what we see or don't see happen.

JOURNAL: 7/21 - This past week has been highlighted by many great moments. 1) Sunday worship was special because we actually sang TWO hymns for the second week in a row (I grew up as a young Christian on hymns and always love singing them and miss not having them be a regular part of my churh's Sunday worship.) Each week there was also a hymn that reminded me of someone I have not seen in decades and led me to pray for them. Also this past Sunday there was included in the worship time a song I have not sung in decades - one of those "oldies but goodies" from decades ago that sadly is not sung often in services I've attended. What a blessing to sing a song I enjoyed in the past!; 2) During and after the worship service, I was blessed to have different people walk up to me to affirm me, ask how they could pray for me, and then someone spent time praying with me before I left; and 3) I met several people for the first time at work during my dinner breaks; it made me realize that in the year and a half plus that I've been working there, I've met and talked to some degree with about 40 people and got to share Christ with several of them. Just to know that there could be another opportunity to meet and possibly get to share the gospel with someone has truly made going to work a blessing I never considered when I first started working. I admit there are times I feel humbled that I don't have a very significant job unlike so many friends I know BUT I've come to realize that a job that enables one to engage with people and possibly get to introduce them to Jesus is ALWAYS a SIGNIFICANT job.

JOURNAL: 7/10: Throughout my life - sadly including the 33 years I served in full-time Christian ministry - I have not lacked for situations where I met individuals who challenged my patience and in effect my faith. Last night, in the midst of a very stressful time in my work shift, a gentleman approached me who was anything but gracious in demanding something. I struggled to bite my lip and not lose my temper but I suddenly came to where I said (in effect) that he needed to appreciate that all of us workers are doing the very best we can and that he needed to be patient with us to do out job. It was hard not to want to call him what my immediate supervisor later did in privacy ("You did fine; he was just a jerk!") but it was still one of the hardest moments at my present jobthat I have yet experienced. I decided to end the evening by stopping my the customer service desk of our store and making a point to shake the hand and thank whoever was there for the very difficult job they have that I now have a new appreciation for.

JOURNAL: 7/3: 1) At Work: a) I've struggled to make it through my second straight 6-day work week. I am exhausted but am grateful that beginning tomorrow my boss is giving me several days off and will be giving me back at least 2 days off each week beginning next week. b) I've been blessed in the past week to have had several occasions to get to know other employees at the store. I am still hopeful that I can build on relationships I establish to be able to share more about spiritual things in the future. 2) Grateful for good friends. Yesterday was the first time since my unexpected hospital stay in Feb. that I was not able to post something on my blog. I lost my connection to the internet but just a little while ago my good friend Dan Lum dropped by to correct the problem. He is one of several people God has placed in my life at this time to BE THERE when I have a particular need. I am very humbled and grateful to be blessed by such friends.

JOURNAL: 6/23: While I am not surprised by the media playing to the emotions of the American people on the issue of the children at the border crossings, I've been greatly disappointed by the evangelical leaders who have responded to the emotions and not the facts of the controversy. Just the other day, while on my dinner break at work, the conversations with 2 other employees - one in her 20s and the other a grandmother - went from discussing how children end up being given more control than they were ever meant to - had both women agreeing with me that the media has greatly distorted the issue. We marveled together at how adults react in a knee jerk way when a child cries, as if somehow they are not supposed to at times and that we always need to feel guilty when they do. It encourages me to know that not all exposed to the mainstream media are jumping on the "Blame Trump" bandwagoon and can sense that what the media presents is very often not the whole truth anymore but not so subtle editorializing.

JOURNAL: 6/13 - What a crazy past few days. Monday night, on my way home, one of my tires went flat. I pulled into a fast food parking lot and tried to fix the flat but, even with the help of a store employee, we couldn't get the tire off the rim. I ended up driving the several miles home on that flat (praise God there was no traffic that I had to deal with) so that by the time I got home the tire was in shreds. Then yesterday it ended up taking hours to work out for the insurance company to send a tow truck to take me to a tire store to put on a new tire. There it was almost 2 hours before I was able to get the car driveable for me to get to work, though almost an hour late! Then at work, I was so exhausted I ended up making numerous mistakes. I was so glad to finally make it home last night. Now to get done the ton of things I need to do on this my only day off in a period of 11 days! It all makes an act on "America's Got Talent" last week that was plain silly just what I needed to find on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elXuKBZZ6Z4

[AmericasGotTalent[YumboDump]

working is to people watch. I especially love to watch (most) children as they accompany their parents. I love watching children just freely dance in one spot, not caring who is watching them or how they are regarded. The other day, I watched as a young boy sitting in the shopping cart while his Mom was looking at the meat in the display case suddenly lean back and toss his leg up and watched as his slipper suddenly flew off and landed among the meat. (It still makes me smile just thinking of that moment.) I wasn't sure whether the Mom - obviously not pleased - would get angry as he just sat their unapologeticly enjoying his accommplishment. But suddenly picked up the boy and gave him a hug. What a picture of how God perseveres in loving us - even when we are unrepentant (though of course that is to be preferred). Also, just watching children display their pure joy and innocence is a great reminder of why God sometimes calls children Home to Heaven. Despite the grief such a passing causes those they leave behind, think of how eternity would be so much less a place of joy without the presence of children. Our temporal loss can never compare with the ETERNAL joy they will bring to Heaven!

JOURNAL: 5/29 - Last Thursday, as I rushed to punch in at my workplace time clock, I was stunned to read a notice posted that said that an employee of the store had died the previous Sunday. I later leaned that she was in her mid-thirties and had been ill for a short time before suddenly dying. Though I sadly don't even remember seeing her among the many cashiers of the store, I am still struck my how unexpectedly death can come for any of us. It deepens my sadness at not having been able to share the gospel with more of my co-workers and not seen any of those I shared with come to faith in Christ. It also deepens my sense of urgency to be able to share with more of the people I interact with. May God comfort the grieving family even as I pray He uses this time to cause them to seek Him and find the ANSWER to their eternal destiny in JESUS.

JOURNAL: 5/15 - Yesterday, I found an envelope from Florida Hospital in my mailbox. It had been almost 2 weeks since I had returned to them an application for a break in my hospital charges. Though they had already reduced a bill of over $55,0SUS.00 to just over $13,000 made me thankful and yet that still would have still been a big financial hit. I had come to be resigned to go into my retirement savings and start paying the $13,000+ bill. Expecting bad news (yup, me of little faith!), I decided to wait a day before opening the envelope. It was interesting that throughout the day, God impressed on me to sing throughout the day the chorus to the hymn "To God Be the Glory" in which are the words "...great things He hath done..." Well, I just opened the enevelope to learn that the hospital has chosen to excuse THE ENTIRE AMOUNT of my bill! Talk about a Wow! and Praise God! moment! I still have to figure out how to make payments on some other bills related to my surgery but I think I'll wait till tomorrow. TODAY, I want to just enjoy being grateful to God and the hospital.

JOURNALL: 5/11 - Yesterday, I was greatly blessed to have an unexpected opportunity to share the gospel message with a fellow employee at work during my dinner break. Then, about 3 in the morning, I believe the Lord woke me up with the following 2 thoughts: 1) On May 19th, about 2 BILLION people are expected to watch a royal wedding. And yet, every time someone shares the gospel with someone, ALL HEAVEN pauses to listen in and pray.2) EVERY DAY, the average person spend more time watching some TV program or video than will consider their ETERNAL destinity throughout their ENTIRE LIVES! Talk about short-sightedness: "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul. Or what can a man gain in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26) "Pray the Lord of the Harvest to send ou laborers into his harvest." (Luke 10:2)

JOURNAL: 5/7 - 1) I'm still waiting to hear from Florida Hospital and trying to stay hopeful; 2) Last week, I was sad to have to say good-bye to an employee at my workplace whom I first met when I started working. Though I shared the gospel with him in my Christmas card, I've not had a chance to talk with him about spiritual things and thought I would have more time. But several weeks ago I suddenly heard that he was leaving the store and planning to move to another state. The last time I saw him last week, I gave him a copy of Josh McDowell"s "More Than A Carpenter" and wrote an extensive appeal in the opening pages for him to consider the gospel. I was therefore VERY disappointed to find that very book sitting in the employee breakroom yesterday. I'm not even sure he read it but was surprised he didn't even bother to take it with him! I've always sensed that with his very independent spirit he saw need for God but his not even taking the book was such a disappointment. It pains me greatly to know that his heart is so closed to God and it scares me to realize at any time he (as any of us) can meet death and then have to spend ETERNITY separated from the God he believes he does not need. It continues to pain me that so many today have that sa
(Speech given in Rome at the Italian Parliament on January 29, 2016)

***

Friends and Comrades, it is a great honor to be standing here  at the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament.

***

One year ago I was driving through the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, monitoring the situation in the refugee camps there. Winter was approaching and the mountains on the LebaneseSyrian border were covered by snow. It was cold, very cold.

Some 20 minutes, after leaving Baalbek, I spotted an extremely humble makeshift refugee camp, growing literally from the road, in the middle of nowhere.

I stopped. Together with my interpreter, I walked inside and engaged several people in conversation.

The situation was desperate. Children were hungry and could not register for schools through the UNHCR or through the Lebanese government, which, by that time, had almost collapsed. Many electronic food cards that were issued to the migrants did not function. Work permits were not offered, and without proper paperwork, local social services could not be used. In brief: a total disaster.

I was told that in this area, some Syrian migrants had already been starving.

This was Bekaa Valley, a tough place to start with, and full of ancient traditions, clans, gangs and narcotic-business. Refugees were expected to keep their heads down, or else

Before I left, two little girls, two sisters, approached me. Both had swollen bellies, suffering from malnutrition. Both were dressed in rugs. Both looked deprived.

But after spotting my cameras, they were mesmerized, smiling at me, showing tongues, laughing.

Their country was in ruins, their future uncertain.

But these were just two little girls in the middle of the mountains, two girls excited about each and every little detail of life. Such innocence! Such hope! People are people, and children are children, everywhere, even during wars.

Unfortunately, I have witnessed too many of them; too many wars. Too many barbarities performed by NATO, by the Empire, by the United States and Europe.

Later, working on the Greek island of Kos and in Calais in France, I kept thinking about those two girls, again and again.

The West (or call it NATO, or anything you like  we all know what I mean!) has, in the most cynical manner, destabilized and destroyed the entire Middle East. As it has in virtually all the continents of the world, it ruined tremendous cultures, plundered all it could put its hands on, turned proud people into slaves. Libya and Iraq are no more! I can testify, as I work all over the Middle East.

And then the West enclosed itself into its gold-plated bunker, slowly and disgustingly digesting its booty!

How many refugees are there that Europe says: it cannot accept? 1 million? Tiny, miniscule Lebanon has 2 million, and it is coping; badly but coping!

And Lebanon did not destroy Syria, Libya, Afghanistan or Iraq.

You know how it all feels like? Like observing a woman who was gang-raped, whose husband was murdered in front of her own eyes, and whose beautiful house was looted. Now this woman, just in order to save her starving children from the rubbles, is forced to go to Europe, to the rapists and thieves who destroyed her life, asking for shelter and food. And they spit into her face! They say: It is too much for us, too difficult to accommodate you and others like you! Woman, you came to take advantage of us. You came to have a better life at our expense!

This is how it looks from the outside. This is how I see it.

And I want to puke. But there is no time One has to work, day and night, to stop this madness.

The West, of course including Europe, is too hardened by its own crimes, too cynical, and too unrepentant.

It remains blind, because it simply does not pay to see!

***

There is no Left Wing in Europe, anymore. Not the Left as we understand the term in Cuba and other revolutionary nations.

To us, true left means Internationalism, solidarity!

True left is global, egalitarian, and color-blind.

European so-called Left is only concerned with the benefits of its own citizens. It does not care at all where the funds are coming from.

As long as French, Greek, Spanish or Italian farmers get their subsidies and perks, who cares that agriculture in Africa or Asia gets thoroughly ruined. The most important is that European farmers could drive their latest BMWs, for producing something or not producing anything at all.

I saw absolutely grotesque concepts implemented in countries like Senegal, and other former French colonies: heavily subsidized French food produce flooded West Africa, supermarkets opened, local production collapsed. Then the prices spiked to 2-3 times higher levels than those in Paris. And so, in Senegal where incomes are perhaps only 10% of those in France, a yoghurt costs 3 times more than in Monoprix.

Who pays for those 35-hour workweeks? Who pays for socialized medical care and free education in the European Union? Definitely not the Europeans themselves! Most of the funds used to come from the colonies, from that unimaginable plunder of the world performed by the West.

Colonialism and imperialism are still there, but they often changed forms, although the toll on people in non-white countries continues to be the same.

The Belgian King Leopold II and his cohorts, in what is now Congo, massacred 10 million people, at the beginning of the 20th Century. Between 1995 and now, the West plundered the Democratic Republic of Congo once again, mercilessly, by using its closest allies in Africa  Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. Again, between 7 and 10 million people died there, in just 20 years, and these are not some inflated numbers, these are numbers provided by the United Nations and its reports, including the so-called Mapping Report. All that horror, only so the West could have access to coltan (used in our mobile phones), to uranium, and other strategic materials. I compiled the evidence in my feature documentary film Rwanda Gambit.

All those ruined lives and countries, so that European citizens could have their benefits, long vacations, and social services.

When I discussed the issue with my friend, an Italian filmmaker from Naples, he snapped at me: We dont want to be like the Chinese. We dont want to work hard like them!

I replied: Then live within your means! Do not allow your corporations and governments to massacre tens of millions of people, so that the companies could have their insane profits, and citizens those outrageous benefits.

Recently, in Thailand, I overheard a group of unemployed Spaniards laughing about having a vacation in Southeast Asia, paid for by their unemployment benefits.

I know many countries, dependencies of the West, where losing ones job is synonymous to a death sentence! But we are asked to feel sorry for Spaniards, Italians and Greeks. We are expected to see them as victims.

***

I am saddened to say, but it is not only the United States, but also Europe, which is totally, blissfully ignorant about its role in the world, and about the harm, about the horrors that it is spreading all over our Planet.

This discovery shocked me so much, that I spent 4 years crisscrossing the world, compiling the evidence and testimonies that illustrate the colonialist, neo-colonialist and imperialist legacy of the West, as well as the current neo-colonialist barbarities. The book is 840-pages long and it is called Exposing Lies Of The Empire. I hope, one day, it will be available in the Italian language!

The book has been receiving enthusiastic reception, but for me, this thick volume is not the end. Now I am compiling the second installment. The topic is just too enormous. The crimes, genocides, holocausts committed by the West on the people of our Planet, are too enormous.

Everything is linked to them! The entire arrangement of the world uses them as pillars.

In our book On Western Terrorism  From Hiroshima to Drone Warfare, written together with my friend Noam Chomsky, I was asked whether the Europeans actually realize what they have done to the world, during the last centuries.

(Just a side note  this book is now available in the Italian language Terrorismo Occidentale).

I replied to Noam: They definitely dont!

And I repeat here, again: most of them, the great majority of them, do not realize it! They dont want to see, to admit, that their opera houses, hospitals, museums, parks and promenades, are all constructed on the corpses of those who were robbed of everything: from Latin America and its open veins, to Asia and Africa. Slavery, unimaginable extermination campaigns, tremendous lists of horrors!

Before Noam and I began our discussion, I spent some time with several top statisticians, and our conclusion was chilling: directly or indirectly, the West massacred between 40 and 50 million people, between the Hiroshima A-bomb explosion, and the time of my long dialogue with Noam  in 2012.

The number of people, who were murdered throughout history, directly or indirectly, by European empires, all over the world, can only be calculated in hundreds of millions, and one of my statistician friends believes that the total accumulative number actually exceeds 1 billion.

***

When I was recently speaking at the China Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, and later in Moscow, having been invited by Russian philosophers and by several members of the Russian Academy of Science, I publicly declared that I am fundamentally against free medical care and free education in Europe.

When asked why? I explained that the cost is too high, and those robbed and destroyed people, all over the world, are almost exclusively expected to cover it.

But I continued: I am totally, decisively, supportive of universal free medical care, education and essential social benefits. Or as we say in Cuba: everyone dances, or nobody does!

Of course I also can tolerate and support free medical care, education and benefits in those countries that do not plunder the world, like Cuba, China, Venezuela, Bolivia, South Africa or Ecuador.

***

Not only the West refuses to face its responsibility for, by now, the almost absolute total destruction of the world, it is also using all sorts of smoke screens and propaganda tactics to divert the attention of the people; it is spreading nihilist economic concepts, propaganda and outright lies.

It is using education as a weapon, offering scholarships to children of elites in the countries it is robbing and controlling. After being indoctrinated, they return home and continue violating their own countries on behalf of the United States and Europe.

And so the vicious cycle continues!

I encountered so many grotesque moments, when for instance, an Indonesian upper class family returning from its vacation in Holland, begins a long litany, about how great are the theaters, trains, museums and public spaces in Netherlands, compared to those in Indonesia.

Of course they are! All built from centuries of Dutch plunder of Indonesia, like those Spanish cathedrals stuffed with gold, growing from corpses.

As Noam Chomsky often says: not to see all this truly takes great discipline!

***

The brutality of the Western Empire is unmatchable. Its cynicism is monumental!

Look at those so-called terrorists in Muslim countries, scarecrows that Western governments and media keep waving in front of our eyes!

Islamic culture is greatly socialist and socially oriented. After World War II, secular, socialist, revolutionary and anti-Western governments ruled the most important Muslim nations: Egypt, Iran and Indonesia.

Within two decades, the West overthrew them all, implementing fascist regimes.

It then invented the Mujahideen and injected them into Afghanistan, in order to finish with the Soviet Union.

And once it felt the need for some monumental enemy to replace Communism, it manufactured and then armed, trained and educated groups like al-Qaida, al-Nusra and ISIS.

This move served two important goals: to justify astronomical military and intelligence budgets, and to portray the Western/Christian civilization as culturally superior, fighting Arab terrorist monsters.

Of course, the great majority of the people in Europe and North America are so indoctrinated, intellectually self-righteous and defunct, that they remain blind when faced with those Machiavellian pirouettes.

For the European public, there are plenty of good reasons to stick to those inherently racist beliefs, and to protectionism. There are even better reasons for hiding those millions of heads in the sand!

And so it goes.

***

I am here, in Italy, and today I do not want to discuss the United States, Israel, or other colonies and client states of the West. We can do it some other time, if I am invited back.

I spoke about Europe.

And I spoke about those two Syrian girls I met in Lebanon.

They are your responsibility, too, Italy! They suffer from malnutrition because your part of the world is ruining their country. It is because your country is a member of NATO, and NATO is behaving like a fascist thug with some clear mafia behavioral patterns.

I know you have heart!

I grew up on you films, on Fellini and de Sica, Rossellini, Antonioni and others. I greatly admire your poetry and music. They had tremendous influence on my work, and on how I see the world.

But your heart, it seems, lately goes only to your own people. It is not an internationalist heart. It does not believe that all people are equal.

I came here to say this, because not too many people dare to.

I came here because I still care for your country.

But as a determined socialist realist, I care about Italy as it could and should be, not as it is at this moment.

Thank you!
A sentence to be pondered upon:

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. (Evelyn Beatrice Hall)


Click the pic to visit





Cheers,



- Sue Anne Bottomley



Click here if youd like to e-mail me. Cheers,- Sue Anne Bottomley
"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844
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For its users, Adblock Plus stands as a bulwark against intrusive advertising. But websites dependent on advertising revenue to remain free-of-charge see the open source software as a scourge.

Now the German firm behind Adblock Plus is taking a more conciliatory tack, reaching out to its adversaries to find an "acceptable" level and form of advertising on the net.

Adblock Plus' owners, Eyeo, have dubbed the discussions surrounding its plans to set up an independent committee for acceptable advertising as "Camp David", alluding to a 1978 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt.

And that gives an idea of the scope of the difficulties in getting Internet publishers, advertisers and ad-blockers to sit around the same table and talk.

The first such "summit" was held in New York in November and the second earlier this week in London.

It brought together "the biggest European names in publishing, ad-tech, advertising, digital non-profits and content creation," said Eyeo spokesman Ben Williams, without revealing any names.

Developed 10 years ago and downloaded hundreds of millions of times, the open-source software Adblock Plus is one of the most popular ad-blocking programmes, aimed at preventing intrusive adverts from popping up on the screen and tracking a user's search history for commercial ends.

Its rising popularity is a red rag to a bull for Internet websites that can only remain free thanks to revenues from advertisers.

Adobe and Pagefair, which help Internet sites circumvent the blockers, have estimated that nearly $22 billion (roughly Rs. 1,49,208 crores) in revenues were lost globally last year as a result of ad-blocking software.

'White-listing'

Adblock Plus' users can themselves partly decide which advertisers to block or not using tailor-made filters.

But ultimately, only those who appear on Eyeo's own "white-list" of acceptable ads can be displayed.

To get on that "white-list", advertisers must meet certain criteria laid drawn up Eyeo itself which stipulate how "non-intrusive" ads should be in terms of size, placement and labelling, explained Williams.

Big websites can pay a fee not to be blocked. And it is these proceeds that finance the Cologne-based company and its 49-strong workforce. While Google and Amazon have paid up, others refuse.

Axel Springer, which publishers Germany's best-selling daily Bild, accuses Eyeo of racketeering.

"We believe Eyeo's business model is against the law," a spokesman for Springer told AFP.

"Clearly, Eyeo's primary aim is to get its hands on a share of the advertising revenues."

Ultimately, such practices posed a threat to the professional journalism on the web, he suggested, an argument Eyeo rejects.

"The 'Acceptable Ads' initiative is rather a chance to provide innovation in the ads industry, a chance to get away from blunt, complete ad-blocking and the result of user demand for something better," said Williams.

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, WAN-IFRA, acknowledges the need for "guiding principles" on the matter.

Publishers "have a unique opportunity to re-define how advertising works online and save the mechanism of advertising that supports content on the open web. Publishers, not platforms, must take the lead," said WAN-IFRA director Ben Shaw.

No quick solution

WAN-IFRA, which is organising an "Ad Blocking Action Day" soon in the German business capital Frankfurt, has set up its own "International Task Force" to review and share best practices, Shaw said.

Axel Springer has taken Adblock Plus to court.

And Juergen Seitz, a professor for marketing, media and digital industries at the Stuttgart Media University, was sceptical whether the two sides would be prepared to bury the hatchet any time soon.

"Both sides are digging their heels in and their standpoints are still very far apart. I currently see no way of resolving the conflict, particularly as neither the publishers nor the ad-blockers make up a homogeneous group," Seitz said.

"The smaller, lesser-known ad-blockers have no interest in starting up a conversation."

But he insisted that Adblock Plus should be given credit for "actively seeking dialogue out of the courts, even though it's the publishers' enemy number one and styles itself as such in its PR."

In October, Bild went on the offensive, denying access to its website to anyone who uses ad-blocking software. To be able to access the site, users must de-activate the software or pay for an ad-free version. The German site of Geo magazine has adopted a similar strategy.

And what would become of Eyeo in an ideal world where all Internet advertising is acceptable?

"Then we'll either have developed new products or we'll be history," said spokesman Williams.

AFP
tech2 News Staff

TRAI passed a regulation today scrapping differential pricing. In the meeting held today, TRAI made its stand clear that no company to offer/charge discriminatory tariffs for data on basis of content. This move is a big win for net neutrality.

This move naturally means that social media giant Facebook's plan to launch its Free Basics internet services in India, will not be going ahead anytime soon. As expected Facebook isn't very happy about the ruling and released a statement.

According to a Facebook spokesperson, "Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings."

Although TRAI hasn't outright stated anything pertaining to the Free Basics service, its regulation clearly puts the nails in the coffin for that service in India for the time being.

The director general of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Rajan Mathews too expressed sadness at the TRAI decision.

"The telecom industry is disappointed with TRAIs decision to rule out differential pricing. COAI had approached the regulator with the reasons to allow price differentiation as the move would have taken us closer to connecting the one billion unconnected citizens of India. By opting to turn away from this opportunity, TRAI has ignored all the benefits of price differentiation that we had submitted as a part of the industrys response to its consulting paper, including improving economic efficiency, increase in broadband penetration, reduction in customer costs and provision of essential services among other things. In our opinion, TRAIs regulation on prohibiting differential pricing constitutes a welfare-reducing measure of high concern by blocking a possible avenue for our less-advantaged citizens to move to increased economic growth and prosperity by harnessing the power of the Internet. We believe that this measure will have an impact on the Governments ambitious Digital India initiative," said Mathews.
tech2 News Staff

The mobile VR space is going to heat up very soon as Google reportedly starts prepping a GearVR competitor to be launched sometime this year. The Verge reports that the device will feature a slew of new sensors, a plastic casing and add support for a wider range of smartphones.

Googles cardboard is already the most accessible and affordable form of VR available to the masses, but while cheap, its scope is very limited. The VR experience is limited to just a handful of in-built demos and YouTube videos. Samsungs GearVR takes this a step further by integrating a few advanced sensors into a relatively inexpensive plastic housing that will be compatible with most Samsung phones.

Oculuss Mobile SDK (currently at version 1.0), will be used to publish apps and games, making for a more compelling VR platform the Googles Cardboard. Google is reportedly planning to implement a similar system (headset, SDK, Play Store integration, et al.) with their own version of VR and as a result, open up the world of VR to a much wider audience (GearVR only works with a select few Samsung phones).

The device will reportedly feature better lenses and sensors and will probably integrate VR into Android itself and add support for a larger variety of handsets. This is exciting news indeed and were now eagerly looking forward to Google I/O (May 18-20) where we will, hopefully, get some more information on the project.
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Indian restaurant search and food delivery service Zomato, one of only a handful of Indian start-ups to succeed abroad, said it had broken even in key markets including India and is on track to make a profit as early as June next year.

The result comes as Zomato seeks $200 million in funding, a source close to the group said, in an increasingly tough environment for start-ups.

Zomato, which makes money through advertising and its delivery service, said it had hit operational break-even in India, the UAE, Indonesia and three other markets in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Together, they account for the three-fourths of the company's revenue, co-founder and chief executive Deepinder Goyal told Reuters.

"The fundamental model of our business is that in mature markets we should make profits and they shouldn't need any more outside money to grow," Goyal said.

Zomato is set to start its $200 million funding round in April, the source close to the company said, adding it is in discussions with Chinese internet conglomerates Alibaba Group and Baidu Inc for investments. The source declined to be identified because the discussions are private.

Last month, a Baidu executive told Reuters the company was in talks to invest in Zomato among other Indian startups.

Goyal declined to comment on the companys fund-raising plans.

Zomato has operations in 17 other countries including the United States, Britain and Australia, and has so far raised $225 million from investors including Temasek, Sequoia and Info Edge.

Indias consumer internet startups have attracted billions of dollars in venture capital funding in the last couple of years on the prospects of rising income levels and increasing internet penetration in a county of 1.2 billion people.

However, industry insiders say funding is becoming harder to come by, as investors focus on profits to justify sky-high valuations.

India's hyper-competitive food-tech industry saw a series of mass lay-offs late last year with Nexus Ventures-backed TinyOwl and Rocket Internet backed-Foodpanda restructuring operations after expanding too fast.

Zomato also scaled back its delivery operations in four Indian cities last month and laid off 300 employees last October.

Reuters
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Telecom operators will approach the Department of Telecom (DoT) to contest sectoral regulator TRAI's recommendations on spectrum auctions, especially on pricing of the premium 700 Mhz band.

"We will write to DoT by the end of next week for deferring auction of 700 Mhz band and on possible errors in calculation of price of 700 Mhz band (spectrum). TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has fixed priced based on formula given in 2012. Lot of things in the industry have changed since then," COAI director general Rajan S Mathews told PTI.

Leading operators had requested the regulator to defer sale of 700 MHz spectrum, saying that ecosystem for providing services in this band was not developed and sale would lead to under-utilization of the spectrum for several years and block industry's crucial fund.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has recommended a record high base price of Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz for 700 Mhz. If all the available frequencies gets sold at Trai suggested price then it alone will yield a whopping Rs 4 lakh crore.

As per TRAI's paper, the cost of delivering mobile services in 700 Mhz band is approximately 70 per cent lower than 2100 Mhz band, which is widely used for 3G services.

The auction plan, which suggested total potential revenue of Rs 5.36 lakh crore from the spectrum sale, expected to be held during May-June this year, is more than the double of gross revenues of telecom services industry. Telecom service providers had gross revenue of Rs 2.54 lakh crore in 2014-15 financial year.

Telecom regulator TRAI has used its old formula given in April 2012 spectrum price recommendation to fix price of 700 Mhz at four times of 1800 Mhz band spectrum price -- widely known as 2G spectrum.

Most of telecom operators who have purchased 1800 Mhz band in 2012 or later are using it for 4G services.

Mathews said that Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) also has objections on TRAI's suggestion to reduce block size in 2300 Mhz band and 2500 Mhz band to 10 Mhz while in 2010 telecom operators like Infotel Broadband (now Reliance Jio), Airtel and Aircel were allowed to buy block of 20 Mhz.

"Government should give everyone equal opportunity. Across the world 20 Mhz block is a standard so it should be same in India," Mr Mathews said.

Telecom operators will also raise issue of contiguous spectrum frequency in 1800 Mhz band.

"A contiguous spectrum will not only bring value for industry but also fetch good price in auctions," Mathews said.

While DoT has proposed to auction 21 Mhz of radiowave frequencies in 1800 Mhz band, TRAI has suggested that on completion of harmonisation with defence, it can increase to 201 Mhz spectrum in the same band.

PTI
Just now at least one person is dead and another nineteen are injured in Charlottesville, Virginia today after a car plowed into a group of ...
For reviews of pre-school through clean YA books check out The Children's and Teens' Book Connection or as I like to call it
Myanmar presidential vote to start on March 17 as transition talks drag on

Myanmar\'s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, center, arrives to participate in the inaugural session of Myanmar\'s lower house parliament on Monday.

Reuters, Yangon :Myanmar's parliament will begin its election of the new president on March 17, cutting very close to an April 1 deadline, suggesting talks between Aung San Suu Kyi's victorious party and the military are likely to take longer than planned.But a top military lawmaker on Monday denied that Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and the armed forces were discussing provisions to change the constitution and allow the democracy champion to become the country's new president.Senior NLD members had told the media they would hold presidential elections in February, but the parliament on Monday decided the process would start two weeks before the new government is scheduled to begin its term, on April 1."I hereby announce that the meetings of the three presidential electoral colleges will be held effective March 17," joint chamber speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than said in parliament.The NLD swept the historic Nov. 8 election, securing some 80 percent of elected seats in parliament, or enough to push through its president.That kicked off a lengthy transition process during which the military and the NLD have been locked in negotiations, most probably over the shape of the new government and transfer of power, but details of the talks have been murky."There is no discussing between the military and NLD about Article 59 (f)," Brigadier General Tin San Naing, the spokesman of the military caucus in parliament, told Reuters on Monday.The article, which bars anyone with foreign children and spouses from becoming president, is seen as being aimed at Suu Kyi, whose children are British.It could only be amended with the army's approval, Tin San Naing added."The article can't be suspended. It's against the constitution. It has already been discussed in the parliament so it should not be proposed and discussed again."The article had been "put in the constitution intentionally, to protect our people from foreign invasion," he added.Under the junta-drafted constitution, parliament chooses the president. Each of the two chambers nominates its vice-presidential candidate, while the military MPs, who are guaranteed a quarter of the seats, nominate the third.Once the candidates are in place, a joint-chamber session picks the president for a five-year term. The two losing candidates become vice-presidents.The Nobel laureate, 70, met army chief Min Aung Hlaing days before her party took up its parliamentary majority on February 1 to discuss the transition.As fevered speculation takes hold, broadcasts in state-backed media over the weekend appeared to suggest a breakthrough in talks, only to correct the report on Monday saying it reflected the personal views of some MPs.
Facing New Hampshire loss, Hillary looks ahead to counter Sanders

AP, Concord :

With a victory seemingly out of reach in New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton is looking ahead to the next round of voting to reposition her campaign to counter the rising primary threat of insurgent Senator Bernie Sanders.

Clinton hopes to use a narrower-than-expected loss in this first primary state as a springboard into contests later this month in Nevada and South Carolina, where she hopes a more heavily-minority electorate will build the foundation for a delegate-by-delegate drive toward the Democratic nomination.

Part of that strategy means cutting into the double-digit advantage that Sanders has enjoyed in New Hampshire for several months. Her aides fear that a huge win here will help him make headway among women and minority voters, two key blocs of the coalition that twice elected President Barack Obama. Sanders' strength with younger voters only heightens the threat he poses to what was once her decisive national lead.

But while Clinton has vowed to fight for every vote in New Hampshire, at least some of her operation is moving on. This weekend, former President Bill Clinton wooed voters in Las Vegas, campaign surrogates knocked doors in San Antonio and Clinton's aides announced a meeting with top civil rights leaders next week in New York City.
French ex-budget minister on trial for tax fraud

AFP, Paris :

Former French budget minister Jerome Cahuzac, who resigned in disgrace in 2013 after admitting to having a secret Swiss bank account, goes on trial Monday for tax fraud. The 63-year-old faces up to seven years in jail and two million euros ($2.2 million) in fines if found guilty of stashing offshore his earnings from a lucrative hair-transplant business he ran with his now ex-wife.

The Cahuzac scandal was the first of a series that have tarnished the presidency of Francois Hollande, who had promised a squeaky clean government after succeeding Nicholas Sarkozy, the subject of several graft investigations, in May 2012.

A media scrum is expected to descend on the court for the start of the trial, even if an opening defence gambit may prompt a delay of several months.

The spectacular scandal saw Hollande initially backing Cahuzac's vehement denials after the Mediapart news website first broke the story in December 2012, posting a compromising audio recording.

Cahuzac-whose remit had included cracking down on tax fraud-promptly lodged a defamation suit against Mediapart. But the trained surgeon, still protesting his innocence, resigned his post after a formal investigation was launched in March 2013.

Two weeks later, he dramatically confessed to having held the account with Swiss banking giant UBS and said he was "consumed by remorse".

Cahuzac was immediately hounded by the media, telling a newspaper he had to move "every two days" to escape the glare.

The scandal prompted Hollande to order his ministers to disclose their personal wealth, a first in France, where personal finances are rarely discussed and the wealth of public officials had long been considered a private matter.

Prosecutors described the tax fraud as "determined" and "sophisticated" as well as a "family affair" including Cazuhac's now ex-wife Patricia Menard, a dermatologist who is a co-defendant in the case. Also in the dock are their advisers, Swiss banker Francois Reyl and Dubai-based lawyer Philippe Houman.

The Reyl bank of Geneva, which in 2009 allegedly helped Cahuzac transfer funds to Singapore to avoid detection by French tax authorities, is also being tried.


Computers can detect your anger

Life Desk :

Computers are no longer merely digital devices that provide data, instead they can now detect when you are angry, according to Professor Jerry Jenkins from Brigham Young University.

The professor from BYU says that the pattern of mouse usage can be used to detect varying emotions like anger, sadness, frustrating or even confusion. The study is based on in depth understanding of user behaviour and mouse usage patterns.

'Computers could detect your emotional state based on mouse movement.'

For the study, the professor and his fellow researchers designed an online test that would get the users worked up and angry. This test purportedly was designed with the following inclusions to increase user's anger,

It was a timed test

Each page would open very slowly

There was negative marking for the wrong answer

The researchers then intently studied the mouse movement patterns of the students who took up the test, to understand the pattern when people are angry or frustrated. With the advanced technology available, Jenkins used available data points from the mouse movement to measure the extent of deviation, which was used to detect emotion. At the end of the test the students were provided details of the study to improve their mood and to rest their anxiety.

The technology has now been patented and sold to a start up that is intent on continuing the research along with Jenkins. Mind control technology has been used for medical purposes like for prosthetic arms and for those with physical limitations but this current research would benefit user experience at large.

The advancement in computer usage and enhanced visitor experience is guaranteed on use of this technology.

Websites will now be able to assess the mood of the visitor and remove aspects of the site that lead to anger.

Websites like ticket websites will benefit from detecting frustration

Websites can change user experience to encourage repeated visits

Adoption into mobile technology would further improve website popularity. Only here instead of mouse movement, swipes will be considered.

The technology holds a lot of promise for website owners who will now be able to detect user experience and can get a glimpse of their emotional state rather than banking merely on the data keyed in by the user.

Benefits of Mind Control Technology

For the user;

Websites will be intelligently designed to captivate the user

Frustrating elements of websites will be avoided

Easier navigation

For the websites;

Websites will avoid elements that cause negative emotions among users

Loyalty towards the website

Decisions pertaining to purchase

Use of technology

This article, published in the journal MIS Quarterly assesses the mouse movement patterns of users at different state of minds. Emotions experienced by users will be transmitted by mere movement of the mouse, making surveys redundant.

According to professor Jenkins, an angry user is more likely to move the mouse slowly and with jagged movements, though according to common knowledge, people believe that anger could lead to fast and irritated movements. An earlier study by researchers from Malaysia detailed the use of computer technology that detected lip movements of the user to determine the mood of the user.

As Jenkins says " Being able to sense a negative emotional response, we can adjust the website response to eliminate stress or to offer help". This technology will elevate user involvement, benefiting both the user as well as the website. Of course there is the added risk of better gaming experience which has its share of disadvantages!

Source: Medindia
Remarks against CDA chairman condemned

A human chain was formed at Kaptai Road intersection in the city yesterday protesting remarks against CDA Chairman Abdus Salam by the lawmaker Moinuddin Khan Badal in National Parliament recently.

Chittagong Bureau :

A human chain was formed at Kaptai Road intersection on Sunday protesting the comments of the lawmaker Moinuddin Khan Badal delivered at National Parliament recently. The speakers in the human chain said the development work of millions of taka implemented in Chittagong city during last 7 years is visible to all.

The speakers said the city of Chittagong really now in the development highway as the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is frequently inaugurating the projects and laying foundation stone of different development works whereas lawmaker Badal Saheb presented controversial reports against CDA Chairman Abdus Salam instead of expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for his ongoing development activities for the port city.

The human chain also rejected the illogical comments of the lawmaker. Among others, Ward AL President Rafiqul Alam, Senior Vice President SM Anowar Mirza, Vice President Nazimuddin Chowdhury, Haji Md Faruk, General Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury, Haji Md. Faruk, Joint Secretary Hasan Murad Chowdhury spoke on the occasion, a eye witnesses sources said.


ICT issues arrest warrants against 2 Razakars in Netrakona



The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday issued arrest warrants against two war crimes suspects of Atpara upazila in Netrakona district for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.

But the names of the suspects were not disclosed to media so that they cannot flee.

A three-member tribunal led by Justice M Anwarul Haque passed the order in the morning following a petition filed by prosecution Zead Al Malum.

The tribunal ordered the police station concerned to arrest the suspects and fixed March 30 for further proceedings, said the prosecutor.


Why income inequality matters

Liam O'Connor :

When Alexis de Tocqueville visited America almost 200 years ago, he was struck by Americans' simultaneous loves of equality and liberty, of fairness and freedom. How do we overcome these apparent contradictions? In economics, we believe in equality of opportunity - not outcome. If you work hard, you can succeed and provide a better life for your children - regardless of who you are, what you have or where you come from. That's our American Dream.

One American's economic gains over time do not necessitate another's losses. Imagine the American economy is a pie cut into three unequal slices - for the "top 20" percent of income-earning households, the "middle 60," and the "bottom 20." In 1979, the bottom slice was 6.2 percent of the pie, the middle was 49.0 percent, and the top was 44.9 percent. But by 2011, the bottom had shrunk to 5.3 percent and the middle to 44.1 percent, while the top had grown to 51.3 percent - larger than the other two slices combined.

But none of the slices shrunk, because the entire pie grew. Since the total income of our economy increased at a faster rate than our inequality, each group actually experienced an increase in income. The average before-tax income of the bottom increased 40.0 percent to $24,600, while the top's swelled 78.4 percent to $245,700. Furthermore, our progressive taxes and transfer payments made incomes slightly less unequal. The top quintile paid two-thirds (68.7 percent) of our federal income taxes, and while the top one percent took home 14.6 percent of our nation's income, they also paid almost a quarter (24.0 percent) of our federal income taxes.

Income inequality isn't inherently wrong; nor is it necessarily bad for our economy. In fact, economic theory tells us the potential of large financial rewards encourages risky entrepreneurship and innovation. So, should we care about income inequality in the United States? Well, yeah.

To begin, extreme income inequality may stunt economic growth. A recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report had two important findings: First, lower net income inequality (after taxes and transfer payments) is "robustly correlated with faster and more durable growth, for a given level of redistribution"; second, "only in extreme cases is there some evidence that [redistribution] may have direct negative effects on growth." Likewise, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently found a "negative and statistically significant" correlation between income inequality and economic growth in a long-term study of its member countries.

Why? When low incomes serve as barriers to education and health for a large portion of the population, there is a loss of human capital. As a whole, the economy is less skilled and less productive. In addition, the wealthiest members of society - those who receive the majority of its income - have a lower marginal propensity to consume; they're likely to spend less of their earnings in the economy. I will be the first to admit I do not have the economic knowledge or intelligence to prescribe an ideal level of income inequality. (Some economists refer to the post-WWII period, when "incomes grew rapidly and at roughly the same rate up and down the income ladder.") But if the slices of our pie were a little less unequal, maybe our entire pie could grow faster and larger.

Second: 46, 269,000. That's roughly equal to the populations of California and New York City combined. It's also the number of Americans living in poverty - 14.8 percent of our total population, one of every five children (21.5 percent), and one out of every four blacks (25.2 percent) and Hispanics (24.7 percent). These households and individuals living below the poverty thresholds ($24,008 for a family of four, $12,071 for an individual) struggle to secure life's most basic necessities - housing, food and healthcare - and, therefore, a decent standard of living.

Fortunately, extensive data suggests our safety net is working. In 2014, the raw poverty rate before government assistance was 27.3 percent, but our safety net effectively lifted 38 million people out of poverty to cut that rate nearly in half to 15.3 percent (according to the Supplemental Poverty Measure). Our safety net helps those who need it the most: Nine of every 10 recipients of government assistance are either elderly, have serious disabilities or are members of a working family struggling to make ends meet.

Third, income inequality is connected with inequality of opportunity. While there is no objective measure of "opportunity," social mobility - the degree to which households and individuals move up and down the socio-economic ladder - is one indicator of economic outcome. To this end, the Great Gatsby curve demonstrates there is an inverse relationship between the concentration of wealth in one generation and social mobility in the next.

Why? Consider the correlation between one's income and one's access to quality education and healthcare. Only three of out of every four "economically disadvantaged" students (74.6 percent) graduate from high school, and a child's family income almost perfectly predicts his or her chances of going to college. Income level is also correlated with health insurance coverage and life expectancy. One in six people in households with incomes of 25,000 or less (16.6 percent) are uninsured, compared to just one in 19 people in households with $100,000 or more (5.3 percent). As the Affordable Care Act took full effect in 2014, 11 million Americans gained health coverage, but 55 million others - 10.4 percent of our population - remain uninsured.

According to President Barrack Obama, "A child's course in life should be determined not by the zip code she's born in, but by the strength of her work ethic and the scope of her dreams." Along these lines, Harvard's Equality of Opportunity Project has found intergenerational economic mobility to be strongly correlated with racial segregation, income inequality, local school quality, social capital and family structure within American communities. In short, "The U.S. is better described as a collection of societies, some of which are 'lands of opportunity' with high rates of mobility across generations, and others in which few children escape poverty."

Fourth, the connection between income and political influence threatens the fairness and legitimacy of our democracy. Income accurately predicts your likelihood to vote and contribute to political campaigns. As one might expect, barriers to voting, such as voter ID laws and felon disenfranchisement (which strips the voting rights of 5.85 million Americans), disproportionately affect low-income individuals. The income gap at the polls is important, because inequality of turnout is negatively related to wealth redistribution. In terms of campaign contributions, in the 2014 midterms, the top one percent of one percent (0.01 percent) contributed over one billion dollars to campaigns at the federal level - 28.6 percent of the total. Unsurprisingly, affluence leads to influence, and income inequality exacerbates political polarization.

Yes, income is a measure of economic utility. But I fear we, in America, have a tendency to conflate economic utility with social utility. Surely, an enlisted soldier in Iraq, a social worker in South Bend, a volunteer firefighter and a stay-at-home parent make significant social contributions that are not reflected by their income. And I fear we, in America - where a full time employee earns just $15,080 a year at the federal minimum wage - have a tendency to conflate economic utility with the value of a human life.

In an attempt to negate our biases due to our personal circumstances, we may borrow from John Rawls's veil of ignorance. Imagine you are a child in the womb who is to be born tomorrow, somewhere in United States. But imagine you have no idea of your future sex, race, household income, zip code, sexual orientation, family structure or condition of health. Rawls thinks you would want a society with universal, equal basic rights and liberties and fair equality of educational and employment opportunities. And perhaps, you would even want a decent minimum standard of living that would allow all "to pursue their interests and to maintain their self-respect as free and equal persons."

Views on poverty and income inequality diverge along party lines. Most Democrats believe poverty is primarily due to circumstances beyond one's control, while most Republicans believe individual laziness is to blame. But only a quarter of Republicans (26 percent) believe the gap between the rich and the poor is "not a problem." Two out of every three Americans (65 percent) believe it is "a problem that needs to be addressed now," and the majority (57 percent) believe "the government should do more" to reduce this gap.

Saying income inequality is not a problem detracts attention from some of the most important economic, social, political and moral issues we face. We should focus on our extreme income inequality, if only because it will shed light on these issues - issues that are of such great size and importance they cannot be solved without bipartisan cooperation and public and private efforts at every level of society. Hopefully, this viewpoint has demonstrated that - if we believe in broadly shared economic growth, if we believe in a decent standard of living for all Americans, if we believe in equality of opportunity and if we believe in equal political representation - our income inequality matters.



(Liam O'Connor is a senior in the Program of Liberal Studies).
DU students block road after police assault

DU Correspondent :

A group of Dhaka University (DU) students on Monday blocked Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue near SAARC Fountain intersection in the capital's Karwan Bazar area in protest against an alleged assault on some of their fellow students by several police and Ansar personnel.The demonstration disrupted traffic on all roads around the intersection for about an hour, creating a long tailback, according to witnesses.

The protesting students alleged that the police beat them mercilessly dragging them down from their university bus at the intersection following an altercation over traffic movement. They also alleged that the law enforcers took away their cell phones during the altercation. Police, however, denied the allegation.

The witnesses said the DU students locked in an altercation with the police officials around 1:30pm when they were trying to get their university bus, 'Falguni', passed the crossing in defiance of traffic police's instruction. Some DU students alleged that three policemen and an Ansar member swooped on the students even after the dispute was resolved and they beat them up mercilessly dragging them down from the university bus. As a number of DU students joined them later, they swooped on a constable and an Ansar member sitting in a human-hauler. However, the three law enforcers were rescued by their senior officers.

They withdrew the blockade after the senior police officials rushed to the spot and apologised to the students for the misconducts of their colleagues. Officer-in-Charge of Kalabagan Police Station Mohammad Iqbal, who also rushed to the spot, told The New Nation that they were investigating the allegation.
35 drowned off Turkish coast

Two boats on their way to Greece have capsized near Turkey, killing at least 35 migrants, Turkish media say.

Both the Anadolu and Dogan agencies reported that 24 people died close to the Greek island of Lesbos.

Dogan said another 11 people died in a separate incident

and inactive activists. further south, near Dikili in Turkey's Izmir province.

Up to 5 February, at least 374 people had died crossing into Europe this year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says. Most of those were travelling to Greece. The sea route from Turkey to Greece was the most popular way for migrants to try and enter Europe in 2015.

Dogan reported that a number of children were on board the boat on which the 24 people died. At least four people were rescued, Hurriyet newspaper said. News of the deaths comes as Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Turkey to discuss ways of reducing the number of migrants travelling to Europe.

After meeting Mrs Merkel, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Germany and Turkey would seek the use of Nato resources in the Aegean Sea and on the Syrian border to help handle the flow of migrants.

The IOM says close to 69,000 people have already arrived on Greek shores so far this year, despite often stormy conditions, compared to almost 854,000 in the whole of last year. Nearly half of those who have arrived in Greece this year are from Syria, the IOM says. But thousands of Syrians seeking to flee a government offensive in Aleppo, backed by Russian air strikes, are being prevented from leaving their homeland. Turkey has so far closed the border to most of the 30,000 migrants gathering at the Kilis border crossing, despite appeals by EU leaders to let them cross. Mr Davutoglu said his country would accept the migrants "when necessary", and that it would reveal plans next week to slow the flow of arrivals. Angela Merkel's second visit to Turkey in five months is once again dominated by the refugee crisis.

On the one hand the EU is telling Turkey it has a moral if not a legal obligation to accept those fleeing persecution. But on the other, Mrs Merkel is among those stressing that Turkey must stem the migration flow to Europe. Caught between the two messages are the refugees stuck on the Syrian side of the closed border, albeit cared for by Turkish aid groups. Ankara says it has reached capacity, but if there is no other option it could allow them in. But as the battle for Aleppo intensifies, tens of thousands more could follow. Syria's descent into hell is still playing out on Europe's borders.
Rajuk inspector sent to jail on surrender

Court Correspondent :

Another accused of the murder filed in connection with the collapse of Rana Plaza surrendered to the court on Monday morning while the court sent him to the jail rejecting his bail plea.

Rajuk building inspector Awlad Hossain surrendered to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Dhaka while Senior Judicial Magistrate Shahjadi Tahmida passed the order, pending other legal procedures. Advocate AKM Nasiruzzaman appeared to the court on behalf of inspector Awlad Hossain.

Accused Awlad has been absconding for a long time to avoid arrest in the sensational case of the collapse that had killed more than 1100 workers

in 2013. Fourteen other accused of the case are still on the run. Police filed the case on April 25, 2013.

On December 21, 2015 the court accepted the charge sheet in the murder case and issued arrest warrants against 24 people who were on the run. The collapse of Rana Plaza led to the death of 1,136 people, mostly garment workers and injured about 2,515 on April 24, 2013.

The building, that housed five garment factories, was built on a swamp and some of its upper floors were illegally added. The collapse triggered criticism at home and abroad in connection with the safety standard in the garment sector. It helps the country earn $25 billion annually from exports, mainly to the United States and European countries.

On June 1, 2015, more than two years after the Rana Plaza tragedy, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police pressed charges against 42 people, including Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana, in two cases. Of the accused, 17 were common in both the charge sheets submitted to the court by the CID.

Rana's father Abdul Khalek and mother Marjina Begum and 12 government officials were among the accused.

A total 594 people have been made witnesses in the killing case, while 135 in the other case. Police arrested Rana on April 28, 2013.
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NEWS AND VIEWS THAT IMPACT LIMITED CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT



"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with

power to endanger the public liberty." - - - - John Adams


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Monet rahapelien ystavat ovat viime vuosina loytaneet netticasinot ja olleet ihmeissaan. Verrattuna kotimaisen Veikkauksen kivijalkarahapeleihin puhutaan aivan eri tason palautusprosenteista ja lisaksi pelaaminen on aarimmaisen helppoa ja turvallista. Netticasinoiden maara on tana paivana todella suuri ja niita loytyy jokaiseen lahtoon, suurin ongelma aloittelevalla pelaajalla onkin tehda valinta siita, minka netticasinon valitsee. Kaikkien netticasinoiden mainospuheet naet lupaavat kauniita asioita ja niiden lapinakeminen on tietysti tarkeaa. Nyrkkisaantona voidaan kuitenkin jo kattelyssa todeta, etta jos valitsemasi netticasino on lisensoitu ETA-alueella, sen kanssa ei tule olemaan ongelmia, ellei niita itse jarjesta. Kay tutustumassa parhaisiin netticasinoihin osoitteessa www.ilmaiskierroksia.info!

Ensimmainen nyrkkisaanto on siis varmistaa, etta valitsemallasi netticasinolla on ETA-alueen lisenssi. Suurimmassa osassa tapauksista se on Maltan eli MGA:n lisenssi. Myos Viron, Englannin ja Gibraltarin lisensseja nakyy ja naissa valvonta on jopa Maltaa tiukempaa. Lopputulema on kuitenkin se, etta ETA-alueen lisenssi takaa suomalaisille verovapaat voitot seka sen, etta niita valvotaan kontrolloidusti. Maailmalla on iso nippu Curacaon lisenssilla toimivia netticasinoita ja niistakin suurin osa on laadukkaita. Ne eivat kuitenkaan ole suomalaisille asiakkaille verovapaita, joten emme suosittele niita.

Tana paivana markkinoille on ilmaantunut paljon ETA-alueella toimiva netticasinoita ilman rekisteroitymista. Jos tarkoitus on vain pelata yksittaisia pelikertoja, on varsin helppo suositella naita. Netticasinot ilman rekisteroitymista tarjoavat palvelun tunnistautumisen verkkopankin avainlukulistan avulla ja saman palvelun kautta tapahtuvat talletukset ja mahdolliset voittojen nostot silmanrapayksessa. Normaaleihin netticasinoihin pitaa asiakkaan rekisteroitya, tehda talletukset ja tunnistautua dokumenttien avulla. Tama on lisenssiehtojen mukainen kaytanto, eika kovinkaan monimutkainen, mutta silti monet asiakkaat haluavat yksinkertaista ja nopeaa palvelua. Toki normaalit netticasinot tarjoavat usein asiakkailleen laadukkaita talletusbonuksia ja erilaisia kampanjoita, joten kannattaa tarkkaan punnita, kumman ratkaisun valitsee. Kannattaa myos muistaa, etta tunnistautuminen tehdaan vain kerran, joten mikaan jatkuva riippakivi se ei ole.

Suomalaiset asiakkaat ovat netticasinoille tarkeita, joten kaikilla vahankin laadukkailla netticasinoilla on suomenkieliset sivut seka suomenkielinen asiakaspalvelu  suomenkielisyys kannattaakin ottaa netticasinoa valittaessa nyrkkisaannoksi. Vaikka tana paivana englanninkielisyys on harvoille ongelma, on suomenkielisten netticasinoiden maara niin valtava, etta suosittelemme niiden kayttoa. Rahansiirrot ovat tana paivana niin hyvassa mallissa, etta niiden kanssa tuskin tulee mitaan ongelmia. Kolme tarkeinta segmenttia: Suomalaiset verkkopankit, luottokortit (Visa, Mastercard) seka nettilompakot (Skrill, Neteller) loytyvat jokaisesta laadukkaasta netticasinosta. Viime vuosien trendiksi noussut verkkokauppa on kehittanyt rahansiirrot niin laadukkaiksi ja nopeiksi, etta niiden suhteen ei ole enaa vuosiin ollut ongelmia. Luonnollisesti netticasinot kayttavat naita samoja palveluita ja hyotyvat kehityksesta.

Naiden isojen linjojen jalkeen netticasinon valintaan vaikuttavat luonnollisesti tarjottavat tervetuliaisbonukset  uudet asiakkaat saavat tana paivana kovan kilpailun myota merkittavia etuja netticasinoilta ja niita kannattaa luonnollisesti vertailla. Erilaiset talletusbonukset, ilmaiskierrokset seka ilmaiset pelirahat tuovat suuriakin rahanarvoisia etuja ja niiden vertailu on ehdottomasti kannattavaa. Myoskaan useampien tilien avaaminen ja tervetuliaistarjousten kayttaminen ei missaan nimessa ole huono idea.

Kun edella mainitut asiat ovat mieleisia ja vaihtoehtoja on vielakin jaljella, mennaan jo nyansseihin. Toki pelivalikoima on yksi kriteeri, mutta taman paivan netticasinoissa tamakin asia on paasaantoisesti varsin samanlainen. Toki useamman samantasoisen netticasinon vertailussa kannattaa yleensa valita se, jossa on eniten peleja tarjolla. Vaikka omat suosikit loytyisivatkin useammasta, voi tulevaisuudessa mielenkiinto nousta joihinkin muihin peleihin ja silloin on tietysti mukavampaa, etta ne loytyvat valikoimista. Viimeisena voidaan nostaa esiin kaytettavyys  joidenkin netticasinoiden sivut ovat vilkkuvia, valkkyvia ja epakaytannollisia. Omaan silmaan ja kaytettavyyteen sopiva sivusto on luonnollisesti aina se paras valinta. Tarjonta netticasinoissa on tana paivana valtava ja jokaiselle loytyy varmasti se oma netticasino  onnea matkaan!
Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes.

What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection?

Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were.

Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property  there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly.

Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection:

You get to see exactly what will happen to your money

When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor.

Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on.

A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with.

You find out about potential major repairs

Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing.

If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately.

You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on

One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home.

Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly.

You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for

While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best.

This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit.

Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home.

You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price

If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home.

You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price.

You can sell your home faster and for more money

If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are.

In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price.

Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for.

Your home will hold its value longer

As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property.

When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home.

You can make smart decisions about property investments

Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property.

If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal.

There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about.

If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage

If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing.

They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit.

You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors

If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for.

For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money.

You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition

Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building.

You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure.

Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so.

As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process.
By AM Monday, February 8, 2016 Share Tweet Share Share Email

shares a letter he sent to the Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs.Dear Ms Wallstrom,Warmest greetings from Australia. I hope you dont mind a stranger from far away writing to you. I know you will be a very busy person. I just wanted to express my respect and appreciation to you for your statements on Palestine. I share your concerns on these matters and have felt profoundly upset about the Palestine situation for a long time.I want to thank you very much for raising your concerns about the killings of so many Palestinians in Israel during the ongoing rebellion on the occupied West Bank of Palestine. Also for calling for a credible investigation into these deaths, many of them children and young people. This situation is very distressing and sadly, the recent upheaval and violence is just the latest of several mass uprisings and other acts of resistance in the long running sordid history of the Israeli occupation and illegal settlement building in Palestine.Many other individuals, organisations and governments share your concerns, as human rights groups have expressed their anxiety and some have accused Israel of using excessive force to quell the unrest. The United States, the European Union and the United Nations have also expressed concern.Despite repeated talk of a just resolution and peace in Palestine, numerous investigations into other dreadful incidents and atrocities as well as countless UN resolutions condemning Israel, Israel continues to ignore any criticism, continues its harsh occupation and expands its settlement building and evictions of Palestinians.The plight of the Palestinians in the past over 60 years has only gotten worse and this lack of any real progress on a genuine viable and just resolution I believe is linked to the present uprising and will lead to more radicalization and wider violence.Palestinians have waited so long in vain for the international community to act to pressure Israel to work seriously towards a solution or to enforce UN resolutions and international law. I hope more people and countries will have the courage to speak up and do something constructive on the Palestine issue, before more and more Palestinians are overcome with feelings of hopelessness and rage.Israeli forces or armed civilians have now killed at least 143 Palestinians in the past few months, 83 of whom Israeli authorities described as assailants. Most of the others have been killed in clashes with Israeli forces. And 24 Israelis have been killed. As well, thousands of Palestinians languish in prison, including many who are administrative detainees, who have not been charged or sentenced of any crimes.These recent deaths and that of thousands of others killed and injured in the previous conflicts in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon and elsewhere I find heart wrenchingly saddening. It is deplorable that for so long the world has allowed gross human, civil and other rights abuses to be inflicted on the Palestinian people. The Palestine problem is one of the great crimes of our time and the anguish of these poor, mistreated, dispossessed, neglected people is a disgrace that shames all humanity. Thank you again for speaking up, I hope more people of conscience will be encouraged to do so and progress can be finally made on this.Lastly, I am very grateful that Sweden has recognised Palestine. Such efforts are a significant step in moving towards a settlement of this issue and Im sure will make a definite difference to changing the Palestine situation.With very best wishes,Yours Sincerely,Steven Katsineris
The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

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Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

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Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

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Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

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Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

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Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

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Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

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How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
CARBONDALE  In the continuing quest to revitalize Carbondales downtown, Chicago firm Houseal Lavigne has revealed about 80 percent of its plan.

The Downtown Master Plan breaks down 15 zones and 24 opportunity sites. Some are vacant properties owned by the city, and others are privately owned spaces where the consultant is urging city officials to work with the owners for redevelopment.

The zones encompass from West Willow Street just south of The Southern Illinoisan to West Grand Avenue by Southern Illinois University.

Carbondale DAC members provide feedback on master plan to consultants CARBONDALE  Downtown Advisory Committee members made their feelings known Wednesday about t

Recommendations range from the construction of townhouses and condominiums on the north end of downtown, to the implementation of parks, mixed-use residential and commercial spaces, and construction of a parking garage to offset the loss of public parking spaces.

The 164-page document is not a finished product, according to Nik Davis of Houseal Lavigne. There are still two more chapters to be written, including the implementation strategy for the city and how to create a brand for downtown in order to market it.

One of the biggest recommendations made by the consulting firm that would change the landscape is the reconfiguration of the parking lot in the Town Square across from Global Gourmet and Longbranch Cafe.

The plan calls for redeveloping the heavily-used parking lot into a multi-purpose green space to support day-to-day recreation, community events and festivals in the city.

The consultants report says the parking lot decreases the ability for residents to gather in the area.

Downtown Advisory Committee member and downtown business owner Elaine Ramseyer agreed with the recommendation at Wednesday's committee meeting.

The owner of Longbranch Cafe said "pull up the parking lot" and landscape it so the city can put on music festivals, host block parties, install park benches, sculptures and countless other uses.

The Town Square is the heart of the community, Ramseyer said.

The consultants recognized the loss of public parking that would come with the development. So just south of the Town Square on South Washington Street is a proposed spot for a parking garage.

Another suggestion for a garage is at the First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust across from Hangar 9 on The Strip.

The report says the city should consider acquiring this lot, if possible, to develop a parking garage with commercial frontage along South Illinois Avenue.

Another major focus of the plan was on The Strip  where some of the suggestions are already under way.

The plan addresses the parking lot next to PKs, which is the future site of a Hilton Home2 Suites. Carbondale officials say the hotel will begin construction in March.

The report says the city should continue to support the development and integrate the project with other investments, such as a multi-modal transportation center, to which the consultant says a new station is recommended at the Amtrak site.

The city should also coordinate with the hotel development to consider an overpass connection between the transportation center and the hotel.

These things have been discussed by city leaders as a possibility, which depends on the city's ability to finance or obtain a grant for construction.

Of course, the 164-page document addressed multiple areas of concern. It repeatedly addressed providing a street wall along the major streets, meaning having a constant line of businesses without any gaps.

Davis said the implementation chapter will address specific steps to take toward the zoning code, setting up coalitions or how to seek future funding sources.

Whatever can be done to get all the recommendations from the plan into a checklist, he said.

Davis said the consulting firms plan is to deliver a draft of the final plan to the committee by Feb. 24. After that, there will be an open house, committee meeting and public hearing March 9.

That meeting will serve as the final committee recommendations to the plan. Davis said the firm hopes to submit a final plan to the Carbondale City Council by the end of March.
HERRIN  The public is welcome to hear a talk by Kenneth Buzbee, a former state senator and Southern Illinois broadcaster, as he provides a walk down memory lane later this month at an event hosted by the Herrin Area Historical Society.

The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19, at the Herrin City Library.

"I am pleased to talk about Southern Illinois," Buzbee said in a statement, about the upcoming event. "I continue to have high hopes for the region, for the great university at SIU. I think of the region as a glass that is half full with much to achieve and experience in the future."

Buzbee lives in Carbondale and is 79 years old.

Buzbee served more than a decade in the Illinois Senate. He was first elected as a Democrat in 1972, and served on several high-profile committees including Appropriations and Higher Education. In 1984, he chose not to seek re-election for his seat in order to run for the U.S. House seat vacated by the late Paul Simon. That year, Simon clenched a narrow victory over three-term Republican Sen. Charles Percy.

Buzbee lost that primary election to the late U.S. Rep. Kenneth Gray. After that, he worked as a lobbyist and consultant, and then for Illinois Eastern Community Colleges. In 1999 he was appointed director of the Business Services Department of the Illinois Secretary of State's office, and he retired from that position in 2006.

Prior to his political career, Buzbee worked in broadcasting. While a college student he worked at several area radio stations including WRAJ in Anna, WGGH in Marion and WJPF in Herrin.

In 1958 he participated in the creation of SIU's public radio station, WSRV-FM (later WSIU-FM).

Buzbee also served three years in the U. S. Marine Corps from 1961-64 and retired from the Marine Corps Reserves in 1988 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

This event is part of Herrin Area Historical Society's Guest Lecture Series, and it is free and open to the public. For additional information about this event, call 618-727-0432.
SPRINGFIELD  Four months after the Illinois State Museum and its satellite branches closed to the public, the state Department of Natural Resources has announced a plan to reopen most of the facilities.

Using his amendatory veto power, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who shuttered the museum as a cost-saving measure, has rewritten a Senate bill to allow the main museum in Springfield, Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown and the Lockport Gallery to reopen. However, the Southern Illinois Art and Artisans Center at Rend Lake and the Chicago Gallery at the James R. Thompson Center would close permanently.

Visitors get final peek at museum before it closes SPRINGFIELD  With the clock ticking down on the Illinois State Museum, Annie Furfjord trave

Under the governors plan, the state museum would begin charging admission fees and private fundraising efforts of the Illinois State Museum Society would increase to reduce the institutions reliance on state funding.

The state of Illinois is in a financial mess, Department of Natural Resources Director Wayne Rosenthal said at a news conference Monday morning at the museum, standing near a diorama of black bears on Lake Michigan sand dunes and other nature scenes. Weve got a crisis, so to move forward, its important to develop new models and new ways of thinking about how we operate and fund state government.

The governors proposal, developed with the department over the past several months, would save an estimated $1 million annually and would reorganize the museums management and organizational structure.

Museum opening measure in Rauner's hands SPRINGFIELD  Illinois lawmakers offered some hope Tuesday to fans of the Illinois State Mus

When the facilities would reopen is undetermined because the Democratic-controlled General Assembly would first have to concur with Rauners changes to the bill, which simply required the state to operate the museum and the four branches and keep them open to the public.

Rep. Tim Butler, a Springfield Republican, urged the Senate to take up the measure quickly.

I support this effort because I believe this is a reasonable, actionable step forward in reopening the museum, Butler said. I think it lays out a transformational future for the museum, a plan to engage the public in our community like we have not done before.

Butler suggested a $5 admission fee for adults and noted that other state museums in the region charge similar fees.

Democratic Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, who sponsored the original bill, said many of the changes Rauner proposed could have been implemented without locking the museums doors to the public.

Obama built bipartisan reputation in Illinois Senate Given the deep partisan divisions that have characterized his presidency, it strikes some as

Those things should have been proposed by the administration months ago, he said.

Manar said he is reviewing the proposal before deciding his next step.

The overarching question is, Did the governor overstep his constitutional authority in his veto message? he said.

Michael Wiant, director of the Dickson Mounds Museum, will become the interim director of the state museum, and the search will begin for a permanent replacement. Since the doors closed to the public Oct. 1, about 15 staff members have left, but key people remain in every department, Wiant said.

Unionized employees at the museum have been reporting to work throughout the closure because they filed a lawsuit challenging proposed layoffs. There has been plenty of behind-the-scenes work to keep them busy, Wiant said.

Museum workers finishing up first month with no visitors SPRINGFIELD  More than 40 employees of the shuttered Illinois State Museum are finishing up

Guerry Suggs, who chairs the Illinois State Museum Board and wasnt at the announcement Monday, said this plan is probably as good as were going to get. He said the board has been open to admission fees in the past.

Like Manar, Suggs said he believes the agreement could have been worked out without closing the museums doors to the public.
COLUMBIA  Funding to bolster South Carolinas defense against a disease that could severely damage the states poultry industry tops a list of Clemson University budget requests presented to a House Ways and Means Subcommittee.

Together with some of the states top agribusiness leaders, Clemson administrators made the case for a total of $5 million to enhance and expand research and extension programs designed to support the states $42 billion agribusiness industry.

We have a simple formula that we follow, said George Askew, vice president of Clemson Public Service and Agriculture, the extension and regulatory arm of the university. We listen carefully to the needs of our citizens, we research solutions to those needs and we impart what we learn back to those citizens through our Extension Service. Clemson University is the research and development arm for South Carolina farmers and landowners.

The reques includes $750,000 to strengthen the states animal and infectious disease prevention program against the threat of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and other animal diseases. The states Livestock Poultry Health unit is part of Clemson Public Service and Agriculture.

HPAI would devastate the poultry industry, which is the largest agribusiness in the state of South Carolina. Theres not too much money that you can spend on protecting us from this threat, said Connie Smith, president of the South Carolina Poultry Federation.

South Carolinas $14.5 billion animal agriculture industry is fueled by 12,662 poultry and livestock operations. The states poultry exports have risen by 267 percent since 2000 to $142 million in 2012, according to the most recent numbers.

HPAI is carried by waterfowl and an outbreak in the Midwest cost Iowa and Minnesota $1.85 billion. A less infectious strain of the disease was recently found in Indiana.

The funding would be used to hire additional animal health inspectors, laboratory staff and equipment.

Clemson is also seeking $2.5 million to support the operation of its five research and education centers and campus farms, $500,000 to help expand and enhance fruit and vegetable production in the state and $1.25 million for beef and dairy research and Extension.

Our business has grown at a rate of over 20 percent per year over the past 15 years, and much of that growth would not have been possible without the support and the work of the research institution at PSA and Clemson, said Lori Anne Carr, vice president of Titan Farms in Ridge Spring.

Titan Farms, the largest peach grower in in the Southeast, has worked closely with Clemson peach researchers to find a solution to Armillaria root disease, a soil-borne fungus that kills fruit trees and costs the peach industry millions each year.

This and other research from Clemson Extension supports and helps the specialty crop industry and South Carolina agriculture immensely, said Carr. Farmers in this state need Clemson University to help the transition from growing traditional crops to growing new, highly profitable fruit and vegetable crops that will help increase our total farm receipts.

Clemson is also seeking $1.7 million to complete renovation of its agricultural and natural resources field facilities and $11 million to add a conference center/exhibition hall, additional show space and paved parking at the T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena in Anderson County.
FLORENCE  Like most commodity crops in South Carolina, soybeans took a soaking in 2015, hanging helplessly from their stems above ground that was too saturated for heavy harvest equipment to navigate.

Of the 475,000 planted acres in South Carolina, at least 15 percent were entirely lost  with much of the rest taking big hits in quantity and quality. As if early Octobers historic storm wasnt bad enough, rain continued to fall with frustrating regularity well into December, effectively extending flood conditions for more than two months after the original deluge had expended its final drop.

Ironically, a stubborn summer drought and withering heat wave had already diminished the soybean crop even before the storms blanketed the state in the fall.

So, as beleaguered farmers attempt to recover from last years unprecedented calamities, whats in store for soybean growers in 2016?

When the drought came, much of the soybean crop was hit hard, with stunted growth and reduced pod set, said Benjamin Fallen, a renowned soybean breeder at Clemson Universitys Pee Dee Research and Education Center near Florence. This affected yield, but the overall quality of the crop was still relatively okay. Then the floods came and damaged the quality. A lot of the farmers who were finally able to harvest were penalized when they took their crop to the local grain dealer. The beans had sat out for too long. It was a worst-case scenario.

Soybeans in South Carolina are usually planted between the middle of May and the middle of June. But with acreage throughout the state still soaked and boggy, many low-lying fields remain smothered by standing water. If the excessive rainfall of 2015 extends into 2016s spring and summer, growers will be in for another wearisome struggle.

If we could get some dry weather this winter, that would be ideal, Fallen said. The ground really needs to dry out. Instead, were continuously getting rain about once a week. If it goes on like this, planting in May and June is going to be very difficult.

Assuming the fields finally do return to normal over the winter, soybean growers will then hope for seasonable rains to reappear in the spring. But the timing of spring rain is more critical than its intensity. If growers plant their seeds when its too dry, the seeds wont begin to develop. But with a little rain, they will grow into large, hardy plants.

Theres a relatively short window between the time you plant the beans and the time they germinate, Fallen said. If its real hot during the spring, theyll just sit in the ground and bake. You either need to have good moisture already in the ground from a previous rain, or a little rain from the skies to prompt them to germinate.

Once the heat of summer arrives, farmers will be rooting for weekly rains that drop an inch or two at a time. This will keep the beans growing at a healthy pace. Another drought would wreak further havoc.

Three to five inches a week during the summer is about how much water most of the soil around here can store, Fallen said. Any time you experience drought, the plants either suffer or become stagnant. There is only a certain window of time within which soybeans grow vegetatively, and then you have a certain amount of time that they grow reproductively. All of this is crucial to the end product.

Soybeans are harvested as early as the middle of September and as late as the middle of December. During that lengthy three-month stretch, soybean growers will be hoping for mostly dry conditions.

At this point, soybeans dont need any more moisture, Fallen said. Cooler, drier weather makes for a good soybean harvest. If it gets hot and humid, or if it rains, this can cause seed quality issues.

Before joining the faculty of Clemson University in 2013, Fallen already had extensive experience at several major universities as a plant breeder whose research focused on genetic solutions to improving crop production. At the Pee Dee REC, he has been working feverishly over the past several years breeding soybean varieties that he has acquired from around the nation and world. His goal is to produce higher-yielding soybeans with improved composition that will make them healthier to eat, better suited to be used as biofuels, more resistant to insects and disease and more tolerant to drought.

Ive been focusing on building a breeding program that will produce 21st-century soybeans for South Carolina, said Fallen, who is working in collaboration with scientists from Clemsons Advanced Plant Technology Program. I really want to do more molecular work, but first I needed to build the fieldwork foundation.

Fallen is helping farmers get the most bang for their buck while also enhancing the quality of their product. Clemson University hopes to receive $2.5 million from the South Carolina Legislature that will help expand its research and outreach programs even further.

Meanwhile, Fallens fingers are crossed that 2016 will be a rebound year for the S.C. soybean industry.

If the weather cooperates  and I sure hope it does  I think we can have a good year, Fallen said. Because last year was about as bad as it gets."
Herbert Gadson recalls the sensation he felt when a bullet seared his body 48 years ago.

The hole left in his hip was soon followed by a hole in his heart, which is slowly being filled with life's redemptive lessons.

The 67-year-old Charleston resident was a 19-year-old freshman at what was then South Carolina State College on Feb. 8, 1968. He was shot in what is known as the Orangeburg Massacre and still carries the bullet in his hip.

The event unfolded after three nights of escalating racial tension over efforts by students at S.C. State and others to desegregate the local All-Star Triangle Bowl. Three students were killed and 28 others were injured when South Carolina Highway Patrol troopers opened fire.

Gadson recalls the ugly way in which he and other students were treated at the bowling alley on Feb. 6, 1968.

A man told us, We cant serve you in here.' He didnt come out and say, Were not going to serve n - - - - - -, but you knew what he meant. The police came out there and told us we had to leave, Gadson said. "The thing that stuck in my mind was that I really began to hate white people."

Tension among students on campus was palpable. Gadson said very few students ventured off campus on the night before Feb. 8.

We had a lot of people that didnt go out, and we basically hung around the Claflin campus. On the following Thursday night, we were told not to leave the campus and a bonfire was started probably about 10 p.m. I think the bonfire was just basically a symbol of defiance, Gadson said.

I guess we were naive in not realizing what was going on with the other side. There were some cars and the National Guard out in the street, but we didnt know about all this surrounding us, he said. The sudden gunfire from law enforcement officers on the crowd of students was alarming.

I never saw anybody throw a brick. Nobody in the crowd said anything about throwing at the Guard or anything. But all of a sudden, it was a push that came from the front of the group. I guess it took time for my mind to register that we were being shot at, Gadson said.

All you could hear was, Get down! Just as I was about to hit the ground, I felt the sensation. At that point, I didnt realize I was shot. A lot of people hadnt realized that they were shot. Everybody moved back toward the campus and my roommate in Lowman Hall said Herb, youre bleeding!

Thats when I looked around and saw the blood streaming down. Everything after that, I guess was sort of a blur. The next thing I know, I was in Orangeburg Regional Hospital, he said.

S.C. State students Henry Smith and Samuel Hammond, along with 19-year-old Wilkinson High School student Delano Middleton, were killed.

The shooting started before that crowd started moving. The policemen were evidently moving toward the crowd when the shooting started. Theres no doubt about that. We were just like sitting ducks when we got up on that hill. Nobody had anything to throw and, if we did, I dont know if anybody would have done it, Gadson said. He said they were defenseless kids.

He said, I could see the shooting. I could see the street. I could see people on the ground. I know Smith was beaten. We used to call him Smitty. He was a year or two ahead of me, but he was radical.

Gadson said he had not seen Hammond and Middleton in any protests during the week before Feb. 8 and figured it was just their time to have been among students who gathered near the S.C. State campus on that fateful night.

A wounded Gadson said his visit at the hospital in 1968 was not pleasant either.

The police were walking up and down the hall. They had policemen guarding us and that kind of thing. I guess they were making sure that we didnt cause any ruckus in the hospital. Their main focus was, 'I guess yall got what you were looking for,' " Gadson said.

He said he has learned not to be overly bitter about the event and looks forward to its commemoration.

I had given it some thought as the years went on. It took me a long time to even deal with white people. I think every year I try to ask the Lord in some way to help me accept what happened. That was not what integration was supposed to be about. I think what the years have taught me is just how to accept what happened, Gadson said.

He is a native of the Charleston County town of Hollywood. Gadson also endured racism there growing up, but eventually went on to serve as its first African-American mayor from 1989 to 2003. He also became the first African-American mayor in the history of Charleston County at that time.

If you were a black kid riding a bike or walking through Hollywood, you had to carry a stick because white people would sic their dogs on you. Every yard in Hollywood basically had a dog, Gadson said.

He hopes younger generations will not be taught to carry the racism of the past.

I think each generation moves away from that hate, but then theres some of that old generation that dont want to accept the fact. As far as race relations, there is still a lot to be desired because theres still that institutional racism that exists, Gadson said.

Gadsons 38-year-old son, Shaytee, talks about his fathers experiences in the Orangeburg Massacre in his book titled Hallelujah in Hollywood: A True Hollywood Story. He also touched upon his fathers controversial and sometimes polarizing presence as mayor of Hollywood.

He said his fathers resolve to make a difference in society after being shot is inspiring.

After that night, he said he was no longer going to be a victim of anybodys system. He said the next bullet would have to kill him because he was not going to stop until he made a difference in this world, Shaytee said.

He added, Herbert Gadson is my hero. When he ran for mayor in 1989, there was a very palpable fear that he was going to get lynched, but he took Hollywood out of the Stone Age. Over the course of 14 years, he brought water, sewer and infrastructure to Hollywood. Hes a flawed hero, but hes my hero nonetheless.

Shaytee said it is good to commemorate the Orangeburg Massacre each year.

The ultimate crime is in the forgetting. Our history is something to be extremely proud of because those kids fought with everything in them and said, Whether I go home or not, America is going to acknowledge our humanity. Herbert Gadson never ran away from any battle, and I think that is the lesson that Ive learned from him, he said.

Hallelujah In Hollywood: A True Hollywood Story is available on Amazon, Kindle and at www.hallelujahinhollywood.com.
More than a week ago, the Senate Finance Committee met to discuss the status of a bill to improve South Carolinas roads. The committee is also considering cutting nearly $400 million in income and business taxes.

The funding amendment currently being discussed would raise the motor fuel user fee/gas tax by 12 cents over three years. At full implementation the motor fuel user fee would raise $442 million in year 2018-19.

The Department of Revenue recently confirmed that out-of-state residents pay a third of our motor fuel user fee/gas tax, which would equal $133 million of the $442 million in new funding. Also, an additional provision would increase out-of-state revenues by $13 million in year 2018-19. The total amount derived from out-of-state motorists would equal $146 million in additional revenue.

Even with this reality, there is a small group of lawmakers adamantly opposing an increase in any fees. These senators are demanding the General Assembly use funds from the projected $1.3 billion surplus revenue to fund road repair. Their approach would put the entire burden on South Carolinians, rather than allowing out-of-state motorists to share the burden.

Worse, their proposal to use surplus revenue is not guaranteed to address the state's long-term road needs -- estimated to cost upwards to $1 billion annually for the next 30 years. This past years budget growth was 6.5% percent, which is twice the average growth rate of the last 25 years. So, that rate is historically considered unsustainable.

When analyzing our infrastructure needs, it is impossible to both fund and plan these hugely expensive projects without additional certified recurring revenue. The majority of the states revenue growth is coming from South Carolinians in the form of sales tax, income tax and corporate income tax.

These funds finance core government services, predominately education, health care, public safety, and social services. However, roads and bridges are funded through motor fuel user fees/gas tax, and do not receive substantial funding from the general fund. When it comes to road funding, it is simple. The more you drive the more you pay; if you dont drive at all, you dont pay at all  same goes for out-of-state motorists.

Once the proposed higher gas taxes and fees that would be paid by out-of-state residents are factored out, the increased cost to South Carolinians would be nearly balanced out from proposed tax reductions.

Essentially, the proposal before the Senate Finance Committee would fund roads directly by increasing user fees. And also make use of recurring surplus money to support tax reductions. This is better budgeting and long-term fiscal policy.

The political game being waged by some legislators opposing an increase in our motor fuel user fee/gas tax hurts the people of South Carolina. South Carolina citizens must encourage their legislator to act fiscally responsible and follow Ronald Reagans principles: general taxes for general services, user fees for specific uses.
There have been encouraging signs that the Republican leadership on Capitol Hill wants to make Congress function again. Theyve talked about using conference committees more, allowing a more open process for rank-and-file members, enacting separate appropriation bills rather than using omnibus bills, and letting committees lead on legislation rather than hoarding all power in the leadership offices. Perhaps most important, theyve acknowledged that Congress has many bad habits, and insist that they want to restore a healthy legislative process.

This has to be heartening to any American concerned about the level of dysfunction to which Congress had sunk. The question is, how can we tell if Congress is actually fixing itself? For as promising as the rhetoric might be, theres a long way to go before words and reality meet on Capitol Hill. Heres what you should keep your eye on:

First, differences in emphasis separate the leaders of the two houses, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Ryan is intent on pressing forward with key policy proposals that would anchor a bold Republican legislative agenda. But thats because the Republican majority in the House is not generally believed to be at risk. Over in the Senate, things are different: control of that body next year is up for grabs, and McConnell seems to be focused on maintaining his partys majority. For his members, boldness is a risk. This difference could lead to slim production.

So look to see how many and which issues the two leaders really push forward. Will they advance the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal in some version, or let it slide until the elections are past? Will they tackle tax reform? How about authorizing support for the war against ISIS? Ryan has already removed one key matter  immigration reform  from the table. Will other pressing issues also bite the dust?

The second big indicator is whether Congress has the political will to fix itself. Most members say publicly that they dont want gridlock and are dedicated to making the institution function smoothly. The key measure of whether they really mean it is the attitude they take toward their political adversaries. If what you hear on Capitol Hill is nothing but distrust, then theyre not serious. If theyre willing to negotiate and compromise with one another  as happened at the end of last year, with the passage of an omnibus spending package  then theres hope.

Third is what you might think of as the rolled-up-sleeves test. How hard are members of Congress willing to work at addressing the key issues facing the country? So far, the evidence is disappointing. The legislative schedule put out by the congressional leadership is, to be blunt, lax. On average, members of Congress will be working about nine days a month. Theyve given themselves four stretches of 10 days off at a time. Theyll be off for 52 straight days in July, August and September, and then another 39 days in a row in October and November. Yes, its an election year and they want to campaign. But you cannot run a government that is not in session. The best we can hope for is an obvious sense of urgency when members of Congress are in Washington. Look for it. If you dont see it, little will get done on Capitol Hill.

I should say that not all the responsibility for restoring Congress rests at the federal level. The states, too, have a key role to play. Will they get serious about how they draw congressional districts, so that politicians no longer have the luxury of picking their voters rather than the other way around? Will some states continue to pursue efforts to make voting harder  which, like gerrymandering, has the effect of shoring up the extremes in Congress? Will states make the effort to modernize their voting systems, so that the democratic process has a chance of working with minimal friction?

In the end, good intentions and fine rhetoric dont accomplish much. I hope youll keep an eye on Congress and cheer for its members to act in accord with their own advice. If they do, Congress will take a giant stride toward improved performance.
NEESES  A pre-bid conference on construction of a senior recreation and leisure center in Neeses will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the town hall.

The announcement was made at the Feb. 2 Neeses Town Council meeting. Gary Shaw of G3S Architecture + Design of Lexington will conduct the meeting, it was noted.

Mayor Joseph Corbett said the pre-bid construction conference will not be for accepting bids but will strictly be an information session. For those who plan to bid on the project, however, attendance at the pre-bid conference is mandatory, he said.

Also during the meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Kenneth Gleaton requested $1,300 plus tax to replenish the wood chips around the town's playground equipment near the Park Street ball field. His cost estimate was based on purchasing wood chips to cover 55 cubic yards from a company in Walterboro that will deliver the material.

The business owner is willing to send us a sample bag free of charge. If its what we want, we will confirm the order, Gleaton said.

Council voted to approve the purchase.

In other business, Corbett reminded council members that hazard mitigation training for the towns in western Orangeburg County will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Neeses Town Hall. He said the training is aimed at helping municipalities set hazard mitigation goals and strategies to deal with incidents like 2015's historic flooding.

Corbett said he encourages the mayors of Livingston, Norway, Springfield, North, Woodford and Cope to attend the meeting. Other town officials may also attend, he said.

Billy Staley, director of Orangeburg County Emergency Services and Amanda Sievers, Lower Savannah Council of Governments planning manager, will facilitate the training.

Corbett also noted during the meeting that the town needs to review and update its ordinances including those related to signs and mobile homes.

He reminded the public that signs and notices should not be placed on utility poles and that yard sale and other small signs should be set back from the highway so they will not obscure drivers' visibility or distract them.

Also during the meeting:

Corbett said he would contact the S.C. Department of Transportation office in St. Matthews about filling in potholes in Neeses.

Clerk Sonja Gleaton reported the town is continuing to have problems with a serial litterer. The mayor said the situation is being addressed.

Council went into executive session to discuss penny sales tax projects but took no action upon returning to the public meeting.

It was announced that Diane Curlee, Orangeburg County Conservation District education coordinator,

will be the speaker at the Crime Watch meeting at 6:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, at Neeses Town Hall. Those planning to attend are asked to bring finger foods.
Shaun Miller has been touched by cancer.

His mother, a lifelong smoker, was diagnosed with the disease in August 2011.

Three years later, Miller made the hardest trip of his life to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to say goodbye to her.

The experience with cancer prompted Miller to embark on a journey to help others quit smoking.

The journey ended in August 2015 with his opening of Palmetto Cloud Chasers vape store. His is one of a number of new businesses in The T&D Region built around the growing popularity of vaping.

"I was doing some reading about vaping and what it can do to help people get off smoking," Miller said. "If this technology had come out five years sooner, I could have gotten her off of cigarettes."

Palmetto Cloud Chasers was established in July 2015 and opened for business Aug. 10.

Miller caters to both the smoker wanting to quit for a better, healthier lifestyle as well as the hobbyist looking to explore the world of vaping and e-cigarettes.

Vaping, according to the blog created for the vaping community, Vaper Soul, can be defined as the act of inhaling water vapor through a personal vaporizer (a tobacco-free version of the traditional cigarette).

Vaping is touted as an alternative to smoking and is praised by users for being better than cigarettes because it doesnt cause the same bad smell and breath. It also leaves no cigarette burns and no dirty ashtrays.

The process involves applying heat to a liquid, which generates vapor, the website states.

The user, called a vaper, gets nicotine through inhaling the almost odorless vapor.

The website notes that vaping "came into being" as far back as the 1960s. Vaporizers at the time werent easy to carry around. They were more of a static, tabletop kind.

Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist who took inspiration from the death of his father from cancer, called his device a Ruyan, which loosely translated means "like smoke."

The Ruyan proved to be a hit, and it slowly made its way into the United States in the first decade of the 21st century.

Vaporizers are typically battery-powered with a cartridge that houses an e-liquid and an atomizer that is responsible for heating up the e-liquid and creating vapor that the user inhales and exhales.

The e-liquid is a water-based liquid infused with nicotine. It can come plain or in an array of flavors. The e-liquid includes vegetable glycerin or propylene glycol, nicotine and flavoring.

The e-liquid comes in different nicotine strengths, including some with no nicotine at all for those who want to vape without the nicotine.

Miller said the industry is about 13 years old and has been commercially popular in the past seven years.

"It is such a new industry," he said, noting laws have not yet come to realize the nature of vaping.

Other stores

The Steam Shop is another vaping store in Orangeburg. Co-owner Ben Jeffords opened his store in May 2014 along with his brother Jack.

"There was a huge market need for it," said Jeffords, who has been vaping for the past three years after being a 15-year cigarette smoker. "We had to travel to Columbia and Charleston to get anything. It has been really successful."

"People are tired of cigarettes and the stigma that goes with (smoking)," Jeffords said. "But there is a certain stigma in vaping. It truly is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes."

Jeffords said about 40 percent of e-cigarette users are hobbyists.

Two other local stores are ECIG Charleston and KAZOR Vapor Shop.

Negatives?

Opponents say that because nicotine is addictive, e-cigarettes could be a "gateway drug," leading nonsmokers and kids to use tobacco.

Others question the benefits of e-cigarettes helping people quit smoking, just like nicotine gum.

In a 2014 release, the American Cancer Societys Cancer Action Network called for more study of both vaping and second-hand exposure.

While the health effects of e-cigarettes are currently under study, there are still serious questions about the safety of inhaling the substances in e-cigarette aerosol. Studies have shown that the use of e-cigarettes can cause short-term lung changes and irritations, while the long-term health effects are unknown, it said.

There have been calls for long-term, in-depth studies.

The Centers for Disease Control notes, Nicotine poses dangers to pregnant women and fetuses, children, and adolescents. Youth use of nicotine in any form, including (electronic nicotine devices), is unsafe. It also notes nicotine is addictive and nicotine liquid poisonings have increased.

The Food and Drug Administration is looking to finalize its rules on e-cigarettes and other vaping products.

The rules would require federal approval for flavored e-liquid and e-cig devices sold in vape shops.

There are concerns about the FDA rules and their impact on the vaping industry.

"They want to make a bottle of juice cost the same as a pack of cigarettes," Jeffords said, noting that "tobacco lobbyists are trying to level the field. The tobacco industry hates it."

He says right now e-cigarette users can spend $5 for juice that will last them a week compared to a pack of cigarettes that costs about $5.

In the United States, there are an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 vape shops and an estimated 1,000 manufacturers and wholesalers of vaping equipment.

In South Carolina, electronic cigarettes are defined as "an alternative nicotine product," which is prohibited to minors under 18 if the product includes nicotine.

Minors in possession of tobacco products face a civil fine, or they can choose to complete a tobacco-education class instead. A business that makes the illegal sale faces up to a $400 fine for repeat offenses.

Other outlets such as convenience stores also sell e-cigarettes in the Orangeburg area.
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.
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The Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) continues the analysis of customer accounts of the countrys Texnikabank OJSC, head of the fund Azad Javadov told reporters Feb. 8.

Texnikabank's license was cancelled by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan. This decision was made because the total capital of the bank didnt correspond to the CBA minimum requirement of 50 million manats.

Javadov said that according to preliminary data, compensation totaling 79.34 million manats on 66,000 deposits will be paid.

Javadov noted that the depositors of Texnikabank will be able to receive compensations in four agent banks.

As is known, of Texnikabank is the largest of the liquidated banks, he said. So the analysis of its accounts may take more time. Regarding the agent banks, we plan to attract Muganbank, Rabitabank, Unibank and Kapital Bank as such."

Texnikabank has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1994 (previously - Rashadbank).

/By Trend/
The Moscow House of Nationalities hosted an award ceremony of the winners of art contest.

The Azerbaijan-Russia Friendship Bridge international project has involved students from Russian and Azerbaijani schools and art centers. The project was launched last year on October 1 and featured more than 130 works. The professional jury headed by the Honored Artist of Russia Asgar Mammadov chose the five winners in 5-9 and 10-17 age groups.

Asgar Mammadov admitted that choosing a winner was very difficult: all the drawings were made with a soul, each in own style ... Adult participants were assessed for performance and originality of Friendship theme and the kids - mostly for working with color.

Adviser to the ambassador of Azerbaijan in Russia, Vugar Imamaliyev, conveyed greetings of Ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu, and invited all participants to visit Azerbaijan. Friendship between Azerbaijan and Russia has centuries-old roots and a glorious future, said Imamaliyev.

Head of the inter-parliamentary friendship group Azerbaijan-Russia Dmitry Savelyev expressed his confidence that such a creative contests encourage growing interest of Russian and Azeri children towards each other.

Secretary of the Expert Council on Education of the State Duma Irina Bogacheva promised that the best works of the competition will be displayed at the exhibition of the Golden Ball International Prize of the Revival and Hope Foundation, which is being regularly held in the Russian State Duma.

/By Azertac/
The US urges all parties to take steps toward a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, US ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta said.

Cekuta was delivering speech at an event dedicated to the upcoming anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, the embassys Twitter page says.

The past tragedies must be remembered, the diplomat said. The reconciliation efforts must move forward to prevent repeats.

On February 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces, together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly.



As a result of the massacre, some 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. A total of 487 civilians became disabled as a result of the onslaught. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people remains unknown.

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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

/By Trend/
Israel is reviewing the possibility of launching two pipeline ventures to export gas to Turkey and Greece, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said Sunday,

reported.

In late January, Tel Aviv, Nicosia and Athens agreed to work on joint projects to export gas from the Eastern Mediterraneans gas reserves discovered in the seas belonging to Israel and Cyprus to Europe.

"If things improve with Turkey gas could both be sold to Turkey, and to Greece via Turkey," Steinitz told the Greek Kathimerini newspaper.

The Israeli minister added that the discovery of strategic gas reserves in Israel and Egypt would justify the costs of building a major pipeline to Greece.

Ankara has been in talks with Israeli firms over a potential pipeline to carry Israeli natural gas to Turkey for several years, but the negotiations reached an impasse as relations between the two countries deteriorated.

Relations between Israel and Turkey deteriorated after the Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, when a convoy of six ships, including one under Turkey's flag, tried to approach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and activists on board. The flotilla was blocked and stormed by Israeli forces, with eight Turkish citizens being killed.

Currently, Israels Leviathan gas field, first drilled in 2011, is one of the largest young gas reserves in the world, with some 3,450 trillion cubic meters of natural gas of undiscovered reserves.
Industry, Mines and Trade Minister said that Iran is of geopolitical importance for Kazakhstan as it helps the Central Asian country to get connected to the high seas, Irna reported.

'Iran is the link for Kazakhstan due to its strategic situation and its closeness to the Persian Gulf,' Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh said, addressing Iran-Kazakhstan Trade and Investment Seminar in Tehran on Sunday.

The Iranian industry minister reiterated that Iran's geopolitical location and it link to the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea has provided our country with special privilege.

Nematzadeh pointed to the ongoing visit of a 260-member Kazakh delegation to Tehran, and said, 'This is the biggest trade delegation from Central Asia visiting Iran and I am confident that given the two countries' track record of cultural, religious and historical relations, this visit will help to the trade promotion.




Japan is calling on the international community to take harsh measures against North Korea after it launched a long-range rocket, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said,

reported.

On Sunday, North Korea fired a long-range rocket, defying a UN Security Council resolution which bans Pyongyang from launching rockets that may be used as ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads. Japans National Security Council held a meeting shortly after the incident, as the rocket flew over Japans Okinawa prefecture.

"The necessity of swiftest adoption of harsh sanctions has increased even more," Kishida said, as quoted by the Kyodo news agency.

Following the reports about North Koreas rocket launch, Abe's office said that Japan, in close cooperation with the international community, would not hesitate to take measures against North Korea.

Later that day, Kishida said that Tokyo had begun considering its own sanctions over the incident.
Turkey will become the leading tourist destination, the countrys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, the Turkish newspaper Star reported Feb. 8.

Over the 13-year rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Turkey achieved great successes in the field of tourism, the president said.

Erdogan said that Turkey will do everything possible to increase the number of tourists visiting the country.



In 2015, as many as 29.6 million tourists visited the country, and 12.4 million of them visited Istanbul, according to the Institute of Statistics of Turkey.

In the third quarter of 2015, Turkey's tourism revenues totaled $12.2 billion.

As of today, the worlds top tourist destination is France, with 83 million foreign tourists. So it remains the global leader, with the dynamic tourism sector boasting a surplus and rapidly transforming under the combined effect of a new, emerging clientele and a broader range of things on offer to international tourists.

/By Trend/
Isis militants are digital natives, adept at using social media to inspire their supporters and provoke fear and dismay on behalf of their opponents.

They have left tech companies scrambling in their wake, rapidly developing policies and protocols in response to the rapidly-evolving methods of Islamic extremists.

Due to security concerns and a desire to maintain their carefully-cultivated image as a bastion of free speech and open debate, companies like Twitter have tended not to reveal the details of their anti-terror protocols.

As such, the website's announcement that it hassuspended 125,000 accounts with alleged links to Isis provides a rare insight into how the world's top tech companies are battling the world's most effective propaganda machine.

How can a computer detect terrorist propaganda?

Algorithms are not yet sophisticated enough to accurately identify hate speech or terrorist propaganda. When there is no clear social convention as to the nature of terrorism, a computer can hardly be expected to separate heartfelt political fervour from illegal exhortations to violence.

Interestingly, Twitter states it is "leverag[ing] proprietary spam-fighting tools" to combat Isis. The extremists' tech-savvy followers have been known to set up automated accounts, blasting brute amounts of extremist rhetoric into cyberspace. These accounts can be caught using programs normally deployed to take down spam adverts and other online clutter.

But automated accounts are far easier to identify than actual terrorist cells. As the UK Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee noted in 2014, it is much simpler to train a computer to flag up child pornography than it is to set it up to scrape for terrorist chatter online.

Twitter has therefore also beefed up its teams that review reports, "reducing [their] response time significantly".

Sometimes, people have to do it

On the most mundane level, companies like Twitter employ droves of American college students and low-paid workers in the Phillippines to trawl through any content which is flagged as graphic. Burnout is high among these frontline employees, who are paid less than $500 a month to sit in front of screens filled with flickering images of gore, child pornography and Isis beheadings.

More senior, specialist teams in the US and Ireland monitor accounts which have been flagged as disseminating terrorist material. However, they are often little better equipped than computer algorithms when judging an account's legality, forced to "make challenging judgement calls based on very limited information and guidance," in the company's own words.

And sometimes, they need your help

All of these teams rely on the general public of Twitter to provide them with raw materials to work with, by referring potentially harmful accounts, tweets and images. In this sense, the company is effectively crowd-sourcing a social algorithm to determine what is extreme hatespeech and what is legitimate political discourse.

In 2015, the US killed British-born Isis hacker Junaid Hussain in a drone strike, partially basing their decision to pull the trigger on his Twitter activity. In 2014, then-CEO of Twitter Dick Costolo received death threats after removing a clutch of Isis-linked accounts.

Clearly, the stakes are high. And with Twitter leaning on the help of re-purposed anti-spam software and referrals from concerned members of the public, it seems to be Isis who have the upper hand.
Iranian and Greek officials signed three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on the sidelines of a meeting between visiting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Irans First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri in Tehran Feb. 8, Irans state IRINN TV reported.

The documents, including a roadmap for boosting ties between Tehran and Athens, envisage diplomatic and political cooperation.

During a joint press conference with Jahangiri on Feb. 8, Tsipras underlined that Iran and Greece should boost strategic cooperation in various fields.

He further said that Athens cooperation with Tehran has strategic importance, adding Iran and Greece enjoy historical ties.

Greece can serve as a bridge connecting the Islamic Republic to the EU, Tsipras underlined.

Iranian and Greek nations complement each other, he said, remarking that Greek delegates are negotiating cooperation in various fields with Iranian counterparts.

Tsipras also said the two parties discussed the latest developments in Iraq and Syria, adding Iran can help restore stability in the entire region.

Tsipras, leading a high-ranking political and economic delegation, first arrived in Irans Isfahan from Athens on Feb. 6 and toured the historical and cultural places in the city.

Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias, Minister of Environment and Energy Panagiotis Skourletis, Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism Georgios Stathakis and Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas, as well as a 50-member team of industrialists and businessmen are accompanying the prime minister.

The Greek delegation, upon its arrival in Tehran on Feb. 7, was met by Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi at the Mehrabad international airport.

Tsipras is scheduled to confer with senior Iranian officials on ways to develop mutual relations and economic cooperation, as well as discuss regional and international developments.

/By Trend/
/By Azernews/

By Aynur Karimova

Iran, which has recently made great achievements in the health field, is interested in establishing an enterprise for medicine production in Azerbaijan.

Such a proposal was made last week at a meeting held in Baku between Azerbaijan's Economy and Industry Minister Shahin Mustafayev and an Iranian delegation headed by Reza Raei, Acting Chairman of the Organization of Social Protection.

Raei spoke about the Organization of Social Protection of Iran and the "Darou pakhsh" pharmaceutical company, which operates under the organization.

The sides discussed the possibility of cooperation in the field of production of medicines in Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani side agreed to consider these proposals and study the possibility of their realization.

Developing pharmaceutical manufacturing in Azerbaijan may become one of major directions in the country's aim to diversify its non-oil sector of the economy.

In late 2015, the government announced that Azerbaijan will establish its own enterprises that will manufacture medicines to cease dependence on imports.

The market of medicines in Azerbaijan by 97 percent dependent on imports, while 57 percent of medicines registered in the country are produced in Europe, 26 percent in the CIS countries, including 12 percent made in Russia. The small proportion is produced in Asian countries.

In this regard, the government is keen to cooperate with foreign companies as well.

Iran's pharmaceutical market experienced a sharp growth last year, rising to $1.2 billion. There are as many as 65 pharmaceutical companies in the country, but their operations are basically limited to local formulation.

The modern Iranian pharmaceutical system in the country commenced 100 years ago with the opening of the first modern-style pharmacy by German, French, and Austrian pharmacists in Tehran. Established in 1946, Abidi was the first Iranian pharmaceutical company, followed by Tolid Darou and Darou Pakhsh in 1958 and 1963, respectively.

The pharmaceutical industry is regulated by the government, where the production and importation of drugs is heavily subsidized.




/By Azernews/

By Aynur Karimova

Glencore PLC, the Switzerland-based mining and trading giant, has become the first Western company to load oil of energy-rich and sanctions-free Iran.

The Wall Street Journal reported with reference to the shipping company officials that shipping of Iranian oil started on February 5.

A tanker chartered by Glencore AG loaded 80,000 metric tons of fuel oil at the Iranian oil-products terminal of Bandar Mahshahr and left bound for the United Arab Emirates.

Iran, the fourth country in the world for its proven oil reserves of 158 billion barrels, has been producing additional 200,000 bpd of oil since January 21 and storing for later export to Europe, Fars news agency reported on February 7 quoting an informed source.

The source told local media that the stored additional oil will be exported to Irans traditional European customers, pointing out that Greece is likely to be its first receiver.

The developments come in the wake of the removal of international sanctions on Iran. The sanctions are lifted in accordance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the group 5+1, which came into force on January 16.

Foreign energy giants, operating in the oil and gas fields of Iran, have been long awaiting their return to the vast Iranian market. The removal of sanctions has paved the way to restore their activities in the Islamic Republic and take even greater benefits from operations in this new market.

Iran used to sell as much as 800,000 bpd to European refiners in Italy, Spain and Greece before the sanctions over its nuclear program were imposed.

On February 6, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Iran plans to sell 300,000 barrels of crude oil a day to Europe, a major market for the Islamic Republic before much of the West imposed sanctions in response to Tehrans nuclear program in 2012.

The minister also revealed some figures about the country's oil export plans. He said an agreement on export of 160,000 bpd of oil to Frances Total will come into force on February 16.

Zanganeh also said Total is also going to start work on Iranian projects, including the Sough Azadegan oil field and Irans LNG.

The Italian Eni is also going to sign a contract with Iran during a near future visit of the companys representatives to Tehran. Eni has requested a flow of 100,000 bpd of oil. There are talks that the company is going to develop an oil field for Iran.

The Italian Saras is also seeking 60,000-70,000 bpd from Iran.

Iran, which aims to boost its oil exports by 500,000 barrels a day in the next few months, demonstrates how one of the worlds biggest energy producers is keen to return its traditional markets and increase export of oil and gas thanks to the implementation of the JCPOA.

Over the past decade in a bid to curb Irans nuclear program, the international community took measures against Tehran, including restrictions imposed on the countrys financial system, as well as industry, which have had a catastrophic impact on Iranians economic situation and life conditions.

Thus, the implementation of the JCPOA is expected to bring a comprehensive development to Iran's economy.

Taking this into account, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has awarded two ministers, as well as the country's atomic chief with medals of Honor and valor, for their involvement in the implementation of the JCPOA.



Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif has received the Medal of Honor while Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi and Minister of Defense Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan were awarded with the medals of valor, IRNA news agency reported.
/By Azernews/

By Amina Nazarli

Picturesque Baku led Top 10 foreign cities for weekend travel, according to the Russia tourist service Travel.ru, which determined the most popular Russian and foreign cities for a romantic weekend.

The City of Winds became the best in the category of the most economical city for tourism in weekend, with the average cost of hotel accommodation of $20.



Due to its location and developing infrastructure, Azerbaijan, well considering the harmony of the East and the West, is one of the most attractive countries in the region.

Land of Fire reached significant promotions in tourism sector, improving the image of the country in the international arena thanks to the policy on boosting the tourism flow.

Currently, Azerbaijan is able to accommodate some 2.5 million people visiting the country a year in 530 both luxury and 2-3 stars hotels.



Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Tourism Association Muzaffar Agakarimov told Milli.az that now the prices in the local hotels are very affordable.

The monitoring showed that the devaluation of the national currency in fact decreased the cost of a room for two people to $25-30, he noted, adding that the prices refer only to the national hotels. The prices at luxury 5-star brand hotels have changed significantly, since they are determined by the head offices.



Agakarimov noted that the prices differ depending on whether it is an individual or group tour. It is a bit costly when traveling on your own, while traveling in a group allows travel companies to make discounts. Therefore, the mass tourism can lead to decrease in hotel prices, he explained.

The secretary general noted favorable conditions created for both domestic and inbound tourism in the country, emphasizing that licensing has been canceled for tourism and hotels.

Development of mass tourism was recently discussed at a round table on further development of tourism and hospitality industry of Azerbaijan, where Chairman of the Board of the DAIR Hotels and Restaurants Association Samir Dubendi assessed this as "very important step".

Our goal is to develop mass tourism, which include the expansion and improvement of services provided to tourists. The development of mass tourism will lead to opening of new jobs, upgrade of the countrys regions in terms of tourism opportunities and mark a significant contribution to the economy, he said.

The blue Caspian Sea, unique nature of Absheron, Gobustans rock paintings and mud volcanoes included in the UNESCOs Cultural Heritage List, the unique Goygol lake, considering the most impressive in the East, as well as the pearl of the architectural heritage of Azerbaijan -- Shirvanshakhs Palace, and the most majestic and the most mysterious monument of Baku -- Maiden Tower and many others are the beauties that a tourist may experience in the Land of Fire.

Board Member of the Big Odessa Tourism Development Association Fazil Askerov told local media that the tourism potential of Azerbaijan is huge thanks to its geography from desert to ski tourism locating in the three-hour availability.

Askerov stressed Azerbaijan attracts many tourists for its historical, religious, ethnic, eco-tourism and culinary tourism, adding that Azerbaijani cuisine is a well-established brand, at least in the post-Soviet area.

The expert also proposes to adopt the experience of neighboring countries, where this field has succeeded considerably, voicing that with due attention and hard work Azerbaijan may host 5-7 million tourists by 2025.
Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation...(James 1:27)
Kuwait Finance House (KFH), the country's biggest Islamic lender, will set up a Sharia-compliant asset management unit under its Turkish bank branch, the lender said.



Kuwait Finance House Turk will establish five sharia-compliant investment funds and offer other investment services under KT Portfoy, the new unit, KFH said in a bourse statement.



The establishment of the new firm is conditional on approval from Turkey's capital market authority.



KFH's chief executive in January said it would issue Islamic bonds to boost capital reserves at its subsidiary bank in Turkey, even as it looks to restructure its global assets.  Reuters
Bahrain today (February 8) hosted the United Nations Investments Committee meeting, which was held in Manama.



The United Nations Investments Committee makes investment recommendations to the United National Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), a fund that was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1949 to provide retirement, death, disability and related benefits for staff of the United Nations (UN) and the other organisations admitted to membership in the fund.



Amr Moussa, the former secretary-general of the Arab League, gave a keynote address at a dinner that followed the meeting, said the statement.



In attendance were members of the UNJSPF, including Carolyn Boykin, representative of the UN secretary-general, and Sergio Arvizu, chief executive officer of UNJSPF. Also at the meeting were the six UN Investments Committee Members, including Nemir Kirdar, chairman of Investcorps board of directors and member of the UN Investments Committee.



Kirdar said: It is an honour to serve on the UN Investments Committee. We had a constructive meeting today and I am looking forward to continuing to support this important organisation and strengthening ties between the UN, Bahrain and the wider Middle East.  TradeArabia News Service
Oman plans to borrow between $5 billion and $10 billion from abroad to help finance a budget deficit caused by low oil prices, central bank executive president Hamood Sangour al-Zadjali told Al Arabiya television on Monday.

Zadjali said the government might issue eurobonds by the middle of this year, but did not comment on the size of any eurobond offer or give further details of the foreign borrowing plan.

He also said the government planned to issue OMR600 million ($1.56 billion) of domestic bonds this year, or about OMR100 million ($258.5 million) every two months. It is currently marketing a OMR100 million ($258.5 million), five-year issue with a coupon of 3.5 per cent; the bonds will be auctioned on February 16.

The borrowing plans underline the heavy financial pressure which Oman faces because of cheap oil; the government has not issued an international bond since 1997. Last month, Oman obtained a $1 billion sovereign loan from international banks.

Financial Affairs Minister Darwish al-Balushi said in January that the government planned to cut its budget deficit to OMR3.3 billion ($8.5 billion) this year from an actual OMR4.5 billion ($11.6 billion) last year, partly through big spending cuts.

The government has decided to borrow abroad to reduce pressure on the local banking system, where money market rates have been rising as inflows of new oil revenues decrease.

A central bank auction of 91-day Treasury bills in late January fetched a weighted average yield of 0.844 percent, up from 0.201 per cent at a similar sale in March last year.

Arabiya quoted Zadjali as saying the central bank's foreign reserves were sufficient to cover about four months of imports. Its foreign assets and gold totalled OMR7.09 billion ($18.3 billion) in November, up 8.3 percent from a year earlier, the latest official data shows.

In addition, Omani sovereign wealth funds are believed to have about $20 billion of assets, much of them held overseas, which could be sold to obtain foreign exchange if needed. - Reuters
French construction giant Vinci said it had started preliminary discussion with senior government officials in Iran over the construction of high-speed train stations in the country.



Hit by weak growth at home, Vinci, the largest construction and concessions company in Europe, is looking at opportunities to grow in the oil and gas and transport infrastructures in Iran, said its top official.



Its aviation subsidiary Vinci Airports, which manages the development and operations of 25 airports worldwide, had last week won a contract to design, build and operate new terminals at the country's two major airports - Mashhad and Isfahan.



"To counter a slump in French construction, Vinci has expanded into faster growing and more profitable concessions such as airports, notably abroad and in motorways as well as in energy engineering," remarked its CEO Xavier Huillard.



Besides Iran, Vinci was also looking to grow all its businesses in America, notably motorway concessions in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, and airport concessions in Peru.-Reuters
Oman Refreshment Company (ORC), a leading food and beverage company in Oman, has announced the official launch of a new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottling line at a plant in the Bausher district in Muscat, a report said.



The new line will significantly enhance the companys carbonated soft drinks bottling capacity, said the Oman Daily Observer report.



The investment in the new PET bottling line is within the companys strategic plan to enhance its customer propositions and strengthen the customer preferences for its innovative products by continually improving its product portfolio, while investing suitably in its logistics and distribution infrastructure spread across the sultanate, it added.



The inauguration took place in the presence of local dignitaries and PepsiCo officials.



ORC is the official bottling company in the sultanate for PepsiCos liquid range of beverages (LRB), said the report.



The LRB range of ORC product range includes various PepsiCo brands such as Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Mirinda, 7 Up, Shani, Tropicana Fruitz, Lipton Ice Tea, Bario and Aquafina Water, besides the companys own juice product under the brand name Top Fruit.



The companys state-of-the-art bottling operations are designed to produce soft drinks in different pack sizes of cans, non-returnable glass bottles (NRB) and PET bottles. The new PET bottling line is equipped to produce various PET packages that suit the different occasion requirements of consumers in single serve (SS) and multi-serve (MS) PET bottles, added the report.
UK residential developer Galliard Homes has joined hands with top developers Cain Hoy and McCourt and Chinese real estate group Vanke to launch a 750-million ($1.07 billion) mixed-use project - The Stage in Shoreditch, UK.



The project, being developed in co-ordination with The Estate Office Shoreditch, will see the transformation of the 2.3 acre site of William Shakespeares Curtain Theatre, where Romeo & Juliet and Henry V were first performed, into a new tourist and retail attraction for London.



On the doorstep of three major economic hubs  the City of London, the Old Street Tech City Enterprise Zone and Hoxton, The Stage is located off Curtain Road in the heart of hip and trendy Shoreditch.

With a masterplan by award winning architects Perkins + Will and interiors by Argent Design, The Stage is designed around a new central 1.28 acre public square that will showcase the sunken remains of Shakespeares Tudor theatre, said a statement from Galliard Homes.



The new central square, one of the largest to be created in the capital, will be bordered by 400,000 sq ft of mixed use space including cafes, restaurants and shops with four striking new buildings - a 37-storey landmark residential tower providing 412 private sale apartments and penthouses; two office buildings providing over 257,000 sq ft of blue chip commercial space and retail premises at ground level and a leisure/performing arts pavilion - complete with an existing 19th century railway viaduct located on one side of the new square.



The viaduct will be restored with the historic brick arches accommodating 9,000 sq ft of new shops and bars fronting the square and the top of the viaduct landscaped into a park with a tea/coffee house overlooking the square.



The historic remains of the Elizabethan Curtain Theatre, dating back to 1577, have been discovered some three metres below the surface of the development.



It is planned that the remains and objects found during the dig will be carefully excavated, painstakingly preserved and transformed into a cultural centerpiece within the development, stated the top UK developer.



Under current plans there will be a heritage centre where visitors will have a chance to walk on a glass platform just above the theatre remains, view objects from the dig and watch augmented reality of scenes from Shakespeare plays.



Under current plans, the glass ceiling of the centre (which is below ground) will form part of the new public square, enabling visitors to look down onto the remains of the theatre.



Steps leading down to the centre form part of a 200 seat sunken amphitheatre where plays can be performed or people can sit and relax.



Londons oldest Shakespearean playhouse, the Curtain Theatre was opened in 1577 and was home to William Shakespeares Theatre Company.



It is believed to be where Shakespeares plays Romeo and Juliet and Henry V were first performed and where Ben Jonsons Every Man in His Humour was performed in 1598 with Shakespeare himself in the cast.



Queen Elizabeth I would on occasion visit the theatre and after her death in 1603 the new King, James I, became the theatres Royal patron.



In 1622 the theatre closed because of an economic downturn and almost 400 years later in 2011 excavators from the Museum of London Archaeology rediscovered the remains of the theatre buried beneath a disused Victorian goods yard. Now the remains of the theatre will be preserved and form part of the exciting new future that is The Stage.

The Stage will be launched for sale on March 17 with a starting pric of 695,000 ($994,635) for its residential units. For the next three days, the sales and marketing suite will open daily from 10am to 5pm, located at The Viaduct, Fairchild Place, Shoreditch EC2A 3EN.

According to Galliard Homes, the 37-storey residential tower at The Stage will provide residents with the best new address in London and an exceptional lifestyle choice and long term investment opportunity.

Rising 413 ft in height the tower has floor to ceiling glazing, balconies, high speed elevators, 32nd level Sky bar and lifestyle amenities and business meeting/hosting facilities.



Twin angled glazed canyons cut into and rise up the facade enabling natural light to cascade into adjoining apartments and the communal areas within the building.



With a specification and interiors by multi-award winning designer Nicola Fontanella of Argent Design, the tower will provide 412 luxurious studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments and four bedroom duplex penthouses, ranging from 416 sqft to 2,434 sqft in size with the upper levels benefiting from panoramic skyline views.



For the specification and design of the interiors, Argent Design have been inspired by the vibrant unpolished street-scene charm and cafe culture style of Shoreditch. This hip and trendy industrial aesthetic has been cleverly harmonised with luxurious West End and Manhattan style finishes creating a look which is a striking unique fusion of cool and fashionable meets luxurious and refined.



The bedrooms have deep and cosy wool mix carpets, floor to ceiling fitted wardrobes with featured mirrored centre panel and mood lighting.



The studio apartments cleverly maximise space and light by doing away with lots of internal walls and instead having spacious open interiors and the use of bespoke clear and frosted glass feature sliding walls to form the dedicated bedroom space.



The larger apartments have spacious kitchen/dining areas and master bedroom suites with ensuite bathrooms and some with walk in dressing rooms. Other features include extended height laquer internal doors, tile televisions to bathrooms in larger apartments, comfort cooling and programmable mood lighting to living and bedrooms and video security entry system.



Galliard Homes said The Stage provides residents with a range of exclusive lifestyle facilities. These include 24 hour concierge services; a business centre with advanced I.T. business suites and boardroom; private 20 seat screening room with tiered seating, panelled walls and feature doors with inlay detailing and a fully equipped games and recreational lounge.



Over 320 feet above ground, on the 32nd level, is the stunning Sky bar and drinks terrace. The cocktail bar opens onto a spacious rooftop terrace which provides panoramic views of the surrounding cityscape.



Situated directly adjacent to the residential tower within the Hewett building will be the new luxurious health club at The Stage. Inspired by the famous Cistern Basilica in Istanbul, the luxurious spa will include spa treatments, steam room and sauna.



Residents at The Stage will benefit from complimentary three year fitness club membership with luxury health club operator arranged by Galliard Homes.



All these facilities will combine to provide residents with outstanding lifestyle opportunities. After morning coffee and breakfast in their apartment residents can go downstairs and enjoy a stroll in the new London square and visit the local cafes and shops.



They can then visit the health club and exercise in the gymnasium or relax in the spa. After lunch in one of the local restaurants they can host a business meeting in the business centre or have drinks in the Sky bar before going to the boutique cinema to watch a movie. In the evening they can have dinner in one of the local restaurants or enjoy supper at home in their apartment.



The main construction works for The Stage are anticipated to commence in April 2016 with final build completion scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.



Stephen Conway, the CEO of Galliard Homes said: "The Stage will provide a world-class new destination for London. At its heart will be a new central square, one of the largest public open spaces to be created in the capital, bordered by historic and new buildings providing cafes, restaurants, shops, offices and new homes."



"For apartment purchasers it offers the best new address in London and an exceptional lifestyle choice and long term investment opportunity," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The UAE plans to outsource most government tasks to the private sector and cut the number of ministries, the prime minister said on Monday, without providing a timeframe for the changes.



"We will have a road map to outsource most government services to the private sector. The new government will have a smaller number of ministries and more ministers to deal with national and strategic issues," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Vice President of the UAE and the Dubai Ruler, said on his official Twitter account.



In probably a world first, the Premier announced the biggest structural changes in the history of the federation on Twitter while holding a live conversation with his 10 million followers on social media at the #WorldGovSummit, reported the Emirates 24/7.



I would like to announce to the people of the UAE that the UAE President has approved the biggest structural change in the Federal Government, he tweeted.



In the new government strategy, said Sheikh Mohammed, the government will have a roadmap to outsource most government services to the private sector.



The governments must be flexible. "We do not need more ministries, but more capable ministers dealing with change, he was quoted as saying in the report.

The changes include "merging the Ministries of Education and Higher Education under the ministers and one with the Ministers of State for his support in the national task."



Sheikh Mohammed said the government will be creating the Emirates Foundation for Schools to manage public schools and give it the authority and independence to run all public schools.



It will be run by an independent board of directors and will be accountable to the government for achieving national targets in education



On the same lines, the UAE has adopted structural changes in the Ministry of Health with the setting up of an independent institution to manage government hospitals.



In addition, the role of the Ministry of Health will undergo a change to focus on prevention of diseases and the protection of society from the diseases in addition to regulating the health sector, he said.



As per the new plan, the Ministry of Health will be renamed as the Ministry of Health and Prevention of Diseases.



Sheikh Mohammed also announced a major change in the role of the Ministry of Labour in terms of workforce management to take the country to a new stage of development and knowledge economy.
French automobile manufacturer Renault has launched a comprehensive motorsport programme entitled Renault Sport, which will be managed by two entities: Renault Sport Racing and Renault Sport Cars.



The plans were revealed recently by Groupe Renault Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn at an event held at the Renault Technocentre in Guyancourt, France.



Renault Sport Racing and Renault Sport Cars will work hand in hand to maximise technical and commercial synergies from track to road. The first demonstration of the relationship will be revealed at the Monaco Grand Prix.



Renault Sport Racing will encompass all Renaults motorsport activities, including Renault Sport Formula One Team, Renault e.dams, Formula Renault 2.0, Renault Sport R.S.01 Trophy, plus further customer racing and rallying programmes. Renault Sport Racing will cover operations at the two Renault motorsport sites at Enstone, UK, and ViryChatillon, France.



Renault Sport Cars, an evolution of Renault Sport Technologies, will manage the development and commercialisation of the Renault Sport car portfolio. Renault Sport is recognised worldwide for its excellence in hot hatches such as the Megane R.S. and Clio R.S. as well as efficient and accessible GTs including the new Megane GT. Renault Sport will develop its international footprint, brand appeal and portfolio growth with increased R&D investment.



Renault will use the new structure for two primary functions. Initially, it aims to promote the Renault Sport brand to a wider audience primarily using the Renault Sport Formula One Team and the global audience of F1. Secondly, it will use Formula E and racing activities such as the Clio Cup to showcase the image and design of other aspects of the Renault range such as electric vehicles.



Motorsports still spark the imagination of both enthusiasts and everyday drivers, and we are putting a comprehensive program in place today. Formula 1 is a big part of our efforts to boost awareness of Renault, particularly in markets where Renault is a newcomer, and will enhance the transfer of technologies from the track to our road cars, said Ghosn.



To ensure the operational autonomy required to perform in the fast moving racing and high performance environment with the strategic corporate objectives and requirements of Groupe Renault, a supervisory board has been created, which will be chaired by Carlos Ghosn.



Renault Sport Racing will be headed by Jerome Stoll as president, supported by Cyril Abiteboul as managing director. Frederic Vasseur will report to the latter as racing director, responsible for sporting and technical matters. Renault Sport Cars will be headed by Patrice Ratti as managing director. Guillaume Boisseau, Groupe Renault brands director, will lead the marketing efforts of the group to ensure the alignment and activation of the racing programs with Renaults marketing strategy.



Renault Sport Formula One Team announced



At the core of the racing activities will be the newly-created Renault Sport Formula One Team. The new F1 challenger consists of the Renault R.S.16 chassis, developed and manufactured in Enstone, whilst the Renault R.E.16 power unit will continue to be developed in Viry-Chatillon.



A number of key appointments have been made in the F1 team to avoid any dilution of the specific requirements of Formula One. Bob Bell is appointed F1 Chief Technical Officer and will manage the efforts of Nick Chester as Chassis Technical Director and Remi Taffin as Engine Technical Director. Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer are confirmed as Renault Sport Formula One Teams race drivers, and will be supported by Esteban Ocon, who joins the team as Third and Reserve Driver.



Key Formula One partners confirmed



Renault announced its partner portfolio at the event. Renault-Nissan Alliance partner Infiniti will continue its journey in Formula One alongside Renault and will enhance its involvement through a specific technology program developing the second generation of energy recovery systems (ERS) for the F1 power unit.



The technical collaboration between Total and Renault will continue in 2016.



Renault also announced new partnerships with other prestigious brands, including premium watch supplier, Bell & Ross, revolutionary audio systems inventors, Devialet, clothing company Bestseller as well as continuing relationships with the F1 teams current partners, including Microsoft and EMC.



Renault will continue its working relationship with Gravity Motorsports, an affiliate of the Genii Capital Group, which will retain a minority shareholding in the F1 team. Genii and Gravity worked tirelessly to ensure the teams survival in extremely difficult circumstances and Renault is pleased to recognize this commitment as Gerard Lopez remains a non-executive director of the team.



Renault Sport Academy



The Renault Sport Academy was also officially announced, with the double objective to find emerging talent that can be brought to Formula One and to provide an opportunity for Renaults markets to take an active role in the construction of tomorrows sporting performance through promoting and following their local drivers.  TradeArabia News Service
General Electric said on Sunday it had signed an agreement to invest $600 million in Italy in research and development projects in the oil and gas sector over the next five years.



GE Oil & Gas said the money would be spent on developing a facility to build turbines and compressors in the central region of Tuscany.



The project, dubbed "Galileo", will increase GE Oil & Gas volumes in Italy by 50 per cent and boost revenue by $1.7 billion over the five years.



"GE has been operating in Italy for about 100 years and today's operation confirms our strong commitment to invest and grow our business in the country," said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt.



Immelt was present at a signing ceremony with, among others, Italy's Industry Minister, Federica Guidi.



According to a document seen by Reuters, GE will invest $400 million in Galileo while the remaining $200 million will be public funding.



In the statement, GE said another agreement had been signed in previous weeks by aviation unit Avio Aero to invest 200 million ($218.1 million). That brings the overall investment programme to more than $800 million, it said.



GE said its Oil & Gas division had also signed on Sunday an agreement with Italy's SACE, a state-owned export credit insurance agency.



It said SACE could provide assistance of up to $6 billion over the period 2016-2018 to support its exports to areas such as Latin America, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Asia. - Reuters
More than 200 franchise brands will be participating or represented by World Franchise Associates (WFA) at the upcoming World Franchise Forum & Expo in Dubai, UAE.



The 8th edition of the event will be held on February 16 and 17 at the Conrad Hotel Dubai. Brands from the US, Canada, Europe, ASEAN Region, Malaysia and Australia will be seeking partners for the expansion of their networks.



Dr Raja Easa Saleh Al Gurg, managing director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group (ESAG) and president of the Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC), will be the keynote speaker for the event.



Dr Al Gurg will be joined by Lubna Qassim, executive vice president and the general counsel of Emirates NBD Bank.



This high profile annual event for the Mena region will focus on Dubai and the rest of the regions immensely important resources for investment in franchising.



Top platinum sponsor, Aura & Palma Group, under its general manager, Charbel Mhanna, is warmly welcomed together with sponsorship by Lava Brands and Salad Boutique/Sushi Club, a statement said.



Christopher Brinkley, director, World Franchise Associates, said: Franchising is not just the offer of endless global opportunities for business investors from all over the world but also represents a shift in consumer trends and social empowerment. Our delegates will be inspired by our speakers over the two days to build a successful future in franchising.  TradeArabia News Service
Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea, a luxury property in Jordan, has appointed Emmanuel Stavrakakis as its new general manager.



A German national, Stavrakakis enjoys over 20 years of experience in the hotels and hospitality sector. His career at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) commenced when he started working at the Crowne Plaza in Germany. Proving himself to be a true hotelier, Stavrakakis climbed the career ladder confidently, working at many IHG properties in Germany, Austria, and China. Prior to joining Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea, he was the resident manager of InterContinental Nairobi in Kenya.



Oussama Massoud, IHG regional manager, said: We are excited about having Stavrakakis as part of our team, specifically as part of the Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea team. Stavrakakis career is the perfect example of IHGs commitment to giving employees Room to Grow. He started his career with IHG, and continues to do so by constantly evolving and growing. We are confident that we will learn a lot from his vast and global experience, and that this will be yet another thrilling experience for him in one of the most magical places on Earth - the Dead Sea.



Stavrakakis will be reporting to Firas Irsheidat, area general manager of the IHG Dead Sea Properties, while working hand-in-hand with the Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea team.  TradeArabia News Service
Air Astana and two of Europes leading airlines, Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, have signed a codeshare agreement for flights between Astana and Paris, operated by Kazakhstans flag carrier.

Effective for flights from March 11, this three times a week service will now carry the marketing code of both KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France. The agreement enables passengers from across KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France worldwide networks to be able to purchase tickets and travel seamlessly to and from the Kazakh capital.

To facilitate this closer cooperation and expected growth in transfer traffic, the airlines have also executed baggage and passenger transfer agreements; and the operations of Air Astana flights at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport have been transferred from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2a, effective March 11 for more convenient connections of passengers to the Air France  KLM network.

Air Astana operates three flights a week between Astana and Paris, Charles de Gaulle on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, using Boeing B757-200 aircraft, configured with 16 Business Class, 12 Economy Sleeper Class and 108 Economy Class seats.

We are delighted to strengthen the cooperation with KLM and Air France as part of our bilateral partnership growth strategy. The agreement adds the Kazakh capital to the KLM and Air France network and at the same time makes it easier for global travellers to fly with Air Astana to and from our home base using the Paris hub. We believe that Air France and KLM passengers will enjoy Air Astanas award winning four-star services. These first steps pave the way for a strong and long term cooperation between the three carriers, said Peter Foster, president and chief executive officer of Air Astana.

Guillaume Glass, general manager Russia & CIS AIR FRANCE KLM, said: We have a track record of building successful partnerships with international carriers that broaden our global network. The co-operation with Air Astana is another milestone in our unique global flight network to and from Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This strategic step will deliver significant benefits to our business and provide our customers with exclusive travel opportunities. Plus we will strengthen our presence in Kazakhstan in the capital city, which will hold the Expo-2017.  TradeArabia News Service
Adult learning at

Reveille Rotary

Chelse DePaolo-Lara will be speaking about Casper Colleges Adult Learning Center at the Reveille Rotary meeting Wednesday at 7 a.m. at the Central Wyoming Senior Services Center, 1831 East 4th Street. The Adult Learning Center at Casper College offers free assistance to out-of-school adult students, 16 years and older, who need to improve their basic reading, writing, and math skills in order to reach their educational and employment goals. The program also offers educational services to students who speak languages other than English.

DePaolo-Lara is the Director of the Adult Learning Center at Casper College where she has been employed for 10 years. She earned her Masters degree in Organizational Management from Chadron State College and she regularly conducts Generational Issues Trainings across the state of Wyoming. Additionally, DePaolo-Lara is a past president and founder of the Rotaract Club of Casper: Young Professionals Network. She is a blogger and co-owner of Jelly Bean Journals and co-founder of VBAC Casper.

Reveille Rotary meetings are held each Wednesday at 7 a.m. at the Central Wyoming Senior Services Center. The public is invited to attend.

Archaeologists meet

The monthly meeting of the Casper Chapter of the Wyoming Archaeological Society will be held at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 10 on the ground floor of the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd. Please use the entrance on the east side of the building.

Following a brief business meeting, Dr. Todd Surovell, director of the Frison Institute and University of Wyoming professor of anthropology, will speak on Wyomings Other Mammoth Kill: The La Prele Mammoth Site, Converse County, Wyoming. The site was discovered in 1986 on La Prele Creek. In the spring of 1987, George Frison and a small crew tested the site and recovered skeletal elements of a young Columbian mammoth and lithic artifacts. No work was done at the site for the next 26 years. In 2014 and 2015, the University of Wyoming Archaeological Field School returned to the site. After two seasons of work, the site is determined to be Clovis-aged and almost certainly a kill site.

Visitors and potential new members are welcome. Please contact Mavis Greer, Chapter President, at 237-2037 or via email at mavis@greerservices.com if you have any questions.

Coin club talks

counterfeit

The Casper Coin Club will meet at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, February 10, at Casper College, Strausner Hall, room 207. Topic for discussion will be doctored or counterfeit coins. Call Al at 237-1156 if you have questions.

Public defender speaks to Dem forum

Obstacles and Inequalities Facing the Poor in Americas Criminal Justice System is the title of Natrona County Public Defender Robert Oldhams talk at the Democratic Womens Forum on Saturday noon, Feb. 13, at the Casper Petroleum Club.

The Casper attorney said he went to law school with the intention of defending the poor, and got his chance with the State of Wyomings Public Defender service in the year 2000. He is now the District Supervisor of the Natrona County Public Defenders Office. He completed his law degree in 1997 at the College of William and Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Growing up poor, but very fortunately loved is the way Oldham explains his urge to defend the powerless among us. Over the years he has defended thousands of indigent citizens charged with crimes ranging from Minor in Possession of Alcohol to First Degree Murder. His youngest client was 9, and the oldest was a gentleman in his late 80s. Rob is also a death penalty qualified attorney who has represented several individuals facing death as a punishment for their crimes.

Oldham is the father of two, grandfather of six, and great grandfather of three.

The Democratic Womens Forum meets at the Casper Petroleum Club for buffet lunch at noon, the $15 charge including tax and gratuity. Meetings are open to anyone interested in the programs, regardless of gender. Luncheon reservations are needed by calling Jerre at 234-8625 the Thursday prior to the meeting.

Sweetheart Ball at Elks

Sweetheart Ball Dinner and Dance in the Casper Elks Lodge Ballroom on Feb. 13. Dinner begins at 6 p.m., in the ballroom, dinner will be prime rib, $25; crab legs, $35; or $45 for both. Includes a $5 drink ticket. Dance to Dawn and Randy Copas. Members, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839 or 237-2432.

Father Daughter at Elks

Father Daughter Dinner and Dance at Casper Elks Lodge on Feb. 27. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Music by Good Times Only! If you dont have a daughter, borrow one and come on down to the Elks Lodge for dinner, dancing and door prizes and get your picture taken. Tickets are fathers, $10; daughters 14 and up, $9; 8 to 13 years old, $8, and 7 and under are free. For more information, call 234-4839.

Spring for Casper Charla

Would you like to practice conversational Spanish or help others learn? Come and join the Casper Charla! Te gustaria platicar en espanol? Ven y charla con nosotros! Todos son bienvenidos!

Come and join us from 5 to 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month this spring. We meet at a different Mexican restaurant and partake in food, drink and conversation. All levels of Spanish are welcome, from beginning to native speakers.

Nos reunimos los miercoles en varios restaurantes mexicanos en Casper. Ven por una copa, un antojito o simplemente una charlita.

Wednesday: Tacos Mexico, Feb. 10: La Costa, March 9: Don Juans, April 13: Guadalajara, May 11: La Cocina.

For more information, call Eric Atkins at 268-3116 or Joanne Theobald at 268-2255.

NARFE has social

Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will have a no-host Social Meeting on February 23, 2016 at noon in the meeting room at the Casper Senior Center at 1831 West 4th Street.

Stammtisch marks 13 years

Guten Tag! On Saturday, March 5, we will celebrate the 13th anniversary of the Casper German Stammtisch with a potluck dinner at the Isaac Walton Clubhouse at 5 p.m. For more information, please look at our website: www.casperstammtisch.com; or send an email to stammtisch@bresnan.net

Boy Scout, Cub Scout meetings

The River Bend District Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs in Casper are always eager to accept new members. Boys may join at any time of the year. Following is a list of Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops that meet weekly in Casper, along with leader names, phone numbers, meeting places and meeting times.

Cub Scout Packs:

Monday, 6 p.m., First Christian Church, Pack 1013, Scott Hawley, 258-4572

Tuesday, 6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, Pack 1121, Lindy Schweda, 315-2390

Tuesday, 5 p.m., St. Marks Episcopal Church, Pack 1094, Sarah Ann Feeney, 267-4505

Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, Pack 1167, Eric Nelson, 333-2796

Thursday, 7 p.m., Our Saviours Lutheran Church, Pack 1030, Brian Bridges, 262-5226

Thursday, 7 p.m., Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Pack 1002, Tom McCarthy, 277-1420

Boy Scout Troops:

Monday, 7 p.m., First Christian Church, Troop 1013, Steven Hollister, 337-1197

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., St. Marks Episcopal Church, Troop 1094, Gregg Novotny, 215-4490

Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, Troop 1167, Adam Sievers, 333-4575

Tuesday, 7 p.m., Christ United Methodist Church, Troop 1060, Nancy Engstrom, 237-2205

Information provided by Sarah (Sally) Binkley, 250-7290.
Donna Fisher has lived in Casper since 1973. She has been involved with theater since 1980. She started out as an actor and then went into the technical end of it and directing. She is on the national board of the American Association of Community Theaters, which means that Im supposed to be very familiar with what all of those community theaters are doing in all four states, she said. She has also been an adjudicator for AACT and judged theater festivals. Just this year, she was appointed festival commissioner, which means I oversee rules and regulations of each festival.

What led you to start the Casper Theater Company? Painted Past Productions went under after I retired. There were some needs in the community I felt for picking up some of the things they did, like dinner theaters, downtown historical tours, crisis intervention training for the police department, and we had a request for actual plays to do as well.

Is there room in Casper for two community theater groups? I think so. We are watching very closely to make sure we dont conflict with their seasons. We wait until they pick their dates and then we pick ours, so really theres just more theater for the public to enjoy.

How large is your group? There are probably about 30 people, that includes the board of directors, tech people, sponsors and that stuff.

What are the challenges with a startup? Being the only person who really knows how to start it was a challenge. I was kind of overwhelmed and pooped out. I was there at the beginning of Stage III, I started Wyoming Repertory Company which kind of rolled into Painted Past, so I knew what had to be done with the legal part of it as well as publicity. I knew how to make it happen. I was a little overwhelmed and it was very time consuming but it all happened. I have a lot of support with the board of directors. A couple people I have worked with a long time are right there with me, Casie Peppersack and Betty Sullivan.

What has the schedule looked like? This is a continuation of our first season. Our very first show was in March of 2015, then we did two summer tours, had a Christmas show, we have The Odd Couple coming up, then To Kill a Mockingbird, Marrying Walt, and Arsenic and Old Lace. We do plan on doing downtown tours this summer. They seem to be really good fundraisers for us. We were able to get a lot of theater equipment from doing those downtown tours.

The Casper Theater Companys production of The Odd Couple, starring Harley Aultman and Shawn Huss with Candace Cochran, Lexie Harris, Wayne Clements, Roland Brewner, Bob Melloy and Dave Schultz, opens Thursday and runs through Saturday (Feb. 11 to 13, and Feb. 18 to 20) at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m., on Feb. 14 and Feb. 21. The theatre is located at 735 CY Ave., and has space for 30 to 40 per show, depending on the stage configuration. Tickets are $13 for adults and $10 for seniors.
CHEYENNE  A group of lawmakers advanced bills Saturday night that would provide funding to cities and counties, spend federal mine reclamation money and build and maintain schools.

The 12-member Joint Appropriations Committee met for over four hours Saturday night, two days before the start of the Wyoming Legislatures 2016 budget session.

It is the first time in at least 20 years that the group has met on a weekend before a legislative session, underscoring the gravity of the decisions that will be made in these next 20 days. Revenue from oil, gas and coal  which provide the bulk of money to state coffers  is down significantly.

Projections show a $477.7 million revenue decrease over the next two years in state accounts that pay for government operations, and a $219.1 million projected shortfall in the accounts for school construction  if the Legislature follows a list of recommended building projects.

The committee advanced a bill that would provide $90 million for cities, towns and counties.

Associations that represent local governments would like even more money. Pete Obermueller of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association said his members understand that money must rise and fall along with the states revenue outlook, but the $90 million in funding would represent an $85 million reduction over the next two years, in comparison to the current two-year funding cycle.

It wont come as a surprise to this committee, you know our request and we stand firm in our request of $105 million in operational funding, he said.

Committee member Sen. John Hastert, D-Green River, attempted to amend the bill to increase the amount to local governments to $105 million. The amendment failed.

The committee also advanced a budget bill calling for state spending of federal abandoned mine reclamation money that was earmarked for Wyoming by Congress in December. The state had been receiving the money from the feds for years until 2012, when Congress cut it, likely in response to the state not spending it exclusively on mine reclamation.

The bill that will be debated before the Wyoming Legislature anticipates two installments from the feds of $87.2 million each. The bill would provide money over the next two years for a number of programs and projects throughout the state, including $162.3 million to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, $1.3 million to the Department of Environmental Qualitys Air Quality Division and $1.8 million to solid waste management at the Department of Environmental Quality. The bill also directs the University of Wyoming to return any unused money that a previous abandoned mine bill gave for a laboratory building named after U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi.

The committee also discussed school bills, although the full Legislature, with 90 members, is expected to further tackle funding problems.

On Friday, committee chairman Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, said the future of school operations and construction needs to be a statewide discussion. School operations are funded by local property taxes. However, all school districts are guaranteed a certain amount of money based on the number of children in school.

If local property taxes are lower than the guarantee, the state chips in. With property taxes falling throughout the state, districts are receiving less money. That means the state will have to chip in more at a time when its revenues are also down, Harshman said.

Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, who attended the committee meeting Saturday night, said school construction will be a challenge to pay for, too.

Weve never had this problem before where weve had to think about not having revenue, he said.
A Tucson restaurant is offering a ganga deal on Monday, Feb. 8, in response to Chipotle Mexican Grill keeping its doors closed most of the day.

While Chipotle restaurants nationwide  including its handful of Tucson locations  are shuttered at lunchtime today, Sir Veza's Taco Garage is offering a two-fer deal all day. Buy one burrito or bowl and you get a second one free.

In the restaurant's Facebook posting, owner Ray Flores encouraged diners to jump on the deal from the locally owned restaurant whose "CEO doesn't make $24 million a year." He also noted that "certain restrictions apply such as enjoying your food is mandatory!"

Chipotle restaurants are expected to reopen at 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8. The company closed all its restaurants for half of the day to hold meetings with employees on food safety after a string of incidents since last summer at locations nationwide left hundreds of diners sick.
Downtown Tucsons historic Manning House is now operating as headquarters for Arizonas largest community health center.

The 109-year-old building, named for former Tucson Mayor Levi Manning, sits on slightly more than five acres that were acquired by the nonprofit El Rio Community Health Center in 2013.

All told, El Rio is investing $11.1 million into the property (including the $2.36 million purchase price), refurbishing costs and the cost of constructing a second building on the property, a three-story office tower currently known as Manning 2.

El Rio has about 1,100 employees, and by the end of March, about 240 of them are expected to be working out of one of the Manning House buildings, El Rios chief executive officer, Nancy Johnson, said.

Johnson was one of the first El Rio employees to move into its new location on Jan. 29, and others will be gradually moving in over the next few months.

Organization leaders hope the move downtown will give El Rio a greater presence downtown, help boost downtowns revitalization, and also foster employee wellness.

Officials have already put loaner bikes at Manning House for employees to use when they go between downtown headquarters and El Rios Congress Street site, at 839 W. Congress St.

As a sponsor of the weekly Meet Me at Maynards walk/run downtown, Johnson says El Rio expects to have a lot of employees participating once the move into the Manning House is complete.

A fun tidbit: Some of the construction workers say theyve seen signs of a ghost that has been long-rumored to live on the property. Johnson says all have reported the ghost is friendly.

Five things to know about El Rio Community Health Center and its plans for the future:

1. El Rio is increasingly seeing patients with commercial insurance.

About 17 percent of El Rios patients have private, commercial insurance, a percentage that has been rising over the past 10 years. Slightly more than half of El Rios patients are enrolled in the the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, and 17 percent are uninsured and access a sliding-fee scale. The rest are either on Medicare or the Pascua Yaqui Health Departments HMO.

Federally qualified health centers like El Rio were started with funding from President Lyndon B. Johnsons War on Poverty.

At that time, El Rio was seen by some as the care of last resort for those who could not afford care or insurance, Johnson said. Forty-five years later, El Rio is a provider of first resort with state-of-the-art technology, nationally recognized physicians and clinical staff, integrated care ... Our quality data on the care of our patients illustrates our ability to optimize health for our community.

2. El Rio sees more than 85,000 individual patients every year.

With 10 different clinical campuses around town, El Rio handles more than 345,000 patient visits per year.

3. The still-under-construction Manning 2 building will, among other things, house El Rios 24/7 nurse triage program.

Enrolled El Rio patients have access to nurses at all times of the day and night, 365 days per year. Common questions are about medication management and pregnancy issues. The triage program gets more than 4,000 calls per year.

4. Nancy Johnson became the CEO in late October.

Kathy Byrne retired as El Rios CEO in July, and Johnson, who served as chief operations officer for six years, took the reins while the board of directors searched for Byrnes replacement.

In the end, the board members decided unanimously that Johnson was the best candidate for the job.

El Rio is committed to helping people stay healthy and away from hospitals and emergency rooms, Johnson said. El Rio is what great health care will look like in the future.

She has a masters degree in nursing from the University of Illinois. Since moving to Tucson 32 years ago, she has added a masters degree in marketing and a Ph.D. in health sciences, both from the University of Arizona.

5. Its possible to get a primary care doctor at El Rio.

For children and pregnant women, there is no wait time. For others, it is typically a month to get a group primary care doctor introduction and up to six weeks to see the doctor individually.
Methamphetamine worth more than $1.1 million was seized at the Nogales port of entry  making it the largest meth seizure in Arizona port history, federal authorities said.

The seizure on Friday led to the arrest of a Mexican national for the alleged attempt to smuggle more than 387 pounds of meth in a load of bell peppers, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release.

Juan Rodolfo Lugo-Urias, 35, of Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico was taken into custody by officers at the Mariposa Commercial Facility.

A drug-sniffing dog alerted officers when Lugo-Urias attempted to enter Nogales, Arizona through the port. The dog alerted officers to the presence of drugs inside the trailer's front wall and rear doors.

Nearly 400 packages of meth were removed from the tractor-trailer, authorities said.

"This significant interception is a testament to the vigilance and skills of the dedicated officers at the Port of Nogales," said Guadalupe Ramirez, port director, in the release.
Editor

Curt has been with the Star since 2015. He covered the border, immigration and federal courts. He now is the Opinion editor at the Star. He previously worked at the Nogales International.
Antonio Flores worked hard at school to keep his grades up.

He held an after-school job, and, his family said, he hoped for a career in the Air Force.

He was a good kid who contributed to society, they said.

His family is now hoping the community will help them by coming forward to police with information about the person who killed Flores.

Just after 10 p.m. Nov. 16, Flores, 17, and some friends stopped at a Circle K at South Campbell Avenue and East Drexel Road for sodas. They were hanging out in the parking lot  when an SUV pulled up and shot at the group with a BB or pellet gun. One of the teens was hit.

When the SUV sped away, the unarmed teens hopped in a Chevrolet Silverado and followed, trying to get a license plate number. Two boys were in the cab of the truck. Five, including Flores, rode in the truck bed, said Sgt. Pete Dugan, a spokesman for the Tucson Police Department.

The youths caught up to the SUV at Drexel and South Copper Plate Avenue. Several people were in the SUV and at least one opened fire on the boys with a rifle or shotgun. The truck was hit multiple times. Flores was struck at least once.

The dark-color SUV took off southbound on Copper Plate, and the teens continued west on Drexel and flagged down a police officer at South Park Avenue.

Flores was pronounced dead at a hospital.

None of the teens had gang affiliations, Dugan said.

Flores attended Canyon Rose Academy, an alternative-education charter high school in midtown, and had a job at a Subway sandwich shop. And he wanted to go into the Air Force.

He was a go-getter. He was about positivity, being one step ahead, said his mother, Lydia Arguellas. He was an awesome teenager. I know he would have been an amazing man.

He was a leader. He was very strong-willed. He was very proactive. He tried his best at everything. He was independent, she said.

Flores was a goofy kid. He was real funny, said his father, Dennis . He loved to eat. He was a steak-and-potatoes guy. He didnt like vegetables too much.

He was also hardworking and really responsible, his father said. It was kind of hard for me to buy him anything because hed want to buy his own stuff  his clothes, his watch, his shoes. He was really careful about being responsible and taking care of himself.

Flores was also a good brother. He had one older sister, Analeah; a younger sister and brother, Erica and Augustine; and two half-siblings, Sky Anthony and Celine.

Every time he came over he was always holding her and playing with her, Dennis Flores said of the relationship between his son and year-old Celine.

Investigators are hoping anyone with information  or who may remember something about the night of the shooting will call 911 or 88-CRIME.
Advocates for housing the homeless are proposing designated campsites and micro-houses in Tucson, based on successful pilot programs in Eugene, Oregon.

City leaders recently formed a work group to look into alternative housing programs as a way to help the homeless get into stable transitional housing.

The group arose from the problems the city had with an encampment downtown, called Safe Park by its residents, who brought large wooden boxes called dream pods to sidewalks along major downtown streets. The dream pods were removed and urban camping was almost banned in Tucson, but the city decided against it.

There are a lot of issues with homelessness. Homelessness is not a crime, said City Councilman Richard Fimbres, who is leading the work group. We dont want to make it one. We want to provide help as much as we can, and its going to take a balance.

There are an estimated 567 homeless people in the metro area, according to a 2015 point-in-time count by the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness.

The city of Eugene is trying two transitional housing strategies for the homeless, called rest stops and micro-housing.

These housing options in Eugene are serving as a model for possible ways Tucson could help its homeless, including a proposal for a rest stop called Bear Camp.

Eugenes strategies

Eugenes rest stops are legal campsites on city, county or private property where up to 20 people can live in tents or conestoga huts, which are small, round shelters often on top of a wooden platform.

The campsites must be approved by the city, which has authorized five rest stops so far, said Michael Kinnison, a program manager in Eugenes Office of Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement.

A rest stop manager  not the city  pays for trash service, portable toilets and fencing.

The second Eugene alternative-housing program, known as Opportunity Village, is a micro-housing unit with 35 small, wooden frame houses on city property.

While the homes do not have heating or plumbing, Opportunity Village has on-site showers, toilets and a place to do laundry, Kinnison said. There is also a tool shed, a yurt that serves as a resource room with a library and computers, and a kitchen area with a pantry that serves as a food-bank site, he said.

Another Eugene project in the works, called Emerald Village, will have plumbing and electricity.

Fimbres said some faith-based groups are concerned about providing micro-housing units without air conditioning due to the intense Arizona heat. But while certain ideas may not work well in some areas, they may work in others, he said.

Bringing the strategies to Tucson

Brianda Torres, an aide for Councilwoman Karin Uhlich, has researched the successful programs in Eugene and hopes Tucson can make them work here.

In many places, it is illegal to camp on private property or in your car, Torres said. The micro-houses and rest stops would give the city a way to provide legal places for people to sleep for the night or to live while transitioning to temporary housing.

Eugene prioritizes getting people into housing first, before helping them solve problems with substance abuse, Torres said. Though residents arent required to be drug- or alcohol-free prior to becoming a resident, there cant be any drugs, alcohol or violence on-site, Torres added.

Many Tucson shelters and housing program require sobriety. People can often spend years waiting for housing, while some die before they can get in, Torres said, due to the fact that they cant get into housing before solving their substance-abuse issues.

We dont want people dying because theyre homeless anymore, Torres said.

The first priority is providing a legal pathway in zoning laws, she said. Part of Eugenes success comes from the flexibility and legal allowances in zoning for aid organizations, Torres added.

We thought this was really practical, because it gives an opportunity basically for the organizations and community to prove itself. And also it gives an opportunity to go back and say, OK, are there problems with this model in this community? How can we change this? Torres told the working group members at a recent meeting.

Tucson could make it a goal to reduce barriers for homeless people to get housing and provide legal pathways for alternative shelter models, she said.

We have to recognize the specifics of our community here and what will work for us  its not just a one fits all, Torres said. But its certainly exciting that we have some other cities that are maybe a similar size who have found ways to make it work, and how can we make it work for us, too.

The Bear Camp proposal

Another Tucson group is proposing a rest stop in Tucson called Bear Camp.

The proposal for Bear Camp would include 16 campsites with facilities for bathing, cooking and laundry, in addition to storage lockers and Wi-Fi.

Bear Camp, according to Jim Hannan, the executive director of the Tucson Urban Camping Association, would provide affordable space and access to everyday necessities, such as a shower.

The idea for Bear Camp stemmed from a tent city in Las Cruces, New Mexico, he said.

Bear Camp would provide an easier transition for those who were living on the streets or in the river, according to Hannan, because for some, moving into a homeless shelter directly from the streets can be too drastic a change.

Compared to sleeping at the park, sleeping in the river, I personally think it is a step up, he said.

A location is not yet set.

Hannan said he would prefer Eugenes micro-housing units for helping to solve the homeless problem in Tucson, but found that many of the zoning laws and restrictions were difficult to get past.

I just kind of came to the realization that something like Bear Camp might actually be easier to start with in Tucson, Hannan said.

The next step in moving Bear Camp forward would be city support for the concept, he said.

Fimbres said he sent the Bear Camp proposal to the Tucson city manager and city attorney for consideration.

We need to look at it and vet it, and see what we can do with it, if its plausible, Fimbres said.

Theres going to be a whole bunch of ideas that were going to have to vet and make sure whats good for the city of Tucson, he said.
OPINION: "Its time to look beyond the party affiliation and the big-name endorsements. We want Southern Arizona voters to be engaged and educated as they tick names on their ballot so they can select candidates who will advocate for the health needs of our community," writes Judy Rich, CEO and president of TMC Health.
Edward Schieffelin, one of Arizonas most famed prospectors was born in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in 1847.

Schieffelins penchant for prospecting began in the Pacific Northwest in 1864. A decade later, Schieffelin scoured Arizona for riches around the Grand Canyon, Mineral Park and Irataba districts.

He journeyed farther south, investigating potential riches around Prescott, and eventually relocated to southeastern Arizona at Camp Huachuca in 1877.

Ignoring the copper carbonate found often in southeastern Arizona, gold and silver were the primary metals on Schieffelins quest. It was outcrops of silver chloride that drew Schieffelin to the Tombstone Hills.

Previously employed as a guard for an assessment crew at the Brunckow Mine  located 5 miles west of Tombstone  Schieffelin relied on his rifle as protection against Apaches while he used his field glasses to observe distant mountains for faults, synclines and other indicators of potential mineralization.

Earlier mineral exploration by Prussian prospector Frederick Brunckow, an engineer of the Sonora Exploring and Mining Co. of New York, included a silver mine and adobe reverberatory furnance in 1859.

Brunckow was murdered by Mexican employees that same year while working his mine known as the Bronco and later the Dean Richmond claim.

In the heart of Apache territory, the soldiers stationed at Camp Huachuca warned Schieffelin that his stalwart prospecting would earn him a tombstone.

From that statement, Schieffelin would go on to name his first claim the Tombstone, which he discovered that same year 4 miles east of the San Pedro River.

Keeping with the prevailing theme, he would name additional claims Graveyard No. 1 and Graveyard No. 2.

The samples Schieffelin gathered from these claims did not secure confidence from Tucson investors, including Sydney DeLong, an owner of the Brunckow Mine who considered them low-grade. The local mercantile of Tully & Ochoa would not loan Schieffelin credit for mining supplies because they considered his operation in Apache territory precarious.

Persistence paid off for Schieffelin, who found temporary employment as a windlass operator at the Champion Mine northeast of Globe, thus obtaining the necessary funding to sustain his travels in search of his brother Albert.

After reuniting with his brother, who was employed at the Signal Mill in Mohave County, they rendered the services of Richard Gird, a renowned assayer.

Gird assayed Schieffelins ore samples, discovering high values of gold and silver ranging from $40 to $2,000 a ton.

All three journeyed to the San Pedro Valley, staking claims in 1878, including the Owls Nest, Lucky Cuss, Toughnut and Goodenough. They would later sell the Contention Mine, named after a grubstake dispute and subsequent lawsuit, for $10,000.

Arizona Territorial Governor Anson P.K. Safford, a noted mine speculator, contributed finances toward the Schieffelin venture by building a 10-stamp mill on the San Pedro River in exchange for a quarter interest in the Toughnut claim.

With the help of Safford, the Schieffelins and Gird founded the Tombstone Gold and Silver Mill and Mining Co., valued at $5 million, including 80 acres of mining property.

By July 1880, the Schieffelin brothers cashed out their 244,000 shares of stock valued at $600,000 to a Connecticut syndicate.

Ed left for California and reinvested some of his profits in an Alaska venture. Journeying along the Yukon River in 1883 on a steamboat in search of a great mineral belt, he discovered traces of gold in the Lower Ramparts though the harsh environs of the Arctic including temperatures of 40-below  deterred Schieffelin from claiming the bonanza discovered 13 years later in the Klondike gold rush.

Passing away on May 14, 1897, at his cabin near Canonville, Oregon, Schieffelin was laid to rest as stipulated by his will with his pick and canteen in the town of Tombstone that he had founded.

A 25-foot-high granite monument over his gravesite was erected in his honor, and sculpted by M.W. Jones.
Help India!

Bhubaneswar : The NHRC on Monday issued notice to the Odisha government, holding it responsible for negligence in publishing an erroneous exam result that led to the suicide of a Class 10 girl student.

The National Human Rights Commission asked the Odisha government why it should not recommend payment of Rs.3 lakh as monetary relief to the kin of the girl student, who committed suicide after getting an erroneous result. It gave six weeks time to the state government to respond.

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In the board exam results, the girl was erroneously shown as failed while she had actually cleared the exam, the NHRC said.

The commission took cognizance of the matter following a complaint that Rasmita Sahu, daughter of Bimsen Sahu of Bhaliabadi village near Khurda town, could not bear the trauma of failing her Class 10 board examination conducted by the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha and committed suicide on May 1, 2014.

However, in the revised result, released on May 2, 2014, she was shown as passed.

NHRC member Justice D. Murugesan, in the notice issued to the chief secretary, set aside the contention of the state government that the student committed suicide as she apprehended a poor performance.

He observed that the girl committed suicide following negligence of officials of the Board of Secondary Education, which had issued a wrong result only to be corrected subsequently.

Therefore, the state was vicariously liable.

The state government had earlier admitted that the result, published on April 30, 2014, was corrected on May 2, 2014, as there were certain anomalies in the result of the Third Language (Sanskrit/Hindi) for some students.

It had said the first result published by the Board cannot be linked to the death of the student as she scored below average marks in her school examinations and might have been apprehensive of her educational standard.


Help India!

By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net

Srinagar: A day before the third anniversary of hanging of Mohammad Afzal Guru, who was convicted and hanged for his alleged role in the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, the Valley on Monday witnessed an uneasy calm. Most of the day was occupied with protest rallies by different separatist groups.

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Importantly, Guru was hanged on February 9, 2013 inside Tihar Jail in Delhi, whereas Maqbool Bhat, the founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front was also hung in the same jail on February 11, 1984.

All separatist camps have called for a strike on Tuesday, February 9 on the third anniversary of hanging of Guru, and on Thursday, February 11, on the anniversary of execution of Bhat. The separatists have been demanding the mortal remains of both Guru and Bhat, which were buried inside Tihar Jail by authorities.

Yasin Malik, chairman, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, was arrested on Monday from his office in Abi Guzar area of Srinagar ahead of his protest program on the anniversaries. He was later sent on judicial remand for seven days to Central Jail, Srinagar.

Aasiya Andrabi, chairperson, Dukhtaran-e-Millat in a statement while paying tributes to Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru, said that the 9 and 11 February episodes are a few among those blots which have further distorted the face of India, the so-called biggest democracy of the world.

While hailing both of them as heroes, she said Observing a customary shutdown only would not be enough to remember and tribute these great heroes but what is needed is to introspect and renew the commitment to the cause.

Er Rasheed, Legislator from Langate, often refereed as half-separatist and half-mainstream leader has said, Let not only India but world community explain what they have achieved by hanging Afzal Guru and Maqbool BhatIndias military might and financial packages have yielded nothing except pushing Kashmiris to further radicalization and alienation.

If Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat were terrorists, why doesnt the Government of India act against hundreds of officers in uniform who are involved in heinous crimes from murders to forced disappearances? he added.

In order to maintain law and order in Srinagar, the district administration has decided to put in restrictions in five police stations of Old Srinagar on 9 February.

The protests in photographs:
Sapo National Park

Liberias Sapo National Park contains some of the largest primary tropical rainforests in West Africa. Few people have ever been there and those who have are probably in the ranks of the most intrepid and extreme tourists in the world. Hardly anyone has ever heard of the place, and travelers who like the comforts and luxuries of modern day Travel should write it off their bucket list right now.

Liberian history

Liberia started out as a settlement by the American Colonization Society in 1847 and received recognition in 1862. The country became home to many freed and free-born American slaves.

To the rest of the world, Liberia is best known for the black diamonds and hardwood timber that funded two serious civil wars and domestic unrest from the 1990's through to 2005. Following the fairest election ever recorded in the country in 2005, the relative political stability has allowed the country to focus on the restoration of the National Park.

Sapo National Park is an environmental hotspot and, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has one of the biggest diversity of mammalian species in the world. The 1808-sq.-km rain forest is home to the pygmy hippo, endangered forest elephants, chimpanzees, and a diverse range of other monkeys(including the red colobus and the black and white Colobus).

Before you book your trip to Sapo, you need to know that there are almost no visitor facilities. The best route is via the capital city of Monrovia. Mathew Clark of the Christian Science monitor described how the journey from Monrovia involved traveling via the remote coastal town called Greenville. The next part of the journey involved a dreadful drive on rough roads in rain and mud in an all-terrain vehicle.

The final step involved a four-hour hike through the jungle, river crossings, and no accommodation at the end of the trek.

Civil war and infrastructure

The civil war caused the nearly total failure of the parks roads and infrastructure, and it will take a long time to put it all back together again. This is not a reserve where tourists can drive up to the main gate, pay their fees, and spend their first night sipping cocktails on the lodge veranda.

Nobody can enter the park without the permission of Liberias Forestry Development Authority (FDA).

Robert Howard was based at the Sapo National Park in 2007 as a technical advisor for research. His blog explained that the rare pygmy hippos and forest elephants were threatened by hunters and by the illegal miners who poach resources on the forest outskirts. An interesting response to this blog was a number of people asking about visiting the park. His advice to travelers was that the best way to visit was to contact the FDA officeto find out the best options.

One Liberian, who had traveled around the world extensively, visited the park and wrote that he had never seen a more beautiful park in the world.

It is nature untouched, he wrote. Since this comment was written in 2008, there has been some effort made to provide visitor facilities of a sort, but even for the intrepid traveler, going it alone would be a hard call.

Ayear ago, the Outpost Magazine gave out some updated information on visiting the park. They explain that there are still no formal hotels but there is basic accommodation available at the FDA which has a guesthouse on the park outskirts, but visitors must be self-sufficient. No formal camp sites exist, but camping is allowed.

The FDA has scouts who must accompany hikers. They now provide canoes to cross the river. Even so, the best option for tourists will be to use the services of Liberias Barefoot Safaris.

Barefoot Safaris appears to be the only Liberian Tour Operator and they operate out of Monrovia. Their Facebook page describes the Liberian wilderness as Lost to the world for two decades. The About Page has an email address where visitors can make further inquiries about undertaking an adventure of a lifetime to Africas primeval forest.
Four rescued two days after Taiwan quake Updated: 2016-02-09 03:16 (Xinhua)

TAIPEI -- A 28-year-old Vietnamese woman was pulled from debris Monday in Tainan, after three, including an 8-year-old girl, were rescued.

The woman surnamed Chen is aunt of the saved girl. Both were trapped on the fifth floor of the Wei Guan building toppled by the strong quake on Saturday.

Chen, with consciousness and stable emotions, was immediately sent to hospital. Doctors said surgeries were not urgently needed as she had only bruises on her body and necrosis in small parts of her pelvises.

Earlier in the day, a man named Li Tsung-tian was pulled out alive after being trapped for some 56 hours. He was sent to hospital for treatment but may have to undergo amputation for injuries on the left leg.

Before that, rescuers saved a woman who was partly shielded by her dead husband, on the seventh floor of the Wei Guan building.

So far, the 6.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck southern Taiwan two days ahead of the lunar new year, has killed at least 38 people, all but two in the collapse of the 16-storey residential complex.

Rescuers are still scrambling through the wreckage to search for survivors. They have been able to confirm signs of life on the top floor of the building, and would begin rescue work after the Vietnamese woman was saved.

More than 100 people are believed to be under the debris, and many are trapped at the bottom of the building.

"It was a day of vain attempts," said a rescuer, who had joined the work since Saturday morning. He said the previous search had been slow as big machines were limited in use for avoiding additional damage to possible survivors.

Sine Monday evening, heavy machines have been used for help.

Dozens of family members of the missing gathered in a temporary media center set up in a furniture store near the toppled building, staring at the rubble with anxiety.
Spain to host TCM hospital Updated: 2016-02-08 17:15 By Emma Gonzalez(China Daily)

Barcelona will provide land for $88.6m facility, the largest of its kind in Europe

Spain is to host the largest traditional Chinese medicine hospital in Europe, following the signing last week of an education and clinical practice cooperation agreement between the Beijing municipal government and Spanish authorities.

Barcelona, in the Catalonia region, will provide land for its construction, which is expected to cost 80 million euros ($88.6 million), according to Spanish business newspaper Expansion.

"This center will be the first of its kind outside Asia, an initiative that will make Catalonia the reference point in Europe in the field," wrote the Catalonian government in a press release.

The Catalonia Trade and Investment Institute will supply temporary office space for the creation of the European Development and Promotion Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine, an institution that will work on the expansion of the discipline across the continent.

The agreement also involves the launch of a TCM Master's degree - a collaboration between the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, the University of Barcelona and the University of Pompeu Fabra, due to start in September.

The hospital will develop a joint-research program with scientists from IDIBAPS, a biomedical research institute in Barcelona.

The clinical practice cooperation will enable the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine to send doctors to the University Hospital Clinic in Barcelona to treat patients under the supervision of local health authorities.

China has been making increased efforts to expand TCM outside the country, pushing for the ancient discipline to be accepted worldwide.

Xinyue Calduch, a spokesperson for the Spain-based European Foundation of TCM, said the plans to build Europe's largest TCM hospital reflect China's strong intention to invest in the promotion of the benefits of the use of natural medicine.

"Not only will it help us learn more about this millenary practice, but it will also have positive health benefits for Spanish patients," said Calduch.

"We are confident it will spread the advantages of the use of acupuncture, herbal remedies and many other Chinese manipulative therapies to other countries in Europe."

Although Spain is not considered a TCM pioneer, use of complementary herbal medicine is gaining traction in the country with more patients combining Western medicine with natural remedies, particularly acupuncture and herbal treatments.

The European Foundation of TCM estimates that 95.4 percent of Spaniards are familiar with natural therapies, with TCM being the most popular discipline.

Their study also suggests 23.6 percent of the country's population has used natural remedies.

emmagonzalez@chinadaily.com.cn

Workers prepare doses of traditional Chinese herbal medicine at a drugstore in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.Wang Jiankang / For China Daily
Chinese pick up exchange in Chicago Updated: 2016-02-08 12:21 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA)

Chongqing-based Casin Enterprise Group acquiring Chicago Stock Exchange for listing access, technology

A Chinese-led investor group is buying the Chicago Stock Exchange, also known as CHX, to eventually list Chinese companies on it, and also may use CHX's technology and model to start an equities exchange where it is based in China, according to the CEO and chairman of the 134-year-old bourse.

John Kerin also told Reuters that under the new ownership, the exchange would have the funding for efforts like revamping its listings program. "They like our strategy, and they want us to continue to execute on it," he said in an interview.

The investor consortium led by Chongqing-based Casin Enterprise Group said on Feb 5 it will acquire the exchange, which handles about 0.5 percent of the average daily trading volume in the US.

It would be the first purchase of a US exchange by investors from China, but not to a foreign entity. A unit of Germany's Deutsche Boerse AG acquired the International Securities Exchange in 2007.

Bloomberg reported that the deal values the exchange at less than $100 million, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked to not be identified because the terms were not disclosed publicly.

The exchange said the deal is expected to close in the second half of the year, and will require US Securities and Exchange Commission approval.

The acquisition also might be reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which has jurisdiction to examine an acquisition of a US business that will result in foreign control. CFIUS is only interested when the transaction raises national security or critical infrastructure concerns.

"It is possible that CFIUS could be interested in this transaction because financial services can be considered part of the critical infrastructure of the US," Laura Fraedrich of Jones Day in Washington told China Daily. "However, given the very small percentage of the US market that this exchange represents, CFIUS may determine that it can be comfortable clearing the deal, especially since it is a highly-regulated industry and those regulations will continue in place regardless of the owner."

Joe Saluzzi, co-head of trading at Themis Trading, said the deal may raise security concerns.

"Does foreign ownership open up any potential for information leakage to someone who can take advantage of it? As an investor, I would raise an eyebrow," Saluzzi told CNN Money. "As long as the information is secure, I don't have any problem with it."

Anne Salladin of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP said that she would be "very surprised if CFIUS did not have an interest in taking a look at this deal."

The CHX acquisition came in a week that saw two major purchases by Chinese companies: the $1.6 billion purchase announced on Feb 4 by Beijing Enterprise Holdings for German waste-management company Energy from Waste, and the $43 billion deal on Feb 3 by China National Chemical Corp for Switzerland-based seed and pesticide maker Syngenta AG, the biggest foreign acquisition ever by China. Syngenta said last week it would file it plans with CIFIUS.

Founded in 1997, privately held Chongqing Casin Enterprise Group has interests in real estate, infrastructure, financial services and environmental protection. Casin has 821 employees in Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney and other locations.

"We have reviewed CHX's plans to improve market share through new growth initiatives and fully support them. Together, we have a unique opportunity to help develop financial markets in China over the longer term and to bring exciting Chinese growth companies to US investors," Shengju Lu, Casin Group founder and chairman said in a statement.

The investor group intends to preserve CHX's current business operations and proprietary trading platform, and Kerin would remain as CEO and chairman.

With locations in Chicago and New Jersey, the CHX is mainly used by market makers that buy and sell the most active exchange-traded funds and hedge their positions using futures on CME Group Inc's Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

The CHX, a subsidiary of CHX Holdings Inc, is minority-owned by a group including E*Trade Financial Corp, Bank of America Corp, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co, according to the company. The minority shareholders are also selling their stake, Kerin said.

paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
NY lights up for Lunar New Year Updated: 2016-02-08 12:21 By Hezi Jiang in New York(China Daily USA)

The Lunar New Year lit up the Big Apple.

On the single day of Feb 6 - two days ahead of Chinese New Year - three events featuring Peking Opera, Chinese folk dance, visual arts and fireworks unfolded in New York to welcome the Year of the Monkey. A holiday atmosphere spread over Times Square, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and the Hudson River.

A flash mob of nearly 100 young performers broke out at the Crossroads of the World. Inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West, the group treated New Yorkers and tourists to a Monkey King-themed Peking Opera.

Zhang Qiyue, Chinese consul general in New York, along with Deputy Consul General Zhang Meifang and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams showed up at the event wishing everyone a happy Chinese New Year.

"The coming Year of the Monkey is very special to us because it is the first time New Year City public school students will have a day off for the holiday," Zhang said.

"Having a creative flash mob performance here at Times Square not only brings our holiday spirit to New York residents, but also promotes the Chinese culture to the world," she told the Chinese media.

Fantastic Art China, a 72,000-square-foot exhibition at the Javits center, opened in the afternoon on the same day.

The China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing, in conjunction with the US-China Cultural Institute, brought the art of China to New York.

"We transported a thousand contemporary artworks from China to here," Yu Ding, chief curator of the show, told China Daily earlier in the week. "Nobody has ever done it before. Plus, the hundreds of artworks we collected from contemporary artists here in the US; we are bringing a grand show."

Works on display include large-scale public arts, paintings, photography, interactive arts, fashion design, urban design and more.

"We believe people can learn about China through art," said Kay Gayner, head of the China Project at National Dance Institute in New York, whose 60 students from 42 public schools performed three Chinese dances during the opening ceremony at Javits Center.

The monkey dance was choregraphed by Gayner and well-known Chinese dancer Huang Doudou, and Kay remembered Huang told her, "If you combine some of your movements with some of Doudou's movements, then we have a monkey dance for the world."

The art exhibition, which is free to public, will go on until Wednesday.

On the evening of Feb 6, thousands of people gathered along the Hudson River in New York and New Jersey to watch the fireworks designed by CAFA students. It was presented with music composed by Academy Award- and Grammy Award-winner Tan Dun.

Waving Chinese and American flags and holding cameras in the air, the audience cheered as fireworks illuminated the river. Fireworks of smiley faces, waterfalls and flowers blossomed in the sky.

"Happy New Year," they shouted as the last firework disappeared in the dark. The Year of the Monkey starts on Monday.

hezijiang@columbia.edu
Chinese rock bands striking chord in US Updated: 2016-02-08 12:21 By Niu Yue in New York(China Daily USA)

On a recent cloudy afternoon in a basement in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Guan Wenkang and his friends practiced their newly composed melodies.

Guan, a junior at the School of Visual Arts in New York who loves playing drums, said that he had started his own yaogun band a few months ago.

Guan's band consists of one Japanese, one American and there Chinese members. He said his band was diversified ethnically and believes that their music styles will become diversified too in the future.

Music fans visit Eric de Fontenay's Chinese rock music (yaogun) exhibitions at the China Institute in New York on Jan 19. Long Yifan / For China Daily

"A metropolis always gives us international vision and inspiration," he said.

Yaogun is China's version of rock 'n' roll.

Guan said that New York has many accessible rehearsal rooms, from expensive studios to economical basements, which he said is an "an apparent advantage over students who are studying at home".

Guan said one of his friends at school offered his own basement for them to rehearse free of charge.

"I tried to integrate the strong beat of Chinese drum with the relieving sound of saxophone," Guan said. His ambition was to produce his own interpretation of The Beatles.

Yaogun has become increasingly popular in the last decade.

Eric de Fontenay, the founder of MusicDish*China, an independent music company in New York that promotes yaogun band performances worldwide, became a fan of Chinese rock after a trip to Beijing. He organized an exhibition last month at the China Institute in New York.

De Fontenay said that his company has signed five top Chinese rock bands for overseas performances, including Second Hand Rose, which mixes modern rock music with northeastern duets (er'renzhuan), and Nanwu, a band that combines Buddhist melodies with a heavy metal beat.

De Fontenay said that Chinese music not only includes the classically elegant pipa or guzheng melodies but also incorporates innovative combinations both modern and classical.

"What I initially wanted to do was to let the American audiences learn another aspect of Chinese music in a panoramic view, not a stereotype," he said.

De Fontenay made his first trip to China in 2009, and his first stop was Beijing, which is also the cradle of modern yaogun going back three decades.

"I went into a bar with a sophisticated design in Wudaokou," he said. "I happened to hear a unique yaogun piece, music that took me back to 1980s rock music in New York."

De Fontenay said that he wanted to bring his enthusiasm and feelings of nostalgia for yaogun back home. So he began to develop an idea for a company.

He established the company and organized a series of outbound performances of Chinese rock bands in the United States as "a gradual and steady trial that would yield bigger success".

He established the company and organized a series of outbound performances of Chinese rock bands in the United States as "a gradual and steady trial that would yield bigger success".

Jonathan Campbell, a freelance writer who spent a decade in China as a yaogun drummer, promoter and agent, said yaogun is "not just a Chinese version of rock and roll", but serves as a witness to the journey of Chinese culture in the past four decades. In 1986, Cui Jian, considered the godfather of yaogun, had a big hit called Nothing to My Name.

Rooted in the folk music of Northeast China, the song mixed traditional Chinese musical instruments such as the gong and drum with intense, straightforward rhythms, giving listeners a new take on Western music in the mid-1980s, a period of change and reform.

Cui said his musical style "was heavily influenced by the Western figures" such as Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. In the late 1980s, Cui even imitated John Lennon's hairstyle, a cultural experiment on China's social tolerance.

According to research by Fu Boyi, associate professor of musicology at Shenyang University, yaogun music had been continuously consolidating its position as an "innovative product made in China" in the 1990s when several yaogun music companies were established.

Fu said yaogun has become a lucrative market that offers opportunities for musicians and investors.

"The commercial performances and yaogun music festival have become a major part of their revenues," Fu said. "Derivative consumption such as yaogun tours and yaogun souvenirs bring more margin to the market."

According to the Report on China Outdoor Music Festival Market Development, by the Beijing-based Daolue Music Industry Development Research Center, there were 148 outdoor music festivals (most of which were rooted in yaogun music), almost double the number in 2012.

The report also showed there were approximately 3.1 million yaogun festival-goers in 2014, skyrocketing from 1.7 million in 2012.

Yaogun also has gotten a boost from Chinese students studying abroad.

Yinming Jin, assistant director of MusicDish*China, said that Chinese rock has become more popular in the US mainly because of the increasing number of Chinese students, who now number more than 300,000.

Jin, a recent alumna from an art college in Pennsylvania, said the total population of Chinese students in her class was 50 but soared to 200 the next year.

"The possible audience was expanding, and why not the market?" she said.

Jin said that the last US performance by Second Hand Rose in Washington had attracted more than 400 listeners, both Chinese and non-Chinese.

"Most of the time, more than 90 percent of our audiences are overseas Chinese students," she said.

Jin said that Chinese students born after the 1990s are more aware of yaogun.

"Therefore, we see a promising future of Chinese yaogun in the US," she said.

Li Shuo, a Chinese immigrant and rock band organizer in New York, said his understanding about Chinese music was mainly based on modern China.

Li started his band in March 2015, but it has consistently changed its focus from ballads in the 1960s style to more rock 'n' roll styles.

The band Li Dashuo & Cantonese King used to have one drummer and one bass player but he drummer was replaced by a more "rockish" one and the bass player was replaced by a guitarist.

Although the band's members are all Chinese, the changes reflect how musical styles adapt, as has yaogun.

Long Yifan in New York contributed to this story.
NY students get 1st New Year holiday Updated: 2016-02-09 05:45 By NIU YUE in New York(China Daily USA)

Dozens of New York students from the National Dance Institute perform traditional Chinese dances - including the lion dance and yangko - at the 2016 Happy Chinese New Year Fantastic Art China at New York City's Javits Center on Monday, Chinese New Year's Day. It's the first year that the Chinese New Year's Day is an official holiday for public school.LONG YIFAN/ FOR CHINA DAILY

More than 1.1 million public elementary and high school students took their first-ever Chinese New Years Day off for the Year of the Monkey, thanks to years of effort by Chinese Americans to have it declared an official school holiday.

Dozens of young student dancers celebrated the holiday by presenting a performance featuring a lion dance, yangko dance and ribbon spin dance at Student Day at the 2016 Happy Chinese New Year Fantastic Art China event at New Yorks Javits Center on Monday.

Natasha Marshall, a 10-year-old dancer in the performance, said she at first considered Chinese New Years Day just a day off but now she had learned about some of the interesting cultural aspects of the holiday.

Yuan Jing, program coordinator of the event, said all of the students had a special enthusiasm for Chinese dance and spent several months practicing for the performance.

Yuan said most of the students were aged from 8 to 12 and all were from local public schools that had high proportions of Asian students.

Adam Wickham, a student at Stuyvesant High School, worked as a volunteer at the event.

He said working as a volunteer there was a good way to learn about Chinese Spring Festival customs.

Wickham was not alone. According to event organizers, at least 30 high students worked as volunteers.

Kaia Waxenberg, also a student from Stuyvesant High School, told China Daily that her understanding of China had been enhanced by the event.

Waxenberg said she found the young students performance exciting and made her want to learn more about Chinese culture.

Now we will have a more direct concept of Chinese New Year because everyone will get the day off, she said.

Barbara Pollack, a contemporary art critic, said the style of the young non-Chinese dancers who performed in the event brought more vitality to the relatively stagnant stereotype of Chinese culture and gave New Yorkers a brand new impression of Chinese dance arts.

There are many stereotypes about China, most of which are negative, she said. Student Day on Chinese New Years Day can bring something different and positive.

According to the US Census Bureau, there were approximately 573,388 Chinese people in the New York City in 2014, making up almost 7 percent of the population.

Margaret Chin, councilwoman of New York who spearheaded the campaign to make Chinese New Years Day an official holiday, said 2016 would be a breakthrough year for Chinese Americans cultural heritage.

Chinese people have won more social recognition in mainstream US society, Chin said. The festival has been expanded to a wider range, from eastern Asian-only to everyone.

Zhang Qiyue, Chinese consul general in New York, said she would like to see more states and cities follow the lead of New York and make Chinese New Year a more generally observed holiday for all people and communities.

Long Yifan in New York contributed to the story.
Liang takes stand in trial Updated: 2016-02-09 04:28 By PAUL WELITZKIN in New York(China Daily USA)

A young New York City Chinese-American police officer insisted on Monday that this weapon discharged "unintentionally" in the fatal 2014 shooting of an unarmed African-American man in the darkened stairwell of the Louis H Pink Houses in East New York.

While Peter Liang was on patrol on Nov 20, 2014, his gun went off and a bullet, said to have ricocheted off the wall of a stairwell, killed Akai Gurley.

Liang, who faces a count of manslaughter in addition to other charges, told a packed courtroom in Brooklyn on Monday that he and his partner Sean Landau were conducting a vertical patrol. Liang recalled entering a darkened stairwell on the 8th floor of the public housing project with his gun drawn in one hand and a flashlight in the other.

The gun was pointed down and Liang said he had his trigger on the frame of the weapon when suddenly he heard a startling sound on his left and his gun went off.

Liang said he reholstered his weapon and encountered Landau. When Landau asked what happened. Liang said "I accidentally fired a shot." The two argued over who should call the shooting in.

Liang went searching for the bullet and on the 5th floor eventually found a wounded Gurley and his girlfriend Melissa Butler who wasn't hurt.

"His eyes were rolled back," Liang said of Gurley. "I looked at him and it looked like he was seriously injured."

Neither Liang nor Landau tried to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or first aid to Gurley. Liang said he thought it was best that a professional tend to Gurley at that point. In fact another woman, Melissa Lopez, was talking with 911 operators and shouted instructions to Butler.

Landau testified under an immunity deal with the prosecution.

Liang admitted that he had received training at the police academy in the proper care and use of his weapon. He also said he had taken a test on CPR instruction in which he was given some of the answers for the questions.

Liang also faces misconduct and criminal negligence charges for failing to report the shooting promptly and for having drawn his weapon.

He started sobbing on the witness stand during his testimony and left the courtroom briefly to regain his composure.

On Tuesday, closing arguments from the defense and prosecution will take place before Judge Danny Chun will read his instructions to the jury.

The defense is likely to argue that Liang was an inexperienced police officer who was thrust into the middle of a very dangerous environment and that he mistakenly fired his weapon. His attorneys will probably say he was in shock after the incident and unable to offer assistance.

The prosecution is expected to focus on Liang's delay in notifying his superiors and in getting an ambulance at the scene. They will also likely question whether he should have even had his weapon drawn.
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Sally and Simon left Scotland in 2015 on board Shimshal to begin a slow circumnavigation taking in various high latitude destinations. After 3 seasons in Greenland we sailed south to Lewisporte in northern Newfoundland. In 2019 we cruised the Canadian Maritimes and overwintered in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. In 2022 we cruised New England and Shimshal is currently ashore in Annapolis, Maryland. #VoyagesOfShimshal
Activists of the Madhesi group participate in a protest near the Constituent Assembly Hall in Kathmandu

Nepal's agitating Madhesis on Monday called off their nearly five-month long blockade at the Indo- Nepal border, bringing relief to the country suffering from severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other supplies due to the protests against a new Constitution.

"Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now," said a statement issued after the meeting of United Democratic Madhesi Front leaders.

"The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed," the statement added.

The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister K P Oli's trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier.

The United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) has announced only three protest programmes including a torch rally, a lathi rally and a people's vote collection campaign in district headquarters.

Nepal's Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.

The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and have launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.

The agitation by Madhesis in Terai region, bordering India, paralysed services in Nepal.

Except the Raxaul-Birgunj border point, trade has resumed at all other posts. The Raxaul-Birgunj point was opened briefly a couple of days ago, but was closed again.

The blockade led to strain in the bilateral ties, with Kathmandu accusing New Delhi of imposing an "unofficial blockade".

However, India maintains it has imposed no such blockade, and the restrictions are a result of security concerns as Madhesis are protesting against the new Constitution in the Terai region.

The UDMF leaders also noted that the comments made by Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato, a key leader of the agitating alliance, have dealt a blow to the Madhes agitation.

"As the latest activities and comments of Sadbhawana Party Chairman Mahato have damaged the Madhes agitation, the Madhesi Morcha directs him not to be involved in such activities in the coming days," the statement said.
As many as 8,000 domestic industries including Tata Group, Reliance Industires, JSW and MNCs like GE, Boeing, JCB, and 49 nations and business delegations from 68 countries will participate in the Make In India Week to be held through February 13-18 at the sprawling Bandra-Kurla Complex.



The Make In India Centre, spread over 2 lakh sq mt, will accomodate 27 halls, specific pavilions showcasing 11 focus sectors, 17 state exhibitions and pavillions of countries including Sweden, Germany and South Korea.



Over 190 exhibitors will showcase the manufacturing prowess of the country across focus sectors which include defence and aerospace, automobiles and auto components, chemicals and petrochemicals, construction, food processing, infrastructure, IT & electronics, industrial equipment and machinery, pharmaceuticals, textiles and MSMEs.



Additionally, some states including Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh will hold investors summit showcasing their strengths.

At the curtain-raiser press conference, the Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Nirmala Sitaraman said the Make In India week would showcase innovation, design and sustainability driving country's new manufacturing revolution. Further, she added that states after states in the spirit of competitive federalism would project themselves as drivers of development.

The Department of Industrial Production and Policy is the nodal ministry, while the Maharashtra government is the host state for Make in India week. The Confederation of Indian Industry is the partner.

The Maharashtra government expects an investment proposals of Rs 3 to 4 lakh crore during the event.

State chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government would announce policies for ports, electronics, promotion of entrepreneurship in scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and single-window clearance for investors. He made it clear that Maharashtra had emerged on top as the favoured destination for domestic and FDI.



"Our focus is on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, The Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) and the textile sector. If we want to march on the path of development, we have to work together in agriculture, industry and services sector," he noted.

He said some of the key government delegations include the Prime Minister-led delegations from Finland, Sweden and Lituania and the deputy PM-led delegation from Poland.

DIPP joint secretary Atul Chaturvedi said an exhibition on innovation by the best of IITs would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



Besides, leading institutions from the world over will come together and develop solutions to address problems in the areas of water, transportation and energy. DIPP and Qualcomm India would organise start up contest QPrize Make In India awarding Rs 2 crore in equity investment as prize money for the winning company.
07:46 Voting Greens gets you the extreme: Birmingham Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe is representative of an undercurrent in her party that is not widely reflected or known across Australia, Shadow...

Calls for Lidia Thorpe to quit politics 02:28 There are calls for Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe to quit politics after she stepped down from the party's leadership team on Thursday over her...

Severe storm warnings for Eastern Australia 00:24 Severe storms are forecasted for Australias eastern states which is set to impact flood-affected communities.

Rebel Wilson breaks silence on Aussie journo who tried to out her Australian actress Rebel Wilson has opened up for the first time since being forced to "come out", revealing she was yet to tell some family and friends about her same-sex relationship with fashion designer Ramona Agruma.
Second of four parts

WATERLOO  Levi Bridges felt a strong pull to a medical career, but he didnt want to be a doctor.

I was interested in science and the medical field, but I didnt want to take the time needed to go to med school and wanted more to be part of the bedside care for patients, Bridges said.

So, he went into nursing.

Its not a career choice many men make, at least since the 19th century, when nursing was associated with military personnel and, to a degree, the clergy.

Nursing remains a predominantly female profession, but men are making inroads in the field, according to recent statistics.

The number of men entering nursing fields has climbed steadily in the last 35 years, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

According to the U.S. Census, about 2.7 percent of registered nurses were men in 1970 compared with 9.6 percent in 2011. Except for a small decline in 1980, mens representation among licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses grew from 3.9 percent in 1970 to 8.1 percent in 2011.

There were 3.5 million employed nurses in 2011, about 3.2 million of whom were female and 330,000 male. Of employed nurses, 78 percent were registered nurses, 19 percent were licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, 3 percent were nurse practitioners and 1 percent were nurse anesthetists.

I dont know why, but you usually see men in ICU, ER, cardiology, more adrenaline-type roles in our field, said Bridges, a registered nurse who earned a bachelor of science in nursing at Luther College in Decorah in 2010. He has been working on the cardiology floor at UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital in Waterloo since September 2012.

Allens cardiology unit has six male nurses, Bridges said.

Mens representation among licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses grew from 3.9 percent in 1970 to 8.1 percent in 2011. In 2011, 9 percent of all nurses were men while 91 percent were women.

Mens representation in nursing is highest among nurse anesthetists, where they are about 41 percent of the field.

Mens movement

More men are joining the ranks locally, said Jan Erpelding, manager of clinical recruitment at UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital.

We have more males (than before), but its still predominantly female, she said.

She said she was thinking about the increased presence of male nurses in the context of recent layoffs at area manufacturers.

The husband of a friend of mine worked at Deeres and decided to reinvent himself and became a nurse and works for us as well, Erpelding said. Hes a great nurse and, for him, what it did differently, its more providing that support and care and feeling that purpose.

Kelly Richards, chief nursing officer for the Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare System, said she has seen more men entering the field.

We actually have a fair number of male nurses, Richards said, noting she has seen the trend throughout her 20 years in nursing.

The Eastern Iowa Chapter of the American Assembly for Men in Nursing is based in Waterloo.

The group works to encourage men to become nurses and join together with all nurses in strengthening and humanizing health care, according to its website. The association also supports professional growth for men in the field, and showcases males contributions to the profession. The organization also advocates continued research, education and dissemination of information about mens health issues, men in nursing and nursing knowledge at the local and national levels.

Victor Palmer, a registered nurse who directs health science programs at Hawkeye Community College, heads up the local chapter.

He mentors health science students at the college, and his group works with area boys to fight any gender stigmas associated with caretaking careers.

We have a mentoring component with some folks from the community and have a couple or three nurses who have been active in the community for years, Palmer said.

The group puts in a lot of volunteer hours in the community with nursing homes, food banks and other organizations, Palmer said.

There likely will be more males entering nursing fields, although the process is slow, Palmer said.

One of the things we hope to do is go to schools and be good role models for them, he said. We do community services, so they can see theres some pretty decent people out there. We want to do some things with younger people.

Setting an example

Recently, Palmers group conducted a first aid course for area Boy Scouts.

It was nice to have young guys interact with us and let them know its OK to be a man and have a career as a care provider, Palmer said.

Bridges said it never bothered him to enter a field dominated by women for decades.

It crossed my mind, because people tend to think men arent as compassionate or nurturing, but thats not true, he said. I knew I was getting into a field where there werent a lot of men, but it was never a concern.

Bridges was a certified nursing assistant and spent a year of training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., during nursing school.

His career choice has lived up to expectations, Bridges said.

Nursing has become a customer service field, he said. Its gone a long way from a doctor visiting at your home. I love the patient care aspect of it and you get that feeling of making a difference in someones life. Its very rewarding, but there are tough days with the difficult patient or you are running low because theres this shortage of staffing. Youve got to get through it and realize youre there to give the patient the best outcome. It gets you through the day.

Issues remain

Gene Leutzinger, a registered nurse with a masters degree in nursing education, heads up the nursing program at Hawkeye Community College.

He says there are still a number of barriers keeping men from joining the nursing profession.

Perception leads the list, he said.

The first is that nursing has historically been seen as a female profession and as such is seen as womens work, Leutzinger said. While this stereotype is diminishing, it still persists.

A second obstacle is historically low pay for nurses.

Great gains have been made in the last 20 years, and now a nursing graduate is not only in demand but paid at a much fairer rate  especially considering their education and late nights and weekends many work, he said.

Perhaps the most important factor holding down the number of men in nursing is a lack of role models, Leutzinger said.

My own decision to go into nursing was shaped by watching two male nurses practice exceptionally well in the emergency room in my hometown years ago, he said. I have never forgotten their contributions to saving lives and being strong advocates for the profession. I hope I am having the same impact on others that they left on me.

Tuesday: Certified nurse assistants (CNAs) also in short supply, instructor says.
WATERLOO  Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad will appear from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum for a book signing.

He and Waterloo-born author Mike Chapman will sign copies of the book, Iowas Record-Setting Governor: The Terry Branstad Story, published late last year.

On Dec. 14 Branstad became he longest-serving governor in U.S. history, surpassing the record held by George Clinton of New York in the late 1790s and early 1800s. Branstad, first elected governor in 1982, is the youngest governor in Iowa history, 36 years old upon taking office.

Proceeds from book sales will go to the Iowa History Fund and to various scholarship funds set up by the governor.

The book signing event is sponsored by Waterloo radio station KXEL News Talk 1540 AM, with support from the museum.

The governor also will attend a Waterloo Community School District career opportunities presentation at 2 p.m. Tuesday at West High School.
SIOUX CITY | An armed suspect linked to a string of robberies and burglaries shot a Sioux City police officer early Sunday morning before shooting himself.

Isaiah Mothershed, 18, shot and wounded a 13-year veteran of the police force inside an apartment on the city's northside, according to a police department news release. The officer, who was not immediately identified, was treated and released at a local hospital.

Mothershed, who was wounded from his self-inflicted gunshot, was arrested and is in police custody. Mercy Medical Center would neither confirm or deny Mothershed was a patient there Sunday night.

The shooting occurred as police investigated numerous robberies and burglaries that led them to apartment C13 at 2947 Park Ave. Several neighbors declined to speak on the record to the Journal Sunday.

Mothershed was accused in July of kidnapping a man and a teenager at gunpoint and burning them with a heated object. The charges were later dismissed.

In September, Woodbury County Attorney P.J. Jennings said the charges could be refiled, and evidence had been submitted to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation laboratory for analysis.

At the time, Jennings said Mothershed was under investigation for drive-by shootings of the house where the kidnapping allegedly took place.

Sunday was the first shooting in Sioux City in 2016, and the first of a Sioux City police officer on duty since officer Jill Ohm was shot on Oct. 3, 2014.

Ohm was shot in the face after responding to a call about a possibly suicidal person in the 1600 block of West Third Street. Before officers could capture the shooter, 27-year-old Noah Ironshell, he used his gun in a suicide attempt and died of his injuries on Oct. 12, 2014.
CLEAR LAKE | Officials have closed the gates to southbound Interstate 35 at Clear Lake due to a multi-vehicle crash 43 miles south of Clear Lake.

The gates to soutbound I-35 were closed about 12:45 p.m. at the Clear Lake entrance ramp and to westbound Avenue of the Saints at Highway 65 in Mason City, according to the Iowa State Patrol.

Officials closed the roadways due to a multi-vehicle crash near Mile Marker No. 151, which is about nine miles south of the Dows exit, said Pete Hjelmstad, field services coordinator for the Iowa Department of Transportation.

He said the crash involves cars and a semitrailer.

"We don't want to be sending traffic down there because visibility is so bad," Hjelmstad said.

Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals said the roads deteriorated throughout the day on Monday.

"The road conditions now are worse than they were this morning," he said.

No timeline was given for when the gates will be reopened.

Sheriff's deputies from Franklin and Wright counties were assisting the Iowa State Patrol with the crash near Dows.

Both directions of travel on I-35 were blocked in Hamilton County, about 62 miles south of Clear Lake, according to the Iowa DOT's 511ia.org website.

Those lanes were closed due to a jacknifed semitrailer.
These are the kind of editorials we hate to write. A tribute to a talented individual who died way too soon.

Such was the case with Cedar Falls native Finn Bullers.

Bullers was one of our own. He was a journalist. More importantly, he was a person who cared. A person who used his talents to his utmost to make a difference in the world.

Finns journalism first appeared in The Courier when he was a student journalist at Cedar Falls High School. One of his last works appeared in the Courier last August.

Stricken with muscular dystrophy, he wrote about the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and broke it down to a very personal level.

For him, he wrote, the ADA means a 51-year-old father with muscular dystrophy can take his 15-year-old son to see his first-ever Rolling Stones concert on an idyllic Saturday night at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.

Finn died Jan. 31 of complications of pneumonia. In between his first and last writings for The Courier, Bullers lived a brilliant and impressive life.

His high school career was marked by numerous awards for school and community activities and service. He also served as a page to Iowa Gov. Robert D. Ray for the 1982 session of the Iowa Legislature.

He attended Iowa State University where he worked on the Iowa State Daily, Ethos magazine and served as summer news intern at the Ames Daily Tribune in 1984. He was president of the Sigma Delta Chi/Society of Professional Journalists chapter at ISU and won a scholarship from the Northeast Iowa chapter of Women in Communications.

After graduation, he worked full time at the Ames Tribune and then the Quad-City Times in Davenport before going to the Kansas City Star, where he worked for 15 years. After leaving the paper for health reasons, he became a full-time advocate for people with disabilities. He fought to retain home care services for disabled people in Kansas and served as policy adviser for the Greater Kansas City Spinal Cord Injury Association. In 2014, he was named the United Spinal Associations Advocate of the Year.

The National Council on Disability posted a tribute to Bullers on its website, quoting from an email sent to the agency in December:

The law says I cannot be forced into a nursing home against my will. ... As a disability civil rights advocate, I understand patience plays a role in working for change. I also understand that at some point, one must take a stand to fight for the legal right to lead a quality life. ... Reasonable people ought to be able to find a reasonable solution. We can and must do better.

In our estimation, Finn Bullers couldnt have done any better. As a journalist, as an advocate, as a friend, classmate, colleague, a dad and a man, he gave everything he had as long as he had to give it  as long as he had air in his lungs and fire in his heart.

We deeply mourn his passing and offer our condolences to everyone touched by his life. They know they are blessed having known him.
Branstad will

visit Waterloo

WATERLOO  Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad will appear from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum for a book signing.

He and Waterloo-born author Mike Chapman will sign copies of the book, Iowas Record-Setting Governor: The Terry Branstad Story, published late last year.

On Dec. 14 Branstad became he longest-serving governor in U.S. history, surpassing the record held by George Clinton of New York in the late 1790s and early 1800s. Branstad, first elected governor in 1982, is the youngest governor in Iowa history, 36 years old upon taking office.

Proceeds from book sales will go to the Iowa History Fund and to various scholarship funds set up by the governor.

The governor also will attend a Waterloo Community School District career opportunities presentation at 2 p.m. Tuesday at West High School.

Black History events at UNI

CEDAR FALLS  The University of Northern Iowas Black Student Union will offer numerous events throughout the month to celebrate Black History Month.

Some highlights include:

An open panel discussion on African-Americans in the Workplace with African-American professionals from UNI and the Cedar Valley will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Room 115 in Seerley Hall.

The Tunnel of Oppression is set for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 17 in the Lang Hall basement classrooms. Each room will show a re-enactment of modern-day oppression of minorities.

A trivia night focused on the contributions African-Americans throughout history will be at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in Room 133 in Sabin Hall.

Rasheed Cromwell will hold a nationally recognized workshop that will challenge traditional thinking and leave participants with an action plan for improving themselves and the diversity experience on campus. This workshop will take place at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Center for Multicultural Education.

The Toast for Change, a formal campus celebration acknowledging the positive changes in culture and on the UNI campus, is set for 7 p.m. Feb. 26 in the Commons Ballroom

All events are open to the public and free for UNI students, faculty and staff. For more information on any of the events, contact Jada Jackson, president of UNIs Black Student Union, at jada@uni.edu.
By Laura Schaumburg Oswald, Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau Feb. 07, 2016 | 08:05 AM | PADUCAH, KY

Paducah has joined the Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 (AEP5) national research study conducted by Americans for the Arts to measure the economic impact of nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences.

Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) signed on as a study partner to demonstrate the value of the city's cultural assets and to expand advocacy for local arts organizations that support jobs, generate revenue and are the cornerstone of creative tourism.

"Arts and cultural activities contribute greatly to Paducah's economic, cultural and social development," said Mary Hammond, Paducah CVB Executive Director. "The AEP5 analysis will produce updated figures that quantify the economic impact local cultural assets and boost arts and cultural organizations as they pursue funding and community support."

AEP5, conducted by Americans for the Arts, the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America, is the fifth national study over the past 20 years and the largest ever with more than 300 U.S. communities participating in 2016.

"Our Arts & Economic Prosperity series demonstrates that the arts are an economic and employment powerhouse both locally and across the nation," said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "Leaders who care about community and economic vitality can feel good about choosing to invest in the arts. Nationally as well as locally, the arts mean business."

The 2012 Arts & Economic Prosperity study found that nonprofit arts and culture are a $39.8 million industry in Greater Paducah  one that supports 533 full-time equivalent jobs and generates more than $2 million in local and state government revenues

Paducah CVB is the official Destination Marketing Organization for Paducah/McCracken County. It exists to create new economic opportunities through destination marketing, management and tourism development. For more information, visit www.Paducah.Travel
Closing date is 7th March.

To celebrate the release of Vietnamese martial arts epic Sword of the Assassin, we have a great DVD action bundle up for grabs. The prize bundle contains The Frozen Ground, Red Dawn, Son of a Gun, Redirected, and Tiger House. In Sword of the Assassin, after the loss of his family during a deadly massacre, a young man joins forces with a beautiful sword-wielding female warrior as they seek revenge against the powerful royal family responsible. Marking Vietnam's first foray into the realm of historic martial arts epics, the film features beautiful cinematography and exhilarating action scenes in the vein of Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This is a must-see piece of action cinema. The film won awards for Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Sound at the prestigious Golden Kite Prize of the Vietnam Cinema Association. From director Victor Vu, with action by Warrior Kings Johnny Nguyen, Sword of the Assassin stars Huynh Dong, Midu and Khuong Ngoc.
In just over a week, itll be twenty years since the first episode of Friends aired on NBC, on Thursday September 22nd 1994. While were all reeling from that one: Bill Clinton was President of the United States; the most successful hand drawn animated movie in history, The Lion King was released that summer; and Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, Tom Daley and Dakota Fanning were all born. Consistently one of the highest rated television shows of the time, the popularity and cultural impact of the series is astonishing, even a decade after the final episode aired. Jennifer Anistons hairstyle became a phenomenon all on its own, nicknamed The Rachel. The one minute version of Ill Be There For You recorded as the theme tune proved so popular that The Rembrandts were forced to record a longer version for release as a single, the song becoming a worldwide hit. Meanwhile, various catchphrases from the shows history are still in the popular lexicon, even today: from how you doin? to the whole concept of going commando and the friend zone; while debates rage to this day as to whether Ross and Rachel were really on a break, and what on earth that actually means. Some of you might be sneering right now  but you know you understood every reference in this introduction anyway. The shows influence goes far beyond those wholl happily admit to being fans. And with all that, there are still teeny bits of trivia that keep popping up that only those on the inside (and the kind of people who watch DVDs with the commentary tracks on) were ever previously aware of. To celebrate twenty years (twenty years!) since the very first episode of Friends, heres twenty things you probably didnt know about one of the most popular television shows of all time.
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/696137284480057345?lang=en-gb There has been an awful lot of interest in who CM Punk will be fighting for his UFC debut, more so perhaps than with any other debuting UFC combatant. It's in part his high profile, and in part the fact that he has zero professional fights. With no experience, who do you pair him up against? Though the original word from the UFC was that it would be a recognizable name, and former UFC contender Chael Sonnen backed that up, fanning the flames, in the end, promotion president Dana White came out and said it would likely be a 1-0, 2-0 sort of fighter - and that's exactly what we're getting with Mickey Gall. The pairing was made official last night as Gall was victorious in his UFC debut. Who is Gall, what does he bring to the cage, and why was he the man chosen to fight Punk, the strangest UFC signing in years? Those are the questions many would like answers to, so we'll do our best to fill in the blanks. Here are ten things we know about the man CM Punk will be squaring off with soon, Mickey Gall.








Email me at whatdoino (at) alaska (dot) net. [Taking the actual email address out of the code in hopes of cutting down the spam. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm spending way too much time deleting spam messages.][It did cut the span enormously.] The image in the banner is from a painting by Malaysian artist Zainol Arifin Mustafa Alfandi. at whatdoino (at) alaska (dot) net. [Taking the actual email address out of the code in hopes of cutting down the spam. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm spending way too much time deleting spam messages.][It did cut the span enormously.]

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I have talked extensively about the increase in agriculture production over the years in Russia. In fact I recently had a post about John Deere and her new production plant in Russia. The Underline of Russia is Pointing at Increase in Food Production Now I would like to present another tidbit of information:

Russia is likely to produce 5.3 mln tonnes of beet white sugar in the 2011/12 harvest for which harvesting started recently, which is significantly higher than a previous estimate of 4.0-4.2 mln tonnes, the Russian Sugar Producers Union said. The new forecast is based on current average beet yields of 40 tonnes a ha and a cultivated area of 1.29 mln ha. With annual domestic consumption estimated at 5.4 mln tonnes, the new forecast means that the country will already be nearly self-sufficient on its own beet sugar supply. Given that Russia has also raised its refining of imported raw cane sugar in 2011 sugar stocks in the country at the end of this year are likely to total 4 mln tonnes. Read More >>>

This hits home to Sveta and I because we sometimes stop on the way home from the village and raid a sugar beet field (We bad thieves!). We pass field after field of them during certain parts of the trip and the temptation is just too much for a good treat. We only take two or three beets but they are so good boiled and buttered

Yes I see a huge increase in putting old defunct Soviet farm land back in service and it is very obvious as we travel Russia that big money has been spent to make Russia much more self-reliant than reliant on others. The first few trips that I took in Russia 5 years ago was a much different picture than what you see now traveling

Farming! That is change you can believe in

Kyle Keeton

Windows to Russia!

Related articles
http://windowstorussia.com/the-underline-of-russia-is-pointing-at-increase-in-food-production.html

It is a John Deere world in Russia and I find it amazing as Americans talk down about investment in Russia, a lot of American companies are silently expanding into the Russian market and billions are being spent to produce quality products, under a labor reduced situation as it is in China and other countries in the East

John Deere is not the only company and our path to the village now is strewn with all kinds of new buildings and Western companies, pouring money into this worthless Russia, as you are told

What you see above is an example of what I see in Russia with John Deere. The fields are green in Russia and so are the tractors  (Sign says: Engineering and Technology Center)

I have talked many times, the fields in Russia have been re-plowed and replanted in quadruple folded times! I see thousands and thousands of old fields brought back into production. I see irrigation systems everywhere now. I see a huge resurgence in Russian farming

Putin and Medvedev both expressed the desire for Russia to become the wheat king in the world and from what I see they are on their way to getting that done. Farming has become the back bone of Russia again and a country has to have its strength in farming to be a country of respect. Food is the real bottom line. A country reliant upon other countries for food is a slave country

So Russia is producing chickens now and shipping chickens overseas. Russia ships tons of wheat all over the world. Russia is starting to increase her herds of cattle (Why I saw my first corn fields in Russia and they were stalks 6 to 7 feet tall and were beautifully cared for! Ears of corn as big as your forearm)

This is all being done silently and expediently by Americans that have jumped the wagon of a sinking ship in America and have actually understood that Russia is a open book, that can be utilized to fulfill the dreams that no longer can be experienced in America, due to a bureaucracy that has destroyed the American dream

The chicken farm near our village has grown 10 times in size in two years. It is as modern as they come! Now while I do not appreciate modern chicken farming in anyway! I know that this chicken farm employs a whole bunch of men and the standard of living in the villages has risen tremendously because of a thriving chicken business

Want to be a real farmer again? Come to Russia, the fields are endless and the need is endless also

Kyle Keeton

Windows to Russia
Something that is very interesting while traveling Russia is the unheard of growth everywhere that you see while traveling. I mean unbelievable growth of businesses. Businesses from all over the world

The real interest in this growth for me started the last train trip to Ukraine. I was on a day time train and had a good window seat. I was stunned at the factories being built and warehouses being built. There had to have been at one point 50 km of nothing but newly built warehouses in various stages of completion. I recognized many German names among the companies and one of the biggest warehouses that I have ever seen in my life belonged to the Broen company of Denmark. I quit counting at a hundred docks for big tractor trailer rigs in a row

This interest that I filed away in my head, extended over into this latest trip that Sveta and I just took to our village. I spent the driving part of the trip studying the changes in business along the way to our village. Now we travel about 400 km on way so we get a good look at what is happening way down south of Moscow

Sveta and I saw many upon many new warehouses being built and all kinds of new economic growth happening on our excursion to our village. One thing that was a pleasant surprise was the amounts of new roads being built and the highways that we traveled this time were tip top modern highways. Road construction everywhere

One village near the little village that we go to had a huge chicken farm. It was brand smacking new. I saw it last year when the beginnings of the farm was being started and I had no idea at that time what it was. But now it is clear that it is a chicken farm. It looks like a modern American chicken farm in America. They have neglected to put up a sign telling us who owns this farm. But it is fenced and guarded and I know what a modern Chicken farm looks like. This is in fact a antibiotics fed chicken farm for mass produced very fat unhealthy chicken meat. Looks like someone has figured out how to get by the Russian rules on chicken. And I will lay money on the fact that an American company is behind it 

The plain fact is that everywhere Sveta and I went this weekend we saw new buildings, new businesses, new construction and thriving older businesses. I saw lots of new tractors in the fields and a whole bunch more old fields opened up and planted this year. In fact Sveta and I saw hundreds of new farm trucks running the roads from farm to farm. They are Russian made (KAMAZ) and orange in color. There also is four new John Deere dealers and two new Cummins dealers (Plus a Cummins factory) in the various small towns. If that tells you anything at all. (It tells me something!) It is strange to see John Deere green in the Russian fields

I have a head for noticing things and that is what insured my survival in many past situations and excelled my business escapades. I can assure you that lots of money is being circulated in the farm arena in Russia

On top of the money being circulated. Sveta and I noticed this time that there is kids everywhere. We are out in the middle of nowhere and we see 4 or 5, (around 8 to 12 year old) boys fishing and shooting BB guns. The classic moment was seeing three boys sitting on a creek bank with fishing poles and a little Dachshund dog protecting them and telling them how to fish  They were 10 km from the nearest village

That is what I call fishing

Windows to Russia!
Russia will double its grain exports to 40 million tons a year by 2020, President Vladimir Putin said at the APEC summit in Vladivostok on Friday. We project that our country will be producing 120 million-125 million tons of grain a year by 2020, which will increase our export capacity to 30 million-35 million tons, and even up to 40 million tons, Putin said

Like I have been saying, The Russian government is pouring tons of money into the agriculture of Russia and the West world agriculture businesses are flocking silently to ride the wave

I am watching as I travel Russia, the warehouses and agricultural equipment factories being built. I am watching considerable sections of old fields being put back into production. I just watched the grain being harvested and lets talk about something old but new that is expanding by the millions of acres in Russia

Sveta and I just came back from the village and we simply were stunned by the corn fields that were being harvested. Now I know that in America, you are use to corn, but in Russia corn has not been prominent in the fields, that I travel around, not at all. But this year as we drove, the fields of corn were being harvested, and these fields had no end in the horizon and new combines and tractors were everywhere

The little villages with there grain storage ares were overflowing with grain and the corn being brought in was in the hundreds of trucks, waiting to dump their loads at the main grain bins

If I had desired, I could have stopped the car and filled as many sacks with corn silage as I could, because it was falling off the trucks by the tons as they hurried on down the roads trying to get the crops in. For awhile Sveta and I drove on these land mined destroyed Russian roads and I drove to the crunching of corn silage under the tires 

Now I am much more in tune with agriculture, than Sveta and while she could see what was happening, her city mind then took over and corn became less important. Now my mind kept turning as I took all that I could see in. In fact Sveta and I took a very different way home and saw a better picture on the grain harvest in Russia

Bet you do not hear about fields of corn, as far as the eye can see in Russia, in the news?

Nuff said except, We have grain in Russia and lots of it!

Now all this rambling needs to go back to the beginning of the article

Russia is increasing production in its agriculture! I have seen chicken farms popping up all over, I see cattle farms popping up, I see farm equipment being transported constantly to farms and I see 5 to 6 times the fields being plowed and planted than there was 6 years ago when I first started to travel Russia

This is all conjunction to the duos in charge of Russia. Putin and Medvedev made it clear that Russia is going to work hard at helping to feed the world and Putins last statement shown above, is showing that

I think about a few readers of mine, who are farmers and they really want to live in Russia. Well now is the time and the future is big in agriculture in Russia. Russia has the land and Russia is spending the money. I am reading about older Americans everyday and how they are coming to Russia and starting a farm, a farm like they grew up on and their families owned  once upon a time in America

Kyle Keeton

Windows to Russia
I'm Ron Stang, film buff and freelance journalist and long time Windsor-area resident. Windsor-Detroit Cinephile Follow me on twitter at Windsor Detroit Film. View my complete profile
We are pleased to report on yet another landmark law, triggered by a woman suing over inequality, that has expanded womens rights somewhere else in the globe. Last week, the welcome court ruling took place in India. This week, it was handed down in Africa.

Child marriage is a human rights violation, declared Ellie Kaufman in a post for The New York Times site Women in the World. She was reporting on a landmark court ruling in Zimbabwe that raised the minimum marriage age for girls from 16 to 18. Girls who become child brides are less likely to receive an adequate education, more likely to become victims of domestic abuse and have complications in pregnancy and childbirth. Child marriage presents challenges to women and girls in all aspects of their young and adult lives . . . .

If girls dont go to school, they arent trained properly for any occupation. While many families marry their children off early as a result of poverty  to have one less mouth to feed or to receive payment from a dowry  marrying girls at a young age only contributes to that cycle.

The suit was brought by two young women who were married at 16. Loveness Mudzuru, 20, one of the plaintiffs, Kaufman writes, was pleased by the verdict, but also expressed remorse at the opportunities she had missed as a result of her own marriage . . . . Now that the court case is over, what is there for me?

READ MORE at Women in the World.


Euratom to continue participation in GIF

08 February 2016

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An EU Council of Ministers working group has recommended the European Atomic Energy Community's (Euratom's) participation in the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) be extended for a further ten years. The final adoption of this decision by the Council of Ministers is expected soon.

The working group published its recommendation to extend Euratom's participation in GIF until 2026 on 29 January. The move was welcomed by Foratom, the European nuclear trade body, in a 5 February statement.

GIF was initiated in 2000 and formally chartered in mid 2001. It is an international collective representing governments of 13 countries where nuclear energy is significant now and also seen as vital for the future. Most are committed to joint development of the next generation of nuclear technology. Led by the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Japan, Russia, South Korea, South Africa, Switzerland, and the UK are charter members of the GIF, along with the EU (through Euratom).

The GIF recognises six advanced nuclear power systems as most likely to be deployed first. These are the sodium-cooled fast reactor, the lead-cooled fast reactor, the very-high temperature reactor, the molten salt reactor and the gas-cooled fast reactor.

Foratom noted that European nuclear research consortia are in the process of designing, developing and constructing four demonstration reactors that utilize three of these six technologies. These are the Astrid prototype sodium-cooled fast reactor to be built in France; the Allegro gas-cooled fast reactor to be constructed in either the Czech Republic, Hungary or Slovakia; the Alfred lead-cooled fast reactor to be built in Romania; and the Myrrha lead-bismuth cooled accelerator-driven fast neutron multi-purpose research reactor under construction in Belgium.

The Allegro and Myrrha projects are on a list of priority investments for the EU under the 315 billion ($350 billion) investment plan launched last February by European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker.

The GIF Framework Agreement, established in 2005, was extended for another ten years in February 2015, thereby paving the way for continued collaboration among participating countries. In June, Russia signed a ten-year extension to its participation in GIF.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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Expert groups call for Swiss repository studies to include third site

08 February 2016

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Two Swiss expert groups have today released reports supporting the repository siting proposals put forward by the country's national radioactive waste disposal cooperative Nagra. However, they call for further investigations to be carried out in the Nordlich Lagern region.

The siting regions under investigation (Image: Nagra)

In January 2015, Nagra proposed that further investigations are carried out at the proposed siting regions of Zurich Nordost and Jura Ost in the third and final stage of Switzerland's plan for selecting sites for two repositories: one for low- and intermediate-level waste (LLW/ILW) and the other for high-level waste (HLW). It also said the four other regions under consideration in the second stage - Sudranden, Nordlich Lagern, Jura-Sudfuss and Wellenberg - will be placed in reserve.

The Cantonal Working Group on Safety (AG SiKa) and the Cantonal Expert Group on Safety (KES) have now said they agree with Nagra that the focus should be on the Opalinus Clay as a host rock for disposal of all waste categories, that the siting regions of Sudranden, Jura-Sudfuss and Wellenberg should be placed in reserve and that Zurich Nordost and Jura Ost should undergo further investigation in the third stage of the selection process.

However, both groups are in favour of further investigations to be conducted in the Nordlich Lagern region.

Last September, the Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) requested that Nagra submit additional technical documentation related to the optimization of the repository depth in terms of safety. Nagra is of the opinion that, while a repository can be constructed safely at a depth of 900 metres, such a depth has disadvantages compared to a depth of 700 metres. In December, Nagra said it would take about six months to prepare the additional documentation. ENSI is expected to make its final evaluation in early 2017.

Nagra has already said, "The geological siting region of Nordlich Lagern for a HLW repository has insufficient underground space in the preferred depth range and there is no possibility of realising the repository at the optimum (from an engineering viewpoint) depth." It added, "Going deeper would provide more space but the engineering challenges would be significant and would lead to considerable impairment of the geological barrier."

However, in December Nagra said it had decided to start planning the investigations for the Nordlich Lagern siting region to avoid delays in case ENSI concludes the region should undergo further investigation, contrary to its own position. This includes preparing an exploration concept for Stage 3 and planning a 3D seismic campaign, as well as deciding on potential sites for deep boreholes.

Nagra is required by federal guidelines to making siting proposals that will provide the basis for the decision to be made by the Federal Council - expected in 2017 - on stage two of the process. The six sites were proposed in November 2011 during the first stage of the selection process. Nagra was required to propose at least two regions to host each of the repositories for further investigations in the third stage.

Up until 2006, much of Switzerland's used nuclear fuel was sent overseas for reprocessing. High level waste, and used fuel from 2006 onwards, is mostly stored at a central interim storage at Wurenlingen. Nagra has been operating an underground research laboratory for a high-level waste repository at Grimsel since 1983.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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If youre looking to try out an online casino, there are several things that will help you make a decision. Heres what you should look for when choosing an online casino

 Are they regulated? A lot of the larger ones have licenses issued by the authorities in their respective regions, so its worth checking this first.

 Do they offer games from different software providers? Some casinos just use one software provider and limit your selection. This is fine if you like playing those types of games but you may want to check other casinos as well.

 What does their payout percentage look like? The payout rate refers to how much money you can expect to win after every bet. A high payout rate means youll be able to play more often without having to worry about losing all your money. Its also important to know the minimum and maximum bets allowed on each game. If youre going to play roulette, for example, then you probably dont want a casino with a minimum bet of less than $2.50 or even lower than that.

The players used to play the game slot online in the land based casinos in the past time. But now with time after the invention of the online casinos players play the game slot online. Online platform provide the players with the convenience in playing and even better winning. Even after keeping a good percentage of the profits, they distribute good funds to players.

 How many games do they offer? There are lots of different types of games to choose from. Roulette, blackjack and poker are some of the most popular options, but you might find slots, video pokers, video bingo and others as well. You can usually filter these games down to only show the ones that interest you best, so make sure that your list isnt too long!

 Is there a bonus offer? Many online casinos offer free bonuses as part of their welcome package  which includes new players being awarded 100% up to $10 instantly, for example. These offers are great but not everyone has access to them all the time (and some require you to deposit real money). If youd prefer to avoid paying a fee, some casinos offer no-deposit bonuses where you can get a certain amount of funds before you need to put any actual money into the account. These are usually offered alongside welcome bonuses, so make sure you read both parts of the terms and conditions carefully before signing up.

 Does it offer live dealer games? Live dealers are much preferred by many over regular virtual versions, so it pays to check this option out too. Most online casinos now offer live dealer games in addition to their regular offerings, allowing you to experience the thrill of the real thing without needing to leave home.

Now that youve got an idea of what to look for when choosing an online casino, heres some tips for making the right choice

It really comes down to personal preference. No two people are exactly alike, so everyone has an opinion on what they like and dislike about each casino. That said, here are some things to consider in order to narrow down your choices

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Ladbrokes Casino is owned by the same company as the famous bookmaker that started life in 1921. With more than 500 games from leading software providers such as Amaya, NetEnt and Microgaming, you wont be disappointed by the quality of the games here. New players get a 200% match bonus up to 500, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits.

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Feb 8, 2016 | By Alec

Image credit: Milan Rinck

Its only natural that larger 3D printers and ongoing material innovations will lead to more outrageous and surprising 3D printing projects, but we never even imagined that the latest project by 3D printing expert Jasper Menger would be possible. The Dutch innovator, who unveiled his Robot-Arm 3D Printer in March of 2015, recently joined forces with entrepreneur Filip Jonker to develop a 20-feet plastic submarine that can carry up to two people. Though development is still underway, they see it as a perfect military tool and for use at oil drilling platforms.

As you might recall, the very impressive Robot-Arm 3D Printer first saw the light of day at the Rapidpro convention in the Netherlands in March 2015. Developed by Jasper Menger, its a truly huge robotic arm contraption with a high quality extrusion system attached to the end of it. Last year, it had a maximum build platform of 8 x 3 x 2 meters and, thanks to its superior software and robotic movement configuration, was capable of realizing consistent quality in very complex patterns. Though the minimum layer size was just 1 millimeter, the quality was reportedly almost comparable to that of injection-molded fiberglass/PP products. Thanks to this machine, Mengers star has been rising. If someone need to 3D print something large with a robot construction, they all end up with me. Google points straight to me, he recently said.

Jasper Menger.

Last year, it was already clear that Menger was envisioning some truly innovative applications for his 3D printer, and he has definitely found that in this collaboration with Filip Jonker. Though the robotic arm 3D printer had already been used for 3D printing works of art, furniture and factory floor components, nothing compares to an actual submarine. Jonkers company Ortega Submersibles is focusing on the development of affordable submersible vehicles for one or two divers which can, for instance, be used for reconnaissance or repairs. A low cost technology that can easily prototype vehicles of up to a few meters in size is therefore obviously a perfect tool.

The team is currently envisioning a six-meter long vehicle (or about 20 feet), that will be made from 0.9 millimeter layers of a glass-fiber polypropylene composite filament. Thats obviously impressive in its own right, but the real question is: can it withstand the pressure when submerged? Well, they believe it could actually be submerged a few meters, but the layer bonds (the weakest part of any print) will be too weak to go any deeper. However, Jonker is all about material exploration  having previously crossed the North Sea in a cardboard boat to demonstrate the materials durability.

The Robot-Arm 3D printer working on another project.

And Jonker feels that the time is simply right for small underwater vehicles that can reach high speeds  perfect for the military, but also for various applications in harbors and at oil drilling platforms. A submarine. Why not? Menger said of the project. While the first in the world, he argues that it fits into a 3D printing trend. Theyre working on a 3D printed car in the US, on a home in China, and we are building a 3D printed ship. But regardless of whether or not a 3D printed submarine can be used underwater, it probably never well. Jonker said he primarily chose 3D printing for its easy and quick prototyping power, and the ability to change designs halfway through the building process. A 3D printed prototype is therefore expected to be followed by a mold for high production volumes.

Nonetheless, development is proceeding at a high pace. Menger has estimated that it takes about 50 hours to 3D print a 20-feet long ship, simply using a CAD drawing as any other 3D printer. Leaving the machine running over night, the first iteration is already finished. To print, his Robot-Arm 3D Printer uses granules of carbon fiber-filled PP, which need to be replenished every couple of hours for projects of this scale. The finished results still have a characteristic grainy surface with visible layers, but should look smooth after sanding. Of course the hull is waterproof, Menger says.

Whats more, this project is part of a larger, ambitious plan to make 3D printing more important for the Dutch manufacturing sector. The 3D printer itself is housed in the Merwe-Vierhavensgebied of Rotterdam, an old factory compound with lots of empty buildings. But the SuGu-club, which houses the 3D printer and is envisioning a factory of the future, sees a lot of potential in next-gen 3D printing. Just imagine what this could do for the maritime industry. Theyre still using a lot of steel right now, but here we are constructing something from carbon fiber. In the near future, we might even use sustainable carbon fiber, argues Guus Balkema, who set up the factory.

Should this concept be a success, a whole hall filled with 3D printers buzzing constantly isnt far off, he says. Innovations create jobs, you know. Robots are often accused of hurting the job market, but this is the new making industry. Those robots need to be maintained, watched and built. The nearby Delfshaven neighborhood has high levels of unemployment. With these 3D printing innovations, we are trying to turn that around.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Isaname wrote at 2/8/2016 4:19:47 PM:That's crazy




Feb 8, 2016 | By Benedict

Electromashina JSC, a manufacturer of armored vehicles for the Russian army, has revealed that it is using an industrial 3D printer to produce an Armata tank, the standard next-generation armored vehicle platform of the Russian military.

The T-14 Armata tank

When Russias impressive T-14 Armata tank first hit the streets of Moscow last year, very little was known about it. The armored vehicle drove around Red Square during the May 2015 Victory Day Parade, a celebration of the 70th anniversary of Russias victory in WWII. Drivers showed off the Armatas impressive turn radius, its radar-baffling paint, and its thick armor plates. Now, information has been released about how certain Armata tanks, perhaps including the T-14, are being manufactured. Electromashina JSC, an armored vehicle manufacturer and part of the UralVagonZavod corporation, has revealed the important role played by 3D printing technology in the production of its new line of Armata tanks.

Anton Ulrich, Manager of the Rapid Prototyping Lab at Electromashina, explained how 3D printing has been used since 2015 to produce prototype parts. These parts can be created in small numbers, tested, and then redesigned as appropriate until ready for series production. Electromashina has also been using its 3D printers to produce master models, used in the casting of metal and plastic parts. In the near future, the company will start using 3D printers to produce 3D printed titanium parts, several meters in length, for use in its armored vehicles.

3D printing has been implemented to speed up trial production, Ulrich explained. When a designer develops new products, he uses CAD software to produce a 3D model. So, using a 3D printer, we can quickly turn those 3D models into prototype parts. Now there is no need to order a sample component, and then, realizing that it doesnt fit, have to order a re-run and waste metal. Furthermore, it is possible to produce not just small elements of a part, but the whole assembly, evaluating its mechanical characteristics before production.

Although 3D printing machine-ready components for use in armored vehicles and other military equipment is a distinct possibility for Electromashina, these items would have to meet certain requirements of the defense industry. 3D printed components can go straight to consumers in certain industries, said Ulrich. But in the defense industry, standards are much higher.

Ulrich, however, sees no reason why 3D printed components cannot eventually meet those strict defense industry requirements. He cites the cases of 3D printed components being used in the aerospace industry and even produced in space on the International Space Station. If 3D printed parts can be approved for use in space, they could certainly be deemed fit for use in Russian tanks.

The Russian army plans to acquire 2,300 T-14 Armata tanks between now and 2020.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Feb 8, 2016 | By Tess

Cloud-based drone software DroneDeploy, used primarily for creating detailed and accurate 3D terrain and architectural models, has now made it possible to turn footage captured by a drone into a ready-to-print 3D model.

Ian Smith, Sales and Marketing Manager for DroneDeploy, explains the process of turning drone images into a 3D printed object on the software companys blog, and uses his own childhood home in Houston, Texas as an example of how and what to 3D print.

The first step in creating a 3D printed object based on drone footage is of course capturing the actual images. For the best results, Smith suggests flying your drone around the setting or building you want to 3D print while taking photos at a 45 degree angle to the ground to focus more on the actual terrain than the sky or surroundings. For his own childhood home, Smith took a total of 146 images, which were captured with a DJI Inspire 1 droneit should be noted that DroneDeploy is compatible with any drone so the DJI model is not requisite. The DroneDeploy app will also program a flight path based on your specifications.

image taken from 45 degree angle

From there you simply have to upload the images captured by your drone to the DroneDeploy software where they will be automatically converted into a digital 3D model. For the conversion process, DroneDeploy reports being able to process the images and turn them into a 3D model, an orthomosaic, and a digital surface model in under 200 minutes.

Once you have your 3D model of the terrain or structure you want to 3D printyou can export a zipped .OBJ file directly from the DroneDeploy appyou simply have to put the file through a slicer, obtain an .STL file and send the file to a 3D printer. If you do not have access to a 3D printer yourself, Smith suggests using 3D Hubs 3D printing service, which allows you to choose from a number of different printing options such as what type of material youd like to use and whether you want your object additively manufactured in color. For 3D printing in color, the color image layer is included in the zipped .OBJ file provided by the DroneDeploy app.

For his own 3D print of his childhood home, Smith printed on a small scale in full color out of a sandstone material. He explains, I chose sandstone because even though its a bit more expensive and brittle than other printing materials, the color and finer details will show up better.

This technology, as evidenced by Ian Smith, can provide makers with a way of creating sentimental keepsakes, but can also provide a unique service for more industrial purposes as well. DroneDeploy, which has been used by various farmers to optimize their crop yields, can now offer both digital and physical models of agricultural terrain.

If you want to check out DroneDeploys software or app a trial version can be downloaded for free via their website.

Posted in 3D Printing Apps

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by Shadab Zeest Hashmi

My first encounter with the ghazal had to have happened at home where my parents played ghazal LPs on their Phillips record player, along with Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Harry Belafonte and Edith Piaf. The ghazal entered my consciousness first as music, accessible only to the extent that Edith Piaf was accessible; through melody, beat, rhyme, refrain. Later, listening to ghazals on the radio and television, I developed the sense of awe that surrounds the Urdu ghazal in Pakistan. It is distinguished as the most elevated of poetic forms and considered to be the litmus test of a true poet. When I began to write poetry, this awe for the ghazal turned into intimidation and I experienced a paralyzing fear of writing a miserable flop. I tried my hand at villanelles, sonnets, and pantoums, but it took me a long time to attempt my first ghazal. When I did write my first ghazal, at Warren Wilson, I was exhilarated. What followed was an exploration of the form as adapted in English poetry, an even more exhilarating experience, one that continues to pose more questions than provide answers. The thoughts in this essay are a distillation of my experiences of hearing and reading Urdu ghazals, reading contemporary American ghazals, and writing ghazals in English.

Let me begin with a couple of generalizations:

1. Pattern and variation are part of what constitute all art.

2. In formal verse, pattern and variation are prescribed.

3. Most forms are prescribed for, and, are arguably more suited to particular themes. For example, the Primer Couplets, a set form, are rhymed aphorisms, a sub-genre of didactics. The elegy, a mournful song, is written in the classical meter of Elegiacs: A couplet measure with the first line being a classical Hexameter and the second a classical pentameter. The haiku, a Japanese tercet of 5-7-5 syllables, is a condensed, elliptical poem centered on natural imagery, specifically related to a season.

This leads us to think that the form inherently sets up, in its template, a method to reach the poems maximum potential, and that form may not dictate the content of a poem but it certainly drives it. Each form provides its own particular frame, which offers to showcase the content in the best possible way by allowing and disallowing certain things. Considering formal constraints, one has to decide whether it is worth the bother to adopt a traditional form, because, experimentation aside, the eventual goal is always to make a good poem. In this lecture Im going to talk about some of the challenges of writing a ghazal in English, and discuss ghazals by Agha Shahid Ali and Grace Schulman.

Summarizing Agha Shahid Alis definition in Ravishing Disunities, a ghazal has the following elements:

1. A minimum of 5 autonomous couplets, with no enjambment between them.

2. The first couplet (called the Matla) establishes the rhyme scheme for the entire ghazal which employs the same rhyme and refrain. The rhyme (or qafia) must immediately precede the refrain (or radif). In the Matla the qafia and radif occur in both the lines of the couplet, but in subsequent couplets, the qafia and radif occur only in the second line.

3. Each couplet has a stand-alone, epigrammatic quality. It is a thematically and emotionally complete unit. The sequence of the couplets could be rearranged without affecting the poem.

4. The first line can be considered to function as the octave and the 2nd line the sestet in a Petrarchan sonnet. In other words, there usually is a turn or Volta when moving from the first to the second line of the couplet.

5. Each line must be of the same length (inclusive of the rhyme and refrain). In Urdu and Persian all the lines are usually in the same meter and have the same metrical length. Metrical or syllabic, a system of maintaining consistency in line length must be established.

6. The ghazal climaxes when the radif appears in each couplet. The classical ghazal has as many climaxes as there are couplets.

7. The last couplet (called the Maqta) is usually the signature couplet in which the poet invokes his/her real name or nom de plume in the first, second, or third person.

Agha Shahid Ali says of the ghazal that it is terse but with immense lyricism, evocation, sorrow, heartbreak, wit. What defines the ghazal is a constant longing.

The ghazal is a tradition of expressing the almost inexpressible; the unending pursuit of the beloved. Alternatively, the term ghazal (literally gazelle in Arabic) is sometimes characterized as the last cry of the gazelle when it is cornered in a hunt. One can imagine the classical ghazal artists concern for trying to evoke that sort of near-death desperation for the beloved. Ralph Russell, a highly esteemed scholar of Urdu literature defines the beloved this way:

We can now put in comprehensive form the question, who, or what is the beloved of the Urdu ghazal? And can answer, Any person or any ideal to whom or to which the poet, whether in real life or in fantasy, is prepared to dedicate himself, sacrificing himself for its (her, his) sake and willingly accepting the hostility of his fellow men as an inevitable consequence of his love.

So the intensity of desire that the ghazal expresses could be directed to a person, or to God, or a revolution or another unattainable ideal. This desiring in the extreme gives the ghazal not only its necessary energy as a poem but its very definition. And expressing intense desire in the form of a cry is a hairline away from sentimentality.

The first issue well explore is: How to remain true to the ghazal by maintaining a level of intensity and energy while avoiding sentimentality. Sentimentality can be caused by tone as well as by the absence of enjambment which forces the line to be a short cry-like or rhetorical statement, not giving the poet much of an opportunity to modify and refine the thought across several lines, via several tropes. The first line of the couplet is expected to deliver a blow, the second line, to deliver a worse blow. Ideally, there are neither any insipid, low energy moments in a ghazal, nor any melodrama. If there are any understatements in the classical ghazal, they are highly dramatized. It is a form suited less to a quiet, inward meditation, more to the ventriloquist arts of rhetoric, tragedy, romance. A ghazal is a lively drama of conflicting scenarios in which there is a beloved, a beloved whose chief role, as Ralph Russell puts it, is to be absent.

The second issue Ill discuss is the issue of cohesion. The ghazal does not have the thematic unity or sequential mechanism of Western forms. But, as Ahmed Ali, another scholar of Urdu asserts: atmospheric and emotional cohesion and refinement of diction hold the poem together, permitting at the same time terseness, intensity, and depth of feeling, uniqueness of imagery, nobility of language, and a high conception of love.

In technical terms, the repetitive elements (the qafia and the radif) provide sonic cohesion. The radifs refrain establishes a sort of loose theme in the opening couplet. With each successive couplet, the reader is primed to receive the radif with a twist. Each couplet is thus a distant cousin of another. Shahid Ali compares each couplet to a unique gem which enhances the beauty of the ghazals necklace but retains its own brilliance outside of it too.

Speakers of Urdu quote couplets from ghazals by Ghalib, Mir and Faiz on every occasion, in any situation, precisely because these couplets are poetic aphorisms suited for a wide range of situations that provoke an outburst. The two distinguishing features of the ghazal, intensity and disunity, or in Agha Shahid Alis words Ravishing Disunities have made unforgettable gems in Urdu poetry. On the flip side, these defining features become problematic when writing a ghazal in English for the contemporary American audience: Intensity can come across as sentimentality or hyperbole. Disunity can be disorienting in this culture where clarity is valued and expected, and there is little tolerance for obfuscation or abstraction compared to Urdu aesthetics.

Lets consider ghazals by Schulman and Shahid Ali and see how these poets avoid the pitfalls of sentimentality and lack of cohesion:

GRACE SCHULMANS GHAZAL

Lets look at the technical aspects first. Grace Schulmans radif in her ghazal Prayer is  in Jerusalem. Her qafia rhymes with bought. This particular scheme is established in the Matla or the opening of the ghazal:

Yom Kippur: wearing a brides dress bought in Jerusalem,

I peer through swamp reeds, my thought in Jerusalem.

Schulman embraces the ghazals particular style by selecting a radif that is potentially lofty. The drama of history inherent in the word Jerusalem gives it the dynamism that a radif ought to have. Schulman utilizes a radif that carries with it connotations of the sense of longing and intensity of feeling that characterize the classical ghazal. While she lets the radif do the work of intensity, she brings the poem to a personal level by introducing the I in several couplets, thereby reducing the likelihood of being distant, sentimental or artificial. The result is that we witness the larger drama, the tragedies and ironies of Jerusalem not only from the assumed eye of history but from the private window of the poets personal experience:

My dress is Arabic: spangles. Blue-green-yellow beads

the shades of mosaics hand-wrought in Jerusalem

Using the I, my and you in the ghazal (as Schulman does in this couplet) has a grounding effect, balancing the loftiness of the radif. It brings the microcosmic, the modest, the small, and the contemporaneous into the larger picture of Jerusalem, contrasting a theme of epic proportions with the immediate, the personal:

Velvet on grass. Odd. But I learned young to keep this day

just as I can, if not as I ought, in Jerusalem.

The blending of the personal and the historical occurs in the entire ghazal and profoundly so in the Maqta or the final couplet:

Here at the bay, I see my face in the shallows

And plumb for the true self our Abraham sought in Jerusalem.

Referring to oneself in a variety of ways is also a typical ghazal gesture. Schulman does this as she refers to herself as a spider weaving a web:

As this spider weaves a web in silence,

may Hebrew and Arabic be woven taut in Jerusalem.

This couplet is emblematic in a way because it uses the traditional language of prayer -the title of the poem. But being a ghazal, the poem can and does have multiple couplets as emblems. Schulman explores the theme of being split and united, the paradox that Jerusalem poses for believers, in a form that allows for exactly that sort of poetic duality: desire for the beloved and his absence. Even though each couplet deals with a separate motif (such as Arabic poetry, Jewish spirituality, the landscape of Jerusalem, war, crossing cultures, religious icons) the poem can be said to have atmospheric cohesion, even thematic cohesion, thanks to the radif Jerusalem. With the exception of an enjambment between couplets 4 and 5, rearranging the sequence of the couplets would make little difference to the poem.

To summarize, Schulmans ghazal avoids the pitfalls of sentimentality and lack of cohesion by: centering the poem on a radif that allows multiple related themes, thereby allowing various threads to be woven together cohesively, and, by bringing the intimate and vulnerable, the authentic instead of merely the assumed into the larger picture of Jerusalems drama.

Ghazal

Agha Shahid Ali

A language of loss? I have some business in Arabic.

Love letters: calligraphy pitiless in Arabic.

Majnoon, by stopped caravans, rips his collars, cries Laila!

Pain translated is O! much more_not less_ in Arabic.

At an exhibit of miniatures, what Kashmiri hairs!

Each paisley inked to a golden tress in Arabic.

When Lorca died, they left the balconies open and saw:

On the sea his qasidas stitched seamless in Arabic.

Where there were homes in Dier Yassein, you will see dense forests_

That village was razed. There is no address in Arabic.

I too, O Amichai, saw everything, just like you did_

In death. In Hebrew and (Please let me stress) in Arabic.

Listen, listen: They ask me to tell them what Shahid means:

It means The Beloved in Persian, witness in Arabic.

Agha Shahid Ali uses in Arabic as a radif and words rhyming with business as qafia. Like Schulmans, Alis choice of radif is one that plays the role of a metaphor. Just as Jerusalem is used as an icon of history, spirituality, war, and a paradoxical symbol of commonality as well as differences between the three Abrahamic religions, Arabic is used to connote similar elevated themes. Arabic is at once a language of loss, reminding one of dislocated people (the inhabitants of Dier Yassein) and a language that has historically connected distant cultures across Asia, Africa and Europe. It is a language famous for love poetry as well as an icon of religious and political conflict, being a counterpart to Hebrew. Like Schulmans radif, Alis is well-chosen for the dualities it affords.

Ali opens the ghazal with the question of whether Arabic is a language of loss. And answers that question by presenting a variety of its facets: In the first couplet Arabic is personified as pitiless; its form in a love letter is compared to a lovers beauty and apathy. In the first line of the second couplet Ali seems to be describing a Persian miniature depicting the famous romance of Laila and Majnoon, a core metaphor in much of Arabic, Persian and Urdu poetry; a tradition of seeking the lost beloved in the desert. The third couplet comments on Arabic influences on Kashmiri visual art, while the fourth, the influence of Arabic on Lorcas Spanish poetry. In these couplets Arabic appears as a surviving but a transplanted, transmuting language; something other than a language of loss. Ali ends his ghazal with a signature couplet in which he not only mentions his name but explains what it means in Persian and In Arabic.

Ali avoids sentimentality by using caesuras, thereby modifying and shading each line by various gradations in terms of image or tone: For example, the question in the first line followed by a declaration varies the tone of the speaker, making him sound real, immediate, not sentimental or distant: A language of loss? I have some business in Arabic. Couplet #1

The caesura in couplet#5 That village was razed. There is no address in Arabic. also works to give a colloquial effect so that the tragedy of the razed village comes across as moving and real; a world collapsed abruptly not unlike the line itself which is snapped into two sentences.

Ali uses quotes, parentheses, exclamations and forms of address that vary the voice and keep it unsentimental and down-to-earth, as in couplet 6:

In death. In Hebrew and (Please let me stress) in Arabic.

And in the maqta:

Listen, listen: They ask me to tell them what Shahid means:

It means The Beloved in Persian, witness in Arabic.

A perfectly correct poem, one that follows the form to the letter could be a perfectly bad poem if the spirit is absent. The spirit of a poem written in a given form has to fit a mould on a certain level. The form as a mould sets up expectations which are formulaic but need not be simplistic. How do these two ghazals modify the rules to their advantage? Schulmans ghazal does not follow the rule against enjambment strictly. This allows for more fluidity, preventing the ghazal from becoming stilted, artificial, or sentimental:

My dress is Arabic: spangles, blue-green-yellow beads

The shades of mosaics hand-wrought in Jerusalem

that both people prize, like the blue-yellow Dome of the Rock;

like strung beads-and-cloves said to ward off the drought in Jerusalem.

Ali uses more caesuras than are customary in a classical ghazal. But obviously, what works gracefully in Urdu or Persian may not in English or German (the other Western language in which well-known ghazals have been written). Alis lofty radif is balanced by the plainspoken effect of the caesura, therefore the poem retains its emotional intensity without seeming over-wrought.

As I was selecting these ghazals, the first thing that occurred to me was that these ghazals were each others parallels in form and content, as if the two poets were responding to each other. In his ghazal, Shahid Ali addresses the Hebrew poet Amichai in the penultimate couplet just as Schulman addresses Shahid Ali in one of her couplets. Addressing or referring to another person, especially another poet, is a favorite move of the classical ghazal artists. It is as if this whole exercise were meant to be an elaborate conversation between poets. Indeed, the traditional ghazal was meant as much for a live audience as the reader; the mushaira (poetry reading) audience participated actively, repeating the verses, eagerly anticipating each radif and showering praise on the poet.

Both ghazals, Schulmans and Alis, employ a radif that has connotations of cultural identity and therefore emotional intensity as well as complexity and paradox involving the other. The poets manage to sustain grandeur without being grandiose, a delicate balance. In Sara Suleri-Goodyears words: the delicacy of form is precisely the miracle of the ghazal, which has allowed in its scope decadence, mysticism, history and politics_ within the elegant construction of a single line. The cohesive element in the poems, is, as Shahid Ali articulates, a profound and complex cultural unity built on association and memory and expectation.
by Leanne Ogasawara

When I was an undergraduate, on my way to first day of quantum mechanics class, I was riding up in the elevator with the professor and several (male) students. The professor kindly informed us that this would be the class that separated the men from the boys.

Astronomy is really making the news these days. Except it's not for the reasons one would hope or expect; for the headlines keep rolling in one after the other about astronomy's snowballing cases of sexual harassment.

Yikes!

As a woman, obviously, I think matters like this should never be covered up and that process must be put in place in universities to deal with transgressions. In fact, I go a step further and believe that as exemplars, anyone who is in a teaching profession should be held up to the very highest moral standards.

Like most women, this is also not something that I am unfamiliar with either.

As an undergraduate at Berkeley in philosophy, I was one of the few women in the program, and I think philosophy has similar kinds of issues as we are seeing in astronomy. Even as an undergraduate it often felt like a kind of boys club. In Japan, too, in my twenties, I worked at Hitachi, ostensibly as a translator and interpreter; but in fact, as the only girl in the department, I spent all my time answering the phones and serving tea and stapling papers and tidying up.

I didn't stay long

In many ways, not staying long is what has characterized my life.

A few years ago, a man I respect greatly asked me why I quit things so much. I think he was referring to my giving up dance something that I loved and then grad school, which I also loved but quit in order to get married. His question, asked suddenly, embarrassed me, and I felt he didn't really get itthat it's harder as a woman to stay on track career-wise or even goal-wise. In fact, at my now advanced age of almost 48, I am coming more and more to be convinced that most women get stuck doing the real dirty work in the world and that their engagement with woman's workwith children, in schools, as nurses, as wivesis the most unsung, unappreciated work there is. I really did feel that at least in Japan, cooking real meals and tending the home (including taking care of aging parents) was valued and honored. There should be honor in all work. At home or in the office. So, in some way in the US, it is a bitter pill not to have equality in the work place since working at home as a mother and wife is so utterly devalued.

So, yes I do think there are major issues in terms of sexism and racism in academia and that these should be thoroughly addressed and dealt with.

But is public shaming and career-ruining an effective? way of handling this problem?

Someone actually used those words, by the way. It was posted on a friend's facebook page about how effective public shaming is for cases like this. Well, sure, it does effectively ruin the person's career and maybe life. But even if one thinks that the battle has been won (which I don't), I would suggest the war has been lost in the process. And this is a seriously scary problem we are now seeing in the world.

Indeed, it is depressing that the Internet and modern media seems to be making us uglier and less tolerant as human beings, rather than any better.

Journalist Jon Ronson lays this all out in a video that I highly recommend people take a look at below. The video is really sadand one has to wonder what happened to us that we have become as a society so incredibly unkind to each other?

People say it all really started with Monica Lewinsky, but this was something I particularly noticed when I returned from Japan almost five years ago. That we are becoming a blame-gaming society. I mean, it's all you hear. Democrats ripping apart Republicans and Republicans ripping apart Democrats (we got it, you think the other side is stupidnow can you talk about the issues?), women doing male bashing, and people really getting nasty about other people. Instead of old fashion gossip, we are talking about whole-sale character assassination. And it is relentless and seemingly without end. After two decades in Japan, this was incredibly shocking and to be honest, a really unsavory and unpleasant change in our society.

Jon Ronson does such a good job laying out how this kind of public shaming does NOT equal social justice. This is really important, I think. If you would talk to this great lady physicist, I guess she would say that child care and equal career opportunities is what she needed. When you ruin one person's career how does that help the underlying economic issues that really hold people back? And this brings me to my second point, the practice is also effectively blurring any nuanced understanding of what makes a major transgression and what makes for a minor one. This was really disturbing in the case of the astronomers as fairly serious transgressions were being treated in the same broad brushstrokes as people who said silly jokes. The comment at the top of the page is an example I am using of an ill choice of words being blown way out of proportion. I would say the Tim Hunt case was another of this type as well.

We have become a society where people are utterly unable to bracket their personal feelings and preferences in favor of optimizing the needs of all interested parties.

It is the world of feelings run amok.

Everything offends everyone.

And does the policing of language ever really work when it is so heavy handed? I think the Maoists and the McCarthyists really did think they were working for a better society and significantly, similar to what we see today, minor transgressions (as they defined them) were treated basically the same as major ones so you had a you are with us or against us mentality going on and the result was, a lot of talented people felt bullied into silence (or at least being so careful they were utterly humorless). I think the mentor-student relationship has long been wrought with issues of transgressionsome serious and some less so but the last time I checked, we were a rule of law society and there is such a thing as processright?

Charles Taylor suggests in his book A Secular Age that one should at least be suspicious of terms like zero tolerance since it hints at a totalitarian approach in which one group actually believes that they can police another group to the level of zero deviation from their intended social reforms. Taylor's book is incredibly stimulating on this topic of totalitarian approaches to reform. And I do think what we are seeing today is a kind of totalitarian policing and ideological initiation by the elite. Or to put it a different way, the generation that is offended by everything and tries to insist on a certain ideological policing among elites (?), rather than seriously addressing the real (economic) issues that hold people back we will not be remembered kindly.

++



I usually only turn to Confucius when I hit rock bottom.

I am now re-reading Hall and Ames fantastic book, Thinking Through Confucius, and remembering a time when my son was younger and we left Japan and spent one six month stint in LA with my mom. He was 3 and he attended a local preschool in the US. During the first parent-teacher meeting, the teacher mentioned that he had a very developed moral sense. That is, he was always concerned about being good, was generous and considerate. Returning to Japan, however, his father immediately noticed how he kept using the Japanese expression ..fault (to have responsibility); as in, that was his fault.

People just don't talk that way in Japan (blame is avoided, I would say). And so his father was very worried that he would never cut it in school if he was always casting blame on people. A bad American habit, he said, Even adults hesitate to use that expression. Over the years there, I struggled to get him to just indirectly express dislike for the action without casting blame on the person who commits the action, but sure enough this came up again in 1st grade at his first parent-teacher meeting. his teacher complained that he gets very upset when someone breaks a rule and will blame the person. And in her words, to blame a person will then cast blame back on your son and ruin the harmony of the group.

She said it was a problematic behavior that we needed to address with him.

When his teacher said that, I stupidly responded, Well, maybe if you enacted swifter punishments.? To which she said, When a child misbehaves, it is just because we have not educated them enough. I promise, give it time and as a group they will all improve together.

It just may take some of the boys longer, she added giggling.

Fair enough.

Do you remember that scene at the end of the Last Emperor when Puyi was made to write unending, hansei-bun  (essays repenting past misdeeds) I don't know about in China, but in Japan those essays start the moment the kids learn how to write. And, no self-recriminations are involved. Hansei  is always about the action not the person. It is interesting but basically, the children are to write what the misdeed was, and why it was unacceptable. No where is any fault cast on the person, but rather it is always in the hope of improving behavior by talking about the misdeed in terms of the context in which it was performed.

Hansei bun is a practice adults continue on into their careers, too.

Even mothers, by the way, have  (meetings to discuss our mis-deeds) after each and every event. It is a disaster for me since I never see the tiny mistakes and usually smile, Didn't we do a great job?? To which no one ever responds and other people step up to point all the mistakes that I never even ever would have noticed. Everything is mentioned and discussed in the passive tense so there is no actor just action, and then we (as a group) vow to do better next time.

This is something I have always liked about Confucian style education (in Japan)this idea that everyone is capable of improvement and that education (and correction) should be process oriented. Transgressions should be addressed through process as appropriate. And that said, then, do we really need to rake people over the coals to this level? To believe someone is capable of rehabilitation and improvement is to show respect to their inherent human worth.

Like most people, I was really shocked about the dentist who killed the lion. Who would do that? It is something that is outside my ability to really get. I guess others felt similarly but wow did people get ugly. People calling for his death (I hope someone kills you and skins you alive I hope you die of cancer) and others making a concerted effort to destroy his business. See Ronson's video for many examples of this really ugly behavior. People are not one thing (). And we have to all own the fact that we have been complicit in a world that creates people like this. Especially Americans are consumers of a meat industry that utilizes slaughter practices that future generations will be appalled by I think this actually is one of the biggest ethical issues we face as a people: how the US food industry treats animals. Isn't it better to look at the unethical practices that are embedded in the system (supermarket meat, etc) in our society rather than turning people into scapegoats over and over and pretending that this somehow changes things?

Concerning the Caltech professor who was involved in the scandal, someone said that the transgressor would now be a pariah and could never show his face on campus again. It sounded straight out of a movie about the McCarthy era .

I am not saying people should not be sanctioned and punished if they break rules of conduct but what I am saying is that the ugly rhetoric lacking totally in any compassion is not doing anyone any favors (except the person engaging in character assassination since it makes them feel powerful). Witch hunts, public shaming and lynching are really ugly. It seems it has become a kind of pastime in our society. How did we becoming so uncharitable to others? We in the US now have more people in jail than Stalin had in his gulagsand isn't it the same kind of impulse to throw people who don't work for us awayjust take out the garbage.? Tolerance and social justice must come with respect for the humanity of all people, even those whose behavior is offensive to the elite. I guess I agree with Hillary Clinton that there is just too much meanness and dissent (coming from her, that is REAL CHUTZPAH!); for as Confucius famously said (Fingarette's translation), A noble man is not a utensil ().

The noble man is the man who most perfectly having given up the self, ego, obstinacy and personal pride (9:4) follows not personal profit but the Way. Such a man has come to fruition as a person; he is a consummate man. He is a Holy Vessel. Herbert Fingarette (Confucius: The Secular as Sacred)

Paintings by Bui Huu Hung (lacquer on wood)

The Brainwashing of my father by FOX

Femfog in medieval studies

The Other Side is Not Dumb

Fingarette's Secular as Sacred

Hall and Ames' Thinking through Confucius

Looking forward to this: Against Individualism: A Confucian Rethinking of the Foundations of Morality, Politics, Family and Religion, by Henry Rosemont and The Decline of Mercy, by Tuckness and Parrish


Seismic Survey Doubles Size of Deep Palaeovalley

Perth, Feb 8, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Goldphyre Resources Limited ( ASX:GPH ) ("Goldphyre", the "Company") is pleased to advise that a seismic survey at its Lake Wells Potash Project in WA has increased the known length of the palaeovalley that hosts the potash mineralisation to more than 20 kilometres.



HIGHLIGHTS



- Seismic survey confirms that the deep palaeovalley which contains the rine hosted potash extends into the neighbouring recently secured tenements



- Goldphyre has the potash rights on these tenements under an agreement made late last year with successful WA prospector Mark Creasy



- The total length of the Goldphyre-controlled palaeovalley is now estimated at over 20km



- Peak palaeovalley depths surveyed across the project range from 150m - 170m



- Deeper sediments provide additional opportunity for deeper pumpingwater levels and potentially increased potash recovery



- And pumping from sand, which commonly occurs at the bottom of the palaeovalley sediments, facilitates drainage of the potash brine from the overlying sediments



NEXT STEPS



- Exploration Target to be announced Q1 2016



- Further drilling to commence Q1 2016



- Maiden Resource on track for H1 2016



The results provide more strong evidence that the Lake Wells Potash Project has the potential to host a substantial potash resource.



The survey confirmed that the palaeovalley system extends well into the tenements on which Goldphyre recently secured the potash rights under a deal with prospector Mark Creasyi. The transaction will see Mr Creasy's Yandal Investments Pty Ltd emerge with a 19.9% interest in Goldphyre.



Confirmation of the palaeovalley's size is important because it will further underpin the calculation of an Exploration Target for the Lake Wells Potash Project, located 500km north-east of Kalgoorlie.



The trunk palaeovalley and associated tributaries now measure over 20 km long, between 1-4km wide, and up to 170m deep. A palaeovalley of this scale can potentially provide significant high-grade sulphate of potash ("SOP") mineralisation, which is hosted within the brines in the palaeovalley.



The drilling program conducted at Lake Wells in July 2015ii identified high-grade potash mineralisation both beneath the lake and the low dune areas surrounding the lake.



The program generated wide intercepts of high-grade potash (9kg/m3 - 11kg/m3) to depths of 135m (down-hole), which was the depth capacity of the drill rig used. This seismic survey program, and the program completed in late 2015iii, pave the way for clear targeting of drill holes into the deepest parts of the palaeovalley, allowing Goldphyre to assess the characteristics of the sand layers traditionally found in the bottom strata of the palaeovalley sediments (Figure 1 in link below). This coarse, unconsolidated material often has a high permeability, which facilitates drainage of the overlying hydrogeological units.



Goldphyre is finalising plans to conduct another drilling program at the Lake Wells Potash Project. This program will be aimed at understanding the sand, or basal layer, found at the bottom of the palaeovalley (Figure 1 in link below).



In addition, the Company is working to complete an Exploration Target for release during Q1 2016.



Using the results of the planned drilling program, Goldphyre plans to release a maiden resource estimate in H1 2016.



Goldphyre considers it important to publish resource estimates that reflect only the amount of potash that can ultimately be recovered, because this is the figure that will drive the project's production rates, capital and operating costs, and other key economics. Moreover, this approach is consistent with JORC requirements to report only resources for which there is a reasonable prospect of economic abstraction.



At the same time however, to allow for resource comparison with its peers, the Company will also discuss its estimates of in-situ potash volume based on total porosity measures, which ignore true or actual extractability of the brine.



Goldphyre Executive Chairman Matt Shackleton said the full set of seismic results supported the Company's view that the Lake Wells Potash Project had strong potential to host a substantial potash resource.



"We confirmed with our first drill program, and then with our first seismic program, that the Lake Wells Potash Project comprises a major palaeovalley of significant depth and breadth, and with high grades of potash," Mr Shackleton said.



"With this latest seismic program, we have extended the interpreted length of the palaeovalley significantly. It is also important to note that this work is yet to identify the end of the palaeovalley.



"The outstanding potential of the Lake Wells Potash Project is becoming clearer with every round of work we do. We look forward to delivering a maiden resource in the first half of 2016, a key step in achieving our target of commencing a low capital operation supplying Australian farmers with a product they currently import 100 percent of from costly overseas suppliers."



TECHNICAL DISCUSSION



A second passive seismic survey was completed on the LWE playa lake area, which adjoins the Goldphyre tenure (Figure 2 in link below). The survey work consisted of 208 stations recorded by Tromino 3G units with processing completed by Perth based Resource Potentialsiv.



The passive seismic survey was aimed at mapping interpreted depth of transported cover, the form of the interpreted palaeovalley system extending westwards and if possible, highlight the thalweg, or basal section of the palaeovalley that may likely comprise significant palaeochannel coarse-grained quartz sand and grit. The success of the survey to vector in on the deepest section of the palaeovalley in order to assist deep drill targeting for potash brine has been achieved.



The generated survey data was good quality and with calibration against existing drill holes with known depths to basement (Figure 2), interpretive work has successfully delineated an approximately east-west trending palaeovalley that extends westwards from the GPH tenure and splits into two significant palaeovalleys that trend to the north and south (Figure 3 in link below). The nominal section line spacing was approximately 1,200m with station centres at 100m-200m. The peak H/V (Horizontal/Vertical) frequencies show a good correlation coefficient and also show reasonable shear wave velocity in the palaeovalley fill.



It is important too that the outer traverses (T08, T11: Figure 3) also show an interpreted, well-developed deep (~100m) palaeovalley profile, indicating the palaeovalley system extends further northward and southward on the LWE tenure. Based on all the traverses from the two seismic surveys combined, the interpreted palaeovalley length inclusive of the north and south branches on the LWE tenure is approximately 20km.



The seismic modelling on some sections indicates depths of up to 150m-170m (Figures 4 - 9) for the base of the palaeochannel are likely. Several aircore (AC) holes completed by Goldphyre in the July 2015 drill program reached considerable depths (up to 141m, the extent of the drilling rig's depth capacity) but did not penetrate through the transported sediments to basement.



The latest results with interpreted depth ranges and clear trend directions over an extensive area of the playa lake system will be instrumental in targeting the basal palaeochannel sand potential for the upcoming drill program.



To view all figures, please visit:

http://media.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/ASX-GPH-752006.pdf





About Australian Potash Ltd





Australian Potash Limited (ASX:APC) is an ASX-listed Sulphate of Potash (SOP) developer. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Lake Wells Potash Project located approximately 500kms northeast of Kalgoorlie, in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields.

Following the release of a Scoping Study in 2017, APC has been conducting a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) into the development of the Lake Wells Potash Project. The Company is aiming to release the findings of the DFS in H2 2019.

The Lake Wells Potash Project is a palaeochannel brine hosted sulphate of potash project. Palaeochannel bore fields supply large volumes of brine to many existing mining operations throughout Western Australia, and this technique is a well understood and proven method for extracting brine. APC will use this technically low-risk and commonly used brine extraction model to further develop a bore-field into the palaeochannel hosting the Lake Wells SOP resource.

A Scoping Study on the Lake Wells Potash Project was completed and released on 23 March 2017. The Scoping Study exceeded expectations and confirmed that the Project's economic and technical aspects are all exceptionally strong, and highlights APC's potential to become a significant long-life, low capital and high margin sulphate of potash (SOP) producer.


Bear Head LNG Receives U.S. DOE Authorization for Exports

Perth, Feb 8, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued final authorization for Bear Head LNG Corporation and Bear Head LNG (USA), LLC (together Bear Head LNG) to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) derived from U.S. produced natural gas to countries that do not have free trade agreements (FTA) with the United States. The DOE decision is a determination that these exports are not inconsistent with the U.S. public interest. This approval, in addition to DOE's prior approval for exports to FTA countries, now allows Bear Head LNG to export LNG to countries with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy.



"Today's DOE decision is an extremely positive milestone for Bear Head LNG as it removes a significant risk for the project. Bear Head LNG is appreciative of the cooperation between the U.S. and Canada in working out key energy regulatory issues," Bear Head LNG President Maurice Brand said.



Bear Head LNG is the first and only proposed Canadian LNG export facility to receive both the non-FTA authority from DOE and all the initial regulatory approvals to commence project construction. In addition, Bear Head's approval in less than twelve months is the fastest non-FTA LNG export approval issued by DOE to date since the initial non-FTA LNG export permit was issued.



Bear Head LNG Corporation's Project Director John Godbold said that prompt action is a tribute to the productive and open pre-filing discussions with DOE, coordination between the U.S. and Canadian governments, and Bear Head's submittal of an extremely robust application, which included many relevant studies. He noted that only two minor comments were received during the public comment period, further confirming the quality of the application and studies provided.



In tandem with the non-FTA export permit, DOE determined that Bear Head LNG does not require DOE's authorization for Canadian natural gas to pass through U.S. pipelines (in transit) on its way to the export facility in Nova Scotia. Godbold said this outcome enhances Bear Head's commercial gas supply options by allowing a portion of supply requirements to come from Western and Central Canada largely using existing pipeline facilities.



The Bear Head LNG project is located on Nova Scotia's Strait of Canso near Port Hawkesbury on a site permitted and partially developed a decade ago. With this announcement, Bear Head LNG now holds the following approvals and authorizations granted by relevant U.S. and/or Canadian regulatory groups:



- U.S. DOE's Authorization to export LNG to both FTA and non-FTA countries;



- Canadian NEB's Authorization to export up to 12 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG, the natural gas equivalent of approximately 1.8 Bcf per day;



- Receipt of all ten initial Canadian federal, provincial, and local regulatory approvals needed to commence project construction; and



- Placement on the list of approved North American LNG Export Terminals by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.



"Bear Head is negotiating for gas supplies from Western and Central Canada, from offshore Nova Scotia, and from the abundant supplies available in the U.S. With DOE's non-FTA export approval, we are able to continue forward on U.S. gas production as the third leg of our gas supply portfolio," said Brand.



About Bear Head LNG Corporation



Bear Head LNG is wholly owned by Liquefied Natural Gas Limited. Bear Head LNG proposes to develop an 8 mtpa or greater liquefied natural gas export facility on the Strait of Canso, Nova Scotia, Canada.





About Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd





Liquefied Natural Gas Limited ( ASX:LNG) ( OTCMKTS:LNGLY) (LNGL) is an ASX listed company whose portfolio consists of 100% ownership of the following companies:

- Magnolia LNG, LLC (Magnolia LNG), a US-based subsidiary, which is developing an eight mtpa or greater LNG export terminal, in the Port of Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA;

- Bear Head LNG Corporation Inc. (Bear Head LNG), a Canadian-based subsidiary, which is developing an 8  12 mtpa LNG export terminal in Richmond County, Nova Scotia, Canada with potential for further expansion;

- Bear Paw Pipeline Corporation Inc. (Bear Paw), which is proposing to construct and operate a 62.5 km gas pipeline lateral to connect gas supply to Bear Head LNG; and

- LNG Technology Pty Ltd, a subsidiary which owns and develops the Company's OSMR LNG liquefaction process, a midscale LNG business model that plans to deliver lower capital and operating costs, faster construction, and improved efficiency, relative to larger traditional LNG projects.
(Bloomberg) President Barack Obama defended his proposal to levy a new $10-per-barrel tax on oil, arguing that low gasoline prices afford the U.S. an opportunity to finance dramatic improvements in its transportation systems.

"Right now, gas is $1.80 and gas prices are expected to be low for the forseeable future," Obama told reporters at the White House last Friday. Its "important to use this period when gas prices are low to accelerate the transition to a clean-energy economy," he said.

The proposed fee drew swift objections on Thursday from oil-industry groups and congressional Republicans. The idea is part of a broader Obama administration plan to shift the nation away from transportation systems reliant on internal-combustion engines and fossil fuels. The plan envisions investing $20 billion to reduce traffic congestion and improve commuting, $10 billion for state and local transportation and climate programs, and $2 billion for research on clean vehicles and aircraft.

"Well have a much stronger economy, stronger infrastructure, well be creating the jobs of the future," Obama said.

It isnt clear how the tax would be structured or who would pay it. White House officials said it wouldnt be assessed at the wellhead. Exported oil wouldnt be subject to the tax, though Obama misspoke during his remarks and said it would. Jeff Zients, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters on Thursday that the White House expects oil companies would pass on some costs of the tax to their customers.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, called the proposal "dead on arrival."

Republicans "always say" that, Obama said.

He said he plans a larger speech on the oil tax "and the direction we need to go on this."
Ermenegildo Zegna announced today that Alessandro Sartori will be appointed to the newly created position of Artistic Director, with responsibility across all Zegna brands and for all creative functions.

Sartori will join Ermenegildo Zegna in June 2016, and will report to Gildo Zegna, the Groups Chief Executive Officer. His first full season will be the FW 2017, to be shown in Milan in January 2017.

Commenting on the appointment, Gildo Zegna said: I've known Alessandro and his style for many years and I am extremely excited to welcome him back to our Group. His talent, creativity, passion and modernity make him the perfect fit to help us take Zegna to the next phase of its development.

Alessandro Sartori said: "I want to thank Gildo and the whole Zegna family for this fantastic opportunity. I grew up watching and admiring their creations and their authentic and deep values and I am extremely excited to write with the whole Zegna team the next chapter. I cannot wait to enter in their fabulous archives and to meet their artisans to start working on the new collections".
Maharashtra has emerged as the top ranking state in terms of overall Internet readiness index, followed by Karnataka, Gujarat, Telengana and Tamil Nadu, according to a pioneering report titled 

Index of Internet Readiness of Indian States, published by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indicus Analytics. Karnataka and Gujarat are close second and third while Telengana and Tamil Nadu are close fourth and fifth. Incidentally, the bottom four states are all from the Eastern region. The rankings of the 21 large states are given below.

Fig 1: Internet Readiness Index: Large States

Among the smaller states, Delhi has emerged as the topmost state in terms of Internet readiness index, followed by Puducherry and Goa. Even in the smaller states, the northeastern States do not figure among the top three. Therefore, much more needs to be done in the form of investment and infrastructure development in the region.

Fig 2: Internet Readiness Index: Smaller States

Among the Union Territories, Chandigarh is ranked top in terms of Internet readiness index.

Internet Readiness index is a composite index of ve components, i.e., e-Infrastructure index, e-Participation index, IT-Services and e-Governance index. The performance of the states based on internet readiness index depends on several factors. The driving factors inuencing Internet readiness index of each state varies from one another. For instance, in Maharashtra, though e-infrastructure is relatively low compared to Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat etc, yet the state surpasses others in all other components making it the best e-Ready society. In case of Karnataka, participation of citizen in ICT environment is lower than Kerala and Gujarat, yet on account of the high contribution of IT to overall economy and success in e-government initiatives makes the state the second most e-Ready environment in the county. Madhya Pradesh, though having a high rating in terms of participation, ranks low in all other components. Nevertheless, all the four components have equal signicance in the Internet readiness index model.

The report highlights the performance of the states regarding different measures of Internet readiness index. Given the rapid advancement in e-services and e-commerce, it is essential to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the states. While this would help the business and governments to leverage the strength, policy measures can also be taken where improvements are required.

Under this report, selection of the categories (and the parameters within each category) was based on the broader understanding of Internet readiness of citizens, whereas Internet readiness encapsulates the spread and extent of the digital sector in different aspects of the socio-economic realities of each state. Thus, Internet readiness in this study is not limited to how industry friendly each state is for investment in the IT sector, but aims to give a more holistic picture of the digital ecosphere that presently exists in the states. This stems from the understanding that only an organic linkage between the digital world and the real world can lead to the development and wellbeing that digitalization promises to deliver.

The key internet using parameters, which have been used in this report, are: Mobile subscribers per person above 15 years of age; Share of private players in internet service providers; Percentage of households using computer/ laptop with internet connection; No. of e-transactions in Utility Bill payments per lakh person above 15 years; No. of e-transactions in Business to Citizen (B2C) Services per lakh person above 15 years; No. of e-transactions in Informational Services per lakh person above 15 years; No. of e-transactions in Statutory and Non-Statutory services per lakh person above 15 years, among others.

That is why it this report is different from the traditional e-readiness reports, which had no internet parameters. A different report using the internet parameter was necessary to understand where states stand in terms of Internet readiness, rather than general e-readiness. An annual study, this study would include the parameter of measuring the startup ecosystem of states next year.
MEC India, a leading media agency, has collaborated with Mercedes Benz, Indias largest luxury car brand, Qyuki  a digital multi-channel network and music maestros - AR Rahman, Shubha Mudgal, Ranjit Barot, Salim Merchant and Amit Trivedi to unveil the winners anthem, Khushnuma at the Auto Expo.

Mercedes Benz has completed 20 successful years in India and is celebrating its Winning moment this year. The anthem and its accompanying music video were premiered at the Auto Expo 2016 on February 3rd for an exclusive guest list, amidst a stunning line-up of cars from Mercedes Benz. It is a first ever collaboration between eminent musical artists like A R Rahman, Salim Merchant, Shubha Mudgal, and Amit Trivedi, blending their signature styles into one melodious track, led by Ranjit Barot.

Sharing his views on this content collaboration, Kumar Sinha, National Head (Content), MEC India said, MEC has been associated with Mercedes Benz in creating unique content ideas & associations beyond traditional marketing activities, to strengthen the equity of the brand. Music in India has a rich heritage and a wide appeal. Combining this special music composition with an engaging audio-visual story has created a memorable piece of content for the brand. The journey of overcoming challenges, flourishing and ultimately carrying that success home is captured in the music video. Its the celebration of an individuals quest for excellence.

Mercedes Project X  The Winners way music anthem was posted on Youtube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzKcAcM7_Gc on February 3rd, 2016 and in the short span of 4 days has already aggregated a total of 400,000 views till date. As a part of the series, more content is expected in the year 2016.
Bombardier has announced its line-up for the forthcoming Singapore Airshow (16-21 February), which will include the all-new, recently certified CS100 airliner and two business aircraft  the Challenger 650 and the Global 6000 business jets.

Above: Bombardier C Series in SWISS livery.



Additionally, Bangkok, Thailand-based airline Nok Air will display an 86-seat Q400 aircraft. During the show, which will be held at the Changi Exhibition Center, members of Bombardiers Commercial Aircraft and Business Aircraft senior leadership teams will be on site to meet with customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. Singapore Airshow 2016 runs from February 16-21.



Having our aircraft and teams on display at the renowned Singapore Airshow is a great way to debut the recently certified CS100 aircraft for our customers and stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region. Its an exciting time as the SWISS-liveried CS100 aircraft embarks on its world tour over the next few weeks, said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. In addition to updating the market on the 100- to 150- seat C Series aircraft program, its also a great opportunity for our sales and marketing teams to update the region on the latest developments from our CRJ Series and Q Series families of aircraft. This year that includes success stories from Nok Air and SpiceJet as flagship Q400 aircraft operators in the region, as well as China Express with its recent repeat order for 10 additional CRJ900 aircraft.



Singapore is a key strategic location for Bombardier Business Aircraft, and the Singapore Airshow offers us the opportunity to further engage with our customers and partners in this important region, said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. The installed base of business aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region is growing, and as a result, Singapore's aerospace cluster is prospering. With our wholly-owned Singapore Service Centre, which is celebrating its second year of operation, our presence in Singapore supports our long-term commitment to the region at large, and we are poised for success.
GKN Aerospace has gained a contract with AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co, Ltd. (ACAE) of China to supply low pressure turbine (LPT) shafts for the new CJ1000 high-bypass turbofan jet engine - being developed to power Chinese commercial jet airliners.

Above: Dongchen Jia, Sr. Vice President and Chief Engineer with AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd, (ACAE) shakes hands with Robert Grepperud, Vice President Programs & Marketing with GKN Aerospace Norway AS (GAN) on signing the contract for LPT engine shafts for the CJ1000 engine.



GKN Aerospace has gained a contract with AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co, Ltd. (ACAE) of China to supply low pressure turbine (LPT) shafts for the new CJ1000 high-bypass turbofan jet engine - being developed to power Chinese commercial jet airliners.



The LPT shafts will be delivered within 12 months, for use in the CJ1000 engine test and development programme. They will be manufactured at the GKN Aerospace facility in Norway which is a centre of excellence for engine shaft manufacture.

Above: Cutaway drawing of the CJ1000 high bypass turbofan jet engine, for which GKN Aerospace provides the LPT shaft.



Neil McManus, Senior Vice President Asia, GKN Aerospace comments: "This contract represents a milestone first agreement with ACAE of China for our engine systems operation and further strengthens our relationship with the Chinese aerospace industry. ACAE is an important customer and this is a major programme in a key market. We believe the breadth of expertise we offer in LPT shaft manufacture, specifically, combined with our track record for product quality and consistency, was at the heart of this decision and we look forward to strengthening and expanding our working relationship with the ACAE team and the Chinese aviation industry on this programme in the coming years."



The GKN Aerospace engine systems business is a market-leader in the supply of aero-engine static and rotating structures and has delivered more than 10,000 LPT cases to the major prime manufacturers of commercial and military aero-engines worldwide.
AGE mechanics provide vital mission support

The 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadrons Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight at Al Udeid Air Base is the largest AGE flight in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.



The flight maintains 93 different types of equipment, including generators, heaters and hydraulic test stands valued at $32 million. The equipment is used by maintenance personnel to ensure Al Udeids aircraft are mission ready. The section also provides ground equipment maintenance support to six bases across the CENTCOM AOR, which consists of 20 countries in Southwest Asia and Africa.



We provide everything that an aircraft may need so maintenance can be performed, such as generators, hydraulics, air conditioning  everything, said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Roman, a 379th EMXS AGE Flight journeyman from Charlotte, North Carolina.



Roman is currently serving on his fourth deployment. Hes responsible for ensuring the accountability and serviceability of nearly 700 items, including socket sets, drills and hammers. He said he loves his job.



I like being able to identify problems on equipment and fix them, Roman said. With AGE, you kind of have to be a jack of all trades. Youre not doing the same thing every day; you work on one piece of equipment one day and youll likely work on something else another day.



Roman first deployed as an AGE mechanic to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in 2007. During his deployment, he learned just how important AGE mechanics are.



About two months into the deployment, I met a Marine, and he thanked me for what I do, Roman said. I said, I dont really do that much; Im just a mechanic. The Marine told me You put that aircraft in the air, whether you think you do or not, you have a hand in that; if that plane was 30 seconds late yesterday, I wouldve been dead.



The Marine was referring to the F-15E Strike Eagle.



The units work supported more than 20,000 sorties in 2015, including historic accomplishments by the B-1B Lancer, which set rotational records for total ordnance dropped, and the KC-135 Stratotanker, which flew more than 100,000 combat hours.



Our job is important, said Airman 1st Class Gavin Baker, a 379th EMXS AGE mechanic from Lancaster, California. Each aircraft has specific needs. For example, if an aircraft needs to be connected to a generator, we must ensure that generator is operating at a specific voltage and frequency, otherwise it could severely damage the components on the aircraft.



An aircraft may need to test its hydraulic systems, so we supply the hydraulics test stands to support that function, Baker added. We ensure the fluid flows at a certain rate to ensure the hydraulics that move the wing tips to change the elevation of the aircraft arent being over-serviced.



An oversight in this area could result in severe interior aircraft damage, Baker added.



Senior Master Sgt. Jaysen Lausten, the 379th EMXS AGE flight chief from San Jose, California, said hes been impressed with his Airmen.



We have more than 100 people, including members from the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and active-duty force, and we all come together here to perform the mission, he said.



When they set their boots on the ground here, their minds are focused on the mission, Lausten added. Sometimes it may seem like the odds are stacked against them. Well have equipment break and they will do what they have to, without complaining, and find a way to fix anything quickly and efficiently. Their ability to do that is phenomenal. This shop performs above and beyond all expectations.



The 379th EMXS AGE Flight supported 90,000 equipment dispatches, performed 6,000 maintenance actions and provided ground support for more than 5,000 transient aircraft in 2015.
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As long as there is healthy and clean politics with purposiveness to strict ruling and good governance forgetting the power, our country will be able to breathe fresh air promoting the culture of peace, friendship and harmony thereby stimulating growth. An elected government is a good sign of its democracy. Howsoever good may be the elected government is, in order to have better governance, better policies being laid and for better competency of the government, a good opposition is a must which will help foster growth of our country by discussing all matters of importance in its right perspective giving its nod and act as a harbinger of peace and prosperity.

We have enough of caste-based politics followed by violence happening in the country as is the nature of its diversity and culture, apart from the harboured terrorism of other outfits from outside India. In order to have a clean administration, each individual must act as a responsible citizen of this country, injecting strong patriotism and respect for ones own country and its diversity and culture of people living in and inculcate in them the very purpose of unity that will seldom stand broken.

Parliament is an institution where elected legislators bring in various legislations to pave way for the development of the country. A strong opposition party is a must against the Ruling Party and issues of paramount importance could be discussed at length removing the anomalies and lacunae if any, and thereby arrive at a consensus for the bills to be passed. Freedom of speech is questioned and we come across a situation in which we see that it has become more or less a fish market and the main aim is to disrupt throughout a session in the functioning of parliament. Opposition will not allow the parliament to function because if the government governs well and the people are happy with them they will again come to power. Ultimately, what the people need is all-round progress happening and our country growing from strength to strength which will put us in an enviable position in the world map. How beautiful it is to strongly commit and say that no one can divide our country and its people despite many divisive forces trying to do so. Our foundation has been laid too strong to shake. Jai ho. Jai Bharat; jai Maharashtra.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Taking a jibe at the Modi government, former minister and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said policies like Make in India and hatred cannot go together as he asserted that outrageous statements against minorities by ruling party members only undermine the countrys soft power.

To attract foreign direct investment, which is key to the construction and modernisation of the infrastructure sector and manufacturing, the Congress MP stressed on the need to maintain the pluralistic character of the country.

Before India tries to leverage its soft power to increase its standing in the world, Tharoor said first there is need to fix the problem at the domestic front.

For us to be credible as a nation that enjoys and wields soft power, we have to fix our domestic problems first. The truth is that we have to do enough to keep our people, healthy, well and secure not just from jihadi terrorism. Progress is being made but not enough to reach everyone, Tharoor said in his keynote address to the Harvard Universitys annual Indian convention 2016.

If on one hand, we go around saying Make in India, Startup India and Digital India and want to attract foreign investors, we cant do so if we are condoning hatred in India at the same time,

Tharoor said in reference to the flagship schemes launched by the Narendra Modi-led government.

It is not good when people in the ruling party make outrageous statements against minorities. These are not good because they undermine the soft power of India, Tharoor told the students in the packed Harvard Business School auditorium.

Tharoor asserted that in order to maintain Indias soft power, the larger idea of India needs to be sustained.

An India that celebrates the common space of every identity, it would be a secure to be a Muslim, secure to be a kayastha Whatever you define yourself. Because all of those identities are made secure under the Indian identity, he said.

Tharoor said if India wants to remain a source of attraction for the world, it must preserve the precious pluralism like a civilizational asset

It is not so good when women are assaulted on the streets of Delhi. It is not good when some people begin to fear that it is safer to be a cow than to be a Muslim in India today, Tharoor said.
Delhi Police Commissioner ruled out that six-year-old Divyansh Kakrora was sexually assaulted before he was found dead in Vasant Kunjs Ryan International School.

Commissioner BS Bassi said the post mortem report received from AIIMS hospital does not suggest any sexual assault.

The autopsy report denies any sexual assault on the child. Divyanshs parents had alleged that the child was sodomised since cotton buds were found on his anal point, apart from several red marks all over the body. However, the revelations made through the autopsy report puts to rest the conspiracy angle raked up by the aggrieved parents.

From the initial reading of the post-mortem report, it does not suggest any sexual assault. The death is due to drowning. We are further going to correlate the findings of the post-mortem report which we have received with our investigation. And also our investigation is pending, it is not yet complete. So, it may not be possible for me to say anything further, he added.

The childs father earlier alleged that his son may have been sodomised before his death.

Earlier in the week, Delhis deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that the state government will recommend CBI probe in the matter, alleging the Delhi Police of attempting to suppress facts. They are deliberately ignoring the allegations made by the childs parents. If there is a need, we are ready to demand CBI investigation, he said.

Divyansh was found dead in a water tank near the schools amphithreatre on January 30. His parents have alleged that he was possibly sodomised and murdered.

Police have already registered a case of negligence and arrested schools principal and 4 others, who were later let off on bail.

However the boys father, Ramhet Meena, said he is not satisfied with the Delhi Police investigation and has demanded a CBI probe.
There was hashtag #DrugsMafiaMajithia trending on twitter by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters against the Punjabs Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia. Daring that to put him behind the bars, AAP National Spokesperson, Sanjay Singh commented that he continues to stick to his earlier statement that AAP will put Majithia behind bars if voted to power in Punjab as they have evidence that Majithia is running a drugs racket business in Punjab. Due to various issues like drugs, flesh trading, arms supplying and terror attacks, Parkash Singh Badal government has lost its credibility in state and taking this chance AAP could get strong foothold here as they won four seats in the state in general elections 2014. Meanwhile, Majithia has filed defamation plea against Sanjay Singh in Ludhiana court claiming that without any proof, he has been defamed him as a drug trader. Majithia, while filing the case, said that not he but Sanjay Singh will be put behind bars for defaming him. Only time will say who will go to jail and who will remain out.

The fact cannot be ignored that Punjab has become heaven for drugs; earlier Rahul Gandhi also made a statement that 7 out of 10 youth are drug addicts which resulted in a heated argument from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which is currently ruling the state. Gandhi also proposed the youth to come and join hands with Congress and be a part of politics and change their state. Evidently, this does not seem to be possible, at least for now, but it will definitely give some seats to AAP. Various incidences have taken place in Punjab, which drags youth in wrong direction. Murder, robbery, rape and eve teasing are common crimes in the state. Rahul Gandhi has hit the nail. We can see how Punjab has lost the battle against drug addiction even before it has begun. A study by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, has indicated that it will take more than 10 years for the state government to provide even a single episode of treatment to addicts if it continues with the current strategies. The survey by the institute National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre says, painting a grim picture of the days ahead. A single episode of treatment is a standard course of treatment ranging from a minimum of four-to-six weeks to six months where the patient is given Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) that involves medication like methadone or buprenorphine to help him wean away from drugs. The study point out that Punjab does not have OST for the patients as a widely available therapy on a long term basis. There is a huge gap in the availability of treatment services for opioid dependent individuals despite significant demand. OST is the most evidence-based treatment modality which has been endorsed by United Nations (UN) and World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as the Indian Psychiatric Society. In Punjab, less than 10 per cent of patients have received OST ever, stated in the study.

The survey, commissioned by the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment in August 2015, has in fact ridiculed the approach by the Punjab government, saying tha0t it is only focused on rehabilitation centres. At a time, when the nexus between terrorists and drug smugglers in Pakistan has come under a harsh spotlight after the Pathankot airbase attack, a new study by AIIMS has found that opioids worth Rs. 7,500 crore are consumed in Punjab every year. Of these, heroins share is a massive Rs. 6,500 crore. This is a shocking disclosure given that almost all the heroin that comes to Punjab is through the Pakistan border, pumped in by smugglers allegedly aided by ISI. It is the smugglers network that the terrorists who attacked the Pathankot airbase are believed to have used.

So far, security agencies have insisted that Pakistans heroines are not consumed in Punjab; it merely passes through to bigger cities like Delhi. However, this study  a first of its kind survey by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS  busts the myth. It says that in a population of around 2.77 crore people, there are more than 1.23 lakh heroin-dependent people.

Based on the previous studies, Punjabs opioid dependents are four times more than the global average. In effect, not only are the drug smugglers being used to push jihadis into India, they are also creating an army of heroin addicts in Punjab. The study has found that 0.84% (around 2.3 lakh) of the entire states population is opioid dependent. It takes into account both opium derivatives as well as artificial substances that have the same effect as opiates on the nervous system.

The survey reveals that opioid-dependent people are spending approximately Rs. 20 crore daily on these drugs. On an average, a heroin-dependent individual spends about Rs. 1,400 per day. The study  Punjab opioid dependence survey: Estimation of the size of opioid dependent population in Punjab  was presented to Punjab Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani on January 6, but no action has been taken even today. The study was conducted between February and April 2015. Data was collected from 3,620 opioid dependents from 10 districts. Among the men aged between 18 and 35 years, four in 100 are opioid dependent; while 15 in 100 could be opioid users.

Running drugs racket and smuggling is impossible without the help of police and politicians. Police protection cannot be assured without unspoken approval of politicians in power. Successive Punjab governments have turned a blind eye to drug menace and smuggling continued because of the money that it brings and keeps the youth engaged in that and they will not ask for their rights. There are two options for Punjab youth, either they flee abroad or become drug addicts. Only 10 per cent of youth are living on values in India.

Badal Government could have taken strict action against the police, Saninder Singh, the Gurdaspur SP against whom there are enough evidence of collaborating with the terrorists. This would be a good enough start. People are watching every step of Badal government. Drugs and terror are inseparably tied in Punjab. If the Badal government fails to control this, there will be another Pathankot. And this time, the people are not in forget and forgive mood.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
Headley had visited India eight times which included seven trips to Mumbai.

Pakistani American terrorist David Coleman Headley has made shocking revelations while deposing through a video link from overseas. Headley said that he had visited India on 7th March 2009 from Lahore to Delhi after the occurrence of 26/11 terror attack. He added that two attempts were made to attack Mumbai before the final attack on November 26, 2008. According to Headley, the first attempt was made in September 2008, which failed because the boat hit some rocks in the sea. The people on board were saved as they were wearing life saving jackets. However, the weapons and explosives were lost. He said that the second attempt was made after a month in October 2008. Headley said that Lashkar-e-Toiba(LeT) had planned and executed 26/11 attacks and he and ISI officials too were involved in it.

Headley received training from LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Abbottabad near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed sahib.

I used to treat India as my enemy. Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi also saw India as their enemy, Headley told the Special Judge during his first deposition in special TADA court.

Headley had changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Coleman Headley in 2006 for entering India. His objective was to obtain an American identity for establishing some business in India and reside here. He said while applying for the Indian visa, he cooked up a story that he was an immigration consultant and had furnished all wrong information to protect his cover.

I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity. After I got a new passport, I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with, said Headley.

Headley said he had applied for business multiple-entry visa with the Indian embassy so that he does not have to apply for Indian visa repeatedly. All details except place of birth, date of birth, mothers nationality and passport number, were incorrect in his visa application. After receiving new passport Headley visited India eight times, out of eight times he visited Mumbai seven times.

My office was established in Mumbai so that I could take cover in India, Headley told the court, adding he wanted the cover so that his real identity would not be known.

The prosecution team was headed by Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam and well known criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani represented Headley before the special TADA court.

I am absolutely satisfied with what Headley had revealed in todays deposition. Headley has given certain sensational reve-lations during his deposition. He confirmed that he met Hafiz Saeed and he identified his picture as well, said Nikam. The special prosecutor said, He (Headley) revealed a lot about Major Iqbal and Major Ali, both of them were there in ISI. It was Major Iqbal who trained him and he also unravelled names of few LeT trainers before the court. It is clear, we think, that there was a close nexus between ISI and LeT. That is what has been gathered from the revelations made from Mr Headley, said Nikam.

Nikam said, Headley had joined a leadership course where both Sayeed and Lakhvi used to come and give speeches against India. He completed his education from Hasan Abdal Cadet College in Pakistan but left for America at the age of 17.

Headley said he had undergone 5-6 training courses in LeT camps for about two years. Daura-e-sufa is a study course and is held in Muridke in Lahore while Daura-e-aam is a preliminary military training course held in Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir (PoK), Headley said.

In Daura-e-Khas, which is a more advanced training, he was taught to handle weapons, arms, explosives and ammunition, the LeT operative said.

Headley is currently serving 35 years in an American prison after being convicted of being involved in the planning and execution of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, in which 166 persons were killed and 300 injured.
Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday launched a two-wheeler ambulance service in Chennai to rush first aid to accident victims.

According to an official release, precious human lives are lost due to road mishaps. Listing out the negative aspects of such incidents, the release said the government led by Jayalalithaa has been setting up trauma care centres besides increasing the number of 108 ambulances from 385 to 755 in the last five years. It also listed out various emergency health care measures implemented by her government.

In a bid to upgrade the 108 emergency service further, Jayalalithaa flagged off 41 two-wheeler ambulances, it said, adding that out of the 41, 31 would be motor cycles and 10 would be scooters. These vehicles would be operated by not just men, but also women.

For the first time in India, women medical assistants are operating this, it said.

It said thanks to this measure, first-aid would reach to accident victims within 10 minutes of the mishap, which is considered as platinum minutes.

Immobilisation, resuscitation, oxygen, bleeding control and other things would be carried out. Before the 108 ambulance reaches the spot, these two-wheelers would attend the victims, thus bringing down the response time, the release said.

The two-wheelers have been equipped with portable oxygen cylinder, pulsoxymeter, BP apparatus, glucometer, digital thermometer etc, apart from siren.
Attention all Southern California parents:

Clear your schedule for this Thursday evening to attend a FREE special lecture at UCLA from John Donvan and Caren Zucker. These two authors/journalists will be discussing their new book, In a Different Key, which looks at the origins and prevalence of autism.



Please take this unique opportunity to participate in the current national conversation about autism. Cant get a sitter or respite? Perhaps you should bring your child with autism with you.



"By turns intimate and panoramic, In a Different Key takes us on a journey from an era when families were shamed and children were condemned to institutions to one in which a cadre of people with autism push not simply for inclusion, but for a new understanding of autism: as difference rather than disability."



Register here!
By Anne Dachel There was amazing coverage by NewsMax's Sylvia Booth Hubbard in the story, Should Congress Investigate Potential Autism-Vaccine Link? on Feb 2, 2016. While Congress plans a hearing on Feb. 3 concerning the contamination of Flint, Michigan's water supply with lead, it has yet to address another health crisis: the possibility  some even say the likelihood  that autism is caused by childhood vaccines. Autism now strikes one out of every 45 children in every city and community in every state in the United States. "Autism is rising at an exponential rate," says nationally known holistic doctor David Brownstein.

...Most mainstream doctors believe the vaccines are safe and effective, but Dr. Brownstein is not alone in his fear that the MMR vaccine is linked to autism.Many health experts have been calling for congressional hearings since August 2014, when a senior researcher for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. William Thompson, claimed that the CDC found and then hid data from a study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism.Regardless, Congress has refused to hold hearings. "The Chairman of this committee, Mr. Jason Chaffetz has refused to call Dr. Thompson or any of his superiors at the CDC to testify," says Dr. Brownstein. "In fact, there has been little or no news about the CDC controversy.

The article went on to describe the evidence that was destroyed by the CDC, including the findings on significant risk to African American males who receive the MMR vaccine before 36 months of age.

Ben Swann's new documentary was also included in the NewsMax piece, Truth in Media: CDC, Vaccines & Autism.

I posted this comment on NewsMax:

Thank you, Dr. Brownstein for having the courage to publicize the whistleblower story and thank you, NewsMax and Sylvia Booth Hubbard for covering it.

So many in the mainstream media have put the interests of their advertisers ahead of the health and safety of our children.

In July 2015, C-Span ran the story, REP. Bill Posey Calling for an Investigation of the CDC's MMR reasearch fraud



Congressman Posey begged his fellow Congressmen to look into the charges made by a CDC scientist that his agency had covered up a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

How bad do the autism numbers have to get (now at one in every 45 children, one in every 28 boys) before we honestly address this controversy?

Anne Dachel, Media editor: Age of Autism
In addition, the House will debate a bill (HR 2017) that would make it easier for supermarkets, pizza chains and convenience stores to comply with menu labeling requirements that are scheduled to take effect later this year. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, 36-12, in November with the support of nine Democrats. The House vote is expected Friday.

Even as the presidents budget is set for release on Tuesday. congressional appropriators are preparing an aggressive timeline for bringing out the individual 2017 funding bills. House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers, R-Ky., told Agri-Pulse he has more than 100 hearings planned, starting Tuesday, and hopes to have the first of the spending bills on the House floor by April.

The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, which controls spending for the Agriculture Department, Food and Drug Administration and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, will have three hearings this week.

The Senate Appropriations Committee holds its first hearing on Wednesday.

The White House has already rolled out some highlights of the budget, including proposals to boost agricultural research and to make summer meals available to every child eligible for a free or reduced-price school lunch.

The budget also would double funding for clean energy research and development by 2020. The funding will help the private sector create more jobs faster, lower the cost of clean energy faster, and help clean, renewable power outcompete dirty fuels in every state, Obama said in his weekend radio address.

The president also is proposing a $10-a-barrel tax on oil that was immediately met with Republican derision on Capitol Hill. House Speaker Paul Ryan called the tax outrageous and said it was part of his long-term fantasy to stop climate change, no matter that such proposals will cripple the economy.

The summer feeding expansion, which has no chance in this Congress, would cost $12 billion over 10 years and goes far beyond a more modest proposal included in a child nutrition reauthorization bill pending in the Senate.

Obama is proposing to double spending on agricultural research through USDAs Agriculture and Food Research Initiative to $700 million a year. The funding goes to universities and other institutions to fund research on priority issues.

The budget also may include the administrations past attempts to slash crop insurance, even though Vilsack said there is less pressure on his departments budget in the wake of last falls two-year budget agreement between Obama and GOP congressional leaders. The deal raised caps on domestic spending for both fiscal 2016 and 2017, which begins Oct. 1.

A year ago, the White House proposed $16 billion in cuts to the insurance program, including a cut in premium subsidies for revenue policies with a harvest-price option. At the time, Vilsack said the cuts were needed to compensate for spending reductions imposed by the 2011 budget deal, but the secretary said last week that the proposals were a matter of good policy.

Vilsack and EPAs McCarthy will both be on the Hill Thursday, Vilsack before the House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee to answer questions about his budget, and McCarthy before the House Agriculture Committee.

McCarthy is likely to get questioned about a range of issues, including the administrations waters of the United States rule redefining the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act.

Learn about the benefits of subscribing to Agri-Pulse. Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription.





Were not going to let WOTUS off the hook. Its too easy a target, said Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas. Im just appreciative that she would come and give our members a chance to ask questions that were being asked back home about the EPA.

Heres a list of agriculture- or rural-related events scheduled for this week in Washington and elsewhere:

Monday, Feb. 8

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Krysta Harden speaks at the inaugural Southern Region Womens Agricultural Leadership Summit at the University of Georgia, in Athens.

National Academies of Sciences workshop through Tuesday on electricity usage in rural communities and the challenges and opportunities for increasing efficiency, reducing emissions and costs, and improving resiliency, 500 5th St. NW.

Tuesday, Feb. 9

National Academies of Sciences workshop on electric usage in rural communities continues, all day.

White House releases presidents fiscal 2017 budget.

11 a.m. - USDA releases Farm Sector and Household Income Forecast, Economic Research Service webinar at noon.

Noon - USDA releases World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and Crop Production reports.

2:30 p.m. - Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee hearing on federal interactions with state management of fish and wildlife, 306 Dirksen.

Wednesday, Feb. 10

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack speaks on the anniversary of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba, National Press Club.

USTRs Harden participates in panel discussions on the future of agriculture and on global food security at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California.

Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau annual meeting, though Thursday, Indian Wells, California.

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives annual meeting, though Thursday, Phoenix.

10 a.m. - House Agriculture Committee hearing on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, 1300 Longworth.

10 a.m. - House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing on the impacts of predation and conflicting federal statutes on native and endangered fish species, 1334 Longworth.

10 a.m. - Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on the importance of enacting a new Water Resources and Development Act, 406 Dirksen.

Noon - American Enterprise Institute forum, The 2014 Farm Bill: A mid-term-review, 1150 17th St. NW.

2 p.m. - Senate Finance Committee hearing on the presidents budget, with IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, 215 Dirksen.

2:30 p.m. - House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the CFTC, 2362-A Rayburn.

3 p.m. - House Rules Committee considers rule for floor debate on the Common Sense Nutrition Act, H-313 Capitol.

Thursday, Feb. 11

8:30 a.m. - USDA releases Weekly Export Sales report.

8:30 a.m. - Resources for the Future and the Electric Power Research Institute seminar on strategic modeling of the Clean Power Plan, 1616 P St. NW.

10 a.m. - House Agriculture hearing with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, 1300 Longworth.

10 a.m. - House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the presidents budget with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, 1100 Longworth.

10:30 a.m. - House Agriculture Appropriations hearing with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, 2362-A Rayburn.

1:30 p.m. - House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the Bureau of Reclamation, 2362-B Rayburn.

1:30 p.m. - Agricultural and Applied Economics Association forum, Dynamics of Farm Profitability, 328-A Russell.

2 p.m. - House Agriculture subcommittee hearing on foot and mouth disease, 1300 Longworth.

3 p.m. - Center for American Progress forum, Can Climate Change Break the Global Food System? National Press Club.

Friday, Feb. 12

Vilsack makes a conservation announcement in Savannah, Georgia.

American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting, through Monday.

8 a.m. - AAAS symposium on food security.

9:30 a.m. - House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with USDAs inspector general, 2362-A Rayburn.

#30

For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com
February 8, 2016

Quietly and under the radar of the Israeli media, Knesset member Ahmad Tibi entered the holiest of holies of Americas most important strategic assets Feb. 4: Washingtons White House, State Department and Capitol Hill. As far as anyone can remember, no such meetings have been held in the past with such high echelons and such levels of intimacy between American administration sources and an Israeli Arab Knesset member. Tibis international status, his popularity in the Israeli Arab community and the conspicuous estrangement between the White House and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office were probably among the factors that contributed to the setting up of the meetings.

Tibi talked to his American interlocutors about the situation of Israeli Arabs, who constitute a minority of about 20% of the countrys population, and strongly condemned the policies of the Netanyahu government, which he called Israels most extremist government of all times, to the extent that the most moderate person in it is Netanyahu himself.

After Israels last elections in March 2015, the Obama administration (and President Barack Obama himself) strongly criticized Netanyahus racist statements toward the Arab public (Arab voters are heading to the polling stations in droves). Netanyahu was quick to apologize, but the Americans emphasized that such statements are likely to influence their policy. Now, it seems, they are making good on their promise by inviting Tibi, one of Netanyahus most scathing critics, to talks in the White House. And this is taking place while discussions between Israel and the United States regarding the signing of a memorandum of understanding regarding a military aid package to Israel for the next decade are stalled.

Tibi agreed to give Al-Monitor a telephone interview from Washington. His American journey lasted more than a week. In the White House, Tibi met with Robert Malley, Obama's point man on the Middle East, and Malleys staff. At the State Department, he met with Frank Lowenstein, the department's special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and also with Christopher Henzel, director of the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs. Finally, Tibi met with several top legislators on Capitol Hill.

Tibi also held meetings and delivered lectures in research institutes, such as the Washington Institute. He met Jewish leaders as well, such as Jeremy Ben-Ami from J Street, before returning to Israel this week. Al-Monitor was informed that Tibis meeting with the State Department was also attended by members of the team that is composing the yearly State Department report on human rights. Tibi hopes that the report will take his incisive words into account and will level criticism against Israel. For Tibi, that will be a great victory. For Netanyahu, that would be the least of his troubles. What Netanyahu really wants, at this point in time, is to somehow survive the following 11 months in one piece  with a wing and a prayer for the victory of a Republican candidate in the US presidential election in November.

Al-Monitor: What was the purpose of these meetings?

Tibi: To bring the voice of the discriminated-against Arab minority to Washington. I have been working in the international arena on this issue for several years. I was in the European Union, I met with the UN secretary-general, I visited universities in the US and quite a number of research institutes. I am happy that, now, the administration itself agreed to hear about the situation firsthand and invited an Israeli Arab Knesset member from the Joint List.

Al-Monitor: The average Israeli would expect that at such a meeting you would praise the fact that Israeli Arabs are far better off than all the other Arabs of the Middle East, excluding the oil-rich Emirates of course. They enjoy equal rights, a high standard of living, a modern economy and security. How do you perceive this?

Tibi: That is a racist viewpoint. My point of reference is not the Arabs in the Middle East, but the residents of the state in which I live, in other words, the Jews in Israel. I talked about the problems we have in planning and construction, lack of infrastructure, no land allotments, [no] industrial zones, systematic destruction of homes and mainly the problematic 'commander spirit' of Prime Minister Netanyahu [the atmosphere he creates], including his public statements that support the demolition of houses. Only 10 days ago a house was demolished in my hometown of Taibe, and all our attempts to have this house included within the new planning program came to naught. According to the report of the legal adviser to the government [attorney general], there are 50,000 houses built in Israel without permits, in other words one out of every five homes. Theyll destroy all these?! I also told the Americans about the intention to destroy a Bedouin locality named Umm al-Hiran and build, in its stead, an Israeli locality by the name of Hiran.

Al-Monitor: Did you also tell them about the governments program of investing 15 billion shekels ($3.8 billion) in the Arab sector in order to close the gaps?

Tibi: No. When I see the money, then well talk. That is a fictitious sum, and no government official knows if this money really exists.

Al-Monitor: Did you get the impression that the Americans are concerned about the Arab minority in Israel?

Tibi: Yes, very worried. One of the members of Congress couldnt believe that they are demolishing a Bedouin locality and constructing a Jewish one instead by the same name. He wondered out loud, why they couldnt construct one village in which Bedouins and Jews would live together. I told him that this possibility arose and was rejected by the government. To the Americans, who have turned equality into an important symbol, it is hard to understand this. I said that we are 20% of the Israeli population but only 8% are employed in the public service. There are usually no Arabs in the Bank of Israel, maximum one or two, out of 900 workers. Can the Americans imagine that no African-Americans would be employed in their central bank? There is a government decision regarding a 10% [quota for Arab] employees in the public service, but this is simply not carried out.

Al-Monitor: Did you focus on these socio-economic issues?

Tibi: Yes, including the employment of Arab women, the fact that there are no industrial zones in the Arab sector, the racist legislation in the Knesset. There is already a list of 40 laws that discriminate against Arabs, either directly or indirectly. The people I spoke to asked for this list of laws and received it. In the educational system, the Arab pupil receives a ninth of what the Jewish child receives. Sixty percent of Arab children are below the poverty line. The Arabs and ultra-Orthodox Jews are the weakest sectors of Israeli society, and I spoke about this at length. In addition, ever since the elections [March 2015], we are witness to an incitement campaign waged by Netanyahu personally against the Arab minority. It began with his statement on Election Day [about the Arabs coming in droves to the polls] and continued after the terror attack in Tel Aviv [Jan. 2] when he went to the site and spoke against the Arab population and [Arab] Knesset members. He simply embraced [Yisrael Beitenu leader] Avigdor Libermans ticket, and when a prime minister adopts such a message, that is very dangerous.

Al-Monitor: So you were in the White House and the State Department, and you didnt even talk about the diplomatic issue [i.e., a diplomatic Israeli-Palestinian arrangement]? This says all there is to say about the current state of affairs, no?

Tibi: The diplomatic issue arose. I explained to my interlocutors in the White House that there will never be a diplomatic arrangement with Benjamin Netanyahu. Never. An Israeli government that wasnt able to reach an agreement with President Mahmoud Abbas, who is the most pragmatic leader ever, is a government that wont reach an agreement with any Palestinian leader. They simply dont want a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel.

Al-Monitor: The Americans know the truth. As revealed here in Al-Monitor, they submitted to Abbas the pragmatist a draft of a framework agreement on March 17 [2014], at a meeting in the White House. The draft even included Jerusalem as the capital of the two states. Abbas never returned with an answer to this very day. In all the opportunities he was given, Abbas ran away. I think that they know this in the White House, too, don't you think so?

Tibi: The Americans did say that both sides made mistakes, but it seems to me that they also know which side is responsible for the condition we face now. The fact is that in the Palestinian government, all the ministers support the two-state solution in principle, while in Israels government, not one minister is in favor of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, including the prime minister and the Likud ministers. When I said this, one of the people I was with wondered with a smile, but Bibi [Netanyahu] proclaimed that he supports a Palestinian state, and I answered true, he said a Palestinian state, but never said an independent Palestinian state. His real opinion was expressed before the last elections, when he promised that, as long as he was prime minister, no Palestinian state would rise.

Al-Monitor: After the elections, he recanted his words and renewed his commitment to the two-state solution. What do you think this meant?

Tibi: I told the Americans that the real Bibi is the one from before the elections, not after them.

Al-Monitor: Do they have a clue as to what theyll do in the next 11 months left to this administration?

Tibi: They are pondering their options. In my assessment, they understand that there is not much to do. I told them that I dont know of any idea that could jump-start the process with the current government, the most extreme government ever. Abbas is committed to a two-state solution, Netanyahu is committed to political survival.
February 8, 2016

On Feb. 4, the media reported a meeting in East Jerusalem between Knesset members from the Balad Party (part of the Joint List) and the families of perpetrators killed while attacking Israelis. The reports carried the impression that Knesset members Haneen Zoabi, Jamal Zahalka and Basel Ghattas wanted to convey their condolences to the families for the deaths of their sons. Yedioth Ahronoth's headline read, Embracing Terrorists. Many other news outlets used the term condolence visit.

According to Maan, the Palestinian news agency, the meeting was attended by the father of Baha Aliyan, who murdered three Israelis in an attack on a bus in the Armon HaNatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem on Oct. 3. The report went on to say that the Knesset members stood in a moment of silence in memory of the attackers. The legislators told a different story, stating that the objective of the meeting was to address the bureaucratic procedures of returning the bodies to their families. Their explanation did not, however, stop the event from becoming a huge public storm in Israel.

I try to imagine what would happen in the British Parliament or the US Congress if MPs or members of Congress would stand at silent attention for murderers of British or American citizens. I think that there would be a very major outcry, and rightly so, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the weekly Cabinet meeting on Feb. 7. The prime minister further said that he would advance legislation to suspend Knesset members who meet with the families of terrorists. The Zionist Camp also stated in no uncertain terms that the meeting encourages more terrorism and the murdering of innocent people. Knesset member Ilan Gal-On from Meretz said that the Arab Knesset members had lost their bearings. Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan called for recently appointed Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to find out whether that meeting constituted support of terrorism.

Balad members contend that if the prime ministers legislation goes through, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked will have to be suspended too for meeting last December with the family of one of the suspects in the murder of the Dawabsha family from the West Bank village of Douma.

Zahalka, Zoabi and Ghattas are considered agent provocateurs in the Joint List, the umbrella body over all the Arab parties. They are said to give Knesset member Ayman Odeh, the factions chairman, quite a headache. Speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, a member from the Hadash Party said that Balad members wantonly sabotage all of Odehs attempts to convey messages of reconciliation and coexistence.

Ghattas told Al-Monitor that he and his colleagues were very surprised by the intense reaction and their mobbing across the political spectrum. According to him, all he and his fellow parliamentarians wanted was to promote a humanitarian cause and serve as brokers in the matter of bringing the bodies of attackers for burial. For the past several months, Balad has been working to find a compromise between Erdan and the families from East Jerusalem for the bodies to be returned.

In a Feb. 8 Haaretz article, Erdan explained that he had instructed to block the release of the bodies after the families failed to meet Israels terms. He wrote, We have learned from past experience. Many funerals for those were killed during an attack turned into rallies of hateful incitement and provocation. The praises for the martyrs encouraged young attendees to join the cycle of violence. Erdans statement intimates that the issue of the bodies was indeed on the table at the meeting in East Jerusalem.

Ghattas said, We contacted the minister and asked him why he was holding up the release. He promised that it was about to be resolved. Three weeks ago, he noted, Israel released four of the 14 bodies in its custody for burial. Arab Knesset members, he added, tried to come up with a solution to the dispute over the 10 remaining bodies. The families turned to us for help. Last Monday [Feb. 1], we met with Erdan and told him that the families accepted all of the demands. We asked him why the military was releasing the bodies of assailants from the West Bank but putting the residents from East Jerusalem through hell. Ghattas added that Erdan asked Balad members to elicit more information from the families to facilitate a decision. The following day they went for the meeting in East Jerusalem  now the cause celebre. Ghattas claims he and his fellow lawmakers were under the assumption that they were in the very least acting with Erdans knowledge, if not his express approval.

Al-Monitor has learned that a committee representing the families asked for a meeting with the members of the Joint List, but only Balads members responded favorably. Odeh reportedly told Hadash Knesset members that such a meeting would only hamper the efforts to bring the attackers home for burial, causing real damage to the umbrella faction. According to Ghattas, however, there were a variety of reasons why other members from the Joint List did not attend the meeting. They didnt show up because of some confusion and also the invitations were sent at the last minute. The committee representing the families botched the whole thing with the invitations; some got them, others didnt.

The Knesset Ethics Committee will convene in the coming days to address complaints against Balads members. Even other Joint List members plan to rein them in. Maybe it is too early to start talking about the Joint List factions demise. However, there is no doubt that Balads members have managed to rock the factions boat, and it might not be able to ride out the storm during these highly charged times.
February 8, 2016

CAIRO  The Foreign Relations Committee in the Egyptian parliament is meant to represent the voice of the Egyptian people in the international sphere, rather than just the governments official stance. It is in charge of several files such as the Renaissance Dam and the crisis over the disputed areas of Halayeb and Shalateen, among other issues. Al-Monitor spoke with Ambassador Mohamed Orabi, the interim chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Egyptian parliament, former foreign affairs minister and a leader in the Support Egypt coalition, asking him about the most important laws submitted to the committee and its future role in Egypts foreign relations.

The text of the interview follows.

Al-Monitor: As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Egyptian parliament, what do you think are the most important laws that were discussed by this committee?

Orabi: The most important laws approved by the committee are the law on the extradition of prisoners between Egypt and other countries, the law on the recovery of smuggled funds and the National Defense Council law.

Al-Monitor: Why did the law on the recovery of smuggled funds stir a debate within the Foreign Relations Committee?

Orabi: According to the law, the committee formed to recover smuggled funds must submit a detailed report on its activities every three months, but this did not happen, which sparked a debate within the Foreign Relations Committee. Ultimately, we approved the law, taking into account the need to amend it later to include a representative of the Foreign Relations Committee within the members of the smuggled funds recovery committee in order to closely follow up on the details of the recovery of looted funds.

Al-Monitor: What is your estimate of the amount of the funds smuggled abroad by the symbols and figures of President Hosni Mubarak's regime?

Orabi: We dont have an exact figure for the amount of the funds smuggled abroad, but surely they are not as huge as the amounts claimed by the media.

Al-Monitor: Over five years have passed since the January 25 Revolution, yet the state has yet to make any progress in recovering these funds. Why is that?

Orabi: Five years is not enough to recover the looted funds, in light of the recovery procedures applied by the states to which these funds have been smuggled. Eventually, we will achieve a result. Time is not the main hurdle in this issue, but rather the difficult legal procedures [are]. These states require judicial rulings concerning the smuggled funds, and this is a difficult condition. A judicial ruling issued against the owner of these [smuggled] funds would be enough, but these are the rules on the recovery of funds in these states.

Al-Monitor: What will be the role of the parliament, represented by the Foreign Relations Committee, in the Renaissance Dam crisis?

Orabi: The committee will hear from the foreign minister and the minister of water resources and irrigation on the latest developments in the Renaissance Dam crisis, but it will not impede the work of the official negotiator. The cooperation between the parliament and the government in this issue would give Egypt leverage at the negotiating table and serve as a pressure card to be used against the other negotiating party. We will opt for this approach unless Ethiopia proves to have ill intentions. Overall, things are going slowly but in the right direction.

Al-Monitor: You have said that the Renaissance Dam crisis is a matter concerning Egyptian diplomacy. Yet has the intensification of the crisis moved it beyond the diplomatic scope?

Orabi: The Renaissance Dam crisis is a diplomatic issue and not only a technical issue. It is also a political issue related to national security.

Al-Monitor: You visited Sudan in late January as the head of a parliamentary popular delegation. What were the outcomes of this visit?

Orabi: The [positive] outcomes of the visit were reflected in the statements of the Sudanese parliament speaker, who confirmed that the Egyptian popular delegation visit brought back the heat to the close relationship between the two countries to achieve their mutual interests.

Al-Monitor: Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir said the [disputed] Halayeb and Shalateen regions are Sudanese territory. Will the dispute over these regions affect Sudan's position on the Renaissance Dam?

Orabi: I think this is unlikely. We strongly believe that Halayeb and Shalateen are 100% Egyptian. Sudan will not use the Renaissance Dam card to pressure Egypt to cede these regions, since both countries wish to consolidate their relations.

Al-Monitor: Will there be coordination between the Egyptian and Sudanese parliaments on the Renaissance Dam crisis?

Orabi: Coordination between the two parliaments covers several issues, not just the Renaissance Dam. Strong Sudanese-Egyptian relations are beneficial to Egypt in the Renaissance Dam negotiations and in other issues.

Al-Monitor: What about the endeavors you talked about to form an Egyptian delegation to visit Ethiopia?

Orabi: There is nothing new. We will start forming the delegation after the end of the second round of official negotiations on the Renaissance Dam, following President [Abdel Fattah al-] Sisis visit to Ethiopia, and after the formation of the parliamentary committees.

Al-Monitor: As a leading figure in the Support Egypt coalition, how do you respond to the allegations that the coalition is a pro-state coalition that will always support the government and president Sisi?

Orabi: This is not true. The practice in the parliament confirms the contrary and demonstrates the independence of the coalition.

Al-Monitor: The parliament rejected the civil service law, despite its approval by Support Egypt. Does this indicate the coalitions failure to become the majority in the parliament?

Orabi: On the contrary, this is the biggest proof of democracy and difference of opinions among the coalition-affiliated parliamentarians, and this is a very good sign.

Al-Monitor: You stated that Support Egypt is inclined to give confidence to the government. Why did the coalition adopt this stance before the government even presents its program to the parliament?

Orabi: We will wait for the government's policy statement. Theoretically, I support this government with some minor ministerial amendments aimed to achieve stability. We do not have the luxury to form other governments.
February 8, 2016

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  Hamas military and political leaders constantly emphasize the importance of the tunnels that have become Hamas' main weapon against Israel in the Gaza Strip. Other weapons, such as rockets, have proven to be less effective, and Hamas' dependence on the tunnels is clear from the decline of the arms smuggling activity after the closure of the tunnels between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Now, Hamas members are digging new tunnels and restoring old ones that were destroyed during the 2014 war on Gaza.

Ten members of Hamas military wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, were killed in three separate incidents of tunnels collapsing in late January and early February, in the east of Khan Yunis and in Gaza City's east and southwest.

On Jan. 29, speaking to thousands of mourners at the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City for the funeral of seven al-Qassam Brigades fighters killed, Ismail Haniyeh, the deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, stated that the tunnels have become a strategic weapon.

Haniyeh said in his speech, "The tunnels played a crucial role in our victory. It is from these tunnels that the mujahedeen carried out the Nahal Oz operation. From these tunnels, the mujahedeen captured Israeli soldier Oron Shaul and fought the Israeli occupation from ground zero.  The mujahedeen went behind enemy lines  and returned safely to their bases.

Haniyeh added, Underground tunnels brought death to our enemy and victory and glory to our people and nation.

On Jan. 31 and during the procession for Hamas fighters who died in a tunnel collapse in the east of Gaza City, Abu Ubaida, the nom de guerre of a spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades, confirmed that the tunnel excavators and fighters are behind numerous military achievements, such as the Zikkim operation and the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal. He stressed that their arduous efforts deterred Israel and represent a pressure card Hamas can use for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

In December 2014, al-Qassam Brigades formed a special tunnel unit responsible for digging and equipping tunnels and training fighters to use them.

A Hamas source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, There are three types of tunnels that are being dug: attack tunnels, which are dug along the border, tunnels used to launch rockets and tunnels used for securing the movement of Hamas members and leaders between the various regions, shielded from Israeli shelling, which are usually dug inside the cities.

The source added, Al-Qassam Brigades military victories achieved during the recent war through the use of tunnels, as well as the use of these tunnels in previous other operations such as the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Shalit and some other operations, encouraged Hamas to extensively invest in tunnels.

Since the end of the 50-day war on Gaza in the summer of 2014, the military wing of Hamas has been issuing video footage of its fighters from inside the tunnels. Al-Qassam Brigades have even showcased some of their capabilities in reports and documentaries on their website and on TV stations such as Al Jazeera and Al Mayadeen, revealing the fighters ability to directly target Israeli soldiers.

Political analyst Mustafa Ibrahim told Al-Monitor, Following the experience of the war between the Gaza Strip and Israel, al-Qassam Brigades are using tunnels as a strategic weapon and intend to develop them and use them extensively.

Ibrahim added, Hamas believes it has succeeded during the recent war in changing the course of the war after using the tunnels to carry out military operations against Israeli targets, soldiers and military equipment during the ground offensive. It was able to inflict large numbers of casualties among Israeli soldiers, which prompted it to develop this weapon into a strategic weapon.

The rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli towns affect Israel, but the Iron Dome reduced their impact. Tunnels, on the other hand, cause the Israeli army substantial damage.

On Feb. 3, al-Qassam Brigades leader Abu Hamza, another pseudonym, told the Hamas-linked al-Khaleej Online, The border tunnels weapon has become one of the strongest weapons on which the resistance relies against the Israeli occupation. This weapon will have the final say and will turn the table on Israels intentions to wage a new war on the Gaza Strip.

Abu Hamza went on, In any future confrontation, Israelis will be surprised by the strength and solidity of these tunnels, which can withstand Israeli shelling and concussion bombs fired by the Israeli aircraft or tanks.

He said that these tunnels can be used to launch a large number of advanced rockets and mortar shells toward the Israeli towns adjacent to Gaza Strip, keep fighters away from Israeli radar, help them escape any Israeli attack and hide quickly when abducting Israeli soldiers.

Since early 2015, 16 al-Qassam Brigades members have been killed in the Gaza Strip during the tunnel excavation works, 10 of them in 2016, according to statistics from the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights in Gaza.
February 8, 2016

TEHRAN, Iran  In his first trip abroad following the Jan. 16 implementation day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Irans President Hassan Rouhani toured Italy and France, where he signed major deals with Airbus SAS as well as PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault SA. The Airbus deal, which has yet to be finalized, will create a new market for the European passenger jet consortium as Tehran is moving to procure 118 aircraft. The Airbus deal will help Iran renew its aging air fleet, as the decades-long embargo on its aviation industry has officially come to an end. The auto agreements are aimed at reviving Irans embattled vehicle manufacturers. Indeed, the resumption of Irans partnership with the French automakers is geared toward stimulating domestic demand and improving employment prospects within Iran in the short and medium term.

Of note, the auto industry is the biggest economic sector in Iran, after oil and gas, accounting for 10% of gross domestic product. It has been in decline in recent years after being hit with a double whammy of sanctions and currency depreciation, both of which drove up prices for imported parts. A 2015 World Bank report shows that the annual production of cars in Iran sharply declined to 700,000 in 2012, down from 1.6 million prior to the intensification of sanctions. The collapse of vehicle production led to layoffs in the sector, which accounts for 4% of the workforce, according to the report. The World Bank has forecast that car production will climb to around pre-sanction levels within the next two years if industry officials manage to persuade global manufacturers to immediately resume operations in Iran. The Rouhani administration appears to have taken note of the latter point, as it is moving to reconnect with French partners to aid economic growth.

Indeed, boosting the automotive sector could simultaneously address several problems. Masoud Nili, top economic advisor to the president, believes that sustainable demand is a prerequisite for sustainable growth, thereby urging economic authorities to consider reviving the auto industry as a prompt solution to Irans economic woes. In a speech at a management conference in Tehran late last year, Nili called on the government to start investing in technology that addresses the high consumption of energy in the country  an undertaking that is attractive for international investors and would eventually help cut air pollution, given that vehicles are blamed for 80% of the pollution in Tehran and other major Iranian cities. Nilis remarks, which were published in a recent issue of the leading Iranian economic magazine, Tejarat-e Farda, opened a door for the administration to hit several birds with one stone as Iran enters the post-sanctions era.

The new technology, if obtained within a reasonable timespan, can be used in new cars, enabling the government to address air pollution concerns while creating thousands of jobs. To this end, the government first needs to further slash energy and fuel subsidies, Nili insists, adding that the second step is to forge a partnership with a global auto manufacturing group that can boost production and replace the large number of aging and nonstandard vehicles on Iranian roads.

However, the idea of replacing old cars seems to be misunderstood by some officials. On Jan. 23, Management and Planning Organization chief Mohammad Bagher Nobakht unveiled a plan to replace 90,000 aging taxis across the country in the coming Iranian fiscal year (beginning March 20) with new Samand and Peugeot 405 cars  two outdated products of Iran Khodro, the biggest domestic carmaker. Although the plan is defensible at first glance, it appears to completely ignore the vehicles high fuel consumption.

Hamid Azarmand, an economic researcher and former deputy head of the Iranian Productivity Organization, said in a recent interview with Tejarat-e Farda that the selection of Samand and Peugeot 405 vehicles, with their outdated technology, shows that policymakers seek to protect domestic carmakers rather than optimize fuel consumption or address air pollution. Azarmand argues that a competitive market could offer more advantages, while he also encourages lower duties on car imports and a stronger presence of global car manufacturers in the country as measures that will result in the domestic production of high-quality cars that consume less fuel.

The administration is well-informed and aware of these discussions. Indeed, it noted in its discussions with PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault SA that the French carmakers will have to transfer technology to their Iranian partners if they want a fair share of the Iranian market. However, many in Tehran are still doubtful that Peugeot and Renault will become reliable partners. The conservative newspaper Vatan-e Emrooz has called the two French automakers betrayers who turned their backs on Iran when sanctions intensified. Another conservative media outlet, Raja News, questioned the technology transfer process in the Peugeot contract, saying the process will be complete in 13 years, when the produced models will be too outdated to be exported to regional countries.

Of note, Peugeot has agreed to invest $439 million in Iran Khodro over five years to upgrade a factory near Tehran. The site will produce 100,000 Peugeot 208, 301 and 2008 vehicles a year starting in late 2017. Reports say output will eventually be doubled. The deal with Renault has not yet been finalized, but it will probably follow the same pattern.

Despite the criticism, administration officials have focused on development of Irans auto industry as a central strategy to achieve economic growth and boost employment. They hope that future joint ventures with other carmakers from Italy, Japan, Germany and Austria will develop the industry and create more jobs compared to other sectors, if given the same chance. Some reports even claim that a partnership with European carmakers representing US manufacturers such as General Motors  an old partner of Iran that left the country a few years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution  is already under consideration. Indeed, Germanys Opel AG and Italys Fiat SPA are currently representing General Motors and Chrysler, respectively. This is perhaps why Rouhanis team began negotiating on likely cooperation with Fiat executives during their recent visit to Italy. Nonetheless, even if US carmakers wont be represented in Iran, the administrations approach is geared toward developing ties with the West, especially when it comes to technology. Hence, as there will be more Iranian visits to Europe in the coming months, it can be anticipated that economic cooperation will continue to be focused on reviving Irans automotive industry.
February 8, 2016

BAGHDAD  A Cabinet shuffle that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is expected to make will be limited to the substitution of ministers with representatives from their own parliamentary bloc or other blocs having a higher number of seats. That is, it will not take into account demands by protesters geared toward reducing government waste, inefficiency and corruption and forming a technocratic Cabinet.

Abadi had announced a package of reforms in August, including dismissals of the prime ministers deputies and vice presidents as well as 140 senior government officials and the elimination and merger of 10 ministries. In early 2016, Iraqi media had reported an imminent reduction in the number of Cabinet seats and high-profile Cabinet dismissals, but on Jan. 25, Abadi confirmed that a shuffle would be limited to ministerial changes and exclude the elimination or merger of ministries. Abadi's announcement angered the Iraqi street, particularly the Popular Movement, which had hoped that protests ongoing since last August  the most recent of which was held Jan. 29 in Baghdad  would result in holding corrupt officials accountable, abolishing unnecessary positions and forming a Cabinet of competent ministers without regard to sectarian quotas.

Mohammed al-Sayhoud, a Shiite parliamentarian for the State of Law Coalition, with which Abadi is affiliated, said of government reform in general, It is not only about the abolition of posts and merger of ministries, but also the shift of some officials in a way that goes in line with the attempts to improve government performance and fight corrupt officials. He further explained to Al-Monitor, There is a need to replace some ministers and merge ministries, such as merging the oil and electricity ministries in order to end the problems between them, as each has been pointing at the other for years, and to resolve the chronically poor electrical service.

Sayhoud also asserted, The abolition of the Environment Ministry by merging it into the Health Ministry was a major mistake. The same applies to the abolition of the Tourism Ministry, which is one of the most important departments, as it provides huge funds to the state budget. Contrary to what happened, we had wished it would be developed and taken care of.

According to Sayhoud, partisan and sectarian quotas are hampering Abadis ability to exploit the support of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and the protesters for the formation of a technocratic government. The political blocs are hesitant to relinquish any posts and reject the nomination of technocrats from other blocs. Sayhoud also said, The technical committee charged with the assessment of government performance has not yet completed its task. The [State of Law] Coalition will demand in parliament that the [committees] report results be revealed to learn about the recommendations and whether or not the Cabinet reshuffle will be a part of the reform process.

Sayhoud further stated, [My bloc will suggest the] formation of a technocratic government even though candidates are affiliated with the same bloc before Abadi announces the Cabinet reshuffle that he promised.

A follow-up on the government reshuffle in 2014 revealed that a number of blocs were not satisfied with the way the ministries were distributed. For instance, Sunni and Shiite blocs rejected the nomination of the leader of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, to be interior minister and the nomination of the head of the Badr parliamentary bloc, Qasim al-Araji, for the same post, which forced Amiri to nominate the current office holder, Mohammed al-Ghabban. The Solution (al-Hall) bloc, led by Jamal Karbouli, rejected Qasim Fahdawi, head of the Anbar Loyalty Coalition, to oversee the Electricity Ministry. Hussain al-Shahristani, head of the Independents Bloc, refused appointment as education minister.

According to media reports, Araji will now be appointed interior minister, Shahristani foreign minister, and Mohammed Karbouli (Jamal Karboulis brother and a former minister of industry) minister of trade and electricity.

It is too late for real government reform, as the popular and religious support that Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has provided to Abadi has reached its lowest level, Abdul Rahman al-Luwaizi of the Sunni National Forces Alliance asserted to Al-Monitor. The fact that some blocs are not content with the current government formation and are demanding that they be assigned certain portfolios is what prompted Abadi to move toward the Cabinet reshuffle that he announced. There is no other reason.

Luwaizi said that his bloc had agreed on the Cabinet shuffle but was still holding talks with Abadi on ministerial changes. Luwaizi also expressed his concern about Iraqis being dissatisfied with the shuffle. He observed, [It is likely that] popular discontent at the government increases, in light of the worsening financial, security and political crises.

Some protest organizers believe that Abadi is moving away from promised reforms, and any steps he takes will be useless or absurd if no real change is brought about to the countrys situation. Abadi has disappointed the protesters and did not introduce any real reforms. He is only throwing dust in our eyes, Jassem Hilfi, a member of the Baghdad protest coordinating committee, told Al-Monitor. The protests are demanding the formation of a government without consideration of the sectarian quota system, reducing the number of ministries and positions in the government, fighting financial and administrative corruption in the country and calling for the provision of services and reform in the judiciary.

Hilfi further stressed, Demonstrations will escalate, although they have calmed down in the past weeks, especially if Abadi only resorts to a change of government figures. The worsening financial crisis, the ongoing political differences as summer approaches, the worsening electricity crisis that ignited popular protests and other problems will lead to unprecedented protests that will end with the overthrow of corrupt figures inside and outside the government.

It appears that Abadi remains unable to respond to the protesters' demands and thus continues to lose whatever public and religious support he has left. This makes him vulnerable to the possibility of losing the peoples trust and being replaced by another candidate acceptable to Shiite parties, some of which opposed Abadi's nomination to head the government, namely, the State of Law Coalition supporters of former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
February 8, 2016

I was in Rome a week ago. My daughter calls me up at about noon and says, Im on my way back from school, and theres shooting on the street. Probably some criminal chasing another criminal. I find myself helpless. I tell her, Run and hide in one of the houses. Another time, my little son, 7 years old, told me he was in the car with his mother and saw someone shooting at God in the sky. I didnt understand. My wife told me that the driver of the car in front of them at an intersection had stuck his arm out of the car, holding a gun, and started shooting upward. This all happens in the State of Israel, 10 minutes from Tel Aviv, and life goes on. This is the routine in Kfar Qasim, an Arab town in the center of Israel.

Meretz Knesset member Issawi Frej is the person recounting this story from the State of Israel's backyard. Frej, an Arab, was born in Kfar Qasim in 1963 and has lived there since, as have his elderly parents. He got married in Kfar Qasim and raised seven kids there.

Sometimes a banal description of a routine event  such as a 7-year-old boy speaking calmly about gunshots fired next to him or a girl on her way from school seeking shelter from a gunfight  helps one understand that something bad is actually afoot. Al-Monitors interview with Frej offers a firsthand account of the states persistent disregard of illegal weapons in the Arab sector, a phenomenon that has been covered in Al-Monitor. Frej and local Arab leaders have been warning for years about the dangers and implications of the abundance of unregistered weapons. It was only when an Arab Israeli, Nashat Milhem, carried out an attack in Tel Aviv on Jan. 1, using a weapon that belonged to his father, that the government began to pay attention.

Every Israeli should read the interview with Frej, because it describes the death of a dream. It reveals Frej's desire, as an Arab citizen of Israel, to raise his children in an egalitarian and just society and serve the public as a politician in a Zionist party, a dream that daily crashes into the walls erected by those who set the tone in Israel these days, Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Culture Minister Miri Regev.

Al-Monitor: How do you experience the current wave of terror as an Arab Israeli when you go home to Kfar Qasim in the evening from your job in the Knesset?

Frej: I have a lot of conversations with my parents and older people in Kfar Qasim. They tell me that they cannot remember such a time. Theres a lot of concern. I see it in our daily life, as an Arab population that withdraws into itself, because a minority starts to protect itself in such situations. I am very sorry that we have come to this point in which the government promotes divisive policies, and the tone set by the leadership permeates every level of society.

Even irrational daily events are beginning to take over our lives. I read recently that according to a report by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), we are a poorer and more corrupt society, but a happy one. How do all these things fit together? We have become a society in which abnormality is routine, so that making racist comments about the Arabs has become part of the routine. We are more racist, but happy. Things dont occur in a vacuum. Both sides are guilty, but simple logic dictates that the sovereign, the state, is the main culprit  after all, it is the one that is supposed to enforce the rule of law. When people see the rule of law crumbling before their very eyes, they adopt jungle-like behaviors. They start taking the law into their own hands. Thats whats happening in the Arab sector.

Al-Monitor: Can you elaborate on how that manifests itself?

Frej: I described my kids daily routine. That says it all. According to police data I got from senior officers, there are 500,000 weapons in the Arab communities. That means that there is an unlicensed gun in one out of every three Arab homes. I am in Kfar Qasim, and not a day goes by that I dont hear shooting in some corner or other. Five, six [people] are injured every month. This month, it was five, and the families withdraw into themselves and conduct a hudna [truce], and then theres calm. In other words, the police, as well, can know who was involved, but they dont care. No one is arrested, and things go on as usual. So the citizen who sees these things understands that he shot someone, but no one stopped him, and he doesnt have to account to anyone. He understands that he has to look out for himself. I hear from teachers at school that youngsters from upstanding families are buying weapons in order to defend themselves.

Al-Monitor: Do you think this is part of an organized government policy?

Frej: As long as these weapons are in Israels backyard, its of no interest to anyone. But when they move west [toward Jewish towns], then it becomes wrong. Like it was on Tel Aviv's Dizengoff Street [site of the Jan. 1 attack].

Al-Monitor: You recently described the killing of a Palestinian girl who tried to attack a soldier at the West Bank Anatot checkpoint as murder. Why? The soldier was trying to defend himself.

Frej: When I saw the video in which a 13-year-old girl was only chasing a grown soldier, an armed and trained fighter, I didnt understand why she had to be killed. This is a girl who was running after him slowly, and you fire one bullet and kill her. This is a policy of killing, not of disabling, and the truth must be told: This is an execution. There is no other explanation for what I saw. When government ministers talk about putting a bullet between the eyes, it trickles down. I am worried that this is a policy designed to perpetuate a climate of fear, a perennial enemy, tension  all in order to justify relentless collective punishment. For all of this to happen, one has to lose all sense of morality. We have turned into an immoral society. It affects both sides: a violent society in which a soldier kills a child at a roadblock or carries out orders to conduct humiliating body searches  how does he then go home, and how will he function in life? Will this not influence his life?

Al-Monitor: Do you go through this as an Arab Israeli in the Knesset too?

Frej: Of course. Right-wing Knesset members are in a constant race to generate headlines and to come up with proposed legislation for persecution and incitement. It happens every day. This week, for example, we had the frisking law [which gives police leeway to conduct body searches without cause]. All of this anti-democratic, violent and heavy-handed legislation doesnt do any good. The race is to see who can be the most creative in generating anti-Arab headlines. This is a distorted world in which being a patriot means persecuting the Arabs.

Al-Monitor: Do you feel that you are able to make a difference?

Frej: I search my soul every day and ask myself what I am doing there. I think the very fact that we in Meretz are successful in serving as the conscience and compass of a normal society, thats the least we can do, to keep these issues on the agenda. But I fear the moment when we in Meretz, the only left-wing party in the country, will no longer be part of the political reality. This worries me greatly. I see in the Knesset that if we dont stand up and oppose and warn, things go on. Bibi [Netanyahu] has even managed to convince the chairman of the opposition [Isaac Herzog] to follow in his footsteps.

Al-Monitor: Herzog only said that the time is not right for an agreement with the Palestinians. He hasnt given up on the idea of two states. How do you perceive his plan?

Frej: If thats how he really feels, then hes in the wrong place. Because his plan is the exact opposite of the Labor Party platform. If this is what he believes, he should not be connected to a platform in which he doesnt believe. It smells of racism. The minute you talk to the Palestinians about separation, as if to say, Get out of our face, it sounds bad. This is not how you talk to your neighbors; they arent going anywhere. You need to talk to them in a positive tone and not convey revulsion. This is not right, because this place will have two entities, side by side. They will be connected economically, politically and socially, and theres no other solution.

Unfortunately, Bibi has been successful. We have become a more nationalistic state, more religious and less civil. We are an opposition numbering 59 Knesset members, almost half the seats in the house, but we are not behaving like those who are supposed to replace the government. People want to distance themselves from the left. I, on the other hand, am proud that we in Meretz are there. Portraying us as detached from reality is absurd. In this reality, you are legitimate only if you keep oppressing and dont use the word occupation. Pretty soon someone will propose a bill that criminalizes the use of the word occupation.

Al-Monitor: What do you think is the most significant blow to the Arabs in Israel under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus rule?

Frej: The prime minister is doing so much damage to the Arabs that its hard to point to one thing. But the most egregious is the Nationality Law [defining Israel as the Jewish nation-state]. Thats what worries me most. The Nationality Law prevents me from being an Israeli because I have to be Jewish, in contradiction of the principle of civic equality laid out in Israels Declaration of Independence. Then Bibi comes and insists on the Nationality Law, under which I become a second-class citizen. The views of HaBayit HaYehudi have permeated everywhere  We are not occupiers, we have returned to our homeland  and anyone who says otherwise is kicked out of the circle. He is said to be an informer, a plant, unpatriotic, an Israel hater. More and more red lines are being crossed every day.
February 8, 2016

Jordan is carefully watching the military developments in the southern Syrian province of Daraa following the recapture of the strategic town of Sheikh Miskin on Jan. 26 by government forces in a Russian-backed offensive that began at the end of December.

The fall of the town, not far from the Jordanian border, was preceded by the retaking of the Brigade 82 military base from the Free Syrian Army and its allies, which include Jabhat al-Nusra. The loss is a major setback for the so-called Southern Front, which has been trying to kick the Syrian regime's forces out of the city of Daraa and other towns in the provinces countryside.

The fall of Sheikh Miskin will cut supply routes to the rebels and enable government forces, backed by Hezbollah fighters and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, to control the main highway linking Damascus in the south to Quneitra in the Golan Heights.

Jordan maintains close links with the FSA and the command of the Southern Front, which controls the Nasib border crossing on the Syrian side. Al-Monitor tried to contact Southern Front spokesman Issam al-Rayyes in Amman for his reaction to the latest events, but received no response.

Since the Russian intervention in Syria started at the end of September, the regime forces have been making important gains in the north and south of the country. Advances in Daraa province have sent tens of thousands of refugees fleeing, and many will be heading toward Jordan.

In addition to benefiting from Russian air support, regime forces were reportedly able to break through rebel defenses because of infighting among opposition groups such as the FSA and Jabhat al-Nusra in southern Syria.

For Jordan  which views stability in southern Syria as an important component of its national security  the shift in the military balance north of its borders raises many red flags. While it was never publicly confirmed, Jordan and Russia reportedly reached an understanding in October to ensure Russian bombing in southern Syria does not target the Southern Front. That understanding was apparently reiterated during a meeting between King Abdullah II and President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Nov. 24.

Now Jordan believes that Russia has violated that understanding. On condition of anonymity, a Jordanian official told UAE-based website 24.ae on Feb. 3 that Russia has broken a cease-fire agreement in southern Syria by providing air cover for the attack on Sheikh Miskin.

Jordanian concerns were presented to the Russians during a surprise visit by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mashal al-Zaben to Moscow on Jan. 28, but there were no signs that the two sides had agreed on steps to reduce tensions in southern Syria.

Zabens visit coincided with the presence of Syrias Defense Minister Fahed Jassem al-Freij in Moscow, but there were no reports that the two men had met. Syrian officials repeated in earlier statements that Daraa terror is a Jordanian problem, in reference to accusations that Jordan was backing what Damascus views as terrorist groups.

Jordan is particularly worried about the possibility of Hezbollah and IRGC fighters deploying close to Jordan's borders. In addition, it is bracing itself to deal with a new wave of Syrian refugees. Jordan is already home to over 1.3 million Syrians and has asked the international community for immediate help in covering the cost of hosting them.

A Russian diplomat in Amman who asked not to be named told Al-Monitor that Moscow will continue to back government forces in southern Syria until they gain control of all border crossings with Jordan. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said during a Feb. 6 press conference in Damascus that a cease-fire will not be achieved until Syria's borders with Jordan and Turkey are secured.

Jordans military has stepped up security on its borders with Syria. It has foiled a number of attempts to illegally cross from Syria to Jordan, mostly by smugglers. But the change in the military balance in southern Syria raises questions about the ability of Jordan and its regional and Western allies to back the FSA, especially in providing it with arms.

Syrian National Coalition chief Khaled Khoja told al-Araby al-Jadid that the US-led coalition has halted delivery of military supplies to FSA groups, enabling regime forces assisted by Russian air cover to make substantial gains in northern and southern Syria.

Jordan also fears that the Syrian regime forces advance in southern Syria will drive rebel fighters, including members of Jabhat al-Nusra, to flee toward Jordanian territory. But Mohammad al-Alawneh, a retired general, told Al-Monitor that in spite of recent reverses on Syrias southern front, Jordan and Russia continue to maintain close coordination.

The two countries agreed in October to set up a special working mechanism based in Amman following Russias military intervention in Syria. The objective was to coordinate military operations, especially in southern Syria.

Jordan will step up its security measures to prevent violation of its borders, but it will also seek to create a buffer zone inside Syria to contain the flow of refugees, said Alawneh. He added that Jordan has informed Russia of its rejection of any Iranian or Hezbollah presence close to its borders. Such a presence will force Jordan to change its current policy toward Russias involvement in Syria, he added.

But political analyst Fahd al-Khitan disagreed. He told Al-Monitor that the fall of Sheikh Miskin has shocked Jordan, especially as both Amman and Moscow had a solid understanding over keeping southern Syria out of the military calculations of the regime in Damascus. He went on, Jordan is worried about Hezbollah and Irans presence in southern Syria and a new wave of refugees, which Jordan cant afford to receive. More than that, Jordan is concerned about the reaction of terrorist groups, and while Amman has no problem with regime forces moving forward in Daraa, this has angered opposition groups, including the FSA, that have close ties to Jordan and the US.

Jordan has not reacted publicly to the latest military developments in southern Syria. But it is certain that it has expressed its concerns to the Russians while tightening security along its northern borders. As regime forces make important gains in the north and south of Syria, Amman will be forced to review what Khitan called a policy of positive neutrality toward the Syrian regime, along with its controversial ties with the Syrian opposition. There also are indications that Washington, too, is altering its policy on Syria by abandoning the so-called moderate opposition.
February 8, 2016

While international appetites grow for business opportunities in Iran following the lifting of economic sanctions, Turkey, owing to its foreign policy, has failed to make use of a special trade arrangement it already had with Iran. A preferential agreement, the product of negotiations that took about a decade, had taken effect between the two neighbors Jan. 1, 2015. With a target of $35 billion in bilateral trade by the end of the year, the deal introduced tariff cuts on 140 products from Turkey and 125 products from Iran. The day it took effect, Turkeys then-Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci hailed a very important beginning for Turkish-Iranian business, friendship, and political and economic cooperation.

What began with high optimism, however, has resulted in a huge disappointment. The bilateral trade volume at the end of 2015 stood at $9.7 billion, not only far off the target but also below 2014's $13.7 billion. Turkeys imports from Iran dropped 38% to $6.1 billion in 2015, while its exports decreased 5.7% to $3.66 billion. Given Turkeys purchase of 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Iran, the drop in exports indicates that Turkey has decreased the purchase of Iranian goods other than gas. Similarly, Turkish exports of food, iron and steel, chemicals and automotive sub-industry products had been expected to increase under the deal, but this seems to have not materialized either.

The shrinking trade volume  a trend since 2012  suggests that Turkish-Iranian trade links are moving toward a point where the two neighbors buy only essential goods from each other. In 2012, the trade volume stood at $21.89 billion despite the sanctions, before dropping to $14.5 billion in 2013 and even further in the next two years to reach $9.7 billion in 2015, the lowest level in the past four years.

So why are the trade links regressing?

Turkey and Iran have been on opposite camps in both Syria and Iraq. Turkeys alignment with Saudi Arabia on the Yemeni conflict and the Saudi-Iranian row has further damaged its political ties with Iran, also affecting bilateral trade. As a result, commercial ties have failed to take off despite tariff cuts on hundreds of products, including some that are now next to zero. The decrease in trade, however, suggests the two sides are imposing a covert embargo on each other.

Reha Camuroglu, a writer with expertise on Turkish-Iranian ties and a former lawmaker for the ruling Justice and Development Party, believes that Turkeys Syria policy is a major factor behind the decline in bilateral trade. In remarks to Al-Monitor, he offered the following assessment: For quite some time, pro-government quarters in Turkey have been voicing unfriendly rhetoric toward Shiites. The same goes for the rhetoric against [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad, which identifies Assad with his sect. Similarly, the besieged Shiite villages in Syria and the humanitarian drama there are, for some reason, of no interest to Turkey. Meanwhile, the Islamic army that Saudi Arabia is said to have formed with its allies is, for some reason, comprised only of Sunnis and comfortably using the name of Islam. Most recently, Turkey implicitly backed Saudi Arabia over the execution of Ayatollah [Nimr al-] Nimr, saying the issue was an int ernal ma tter, which also had a chilling effect on Turkish-Iranian ties.

For Iran, Camuroglu stressed, political relations are an important factor in economic ties. The state wields a big influence in the Iranian economy, which means that the decisions of the state have a direct impact on business ties, he said. The current figures will go further down unless Turkish-Iranian ties are repaired. One should not forget that Iran has more options now with the lifting of the embargoes.

Noting that trade with Iran had an advantage in terms of transportation, Camuroglu said, If [Turkey] manages to reshape its Syria and Iraq policies in a way that takes into account common interests with Iran, the trade volume could again go up to $20 billion.

But is there any hope for the coming period?

Mete Develioglu, a representative for Italian farming equipment supplier Tesmec in Turkey, told Al-Monitor his company had held five business meetings in Iran over the past month. Similar to Turkeys Southeastern Anatolia Project, Iran is seeking to desalinate large swaths of agricultural land and increase productivity. In addition, they will be taking bids for the laying of 10,000 kilometers [6,000 miles] of cable in the fiber optic realm. Turkey could find cooperation opportunities in those fields, Develioglu said.

However, he also had a warning: The lifting of the embargo may look like an advantage at first glance, but it could actually reduce Turkeys chances. Many countries are now waiting at Irans door. Everybody is after business, and Iran looks favorably at Europe.
Regions Financial Corp. has released the full breakdown of its layoffs in Alabama.

In January, Regions announced it would be laying off 260 employees across its 16-state footprint - about 1 percent of total employees - as part of a cost-cutting measure. AL.com previously reported that 107 of those layoffs, or about 40 percent, would affect Alabama.

Here's the full breakdown of those positions:

Auburn - 1

Birmingham area - 86

Centre - 1

Dothan - 2

Florence - 1

Gulf Shores - 1

Huntsville area - 2

Mobile area - 2

Montgomery area - 10

Tuscaloosa - 1

All of the cuts will be made in the first quarter. Regions employs almost 8,900 people in Alabama and 24,000 nationwide.

Regions is offering severance packages and career assistance to affected employees.

Regions is still filling customer-facing positions, and has about 120 openings in Alabama, Regions spokesman Jeremy King told AL.com last week.
Drew Ann Long with Caroline's Cart, which will soon be available in most Target stores across the U.S. (File)

Caroline's Cart, the shopping cart for special needs children created by Alabaster mom Drew Ann Long, will soon be found in Target stores nationwide.

The retail giant has been testing the carts in some stores for the past year and has decided to roll them out to the vast majority of stores across the U.S. beginning in March.

Caroline's Cart can also be found in hundreds of other stores, including Publix, Kroger, Wegmans, ShopRite and more. The carts are in stores in every state, and in other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Norway.

But Target is the largest chain to take it nationwide.

Long, who started a grassroots effort to gain a national audience for Caroline's Cart eight years ago, said she is thrilled with Target's decision and believes it will prompt even more retailers to follow suit.

"I think Target doing this is really going to raise the bar," she said. "This decision validates the need. If you're going to provide for the able-bodied, why would you not provide for the disabled-bodied, when you have an option?"

Caroline's Cart was inspired by and named for Long's daughter, Caroline, who has Rett syndrome, a nervous system disorder that causes multiple disabilities.

Long found it difficult to maneuver Caroline's wheelchair and a traditional shopping cart when she went grocery shopping, so she designed Caroline's Cart with a special seat for her daughter and space for her groceries.

Over the years, the cart has become popular among parents of special needs children and organizations that advocate for people with disabilities.

A major development came nearly three years ago, when North Carolina-based Technibilt Ltd. began manufacturing Caroline's Cart. The carts are customized to match store color schemes, so those in Target stores will be red and stamped with the company's bullseye logo.

In a company statement, Target said the suggestion to look at Caroline's Cart came from one of its employees, who has a special needs child.

The Target version of Caroline's Cart, which the company will begin rolling out to most of its store across the nation in March. (Special to AL.com/Target)

"Caroline's Cart can be a game-changer for families, and we're excited to offer this for our guests across the country," Juan Galarraga, senior vice president, Store Operations, for the company, said. "Target is always looking for new ways to make guests feel welcome in our stores and give them a more comfortable shopping experience. We're always listening to both our guests and team members and making changes based their feedback."

At least one Caroline's Cart is expected to be available in each of Target's U.S. stores, except for a handful of the smallest stores that don't have full-size shopping carts. Many stores will have more than one Caroline's Cart, depending on customers' needs, Target said.

Long, who originally sketched the design for Caroline's Cart on a napkin, said it's exciting to see how far the idea has come.

She credits thousands of supporters, who have helped promote Caroline's Cart on social media in all corners of the globe. Daily, she receives pictures from people using the carts, and it's not just parents of special needs children.

The carts, with a seat and harness that can hold up to 250 pounds, are also popular among caregivers for seniors.

Long also credits the support of her husband David, son Matthew, and oldest daughter Mary Grace, who was recently named Alabama's Distinguished Young Woman for 2016.

Long said selling retailers on Caroline's Cart has been challenging, because it's not a product they can put on their shelves and sell for a profit. In fact, providing it as a service for customers comes directly off their bottom line.

But many are now seeing the need.

"This is something I did because I believed in it, and it just took time," she said. "And it has grown from a napkin to nationwide Target!"
Family members of Blake Fitzgerald, who died in a hail of police gunfire early Friday following a multi-state crime spree that included four kidnappings in just six days, took to social media to remember him as a loving brother and son.

His brother, Beverly Hills physician Chris Fitzgerald, announced that Fitzgerald's funeral will be held in his native Joplin, Mo. on Saturday, with visitation on Friday. "I love you for the man you were and I forgive you for the man you became,'' Chris Fitzgerald wrote. "I promise I will let your kids know who their daddy was. Now you're free! Until I see you again, FLY HIGH! I love you bro!"

Blake Fitzgerald was shot to death, and his partner Brittany Harper wounded, just before 1 a.m. Friday, capping a multi-state manhunt for the Missouri couple dubbed the "modern-day Bonnie and Clyde." More than a dozen bullets were aimed at Fitzgerald and Harper when, surrounded by lawmen after a shoe store robbery, two car chases and a foot chase, Fitzgerald pulled a gun. He was hiding behind Harper as the pair tried to enter a Florida family's home.

Fitzgerald was pronounced dead on the scene. Harper, whom authorities said Fitzgerald used as a human shield when the gunfire erupted, was wounded in the leg and ankle. She was taken to Sacred Heart hospital in Pensacola and then booked into the Escambia County Jail about 9 p.m. Friday where she is being held in the jail's infirmary. In Florida, Harper is charged with charged with robbery, two counts of kidnapping and false imprisonment, vehicle theft and home invasion robbery. Her bond is set at $1.16 million.

Prior to Friday's shooting, Fitzgerald and Harper were already charged with crimes in three Alabama cities. Those charges remain in place against Harper.

In Vestavia Hills, Harper is charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping and first-degree theft of property in the abduction of a woman and the theft of her SUV.

In Hoover, she is charged with first-degree robbery in the attempted carjacking of a McDonald's manager.

In Tuscaloosa, she is charged with robbery, kidnapping and theft in the abduction of a hotel night clerk.

In Georgia, Harper is charged with robbery and kidnapping in the abduction of a Perry convenience store clerk.

In the Florida charges, a Feb. 26 court date has been set for Harper.

Brittany Harper is in the infirmary at the Escambia County Jail.

Both Fitzgerald and Harper were from Joplin, where Fitzgerald is no stranger to lawmen. He was arrested in Missouri in 2013 after police say he and another man robbed a 63-year-old woman at knifepoint. Fitzgerald was charged in Jasper County Missouri in 2013 with felony first-degree burglary, vehicle tampering and theft. Police responded to the reported burglary at 2:21 a.m., according to The Joplin Globe. The 63-year-old female victim said the intruders were wearing cloth masks, broke into the house and robbed her at knifepoint, taking prescription medicine, cash and electronic equipment. They left in the victim's vehicle.

Missouri police told AL.com Fitzgerald only spent 120 days in prison on a seven-year sentence.

Cape Girardeau County's James said Fitzgerald and Harper were suspects in two stolen car cases there. On Jan. 26, a black Cadillac was stolen from X-treme Powersports, a used car lot in Webb City, Mo. Two days later, lawmen spotted the stolen Cadillac and tried to pull them over. They refused and the chase was on, James said. Ultimately, deputies lost sight of them.

Later that day, James said, the couple is believed to have broken into a Cape Girardeau home. The suspects got in by smashing through a glass window. There was no one home. They left the stolen Cadillac in the garage, and stole the red Chevrolet Trailblazer that they would ultimately drive to Alabama.

According to the Joplin Globe, Fitzgerald was a high school dropout who Joplin police said "demonstrated a proclivity for drug use and other dangerous behaviors." The Globe also reported that Fitzgerald had been accused of raping a woman in 2013, but the woman ultimately quit cooperating with police and a charge was never filed.

Fitzgerald had a succession of girlfriends before Harper and leaves behind three children, ages 7, 4 and 3 months.

Acquaintances told the Globe that Fitzgerald was living in his parents' home with the mother of the baby up until the middle of last month. He landed a good-paying job driving a forklift about two months ago, but held it for just a couple of weeks. According to the publication, he only recently became involved with Harper, who, by comparison, has had relatively few brushes with local law enforcement. Court records show she went through a divorce a few years ago and has a conviction for driving while intoxicated. She was cited for larceny in a shoplifting incident at Northpark Mall in 2014, according to the Globe.

Fitzgerald and Harper told Tuscaloosa kidnap victim Kyle Dease, the Microtel Inn and Suites clerk, they wanted to get to Panama City where they planned to marry and start a new life together. An acquaintance of the family told AL.com Fitzgerald had grown up vacationing with his family in Florida Panhandle, staying at time shares in Destin and Blue Mountain Beach.

At least one member of Fitzgerald's family reached out to one of the Alabama victims to apologize for what had happened, and Fitzgerald reportedly called his family during his time on the run.

Fitzgerald's brother and mother have not responded to requests for comment. His mother, Renee Beale, posted this on Facebook: "I am the mother of Blake Fitzgerald. I have lost my baby boy forever. Please respect me and our family when you say crude, mean and very bad remarks about my son. No matter what path people take, some good, some bad, he has 3 beautiful children that will someday read about what happened to there (sic) daddy. Remember the next time you post a stupid cruel remark. My heart is broke and will never heal from the loss of my precious son. He was a son, a grandson, a brother, uncle, cousin, friend. He will always be my baby. If you can hear me son, I love you and miss you so much and I always will unconditionally. Love, your momma."
A dead body found along Interstate 65 North near the 246-mile marker in Pelham is believed to be that of a missing person.

Pelham Police Capt. David Rushton said the body hasn't been positively identified yet so a name isn't being released at this time.

Police believe the body is a man reported missing to Pelham police last week.

"The circumstances surrounding the death are still under investigation," he said.

After receiving a 911 call, police found the body of a white man in the woods about 50 yards off Interstate 65.
A judge on Monday set a $1.35 million bond for one of the teens charged in last month's shooting death of a Hoover husband, father and Iraq war veteran.

Bessemer Cutoff Jefferson County Circuit Judge David Hobdy set the bond for Charleston Wells, 16, at a hearing Monday afternoon. The judge set a $1 million bond for the murder charge and a $15,000 bond for each of the nine counts of unlawful breaking and entering of a vehicle Wells' faces.

Wells' attorney called the bond "unreasonable" and some of Wells' family stormed out of the courtroom after the hearing.

"My grandson took no life," Wells' grandmother, Yolanda Snyder, said after the hearing.

Snyder said her grandson has been without his father - her son, Charleston Snyder - since his father was shot to death in Bessemer in 2002.

Hobdy in setting the high bond said this is the worst situation he's seen since he's been on the bench. "This is not going to be tolerated," in the Bessemer division, he said.

Wells is charged in the slaying of 33-year-old Mike Gilotti who was gunned down Jan. 5, and then collapsed and died on the front steps of his Lake Cyrus home. Wells was being held without bond on the murder charge and nine counts of unlawful breaking and entering of a vehicle.

Bessemer Jefferson County District Attorney Bill Veitch laid out Wells' juvenile record over the past two years and the timeline of a string of car break-ins by a gang, to which he alleges Wells belonged, in the days prior to Gilotti's death. One of the breakins included firing shots at a Fultondale man the morning before in a similar situation. The Fultondale man, however, was not wounded.

Among the crimes included on Wells' juvenile record, Veitch said, was menacing for an incident in which he allegedly pulled a pistol on a young lady and told her "bitch I'll shoot you." At some point the victim, also a juvenile, decided not to go forward with charges in that case.

Wells' also had robbery and disorderly conduct charges and while on probation was pleaded to a reduced charge for allegedly breaking and entering into Bessemer High School, Veitch said.

Wells' attorney, Charles Salvagio argued in a written motion and at Monday's hearing that Wells was being held unconstitutionally under a no bond. "The defendant is presumed to be not guilty of these charges. He has no previous history of violence," according to the motion.

Salvagio said that the juvenile robbery charge was dropped.

Wells has strong family support and is a lifelong resident of Jefferson County, Salvagio writes in the motion. "He has no previous history of flight or failure to appear in court," he stated.

Salvagio told Hobdy that he has never been in a bond hearing where someone's juvenile record was read into the open record. "Where's evidence he killed Mr. Gilotti. He's due a reasonable bond," he said.

The reason no bond was set is because the case is high profile, Salvagio argued.

"Yes, it is high profile because it is so prolific," Veitch told the judge, referring to the number of car break-ins and the previous shooting in Fultondale with which the gang is believed to have been involved.

While Veitch had asked for no bond, he was still satisfied with the $1.35 million bond Hobdy set. "I'm satisfied with any bond he (Wells) can't make," he said.

A second teen, 17-year-old Ahmad Johnson, had a 72-hour hearing Monday morning before Hobdy. The judge read Johnson the charges and appointed Bret Gray as his lawyer to represent him. He was indicted on one count of murder and nine counts of breaking and entering of a vehicle.

Johnson is being held in the Jefferson County jail on no bond on the murder charge and $15,000 each on the breaking and entering charge, Gray said.

A status hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. before Hobdy, but Gray said he plans to also make a motion that a bond be set for Johnson prior to that hearing.

Veitch said after the hearing that he believes they have the two shooters in the death of Gilloti in custody. While Gilotti was shot once, two shell casing, one from a .40 caliber pistol and the other from a 9mm pistol were found at the scene. "I think they are both involve in the shooting of Mike Gilotti," he said.

Veitch said he expects more charges to be filed against Wells and Johnson by Fultondale, Pelham, Tuscaloosa County and other jurisdictions where car break-ins have happened.

Investigators said Johnson, Wells and the other suspects are members of a Bessemer-area gang called M-tre, which stands for Money Making Mafia. Though they claim to be aspiring rappers, M-tre members are street criminals who break into cars and commit other crimes to get money. They often post pictures of themselves on Facebook and other social media sites holding guns and money.

Here's the timeline of crimes in the days leading up to Gilotti's death that the gang is believed to have that Veitch described in court:

- Dec. 28, 2015, four unlocked cars are broken into in Trussville and a Tacoma pickup truck is also taken. The gang is rolling through neighborhoods checking cars that are unlocked, Veitch said.

- Dec. 29, the Tacoma is found wrecked with a cellphone recovered that is believed to belong to Wells.

- Dec. 31, a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado is stolen in Pelham and when suspects find a man inside they pull guns and steal the man's money and cellphone. A Pelham police officer stops behind them and when all four windows drop down the officer pulls back and the truck speeds off and a chase ensues on Interstate 65 and police lose them in Bessemer.

- Wells' girlfriend admits to police that Wells contacted her early Jan. 1 from the cellphone belonging to the victim in the Silverado theft. Wells tells his girlfriend that he had lost his phone.

- Jan. 4 about 4:20 a.m. shots are fired at a Fultondale resident as he walked to his vehicle from his house. His 2003 Chevrolet Malibu is stolen.

- Jan. 5 a Chevrolet Tahoe is stolen from McCalla and several vehicles are broken into in Tuscaloosa County. One of those vehicles is that of a Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Deputy and .40 caliber ammunition and a Taser are taken in that theft. A 2004 Ford F250 pickup is also stolen in Tuscaloosa county and when it is recovered later that day property from the Hoover car break-ins is inside.

- At 4:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. Gilotti is shot and a .40 caliber and 9 mm shell casings are recovered. Video surveillance from the neighborhood shows the Ford F250 pickup stolen that night out of Tuscaloosa County.

- Jan. 7 Bessemer police recover the Chevrolet Malibu in possession of Johnson and a .40 caliber and 9mm pistol was also recovered. Wells fingerprints were in the car. The Ford F250 also had Wells' fingerprints inside.

At least two other suspects are in custody on other charges, but they have not yet been named or charged in Gilotti's death.

Johnson's name was one of several that emerged very early in this investigation. He was arrested on January 7 by Bessemer police officers, Rector said. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of two guns and also was driving a stolen vehicle that also contained several other stolen items.

Gilotti was shot to death about 4:55 a.m. just outside his home in the 5500 block of Park Side Circle in Hoover's Lake Cyrus subdivision. He was heading to the gym for a morning workout when police say he encountered one or more suspects breaking into his car. According to the affidavit used to secure the murder warrant against Wells, his wife, Heather Gilotti, heard two gunshots and then heard a vehicle "with a large engine" pulling away from the scene. Gilotti collapsed on his doorstep. He was later pronounced dead on the scene.

Police said Wells and Johnson are among several suspects, and they are not yet saying who pulled the trigger. All four suspects range in age from 16-20.
One man was killed and two others injured in a crash Sunday afternoon in Cullman County.

Jimmy Ray Wakefield, 44, of Jasper was driving a Mazda pickup truck around 3:32 p.m. on Alabama 69, about eight miles south of Dodge City, when his truck collided with a Chevy truck driven by Kenny Hamm, 32, of Bay Minette, according to troopers. Wakefield was killed in the crash.

Hamm and a passenger in his truck were taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. Their conditions were not immediately available Monday morning.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Hazel Green crash.jpg

First responders and utility crews work the scene of a fatal crash in Hazel Green on Sunday night. (WAFF 48)

A Tennessee man was killed Sunday night in a crash in Hazel Green, according to Alabama troopers.

The crash happened around 7:25 p.m. in the area of Highway 231 and West Limestone Road, about eight miles north of Huntsville, when Frankie K. Stewart, 53, of Fayetteville lost control of his Chevy pickup truck and struck a utility pole. Stewart, who was not wearing a seat belt, was taken to Huntsville Hospital, where he later died.

Power in the area was out for several hours and the southbound lanes of Highway 231 were shut down as first responders worked the scene. The crash is still under investigation, troopers report.

Updated at 9:28 a.m. Monday with the identity of the man killed.
The Florida senator senselessly walked into Chris Christies trap and was swallowed whole.

Marco Rubio must have spent Sunday waiting for the latest polls, waiting for television figures, waiting to see how much damage has been done to his campaign.

The Florida senator went on stage in New Hampshire for the latest candidate debate on Saturday night, buoyed by the momentum of his third-place finish in Iowa which brought a number of endorsements from prominent Republican figures.

He was the surging candidate.

A good second-place finish in the first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday and he would certainly be the anointed establishment candidate. And a good performance in the debate would help seal the deal.

But for the first 40 minutes he must have wished he was anywhere else.

It wasnt that it was a bad night  it was awful.

READ MORE: Rubio takes fire at US Republican debate

In an exchange that quickly went viral, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie dismantled the way he answered questions.

It started with a question from the moderator.

Was Rubio just a good talker with nothing to show for it?  a constant line of attack for Republicans on President Barack Obama.

Rubio was ready, he was prepared and he went on the offensive: Lets dispel once and for all with this fiction that Barack Obama doesnt know what hes doing. He knows exactly what hes doing. Barack Obama is undertaking a systematic effort to change this country, to make America more like the rest of the world.

This is where Christie stepped in. The New Jersey Governor claimed Rubio didnt have the experience to be president or to make the big decisions required of the office. Rubio hit back, attacking Christies record in his state and then repeating almost line for line his Obama attack.

In previous debates, things had moved on. But if Christie wants to be successful in New Hampshire, he has to tear down Rubio  and so he highlighted the Rubio technique of answering.

He told the audience and the millions at home: There it is, we get the drive-by shot with incorrect and incomplete information, then the memorised 25-second speech that is exactly what his advisers gave him.

Rubio responded by incredibly repeating the Obama line, not once but twice. He simply reinforced the Christie attack that he wasnt smart enough or experienced enough to think on his feet but was simply reciting points that would make a great soundbite and had probably been focus-tested with potential voters.

It was perhaps made worse by Christie drawing attention to it  proving to everyone the emperor has no clothes: There it is. The memorised 25-second speech. There it is, everybody 

If Christie wanted to alert the New Hampshire public to his allegation that Rubio has a youthful appeal and nothing else, he was ably assisted by Rubio himself. He senselessly walked into the trap and was swallowed whole.

To be fair, Rubio recovered a little later in the debate, but the damage was done. Every response had the audience thinking: Have I heard this from him before? Is this what he really thinks?

But while Rubio may be damaged, theres no guarantee that votes he might lose will go directly to Christie. He is battling with Ohio Governor John Kasich and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush for a select part of the electorate.

All three have banked on kick-starting their campaign in New Hampshire and all three are hopeful of doing well. They all need a good finish here to go on. They are seen as the other establishment figures ready to take the fight to the upstart outsiders, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

By tearing down the surging Rubio, they may constrict the field once more, putting little between them in the final polls.

And that might offer a clearer run to victory for the men they really want to stop.
As they took her into surgery, I asked her to fight, but whispered that I would understand if she could not.

Sweden, Stockholm  I remember the voice in my head when the doctor told us, explaining in precise medical terminology, that our newborn daughter suffered from not one but four congenital heart defects. But will she survive? it asked over and over again  sometimes in a whisper, sometimes in a shout.

Our worlds had started to crumble 24 hours after she was born, when doctors noticed that something was amiss with her heart rate. Several tests later and, at 1.40am on May 7, 2013, the news was broken to us.

Since it was the middle of the night, there were no translators available to convey the doctors message to my non-Swedish-speaking husband, Mohammed. So they insisted that I translate  words and details I could not even process.

I remember his gaze: the way he watched me crumble, understanding more from my body language and expressions than he ever might from words anyway. I remember the way his eyes pleaded with me to make some kind of sense of what was unfolding before him.

So the doctor spoke and I immediately turned his Swedish words into Arabic ones for Mohammed.

Surgery was scheduled. Surgery in which she would have the blood drained from her tiny body and her legs frozen as a machine kept her alive. I imagined it, visualised it  our baby lying on an operating table, her bloodless body surrounded by strangers, helpless and alone. It is a mental image I still struggle to shake off.

But she would have to endure 10 difficult days in intensive care before that could happen, with tubes and needles invading almost every part of her, from her navel to her nose.

We waited for the day of the surgery with a growing sense of dread and hope  the kind that weighs you down, physically, mentally and emotionally; that settles across your shoulders and forms in the pit of your stomach.

Becoming Noor

For the first eight days of her life, our little girl had been nameless  referred to by the hospital staff simply as baby Mohammed Naib, after my father. But as the day loomed, we knew that should anything go wrong, we did not want her leaving this world without a name of her own. We settled on Noor. It means light in Arabic, and how desperate we were to see her lead us out of the darkness.

When the time came to hand her over to the medical team, I asked her to fight, but whispered that I would understand if she could not, if she needed to let go. I knew it could well be the last time that I would see her alive.

And then my world seemed to stop. Time moved so slowly that I felt each second as it passed. I lay in bed, I listened to recitals of the Quran, I watched Hells Kitchen on television. And I felt, actually felt, the combined force of peoples prayers  the friends and family around the globe who I knew were praying, in which ever way felt right to them, for Noor.

My body pulsated with the time bomb that seemed to be ticking away inside it. And then, four hours in, the call came: everything was going well. It felt as though I had been holding my breath and could finally exhale.

It was another four hours before the surgery was over. And another 40 minutes until we could see Noor. When we did, she did not resemble the baby I had handed over. Swollen and pale, she was being kept asleep so that her body could recover. Blood was being drained from her via a tube in her stomach. A life support machine breathed for her.

I decided then to take a picture of Noor showing all the tubes that pierced her tiny, swollen body. I wanted a constant reminder of that moment, and something to show her when the day comes to explain her scar; the scar that will for ever symbolise her membership of an exclusive club of broken-hearted heroes. It is a club I would never have wanted her to join, but she did and she survived it.

The next day, they took her off the life-support machine, but she still had not fully come round. As they began to reduce her morphine levels, she went through the symptoms of withdrawal, much like those a drug addict would experience  she would shake, even her lips and eyes would tremble. It was difficult to watch. But I had to.

For a long time, I was afraid of touching her. Doctors had warned me not to lift her from beneath her arms for at least three months. Her chest bones were still healing and something as normal to a parent as lifting their child  to hug or wind her  could risk opening her chest.

Around a million children suffer from some kind of heart defect globally. Almost 1,000 children are diagnosed with a congenital heart defect annually in Sweden alone. Noor was one of the lucky ones. Lunds University Hospital , where she was operated on, is one of the best in the world in this field.

We met many families during our time there  complete strangers we somehow felt closer to than anybody else in that moment; parents in whose eyes we saw the same fears and hopes, in whose silence we found acknowledgment of our own pain. I always wonder what happened to babies Maiky and Niazy, Noors room-mates in intensive care at different times during her stay. I hope that they, too, pulled through.

Before this I did not know much about congenital heart defects, but since Noors surgery I have educated myself about it. I know family members and friends have, too. I joined an online support group for parents  those who have lost children, those whose children have been through surgery and those whose children are still waiting for theirs.

It was my youngest sister, Dalia, who first found and joined the group  relaying the information she had learned from it back to us as we sat by Noors side in the hospital. It became like a virtual extended family.

There was one family in the group whose child had the same diagnosis as Noor.

The father of that family, Kenneth Bjorkman, was in touch with my sister and, via his blog, I knew what to expect in the weeks and months to come. That knowledge was crucial; it kept me going over one hurdle after another.

As the third anniversary of Noors surgery approaches, I feel the same emotions resurfacing and find myself looking again at that picture. To me, it represents sadness, strength and, more than anything else, survival.

Noor has to have annual check-ups. She still has two small holes in her heart, but they are closing. These yearly appointments will remain a reality for us until we hear those magic words: all clear. But, for now, she is fine. She is a survivor, a fighter, a hero. And that is something to celebrate.

You can follow Fatma Naib on Twitter @FatmaNaib
Chinese communities around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year.

From China to Mexico, colourful festivities got under way on Monday as people welcomed the first day of the Year of the Monkey.

In Chinas capital, Beijing, the Lunar New Year was rung in by the striking of a large bell which is believed to help drive away bad luck and bring good fortune.

In Mexico City, dragon dances took centre stage at the celebrations, while in Australia a dazzling fireworks display featured among the festivities.
While for much of 2015 oil traders were fixated on the United States shale oil producers, Chinese energy consumption and the actions of Saudi Arabian oil minister Ali al-Naimi, this summer they are also likely to be keeping a close eye on OPECs second-largest producer, Iraq, where instability could curtail the nations oil production and move global crude markets.

Over the past 18 months the south of Iraq has seen a surge in crime, including murders, kidnapping, armed robberies, extortion and drug trafficking.

High-profile incidents included the shooting of an Italian oil worker in August 2015 in Basra, the murder of two oilfield engineers who were working on the Az-Zubair field in November, and the kidnapping of 26 Qatari hunters in Muthanna province in December.

Tribal violence has also increased as state control has receded and tribes have filled the vacuum, playing a greater part in dealing out justice and resolving regional disputes.

Since the beginning of 2015 tribal conflicts have left dozens dead, including women and children. These deaths have sparked mass protests demanding better state-provided security and prompted Iraqs top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, to call for an end to the clashes.

Disarming militants

In early 2016 Baghdad moved to try to clamp down on criminal and tribal violence in the south, sending federal forces armed with heavy weapons and tanks into Basra to try to confiscate weapons from militant groups in the region.

On January 15, the government announced that more than 30 people had been detained in the operation and weapons including rocket-propelled grenades and mortars had been seized during raids on houses.

The failure of the central government to disarm renegade militants and sooth tribal tensions at the beginning of the year has underlined the limits of Baghdad's influence in the region. by

However, the operations success was short-lived and what was originally intended as a show of force quickly turned into an embarrassing demonstration of the central governments declining influence in Iraqs south.

According to security sources, most of the additional forces that were sent into Basra in January were withdrawn after just over a week following reports of disagreements with powerful Shia militia members over weapon confiscations.

Stability in Iraqs south is expected to further deteriorate over 2016 as budget problems in Baghdad limit the governments ability to provide basic necessities to citizens.

In 2015 Baghdad has seen its budget deficit expand rapidly owing to extra spending on the ongoing war against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the collapse in oil prices, which have fallen by two thirds since June 2014 due to increased production in the US, OPECs decision not to reduce production, and slowing growth in China.

In October, Iraqs government forecast a deficit worth 11.9 percent of gross domestic product for 2016. That figure is now expected to be even higher owing to further declines in the price of oil.

Baghdads financial crisis has frozen activity on thousands of important infrastructure projects across the country  something that could prove especially significant in the south, which regularly sees disruptive protests during the summer months because of electricity blackouts, high pollution levels, and inadequate supplies of fresh water.

OPINION: Arabs in the eye of history

In the past year, almost nothing has been done to improve power and water infrastructure around Basra  and the budget crisis has created new problems, including job losses and delayed salary payments.

Owing to the governments failure to address the grievances of communities in Basra, Iraqi officials are expecting the summer of 2016 to be the most disruptive season of protests on record, and some fear it could potentially affect the regions oil exports.

Economic impact

Over the past three years Iraqi oil exports have shown incredible resilience, hitting new highs despite ISIL taking control of large swaths of the country in June 2014.

One of the key factors behind Iraqs success in increasing oil output amid political turmoil is geographical.

More than three quarters of the countrys oil is produced and exported from Basra and neighbouring provinces in the south, which lie more than 500km from the fighting with ISIL.

In January Iraq exported an average of 3.88 million barrels a day, including exports from Iraqi Kurdistan.

OPINION: Iraqs future  Its the oil, stupid

This is 660,000 barrels a day more than it was exporting before ISILs advance across the country in the summer of 2014, which saw the group secure around a third of the countrys territory.

Just how long this impressive export growth can be sustained remains to be seen, and 2016 could well prove to be a key test for oil companies active in Basra.

Though the regions oilfields and related facilities are well-fortified and international oil companies can rely on several layers of security, including government-provided oilfield protection forces and private contractors, the environment in which oil companies are operating is almost certainly going to get more difficult.

The failure of the central government to disarm renegade militants and soothe tribal tensions at the beginning of the year has underlined the limits of Baghdads influence in the region.

Additionally, failure to provide adequate power and water infrastructure is likely to fuel public anger and separatist sentiment, which could potentially be channelled by political groups looking to further undermine the central government.

All this has ramped up risk for oil companies operating around Basra, which could potentially become targets for the regions well-armed militant groups that are increasingly acting with impunity.

As Basras oil exports are the biggest single source of income for Iraqs government, any kind of sustained period of disruption to operations would be devastating for the countrys already fragile economy and would significantly affect its efforts to fight ISIL in the north.

Additionally, an unexpected cut in Iraqi oil production would deliver a shock beyond the countrys borders, applying upward pressure to global crude prices and making Iraq a key market to observe for oil traders in 2016 along with the US, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.

Wil Crisp is an energy and industry reporter for Middle East Economic Digest.
The US better safe than sorry approach to the Middle East has proven dangerous

Ill be writing plenty about US foreign policy in the next few weeks as there is a lot to say about Barack Obamas two-term presidency, and there are various ways to scrutinise his approach to the greater Middle East, be it strategic, political, ideological or even personal.

For starters, Id like to focus on what struck me this past weekend listening to the Republican debate on leadership. And by that I dont mean their bombastic bull***t about making the US great again through more bombing of the Middle East, or their paranoiac patriotism.

Once youve gone beyond the scripted speeches, soundbites and cliches, youll notice how the debate about leadership is primarily divided between the three governors and two senators, the other two weasels, Donald Trump and Ben Carson notwithstanding.

All-talk, no-walk senators

Governor Chris Christie was explicit about the difference between being a governor and a senator candidate for the presidency.

During their heated exchange, the New Jersey governor bashed Senator Marco Rubio as another Washington show horse from the US Senate.

READ MORE: Obamas Palestine policy  slogans and throwaway phrases

According to the Washington Post, Christie owned the senator when he ridiculed his stump 25-second speeches and contrasted Rubios Senate speech-making with his own record as a governor who had to solve real problems.

They might appear sharp and controversial, even hostile on C-Span ... but in the hallways these back-slapping men are the best of friends. by

When youre president of the US, when youre a governor of a state, the memorised 30-second speech where you talk about how great America is at the end of it doesnt solve one problem for one person, said the hack-and-slash governor.

Every morning when a US senator wakes up, they think about what kind of speech can I give, or what kind of bill can I drop? the New Jersey governor lamented. Every morning, when I wake up, I think about what kind of problem do I need to solve for the people who actually elected me. Its a different experience.

And in the previous debate, Christie joked some more: I agree with what Senator Rubio said himself. He said just two weeks ago senators and congressmen cant solve Americas problems. I couldnt agree with him more.

Joking aside, not all senators-come-presidents can be judged solely on these grounds. The US has had 16 of them, including Richard Nixon, who was anything but indecisive and an all-but-convicted war criminal. The same goes for governors, and I dont only mean Christies poor record. Look at George Bush. Need I say more?

So why is any of that relevant to US foreign policy, notably in the Middle East, and more particularly, Syria, Iraq and Palestine, for example?

Senators Obama and co.

With Christies words about all-talk-no-action in mind, notice that Obama and his two secretaries of state, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, as well as his vice president, Joe Biden, were all senators, the last two serving for two or three decades, respectively. Not forgetting the ill-fated secretary of defense, Senator Chuck Hagel.

Their capacity for talking so much and saying so little is astonishing. Their verbosity is unpalatable.

Obama, a commander-in-speech in his own right, can take on any crowd, preferably with prompter with unmatched skill and wit, to deliver one sermon after another, be it in Cairo, Istanbul, Jerusalem, or Oslo, Prague, and the United Nations.

His inspirational speeches promised a new world, but his policies, or lack thereof, deliver more or less the same old and tired world, and more chaotic.

He might have ended the US war in Iraq in one way and signed a nuclear deal with Iran, but his inaction in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, etc, have made matters far worse than when he took office.

READ MORE: Thank you Obama for your mosque speech

I dont mean he should have intervened militarily on the ground to remove dictators. Rather, acted decisively, both diplomatically and strategically, to prevent genocide in Syria, such as by establishing a no-fly zone along with Turkey and others. Or by limiting the Iranian intervention in Iraq and the rise of a sectarian regime in Baghdad under Nouri al-Maliki.

Certainly by pressuring Israel to end its occupation and punishing General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for his coup detat and repression.

Its perhaps telling that after taking its time to take a stand on Egypts military coup, the Obama administration concluded: We have determined that we dont need to make a determination.

To solve all these urgent crises and end the bloodshed, some of which Washington helped to start, Kerry reckons all we need to do to get things done is to talk the hell out of them. All you need to do to get enemies to kiss and make up is to get the protagonists into a room and talk them through it. Thats what they do in the Senate.

The kings of pork

Unfortunately, theres more to the Senate political culture than just talk. Senators  or the kings of pork, as they have been called  always ask whats in it for them before delivering any speech, taking any action or passing a law.

Senators ... always ask what's in it for them before delivering any speech, take any action or pass a law. by

To them, special interests come first, constituency second, and the country a distant third. Whats good for the world beyond their borders counts very little, if at all.

And regardless of their differences, they always act with such camaraderie and complicity among themselves.

They might appear sharp and controversial, even hostile on C-Span, the network dedicated to their stump speeches, but in the hallways these back-slapping men are the best of friends.

Take no risks; better to be safe than sorry. And you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours, should be the US Senate motto.

This political culture goes a long way to explaining the foreign policy mentality of the Obama administration, whose slogan has long been Dont do stupid sh*t.

This comes from the guy who wrote The Audacity of Hope, and whose campaign was based on the slogan Yes, we can.

Call me idealistic, but I think leaving hundreds of thousands of Syrians to die in vain is stupid sh*t.

Marwan Bishara is the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
While some level of polarisation is probably inevitable in every society, it seems particularly pernicious in Turkey these days. Since its founding in 1923, Turkey has been a country of sharp divisions, usually between secularist republicans and religious conservatives.

Lately, however, it is not only the political parties that have become more distant from each other, a survey shows that the countrys population has also grown alarmingly divided.

Accordingly  despite a few exceptions  the majority of citizens in Turkey now think along partisan lines on everything. Besides habitual tensions such as lifestyle differences, ideological proclivities are now spurring new tensions between citizens.

There is no single cause for this polarisation. A constellation of past and recent events  alongside long-standing divisions  contribute to enduring fault lines in the country.

Government responsibility?

The Justice and Development Party (AK party) government has won consecutive elections during its 14 years in power, while consolidating its votes and gaining ever more influence. Yet, despite all the positive transformations in Turkey during its rule, its consolidation of power has not necessarily added to societys wellbeing.

In Turkey, a country of myriad self-righteous groups claiming absolute certainty, the only medicine can be more pluralisms of all sorts. by

Scholarly opinion differs: Some argue that polarisation is embedded in Turkish political life through military interventions, top-down institutional arrangements, the rising of identity politics and the disappearance of political centres.

Others highlight the escalation of polarisation under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, noting that it goes back to the 2011 elections when the AK party won with a big mandate, and later has fallen into an era of corruption.

The presidential system which Erdogan wants to introduce  effectively altering the parliamentary system that is in place  continues to be another source of polarisation.

Nuray Mert, an academic and journalist, further argues that Turkish politics is now dominated by the unfinished revolution of the ruling AK party, which has come to see its rule as one with a revolutionary mission.

Moreover, following the elections in June 2015, no single party managed to secure a majority to form the government. Mert argues that the failure of the AK party and the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) to form a grand coalition was a missed opportunity for Turkey to end its polarisation.

Now, polls show that Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorism tops the list of everyones concerns, but anti-terrorism operations are simultaneously provoking ethnic polarisation and strife between Turks and Kurds.

Moreover, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorism is aggravating the blame game. As the number of hostilities between different political and social groups in Turkey keeps widening, the use of alienating language by high-profile political leaders contributes to amplify the us versus them divisions.

OPINION: Turkey with Erdogan is heading to havoc

Simultaneously, the labelling, stigmatising and demonizing trend is continuing. Professor Serpil Sancar, the dean of Political Sciences Department of Ankara University, speaks of a proliferation of lynch groups and gangs on the streets.

The presence of these agitated masses is not only a reflection of an authoritarian state, but also of the culture of violence, polarisation and inciting to hostility, she says. For different reasons, the anger levels and tensions have brought Turkish society to the borderline of insanity.

Media and academia under pressure

Reactions to recent domestic political developments mirror how polarisation deeply divides Turkeys social fabric. For example, Can Dundar, the editor-in-chief of the left-leaning daily Cumhuriyet, and Erdem Gul, the papers Ankara bureau chief, were arrested on November 26 on heavy charges, including military espionage, helping a terrorist organisation and revealing state secrets after they published leaked footage of Turkeys Central Intelligence Organisation officials filmed carrying trucks-load of weapons and ammunition to an undisclosed location in northern Syria. But, while many condemned this arrest, others thought Dundar deserved it as yet another state traitor.

OPINION: Turkey with Erdogan is avoiding chaos

Recently, Turks also have become split over whether Beyazit Ozturk, the popular talkshow host, spread terrorist propaganda when he encouraged an audience to applaud a phone guest from Diyarbakir who called for the recognition of the violent conflict that has been going on in southeast of the country between the Turkish security forces and the outlawed PKK.

Furthermore, many academics have been blamed for terrorist propaganda when they released a a call for a peace manifesto to end the hostilities in southeast Turkey, contributing to the furthering chasm between perceived nation-lovers and enemies from within.

When Turkeys Ministry of National Education announced that Arabic courses would be offered to students in elementary schools starting in second grade from the next academic year, it served as another source of polarisation.

It is no longer only policy disputes that cause polarisation. Families are becoming divided over politics, and friendships are being broken.

Online debates are as toxic as offline animosities. Social media only worsens the polarisation, as others elsewhere confirm that social media is better at breaking things than at making things.

Ahmet Hakan, the popular columnist who was attacked outside his home by apparently pro-government thugs, complains of vitriolic messages from all sides. Most Turks have tended to see things in black or white, but now it is difficult to find any common ground with people adopting diametrically opposed positions on all sorts of issues.

Hence, the consequences are problematic and far-reaching. Drafting a new constitution will be impossible in this toxic environment of polarisation, erosion of a common and good reference and distrust  unless somehow the AK party manages to draft it by itself, which will probably only deepen the polarisation.

Additionally, as Cansen Basaran-Symes, the chairwoman of the Turkish Industry and Business Association, warned, escalated polarisation also threatens the investment environment. Yet, two years ago President Erdogan had blamed the previous chairman, Muharrem Yilmaz, for treason, for similarly warning about increasing tensions in the country.

In Turkey, a country of myriad self-righteous groups claiming absolute certainty, the only medicine can be more pluralisms. Alongside Turkish political culture  harsh, patriarchal and communitarian  excessive chauvinism will keep the country in deadlock.

Those political leaders who are willing to cooperate, to go forward with more self-control and kinder behaviour, might take Turkey out of its currently alarming impasse.

Riada Asimovic Akyol is pursuing her doctorate in International Relations at Galatasaray University in Istanbul. She has been a contributing writer for Al-Monitor and other publications.
Deaths come as Turkish and German officials hold talks to stem the flow of refugees.

At least 33 refugees drowned off Turkeys Aegean coast as they tried to reach a Greek island, and a search and rescue operation was under way for the remaining passengers.

Turkeys private Dogan News Agency, which reported the 33 deaths on Monday, said that one boat set sail from Turkeys Edremit coastal district and the other from the town of Dikili, further south.

Both were headed for the Greek island of Lesbos, just a few kilometres away.

One refugee was rescued by a fisherman and three more were rescued by the coastguard, which said it had deployed boats and helicopters to search for 13 more passengers.

A coastguard official told Reuters the death toll was lower, at 22.

READ MORE: Life-jacket mountain a metaphor for Greeces refugees

Mondays deaths came as Turkish and German officials held talks to stem the flow of refugees bound for Europe.

The deaths also came as tens of thousands of Syrians remain stranded at the border with Turkey after fleeing a Russia-backed government offensive in Aleppo.

More than 900,000 people fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other war-torn or impoverished countries arrived in Greece from Turkey last year, often risking their lives in the short but perilous sea crossing in overloaded boats.

Last month marked the deadliest January on record for refugees trying to reach Europe, as more than 250 died while making the journey.
Taliban claim responsibility for suicide attack in the countrys Balkh province that left 18 injured.

At least three Afghan soldiers have been killed and 18 wounded after a suicide bomber blew himself up near an army minibus in Afghanistans northern Balkh province, according to officials.

The attack took place in Dehdadi district near the Afghan Army 209 corps, which serves as the northern army command.

Three Afghan army soldiers died and 18 others were wounded in the attack, Munir Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

Farhad added that the suicide bomber was on foot.

READ MORE: Q&A  Afghanistans Tajiks plea for federalism

No civilians were hurt in the attack, according to Balkh police spokesman Sher Mohammad Durani.

In an email sent to the media by the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Taliban fighters have increased their attacks recently across the country against Afghan security forces.

One policeman was killed in a roadside bomb explosion in the countrys Logar province on Sunday, while eight others were wounded in the attack which took place in Puli Alim.

Officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China have been trying to lay the groundwork for talks with the Taliban, which has made gains since the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan in 2014.

Meetings have been held in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, as well as in Kabul, emphasising the need for a dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
Jocelyn Elliot hopes Dr Ken Elliott, with whom she ran a clinic near Mali border for 40 years, will be released soon.

An Australian woman who was freed by al-Qaeda after three weeks in captivity has said that her husband, who was seized with her in Burkina Faso, was still alive and she hoped he too would be released soon.

Jocelyn Elliott, 76, gave no further details of the couples captivity but her comment provided the first confirmation that her husband, Dr Ken Elliott, 81, was still alive.

The couple were seized on January 15 from the town of Djibo, near Burkina Fasos border with Mali, where they have operated a 120-bed clinic for more than 40 years.

I really hope to be with my husband soon so that we can again go to Djibo and continue [our work], she said after meeting Burkina Faso President Roch Marc Kabore.





Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said last week that it had kidnapped the couple and would release the woman unconditionally due to public pressure and guidance from al-Qaeda leaders not to involve women in war.

It is our religious duty to respect the civilians, based on the Prophets hadith on not harming women, the elderly and the children, and based on the guidance by our commanders, the audio statement released by the group said.

The couple were abducted from the town on the same day that al-Qaeda fighters raided a restaurant and hotel in Burkina Fasos capital, Ouagadougou, and killed 30 people, many of whom were foreigners.

Nigers President Mahamadou Issoufou presented Elliott at a news conference on Saturday.

But since then she has given no details of her kidnap, captivity or release.

She expressed gratitude to the governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and Australia for her release and said she was very happy to be back amidst my Burkinabe family.
Protesters urge government to let 267 asylum seekers, who came to Australia for medical treatment, stay in the country.

Dozens of rallies have taken place across Australia as protesters called on the government to stop the deportation of scores of asylum seekers after a failed legal challenge in the High Court last week.

Mondays demonstrations came as five state and territory ministers urged Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to let the 267 refugees stay in the country.

The group of asylum seekers, including 37 babies who were born in Australia, were brought to the country from Manus Island and Nauru for medical treatment.

They now face deportation to offshore centres on the islands with only 72 hours notice after the High Court ruled that they could not stay in Australia.

READ MORE: Court rules on Australias refugee-detention policy

The High Court decision was disappointing but the public response has been truly incredible, said Daniel Webb, director of Legal Advocacy from the Human Rights Law Centre, who had brought the legal challenge to the High Court.

Doctors, churches and the UN have all urged Turnbull to let the 267 people stay and now state and territory leaders around the country are reminding us what strong moral leadership looks like.

Hamid [name changed on request] is among the asylum seekers facing deportation, along with his sister and his 69-year-old mother.

Having been both to Nauru and Manus Island, he travelled with his sister to Australia from Nauru early last year to accompany their mother, who needed urgent medical care.

Im a 27-year-old man who has lost his mental and emotional strength, Hamid told Al Jazeera via email from a detention centre in Darwin, Australia.

If my mother returns to Nauru, her physical and mental health will worsen. I dont want to lose my mother. My mother is the oldest person in detention. She is always crying and hitting herself.

"Ring the bells! Let them stay!" chants the crowd, as the bells of #sanctuary ring over Sydney #LetThemStay pic.twitter.com/aHFlnvD4Wj  Alycia Gawthorne (@alyciagawthorne) February 8, 2016

Earlier on Monday, Andrew Barr, the chief minister of the Australian Capital Territory, joined four other state and territory ministers in calling on the prime minister to allow those individuals to stay in the country.

Were all reaching out to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull now to say we can do better as a country, Barr told ABC radio.

Malcolm Turnbull is not Tony Abbott. In all of my experience, he is a caring man and I hope he can demonstrate that through doing the right thing here.

Dangerous, cruel and causing trauma

Jane Lynch, a local engineer, took her two young daughters to the protest in Gosford, north of Sydney.

It [the situation] makes me incredibly angry and sad and I will continue to protest until this government stops the cruelty, Lynch said.

Each day these children, women and men spend in these detention centres is dangerous, cruel and causing trauma. When my children are old enough to understand, I dont know how I will ever explain to them that we let this happen to these children.

Sally Thompson, from the Perth-based Refugee Rights Action Network, has been in regular contact with many of those facing deportation.

They [those facing deportation] have been taken for medical examination and these tests are usually fit to fly tests, she said.

In recent days, refugee advocates have also been barred from visiting those who are in detention. These people, many of whom are still very ill, are terrified that they will soon be sent back to Nauru and Manus Island.
Interior minister rejects claims Giulio Regeni, found dead in Cairo on February 3, was arrested by police and tortured.

Egypt has rejected claims that security forces were involved in the case of Italian Giulio Regeni, who was found dead bearing signs of torture after disappearing in Cairo last month.

Regeni, a University of Cambridge PhD student, disappeared on January 25 and was found dead on February 3 in a ditch in a Cairo suburb.

This did not happen, Magdy Abdel Ghaffar, Egypts interior minister, said on Monday when a reporter asked if Regeni had been arrested by the police.



Egypt: Is the medias Sisi-mania waning?

It is completely unacceptable that such accusations be directed at the interior ministry, he said.

This is not Egyptian security policy  Egyptian security has never been accused of such a matter.

Critics in Egypt accuse the interior ministry and several policemen of using excessive force. Several policemen are being tried for torture-related deaths.

The ministry says these are isolated cases.

After the students remains were repatriated at the weekend, an Italian autopsy concluded that he was killed by a violent blow to the base of the skull, having already suffered multiple fractures all over his body.

Rights activists and several opposition groups say Regeni, who was doing research on Egyptian trade union movements, had been arrested by the police and tortured.

READ MORE: Egypts system of injustice

The diplomatic community and the Italian media have also raised the possibility of torture.

Abdel Ghaffar further said that Regeni had not been arrested and that his death was certainly a criminal act.

He said no suspects had yet been arrested.

We are still in the phase of information-gathering. This matter needs some time, he said.

Global rights groups have regularly denounced mysterious disappearances of activists and the torture and beating of detainees in Egyptian detention centres.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has urged security forces to restrain themselves after several cases of people dying in custody emerged in recent months.

Regeni went missing in central Cairo while on the way to meet a friend on January 25, the fifth anniversary of the start of the uprising against longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

On the anniversary Cairo was quiet, with police deployed across the city to prevent any demonstrations.
Measure aims to mandate public-funding disclosure from Israeli groups receiving more than half of funding from abroad.

The Israeli Knesset has prepared to advance a controversial bill targeting non-governmental organisations that receive funding from foreign governments, amid accusations of a crackdown on human rights groups critical of Israeli policy.

Introduced by Ayelet Shaked, the justice minister who is a member of the ultra-nationalist Jewish Home party, the bill will require NGOs who receive more than half of their funding from foreign governments to detail their finances online, as well as in public and promotional documents.

Dozens of Knesset members queued on Monday to speak about the bill in front of their colleagues, as reported by the Times of Israel.



UpFront  Does the Israeli occupation fuel extremism?

An earlier requirement of the bill stipulated that these organisations employees would be mandated to wear badges labelling them as being funded by foreign governments during visits to the Knesset, Israels parliament.

However, that was dropped last month when amendments were made.

Shaked and supporters of the bill claimed that it was designed for transparency.

In effect, however, the bill will impact human rights organisations because right-wing groups and settler organisations mostly receive money from private individuals.

Last month, Shaked defend the bill after the US ambassador to Israel expressed concernduring a meeting with the justice minister. Israel is a strong and lively democracy, one that doesnt need the intervention of other states in internal legislation, Shaked said at the time.

The bill also enjoys the support of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, who said it is much warranted and denied claims that it is anti-democratic.

Steven Beck, director of international relations at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), said that the proposed legislation is another means of harassing and de-legitimising human rights organisations in Israel.

READ MORE: Palestinians in Israel accuse Netanyahu of incitement

ACRI and other civil and human rights groups already disclose their funding with the government and make it public, Beck told Al Jazeera. This isnt a transparency bill  it should be called the redundancy bill.

Noting that ACRI does not receive more than half of its funding from foreign governments, Beck said that the organisation nonetheless opposes the bill on principle.

All it really does is put in the mind of the average Israeli is that organisations fighting for things like human rights are negative and subversive and foreign, he said.

If we are foreign agents for taking foreign money, then the government of Israel is a foreign government for taking aid, Beck added, alluding to the US financial and military support provided to the country.

In a statement published in November, the Israeli rights group BTselem said that that bill is aimed at maligning and defaming organisations that criticise Israels ongoing occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

READ MORE: Concern in Israel over bill on foreign-funded NGOs

Even as things now stand, without the need for any bill, BTselem proudly and gratefully makes public a list of its contributors, the statement said.

If the minister of justice and the prime minister are so concerned over foreign intervention in Israeli politics, they ought to start by waiving the millions from foreign business tycoons they receive for the benefit of primary elections.

Also on Monday, the Israeli government coalition approved Netanyahus new bill enabling members of the Knesset to suspend legislators for unseemly behaviour with 90 votes.

In order to become law, the bill will need to pass several readings in the Knesset.

The bill was announced over the weekend in response to anger over three Knesset members recent visit to the relatives of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces while allegedly carrying out attacks.

Those politicians are Hanin Zoabi, Jamal Zahalka and Bassel Ghattas, all of whom are members of the Joint List, an electoral coalition that is popular among the estimated 1.7 million Palestinians who carry Israeli citizenship and live inside the country.

The Joint Lists Yousef Jabareen, who is a member of the Knesset, blasted that bill as part of Netanyahus campaign against the Arab community and its leaders.

In effect, Jabareen said, the bill would target Palestinian legislators, noting that it comes months after the Israeli government banned the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel.

This is only the latest move in a long string of attempts to  completely disempower the Arab Palestinian leadership [inside Israel] and its community from taking any kind of active role in the state, he told Al Jazeera.

Jabareen said the participation of Palestinian citizens of Israel is an important avenue to protect our community and defend its rights as a native national minority.

Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_
Steps unveiled during Merkels visit include push to halt assault on Syrian city of Aleppo and curb illegal migration.

Turkey and Germany have agreed on a set of measures to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aiming to halt attacks against Aleppo, Syrias largest city.

Officials from the two countries announced on Monday in Ankara that they would also push to curb what they called illegal migration.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was in the Turkish capital for talks on how to reduce the influx of refugees into Europe, said after discussions with Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkeys prime minister, that she was not just appalled but horrified by the suffering caused by Russian bombing in Syria.

Merkel said Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a UN resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on the civilian population.

READ MORE: UN probe finds extermination of detainees in Syria

We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing  primarily from the Russian side, she said.

Under such circumstances, its hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly.

Davutoglu, for his part, said the city of Aleppo was de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy.

Russians are carpet-bombing  they want to clean the entire region so as to make sure the Damascus [Syrian] army will take over and push on to the Turkish border, Cengiz Aktar, a political scientist with the Istanbul Policy Centre, told Al Jazeera.

This will make the lives of refugees more difficult.

Thousands stranded

The Germany-Turkey talks come as tens of thousands of Syrians remain stranded at the border with Turkey after fleeing a Russia-backed government offensive in Aleppo.

Turkey is facing pressure from the European Union to open its border to up to 35,000 Syrians who have massed along the frontier in the past few days, fleeing an onslaught by government forces.

The discussions also came as reports emerged that at least 33 people died off Turkeys coast as they tried to reach Greece.





The coastguard has launched a search-and-rescue mission, including helicopters, to try to find 14 migrants who are reported to be missing.

The International Organization for Migration says that 374 refugees and other migrants have died so far this year while trying to reach Greece.

Turkey, a key country on their route to Europe, is central to Merkels diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow.

Germany saw an unprecedented 1.1 million asylum seekers arrive last year, many of them fleeing the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Davutoglu said that the two countries security forces would increase efforts to thwart illegal migration and combat smuggling groups.

The two leaders would also be trying to get NATOs involvement in the refugee issue, Davutoglu said.

He said they would seek the use of NATOs observation capabilities at the border with Syria and in the Aegean Sea.

He said the two countries aid organisations would cooperate in providing aid to Syrians at the border.

Turkeys contention

Turkey, already home to 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to provide refuge.

It agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help to curb irregular migration.

In return, the EU has pledged 3bn ($3.3bn) to help to improve the condition of refugees, and to grant political concessions to Turkey, including an easing of visa restrictions and the fast-tracking of its EU membership process.

Turkey has since started to require Syrians arriving from developing countries to apply for visas, in an effort to exclude those who aim to continue on to Greece.

Turkey has also agreed to grant work permits to Syrians as an incentive for them to stay in Turkey, and has announced plans to increase coastguards capabilities and designate human smuggling as a form of organised crime  which would bring stiffer punishments.

Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Turkeys Kilis province near the Syria border, said trucks carrying scaffolding were seen passing through the border on Sunday.

We know they are building tents and facilities for the thousands of people camped on the other side of the border, she said.

But there is no movement on this side. Its very quiet and the border is still closed.

Governors account

Suleyman Tapsiz, governor of Kilis, said Turkey was taking care of the tens of thousands of refugees who had gathered around the nearby Syrian city of Azaz over the space of 48 hours.

Another 70,000 refugees may head for the frontier if Russian air strikes and Syrian regime military advances continue in Aleppo, Tapsiz said.

Carrying their few belongings, Syrians queued in the cold and rain in squalid camps waiting for tents that are being distributed by aid agencies, AFP news agency reported.

ANALYSIS: How Russia keeps piling pressure on Turkey

Others are reportedly sleeping in fields and on roads, it said.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Gaziantep in Turkey, Fadi Hajjar, a Syrian activist belonging to the Aleppo Media Centre, said there were between 30,000 and 50,000 people waiting at the border.

This number is likely to increase in the coming days, he said on Sunday.

Some villages in Aleppo have been completely emptied of people.
How much closer does North Koreas satellite launch bring it to developing an intercontinental ballistic weapon?

North Korea launched a rocket carrying a satellite into space on Sunday  yet, it is not Pyongyangs extraterrestrial ambitions that have countries around the world worried.

Instead, central to international concerns is whether North Koreas rocket technology could potentially be used to also deliver a nuclear weapon.

Al Jazeera technology editor Tarek Bazley spoke with aerospace engineer John Schilling to discuss the launch and whether the rocket could be turned into a ballistic missile.

Al Jazeera: What do we know about Sundays launch of the Unha-3 rocket?

John Schilling: It appeared to be very similar to the rocket they successfully launched in 2012 so apparently they are not trying to launch a new larger rocket like we had suspected.

READ MORE: UN Security Council condemns N Korea rocket launch

The rocket is certainly capable of launching satellites, because it has done so, but it is also capable of launching a warhead, if that is what they are interested in.

Some of the design features suggest that it was optimised for satellite launch rather than missile work. But obviously anything that is capable of doing both missions is a concern to us

Al Jazeera: Could this rocket be turned into an ballistic missile easily and quickly?

Schilling: So far North Korea has launched satellites that go up into space and will eventually come down, but in an uncontrolled fashion and probably break up.

To come down from the atmosphere from outer space at 28,000kmph and not disintegrate is technically challenging. They would need a re-entry vehicle with extensive heat-shielding given the speed.

They would also have to worry about the stability of it. There are text books that will tell you how to do it and if the North Koreans are comfortable with book learning and with robust safety margins they could probably build something fairly quickly.

Al Jazeera: How optimal is the Unha-3 as a ballistic missile?

Schilling: Its very large and cumbersome. Weve seen this rocket in preparation for days and even if they streamline that process to hours ,you wouldnt want to use that in a wartime.

Its dependent on a fixed launch site in a country as small as North Korea  and that is another risk for them. Weve seen them parading and we think they are trying to develop a smaller mobile missile, the KN-08.

Analysis: Breaking down North Koreas H-bomb test claim

Its less than half the size of the Unha-3 and would carry a small nuclear warhead to the US West Coast but it could not reach Washington DC or other East Coast targets.

This would be more useful for them but with no testing so far and a new design, we are thinking thats not going to be operational until after 2020.

Al Jazeera: Does the successful launch of the Unha-3 make North Korea more or less of a threat?

Schilling: If North Korea were truly desperate they could probably build some sort of missile this year, but it would be very cumbersome, inaccurate and wed see it on the pad before it was launched.

Just the fact they launched anything so soon after a nuclear test is seen provocative and probably a violation of UN resolutions but the technical capability doesnt seem to be a great advance on what they demonstrated in 2012.

[The rocket technology] is obviously more reliable because they have two successful launches under their belt and it seems to have been more accurate.

The last time they missed their intended orbit by about 25km and this time they were off by 15km so they are getting better but in small steps.
Joint operations using banned munitions have killed nearly 40 civilians since January 26, Human Rights Watch says.

Over the past two weeks, Syrian government and Russian military forces have carried out daily air strikes using internationally banned cluster bombs in opposition-held areas across Syria, killing dozens of civilians, according to Human Rights Watch.

In a report released on Monday, the monitoring group said that the joint military operations launched at least 14 attacks with the weapons across five governorates since January 26, killing at least 37 civilians, including nine children.





Scores of others were also injured, the report said, adding that the total number of cluster attacks during the period was likely to be higher.

Local activists have reported at least eight additional attacks, it said, but noted they could not be verified.

An international convention banning the use of cluster munitions because of their indiscriminate impact came into force in 2010.

The weapons pose a threat to civilians owing to the widespread destruction they cause. Unexploded bomblets are often left behind following attacks.

The intensified use of the explosives came amid the Syrian governments offensive to seize territory from opposition fighters in the provinces of Aleppo, Idlib, Damascus, Homs and Hama.

Some of the cluster munition attacks reportedly occurred in the northern governorate of Aleppo, where an ongoing offensive has caused tens of thousands of people to flee to the Turkish border.

Life-threatening injuries

Citing examples, HRW said it received reports that in the town of Anadan, cluster munitions and other weapons were used in an air attack that also struck a field hospital on January 27, killing a nurse.

On the same day in the central governorate of Homs, an aircraft dropped cluster munitions on Kafr Laha, a town in opposition-controlled territory under siege by Syrian government forces, killing at least six people and wounding 59 others, including 27 children, the report cited an anonymous local journalist as saying.

Other witnesses confirmed the death toll, HRW said.

I saw people who had their legs cut off, a journalist with the opposition-affiliated Homs Media Center told HRW.

One person lost his eye. There were several people who were hanging between life and death. The injured were mostly women and children. All of them were injured from fragments from the submunitions, in the eyes, in the head, in the back. It was very hard to see.

On its Facebook page, Homs Media Center reported that on Sunday, mostly women and children were injured after air strikes using cluster munitions destroyed civilian homes in opposition-controlled areas in the province.

At a December news conference, Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian military, denied allegations that the air force had stockpiled cluster munitions in Syria.

He said the Russian aviation does not use them and there are no such weapons at the Russian air base in Syria.

However, the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT), a Russian activist group that monitors the Russian militarys activities abroad, told Al Jazeera it has substantial evidence that the country uses various types of the munitions in Syria.

We can confirm Russia indeed uses cluster bombs, specifically RBK-500 Shoab-05, RBK-500 AO-2,5RTM and RBK-500 SPBE, Kirill Mikhailov, a CIT spokesman, said.

They all have been photographed and filmed both at the Hmeymim airbase in Latakia. The munitions were shown to be either attached to Russian jets, placed on the ground, and in some cases found in residential areas.

READ MORE: Russian air strikes kill over 1,000 civilians in Syria

Elliot Higgins, a British journalist who has focused on the Syrian conflict, has also reported evidence of Russias possession of cluster munitions in the country.

The Russian Defence Ministry has repeatedly denied this, even claiming theres no such munitions at their Syrian airbase, he told Al Jazeera.

But images from the airbase published by the Russian media outlets [including] Sputnik and RT, and even the Russian defence ministry, clearly shows them at the base.

These denials that fly in the face of facts are fairly typical of the Russian Defence Ministry. The big difference now is theres a lot more publicly avaliable information that can be used to fact-check their denials and claims, which, as it turns out, is a very good thing for anyone who actually wants to know what Russia is really doing.

Monitoring groups, including the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, say Russian air strikes have killed at least 1,000 civilians, including more than 300 children, since they began in September last year.
Family among the few Syrians seeking refuge in Cape Town sees plight worsen since rejection of asylum case last year.

A Syrian family from Damascus whose asylum application in South Africa was declared unfounded more than six months ago is stuck in limbo as their case remains under appeal.

Omar Banian, his wife Reem and their three young daughters  Shahd, Rand and Joudi  travelled from Damascus to South Africa via Lebanon and Turkey in March 2015.

The family had reportedly escaped Damascus, selling their belongings and travelling to Cape Town after getting a tourist visa from the South African embassy in the Syrian capital, according to Mustaque Holland, a legal adviser to the family.

INTERACTIVE: Life on Hold

While the family is not facing imminent deportation, according to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), their day-to-day lives are hindered by a need to travel to Pretoria on an ongoing basis to renew their permits.

Pretoria is some 1,500km from Cape Town and the journey takes about 15 hours by car.

The South African embassy in Damascus told Al Jazeera it would not comment without an official inquiry.

Mayihlome Tshwete, ministerial spokesman for the DHA, told Al Jazeera that no decision had yet been made about the familys asylum application, saying that the Refugee Board would make that call when their case came up.

The family would be able to remain in South Africa as long as the case was under appeal, Tshwete said.

They [the Home Affairs office] concluded that the case was unfounded, which means that certain parts of their application were considered true but some parts still needed further investigation before a decision could be made, Tshwete said.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, says that according to their records, 40 Syrians have applied for asylum in South Africa.

Stress and trauma

When the Banian family arrived in South Africa, they found themselves stranded in a small town outside Cape Town.

They were lucky to run into an Egyptian who connected them to the Moegammadiyah Mosque back in the Cape Town, which took them in and helped the family seek asylum.

Abdullah January, a trustee of the mosque, told Al Jazeera that although the family was in good health, the parents were struggling with stress and trauma from the ordeal.

The father has been on antidepressants, related to the trauma of the past year, January said.

He commended the local community for rallying behind the family, helping with supplies and essentials.

A German woman with a home in Bo Kaap gave the family a place to stay, for no rent for the next year, as an act of goodwill.

Al Jazeera was able to reach the Banians for comment, but they asked that all questions be directed to January.

The decision in July by a refugee status determination officer rejecting the familys application for asylum in the country meant that they had to travel, almost every month, to Pretoria to renew their permit.

Their current permit expires at the end of February.

The appeal which the family launched and the ordeal in general have left them feeling very despondent, January said.

Tine Ghelli, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR, said her office had repeatedly alerted the government to the economic hardships arising from centralising the renewal process in Pretoria.

A local paper reported on Saturday that the presiding officer said that it was unclear if the father of the family, Omar Banian, faced a threat to his life back in Syria.

According to the [departments] country reports, it is stated that the government is trying harder to solve the conflict in the country. This is further confirmed by the Syrian constitution which guarantees the safety of the community or citizens, Wiseman Kubheka, status determination officer, wrote in his report.

Tshwete said the officials remarks were misunderstood.

He did not say [that Syria was stable], he said the region they had come from in Syria was not at war. Coming from Syria does not predetermine whether you get asylum or not, he said.

At least 250,000 people have been killed in Syria, and some 3 million forced to flee the country since the civil war began in 2011.

Though Damascus remains a regime stronghold and has escaped the main thrust of the violence, it has witnessed heavy bombardment and some areas remain under siege.

Follow Azad Essa on Twitter: @azadessa
Cracks widen in the European Union as leaders disagree on how to solve common problems.

The European Union was supposed to bring member states closer together, politically and economically.

The pace of integration was sometimes faster than European electorates were prepared to accept. But as long as Europe remained prosperous, voters went along with it.

But over the past few years, things have started to change. The EU has had to weather crisis after crisis, revealing just how difficult it is to achieve unity among 28 different countries.

And with Europes politicians seemingly unable to overcome their differences, further integration no longer seems such an attractive idea.

It has led to a feeling that solidarity is being eroded. And that the European project, devised to bring peace and stability to a continent ravaged by war, may be in danger.

So, is the dream of an ever closer union coming to an end?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Claude Moraes  Labour member of the European Parliament for London and deputy leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party.

Florian Hartleb  A lecturer at Eichstatt University.

Daniel Schade  Deputy Chairman of the Project for Democratic Union and Specialist on European policy.
Dave LiebmanWhelans Dublin , IrelandJanuary 31, 2016It was a full house at Whelans for NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman, and, it has to be said, an especially attentive crowd. In fact, the bar of this famous Dublin venue can rarely have had such a quiet evening, during the two plus hours of boldly improvised music. And the relative silence of the crowd throughout the concert was not so much the in-the-church-of-jazz reverence typical of so many concert hall settingsafter all, this was a club gigbut rather the rapt response to the blink-and-you-miss-it orchestration of riveting music as it unfolded.Liebman has been a frequent visitor to Ireland over the years and has developed a close musical rapport with bassistover two decades or more. With drummer/percussionistclosing the triangle, the trio's immense collective experience in the pursuit of meaningful musical dialog revealed itself in two, near hour-long improvisations of constantly evolving dynamics.Meaningful dialog for these musicians didn't necessarily equate with easily definable melodies or the standard head-solo-solo-head formats of much jazz; instead, the trio's currency was founded upon intense listening that dictated shifts in leading narrative and supporting lines, collective harmony and dissonance, unaccompanied statements or unison play, boisterous discharge or whispered intimacy, driving grooves or angular abstraction. For the observer, never knowing quite how the story would evolve, yet being seduced by the trio's craft and guile to go along for the in-the-moment ride, made for an intense auditory/visual experience.Liebman's soaring soprano, explorative, burrowing tenor and wooden-whistle incantations coaxed Hemingway and Guilfoyle into sympathetic responses. When Liebman released the narrative threads, Guilfoyle scooped them up, gradually distilling loose, abstract improvisations into deep, grinding grooves that would ignite the trio's collective voice once again. A discernible pattern, however, never really asserted itself, with quietly bluesy passages growing into full-on, free-jazz gale or, just as likely, extended, unaccompanied solos.Hemingway has been giving solo percussion performances since the mid-1970s and he used an array of sticks and brusheslaid out beside him like a dentist's tool kitto great coloristic and propulsive effect. Liebman allowed acres of space for all his colleagues to explore, and in fact, the amount of time one or more of the musicians laid out, allowing the music to breathe and grow organically, was an essential element of the interplay. The ability to listen and not play is one of the hallmarks of a good musician, a lesson distilled in Liebman during his early 1970s tenure withFor the second set the trio was joined by two of Ireland's finest jazz musicians; the internationally established saxophonistand the rapidly up-and-coming guitarist, son of Ronan. Chris Guilfoyle made his recording debut on his father's excellent Hands (Portmanteau Records, 2015), where the guitarist provided the perfect foil to. Chris Guilfoyle also knows Liebman quite well, having studied in the saxophonist's Chromatic Harmony Workshop in Pennsylvania in 2011 before joining Liebman on a short tour of Ireland later that yeardates that also featured Buckley. Suffice it to say, Chris Guilfoyle and Buckley brought additional impetus and greater variation to the mix.The younger Guilfoyle was particularly impressive, exploiting the guitar's textural/percussive avenues, providing atmospheric sustain beneath the saxophones' compelling to and fro, and veering between intense psychedelic soundscapes and fiery, straight-ahead linearity. With the debut recording of his sextet Umbra due for imminent release, this is a guitarist to watch out for.A sudden injection of fast-walking bass propelled Liebman and Hemingway to a frenetic flare-up, though just as quickly, a pocket of silence emerged to once more redirect the group's focus, with Buckley's lyrical, melancholy tenor lent strangely sympathetic support from Hemingway's clacking from an unidentified mouth-percussion instrument.A spare passage of fairly abstract bass and soprano exchange completely altered the atmosphere, ushering in a guitar improvisation that grew from hushed beginnings to a confident flow that drew Liebman into the orbit, leading to a heady ensemble charge. The easiest course, perhaps, would have been for a sustained free-for-all, but the group dynamics shifted fairly constantly throughout the set; even at the music's most intense heights there was always a sense of communal discipline, with Ronan Guilfoyle more often than not the fulcrum on which the quintet turned this way and that.A spacey, dream-like sequence ensued, with flute and tenor saxophone locked in a slowly circling mantra; gradually, the quintet aligned for the evening's most extended lyrical exploration, with Ronan Guilfoyle's highly expressive improvisation the centrepiece. This, the evening's meditative sweet spot, was soon ruffled, first by Hemingway's unaccompanied bustle, and then by the quintet's loose yet spirited collective animation. A punchy unison motifperhaps the only segment of the evening that sounded pre-configuredmade for a stirring finale. For the encore, Ronan Guilfoyle led a slow, blues-tinged ballad of real delicacy.This Dave Liebman concertan Improvised Music company productionwas proof positive that free-jazz/improvised music, at its best, is less to do with untethered honking, screeching and battering, and everything to do with a deep-rooted musical communion that embraces the individual voice within the collective, whilst never shying from the spirit of adventure.Photo Credit: Courtesy of John Cronin/ Dublin Jazz Photography
Paul Nicoletti treated his students like family.

He really took us under his wing, said his former student, Lisa Conti.

Family, friends and past students gathered Saturday afternoon at the Williams Thomas Funeral Home to honor Nicolettis life. The former UF professor for the College of Veterinary Medicine died Jan. 31 at 83 years old due to injuries from a fall.

Nicoletti came to UF in 1978 and taught infectious diseases, epidemiology and public health and food safety before he retired in 2003.

After growing up on a dairy farm in Missouri, Nicolettis life changed after receiving a $150 scholarship that allowed him to attend college, said James Lloyd, the dean of the UF College of Veterinary Medicine.

He said Nicoletti wanted to give students the same opportunity he had. Nicoletti created numerous scholarships at UF, including the Paul Nicoletti Florida Opportunity Scholarship in Veterinary Medicine, which supports first-generation students, Lloyd said.

I often referred to him as our poster child for scholarship-giving, Lloyd said.

He said his fondest memory of Nicoletti was driving across Florida for business trips. It was during those highway conversations that Nicoletti became Lloyds mentor.

Everywhere we went, it was always clear who was the star around, and it wasnt the new dean, he said. I rode on his coat-tails.

In 2010, Nicoletti received the Karl F. Meyer-James H. Steele Gold Headed Cane Award, the highest honor given by the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society.

For Conti, her life changed after she took Nicolettis public health and food safety class in the late 1980s.

He just lit a fire that I didnt know was there, she said.

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Before his class, Conti wanted to become a clinician. Instead, Nicoletti opened her eyes to a career in public health.

Now Conti is the deputy commissioner at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Tallahassee. Whenever Nicoletti travelled through Tallahassee, he would stay at her house, she said.

He was always welcomed as a member of her family.

She said Nicoletti would take any opportunity to tell her about his own family.

Any chance he could get, he bragged about his daughters and his grandchildren, she said.

Carl Romey, a pastor at the First Church of the Nazarene who lead Nicolettis service, said Nicoletti shared his love for travel.

Nicoletti found an unlikely friendship with Romey.

The biggest shock that he had was that an evangelical Christian could also be a democrat, he said, speaking of how both were democrats.

He said he could talk  and argue  about anything with Nicoletti.

And that was where we had so much fun, he said.

He said it was time for the next generation, Nicolettis children and grandchildren, to pick up the baton Nicoletti passed to them.

Paul would say to each one of us, Dont stop being who God wanted you to be. Dont stop giving, Romey said.

Nicoletti is survived by his children, Nancy Leader and Julie Nicoletti; his grandchildren, Joel Parker, Beth Leader, Julia Leader and Daniel Leader; and his sister, Ruth Ann Eads.

Contact Kaitlyn Newberg at knewberg@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @k_newberg
Brendon BJ Jonassaint was born in UF Health Shands Hospital. He said hes had UF spirit running through his blood since he was born.

Just because I knew anything I wanted to do, I could do it here, he said. If I really wanted to, I could do it at UF.

After serving as a District D senator in Fall 2014 with Swamp Party, Jonassaint is running for Student Body vice president with Impact Party because he said he feels he can provide students with the programs they want and need.

Jonassaint said he knew he wanted to be involved on campus since he came to the university. While at UF, he has served as a student assistant for the Dean of Students Office, a Preview staffer and an executive assistant for the Black Student Union.

Its sort of a challenge, he said. I enjoy everything I do.

Jonassaint, whose mother attended UF, spent most of his life learning Haitian Creole and living in Okeechobee, Florida.

As a member of the Newell Hall Student Advisory Board, he provides input for the buildings renovation. The building is being converted into a study space for students. Its set to open after Jonassaint graduates, but hes determined to help create a lasting space for students.

I may not be here when it opens but the students will get to use that facility when it does open, he said. That drives me.

He said he wants to make students feel at home while theyre on campus.

I want all the events to be something where you can go to it and get something out of it to help improve your life on campus, Jonassaint said.

Damien Womble has been friends with Jonassaint since fourth grade, when the two met at school.

It wasnt until they came to UF and joined the same fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, that the two grew close.

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UF has always been his dream school, so he knew he was going to end up here, the 21-year-old UF finance junior said.

Jonassaint said it was difficult at first to choose between Access and Impact. His old roommate, Nicholas Carre, ran for Student Body treasurer with Access last year, which Jonassaint supported.

This year, he said he took a step back during the Fall semester and watched tension in the Senate chamber continue.

I thought they were a group of motivated students who were actually more concerned with progress, he said.

Womble said hes watched Jonassaint go from being a shy freshman to a guy who always manages to make a friend in a room full of strangers.

For him, I feel like when he gets involved, everything gets his 100-percent attention, Womble said, but he added, I feel like he manages time very well.

He said its been interesting to watch Jonassaint participate in school and continued his pursuit in SG.

Its crazy to me how it unfolded, he said. Im still proud of him for setting his eyes on something.

Brendon BJ Jonassaint is a 21-year-old UF health science junior running for Student Body vice president with Impact Party.

Jonassaint is currently a Cabinet liaison for UF Student Senate.

He was also a member of the Florida Cicerones, a Preview staffer, a Preview coordinator and a J. Wayne Reitz Scholar.

He is also a member of the Black Student Union.

Jonassaint said he especially hopes to improve student life.

I think I should be elected because of my passion for the university and my passion for helping students move forward, helping students out in general, he said.
The first time Lillian Rozsa didnt exercise her right to vote was when she came to UF. As a freshman, she didnt want to vote for the single-party system in Senate, which was run by Swamp Party.

I was dissatisfied, almost angry, she said. So she didnt vote. It wasnt until Access Party came along that she felt represented in Student Government.

Rozsa is now running for Student Body treasurer with Access. She said the partys ideals let her express her own.

They were saying things I had thought, she said.

The 20-year-old UF political science and womens studies sophomore said when she turned 18, she voted in every type of election, because she believes everyone should vote.

She got involved with Access as a freshman in Spring 2015 working as a volunteer. This past Fall, Rozsa interviewed with Access for a District D senator seat and won with 755 votes.

I really got into Student Government because I noticed that it wasnt working for a lot of students, like myself, who didnt agree with a single party (system), she said.

The West Palm Beach native grew up learning to ask critical questions from her mom, who also attended UF.

As a freshman, Rozsa said in order to make an effort to get involved on campus, she joined UFs Womens Student Association, where she is now the vice president. She said the organization allows women to fight for gender equality.

But she noticed there was no space for men or other genders to help the movement, so she founded the UF chapter of HeForShe, a United Nations campaign inviting all genders to help create gender equality. Rozsa said she understands how a student organization can start from nothing and become successful. As founder and president of UFs HeForShe, shes seen her organization grow over the year.

Dani Gennaro, the president of WSA, said shes seen Rozsa become a leader through events. She said Rozsa organized Feminist Fun Friday last Fall, an event that raised awareness about feminism on the Plaza of Americas. She dealt with funding for the event  and Gennaro said she did it with ease.

One thing thats always stood out to me was her ability to balance her schedule, Gennaro said, adding that she wasnt surprised when she found out Rozsa was running for Student Body treasurer.

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She really has shown that she cares about individuals as well as people in organizations, the 21-year-old UF finance and womens studies senior said. Her ability to reach out and relate to people is really, really strong.

Rozsa said she understands the difficulties students face when trying to start an organization. She hopes to make the process more transparent and easier for students.

I want to build relationships with student organizations from the first day I take office, she said.

Rozsa, who became a Florida Cicerone this semester, said shes excited to bring understanding, transparency and efficiency to SG.

I think what keeps me going is that I believe in everything Im doing, she said. I love democracy so much, and I think really thats worth fighting for here.

Lillian Rozsa is a 20-year-old UF political science and womens studies sophomore running for Student Body treasurer with Access Party.

Rozsa currently serves as a senator for District D. She serves as the current vice president of the Womens Student Association and is the president and founder of the UF chapter of HeForShe. Rozsa has also served on the Transportation and Fee Committee.

She said she wants to remain accessible to students trying to start student organizations.

I really understand what it takes to be part of a student organization and to really start from the bottom up in terms of financials with student organizations, she said. I really think that Im someone that students can go to if they have fee complaints or go to for any sort of question they may have.
For Susan Webster, going to UF is a family tradition.

The fourth-generation Gator is now running for Student Body president with Impact Party because she wants to represent students across the university.

Ive loved this campus since I was a little kid, the 22-year-old international studies senior said. Its been a place where Ive always been proud to be a Gator, but Ive never been more proud than the moment I stepped on this campus, holding my backpack in hand and I was a student.

As a freshman, she joined Alpha Delta Pi, the same sorority as her mom. She also joined Senate as a replacement senator for a freshman seat during her Fall semester. She later joined the Budget and Appropriations Committee, as well as the Judiciary Committee, and became immersed in Student Government culture.

Truly, I dont apply for something on a whim, Webster said. I make sure its something I want to do and I could do a good job at it.

During her sophomore year in 2014, she served as chairwoman of the Rules and Procedures Committee and director of lobbying and state affairs for SGs external affairs.

Her junior year, she ran with Swamp Party during the Spring 2015 elections, where she lost her seat to Access Party senators. The loss was a setback.

It wasnt easy coming back in, she said. She lost her position as chairwoman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, but she continued getting student organizations on the budget cycle to make sure they were ready for hearings.

However, it wasnt the end of Websters time in Senate. She said her friends convinced her she needed to represent students. After getting the replacement senator position for District A in the Spring, Webster said she watched as a new party formed  one that she said was looking to stop the conflict in Senate: Impact Party.

I thought that mission was great, something Ive always stood for, so I hopped on board at the beginning with the Impact Party, she said. She was then voted in as Senate president by majority vote Oct. 7.

Clay Hurdle, 21, met Webster last Fall in a class for the J. Wayne Reitz Scholars Program. He said the first time they met, she gave him a huge smile and hug. When he found out she was running, the UF agricultural education and communication and Spanish senior said he was sold by her passion.

Im really excited, quite honestly, Hurdle said. I think the world of her. I know that once shes elected, shes going to do whats necessary to achieve the goals of positively affecting the Student Body and the University of Florida as a whole.

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As Senate president, Webster started the Mental Health Awareness Committee and the Diversity Outreach Committee. Webster said shes running for Student Body president because she feels she can make change possible for students.

Being a Student Body president, its so much more than yourself, she said. You are the student voice, and Ive done so many things to help move our university forward. I can advocate well for students because this isnt my first time doing it.

Susan Webster is a 22-year-old UF international studies senior running for Student Body president with Impact Party.

Webster currently serves as UF Student Senate president and a District A senator. She served as chairwoman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and Rules and Procedures Ad Hoc Committee. She started the Diversity Outreach and Mental Health Awareness Ad Hoc Committees. She also helped open the Field and Fork Food Pantry.

Webster said she hopes to make changes to help serve students and make UF a top-10 institution.

I know that I will be able to fight for you not only on the university level, but in Tallahassee and in (Washington) D.C., she said.
Ever since high school, Hammaad Saber has been set on becoming an engineer.

The Student Body vice presidential candidate, running with Access Party, said his education at UF and internships have taught him how to put on events that will bring in students. He said he hopes to bring his skills to Student Government.

I want to use my skillset to take any problem, get any kind of solution that were looking for and maximize efficiency, effectiveness and access, the 22-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering senior said.

Saber said when he applied to UF, he took a leap of faith and joined the Innovation Academys first class. It was the idea of learning entrepreneurship that drew him to apply, along with the universitys prominent engineering curriculum.

The Miami-born Pakistani said IA has been one of his defining experiences at UF. Being able to start IAs Leadership Enhancement and Development, or IA LEAD, in the Spring of his freshman year allowed him to offer IA students an organization that ran on the Spring-Summer schedule.

Saber also introduced a Student Senate law that gives IA senators replacement senators during the Fall semester.

Writing the bill was kind of like a way to tell the rest of Student Government that we have to seriously think about how IA students can be equal to non-IA students so that they dont feel like second-rate Gators, he said.

David Nassau, 21, said Saber first made an impression on him before they even got to campus. The first IA class had a Facebook page on which students could ask questions, Nassau said. Being the first class, there were a lot of questions, and Saber would always be there, ready with an answer.

He went to the length of emailing (the) IA office to get answers for students. Hammaad actually took it upon himself and ended up going out of his way, Nassau, a UF marketing senior, said.

I just really wanted to help everyone, Saber said, adding he was excited about joining the program. I wanted to spread that positivity.

Saber initially tried to get involved with SG his freshman year, but his ideas of SG didnt match up with Swamp Partys  the only party in Senate. This was until Access came along, giving Saber a way into SG without giving up his ideals and morals.

If Im going to get involved with Student Government, I need to be able to keep my morals, and this was a party I was able to do it with, he said. It was the easiest choice ever.

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He interviewed with Access in the Spring, and ran as a candidate for the College of Engineering. He won his seat with 706 votes. Since then, Saber said hes tried to represent both his college and IA students, because he feels theyre underrepresented in Senate. He also said he hopes to bring equality and a friendly atmosphere to the cabinet positions in SG.

Thats the bottom line, he said. At the end of the day, were all one team, and we all have the same goal, which is to serve the students.

Hammaad Saber is a 22-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering senior running for Student Body vice president with Access Party.

Saber currently serves as a senator for the College of Engineering. He served on the Rules and Ethics Committee, was an Innovation Academy ambassador and has interned as a consultant analyst for The Walt Disney Co. Saber was a First Year Florida peer leader and peer mentor, and he is also the networking director of the Institute of Industrial Engineers. He also founded, and is the president of, IA Leadership Enhancement and Development. He said he wants to apply past experiences to the vice presidential role.

I will do everything I can to make sure that the students voice are heard, and if a student has a concern, if a student wants an event, I want to make sure thats reality, he said. I have a huge skill set and Im itching to use it.
Here at the Alligator, were often accused of being a bastion of frightful liberal bias. We like to think were just empathetic to the less fortunate and are willing to call current events and public figures as we see them, but hey, to each their own.

Were also aware that some believe we let liberal politicians in the U.S.  if such a thing, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Ma., excepted, even truly exists  off the hook for their transgressions, reserving our vitriol solely for conservative politicians and persons of importance. Although this isnt necessarily true  we are more than happy to praise individuals such as Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, who spoke out against the reclassification of Floridas manatee population  we will concede that, more often than not, individuals who make blanketly racist statements try to curb civil liberties in the name of religious freedom and deny climate change tend to rouse our ire.

For those of you who belong to the aforementioned school of thought, dont worry, well be getting around to refuting Hillary Clintons political history and undue influence over the Democratic Party soon enough. In the meantime, although we hate to disappoint, wed like to talk about a different politician who can teach us all a valuable lesson: Sen. Ted Cruz.

With the Trump Train seemingly slowing down, Cruzs victory in Iowa has propelled him into the national spotlight. As is customary, several articles, reports and think pieces have been drafted on the mans history, politics and persona.

Last Friday, Jezebel  the BuzzFeed of feminist journalism  published a piece titled, Heres What Happens When You Try and Track Down a Ted Cruz College Rumor. Over the course of nearly 2,600 words, comprising primarily of quotes from several of Cruzs undergraduate classmates at Princeton University, a particularly interesting  were being generous here  picture emerges. Rather than tell you about them, wed rather just show you:

Everyone in my class that Ive talked to is horrified that hes a candidate, said an alumnus named Leonard Nalencz.

I tried not to know him, said an anonymous woman who lived in Cruzs dorm.

Speaking on attending a public policy conference and law course with Cruz, where he was apparently one to speak over professors and peers in order to dominate the dialogue, one anonymous alumnus noted he had a complete allergy towards the (law) profession when it was over.

Other anecdotes alternatively refer to Cruz as creepy and an odious figure. One particularly revealing story tells of Cruz reducing a peer to tears after telling her that her mother was going to hell and was a whore for having had an abortion.

For the sake of space and focus, were not really going to touch on how hated Cruz is among the Republican Party, how avowed progressive and fellow evangelical Jimmy Carter said hed rather see Donald Trump as president or how his own daughter seems reluctant to be on the receiving end of his affections. Instead, wed like for you, our fellow Gators, to take note of Cruzs reputation among his Princeton colleagues and interpret it as a foreboding fable: Be careful not to become that guy or that girl.

When in the pursuit of attaining gratifying achievement and success, it is easy to become insular and self-serving: But who among us wants to graduate from UF with few who would speak to our positive qualities and traits? College presents a rare opportunity to hone ones social skills and learn about people or ways of life different from your own; were not sure if calling a classmates mother a whore is the best utilization of that opportunity. Want to learn how to win friends and influence people? Dont be a Ted Cruz.

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The European Union (EU) has signed two Financing Agreements with the Government of Liberia for projects totalling almost USD 64 million in the key sectors of electricity and institutional capacity in aid management. The EU has also confirmed an additional USD 34 million in grant funding as part of its ongoing budget support programme. Speaking []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...










REACTION Open letter to King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and President Khalifa bin Al Nahyan of UAE

Alwihda Info | Par Hem Raj Jain - 8 Fevrier 2016





Bengaluru, India To

Your Excellencies

King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and President Khalifa bin Al Nahyan of UAE



Sub:- (i)- Your Excellencies (YEs) should depend on Mahaveers and not on Veers for Syria solution (ii)- India (mainly ~ 200 million Indian Muslims) can be relied upon to provide effective and preferable non-violent assistance to solve Syria problem (iii)- Even objection of Government of India (if at all there) will not come in the way.



-- Former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee once said in a public meeting at Mumbai -[Those who dispense justice with violence are Veer (brave like military etc) but with non-violence are Mahaveer (Supreme brave)].



Hence while the media-reported offer of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and UAE to provide troops for fighting ISIS and to solve problem in Syria is laudable but it does not have chance to solve the problem because:-



(i)- Without putting adequate number of committed people (not necessarily military boots) on ground problem in Syria will not be solved.



(ii)- The precondition that said efforts of KSA & UAE should be led by the USA will not materialize for the simple reason that after fiasco in Afghanistan, Iraq and even aerial intervention in Libya the USA has lost appetite for putting boots on ground in any country.



(iii)- Syrian regime has already hinted at military response (which of course will be with the military support of Russia) to such military intervention by KSA & UAE by saying that - Syria would resist any ground incursion into its territory and send the aggressors home in coffins - hence it will lead to unnecessary and avoidable bloodshed



(iv)- Despite proposed military intervention KSA & UAE do not have (or have not disclosed) any strategy and plan to bring permanent stability and peace to Syria



Therefore YEs should seriously think about non-violent solution to gory problems in Syria, which can be emulated in other troubled countries of North Africa and Middle East (NAME). For this YEs should do the following in view of given below:-



(1)- First and foremost YEs should keep three points in mind (i)- The human rights of tens of millions of Muslims who are bleeding and weeping profusely in Syria / NAME for the last five years are to be restored without further delay (ii)- Hindus too but especially ~200 millions Muslims in India want to end fratricidal war (between Shias and Sunnis being stoked by others) and are prepared to do ANYTHING to restore peace in Syria / NAME (iii)- History will never forgive YEs if do not utilize the services of these non-violent Indian Jihadis (in the true sense of the word) for solving gory problems of Syria (and later in NAME) and instead leave the gory problems in Syria / NAME unresolved.



(2)- USA will not come that easily on the side of KSA & UAE in military operation but effective USA help and assistance can easily be got (through American Muslims) for HR non-violent mission (HRNVM) through former US Presidents who are always ready to help and assist for the cause of human rights. These former US President can be made Margdarshak (Philosopher-guide) of this HRNVM and for Human Rights Volunteers (HRVs).



(3)- Non-Muslims can be spared but Muslims all over the world who can help and assist HRNVM but will not do so are bound to invite the wrath of Allah and Prophet Mohammed if what is said in Quran and by Prophet Mohammed has any truth in it. Being the global leader of Sunni Muslims (Holy sites of Mecca and Medina being on the soil of KSA giving immense wealth and influence to KSA) the KSA should take special interest in this HRNVM, otherwise Allah and Prophet Mohammed will see to it that rulers of KSA get exemplary punishment.



(4)- As per global norms of military, paramilitary and police personnel in any country even in troubled times in Syria this HRNVM (in a country of ~ 22 millions) number of Human Rights Volunteers (HRVs) required will be less than 1 % which is maximum two hundred thousands (these forces whatever already available in Syria are extra). YEs should invite these HRVs from India who will come from all religions, mainly from Muslims (both Sunnis and Shias). Leaders of these HRVs, Syrian regime, representatives of KSA,UAE, representatives of Syrian opposition and representatives of any other stakeholders will decide the plan of elections in Syria with in time bound period of one year after preparing voter list within six months (after inviting all the displaced Syrians to come back and rehabilitate in Syria).



(5)- In order to discourage Russia, a warring party in Syria, to inflict violence against these HRVs, Russians (including Russian Muslims) will also be included as HRVs (similarly some others with different identities).But even then in case violence takes place against HRVs and some or all HRVs are killed then HRVs as Mahaveers will take it as likely hazards of this HRNVM.



(6)- Some may think that it is an Utopian idea and will not attract HRVs for such hazardous HRNVM. In response to this I can only say India is different and let KSA & UAE declare publicly that KSA & UAE are prepared to utilize the services of HRVs from India under the banner of KSA & UAE in the interest of bringing permanent peace and stability in Syria (through elections) and we will show that India will be able to register ~ 200,000 HRVs (0.1 % of only Muslim population in India) at the embassies of KSA & UAE for getting visa to KSA & UAE. [further Visa for Syria for these HRVs can be arranged by KSA & UAE when these HRVs reach USA or UAE]. In case Syria refuses visa to theses HRVs they will enter Syria in a non-violent march to carry out elections in Syria under HR friendly Democratic Federal Constitution. (KSA & UAE may think of any other plan & program to use these HRVs for bringing peace in Syria in a non-violent way)



(7)- It is expected that Government of India (GOI), will not come in the way of these HRVs going in Syria through KSA & UAE for this HRNVM. In case GOI does not allow these HRVc to leave India for this HRNVM by sea or air then these HRVs will march to Indian border / LOC for the purpose of going in border sharing countries (especially Muslim countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh etc) in the interest of ultimately going to KSA & UAE for this HRNVM. In case GOI stop these HRVs at border / LOC then of-course these HRVs will offer arrest and fill the prison in protest. [In case these HRVs are constrained to fill the prison by GOI then other Indians (especially Indian Muslims in millions and millions) will also fill the prison along with HRVs at border / LOC which is bound to constrain GOI to see reason]



(8)- It is expected that Muslim leaders from the only Muslim majority State (J&K) will take active interest in HRNVM and may be even in the leadership of HRVs. Not only Kashmiri separatist Muslim leaders like Yasin Malik, Syed Geelani, Mirwaiz, Shabir Shah etc but incidentally (rather a blessing in disguise) due to Governor rule in J&K nowadays Farooq and Omar Abdullahs, Mehbooba Mufti and their party leaders are also free and they should take more than active interest in this HRNVM and in recruiting HRVs for this mission (this will help in solving chronic and gory Kashmir problem too).



(9)- Here it is in context to add if KSA & UAE consent then the leadership of HRVs (not necessarily of HRNVM) can be given to Yasin Malik. Because he relinquished the path of violence and has been following the path of no-violence. India has tradition of venerating such people as was done in case of Valmiki (who was even a dacoit who not only killed innocent people but unlike Yasin also plundered them) who wrote original Hindu epic Ramayana. Hence Yasin Malik has every right to experience the majesty of non-violence which can be known to only Mahaveers and not to Veers.



(10)- Syria is oil rich country hence the cost of HRNVM can be recovered from Syria by KSA & UAE over a period of time once peace returns to Syria.



It is hoped YEs (King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and President Khalifa bin Al Nahyan) will not mind pursuing above mentioned out of box non-violent solution in the interest of bringing succor to tens of millions of profusely bleeding and weeping Muslims in Syria / NAME.



Regards



Hem Raj Jain



(Author of Betrayal of Americanism)



Bengaluru, India.





Dans la meme rubrique : < > Mahamat Ahmad Alhabo : "je ne suis pas un cancre !" Tchad : "l'officialisation de l'anglais serait nefaste pour le pays" Tchad : suspendu de ses fonctions, le delegue de l'environnement du Salamat se defend Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)




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IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008

CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies

WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto

DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance

I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE]
Searching for the positive in everyday life
Pioneer Bank in Dripping Springs, Texas, has promoted Elizabeth Blose to chief financial officer as it works to finalize a merger deal and relocate its headquarters.

Blose began her new role at the $427 million-asset bank on Feb. 1, according to Grant Buck, a spokesman for the bank. Her predecessor, Gary Cooper, plans to retire but will remain at the bank for the time being to assist with its pending merger with First Community Bank in Sugar Land, Texas.

Blose would remain CFO of the combined company, which will keep the name Pioneer and is planning to move its base of operations from Dripping Springs to nearby Austin. Since she joined Pioneer in April as an executive vice president, Blose has been the point person on the integration with the $622 million-asset First Community and the building of its forthcoming Austin corporate office, Buck said. The deal and the construction project are expected to be completed this year.

Previously, Blose worked at Frost Bank, also in Austin, as a risk adviser and personal-lines producer; and before that she was the CFO and division director for finance and business strategy at Intrust Bank in Wichita, Kan. She has also worked Honeywell International, Wells Fargo and Berkshire Hathaway.

Cooper joined Pioneer in 2007. He previously worked at NetSpend Corp., Village Bank in Springfield, Mo., Mercantile Bank of Springfield and UMB Bank in Kansas City, Mo.


Copywrite Notice

All work, including images, unless otherwise noted is property of American Grouch and Frostborne Publications. Please do not reprint or repost without permission.
Perhaps President Obamas involvement is the reason that the FBI has not yet referred charges to the Justice Department in the Hillary Clinton email case. It may be metastasizing so quickly and so dangerously that not only are agents and lawyers within the agency having trouble keeping up with new evidence of wrongdoing, but that the scandal itself now threatens a constitutional crisis. The Department of States refusal to release 18 emails exchanged between President Obama and Clinton through her unsecured home server at best creates a conflict of interest for Obama (as explained by Andrew McCarthy here) while at worst it raises the likelihood that the President has run afoul of national security laws and ought to be impeached.

I always assumed that somewhere in the 55,000 plus pages of email that Clinton belatedly turned over to the State Department there must have been exchanges with the President. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in March 2015 that the two occasionally emailed each other without specifying whether the emails went through Hillarys private email. Earnest also said that Obama did not look at email addresses, though the President was aware that Clinton sometimes used private email. (Obama had originally said he learned about the private email through new reports -- a typical Obama story -- but backtracked later.) And remember in March, the only admitted concern was whether Clinton had complied with the Federal Records Act.

The more recent State action evidently concerns 18 specific emails that were sent/received over Clintons home server. It seems quite likely that in the eighteen emails classified information was discussed as conceived under federal statutes, and as McCarthy points out, one of Obamas own executive orders regarding dissemination of foreign intelligence. That includes conversations with foreign officials and leaders that are what you would expect the Secretary of State to discuss with the President, and which are born classified. State Department spokesman John Kirby did not deny that these emails contain classified information, but rather only stated that that they have not been determined to be classified, claiming that they are being withheld because of concerns over confidentiality between the President and his aides. But again, if Obama and Clinton were not discussing foreign leaders and policy, then what on earth were they emailing each other about?

The White House tried to block the release of emails between Obama and Clinton last fall, with the same claim, denying that they were asserting executive privilege but rather maintaining confidentiality between the president and his top aides. Presumably, these 18 emails are these very same ones. The White House has gotten around using executive privilege to hide the emails by having State block court-ordered FOIA production on these vague confidentiality grounds. McCarthy says that this is a backhanded way of asserting executive privilege and effectively classifying the documents without saying so, since otherwise Obamas transgressions might be obvious. It is hard to argue with that conclusion. Moreover, States action (clearly at Obamas behest) is circumstantial evidence that the information contained within the emails is indeed classified -- born classified -- and thus subject to security protocols whether marked or not, which both Obama and Clinton violated. And circumstantial evidence is as probative of guilt as direct evidence if a jury (or the Senate) chooses to believe it.

Obamas claim of confidentiality might circumvent the FOIA production order (with States connivance) but there is another issue pressing. There is no reason that the FBI should not have access to the Obama/Clinton emails. It is part of the executive branch, and its investigation is confidential, so FBI agents and lawyers should be allowed to review the email exchange. Have the emails been turned over to the FBI? If the FBI requests the emails, and the White House refuses to turn them over, what conclusion could be drawn other than that they somehow incriminate the President, since the FBI already has thousands of similar emails on Hillary?

Beneath all Clintons implausible denials and claims of right wing persecution, behind Josh Earnests improper insistence that nothing really serious is going on at the FBI, is the very real possibility that Clinton has now enmeshed the President into her scandalous intrigues, with serious constitutional implications. Obama cannot ethically continue to preside over this investigation (which, effectively, he does as the chief executive.) But removing himself would require Obama to actually care about the ethics of the matter, and secondly potentially expose himself to criminal liability. The situation is quite akin to the Watergate scandal at this point, in that government officials have hidden or erased potentially damaging documents, and the President effectively presides over investigations that could subject him, aides, and former aides, to criminal liability.

FBI Director James Comey appears to long have had sufficient evidence to charge Clinton, but seemingly has so far been stayed by countervailing influences. On the one hand there are obvious political concerns and pressures. On the other is a continuing flow of evidence against Clinton that only makes the case against her stronger. But the Obama emails now complicate the case to an extraordinary degree. Does Comey have them, and if not, has he demanded them? If Obama refuses, then the President is effectively hiding probative evidence.

If Comey were to get the emails, and they did contain born classified information (as is likely) it would be difficult for Comey to proceed against Clinton without implicating Obama. Almost certainly, the Obama Justice Department would never pursue a prosecution that exposed him to criminal liability.

If Obama were a man who could actually admit a mistake, and also one that legitimately cared for his country, he would cut the Gordian Knot on this brewing crisis by releasing his email exchanges with Clinton -- redacted as necessary -- taking a mea culpa for being caught up in Hillarys malfeasance, and throw her under the bus, which is something he does well. There likely would be little appetite in the country for impeachment; Obama might actually earn some credit for doing the right thing, and the Democrats would be rid of a problematic and probably unelectable candidate.

That would put the Democrats into crisis mode, made worse perhaps, by the very real possibility that Vice-President Biden is also exposed to the scandal and thus might not be ready to step in. This might be part of the reason Biden -- with Obamas evident approval -- declined to enter the race in the first place.

Since Obama is unlikely to take such a step, the only other way to achieve a semblance of justice might be through Congressional action. Obama would then have to formally invoke executive privilege to hide the emails, which would strongly echo Nixonian tactics and be politically damaging, though Republicans would be at risk too. Hillary would certainly claim that Congressional hearings prove the whole affair is political after all, and the Democrats would try to stymie matters and use the mainstream media to vilify Republicans as they always do.

All this makes FBI Director Comeys situation increasingly untenable. He knows now that there is no way Attorney General Loretta Lynch can fairly and properly evaluate the evidence his agents are fast compiling. If he continues to hesitate, due to political pressure or in hopes of building the perfect case, the situation will fester and worsen. If Comey is really the stand-up guy that many say, he will act soon, in order to force the hands of Lynch and Obama, put Hillary in the legal peril that she has earned, and Obama in jeopardy too if that is where the evidence leads. In the probable event the administration does nothing or pushes back against an FBI referral, Comey will have to resign, and Congress will have to act.
Throughout his writings, Reverend Martin Luther King explained that white moderates who claimed friendship to the negro cause but rejected social disorder and cautioned patience and calm were more of a stumbling block to freedom than the frank racists of the KKK. That stumbling block to change seems to be recreated in the psychology of many prominent conservatives writing about the current presidential election. The permeating subtext across the writing of elite conservatives ranges from concern to contempt to fear of the righteous anger of patriotic Americans.

Anger is the fuel of political freedom. The misconstruction of right-wing anger by conservative elites is becoming more of a stumbling block to saving the Republic than the open hatred of conservatism by the left. Radio conservatives are interacting with real people, so they tend to be more open to the justified anger of their listeners. But many elite conservative writers read like heads separated from hearts, more likely to write about Edmund Burke than my friend Ed, a laid off factory worker. They seem to be more concerned about Ed becoming fanatic than the open borders and bad trade policies that cost Ed his job.

There are two principal reasons conservative elites fear anger on the right. First, they were educated at left-wing universities, because those are the only kind there are. Though they don't know it, right-wing elites were brainwashed at those universities to believe that a fascist lurks within every ordinary American, itching to pop out with guns blazing if allowed to get angry. Second, prominent conservative thinkers are comfortably employed and ensconced in life. While the destruction of the economy and borders of our Republic is most troubling indeed, it is not personal, as it is for Ed.

Anger is among the first emotions in life. A newborn baby, eyes still swollen and shut, asserts: I exist, I feel, if you hurt me (or not), you'll hear my anger. Anger provides vital energy for protection and survival. It is the emotional state induced by the life-sustaining impulse to protect, to defend against or attack a perceived threat. Healthy anger is hardwired into the nervous system as a reaction to pain and suffering. Righteous anger is the highest form of healthy anger. It is the beneficial force for good that forms in the self-respecting hearts of principled people who have been lied to and who are suffering because of it. Righteous anger forms under conditions of oppression when moral, legal, or personal contracts are broken. It is the force that impels, sustains, and advances political freedom. In the fullness of time, it is the righteousness of anger that determines if it is creative or destructive.

There is a mistaken notion that the heroes of liberty are the authors of the great documents articulating human rights. The philosophers and writers play their part. But it is the nerves and muscles and blood in the veins of righteous men who decide, "We will fight; we may perish, but this will not stand" that enable freedom. The yield of righteous passions is enshrined in documents of liberty and justice. It is because righteous anger arises again and again in the hearts of oppressed people that those documents of freedom remain alive.

In recent years, the greatest threat to the survival of the Republic has not been from the left wing or from the foreign enemy. It is a result of the righteous anger against the "blame America first" worldview being degraded, dragged, and drugged out of the hearts of patriotic people.

Despite all the illegality and abuse inflicted on the American people by unchecked government, the right-wing pundits still counsel, "Beware of anger." It is abominable that cosseted conservative writers, purposed to sound brilliant while resisting change, are railing against the too-little, too-late anger that has finally appeared, perhaps in great part because of the candidacy of Donald Trump. The Tea Party movement failed because they stifled the righteous expression of their anger.

Unrighteous anger is a generally unconscious defense of adaptive self-delusion. It is a transference of unhealthy emotion away from the actual causes of harm to a presumably safer, more convenient scapegoat. But the big lie that any anger in Americans of traditional values will transmogrify into violence against minorities is indelibly engrained in the educated mind on both the right and the left. In truth, it is amazing that there is so little of that noxious transmogrification, so little resurgence of historical hate crimes, in light of what has been inflicted on the ideals and opportunities of Americans.

A comparison of the political effects of the unrighteous anger of the left to the political paralysis of the anger-phobic right explains why the left wing is crushing conservatism across most battlefronts. Take the case of Jew-hating. Contemporary Jew-hating trends of the left are styled around rejecting the prophetic deliverance of Jews to their sacred homeland. Contemporary Jew-hating promotes divestment, boycotts, and sanctions against Israel. These highly successful political tactics arise out of grassroots anger, righteous or not. Tactics such as economic boycott were essential to the civil rights movement.

These effective methods of political action are almost never encouraged by conservative leaders. Why not? Because they are afraid of the anger and neither understand nor trust the inherent restraint of Judeo-Christian righteousness.

The writing of right-wing pundits about the new angry American falls into two categories: a patronizing minimization or a hysterical apprehension of fanaticism. On the one hand, clucking conservatives belittle the righteously angry as "disaffected" or "indignant." Worse are the mealy-mouthed Ivy League staccato talkers ("But, but, but brownshirts, brownshirts!") who see a fascist in every American who loves his country. Conservative writers are as fully brainwashed against Americans as are progressives. Jeb! has supporters; Trump has followers.

The so-called conservative pundits with the deep cerebral folds generally make it clear that if America is lost, better that she goes out with a whimper. So the bums never get thrown out. Obama and Jeh Johnson can stick it to America again, defunding border protection, because there's not enough righteous anger left to stop them.

Why don't the supposedly brilliant thinkers on the right seize upon the energy of the people's ire instead of disparaging it? Why do they call for sober reflection and reasoned debate in the face of national catastrophe? Because for them the decimation of job growth and the erasing of our borders are troubling, ill-advised, even foreboding, but not personal. They don't live where Ed lives, across from the big green house on Pine Street. It was so well kept once. Now the paint is peeling, and the yard is a mud pit. Young men speaking Spanish come and go all hours of the day and night. They keep to themselves, but doors slam and car engines roar. There's a barking dog on a four-foot chain, and some days they throw food out to him. The cops come by when Ed calls, but say there's nothing they can do.
The truth hurts at left-wing Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which is very unhappy that Daniel Greenfield of Front Page Magazine and I (on AT) noticed that as a young man, Bernie Sanders spent time on a Stalinist kibbutz in Israel. For years, Sanders has refused to identify the kibbutz at which he stayed in the early 1960s, but the Times of Israel solved the mystery.

It took just a few hours from the moment news broke that Bernie Sanders had volunteered decades ago on a hard-left kibbutz in Israel for right-wing critics to start lobbing ever-scarier adjectives at him. The surging Democratic presidential candidates stint at Kibbutz Shaar Haamakim in northern Israel proves to conservatives that he isnt just a socialist but a hard-core Marxist or even a Stalinist, far outside the American mainstream. Bernie Sanderss 1963 stay at a Stalinist kibbutz, was the title of Thomas Lifsons piece on the site American Thinker, posted soon after the kibbutz was identified after months of mystery. Over at Frontpage Magazine, Daniel Greenfields article ran under the headline: Bernie Sanders Spent Months at Marxist-Stalinist Kibbutz. The descriptions seem damning, especially from the perspective of more than 50 years since Stalins death and the worlds absorption of the reality of his murderous, dictatorial and anti-Semitic regime. Yet at the time, as the two right-wing websites point out, Hashomer Hatzair, the kibbutz movement that Shaar Haamakim belonged to, had quite a different perspective. On the day of Stalins death, March 5, 1953, the front page of Al Hamishmar, the movements newspaper, carried a photo of the late Soviet leader under a full-width headline: The Progressive World Mourns the Death of Stalin. Greenfield at Frontpage concludes: Bernie Sanders wasnt there because he liked Israel. Hashomer Hatzair did not like Israel. It ultimately wanted to destroy it.

The paper stoutly maintains that the kibbutz and the movement behind it played a central place within the Zionist movement from its earliest days. And besides:

By 1963, when Sanders did his volunteer work, Hashomer Hatzairs admiration for Stalin had greatly faded[.]

Historian Ron Radosh makes mincemeat of this argument, writing at PJ Media:

 in 1963 when Sanders worked on Hashomers kibbutz, its members considered themselves Marxist-Zionists, and they held a pro-Soviet orientation which included supporting Soviet foreign policy. Their ideological orientation on Zionism and socialism came not from the social democrats of the Socialist International, who were strongly anti-Communist and anti-fascist during the years of World War II (like Germanys Willy Brandt), but from a rather unknown figure, a Zionist named Ber Borochov. I knew members of Hashomer Hatzair in the same period that Bernie worked on their kibbutz. They would always urge me to read Borochovs books. Although he passed away in 1917, too early to see the horrendous results of the Bolshevik Revolution, Borochovs followers argued that he had proved that socialist Zionism had to be Marxist-Leninist. Their only criticism of the official Israeli Communist Party was its refusal to see that Stalin was wrong to argue that Jews did not need their own nation and that they instead should work within their own countries to foment a communist revolution. (If you want to know more about Borochov, Wikipedia accurately summarizes his views.) (snip) These two articles have led writer Nathan Guttman in The Forward to accuse the two conservatives of Red-Baiting from [the] Right. He argues that while from todays perspective Sanders' history on the kibbutz may seem damning, it did not at the time, because all Zionists know that Hashomer Hatzair made worthwhile contributions to the building of Israel, especially in the pre-state Zionist military force, the Haganah, as well as its shock troops, the Palmach. Guttmans main argument, however, is that Israels guiding ideology at the time and its culture was socialist." He thereby makes no distinction between the moderate version of socialism held by Israeli Labor Party members like David Ben-Gurion and that of openly Stalinist Israelis who belonged to Hashomer Hatzair. He does acknowledge that in 1973 the kibbutz Sanders attended was still a socialist heaven, with communal sharing and regular singing of the Internationale. Even Guttman can see that Sanders might have a hard time explaining all this to Americans -- conservatives and liberals alike.

Radosh gets to the nub of the issue: if Sanders later rejected the Communist ideology animating the kibbutz, when did he do so, and why? And if he hasnt rejected it (as he has not done publicly), isnt that something that voters should know about?

Of course I do not know at all what Bernie Sanders specific views were at the time, but the evidence does indicate that back in the early '60s he was part of the pro-Communist wing of the left. Now, as a democratic socialist, he eschews revolution and wants the U.S. to emulate the sclerotic European social democracies via a political revolution, whatever that is. Sanders should tell us when and why he moved away from his former beliefs. What made him change from the views he held in the 1960s? If he has, there is no need for him to hide the nature of the kibbutz he worked on.

But of course, to ask for this is itself "red baiting" in the eyes of the left.
There is a short answer to the question: a lot richer than he admits. And the longer answer is even more interesting. Writing at Doug Rosss Director Blue, Cliff Kincaid explains:

... [former publisher of Campaigns & Elections Magazine James] OBrien has analyzed the financial status of Sanders and his wife, including their financial disclosure report, and has concluded they have a net worth in the range of $1.2 to $1.5 million, not the $700,000 or less that is usually reported by the media. (snip)  his wife, Jane OMeara Sanders, left her position as president of Burlington College under controversial circumstances and is now being accused of federal bank fraud. She left her position at the college and was given a severance package known as a golden parachute that also benefited Senator Sanders personal wealth.

Hmmm: The old cut the wife big checks from nonprofits gambit has a long history among Democrats. But Jane Sanders really should have asked Michelle Obama for advice, because Janes $200K is chump change compared to the yearly payout Shelly got from the University of Chicago Hospital for keeping a lid on protests when it dumped nonpaying patients on other health care facilities. Of course, there are far more opportunities for this sort of enrichment in Chicago than in Burlington. And face it: Burlington College was in tough financial shape at the time, with nothing like the resources of the U of C.

... as noted by Bruce Parker, a Vermont reporter for Watchdog.orgSenator Sanders should be asked to explain how his opposition to severance packages for corporation executives squares with his wife getting a cushy severance of $200,000.

Then there is a little smoke on Ms. Sanderss banking:

Brady C. Toensing, a partner with the law firm of diGenova & Toensing, has filed a legal complaint with federal authorities requesting an investigation into apparent federal bank fraud committed by Ms. Sanders. His complaint was sent to Eric S. Miller, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont, and Fred W. Gibson, Jr., Acting Inspector General with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Sanders is hiding some of his assets (legally):

OBrien says that Sanders financial disclosure forms are incomplete. For someone who doesnt care about money, he goes a long way to cover up his true net worth, he says. Bernie does not disclose the value of real estate holdings. He can. He is not required to, but he could if he chose. It is known that he and/or his wife own at least two homesone with rental income in Vermont and one near Capitol Hill where the median home value is $722,000.

I have nothing against people buying houses and accumulating a net worth. But if Sanderss wife executed a hypocritical severance package of the sort Bernie denounces, that is outright hypocrisy. And if he and his wife have accumulated a net worth that makes them millionaires, it sounds bad to his student loan-indebted followers. A million bucks aint what it used to be, but Sanders supporters dont realize that.
Hillary Clintons pose as a critic of Wall Street is running into the awkward fact that she received millions of dollars in speaking fees from financial industry sources, as well as $675,000 from Goldman Sachs for just three speeches. She and her campaign are seriously bungling their handling of the issue, making it appear as though she has something to hide. John Merline of Investors Business Daily chronicles the development of the issue.

In a video posted on the leftist news site The Intercept in late January, one of Intercepts reporters asked Clinton if she would release the transcripts of the speeches. Her dismissive response, in which she merely laughed and turn away, has spread across the Internet.

That laugh is even worse than her usual dismissive laugh because she ran away.

Bernie Sanders also brought it up in a debate weeks ago, but matters have gotten even worse since then.

 on Thursday, at an otherwise friendly MSNBC-hosted debate, Chuck Todd read a submitted question to Clinton about the Goldman Sachs speeches: Dont you think the voting public has a right to know what was said? Todd pressed further, asking Clinton: Are you willing to release the transcripts of all your paid speeches? We do know through reporting that there were transcription services for all of those paid speeches. In full disclosure, would you release all of them? Her answer: I will look into it. I dont know the status, but I will certainly look into it. But the very next day, Clinton pollster Joel Benenson indicated that Clinton has no real intention of looking into it, dismissing the issue entirely by saying that I dont think voters are interested in the transcripts of her speeches.

There are few things more suspicious than a broken promise to look into things. Sanders supporters, already convinced that the economy is rigged and that Bernie is the only one who will do something about it, are naturally curious as to what was said.

I doubt very much that Clinton said anything so blatant as Dont worry: I am just faking it on the outrage, and youll be safe with me. But she may well have said things almost equally incriminating:

Politico reported shortly after one of her Goldman Sachs speeches that What the bankers heard her to say was just what they would hope for from a prospective presidential candidate: Beating up the finance industry isnt going to improve the economyit needs to stop.

As Merline notes, it has already been reported that transcription services were used on her paid speeches at Goldman, so the refusal to release them is just going to fester and lead to more demands.

Unless the transcripts are full of fire-and-brimstone denunciations and demands that Goldman change its ways (and they arent), Hillary is going to look bad once they are released. And if they arent, after promising to look into them, the paranoia of the left will only grow.

A petition launched Friday on RootsAction.org  a left-wing activist site  asks every journalist who talks to Clinton to press her about releasing the Goldman Sachs transcripts. By Monday morning, the group had gathered more than 12,000 signatures. In addition, the leftist Daily Kos ran a story after the debate saying Hillary Clintons Goldman Sachs speech transcripts just became a MAJOR campaign issue. Other liberal sites have been pushing the story out to their readers as well.

The obvious solution is for Clinton to claim that Goldman, which paid for the speeches, refuses to release the transcripts. But then that casts her in the role of bought and paid for secret agent.

Hey, theres no reason why being a hypocritical phony lefty should be easy.
Republican defense hawks are declaring a partial victory over a change of heart by the Obama administration on funding some vital weapons systems.

Politico:

The turnabout is causing a major credibility problem for the Defense Department ahead of Tuesdays release of the president's new budget proposal, key lawmakers told POLITICO. Republican defense hawks spent the last year opposing the departments efforts to retire the aging A-10 Warthog attack jet and stop buying Tomahawk missiles and F-18 Super Hornet fighters  the very weapons getting praise now from Defense Secretary Ash Carter.

Rep. Mac Thornberry and Sen. John McCain, who chair the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, are already gloating over what they see as a small victory in their larger battle with Obama over military spending.

I think it harms their credibility because theyre changing positions, said McCain. Its also, I think, an argument for congressional action.

Thornberry, meanwhile, said Pentagon leaders are entitled to their opinions. But, the Texas Republican noted, Congress also has opinions, and some of those opinions are now looking pretty good in hindsight.

Carter, who flew out West to preview the Pentagons $583 billion budget submission, announced the reversals during the last week. They're partly a sign of the changing of the Pentagon's guard, more than a year after the departure of former secretary Chuck Hagel, and partly a reflection of the expanding threats confronting an administration that originally pinned its hopes on resetting relations with Russia and winding down George W. Bush's wars.

The trip amounted to a good news tour for the defense chief, who told sailors, airmen and Marines in California and Nevada about programs that would get a boost in the administrations spending proposal for fiscal 2017, while declining to list programs that would lose out.

Those details, Carter said, wouldnt be available until Tuesdays official budget roll-out.

Among the programs Carter touted were A-10s, Super Hornets and Tomahawk missiles. This is a complete turnaround from last year, when all three programs were on the chopping block.
New satellite images of Iran's top-secret military base at Parchin show evidence that they may have been trying to hide past nuclear activity and could be constructing another facility inside a nearby mountain.

The Daily Beast has a report by Stratfor that suggests that Iran may be violating the nuclear agreement recently signed with the West.

Forecasting site Stratfor.com says the images published Monday show Iran building a tunnel into a heavily guarded mountain complex inside the Parchin facility, some 20 miles southeast of Tehran, while also working to erase signs of alleged high-explosive testing at another area on the site. Were not saying theyre cheating on the nuclear deal, Stratfor analyst Sim Tack told The Daily Beast. The images show Iran was going through the motions to hide what its done before, and it is stilldeveloping facilities that the IAEA may or may not have access to, Tack said, referring to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The progression of satellite images tracking construction at Parchin from 2012 to 2015 show how Irans leaders apparently worked to keep regime hardliners happy by moving forward with weapons programs, even as the leadership worked to erase signs of an illegal nuclear weapons program, Tack said. The satellite images appear to show new paving around the building that was alleged to be a test site for high-energy explosive charges used to detonate a nuclear weapon. Comparing satellite images from 2010 to one taken this year, Tack points out that the area has been paved, and plants and trees surrounding it removed and the soil scrapedall steps one would take to hide the radioactive fallout of nuclear weapons testing. The IAEA sent a team to inspect the site last fall, one of the final steps up to the adoption of a deal that will give the country tens of billions of dollars in sanctions relief. In September, IAEA Director General [Yukiya] Amano visited the inside of the suspected explosives test chamber building, and found it had been emptied, said Andy Weber, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs. He added that in his opinion, Stratfors analysis tracked well with the photos. While the destruction of that controversial building has been reported before, Tack said the publication of images of the near-simultaneous construction of the tunnel entrance to another part of the complex is new.

When inspectors visited Parchin late last year, they were handed soil samples by Iranian authorities. They were not allowed to take their own samples. And you can bet they weren't allowed to investigate where that tunnel is going  even if they knew about it.

This story reveals some of the many flaws in the inspections regime negotiated by the IAEA and Iran. Satellite imagery gives us only a tantalizing glimpse into what the Iranians are up to. They can't read minds or see through rock. Inspectors need unfettered access to any suspicious site and an explanation for any suspicious activity.

But by the time the agency's request to inspect the sites was approved by Iran, chances are good any evidence of cheating would have been scrubbed. And that's if Iran even granted permission. Tehran has stated categorically that Parchin is off limits to inspectors because of its use as a military research facility.

The president's claim that the inspections regime is "unprecedented" is ludicrous, given what we know today.
The official residence and workplace of the Vice President of the Philippines, in Manila, is a curious attraction. The building is called Coconut Palace, or Tahanang Pilipino, because of the extensive use of coconut lumber and various parts of the coconut tree in its construction. The roof is made from coconut wood shingles, while the columns are inverted coconut trunks, with their distinctive bulge at the root end forming the capitals. Coconut wood parquetry covers the floors, carpets are made of coconut fiber and wallpaper from the fibrous sheath. The massive chandelier made from 101 coconut shells is worth seeing, and so is the dining table of 40,000 tiny pieces of inlaid coconut shells.

Photo credit: www.manosa.com

It is said that nearly 70% of the structure is made from the coconut tree. Everything from the trees roots to its trunk, bark, fruit, flower and shell were used to design and decorate the palace as a demonstration of the versatility of the humble coconut. No wonder the Philippines call the coconut tree the tree of life.

The Coconut Palace also has a certain notoriety. It was built during the regime of President Ferdinand Marcos who along with his wife First Lady Imelda Marcos, looted the Philippine treasury of at least USD 10 billion before he was ousted from his position. With the illegally accumulated wealth, the couple bought several palatial homes in the United States and Philippines, more than a hundred expensive paintings by old masters such as Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Rafael and Michelangelo, silver tableware, gold necklaces, diamond tiaras and all the best and precious the world had to offer.

A museum employee displays some of the shoes of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos, next to her portrait at the shoe museum in Manila. Photo credit: Ted Aljibe

Imelda Marcos lived a famously extravagant lifestyle and was known to have a massive wardrobe featuring at least a thousand pairs of shoes. (Her shoe collection are now on display at the Marikina Shoe Museum in Manila). It was Imelda Marcos who came up with the wacky idea of building an elegant guest house, the Coconut Palace, in order to receive Pope John Paul II when he visited the Philippines in 1981. But when the Pope learned that it was built at the cost of 37 million Philippine pesos, or USD 10 million at that time, he refused to set foot in the palace because he knew the opulent place was built at the expense of the countrys citizens who still lived in poverty.

Surprised and possibly embarrassed at the Popes refusal, Imelda seized a couple of average Hollywood celebrities like Brooke Shields and George Hamilton for a gala opening. Later, the palace was turned into a venue for weddings and parties before it became the Vice Presidents office and official residence. The Coconut Palace was opened for public tours on 2011.

Photo credit: Paul Shaffner/Flickr

Photo credit: Raphael Bick/Flickr

Coconut inlaid onto a table. Photo credit: hoagland.org

The coconut chandelier. Photo credit: bigbark/Flickr

Photo credit: Adam Brill/Flickr

Sources: Wikipedia / Philippines Travel Guide / Lonely Planet / BBC / www.manosa.com
What the western world remembers about the Vietnam War is defined by a handful of iconic photographs taken through the lenses of American and other western photographers. But the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong had hundreds of photographers of their own who worked in perilous conditions documenting every facet of the war. They worked for the Vietnam News Agency, the National Liberation Front, the North Vietnamese Army or various newspapers. Others were self-taught civilians, many of whom anonymously sent their films to news agencies. Many of these photographs are rarely seen, even in Vietnam.

When photojournalist Doug Niven first went to Hanoi, he expected to see the war from the Vietnamese perspective, but to his surprise, there was not even a North Vietnamese book on the war. There were a few Vietnamese publications with pictures from the war, but not a single comprehensive attempt to put all the war images together. So in the early 1990s, he started tracking down the surviving photographers.

Niven started off with the official channels and the government news agency. He then worked through a large photographers association and eventually, by word of mouth, he came across photographers who served in the war. Nine out of ten Vietnamese photographers were killed in the field, taken by bullets and bombs, while others succumbed to dysentery and malaria. Many of the surviving ones he interviewed didn't even know each other.

Niven recovered thousands of images, many of which were still in negatives never printed.

There was one photographer, actually a reporter who had a camera. He used only one roll of film for the duration of the war because didn't know how to change it and he was too scared to open the camera in case he ruined the film, Doug Niven tells National Geographic.

Many photographers worked in very difficult and dangerous conditions. They didnt have dark rooms so they would process their film in the middle of the night, under the stars. Some photographers mixed their chemicals in little teacup saucers, and often they would process only half a roll at a time because they did not want to risk ruining the entire roll. For flash photography, some used gunpowder from rifle cartridges and set a match to it.

We had to be extremely careful because we had limited amounts of film that had been distributed to us by our paper. For us, one photo was like a bullet, said Nguyen Dinh Uu, one of the photographers.

Out of thousands of images found, one hundred eighty were selected, and along with the stories of the courageous men who made them, were printed into a book Another Vietnam: Pictures of the War from the Other Side, published by the National Geographic.

I was curious about what pictures filled the memories of the Vietnamese people and if their view of the war was impacted by images in the same way. This book is an attempt to put together pictures showing how Vietnamese people viewed the war, and what those photographs looked like, said Doug Niven.

1970. A guerrilla in the Mekong Delta paddles through a mangrove forest defoliated by Agent Orange. The Americans denuded the landscape with chemicals to deny cover to the Viet Cong. The photographer was sickened by what he saw, since the Vietnamese regard mangrove forests as bountiful areas for agriculture and fishing.

Image: Le Minh Truong/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

1972. Activists meet in the Nam Can forest, wearing masks to hide their identities from one another in case of capture and interrogation. From here in the mangrove swamps of the Mekong Delta, forwarding images to the North was difficult. "Sometimes the photos were lost or confiscated on the way," said the photographer.

Image: Vo Anh Khanh/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

1974. Women haul in heavy fishing nets on the upper branch of the Mekong River, taking over a job usually done exclusively by men.

Image: Le Minh Truong/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

June 1972. Militia members sort through the debris of an American plane downed by small-arms fire in the Hanoi suburbs. The pilot had been flying at treetop level to avoid radar detection, but such low-flying planes were more vulnerable to small arms. U.S. planes targeted Hanoi industrial sites, but most industries were relocated to the countryside.

Image: Doan Cong Tinh/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

1972. Guerillas guard an outpost on the Vietnam-Cambodia border protected by poisoned bamboo punji stakes. Sharpened then hardened with fire, punji stakes were often hidden where enemy soldiers would step on them. Such booby traps were meant to wound, not kill, because wounded soldiers slowed down their unit, and medevacs gave away its position.

Image: Le Minh Truong/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

Date unknown. Viet Cong meet the enemy face-to-face, most likely in the Mekong Delta or Plain of Reeds. This rare image shows both sides in combat, ARVN soldiers at the top and Viet Cong in the foreground. The VC have flanked the enemy at left and right, which likely meant the ARVN unit was wiped out.

Image: Hoang Mai/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

April 30, 1975. Combat boots litter the road on the outskirts of Saigon, abandoned by ARVN soldiers who shed their uniforms to hide their status. "I'll never forget the shoes and the loud 'thump, thump, thump' sound as we drove over them," recalled the photographer. "Decades of war were over and we finally had peace."

Image: Duong Thanh Phong/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

May 1975. Elders from North and South embrace, having lived to see Vietnam reunited and unoccupied by foreign powers.

Image: Vo Anh Khanh/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

July 1967. New recruits undergo physical examinations in Haiphong. The North's volunteer system was transformed into a mandatory system in 1973, when all able-bodied males were drafted. From a corps of around 35,000 men in 1950, the NVA grew to over half a million men by the mid-'70s, a force the U.S. military conceded was one of the finest in the world.

Image: Bao Hanh/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

September 1965. Using overhead targets, a militia company practices firing ahead of speeding aircraft in Thanh Tri. Even using antiquated WWII rifles such as these, the Vietnamese were able to cripple or down many U.S. aircraft. This militia group, Company #6 of the Yen My Commune, earned the title of "Excellent Militia" three years in a row.

Image: Minh Dao/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

1973. Construction workers discuss repairs of the bombed out Ham Rong Bridge, in central North Vietnam. The only route across the Ma River for heavy trucks and machinery, the bridge was heavily defended, and several U.S. planes were shot down nearby. An American MIA search team found pilot remains there.

Image: Unknown Photographer/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

1966. Troops walk the Ho Chi Minh Trail in the Truong Son Mountains, which form the 750-mile-long spine of Vietnam, stretching along much of the country's western border. To the soldiers of the North, the Ho Chi Minh Trail was known as the Truong Son Road.

Image: Le Minh Truong/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

March 1971. Laotian guerrillas haul supplies by elephant and foot to NVA troops near Route 9 in southern Laos during South Vietnam's attempted interdiction of the trail. The invasion, Operation Lam Son 719, was intended to test ARVN's ability as U.S. support was winding down. It proved disastrous, with Southern troops fleeing in panic.

Image: Doan Cong Tinh/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

1973. A Viet Cong guerrilla stands guard in the Mekong Delta. "You could find women like her almost everywhere during the war," said the photographer. "She was only 24 years old but had been widowed twice. Both her husbands were soldiers. I saw her as the embodiment of the ideal guerrilla woman, who'd made great sacrifices for her country."

Image: Le Minh Truong/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

Sept. 15, 1970. A victim of American bombing, ethnic Cambodian guerrilla Danh Son Huol is carried to an improvised operating room in a mangrove swamp on the Ca Mau Peninsula. This scene was an actual medical situation, not a publicity setup. The photographer, however, considered the image unexceptional and never printed it.

Image: Vo Anh Khanh/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

1972. NVA soldiers dash across open ground near strategic Highway 9 in southern Laos during Operation Lam Son 719, the South's failed attempt to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Image: Nguyen Dinh Uu/Another Vietnam/National Geographic Books

via Mashable
Motorola has been owned by Lenovo for quite some time now, and unfortunately for those of you who are fans of the Motorola naming, Lenovo has announced that theyre re-branding the company. Motorola wont cease to exist, but the Motorola naming sure will. The companys Moto devices will continue selling under the Lenovo brand, alongside with Lenovos Vibe Android-powered smartphones. That being said, Motorola has introduced some really compelling devices last year, including the Moto G (2015), Moto X Play, Moto X Style, Droid Turbo 2 and Droid Maxx 2. The Moto X Style can be considered Motorolas flagship at the moment, and we havent really heard much about its successor thus far, even though its expected to arrive in July this year. Well, some images surfaced recently, read on.

If you take a look at the gallery down below, youll get to see a couple of leaked images which allegedly show off Motorolas upcoming smartphones. According to the source, these are the upcoming Moto X and Moto G handsets. There are quite a few devices here, and were guessing that the ones with a plastic back are Moto G smartphones, while the ones with the metal back are Moto X devices. Now, according to Lenovos CEO, Yuanqing Yang, the company plans to introduce a major smartphone in the US in mid-2016, which fits perfectly with Moto G and Moto X release cycle. Could these be the upcoming Moto X and Moto G handsets? Well, its hard to say, its still way to early to be certain of anything, but as things usually go with such leaks, if these are legit, well see them leak several times over before they get announced by the company.

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The source did not reveal anything about these devices specifications, but as I said, its way to early for something like that. These images are quite blurry, but it seems like the Moto X will be a metal unibody handset this time around, while the Moto G will sport a metallic frame, and a plastic back which will be replaceable once again. The Moto Gs camera will be centered in the upper portion of the phones back, while the Moto Xs images are too blurry for us to be certain of what were seeing. Either way, stay tuned, if any other Moto X and / or Moto G leaks surface, well make sure to let you know.
Samsung Galaxy S7s announcement is right around the corner. Samsung has confirmed that their new flagship is going to be announced during the companys MWC press event on February 21st. Samsung will, quite probably, announce both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge at the event, and weve already seen quite a few various leaks regarding these two phones. A number of renders leaked, and both of these devices have also been benchmarked by various benchmarking sites already, not to mention that their cases leaked several times as well. That being said, we do have some new info to share with you, read on.

Were here to talk about yet another Galaxy S7 accessory, its wireless charger. The companys handsets have been supporting wireless charging for quite some time now, and the Galaxy S7 certainly wont be an exception to that rule. Well, the Galaxy S7s Mini Charging Pad is now listed on Clove UKs website. For those of you who dont know, Clove is a US-based retailer which sells electronic equipment. Now, the listed charger actually looks identical to the one Samsung introduced last year, and that could mean two things. First, Samsung decided not to change its design considering the Galaxy S7 will resemble the Galaxy S6 anyhow, or Clove might be using the picture from last year as a placeholder for now. Either way, the listing doesnt really share all that much detail, it only says that this is an official product, and that it is optimized for use with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge handsets.

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Now, according to various rumors and leaks, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge will feature 5.2 and 5.7-inch displays, respectively. Both of these phones will sport QHD Super AMOLED panels, and will be quite similar in terms of the design, the only difference will be Galaxy S7 Edges curved display, and the size, of course. Samsungs Exynos 8890 and Qualcomms Snapdragon 820 SoCs are said to fuel the companys upcoming flagships (two models), and Android 6.0 Marshmallow will come pre-installed here with Samsungs TouchWiz UI on top of it. The 12.2-megapixel BRITECELL camera has also been mentioned, but its possible that Samsung will opt for Sonys sensor used in the companys Xperia Z5 devices, well see.
By now, many Android users should be familiar with the HERE Maps application available in the Play Store. If not, there are many different reasons to check it out as an alternative to Google Maps or as an addition to Maps. One reason being the ability to download maps for use offline for entire cities, states, and countries, which could come in handy when there is no internet connection and Google Maps becomes unresponsive. For some users, HERE Maps may be the only maps app they ever need, with not only a comprehensive set of map data but access to directions and offline navigation as well as information about transit times and directions too.

Today HERE maps has just become more useful to more people as they have expanded the amount of transit data the app includes by adding more cities across the globe, including plenty of cities in the U.S., two cities in Canada, various cities across South America in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Venezuela, and various cities across Europe in France, Spain, and Italy, and in The Philippines. With all these newly added regions, HERE Maps now provides transit directions in over 1,000 cities worldwide and not all are major metropolitan areas, meaning HERE Maps is catering to those in lower population regions too.

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The team behind HERE Maps notes that in all 1,000 cities included users will be able to get public transit routes, and that some cities even have the availability to get public transit times for those routes as well. These newly added locations for transit data are made all the more useful thanks to the functions HERE added in the last update, like the nearby button and the third-party content integration which begins with information from Get Your Guide. Aside from adding new cities to the list of places with transit data, HERE Maps has also been continuing to add a more realistic depiction of the transit routes to make things more visually familiar. The latest update to HERE Maps should already be live in the Play Store that includes the new transit data, allowing users to take immediate advantage of it from here on out in those locations.
NVIDIA are one of the graphics processing worlds more prominent and important manufacturers. The company is in the business of making graphics processor units, or GPUs, for a number of different products such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops. The company has also invested into building System-on-Chips, such as the Tegra family of mobile processors, and also manufacturers the SHIELD portable console and the Android-powered SHIELD Tablet range. Samsung are the world largest manufacturer of Android-based smartphones and tablets but also have a large portfolio of other electronics products; they are no stranger to patent infringement court cases, even away from the headline-making Apple versus Samsung court cases. However, whereas Apple sued Samsung, in todays story, Samsung were attempting to sue NVIDIA in a case lodged just last November, where the South Korean business accused NVIDIA of infringing four patents. At the end of last week, a federal jury trial found NVIDIA not guilty of infringing a Samsung-held patent.

This particular case concerns the memory chips attached to processor and memory cards: NVIDIAs graphics cards depend on the memory attached to them and these chips are manufactured by a number of different companies around the world, including Samsung. Of the four original patents, Samsung dropped one case (perhaps because NVIDIA and Samsung settled out of court) and a judge ruled that two others should be dismissed because of a mistrial. NVIDIA spokesman, Hector Marinez, said: We are pleased with the outcome of this case, which reflects the jurys careful attention to the facts and the law that applied.

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However, whilst the case concerns RAM chips, the roots of the case are found after licensing talks failed between NVIDIA and a number of competitors, including Qualcomm and Samsung, over the mobile GPU market. NVIDIA has been working hard to force competitors to pay licensing fees for what it claims are the unique products that it developed, onboard mobile GPU chips. However, NVIDIAs mobile GPU technology is reliant on associated memory chips, which Samsung argues is its own invention. NVIDIA lost a ITC case against Samsung, and a judge ruled that the GPU specialist business also infringed three Samsung patents in December 2015. NVIDIA is challenging these decisions, so it appears that unfortunately whilst this particular case appears to have been resolved, there are still ongoing conflicts between the major technology businesses of the world.
OnePlus news have been coming our way quite frequently. The company has recently decided to offer their OnePlus X device invite-free for good, and OnePlus has also offered free shipping for orders over $100. Thats not all though, the company has kicked off various promotions lately, and one of those promotions actually offers free Rosewood or Karbon Case with a purchase of OnePlus X handset. That being said, the company has just released yet another rather interesting piece of news, and it regards the OnePlus 2 flagship, read on.

The OnePlus 2 has been out in the market for quite some time now. This smartphone was introduced back in August last year, and has been available in a number of markets all around the world. OnePlus 2 offers high-end specs, and its price wasnt that high to begin with, and yet OnePlus had decided to offer the OnePlus 2 on a permanent discount. The company has decided to lower the price of the device, the phone now costs $349 in the US, a345 in Europe, and 249 in the UK. Now, keep in mind that the phone was previously priced at $389, a399, and 289 in these regions, respectively. So, as you can see, this is actually a quite noticeable discount, and if youve been trying to decide whether to get this handset or not, this might be the perfect chance to do it.

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The OnePlus 2 features a 5.5-inch 1080p (1920 x 1080) LTPS IPS display, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of non-expandable internal storage. This handset is fueled by the Snapdragon 810 64-bit octa-core SoC, along with an Adreno 530 GPU for graphics. The 13-megapixel OIS snapper (f/2.0 aperture, 1.3um pixel size) can be found on the back of this phone, and a 5-megapixel shooter is available up front. Android 5.1 Lollipop comes pre-installed here with the companys Oxygen OS available on top of Googles operating system. The 3,300mAh non-removable battery is also a part of this package, and there are two SIM card slots available here. The phone measures 151.8 x 74.9 x 9.9mm, while it weighs 175 grams. That is more or less it, if youre interested in getting the OnePlus 2, visit OnePlus official website.
Back in late September, Google introduced the second-generation of its media streaming dongles, Chromecast and Chromecast Audio. While the original first-gen Chromecast was unveiled back in July 2013 and managed to sell over twenty million units, this time around, emboldened by its success, Google deemed it fit to launch not just one, but two devices as part of its 2015 Chromecast lineup  the Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio. While the devices were initially only launched officially in the US market, Google has recently started to make the twin devices available in a number of markets around the world. As part of the ongoing exercise, the duo were only recently launched in India, at a price of Rs. 2,999 ($45).

Now, unverified reports out of Australia seem to indicate that the Chromecast twins are headed Down Under at some stage in February itself. According to Ausdroid, the launch is expected to come within the next couple of weeks. The website also claims that the devices will be priced at AUD$59 ($42) each in the country, which would be about A$10 higher than the price of the first-gen Chromecast dongle, which was priced at AUD$49 ($35) apiece. Apparently, Aussie online retailer, Kogan, is also listing the two dongles as Coming Soon, which seemingly lends further credence to the rumors, although Google is yet to announce anything officially on this matter. It remains to be seen how long Google takes to actually make the Australia launch official.

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For those not yet familiar with the devices, Chromecast is basically an HDMI dongle that can stream video from mobile devices on to televisions by using Wi-Fi. The two latest devices have been available for purchase in the US for a few months now, and is priced at the same level as the first-gen devices  $35. Google, however, makes the device even more affordable from time to time by offering promotional discounts. Currently, the company is offering a $10 Play Store credit for those buying either of the two dongles. The new devices come with dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Wi-Fi support, and is offered in a number of color options, like Lemonade (Yellow), Coral (Red) and Black.
How journalism works: looking for fugitive toff Lord Lucan was fun for Garth Gibbs, the Daily Mirrors man on the tropical beat. Roy Greenslade writes:

Gibbs, who died in 2011, was renowned for his tenacious belief that he was only ever one step behind the missing peer. Not that he minded, however, because he spent a great deal of his employers money travelling the world while failing to get his man.

Reflecting on the matter after 30 years of fruitless journalistic endeavour, he explained that he had adopted as his motto an observation made by the canny Sunday Express editor John Junor: Laddie, you dont ever want to shoot the fox. Once the fox is dead there is nothing left to chase.

Gibbs wrote: With that in mind I regard not finding Lord Lucan as my most spectacular success in journalism. Of course, many of my colleagues have also been fairly successful in not finding Lord Lucan. But I have successfully not found him in more exotic spots than anybody else.

Indeed, he had. He failed to locate him after three weeks in Cape Town, which was handy because Gibbs, a South African, was able to visit friends and relatives. Nor did he find him in Macau or Hong Kong or the Bahamas.
(ANSA) - Sanremo, February 8 - This year's Sanremo Music Festival, which starts Tuesday and will continue through February 13, has set a new record for the number of press accreditations, with 1,335 media representatives covering the 66th edition of the festival from its two press rooms, Italian State broadcaster RAI said on Monday.

At the Ariston Theatre, the festival venue, 573 journalists from 234 media outlets will be present, along with photographers and press agents from recording labels of competing artists, for a total of 593 people accredited.

At the "Lucio Dalla" press room in the nearby Palafiori conference centre, 742 accreditations have been issued for 312 radio, TV, and web outlets.

That press room will be in constant live contact with the official press room at the Ariston during press conferences.

Among the foreign correspondents, two new countries are covering the festival this year: a website from Denmark and a TV network from the Netherlands.

That brings the total of foreign correspondents to 79, from 42 different media outlets.

There are TV networks present from Croatia, Luxembourg, Romania, Russia, Switzerland and San Marino.

Radio will be present from Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Monaco, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, the United States and Switzerland.

Print journalism and websites will be present from Canada, Denmark, England, Monaco, the US and Switzerland.


(ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - Rome prosecutors investigating the Cairo torture and murder of Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni on Monday heard testimony from the victim's parents and friends.

The parents told prosecutors their son never mentioned imminent risks for his own safety, but that he was aware that the political situation in Egypt was very tense ahead of the January 25 anniversary of the ousting of former dictator, Hosni Mubarak.

Seven Italian investigators have flown to Cairo to take part in a joint probe aimed at reconstructing a case that has appalled Italy and sent shock waves abroad. Regeni was not working for the secret services but was just an academic, the Italian investigators said.

Italy will not be satisfied with anything less than the truth about Regeni's slaying in Egypt, Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told LA Repubblica daily in an interview out Monday.

"We want those really responsible identified, and we want them punished according to the law," he said. "Italy has a duty to defend its citizens" in spite of the fact that Egypt is "a strategic partner" in the Middle East "with a key role in stabilizing the region", Gentiloni said.

Also on Monday, Italy's National Forensic Council (CNF) issued a statement about Regeni, who disappeared in Cairo on January 25 and who turned up dead last week. His body was returned to Italy at the weekend for a fresh autopsy on his tortured corpse.

"(His) death proves once again how much we need a constant commitment to monitor and denounce episodes of human rights violations," the CNF said. "The use of torture cannot be tolerated, nor any compromise in the name of reasons of State to justify it. The CNF calls on everyone to contribute to the defense of freedom of thought and respect for life," the statement said.

Regeni, 28, was studying at the American University in Cairo and freelancing for leftist Rome-based daily Il Manifesto on issues such as the trade union movement. After his death, the paper ran his last piece under his name, detailing difficulties facing independent labor unions, including the Center for Trade Unions and Workers Services.

He went missing January 25, and he was found dead in a ditch with signs of torture on the evening of February 3. A candlelight vigil was held in his northern home town of Fiumicello at the weekend.

On Sunday, The New York Times reported that the US will likely bring up the Regeni murder in meetings with Egyptian officials this week. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry meets US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington, while Sarah B. Sewall, the State Department's top human rights official, travels to Cairo.

The case "(is) seen...as another alarming sign...in a country where arbitrary detention and torture have become increasingly common," the paper wrote.
(ANSA) - Rome, February 5 - On February 11, a new production of 'The Barber of Seville' by Davide Livermore and with an orchestra conducted by Donato Renzetti will go on stage at Teatro dell'Opera. The well-known Rossini work was first performed at Teatro Argentina in the Italian capital in 1816. After Emma Dante's ' Cinderella' (which will be performed through Feruary 19), the opera house is thus continuing its celebration of Gioachino Rossini's works to revive the spirit of his works and understand their historical significance and not only as an homage to the composer's genius. A performance will be held on February 20 at 18:00, on the exact day of the debut. "Every opera is an extraordinary act of memory," the conductor said last week in presenting his 'The Barber of Seville' to the media.

"I entered the wake of a tradition that in 200 years has created a stratification of interpretations," he added.

The world "has been widely explored both from a musical and a text-based point of view - I am not interested in...

provocation as an end in itself," he said.

"In a work such as this one, directorial meta-readings are not useful, and can only be so in works that are fragile from a dramaturgical and musical point of view." Renzetti said he had wanted to "remove from the work all the 'mistakenly taken liberties' that had become consolidated over time, and only leave the traditions wanted by Rossini himself". To highlight what the conductor called "a visual kaleidoscope over the course of historic episodes, made concrete by scenic acts" Livermore used all theatrical elements - not just lighting and set design, but also costumes by Gianluca Falaschi, illustrations by Francesco Calcagnini, videos by D-Wok and magical effects by Mago Alexander. The result will be a surprising production but one that is entirely faithful to the original, said Rome Opera Theater Superintendent Carlos Fuortes.

The work is an "homage" to Commedia dell'Arte and "we must not fear" the laughter it will inspire, Fuortes said.


(ANSA) - Washington, February 8 - Visiting Italian President Sergio Mattarella and United States President Barack Obama discussed Italy's part in the fight against ISIS and the global refugee emergency in talks of over an hour at the White House Monday.

Obama discussed with Mattarella the role Italy can play in the fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, in particular "the fundamental role" Italy will play in reinforcing the area of Mosul in northern Iraq, the White House said.

Obama thanked Italy for protecting the Mosul Dam. Obama said "I thanked Italy very much for its notable contribution in training soldiers in Iraq and for the important role that it will play in protecting the Mosul Dam which is extremely important for the Iraqi people". Italy's Trevi construction group recently landed the contract to repair and maintain the dam which was taken back from ISIS last year.

Obama said that he and Mattarella also "talked about joint efforts to help Libya form a government that will enable their security forces to stabilise their territory and neutralise ISIS".

Mattarella said after the talks that "for Libya, via the transatlantic alliance, our collaboration is decisive to make sure the international community resolves the dramatic problems on the table by restoring stability and security".

Mattarella said that "close transatlantic cooperation enables us today and will enable us to tackle new challenges and defeat the enemies of peace and human rights". Mattarella and Obama discussed the world's main crisis areas, from Syria to Afghanistan and from Iraq to Libya, sources said. Obama said that "ties could not be closer and the collaboration we have on a wide range of problems in the world is extraordinary".

The US president also said that "we talked at length about the problem of refugees and migrants that has had a terrible impact on Europe and on Italy in particular". He said "for the US this is not just Europe's problem but a global problem that puts pressure on the US and the transatlantic relationship". Obama stressed that NATO and the EU must work together "to dismantle human-trafficking networks".


(ANSA) - Washington, February 8 - United States President Barack Obama on Monday thanked Italy for protecting the Mosul Dam in Iraq. Speaking after meeting President Sergio mattarella at the White House, Obama said "I thanked Italy very much for its notable contribution in training soldiers in Iraq and for the important role that it will play in protecting the Mosul Dam which is extremely important for the Iraqi people". Italy's Trevi construction group recently landed the contract to repair and maintain the dam which was taken back from ISIS last year.


(ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - The ruling center-left Democratic Party (PD) said Monday does not intend to remove a clause from its civil unions bill allowing gay spouses to adopt each other's biological children.

"The PD does not support removing (the clause)," said Lower House PD whip, Ettore Rosato.

"We're working on a parliamentary majority in order to approve the bill".

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano from the small New Center Right (NCD) party, a junior member of the ruling left-right coalition, has been pressing the PD to remove the so-called stepchild adoption clause or risk losing NCD backing on the bill.

Matters were further complicated at the weekend, when the leader of the anti-establishment, opposition 5-Star Movement (M5S), Beppe Grillo, left M5S MPs free to vote their conscience on the bill now before the Senate.

Last week, M5S Senator Alberto Airola said the Movement "won't vote for a watered-down version of the bill, which is why we didn't file any amendments to it".

However it later turned out that the M5S grassroots is divided over whether or not gays should be allowed to adopt their partner's children - as straight couples are allowed to do.

This means that in Italy, children with gay parents risk ending up in the foster system if one of their parents die, because the surviving parent or step-parent has no custody rights.

Also on Monday, members of the center-right Area Popolare (AP) caucus in the Senate said they oppose not just the stepchild adoption clause but other measures that, according to them, make civil unions equal to heterosexual marriage before the law.

"And this will bring with it generalized adoptions in any court," said AP Senators Maurizio Sacconi and Nico D'Ascola.

AP is made up of the NCD plus the small, centrist Union of Christian Democrats (UDC).


(ANSA) - Palermo, February 8 - A Palermo judge on Monday sentenced six Africans to prison sentences ranging from two to six years four months for human trafficking. This is the first conviction in Italy that recognizes the existence of a racketeering organization that traffics human beings. The sentence came in a fast-track trial, which in Italy means the ruling can't be appealed, but sentences are reduced by a third if the defendants are found guilty.

The six defendants, all Eritrean nationals, formed the cell of the organisation that managed the stay in Italy of migrants arriving from Libya and their passage to other European countries. One, Nuredin Atta, turned state's evidence and his testimony reportedly helped prosecutors sew up the case, as well as feeding into other similar investigations. Proceedings have been suspended against a further three people thought to be at the head of the organisation on grounds they could not be traced. The trial grew out of the so-called Glauco investigation that began after the Lampedusa shipwreck of October 3, 2013, in which 366 migrants and refugees lost their lives.

Survivors' reports enabled investigators to identify the traffickers.


(ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - We must build bridges not walls, Pope Francis told Corriere della Sera daily in an interview out Monday.

"We must build bridges - not walls - because they aid the cause of peace," Francis said ahead of a meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kyrill in Cuba.

"I...wanted to meet and embrace my Orthodox brothers again," Francis said, adding the February 12 meeting in Havana was set up thanks to "two years of secret negotiations".

The European Union will smile upon migrants once more and "must and can reform itself", the pontiff added.

"An educational system has been broken - the one that transmitted values from grandparents to grandchildren, from parents to children," he said. This broken link must be "rebuilt".

The West must take a hard look at its own responsibilities in the Middle East and the Arab world, Francis said.

"One could have imagined ahead of time what could have happened in the wake of the Arab Springs and Iraq," he said.

"There has in part been a convergence between the Holy See's and Russia's analysis." "Before, there was just one (Libyan military dictator Muammar) Gaddafi, now there are 50," said the pope.

He also named former foreign minister Emma Bonino, ex-Italian president Giorgio Napolitano, and Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini as the country's "forgotten greats" for their selfless dedication to building bridges with Africa, to serving Italy, and to upholding the rights of refugees.


Vella re-launches EU commitment for Mediterranean fisheries Ministers from southern Europe attending Catania summit

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, FEBRUARY 8 - A European bid spearheaded by Italy and other 'Club med' countries to re-launch a strong global political commitment in favour of fish resources in the Mediterranean gets under way from the Sicilian city of Catania on Tuesday.



EU commissioner for fisheries and the environment, Karmenu Vella, announced the objective in an interview with ANSA on the eve of the summit to be attended by Italian undersecretary for agriculture Giuseppe Castiglione together with ministers and political representatives from Spain, Greece, Croatia, Malta and Slovenia as well as scientists, Mediterranean organizations, NGOs and environmentalists. "It is no secret that the Mediterranean fish stock situation is worrying, except for red tuna for which a recovery plan is under way," Vella said.



"According to scientists less than 10% of stocks are exploited in a sustainable way and we believe it is necessary to undertake concrete action in the short and medium term at the national, EU and international levels".



Brussels is convinced of this. The two days of discussion in Catania will furnish the political basis and enthusiasm ahead of a ministerial declaration to be presented in March 2017 to the future Maltese presidency of the EU.



Meanwhile bilateral meetings will be held with Tunisia, Turkey and also eventually Morocco, while in April Vella will gather ministers from the south of the EU in Brussels for a trade fair on seafood. (ANSAmed).




BEIRUT - Syrian civilians are not only fleeing to Turkey: 30 thousand are directed to Jordan, according to the latest information by medical sources in the southern region of Daraa. The Russian air offensive supporting the advance of loyalist forces in the south of Syria is pushing some 20 thousand people on the run towards the border crossing of Tel Shihab and other areas out of government control to the south-west of Daraa. Other 8 thousand people - said the sources - are trying to reach Yadude, north-west of the battered southern Syrian county-seat.

Meanwhile a human wave is pushing towards the southern borders of Turkey which, at the moment, remain closed. It is the mass exodus of thousands of Syrian refugees escaping Aleppo and its surroundings and knocking on Turkey's door to flee air-strikes by government forces and Russia. Ankara is playing down the criticism voiced against it by the EU first and foremost and defended its policy saying it had reached maximum capacity with regard to refugees but also added it would not abandon fleeing Syrians to their destiny.



Deputy Premier Numan Kurtulmus told Turkish CNN that his country is currently hosting 3 million refugees and that it will continue to let them enter its borders. He also pointed out that 15 thousand people were allowed into Turkey in the last few days and that 30 thousand more are waiting to cross the border.



Ankara was criticised after dramatic videos showing thousands of desperate Syrians fleeing war were circulated. The images recorded the terrible living conditions of men, women and children deprived of their lives and their belongings and travelling to an unknown future.



Suleyman Tapsiz, governor of the Turkish province of Kilis, on Saturday, said that Ankara had taken care of them within the Syrian territory but was also prepared to allow them into Turkey in view of the "extraordinary crisis".



On the ground, pro-government forces continue with their offensive in the northern province of Aleppo. These military operations have caused a dramatic mass exodus towards the Turkish border.



Opposition activists said that loyalist ground troops with the cover of Russian air-raids, are engaging in heavy fighting with rebels around the village of Ratyan and in surrounding areas, north of Aleppo.



After Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates also speculated about the possibility of deploying troops to Syria in order to fight Islamic State jihadists.
Egypt security forces didn't kill Regeni says minister Italian student had ears clipped, cuts all over body, sources

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, FEBRUARY 8 - Egyptian security forces were not involved in the death of Italian student Giulio Regeni, Interior Minister Magdi Abdel Ghaffar told a press conference Monday. "We refute all the accusations and allusions on an involvement by the security (forces)," he said. He said "all parts of our apparatus are largely focused on solving this case".



The minister added that "we are absolutely not treating (slain) Italian (student Giulio Regeni) as a spy but as if he were an Egyptian." He said Regeni's murder was "a criminal act".



he also added that was not imprisoned by any Egyptian authority". The Italian student had the tops of both his ears clipped off during the torture that preceded his death, investigative sources told ANSA The body showed dozens of "little cuts", including on the soles of his feet, they said. One of Regeni's fingernails had been torn out along with one of his toenails.



"There are marks of small cuts all over the body," the sources said, "on both the front and back". Among various bones broken were his collarbones, they said. (ANSAmed).




Migrants: Turkey, Syrian infant dead of cold and hunger Mother fled from Aleppo, travelling 100 km on foot

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, FEBRUARY 8 - A one-year-old Syrian infant has been found dead at Adana bus station in southern Turkey, where his mother walked 100 km with him to flee from the war-torn city of Aleppo. According to first official reports, little Garam was dead from malnutrition and exposure.



The body of the little boy was taken to the Adana pathology institute for an autopsy. His mother, Nesrin Berdos, aged 33, arrived in Turkey with other relatives and is in a state of shock.



According to local media the group was waiting for a bus to take them from Adana to Istanbul.



As many as 30,000 people have gathered on the Syrian border with Turkey after fleeing Russian air raids and the advance of forces loyal to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad in Aleppo province. (ANSAmed).




Six Africans convicted of human trafficking Probe used evidence from defendant turned state's witness

(ANSAmed) - PALERMO, FEBRUARY 8 - A Palermo judge on Monday sentenced six Africans to prison sentences ranging from two to six years four months for human trafficking. This is the first conviction in Italy that recognizes the existence of a racketeering organization that traffics human beings. The sentence came in a fast-track trial, which in Italy means the ruling can't be appealed, but sentences are reduced by a third if the defendants are found guilty.



The six defendants, all Eritrean nationals, formed the cell of the organisation that managed the stay in Italy of migrants arriving from Libya and their passage to other European countries. One, Nuredin Atta, turned state's evidence and his testimony reportedly helped prosecutors sew up the case, as well as feeding into other similar investigations. Proceedings have been suspended against a further three people thought to be at the head of the organisation on grounds they could not be traced. The trial grew out of the so-called Glauco investigation that began after the Lampedusa shipwreck of October 3, 2013, in which 366 migrants and refugees lost their lives.



Survivors' reports enabled investigators to identify the traffickers. (ANSAmed).




Tunisia: 10 million from EU to public media Support to entire sector to strenghten information

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, FEBRUARY 8 - The European Union decided to support the public media sector in Tunisia with a contribution of 10 million within the framework of an aid programme geared to the advancement of technology in the field. The announcement was made by the head of the EU delegation to Tunisia, Laura Baeza, during a visit to the seat of Tunisian state television, which takes a lion's share of the funding. The EU considers the theme of public media in Tunisia very important and it announced, as of this year, a reform that will support the entire system from a technological standpoint in order to bring information closer to the citizen. The interim president of Tunisian state tv, Rached Younes, stressed the need to improve the quality of services to the public and strenghten the credibility of information to form a new relationship with the audience based on trust, transparency and positive interaction.(ANSAmed).




ME: Ynet, agreement for restitution of Palestinian bodies Between Israel and families of assailants

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, FEBRUARY 8 - A basic accord for the restitution of the bodies of Palestinians killed during acts of aggression against military and civilian targets in the Jewish State was reached between the families of the assailants and Israel, reported Ynet, according to which the agreement regards the bodies of Palestinians of East Jerusalem who carried out attacks in the last few months.



The topic has been controversial and premier Benyamin Netanyahu lashed out against Arab parlamentarians who met the families of the Palestinians in question, among which the one of a Palestinian man who killed three Israelis.



The premier announced a law to suspend these MEPs from the Knesset. (ANSAmed).




(ANSAmed) - WASHINGTON- US President Barack Obama said after talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Monday that "we talked at length about the problem of refugees and migrants that has had a terrible impact on Europe and on Italy in particular".



He said "for the US this is not just Europe's problem but a global problem that puts pressure on the US and the transatlantic relationship". Obama stressed that NATO and the EU must work together "to dismantle human-trafficking networks".

In the meantime, the tragedy of migrants and refugees continue. At least 27 people died in a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea on Monday, eleven children among them. Their boat capsized in the Turkish bay of Edremit, not far from the Greek island of Lesbos. (ANSAmed).
Possibile work permit in Israel for 30,000 Palestinians According to a plan drawn by Defense Ministry

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, FEBRUARY 8 - Despite months of increased tensions with Israeli military and civilians under attack, the Defense Ministry in Jerusalem is planning to allow other 30,000 Palestinians to work in Israel.



The plan was drawn by Minister Moshe Yaalon and by General Yoav Mordechai, responsible for civilian authority in the Territories, and, according to the media, its main points have already been approved by the security cabinet and the measure will be submitted to the government chaired by Benyamin Netanyahu for the final go-ahead.(ANSAmed).




Utmost cooperation on Regeni, says Egyptian Ambassador

(ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 8 - Egyptian Ambassador to Italy Amr Helmy told ANSA Monday that "Egyptian authorities offer the utmost collaboration to Italian investigators currently in Egypt" over the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni. He said "the Egyptian government knows that the death of the student Giulio Regeni represents an event of significant importance for the whole of Italy, both for the government and public opinion".



According to the Egyptian Ambassador, "unjustified insinuations without evidence" should be avoided in the Cairo murder of the Italian student. "It would be opportune not to arrive at hasty conclusions related to the ongoing probe," he said, adding that an eight-strong Italian investigative team had had "important meetings with their Egyptian counterparts". Amr said the aim of these meetings "is to uncover the dynamics of the Italian student's death and identify and punish the real culprits of this atrocious crime". (ANSAmed).




Tourism: downed jet, Russian presence tumbles in Turkey After Sultanahmet attack in Istanbul, less Germans visitors

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, FEBRUARY 8 - International crisises and terrorism are severely affecting tourism in Turkey.



As experts feared, the first estimates on foreign visitors to the country in 2016 are raising alarm bells.



According to the Antalya Tourism Board, the town which is a known holiday destination hosting many resorts on its Mediterranean coast, witnessed a -81% decrease in Russian tourists with regard to the same period of January last year.



The stark decrease is linked to the crisis between the two countries following the downing of a Russian jet on the Turkish-Syrian border on November 24, as well as the fall in the value of the ruble.



The number of German visitors is also lower than usual, -16%, although Germans do remain the largest tourist contingent in Turkey.



Security concerns following the Sultanahmet suicide-attack in Istanbul, on January 12, which caused the death of 11 German tourists are weighing heavily on the decrease of German visitors. The loss of foreign tourists in Antalya is around 17%, and the city is under the 100 thousand tourist mark for the first time in the last decade. (ANSAmed).




Tunisia re-launches tourism season at BIT Milan fair 2016 After lifting of curfew Tunis seeks to reassure tour operators

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, FEBRUARY 8 - Tunisia is renewing its presence at the BIT 2016 tourism fair, the most important fair for the sector in Italy. Tunisia's National Agency for tourism will attend the fair to meet travel agents and operators and the press from Thursday Feb. 11 to Saturday Feb. 13 in Milan.



The agency represented by a delegation from its Tunis headquarters also will illustrate its re-launch plan for the 2016 tourist season. Their attendance follows the announcement a few days ago of the lifting of the curfew imposed Jan.22 by the Tunisian ministry of the interior - a positive signal that evidently confirms the restoration of normal security conditions in the country.



"We are proud to participate also this year at BIT, which remains an important moment for us," said Doa Ellouze, director for Italy of the Tunisian national agency for tourism.



"There are many projects under way to promote Tunisia, a land that is rich in history and charm, with a cultural and natural heritage that has always made it a favourite destination for Italian visitors all year round".



"We are organizing events, promotional evenings at trade fairs for the sector where we will unveil new products from gastronomy to medical tourism," she said.



Among recent moves to consolidate dialogue with the public, the Tunisian national tourism agency decided to emphasise even more digital communication with the launch of a Facebook page entitled 'Discover Tunisia" aimed at the Italian market and a complete re-styling of its website.






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by Nirmala Carvalho

Mgr Thomas Menamparampil, who addressed the International Eucharistic Congress with his catechesis titled The Eucharist as mission, the mission as dialogue, saw joy in the faces of participants who paid attention even during the longest and most serious meetings. He stressed the importance of silent Eucharistic adoration to hear Jesus cry on the cross, and spoke about the meaning of work in India, periphery of peripheries.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  Mgr Thomas Menamparampil, archbishop of Guwahati and apostolic administrator of Jowai in India, spoke to AsiaNews about the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) held in Cebu (the Philippines) on 25-31 January as one of the "most inspiring faith events in Asia in recent years. in fact, he was surprised a great deal that the theological preparatory symposium would pull thousands of participants.

Mgr Menamparampil, who presented on 27 January a catechesis titled The Eucharist as mission, the mission as dialogue, also noted, Apart from the theological wisdom that the learned speakers offered, what seemed to make a deep impression was the sharing from pastoral and life-contexts.

At the IEC, the apostolic administrator also presented Asia and evangelization, a book published by World Mission that contains letters he wrote, put together in a collection by Combonian Fathers. The interview with the archbishop of Guwahati follows.

What are your general impressions about the International Eucharistic Congress at Cebu?

The Cebu Eucharistic Congress was one of the most inspiring faith events in Asia in recent years. When 5,000 children receive their first communion, 12,000 people attend the preparatory theological symposium, over 300,000 devotees walk in the Eucharistic procession and well over 1,000,000 people flock to the concluding mass, it is sure to make an impact on those who took part in these events and those who will be influenced by them. I am sure thousands of volunteers worked for the success of the event along with Archbishop Palma.

I could only notice enthusiasm in all the faces of the participants. It was exciting to meet delegates from different parts of the world and exchange faith-vibrations with new arrivals. There was joy written on their faces, particularly when they perceived the depth of faith evident in warm welcome, happy relationships and seriousness at prayer. Bishops and priests from the West who were in Asia for the first time were deeply touched. The sense to co-belonging it created among people coming from 73 nations was something amazing.

What were some of the highlights?

It surprised me a great deal that the theological preparatory symposium would pull thousands of participants and keep them interested. I did not see empty chairs and vacant spaces even when the talks were serious and long. During free moments, I was surprised, many where discussing different shades of meaning in what they had heard. There was more optimism and joy than questioning and hesitation.

Apart from the theological wisdom that the learned speakers offered, what seemed to make a deep impression was the sharing from pastoral and life-contexts. Individual believers who opted for the faith, renewed their lives, struggled for a value, or found meaning in Catholic teaching in a specific context, bore witness to their experiences. The accounts were truly moving. Memories are likely to remain a long time.

The presence of the Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops and outstanding clergymen from different parts of the world added weight to the event. There was a representation from Ireland where the last International Eucharistic Congress was held, and one from Hungary where the next Congress will be held. As the enthusiasm of the Asian Church has been a good witness to Christian believers, the fidelity of the Hungarian Church in difficult circumstances is going to edify us, when all attention will be concentrated on the Budapest International Eucharistic Congress scheduled for 2020.

What did you emphasize most during your sharing?

One impression that I have been sharing during the last several years is that Asians love Depth. Confronted with enormous human pain, Mahatma Gandhi would sink into silence. He would explain, Silence is the true language of cosmic adoration. During a visit St. Peters and the Sistine Chapel, he was moved to tears seeing Christ on the cross. He often referred to a still small voice that spoke to him. That is what ought to happen during Eucharistic worship.

Eucharistic adoration acquires depth when the worshipper hears the cry of Christ on the cross and recognizes that in the cry of human persons in agony, agony in a variety of ways and a variety of contexts. Worship acquires real meaning when it energizes the worshipper to take Christian values to the family, to the street, to the hospital where the termination of the life of an unborn child is being contemplated, to offices and assemblies where the fates of millions of people are being decided.

From another point of view, Eucharistic devotions acquire depth and purposefulness when they bring healing to the Collective Unconscious of communities with a sense of hurt or wounded memories, a contribution towards the awakening and wellbeing of the Collective Unconsciousness of humanity. It is in this form of assistance that the missionary of the future will have to do much more work. Here in this case, I do not mean to be theological, but pastoral; we have to strengthen our healing work during this Year of Mercy, bringing emotional healing to individuals, ethnic groups, communities, and larger societies.

What do you mean when you say you work in the periphery of peripheries?

May be I should not claim too much. But I may point out that the missions of Northeast India are usually considered the periphery in a wider context. In which case, Jowai in the interior hills where I work, would be the periphery of peripheries. But I should not make too much of it. There are people working in more difficult situations than I do: amidst greater privations, among needier communities, for people who are less responsive or more hostile. Here in Jowai, the communities are responsive, cooperative, enthusiastic, growing; though far away from centres and places of convenience. But the reward is in the work. I think those who work at the periphery find joy in the very meaningfulness of their work. In God nothing is lost, Bro. Roger of Taize used to say.

May be, we should seek to reach out to the peripheries of the mind also, e.g. where there is mental resistance, social allergy, community indifference to a religious message, even active opposition to things spiritual. These are areas where we should show ourselves most human as Jesus did in contexts, until people begin to seek beyond, until the hidden dimension of his face is revealed. It is a long pilgrim way, but there is meaning and purposefulness in the effortand Emmaus is not very far.
by Mathias Hariyadi

One of President Joko Widodos immediate goals is to reform the countrys anti-terrorism legislation in order prevent attacks. Although the Jakarta bombers were under surveillance, police could not act to stop them. As the Islamic State group becomes a major threat in the country, moderate Islamic groups are called to check Friday sermons in mosques. Singapore and Malaysia are a model to fight extremism.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  As a result of the terrorist attacks that hit Jakarta on 14 January, security is again an emergency in Indonesia. The countrys authorities are now wondering how best to prevent a repeat and fight Islamic extremism linked to the Islamic State (IS) group.

For government officials, the latest attacks show that the war on terror cannot be solely reactive, chasing after the culprits to arrest them. In too many cases, terrorists are further radicalised in prison, able to make converts and maintain contact with their external associates.

A few days ago, Densus 88 anti-terrorism squad detained seven people from West Jakarta because of their links with IS and for posting propaganda videos online.

In order to deal with the emergency, President Joko Widodo plans to the reform the countrys anti-terrorism legislation to improve prevention rather than simply respond to law breaking.

Reacting to the Jakarta attacks, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said, We had already identified the culprits and knew about their activities. We were monitoring them for a long time, but since the legal system is very weak, the 19 suspects were not prosecuted and no action was taken to stop their plans."

"This, he explained, taught us that we must take preventive measures, and organise de-radicalisation programmes, without ignoring the suspects human rights following the examples of Malaysia and Singapore, which allow "monitoring and prosecution of those who return from Syria.

At present, the cabinet secretary added, we do not have the legal basis to carry out preventive operations even though we know of at least 100 Indonesians who have returned from Syria."

According to Indonesian government figures, at least 384 Indonesians joined the IS in the Middle East.

Another problem is that existing anti-terrorism laws prevent actions against extremist propaganda conducted in public and in mosques.

As part of his anti-radicalisation programme, President Widodo elicited the support of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, Indonesias two largest moderate Islamic organisations.

The president, said former Security Minister Luhut Panjaitan, asked them to vet Islamic teachings so that they do not contain provocative messages during Friday prayers (or on other occasions)."

The existing anti-terrorism laws  No. 9/Year 2013 and No. 15/Year 2003  were approved at a time when the main concern was to prevent the state from exercising excessive power.

Under the Suharto regime (1966-1998), the military intelligence had a lot more freedom and could stop potential criminals.

Moreover, not all Islamic clerics had the right to preach without prior government approval; and Friday sermons were regularly monitored by the authorities.

When Suharto fell, the laws that allowed such government surveillance were scrapped in the name of freedom of speech and human rights.
by Sumon Corraya

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - A crowd of about 20 people attacked on the night a convent of nuns and a Catholic church in Chuadanga district, 161 km west of the capital Dhaka. The culprits robbed religious using intimidation and violence, and ransacked the church. The police, informed, has opened an investigation. However, a Christian leader points out to AsiaNews that it is "worrisome" that now even the religious are immune from violence in the country.



The attack took place around midnight between 6 and 7 February. Viewfinder Karpashdanga the church, adjacent to a convent of the catechists of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (v. Photo). This is a diocesan congregation, founded in 1951 by the then Bishop of Dinajpur Msgr. Joseph Obert, PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions). The parish priest, Fr. Arun Halsona, was in the capital for pastoral reasons: the assailants tied up the two security guards and entered armed.



At first they went into the church, where they destroyed some prayer books. Then they entered the monastery, where three sisters were sleeping: they wake up and kept under the threat of arms while carrying out the robbery. Among the stolen mobile phones, some objects of little value and above 350 thousand rupees Bangladeshis (about 4 thousand euro) that the sisters were in their home to pay a bricklaying in the convent. Taken away even the religious clothes.



One of them was slapped forcefully because she had refused to hand over the money, but luckily the group did not undergo other physical abuse. However, now they live in fear: the police, informed of the facts, has opened an investigation but so far has failed to identify the culprits.



Nirmal Rozario, general secretary of the Christian Association of Bangladesh, told AsiaNews: "We are very concerned, as it was also hit a place guarded by security officers. But mainly because end up in the crosshairs this time were the sisters: in our country the religious have always been very respected, but this state of affairs seems to be over. " For the activist, "the government is close to minorities and does everything to help us, but someone wants to create anarchy in the country. That's because they serve just and rapid investigations against the perpetrators of such acts".
Religious from various congregations accepted the invitation from Sister Gemma, prioress of the monastery of Baroda, to celebrate together the end of the Year of Consecrated life. Such a meeting is very important in a world threatened by terrorism, greed, and from offences to human life. The various participants renewed the vows to their orders. It was a great joy to witness so much brotherly love and unity from the various religious congregations."

Baroda (AsiaNews)  Speaking at the end of the Mass that concluded the Year of Consecrated life at the Prem Jyot (lights of love) Carmel Ashram, the Mother Prioress, Sister Marie Gemma OCD, told the 35 religious fathers and sisters present that in a world "threatened by terrorism, greed and from offences to human life; in land that is so exploited that its inhabitants are endangered; in a society where the poor are increasingly invisible and ignored, this final Mass celebrated in harmony and in the presence of members from various parts of the Church, is something very important.

For Sister Gemma, who organised the event herself, "The cloistered Carmelites wanted to celebrate the Eucharist in communion with the other congregations in Baroda to thank God for the great gift of the Year of Consecrated life and pray for Pope Francis, she told AsiaNews.

Salesian Fathers, diocesan priests, Jesuits, Carmelites, lay brothers and sisters, helpers and the Missionary Sisters of Charity attended the Mass.

The celebration, Sister Gemma said, was officiated by a priest consecrated last month and was held in a solemn, serene and jubilant atmosphere. It was a great joy to witness so much brotherly love and unity from the various religious congregations."

Consecrated life, said the prioress, "is a call to embody the Good News, to experience the power of the Gospel and, like Jesus, to humanise a world that is waiting for the Kingdom of God on earth.

The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus, who immerses us in his own consecration. With Jesus, joy is continuously reborn."

After the Mass, the religious divided into groups to renew their vows to their respective orders in accordance with their constitution. (N.C.)
by Xie Qircan

A few days after taking office, Mgr Stephen Lee Bun-sang spoke to AsiaNews about the challenges his episcopal ministry faces. They include gambling, Macaus main industry, as well as the unity of its Catholic community. He also talks about the Jubilee of Mercy, relations with the Chinese Church and the evangelization of Asia. The work of evangelization of Macau Diocese through history was important for the Far East. Now we have to rekindle that missionary spirit in the small community of believers of Macau.

Macao (AsiaNews)  Mgr Stephen Lee Bun-sang began his episcopal ministry on January 23 in a ceremony in the Igreja da Se, Macaus cathedral*. For the new bishop, the unity of each Catholic with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is not something superficial or just nominal but vital, which every believer must experience. Through such unity, which should be reflected in the diocese, we can bear witness to the Gospel in society and restart the evangelization of Asia.

In a long interview, Mgr Lee talks about the relationship with the Church in mainland China, the gambling industry as a challenge for Macau Catholics and the need to rekindle the missionary spirit among believers. The full interview follows.

How do you feel a couple of weeks after being installed as Bishop of Macau?

It is being two and half weeks since my installation as Bishop of Macau, and as you can imagine, I am still settling down and learning so many things. Therefore, this is a period of adjustment. I have not even settle in the office yet, but I am happy and I must say that so far so good. I really feel very welcomed and I must say that all people around me are very nice, and the environment is also nice. I cannot but say that I am positively impressed. The day of my installation was a good beginning and I was really impressed at seeing the Chinese, the Portuguese, the Filipinos and Catholic of other nationalities all together praying together and showing their support to me.

What do you think a newly appointed Bishop should do at the beginning of his ministry?

Well, the first thing is to get to know the people around me, starting from the Curia, the priests, the leaders, the religious and the local faithful. I need to know them and learn from them. I also need to approach the local Catholics in their parishes, and the various organizations of the Diocese. These are the most important thing I have to do in the coming months, so I underline the words listening and learning.

In your first address to the Catholics of Macau on the day of your instalment as Bishop of Macau, you underlined the word unity, at various levels. Why?

The unity I emphasized on my first address to the Catholic community on the day of my installation has always being essential in my life. Unity, starting from our faith and with the Trinity. It is fundamental for every Catholic to have a personal relationship with God. And this unity will really revitalize the life of the believers. This is not something superficial or just nominal but vital. Faith is above all a personal relationship with God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I hope this will be reinforced in the lives of the faithful, and unity be underlined in the Diocese. This unity goes further than the community of believers, and reaches to the society of Macau and China, because we are part of China. Finally, unity within the Diocese, among the bishop and priests, with the religious communities. I do pray that this desire will be achieved.

Macau is an international Tourist Center where the Gaming Industry has an impact in the local population. Does this put any particular challenge to the Diocese?

Yes, it is a fact that the masses of people, and especially tourists, are there, and we cannot ignore it. This is not only a challenge to the Diocese of Macau. It is a challenge to any diocese in the world, because we live in contexts of materialism and consumerism. Of course, in Macau this is a physical fact as Macau is a gambling center, and the presence of casinos is too evident and influences peoples lives. So, in Macau added to the moral issues, we have the physical presence of the casinos, spread around. It is a fact, but I am not pessimistic about it. The world of casinos calls us Catholics and reminds us to reinforce a proper education of the youth, by reinforcing the family values that have to start in the family and the school. Therefore, the work of education is vital, in order to help the youth to discern and arise in their conscience what is good and evil. Let their conscience work and discern, but in order to do that they have to be properly educated.

Your Excellency used to travel to China to give talks, etc. Do you foresee any particular step to foster the relationship between the Diocese of Macau and the Church in China?

We have to consider that Macau is already part of China and therefore we have to abide by the "One country, two systems" policy. Collaboration of the Diocese with China, yes, but always upon formal requests from the Church in China. I will follow the relationship established before, and to assure you that the Diocese is always willing to help out in concrete terms and in various ways that can be worked out, such as imparting retreats, fostering formation at various levels, etc.

How would you like Catholics of Macau live this Year of Mercy?

My desire is that the Diocese continues with the plans started in December 2015. We will follow the line of Pope Francis, who underlines two points: first, that every Catholic experiences personally the mercy of God. And this we do it through prayer, by bringing about forgiveness in our midst, by celebrating the sacrament of confession, for what we will request the clergy to be especially available for the sacrament of reconciliation, so that we experience the mercy of God in oneself. Secondly, we are called to bring this mercy, already experience in us, to those in need, but I must underline that the work with the needy starts with those closer to us and in the family, place of work, etc. For instance, we cannot go to visit the elderly somewhere else and leave the elderly I might have at home unattended. And of course, by exercising mercy with those near to us we, then, outreach to those most needy in society.

Along its history, the Diocese of Macau always played a significant role in the process of evangelization of Asia. How do you think this missionary spirit can be revitalized?

The work of evangelization of Macau Diocese through history was important for the Far East. Now we have to rekindle that missionary spirit in the small community of believers of Macau. We need to revitalize the life of the faithful in the local community. We lack priests and seminarians as well as local religious in the Diocese. We still rely very much on missionaries, so we need to do more in order to establish a strong community that is more rooted in the Diocese.

Have you already thought of some priorities for the Diocese for the coming years?

It is still a bit soon to start making a plan, but some of the goals are those of Pope Francis for every diocese in the world. There is the need to underline the pastoral work with the families, give especial attention to marriage life and to continue with the works of mercy. As it regards to the Diocese, I still need to listen to the priests, visit the parishes, meet the religious, etc., and for this it will take one or two years before drawing precise and concrete priorities for the Diocese in the coming years.

A word to the Catholics of Macau and to society in general.

I will say the same words that I addressed to them on the day of my installation as Bishop of Macau. That every Catholic be united with God through a close relationship as the starting point. That this personal experience of each Catholic is shared and spread around starting in the family, in the work place, etc.; and that this is done through personal example and through works of charity. The life style of the community of believers in the Diocese should also be shared with the masses of tourists that come to our city in Macau, because, no doubt, tourists are a capture market for first evangelization.

* Also known as Igreja da Natividade de Nossa Senhora (Church of the Nativity of Our Lady)
by Christopher Sharma

Yesterday vehicles passed through Raxaul-Birgunj mountain pass without difficulty. It is the thoroughfare for about 70% of all incoming goods. India applied trade bloc since Nepal adopted its first democratic Constitution. The population is at its lowest point. Expert: "People are not interested in political wrangling. They are just trying to survive ".

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - One of the main border crossings between Nepal and India, the Raxaul-Birgunj, was reopened yesterday after five months of Indian embargo on exported goods. The trucks carrying fuel and food were able to pass customs control, whereas previously they were denied access.

The Nepalese population is on its last legs and does not even have gas for cooking, and experts say that it will be days before the situation returns to normal. Meanwhile, the parties representing the minority madhese, and which have exacerbated the effects of the embargo in recent months, are divided on the reopening of the border.

Nepal has suffered a trade embargo on goods imported from India, about 80% of the total volume, after the approval of the first democratic Constitution. Immediately after the signing, minority groups sparked fierce protests, accusing the central government of ignoring their demands.

India, which borders the Himalayan nation, has blocked trade, justifying the act as a form of "support" for unheard communities. In fact some experts have told AsiaNews the real reason behind the move is Indias hegemonic ambitions.

After long months of suffering, which brought the country to the brink of civil war, yesterday the Birgunj border crossing was reopened, allowing the transit of about 100 vehicles. About 70% of all goods entering by land and through the container cargo use this crossing, mostly routed through the port of Calcutta in India.

The day before dozens of members of the party Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha had opposed the reopening, but yesterday the passage of trucks took place in peace and the party itself stated that it will not block the border "in the future."

Once the transit was restored, the Minister of Finance of Nepal Bishnu Poudel flew to India to prepare for an official visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, scheduled for the end of the month. The politician met Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. Speaking by phone to AsiaNews, he said that Oli will meet Indian Prime Minister Modi: "The visit of the Nepalese Prime Minister will focus on bilateral and regional issues.

But the ties between the two countries seem torn by months of suffering. In conclusion Prof. Jayaraj Acharya, a diplomat, said: "People are worried even for essential commodities. They will be happy when they have gas for cooking and may use transport. People are not interested in high level political discussion, when they have to struggle to find a way to survive day by day".
Results of research conducted by the National Family Safety Program. 13% has suffered sexual violence, 53% are victims of neglect. Among child victims of abuse cases of depression and drug abuse are growing. Saudi expert: we need targeted programs, aid and specialized centers.

Riyadh (AsiaNews / Agencies) - 80% of children in Saudi Arabia have been the subject of violence at least once or various kinds of abuse. This has been revealed by a study prepared and published recently by the National Family Safety Program, which has examined cases involving at least 18 thousand children and young people.

The study confirms that the phenomenon of large-scale child abuse is taking place in the country where strict Wahhabi morals and Sharia (Islamic law) prevails, punishing offenses (including adultery and apostasy) with the death penalty.

The study, published by the Saudi daily Arab News, showed that 13% of young people have suffered sexual violence, 53% neglect by the family, and 80% subject to physical or psychological abuse. The study also shows that there is little knowledge on the subject of domestic violence, with only 2% of the 5,700 social workers having received special training to work with abusers and victims.

Maha Al-Munief, executive chairman of the program, points out that abuse in childhood lead to various types of physical and psychological problems, which over time become chronic.

Speaking at a debate organized by the Fund for the development of women in Dammam and entitled "Domestic Violence  From Silence to Legislation said that 3% of children raised in healthy families start to consume drugs. This figure rose to 17% for children affected by violence. Depression affects 55 of "normal children", compared with 21% among those victims of violence.

Al-Munief also says that only 5% of victims of child abuse are able to obtain protection. At the same time, there is no program to respond to the causes of the violence and steps to be taken to counter them.

In the country there are 22 centers that deal with abuse of young people and others are in the planning phase, with specialized staff. To date nine sessions are available for police officers, judges, lawyers and other professionals, but the hope is that others will be implemented in the near future.

The Saudi scholar concluded by explaining that the programs of assistance and aid have so far involved 250 thousand children in various parts of the country. 60% of requests for help come from the children themselves, who denounce (between 5 and 10%), physical violence and 1% rape.
Economist Claims Bernie Sanders' Economic Plan Would Boost Jobs, Income

Trending News: Economist Reveals Which Candidate's Plan Will Work Best

Why Is This Important?

Because the economy is arguably the most important thing a President manages.

Long Story Short

In an exclusive for CNN Money, an economist claims that Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' economic plan would significantly benefit the country. Incomes would rise, unemployment would decrease, and GDP would grow.

Long Story

Most of us are sick and tired of the Presidential campaign circus, and the damned election isn't until November. But now that we're in primary season, things are getting a bit more interesting as the candidates have to show their work, so to speak, for how they'd move the country forward if elected. If you haven't made up your mind about a candidate yet, you're likely starting to now. While the Republicans talk walls, tax cuts and deportations in a bizarre and at-times terrifying race to the bottom, the Democrats are busy arguing over their liberal bonafides. The prospect of raising taxes is scary for anyone, but at least one economist says you needn't worry: According to his analysis, a vote for Bernie Sanders is a vote for an incredibly prosperous America.

"Like the New Deal of the 1930s, Senator Sanders' program is designed to do more than merely increase economic activity," says University of Massachusetts Amherst economics professor Gerald Friedman. It will "promote a more just prosperity, broadly-based with a narrowing of economy inequality."

Sanders' economic plan is either a wet dream or your worst nightmare, depending on your outlook. He wants to pour some $14.5 trillion into the economy, mostly through tax hikes on the upper-middle class, the wealthy and businesses. He says the money would go towards improved infrastructure, higher Social Security Benefits, free college tuition and expanded health care. Sanders also wants to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour, a point which I encourage you to discuss/shout about at this guyQ thread.

According to Friedman, any tax hikes would be worth it. He says that median household income would rise to $82,300 by 2026, more than $23,000 higher than the Congressional Budget Office predicts. Poverty would in-turn plummet to 6%, and the increased spending would create higher demand on businesses, meaning unemployment would drop to 3.8%, below even the "effective zero" rate that we're reaching now. All told, he would expect GDP to grow by 5.3% per year, as opposed to a glacial 2.1%. Our $1.3 trillion deficit, currently the biggest argument against increased government spending, would turn into a surplus.

These are outrageously optimistic numbers (to put it mildly), and other economists consulted by CNN Money dismissed them as fantasy. It's also important to keep in mind that economists are routinely terrible at predicting the future, particularly with numbers this specific. But if you're a self-identified #BernieBro, it's undoubtedly nice to hear some expert support of your candidate's ambitious economic plans.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

How would we implement such radical changes?

Disrupt Your Feed

I don't know if it will be as good as this guy says, but I know what we're doing right now isn't working.

Drop This Fact

Sanders would be the oldest President ever elected, as he'll be 75 by November.
Street Style Shopping Guide

Adopt These Street Style Looks And You Might Become The Next Instagram Star

Every year, we turn to runways shows in London, Milan, Paris and New York to get a sense of next seasons hottest trends. But the way a designer presents his or her latest creations on the catwalk is usually very different from the way you'll end up wearing them in real life.

Thats why its also important to take style cues from the models, editors, bloggers and scenesters who parade around in between shows. Not only are they wearing some of the coolest looks youve ever seen, but  more importantly  theyre demonstrating ways of breathing new life into timeless classics.

Highlighted below are some outstanding outfits worn by a few stylish, off-duty models. We show you how to recreate these super sharp looks in this step-by-step shopping guide.

RELATED: Biggest Trends At NYFW: Men's 2016

Track It Down

A photo posted by Oliver Cheshire ?? (@olivercheshire1) on Jan 13, 2016 at 6:45am PST

Oliver Cheshire, a popular English fashion model who was named one of the years 50 Best-Dressed Men in Britain, never fails to bring his street-style A-game.

Thats why were pretty impressed with his decision to arrive at London mens fashion week wearing (youve guessed it) a track suit. Wed say hes an early adopter of sorts: Track jackets are quickly becoming a major menswear fashion trend for Fall 2016.

But, what sets Olivers track ensemble from the rest was his decision to layer it with an Italian virgin wool-blend pea coat by Boss Hugo Boss (1). We love mixing big ticket purchases like quality outerwear with lesser expensive items. If youre interested in recreating his look, we think that Uniqlos long sleeve full-zip hoodie (2) and sweatpants (3) paired with New Balances 791 leather sneakers (4) will do the trick.

Right Here, White Now

A photo posted by Oliver Cheshire ?? (@olivercheshire1) on Jan 10, 2016 at 3:26am PST

Lets get something straight: White can  and should  be worn after Labor Day. Not only has white appeared in many designers' Spring 2016 collections (in the form of jeans and trousers), but its also trickled its way into next fall's collections (winter whites, anyone?). The next time youre planning on sporting blue jeans with an outfit, reconsider whether a white pair will be a better option.

Oliver Cheshire paraded around London mens fashion week in a flattering pair of white jeans that perfectly complemented his entire look. You can easily recreate this look with any basic turtleneck tucked into Uniqlos white selvedge slim fit jeans (3). The addition of Levis Trucker denim jacket (1), layered beneath Vinces mouton collar pea coat (2) completes the foundation of your outfit.

We like Olivers choice of footwear. However, we think Banana Republics Ty Chelsea boots (4) are a bit more polished when combined with perfectly cuffed jeans. If you're a fan of eyewear, the addition of Warby Parkers Winston sunglasses (5) is like icing on the cake.

All In Fine Print

A photo posted by ? Lensed By Valiana Variantza (@blenderstreetstyle) on Jan 17, 2016 at 10:28am PST

We definitely took notice when Jon Kortajarena, a well-known Spanish model whos the newest face of Salvatore Ferragamo, attended the luxury Italian fashion brands Fall 2016 show in Milan.

Dripping in Ferragamo from head-to-toe, he oozed effortlessness. From the matching shirt and tie combo that showed-off his exceptional usage of print to the contrast created by the burnt orange hue of his top coat  this look won major points on our style scoresheet.

Bold prints are fairly easy to incorporate into your everyday look. However, the best way to wear them is to build your entire outfit around one statement piece with a strong print. We love H&Ms selection of printed shirts, including this Mickey Mouse-emblazoned cotton button-down (1).

Ground the shirt in a sea of black with the addition of J. Crews Italian silk knit tie (2) and Club Monacos Connor wool dress trousers (4). Pick up the white details of the shirt with Zaras micro-perforated sneakers (3). But, the kicker lies in the choice of coat: We think a camel topcoat would complete this look perfectly.

Well-Suited

A photo posted by David Gandy (@davidgandy_official) on Jan 10, 2016 at 4:22pm PST

Nobody rocks a suit as effortlessly as David Gandy. But, then again, not every guy can say he's currently one of the worlds top male fashion models.

On day three of London mens fashion week, he sartorially slayed the scene in a finely tailored three-piece suit by Chester Barrie. We loved his suits super classic aesthetic and timeless sensibility.

But, more importantly, each piece  the blazer, vest and pants  can be worn separately and used to create a multitude of other looks. If youre interested in stealing his entire outfit on a non-Savile Row budget, we recommend getting your hands on Suit Supplys three-piece Havana suit . Its houndstooth check provides it with enough edge to separate you from the rest of the crowd.
Todd Snyder Talks Classic Menswear

Designer Todd Snyder Says You Should Dress Like Your Grandfather... And He's Right

Ever since Todd Snyder launched his menswear brand in 2011 hes been on of the most lauded American designers in the fashion industry. And where did he pick his style up from? His grandfather.

Snyder loved suits because his grandfather loved suits. His grandfather was a farmer who only wore a suit to church or special occasions or business appointments. By the time Snyder reached college he owned six of his own. And that was how Snyder, an Iowa native and New York implant, learned that suits were an important implement in a mans style. He was good at sports. Bad with girls. He got noticed for dressing well.

But thats also why Snyders watch collaboration with classic watch brand Timex, another iconic American label, made so much sense. Snyder has always had a passion for things with classics and heritage.

My grandfather was my inspiration, Snyder said, sitting in his New York office in a grey tweet blazer, layered over a t-shirt, jeans and black PF Flyer sneakers. And I think I just always had a sense for (fashion).

The collaboration with Timex and Snyder includes Red Wing Shoe leather, were wore by the models at his Fall/Winter showing at New York Fashion Week Mens and will be available exclusively in the United States this coming spring at Todd Snyder locations. Prices for the Timex Waterbury Red Wing watch range between $105-$130.

Its always an evolution, he said. I love vintage. I love American. I love luxury and I love tailoring and to me its combining all those things.

The watches paired seamlessly with his forthcoming Fall 2016 line that he called the Gentlemen Explorer and included plenty of functional and stylish outerwear.

After working at Ralph Lauren, where he worked with well-known designer John Varvatos, GAP and two stints at J.Crew, Snyder has crafted out his own style  classic American  and considers himself a curator of cool things. When Snyder launched his menswear collection in 2011, he was doing what he felt no one else was. Sensible New York style.

The connection between Snyder and Timex was six years in the making. when Snyder met the brand will he was still working at Ralph Lauren.

Ever since my days at Ralph Lauren, I fell in love with vintage and just fell in love with the old things, he said. Which brings us back to Snyders grandfather.

There was an attention to detail and an attention to presenting yourself in the best possible way and I love that, he said.
An Italian man has been cleared of a sexual harassment allegation after a court ruled his actions were driven by an immature sense of humour; and not sexual desire.



The 65-year-old man was accused by a junior colleague of touching her sexually and by a second of spanking her, like a little girl... as if he were giving me a light slap on the behind, court documents stated.



Despite the man admitting to the behaviour, judges in the Sicilian court in Palermo ruled that he was not touching his staff for sexual pleasure, declaring the contact as not lascivious.



Objectively, it was brought on by an immature and inappropriate sense of humour, mixed in with a veiled abuse of power and an albeit improper way of establishing hierarchical relationships in the office, the judges said in their ruling.



The courts decision has since been met with outrage; a well-known commentator declaring the decision as worthy of lawmakers in Saudi Arabia.



The august assembly seems to suggest that the women who were felt up caused the real offence, he wrote in a front-page opinion piece in La Stampa newspaper.



[The ruling] ignores the sensitivity and dignity of the working women and at the same time unfathomably permits the sexual violence, which was perpetrated even if on a small scale, the UIL labour union representatives said in a statement.



According to The Daily Mail, a whopping third of Italian women between the ages of 16 and 70 are said to have suffered some sort of physical or sexual violence.
Senior Aussie law firm exec to go

The chief executive of the UK arm of Slater & Gordon has decided to retire from the business. Neil Kinsella joined the firm from legacy Russell Jones & Walker and became Slaters first UK chief executive. The firm has faced a difficult 12 months with its share prices plummeting following news that the British government intends to make claiming for auto accidents harder, a big part of the personal injury work the firm focuses on in the UK. It announced that there may be two office closures as a result of a review of its business there. Accounting issues and the acquisition of Quindell have also made headlines.Eleven new special counsel have been appointed at Corrs Chambers Westgarth . The promotions are across all four of the firms offices and there are also 22 promotions to senior associate.The new special counsel are: Eleanor Kwak  Property & Infrastructure, Melbourne; Georgina North  Workplace Relations, Brisbane; James Cameron  Intellectual Property, Technology & Competition, Brisbane; James Shirbin  Corporate Advisory, Sydney; Jennifer Dean  Intellectual Property, Technology & Competition, Sydney; Kirsty Davis  Environment & Planning, Sydney; Leanne Dorricott  Workplace Relations, BrisbaneMegan Russell  Banking & Finance, Sydney; Rachael King  Litigation, Perth; Rhys Lloyd-Morgan  Property & Infrastructure, Brisbane; and Ruth Hart  Workplace Relations, Melbourne.Global law firm Orrick has announced 19 new partners across its international offices. Most are in its US homeland but there are also promotions for Europe and one in Asia-Pac; Minako Wakabayashi, based in Tokyo, is part of the Orrick Energy & Infrastructure Group pioneering the development of the renewables sector in Japan. She represents multinational developers and sponsors in the financing, development and construction of cross-border renewable energy projects.Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co, which is soon to merge with Canadian firm Gowlings, is continuing its stated aim of international expansion with the hire of Dr Andreas Woelfe to lead its corporate practice in Germany. Wragges CEO David Fennell commented that the country is an important part of the firms expansion plans as it becomes Gowling WLG.
By Darren Curnoe, ARC Future Fellow, UNSW Australia

Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Political and economic pundits constantly remind us that this is the Asian Century, and its shaping up to be that way also for human origins science.

Ive only recently waxed lyrical about the enormous impact East Asia is having on our thinking in prehistory circles; reshaping the intellectual landscape as it were.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, new research from Asia again looks set to rewrite another chapter in the human story; this time in South Asia.

Asian prehistory, it would seem, has been gifted an archaeological lottery ticket whose numbers just keep coming up.

Some of the hottest issues internationally in prehistory include questions like: When did the first humans exit Africa and settle Europe and Asia? and Which species was involved?

Over the past decade these questions have been investigated with renewed vigour as the scientific spotlight awakens Asia from a long archaeological slumber; and its beginning to pay dividends.

For the first 4.5 million years of our evolutionary history two footed, human-like, apes seem only to have inhabited Africa.

From Sahelanthropus tchadensis 7.5 million years ago up till Australopithecus afarensis and Kenyanthropus platyops around 3.5 million years ago, the first couple of chapters in the human story were confined to the Mother continent.

With the arrival of Homo, close to 3 million years ago, this changed, and we saw the first signs of the kinds of early humans that would come to settle the distant reaches of the planet.

Why then and not earlier? It seems that only once early humans became obligate ground dwellers, leaving the trees for good, that such a shift could begin.

A true ground dwelling lifestyle, the evidence would suggest, began with Homo, particularly species like Homo rudolfensis and Homo habilis.

Outside of Africa, the archaeological site of Dmanisi in Georgia provides the earliest widely accepted evidence for the first major human dispersal, at around 1.8 million years ago.

The human species involved here is either Homo erectus, Homo ergaster or perhaps something new to science and not seen in the fossil records of Africa or East Asia.

Dmanisi has been a constant source of controversy in anthropology with views about its fossils ranging from a single to multiple species sampled at the site.

The oldest Homo erectus/ergaster fossils in East Africa have been found at Koobi Fora on the shores of Lake Turkana in Kenya, and these have dominated thinking about its evolution for 40 years.

Because of them, weve been locked into an Out of Africa view about the species since the 1970s.

The most recent research on their geology and dating, however, suggests that all of the Koobi Fora remains except a single fossil are actually younger than those from Dmanisi.

Further east, the human fossils from Java, which also belong to Homo erectus, are dated between 1.6 million years and surprisingly as young as about 40,000 years old. Ill leave the younger ones for another day.

More controversially, in China, stone tools from Longgupo Cave and Renzidong could be even older at between 2.0 and 2.5 million years old.

Less troublesome are the two teeth from Yuanmou in southwest China, which are believed also to belong to Homo erectus or a related species but date to around 1.7 million years old.

The big issue this all raises is that we simply can no longer assume that Homo erectus evolved in Africa and dispersed into Asia. In fact, the evidence is building that it might actually be the other way around.

Enter India. Specifically, the Siwalik Hills north of the city of Chandigarh.

The Siwaliks have been well known in palaeontological circles for over a hundred years, providing an abundance of fossils including some of the first evidence for extinct apes, going back to over 9.2 million years old.

New research by a joint Indian-French team has found new evidence about the first humans to settle Asia, and its bound to hit anthropology like a tsunami if the work stands up to scrutiny.

Near the village of Masol, archaeologists have found scatters of stone tools and animal fossils, some sporting cut marks by early humans while butchering carcasses, and all believed to date to about 2.6 million years old.

Until last year, this would have made them among the oldest stone tools anywhere in the world; though that honour now belongs to the Lomekwian tool industry from Kenya.

The discovery, published as a set of articles in the journal Comptes Renus Palevol, was led by scientists from various French institutions such as the Histoire naturelle de lHomme prehistorique and the Society for Archaeological and Anthropological Research in Chandigarh.

Such an early age would push us back well beyond Homo erectus/ergaster and into the mysteries of the earliest members of Homo, about whom we still know so little.

So, Asia might have been settled by humans soon after the evolution of Homo; and such a primitive species could even have given rise to Homo erectus, perhaps in Asia itself.

The reaction to the discovery has been mixed, as you might expect, and some reasonable questions about the context of the finds have been asked.

All of the tools were found on the ground surface and none were recovered during excavations undertaken at a number of locations.

Still, the work makes it clear that they must have come from nearby, and very old, sediments.

And, wed do well to remember that most of the fossil humans found at famous sites like Koobi Fora during the 1960s-1980s were also found on the surface.

When fossils and stone tools still have sediment attached to them, as the ones from Masol do, it should be a relatively straight forward process to sort out where they eroded from.

The new discovery shows once again that we have for far too long focused too intensely on the archaeological record of Africa.

Asia still has many surprises awaiting us; and Im sure a few more will be revealed in the year ahead.

Disclosure

Darren Curnoe receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

Originally published in The Conversation.
The carmaker displays 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre turbo-petrol motors; gearboxes includes a seven-speed DCT and lighter eight-speed automatic.

Apart from showcasing models such as the new Tucson, the Genesis sedan and the Carlino compact SUV concept at its pavilion, Hyundai also showcased a new family of downsized turbo-petrol engines along side its newly developed automatic gearboxes from its international model range.

The first of the new engines on display was a 1.0-litre T-GDi turbo-petrol motor based on the Kappa engine from the Eon hatchback. Featured in the European-spec i20, the engine features direct fuel injection technology along with a single-scroll turbocharger to develop around 98bhp and 17.49kgm of torque. A more powerful 118bhp version is also available with torque remaining unchanged.

Another engine on display was a 1.4-litre T-GDi turbo-petrol unit. The motor, features a high-pressure single-scroll turbocharger integrated within the exhaust manifold to provide better response times and low end torque. The new engine is also lighter than the old 1.4-litre Gamma series engine it replaces and develops 138bhp and 24.68kgm of torque. Featured internationally in the US-spec Elantra, the new engine is expected to head to India under the hood of the upcoming new Tucson.

Hyundai also showcased two automatic gearboxes. The first of the two was a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The seven-speed unit is said to provide better fuel efficiency along with reducing engine emissions while also improving gear shift times over the older six-speed automatic unit.

Also on display was a new eight-speed automatic gearbox developed for the companys offering in the large and luxury segments. Developed for a front-wheel drive drivetrain, the new gearbox is lighter than its six-speed predecessor along with being more fuel efficient.

Hyundai also showcased models from its international portfolio, including models like the Hyundai Genesis and the i30 hatchback.
The thing is, Mirafiori is where Alfa Romeo assembles the MiTo, a three-door supermini introduced in 2008. The Giulietta compact hatchback, on the other hand, is assembled at the Cassino manufacturing plant in Piedimonte San Germano. Thats the same plant where the Giulia will be made. The question is: will Alfa move Giulietta production to Mirafiori or was Mirafiori chosen because Cassino is currently being retooled?We have no solid answer to that, but we are inclined to believe that Cassino will continue making the Giulietta throughout the production life of the facelift. Now lets move on with the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta facelift.Take a glance at the employee-only invitation pictured above. Now compare the Alfa Romeo shield-shaped front grille and the outline of the front bumper grille with those found at the front of the pre-facelift Giulietta. Theres not much change there, is it?Heavily camouflaged examples of the Giulietta facelift also confirm the lack of serious modifications to the front fascia. Other than a more streamlined grille with black-painted honeycomb mesh and no chrome on the shield, the mid-cycle refresh of the Giulietta is just a case of same old, same old.According to what weve seen in spy photos and a brief report by Alfa Romeo Project 952 , the Giulietta facelift will get a sportier rear bumper and diffuser, redesigned interior trim, and Uconnect 6.5 Live Touch 3D infotainment.The Giulietta badge's font will also be different. As was expected after the launch of the Giulia QV, the hottest version of the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta will drop the Quadrifoglio Verde nameplate for Veloce, which is Italian for fast and a nod to the Giulietta Sprint Veloce from the 1950s. Rumor has it engineers will squeeze more than 240 PS out of the 1.75-liter TBi turbo engine of the Giulietta Veloce. Last but not least, expect the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulietta lineup to cost 150 more than the current lineups pricing.
Republican officials of Congress have promised that the bill will be dead on arrival. In laymans terms, they vowed to refuse it on the first occasion. The engagement comes from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin.Paul Ryan believes that US consumers will be victims of Obamas out of touch climate agenda, and that the economy is sacrificed to appease progressive climate activists.Instead of such propositions, Mr. Ryan thinks President Obama should focus on a plan to grow US economy. The Republican representative also mentions that he considers Obamas proposal as an election-year distraction, and his colleagues are committed to affordable American energy and a strong US economy.Julia Slingsby, deputy communications director for Ryan, issued another statement on the issue, in which the President is accused of having hidden motives for proposing the new law. Without specifying anything, the statement implies that the Republicans believe that President Obama wants to cement his legacy as the most anti-energy President.In an interview on CNBC , Joe Petrowski, chairman of Gulf Oil, stated that he believes that the oil business should not have to contribute extra taxes on top of the current ones imposed on them.Petrowski estimated that the additional taxes would add up to $70 billion, on top of the current $200 billion. Furthermore, the Gulf Oil official stated that this proposition was another way for Washington to pick winners and losers in the alternative fuel space.Barack Obamas proposed tax on oil was supposed to be paid by oil companies, so it was natural for the executives in this field to be upset about anything that might reduce their profits. However, as some voices noted, there was a risk that this proposition could raise energy bills in the United States of America, as companies would increase prices to even out their profits after the new taxes.No matter what your opinion on cheap energy is (we like cheap gas like everyone), you must still consider that current fossil fuels are going to end one day, and that alternative solutions are needed. If they are developed in due time, they will phase out fossil fuels before reserves run dry.
Local media reports that the sinkhole in the adjacent video opened in the asphalt of Trujillo, which is the second most populous city in the South American country. Experts claim that this particular cavity in the ground was caused by water erosion. More specifically, excess water plus insufficient drainage facilities formed the sinkhole in Trujillo, Peru.The city was hit by unrelenting rainfall that battered and flooded the entire La Libertad region in Peru since early December. At the beginning of February, the Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia e Hidrologia warned that rainfall in Peru could be as high as 120 mm in 24 hours. Other than severely damaged and destroyed houses, the aggressive rainfall has left one dead and two injured in the San Martin Region in northern Peru.As fate would have it, the Trujillo sinkhole that swallowed up a silver hatchback didnt take the lives of those on board the vehicle. 31-year-old Edgar Orlanda Bartolo Silva, 34-year-old Marisol Mercedes Gutierrez Siccha, and their 2-year-old daughter managed to keep their cool after the 5-meter wide by 3-meter deep (16.4 foot x 9.8 foot) sinkhole ate the vehicle like the Cookie Monster om nom noms on his preferred snack.Even though the passersby had called Perus central emergency number (105), they decided to save the family of three themselves because every second matters in such a situation. With the aid of ropes and strong men, all three were brought to safety, and when the authorities came, they winched the vehicle out of there.What is there to learn from this story? The calm with which the young family accepted their own inability to escape the sinkhole and the passersbys exemplary response to such critical circumstances are just two of the elements that ultimately saved the couple and their child from dying in the giant sinkhole.
According to Yngve Slyngstad, the Chief Executive Officer of Norways sovereign wealth fund, the way Volkswagen AG is led by the Porsche-Piech family is not considerate of the small shareholders, and cannot be a role model for Germany.Currently, the Porsche-Piech family are the owners of the Porsche Automobil Holding SE, which controls 50.73% of Volkswagen voting shares. However, the Porsche Automobil Holding only owns 31.5 percent of the company equity, Bloomberg notes.Norways sovereign fund has its small stake in Volkswagen, holding 1.2 percent of the companys shares. This is not the first time the funds officials criticized Volkswagens ownership structure, as the 2009 Volkswagen-Porsche takeover battle did not go unnoticed by Norways independent fund administrators.The $810 billion fund from Norway is focused on ethical matters when investing in a company. If a potential company is involved in weapon production, tobacco, or any action that affects human rights or the environment in any way, the Norwegians want nothing to do with it.Since Volkswagen has admitted to cheating to attain good results in emission testing, the company is trying to restore its image as quickly as possible. However, the German carmaker still has a long way to go, as four US States have already filed lawsuits against it, and its proposed fixes for the vehicles affected by the Dieselgate scandal have not been approved yet by government authorities.The German company also delayed the publication of its annual results and pushed its shareholders meeting to a later date.This decision is an unusual step and makes analysts think that Volkswagen does not yet know how bad they were affected by the Dieselgate scandal.Another point of view explores the fact that the company is aware of the damage and is trying to control the situation before it publishes its financial figures.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto.com.

As a fleet manager, there is no question that fuel management is a major part of overseeing a fleet. But, it can also be a complicated area to actually manage, from frequently volatile fuel prices to the year-over-year goal to reduce fuel spend.

Several technologies are available to help fleet managers with this daunting task, and subject-matter experts share some advice to help select and better utilize fuel management and technology options.

The Importance of Fuel Management Technology

First and foremost, understanding the data related to fuel  including spend data  is crucial. Fleet managers should do all they can to dig into and explore their fuel spending data. Thorough data analysis is a well-established best practice in many other industries, but its relatively new to the fleet world. In-depth data analysis may initially create challenges, but it also reveals opportunities to leverage and benefit from the experiences of other industries. Take advantage of that expertise, said Kurt Thearling, VP of Analytics for WEX.

At a Glance To take advantage of the numerous benefits fuel management systems and technologies have to offer, fleet managers should: Understand all fleet data related to fuel.

Work to take control of fuel spend through data analysis.

Determine which options work best for your fleet operation.

And, once you understand the data, the next step is working to take control of it.

It seems that fuel costs will continue to fluctuate, but fleet managers are best served by focusing on what they can control. Level III data such as driver ID, vehicle ID, odometer, as well as fuel and maintenance product codes are key pieces of data, and visibility to such fleet data is essential, said Jeff Pape, global transportation product and marketing manager for U.S. Bank.

When working to take better control of fuel data, Pape recommended fleet managers ask themselves:

Do I have access to the right data?

Am I measuring the right factors?

Can I get this information easily?

What actions can I take with this data to improve my fleet program?

Its really more about controlling the cost of fueling and managing driver habits, than the actual cost of fuel. Fleet managers can and should demand program management tools and mobile applications that support visibility and control, Pape noted.

Also, gathering data is important, but the ability to analyze it makes the data actionable. There are many tools out there to help start analyzing collected information right away.

Also take advantage of multiple data analysis tools (e.g., Hadoop, R, commercial business intelligence [BI] platforms, and cloud computing). Use advances in the art of data analysis to learn more about what the fuel purchase data can tell you, Thearling said.

Once the data is analyzed, its possible to dig down deeper to reveal potential problems that can save on fuel costs right away.

WEX Launches Fleet Analytics Solution A key focus for WEX, a provider of fleet management solutions fleet fuel cards, was the 2015 release of its fleet analytics platform, ClearView, which was designed to provide customers with the ability to interact with the extensive fleet industry data captured by the company. Historically, fleet management analytics tools have provided customers with mountains of data and a less-than-clear path to analyzing that data and identifying immediately actionable areas to improve results. ClearView combines interactive data analytics with sophisticated optimization algorithms to immediately identify, communicate, and influence actionable savings opportunities, according to WEX. In addition, many of the most valuable analytic insights fleet managers care about are related to cost savings and waste. ClearView targets wasteful behaviors, and makes it easy to identify the drivers responsible for those purchases.

One of the biggest cost savings opportunities that comes from a fuel management system is through increased security that reduces waste and abuse. Make sure your fuel management system authorizes both the vehicle and the driver, whether through keypad entry, smart cards, or even wireless receivers on the vehicle and fuel pump. Set up parameters that recognize the type and amount of fuel that each vehicle should receive and apply limits. Also, use exception reporting that tracks fueling activity outside of the expected norms, said Joe Basile, VP, Hardware Solutions for AssetWorks.

And, taking it further is the ability for more real-time data analysis through the help of fuel management providers.

The ability to also compare transactions dispensed at in-house sites with commercial fuel transactions in near real-time provides a higher level of fuel control previously unavailable. Exception reports can now detail anomalies of misuse never before achieved, Basile said. As put by a fleet manager client, The key is the real-time access. We have the ability to have all of the data coming in, pre-authorized. It makes everything much easier.

Finally, proper data management can help simplify the sheer amount of data and identify key metrics and trends.

The fleet industry has been transformed by technology over the past 10-20 years. We now have access to plentiful amounts of data, which can often be perceived as cumbersome. We need to grow in how we interpret and use that data to make better decisions. To do this effectively, having your maintenance, fueling, and purchasing data available in a single system can help you pinpoint areas for improvement, Basile noted.

U.S. Bank Makes Locating Low-Priced Fuel Easy Given the historically low fuel prices in the U.S. toward the end of 2015 and start of 2016, the Voyager Mobile App makes it easy for drivers to find fuel at the price and location they desire. The Voyager App is a product of U.S. Bank, which provides an array of fleet fuel, maintenance and service solutions. With just a few clicks on their Apple or Android device, users can quickly find nearby Voyager-accepting locations and get directions, distance, fuel types, and prices. And, the app will talk to drivers, providing a hands-free way to locate fuel.

Anyone can use the Voyager Mobile App. Its downloadable for free through the Apple or the Google Play stores. According to U.S. Bank, this is just the beginning; additional enhancements are on the way, all designed to provide additional visibility and controls for its fleet customers.

Selecting the Right Fuel System or Technology

To help gather all of the data and help analyze it are myriad fuel systems and technologies. When making a decision between the various options, and do your homework.

Look for a system that helps transform how you manage your fleet business; dont just find a technology that helps you replicate your current processes in a computer, said Basile of AssetWorks. Its in your best interest to partner with a technology vendor that will help you analyze what you are doing now and then offer solutions that combine new business processes, software, and hardware to save money  either by identifying ways to cut your costs or how to increase your uptime, which generates more money. The best way to achieve success is through integrated systems that relies on the same data to streamline processes in all areas of your company.

Additionally, take a look at how the data and technology work with other programs already utilized in your fleet.

Consider how data flows to and from these systems, and how they fit into the overall vehicle ecosystem. If the data is locked up, it cant provide a lot of value. The fleet and fuel data needs to be combined with other data sources, enriched, and then analyzed to create new insights, said Thearling of WEX.

And, there are options to get started beyond investing in larger analytics systems if they simply are not a current option.

If a system such as ours isnt an option, fleet managers can assemble a solid set of tools that can be used to explore fleet data from BI vendors (e.g., Tableau and Domo) to open-source statistical tools (e.g., R, Python, and Julia). Its important to invest in and build fleet analytics expertise and its equally important for fleet managers make it a priority to understand their data and what that data can tell them, Thearling said.

And, as always, do not forget to involve all key stakeholders in the decision-making and data analysis process.

As fleet managers are making these decisions, Id advise taking a balanced approach for long-term success. Advances in fuel management technology sometimes favor one stakeholder at the expense of another. To gain long-term traction and savings, innovations must be compelling for multiple parties  drivers, managers, and merchants, said Pape of U.S. Bank.

The Bottom Line

Deciding which is best can be a daunting task. But, if you take your time and do your research, the future time savings will far outweigh the time spent.

There are many competitive systems on the market and the process for selecting the right hardware and software solutions can be daunting. We believe choosing a vendor that offers integrated solutions can be much more beneficial to clients from a cost and central reporting standpoint. Its important to trust your technology provider as a partner rather than just a vendor, said Basile of AssetWorks.

And, the advances are forecast to continue, so its wise to not fall behind the learning curve now.

Over the next few years, we are going to see some impressive advances in how companies understand their fleet operations. A rich variety of data will provide the foundation, and a growing list of analytics applications will turn that data into valuable insights. I would add that its not a question of whether or not fleet managers should invest in, understand and utilize data analytics tools  its only a matter of when, said Thearling of WEX.
A suicide bomber, possibly with explosives concealed in a laptop, is believed to have blown the hole in the side of a Daallo Airlines A321 last week. It has also been reported that the bomber is the passenger whose body was found on the ground 18 miles north of Mogadishu, Somalia, where the flight originated. He has been identified as Abdullahi Abdisalam Borle. The reports were all based on comments from anonymous sources and none have been confirmed by Somali officials.

What officials have said is that six people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The arrests were based on the examination of security camera video at the Mogadishu airport. The pilot of the aircraft, Vlatko Vodopivec, has described security measures at the airport as nonexistent. The security is zero. When we park there, some 20 to 30 people come to the tarmac, Vodopivec told The Associated Press. No one has a badge or those yellow vests. They enter and leave the plane, and no one knows who is who  They can put anything inside when passengers leave the aircraft. Somali officials have promised to improve security at the facility.
8 February 2016 13:28 (UTC+04:00)

NATO Medical Evaluation (MEDEVAL) Courses will be arranged in Madrid, Spain on February 8, the Resource Management Education Programme (RMEP) Courses will pass in Oberammergau, Germany, and the Language Test seminar in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany.

The Azerbaijani servicemen will also attend the above mentioned NATO events, Azertac state news agency reported.

NATO and Azerbaijan are actively cooperating on democratic, institutional, and military reforms, and enjoy practical cooperation in various areas. The cooperation plan between Azerbaijan and the NATO is set out in the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) on Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan aspires to achieve Euro-Atlantic standards and get closer to Euro-Atlantic institutions. In this regard, supporting reform in the security sector and establishing democratic institutions are the key elements of the NATO-Azerbaijan cooperation.

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8 February 2016 17:03 (UTC+04:00)

The United States urges all parties to take steps toward a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta said.

Cekuta was delivering speech at an event dedicated to the upcoming anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, the embassys Twitter page says.

The past tragedies must be remembered, the diplomat said. The reconciliation efforts must move forward to prevent repeats.

The town of Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire by the Armenian armed forces in February 1992.

613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 people remains unknown. Civilians were shot at close range, scalped, and burned alive.

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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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8 February 2016 18:08 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan's border guards have detained three foreigners for using fake visas to enter the country, Azerbaijan's State Border Service reported on Monday.

In addition, two Pakistani citizens flying from Dubai have been arrested at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport as the border control determined lack of necessary visa for entry into the country. The investigation revealed that the pages of their passports have been filled with forged Turkish and Australian visa documents.

One Nigerian citizen arrived from Istanbul was also arrested with fake visa. After the necessary investigation acts, all detainees were deported from Azerbaijan.

The Border Service strictly controls the incoming travelers to avoid illegal attempts for entry in the country.

Furthermore, the constantly growing interest of international community towards the country, a significant growth in the number of incoming tourists have led to a simplified visa regime with some countries.

Due to the instructions set by the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, since February 1 2016, Azerbaijan have introduced a simplified visa regime for citizens of Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Japan, China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Holders of any kind of valid passports, citizens of visa-free regime countries or stateless persons whose passport has been damaged can easily cross the countrys borders.

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8 February 2016 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Orujova

The diverse climatic zones that were given to Azerbaijan by nature presuppose that the country can develop agriculture not only for the domestic production, but also import to the world markets.

One of such highly valued products is nut and hazelnut in particular. The country has all the possibility to develop this type of agriculture as hazelnut is relatively undemanding culture, and the cost of maintaining hazelnut trees is not high.

Last year, neighboring Turkey  one of the leading supplier of this costly nut  has broken records in hazelnut export.

According to the Black Sea Hazelnut and Its Products Exporters Union, Turkey exported 240,137 tons of hazelnut, which brought profit of $2.8 billion in 2015. Production of hazelnuts in Turkey usually reaches nearly 600,000 tons a year.

As Turkey produces most of the hazelnuts in the world, the prices for this products depends on this production. Prices for hazelnuts and hazelnut products increase around the world when the hazelnut season is not productive in Turkey, as it was in 2014. However, last year, the prices for hazelnut were not at their highest position.

Nuts are the most popular form of natural snacks around the world. Among them, hazelnuts are famous for their sweetness and incredible nutrition. Being very high in energy and loaded with numerous health-benefiting nutrients, hazelnuts are essential for good health.

Hazelnut is used not only as snack itself, but also in the production of chocolate, sweets, as well as the world famous Nutella spread.

Originated in southern Europe and Turkey, the hazel tree is now being cultivated in many regions of the world. Along with Turkey, hazelnuts are produced in commercial quantities in Azerbaijan, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Georgia, Spain, the UK and the U.S.

In 2012, Azerbaijan entered top ten countries with the largest production of hazelnuts, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.

However, the country could not reach large revenues from the export of hazelnuts.

At present, the production of hazelnuts is at its best in the country. In 2014, Azerbaijan has grown 30,039 tons of hazelnuts, according to the State Statistic Committee. It was the highest production rate from 1998.

The country renders suitable 30,600 hectares lands for hazelnuts, which productivity is 11.8 centner per hectares.

In Azerbaijan, the best regions for hazelnut production are Shaki-Zaqatala and Guba-Khachmaz economic regions, as well as Ganja-Gazakh region.

Azerbaijan has all the necessary weather and climatic conditions for the cultivation and production of hazelnuts, the Azerbaijan Hazelnut Exporters Consortium believes.

The Consortium is providing information, analytical and advisory support as well as promoting Azerbaijani hazelnuts in international markets.

The organization is able to supply hazelnuts to international markets in the shell and hulled raw hazelnuts, blanched and sliced hazelnuts.

Azerbaijan produces such types of hazelnuts as Atababa, Ashrafli, Ghalib, Ganja, Sachagly, Topgara and Yagly, while the most popular types of these nuts are Atababa and Khachmaz.

Economy expert Oqtay Haqverdiyev told Azernews that production could be slightly enlarged in Azerbaijan, as there are several regions where this nut can be grown in Azerbaijan.

We have a plant for hazelnuts production, and the production can be increased, with new plants opened in the regions where it is grown, he said.

Traditionally we are exporting hazelnuts to Italy, the expert said, noting the fact that export to Russia can also be rearranged, while this country refused Turkish products. However, the volume of hazelnuts from Azerbaijan is not so large, so we cannot meet the demand of Russia, he stressed.

Haqverdiyev believes that fat content of the Azerbaijani hazelnut is more than its Turkish equivalent. However, the Turkish nut is bigger and more uniformed in size and appearance.

As it is the plurannual plant, it gives first harvest after some five years, the expert said. Thus, farmers should be supported by the state to tend these plants during the growing period. This support can be expressed in the form of loans with favorable conditions.
8 February 2016 12:00 (UTC+04:00)

The first 10 sleeping type passenger cars from Switzerlands Stadler Rail Group will be delivered to Azerbaijan in summer 2016 for their use on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, Nadir Azmammadov, spokesman for Azerbaijan Railways, told Trend.

He said the production of these passenger cars began in September 2015.

In total, 30 cars will be built for use on the BTK railway under the contract signed with Stadler. Their production is going on successfully and the first shipment of 10 cars will be delivered to Baku in July-August 2016, Azmammadov added.

He further noted that two Stadler electric trains, meant for the Baku-Sumgait route, are ready and will also be delivered to Baku in the near future.

Azerbaijan ordered 30 sleeping type passenger cars for use on the BTK.

The cars are produced in four categories: standard, comfort, business and restaurant.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is being constructed on the basis of the Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. Its commissioning is planned for the second half of this year.

The peak capacity of the BTK is to be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At the initial stage, the capacity will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo.

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8 February 2016 13:54 (UTC+04:00)

By Aynur Karimova

Iran, which has recently made great achievements in the health field, is interested in establishing an enterprise for medicine production in Azerbaijan.

Such a proposal was made last week at a meeting held in Baku between Azerbaijan's Economy and Industry Minister Shahin Mustafayev and an Iranian delegation headed by Reza Raei, Acting Chairman of the Organization of Social Protection.

Raei spoke about the Organization of Social Protection of Iran and the "Darou pakhsh" pharmaceutical company, which operates under the organization.

The sides discussed the possibility of cooperation in the field of production of medicines in Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani side agreed to consider these proposals and study the possibility of their realization.

Developing pharmaceutical manufacturing in Azerbaijan may become one of major directions in the country's aim to diversify its non-oil sector of the economy.

In late 2015, the government announced that Azerbaijan will establish its own enterprises that will manufacture medicines to cease dependence on imports.

The market of medicines in Azerbaijan by 97 percent dependent on imports, while 57 percent of medicines registered in the country are produced in Europe, 26 percent in the CIS countries, including 12 percent made in Russia. The small proportion is produced in Asian countries.

In this regard, the government is keen to cooperate with foreign companies as well.

Iran's pharmaceutical market experienced a sharp growth last year, rising to $1.2 billion. There are as many as 65 pharmaceutical companies in the country, but their operations are basically limited to local formulation.

The modern Iranian pharmaceutical system in the country commenced 100 years ago with the opening of the first modern-style pharmacy by German, French, and Austrian pharmacists in Tehran. Established in 1946, Abidi was the first Iranian pharmaceutical company, followed by Tolid Darou and Darou Pakhsh in 1958 and 1963, respectively.

The pharmaceutical industry is regulated by the government, where the production and importation of drugs is heavily subsidized.

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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

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8 February 2016 17:00 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan has started exporting electricity to Turkey via Georgia since February 7, the Energy Ministry told Trend on February 8.

The country began to export nearly 80 megawatts of electricity per day to Turkey.

Previously, the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) of Turkey issued Azerbaijani side a license for the sale of electricity in the country.

The export is carried out trough the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey energy bridge.

Georgia serves as a transit country, and it will also export electricity. Azerbaijan will be primarily able to repay its debt to Turkey for the electricity which is delivered to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, and then enter the European market.

Such a scheme of repayment of energy debt to Turkey will make it possible to fully load generating facilities of Azerbaijan, which will further improve the efficiency of electricity production in the country.

The current energy system of Azerbaijan amounts to 7,129 megawatts.

Azerbaijan is able to produce annually about 24 billion kilowatt / hours of electricity, which creates an annual export potential of 2.1 billion kilowatt / hours.

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8 February 2016 10:42 (UTC+04:00)

The Moscow House of Nationalities hosted an award ceremony of the winners of art contest.

The Azerbaijan-Russia Friendship Bridge international project has involved students from Russian and Azerbaijani schools and art centers. The project was launched in October 2015 and featured more than 130 works.

The professional jury headed by the Honored Artist of Russia, Asgar Mammado,v chose the five winners in 5-9 and 10-17 age groups.

Mammadov admitted that choosing a winner was very difficult.

All the drawings were made with a soul, each in own style ... Adult participants were assessed for performance and originality of Friendship theme and the kids - mostly for working with color, he said.

Adviser to the ambassador of Azerbaijan in Russia, Vugar Imamaliyev, conveyed greetings of Ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu, and invited all participants to visit Azerbaijan.

Friendship between Azerbaijan and Russia has centuries-old roots and a glorious future, said Imamaliyev.

Head of the inter-parliamentary friendship group Azerbaijan-Russia Dmitry Savelyev expressed his confidence that such a creative contests encourage growing interest of Russian and Azeri children towards each other.

Secretary of the Expert Council on Education of the State Duma Irina Bogacheva promised that the best works of the competition will be displayed at the exhibition of the Golden Ball International Prize of the Revival and Hope Foundation, which is being regularly held in the Russian State Duma, Azertac state news agency reported.

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8 February 2016 14:54 (UTC+04:00)

By Aynur Karimova

Glencore PLC, the Switzerland-based mining and trading giant, has become the first Western company to load oil of energy-rich and sanctions-free Iran.

The Wall Street Journal reported with reference to the shipping company officials that shipping of Iranian oil started on February 5.

A tanker chartered by Glencore AG loaded 80,000 metric tons of fuel oil at the Iranian oil-products terminal of Bandar Mahshahr and left bound for the United Arab Emirates.

Iran, the fourth country in the world for its proven oil reserves of 158 billion barrels, has been producing additional 200,000 bpd of oil since January 21 and storing for later export to Europe, Fars news agency reported on February 7 quoting an informed source.

The source told local media that the stored additional oil will be exported to Irans traditional European customers, pointing out that Greece is likely to be its first receiver.

The developments come in the wake of the removal of international sanctions on Iran. The sanctions are lifted in accordance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and the group 5+1, which came into force on January 16.

Foreign energy giants, operating in the oil and gas fields of Iran, have been long awaiting their return to the vast Iranian market. The removal of sanctions has paved the way to restore their activities in the Islamic Republic and take even greater benefits from operations in this new market.

Iran used to sell as much as 800,000 bpd to European refiners in Italy, Spain and Greece before the sanctions over its nuclear program were imposed.

On February 6, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said Iran plans to sell 300,000 barrels of crude oil a day to Europe, a major market for the Islamic Republic before much of the West imposed sanctions in response to Tehrans nuclear program in 2012.

The minister also revealed some figures about the country's oil export plans. He said an agreement on export of 160,000 bpd of oil to Frances Total will come into force on February 16.

Zanganeh also said Total is also going to start work on Iranian projects, including the Sough Azadegan oil field and Irans LNG.

The Italian Eni is also going to sign a contract with Iran during a near future visit of the companys representatives to Tehran. Eni has requested a flow of 100,000 bpd of oil. There are talks that the company is going to develop an oil field for Iran.

The Italian Saras is also seeking 60,000-70,000 bpd from Iran.

Iran, which aims to boost its oil exports by 500,000 barrels a day in the next few months, demonstrates how one of the worlds biggest energy producers is keen to return its traditional markets and increase export of oil and gas thanks to the implementation of the JCPOA.

Over the past decade in a bid to curb Irans nuclear program, the international community took measures against Tehran, including restrictions imposed on the countrys financial system, as well as industry, which have had a catastrophic impact on Iranians economic situation and life conditions.

Thus, the implementation of the JCPOA is expected to bring a comprehensive development to Iran's economy.

Taking this into account, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has awarded two ministers, as well as the country's atomic chief with medals of Honor and valor, for their involvement in the implementation of the JCPOA.



Foreign Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif has received the Medal of Honor while Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi and Minister of Defense Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan were awarded with the medals of valor, IRNA news agency reported.

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Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

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8 February 2016 14:35 (UTC+04:00)

Kazakh exporters concluded a long-term contract to provide Iran with beef and mutton worth $30 million, the Kazakh Chamber of Commerce reported on February 8.

The contract was concluded within the framework of Kazakh delegations visit to Tehran.

It is the first contract between the two countries after the lifting of sanctions on Iran.

Kazakhstans meat export was 16,130 tons in 2015, according to the Statistics Committee of the Kazakh National Economy Ministry.

At the same time, beef export was 6,500 tons, while the mutton export was 5,310 tons.

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9 February 2016 10:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Nazrin Gadimova

Air Arabia, UAEs low-cost carrier, can launch direct flights from countrys third largest city Sharjah to Baku, Gabala and other regions of Azerbaijan.

AZAL Aviation Security Department together with the management of the international airports eyes closer cooperation with a number of countries within passenger air transportation. The department is in talks with representatives of Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Israel and some other countries since early 2016.

The key purpose of the talks is to perform flights from Azerbaijans regions to the popular destinations in other countries. Particularly these are flights from Istanbul to Gabala and Ganja operated by Turkish Pegasus and Atlasjet.

Earlier, AZAL Vice-President Arif Mammadov said Azerbaijan is interested in further cooperation with the foreign airlines in a bid to expand flight geography and to attract more tourists to the country.

Recently, representatives of El Al Israel Airlines have visited Azerbaijan for carrying out an audit in the field of aviation safety at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport. The Israeli airlines announced plans to launch direct flights from Tel Aviv to Baku operated together with another Israeli carrier, Arkia.

Furthermore, the Russian UTair and Ural Airlines held audits at the airports of Baku, Lankaran and Ganja. Following the results of the audits, they highly appreciated the level of the aviation safety organization and commercial flights service.

Today, Turkish Airlines operates Istanbul  Nakhchivan, Istanbul  Ganja flights, Utair operates Moscow  Nakhchivan flight, while Ural Airlines operates Moscow  Ganja, Moscow  Lankaran, Moscow  Gabala flights. Moreover, several other Russian airlines reported about intentions to carry out flights from St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk to Azerbaijans airports.

Currently, Azerbaijan's six airports - in Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, Gabala, Lankaran and Zagatala have the international status and meet all modern requirements in the field of civil aviation work.

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
 

       3.0 (      -       -         ): editor [at] bahrainmirror.com
Attorneys finished their closing arguments Friday in the trial of a woman charged with two counts of murder in a shooting at an Arvin bar.
The Lewis Pie and Pasty Company, one of the biggest pie and pasty manufacturers in the UK, has collaborated with Welsh Brew Tea to produce the traditional Welsh sweet treat bara brith.

The pie firm and Welsh Brew Tea, which produces a range of unique tea blends, have joined forces to meet the current demand for home-grown produce with the treat, which they hope to release in time for St Davids Day, on 1 March.

Bara brith, sometimes known as speckled bread, can be either a yeast bread enriched with dried fruit, or something more resembling a fruitcake, made with self-raising flour. It is traditionally made with raisins, currants and candied peel, and is a rich fruit loaf, often spiced, and made with tea.

Wilf Lewis, commercial director of the Lewis Pies and Pasty Company, said: "Working with Welsh Brew Tea is a partnership we are very excited about. Over recent years, there has been a move towards customers seeking more locally sourced ingredients and products.

Welsh heritage

James Wenden, sales director at Welsh Brew Tea, said: We are a company that is extremely proud of its Welsh heritage and all of our products are packaged bilingually.

Our tea is the ideal ingredient to include in a product like bara brith, as not only is tea a key ingredient to the recipe, but it offers a sweet and aromatic flavour that really enhances the cakes taste.
Nancy Birtwhistle, a former winner of the BBCs The Great British Bake Off (GBBO), will join the Fred Olsen cruise line this summer.

Birtwhistle won GBBO in 2014, and will be joining part of The Great British Cruise, an 11-night voyage on board Braemar, which departs from Southampton on 8 August.

She will be on board between Cardiff and Rosyth and will take part in a question-and-answer session, where the cruise director and audience will be able to ask her questions about her time on GBBO and glean baking tips.

Hull-based Birtwhistle will also be hosting a live baking demonstration on board, and will be spending time meeting Fred Olsens guests around the ship during her stay.

Self-taught baker

A self-taught baker, who only decided to pursue her passion seven years ago, when she retired as a GPs practice manager, Birtwhistle said some of her first memories of baking were Christmases with her grandmother.

Birtwhistle said: I am absolutely thrilled to be joining The Great British Cruise this year. We will enjoy the best that the British Isles has to offer and I look forward to sharing some of my Bake Off stories, along with some very special cooking and baking secrets.
The Freedom Bakery is a new Glasgow-based social enterprise that gives training and employment to recently released ex-offenders.

Artisan breads and cakes are being baked and sold to the public by a group of prisoners at HMP Low Moss, near Bishopbriggs. This follows similar schemes in London and Italy, whereby offenders bake and create pastries during their sentence.

Matt Fountain, a self-taught baker, launched the initiative in an attempt to offer inmates employment, after finding himself disheartened by the high levels of reoffending in Scotland  the reconviction rate there is 64%.

Cost saving for the taxpayer

In a research paper by the Wise Group, it was calculated that every ex-offender in employment for a period of five years would save the Scottish taxpayer 940,000 per individual. And the risk of reoffending after two years in the workplace was reduced by over 90%. Reoffending in Britain costs the taxpayer 15 billion per year.

Fountain said: We offer a range of fully-organic artisan real bread, plus a few delicious surprises up our sleeves, which weve been refining for months, to take the artisan bakery distinctly into the hearts and mouths of Scotland.

He added: The Freedom Bakery offers fresh bread and a fresh start.
High-Tech Startups Can Escape Cash Crunch in Jalisco

Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico - During a recent business trip to the Mexican state of Jalisco, I became intrigued by the number of foreign young professionals that I saw from the moment I deplaned at the airport in Guadalajara. I asked a local associate if this was normal or if an international convention was going on in town. He said that while large-scale events were a daily occurrence, most of these folks were Americans either working at one of Jalisco's high-tech multinational companies or running their own startups.

This last statement caught my attention because it signaled an evolution in NAFTA that I had anticipated back when I helped negotiate the agreement more than 20 years ago in Congress. Mexico's high-tech manufacturing industry coupled with tariff-free technology imports would foster a critical mass of gadget consumers who would demand software and content specifically tailored to them.

Prior to NAFTA, the high-tech industry in Mexico was limited to low-wage, labor-intensive assembly operations. But reforms initiated by the agreement opened a new era of investment in Mexico's tech sector. Hardware companies are now able to bring their money through multinational banks to invest in equipment design and capital-intensive manufacturing lines. Software companies and app developers, meanwhile, enjoy full protection by courts under very stringent copyright and patent laws.

At the same time, however, I learned that Jalisco's emerging software industry is still in its early stages and in great need of greater technical expertise. I immediately saw this as an opportunity for US startups to meet the needs of a new business-to-business market while at the same time increasing their cash flow by saving substantially in operating costs.

For these startups, a move to Mexico could mean surviving that dreadful gap between initial investment and revenue generation known as the Valley of Death. Jalisco, my associate said proudly, wasn't only welcoming these international entrepreneurs, but actively recruiting and incubating them, including small companies from Silicon Valley like Ooyala, Wizeline, and 3DMX.

To help draw more high-tech companies to Jalisco, Governor Jorge Aristoteles Sandoval created a cabinet-level Innovation Department upon taking office. He's also leading a revitalization of Guadalajara's historic downtown by building a 940-acre media-oriented business hub for TV, film, advertising, video games, animation, interactive multimedia and e-learning. Firms such as Kaxan, Inzomnia, Ocelot, and Metacube have already opened doors even though construction is still underway.

The existing tech industry base in Jalisco is already formidable, with firms such as IBM, HP, Oracle, and Latin America media titans Televisa and TV Azteca. Startups that land these corporations as customers can secure an immediate revenue stream, not only helping them overcome their startup curve but gaining them long-term stability for growth. Many of Jalisco's domestic industries, such as agribusiness, manufacturing, and the service sector, are also increasingly incorporating technology into their operations.

Other advantages include tech-hungry venture capitalists, business advocacy organizations, hundreds of bilingual high-tech graduates joining the workforce each year, and sound telecommunications infrastructure. But most importantly, a half-day flight away from home and on US Central Time, Jalisco offers an enviable quality of life in a community that is home to nearly 40,000 American and Canadian expats.

Software giants such as Softek and Hildebrando are examples of companies that started in Mexico and now have large operations headquartered in the United States, employing thousands of American high-tech workers. They offer a road map that could be replicated by expat enterprises willing to capitalize in a thriving emerging market like Jalisco's and return later to expand their businesses back home in the US.

High-tech in America was born from startups. Jalisco has acknowledged this power by using NAFTA rules to attract international small businesses and startup entrepreneurs. In other words, foreign investment is no longer just the business of big corporations. Jalisco has earned the moniker of "Mexico's Silicon Valley" because it recognizes that knowledge is capital. Investing that capital in Mexico could be a startup's gateway into the global market of technology and innovation.

For those of us who had the little guy in mind when we were negotiating NAFTA, this is a dream come true.

Governor Bill Richardson is a former New Mexico governor and UN ambassador. As deputy minority whip in Congress, he was instrumental in the final passing of NAFTA.
Cross-Border Taxation Panel at Vallarta Real Estate Fair

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Scheduled to take place from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 20th, the 4th Annual Vallarta Real Estate Fair is the perfect opportunity to get the important information Buyers, Sellers, and Homeowners need to make the most of their Mexico real estate investments.

Every year, one of the most popular features of the Vallarta Real Estate Fair is the Panel of Professionals with local experts presenting topics of importance to both would-be investors and those who already own property here on the bay.

This year, for the first time, a panel of accountants from all three Free Trade nations has been assembled to give the tutorial on cross-boarder taxation. Canadian accountant, Cam MacIntosh, and American accountant Cindy DuChateau, will be accompanied by a Mexican tax specialist to cover how rental revenues and capital gains are handled between your home country and Mexico.

The slate will open with a presentation by Carl Timothy of market results for 2015 and the outlook for 2016. Reputed real estate lawyer, Jessica Riedesser, will outline the basics on closing costs for both buyers and sellers.

This is a wonderful opportunity for attendees to have a Q&A with community professionals. The panel's agenda is:

11:00 AM

 2015 Market Report  Carl Timothy, Timothy Real Estate Group

 Buyer & Seller Expenses in a Real Estate Transaction  Jessica Riedesser y Asociados

12:30 PM

 Cross Border Taxation Affecting Americans & Canadians  Cameron MacIntosh, Cindy DuChateau

To benefit from this valuable information and over 20 more exhibitors, attend the 2016 Vallarta Real Estate Fair, hosted by Timothy Real Estate Group, at Rivera Molino Plaza, corner of Ignacio L. Vallarta and Aquiles Serdan in the Romantic Zone, on February 20th, 2016 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

For more information, visit VallartaRealEstateFair.com.
Wine and Dine Your Valentine at Kaiser Maximilian

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - A February holiday has been recognized for thousands of years. Its history has several beginnings.

The tradition of Valentine's Day is believed to have originated from the pagan customs of the third or fourth century BC when the Parentalia and Feralia Festivals of Purification were celebrated in ancient Rome between February 13 and February 18. This was also the time of a Fertility Festival which celebrated a young man's rite of passage and involved animal sacrifices and fertility rituals.

With the appearance of Christianity, priests attempted to replace such ancient heathen practices. In the fifth century AD, the church resolved to abolish this pagan celebration by creating its own holiday around the same date and selecting a saint who was remembered for his devotion to love. Saint Valentine became the official Patron Saint of Love and the holiday continued to evolve.

You can celebrate this sweetheart of a holiday at Kaiser Maximilian with a tempting special a la carte menu or you can order off of the regular menu, either way it will be a wonderful evening. Executive Chef Juan Carlos Palomer created extraordinary selections for this occasion.

The restaurant is normally closed on Sundays, but will open for dinner starting at 4 pm at the Espresso Bar and it will remain open until 11 pm. The Main Dining Room will open for dinner starting at 6 pm and will stay open until 11 pm.

Here is the special a la carte menu. The regular menu is also available.

Appetizers

 Smoked Mushroom Soup with Quinoa and Roasted Chilies

 Risotto with Shrimp and Chipotle Sauce

Main Courses

 Beef Tenderloin with Red Flannel Hash topped with a Pepper and Hollandaise Sauce

 Herb Crusted Salmon Fillet with Angel Hair Pasta tossed in Asparagus & Port Wine Sauce

Dessert

 Cottage Cheese Strudel with Berry Compote and Vanilla Ice Cream

Please make reservations for February 14, 2016, so you can secure the table, time and Espresso Bar or Main Dining Room selection, 223-0760 or 222-5058. The special a la carte Valentine's Day menu will be featured until February 29, 2016.

Spend a romantic evening at Kaiser Maximilian Restaurant in Vallarta's Zona Romantica.
#Roxyfitness Run+SUP+Yoga Event in Nuevo Vallarta

Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico - The Riviera Nayarit will be the first destination in Mexico to host the #Roxyfitness Run+SUP+Yoga, an exclusive event for women who like the sporting life.

Organized by Roxy and sponsored by Liverpool and the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) with the support of the Nayarit State Government and the Bahia de Banderas City Council, the #Roxyfitness event will take place on the beach at the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta in Nuevo Vallarta on March 26, 2016.





"If there's one thing that makes us stand out as a destination it's that we're big on events," declared Marc Murphy, the Managing Editor of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We're grateful to people like Eduardo for believing in the prestige of the Riviera Nayarit, in what our infrastructure offers and in our hospitality. We're also grateful for the joint efforts of the municipal and state governments, the CVB and the hotels, all of whom have made this event  one that fits so well with our destination  possible."

"We picked the Riviera Nayarit because they made things easy for us and we believe it's the best place in Mexico to hold the event," said Eduardo Araiza, Manager of Quicksilver Mexico. "One of the things we spoke about with Marc is precisely how he's been setting the Riviera Nayarit apart by hosting events that are a little out of the norm and more related to wellness as opposed to other destination where it's all about the party."

Women who buy a Roxy product retailing over MX$1,699 in Liverpool stores will receive a commemorative t-shirt. They can register online with the details on their receipt as well as other personal information at RoxyFitnessMexico.com.

Space is limited to 1,000 women. Only the first 100 to register will have the opportunity to participate in the SUP 3K Race due to the limited number of boards; the other 900 are welcome to participate in the 5K Race and the massive 50-minute group yoga class.

Join the movement on social media with #Roxyfitness and #RivieraNayarit.
A brother of one of the victims from the Club Rayne shooting is speaking out as his brother lies in critical condition fighting for his life.

Devontre Houstons brother, Christopher Houston, is still in critical condition two days after the deadly shooting.

The family is still trying to figure out how this all happened when he had just arrived at the club shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday. Gunshots went off and he was hit in the back of the head. It fractured his skull.

Seven other people were hit in the spray of gunfire. One was killed at the scene.

Devontre said he hasn't been able to get much information out of his brother since.

"All he said was that he was calling my mom and my sister, that's the only thing," he said.

Police say some sort of argument led up to the shooting. Christopher is known as a rapper. Houston said it's a promising career he hopes can continue.

He was doing fine with his career, his music career, he said. And I want to emphasize that. For people to pray for him and hope he pulls through this.
A Bartow High teacher was arrested Saturday on charges of DUI after deputies say he crashed into a mailbox.

Anthony Stanciu, 51, was driving home from the Lake Wales Mardi Gras parade at about 6 p.m. Saturday when his car crashed into a concrete mailbox on Lake Daisy Boulevard, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said Stanciu's speech was slurred and they could smell alcohol coming from the vehicle. They say Stanciu told them he drank three beers at the parade and was on his way home when he crashed.

Stanciu performed three field sobriety tests and showed several signs of impairment, deputies said.

Stanciu was booked into the Polk County Jail, where he gave breath samples for a breath analysis test. Deputies said those came back with separate readings of .195 and .205. Florida law presumes intoxication at .08.

Stanciu is facing one count of driving under the influence. He was released from the Polk County Sheriff's Office after posting a $500 bond.



Deputies say Stanciu told them he is a math teacher at Bartow High School.


After graduating from the University of South Florida in 2009 John Robinson joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Afghanistan.

Upon his return home - and now a veteran - he felt the need to do more, and so he created an organization called Post 9/11 Veterans.

Our whole goal is not just to help vets, not just to help the community, Robinson said. It is to bridge the gap between the two and really bring attention to the community to the returning veterans as well as the community members.

While serving his country overseas, Robinson made friends with a little pal and the pair would hang out. His new pal: a border collie/lab mix puppy named Winston.

Robinson knows full well the challenges vets face returning from war.

A lot of veterans, they come back, they lose their sense of brotherhood and belonging that they once had," he said. "What we try to do is bring the community and vets together and give them that sense of belonging through community outreach programs and social events."

Those programs include visits to Tampas Trinity Cafe.

I was able to bring 10 local vets and supporters over there to serve food to the homeless, to the needy and really give them some kind of personal connection," he said.



His group also supported vets families with Christmas gifts for the children.

Now a state certified firefighter/EMT, Robinson volunteers another 30 to 40 hours a week to this community-supported non-profit.



For this former active duty Marine, Robinson is now geared to American veterans of all branches and the place that is their home.

We believe that our returning vets need to feel welcome and we believe, from the communitys standpoint, as returning vets we offer a lot," he said. "We can bring a lot to the table as far as the community and as far as your business."


An escapee from a Hillsborough juvenille detention center was arrested Thursday morning at a vacant house in St. Petersburg.



St. Petersburg police say Anthony Bays, 18, of Georgetown, Georgia, was found Feb. 4 in a vacant house at 251 Davison Ave. NE on Feb. 4 by officers who weree called to investigate suspicious circumstances.

Initially, Bays gave police a false name. He eventually admitted to his true identity and that there was a warrant for his arrest, police said.



Bays was one of two teenagers who escaped from Falkenburg Academy on Jan 31. He was being held there on grand theft auto charges.

The second escapee, Anthony Cook, 17, has not yet been found.
It was a scary night at sea for passengers on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship after it was caught in a winter storm in the Atlantic off the Carolina coast.

Passengers on the 5,000 passenger Anthem of the Seas posted pictures and video to social media throughout the night as the ship endured heavy seas and reported wind gusts of more than 100 mph.

Leanna Petrone sent out several videos and pictures on her Twitter account of some of the damage, which included broken vases and scattered furniture.

Residents reported being told to remain in their staterooms for several hours during the worst of the weather.

No serious injuries were reported, Royal Caribbean officials said.

The Anthem of the Seas is Royal Caribbean's newest ship.

It left Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on Saturday, and was scheduled to stop in Port Canaveral on Monday before heading to the Bahamas and then back to New Jersey on Saturday.

Royal Caribbean Corp. on Twitter, however, said the ship will travel back to New Jersey.



#AnthemoftheSeas will turn around & sail back to Cape Liberty. This decision was made for guests' comfort due to weather forecasts.  RCLcorp (@RCLcorp) February 8, 2016

The forecast would likely have impacted #AnthemoftheSeas original itinerary. We're also sensitive to what guests have already been through.  RCLcorp (@RCLcorp) February 8, 2016

#AnthemoftheSeas guests will receive a full refund & a future cruise certificate for 50% of the cruise fare paid.  RCLcorp (@RCLcorp) February 8, 2016

We appreciate our guests patience and cooperation. We know it was tough day on Sunday apologize for their discomfort. #AnthemoftheSeas  RCLcorp (@RCLcorp) February 8, 2016

The winter storm is moving its way north and could bring one foot of snow to the New England area.

Royal Caribbean International sent out the following statement Monday morning:



On Sunday, February 7, while sailing to Port Canaveral, Florida, Anthem of the Seas experienced extreme wind and sea conditions, with wind speeds higher than what was forecasted. In an abundance of caution, the Captain asked all guests to stay in their stateroom until the weather improved. At this time there have not been any serious injuries reported. The ship has sustained some damage to the public areas and guest staterooms, which in no way affect the sea-worthiness of the ship.

Royal Caribbean is giving a full refund to cruise passengers -- and 50 percent off a future trip.

Brevard County couple won't get to see their son

A Brevard County couple will not be seeing their loved ones now that the Anthem of the Seas is headed back to its original port in New Jersey.



Linda and Bob Timko, of Cocoa, got word from their son the cruise ship was turning around and not coming to Port Canaveral.



The trip is postponed, and now they won't see their son or their daughter-in-law, who were cruising down to the Bahamas with a quick itinerary stop in Port Canaveral.



"He leaves for Qatar this coming Monday for two months, so they were really looking forward to this vacation," Bob Timko said.



"At least they are safe, and it's probably best that they (turn around)," Linda Timko said.





More of the damage on the Anthem of the Seas. (@flatgreg via Twitter)
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An eBook issued this month by the Handbook of Texas that focuses on the African American experience in the state from the early 16th century through the present includes several listings about Beaumont.

The eBook, released on Feb. 1, is called "Struggle and Success: African Americans in Texas," and is available online for free from the Texas State Historical Association through its Handbook of Texas, also an online publication, which has more than 27,000 entries.

Beaumont-related entries include articles on educator Thomas Titus Pollard, a leader in African-American education in Beaumont. Schools founded by Pollard and his father-in-law, Charles Charlton and led by his son, T.J. Charlton, merged to form the Charlton Pollard High School, famous for its graduates who went on to become educators themselves and respected for the athletes the school produced.

Another article focuses on the career of Albert J. Price Sr., one of the first commercial airline pilots who broke the color barrier in the mid-1960s and who represented a Beaumont-area district for 22 years in the state Legislature.

The eBook also mentions the bad, such as the June 1943 race riots that resulted at least three deaths and in martial law declared by the state's acting governor.Handbook managing editor Brett Derbes said the eBook on African Americans took more than two years to compile.

"It is most likely there are far more than 1,200 listings," Derbes said. "The goal is to expand and diversify the handbook."

The articles are researched and written by volunteer scholars and their work is fact-checked by three staff editors.

"It is truly vetted, as scholastic articles should be," Derbes said.

Amid controversy about history texts approved by the State Board of Education for use in classrooms, Derbes did not directly address whether the Handbook of Texas is a more reliable source.

"The overall goal is to tell the most accurate history of Texas," he said. "Our entries are so detailed that no one else could replicate it. If we did a print version, it would be at least 30 volumes."

Derbes said the Handbook of Texas also is compiling a history of Tejanos, which could be complete by April, another two-year project that will tell the story of the Mexican and Latino influence in Texas.

The Handbook of Texas is underwritten by private donation in a partnership with the University of Texas, Derbes said.

DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach
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The man arrested for the 1983 murders of three young people at a Corvette repair shop in League City has been released from the Galveston County jail after posting bond.

Jesse Dean Kersh, 58, posted bond Friday and was released from the jail, according to an official from the Galveston County Jail.

Kersh had been jailed since his arrest Jan. 26 on $150,000 bond. A call to Kersh's attorney was not immediately returned.

THE BACKGROUND: Man arrested in 1983 Corvette Concepts triple slaying in League City

Kersh is charged in the Nov. 2, 1983, deaths of Beth Yvette Wilburn, 25, then the co-owner of the Corvette Concepts shop where the killings occurred; her boyfriend and neighbor Thomas Earl McGraw Jr., 28, an oil field worker who'd just returned from overseas; and James Craig Oatis, 22, an electrician from Houston who had been hired to install a fluorescent light at the shop.

At a hearing last week, Kersh had urged District Court Judge John Ellisor to reduce his bond amount so he could use his savings to finance his defense. Ellisor declined to reduce Kersh's bond Friday.

A trial has not been scheduled in the case. A hearing is scheduled for March 8.

CASE CLOSED: Harris County cold cases solved

The bloody slayings shocked League City, then a much-smaller suburb of fewer than 30,000 residents in Galveston County. Police said autopsy reports indicated Wilburn had been stabbed 114 times and had four gunshot wounds, McGraw was stabbed 15 times and had seven gunshot wounds and Oatis had 10 gunshot wounds.

The case had been cold for decades as police, the FBI and Texas Rangers investigated. Many suspects were considered over the years and ruled out.

Authorities have shared few details about what led to the recent break in the case but have said witness interviews, ballistic reports and DNA testing of material under Wilburn's fingernails provided clues.

Police also said in a probable cause affidavit that a witness had come forward in 2013 and disputed Kersh's assertion that he had never owned a .22-caliber handgun like the one used in the slayings, and said that Kersh had asked for his help in manufacturing a silencer.
A fourth patient treated at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center passed away after contracting a fungal infection during a mold outbreak at the hospital, according to Fox News Health.

Here are five things to know:

1. Che DeVall died after being diagnosed with the infection in September, nearly one month after receiving a double lung transplant.

2. The CDC said the patients who developed a mold infection at the hospital likely acquired it from spending time in a "negative pressure" room, which is usually reserved for people who already have infections.

3. On Sept. 21, UPMC suspended its transplant program, but resumed the program nearly a week later after reviewing its procedures and treatments.

4. Mr. DeVall filed a lawsuit against UPMC last month, claiming the hospital recklessly placed him in a room where he was more susceptible to infection. He claims the infection lead to the removal of parts of his new lungs.

5. The hospital has not commented on the lawsuit, but claims the deaths cannot be directly attributed to mold because transplant patients have weakened immune systems, making them at a higher risk of acquiring infections.

More articles on quality & infection control:

Ben Taub Hospital receives Beacon Award for Excellence in patient care: 5 observations

High quality of care may lower mortality risk in patients who are prescribed opioids for pain: 4 things to know

Coast Health Alliance physicians discuss new vaccination requirements  5 takeaways
Six patients who took the antibiotic Levaquin filed a federal lawsuit against former FDA Commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, MD, claiming the Commissioner defrauded consumers and conspired with Johnson & Johnson to conceal information about the harmful effects of Levaquin, according to abc 8 news.

Here are six things to know:

1. Levaquin is typically prescribed to patients with various infections, such as sinus or urinary tract infections. However, patients claim the drug is only effective in pain relief, rather than combating infections.

2. Attorney Larry Klayman, renowned for being a Washington watchdog, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the six patients. Mr. Klayman said, "Tens of thousands of people throughout this country have been seriously injured and some died as a result of this dangerous drug."

3. Dr. Hamburg's husband Peter Brown served as co-CEO of the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies while Dr. Hamburg served as FDA Commissioner. Renaissance Technologies held stock in Johnson & Johnson, and the suit claims Mr. Brown would profit tremendously if Johnson & Johnson did well.

4. The plaintiffs claim Dr. Hamburg was more than sufficiently aware about complaints about Levaquin and its side effects, but failed to order label changes for Levaquin.

5. Dr. Hamburg's attorneys refer to Mr. Klayman's claims as "patently false, reckless and offensive."

6. Johnson & Johnson maintains their support for Levaquin and stands behind their actions regarding the drug.

More articles on quality & infection control:

Ben Taub Hospital receives Beacon Award for Excellence in patient care: 5 observations

High quality of care may lower mortality risk in patients who are prescribed opioids for pain: 4 things to know

Coast Health Alliance physicians discuss new vaccination requirements  5 takeaways
Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center is opening a $500 million comprehensive care outpatient center, according to Gazette.

Here are five points:

1. The center is expected to open in 2020 and will include a parking structure.

2. To build the center, Rush University Medical Center will have to demolish the student housing on the block. The hospital will help students find alternative housing.

3. Construction will begin in March and Rush is currently interviewing architects for the project.

4. Rush's new outpatient center will consolidate multiple campus outpatient clinic sites.

5. Rush expects to receive approval from the Illinois Health Facilities Review Board in mid-February.

More articles on surgery centers:

Goldman Sachs raises SCA's share price target  5 facts

4 things to know about Nevada's 1st outpatient pediatric palliative care clinic

8 recent ASC acquisitions  Feb. 5, 2016
Here are seven updates:

The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery in Illinois partners with SCA

The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery in Illinois partnered with Surgical Care Affiliates, expanding SCA's presence in the Chicagoland area. The partnership went into effect Jan. 1, 2016. SCA currently has five locations in the Chicago area.

Florida group settles anti-kickback case for $50k

Last week, the Office of the Inspector General settled allegations against Jupiter (Fla.) Imaging Associates. The anti-kickback case involved a physician practicing at Jupiter Imaging Associates allegedly giving gift cards to 100 referring physicians. Although the cards varied in amount, the physician allegedly determined value based on the physician referral volume.

AmSurg senior director named to 40 under 40 list

Nashville Business Journal named Charlie Dillingham of AmSurg to its 2016 40 under 40 winners. Mr. Dillingham is the senior director of financial reporting at AmSurg and has helped create a nonprofit that provides clean water to thousands of people.

Hospital for Special Surgery opens new outpatient center in Westchester County

New York-based Hospital for Special Surgery leased a space in White Plans (N.Y.) to open its new outpatient center. Construction is set to begin in September 2016 and will be the largest of HSS' outpatient centers.

Georgia hospital CEO arrested for prescription drug fraud

Federal agents arrested Michael Gowder, DDS, CEO of 45-bed Union General Hospital in Blairsville, Ga., as part of a multi-state prescription drug sting. Dr. Gowder was one of six arrested and is being charged with two counts of fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to distribute.

Exact Sciences files lawsuit against Humana over unpaid claims

Madison, Wis.-based Exact Sciences brought Humana in Kentucky to court over allegations the payer refused to reimburse for the company's non-invasive colorectal cancer screening test Cologuard. In the lawsuit, Exact Sciences claim Humana refused to pay for more than $800,000 in claims for Cologuard.

4 Florida counties declare state of emergency over Zika virus

Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of public health emergency in four counties in Florida including Miami-Dade, Lee, Hillsborough and Santa Rosa. Gov. Scott declared the state of emergency following the confirmation of nine Zika virus cases across Florida.

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Computer hackers have accessed and dumped personal information of more than 9,000 Department of Homeland Security employees, and the hackers suggest they have the information of more than 20,000 FBI employees, reports Motherboard.

Breached information includes names, job titles, email addresses and phone numbers of employees.

The hacker told Motherboard they obtained the data by "compromising the email account" of an employee in the Department of Justice, though they did not expand on how the account was accessed. The hacker contacted the Motherboard reporter through the compromised DOJ account, according to the report.

The hacker then reportedly tried logging into a DOJ web portal. When the hacker ran into trouble accessing the portal, the hacker told Motherboard he called the department and said he was new and didn't know how to access the portal. "They asked if I had a token code, I said no, they said, 'That's fine, just use our one,'" the hacker told Motherboard.

Once gaining entry into the web portal, the hacker had access to documents on the local network, including a database of government workers on a DOJ intranet, according to the report.

The hacker said he had access to 1 TB of data, of which he downloaded 200 GB, according to the report.

According to The Hill, the hacker appears to be motivated by the United States' support of Palestine.

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Cerner Data Center breach compromises NCH Healthcare employee data
An ongoing ad campaign in 20 U.S. cities is criticizing hospitals for their ties with fast-food restaurants, and urging them to end those ties, according to an International Business Times report.

Here are five things to know about the ad campaign.

1. The ad campaign, which began Jan. 25, is by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.

2. It specifically targets areas with hospitals hosting Chick-fil-A branches, although hospitals have also contracted with McDonald's, Wendy's, Tim Horton's and other food chains, according to the report.

3. As part of the ad campaign, bus stops and billboards have been plastered with the slogan, "Ask your local hospital to go #FastFoodFree!"

4. Mark Kennedy, associate general counsel at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, attributed the reasoning behind the ad campaign to people's health. "Staff, executives of the hospital don't want these fast-food joints in there anymore," he said, according to the report. "They want healthier options."

5. The American Hospital Association did not take a particular stance on the issue of whether fast-food chains belong in hospitals, according to the report. According to the report, Maulik Joshi, the associate executive vice president for the group, said in an emailed comment, "Hospitals may also offer a variety of choices of food options to meet the preferences of their communities."
Che DuVall, who contracted a fungal infection after undergoing a double lung transplant at Pittsburgh-based UPMC Presbyterian, died Saturday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Mr. DuVall and his wife had sued UPMC Presbyterian for negligence in January, claiming his infection was linked to a mold outbreak at the hospital. After undergoing his transplant in August, he was diagnosed with a fungal infection Sept. 3, right before the hospital discovered the mold and closed its cardiothoracic intensive care unit.

All total, four transplant patients at UPMC suffered fungal infections, and they are all now deceased.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner listed Mr. DuVall's cause of death as multi-organ system failure due to sepsis, and the manner of death was listed as natural, according to the Post-Gazette. There will be no autopsy.

UPMC released a statement to the Post-Gazette, reading, "It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of Mr. DuVall and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family as well as to our doctors and nurses who have worked with great compassion and skill to care for him. We again want to reassure our patients that we have taken every possible precaution to make our hospitals as safe as humanly possible, and have followed all recommendations made by federal and state regulators."

Mr. DuVall's lawyer told the Post-Gazette the lawsuit would be amended.
President Barack Obama plans to ask Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to help the U.S. respond to and combat the growing Zika virus crisis.

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus that is spreading throughout the world  there are 26 countries and territories in the Americas with local Zika transmission, according to the White House, and there were 50 laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika among U.S. travelers reported from December 2015 through Feb. 5.

"As spring and summer approach, bringing with them larger and more active mosquito populations, we must be fully prepared to mitigate and quickly address transmission within the continental U.S.," a White House statement reads.

The roughly $1.8 billion in funding would go to the following agencies and departments:
The new investment was supported by Invest Northern Ireland.

Eighty-eight jobs have been created in Belfast at a cyber security firm - with 30 already in place.

Cyber security firm Alert Logic has established a Security Research and Technology Development centre in Belfast creating the new posts.

The new investment was supported by Invest Northern Ireland.

Alert Logic offers cloud-based Security-as-a-Service, a platform of fully managed products and services designed to keep a customer's date and infrastructure safe and compliant, regardless of whether that IT infrastructure resides in the cloud, on-premises or in a hybrid data centre.

Speaking from the company's new premises in Weaver's Court Belfast, Finance Minister Mervyn Storey said: "Alert Logic is a very welcome addition to Northern Ireland's growing portfolio of global ICT firms choosing to establish offices here.

"The company is expanding rapidly having already recruited 30 of the high quality jobs. The company's decision to locate in Northern Ireland will contribute a total investment of 3.9m into the economy.

"The new Security Research and Technology Development centre will provide valuable employment for IT and cyber security professionals. These are well paid jobs with an average salary of 44,000 contributing nearly 4million annually in salaries for the local economy.

"Northern Ireland is well placed to capitalise on the major growth in the cyber security sector.

"We have recently successfully attracted a number of leading cyber security investors including Proofpoint, Whitehat and Rapid7.

"Northern Ireland is fast becoming a global cyber security hub, with a growing base of local firms and specialist university research centres, including the Centre of Secure Information Technology at Queen's University."

Invest NI offered the Texan based firm 572,000 of support for the new jobs, which are expected to be in place by the end of 2017.

CEO of Alert Logic Gray Hall said: We considered many other locations for this investment but Invest NIs support and the availability of a strong pool of talented people made Northern Ireland a very attractive location for us.

Opening an office in Belfast not only puts us physically closer to a number of our customers and prospective customers but this new centre will complement our existing centres in Cardiff and Houston and support our ambitious growth plans, particularly in the US, Europe and Asia markets.
More than 100 Chinese tour operators are set to visit Northern Ireland to learn more about its potential as a holiday destination.

The tour firms will come here later this month in a mission led by Tourism NI.

Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell said "the pace of the growth of tourism in China is staggering".

"In 2015, Chinese outbound tourists will reach 100 million, growing 10-fold since the turn of the millennium.

"While the traditional visitor markets are still key, there is significant potential for us to attract many more Chinese visitors to Northern Ireland.

"The announcement that over 100 tour operators from China are to visit Northern Ireland at the end of this month is excellent news.

"Themed tour packages are extremely popular among Chinese travellers and they tend to rely heavily on travel agencies for packaged tours and booking assistance.

"The tour operators coming to Northern Ireland have the potential to influence the decision-making of thousands of Chinese visitors.

"Tourism Northern Ireland will be facilitating the visit, ensuring we showcase the very best of what Northern Ireland has to offer, including visiting a number of key visitor attractions such as Mount Stewart, Titanic Belfast and the Giant's Causeway."

Mr Bell also visited China in November last year as part of a trade mission, with his department trying to expand and strengthen Northern Ireland exports to the huge market.

He was also joined by a number of other exporters.

Last year, he told food producers he wanted the region's exports to China to pass 100m.

Northern Ireland pork has also now been given the green light to export to China, with the meat already being shipped this year.
Mark Ruffalo has joined the campaign against fracking in the UK

Oscar nominated actor Mark Ruffalo has called on the Prime Minister to abandon fracking and leave fossil fuels in the ground.

A prominent opponent of fracking in the US, Ruffalo warned David Cameron he was making "a legacy mistake" in supporting the controversial process of extracting gas by hydraulic fracturing.

Ruffalo, who has attracted critical acclaim for his role in the film Spotlight, and is nominated for best supporting actor at this year's Oscars, made the remarks in an interview with environmental pressure group Friends Of The Earth.

On Tuesday a planning inspector will hear energy firm Cuadrilla's appeal against last summer's rejection of plans for exploratory fracking in west Lancashire by county councillors.

In a direct message to the PM, Ruffalo said: "Mr Cameron you are making an enormous mistake, and it's a legacy mistake, because there is no fracking that can be done safely.

"Today we are at the precipice of a renewable energy revolution. This is the new economy. We had 200 countries from around the world all agree that it's time to leave fossil fuels in the ground.

"This is where all new wealth is going to being created, this is where new jobs are to be created, and not only that but your people don't want it.

"You have already told them once before that if they didn't want it you wouldn't push them to take it. And you're turning back on your word, sir. What is a politician if he is not credible?

"So I would say to you, this is a wonderful opportunity for you to honour your people, to honour their will but also to take them into the renewable energy future of the world."

Ruffalo was a vocal support of the fracking ban in New York State and has similarly appealed to President Barack Obama to ditch fracking and instead focus on renewable energy.

Donna Hume, Friends Of The Earth senior campaigner, said: "David Cameron is indeed turning his back on the people of Lancashire by ignoring their local democratic decision to reject fracking.

"The Government admits that the more people know about fracking, the more they oppose it. That's why Mark Ruffalo, who has seen the impacts of fracking first-hand, doesn't want Lancashire to suffer the same impacts as so many states in the US.

"Mark Ruffalo is right. Mr Cameron must listen to the people of Lancashire and not force this risky and unpopular industry on the county or anywhere else in England."

Lancashire, thought to hold major shale reserves and where fracking had been under way before being halted because of earthquakes, has been seen as the most likely bet for getting the industry going.

But the Government's backing for the development of shale gas in the UK received a blow last June when councillors turned down schemes to drill and frack for shale gas between Blackpool and Preston.

One scheme at Roseacre was opposed due to traffic concerns, while councillors went against the advice of their own planning officials for the second scheme at Little Plumpton and rejected it because of adverse landscape and noise impacts.

The planning inspectorate inquiry starts on Tuesday at Blackpool FC Hotel & Conference Centre. It is expected to last five weeks.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) said: "We are backing shale because it's good for our energy security and will help create jobs and growth.

"There is no question that we need natural gas in the UK and if just 10% of the estimated gas in shale rock could be recovered, it would be enough to meet our energy demand for almost 40 years.

"We are encouraging safe exploration so we can know for certain how much is there and how much we can get out of the ground."
Actor and Radio 1 presenter Ceallach Spellman has joined the cast of the Cold Feet reboot.

Spellman will play Matthew, the son of Adam (James Nesbitt) and Rachel (Helen Baxendale), who was last seen as a baby when the ITV series ended in 2003.

In November it was revealed that Cold Feet is set to return for a sixth series.

Spellman said: "I am so excited and somewhat humbled to be given such a wonderful opportunity to be part of this fantastic story which was so popular and successful 14 years ago."

The 20-year-old will star alongside original stars Nesbitt, Robert Bathurst, Hermione Norris, John Thomson, and Fay Ripley.

Spellman has previously appeared in BBC One's Waterloo Road and Channel 4's drama Cucumber.

He started presenting CBBC's Friday Download show in 2011 and was given his own Radio 1 programme, The Number 1 Show, last year.

At the end of the fifth series, Matthew's mother Rachel died in a car crash.

Adam left Manchester - where the series is set - with his infant son.

Spellman continued: "I cannot wait to work with the director, Terry McDonough, all the cast and crew and I am particularly looking forward to working alongside my on-screen dad James Nesbitt - even if he is a Man United fan.

"I hope I can help make this series every bit as special, entertaining and memorable as the first five series were all those years ago."

The part of Matthew was originally played by Jacob Hughes, now a teenager living in Lancashire.

The new series is currently shooting in Manchester. It will be broadcast later this year on ITV.
A besotted fan who bombarded BBC presenter Alex Jones with tweets declaring he was in love with her has been barred from Broadcasting House.

Shane Goldsmith, 44, hounded Miss Jones, 38, for 17 months, sending her a string of public messages on Twitter and waited outside the BBC headquarters in Portland Place, London, for the host of The One Show numerous times to tell her he loved her.

Senior district judge Howard Riddle imposed a restraining order at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday banning Mr Goldsmith from having any contact with the Welsh TV star, her partner Charlie Thomson or her parents Alun and Mary Jones.

He is also barred from going to Broadcasting House or any other place Miss Jones works or lives.

Goldsmith, of no fixed abode, was formally cleared of a single charge of harassment between April 2014 to September 2015.

Before being chosen to succeed Christine Bleakley on the programme, Miss Jones had stints on a number of Welsh-language shows and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2011.
Antibiotics that were banned on US chicken farms a decade ago over links to the spread of potentially deadly bacteria in humans are being used in significantly increased quantities by the British poultry industry, an investigation has revealed.

Industry figures obtained by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism show that UK poultry producers raised their use of a class of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones by 59 per cent in the latest 12-month reporting period  despite evidence that they could be fuelling drug resistant forms of dangerous food poisoning illnesses in humans, including campylobacter, salmonella and E.coli.

The antibiotics are used on factory farms where chickens and other poultry are intensively reared in crowded conditions that can encourage the spread of disease.

But serious problems arise because the same class of drugs are also used in human medicine to treat people who suffer severe cases of foodborne infections.

Experts warn that their overuse in livestock farming has encouraged the bacteria behind these infections to evolve and become immune to the antibiotics effects.

That means consumers who contract the bugs  often from infected poultry meat  and subsequently develop complications may not respond to antibiotic treatment.

Professor Mike Catchpole, one of Europes leading infectious disease experts and the chief scientist at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), told the Bureau there was already evidence of an association between drug-resistant salmonella and excess mortality  and that patients seriously ill with resistant forms of campylobacter were at greater risk of death or infections.

It is for these reasons that fluoroquinolones have been banned in poultry production in the US, as well as Australia, Finland and Denmark.

Yet unpublished figures compiled by the British Poultry Council (BPC)  which represents about 90 per cent of the UK industry  show that its members have increased their use of the drugs, using 1.126 tonnes of fluoroquinolones in 2014 compared with 0.71 tonnes the previous year.

The increased use of the antibiotics  which is not illegal in the UK  indicates that at least 20 million more chickens were given a dose of the antibiotics in 2014. The Bureaus revelations have prompted calls for fluoroquinolones to be immediately withdrawn from use in British poultry farms.

Coilin Nunan, a scientific adviser with the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, said the shocking and alarming 59 per cent rise was likely to have real consequences for human health.

He said: The Government should ban all use of fluoroquinolones in poultry because we know resistance is transferring from chickens to humans. This is why the US banned fluoroquinolone use in poultry a decade ago.

Labours shadow Environment Secretary, Kerry McCarthy, said: Experts have long been warning that widespread antibiotic use in farming risks undermining their effectiveness in human medicine. These figures show that more needs to be done to reduce their use.

Antibiotics are widely used in livestock production to prevent and treat illnesses. While farmers say their use is vital for animal welfare, critics say the drugs are often used to compensate for dirty, overcrowded conditions that can encourage the spread of disease.

The US Food and Drug Administration outlawed the use of fluoroquinolones in chicken farming in 2005 after resistance to the drugs was found to be developing in campylobacter samples in poultry flocks. Campaigners have for several years been calling on the UK authorities to follow suit.

They are also concerned about a lack of transparency about the level of usage on Britains farms. Although farmers are required to keep records of antibiotics administered to livestock, and vets should maintain details of antibiotic prescriptions, this data is not currently collated by the industry regulator, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

An agency in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the VMD publishes overall sales data for veterinary antibiotics annually but not details of antibiotic usage. This means health officials have little idea why  and in what quantities  the drugs are being used on individual farms.

In a statement to the Bureau, the VMD acknowledged that current data collection of antibiotic use on farms could be improved, saying it was a priority area of the VMDs work on antimicrobial resistance.

A spokesperson said: The overuse of antibiotics in farming is a major issue worldwide, and we are working closely with countries across the world to monitor it so that we can take action.

There is particular concern about antibiotic resistant cases of campylobacter, Britains most common type of food poisoning. The bug infects up to 300,000 people, puts 1,000 in hospital and kills about 100 each year. Contaminated poultry is blamed for four in five cases.

A major ECDC study that analysed human campylobacter cases in a number of EU countries from 2013 found that 60 per cent were resistant to ciprofloxacin. It also said 62 per cent of poultry birds infected with the bug were found to be carrying the resistant strain.

The ECDCs Professor Catchpole said: There are lines of evidence that strongly suggest that the use of antimicrobials [which include antibiotics] in food-producing animals not only results in the occurrence of resistant bacteria in the exposed food-producing animals but also in humans.

Despite cautioning that most food poisoning cases were self-limiting, with victims recovering naturally without the need for antibiotic treatment, he said that in some cases  primarily in patients with compromised immune systems  the infections can cause systemic disease with possibly fatal outcomes.

Drug-resistant bacteria have been associated with excess mortality for salmonella and with greater risk of death or invasive infections for campylobacter, he said.

Treating infections due to resistant bacteria is a challenge: antimicrobials commonly used are no longer effective and doctors have to choose other antimicrobials. This may delay getting the right treatment to patients and may result in complications. Also, a patient may need more care as well as alternative and more expensive antimicrobials, which may have more severe side-effects.

The British Poultry Council said that it had taken a leading role in reducing the use of antibiotics, with a particular focus on those drugs of critical importance for human medicine. A spokeswoman said: The BPC and its members recognise the importance of fluoroquinolones for human medicine, and we will continue to work with our members to significantly reduce the usage of all classes of antibiotics including the fluoroquinolones.

The drugs dont work: resistant bacteria

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics were developed in the 1970s and first used in human medicine in the 1980s.

The drugs are used for treating human food poisoning illnesses such as campylobacter, salmonella and Ecoli.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified fluoroquinolones as being critically important to human healthcare, and said the use of the substances on livestock farms should be curtailed.

This is because of growing global evidence that the overuse of the antibiotics on factory farms is fuelling the development of drug resistant forms of food poisoning bugs.

Concerns over the links between fluoroquinolone use on farms and antibiotic resistant bacteria were raised as far back as 1998, when a House of Lords committee urged the poultry industry to reduce its use of fluoroquinolones.

Independent
Stephen Nolan has said he will never forget the "desperate" look in the eyes of a homeless man who he found on the streets of Belfast.

In 2013 Stephen Nolan went out on the streets of Belfast just a few days before Christmas with volunteers from a charity that helps the homeless.

He met Co Down man Ryan Pedlow (31) who was sleeping rough outside the Europa Hotel in Belfast.

Following his meeting with Nolan he told the the Belfast Telegraph how the BBC presenter's generosity that night in putting him up in a room inside the hotel helped him change his life around.

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Today speaking on his BBC show Nolan reflected on his experience as he discussed the death of a young homeless man at the weekend.

Paramedics and the police tried to resuscitate him for 30 minutes, but he sadly passed away. The cause of his death is unknown at this stage.

He said: "I'll never forget it. Subsequently a few months after this happened he went to the papers, it was published in the Belfast Telegraph.

"I saw this, I don't want to be disrespectful, but it just looked like a mound of rubbish, I couldn't see a human being under it.

"It was at the side of the Europa, I saw it going up and down and it was a man lying there.

"I approached him and he was shivering in the cold. It was a real snowy winter night, it was dreadful, dreadful weather there was me in my new coat and jumper on and everything that money buys.

"Anyway I knelt down beside this man and the look on his face I will never forget.

"It was a look of desperation. It was a combination, I'm imagining his face now, it was a combination of desperation and loneliness. That's how I interpreted it. I just looked at him."
The eight derelict Lanyon Tunnels are below Belfast's East Bridge Street, beside Central Station

A network of derelict railway tunnels in Belfast could be brought back to life.

The eight disused railway arches - known as the Lanyon Tunnels - connect the Markets area with Belfast Central Station, St Georges Market and Lanyon Place.

They sit just below East Bridge Street and were originally used by traders as holding pens for cattle on their way to the slaughterhouse in nearby Stewart Street.

But they have not been used for over 70 years.

Now Belfast City Council has secured planning permission to refurbish the tunnels for potential commercial development.

And it's asking for your creative ideas and plans for what to do with them.

They could become shops, cafes, bars or perhaps artist's studios in the style of Brighton's famous arches.

An artists impression shows how the Lanyon Tunnels could look following refurbishment and fit out, mocked up as an art gallery.

Community groups, companies and retailers are being urged to submit ideas if they are interested in taking up space within the tunnels.

An initial expression of interest process is now underway for potential units within the site, with ideas invited by Wednesday 17 February.

Expand Close An artist's impression of how the Lanyon Tunnels could look following refurbishment and fit out / Facebook

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Whatsapp An artist's impression of how the Lanyon Tunnels could look following refurbishment and fit out

These tunnels are right at the heart of two of the citys biggest redevelopment projects - the expansion of Belfast Waterfront and the addition of Grade A office space on the former Maysfield Leisure Centre site, said Councillor Declan Boyle, Chair of the councils Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

Their refurbishment could improve access within this key area, as well as connecting the local community to the many opportunities being created right on their doorstep.

This is a really exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs and creative thinkers to help turn a derelict and neglected space into something innovative, as well as potentially bringing new jobs and other benefits to the city centre.

Funding is being sought to undertake the refurbishment work needed to open up the tunnels, and make them suitable for potential retail, light industrial, office or leisure use.

Following refurbishment, it is anticipated that units will then be made available to prospective tenants on a lease or licence basis.

To express an interest, or to request an information pack, call 028 9032 0202 (extension 3515) or visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/regeneration
Young Mohammed looks on after prayers take place during an open day at Belfast Islamic Centre in Wellington Park, Belfast. More than 90 mosques across the UK opened their doors to the public in an effort to explain their faith beyond the hostile headlines

Belfast Islamic Centre was one of more than 80 mosques around Britain that opened their doors to visitors to help people understand their faith.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said it hopes the annual Visit My Mosque Day will help show unity in "a tense time for faith communities".

Nick Taylor, chief executive at the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation For Peace, said he had a "fascinating afternoon" and had "learnt so much" with his visit to the Warrington Islamic Centre.

Mr Taylor tweeted he had been "privileged to be allowed to watch prayers" and to learn about the Islamic faith.

Mr Taylor holds a senior role in the charity which was set up in the names of two young boys were killed in the IRA's bombing of Warrington in March 1993. It aims to try and prevent, resolve and respond to violent conflict.

Ashraf Ahmed of the Islamic Centre in Belfast said there was a need to explain that Islam is separate from the terrorists who kill in his religion's name.

"People sometimes hear on TV this thing called Isis and they say 'what is this Isis'?" he told UTV.

"People don't know it is nothing to do with Islam. They claim they represent Islam but they are just criminals. We thought it would be a good idea to tell people simply what Islam is."
The judge ruled it would cause inconvenience to the woman to hold the case in England.

A soldier's ex-wife who underwent sterilisation for a suspected misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis has won the right to sue the Ministry of Defence in Northern Ireland.

The High Court overturned an order that her medical negligence claim should be heard within the jurisdiction of England and Wales.

The woman, who is from Northern Ireland and now uses a wheelchair, is seeking damages over the treatment when married to a member of the Parachute Regiment four decades ago.

In 1972, while pregnant and visiting her parents in Belfast, she was taken to the military wing of Musgrave Park Hospital after experiencing weakness down her left side.

She was transferred to Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot the following month.

Despite the absence of some records, the court heard a diagnosis of MS was made at the English hospital in early 1973.

She was then put on a course of treatment and discharged six weeks later.

But with medical authorities continuing with the diagnosis of severe MS, a consultant neurologist strongly recommended sterilisation.

In October 1975 the woman underwent that procedure at the Military Hospital in Aldershot.

More than 30 years later she was examined by another consultant neurologist who formed the view it was more likely that she had a vascular event than MS.

An MRI scan found no evidence of the disease, pointing instead to residua from a form of thrombosis.

Due to her medical condition the woman now depends on carers who come to her home three times a day.

She requires help washing and dressing, getting in and out of bed, using the bathroom and preparing meals.

In 2009 she separated from her husband and left England to return to live in Northern Ireland.

Three years later her legal team commenced proceedings at the High Court in Belfast for for alleged negligent medical treatment while in the care of the Ministry of Defence.

The lawsuit was stayed in October 2015 on the basis that the action should be brought before the courts of England and Wales.

She appealed that order, arguing that the defendants had failed to establish Northern Ireland is not the appropriate forum.

Lawyers for the MoD contended that the medical treatment and both diagnosis were all carried out in England.

Allowing the woman's appeal, Mr Justice Burgess removed the stay on proceedings in Northern Ireland on Monday.

He ruled that the Northern Irish forum was no less appropriate to hear a case.

The judge also pointed out: "There is a potentially greater inconvenience to be caused to the plaintiff being required to attend in England rather than other witnesses coming to Northern Ireland - if indeed their attendance in Northern Ireland is required."
Scene of the Docklands bombing in February 1996

A man pulled from the wreckage of the Canary Wharf bomb has said he is still haunted by the scenes of carnage 20 years later.

Jonathan Ganesh suffered serious injuries when the IRA detonated a half-tonne bomb in the heart of London's Docklands.

The explosion, just after 7pm on February 9, 1996, marked the end of its 17-month ceasefire.

Two people died and 39 others were injured, some traumatically.

Speaking on the eve of the 20th anniversary, Mr Ganesh recalled how, fearing he was about to die, he lay on the ground begging God to save his life.

"I will never forget what they did that night. Never," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

Mr Ganesh was working as a security guard and was about an hour into his shift when the bomb exploded.

He was 50 yards from the lorry containing the 500kg device.

"There was the flash of light, then this tremendous plume of smoke, and I realised I was being hit by debris and glass," he said.

"I was rolling on the floor, praying.

"I really believed that I was going to die that night.

"I remember praying, and I can still remember what I said to God. I kept saying: 'Please save me, please help me. Please God'."

Today, 20 years on, Mr Ganesh cannot escape the horrors of that night.

Even the sound of thunder is enough to bring back painful memories.

"November is the worst time for me," he added.

"I used to love fireworks, but if I hear fireworks go off or thunder, it does take me back and I think I'm being buried alive again.

"You might be sleeping and you hear a bang and suddenly you wake up in fear."

The bomb had been loaded on to a lorry in south Armagh, taken across the Irish Sea and driven down the length of England.

It was parked under the train tracks in London's new financial district, close to Canary Wharf tower.

The explosion happened just metres from where Inam Bashir (29) and John Jeffries (31) were working in a newsagents. Both were killed.

Mr Ganesh said the men - both close friends - were "the most innocent people you could imagine".

He was so devastated at their deaths that, in the wake of the explosion, he wished he had died that night instead.

"It broke my heart, I was very close to both of them," he added.

"They worked in a shop and when I was on duty I would call with them, and they would always have kept my favourite chicken salad sandwich for me.

"I can't tell you how much I miss them. They were the nicest, kindest people.

"They were about four metres from the bomb and it was so powerful it blew them five shops upwards.

"They were left in bits and pieces.

"For a time I wished it was me that had been killed. I was absolutely devastated that they never made it out.

"They were two young men. They were the most innocent people you could imagine.

"All JJ cared about was his guitar, and for Inam it was his motorbike.

"They had no connection to Ireland, they wouldn't have had any inclination about the Troubles.

"How and why they ended up dead is a mystery to me."

Mr Ganesh still bears the scars - emotionally and physically - of that night.

He is partially deaf in one ear and his body is still marked by the wounds he suffered.

He now leads the Docklands Victims Association, which works in troubled spots around the world.

In 2014 it worked tirelessly to try and secure the release of Alan Henning, the British aid worker kidnapped and later beheaded by ISIS.

Mr Ganesh has also campaigned for compensation for victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism.

He is strongly critical of how victims have been treated by the British Government.

"The IRA worked with Gaddafi to kill innocent people, and all those involved must be held accountable," he added. "It is a terrible failure by our government, and we have to ask why.

"By what they have done, in not pursuing Libya for compensation, they have devalued the life of every UK and Irish citizen.

"I went to America and spoke to senators.

"The US Government could not fight for us, they said our government should be fighting for us. It is a terrible injustice."
More people will access one of Northern Ireland's last ancient woodlands thanks to the levy on carrier bags.

Drumlamph Wood near Maghera in Co Londonderry dates back to 1599. It has a close canopy of hazel and holly trees interspersed with old oaks.

Work on the 17-hectare plot will include construction of a board walk through a wet area, seating and the creation of a way marked trail. The intention is that it will be visited by local schools and children pond dipping.

Environment Minister Mark H Durkan today announced an additional 125,600 to protect landscape, habitats and species.

Woodland Trust Northern Ireland director Patrick Cregg said: "We need to make sure that woodlands are available to people to enjoy all of the benefits that accrue through visiting woodland.

"We are sparse in terms of woodland, at 8% in Northern Ireland, in Great Britain it is around 12% and with some of our European neighbours it is up to 44% woodland cover."

Drumlamph is one of Northern Ireland's last remaining irreplaceable ancient woodlands - that is land continuously wooded since at least 1600.

It is being overhauled using money from the Natural Environment Fund.

Ten not for profit organisations and councils will share a slice of the money for varied projects ranging from raptor studies for birds of prey to wildfire initiatives.

This is in addition to 1.25 million funding already allocated to this fund last year from carrier bag receipts.

There was a time when the forests of Killetra and Glenconkeyne - stretching from Lough Neagh to Coleraine and from the Sperrins to the River Bann - were as large as the New Forest in Hampshire.

Now only fragments remain, including Drumlamph Wood just north west of Maghera.

The wood has been dated back to 1599 and escaped subsequent demand for timber for ships and for house building round the walled city of Derry.

Mr Durkan said: "This funding will go directly to projects that protect and improve the environment that we and future generations live in. It will promote health and well-being so that we can all enjoy the full value of our environment."

The Mourne Heritage Trust has already received 149,000 from the Natural Environment Fund.

Chief executive Martin Carey said they conducted controlled burns to help make the landscape more resilient to wildfires.

"To complement this, we were able to pilot a range of approaches to restoring to favourable condition parts of the upland heath habitat from which the high Mournes takes its European conservation designation and to propagate the genetically distinct and endangered Mourne juniper plant."
A Northern Ireland peace negotiator is helping train women bidding to end the Syrian conflict.

Monica McWilliams said it was hugely important they were included in inclusive proximity talks which have been organised by the UN in Geneva, Switzerland. Three women from the strife-torn region are part of the 15-strong team.

Mrs McWilliams played a key role in clinching the 1998 Good Friday Agreement which ended the Troubles.

She said securing the release of female detainees subjected to human rights violations after being captured during a devastating civil war was a priority for the women in Geneva.

"What they are desperate for is to get some recognition of the fact that it is really important that these women who have suffered so much are included now in these big negotiations.

"Fifteen years ago the UN said never again should there be negotiations like Bosnia that had completely excluded women.

"They are determined that there will be a proportion... three out of 15 is a good start."

Mrs McWilliams co-founded the Women's Coalition as a new voice in Northern Ireland politics in the 1990s.

The party was involved in the talks process leading to the 1998 Agreement which ended 30 years of violence and two of its members were subsequently elected to the devolved Assembly.

Mrs McWilliams went on to lead Northern Ireland's Human Rights Commission.

She is now a professor at Ulster University.

She said women had an important part to play in ending the conflict in Syria.

Some 250,000 people have been killed and millions of refugees have been created in the five years of violence between the government and rebel groups including ISIS.

The academic added: "There is an awful lot of vulnerable women, women who are all widows with tiny children."

Mrs McWilliams has been teaching the negotiators how to lobby and talk to ambassadors in Geneva, how to get their support and how to establish back channels of communications, how to draft proposals and how to establish safe meeting places free from surveillance from President Bashar Assad's forces.

The negotiators include lawyers, journalists and human rights experts.

A number of failed rounds of negotiations have already been held over Syria. Mrs McWilliams said: "It is to be expected they will have failed rounds of negotiations until people get serious."
Justice Minister David Ford has accused the Northern Ireland Office of letting down Troubles victims by exploiting failures in the Fresh Start agreement.

The claim follows a statement from an NIO spokesperson who said money could only be released to deal with the past if there was a deal to establish new institutions.

Mr Ford said that this was an issue that was left "completely untouched" when the agreement was signed between the two governments, the DUP and Sinn Fein and has "halted essential work on the past".

Mr Ford claims he highlighted to Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers multiple times since November that the justice system was not funded to deal with past issues.

"Failure to provide funds earmarked by the Treasury as long ago as December 2014 is simply punishing the justice system for the failings of others," he said.

"Theresa Villiers made a deal with the Irish government, Sinn Fein and the DUP without including the suggested institutions on the past.

"There was not even any way proposed to deal with the past, and victims were badly let down.

"Now the NIO seems to be using that failure as an excuse to refuse to fund essential work being done on the past.

"If legacy issues are not dealt with properly, it will be the British government, not the Department of Justice, that has to answer questions in Strasbourg."

Mr Ford's comments coincide with a meeting between the Secretary of State and a victims' group today at Stormont Castle.

Four members of the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF), will meet Ms Villiers and senior officials to urge an investigation into areas that suffered what the group called "ethnic cleansing of the border".

Kenny Donaldson is a director of the Lisnaskea-based group which represents victims of terrorism. He said he will challenge politicians to commit finances to legacy investigations. "Innocent victims of terrorism can do maths better than many politicians; the government has committed 150m over a five-year period to dealing with 'The Past'," he said.

"The figure suggested for the 'Stakeknife' inquiry is 35m, Loughgall something in the region of 13.5m and each Article 2 case in the coroner's queue is expected to cost an average 1.5m.

"When these are added together, there isn't much left out of the original 150m allocation."

"SEFF will be directly challenging the Secretary of State to explain where innocent victims and survivors of republican and loyalist terrorism feature in the resource allocation."

Mr Donaldson said that Co Fermanagh has suffered one of the worst clearance rates for crimes committed by republican paramilitaries, with less than 10% of cases resolved.

He said the people of Fermanagh were persistently targeted because they were "law abiding and God fearing people, who did not believe in retaliation".

And now, he said, they are demanding answers and accountability from the "state they thought would protect them."
The technology will be similar to that used in Strangford Lough

A massive tidal energy project on the seabed off Northern Ireland's north coast should begin in 2018, developers said.

Cork-based DP Energy hopes to install a 100 megawatt (MW) array of turbines off Fair Head.

It would generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 70,000 homes.

Clodagh McGrath, DP Energy's project manager said: "The Fair Head tidal development strategy is to progress with a 100MW offshore consent application and build the project out in phases, planned to commence in 2018.

"In the last three years we have engaged with a wide range of project stakeholders including local communities and government departments."

The company is consulting with communities in Ballycastle and Rathlin Island before it submits its planning application.

Ms McGrath added: "We will of course continue this engagement process as we finalise our plans and look forward to hosting more local open days this spring before we complete our application.

"At these open days we will be sharing details on the surveys completed, the proposed tidal energy technologies and how we plan to bring the energy ashore and connect into the national electricity grid."

The proposed technology is a further development of that used in Strangford Lough in Co Down, which is due to be decommissioned soon.
Irish aid organisations are to receive more than 60 million euro in government funding this year.

The money will support non governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in long-term development programmes across Africa, Asia, South and Central America and the Middle East.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan, whose department manages the Irish Aid overseas assistance programme, said : "Ireland is again showing its determination to support the fight against poverty, hunger and marginalisation.

"Ireland is making a sustained contribution to humanitarian support for those caught up in conflicts such as those affected by the conflict in Syria.

"Long-term development is equally critical and Ireland is supporting work that benefits the poorest, where it is needed most and where it has greatest effect."

Some 61.34 million euro has been allocated to organisations including Concern Worldwide, Trocaire and Goal, which are trying to address the root causes of poverty, build resilience and help prevent future crises.

It is the fifth year of the funding programme which will have delivered a total 315.45 million euro to Irish Aid's 16 civil society programme partners since 2012.

Development Minister Sean Sherlock said: "Our Irish partner aid organisations have a unique ability to reach the most vulnerable in society, to help sustain livelihoods and education, to build resilience and promote human rights and good governance. These goals are shared by Irish Aid and our valued civil society partners.

"This allocation of over 60 million euro to long-term development underlines our continued commitment to achieving the vision of sustainable development agreed by all member states of the United Nations last year."

Other government aid programmes have focussed on health, nutrition, livelihoods, agriculture, education, social protection, governance and human rights.
ESB Networks had reports of power outages in the wake of the storm from more than two dozens locations

Waves crash over Newhaven Lighthouse on the south coast of England on February 8, 2016, as the latest storm hits the UK and Ireland. AFP/Getty Images

More than 100 passengers are on a ferry sailing between France and Ireland which has been forced to take shelter off the UK coast.

Heavy seas and winds blowing at up to Force 11 meant the Irish Ferries ship Epsilon, sailing from Cherbourg to Dublin, had to divert into safer waters.

The economy class service is taking shelter at sea in waters off the north Devon coast.

The sailing was due to arrive at the Irish capital at 11am on Monday morning, but has been delayed until at least Tuesday morning.

A spokesman for Irish Ferries said the 110 passengers onboard could be delayed even further depending on the outcome of Storm Imogen.

"It is not expected to arrive back in Dublin until the very early hours of tomorrow (Tuesday) morning or perhaps even later tomorrow," he added.

The spokesman said passengers were being provided with meals.

On land, power crews were attempting to restore electricity to thousands of homes in the south and south-west after the latest storm's near-hurricane winds caused widespread blackouts.

Some of the worst affected areas were rural parts of Kerry and Cork with more than 1,400 homes and businesses in the Macroom area left without electricity and about 1,000 in the Rathmore area at the counties' border.

ESB Networks had reports of power outages in the wake of the storm from more than two dozens locations.

At its overnight peak along the south coast, Imogen - the ninth winter Atlantic storm - was bringing hurricane force winds to Sherkin Island off Cork, the Fastnet Rock and the Kinsale gas rigs.

Waves at least 30 feet high were also recorded by Met Eireann's weather buoys in the Atlantic.

Fastnet lighthouse recorded some of the highest winds including sustained hurricane force speeds and gusts of up to 196km/h or 121mph.

Met Eireann had forecast that westerly winds would hit average speeds of 65 to 75km/h with gusts of 100 to 130km/h, and conditions would be strongest along the coast and on hills.

At the height of the blackouts about 5,000 homes and businesses were left without power in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford.

"We are hoping to get everyone back by today," an ESB spokeswoman said.

In the aftermath of the storm road users were being warned of fallen trees and power lines while people in coastal areas were being warned of the dangers of extreme wave heights of up to 45 feet in some parts of the south coast.
Boris Johnson has questioned key parts of the Prime Minister's proposed deal with the European Union, asking why David Cameron did not "try harder" to regain control of the UK's borders.

The London mayor, who is being courted by campaigners on both sides of the argument ahead of the in/out referendum on EU membership, insisted he would like to remain in a reformed bloc but would "wait until you see the whites of their eyes" before making his decision.

Mr Cameron faces days of intense negotiation in the run-up to the February 18-19 Brussels summit where he hopes to reach agreement on the deal proposed by European Council president Donald Tusk.

Mr Johnson used his Daily Telegraph column to warn that the proposals were not agreed among EU leaders and the European Parliament's president Martin Schulz "has already said that he wants to unscramble them".

"This is the moment to stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, squint down the barrel and only when you see the whites of their eyes should you finally let fly and decide whether to stay or leave the EU; because the arguments are as finely balanced as they have ever been," he said.

On the issue of protection for the UK and other countries outside the eurozone, Mr Osborne asked: "Is it a concession by them, or by us? The salient point appears to be that the UK will not be able to block moves to create a fiscal union - a deeply anti-democratic exercise."

On the competitiveness agenda "the language is excellent" but "Why are we not insisting on a timetable for a real single market in services?"

Mr Osborne questioned Mr Cameron about measures to protect sovereignty in the Commons last week, and he wrote that in the proposed deal "it looks as though the Prime Minister has done better than many expected".

But he questioned how "bankable" the promises were and whether an "intimidating" measure could be constructed to counter European judges and bureaucrats.

"Are we talking bazooka or popgun?"

He criticised a lack of ambition in measures aimed at curbing migration, where the Prime Minister has secured the offer of an "emergency brake" to restrict access to in-work benefits for EU migrants.

"Why didn't we try harder to recapture control of our borders, rather than stick at this minor (if worthwhile) change to the law on benefits?"

Mr Johnson said that he would give his views "if and when a deal is done".

Among the arguments for remaining in the EU were the value of the single market, and the uncertainty caused by leaving the 28-member bloc.

He added that "history shows that they need us" and leaving would send a "very negative signal" for Europe, particularly the East.

But against those arguments were the "woeful defects" of the "wasteful, expensive and occasional corrupt" EU.

"So there is the dilemma in a nutshell: Britain in the EU good, in so far as that means helping to shape the destiny of a troubled continent in uncertain times, while trading freely with our partners," he said.

"Britain in the EU bad, in so far as it is a political project whose destiny of ever closer union we don't accept and whose lust to regulate we can't stop.

"That is why for the last couple of years I have argued that we would be - on the whole - better off in a reformed EU, but that Britain could have a great future outside. In deciding how to vote I (and I expect a few others) will want to know whether we have genuinely achieved any reform, and whether there is the prospect of any more."

His intervention came after Mr Cameron was warned his proposed deal on benefits could lead to a surge in the number coming to the UK before the "emergency brake" mechanism is applied.

Former leadership contender David Davis warned that coverage of the proposed curbs on benefits on the continent would act as an incentive to workers to head to the UK over the coming months before a deal can be implemented.

Mr Davis s aid since the proposed deal was set out "Eastern European newspapers have carried numerous stories about in-work benefits and the plans to terminate them for the first four years after a migrants arrival in the UK" while Brussels has suggested that the scheme could take 12 months to implement.

"Under such circumstances the incentive for anybody wishing to come to live in the UK will be to come as quickly as possible to beat the deadline when any such restrictions come into effect," former Europe minister Mr Davis said.

" Accordingly we are likely to see a surge in migrants in the next 12 months."
Shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry has been branded "waffly and incoherent" amid renewed Labour infighting over Trident.

Mrs Thornberry gave a presentation on her approach towards the issue of renewing the nuclear deterrent at a meeting of the Parliamentary Party.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of appointing her to the key job because she shares his support for unilateral disarmament.

After Mrs Thornberry's appearance on Monday evening, former shadow defence minister Kevan Jones said she had taken questions "but didn't answer any".

"Waffly and incoherent," he told reporters outside.

Mrs Thornberry, who spoke for around half an hour, said she wanted to carry out the ongoing review of Labour policy on Trident in an "atmosphere of mutual trust and respect".

In the face of hostile questions from MPs and peers, she said: "There is no point trying to shout me down."

Some MPs complained that she had compared the Trident system to Spitfire aircraft.

However, a senior Labour source insisted she had been trying to suggest that some military technology had to be replaced, like Spitfires, and others could be updated - like Tornadoes.

The source indicated that Mrs Thornberry had also raised doubts about whether submarines were a safe way to carry the nuclear deterrent.

"She was talking to some people about drones and it was apparent it was absolutely possible that large submarines could be tracked and attacked by drones," the source added.

Interventions were "evenly" split between speakers who wanted to renew Trident, those who did not think it was a "binary choice", and those who opposed renewal, according to the source.

Quizzed on how it had gone as she left the meeting, Mrs Thornberry said: "Alright."

When former leader Lord Kinnock was asked for his verdict he replied, "Yeah", and then walked away laughing.

Mr Corbyn was not present as he was manning a phone bank for Labour's London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan.

However, he is expected to attend the next PLP meeting in two weeks' time.
The family of a British man alleged to be a member of the Islamic State terror cell dubbed 'The Beatles' say they are "deeply distressed" at the claims.

Alexanda Kotey (32) has been named in Press reports as a key conspirator with Mohammed Emwazi - the killer more commonly known as 'Jihadi John' and seen on IS videos murdering Western hostages.

In a statement Kotey's family said: "The Kotey family are deeply distressed about recent media reports involving Alexe. They have not seen Alexe for a number of years."

Kotey, a Muslim convert and an apparent father-of-two from west London, was named following a joint investigation between the Washington Post and BuzzFeed News.

Another Londoner, Aine Davis, has also been named as one of 'The Beatles' in a report by ITV News.

There was no official confirmation of their names by the intelligence services, although the men have long been associated with Jihadi John.

Emwazi was killed in a US drone strike in the IS stronghold of Raqqa last November.
The Old Bailey has heard details of a multi-million pound cocaine smuggling ring

A pilot nicknamed Biggles was at the centre of a plot to smuggle 33.5 million worth of cocaine into Britain from Germany in his light aircraft, a court heard.

Andrew Wright, who took his name from the fictional aviator and adventurer, imported some 268 kilos (591lbs) of the Class A drug in eight trips from Breighton Airfield in Selby, East Yorkshire, to Germany and back over three months in the autumn of 2014.

The licensed pilot, who owned two Cessna planes, used his aerial photography business Skyviews R Us Ltd as a cover for his illegal activities, prosecutor Danny Robinson told the Old Bailey.

His co-conspirator Jamie Williams would travel to mainland Europe to get the drugs from Holland then drive to Kassell airport in Hesse, Germany, to load them onto the plane before returning to the UK overland.

Once back in Britain, Williams, 38, would travel to Selby to collect the drugs from Wright and deliver them to the head of the operation, Mark Dowling, in Essex.

The drug smuggling ring was smashed on November 17 2014 after Wright touched down in Selby with his latest consignment.

A border control officer searched his Porsche Cayenne 4x4 and discovered four bricks of cocaine in the boot with a further 30 blocks stashed in bags in the tail section of his plane.

In all, the cocaine had a total street value of 4.25 million, the court heard.

Mr Robinson said Dowling, 43, was in charge while Williams was his "trusted lieutenant" and Wright, of Toad Hall, Selby, North Yorkshire, was the pilot.

When Dowling's house in Surman Crescent, Brentwood, Essex, was searched, police recovered documentation indicating the scale of the operation.

In a very short space of time, large sums of money were generated and at one point the plotters had nearly 2 million at their disposal, the court heard.

Dowling paid Williams a flat rate of 12,000 plus expenses for his involvement while Wright, 52, received 1,500 per kilo imported, the court heard.

The court also heard the gang used several literary references as well the famed boyhood hero "Biggles" by W. E. Johns. Other names bandied around included Ginger - his companion - and Skippy.

Wright's address of Toad Hall is a nod to another children's classic. Toad of Toad Hall was a play by AA Milne, the first of several dramatisations of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 novel The Wind in the Willows.

Williams, of Romford, Havering, Dowling and Wright have previously pleaded guilty to their part in the drug smuggling plot between September 1 and 18 November 2014 and are expected to be sentenced at the Old Bailey tomorrow.

Williams will also be sentenced for separate drugs, firearms and money laundering offences relating to January 2015.

Dowling has admitted separate offences of transferring criminal property, possessing criminal property and cannabis and cocaine supply.

A fourth defendant, David Rowe, 57, of Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, will be sentenced alongside them for the possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

The court was told the charges were the result of three separate police operations.
The Duchess of Cambridge (left) walks from St Clement Danes Church in Lonodn to the Royal Courts of Justice, for a reception to mark 75th anniversary of the forming of the RAF Air cadets. John Stillwell/PA Wire

Prince George has a passion for aeroplanes and could be set to join the air cadets when he grows up.

The Duchess of Cambridge, suggested she and the Duke of Cambridge, a helicopter pilot, could have another flier in her family as their two-and-a-half-year-old son is "obsessed" with the air cadets.

Kate was speaking as she stepped out in her first engagement as Honorary Air Commandant of the Air Cadets to mark the 75th anniversary year of the Air Training Corps.

Kate attended a thanksgiving service at the RAF church of St Clement Danes in central London and a special reception where she told Cadet Warrant Officer Lucinda Conder that she has shown George pictures of Spitfires.

Ms Conder, 19, the top female cadet, said: "He is now obsessed with the air cadets and wants to join. We are going to have to push that one when he gets to 12."

Kate assumed her new role with the Air Cadets in December, taking on the post from the Duke of Edinburgh who had been involved in the organisation for more than 60 years.

For the first time in the unit's history there is now a female Commandant in Air Commodore Dawn McCafferty, a female ambassador to the RAF Cadets in TV personality Carol Vorderman, and a royal female patron in Kate.

Vorderman, whose daughter Katie joined the Air Cadets, believes Kate will be a big help in attracting women into what is often seen as a male-dominated sector.

She said: "I think it is fantastic. Obviously Kate is possibly the most famous woman internationally - I would imagine.

"Her husband is a flier. Her brother-in-law is a flier. Her father-in-law is a flier and her mum used to work in an airline. There is a strong aviation link there for her. She obviously has a great appreciation of the military and enthusiasm for youth.

"We have 42,000 Air Cadets now and they say it gives them a structure and something they are very proud to belong to and to serve in.

"It really does impact young lives very positively and I am just thrilled Kate wants to be a part of it."

Kate chatted to the cadets, veterans and adult volunteers about their many programmes and activities.

She wore a Wedgwood blue Alexander McQueen coat but also proudly sported the ruby and diamond Dacre brooch, awarded over the past 35 years to the best female cadet, on her shoulder.

To bring the women in line with the men, the brooch has now been retired from this use. Like their colleagues, the top female cadet will receive a sword to mark their achievements. Ms Conder, of Hammersmith, west London, is the current and final brooch winner.

The RAF Air Cadets comprises both the Air Training Corps (ATC) and the Combined Cadet Force (RAF).

The ATC was first established in 1941 during the Second World War, with the aim of training young men in aviation skills before they joined the RAF.
Medics working for agencies are paid more than colleagues doing the same job for the NHS, a regulator said

Locum doctors and nurses are unfairly earning significantly more than their NHS counterparts by working for "rip-off agencies", according to health sector regulators.

Monitor and the NHS TDA (Trust Development Authority) said the trend had pushed the NHS into deficit and taken money away from treating patients.

It said measures had been introduced to tackle horse-trading between agencies and hospitals that are left paying out huge sums to pay for stand-in staff.

Doctors and nurses who work for agencies are being encouraged to return to the NHS in a bid to reduce the hospitals' locum bill, reported to be a main reason for a 2 billion overspend.

However one union official was reported as saying it was "hardly surprising" some staff opted for agency work as wages had been cut and conditions lacked flexibility.

The row comes as junior doctors prepare to hold a strike over pay and conditions on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Monitor and the NHS TDA said: "It can't be fair that a doctor or nurse working for an agency is being paid significantly more than a colleague doing the same job but working for the NHS.

"We've put in place measures which will tackle rip-off agencies whose use has pushed the NHS into deficit and taken money away from treating patients."

The regulators, which will merge later this year to become NHS Improvement, acknowledged that agency and locum staff can be "vital" for the NHS, although their over-use was unaffordable.

"We are tackling this issue, including encouraging staff to come back into substantive roles in the NHS rather than rely purely on agency work," the spokesman said.

Speaking to The Times, the head of the new combined regulator, Jim Mackey, explained there was a shortage of doctors and nurses.

He said: "Individual staff do exploit that. So if you're an on-call manager at 8 o'clock on a Friday night and you need to staff an A&E, I've seen it where there'll be individual negotiations with a doctor or nurse."

Mr Mackey said he had seen cases where a locum staff had abandoned a shift moments before they were due to start as they received a better offer elsewhere.

"It's bred really unprofessional behaviour out there and that's really, really bad," he told the newspaper.

Howard Catton, of the Royal College of Nursing, told The Times that NHS nurses had seen their pay fall 10% in the last five years and inflexible working conditions impacted family life.

"It's hardly surprising that many are deciding to work for agencies," he added.

Speaking on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show ahead of Wednesday's 24-hour walkout by junior doctors, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he wanted to "restore morale in the profession".
Beth Tweddle said she was grateful for the support she had received

Britain's most successful gymnast Beth Tweddle remains in hospital after neck surgery which involved having a piece of bone taken from her hip.

The 30-year-old, who won bronze at the London Games in 2012, fell on the slopes during rehearsals for celebrity sports show The Jump.

Tweddle described the last 48 hours as "very scary" after the operation which saw s urgeons take a bone from her hip and use it along with pins to fuse together two fractured vertebrae in her neck.

The surgery has been hailed a success, and i n a statement, her parents Ann and Jerry said: "The early medical indications were positive as Beth was able to move her hands and feet, despite being in a lot of discomfort.

"The medical staff have been fantastic and explained to us that Beth was waiting for an operation as there were more serious cases ahead of her.

"At 8pm GMT last night Beth was taken down for surgery where they took a piece of bone from her hip and used it to fuse the two vertebrae that were fractured, along with pinning them together.

"It was a scary time for all of us and we're just very grateful that the operation was a success."

Speaking from her hospital bed in Austria, Tweddle added: "Thank you so much for your support and concern.

"The last 48 hours have been very scary but all the messages have really helped to keep me positive. I will keep you updated on my progress."

She became the third member of this year's celebrity contestants to pull out of the Channel 4 show - but more have sustained injuries.

Fellow Olympian Rebecca Adlington, 26, withdrew from the show on medical advice after a shoulder injury. She told host Davina McCall the fall was ''literally the worst thing that has ever happened to me, it was worse than childbirth''.

Holby City actress Tina Hobley, 44, also headed for the exit after she dislocated her elbow and suffered two fractures to her arm.

Sunday night's episode saw contestant Linford Christie, 55, unable to take part in an event due to pulling his hamstring, but he has not ruled himself out of the show.

Meanwhile, former EastEnders star Sid Owen and Made In Chelsea's Mark Francis Vandelli were unable to perform the air jump live due to injury.

Adlington will be replaced by former contestant Heather Mills, who was knocked out in the first round in 2014 and was forced to compete in an unfamiliar prosthetic limb after breaking hers during training.

Hobley has been replaced by The Wanted's Tom Parker. A replacement for Tweddle has not yet been announced.

Ex-EastEnders actress Louisa Lytton became the first contestant to be ski-booted out of The Jump as the latest series of the reality show got under way on January 31.

The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) star James Argent was eliminated on Sunday night.

A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: ''The health and safety of the competitors is always paramount and Beth was immediately taken to hospital for treatment after hurting herself during training.''
At least 27 migrants attempting to reach Greece have drowned after a boat capsized off the Turkish coast.

Turkey's coastguard said the boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, near the Greek island of Lesbos, and 11 children were among the dead

More than 370 migrants have died so far this year while trying to reach Greece.

Earlier dozens of Greek riot police were deployed to a demonstration organised by the extreme right Golden Dawn party against plans to build a new transit camp for refugees and migrants near Athens.

Four of the party's 18 policymakers were at the rally outside the port of Perama, about 10 miles west of the capital, where the government is planning to build the camp with the help of the armed forces.

About 150 people staged a counter-demonstration near the site.

Greece is under pressure from the European Union to complete screening centres on five islands and increase its capacity to house asylum-seekers and detain migrants facing deportation.

Defence minister Panos Kammenos said the centres will be completed within a week.
A Chinese dancer in traditional costume performs a cultural dance on stage during a temple fair for a Lunar New Year celebration in Beijing (AP)

People are flocking to temples to pray for good health and fortune on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday in China.

In Beijing, revellers are visiting traditional fairs held in parks, as well as Buddhist and Taoist temples offering song and dance performances as well as open-air markets selling handicrafts.

Monday marks the first day of the Year of the Monkey - the ninth animal on the Chinese zodiac calendar.

The week-long holiday, known as the Spring Festival in China, is focused on family reunion, and is a time when students and migrant workers return to their home towns.

It is the country's most important holiday, equivalent to Christmas for many in the West.
North Korea could face further sanctions after launching a long-range rocket, Philip Hammond said, as the Foreign Office summoned Pyongyang's ambassador in London for a dressing down.

The Foreign Secretary, who was warned that North Korea's actions present a "threat to regional and international security", said economic sanctions would require the agreement of the UN Security Council.

An emergency session of the Security Council has been called in response to the launch, at the request of the US and Japan.

Setting out the UK's response, Mr Hammond said: "We will work with other partners, we have already strongly condemned North Korea's actions, we will be taking appropriate bilateral steps - summoning the North Korean ambassador as we always do when they carry out one of these tests.

"But we will be working with other partners, particularly the US, Japan, South Korea, in the United Nations, to take additional steps, additional measures against North Korea, stepping up the pressure on that country."
At least four people including an eight-year-old girl have been rescued from a high-rise Taiwanese apartment building toppled by a powerful earthquake two days earlier.

More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar - the Lunar New Year.

Saturday's quake killed at least 38 people in Tainan city in southern Taiwan, all but two of them in the collapse of the 17-storey building. Even though the 6.4-magnitude quake was shallow, few buildings were damaged, which experts said was because Taiwan's building standards are high.

Authorities have rescued more than 170 people - the vast majority in the immediate hours after the quake - using information about the building layout and the possible location of those trapped.

Five survivors are believed to have been pulled out on Sunday, and at least four on Monday. One of them, Tsao Wei-ling, called out "Here I am" as rescuers dug through to find her, Taiwan's Eastern Broadcasting Corp reported.

She was found under the body of her husband, who had shielded her from a collapsed beam, the government-run Central News Agency reported. Ms Tsao's husband and two-year-son were found dead, and five other members of the family remain unaccounted for, it said.

Teams also rescued a 42-year-old man and an eight-year-old girl, who had been trapped for more than 61 hours.

Mayor Lai Ching-Te told reporters he had briefly exchanged words with the girl, Lin Su-chin.

"She is awake, but looks dehydrated, lost some temperature but she's awake and her blood pressure is okay," he said. "I asked her if there's anything wrong with her body. She shook her head."

Shortly afterwards, rescue workers also pulled out a 28-year-old Vietnamese woman, identified as Chen Mei-jih, who had been trapped on what was the building's fifth floor.

Family members of the missing flooded into the information centre to wait for news of their loved ones.

Tensions rose as some relatives, losing patience, demanded to speak to rescue workers directly to get the latest information.

Earthquakes rattle Taiwan frequently. Most are minor and cause little or no damage, though a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

The spectacular fall of the high-rise, built in 1989, raised questions about its construction. The government says it will investigate whether the developer cut corners.

Huang Jia-rui, a structural engineer in Tainan, said Taiwan's buildings are not as safe as Japan's, which is a leader in engineering quake-proof structures, but the island is catching up.

The extended Lunar New Year holiday officially started on Monday, but celebrations were subdued and President Ma Ying-jeou and president-elect Tsai Ing-wen cancelled the traditional handing out of envelopes of cash in their home towns.
The Syrian government offensive around Aleppo has sent tens of thousands fleeing towards the border with Turkey

Syrian army troops have recaptured another village north of Aleppo, bringing the forces closer to the Turkish border, according to the government and opposition activists .

State-run news agency SANA said army troops took control of the village of Kfeen in the northern countryside of Aleppo "after wiping out the last group of terrorists there".

Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV also reported Kfeen's capture and aired live footage from the village.

The government offensive around Aleppo has sent tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing towards the border with Turkey.

Turkish authorities say up to 35,000 Syrians have massed along the border, which remained closed for a fourth day on Sunday.

Turkey has come under mounting pressure to open its border to assist the fleeing Syrians, many of whom have been sleeping in cold weather in open fields near the Bab al-Salameh border crossing.

The Turkish deputy premier said Ankara has reached the end of its "capacity to absorb" refugees. The governor of the border province of Kilis said Turkey would provide aid to the displaced within Syria, but would only open the gates in the event of an "extraordinary crisis".

The army gains have allowed troops to almost fully encircle Aleppo, Syria's largest city and one-time commercial centre, preparing the way for a blockade. The main supply line to the Turkish border has already been cut and many residents of the city are looking to leave, anticipating severe shortages in coming days.

The army has been aided by massive Russian airpower and dozens of fighters from the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah group as well as Iranian fighters.

The capture of Kfeen took troops to about three miles from the town of Tel Rifaat, and 18 miles from the Turkish border - the closest reached by government forces since they lost Mannagh air base in mid- 2013.
An Irish trainee pilot was arrested after an alleged drunken assault on a woman he had taken back to his Spanish hotel room for the night on the eve of a flight

An Irish trainee pilot was arrested after an alleged drunken assault on a woman he had taken back to his Spanish hotel room for the night on the eve of a flight.

Police understood at first that he was a qualified pilot and was scheduled to fly out of Malaga on the day of his arrest.

But it later emerged he had not yet passed his final exams and was due to board a plane in the evening as a passenger.

The early-hours incident happened at the three-star Campanile Malaga Hotel near Malaga Airport.

The 31-year-old is due to appear in court on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Malaga's police force said: "I can confirm a 31-year-old Irishman has been held after an incident at a hotel in the city."

A source said: "Officers filed in their report that he appeared to be inebriated.

"He told them he was a pilot and was flying out of Malaga later the same day.

"Police were called to his fourth-floor room after a noisy row between him and a Moroccan woman he had met that night and invited back, which woke other guests up. She didn't speak English and the hotel receptionist acted as a translator. The Irishman said they started arguing after he accused her of stealing money and said they had assaulted each other.

"He found a bundle of notes in his trouser pocket when he went up to his room from reception to collect his belongings."

Officers took both to separate medical centres for a check-up before the Irishman was handed over to a separate police force for a formal interview.

The Moroccan woman, aged 25, is not thought to have been detained.

The source said: "There were no signs of violence on her that made officers suspect it was a serious assault."

A court official confirmed: "The police took a statement from him and he has been ordered to attend court on Wednesday so he can be tried immediately for a minor crime."
Motohide Yoshikawa, left, Japan's ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, the US ambassador and South Korea's ambassador Oh Joon at UN headquarters (AP)

The UN Security Council condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders called a banned test of ballistic missile technology.

The UN's most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with "significant" new sanctions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early on Sunday, and a month after the country's fourth nuclear test.

He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbour and key ally, not to proceed, and, in another slap to Beijing, he chose the eve of the Chinese New Year, the country's most important holiday.

In a reflection of heightened hostilities between the rival Koreas, Seoul's defence ministry said a South Korean naval vessel fired five shots into the water as a warning when a North Korean patrol boat briefly moved south of the countries' disputed boundary line in the Yellow Sea.

Since its January 6 nuclear test, which the North claimed was a powerful hydrogen bomb, despite outside scepticism, China and the US have been negotiating the text of a new Security Council sanctions resolution.

North Korean rocket launches and nuclear tests are seen as crucial steps toward Pyongyang's ultimate goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could hit the US mainland.

At the UN, the US, backed by its allies, Japan and South Korea, wants tough sanctions reflecting Mr Kim's defiance of the Security Council.

But diplomats say China, the North's key protector in the council, is reluctant to impose economic measures that could cause North Korea's economy to collapse - and a flight of North Koreans into China across their shared border.

The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the launch and pledged to "expeditiously" adopt a new resolution with "further significant measures" - UN code for sanctions.

US ambassador Samantha Power told reporters that "it cannot be business as usual" after two successive North Korean acts that are "hostile and illegal".

However, China's UN ambassador, Liu Jieyi, made clear that unprecedented sanctions are not Beijing's priority.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space programme, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after lift-off.

Japan's UN ambassador, Motohide Yoshikawa, told reporters the missile, which went over Japan and landed near the Philippines, was "a clear threat to the lives of many people".

The Security Council said launches using ballistic missile technology contribute to North Korea's development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons and violate four Security Council resolutions dating back to the North's first nuclear test in 2006.

In a development that will worry both Pyongyang and Beijing, Seoul and Washington have agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of the THAAD missile-defence system in South Korea.

North Korea has long condemned the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea, and Beijing would see a South Korean deployment of THAAD, which is one of the world's most advanced missile-defence systems, as a threat to its interests in the region.
The Serb pilot who landed a jetliner in Somalia with a gaping hole in its fuselage said on Sunday he never doubted that it was caused by a bomb and described the security surround the airplane at Mogadishu Airport as "zero".

A suicide bomber is suspected to have set off the explosive inside the plane, Somali officials said on Saturday. The blast sucked a male passenger out of the plane and forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing Tuesday in Somalia's capital, they said.

The explosion happened about 15 minutes after the plane, with 75 passengers on board, took off from the airport and was at 11,000 feet ascending toward 31,000 feet.

"When we went past 10,000 feet, we switched off the fasten belts sign and the cabin crew started serving passengers," pilot captain Vlatko Vodopivec said.

"When we climbed past 11,000 feet, it exploded. At first, I thought it was a window breaking. However, we soon sensed the smell of the explosives when smoke came rushing into the cockpit."

"All lasted very shortly," he said. "We immediately demanded an emergency return to the airport because that was the only solution. With a heavy heart, because there the security is minimal and we had to remain there for a couple of days afterword."

If the explosion happened at a higher altitude, the hole in the fuselage might have caused more severe structural damage, he said.

"If we were higher, the whole plane could have disintegrated after the explosion," Mr Vodopivec said.

Because the plane was at a lower altitude, he was able to land safely, he said. "The plane acted normally and we virtually returned normally. Engines and hydraulics worked normally."

The explosion killed one passenger, Abdullahi Abdisalam Borle, according to Somali officials who did not give further details. A man's body was found in the town of Balad, about 18 miles north of Mogadishu, according to police who said he might have been blown from the plane.

Borle is suspected to have been the suicide bomber, the AP was told by a senior Somali civil aviation official. Six people have been arrested in connection with the blast after examinations of CCTV images in the airport, a senior Somali intelligence official said.

The pilot blamed the incident on the lack of security around the plane at Mogadishu Airport, describing the facility as chaotic.

"The security is zero. When we park there, some 20 to 30 people come to the tarmac," said Mr Vodopivec, a veteran pilot who has made numerous flights to the airport.

"No one has a badge or those yellow vests. They enter and leave the plane, and no one knows who is who ... They can put anything inside when passengers leave the aircraft."

Somalia's government has said it will tighten security at the airport to prevent other threats.

Somalia faces an insurgency from the Islamic extremist group al Shabab, which has carried out deadly attacks in Somalia and neighbouring countries.

Daallo Airlines, which is based in Dubai, has temporarily suspended its operations in Somalia's capital following the incident but hopes to restart them soon, said Mohammed Ibrahim Yassin, the airline's chief executive.

Mr Vodopivec also highlighted additional security concerns in the Somali capital, including some planes that are struck by gunfire on approach to the airport.

"You can land at the airport only from the seaside," he said. "On the other side of the runway is the city. Bigger planes don't land over the city because of security concerns. Some planes landed with bullet holes in their fuselage."
Graham Spencer (DebateNI, February 4) provides a thoughtful insight into many of the problems facing any legacy process in Northern Ireland. But he doesn't appear to lend much weight to the "corporate narrative" proffered by the senior republican leader he quotes, also recently mooted by some "loyalists".

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 places an emphasis on prosecutions of the corporate body, rather than individuals, although individuals can be prosecuted under health and safety law, or general criminal law.

It could be argued that the legacy process in Northern Ireland might borrow this corporate narrative, to allow organisations to accept, or acknowledge, responsibility for events and, particularly in the absence of proof, any individual culpability.

We might consider, for example, the SAS ambush of IRA operatives at Loughgall police station. Is it likely that an Englishman from Hereford, say, would, of their own volition, cross the Irish Sea with an automatic weapon intending to shoot an Irishman? Or could it be argued that had they not been ordered to do so by an Army officer, they might never have done so? In short, does culpability lie with the individual SAS trooper, or the corporate body - in this case the Army?

Can the same question be asked of individual IRA members; is it likely that one day an individual from Tyrone was out walking when they decided to travel to Co Armagh to place a bomb at the police station in Loughgall.

Or is it possible that, unless that person was ordered by an officer in the IRA, they would never have ordinarily done so? Does culpability lie with the individual or with the IRA?

There is compelling evidence that most individuals jailed for terrorist offences would not have done so of their own volition.

Can it be argued, then, that culpability lies with the corporate body rather than with the individual? Or, at least, that there are mitigating circumstances involved?

And, if so, is it enough for victims to know that a particular organisation was culpable?

BERNARD J MULHOLLAND

Belfast
Jonathan Ganesh (far right) with (from left) Gavin Robinson MP, Ihsan Bashir and Protestant victims campaigner Willie Frazer prior to a Parliamentary committee meeting

On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Docklands bombing, Adrian Rutherford talks to Jonathan Ganesh, who was seriously injured in the blast and who now leads the Docklands Victims Association.

Q. You were working as a security guard at the time the bomb went off. What do you remember about that night?

A. I always arrived for work at 6pm. I went to my control station, put on my uniform, and went out on patrol on my normal route.

I was making my way to South Quay Plaza, where the device had been left.

All of a sudden there was this flash of light.

A lot of people don't realise that when you are very close to a bomb you don't actually hear the noise. You see a flash of orange light going upwards.

I thought to myself: "What's that?"

The biggest thing was the sheer force of the explosion.

It seemed to last an eternity. Even though it was only a few seconds at most, it was like time had stopped. A second felt like a minute, a minute like an hour.

You were picking up every single emotion.

There was the flash of light, then this tremendous plume of smoke, and I realised I was being hit by debris and glass.

I was rolling on the floor, praying.

I really believed that I was going to die that night.

I remember praying, and I can still remember what I said to God. I kept saying: "Please save me, please help me. Please God."

Q. It must have been a very distressing experience.

A. I had been unconscious for a bit and when I woke up I remember that everything had gone - the shops, buildings.

People were lying in the road. Some were shaking and shivering, others were just covered in blood and shrapnel.

There was a lady I knew, Barbara, who was very badly injured. I didn't recognise her at first. It was only when I went to give her first aid and saw her ID card that I realised it was her.

Those images will haunt me to the day I die.

By this stage I realised it was a bomb, and I just kept thinking to myself: "How on Earth can a bomb be so powerful?"

It was so big it could be heard 25 miles away in Southend.

I never believed that a man or men could make a bomb like that.

Q. You were badly injured yourself. Tell me about that.

A. I was quite badly injured but I consider myself one of the lucky ones because I survived.

I am partially deaf in one ear and my body is quite badly scarred, but otherwise I'm okay.

When I was brought to hospital that night my greatest concern was my eyes - I couldn't see properly.

The doctors were telling me to calm down, but I kept saying I didn't want to be blind.

My eardrums had been perforated and that was affecting my sight.

But today I'm okay. Other people were much more severely injured, and are still struggling with terrible injuries.

One victim, Zaoui Berezag, was in a car nearby when the blast went off.

People thought he was dead. He survived, but now he is an amputee. He can't see - he is completely blind.

Q. Do the events of that night still traumatise you?

A. I'm okay, but certain things bring it all back. November is the worst time for me.

I used to love fireworks, but if I hear fireworks go off, or thunder, it does take me back and I think I'm being buried alive again.

You might be sleeping and you hear a bang and suddenly you wake up in fear.

A lot of people suffer from that. It's not that unusual.

But I will never forget what they did that night. Never.

Q. You lost two friends, Inam Bashir and John Jeffries, in the bombing. How hard was that?

A. It broke my heart. I was very close to both of them.

They worked in a shop and when I was on duty I would call with them, and they would always have kept my favourite chicken salad sandwich for me.

I can't tell you how much I miss the two of them. They were about four metres from the bomb, and it was so powerful it blew them five shops upwards.

They were left in bits and pieces.

For a time I wished it was me that had been killed. I was absolutely devastated that they never made it out.

They were two young men. They were the most innocent people you could imagine.

All JJ cared about was his guitar, and for Inam it was his motorbike.

They had no connection to Ireland, they wouldn't have had any inclination about the Troubles. How and why they ended up dead is a mystery to me.

Q. You actually spent your early childhood in the Republic of Ireland. Tell me about that.

A. My dad came from Sri Lanka but my mum was Irish.

I was born in Westminster but I grew up in Ireland, in Bruree in Co Limerick, and I am an Irish citizen.

Deep down my heart belongs to the Republic of Ireland.

We are actually related to Eamon de Valera, who lived in Bruree. Catherine Coll, who was de Valera's mother, was my grandmother's sister.

It shows the futility of the terrorists who plant bombs.

They try and say they represent this and that, but they don't. They end up killing their own innocent people.

Q. So you would always have had an interest in Irish affairs?

A. Growing up in Ireland, having connections in Ireland and having an Irish passport, I was always interested.

I was always concerned about the problems in Northern Ireland.

I could never understand it because almost all the Irish people I've met have been wonderful, kind, decent people.

I could never understand where this hatred stemmed from.

What happened at Docklands made it a lot more personal for me.

We all have agendas, and people have political views, but when you plant a bomb you don't know who you're killing.

Q. How did your group, the Docklands Victims Association, emerge?

A. It didn't start off as the DVA. It started as me, Mrs Bashir and a few other victims getting together.

We wanted to do something good to honour Inam and JJ's memory.

Although a terrible evil had happened, we realised we couldn't change it.

Over the past two decades we have worked throughout the world - in places like Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

We give what money we can to help others.

One of the most heartbreaking things we got involved in was trying to secure the release of Alan Henning, who was murdered by ISIS.

We poured all our resources into trying to secure his release. We approached many, many people. Sadly we couldn't save him, but we did everything we could.

Q. There has been much criticism of how victims have been treated in Northern Ireland. What is your experience?

A. I am very, very disappointed with the government.

The victims of terrorism on both sides - because it wasn't just the IRA who murdered and maimed people - have been treated disgracefully.

Over the last 10 years we have campaigned for equality for victims. There are IRA victims with American passports who were compensated with millions of pounds from Colonel Gaddafi, who helped the IRA kill countless citizens from the UK, Ireland and around the world.

Our government chose to do absolutely nothing.

Our group is funded by itself. We don't receive a single penny from the government.

We became victims not through choice.

We were caught up in a terrible situation.

We did nothing to encourage the IRA to kill and maim us for life.

We've had to campaign in the cold and rain. We took a petition of 3,000 signatures to Downing Street. If we had been well treated we wouldn't have done that.

I believe we have been treated very badly.

Sometimes I think the victims are an embarrassment to the government.

Q. You have been very critical of the fact a proposed pension for Troubles victims would not apply to victims in Britain.

A. We believe in equality and I'm at a complete loss to understand why British victims might miss out.

The IRA were extremely active on the mainland - take the Baltic Exchange, Bishopsgate, Manchester and others.

They tried to kill a serving Prime Minister at Brighton. They killed two children in Warrington.

Countless innocent people were killed or maimed for life.

We have members of the DVA who desperately need attention, and to actually forget about the mainland and say this pension scheme would only apply to Northern Ireland is absolutely appalling.

Anyone with an ounce of humanity must see what an injustice that is.

How can you ignore the mainland? It reinforces what I said about victims being forgotten about.

This would indicate that on the mainland they have been forgotten.

Q. And there has been no change on that to date?

A. Last year I had a meeting with Theresa Villiers, the Northern Ireland Secretary, and I was very grateful that she took the time to meet me.

It was down to the Justice Minister Michael Gove.

I wrote to him asking for a meeting, but never received a reply.

Q. You are also campaigning for compensation from Libya for Gaddafi-sponsored terrorism. This is also a big issue.

A. People need to be held accountable. The victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism have been treated appallingly. It is absolutely disgusting.

The IRA worked with Gaddafi to kill innocent people, and all those involved must be held accountable.

It is a terrible failure by our government, and we have to ask why.

By what they have done, in not pursuing Libya for compensation, they have devalued the life of every UK and Irish citizen.

I went to America and spoke to senators. The US government could not fight for us, they said our government should be fighting for us.

It is a terrible injustice.

I know of one American, Mark McDonald, who was injured in the Harrods bomb.

He received millions of pounds in compensation. He is entitled to it. He was badly injured.

But there were many people injured in that bombing - I know most of them.

Their families received nothing from Libya, but the American man in London received millions because his government fought for him.

How many poor people in Northern Ireland, on both sides of the community, and in the UK were injured too, and have received nothing? Are our lives worth nothing?

Q. Finally, Tuesday marks the 20th anniversary of the Docklands bombing. How will you mark the occasion?

A. We do something every year, but on special anniversaries like this we make an extra effort.

This year we are holding a multi-faith service.

Hindus will be there, a Jewish Rabbi will be there, a Catholic priest, a Muslim priest and so on.

A couple of people caught up in the recent Paris attacks are coming over as well.

It will be a very emotional occasion.

There will be prayers for everybody.

We will release 20 doves of peace, and we will make a special appeal to terrorists around the world in many different languages.

Global terrorism is the biggest threat to humanity.

It's our biggest fear.

It is on the increase. Look at 9/11, 7/7, Mumbai, Paris and so on.

There may be a peace process in Northern Ireland, but elsewhere it is getting worse, not better.
Error 53, which causes the phone to shut down in a way that can never be recovered from  helps keep data from the fingerprint sensor safe, Apple says

An error that forces iPhones to shut down and never wake up was built to ensure that they remain safe, Apple has said.

Last week, some criticised the company for integrating a new security error that shuts phones down if they detect that they have been tampered with. But it has since said that the shutdown is the result of a check that was implemented for security reasons, ensuring that the phones data cant be stolen or compromised.

Error 53, as the error is known, happens when the Touch ID fingerprint sensor is swapped for a new part by an unofficial engineer. That might happen without the user knowing, since it is sometimes a necessary part of fixing a phone screen.

Because the information on the fingerprint sensor needs to be kept secure, Apple has integrated checks to ensure that a fake sensor isnt installed so that people can get access to fingerprint data.

The fingerprint sensor protects many of the phones most sensitive information, and is also used for validating payments through the Apple Pay system.

Read more

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For that reason, the phone needs to ensure that other components arent swapped in and then used to bypass those checks, Apple said.

We take customer security very seriously and Error 53 is the result of security checks designed to protect our customers, an Apple spokesperson told The Independent. iOS checks that the Touch ID sensor in your iPhone or iPad correctly matches your devices other components. If iOS finds a mismatch, the check fails and Touch ID, including for Apple Pay use, is disabled.

This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customer encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support.

But some Apple experts criticised the implementation of the feature, while praising Apples thinking in attempting to keep phones safe.

It seems very reasonable to me that iOS should check for a trusted Touch ID sensor, wrote Apple blogger John Gruber. But, if the sensor cant be trusted, clearly the whole phone should not be bricked  it should simply disable Touch ID and Apple Pay.

And, obviously, it should inform the user why. Putting up an alert that just says Error 53 is almost comically bad.

Independent
Many people in India have opposed the Free Basics service claiming that, by controlling and dictating what internet services users can access, Facebook is going against net neutrality

Free Basics, Facebook's service which offers limited internet service for free to poorer people in developing countries, has been blocked in India, over concerns that it could violate the principles of net neutrality.

The service, which offers users free access to certain online messaging, job-finding, weather forecasting and news services, was temporarily closed by regulators in India at the end of 2015.

Many people in India have opposed the service, claiming that by controlling and dictating what internet services users can access, Facebook is going against net neutrality - the idea that internet service providers should treat all users and data the same.

In giving priority to major websites and services, some also worried that Free Basics could lock smaller companies out of the market, stifling innovation in India.

Now, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has ruled in favour of the critics, saying in a statement: "No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content." As a result, Free Basics has now been blocked.

The TRAI's ruling is the culmination of a long, high-profile battle between Facebook and Indian net neutrality advocates over the merits of the service. The two sides have been publicly trading blows for a long time, with Facebook defending Free Basics in a prominent advertising campaign.

Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg also wrote an editorial for the Times of India in December, in which he said "everyone deserves access to free basic internet services," and asked: "Who could possibly be against [Free Basics]?"

Another newspaper editorial, written by Manu Joseph in the Hindustan Times, said that if the poor "fully understood what they are being denied by India's internet activists," they would "hit the streets and bring the nation to a halt."

In their statement, TRAI said the ruling was designed to ensure that consumers would get "unhindered and non-discriminatory access to the internet."

It said the body would "keep a close watch" on the implementation of their ruling by service providers such as Facebook, and said they may "undertake a review" of the policy in two years' time.

Speaking to The Independent, a Facebook spokesperson said: "Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings.

Independent
Thousands of Googles UK staff earned an average wage of 160,000 each last year it has emerged.

The wage appears to contradict claims made by the company that its UK branch was a relatively small part of the organisation compared to its US headquarters and other global operations.

Margaret Hodge, former head of the Public Accounts committee, claimed the figure proves Googles UK operations are more valuable to the company than previously stated.

Ms Hodge said the high average salary suggests Google UK is not a back office support operation. These are clearly people who are paid a lot because they add value  selling advertising, closing deals and developing new products.

The average salary of the UK staff is revealed following major criticism of Googles UK tax operations.

The company has been accused of sending nearly 4.6 billion of UK sales through Ireland, then on through a labyrinth of companies in the Netherlands and Bermuda, the Guardian reports.

The UK tax authorities have been criticised for accepting Googles claims its UK employees did not do business with British advertisers.

Last month the firm struck a controversial sweetheart deal with the Government to pay only 130m of back taxes on a decades worth of UK profits.

Calculations by The Independent suggested Google may owe as much as 700m in UK taxes.

Barney Jones, a tax whistle blower who worked for Googles UK sales department and who handed over tens of thousands of emails to investigators revealing infromation about the search engine's UK tax, said: Britain was a key player in generating sales for the tech firms global operations.

They do a lot of high-value sales, marketing and engineering  all out of London. I find it utter baffling that HMRC accept that these people do almost nothing worthwhile.

Independent
The family of tea vendor Babul Matubbar mourns his death in Dhaka, after a group of policemen allegedly killed him for not paying extortion money, Feb. 4, 2016.

Amid recent reports of misbehavior by policemen, including the killing of a tea vendor by some officers who allegedly tried to extort money from him, Bangladeshi authorities say they will weed out rogue cops.

This is not acceptable that the audacious attitude of a handful of rogue members would harm the image of the entire police force, the national police force said in a statement issued, after Bangladesh Police Inspector-General A.K.M. Shahidul Haque convened an urgent meeting in Dhaka on Sunday over complaints about alleged human rights violations by officers.

Among the groups raising concerns about police misbehavior is a leading rights advocacy group, Ain-O-Salish Kendra (ASK).

It sent a letter to Haque, the nations police chief, in which it accused police of conducting a flawed investigation into the alleged sexual harassment of a student at ASA University in Dhaka by a police sub-inspector on Feb. 1.

According to reports, the harassment occurred when on-duty officers stopped the student on suspicion that she was carrying drugs. Police claim that a court-ordered review cleared Sub-Inspector Ratan Kumar of any wrongdoing in the case.

But Ain-O-Salish Kendra disputes the findings.

We carried out an investigation and we are sure that the police officer harassed her sexually. The police investigation was designed to make the police officer innocent, ASK activist Nur Khan Liton told BenarNews.

There should be a judicial inquiry into the allegations of rights violation by the police, Liton added.

Tea vendors murder

Other Bangladeshis reacted skeptically to the vow by national police to rid their ranks of abusive officers.

I think the IGPs warning to the policemen would not work. People want every incident of rights violation be investigated properly and the culprits must be visibly punished. Otherwise, this is meaningless, Mohammad Shamsuzzaman told BenarNews.

Shamsuzzaman is a trader in the Mirpur section of Dhaka, where a group of policemen and an informant allegedly burned tea vendor Babul Matubbar by pushing him into a vat of boiling oil on Feb. 3. The 45-year-old died of his injuries the next day at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.



The policemen demanded money from my father. Because he refused to give them the money, the informer kicked him into the boiling oil, Matubbars son, Raju, told BenarNews.

The incident created a sensation on social media, with people demanding punishment for the police assigned to the Shah Ali police station in Mirpur, Dhaka.

According to news reports, four officers have been suspended over the incident.
This past Sunday we reached Week 9 in my class on the Gospel according to the Minor Prophets. We looked at Haggai, who in addition to his own prophetic book is mentioned several times in Ezra (Ezra 5:1; Ezra 6:14). Those references confirm what we learn in Haggai itself.

The prophecies recorded in Haggai span a four month period stretching from August 29, 520 BC, to December 18, 520 BC. When the remnant returned from exile in 539/538, they had begun work on rebuilding the temple (Ezra 3). But in the face of opposition they had abandoned the project in 536. So by the time that Haggai prophesied, the project had been dormant for about 16 years. Haggai (along with Zechariah) called Gods people to turn from their own selfish pursuits and resume rebuilding the temple.

From this short prophetic book of Haggai, I would summarize the theological big idea as this: Yahweh will renew His presence among His people and re-establish His reign over His people by sending Jesus Christ as His Messianic King. God reassures Haggai that the latter glory of the temple will surpass its former glory (Haggai 2:9). That promise finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is the true temple (John 2:18-22). Because we as believers are united to Christ by faith, we are Gods temple, both corporately (Ephesians 2:11-22; 1 Peter 2:4-9) and individually (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). In the New Heavens and Earth there will be no temple, because the entirety of creation at that point will be Gods dwelling place (Revelation 21:22). Haggai ends with a word of reassurance to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. God refers to him as signet ring on his finger. As a descendant of David it is through him that the Messiah will ultimately come (Matthew 1:12).

Want to hear more? You can check out the audio and the handout below:

Week 9  Haggai (Part 1) (AUDIO: N.B. Because of problems with the recording, only the first 40 minutes or so are available; sorry!)

Week 9  Haggai (Handout)


For Immediate Release, February 8, 2016 Contact: Andrea Santarsiere, (303) 854-7748, asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org Idaho to Renew Aerial Wolf Slaughter Plan Highlights Critical Need to Extend Federal Monitoring of Idaho Wolves VICTOR, Idaho Ignoring recent research indicating Idaho officials could be overestimating the states wolf population, the U.S. Department of Agricultures Wildlife Services announced plans today to allow gunners in helicopters to start shooting wolves in the Lolo Elk Management Zone of the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho. The renewed wolf slaughter comes on the heels of a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and four other conservation organizations questioning the accuracy of wolf estimates by state officials and asking the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue monitoring wolf populations in Idaho and Montana for another five years. The Service has yet to respond to the petition, which was spurred, in part, by a recent study published in the journal Science that questions the accuracy of wolf counts in the two states. But the information released today shows that Idaho will aerially gun wolves in the Lolo Zone for the third year in a row, as the Idaho legislature requests another $400,000 to kill wolves for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Its urgent that the Fish and Wildlife Service immediately grant our petition request to continue federal monitoring of wolves in Idaho and Montana for another five years, said Andrea Santarsiere, a staff attorney at the Center. The plans to renew the aerial wolf slaughter demonstrate why such monitoring is so necessary. Were hoping to receive a response to that petition no later than next week. This will be the third year in a row that Wildlife Services has shot wolves from the air at the request of the Idaho Fish and Game Department. The stated goal of the wolf killing is to increase elk populations, although Idaho admits that elk populations in the Lolo Zone declined due to habitat changes well before wolves were reintroduced in Idaho. In February 2014 Wildlife Services killed 23 wolves in the Lolo Zone from a helicopter, and in February 2015 the agency killed 19 wolves. During the last five years, six other agency wolf-control actions in the Lolo Zone removed an additional 48 wolves. At the same time, the Idaho Wolf Depredation Control Board has requested an additional $400,000 to kill wolves in Idaho, a request Gov. Butch Otter has indicated he plans to support. This will be the third such installment since the Board was created by the Idaho legislature in 2014. According to supporters of the bill creating the Board, the goal of the law is to reduce Idahos wolf population to as few as 150 individuals. The program will be in place for five years, through June 30, 2019, and permits the Idaho legislature to allocate $400,000 to kill wolves in the state annually. The law also provides up to $110,000 annually from assessments made on livestock producers, as well as another $110,000 annually from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. With the exception of the money provided by Fish and Game, the law requires that all money (up to $510,000 annually) must be used to kill wolves. Last year this funding was used to kill 72 wolves that may have been involved in livestock conflicts, at an estimated cost of more than $7,000 per wolf. It is these aggressive tactics that caused us to file a petition to Fish and Wildlife Service to continue federal monitoring of wolves in the first place, said Santarsiere. Idaho is making it clear that it has no intention to curb its attempts to decimate Idahos wolf population. The Center had requested that the Fish and Wildlife Service respond to its petition by Feb. 15. The current monitoring period is set to end May 5. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia
Professor Hugh Montgomery is much given to making wild unsubstantiated comments about the terrors of climate change so it's no surprise to see him given pride of place in the ECIU's expensively produced report on the Paris conference.

Get a load of this:

Yessiree, human life on this planet is threatened this decade.

Madman.
BusinessTech has shown exceptional growth over the last year, and is now one of only two business websites with over one million visitors

BusinessTech has broken through one million unique monthly browsers for the first time, according to the latest statistics released by Effective Measure.

This confirms BusinessTechs position as a leading business and technology news publication in South Africa.

Traffic in January 2016 surged to 1.014 million unique visitors, with 2.3 million page views. This is up from 606,000 unique visitors in December 2015.

BusinessTech has also a recorded year-on-year growth of 200% - the fastest growth of any top website in South Africa.

Effective Measure ranks BusinessTech as the second largest business news website in South Africa, while also ranking as the second largest technology website, behind MyBroadband.

The majority of BusinessTechs readers are executives, managers and professionals who work in the Information Technology and financial fields.

BusinessTech editor Gareth Vorster said: We have continued to carry our solid numbers from 2015 into the new year, which bodes well.

With South African consumers beginning to feel the squeeze, it has created a thirst for quality business- and finance-related news as South Africans look to ride out what will be a difficult 2016.

What is particularly pleasing is that 72% of our traffic comes from mobile devices. Developments in mobile technology have enabled more South Africans to come online to engage and be a part of the discussion, Vorster said.




"No police action": Antifa.cz has identified well-known right-wing activists in the crowd which attacked the anti-fascists on Saturday

8. 2. 2016

cas cteni < 1 minuta





The extreme-right wing grouping "We are at home here" has published a video on Facebook, which has been seen by several hundred thousand Czechs since Saturday and has been widely discussed on Czech social media. The grouping has argued that the video allegedly provides evidence that Czech police, masked as fake right-wingers, attacked a demonstration of antifascists on Saturday. Czech Police has denied this.

The Czech website Antifa.cz now argues that this is absolute nonsense. The website has individually identified the alleged "fake right-wing attackers" as well-known Czech extreme right wing activists.

Source in Czech HERE

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BRADENTON, Fla.  The outcome of an appeal of Jefferson County, Ala.s bankruptcy case could be influenced by a recent court decision in Detroit.

U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman tossed out an appeal by Detroits retirees on Sept. 29, settling the last petition challenging the countrys largest municipal bankruptcy.

In an order dismissing the pensioners appeal, Friedman based his decision on equitable mootness, a legal concept in which he agreed that unraveling Detroits massive exit plan would hinder its success, harm parties that agreed to it, and throw the city into financial chaos.

A judge reached the opposite conclusion last year in Jefferson Countys case, in a precedent-setting decision.

U.S. District Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn rejected the equitable mootness argument by Jefferson Countys attorneys, saying that the policy objectives of a Chapter 9 case were different from a Chapter 11 case, according to bankruptcy attorney John Whitlock with Locke Lord LLP.

Judge Friedman disagreed with the aspect of the Jefferson County decision that concluded that the doctrine of equitable mootness does not apply in Chapter 9, but rather is a Chapter 11 doctrine, said Whitlock, who is not involved in Jefferson Countys case.

Jefferson County is appealing Blackburns ruling to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, where the resolution in Detroits case will not go unnoticed.

The cogent analysis in the Detroit opinion is directly on-point and should be followed by this court, Bankruptcy attorney Kenneth Klee wrote in an Oct. 1 letter bringing Friedmans ruling to the attention of appellate jurists.

Klee is one of many attorneys representing Jefferson County.

Both Jefferson County and Detroit agreed to multi-billion-dollar plans of adjustment comprised of interlocking components built on a series of heavily-negotiated compromises between the debtor and its creditors, Klee said.

Both plans were substantially consummated shortly after confirmation and appealed, Klee noted, pointing out the precedent-setting conclusion about the mootness issue in Jefferson County.

The impact of Detroits case remains to be seen.

I would expect that the 11th Circuit might cite Judge Friedmans analysis if the 11th Circuit agrees that the equitable mootness doctrine is applicable to Chapter 9 proceedings, Whitlock said. But the 11th Circuit may also ignore it or mention it only in passing, coming as it does from a court in a different circuit.

In an amicus brief in Jefferson Countys case, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association said the Alabama ruling threatens the stability of the municipal market because it departs from accepted law regarding Chapter 9 cases and traditional interpretations of mootness.

The ruling diminishes the attractiveness of Chapter 9 for municipalities to adjust debt and stifles the willingness of investors to trust an emerging debtor and buy newly-issued bondsfor fear of change in the negotiated terms by a reviewing court, SIFMA said.

In determining that mootness did not apply in Jefferson County, Blackburn said she planned to examine the constitutionality of a provision in the countys exit plan allowing the bankruptcy court to oversee the repayment of refunding sewer warrants issued in 2013 to write down associated debt.
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India Air Force to develop its base in Jammu and Kashmir.

SRINAGAR (PTI): The airport in Leh will be vacated by the Air Force which will develop its base at an alternate site in the strategically-located district of Jammu and Kashmir bordering Pakistan and China under an agreement intended to be finalised by this month end.



Similarly, the Army has agreed to vacate a large tract of land presently under its control in Kargil district, adjoining Leh, in Ladakh, which will be used for the expansion of the town. Army will be given alternate land in lieu.



A meeting held by Divisional Commissioner (Kashmir) Asgar Hassan Samoon on Friday was told that IAF has agreed to vacate the Leh airport which will be handed over to the Airports Authority of India for expansion as part of efforts to encourage tourism in Ladakh region, an official spokesman said here on Saturday.



The meeting, also attended by officials of IAF, Airports Authority of India and civil administration, was informed that the state government has identified land in lieu of the existing IAF airbase in Leh.



The IAF officials, who attended the meeting, said the alternate site offered by the state government in Leh has been examined by experts and they are ready to take over if the state government finalises the deal.



The Divisional Commissioner was informed that the modalities are being worked out to shift the existing airbase in Leh to Airports Authority of India which will expand it for civilian purposes, the spokesman said.



Samoon said the paperwork to finalise the deals should be done on priority so that it is transferred to the civil government by the end of February.



He said that the transfer agreements should be taken up on priority to fully exploit the huge tourism potential of Leh and Kargil which in turn would generate much needed employment opportunities for local youth, the spokesman said.



Samoon also directed the Airports Authority to explore possibility of starting night operations at Srinagar airport.



The Air Force officials informed Samoon that they have already given in writing that they have no issues if the airport hosts flights during night.



The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Budgam Mir Altaf Ahmad, Senior Manager Airport Authority of India Manjeet Singh, Air Commodore AOC 21 wing, AOC Srinagar and other officers of civil administration and Air Force.




An indigenously built Extra Fast Attack Craft of the Indian navy, based on the design of Israeli Super Dvora Mk II, is seen during the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. A PTI Photo.

VISAKHAPATNAM (PTI): Noting the role of unity among the Naval countries worldwide, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan has said participation of 50 foreign countries in the International Fleet Review (IFR) is an example of mutual friendship and co-operation.



This is the second IFR as the last one was conducted in January 2001 in Mumbai with participation from 29 countries.



Dhowan, in his address to mediapersons, on Friday noted the role of the friendly Naval countries and asserted it will help to strengthen the co-operation among them.



"With the co-operation of the friendly Naval countries, we can strengthen the security and safety of the Oceans," Dhowan said.



"International Fleet Reviews are maritime culture to build co-operation and relations between the Navies of the world over. We may be separated geographically, but (are) certainly untied through the oceans," he said.



This review allows the host nation an occasion to display its maritime capabilities and the bridges of friendship it has built with other maritime nations, he said adding, it aims at assuring the country of the Indian Navy's preparedness, high morale and discipline.



Welcoming the visiting Vice-Admirals and Commanders who took part in the IFR, Admiral Dhowan said the participation of 50 foreign countries is the example of the friendship and co-operation among the Navies of the world.



Hundred ships, including 71 Indian ships, 24 foreign ones and others from the Coast Guard, would take part in the event.



The Navy Chief said President Pranab Mukherjee would on Saturday embark on the presidential yacht INS 'Sumitra' after inspecting the Guard of Honour, which would be presented by 150 Navy personnel.



Admiral Dhowan said the Indian Navy has arranged various events, such as fly-past by helicopters including MiG-29K, advanced jet trainer, hawks, surveillance aircraft P8I, besides live demonstrations by Navy personnel, for IFR 2016.



On Sunday, a two-day International Maritime Conference would be inaugurated by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on the theme 'Partnering together for a secure maritime future', he said.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi would address the gathering and also release a book on the maritime heritage of India, he said.



He pointed out that the Indian Navy's capabilities and strength had increased in the last 15 years, after the IFR in Mumbai in 2001.



Speaking on the indigenisation and innovation of the Indian Navy, Dhowan said the Navy has chalked out a plan with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to build ships in the country.



At present, 46 ships and submarines are under construction at various private sector and public sector shipyards in the country, he apprised.



He said in future, the Indian Navy would strive to build all the ships indigenously and achieve self-reliance.



He thanked the Andhra Pradesh government and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Visakhapatnam district administration, for extending full support and co-operation to conduct the event.



"Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had inaugurated the maritime exhibition at Andhra University Engineering College ground, in which various Indian industries and organizations set up an array of 74 stalls showcasing the self-reliance of the Navy," Dhowan said.



A thematic light and sound show depicting the roles of the Indian Navy both in war and peace time was the salient feature of the exhibition, he said.



He said an IFR village is located close to the maritime exhibition, which consists of stalls put up by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and private entities depicting innovation, besides 100 craft stalls.




Indian naval commandos show their prowess during the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. A PTI Photo.

VISAKHAPATNAM, AP (PTI): The prowess of Indian Navy was at full display during the Operation Demonstration held here on Sunday as part of the ongoing International Fleet Review 2016.



Thousands of people turned up at the Rama Krishna beach here to witness the spectacular 30-minute long demonstration.



Flypast by naval helicopters Chetak and fighter jets, arrival of marine commandos in Gemini boats and an onshore mock attack left the viewers impressed.



Helicopters landing on the ships, beaching demo by Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) and tanks, oil rig demolition, small team insertion and extraction display, high-speed run by Immediate Support Vessels (ISVs), take-off by sea harrier aircraft from INS Viraat, demonstrations involving hawk and sea harrier aircraft also enthralled people.



Marine commandos coming down with parachutes, airlifting of marine commandos by a naval helicopter and firing of rockets by MiG29K and Hawk and few others, also formed part of the demonstration.



The country's aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat passing at the sea and the high speed run by ISVs, illuminations of ships were some other highlights during the op-demo.




A representational photo.

SEOUL (AFP): North Korea said on Sunday it had successfully put a satellite into orbit, with a rocket launch widely condemned as another defiant step towards a missile capable of striking the US mainland.



The launch, which violated multiple UN resolutions, amounted to the North doubling down against an international community already struggling to punish Pyongyang for its nuclear test barely a month ago.



There was no immediate external confirmation that the final stage of the satellite-bearing rocket had successfully achieved orbit, although the US Strategic Command said it had tracked "the missile launch into space".



In a special state TV broadcast, a female North Korean announcer, wearing a traditional Korean hanbok dress, hailed the "epochal" launch, personally ordered by leader Kim Jong-Un, as a major success.



While stressing North Korea's right to the "peaceful and independent" use of space, she also noted that it marked a breakthrough in boosting national "defence capability".



Condemnation was swift, with UN chief Ban Ki-moon calling the launch "deeply deplorable" and US Secretary of State John Kerry denouncing a "flagrant violation" of UN resolutions.



South Korean President Park Geun-Hye urged the UN Security Council to respond quickly with "strong punitive measures".



Permanent Security Council members Britain, France and Russia all expressed anger and concern, while North Korea's main diplomatic protector China voiced "regret".



A surge in military tensions on the Korean peninsula looked likely, with South Korean and US defence officials announcing talks on the deployment of an advanced US missile defence system in South Korea to counter the growing threat from North Korea.



"It is time to move forward on this issue," said Thomas Vandal, commander of the Eighth US Army based in South Korea.



As well as North Korea, China and Russia are both strongly opposed to any such deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in the region.



"When pursuing its own security, one country should not impair others' security interests," said China's foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying of the defence system, adding such moves would escalate tensions on the peninsula and damage regional peace and stability.



China has been resisting the US-led effort to tighten the economic screws on its maverick neighbour.



While infuriated by North Korea's refusal to curb its nuclear ambitions, China's overriding concern is avoiding a collapse of the regime in Pyongyang and the possibility of a US-allied unified Korea on its border.



North Korea last launched a long-range rocket in December 2012, placing a similar Earth observation satellite in orbit.



Western intelligence experts say that satellite has never functioned properly, fuelling suspicion of the mission's scientific veneer.



Despite Pyongyang's bellicose claims to the contrary, the North is still seen as being years away from developing a credible inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM).



A key challenge it faces is mastering the re-entry technology required to deliver a payload as far away as the US.



"An ICBM warhead, unlike a satellite, needs to come down as well as go up," said aerospace engineer John Schilling, who has closely followed the North's missile programme.



"North Korea has never demonstrated the ability to build a re-entry vehicle that can survive at even half the speed an ICBM would require," Schilling said.



"If and when they do, what is presently a theoretical threat will become very real and alarming," he added.




Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by Adm. RK Dhowan, Chief of the Naval Staff, being briefed about the BRAHMOS missile system by Cdr. Ashotoosh Mehra, DGM - Naval system, BrahMos. BrahMos Aerospace is participating in the Maritime Exhibition (MAREX), during the International Fleet Review 2016.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited the BrahMos pavilion on Sunday during the ongoing International Fleet Review (IFR-16) being hosted by Indian Navy & the Govt. of India. BrahMos Aerospace is participating in the Maritime Exhibition (MAREX) which is a part of the grand naval celebrations, in Visakhapatnam.



Shri Narendra Modi was briefed about the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile system, displayed in land, sea, sub-sea and air versions by Cdr. Ashotoosh Mehra, DGM - Naval system, BrahMos.



The Prime Minister praised the BRAHMOS missile system - a successful role-model for 'Make In India'. The JV has contributed significantly in strengthening the defence and security of the nation.



The Indian-Russian Joint Venture BrahMos Aerospace is exhibiting naval and land variants of BRAHMOS system which have been inducted in the Indian Army and Navy.



Development and integration of the air-launched version of BRAHMOS is currently at an advanced stage and the missile is expected to be flight tested from onboard a Su-30MKI aircraft in the coming months.



BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile has a flight range of 290 km with a speed of 2.8 Mach.



The International Fleet Review (IFR) officially kicked off at Visakhapatnam with wreath laying on 4th Feb, 2016.



With the theme "United through Oceans", the IFR witnessed participation of around 50 Navies, 90 ships, including 24 warships, and over 70 aircraft. Ships of the Indian Coast Guard and mercantile marine also took part in the event.






SEOUL (AFP): South Korean and US defence officials said on Sunday they would begin formal talks on the deployment on the Korean peninsula of a US missile defence system to counter the growing threat from North Korea.



The announcement followed a North Korean rocket launch that the US and its allies condemned as a covert ballistic missile test.



"It has been decided to formally start talks on the possibility of deploying the THAAD system to South Korea as part of steps to bolster the missile defence of the Korea-US alliance," said Yoo Jeh-Seung, the South's deputy defence minister for policy.



There has been speculation for years about the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system -- one of the most advanced in the world -- to the South, one of Washington's main Asian allies.



The US insists that it is a deterrent necessitated by the North's advancing ballistic missile programme, while China and Russia argue that it would undermine stability and could trigger an arms race in a delicately balanced region.



"The Korea-US alliance had no choice but to take such a defence action because North Korea staged a strategic provocation and is refusing to have a genuine dialogue on de-nuclearisation," Yoo said in a joint briefing with Lieutenant General Thomas Vandal, commander of the US Eighth Army based in the South.



Vandal argued that it was "time to move forward" with the THAAD issue, claiming there was "growing support" in the South for its deployment.



Pyongyang says any such move would be a Cold War tactic to "contain" China and Russia.



But Yoo stressed the THAAD system -- if deployed -- would "operate only regarding North Korea".



South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Sunday urged a tough UN response to North Korea's long-range rocket launch that came barely a month after its fourth nuclear test.



"The UN Security Council should take strong punitive measures quickly," Park said in televised address following the morning launch.



Speaking in response to the North's rocket launch, Kim Yong-Hyun, chief operations officer at the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers on Sunday the upcoming annual joint US-South Korea military exercises will be the largest yet held.



The Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises, to be staged in March and April this year, will boast the "most cutting-edge" technology, Kim said.



The South's military will also set up more loudspeakers along the border to broadcast propaganda programmes to the North in response to the rocket launch, he added.


Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rising costs and enrolment numbers will make for difficult decisions as Brandon School Division trustees wrestle with how much to add to the annual operating budget this week.

On Wednesday, BSD trustees will host a public consultation at the Meadows School gym.

Some people will say cut your budget, dont raise it. Others will say we need you to spend more money in this area or that area. Its an opportunity to have some input, said division board chair Mark Sefton.

This year, 25 requests will be debated during an all-day board meeting on Feb. 16  nine from senior administration and 16 from trustees or board committees.

Last week, trustees were presented with a preliminary budget prepared by BSD secretary-treasurer Denis Labossiere that outlines the tax ramifications of the additional funding requests heading into deliberations.

The BSDs preliminary budget calls for $97.1 million in spending, which would be a 4.4 per cent increase over 2015-16.

The most expensive request this year comes from trustee Sharilyn Bambridge, who proposes the division fund a bus monitor position on every bus route and on buses used for transporting band students.

Presently, we place students on a bus and expect the driver to deliver them home The driver is expected to drive, monitor and discipline students at the same time.  Often these drivers have more students than we would consider a safe number for a classroom, she wrote.

These monitors would only be needed for the ride to and from school and also possibly back and forth from band.

The item would equal 31.45 new full-time equivalent staffing positions, costing the division an estimated $799,100.

Senior administration made an alternate request regarding the same issue, proposing $188,700 be spent to add video surveillance systems in all BSD buses.

The request notes the cameras will help the BSD better police issues such as bullying, student behaviours, vandalism and illicit activities such as drugs.

The cameras will also record the licence plates of vehicles that commit school bus stop arm violations around town.

The board will also consider two new bus routes for next year, one for Earl Oxford students from Stickney and McDonald avenues and one to address the increased number of students heading to Vincent Massey High School and Ecole New Era School.

Administration also requested an additional $7,500 to fund more transportation for student athletes.

The continued rollout of full-day, every-day kindergarten across the division will come up again. Trustee George Buri requested that full-day, every-day kindergarten be extended to King George and Valleyview Centennial schools, costing $228,600.

When the subject kept coming up at board meetings, and I felt strongly last year too, that King George should have all-day kindergarten. I decided at that time I would put it in as a request this year, Buri said.

Last year, the division approved two full-day, every-day classes.

I believe very strongly that all-day kindergarten is a good thing, its proven to be very effective so my idea is to be able to keeping doing it. Weve done a little-bit-every-year kind of basis and so thats why I put in those two requests, Buri said.

Trustee Kevan Sumner asked the budget include $127,500 to extend the hours of operation and add staffing at the Neelin High School Off-Campus Program, which offers alternative education.

Board chair Mark Sefton made a separate request to add another two teachers to the program, which would also extend the hours of operation into evenings, weekends and summer months, making the program more flexible and allow students to complete their studies quicker. His addition would cost $171,600.

After the meeting, Sefton said it and the school bus monitoring proposals are examples of where requests overlap, meaning the board will deliberate between the two options.

It wont be both, well choose one or the other or maybe neither, he said.

Senior administration tacked on requests for 10 full-time equivalent educational assistants, a $192,500 increase to the support staff personal development budget, a new electrician, a library technician at Ecole secondaire Neelin High School, an administrative assistant at Alexander school, more hours for home-school liaisons and money to be put aside for the new south end school and capital replacement costs.

Other trustee requests include additional literacy and numeracy specialists, a social worker for underachieving aboriginal and low-income students, support for two BSD staff to attend an international anti-bullying conference in Dublin, Ireland, and additional staff to serve breakfast via the Food for Thought program.

Brandon Teachers Association president Alison Johnston said the BTAs finance committee is meeting today to parse through the proposals ahead of the consultation process.

The BSD receives about five per cent more of its annual budget from local taxpayers (37 per cent) than the average school division in Manitoba.

For a home assessed at $251,325, a budget without any requests approved means an estimated tax increase of $57.47 (3.6 per cent).

For each $1 million in approved budget requests, the tax increase climbs by slightly more than one per cent. If $3 million in budget requests were approved by the board, annual taxes would rise by $106.74 (6.8 per cent).

Last year, trustees added 26 of 38 proposals that were tabled, adding $1.8 million to their budget.

Most of the remainder of the divisions revenue, about 61 per cent, comes from the province.

Your job is to do the best you can for students, but also keep the taxpayer in mind. I never really want to raise taxes too much. Its a delicate balance, Buri said.

 tbateman@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @tombatemann
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The man accused of leading a police chase while intoxicated is facing a string of charges in a Brandon courtroom this morning.

On Saturday, the RCMP announced theyd pressed a host of charges against 27-year-old Jesse E. Young of Winnipeg.

Young faces 12 total criminal charges, including impaired driving, driving over .08, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from police, resisting arrest, assault of a police officer, mischief over $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, two counts of theft under $5,000 and two counts of breaching a recognizance order.

The RCMP originally said Young was from Fort McMurray, Alta.  which they corrected to Winnipeg on Saturday.

It is alleged that Young stole a white SUV and used it, while intoxicated, in a gas-and-dash at a gas station in Gladstone at about 11 a.m. on Friday.

Police were called and Young led Mounties on a 37-kilometre chase west on Highway 16 into Neepawa.

The chase barrelled along Main Street in Neepawa, a town of about 3,600 people, and turned south onto a small road leading out of town.

On that road, the stolen SUV collided with an RCMP cruiser.

Shortly after, Youngs SUV became stuck in a field. Police didnt say where they arrested him.

The RCMP said the officers involved made several attempts to stop Young during the pursuit, including one attempt that saw a Mountie dragged a short distance by Young before the man freed himself and fired his 9mm service pistol at Young.

Sgt. Bert Paquet, a media relations officer with Manitoba RCMP, said the shots were fired somewhere on Highway 16, but couldnt clarify where or how many shots were fired.

Paquet said the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba was consulted by the RCMP but did not take the lead in the investigation following the chase.

The IIU has the authority to investigate all matters concerning police services in Manitoba. The Police Services Act requires the IIU to be notified when a police officer is alleged to be involved in contravention of a federal or provincial law, the IIU website states.

Neepawa is located about 75 kilometres northeast of Brandon.

 tbateman@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @tbatemann
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Here is a timeline of Canadas involvement in the fight against the militants of the Islamic State (IS).

Aug. 7, 2014 United States President Barack Obama authorizes targeted military intervention in Iraq.

Aug. 28, 2014  A Canadian Forces C-17 cargo plane makes the first delivery of military supplies to forces in Iraq, bringing in provisions donated by Albania.

Aug. 28-Sept. 26, 2014  Canadian aircraft make 25 flights and deliver 725,000 kilograms of donated military supplies to Iraq.

Sept. 5, 2014  Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces the deployment of several dozen members of the Canadian Forces to Iraq to join the U.S. in advising security forces.

Sept. 19, 2014  The U.S. government asks Canada for additional military support against IS.

Oct. 3, 2014  Harper speaks in the House of Commons about Canadas future contributions to the fight against IS.

Oct. 7, 2014  Following a debate and a vote in the House of Commons, the Harper government announces that Canadian warplanes will join coalition forces attacking ISs capacity to fight in Iraq.

Oct. 28, 2014  Canadian aircraft arrive in the region: six CF-18 Hornet fighter-bombers, a CC-150 Polaris aerial tanker and two CP-140 Auroras for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Nov. 2, 2014  CF-18 Hornets conduct their first combat strikes on IS targets. Over the next 15 months they will fly more than 1,300 sorties.

March 6, 2015  Special forces soldier Sgt. Andrew Doiron, part of the Canadian training mission, is killed in a friendly-fire incident involving Kurdish troops.

March 24, 2015  Harper tells the Commons the military mission will be extended and expanded, allowing airstrikes in Syria and the deployment of up to 30 officers to coalition headquarters.

Feb. 8, 2016  In keeping with a controversial campaign promise, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal government announces major changes to Canadas commitment to the fight, with a renewed focus on training and humanitarian aid. CF-18 warplanes are to be withdrawn by Feb. 22, although refueller and reconnaissance aircraft to remain deployed, along with crew.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Five things to know about Canadas newly retooled role in the mission against the militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant:

Military operation

Canada plans to extend the mission until March 31, 2017, in a non-combat role to advise, assist and equip local forces at a cost of $264 million. (Another $42 million is set aside to move personnel and equipment upon completion.) Canada will:

Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion delivers a statement as he is joined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right to left, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau and Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

 Retain one Polaris refuelling plane and up to two Aurora surveillance aircraft, but withdraw six fighter jets engaged in air strikes no later than Feb. 22.

 Increase the number of military personnel to about 830, up from about 650.

 Station personnel at various coalition headquarters to support members and Iraqi security forces, specifically through expertise in operational planning, targeting and intelligence.

 Expand training to help Iraqi security forces plan and carry out military operations against ISIL, including provision of small arms and ammunition.

 Use military medical personnel to train the Iraqis to treat battlefield wounded as well as to provide medical support to Canadian forces and allies.

 Help security forces in Jordan and Lebanon prevent the spread of violent extremism and offer strategic advisers to the Iraqi ministries of defence and the interior.

 Devote $145 million over three years towards counter-terrorism, stabilization, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) security programming.

Humanitarian aid

Canada will work with local and international partners over three years to deliver:

 $840 million in humanitarian assistance for basic needs of those hardest hit by the conflicts, including food, shelter, health care, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as protection and emergency education.

 $270 million to build local capacity to provide basic social services, (such as education, health, water, sanitation), maintain and restore public infrastructure, help people find work and foster accountable government.

 Of that $1.1 billion in humanitarian assistance, the government says all but $130 million is new money.

Diplomacy

Canada will increase its diplomatic role in helping find a political solution to the crisis in Syria as well as assisting the Iraqi governments efforts to foster reconciliation. This entails an increased presence on the ground in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.

Parliament

Trudeau promised a parliamentary debate and vote on the new approach, much as his Conservative predecessor Stephen Harper did in introducing the original mission and subsequent extension and expansion. Trudeau also vowed to return to Parliament to consult on whether the military mission should be extended.

As we all know, military matters are the prerogative of the executive, but I believe in Parliament, Trudeau said, and I believe in the value of robust and informed debate to express Canadians views on issues of such import as this, and I look forward to bringing this forward to debate.

On ISIL

The prime minister said Canada is stronger and more durable than the murderous gang of thugs committing atrocities in the region  a group that opposes open societies like Canada. They want us to elevate them, to give into fear.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MANCHESTER, N.H.  Some people will knock on doors, stuff envelopes, or make phone calls for a political candidate.

Kim De Lutis is so enthusiastic about hers shes changing her citizenship.

The Canadian-born woman is keen to vote for Bernie Sanders  so much so that after having lived in the U.S. for 21 years, shes just applied for dual citizenship.

A passionate movement has pushed the septuagenarian socialist into a position unimaginable just a few months ago: Sanders is now heavily favoured to beat Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays New Hampshire primary.

He was definitely the first candidate that spurred me to want to vote (in the U.S.), said De Lutis, a native of Montreals south shore.

It definitely spurred me to get my citizenship. Hes inspired a political revolution.

De Lutis had originally moved to New Hampshire for her husbands work in 1995. Theyre now paying two kids college tuition, which she likens to having a second mortgage.

Shes been stirred to action by the senators central message: that the worlds wealthiest country should not lack social programs other countries deem basic. Free college tuition is one of his bolder ideas. Another less revolutionary idea: parental leave, something the U.S. doesnt have.

De Lutis expects to have her citizenship by November  so she can vote for Sanders in the general election and send him to the White House, overcoming the obstacles of special-interest money, a pro-Clinton party establishment and hostile media.

It wont be easy: The campaign heads south next, and polls have Sanders dozens of percentage points behind in the next-voting state of South Carolina.

He also faces a wall of resistance from party brass. That much was evident Monday. Clinton was introduced at a rally by the governor of New Hampshire; the states Democratic senator; and the mayor of nearby Boston. Clinton noted that virtually every major party player from Sanders own state, Vermont, supports her.

A certain former president was there too.

Bill Clinton argued that a Sanders White House would face another impediment: reality.

Stumping for his wife, an older, hoarser-voiced 42nd president flashed the same ability to weave statistics and storytelling as he did in his first national campaign, when he became a contender with his strong showing in New Hampshire.

Clinton acknowledged the angry national mood: 84 per cent of Americans hadnt had a raise in years, he said. He quoted Irish poet William Butler Yeats: Too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart.

The question, he said, isnt whether the country needs changes. The question is whether a politician can achieve changes that leave the country better off: The rest is just background noise.

Sanders proposes Canadian-style medicare. To Clinton, thats like peddling science fiction  a belief in some alternate universe where it could get the necessary 60 per cent of Senate votes.

Same thing with free tuition. Hillary Clinton has a multi-layered plan to fight skyrocketing costs that involve a tax rebate and refinanced loans at lower rates. Sanders policy is easier to explain: zero tuition.

One Clinton supporter in the crowd said she likes some of Sanders message. She just doesnt buy its viability.

Sounds nice, said Robbie Grady, a retired military spouse. But realistically, I want to get things done (The message) may be inspirational, motivational. But Id rather have some solid goals.

That clash of centrist-versus-socialist had been playing out politely through the campaign. The increased stakes, however, have brought out the nasty in some partisans.

One Sanders supporter heckled his rival over her paid speeches to Wall Street: Why did you take their money? In an interview, Sanders urged some supporters to cut out the sexist insults against women supporting Clinton: We dont want that crap.

The Clinton campaign has levelled attacks of varying veracity. But the former first couple sounds exasperated by what they consider drive-by smears and insinuations that those opposing Sanders are corrupted by special-interest money.

De Lutis went out of her way to keep the tone civil. She declined to say anything about Clinton in an interview. She crafted an email later, laying out some differences.

Theres been a media blackout on Bernie Sanders both in the United States and abroad, she wrote.

Anyone relying on television will not see the reality, the buzz, the excitement his campaign is generating. Hillary is no longer the front-runner, Bernie is no longer unelectable.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTREAL  A long-awaited fraud trial connected to a controversial land deal in Montreal that helped spark years of investigations into corruption in Quebecs construction industry will be delayed a little while longer.

The case stems from 2007 when Montreal sold a large plot of land in the citys east end to a company, Construction F. Catania, which planned on building 1,800 condo units on the site.

Authorities allege municipal officials gave privileged information to the company and sold the land significantly below its market value.

In exchange, those accused allegedly received financial kickbacks and other gifts.

A trial before judge alone was expected to begin Monday.

Instead, Quebec court Judge Yvan Poulin was inundated with series of pre-trial motions that will take several days to deal with.

One defence lawyer said she received a very late disclosure of evidence that only came to her attention last week.

Another defence lawyer, who tried unsuccessfully to get Poulin thrown out as the trial judge, said he intends to appeal.

In 2012, nine people were charged in the case including the citys former No. 2 politician, Frank Zampino.

Zampino was the chair then-mayor Gerald Tremblays executive committee, which is the municipal equivalent of a government cabinet.

Also arrested were construction company executive Paolo Catania and municipal party fundraiser Bernard Trepanier as well as four others who were employees of Catanias construction company.

One of the accused, Martial Fillion, a former chief of staff to ex-mayor Tremblay, has since passed away.

The trial is expected to last three months and the Crown intends to call about sixty witnesses.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  The Liberal government says its making a different choice when it comes to the ISIL mission, pulling out of bombing in favour of more training and intelligence work, more humanitarian aid, more diplomacy.

But why is a different choice even necessary? What is the real reason they cant keep six CF-18 fighter jets in the mix, in addition to doing the rest of the things they want to do?

Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of the defence staff, told reporters Monday its not about finances, nor is there a tactical reason they cant do airstrikes and train Iraqi troops at the same time. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said hes not morally opposed to military bombing sorties  in fact, the government is still providing refuelling aircraft for coalition allies.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers a question as he is joined by Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan, left to right, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau and Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

That leaves the conclusion that it was a political choice, informed by the philosophy of Trudeau and the people around him, but also by electoral considerations.

The Liberals sought to stake their ground on the electoral stage, particularly conscious of distancing themselves from Stephen Harpers Conservatives. Trudeau made reference to the politics at his news conference on Monday.

During the last election, Canadians had a choice between three different parties: One that wanted to get involved in any military situation at any cost, the other that didnt think we had a role to play in the Middle East and us, the Liberal party, that presented a measured, responsible approach , he told reporters.

Trudeau took thinly veiled jabs at the Conservatives in particular, suggesting their approach to the ISIL threat was based on overheated machismo rather than reason.

We are for what will be effective, not for what will make us feel good to say at any given moment, Trudeau said.

Thomas Juneau, a professor at the University of Ottawas Centre for International Policy Studies and a former defence department analyst, said the components the government are putting in place are good  particularly helping neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan cope with the fallout from the Syrian conflict.

But Juneau said theres no good strategic reason for stopping the airstrikes. Canadas air force expertise is also top-notch, and it has helped keep ISIL at bay. Just a few days ago, CF-18s hit an ISIL fighting position near Ramadi in Iraq.

On political grounds, it was by all accounts a smart decision, Juneau said of the campaign promise to withdraw from airstrikes.

On strategic grounds, they have never been able to justify it. So they had this commitment, they had this decision and then they tried to build a policy around it.

Building the policy took months and now the government will start marketing it to the wider public.

Within hours of the announcement Monday, the Liberal party was communicating with donors, encouraging them to show support for the ISIL policy.

Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose criticized Trudeau for diminishing the contribution of the CF-18 fighter jets and for stepping away from a combat role.

If reason is the answer, what reason justifies backing away from a just fight? she said in a news conference from Moncton.

Across the country, and when Parliament reconvenes, the Conservative party will continue to stand for a Canada that fights against barbaric terrorist groups like ISIS.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/02/2016 (2446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Some of whats been said  recently and otherwise  about Canadas evolving role in the U.S.-led mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which was officially retooled Monday:

___

Our efforts should better reflect what Canada is all about; defending our interests and freedoms alongside our allies and working constructively with local partners to build real solutions for the longer term.  Trudeau, announcing a larger training and development mission and the withdrawal of CF-18 fighter-bombers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answers a question as he is joined by Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan, left, and Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

___

ISIL would like us to see them as a credible threat to our way of life and to our civilization. We know Canada is stronger  much stronger than the threat posed by a murderous gang of thugs who are terrorizing some of the most vulnerable people on earth.  Trudeau.



Left unchecked, this terrorist threat can only grow, and grow quickly. As a government, we know our ultimate responsibility is to protect Canadians and to defend our citizens from those who would do harm to us or our families.  Former prime minister Stephen Harper on Oct. 3, 2014, as he announced in the House of Commons a plan to send Canadian aircraft to fight in Iraq.



Canadians did not invent the threat of jihadi terrorism and we certainly did not invite it; nor, as this global threat becomes ever more serious, can we protect ourselves, our communities, by choosing to ignore it. That is why a strong majority of Canadians have supported our governments mission against ISIL. Canadians understand that it is not merely in the wider interests of the international community, but specifically in Canadas national interest.  Harper on March 24, 2015, telling the Commons of a plan to extend and expand the mission.



It is important to understand that while airstrike operations can be very useful to achieve short-term military and territorial gains, they do not, on their own, achieve long-term stability for local communities. Canadians learned this lesson first-hand during a very difficult decade in Afghanistan where our forces became expert military trainers renowned around the world.  Trudeau on Monday.

___

Along with our allies and through the auspices of the United Nations, Canada should provide more help through a well-funded and well-planned humanitarian aid effort. The refugee crisis alone threatens the regions security, overwhelming countries from Lebanon to Turkey, from Syria itself to Jordan. Here at home, we should significantly expand our refugee targets and give more victims of war the opportunity to start a new life in Canada.  Trudeau as Liberal opposition leader in the Commons, March 2015.

___

Our allies want us in the fight against ISIS, that is clear. This is a despicable terrorist group. And Canadians want us in the fight against ISIS because it is our fight and that is clear. When our friends and our allies are attacked, it is our fight and when our values are threatened and our country is threatened and our friends are threatened, it is our fight. And when human rights are trampled and human dignity is trampled, then it is our fight.  Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose.

___

The prime minister likes to say he cares about diversity, but there is nothing that threatens diversity more than ISIS  whether it is the rights of women, cultural and religious freedoms, or the rights of gays and lesbians.  Ambrose.

___

The Canadian announcement is the kind of response the secretary has been looking for from coalition members as the United States and our coalition partners push to accelerate the campaign against ISIL  the United States is willing to lead the coalition in the fight against ISIL, but the barbaric group poses a threat to every nation, so every nation should join this fight. If countries are unwilling or unable to contribute militarily, then they should consider the important non-military ways they can contribute to this effort.  Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook during Mondays Department of Defense briefing.

___

We are concerned that the Liberal government has chosen to place Canadian Forces personnel deeper into an open-ended combat military mission in Iraq  a mission that fails to even define what success would look like. And while we welcome the governments announcement today of increased humanitarian assistance to the region, we are concerned that this aid is being linked to the military mission.  NDP MP Helene Laverdiere.

___

I commend Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for committing to increase humanitarian and military aid for the nearly 4.6-million Syrian refugees who have been displaced by five years of brutal war in the region.  Green party Leader Elizabeth May.

___

As a founding member of the coalition, Canada has been a valued and willing partner in the mission to degrade and destroy (ISIL) and has played an important role across all lines of effort.  Bruce Heyman, the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

___

Were pleased Canada is continuing to invest and play a leadership role in educating and protecting children affected by crises in Syria and Iraq.  David Morley, president and CEO of UNICEF Canada.

___

We are glad that the Governments new plan is more than an anti-ISIS mission, but rather a plan for the region that recognizes that Canada has both a responsibility and a national interest in responding to basic humanitarian needs and helping communities hosting millions of displaced women, men, and children throughout the region.  Gillian Barth, president and CEO of CARE Canada.

___
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WINNIPEG - Police say a woman who died in hospital on the weekend had been attacked in two different Winnipeg homes.

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Irish aid organisations are to receive more than 60m in government funding this year.

The money will support non governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in long-term development programmes across Africa, Asia, South and Central America and the Middle East.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan, whose department manages the Irish Aid overseas assistance programme, said: Ireland is again showing its determination to support the fight against poverty, hunger and marginalisation.

Ireland is making a sustained contribution to humanitarian support for those caught up in conflicts such as those affected by the conflict in Syria.

Long-term development is equally critical and Ireland is supporting work that benefits the poorest, where it is needed most and where it has greatest effect.

Some 61.34m has been allocated to organisations including Concern Worldwide, Trocaire and Goal, which are trying to address the root causes of poverty, build resilience and help prevent future crises.

It is the fifth year of the funding programme which will have delivered a total 315.45m to Irish Aids 16 civil society programme partners since 2012.

Development Minister Sean Sherlock said: Our Irish partner aid organisations have a unique ability to reach the most vulnerable in society, to help sustain livelihoods and education, to build resilience and promote human rights and good governance. These goals are shared by Irish Aid and our valued civil society partners.

This allocation of over 60 million euro to long-term development underlines our continued commitment to achieving the vision of sustainable development agreed by all member states of the United Nations last year.

Other government aid programmes have focussed on health, nutrition, livelihoods, agriculture, education, social protection, governance and human rights.
David Drumm is expected to tell a US court later that he wants to return to Ireland.

The former Anglo Irish Bank boss will appear before a judge in Boston today.
Gardai have asked for the public's help to find missing Galway woman Margaret (Mags) Berry.

Margaret was last seen on Wednesday, February 3.

She is described as 35 years old, 53 in height, slim build and sallow skin with freckles on her face.

She is believed to have been dressed in black wearing a hat and possibly wearing a purple scarf.

Anyone who has seen Margaret or who can assist in locating her is asked to contact Galway Garda Station on 091-1538000, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
The Green Party will challenge RTE's leaders' debate in the High Court this Thursday.

The party's taking the broadcaster to court over its decision to exclude its leader Eamon Ryan from next week's party leaders debate.

Mr Justice Noonan has set this Thursday aside for the hearing.

Speaking in Dublin this afternoon, leader of the Greens Eamon Ryan said that the case is aimed at broadening debate.

"That case isn't just about the Green Party I suppose, it's about democratic debate," he said.

"It's about having a space where all different views are heard and we think that's the right thing in an election.

"We're fighting this case on the bases of: Don't restrict democracy - broaden out the debate.

"I noticed the Taoiseach the other day agreed with that, so I hope the courts will agree as well, and I think it would be better for our democracy if we had a more open debate."
by Patrick Flynn

The Shannon based Irish Coast Guard helicopter has been forced to abandon the search for a sailor reported to have fallen overboard from a trawler in the North Atlantic.

The crew of Rescue 115 had been sent to the scene 330 kilometres off the Clare coast but was forced to return to base because of poor weather conditions.

The alarm was raised at around 5.00pm when the captain of the Spanish fishing trawler alerted staff at the Irish Coast Guard marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry.

The helicopter left Shannon Airport at around 5.30pm but poor weather conditions including strong head winds forced the crew to turn around about 30 minutes later.

An Air Corp CASA maritime patrol aircraft, which had been sent to provide long-range communications top-cover, has continued to the scene.

Its understood the sailor fell overboard from the vessel at around 4.30pm and that efforts by crew members to locate him were unsuccessful.

Its not yet known whether the helicopter crew will rejoin the search if conditions improve.

Last Friday, the crew of Rescue 115 airlifted a man from a Russian factory ship almost 300 kilometres off the Irish coast.

The man had suffered burns in an engine room incident and was flown to hospital in Cork for treatment.
Almost half of people in Ireland (49%) believe that taking in 4,000 refugees would result in increased level of crime in Ireland, according to a recent poll.

An overwhelming majority (88%) of respondents to the Newstalk/Red C poll feel that Syrian refugees should be subject to Garda vetting before entering the country.

Two-thirds of people (67%) support the Governments commitment to take 4,000 refugees.

A third of all adults believe that the figure is too many however, whilst one in five believe that we should take more.

When it comes to housing refugees, 65% of Irish people believe that local authority housing would be the most suitable.

Direct Provision would be supported to a lesser degree at 43%, with voluntary host accommodation (38%) and private accommodation such as hostel and hotels (26%) less popular.

Overall, the Irish public remain open to accommodating refugees in their communities, with 60% claiming they are happy to have refugees live close to where they live.

Commenting on the research Richard Colwell, CEO Red C Research said: It is clear that immigration is an issue that divides voters in Ireland.

A third of voters believe bringing in 4,000 refugees from Syria is too many.

Even more are concerned about the possible impact on increased crime, with the majority demanding Garda vetting.

However, if assured by proper vetting, the majority of Irish citizens retain their legendary welcome for outsiders, showing a clear desire to help at least the 4,000 refugees that has been agreed, and an openness to accommodating them in close proximity to their homes.

The full Red C/Newstalk Immigration report will be discussed in detail on this evenings The Right Hook with George Hook from 4.30pm.

He will be joined in studio by Richard Colwell, CEO of Red C, Professor Ray Murphy from the Human Rights Centre in Galway and immigration law expert Dr Ciara Smyth.
Beyonce is going on a world tour and she's stopping off in Ireland.

The American star, who performed at the Super Bowl, will play Croke Park on July 9, it was confirmed today.

She will kick off the European leg of the tour in Sunderlands Stadium of Light on June 28, before making her way around Cardiff, London, Manchester, Glasgow and Dublin as part of The Formation World Tour.

The 34-year-old surprised fans by releasing new single Formation on Saturday on Tidal, the streaming service she co-owns with husband Jay Z, among others.

Normally, a subscription to the service is required but the track was made available to download for free.

Beyonce appeared at the Super Bowl with a team of dancers to perform Formation for the first time, and

Read More:

She visibly lost her balance but composed herself in time to continue with the performance without missing a beat.

An advert for the tour appeared on American TV seconds after her performance with Coldplay and Bruno Mars finished.

The tour is expected to support Beyonces upcoming sixth studio album, the follow-up to her 2013 self-titled surprise release.

The music superstar, who is known for hits such as Crazy In Love and Halo, will take to the stage for the tours debut show on April 27 in Miami.

Tickets go on sale next week.

Here is a list of her UK and Ireland shows:

:: Tuesday June 28: Sunderland, Stadium of Light

:: Thursday June 30: Cardiff, Millennium Stadium

:: Saturday July 2: London, Wembley Stadium

:: Tuesday July 5: Manchester, Emirates Old Trafford

:: Thursday July 7: Glasgow, Hampden Park

:: Saturday July 9: Dublin, Croke Park
Former jockey Darren Egan has been suspended from racing for 12 years.

Egan was found guilty of corruption charges last November but the British Horseracing Authority has now published details of the length of his ban.

The former leading apprentice was found to have engaged in a conspiracy with unlicensed individual Philip Langford, who at the time was given an immediate exclusion order which will remain in place for at least the next 15 years.

A BHA disciplinary panel said Langford laid Egans rides between June 17 and July 16, 2013, with the jockey charged with having deliberately ridden to lose in two of those races  at Chepstow (Imperial Spirit) on July 12 and at Bath (Tregereth) on July 16.

British racings governing body said in a statement that the starting point for both their cases was that this was a conspiracy which struck at the heart of the sport.

Jockey Darren #Egan Banned for 12 years for selling inside info and preventing 2 mounts from winning. pic.twitter.com/IvwoPYYZy6  Easyodds.com (@easyodds) February 8, 2016

Egan, who has not ridden in Britain since October 2013, declined the BHAs invite to provide details of any mitigating circumstances which could have reduced the length of his suspension.

The BHA disciplinary panel said Egan sent an email dated November 23 last year, in which accepted he had committed wrongdoing but that he desperately needed money.

A BHA statement read: It can of course be said on Egans behalf that he was relatively young, that he was still an apprentice, and that the corruption was initiated and pushed forward by Mr Langford.

But Egan was a willing participant. In his email, he explains that he knew what he was doing was wrong but that, I needed the money desperately.

The panel was unable to see any reason for mitigation in that or in anything else of which the panel was aware.

Last Thursday, Langford sent a written submission to the BHA, who said it contained no identification of mitigating factors and that he was the instigator of the conspiracy.

Egan will be suspended until November 22, 2027.
Police in Tanzania say they are holding nine suspects over the killing of British helicopter pilot Roger Gower who was on an anti-poaching mission.

Simiyu regional police commander Lazaro Mambosasa said Monday that seven more suspects were arrested for the shooting of Mr Gower, who was on a joint operation with Tanzanian wildlife authorities when he was shot.
At least 33 migrants attempting to reach Greece have drowned after two boats got into difficulties off the Turkish coast.

Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency said 22 died after a boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, near the Greek island of Lesbos.

Earlier, the private Dogan news agency said the bodies of another 11 migrants had been found further south, near the Aegean resort of Dikili.

Turkey's coastguard said four people were rescued from the boat in the Bay of Edremit.

The coastguard has launched a search-and-rescue mission, including helicopters, to try to find 14 more migrants reported to be still missing.

The International Organisation for Migration says 374 migrants have died so far this year while trying to reach Greece.

Earlier dozens of Greek riot police were deployed to a demonstration organised by the extreme right Golden Dawn party against plans to build a new transit camp for refugees and migrants near Athens.

Four of the partys 18 policymakers were at the rally outside the port of Perama, about 10 miles west of the capital, where the government is planning to build the camp with the help of the armed forces.

About 150 people staged a counter-demonstration near the site.

Greece is under pressure from the European Union to complete screening centres on five islands and increase its capacity to house asylum-seekers and detain migrants facing deportation.

Defence minister Panos Kammenos said the centres will be completed within a week.
A fire that erupted on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico killed two workers and injured eight.

The state oil company Petroleos Mexico said the fire on the Abkatun A platform off the coast of the southern state of Campeche was brought under control and the installation was never abandoned.
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Embattled vocational education provider Australian Careers Network burned through more than $10 million of its cash reserves in the three months to December, to keep the business afloat after shutting its largest college, Phoenix Institute.

Australian Careers Network has only $13.5 million in cash in reserve after its fourth-quarter cash slaughter.

Australian Careers Network, the parent of Phoenix Institute, went into administration last year, still claiming $253 million from the Education Department.

Receipts from customers fell off a cliff during the period to $4.27 million compared to $89.41 million in the prior quarter after the federal Department of Education and Training deferred its funding, including $40 million in payments for Phoenix students, as it investigates Phoenix and Australian Careers Network's business practices.

Australian Careers Network did not answer questions about whether it had engaged the services of a restructuring or insolvency firm.
The boss of online currency site OFX, Richard Kimber, says suitor Western Union's failure to buy his company could turn out to match Yahoo missing out on buying Google in 2002.

The share price of online currency site OFX (formerly OzForex) has plunged more than 40 per cent after it and Western Union ended takeover talks and the Australian company cut its 2016 earnings guidance.

OFX CEO Richard Kimber said he was very surprised when Western Union decided to end its takeover of the company. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

Chief executive Richard Kimber said the OFX board had terminated the discussions when it received no binding offer from the global payments giant following the conclusion of its due diligence on the company on Friday.

The company doesn't yet know why Western Union had not made a final offer. He said Western Union had asked to do more analysis of OFX on Friday, but its board had decided nothing further could be gained from this.
Philip Ruddock is calling time on his 42-year political career to become Australia's first special envoy for human rights.

The 72-year-old former immigration minister and attorney-general announced on Monday he would not recontest his safe Sydney seat of Berowra.

The move followed months of speculation about his future and jockeying among potential replacements in the blue ribbon electorate, including his former staffer - and current next-door neighbour - Julian Leeser.
Aussie diggers secure an area prior to the Iraqi soldiers starting their night time activities. Australian troops are training Iraqi soldiers for the fight against the so-called Islamic State. Credit:Gary Ramage (IS, ISIS, and ISIL are acronyms for the same Sunni militant organisation.) Commenting on the risk of Australian citizens radicalised by IS in Syria returning to commit acts of violence here, Professor Inbar said Australia should make sure they don't come back or they are arrested upon return. Professor Efraim Inbar, of the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies. Professor Inbar may have a point about Australia's fear of IS.

Before Tony Abbott was replaced as prime minister last year, his government's warnings about the so-called "death cult" were so prolific, one economist noted that the fear in the public may have actually hampered consumer activity. In a 2015 Lowy Institute Poll, nearly 70 per cent of Australians surveyed said the emergence of IS in Iraq and Syria was a high risk to Australia's security in the next 10 years  and an equal share of those polled supported Australia's participating in military action against IS in Iraq. By comparison only 20 per cent feared war between the US and China. Professor Inbar's views underscored a point of difference between Israel and Australia. The chaos that has engulfed the Middle East since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, followed by the Arab Spring and the war in Syria, has seen the jihadist threat accelerate and spread throughout Western democracies like Australia.

But it has also seen the armed forces of states in the Middle East disband or become dysfunctional, while Arab states grow less powerful. Since "states are more dangerous than non-state actors", Professor Inbar noted, the chance of a large-scale war in the Middle East has diminished drastically. Nevertheless, one Muslim country in the region has remained strong: Iran, posing a threat to the other strong country in the area, Israel. And Tehran's support of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah remains a problem for Israel, according to Professor Inbar. He expressed disappointment over the US's promotion of the Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015. The agreement between Iran, UN Security Council Members, Germany and the EU aims to slow Tehran's nuclear weapons program, even as other aspects of the country's foreign and military policy remain untouched.

Professor Inbar said it was now unclear what sort of role the US would maintain in the Middle East as it focuses on the challenge from a rising China. In the Middle East, "there is huge concern about the direction of the United States". Discussing the US election year, in his opinion, "anything is better than Obama". But Professor Inbar said that if US President Barack Obama proves to be a "historic trend" rather than a "historic accident" then "we have to adjust  all of us". Although aware that the US arguably had to consider China a "first priority", it wasn't "wise for the Americans to leave the region to the Iranians".
Nairobi: A suspected suicide bomber who blew a hole in the fuselage of a Daallo Airlines plane last week and forced it to make an emergency landing in Mogadishu was meant to be on a Turkish Airlines flight, the Daallo chief executive said on Monday.

The bomber was sucked out of the plane through the one-metre wide hole when the blast ripped open the pressurised cabin in mid-air, officials said. The pilot landed the plane in the Somali capital, from where it had taken off.

The plane operated by Daallo Airlines sits on the runway in Mogadishu. A gaping hole in the commercial airliner forced it to make an emergency landing in Somalia's capital. Credit:AP

No group has so far taken responsibility for the attack but a US government source last week said the United States suspects Islamist militant group al-Shabab, which is aligned to al-Qaeda, was responsible for the blast.
A Canberra man accused of calling his former partner a "dirty f---ing slut" as he struck her with a medical crutch during a prolonged attack has been kept behind bars after he allegedly breached his bail conditions.

The man, 32, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday charged with three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault and possessing a knife without reasonable excuse.

Magistrate Robert Cook said the alleged assault was "a violent episode of concern". Credit:Andrew Meares

The court heard he last month pleaded guilty to two property damage charges related to an incident involving the same woman and was subject to a bail condition that he not threaten, harass or intimidate her.

He was also not allowed to consume illicit drugs or alcohol.
The cost of renovations at the prime minister's official Canberra residence has increased to $11.61 million, growing by $2 million in two weeks.

Amid reports Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has launched audits of the project, the Department of Finance said professional fees, architect fees and departmental staff costs brought the total cost as of January 31 to $11.61 million.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife, Lucy, at The Lodge. Credit:Andrew Meares

The project had an approved government budget of $11.69m for the full scope of works.

On Monday, The Australian Financial Review reported Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had launched an independent audit of the refurbishment of The Lodge, amid concerns the total cost blow out to $15 million.
Last year was the biggest year for capital raisings since 2009, but it's unlikely investors will face a similar flood this year, Credit Suisse says.

The supply of equity in 2016 is set to dwindle considerably, as banks have re-capitalised and the listing pipeline is drying up.

The ASX200 issued $52 billion worth of new stock in 2015, or 3.7 per cent of the index's market cap, according to figures by Credit Suisse.

The big four banks were the heavy-hitters notching up just over half the fresh stock on offer, thanks to the regulator requiring banks to hold more capital in reserve.

"Back then there was an avalanche of new paper hitting the market as companies thought capital markets would close," write Credit Suisse analysts Hasan Tevfik and Damien Boey.

"It is clear 2015 was a time when equity supply flooded demand. We anticipate considerably less supply in 2016."

The bank forecasts a new net supply of $19 billion.

Investment analyst at Watermark Funds Management Omkar Joshi says Australian banks are swept up in a global phenomenon, where fear of further financial crisis prompt higher buffers.

"But for now that seems like water under the bridge," said Joshi. "We probably won't see a whole lot of capital raising in 2016 unless there's a big material shift."

Credit Suisse has found equity raising is no saving grace for a poor performing business and shareholders tend to suffer if the company has poor earnings trends.

"To our surprise, we have seen a number of flawed business models raise equity in Australia. Many of these companies end up being demoted from the index.

Credit Suisse points to an "abundantly liquid" superannuation system as the culprit, where companies without strong fundamentals can easily raise capital from the market.

That being said, if companies look to issue equity from a position of strength, shareholders are more likely to reap the benefits.

Here's more
JB Hi-Fi has upgraded full-year sales guidance and forecast net profits between $143 million and $147 million for the year after delivering a 7.5 per cent increase in net profit to $95.2 million in the six months ending December.

Australia's leading consumer electronics retailer now expects sales to reach $3.9 billion for the 12 months ending June, compared with previous guidance of $3.85 billion, implying total sales growth of 6.8 per cent.

The upgraded guidance followed healthy trading in the first half of 2016 and in January, when strong sales of mobile phones, IT and fitness products and home appliances offset pressure on margins amid widespread industry discounting triggered by the demise of Dick Smith.

Total sales rose 7.7 per cent to $2.12 billion in the six months ended December 31, in line with market forecasts, with seven new stores augmenting strong same-store sales growth of 5.2 per cent.
Google's parent company was briefly the most valuable company in the world, and odds are it will climb back to the top rung again. When it comes to how it pays its executives, however, Google falls short of the big leagues.

The holding company known as Alphabet disclosed that its directors elected to give Sundar Pichai - the CEO of Alphabet's money-making Google unit - the equivalent of stock worth nearly $US200 million at then-current market prices.

Pichai can start to cash in the shares next month if he wants. As long as he stays at Google until the end of 2019, he will own outright the full amount of stock.

I'll leave to others the question of whether it's fair to pay a corporate executive in stock certificates worth more than the annual gross domestic product of the Marshall Islands.
Parents be warned. As school resumes, there's escalating concern that NAPLAN, the annual assessment for students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9, is producing awful consequences.

In a new book sarcastically titled How to Pass a Test, long-time teacher Lynne Edwards begs readers not to pick up the so-called "education kits" now on sale in news agencies and post offices. She says it's bad enough that NAPLAN and the preparation for it soaks up time that should be spent teaching but it's worse if parents further harass their children at home.

One study of "NAPLAN belly" found school students vomited, cried and stayed away from the tests. Credit:Pat Scala

NAPLAN testing is supposed to improve the quality of education by producing data that can be used to redirect resources to areas of need.

But too often it is redirected to well-resourced parents, leaving poorly performing schools even worse off. (We know that the real issue is not the differences between schools but differences within schools as students at the same school struggle to all rise together with the tide.)
From the earliest days of the penal colony the journals of the First Fleet officers remarked upon the weird, often violent climatic changes that made survival in the antipodes such a fraught, contingent affair.

There were no records to tell them of the long run of unusually mild years that left the harbour explored by Captain Cook such a verdant green landscape.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The colonists did not know of el Nino or the Southern Oscillation Index. They could see for themselves, however, the fearful thunderstorms that boiled up over the southern horizon and fell upon the little settlement, uprooting trees, smashing down flimsy huts and killing unprotected livestock with cannonades of lightning.
The media and public debate's been hijacked by the chatter about tax but don't confuse this for the main game. The point is not simply to design the best system but also to get it implemented while surviving politically. It's important to remember that this is an election year. It makes no sense to play around creating uncertainty at a time when voters' appointment with the ballot booths is already looming into view. That's why Turnbull's no longer fixated on dealing with his most serious problem, tax. The critical importance of his polling numbers is that they're offering him a prospect that's too good to turn down: an election that could entrench his government's dominance not just for one term, but the indefinite future.

And that's why real change, the sort of radical reform that could genuinely fix things, has been shelved. Make no mistake. Turnbull understands the need to address the tax system, it's just he's come to the conclusion that this is not the time. That's because he's got another priority, one he can't put off.

The biggest, most serious and hugely troubling issue the nation faces is the dysfunction of our tax system. It's not just that the government's spending more money than it's got coming in, that's only half the problem. The real nub of the issue is the system's flawed. It distorts economic activity aggravating inequality. Everyone agrees it needs to be addressed. Urgently. The problem is any change will create losers who will create difficulties for a government heading to an election.

Malcolm Turnbull has two problems; one is political and one economic. His difficulty is they can't both be addressed simultaneously. But it turns out that finding a solution simply requires putting them in the right order; the twist is this will mean doing things the wrong way round.

Malcolm Turnbull has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change electoral laws and reshape Parliament.

To understand the mechanics all you need to grasp is that the constitution doesn't actually work the way we think it does. Because elections for the Senate and House are usually held at the same time, for example, we think their terms are in sync. They're not (except in the territories). That's why senators who were voted in on September 7, 2013, (such as Jacqui Lambie) didn't actually take their seats until July 1, 2014. With full six-year terms, they'll be there until June 2020 (unless there's a double-dissolution election in the meantime). There's also a record number of crossbench senators (18) and only one of these (John Madigan) comes up for re-election this year.

The trouble is that if the government dissolves both houses in an attempt to clear the Senate, the quotas for election are halved, because each state would elect 12 senators rather than just six. This would mean getting rid of the current mob but chances are  particularly the way the voting system is structured  we'd still end up with someone else who managed to game the system and garner the preferences. That's why the idea of calling a double dissolution is a hollow threat. It's like the Prime Minister holding a pistol to his head and threatening to shoot. Chances are that any new Parliament would prove just as ungovernable as the previous one. Unless ...

Following this logic is the key to understanding Turnbull's thinking about how he frames the next election, when he'll call it, and why a double-dissolution is still an option. The constitution gives senators so much power but is actually silent when it comes to the far more relevant detail about how they're to be elected, leaving it to (wait for it) Parliament to fix the detail. This is why, if Labor and the Coalition were prepared to get together, they could quickly scrap the flawed system we've got at the moment. The trouble has been that the opposition (whomsoever it may be) has absolutely no interest in fixing things up for the government. It's always threatened to join with the crossbenchers to disallow any reform and that's why the chaos has continued. Until now.

The Coalition currently holds 33 seats and Labor 25. The Greens hold another 10, there's Nick Xenophon, and seven others. The significant change today is that, since Christine Milne moved on from the leadership, the Greens have abandoned their dogmatic refusal to negotiate. This forced Labor to reconsider its position as well. All these parties stand to gain from an appropriate reform of the electoral laws, whereas Xenophon probably just believes it's the right thing to do. Because it is.
"I was well known around then because I had all these drug cases. If there was a drug case in the Northern Rivers, I was the one acting, and that was simply because I was a surfer and I was known, and it was surfers getting busted for marijuana," Brien told the writer Tim Baker. But it was not all drugs. He also got Byron surfer Garth Murphy off after Byron police had charged him for "exhibiting" an obscene article  he'd inadvertently left a key ring at the Bangalow post office bearing the image of the Charles Schulz hound Snoopy accompanied by the words "f--- off". Writer/photographer John Witzig recalled sitting next to an officer in the public gallery who whispered: "This is one place the surfies aren't going to take over." Local police were tough on four-letter words and stoned surfers but tended to be ignorant of the cultural change that was going on under their noses. Profits were so astronomical that the drug drug lifestyle transmogrified into the drug industry. However, it was not until the 1977 disappearance of Griffith anti-drugs campaigner Donald Mackay that Macquarie Street belatedly decided organised crime had a piece of the action and needed to be brought to heel. The following year, the Woodward royal commission into the NSW drug trade came to Byron Bay to investigate.

Brien was the star exhibit. He was accused of allowing his trust accounts to be used as a banker or financial agent for local drug traffickers and known drug offenders. Counsel assisting the NSW royal commission alleged Brien had put more than $6 million through his trust accounts, a huge amount of money at the time. Further, Brien was also accused of assisting a criminal client, Lawrence Hargraves, to remain at large by lying to the commission and destroying evidence. Locals were never sure whether the hearing were serious or theatre. For a start, some clients had particularly dodgy names: Lawrence Hargraves took his inspiration from the Australian kite pioneer, and nobody on the commission seemed to think it could have been code for "high as a ...". Brien did little to disabuse his fellow legal minds that they were players in a satire, performing like a slightly unhinged stage lawyer, later deeming the commission a "Star Chamber with little of the principles of British justice" and refusing to hand over his files, arguing they were privileged information.

His performance went down a treat with the locals who never forgot his heroics, but he was thrown into jail. Really Brien was between breaking rocks and hard men and he chose prison over being assaulted or worse. He served six months in 1979 after being convicted of contempt. He spent time in Long Bay and Grafton before being sent to a prison farm at Glen Innes. In prison, Brien was accorded "respect" by fellow inmates for not squealing. "I was fortunate, I suppose, in that I went in in the best possible circumstances. That is, I went in, from the crim population's point of view, for failing to give someone up  almost unheard of among solicitors. So I was seen as what they called 'staunch'," Brien recalled. Jenny stayed with him during the hard years after prison but the relationship eventually broke down and they parted in 1986.

Struck off the roll of NSW lawyers after being jailed, Brien made some money selling real estate to newly arrived New Agers. He achieved a sort of red neck notoriety in the early 1980s when he flogged off waterfront acreage called Black Stump south of Byron that he had astutely acquired years earlier while in the legal trade to the American actor Shirley MacLaine for $350,000. One of the first high-profile New Agers to hit town, MacLaine wanted the beach for her personal use alone but the locals went ballistic, the government stepped in and the land is now defined as the Broken Head reserve. "I told her they'd be unlikely to agree," Brien said in 1993. "It would've meant cutting a road through a national park ... she later bought another property at Tallows Beach, where a similar thing happened. In the end, she sold both places and was never seen again" Brien never lost his 1960s pioneering surfer mien of doing things his way. He was a regular critic of the growing tendency by many new arrivals to Byron Bay to turn Green on any issue and was a faithful letter writer to the local newspaper. He remained a strong advocate of shark netting.
The managers were asked, "Do you know the impacts?" the scientist said. "Many of them are multi-agency ones, and programs have already been set up." News of Sunday's discussions are the latest indication that the Prime Minister, and perhaps also Industry Minister Christopher Pyne - while aware that CSIRO were planning deep staff cuts - were surprised that climate science programs would be singled out. Manufacturing and data will also lose jobs. Fairfax Media sought comment from the Prime Minister's office, Mr Pyne and the CSIRO. Scientific pressure

Renewed pressure for the Turnbull government to intervene will most likely mount on Monday. Scientists, who are attending the start of the joint national gathering of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanic Society and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science in Melbourne, are expected to assemble at 1pm to protest against the cuts. Dr Marshall said last week that the cuts to Australia's decades-long monitoring of the changing climate were appropriate since the science had been settled and that efforts should be focused instead on emerging industries. Some climate mitigation and adaptation programs would be retained. Programs understood to be at risk include the monitoring of rising sea levels, ocean acidification and climate modelling - some of it world-leading and exchanged with international counterparts, giving Australia a seat at global gatherings. It is also understood that managers are still to identify which roles are to be axed, part of the focus of Sunday's discussions. Senate estimates

Greens and Labor members of the Senate's environment and communications legislations committee grilled Bureau of Meteorology officials on Monday in Senate estimates about the CSIRO cuts. Dr Vertessy told the committee he was "contacted 24 hours ahead" of the CSIRO cuts, and had been given few details even though the bureau and the CSIRO shared many major programs. These include the joint Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, which enables the bureau to provide near-term weather forecasting and seasonal outlooks to three months. The CSIRO uses the models to work on longer-term forecasting. The main models are the Australian Community Climate and Earth-System Simulator (ACCESS) weather models, in which the CSIRO "plays a very significant role", Dr Vertessy said when pressed by Victorian Greens senator Janet Rice. "If they were to exit completely, it would have an impact," he said.

The CSIRO was also "critical" in the bureaus of National Resource Management programs forecasting future change and the State of the Climate reports, Dr Vertessy said. The ACCESS model is based on data provided by Britain's Met Office, which CSIRO and bureau scientists work on together to "tune up" for Australian use. While the bureau had the technical capability to fill in the CSIRO's work, it did not have the financial resources to do so, Dr Vertessy said. Other countries have been keen to join Australia and Britain in the model development, including New Zealand, South Korea and India, he said. Grim fate
Labor has accused the Turnbull government of being "disingenuous" by pledging $250 million for energy-efficient homes, delivered by an agency it wants to abolish.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt is set to make the announcement at the World Government Summit in Dubai late on Tuesday, Australian time.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt predicts as many as 1000 new energy-efficient homes under the $250m Community Housing Program. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

In a statement, Mr Hunt said the $250 million Community Housing Program will "contribute to the construction of as many as 1000 new energy-efficient homes Australia-wide, which is great news for our cities and for families and low-income Australians requiring affordable housing".

"By financing the development of homes, which have the latest energy efficient measures built in, we can lower their long-term energy needs and also minimise their impact on the environment," he said.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has sought advice on whether frontbencher Stuart Robert has breached ministerial standards following claims the Human Services Minister had a conflict of interest during a secretive trip to China.

Mr Turnbull insisted on Monday he has confidence in Mr Robert following revelations of the minister's role in a mining deal between major Liberal Party donor Paul Marks and a Chinese government-owned company.

Mr Robert has admitted travelling to Beijing in a "private capacity" to attend an August 2014 signing ceremony between Mr Marks from Nimrod Resources and Communist Party officials from Minmetals.

Mr Robert is a "close personal friend" of Mr Marks, who has donated $2 million to the Liberal Party in recent years. The minister also owns shares in Mr Marks' Evolution mining company, according to his register of interests.
Young, educated and broke. This is the reality for thousands of students attending university in Australia.

While some are leaning towards leaving the country to get rid of their uni debt, others are turning to "sugar daddies" and, in some cases, "sugar mummies".

The Seeking Arrangement website matches wealthy benefactors and university students.

SeekingArrangement.com is the world's largest sugar daddy website that matches wealthy benefactors seeking "mutually beneficial relationships", and students are signing up in search for a sponsor to foot the bill for tertiary education.

The website has released its annual ranking of the Fastest Growing Sugar Baby Schools today, and the University of Sydney takes the top spot.
Cardinal George Pell has succeeded in his bid to remain in Rome after the child abuse royal commission accepted a doctor's report that he is too sick to return to Australia to testify.

The commission will now question him via video link about his knowledge of sexual abuse by priests in the Victorian diocese of Ballarat, where he was a priest prior to becoming a bishop in Melbourne.

Cardinal Pell at the Vatican. Credit:AP

Cardinal Pell said he was keen to return to Melbourne to respond to the issues raised by the Royal Commission, but had been advised by his doctors he should not travel.

"While my plans were always to make the journey home to appear in person, my doctors have made it very clear that at the present time my health prevents me from undertaking long-haul travel," the Cardinal said in a statement.
Norbert and Suzanne with daughter Elke. "It's difficult to thank the donor enough," says Suzanne. Credit:Jesse Marlow Herrmann says they were fortunate to have been in a position to realise this dream. "I can't express my gratitude enough to the donor and my wife for persisting through the years of heartbreak." Pattison and Herrmann had been together for a decade before they decided to try for a child. At 32 years old, Pattison thought they had plenty of time.

However, years went by without conceiving and IVF failed them again and again. "Every month your heart would break," she says. "The news would often come to me at my desk at work and I'd have to sit there and swallow a big lump in my throat." Things got worse when doctors advised that Pattison did not have enough eggs to continue. She was referred to a donor counsellor instead. "We walked away from that counsellor feeling there was no help for us," she says. "It was all up to us to come up with a catchy ad to try and appeal to someone's generosity and compete with the dozens of other ads whose story was very similar. "I felt broken, alone and helpless with a deep sadness that invaded all aspects of my life."

Prospective parents face a chronic shortage of local donors because of strict bans on anonymous or paid donations that have lessened supply. Profiting from egg donation is illegal in Australia, but in other countries, such as the US, donors can be paid as much as $20,000 or more. There were 66 approvals to import donor eggs in Victoria in 2014. Over that same period 222 women donated eggs in Victoria, with all but six being recruited by the recipient. But Pattison learnt about another option on internet forums coined "reproductive tourism" and it seemed easier. In countries such as South Africa the regulations are different. In that country there are donor agencies, and donations to them must be anonymous, even though some childhood photos of donors are allowed and personal and medical profiles are shared with prospective parents. Pattison and Herrmann flew to Johannesburg in March 2013. Two embryos were transferred but they did not take.

"We were devastated at this point," she says. "From a financial, emotional, physical point of view, it was a hard thing to pick ourselves up but we just couldn't give up." They had heard of Australians having success in Thailand, where the process was more expensive (as there were more travel expenses for the donor) but hopefuls could see adult photos of donors and their medical history. The legislation in Thailand at the time also allowed the possibility of a known donor. They went through an agency that arranged for a different South African donor to fly to Thailand and ended up with only two usable embryos. Doctors said neither were high quality but transferred them anyway. And little Elke was on her way. "We had never had a positive pregnancy result and it was amazing," Pattison says. "We felt thankful we kept going and didn't give up.
Men who read erotica that featured male dominance over women reported higher acceptance of rape myths in real life, a Queensland research paper has suggested.

The research paper, titled Fifty Shades Flipped: Effects of Reading Erotica Depicting a Sexually Dominant Woman Compared to a Sexually Dominant Man delved into the impacts of male and female dominance roles in erotica fiction.

Erotica fiction depicting dominant males could be dangerous, a Queensland study has found. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The study asked 240 men and 241 women to read one of three erotica novels that depicting male dominance, female dominance, no dominance or a non erotic control story.

The study found of the men surveyed, those who read erotic fiction featuring male dominance were more likely to form negative attitudes towards women, including rape myth acceptance.
CSIRO head Larry Marshall has sought to defend deep cuts to climate science programs after days of sustained criticism, saying global warming research was "one piece of a much larger puzzle" in solving Australia's biggest challenges.

His defence came as dozens of scientists, including some whose jobs are under threat at CSIRO, rallied in Melbourne, warning the cuts would hurt Australia's ability to address the climate change threat.

Scientists rally in Melbourne against cuts to climate change research at the CSIRO. Credit:Penny Stephens

In a lengthy statement released on Monday, Dr Marshall said there should be a focus on turning inventions into benefit for society and CSIRO had to weigh up where it could have the greatest impact.
Labor member for Willagee Peter Tinley. Murdoch University political expert Ian Cook agreed the party needed someone with more "charisma" if it was going to win the election. "Mark McGowan has been a very steady pair of hands, has done very few things wrong and much better in the last election than many, probably including me, expected," he told WAtoday. "But someone with more charisma would make Labor more electable." Dr Cook said Labor's current plight, reminded him of when federal Labor replaced Bill Hayden with Bob Hawke before the 1983 election, to make sure of that result.

"They need more than a drover's dog to win the next election in WA," he said. "I think Labor has a real chance of winning the election. I think that those who run the party think so too. But it is no certainty and they know that if a new leader could bring another percent or so of the votes, then they will definitely be in the hunt." Martin Drum, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations, disagrees Mr McGowan's head is on the chopping block. "There's a saying in politics 'you don't have to be popular, you only have to be more popular than the alternative'," he said. "It would be surprising to see a political party ditch an opposition leader who is more popular than the Premier. While the primary vote for Labor has fluctuated wildly in the most recent polls, MPs on both sides regularly say they expect the election to be a close one.

"Mr McGowan is also the longest serving opposition leader in Australia, which projects an image of consistency and stability. Changing a leader always brings significant internal ructions with it, and the rules for toppling a Labor leader in WA changed at the last conference." If Labor does decide to replace its leader before the election, there is the problem of who would replace him. There are rumours former foreign affairs minister Stephen Smith could be parachuted into the leadership role, but rank and file members wouldn't take kindly to someone being plucked outside the current cabinet. The likely challengers are Ben Wyatt, Peter Tinley, Paul Papalia and Dr Cook even rates Michelle Roberts as a smokey. In early 2011, Mr Wyatt made a bungled bid to topple then Labor leader Eric Ripper

At the time he thought there was a "strong appetite" for change, but realised he wouldn't win a caucus vote. "Is this embarrassing for me? Yeah, I guess it is," Mr Wyatt said. And Mr Papalia paid the price for backing Mr Wyatt getting dumped as corrective services spokesperson. Both have regained strong footings within the party since and the duo are renowned for being impressive performers in parliament as Labor's attack dogs. Mr Tinley came close to taking the Labor leadership back in 2012, but rumours at the time were Labor powerbroker Joe Bullock told him to cool his heels.

But the former SAS soldier has had his own troubles. He resigned from a number of key portfolios in 2012 after a company his wife was a director of went belly up. But he came back from his self-imposed exile in June, after he was promoted back to the shadow cabinet. His army background and working class roots meant he was touted as a leader by former Labor powerhouse Jim McGinty when Mr Tinley first entered parliament in 2009. Both Dr Drum and Dr Cook said there had to be viable alternative for Labor to roll Mr McGowan. "Who in Labor could bring them that couple of percent they probably need to win the next election?," Dr Cook said. "Nobody jumps out at me."
Istanbul: Coastguards have confirmed 27 migrants, 11 of them children, drowned off Turkey's Aegean coast as they tried to reach the Greek islands.

The news broke as Greece confirmed it would soon have refugee processing centres open, which locals fear will only attract more migrants to their coast.

Rescue workers with the bodies of migrants who drowned off the coast of Turkey on Monday. Credit:Ayhan Avci

Four migrants were rescued on Monday and a search operation was underway for nine remaining passengers.

One migrant was rescued by a fisherman and three more were rescued by the coastguard, which said it had deployed boats and helicopters to search for more passengers.
Latest News Australia's record property market run comes to an end  PEXA NSW sees the largest declines in both property sales volume and aggregate value

MFAA offers cybersecurity resources to members Optus data breach a 'wake-up call' for businesses

ASIC is said to be on the verge of launching legal action against a major bank over alleged rate rigging.The regulator is believed to be preparing to file a civil action against ANZ in relation to the manipulation of the bank bill swap rate (BBSW), The Australian Financial Review has reported.According to the AFR, 10 invidicuals are also expected to be named in the suit, which is anticipated to be announced in the next few weeks.The other major banks are also being investigated for BBSW rigging and collusion, The AFR said . The investigation is being conducted sequentially, and is expected to be completed within the next six to 12 months.
Latest News Australia's record property market run comes to an end  PEXA NSW sees the largest declines in both property sales volume and aggregate value

MFAA offers cybersecurity resources to members Optus data breach a 'wake-up call' for businesses

National mortgage franchise Loan Market has launched a new in-house function to support the development of new technology for brokers and consumers.Loan Market Digital consists of in-house web developers working to improve existing and build more modern digital platforms for brokers to utilise within their own businesses.The head of Loan Market Digital, Jason Furnell told Australian Broker that the goal is to empower Loan Market customers and ensure a seamless online and offline experience.Our aim is to give consumers the choice of exploring their options both online and offline and understand how best to approach finance both online and offline.Brokers do an absolutely brilliant job of helping people navigate a complex landscape, but we want to create a similar tool to help consumers understand how much they can borrow, what the product options are and what the impacts of structuring loans in different ways are.At any point they can choose to speak to an expert or they can continue to explore at home. We are trying to build the perfect blend of good old fashioned service and an amazing online experience. At the moment the broker often mediates the messaging that comes from a lender  and there is a lot of value in that  but we want to make sure there is more transparency and more clarity.Furnell says Loan Market Digital is also helping brokers enhance their digital marketing.The other thing we are doing is driving digital marketing and helping [brokers] explore package campaigns... At the moment we are managing their AdWords spend, driving traffic, watching conversions and understanding the cost per lead.We have been doing that at a corporate level for quite a while but now we are able to offer that to brokers.According to Furnell it is vital in todays modern world that brokers embrace technology and work with it, rather than fight it, to ensure a seamless online and offline experience.I think it is just todays expectations. People expect to be able to do internet banking, they expect to be able to log into their insurance or superannuation so they can see firsthand what is going on, he told Australian Broker.Best case scenario is when [consumers] are engaged in something complex they are empowered to help drive it  they are not passive and they are not relying on one person to do everything. I honestly think it is simply an expectation that none of the broking industry is really delivering on.
Latest News Australia's record property market run comes to an end  PEXA NSW sees the largest declines in both property sales volume and aggregate value

MFAA offers cybersecurity resources to members Optus data breach a 'wake-up call' for businesses

The chief executive of the FBAA has expressed concern over the negative publicity coming from within the industry.Speaking to Australian Broker, Peter White said he is concerned brokers are getting too distracted by the regulatory environment.It is nothing against the people because I have incredible respect for the people making these comments but I am concerned if we start speaking so negatively about the market place so publicly  whether it be clawbacks or what is going to happen to the future of commissions  new entrants to our industry or people who are potentially looking at coming into our industry might question why they would want to join our industry.White emphasised that he champions the right for brokers to express their concerns and opinions, however, he is encouraging brokers to more actively talk to their industry association.It is not that it should not be discussed  that is not the issue at all, it needs to be discussed and it should be raised in the media. However, brokers need to come back to their industry body and tell them how they feel or what they think is wrongThe underlining point of all this is that brokers should not get distracted by all this. Brokers are allowed to be concerned and they need to have their input into these things, but they need to understand that the industry bodies are doing this stuff and we are right on it. In actual fact, we are at the very forefront of all this.Over the last week, according to White, the FBAA has held teleconferences with ASIC regarding the forthcoming commission and interest-only reviews. Over the coming weeks, he assures brokers the association will be meeting face-to-face with ASIC as well as the federal minister [Kelly O'Dwyer].It is not against what anybody is currently saying to the media, everyone is entitled to their voice. But I think what we have got to do is not constantly portray doom and gloom. We need to look at the positive things in our industry, whilst people like [the FBAA] are taking care of the challenges at the back end......That doesnt mean that we dont deal with the issues that are underlining, but we need to be trying to be selling a lot more of the good news stuff.
More '90s reunion news: Belly, Tanya Donelly's post-Throwing-Muses band, are reforming. It's the original lineup of the band, including brothers Tom and Chris Gorman plus bassist Gail Greenwood (who joined around the time of the first album's release). There will be UK shows in July followed by a North American tour in August and September. Belly are also promising new songs. Stay tuned.
Anselmo apologized repeatedly. He even offered to leave the band to do no harm to his comrades, who must also be disgusted with what happens. Everyone agrees that this is unacceptable and that the metal scene is neither racist nor anti-Semitic. I know Phil Anselmo very well, who came many times to Clisson. And I am convinced that his apologies are sincere. Hellfest, we never had this kind of behavior, no one has ever seen or wear distinctive sign or speech, both live and in houses. I deeply believe that he is a good person. He is a provocateur who plays the big guys and loses foot when he's drunk. He made a huge mistake. But people who make populist shortcuts and say horrors when they have three grams of alcohol, one can find many, including Vendee.
Montreal's Ought will be on tour this spring with DC's Priests and that includes two NYC shows: Silent Barn on May 7 with Florist and Rough Trade on May 8 with Palberta. Tickets Silent Barn go on sale Wednesday (2/10) at 10 AM; tickets for Rough Trade go on sale Friday (2/12) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday at noon.
by Bill Pearis

Dublin quintet September Girls are back with their second album, Age of Indignation, which will be out April 8 via Fortuna POP! The first single from the album is "Love No One," a seething track featuring angelic harmonies set against a storm of guitar noise and rolling drums. The spooky video for the single, directed by the band's Jessie Ward O'Sullivan, makes its premiere in this post and you can watch it below.

Last on this side of the Atlantic in 2014, September Girls will be in the U.S. in March for SXSW. There may be be non-TX dates too, stay tuned. They've also got dates in the UK and Ireland, and all are listed below.



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September Girls - Age of Indignation tracklist

01-Ghost

02-Jaw On The Floor

03-Catholic Guilt

04-Blue Eyes

05-Age of Indignation

06-Love No One

07-Salvation

08-John of Gods

09-Quicksand

10-Wolves
Home bakers are making South Jersey a butter place

New Jersey residents are pursuing their cottage food dreams following a year since the state removed its restrictions on selling home-baked goods.
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited's retail healthcare subsidiary, Apollo Health & Lifestyle Limited (AHLL), is currently in talks with three private equity (PEs) players to raise funds through equity dilution, according to its chief executive officer Neeraj Garg.

AHLL had, in October 2015, announced its intent to dilute about 20 per cent stake to raise over Rs 500 crore to expand its network pan-India.

"We have already received expressions of interest (EoIs) from various PE firms, of which we have shortlisted three.

We are now in advanced stages of conversation with them, and hope to close the process by the end of March," he told mediapersons here on Monday.

Apollo Diagnostics, a division of AHLL, today inaugurated its lab and patient care centre in Hyderabad. Equipped with high-end technology and operational round the clock, the new-generation lab will also serve as a referral hub for other diagnostic centres under its fold.

While Apollo Diagnostics has 14 labs and 80 patient care centres nationally, it plans to increase these to 200 labs and 1,000 patient care centres over the next five years with an investment of Rs 150 crore, the company said.
The surprise announcement made by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International last week about its ongoing vaccine project against the deadly Zika virus might provide an exit opportunity for the venture capital funds which stayed invested in the company longer than these usually do.

Reports about three companies, including ICICI Ventures and International Finance Corporation (IFC), looking at divesting their stake coincided with the company's latest announcement.

The promoters said they'd no role in what private equity (PE) investors decide, or of any intention to raise fresh funds on the back of this . We are not mobilising any PE into the company. We do not need any funds. If ICICI is exiting, I am not responsible, Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech, told this newspaper.

Reports said Carlyle Group LP and TPG Capital LP have been doing a due-diligence exercise to acquire 30 per cent stake from the existing investors at an enterprise value of Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,500 crore.

On February 3, Bharat Biotech declared it had two promising vaccine candidates for the Zika virus. No other vaccine maker in the world has an ongoing research programme on it, at a time when the World Health Organization has said the virus poses a global public health emergency.

The vaccine, when and if it becomes a reality, has the potential to provide a huge upside for the company. Diseases linked to the Zika virus are now present in 23 countries, with Brazil the hardest hit. These also threaten developed countries. Obviously, this was a big trigger in raising the company's valuations. For the existing investors, who had to wait unusually long for an exit opportunity, this could be the time, say analysts.

All three investors -- ICICI Ventures, IFC and Subhkam Ventures -- plan to sell their equity, according to reports.

On the earlier occasions, the company promoters had denied reports about such exits.

ICICI Ventures and IFC hold 11 per cent and 24 per cent stake, respectively. They'd invested in 2005. Their decision at the time had coincided with a major announcement by Bharat Biotech that it had not only developed a Rotavirus vaccine but would also sell it at $1 for a dose when it launched in the market. It took almost 10 years for that announcement to fructify; the formal launch of that vaccine, Rotavac, was in March last year, through Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The price point was also higher than what the company had promised.

"The investors waited more than 10 years to see the company's first announcement reaching a point of formal launch. It could happen in the case of the vaccine programme for Zika, though the company seems to have a first-mover advantage," a sector analyst told Business Standard on condition of anonymity.

Vaccine development is a long-drawn process involving five stages, including pre-clinical and clincial development, before endorsement for human use. Ella said bringing the promised vaccine into the market would depend on the regulatory processes and how quickly the government gave clearances.

For the existing investors, the first exit opportunity was after Sanofi-Aventis had acquired Hyderabad-based vaccine maker Shanta Biotech, in a $781-million deal in 2009, raising investor interest in Indian vaccine makers. In 2010, there were reports about ICICI Venture planning to use this as an exit opportunity. However, nothing had happened.
The proposed merger between Reliance Communications and Sistema Shyam TeleServices India appears to be on track. The Bombay High Court has admitted the application for Scheme of Arrangement between RCom and SSTL. The Court has directed RCom to convene a Court-Convened Meeting of Reliance Communications' shareholders on Tuesday, 8 March 2016 at 11 am at REMI. Director of Reliance Communications, R N Bhardwaj, has been appointed as Chairman of the said meeting. RCom is, therefore, finalising a notice of the above meeting to be sent to its shareholders and taking necessary action in the matter.

Sistema will get a 10% stake in RCom once the deal goes through. Sistema Shyam TeleServices offers data services in India under the MTS brand and the proposed merger with RCom is an all-stock deal, which marks the beginning of consolidation in the telecom sector.

The deal is critical for Reliance Communications as it will give the company a new lease of life by giving it access to spectrum for 18 years. RCom's spectrum in the 800 MHz band expires in 2021. This will extend the validity of RCOMs spectrum in 800 / 850 MHz band in eight important circles by a period of 12 years from 2021 till 2033 (Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Kolkata, UP (West) and West Bengal). RCom will acquire nine million (approximately) customers and Rs 1,500 crore in revenues by virtue of the transaction.

Access to precious spectrum removes concerns on business continuity foor RCom as it will acquire SSTLs superior air waves in the 800/850 MHz band, which is ideally suited for 4G LTE services.

Reliance Communications will not see any cash outflow thanks to the deal other than the Rs 392 crore a year it will need to pay to the Union government for spectrum license hitherto owned by the Russian operator. RCom will have to pay this for the next ten years. In return, Sistema JSFC, a publicly-traded diversified holding company in Russia and the CIS, will get a 10% stake in RCom. Once the deal goes through, Sistema will only play the role of a strategic investor and will not get a board seat or a veto, which will give continuity in managing the company's operations.
With the Harsh Lodha-led Birla Corp bagging the 5-MTPA capacity Reliance Cement, the consolidation in cement has just gained momentum. With an additional 42 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity on the block, big and small players are in the fray. Also, private equity (PE) entities are looking for opportunities, either for a purchase or a tie-up.

A little over a third of the 375-mtpa capacity is with two entities, Lafarge-Holcim and UltraTech. They have 36% of capapcity between themselves, with respective capacities of 70 mt and 65 mt. Debt-laden Jaypee Group, the third largest with 31 mt capacity, needs to sell under lenders pressure, after defaulting on repayment of a non-convertible bond last year. Beside Lafarge-Holcim, created after the global merger of French and Swiss giants, needs to sell 11 mt capacity of Lafarge India, to overcome local anti-trust laws. "This is a unique situation. I do not imagine such a large capacity coming on the block again in the foreseeable future. The buyer would eventually become quite a dominant force," says Nitin Gupta, partner at consultancy entity EY. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) looks at the sectoral market on a regional basis, as transportation is an importart part of pricing. This has given an opportunity to Kumar Mangalam Birlas UltraTech to become a more forceful player. It has bid for 20 mt capacity of Jaypee, whose assets are complementary, on a regional distribution basis. UltraTech also bagged Jaypees five mt capacity in Madhya Pradesh in December 2014. It has since got stuck in regulatory hurdles, after the government changed regulations to prohibit transfer of mining rights in case of an asset sale. On lenders request, the government has proposed to amend these, in the coming Parliament session, to facilitate such deals. Once these two deals are complete, it will bring KM Birla very close to his stated goal of having 100 mt cement capacity for UltraTech. Smaller players are also jumping on this opportunity. Dalmia Bharat, fourth largest in the market with 24 mt capacity, has also bid for Jaypees 20-mt capacity. "For a new player to come and acquire 20 mt capacity is not likely to recur. Barring the sellers, the top five players would be open to evaluating this opportunity.

Given the size of the deals, we expect PEs to tag along with strategic buyers," says a source from EY. Global PE giant KKR, an investor in Dalmia Bharat, has also bid for this 20 mt asset. PE firms can help situations with appropriate capital structure and managment infusion where necessary to either grow or turn around these assets, says Sanjay Nayar, chief executive officer, KKR India Advisors. All this is at a time when the industry is having less than 70% utilisation, lowest in a decade. However, in the long term, the India consumption story would stay intact. Over the long run, these assets will create value, given India's infrastructure and growth needs, says Nayar. The other large capacity on the block is Lafarge Indias 11 mt business, for which it has applied to CCI. The regulator had earlier asked the company to sell off its five mt capacity in eastern India to complete its global merger. Lafarge India sold it to Birla Corp but the deal fell through due to the change in regulations on transfer of mining rights. With pressure to complete the global merger Lafarge India now plans to sell through a share sale deal. "We are expecting one or two more serious players to come through consolidation," says Munesh Khanna, partner PWC India. Sajjan Jindals JSW Cement has expressed interest in Lafarges 11-mt business. Jindal made his fortunes in steel and has been consolidating his position in the power and cement businesses as assets change hands from weaker to stronger promoters, under lenders pressure. JSW Cement wants to reach 20 mt capacity in about two years, up from the current six mt, through both organic and inorganic routes. Dublin-based CRH, the world's third largest building materials company, is also getting into the fray for Lafarge India's cement business. Last year it acquired assets worth $7 billion as Holcim and Lafarge divested assets worldwide to meet anti-trust regulations for completing their global merger. CRH has presence in the Indian market; it had acquired 50% stake in Hyderabad-based My Home Industries (MHIL) in 2008. MHIL has annual cement capacity of 4.8 mt from two plants; it is the lowest cost producer. In 2013, it acquired South India-based Sree Jayajothi Cements, with annual capacity of 3.2 mt. PE entities KKR and Blackstone are also keen to bid for Lafarge Indias assets. "PE players might partly fund these consolidators or buy these assets on their own, to sell later on higher valuation when demand picks up and building new capacities become costlier," says Khanna. There is also another six mt capacity from the Jaypee Group on the block. It includes Jaypee Associates joint venture with public sector Steel Authority of India in Bhilai for two mt capacity and the four mt capacity Andhra Cement, owned by Jaypee Development Corporation. "There is a clear capital market arbitrage opportunity in these acquisitions," says Ashutosh Maheshvari, managing director, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors. "One or two players can buy large capacities and by combining their respective buyouts, can command a valuation close to top players such as UltraTech and Shree Cement."

Cement M&A Table Industry capacity and utilisation Year Effective Installed Capacity Consumption Demand Utilization % FY-2010 230 199 86.5 FY-2011 276 210 76.1 FY-2012 305 224 73.4 FY-2013 327 234 71.6 FY-2014 342 242 70.8 FY-2015 361 252 69.8 FY-2016P 377 263 69.8

Top 10 players Company Installed Domestic Capacity (MTPA) Holcim Lafarge* 70 Ultratech 65 Jaypee 31 Shree Cement 26 Dalmia 24 India Cement 16 Chettinad 14 Ramco 14 Century Textiles 13 JK Cement 11 JK Lakshmi 9

(*) Combined capacity in India reported on the basis of global merger of Holcim & Lafarge. Lafarge is currently seeking to divest its entire installed capacity of 11MPTA in India in order to comply with the various statutory directives for consummating this merger in India | Source : EY India

On the Block Company Capacity (MT) Jaiprakash Associates 20 Jaiprakasj Associates' MP block 5 Jaypee Bhilai Cement 2 Andhra Cement 4 Total Jaypee Group 31 Lafarge India 11 Total 42

Source: Investment Banks
While Indian steel are rejoicing over the Modi government's move to impose a steep anti-dumping duty on steel imports, capital goods and infrastructure have reacted sharply, saying it will raise their input costs and cut their margins.

"Why are steel companies, which are 80-90 per cent family-owned businesses, being taken care of by the government at the cost of downstream capital goods and medium and small enterprises? The recent proposal by the government to impose a minimum import price (MIP) for steel products without discussing with all stakeholders will hit domestic industry hard," said V P Ramachandran, secretary of the Process Plant and Machinery Companies' Association, one of the largest users of steel.

Capital goods companies like Larsen & Toubro, Godrej, Thermax, Praj Industries and ThyssenKrupp complained to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday saying the duty would take away the advantage of lower input costs.

The December quarter results of these companies show significant savings due to lower input costs and any hike in steel prices will hit these companies, say analysts.

Analysts said with higher duties on imported steel, the machinery and infrastructure sectors would look at other markets. "Users of steel will be looking at prices other than in China," said D R Dogra, managing director of CARE Ratings.

India was in the process of globalising its manufacturing base and the government should understand that policies based on narrow perspectives of protection for one industry would harm others, Ramachandran added.

Sources said the government had provided enough protection to the steel industry through duties and trade barriers.

In the process, the government was taking away the right of capital goods and infrastructure companies to access raw materials at competitive prices, they added.
Jet Airways managed to reduce debt by Rs 500 crore in the October-December 2015 quarter, the airline's management told analysts on Monday.

The carrier posted a record consolidated net profit of Rs 467 crore for the third quarter of FY15, triggering the stock to gain nearly four per cent on Monday to close at Rs 593.50 on the BSE.

The airline had total debt of Rs 12,077 crore as of September, it brought it down to Rs 11,547 crore by December 2015. The airline repaid debt of around Rs 860 crore in the third quarter, but also availed of some fresh borrowings.

Eighty-three per cent of the debt is dollar-denominated and the net debt amount was also impacted by the six per cent depreciation of the rupee.

We will use cash flows for debt reduction. That is our focus, Chief Financial Officer Amit Agarwal told analysts in a conference call.

Jet said it would focus on improving productivity and reducing costs. It was able to save Rs 60 crore on distribution expenses by increasing its own web sales and renegotiation of agents' productivity bonuses and credit card commission.

We believe there is more room for productivity improvement and we are working to improve our network and fleet utiliation, said Cramer Ball, chief executive.
Loofre.com, an online table reservation service owned and operated by Delhi-based restaurant merchant aggregator K5 Brand, is investing $1 million (approximately Rs 6.7 crore) in expansion and in increasing its tie-ups across India.

Launched in December 2015, Loofre.com has already expanded to nine major cities across India with tie-ups with more than 800 restaurants. It also plans to go international by expanding its services to cities like Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Loofre said in a statement on Monday that the $1-million investment will be funded through internal accruals, and was looking at investing more if its India operations increased further.

The startup is also looking to expand through organic or inorganic growth, besides introducing wellness categories and venturing into the vouchers business.

"Even though our target is India, we are not restricted to any geographical location. We are looking at expanding our services either organically or inorganically to countries like UAE, Hong Kong and Singapore," K5 Brands' managing director, Rohit Mahajan, said in the statement.

According to the company, Loofre.com, which connects restaurants and diners to discover the best offers or discounts in nearby locations along with the added advantage of personalized hospitality according to the diner's need, cuisine, budget and preferred ambience, will soon come up with an app-based booking engine.

"The website will be complemented by social media applications, merchant applications and consumer applications. Eventually, consumers can book, place orders and pay through their mobile phones," it added.
Exchequers of all states are poised to lose around Rs 13.5 crore of revenue from value-added tax in a single day as around 99,000 jewellers in the country have decided to go on a strike on Wednesday to protest the Union governments directive making declaration of permanent account number (PAN) mandatory. After the directive was implemented on January 1, organised jewellers say they have lost 30 per cent sales.

According to Suvro Chandra, joint managing director of P C Chandra Jewellers, customers are reluctant to buy as a majority either dont have a PAN card or fear a declaration.An option to fill up Form 60 has been given to people who do not have a PAN card but people are reluctant to fill all the 24 sections in that form. We, like the industry, have lost about 30 per cent sales in January, he said.

The organised jewellery market, comprising around 100,000 shops, is about 45 per cent of the market, pegged at Rs 3.5 lakh crore.

Sankar Sen, chairman and managing director of Senco Gold, who is also the zonal chairman  east of the All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF), said the association has called for the strike finding no other alternative.

We want the government to roll back this threshold of mandatory PAN declaration to Rs 5 lakh. This way we will be able to carry on our usual business," he said.

Sen said the restriction has discouraged a majority of semi-urban and rural buyers, who are engaged in farming or in small trade practices, from purchasing jewellery.

Subhadip Roy of Bengal Jewellery claimed 40-50 per cent of daily transactions, valued around Rs 1,350 crore nationally, is comprised of inherited gold.

People also resort to recycling inherited gold and here, they are questioning why PAN declaration is compulsory as they are not purchasing it anew," he said.

The association is also pressuring the government by approaching the Trinamool Congress.

We have given a deputation to the chief minister and her party so that this issue can be raised at committee meetings of the Lok Sabha in the pre-Budget sessions," a source in the industry said.

Asked what the course of action will be if the government doesn't yield to their demand, the source said, The future depends on the Budget. We hope the government will understand our concerns." The source said they would intensify the protest if their concerns are not addressed in the Budget.
Moglix, an e-commerce company specialising in B2B (business-to-business) procurement of industrial products, has raised an undisclosed funding from Tata Sons chairman emeritus Ratan Tata.

This marks Tatas entry as an investor in a manufacturing tech-startup, adding to his varied portfolio of e-commerce and new-age technology enabled .

With his expertise and keen interest in the sector, Tata will play an important role in mentoring Moglix on business growth, global expansion and leadership, Moglix said.

Founded in August 2015 by Rahul Garg, a former Google employee, Moglix currently specialises in B2B procurement of industrial products such as MRO, fasteners and industrial electricals and is partnering with manufacturers and distributors across these categories in India, China and other Asian countries.

Moglix recently raised Pre-Series A funding from Accel Partners and Jungle Ventures. The funds are being used to enhance the technology platform, build a deep supplier base as well as increase marketing spends across Asia.

"We are extremely pleased to have an icon of Indian manufacturing as our advisor. Tatas contribution to the manufacturing sector has been inspirational and we look forward to his guidance as we steer the company towards transforming the buying and selling process for manufacturers in the country. While globally, top manufacturers have evolved towards adoption of technology for procurement and sales  Indian manufacturers have been slow to adopt technology, leading to process inefficiencies and limited marketing exposure. Moglix strongly believes that the unorganised supply chain in India can only be solved with a technology-first mindset. We are confident that Tatas role as an investor and mentor will help us gain a strong foothold in the sector and realize our vision," said Rahul Garg, founder and chief executive officer of Moglix.

The Make in India programme, when combined with the digital initiatives in the country, has great potential to play a transformative role in Indias manufacturing sector. We need to attract young entrepreneurs to commit to the Make in India " initiative for it to succeed," he added.
The telecom regulator on Monday struck down differential pricing for internet services offered by telecom players to mobile users, in a bid to uphold the principles of net neutrality.

This will be a big blow to Facebooks Free Basics  and other zero-rated platforms such as Airtel Zero  for which the social media giant had launched an aggressive campaign in December last year.

Bharti Airtel had launched Airtel Zero last year in April, but withdrew it after criticism, while Free Basics, earlier named internet.org, is operational in 19 countries, including some in Africa.

Telecom service providers will be prohibited from offering different/discriminatory tariffs based on content, service, application or any other data which the user is accessing or transmitting on the internet, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said.

However, providing limited free data that enables users to access the entire internet will be allowed. In emergency situations, such as floods and earthquakes, operators will be allowed to offer free data plans.

Violation of rules fixed by Trai will attract hefty fines  financial disincentive of Rs 50,000 for each day of contravention, subject to a maximum Rs 50 lakh. Trais views came after two months of deliberations on the issue.

Differential pricing is not in the interest of the consumers, the growth of the internet, and open and non-discriminatory internet, said Trai Chairman R S Sharma.

Differential pricing means charging customers different prices for access to different websites and services. Zero-rating platforms are services  developed by telcos in partnership with internet service providers (ISPs)/app makers come  give free access to customers for certain applications/websites.

Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings, said a Facebook spokesperson.

The social media giant had entered into a tie-up with Reliance Communications in India to launch Free Basics. But, Trai had asked RCom to suspend the commercial launch of the product till its approval.

Telecom operators association, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), also expressed its displeasure over the Trais rules.

Rajan Mathews, director-general, COAI, said: The telecom sector is disappointed with Trais decision to rule out differential pricing. Allowing price differentiation would have taken us closer to connecting the one billion unconnected citizens, apart from improving economic efficiency, increase in broadband penetration, and reduction in customer costs.

For now, operators cannot enter into any arrangement based on discriminatory pricing and would be fined if they do so. These rules do not apply to closed electronic communications network, where data is neither received nor transmitted over the internet.

The regulator had asked Facebook to ask its users to specifically answer the queries in the paper.

Experts had a mixed reaction to Trais proposals.

Hemant Joshi, partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP, said: Differential pricing for different level of services is a well-accepted principle across all industries  energy, railways, and airlines. The concept of differential pricing inherently recognises the economic principle of paying differently for different levels of service. In the telecom sector, there are virtual highways that need to follow the same principle.



He added that the European Union was considering allowing specialised services with a few priority services having in the fast-lane internet. More awareness and education is needed about the economics of differential pricing and its long term implications on the sector and the consumers.



Arpita Pal Agrawal, leader, telecom, PwC India, said, What remains to be done is to find innovative ways to actually get all citizens access to internet as Indias ranking in universal broadband access is abysmally poor and the digital divide continues to widen.



But, IT industry body Nasscom came out in the support of Trais regulations saying it is balanced for retaining the provision to allow for reduced tariffs for public emergency.

Our submission highlighted the importance of net neutrality principles, non-discriminatory access and transparent business models aligned to the goal of enhancing internet penetration in the country, R Chandrashekhar, president, Nasscom, said.

The decision is fully in line with the BJP-led NDA government's vision of open and fair Internet and support to net neutrality," said Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad



ROAD TO NEUTRALITY

2015

Feb: Reliance Communications and Facebook announce launch of internet.org. RComs customers can use it to access certain websites for free



Reliance Communications and Facebook announce launch of internet.org. RComs customers can use it to access certain websites for free Apr: Bharti Airtel launches Airtel Zero. Mobile users can access certain applications for free. Service withdrawn after protests



Bharti Airtel launches Airtel Zero. Mobile users can access certain applications for free. Service withdrawn after protests Dec: Trai issues a consultation paper on differential pricing in data services. Experts claim these plans violate the principles of net neutrality



Facebook launches an aggressive campaign to promote Free Basics, asking users to send the regulator a mail, but Trai says these would not be considered as the responses dont answer its questions

2016

Jan: Trai gets 2.4 million comments (1.8 million from Facebook users)



Trai gets 2.4 million comments (1.8 million from Facebook users) Feb: Trai disallows data plans with discriminatory tariffs

NET NEUTRALITY IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

IN UNITED STATES

IN EUROPEAN UNION

IN AUSTRALIA

IN CHINA

WHAT IT MEANS

The term net neutrality was coined in the US by law professor Tim Wu while discussing competing contents and applications. In the latest in the net neutrality tussle, Federal courts have given go ahead to rules that prevent net firms from blocking or slowing down online traffic. The courts are not postponing implementation of net neutrality rules, despite opposition from firms such as Verizon and AT&T. The Federal Communications Commission is fighting to uphold net neutralityEuropean Parliament in September 2015 voted against net neutrality for the entire Union. Only Slovenia and the Netherlands have net neutrality lawsThe countrys National Broadband Network (NBN) is holding discussions on net neutrality. NBN says the issue needs to be debated widely before taking a final decisionWhile China claims to have net neutrality, experts say internet service providers are owned and operated by the government, which has an iron grip on the content. In the early days of the internet in China, the Communist Party stopped attempts by Chinas Democracy Party to establish free internet access. Experts say the Chinese government employs sophisticated technology to limit content onlineNo service provider can offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content, service, application or other data that a user is accessing or transmitting on the internet.

Emergency services kept out



TOUGH PENALTY



Violators of the regulation would be charged Rs 50,000 a day, subject to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh



ROAD AHEAD



Trai may review these regulations after two years
Every entrepreneur can (or at any rate should be able to) prepare a business plan for where s/he wants to see the company going and how it's going to get there. However, tailoring all the information that is in your mind and your business into tangible, coherent documents that will share your plans with investors is a whole other ball game. The manner in which you present such information and documents can have a significant bearing on the funding your business is able to attract, in a world where there's a scurry for early stage investment and the options, both for and investors, are aplenty. This article explores the way this can be achieved, from the perspective of a startup.
While there are some obvious benefits for domestic steel producers following the imposition of a minimum import price (MIP) on steel, the industry seems to have a bigger plan as it prepares to file for longer-duration duties to counter cheaper imports.

On Friday, the government imposed MIPs on 173 steel products to protect domestic players. This duty is going to remain valid for a period of six months. With the MIP, imports would become costlier by 26-70 per cent, said a report by Prabhudas Lilladher.

We are looking at anti-dumping and countervailing duties as the next measures to fix the steel import issue since these duties are typically placed for three-four years, Sanak Mishra, secretary-general at the Indian Steel Association, told Business Standard on Monday.

Integrated primary steel producers like the Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel, Jindal Steel & Power, state-owned Steel Authority of India and Tata Steel will be among the biggest beneficiaries of the MIP.

"We expect the industry will file the application for antidumping duties by the beginning of March. Given the process involved in antidumping awards, the MIP will provide major interim relief to the sector," said the Prabhudas Lilladher report.

The industry will now study each of 500 products to find the extent of injury due to imports. Of course, not all will qualify for the next level of duties we plan to apply for, but we will investigate injury to all, Mishra said. Apart from countervailing and anti-dumping duties, the safeguard duty is an option for some products, he added.

Anti-dumping duties are more permanent (three-four years), legally binding and fall under World Trade Organisation (WTO) norms. They are more beneficial than the safeguard duty or the MIP, said an analyst with a local brokerage.

The new MIP will help domestic steel producers to improve their realisations for the next couple of quarters.

The pricing scenario is expected to change in the next few months as were earlier selling at a distress, said Giriraj Daga, portfolio manager at SKS Capital & Research.

Brokerages expect steel producers to raise prices by about Rs 3,000-4,000 per tonne in March. Prices are expected to go up gradually, said an analyst with a local brokerage. An improvement in margins will be seen in all in the coming months.



Some brokerages, however, feel the hike in prices will be limited. Poor profitability of the user industry, overcapacity in the sector (around 13 million tonnes of supply just added) and a shift of steel product imports to finished products will limit the increase in prices, said the Prabhudas Lilladher report.

Some brokerages raised the issue of possible circumvention of the MIP via overinvoicing or sourcing through overseas subsidiaries. Others said intense government monitoring would discourage such practices.

Imports will come in through major government ports and the government will not allow the industry to exploit the help given, said Daga.
The state governments labour department postponed the talks it is brokering between Tata Motors and its striking workers, after negotiation failed to lift a lockout of the company's bus manufacturing facility in Dharwad.

Tata declined to entertain a plea by an "external union", the Trade Union Centre of India (Karnataka Krantikari Kamagara Union) to take back workers who'd been dismissed on charges of disrupting work at the factory last month. "The union and the company maintained their respective stands. They did not want to compromise," said a labour department official, who did not want to be named.

Tata Motors had declared a lockout on Saturday at the factory, where buses are made under the Marcopolo brand. The strike was in the wake of a demand for more pay.

It is unfortunate that discussions failed. We are concerned on how long this would continue, said Abhishek Desai, president, Tata Motors Marcopolo Workers Association. He said the government asked the striking union to dilute its stand, in the interest of workers in the region.

The plant, the largest in north Karnataka, produces 60 buses a day for both local markets and abroad, such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It employs 4,500 workers and nearly 5,000 more work in ancillary units that provide components.

In April last year, the unit had faced a similar situation but the issue was resolved.
The attacks on Mumbai that killed 166 people, commonly called the 26/11 attacks, were not the first attempt to destabilise Indias commercial capital by violence. Two unsuccessful attempts were made earlier, but it was not yet known whether the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) had a role in planning these.

This was part of the confession made by David Headley, allegedly a US-Pakistan double agent who became a member of the LeT and played an important role in the conspiracy that led to the 26/11 attacks. The first attempt to attack Mumbai was made in September 2008. But the boat carrying the attackers hit a rock in the sea and weapons and explosives were lost. The second attempt with the same team was in October 2008 but that too failed. The third attempt was successful.

Speaking to reporters, Headleys lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani said in Mumbai, He (Headley) has confirmed that he joined LeT after being influenced by Hafeez Saeed. He has not explained the role of LeT in the attacks.



Headley told the Mumbai court more or less what he had earlier said in the US: He met with a man called Sajid Mir of the LeT, and changed his name. He got a new passport and visited Mumbai seven times, mostly from Pakistan. Headley said he carried out reconnaissance as sought by Mir, his alleged Pakistani handler.

Headley said he and a retired Pakistani Army major, Abdur Rehman Pasha, were arrested in Landi Kotal near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border because he looked like a foreigner. Major Ali and Major Iqbal of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) used him to spy on India. Headley said, in the US, Raymond Sanders of the immigration law centre in Chicago helped him get a visa to India from the Indian Embassy in Chicago, based on fake information and the reference of Tahawwur Husain Rana, Headleys school friend. Rana later became a doctor in the Pakistan Army.

He admitted during his examination in chief by special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam that he joined the ranks of LeT after getting influenced and motivated by the speeches of Hafiz Saeed Sahab. I used to treat India as my enemy. Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi also saw India as their enemy, Headley told the special judge during his first deposition in an Indian court which began at 7 am. This was the first case of deposition via video link from a foreign land.

Headley, an LeT operative, is currently serving a 35-year prison term in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks.

The court is currently trying key plotter Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, facing trial for his alleged role in the terror attacks that had held the city to ransom for three days. The deposition of Headley assumed significance as it might unravel the conspiracy behind the strike.

The court had on December 10, 2015, made Headley an approver in the case and directed him to depose before the court on February 8. He had then told Special Judge G A Sanap he was ready to depose if granted pardon. Judge Sanap had then made Headley an approver.

The Mumbai Police had on October 8 moved an application before the court saying that Headley deserves to be tried by this (Mumbai) court together with 26/11 key plotter Abu Jundal as both were conspirators and abettors. The Mumbai Police said from a judgment passed by a US court against Headley, it was clear that he was a member of the LeT and he had played an active role in the criminal conspiracy behind the terror attack.

This is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a 'foreign terrorist' will appear before an Indian court and testify, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had said on Sunday.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley, which began today before a special Mumbai court will continue tomorrow at 7 a.m.

During the deposition, he revealed the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In what is likely to be a shock to Indian intelligence agencies, David Headley said that the Lashkar-e-Taiba made two unsuccessful attempts to attack Mumbai.

The first, he revealed, was in September 2008; it failed after the boat hit some rocks and all the weapons and explosives were lost, even though the terrorists survived, said Headley, who has turned approver in the case, given his role in the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008.

A second attempt was made merely a month later using the same crew as the first attempt. He did not specify how or why the second one failed as well.

Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani told the media that Headley has told the special court that he acted on the advice of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.

I was a true follower of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and knew of the groups intention even before (my) first visit to India, Headley told the special court.

Headley, who is currently in the custody of the United States, agreed to turn approver for the Indian government in exchange for leniency.

A key witness to the criminal conspiracy that led to the killings of hundreds of people during the terror attack, Headley said he changed his name (from Daood Gilani to David Headley) so he could freely enter India with an American name, and that he visited Pakistan within a few weeks of changing his name.

He also identified his LeT handler as one Sajid Mir who, he said, was aware of his name change and wanted Headley to set up some business or office in India. Sajid Mir (LeT) asked me to take general video of Mumbai city, Headley told the court, Headley reportedly told the court. .

Headley confirmed that he visited India 8 times, of which he was in Mumbai 7 times; he has been accused to video taping key locations that were later used by the terrorists during the attacks. He also told the court that seven of his India trips were directly from Pakistan while only one was from the United Arab Emirates.

After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks I visited India on 7th March 2009 from Lahore to Delhi, he told the court.

He also revealed that all details except place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality & passport number were incorrect in his visa application to enter India.
Starting 2016, Norway, known as the land of midnight sun, is expecting to attract at least four Indian film projects every year, thereby increasing inbound tourist arrivals from India, according to Norwegian ambassador to India, Nils Ragnar Kamsvag.

"Norway was an unexplored destination for many Indian travellers until a couple of years ago. However, the prospect of seeing fjords, the Midnight Sun and Northern Lights is now drawing many tourists from India to Norway.

And, the more these locations are shown on the big screen in India, the more focus will grow on inbound tourism," he told Business Standard.

According to him, the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi has granted about 8,500 visa applications for tourist purposes last year, a substantial growth in visa applications for tourism since 2012.

Stating that Norway's ministry of culture, through the Norwegian Film Institute, has announced up to 25 per cent subsidy for international production houses, Kamsvag said that the value of the Norwegian currency, Krone, had fallen by 20 per cent against major currencies last year, making filming in Norway or just visiting the country considerably cheaper.

"This year, Norway has announced a new incentive scheme that grants films that are produced in Norway a 25 per cent return on costs. The Norwegian Film institute hopes this will encourage an increase in foreign film production in the country. The government and the institute anticipate that this will bring in more international projects, including from countries like India," he added.
Six people, four young labourers from Chhattishgarh and two chemists, were killed and one injured in an explosion at a pharmaceutical unit on the outskirts of city in the early hours of Monday.

Burnt bodies of the deceased were strewn around under the impact of the explosion, police said.

The unit, which makes drug intermediates, is owned by Hasita Aromatics Private Limited, a small-scale company based in Hyderabad, according to the police.

"A nutsche filter attached to a reactor exploded, killing those standing close to it. We are trying to ascertain the cause of the accident," police inspector Manmohan told Business Standard.

The two other persons, who died in the explosion, were chemists. Explosion also caused chemical spill due to which four of the bodies were charred, police said.

About 15 people were working on the night shift when the incident occurred. The company employs about 30 people at the factory, according to police.

Fire services and forensic departments were pressed into service. The police have shifted the bodies for post-mortem before handing them over to their families.

There are dozens of chemical factories operating in the industrial estates located around the city of Hyderabad. Several incidents of this nature, including fire accidents being caused by the chemicals stored in factory premises were reported in the recent past.
As many as 10,000 former workers and other staff of two textile mills, Hukumchand Mill and Binod Mill, in the Malwa region are struggling to get their back wages for more than two decades. Established in the pre-independence era, Hukumchand Mill has been reduced to rubble while Binod Mill still has some concrete remains.

According to the Madhya Pradesh labour department, the two mills shut down in 1991, rendering 5,500 workers in Hukumchand Mill, Indore and 4,500 workers in Binod Mill, Ujjain, jobless.

The legal battle for ownership between the creditors of the mills and the state government has subsided but it was a long wait for over a thousand workers who have died. The surviving workers are not sure if they will ever receive their wages.

"The state cabinet decided recently to sell the land of Binod Mills. Earlier, it decided to sell the land of Hukumchand Mill to settle the dues of workers," K C Gupta, Madhya Pradesh's labour commissioner, said. "According to our records, Rs 217 crore is to be paid to workers of Hukumchand Mill and Rs 57 crore to workers of Binod Mill," he added.

"The state cabinet recently okayed a plan to sell Binod Mill's land to be used for the Ujjain Smart City project. The special purpose vehicle created for the Ujjain Smart City project will sell the land and pay creditors and workers," Narottam Mishra, a cabinet minister, said.

The state cabinet had in August decided to sell the Hukumchand Mill land. An ownership dispute between government agencies had resulted in no buyer interest when in November the government tried to put the Hukumchand Mill land up for sale.

"There is a dispute over land ownership between the state government and the Indore Municipal Corporation," said Harman Singh Dhaliwal, a former Hukumchand Mill worker and office-bearer of an employees' association.

The state government was also contesting land ownership with the creditors of Binod Mill, a worker of Binod Mills said.

"We do not know what will happen but workers must be paid their dues. It is more than two decades," said Subhash Sirose, a former worker of Hukumchand Mill.

"Do they want us all to die so that they can avoid payments?" asked Bhagwandas Pal, who stays in a temporary structure in the Hukumchand mill compound. "I will not leave the mill campus until my dues are cleared," added the 72-year-old Pal.

He said as many as 1,700 workers had died in penury. He and Dhaliwal maintain records and both said each worker, on average, had Rs 3.50 lakh dues.
Spanish train-maker Talgo could soon conduct trial runs for its semi-high-speed trains on the Delhi-Mumbai route.

This follows an in-principle approval from the government to showcase Talgos specialised lighter and faster trains.

The Madrid-based firm had recently sought the rail ministrys nod to give free trials. The company had suggested using the legacy network of the Indian Railways to increase connectivity, officials said. If all goes well, Talgo trains from Spain would reduce travel time between Delhi and Mumbai to less than 12 hours from 17 hours now. Talgo has sought permission to conduct trial runs on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor of high-speed trains, said a senior rail ministry official.

Talgo Chief Executive Jose Maria Oriol had last year met Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu during a trip to India to promote his products.

BIG DEAL The company has suggested using the legacy network of the Indian Railways to increase connectivity



The trial run is expected to be conducted at 160-200 kmph



Apart from being lighter, Talgo trains are known for consuming up to 30 per cent less energy



Currently, the Bhopal Shatabdi is the fastest, touching a maximum speed of 140 kmph on the Delhi-Agra section



Talgo's trains are operational in Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Italy, the US, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

The trial run is expected to be conducted at 160-200 kmph on the stretch. Depending on the results, the ministry might take a call on introducing the trains on a regular basis. Apart from being lighter, Talgo trains are known for consuming up to 30 per cent less energy.

The company had already said it was willing to manufacture and export rakes from India, benefitting the Make In India drive and the recent 100 per cent foreign direct investment policy in the railways.

India has identified nine semi-high-speed corridors where trains can reach between 160 kmph and 200 kmph. Currently, the Bhopal Shatabdi is the fastest train on the Indian Railways network, touching a maximum speed of 140 kmph on the Delhi-Agra section. Talgo's trains are operational in Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Italy, the US, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, according to the companys website.
The government has asked state-run companies to buy back shares, people with knowledge of the matter said, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks to narrow Asia's widest Budget deficit without cutting stimulus spending.

The boards of Coal India, MOIL, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), National Aluminium Co (Nalco), India Renewable Energy Development Agency (Ireda) are among those that will have to decide on valuations, the people said, asking not to be identified, as the talks are private. These companies had about Rs 78,450 crore in cash and marketable securities last year - according to data compiled by Bloomberg - more than double Modi's social welfare budget.

A revenue boost is crucial as back-to-back years of weak rainfall compel Modi to spur demand in rural areas even as pressure mounts to avoid runaway spending. The rupee, sovereign bonds and stocks had their worst January since 2011, weighed down by the global slowdown and as concerns about fiscal slippage mount. While weak global demand denies companies adequate returns on their investment, falling share prices offer them a good chance to consolidate ownership, the people said. About 50 listed state-run companies had a total Rs 2 lakh crore in cash and marketable securities in 2015.

"The Finance Ministry has written to us about a 25 per cent share buyback by Nalco," Mines Secretary Balvinder Kumar said last week, referring to National Aluminium. While the department was expecting Rs 1,300 crore from a 10 per cent stake, it can't say for sure how much it will receive, he added.

Ireda Chairman K S Popli said the government's decision is a "good move" that will improve companies' valuations and earnings per share.

Coal India Chairman Sutirtha Bhattacharya and NMDC spokesman Rafique Ahmed didn't immediately answer multiple calls seeking comment. An e-mail to Neeraj Dutt Pandey, MOIL's company secretary wasn't immediately answered. Finance Ministry spokesman D S Malik said he couldn't immediately comment.

While the government will probably meet its deficit goal of 3.9 per cent of gross domestic product for the year through March, investors including Standard Chartered Plc and Morgan Stanley predict it will deviate from its 3.5 per cent aim next year when it presents its Budget on February 29.

Missing fiscal targets could push up bond yields and erode the government's credibility, Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan had said last month.
India ranks 120 among 131 countries on women labour participation, according to a report by International Labour Organization. Traditionally, this has been blamed on a culturally patriarchal society and rising family incomes that allow more women to stay at home.

A new paper by World Bank economists blames a "jobs deficit" for the decline in female labour force participation over the past decade. The study says a scarcity of "suitable job opportunities" outside farming and close to the place of residence are the main reasons why fewer women have joined the workforce.

This study has challenged the widely accepted narrative by India's policymakers and, if accepted, will have far-reaching ramifications.

According to National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), employment surveys, women participation rates in India fell sharply after 2004-05. Between 2004-05 and 2010-11, women labour participation in rural areas fell 12-14 percentage points.

To a large extent, this was because of a fall in agricultural employment. In the preceding five years (1999-00 to 2004-05), women participation had firmed up, increasing by roughly 14.6 million. Economists have argued this increase was in response to rural distress. Agricultural growth during these years had slowed to less than two per cent annually, putting pressure on farm incomes. This prompted women's entry into labour force, boosting household incomes. The situation reversed after 2004-05. The conventional explanation for reversal rests on the "income effect".

With rural incomes steadily increasing because of a combination of rising commodity prices and government support, female labour force participation fell sharply. Santosh Mehrotra, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, says, "with the rise of commercial agriculture and of household income (and fall in poverty rate), the opportunity cost of domestic activities for women increases, while that for paid labour of women decreases." Hence, women withdrew from the labour force in large numbers, a preferred choice in what is predominantly a patriarchal society.

Other explanations by economists like Mehrotra are greater involvement in domestic duties and care work, poor skills training, lack of support for women entrepreneurs, occupational segregation and informality of work.

In the absence of a detailed analytical study, it has been difficult to gauge the actual impact of each of these factors. That's the question this study tried to address.
The Uttar Pradesh government has sought central finance assistance of Rs 5,000 crore for the proposed Lucknow-Ballia Purvanchal Expressway, which is estimated to cost nearly Rs 18,000 crore.

The demand for central aid is a major departure from the earlier stance of the ruling Samajwadi Party government, which had, on several occasions and platforms, reiterated it would build the 350 km expressway using its own resources.

The government is already funding the under-construction 302 km Agra-Lucknow Expressway, which is the most ambitious project of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. It is estimated to cost nearly Rs 15,000 crore. UP had decided to state fund the project after it failed to take off under the public private partnership (PPP) route.

Later, the government proposed another mega expressway project to link eastern UP region (Purvanchal) with the state capital. The idea was to provide seamless connectivity between Purvanchal and the national capital region (NCR) via Purvanchal Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway and the 165 km long Yamuna Expressway, which is already operational.

In the pre-budget meeting with union finance minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi recently, UP planning commission deputy chairman Naveen Chandra Bajpai, on behalf of Yadav, said Purvanchal Expressway was aimed at alleviating the backwardness of the region through infrastructure development.

He asserted the Expressway would generate employment and boost economic activities on a large scale. The land acquisition cost of the project is pegged at Rs 3,500 crore.

The proposed 8-lane Purvanchal Expressway would traverse 10 UP districts viz. Lucknow, Barabanki, Amethi, Faizabad, Sultanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Mau, Ghazipur and Ballia. Azamgarh is the parliamentary constituency of SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The state nodal agency UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) is working closely with the respective district administration for ensuring land sale deeds were signed with the owners through mutual consent.

The Expressway is projected to cut travel time between Lucknow and Ballia to less than five hours, thus allowing farmers to speedily transport farm produce to mandis for better prices.

The bidding process for selecting private companies, who would be awarded the contract to build the expressway in eight packages under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract route is underway.

Meanwhile, Agra-Lucknow Expressway is projected to be operational before December 2016. It spans 10 districts viz. Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Auraiya, Kannauj, Kanpur City, Unnao, Hardoi and Lucknow. It also follows EPC route and estimated to cost Rs 15,000 crore.
Government-owned Vijaya Bank plans to raise Rs 1,000 crore in this quarter, for capital adequacy norms and business growth. Of this, the Bengaluru-based lender expects the government to give Rs 500 crore as equity.

The government has not infused equity in two years. The bank has presented five-year plans for capital requirements to the government, said Kishore Kumar Sansi, managing director and chief executive officer.

Another Rs 500 crore will be raised via tier-I and Basel-III-compliant bonds. It has already raised Rs 450 crore through tier-II bonds. The capital adequacy under Basel-III rules was 10.65 per cent at end-December, with the tier-I ratio at 7.8 per cent and tier-II at 2.85 per cent.

It had surprised on Friday by reporting 40.7 per cent growth in net profit at Rs 52.6 crore for the quarter ended December 2015. On Friday, its share price had closed 16 per cent higher at Rs 34.3 on the BSE exchange.

Sansi said reworking the liabilities profile, containing of non-performing loans and a push for recoveries contributed to the performance.

The emphasis has been on consolidating the balance sheet, reflected in growth of only two-odd per cent (year-on-year) in deposits to Rs 125,475 crore. Credit rose 13.3 per cent in 12 months to Rs 89,696 crore. The credit to deposit ratio went from 63 per cent to 71 per cent, Sansi said.

On controlling of bad loans, he said theyd categorised some assets as impaired loans in the previous quarter and made provisions. Gross slippages in the December quarter were Rs 730 crore. Upgradations were Rs 329 crore, resulting in net slippage of around Rs 400 crore.

The gross non-performing assets (NPAs) ratio as on end-December was 4.32 per cent, up from 2.92 per cent a year before. The net NPA ratio was 2.98 per cent, from 1.89 per cent. The provision coverage ratio was 58.07 per cent. The total of restructured assets was Rs 5,226 crore.

He said the bank was trying to contain stressed assets at the end-December level seen. An assessment was on and a clearer picture would emerge in 10 days.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma Launches 24x7 toll free Tourist Infoline in 12 International Languages . . Incredible India Mobile App to be Launched very soon . .

Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism & Culture and Minister of State for Civil Aviation launched the 24x7 Toll Free Tourist Infoline in 12 International Languages including Hindi and English" available on the existing Toll Free Numberor on a short codeat a function here today. This project is being implemented by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India through M/s. TATA BSS who have been associated with the work after open bidding process. The languages handled by the contact centers include ten International languages besides English and Hindi, namely, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. A Live Demo" of this Multilingual Infoline Service in Japanese, Chinese, Russian and Italian languages was also presented on the occasion. The Minister also announced that very soon his Ministry will launch anto facilitate tourists in a better way. .

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Addressing on the occasion, the Minister said that the launching of this Multilingual Infoline has marked the fulfillment of the promise made to the people by the present Government for according priority for safety and security of tourists. This Infoline service will provide information relating to Travel & Tourism in India to the domestic and International tourists/visitors and to assist the callers with advice on action to be taken during times of distress while travelling in India and if need be alert the concerned authorities. .

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He said that now Tourists travelling in or planning to travel to India can seek help and information for a hassle free experience. He said that the calls made by tourists (both international and domestic) while in India will be free of charge. The international tourists in India and also international callers who speak the aforesaid languages will be directed to the call agents proficient in the respective language. .

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Shri Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, M/o Tourism in his address said that the focus will be on IEC i.e. Information, Education and Communication for the Tourists followed by a Helpdesk and then safety and security of the Tourists. The website of Incredible India is also being revived to make it more Tourist friendly. Ministry of Tourism in order to provide information services to the incoming tourists & domestic tourists has setup this Tourist info line. This service will primarily serve those who know very little about India or about travel within India, and those who do not understand Indian systems and often not even English. .

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Shri Srinivas Koppolu, MD & COO of TATA BSS gave the details of the functioning of Infoline and how will it be very beneficial for Tourists. Dr. Ravi Kant Bhatnagar, Addl. DG (Tourism) dwelt upon the need for such a valuable Infoline and informed about the various aspects of it. .

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President Barack Obama will ask the US Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to fight the mosquito-borne Zika virus in the United States and other countries, the White House said on Monday.

Most of the money would be spent in the United States on testing, surveillance and response in affected areas, and on research into a vaccine, with some funds also going to support countries already grappling with the virus, the White House said.

The World Health Organization has declared an international health emergency over the rapidly spreading virus, because scientists suspect it can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by an abnormally small head. Zika has been reported in 33 countries, mostly in the Americas.

Given Zika causes no symptoms in most people who are infected, and only mild symptoms in those who do get ill, US. Health officials have said their greatest concern is for pregnant women or women who may become pregnant.

In an interview that aired on Monday, President Barack Obama noted the request for more resources but also urged calm. "The good news is this is not like Ebola, people don't die of Zika. A lot of people get it and don't even know that they have it," he told CBS News. "But there shouldn't be panic on this, this is not something where people are going to die from it. It is something we have to take seriously."



There have been 50 confirmed cases of Zika in the United States among people who had traveled to affected areas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

The White House said it would ask for $250 million for Puerto Rico, the financially struggling US territory.

Top US health officials are set to brief Congress this week. "Congress will review this new request and the president's budget request. And given limited federal resources, we expect the administration will brief Congress on their funding priorities at the briefing," said Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health and the CDC's Anne Schuchat were due to talk to reporters at the White House about the request later on Monday.
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Onion prices fell to the lowest level of this season at Rs 5 a kg, also the lowest in nearly two years, in the benchmark Lasalgaon mandi in Nashik on Monday, owing to a massive upsurge in arrivals of the new season crop.

Amid fear of quality deterioration, farmers preferred to dump at any price quoted by buyers. The average cost of production is Rs 5.50 a kg.

We have no choice but to sell at any price. The red onion produced in the late kharif season cannot be stored for long-term use due to shorter shelf life. In the earlier season, when prices started moving up, the government assured us help during the harvesting season.

Now, there is no support from the government. We borrowed from a local money lender, to whom the repayment looks impossible, said Pundalke Panchpute, a farmer in Lasalgaon with three acres.

Sanjay Sanap, proprietor of Shivkrupa Traders, an onion trader in Nashik, said: When prices move up, all make a hue and cry. But, no one comes to farmers rescue when the price slumps to below production cost. Onion farmers face this every year.



At present, onions arriving in different markets of the country are the produce of the late kharif season, primarily form Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The quality is good and the per-unit output is expected to be higher than in the previous years.

The National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF) forecasts output to be higher by five-seven per cent at 20.5-20.8 million tonnes (mt) this year, compared to 18.93 mt in the previous season. It estimates sowing at 1.2-1.3 million hectares, against 1.17 million hectares last year.

As anticipated earlier, a huge quantity of kharif and late kharif season crop arrival is hitting the mandi. Prices are likely to remain subdued and might decline further on bumper supply, said RP Gupta, director, NHRDF.

In a major relief for traders, a large quantity of import orders have started flowing into India from Sri Lanka, West Asia etc.

Interestingly, Chinese buyers remained absent from the market due to the New Year holiday there. Once they resume trade by the end of this week, shipment to China and Malaysia would also begin. Currently, India executes export orders to the tune of 100,000-125,000 tonnes a month. Once China and Malaysia markets start procuring onion from India, the overall exports would shot up to 150,000-175,000 tonnes a month.

But, expectations of an upsurge in exports might not lower prices in domestic markets until supply is controlled. Since export-quality onion is quoted at Rs 6-7 a kg, a fall of another Rs one per kg is possible, said Ajit Shah, president, Horticulture Exporters Association.

This would, however, translate into the medium quality of onion falling further to Rs 4 a kg and below in the coming weeks.

India exports around 1.5 mt of onion every year. Last year, however, the country had to import around 25,000 tonnes of onion to rein in spiralling onion prices.
There was heavy selling late on Monday, though India's gross domestic product (GDP) estimates and projections came along expected lines. Given the Chinese New Year, traders will be more focused on India during this week. Volumes may be low. Although the official GDP projections seem ok, the corporate results have been lacklustre.

The major trend still seems down. The Nifty reacted from a high of 7,600 on February 1. This is much lower than the prior high of 7,831 on January 5 and it maintains a bearish pattern of lower highs. However, lower lows have not yet been recorded in the latest downturn although we would expect lower lows if the major trend is down. The acid test would be a test of support at 7,250 and a fall below the current 52-low of 7,241 (January 20).

So, these are the points to watch for chartists. On the upside, look for a move beyond 7,600 setting up higher highs. On the downside, look for a fall below 7,240, for lower lows. The support at 7,200-7,250 looks fairly solid. As of Monday, the Nifty had bounced from support at 7,360. The bear market has lasted 11 months, with a correction from the all-time peak of 9,119 (March 2015).

A bounce till 7,750-7,850 levels could come quickly. The Nifty fell almost vertically from 7,800 to 7,250. One obvious trigger could be the possibility of strong rumours around the Budget, which drive the market up.

The Bank Nifty has run weaker than the overall market, which is unusual. As of now, most public-sector banks are near their respective 52-week lows and private banks have also seen selling on poor results. The Bank Nifty is just one big session away from a new 52-week low. A bearspread with an on-the-money long 15,000p (279), short 14,000p (51) costs 228. It could pay a maximum of 772. It would take just three or four big sessions to traverse 1,000 points.

An optimist hoping for bank sops in the Budget may try a long strangle, with a long 14,000p (50), long 16,000c (43). This costs 93. It is cheap and almost zero-delta. A four session trend in either direction would lead to a strike and big profit. Even two big trending sessions could mean a profit in practice. A nearer-the money strangle is long 15500c (133), long 14500p (122) with a risk:reward ratio that is poorer than 1:1.

The Nifty call option chain for February has ample open interest (OI) between 7,400c and 8,000c with a big peak at 7,600c. The February put option chain has big OI peaks at 7,400p, 7,300p and 7,200p with a high OI until 6,800p. The February put-call ratio (PCR) is negative at 0.9 and the 3-month PCR is bearish at 0.82.

The Nifty closed at 7,387 on Monday. A bullspread of long Feb 7,500c (71), short 7,600c (39) would cost 32 and pay a maximum of 68 at about 113 points from spot. A bearspread of long 7300p (81), short 7,200c (53) costs 28 with maximum payoff of 72 and this is 87 points from spot. These spreads could be combined. But they are not zero-delta and the cost is higher than the potential payoff.

As of now, the consensus view for traders is bearish. If you want a two-way stance, the wider Bank Nifty strangle outlined above is a better bet.
The Congress Party on Monday welcomed the decision of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on net neutrality, saying that its vice-president Rahul Gandhi has advocated a free internet all along.

"Rahul Gandhi advocated a Free Internet all along. TRAI's decision on Net Neutrality is a victory for all Netizens!" the Congress tweeted.

Earlier, Rahul had escalated his political campaign for the cause of net neutrality, accusing the Modi Government of delaying its policy stand on it and warning against the Digital India pitch ending up as a surrogate for the interests of big corporations.

"Nasscom has asked for net neutrality, over 500 start-up entrepreneurs are pleading for it, young in India have been demanding it, yet we have a government which under the pretext of repeated discussions has been delaying framing of a clear-cut policy on this," Rahul said in a statement.

In a setback to Facebook's free internet scheme, the TRAI ruled out differential pricing, saying that no company via any offer could charge discriminatory tariff for data on the basis of content effective immediately.
Defence expert Major General (Retired) S R Sinho on Monday said David Coleman Headley's revelation in the Mumbai special court, with regard to the 26/11 terror attacks, has made it clear that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is a "rubber stamp", with authority resting in the hands of the Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Sinho said Pakistan has been refuting their role in terrorist activities since the time terrorism took its first toll on India.

"In fact, it was shameful how they blamed India for the Peshawar attack. They also discredited the Pathankot attack. As far as I think, Pakistan would not do anything because, in Pakistan, whatever the Army wants, only that happens. ISI will do what it wants and Nawaz Sharif will not be able to do anything. Nawaz Sharif is like a rubber stamp and India must accept this," he added.

Sinho said Headley was cultivated by the ISI many times.

"And when Kasab was caught, Kasab also gave his name. Abu Jundal was an accomplice of Kasab. It was Jundal, who gave the testimony of involvement of David Headley in the attack. Headley was sent to India seven to eight times to recce. And, he recced the whole place and gave information to Pakistan. This was also proved in the United States and he was sentenced to 35 years in jail," he added.

Sinho said Pakistan would be given additional evidence post Headley's testimony in the court.

Meanwhile, former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Y P Singh said Headley's deposition would also reveal his Indian connections which have not come to the fore till time.

"As it is said that he repeatedly came to India many times, which means he had many accomplices. Several people helped him with the planning of 26/11 attack. Those people's names have still not become apparent during the course of the trial. If those names come out, a larger conspiracy can come to fore by interrogating them," he added.

In a crucial deposition of Headley before the Mumbai court through video conference on Monday, he admitted that the prior two failed attempts were made by the same 10 terrorists involved in 26/11 Mumbai attacks, who tried similar attempts in September and October 2008.

Headley admitted changing his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley to enter India and to conceal his identity. Headley visited India eight times before 26/11 attacks and once after it. Headley also admitted to giving false information in the visa application.

In a vital revelation, Headley admitted to meeting Sajid Mir of Lashkar-e-Taiba, who was his main contact. Headley said he changed his name in passport on instruction from Sajid Mir.

Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani told the media that his counsel Headley has told the special court that he acted on the advice of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.

Top Mumbai Police and Investigation Agency officials were present in the court, alongside the US Embassy officials.

Headley's deposition will continue in the Mumbai court at 7 am on Tuesday.

It is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a foreign terrorist is providing his evidences through video link.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he is expected to reveal the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. It is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a foreign terrorist is providing his evidences through video link.

Here is how Headley became an 'international' terrorist from being a nondescript:-

February 8, 2016: Headley deposes before a special Mumbai court from an undisclosed location in the United States through video conference on between 7 a.m to 12.30 p.m. The deposition is being recorded via video conferencing.

December 10, 2015: Headley was pardoned and made an approver by Additional Sessions Judge G A Sanap who presides over special cases related to terrorism, including those under the now repealed TADA.

The court had told Headley that he "disclose full and true facts leading to the happening of the attacks within his knowledge and the persons concerned, disclose his role and the role of others, disclose facts which he has admitted before the US court in Illinois and truthfully and correctly answer the prosecution's questions unfolding the entire criminal conspiracy and other offences".

Accepting his role in the attacks, Headley said, "I pleaded guilty in the past to the charges in the US and I admitted I was a participant in these charges... I appear here ready to answer questions regarding these events, if I receive a pardon from this court."

January 24, 2013: US District Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago sentenced him to 35 years in prison for a dozen federal terrorism crimes relating to his role in planning the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and a subsequent proposed attack on a newspaper office in Denmark.

According to Headley's guilty plea and testimony, he attended the following training camps operated by Lashkar: a three-week course starting in February 2002 that provided indoctrination on the merits of waging jihad; a three-week course starting in August 2002 that provided training in the use of weapons and grenades; a three-month course starting in April 2003 that taught close combat tactics, the use of weapons and grenades, and survival skills; a three-week course starting in August 2003 that taught counter-surveillance skills; and a three-month course starting in December 2003 that provided combat and tactical training.

December 2011: The Investigation Agency had filed a charge-sheet accusing Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana, Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed and seven others of conspiracy. The charge carries death penalty.

October 3, 2009: Arrested by the FBI at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago while on his way to Pakistan.

March 2009: After the Mumbai attack, Headley made a sixth trip to India to conduct additional surveillance, including of the Defense College in Delhi, and of Chabad Houses in several cities.

September 2006- July 2008: Headley made five extended trips to Mumbai each time making videotapes of various potential targets, including those attacked in November 2008. Before each trip, Lashkar members and associates instructed Headley regarding specific locations where he was to conduct surveillance. After each trip, Headley traveled to Pakistan to meet with Lashkar members and associates, report on the results of his surveillance, and provide the surveillance videos.

Before the April 2008 surveillance trip, Headley and co-conspirators in Pakistan discussed potential landing sites in Mumbai for a team of attackers who would arrive by sea. Headley returned to Mumbai with a global positioning system device and took boat trips around the Mumbai harbor and entered various locations into the device.

February, 2006: After receiving instructions in late 2005 to conduct surveillance in India, Headley changed his given name from Daood Gilani in Philadelphia to facilitate his activities on behalf of Lashkar by portraying himself in India as an American who was neither Muslim nor Pakistani.

November 26-28, 2008: 10 attackers trained by Lashkar carried out multiple assaults with firearms, grenades and improvised explosive devices against multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, the Leopold Cafe, the Chabad House and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, each of which Headley had scouted in advance, killing approximately 164 victims and wounding hundreds more.

November 2008: Headley was instructed by a Lashkar member in Pakistan, to conduct surveillance of the Copenhagen and Aarhus offices of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten in preparation for an attack in retaliation for the newspaper's publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he is expected to reveal the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. It is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a foreign terrorist is providing his evidences through video link.

Here is how Headley became an 'international' terrorist from being a nondescript:-

February 8, 2016: Headley deposes before a special Mumbai court from an undisclosed location in the United States through video conference on between 7 am to 12.30 pm. The deposition is being recorded via video conferencing.

December 10, 2016: Headley was pardoned and made an approver by Additional Sessions Judge G.A. Sanap who presides over special cases related to terrorism, including those under the now repealed TADA.

The court had told Headley that he "disclose full and true facts leading to the happening of the attacks within his knowledge and the persons concerned, disclose his role and the role of others, disclose facts which he has admitted before the U.S. court in Illinois and truthfully and correctly answer the prosecution's questions unfolding the entire criminal conspiracy and other offences."

Accepting his role in the attacks, Headley said, "I pleaded guilty in the past to the charges in the US and I admitted I was a participant in these charges... I appear here ready to answer questions regarding these events, if I receive a pardon from this court."

January 24, 2013: US District Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago sentenced him to 35 years in prison for a dozen federal terrorism crimes relating to his role in planning the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and a subsequent proposed attack on a newspaper office in Denmark.

According to Headley's guilty plea and testimony, he attended the following training camps operated by Lashkar: a three-week course starting in February 2002 that provided indoctrination on the merits of waging jihad; a three-week course starting in August 2002 that provided training in the use of weapons and grenades; a three-month course starting in April 2003 that taught close combat tactics, the use of weapons and grenades, and survival skills; a three-week course starting in August 2003 that taught counter-surveillance skills; and a three-month course starting in December 2003 that provided combat and tactical training.

December 2011: The Investigation Agency had filed a charge-sheet accusing Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana, Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed and seven others of conspiracy. The charge carries death penalty.

October 3, 2009: Arrested by the FBI at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago while on his way to Pakistan.

March 2009: After the Mumbai attack, Headley made a sixth trip to India to conduct additional surveillance, including of the Defense College in Delhi, and of Chabad Houses in several cities.

September 2006- July 2008: Headley made five extended trips to Mumbai each time making videotapes of various potential targets, including those attacked in November 2008. Before each trip, Lashkar members and associates instructed Headley regarding specific locations where he was to conduct surveillance. After each trip, Headley traveled to Pakistan to meet with Lashkar members and associates, report on the results of his surveillance, and provide the surveillance videos.

Before the April 2008 surveillance trip, Headley and co-conspirators in Pakistan discussed potential landing sites in Mumbai for a team of attackers who would arrive by sea. Headley returned to Mumbai with a global positioning system device and took boat trips around the Mumbai harbor and entered various locations into the device.

February, 2006: After receiving instructions in late 2005 to conduct surveillance in India, Headley changed his given name from Daood Gilani in Philadelphia to facilitate his activities on behalf of Lashkar by portraying himself in India as an American who was neither Muslim nor Pakistani.

November 26-28, 2008: 10 attackers trained by Lashkar carried out multiple assaults with firearms, grenades and improvised explosive devices against multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, the Leopold Cafe, the Chabad House and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, each of which Headley had scouted in advance, killing approximately 164 victims and wounding hundreds more.

November 2008: Headley was instructed by a Lashkar member in Pakistan, to conduct surveillance of the Copenhagen and Aarhus offices of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten in preparation for an attack in retaliation for the newspaper's publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.
The NDA Government on Monday released data that forecasts GDP growth for fiscal 2015-16 to be an estimated 7.6 percent. It also said that it expected GDP growth in quarter three to be between 7.3 percent and 7.1 percent through to December 2015.

According to a release of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released the advance estimates of national income at constant (2011-12) and current prices for the fiscal 2015-16.

Growth rates of GDP in terms of constant prices and current prices were as follows:

. Annual 2015-16 (Advance) was 7.6 percent (constant prices) and 8.6 percent (current prices)

. Quarter 1 (April to June 2015) was 7.6 percent (constant prices) and 8.7 percent (current prices)

. Quarter 2 (July to September 2015) was 7.7 percent (constant prices) and 6.4 percent (current prices)

. Quarter 3 (October to December 2015) was 7.3 percent (constant prices) and 9.2 percent (current prices)

According to the ministry's release, these estimates are based on anticipated level of agricultural production from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), Index of Industrial Production (IIP), monthly accounts of Union Government Expenditure maintained by Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and of state government expenditure maintained by Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

Performance of key sectors like transport, including railways, road, air and water transport etc, communication, banking and insurance have been taken into account while compiling the estimates.

Performance of the corporate sector during April-December 2015 period has also been taken into account while compiling advance estimates, the ministry said in its release.

The estimated growth is the indicator compiled on the basis of employee expenses, profit before tax and depreciation of listed companies deflated by appropriate price indices has been used to extrapolate the corporate sector estimates of the same quarter of the previous year.

If the data comes in line with expectations, it would be faster than 6.8 percent growth posted by China in the same quarter.

Prior to the announcement, the Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex plunged 330 points to 24,287.42. The 50-share NSE Nifty slid 101.85 points or 1.36 per cent at 7,387.25 after shuttling between 7,363.20 and 7,512.55.
The Delhi High Court on Monday reserved its order on plea for parole sought by Indian Lok Dal (INLD) leader Ajay Singh Chautala, who is presently in jail in connection with a teacher recruitment scam.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had ordered the release of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala on parole for four weeks.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his MLA son Ajay, and three other officials were sentenced to ten years in prison in 2013 by a special CBI court on charges of illegally recruiting over 3,000 teachers in the state by using forged documents. The scam was widely known as the JBT Scam since it involved the recruitment of junior basic teachers.

The Haryana Government's former director of primary education, Sanjeev Kumar, a 1989 batch IAS officer, had filed a writ in the Supreme Court alleging that the then Om Prakash Chautala Government had resorted to corrupt practices while recruiting 3208 Junior Basic Trained (JBT) teachers in 2000.

The apex court had refused to entertain their appeals against their conviction for committing irregularities in the recruitment of 3,032 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers.

They filed review petitions following this. The petitions were slated for a decision on January 20 but this was deferred at their instance. They have pleaded for permission to file revised review petitions.

On January 22, 2013, a trial court here had sentenced 55 accused in the case. Among those convicted were 82-year-old Chautala's then political adviser Sher Singh Badshami, the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Vidya Dhar, IAS, and then Primary Education Director Sanjiv Kumar, besides 50 others.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley would continue at a special Mumbai court from 7 am tomorrow.

The deposition of Headley began before a special Mumbai court today where he revealed the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In his revelation today, Headley said that two attempts were made prior to the final attack on November 26, 2008.

According to Headley, the first attempt was made in September 2008, which failed because the boat hit some rocks in the ocean. The people on board were saved as they were wearing life jackets. However, the weapons and explosives were lost.

He said that the second attempt was made after a month in October 2008.



Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani told the media that Headley has told the special court that he acted on the advice of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.

Jethmalani said Headley disclosed that the same ten people, who came on November 26, had come twice earlier but their attempts failed.

Headley, one of the main conspirators in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, deposed as a witness in the case and admitted that he had come to the city with a false identity at the behest of his colleague and handler Sajid Mir, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative.

Headley further admitted that he was a true follower of the LeT and had changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Coleman Headley for the purpose of acquiring a new passport to come to India. He said he had visited Mumbai seven times prior to the attacks on November 26, 2008. He even visited Delhi in March 2009 after the attacks.
Special public prosecutor in the 26/11 case, Ujjwal Nikam, on Monday said that David Coleman Headley's deposition has revealed that there is a close nexus between the Inter-Services Intelligence( ISI) and the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), adding that it is for the Government of India to take a call on the evidence provided by Headley.

"It is clearly seen that there is a close nexus between the ISI and the LeT, as per revelations made by Headley in his deposition. He also revealed that prior to the Mumbai terror attack, the LeT had made two unsuccessful attacks in September and October 2008. Those attacks were unsuccessful on the count of accident to the attackers," Nikam told reporters here.

"This is a very crucial case. It is for the Government of India to take call on the evidence of Headley. I am absolutely satisfied as to what David Headley has revealed in today's deposition. I may quiz Headley on certain aspects, which were never asked by the FBI," he added.

Nikam further stated that Headley changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Coleman Headley in America after joining the LeT in order to hide his identity from the Indian law enforcing agency.



"I did ask him as to when you applied for visa to the Indian Consulate of Chicago, did you disclose the true information in the visa application. He said that I did not disclose the two information, except my date of birth and nationality. We asked him as to what prompted you to give false information, he said that in order to suppress my real purpose of visit I did not disclose,' he said.

Nikam added that Headley in his deposition has revealed that he had joined the LeT militant organisation to take training in handling sophisticated weapons like AK-47 rifle.

"I asked him what your intention of LeT was. He said that LeT's intention to liberate Kashmir from India and therefore to commit various terrorist activities in Pakistan. I asked him whether he knows Major Iqbal. He said he(Major Iqbal) is an ISI guy," Nikam said.

"He further said that in one of the occasion, he was apprehended by the Pakistan Police on the ground that he being a foreigner and he possessed certain Indian images. Later on, he was discharged with the intervention of Ali. Ali had introduced him with Major Iqbal. Now it has come under record that Ali and Iqbal are ISI guys. They allowed him to be free from that case," he added.

"He said Hafiz Saeed and Jakiurm Rehman Lakhvi taught him. They said that they should do the Jihad. I specifically ask him the meaning of 'Jihad'. He explained to fight against the Indian army."

Nikam further stated that Headley's revelation pointed out that there were two failed attempts to carry out 26/11 sort of terror strikes before the attack in Mumbai.

He had also visited Mumbai once after the terror attack. There were seven instances when he visited Mumbai between 2003 to 2008 to carry out planning for the attack.

"He said that the first group was of ten attackers. The same group had tried for the second attack. The same group was successful in attacking Mumbai," he said.

Headley is currently serving 35 years in an American prison after being convicted of being involved in the planning and execution of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, in which 166 persons were killed and 300 injured.

The deposition of David Coleman Headley would continue at a special Mumbai court from 7 a.m. tomorrow.

The deposition of Headley began before a special Mumbai court today where he revealed the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In his revelation today, Headley said that two attempts were made prior to the final attack on November 26, 2008.

According to Headley, the first attempt was made in September 2008, which failed because the boat hit some rocks in the ocean. The people on board were saved as they were wearing life jackets. However, the weapons and explosives were lost.

He said that the second attempt was made after a month in October 2008.

Senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani told the media that Headley has told the special court that he acted on the advice of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.

Headley, one of the main conspirators in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, deposed as a witness in the case and admitted that he had come to the city with a false identity at the behest of his colleague and handler Sajid Mir, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative.

He said he had visited Mumbai seven times prior to the attacks on November 26, 2008.

He even visited Delhi in March 2009 after the attacks.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday held bilateral meetings with his counterpart from Nepal Bishnu Prasad Paudel and expressed hope that the Indian investors in the public and private sector will show interest across all sectors in Nepal especially power, healthcare and road construction.

Jaitley and Paudel discussed the developments in Nepal's post-earthquake reconstruction phase being supported by the Government of India.

The Finance Minister encouraged Nepal to finalize its reconstruction programme at the earliest to better utilize the USD 1 billion Government of India pledge.

The Nepalese Finance Minister, stressed on the long history of shared economic co-operation between the two countries and thanked for the tremendous assistance extended by Government of India to Nepal in its hour of need.

Paudel informed that Nepal is planning to establish a special infrastructure development bank and sought India's help in this regard.

The meeting ended with both the finance ministers expressing hope that the co-operation between the two countries will be further strengthened during the upcoming state visit of the Prime Minister of Nepal K.P.S.Oli in February 2016.
Madhya Pradesh Police on Monday arrested two individuals for allegedly attempting to rape a Netherlands in Indore.

The incident took place at around 1 a.m. in the morning at a hotel.

According to reports, sexual offences form 13 per cent, or roughly one-eighth, of the crimes committed against foreigners in India.

Last year, Crime Records Bureau for the first time published data on crimes committed against foreigners. Thefts topped the list with 260 out of 486 cases in 2014, followed by 64 offences of sexual nature.
Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday rubbished the criticism over the list of 20 cities, selected as part of Centre's Smart City initiative, saying the cities were selected by a process of competition and not because of any political consideration.

"There are some unnecessary criticisms here and there about the selection of the cities. There was no selection, it was a competition. In competition, it depends on what grade you get, the city with top grades is number one and the last was number 20, and the rest followed," Naidu told ANI.

"If a city from a particular state is not there on the list then they have to explain. They have to work towards fulfilling those parameters. The problem lies with the civic body or the corporation, they have to improve their performance," he added.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier expressed disappointment over the non-inclusion of any city of his state in the list released by the Centre, as part of the first batch of cities to receive funds under the initiative.

Communist Party of India (Marxist), on the other hand, lashed out at the Centre for considering only the "North Delhi Municipal Corporation area in Delhi" for the Smart City initiative, saying such a proposal showed "anti-democratic and anti-poor" character of the government.

Congress said the Centre insulted both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh after none of the cities in both the states could make it to the first list.

Populous states like UP, Bihar and Jharkhand have missed the spot. Bhubaneswar tops the list and will attract an investment of over Rs 50,000 crore to leap into a modern and dynamic landscape.
A worker got seriously injured when a blast took place at a fireworks factory in Virudhunagar District of Tamil Nadu.

The injured was rushed to the Sivakasi Government hospital as he suffered 95 percent burnt injuries.

The police filed an FIR and are investigating the matter.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he is revealing the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. He is what we know so far

1. I was a true follower of Lashkar-e-Taiba

2. Sajid Mir of Lashkar-e-Taiba was my main contact

3. After I changed my name, I disclosed this information to my colleague Sajid Mir of LeT

4. Sajid Mir wanted me to setup some business or office in India

5. After I changed my name, within few weeks I visited Pakistan

6. I changed my name so that I could enter India. I wanted to enter India with an American name

7. Sajid Mir (LeT) specified object of his intention before my first visit to India

8. Sajid Mir (LeT) asked me to take general video of Mumbai city

9. I visited India eight times after receiving the new passport. Out of eight times, I visited Mumbai seven times

10. My seven visits to India were directly from Pakistan and one from the UAE

11. After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, I visited India on March 7, 2009, from Lahore to Delhi

12. All details except the place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality and passport number were incorrect in my visa application.

13. The first attempt was in September 2008, which failed because the boat hit some rocks in the ocean. The people on boat were saved as they were wearing life jackets. Weapons and explosives were lost.

14. The second attempt was made after a month in October 2008. Those involved in first attempt were involved in this as well, but the attack failed.

15. It was in the third attempt that the attack was successful i.e. on November 26, 2008.

16. Retired Major Abdur Rehman Pasha and I were arrested in Landikotal area near Pakistan-Afghan border because I looked like a foreigner. During my arrest, Major Ali came to interrogate me.

17. During my interrogation, I showed my Pakistan ID card and they released me

18. During the interrogation, I gave the information to Major Ali that I am holding a business office in India. Major Ali thought that I will be beneficial for gathering intelligence from India.

19. He introduced me to Major Iqbal of Pakistan's ISI.

20. Sajid Mir (LeT Operative) was using the email ID chalchalo@yahoo.com to communicate

21. Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal were happy to see my Indian visa. Sajid Mir was guiding me on getting visas.

22. Dr. Tahawwur Hussain Rana helped me get the Indian visa. I met him in a military school in Pakistan's Punjab province. Dr. Rana was my schoolmate for five years. After school, Rana became a doctor in Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.

23. Headley names 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed in court, says, "I was inspired by Hafiz Saeed's speeches."

This is a developing story and will be updated as information pours in.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he is revealed the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. His revelations include:

1. I was a true follower of Lashkar-e-Taiba

2. Sajid Mir of Lashkar-e-Taiba was my main contact

3. After I changed my name, I disclosed this information to my colleague Sajid Mir of LeT

4. Sajid Mir wanted me to setup some business or office in India

5. After I changed my name, within few weeks I visited Pakistan

6. I changed my name so that I could enter India. I wanted to enter India with an American name

7. Sajid Mir (LeT) specified object of his intention before my first visit to India

8. Sajid Mir (LeT) asked me to take general video of Mumbai city

9. I visited India eight times after receiving the new passport. Out of eight times, I visited Mumbai seven times

10. My seven visits to India were directly from Pakistan and one from the UAE

11. After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, I visited India on March 7, 2009, from Lahore to Delhi

12. All details except the place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality and passport number were incorrect in my visa application.

13. The first attempt was in September 2008, which failed because the boat hit some rocks in the ocean. The people on boat were saved as they were wearing life jackets. Weapons and explosives were lost.

14. The second attempt was made after a month in October 2008. Those involved in first attempt were involved in this as well, but the attack failed.

15. It was in the third attempt that the attack was successful i.e. on November 26, 2008.

16. Retired Major Abdur Rehman Pasha and I were arrested in Landikotal area near Pakistan-Afghan border because I looked like a foreigner. During my arrest, Major Ali came to interrogate me.

17. During my interrogation, I showed my Pakistan ID card and they released me

18. During the interrogation, I gave the information to Major Ali that I am holding a business office in India. Major Ali thought that I will be beneficial for gathering intelligence from India.

19. He introduced me to Major Iqbal of Pakistan's ISI.

20. Sajid Mir (LeT Operative) was using the email ID chalchalo@yahoo.com to communicate

21. Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal were happy to see my Indian visa. Sajid Mir was guiding me on getting visas.

22. Dr. Tahawwur Hussain Rana helped me get the Indian visa. I met him in a military school in Pakistan's Punjab province. Dr. Rana was my schoolmate for five years. After school, Rana became a doctor in Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.

23. Headley names 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed in court, says, "I was inspired by Hafiz Saeed's speeches."
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday where he is revealing the sequence of events and planning behind the 26/11 terror attacks. He is what we know so far

1. I was a true follower of Lashkar-e-Taiba

2. Sajid Mir of Lashkar-e-Taiba was my main contact

3. After I changed my name, I disclosed this information to my colleague Sajid Mir of LeT

4. Sajid Mir wanted me to setup some business or office in India

5. After I changed my name, within few weeks I visited Pakistan

6. I changed my name so that I could enter India. I wanted to enter India with an American name

7. Sajid Mir (LeT) specified object of his intention before my first visit to India

8. Sajid Mir (LeT) asked me to take general video of Mumbai city

9. After receiving new passport I visited India eight times, out of eight times I visited Mumbai seven times

10. My seven visits to India were directly from Pakistan and one from UAE

11. After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks I visited India on 7th March 2009 from Lahore to Delhi

12. All details except place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality and passport number were incorrect in my visa application.

This is a developing story and will be updated as information pours in.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday detained three persons in connection with the death of an eight-year-old boy in a celebratory firing in Shamli.

The Superintendent of Police (SP) Vijay Bhushan confirmed this to ANI.

"Three persons have been detained so far in this case. The investigation is on," he said.

Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had lashed out at the Samajawadi Party (SP)-led Government in Uttar Pradesh over the incident, saying that such things were bound to happen when a 'party of goons' is in power in the state.

An eight-year-old boy, Shami died on Sunday, allegedly in a celebratory firing after local elections results were announced here.

The Samajwadi Party workers were celebrating the win of candidate Nafisa in the elections when the incident took place.
With B-town actresses such as Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone heading towards the West, Katrina Kaif plans to set her foot deeper back here.

During the promotion of her upcoming flick 'Fitoor,' the 32-year-old actress said that she believes the competition in Bollywood is becoming really less and it's time for her to get the roles by default, reports the Express Tribune.

The 'Phantom' star said, "I have realised it recently that my competition is becoming really less as everyone is going to Hollywood."

"So, now is the time for me to sit here and by default get the roles which will become more available. I think now is the time to capitalise on the good characters," she added.

'Fitoor' that also stars Aditya Roy Kapur and Tabu in key roles will hit the theatres on February 12.
Bank of India rose 1.43% to Rs 99.20 at 10:30 IST on BSE after the bank announced that a meeting of the bank's board of directors will be held on 11 February 2016, to discuss the capital raising plans of the bank.

The announcement was made by the bank on Saturday, 6 February 2016.

Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was almost unchanged at 24,617.41.

On BSE, so far 1.13 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 4.66 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 100.40 and a low of Rs 97 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 260.85 on 5 February 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 90.10 on 20 January 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 5 February 2016, sliding 14.32% compared with 3.77% decline in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 25.97% as against Sensex's 6.41% fall.

The mid-cap PSU bank has an equity capital of Rs 811.91 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

Bank of India reported net loss of Rs 1126.24 crore in Q2 September 2015 as against net profit of Rs 786 crore in Q2 September 2014. Operating income declined 6.5% to Rs 11317.97 crore in Q2 September 2015 over Q2 September 2014.

As per the shareholding pattern, the Government of India holds 70.13% stake in Bank of India as at 31 December 2015.

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In order to help salaried income households and encourage more women to join the work force, the Finance Minister Mr Arun Jaitley should announce a 10-fold increase in children education allowance and tax exemption for crhe facility in the Budget, the ASSOCHAM has said.

In its pre-Budget recommendations to the Finance Ministry, the chamber has made out a strong case for the re-boot of the consumer demand that will bring in vibrancy in the economic cycle of demand leading the investment and employment.

While we are confident about a positive multiplier effect of the leaving more money in the hands of the tax payers, a lot of women specific proposals be brought in the Budget so as to empower them economically, the chamber President Mr Sunil Kanoria said.

In its memorandum to the Finance Ministry, the chamber has made a specific recommendation for allowing exemption for crhe provisions either within the organisation or through specific tie-up through commercial crhe providers. An allowance of up to Rs 2,500 per child every month for up to two children may be provided for.

To supplement household income, more women are entering the job market. With increased phenomenon of nuclear families, working women need support in terms of care of young children while they are at work. Hence to encourage increase in the women workforce, it is desirable that a specific provision be introduced for allowing exemption for crhe provisions, the ASSOCHAM memorandum on direct tax recommendations stated.

As has been repeatedly pointed out by the Reserve Bank of India, increasing cost of health and education are pinching the pockets of the households, particularly those in the salaried earning bracket. In this backdrop, children education allowance must be enhanced by the income tax laws along with being liberal with expenses on health insurance and medical reimbursements.

The chamber has recommended that let the children education allowance exemption limit go from the present Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 per month.

Likewise, the hostel expenditure allowance which is presently exempt up to Rs 300 pm per child for maximum of two children be increased to Rs 3,000 pm.

The limit for children education allowance is too low as compared to the prevailing school fee and was fixed in FY 1988-99. Also, the limit hostel expenditure allowance as also fixed in 1988-89, it said.

A similar situation exists with regard to medical expenses reimbursed by the employer. It is exempted to the extent of Rs 15,000 per annum. This limit was also fixed 17 years ago and needs to be revised significantly, at least to Rs 50,000 per annum. Besides the provision should also be made applicable to the retired employees.

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Sales decline 27.54% to Rs 8.42 crore

Net profit of Hindusthan Udyog declined 91.38% to Rs 0.05 crore in the quarter ended December 2015 as against Rs 0.58 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2014. Sales declined 27.54% to Rs 8.42 crore in the quarter ended December 2015 as against Rs 11.62 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2014.8.4211.627.9611.960.491.160.050.680.050.58

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Sales rise 11.39% to Rs 145.28 crore

Net profit of India Power Corporation declined 53.52% to Rs 1.65 crore in the quarter ended December 2015 as against Rs 3.55 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2014. Sales rose 11.39% to Rs 145.28 crore in the quarter ended December 2015 as against Rs 130.42 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2014.145.28130.4219.6415.837.119.302.615.371.653.55

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Key benchmark indices were trading lower in early trade. At 9:22 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 24.83 points or 0.10% at 24,592.14. The 50-unit Nifty 50 index was down 4.20 points or 0.06% at 7,484.90.

The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was strong. On BSE, 725 shares rose and 382 shares fell. A total of 51 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.38%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.37%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

In the overseas market, Japan's Nikkei 225 index retraced some early losses today, 8 February 2016, as most major Asian markets remain closed for the Lunar New Year holidays. Markets in mainland China and Taiwan are closed all week. Other markets closed today include Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore. Meanwhile, a rout in tech stockshighlighted by LinkedIn Corp.'s massive drop after the business-oriented social network delivered a poor outlookdrove US equities to their largest weekly drop in a month on Friday, 5 February 2016. Adding to negative sentiment was a jobs report that showed weaker-than-forecast growth in January. The US generated 151,000 nonfarm jobs in the first month of 2016, the Labor Department said. The unemployment rate fell a tick to 4.9% the lowest reading in eight years.

Wipro was down 0.43%. The company announced before trading hours today, 8 February 2016, that it has won an IT infrastructure transformation contract from the ASSA ABLOY Group, headquartered in Sweden. ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions. As part of the five-year agreement, Wipro will consolidate ASSA ABLOY's existing data centers in the EMEA region and implement a cloud-based service model, which will include IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service). The deployment will leverage Wipro's BoundaryLess Data Center offering and will provide a full suite of IT infrastructure management services to ASSA ABLOY's global organisation. This solution will bring in a high level of agility, and a consumption-based IT service model powered by an user-friendly service catalog, Wipro said.

Tata Power Company was down 2.15%. The company's consolidated net profit fell 87.63% to Rs 24.46 crore on 2.98% rise in total income to Rs 9313.19 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 5 February 2016.

Steel stocks extended gains registered during the previous trading session after the government set floor price or Minimum Import Price (MIP) on import of a total of 173 steel products into the country in a bid to restrict cheap steel imports which has adversely affected the domestic steel industry. Bhushan Steel (up 10.16%), Steel Authority of India (up 4.65%), Jindal Steel & Power (up 3.07%), JSW Steel (up 2.69%) and Tata Steel (up 2.37%), edged higher. As per a notification issued by Directorate General of Foreign Trade on Friday, 5 February 2016, the government has imposed MIP ranging from $341 per tonne to $752 per tonne on various steel products. The MIP will be in place for a period of 6 months.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories was flat at Rs 3,109.60. The company announced before trading hours today, 8 February 2016, that its US subsidiary, Promius Pharma, LLC, U.S., has received approval for Sernivo (betamethasone dipropionate) Spray, 0.05% from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Semivo Spray, a prescription topical steroid, is indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate plaque psonasis in patients 18 years of age or older. The commercial launch of the product is planned for the coming quarter, the company said.

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Key benchmark indices hit fresh intraday high in mid-afternoon trade. At 14:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 12.70 points or 0.05% at 24,629.67. The 50-unit Nifty 50 index was currently up 2.55 points or 0.03% at 7,491.65. The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was positive. On BSE, 1,506 shares rose and 1,020 shares fell. A total of 122 shares were unchanged. The BSE Mid-Cap index was currently up 0.93%. The BSE Small-Cap index was currently up 0.99%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.

The Sensex and the Nifty, both, hit their highest level in almost one week. The Sensex rose 81.98 points, or 0.33% at the day's high of 24,698.95 in mid-afternoon trade, its highest level since 2 February 2016. The barometer index fell 86.54 points, or 0.35% at the day's low of 24.530.43 in morning trade. The Nifty rose 23.45 points, or 0.31% at the day's high of 7,512.55 in mid-afternoon trade, its highest level since 2 February 2016. The index fell 25.15 points, or 0.34% at the day's low of 7,463.95 in morning trade.

In overseas stock markets, European shares edged lower in early trade, extending last week's tumble. Most major Asian markets remain closed for the Lunar New Year holidays. Markets in mainland China and Taiwan are closed all week. Other markets closed today include Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore. In Japan, the Nikkei Stock Average ended 1.1% higher. US stocks closed sharply lower on Friday, 5 February 2016, amid a massive drop in technology stocks and as mixed US employment data raised concerns the Federal Reserve may raise rates this year.

Steel stocks extended gains registered during the previous trading session after the government set floor price or Minimum Import Price (MIP) on import of a total of 173 steel products into the country in a bid to restrict cheap steel imports which has adversely affected the domestic steel industry. Bhushan Steel (up 7.83%), Steel Authority of India (up 1.10%), JSW Steel (up 2.01%) and Tata Steel (up 1.52%), edged higher. Jindal Steel & Power was down 1.26%. As per a notification issued by Directorate General of Foreign Trade on Friday, 5 February 2016, the government has imposed MIP ranging from $341 per tonne to $752 per tonne on various steel products. The MIP will be in place for a period of 6 months.

Public sector banks advanced due to its substantial exposure to the steel sector. Bank of India (up 6.60%), Bank of Baroda (up 5.32%), Canara Bank (up 5.28%), Union Bank of India (up 4.49%), State Bank of India (up 4.28%), UCO Bank (up 4.18%), Allahabad Bank (up 3.84%), Indian Bank (up 3.66%), Corporation Bank (up 3.65%), Dena Bank (up 3.62%), United Bank of India (up 2.93%), Punjab and Sind Bank (up 2.79%), Syndicate Bank (up 2.68%), Andhra Bank (up 2.60%), Punjab National Bank (up 2.22%), IDBI Bank (up 1.67%), Central Bank of India (up 1.39%) and Bank of Maharashtra (up 1%), edged higher. Vijaya Bank was down 2.04%.

Private sector bank were mixed. Axis Bank (up 4.21%), City Union Bank (up 2.71%), Federal Bank (up 1.97%), ICICI Bank (up 1.82%) and Yes Bank (up 0.92%), edged higher. Kotak Mahindra Bank (down 0.85%), HDFC Bank (down 0.88%) and IndusInd Bank (down 1.73%), edged lower.

Jet Airways (India) gained 5.41% after net profit jumped 640.2% to Rs 467.11 crore on 7.3% rise in net sales to Rs 5024.14 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. The result was announced on Saturday, 6 February 2016.

Jet Airways (India)'s earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) quadrupled to Rs 751 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Excluding impact of foreign currency fluctuations, net profit for Q3 December 2015 increased to Rs 515 crore, Jet Airways (India) said. The growth in passengers flown and the increased aircraft utilization led to increase in Available Seat Kilometre (ASKM), which helped in improving both operating and financial performance in Q3 December 2015, Jet Airways (India) said. Jet Airways group was able to generate higher passenger traffic compared to capacity deployment. Domestic capacity grew by 14.6% while passenger traffic grew 15% in Q3 December 2015. In the international business, capacity grew by 2.6% while growth in passenger traffic was 5.1% in Q3 December 2015, the company said. Jet Airways (India) continues to develop synergies with Etihad Airways and other Etihad Airways Partners, it added.

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Eight PSU bank stocks jumped by 2.48% to 7.11% at 14:35 IST on BSE as the government's latest measures to boost domestic steel sector will augur well for these banks.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 2.90 points or 0.01% at 24,614.07.

Punjab National Bank (up 2.48%), Corporation Bank (up 3.65%), Allahabad Bank (up 4.51%), Bank of Baroda (up 5.59%), State Bank of India (SBI) (up 4.76%), Union Bank of India (up 5.02%), and Canara Bank (up 5.49%) edged higher.

Bank of India rose 7.11% after the bank announced that a meeting of the bank's board of directors will be held on 11 February 2016, to discuss the capital raising plans of the bank. The announcement was made by the bank on Saturday, 6 February 2016.

The government set floor price or Minimum Import Price (MIP) on import of a total of 173 steel products into the country in a bid to restrict cheap steel imports which has adversely affected the domestic steel industry. As per a notification issued by Directorate General of Foreign Trade on Friday, 5 February 2016, the government has imposed MIP ranging from $341 per tonne to $752 per tonne on various steel products. The MIP will be in place for a period of 6 months.

The government's latest efforts to boost domestic steel sector augur well for PSU banks as they have significant exposure to the steel sector.

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Tata Power Company's consolidated net profit fell 87.63% to Rs 24.46 crore on 2.98% rise in total income to Rs 9313.19 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 5 February 2016.

Wipro announced before trading hours today, 8 February 2016, that it has won an IT infrastructure transformation contract from the ASSA ABLOY Group, headquartered in Sweden. ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions. As part of the five-year agreement, Wipro will consolidate ASSA ABLOY's existing data centers in the EMEA region and implement a cloud-based service model, which will include IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service). The deployment will leverage Wipro's BoundaryLess Data Center offering and will provide a full suite of IT infrastructure management services to ASSA ABLOY's global organisation. This solution will bring in a high level of agility, and a consumption-based IT service model powered by an user-friendly service catalog, Wipro said.

Steel stocks may extend gains registered during the previous trading session after the government set floor price or Minimum Import Price (MIP) on import of a total of 173 steel products into the country in a bid to restrict cheap steel imports which has adversely affected the domestic steel industry. As per a notification issued by Directorate General of Foreign Trade on Friday, 5 February 2016, the government has imposed MIP ranging from $341 per tonne to $752 per tonne on various steel products. The MIP will be in place for a period of 6 months.

Bank of India announced on Saturday, 6 February 2016 that a meeting of the Board of Directors of the bank will be held on 11 February 2016, inter-alia to discuss the capital raising plans of the bank.

Rallis India announced after market hours on Friday, 5 February 2016 that the board of directors of the company at its meeting held on 5 February 2016, has approved increase of the company's stake in Metahelix Life Sciences (Metahelix), subsidiary of the company, from 80.51% to 100%. The stake will be acquired for a cash consideration of Rs 73.33 crore. Consequently Metahelix will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, on completion of the acquisition of the balance shares in Metahelix. The indicative time of completion of the acquisition is February 2016. Metahelix is a seeds company. Metahelix reported net profit of Rs 16.52 crore on revenue from operations of Rs 309.99 crore for financial year 2014-15.

Rico Auto Industries announced after market hours on Friday, 5 February 2016 that the board of directors of the company at its meeting held on 5 February 2016 accorded its approval for the merger of company's wholly owned subsidiary, Uttarakhand Automotives with the company.

Sobha's consolidated net profit fell 46.58% to Rs 32.10 crore on 41.62% fall in total income to Rs 400.90 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. The result was announced after market hours on Friday, 5 February 2016. Revenue declined on account of higher volume of sales from projects which are yet to meet the revenue recognition threshold. The company's new sales volume rose 22% at 8.06 lakh square feet in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. New sales value rose 12% to Rs 478.30 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014.

Shares of Precision Camshafts will make debut on the bourses today, 8 February 2016. The issue price has been set at Rs 186 per share, at the top end of the Rs 180 to Rs 186 per share price band of the initial public offer (IPO). The IPO was subscribed 1.91 times. Precision Camshafts, promoted by first generation entrepreneurs Yatin Shah and Suhasini Shah, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of camshafts, a critical engine component in passenger vehicles.

The NSE has notified on Friday, 5 February 2016 that the futures and options contracts will be available for trading on additional seven securities namely; Indo Count Industries, PC Jeweller, Tata Elxsi, Granules India, Cummins India, United Spirits and KPIT Technologies from 26 February 2016.

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At least ten people were killed and 27 injured in militant attacks that rocked two provinces in Afghanistan on Monday, officials said.

In the incident which rocked Mazar-e-Sharif city on Monday morning, four people, including the attacker, were killed and 18 army personnel injured, Xinhua quoted an official as saying.

A terrorist blew himself up next to a bus carrying army personnel in Mazar-e-Sharif city on Monday, killing three army personnel and injuring 18 others, provincial government spokesman Farhad Muneer said.

The Taliban militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

In another attack, a blast in Yahya Khil district of Paktika province left six people dead and nine injured, an official said.

The blast occurred in front of a bakery around 12.30 p.m. (local time) on Monday, the official said.

All the victims were civilians, the official said, adding no security personnel were present at the site when the blast occurred.

Blaming Taliban for the bombing, the official said the armed insurgents were attempting to terrorise the people by conducting subversive activities.
Eleven members of a child-trafficking gang, including two women, have been arrested for kidnapping two children using the same modus operandi of abducting them in the presence of their family members, police said on Monday.

The children have been rescued safely and handed over to their families.

The first child, aged just seven months, was kidnapped on January 4 from Alipur in west Delhi, while a one-and-half-year old was abducted a week ago from Swaroop Nagar in north Delhi, police said.

"Shockingly, the children were kidnapped in the presence of their family members," Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Singh said.

"In both cases, two motorbike-riding members of a child-trafficking gang approached the family members and on finding an opportunity, they suddenly picked up the children and fled," the officer said.

Vijay, 45; Gaurav Bhupender Kumar Raghav, 38; Aanchal Jain, 32; Vikrant, 32; Rehan, 31; Rakesh, 30; Raju Paswan, 26; Hemant, 25; and Kundan, 22, were arrested along with their two women aides Poonam, 50, and Anita Jain, 32, from different places during the course of the investigation, the officer said.

"They had sold one of the children to a resident of Uttar Pradesh for Rs.2.1 lakh. The man, identified as Vikrant, has also been arrested," the officer added.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist David Coleman Headley, who is now an approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, started his deposition before a Special TADA Court via videoconferencing from a US jail, here at daybreak on Monday.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam is leading the prosecution case while well-known criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani is representing Headley before Special TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap at the five-hour proceedings.

Flanked by three persons -- his attorney John, a US attorney Sarah and an unidenfied person Bob -- Headley was administered the oath at 7.30 a.m. and Nikam started firing the questions at him.

Right at the start, he revealed that he was born on June 30, 1960 in the US and shifted to Pakistan later where his name was Daood Sayeed Gilani.

Headley, 54, provided details of his passport and his seven-eight trips to Mumbai and one to New Delhi between 2006-2008 before the 26/11 attacks, including seven via Pakistan, one via UAE, and another trip to Mumbai in July 2009, after the terror attacks were executed.

Within a couple of hours, Nikam had posed around five dozen questions where Headley also revealed that most of the information on his visa application was false so that he would not blow his cover.

Admitting he was a LeT operative, Headley name one Sajid Mir as his main contact in the terror group.

"This is the first time that a terrorist is deposing and tendering evidence live in a foreign country. He will divulge the largers aspects of the 26/11 terror conspiracy, the people behind it and related aspects," SPP Nikam said on the eve of the trial.

Headley's ongoing evidence could help the prosecution nail the alleged co-conspirators in the attacks Zakiur Rehman Lakshi, the terrorists' handlers, the role and involvement of other state and non-state actors, the role of another arrested LeT activist Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, currently in a Mumbai jail.

At the previous hearing on December 10 last year, a special judge had pardoned Headley and made him an approver in the case subject to certain conditions.

Headley, a man with American-Pakistani origins, was asked by Judge Sanap to disclose all information pertaining to the 26/11 case which he had earlier shared with the US courts.

This could shed light on the 26/11 conspiracy and the role of various terror groups, and other crucial details of the terror strike at multiple locations which left 166 dead on November 26-28, 2008.

Headley had already confessed to his role in the offences in the US for which he is seving a 35-year sentence.
A court here on Monday granted bail to AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a defamation case filed against him by Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader was granted bail after furnishing a personal bond of Rs.50,000. The case will be heard on February 20.

Majithia filed the case after Sanjay Singh called him a "drug lord" and accused him of being associated with narcotics trade in the state.

Sanjay Singh told the media outside the court that he stood by his comments on Majithia.

"I will say this a thousand times that Majithia is involved in drugs smuggling in Punjab. I appeared before the court on my own as I respect the judicial system," he said.

Sanjay Singh, a close associate of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, dared Majithia to file a police case against him (Singh) instead of filing the defamation case.

The AAP is challenging the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance and the Congress in the February 2017 assembly polls.

Majithia is a cabinet minister in Punjab and the brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. Majithia is the younger brother of union food processing minister Harsimrat Badal.
Actress Angelina Jolie was spotted with three large new tattoos while she was working for her new film "First They Killed My Father".

The 40-year-old actress was in Cambodia shooting for the film when her tattoos were seen. It included a Yantra tattoo and a traditional Buddhist form of body art that originated in Southeast Asia, reports people.com.

Images from the shoot showed tattoos covering most of Jolie's upper back in intricate geometric designs.

Yantra tattoos are typical hand etched by Buddhist monks and special ruesi practitioners, requiring meticulous skill.
On Monday afternoon, India's telecom regulator finally put to rest the fiery net neutrality debate in India -- by ruling against zero rating and differential tariffs.

Zero rating lets Airtel users use Facebook, for instance, free of data levies, while charging for access to other services or websites.

This violates net neutrality, which says there should be no differential pricing -- free data for one service, but priced for another -- based on the content or web sites.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has now forbidden such "discriminatory pricing" by whatever name it may be called.

The watchdog's ruling is clear and sharp, and a blow to Facebook's high-stakes Free Basics platform, born as Internet.org, as well as to Airtel Zero and other zero-rating platforms tried out, or planned, by telcos.

The year-long battle between the heavyweights, including telecom giants and Facebook, and a bunch of volunteers under the SaveTheInternet.in banner, was fiery, and seemingly unequal.

Facebook ploughed in an estimated Rs.300 crore into its three-month campaign defending Free Basics. Against it, though, the lone volunteer-activists gradually managed to drum up a great deal of public support.

A spokesman said Facebook was "disappointed with the outcome, but we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings".

Expectedly, the activists were ecstatic.

"This is a historic outcome," said Kiran Jonnalagadda, a co-founder of the SaveTheInternet.in movement.

"For the first time, India leads where the US and Europe will follow. Many thanks to TRAI chairman R.S. Sharma for backing such an important ruling as his first major act in office."

The TRAI ruling got widespread applause, including from tech association Nasscom, which had given a submission supporting net neutrality. Its Internet council chairman Sanjeev Bikhchandani said the ruling would "help address apprehensions of young start-ups fearing lack of a level playing field."

Entrepreneur Arvind Jha of TiE said the collective power of 7,000 start-ups (whose founders had written to the PMO supporting Net Neutrality) and a dedicated team of volunteers has won over Facebook's ad blitzkrieg running into hundreds of crores of rupees.

So have David and the good guys vanquished Goliath, ending the battle?

The reality may be more nuanced than that. A battle much bigger than activists versus Facebook is up ahead: Providing Internet access to nearly a billion Indians who are offline, or nominally online, today.

First, the nuances.

Facebook is responsible for a great deal of the Internet penetration in India. Of the 300 million mobile users who make up over 90 percent of India's internet base, 56 percent use WhatsApp daily, and 51 percent use Facebook, according to a TNS survey released last October.

So, at least two out of every three Internet users in India use mobile data -- purely to use one or the other of Facebooks apps, including WhatsApp. It would be great to find a net-neutral way to let users access the apps or sites they need to (which may include WhatsApp or Facebook), free, or cheaply.

The Net neutrality movement, and now TRAI, have shot down Free Basics, which would have got Facebook and a few select apps free of data charges to subscribers of one telco (Reliance Communications).

But TRAI hasn't yet suggested what alternatives could be used to provide cheap or free Internet access to the hundreds of millions of mobile users who are unable or unwilling to pay for mobile data.

And no! They don't have access to even wireline broadband.

The watchdog did ask that question in its consultation paper. So we're all hoping it will yet come up with some workable ideas.

There are several options as well.

For instance, letting telecom companies offer a certain amount of free data for all, or using apps like Gigato which allow sponsors to top-up data, free, for prepaid users of specific apps: that recharged data can then be used for accessing any website or app.

Then there's Digital India, which aims to put Wi-Fi into towns and villages, letting smartphone users access the internet free or cheaply.

Former journalist Pierre Fitter puts it well: "Good that all Web content will be treated as equal. Now comes the important bit: making sure everyone can access the Internet."

(Prasanto K. Roy is a senior technology journalist. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at @prasanto and prasanto@gmail.com)
A Bodo militant -- who was wanted by the NIA for his involvement in the December 2014 massacre of Adivasi people -- was on Monday shot dead by security forces in Assam's Chirang district, officials said.

Uday Narzary alias Khilikhang of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) was killed by a joint team of the Indian Army and Assam Police.

He was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his involvement in the December 2014 massacre of Adivasis.

Based on inputs, a joint team of army and police launched an operation in Edenbari village in Chirang district in the early hours of Monday, Guwahati-based defence spokesman Lt. Col. Suneet Newton said.

On being challenged by the security forces, the militant fired at them with an automatic weapon.

The security forces retaliated, injuring the militant.

He was taken to the district hospital in Chirang, where he was declared dead, on Monday.

An AK-56 rifle, some ammunition and Rs.31,000 in cash were recovered from the slaim militant, the official said.

In December 2014, NDFB militants had unleashed mayhem in the state's Kokrajhar, Chirang and Sonitpur districts killing at least 70 people.
The Congress on Monday welcomed the decision of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) saying no to discriminatory pricing of data content and said it vindicates the position of the party as articulated by party vice president Rahul Gandhi.

"The decision, though taken after contradictory posturing on part of the government, vindicates the demands raised consistently and unequivocally by Rahul Gandhi as indeed millions of net neutrality supporters, activists and internet users across the country," Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress party in-charge of communications, said in a statement.

"We salute their spirit and resolve. It proves that determination and grit of 21st century Indians on an idea like 'free internet' founded on core value of 'freedom' can win over the interest of big lobbyists and corporations," Surjewala added.

The Congress hoped that the government will now look seriously and sincerely into the issue of call drops "that is afflicting nearly 100 crore mobile phone users across service providers".

Surjewala said Gandhi had stood alongside the net neutrality activists, met them and raised the issue inside and outside parliament.

"The Congress hopes that the government will continue to listen to the voice of people and take decisions in support of their cause rather than further the profiteering motives of a few," the release said.

The telecom watchdog on Monday said no to discriminatory pricing of data content in a move seen as an endorsement of net neutrality and a setback to offerings such as Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel Zero,.
In a startling turn of events, the Crime Branch Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) on Monday told the Madras High Court that the death of three girls of S.V.S. Medical College of Yoga and Naturopathy and Research Institute, Villupuram, was not due to drowning.

The bodies of the three girl students -- T. Monisha, E. Saranya and V. Priyanka -- were taken out of a well in a farm near the college, around 170 km from here, on the evening of January 23.

While police registered a case of suicide, the parents of the girls alleged that the daughters were murdered for protesting against the lack of basic facilities in the college.

"The CBCID submitted to the court the first post-mortem report. According to the report, there was no water in the lungs and other organs of the girls which is normal in the case of people who get drowned," S. Rajinikanth, advocate for Monisha's father Tamilarasan, told IANS.

He said the second autopsy done on Monisha's body on the high court's orders was expected to be submitted by the CBCID on Tuesday.

Tamilarasan had petitioned the court for a second autopsy as the first was conducted without his consent.

Police in Villupuram said the three girl students ended their lives after the management demanded higher fees even though the college lacked basic facilities.

Police arrested Vasuki, Sukhi Verma and two other top officials of the college while the Villupuram district administration sealed the college.

Nearly four months ago, a few students of the college had allegedly attempted suicide in front of the Villupuram collectorate.
The employees of three civic bodies here on Monday agreed to call off their strike and will resume work after the intervention of the Delhi High Court.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked the civic workers to call off the strike as they had been paid the January salary. The issue of arrears will be taken up on Wednesday.

The joint front of sanitation workers assured the Bench that they would end the strike immediately and resume work.

"All the safai karamchaaris are now calling off the strike and resuming work immediately," the Bench said, taking into note the submissions of union of safai karamcharis.

The civic bodies told the bench that salaries up to January have been paid to them.
Norwegian DJ, record producer and musician Kyrre Grvell-Dahll, popularly known by his stage name Kygo, had an "incredibly humbling experience" when he played for thousands of music aficionados in India last December. And now, he is making it a mission to return to the country on his own terms.

Kygo, who has given hits like "Firestone" and "Nothing left", was in the country when he performed at the Sunburn Goa 2015 in December.

"It was my first time playing in the sub-continent and it was really special. The atmosphere from the moment I touched down in Delhi to when I left Goa was just unbelievable. I only wish I got to spend some more days in the region but I had to catch a flight to get to my New Year's eve concert," Kygo said in a statement.

How was the crowd of Goa different from his other shows?

"You can never quite know when you're about to play a festival whether the people are there for you as an artiste or for the festival experience and I think that's what made a huge difference for me there."

"Everyone who was present knew all my tracks, from my very first remixes all the way to my latest releases. It was an incredibly humbling experience," he said.

He wasn't able to play a tourist during his brief stay in the country. So he hopes to come back to India and explore it.

"I only got to be in Delhi for a couple of hours at the airport before my connecting flight to Goa and Sunburn was right after I landed. I'm making it a mission of mine to return to India on my own terms next time," he said.

As for the food, he likes "spicy stuff", so he felt at home with the Indian food.

"I had some fresh fried fish at my hotel in Goa which I was told was one of the local specialties," said the artiste, who started taking piano lessons when he was six years old.

"When I was around 15 or 16, I quit the lessons and started composing my own melodies and it all changed when I first heard Avicii in 2009 or 2010. I got so inspired by his simple, yet catchy melodies that I bought Logic Studio and a MIDI keyboard and started to produce electronic music.

"He's definitely the biggest inspiration I have in dance music. Then from pop, it's listening to the likes of Coldplay and taking inspiration from the way they put together their music," said Kygo.

Anyone he wants to collaborate with?

"I'd love to work with some of the people I've remixed for - Ed Sheeran or Chris Martin or The Weeknd. But it's not just big names like these guys that I want to collaborate with. I love finding talents to pair my music with such as Conrad on 'Firestone', Parson James with 'Stole the show' and Will Heard on 'Nothing left'," he said.

Kygo is also set to release an album soon.

"Yes, I am releasing an album. It's been in the works for a while now and should be coming out over the coming months," said the DJ, whose resolution for 2016 is a simple one - travel to some new parts of the world with his music.
The UN Secretary General's "Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development" Queen Maxima of the Netherlands will visit Pakistan from Tuesday.

In her capacity as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate, Queen Maxima encourages universal access for individuals and enterprises, at a reasonable cost, to a wide range of financial services, provided by diverse responsible and sustainable institutions, Radio pakistan reported.

The Special Advocate works in partnership with stakeholders globally to raise awareness, encourage leadership, and foster action towards financial inclusion.

During her three-day visit, the Queen will have meetings with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif besides other engagements with a range of stakeholders from the public and private sectors.

Prime Minister Sharif had also met the Queen on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.

Inclusive finance for development is one of the key priorities of Pakistani government's economic development policies.

Pakistan has taken a number of important measures in recent years, including the launch of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS), in order to promote the key objectives of financial inclusion.
Swine flu has claimed the lives of four people in Himachal Pradesh and nine have tested positive for the disease, a health official said on Monday.

So far, four deaths due to swine flu were reported in the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla, senior medical superintendent Ramesh Chand told IANS.

He said nine positive cases for H1N1 influenza have been reported in the IGMCH.
The drivers of private vehicles booked online, known in France as VTC, blocked traffic on the entrance of Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport on Monday, protesting measures taken by the government against taxi drivers.

The drivers continued their protest, which started on Saturday, using their cars to block the road leading to the airport's main entrance, causing traffic jams on the highway, EFE news reported.

The protest comes days after taxi drivers protested against the unfair competition of VTC services, which led to the government imposing further controls on VTC services.

VTC drivers believe that the government does not allow them to practise their work normally.

Last year, a French court banned UberPop car rental service, observing that it constitutes unfair competition with taxi drivers, but the court supported the online reservation services of VTC, provided that drivers are trained. According to estimates, this sector generates 10,000 jobs in France.
A North Korean patrol ship on Monday entered South Korean waters leading to increased tension, an official here said.

The North Korean boat crossed the western maritime boundary between the two Koreas in the Yellow Sea, known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL) at 6.55 a.m., a South Korean defence ministry spokesperson told EFE news.

The vessel remained in South Korean waters for 20 minutes and returned to North Korea after warning shots were fired from a South Korean military ship, he added.

South Korea's navy has been put on high alert and has stepped up surveillance near the NLL, the spokesperson said.

Incursions by North Korean boats to the south of the NLL are common as the North Korean regime does not recognise the NLL, drawn up after the 1950-53 Korean War.
Five people of a gambling racket, allegedly spread across north India, have been arrested here, police said on Monday.

Kulwinder Singh, 50, Inderpal, 43, Pradeep Chopra, 39, and Sandeep Shegal, 41, were arrested on Saturday from a west Delhi house which was being used by the accused as their work station for operating the racket, police said.

Rajeev Anand, 39, was later picked up from Punjab on the information supplied by those arrested previously.

Police said Singh and Anand were the heads of the gambling racket which was being operated across north India including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and some parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

"Three laptops with gambling software, 11 mobile phones with SIM cards and other incriminating material along with cash amount of Rs. 90 lakh (stake money) were recovered from the west Delhi house from where the miscreants were operating the racket," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Yadav said.

The officer said that Anand is involved in organised gambling for over 20 years and was previously involved in 12 cases of gambling and cheating in Punjab.

The officer said customers placed stake on particular numbers with the agents who charged 10 percent from them and sent these numbers to bigger agents popularly called Khaiwal.

"These Khaiwals further sent these numbers through email to main gambling operators known as Company. All this data is fed into software in a laptop, which provides details of profits on each number. It helps the administrator to choose a number which provides maximum benefit to Company and least to the customers.

"Selecting the number is sole discretion of its administrator and it is not a game by chance as widely perceived. The selected number is then declared as winner every day. Profit is equally divided between the Khaiwals and the Company. The customers, whose number is declared, are paid 100 times the stake money," the officer added
There's time for Coldplay to be back in India, but there are still some 'strings' connecting them with the country. A signed guitar by the entire British rock band will be up for sale at a charity auction - The Idea of India - hosted by actor Rahul Bose here on February 19.

According to a statement, the international band comprising Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion, signed and donated a very special guitar for the charity auction.

The signed guitar is the only international piece of memorabilia that will be auctioned along with 11 other pieces donated by some major and noteworthy Indian heroes and legends.

From surprising Delhiites with an impromptu gig, to meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to capturing different hues of India in a song "Hymn for the weekend", the band seems to be adding more pages to its India travelogue, making it more eventful and colourful.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) made two unsuccessful attempts before wreaking havoc in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in a terror attack that killed 166 persons, terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headly told a Special TADA court here on Monday.

In the first attempt to strike Mumbai in September 2008, the terrorist's boat hit some rocks in the Arabian Sea, resulting in loss of weapons and ammunition, but those on board survived, Headley told TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap via video-conferencing from a US jail.

The second attempt was made the following month, in October, with the same persons involved as in the first one, but that also failed for unknown reasons, before the third and successful attack was executed on November 26 that year, (in which 166 persons were killed and hundreds more were injured), he said.

Headley also identified in a picture his main contact in the LeT terror group Sajid Mir and LeT founder Hafez Sayeed and said he was inspired by Sayeed's fiery speeches to join the group in 2002.

Represented by criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani at the TADA court, Headley said he underwent his first training with LeT in 2002 at a camp in Muzaffarabad, which is in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

About the motive behind the crime, he said the terror attack was carried out to assist the Kashmiris fighting against the Indian Army in the border state.

Earlier, Headley, 56, said he was born on June 30, 1960, in the US and shifted to Pakistan later where his name was Daood Sayeed Gilani.

Flanked by three persons at an undisclosed location in the US -- his attorney John, US attorney Sarah and a person identified merely as Bob -- Headley was administered the oath at 7.30 a.m. and Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam started firing questions at him.

Headley provided details of his passport and spoke of his seven to eight trips to Mumbai and one to New Delhi between 2006-2008 before the 26/11 attacks. The trips included seven via Pakistan and one via the UAE. He also made yet another trip to Mumbai in July 2009, after the terror attack was executed.

To a pointed question by Nikam, who is leading the prosecution case, Headley named one person named Raymaond Sanders as a visa consultant who helped him procure the Indian visa.

Headley said most of the information on his visa application was false -- except his birth date and place, mother's name and nationality and the passport number -- so that he would not blow his cover.

"This is the first time that a terrorist is deposing and tendering evidence live in a foreign country. He will divulge the larger aspects of the 26/11 terror conspiracy, the people behind it and related aspects," Nikam said on the eve of Headley's trial.

"The evidence coming out today could be very significant," Jethmalani commented briefly on the proceedings before the special court.

Headley's ongoing evidence on Monday could help the prosecution nail the alleged co-conspirators in the attacks Zakiur Rehman Lakhi, the terrorists' handlers, the role and involvement of other state and non-state actors, and the role of arrested LeT activist Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, currently in a Mumbai jail.

At the previous hearing on December 10 last year, the special TADA court judge had pardoned Headley and made him an approver in the case, subject to certain conditions.

Headley had already confessed to his role in the offences in the US for which he is seving a 35-year sentence.

The five-hour court proceedings were held here amidst tight security.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley on Monday revealed a goldmine of information for Indian authorities on various aspects leading to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, while deposing via video conference from a US jail before Special TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap here.

Among the stunning disclosures was a hitherto unknown fact that two unsuccessful attempts were made in Mumbai in September and October 2008 which failed, before the final strike at multiple locations in south Mumbai on November 26-29, 2008.

He spilled the names of officials connected to the Pakistan Army and spoke of their role, its dreaded Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the LeT and others who were involved in the conspiracy, planning and execution of the 26/11 attacks which killed 166 people and injured hundreds more.

"Headley has made several sensitive revelations. We are satisfied with the evidence," said a pleased Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

Headley also named LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and his close associate Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi -- both suspected right from the beginning since the investigations were launched by Indian agencies after the attacks.

Naming two people directly linked with the Pakistan Army and the ISI -- Major Iqbal and Major Ali -- Headley unravelled how he was arrested by the Pakistan Army around 2002 when he was going to meet a drug smuggler to make arrangements to send arms and ammunitions consignments to Kashmiri groups fighting the Indian Army.

The two army majors also supervised his two-year-long training by the LeT at a camp in Muzaffarabad, which is in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), he added.

Admitting he was a functionary with the LeT, Headley identified a picture of his main contact in the terror group - Sajid Mir - and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and said he was "inspired" by Saeed's fiery speeches to join and was trained by the terrorist group in 2002.

Both Saeed and Lakhvi used to address these terror training camps, while others like Abu Furkad, Sanaullah, Abu Hanzala, Abu Saif, Abu Fahadullah and Abu Usman were his trainers, he said.

In those two years, he was given leadership training, how to handle AK-47 assault rifles, bombs and explosives.

To a query by Nikam on "sophisticated weapons training", Headley said if an AK-47 was sophisticated, then he was trained to operate it.

About the motive behind joining the LeT, Headley said he wanted to assist the Kashmiris fighting against the Indian Army in the border state.

But, when he desired to join the Kashmiris, Saeed dissuaded him and said he had another "important assignment" for him in mind.

On the two unsuccessful attempts to wreak havoc in Mumbai that year, Headley said 10 terrorists were to strike in the first attempt in September 2008, but the terrorists' boat hit some rocks in the Arabian Sea, resulting in loss of weapons and ammunition, but those on board survived as they wore life jackets.

The second attempt came in October, with the same people involved as in the first, but that also failed for unknown reasons, before the third and successful attack was executed on November 26 that year, he said.

Headley provided details of his passport with an American name and spoke of his 7-8 trips to Mumbai and one to New Delhi between 2006 and 2008 before the 26/11 attacks.

The trips included seven via Pakistan and one via the UAE. He made yet another trip to Mumbai on March 7, 2009, after the terror attack was successfully executed.

Sajid Mir, his LeT handler who had advised him to change his name even in the passport, had told him to make general video shoots of various locations in Mumbai.

To a question by Nikam, Headley named one person -- Raymond Sanders, a visa consultant, who helped him procure Indian visa in Chicago.

However, Headley said most of the information on his visa application was false -- except his birth date and place, mother's name and nationality and the passport number -- as he did not want to blow his cover or get detected by Indian agencies.

Earlier, Headley, 56, said he was born on June 30, 1960, in the US and shifted to Pakistan later where he changed his name to Daood Sayeed Gilani, which was appreciated by Hafiz Saeed and others in LeT.

Flanked by three people at an undisclosed location in the US -- his attorney John, US attorney Sarah and a person identified merely as Bob -- Headley was administered the oath at 7.30 a.m. and Special Public Prosecutor Nikam started firing questions at him.

"The evidence coming out today could be very significant," said eminent lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, who is helping out Headley's attorneys in connection with the procedural issues pertaining to Indian laws.

Another LeT functionary, Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who is now facing trial in the 26/11, appeared through video-conferencing from Arthur Road Central Jail, appeared irked by Headley's revelations and was seen taking notes.

At a previous hearing on December 10 last year, the special TADA court judge had pardoned Headley and made him an approver in the case, subject to certain conditions.

Headley had already confessed to his role in the offences in the US for which he is seving a 35-year sentence.

The five-hour court proceedings -- which will resume on Tuesday -- were held here amidst tight security with over 100 policemen deployed in and around the Mumbai City Civil and Sessions Court.
David Headley grew up in a strict Pakistani boarding school before becoming a barman at his family tavern in Philadelphia in the US and making contacts with Pakistani spy agencies who made him play a key role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

In 1998, he was jailed for two years for smuggling heroin into the US from Pakistan. After the jail term, he went to Pakistan to conduct undercover surveillance operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

November 26-28, 2008: Ten Pakistani terrorists sail into India and kill 166 people over three days at multiple targets. Headley confessed to have scouted each of these targets earlier.

February 2006: Headley changes his name from the Muslim Daood Gilani to give himself an American identity, apparently to enter India and other countries easily.

2006-08: He visits India five times from September 2006 to July 2008 to video various potential targets for the terrorists.

March 2009: Even after the Mumbai carnage, Headley returns to India for his sixth trip to plot another attack, with possible targets being the National Defence College in Delhi and Chabad houses in several cities.

October 3, 2009: Nearly a year after the Mumbai carnage, Headley, on his way to Pakistan, is arrested at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

December 2011: India's National Investigating Agency files charges against Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana, Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed and seven others for conspiring to attack India.

January 24, 2013: He gets 35 years in prison in a court in Chicago for the Mumbai attack and a foiled attempt to strike at the office of Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper that published caricature of Prophet Mohammed.

December 10, 2015: The special anti-terror court in Mumbai pardons Headley after he agrees to be an approver in cases related to the 2008 attack.

February 8, 2016: Headley testifies before a special court in Mumbai from a US prison through video conference.
Himachal Pradesh on Monday signed 17 memoranda of understanding(MoUs) in skill development with industrial organisations.

The MoUs were signed between the Himachal Pradesh Kaushal Vikas Nigam and 17 industrial organisations, including the National Skill Development Corporation, in the presence of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

The chief minister also launched the Himachal Pradesh Skill Development Initiative aimed at increasing employment opportunities, said an official statement.

Virbhadra Singh said the signing of MoUs would give an edge to the state on skilling, assessment and placement issues.

He said setting up of the Kaushal Vikas Nigam was a major initiative of the state which would go a long way in improving coordination and reducing duplication in the skill development programmes being run by various departments.

He said the important part of the skill development initiative was launching of the Skill Development Allowance Scheme for the educated unemployed youth.

The government had also decided to upgrade the skills of building and other construction workers by allocating 20 percent of the cess funds for skilling initiatives, he said.

He said the state was also planning to open a skill development university which would give fillip to skill development.

National Skill Development Corporation chief executive Jayant Krishna stressed the need for formal skilling and training for which the industrial sector would have to play bigger role.

He said a target of skilling 50 crore people had been set by the government of India which was the largest initiative in the field of skill development across the globe.
India is an "important" country in the Indian Ocean region and will have to take responsibility for security in the area, said Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force chief Admiral Tomohisa Takei, here to take part in the International Fleet Review (IFR).

The Admiral said the IFR is an important event to enhance cooperation among the Navies and will provide a platform for further dialogue.

"We want better cooperation in the India Ocean. India is a very important country in the region. We would like to enhance relations with India," Admiral Takei told IANS.

"India, with its location, will have to take responsibility for peace and security in the Indian Ocean region, from East Africa, to South China Sea," he said.

The Japanese Navy chief higlighted the fact that the Indian Ocean region accounted for 50 per cent of the world's population and has huge volumes of trade passing through the waters.

"India is in the centre of the region".

India and Japan are often called by experts as "natural allies" in the region. Defence relations between the two countries have been enhanced of late, with the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe giving pushing it further.

Japan, with India and the US, is also a part of naval exercise Malabar, which has caused discomfort to China.

The exercise, which started as a bilateral one between India and the US, now has Japan as a permanent partner. In 2007, when Japan and Australia were included in the exercise, China had issued a demarche to the countries.

Recently, on a tour to India, US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Scott Swift said China's objection was "fine" as it was not a part of the exercise. He also said the exercise should be "inclusive" without declaring whether US wanted China's participation.

Asked if involving China in the exercise can be considered, Admiral Takei said: "There is no difference in China or any other country."

The Admiral described the IFR, which saw participation of 50 navies, as "a platform which can enhance interoperability".

"Exercise at peacetime makes the foundation for emergency."

Takei also fondly remembered his participation as a "young captain" in the previous edition of the IFR in 2001.

"The world is taking India more seriously now, India has gown as a nation," he said.

Japan as sent its anti-submarine destroyer J S Matsuyuki to participate in the IFR.

In October last year, India had also sent its Shivalik class stealth multi-role frigate INS Sahyadri to participate in a fleet review organised by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force.

The IFR held at Visakhapatnam saw participation from 50 Navies, with 24 foreign ships, and 71 Indian Navy ships. This was the second time the IFR was organised in India -- the largest military exercise the country held so far.

China, the US and Australia were among the participating Navies.
India and Australia on Monday decided to form a sub-group, comprising senior officials of government and industry from both sides, to prepare a roadmap to help provide cheap liquefied natural gas (LNG) for Indian power plants.

"I have now formed a sub-group, which will be under the Working Group on the India-Australia energy dialogue," Power Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters on the sidelines of the India-Australia Energy Security Dialogue here.

"After my discussions with the industry on LNG, some representatives told me that the Indian government will have to take concrete steps to help encourage trade relations," he said.

"After the energy dialogues with the US and Japan, working groups were formed to concentrate on issues that needed to be resolved at the government level," he added.

The sub-group will submit a detailed report in about two months on what needs to be done and the requirements to get cheap LNG from Australia, Goyal said.

It will include officials from India's ministries of petroleum and external affairs as well as representatives from National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, GAIL, Petronet LNG and shipping companies, he added.

"From their side, Austrade, the Australian government's trade commission, senior officials of energy ministry as well as its High Commission in India looking after energy and representatives from the private sector will be part of the sub-group," Goyal said.

The move will lead to an assured supply to LNG gas-based power plants in India otherwise operating below capacity owing to lack of gas.

Earlier, at the energy dialogue here with Australia, Goyal called for investment in India by Australian mining and energy companies.

"We're going to expand and mine coal for many years to come. There's no larger market for you than India now," Goyal said while addressing a round table with representatives of Australian energy companies like Glencore, Rio Tinto, Geo Gas and Carbon Energy, members of the Queensland Resources Council and the Trade and Investment authority of Queensland.

"We need clean coal technologies and learn best practices in mining from Australian companies which are well versed in the business," the union minister said.

He assured Australian investors a corruption-free environment and quick approvals for their investment proposals, asking those present to be candid in their views on investing in India.
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Monday resumed supply of fuel to Nepal from the Raxaul-Birgunj border point after a gap of more than five months thus easing the supply situation in the landlocked Himalayan nation.

At least three dozen bullet tankers crossed through the key Raxaul-Birgunj trading point on Monday as the Samuktya Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha -- or the Madhesi Morcha, as it is commonly known -- agitating for amendments in the newly-adopted constitution of Nepal, decided to call-off all protests.

The trading point accounts for over 70 percent of the total Nepal-India trade in different items, including petroleum products.

Parsa Chief District Officer Keshav Raj Ghimire said the IOC was loading fuel in as many as 35 tankers at its Raxaul depot for transportation to Nepal.

Customs Department Director General Shishir Kumar Dhungana said 19 transit routes with India were operational now, and spoke of the general movement of export and import commodities.

In the wake of the Madhesi Morcha-led agitation in Nepal, the IOC had been rerouting the supply of fuel products to other points on the Nepal-India border.

However, after demonstrations on the transit route eased from Friday, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) appealed to IOC to resume fuel supply from Raxaul.

NOC spokesperson Mukunda Ghimire said IOC will supply fuel in accordance with the arrangements in place prior to the blockade.
Islamic State (IS) extremist militants executed over 300 people over the past few days in the IS-held city of Mosul in Iraq, a Kurdish security source said.

"All those executed were ex-police, ex-army members and civilian activists accused by Daesh (IS group) of collaborating with the Iraqi security forces," Xinhua quoted the source as saying on Sunday.

The source did not specify when the executions took place.

"The mass executions proved that Daesh militants have real fears from Mosul residents who are against the group's extremist Islam," he said.

Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, is the capital of Nineveh province.

The city has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces fled, abandoning their weapons and posts.
Bipartisan lawmakers in Japan will convene on Tuesday and are widely expected to adopt a resolution protesting the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) launch of a long range rocket on Sunday.

Both ruling and opposition party representatives confirmed on Monday that a plenary session of each of Japan's parliamentary caucuses will convene Tuesday to adopt the resolution, Xinhua reported.

Both political camps, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), have issued statements condemning the DPRK's launch as being in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as its nuclear test last month as being a threat to global security.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing for the government here to swiftly move to tighten sanctions on Pyongyang in the wake of the launch, possibly ahead of new punitive measures that might be adopted by the UN Security Council.

Japan has officially lodged a protest against the DPRK's launch of what it has said was an earth observation satellite, but believed by Japan and others to be a test of ballistic missile technology, through its diplomatic channels in Beijing.

The DPRK is banned from test-firing any rockets based on a ballistic missile technology under UN Security Council resolutions and such a test has not been conducted since 2012.
The Kerala High Court on Monday ordered a CBI probe into the murder of Abdul Shukoor, an activist of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), in which certain Left leaders are allegedly involved.

The high court order came on a plea of Shukoor's mother that the police probe was not moving in the right direction.

Shukoor, 22, activist of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) youth front, was killed by alleged Communist Party of India-Marxist activists in full public glare in February 2012.

Kerala Police had named 33 people as accused, including Kannur CPI-M district secretary P. Jayarajan and party legislator T.V. Rajesh.

The two Left leaders were arrested and jailed but later got bail, following which the police probe slowed down.

Hearing the plea of Shukoor's mother, Justice Kamal Pasha said it was most surprising that police were not able to include the names of the two CPI-M leaders in the conspiracy aspect of the case. The court cannot be a mute witness to this grave injustice, he added.

The development comes at a time when Jayarajan is awaiting a high court decision on his anticipatory bail in the Kathirur Manoj murder case, now under probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

A lower court had denied bail on three occasions to Jayarajan in the case. He is now admitted to a hospital near Kannur after the lower court also denied him an anticipatory bail last month.
US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday reaffirmed the "ironclad" US commitment to the security and defence of Japan and South Korea, following the satellite launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Kerry spoke separately via phone with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida regarding the launch by the DPRK using ballistic missile technology, Xinhua quoted State Department spokesman John Kirby as saying.

The earth observation satellite blasted off at 9:00 a.m. local time on Sunday from the Sohae Space Centre in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, and later entered the target orbit, the Korean Central Television (KCTV) reported.

Kerry condemned the launch as a violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions that threatened peace and security, and he emphasised the importance of a united response to DPRK's provocations, including through a strong UN Security Council Resolution.

He also noted the vital importance of continued close communication and cooperation among the US, Japan, and South Korea in addressing the threats posed by the DPRK.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed deep concern over the central government's decision to withdraw concessions on customs duty on several key drugs.

"I am deeply concerned by the sudden increase in customs duties on life-saving drugs. Price rise needs to be addressed urgently.

"Medicines for cancer, diabetes, Parkison's, heart/kidney disorders, women's health can become too expensive for thousands who need them," said Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress chairperson.
A comparative study of Google and Microsoft smart glasses by Britain-based market research firm Juniper Research has found that the Microsoft's HoloLens will be better poised at dominating the market by 2020, a media report said.

In a recently published report, Juniper Research said that more than 12 million smart glasses, like Google Glass and Microsoft HoloLens, will reach consumers by 2020. However, Microsoft has the upper hand because the HoloLens is advertised as a product people could use at home or at work, whereas Google Glass is marketed as an mobile computing device, winbeta.org reported.

Juniper Research classified smart glasses as "head-mounted devices that provide display and computing capabilities while overlaying, but not replacing the visual world". The Oculus Rift and HTC Vive were not included in Juniper's definition due to their closed head-mounted displays.

"While Google Glass has similar features to a smartphone like a camera, phone messaging alerts, and directions. Smart glasses should not entirely replace the functionality of a smartphone," said James Moar, a research analyst with Juniper Research.

He added that HoloLens is different from Google Glass because the former is more about solving problems, creating new products, and editing models in a 3D environment to better visualise the final product.

"For a consumer who does not need constant hands-free computing, most smart glasses functions can be more easily and cheaply done on a smartphone, which is now a much more common item in many markets," Moar added.

As HoloLens are smart glasses that are designed and equipped to handle indoor spaces (for now), Google Glass faces a significant challenge because it has to process the large amount of information needed to handle the demands of the outside world, according to the report.

Google Glass also presented a huge challenge on privacy concerns, it added.

While Microsoft is expected to ship out HoloLens developer units sometime soon, Google has gone back to the drawing board with Project Aura to remake the Google Glass experience into a more private system.
The current turmoil in the Middle East is due as much to sectarianism as the legacies of colonial rule, and the situation is quite like the Indian subcontinent in the decade prior to Independence, says regional expert Vali Nasr.

"Colonialism not only decided maps of the modern Middle East, but also fostered sectarianism in the internal structures it set up - the Alawites in Syria, the Christians in Lebanon under the French, and so on.

"Colonialism and sectarianism conflicted with secular nationalism... sectarianism in the Middle East was like communalism in India during its freedom struggle and can be understood the same way... the issue of majority and minority rights," Nasr, the dean of the School of Advanced International Studies at US' Johns Hopkins University, spoke to IANS in an interview during his India visit for the Jaipur Literature Festival.

"The violence in Iraq is similar to the violence seen during the Partition of India," he said.

Nasr, a foreign policy advisor to the Barack Obama regime (2009-11) and a scholar on politics and Islamic activism in the Arab world, as well as Iran and Pakistan, and sectarian identity in Middle East politics, notes sectarianism, between Sunnis and Shias, was not on points of theology but on distribution of power.

This was especially relevant in countries like Iraq and Bahrain which had Shia majorities but without any power, he noted, adding the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 and then the Arab Spring further opened the door to sectarianism.

"The Arab Spring began a demand for democracy but what after that? That is the key issue," said Nasr, citing another parallel with the Indian subcontinent's example where the struggle against British rule also saw a bitter contest between the Congress and the Muslim League on the shape and nature of the political dispensation to follow.

The author of "The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future" (2006) when the community seemed to be on an upswing with huge political gains in Iraq after Saddam Hussein's overthrow, Nasr contends rise of groups like the Islamic State is among attempts by Sunni hardliners to reverse Shia Iran's gains in Iraq. But this comes at a time when Iran, long seen by the western world as the source of instability in the Middle East, is now being needed to manage the same instability, he said.

This image of Iran stemmed from the historic Shia-Sunni conflict, which however took shape of a proxy war after the 1979 Iranian Revolution raised a Shia threat for Sunni powers, especially Saudi Arabia which has had a relationship with the US, predating the US-Israel alliance.

"This proxy war between Shias and Sunnis, or between Iran and Saudi Arabia, even extended to south Asia and is still going on in Pakistan," said Nasr, who also spent some time in the sub-continent in the late 1970s and experienced the sectarian hostility as far away in Lucknow, considered a bastion of Shia culture and faith.

Nasr, who also wrote "Mawdudi and the Making of Islamic Revivalism" (1996), noted the founder of the Jamaat-e-Islami and a proponent of propagating "true" Islam was not violent himself, but his "children have become more intolerant".

On Iraq, he noted Shias and Sunnis look on its post-2003 politics differently - the former see it as the first modern Shia Arab state, but the latter were disturbed at the loss of a country that contained the Shia "threat" - and through the US, seen as their reliable ally against Khomeini's Iran.

Matters were further complicated by the Arab Spring "which did to several Arab states what the US Army had done to Iraq - broke down the state", he said, noting the implosion in several authoritarian Sunni states, taken to its logical conclusion -- of democracy and elections -- would have disturbing consequences for Sunnis, especially in places like Bahrain given Iraq's example.

"That is why the IS, which is trying to roll back Iranian gains in Iraq, and wrest Syria for the Sunnis, has struck a political resonance with its goal of a Sunni caliphate," said Nasr.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the country on the path of dharma (righteousness).

"Due to wrong myths, a gap had been created between dharma and over the years, but the Modi government has again taken the country on the path of dharma," Shah said at a function after inauguration of a temple here.

"The country has got a prime minister who reached Kashi after assuming the top political post and performed Ganga 'aarti'. Not only that, he took up the challenge to clean the holy Ganga river from Gangotri to Gangasagar," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader said.

"Under the Modi government, efforts to save our culture will increase," he added.

The temple constructed by noted Bhagwat katha exponent Devkinandan Thakur was inaugurated by Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki in the presence of Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Mathura MP Hema Malini and actor Mukesh Khanna.

Speaking on the occasion, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said that since cow slaughter ban was in the state government's domain, the BJP should be brought to power in Uttar Pradesh to address the matter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday greeted the people of China, Korea, Mongolia and Vietnam on their lunar new year.

In a series of tweets, the prime minister said:

"A very Happy New Year to Chinese friends around the world. May the Year of the Monkey bring joy and prosperity in your lives."

"Dear Korean friends, Seollal greetings to you all. Have a great year ahead."

"To the wonderful people of Mongolia, Happy Tsagaan Sar. Praying for a year filled with joy, good health and prosperity."

"Greetings to the people of Vietnam. May this year be full of joy and prosperity".
Most Indians want further strengthening of the India-Bangladesh ties and continuance of the provisions of the Indira-Mujib agreement, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said here on Monday, refuting the demand of VHP leader Praveen Togadia for modification in the 44-year-old accord.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) international working president Togadia, while addressing a gathering here recently, demanded that the 1951 electoral rolls must be the base for identifying infiltrators.

He said the VHP disapproves of 1971 as the cut-off year to categorise the Bangladeshi infiltrators as per the Indira-Mujib agreement.

The Indira-Mujib agreement was signed on March 19, 1972, between the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, determining various issues of the two countries, including 1971 as the cut-off year to identify the Bangladeshi infiltrators/refugees to India.

"Most Indians and the government do not want any kind of modification or scrapping of Indira-Mujib accord. Current decadal population growth in Tripura is 13 to 14 percent against 34 percent 30 years ago," said Sarkar, 69-year-old leader of Communist Party of India-Marxist, while addressing a gathering in connection with a book release programme.

The chief minister said: "Togadia's demands for deployment of the Indian Army in certain areas of Bangladesh to protect the Hindus of that country or DNA test to determine the infiltrators from Bangladesh to India, are dangerous demands and such demand can only instigate war against a country."

"Togadia demanded death sentence for Bangladeshi infiltrators. Such demand would set fire on the sensitive issue. Such demands only damage the relations of the two countries."

Sarkar, who is a very popular Indian politician in Bangladesh, said India-Bangladesh relations are now at a high point and this must not be spoiled at any cost, rather this relation should be further improved.

"Both New Delhi and Dhaka are now jointly working to further strengthen the rail, road, water and air connectivity to boost the economy and trade of the two countries in general and people to people relations in particular," said Sarkar.

Some Bangladeshi writers and poets were also present at the function, organised by a local publishing house to release their 18 books on the eve of the 34th Agartala book fair, beginning February 14.

Sarkar, drawing attention of the Bangladeshi intellectuals, said: "Like you, we are also not living well. Inimical elements and unfavourable political situations are prevailing both India and Bangladesh. We all must remain alert."

The Congress also demanded that the Left Front government in Tripura arrests Togadia and takes stern legal action against him for his alleged provocative speech.

At several public meetings during his three-day visit to Tripura, Togadia claimed that over 15 million infiltrators, mostly Bangladeshis, were illegally living in the northeastern states, West Bengal and other states, and the infiltration has been posing security threats.

"The central and state governments must initiate a time-bound action plan to push back infiltrators or give them death sentences by enacting a suitable law," he added.
In a move to bring lasting peace to Nagaland, a group of people representing the civil society in the state has reached Myanmar to bring the NSCN-K back on the peace path.

Representatives of the apex body Naga Hoho and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation (ENPO) planned to meet leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, informed sources said.

The NSCN-K, led by its chairman S.S. Khaplang, signed a ceasefire with the Indian government in 2001. But in March last year it dumped the accord and resumed armed attacks on security forces.

Last year, the outfit ambushed a convoy at Chandel in Manipur and killed 18 soldiers. The central government then banned the outfit for five years.

"A joint team comprising eight members representing the Naga Hoho and ENPO has reached Myanmar and is waiting to meet Khaplang. Let us see what the outcome is," ENPO president Khoiwang Konyak said in a statement.

The joint statement by the ENPO and Naga Hoho said the team met Kyaw Win Swe, an emissary from the Ceasefire Monitoring Group of the NSCN-K, at Mandalay.

The statement said Khaplang had been urged to again go for a truce with New Delhi.

The Nagaland assembly last year resolved to urge the central government and the NSCN-K to go back to the ceasefire agreement to create the right atmosphere for a political dialogue in Nagaland.
Actor Nicolas Cage will star in upcoming thriller film "Vengeance: A Love Story" with shooting starting in Atlanta next month.

The film will be directed by Harold Becker from a screenplay by John Mankiewicz. It's based on the 2003 novel by Joyce Carol Oates called "Rape: A Love Story", reports variety.com.

Oates's novel centres on the aftermath of a victim of gang rape, left for dead in a park boathouse. The victim is a single mother in her 30s, and the attack is witnessed by her daughter. A policeman who is a Gulf War veteran becomes her unexpected champion.

A release date of the film is yet to be announced.
A city court on Monday granted bail to MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi after he surrendered before police in a case relating to an attack on Congress leaders.

The Hyderabad MP, soon after his return from Uttar Pradesh, produced himself before V. Satyanarayana, deputy commissioner of police, south zone.

The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief was taken to government-run Osmania General Hospital for checkup.

He was subsequently produced before a magistrate at Nampally Criminal Court complex. The MP was granted bail on two sureties of Rs.5,000 each.

Owaisi and other MIM activists were booked in connection with the attack on Congress party's Telangana unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir.

The MIM workers manhandled Congress leaders and damaged their car near Mirchowk police station in the old city in the presence of Owaisi on February 2 during elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The MP and others were booked for unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation.

Police had already arrested six accused in the case and they were all released on bail.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rescind the central government's notification relating to right of use of land issued enabling GAIL (India) to lay its gas pipeline through farmlands in seven districts of the state.

In a letter to Modi, text of which was released to the media, Jayalalithaa also urged him to direct GAIL India not to act upon the notifications pending a final view in the matter.

Jayalalithaa wrote to Modi in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent order holding that once the right of use of land is notified the state government does not have the power to direct as to how the pipeline is to be aligned.

She also told Modi that the state government will be filing a review petition in the apex court in this matter.

As a part of its around Rs.5,000 crore gas pipeline project, between Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru, GAIL planned to lay the pipes in the agricultural fields in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri much against the wishes of the farmers.

Heeding to the high court's orders, the state government held public hearings in March this year to ascertain the views of the people.

Jayalalithaa had also announced in the assembly that projects are for the people and not people for the projects.

The state government also ordered GAIL to stop the pipeline work and lay its along the national highways.

In her letter Jayalalithaa also urged Modi to amend the relevant provisions of the Petroleium and Minerals Pipeline (Acquisition of Right of Use in Land) Act, 1962 and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

She said the amendment should provide for the conduct of a social impact assessment under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962.

She also said GAIL may be directed to be part of the expert committee constituted by the state government, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of laying the pipelines alongside the national highways.

According to Jayalalithaa, the pipeline would cover 310 km with an affected area of 20 metres width.

"The project would very adversely affect lakhs of mango, jackfruit and coconut trees which are extensively grown in the project affected areas.

"It is estimated that more than 120,000 such fruit bearing trees would have to be uprooted for laying the pipes," the letter notes.

"Further, the restrictions on excavating any tank, well, etc in the area, would adversely affect agriculture and horticulture," Jayalalithaa added
The "return of Jungle Raj in Bihar" is a lie spread by the opposition parties in their attempt to defame the state, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad has said.

"Opposition parties are talking and spreading falsehood of return of 'jungle raj' in Bihar as part of conspiracy to defame the state again," Lalu told reporters here on Sunday after his arrival from Delhi.

Lalu also dismissed the demand made on Saturday by Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan that President's Rule be imposed in Bihar in view of the deteriorating law and order situation under the government of the 'Grand Alliance' of JD-U, RJD and the Congress.

Rule of law prevails in Bihar and there is no place for violence and lawlessness, said Lalu whose two sons, Tejaswi Prasad and Tej Pratap, are ministers in the state government, the former also being the deputy chief minister.



Chirag, son of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, had spoken in the context of the killing on Friday of his party leader Brijnathi Singh by some people. Singh was a criminal-turned-politician, known once as the terror of Raghopur area in Vaishali district.

"Brijnathji was shot dead within 10-15 km of the chief minister's house. He was shot dead only because he and his family fought against Lalu ji in the Vidhan Sabha polls. I would definitely want to ask the chief minister if this is not political rivalry, then what is?" Chirag was quoted as saying in a media report.

Lalu said the opposition is not ready to realise its rejection by the people in the elections and so is trying to paint Bihar in a poor light.
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a PIL questioning 'flawed' government policy in dealing with the spate of suicides by farmers across the country, saying it was a matter related to policy and governance.

"What are we supposed to do," observed the bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice R. Banumathi, saying this was a matter concerning people in the government.

Asking petitioner S. Sundaresan to approach the government, the bench said: "This is a problem of governance. It is a policy matter and the court could not sit on judgment on policies."

The petitioner sought the court's direction for the implementation of eminent agricultural scientists M.S. Swaminathan's report.

The National Commission on Farmers headed by Swaminathan during 2004-2006 in its report had said: "The Minimum Support Price (MSP) should be at least 50 percent more than the weighted average cost of production. The net take home incomes of farmers should be comparable to those of civil servants."

The recommendations were targeted to improve the economic viability of farming by significantly increasing the income of farmers and setting up of the agricultural coordination committee headed by the prime minister.

Asking the petitioner to approach the government, the court dismissed the PIL.
Six people were arrested on Monday for travelling in a defence ministry vehicle without valid documents in West Bengal's Burdwan district, police said.

The car bearing a plate with the words "Government of India Ministry of Defence - OFB (Ordinance Factory Board) Kolkata" was seized by police and six of its occupants arrested in the early hours of the day on the national highway 2 in Jamalpur.

"All of them had neither any documents to support their association with the defence ministry or the OFB, nor was there any documents of the car. They have been arrested and the car seized," Superintendent of Police Kunal Aggarwal said.

Identified as Salim Akhtar, Sheikh Asrafuddin, Shakil Ahmed, Sheikh Irfan, Sheikh Shah Rukh and Sheikh Abu, all the six are residents of Kolkata.

Besides getting in touch with Kolkata Police to get details of any criminal antecedents of the accused, police have also informed the defence ministry about the incident.

According to a defence ministry official, the car was hired by the OFB for 'routine purposes' but the contract ended in November 2015 and was not renewed.

Police were also investigating if the accused have any terror link.

An accidental blast at a house in Khagragarh in the district in October 2014 led to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) busting a terror module of Bangladeshi militant outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.
Six employees were burnt to death when a reactor exploded in manufacturing unit of a pharamceutical firm in Maheswaram on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Monday, police said.

Two others were injured in the explosion that occurred in Asita pharma and drugs factory in Mankhal industrial area of Maheswaram in Ranga Reddy district around 6 a.m.

The explosion caused a huge fire. Six employees who were working near the reactor were burnt to death. The injured were rushed to a hospital.

The toll was initially put at four but the rescue workers later found burnt bodies of two more employees. The dead include man in charge of production block Murthy, 45, and quality controller Venkat, 28.

Four other deceased have been identified as Kosaram, 26, Dasru Rai, 24, Deva, 23, and Jogaram, 25.

The four hailed from Chhattisgarh.

Legislator from Maheswaram assembly constituency T. Krishna Reddy, who visited the factory, expressed grief over the tragedy. He demanded that the factory management pay Rs.20 lakh compensation each to the families of those killed.
The winter chill returned to most parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, on Monday following heavy snowfall and rains in neighbouring Uttarakhand.

With snow in Badrinath, Kedarnath and some parts of Kumayun and Almora regions and rains pounding the state capital of the hill state, icy winds are blowing across Uttar Pradesh, bringing down both day and night temperatures, a weatherman said.

This weather pattern is likely to continue for the next few days, the weatherman warned.

Director the regional Met department, J.P. Gupta said snowfall was likely to continue in Hemkund Saheb, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath, Kedarnath and Auli, leading to some further fall in the mercury.
At least three soldiers were killed on Monday when a suicide bomber exploded himself near a military bus in Afghanistan's Balkh province.

The suicide bomber also died in the explosion, an official told Xinhua news agency. Eighteen soldiers were injured in the attack.

The bomber detonated his explosives-laden jacket close to the vehicle. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
Automobile major Tata Motors on Friday invited suggestions on a new name for its hatchback which was earlier brought in as Zica.

The company initiated the process through crowd-sourcing activity -- "#Fantastico Name Hunt."

"The company will be looking forward to suggestions from its fans and audiences around the world to share what they think should be the name of the car," the automobile major said in a statement.

According to the company, it expects to receive suggestion entries through its social media channels over the next three days.

"The hunt for the new name will end at 23:59 IST, 18:29 GMT and 13:29 EST on 7th of February, 2016," the statement pointed out.

"The company will further shortlist these entries for viewers to vote for their favourite name."

The company elaborated that "one of the lucky contestant" whose selection matches the final name, stands a chance to win the car (if within India) or win a reward of equal value if located outside India.

The company is conducting the activity on social media and mobile platforms like Facebook, Twitter, SMS and WhatsApp.

On Tuesday, automobile major decided to rename its soon-to-be launched hatchback, whose 'Zica' name was derived from "Zippy Car". 'Zica' unfortunately turned out to be similar to the "Zika" virus that has burst upon the world scene recently and assumed epidemic proportions in South America.

"Empathising with the hardships being caused by the recent Zika virus outbreak across many countries, Tata Motors, as a socially responsible company, has decided to re-brand the car," the company said.

The automobile manufacturer elaborated that the new car is backed by Tata Motors' "Made of Great" campaign, with the motto -- "What drives us from within is what makes us great."

The new car is being showcased publicly for the first time at the ongoing Auto Expo 2016 in Greater Noida.

"While it will carry the 'Zica' label for the duration of the event (Auto Expo), the new name will be announced after a few weeks, ensuring all necessary consumer/branding and regulatory aspects are addressed, and the launch will take place thereafter," the statement added.

The Zika virus, native to parts of Africa and Asia, has for the first time been introduced into the Americas where it is spreading locally among people who have not travelled abroad.

There is currently no vaccine against the virus or antiviral treatment.

Zika is generally a mild illness, spread by a day-biting mosquito. However, there is a worrisome, but as of yet unproven, association of infected mothers in Brazil giving birth to babies with small heads and underdeveloped brains, said a research letter published in leading British medical journal The Lancet.

There has been a 20-fold increase in the number of babies born with this condition, known as microcephaly, since Zika first appeared in Brazil in May 2015, researchers said.

More than 22 countries in the Americas have reported the sporadic Zika virus infections, indicating its rapid geographic expansion.
The tourism ministry on Monday launched a round-the-clock toll-free infoline in 12 international languages for the benefit of both international and domestic tourists.

Apart from English and Hindi, the infoline will provide relevant information to tourists in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese and Russia.

The callers can avail the service on 1800111363 or on a short code 1363. Calls made by international and domestic tourists to the number while in India will be free of charge.

Launching the service at a function here, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Mahesh Sharma said that an 'Incredible India Mobile App' will soon be launched to help tourists.

"The multilingual infoline will provide information to domestic and international tourists. It will also give advice to callers on action to be taken during times of distress while travelling in India and on the need to alert authorities concerned," Sharma said.

International tourists in India and callers who speak the aforesaid languages will be directed to call agents proficient in the language concerned.

The 'Incredible India' website is also being updated to make it more tourist-friendly, a ministry release said.
Twitterati on Monday joined the user industry in hailing the telecom watchdog for ruling in favour of net neutrality, though it meant a loss of face to Facebook and cellular operators.

Minutes after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued an order upholding net neutrality and ruling out discriminatory pricing of data content, twitterati across the country took to micro-blogging to express their views.

Among them were Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who welcomed the ruling and termed it a "big win for internet users in India".

As against Facebook's Free Basics and the country's largest private telecom operator Airtel Zero offerings, the watchdog said "no service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content".

Joining their leader, Congress spokesman Randeep S. Surjewalla and party leader Ahmed Patel welcomed the TRAI decision.

"The decision will negate differential data pricing and ensuring #Net Neutrality," Surjewalla tweeted.

"The decision will ensure a free and open internet for all #Net neutrality," tweeted Patel.

Leading e-tailor Snapdeal co-founder and chief executive Kunal Bahl said "great to see TRAI backing #NetNeutrality! Let's keep the Internet free and independent".

Taking a pot shot at Facebook's Free Basics, which is against net neutrality, journalist Vir Sanghvi tweeted "rot in hell Free Basics. You can't fool all the people all the time. Good decision by TRAI".

Journalist and former Hindu editor-in-chief Siddharth Varadarajan said "TRAI lays down historic order protecting net neutrality".

Mumbai-based anti-corruption crusader Anjali Damani tweeted the order as a big blow to Facebook that was "leaving no stones unturned to get Free Basics programme".

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, however, asked where he could read up on both sides of the #NetNeutrality debate.

"Have no idea what the debate is all about & would like to know," the National Conference leader quipped in the tweet.
Mathura police on Monday arrested two drug peddlers with two packets of heroin weighing one kilo 36 grams.

The value of the Afghani heroin was estimated at around Rs.2 crore, a police officer said.

Rahul of Mathura and Satyapal of Kasganj were taken into custody while a third, identified as sepoy Sanjay Yadav of the Assam Rifles from Etah district, was absconding, Station House Officer (SHO) of Raya police station Sanjiv Kumar Tomar said.

A police team was tracking Sanjay, he said.

A team was on alert since morning after the police got a tip from an informer.

A country-made pistol, two live cartridges and a motorbike were seized from the peddlers' possession, the police said.

It was one of the biggest catch of heroin in Mathura district.

The heroin was smuggled through the international border and sold in the market through a network, the two arrested people told the police.
The UN Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned the launch using ballistic missile technology by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday, said a press statement of the council.

"This launch, as well as any other DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, even if characterised as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, contributes to the DPRK's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

The launch is a serious violation of Security Council resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), and 2094 (2013), it said.

The members of the Security Council restated their intent to develop significant measures in a new Security Council resolution in response to the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on January 6, it said.

They also recalled that they have previously expressed their determination to take "further significant measures" in the event of another DPRK launch, it said.

In line with this commitment and the gravity of this most recent violation, the members of the Security Council will adopt expeditiously a new Security Council resolution with such measures in response to these dangerous and serious violations, it said.

The statement was released after the Security Council met in an emergency session here on Sunday morning.
Security Council reform negotiations have begun with a focus on points of accord by looking at the relationship between it and the 193-member United Nations General Assembly in a bid to smoothen the way for dealing later with the more contentious issues like adding permanent members, according to diplomatic sources.

At the first session on Wednesday of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council Reform, using a negotiating text adopted in September after years of wrangling, its head, Sylvie Lucas, astutely turned the spotlight to the theme of "Relationship between the Council and the General Assembly," an area with more agreement than discord, and so the talks could begin without rancour.

She asked the members to look for areas of "convergence" instead of repeating their differing positions, the sources said. This was the first meeting chaired by Lucas, who is Luxembourg's Permanent Representative, after her appointment last year as the chair of the IGN. A diplomat who was at the closed meeting told IANS that while there were some differences, overall there was more of a "confluence of ideas", and heated debates as in previous meetings were avoided.

Most countries at the session agreed on redefining the relationship between the two bodies, emphasising that the Council - comprising the five permanent members (US, UK, Russia, France and China) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms - should stop "encroaching" on areas that are the mandate of the Assembly, the heads of the two bodies should consult regularly and that the Council report comprehensively on its work to the Assembly. This account of the closed-door meeting was put together by IANS from conversations with sources who attended the meeting.

Even countries like Pakistan, which had opposed holding text-based negotiations mainly to prevent a reform that adds new permanent members to the Council, joined in criticising the Council's relationship with the Assembly and made suggestions to improve it.

Speaking on behalf of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, which are known as the G4, Tokyo's Permanent Representative Motohide Yoshikawa emphasised that the negotiating text had been adopted unanimously and that Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft had asked the IGN to continue negotiations based on the text. The four members of the G4 jointly work for reforms and mutually support each other's bid for permanent seats on an expanded Council.

Yoshikawa said the G4 strongly supported Lucas' "guideline that we should try to identify areas of convergence rather than repeating our known positions on major issues". In addition to the most common suggestions for improving Council-Assembly relations, G4 called for getting inputs from the Peacebuilding Commission and the heads of its country specific panels in Council discussions.

India did not speak as the G4 had agreed to have Japan as the collective voice at the meeting. Japan became an elected member of the Council for a two-year term last month. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida also set up last month a "Strategic Headquarters" in his ministry to intensify the push for reforming and expanding the Council.

Another group to which India belongs, the L69 that includes 42 countries from Africa, Latin America and Asia supporting Council reform and expansion, noted that it shared the views of the 54-member African Union and the 15-member Caribbean group known as CARICOM on restructuring relations between the Council and the Assembly.

Speaking on L69's behalf, Saint Lucia's Permanent Representative Menissa Rambally said L69 will work with a "spirit of building further convergence among member states". The African Union and L69 said the Council should consult countries contributing troops to the UN peacekeeping operations on the mandates and their implementation.

The expansion of the Council also came up at the meeting. Speaking on behalf of the African Union, the largest regional group at the UN, Sierra Leone's Permanent Representative Vandi Chidi Minah said the African nations should have two veto-wielding permanent members in an expanded Council.

But Pakistan's Permanent Representative Maleeha Lodhi opposed adding any permanent members, calling it a sterile move as they would not be accountable to those they are supposed to represent.

She was however in agreement on criticising the Council's functioning. According to Pakistani media reports, she said the UN was seen as losing its moral legitimacy and this "can only be reversed if the Security Council in its decision making takes into account the collective voice of the General Assembly - as envisaged in the UN Charter".

On Council-Assembly relations, Minah spoke of how matters concerning Africa were decided with little input from it. He also expressed concern over the Council going beyond its Charter mandate of maintaining peace and security by encroaching into areas like development that are the responsibilities of the Assembly, a view shared by India, the L69 and others.

Russia's Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin backed the developing countries' complaint about the Council's encroachment into Assembly responsibilities. But fellow Council permanent member Britain hotly contested it, maintaining that the Council was within its mandate to take up such matters as they ultimately impact peace and security.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Scientists at a British university are developing a new wearable technology to help people who have had a stroke recover use of their arm and hand.

A team of researchers at the University of Southampton, England, will create a wireless sleeve to provide information about muscle movement and strength while patients practice every-day tasks at home, a university statement said on Monday.

Led by professor Jane Burridge, the two-year project has been funded with a grant of nearly 1 million pounds from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) through its Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme.

"Stroke rehabilitation is increasingly home-based, as patients are often discharged from hospital after only a few days. This policy encourages independence and avoids problems associated with prolonged hospital stays," Jane Burridge, professor of restorative neuroscience at Southampton, was quoted as saying.

"However, some patients struggle to carry out the exercises and they may question whether what they are doing is correct," Burridge added.

The wearable technology will be the first to incorporate mechanomyography (MMG) microphone-like sensors that detect the vibration of a muscle when it contracts, and inertial measurement units (IMU), comprising tri-axial accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers that detect movement.

Data from the two types of sensors will be put together and then data that is not needed, for example outside noise, will then be removed from the muscle signal.

The feedback to patients will be presented on a user-friendly computer interface as an accurate representation of their movement, showing them how much they have improved.

"We hope that our sleeve will help stroke patients regain the use of their arm and hand, reduce time spent with therapists and allow them to have the recommended 45 minutes daily therapy more flexibly," Burridge said.
An Indian biotech company's "breakthrough" claim that it has developed two "candidate vaccines" against the Zika virus - while being hailed as a 'made in India' product - has alarmed some virologists.

Krishna Ella, managing director of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, announced last week that his company is probably the first in the world to file a "global patent" for its vaccines against the virus that is suspected to cause birth defects and neurological problems and is terrorizing Brazil and other countries in South America. The company said it started work on the vaccines a year ago using "live" Zika virus. But, despite repeated requests from IANS, neither Ella nor the company's spokesperson revealed from where or when the company got this virus.

"It is a serious question," said Kalyan Banerjee, a renowned virologist and former director of the National Institute of Virology in Pune, a premier laboratory under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

"Normally one should not import any exotic virus into the country under any pretext," Banerjee told IANS in an email. "Only the government of India's biotechnology board or a similar body is authorized to give permission to import after ascertaining all aspects of the virus."

"It is amazing how the said laboratory obtained the live virus, particularly when there is no record of isolation of Zika virus from the Indian subcontinent," Banerjee said.

The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes Aegypti species of mosquitoes that are abundant in India.

"Regarding the company getting the virus and making a vaccine, it needs to be carefully investigated," Banerjee said, pointing out that "loopholes in the import of pathogenic agents may lead to national disaster".

He said strict vigilance was one main reason why the yellow fever virus - which is also spread by Aedes mosquitoes and causes a fatal disease - never came to India.

Durga Rao, another leading virologist at the Indian Institute of Science here, agrees.

One can import a virus from any source with approval from ICMR or the department of biotechnology, "but unauthorized introduction of a virus which is not reported yet in India by anyone could be a serious regulatory problem as it can get into the environment easily under our unsupervised facilities", Rao said in an email.

But inquiries reveal that the vaccine maker failed to follow the standard procedure for importing the live Zika virus whose potential threat to newborns forced the World Health Organization on February 1 to declare a global emergency.

"We did not import the virus and Bharat (Biotech) got it themselves," ICMR director general Soumya Swaminathan told IANS in an email to a query if the company sought its permission to import.

"There are safety concerns with Zika virus vaccine -- so all steps in regulatory approval need to be followed," she said.

Asked if the DBT gave the permission, its secretary K. Vijayraghavan - instead of an emphatic yes or no - said that the question "is best addressed to the industry concerned". In an email, he said the DBT is committed to work with ICMR and the health Ministry to ensure preparedness.

Apart from its reluctance to reveal the source of the virus used to develop the vaccines, the company has declined to give details about the global patent it claims to have filed in July 2015.

A search of the Indian Patent Office website for Bharat Biotech's patent applications, or the company's own website, does not show any specific filing for the Zika virus. One patent expert told IANS that "it is possible that the patent office hasn't yet published this patent application".

Some scientists are impressed - and at the same time intrigued - by the Indian company's foresight in trying to develop a vaccine for a disease that was not yet there.

According to a report in the journal Science, "less than a year ago, Zika seemed too trivial for anyone to bother developing countermeasures", and Brazil reported its first case (microcephaly) of Zika virus only in May 2015.

"But Bharat Biotech says it started work on the vaccine as early as in 2014 and filed for patents for two vaccines in July 2015 itself," said one medical researcher who did not want to be named. "This defies credibility."

But Bharat Biotech has dismissed this argument saying the company was already developing vaccines for chikungunya and dengue and it was natural to work also on a vaccine for Zika virus which too is spread by the same species of mosquito.

Although the Indian company has an early start in vaccine development, bringing the vaccine to the market will be years away, experts say. There is no monkey model yet to enable comparisons of candidate vaccines and human trials have to be done in endemic countries like Brazil, not in India.

(K.S. Jayaraman can be contacted at killugudi@hotmail.com)
We encountered the narrative of the Return of Jungle Raj many times during the course of our 10-day journey late last year during the Bihar Assembly elections. A local journalist told us in Siwan, a city made infamous by criminal-turned-MP Shahabuddin, that the henchmen of Shahabuddin became active the day Nitish Kumar decided to form an alliance with Lalu Prasad. What law and order? You will hardly see anyone venturing out after 7 PM now, he told us.
Vijay Rupani, minister of water supply in Gujarat, has accused the Modi government of not releasing enough funds for the state to enable proper water management. Gujarat has got brilliant results using cost-saving techniques such as e-tender, water audit and energy audit, but the central government is not releasing enough funds for the state, he alleged. Ironically, Modi, as chief minister of Gujarat, had accused the then United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre of step-motherly treatment on various issues including releasing funds for the state.
There may have been many good reasons for the Italian government to invest in oil services company Saipem last November. Here's one: it employs 7,600 Italians. Another was to help Eni, the state oil company which had been saddled with indebted and scandal-ridden Saipem, to deconsolidate the group from its accounts.

Eni sold a 12.5 per cent stake to Fondo Strategico Italiano, a wealth fund controlled by state bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, which was recently revamped by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Its mandate is to support Italian business. FSI also committed to shoulder its share of Saipem's 3.5 billion euro rights issue. That was in November, when the oil price was around $50 a barrel. Now, with oil at $35, Saipem's business plan is off course, and its stock has collapsed.

The government invested 463 million euros to buy a 12.5 percent stake. The rights issue will bring its total investment to 900 million euros. Based on current prices, the value of its stake today is just under 600 million euros. The shares fell more than 10 per cent on February 8, after the rights issue completed.

A paper loss won't matter if oil prices recover. Saipem expects operating profit of at least 900 million euros by 2019, implying earnings per share of around 0.06 euros. Put on a multiple of 15, FSI's stake could be worth 1.1 billion euros, implying a respectable internal rate of return of about eight per cent. Yet that plan assumes oil will hit $75 by 2018: if oil is below $55, more restructuring will be needed. Canaccord Genuity expects earnings of just 0.04 euros a share in 2019, suggesting a value of 758 million euros for FSI's 900 million investment.

However bad an investment Saipem may turn out to be, the government has some comfort, because it also owns a big stake in Eni. Unfortunately, that is only 30 percent. The transaction was done on market terms, so is unlikely to break state-aid rules. Nonetheless, Eni's private shareholders have come out on top.
Twelve men of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin were today jailed for a total of more than 140 years after a British court found them guilty of sexually exploiting a vulnerable white teenage girl.

Eleven were jailed for rape and the 12th man was jailed for sexual activity with a child under 16 by Bradford Crown Court.

Their white British victim from the West Yorkshire town of Keighley in northern England was aged 13 and 14 when she was repeatedly raped and passed around between the men, the court heard during the trial.

The men were led by ringleader and drug dealer Ahmed Al-Choudhury, who facilitated most of the offences but then fled abroad to Bangladesh.

Judge Roger Thomas told them: "The attitudes of the majority of you have so clearly demonstrated to these proceedings has been contemptuous, disrespectful and arrogant on a scale that I have hardly seen before in many years of practice in criminal law.

"Exactly the same attitude to the 13/14 year old girl who you all sexually abused and exploited for your own selfish gratification. None of these defendants had any concern for the victim. They were totally uninterested in her welfare and what damage they were causing her."



According to The Yorkshire Post, the trial heard how the teenager was repeatedly attacked over a period of 13 months between 2011 and 2012.

She was made to have sex in various locations in the town, including an underground car park and a church graveyard.

Khalid Raja Mahmood, 34, was given a 17-year extended sentence for rape and sexual activity with a child; Tauqeer Hussain, 23, was jailed for 18 years for rape; Yasser Kabir, 25, was jailed for 20 years for rape, sexual assault and causing a child to engage in sexual activity; Sufyan Ziarab, 23, was sentenced to 15 years for rape; Bilal Ziarab, 21, was jailed for 12 years for rape.

Israr Ali, 19, was sentenced to three-and-half years in a young offenders' institution for rape; Nasir Khan, 24, was jailed for 13 years for rape; Zain Ali, 20, was sentenced to eight years in a young offenders' institution for rape; Faisal Khan, 27, was jailed for 13 years for rape; Saqib Younis, 29, was also jailed for 13 years for rape.

Hussain Sardar, 19, was sentenced to six years in a young offenders' institution for rape; and Mohammed Akram, 63, was jailed for five years for sexual activity with a child.

The court heard the victim now has post-traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression.

In a statement, she said: "My perception of what a normal relationship is, is warped. Trust issues effect every aspect of my life. I have also had many physical effects. I was physically assaulted and punched and kicked and these hurt when I am tired.

"My moods are very variable and can be up and down at any time. I have no coping mechanisms and feel out of control. The court process has been very difficult.
The 10 terrorists, who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008, had attempted to carry out the strike twice earlier but could not execute, Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley disclosed today.

Deposing before a court here via a video-link from the US, the Pakistani-American said the attempts were made in September and October that year.

"LeT operative Sajid Mir (Headley's main contact man in LeT) told me that two earlier attempts to attack Mumbai had failed," Headley told Special Judge GA Sanap during deposition that lasted nearly five-and-a-half-hours.

He said the first attempt was made in September 2008 but it failed as the boat hit some rocks and the terrorists lost all the arms and ammunition into the sea.

"The boat, which started from outside Karachi, disintegrated and people on it had their life jackets on and they came to the shore, while the second attempt was made a month later (in October)," Headley told the court.

The same 10 terrorists of LeT were successful in attacking Mumbai the third time, said Headley, the LeT operative who is currently serving 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks.

Headley reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House. His recce provided vital information for the 10 LeT attackers and their handlers in the attack.

The deposition of Headley, assumes significance as it may unravel the conspiracy behind the brazen terror strike, which left 166 dead and 309 injured.

The court had on December 10, 2015, made Headley an approver in the case and directed him to depose before the court on February 8 (today).

He had then told Special Judge GA Sanap that he was "ready to depose" if granted pardon.
Twenty-seven people including 11 children drowned today after their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece, the Turkish coastguard said.

The coastguard said it discovered the boat -- carrying 40 people -- half capsized after it set off from Edremit in the western province of Balikesir in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

So far, four migrants have been rescued both by air and by sea in a search and rescue operation, the coastguard said in a statement on its website.

Nine people were still missing.

The nationalities of the victims were not immediately known.

Dogan agency initially said at least 35 migrants had died in two separate accidents off western Turkey, but later reported that there was a single incident, with 11 children dead.

Turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syria's civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty to Europe.

The deaths came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks in Ankara on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe, as about 30,000 Syrians remained stranded at the Turkish border after fleeing a regime offensive on the northern Syrian region of Aleppo.

Merkel said Turkey and Germany would seek the use of NATO resources to help police the Turkish coast to try to stop the people smugglers.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, whose country has taken in 2.7 million people fleeing the Syrian conflict, said Ankara could not handle the burden alone.

The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros (USD 3.2 billion) in financial assistance.

But the deal and wintry weather in the Mediterranean do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the number of refugees and migrants who perished in the Mediterranean in January alone topped 360.

In January, almost 62,200 migrants and refugees entered Europe through Greece, according to the IOM, most of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Around 30,000 Syrians are at the Turkish border after fleeing a Russia-backed regime offensive on the northern region of Aleppo, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

With his country facing mounting pressure to open its border, Davutoglu said the refugees would be admitted if need be, although Turkey should not be expected "to shoulder the refugee issue alone."



"Around 30,000 Syrians have now massed," the border with northwestern Syria which remains closed, he told a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Davutoglu, whose country is hosting 2.7 million Syrian refugees, said Turkey would take refugees "if necessary."



"Obviously, as always, we will provide for our Syrian brothers and accept them when necessary," he said.

But he warned: "No one should assume that just because Turkey is taking in all the refugees that it should be expected to shoulder the refugee issue alone."



Merkel's visit is aimed at pressing Turkey to make good on pledges to do more to reduce the influx of refugees to Europe.

It came as 33 people died off Turkey's coast attempting to reach Greece in two separate tragedies on Tuesday.

The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros ($3.2 billion) in financial assistance.

The EU on Wednesday finally reached an agreement on how to finance the deal.

But the deal and the onset of winter do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily.

Davutoglu said Turkey and Germany would "cooperate better" to make EU's border agency Frontex more efficient.
The 35 crew members of US company-owned ship MV Seaman Guard Ohio, who were sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment by a lower court on charges of illegally possessing weapons and entering Indian waters in an unauthorized manner, today moved the Madras High court bench here challenging the order.

In their appeal, they submitted they were involved in preventing piracy in Indian Ocean and carried the arms only for that purpose.

They claimed that Indian Arms Act would not apply to them. Cases could not be registered against them under Arms Act nor could they be convicted under the Act, they said.

Besides 25 of them were ex-army men and they would not cause any threat to the security of India, they said.

They argued that the trial court had erred in convicting them on the ground that their act was a threat to the security of the country. They said they could not renew their permit of the ship as it was under the control of the 'Q' Branch police of Tamil Nadu.

The Indian government should have taken action to renew the permit of the ship. There were several flaws in the trial court judgment, they claimed and prayed that it be set aside and they be released.

Besides sentencing them to five years RI, Tuticorin district Sessions Court Judge Rajasekhar had on January 11 also imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 each on the crew members comprising 12 Indians, three Ukranians, six British and 14 Estonian nationals.

The crew, arrested on October 18, 2013 after their ship was intercepted by Indian Coast Guard off Tuticorin port, had been granted conditional bail by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in March, 2014.

The crew were arrested after the Coast Guard personnel found the ship carrying arms illegally in Indian waters off Tuticorin, a charge denied by the vessel authorities.

They faced charges under Arms Act and Essential Commodities Act which was invoked as the ship had allegedly bought diesel from a local agent in violation of law.

US firm AdvanFort International, which owns the ship, had been maintaining that the vessel was involved in anti-piracy operations and had not strayed into Indian waters.
A 35-year-old man allegedly shot himself dead while trying to pull off a stunt at a party in west Delhi's Uttam Nagar area, police said today.

The incident took place last night when the deceased, identified as one Ram Mehar alias Ramavtar, a native of a village in Haryana, went to an apartment in Uttam Nagar to join a group of friends for drinks, police said.

Those present at the party told police that Mehar pulled out his pistol and emptied the chambers. He then picked up a single bullet and put it back into a slot in the cylinder, which he then spun before placing the pistol on the table.

Saying he had seen such a stunt in a Bollywood film, he took the gun, placed it on his temple and pulled the trigger. But the gun did not fire, those at the party told police.

On allegedly being cheered on, he pulled the trigger once more and again the gun did not fire. Following this, his friends asked him to stop, but he repeated the stunt and was lucky a third time. However, when he tried the stunt a fourth turn, the pistol fired and the bullet pierced his head.

After police were informed, Mehar was taken to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

"We are awaiting the post-mortem report. From preliminary investigation, no foul play is suspected. However, we are questioning all the persons present at the party, including Mehar's cousin," said Joint Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Dependra Pathak.

He said that though no case has been registered and Mehar's family members are yet to arrive from his village, the matter is being probed from all possible angles, including murder.

Police said Mehar had a licence for the gun and it was registered in Haryana.
A group of Bharat Sena activists today tore and burnt Valentine's Day greeting cards in front of the District Collectorate, protesting against the day being observed as lovers day in what they termed in vulgar manner.

The workers alleged that a section of youth was observing the day in indecent and vulgar manner that too in public, police said.

As a protest, about 10 activists tore the cards and burnt it and asked police to keep a strict vigil on that day, they said.
A London-bound Air India flight from here with 90 passengers on board made an emergency landing at Frankfurt Airport after one of the Boeing 787-800 (VT-ANO) aircraft engines had to be switched-off mid-air.

All the passengers landed safely and Air India engineers are inspecting the aircraft engine to fix the snag that forced the flight to land at the German airport at 1332 hours (local time) today, an Air India spokesperson said.

Air India flight AI-115, had departed around 0650 hours from the IGIA for London's Heathrow Airport after arriving from Amritsar this morning, he said.

There was some issue with the engine that forced the pilot to switch-off one of the engines and seek permission to land at Frankfurt airport, he said.

Notably, the same aircraft was grounded within a week of its induction in October 2013 after a large panel on fuselage got detatched while operating a flight to Bengaluru from Delhi.
Al-Qaida militants battled each other today in a southern Yemeni city controlled by the group, in what appeared to be an internal power struggle that erupted after a senior militant was killed in a US drone strike.

The clashes broke out in the southern city of Zinjibar late Sunday, leaving at least seven militants dead and another nine wounded, according to Yemeni officials.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media.

The rival factions are led by local commander known as Abu Anas al-Sanani and another known as Ossan Baliedy, the brother of Jalal Baliedy, the leader who was killed along with three others in a drone strike on Thursday.

The late Baliedy headed al-Qaida in Abyan province, of which Zinjibar is the capital, and was known for brutality, including the beheading of 16 soldiers in August 2014.

He was believed to be ideologically closer to the Islamic State group, which is locked in a bitter rivalry with al-Qaida and has a branch in Yemen.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, as the group's Yemen branch is known, has attempted several attacks on the US homeland and has long been seen by US officials as the group's most lethal affiliate.

It has exploited the chaos of Yemen's civil war, which pits various forces loyal to the internationally recognized government against Shiite Houthi rebels allied with troops loyal to a former president.

AQAP has seized a number of southern cities and towns, including the port city of Mukalla.

A Saudi-led coalition has been striking the Houthis since March 2015 and has also sent in ground troops. Today, the coalition shot down a ballistic missile launched toward the kingdom from Yemen, according to a statement.
Government today said the testimony of Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley will end the ambiguity over the role of Pakistani "state and non-state actors" in Mumbai terror attack and take the case to logical conclusion.

"The difference between the state and non-state actors will come to an end after this statement," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters here.

The Minister said it was known to everyone as to who were involved in the conspiracy to carry out the country's worst terror attack in 2008 which had left 166 dead and 309 others injured.

"It is known that who all were involved. Headley's statement will lead to a logical conclusion. It will help us," he said.

Rijiju said the fresh revelations by Headley, about his background and his working style, would help the Indian investigators and prosecutors.

In his deposition before a Mumbai court, through video conferencing from an American prison, Headley today said his main contact in Lashkar-e-Taiba was Sajid Mir, suspected to be an operative of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.

Headley said that he joined LeT after being "influenced" by its head Hafiz Saeed and took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad.

Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.
Facing opposition attack ahead of Budget Session, BJP chief Amit Shah today held a meeting with allies for better floor coordination in Parliament and also decided to hold one-to-one meeting with them, some of whom complained against lack of coordination.

Shah will meet Akali Dal and TDP leaders tomorrow and hold similar meetings with the other allies in the coming days. The Budget session is commencing on February 23.

Top NDA leaders, including union ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh besides Shah, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and SAD president Sukhbir Badal, attended the 90-minute long meeting held at the residence of Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

Shiv Sena and Akali Dal raised the issue of "lack of coordination" in the ruling coalition and noted that there was better cohesion during the previous NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

While Sena has been raising this issue for some time, it was joined today by Badal who stressed on the need for better coordination in the view of upcoming Punjab polls.

Taking note of the concerns, Shah assured them of having more frequent meetings starting from tomorrow.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Venkaiah Naidu said the NDA leaders of nine parties deliberated over the issues likely to come up in the session and a common strategy.

Issues like Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide in the Hyderabad Central Univerity, Malda violence, imposition of President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh were also deliberated.

A suggestion was also made to hold meeting of NDA MPs on the line of the BJP parliamentary party so that they could be informed about the government's "pro-poor, pro-weaker sections, pro-farmer" initiatives and are in a position to counter the opposition attack.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said the NDA meeting should be taking up larger issues concerning the nation and ideas to take it forward and not remain confined to party- specific matters which, he added, should be dealt in one on one meetings.

BJP allies also asked for taking the issue of the land bill to a conclusion at the earliest in view of the possibility of the opposition using it to target the ruling alliance.

An all-party meeting is also likely to be held ahead of the Budget session.

The land bill is pending before a joint parliamentary



committee which is likely to table its report in the Budget Session.

The attack from Opposition and even some allies forced the government to backtrack after it had brought an ordinance to push its amendments to the law brought by the UPA.

Various BJP allies also raised certain issues concerning them with Anupriya Patel of Apna Dal seeking constitutional status for the backward commission.

Seeking to buttress the government's pro-farmer credentials, Naidu said some leaders also suggested a pension scheme for farmers.

The government's initiatives for the uplift of Dalits and empowerment of farmers through the crop insurance policy were also discussed.

It was also decided to "strengthen" the interaction between the Prime minister and chief ministers.

The contentious GST bill also came up for discussion as it is stuck in the Rajya Sabha due to Congress' relentless opposition and the government is likely to make fresh attempts to push it in the Budget Session.

Signaling that the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament could be stormy, Congress today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not expect the Opposition to "bend over backwards" when "so many charges are in public domain".

(Reopens DEL 82)



There was no representative from PDP in the meeting



amid stalemate with BJP over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir after the death of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

Shah, who presided over the meeting, called upon all parties to collectively move forward to strengthen NDA and decided to fight elections together wherever they are due and also make a strong force to fight elections in 2019.

It was also decided that party-to-party issues will be discussed among parties and developmental issues with the Prime Minister.

It was further decided to brief NDA MPs periodically about various important initiatives, central schemes and assistance extended to states.
The authorities today beefed up security across Kashmir Valley and detained or put under house arrest several separatist leaders including Yasin Malik and Shabir Ahmad Shah on the eve of the third anniversary of execution of Parliament attack case convict Mohammad Afzal Guru.

The Hurriyat Conference has called a strike tomorrow on the third anniversary of hanging of Guru, and on February 11 to mark the anniversary of execution of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Mohammad Maqbool Butt.

CRPF too has put all its units across Kashmir Valley on high alert in view of the strike calls.

While Guru was hanged on February 9, 2013 inside Tihar Jail in Delhi, Butt was executed on February 11, 1984.

JKLF chairman Yasin Malik, along with his party colleagues Ashraf Bin Salam, Ghulam Mohammad Dar and Mushtaq Ahmad were taken into preventive custody at Abi Guzar in the heart of the city after the outfit took out a march, officials said.

The officials said Shah, who heads Democratic Freedom Party, and several other separatist leaders were placed under house arrest in an attempt to scuttle protests.

The chairmen of rival factions of Hurriyat -- Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq -- are in Delhi while another separatist leader Nayeem Khan left for Mumbai today, the officials said.

Kashmir Mass Movement, a constituent of hardline Hurriyat, staged a protest at Press Colony here against the hanging of Guru. Six activists of the group headed by Fareeda Behanji were briefly detained, the officials said, adding that measures are being taken to maintain law and order.

"All CRPF establishments and units have been put on high alert in view of strike and protest call given by all factions of Hurriyat and all the separatists on February 9, 10 and 11," a CRPF spokesman said in a statement here.

CRPF DIG (Operations), Srinagar, Sanjeev Dhundia reviewed the security situation and asked officers and jawans to remain vigilant, and to take adequate measures to prevent injuries to force personnel.

"A few weeks back, a grenade was thrown at CRPF troops amid stone pelting in Saraf Kadal area of Down Town, but luckily the grenade didn't explode," the spokesman said.

"All CRPF camps have been alerted and security has been strengthened and troops have been briefed to be ready to deal with any unforeseen law and order problem, without use of lethal weapons," he added.
Apple, the maker of popular iPad and iPhone devices, will have to submit a fresh application for opening single brand retail stores in the country, as certain gaps have been found in the initial proposal.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has explained the gaps to the company and wants them to submit a fresh application, seeking more information on their proposal for further processing, according to sources.

Last month, the company had filed its proposal seeking permission for single brand retailing and sell its products online.

Apple had not mentioned the amount of investment and number of stores it wants to open.

An e-mail query sent to Apple remained unanswered.

The Commerce and Industry Ministry could exempt the company from local sourcing norms as the US-based giant makes 'state-of-the-art' and 'cutting edge' technology products, The sources said.

The government had last year relaxed the foreign direct investment (FDI) policy for single brand retailing.

The government had said that it may also relax the sourcing norms for entities undertaking single brand retailing of products having 'state-of-the-art' and 'cutting edge' technology and where local sourcing is not possible.

Single brand retailers are also allowed to take e-commerce route for such trading.

At present, 100 per cent FDI is permitted in the sector. But beyond 49 per cent, the FIPB permission is required.

The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries, including China, Germany, the US, the UK and France.

It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro.
At least 15 people have been killed in clashes between armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in a region that has been the scene of heightened ethnic tensions in recent weeks, local authorities said today.

"There have been clashes in the village of Mukeberwa", in Nord-Kivu province, Bokele Joy, the administrator of Lubero Territory, told AFP. "According to information that I have, between 15 and 30 people have been killed".
At least 33 migrants drowned in two accidents in the Aegean Sea today as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, Turkish media said.

Twenty-two died when their boat sank off the district of Edremit in Balikesir province, shortly after 11 migrants died off Izmir, they said.

Both vessels had apparently been trying to reach the Greek island of Lesbos, Dogan agency said.
At least 35 migrants drowned in two accidents in the Aegean Sea today as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, Turkish media said.

Twenty-four died when their boat sank off the district of Edremit in the western province of Balikesir in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

Four people were rescued both by air and by sea in a search and rescue operation by the Turkish coastguard, Dogan agency said.

The accident came shortly after 11 migrants died in another boat sinking further south, off the port city of Izmir, also apparently trying to reach Lesbos, the agency said.

The coastguard rescued three people.

Turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syria's civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty to Europe.

The deaths came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Turkish officials in Ankara for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe.

The Turkish government struck a deal with the EU in November to halt the outflow of refugees, in return for three billion euros (USD 3.2 billion) in financial assistance.

The EU on Wednesday finally reached an agreement on how to finance the deal.

But the deal and the onset of winter do not appear to have deterred the migrants, with boats still arriving on the Greek islands daily.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the number of refugees and migrants who perished in the Mediterranean in January alone topped 360.

In January, almost 62,200 migrants and refugees entered Europe through Greece, according to the IOM, most of them from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
An elderly Australian woman who was kidnapped along with her husband by al-Qaeda militants has arrived in Burkina Faso's capital after she was released.

Jocelyn Elliott and her husband were kidnapped in mid-January in the country's north, where they have run a medical clinic for four decades.

Al-Qaeda's North Africa wing claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, though the group said in an audio recording Friday that it would release Jocelyn Elliott so as "not to make women involved in the war." Both Elliotts are in their 80s.

Jocelyn Elliott was released by her captors in neighboring Niger, and arrived by plane in Ouagadougou today before going to the presidency.

The Elliott family has called for the captors to show similar mercy for her husband.
The Tamil Nadu CB-CID, investigating the case of the alleged suicide of three girls at a college in Villupuram, today submitted in the Madras High Court that the report of the autopsy on one of the deceased girls discloses that the death was not due to drowning.

When the matter came up before Justice R. Mala, the CB-CID produced the post-mortem report conducted on the deceased Saranya at the Villupuram Government General Hospital on January 25.

The CB-CID submitted that the report discloses that the death was not due to drowning.

The matter relates to petitions filed seeking fresh post-mortem of the deceased girls of SVS Naturopathy and Yoga College.

Advocate R Sankara Subbu, representing one of the victims, demanded that the case be altered by including section 302(Murder) of IPC.

Justice Mala posted the matter for further hearing tomorrow.

On January 23, the three girl students had allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a farm well. The triple suicide over allegations of exorbitant fee had sent shock waves across Tamil Nadu.
A Bangladeshi court today indicted 35 people, including a former city councillor extradited from India and three sacked Rapid Action Battalion officials, for the brutal murders of seven persons in Narayanganj in 2014.

"Twenty five suspects are members of RAB and the others, including the prime suspect of the case, Nur Hossain, are civilians," public prosecutor Wazed Ali Khokon told PTI.

Twenty three suspects were today produced before the court of Narayanganj's District and Sessions Judge Syed Enayet Hossain who fixed February 25 date for witness depositions.

Twelve others would be tried in absentia.

Seven men, including Narayanganj City Councillor Nazrul Islam and lawyer Chandan Kumar Sarkar, were abducted from Dhaka-Narayanganj link road in April 2014. Their bodies were found floating in the Shitalakkhya River several days later.

Today's hearing camenearly three months after Hossain was extradited from India. He had fled the country to evade the trial. He is believed to be the mastermind of the murder of seven persons including a fellow councilor and a lawyer.

India's West Bengal police arrested Hossain shortly after he fled the country. Border Security Force men handed Hossain over to Border Guard Bangladesh on November 12, 2015 after he was freed from a jail in West Bengal on a court order.

Hossain allegedly bribed several officers of RAB, which is mainly commanded by army officers on deputation, for carrying out the murders.

Subsequent investigations disclosed that 23 RAB personnel, including a Lt Col and two navy officers, were involved in abduction and killing of the seven persons.

The officers were immediately sacked on orders of their superior authorities and police arrested them.

The slain councillor's father-in-law alleged Hossain had bribed the RAB officials to eliminate him in exchange of Taka 6 crore (USD 1 = Taka80), pointing his finger to Sayeed Mohammad, who was RAB's commander in Narayanganj.
One of Bangladesh's biggest art shows has covered up an exhibit by Tibetan artists after the Chinese embassy in Dhaka said it was "offended" by the artwork, an organiser said today.

A photographic exhibit entitled "Last Words", featuring the letters of five Tibetans who self-immolated in protest at Chinese rule, was covered with white sheets at the Dhaka Art Summit, an AFP correspondent said.

The work belonged to Indian filmmaker Ritu Sarin and her husband Tenzing Sonam, a Tibetan living in exile, and were part of a larger multimedia installation on Tibetan self-immolations in the past six years.

"The Chinese ambassador was offended when he saw the artworks. He sent us a mail in protest and asked us to remove the works. And we've covered up the five works with white sheets," Sazzad Hossain, head of administration at the Dhaka Art Summit said.

Bangladesh is a staunch ally of China, which has bankrolled many of the impoverished nation's key infrastructure projects.

"It was intimidating. I, personally, have started to feel threatened since then," another organiser of the show said on condition of anonymity.

Filmmaker Sarin told AFP that the artists had agreed to have the exhibit covered up rather than removed altogether.

"Naturally, we were upset and outraged by the Chinese demand," she said.

"At the same time, we did not want the Dhaka Art Summit to face the possibility of being shut down as we felt that the event provided an important platform for artistic exchange in South Asia."



The Chinese embassy has yet to comment on the issue.

In 2009, Bangladeshi police also closed a photography exhibition on Tibet following complaints from Chinese diplomats.

Held at a state-run art gallery the Dhaka Art Summit is one of the most prestigious art shows in Bangladesh with about 300 South Asian artists participating.
Actor Kamal Haasan, who is part of the reform committee of Central Board of Film Certification, said he was opposed to censorship but had no issues with certification, which should be there like a "statutory warning".

Haasan, 61, in a "fireside chat" with students of Harvard University, said that the battle against censor is in a progressive state.

"First I would like to clarify that the battle against censor is in a progressive state. That's why they are not called censor board any more. They are a certification board," the actor said, maintaining that the practice of censorship continues.

"Certification should be there like a statutory warning," he added.

The actor, whose 2013 film "Vishwaroopam" was initially banned in Tamil Nadu for 15 days and saw a release only after muting certain scenes, had in the past expressed reservations about the censor board guidelines.

Haasan, however, had said that he had nothing against the people in the board.

"It (Censor Board) does stifle my creative freedom. It is stifling my freedom. I have spoken of this to some of the board members, the officers. They are not out to destroy the film industry. They have a job, they are given a stipulation as a set of rules with which they operate. They all love cinema," he had said last year.

Asked if he plans to invest in startups, Haasan said, "Because of the dire state of affairs of my (film) industry, I myself am a start up."



The actor said he is currently working on a script with three of his American friends and the movie would be in English. "I hope to direct that film also," he said.

Acknowledging that piracy is a major issue for Indian film industry, the star alleged that there are efforts to intentionally allow black money to flourish.

Haasan argued that the government needs to treat the Indian film industry with respect and dignity.

"There is a strong voice coming from the industry, telling that you have no right to do that (fixing the maximum price of a movie ticket). Treat us like any other business. We would show you we are as good as IT. We could contribute to the exchequer by thousands of crores, if they do some little modification," Haasan said.
Police today arrested seven persons and lodged a complaint against the ruling BJD MLA Pramod Mallick on the charge of vandalising a police station at Tirtol yesterday.

The arrest was made after examining CCTV footage, police officers said.

A case has been registered under sections 341, 323, 349, 327, 506 and 34 of IPC, said Tirtol Police Station Inspector-in-charge A N Dalua.

The case was registered by the police based on CCTV footage, they said adding the seven persons had come to Tirtol Police Station after Niali MLA Mallick was allegedly being beaten up by activists of the opposition BJP.

Accusing the police of taking time to act, Mallick and his supporters allegedly ransacked the police station, the police said.

However, Mallick, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Cuttack, alleged he had been mercilessly beaten up by the activists of BJP.

"I have never indulged in ransacking the police station. Let them show the CCTV grab to prove that I have vandalised the police establishment," Mallick said.

Though the supporters of the two parties clashed while going to attend the Prime Minister's rally at Paradip yesterday, no FIR was lodged, the police said.

BJP spokesman Sajan Sharma in Bhubaneswar alleged Niali MLA Pramod Mallick was instrumental in blocking the road of BJP supporters on their way to Modi's rally.
Signalling that the upcoming Budget session of Parliament could be stormy, Congress today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not expect the opposition to "bend over backwards" when "so many charges are in public domain".

Accusing the Prime Minister of "completely and absolutely failing to show statesmanship" in ensuring smooth conduct of Parliament, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said the government is trying to browbeat the opposition charging it with disrupting House proceedings.

"It is the responsibility of the government to run Parliament. It is their responsibility to reach out to opposition and try and establish a modus-vivendi conducive for smooth functioning of the House and the Prime Minister has completely and absolutely failed to show that statesmanship," he said.

Tewari said, in this backdrop, for the Prime Minister to expect that the opposition will "bend over backwards, especially when there are so many charges in the public domain, I guess it is possibly expecting too much".

The Congress statement came at a time when the opposition is on the offensive over the Gujarat land deal issue and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and sought a clarification from the Prime Minister. It is also sought a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe into all land deals during Modi's tenure as the Gujarat Chief Minister.

Several opposition parties have upped the ante against the Centre over the issue of imposition of President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh, suicide by dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad Central University and the Pathankot terror strike.

Tewari was asked about the Prime Minister's attack on the Gandhi family and whether Congress would adopt the strategy followed by NDA when it was in opposition.

Expressing surprise over the Prime Minister's statement on disruption in Parliament, he said Modi is possibly not taking into account how his party had behaved while it was in the opposition.

The Congress leader said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, when he was the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, had proclaimed that disruption of Parliament is a "legitimate parliamentary tactic".

"So, therefore, I think it would be just appropriate that the opposition holds the government accountable to the same standard," he said, adding there are "substantive issues which have been raised and there are no answers on them".

(REOPENS DEL74)



Responding to the Prime Minister's charge that Congress delayed the Paradip refinery project in Odisha, Tewari said this is the "standard practice" the Prime Minster follows whether he is in India or abroad.

"Except for charging the Congress, there is nothing worthwhile that he does. But the facts in this case are different," he said.

He said the fact is that the foundation of the Paradip refinery was laid in 2000 by then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

During Vajpayee's tenure, because of either non-cooperation by the state government or various other reasons, the project was withdrawn by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Tewari claimed, adding when the UPA came to power in 2004, there was no refinery project in Paradip.

In 2006, the project was initiated afresh. An allocation of Rs 35,000 crore was made by the Manmohan Singh government and the project was scheduled to be completed by 2012-13.

By the time the UPA government demitted office, 95 per cent of the work had been done, Tewari said.

"There is not a single extra paisa which this government had allocated. There is not a single thing which they have done except for going and cutting the ribbon," Tewari said.

In a statement, former Union Minister Srikant Jena, who hails from Odisha, said, "Unfortunate and saddening fact is that Modi's entire rhetoric in repeated speeches is founded upon blame game and criticising the previous governments instead of providing leadership to the nation on the road ahead."



"Net consequence is that repeated public utterances of Prime Minister Modi are based on deliberate ignorance and selective amnesia towards facts," Jena added.
Canada's Markham city Mayor Frank Scarpitty today sough greater association with the city's IT sector.

After meeting state urban development minister Firhad Hakim, he said despite being a small city, Markham was a high-tech city.

Scarpitty said they recycle 81 per cent of their solid waste and have done a lot of work in sewerage and e-services.

The Mayor also invited Hakim to visit Markham.
Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company today said it has joined social activist Kiran Bedi's Navjyoti India Foundation for their annual event 'Kids on a rampage'.

A ramp walk of beneficiaries was conducted at an event and brand Unnati was launched.

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Apollo Munich Health introduces critical advantage rider * Apollo Munich Health Insurance today launched Critical Advantage, a critical illness rider that not only covers treatment for 8 illnesses abroad but also covers the travel and accommodation of one family member, in addition to the insured on cashless basis.

Easy Health and Optima Restore customers with sum insured of Rs 10 lakh or more can purchase the rider in order to mitigate specific ailment costs that they would want to get treated at medical facilities outside India, the health insurer said in a statement.

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ELECRAMA 2016 to have presentation on "Switch Exhibition 2016" * A presentation on "Switch Exhibition 2016" showcasing the investment opportunities present in Gujarat would be organised at the ELECRAMA 2016.

"ELECRAMA 2016 - The World Electricity Forum is the 12th edition of the leading trade and networking forum, in which over 1,000 companies from the power sector from India and abroad are expected to take part.

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Karnataka govt, Babajob sign employment promotion pact * Online portal Babajob, which facilitates jobs for the entry-level sector, has signed an agreement with the Karnataka government for a collaborative effort to scale-up the employment ecosystem.

The Memorandum of Understanding, that aims at enabling Babajob to help aspiring job seekers across Karnataka with access to better jobs, was signed at "Invest Karnataka 2016".

HCL Tech, Microsoft to set up IoT incubation centre in Redmond



* Country's fourth largest software services firm HCL Technologies today said it has launched an Internet of Things (IoT) Incubation Centre in Redmond, US based on Microsoft's Azure IoT suite to accelerate enterprise adoption of the new technology.

The centre will build vertical solutions focused on two key growth areas -- Industrial and Manufacturing and Life Sciences and Healthcare -- with use cases around Industrial Automation, Remote Patient Monitoring and Fleet Management, HCL Technologies said in a statement.

* * * *



Loofre invests $1 mn to strengthen operations in India * Loofre, a table reservation platform, today said it has invested USD one million in expansion and increasing its tie-ups across India to bolster its operation.

Loofre.Com has already expanded to 9 major cities across India with tie-ups with more than 800 restaurants in short span of the three months, it said in a statement.

Loofre also plans to go international expanding its services to cities like Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore, it added.

The investment is being funded through internal accruals.

* * * *



Mindtree bags deal from Sandvik



* IT firm Mindtree today said it has partnered global engineering group Sandvik to design, setup and manage a geography hub.

The hub will serve to consolidate and streamline Sandvik's global operations, providing flexibility and agility to their IT landscape, Mindtree said in a statement.

No financial details were disclosed.

* * * *



Qualcomm partners DIPP for Make in India edition of QPrize * Chipmaker Qualcomm, through its venture investment group, Qualcomm Ventures, has announced QPrize - Make in India contest in association with Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

The aim is to catalyse Indian entrepreneurs and the startup community to drive the entire value chain from innovation to manufacturing in India, Qualcomm said in a statement.

The winner will receive an investment of Rs 2 crore as prize money, it added.

Hopscotch.In strengthens leadership team



*Hopscotch.In, an eCommerce platform for mothers, has made key appointments to its leadership team including former Googler Shyam Seshadri and ex-Housing.Com product VP Rachel Steinberg.

Hopscotch.In has witnessed a 320 per cent growth in employee strength from 70 in January 2015 to 300 by December-end, the company said in a statement.

Seshadri has joined as Head of Engineering, while Steinberg has been appointed as Senior Product Manager.

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Lenovo launches new YOGA devices in India



*Chinese technology major Lenovo today launched two new YOGA devices, a convertible laptop and a tablet priced at Rs 1.22 lakh and Rs 39,990, respectively.

"We have consistently invested, nurtured and built YOGA as a benchmark for mobility, versatility and personal entertainment. These devices are packed with top of the line features making it the right choice for those who are on the move," Lenovo India Marketing Director Bhaskar Choudhuri told reporters.

The YOGA 900 laptop will be available at Croma outlets and Lenovo stores across India. The tablet will be sold through Flipkart.

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BHIVE Workspace get angel funding



*Workspace solution provider BHIVE today said it has received angel funding from the likes of TaxiForSure founder Raghunandan G, venture capitalist Rajesh Rai and Hive Technologies MD Arihant Patni, among others.

The round also saw participation from Sanjay Mirchandani (Owner, Mirchandani Group), Arun Narayan (Director, UK India Business Council) and others, BHIVE said in a statement.

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Essel Infra appoints Guy Perry



*Guy Perry has been appointed as President, Cities and Strategy, of Essel Infraprojects Ltd.

"Essel Infraprojects Ltd... Which is part of Subhash Chandra led diversified Essel conglomerate, today announced the appointment of Guy Perry, President - Cities & Strategy, Essel Infraprojects Ltd," the company said in a statement.
CBI has arrested an absconding accused in a bank fraud case, two years after he was declared a proclaimed offender.

"This case was registered in 2008 against the officials of Canara Bank and private persons. The said accused was one of the guarantors, who had mortgaged their properties to more than one bank for the loans taken by different companies," CBI spokesperson said here today.

She said one of the companies which had taken loan from Canara Bank had defaulted.

"A loss to the tune of Rs 13 crore (approx) was allegedly caused to bank. After investigation, charge sheet was filed in September, 2009," she said.

The spokesperson said during trial, the accused failed to attend the court and was also not available at his address of Hyderabad and Bhavnagar (Gujarat).

"After much efforts, CBI tracked his hideout in Ahmedabad and arrested him. He was produced before the trial court and was remanded to judicial custody," she said.
A seven-month-old boy was rescued here as two more persons were arrested in connection with a child trafficking racket whose nine members, including two women, are already in custody, police said.

While nabbing Gaurav Kumar Raghav (38) and Vikrant (32), police also rescued the baby, who was kidnapped by the gang -- which kidnapped children and sold them mostly to childless couples -- from outer Delhi's Alipur area, Joint Commissioner of Police (North) Sanjay Singh said today.

The racket came to light as police began investigating the abduction of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy from northwest Delhi's Swaroop Nagar area on Tuesday.

The chuild was kidnapped in broad daylight by two motorbike-borne men, later identified as Hemant and Rakesh, who were tracked down through technical surveillance.

During interrogation, the information provided by them led to the arrest of the others, identified as Poonam, Anita, Sonu, Kundan, Vijay, Rehan and Raju. They were trying to sell the child and had negotiated with a client who was ready to pay Rs 5 lakh.

It also emerged that the accused had kidnapped a seven- month-old boy from Alipur area in January. That child too was picked up by two men, who later turned out to be Hemant and Rakesh.

Around two months ago, Raghav had approached Vijay for a male child of around six months of age, which he claimed was for a childless couple. When they managed to kidnap the toddler from Alipur, the sold him to Vikrant, a middleman, for Rs 2.10 lakh.

"The arrests have been made under two separate cases. The police are questioning the accused and identify other children kidnapped and sold by the racket," a senior official said.
Thousands of detainees, including women and children as young as seven, have been executed or tortured to death by all sides of the warring parties in Syria, amounting to war crimes, a UN probe report said today.

The UN commission of inquiry on Syria, in its latest report, gave the gruesome details of prisons and detention centres run by the Syrian authorities where deaths on a massive scale were occurring.

It also detailed horrific abuses carried out in detention centres run by the radical groups like the Islamic State and al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front, including massacres and executions of children.

"As the conflict in Syria enters its sixth year, I repeat, sixth year, at least a quarter of a million people have lost their lives. Throughout the whole conflict countless numbers of persons, mostly civilian men, have been detained and subjected to abuse by all parties to the conflict. I repeat, by all parties to the conflict," said Paulo Pinheiro, the Chair of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on Syria.

"The Commission concludes that these amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes. Detainees are subjected to violations on a mass scale," he added.

The report called 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Deaths in Detention', which covers the period from the beginning of the conflict in March 2011 to last November, is based on interviews with 621 survivors, witnesses and evidence gathered by the four-member team.

It gave the gruesome details of detainees being beaten to death by the Syrian government or dying subsequently from grave injuries.

"Government officials intentionally maintained such poor conditions of detention for prisoners as to have been life-threatening, and were aware that mass deaths of detainees would result. These actions, in the pursuance of a State policy, amount to extermination as a crime against humanity," the report said.

Most of the detainees who are known to have died are men, women and children as young as seven, the report said.

The government has also committed crimes against humanity of murder, rape, enforced disappearances, among other inhuman acts, it said.

Similarly, Jabhat Al-Nusra and anti-government armed groups have also committed war crimes of murder, cruel treatment and torture, and execution in detention centres, the report said.

ISIS has also committed war crimes and crimes against humanity as it subjected detainees to serious abuses, including torture and summary executions, it said.

"Accountability for these and other crimes must form part of any political solution. Instead, these violations are committed with total impunity," said Carla del Ponte, former ICC prosecutor and current member of the CoI on Syria.

The CoI on Syria was established by the Human Rights Council in August 2011 to investigate and record all violations of international human rights law and allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The report called on the UN Security Council to adopt "targeted sanctions" against persons, agencies, and groups suspected of committing these crimes.

The chief investigator Pinheiro lamented that even after two Security Council resolutions on Syria, "reality is not compatible with what the resolutions decide".

The report comes less than a week after the peace talks in Geneva hit a temporary pause only after two days of talks.

The talks are scheduled to resume on January 25 though the opposition has threatened not to come to Geneva till their conditions are met.
Bolstering its case against the proposed sunset clause, the commerce ministry has called upon its finance counterpart not to abolish the tax incentives being enjoyed by special economic zones (SEZs) as their removal would "hurt exports and employment generation".

The government is considering gradually doing away with tax exemptions to various sectors, including SEZs, and reducing the corporate tax to 25 per cent from 30 per cent over four years.

The commerce ministry, in its Budget recommendations, has suggested the sunset clause should not be invoked for SEZs as it would have adverse bearing on exports from these zones, sources said.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had last year proposed removal of facilities and incentives to SEZs by March 31, 2017.

According to industry experts, the sunset clause, which indicates the date in advance on which tax incentives would cease to exist, is a "retrograde step and would impact large investments in SEZ".

The ministry has also asked for removal of the minimum alternate tax (MAT) of 18.5 per cent on SEZs' book profits for five years.

The Export Promotion Council for export-oriented units (EOUs) and SEZs (EPCES) too feels the government should not withdraw any tax incentives from SEZs as it might hit exports and job creation.

"We strongly oppose a CBDT proposal of withdrawal of all direct tax benefits for SEZ developers," it has said.

During April-September this fiscal, exports from these zones stood at Rs 2.21 lakh crore as against Rs 4.63 lakh crore in 2014-15.

The SEZs enjoy 100 per cent income tax exemption on export income for the first five years, 50 per cent for the next five years thereafter, and 50 per cent of the ploughed back export profit for another five years.

Overall merchandise exports of India is declining since December 2014.
RJD president Lalu Prasad today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying "communal tension has increased" in the country during the NDA rule.

"Communal tension has increased in the country during Narendra Modi's rule. The PM did not rein in his party leaders making provocative communal statements. His hotheaded leaders earlier talked about sending Muslims to Pakistan, but instead of them, Narendra Modi himself went to Pakistan unannounced," Prasad said.

The RJD chief was addressing the election meeting in support of Congress nominee for Harlakhi Assembly seat Mohammad Shabir.

The by-poll was necessitated due to the death of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), an ally of the BJP, MLA Basant Kushwaha, a day before taking oath of the new House.

Criticising the NDA government at the Centre, Prasad highlighted lowering funds for important schemes like Indira Awas Yojna, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and those related to roads among others.

Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, former Haryana minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav and state Congress chief and minister Ashok Choudhary also sought support for party nominee in the by-poll slated for February 13.
Terming the "conditional" loan extended to NDMC by Delhi government as "anti-Dalit", the leaders of BJP-ruled civic body said they will not conform to the conditions imposed by the government.

"Delhi government has anti-Dalit agenda as the new funds have been provided to the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) on condition that no fresh recruitment should be done by the civic body, particularly Group IV employees that is Safai Karamcharis (sanitation workers) and Beldars," Mayor of North Delhi Ravinder Gupta said.

Delhi government has extended a loan of Rs 551 crore to the NDMC and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) besides giving Rs 142 crore to NDMC as stamp duty dues.

Kejriwal government had "promised" to regularize the ad hoc workers of the Corporation and now it has "imposed a condition" that sanitation workers and Beldars engaged on temporary basis should be "discontinued" in a phased manner within a year, he said.

Chairman of standing committee of the civic body Mohan Bhardwaj alleged, "The conditions imposed by Kejriwal government in return for the funds which are Constitutional right of the corporation, are against Dalits, poor as well and the common man.
Congress today welcomed the TRAI's decision to negate differential data pricing and ensuring net neutrality and said it "vindicates" Rahul Gandhi's consistent stand on the issue.

"The decision, though taken after contradictory posturing on part of the Government, vindicates the demands raised consistently and unequivocally by Rahul Gandhi as indeed millions of net neutrality supporters across the country," party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said in a statement.

Congress, he said, salutes the spirit and resolve of the netizens. "It proves that determination and grit of 21st century Indians on an idea like 'free internet' founded on core value of 'freedom' can win over the interest of big lobbyists and corporations."



"We hope that now the government will look seriously and sincerely into the issue of call drops that is affecting nearly 100 crore mobile phone users across service providers," he said.

Surjewala expressed the hope that the government will continue to listen to the voice of people and take decisions in support of their cause rather than "further the profiteering motives of a few".

Rahul Gandhi had last week accused the government of delaying a decision on the issue of net neutrality on "pretext" of repeated discussions and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his 'Digital India' scheme cannot become a "euphemism" for an Internet controlled by large remote corporations.
Congress today alleged the Maharashtra Energy Department has caused a "loss" of Rs 550 crore to the exchequer by not charging duty for "open access" use of electricity by industries.

"There has been a revenue loss of Rs 550 crore to the state exchequer because of mismanagement and probable intention of giving undue and illegal benefits to select industries starting October 2014," Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said.

He said 1,398 industrial units had applied for a licence to obtain open access permission of electricity. Under the 'open access' system, industries can purchase power from any generator using the state-run MSEB's transmission line.

"These industries consumed 6,618 million units from October 2014 onwards after getting permission. But, the government has not charged duty on this consumption although there is a provision for the same in the Mumbai Electricity Duty Act, 1958," he said.

MSEB kept reminding the Energy Department about the duty issue, but their pleas were ignored, Sawant claimed.

The Congress leader said he has written a letter to Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, seeking action against those responsible for the alleged irregularities.

"They have increased charges on fuel citing drought. Here, they are favouring industrialists at the cost of the common man."



Meanwhile, Bawankule said he will hold a meeting with Energy Secretary and Managing Director of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (Mahavitaran) on Wednesday and reply to the allegations after getting a clarification from them.
A Delhi court has awarded varying jail term of up to seven years to 14 public servants of the Central Water Commission (CWC), including some retired officials, for misappropriating government funds.

Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar convicted them for various offences punishable under the IPC, including sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants). Six of these 14 accused were also held guilty for the offences under Prevention of Corruption Act.

Besides these 14 convicts, there were three more accused who had died during pendency of the case lodged in 2001.

"Prosecution has proved that all the convicts (except A2, A16 and A17) have dishonestly misappropriated or converted to their own use the government money. Therefore, I convict them under section 403 (dishonest misappropriation of movable property or converting it to one's own use) IPC each.

"All the convicts participated in this criminal endeavour, therefore, I convict all of them under section 120-B read with sections 403 and 409 IPC," the judge said in a 177-page judgement.

The court sentenced convicts Y P Sharma, O P Narang, Jai Kumar Singal, J P Sharma and S K Aggarwal to seven years jail term each, while Chandreshwar Manjhi, Om Prakash, Shiv Sagar Naik, Om Prakash and Hayat Singh were given five years each.

Other two convicts, Jeet Ram Sharma and B M Ghosh, were awarded three year jail term each, while the remaining two, I Yashudanan and Natha Ram Suman, were given one year jail each.

Besides the jail term, the court also imposed varying fines of upto Rs 2.01 lakh on the convicts.

Meanwhile, the court granted bail to four of the 14 convicts, Jeet Ram Sharma, B M Ghosh, I Yashudanan and Natha Ram Suman, till March 23 for filing an appeal.

During trial, all the accused had denied allegations levelled against them by the agency.

According to CBI, the case was registered on the basis of complaint by the then secretary and vigilance officer of CWC against officials of CWC and the Pay and Accounts Office.

CBI said a special audit was conducted by an internal and audit division of controller of accounts on the basis of a complaint received by Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Water Resources, which had alleged that fraudulent payments were made to the officials by the accounts office.

The agency alleged that one of the serious irregularities was wrong withdrawal of pay and allowances to the tune of Rs 23,67,951 from July 1999 to March 2000, of which a sum of Rs 19,30,893 was claimed to have been refunded by concerned official through challans which were found to be fake by the special audit team.

It claimed that several irregularities were also noticed wherein payments were released to unconcerned persons which prima facie established that staff and officials of CWC, in connivance with the officials of Pay and Accounts Office, had defalcated government money by making false and forged bills and vouchers.

CBI alleged that officials of Pay and Accounts Office and account section of CWC had conspired to defraud government money by raising fictitious bills supported with fake sanction orders and got them passed and further fraudulently withdrew the money through cheques.
Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan today hit out at Nitish Kumar government over the law and order situation in Bihar, saying the present condition was worse than the "jungle raj of the 90s."



"It's return of jungle raj or say even worse than jungle raj that prevailed from 1990 to 2005 (RJD rule)," the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said, adding Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has no "moral right to continue in the chair" when life of common man was not "protected".

Paswan, who visited family of LJP leader Brijnati Singh who was gunned down here last week, told newsmen "Bihar is earning a bad name due to the soaring crime graph and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is busy patting his own back."





The LJP President also demanded CBI inquiry into the day-light murder of the leader and attack on his wife and sister-in-law at Kachhi Dargah area of Patna last week.

Asked if the killing was political, Paswan said, "The family members of the slain LJP leader have mentioned the name of Lalu Prasad in this connection ... Since its a high profile case, Bihar government should recommend a CBI probe into the murder."



He said everywhere he went, people were talking about bad law and order situation in Bihar under Kumar's present regime.

Hitting out at the RJD, Paswan said Kumar enjoyed free hand to run administration and rein in criminals during his days with the NDA.

"But He has lost voice in the present secular alliance coalition due to overriding presence of Lalu Prasad," Paswan alleged.

"Water is now flowing above the head," Paswan said to paint a grim picture of the present law and order situation.

"The present government has failed to protect life of common man and CM Nitish Kumar and RJD leaders are talking about smart city and smart village," he said.
With Delhi Police again denying it information on crime against women, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) today lashed out, saying it is not "powerless" and will proceed as per the powers of a civil court.

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said that the DCP Legal Cell of Delhi Police appeared before the Commission today and has submitted a reply wherein Delhi Police has again refused to submit information on crime against women to the Commission despite nearly half a dozen letters and notices.

The DCW and Delhi Police have crossed swords over the issue with Police Commissioner BS Bassi today saying that individuals and bodies should act within their jurisdiction while Maliwal pulled up the force, saying its stand is "unbecoming".

The DCW, last Tuesday, had summoned Bassi to appear before it today for producing the required records and statistics and also explain the "unreasonable" delay in sharing the data.

"At a time when Delhi is labelled as the rape capital of the world, denying crucial information on crimes against women to the DCW is extremely unbecoming of the Delhi Police," Maliwal said.

"DCW needs this information to fulfill its statutory mandate of investigating and examining all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the laws and the Constitution. How can DCW provide effective recommendations in the absence of data which it is seeking from the Delhi Police?"



She also termed Delhi Police's argument that providing data to the Commission will create a law and order problem in the city as "shocking and absurd". She reiterated that Delhi police should not create a situation of confrontation and that the Commission wishes to work in close cooperation with the police.

"DCW has complete right and powers to seek data on crime against women from Delhi police. Delhi Police should realize that neither the women of Delhi nor DCW is powerless," she said.

"The Commission will proceed as per the powers of a civil court invested in it by the Delhi Commission for Women Act, 1994," she said.

Earlier during the day, Bassi that city's police force is committed on the issue of women safety and is taking every necessary step to ensure their safety.

"Nobody should doubt this. We respect every common man and also government bodies. Every person and government body should operate within their limits," he told reporters here.

According to Maliwal, the Commission is conducting a detailed study on women's safety in the national capital for which it needs information to make recommendations to the government.

DCW has powers to requisition data from police under Section 10 of DCW Act, 1994, for the purposes of investigating and examining matters related to women's safety, etc., Maliwal said.

DCW has been seeking data on crimes against women from the Delhi Police for the last six months and has issued 4 letters, 2 notices and has discussed the issue in person with the Delhi Police Commissioner thrice.
The Delhi government will felicitate toppers in each streams in last year's CBSE board examinations from the city schools and the heads of those institutions which have achieved 100 per cent results.

"Thirteen students who were toppers of Arts, Science, Vocational and Commerce streams in CBSE board exams for 2014-15 session, will be felicitated," the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) said in a notification.

They will be felicitated on February 10 at a function to be held at Tyagaraj stadium here.

"Among those who will be felicitated for achievement of 100 per cent result by the schools include 102 principals of government schools and five heads of government-aided schools," it said.

Besides, principals of five private schools -- Sardar Patel Vidyalya, Mothers International School, Sanskriti School, Blue Bells International School and Birla Vidya Niketan -- will also be felicitated.

There are over 3,000 government, government-aided and private schools in the city.
Police has arrested the "deserter" cop who had fled along with an AK-47 rifle of his colleague two days back, suspectedly to join militant ranks.

Reyaz Ahmad, who was working as a Follower in the police, was arrested from Khansahib area of Budgam district late last night, a police official said.

Reyaz was posted at Rainawari Police Station in old Srinagar city but he stopped reporting for work since Friday last.

A service rifle of one of the constables at the police station was also missing, triggering alarm in the police which suspected that he had deserted the force to join militant ranks.

Subsequently, police launched a manhunt to track him down.

This was the third incident of a cop deserting the force with official weapons in the past few months.

Last month, a policeman posted with SDPO Bijbehara decamped with four rifles from a police establishment in the south Kashmir Anantnag district and joined the militants ranks.

While police has recovered the three of the rifles from the cop's accomplices, the deserter is still on the run.

In October last year, a PSO of then Minister for Roads and Buildings Altaf Bukhari decamped with his service rifles to join the militants.
Developers are certain about fine tuning of certain "objectionable" clauses under the proposed Real Estate Bill, as the Centre is open to their objections and recommendations, Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) India National Director (Research) Ashutosh Limaye said today.

"We are sure that the Centre will fine tune objectionable clauses, because our dialogue with the government has been encouraging so far.

"We have seen a great difference between the previous and current governments. This government is very open to our objections and recommendations," he told reporters here.

The Bill has been pending before Parliament afterUnion Cabinet had approved it. In its final shape, it will be fair to everybody including buyers and developers.

"The Confederation of Real Estate Developers'Association of India (CREDAI) is also hopeful that the finalform of the Bill will be as fair as possible to allstakeholders," Limaye said.

CREDAI has been opposing the appointment of a regulator under the Bill, which they argue would encourage red tapism.

"The person concerned may end up acting as a representative of the government and facilitate red tapism in the sector," they contend.

Besides, the developers oppose the clause dealing with the cancellation of the registration of real estate projects which can be used to file false complaints against them.

The Bill may also create hurdles for small builders asit will slow down the project clearance process, they feared.

Asked whether the industry witnessed a huge appreciation ofreal estate prices in Bengaluru market due to hike in rawmaterial prices, Limaye replied in the negative, saying it would remain between five to ten per cent every year, as it is a stable market compared to othermetropolitan cities like Thane and Pune.

"Bengaluru is not like Thane and Pune, which havegiven, at times, higher returns to investors, while on other occasions lost money. In that sense, Bengaluru is a very stablemarket," he added.
A day after being expelled from Shiromani Akali Dal for "anti-party" activities, Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Harinderpal Singh Mann along with their supporters joined Congress.

Addressing the media here, state party Chief Amarinder Singh said that both the leaders had joined Congress without any condition.

"They have come back to Congress fold... We welcome them. They will have a big role in the coming assembly polls," Amarider said.

However, on the issue of giving party ticket to both in 2017 polls, he said the authority for decision on this lay with the Congress high command.

"It is the Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) who takes final decision on giving tickets to contest polls. Even I do not know whether I will contest polls," he said.

Speculation is rife that Dhillon and Mann are looking to contest assembly polls from Dera Bassi and Samana seats.

Describing the side-switching by both Dhillon and Mann as a part of election and democratic process, the former Punjab chief minister said the process cannot be stopped.

"This (changing party) is not a new thing. Congress is a sea. From then to now, several parties came. It is a part of election and democratic process and cannot be stopped. It is not a downfall. It has been there for 66 years and will continue," he said.

Asked whether Congress was desperate to take both "turncoats" back, Amarinder said, "Why should there be desperation on the part of Congress. They are joining us in larger interest of Punjab. We are not begging people to join us."



SAD had yesterday expelled Dhillon and Mann from its primary membership for their "anti-party activities" while describing them as "political opportunists".
In order to promote bee keeping and farm diversification, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave nod to abolish VAT on raw honey (unbranded honey) and equipment, boxes, food grade container and wax required for apiary.

Having conceded to the demand of progressive honey producers, he asked the department concerned to implement this decision at the earliest so as to facilitate bee keeping besides providing fillip to honey production in the state, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said.

Badal also announced that 40 per cent subsidy already given to the beekeepers on 50 boxes along with bee would now be available on 100 such boxes.

In another decision, the CM asked the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, to purchase four machines for extracting honey from bees on trial basis.

He also asked the university to recruit experts for bee keeping so as to impart quality training to the farmers, encouraging them to adopt this remunerative profession in a big way.
Refusing to wade into the intolerance debate, noted actor Kamal Haasan has said he was against the word "tolerance" as he underlined that all communities need to "accept" each other to save the country from disintegration.

Haasan, during a "fireside chat" with students of the prestigious Harvard University, said the country has already lost its two arms -- Bangladesh and Pakistan -- and all efforts should be made to maintain the unity and integrity of the country.

Citing the example of a sleeveless sweater knit in green thread among other colours, Haasan said, "It (India) is a sweater which is already knit with green thread (among other colour wools). You just can't pull (the green thread). There is no sweater left then."



"We have already lost the sleeves of the sweater -- Bangladesh and Pakistan (have) gone. It's a sleeveless sweater So let's keep the sweater. It's getting cold," he said amid applause from the young Indian students studying at the Harvard University and other higher educational institutions around Boston including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Haasan's answer came in response to a question from one of the students who wanted to seek his views on voices of intolerance coming from some of the popular Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan.

"I am against the word tolerance. You do not tolerate; you accept a friend. Why should you tolerate everything? It is a view either you accept it or not accept it? Why do you tolerate?" Haasan asked.

"Intolerance is there because you are tolerating it. Do not tolerate. Accept the Muslims as your co-citizens. Do not tolerate them. Accept the Hindus (as your co-citizen). That's the problem of tolerant. Accept it (Muslims) because you are not going to take away the green in your Indian flag," the popular Indian actor told the audience.

The intolerance debate had raged in India recently with many writers, artists and civil society members expressing alarm over the issue.
To reduce incidents of human-animal conflicts, an Environment Ministry's draft wildlife conservation plan has suggested identification and documentation of wildlife species that regularly come into such conflict.

"Identify and document the wide range of wildlife species that regularly come into conflict with humans, and prioritize the species that cause maximum damage to humans and are most adversely impacted due to conflict," the ministry's draft National Wildlife Action Plan says.

It also suggested conduct of surveys at national and regional levels to identify wildlife species coming regularly into humans habitats.

In a recent case of wild animal moving out of its natural habitat, a leopard entered a school in Bengaluru yesterday where it injured five people before being tranquilised and trapped.

Recognising that wildlife-human conflicts are largely a human-induced phenomenon combined with the specific behavioral ecology of animals, the action plan has suggested the government ensures that the development projects in wildlife areas do not turn out to be drivers of conflict.

It also calls for constitution of a well-trained and equipped workforce in the State Forest Departments to address such situations.

"Draw up comprehensive, species and region specific, conflict mitigation plans that can cater to prevention of human-wildlife conflict (HWC) situations and reduce the adverse impacts on both humans and wildlife. These should focus primarily on scientific management of wildlife populations as well as land-use practices that aid and abet HWC," it says.

The draft policy, which will be adopted next year and



remain in force till 2031, stresses on several measures for wildlife conservation including rehabilitation of threatened species, strengthening and improving the protected areas, control of poaching and illegal trade and mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts.

The current action plan was adopted in 2002 and is due to expire this year. The ministry had constituted a 12-member committee, chaired by a former Secretary J C Kala, to draft the conservation plan for the period 2017-31.

The ministry has invited comments and suggestions on the draft action plan till February 17, before giving it a final shape.

The draft plan also recommends formation of special investigation units in protected areas and empowering them with weapons and training to control poaching and illegal trade in wildlife.

"Fill up frontline staff vacancies in State Forest Departments, particularly in Tiger Reserves and protected areas to ensure that a young and proactive protection force is present in critical habitats to protect wildlife," it says.

For rehabilitation of threatened species, the committee has suggested conduct of status survey of data-deficient species and publish reports on their populations, area of extent, causes of threat and habitat.

"Develop a cadre of trained wildlife biologists and botanists and build their capacity in conservation breeding. Develop capabilities of planned breeding and reintroduction of captive bred populations of identified endangered species in accordance with the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) guidelines," it said.
Turkey's president lashed out at the United States a week after President Barack Obama's envoy visited a northern Syrian town that is under the control of Syrian Kurdish forces, which Ankara considers terrorists.

In comments published yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Washington should choose between Turkey and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, as its partner.

That came after envoy Brett McGurk's visit to Kobani, where the PYD's military wing, aided by US-led airstrikes, drove back Islamic State militants a year ago. Turkey considers the PYD a terrorist group because of its affiliation with Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

Erdogan said, "How can we trust you? Is it me that is your partner or is it the terrorists in Kobani?"



In Washington, a State Department spokesman reiterated the longstanding US policy that considers the PKK "to be a terrorist organisation."



"We continue to call on the PKK to immediately cease its campaign of violence. A resumed political process offers the best hope for greater civil rights, security, and prosperity for all the citizens of Turkey," said Noel Clay of the State Department.
Punjab government today gave an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh to the bereaved family of Captain Fateh Singh who was killed in Pathankot terror attack last month.

Former Education Minister and Chairman Punjab Technical education and Industrial training Board Sewa Singh Sekhwan handed over the cheque to Shobha Rani, widow of Captain Fateh Singh, at Jhanda Gujjar village in Gurdaspur district.

He said the state government has also given a cheque of Rs 25 lakh to the family of havildar Kulwant Singh who died at Pathankot.

He said the state government would also give a government job to one member of martyrs' families and it has recommended the case to the Central government for allotting a gas agency or petrol pump to their families.
Social media giant Facebook today expressed disappointment over telecom regulator Trai's decision not to allow differential pricing of data, saying it adversely impacts its free internet platform Free Basics.

"Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings," Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has put a blanket ban under its 'Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016' on charging different price based on the usage of internet leading to discrimination among content and services available online.

Though Trai has not mentioned net neutrality in its regulation but differential pricing of internet or data services is serious issue under net neutrality.

"No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content," Trai Chairman R S Sharma said unveiling the details of the regulations, effective today.

However, plans which are in contravention to this regulation that are active in market will remain in existence for a period of six months from their activation.

Facebook launched aggressive campaign to defend its Free Basics platform and advocated that zero rating plans can lead to increase in Internet adoption at no cost to the government, the content provider or the consumers.

It was available in India only on Reliance Communications network but the same was put on hold after Trai's order.

The regulation, however, has been appreciated by top leaders including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

"Welcome TRAI's ruling in support of #NetNeutrality. Big win for internet users in India. Congratulations to all those who campaigned tirelessly & fought hard to ensure that our internet remains free & equal for all," the office of Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

The Congress party also issued official statement lauding the regulation.

(Reopens DEL64)



A debate on Net neutrality stirred across the country after Airtel decided to charge separately for Internet-based calls in December 2014 but withdrew it later after people protested. The debate heated up after Airtel launched free Internet platform Airtel Zero and later Facebook also launched its Internet.Org platform, renamed as Free Basics.

Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Chandrasekar said, "I personally think that "this is a big win for Indian consumers & Net Neutrality".

"Read about #TRAI finally coming out to back #NetNeutrality. Big win for all fighting for it. Glad TRAI took a stand supporting it. Of the many strong voices for #NetNeutrality @nixxin deserves a mention to keep the movement going to detailed papers and petitions," Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, said.

IT Industry bodies Nasscom and IAMAI lauded Trai's regulation.

"Our submission highlighted the importance of net neutrality principles, non-discriminatory access and transparent business models aligned to the goal of enhancing internet penetration in the country.

Our submission highlighted the importance of net neutrality principles, non-discriminatory access and transparent business models aligned to the goal of enhancing internet penetration in the country," Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar said.

The internet firms body IAMAI, whose members include include Google, Facebook, LinkedIn etc appreciated the regulation but with a 'concern'.

"...The association has a slight concern on the exception and the exception to the exception as to how this entire thing will pan out. The association hopes that the exceptions to the rule will not be misused by the TSPs (Telecom Service Providers)," IAMAI said in a statement.

The regulator has allowed differential pricing of data in case of emergency services.

Politicians on social media highlighted their efforts to fight in favour of net neutrality.

Former Minister of State for IT and Telecom Milind Deora cited an article written by him in November 2014 voicing for net neutrality.

"Amid the government's deafening silence, glad #TRAI has endorsed the global #NetNeutrality yardstick of a democratic & open internet," Deora said.

All India Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien tweeted "From April 2015 have raised issue of #NetNeutrality inside & outside #Parliament.
Four workers were killed today and another injured in an explosion in a reactor at a pharma unit located in Mankal area on the city outskirts, police said.

The incident took place in the early hours and the bodies are beyond recognition, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ibrahimpatnam Division) P Narayana said.

The deceased hail from Chattisgarh, the ACP said, adding as per preliminary investigation the reactor exploded due to imbalance in maintenance of heat.

"We have to investigate it. The injured persons has been been shifted to hospital," the senior police officer said.

Maheshwaram Police are further investigating the matter.
Seven persons were today arrested and a consignment of 2,100 kg of ganja (cannabis) worth around Rs two crore was seized from them near here, police said.

Visakhapatnam Rural Police with the help of CRPF personnel seized the contraband at Sangabandha area under G Madugla police station limits.

"Acting on a tip-off, the police team conducted a surprise raid and seized the stock of ganja from the seven accused, who were making all the arrangements to transport the contraband to parts of Tamil Nadu," Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Paderu division, K Sasi Kumar said.

The accused were identified as A M Swami, Muttu, Shyam, Mayee, Irulandi, Ubederan, all of them from Tamil Nadu, and one local trader G Nooka Raju, he said.

The main accused in the case B Nooka Raju, who allegedly procured the contraband from parts of Visakhapatnam, is at large.

"The police are on a lookout for B Nooka Raju and his associate K Raju Kumar," Sasi Kumar said.
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' wife Amruta has come in for flak from rationlists after accepting a necklace, apparently produced from thin air by a godman.

The incident occurred during an awards event organised by a Pune-based educational institute.

In visuals aired non-stop by Marathi channels, the godman, Guruvanand Swami, is shown giving Amruta, a banker, a necklace, which apparently materialises from thin air.

Avinash Patil, president of the Committee for Eradication of Superstition in Maharashtra, said the chief minister should clarify his stand on the act of his wife.

"Fadnavis should issue a clarification on the incident. If needed, he should tender an apology," Patil said.

"We are willing to offer a Rs 21 lakh prize to the godman if he is able to perform his 'miracle' in controlled conditions as specified by us scientifically," he said.

Amruta today said she does not believe in miracles.

"I offered my salutations to him as respect to an elderly person. These are values I have been brought up with and these are the values I will continue to practice," she said.

"Guruvanand Swami gave me a necklace as a blessing. I don't believe in miracles of any sort," she said.

As Marathi news channels kept showing the clip reviving a debate on superstition and magic, banned by law in Maharashtra after the murder of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, Amrita told reporters that the media interpretation of the incident was "misleading".

"Guruji called me in a gesture of affection. When I went to him for namaskar, I saw the chain in his hand which he gave to me. It was not magic as he was already holding the chain in his hand when I went near him. I am a rational individual and do not believe in such things," Amrita, a bank executive, said.

NCP spokesman Nawab Malik demanded government action against the godman in keeping with provisions of anti-magic law in the state.

Another NCP leader Vidya Chavan said Amruta should have been more careful in attending such functions as she happens to be wife of the Chief Minister who is also Home Minister.

Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant alleged BJP itself believed in godmen and the incident was indicative of its thinking.

Hamid Dabolkar, the activist-son of the slain rationalist, said the website of the godman claims that he possessed supernatural powers which should be investigated. He said that the anti-superstition committee would challenge his reported claim.

Dabholkar , however, hailed Amruta for clarifying her stand and stating that she did not believe in magic.

Amruta was felicitated at the function organized by city- based Suryadatta Institute which also honoured some other eminent personalities including former justice P B Sawant, M S Bitta, and musician Pyarelal Sharma.
Realty firm Godrej Properties' sale bookings are likely to double at record Rs 5,500 crore in the current financial year despite slowdown in the property market.

A sharp jump in the sales booking is on account of monetisation of its office space in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai for Rs 1,480 crore and a good response from its housing project 'The Trees' at Vikhroli.

Godrej Properties, the real estate arm of Godrej group, had recorded a sales booking of Rs 2,681 crore in the 2014-15 financial year.

According to an analyst's presentation, the Mumbai-based developer has achieved a sales booking of Rs 4,422 crore in the first nine months of this financial year, up 96 per cent from the previous year.

Of the total sales booking so far, the residential segment contributed Rs 2,930 crore and commercial Rs 1,492 crore.

Sources said the sales booking for the full financial year would be nearly Rs 5,500 crore.

Godrej Properties in September had sold 4.35 lakh sq ft office space to Abbott India in 'Godrej BKC' project at BKC, Mumbai for Rs 1,479 crore. The Vikhroli housing project has contributed Rs 862 crore in sales bookings.

"We have achieved a sales booking of more than Rs 1,200 crore for the third consecutive quarter of this financial year despite a slow market," Godrej Properties managing director and chief executive officer Pirojsha Godrej had said after the December quarter results.

Acccording to the presentation, the Vikhroli project was the most successful launch ever by Godrej Properties in terms of value sold in the launch quarter.

"93 per cent of launched inventory or 348 apartments with 4,55,503 sq ft for Rs 862 crore sold within one month of the launch," it added.

Earlier this month, the company reported a 10 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 51.99 crore for the December quarter as against Rs 47.24 crore a year-ago.

Income from operations declined to Rs 422.27 crore during the third quarter compared to Rs 519.30 crore in the same period of the previous year.

Godrej Properties is developing residential, commercial and township projects spread across 111 million sq ft in 12 cities. Last month, it forayed into the Noida property market by partnering with local developer Lotus Greens.
Union minister Kalraj Mishra has said the government will take a call on the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya after the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict on the appeal against the Allahabad High Court judgement on the title suit.

"We must wait till the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict. Thereafter, depending upon the situation that emerges, the Centre will take a call on the issue," he said last night.

"There has been no change in BJP's stand that Ram temple should be constructed at Ayodhya though we would proceed in a manner that is amenable to all," Mishra added.

The Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was replying to queries about a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) meeting last week during which the Sangh Parivar outfit had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "break his silence" over the Ram Temple issue and pay a visit to Ayodhya to underscore his commitment to the cause.

"Modi is visiting places across the country and there is no reason why he will not go to Ayodhya. We respect the sentiments of our religious leaders, but they should keep in mind that the Prime Minister has to take his own decisions."



"They can be rest assured that Modi will definitely go to Ayodhya at a time that he deems appropriate and also offer his prayers to Ram Lalla," Mishra said.

He said our holy men should remember that while BJP is not averse to the option of facilitating the construction of the temple by an Act of Parliament, this would require support of two-thirds of the members of the House.

We must, therefore, concentrate on building a consensus, he said.
Assailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "deafening silence" on the Gujarat land deal row, Congress today sought a clarification from him and demanded that the Supreme Court take suo motu cognisance of the case and order an independent investigation.

"Mr Prime Minister, if this is not corruption, would you care to explain to the country what is corruption. It is a fit case for a court-monitored investigation," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters here.

The Supreme Court should take suo motu cognisance of the case and order an independent investigation, he said.

Claiming that certain "new facts" have emerged with regard to the issue, Tiwari said there is a "clear case of impropriety, a clear case of corruption and a definite case of conflict of interest".

He said the Gujarat government had issued a notification on February 8, 2010, barring commercial activities within two-km radius of the Gir sanctuary, the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion. But in October the same year, large tracts of land adjoining the sanctuary were given to a private firm for a pittance.

Later, the ownership of the company changed and the state government came out with a notification, bringing down the restricted area from two-km to one-km around the sanctuary.

"Question which arises is who is this customisation of policy benefiting? Who will benefit from flagrant violation of environment law and wildlife protection law?" he said, adding that the "silence of the Prime Minister and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel is deafening".

The party will raise the issue in and outside Parliament, he added.

Congress has been asking Modi to "come clean" on the issue and tell whether he was aware of the "clear conflict of interest" of the then Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel while allotting government land to the company allegedly having close business links with her daughter Anar Patel.

The party had on Saturday scaled up its demand for an SIT probe monitored by the Supreme Court, saying it should go into all allotments of government land when Modi was the Chief Minister. Congress has also demanded resignation of Anandiben who succeeded Modi as Chief Minister.
Haryana Government today issued transfer and posting orders of eight IPS officers with immediate effect as part of a major reshuffle of top-ranking police officials in the state.

Mohinder Lal, Director General Police (DGP)/OSD Rules, Panchkula has been posted as Commandant General Home Guards & Director Civil Defence against a vacant post, an official release said here.

K K Mishra, Additional Director General of Police, Operations has been posted as Additional Director General of Police, State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB), Madhuban against a vacant post.

Suman Manjri, Inspector General of Police, SCRB, Madhuban has been posted as Inspector General of Police, Haryana Armed Police, Madhuban against a vacant post.

Paramjit Singh Ahlawat, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Railways and Commando, Panchkula has been posted as Inspector General of Police, CTI, Home Guards, Panchkula.

Sandeep Khirwar, IGP, Crime Investigation Department, (Security) has been given additional charge of IGP, Railways and Commandos in place of Paramjit Singh Ahlawat.

Saurabh Singh, Joint Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon has been given additional charge of Superintendent of Police, Rohtak, during the Mid Career Training Programme (MCTP) from February 8 to March 14 and ex-India leave of Shashank Anand.

Deepak Gahlawat, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mewat has been given additional charge of Superintendent of Police, Mewat during the MCTP from February 8 to March 14 and ex-India leave of B Satheesh Balan.

Sumer Partap Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon has been posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Headquarters, Gurgaon, in place of Nazneen Basin, who has proceeded on leave.
The Madras High Court has directed Puducherry government to auction the property belonging to now-defunct Anglo-French Textiles and from the sale proceeds, pay the gratuity to employees who retired during 2011-12.

The matter relates to petitions filed by nine employees of Anglo-French Textiles which is now called Pondicherry Textiles Corporation.

In September 2014, the court gave four months to the district collector to proceed with recovery proceedings and directed the government to pay the amount with interest to the employees. While the employees filed contempt petitions for non-compliance of the order, the government sought review of the ruling.

Justice Rajendran, partially modifying the earlier order, held that the territorial administration did not have to obtain permission from the Centre as the latter had no role to play in the matter.

Noting that the actual employer was only the Pondicherry Textiles Corporation, and therefore the liability of the Corporation was to pay the amount, the judge said the property shall be auctioned for payment.

The government will supervise the management and other authorities concerned for early disbursal of the gratuity amount to the erstwhile employees, the judge said.

"Puducherry Textile Corporation should take immediate steps to sell properties in public auction under supervision of the district collector and disburse the gratuity amount through the district collector," the judge said.

Justice Rajendran also closed the contempt proceedings after making it clear that the ex-employees would get their 65 per cent gratuity dues within four weeks.
A woman has moved the Madras High Court Bench here seeking a direction to a public sector bank to return Rs 18 lakh that was withdrawn 'fraudulently' from her account allegedly by a bank employee and others.

Justice P Rajendran ordered issue of notice to the Assistant General Manager of IDBI Bank, Tirunelveli, directing the official to file a reply on February 23.

Petitioner A.Sindhuja submitted that while her account was maintained at Tirunelveli, fraudsters had got a cheque book issued by the Villupuram branch and the amount had been withdrawn from the Cuddalore branch in September 2015.

It came to light in October when she wanted to withdraw some amount from her account.

Before committing the fraud, her registered mobile number to which transaction details are sent was changed with the help of the bank employee.

Police investigations showed that the transaction was not made by her, she said addig the bank admitted that it was fraudulent.

However, the bank had not credited the money so far, the petitioner said seeking a court direction for its return with interest.
The Kerala High Court today ordered a CBI probe into a case related to the 2012 murder of an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) activist in politically-sensitive Kannur district, in which CPI(M) District Secretary P Jayarajan and party MLA T V Rajesh are among the accused.

Justice B Kemal Pasha passed the order on a petition by Aathikka, mother of 22-year old S Abdul Shukoor who was killed in Thaliparamba on February 20, 2012.

The petitioner alleged police were unable to collect evidence and probe further into the matter because of "stiff resistance and intimidatory tactics used" by the party of the accused.

The state government had on December 19, 2013 issued a notification recommending a CBI probe into the murder but the agency had submitted it was unable to take up the matter as it was flooded with similar cases.

"CBI cannot wash its hands off by saying that," the court said and directed the agency to investigate the case.

Jayarajan and Rajesh, arraigned as accused No. 32 and 33 in the case, have been charged with not trying to prevent the killing of Shukoor despite getting information about the conspiracy.

According to the police charge sheet, Shukoor was murdered because he was involved in an attack on Jayarajan and Rajesh while they were travelling in a vehicle.

"Whatever it is, the cry of the mother of the deceased should not remain unheard. It should not die down as mere wild cries," the Judge said.

Even the Director General of Prosecution had practically confessed before this court that the police machinery could not conduct a proper investigation because of the "intimidatory tactics and attitude of a particular political party of which A32 and A33 are leaders," the court said.

"If self-proclaimed kings of a locality are permitted to rule in the matter of investigation, criminal justice will become a casualty in their hands. The courts cannot remain mute spectators to such intimidatory tactics being played by such elements," Justice Pasha observed.
In the first deposition on a terror act from foreign soil, Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley today told a court here via video-link that Pakistani terrorists attempted to attack Mumbai twice before the 26/11 strikes that killed 166 people but failed both times.

In his deposition which began at 7 AM, Headley said that he was a "true follower of LeT" and came to India eight times--seven before the terror attack on November 26, 2008 and once after that.

Headley, who was made an approver in the 26/11 case, said that his main contact in LeT was Sajid Mir, also an accused in the case.

He told the court that LeT made two unsuccessful attempts to carry out terror attacks before finally striking in November 2008, once in September and another in October.

Headley said that he joined LeT after being "influenced" by its head Hafeez Saeed and took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad.

Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.

"I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity.

"After I got a new passport I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with. The objective for coming to India was to set up an office/business so that I can live in India. Before the first visit, Sajid Mir gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai," Headley told the court here.

Headley also said that in his Indian visa application he had furnished all "wrong" information "to protect his cover".

He reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House.

His reconnaissance provided vital information for the 10 LeT terrorists and their handlers, who launched the attack.

Speaking to reporters, Headley's lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani



said has "he (headley) has confirmed that he joined LeT after being influenced by Hafeez Saeed. He told the court that two unsuccessful attempts to carry out terror attacks were also made before 26/11". He has not explained the role of LeT in attacks".

The court is currently trying key plotter Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, who is facing trial for his alleged role in the terror attacks, which held the city to ransom for three days.

The deposition of Headley, assumes significance as it may unravel the conspiracy behind the brazen terror strike, which left 166 people dead.

The court had on December 10, 2015, made Headley an approver in the case and directed him to depose before the court on February 8.

He had then told Special Judge GA Sanap that he was "ready to depose" if granted pardon.

Judge Sanap had then made Headley an approver, subject to certain conditions and granted him pardon.

Last year, the Mumbai Police had on October 8 moved an application before the court saying that Headley deserves to be tried by this (Mumbai) court together with 26/11 key plotter Abu Jundal in the case as both of them are conspirators and abettors behind the dastardly act.

In the application, the Mumbai Police said that from the judgement passed by the US court against Headley, it was clear that he was a member of LeT and he had played an active role in the criminal conspiracy in the terror attack.

The application also said that Headley had entered into a plea agreement with US in 2010 and thereby willingly and voluntarily agreed that he had conspired.

It is evident, the police had said, that Headley has committed the offences of conspiring with LeT for committing illegal acts in India; waging war against the government of India and offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

He has also been accused of intentionally aiding and abetting the LeT in Pakistan for committing illegal acts in Mumbai, mischief by fire with intent to destroy Hotel Taj, Oberoi and Nariman House, offences under Explosives Act and Explosives Substances Act as also under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

"This is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a 'foreign terrorist' will appear before an Indian court and testify," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had said yesterday.
In the first case of deposition via video link from foreign land, Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley today told a court here about how Lashkar-e-Taiba had planned and executed the 26/11 attacks and the role played by ISI officials, involving him too.

Headley, an LeT operative who is currently serving 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks, detailed the sequence of events leading up to the November 26, 2008 assault as he deposed before Special Judge GA Sanap for nearly five-and-a-half-hours.

He spoke about his training by LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Abbottabad near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder "Hafiz Saeed sahab", whose picture he identified in the court, as also its commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, and how he got in touch with three officers of Pakistan's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha.

Headley told the court that he had changed his name from the original Dawood Gilani after instructions from the LeT commanders, including Lakhvi, and ISI officials to carry out recce in India for an attack, an "adventurous" task for him.

He also revealed that the 10 terrorists, who struck at various places in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 killing 166 people, had planned to carry out the attack twice earlier -- in September and October -- but they attempts failed. Once their boat hit a rock in the seas, because of which they lost all the arms and ammunition and had to go back to Pakistan.

"I used to treat India as my enemy. Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi also saw India as their enemy," Headley told the Special Judge during his first deposition in an Indian court which began at 7 AM.

He also admitted during his examination in chief by special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam that he joined the ranks of LeT after getting "influenced and motivated" by the speeches of "Hafiz Saeed Sahab".

Headley, who described himself as a "true follower of LeT, said he took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad and had also attended a 'leadership course' which was led by Saeed and Lakhvi.

He said he underwent 5-6 training courses in LeT camps for about two years. "Daura-e-sufa is a study course and is held in Muridke in Lahore while 'Daura-e-aam' is a preliminary military training course held in Muzaffarabad in 'Azad Kashmir' (PoK)," Headley said.

In 'Daura-e-Khas, which is a more advanced training, he was taught to handle weapons, arms, explosives and ammunition, the LeT operative said.

He said he was also given 'Daura-e-Ribat' training, an intelligence course in which setting up of safe houses and reconnaissance are taught. The center where it is taught is in Mansera, 40 miles from Abbottabad, a place in Pakistan where former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed by the US.
Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, a key LeT operative, today illustrated how his outfit had planned the 26/11 attacks and executed it after two failed attempts and gave details of the role played by ISI whose three officials he named.

Headley, who is serving 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks, spoke about the role of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, another LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi as well as his handler in the outfit Sajid Mir.

He gave the sequence of events leading up to the November 26, 2008 assault as he deposed before Special Judge GA Sanap via video link, in the first such case of deposition in an Indian court from foreign land.

The 55-year-old, who has turned approver in the case, revealed details about his training by LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Abbottabad near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder "Hafiz Saeed sahab", whose picture he identified in the court, as also Lakhvi, and how he got in touch with three officers of Pakistan's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha.

Headley told the court that he had changed his name from the original Dawood Gilani after instructions from the LeT commanders, including Lakhvi, and ISI officials to carry out recce in India for an attack, an "adventurous" task for him.

He also revealed that the 10 terrorists, who struck at various places in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 killing 166 people, had planned to carry out the attack twice earlier -- in September and October -- but the attempts failed. Once their boat hit a rock in the seas, because of which they lost all the arms and ammunition and had to go back to Pakistan.

"I used to treat India as my enemy. Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi also saw India as their enemy," he said in his deposition which began at 7 AM.

He said he had joined the LeT after getting "influenced and motivated" by the speeches of "Hafiz Saeed Sahab".

Headley, who described himself as a "true follower of LeT, said he took his first "course" with the outfit in 2002 at Muzaffarabad and had also attended a 'leadership course' which was led by Saeed and Lakhvi.

He said he underwent 5-6 training courses in LeT camps for about two years. "Daura-e-sufa is a study course and is held in Muridke in Lahore while 'Daura-e-aam' is a preliminary military training course held in Muzaffarabad in 'Azad Kashmir' (PoK)," Headley said.

In 'Daura-e-Khas, which is a more advanced training, he was taught to handle weapons, arms, explosives and ammunition, the LeT operative said.

He said he was also given 'Daura-e-Ribat' training, an intelligence course in which setting up of safe houses and reconnaissance are taught. The center where it is taught is in Mansera, 40 miles from Abbottabad, a place in Pakistan where former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed by the US.

Headley said he had wanted go to Kashmir and fight Indian troops but he was told that he was "too old" for that. "Lakhvi told me that they would use me for some other purpose," he said, adding it was to be more "adventurous" than Kashmir.
India is likely to give Pakistan fresh evidence about the nvolvement of ISI officers in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack after Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley's deposition before a Mumbai court today.

India has given several dossiers to Pakistan incorporating evidence about the involvement of ISI officers, Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, LeT commander Zaki-ur- Rehman Lakhvi besides others.

"There have been no action against any one of them. Headley's deposition before court again established that serving ISI officers, Hafiz Saeed and Lakhvi were deeply involved in the conspiracy. We will provide all these fresh evidence to Pakistan for action," a senior government official said.

India is also expected to ask the United States to take action against Hafiz Saeed against whom a USD 10 million reward was announced for information leading to his capture, following Headley's disclosure.

"Headley's deposition before the court has established that Hafiz Saeed was involved in the Mumbai terror attack. Headley is now in American custody, so the US must take cognisance of his statement and take action against Hafiz Saeed," the official said.

Among the 166 victims of the Mumbai terror attack, four were American nationals.

Headley told the court through video conferencing that he was trained by LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Abbottabad near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder "Hafiz Saeed sahab", whose picture he identified in the court, as also its commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

He said that he was in touch with three officers of Pakistan's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha.

Headley told the court that he had changed his name from original Dawood Gilani after instructions from LeT commanders, including Lakhvi, and ISI officials to carry out recce in India for an attack, an "adventurous" task for him.

Headley said he joined LeT after being "influenced" by its head Hafiz Saeed and took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad.

Headley is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks.
Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley wanted to fight actively in Kashmir against the Indian Army but LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi stopped him, saying something more "adventurous" was in store for him.

Giving details about the deposition of Headley which began at 7 a.m, Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters here that the terrorist said he wanted to fight against the army deployed in Kashmir.

However, Lahvi told Headley that they have something "more adventurous" for him.

"He revealed a lot about Major Iqbal and Major Ali, both of them were there in ISI. It was Major Iqbal who trained him and he also unravelled names of few LeT trainers before the court," Nikam said.

He said more important questions will be asked tomorrow and prosecution will try to reveal the truth.

"I am absolutely satisfied with what Headley had revealed in today's deposition. Headley has given certain sensational revelations during his deposition. He confirmed that he met Hafiz Saeed and he identified his picture as well," he said.

Nikam said Headley told the court that he joined LeT in 2002 and completed training course where learned to operate AK47, bomb explosion and execute reccee.

"He also joined a leadership course where both Sayeed and Lakhvi used to come and give speeches against India. He completed his education from Hasan Abdal Cadet College in Pakistan but left for America at the age of 17," he said.

Headley's lawyer's Mahesh Jethmalini said he has confessed that he had joined LeT after being influenced by Hafiz Saeed.

He also told the court that there were two unsuccessful attempts to carry out terror attacks before the 26/11 attacks.

"But he has not explained the role of LeT in the attack. As a prosecutor, I am here to cooperate with the prosecution and help advance the case further and whatever be the findings of this deposition will be significant," he said.

Leading lawyer Majeed Memon said Headley's deposition will help India unravel a lot of hidden facts behind the 26/11 attack and will make Pakistan talk about a lot of things which they have been denying so far.
Aster DM Healthcare today announced the institution of annual Aster Media Awards to honour excellence in journalism.

The announcement was made by CMD, Dr Azad Moopen.

It was announced that three awards would be given -- one at the state-level, one at the national level and one at the international level.

The state-level award would be given in Kerala and the international-level award would be given for the Middle-Eastern countries. The award functions would be held tentatively in March/April in Kerala, New Delhi and the UAE.

The awards would be given for stories around protecting ways of life of Indian and international communities, curbing social-ills, protecting environment, educating on health and wellness, inspiring young minds towards education and empowerment of disadvantaged communities by highlighting their cause, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and community initiatives and innovations.

Cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and AED 25,000 would be given for the state-level, national-level and international-level awards respectively.

Winners will be chosen by a panel of eminent individuals. The panel would start receiving entries from February 10 till March 15. Also present on the occasion were Alisha Moopen and TJ Wilson, executive directors of the company.

Every year, over 10,000 beauticians, stylists and artists



attend the show, interact with the industry leaders and learn from the seminars & workshops. In the 19th edition of Signature Award, the experts of international repute like Dr. Blossom Kochhar, Lata Khanchandani, Vaishali Shah, and other renowned artist of the industry conduct these seminars and workshops so as to train, guide and nurture the emerging talent. Over the years, the award has grown bigger and the 19th Signature Award has created a storm of interest in beauty industry as the number of entries within the country and outside is lining up heavily. Commenting upon the fabulous response to 19th Signature Awards, Ms. Madhumita Saikia, Organizer & Committee Member, Signature Award Committee said, "We are gearing up to make it a grand success and hope to witness world-class makeup artistry, bringing together beauty professionals and stylists across the world. Anu Wadhawa & Aradhana Tripathi from Beauty and Wellness Sector Skill Council, Biju Nair & Vaishali Shah from LTA School of Beauty, Sangeeta Chauhan & Eliesha Chauhan from All India Hair and Beauty Association, Lata Khanchandani , Shahnawaz Shaikh and many other leading experts will be present in the event. The award shall provide an excellent scope and global exposure to the aspiring candidates in the beauty and wellness rofession."



Individual artists, stylists and salons have enrolled for competing in 5 different categories for the award. Signature Award follows a comprehensive selection process as the first selection happens at district level where designated beauty academy and institutes select the candidates for their makeup work. Just like any beauty pageant award, the selected finalists are further trained with orientation programs, seminars and workshops by industry leaders. On the 13th the candidates will contest in the presence of 'Observer Jury' followed by showcasing their work on models, after which the final judgment will be announced by the 'Master Jury'.
Ending a nine year-long association, India's all-women UN peacekeeping contingent to war-torn African nation Liberia will be finally coming back to the country this month.

An all-male contingent, however, will continue its duties there with the latest such squad being flagged off today by the Central Reserve Police Force.

India, through the CRPF, has served in the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) since 2007 with both the male and female paramilitary personnel serving in the African nation.

The CRPF women squad was the first-ever all-woman police in UN peacekeeping history.

While nine all-women contingents have served in Liberia till now, the seventh male contingent led by CRPF Commandant Ravindra Bhagat was sent off by force chief Prakash Mishra here.

The Director General said, this time, the United Nations has only sought the male unit for Liberia and not the female team.

He urged the departing 120-member male contingent to make the country proud by their "work and conduct" during this year-long sojourn.

"Apart from your duties, you should also keep intact the highest traditions of your devotion to duty and exhibit good conduct," the CRPF chief told the squad specially trained in UN police duties.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had in January this year bid the final farewell to the Indian unit called the Female Formed Police Unit (FFPU) as the country is getting ready to assume full responsibility of national security amid the ongoing UNMIL drawdown.

The Indian female contingent will leave from Liberia on February 14 and be here by the following week, a senior official said.

Indian contingents were tasked with civil police duties, jail protection and guarding, town patrolling, anti-robbery and anti-riot action, with the women team also entrusted with an exclusive duty to guard President Sirleaf.

"The contribution you have made in inspiring Liberian



women, imparting in them the spirit of professionalism and encouraging them to join operations that protect the nation, for that we will always be grateful.

"Our security service now has 17 per cent women. We owe all that to you, because it was not even one per cent a few years ago. And these women want to emulate you in the way you've served this country," the Liberian President had told the women contingent in her farewell speech to them at the UN.

She had said during the Indian female peacekeepers' stay in Liberia, they demonstrated courage, commitment, discipline and professionalism, which were the hallmark of their service to Liberians.

Sirleaf said she was impressed by the alertness of the Indian Formed Police Unit on many occasions especially during late working hours when they were seen performing their duties.
In a bid to create awareness among citizens about their voting rights, IIT-Guwahati (IIT-G) students undertook a campaign that aims to enlighten citizens about their right to vote and how they could exercise their right.

On February 6, team Techniche of IIT-G went to about 20 villages where they raised awareness about elections and successfully collected 200 registrations for Voter IDs.

The campaign --- 'Wake Up and Vote' --- launched by the students of IIT-Guwahati in the city, is part of the Institute's techno-management festival Techniche from September one next.

The right to vote campaign is aimed at spreading awareness that voting builds a healthier nation and strengthens democracy, said Techniche convenor Vikram Aditya on Monday.

Stating Techniche has always been a torch bearer when it comes to rights and duties of the citizens of India, Aditya said backed up with an enormous success in 2014 where Techniche successfully had thousands of people take a pledge to vote throughout the country, this year team Techniche is back with full force for the upcoming Assam elections.

In this respect the team is helping the Election Commission to get Voter ID cards of hundreds of people in Guwahati who do not have a photograph on their card, he said.

"Next we have many events and campaigns planned to educate the state to the need to vote. Wake up and Vote is what the state needs right now and team Techniche is in full support with all our might", said Rajat, an organising committee member of Techniche 2016.

Golapi Das, booth level officer (BLO) of Hajo Constituency said: "It was a great experience working with the students of IIT-Guwahati. The team effort was brilliant. This is the first time any student community stepped in to help people correct their errors in the Voter ID cards and formulation of new ones".

"People with the errors in their Voter ID face many problems for verification process and this effort from Techniche just before the Assam elections is worth applauding", Das added.
International bodies including ILO and German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) will participate in a two-day national conference on Occupational Safety and Health beginning tomorrow.

The conference will also mark the golden jubilee of Central Labour Institute, Mumbai. It is the leading institute in the country on Safety & Health under Directorate General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI).

"International agencies such as International Labour Organisation (ILO), German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) and eminent National & International safety professionals and Government functionaries will share the best practices on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) during the conference," a Labour Ministry press release said.

The National Conference on "Occupational Safety and Health -Best Practices" will be inaugurated by Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya.

The CLI was inaugurated by former president of India Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on February 9, 1966.

The DGFASLI has set a goal of promoting safety by launching a year-long National Campaign on Occupational safety and Health.

The campaign encompasses a series of programmes such as specialised seminars, workshops, training programs, webinars, to reach the entire cross sections of the working community across the country.

India is one of the fastest-growing nations of the world



and the country continues to maintain a high growth rate of 7.6 per cent in 2015-16.

"We have one of the biggest domestic market and demand in our country. We understand our responsibility in the global order and are committed to working towards an equitable and inclusive society," he said.

The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being driven by the approach of 'Reform to Transform' through far-reaching structural reforms, he added.

"We are committed to job, wage and social security for each and every one. Employment generation is the first priority for the government of India," the minister emphasised.

He cited a few examples of promoting industrial activity through Make in India, enhancing employability through Skill India and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship through Start Up India as a few transformative initiatives that the government has taken over the last two years.

"We have developed a National Career Service Portal to facilitate the youth to get information of availability of suitable jobs. 100 Model Career Centres are being established across the country that will guide the youth to the employment opportunity and related career counseling," Dattatreya added.

"So far, 35 million job seeking youth and 1 million employers have registered on this platform."



Social security for all continues to be a top priority for the government.

"While there has been a series of governance reforms in the delivery of service for the organised worker, we have taken some game-changing decisions for unorganised workers," the minister stressed.

The government is working on extension of healthcare facilities for organised workers to a large segment of the unorganised workforce, including voluntary, domestic and construction workers.
India and Australia on Monday decided to form a sub-group, which will include senior officials from the government and industry from both sides, to prepare a roadmap on streamlining issues that would help in providing cheap liquefied natural gas (LNG) for power plants in the Asian country.

"After my discussions with the industry on LNG, some representatives told me that Indian government will have to take concrete steps to help encourage trade relations.

"So, I have now formed a sub-group, which will be under the Working Group on the India-Australia energy dialogue," Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters on the sidelines of the India-Australia Energy Dialogue here.

After the energy dialogues with the US and Japan, working groups were formed that concentrate on issues which need to be resolved at the government level, he added.

This sub-group will have officials from the Ministries of External Affairs and Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Representatives from PSUs such as NTPC, GAIL and Petronet LNG will also be a part of the group. It will also have two representatives from private firms who have gas-based power plants, Goyal, who also has the portfolio of Renewable energy, added.

This sub-group, in about two or two-and-a-half months, will submit a detailed report on what needs to be done and what are the requirements that need to be taken care of so that power plants in can get cheap LNG from Australia, the Minister said.

"From their side, Austrade, the Australian government's trade commission, senior Energy Ministry official, official from the High Commission in India looking after energy and representatives from the private sector will be part of the sub-group," Goyal said.

This group will prepare a roadmap on what steps need to be taken from both the sides so that power producers in India can get access to cheaper LNG from Australia, he added.

Goyal is heading a delegation of senior officials for the India Australia Energy Dialogue.

Industry body CII is leading a delegation to the four-day dialogue, which will witness roundtable meetings between the government of the two countries as well as businesses from both sides on energy related issues.

The move will lead to committed LNG supply to gas-based power plants, which are running below their capacity due to lack of availability of gas.

The grid connected gas-based power generation capacity in the country is around 24,150 MW. Of this, a capacity of 14,305 MW had no supply of domestic gas.

Last year, the government also started a subsidy scheme for gas-strapped power plants.

Under the plan, LNG will be imported and cash-strapped state power distribution companies will be financially supported to buy electricity from them.

Power plants rarely use costly imported LNG as electricity produced from the fuel would cost much more than that from a domestic coal-fuelled plant or a domestic gas-fired plant, and there would be no takers for such expensive power.
India Inc today said the country's economic recovery seems to be on right course with GDP projected to grow at a 5-year high of 7.6 per cent in 2015-16 and hoped the growth will further improve in coming days.

It said the GDP estimates for the year 2015-16 indicate that the economy is firmly holding on to the recovery course.

"Reform measures taken over the past 18 months have put the economy on the growth trajectory. The improvement expected in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors in the current fiscal is encouraging...We do hope to see a turnaround in near future," Ficci said in a statement.

Indian economy is expected to record a five-year high growth of 7.6 per cent in 2015-16 on improved performance in manufacturing and farm sectors.

According the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or economic growth is estimated at 7.3 per cent in October-December quarter of this fiscal.

Industry chamber PHDCCI also said the GDP growth is inspiring despite slow global outlook and there are better growth prospects for the Indian economy in coming times.

Assocham said the government should take proactive policy measures in the budget specifically focused on agriculture, infrastructure sector, steel, banking and financial sectors among others to revive the economy.

The GDP estimates indicate some revival in manufacturing, construction, trade hotel, transport, communication and services related to broadcasting and public administration, it said in a statement.

Consultancy firm Deloitte India said the manufacturing along with agriculture are the only two sector sub components that are likely to show higher growth.

"On the expenditure side, investments are likely to grow by 5.3 per cent for the full year as compared to 4.9 per cent in the previous year, which shows that capex is stable and probably moving up," it said.

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Commenting on the advance estimates for GDP, CII said the significant improvement anticipated in GDP growth indicates that the Indian economy is at the threshold of a cyclical upturn.

"As the government has taken a host of measures to provide a new direction to the economy, economic conditions would improve in the coming quarters and new growth opportunities would emerge once the reform initiatives announced by the government take root," it said.

CII added that it looks forward to a reform-centric budget which would put in place bold measures to remove supply bottlenecks and in turn spark a virtuous cycle of investment and growth.
India's steel imports dipped by 8.7 per cent last month but was up 24.1 per cent for the April-January period of the ongoing financial year.

The development comes in the wake of the government taking a number of steps to check inbound shipments from countries like China.

"Imports in January decreased by 8.7 per cent compared to January 2015. However, imports of total finished steel at 9.306 million tonnes (MT) in April-January 2015-16 saw a growth of 24.1 per cent compared to same period of last year," a Steel Ministry official said quoting the latest data.

Imports in January at 0.916 million tonnes decreased by 2.8 per cent compared with December 2015, he said.

"India was a net importer of total finished steel in the current fiscal so far," a Steel Ministry panel has said in its report.

After a decline in November, India's steel imports have surged by 23 per cent in December neutralising the measures taken by the government to check cheap imports.

Steel imports has risen by 23 per cent to 0.94 MT in December compared to November. In November, steel imports were at 0.76 MT, down by 35 per cent over the previous month.

However, the December imports were down by 1.4 per cent compared to that in same month of 2014.

Since June, steel sector has been provided a range of protection including hike in import and safeguard duties to check cheap imports.

Analysts has said exporting countries, particularly China, have been constantly adjusting (reducing) the price of steel products in-line with the imposition of duties.

In June, India imposed anti-dumping duty of up to $316 per tonne on imports of certain steel products from three countries, including China, to protect domestic producers from below-cost inbound shipments.

Then in August, the government had hiked import duty on base metals, including iron and steel, by 2.5 per cent, in a move aimed at helping domestic players battle out cheap Chinese imports after yen devaluation.

In September, a provisional safeguard duty of 20 per cent was imposed on import of hot-rolled flat products of non-alloy and other alloy steel, which is in vogue for 200 days.
At least 16 pacts in a wide range of sectors like nuclear energy, oil, information technology (IT), aerospace and railways, facilitating billions of dollars of investment by UAE in India, are likely to be inked during Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayad Al Nahayan's visit here beginning Wednesday.

Ways to contain radicalism, stepping up counter-terrorism cooperation and dealing with the ISIS will figure prominently in talks Al Nahayan will have with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, UAE Ambassador Ahmed Al Banna said.

A major focus of the three-day visit by the influential UAE leader, which comes nearly six months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to UAE, will be on stepping up economic ties.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, has a sovereign wealth fund of $800 billion. India has been eying the fund, parked with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, for its infrastructure sector and the envoy said there may be some announcements to this effect during Al Nahayan's visit.

"We have on hand nearly 16 agreements for cooperation between different ministries and authorities. Out of 16, almost 12 have been finalised and ready for signature. Hopefully all the 16 will be signed," said Al Banna.

The envoy said the agreements will lead to "huge investment portfolio" in diverse areas including renewable energy, oil and gas and some other major sectors.

The pact on nuclear cooperation will provide for peaceful use of atomic energy in reaserach and development. UAE has similar pacts with France and some other countries.

India is UAE's number one trading partner and the annual trade currently stands at nearly $60 billion. UAE, a major player in the Gulf region, is a strategically important country for India.

The country is home to around 2.6 million Indians who constitute nearly 30 per cent of its population. It was the sixth largest supplier of crude oil to India in 2014-15.

Al Banna said Modi's visit to his country, after a gap of 34 years by an Indian Prime Minister, has opened a new path in strengthening ties and Al Nahayan's trip will further strengthen it.

"It (the visit) will reinforce the ongoing relationship and will take us to the next (level) that both sides are looking at, which is strategic cooperation, strategic coordination and strategic relationship," the envoy said.

Identifying terrorism as a major threat facing the world, the envoy said both India and UAE are increasing security and counter-terrorism cooperation to deal with the menace.

On the issue of checking radicalism, he said India and UAE will work "hand in hand to fight them. Yes there will be some cooperation on this".

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee.
At least 16 pacts in a wide range of sectors like nuclear energy, oil, IT, aerospace and railways, facilitating billions of dollars of investment by UAE in India, are likely to be inked during Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit here beginning Wednesday.

Ways to contain radicalism, stepping up counter-terrorism cooperation and dealing with the ISIS will figure prominently in talks Al Nahyan will have with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, UAE Ambassador Ahmed Al Banna said.

A major focus of the three-day visit by the influential UAE leader, which comes around six months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to UAE, will be on stepping up economic ties.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, has a sovereign wealth fund of about USD 800 billion. India has been eying the fund, parked with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, for its infrastructure sector and the envoy said there may be some announcements to this effect during Al Nahyan's visit.

"We have on hand around 16 agreements for cooperation between different ministries and authorities. Out of 16, almost 12 have been finalised and ready for signature. Hopefully all the 16 will be signed," said Al Banna.

The envoy said the agreements will lead to "huge investment portfolio" in diverse areas including renewable energy, oil and gas and some other major sectors.

The pact on nuclear cooperation will provide for peaceful use of atomic energy as research and development in the area. UAE has similar pact with France and some other countries.

India is UAE's number one trading partner and the annual trade currently stands at around USD 60 billion. UAE, a major player in the Gulf region, is a strategically important country for India.

The country is home to around 2.6 million Indians who constitute nearly 30 per cent of its population. It was the sixth largest supplier of crude oil to India in 2014-15.

Al Banna said Modi's visit to his country, after a gap of 34 years by an Indian Prime Minister, has opened a new path in strengthening ties and Al Nahyan's trip will further build on it.

"It (the visit) will reinforce the ongoing relationship and will take us to the next (level) that both sides are looking at which is strategic cooperation, strategic coordination and strategic relationship," the envoy said.

Identifying terrorism as a major threat facing the world, the envoy said both India and UAE are increasing security and counter-terrorism cooperation to deal with the menace.

On the issue of checking radicalism, he said India and UAE will work "hand in hand to fight them. Yes there will be some cooperation on this".

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee.

On containing ISIS, the envoy said both the countries



will have cooperation while identifying the social media as a major platform being used by "fanatics" to radicalise people.

Al Banna said his government has already set up specialised centres to educate people about those who use the social media the "wrong way".

He said UAE's cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism with India and many other countries has increased in the last one year and will expand further.

On investment in India by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, he said things are moving fast and that many other private investors from UAE are also looking at investing in India in a significant way.

He said the business delegation will go straight to Mumbai where they will have in-depth talks with their Indian counterparts.

Asked about the proposed free trade agreement between India and Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Al Banna hoped it will be finalised soon. "We want it to be signed as soon as possible."



On Modi's possible visit to Israel, he said it was India's prerogative.

Asked whether the situation in Syria will figure in talks, the envoy said a number of pressing global and regional issues including situation in the strife-torn country may be discussed.
India today expressed "deep concern" over the rocket launch by North Korea and called upon that country to refrain from such actions which adversely affect peace and stability in the region.

India's reaction comes a day after North Korea said it had successfully put a satellite into orbit with a rocket launch, which has triggered condemnation from a number of countries, including the US, South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, Britain and France.

"The DPRK rocket launch of February 7 is a matter of deep concern. While countries have the right to exploit outer space for peaceful purposes, this must be in accordance with international obligations," External Affairs Ministry said in a release.

"We call upon the DPRK to refrain from such actions, which adversely affect peace and stability in the region," it said.
Aircraft carrier INS Viraat will be developed as a tourism centre after its decommissioning following decades of service in the Navy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said today.

"The Indian Navy is going to decommission INS Viraat very soon and there is a proposal by the Defence Ministry to develop it as a tourist centre," he said.

Naidu said a joint venture will be set up by Andhra government, Indian Navy and a private organisation to take up the tourism-related activities on the warship, which has been in service for almost six decades.

These activities would include yachting, sea sports, sailing, gliding and cruising, he said, adding the aircraft carrier's 1,500 rooms can be used to house tourists.

He was briefing the media on successful conduct of the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2016 in Visakhapatnam.

Naidu said Visakhapatnam is one of the best places to host maritime activities and the Navy has agreed to support his Government's proposals in this regard. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has announced Visakhapatnam as 'the capital of Indian Navy'.

Naidu said the successful conduct of IFR has enhanced the importance of the port city, where warships and Naval personnel from 50 countries took part in the mega event.

The Chief Minister thanked Defence and civil officials for ensuring an incident-free event.
Five persons were arrested in connection with an inter-state gambling racket operating through customised computer software, police said today.

The computer application was popular by the name 'Company' and the accused have been identified as Kulwinder Singh (50), a Delhi University graduate, Inderpal (43), Pradeep Chopra (39), Sandeep Sehgal (41) and Rajeev Anand (39), police said.

Police have recovered around Rs 90 lakh of stake money, several mobile phones and three laptops with the customised software, DCP (Special Cell) Sanjeev Yadav said.

The racket had its main office in northwest Delhi's Pitampura area and operated here and in states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, police said.

Based on a tip-off, police raided the Pitampura office on Saturday and arrested four accused. They told police about their associate Anand based in Khanna town in Punjab. A team was sent there and Anand was nabbed, although his main aide, identified as one Manoj, is still at large, police said.

Anand is said to be a gambler of Punjab who has been active for around 20 years and had more than a dozen cases registered against him, police said.

"The customised software works like a lottery. The accused used to take calls from their clients who staked money by choosing random numbers. They used to forward the calls upward in the hierarchy which operated the functioning of the application named 'Company'," said a senior official.

The racket used to declare one winner every day and the winning amount could go up to 100 times the call value. The racket charged 10 per cent commission on every call, the official added.
Freed of international sanctions, Iran has asked India to reactivate its accounts with Indian banks and allow Iranian banks to open offices here.

Keen to quickly normalise banking and commercial relations with the world, Tehran also wants UCO Bank to open a representative office in Iran, official sources said.

Tehran has already opened an account with IDBI Bank.

Iran's Central Bank last month announced that the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) sanction on the country's 12 banks was lifted and they are being linked to SWIFT.

Since March 2012, Iran's banking system had been cut off from SWIFT in a bid to intensify the sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear programme.

Central Bank of Iran's vice governor Gholamali Kamyab has conveyed to Indian authorities that Bank Pasargad and Parsian Bank were keen to open representative offices in India while Saman Bank was interested in opening a subsidiary, they said.

Tehran wants Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Ministry of Finance to reactivate Iranian bank accounts with Indian banks. State Bank of India (SBI) has accounts of 11 Iranian banks including Central Bank of Iran (CBI).

Iran's proposal to India come close on the heels of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd, a Chinese multinational banking company, and Russia's Tempbank planning to open branches in the Persian Gulf nation.

US last month lifted sanctions against Iran, bringing an influx of world's corporations keen to do business with the oil and gas rich nation.

Sources said Kamyab has conveyed that Iran would help UCO Bank to open a representative office for the help it had extended to Iran during last three years of sanctions.

UCO Bank operated an account of National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) that received rupee payment for oil sold to Indian refiners.

CBI has also conveyed to India the long standing interest of Bank Pasargad and Parsian Bank to open representative offices in India. Saman Bank was interested in opening a subsidiary, sources said.

Last month, the US lifted sanctions on Iran after the UN atomic watchdog confirmed that Tehran has met its nuclear obligations under a landmark deal designed to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.

Since February 2013, Indian refiners like Essar Oil and MRPL have been paying 45 per cent of their import bill in rupees to UCO Bank account of Iranian oil company. The remaining has been accumulating, pending finalisation of a payment mechanism.

To settle the pending dues of over USD 6 billion, Iran wants to re-establish banking relations with India and said that they be cleared in euros within six months.
The Iraqi army is deploying thousands of soldiers to a northern base in preparation for operations to retake the Islamic State group's hub of Mosul, officials said today.

IS seized Mosul in June 2014 and except for air strikes has held Iraq's second city largely unopposed for over 18 months as the country's security forces battled the jihadists in other areas.

"Units from the Iraqi army have begun arriving to a military base near the Makhmur district to start launching initial military operations toward Mosul," a staff brigadier general told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"There are three brigades located in that base now," and their number will eventually reach 4,500 soldiers, the officer said, adding that troops from the 15th and 16th division will take part in operations to retake Mosul.

Makhmur lies around 70 kilometres southeast of Mosul.

The initial aim is to completely sever IS supply lines between Mosul and areas farther south including Hawijah in Kirkuk province and areas near Baiji in Salaheddin, the officer said.

A Kurdish official said that most of the soldiers deployed to the area, which is located within territory controlled by Iraqi Kurdistan, are ethnic Kurds from the Iraqi army.

"These forces came with the approval of the presidency and government of the Kurdistan region of Iraq," said Halgurd Hekmat, a spokesman from the ministry responsible for the autonomous region's forces.

The base will be for both soldiers and aircraft, Hekmat said.

Multiple Iraqi divisions collapsed during the early days of IS's 2014 offensive, which overran large areas north and west of Baghdad.

With the help of US-led air strikes and training, Iraqi forces have since regained significant areas from IS, but Mosul will be the most difficult battle of the war against the jihadists.
A body representing Sufi-Sunni Muslims today claimed that dreaded terror outfit Islamic State (ISIS) is "active" in the country under "different names" and sought a ban on fronts representing such groups to prevent threats to national security.

The comments by the All India Tanzeem Ulema-E-Islam (AITUI) came against the backdrop of remarks by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on December 27 that ISIS has not been able to "establish its roots" in the country due to family values of the Indian culture.

At its day-long 'Anti-Terrorism' conference held here, the AITUI also made a strong pitch for "critical examination" of Islamic studies imparted across varsities in the country and sought to promote Sufi content to remove "extremist influence" on youth.

"Terror activities are on rise in the world. We condemn it and assert the Sufi-Sunni Muslims are in no way engaged in such activities. But we want to highlight, the ISIS is active in India under different names.

"The ISIS front outfits are holding conferences and receiving funds from Saudi Arabia and Qatar for it. We want Centre to ban all such outfits in view of national security," AITUI president Mufti Mohammed Ashfaq Hussain Qadri told reporters.

Appealing to Sufi-Sunni Muslim youth in India against "falling prey" to extremist elements, clerics participating in the conference insisted that the Government promote Sufi content in syllabus taught as part of higher Islamic studies.

The clerics, who had gathered here from different parts of the country, also urged Centre to give up efforts to change minority status of educational institutions--an apparent reference to Government's stand on AMU and Jamia Milia Islamia varsities--and instead take efforts to gain confidence of community youths.

The clerics also favoured enacting a law that will provide for capital punishment to those who insult prophets and Gods worshipped by people of any religion.
The ISIS's recent defeats signify its worsening money problems, desertions and a dwindling pool of fighters with many of them joining rival militant groups after facing pay cuts, according to a media report.

Citing top analysts and monitoring groups, the Washington Post reported that the recent losses of the terror group are linked to its struggles to pay fighters and recruit new ones to replace those who have deserted, defected to other militant groups or died on the battlefield.

US-backed Kurdish and Arab forces have seized significant amounts of territory from the extremist group in the parts of Iraq and Syria where it declared a caliphate in 2014.

"These issues suggest that as an entity that is determined to hold onto territory, the Islamic State is not sustainable," Jacob Shapiro, an expert on the Islamic State (ISIS) who teaches politics at Princeton University, was quoted as saying.

There appears to be a rise in the number of Islamic State fighters who have deserted or, in the case of the Syrian conflict, defected to other militant groups, Vera Mironova, an expert on armed groups in Syria and Iraq at Harvard University's Belfer Center, was quoted as saying.

The salary and benefit cuts have caused "for-profit militants" in Syria to increasingly "look for better deals" with other armed factions, she said.

The group, she said, is also struggling to replenish ranks of its foreign fighters, who tend to be more ideologically driven but also die in relatively large numbers on the battlefield.

Only a year ago, the Islamic State was seen as a juggernaut -- rich, organised and fielding thousands of motivated fighters -- but in recent months, its momentum has been reversed, the report said.

US military officials estimate that the group has lost as much as 40% of the territory it held in Iraq and as much as 20% in Syria, it said.

Kurdish and Arab forces, including Iraq's increasingly competent military, have advanced against the group with the help of airstrikes from a US-led coalition.

The air raids have damaged the Islamic State's oil infrastructure, a key revenue source, and the territorial setbacks have stripped the group of populations to tax and assets to seize, analysts say.

All of this, they say, appears to have forced the group to reduce salaries and benefits for fighters.

Last month media reports had said the terror group's Bayt al-Mal, the Treasury Ministry, has decided to cut the salaries of its fighters in half due to the "exceptional circumstances" ISIS has been witnessing.
Italy today warned Egypt it would not allow the fate of Giulio Regeni to be brushed under the carpet as anger mounted over the Cambridge University student's torture and killing in Cairo.

With the media publishing gruesome details of Regeni's treatment and pointing the finger at Egyptian security services, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was under pressure to authorise a state funeral for the slain 28-year-old.

Regeni disappeared on January 25 and was found dead on February 3. An Italian autopsy carried out following his corpse's repatriation at the weekend concluded that he was killed by a violent blow to the base of his skull having already suffered multiple fractures all over his body.

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that Egypt appeared to be collaborating with a team of Italian detective and forensic investigators dispatched to Cairo.

But he warned: "We will not settle for alleged truths."



Gentiloni, in an interview with daily La Repubblica, added: "We want those really responsible identified and punished on the basis of law."



La Repubblica reported that, as well as being systematically beaten, Regeni had his finger and toe nails pulled out in a pattern of torture which the daily said suggested that his "death squad" killers believed him to be a spy.

Regeni was in Egypt working on a doctoral thesis on Egyptian trade unions. It has emerged since his death that he was also writing, under a pseudonym, for a communist Italian daily Il Manifesto, fuelling speculation that links to local opposition figures may have resulted in him being targeted.

Italian officials' anger over Regeni's death was exacerbated by their being initially informed the student had been killed in a road accident.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has been particularly outspoken, describing seeing the results of the autopsy as a "punch in the stomach" and Regeni's killers as "inhuman and animalistic."



Alfano said he was in favour of Regeni being given a state funeral later this week.

"There is a protocol to be respected and the President of the Council of Ministers (Renzi) decides, but I would say this is about the death of a young man who honoured all of Italy and the idea of a state funeral should be taken very seriously."



Renzi faces a difficult balancing act in handling the fallout from Regeni's death. Too much overt criticism from Rome of the military-backed regime in Cairo could jeopardise the hopes of the murder inquiry ever getting to the truth.

Italy also has major business interests in Egypt and will need Cairo's support if a planned Italian-led peacekeeping force is sent into neighbouring Libya to help stabilise the country, if and when a new national unity government is established there.
The Centre on Monday demanded an independent probe into the attack on journalists in Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh, calling it condemnable.

"Attack on journalists in Uttar Pradesh is condemnable. An independent probe into the incident should be carried out," Information & Broadcasting and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted.

Two journalists of a leading English news channel were attacked allegedly by a local Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and MLA Nahid Hasan and his aides when they had gone to cover the incident in which a 8-year-old boy was killed in celebratory firing by party workers in Shamli district.

Attack on journalists in Uttar Pradesh is condemnable. An independent probe in to the incident should be carried out.  Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 8, 2016

The boy, Sami, who was passing by Kairana area in a rickshaw was hit during the firing by SP workers yesterday.

The workers were celebrating the victory of party candidate Nafisa in the local body polls from the town.

The state unit of BJP alleged that the attack on media persons was a "planned" assault which indicated "anarchy" in the state.
Asking the Centre to rescind notification on GAIL gas pipeline passing through Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking changes in the central law to provide for social impact assessment for the project.

In a letter to Modi she said the proposed alignment would cause "irreparable damage" to Erode, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Salem districts through which the Kochi-Koottanad-Mangaluru- Bengaluru gas pipeline would traverse.

Referring to the last week's Supreme Court ruling against the state government's 2013 order asking GAIL to stop the project on its present alignment, she said the apex bank had also made it clear that Centre was the "competent government" on this matter.

ALSO READ: Tamil Nadu to request SC to revisit GAIL project nod

The court had held that once the right of use of land was notified, the state government had no power to direct on the issue of alignment.

"Since the competent Government under the relevant Act is the Central Government, the Government of India may rescind the notifications, issued under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User) Act, 1962, for the GAIL pipeline in Tamil Nadu," she said.

"The Central Government is empowered to withdraw the Notification under Section 93 of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, read with Section 18 of the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962," she said.

Further, as per Proviso (a) to Section 7 (i) of the Petroleum and Minerals Act, 1962, it was "mandated" that no pipeline shall be laid under lands which were used for residential purposes or near such houses or with permanent structures, she said in the letter which was released by the state government.

Referring to Petroleum and Minerals Act, 1962, she said it was one of the 13 Central Acts, which had been exempted from the requirement of carrying out Social Impact Assessment under the UPA's 2013 Land Acquisition Act.

The Petroleum and Minerals Act was "technically" not a Land Acquisition Act "but only provides for right to use the land for laying pipelines for petroleum products," she said.
The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical and Research (JIPMER) and the Aurobindo Society here today signed an MoU to take up jointly programmes to promote health and medical education in rural areas in the union territory.

Under the MoU, Initiatives aimed at promoting health related community development programmes, including use of community radio modes, would be taken up in rural areas of Puducherry and also in adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu, a JIPMER release said.

JIPMER Director Dr S C Parija and the member of the Executive Committee of the Society Vijay Poddar signed the agreement under which the premier health institute would also take up research works in association with the society in specific areas, the release said.

Members of the self-help groups formed by JIPMER would be identified to provide help to patients and their attendees in JIPMER.
The 14-day Indo-Nepal military exercise 'Surya Kiran' focusing on jungle warfare and counter terrorism today began at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.

Ahead of the start of the exercise a combined ceremonial parade was held by both the participating contingents. The Nepalese Army is being represented by officers and troops of the elite Shree Rudra Dhoj Battalion, while an infantry battalion is participating on behalf of Indian Army.

This is the 9th such exercise between the two countries during which the emphasis would be on upgradation of tactical and practical skills through sharing of each others experiences and also on enhancing interoperability in jungle warfare and counter terrorism operations in mountain terrain.

The role and importance of Armed Forces in disaster management in both the countries have increased significantly in recent years. Focus will also be on humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations which also includes medical and aviation aspects, an Army release said.

Brigadier Sanjay Sharma of Headquarter Central Command was present at the opening ceremony and interacted with the soldiers of the two countries.

In his opening address, he said both the armies have a lot to learn from each other, especially in our approach towards handling the modern day challenges of terrorism and disaster management.
Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham today ended his indefinite fast, he had begun on Friday to demand quota for the community, after "assurances" from the Andhran Pradesh government, including allocation of Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu welfare corporation.

The breakthrough came after K Atchannaidu, Minister for Labour, TDP state unit president K Kala Venkat Rao and party MLAs - Thota Trimurthulu and NVS Varma - held talks with Padmanabham at his native village Kirlampudi in East Godavari.

Kala Venkat Rao and Atchannaidu offered lime juice to Padmanabham, who has been fasting along with his wife, some family members and supporters.

Padmanabham said the government has assured him it would obtain the report of a commission on backward classes (for inclusion of Kapus in BCs), within seven months instead of nine, if possible, and allocate Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu (welfare) corporation from next year.

The government set up the commission to study the issue of reservations for the community and it is expected to submit its report within nine months.

The government representatives asked Padmanabham to join the discussions leading up to the decision on reservation.

The government would separately provide Rs 500 crore this year and accept all the applications made this year to Kapu Corporation by the community members for benefits, he said.

Padmanabham said he is in favour of provision of "creamy layer" among the Kapus.

Atchannaidu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is "very positive" on the demands of the community.

The government would be judicious in dealing with the police cases registered in connection with the violence that erupted during a rally organised by Padmanabham on January 31, the minister added.

Atchannaidu said no injustice would be done to the Backward Classes in the process of providing reservation to Kapus.

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Meanwhile, a large number of Padmanabham's supporters gathered at his residence in Kirlampudi after word spread that police were trying to make him break his fast.

Cars were parked at the main entrance of his residence, apparently to block any such bid.

Padmanabham's supporters alleged that police and revenue officials were trying to break his fast as government had not opened any negotiations with the Kapu leader.

East Godavari SP Ravi Prakash today appealed to activists and local political leaders to not visit Kirlampudi as it may lead to a law and order issue.

Padmanabham has refused to undergo a medical checkup.
US Secretary of State John Kerry today greeted people of the Himalayan region including India, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet on Losar, the Tibetan New Year.

"On behalf of President (Barack) Obama and the people of the United States, I offer our warmest wishes to all of the peoples of the Himalayan region celebrating Losar for a joyful New Year," Kerry said in a statement.

"The United States joins you in celebrating the history and vibrant culture of the peoples of the Himalayan region, including those in Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Tibetan areas of the People's Republic of China," he said.

The Losar festival marks sacred and secular practices like prayers, ceremonies, rituals and folk dancing and merrymaking.

Kerry said the rich cultural heritage in song, poetry, art, and literature has enriched humanity.

"As you gather with family and friends to celebrate Losar, know that the US stands with you as a partner and friend. May the New Year be filled with peace and prosperity," Kerry said.
Clashes have erupted outside the Turkish Embassy in Paris after police moved in to disperse a demonstration by Kurdish political activists.

Dozens had gathered to protest the Turkish government's military campaign against Kurdish militants in the southeast of the country. Local Kurdish media report at least 60 members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, died in the most recent assault.

Demonstrators pelted a police vehicle with stones and police fired tear gas to break up the protest.

Turkey also began launching airstrikes in Iraq and Syria in July 2015 as part of the US-led coalition's fight against the Islamic State group.

In Syria it has targeted the IS group, while in Iraq it has taken aim at the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara.
Nepal's Madhesis protesting against a new Constitution today called off their nearly five-month long crippling blockade at the border with India that led to severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other essentials in the landlocked nation and strained Indo-Nepal ties.

"Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now," the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) said in a statement.

"The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed," said the statement issued after the meeting of UDMF leaders, three days after angry traders from both sides burned down tents set up by agitating Madhesis on Friday.

The "UDMF leaders decided to withdraw their ongoing protest programmes," Laxman Lal Karna, the Vice Chairman of Sadbhawana Party, one of the members of the front, told PTI.

The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister K P Oli's trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier.

Prime Minister Oli welcomed the decision by the Madhesis to call off the agitation and said it was a "positive move."



"The Prime Minister has stressed on talks among the parties to address the differences," said a press note issued by Oli's press advisor.

"I am confident that the differences and disputes can be addressed through talks among us," said the prime minister, who had publicly announced that it would not be appropriate for him to visit India unless the border blockade ends.

Nepal's Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.

The blockade had caused much hardship to the general public as they were faced with acute shortage of petroleum products, cooking gas, medicines and other essentials due to closure of all border trade points between the two countries.

The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and have launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.

The blockade led to strain in the bilateral ties, with Kathmandu accusing New Delhi of imposing an "unofficial blockade".

However, India maintains that it has imposed no such blockade, and the restrictions are a result of security concerns as Madhesis are protesting the new Constitution in the Terai region of Nepal bordering India.

Karna said that the UDMF is considering to change forms of their protests.

The UDMF has announced only three protest programmes including a torch rally, a lathi rally and a people's vote collection campaign in district headquarters.

In a bid to resolve the crisis involving the minority



Madhesi community, Nepal's parliament last month voted to amend the new Constitution four months after its promulgation.

However, the Madhesi groups rejected the two amendments, saying that they did not address their demands.

The amendment addressed two demands of the Madhesis - proportionate representation and seat allocation in the Parliament on the basis of population.

However, their key demand on the re-demarcation of the provincial boundary is yet to be addressed.

The major political parties have pledged to address their demand related to the boundary demarcation through setting up a high-level political committee.

At the same time, the UDMF decided to mobilise its cadres in Terai/Madhes, Tharuhat and Kathmandu, among other places.

The alliance has called for forging a broader coalition with other political parties for their future programmes.

The UDMF has also raised objection to what it called the "government's premeditated attempt" to spread false message that the agitating forces were defeated.

The Morcha is determined that it won't back down from its struggle under no circumstances, the front said.
Over 190 companies, including multinational corporations, 5,000 delegates from 60 countries, and leading industrialists including Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani will be participating in the maiden 'Make in India' week to be held here from February 13.

Aimed at attracting investments, the week will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and will also see a focus on government-to-government interactions, with four head of states from across the world and 12 Indian chief ministers in attendance. It will also have sector-specific seminars.

A total of 13 Union ministers, including Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal, among others are also expected to be present.

More so, 17 Indian states will be present at the week and some like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha and Punjab will also have dedicated state-centric sessions.

At a curtain-raiser press conference, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the week is inspired by Germany's Hannover Messe, one of the largest industrial exhibitions in the world.

She said officials from her ministry were at Hannover last September and have tried to put together an event on a similar scale at the city's prime business district of Bandra Kurla Complex.

The minister said the event comes at a very opportune time when India is poised for good growth and stands out as a country being able to maintain growth at over 7 per cent, amid struggling peers in the BRICS like China and Brazil.

The week, which follows the launch of 'Make in India' campaign by the government in December 2014, comes amid depressed economic conditions in geographies such as Europe, she said.

It also comes amid an increase of 38 per cent in foreign direct investment inflows in India as against a negative 16 per cent growth for rest of the world, she said.
A presidential official in the Maldives said police have arrested a judge and a former prosecutor general for issuing an arrest warrant for the country's president without the police requesting one, in the latest political turmoil in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Ibrahim Hussain Shihab, a spokesman at the president's office, says former Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin and Judge Ahmed Nihan were arrested last night.

The warrant was issued in relation to a corruption allegation against President Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

A government statement said police found out about the arrest warrant yesterday morning when a group tried to hand over the document to police officials.
A Surat-based property dealer was today arrested for allegedly insulting the national flag by draping his dog in the tricolour at a public event held on Republic Day, police said.

Bharat Gohil, 40, was arrested on a complaint by Aziz Cyclewala but was released on bail later in the day, said inspector G A Sarvaiya of Umra police station.

Gohil had taken his canine to participate in the 'Pet Run' organised on January 26 near Kargil Chowk area of the city. At the event, he came with his dog draped in the tricolor, the inspector said.

Preliminary inquiry officer (PIO) in the case Dala Katara said Cyclewala, who was also present during the event, had filed a complaint with the police, which found the action offensive.

The complaint was lodged yesterday after the photos of Gohil with his canine draped in the tricolour went viral on the social media.

"We arrested Gohil under relevant sections of Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act. He was released on bail today itself," said Sarvaiya.

Gohil pleaded with the police that he was not aware of thelaw and not intentionally, the PIO said.
Delhi mayors today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought his "intervention" in getting their "rightful" share of funds under Delhi Finance Commission (DFC) recommendations from the AAP government.

The delegation led by Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay and comprising mayors Subhash Arya (South), Harshdeep Malhotra (East) and Ravinder Gupta (East) urged Singh to take cognizance of "unconstitutional" ways of the Delhi government.

The mayors apprised the Home Minister of the prevailing situtation due to strike by sanitation workers and asked him to ensure that Delhi government releases "around Rs 3,000 crore under 3rd DFC and implements 4th DFC without further delay", said East Delhi mayor Harshdeep Malhotra.

The 30-minute meeting was also attended by "secretaries of the Home ministry who were instructed by Singh to talk to top officials of Delhi government including Director Local Bodies to resolve the issues," he added.

"Delhi government has indulged in a lot of unconstitutional activities since it came to power which include depriving constitutional rights of the municipal corporations and bypassing the authority of Lt Governor in its business," Upadhyay alleged.

"We urged the Home Minister that the Centre should take cognizance of unconstitutional ways of the government. He directed Home ministry secretaries including the UT Secretary to take up these matters with Delhi government," Upadhyay claimed.

BJP legislator and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta was also present in the meeting.
Turkey and Germany agreed today on a set of measures to try to tackle the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aimed at halting attacks against Syria's largest city.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that she is "not just appalled but horrified" by the suffering caused by bombing in Syria, primarily by Russia.

Merkel said that Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a UN resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on the civilian population.

Merkel was in Ankara for talks on how to reduce the influx of migrants into Europe, mostly via a perilous boat crossing from Turkey to Greece.

Turkey's coast guard said today that 24 migrants died after their boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, while four people were rescued.

Merkel is under pressure at home to cut the number of refugee arrivals after nearly 1.1 million people were registered as asylum-seekers in Germany last year.

Turkey for its part is under pressure from the EU to open its border to up to 35,000 Syrians who have massed along the frontier in the past few days fleeing an onslaught by government forces in the city of Aleppo.

The Turkish border crossing of Oncupinar, opposite the Syrian Bab al-Salameh gate, remained closed for a fourth day today as Turkish authorities provided assistance to the Syrians at a displaced persons camp nearby.

It was not clear if or when Turkey would let the group in. Turkey, already home to 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to take refugees in.

"We are worried that opening the gates will lead to an increase in refugees," said Burak Kacacaoglu, a spokesman for the non-governmental Islamic charity group IHH. "We are concerned about the air strikes which are increasingly targeting civilian areas. This is what causes refugees."



Merkel said: "We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing -- primarily from the Russian side."



"Under such circumstances, it's hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly," Merkel said.

Davutoglu said Aleppo "is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy."



"No one should excuse or show tolerance toward the Russian air attacks that amount to ethnic massacres by saying 'Turkey takes care of the Syrian refugees anyway,'" Davutoglu said."No one can expect Turkey to take on the burden on its own.
Following the Supreme Court's nod, Maharashtra government today said its planned event as a part of 'Make In India Week' at the Girgaum Chowpatty beach here will showcase the state's cultural heritage and feature megastar Amitabh Bachchan and actor-politician Hema Malini, among others.

The event 'Maharashtra Night' will be held on February 14 and will be open to the public.

"We will showcase the rich heritage of the state. The backdrop of the stage draws inspiration from the Ajanta and Ellora caves," chief secretary Swadheen Kshatriya said.

Malini, BJP MP from Mathura, will deliver a dance performance, while Bachchan will recite a specially written poem dedicated to Maharashtra, he said.

The government expects 25,000 people to turn up at the Chowpatty which is on the north end of the Marine Drive crescent.

Kshatriya said the 160-by-120 feet set has been designed by celebrated art director Nitin Desai. The program will conclude with fireworks and a laser show.

The Supreme Court had last week stayed a Bombay High Court order and allowed Maharashtra government to hold the event at the Chowpatty.

During the event, the state is planning to offer the delegates of MII Week a peep into the culture of the city through programs at landmark sites such as the Gateway of India and the amphitheatre at Bandra Fort.

Gateway of India precinct will play host to Elephanta Festival, while there will be a fusion music concert featuring Karsh Kale at the Bandra Fort.

The organisers have also tied up with the annual Kala Ghoda Festival which has turned into a go-to place for cultural aficionados over the years.

There will also be a Maharashtra Textiles Show as a part of the MII week, he said, adding that local BJP leader Shaina NC and fashion designers such as Vikram Phadnis and Anita Dongre will be presenting their creations in traditional fabrics like the Paithani silk.
BJP chief Amit Shah today said the Modi government had taken measures to preserve and promote 'Sanatan dharma', while politics in the country had earlier got "detatched" from religion.

The BJP government will not only make India a prosperous nation, but also spread its spiritual message worldwide, he said at the inauguration of the 125 feet high 'Priyantakju' dedicated to 'Radha-Krishna' in this holy town.

"We have a government in this country which will not only take it forward on the path to prosperity but will also spread its spiritual message worldwide," he said, adding it has taken steps to preserve Indian culture and symbols of Sanathan dharma (Hinduism).

"We saw how in the past our politics had got detatched from religion, but Modiji is one Prime Minister who went to Kashi to perform 'Ganga Aarti' after being nominated the party's prime ministerial candidate," he said.

"Not only Ganga, he is taking initiatives to clean all our rivers. It was due to Modi's efforts that the UN announced International Yoga day and now the whole world is celebrating it. We do not ask for any patent. Whatever is there in Hindu culture and Sanathan dharma, it is for everyone. They can come and learn it in India," he said.

During the visit to this temple town, he said Lord Krishna established an "unbreakable" link between Gujarat and Vrindavan.

"I live in Delhi but I belong to Gujarat. There is an unbreakable link between Gujarat and Vrindavan due to Lord Krishna. I get energy to work more whenever I come here," said Shah.

The new temple will help spread our culture, he added.

Addressing a gathering on this occasion, Deviki Nandan Thakur Maharaj, the president of Vishva Shanti Charitable Trust which constructed the temple, urged him to take initiatives to bring river Yamuna to Vrindavan, ban cow slaughter and end the "English medium culture" in education.

"I share your feelings. BJP governments have walked the same path and will continue to do so. The greater the blessings of people, the faster will be the progress," he said.

Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said only Hindu culture and Sanathan Dharma can take humanity on the path to peace.

Kaptan Singh Solanki, Haryana Governor, Madhya Pradesh government minister Maya Singh, Chhatisgarh minister Brij Mohan Agrawal, MPs Meenakshi Lekhi and Hema Malini and senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar were also present.

Vishwa Shanti Seva Charitable Trust also said it was adopting 125 underprivileged girls to support the Centre's 'Beti bachao beti padhao' initiative. Shah distributed cycles and cheques to some of these girls.

Shah said, "Though it is true that Pakistan is still



doing it, there is a difference now. During past Congress rule, Pakistan used to start and end the firing. But today, though Pakistan starts it, it is we who end it. For each bullet they fire, Indian Army replies with a shell. That is the difference."



As Gujarat would go for Assembly polls next year, he urged the party workers to reach out to each and every household to campaign for BJP.

To boost the morale of party workers and to make them understand the importance of the 2017 state elections, Shah said the outcome of the polls would become the base for the party's win in the general elections of 2019.

"I want to tell you that Congress is only day-dreaming of acquiring power in the state. Our workers must have confidence that just like Gujarat got the credit for BJP's victory in 2014 general elections, we will prepare the base for 2019 by making BJP victorious here in 2017," he said.

Shah was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, state BJP president Jitu Vaghani and several other key leaders and state ministers.

Later in the evening, Shah is scheduled to attend a grand event in Surat where prominent Patel businessmen will felicitate BJP leaders of the community.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today said he wants the Centre to allocate "more" funds for the state in the upcoming Union Budget.

Naidu, who left for Delhi to meet and take up state issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley ahead of the Budget, told this to reporters here.

"I would seek more funds for the state in the next central budget," Naidu said.

"I would also ask for more allocation for Polavaram irrigation project, which has been declared as a national project," the Chief Minister said.

The Union Budget will be presented in the Parliament on February 29.

Two days back, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Y Rama Krishnudu had submitted a memorandum to Arun Jaitely in New Delhi seeking additional funds for the state and Rs 4,000 crore for Polavaram project.
State-owned construction firm NBCC today said it has bagged business worth Rs 2,525 crore in the last month.

National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd (NBCC) has secured total business amounting Rs 2,525.86 crore in January, the company said in a BSE filing.

Last month, the firm had bagged a Rs 2,149-crore order from Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) for redevelopment of exhibition venue Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

NBCC bagged contracts worth Rs 8,523 crore in December.

The company, which is under the administrative control of the Urban Development Ministry, is present in three main segments -- Project Management Consultancy (PMC), real estate and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC contracting).
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said there is scope for increasing India's investment in Nepal in sectors such as power, health care and roadways as the neighbouring country sought assistance in setting up a special infrastructure development bank.

Jaitley, at his luncheon meeting with Nepalese counterpart Bishnu Prasad Paudel, asked him to finalise the country's post-earthquake reconstruction programme at the earliest to better utilise $1-billion assistance pledged by India.

The meeting comes ahead of Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's likely visit to India on February 19, his first foreign trip as the country's premier.

For the rebuilding of Nepal, post earthquake, India had extended $1 billion in assistance at a donors' conference in Kathmandu in June last year.

A statement issued by the finance ministry said Jaitley, during the meeting, expressed hope that Indian investors in the public and the private sector will show interest across all sectors in Nepal, especially power, health care and road construction.

Paudel, the statement said, thanked India for the "tremendous assistance extended by the Indian government to Nepal in its hour of need".

"Nepal is planning to establish a special infrastructure development bank and sought India's help in this regard," the statement added.

As India and Nepal look to normalise ties after months of tense relations, Paudel, on a two-day visit, had on Sunday met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. According to the sources, during the meeting, Swaraj said India is looking forward to Oli's visit as it could "further strengthen" the bilateral ties.

Oli is scheduled to hold comprehensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20 on key regional and bilateral issues, the sources said.

Ties between the two countries had soured following Nepal adopting its new Constitution in September. Sections of the Nepalese population -- Tharus, Madhesis and Janjatis -- saw the new Constitution as discriminatory, that would lead to their "political marginalisation".

New Delhi wanted amendments to those sections seen as discriminatory.
As India and Nepal look to normalise ties after months of tense relations, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday discussed bilateral trade and economic issues with his Nepalese counterpart, Bishnu Prasad Paudel.

The meeting comes ahead of Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's likely visit to India on February 19, his first foreign visit as the country's premier.

Jaitley, who also hosted a lunch for Paudel, discussed bilateral economic ties with a view to boosting trade between the two countries, official sources said.

India's assistance to Nepal for reconstruction after the devastating April earthquake also came up for discussion. India had extended $1 billion in assistance at a donors' conference in Kathmandu in June.

Also, Nepal is facing an acute shortage of cooking gas LPG, fuel, medicines and other essential goods as key border trade points with India have been blocked for five months due to the Madhesi agitation.

Paudel, who is on a two-day visit to India, had yesterday met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. According to the sources, during the meeting, Swaraj said India is looking forward to Oli's visit as it could "further strengthen" the bilateral ties.

Oli is scheduled to hold comprehensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20 on key regional and bilateral issues, the sources said.

Ties between the two countries had soured following Nepal adopting its new Constitution in September. Sections of the Nepalese population -- the Tharus, Madhesis and Janjatis -- saw the new Constitution as discriminatory that would lead to their political marginalisation.

New Delhi wanted amendments to those sections seen as discriminatory.

Madhesis blocked a key supply route between the two countries at Raxaul in Bihar and Birganj on the Nepalese side of the border, which are used to transport most of the fuel and other essential supplies.

The supply routes were opened after Nepalese Parliament last month passed two amendments addressing the set of demand.
A new nationwide survey, also covering the north east and Andaman, will be taken up to identify new beneficiaries of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said here today.

"As per the latest findings, around 2 lakh new insured persons have been added to existing 11 lakh ESIC beneficiaries' list in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states," an official release quoted Dattatreya as saying.

He said the existing dispensaries will be upgraded to six-bedded hospitals and more services will be added in these hospitals.

The minister of state for Labour said that Sanathnagar ESIC hospital Medical College here will be started in September for which the required inspection has been done by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Dattatreya further informed that medical ambulances will be launched for the city construction workers.

A 100-bedded hospital for beedi workers will be constructed in Sircilla and Nirmal towns of Telangana.

He said TB vaccines will be provided for the beedi workers, especially for women.

In Andhra Pradesh, new ESIC hospitals will be inaugurated



at Vijayanagaram (100 beds), Visakhapatnam (300 beds), Kakinada (100 beds), Tirupati (100 beds).

"A new 100-bedded super speciality hospital will be constructed at the new capital city Amaravathi," he said.

Deliberations will be held on these decisions at a ESIC review meeting scheduled on February 12.
Perturbed over illegal sand mining on Yamuna floodplains despite a ban, the National Green Tribunal has asked the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments to apprise it about the action they have taken against the violators.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the officers of Haryana and UP to file affidavit and inform it about the actual status of mining in Noida and Faridabad.

"We direct State of Haryana as well as State of Uttar Pradesh to file affidavits of senior most officers along with appropriate documents, photographs and action taken by any departments of the States themselves. The affidavit should be filed three days in advance to the next date hearing," the bench said.

The matter is listed for next hearing on February 24.

The green panel had earlier asked Environment Ministry about the quantum of illegal mining being carried out and its impact on ecology and environment of the Yamuna river bed.

"Were any JCBs seized by the state of Uttar Pradesh or Haryana or by any other Authority? The names and particulars of parties who have indulged in illegal mining, building of unit(s) using of JCBs and heavy machinery for mining. What is the age of bridge," the bench had asked the Ministry.

The NGT had also issued notices to four contactors to show cause to why action be not taken against them for indulging in sand mining.

On November 2 last year, the Tribunal had prohibited sand mining saying "no mining activity, both legal and illegal, should be carried out on the banks of river Yamuna" and also constituted a committee of senior officers of both states to file their status report on mining.

The green panel was hearing a plea alleging that some private firms were engaged in the activity and a temporary bridge was made on the river obstructing its natural flow.

NGT Bar Association, in its plea, had alleged that the land mafia was indulging in illegal sand mining on either side of banks of Yamuna at Gautam Budh Nagar area of Uttar Pradesh and Faridabad area of Haryana.
US President Barack Obama urged Arab countries today to establish inclusive governments to ensure security in a region rocked by turmoil.

"When governments truly invest in their citizens, their education, skills, and health, and universal human rights are upheld, countries are more peaceful, more prosperous and more successful," he told the opening day of the World Government Summit in Dubai.

"As we have seen in the tumult across the Middle East and North Africa, when governments do not lift up their citizens, it's a recipe for instability and strife," he said in a video address to the conference.

Obama recalled discussing with leaders of the six Arab monarchies of the Gulf at Camp David last year how "true and lasting security requires an inclusive government that serves all citizens".

Several Middle East and North African countries have been rocked by a wave of uprisings demanding reforms that started in Tunisia and led to the 2011 Arab Spring.

Some of the uprisings, such as those in Syria, Libya and Yemen, have morphed into civil wars prompting the rise of extremists such as the Islamic State jihadist group as well as an exodus of millions of refugees to Europe.

The president of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, echoed Obama at the Dubai summit, urging leaders to "build inclusive governments".

"Good governance is the foundation of all development," Kim told participants.

"Many parts of the world are becoming more fragile, making quality leadership and good governance ever more important."



He called for governments to be "transparent in their actions and fully engage with citizens".

"Governments must invest in their people to give them the opportunity to reach their full potential... Create business environments that encourage innovation, competition and private sector investments which will in turn create jobs."



More than 3,000 participants from 125 countries, including world leaders and top experts, are attending the three-day summit on governance.

"Please note, across this region and around the world, those of you who embrace reform and truly invest in the lives of your people will continue to have a partner and friend in the United States," Obama told the forum.
The annual 'Octave Festival', organized by the North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur (NEZCC), would be held in Vadodara from February 10-14, a senior official said today.

"'Octave - The Festival of the North-East', would be organized in Vadodara from February 10-14, in which at least 280 artistes from the eight states of North-East India would participate," Vadodara district Collector Avantika Singh told reporters.

It is for the first time that the event is being organized in Vadodara, which is the cultural capital of Gujarat, she said, adding it would be held at Sir Sayajirao Nagar Gruh in Akota area of the city.

Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya would attend the festival on February 11, she said.

"Rock band and other musical performances, exhibitions, theater shows, seminars, traditional dances, vegetarian food stalls, etc would mark the five-day event," Director of West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur, M Furqan Khan said.

"The region comprises eight states, namely Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur and Sikkim. Hence, the name 'Octave'," Singh said.

"The festival was introduced by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India to provide a platform to the artistes and artisans of the North-East region to project their rich cultural heritage," she said.

The festival is being held since 2006.

Minister of Minority Affairs, Najma Heptullah, welcomed



the initiative saying that there was nothing better than culture that united us and that the event reflected the message of 'Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam' in the true sense.

"I welcome this initiative. Today, we have gathered here with a message of unity and peace, and I believe that the message of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam is being emanated from here in the true sense.

"We might have different religions but this diversity is only in language. Our cultures are same. We are united in one word that we are all Indians," she said.

They evening progressed as students from each country presented their distinctive songs from their countries as Indian students shook a leg to match the tunes. A selection of ethnic dances from different countries and different regions of India were also a part of the event.

The participating countries included Azerbaijan, Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Germany, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, Hungary, US, Gerogia and Russia.

The first edition of the festival was hosted by Turkey in 2003, and the participation has increased exponentially since its inception. Nearly 2000 students attended the IFLC festival held in 145 countries last year.

The earlier editions of the festival held in Indonesia, Morocco and Australia, had also seen similar active participation of Indian students.
One person was killed and 20 others from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh were injured when the vehicle they were travelling overturned near Terihari village in Bagha police district of Bihar today.

Superintendent of Police Anand Kumar Singh said six of the 20 injured were in a serious condition.

The SP said a group of pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh had come to take a dip in Triveni river near Valmiki Nagar on Indo-Nepal border on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya and while they were returning, their vehicle overturned.

Driver of the pick-up van, Mohammad Shakir, died in the accident, the SP said.

The mishap took place on Bagha-Valmiki Nagar road near Terihari village, he said.

Two-third of the injured were women, the SP added.

The victims belong to Mahuadih village of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh.
A doctor was allegedly shot by his business partner in Himayath Nagar locality of the city today, police said.

The incident occurred on street number 6 at around 4.30 PM. Dr Sasi Kumar, the accused, allegedly shot Dr Uday inside a car before fleeing from the spot.

Police have formed two special teams to nab Dr Kumar.

According to the police, Uday, Sasi Kumar and Dr Sai Kumar are partners in a multi-specialty 100-bed hospital in Madhapur area here which was inaugurated on January 1.

The incident could be a fallout of disputes over running of the hospital, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) V B Kamalasan Reddy told reporters.

Uday managed to get out of his car, hail an auto-rickshaw and reach a private hospital. "He is in ICU and his condition is stable," DCP Reddy said.

As per the preliminary probe, Sasi Kumar had invested about Rs 75 lakh in the hospital. Dr Uday was the medical director, Sai Kumar CEO, and Kumar the director, the DCP said.

"It seems differences had erupted and Dr Kumar had sought his money back," said the DCP.

Today the three met for discussing the issue. At the time of the incident, they were sitting inside a car: Uday in the driver's seat, Sai beside him and Kumar on the backseat.

"Following heated arguments, Dr Kumar threatened them and suddenly took out his licensed .32 pistol and allegedly fired one round at Dr Uday. The bullet grazed his left ear," DCP Reddy said.

Narayanguda police have registered a case of attempt to murder under section 307 of IPC.
A Maoist operative has been killed after a five-hour gun battle between a group of Left Wing Extremists and the Police near Chatro-Chatti village in Bokaro district, the police said today.

A woman Maoist of the group, identified as Lalita alias Sunita, was arrested, Bokaro Superintendent of Police Y S Ramesh told reporters here.

The encounter began around 7 PM last night and lasted till around midnight near the village situated in the foothills of Jhumra hills, Ramesh said adding, the Police were trying to establish the identity of the dead extremist.

Two rifles, bullets, blankets and medicines were recovered from the encounter site, he said.
Pakistan and Afghanistan spy agencies are likely to revive a controversial intelligence cooperation agreement of last year after recent fence-mending interactions between their security officials, a media report said today.

Afghanistan's head of National Directorate of Security (NDS) Masud Andrabi quietly travelled to Islamabad last week and met with director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt-Gen Rizwan Akhtar.

The rare visit facilitated by China and the US was not announced by any side.

The leaders explored the possibility of intelligence and security cooperation, including the revival of last May agreement between the ISI and NDS on intelligence sharing and coordinated operations against militants, the Express Tribune reported.

In a first of its kind deal, ISI had entered into an agreement with its Afghan counterpart as the two sides started cooperation in the war on terror after years of bickering and misunderstanding.

Following the accord, Pakistan military spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa had tweeted: "MoU signed by ISI and NDS includes intelligence sharing, complementary and coordinated intelligence operations on respective sides."



Under the agreement, the two intelligence agencies would reportedly cooperate in counter-terrorism operations, including joint probe of the terrorism suspects. The ISI would also equip the NDS and train its personnel.

However, the agreement could not take effect as certain Afghan politicians, including former president Hamid Karzai, vehemently opposed the move.

The then NDS chief Rahmatullah Nabil, who had also served under Karzai, was strongly opposed to the proposed agreement with the ISI. He had even refused to sign the MoU and subsequently a deputy director signed it on behalf of the NDS.

Nabil resigned a few months later due to differences with President Ashraf Ghani over his Pakistan policy.

The report quoted a source as saying that both neighbours have realised that close 'coordination and cooperation' between the security establishments of the two countries was essential to defeat terrorism.
Pakistan International Airlines today partially resumed its flight operations following a six day-long countrywide strike against the government's plan to privatise the ailing national flag carrier as four "missing" union members returned home.

Workers' unions of PIA called for total strike on February 2 when three protesting workers were killed in clashes with police in Karachi, leading to grounding of all the flights.

Over 600 flights were cancelled and the already cash- starved company suffered huge losses, approximately billions of rupees, in addition to severe hardships to passengers.

According to PIA Spokesman Daniyal Gilani, flights have restarted and workers are coming back to join their duties.

PIA head offices in Karachi and Islamabad reopened today, following partial resumption of flight operations at various international airports across Pakistan, he said.

"Eighteen flights of the national flag carrier have reached their destinations since the resumption of the flight operations," Gilani said, adding that two PIA flights came from Saudi Arabia, bringing back stranded pilgrims.

The resumption of flights came after four members of the Joint Action Committee of PIA Employees (JACPIAE), "missing" for some days, returned home early this morning.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif welcomed the workers who have joined their duties.

PIA has some 19,000 employees. The government says the carrier is facing an accumulative loss of Rs 320 billion. It intends to give a 'golden handshake' to at least 50 per cent of its employees who it says were hired on political grounds.

(Reopens FES 77)



JAC spokesman Nasrullah Khan said though there was a partial resumption of flight operations, proper safety protocol has not been followed to put the planes in the air.

PIA engineers warned the management against operating flights without ensuring the aircraft's maintenance protocols as it may cause serious safety hazards.

The National Assembly on January 21 witnessed the passage of six bills, including one to convert the national flag carrier into a public limited company.

Under the bill, Pakistan International Airlines Corp (PIAC) is to be converted into a public limited company as Pakistan International Airlines Company Limited (PIACL).

The government plans to split the ailing PIA into two companies and sell the control of its core business to a global airline, but the opposition to the sell-off has been intense.
Pharmaceutical and healthcare sector is likely to witness an over 20 per cent growth in hiring this year and expected to generate around 1,34,000 jobs this year, says a report.

The pharma and healthcare sector is looking at an "increase of over 20 per cent in the hiring numbers compared to 2015. The sector is likely to create 1,34,000 number of jobs in this year", according to the India Skills Report 2016 said.

Thus, hiring in India's pharmaceutical industry is picking up and set to firm up in the next quarter, the report added.

India Skills Report 2016, a joint initiative of PeopleStrong, Wheebox in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry, LinkedIn and Association of Indian University (AIU). The survey was done among 150 employers and 5.2 lakh students in all sectors pan India during July to October 2015.

The pharma industry currently employs about 5.5-5.7 lakh people and has contributed significantly in creating a rich talent pool of researchers, scientists, doctors and project managers, the report said.

This increase can be attributed to the initiatives by the government as good investment in the pharma, life science and healthcare sectors is showing a positive sign, it pointed out.

Moreover, it said, Indian pharma industry is likely to be in the top 10 global markets in value terms by 2020.

The maximum hiring in pharma and healthcare will be seen in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu with employers preferring to hire B Pharma and M Pharma, respectively, it pointed out.

The 33.6 per cent employers prefer to hire freshers and 32 per cent will prefer 5 years of work experience candidates having skilled domain expertise in the age group of 22-25 years.

The need of skilled manpower in the pharmaceutical industry ranges widely from Research and Development, Quality Assurance (QA), Intellectual Property (IP), manufacturing to even sales and marketing.

It opined that the pharma industry needs to have better policies to retain and nurture the existing talent and equip them with necessary skills.

This sector is emerging as a popular choice amongst Gen Y, since the nature of work, primarily treating patients and research for new drug discoveries plays an integral role in meeting their key career aspirations, it said.

In the pharma and healthcare sector, 25 per cent still employers prefer to look for candidates through job portals and 18.75 per cent through HR consultants.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take stock of the functioning of the HRD ministry, especially in higher education sector, later this month.

While a range of issues relating to the path ahead for the higher education sector would be discussed, it is also understood that matters pertaining to Central Universities also come up.

The meeting comes a month after the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in the Hyderabad Central University triggered an uproar across the country and opposition parties attacked the government over it.

The HRD ministry has in recent times launched several ambitious initiatives in higher education sector including working towards a National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), a GIAN programme for attracting foreign faculty and is also working to set up six new IITs.
City police today claimed to have unearthed a crime syndicate allegedly involved in the illegal transportation of children to the US with 16 people, including the suspected kingpin, being taken into custody.

In a crackdown, 14 teams of officers conducted raids in various police stations in Bengaluru City Commissionerate and registered about 13 cases and "secured" 16 persons including Uday Prathap Singh who was identified as the kingpin, and two women for various offences.

Police said on the basis of information collected, it was found that Singh along with his other syndicate members lured a couple or a single male/female and projected them as real husband and wife, and accordingly documents were prepared to obtain passport and other travel documents.

They said Singh through his agents in Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other places brought children under the age of 10 years and paired them with the couples in Bengaluru who acted as family.

While the couple and the children got trained about behaving like a family, other team members prepared documents like rental agreement, birth certificate, voter cards, ration cards and applied for obtaining passport as family members.

After obtaining passport through "fraudulent means", another team in Tamil Nadu used to assist the "family" to get Non-immigration B1/B2 VISA (Business and pleasure visa) from the US consulate at Chennai.

Police said based on credible information, collection of actionable intelligence and preliminary inquiry, SIT has made prima facie case about human trafficking of children to US in which 16 couples were shortlisted and their antecedents verified clandestinely.

Acting on the information about possible human smuggling



racket in Bengaluru received by the Commissioner of Police a year ago, a SIT headed by Additional Commissioner of Police (East) P Harishekaran was formed to unearth the possible human smuggling racket and its ramifications.

Police said that based on the available actionable data, the preliminary observations of the SIT shows that "the family group visited US on tourist visa, children were left in US, impersonated father and mother returned to India within a week which creates suspicion and needs further investigation".

Noting that in some cases, on landing in US, adult members either both or single parent returned back within 48 hours to Bengaluru, police said in all these cases children have never returned and their whereabouts are not known in US.

Police are yet to ascertain as to who the children are and why they have been left in US and from where they are.

Sixteen people have been "secured" in connection with the case for offences under forgery, cheating, impersonation, kidnapping, abduction, criminal conspiracy and offences under passport act, police said.

Police said they have conducted searches and seized several documents, and interrogation is going on to ascertain the facts about the modus operandi of the crime syndicate.

Meanwhile, the American Consulate General in Chennai said no US officials have been detained for questioning.

"While we cannot comment on the course of ongoing investigations, we are in fact working closely with Bengaluru authorities regarding this alleged human smuggling ring," the Consulate spokesperson said.
A day after a DU student was found murdered in Model Town area, police are probing the role of a person, who is suspected to have helped her lover to commit the crime, and are searching for his father who is untraceable since the killing came to light.

"The accused, Naveen Khatri, has disclosed a person's name during interrogation claiming that the individual helped him in dumping the woman's body. The matter is being probed," Joint Commissioner of Police (North) Sanjay Singh said today.

Meanwhile, the police are also searching for Khatri's father. "He (Khatri's father) will be questioned once we track him down," Singh said, adding that Khatri was produced in court, which sent him to three days police custody.

A police source said that Khatri's father, who left his house by the time the incident came to light yesterday, was released on parole last year. He was sent to prison in connection with a neighbour's murder case.

Arzoo Singh Chauhan (21), a student of Lakshmibai College under the University of Delhi, was killed allegedly by her lover, Naveen Khatri (23), who hid her body for five days and married another woman during the period.

The incident came to light yesterday when Arzoo's body was found in a ventilation shaft at Khatri's residence in Gurmandi locality, which comes under the jurisdiction of Model Town police station in northwest Delhi, following which Khatri was arrested.

Khatri allegedly strangulated his girlfriend Arzoo, who lived in the same neighbourhood, on Tuesday and dumped her body in the shaft of his building. Khatri later got married to another woman on Thursday.

Today the police continued questioning several members of Khatri's family and guests who had come to attend his wedding on Thursday, to check if any of them had knowledge of the crime. They are also investigating if evidence in connection with the case were destroyed, a senior official said.

"We are analysing phone records of the deceased woman and the accused. We are also collecting additional evidence to finalise a proper sequence of events in connection with the case," he said, adding that Arzoo's postmortem report is still awaited.

According to the police, Khatri met Arzoo outside Lakshmibai College on Tuesday and both went around the city distributing invitation cards for Khatri's marriage. They together went to the residences to three persons to distribute cards.

It is suspected that the couple had a heated argument, following which Khatri allegedly strangulated Arzoo with a stole in southwest Delhi's Nangal Dewat area, shoved her body in the trunk of his car and brought it to his residence.

Arzoo's parents had lodged a missing complaint on Tuesday evening and when the woman could not be found for days, a case of abduction was registered on Saturday.

After preliminary investigation and Arzoo's relatives constantly raising suspicion over Khatri's family, police questioned Khatri yesterday and he "confessed" to the crime, police said.
The Commissionerate police took the two arrested Dhalasamanta brothers on remand for the second time today.

A lower court here allowed the police to take the brothers on a five-day remand as against the plea for ten days.

Appearing for the brothers in the court, their lawyer Soura Chandra Mohapatra objected to the fresh remand plea of the police alleging that the brothers were being treated as convicts.

"We objected to the remand plea as the police have kept everybody in dark, including the court, about the progress they have made so far in the investigation," Mohapatra said.

A senior police officer, however, indicated that the investigating officers have covered large grounds during the first phase of seven-day remand in detecting the two-year old case of kidnap and murder for which the brothers were arrested.

The officer further indicated that if need be, the arrested brothers would be subjected to Polygraph test.

Entangled in about two dozen criminal cases, the two brothers - Sushil and Sushant - were arrested on January 29 in connection with the kidnap and murder case of one Dipu Mallick, who was the prime accused of a double murder case under Chauliaganj police station.

Claiming to have seized large sums of money and a cache of arms and ammunition from the houses and offices of the Dhalasamantas located in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the police had said they have seized a few more arms and ammunition from their rented house in Visakhapatnam.

The police had also claimed to have retrieved the driving licence and a photograph of the missing Dipu Mallick from the Dhalasamanta brothers' Visakhapatnam house.
Police recovered four bodies, including that of a young couple, buried in a jungle in Odisha's Ganjam district today and three persons have been detained in connection with it.

Police said the four are suspected to have been killed on Saturday and their bodies were dug out from near Mankadachua village under Badagada police station limit



The police went looking for the four when three villagers lodged a complaint at Badagada police station this morning that the four had gone missing since they went to collect fire wood in the jungle.

The other two bodies were identified to be those of the man's cousin and a friend.

Senior police officers, including Ganjam superintendent of police Narsingh Bhol rushed to the village and three detained in connection with it.

Police said investigation into the incident is on.
An enterprising young British businessman has found a way to mint money by selling bottles of "cool" British country air to monied Chinese in pollution- hit cities.

Leo De Watts, 27, has made thousands of dollars selling bottles of British country air to Chinese buyers at 80 pounds (USD 115) per bottle.

De Watts says the 580 ml glass jars have been flying out the door, many headed for pollution-plagued Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

Since launching late last year, his air farming company Aethaer has sold hundreds of containers of clean breeze from windswept locations across Britain -- including Dorset, Somerset, and Wales, CNN reported.

Setting off with a car full of empty jars at 5 am, the team "harvests" air in large nets and seals it in the glass jars before shipping it across the world.

"We have clients who request very particular circumstances for their air," De Watts says.

"Sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain, other times the bottom of a valley," he explains in a video on the company's website.

Once opened, a jar of pure British air might last just a few seconds, the report said, adding that many customers are purchasing it more as a novelty that will remain unopened.

De Watts now lives in Hong Kong where he can be found selling his bottles of fresh air at local street markets.

In December, Beijing issued its first ever red alert due to poor air quality, closing schools and restricting traffic.

Hoping to cash in on Chinese New Year festivities, the company is now promoting a 15-jar gift set for -- take a deep breath -- the discounted cost of 888 pounds (USD 1,200).

Funnily enough, for those dismissing the unusual business model as just a bunch of hot air, it is in fact Britain's "cool air" which gives buyers the most bang for their buck.

"The colder air means we can fit more in the container," he said. "When it's warmer, we can't fit quite as much in."



Aethaer follows in the footsteps of the Canadian company Vitality Air, which recently started selling canisters of fresh air from the Rocky Mountains to Chinese buyers. Though at between USD 14 and USD 20 per canister, Canadian air seemingly costs a fraction of British breeze.
Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena today said many labourers getting hired in Mumbai from other states are not verified by the police which leads to an increase in crime rate.

"The rape of a four-year-old girl in Goregaon by one of the workers of a hotel is an example. There is lack of police verification documents of such workers in the city," party general secretary Shalini Thackeray said.

Such workers are often hired without background checks and police verification, she said.

Thackeray today led a party delegation to Dindoshi police station to discuss the issue with officials.
The initial public offer of software provider Quick Heal Technologies was subscribed 15 per cent on the first day of the offer today.

The Rs 451-crore IPO received bids for 14,95,350 shares against the total issue size of 1,01,37,557 shares, data available with the NSE till 1700 hours showed.

Non institutional investors portion was subscribed 3 per cent, while retail investors category received 29 per cent subscription.

Meanwhile, the portion reserved for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) did not receive any bids till 1700 hours.

Quick Heal has already raised Rs 133.9 crore through issue of shares to 10 anchor investors.

The company has fixed the price band at Rs 311-321 for its IPO.

The IPO, which would close on February 10, consists of fresh issue of Rs 250 crore and an offer for sale of about 62.70 lakh equity shares by promoters Kailash Sahebrao Katkar and Sanjay Sahebrao Katkar, as well as Sequoia Capital India Investment Holdings III.

ICICI Securities, Jefferies India and JPMorgan India are the book running lead managers while Link Intime India is the registrar to the public issue.

While the proceeds from the offer of sale would not go to Quick Heal Technologies, the Rs 250 crore funds raised from fresh issue of equity shares would be used by the company for advertising and sales promotion and capital expenditure for research and development.

The proceeds would also be invested to purchase, develop and renovate its office premises in Kolkata, Pune and New Delhi, as well as general corporate needs.

The company is a provider of security software products and solutions in India.

Quick Heal's equity shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE.
Questioning the silence of Congress leadership over the Tanzanian woman stripping incident in Karnataka, pro-RSS publication 'Organiser' today attacked Rahul Gandhi for his "selective outrage" and said he has many questions to answer.

"Rahul Gandhi who managed to rush to Dadri and Hyderabad did not even bother to ask Chief Minister from his own party about the action he has taken on such ghastly incident.

"This shameful act has brought disdain to Bharat as a nation. Rahul Gandhi who does not miss a chance to blame RSS for all the wrong things should wake up and get rid of this policy of selective outrage. Otherwise, it would be difficult for the grand old party led by a dynasty to hold on to whatever little political space it is occupying," an editorial titled "Shame of selective outrage" in the 'Organiser' said.

It further said that the downplaying attitude of Siddaramaiah government "is much more appalling".

"What is more shocking is the silence of the Congress leadership who do not miss a chance to raise the bogey of 'intolerance' and 'imposition of ideas' on various sections of society is keeping mum on continuous deterioration of law and order condition in the Congress ruled State.

"As claimed to be the sole custodian of 'democracy' and 'plurality' of Bharat, Congress and Rahul Gandhi have many questions to answer on this front," it said while taking a dig at Rahul.

The pro-RSS organ said this is not an isolated incident as crime graph in Karnataka is rising and so are terrorist activities, radical ideology is gaining ground in northern parts of the state and allegations of corruption and criminalisation of politics are growing.

It listed an incident of an Australian man was violently harassed for sporting a tattoo of an Indian goddess and now this Tanzanian student of Business Administration facing the wrath of mob fury.

It said the "insensitive approach" of state administration was evident with State Home Minister being in a denial mode.

"Identity politics in every form is a favourite dictum of Congress Party. Sometimes it is Muslim, then Dalit, now a Bengalurian, conveniently missing that a foreign student also had an identity which was diplomatically much more sensitive," it said.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who will begin his two-day visit to Kerala tomorrow, is scheduled to meet party leaders and discuss strategies to adopt in the coming Assembly elections.

Gandhi, who will arrive here by a special flight by noon, would address Congress workers at the conclusion of the 'Janaraksha march' taken out by KPCC President V M Sudheeran and later attend a meeting of senior party leaders in the city.

The presence of the Gandhi is likely to give a boost to the party workers in the backdrop of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government facing embarrassment in the bar bribery and solar scams, with allegations being raised against Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and some of his ministers.

On Wednesday, the Congress Vice-President will be addressing a KPCC Executive Meeting here in the morning and will also be meeting DCC Presidents and leaders of various allied organisations of the party in the state.

Gandhi will then leave for Kochi where he will be visiting the 'Start up village' at Kinfra Park and address the National Executive of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) at Angamally.
Five persons were killed and several others injured here when an old Railway parcel office building collapsed today, a top police official said.

"We have recovered five dead bodies, four male and a female, from the debris of the collapsed old Railway parcel office building," Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Pandurang Rane told PTI here.

Asked whether any railway employee was among the dead, he said, "A Railway employee, GRB (Group B) employee and a civilian, could be among the dead ... We are investigating," Rane said.

Rescue operations are still on, he added.

The old building near the Railway station housed parcel office on the ground floor and Railway police station on the first.

Railway police have partially vacated the building.

Earlier, a large number of people had gathered at the spot, with police making an effort to vacate it fearing the building might collapse further.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today discussed suggestions on the state's budget by representatives of the civil society and social organisations at a meeting here.

The representatives gave suggestions in the areas of agriculture and animal husbandry, education, health, dairy and consumer welfare among others.

The Chief Minister assured them of including "considerable" suggestions in the budget, an official statement said.

"The state government's effort is to make the budget more inclusive and development-oriented. Every section of society should give their suggestions for the budget," it said.
JD-U today asked the government to reveal the names of business houses whose bad loans were waived, reacting sharply to the writing off of a whopping Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad loans by 27 public sector banks between 2012 and 2015.

"Govt should reveal names of business houses whose bad loans waived off and also of those which are NPAs along with reasons of their increase," party chief Sharad Yadav tweeted.

Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad loans have been written off by the public sector banks, with the last fiscal seeing a steep 53 per cent rise in write-offs as part of cleaning up balance sheet exercise.

Yadav also shot off a letter to Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar separately voicing his concern on the BJP government in Gujarat allegedly "weakening" the panchayati raj institutions.

He noted that scheduled areas in India are inhabited by the tribal population and that it has been challenge to usher the tribals in the mainstream of development efforts without disturbing or destroying their cultural identity and socio economic background.

Yadav said that in order to achieve this objective based on Bhuria Committee report, Parliament extended the provisions of 73rd Amendment Act to the scheduled areas in nine states which include Gujarat also by passing provisions of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA).

PESA legally recognises the right of tribal communities to govern themselves through their own systems of self- government and also acknowledges their traditional rights over natural resources.

In pursuance of the above objective, PESA empowers gram sabhas to play a key role in approving development plans, controlling all social sectors, including the processes and personnel who implement policies, exercising control over minor forest resources, minor water bodies and minor minerals, managing local markets and so on.

Yadav alleged that while the objective of any government should be to empower more and more the gram panchayats especially in the scheduled areas where tribals live, the Gujarat government through district magistrates issue directions and set agenda for gram sabhas in scheduled areas.

"I would urge the central government to issue instructions to government of Gujarat to implement PESA in its right spirit in the scheduled areas," he said urging the minister to take immediate action in this behalf.
Noting the rise in the number of scientists returning to the country, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today said a new trend of 'reverse brain drain' has already started.

"Earlier there used to be brain drain. Now a reverse trend has started. Around 175-180 scientists have returned to India in the recent past," Vardhan, the Union Minister for Science and Technology, said when asked to comment on how the NDA government would tackle the issue of Indian talent migrating for greener pastures outside.

A recent report by USA's National Science Foundation said the number of Indian-origin scientists and engineers in the US grew 85 per cent between 2003 and 2013.

"There are ample opportunities here. We have the best of the labs, state-of-the-art equipment. Research fellowships have been increased by 50 per cent. We want the scientific temper to grow in the country," Vardhan said.

He was in the city to inaugurate the second campus of CSIR-affiliated Indian Institute of Chemical Biology(IICB) in Salt Lake.

On the generation-next 30 m telescope, which is being built jointly by countries like USA, China, Japan, Canada, among others, Vardhan said India was supplying majority of the hardware for the project.

India's contribution, the minister said, is worth Rs 1,300 crore in the project.

Stating that the NDA government was trying to plug gaps between laboratory research and its translation into action, he asked the scientists to make quality technology products which should also be affordable to people.
Russia's state security service said today it has detained seven people in the country's Ural mountain region on suspicion of terrorist activities.

The country's Federal Security Service announced that the suspects, detained in the regional capital Yekaterinburg, were believed to be plotting to carry out terrorist attacks in Moscow, St Petersburg and the Ural region.

Law enforcement officials said they uncovered a laboratory for manufacturing explosives and that members of the group were planning to journey to Syria to fight with the Islamic State group.

According to the press release published on the security service's website, the suspects included Russian citizens and citizens of Central Asia states.

Russian authorities estimate that around 3,000 Russian citizens have joined the Islamic State group in Syria.
Saudi Arabian air defences today intercepted a Scud missile fired at Khamis Mushait city where a major airbase is located, the coalition fighting in Yemen said.

The interception occurred "this morning at about three o'clock," Brigadier General Ahmed al-Assiri, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, told AFP.

"They are still targeting the cities," he said.

Roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the Yemeni border, the King Khalid Air Base, near the city of Khamis Mushait, is at the forefront of Saudi-led air operations against Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies, elite troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen.

The Saudis have deployed Patriot missile batteries designed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, which have been fired occasionally since March when the Saudi-led coalition began air strikes in support of the Yemeni government after Iran-backed Huthis seized much of Yemen.

Rocket fire from Yemen and border skirmishes have killed about 90 civilians and soldiers in southern Saudi Arabia since the coalition intervention began.

The United Nations says more than 6,100 people in Yemen have been killed in the conflict since March, about half of them civilians.
This February 14, worship your parents instead of celebrating Valentine's Day, say a series of billboards put up at Delhi Metro stations by a religious group, which also endorsed police action against couples.

The advertisements, put up across 35 stations by an organisation of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, advocating 'Matri Pitri Pujan Diwas' has left many commuters enraged, prompting Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to order the matter to be examined. Asaram is lodged in jail in connection with a sexual assault case.

The ads bear two contrasting pictures; one showing two kids worshipping their parents and the other showing a young couple holding each other's ears as policemen stand nearby.

"Police take strong action against those indulging in degenerate activities by celebrating Valentine's Day in broad daylight. Don't celebrate Valentine's Day," the message in the posters say.

"The ads were displayed by a private contractor as all the ad space inside the Delhi Metro premises are allotted to specialised agencies who in turn allot them to interested advertisers. The matter is being thoroughly examined and taken up with the concerned contractor for necessary action," DMRC chief spokesman Anuj Dayal said.

When contacted, a functionary of 'Bal Sanskar Kendra', the organisation behind the posters, said the objective of the ad campaign was to make youngsters "aware" that Valentine's Day was "against Indian culture".

"The picture depicts the plight of a couple who were caught celebrating Valentine's Day in a public park at Raipur where the state government officially celebrates 'Matri Pitri Pujan Diwas'. We want other state governments to come up with similar orders," Manish Goswami, the functionary said.

The posters also made a few wonder about the advertising policy of DMRC. "I guess Delhi Metro will put up just about anything if you pay them enough money," Govind RS posted on Facebook.

A DMRC executive said the company follows the Delhi Outdoor Advertising Policy, 2008 and does not have its own policy in this regard.

Unlike DMRC, Transport for London, which runs the vast London subway train service, has its own advertising policy.

"Technology wise we compete with west, #mentality wise we compete with 19th century !!" one Hamraj Singh posted on Twitter, while a tweet by one Shalu Dyani reads, "Asaram Bapu's ads in Delhi Metro threatening couples celebrating Valentines! DMRC has some serious explaining to do.
"Both sides appear to be dubious," the Supreme Court today said in a sharp reaction as it heard a PIL by a businessman against an Uttar Pradesh MLC who is accused in money laundering and criminal cases.

The bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur also sought fresh status reports from central agencies like Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on alleged activities of BSP's Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Mohammad Iqbal.

Simultaneously, the court asked the UP government to apprise it of the criminal antecedents of petitioner Ranvir Singh, who has filed the PIL against the BSP lawmaker.

"Both sides appear to be dubious and cases against both of them should be taken to logical conclusions. Find put the facts. This man (Iqbal) has 111 companies and this petitioner (Singh) appears to be involved in illegal mining," the bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi, said.

At the outset, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for the Centre, apprised the court about the present status of probes, being conducted by SFIO, ED and CBDT, against the BSP leader.

The bench asked the ASG as to why the agencies were not probing all the 111 companies and confining the investigation to six firms only.

The law officer said the probe conducted so far has indicated that there was some nexus with the alleged activities of former U P Minister Babu Singh Khushwaha, an accused in NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) scam, and the companies attached to the MLC.

The bench, which has now fixed the PIL for hearing on April 25, has sought fresh probe reports from SFIO, ED and CBDT on Iqbal's alleged activities.

It also asked Gaurav Bhatia, Additional Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh, to file a status report indicating the total number of cases and their present status against petitioner Singh.

Earlier too, the apex court had favoured independent probe to unravel the truth into the allegations and counter- allegations levelled by Singh and the MLC.

The court had earlier termed the case as part of the



"turf war" between the parties.

The petition, filed by Singh, has accused the MLC of indulging in money laundering and other criminal activities.

Senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General in previous UPA regime Haren Raval, appearing for Singh, had alleged that the MLC was not only involved in money laundering activities but was involved in criminal activities which had inter-state implications.

However, his submission was opposed by Iqbal's senior counsel S P Singh, who said there was not a single criminal case registered against him and the matter before the apex court was due to political vendetta.

He had said 88 companies are being investigated by CBI in connection with NRHM scam and it is a matter in which both Ranvir Singh and Iqbal should be investigated and added that the petition could be sent to CBI, treating it as a complaint.
Scotland Yard is considering using eagles to hunt and take down drones operated by criminals, amid concerns that the pilot-less aircraft can be used to smuggle items and drop explosives by terrorists.

The Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, is reportedly impressed with a similar Dutch initiative and is keen for London to trial the use of birds of prey against dangerous pilot-less aircraft controlled remotely.

"As would be expected in an organisation that is transforming, we take an interest in all innovative ideas and will of course be looking at the use of eagles by the Dutch police," a Met Police spokesperson said.

Drones are used by police officers to capture footage on difficult terrain, including cliffs and woodland.

However, the remote-controlled objects can be exploited by criminals to smuggle items and there are also increasing concerns that drones could be used by terrorists for reconnaissance or to drop explosives, 'The Times' reported.

Dutch police teamed-up with security firm Guard From Above (GFA), which trains birds of prey to identify drones as prey and snatch them out of the sky.

"The animal instinct of a bird of prey is unique. They are made to be able to overpower fast-moving prey. Sometimes the solution to a hypermodern problem is more obvious than you might think," a GFA statement said.

The UK's Ministry of Justice (MoJ) reported nine attempts to use drones to infiltrate prisons in England and Wales in the first five months of 2015.

The UK Air Proximity Board said last month that drones had been involved in four serious near misses at UK airports.

The use of eagles has been discussed at a recent Met Police management meeting with a senior officer dispatched to the Netherlands to determine whether it could work in London.
A sedition case here against Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and three of his aides was on Monday committed to the city sessions court by Metropolitan Magistrate S M Kanabar.

The city sessions court will now initiate the procedure to frame charges against Hardik and his three aides - Chirag Patel, Dinesh Bambhaniya and Ketan Patel - as the crime branch had filed a chargesheet against them here last month.

Hardik is currently lodged in Surat Jail (in connection with another sedition case there), while the three others are lodged in Sabarmati Jail here.

All of them were produced before the Metropolitan Court on Monday.

The copies of chargesheet were handed over to their lawyers during an earlier hearing.

After their production on Monday, Hardik, who was brought here on Sunday, was taken back to Surat while the three others were sent to Sabarmati Jail.

Several supporters of Hardik gathered outside the court during the hearing and raised slogans demanding immediate release of the 22-year-old Patel quota agitation spearhead and other jailed leaders.

Hardik and his aides are facing charges under Indian Penal Code Sections 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against government) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) in the case filed against them by Ahmedabad crime branch in October last year.

The police had in their chargesheet termed the quota agitation, spearheaded by Patel as a "pre-planned conspiracy" that was hatched to put pressure on the state government, to accept their "unconstitutional demand of quota.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and is understood to have discussed several issues including 14 Bills "sent" by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to the Ministry with his observations.

Sisodia is learnt to have also discussed the strike by the employees of BJP-ruled municipal corporations against non-payment of their salaries.

"The Deputy Chief Minister today met Rajnath Singh on several issues," said a senior government official.

This assumes importance in view of the fact that Delhi Assembly had passed 15 Bills, including the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill, Salary Amendment Bill, CrPC Amendment Bill and the Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill.

According to the laid down procedures, the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill needs to get nod from the Centre.

Meanwhile, Delhi mayors today also met Rajnath Singh and sought his "intervention" in getting their "rightful" share of funds under Delhi Finance Commission (DFC) recommendations from AAP government.
At least six persons were today injured in a collision between a mini-bus they were travelling in and a truck on Sirsi-Bindayka road here, police said.

The mini-bus carrying over 40 passengers was on way from Mudyaramsar to Chandpol when the truck hit from rear around 0830 hrs, they said.

All the injured were rushed to a hospital from where they were discharged after first aid, a Bhankrota police station official said.

The truck driver was detained and the vehicle impounded, they said.
In a huge embarrassment to ruling SP in Uttar Pradesh, an eight-year-old boy was killed in celebratory firing by party workers in Shamli district that led Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today to order the immediate removal of the area's SDM and Deputy SP.

In an ugly fallout from the incident, two crew members of a leading English channel who went to the spot for coverage of the tragedy and agitation by angry locals were allegedly attacked by local SP leader and MLA Nahid Hasan and his aides.

The boy, Sami, who was passing by Kairana area in a rickshaw, was hit during the firing by SP workers yesterday, Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Jha said.

The workers were celebrating the victory of party candidate Nafisa in the local body polls from the town, he said, adding the boy later succumbed to his injuries.

As irate locals blocked the Khatima-Panipat Highway to protest the death of the boy, police said a case has been registered against 10 persons, including Nafisa's husband under relevant sections of the IPC. Efforts are being made to arrest the absconding accused, police said, adding a police inspector was also suspended.

In Lucknow, IG (Law and Order) Bhagwan Swaroop said an FIR has been lodged against 10 persons of whom five were named.

Those who have been named include Gayum, husband of newly elected block head Mumtaz, Inaam alias Dhuri and Nafees alias Chotta.

"Three persons have been taken into custody and are being quizzed," he said.

With the incident likely to give a handle to the Samajwadi Party's rivals to slam the state government during the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly, the chief minister went on a damage control mode, instructing Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan to immediately remove Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Deputy Superintendent of Police(SP) of Shamli and take disciplinary action against them.

"yadavakhilesh instructs CS to immediately remove SDM/DYSP from the district & disciplinary action to be taken against them," a tweet in the CMO said.

A senior SP leader said MLA Nahid Hasan has been served a show-cause notice and the victorious block pramukh expelled from the party.

"This action has been taken by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is also the state SP chief," Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI.

When the TV crew went to the spot for coverage, a crowd allegedly abused the channel reporter and video journalist and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not delete the video footage.

The video journalist was allegedly held hostage by them and the footage was forcefully deleted.

"They took my camera away and they also tried to remove the memory chip. I was asked to delete the footage, for this they even called their own photographer. They told me if you don't give the camera you know what we will do. Then their own photographers took my camera and deleted the footage we had shot," the video journalist said.

Opposition BSP and BJP leaders said they would raise the incident in both Houses of the state legislature.

(REOPENS DEL46)



Leader of the Opposition in Assembly and BSP MLA Swami Prasad Maurya alleged that state ministers and ruling party MLAs were creating law and order problems in the state.

BSP members would raise the issue, along with other matters concerning law and order, in the House, Maurya said.

BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said Samajwadi Party workers attacked the media, the fourth pillar of democracy, in a planned manner.

"SP workers, who have won panchayat election on the basis of state-sponsored anarchy, should realise the ground reality," he said.

Congress legislator Akhilesh Pratap Singh said his party would seek a discussion in Assembly on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
To commemorate various events in the life of Mahatma Gandhi, the postal department today released four special covers for philately lovers.

The covers, designed by Alok K Goyal, who runs the online stamp shop www.Stamps-n-stamps.Com, are based on the route to India followed by Gandhi in 1914 from South Africa, arrival in 1915, last meeting with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1940 and Gandhi attending the second Round Table Conference in London in 1931.

Mit Kumar, Deputy Director of India Post, said "It is an excellent initiative in commemorating 76 years of Netaji's last meeting with Gandhiji along with other special covers."



These covers have been issued in a very limited number of 1,000 each.

The covers are affixed with different materials like canvas, wool, silk, wood, etc.

Earlier in October 2015, the department had issued two covers during the West Bengal Philatelic Exhibition (Daker Saaj 2015).

Goyal said they have tied up with the postal department to release a total of 33 such postal covers, each one marking different events in Gandhi's life.
St Stephen's College principal Valson Thampu today said its alumni have no right to "gatecrash" the institution and that he will not risk the security by letting the "trespassers footloose and fancy-free" on the campus.

Thampu made these comments in the wake of a controversy after some alumni including noted historian Ramachandra Guha and Chief Economic Advisor to the government of India Arvind Subramanian were denied entry into the premises to attend a condolence meeting for a popular dhaba owner last week.

"They think that Stephen's is their public thoroughfare! As if someone has conferred on them the birthright to gatecrash the campus. It is a campus where a large number of students lives. I cannot let these trespassers footloose and fancy-free on the campus, risking everything," said Thampu, who has a running battle with a section of alumni critical of him.

"I would have appreciated the hit-and-run organisers of this devious charade if they had announced that the programme was meant to mock the college, to defy the authority of the Principal and to outrage the inviolability of the campus," he said.

Sixty-five-year-old Rohtas, who was loved by generations of Stephen's alumni for his samosa and gulabjamuns, died last week due to tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Around 100 alumni of the institution had gathered outside the campus on Saturday for a prayer meet for Rohtas but they were denied entry by the guards.

Rohit Bansal, a former trustee of the St Stephen's College Alumni Foundation Trust who was among those who had gone to pay their tributes to Rohtas, said they were not allowed to go for the prayer meeting and were told to state a different purpose for the visit.

Lashing out at historian Guha, Thampu said, "Guha claimed that I am a fascist because I was not at the gate to usher him in when he came uninvited with the express intention to gatecrash. He and his gang were simply trespassers. No permission was sought to hold any meeting on the college campus by any of them."



Questioning the need to organise a condolence meet for Rohtas, Thampu said, "How come a samosa-wallah is so important? Rohtas' claim to a honorary status is that he supplied samosa and nimbu paani to these persons of privilege. Has anyone felt the need to worship dhabawallas?"



Thampu also claimed former HoD of History department Sagar Dwivedi, who was among those attending the prayer meet, today called him to apologise, saying he did not know that the organisers had not sought permission for it.
Drug firm Strides Shasun has acquired controlling stakes in Kenya's Universal Corporation and Australia-based Generic Partners Holdings in a bid to strengthen its business in these regions.

The company, which today reported a net profit of Rs 58.81 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, has inked a definite agreement to acquire 51 per cent stake in Universal Corporation for a total consideration of $14 million, Strides Shasun said in a regulatory filing today.

Under the terms of the agreement, Strides will hold 51 per cent of the issued capital of Universal and the remaining 49 per cent will be held by the current promoters, it added.

"This is an all cash deal and the total consideration will consist of an initial pay out of $11 million and a performance related earn out capped at $3 million," the company said.

The transaction is subject to statutory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to be closed by June 30.

Strides' African business currently has a strong foothold in West Africa. With this acquisition, Strides Shasun will get a strong presence in the key east African markets complementing its current capacities of six strategically located plants across major geographies in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Nairobi-based firm is strongly entrenched in the East African territory with its front end business and has supply contracts with key donor agencies.

Its facility is one of the two WHO pre-qualified sites in sub-Saharan Africa, other than South Africa.

The current management team of Universal will continue to drive the business, with technical support from Strides Shasun, the company said.

"The acquisition will help strengthen Stride Shasun's business prospects in East Africa and offer additional capacity to support future growth in this region.

"The acquisition is in line with the company's focus of creating a leading branded generics and generics platform in Africa," Strides Shasun chief executive officer - Emerging Markets, Sinhue Noronha said.

The Bengaluru-based firm has also inked a pact to acquire 51 per cent stake in Australia's Generic Partners Holdings in a deal worth AUD 15 million and a commitment of AUD 10 million to fund future R&D.

"The acquisition provides Shasun immediate access to 47 commercialised marketing authorisations. It also provides access to 22 registrations pending approval with Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and strong pipeline of 32 molecules including host of drugs going off patent in future," it said.

Shares of Strides Shasun today ended 0.16 per cent up at Rs 1,107.30 apiece on the BSE.
At least four people, including an 8-year-old girl, were rescued today from a high-rise Taiwanese apartment building toppled by a powerful quake two days earlier, as frustration grew among families waiting for searchers to reach their buried loved ones.

More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar the Lunar New Year.

Saturday's quake killed at least 38 people in Tainan city in southern Taiwan, all but two of them in the collapse of the 17-story building. Even though the 6.4-magnitude quake was shallow, few buildings were reported to have been damaged, which experts said was because Taiwan's building standards are high.

Authorities have managed to rescue more than 170 people the vast majority in the immediate hours after the quake from the folded building using information about the building layout and the possible location of those trapped.

Five survivors were believed to have been pulled out yesterday, and at least four today. One of them, Tsao Wei-ling, called out "Here I am" as rescuers dug through to find her, Taiwan's Eastern Broadcasting Corp. Reported.

She was found under the body of her husband, who had shielded her from a collapsed beam, the government-run Central Agency reported. Tsao's husband and 2-year-son were found dead, and five other members of the family remained unaccounted for, it said.

Teams also rescued a 42-year-old man from the building today, and, later, an 8-year-old girl, who had been trapped for more than 61 hours.

Mayor Lai Ching-Te told reporters he briefly exchanged words with the girl, Lin Su-chin.

"She is awake, but looks dehydrated, lost some temperature but she's awake and her blood pressure is OK," he said. "I asked her if there's anything wrong with her body. She shook her head."



Shortly afterward, rescue workers also pulled out a 28-year-old Vietnamese woman, identified as Chen Mei-jih, who had been trapped on what was the building's fifth floor.

Family members of the missing flooded into the information center in search of their loved ones or to wait anxiously.

Tensions rose as some relatives, losing patience, demanded to speak to rescue workers directly to get the latest information.

A couple sitting in a small room where officials release information said they had heard no about their son and his family, including their young grandsons.
To attract investments into the state, Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao today called on Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry and RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani in Mumbai.

Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, discussed with Mistry and Ambani about possibilities for investment in IT, industry and housing sectors, a state government release said.

The Tata group would join the state government in the latter's mega housing scheme, according to the release.

Mistry said a Tata-AIG technology development centre would be set up in Hyderabad. The Tata Capital would help the state government's initiative of T-Hub, an incubation centre, the release said.

Rama Rao explained to Ambani about the possibilities for industrial development in Telangana and also the state government's schemes like Mission Kakatiya (progamme of restoration of tanks and lakes), Mission Bhagiradha (a drinking water project) and double-bed room houses scheme, the release added.
Telangana Government plans to establish a pharma university in the state in addition to the proposed Pharma City near here, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said here today.

"The purpose of the Pharma City is to bring all pharma industrial units at one place to overcome the pollution problem," a release from Chief Minister's office quoted him as saying.

Rao made the comments during a meeting with a two-member delegation of Ferring Pharma.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals has plans to invest USD 100-250 million for a plant in Telangana, the release said.

"A two-member delegation of Ferring Pharma, which has a global turnover and a full-fledged centre with manufacturing, R &D and supporting services, represented by its chairman Frederik Paulsen and CMD, India Dr Ashok Alate called on the Chief Minister with an investment proposal of 100-250 million USD," it said.

Stressing on the need to control pollution in production of bulk drugs, Rao said the government has undertaken a study as to how pharma production is managed in Scandinavia, European countries and United States to adopt the best practices.

"Chairman and CMD of Ferring Pharma told CM that theirs is an R&D Unit and they would like to concentrate in Telangana in future more. They also assured the CM that their unit will be of zero discharge as no pollution is allowed to go outside and will be treated within the premises," the release said.

Ferring Pharma has nine plants worldwide in countries like Argentina, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Mexico, Scotland and Switzerland besides nine more R&D Units in other countries, according to the release.

They have two plants in India, in Maharashtra, and now would like to establish one in Telangana.

The company's global turnover is 1.5 billion euros, the release added.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav today trashed the "jungle raj" barb, the Opposition uses to attack the Nitish Kumar government, and asked the BJP and LJP not to paint a bad picture of the state.

"After some criminal incidents the Opposition starts saying it is 'jungle raj' (in Bihar). But when the accused is caught and punished they're not seen," Tejaswi told PTI on the sidelines of 'Janata ke Darbar me Mukhya Mantri' programme.

"They talk a lot about crime situation in Bihar but why did they maintain silence when my brother-in-law was robbed at gun point at Gurgaon on last Wednesday ... Is it an example of 'Mangal raj' in BJP ruled Haryana?" he asked.

Citing the figures of the Union government Yadav said Bihar is on the 22nd position in terms of crimes committed.

"A state on the 22nd position has 'jungle raj' while BJP-ruled Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, figuring ahead of Bihar, have no jungle raj?" he asked.

On LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan's comment earlier in the day about "return of 'jungle raj'", Tejaswi said, "He (Paswan) is like a guardian. My father (Lalu Prasad) has told me not to speak anything against him. But he and other Opposition leaders should desist from bringing politics in a criminal incident."



When people rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's barb of 'jungle raj' under RJD and JD(U) during the Bihar elections what is the relevance of assertions by others, he asked.

The Opposition have nothing to criticise hence they take opportunity in every criminal incident to attack the Nitish Kumar government, he charged.
"Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice's house arrest is over, her lawyer has confirmed.

The 43-year-old was released from prison on December 23 last year after serving nearly a year behind bars on fraud charges and has been under house arrest ever since, reported People magazine.

"Effective this morning, Teresa is no longer subject to the parameters of home confinement. She is now free in all aspects from the custodial portion of her sentence," her attorney James Leonard said.

"The restitution has been paid in full and what remains is a two-year period of supervised release, the terms of which we will remain in full compliance with."



Giudice entered the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, on January 5, 2015, after being sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Next week Giudice will release her memoir, "Turning The Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again", which promises to tell all about her life behind bars.
Union minister Mahesh Sharma today favoured the entry of women in Kerala's Sabarimala temple, saying there should be no discrimination on the basis of caste and gender.

"The government is of the opinion that there should be no discrimination in all religious places on (the basis of) caste and gender," the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism said on the sidelines of an event.

The Minister's remarks came against the backdrop of Kerala government defending in the Supreme Court the ban on the entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 years in the historic temple.

Sharma also launched a round-the-clock tourist helpline in 12 languages - Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, English and Hindi.

Asserting the government accords highest priority to safety and security of tourists, he said the launch of infoline will generate confidence among international travelers who are worried about their security.

"They will have access to information in their own language and help in case of distress," he said.

The infoline was developed in cooperation with Tata Business Support Services. The contract was given to the firm through a bidding process.

He said the government is also considering roping in private players for the upkeep of tourist destinations under public-private partnership.

"We have received suggestions on maintenance of tourist places with the help of private players...We may engage reputed private houses for services like cleaning, restaurant and book shop management," he said.
In the wake of two murder convicts breaking free from the Bhopal Central Jail, Madhya Pradesh jail department is considering tying GPS bands on wrists or ankles of prisoners taken outside jail premises, in a bid to prevent them from escaping.

"We are exploring the possibility of putting Global Positioning System (GPS), connected to a base computer, on wrist or ankle of prisoners who are taken out to work outside prisons, to check them from escaping," State Additional Director General (Prison) Sushovan Banerjee told PTI today.

On February 5, Ganpath Singh (42) and Ramlal Bhoi (36), both undergoing life term in separate cases of murder, escaped from a farm outside the Jail after they were taken out there for work.

Banerjee cited example of some developed countries "where GPS technology is employed to keep a track of dreaded prisoners".

"Technology is force multiplier. We have to make use of technology for good. We don't have huge manpower to man prisoners who are taken out to work," he said.

GPS-based wrist and ankle bands are hard to unlock or break open in case of any attempt to escape by a jail inmate, the ADG said, adding the device is very much useful in keeping a hawk's eye on prisoners.

"These bands are cheap also. One piece costs around 22 to 25 USD," he added.

In Madhya Pradesh, many jails have farms outside their premises where prisoners are usually taken to work as part of their jail term.

"If our idea works out, we are going to first employ it on experimental basis in Bhopal jail," Banerjee said.

Meanwhile, Bhopal Central Jail Superintendent Akhilesh Tomar said that Singh and Bhoi still remain untraced.
Two security guards of a hotel here were today arrested for allegedly trying to sexually assault a 25-year-old Dutch woman.

The accused were identified as Sonu Patel (25) and Omkar Thakur (24).

The accused allegedly entered into the washroom of a hotel-cum-shopping mall in Vijay Nagar locality at around 1 am today where they tried to sexually assault the woman, Superintendent of Police Suraj Verma told PTI.

When she raised alarm, people came to her help and the duo was caught and handed over to the police, he said.

The woman had come here to attend a wedding. Police have recorded her statement.

The accused have been booked under sections 354 (a) (using criminal force or attack to undress a woman) and 354 (d) (stalking) of the IPC.
Two women were killed and another was injured when mud blocks collapsed on them as they were digging soil in Dop-Kuppi-Mahadev-Temple area in Jhalawar district today.

A group of women had gone to collect yellow soil for painting the wall of their huts when the mishap occurred, killing Raju Bai (19) and Sampat Bai (50), police said.

Moram Bai, who was injured, was shifted in a serious condition to a government hospital in Jhalawar, they said.
The United Arab Emirates, a close ally of Pakistan, today welcomed Indo-Pak efforts to resume talks process and said it will try its "best" to ensure that they succeed.

UAE Ambassador Ahmed Al Banna said his country "supports" the latest initiatives by the two countries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lahore outreach and the meeting of the National Security Advisers of India and Pakistan in Bangkok.

The remarks by UAE envoy came days ahead of visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE armed forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayad Al Nahyan here. Al Nahyan arrives here on Wednesday on a three-day visit.

"I am sure that there have been positive signs between the two countries...The meeting that took place between India and Pakistan in Thailand, trying to open a new path of relationship. We support that and we will try our best to make sure that it succeeds," the envoy told reporters replying to a question.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar was scheduled to travel to Islamabad to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary on January 15 but both the countries announced deferment of the talks with "mutual consent" in the wake of the Pathankot attack.

NSAs of India and Pakistan had met in Bangkok on December 6 last year and agreed to take forward the engagement.
Britain summoned North Korea's ambassador today to condemn Pyongyang's announcement that it had put a satellite into orbit with a rocket launch.

The move announced yesterday was widely seen as a disguised ballistic missile test and was swiftly criticised by the UN Security Council.

"I summoned North Korea's Ambassador today to make clear in the strongest terms the UK's condemnation of the launch this weekend," Britain's Asia Minister Hugo Swire said in a statement released by the Foreign Office.

"This test, even if characterised as a space launch vehicle or launch of a satellite, clearly contributes to North Korea's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and is a serious violation of UN Security Council Resolutions."



The UN has said it will speed up work on a sanctions resolution in response to what it called "these dangerous and serious violations."



Yesterday's launch followed Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test last month, which drew international condemnation and prompted China and the United States to open negotiations on new, tougher UN sanctions.
Public sector United Bank of India (UBI) plans to raise up to Rs 1,000 crore by issuing securities.

A meeting of the board of directors will be held on Thursday to approve the same. "The board of directors... shall consider for approval the proposal for raising additional Tier-1 capital under Basel-III norms up to Rs 1,000 crore through issuance of perpetual debt instruments," the bank said in a BSE filing. These subordinated, non-convertible, non-cumulative, listed, Basel-III-compliant additional Tier-1 bonds will be in the form of debenture or promissory notes of the face value of Rs 10 lakh each.

UBI said, the money will be raised through private placement of bonds that is to be included in its additional tier one capital for the purpose of ascertaining the capital adequacy ratios.

The Reserve Bank began implementing Basel-III norms in phases from 2013, which are to be fully complied by the within March 2019.

UBI shares today closed at Rs 19.30 a piece on BSE, up 2.66 per cent.
Lashing out at the Akhilesh Yadav government over Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali's concert in Lucknow, the Shiv Sena today branded Uttar Pradesh as an "Islamic state" and alleged that the state government has begun "anti- business" for appeasing .

The ruling ally also took a swipe at the BJP for being a "mute spectator" to the event, and demanded that those who allowed the concert to take place should be booked for anti- activities.

"The 'Islamic Yadav' government says that Ghulam Ali was invited to perform to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. But, to promote unity, why does one need Pakistani artists only? There are fine Muslim artists in the country who are famous," an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

"Keeping the upcoming Assembly polls in mind, the Yadav government has started an anti- business (of inviting Pakistani artists) to play appeasement politics," it alleged.

Further lashing out at the UP government, it said, "Uttar Pradesh is a mine of fine artists, but (Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh) Yadav is only interested in coal from Pakistan," and added that tomorrow Yadav may invite Hafiz Saeed to appease the minority community.

"People who feel that the Pathankot terror attack should be forgotten and Ghulam Ali should be allowed to perform are traitors of the country. If Ghulam Ali is allowed to perform amidst the wails of the family of the martyred jawans, then people responsible (for giving permission to perform) should be booked for anti-national activities," it said.

Taking a jibe at the BJP, the Sena sought to know if the party bagged 71 seats in the UP Lok Sabha polls to remain a mute spectator to Ghulam Ali's performance.

"This is bizarre. On one hand ISIS is troubling the Indian government, on the other the Yadavs have turned UP into an Islamic state and welcomed Ghulam Ali," it said.

Ghulam Ali yesterday regaled the audience with his popular numbers on the concluding day of Lucknow Mahotsava.

His performance went off peacefully despite threats by Shiv Sena, which had forced cancellation of his concert in Mumbai last year.
Five motorcycle-borne robbers allegedly waylaid a car carrying bank cash and looted Rs. 7 lakh near Dhobha village under Kheri Town police station this morning, police said.

The incident happened at around 11 AM when manger of Allahabad Bank, Mandakini Gupta, and a cashier, Sanjiv Verma, were on their way to Amirtaganj branch with the cash they had collected from the bank's district head office in Lakhimpur, police said.

Five miscreants riding two motorbikes, intercepted the car and broke the window panes with some blunt object.

Despite Gupta's protest they lifted the cash bag and fled, police added.

SP Arvind Chaurasia, additional superintendent of police AP Singh and deputy superintendent of police Martand Prakash Singh rushed to the scene for probe.

DSP Martand Singh said the district's entry and exit points have been sealed and intensive checking drive was on to track down the accused.
Official moves towards the deployment -- fiercely opposed by China -- of a US missile defence system in South Korea highlight the inherent dangers of disunity in dealing with North Korea's growing military threat, analysts say.

Hours after North Korea's long-range rocket launch yesterday, South Korean and US military officials announced they would begin formal discussions on placing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System (THAAD) on the North's doorstep.

The rationale was a clear necessity to upgrade the defence posture of the South Korea-US military alliance "against North Korea's advancing threats," said Yoo Jeh-Seung, Seoul's deputy defence minister for policy.

Yoo's reasoning is hard to fault in the wake of the North's fourth nuclear test on January 6 and Monday's rocket launch, which was widely regarded as a covert ballistic missile test.

"This nuclear testing coupled with the testing of ballistic missile technology ... Was always likely to strengthen the argument that South Korea needs to bolster its missile defences," said Ben Goodlad, principal weapons analyst at IHS Aerospace, Defence and Security.

But beyond the strategic logic lies a diplomatic imperative, which suggests an eventual THAAD deployment may be less motivated by what North Korea is doing and more by what China is not doing.

China is North Korea's main diplomatic protector, and both Washington and Seoul have been pressing Beijing to take a tougher line with Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons programme.

But China, wary of the consequences of a collapsing North Korea on its border, has resisted punitive sanctions before, and looks set to do so again as the UN Security Council debates its response to Pyongyang's latest provocations.

According to Joel Wit, a senior fellow at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University and the founder of its North Korea website, 38North, frustration with China's stance has driven forward the possibility of deploying THAAD in South Korea.

"This is a way of sending a signal to China that what North Korea does has real consequences, including consequences for Beijing's own security interests," Wit said.

China's response to that signal was swift and unequivocally negative.

While it only managed a rather muted expression of "regret" over the North's rocket launch, it was quick to voice its "deep concern" at the prospect of South Korea introducing the US missile system.
An American trekker has died of suspected altitude sickness after falling unconscious in Nepal, police said today.

The 53-year-old was hiking with two friends to Nepal's remote Upper Mustang region, an alpine desert with a maximum altitude of 3,840 metres (12,600 feet).

The group had stopped at a local hotel for the night when the victim fell unconscious on Sunday evening.

"His friends found him unconscious in the toilet... By the time they carried him to his room he had already passed away," said Harihar Nath Yogi, Mustang district's police chief.

Yogi said preparations were under way to airlift the trekker's body to Kathmandu for a post-mortem.

"We suspect that altitude sickness probably caused his death," Khadka told AFP.

Altitude sickness strikes when people ascend too quickly, as the decreased atmosphere pressure causes headaches, fatigue and dizziness.

Nepal's snow-capped peaks make it a popular hiking destination, with around 150,000 trekkers visiting the Annapurna and Everest regions every year.

But the tourism industry has suffered in recent months after a 7.8-magnitude quake hit the Himalayan nation last April, killing nearly 9,000 and triggering a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest that killed 18 people including foreign climbers.

In October 2014, a massive snowstorm ripped across the Annapurna circuit, killing 43 hikers, guides and porters during peak trekking season.
The issue of suicide by Hyderabad University scholar Rohith Vemula would figure prominently in the two-day national executive meeting of Congress' student wing NSUI, beginning at nearby Angamaly tomorrow and to be addressed by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

The venue of the meeting, which would be attended by NSUI national office bearers and state presidents, has been named as 'Rohith Vemula Nagar'.

The conclave will be chaired by NSUI President Roji M John while Gandhi, who supported the students' protest over Vemula's death in Hyderabad recently, would address the meeting on Wednesday.

"It will also be attended by several national and state- level Congress leaders. Activists from FTII-Pune, Ambedkar Students Association, University of Hyderabad shall also join the conclave to talk about their revolutionary journey against the government," John told reporters here.

He said: "The main agenda of the meeting will be to come up with a plan of action to fight the atrocities faced by students belonging to marginalised sections across the country so that another Rohith Vemula is not forced to give up his life."



"We will also ideate on how to curb the government's interference upon the autonomy of educational institutions and the rapid communalisation of education," he said.

The national executive shall also present its bi-yearly activities report, discuss and deliberate the organisation's future course of action along with its role in the coming assembly elections in different states, he said.
The Voluntary Health Association of Assam (VHAA) has welcomed the Dhaka Declaration on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) action in South Asia to make South Asia tobacco-free by 2030.

"We welcome India's decision to endorse the Dhaka Declaration to make South Asia tobacco-free by 2030. It is indeed very commendable and significant that Indian legislators are also leading from the front in the context of tobacco control," said VHAA executive secretary Ruchira Neog.

"The Speaker of Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan has reiterated India's commitment in the war against widespread tobacco use, including the country's new warning labels," Neog said.

The Dhaka Declaration, which was adopted during the South Asian Speakers' Summit on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) held at the Bangladesh capital on January 30 and 31, stated, "We recognise that a tobacco-free South Asia by 2030 is important to ensure health and wellbeing of the people of the region."



"As Speakers of Parliament in the region, we see the value of meeting on a regular basis to share experiences and best practices, as well as to review progress on the implementation of the SDGs," the declaration said.

Speakers of Parliament from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka had gathered in Dhaka for the South Asian Speakers' Summit.

In South Asia, tobacco is the leading cause of non-communicable diseases, which kills 1.5 million people annually of which one million are in India, Neog said.

South Asian Parliament Speakers have agreed to prioritise tobacco control policies - in particular, those of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), in their efforts to meet the SDGs and to achieve a tobacco-free South Asia by 2030, she said.

Stating that Mahajan had attended the event and chaired a session on 'The role of Parliaments in implementing the SDGs,' Neog said India would host the second meeting of South Asian Speakers' Forum in 2017.

VHAA, a premier non-profit organisation working in the field of public health, has been for the last few years working on the issue of tobacco control through direct intervention initiatives and activities towards making smoke-free districts and tobacco-free educational institutions, as well as through high level advocacy and campaigning for policy level changes towards tobacco control, she added.
Kerala Vigilance department today filed a Quick Verification Report (QVR) in a special court here, giving a clean chit to Excise Minister K Babu in the bar bribery scam, saying there was no evidence to substantiate the charges levelled against him.

Complying with a High Court direction to submit the QVR in ten days, Vigilance Director N Sankar Reddy filed the report in the court of the Enquiry Commissioner and Special Vigilance Judge who had recently directed registration of an FIR against Babu and Bar hotelier Biju Ramesh.

The Judge had passed the order on a complaint filed by one George Vattukulam who sought a probe against them.

Biju Ramesh had alleged that Rs 10 crore had been paid as bribe to Babu to get favourable decisions in renewal of bar licences.

According to the Vigilance sources, since it did not find any evidence against the Minister, there was no need to register FIR against him.

The report stated that statements from 13 persons, including that of Babu's personal staff and two of his sons-in-law, were taken and 44 documents examined, they said. The Vigilance court judge was on leave today and the report is likely to come up before the court later. Following the vigilance court's direction, Babu had submitted his resignation and moved the High Court which stayed the Vigilance court order on January 28.

But the court had asked the director to complete the QVR and file a report within 10 days.

With the High Court staying the lower court order, Babu later returned to the cabinet.
By Aaron Sheldrick

TOKYO (Reuters) - Crude oil futures rose on Monday in thin trade as many Asian markets were on holiday for Lunar New Year, with few trading cues expected until Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen gives testimony to lawmakers later in the week.

Global benchmark Brent futures were up 17 cents at $34.23 at 0751 GMT. They fell 40 cents to $34.06 a barrel on Friday.

U.S. crude futures rose 18 cents to $31.07, after falling 83 cents to $30.89 on Friday.

Both contracts had dropped slightly earlier on Monday in see-saw trade on low volumes.

"The strength we saw in the middle of last week has not been completely overturned but the direction has reversed," said Ric Spooner, chief market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney.

The market is looking forward to Yellen's testimony on Wednesday along with U.S. crude inventory levels the same day, Spooner said.

"We are on hold, waiting for that with a nervous tone."

A meeting between OPEC producers Saudi Arabia and Venezuela on Sunday to discuss coordination on prices ended with few signs there would be steps taken to boost prices.

Saudi Arabia's oil minister Ali al-Naimi talked about cooperation between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil producers to stabilise the global oil market with his Venezuelan counterpart, but there was no agreement to hold an early meeting of suppliers.

Venezuela's Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino, who is on a tour of oil producers to lobby for action to prop up prices, said his meeting with Naimi was "productive".

The prospect of a supply restraint helped oil prices rise from 12-year lows last month, even though there was widespread scepticism that a deal would happen.

(Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick; Editing by Joseph Radford and Subhranshu Sahu)
By Sankalp Phartiyal and Himank Sharma

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) - India introduced rules on Monday to prevent Internet service providers from having different pricing policies for accessing different parts of the Web, in a setback to Facebook Inc's plan to roll out a pared-back free Internet service to the masses.

The new rules came after a two-month-long consultation process that saw Facebook launching a big advertising campaign in support of its Free Basics programme, which runs in more than 35 developing countries.

The programme offers pared-down Internet services on mobile phones, along with access to the company's own social network and messaging services, without charge.

The service, earlier known as internet.org, has also run into trouble in other countries that have accused Facebook of infringing the principle of net neutrality - the concept that all websites and data on the Internet be treated equally.

Critics and Internet activists argue that allowing access to a select few apps and Web services for free would put small content providers and start-ups that don't participate at a disadvantage.

On his Facebook page, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote, "Connecting India is an important goal we won't give up on, because more than a billion people in India don't have access to the internet. We know that connecting them can help lift people out of poverty, create millions of jobs and spread education opportunities."

On Monday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which had suspended the free Facebook service pending a policy decision, said Internet service providers would not be allowed to discriminate on pricing for different Web services.

"Essentially everything on the Internet is agnostic in the sense that it cannot be priced differently," TRAI Chairman Ram Sevak Sharma said at a conference.

Although the new rules will also have implications for plans by Indian telecom operators to make money from rapidly surging Web traffic through differential pricing, Facebook's campaign turned the spotlight on the social networking giant.

Free Basics is part of Facebook's ambition to expand in its largest market outside the United States. Only 252 million out of India's 1.3 billion people have Internet access.

"We are delighted by the regulator's recognition of the irreversible damage that stands to be done to the open Internet by allowing differential pricing," said Mishi Choudhary, a New York-based lawyer who led an online campaign against Facebook.

Facebook shares closed down 4.2 percent at $99.75 on the Nasdaq amid broad weakness in U.S. markets.

(Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Writing by Himank Sharma; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee, Mark Potter, Ted Kerr, Stephen R. Trousdale and Leslie Adler)
By Himank Sharma

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Indian restaurant search and food delivery service Zomato, one of only a handful of Indian start-ups to succeed abroad, said on Monday it had broken even in key markets including India and is on track to make a profit as early as June next year.

The result comes as Zomato seeks $200 million in funding, a source close to the group said, in an increasingly tough environment for start-ups.

Zomato, which makes money through advertising and its delivery service, said it had hit operational break-even in India, the UAE, Indonesia and three other markets in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Together, they account for the three-fourths of the company's revenue, co-founder and chief executive Deepinder Goyal told .

"The fundamental model of our business is that in mature markets we should make profits and they shouldn't need any more outside money to grow," Goyal said.

Zomato is set to start its $200 million funding round in April, the source close to the company said, adding it is in discussions with Chinese internet conglomerates Alibaba Group and Baidu Inc for investments. The source declined to be identified because the discussions are private.

Last month, a Baidu executive told the company was in talks to invest in Zomato among other Indian startups.

Goyal declined to comment on the company's fund-raising plans.

Zomato has operations in 17 other countries including the United States, Britain and Australia, and has so far raised $225 million from investors including Temasek, Sequoia and Info Edge.

India's consumer internet startups have attracted billions of dollars in venture capital funding in the last couple of years on the prospects of rising income levels and increasing internet penetration in a county of 1.2 billion people.

However, industry insiders say funding is becoming harder to come by, as investors focus on profits to justify sky-high valuations.

India's hyper-competitive food-tech industry saw a series of mass lay-offs late last year with Nexus Ventures-backed TinyOwl and Rocket Internet backed-Foodpanda restructuring operations after expanding too fast.

Zomato also scaled back its delivery operations in four Indian cities last month and laid off 300 employees last October.

(Reporting by Himank Sharma; Editing by Stephen Coates)
The Irish Farmers Association's (IFA) election debates between candidates for the positions of President and Deputy President will begin tonight and will take place over the next eight weeks before members vote in April.



The North Tipperary County Executive will hold the first meeting in Roscrea at 8pm tonight where candidates for the position of President and Deputy President will debate the issues. The Chairman of North Tipperary IFA Tim Cullinan will chair the debate.



The IFA National Returning Officer, Jer Bergin today commented, "The IFA election is unique as it allows every member the opportunity to hear what candidates are offering, and then they have a vote in the national contest. The Executive Council has decided that One Member One Vote will apply."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
More than 100 food producers and suppliers gathered at the Strand Hotel in Limerick today to hear details of the 'Limerick City & County Council Food Strategy for Limerick 2016-2018', which is targeting 6% additional growth for the local food tourism sector and 10% additional sales growth for producers.



The Strategy was researched and compiled by James Burke & Associates through stakeholder interviews on behalf of the Local Enterprise Office Limerick and was co-funded by Limerick City and County Council, the Government and the European Union (EU).

The blueprint aims to strengthen Limerick's efforts to achieve Food Destination Status over the next three years.



Research conducted during the preparation of the Strategy indicated that Limerick had many strengths in its food sector including the improved diversity in Limericks food offering in recent years, a growing food producer base, new emerging food festivals and new enthusiasm from food stakeholders.

The research also highlighted some weaknesses including a small number of speciality producers and the absence of "joined up thinking with regard to developing the food sector.



The three-year strategic plan identified new opportunities for growth in the sector including a food brand for Limerick, a food tourism link to the Wild Atlantic Way, upskilling the sector, a strong marketing plan for Limerick, securing strong interest from many stakeholders in the establishment of a food strategy, and harnessing the expertise which was gained during Limerick City of Culture in 2014.



Chief Executive of Limerick City and County Council, Conn Murray commented, "Limerick city and county has seen its food landscape evolve in recent years with a greater number of award-winning restaurants and hotels and steady growth in new producers emerging.

"There are several food initiatives throughout the city and county, which have as their core objective showcasing of Limerick Food. The Council, through this food strategy is seeking to support existing initiatives and seek to create an environment to foster the strategic growth of the food sector and its related stakeholder groups."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Fitch raised Ireland's credit rating a notch to 'A' on Friday, taking the unusual step of upgrading a country's debt in the middle of an election campaign, a move that could potentially hand the government parties a boost.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny called elections for Feb. 26 on Wednesday, kicking off campaigning for what promises to be a tight contest dominated by a fractious debate over the country's brisk economic recovery.

Kenny is fighting the election on the strength of an economy forecast to be Europe's best performing for the third successive year in 2016 and Fitch cited growth last year of about 7.0% and improving debt dynamics as key drivers for the upgrade.

"The economy is exhibiting much more solid fundamentals that will help sustain momentum in the short term. Stronger balance sheets, a continued strengthening of the labor market and rising household consumption should underpin robust domestic demand growth in 2016," Fitch said in a statement.

While the upgrade will likely be viewed as good news for the government parties, Fitch's view that the medium-term growth potential of the economy is around 2.0 to 2.5% could call into question the 3.5 percent average annual rate Kenny's Fine Gael has based its spending plans on.

Kenny is well ahead in opinion polls but its support has slipped during a shaky start to the campaign meaning it and current junior coalition partner Labour remain some way short of securing a majority.

With no obvious alternative coalition in view, that could spell a period of political uncertainty for Ireland which Fitch said represented a potential source of downside risk.

"A protracted period of political uncertainty and/or the reliance on more radical political elements to sustain a coalition risks a weakening of reforms," said Fitch, whose outlook on Ireland's rating is 'stable'.

"That said, throughout the crisis, Ireland has shown strong fiscal commitment and credibility, supporting our forecast that the next government will remain broadly compliant with EU and national fiscal rules."

After the prospect of electoral deadlock turned some investors more cautious on Ireland's sovereign debt in recent weeks, Commerzbank said earlier on Friday than an upgrade would prompt "structurally higher demand from investors following rating-based investment guidelines."

Ahead of its only bond auction of the first quarter next week, Ireland's debt agency welcomed the move, saying Fitch's rationale underscored the healthy demand it has seen for Irish debt issuance. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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New rules requiring multinational corporations to reveal tax and financial data to authorities in all EU countries where they operate may be agreed by the bloc's states as soon as March, EU diplomats said on Monday.

In a bid to curb multinationals' tax avoidance, which is estimated by the European Parliament to cost European Union countries 70 billion euros a year in lost revenues, the European Commission proposed in January new measures against profit shifting and other schemes.

The EU's executive also published draft rules to increase corporations' tax transparency - known as country-by-country reporting - which would oblige companies to disclose their revenues, profits, taxes paid and accrued, earnings and other sensitive data to tax administrations of all EU countries where they operate.

The EU's 28 states are likely to fast-track the negotiations on country-by-country reporting rules, with the aim to reach a "political agreement" by next month, diplomats involved in the talks told Reuters.

A first exchange on the Commission's tax avoidance proposals will be held at the regular monthly meeting of EU finance ministers on Friday.

The political deal would need to be followed by a compromise on technical issues before becoming operational, but the unusually short period to reach a consensus would represent a rare example of EU cohesion on tax matters, where usually states block or slow down talks for years, exploiting their veto power on tax issues.

The deal may also pave the way to further proposals to make corporations' disclosures completely public, and not just limited to tax administrations.

The Commission is assessing the consequences of such a bold move and aims at reaching a conclusion "at the latest by the first quarter of this year," a Commission spokeswoman told journalists on Monday.

EU's tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici has repeatedly said that he would favor a full disclosure of corporations' tax and financial data, provided that such a move were not to harm the competitiveness of companies operating in the EU.

A proposal on "public tax transparency (country-by-country reporting)" is in the agenda of the EU Commission meeting on April 12, the EU executive calendar shows.

EU countries may also strike a deal in May on the proposals made by the EU executive on curbing tax avoidance schemes, EU diplomats said.

The current Dutch presidency of the EU has put tax issues at the top of the economic agenda during its semester which ends in July. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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European equities fell sharply on Monday, extending the previous week's steep losses, with cyclical sectors losing ground on persistent concerns about the pace of global economic growth.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 was down 1.7 percent at 1,261.05 points by 0940 GMT after falling up to 1,259.27 poits, its lowest level since October 2014.

European sectors such as banking, autos, construction and technology fell 2.6 to 2.9 percent.

"It's a difficult market environment. I would have hoped for a rebound in the market but after the last week's actions, certainly this is off the table. The economic newsflow has to improve. So far it hasn't on a decisive scale," Gerhard Schwarz, head of equity strategy at Baader Bank in Munich, said.

European and U.S. shares fell sharply on Friday after U.S. jobs data showed employment gains slowed more than expected in January. Some recent economic numbers from China, the world's second biggest economy, have also disappointed. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Greece's main equity index fell to its lowest level in more than 25 years, with bank shares touching record lows, driven by political uncertainty and concerns about Europe's financial sector.

Athens' benchmark ATG equity index was down 8% on Monday, at its lowest level since at least 1991.

The Athens Stock Exchange FTSE Banks Index also fell 26% to touch record lows, with shares in major lender National Bank of Greece falling 28.6%.

Greece's finance minister said on Monday that the country expected the review of its bailout performance to resume next week and conclude two weeks later.

However, Greek borrowing costs rose on the back of uncertainty that a bailout review by the country's lenders could drag on due to resistance to planned pension and tax reforms, which also hit the Athens stock market.

"The market is pricing in financial and political instability and delays in the review," said Manos Hatzidakis, an analyst at Beta Securities.

Banking shares across Europe were also hit as concerns over global growth and the health of Europe's financial sector pushed investors into safe-haven assets.

The cost of insuring financials' subordinated debt also hit its highest level since April 2013, according to Markit data.

Mission chiefs of Greece's lenders, the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and EU's bailout fund wrapped up a first week of talks in Athens on Friday. They were expected to return to Greece around Feb. 15.

Greece has promised to cut pension spending by 1% of GDP, or 1.8 billion euros, this year. To protect pensioners whose benefits have been cut 11 times already since 2010, the government has proposed to increase social security contributions by employees and employers. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
There are a bunch of reasons why getting great new content published on your site is beneficial to your company as a whole. From a purely visual point of view new blogs or content can make your website look fresh and new to repeat customers. You can show that you are an evolving, interesting, company and you have plenty to say about it. So thats easy enough; great content improves users experience on your site.

But what about other reasons for getting great content on your site?

A key reason any leading company will look to upload blogs, news and opinions is that SEO rich content can make your website stand out. It will stand out both in terms of it looking bright and new; but equally important is your site standing out in search engines.

By having rich SEO based content on your site, which includes key words, relevant content, great links and crucially; new content, you can really make an impression on search engines. By making positive impressions on search engines your company will rise to the top of searches on leading search engines.

Key factors to consider when getting content on your site;

1. Make sure its an appropriate length  who is the content aimed at? What are your sites visits patterns like? Is this something that you want to improve  who doesnt!

2. Really great content will keep people visiting. If your visitors think your content is great they could post links back to your site; this is great for business and for climbing search results.

3. As well as using text you should aim to include images at the very least. Other dynamic aspects to include could be a video or audio, as well as web apps or social features.

4. Get a blog on your site and nurture it! Research shows that blogs are a great way to engage with customers, yet according to research only 21% of companies have posted a blog in the last year.



Once you have great content, that is updated regularly, you can use some simple analytics tools to track who is visiting. Figures worth noting include:

 Websites with blogs retain visitors for an average of 15-20% longer than sites without blogs.

 86% of B2B marketers report that their organisations are using content marketing, and 70% of them are creating more content than they did one year ago.

 63% of readers are more likely to be influenced by blogs than magazines when deciding on a purchase



So; generating great content, uploading it a regular intervals and tracking what works are key to developing your website. A strong SEO optimised website will lift you up search engines and give you great exposure to new (and old) customers.

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Only 38% of Irish SMEs believe they can compete with multinationals when recruiting skilled staff according to a new joint survey by Hays, Irelands specialist recruitment company and ISME.



The new report, entitled Resourcing for Growth, polled 563 SME employers in Ireland, gathering insights into market confidence, potential obstacles to growth, recruiting methods and requirements amongst the sector.

Of the SMEs surveyed, 81% believe recruitment is an important part of their business strategy, and 75% are more confident now than 12 months ago about their companys potential for growth.

However, 41% of respondents feel one of the biggest obstacles to growth is the ability and resources to recruit the right staff in an increasingly competitive market.



Despite Irish SMEs currently accounting for over 70% of the private sector workforce and 50% of the national turnover, many feel ill-equipped or undervalue themselves when competing with larger employers for the best talent.

The survey partly attributes this to absence of a dedicated HR function, lack of training in hiring staff and little or no understanding of employment law amongst SMEs. Two thirds of SMEs have not received training around hiring staff and 78% have little or no knowledge of employment law.



Managing Director of Hays Ireland, Richard Eardley says, "There is no doubt that there is a chasm in the depth of resources between multinationals and SMES.

"However, we should not undervalue what SMEs can offer to the top candidates. There are many advantages to working in smaller businesses such as the environment, the range of work you are involved in and ability to directly impact on results.

"Irish SMEs are the unsung heroes of the economic revival and central to future national growth. It is important that we equip them with the necessary skills, resources and confidence to better compete with multinationals for the very best candidates."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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New research shows that 35,225 new .ie domains were registered in 2015, or 96 a day, a 13% increase on 2014 and the highest annual number since 2011.



This is according to the latest .ie Domain Profile Report published by the IE Domain Registry (IEDR), the company responsible for the management and administration of Ireland's official internet address .ie.



The report shows net registrations (new .ie domain registrations less non-renewed .ie domains) were 12,929 in 2015. This is the highest recorded number since 2011 and a 48% increase on 2014.

Last year's .ie registrations bring the total number of .ie domains to 210,839. The .ie database has increased in size by 36% over the last five years.



In 2015, private and public limited companies made up nearly 50% of all new .ie registrations, followed by sole traders at 25%.

Counties Dublin, Cork and Galway accounted for 58% of all new .ie registrations in 2015.

Dublin, with 71, has the highest number of .ie domains per 1,000 people, followed by Carlow (52) and Wicklow (48). Donegal, with 18 .ie domains per 1,000 people, has the lowest rate in the Republic of Ireland.



Furthermore, 64% of new .ie domains in 2015 were registered in Leinster, followed by 17% in Munster; 8% in Connacht; and 4% in Ulster. Seven per cent were registered overseas.

Internationally, Ireland, with 46, ranks 17th in the EU for number of country domains per 1,000 people, ahead of France (45) and Spain (39), but behind countries with similar populations, like Norway (134) and Denmark (233).



Chief Executive of IEDR, David Curtin says, "For Irish businesses, there are significant benefits and advantages to registering a .ie domain name. With .ie, a business or organisation is immediately identifiably Irish. For businesses trading at home, it signals trust and familiarity; for those advertising abroad, it promises Irish authenticity."

He added, "Government and industry must continue to work together to get rural Ireland online, building websites and engaging in e-commerce. Access to the global digital economy has transformative effects on business.

"Reflecting our commitment in this regard, IEDR runs the annual OPTIMISE Fund which awards 150,000 worth of services to fifteen Irish SMEs and micro-enterprises keen to improve their digital presence and engage in e-commerce."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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eir Business has been appointed by Dairygold to design, build, deliver, manage and support their Co-Op Stores Data and Voice over IP telephony systems.

The contract, which runs over a three year period, will provide Dairygold with 215k of cost savings over 3 years, and improved technical functionality for the company.



The contract delivers an improved communications platform which secures business and financial efficiencies for Dairygold as well as improving the customer experience for Dairygolds own stakeholders.

Since appointing this contract to eir, IP telephony has been successfully rolled out to 38 branches, with Dairygold witnessing a 39% reduction in voice call costs.



Managing Director of eir Business, Bill Archer commented, "The management of this multi-faceted contract is focusing on quality of service, innovation and providing financial savings and technical excellence for Dairygold.

"As an existing client of ours, we were keenly aware of where we could add value, and most importantly, where we could use Dairygolds existing network capability to greater effect, while at the same time bringing new technologies into the equation.

"Its these complex business scenarios that fit well into our scope of expertise. We are delighted that Dairygold chose eir Business and we look forward to working with them over the coming years."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Way back in 2006 I disagreed with some analysts on the outlook for the Inland Empire in California. I wrote:



As the housing bubble unwinds, housing related employment will fall; and fall dramatically in areas like the Inland Empire. The more an area is dependent on housing, the larger the negative impact on the local economy will be.



So I think some pundits have it backwards: Instead of a strong local economy keeping housing afloat, I think the bursting housing bubble will significantly impact housing dependent local economies.

Click on graph for larger image.

And sure enough, the economies of housing dependent areas like the Inland Empire were devastated during the housing bust. The good news is the Inland Empire is now recovering.This graph shows the unemployment rate for the Inland Empire (using MSA: Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario), and also the number of construction jobs as a percent of total employment.The unemployment rate is falling, and is down to 5.9% (down from 15.0% in 2010). And construction employment is up from the lows (as a percent of total employment), but still fairly low.Overall the outlook for the Inland Empire is much better today.
When is hurricane season? Here's what you need to know in South Texas
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By Chris Ramirez of the Caller-Times

Sunoco LP, the chief fuel supplier for South Texas Stripes convenience stores, laid off 161 people in Nueces County, state officials said Monday.

Speculation about the possibility of staff reductions spread in the Coastal Bend after the Corpus Christi-based Susser family sold its interest in the Stripes chain nearly two years ago.

A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, released Monday by the Texas Workforce Commission, provided the first evidence of exactly how many positions were lost.

Layoff notices were issued Feb. 1. Only positions in Nueces County were affected, the report said.

Monika de la Garza, a spokeswoman for Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend, said the agency has been made aware of the layoffs, and that its Rapid Response Coordinators were reaching out the company to offer its services.

In April 2014, Energy Transfer Partners announced its plans to purchase Susser Holdings, then Corpus Christi's only Fortune 500 company, for $1.8 billion. Shareholders signed off on the deal in August 2014.

Susser Holdings is the company that Sam Susser started in 1938 during the Great Depression, and had been run by a member of his family ever since.

The purchase entitled Energy Transfer Partners to own general partner interest and incentive distribution rights in Susser, as well as retail operations that include more than 600 convenience stores in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

Energy Transfer Partners owns 35,000 miles of natural gas pipelines and purchased fuel giant Sunoco's 5,000 gas stations in 2012.

Stripes officials in November notified its remaining employees in Corpus Christi they would open an office in Dallas, where Energy Transfer Partners is headquartered.

De La Garza said upon notice of any mass layoffs or plant closings, Workforce Solutions, along with the Texas Workforce Commission, can act quickly to help those who lose their jobs by trying to find new employment, as well as offer crisis counseling, financial planning assistance and stress management.

Twitter: @Caller_ChrisRam
Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Montessori students Carlota Gomez (left), 3, and Dwight Abrajano, 3, pass under the arms of high school students at Incarnate Word Academy while participating in a parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Montessori program on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.

SHARE Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Montessori students at Incarnate Word Academy Carlota Gomez (left), 3, and Dwight Abrajano, 3, wait for a parade to start that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Montessori program on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Montessori students at Incarnate Word Academy participate in a parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Montessori program on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Montessori students at Incarnate Word Academy participate in a parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Montessori program on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Montessori students pass under the arms of high school students at Incarnate Word Academy while participating in a parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Montessori program on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.

By Rob Boscamp of the Caller-Times

At age 2, Kiernan Cruger already was catching up in the classroom.

Kiernan had joined the school's Montessori program toward the end of that year. The students had a "Big Book" of math and language assignments they had to complete when he jumped in.

But the now-Incarnate Word Academy fifth-grader didn't mind.

"Everyone was supposed to do 5 pages a day," Kiernan said. "I wanted to catch up to everybody so I was doing 20 to 30 pages  I passed some of the kids who were there the whole year."

Last month, Kiernan, IWA Montessori alumni, students and their families caught up on 50 years of the program's history and celebrated the program's anniversary with a parade, a special mass and a reception.

Students displayed their classwork during the anniversary events, while program alumni shared their experiences with current and former students.

Incarnate Word Academy launched Corpus Christi's first Catholic Montessori school in September 1965. It was created from the encouragement of Irene Meaney, Ellen Flood and Jean Adams, as well as efforts by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.

"It's something (the sisters) felt so strongly about that was revolutionary at the time," IWA Elementary Level Assistant Principal Stephanie Bottom said. "I feel very proud to be a part of that history. I am blessed with the talent to continue that tradition."

The Montessori program initially provided an individualized education for children ages 2-5. It expanded in the early 1990s to include students through fifth grade. Today, Incarnate Word Academy offers two tracks of elementary education  traditional and Montessori  for children ages 3 through fifth grade.

"What I've learned is that it's really beautiful," said Bottom, who had three of her children attend the Montessori program. "It engages their minds, using all of their senses."

The program encourages a child's natural curiosity and instills a lifelong love of learning and values such as respect, compassion, and responsibility for each other and the environment.

Students range from visual learners to auditory to kinesthetic. In a Montessori environment, the student's interaction with the material leads to the discovery and application of knowledge.

Sister Elizabeth Close, who teaches three classes in the Montessori program, compares the setting to the story of John the Baptist and Jesus.

"As a teacher, you're there to decrease and the child is there to increase," said Close, who has been with IWA for about 20 years.

Close said past students of the programs have gone on to pursue careers as doctors and lawyers  fields they are passionate about.

"In the very beginning, you're there guiding them along  When they find the right work it becomes a spontaneous joy and peace within itself. It's the work that normalizes the child  not the teacher, not anything else  and the joy they find in that work."

Kiernan, who one day wants to work for either Google or Apple, said his joy comes from the program's freedom.

"I can go ahead and be who I want and do whatever I want," Kiernan said.

Montessori fifth grader Chloe Rosales also said the curriculum allows her to become a leader in her own ability.

"You're basically on own your pace," said Chloe, whose mother, aunts and uncles attended the Montessori program. Next year, Chloe's sister Paige plans to enroll in the program.

Chloe also found her career passion within the curriculum: law.

"Last year, we had a student whose dad was a lawyer," she said, "and two or three times he would come over and do a mini case."

IWA junior Joseph Cook said he can focus more on his decision to pursue either a career in either airspace engineering or medicine career.

"When I got into middle school," Joseph, 16, said, "I was a grade ahead in math. I finished my math classes last year, and am already getting college credit in a good majority of my classes."

IWA Montessori program

Who: Ages 3 through fifth grade

Founded in: September 1965

How many students: 140 (2015-16 school year)

Named after: Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator who created the "Montessori method." This strategy emphasizes independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child's natural development.

Information: IWACC.org
Julie Garcia/Corpus Christi Caller-Times About 550 people participated in Sundays Bridge Walk, a monthly activity promoted by the Mayors Fitness Council. Corpus Christi is third in the Its Time Texas Community Challenge behind Austin and San Antonio.

SHARE Julie Garcia/Corpus Christi Caller-Times About 550 people participated in Sundays Bridge Walk, a monthly activity promoted by the Mayors Fitness Council. Corpus Christi is third in the Its Time Texas Community Challenge behind Austin and San Antonio. Julie Garcia/Corpus Christi Caller-Times About 550 people participated in Sundays Bridge Walk, a monthly activity promoted by the Mayors Fitness Council. Corpus Christi is third in the Its Time Texas Community Challenge behind Austin and San Antonio. Julie Garcia/Corpus Christi Caller-Times Participants bring their dogs for the monthly trek over Harbor Bridge during Sundays Bridge Walk. About 550 people participated in Sundays Bridge Walk, a monthly activity promoted by the Mayors Fitness Council. Corpus Christi is third in the Its Time Texas Community Challenge behind Austin and San Antonio. Julie Garcia/Corpus Christi Caller-Times Participants bring their dogs for the monthly trek over Harbor Bridge during Sundays Bridge Walk. About 550 people participated in Sundays Bridge Walk, a monthly activity promoted by the Mayors Fitness Council. Corpus Christi is third in the Its Time Texas Community Challenge behind Austin and San Antonio.

By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times

Overcoming breast cancer put things in perspective for Lora Meza.

One of those things is her activity level, and that has pushed her to register for every monthly across the Harbor Bridge since January 2014.

"They have everything here from the Bridge Walk to Tai-Chi to yoga," Meza said, clutching her pink Bridge Walk "Walked It" T-shirt in her hand. "I think it's very important for the community to get out and be active, especially with illnesses like cancer and diabetes so prevalent in this community."

Now a full month into the It's Time Texas Community Challenge, a contest presented by H-E-B to reveal the most enthusiastic and fit city in the state, Mayor Nelda Martinez and the Mayor's Fitness Council are promoting community-based activities to get people moving. Bridge Walk is every Sunday after the first Friday's Art Walk in downtown Corpus Christi, and nearly 550 people participated Sunday.

Until March 31, residents are encouraged to register at ItsTimeTexas.org/communitychallenge and upload photos, like gym selfies, healthy food choices or activities with friends or family to earn their city points. The city with the most points at the end of March will be crowned the fittest in its category.

In the Metro category (300,000-plus population), Corpus Christi is third with 102,470 points behind Austin and San Antonio. The city is followed by Fort Worth and Houston.

"If you don't have a healthy community, it's such a multiplier of socio-ecomonic ills," Martinez said. "We were rated low in our health of the community, and we're trying to address that by adding more options to becoming a healthier community, but also trying to do outreach with the Mayor's Fitness Council and letting them know what we do have."

Martinez added that neither San Antonio, Austin or Fort Worth can claim a fitness event with the kind of view only found in Corpus Christi Bay.

"You feel like you can conquer the world afterward," Martinez said.

Sunday was the first Bridge Walk for Alex Quintanilla, at-risk coordinator for Tuloso-Midway Independent School District. Along with two co-workers and another friend, she waited until the large group of walkers were a quarter of the way up the Harbor Bridge before she took the first step.

"I like the camaraderie with my community; we all support each other," Quintanilla said. "It's fun to be together. It's such a unique part of Corpus Christi."

Twitter: @Caller_Jules
SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Anthony Macias

By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times

Nueces County prosecutors are going to a higher court to appeal a judge's findings that they violated ethical rules in a murder case.

The district attorney's office isn't disputing that Courtney Hayden should get a new trial, the motion states, but they disagree with the judge's reasons for granting her a new trial.

"A holding that the state fails to preserve error in such a situation may have a chilling effect on a prosecuting attorney who is considering whether to agree to a new trial," the motion states.

A jury convicted Hayden, 26, on Nov. 25 of murder in the shooting death of Anthony Macias, 33, on April 30, 2014, in her town house and sentenced her to 40 years in prison.

Last month, 28th District Judge Nanette Hasette reversed Hayden's conviction on the basis of prosecutorial misconduct related to evidence that wasn't disclosed to the defense until after the trial.

"The court concluded that the intentional suppression of evidence and lack of timely disclosure of exculpatory, mitigating and impeachment evidence described herein constitutes prosecutorial misconduct and undermines the confidence of the public in the judicial system," Hasette wrote in a 7-page order.

The motion notifies the judge prosecutors are seeking a ruling from the 13th Court of Appeals.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers initially presented an agreed order to Hasette on Jan. 15 but the judge didn't sign it, instead choosing to go forward with a scheduled hearing.

"The state agreed that Hayden receive a new trial in the interest of justice due to information, whose favorability and materiality the state disputed that was in the state's possession and not disclosed until after trial," the motion states.

Prosecutors agreed defense lawyers were not informed about a medical examiner's wavering opinion about the fatal gunshot wound. But several prosecutors including a supervisor and District Attorney Mark Skurka testified in the two-day hearing that the information was not maliciously withheld.

Skurka was not available for comment Monday. Defense lawyer Nathan Burkett said he planned to file a response and was researching previous cases. Burkett said he wasn't familiar with cases in which prosecutors appeal a judge's findings without appealing the conclusion.

At the start of her trial, Hayden, 26, pleaded guilty to an aggravated robbery she committed with Macias about a week before the shooting. For that crime, she was sentenced to 10 years and fined $10,000. The judge's order also reversed her sentence.

Twitter: @CallerKMT

Hayden Motion to Appeal
| BY Ricki Green |

ADMA (Association for Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising) has today announced it has launched a brand new education curriculum ADMA IQ. The new education offer has been developed after wide consultation with the industry in order to equip todays marketers with the skills they need to succeed and innovate in a rapidly-changing market.

Click to view the brochure  ADMA_IQ_Brochure2016_FINAL_FOR_DIGITAL_USE_V5.pdf

ADMA IQ offers marketers a modular approach to learning, allowing participants to select courses and topics to match their individual needs. This means that ADMAs industry- recognised certificates can now be made up of individual courses to meet specific learning requirements. Flexibility is key with modules, courses and certificates offered online, in-class or via bespoke in-house courses within an organisation. The new curriculum suits entry level to advanced and covers analytics, creative, content, data, digital marketing, marketing technology, mobile, privacy & compliance, search marketing and social.

Says Jodie Sangster, CEO of ADMA: There is a serious gap in appropriately skilled marketers when it comes to data analytics and true data driven marketing, and that needs to change if Australian businesses want to engage effectively with consumers.

ADMA consulted widely with the industry on what was needed to address this gap which led to a significant investment in developing an entirely new curriculum, ADMA IQ, in order to drive forward marketing and advertising excellence and innovation in Australia.

ADMA commissioned[1] a survey of 300 leaders in the marketing industry to outline the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

When asked which skills leading marketers draw on in their current role, over a third (37 per cent) said they rely on multiple skills including data analytics, copywriting, content creation, social media strategy and programmatic. When asked which skills theyll rely on more in five years time the number relying on all these skills jumped to 52 per cent.

Despite this need for an increasingly diverse range of digital skills, over half (53.8 per cent) of those surveyed admitted there are aspects of their job theyve never trained in, with the most common areas being data analytics, social media and digital marketing.

The most important skill for the future, according to marketers, will be data analytics, with 94.4 per cent agreeing they will need to use this more than they currently do in five years time, and 94 per cent saying it is important or very important to use data to predict consumer needs in marketing[2].

The ability to analyse data was even placed well ahead of creativity and story-telling ability when marketers were asked which attributes will be most important for the future (90 per cent ranked as important versus 78 per cent and 73 per cent respectively).

Despite this challenging shortage of skills, there is widespread optimism that the industry will continue to thrive, with 86 per cent of those surveyed describing themselves as optimistic or highly optimistic, and only 14 per cent being neutral or unsure.

[1] Survey commissioned by ADMA and conducted by PureProfile. It asked marketing professionals a range of questions designed to highlight the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the industry in Australia.
| BY Ricki Green |

Carat ANZ CEO Simon Ryan has today announced several internal promotions and formal title changes in a move designed to further bolster Carats national executive leadership Team (ELT) and reward high performing talent.

Effective immediately, Sam Hegg will become the chief strategy officer for Carat Australia. Formerly Carats national head of product, Hegg has been integral in establishing the agencys standout strategic offering, including spearheading a number of recent high profile new business wins. His new role is designed to ensure strategic consistency and alignment, both across the national network and globally.

Adriana Colaneri has been appointed to the position of chief marketing officer. Colaneri has been with Carat for over ten years, most recently in her capacity as national head of marketing. Having already made an enormous impact over her short tenure, Colaneris appointment reflects Carats local and global commitment to positioning the brand as a market leader.

Sarah James will become the chief digital officer. Formerly the national head of digital, James new role positions her as the driving force behind Carats 100% digital vision for 2020. She will work closely with technology partners, global media partners, and digital agencies to keep Carat clients at the forefront of digital evolution.

Ashley Earnshaw will join Carats national ELT in the position of chief investment officer. Currently Carat Sydneys head of trading, Earnshaws new role is part of an increased emphasis on alignment of client investment priorities across Carats five offices, with a clear national investment agenda.

Says Ryan: Im extremely pleased to further bolster the national Carat executive team with such fine, high performing talent. This team has been built to not only support leadership and specialist divisions in each state, but to also add rigor and bench-strength at a senior level, ensuring our clients are properly serviced in this ever-changing convergent media landscape.

Our clients deserve the best. That, and the personal pride I have in Carat means we only hire and promote the very best people; we focus first and foremost on our clients needs, and how we can best position ourselves to deliver on that. With our growth and maturity in the market, this sets the standard for quality and best practice.

The new appointments come off the back of an incredibly successful 2015 for the agency, including winning over $115m in new business and being named B&Ts 2015 Media Agency of the Year.
| BY Ricki Green |

Medibank has launched a new advertising campaign via Whybin\TBWA Group Melburne, to demonstrate Medibank as a company that sees and delivers on the different health insurance needs of its customers to deliver better health.

The campaign, named i am better, celebrates and embraces the diversity and individuality of Australians. The campaign highlights Medibanks commitment and enthusiasm to continually evolve to serve the varied needs of Australias ever-changing and expansive demographic.

Award winning documentary filmmaker Celeste Geer was engaged to capture Australia as it really is  creating television commercials that feature real people and families from varied backgrounds, cultures and configurations that form families, reflecting a real and honest depiction of the diversity of Australia today.

Individual and families were filmed in their own homes, doing what they do together without any scripting or propping of the environment. The team turned up and filmed what they found on the day, uncovering some very insightful, truthful and touching moments.

Similarly, the campaign stills which hero a series of faces of everyday Australians, was approached in the same way. A temporary studio was set up and real people were brought in from the street and photographed there and then. There was no hair styling or make-up, they were captured simply as they were that day, walking down the street.

Using real people and real families, the campaign portrays human truths and represents some parts of modern society that are often ignored in traditional media and campaigns.

Says Fiona Le Brocq, GM of brand and marketing at Medibank: Health insurance funds are seen as essentially all the same. It was important for us to show how Medibank is different and the many ways we stand for better health for everyone.

We recognise that people live and love differently and we are always seeking ways forward to provide the right cover and services for every kind of family and every kind of individual, for life. As a company that provides such a vital service to help protect peoples health, it is essential that we acknowledge and deliver to meet the diverse needs of our 3.9 million members. Theres nothing more important than getting the right health cover and care.

Aiming for widespread reach and engagement, the advertising campaign launched nationally through TV, cinema, radio, OOH, digital, social and earned media channels yesterday.

An integrated, multi-agency campaign, Medibanks i am better is supported by Carat  which is managing media planning and buying  and Ogilvy PR, which is responsible for public relations.

Creative Agency: Whybin/TBWA Group Melbourne

Executive Creative Director: Paul Reardon

Campaign Producer: Nik Round

Creative Director: Tara Ford

Creative Director: Matt Stoddart

Senior Art Director: Daniel Pizzato

Director: Celeste Geer

DOP: Jason Hargraves

Senior Account Director: Matt Chiodo

Medibank General Manager Brand & Marketing: Fiona Le Brocq

Medibank Head of Brand: Kelly MacLean

Medibank Head of Marketing Communications: Joanna Manderson

Medibank Marketing Manager: Samantha Gerrand

Medibank Consumer PR Lead: Giselle Lloyd
| BY Ricki Green |

AdFest is pleased to announce that Mike Edmonds, executive creative director and chairman of Meerkats Brand Leadership Co. in Perth, Western Australia, will join a prestigious line-up of speakers at AdFest 2016.

In a session titled, Who will be the future heroes of creativity? Edmonds will examine the nature of creative gurus of the future.

Says Edmonds: Unlike the old days of advertising, the most successful marketing storytellers of the future will not be those who are merely best at inspiring consumers with innovative messaging. It will be those who can best master the one final potent weapon our industry possesses: the truth.

Forget finding new ways to connect with consumers. Forget analysing mountains of new data in order to create new customer intimacy. Forget even evolving from creative messaging to media-neutral business ideas. Unless you can prove to consumers that your clients motives are pure, all the clever creativity in the world will not save you from a future world of highly cynical, highly educated, super-connected consumers.

Edmonds session will challenge some of the current theories on the future of creative excellence in a tech-heavy world. He will also offer practical advice on how brand truth affects not just the outputs of your agency, but also re-shapes your creative department, re-structures agency hierarchy, re-thinks your working processes with clients, and above all totally re-invents your agency culture.

With a 30-year career as an ECD, Edmonds is one of the leading visionaries of the Western Australian branding and marketing industry. His agency Meerkats has been named Campaign Brief Agency of the Year three times in five years.

Based in Perth  which is located closer to Asian advertising markets than it is to Sydney  Edmonds is passionate about sharing Meerkats philosophies with delegates at AdFest 2016.

Says Jimmy Lam, president, AdFest: Mike feels strongly that we industry leaders need to leave our egos behind and share our knowledge openly. His agency believes in giving away its IP in the hopes that it helps create a more effective, and thereby respected, advertising industry globally. For this reason, I think his session will be one of the highlights at AdFest 2016.

Dont miss Who will be the future heroes of creativity? on Saturday 19th March at 10.45am.
| BY Ricki Green |

Myer and Clemenger BBDO Melbourne are launching No Regrets, a new campaign encouraging shoppers to be more adventurous.

Designed to attract shoppers back in-store (and out of its post-Christmas hibernation), No Regrets showcases Myers impressive new Autumn/Winter range. The campaign entices shoppers to indulge their urges, try new things and succumb to temptation.

Myer is also shining a light on its well-regarded Returns Policy, playfully re-naming it the No Regrets Policy. This rational underpinning is designed to act as a safety net, reassuring shoppers that they can be more experimental with their shopping choices, safe in the knowledge that if they change their mind, they can return their purchase.

Says Daniel Bracken, Myer chief merchandise and marketing officer and deputy CEO: The New Myer strategy has seen a host of new brands come on board in the last six months. The best of TOPSHOP TOPMAN, Jack & Jones, Nine West, Seed, Stella McCartney intimates and Tiger Mist can now all be found in our stores.

We want our customers to see our transformation for themselves, and visit our stores to see these great new brands, layouts and service improvements.

Says Simon Lamplough, group managing director at Clemenger BBDO: While the impressive

range of new brands provides a timely reminder to customers that Myer is changing, we felt we also needed to provide a rational safety net to give customers permission to shop.

Australians know they can rely on the Myer Returns Policy so re-launching it with a fresh tonality felt both necessary for the campaign to be successful as well as appropriate for Myers ongoing brand transformation.

The campaign will launch today in-store and across all Myers owned channels. Large format outdoor, in-centre media, AdShel, catalogues and a large digital presence are being used to issue playful provocations to get people out and shopping. Underpinning these messages is the No Regrets Policy which is also featured in standalone communications across the media buy.

Client: Myer

Daniel Bracken  Chief Merchandise & Marketing Officer and Deputy CEO

Natalie Warren-Smith  GM Marketing Strategy & Communications

Joanne Brennan  Senior Marketing Manager

Tenielle Dunstall  Senior Marketing Manager

Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne

James McGrath  Creative Chairman

Carolyn Mackintosh, Evan Roberts, Stephen de Wolf  Creative Directors

Tania DeMasi  Creative Group Head

Rupert Carr-Gregg, Thalia Economo, Roxanne Dalton  Art Directors

Dennis Marchese, Kirsty Bennett, Alberta Gunner  Copywriters

Jake Turnbull  Design Director

Simon Lamplough  Group Managing Director

Kellie Lennon  Business Director

Sam McConnell, Grant Oorloff  Account Directors

Tina Fouyaxis, Nadia Mattarucco, Carrie Hack  Account Managers

Sharon Adams  Operations Director
| BY Ricki Green |

The Integer Group Australia (Integer) has expanded its leadership team following significant wins.

As the promotional, retail and shopper-marketing agency within Whybin\TBWA, Integer has recently been appointed lead agency on shopper strategy for Lion. To support its trajectory, new hire Wylie Fowler (left) has been hired as general manager.

Coming from Octagon Sydney, Fowler has over 15 years experience in experiential, retail and integrated advertising and has worked across leading brands including ANZ, Coca-Cola, Hyundai, Telstra and XXXX Gold.

Says Georgia Bruton, managing director, Integer Australia: Wylie brings a breadth of knowledge across a multitude of marcoms disciplines to the team, elevating Integers offer to a new level. His wealth of retail, digital, experiential and campaign experience and passion for innovative solutions will ensure a fresh and smart approach for our local clients.
Sunday, February 7, 2016 at 7:37PM

As a way to improve call quality on its app, Google Hangouts latest update introduces peer-to-peer connection. This means, you and the person youre calling will be directly connected to each other and will not be using Googles servers when possible. This P2P option should improve both audio and video calls for users whove had poor connections before. And if youre worried about security, it appears there isnt a way for Hangouts to display your IP address.

Google didnt say what the requirements are to get P2P working but they did say that if there is no P2P connection, you should connect to the companys servers as usualwhich means you may or may not notice any difference at all. Its initially available to Android but Google plans to bring it to iOS and web as well.

Source: Google | Via: SlashGear
"I think a lot of people don't really see the value of securing their bike because they think it's only an inexpensive bike, $150 or $200, however when it's actually stolen it's very inconvenient to them, that's their mode of transport," he said.
Until recently, an archaic provision in ACT law meant some offenders could not be charged if their victims, whose trauma and vulnerability often make them unwilling or unable to make a complaint, did not come forward soon after their abuse. The statute of limitations required female child sex victims, aged 14 and 15 between 1951 and 1985, and male victims between 1976 and 1985, to report crimes within 12 months of their occurrence. The ACT government removed that limitation in 2013, and new prosecutions have been launched as a result.
This perspective is misleading for several reasons. If we look at drinkers over a period of years, a much higher proportion will have had a serious health, social or financial alcohol problem at some stage. The proportion of drinkers who have had a serious problem increases the longer they are studied. About one in every eight male drinkers and about one in 12 female drinkers will develop a serious problem with alcohol in 10 to 15 years. Some studies report even higher figures. Also, some of the problems from alcohol are not primarily experienced by the drinker but by their family, friends or even complete strangers.
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Three college students who first met while attending a Catholic high school in Florida have launched a scholarship fund to help others experience faithful Catholic education at a Newman Guide college. As we went off to different colleges, we kept in touch and found time to catch up whenever we returned []
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.
Central University of Kashmir invited applications for the posts of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor. The eligible candidates can apply to the post through the prescribed format latest by 29 February 2016.

Notification details

Advertisement No.: 02 of 2016 dated 30.01.2016

Central University of Kashmir Vacancy Details:

Name of the Post: Department of Education (B.Ed./M.Ed. Programmes)

Professor - 01 post

Associate Professor - 01 post

Assistant Professor - 10 posts

Name of the Subjects:

1. Psychology/Sociology

2. Psychology

3. Education

4. English

5. Geography/Economics

6. History

7. Bio-Sciences (Bot/Zool/Biotech/Biochem)

8. Physical Sciences (Physics/Chemistry/Math)/Home Sciences

Eligibility Criteria for Central University of Kashmir Faculty Jobs:

Educational Qualification & Experience:

Professor - (i) A Master's Degree in Arts / Humanities / Sciences / Commerce and M. Ed. each with a minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed), OR M. A. (Education) with 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) and B. Ed. each with a minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed); (ii) Ph. D. in Education; and. (iii) At least ten years of teaching experience in University department of education or College of Education of which a minimum of five years at the M. Ed. level with published work in the area of his specialization.

Associate Professor - (i) A Master's Degree in Arts / Humanities / Sciences / Commerce and M. Ed. each with a minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed), OR M. A. (Education) with 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) and B. Ed. each with a minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed); (ii) Ph. D. in Education; and.(iii)At least eight years of teaching experience in University department of education or College of Education, with a minimum of three years at the M. Ed. level and has published work in the relevant area of specialization.

Assistant Professor - (i) A Master's Degree in Arts / Humanities / Sciences / Commerce and M. Ed. each with a minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed), OR M. A. (Education) with 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) and B. Ed. each with a minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed); (ii) The candidate must have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) in Education conducted by the UGC or similar test accredited by the UGC.

Age Limit

65 years

Application Fee

For SC/ST/Women/In-service Candidates of CUK- Rs. 150/-

For all other candidates - Rs. 300/-

Mode of Payment - Demand Draft in favour of Central University of Kashmir, payable at Srinagar (J&K)

How to Apply?

Eligible candidates can apply to the post through the prescribed format which can be downloaded from the website and send the applications along with other necessary documents to the Recruitment Section, Central University of Kashmir Nowgam Bye-pass, Near Puhroo Crossing, Srinagar - 190015 (J&K).. The last date of receipt of application is 29 February 2016.

Important Date:
Applications are invited by National Investigation Agency. NIA is looking out for 7 posts of Sr Private Secretary Posts. Details of the this recruitment is listed below.

Name of the post and Number of posts allocated

Senior Private Secretary: 7

How to Apply for NIA Job?

Candidates who are interested to apply for the above mentioned jobs must see that they are eligible for this job. Once they find themselves eligible they can apply for this job through post in a prescribed format. Do not forget to send the applications along with other necessary documents.

The address where the applications need to be sent is: the DIG (Adm), NIA HQ, 7th floor, NDCC-II Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi-110001.

For Admit Card, Result and all other details visit the official website.

What are the Important Dates Associated with job/post?

Date of Publication of Advertisement: 06 February 2016

Last Date for Submission of Application: 06 June 2016 (02 months from the date of publication of advertisement).
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During the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Auction, the very first 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn sold for $750,000 to a Californian collector.



All funds raised from the sale will benefit the Naples Children & Education Foundation, an organisation founded by the Naples Winter Wine Festival. An additional $10.35 million raised throughout the course of the event will also go towards the charity which helps the lives of children by providing grants to over 40 non-profit agencies.

The first customer Rolls-Royce Dawn produced is painted in a shade of white dubbed Andalusian and includes a fabric roof finished in Deep Red. Canadel Panelling is also included across the front fascia, rear decklid and doors.

Inside, the luxurious droptop is finished with Arctic White and Consor Red leather and includes treadplates that read Build No.1 for Dawn in North America.

The winning bidder will take delivery of the car in April thanks to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Naples Florida and immediately after, global deliveries of the Dawn will commence.

PHOTO GALLERY
Even though the Pittsburgh Steelers werent competing in Super Bowl 50, Rolls-Royce decided to create a special Ghost for Steelers player Antonio Brown to use as a daily driver around San Francisco during the event.



The British marque wrapped its entry-level model in a distinct shade of matte gold which has then been complemented with a brushed silver hood, an aluminum front grille and a chrome strip across on the trunk lid.

Completing the look are Browns initials and playing number on the front quarter panels as well as his signature catchphrase Business Is Boomin on the doors.

Given his base salary of almost $8.5 million per year, it shouldnt come as a surprise that Brown frequently drive Rolls-Royces. As a matter of fact, he owns a custom Phantom wrapped in matte black with matte yellow racing stripes.

PHOTO GALLERY
What we have here is footage of a giant 5m (16 ft) sinkhole which opened up in the city of Trujilo in Peru and started feeding on a car that was traveling along the road.



Inside the car was a family (parents and their two-year-old daughter), who suffered only minor bruises. Witnesses managed to film as passers-by helped pull the terrified family out of the car through the front window with a makeshift rope.

The driver, identified as Edgar Orlando Bartolo Silva, told the media that he had stopped his car right before it began sinking.

Some people helped us, but we were scared, because water began to filter into the vehicle, explained Mr Silva. A local news agency said that the creation of the sinkhole can be explained by a burst sewer pipe as well as the heavy rain and flooding that took place during the past week within the region.

As much as we think this situation was an extremely difficult one already, for those inside the car, we dont even want to imagine what the rescue would have looked like had the sinkhole been just a little deeper, with the water starting to flood the car before anybody could have gotten to it.

Also, the fact that people got involved with the rescue operation and didnt wait for the police or the fire department shows a lot of solidarity.

VIDEO
Photo: CTV

The independent office charged with overseeing the British Columbia real estate market will investigate allegations of fraud and insider trading by some Metro Vancouver real estate agents, the provincial government said Monday.

Superintendent of Real Estate Carolyn Rogers will work with an advisory group being set up by the Real Estate Council of B.C. to look into concerns raised by media reports and Opposition politicians, said B.C. Minister Peter Fassbender.

"The reason we have an independent superintendent's office is that they are charged with ensuring that best practices are in place," he said in an interview.

"Any regulatory changes that might be required will be brought forward, and so we are encouraging that any issues that come up be directed to the superintendent or to the real estate council, to make sure the public is protected on every front."

The government dismissed calls from the Opposition New Democrats to launch a formal arm's-length inquiry. Fassbender said the superintendent is independent and the government will take "very seriously" any recommendations that are issued.

Fassbender said the government will also be taking measures in the upcoming budget intended to address concerns about housing supply, pricing and affordability.

NDP housing critic David Eby claimed Monday that some real estate agents have been avoiding property transfer and capital gains taxes while exploiting a clause in contracts that allows for a series of home flips, increasing the final price by hundreds of thousands.

He also alleged that some real estate agents have been helping clients hide the foreign origins of money used in transactions by putting the broker's location instead of the purchaser's address on federal anti-money laundering forms.

"Both of these independent issues would be serious enough on their own," Eby said at a news conference. "But together, with so many widespread reports coming from different sources, they lead us to the inevitable conclusion that oversight of the real estate industry in British Columbia is woefully inadequate."

He said the province has fallen "asleep at the switch" and could be losing millions in tax revenue, giving an unfair advantage to realtors in insider trading, and defeating anti-money laundering protections.

"There are many Realtors who conduct themselves professionally ... and are valued members of our communities," he said. "Their reputations are directly impugned by this kind of conduct."

Eby sent two letters in January to the Real Estate Council of B.C., which regulates licensed agents, after a real estate agent came forward as a whistleblower.

He outlined allegations that some agents and investors were exploiting a clause that permits contracts to be sold multiple times before the closing date.

The practice allows agents to enjoy what's called a "lift," or an increase in price each time the contract changes hands, as well as a commission on each sale. Only the final buyer pays the property transfer tax.

The council initially declined to investigate, stating in a Jan. 19 letter to Eby that "no specifics have been provided that would suggest that your informants' concerns are warranted."

But in a statement on Monday the council said it was deeply concerned by the allegations. An advisory group will investigate whether the so-called assignment clauses are being used appropriately and develop recommendations to increase enforcement and oversight, it said.

"We realize that this is an urgent matter and expect to announce the members of the multi-stakeholder advisory group within the coming two weeks," it said.

The group will report back to the council with initial recommendations in 60 days.

The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, or FINTRAC, is the federal agency responsible for policing attempts to launder money in Canada. Realtors are required to fill out a FINTRAC form for every transaction.

Using the broker's Canadian address on the form instead of the purchaser's foreign address reduces the level of risk perceived by FINTRAC as they do their audits, Eby said.

Renee Bercier, speaking for the federal agency, is legally barred from commenting on any information it has received or enforcement actions it has taken.

"That being said, FINTRAC considers the allegations made to be serious."
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
Cemex outlines 2016 investment spend

08 February 2016

Cemex plans to invest US$700m in various maintenance and expansion projects in 2016, according to Fernando Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex.



Of the total sum US$450m will be allocated to plant maintenance while the balance will be invested in expanding its current operations, repositioning of stock and a new plant in Colombia.



In 2015 Cemex carried out a cost reduction programme, along with increasing its cash flow and selling assets. This resulted in a gain of US$75m, the first net profit in six years and reversing the loss of US$507m posted in 2014.



Cemex CEO said the company would continue to sell assets  around US$2.2bn in 2016-17. By December 2015, Cemex had sold US$700m of assets.



For 2016 the company expects to see cement sales increase by 3-4 per cent while concrete and aggregate sales are forecast to rise 5-6 per cent.

Published under
Akmenes posts decline in 2015 revenue

08 February 2016

Lithuania's sole cement manufacturer Akmenes Cementas posted a decline of around six per cent in 2015 revenue to EUR55.4m from EUR59.2m a year earlier.

Nearly 50 per cent of revenue derived from exports, mainly to Poland, Scandinavia and Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad, the Verslo Zinios business daily reported on Friday.



Cement consumption more or less reflects the situation in the Lithuanian construction sector. In 2013 cement consumption rose by approximately 10 per cent whereas in 2014 the market shrank by five per cent and in 2015  by another approximately seven per cent. Competition is getting stronger, Akmenes Cementas CEO, Arturas Zaremba, told the daily.



Cement manufacturers from Belarus, which seek to force their way into the neighbouring EU markets, had a market share of approximately 15 per cent of Lithuanias cement market, he said, adding that vendors in Lithuania were also selling cement from Latvia and Sweden.

Published under
Former Baylor School administrator Michael McBrien has literally traveled to different parts of the world since leaving Chattanooga in 2010.He was the headmaster of The American School in England just outside London for five years, but is now back in East Tennessee serving in his first year as president of Webb School in Knoxville.But his mind has continued to explore, and he is busily trying to institute new programs at the independent day school.He recently helped Webb put together plans for the Knoxville areas first fifth grade academy that will open this fall, and he also helped the school develop its first pre-K program, also to be unveiled this year.During a recent interview in Knoxville, he said the idea for the academy came simply from looking at the established and respected school with a set of fresh eyes as its new administrator and asking what if questions.If youre in the fifth grade and in the lower school (Webbs name for its elementary school) for six years, what can we do to make the school more unique? McBrien said. What is the right environment and what motivates the students?He said the program will include adding a third fifth-grade section of students, putting the students in their own space, letting them travel to different classrooms for core subjects, and using collaboration and integration. Mentoring, service and leadership activities will also be part of the program, he said.Helping him and the school institute the program is another former Chattanoogan, Angie Crabtree, who is currently the head of Webbs lower school but worked and taught at St. Nicholas School from 1989-93.During the same interview, she said the faculty at Webb is quite excited. They are already trying to see how they are going to integrate it into their teaching, said Ms. Crabtree, who worked with St. Nicholas after care program for two years and then its Early Learning Center for 4- and 5-year-olds.For Mr. McBrien, being at Webb since last July has been another rewarding stop in a career that also included working at Babson College in Massachusetts and the University of California Berkeley, and starting a charter school in Colorado.You walk around and know this place has a heart, he said of Webb, pointing out that it has a great sense of community.He said he also has rich memories of being at Baylor and living in the housing village of campus off Old Baylor School Road with his wife, Betsy, and their four children.I thoroughly loved working at Baylor, he said. The faculty was stellar and the students were fantastic.Mr. McBrien, who found out about an opening at Baylor through an educational consultant, first served as head of student affairs after arriving in 2004 and later was named head of school.He said one aspect about his time at Baylor that helped him become part of the community even more was that his four children attended there at the time. Beau McBrien graduated in 2005, Anne McBrien Head in 2007 and Kate McBrien in 2010. Another son, Zach, also attended there until the McBriens moved to England.We were really connected with the students, Mr. McBrien said. It was wonderful living on campus, as we were able to fully participate in the life of the school.Wife Betsy also used her training and skills to help with the design of the Baylor student center renovation and other campus improvements while they were there.In comparing Baylor and Webb, Mr. McBrien diplomatically calls them both great schools.Baylor and Webb are both top-tier independent schools, which truly do prepare students for college and life, he said.He also enjoyed his time in the county of Surrey in England serving as headmaster of The American School in England, which is affiliated with The American School in Switzerland (TASIS).Working internationally was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he said. Working at a school that had students from over 49 countries was fascinating. The school was located in a small village and our campus was composed of historical buildings with the English charm.While it did offer similarities to Baylor in that the traditional American college preparatory curriculum was offered and it was also a day/boarding school, a big difference was that it had students as young as age 3.It also had one small advantage over Baylor, he admitted, but it was due simply to geography.One of the greatest advantages of living in the UK (United Kingdom) was that you could travel with students to the historical sites that they had been studying, such as Athens, Egypt, Pisa, Florence, and Paris, he said.Mr. McBrien has enjoyed continuing to study ways to help students in a positive way as well. And he feels he has found that ideal opportunity at Webb.What sold me on this place was the students, he said. They are an amazing group of kids.Jcshearer2@comcast.net
This is a schematic illustration of the experimental strategy: Double stranded DNA bundles (gray) form tetrahedral cages. Single stranded DNA strands on the edges (green) and vertices (red) match up with complementary strands on gold nanoparticles. This results in a single gold particle being trapped inside each tetrahedral cage, and the cages binding together by tethered gold nanoparticles at each vertex. The result is a crystalline nanoparticle lattice that mimics the long-range order of crystalline diamond. The images below the schematic are (left to right): a reconstructed cryo-EM density map of the tetrahedron, a caged particle shown in a negative-staining TEM image, and a diamond superlattice shown at high magnification with cryo-STEM.

Using bundled strands of DNA to build Tinkertoy-like tetrahedral cages, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have devised a way to trap and arrange nanoparticles in a way that mimics the crystalline structure of diamond. The achievement of this complex yet elegant arrangement may open a path to new materials that take advantage of the optical and mechanical properties of this crystalline structure for applications such as optical transistors, color-changing materials, and lightweight yet tough materials.

"We solved a 25-year challenge in building diamond lattices in a rational way via self-assembly," said Oleg Gang, a physicist who led this research at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials ( CFN ) at Brookhaven Lab in collaboration with scientists from Stony Brook University, Wesleyan University, and Nagoya University in Japan.

The scientists employed a technique developed by Gang that uses fabricated DNA as a building material to organize nanoparticles into 3D spatial arrangements . They used ropelike bundles of double-helix DNA to create rigid, three-dimensional frames, and added dangling bits of single-stranded DNA to bind particles coated with complementary DNA strands.

"We're using precisely shaped DNA constructs made as a scaffold and single-stranded DNA tethers as a programmable glue that matches up particles according to the pairing mechanism of the genetic code-A binds with T, G binds with C," said Wenyan Liu of the CFN, the lead author on the paper. "These molecular constructs are building blocks for creating crystalline lattices made of nanoparticles."

The difficulty of diamond

As Liu explained, "Building diamond superlattices from nano- and micro-scale particles by means of self-assembly has proven remarkably difficult. It challenges our ability to manipulate matter on small scales."

The reasons for this difficulty include structural features such as a low packing fraction-meaning that in a diamond lattice, in contrast to many other crystalline structures, particles occupy only a small part of the lattice volume-and strong sensitivity to the way bonds between particles are oriented. "Everything must fit together in just such a way without any shift or rotation of the particles' positions," Gang said. "Since the diamond structure is very open, many things can go wrong, leading to disorder."

"Even to build such structures one-by-one would be challenging," Liu added, "and we needed to do so by self-assembly because there is no way to manipulate billions of nanoparticles one-by-one."

Gang's previous success using DNA to construct a wide range of nanoparticle arrays suggested that a DNA-based approach might work in this instance.

DNA guides assembly

The team first used the ropelike DNA bundles to build tetrahedral "cages"-a 3D object with four triangular faces. They added single-stranded DNA tethers pointing toward the interior of the cages using T,G,C,A sequences that matched up with complementary tethers attached to gold nanoparticles. When mixed in solution, the complementary tethers paired up to "trap" one gold nanoparticle inside each tetrahedron cage.

The arrangement of gold nanoparticles outside the cages was guided by a different set of DNA tethers attached at the vertices of the tetrahedrons. Each set of vertices bound with complementary DNA tethers attached to a second set of gold nanoparticles.

When mixed and annealed, the tetrahedral arrays formed superlattices with long-range order where the positions of the gold nanoparticles mimics the arrangement of carbon atoms in a lattice of diamond, but at a scale about 100 times larger.

"Although this assembly scenario might seem hopelessly unconstrained, we demonstrate experimentally that our approach leads to the desired diamond lattice, drastically streamlining the assembly of such a complex structure," Gang said.

The proof is in the images. The scientists used cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) to verify the formation of tetrahedral frames by reconstructing their 3D shape from multiple images. Then they used in-situ small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), and cryo scanning transmission electron microscopy (cryo-STEM) at the CFN, to image the arrays of nanoparticles in the fully constructed lattice.

"Our approach relies on the self-organization of the triangularly shaped blunt vertices of the tetrahedra (so called 'footprints') on isotropic spherical particles. Those triangular footprints bind to spherical particles coated with complementary DNA, which allows the particles to coordinate their arrangement in space relative to one another. However, the footprints can arrange themselves in a variety of patterns on a sphere. It turns that one particular placement is more favorable, and it corresponds to the unique 3D placement of particles that locks the diamond lattice," Gang said.

The team supported their interpretation of the experimental results using theoretical modeling that provided insight about the main factors driving the successful formation of diamond lattices.

Sparkling implications

"This work brings to the nanoscale the crystallographic complexity seen in atomic systems," said Gang, who noted that the method can readily be expanded to organize particles of different material compositions. The group has demonstrated previously that DNA-assembly methods can be applied to optical, magnetic, and catalytic nanoparticles as well, and will likely yield the long-sought novel optical and mechanical materials scientists have envisioned.

"We've demonstrated a new paradigm for creating complex 3D-ordered structures via self-assembly. If you can build this challenging lattice, the thinking is you can build potentially a variety of desired lattices," he said.
Getting ready to battle the cold in Norway, Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464 prepared for Operation Cold Response 2016 by loading CH-53E Super Stallions into a massive C-5 Galaxy at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Feb. 3.

Loading the disassembled aircraft onto the C-5, the Marines closely monitored the giant heavy-lift helicopters to ensure they remained undamaged, as they were delicately maneuvered inside the aircraft.

One of the struggles when loading these aircraft would include putting an already large aircraft into a slightly larger aircraft, said Cpl. Dennis L. Tice Jr., a CH-53E helicopter mechanic with HMH-464. It is almost like playing a game of operation, said Tice, referring to a once-popular childs game penalized players if they were careless in removing parts from small confined spaces.

For some of the Marines, this was their first time loading a CH-53E into another aircraft.

It is something that is not done very often, said Sgt. Kevin T. Peters, a crew chief with HMH-464. Its a rare occurrence, but doing it creates leaders for the next Marines that need to load an aircraft by giving them the knowledge and experience on how to properly load the CH-53E onto a C-5.

After the aircraft were loaded, the Marines departed on their flight to Norway to begin training.

Up to 2,000 Marines and 15,000 military personnel from 14 nations will attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-level exercise.

The key purpose of Cold Response is to train and educate participants on how to conduct joint combat operations in a cold-weather environment.

After landing, we will off-load the aircraft and build up our training area, said Peters. When everything is put into place, we will begin conducting Operation Cold Response.
As usual, before the event began Tim Tuten, one of the club's owners, got on stage and talked. He spoke of the club's Soup & Bread series, an every Wednesday night event that features, well, soup and bread (and music and conversation), with all donated funds helping Chicago food pantries and other hunger relief organizations. Tuten was enthusiastic about that but was palpably passionate when he then talked about an upcoming show that would feature music and history and one of the founders of the Young Patriots Organization. When Tuten asked how many in the crowd had heard of the Young Patriots Organization, only a small number of hands shot up, most of them attached to gray-haired folks.
The other element that gives the episode some life are the reams of newspaper headlines that have been dug up by director Cathleen O'Connell. They become an unintentional comment on the very art of headline writing itself. Every era, it seems, has headlines that point to a kind of stylistic marker for that generation (the BuzzFeed-like "10 things you never knew about " perhaps being the headline that will define the current era). There are straightforward headlines ("Sons of Millionaires Confess") but also those that are more evocative ("Boys Laugh Until Alibi is Broken"). My favorite involve the psychiatrists  then referred to as alienists; now that's a great piece of retro verbiage  Darrow employed as part of his defense strategy: "Alienist Squad Tests Mind of Leopold, Loeb." Alienist squad! As if it was something out of a Jazz Age episode of "The X-Files."
Let me back up for a moment and acknowledge that it's perfectly possible that millennial women are being swayed against Clinton by sexist forces that permeate our culture so insidiously we don't even recognize them anymore. No one is totally immune to the conservative  and sexist  drumbeat against Clinton, which has been pounding in the background of our national political soundtrack for two-and-a-half decades: She is shrill, she is dishonest, she is corrupt, blah, blah, blah.
Reporting from Portsmouth, N.H.  After the earsplitting reggae faded, after the candidate tossed his unfashionable sport coat into the crowd like a rock star and after the "Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!" chants quieted, Bernie Sanders launched into a familiar speech that is so adored by fans that much of the audience could recite it  and at times they did.

"Do you know who the largest welfare recipient in America is?" Sanders asked, his voice hoarse from day after day of shouting about political revolution. The crowd in a college gymnasium screamed in response, "Wal-Mart!" And so it went. Sanders rode his momentum back into New Hampshire on Sunday after a quick hop to New York to appear on "Saturday Night Live," where he managed to make a plug for democratic socialism in a skit.

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The insurgent showed no sign of yielding an inch of the ground he has gained in New Hampshire as Hillary Clinton's campaign struggled to close a gap that several polls put at double digits. Even as Bill Clinton, dressed like a local in a red-checked lumberjack shirt and dungarees, sought to charm voters at town halls and Hillary Clinton worked the customers at a Dunkin' Donuts in Manchester, the Clinton campaign was already looking beyond this state.

With voting here just two days away, Hillary Clinton's main event was not in the Granite State at all. It was in Flint, Mich.

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"What happened in Flint is immoral," she said at the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, where she expressed outrage over the lead-tainted water that has gripped the city in crisis and become a national symbol of racial injustice. "The children of Flint are just as precious as the children of any part of America."

The crisis, to which Clinton has been calling attention for weeks, has become a rallying point for her campaign. Clinton's role in demanding accountability from Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder may help her shore up already strong support among the African American Democrats whose votes are crucial to winning key states, including South Carolina this month and Michigan next month. On Sunday, the Democratic National Committee announced it will hold a presidential debate in the city on March 6.

Clinton "came when no one else would come," Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said.

Clinton said the timing of her trip should not be taken to mean she sees New Hampshire as a lost cause.

"Occasionally you go off the campaign trail," Clinton said at the Dunkin' Donuts, where she took selfies with customers. "I know Sen. Sanders went to New York to be on 'SNL,' and I'm going to Flint to see if we can help with the kids. That's part of it. But my commitment to this primary and to this state is absolutely rock solid."

The comment was another jab at Sanders in a weekend that was full of them from Clinton and her surrogates. They questioned Sanders' campaign tactics, his foreign policy experience, his socialist agenda.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, in New Hampshire to lend support to her friend Clinton, had a jolting message Saturday for female Sanders voters: "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help each other."

Bill Clinton was also full of warnings. "Sometimes the facts are staring you in the face," he told a group of voters in Milford. "For three years, the Republicans have been begging you not to nominate her. The people of new Hampshire have to decide how much weight to give their advice."

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At an earlier event, in Keene, Clinton said he understands the frustration that has propelled Sanders into the lead in the state. But he sought to convince his listeners that a vote for his wife was the most effective way to harness that emotion.

"We need anger and answers," Clinton said. "We can start with resentment. But in the end, results are all that matters.... We can get it all back and more. But you need a change maker."

Back in the packed, noisy gymnasium in Portsmouth, Paul McEachern, 78, was surveying the energetic Sanders crowd. McEachern was the Democratic nominee for governor in New Hampshire twice in the 1980s, and only a few months ago he was featured in the pages of the Portsmouth Herald newspaper accepting a social justice award from Bill Clinton.

His loyalty has shifted.

"When the campaign started out, I was figuring I would support Hillary," he said. "When the Goldman money came out, I could not," McEachern said, referring to the speaking fees the Clintons have accepted from financial giant Goldman Sachs.

He was struck by how many unfamiliar faces there were in the crowd of 1,200 at a community college in the outskirts of town.

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Sanders "has a very universal appeal for people, the same way that Trump has an appeal on the other side," McEachern said. "I just hope these people vote."

Not all of them were set on voting for Sanders. New Hampshire voters are known to take their time making up their minds. And several at the Sanders rally were still pondering how they might cast ballots.

"I'm not sure yet," said Houston Green, a 27-year-old independent from Londonderry who over the last week has visited separate town halls hosted by Clinton, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. "I came here to see if they can bring it out in me. The Bernie sensation, you know?"

It was in New Hampshire that Bill Clinton earned himself the label "comeback kid" after he rose from nowhere in the polls to a second-place finish. Clinton reflected fondly on that election in 1992, when his support surged a dozen percentage points in a matter of days. He declared his wife's current race is "1992 on steroids."

Manchester resident Roger Francoeur, who has voted for the Clintons in every election in which one of them has run, isn't so sure. Francoeur said he had hoped hearing Bill Clinton would help him make up his mind, but this year "is a tough decision."

"It's her big-money donors to her campaign," he said. "Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and say I'm not voting for the person I like. But is this the time? I don't know."

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Apocalyptic campaign rhetoric amid the bucolic New Hampshire scenery
Sen. Marco Rubio with the snowmen that his sons Anthony, 10, left, and Dominick, 8, built on the campaign trail in Hudson, N.H. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press)

Reporting from Londonderry, N.H.  After the worst battering of his campaign, Sen. Marco Rubio worked Sunday to telegraph reassurance while rivals continued their pile-on and tried to shake up the Republican presidential contest in a state known for last-minute shifts of fortune.

Appearing on network television and at a packed town hall meeting in Londonderry, the Florida senator echoed the same lines that drew such derision Saturday night for their repeated, mechanical delivery in his widely panned debate performance.

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"Last night it was, 'Oh, you said the same thing three or four times,'" Rubio told supporters in a high school cafeteria. "I'm going to say it again: Barack Obama is the first president, at least in my lifetime, who wants to change the country. Not fix it. Not fix its problems. He wants to make it a different kind of country."

Rubio said no more about his rocky debate performance, but his opponents on Sunday were eager to exploit what they hoped would be a pivot point in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.

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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Rubio's chief debate antagonist, bluntly asserted on CNN that his opponent "was unprepared to be president of the United States." At his own town hall in Hampton later in the day, he added, "When the lights go on, I told you he wouldn't be ready."

During the debate, Christie mocked Rubio for repeating the same memorized 25-second sound bite about Obama knowing "exactly what he's doing."

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush chimed in on "Fox News Sunday," describing his onetime political protege "as totally scripted and kind of robotic" in the debate, which was the last chance for candidates to make their case to a wide audience before Tuesday's balloting.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has run a generally positive campaign, notably declined to join the latest round of Rubio-bashing. He hopes to win over voters who say they are turned off by the increasingly mean-spirited tone of the Republican contest.

"Maybe there is change going on with the American electorate. Maybe they are fed up with negative, and they want to hear what you're for," Kasich told reporters before boarding his campaign bus in Nashua and motoring to another town hall  his 102nd of the campaign  in the state capital of Concord. "At least I'm hopeful that will be case."

Rubio finished a surprisingly strong third in the Iowa caucuses last week. He's been rising in the polls since. Bush and Christie, trailing far behind and facing elimination in New Hampshire, were both desperate to halt Rubio's momentum, hoping to emerge as the alternative to insurgents Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

The reviews for Rubio on Sunday were scathing. The Boston Herald, which circulates widely in New Hampshire, published a front-page photo of a wide-eyed Rubio and the screaming headline "Choke!" By Sunday afternoon, a reproduction was circulating outside Rubio campaign events, presumably distributed by his critics.

Democrats, eager to diminish a candidate many fear in the general election, joined in the mischief. Outside Londonderry High School, a pair of operatives from American Bridge, a liberal political action committee, appeared wearing cardboard boxes made up to look like automatons. One of them bore the words "Marco Roboto."

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It was difficult to gauge the effect of the debate just two days before the primary. A sizable chunk of the expected Republican electorate remains undecided, and the state has a history of surprising poll takers and other prognosticators with last-minute shifts in sentiment. But there was no doubting it was the main topic of discussion as New Hampshire Republicans  and plenty of political tourists from neighboring states  jammed community centers, school cafeterias, restaurants and veterans' halls to hear the candidates make their arguments.

Supporters who gathered for coffee and doughnuts ahead of Rubio's Londonderry stop insisted he was unfairly attacked. But wavering voters who had been leaning toward the Florida senator were clearly left uneasy by his performance.

"It created some doubt," said Phil Geiger, a Londonderry Republican in his mid-50s.

Dianne Martel, a 62-year-old Republican from Bedford looking to support a candidate who can rally the party establishment against Trump and Cruz, had been prepared to vote for Rubio. But she was having second thoughts after watching the debate.

"I had narrowed it down to Rubio because he was surging in the polls," she said. "After last night, I'm not sure. He froze up and kept repeating his canned answer." Now Martel says she is thinking she might vote for Bush.

If Rubio's confidence has been shaken, he didn't let it show.

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"It's what I'm going to continue to say, because it happens to be one of the main reasons why I am running," he said Sunday on ABC's "This Week," referring to his oft-repeated denunciation of Obama. "Actually, I would pay them to keep running that clip because that's what I believe passionately."

mark.barabak@latimes.com

evan.halper@latimes.com

Barabak reported from Nashua and Halper from Londonderry, N.H.

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More than two years after federal researchers found high levels of lead in homes where water mains had been replaced or new meters installed, city officials still do little to caution Chicagoans about potential health risks posed by work that Mayor Rahm Emanuel is speeding up across the city.

In a peer-reviewed study, researchers at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found alarming levels of the brain-damaging metal can flow out of household faucets for years after construction work disrupts service lines that connect buildings to the city's water system. Nearly 80 percent of the properties in Chicago are hooked up to service lines made of lead.

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The study also found the city's testing protocols  based on federal rules  are likely to miss high concentrations of lead in drinking water.

Yet when city officials notify homeowners about new water mains being installed, the letters do not mention potential lead hazards. Residents are advised merely to flush all faucets and hose taps for several minutes after the work is completed to remove any "particulates," a solution EPA scientists and independent experts say is grossly inadequate.

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While the crisis in Flint, Mich., is drawing worldwide attention to the disastrous consequences of failing to properly maintain a public water system, the Chicago study highlights a broader problem facing scores of U.S. cities that spent more than a century installing lead pipes to deliver drinking water.

Most older cities, including Chicago, add corrosion-fighting chemicals to the water supply that form a protective coating inside pipes. Officials in Flint stopped the treatment in an ill-advised attempt to cut costs. The EPA study and other research shows the anti-corrosion treatment also can be thwarted when street work, plumbing repairs or changes in water chemistry disrupts the coating, causing alarming levels of lead to leach from service lines.

"If you don't disturb the service line, it works pretty well," said Miguel Del Toral, an EPA water expert who led the Chicago study and played a key role in exposing what went wrong in Flint. "We need to do a better job telling people how to protect themselves when it doesn't."

Instead of cautioning Chicagoans they could be exposed to a potent neurotoxin in their drinking water, top city officials have repeatedly assured elected officials and residents there is nothing to worry about, even as Emanuel pushes to overhaul the city's century-old water system.

"I am taking this opportunity to set the record straight," Thomas Powers, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water Management, wrote in a October 2013 letter to aldermen in response to Del Toral's EPA study. "Chicago water is absolutely safe to drink and meets or exceeds all standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois EPA."

Annual "consumer confidence" reports sent to homeowners also don't mention potential lead hazards. In a note accompanying the reports, Emanuel says it is crucial to replace leaky water mains and improve conservation efforts "to continue our city's reputation for high quality, good-tasting water."

When questioned about water quality, officials say the city complies with the Lead and Copper Rule, a 1991 federal edict that created an elaborate set of procedures to test drinking water for those heavy metals. But the federal rule requires only 50 homes be tested every three years in Chicago, a city of 2.7 million people with more lead service lines than any other U.S. municipality.

Moreover, the rules require utilities to check only the first liter of water drawn in the morning. The EPA study found that although the first liter often is lead-free, high levels of the toxic metal can flow through taps for several minutes afterward, depending in part on the length of the service line between the home and street.

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The water doesn't need to look or smell strange, either, as it did in Flint for more than a year.

The Flint crisis has made the hazards of lead pipes a national issue. But the Department of Water Management is doing even less to caution residents than it did a few months ago. Since October, the department has been sending homeowners a two-page handout before water mains are replaced that is missing any reference to lead.

An earlier version referred to "lead particulates" rather than just "particulates." But it was buried in a longer handout, after a plug for Emanuel's Building a New Chicago program and a list of historical events that occurred around the time the original water main was installed.

A department spokesman declined to make officials available for comment. In a statement Friday, the department said, "Chicago water is safe and pure, exceeding standards set by the U.S. EPA, Illinois EPA and the drinking water industry. It would be premature and inappropriate for the city to change its testing guidelines without official federal guidance and instruction."

City officials have repeatedly questioned Del Toral's 2013 study, saying the findings are "far from scientifically established."

Published in a respected scientific journal, the study was intended to influence a long-running debate about the Lead and Copper Rule.

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After years of hearings, a group of EPA advisers issued a report in December that concluded the current rule masks widespread but little known threats to public health. In a separate report, a utility trade group said that if cities tested accurately up to 96 million Americans could be drinking lead-contaminated water.

The only way to guarantee the public is protected is to make it a national priority to remove lead service lines altogether, the EPA panel concluded. "Revisions to the (rule) alone are not sufficient to address this critical issue," the panel wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.

"The removal of all lead service lines will require significant financial resources and time," the letter to McCarthy said. "During this time it is essential to have in place a robust effort of consumer education and engagement to ensure protection from exposure to lead in drinking water."

Lead generally isn't found in municipal water systems until it flows into service lines from treatment plants and street mains. Long after other cities stopped connecting homes with lead service lines, Chicago kept requiring them under the city's plumbing code. Any home in the city built before 1986, the year lead pipes were banned nationwide, could have one.

The EPA says any household with a lead service line should flush pipes for three to five minutes any time water hasn't been used for several hours  not just one time after street work or plumbing repairs as the city advises in handouts to homeowners.

Nearly 80 percent of properties in Chicago get their drinking water via service lines made of lead. (Michael Tercha, Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)

Two simple ways to do that are to take a shower or do a load of laundry. Before drawing water to drink or to prepare baby formula, faucets should be flushed for another 35 to 45 seconds to clear any remaining water sitting in the home's pipes, according to the EPA's recommendations.

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For greater protection, EPA officials and other experts suggest purchasing water-filtering pitchers or installing devices on kitchen sinks that are certified to screen out lead. NSF International, a nonprofit standards organization, lists certified products on its website under the heading "Consumer Resources."

Today the only Chicagoans who get that kind of advice from city officials are the few dozen who collect samples of their tap water every three years to help the Department of Water Management comply with the federal testing mandate. More than half of the 103 properties tested since 2003 are owned by department employees or retirees, according to a Tribune review of property tax, deed and employment records.

Most are in neighborhoods on the far Northwest and Southwest Sides, including Norwood Park, Edison Park, Beverly and Mount Greenwood, which see few cases of lead poisoning.

When the department sends letters informing those select homeowners of their results, it includes thorough advice to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water, regardless of whether the tests found anything wrong.

Among the suggested options: "You may want to consider purchasing bottled water or a water filter."

Banning lead in paint and phasing it out of gasoline has led to a steady decline in childhood lead poisoning. But a 2015 Tribune investigation revealed it remains a pernicious problem in the same poor, predominantly African-American neighborhoods on the West and South sides that have given Chicago a national reputation for violence and academic failure.

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Exposure to even small amounts of lead can permanently damage the developing brains of children, lowering IQ and increasing the risk of learning disabilities, aggression and criminal behavior later in life.

Children typically are poisoned by ingesting the dust of flaking lead paint that remains in thousands of older homes. But given the widespread use of lead pipes, many experts say it is urgent that cities focus on potential threats from drinking water.

"There is a price to be paid for scientific misconduct, and unfortunately it is borne by the poorest amongst us, not by its perpetrators," Marc Edwards, a Virginia Tech researcher who has played a major role in the Flint investigation, testified last week before a congressional committee. "We have to get this problem fixed, and fast, so that these agencies can live up to their noble vision and once again be worthy of the public trust."

Chicago Tribune's Jennifer Smith Richards contributed.

mhawthorne@tribpub.com

@scribeguy
Harry Koujaian speaks about his daughter's struggle with a rare genetic disorder, dubbed childhood Alzheimer's, and the experimental treatment she is receiving at Rush University Medical Center. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

The mother and father watched as their 16-year-old daughter ate her pork chop and green beans across the kitchen table of their Mount Prospect home, grateful each time she swallowed without struggle.

She paused in between bites to sing a few lyrics of her favorite song. "We're all in this toge-e-ether," Hayley Koujaian crooned the theme from "High School Musical," a movie she loved as a little girl, before anyone could tell she was sick.

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Hayley has a rare genetic disorder called Niemann-Pick Disease Type C, often dubbed childhood Alzheimer's because its symptoms are similar to those of adult dementia, though it's not the same disease. Memory, speech and mobility fade. It gets harder to eat and drink unaided. There is no treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and young children with the disorder typically don't live past their teens.

"We all knew what the outcome was going to be if the disease progressed," said her father, Harry Koujaian. "There is only one outcome. That's why we were so desperate."

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Yet the family has found hope in a promising experimental drug  and the local physician who helped them gain access.

Every two weeks, Dr. Elizabeth Berry-Kravis injects a treatment called cyclodextrin into Hayley via a spinal tap at Rush University Medical Center as her father holds her steady and her mother silently prays. Hayley is one of roughly 40 patients across the country using the investigational drug, hoping for future FDA approval.

Berry-Kravis, a pediatric neurologist, said there's initial evidence the injections could be staving off the disease's progression. Some skills even appear to be improving.

Before starting treatment a little more than two years ago, Hayley was functioning at the level of an 18-month-old, based on language and cognitive testing. Now her abilities closer match a 2 1/2 - or 3-year-old, Berry-Kravis said. Swallowing is much easier. Her gait is smoother, and she's less apt to fall.

Prior to treatment, speech therapists found Hayley had difficulty putting together a few words. Now she reads simple sentences, responds to short questions and even sings some of the songs from early childhood, before her mind began slipping away.

While the drug is still in clinical trials, it has significantly extended the lives of mice and cats with the disorder compared with those left untreated.

The Koujaians wonder whether it could be extending Hayley's life, too.

"We would not be here, like this," said her mother, Gail Koujaian, gesturing to her family sitting around the dinner table. "Maybe we would be pushing her wheelchair. Maybe we would be cleaning her feeding tube." Not like this, she said.

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Mysterious symptoms

Hayley was born Aug. 10, 1999, a chubby-cheeked baby with heart-shaped lips and no hint of any abnormality.

Gail and Harry Koujaian recall their daughter was just like any other toddler, running around with ease and learning how to read and write alongside the rest of her kindergarten friends.

Then in first grade, she mysteriously began falling behind. First teachers noticed she wasn't retaining information. There was odd clumsiness, bumping into walls and desks without explanation. Most alarming, she appeared to be losing abilities she once mastered.

Her mother noticed during Brownie troop meetings that all the other girls could walk alone across a long, thick tube on the playground. Gail Koujaian always had to hold her daughter's hand.

Then Hayley began erupting in seizures, sometimes several in one day. Medication after medication failed, and, at 11 she had brain surgery and her tissue was sent to a pathologist for testing.

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Six months and a litany of tests later, the Koujaians got the devastating diagnosis: Niemann-Pick Type C, a fatal disease often appearing in children where naturally produced cholesterol accumulates and becomes toxic. There are about 500 cases diagnosed internationally.

Gail Koujaian recalls days when she would drop off her daughter at school and then cry in her car alone. The Koujaians started meeting other families with the genetic disorder from across the country, which was both comforting and terrifying.

"You've got kids who are dying, kids in wheelchairs, kids who can't eat, kids on feeding tubes," Harry Koujaian said. "It's a cruel disease."

It was another mom who told them about cyclodextrin, which appeared to help her own twin daughters. The National Institutes of Health had just begun an exploratory trial of the drug. The Koujaians jumped at the chance for Hayley to join the study, but she was found ineligible because of her uncontrolled seizures.

The only other option was to find a physician to file a compassionate-use request with the FDA, a complicated and lengthy process. The Koujaians weren't sure anyone would be able or willing to take on the burden. But they had just started seeing a new pediatric neurologist, Berry-Kravis, who found the most recent research for cyclodextrin so compelling, she wanted to give it a try.

"I can do this," the Koujaians remembered her saying.

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Questions linger

Every other week, the Koujaians drive a few miles to pick up Berry-Kravis at her Des Plaines home, and they all travel together to the clinic at Rush.

Berry-Kravis usually discusses Hayley's progress, typing up her reports on a laptop in the front passenger seat as they sit in traffic on the Kennedy Expressway. It's like a house call in the family's 2006 green Honda Pilot.

Last week at Hayley's 56th treatment, she was put to sleep with melatonin, her thick brown ponytail spilling over the edge of the hospital table, as Berry-Kravis numbed her back with lidocaine.

The neurologist inserted a 3-inch needle with a pencil-point tip into Hayley's spinal canal, first removing 10 milliliters of fluid to be used for research. Hayley didn't open her eyes or appear to be in any pain.

The process has become routine for them. They intermittently joke and laugh softly so as not to wake her.

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During these procedures, Gail Koujaian asks God to make sure Hayley doesn't have a seizure; Harry Koujaian wraps his arms around Hayley as a precaution, just in case she does.

Berry-Kravis started injecting the drug through the spinal tap when a car alarm went off on Harrison Street seven floors below. Hayley fidgeted a little, and her parents quickly steadied her as Berry-Kravis finished. Then they reclined the table, positioning Hayley's feet up, hoping the drug will drip from her spine to her brain as she continued to sleep.

The first procedure in December 2013 took around 12 hours, with rigorous testing before the injection and prolonged monitoring after. Now the whole visit takes about 2 1/2 hours. Afterward, the Koujaians hang out in the waiting room, talking with the families of other patients with Niemann-Pick Type C.

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After Berry-Kravis was approved to treat Hayley, others with the disorder started trickling in to get the injections, too. She is now administering cyclodextrin to 12 patients, some traveling from as far as Minnesota and Texas. Some, like Hayley, are receiving it under compassionate use, others as part of an ongoing clinical trial with a Maryland-based biotechnology company called Vtesse Inc., which is developing the drug.

Questions still linger. Will the drug work long term? Is there a less invasive method? What's the optimal dose?

Outside of Berry-Kravis' office, colorful charts detail some of her patients' progress. If the disorder is untreated, symptoms might plateau for a little while before they worsen, but they don't get better, Berry-Kravis said.

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But Hayley's graphs, labeled Subject 1, show improvement in areas like swallowing, gait and speech.

"There is hope," Gail Koujaian said.

eleventis@tribpub.com

Twitter @angie_leventis
During 13 years as president of Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in the 1970s and '80s, the Rev. William R. Myers Sr. recruited a number of respected faculty members to the Lombard-based divinity school, which today is known as Northern Seminary.

"He was the epitome of the Christian gentleman," said Ian Chapman, who succeeded Myers as president of the seminary. "He was loving, he was kind and he was always the encourager. And he brought great leadership to Northern, through building projects and building a strong faculty. He created a legacy that has lasted for years."

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Myers, 89, died of complications from pulmonary fibrosis Jan. 9 at his home, said his son, Bruce. He and his wife moved to a retirement community in Carol Stream in 2014 and previously had lived in Elmhurst.

Born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, Myers was raised by a single mother. A high school dropout, he joined the Navy at 17 and became a born-again Christian. He got his GED and then went to college on the GI bill, earning a bachelor's degree in 1951 from the University of Cincinnati and a bachelor's degree in divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., in 1954.

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After seminary, Myers began serving as pastor at a series of Baptist churches. From 1954 until 1958, Myers was the pastor at Ridgeview Baptist Church in Danville, Ill., which had been in decline when he arrived, with just 15 or so members. Myers helped to inject vitality into the church, drawing new members and constructing a new building.

Myers was a pastor at Irving Park Baptist Church on the Northwest Side from 1958 until 1963. While at Irving Park Baptist, Myers became involved in the Rev. Billy Graham's crusades, and he chaired an outreach committee that was charged with knocking on doors to invite residents to attend Graham's 18-day crusade at McCormick Place and Soldier Field in 1962.

Myers' longest pastoring stay was from 1963 to 1975, when he was the senior pastor of North Shore Baptist Church in Ravenswood. While there, Myers met David Garver, a young student at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard who was assigned to undertake field work at North Shore Baptist Church.

"Even though he was my mentor and my supervisor and my pastor, I always felt like Bill treated me as a friend," said Garver, who went on to serve as head pastor of Ridgeview Baptist Church in Danville for 25 years. "He had this tremendous ability to really listen to you and want to hear from you and to hear your ideas, your thoughts and your views."

While at North Shore, Myers continued his ties with Graham, chairing the committee organizing Graham's 11-day crusade at McCormick Place in 1971, his son said.

As a pastor, Myers also continued his schooling, earning a doctorate of divinity in 1964 from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1975, while serving as the chairman of Northern's board of trustees, he was asked to consider becoming the seminary's president. At that time, the seminary was struggling financially.

Myers' accomplishments at Northern included significantly boosting enrollments and increasing its endowment, his son said. He also strengthened the seminary's faculty.

"Bill was president when I went there, and two things that stand out for me about his contribution at the seminary were that he put together a remarkable faculty  one of the strongest in the school's history," said Harry Parker, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Oak Park. "He also set the tone at the top, and he was such a gracious man that he just kind of infused the seminary with that kind of graciousness."

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Another of Myers' achievements at Northern was to lead a capital campaign to raise money to pay for the construction of the seven-story Lindner Tower on the seminary's campus, which contains classrooms, offices and student housing.

Northern's sister school, Judson College (now Judson University) in Elgin, awarded Myers an honorary doctorate in 1977. Northern named Myers the Charles W. Koller Professor of Preaching in 1985.

Myers also served as the president of the Chicago Baptist Association and of the Edgewater Clergy Rabbi Association, and served on the advisory committee for the Chicago Sunday Evening Club. He also was a director of the Irving Park and Ravenswood YMCAs.

Myers retired from Northern in 1988.

In addition to his son, Myers is survived by his wife of 66 years, Geraldyne; daughters Christine Myers Kendall-Muniz and Beth Myers House; another son, William Jr.; and 10 grandchildren.

Services were held.

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Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
Chicago police and members of the Independent Police Review Authority, including IPRA chief Sharon Fairley, second from left, investigate a fatal shooting by police Jan. 31, 2016, in the 7300 block of South Paulina Avenue. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

A gun pointed at her head, Brianna Anderson cowered on the floor in her South Side home. Minutes earlier, two people had come crashing through her family's front door, one of them armed.

Hearing the front door squeak, the gunman left Anderson's side, rushed into the living room and suddenly opened fire, Anderson said.

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Then, she said, more and more gun blasts erupted.

"Everything was going so fast," said Anderson, 22, recalling that harrowing morning late last month at the family's home in the West Englewood neighborhood. "I was just so scared.  After he shot, you hear all the shots. Then it got real quiet."

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Authorities said 29-year-old Charles Smith fired at two Englewood District police officers responding to multiple 911 calls of an armed intruder who had broken into the two-story house.

Both officers returned fire, police said. Smith was fatally shot; the officers and Smith's alleged accomplice, Breanna Patterson, 20, were unharmed. She was later charged with felony murder in Smith's death as well as home invasion.

Police dispatch recordings of the first fatal police shooting of 2016 also captured the drama as the two officers entered the home after spotting the kicked-in front door and ordered Smith to drop the gun.

"Emergency! 10-1!" one officer, using police code for "officer needs assistance," shouted as a volley of shots rang out.

The officers retreated from the home, seeking cover and calling for backup. Dozens of officers from the neighboring Deering District and citywide units hurried to the scene in the 7300 block of South Paulina Street. For the next 15 to 20 minutes, police gathered information from those inside to come up with a plan to try to safely evacuate them.

By the time police charged in, officers found Smith dead and eight residents hiding. Authorities said Smith was armed with a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun.

The fatal police shooting of Smith comes at a time when such confrontations with the public are under greater scrutiny than ever. The court-ordered release in November of a disturbing dashboard camera video of a white officer shooting black teen Laquan McDonald 16 times had swift consequences, including a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the Police Department's use of force.

In a speech Friday to graduates of the police academy, interim police Superintendent John Escalante highlighted the police response to the home invasion, singling out the first responding officers for entering the home "without hesitation." He also applauded supervisors at the scene for their "sound decision-making" as well as the officers who later charged into the home.

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"Now that took courage," Escalante said.

The Jan. 31 shooting remains under investigation by the Independent Police Review Authority. Detective reports on the incident and the officers' statements to investigators have not been released to the public.

The two officers involved in the shooting will be shifted to 30-day mandatory administrative duty, a policy that Escalante put in place in December after a 55-year-old grandmother was accidentally shot and killed by an officer who fired at a teen as he allegedly wielded a bat.

In the Tribune interview at her residence, Anderson praised the police response, saying, "If they wouldn't have came in, did what they did, I probably would've have been in my room, on my knees, dead."

Anderson said she was playing cards with her mother and cousin about 4 a.m. when someone knocked on the front door. She didn't recognize either Smith or Patterson.

Anderson said Smith told her that someone robbed him and Patterson in front of the house and ran through the gangway. The two were looking for a "light-skinned tall guy," she said.

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"So I'm asking questions  'Do you guys need help?' And this girl just got loud," recalled Anderson, referring to Patterson. "She's like, '(Expletive) that! He ran in the gangway. He ran in here.' And she was getting loud with me, and I'm like, 'I don't even know you.'"

While Patterson raised her voice at Anderson, Smith tried to calm her down, according to Anderson. Anderson said Patterson slapped at Smith, knocking him down the stairs of the porch. That's when Anderson first noticed the gun in Smith's hand.

Anderson's mother, Renee Ballard, who by then was at the front door as well, said she grabbed her daughter and closed and locked the door.

Ballard said she called 911 and ran upstairs to join other family members there.

About that point, Smith kicked open the front door.

Anderson, meanwhile, had fled to her first-floor bedroom with her cousin and slammed the door. Smith kicked open her bedroom door, too, Anderson said.

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Others inside the home also were calling 911.

"We're getting another call of a person with a gun," a dispatcher reported over the police radio. "There's a male in her house with a gun. She doesn't know him."

Inside the home, Smith and Patterson entered the bedroom and started ransacking it. Smith held Anderson and her cousin at gunpoint, she said.

"I'm like, 'Please don't do this!'" Anderson recalled. "They wrecked my room."

When Smith and Patterson left the two alone for a moment, Anderson's cousin moved into another bedroom to be with her 6-year-old daughter.

Anderson said she remained in her bedroom on the floor, crying and in shock. She then heard the front door open again and fled into her closet.

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Suddenly, she heard tapping on the door. Thinking it was her mother telling her it was safe to come out, she opened up the door. It was Smith  with the gun.

"Get the (expletive) up!" Anderson said Smith demanded as she sat crying on the floor of the closet. "I got up, proceeded to walk out of the closet. And I'm telling him, 'Please don't do this!' You know, I'm begging him. 'Please don't do this! Please don't do this! Please don't kill me!'"

After briefly checking the basement, Smith returned to Anderson's room. It was then that Anderson heard the front door squeak  perhaps indicating someone was entering the home. That's when Smith barged out of the bedroom.

The two officers had arrived.

Anderson suddenly heard shots ring out, and dove to the floor of her bedroom with her hands over her head. Patterson, still in the bedroom, dove on top of Anderson, she said.

When the gunfire stopped, Patterson got up and left the bedroom to find Smith shot in the stomach.

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"She was going crazy because he was in here dying," Anderson said.

Outside, Chicago police were trying to determine the gunman's location in the house, according to the audio from the 911 calls.

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Officers can be heard cautioning each other about their positions around the house.

"Firearms discipline," one supervisor said. "Watch the crossfire."

Anderson said she went upstairs to check on her mother, only to find she was talking to police from a second-floor bedroom window.

jgorner@tribpub.com

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Twitter @JeremyGorner

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Former Marines Ines Gardena, left, and Tony Doukas stand at attention during the national anthem at a Super Bowl 50 party with Chicago Veterans at VetHub, a newly opened multi-use space, at 5031 W. Montrose Ave., in Chicago on Feb. 7, 2016. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

In a small storefront room in Portage Park, the gathering Sunday looked like most other Super Bowl parties. There was a big-screen TV, pizza, chips and drinks.

But the West Montrose Avenue building also had paintings and photographs by veterans adorning the walls. An American flag hung in the corner. Some people wore blue T-shirts that displayed the words "Chicago Veterans."

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The room is a meeting place, but it has another purpose  to help former service members navigate the transition from military to civilian life.

Kevin Barszcz, executive director of the nonprofit organization Chicago Veterans, said local veterans will soon be able to use the space, called VetHub, as a place to do homework, spend time on creative projects and start up their own businesses.

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After two years of hopping from coffeeshop to coffeeshop for meetings, Chicago Veterans unofficially opened VetHub in late December.

"With Chicago Veterans, everything is peer to peer," Barszcz said. "That's why it's so easy to help people coming back home because we know how to translate" military skills to civilian life.

Launched with donations from veterans in the Chicago area, VetHub still needs some work before its grand opening on Feb. 20. United Airlines donated 10 laptops and a few printers to the organization, which will set them up after clearing away the Super Bowl chips.

While there are other centers for veterans across the Chicago area, Barszcz said VetHub is different because Chicago Veterans members have their own keys to the building and can stop by any time they want.

"This is something they can use even after hours," Barszcz, 29, said. "That's the point of it is to be that community base. To say, you know, I'm a part of this. Because essentially (veterans) are the ones who helped get this place. They're the ones who donated the money so we could get this place. So we want them to kind of use it as they best see fit."

The group hosts networking events like job fairs as well as social outings. Members advise each other on how to take advantage of education benefits or make disability claims. The group's website even has a map highlighting restaurants and tattoo shops in Chicago that offer discounts to veterans.

Chicago Veterans has more than 500 members. About 55 are considered active members, and Barszcz hopes at least 10 will use the VetHub space every day.

"I think we're going to outgrow it really quickly," Barszcz said. "If we outgrow it, great. That's a good thing."

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Chicago Veterans was created in 2013 and included student veterans from DePaul University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, DeVry University and several community colleges.

Barszcz, a Chicago native who attended DePaul after serving four years in the Navy, is one of the organization's founding members. He said he could tell whether a student on campus was a veteran just by the way he walked.

"We kind of shared the same struggles as far as transitioning back to civilian life, whether it be our school benefits or medical or whatever it may be," Barszcz said. "We were having that trouble, so that's why we said, 'You know what? Let's reach out to other veterans and try to figure out this system together.' "

Barszcz, who graduated from DePaul last year, said Chicago Veterans has grown and now provides other services such as help for homeless veterans.

Mike Palaguachi, another co-founder, said VetHub is meant to give veterans "somewhere to go" amid major life changes. He said it will serve as an information and resource center for veterans, who can ask questions about state benefits or seek tips during a job search.

"It's very helpful when you have someone who is kind of mentoring you," said Palaguachi, 26, a DePaul graduate who worked as a veteran career leader at the university. He is now the financial officer for Chicago Veterans.

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Palaguachi grew up in Niles before joining the Marine Corps at 18. He completed a combat tour in Afghanistan and also worked as a field radio operator.

He said former military members who re-enter civilian life are forced to shift their mindset away from that of a team trying to accomplish a mission. "You really should be focused on yourself and what you need to do," he said.

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Palaguachi, a business analyst, wants to help veterans who are interested in entrepreneurship. He hopes to connect veterans who want to start a small business with other veterans who have already successfully done so.

He said most Chicago Veterans members are "post-9/11 guys" who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, and that keeps the organization focused on outreach via social media. People are "constantly" contacting the organization by email and through social media channels.

Palaguachi said the group picked the Montrose Avenue building partly because small businesses are nearby.

Those stores have already welcomed the veterans to the neighborhood, Barszcz said. He also liked the area because of its large veteran population.

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"I thought there was a need in this area," he said. "I didn't feel like there was anything over here."

bgurciullo@tribpub.com

Twitter @brigurciullo
Theodore Berrien worked as a Pullman porter from about 1940 to 1969, during which time he was chosen to accompany President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's funeral train on its route between Georgia and Washington, D.C.

"He spoke of how kind Mrs. Roosevelt was and thanked him for his services during the trip," his grandson recalled in a new searchable online registry of African-American railroad laborers.

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This entry  and thousands of others  have been recorded in the registry that will be launched by the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, with help from DePaul University, this week. Descendants and scholars will be able to preserve oral histories on the website that otherwise might be lost.

"(Railroad workers) are not among those selected annually to parade during Black History Month, but they represent a real concrete example of ordinary men who did an extraordinary thing," said Lyn Hughes, the founder of the Pullman museum. "They made a place for us, and they made history."

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Fifteen years ago, Hughes set out to honor African-American laborers, like Berrien, whose names, for the most part, weren't mentioned in history books, but whom many scholars credit with creating the foundation of the black middle class.

Now her initiative is one of several projects and events that aim to commemorate the centennial of the Great Migration (1916-1970) when 6 million African-Americans attracted by manufacturing jobs and a better quality of life moved to Northern cities. About 500,000 African-Americans moved to Chicago, transforming the city's demographic landscape from 2 percent black, prior to the Great Migration, to 33 percent in 1970.

"You have no idea how happy people are that their family members are listed in this registry, to acknowledge their existence, their contribution to the black middle class," Hughes said. "I don't think I initially grasped the significance, but my sense is these people are very proud about their ancestry."

Hughes originally crafted an informal research project to document surviving members of the once renowned Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first black labor union chartered by the American Federation of Labor. Over the years, Hughes became curious about those who visited the museum in Pullman National Monument, claiming to be descendants of railroad workers.

As a result, Hughes widened the scope of her search to include all African-American railroad employees from 1865 to 1969, and she launched a national advertising campaign asking descendants to submit entries with their ancestors' names, title years of service and a "snapshot" of their lives in hopes of gathering data. Soon after, the museum was inundated with more than 7,000 entries, which were condensed to around 3,500.

"I was too blown away since we serve a small niche of history dedicated to an exclusive group of people," Hughes said. "So it was amazing to get a sense of who these people were, what families were wondering, what kind of people are they."

David Peterson, the museum's executive director, was a student at Florida A&M University at the time and helped Hughes publish a print edition of the registry in 2006.

Hughes knew moving the entries online would require technical savvy the museum didn't possess. After she was unable to secure grant funding to hire a contractor, she reached out to DePaul University officials, who agreed to assign a class of students in its Computing and Digital Media course to prepare the digital registry.

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The students largely finished arranging the database by the end of the 10-week course, but most of the web design was unfinished. As a result, the university's Irwin W. Steans Center hired graduate student Aniruhd Bomadevar to complete the project. Bomadevar, a native of India and resident of London, made it his mission to launch the registry for Black History Month after meeting with Hughes, who gave him a personal tour of the museum.

"I'm new to America, so I was not aware of the culture," Bomadevar said. "So, getting a chance to work on this has given me great insight, and it's been a great experience."

Once the registry launches, visitors to the museum's website will be able to type a person's last name into a search query to view entries from thousands of submissions spanning from California to Georgia.

Within are nuggets of interesting history about laborers, including Blaine McKinley Fitzgerald, of Birmingham, Ala., who worked as a Pullman porter on the Illinois Central and Louisville and Nashville railroads from 1920 to 1946.

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"Blaine's major route was from Birmingham to New York," his descendants wrote. "He also worked the Rose Bowl trips to California when Alabama was a major contingent.

"Blaine raised a family of six children, who all attended black colleges. They all became teachers, lawyers and engineers."

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R. Eugene Pincham, a longtime civil rights attorney and Cook County Circuit Court judge, is one of the notable names in the registry, according to Hughes. Pincham, who died in 2008, sent in a handwritten letter that revealed he had worked as a dining car attendant, she said.

"I never even knew he had that history," Hughes said. "He was very proud to share that personal story of his."

Hughes collected other entries herself. When she assisted with the TV movie "10,000 Black Men Named George," she spoke with Chicago actor Andre Braugher, who portrayed A. Philip Randolph  only to learn Braugher's great-grandfather was a Pullman porter, she said.

Hughes insists the museum will look to build on the historic registry, starting with the search for funding to clear a backlog of 2,000 entries that haven't been processed. In the interim, they are still asking descendants of African-American railroad employee who would like to submit an entry to email the museum at natreg@pullmanportermuseum.info.

Once the registry launches, it will be available at the museum's website: www.pullmanportermuseum.com
Two people were killed and 24 others wounded in shootings in Chicago this weekend, with the number of homicides so far this month just four short of last February's total.



Chicago has seen at least 16 homicides in eight days this month  including a family of six in Gage Park last week  and at least 73 since the start of the year. In all, at least 330 people have been shot in the city since Jan. 1, more than double from the same period last year.



The weekend started with one man killed and five people wounded Friday afternoon to Saturday morning, according to police. Nine people were wounded from Saturday morning to Sunday morning, and one man was killed and 10 people injured from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning.

 Among those killed was Matthew M. Williams, 21, who was playing Xbox with friends late Friday in the Park Manor neighborhood when someone shot through the window of the apartment, hitting him in the back. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight, authorities said.



 Two men were shot at 12:45 p.m. Sunday in the Humboldt Park neighborhood when three people came out from an alley and opened fire, police said. One man, 21, was shot in the neck and pronounced dead at the scene. The other was hit in the head, arm and torso and went to Norwegian American Hospital, then was transferred to Stroger Hospital. His condition was stabilized.



 A shooting in Englewood on Sunday wounded four teenagers. Two people walked up to them on a porch in the 6500 block of South Green Street and fired shots. Among the wounded were two 15-year-old boys, an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl.
Andrea Zopp, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, talks Aug. 31 to the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.

Topspin

It's Monday, Feb. 8, and a Democratic U.S. Senate campaign that's been somewhat sleepy could come into sharper focus.

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The three candidates are set to appear before the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board for an endorsement session at noon. Proceedings will be streamed here around that time. We'll be there in our regular newsgathering role.

It's the first joint appearance for U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates, former Chicago Urban League CEO Andrea Zopp of Chicago and state Sen. Napoleon Harris of Harvey.

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There hasn't been much in the way of major TV ads in the primary campaign so far. Zopp has held some news conferences to announce endorsements, and she's got one at 10 a.m. today in Bronzeville with U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush.

Duckworth holds a fundraising edge, raising $1.6 million from October through December. That's five times the $314,000 Zopp took in during that time. Duckworth had $3.65 million to begin 2016. Zopp had $714,000. Harris' campaign has not provided money details yet.

After today, Duckworth has said she'll take part in two more forums -- Feb. 16 with the Sun-Times Editorial Board and Feb. 19 for a broadcast debate.

The winner is likely to face Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk in the November general election.

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel has no public events scheduled.

*Gov. Bruce Rauner continues his post-State of the State tour with suburban stops in Addison, Wheeling and Lincolnshire.

*City Council Finance Committee meets at 10 a.m. to consider a resolution urging the mayor and corporation counsel to quickly settle a suit filed by the family of Bettie Jones, the 55-year-old neighbor shot and killed in the Quintonio LeGrier police shooting.

What we're writing

*After election rescue, African-American voters sour on Emanuel.

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*City to pay $3 million to settle old CPD hiring discrimination suit.

*Emanuel looks to regroup on Lucas Museum after bad week.

*American agrees to put five more gates at delay-plagued O'Hare.

*Cop who fatally shot Quintonio LeGrier sues teen's estate, claiming trauma.

What we're reading

*Massive overhaul scheduled for Chicago Archdiocese.

*Retiring Ron Magers was the gold standard among modern Chicago TV news anchors.

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*How a 2014 New Hampshire U.S. Senate race set stage for Trump.

*Inside Peyton Manning's secret investigation of Al-Jazeera documentary.

From the notebook

*Mayor on poll numbers: The Tribune typically doesn't ask politicians to react to our poll findings because it's political science, and the numbers are the numbers. But Friday was the first time Mayor Emanuel was out all week, and velvet-voiced WLS-AM 890 political reporter Bill Cameron asked the mayor what he made of the 27 percent job approval rating the Tribune poll found.

Here is the mayor's response, in full:

"Look, I don't think, the way I look at is, you know I've faced politics in challenging times, but the question is where do I stand at any given moment, where does the city stand and what's the decisions you make, and is Chicago and the citizens of Chicago better prepared for the future, that's how I'm going to approach all our opportunities."

*Meister wins circuit clerk backing: A group of Latino public officials is expected to announce support Monday for attorney Jacob Meister in the three-way contest for Cook County Circuit Court clerk.



The group has labeled itself "Latinos for Jacob Meister." It includes Sen. Iris Martinez, Rep. Luis Arroyo, Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr., 1st Ward Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno, 30th Ward Ald. Ariel Reboyras, 31st Ward Ald. Milagros "Milly Santiago, 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and 36th Ward Ald. Gilbert Villegas.



Meister and Ald. Michelle Harris, 8th, are running against four-term incumbent Dorothy Brown in the March 15 Democratic primary. (Hal Dardick)

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*The week ahead: Monday is the U.S. Senate forum (see "Topspin); Wednesday sees President Barack Obama address his former General Assembly colleagues in Springfield at 1:30 p.m., a Chicago City Council meeting and a Cook County Board meeting.

*Eggs-cellent? Taking a page from former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, the Chicago Teachers Union compared wealthy Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to wealthy nuclear power plant owner C. Montgomery Burns from "The Simpsons" during its LaSalle Street rally.

*The Sunday Spin: This week's show, hosted by Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson, was focused on the presidential campaign. Listen to it here.

Follow the money

*The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform's Sunshine Project broke down contributions in the Cook County state's attorney race.

*Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash

Beyond Chicago

*Presidential race, Republican side: Rubio is attacked, has hard time responding.

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*Presidential race, Democratic side: Even Clinton piles on Rubio.

*North Korea launches long-range missile.

*Obama gun plans amount to little action.
After five years of war and a quarter- million dead, President Bashar Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies now have the upper hand in Syria, and they're seeking to drive home a growing battlefield advantage rather than negotiate.

In the past week, the United Nations has tried to get peace talks under way in Geneva, and European leaders met in London to seek ways to halt a refugee influx that's creating political havoc across the continent. But those events looked like sideshows to the action unfolding in northern Syria, where Assad's forces -- backed by pro-Iranian fighters and Russian planes -- are moving closer to winning the most decisive victory of the war by recapturing Aleppo.

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Gains by Assad and his allies in the past month have squeezed overland supply lines to Turkey that may represent the last bulwark against defeat for the rebels in northern Syria. Tens of thousands of refugees have already fled toward Turkey, which is hosting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday to discuss the crisis. To the west, another opposition stronghold in Idlib is also under threat from government forces.

Russian air power is "allowing Assad forces to advance against previously formidable foes," said Jennifer Cafarella, Syria analyst at the Washington-based Institute for Study of War. "The regime has achieved a decisive advantage in Aleppo."

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That doesn't mean the war is over, or even likely to end anytime soon. Syria has already witnessed sieges that lasted years. Also, Islamic State still holds swaths of eastern Syria, and may gain new recruits from rebels losing ground further west. But the conflict is narrowing toward a contest between Assad and the jihadists: opposition groups labeled as more moderate, backed by Western powers and their Middle Eastern allies, face being squeezed out.

"This is not the end of the war, but could be the beginning of the end, with Assad, Russia, Hezbollah and Iran as the biggest winners," said Patrick Megahan, an analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a research group in Washington. "Many of the more radical groups will likely continue to fight even if the opposition loses much of its territory."

Assad, who was on the verge of defeat in mid-2015 before Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped in with military support, has wrested back the initiative. His army last week broke a three-year siege of two villages north of Aleppo. The city is almost encircled, apart from a narrow stretch of contested territory, according to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Russian jets, meanwhile, are pounding Idlib, where the al-Qaida linked Nusra Front is the strongest opposition group, the SOHR says.

"We're not only shocked, but also outraged, at what's happened in terms of human suffering in the past few days for tens of thousands of people through bomb attacks, including attacks above all from Russia," Merkel told reporters in Ankara after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday.

The U.N. on Wednesday suspended peace talks in Geneva, only two days after they started, as Assad's offensive sparked opposition threats to walk out. The talks were originally viewed as preparations for a post-Assad Syria, but changing fortunes on the battlefield are easing Western pressure for the leader to leave office.

"It's difficult to hold peace talks under such circumstances, so this situation needs to end soon," Merkel said.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said on Saturday that there would be no cease-fire until government forces re- establish control over the country's borders with Turkey and Jordan, the state-run news service SANA reported.

Secretary of State John Kerry last month called for a "unity" government in Syria, which Assad aides indicate would mean a limited role for some critics. In a recent meeting with opposition leader Riad Hijab, Kerry was reported in Arabic- language media as saying that the Syrian president could seek re-election. The top U.S. diplomat remains highly critical of Russia and Assad in public, saying on Friday that their bombing of civilians breaches UN resolutions and "has to stop."

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Meanwhile, the U.S. has urged allies that support armed opposition groups, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, to reduce weapons shipments as a way to pressure insurgents into peace talks, the Washington Post reported on Friday. It cited rebel commanders who said that's left them vulnerable to the Russian- backed offensive.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, in an interview last week, advocated the opposite policy: more arms for the rebels to level the playing field. The Saudis also signaled they're ready to send troops to Syria as part of a coalition. But with the kingdom's forces bogged down in Yemen, that's unlikely to happen, Cafarella said.

The other source of hope for the rebels is Turkey, whose army has deployed more forces at the border with Syria. Russia said last week it suspected the Turks of preparing for a cross- border intervention. But most analysts said the build-up is probably for defensive purposes.

"As a practical matter, Turkey cannot invade Syria," said Christopher Harmer, a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and analyst at the Institute for the Study of War. "Unless the U.S. is leading the invasion with support from NATO, a Turkish invasion of Syria would be political and economic suicide."

With little hope of battlefield reinforcements for the rebels, and the Geneva process on ice, the key question may be how Russia chooses to play its hand, militarily and diplomatically.

The risk of the Russian strategy is that by eliminating all armed opposition to Assad except Islamic State, there won't be anyone left to strike a peace agreement with, said Ivan Konovalov, director of the Center for Strategic Trend Studies in Moscow.

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"If they just crush them all one after another, it will only increase resistance," he said. The Russian plan has a better chance of working if "political steps are taken alongside the military operation."

Leonid Reshetnikov, a retired Foreign Intelligence Service general who now heads a Kremlin advisory group, said Russia's main goal for now is to cut off the northwestern rebels from their base of support in Turkey.

"We will continue this operation methodically until we close the border," he said. "There's a chance that the more populated areas will be liberated in the next few months and that by June we'll get to Raqqa," the capital of Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate.

By then, the Syrian war may look more like the conflict that Assad and the Russians have sought to portray it as since the start -- a straight fight between the government and Islamic extremists. That would be a political victory for Assad and Putin.

"The Russian strategy, it seems, will be to take Aleppo and then go back to the negotiating table, where he can then say that he controls every major population center in Syria," said Aaron Stein, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. "This will allow him to present himself as a vanguard against the Islamic State in the eastern desert and more importantly, Jabhat al Nusra in Idlib."
A man makes enquires regarding the opening of the closed Turkish border crossing with Syria, on the outskirts of the town of Kilis, in southeastern Turkey on Feb. 7, 2016. (Lefteris Pitarakis / AP)

Turkey has reached the end of its "capacity to absorb" refugees but will continue to take them in, the deputy premier said Sunday, as his country faced mounting pressure to open its border to tens of thousands of Syrians who have fled a government onslaught.

The United Arab Emirates meanwhile joined Saudi Arabia in saying that it was open to the idea of sending ground troops to Syria to battle the Islamic State group, raising the possibility of even greater foreign involvement in the five-year-old civil war.

Turkish authorities say up to 35,000 Syrians have massed along the border, which remained closed for a third day on Sunday. The governor of the Turkish border province of Kilis said Saturday that Turkey would provide aid to the displaced within Syria, but would only open the gates in the event of an "extraordinary crisis."

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told CNN-Turk television that Turkey is now hosting a total of 3 million refugees, including 2.5 million Syrians.

"Turkey has reached the end of its capacity to absorb (refugees)," Kurtulmus said. "But in the end, these people have nowhere else to go. Either they will die beneath the bombings and Turkey will ... watch the massacre like the rest of the world, or we will open our borders."

Kurtulmus said some 15,000 refugees from Syria were admitted in the past few days, without elaborating. He put the number of refugees being cared for on the other side of the border at 30,000.

He did not explain why the Turkish border gate at Oncupinar, opposite the Bab al-Salameh crossing in Syria, was being kept closed or why tens of thousands ofrefugees were not immediately being let in.

In Syria, pro-government forces pressed ahead with their offensive in the northern Aleppo province, which has caused the massive displacement of civilians toward the Turkish border. Opposition activists said Syrian ground troops backed by Russian airstrikes were engaged in intense fighting with insurgents around the village of Ratyan and surrounding areas north of Aleppo city.

The army has almost fully encircled Aleppo, Syria's largest city and one-time commercial center, preparing the way for a blockade. The main supply line to the Turkish border has already been cut and many residents of the city were looking to leave, anticipating severe shortages in coming days.

Dr. Ahmad Abdelaziz, of the Syrian American Medical Society, a humanitarian organization, said there were only four general surgeons for the entire city.

"The people there are very worried there could be a siege at any time. We expect a lot of people to get out of the city if the situation remains like this, if there is no improvement," he said.

Abdelaziz, who goes in and out of Aleppo but spoke to the AP from the Turkish city of Gaziantep, described a dire scene at the border and said it was difficult to get medicine to the people gathered there.

"There are so many old people and children in the cold weather... They are surrounded by ISIS from the east, the regime from the south and Kurdish forces from the west," he said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.

On Saturday, the European Union urged Turkey to open its borders, saying it was providing aid to Ankara for that purpose. EU nations have committed 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to Turkey to help refugees, part of incentives aimed at persuading Turkey to do more to stop thousands of migrants from leaving for Greece.

Kurtulmus estimated that "in the worst case scenario" as many as 1 million more refugees could flee Aleppo and surrounding areas.

The Syrian uprising began in March 2011 with mostly peaceful protests but escalated into a full-blown civil war after a harsh government crackdown. The fighting has killed more than 250,000 people and forced millions to flee the country.

The war has drawn in regional and international rivals, with a U.S.-led coalition launching airstrikes against the IS group and Russian warplanes backing Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.

The Lebanese Hezbollah group has sent thousands of fighters to back Assad while Iran has dispatched what it refers to as "military advisers," many of whom have been killed in combat in recent weeks.

Saudi Arabia -- one of the main backers of the rebels battling to topple Assad -- said last week it was willing in principle to send ground troops to battle IS.

The United Arab Emirates' Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash echoed that pledge Sunday, saying "we have been frustrated at the slow pace of confronting Daesh," using the Arabic acronym for IS. He stressed that any deployment would be relatively small, saying: "We're not talking about thousands of troops."

Even a small force, however, could alarm Damascus and escalate regional tensions even further. On Saturday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said any Saudi or other foreign ground troops who enter Syria would "return home in wooden coffins."

KILIS, Turkey  Associated Press
Luke Waid discusses the lead-contamination in Flints water as he watches his 2-year-old daughter, Sophia, and infant son, Luke Jr, in their Flint, Mich., home. (Mike Householder / AP)

One lawsuit seeks to replace lead-leaching water lines at no cost to customers. Another seeks money for thousands of Flint residents who unwittingly drank toxic water. A third complaint has been filed on behalf of people with Legionnaires' disease.

While government officials scramble to rid Flint's tap water of lead, victims are suing Gov. Rick Snyder, the former mayor, rank-and-file public employees and almost anyone else who may have had a role in supplying the troubled city with corrosive river water for 18 months. The lawsuits accuse them of violating civil rights, wrecking property values and enriching themselves by selling a contaminated product.

"How can they look at themselves in the mirror?" asked New York attorney Hunter Shkolnik, who filed the latest lawsuit Monday on behalf of 2-year-old Sophia Waid. "It's an embarrassment for government officials to take the safety of their citizens so lightly."

Sophia's father, Luke Waid, said he feared losing custody of his daughter when blood tests revealed that she had elevated levels of lead. Those tests were done long before Flint's tap water was identified as the culprit in 2015.

Lead affects the central nervous system, especially in children aged 6 and younger, and can cause learning problems and hyperactivity.

"She's constantly on edge," Waid said of his daughter. "It's almost like she's suffering some kind of anxiety."

His lawsuit, which seeks an unspecified financial award, is one of at least seven complaints involving Flint in state and federal courts. It's the first by Shkolnik and Detroit co-counsel Brian McKeen, but the lawyers plan more. Separately, 1,700 households have contacted Michael Pitt's Detroit-area firm about joining the class-action case he filed in November.

The city's supply was switched from Detroit water to the Flint River as a cost-saving measure in 2014, when Flint was under state-appointed emergency management. While key facts are undisputed  the untreated river water caused lead to leach from old pipes  these cases still are no slam-dunk for lawyers specializing in personal injury.

State government has defenses, especially a long-recognized cloak of immunity in certain lawsuits, said Chris Hastings, who teaches at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.

"Defense lawyers aren't going to come in and say these cases don't have any merit based on the facts," Hastings said. "They're going to come in with narrow, technical defenses that exist regardless of those issues. Courts are good at setting the emotions aside and looking at the law."

But, he said, victims can point to "gross negligence" as a path around governmental immunity.

"That's probably the best angle," Hastings said. "But it's likely, with the wide net that's cast, that a number of defendants will still have a 'we-didn't-do-it' defense."

No substantial responses have been filed. In one lawsuit, a federal judge has granted a request from the attorney general's office to give Snyder and state employees more time to explore legal defenses.

Snyder spokesman Dave Murray declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate for the governor's office to discuss pending litigation.

In 2013, a judge rejected a class-action lawsuit in the District of Columbia on behalf of children who may have been exposed to lead in water in Washington. Thelawsuit said the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority hid elevated lead levels from customers and federal authorities between 2001 and 2004, and failed to take steps to remedy the situation.

The complaint followed a study by Children's National Medical Center and Virginia Tech that determined hundreds of children were at risk of health and development problems linked to lead. Virginia Tech is also involved in studies of Flint water.

Separately, attorney Geoffrey Fieger is suing a hospital and various public officials over Legionnaires' disease, not lead. Genesee County had an extraordinary spike in cases of the waterborne lung disease while Flint was relying on the Flint River for its water supply  at least 87 confirmed illnesses, including nine deaths.

"The more I read and learn about this, the angrier I get. ... I can no longer stand on the sidelines and watch this debacle unfold," said Fieger, who is representing three people who survived pneumonia and the family of a fourth who died.

DETROIT  Associated Press
Kindergarteners at Jenner Academy on the North Side pass by a poster they made as part of a campaign to prevent the closing of their school by Chicago Public Schools. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

There is a disturbing force at work in the wonderful neighborhood my family lives in.

It's a force we in Chicago live with but hesitate to talk about: structural racism. It's endemic in our public schools.

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It has now reared its ugly head at the one my children attend.

My wife came home last summer after a school community meeting and excitedly told me there was a possible solution to overcrowding in our neighborhood school.

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There is another elementary school, about a mile away, newly constructed, with great community support and student programming. It can hold nearly 1,000 students, yet only about 250 are enrolled.

The idea of merging the two schools was generated independently by each school. For our school, it was one of many ideas generated at a brainstorming session hosted with parents and teachers to explore the overcrowding problem.

Each idea was researched and presented back to the exploratory group for consideration by our Local School Council. The principals of each school then began working together, involving teachers and parents, in discussions about the feasibility of merging.

By combining schools, both would benefit with no need for additional funding from the city.

One would gain access to more space. One would gain the students necessary to keep the school open. A majority of teachers and parents at both schools are in favor. The LSC voted to pursue the planning needed to present the idea to the city and the Board of Education.

Except, I left out a key detail.

My children's school is Ogden International, an affluent, modestly diverse, but mostly white school. It is located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago.

Jenner Academy of the Arts, the other half of this merger proposal, is economically poor and nearly 100 percent black. It is located in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood.

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The principals  Jenner's Robert Croston, who is black, and Ogden's Michael Beyer, who is white  held a community meeting to share the idea and seek approval to develop a detailed plan for the merger.

Some Ogden parents quickly emerged to make accusations of improper procedure and oppose the idea.

"Crime will go up!"

"Test scores will go down!"

"This was a deal made behind closed doors!"

These baseless claims threaten a practical and inspiring solution.

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They also reveal the structural racism that this initiative must battle.

I don't want to imply there are not issues to be worked out. Which grades will attend which school? Will the schools follow similar schedules? How will the International Baccalaureate programming be implemented across campuses? Will the schools' cultures mesh?

And I admit there are many uncertainties. How will these two school communities come together? Will Jenner students lose their identity and access to education that authentically represents black contributions to knowledge, history and culture?

Ogden has considered building additional classrooms on top of the existing school. They have looked at adding trailers on open property in the neighborhood. And, of course, increasing classroom size.

Jenner has begun marketing itself to attract students from around the city.

But these ideas look like risky bets compared to joining forces with each other.

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Principals Croston and Beyer know this. They are the leaders responsible for the quality, well-being and future of their schools. They have considered many options.

It is time to honor their unlikely partnership.

Yet the opposition that has emerged is both explicit and implicit.

Many of the initial, explicit objections from Ogden parents were quickly researched and disproved. Crime is lower around Jenner Academy than it is around Ogden, we learned when one parent gathered crime and safety data from the Chicago Police Department. Individual students' test scores stay the same or go up in integrated classrooms. Differentiated learning within grade levels is already in place. Classroom sizes would not grow.

Even armed with all this information, there are still objections.

The most unfortunate part of this story is that it is taking place while both Chicago and the nation struggle with the relationship between law enforcement and black communities.

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Within this context, the merging of Jenner and Ogden would be symbolic of the change and community leadership needed to heal our neighborhoods. It would be a bright spot in a sea of despair.

I am white and my wife is Cuban. While we both come from lower-middle-class families, we are now successful entrepreneurs in Chicago. Our two children attend Ogden International. We love our city and our children's local public school.

The merger was not approved and presented in time to CPS for the 2016-17 school year, but a group of parents, teachers and community members is moving forward with efforts to make it happen in 2017.

This merger is not only a practical and inspiring solution to our local challenge, it is symbolic of the kind of change needed across the nation.

Chris Conley is co-founder and chairman of gravitytank in Chicago.
Occasionally, something happens to put real life into perspective  even when I am living inside the noise that is a presidential campaign.

I had first noticed the exhausted young family at the O'Hare airport gate Wednesday afternoon, as I was waiting to board my connection from Iowa to New Hampshire. They were a couple with two children  a baby and a toddler, who was sprawled out sleeping on the floor of the terminal. It turned out they were in the row behind me on the plane.

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As we got off in Manchester, the gate agent pulled me aside. "Could you keep an eye on them?" she asked. They didn't speak any English, and seemed mystified by the baggage claim. That was when I noticed the International Organization for Migration card the father was wearing on a string around his neck. It identified them as Congolese refugees. Their bag  a bag, not luggage  came off the belt. It was no bigger than my own suitcase, and I assume it contained everything they owned.

No one was there to meet them, so I called the phone number of the sponsor named on his badge. I got routed to another number  in New York, I think. They had no idea who these people were. I dug through the paperwork in the plastic bag the man had carried on the plane, looking for a case number.

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I didn't find one amid the evidence of the bureaucratic maze they had had to negotiate to get here: State Department documents, health records, ID photos.

Even so, there had been a glitch. A horrible one. The social services agency was expecting a different family, later that night, but not them. So I sat down with them to wait while things got straightened out. Their toddler was gobbling the little bag of snack mix from the plane, so I went to the food court and brought back the most nutritious meal I could find, turkey sandwiches on bagels.

The TSA guy by the baggage claim turned out to have been a refugee himself from Cameroon, 10 years ago, after he had gotten on the wrong side of the government there. He was able to talk to them, and told me they had been traveling for two days  from Tanzania to Kenya to Dubai to Chicago and now here to New Hampshire. They were fleeing one of Africa's longest and most brutal wars, one that rarely makes the front pages of American newspapers. And one that never gets mentioned in a presidential campaign where immigration has been Topic A.

About two hours later, a caseworker arrived. He worked for Ascentria, an organization formerly known as Lutheran Social Services of New England. They were working on finding the family a hotel room for the night, but he was worried, because he hadn't known to bring a car seat for the baby. (I told him I was sure the rental car counter could help out on that one.) Under normal circumstances, there would have been an apartment waiting for them, stocked with food for a week.

I'm sure a better life awaits them here, after the horror they were fleeing in Africa. As for me, I'm grateful to this brave little family. I will think of them the next time I get overwrought by the hassles of my own privileged, first-world traveling life. A flight delay, a middle seat, bad WiFi  that no longer seems like such a trial.

Washington Post

Karen Tumulty covers politics for The Washington Post.
It was an election marred by missing votes, questionable tallies, tricky tactics, late reporting, disputed outcomes and demands for recounts. Is this Chicago? No, it's Iowa.

The Iowa caucuses are supposed to be a quaint but inspiring example of American democracy at work. In the first contest of the presidential campaign, people gather with their neighbors in schools, churches and restaurants to debate, ponder and finally vote. But this year's version, while not devoid of inspiration, left many voters and candidates feeling shafted.

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On the Democratic side, the battle between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders was agonizingly close, making every caucus important. But some of those in charge didn't keep records of the votes and some of them didn't call in the results on time. In a few caucuses, a tie vote was broken by  we are not making this up  a coin flip.

When the chair of the Monday night meeting in one Des Moines precinct realized Tuesday that its votes had not been transmitted and might decide the outcome, reported The Des Moines Register, he had to go home to retrieve his notes  only to discover that "he didn't know who was logging the tallies. The party's caucus hotline was no longer working. The party headquarters was locked."

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Campaign aides for Sanders, the runner-up by a razor-thin margin, demanded paper records to determine whether the results were tabulated correctly. That request prompted Clinton's state director to accuse the Sanders team of having the chutzpah to "disparage results that don't come out in their favor."

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 49 Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a caucus night rally on Feb. 1, 2016, in Des Moines, Iowa. Cruz sealed a victory in the Republican Iowa caucuses. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)

But an editorial in The Register said, "What we can't stomach is even the whiff of impropriety or error," and it demanded "a complete audit of results." Andy McGuire, chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party, said, "Asking for raw vote totals demonstrates a misunderstanding of our process. As does asking for a recount." Plenty of old-time Chicago ward bosses would have smiled at that assertion.

Republicans had their own mini-scandal. After CNN reported on caucus day that Ben Carson would proceed to Florida instead of New Hampshire, U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, a supporter of Ted Cruz, tweeted, "Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote."

King's claim likely allowed Cruz to capture some votes that would have gone to Carson  who explained that his Florida swing was to get fresh clothes before heading north to campaign. So after finishing a disappointing second, Donald Trump said, "Ted Cruz didn't win Iowa, he stole it." Trump demanded that the vote be redone or the results nullified.

Cruz laughed off Trump's complaint but apologized to Carson, whose campaign issued a statement saying, "These 'dirty tricks' political tactics are part of the reason Dr. Carson got into this race and reflect the 'Washington values' of win at all costs  regardless of the damage to the country  which he is trying to change." Trump supporter Sarah Palin said her candidate had "opened so many eyes to the lies, corruption and total lack of accountability that come so naturally to the permanent political class."

This is not the first time things have gone awry in the Hawkeye State. In the 2012 Republican caucuses, the initial count gave the win to Mitt Romney. A couple of weeks later, though, the state GOP announced that the actual winner was Rick Santorum  who by then had lost the chance to capitalize on his victory.

All these snafus have to be embarrassing to the people of Iowa, who treasure their special role in the election of presidents. The good news for them is that their job is done. The next round of voting is Tuesday, in New Hampshire. And by the time it's over, no one will be talking about Iowa.

Follow the Editorial Board on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
The afternoon sun lights the stark surfaces, sharp angles and garish acrylic colors forming the brutish head and muscular torso of "Titus Andronicus"  a large painting on the east ballroom wall of the David Adler Music & Arts Center in Libertyville.

As artists prepared to honor the 400th anniversary of the year of William Shakespeare's death, Libertyville Township painter John Kirkpatrick drew inspiration from one of the bard's less popular works, Titus Andronicus' "The Most Lamentable Tragedy," the tale of a fictitious general in the latter days of the Roman Empire.

"I knew going into the show that I wanted to do a character who is scary and aggressive, not a basic Shakespeare," said Kirkpatrick. "So I came up with Titus, which still fit with the theme of Shakespeare. I did a couple of sketches of a warrior-type image. He was a brutal, violent guy."

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Kirkpatrick and a host of other area artists have work on display this month at Adler, for the "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" display, in cooperation with the Lake County Discovery Museum's exhibit, "First Folio: The Book That Gave Us Shakespeare."

Both exhibits run through the end of the month. Paintings are for sale and are already displayed in an ideal setting, explained Adler Executive Director Amy Williams. "That's what we think is extra special about Adler," she said: "that it was a home ... when people come here, they can see what the painting look like on the walls of a home."

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Artists from Chicago, the North Shore and others from Lake County, like Fitzpatrick, have nearly 20 works up on the walls at Adler. Adler exhibitors Karen Altschul, Linda Kollacks, Stephanie Toral and Paulette Colo have county connections and roots.

Colo, of Buffalo Grove, has a painting titled "She Doth Teach the Torches to Burn Bright," from "Romeo and Juliet."

Also, Colo joins other artists on Tuesdays, as part of The Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Senior Center, visiting locales in the two towns in search of subjects. One of Colo's watercolors shows downtown Lake Bluff businesses.

"It's absolutely wonderful to go to all these places and sit and paint on site. Once a year, we go down to Sunrise Beach and see kids learning to sail. I've done several paintings of those kids."

Director Williams said paintings exhibited at Adler average between $200 and $300, with some as high as $500. The venue has seven shows a year, including one for photography in November and "a lot of print shows," with lower prices than paintings.

Denys Bucksten is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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Heather Long, who is from the Indianapolis area, rocks her adopted son Ethan, now 2, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Longs had legally adopted Ethan in 2013 when the country put a moratorium on all exit visas. More than 400 children  including 27 who were adopted by Indiana families  have been stuck in limbo ever since. (Photo Provided / Post-Tribune)

The Indiana Congressional delegation is asking President Barack Obama to personally intervene in a situation that has left more than 400 orphaned children in the Democratic Republic of Congo  and the American families who have legally adopted them  in limbo for more than two years.

The problem is particularly acute in Indiana, where the highest number of children  27  have been adopted by 20 Hoosier families.

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All of the adoptions had been completed through Congolese courts, recognized by U.S. consular officials, and were in accordance with American visa procedures and international conventions. But in September 2013, the Congolese government put a moratorium on issuing exit permits from the DRC  the final step in the process  and thus stopped the adoptions in their tracks.

In the time since the moratorium, 25 of the adopted children have died in the DRC due to inadequate medical care.

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The situation has been heart-wrenching for parents like Heather Long, who had just adopted a little girl from the DRC and was in the process of adopting her younger brother when the moratorium happened.

"It's been a very frustrating situation as families try to figure out how to be a family while separated," said Long, who lives in the Indianapolis area. "Our son is 2. We have traveled over there, Skyped, sent packages of clothes, so he's very aware of who we are.

"A lot of the children are living in orphanages, but we're fortunate that our son is living with foster parents, so he's got a lot of one-on-one care."

Long said diseases like malaria, which is rare in the United States, are more prevalent in the DRC and have sickened children.

The moratorium stemmed from a Reuters special report on neglect and abuse of foreign adoptees by American families, Long said, but she emphasized that none of those reports involved Congolese children and the cases reflected a small percentage of all adoptions. DRC officials have promised that the moratorium would be resolved through legislation in their National Assembly, but that has yet to occur.

"The DRC made an announcement (in September 2013) that they were not going to give exit permits for international adoptions for a year, but over time, what happened is a year became two years and now we're entering year three," Long said. "The initial conversation was over the well-being of children, but over time the reasons have shifted. We wanted to show that our kids are thriving and a delegation of Congolese officials was scheduled to visit, but they cancelled at the last minute."

Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., said it's been frustrating to see this process drag out so long for families.

"For the parents, it is their child not being home with them and the anguish they feel every single day that they're not with them," he said. "We're hopeful that President Obama can talk to President (Joseph) Kabila and emphasize that it's personally important to him to get this done."

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U.S. State Department staff have been actively involved in resolving the situation, and those in Congress, including House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., have visited the DRC and spoken to their counterparts in the National Assembly about the issue. They've received many promises  saying that the moratorium will be lifted in weeks or months  but no resolution to date.

Obama spoke to Kabila about the matter at the end of a broader telephone conversation in March 2015, but the letter requests that he call the Congolese president again "placing central emphasis on the matter and asking him for personal, verifiable commitments to you that the issue will be solved swiftly and thoroughly. In particular, we hope you will ask that these long-completed adoption cases not be subject to any new requirements or constraints imposed by future legislation."

Long emphasized that Congolese children still maintain vital links to their culture in Indiana since one of the largest agencies that handles DRC adoptions in the United States is located in Indianapolis.

"We have an incredible support network," Long said. "Our daughter is wonderfully connected to Congolese culture. The agency does a lot of cultural events for families. It sounds funny but it would be really hard to move from Indiana because of all the links to the Congolese culture we have here."

Long said it's been difficult for families to get their hopes up when there have been so many empty promises over the past 2 1/2 years, but they've formed a support network to help each other through it.

"I think we all would have been committed by now without talking to people in the same situation," Long said. "It's a very odd situation that we've been through."

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cnance@post-trib.com
Gary-area officials are putting together a collection of bottled water that they plan to ship to people in Flint, Mich., where the local supply of drinking water has been found to contain hazardous levels of lead.

The Urban League of Northwest Indiana is working with various churches and charitable organizations to fill a semitrailer with water that will be sent to Flint on Saturday.

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Urban League President Vanessa Allen said she thinks local government officials failed to protect the citizens of Flint from exposure to tainted water.

"Nine thousand children under 6 have been exposed to lead poisoning and the state's response so far has been inadequate to say the least," Allen said in a prepared statement. "We are sending water as a stop-gap measure, but it is up to the state to fix the situation by immediately remediating the entire city water system in the most timely manner."

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Federal investigators are studying the extent of lead contamination, which is believed to date back to 2014 when Flint city officials tried to save money by shifting from Lake Huron to the Flint River as their source of drinking water. Reports have also placed blame on lead pipes that were used to bring water into homes.

The Urban League is not alone in collecting water for Flint residents. They are working with Gary municipal government, Indiana American Water and JMD Construction. The city and and those organizations are collecting full cases of water through Thursday for people who wish to donate.

People donating water to the Urban League can do so from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. through Thursday at the office, 3101 Broadway.

Indiana American Water is accepting donations from 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. through Wednesday at its office, 650 Madison St.

Gary officials will accept donations at four fire stations around the city  all of which will be capable of taking donations any time day or night through Thursday. Those stations are located at 300 W. 25th Ave., 380 S. Grand Blvd., 761 Clark Road., and 6012 W. 26th Ave.

Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Police have asked for a Porter Township couple to be charged with misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor after arresting 34 teens at their home on underage drinking charges.

Two of the teens were charged with misdemeanor resisting law enforcement, and police said one of them also is being charged with a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession.

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Deputies with the Porter County Sheriff's Department were called around 10:30 p.m. Saturday to a residence in the 300 block of Phillips road by a passerby who told police several young adults were drinking in the front yard and possibly using illegal drugs.

Police who arrived at the front of the residence found several juveniles outside and said they allegedly smelled burned marijuana.

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One of the homeowners gave police permission to search the residence. Police said they found more than 20 juveniles in the basement with several bottles of hard liquor, and empty bottles of hard liquor and beer in a trashcan.

The homeowner told police that her children approached her and her husband about having a party, and they told their children they could only invite 10 people and drugs and alcohol were not allowed at the residence.

The homeowner told police she periodically checked in the basement and the teens were just dancing and she was unaware of the alleged drinking or illegal drug use until police arrived. She also didn't know there were 39 teens in the basement, a report said.

Police also found a backpack they said had seven plastic bags with marijuana in it, along with rolling papers and a digital scale, the police report said. The name of the owner of the backpack was on a tag inside.

In all, police transported 15 teens who were 18 and 19 to Porter County Jail. Another 18 teens, ages 15 to 17, were released to their parents.

Officers with the Hebron Police Department assisted with the call.

Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Last month the Niles Township High School District 219 announced that it had appointed former Libertyville School District 70 superintendent, Mark Friedman, as interim superintendant while it searches for a new superintendant. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

The interim superintendent at Niles Township High School District 219 has only been on the job for about two weeks but he said he is already working with staff to try and make the transition for a new superintendent easier while also handling the everyday tasks of the district.

Last month the Niles Township High School District 219 Board of Education announced that it had appointed former Libertyville School District 70 superintendent, Mark Friedman, as interim superintendent while it searches for a full-time candidate.

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"I didn't bring too many boxes because I'm not here for the long run," Friedman said. "I'm spending a lot of my time talking and getting to know people."

Friedman will serve as District 219 interim superintendent through June of this year, district officials said.

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Friedman replaces the previous superintendent, Nanciann Gatta, who left the district under a cloud of controversy, including a district-lead internal investigation, late last year. Assistant Superintendent for Operations John Heintz, who had been placed on paid leave along with Gatta last August, also stepped down during the course of the investigation. Both Gatta and Heintz signed mutual separation agreements with the district that said they had done nothing wrong.

Friedman said he has served as interim superintendent in two other school districts in the past and said coming in to temporarily take the reins of District 219 was not made more difficult by Gatta's sudden departure.

"There really isn't any difference other than the time lapse between when those actions were taken, which was August, and restarting in January," he said. "Things are getting done in this district. They have good support, good administrators, but they have all they jobs. They're juggling multiple responsibilities."

"That's a tough thing to do," he added. "I'm going to devote my energies to the superintendent role and then hopefully line things up ... to hopefully ensure the success for the new person who comes in. So it will be a transition or handoff kind of thing."

Friedman is a partner with BWP and Associates, an educational leadership search firm in Libertyville, but he said his position there did not lead him to the interim superintendent position at District 219.

He said he was contacted about the position by a representative with the Illinois Association of School Boards and personnel within District 219.

"Basically they asked if I would just even talk to the School Board and if I was interested," he said. "I wasn't looking for a position  but I met with the School Board and they outlined their needs. They really needed someone with experience in the interim kind of role because it is unique."

He said other priorities include helping to find a replacement for Niles North High School's principal, Ryan McTague, who is leaving at the end of the school year to become the superintendent of McHenry School District 156, and helping make the transition for a new superintendent easier.

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"The new person can come in and have a lot of the things we're dealing with right now be taken care of so her or she can get a fresh start when they begin in July," said Friedman. "The thing you don't want to do as an interim is you don't want to put to many things in place when you don't know what the new superintendent is going to think about that."

He also said like many school districts, District 219 is being forced to deal with various governmental mandates.

"I think the challenges are monumental when it comes to outside interference from state mandates, to federal mandates, to local politics, to all that stuff," Friedman said. "That's a tough thing for sometimes the public to see, these outside pressures and how much they weigh on a day-to-day basis."

"I've always been out there saying if a district reaches a certain level of success they should be left alone," he added.

Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Northeastern Illinois University President Sharon Hahs, back row, far left, with Daniel L. Goodwin, back row, second from left, members of NEIU student government and a feathered friend celebrate Goodwin's support for the school. (Northeastern Illinois University)

Daniel L. Goodwin, principal and chairman of the Inland Real Estate Group, was recognized recently for his philanthropic donation to Northeastern Illinois University, where he launched his "Goodwin Gift Challenge" to continue the donation momentum. After donating millions late 2014, Goodwin agreed to match any donation given to NEIU in the next three years of up to $500,000 a year.

Goodwin, a long-time Oak Brook resident, has supported Northeastern for many years. He also supports other educational and vocational institutions, affordable housing efforts and, with his wife, conservation work in the Chicago area.
The cast of the Theatre of Western Springs' production of "New York," about the reactions of 15 different characters to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. (Theatre of Western Springs)

Shortly after 9/11, playwright David Rimmer penned, "New York," sharing the diverse reactions to those terrorist attacks by 15 very different characters who tell their stories to a psychiatrist. The play, which has been performed across the country and overseas, opens Feb. 11 at the Theatre of Western Springs under Greg Kolack's direction.

"It's a really powerful show," said Kolack, who previously directed "New York" for Lewis University in 2010. "It shows how tragedies affect different people. Some scenes have a lot of humor in them and some are very moving."

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Playwright Rimmer considers "New York" a universal tale of survival. "The people have a timeless emotional quality to them," he explained, adding that the play could have taken place "anytime, anywhere," including following the Civil War.

Director Kolack agreed. "It's really about how people would deal with any tragedy," he said. "It's about the resilience of the human spirit."

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"A lot of people go through bad times and they come out okay," Rimmer added, reporting that some scenes are based on actual stories, others are not.

"Everything that's in it is there for a reason," he said. "It's squeezing all of the emotions into a few minutes."

Bridget Bittman of La Grange plays Mary, an unmarried middle-aged woman.

"She gets a call on her cell phone from a friend from college who is trapped in a closet in the towers," Bittman related. "She doesn't know her very well. It is very much an emotional burden for her because she doesn't understand why her friend asked her to say goodbye to her family members and tell them that she loved them."

Mary also worked in the towers but was late to work that day. "Mary's feeling terrible guilt that she survived and she's single without kids. And there are all these people who died who had children and loved ones," Bittman said.

Western Springs resident Kolby Boyle plays Oklahoma. "He's the epitome of a Midwestern good guy. He's got a kind heart," Boyle said.

Oklahoma comes from the state of the same name to help the clean-up efforts after 9/11. "That's where his heart plays a role," Boyle noted. "There were some responders from New York that helped (the state of) Oklahoma out so he thought it was his duty to go and help them."

Bittman concluded that "New York" provides a balanced view of the tragedy the characters faced. "There are moments of levity, there are moments of sorrow and then there's moments of clarity," she said.

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Theatre of Western Springs presents 'New York'

When: Feb. 11-21

Where: 4384 Hampton Ave., Western Springs

Tickets: $20-$22

Contact: 708-246-3380; www.theatreofwesternsprings.com
A Chicago man who Wilmette police say damaged a screened-in porch in his efforts to flee officers during an early morning foot chase faces several charges in connection with auto burglaries that took place last week in west Wilmette.

Darvis Dennis, 27, of the 5300 block of West North Avenue in Chicago, is scheduled to appear Feb. 19 in Cook County Court, Skokie, on a felony charge of criminal damage to property and a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, according to police. Both charges stem from an incident that took place shortly before 3 a.m. Feb. 4 on the 2200 block of Elmwood Avenue, police said.

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He also faces misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass to a vehicle and possession of stolen property, stemming from an auto burglary in the same time period on the 1000 block of Cherokee Road, not far from the Elmwood Avenue incident, police said.

Dennis is being held at the Cook County Metropolitan Corrections Center in Chicago on a $75,000 bond, according to the Cook County Sheriff's office.

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Police said officers were called to Elmwood Avenue after a resident told dispatchers he had seen a suspicious person apparently trying to break into his garage. Police said officers spotted the man when they arrived. After a struggle, they chased him through several backyards before finally stopping him, police reported.

Deputy Chief Kyle Perkins said the veranda screen was damaged when Dennis allegedly struggled with officers at the Elmwood property. Wilmette police found items on Dennis that they later traced to the Cherokee Road burglary, he said.

Police Chief Brian King said police were also investigating other burglaries reported in the same area when they arrested Dennis, including a second one on the 1000 block of Cherokee Road, a second one on the 2200 block of Elmwood, and two on the 1000 block of Pawnee Road. However, no charges were made in connection with any of those incidents, according to police.

kroutliffe@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @pioneer_kathy
Officials say the Thomas Bassett house at 461 Maple Street, reportedly one of the oldest in Winnetka, has reached the end of its long life.

Built in the 1860s as a small farmhouse, the home was originally owned by Thomas Bassett, one of the first village council members in Winnetka. The house is now slated for demolition.

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"This is probably one of the oldest structures in the village," said Louise Holland, former village president and chair of the landmark preservation commission. "It's very sad, but there's not much more we can do. The village won't extend the wait period on a historical home that we don't want to be seen torn down."

But Sean Freeman, founder and president of Highland Park-based Twenty 9 Inc. Construction, said that the building's age doesn't mean it's worth keeping in its current condition.

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"It's a rich history and a long history and I know that people get emotional when things get torn down," he said. "We understand some people are upset, but because something has a date on it doesn't make it significant. It didn't line up with any of the other homes and that's unappealing. From a neighbor and city perspective, the way the house sits is awkward."

Freeman said the new, mostly-stone structure that will replace the Thomas Bassett house would be roughly the same square footage, at 38,000 square feet, but will sit further back on the lot.

"It's going to fit in more as a new home than it did as an old home," he said.

Freeman said it wasn't just the exterior of the existing home that made it unappealing.

"It was not well-maintained," he said. "There's no bathroom on the first floor. It just wasn't prudent to take that home and try to remodel it."

The home's most recent owners were Mary and Richard Larkin, according to a village house file. In the file, Richard Larkin said the house was in "embarrassingly bad shape" before he left Winnetka for Florida last year.

As for the home's history, Freeman said an exhaustive study of the home did not say if one of Winnetka's founding fathers resided there.

"Did one of the founding fathers of Winnetka live there? I don't recall that," he said.

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But Holland said the study did find that 461 Maple Street was the home of Thomas Bassett. The village file also stated the original owner as Thomas Bassett.

"In the body of the study is the whole story of Thomas Bassett living in that house," said Holland. "He (Freeman) should just look at the report that he commissioned and paid for."

Freeman, however, said he wants to look more toward the future of a property and its prolific location, en route to parks and beaches.

"Cherry and Maple is an important corner," he said. "Our goal is that when you go by Maple and Cherry, people won't know it's a new home. It's not going to be one of those vanilla box homes. It will fit in with the rest. Whether you've lived there for two years or two generations, I think people will agree that the aesthetics of the home are very pleasant."

Patti Van Cleave, executive director of the Winnetka Historical Society, said while she recognizes that the Thomas Bassett house has history, she agrees that it makes more sense to build a new structure in its place rather than remodel it.

"It's an old house, but I didn't see anything about it that would be significant," she said.

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Freeman said Twenty 9 is custom-building the new home for a North Shore family who has been looking at various properties around the area for several years.

"This is a committed Winnetka family and they want to send their kids to New Trier," he said. "We're going to do everything we can to build a new home that embodies what Winnetka is about and that the community can be proud of."

boshea@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @OSheaBridget
With the scope and penalties of Chinas social credit system being further clarified in 2021, legal and regulatory compliance has become more important than...
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The Somalia national army with support from African Union(AU) troops on Saturday recaptured southern Somalia's port city of Marka from Al-Shabaab.

Officials told reporters that Al-Shabaab militants were driven away from the strategic port town after heavy gun battle with soldiers from Somalia national army and the African Union member states.

Mohamed Osman Yarisow, an administrator in Shabelle region, southern Somalia, said Marka was firmly in the hands of the legitimate government.

"We have recaptured the port town of Marka after driving away Al-Shabaab militants who overrun it on Friday," said the official.

"Our troops and those from the African Union member states had not withdrawn from the town and only engaged in a tactical retreat to enable them to fight the militants effectively,"added Yarisow.

Al-Shabaab militants on Friday captured Marka, but lost it shortly after a fierce onslaught from Somalia national army and AU troops, according to the official.

The port town was liberated from Al-Shabaab in 2012.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande will meet in Strasbourg on Sunday evening against the background of Europe's refugee crisis and a possible "Brexit."

These two thorny issues for the European Union (EU) are at the heart of this latest informal exchange of views between the two leaders in Strasbourg, a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation, a week ahead of an EU summit meeting on Feb. 18 and 19, in Brussels.

On the menu will be how to absorb the waves of refugees arriving in Europe via Greece and Turkey, and the ongoing negotiations with the British government to avoid "Brexit." Britain will hold an in-out referendum on its EU membership, possibly in June this year.

Determined to defend the Schengen agreement, Paris and Berlin will explore solutions surrounding the so-called "hot spots" (reception centers for refugees), deportation of illegal immigrants, control of the Greek-Turkish border and the redistribution of refugees, says one diplomatic source.

No declaration is scheduled following the meeting of the two leaders, who will dine with European Parliament President Martin Schulz at a restaurant in Strasbourg's historic center.

This meeting is the latest in what is known as the Blaesheim process, informal meetings over dinner between the French and German leaders. Originally intended to bolster the EU's "Franco-German motor" to map out a long-term vision for Europe, various crises in the EU have accumulated to the point that short-term management has taken over. At their previous informal meeting in Strasbourg on Jan. 30, 2015 the possibility of Greece being forced out of the Eurozone ("Grexit") occupied Merkel and Hollande.

The EU, under threat from internal divisions and the failure of its migration policy, is now facing an unprecedented crisis that poses a growing threat to the sustainability of the Schengen area.

Greece is accused by Brussels of "serious deficiencies" in its management of the migrant influx and has suggested that Athens could jeopardize the functioning of the European free movement area. Some political leaders have even suggested a temporary suspension of Greece from the Schengen area.

The European Commission (EC) has started a procedure which could see a two-year extension of controls over some internal borders of the EU that have already reintroduced.

Divisions are growing between proponents of a comprehensive EU response, and those, such as UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, who argue that only through regaining sovereignty and controlling their own borders can EU countries face up to the migration crisis.

In June, the British should vote in a referendum on whether to remain an EU member. A deal struck last week between President of the European Council Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister David Cameron intended to keep Britain in the EU did not convince Brexit supporters. An opinion poll published Friday suggested 45 percent of Britons favor leaving the EU compared with 36 percent wanting to remain.
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Al-Qassam Brigades, the Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing, said Sunday it executed one of its militants in Gaza for committing moral and military violations.

Rushdi Ishteiwi was executed after the group's military judiciary bodies found him guilty for moral, behavior and military violations.

The group did not give any more details on what violations he committed, but said he had admitted such violations.

Ishteiwi was considered a senior Hamas field militant. He was arrested at the end of Israel's 50-day military operation in the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2014.
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday welcomed a political agreement reached by Haitian stakeholders in a bid to install a transitional government that keeps the small island country from plunging into an immediate power vacuum.

In a statement issued here by his spokesman, the secretary-general said that the agreement "provides for immediate arrangements to preserve the institutional continuity of the country as well as a roadmap for the swift conclusion of the ongoing electoral cycle."

"Acknowledging that the agreement is in the spirit of the Haitian Constitution, the secretary-general calls on all actors concerned to implement it in order to ensure the democratic transfer of power to elected officials," the statement said.

The secretary-general encouraged all Haitian stakeholders to continue engaging in constructive dialogue to guide their country to a stable and democratic future, which is essential for tackling the challenges facing Haiti, the statement said.

"The secretary-general encourages all actors to promote measures aimed at fostering calm and stability," it said.

"The secretary-general reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to extend its full support to the Haitian people in the fulfillment of their democratic aspirations," the statement added.

Under the new agreement, parliament will elect an interim president for a four-month term. Haitian President Michel Martelly's five-year term comes to an end on Sunday.

On Jan. 22, Haiti's electoral authority postponed presidential elections slated for Sunday citing security reasons.

The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) said serious incidents in the past hours in five Haitian departments, including attacks on at least two polling stations, led it to take the decision.

Haiti, a country of 10 million that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, held the first round of legislative elections on Aug. 9, followed by the first round of presidential elections and second round of legislative polls on Oct. 25.
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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Sunday it will temporarily close its headquarters in Gaza city after a group of angry protesters tried to break into it.

Earlier in the day, dozens demonstrated outside the ICRC office in western Gaza city in solidarity with Mohamed al-Qiq, a Palestinian journalist who has been on hunger strike for 76 days in an Israeli jail.

The protesters said they were against the ICRC's inaction to rescue al-Qiq who is fighting death in an Israeli hospital.

Al-Qiq's condition was critical, as "contacts at high levels are being made to rescue his life," Eassa Qaraqe'a, head of the Palestinian prisoners' corporation of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said on Saturday.

On Thursday, al-Qiq decided to continue his hunger strike after an Israeli court suspended his administrative detention but refused to let him leave hospital.

Al-Qiq, a 33-year-old TV reporter working for a Saudi station, was arrested in November, 2015, and started an open-ended hunger strike a few days later.

He demanded that Israel immediately release him and annul the administrative detention that keeps him in prison without a trial or charges.
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Nigeria's road commission said Monday 17 people died in a road accident on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in southwest Oyo State on Sunday.

State commander for the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Yusuf Salami told reporters in Ibadan, the state capital, the accident involved an articulated vehicle and a Peugeot J5 bus.

The official said corpses of victims had been deposited at the Adeoyo State Hospital morgue in Ibadan, while the injured were taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan Central Hospital and Kejide Hospital.

Investigation into the accident was underway, he said.

Nigeria records high fatality rates for road accidents mainly due to shoddy highways, poorly maintained vehicles and violation of traffic rules by inept drivers.
A Chinese-led investor group is buying the Chicago Stock Exchange, also known as CHX, to eventually list Chinese companies on it, and also may use CHX's technology and model to start an equities exchange where it is based in China, according to the CEO and chairman of the 134-year-old bourse.

John Kerin also told Reuters that under the new ownership, the exchangewould have the funding for efforts like revamping its listings program."They like our strategy, and they want us to continue to execute on it," he said in an interview.

The investor consortium led by Chongqing-based Casin Enterprise Group said on Feb 5 it will acquire the exchange, which handles about 0.5 percent of the average daily trading volume in the US.

It would be the first purchase of a US exchange by investors from China, but not to a foreign entity. A unit of Germany's Deutsche Boerse AG acquired the International Securities Exchange in 2007.

Bloomberg reported that the deal values the exchange at less than $100 million, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked to not be identified because the terms were not disclosed publicly.

The exchange said the deal is expected to close in the second half of the year, and will require the approval of the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The acquisition also might be reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which has jurisdiction to examine an acquisition of a US business that will result in foreign control. CFIUS is only interested when the transaction raises national security or critical infrastructure concerns.

"It is possible that CFIUS could be interested in this transaction because financial services can be considered part of the critical infrastructure of the US," Laura Fraedrich of Jones Day in Washington told China Daily. "However, given the very small percentage of the US market that this exchange represents, CFIUS may determine that it can be comfortable clearing the deal, especially since it is a highly-regulated industry and those regulations will continue in place regardless of the owner."

Joe Saluzzi, co-head of trading at Themis Trading and author of Broken Markets, said the deal may raise security concerns.

"Does foreign ownership open up any potential for information leakage to someone who can take advantage of it? As an investor, I would raise an eyebrow," Saluzzi told CNN Money. "As long as the information is secure, I don't have any problem with it."

Anne Salladin of Stroock&Stroock&Lavan LLP said that she would be "very surprised if CFIUS did not have an interest in taking a look at this deal."

The CHX acquisition came in a week that saw two major purchases by Chinese companies: the $1.6 billion purchase announced on Feb 4 by Beijing Enterprise Holdings for German waste-management company Energy from Waste, and the $43 billion deal on Feb 3 by China National Chemical Corp for Switzerland-based seed and pesticide maker Syngenta AG, the biggest foreign acquisition ever by China. Syngenta said last week it would file it plans with CIFIUS.

Founded in 1997, privately held Chongqing Casin Enterprise Group has interests in real estate, infrastructure, financial services and environmental protection. Casin Group has 821 employees with operations in Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney and other locations.

"We have reviewed CHX's plans to improve market share through new growth initiatives and fully support them.

Together, we have a unique opportunity to help develop financial markets in China over the longer term and to bring exciting Chinese growth companies to US investors," Shengju Lu, Casin Group founder and chairman said in a statement.

The investor group intends to preserve CHX's current business operations and proprietary trading platform, andKerin would remain as CEO and chairman.

With locations in Chicago and New Jersey, the CHX is mainly used by market makers that buy and sell the most active exchange-traded funds and hedge their positions using futures on CME Group Inc's Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

The CHX, a subsidiary of CHX Holdings Inc, is minority-owned by a group including E*Trade Financial Corp, Bank of America Corp, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co, according to the company. The minority shareholders are also selling their stake, Kerin said.

Contact the writer at paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com
A flash mob featuring a hundred performers in monkey costumes makes an appearance to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year in Times Square on Manhattan, New York, the United States, Feb 6, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Fourteen-year-old Chen Yiyue, who is half-Chinese, half-French, has always relished the atmosphere of a Chinese Spring Festival celebration.



When her mother invites friends to dine with them during that festival, the table is full of delicious food, ladies all wear red and grandparents give her cash-stuffed red envelopes.

Yiyue's father Herve Delmaire immediately fell in love with the festival when they started celebrating it about 10 years ago, and actively joins in the preparations each year, always rushing to decorate rooms with red lanterns.



Now, their French friends ask the family each year on what day they celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.

For Yiyue's mother Chen Li, the Spring Festival celebration is more than a tradition to keep the memory from her hometown and home country alive.



It is also a chance for her husband and French friends to share in the joy and warmth of the traditional Chinese festival, and send good wishes to each other for the next year.

The themes of the festival, including reunion, luck, peace, affluence, good health and safety, are all ideals that Chinese people have held for thousands of years, said Feng Jicai, a famous writer and president of the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association.

In order to be with families at the most important festival of the year, Chinese people travel long distances to go back home, as 2.9 billion trips are expected to be made during this holiday season.

However faraway and inconvenient -- even settling with a standing ticket for a 20-hour-plus trip -- Chinese people would not be willing to miss the annual family reunion.



They go home, bring gifts, hand out red envelopes to seniors and children, and offer their best wishes to each other for a good year.
New Yorkers like to boast that their city has everything, but now a local congresswoman says it is time the Big Apple has "something happy'  two panda cubs.

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's long and determined effort to get the black-and-white bears from China has won over a reluctant Mayor Bill de Blasio, gained the support of two local billionaires (including longtime China businessman Maurice Greenberg) to help raise money for the pandas' habitat, and gotten a basically we'll-consider-it message from China's ambassador to the United States, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

Why pandas in New York City?

"After the financial crisis, 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, it's about time to have something happy," Maloney told a reporter with the newspaper as she walked through the Bronx Zoo recently in a scarf decorated with pandas. "Let's have a panda."

In a story published on Sunday  "Congresswoman's Long Quest: Bringing Pandas to New York"  the newspaper detailed her efforts, including letters to Chinese officials seeking their support, a visit in 2014 to China and a panda preserve in Chengdu, and badgering de Blasio, whom she said in a local radio program last winter "doesn't like pandas".

The mayor now supports her efforts, as does New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the Central Park Zoo, the newspaper said. But approval from the mayor and the Wildlife organization came with a requirement: the animals would stay at the much larger Bronx Zoo, not the Central Park Zoo, and the needed funds  estimated at $50 million  would be raised privately.

As for raising the money, Maloney recently obtained support from Greenberg, who will host a breakfast in March to kick off a fundraising campaign for the panda habitat, the newspaper said. "Our city would benefit in numerous ways from this project," he said in a statement.

Maloney also has the support of another local billionaire, John A. Catsimatidis. The owner of a supermarket chain in the city and a candidate in 2013 for the Republican nomination for mayor said that he would lead a fundraising drive and estimated that he could collect the money for a panda exhibit in 90 days, The Times said.

"More support has come from an even less likely source," the newspaper said: Former US House speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican and a zoo enthusiast. "Surely the greatest American city ought to have pandas," Gingrich wrote.

But David Towne, chairman of the US-based Giant Panda Conservation Foundation, said zoos in Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee, and San Diego and Washington have giant pandas, and "China has been very vocal in saying, no more pandas to North America, or to the US, specifically," according to the Times.

But in October, Maloney received a message from Cui Tiankai, the Chinese ambassador in Washington, saying that China's forestry authorities would enter preliminary talks with New York and would "consider the formal initiation of cooperation when conditions are mature", the newspaper reported.

As her quest continues, Maloney told the newspaper she has begun to think of what kind of animals New York could give to China in return as a token of appreciation and cultural exchange: "Maybe, the upstate deer are so sweet, and they're sort of a symbol of peace."
Beijing has sent a series of urgent warnings through diplomatic channels in response to Pyongyang's Sunday satellite launch and reactions by Washington and Seoul, urging no more actions to flare up tension in the region.

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying confirmed on Sunday night that Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin had an urgent meeting with DPRK's Ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong on Sunday.

Liu lodged representations over DPRK's launch of a satellite using ballistic missile technology and made clear China's principled position.

Following the Sunday launch, the Republic of Korea Defense Ministry officially announced that the ROK and the United States have decided to formally start talks on deploying the THAAD system to the US military base in the ROK.

In response, Liu, the Vice-Foreign Minister, lodged representations with the ROK side over its announcement of starting formal talks with the US on deploying the THAAD system.

Liu made clear China's solemn position during an urgent meeting with ROK's Ambassador to China Kim Jang-soo.

"The Chinese side also made clear the relevant position to the US side through diplomatic channels," said the spokeswoman.

When asked about the ROK Defense Ministry's announcement, Hua Chunying said: "The Chinese side is deeply concerned about it.

"China holds a consistent and clear position on anti-missile issues. No country shall undermine other countries' security interests while pursuing its own," Hua said.

Hua said moving ahead with the deployment of anti-missile systems in the region "will further raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"It will not help maintain regional peace and stability, nor will it lead to a proper settlement of the current situation. We urge relevant parties to deal with this issue with care and caution," Hua added.
The Lunar New Year lit up the Big Apple.

On the single day of Feb 6 - two days ahead of Chinese New Year - three events featuring Peking Opera, Chinese folk dance, visual arts and fireworks unfolded in New York to welcome the Year of the Monkey. A holiday atmosphere spread over Times Square, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and the Hudson River.

A flash mob of nearly 100 young performers broke out at the Crossroads of the World. Inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West, the group treated New Yorkers and tourists to a Monkey King-themed Peking Opera.

Zhang Qiyue, Chinese consul general in New York, along with Deputy Consul General Zhang Meifang and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams showed up at the event wishing everyone a happy Chinese New Year.

"The coming Year of the Monkey is very special to us because it is the first time New Year City public school students will have a day off for the holiday," Zhang said.

"Having a creative flash mob performance here at Times Square not only brings our holiday spirit to New York residents, but also promotes the Chinese culture to the world," she told the Chinese media.

Fantastic Art China, a 72,000-square-foot exhibition at the Javits center, opened in the afternoon on the same day.

The China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing, in conjunction with the US-China Cultural Institute, brought the art of China to New York.

"We transported a thousand contemporary artworks from China to here," Yu Ding, chief curator of the show, told China Daily earlier in the week. "Nobody has ever done it before. Plus, the hundreds of artworks we collected from contemporary artists here in the US; we are bringing a grand show."

Works on display include large-scale public arts, paintings, photography, interactive arts, fashion design, urban design and more.

"We believe people can learn about China through art," said Kay Gayner, head of the China Project at National Dance Institute in New York, whose 60 students from 42 public schools performed three Chinese dances during the opening ceremony at Javits Center.

The monkey dance was choregraphed by Gayner and well-known Chinese dancer Huang Doudou, and Kay remembered Huang told her, "If you combine some of your movements with some of Doudou's movements, then we have a monkey dance for the world."

The art exhibition, which is free to public, will go on until Wednesday.

On the evening of Feb 6, thousands of people gathered along the Hudson River in New York and New Jersey to watch the fireworks designed by CAFA students. It was presented with music composed by Academy Award- and Grammy Award-winner Tan Dun.

Waving Chinese and American flags and holding cameras in the air, the audience cheered as fireworks illuminated the river. Fireworks of smiley faces, waterfalls and flowers blossomed in the sky.

"Happy New Year," they shouted as the last firework disappeared in the dark. The Year of the Monkey starts on Monday.

hezijiang@columbia.edu

(China Daily USA 02/08/2016 page2)
(Photo : Getty Images) People in different countries around the world welcomed the Year of the Monkey in unique days.

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The world welcomed the Chinese Year of the Monkey on Sunday. Festivities and celebrations for the Spring Festival kicked off days before the event.



According to Chinese traditions, fireworks are lit as part of the celebration to scare away bad spirits, while parties are decorated in red and gold to symbolize wealth and happiness. The holiday is a period of mass migration, with millions of people traveling to be with their families.



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Singapore has had its first nine nights of fireworks, with display scheduled for every night at 9:00 p.m. throughout the entire festival. Devotees also offered payer at Kwang Im Tho temple on Sunday. From Sydney to Lisbon, and New York and London, there were processions and fireworks to welcome the New Lunar Year.



In Surubaya, Indonesia, Cai Shen Ye, god of wealth, also handed out red envelopes of money to devotees during the New Year's celebrations at Hong San Ko Tee Temple. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, worshipers gathered at temples to pray for good fortune this year.



On the eve of the Lunar New Year in Philippine's Chinatown, people flocked to celebrate and monkey-shaped balloons were offered. Red lanterns lit up Thean Hou temple in Kuala Lumpur.



Also, many people were in attendance to see the lion dance in Yangon, Myanmar's Chinatown. In Yokohama's Chinatown in Japan, people counted-down to welcome the new year.



The Year of the Monkey is the ninth of the 12 animal signs in the Chinese zodiac calendar. Across the mainland, plastic monkeys can be seen across shopping centers and office buildings, while toy monkeys have been given away by government agencies.



Pretty much like a Monkey, everyone born this year are believed to be witty, intelligent and have a magnetic personality. Their personality traits include curiosity, mischievousness and cleverness, making them a bit naughty. Known for their playful nature, monkeys are skillful and renowned for making practical jokes.



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Special police attend an anti-terrorism drill on November 20, 2015 in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province of China. More than 400 soldiers from SWAT, armed police, frontier and firefighting departments attended the drill. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

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The Chinese government's intensified campaign against recruitment and brainwashing by terror groups is going online, with the pledge of a reward for any online terrorist tipoff.



The official Xinhua news agency has reported that the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has offered cash reward to people who report online terrorist content.



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The reward can go as much as Rmb100,000 (US$15,221) for each tip off, depending on the value of the information, Xinhua added.



"The Internet has become a channel for terrorists to spread extremist religious ideas, provoke ethnic conflicts and advocate separatism," an unnamed source from (CAC) was quoted by Xinhua as saying.



The offer to reward online terrorist tipoff came as China admits that microblogs and instant messaging services, such as Weibo and WeiChat, have been used by terrorists to brainwash young women and children to support terror groups and activities.



The CAC has not officially issued a statement regarding the reported reward system for online terrorist tip-offs.



According to the Xinhua report, the center's online drive received more than 20,000 tip-offs last year, resulting to the release of at least Rmb2 million (US$304,437) worth of rewards.



The move also followed China's call for a crackdown on online audio and video recordings used by terrorists.



Chinese authorities have aggressively pursued the crackdown after the Islamic State reportedly released a Chinese-language song to recruit Chinese militants.



The government had admitted that Islamic militants and separatists in Xinjiang have been a serious threat but several groups claimed that the people's anger against China's controls on religion and culture trigger the violence in Xinjiang and not any Islamist group.



Last December, China detained at least 14 persons who allegedly spread terrorism rumors online.



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(Photo : Getty Images) With the celebration of the new Chinese year already underway, here are some of the things you ought to know about what the Year of the Monkey would bring you and how to increase your chances of being auspicious.

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Welcome, Year of the Monkey.



The Chinese Lunar New Year marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, where families and friends exchange gifts and make wishes for prosperity, fortune, luck and happiness as well as sweep away bad spirits.



Chinese tradition is riddled with superstition about the days preceding the Lantern Festival, which is the 15th day of the new year.



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Here are some of the things to do and not to do to welcome the prosperous year.



Feng shui experts suggest that people should clean their houses thoroughly to sweep away evil spirits and misfortune and to start the New Year afresh. Chances of bad luck is higher for those who are born in the year of the monkey (in career and wealth specifically) and tigers (prone to accidents). While lucky signs are the dragon and rat.



Homes should be adorned with red lanterns with the luck character "Fu" imprinted. Also, hang or paste spring festival couplets in red paper with black or gold calligraphy characters written on it. Daphne Lowe Kelley, Chinese Heritage Association of Australia former head, encouraged celebrating together as a family to see out the old year.



People are also encouraged to wear new clothes, especially those with bright and happy colors. Because red symbolizes prosperity, people born in the year of the monkey are encouraged to wear red including red underwear. Married couples are also advised to hand out red packets or "hongbao" containing money, coins and notes.



While things to avoid include using or giving sharp objects in three days or so; wearing black or white, which are customarily used in mourning; eating rice porridge or congee, as it indicates poverty; sweeping the house on New Year's Day to avoid sweeping good fortune away; swearing or using foul languages; and allowing babies to cry as their sound could bring bad luck.



Hong Kong feng shui master Louis Wong has predicted volatile market, fire, particularly forest fire, and disease, affecting Southeast Asia this year. He further warned everyone to be careful with the Zika virus.



As for relationships, Wong advised putting pink and purple crystal on the woman's and man's side of the bedroom, respectively. Firecrackers behind the door is also suggested to prevent fights and arguments.



Having a baby this year is thought to be better than last year, which was the Year of the Sheep. Children born in the previous year are thought to be more likely to become followers than leaders. Some reports linked a drop of birth rates to the year of the sheep, with only 16.55 million recorded births compared with 16.87 million in 2014.



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The police of Yangtze River Shipping Public Security Bureau Nanjing Branch re-cover a body, believed to be a victim from the capsized ship Dongfangzhixing on June 9, 2015 in Nanjing, Jiangsu province of China. Fourteen people have been rescued and 434 are confirmed dead after a passenger ship named Dongfangzhixing (Eastern Star) carrying 456 people sank in the Jianli (Hubei Province) section of the Yangtze River on Monday. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)

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What was supposed to be a fun and exciting Chinese New Year trip turned traumatic for six Chinese tourists after the boat they boarded capsized off a coast in Cambodia.



The official Xinhua news agency has reported that the six Chinese tourists - four females and two males - were onboard a small express boat on their way to Koh Rong island resort when the boat capsized.



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The incident occurred at 10:35 a.m. off the Cambodian coast of Preah Sihanouk province amidst a winter storm, a senior police official said.



The six Chinese tourists, however, were timely rescued along with the two Cambodian sailors, said Gen. Chuon Narin, police chief of Preah Sihanouk province.



"Our patrolling forces had timely rescued the victims. They were all safe," Narin told Xinhua, adding that all the passengers were wearing life jackets when the boat capsized.



Narin said the Cambodian sailors could be blamed for the incident because the captain allegedly defied orders for them not to sail due to bad weather condition.



The identities of the six Chinese tourists have not been disclosed by authorities as of this posting but Narin assured that the local government will extend the necessary assistance to the victims.



Because of its exotic destinations and white sandy beaches that feature crystal clear waters, Cambodia is one of the top Chinese destinations in Southeast Asia.



This year, at least 120 million Chinese are expected to travel abroad, prompting many countries to beef up their tourism marketing campaign by offering various perks, including visa free travels, just to entice a huge number of the travelling Chinese.



According to travel groups, China is one of the high-spending tourists around the world although the Chinese government has been warning its tourists to behave while in other countries.



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(Photo : YouTube Screenshot) Chinese leaders have sent out Spring Festival greetings to Chinese people across the globe.

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High-ranking Chinese officials including President Xi Jinping extended Spring Festival greetings on Saturday during a public get-together attended by over 2000 members of the public in Beijing. The celebration was graced by several other prominent people including state council prime minister Li Keqiang, vice premier Zhang Gaoli and high ranking politicians Yu Zhengsheng, Zhang Dejiang, Liu Yunshan, and Wang Qishan.



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During the gathering, Premier Li Keqiang delivered a speech, extending his greeting to all Chinese netizens across the mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao and other countries. He also expressed his condolences to the victims of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that hit Kaohsiung in Taiwan earlier in the day.



Li recalled how major catastrophes and public security contingencies in the past have united all Chinese people, adding that officials still put the safety of the public as top priority. He also highlighted how the country's reform and development agenda has endured the storm of the global economic slowdown.



He further revealed that following the new year, the government will still primarily focus on development. The country will enhance structural reforms, particularly in the supply side, and encourage creativity among netizens to push new growth drivers.



The prime minister stated that the government will settle dilemmas concerning the interest of the people, fight poverty and upholding care and opportunities to create fortune. "All this will serve to deliver to the people a happier life with more secure jobs, greater confidence in the future and a stronger sense of satisfaction," he said.



Li encouraged everyone to cooperate with the Communist Party of China and work towards China's great revival.



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(Photo : Getty Images) Archival photo of North Korea's satellite launch in 2012. North Korea launched another satellite into space on Sunday, drawing condemnation from the international community.

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China on Sunday expressed "regret" over North Korea's controversial satellite launch, but advised that the situation must be dealt with calmly and through sustained dialogue.



"With regards to the DPRK's insistence on implementing a launch of missile technology in the face of international opposition, China expresses regret," China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. "North Korea has right to the peaceful use of space, but that right is limited by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions."



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North Korea's controversial satellite launch comes just a week after Pyongyang defiantly conducted a nuclear test, which equally drew condemnation from across the world.



The satellite launched on Sunday morning has been dubbed by North Korea as an 'Earth Observation Satellite', but critics say that the rocket launch is a cloak to test long-range missile technology.



The United States, South Korea and Japan were quick to condemn North Korea's action. The three countries also demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss possible sanctions against North Korea.



U.S. Ambassador to UN Samantha Power while speaking to press said, "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. North Korea's latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer."



According to sources, South Korea is already in discussion with the U.S. for the deployment of a missile defence system in the region.



Sunday's satellite launch was not the first satellite launch by North Korea. The Isolated Communist country launched a satellite in 2012 despite stiff resistance from international community.



China and North Korea Relations



China is the only ally and major trading partner of North Korea in the world. A reason why international community solely depends on China to pressurize North Korea to curtail its nuclear ambitions.



Experts believe that international community should not read too much into the statement issued by China's Foreign Ministry. Mostly because China does not want to further isolate North Korea, which is already facing immense isolation in the international community.



Foreign experts claim that China fears any further isolation will push North Korea towards an economic and political collapse.



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Dogs left stranded at a collapse building after a landslide destroyed or damaged more than 30 buildings on December 21, 2015 in Shenzhen, China. Reports say at least 91 people are missing and 7 people have been rescued so far after a landslide hit China's southern province on Sunday. (Photo by Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images)

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Authorities in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have confirmed that the landslide in Fude village Monday morning has killed a total of six persons.



This, after the four persons earlier reported as missing were found dead hours after the landslide that occurred at 3:25 a.m. on Monday.



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The bodies of the four fatalities were found under the rubble of a two-story building that collapsed during the landslide.



The two other fatalities were discovered immediately upon the arrival of rescue workers from the Du'an Yao Autonomous County, Xinhua has reported.



According to the report, local authorities were still investigating the cause of the landslide considering that it was not raining before the accident happened.



Aside from the death of six persons, the landslide also destroyed a two-storey building and damaged 15 households.



"I thought there were fireworks outside but the house started shaking. I said it was an earthquake so I told my family to rush out," said one villager interviewed by Xinhua news agency.



The entire family of Lan Min rushed out of the house thinking there was an earthquake. When they looked back to see their house, they saw concrete and stones already covering their entire house.



"When I saw the house already covered with stones, mud, and concrete, I realized it was a landslide. I'm just relieved that the entire family went out of the house safely," Lan said.



Officials of Hechi City said an investigation in underway to determine the real cause of the accident. Safety personnel were also conducting thorough inspection to ensure that no hidden safety hazard exists.



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Atheist group asks president to recognize religious 'nones' as good citizens 08 February, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , |

MADISON, Wisc. (Christian Examiner)  On the heels of his speeches about faith, fear and religious freedom at a Baltimore mosque and the National Prayer Breakfast last week, President Obama has been offered an invitation to speak to a group decidedly less religious  in fact, the irreligious.

The leaders of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, a litigious Wisconsin-based atheist group, claims the president should speak up for religious "nones" because they've suffered in silence for far too long.

"We respectfully invite you, in your final year in office, to do something no American president has ever done: reach out to secular America," FFRF Co-Presidents Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor wrote in the letter.

"Such attention from the Office of the President would demonstrate that freethinkers, atheists, agnostics, secular humanists and rationalists are accepted citizens. As you pointed out in your first inaugural address: 'We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus  and nonbelievers.'"

FFRF's band of "America's 'Nones'"  which Barker and Gaylor claims is nearly 24,000 strong  will reportedly assemble at the Lincoln Memorial for the "Reason Rally" on June 4, 2016. Both asked Obama to speak to the group as it gathers with other secular Americans to help lend an air of legitimacy to those who do not identify with a religion.

ORGANIZATION SKEWS STATISTICS

The letter claims more than one third of Millennials  or 35 percent  do not claim a religious affiliation, an indication, the letter claims, of the large number of non-believers in America. That claim, however, is patently and demonstrably false when the Pew Research Center study the group cites, without attribution, is considered.

The study defines the terminology of the large group of millennials as "religiously unaffiliated." They remain religious, but are increasingly less institutionally religious  departing traditional denominations for loose attachments or no attachment to a named church. The survey claims, however, that those who abandon a denomination are more likely to return to a church later in life. It also notes that most "nones" still believe in God, heaven and hell.

The same survey claims "unbelief" has increased by 3 percent in recent years. However, 89 percent of Americans still claim to believe in God.

According to the FFRF letter, freethinkers, atheists and agnostics are subject to "reprehensible prejudice and ubiquitous social stigmatization," enduring "unwarranted stereotypes, putdowns and assumptions that we cannot be good people or good citizens."

"The University of Minnesota found that atheists are at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to social acceptance, in comparison to a variety of minorities often typified as 'other,' including gays, Muslims, recent immigrants, Jews and racial minorities," the letter said. "Acceptance of religious diversity does not extend to the nonreligious."

The letter included a list of scientists, literary figures, social reformers and philanthropists who were "freethinkers" and who made contributions to American society.

If the president were to come to the event June 4, the letter claims he will be sending a message that non-religious should not be marginalized.
Christian youth groups and Sunday schools in Britain may come under the radar of national regulatory checks, if the five-year-plan proposed by Prime Minister David Cameron is implemented.

According to the proposed regulations, all religious courses for children lasting over six weeks per week need to be registered with the state education board Ofsted, and subject to frequent inspections.

The trajectory of the plan was a consequence of the "Trojan Horse" incidence in 2014, when some staff members of Birmingham school board allegedly tried to take over the public school system by "co-ordinated, deliberate and sustained action" to introduce "intolerant and aggressive Islamic ethos" in schools, according to a report by UK Department of Education, dated July 2014.

However, Christians fear that the new regulations will be stifling to the churches and religious liberty, as they contain ambiguous language in some of the policy measures, Christianity Today reported.

The Evangelical Alliance United Kingdom (EAUK) urged the government to not cover children's events in churches, even though the government altered its plan to allow for excluding Sunday schools from the plan.

"But this creates even more challenges and bureaucracy in terms of defining when that starts and stops and how that will apply in different contexts. We're still calling on the government to drop these proposals," said Simon McCrossan of EAUK.

The government introduced a new requirement in religious education after the "Trojan Horse" incidence, which made it mandatory to study at least two of the world's major religions: Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Christianity.

As a result, state-regulated religious education has become a bony topic in Britain, and a third of high schools have let go of religious education all together, even though the subject itself is popular.

"There's a very real problem with violent extremism and radicalisation that the government is trying to address, and we support strong safeguarding measures," McCrossan said. "But these proposals will fail to tackle the problems and instead stifle the work that churches and faith-based organisations do with children and young people across the UK."

The EAUK was concerned that these measures will impose British political values in religious education, and that the parents, students, and educators were compelled to promote them even if they were not same as their religious beliefs.

The new proposals are also being opposed by members of UK parliament, while EAUK called them a "fundamental threat to religious liberty."
An Australian missionary who was kidnapped with her husband by an Al Qaeda-affiliated militant group has been released, according to reports on Saturday.

Jocelyn and Ken Elliott were running a 120-bed clinic in Djibo, located in Burkina Faso, since 1972, when they were abducted by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) on January 16 from their homes.

Jocelyn Elliott was presented to the public alongside Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou on Saturday during a press conference.

"To the Burkina and Niger authorities, I thank you for your efforts and thank you for all you have done for us. Thank you," said Elliott in a press conference.

Elliott also expressed hopes that her husband, whom she confirmed to be alive, would also soon be released from captivity.

"The Elliott family are deeply grateful for the safe release of our mother Jocelyn. We wish to convey our great appreciation to the authorities in #Niger and #BurkinaFaso for their support and assistance in facilitating Mrs. Elliott's release," wrote the Elliott family in a statement.

"For over four decades she has served the Burkinabe people together with our father Dr. Ken Elliott," the family continued. "They are separated now but united in their desire to bring healing and hope to the people of Northern Burkina Faso and the surrounding regions. We are trusing that the moral and guiding principles of those who have released our Mother will also be applied to our elderly father how has served the community of #Djibo and the Sahel for more than half his lifetime. We respectfully request that they be allowed to continue their work together, providing essential surgical services."

Elliott did not mention any specific details on the nature of her release. AQIM said in an audio statement that they released Elliott under no conditions due to religious duty and the orders of their superiors.

"It is our religious duty to respect the civilians, based on the prophet's hadith on not harming women, the elderly and the children, and based on the guidance by our commanders," said the group.

AQIM also stated that their "primary motive behind their kidnapping" was to help release members of their group who are currently imprisoned.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also did not comment on the circumstances surrounding the release, but said, "We're dealing with a difficult diplomatic situation and the Burkina Faso government is working very well on it and we'll continue to stay in touch with them."
In the first half of the 17th century, Rene Descartes put forth a new method of philosophy, inaugurating what would come to be called the modern age. His philosophy was driven largely by skepticism about the reigning religious and philosophical traditions of his day, and his method was geared toward weakening their influence. Over the last four centuries, Decartess work has become deeply embedded in Western culture. As a result, we are increasingly alienated from the places, stories, and traditions through which our ancestors made sense of the world.

Descartess philosophy has a surprisingly contemporary feel in the 21st century. A recent re-reading of his work gave me the sense that he might feel right at home with those who identify as spiritual but not religious (or simply, the nones). Like many nones today, Descartes likely saw the senseless devastation that was done in the name of religion. (He was, after all, born less than a century after the dawn of the Reformation and undoubtedly knew the religious violence that saturated Europe in the early 17th century.) Today, we still see our share of religious violence and inconsistent or abusive behavior by prominent religious leaders, which rightly makes us shudder, if not roil with anger.

David Dark is sympathetic to all these anti-religious emotions, and yet in his new book Lifes Too Short to Pretend Youre Not Religious, he suggests that try as we might, we cannot completely sever ourselves from religion. Branding someone as religious in public discourse, he observes, often becomes a surefire way to dismiss what that person is saying. Dark wants to drain the stigma from religion, restoring ...

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In a scene in Spotlight, one character points out to another that just down the street from his own home is a house he never noticed before. Its the home to several former priests forced into leave by the church after their molestation of young parishioners was discovered. Briefly, the measured Spotlight turns into a horror film, with a home full of menace and evil lurking quite literally around the corner.

The Club, by the Chilean director Pablo Larrain, descends straight into that hell, placing us in one of those housesbut instead of Boston, this time, were in a remote Chilean fishing village called La Boca. Several priests live quietly, in a regimented and peaceful life near the ocean, looked after by a woman they call Sister. They raise a dog for racing and pray and eat together. Its like a small monastery.

Except everyone in the little enclave are there paying for their sins, sent there by the church. And when a new member of the house shows up, so does one of his victims, who describes in very graphic detail outside their gate what was done to him. Soon an agent of the churchFather Garcia, a straightlaced, humorless Jesuit who is a servant of the new churchshows up to the home to investigate each inhabitant, discovering in the process that they all maintain they dont belong there with the other degenerates. Their sins vary, but represent in microcosm a number of the Churchs worst offenses against its flock, and they all hate Fr. Garcia, who seems to semicordially despise them back.

Larrainwho was raised Catholic but no longer practicestold the New York Times that the key words in making The Club were compassion ...

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Several faith leaders were asked to write brief comments about the future of Roe. I was glad to see that I was not the only person asked who sees life as beginning at conception and who is ready to see Roe overturned.
Evangelist Andrew Palau Joins Effort to Share the Gospel Through Spanish-Speaking Festival in Key Border Town of Dominican Republic

DAJABON, Dominican Republic, Feb. 8, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- As part of a collaborative effort with half a dozen partner evangelists, Andrew Palau shared the Good News of Jesus Christ with thousands in Dajabon, a western city in the Dominican Republic on the border of Haiti. The festival was part of a larger campaign to the border region called "Buena Vida!" and included a second evangelistic festival in neighboring Ouanaminthe, Haiti.

Each day, several thousand people packed into La Calle de Ancha (the broad road), a main street in the city which was closed down to make room for the evangelistic event. Music, drama performances, action sports demonstrations, and other activities for families and children were some of the highlights of the festival each day. Popular local musicians, along with ministry partner Dave Lubben, prepared the crowd each evening for the message.

The first night of the festival in Dajabon included a message by evangelist Alan Greene of Lifelight Ministries. Palau shared the second night and played a short video greeting from his father, evangelist Luis Palau, who is well known in the region as a result of years of his radio ministry and outreaches. Each evening, there was a spirit of rejoicing across the crowd as festival-goers were invited to give their lives to Christ. By the end of the second evening, approximately 2,500 people had made public commitments to follow Jesus for the first time.

Palau also partnered with several other evangelists, including Greene, Reid Saunders, Harry Thomas, Bob Lenz, Josh Brewer, John Andrus, and Vic Murphy--all of whom are members of the "Next Generation Alliance," the Luis Palau Association's coalition of evangelists--to help lead outreaches in prisons, local schools, in medical clinics, and several local churches. Hundreds of decisions were recorded through those events as well.

"It was a great privilege to serve the churches, pastors, and the body of Christ in a town that--as is true of many border towns--has the unique pressures that come along with being a major connecting point to a neighboring country," Palau said. "There is a tendency in these places for there to be less input or assistance as they dream of how the Gospel might impact their city. I'm so grateful for Reid Saunders and his team for their investment into this region."

Following the conclusion of the festival on Wednesday, the stage equipment was quickly transported across the river to Ouanaminthe, Haiti, where Bob Lenz and Reid Saunders worked with churches and ministry leaders in the area to hold a second evangelistic festival on February 6-7 for the Haitian community.

Dajabon and Ouanaminthe face each other on the northern edge of the 230 mile border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Cultural and racial tensions on the border have intensified in recent years due to immigration and deportation disputes, including as recently as 2015 when the Dominican government tightened immigration policy between the two countries. Acting as a powerful statement by the church, this campaign helped both communities set aside their differences and share a message of hope and love in the midst of difficult days.

The Luis Palau Association has a long history of outreach in the Caribbean, including the annual "Fun in the Son" festival which alternates between Haiti and Jamaica every other year. In July, Palau will return to the Caribbean for Fun in the Son Jamaica.
UNC excavation crew in Galilee region of Israel uncover first known depictions of biblical heroines An excavation team in Israel has discovered the first known depiction of two biblical heroines from the Old Testament.

World to reach 8 billion people in November, India to unseat China as most populous in 2023: UN By Nov. 15, the worlds population is projected to reach 8 billion, and by 2023, India is projected to surpass China as the worlds most populous country, according to a new report from the United Nations.

Single, non-religious young adults are most unhappy Americans post-COVID-19: report Young adults under 35 who are single and non-religious report the highest levels of unhappiness since the COVID-19 pandemic began and since 1972, when the General Social Survey began measuring levels of happiness among Americans, a new analysis from the Institute of Family Studies suggests.
Afterlife: People who came back from the dead describe sensation of feeling known and loved by 'man of light'

How does heaven look and feel like? Is God at the gate waiting for heaven's newcomers?

People like us who have never ventured yet into the Great Unknown, that moment when life as we know it ceases, would never really know.

But there are many people, those who have had "near death experiences," who have had glimpses of heaven and, yes, hell as well.

So what did they actually see?

Pastor John Burke researched 1,000 of these near death experiences and came up with a new book called "Imagine Heaven," CBN News reported.

Burke, a New York Times best-selling author, said his research provides new evidence of the biblical account of eternity.

He said the people who have had near death experiences told him that they met a "man of light."

Based from their descriptions of what they saw, Burke said the "man of light" can only be God. Those who believe in Jesus said they recognised the man as Jesus, he said.

The author said each of the persons he talked to had extraordinary sensation of being completely known and loved in the presence of this "man of light."

Burke said one of the persons he talked to was blind before he had a near-death experience. But the man said he was able to see clearly for the first time and saw heaven as "a bright world where light was emanating from everything," just like the description in the Holy Bible.

While some people experienced heaven, others admitted that they were given a glimpse of hell, which was apparently too frightening for them to put into words.

The author said the narratives of those who have experienced the afterlife have convinced even die-hard sceptics that indeed there is heaven and hell after death.

One sceptical doctor, for instance, found out from one of his patients remarkable details of what went inside the hospital's operating room after he passed out.

Burke's research was not the first to explore the afterlife. In 2014, scientists at Southampton University found evidence that awareness can continue for at least several minutes after clinical death which was previously thought impossible, according to The Telegraph.

The scientists had spent four years examining more than 2,000 people who suffered cardiac arrests at 15 hospitals in the U.K., U.S. and Austria.

They found that nearly 40 percent of people who survived described some kind of "awareness" at the time when they were declared clinically dead before their hearts started pumping blood again.

One man even recalled leaving his body completely and watching doctors as they tried to resuscitate him.

"We know the brain can't function when the heart has stopped beating," said Dr. Sam Parnia, a former research fellow at Southampton University, now at the State University of New York, who led the study.

"But in this case, conscious awareness appears to have continued for up to three minutes into the period when the heart wasn't beating, even though the brain typically shuts down within 20-30 seconds after the heart has stopped.

"The man described everything that had happened in the room, but importantly, he heard two bleeps from a machine that makes a noise at three minute intervals. So we could time how long the experienced lasted for.

"He seemed very credible and everything that he said had happened to him had actually happened."
Burkina Faso: Al Qaeda frees kidnapped missionary Jocelyn Elliott, but husband Ken still held

One of the Australian missionaries kidnapped by an Al Quaeda-affiliated group in Burkina Faso has been released, though her husband remains in captivity.

Jocelyn Elliot was released after Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) announced in a video message it would free her. Her husband, surgeon Dr Ken Elliot, is still being held.

AQIM said it would set her free so as "not to make women involved in the war." Its message said: "The primary motive behind their kidnapping was an attempt to [gain] release of our captives who sit behind bars and suffer the pain of imprisonment, as well as being deprived of their basic rights."

She was released in neighbouring Niger.

Their family released a statement saying: "The Elliott family are deeply grateful for the safe release of our mother Jocelyn.

"We wish to convey our great appreciation to the authorities in #Niger and #Burkina Faso for their support and assistance in facilitating Mrs Elliott's release.

"For over four decades she has served the Burkinabe people together with our father Dr Ken Elliott. They are separated now but united in their desire to bring healing and hope to the people of Northern Burkina Faso and the surrounding regions.

"We are trusting that the moral and guiding principles of those who have released our Mother will also be applied to our elderly father who has served the community of #Djibo and the Sahel for more than half his lifetime. We respectfully request that they be allowed to continue their work together, providing essential surgical services."

The Elliots have lived in Djibo, near the Malian border, since the 1970s and have built up a 120-bed hospital where Dr Elliott is the only surgeon. They are both in their 80s. They were kidnapped on the day AQIM struck Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou in an attack that killed at least 27 people.

Local people have campaigned for Dr Elliott's release. The hospital is the only one for hundreds of kilometres and the campaign's Facebook page pleads for his return, saying his "numerous patients are waiting for him".

"Elliott is all for us and we need him like a baby needs his mother," said resident Moussa Dicko, quoted on the page.

"Elliott is a Burkinabe and a humane person," said Francois Ramde. "He represents the best of humanity."

"Let the name of God not be used in connection with this ignoble act because it was God who sent Elliott to us and will bring him back," said Roots Hassane.
Divisions emerge over Mark Driscoll's new church

The saga of Mars Hill and its aftermath is continuing to generate division in the evangelical Christian community as sharp differences emerged in response to Mark Driscoll's decision to plant a new church.

Perry Noble, pastor of New Spring Church, has spoken warmly about Driscoll's return to ministry in a video on his Facebook page.

Addressing questions around whether Driscoll should be starting a new church, he cites passages by St Paul from Timothy and Acts: "I'm going to choose to believe in Pastor Mark and Grace as they set out on this endeavour to plant a church." He says he supports them 100 per cent; Driscoll might have hurt people but so has everyone. He has "learned from it" and has "ministry left in him", Noble adds.

"Christians are the only army in the world that shoot their wounded," he continues. "Here's a man who messed up, made some mistakes, admitted it." Now Driscoll is "starting over," Noble says. Christians should stop judging each other and instead pay attention to the billions of people who do not know Jesus. He says he cannot wait to have Driscoll and his wife at his leadership conference and concluded: "The best is yet to come."

How I personally feel about Mark Driscoll starting a new church. Posted by Perry Noble on Tuesday, 2 February 2016

However, former Mars Hill Church elder Dave Kraft wrote in response: "Perry, I appreciate your heart in all of this, but do wish you had done your homework and exercised due diligence by finding out what really happened at MHC! I'm afraid you are in the dark about the truth of what transpired and why The Acts 29 network, Paul Tripp and 30 former elders believe that Mark Driscoll disqualified himself and needs to make some things right before stepping back into pastoral ministry! I appreciate your ministry, read your books and value your leadership wisdom."

Warren Throckmorton, a psychology professor at Pennsylvania's Grove City College and long-time expert blogger on the story at Patheos, commented: "It seems as though Perry Noble cares more about Driscoll's return to ministry than the people who lost their confidence in church. Noble's concern is clearly for Driscoll but I hear nothing about the people in Seattle who have desired all along to hear from Driscoll and makes things right."

Throckmorton concludes: "What is amazing about real Christianity is that reconciliation is still possible. Based on my conversations with former Mars Hill Church members and leaders, it isn't too late for everyone to heal up together."

Driscoll had announced on Twitter the launch of his new church.

Lord willing, we are planting The Trinity Church Phx in 2016 @TheTrinityChrch https://t.co/he6jPf7W5v  Pastor Mark Driscoll (@PastorMark) February 3, 2016

The new church will be in Phoenix, Arizona, and comes less than two years after he resigned from Mars Hill in October 2014. Four male pastors will provide "wise counsel". They include Larry Osborne, a former member of the board of advisers at Mars Hill, as well as Randal Taylor, Jimmy Evans and Robert Morris. Taylor, Evans and Morris also sit on the church's legal governing board, or board of directors.

The church's website contains a list of other church leaders praying for Driscoll's new venture, and these supporters include Noble.

Mars Hill in Seattle disbanded following Driscoll's resignation as accusations of bullying, plagiarism, emotional abuse and manipulation mounted against him. "He took over a year off from local pastoral ministry to learn, repent, grow, heal, and meet with many people involved," the website states.

Laura Turner, writing for Religion News Service, says: "Driscoll has left a wake of destruction so severe that the entire network of churches he founded had to shutter its doors. He has never taken full responsibility for his abusive tactics, never apologized to many of the individuals who he wronged, and doesn't appear to have absorbed much of a lesson at all from his failings."

She adds: "It is possible that Driscoll has learned from his past mistakes, and that he moves to Phoenix a wiser man. But a slight increase in wisdom isn't all that is required of him, and he certainly hasn't shown enough to bow out of church leadership altogether. He should find a new job for a while; one that doesn't involve leading anyone or taking a paycheck from a church."
Georgia's new 'blasphemy law' seeks to ban religious insults

The former Soviet Republic of Georgia is planning a 'blasphemy bill' that will punish irreverence toward religion by law, reports the Guardian.

It will impose a fine of 100 lari (around 80) for "insults to religious feelings", with the figure doubled for a repeat offence. Desecrating a religious symbol could result in a fine of 1,000 lari (800), about the figure of the average monthly salary.

While supporters argue that all religions will be protected under the new law, religious minorities fear that it will be used to guard the interests of the powerful Georgian Orthodox Church and will be used as a tool of discrimination against them. "This law is not going to protect anyone; at least not the minorities, and will be a powerful tool against freedom of speech," Rusudan Gotsiridze, a Baptist bishop, told Liberali.ge.

The Georgian ombudsman's office has also criticised the proposed law. "The current wording proposes the 'insult of religious feelings' as the sole criterion for limiting freedom of expression, which... subjects one individual to another's will and places the believers in a privileged position," said ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili.

The Georgian Orthodox Church is extremely powerful in the country and is associated with a pro-Russian and nationalist agenda. Its members have been associated with protests, sometimes violent, against Muslims and other religious minorities such as Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses and Jews.

According to the Tolerance and Diversity Institute, in September 2014 in Kobuleti in the Adjara region, local Orthodox Christians slaughtered a pig and nailed its head to the front door of a Muslim boarding school to protest its opening.
Has the Church succumbed to half-brained thinking?

Like me you have probably been insulted because of your faith; perhaps someone has even called you a half-wit. But according to a ground-breaking book by Iain McGilchrist, a psychiatrist who now resides on the Isle of Skye, it might be that the whole of Western culture has neglected half of our brains. Let me bring you up to speed with McGilchrist's thesis, and then explore three ways the Church may have succumbed to this half-brained thinking.

McGilchrist argues that the distinctions between the two halves of our brain, though often misunderstood, offer profound insights into why the world is the way it is. In his book The Master and his Emissary, he surveys the medical and psychiatric evidence to present a persuasive case that the fact that our brains have two hemispheres not only shapes how we perceive the world, but is actually a defining factor in our culture.

You have probably come across the popular understanding of left-brain vs right-brain. Creative and artistic types sometimes talk about themselves as being "right-brained", whereas logical and analytical types blame the dominance of their "left-brain". This popular way of thinking about the brain arose in the 1960s and 70s after a series of split brain experimental operations. But McGilchrist argues that the experimental data does not support this simplistic division. Instead, he argues that both right- and left-brain function are involved in logic and emotion and both hemispheres are utilised for language and for visual processing. He says that the two halves of our brains present two competing but complementary ways of viewing the world. This split function seen in animals and birds has proved to be very helpful. He states: "a bird for example, needs to focus on a grain of corn that it must eat, in order to pick it out from, say, the pieces of grit on which it lies. At the same time there is a need for open attention, as wide as possible, to guard against a possible predator." Both sharp focus and wide attention are needed for the bird's future existence and the brain divides up the labour between left and right to make sure both are attended to. The left side of the brain prefers to look after focus and the right prefers to look after the big picture; though both are involved in each other's work to some degree.

McGilchrist not only shows how this split between specific focus and wider focus can be applied to human brainwork and experience, but goes a step further to show how the two different modes can be clearly seen in contemporary Western culture. He uses a parable told by Nietzsche to illustrate and summarise his viewpoint. The story goes that there was a wise ruler whose kingdom expanded so rapidly that he had to employ emissaries to visit his dominion instead of going to these regions himself. One of these emissaries, however, grew so confident and assertive that he thought he was wiser than his master, and eventually deposed him. The main thesis of McGilchrist's book is that in the Western world the left-hand side of the brain is the emissary that has usurped the wise leadership of the right, and that this is the reason why we have many problems in our world today.

For an overview of the book you can watch an amazing animation produced by the Royal Society of the Arts:

McGilchrist argues that Western culture has preferenced the left-brain's precision rather than the right-brain's ability to understand context. The world the left hemisphere creates yields clarity on things that are "known, fixed, static, isolated and explicit but ultimately lifeless" while the right hemisphere yields understanding "of individual, changing, evolving, interconnected, implicit, incarnate living beings within the context of the lived world." In the 6th century there was a balancing of the two hemispheres, but since then there has been a drift towards a left-brain conception of the world. This may well be due to the dominance that the left hemisphere has over speech and messaging.

McGilchrist argues that because of left-brain dominance we live in a world of paradoxes: "we pursue happiness and it leads to resentment and unhappiness and an explosion of mental illness. We pursue freedom but we live in a world which is more monitored than CCTV cameras and our daily lives are subjected to what de Tocqueville called 'a network of small complicated rules' that cover the surface of life and strangle freedom. More information, we have it in spades but we get less and less able to use it, to understand it and be wise."

I find McGilchrist's thesis compelling and as I read I find my brain making all sorts of connections with Christian ministry. Trying to readdress the balance, here are the right-brain questions it leaves me with (as opposed to left-brain answers):

1. Has militant atheism flourished in the West because of the monocular vision of left-brain thinking? Have we become used to ignoring the bigger questions of purpose and context that the right-brain would force us to confront, thus reducing the compelling nature of Christianity to our prevailing left-brain culture?

2. Has the Church tried to appeal to left-brain thinking by making the gospel sound more scientific and empirical? The "Four Spiritual Laws" or "Four Points" is a highly popular gospel presentation which seeks to provide the bare essentials of the gospel using scientific or left-brain terminology. But what has been lost in this reduction? Have we tried to neatly package the gospel rather than leave room for mystery and paradox, awe and wonder?

3. Has the Church allowed left-brain thinking to control her strategy by allowing numbers and the measurable to dominate? Ask a church pastor what their plans are for their church and by and large they involve increased attendance or bigger budgets. As McGilchrist observes, in a left-brain world "Numbers... would come to replace the response to individuals." Have we used a predominantly quantitative analysis of our ministry rather than qualitative concepts? Is our success as churches about the number of people that attend or the degree to which we have formed people in the likeness of Christ?

Also does jet-lag affect left-right-brain function? I'm looking forward to exploring more of the implications of McGilChrist's book when I am part of a panel discussion with him at an event hosted by Regent College in Vancouver at 8pm UK time on Wednesday 10th of February. I am expecting my brain to be a little fried as I am travelling out to Thailand for a conference and it is going to be 3am local time on Thursday morning when I join the call. But if you are awake and wish to be part of the online conversation, you can join in here for free.
ISIS publicly beheads boy for missing Friday prayers, parents forced to watch

For missing Friday prayers at central mosque, a 14-year-old boy was beheaded by an Islamic State (ISIS) executioner before a large crowd that included his parents in Jarbalus, northern Syria last Saturday, according to reports.

ARA News reported that the teenager was initially arrested and then sentenced to beheading for "apostasy'' or abandoning Islam.

Civil rights activist Nasser Taljbini told the paper that "dozens of people attended the brutal execution, including the victim's parents who were forced to witness the beheading of their own son.''

"ISIS is trying to prove that it is still powerful despite all the military defeats. The group is trying to terrorise people through conducting such public punishments,'' Taljbini said.

The execution took place near the Turkish-Syria border in a strategic stronghold for ISIS where foreign jihadis are smuggled into Syria.

Earlier, Kurdish forces bombarded Jarbalus with artillery shells and mortar fire, killing several ISIS fighters, reports said.

In another report, the terror group's affiliate in Yemen also executed men and women in a market and beheaded four prisoners.

The horrific violence was shown in a 21-minute long propaganda video reportedly filmed in Hadramaut, western Yemen and was filmed from the point of view of the gunmen. It was released Feb. 3 and posted in different pro-ISIS accounts.

"ISIS affiliates in Yemen have beheaded four prisoners before opening fire in a busy market killing at least two men,'' the Daily Mail reported.

The four men were labelled ''soldiers of the apostate'' and forced to kneel as they were beheaded by masked knifemen, while the two men were shot in a market for being ''murtad'' by rejecting Islam, the report said.

ISIS affiliates in Yemen also reportedly attacked a village and blew up buildings after capturing weapons.

The video also shows the militants planning attacks before making a night assault on what has been reported as a Houthi or Al-Qaeda outpost. It likewise features recruits holding training and doing press ups and sit ups as well as fighting exercises with a knife with their instructor counting their repetitions in Arabic, according to reports.

Yemen has been torn apart by civil war as Iranian-back Houthis fight the Saudi-backed government.
Japan 'ghost' stories: Horrified drivers recall taking passengers who vanish after asking to be taken 'home' to quake site

The victims of the devastating tsunami and earthquake that struck Japan in March 2011 are backin ghostly formhaunting Japanese cab drivers in the area, according to The Asahi Shimbun newspaper, as reported by the Mirror.

At least seven cabbies in Ishinomaki, north-east Japan, have reported passengers hauntingly speaking to them while seated at the back of the cab and then suddenly vanishing.

The stories were gathered by Yuka Kudo, a student of sociology at Tohoku Gakuin University, as her school research project.

Kudo said the drivers she talked had similar stories about their ghostly passengers.

One of the drivers said he even recognised his ghost passenger since they came from the same area hit by the disaster. He said she was a young woman dressed in a coat who climbed into his cab near Ishinomaki Station and told him: "Please go to the Minamihama (district)."

The driver told the woman the place she wanted to go to was "almost empty" and asked her if she really wanted to go there.

The woman then replied in a trembling voice, "Have I died?"

The frightened driver then turned around only to find an empty backseat.

Another cabbie said a young man boarded his cab and asked to be taken to "Hiyoriyama," which means mountain. The passenger refused to speak further and only pointed at the direction he wished to go in.

The driver sped off but when he reached the place and pulled over, the man had disappeared.

Kudo said all the drivers she spoke believed they were picking up genuine passengers because they each started their meters before setting off.

She said the cabbies described the "ghosts" as those of young people.

Kudo said these "young people feel strong chagrin [at their deaths] when they cannot meet the people they love," which could explain why they want to go back to the scene of their death even in their ghostly state.

"As they want to convey their bitterness, they may have chosen taxis ... as a medium to do so," Kudo said.

The cabbies said they did not feel threatened by their ghost passengers. One of the drivers confided that he lost a family member in the tsunami that swept through the region.

Another reportedly said that he would willingly accept a ghost as a customer again.

The 9-magnitude earthquake was the most powerful quake to ever strike Japan and the fourth most powerful one in the world. It spawned a tsunami with waves of up to 133 feet in height, which swept six miles inland, killing nearly 16,000 people and destroying thousands of homes and buildings.
Kentucky governor signs state's 1st pro-life law in 12 years, making informed consent mandatory for women seeking abortion

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin signed on Tuesday a bill that would make it mandatory for a woman seeking abortion to receive medical information at least 24 hours before the procedure.

The information must be delivered either during in-person, face-to-face meeting or via a real-time video conference, according to Senate Bill 4.

"The overwhelming support for Senate Bill 4 in the Kentucky legislature is a positive step toward protecting the emotional and physical health and safety of women," said Bevin, according to LifeSite News.

Currently, recorded telephone messages are used to provide information to women seeking abortion.

Republican state Sen. Juli Raque Adams, the lead sponsor of the bill, said in-person consultations before the procedure are standard medical practice, "and Kentucky women deserve no less."

This is the state's first pro-life law in 12 years.

Democrat Senate Minority Leader Ray Jones supported that bill, saying it was "not Democrat or Republican; it's right or wrong."

Bevin earlier granted Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis a waiver to remove her name from marriage licences issued to same-sex couples.

Republican State Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer was quoted by media as saying "It just goes to show that elections have consequences."

"We have worked for over a decade to correct the obviously flawed interpretation and enforcement of the original bill that we passed in 1998," said Margie Montgomery, executive director of Kentucky Right to Life Association.

Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, said "Kentucky is blessed to have a governor who leads by serving."

"Governor Bevin's immediate action to sign the new informed consent for abortion law is a great act of service  not only to pregnant mothers, but also the state as a whole," he said.

Bevin shut down a Planned Parenthood facility in Louisville last week for performing abortions without a licence.

The new law is "just one more barrier and one more burden to what is the constitutional right of women," said Betty Cockrum, head of the regional Planned Parenthood.
Mexico: Expelled Christians allowed to return home with full religious rights

Two Mexican Protestants who were imprisoned and then expelled from their community for refusing to renounce their faith have been allowed to return to their homes with a guarantee of full religious freedom.

Officials in Chichiltepec, a small village in Tlanchinol municipality, signed an agreement overseen by the public ministry of the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

Casto Hernandez, 31, and his cousin Juan Placido Hernandez, 26, of the United Pentecostal Church of Mexico, were imprisoned by officials in Chichiltepec for allegedly celebrating non-Roman Catholic rites in Casto's home. While they were being held, they were put under pressure to renounce their Protestant faith. When they refused to do so after 30 hours, they were released and given 18 hours to leave the village.

The charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), working with Mexican religious freedom organisation Impulso 18, met with the two men soon after their explusion last spring and managed to get funding for them to be legally represented. Lawyers argued that they were shown religious intolerance, and showed evidence including a 40-minute video of the assembly at which Casto Hernandez was pressured to renounce his faith.

The case dragged on for almost a year as hearings were cancelled or postponed. The two men even came under pressure to drop the case and return home but they decided to fight for guarantees that their religious freedom would be respected.

CSW said: "In November 2015, a change of personnel at the public ministry resulted in yet another delay when the incoming director communicated that he wanted to fully review the case before making any decision. This review came to a close with the agreement, described as 'groundbreaking' for the region by local NGOs, that was put in place earlier this week."

Impulso 18's Director Dr Jorge Lee Galindo said: "We, and more importantly Casto and Juan Placido, are very pleased with the outcome of this process. The village authorities came to the hearing planning to fight but when they realised they were only a step away from going to prison, they changed their position. We hope that this case will set a precedent in Mexico and contribute to an overall change in culture, where the law is applied correctly and religious freedom for all, as protected in our constitution and in the various international treaties to which Mexico is party, is upheld."

CSW chief executive Mervyn Thomas said: "We are tremendously encouraged by the actions of the Hidalgo state public ministry this week and by the village authorities' recognition that freedom of religion or belief must be guaranteed for all. We commend the work of the legal team and all of those at Impulso 18 on behalf of Casto and Juan Placido, and note that their persistence and insistence that the law be upheld led to this result. As Casto and Juan Placido return to their homes following their courageous fight to defend their rights, we hope that this will lead to increased respect for religious freedom not only in the village of Chichiltepec, but in the state of Hidalgo and all of Mexico, and that local authorities will understand that there are consequences for violating the law and persecuting religious minorities."

Last month, ten Baptist families were expelled by an indigenous community in Mexico for refusing to recant their Christian faith. The 18 adults and 10 children from Tuxpan de Bolanos in Jalisco state were put in a pick-up truck and driven to nearby mountains where they were abandoned, according to International Christian Concern. Omar Rodriguez, regional president of the Baptist community, made arrangements for the expelled families to be housed in Guadalajara, the nearest large city.
Obama: Islam is a religion of 'peace, charity and justice'

President Barack Obama has called on Americans to "reach out" to their Muslim neighbours and even visit a mosque to break down stereotypes.

He criticised a tendency to blame terror acts such as 9/11 and the more recent atrocities in Paris and San Bernardino on the broader Muslim community.

Many Muslim Americans are worried because threats and harassment against their community are increasing, he said. "We've seen Muslim Americans assaulted, children bullied and mosques vandalised, and we've heard shameful political rhetoric against Muslim Americans that has no place in our country."

He was writing for Religion News Service after his speech to the Islamic Society of Baltimore was criticised by conservative commentors such as Breitbart and Pamela Geller.

He said: "Generations of Muslim Americans have helped build our country. They're the teachers who inspire our kids, and the nurses and doctors whom we trust with our health. They're the champions we cheer for  from Muhammad Ali to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They're the police and firefighters who keep us safe, and the men and women in uniform who have fought and bled and died for our freedom."

The attacks on Muslims tear "at the very fabric of our nation", he argued, describing Islam as having a "tradition of peace, charity and justice".

The President said: "Americans of all faiths can reach out to their Muslim American neighbors  perhaps even visit the nearest mosque  to help break down stereotypes and build understanding."

America could never be at war with Islam, he added.

"So we should never play into terrorist propaganda or suggest that all Muslims, or Islam itself, is the problem. That betrays our values. It alienates Muslim Americans. It helps our enemies recruit. It makes us all less safe."

He also called on Muslims to push back against extremist ideologies.

"This is not some clash of civilisations between the West and Islam; it's a struggle within Islam, between the peace-loving majority and a radical minority."
Payday time for loan companies as Archbishop's credit task group chalks up success

Nearly three years ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury pledged to challenge payday lenders by using the Church to build up credit unions as an alternative, cheaper source of finance.

Today, Archbishop Justin Welby's task group on responsible credit and savings published its final report, giving evidence of a "sea change" in public and political thought on the issue.

Although it is not the only initiative set up to combat high lending rates imposed on some of society's poorest, church leaders believe the task group should take much credit for helping bring in a huge change at the grass roots and the highest levels of society.

Figures show that since it was set up, payday lending declined by 68 per cent and membership of credit unions grew by 13 per cent.

"The Archbishop of Canterbury's intervention has undoubtedly helped to galvanise a broader awareness of, and support for, credit unions from churches and wider society and contributed to a sea-change in public and political opinion around payday lending," the report says.

Results include credit union branches in churches and a network of savings clubs in schools.

More than 3,000 people will have joined a credit union by the end of this year through the Church Credit Champions Network pilot scheme supported by the task group in the London, Southwark and Liverpool dioceses.

A new charitable company is to be set up to continue the work of the group.

Sir Hector Sants, the chairman, said: "The Archbishop of Canterbury's initiative has boosted support for credit unions from the Church and wider society and helped contribute to a sea change in public and political opinion about pay day lending.

"Over the past two years our major achievements have included the launch of an innovative financial education programme for schools and a drive to strengthen the financial resilience of local communities. In addition, there have been numerous initiatives across Church of England dioceses.

"Our work would not have been possible without the Church's unique network of parishes across the country  few institutions would be able to deliver this kind of response and the commitment demonstrated by the parish churches has been both moving and inspiring."

Archbishop Welby said: "I would like to thank Sir Hector and the members of the task group for their generous and unstinting work in promoting the vision of a stronger and more resilient community finance sector. The task group has delivered an impressive list of achievements that will have a real impact now and in the future. I would also like to pay tribute to the energy, enthusiasm and creativity of the Church of England parishes and schools in helping make this vision a reality."
Pope could visit Scotland to sign interfaith charter on 'shared humanity'

Pope Francis is intending to come to Scotland in September to sign a ten-point declaration on the "shared humanity" of people of all faiths and none.

The Vatican has told the conference organiser that the Pope is "minded" to attend the event at the University of St Andrew's. It would be his first visit to the UK since becoming Pope.

The conference, Silence, Texts and Service: Towards a Christian, Hindu and Buddhist Dialogue, is organised by the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics at the university. The Pope's possible visit to Scotland was announced on the eve of his high-profile visit to Mexico.

The conference will open with the signing of the "St Andrews Declaration on a Shared Humanity" by religious leaders, foreign ambassadors and others from across the faith and university spectrum.

There will also be a lecture by Professor Francis X. Clooney SJ, Parkman Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School and director of the Centre for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University.

This will be followed by lectures in Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.

The declaration is understood to have the backing of Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama.

Professor of religion and politics at St Andrews, Mario Aguilar, told Christian Today that he invited the Pope to take part out of a passion for wanting to explore what different faiths have in common as opposed to focusing on their differences. He was informed that Pope Francis, who supports as many interfaith intitiatives as he can, is "minded" to attend. But the Pontiff's final schedule for the rest of the year will not be set until after Easter and an international crisis or significant event elsewhere could still keep him away.

Prof Aguilar has met the Pope and wrote an authorised biography.

He continued: "I got a letter saying the Pope was 'minded' to attend. I have seen him since. He told me that if he can be here, he will be here."

Prof Aguilar added: "Religion at the moment has a bad press. Everything we see on television seems to indicate to our young people that to be a religious person is to be either an extremist, a paedophile or a person who really does not care about others." He said he believes the answer is not to try to gloss over the fundamental differences between faiths, but to look instead at what they have in common, and key to this is a shared humanity.

A visit by Pope Francis to such a conference would be relatively low-profile compared to 2010 when Scotland's 850,000 Catholics celebrated a visit by Pope Benedict XVI. He would fly in and out on the same day, in a private and academic capacity, not a pastoral one.

St Andrew's is home to the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence which publishes the well-respected Journal of Terrorism Research.
Questions asked over Mexican president's marriage to soap star

On the eve of a visit this week by Pope Francis, the Catholic church in Mexico has been accused of bending the rules on marriage for Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto and his wife, soap star Angelica Rivera, to enhance his image.

According to a special investigation by a weekly newspaper Proceso and the online news organisation Aristegui Noticias, shared with The Guardian, the Church hierarchy fast-tracked a marriage annulment for Rivera, previously married to TV producer Jose Alberto Castro. They had been married on a beach in Acapulco and had three daughters together.

The claim is that this enabled her to became Pena Nieto's wife in time to enhance his image, 19 months before the elections which saw him become president.

Pena Nieto's first wife, Monica Pretelini, died in January 2007 from an epileptic seizure.

According to The Guardian, Castro and Rivera's Catholic marriage certificate appears to show a church ceremony took place in a Mexico City parish before the Acapulco beach service. This contradicted claims that the marriage was not valid because it had been on beach not in an authorised place of worship.

Father Hugo Valdemar, spokesman for the archdiocese of Mexico City, insisted there had been no irregularities and said the annulment "followed the proper process". Valdemar also denied any political motives for granting the annulment.

Pope Francis is expected to address issues such as corruption, inequality and insecurity during his visit to Mexico.
Russia accuses Turkey of plotting to invade Syria, but Turkish president says claim is 'laughable'

Months after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet supposedly trespassing its airspace, the relationship between the two countries are not getting any better.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Russian defence ministry accused Turkey of plotting to invade Syria.

"We have serious grounds to suspect Turkey is in intensive preparations for an armed invasion of the territory of a sovereign statethe Syrian Arab Republic," the ministry said in a statement, as quoted by Yahoo! News.

Moscow also said Ankara is trying "to conceal illegal military activities at the Syrian border," which supposedly involves the "presence of troops and military equipment."

"We are recording more and more signs of covert preparations by the Turkish armed forces for active action on Syrian territory," the defence ministry said.

On Friday, however, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed Russia's accusations, and turned the tables on Moscow.

"I find this Russian statement laughable... rather it is Russia that is currently engaged in an invasion of Syria," Erdogan said, quoted by the state-run Anatolia news agency.

"Turkey does not have any plans or thoughts of staging a military campaign or ground incursion in Syria," the Turkish leader added.

Erdogan said Russia should instead be held accountable for the estimated 400,000 people its forces have allegedly killed in Syria, in connivance with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Moscow is also supposedly trying to set up a "boutique state" for Assad, according to the Turkish president.

"Turkey is part of a coalition, is working with its allies, and will continue to do so. As we have repeatedly said, Turkey will not act unilaterally," Erdogan said.

In a related news, Saudi Arabia has also said that it is prepared to join ground operations against the Islamic State (ISIS), if the United States will initiate it.

"The kingdom is now ready to participate in any ground operations that the coalition (against Islamic State) may agree to carry out in Syria," said Saudi defence minister Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, as quoted by The Daily Express.
Sunday trading: Why it's back on the agenda, and why it shouldn't be

Sunday trading is back on the agenda with a vengeance. At present large shops and supermarkets are only allowed to open for six hours. Last year the Chancellor, George Osborne, promised in his budget that councils and mayors would get the power to set Sunday trading laws in their own areas; he backed off after a revolt by Tory MPs  Christian MP David Burrowes among them  and an intervention by the SNP. Now, however, business secretary Sajid Javid has said a Commons amendment will be tabled to the Enterprise Bill. A Tory minister has indicated Scottish MPs could be barred from voting on the proposals. According to the Sun on Sunday, which has campaigned on the issue, at least 150 local councils have said they believe widespread opening will be good for them and create jobs.

It's just wrong. Thou shalt not work on the Sabbath, that's what I say.

I doubt if you actually speak in Jacobean English. But while it may be wrong, that isn't a very strong argument against Sunday trading. For one thing, the Sabbath is Saturday, not Sunday, and for another, we shouldn't be trying to make laws forcing people to observe our religion.

But if people have to work on Sundays, they won't be able to go to church.

See above: we should be very uneasy about trying to privilege one religion through the legal system. Lots of people have to work on Sundays anyway. They can go to church during the week.

I don't understand, then. What's so wrong about it?

Sunday trading as we have it now was introduced in 1994 under the Tories led by John Major. It had previously been illegal under the Shops Act 1950, with a few exceptions. Major was put under huge pressure by supermarkets and thought it would be a popular move in the light of Britain's flagging economy, just emerging from recession. Campaigners against widespread Sunday trading, including the shop workers union USDAW, argued that it would damage family life as couples might not have a whole day to spend together with their children any more. The six-hour compromise was the best that could be achieved.

So it has nothing to do with religion?

Everything has to do with religion, but if you mean it's not about quoting the Ten Commandments at people, yes. However, the principle of a communal day of rest is built into the scriptures from the earliest times. We ignore that at our peril.

I like being able to go to the supermarket on Sundays.

How nice for you. The person serving you might like to be with their family.

Do you mean they have to work on Sundays if they're asked?

The law was passed after USDAW was assured that Sunday working would be voluntary; many Labour MPs switched sides and backed it. It remains the case that people can opt out of Sunday working if they want. However, campaigners argue that the pressure on them to conform and the knowledge that they are inconveniencing other workers means they don't do so; also many need the money.

I assume if shops opened longer on Sundays people would make more money?

You would probably be wrong. It would perhaps make more money for supermarkets, but drive small convenience stores out of business. Once they've gone, the supermarkets would make no more money because people would just spend the same amount on different days.

So why do it?

Why indeed? The campaign is arguably being driven by people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. They're quite happy to see the lower classes labouring away when they'd rather be at home, as long as they can stock up on their organic yoghurt and quinoa. Whoever has to work on Sundays, it won't be them.

I like that 'arguably'.

Thanks. Do your shopping on Saturday.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
'The Bachelor' season 20 spoilers: Ben calls Olivia's attention; Who goes home in Week 6 and 7?

"The Bachelor" season 20's Ben Higgins continues his search for love and this week, he and the ladies are headed to the Bahamas.

It was previously reported that during their stay on the beautiful island, Higgins goes out on a fishing trip with Caila Quinn for their individual date. The software salesman later on also has a two-on-one date with Emily Ferguson and Olivia Caridi.

Spoilers from Reality Steve indicates that it would be the last for anchorwoman Caridi, who has been receiving a lot of backlash in the show. Several of the girls referred to her as fake. Tension involving her and the other contestants got even more intense in the previous episode when she referred to Amanda Stanton as a "teen mom."

It was a cliffhanger from Monday's episode, as Higgins pulled Caridi aside before the rose ceremony, making way for speculations that the bachelor may take back the rose he had given Caridi from the group date.

It remains to be seen what really transpires after Higgins called for Caridi before the rose ceremony, but the girls are thinking that Caridi would be packing her bags. On the other hand, Reality Steve did mention that Caridi's last stop will be the Bahamas.

Caridi, along with Lauren Himle and Leah Block are said to say goodbye during that episode.

After the ladies and the man of their dreams completed their Bahamas stay, they headed to Warsaw, Indiana, according to Steve's spoilers. Higgins reportedly went on an individual date with Lauren Bushnell where they spent some quality time in his hometown.

He took her to his previous workplace at the Baker Youth Club. Meanwhile, JoJo Fletcher also had a date with Higgins at the Wrigley Field to play baseball, the spoiler report continued. As for the group date, Stanton got the rose and they reportedly filmed a commercial for McDonald's. As for the elimination round, Becca Tilley and Ferguson got sent home.

Will Steve's report be right this time? Find out on "The Bachelor" every Monday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.
What to say when someone says the Bible can't be trusted

"Did God really say...?"

"Show me the evidence for God and I will believe" is the claim of the unbeliever, quickly backed up with, "there is/can be no evidence which cannot be explained by science". Last week we showed that far from science providing evidence against God, it points to him.

We also saw that Christians believe that God reveals himself in nature (which is subject to scientific investigation) but that that is not enough. At best it would leave us where some apologists too often do; mildly theistic/deistic. We end up with the Unmoved Mover, the Uncaused Cause, or the Unknowable Mind  useful for a philosophy course, but useless for life. 'May the Force be with you', might work as a movie sound bite, but it's not really the life-changing dynamic that Christianity claims to be. So if God wants us to know him then surely he would reveal himself? Indeed.

My favourite response from last week was the atheist who tweeted: "If I were God I would make my existence obvious to all and would make it crystal clear what to do to be saved." Bingo. Spot on. That is precisely what God has done. He has made his existence obvious to all and he has made it crystal clear what to do to be saved. God's revelation? God's answer? Jesus Christ. "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word" (Hebrews 1:1-3, NIV).

But that just puts back the question  how do we know Jesus? Well, we have good news. We have the gospel. In fact, we have the four Gospels. And in them we are told of a Christ who says that the whole Old Testament concerns himself (Luke 24:27) and who appoints 12 Apostles (and Paul, 'out of season') who go on to write the rest of the New Testament. The key to understanding the Bible is that it is about Jesus. It is not primarily a book of morals, or a science text, or a collection of myths and fairy stories. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. I love what Erasmus, the sixteenth-century scholar and Reformer, wrote: "the Bible will give Christ to you, in an intimacy so close that he would be less visible to you if he stood before your eyes".

The devil is the Father of lies and so wants people to avoid the truth. His greatest concern is to keep people in darkness and prevent them coming into light. Given that Jesus is the light and that the word of God is light, it is no surprise that the devil's greatest tactic is to darken, diffuse and cause us to doubt its trustworthiness. "Did God really say?" was the first temptation. And it continues to be one of the biggest stumbling blocks to Christian faith. Let's consider five of the objections.

1. "The Bible was written by a bunch of illiterate desert goat herders." This is one of my favourites! Usually said by those chronological snobs who have never read the Bible and who have suspended their normal capacity for rational thought. How could illiterate people have written the Psalms, the magnificent poem of Job and the extraordinary thoughts of John chapter 1?

2. "The Bible was written centuries after the events described in it." This is usually said by those who have little knowledge of ancient history or textual criticism. There are existent today more than five thousand manuscripts with parts of the New Testament in them from the first four centuries  some as early as the 1st. The manuscript evidence for the NT is many times stronger than for any other ancient document. I would strongly recommend reading FF Bruce The New Testament Documents, Are They Reliable? And Richard Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, the Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony.

In similar vein there are those who claim that the Bible is not unique, it's just a rehash of Greek/Roman/Egyptian myths and legends. I suppose it's not surprising that in the age of Wikipedia and Atheist memes, every Tom, Dick and Henrietta is an expert in the mythology of the ancient gods! The only way to deal with this is a) historical fact and b) humour. A great example of the latter is that from our friends at Lutheran Satire who deal wonderfully with the myth that the myth of Horus is the source of the Gospels.



3. "The Bible was only decided on at the Council of Nicaea in 325 BC and lots of other 'gospels' which spoke of women as apostles, Jesus as married and President Obama as the prophesied Messiah were removed." (OK... I made that last one up, but then other people just made up the first two as well so I thought I would join in the fun!). The people who believe this are not only those who take their sources from their atheist friend's blogs, but who have also actually read a book. Sadly, that book is the Da Vinci Code, which is to a history of the early Church as Star Trek is to a history of the Universe. Nicaea mainly dealt with the heresy of Arius who denied the divinity of Christ. It did not decide on the books of the Bible.

4. "The Bible is too difficult to understand and anyway it's not relevant for today." This is usually said by those who remember the Bible being read in a soporific voice by a dull as dishwater vicar in a school assembly or RE class!

The Bible is an extraordinary book. In some places it's remarkably clear and easy to understand, and yet there is also a depth which means that you can read it 1,000 times and still be finding new things within it. It really is the living and enduring Word of God. As for relevance, it is incredible how relevant the Bible actually is. I teach it every Sunday, often to people who know very little about it, and the most common comments I get are, "Wow, I didn't know there was so much in the Bible," (and not just because of the length of the sermons!) and "it's incredible how relevant the Bible is to me and to our society today". Ironically, it's when those in the Church doubt that the Bible is adequate for today and then try to make relevant that it very quickly becomes an irrelevant reflection of their culture and prejudices, rather than the ever fresh revelation of God. Those of us who are Christians need to realise that if we add to the Bible (legalism) or take away from the Bible (liberalism), we are in effect pointing people away from the Christ we profess to follow.

5. "The Bible can't be evidence for itself." This, too, seems profound until you stop and think about it. It's a bit like saying my wife cannot be evidence for herself. The Bible is evidence for itself. The four Gospels were not myths made up centuries after the events. They are historical accounts, telling us the story of Jesus and bringing us his life. Some scoffers seem to want YouTube clips of Jesus walking on water before they will accept any evidence! They demand that we have documented histories from the period that clearly prove the existence and miracles of Jesus. In a lecture at Cambridge I spoke about the testimony to Christ of the Jewish historian Josephus and the Roman historian, Tacitus. I was challenged in some of my statements by a man who really seemed to know what he was talking about. Because he did. He was a professor from the University of Jerusalem who specialised in ancient history and manuscripts. He pointed out that a Jewish peasant called Jesus was highly unlikely to feature in any history written by the cultural winners and elites of that time. The Bible is the best and most reliable evidence we have for Jesus.

But what about all the other 'Holy Books'? Don't they all claim the same thing, and should we not treat them all the same way? Actually many of them don't, and yes we should treat them all the same way  at least in this. Read them. Think about them. Compare them. It's astonishing how many people will say that the Bible and the Qur'an are effectively the same, who have read neither.

The truth is, however, that we do need the Spirit to work in our lives. I love what the Westminster Confession of Faith says about the necessity of the work of Spirit in order for us to understand:

1:V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the Church to an high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, the many other incomparable excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God: yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.

I guess the question to ask is: what does the Bible mean to you? For me, it is not an academic book yet is stretches my mind and makes me think unlike anything else I have ever read. It is not a self-help book yet it has been a greater help to me than anything else I know. It is not a religious book and yet it has led me to God. It is not a political book and yet it has shown me why our world is in such a mess. It is not a book of morals and yet it has helped me tot clarify right and wrong. In other words, the Bible is my food, meat and drink. I do not read, study or preach it as a 'professional' just doing my job. It is the Word of God. Through it, God speaks not only to me, but also to his Church and indeed to the whole world. People are "born again... through the living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23).

I once challenged a vociferous young atheist in Brighton, who told me that the Bible was all rubbish. Have you read it? No. Why not try? A month later he wrote to me. He had done it all wrong. He started at Genesis chapter 1, used the King James Version and had made it to chapter 38. But his response astonished me. "It scares me", he declared, "it's beginning to make sense"! It's a very simple challenge. Ask people to read the Word of God, help them with one to one Gospel studies, and take them to church to hear the Word of God being proclaimed and explained. God's word will never return to him empty. It is, after all, the word that brings life. God really did say. He really did speak. He still does. And as he speaks his word, it brings forth life.

This week's recommended book: An oldie but goldie  JI Packer  Fundamentalism and the Word of God.

David Robertson is the moderator of the Free Church of Scotland and director of Solas CPC, Dundee.
Which is most violent, the Qur'an or the Bible?

Is Islam a fundamentally violent religion? Listen to candidates for the Republican nomination and you might think so. Donald Trump notoriously said he wanted to ban all Muslims from the country, and he's not alone in his feelings about them: a Pew survey released last week found that a fifth of Americans thought that some religious teaching was responsible for violence, with most of them naming Islam in particular. And because Islamist extremism is so easily conflated with Islam, perhaps that's not surprising.

But is it right to link Islam with violence? Not according to one researcher, who's applied his skills in computerised text analysis to the Bible and the Qur'an.

Tom Anderson, founder of OdinText, put the Old and New Testaments and the Qur'an into a sophisticated analytical programme. He's more used to providing corporate clients with marketing information, but the question seemed like an interesting one in view of the current debate.

Anderson's programme looks for "sentiments and emotions" in the texts, but it's been tweaked to include specifically religious terms like God, Allah and Jesus. And he points out, with some satisfaction, that it took OdinText less than two minutes to read and analyze all three texts at once.

What did he find?

He was clear that they had "not set out to prove or disprove that Islam is more violent than other religions", and that they were very well aware that there was a lot more to Christianity, Judaism and Islam than just their sacred books.

However, they found that comparing the eight major emotions  joy, anticipation, anger, disgust, sadness, surprise, fear/anxiety and trust  the Old Testament is the 'angriest' and contains the least 'joy'.

They also found the Qur'an contains the most 'fear/anxiety' and 'trust/belief' issues.

They conclude that "A look into the verbatim text suggests that the content in the Qur'an is not more violent than its Judeo-Christian counterparts. In fact, of the three texts, the content in the Old Testament appears to be the most violent."

Killing and destruction are referenced slightly more often in the New Testament than in the Qur'an, but the Old Testament clearly leads  more than twice that of the Qur'an  in mentions of destruction and killing.

And while the New Testament is highest in 'love', the Qur'an is highest in the concept of 'mercy' or 'forgiveness'. The researchers acknowledge that this is because Allah is often described as "the Merciful", but say: "Some might dismiss this as a tag or title, but we believe it's meaningful because mercy was chosen above other attributes like 'Almighty' that are arguably more closely associated with deities."

There's also a key difference around the concept of 'faith/belief', with the Qur'an clearly ahead of the New Testament and the Old Testament a distant third.

Anderson concludes: "Those who have not read or are not fairly familiar with the content of all three texts may be surprised to learn that no, the Qur'an is not really more violent than its Judeo-Christian counterparts."

He adds: "Personally, I'll admit that I was a bit surprised that the concept of 'Mercy' was most prevalent in the Qur'an; I expected that the New Testament would rank highest there, as it did in the concept of 'Love'.

"Overall, the three texts rated similarly in terms of positive and negative sentiment, as well, but from an emotional read, the Qur'an and the New Testament also appear more similar to one another than either of them is to the significantly 'angrier' Old Testament."

Of course  as Anderson is the first to acknowledge  there's a lot more that could be said about about how the three texts actually work. Jews and Christians might want to ask not just how often violence and hatred appear in the Old Testament, but in what context they appear. Often (though not always) these stories are told not with approval, but with horror. But at the same time, if someone wants to go to the Old Testament as a way of justifying violence, there are plenty of examples to choose from.

However, one thing Anderson's work does is warn us against falling for lazy stereotypes. We can't condemn Muslims because their sacred text has violence in it when ours has even more.

Last February, US President Barack Obama sparked a firestorm of criticism when he pointed out at a prayer breakfast in Washington that Christians had been guilty of atrocities in the name of religion as well as Muslims. His critics were outraged that he dared to compare the Crusades with the actions of Islamic State, but he was surely right  every faith can be perverted if its adherents choose the dark rather than the light.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
The CEO of burrito joint Moe's Southwest Grill has a message for everyone disappointed that Chipotle is closing its stores for four hours today : Hey guys, we're open.

The Georgia-based Tex-Mex restaurant touted on its website and to CNN Money that the company will be more than happy to welcome customers who are being burrito-blocked by Chipotle's delayed opening Monday. Moe's is even offering a special buy-one-get-one burrito deal with a coupon that reads "Here's to moving on."
A clerk was shot and killed Sunday night during a robbery at a convenience store in north Houston.

The shooting happened about 8:45 p.m. in the 4600 block of N. Main near Airline, said Alexander Vinogradov, a homicide investigator with the Houston Police Department.

Vinogradov said officers were sent to the scene on an emergency call about a shooting. When they arrived at the scene they found the clerk on the floor behind the counter. He had been shot one time. The wounded man, whose name has not been released, was rushed to Ben Taub General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Two clerks and customers were in the store at the time of the robbery. No other injuries were reported.

Vinogradov said surveillance video from the store shows two men dash inside the front door. They had their faces covered and wore gloves. One of them leaped over the counter and snatched an unknown amount of money from the cash registers. During the heist the clerk was shot, but the shooting was not seen on the video.

Vinogradov said the suspects ran out of the store after the heist. No description of them was available.
On Sunday afternoon at Saint Arnold Brewing Company and the men and women behind the Houston BBQ Festival hosted the third annual Super Beef Sunday party at the brewery off Lyons Avenue.

On hand to sling cue were pit masters Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller BBQ in Taylor, Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ and Grant Pinkerton of Pinkertons BBQ. The mild weather and sunny skies made for perfect BBQ weather out in front of the brewery.
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The rancorous debate over the teaching future of a tenured, African-American woman professor at Illinois' evangelical Wheaton College has ended on a conciliatory note -- apologetic words from the administration and the professor's apparent resignation.

The dispute, which pitted college administrators against the Christian college's faculty council, grew out of political science professor Larycia Hawkins' December pledge to wear a Muslim headscarf during Advent in solidarity with Muslims "because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book." Advent is the period leading up to Christmas in the Christian tradition.

She then quoted Pope Francis as saying "we worship the same God."

Wheaton Provost Stanton Jones placed Hawkins on administrative leave, and a February meeting with administrators was scheduled. The meeting was expected to bring her termination. Meanwhile, the faculty council unanimously voted to recommend dropping the suspension and planned termination "due to grave concerns about the process," the Chicago Tribune reported.

On Saturday, Jones told professors in an email that he had turned the matter of Hawkins' future at the college over to university president Philip Ryken.

Jones said he stood by his concerns regarding Hawkins' statements. But, he "asked Dr. Hawkins for her forgiveness for the ways I contributed to the fracture of our relationship and to the fracture of Dr. Hawkins' relationship with the college....I apologized for my lack of wisdom and collegiality as I initially approached Dr. Hawkins, and for imposing an administrative leave more precipitously than was necessary."

Two hours later, Ryken told faculty members that Hawkins and administrators had "come to a place of resolution and reconciliation. "With a mutual desire for God's blessing, we have decided to part ways."

The newspaper did not indicate Hawkins' response.

Ryken said he has asked the college's board of trustees to review the case, given concerns over academic freedom, due process and and possible racial and gender discrimination.

Ryken invited faculty to a private Tuesday worship service at which Hawkins will say goodbye.

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When Jim Goode got tired of working as a graphic artist, he decided to open either a bait shop or a barbecue joint.

One day in 1977, he stopped at a rundown restaurant whose owner was sick of the business. By the end of his meal, Goode had traded his savings for what would become Goode Company BBQ, the first of his seven Houston restaurants.

Long before Texas' barbecue renaissance, Goode's restaurants were a Houston staple. Their pecan pie, shipped across the country in a wooden box marked "made in Texas," and mesquite-smoked Texas trinity of brisket, ribs and sausage served at the original joint on Kirby made the Goode brand a Houston classic, even as the company remained a family-run business and a personal passion of its owner.

"It's been a standard for decades," said Bryan Caswell, a longtime friend of Goode's son Levi and the chef behind Houston's Reef. "Before this whole new barbecue revolution that's such a big deal now, he was the standard bearer in this city for a generation."

Goode died Feb. 2 at 71 of Alzheimer's, according to his son Levi Goode, who now runs Goode Company Restaurants.

Goode was born in April 1944 to parents from Tampico, Mexico, and grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast. He left Texas at 16 to enlist in the Navy during the Vietnam War. After his service in Okinawa, Japan, Goode attended the Milton Glaser School of Visual Arts in New York before he returned to Houston to try his hand as a graphic artist.

All the while, he infused his work with one of his personal passions - smoking barbecue for his design clients.

When he bought his first restaurant for $6,000, Goode threw his all into the business. He even slept there, waking up every hour to check on the brisket, until the place was on such solid footing that he happily realized he had enough trash from the day's customers to fill two bags. He held the trash bags above his head like Rocky, proud of his new restaurant's success.

"He liked barbecue because it was such a communal food," Levi Goode said. "The nature of the food is one that brings friends and family together and he enjoyed putting smiles on people's faces."

Soon, Goode began to expand his business, opening a few more locations of Goode Company BBQ, along with Goode Company Taqueria and Goode Company Seafood.

To the taqueria, he brought memories of his mother's Tex-Mex cooking, taking her classic recipes and adding mesquite. To the seafood restaurants, he brought his passion for fishing and the Gulf Coast. Of everything he cooked and served, Gulf Coast shrimp and seafood were his favorites, Levi Goode said. He was a lifetime member of the Coastal Conservation Association, founded in the same year he opened his restaurant.

Beyond the food, Goode brought his interests, creativity and philosophy to his restaurants.

He decorated each location with items he collected driving across Texas to western collectible shows. Once, in Amarillo, he bought so much he had to rent a van to bring it back.

In Waco, he tracked down the owner of a Coca-Cola crate left by the side of the road before he attached it to the back of his truck to drive back home. He drove to New Mexico to buy authentic rugs on Navajo reservations.

"We called him 1890 because he loved everything about the Old West," said longtime friend Don Jones, who joined him on many of those trips. The pair met on a Conroe fishing trip in the late '70s, and Jones eventually joined Goode in 1990 as a manager at his retail store, the BBQ Hall of Flame, now the bar the Armadillo Palace.

Goode loved Texas history and culture, and he traced his own family's heritage through multiple generations of Texans. He bought a chuckwagon, and took it across Texas entering cooking competitions. He was a lifetime director of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, often bidding on the grand calf and steers to support the young participants from Texas farms and ranches.

At his restaurants, he treated his few hundred employees like family, offering second and third chances and building an environment where people stayed for decades.

As the company grew, he remained committed to that kindness and to quality. If the crawfish that came in wasn't up to standard, he wouldn't serve crawfish that day.

"At the end of the day, we weren't brain surgeons or heart surgeons or curing cancer," said Tom Dayton, the chief operations officer of the company who Goode first hired as a manager in 1987. "We were just trying to put out a plate of food every day. His philosophy was we're only as good as the last plate of food we served today."

His influence on Texas cuisine is long-lasting. "He had a deep understanding of what it meant to eat like a Gulf Coast Texan," said Alison Cook, the Chronicle's restaurant critic, who has watched Goode's restaurants grow since the late '70s.

"Nobody was better on a grassroots level at weaving together the disparate Texas culinary genres fundamental to Houston cuisine. People responded to that. It was almost like he knew us better than we knew ourselves."

Visitation will be from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons.
A federal judge presiding over a Houston terrorism case slapped Department of Justice prosecutors by filing an "Order of Ineptitude" for their handling of an administrative matter.

U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes said if the "pretentious" prosecutors visiting from Washington, D.C. knew what they were doing, or had the humility to ask for help from their Houston-based counterparts, they would have known how to get transcripts from a hearing in the case.
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Responding to complaints about increased panhandling downtown, the Dallas Police Department is putting violators in jail.

On Feb. 1, the department launched the "Quality of Life Initiative," an intense program that deploys officers 16 hours a day to discourage begging in the Central Business District.

"What we're really focusing on is the aggressive panhandler," Assistant Chief Gary Tittle said in a news conference to announce the program. "That aggressive panhandler will be the ones who approach an individual demanding money, asking for money, impeding their walkway on the sidewalks, getting out into the streets... things that are dangerous for the public."

Under the initiative running seven days a week until further notice, anyone caught panhandling will be arrested and cited with a Class C misdemeanor. "We will be placing them in custody for this violation," Tittle said.

The department hopes to address the challenge of repeat offenders with "repetitive enforcement," the assistant chief said.

No figures on the number of arrests during the program's first week were immediately available Monday from the department.

According to the Dallas Morning News, police said the arrests totaled more than 100, although between 20 percent and 25 percent were repeaters.

Anyone who would like to help those requesting money is asked to make a donation through a charitable organization, Tittle said.

Not everyone panhandling on the corner is homeless, the assistant chief said.

"Dallas police officers often encounter individuals who are panhandling, however they are not in dire need of assistance," the department said in its blog, The DPD Beat. "They merely play on the sympathy of citizens who are willing to donate."
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SAN ANTONIO  Smoke filled nearby streets and could be seen billowing from downtown San Antonio Monday as about two dozen San Antonio Fire Department units battled a fire on the top floor of the parking garage at the Shops at Rivercenter.

At least 22 SAFD units managed to take control of the blaze after the fire was reported at the mall around 1 p.m.

The fire was sparked by members of a demolition crew who were using a torch to cut out an old cooling unit on the top floor of the garage, said SAFD Chief Charles Hood, adding that dry wood around the unit quickly caught fire.

RELATED: Beautiful weather in San Antonio comes with elevated fire threat across the region

The workers tried to put the fire out before crews arrived, but were unable to get it under control. One of the workers was transported to an area hospital for smoke inhalation, but no other major injuries were reported.

"I was on the River Walk. I looked out the window and you couldn't even see," said Eric Combetta, a visitor from New Orleans. "You had to hold your nose. It was that bad."

The air conditioning unit that caught fire is in an unstable position right now and will likely cause the entire parking garage to be closed for some time, though Hood did not have an exact time frame.

Additionally, anyone with a car inside the garage will not be able to access it until the structure is deemed safe, Hood said.

"They are going to be inconvenienced for a while," he said.

RELATED: Renovated Joske's at Rivercenter returns to former glory

Code compliance officers were dispatched to the scene to determine whether the garage was still structurally sound after having thousands of gallons of water poured over it.

Dozens of people were evacuated from the garage. Several others in the shopping areas left when they realized the fire was happening.

At the AMC Rivercenter 11 theaters in the mall, the movies suddenly stopped and people in the seats, not many given the time and day, were told to leave immediately. The theaters remained closed as of 3 p.m.

Wayne Matherne, who was working at a kiosk in the mall, stood outside of the building with a co-worker and said they could see smoke inside the mall and left the building immediately. They said they did not hear any alarm or call for evacuation.

The top floor of the garage holds large air-conditioning units rather than vehicles and has no public access, said Bryant Whitmire, an employee of the operator of the parking garage.

Aly Zamora said she was driving past the mall when the fire began and initially thought it may have been a terrorist attack and was worried.

"It was my first time seeing that in real life and not on TV, it was pretty scary," she said.

The mall was fully open again by 3 p.m., Rivercenter spokeswoman Priscilla Gonzaba said. Mall staff were at that time still informing some tenants waiting for the all-clear to reopen.

Fire department officials were still examining Crockett Garage, she said. She thinks it will be reopened later tonight.

An hour earlier, Shoe Palace employee Ian Terry stood outside the shop with a fellow employee, preparing to lift the metal gate and admit customers again. They learned of the fire from intercom announcements and security guards making their rounds, he said.



Terry said he was glad to get back to work because he did not want the day off.



Id rather make some money anyway, he said.

Marriott Rivercenter, a 38-story hotel separated from the garage by Macys, did not have to evacuate any guests, general manager Tim Sullivan said. Hotel management shut off the exterior air intake for about 30 minutes to recirculate interior air and keep smoke out, he said.



The good news is its all safe and secure here, Sullivan said. The fire department was able to figure out what was going on within a few minutes.

The fire will not affect the grand opening of the Swedish clothing retailer H&Ms on Thursday, Gonzaba said. The store will open in the former Joskes department store building on Commerce Street, on the opposite side of the Rivercenter from the garage.

The National Weather Service on Monday forecasters issued a Red Flag Warning, which indicates when weather conditions are ideal for wildfires because of high winds and low humidity, for the metro areas of Austin and San Antonio and the Interstate 35 corridor between them.

The warning expires at 5 p.m. Monday but will likely be reissued Tuesday, NWS Meteorologist Orlando Bermudez.

Text "NEWS" to 72727 to sign up for breaking news from mySA

mdwilson@express-news.net

Twitter: @MDWilsonSA
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SAN ANTONIO -- ICE agents in San Antonio have deported a Mexican man who is accused in the stabbing death of another man in Mexico in 2006.

Authorities with the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removals Operations in San Antonio released a statement that said Juan Carlos Torres-Carcosa, 39, was sent back to his home country Friday.

According to the statement, Mexican officials said Torres-Carasosa was drinking alcohol and a friend's house and allegedly stabbed the man to death, stole the victim's pickup truck and left the scene.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents arrested Torres-Caracosa near Roma, Texas, on May 28, 2007, according to the statement. While in custody, he admitted that he was in the country illegally. Torres-Caracosa was convicted Oct. 4, 2007, for being in the United States illegally, was issued a final order for removal and was deported Nov. 15, 2007.

San Antonio ERO agents were informed Nov. 9 by Mexico's Procuraduria General de la Republica that there was an active arrest warrant issued by the government of Mexico for Torres-Caracosa, in the killing of the man with a knife in 2006.

According to the statement, Torres-Caracosa illegally re-entered the United States near Penitas, Texas and was arrested by the ICE Fugitive Operations Team. He was deported Friday and transferred to the custody of Mexican authorities at the Brownsville Gateway Port of Entry.

"Removing criminal foreign fugitives from the United States is a top ICE priority," Enrique M. Lucero, field office director of ERO San Antonio, said in the statement. "The cooperation between the governments of the United States and Mexico resulted in this foreign fugitive being turned over to this native country where he will stand trial for an alleged murder."

According to ICE data, in 2015, agents removed or returned 235,413 people who were in the United States illegally.

ezavala@express-news.net

Twitter: @elizabeth2863
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A wedding shoot took place amid the rubble that once represented Syrias third-largest city.

Newlyweds Nada Merhi, 18, and Hassan Youssef, 27, posed for portraits for wedding photographer Jafar Meray among the bombed out ruins of Homs. The city and surrounding area had nearly 1.5 million inhabitants before the civil war, which started in 2011, displaced more than half of the populace.

READ THIS: Saudis offer to send ground troops to Syria

Agence France-Presse photographer Joseph Eid tagged along with the young couple and their portrait-taker for stunning photos. The images contrast the greyed, hollowed out city with the woman in the immaculate white wedding dress and the man in military garb.

The wedding photographer told Eid that the purpose of the shoot was to demonstrate life is stronger than death. But the images are more complicated than its "love conquers all" message.

Youseff is a soldier in Bashar al-Assads army. The Syrian presidents regime did this to Homs after rebel forces took over Homs in the middle of the war. After Syrian forces laid siege to the stronghold, the rebels evacuated and the city fell back under governmental control at the end of 2015.

Drone footage last week offered a disturbing aerial view of the devastation. The United Nations said Monday that the Assad regime has killed so many detainees that it amounts to the crime against humanity of extermination,' according to the U.K.s The Independent. The report noted that the regime's crimes against humanity outnumber those committed by ISIS and other Jihadist groups in the region.

See the gallery above for images from the couple's wedding shoot.
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A judge on Monday denied another effort to stop the federal government from placing Syrian refugees in Texas, dealing a defeat to Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

"It is certainly possible that a Syrian refugee resettled in Texas could commit a terrorist act, which would be tragic," U.S. District Judge David Godbey wrote in an 11-page ruling. "The Court however, cannot interfere with the executive's discharge of its foreign affairs and national security duties based on a possibility of harm, but only on a proper showing of substantial threat of irreparable injury."

It was the second time Godbey has refused to grant an emergency injunction requested by Abbott and Paxton that would pause Syrian refugee placement in Texas.

Abbott and Paxton, both Republicans, have taken the lead in a nationwide attempt by GOP officials to block refugees from the war-torn country in the aftermath of the deadly attacks in Paris, carried out by terrorists thought to have ties to the Syria-based Islamic State.

Refugee resettlement is a federal responsibility, however, and no judge has found that state officials have any power to block refugees.

Texas resettles about 10 percent of all refugees admitted to the United States, and it already has accepted dozens of refugees from Syria. The topic also is particularly controversial here because federal officials last month arrested an Iraqi-born man who had come as a refugee on charges of providing material support to the Islamic State.

The latest request in Texas arose after the federal government last month placed a family of seven -- a married couple and their five young children -- in Houston. State officials objected, saying they had not received the advance notice that they had been promised.

Late Monday, after the ruling, a Paxton spokeswoman said the Attorney General's Office was "evaluating our options."

"At a minimum, Texans deserve to know if the people moving into our communities and neighborhoods have a history of providing support to terrorists," said the spokeswoman, Cynthia Meyer. "In today's ruling, the court acknowledged the validity of our concerns, but ruled existing federal law does not grant states a sufficient voice, which would effectively leave it to Congress to make necessary changes."

The ruling denied an emergency injunction but left open the possibility that the Texas lawsuit could ultimately be decided in the state's favor. Godbey ruling made clear that was unlikely, however.

"The Commission is unlikely to succeed on the merits," Godbey wrote, "because it has no viable cause of action against the Federal Defendants."
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A Florida woman accused of shoplifting more than $2,100 worth of clothes from several outlet stores left her cell phone and a puddle of urine at the crime scene, according to police.

Deputies with the Walton County Sheriff's Office arrested Brooke Amber Sutton, 27, on Feb. 1 after finding stolen designer jeans and costume jewelry in her car, according to a news release.

Sutton was charged with two counts of felony retail theft and booked into Walton County Jail in Miramar Beach, located in northeast Florida, on a $5,000 bond.

The 27-year-old was released the next day.

RELATED: South Texas women very happy after 80 pounds of pot found in their car at border

An Ann Taylor employee at Silver Sands Outlets found several security tags removed from merchandise in a dressing room at the store, according to the release.

A cell phone was found among the tags, the release said.

Using the phone, a sheriff's deputy then contacted the suspect's husband, who gave a description of Sutton's vehicle.

The deputy later found the vehicle in the shopping outlet mall's parking lot.

RELATED: Texas man shown in road rage video pointing gun at Nevada motorcyclist: 'I would do it again'

Deputies found about $1,100 worth of costume jewelry and clothing stolen from Ann Taylor in Sutton's vehicle along with six pairs of designer jeans worth more than $1,000 stolen from Saks Fifth Avenue, the release said.

Sutton confessed to removing price tags and security devices from the Ann Taylor products, according to an arrest report obtained by Northwest Florida Daily News. She then left the store with 18 items without paying for them.

The 27-year-old also urinated on the fitting room floor and on several products, according to the newspaper.

RELATED: Police: East Texas man stole car from Taco Bueno parking lot after applying for job there

Sutton then entered a fitting room at Saks Off Fifth with up to 20 pairs of jeans and left there with six pairs of jeans hidden under a men's suit jacket, setting off the security alarm, the newspaper reported.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
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In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center complex, developers, policymakers, and ordinary New Yorkers broadly agreed that the site should be rebuilt and that whatever rose in place of the Twin Towers should be ambitiousand certainly tall. Fourteen years and countless borrowed dollars later, the project is near completion. One World Trade Centermore grandly dubbed the Freedom Towerhas risen to its promised 1,776 feet, with the assist of a 400-foot mast. Originally intended by celebrity architect Daniel Libeskind to be a spiraling, Cubist reflection of the Statue of Liberty, Americas new skyscraper champion is essentially an oversize version of any American citys tallest buildingexcept that it sits atop a 20-story concrete block to deter truck-bomb attacks. What really sets One World Trade Center apart is its $2 billion price tag, nearly double the original estimate, making it the worlds most expensive building.

Beneath the shellacked, monomaniacal Freedom Tower (in the words of New York Times critic Michael Kimmelman), another massive architectural structure is taking shape: an underground train station for the PATH, the commuter rail service that links lower Manhattan to Newark, Hoboken, and Jersey City. The PATH desperately needs to make capital improvements to its cast-iron, cross-river tubes, which rest beneath the Hudson Rivers bed and date to 1909, but that essential project has taken a backseat to the construction of a $4 billion white marble concourse that the New York Post has called a shrine to government waste and idiocy.

The Post had the waste and idiocy part right, but the development work at the World Trade Center isnt government as we normally think of itan institution responsive, at least theoretically, to democratic politics. Thats because one agency stands at the center of both these expensive and contentious architectural projects: the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the land and was involved in the construction of the original World Trade Center. Established in 1921 in an effort to quell the perennial squabbling between New York and New Jersey over control of New York Harbor, the Port Authority was designed to be unaccountable to the public. Its originators, steeped in Progressive-era faith in technocratic management, envisioned an agency run by disinterested professionals, insulated from the pressures of day-to-day politics. In the 94 years since its founding, however, the Port Authority has proved anything but politically disinterested. Fueled by the power to issue bonds backed by tolls, the agency has steadily expanded its holdings, which now encompass a staggering set of properties vital to the functioning of the New York metropolitan area and its $2 trillion economy. These include a half-dozen airports (including three of the nations largest); the nations third-busiest port; the worlds busiest bridge, busiest tunnel, and busiest bus terminal, along with a handful of other bridges, tunnels, and bus terminals; the PATH commuter rail system; its own police force; and, yes, the World Trade Center itself. Almost a century into its history, the Port Authority has grown into a gargantuan apparatus of inefficiency, overreach, corruption, and waste.

How a relatively modest initiative to standardize rates of cross-Hudson freightage developed into a massive, financially opaque institutionwith a mission that has expanded well beyond its original scopeis partially a function of the late-nineteenth-century cult of expertise. In his 1887 essay The Science of Administration, Woodrow Wilson propounded the idea of professional management of public assets. Such management, removed from the hurry and strife of politics, Wilson and his contemporaries believed, would guard against the kinds of spoils systems and machine politics typified by New Yorks Tammany Hall. The Port Authority was thus designed from the outset to operate largely as an independent bodyit would offer government without politics, in the words of Jameson Doig, whose book Empire on the Hudson is the seminal history of the agency. Ruled by a board of commissioners appointed by the governors of New York and New Jersey, the Port Authority ostensibly operates free from the day-to-day concerns and petty rivalries of local governance. The commissioners serve staggered, six-year terms, theoretically insulating them from political concerns, though the governors retain a veto over the boards decisions.

Despite these noble intentions, however, the Port Authority has long since become a swamp of mysterious accounting practices, patronage, favoritism, self-dealing, and mission creep. It has also served as an instrument of political retaliation, as in the Bridgegate episode of September 2013, when high-ranking Port Authority officials, all close political allies of New Jersey governor Chris Christie, closed two of the three lanes of eastbound traffic to the George Washington Bridge, apparently to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, who had failed to endorse Christie for reelection. Yet, despite nearly a century of concerns that the Port Authority had become unmanageable and unaccountable, reform efforts to date have proved fruitless, in part because the agencys hold on the New York metro area economy is tentacular. If major American financial institutions proved too big to fail, the Port Authority seemingly has become too big to change.

A key reason for this inertia is the interrelated finances of the PAs many units. Simply put, profitable divisions of the conglomerate subsidize the less successful onesmeaning that reforming any part of the Port Authority will affect in some way its other parts. The primary generators of cash in the Port Authority portfolio are its three main airports: Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark. These aviation hubs generated approximately $2.5 billion cumulatively in cash flow from 2007 to 2011, according to an outside consultants report. Over the same period, another immensely profitable Port Authority asset, the George Washington Bridge, generated $1.4 billion. (These figures are net and account for operating and capital expenses.) On the other side of the ledger, though, the Port Authority lost $2.3 billion running the PATH. The PATH has high fixed costs for personnel and maintenance and mostly static revenues. Unlike most major American commuter rail systems, the PATH receives zero subsidies from the tax base. Since raising fares to match the real cost of ridership is politically infeasible, the PATH is essentially subsidized by the tolls and fees levied on bridge crossers and airplane travelers.

The story of how the Port Authority came to be responsible for the PATH system is emblematic of the political trade-offs and self-dealing that characterize the PAs history. In 1961, when planning for the World Trade Center was under way as part of David and Nelson Rockefellers vision to develop lower Manhattan, including Chase Plaza, New Jersey governor Robert Meyner was shown a scale model of the design for his approval. According to Eric Darton, whose 2000 book Divided We Stand details the development of the World Trade Center, Meyner shrugged his shoulders and asked Governor Rockefeller: Whats in it for me?

To answer that questionand to gain New Jerseys consent to build the World Trade Center under the financing and construction aegis of the Port Authority, which needs legislative approval to commence major projectsthe Rockefellers and famed Port Authority executive director Austin Tobin agreed to acquire and refurbish the bankrupt Hudson and Manhattan Railroad, which became the PATH system. They also approved the location of the World Trade Center complex on the west side of Manhattan, on land owned by the railroad. The Port Authority thus reluctantly took on ownership and maintenance of a failed commuter rail system, in order to build a trade complex that, even then, was projected to be revenue-neutral, at best.

Likewise and more recently, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center after the 9/11 attacks has been an unfolding saga of egotism and grandiosity of Augustan proportionsbest expressed in a set of wings that will hover above the massive World Trade Center Transportation Hub. Observers have compared the wings, designed by Spanish starchitect Santiago Calatrava, with a kitsch stegosaurus and a stripped birds carcass. The original designs for the wings appeared impressive: looking at images of Calatravas work at the Milwaukee Museum of Art, one can see why the Port Authoritys commissioners and various state officials were sold on his proposal. But architectural sketches and models are notoriously unreliable in their representation of scale and point of view. What might have appeared soaring and majestic in an empty plaza is diminished, truncated, and dismal when crammed between a set of 1,000-foot skyscrapers. Meanwhile, leaks in the structure have damaged retail spaces in the mall that is still in ovo beneath the roosting architectonic bird, thereby pushing the opening date for the complex from late 2015 to mid-2016.

The Hubs upper portion, the Oculus, will operate directly below the wings; the concourse as a whole will supposedly rival Grand Central Terminals in breadth. Port Authority press literature breathlessly describes the Hub/Oculus as the third largest transportation center in New York Cityin other words, the smallest of the citys three train stations. To get a sense of what the Hub/Oculus will look like, one can now venture into the World Trade Center West Concourse, which runs under the West Side Highway and connects the WTC complex with Brookfield Place, formerly the World Financial Center. Clad in stunning white marble lozenges, the West Concourse is impressive, but it cost more than $100 million and will likely be expensive to maintain. Somewhat reminiscent of the interior scenes in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the West Concourse has been characterized by one critic as the most expensive hallway in the world.

Ive yet to see a construction project that came in under budget, says New York state senator Michael Ranzenhofer, who chairs the committee with oversight over the Port Authority. While that adage surely comforts many construction managers, its hardly a statement of universal truth: the Empire State Building and the George Washington Bridge are famous examples of New York City projects that were completed within their original budgets. Regardless, in the Port Authoritys case, a culture of systematized waste ensures that projects regularly run into the red. Outright corruption is a real problem as well. Longtime Port Authority commissioner Anthony Sartor, who also owns a major engineering firm, headed the PAs subcommittee overseeing the redevelopment of the World Trade Center. Sartor resigned from the committee in 2014, following an investigation into dealings that his company had with other firms with Port Authority contracts. The Wall Street Journal reported that, while Sartor did recuse himself from 181 votes of the full board of the Port Authority in matters touching on conflicts of interest, he nevertheless participated in the negotiations leading up to the votes, which were a formality, in any case, as they were almost always unanimous. Another Port Authority commissioner, Chairman David Samson, a former New Jersey attorney general appointed to the Port Authority by Governor Chris Christie, resigned after facing accusations of conflicts of interest and self-dealing pertaining to his legal practice. Samson is also being probed for having pressured United Airlines to establish a special route between Newarks airport and Columbia, South Carolinawhere he maintains a weekend home. The Newark-Columbia route operated just twice a week: from Newark on Thursday evenings, with a return leg on Monday mornings. It was discontinued three days after Samsons resignation from the Port Authority; five months later, United CEO Jeff Smisek stepped down as a direct result of the scandal.

To pursue various political goals, New York and New Jersey politicians have long exploited their leverage over the Port Authoritys pool of assets. For example, in 2007, with the approval of thenNew York governor Eliot Spitzer, the Port Authority moved to expand itself well beyond its historical scope when it agreed to purchase the operating lease of sleepy Stewart International Airport, 60 miles north of Manhattan. Stewart had made news in 2000 as the first American airport to be privatized, when New York State sold its lease to National Express Group, a British transit company. Spitzer, then state attorney general, approved the sale for $35 million. After six years of National Express Groups management, during which Stewart saw a decline in passenger travel, the Port Authority agreed to buy the lease for $78.5 million.

More recent airport intrigue involves the Jersey shore, where the Port Authority took over partial management of Atlantic City International Airportlocated well outside even a generous consideration of the agencys scope of operations. Atlantic City, where casino gambling was legalized in a 1970s attempt at revitalization, is a city on the verge of economic collapse. (See Boardwalk Vampire, Autumn 2015.) Four major casinos closed in 2014, and gambling revenues are half of what they were eight years ago. Empty lots dot its famed boardwalk, and urban blight surfaces just one block inland from the sea. Attempting to express his civic pride, Atlantic Citys mayor Don Guardian could only come up with: At least were not Detroit!

Hoping to leverage the Port Authoritys relationships with major airlines, Governor Christie leaned on the aviation unit to absorb marketing responsibilities for the Atlantic City airport, which was served only by Spirit Airlines. The Port Authority entered talks with Air Canada to introduce a TorontoAtlantic City routeon the condition that the state of New Jersey subsidize the route, effectively indemnifying Air Canada from any loss. United Airlines agreed to begin flying into Atlantic City but backed out when it became clear that there was not enough demand to justify serving the South Jersey coast. Another airline, Choice Aire, commenced chartered NashvilleAtlantic City flights in May 2015.

The Port Authority declined my requests for comment on why it had sought to assume partial control of the Atlantic City airport. The minutes of the boards March 2013 meeting, when the vote to absorb the airport took place, inadvertently reveal the thinking:

Incorporating ACY (Atlantic City International Airport) into the Port Authoritys network of airports would create a more integrated airport system. The Port Authority recognizes that the challenges raised by airport system congestion must be addressed by exploring both expansion at its existing airports and shifting demand to the regions outlying airports, thus creating capacity at the three core airports. Outlying airports such as ACY can also serve local areas, build up local economies and expand the offering of air travel options.

The idea that the Atlantic City airport, which is far closer to Philadelphia than it is to New York, would create capacity at Newark or JFK is far-fetched. But the board, in its passing reference to the need to build up local economies, made clear the real reason for the decision: to try to salvage Atlantic City as a tourist destination.

The Port Authority spends enormous sums on such regional development projects that have little or nothing to do with its core mission. For example, in 2011, Governor Christie pulled the plug on a long-awaited trans-Hudson rail tunnel, insisting that the Port Authority divert $1.8 billion out of $3 billion it had raised through a bond offering for the tunnel, in order to rebuild the decrepit Pulaski Skyway. The skyway connects Newark to the Holland Tunnel and is thus only tangentially related to Port Authority operations and, in any case, is owned and managed by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the diversion of funds from the bond offering for other purposes, and the Federal Aviation Authority is following up a complaint by United Airlines that, through the steep fees it pays to land at Newark Airport, it is subsidizing non-aviation-related projects. So far, the PA has spent close to $2 million in legal fees to defend itself against the charges.

All this overextension can obscure the fact that, even with the assets that form the core of its portfolio, the Port Authority is a managerial mess. Vice President Joe Biden raised eyebrows when he remarked that LaGuardia Airport was indistinguishable from facilities in a Third World country. Anyone who has experienced the dripping ceilings and interminable delays at what pilots call LaGarbage knew what he meant. Plans for the reconstruction of LaGuardias Central Terminal Building have languished for years. Finally, in 2014, it appeared that the renovation project was nearly under way. But then, New York governor Andrew Cuomo inserted himself into the bidding process, announcing a design competition that would run in tandem with the standard submission of construction bids. Companies vying to win the $3.6 billion project would have to amend their bids in response to the winning design. Cuomos critics said that he was slowing down an already-tedious process and creating unnecessary obstacles that would increase the cost of the project.

In 2015, Cuomo and Vice President Biden announced a new plan: to tear down LaGuardia and rebuild a new airport on the site. The new LaGuardia would have more modern terminals, better baggage-handling facilities, and expanded taxiways. What it would not have, however, are longer or additional runways, which are the primary cause of delays. The makeover of the airport, as one industry analyst put it, is just creating a larger waiting room for existing capacity. Meantime, the Port Authority is asking the FAA for permission to collect an extra $110 million in passenger fees to pay for preliminary construction.

With financial mismanagement such a regular refrain, it should come as no surprise that the Port Authority has been borrowing billions of dollars to fund its current operations, and is deep in debt. (See The Port Authoritys Cloudy Future, Autumn 2012.) The PA borrowed $8 billion alone to pay for its share of the World Trade Center redevelopment, but it has other pressing projects that will cost enormous sumssuch as replacing the bus terminal on Eighth Avenue. The existing structure, with its warren of hallways and inexplicable landings, is well over capacity; the estimated price tag for a new terminal is north of $10 billion. A radical plan to raise the roadway of the Bayonne Bridge, to allow a new generation of larger container ships to pass underneath it, could cost $1.3 billion.

The PA plans to raise part of the money needed for these major projects and also to fund ongoing expenses through toll increases. On the George Washington Bridge, for instance, the cash toll for cars entering Manhattan rose to $15 in 2015; as recently as 2008, the toll was only $8. Trucks crossing the bridge pay $114. Tolls on the Hudson River tunnel crossings have similarly spikedtheyre now $14 for cars paying cash. Even with these higher fares, its clear that, for the near future at least, the Port Authority will need to issue a great deal more debt to manage its current needs.

Figuring out where to begin reforming the Port Authority is almost as vexing as imagining where to end. The most ambitious approach would be a complete dismantling of the entire structure, with the airports spun off to individual management; the PATH system made part of New Jersey Transit, which operates its own commuter rail system into Manhattan already; the bridges and tunnels handed over to MTA Bridges and Tunnels, the successor organization to Robert Moses Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority; and the real estate portfolio being sold off to private bidders. In 1996, New York mayor Rudy Giuliani proposed a plan along these lines, which also included folding the Port Authority Police Department into the NYPD and creating a New York Airport Authority to manage the airports. An alternate proposal would break out the Port Authoritys assets along state linesbringing them under more direct political control and improving accountability. Some form of revenue-sharing would be necessary for the bridges and tunnels, though the two states might find themselves back where they started 100 years ago, bickering over haulage-cost details.

Making any of these major restructuring plans work would require enormous political willand imagination. Again, many Port Authority units are economically unsustainable, relying on revenue from other parts of the conglomerate, meaning that any breakup would produce real winners and losers. It is one thing to demand that New Jersey Transit or the MTA absorb the PATH system, but someone would have to absorb the half-billion-dollar loss that the system runs annually. And breaking the Port Authority apart also would mean dealing with the creditors of the institutions $18 billion in outstanding bonds. New York and New Jersey have different credit ratings and different outstanding debt obligations. Complexities would abound.

Short of dismantling the Port Authority, major reforms could be pursued within the existing structure. In 2014, the legislatures of New York and New Jersey took an unprecedented step to do so, proposing changes that included the establishment of whistle-blower protections; the restructuring of the executive office of the Port Authority; strict rules about the disposal of Port Authority property; the elimination of self-dealing on the part of commissioners; opening of meetings to the public; and requiring each commissioner to promise to perform duties and responsibilities to the best of his or her abilities, in good faith and with proper diligence and care. The reform bills passed in both houses, in both states, unanimously. No one dissented.

Then, just before the bills were set to become law, Governors Cuomo and Christie vetoed the bills simultaneously, on the Saturday between Christmas and New Years Day, having decided that any reform of the Port Authority should originate from their respective offices. The governors issued a joint news release calling for their own version of comprehensive reform and claiming to embrace the spirit and intent of the vetoed bills. With their eleventh-hour intervention, Cuomo and Christie set back a golden chance for positive change; their watered-down versions of the original reform bill have gone nowhere in the New York and New Jersey legislatures.

This setback shouldnt discourage further efforts to remake the agency, however. The unanimous legislative votes clearly indicate public support for serious change at the Port Authority. The agency has become a formidable political force in its own right, often more powerful than the institutions that gave it life. Only concerted effort to rein in its abuses and formulate a more sensible vision for its future can ensure that the Port Authority lives up to its original missionto provide smooth, nonpolitical administration of essentially nonpolitical matters.

Research for this article was supported by the Brunie Fund for New York Journalism.
Un microbuz special a fost transmis de Uniunea Europeana si Fundatia Soros Moldova Centrului de zi pentru copiii cu dizabilitati din Cahul
In August 2014, eight months into South Sudans still-raging conflict, some aid worker friends started telling me to get to Bentiu. That the tens of thousands of civilians crowded into the United Nations base on the towns outskirts faced appalling conditions: food shortages, collapsed toilet blocks, and floodwater creeping into their makeshift homes.

Frustrated humanitarians complained the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) wasnt moving fast enough to address the situation. Urging journalists to write about it, they hoped, might push UNMISS to allocate more land and make infrastructure improvements. I had been working in Juba, the countrys capital, as Voice of Americas bureau chief since March 2013, while picking up regular freelance assignments on the side. Once the conflict started, I pivoted to primarily covering the humanitarian crises that followed inevitably from the war. Establishing the situation in Bentiu seemed a natural extension of that coverage.

Except for this: The only ways into the town were on a free UNMISS flight or through the World Food Program-run UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS)the same groups I was setting out to investigate. Other options included a likely impossible drive over waterlogged roads while trying to dodge ever-shifting frontlines, or hiring my own plane.

My dependency on the UN and its agencies didnt end with transportation. Unless I had arrangements with a non-governmental organization (NGO), I had to rely on UNMISS for accommodation when I arrived at a camp, for security to venture out beyond its bases, and even for access to its canteen if I wanted to eat anything besides the tins of near-expired fava beans I carried with me.

I wasnt assuming that UNMISS deserved allor anyof the blame for the situation in Bentiu. But if thats what my reporting revealed, I was going to be in a quandary. Run that story and risk a possible loss of access, not just to Bentiu, but to all locations where UNMISS flew; to the displacement camps within the bases; and, possibly, to the missions officials, who were often key sources for my stories. The alternative, thoughdownplaying any potential responsibility for the camps conditionflew in the face of unbiased reporting.

The Protection of Civilians (POC) site near Bentiu, in Unity State, South Sudan, houses over 40,000 displaced persons (IDPs) seeking shelter from armed conflict in the area. Due to signifcant flooding during the rainy season, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is working with humanitarian partners and others to improve conditions for both the short and long term. A boy fills a wheel barrow with dirt to be used to build walls to keep floodwater contained. August 25, 2014. Bentiu, South Sudan (UN Photo/JC McIlwaine)

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The shuttering of foreign bureaus has given freelancers a bigger role in covering international news, but when it comes to negotiating ethical gray areas like this, they are largely on their own. And though these relationships with NGOs and the UN are often restrictive, they are also potentially profitable and entirely necessary to safely and affordably report important stories. By working closely with these organizations, journalists may cede too much control to the humanitarian community. But if they refuse any humanitarian support, vital stories will go untold.

The situation is not dissimilar to a military embed, but usually without the explicit agreements that govern those relationships. And the compromises that come with hitching onto a humanitarian organization rarely make it into the final copy: the limitations to access and sources, the potentially problematic commitmentsometimes explicit, but often unspokento either report on or overlook some of the realities journalists find. Offer a criticism and, along with the discomfort that comes with critiquing an organization that is trying to do good, you might also lose future access. The same goes if you fail to mention their work at all.

When it came to my Bentiu story, UNMISS says that wasnt the case. There are absolutely no expectations that journalists assisted by us report on a certain issue and/or in a certain way, the communications team wrote in response to emailed questions from CJR.

But I was friendly with much of the UNMISS communications team, many of whom were former journalists, themselves, and I knew they were not afraid to apply pressure when they thought the mission was being unfairly represented. Journalists have even written about UNMISSs threats to cut off access.

Muddying the situation even further, freelancers regularly moonlight as writers and editors for some of the very same humanitarian organizations they cover. From an aid agencys perspective, the thinking is straightforward: Heres a pool of skilled professionals with an obvious interest in humanitarian work. For the freelancer, these often-lucrative assignments can be a financial lifeline. An assignment I took to write a handful of feature stories for South Sudans UNAIDS office in late 2014 subsidized three months of reporting in that overpriced and under-supplied country. It also meant that I stopped covering HIV in South Sudan, because I worried my stories would be seen as biased.

Its obvious whats gained from these collaborations. As travel budgets decline, the work of far-flung freelancers is increasingly in demand, but often without any initial financial outlay from the outlets that eventually run our content. That leaves a freelancer with the near-impossible task of figuring out how to cover the cost of transportation, fixers, translators, equipment, and accommodation, while still being able to eat.

That calculation changes when a UN agency or an NGO springs for the cost of a flight or offers a place to stay.

Beyond the bottom line, there is the issue of safety. Freelancer Sophie Cousins started reporting from Syria in 2013, working with fixers to access sources and avoid dangerous situations. When she began planning a May 2014 trip to Aleppo to report on the health consequences of barrel bombings by the Syrian regime, she decided she no longer felt comfortable relying on a fixer to guarantee her safety.

After so many kidnappings and subsequent beheadings, I felt that going with an NGO that knew Aleppo inside out was my safest option, she explained in an email to CJR. She had covered the work of the Syrian American Medical Society, or SAMS, an emergency medical NGO, and knew some of its staff members well. I trusted them completely and believed in what they were doing, she wrote. She decided to accompany them on one of their regular missions to deliver medicines and equipment to hospitals throughout the Syrian city. They postponed the trip once when a car bomb went off at a border crossing, but eventuallydressed as Syrian as possibleCousins crossed the border with a SAMS team and made it into Aleppo.

Hundreds of journalists from the national and international press swarm to cover presidential elections in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire. October 31, 2010. Abidjan, Cote dIvoire (UN Photo/Basile Zoma)

Theres nothing I wasnt able to do, she wrote. I really felt that, more than anything, they wanted me to get the whole picture. They drove her around the city, even taking her to hospitals they werent supporting, to ensure she saw the full impact of the bombings. She returned with the stories shed set out to tell, ultimately writing articles for both Nature and The Lancet. In a safe reporting environment, I would have chosen to work independently, she wrote. But under the circumstances, this was 100 percent my best option.

What is not so obviousespecially to readersis what the journalist relinquishes in these transactions. In an ideal scenario, the answer is nothing. Ian Bray, a senior humanitarian press officer at Oxfam, says taking journalists to the field is usually mutually beneficial.

We obviously can do our own videos, Bray says. We obviously can use Twitter, Facebook, and our website. It reaches a small audience and you also expect us to say what were saying. Whereas, if a journalist is reporting on the same situation, its generally perceived as an independent look. As a result, Oxfam is usually eager to get journalists into the field. The reporter gets the story, the NGO gets coverage, and both sides are generally satisfied, says Bray, who started as a press officer more than 20 years ago.

But agency priorities do not always dovetail so neatly with journalists, as Gabrielle Paluch was frequently reminded in Myanmar. She moved to the country in 2009 to work for The Myanmar Times, and eventually freelanced from the region for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera.

When she arrived in Myanmar, she says UN agencies were contending with a government that was constantly threatening to restrict their activities. And humanitarian officials worried if they lose access, they wont be able to do anything, she says. It was better to compromise than lose access. Those compromises seemed to include an unwillingness to criticize government programs, including a 2014 census that completely excluded the Rohingya ethnic group.

While Paluch was happy to question the UN line, it became more difficult when the truth could only be found by venturing to remote parts of the country. Because the government could easily restrict journalists movements, access often came only in the form of excursions with UN agencies. Those sometimes felt like PR trips, Paluch told me, and left her uncertain whether it was better to put together heavily caveated reports from those jaunts or ignore them entirely. Even establishing basic facts for some stories could become difficult, because the government didnt want aid agencies to use the word Rohingya.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) peacekeepers from the Mongolian Battalion (MonBatt) provide security as the World Food Programme (WFP) drops food in Bentiu. Locals carry bags of food supplies air-dropped by a WFP aircraft. October 21, 2015. Bentiu, South Sudan (UN Photo/Isaac Billy)

Youre constantly forced into this weird meta-discourse before you can even approach the story, she says. And that becomes the story, and you cant even get into the other stuff.

Similar attempts to circumscribe reporting came up repeatedly in my conversations with freelancers. Many of the journalists I spoke to were reporting from the sites of natural disasters or active or recent conflict zones, and they said the UN and aid groups were constantly weighing government and international pressures and security concerns against their interest in providing information or access to journalists.

Where access is granted, the aid groups often expect something in return. After an organization has ferried a reporter to the frontline or to a disaster site, its usually assumed that the groups response will feature prominently in the resulting storyeven when it might not be merited.

It wasnt long after he arrived in South Sudan that Jason Patinkin, a freelance journalist, began trying to avoid this type of dependence on UNMISS. Its not a huge sacrifice he said, because the access the mission offers is primarily to places where it has bases, while most of the fighting is happening far from these locations. Instead, he tries to use UNHAS flights to get around the country. Along with paymentat least $400 per round tripUNHAS passengers must be sponsored by an NGO.

In his early days covering South Sudan, an aid group offered to pay for his travel to a spot where the group had programs runninga practice that was also common during my time in the country. That was fine until the story I wrote ended up not giving enough credit to their organization, Patinkin says. That really hurt my relationship with that organization. He hasnt worked with them since.

Media specialists at the NGOs and UN agencies I spoke to had different reactions to this scenario. Bray says Oxfam staff members are often asked to help a journalist or reader make sense of a situation, and he puts some of the onus on his team to provide useful context to the reporter. If it fits in with the story youre writing, youll use it, he says. If its not interesting and doesnt make much sense, you wont.

Margaret Traub takes a harder line. The head of global initiatives for International Medical Corps (IMC) and a former writer and producer for CNN and Good Morning America, Traub highlighted the costsin paying for transportation and accommodation, but also in staff time spent in interviews or dealing with logistical hurdlesthat an NGO assumes in getting a journalist to the field. The payoff has to be more than just greater awareness of the situation.

We have to fundraise around these crises and continue our work, she says. If the public sees us in a piece that airs, they know our name and might donate. Its important to us. As a result, she has frank discussions about IMCs expectations for coverage before the group takes a journalist out in the field. Those expectations include respecting the communities IMC is assisting and generating sophisticated, compelling coverage of the situation that includes explicit mentions of the organizations work.

Even when the ground rules are not so clearly stated, freelancers told CJR they are sensitive to the assumed quid pro quo and will intentionally work references to the aid groups that have helped them into their stories. And several told me they had shied away from critical coverage of NGO programs that appeared ineffective in a bid to maintain their access.

The Protection of Civilians (POC) site near Bentiu, in Unity State, South Sudan, houses over 40,000 displaced persons (IDPs) seeking shelter from armed conflict in the area. Due to signifcant flooding during the rainy season, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is working with humanitarian partners and others to improve conditions for both the short and long term. POC site residents wade in the flood waters. August 25, 2014. Bentiu, South Sudan (UN Photo/JC McIlwaine)

Since his earlier experience, Patinkin discusses these issues with a group ahead of time to avoid being committed to coverage he feels is unmerited. He also pays for his own flights now to lessen his dependence on aid organizations. I try to operate very independently, he says. It does require more planning and more expense, but it ultimately leads me to being able to write things that others arent.

Even so, he worries that he is still too beholden to the agenda of NGOs and UN agenciessomething freelancers complained of over and over. They have little time and space to report on extremely complicated issues. Its often easier to follow the lead of NGOs and the UN or to rely on sources within these agencies, because they are quick to respond and can speak in sound bites. And its an impulse thats reinforced in the field when you travel and eat together, or live in an NGO guesthouse.

The fact that youre staying and moving with an NGO or the UN gives them a lot of influence over you, Katarina Hoije, a freelancer who has been covering sub-Saharan Africa since 2012, wrote me in an email.

Stringers are often dependent on NGOs for more than access and story guidance. In the hand-to-mouth world of freelance foreign correspondence, picking up work for NGOs and UN agencies can be lucrative. But it can also be ethically thorny.

Priya Shetty has been bouncing back and forth between these worlds for years. Currently a staff writer for the World Health Organization, she has covered medical and scientific issues for The Lancet and The Guardian, among other outlets.

Her policy has been to restrict herself to technical reporting for agencies and organizations, and to shy away from more traditional communications work, like drafting press releases. I just thought: If I go down that route, I would have to completely stop working as a journalist, she says. Not because anyone told her she would, but because of my own internal thinking. Ive followed my own ethical code.

Thats the reality for freelancers who find their services increasingly in demand by aid agencies. But, in the absence of the structure provided by a newsroom, they lack any professional policies to guide those relationships.

A UN employee who was granted anonymity to speak freely about her organization tells CJR that with a mounting number of humanitarian crises, agencies are running out of people to manage press relations and are increasingly turning to freelance journalists to fill the gaps. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, for instance, was overstretched last summer by demands created by the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. So they hired freelancers to do stories for them. I think thats the way its going a lot, the UN employee says. As editors discovered a while ago, its cheaper to hire a freelancer.

She sounded a note of concern. If your bread and butter is coming from the [UN] agencies, youre not going to want to write bad things about them. It doesnt do wonders for journalism.

Freelancers fret constantly about the ethics of these collaborations, even as they continue to enter into them. But for many, the benefits are too significant to ignore.

Lena von Naso is a political scientist with the University of Augsburg in Germany who has spent the last three years researching the interactions between foreign correspondents and humanitarian organizations in sub-Saharan Africa for a Ph.D. project scheduled to be published this year. She says journalists usually adopt one of three approaches to these relationships.

Moses Obi (front), Interim Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), speaks with the press after his tour of Pibor to assess the security situation, mainly pertaining to child abduction and cattle raiding. August 9, 2011. Pibor, South Sudan (UN Photo/Isaac Billy)

The first group of reporters draws a hard line and refuses to rely on NGOs or the UN. In instances where its unavoidable, these reporters try to explicitly acknowledge such relationships in their work. The second group has put little thought into the issue and generally perceives humanitarian organizations as doing good, von Naso says.

The third type, which are the most people, they see it as mutually beneficial for both sides and they accept it, she says. That doesnt mean they like it, but they feel its a more practical approach. They feel they dont have a choice.

That perspective reflects my own thinking, along with that of nearly all the freelancers I spoke to. In the absence of any hard-and-fast rules about what is correct, most of us set our own ethical benchmarks and try to stick to themwhether in writing about an organization or working for one. It may mean eating some of the costs of the trip or setting an explicit agreement before heading out into the field. It might mean accepting some NGO contracts, while rejecting others. Freelancers told me they have even traded on their skills, offering a separate story or photos to a humanitarian agency in return for unmitigated access to a location to do independent reporting. In the end, financial and security realities almost always make some compromise inevitable.

Von Naso says that most of the journalists shes talked to have very high values they want to hold up. In reality, its not always possible to report as independently, as neutrally, as you would like.

There is little sign of these ethical struggles in the final product, though. Walking readers through the mental gymnastics of these decisions would render most dispatches unwieldy and its rare for an editor to ask for this information, anyway.

But some editors say they cant avoid addressing these issues. Lonneke van Genugten is the editor in chief of OneWorld, a Dutch publication that focuses on international cooperation and sustainability issues, and that publishes regular content from freelancers.

Of course freelancers will have to collaborate with NGOs, van Genugten acknowledges, to save money on travel and to gain access. But she cautions her reporters to be careful they dont end up writing what is effectively a press release. She suggests they ask for as much time as they need in the field to get fuller portraits and to work outside the presence of NGO officials who might have accompanied them on the trip. The outlet has editorial policies for both freelancers and staff members, soon to be formalized into guidelines published on its website. They include acknowledging assistance that an NGO or aid agency has provided, usually in a disclaimer at the bottom of the published piece.

Its possible to explain to the audience that you need the help of an NGO to go to a place, she says. Its not a shame, but you really have to explain.

Jack Doppelt, a professor at Northwestern Universitys Medill School of Journalism, also comes down on the side of greater transparency, but acknowledges, Its likely youre not going to tell everything to your readers. I think thats a little naive or facile. But I think its the right way to be thinking.

Ultimately, he says, a world covered by journalists embedded with NGOs is a better world to be living in, despite some of the limitations, than one in which those stories are ignored.

The story I eventually wrote from Bentiu represented the facts I found: The situation was as awful as aid workers had told me, but UNMISS and the humanitarian agencies had been backed into a corner by a massacre that unexpectedly drove hundreds of people into the site just ahead of the countrys rainy season. There wasnt enough time to prepare for the new arrivals who sought safety at the base. And once the storms hit, it was too late. The much-needed expansion and renovation had to wait until the rains passed.

But I also notice the answers I didnt demand from UNMISS officials: Even within their limited remit, were they doing enough to help the displaced? And in a hotspot like Bentiu, where a clash was almost inevitable, why werent steps taken to expand the camp even before the wave of new arrivals?

In retrospect, I think I was too easy on them. That didnt stop an UNMISS official from registering a complaint about the story with my editor, a point of contention over how many people were sharing a latrine. We added a clarification that seemed to appease her. In the end, I lost neither access nor sources, and I got the story out.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Andrew Green is a freelance journalist, primarily covering health, human rights and politics in east and southern Africa. You can find more of his work at theandrewgreen.com and follow him on Twitter @_andrew_green.
The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday ruled that a man who pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for sex but later had the conviction overturned can sue his defense attorney for legal malpractice without being required to prove hes innocent.

In making the decision, a five-man majority of the court for the first time in Iowa declined to adopt proof of actual innocence as a prerequisite to sue ones criminal defense attorney.

The case involves Robert Barker who in 2006 placed crudely worded graffiti on the wall of a public restroom in an Emmetsburg park inviting boys to contact his email address for sex.

An officer posing as a juvenile arranged to meet Barker and arrested him. He was charged with attempted enticement of a minor and solicitation of a minor to commit a sex act.

Barker pleaded guilty to the solicitation charge in October 2006. The other charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement. He was given a suspended five-year sentence, placed on probation and ordered to enter a sex offender treatment program.

At his sentencing hearing, Barker admitted to communicating with a person he thought was a 15-year-old male and that they came to an understanding that we would meet and possibly sexual activity could happen.

A judge in 2011 found that Barkers attorney had been ineffective for allowing him to plead guilty to a crime for which there was no factual basis. The judge concluded the circumstances of Barkers actions did not correspond to the charge for which he was convicted and his conviction was overturned.

Barker sued in March 2013, accusing his attorneys of committing legal malpractice by advising him to enter the plea agreement.

The defense attorneys argued Iowa courts should require a plaintiff to prove actual innocence before pursuing a lawsuit for legal malpractice in a criminal case dismissed by the courts.

The district court judge agreed that actual innocence must be established in a criminal malpractice action. The judge also agreed that since Barker acknowledged illegal acts in his plea sentencing despite county prosecutors choosing not to pursue additional charges, his actual innocence could not be proven.

Barker appealed.

The majority Supreme Court opinion written by Justice Edward Mansfield said other states including California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nebraska, and New York have adopted an actual innocence requirement.

The Iowa justices, however, took a different approach. They said a malpractice plaintiff still has the high bar of getting a conviction reversed and defense attorneys still have the opportunity to defend themselves to a jury.

Justices Bruce Zager and Thomas Waterman disagreed in a dissenting opinion, which said Iowa should join most states that require defendants to prove they were innocent of a crime before they can sue their defense attorney.

In my opinion, an admission by the malpractice claimant of actual guilt to a crime should also eliminate any claim for criminal malpractice, Zager wrote.

Des Moines criminal defense attorney Gary Dickey Jr., who has represented clients filing legal malpractice lawsuits, said only a handful of cases a year result in reversal of criminal convictions and fewer still are due to attorney error.

Were talking very narrow cases this would even affect, and for those narrow cases, it just makes it easier for these cases to go to a jury, Dickey said. I dont think it has a big practical impact for most people. But for those people who believe they were wrongly imprisoned as a result of their attorneys error, it makes it easier for them to seek compensation.

Barkers case will return to district court where the lawsuit against his attorneys will proceed to trial.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A federal jury awarded $23.1 million on Wednesday to a 22-year-old black man who was unarmed when he was shot and paralyzed by a sheriffs deputy, but Florida lawmakers will have to approve any award above $200,000.

The six-woman, two-man jury ruled after 31/2 hours of deliberation that Palm Beach County Sheriffs Sgt. Adams Lin violated Dontrell Stephens civil rights when he shot him in September 2013.

Lin, who had stopped Stephens for riding his bicycle into traffic, testified that he shot Stephens four times because he reached for his waistband with his left hand and then flashed a dark object that he thought was a small handgun. Stephens testified that he was raising his hands when Lin opened fire for no reason. Video from the dashboard camera in Lins patrol car showed Stephens left hand was empty and a cellphone was in his right hand.

An appeal is expected and Lins attorneys could ask Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer to reduce the damages. The jury apparently rejected Lins claim that he had made an objectively reasonable mistake when he shot Stephens. The jurors declined comment as they left the courthouse as did Lin and his attorneys. Lin sat stoically as the verdict was read, while Stephens wept as he was wheeled into the courtroom minutes later. He declined comment.

Jack Scarola, Stephens lead attorney, said the verdict is a victory not only for his client but for law enforcement officers who have been unfairly stigmatized by unjustified violence against young black men by a small minority of their colleagues. He said the verdict will help restore faith in the justice system among the African-American community.

This will help good police officers do their duty and be far more effective in their communities, Scarola said.

Under Florida law, the Legislature has to approve any lawsuit payment against a government agency that exceeds $200,000. In the past, legislators have been reluctant to do that, even in non-controversial cases. For example, it took about three years for the Legislature to approve a $3.5 million settlement for a Jacksonville teenager who was paralyzed when a large branch from a city-owned tree broke off and hit him in the head, paralyzing him. The city, admitting fault, had asked for him to be paid.

In another case, it took more than four years for the Legislature to approve a $10.7 million settlement for a teenager who was permanently disabled when a speeding sheriffs deputy plowed into her car. A jury had awarded her $30 million.

Scarola said legislators would not be fulfilling their sworn obligation if they failed to approve Stephens payment. He said they would be overriding a jury that heard all the evidence and found that a major injustice had been done, and condemning Stephens to a life of poverty and suffering.

Stephens attorneys had said from the beginning that they would seek more than $5 million to cover his medical treatment and future care, but they did not mention the amount they would seek for pain and suffering until closing arguments to the jury Wednesday. Attorney Darryl Lewis told jurors Stephens will have more than $6 million in medical and care expenses during his lifetime, and that he deserved at least $18 million for his pain and suffering. An expert testified that he could spend more than 50 years in his condition.

The case was among several nationwide that have sparked debate about the deaths of unarmed black males following encounters with law enforcement officers. Seltzer had instructed jurors that they could consider only the specific circumstances of Stephens shooting and no other. Lin, an Asian-American, was cleared of criminal wrongdoing by sheriffs investigators and local prosecutors and was later promoted to sergeant.

Lin, 38 and a 12-year veteran of the sheriffs office, testified that he stopped Stephens for riding his bicycle into traffic and because he didnt recognize him from the neighborhood. Stephens, who admitted smoking marijuana earlier that morning and once served 90 days in jail for a felony drug conviction, had been riding to a friends house after a trip to a convenience store.

In the dashcam video, Lin speeds up his patrol car to catch Stephens as he pedals down a West Palm Beach residential street. Stephens sees Lin and turns into the parking lot of a duplex, hops off his bike and puts it down, his right hand holding his cellphone. Stephens moves behind a car and both men are now outside the cameras view. Stephens testified Lin already had his gun drawn and shot him after he raised his hands. Lin denied that, saying he only drew and fired after Stephens flashed his cellphone like it was a gun.

Scarola told the jury that Lin must have already had his gun pointed at Stephens because he couldnt have seen the cellphone, perceived it as a gun, drawn his own gun and fired in the two seconds Stephens was out of view of the dashcam video.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Workers compensation claim severity continues to increase, while claims frequency declines, according the latest California hospital report benchmarking workers comp costs by Milliman and Keenan Healthcare.

Data from 35 facilities (hospital systems and individual facilities) within California was aggregated to provide more than 3,500 claims for review. The report, in its second year, offers an in-depth look at key factors including claim frequency and severity, impact of reforms, medical and indemnity costs and allocated loss adjustment expense over the past 10 to 12 years. Also included is data on payroll and utilization, age, litigation status and future medical claims.

General trends identified in the report include:

Overall losses per $100 of payroll remained flat over the 10 years ending 2014, with severity of claims on the rise while claim frequency declined.

Estimates of costs per indemnity claim for accidents occurring during 2014 have decreased approximately 10% from 2013.

Projected 2015 loss cost per $100 of payroll was at $2.20.

Californias workers compensation environment is complex and always changing, and there are many challenges that employers and hospitals must contend with, said Richard Lord, principal and consulting actuary with Milliman. The information in this report can help both employers and hospitals make more informed decisions regarding workers compensation and can help them develop plans to improve their overall results.

Hidden Trends Uncovered

According to the report, the first notable trend is that severity per paid indemnity claimi.e., indemnity, medical, and allocated loss adjustment expense (ALAE) combinedrevealed an increase of almost 5.5 percent annually during the period between 2005 through 2014.

The report also notes that the the drop off in claim severity that occurred from 2003 to 2004 was due to reform laws enacted during that time. Indemnity claim frequency declined dramatically up until 2008.
Sony Classical Releases Anna Moffo Anniversary Box Set

Enjoying a meteoric rise to operatic fame in the 50s and 60s, before retiring from the stage in 1976, the angelic beauty of Anna Moffo voice could not be denied for the better part of her career. To mark the 10th anniversary of Moffo's death, Sony Classical has released the limited edition 12-CD boxset, Complete RCA Recital Albums -- primarily consisting of work from her heyday in the early 60s.

While it was no secret at the time of her retirement in her mid-forties that Anna Moffo's voice was no longer up to the challenge of performing live on stage, Sony's latest boxset celebrating her life and career, Complete RCA Recital Albums, draws almost exclusively from her golden years:

"The box set finally brings together the 10 recital albums that Moffo recorded for RCA between 1960 and 1974, five of them making their first appearance on CD, newly mastered from the original analog tapes using 24bit/96kHz technology.

"Rounding out the collection are two compilation discs: an original 1973 album of Great Love Duets from Opera; and a brand-new compilation of arias from Moffo's various complete RCA opera recordings."

Of her early retirement, Moffo explained to the New York Times in 1977 that more than just her voice failing her, the toll of more than 2-decades in show bussiness finally became more than her body could bear (via BBC):

"I was working much too hard and travelling too much. I got mixed up in TV, films and things like that.

"Psychologically I was miserable and always alone. But I don't think I was singing that badly until I reached a point where I was just so tired."

To get your copy of Anna Moffo's Complete RCA Recital Albums head over to Amazon or Presto Classical today, before it's too late.

 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

TagsSony Classical, Anna Moffo, Box Set, Complete RCA Recital Albums, Anna Moffo Box Set
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Names Matous & Simon Michal to 2nd Violin Section

Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti may still be convalescing following an accident that has caused him to cancel his February concerts, but that hasn't stopped him from announcing that Czech brothers, Matous and Simon Michal, have been named as the newest members of the second violin section.

Born in Prague, Matous Michal was a top prizewinner at both the Kocian International Violin Competition and the International Radio Competition for Young Musicians Concertino Praga.

Simon Michal was appointed concertmaster of the Verbier Festival Orchestra this past year after holding the same position with The Juilliard Symphony and the Juilliard Opera from 2011 to 2015. Simon was concertmaster of the Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra for three years, where he was selected to be a Global Academy Fellow of the New York Philharmonic in 2015.

While it might be some time before the Michal brothers get to perform with Riccardo Muti, Matous and Simon won't have to wait for the 74-year-old conductor to fully heal from his recent hip surgery before playing with the CSO.

After reportedly cancelling the concerts scheduled for next week, Chicago Classical Review revealed that Russian conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky will be stepping in to save the day:

"Gennady Rozhdestvensky, who is conducting [Feb. 6's] Chicago Symphony Orchestra program of Shostakovich (Symphonies Nos. 1 and 15) has agreed to stay in town to lead next week's concerts as well, replacing the ailing Riccardo Muti.

"The February 11-16 program, now to be led by Rozhdestvensky, will remain the same: Ligeti's Ramifications, Arvo Part's Orient and Occident, Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings and Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with principal Stephen Williamson as soloist."

To get you tickets to one of the concerts now to be led by Gennady Rozhdestvensky be sure to head on over to the CSO's official website.

 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

TagsChicago Symphony Orchestra, Matous Michal, Simon Michal, Riccardo Muti, violin
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Akron police are searching for a man accused of shooting a Super Bowl party host.

(File photo)

AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man crashed a Super Bowl party and later shot the host after being asked to leave, according to police.

Thomas Nevins, 24, is charged with felonious assault. Derek Davis, 41, is also charged with felonious assault in the incident. Neither are in police custody and warrants were issued Sunday for their arrest. Davis is Nevins' father, police said.

The incident happened about 7 p.m. Sunday afternoon at a 43-year-old man's home in the 600 block of Mallison Street.

Nevins and Davis showed up to the man's Super Bowl party uninvited, according to court records.

The man told police that he argued with Davis and Nevins because they refused to leave. The argument escalated and the three men went outside to fight, court records say.

Nevins went to his car, got a gun and shot the man in the stomach, police reports say. Nevins and Davis left together before police arrived.

Akron police found the 43-year-old man in the backyard of a nearby home with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Akron General Medical Center. He is expected to recover from the injury, police said.

Davis is on probation after pleaded guilty in March to third-degree felony marijuana trafficking.

He was caught by federal agents and Akron drug detectives March 13 with a duffle bag filled with four pounds of marijuana. Davis was leaving a drug house on East Avenue where agents suspected large amounts of marijuana was being sold when he was arrested.

Davis was also sentenced to one year in prison for cocaine possession in 1999 and has been convicted twice of failing to pay child support.
AKRON, Ohio -- A drug dealer who robbed two Tallmadge men looking to buy prescription painkillers threw a loaded gun from his car during a daytime chase with officers, according to police.

Sage Rice, 24, pleaded not guilty Wednesday at his arraignment in Summit County Common Pleas Court to charges of aggravated robbery, possessing a weapon as a felon, leading police on a chase and tampering with evidence.

Rice is being held in the Summit County Jail on $100,000 bond.

The incident happened about 1 p.m. Jan. 14. The two Tallmadge men, ages 22 and 26, went through a 25-year-old Springfield Township man, who directed them to buy the Percocet painkillers they sought from Rice, according to court records.

The men agreed to buy 22 pills for $450 and arranged to meet at the Burger King in the 1100 block of South Arlington Road.

Rice got out of the car, took their money and drove off in his 2013 Volkwagen Jetta without giving them the pills, court records say.

The Tallmadge men chased after Rice's car in what became a high-speed chase, police reports say. Rice at one point stopped his car and got out. He pointed a handgun at the duo and threatened to shoot them if they continued following him.

The 26-year-old man put his car in reverse and backed into a telephone pole. Akron police found Rice's car driving at Stanton and Herbeich avenues.

Officers noted in police reports Rice drove through several stop signs without stopping and the chase topped out at 40 miles per hour.

Rice tossed his gun out of the window on Herbeich Avenue. Police later found it on the sidewalk.

Rice ended up crashing his car at the intersection of McKinley and Neptune avenues. He got out of his car and ran but was caught by police, according to police reports. Officers also reported finding the stolen cash with Rice.

Rice's criminal history includes a conviction in 2011 for illegally possessing a weapon, escape and cocaine possession.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The woman tapped to head northern Ohio's U.S. Attorney's Office -- at least for now -- says her to top priorities are investigating and prosecuting heroin trafficking cases and cyber crimes.

Acting U.S. Attorney Carole Rendon said her office will spend more time working with local police on cases where somebody died from overdosing on heroin or fentanyl. She said the goal is to prosecute more dealers who sold to people who overdosed and to expand task forces in Summit and Lucas counties.

The renewed call for a focus on opiate abuse comes as Cuyahoga County comes off of a record-setting January for overdose deaths blamed on the drugs.

Rendon also said she has assigned two more prosecutors to work on cybercrimes, which are becoming more of a national-security threat.

Rendon, 53, succeeds her old boss Steven Dettelbach, who took a job at BakerHostetler, the private law firm where he worked prior to his appointment in 2009. His last day was Friday.

Rendon, previously a civil and criminal defense attorney, served as first assistant during Dettelbach's tenure.

"[We] really shared a vision for where we wanted the office to go and what we thought was important for our district," Rendon said.

Her tenure in the U.S. Attorney's Office included overseeing several notable criminal and civil cases.

She is one of several prosecutors handling a case the U.S. Justice Department brought against the city of Cleveland over police use of force.

Like Dettelbach, though, Rendon was not involved in prosecuting cases from the FBI's probe into corruption in Cuyahoga County. Her previous law firm, Giffen & Kaminski, represented some of those targeted in the probe.

She also said public corruption will remain a focus during her tenure.

"Public corruption doesn't seem to diminish, no matter how many of those cases we do," Rendon said. "It's just always amazing to me."

Rendon said Northeast Ohio residents will see a few changes. While Dettelbach very much relished being the public face of the office, Rendon said she is encouraging other assistant U.S. attorneys to be in the community more and speak about their work.

Rendon is expected to lead the office, which has branches in Akron, Youngstown and Toledo, at least through the year. An expert previously told cleveland.com that President Barack Obama is unlikely to appoint a successor before his term ends in January.

If Obama takes applications, though, Rendon said she would enter her name.

She has appointed David Sierleja, the longtime criminal division chief, as her first assistant. Ava Dustin, who heads the office's Toledo branch, will be the new criminal chief.
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Cuyahoga County met a 20 percent goal for minority workforce participation in construction of the new Hilton Cleveland Hotel.

(Karen Farkas, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Between 2009 and 2012, minority-owned businesses received 1.4 percent of Cuyahoga County contracts.

That $9.3 million in work is simply not acceptable, say county officials.

On Tuesday they and council members will introduce a package of laws and executive orders to award more work to minority- and women-owned businesses.

Minorities represent 42.9 percent of all small business contractors and 4.8 percent of prime contractors in the county.

"A robust plan that has been created to make contracting more fair and inclusive in Cuyahoga County," county Executive Armond Budish said.

He, several council members and officials, sat down with cleveland.com to explain the problem and solution.

What was the problem?

A $300,000 study found that while the county has a Small Business Enterprise Program, minority-owned businesses perceive it as weak in enforcement.

Councilman Pernel Jones Jr. said he pushed for the study by EuQuant Inc. and Griffin & Strong P.C. to validate anecdotal examples from residents in his district, which covers some of the most impoverished areas of the county.

The research "found racial disparity and inequity," Jones said. 'It validated many of the things said in the community."

See the report below or click here if on a mobile device.

What did the study find?

Researchers examined county buying practices, policies and bonding requirements. They conducted phone surveys, public hearings and focus groups.

They found:

Firms owned by women had 42 percent lower revenue than firms owned by men, the study said. Firms owned by black contractors had revenues 98 percent lower than firms owned by white contractors.

Minority firms believe the "good old boys" network, unions, and discriminatory business practices keep them from getting work from main contractors.

There is a distrust of the procurement process, and some minority firms do not even bother to bid.

Main contractors do not make good on their offers to small and minority-owned businesses for subcontractor work.

The county requires a bond too high to meet.

Hispanic American contractors feel that they are secondary to African American-owned businesses in the county's outreach efforts.

How does the county fix the problem?

Budish and council members will introduce five laws Tuesday.

Expand the current Small Business Enterprise program to set goals to include minority- and women-owned business participation in every request for bids, proposals and qualifications. Pre-qualify contractors so they don't have to pay performance bonds for jobs under $250,000. Reserve some work specifically for small businesses. Allow companies with a diverse workforce and a demonstrated commitment to using minority- and women-owned businesses as subcontractors to match the lowest bid if that company's bid is within 2 percent. Sign on to the

Budish said he will also sign two executive orders.

Require the county to pay prime contractors within 30 days of receiving a bill and require contractors to pay subcontractors within 10 days. The county will conduct pre-bid and pre-proposal conferences so all interested businesses have an opportunity to participate.

Budish said the county will also appoint an inclusion officer to monitor, track and enforce all the initiatives.

"The changes will ensure fairness and equity in contract procurement so everyone can have a fair opportunity to do business with the county and ensure that our workforce is diverse," Budish said.
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The doors are open on the latest episode of "Downton Abbey."

(BBC / PBS)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The doors to the future have been thrown open, literally, on the latest episode of "Downton Abbey." The Granthams are selling tickets for regular folk to come in and see how they live.... kind of like seeing monkeys in the zoo.

Or that's what an aghast Carson thinks anyway. He more than anyone is appalled by the idea of allowing the rabble in, for a for a fee to benefit the hospital. Even Lord Grantham, recovering in bed from his ruptured ulcer, is more accepting them him, though he thinks it's all a bit "crackers."

The Dowager meanwhile, has no idea why people would pay to see anything so "ordinary" as life in Downton Abbey. I mean, everyone lives like this, don't they?

The people do pay, though, and the tour is a great success. So great, in fact, that Tom Branson crassly suggests "I don't suppose we could open the house on a regular basis? At the moment it doesn't raise a penny towards washing its own face..."

The others are rightly apalled. "What a revolting suggestion" says Lord Grantham, who quite enjoyed talking to a child "philosopher" about mothers when the touring boy stumbled into this sick room during the tour.

Guess Tom's brief turn in America affected him more than he knew.

Speaking of the hospital, the battle has finally been settled, and not in the Dowager's favor.

The village hospital is going to be combined with the larger administration in York. Dr .Clarkson and Isobel will get to keep their positions, but the Dowager will be "allowed to step down after so many years of noble service." Ouch! Instead, they want to Cora to take her role.

Uh-oh. If Lady Grantham thought her mother-in-law was mad before, she was sorely mistaken. This means war, for real.

"I do not wish to see Cora's face until I am used to having a traitor in the family," Lady Violet tells son Robert. Ouch!

The younger women fare better than grandmama. Love is in the air for a passionately kissing Edith and Bertie, and Mary makes a trek to London to help Anna see the doctor (all is well) and see Henry Talbot, herself.

Finally, they too kiss, in a alley way. "This is moving much faster than I'd imagined," says Mary, but she seems to like it.

With only five episodes left, they may need to speed things up even more.

Best scene: This one goes, again, to Thomas. Actor Rob James-Collier has really been given the chance to stretch and show the closeted gay under butler's vulnerable side this season.

Being pressured to leave the only place he has ever felt at home, Thomas still reaches out, platonically, to help Andy learn to read. But their secret meeting is overheard and misconstrued by Mrs. Patmore, who tells Carson, who confronts Thomas.

He's left in tears when Carson refuses to believe there's nothing going on. He won't justify himself, he feels he doesn't have to, but is devastated to learn he has not earned Carson's trust after all these years. The scene of Thomas, alone, sobbing, is devastating.

Best lines: Carson has some zingers this week, poor old boy. He just can't get with the times.

"The next thing you know there's a guillotine in Trafalgar Square," he says upon learning the family will be allowing the public into the hall.

And he's still bugging the new Mrs. Carson too.

"I want to start bringing things a little more up to standard," he says at the cottage, after suggesting servants from the hall help her dust and make the beds better. Hmm, someone might be sleeping alone, tonight.

And Mary has a good one herself this week, too, after the rest of the family expresses skepticism about the Abbey's future, and their way of life:

"This is weakling talk! Thankfully George and I are made of sterner stuff than the lot of you. And we are not going anywhere."

Missed last week's episode? See a recap here.
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Chris Stapleton, the country phenom behind the critically acclaimed album "Traveller."

(Becky Fluke)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Throughout this week we'll be looking at each of the contenders in the Grammys' biggest category: Album of the Year.

We'll kick things off with hot newcomer Chris Stapleton. The country star came out of nowhere last year to become a critical darling and earn four Grammy nominations. But can his debut album "Traveller" beat Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Alabama Shakes and Taylor Swift to take home the top prize at the Feb. 15 ceremony?

For: Stapleton's trophy shelf is getting crowded. "Traveller" earned Stapleton Album of the Year honors (along with three other awards) at last year's CMA Awards and is a lock for more statues at this year's ACM Awards. "Traveller" is the first clear-cut "Best Country Album" in several years, which is why it earned the Grammy nomination in the first place.

But "Traveller's" reach extends beyond country. The album is also steeped in blues, a genre Grammy voters have been far friendlier to over the years. But the biggest boost to Stapleton's prospects is the fact that Dave Cobb, the studio wizard behind "Traveller," is nominated for Producer of the Year, which typically aids and Album of the Year contender's chances. The only other Album of the Year nominee that can claim that is Alabama Shakes.

Against him: Stapleton is a newcomer many Grammy voters may not be familiar with. The last time a new artist won Album of the Year was back in 2003 when Norah Jones reigned with "Come Away With Me," an album that sold a lot more copies than "Traveller."

And while Stapleton is well versed in the blues, he's still a country artist. A country album has won Album of the Year just once (not counting the "O Brother, Where Art Though? Soundtrack") and that was the Dixie Chicks' "Taking the Long Way Back" in 2007.

Bottom line: Stapleton's status as a new artist hurts him more than being a country artist, but not as much as you might think. Cobb's nomination is a huge plus for "Traveller." It also says a lot that Max Martin, who contributed to Swift's "1989" and The Weeknd's "Beauty Behind the Madness" -- two other nominees, didn't make it into that category. Stapleton isn't the favorite. But he's by no means a long shot.
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Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in "The Walking Dead" Season 6, Episode 9.

(Gene Page/AMC)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - We're less than a week away from "The Walking Dead" Season 6 midseason premiere and fans may want to take that time to reinforce their hearts and stomachs.

[Huge SPOILERS Ahead]

Thanks to the trusty folks over at The Spoiling Dead Facebook page, we have received confirmation of the long rumored, jaw dropping events that will take place during Sunday's episode.

Given the events at the end of Season 6's first half, at least a few Alexandria Safe-Zone's residents were sure to die. But even this seems a little shocking.

As teasers have show, young Sam can't keep his mouth shut while Rick tries to lead the group to safety. This leads (not getting too specific) to Sam's demise and the demise of his mother, Jessie, and brother Ron.

They're not the only casualties. Carl also gets wounded (of course, he doesn't die) during the midseason premiere. Ultimately, this all leads to the residents being able to overcome the herd and bring an end to the show's current saga.

Some fans of "The Walking Dead" will recognize these events from a crucial scene in the comic book. But that's not all.

The conflict between Michonne, Morgan and the Alpha Wolf, that has Denise held hostage, will be resolved one way or another. And before any of this happens, Daryl, Sasha and Abraham have a violent encounter with the Saviors.

AMC released a tense scene (below) a while back. Abraham, Sasha and Daryl appear to be in serious trouble. But rumor has it the situation doesn't end the way you think (SPOILER: There will be blood).

"The Walking Dead" midseason premiere kicks off at 9 p.m. and is followed by "The Talking Dead" at 10 p.m.
MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Bond is set at $1 million for a man charged in a Saturday shooting in Maple Heights.

Treavon Johnson, 26, is charged with attempted murder in the shooting on Mapleboro Avenue near South Boulevard.

Johnson requested a preliminary hearing during his appearance Monday in Garfield Heights Municipal Court. The hearing is scheduled Feb. 18, according to court records.

He is in custody at the Maple Heights Jail and will be transferred to the Cuyahoga County Jail, police said.

Johnson is accused of shooting a 25-year-old man several times shortly after 9:30 p.m. The two were involved in an argument over a woman, police said Monday.

The man survived the shooting and was taken to MetroHealth for treatment. Police could not immediately provide an update on his condition Monday.

Detectives identified Johnson and got a description of his car. A Garfield Heights officer stopped the car later Saturday on McCracken Road near Broadway Avenue and arrested Johnson without incident.

Johnson has used the alias "Trevon Johnson" in previous court cases, according to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court records.
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Cleveland police are investigating after a 23-year-old man said he exchanged gunfire with a robber on the city's East Side.

(cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man was shot in the shoulder after he exchanged gunfire with a robber on the city's East Side.

The incident happened about 3:30 a.m. Monday on Bessemer Avenue near East 93rd Street in the Kinsman neighborhood.

The 23-year-old victim told police that he was walking from his home to a nearby gas station when he heard someone behind him say, "give me everything," according to a police report.

The victim ran and exchanged gunfire with the unknown robber, the report says. He told police he didn't see who shot him.

The victim called his sister for a ride. They drove home to drop off the victim's .40 caliber handgun, for which he has a concealed carry license, before driving to MetroHealth, the report says.

Officers called to the scene found .40 caliber and .22 caliber shell casings and broken glass in the street.

The victim first told investigators that he didn't open fire. He eventually admitted to shooting his gun, according to the report.

He also told police that he fired from an open field, but later said he didn't remember where he fired from, the report says.

The victim has been released from the hospital.

No arrests have been made.
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Dayton police responded Sunday night to a home where a 15-year-old girl suffered a gunshot wound to the eye and is now in critical condition at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

(Darren King, WDTN-TV in Dayton)

DAYTON, Ohio - A Dayton girl is in critical condition after a Sunday night shooting.

Police believe the 15-year-old girl was shot during a fight with one of her siblings, and she was shot in the head and has damage to one of her eyes, WRGT-TV in Dayton reported.

The girl is now at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in critical condition, WDTN-TV in Dayton reported.

A police sergeant told WDTN the girl and four other children were home alone when the shooting happened.

Police said investigators are still gathering facts in the case and no charges have been filed to any children or parents, WHIO-TV in Dayton reported. It is unknown from where the children obtained the weapon and which child fired the gun.

Here are other top stories today from across the Dayton area:

* Trotwood police continue to investigate a shooting that left two men dead early Sunday morning, the Dayton suburb's second double-homicide in a week. (WHIO-TV Dayton)(WRGT-TV Dayton)

* Five people are searching for a new home after fire spread throughout their two-story Dayton house. (WDTN-TV Dayton)(WHIO-TV Dayton)

* Dayton police are investigating after a homeowner reported several shots were fired at their house this morning. (WHIO-TV Dayton)

* Police said two shots were exchanged between a Springfield homeowner and another man who attempted to break in early this morning. (WHIO-TV Dayton)

* At least 10 firearms were stolen during a break-in at the Vandalia Range and Armory Sunday morning, according to police. (WHIO-TV Dayton)

* The University of Dayton and Wright State University are among four Ohio universities sharing $7.1 million in the first round of grant funding that's part of an initiative to bolster the state's research opportunities. (Associated Press)
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A Kenton police officer is continuing to recover after being shot during a pursuit Saturday night.

(File photo)

A Kenton police officer is continuing to recover after being shot during a pursuit Saturday night.

Kenton police officer Skylar Newfer remains hospitalized after being shot by 47-year-old Stephen Davis, WBNS-TV in Columbus reported. Davis later died after a police pursuit.

Around 5 p.m. Saturday, Kenton police responded to a domestic disturbance. When they approached the vehicle, Davis fired on the officers, hitting Newfer. He then got into his vehicle and sped off as officers began their pursuit, WLIO-TV in Lima reported.

Newfer was taken to an area hospital where he is expected to survive.

Davis crashed after a few miles, veering off a road. He was found dead of a gunshot wound, WTVG-TV in Toledo reported.

Media reports indicate there was an exchange of gunfire between officers from several departments and the suspect. Hardin County Sheriff Keith Everhart said it's unclear how many bullets were fired, but said Davis was shooting a long rifle.

"We have had a history with Mr. Davis," Everhart told WBNS. "There have been times over the last 20 years where there have been weapons involved, nothing ever to this point, obviously, but he's been on our radar for a number of years."

Here are other stories today from Toledo and Northwest Ohio:

* One person is dead, and a child injured in a single-car crash Saturday night in Sandusky. (WTOL-TV Toledo)

* An inmate almost died of a heroin overdose in the Lucas County jail. (WTVG-TV Toledo)

* Federal prosecutors want a judge to revoke the bond for Sultane Room Salim, one of four men accused of raising money for a former al-Qaida leader. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Tuesday in Toledo. (Associated Press)

* A Wood County Grand Jury has indicted a Rossford used car dealer after an investigation into complaints he was stealing money from his customers. (WNWO-TV Toledo)

* The Perrysburg school board has unanimously decided to replace the district's treasurer. (WTOL-TV Toledo)
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A newborn infant was killed early Sunday after being bitten by a dog at a Youngstown home.

(Courtesy of WFMJ-TV Youngstown)

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A newborn infant was killed Sunday after being bitten by a dog at a Youngstown home.

Officers were called to the home early Sunday and found the newborn on a bed, WFMJ-TV in Youngstown reported. Police say when they arrived, the child's 21-year-old mother was next to the baby and was crying. Officers say the mother's brother and a grandmother were also home at the time.

An ambulance crew arrived and determined the infant had died. Police say they believe the dog bite caused the infant's death.

The baby's mother told police she believed the dog bit the baby while the baby was sitting in a makeshift crib, WKBN-TV in Youngstown reported. The Mahoning County Dog Warden took the dog into custody, where it will stay for 10 days.

The Mahoning County Coroner's Office is also investigating the case. Police told WKBN they have to wait for a coroner's report before they can decide to file charges or not.

Here are other top stories today from Youngstown and eastern Ohio:
Top stories:

Three teens with guns were involved in the robbery that ended in the death of a Kent State University student from Westlake. (cleveland.com)(Akron Beacon Journal)

A man is dead following a single-car crash on Interstate 90 in Willoughby Hills early today that left his car in two pieces, officials said. (cleveland.com)(News-Herald)

Drunken driving and excessive speed might have led to a single-car crash that left a 30-year-old woman dead early today along Interstate 90 in Cleveland, according to police. (cleveland.com)(WEWS Channel 5)

Area crime news:

A 17-year-old boy faces charges in juvenile court after he tried to hit a Cleveland police officer with an SUV during a traffic stop, a department spokeswoman said. (cleveland.com)(WEWS Channel 5)

Three people were arrested after an Elyria man was shot several times Sunday morning in his Third Street home. (cleveland.com)(Elyria Chronicle-Telegram)

Two men robbed a Case Western Reserve University student at gunpoint Sunday morning, according to campus police. (cleveland.com)(WJW Channel 8)

Jeffery C. Stewart has pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to two life sentences for his role in the killings of elderly Strasburg couple Doyle and Lillian Chumney. (Canton Repository)

The man accused of shooting to death his brother and sister last week appeared in Medina Municipal Court this morning. (WNIR 100.1-FM)

Youngstown police arrested five people on felony drug charges over the weekend and issued drug citations to three others. (Youngstown Vindicator)

Local news - east:

Tavon Finley, the 28-year-old man who died in a house fire early Saturday, will be remembered by family members as someone with a great sense of humor. (cleveland.com)(WOIO Channel 19)

Laketran, like many agencies, businesses and organizations across Northeast Ohio, is still working out its plans for when the Republican National Convention comes to Cleveland in July. (News-Herald)

West Branch Local Schools in Mahoning County announced plans to begin a search for the next superintendent of the school district. (Youngstown Vindicator)

Local news - west:

Human remains believed to be those of missing Mansfield woman Patsy Hudson were recovered at multiple sites in northern Richland County. (Mansfield News-Journal)

A Wellington woman was taken to the hospital with serious injuries following a single-car crash Sunday night in Wellington. (Elyria Chronicle-Telegram)(Lorain Morning Journal)

The eighth annual Ice-A-Fair in Vermilion had a record number of ice sculptures for 2016. (Lorain Morning Journal)

Akron-Canton area news:

Twinsburg police launched an investigation into how photos of nude Twinsburg High School students ended up on a Tumblr blog. (cleveland.com)(WNIR 100.1-FM)

Former Cuyahoga Falls and Stow Chief of Police Louis Dirker Jr., 67, died Friday, after battling cancer. (WAKR 1590-AM)

Fire destroyed iconic Canton restaurant Baker's Cafe '33 Sunday. Canton firefighters still were working today to determine the cause, but early indications were an electrical wiring problem started the fire. (Canton Repository)
Japanese trading houses face billions of dollars in impairments due to the double whammy of an emerging market downturn and the ongoing commodities rout, after splashing billions of dollars on earlier acquisitions.

Known as "sogo shosha," the general trading houses supply everything from energy to metals to grains and textiles in resource-scarce Japan. The big five trading houses are Mitsubishi , Mitsui , Sumitomo , Itochu and Marubeni .

Although they trade in a wide range of products and were traditionally importers of goods into Japan, conglomerates such as Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Mitsui have expanded their footprints overseas, which means they have taken bigger hits from the commodities crash.

"They are trading houses but have become a lot more (like commodity) houses," said Seijiro Takeshita, a professor at the University of Shizuoka's management and information school.



In January Sumitomo took a $650 million writedown at a in Madagascar, while Itochu last year sold for just $1 a 25 percent stake in U.S. oil and gas producer Samson Resources that it had paid $1 billion for in 2011.
High-denomination currency notes including the $100 bill should be eliminated, as this would help deter tax evasion, financial crime, terrorism and corruption, the former head of Standard Chartered Bank has argued. Peter Sands, who is now a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School in Massachusetts and an advisor to the Singaporean central bank, said in an academic paper that eliminating high-value notes that are rarely used would help deter tax evasion, financial crime, terrorism financing and corruption. "Without being able to use high-denomination notes, those engaged in illicit activities  the 'bad guys' of our title  would face higher costs and greater risks of detection. Eliminating high denomination notes would disrupt their 'business models'," Sands' report said.

Jay Directo | AFP | Getty Images

He argued that high-denomination notes in high-value currencies were little used other than for crime, with people in most parts of the world favoring cash for small payments and electronic alternatives like credit cards or Paypal for bigger ones. As such, Sands called for the elimination of the 500 euro note, 50 bill and 1,000 Swiss franc bill and the $100 note. "This is a bold, relatively simple-to-implement action that could have significant impact and has limited downside. High denomination notes are arguably an anachronism in a modern economy given the availability and effectiveness of electronic payment alternatives. They play little role in the functioning of the legitimate economy, yet a crucial role in the underground economy," he said. For criminals, using cash offers anonymity and leaves no tracks. According to Sands, high-denomination notes are far more attractive for criminals as payment methods than Bitcoin, gold, diamonds or bank transactions. Depending on the country, tax evasion robs the public sector of anywhere between 6 percent and 70 percent of what authorities reckon they should collect, Sands added. He said that global financial crime flows amounted to $2 trillion per year, with corruption accounting for another $1 trillion.

Jeffrey Coolidge | Iconica | Jeffrey Coolidge
Chesapeake Energy , the second-largest natural gas producer in the United States, plunged as much as 50 percent on Monday after multiple reports that it had hired restructuring attorneys.



Chesapeake shares were down $1.01 at $2.05, having been halted at least eight times in morning trading. Despite these reports, the energy company said in a statement that it has no plans to pursue bankruptcy, and Chesapeake is aggressively seeking to maximize value for all shareholders.

Chesapeake, which has more than $10 billion in debt, has been hit by a steep fall in both oil and gas prices. Reuters reported that the company's bonds maturing next month plunged 20 points, to a level of 75 cents on the dollar, on the news.

Shares in Williams Cos fell as much as 34 percent, while Energy Transfer Equity fell 26 percent. ETE is in the process of acquiring Williams, which counts Chesapeake as a major partner.

See what energy stocks are doing here.
Located in one of London's premier neighborhoods, No.73 Chester Square is a Grade II listed, meaning it is judged to be of "special interest" to the nation, six-bedroom town house with a library, media room, bar, 500-bottle wine cellar and gym.

The London home of one of Britain's best-known prime ministers is on the market for 30 million ($43.5 million).

Savills

The former prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, lived at the white stucco-fronted house from 1991 until her death of a stroke aged 87 in 2013. The original part of the house was built between 1820 and 1840 and is on sale through luxury estate agent, Savills.

"Such an eminent and rare property, in terms of location, renovation and history, no. 73 will have a truly widespread appeal to any buyer at this level of the market looking for an exceptional London home. If only the walls could talk, one could almost imagine Ronald Reagan and other heads of state sitting with Baroness Thatcher in her dining room," Richard Gutteridge, head of Savills Sloane Street office, said in a news release.

Thatcher was the first woman to lead a major western democracy and remains the only British female prime minister. She won three successive national elections and led the country for more than 11 years from 1979 to 1990, a record unmatched in the 20th century.

Several features installed by Thatcher remain, including a steel-lined, bombproof front door and original security glass in all the windows facing the main square.

Leconfield, a Belgravia construction company, purchased the property in 2013. It spent 18 months refurbishing the house, which now boasts a lift, a newly constructed mews house and a garage.

"We have strived to achieve the perfect balance between traditional and contemporary living by respecting the house's history and restoring many of the original features, while tastefully incorporating the latest in modern technology," George Brooksbank, managing director of Leconfield, said in the news release.
Following Rubio's surprisingly good performance in the Iowa caucuses, the Republican establishment appeared last week to be coalescing around him as the person to challenge billionaire Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz for the GOP presidential nomination, according to former Minnesota Rep. Vin Weber, who supports Jeb Bush.

Sen. Marco Rubio is losing support among Republicans after the latest debate and heading into Tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, a long-time GOP strategist said Monday.

But Rubio did not handle the pressure well during the latest debate, said Weber, who has worked on campaigns for such Republicans as Mitt Romney and George W. Bush.

"I think the whole attitude of the Republicans toward the race changed a lot this weekend," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box."

Going into the weekend, most Republicans wanted to narrow the field, establish a clear challenger to Cruz and Trump, and wrap up the contest quickly, he said.

"People are hitting the brakes, saying let's not rush to judgment. Let's get this right. I think there's a greater emphasis on experience," he said.

Republicans now want to see how more experienced candidates fare in New Hampshire and South Carolina, Weber said. That means the Republican battle could last longer than thought last week, he added.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie launched a debate night attack challenging Rubio's record that news media focused on throughout the weekend. But the change in sentiment is most likely to benefit Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Florida Gov. Bush, said Weber.

Rubio has the support of 17 percent of likely Republican voters in New Hampshire, putting him behind frontrunner Trump, who commands 30 percent of that group's support, according to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll conducted after the Iowa caucuses.

Cruz trails just behind Rubio with 15 percent, followed by Kasich with 10 percent and Bush with 9 percent.
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Donald Trump may want to build a wall across the U.S. southern border to keep Mexican migrants out but don't expect Mexico to pay for it, former President Felipe Calderon told CNBC, calling the billionaire a "not very well-informed man." The GOP presidential hopeful insisted in October that if elected, he would build a wall along the Mexican border and get Mexico to pay for it. But Calderon, Mexico's president from 2006 to 2012, told CNBC on Saturday that there was no way that Mexico would pay for it. "Mexican people, we are not going to pay any single cent for such a stupid wall! And it's going to be completely useless," Calderon said. "The first loser of such a policy would be the United States," he said. "If this guy pretends that closing the borders to anywhere either for trade (or) for people is going to provide prosperity to the United States, he is completely crazy."

Former Mexican President Felipe Calderon CRIS BOURONCLE/AFP/Getty Images

When announcing his presidential bid last June, Trump said "the U.S. had become a dumping ground for everybody else's problems," and called out Mexico as a particular culprit. "When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. ...They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people," Trump said.

Calderon questioned the caliber of candidates like Trump, who has offended large sections of the population , including Muslims by calling for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S., as well as attracting a large following during his presidential bid.

"It is incredible that a quite admirable society like the American society could produce such kind of candidates," Calderon said. "I cannot understand that. No offense, no offense to America. So Donald Trump  is ambitious but not exactly very well-informed man, I don't want to say ignorant, but he is not very well informed." Calderon said the level of migration of the Mexican labor force to the U.S. had been steadily declining.
Now is not the moment to get into the oil sector, according to one analyst.

"I think it's time to still stay away, I don't think it's time to get in yet," Brad Handler, managing director of equity research at Jefferies, told CNBC's "Power Lunch" on Monday.



Oil prices were down about 4 percent Monday after a Saudi-Venezuela meeting over the weekend showed few signs of an impending boost to prices.

Despite geopolitical events, Handler thinks that oil companies are currently reacting to credit constraints and agency rating pressures, and are struggling to manage dividends and balance sheets. While those factors are still in play, investors should stay away from the sector, he said.


The pressure of thousands of migrants is piling on the pressure on a Greece struggling with a stagnant economy, rising social tensions and political pressure and could push the country back towards an exit from the euro zone, analysts Eurasia Group have warned. Europe has been left reeling from the influx of migrants heading to the region, most of whom are fleeing civil war in Syria in the Middle East. However, Greece is struggling more than others as it and Turkey have become the first port of call for the migrants. While European leaders have struck a 3 billion euro ($3.35 billion) deal with Turkey to reduce the number of refugee flows, pressure is growing for European Union leaders to do even more to control the numbers of arrivals.



Migrants and refugees gather around a bonfire as they wait to enter a refugee camp after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border. ARMEND NIMANI/AFP/Getty Images

Analysts at Eurasia Group said in a note on Monday that Greece could bear the brunt of potential plans to limit the amount of refugees reaching northern Europe. "We continue to believe that the EU-Turkey deal is not going to deliver the reduction in refugee flows the Europeans are hoping for," analysts Mujtaba Rahman, Naz Masraff and James Sawyer from Eurasia Group said in a note Monday. "This will continue to mount pressure on German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who, rather than conceding to a domestic ceiling, may instead opt to temporarily contain the problem in Greece" by sealing the Greek-Macedonian and potentially the Greek-Bulgarian border too. They warned that if this border was sealed, however, the results could be socially and economically dangerous for Greece, prompting more social unrest, instability and could even push Greece back towards an exit from the euro zone. Since prime minister Alexis Tsipras' government reluctantly signed a third bailout deal with international lenders last summer, it has been subject to a new round of harsh rules and reviews. "Sealing the Greek-Macedonian border will strengthen anti-European and nationalist sentiment in Greece and make early elections more probable; these could undermine completion of the first review and in a worst case scenario, reintroduce the risk of Greece's exit from the euro," Rahman, Masraff and Sawyer believed.

Pressure on Greece
The challenge was the space. Lucy's house was large but, like so many other existing homes today, not built for multigenerational living. So after a few years, with the kids getting bigger and more independent, Jennifer and Lucy went house hunting together and found what they were looking for in a newly built home designed specifically for their situation.

"I enjoy the life that the kids bring to you when they are around you all the time, but we did have our challenges," said Lucy, who would prefer we say only that she is in her 70s.

Jennifer Michaels didn't expect her Seattle-area house would sell so quickly, especially since she hadn't settled on a new home yet. With nowhere to go, the divorced mom moved herself and her two teenagers in with her mother, Lucy Abbott, thinking it would be temporary. Much to all of their surprise, they didn't hate it.

"Everybody has their own privacy and their own space, so for instance, my mom has her own suite," said Jennifer. "It is essentially a full one-bedroom apartment on the main floor, so I don't have to worry about her falling down the stairs. She has her own front door, she can have her own decor there, she can stay up however long she wants and not interrupt the family either and also, we have enough space as a family to have a regular family unit, and then she can have her separate living."



The family moved into a "NextGen" home, a brand from Miami-based home builder Lennar . The brand is doing very well for Lennar, which has made a heavy push into the multigenerational space. Year-over-year, sales of NextGen grew by 24 percent in the third quarter of 2014, the latest company reporting available. It offers the floor plans in more than 200 communities nationwide, and the average sale price is about a third higher than the company's overall average, according to Lennar officials.



"Older homes were built for young families, and we have 21 million households now living multigenerationally, with one generation having to share a bathroom that's used by the entire house, some people live in the garage," said John Burns of John Burns Real Estate Consulting. "I think the builders figured out there was a huge opportunity here that they had missed, and Lennar was a real leader in this a few years ago, designing for these types of households."



In a recent survey by Burns Consulting of 20,000 home shoppers, 44 percent said they would like to accommodate their elderly parents in their next home. Forty-two percent said they plan to accommodate their adult children. The numbers are increasing for several reasons: The recent recession and resulting unemployment hit young workers hardest. An abnormally high number of them therefore never moved out of their parents' homes. Millennials are also marrying later in life, keeping them with their parents longer.

Immigration is another driver. In Asian and Hispanic cultures, multigenerational living is usually the rule. As these immigrants move to the U.S. in greater numbers, they bring the trend along with them.

Then there are retiring baby boomers. The largest generation is downsizing. Some are choosing active adult communities, but a significant number are choosing to move in with their adult children. With more dual income households, help from live-in grandparents is often a necessity.

No surprise, homebuilders are seeing dollar signs in families doubling up. Pardee Homes, a division of California-based Tripoint, offers the GenSmart brand of multigenerational homes. Smaller, local builders say they are getting more requests for these floor plans as well.

"I think everybody is jumping in," said Burns. "In this industry, when somebody does something successful, everybody jumps in."

Builders are now seeing and acting on a clear multigenerational wish list: Separate entrances are a must, then main-floor bedroom suites with private kitchenettes and living spaces, even separate outdoor spaces. The idea is that the family can live under one roof, but not entirely together.
Tech giants like Amazon , Google and Facebook have faced scrutiny on the amount of tax they pay and lawmakers in the region are looking to shine a light on the situation.

New legislation being drafted by the European Union could force multinationals to reveal details of their earnings and tax bill arrangements, according to the Guardian.

Three senior EU officials familiar with the proposals, told the Guardian Sunday that initial conclusions from an impact assessment have found in favor of obliging large corporations to reveal their profits and the tax they pay in every country in which they operate within the European Union.



The U.K. newspaper said that the commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, is said to be in favor of the initiative.



The new draft is to be presented on April 12 and would require just a "qualified majority" of European governments to agree the new arrangements, according to sources. Read the full report here.
Londoner Alexanda Kotey is one in the group of Islamic State (IS) militants known as the Beatles, according to a joint Washington Post-BuzzFeed News investigation.

The Post reported that Kotey was a 32-year old convert to Islam who grew up in Shepherd's Bush, West London, and was of a mixed Ghanaian and Greek Cypriot background.

His name was confirmed by a U.S. intelligence official and other people familiar with British nationals in Syria, the newspaper reported.
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The rapidly spreading Zika virus is discouraging many Americans from traveling to Latin America and the Caribbean, with 41 percent of those aware of the disease saying they are less likely to take such a trip, a Reuters/Ipsos poll shows. The poll is the latest sign the virus, suspected to be linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil, could depress travel to popular cold-weather getaways in the coming months. Airlines and cruise ship operators have yet to report drops in bookings because of Zika, and analysts have downplayed the impact that newly sedentary parents-to-be could have on their revenue. Still, awareness of the mosquito-borne virus has surged to nearly two-thirds of Americans, according to the poll of 1,595 adults in the United States conducted Feb. 1-5. That compares with 45 percent who had heard of Zika in a Reuters/Ipsos poll from late January. "I am actively trying to get pregnant with my husband, so I am a little bit concerned," said Erica, a respondent who said she was bitten by a mosquito during a January trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Zika has been reported.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised pregnant women to avoid travel to areas with an active outbreak of Zika, and the World Health Organization has declared an international emergency over the disease. Erica, who asked only to be identified by her first name for personal reasons, said she no longer plans to visit Jamaica this summer to celebrate her wedding anniversary. "We've definitely gone back to the drawing board on that," she said, referring to the island, which is on the CDC warning list. Of those aware of the virus, 41 percent said they were less likely to travel to Puerto Rico, Mexico or South America in the next 12 months because of Zika, the poll found. Some 48 percent said Zika had not changed the likelihood of their visiting those destinations, while others did not know. Six out of 10 Americans aware of Zika said the virus concerned them, including 18 percent who said they were very concerned, according to the poll. The poll of Americans' concerns and travel plans have a credibility interval - a measure of accuracy - of 3.8 percentage points.



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Her health was at risk. But in Missouri, doctors could do nothing.
Associated Press With the approach of the Iowa caucuses, the tone of the presidential contests has hardened between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders (top) and Republicans Donald Trump and Ted Cruz (bottom).

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By Ryan Poe of The Commercial Appeal

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are opening campaign offices in Memphis as the Democratic presidential nominee hopefuls ramp up their ground games ahead of Tennessee's March 1 "Super Tuesday" primary election.

On the Republican side, several of the campaigns are also expanding their local operations and opening Nashville-area offices ahead of the start of early voting Wednesday.

Sanders was the first of the candidates to open an office in Memphis. His team rented space in the Chickasaw Crossing shopping center at 2869 Poplar. Former Memphis mayor A C Wharton leased the same space for his East Memphis office during his unsuccessful reelection campaign last year.

The office is already operational, with seven staffers, but will have a grand opening at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The opening will be followed by volunteer training at 3 p.m., and door-to-door campaigning starting at 4 p.m.

Clinton's Memphis office will open late this week, said Holly McCall, the campaign's Tennessee spokeswoman. She couldn't confirm the location without receiving final approval from the national campaign.

Clinton has a 3-1 lead over Sanders among registered, self-identifying Democrats, according to a Middle Tennessee State University poll released at the end of January.

In a crowded field of Republican candidates, business mogul Donald Trump was the top choice for 33 percent, compared to Sen. Ted Cruz's 17 percent, the poll found.

Shelby County Commission chairman Terry Roland, who is the honorary chairman of Trump's West Tennessee operation, said Monday that Trump's team doesn't have immediate plans to open an office. The team will set up locations around the area where supporters can pick up signs, he said.

Cruz supporters were working Monday to secure a Memphis-area office, said Ninth District chairwoman Lynn Moss. The Cruz camp plans to open a Nashville-area office Wednesday.

Candidate and Sen. Marco Rubio, who placed third in the Iowa caucuses, may also open a Nashville-area office, supporters said.
Matt Rourke/Associated Press Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton meets with customers Sunday at a Dunkin Donuts in Manchester, N.H., before campaigning in Flint, Mich.

SHARE Jim Cole/Associated Press Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks during a campaign stop at a high school cafeteria Sunday in Londonderry, N.H.

By Sergio Bustos And Bill Barrow

NASHUA, N.H.  It's less than two days until New Hampshire voters go to the polls. But Hillary Clinton is in Michigan. And other candidates, even Jeb Bush, say their campaigns will go on no matter how they do on Tuesday. Donald Trump says he doesn't need to win New Hampshire  but he'd like to.

From their movements and remarks on Sunday, you'd think New Hampshire is unimportant in the race for president. In fact, it's the nation's first primary and the next in a series of clues about what Americans want in their next president. And at least two candidates, Govs. John Kasich of Ohio and Chris Christie of New Jersey, have hung all of their White House hopes on strong showings in New Hampshire.

Republican hopeful Marco Rubio is downplaying his rough outing in Saturday's GOP debate, while touting his overall momentum after his third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses.

Trump, who finished second in Iowa, is pleased with his debate performance and place atop New Hampshire's GOP polls, and he's doubling down on his call for the U.S. to reinstitute waterboarding and even harsher treatment of foreign prisoners.

On the Democratic side, New Hampshire favorite Bernie Sanders and Clinton  who narrowly won Iowa  are avoiding predictions about Tuesday and looking beyond to South Carolina and Nevada, the next two states up in the nomination process.

But for other candidates, such as Christie, Kasich and former Florida Gov. Bush, the task is to make sure the closing argument here isn't their last.

Christie, fresh from a debate in which he battered Rubio as unprepared for the presidency, told a crowd Sunday in Hampton, New Hampshire, that his exchanges with Rubio showed "who's ready. I am. He's not."

Christie offered Kasich praise-with-a-punch, calling him an effective leader of Ohio but saying Kasich's tenure is "like Candy Land" because he's worked with a GOP-run legislature, versus the Democratic legislature Christie works with in New Jersey.

In several appearances Sunday, Kasich avoided direct attacks on his fellow governors.

Bush opted to take on Trump, and chided other candidates for not piling on. In Nashua, Bush said, "This guy is not a serious conservative and he's not a serious leader. And no one else is taking him on?"

The three governors have pitched their experience to GOP voters for months, but have struggled to keep Rubio from establishing himself as the alternative to Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who won Iowa.

Rubio was rattled by Christie's debate onslaught Saturday, repeating his standard critique of President Barack Obama several times and playing into Christie's argument that the first-term senator is a scripted, inexperienced politician from a do-nothing Congress.

Rubio was back on message Sunday. "People said, 'Oh, you said the same thing three or four times.' I'm going to say it again," Rubio said in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

Rubio said on ABC's "This Week" that his belief about Obama's job performance is "one of the main reasons why I am running."

Trump continued to insist in a CNN appearance that he came in first in Iowa, losing only because representatives of the Cruz campaign spread false rumors that Ben Carson was dropping out. Trump says Carson backers switched their votes to Cruz.

On NBC's "Meet The Press," Trump stood by his promise in Saturday's debate to reinstitute waterboarding as an interrogation method for foreign prisoners of the U.S. The practice, accepted as torture internationally and now forbidden by U.S. law, is "peanuts" compared to what Islamic State militants practice, Trump said.

"I'd go a lot further than waterboarding," he said.

Cruz is not expected to fare as well in New Hampshire as in Iowa, but he made memorable marks in Saturday's debate, first repeating his apology to Carson for the false rumors and later offering an emotional account of his half-sister's drug addiction and eventual death.

For Democrats, Sanders drew a large crowd Sunday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he reprised his indictment of a "rigged economy" and "corrupt campaign finance system."

Clinton stopped in Flint, Michigan, which continues to deal with the fallout of a lead-contaminated water system. At the House of Prayer Missionary Church, Clinton noted that for two years, Flint residents drank poisoned water despite officials declaring it safe.

"This is not merely unacceptable or wrong, though it is both. What happened in Flint is immoral," she said. She urged Congress to approve $200 million to fix Flint's water system and vowed to "fight for you in Flint no matter how long it takes."
South Korean army soldiers watch a TV news program with a file footage about North Korea's rocket launch at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. North Korea on Sunday defied international warnings and launched a long-range rocket that the United Nations and others call a cover for a banned test of technology for a missile that could strike the U.S. mainland. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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By Foster Klug And Edith M. Lederer

SEOUL, South Korea  The U.N. Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders denounced as a banned test of dangerous ballistic missile technology and another "intolerable provocation." The U.N.'s most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with "significant" new sanctions.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early Sunday. He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbor and important ally, not to proceed and, in another slap to Beijing, he chose the eve of the Chinese New Year, the country's most important holiday.

Since its Jan. 6 nuclear test, which the North claimed was a powerful hydrogen bomb but experts believe was not, China and the United States have been negotiating the text of a new Security Council sanctions resolution.

The U.S., backed by its Western allies, Japan and South Korea, wants tough sanctions reflecting Kim's defiance of the Security Council. But diplomats say China, the North's key protector in the council, is reluctant to impose economic measures that could cause North Korea's economy to collapse.

The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the launch and pledged to "expeditiously" adopt a new resolution with "further significant measures"  U.N. code for sanctions.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said that "it cannot be business as usual" after two successive North Korean acts that are "hostile and illegal."

"What's important is that the Security Council unites," Power said. "China is a critical player. ... We are hopeful that China, like all council members, will see the grave threat to regional and international peace and security, see the importance of adopting tough, unprecedented measures, breaking new ground here, exceeding the expectations of Kim Jong Un."

However, China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, made clear that unprecedented sanctions aren't Beijing's priority.

He said a new resolution should "do the work of reducing tension, of working toward denuclearization (of the Korean peninsula), of maintaining peace and stability, and of encouraging a negotiated solution."

Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, whose country is also a North Korean ally, said: "It has to be a weighty resolution, but it also has to be a reasonable resolution" that doesn't lead to North Korea's economic or humanitarian collapse, or further heighten tensions.

Russia wants to see six-party talks aimed at denuclearization resume, he said, but in the current atmosphere that's unlikely because the North Koreans "have been very unreasonable" and are challenging the entire international community.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space program, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after liftoff, and vowed more such launches.

Japan's U.N. ambassador, Motohide Yoshikawa, told reporters the missile went over Japan and landed near the Philippines, "a clear threat to the lives of many people."

The Security Council underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, "even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle," contribute to North Korea's development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons and violate four Security Council resolutions dating back to the North's first nuclear test in 2006.

North Korean rocket and nuclear tests are seen as crucial steps toward the North's goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could hit the U.S. mainland.

In a development that will worry Pyongyang and Beijing, a senior South Korean Defense Ministry official, Yoo Jeh Seung, said Seoul and Washington have agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of the THADD missile-defense system in South Korea. North Korea has long decried the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, and Beijing would see a deployment of THAAD, one of the world's most advanced missile-defense systems, as a threat to its interests in the region.
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By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal

A site near Tenn. 385 in Collierville is being promoted as a future home for light industry.

The 135-acre site is near Sycamore Road and the existing locations of IPS Corp. and FedEx Tech Connect, the company's computer repair center. Nonconnah Creek flows through the property.

If approved, developer Kevin Vaughan, who represents the landowners, would work with the town to bring sewer and water lines into the area and to improve road access, including an extension of Commerce Drive south across the property.

The area was once part of the Cartwright family's plant nursery business, and Vaughn said developers would cut down trees farmed at the site. "We'll go in there and clean it out, and we'll have great visibility from 385."

The site would be a good fit for a low impact manufacturing company  a company that needs combined showroom or warehouse space  or a company with security needs, such as those that specialize in drugs or electronics, said John Duncan, Collierville's economic development director.

Duncan said the site's strong points include its proximity to major roads, which would allow companies to communicate with regional resources such as the airport and a nearby intermodal rail facility.

"It's critically important," Duncan said. "It's a great piece of land that we've already started to market ourselves and through the state PEP program."

Duncan was referring to the Select Tennessee Property Evaluation Program, which helps match companies looking to invest with appropriate land around the state.

As the town seeks to recruit industrial development, it's important to have "pad ready" sites, said town Planner Jaime Groce.

The town's Planning Commission on Thursday voted to approve the rezoning request. The measure now goes to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for approval.

The first of three readings could take place at the Feb. 22 board meeting. Any development at the site would similarly have to go through various approval steps.
DeSoto Schools Supt. Cory Uselton

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By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal

Changes in leadership always bring, well, changes.

We're beginning to see a few of those in the DeSoto County public school system, where Cory Uselton took over in January as superintendent. Uselton replaced Milton Kuykendall, who for 12 years was at the helm of what grew into Mississippi's largest school district during his tenure.

Uselton said during an interview in late January, a few weeks after taking office, this he was still assessing things before deciding on any key personnel changes. We begin to get a glimpse of the new leadership style, however, by looking at Uselton's handling of the district's annual Teacher of the Year competition.

The district always selects a teacher from among those nominated at each of the district's 42 schools. The same is done among principals, and a Parent of the Year is named as well.

In a new twist by Uselton, the process of choosing a top teacher will take an added step. In addition to naming an overall winner, he's naming the winning teacher from each school to an advisory council that will work with him to improve communication between teachers and the district office in Hernando.

"Teachers at every school will have someone they can take concerns to," Uselton said. "That teacher, in turn, will have a voice with the superintendent. We want to know what we can do in the central office to help the teachers do their jobs better."

It's just one small change, but an indication that there's a new sheriff in town.

Justice delayed

Courtland, Mississippi, had an official population of 516 as of last July 1.

It's small enough that if you're not sure of the address of someone you're looking for, you can cruise down one or two streets and probably find the right house in short order. I know because that's what photographer Stan Carroll and I did while reporting a Jan. 31 story updating the Jessica Chambers case.

That smallness, and intimacy, makes all the more frustrating the fact that it's been more than a year with no resolution in the December 2014 burning death of 19-year-old Chambers. It's entirely understandable, of course, that law enforcement and prosecutors would not want to jeopardize their case by saying anything at all until all their ducks are in a row.

Still, it's hard for family and friends affected by the horrendous case not to be frustrated that in a community where everybody knows everybody, there has yet to be an arrest.

"People want to know why I'm not beating down the door (of law enforcement officials) every day," Lisa Chambers, Jessica's mother, said during an exchange that wasn't included in our story. She said she's had little communication with investigators.

Jessica's father, Ben Chambers, works at the Panola County Sheriff's Department as a mechanic and is a little more understanding of how slowly the wheels of justice turn. But he too wants a resolution and believes something is "very, very close."

The loss felt by the Chambers family can't be eliminated, but it can be abated. Let's hope justice isn't long delayed.

Precinct changes

As noted by reporter Michael Collins in Sunday's newspaper, Tennessee's presidential primary is less than a month away on March 1.

Mississippi, under election law changes proposed by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, may change its primary date in future years to coincide with Tennessee and other Southern states. This year, however, the state's primary is a week later  in other words, exactly one month from today on March 8.

With that date in mind, a couple of precinct changes recently approved by the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors take on added significance. The changes will be in effect for the first time with the March 8 primary.

One change is in Southaven's Precinct 304, known as Southaven North. The voting location will move from City Hall to the M.R. Davis Public Library next door at 8554 Northwest Drive. The other change involves a new precinct formed in Hernando. Precinct 509 will include about 800 voters who were moved from Longview Point Baptist Church to Baker's Chapel United Methodist Church at 1965 Johnston Road.

Affected voters should receive new voter registration cards with the updated voting location information on them. For questions or corrections, contact Circuit Clerk Dale Kelly Thompson's office at 662-469-8350.

Quick takes

Beauty contest: Entry forms are available at Southaven City Hall and the DeSoto County Schools central office in Hernando for the annual Southaven Springfest Beauty Pageant, set for March 19 at the DeSoto Central High School performing arts center. Contact Kristi Faulkner at 662-393-6939 for details.

All in a name: Old habits die hard. News accounts of a fatal traffic accident on Interstate 22 in Marshall County the evening of Jan. 30 repeatedly referred to the highway as U.S. 78. Information provided by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, on its real-time mobile app, also referred to U.S. 78. To those who grew up in the area, it will probably always be "Highway 78." But as of a naming ceremony last fall, the divided highway running through North Mississippi to Birmingham is I-22.

Reminder: As noted in a reminder tweeted by DeSoto County Schools, remember that Friday, Feb. 12, is a school makeup day. But students will be off the following Monday, Feb. 15, for George Washington's birthday.
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Memphis City Council member Berlin Boyd and the city's and county's other African-American elected officials and entrepreneurs, along with women, have a right to be upset about African-American- and women-owned businesses not getting a fair shot at garnering government contracts.

The rest of the community also should be concerned that their tax dollars are not being spent equally in the purchasing of goods and services.

Still, we think Boyd's call for the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) of Memphis and Shelby County to temporarily suspend its tax incentive program while it works to complete a comprehensive plan to increase minority- and women-owned business participation is premature.

The EDGE board is in the midst of implementing changes to a local business participation program that would make minority participation in economic development projects a requirement.

While granting tax breaks has been controversial here, they are really the only economic development tool the community has to attract new business and their jobs, or retain businesses that already are here. Is it really wise to shut down this engine until the plan is completed? It is not.

Boyd's request comes on the heels of an independent study presented to the County Commission last week that showed businesses owned by white men received 88.32 percent of the contract dollars awarded by county government between 2012 and 2014. During that same period, businesses owned by African-Americans received 5.8 percent of the county's contracts, with businesses owned by white women receiving 5.15 percent.

Often African-American and women-owned businesses did not get contracts, although they were qualified to provide the service.

The disparity study, conducted by Mason Tillman Associates of Oakland, California, documented what already was known: African-Americans face discrimination in every aspect of Shelby County's purchasing process. A similar study by Memphis documented the same problem.

EDGE officials are well aware they have to do a better job of developing policies that increase opportunities for African-American, women and Hispanic entrepreneurs to succeed and grow. They are working on ways to do that. They should be allowed to continue those efforts while continuing to do the job they were created to do  attract jobs.
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J. William Townsend

Memphis

Do researchers Erin Grinshteyn and David Hemenway (U.S. gun homicides far exceed other nations, Feb. 4) know that 100 percent of all horse-related injuries occur among people who have contact with horses? I guess when the real data dont support your positions, you have to manipulate what you have so you can report something that does.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said truthfully that the citys gun homicides rose after Illinois was required to allow concealed carry. He did not say that in the same period, total homicides fell, as did other crimes.

Recently, the notorious Violence Policy Center said there were only 259 justifiable homicides involving a gun in 2012. On the other hand, professor Gary Kleck estimates there are 2.5 million instances of self-defense gun use in the U.S. annually. What the VPC doesnt want us to know is that most defensive gun uses dont result in shots being fired or even serious wounds, hence the disparity between what it reports and Klecks findings. Kleck also finds in other research that victims using guns have consistently lower injury rates than victims using other means of self-protection.

The preponderance of evidence so strongly supports gun rights that gun control supporters have to resort to vilification, lies and delusion to make any sort of case in their favor.
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By Clarence Page

Both President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush can say they have visited a mosque as president. Can you guess which one has gotten slammed for it by today's presidential candidates? Need a hint?

"Maybe he feels comfortable there," said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Ha. Ha. Yes, The Donald is implying the president is a Muslim, a myth so absurd yet so widely believed that even the president pokes fun at it. Humor can be an effective rejoinder to such idiocy, except to those who suffer from irony deficit disorder, a common malady on the extreme edges of politics. They can't take a joke.

Throughout his presidency Obama, a Christian, has pushed back against that Muslim myth and the equally false claim that he is not a naturally born American citizen. That claim was famously advanced without evidence by Trump, among others.

Asked more recently about it, Trump scoffed, saying he doesn't "talk about that anymore." Sure. He doesn't have to. Polls suggest a substantial number of Republicans, and even a few Democrats, think one or both of those canards are true. Some people believe what they want to believe with a rigor that no hard evidence to the contrary can penetrate.

Obama acknowledged that tangle of lies in good humor during his speech at the Islamic Center of Baltimore, a major house of worship and community service center in the town that calls itself "Charm City."

Even Thomas Jefferson, Obama noted, had also been accused of being a Muslim back in the polarized political atmosphere of his day.

Obama can relate. Calling Obama a Muslim has become a lifestyle choice for many folks, a way of announcing where you stand on today's political spectrum.

We have come to expect that sort of cynical birther fraud from Trump, who seldom lets facts get in the way of his cheap shots.

But it was deeply disappointing to hear Sen. Marco Rubio, usually a classier act, deliver a blow just as low as Trump's with higher-minded language. Without going full birther, Rubio on the evening after Obama spoke simply misrepresented what Obama said.

"He gave a speech at a mosque," Rubio said at a town hall meeting in Dover, New Hampshire, "basically implying that America is discriminating against Muslims. Of course there's discrimination in America, of every kind. But the bigger issue is radical Islam. ... This constant pitting people against each other, I can't stand that. It's hurting our country badly."

Say what? That wasn't what Obama said at all. Quite the opposite. Only in today's goofy political atmosphere can the president's call for unity be viewed as an instrument for division.

Yet, as much as Obama has been criticized by some for doing too much for Muslims, he has been slammed by others for doing too little.

The #TooLateObama hashtag streams with accusations of hypocrisy against Obama for "anti-Muslim policies" including his escalation of drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, even though media reports describe the identification of drone targets as "an imperfect best guess."

Still it is striking to compare the blowback Obama has received for visiting a mosque in his eighth year of office with the visit President Bush paid to a Washington mosque six days after the Sept. 11 terror attacks in 2001.

Standing with Islamic holy men, Bush spoke passionately against the harassment of Arabs, Muslims and Sikhs, who often are mistaken for Muslims. He also spoke about the need to respect Islam and fight those who try to hijack Islam for violent purposes.

Many Muslims and others have called on Obama to make a similarly public act of leadership and statesmanship. But Bush's speech came during a moment of unusual national unity, the aftermath of the biggest attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor.

Members of both parties in Congress stood together that week and sang "God Bless America" on the Capitol steps. A similar attack today would probably bring an impeachment bill from the president's right-wing opponents.

Sure, Obama should have stood up sooner against anti-Muslim discrimination. Still his voice of reason is welcome, even when it's late.

E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@tribune.com.
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By Leonard Pitts Jr.

Last month, a group of church friends held a town hall meeting in Brunswick, Ga. Their purpose is embodied in their name: Justice For Caroline Small.

Chances are, you've never heard of her.

She was a waitress, a mother of two girls, and a woman with mental health issues who was in and out of drug treatment programs for much of her life until she was killed by police in June 2010.

Her death was every bit as outrageous as those of Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray and Tamir Rice, but has received only a fraction of the attention.

Indeed, unless you live in Georgia or North Florida, you probably don't know her story. And you should. As told in news reports and a dash cam video, it goes like this:

A police officer responds to a call of a woman doing drugs in a parking lot. When he tells her to shut off the car, she takes off instead. A four-mile, low-speed chase ensues. It ends when a police car bumps her vehicle, spinning it to a stop.

With one police car sitting nose to nose, another on her passenger side, a utility pole behind her, a ditch on her left and all four tires gone, Small has nowhere to go. Still, she shifts into reverse and then forward, banging uselessly against the utility pole and the patrol car.

Police yell at her to get out. Instead, she tries again  back against the pole, forward, bumping the car. And Sgt. Corey Sasser and Officer Todd Simpson open fire, tattooing her windshield with .45 caliber rounds.

Afterward, they discuss their marksmanship.

"I hit her right in the face ... right on the bridge of the nose," says Sasser.

Simpson waves off a former EMT who approaches to render aid. "She's dead. I shot her in the head. Her head exploded."

In fact, Small died seven days later. Sasser and Simpson were cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury and by internal affairs. A civil suit was dismissed.

Justice for Caroline Small was formed last year after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a local ABC News affiliate investigated the shooting and found that police, seeking to protect their own, interfered with a supposedly "independent" probe, while the district attorney deferred to them at every step, essentially paving the way for the grand jury to clear the two officers.

Perhaps most damning: The investigation concludes police tampered with the crime scene and manufactured misleading evidence. Grand jurors were led to believe Small had room to maneuver her car and could have run the officers down. The dash cam video  search it online for yourself  proves the unarmed woman was hemmed in and posed no immediate threat.

So Justice for Caroline Small is calling for a new investigation of the shooting and a probe of the police department itself. In a nation that has come to think of the police shooting of unarmed people and the protests thereof as a black thing, they are an anomaly. Visit JusticeForCaroline.com and you will find, as one told a Journal-Constitution reporter, "old-time, white, middle-class people."

As such, they provide a wordless yet eloquent reminder that, although African-Americans bear the brunt of our unwillingness to demand accountability for police misbehavior, unchecked power ultimately has no racial loyalties. The refusal to understand that is a dangerous luxury none of us can afford.

As a member named Kay Allen told the Journal-Constitution, this shooting of a 35-year-old white woman "changes in some ways the way that you view the police and just thinking they are there to protect you. And it's kind of like, 'Well, maybe not. Maybe there's another side to things that we don't always know about.'"

It is the kind of dawning realization that often precedes enlightenment. In that sense, Justice For Caroline Small might be a small step toward justice for us all.

Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald. Contact him at lpitts@miamiherald.com.
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Hundreds of thousands of refugees streamed into Europe in 2015 from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries. Some estimates put the number at nearly a million.

The sheer volume of people overwhelmed European officials, who not only had to handle the volatile politics stemming from the crisis, but also had to find food, shelter and other necessities for the migrants.

Sweden, like many of its European Union counterparts, was taking in refugees. The Swedish Migration Board, which usually sees 2,500 asylum seekers in an average month, was accepting 10,000 per week.

"As you can imagine, with that number, it requires a lot of buses, food, registration capabilities to start processing all the cases and to accommodate all of those people," says Andres Delgado, head of operational control, coordination and analysis at the Swedish Migration Board.

Despite the dramatic spike in refugees coming into the country, the migration agency managed the intake  hiring extra staff, starting the process of procuring housing early, getting supplies ready. Delgado credits a good part of that success to his agency's use of big data and analytics that let him predict, with a high degree of accuracy, what was heading his way.

"Without having that capability, or looking at the tool every day, to assess every need, this would have crushed us. We wouldn't have survived this," Delgado says. "It would have been chaos, actually  nothing short of that."

The Swedish Migration Board has been using big data and analytics for several years, as it seeks to gain visibility into immigration trends and what those trends will mean for the country. Delgado says its Qlik Technologies analytics tools gave his agency, and Sweden, the ability to prepare for the rush of refugees in a way it couldn't have years ago.

Andres Delgado, Swedish Migration Board

"We [once] looked into the future with our back toward the horizon. That wasn't really a good form of control of the operations," Delgado says. "We wanted to turn around 180 degrees and look into the future. We got a tool that would give us the capability to gather information [and] process all this data and look into predictions of the upcoming year so we could be three or six months ahead in our planning."

The Swedish Migration Board's success in anticipating, and thus being able to prepare for, the refugee crisis of 2015 is impressive enough. But that's only the start of the story. The real story lies in what this agency and other humanitarian organizations are starting to do with big data and analytics. Like their corporate brethren, humanitarian and peace-building organizations are harnessing data to gain insight into the people and problems they're tasked with handling. And just like the for-profits, they're finding that their efforts are paying off.

Big data to the rescue

"Can big data give us peace? I think the short answer is we're starting to explore that. We're at the very early stages, where there are shining examples of little things here and there. But we're on that road," says Kalev H. Leetaru, creator of the GDELT Project, or the Global Database of Events, Language and Tone, which describes itself as a comprehensive "database of human society."

The topic is gaining traction. A 2013 report, "New Technology and the Prevention of Violence and Conflict," from the International Peace Institute, highlights uses of telecommunications technology, including data, in several crisis situations around the world. The report emphasizes the potential these technologies hold in helping to ease tensions and address problems.

[ Download this story and lots more in Computerworld's February digital magazine! ]

The report's conclusion offers this idea: "Big data can be used to identify patterns and signatures associated with conflict  and those associated with peace  presenting huge opportunities for better-informed efforts to prevent violence and conflict."

That's welcome news to Noel Dickover. He's the director of PeaceTech Data Networks at the PeaceTech Lab, which was created by the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) to advance USIP's work on how technology, media and data help reduce violent conflict around the world.

Such work is still in the nascent stages, Dickover says, but people are excited about its potential. "We have unprecedented amounts of data on human sentiment, and we know there's value there," he says. "The question is how to connect it."

Dickover is working on ways to do just that. One example is the Open Situation Room Exchange (OSRx) project, which aims to "empower greater collective impact in preventing or mitigating serious violent conflicts in particular arenas through collaboration and data-sharing."

Noel Dickover, PeaceTech Lab

The OSRx is a platform being developed to help peace-builders working on the ground, creating a framework for them to think about how data can be used effectively in their efforts to end conflicts in the short term and in the future.

According to the PeaceTech Lab's website, the OSRx will "provide the ability to find, collect, analyze, visualize and publish conflict related data" as well as connect local peace-builders with technology and technologists.

Dickover says the exchange is set to launch early this year with dashboards available for most countries around the world, providing information from social media as well as structured indexes, such as data sets on economic fragility, in areas around the world.

"The idea is to take the real-time information and almost forecast what can happen," he says. "And what's really impressive is we're going to make it publicly accessible. We're really looking to make this accessible for local peace-builders to use for their own campaigns and the work they're doing."

He points to a project in Myanmar (formerly Burma) as an example of how it can be used. The project has civic organizations working together to monitor hate speech with the goal of taking countermeasures before belligerent discourse spins out of control into actual violence. The organizations learned how to use technologies, including big data and analytics tools, to scout for and analyze incidents of inflammatory speech so they could mobilize teams to take action  such as flooding social media with more positive messages.

This involves much more than simply watching for offensive Facebook posts. The project takes in reams of data, mostly from locally generated and publicly accessible online social media sources, and feeds it into an artificial intelligence engine. This process will help the system develop and fine-tune the algorithms that will analyze data.

"It will create the monitoring tool that [people] can then use to take action," Dickover says.

Influencing the future

The ability to do what Dickover describes is far from wishful thinking. In fact, that goal mirrors what corporations and other types of organizations around the world are already doing with big data. Companies, healthcare agencies and others aren't just compiling information from numerous sources to understand what has happened in the past. They're using it to grasp what's happening right now, in real time, and  more importantly  what will likely happen in the future and how they can take advantage of future developments.

For example, leading-edge companies generally use big data and analytics to drive sales and lower costs by, for example, figuring out what promotions will get specific customers to buy their products.

Forward-thinking peace-builders and humanitarian organizations are beginning to talk in similar terms, discussing  at least in theory  how they can use information to determine likely future outcomes and then develop plans to affect those outcomes.

"Can we use predictive and prescriptive analytics? That's the ultimate goal," Dickover says.

But he and others say that's a long way off. There are, to be sure, huge obstacles to achieving such noble objectives. Members of this community struggle with collecting and organizing the right data in the right format for emerging analytics initiatives. They also have a hard time getting required resources, whether it's identifying the best technologies for their needs or finding the money to pay for the technology and talent that can help them achieve their goals. And they strain to understand how to best use the data and analysis they can get, as they weigh whether empowering local efforts is more effective than arming high-ranking policymakers.

Those challenges are parallel to the ones that for-profit organizations face, Leetaru says. But just as those challenges aren't deterring corporations from pushing forward with their analytics programs, he says, they shouldn't stop peace-building and humanitarian groups either.

Kalev H. Leetaru, the GDELT project

"I see interest all around the world in leveraging this technology. There's phenomenal interest," Leetaru says.

Still, he and others are realistic. This community generally has fewer resources  money and personnel  than businesses do, and that makes it harder to push forward. Additionally, the data that nonprofit organizations need  data gathered from and about individuals and groups in developing countries where conflicts tend to be more likely  isn't being generated or collected at anywhere near the same rate as commercial data is in the Western world.

Leetaru is trying to change that. GDELT monitors print, broadcast and Web news media around the world, in more than 100 languages, every moment of every day. Its collection spans from Jan. 1, 1979, to the present day, with daily updates. And it's available for organizations and individuals to use to gain insight into the circumstances that shape events.

"If we can create a live catalog of everything on Earth, that increases awareness  it gives voice to people around the world," Leetaru says.

For now, data-driven projects tend to be more targeted.

Take, for example, some of the initiatives run by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

The agency is analyzing geospatial data, satellite imagery and other information to identify regions of the world where unsustainable uses of water (such as fish farming) are common, so it can advocate for changes that will head off droughts, says Craig Jolley, an AAAS science and technology policy fellow at USAID.

He also cites USAID's work with Pakistani power companies to install smart meters and then analyze usage patterns to help better manage electric capacity and avoid energy shortages and blackouts that can feed into civil unrest.

Eric King, a specialist on humanitarian work and IT at USAID, says that as more data is collected from around the world, the potential to run additional projects such as these becomes possible. But, like others in the field, he stresses that the work is in its infancy.

He also points out that while big data and analytics, like all other technologies, can help foster change, they have their limits. It's best to be realistic in that regard  and remember that they're just tools to help people be more effective.

"Technology is far from a panacea," King says. "People will be the ones to solve these problems, but the technology will help them do it. Technology is really helping the people who are working on these problems on the ground do their job better."
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the layoff and replacement of IT workers at a state energy utility.

Approximately 200 IT workers at Northeast Utilities (now called Eversource Energy) lost their jobs in 2014. It happened after the firm brought in two India-based IT services firms. Some of the IT workers reported training foreign replacements. The IT firms, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, are major users of H-1B visa workers.

This incident might have faded away by now, but new details gave rise to Blumenthal's letter.

Although it has been long known that the utility's severance included a non-disparagement clause, the specific wording has never been public until Computerworld published it last week. This clause bars discussion "that would tend to disparage or discredit" the utility [emphasis added].

Computerworld also published a photograph of a row of American flags in the IT department. The flags were a means of protesting the replacement of U.S. workers, something that visualized employees' emotional response to this action.

In letters released Friday, Blumenthal says he is "outraged" by the replacement of U.S. IT workers. He also called it "shocking."

In a letter to Thomas May, the CEO of Eversource, Blumenthal called the non-disparagement provision "an effective gag order" keeping workers from "speaking openly about their experiences, and further smacks of intimidation and maltreatment of your workforce."

Blumenthal said he "demands" that Eversource clarify that the non-disparagement clause "does not prevent them [former employees] from stating honestly what happened to them -- and that you will not threaten any of them with litigation if they choose to discuss their experiences with me, my staff, or with other government officials."

In the letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Blumenthal is asking the Department of Justice to review whether the utility has violated the law.

Blumenthal wrote: "The statute and regulations governing certain nonimmigrant worker visa programs, like the H-1B program, require employers utilizing the visas in many cases to attest that they offered the job to qualified American applicants and sought to avoid the displacement of American workers. In light of the fact that at least some of the workers laid off by Eversource were coerced into training their replacements, it seems highly possible that the company's behavior in this matter violated its legal obligations."

The U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Justice were asked last spring by 10 senators, including Blumenthal, to investigate Tata and Infosys following similar layoffs at Southern California Edison. But that effort went nowhere.

The Department of Labor said last week, in a statement to Computerworld, that the investigations into Tata and Infosys are concluded. The investigations may have been completed early last fall.

"Infosys and Tata are H-1B dependent employers; however, they were found to have only hired H-1B exempt workers," a Labor spokesman said in an email. "Therefore, the displacement and recruitment provisions do not apply to any of the H-1B applications examined and no violations were found."

Companies that are heavy users (dependent firms) of H-1B visa workers can get around requirements that they have not displaced a U.S. worker if the visa worker is paid at least $60,000 in annual wages, or has a master's or higher degree.

The $60,000 wage is no barrier at all. That threshold is well short of a minimum IT wage in Connecticut, and the East and West Coast generally. For instance, the lowest prevailing wage for an entry-level systems analyst in central Connecticut is $68,000.

It's unknown whether Blumenthal's letter will prod the Department of Justice to do anything. The department has the ability to look at whether discrimination issues were involved in IT worker displacements. The DOJ will not comment, as a matter of policy, about whether it is investigating something or not.

Blumenthal's letter to Eversource's May included a long list of information demands, including "a description of the skillset that nonimmigrant workers brought to Northeast Utilities from 2010-2014 that Northeast Utilities was unable to obtain by hiring U.S. workers."

One Eversource IT worker who was laid off wrote the following email in response to Blumenthal's action. The person's name is not used because of the non-disparagement agreement.

"In light of Sen. Blumenthal's recent letter to Tom May, former and current Eversource employees are relieved that Tom May is finally under scrutiny, but sadly, feel a sense of discouragement. Eversource has a very large in-house legal team and an active Political Action Committee in Washington. 'We'll be lucky if he gets his hands slapped,' one person said. 'Where was everyone two years ago when this was happening? It's too late now.' "

The former worker went on to write: "It's sad to see them feel so browbeaten. Most of them feel the system is rigged in favor of the billion-dollar company whose pockets are far reaching."

"This time, Eversource employees hope lawmakers are sincerely concerned with halting this type of abuse and are willing to come forward if they can without fear of litigation by Eversource," the employee wrote.

The former employees say what happened to them represents indifference and greed.

May received a $1.3 million pay raise in 2014, a 17% increase, the Boston Globe reported last year.

An Eversource spokesman said the firm would not make any comments beyond the one it made last week. At that time, the company said, "These are private arrangements between affected employees and our company that were made more than two years ago during a period of transition and change in support of our merger. We have successfully moved on to form a new organization focused on providing superior service and value to our customers."
While some people were enjoying Super Bowl 50, hackers brought the pain to the Department of Home Security by dumping a directory of over 9,000 DHS employee names, email addresses, locations, telephone numbers and titles such as DHS PRISM Support. The same Twitter account announced plans to leak data of 20,000 FBI employees  including those who work outside of the US.

The hacker claimed to have downloaded hundreds of gigbytes of data from a Department of Justice computer. The unnamed hacker also told Motherboard that the data was obtained after compromising a DOJ employees email account, which is what the he used to contact the reporter. The email account wasnt enough to access a DOJ web portal, but the hacker called the relevant department, social engineered his way in, and gained access to databases via a DOJ intranet.

So I called up, told them I was new and I didn't understand how to get past [the portal], the hacker told Motherboards Joseph Cox. They asked if I had a token code, I said no, they said that's finejust use our one.

The hacker says he then logged in, clicked on a link to a personal computer which took him to an online virtual machine, and entered in the credentials of the already hacked email account. After this, the hacker was presented with the option of three different computers to access, he claimed, and one was the work machine of the person behind the originally hacked email account. I clicked on it and I had full access to the computer, the hacker said. Here the hacker could access the user's documents, as well as other documents on the local network.

The hacker claimed to have downloaded 200GB of data, although he allegedly had access to 1TB of data. Regarding the DHS employee directory, it contains all manner of directors, managers, specialists, analysts, intelligence staff members and more. Among the over 9,000 titles, some were a surprise such as DHS PRISM Support mentioned previously.

When Motherboard was trying to vet the data, Cox spoke with Homeland Securitys National Operations Center; the reporters call was the first NOC had heard about the leak. The hackers claim it took DOJ a week before the agency realized it had been breached.

The Homeland Security staff directory posted on CryptoBin begins with a message that states, This is for Palestine, Ramallah, West Bank, Gaza, This is for the child that is searching for an answer.

If tweets from @DotGovs are accurate, then the hackers plan to dump a directory of 20,000 FBI employees today.
DO YOU have a Boulevard Aristide-Briand near you? Or do you send your child to school in a Jules-Ferry or a lycee Emile Combes? If so, you are already familiar with key names in the construction of the French Republic.

Between them, these three politicians were responsible for free state schooling, obligatory education for girls and the rock of state neutrality towards religion on which la Republique is built: the principle of laicite.

The term is very much in the news, with a new laicite charter being introduced into schools this autumn alongside classes in morale laique. Presenting the charter, Minister for Education Vincent Peillon explained: Everyone is free to have his own opinions but no one has the right to contest teaching content or miss a class in the name of religious precepts.

Public debate over the Muslim community in France pops up in the news regularly and is nearly always related in one way or another to perceived challenges to this element of the Constitution. Peillons remarks refer also to repeated evangelist pressure to alter class content, in particular regarding the theory of evolution. A recent example was the proposal to swap two Christian holidays with Jewish and Muslim ones: confusing whether France was secular or multi-religious.

Left and Right politicians often unite to initiate laws to protect laicite. Once the source of conflict with the Catholic Right over private education funding, the principle, an important element in the integration process, regularly generates ill feeling these days among extremist sectors of the Muslim community. That is why, a century after the original 1905 law, several new laws have been passed to protect it.

First, a few explanations. Laicite does not translate well. Secularity is close but confusing. Laicite is not easy to define either. It has evolved over two centuries and is evolving still. The concept was born of the Revolution, which guaranteed freedom of conscience to all and first separated State and Church.

Napoleon backtracked, signing a concordat with the Vatican in 1801 that was to poison Church-State relations during the 19th century and put laicite on the back burner for much of it. (For historical reasons, this concordat still applies in Alsace and Moselle.)

Having been suppressed by the Vichy regime (along with liberte, egalite, fraternite  without which laicite could not function), the principle was cast in the constitution of the Fourth Republic in 1946  the State is indivisible, laic, democratic and social  and remains firmly in that of todays Fifth.

To understand the concept is to go a long way towards understanding the French. Maybe it could be defined as their permanent search for a delicate balance between sharing what they all hold in common, the Republic, and catering for diversity.

It is the principle that protects both personal and collective liberty and, as such, is the responsibility of both State and citizen. The indivisibility of the State is the States refusal to recognise any religious or ethnic community. France is one. There are two major dates in the history of laicite: 1881 and 1905. In 1881-82, Minister of Education Jules Ferry decreed school to be publique, gratuite et laique  state-run, free and non-clerical.

Teaching in French to a national programme provided children, whatever their linguistic background or beliefs, with the theoretical possibility of equal opportunity.

It created a framework in which adults could bring no pressure to bear on pupils to adhere to any philosophy, religion or political idea. That remains the basis of the French educational system today.

The 1905 law, engineered by Emile Combes and Aristide Briand, enforced the neutrality of the State and State institutions through the separation of the Churches and the State. Since that date, the State recognises no religion and therefore cannot directly fund any either.

If the same law grants the individual total liberty and privacy regarding beliefs, there is one condition: they must not disturb public order.

Given the repeated trauma that religion has caused in Frances recent history  from the Wars of Religion to the expulsion of the Huguenots and the Dreyfus affair  this means no proselytising and nothing that could be remotely interpreted as such.

It also explains why, in France, religious belief is far more than a private matter. Things spiritual belong to the realm of intimacy. It is extremely unusual to see anyone wearing any conspicuous religious symbol in public. To do so is perceived as a deliberate act, a message to others.

It is unthinkable to ask someone what their religion is and most people will be frankly embarrassed by anyone saying what theirs is. When Nicolas Sarkozy publicly announced he had appointed Frances first Muslim prefect, he sent shockwaves throughout the land.

Knowing this helps in understanding intense French reaction to young girls wearing veils. It is seen not only as an unacceptable way of bringing religion into the public sphere, but also a form of peer pressure on other girls to do the same. Which takes us back to Jules Ferry and neutrality in the classroom.

This insistence on the privacy of beliefs was of course also reinforced after World War II by the fate of Frances Jews under the Vichy regime, and the obligation to publicly show their religion by wearing the yellow star. As a result of the trauma of State responsibility in their deportation and extermination, no statistics may be made regarding peoples religious beliefs, ethnic origin or colour.

All citizens are not only equal, but remain neutral in the eyes of the State.

The mosque debate

The 1905 law was finally well accepted by both Catholic and Protestant churches in France, who benefited financially when the State handed existing buildings and their costly maintenance over to local authorities. But the State cannot fund new religious buildings.

Hence the mosque-building debate and recent legislation allowing local authorities to contribute. For with generous donations from Saudi Arabia and Muslim foundations abroad pouring in, the inherent risk of encouraging fundamentalist movements to develop in France is obvious.

Under the Nicolas Sarkozy government, the training of imams in France to Republican principles was considered.

But the State cannot finance religious education either. The impasse has been paradoxically circumvented by the Catholic University offering courses, and Algerian imams due to work in France being trained in French and laicite at the government-funded Institut Francais in Algiers.

Conspicuous symbols and full-face veils

After a number of potentially inflammatory cases in which some schools were confronted with Muslim girls wearing Islamic headscarves, legislation was passed in 2004 banning the wearing of any conspicuous religious symbol or sign in state schools. Never specifically aimed at the Muslim community (kippas, large crosses and Sikh turbans fall under the same category), the new law, despite fears it would be perceived as discriminatory and arouse further reaction, had the almost immediate effect of calming the situation, though some veiled Muslim girls and turbaned Sikhs found their way to private schools.

But this legislated solely for public schools, not privately run establishments. In March of this year, Fatima Afif, an employee dismissed in 2008 from the privately run Baby Loup creche in the Yvelines for refusing to remove her headscarf, won on appeal for wrongful dismissal on the grounds of religious discrimination.

New legislation is now under consideration to cover pre-school structures and religious symbols in the workplace, none of which are currently covered by law.

When, in late July, a police officer in the town of Trappes stopped a fully veiled young women for an ID check in the middle of Ramadan, he did not know he was unleashing days of rioting. But Cassandra, 22, was not infringing any law on laicite. This time it was the one against dissimulating the face in the public sphere, put into effect by the Sarkozy government in 2011.

Introduced ostensibly as anti-terrorism legislation, many felt its real purpose was more anti-veil. In fact, the number of women in France wearing the niqab is extremely small, and the number of women fined likewise.

Laicite with an adjective

The latest solution of Frances politicians to calm the debate has been to add adjectives. Sarkozy invented laicite positive, in which the government took into account the existence of religious groups in France.

He created a representative Muslim council, through which to address the Muslim community in France. Representative of only a portion of Frances Muslims, many of whom are non-practising, it has created more problems than it has solved.

The Hollande government has coined laicite apaisee, a low-profile approach in which negotiation would replace legislation as the best way of winning over those who regard the principle with suspicion.

True laicistes believe the principle cannot survive any moderating tags. It must exist alone.

Universities oppose campus headscarf ban proposal

In early August, Le Monde published a report signed by members of the Haut Comite de lIntegration (HCI), a body no longer briefed to deal with laicite since the creation of a separate mission last April. It called for a Muslim headscarf ban in universities.

Government replies were swift but hardly in unison. Minister of the Interior Manuel Valls stated evasively that the subject needed to be considered, while Genevieve Fioraso, Minister for Higher Education, warned that we should avoid problems where there are none.

For Gerard Blanchard, president of La Rochelle University, and vice-president of the national CPU, Conference des Presidents dUniversite, laicite is not an issue on his campus or anywhere in France. We have 14% foreign students in La Rochelle, mostly from South East Asia, and we only ask women students to take off their veils in science laboratories, for safety reasons. That has never posed a problem.

The University Presidents Conference has issued a public statement against any specific university ban. For Blanchard, the over-mediatised debate that burst upon us mid-summer is without foundation. He is adamant that he has never had a complaint from a teacher. An environmentalist, he is far more concerned by pressure that could be brought on teachers to introduce non-scientific versions of the origins of the universe into the syllabus. No university teacher should ever have to submit to any pressure on the content of his teaching.

Jean-Loup Salzmann, president of the CPU, and president of Paris XIII, in the heart of Seine- Saint-Denis, one of the most multi-cultural universities in France, firmly believes in laicite, but sees no need for new laws on the campus. His main concern is elsewhere. He is angered by the incongruity of the State promoting laicite on the one hand, while financing the Catholic universities on the other.

Expressing a personal opinion, he said: The main issue for these young Muslim women, who have enough problems coping with family pressure, is to achieve independence and emancipation through their studies, whether they wear a veil or not. An anti-veil law would achieve the opposite of what we want. Many of these women would then not have access to university at all.

How the principle of laicite is applied today

NICOLAS Cadene, chairman of the Observatoire de la Laicite, a watchdog committee created last April by President Francois Hollande to report on how the principle of laicite is applied in France today, spoke to Connexion.

Can you define this difficult concept for our readers?

Laicite is a principle which allows us all to live together. It is not a ban on religion or religious practices. On the contrary, it guarantees believers and non-believers alike the freedom to express themselves, to practise or not to practise a religion as they choose, on condition that public order is not disturbed. The State adopts an attitude of total impartiality towards citizens, who are all equal in the eyes of the State.

Do the current religious bank holidays not favour one religious group?

Christian festivals have, for the majority, become traditional holidays with little religious significance. Still, the State does not want to be seen as favouring one religion over another. In 1905, there was no Muslim population. But I dont think this poses a real problem. Employees can use their RTT (recuperation of unpaid overtime in the form of days off) as they wish. The Stasi Commission (set up by President Jacques Chirac in 2003) went a long way towards identifying issues in the workplace. We shall build on that.

The conspicuous religious symbols ban was seen as directed only at women. Is that not a form of discrimination?

If people set out to present themselves in a way which is obviously a proselytising or a provocative attitude, that is not acceptable. It is not so much what people wear or their physical appearance, as the reason behind the choice. This is one of the subjects we shall be working on.

Islam has no clerical hierarchy. Isnt the laicite legislation trying to apply to individuals a law aimed at an institution? Doesnt the 1905 law need to be adapted?

Not at all. The principle enables us all to live together. But, of course, we must avoid situations in which one group feels stigmatised by the law. That is one of our major subjects of reflexion. But there is no question of adapting the principle to new circumstances. It is one of bringing people to understand that laicite is not a ban on religious practice but a system of personal freedom and helping them to adapt to the principle.

There has been talk in the press over banning the Islamic headscarf at university. [The full-face veil is already banned anywhere in public].

The State has a duty to protect minors from any form of ideological persuasion, hence the headscarf ban in schools. University is a world of adults. But the Republic has a duty to protect its citizens against the dangers of extremism. Some people attribute to laicite powers it simply does not have. There is an urgent need for strong political action, at state and local level, in order to resolve the many problems the threat of extremism has brought to certain sectors of society.

The Observatoire has published its first report, a history and background to the concept. What else has it achieved?

We helped draw up two important documents: the laicite charter and the syllabus for non-religious morality for schools. Both take effect this year. In addition, our report has pinpointed situations needing close attention in public administrations and local authorities (non-Metropolitan France included), as well as in the private sector.

How do you see your work developing?

We need a better definition of laicite that reiterates the States position of neutrality and is more clearly understood by all, in France and at an international level. We are drawing up guidelines for the application of laicite and religious practice in the workplace, and in the wake of the Baby Loup issue [see main article], for pre-school structures. We must show people how to react to situations. Overreaction is one of the major problems we face, when so much could be achieved by negotiation and taking things calmly.
Nadhim Zahawi is a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and MP for Stratford On Avon.

For the vast majority of the time the Conservatives have been in Government since 2010, the political narrative has been about dealing with the deficit, turning our economy around and getting people back into work.

This is a classic Conservative story. Whenever Labour get into power, they spend everyones money  not just the rich  then they run out and dont know what to do next. The Conservatives come in, clean everything up, and put the country back on the right track. This has been how the two parties have been viewed for many years, and its stuck around because, historically, it has been largely true. You can vote Conservative when you need a mess sorted out. You vote Labour when the country is able to be, well a bit nicer.

Labour have enjoyed talking about typical Tories and the return of the nasty party as weve set about creating a more efficient Government machine, in response to the public finance disaster they left behind. But any proper analysis of what weve done in Government shows that we have moved past being constrained by these traditional roles.

There has been a real desire to fix deep social problems, a desire to expand opportunity and a desire make Britain greater for all her people. Now, I know that therell be some committed members of the nice Labour Party (perhaps one of those who supported Jeremy Corbyns kinder, gentler politics) who may well accidentally read this piece, and decide that this is the moment to go on Twitter and inform me that Im Tory Scum. But Id urge you to hold fire a moment, Comrade! Because, this isnt a Conservative in sheeps clothing, putting on the coat of social justice at election time. Perhaps we should consider what the two parties have done these last six years.

My party introduced gay marriage, meaning anyone can express their love and build a family. While it was a coalition policy, it would never have got anywhere without the support of the Prime Minister. Although this law has quickly become normality and an accepted part of life, it should be remembered what a historic achievement this was.

Another great achievement has been the vastly increased employment, on a scale not seen anywhere else in the world, providing families with a pay cheque and the pride of work. It is this Government that is introducing a National Living Wage, to help make work pay, especially for those on the lowest wages. Labour now argue it is not enough, but it is higher than that promised in their 2015 manifesto. This is on top of huge increases to the personal allowance, ensuring those that work get to keep more of their hard earned money.

We have reformed schools, despite Labour complaints on behalf of the Unions, but now more than a million more children are being taught in good or outstanding schools  a million more children getting a better education, and a better chance in life.

We are going to provide three million apprenticeships on top of the 2.3 million during the last Parliament; 3 million opportunities to increase skills while doing a real job, earning a wage and contributing to a business. We have uncapped university places, meaning that the best universities can provide places to anyone whos good enough to go there. Despite campaigns against tuition fees and maintenance loans, were increasing the maintenance available to those from the poorest backgrounds, and more people from disadvantaged families are applying for university than ever before.

The Prime Minister has also had racial inequality firmly in his sights. He has appointed the Labour MP, David Lammy, to lead an equality investigation for the Ministry of Justice. He has told universities to have name-blind admissions, and publish what proportion of ethnic minorities get places. He has reached out to Muslim communities and provided funding for women to learn English, and become better integrated into society.

These policies are all part of our goal to increase opportunity, whoever you are, wherever you come from, whatever you want to do or be. We want to make education at all levels better and more open, then make sure that there is a good career open to you, and most of all we want to ensure that you are not arbitrarily held back because of the colour of your skin, your sexuality or your religious beliefs.

It is undeniable that the Government has made, and is making, real progress in righting social wrongs. Our party cares about these issues, and my Parliamentary colleagues that talk about them are themselves from all backgrounds, races, classes, sexualities and religions, north and south. This is a party that not just fights for a modern Britain, but reflects it too. No wonder that, while still not enough, the number of ethnic minorities voting Conservative doubled from 2010 to 2015.

What is Labours response? Well, they would rather argue with themselves about Trident, NATO, union strikes and only come together to oppose every change to the welfare system we make. At PMQs last month, Corbyn opposed the policy to regenerate sink estates, and improve lives for those that live there. I cannot improve on what the Prime Minister said in response:

Theyve got absolutely nothing to say about people trapped in housing estates, who want a better start in their life. Who here is the small c conservative, who is saying to people, stay stuck in your sink estates that is the fact of politics today  a Conservative Government who want to give people life chances, and a Labour Opposition who say stay stuck in poverty.

Our party must retain its reputation for economic prudence, but while doing this we can fight social injustice too. If we succeed, then more and more people will think: whats the point of the Labour Party?
First, the Prime Minister plugged the draft EU deal for the TV cameras before hed made a statement to the Commons, evoking fury from Iain Duncan Smith, according to reports.

Now he claims that Brexit would cause France to bar British officials from Calais, where they currently make border checks. I look at both sides of the argument here, but they are beside the point.

Which is: David Cameron has not agreed a deal with other EU leaders (only a draft). It follows that since there is no deal to recommend to voters, the Government has not formally decided to recommend that Britain should remain in the EU. On paper, the Prime Ministers position still is that he rules nothing out.

You will doubtless reply that this is a nonsense, because he has already made up his mind. And you will be right. In which case he is in breach of his own and the Governments position by campaigning for Remain as he is.

So on the one hand, he is making the case for Remain. On the other, pro-Brexit Cabinet Ministers are barred for making the case for Leave. This is a flagrant double standard  given that Cameron has conceded the principle of Ministers with both views being free to state them.

In short, he is breaking a truce that he himself has imposed. So since he is entering the fray himself, he cant reasonably object if others with different views do so too.

Whether their means are an article (Chris Graylings), an interview (John Whittingdales) or briefing (clearly, Duncan Smiths), they should find means of making their views known.

Above all, they should not allow the screens and airwaves to be filled, during the gap between the Prime Minister striking a deal and the Cabinet meeting that will follow, by the usual claims of an eyeball to eyeball row followed by the near-collapse of talks followed by concessions followed by game, set and match to Cameron followed by a win for Britain. He will want to roll the pitch of the referendum campaign for Remain. To follow through their Leave view they will have to try to stop him. So they will have to move  and fast.
Like just about every other truly prominent Conservative figure at the moment, everything Boris does is seen through the lens of his ambition to secure the leadership. Currently, the microscope is trained on his decision on the EU referendum: in the words of The Clash, should he stay or should he go? (Incidentally, a video of Boris singing that song at karaoke would stand a good chance of raising even more money than tonights Black and White Ball.)

Its a speculation game that the Mayor is doing nothing at all to discourage. His latest Telegraph column is a particularly artful example of the EU fan dance which he likes to perform  leaving the audience with the titillating impression that they might have caught a glimpse of bare skin, without ever being quite certain that they did.

For all this flirtation with a Leave vote, Boris is not a natural Brexiteer. He grew up in the belly of the beast  for much of his youth, his father worked for the European Commission or served as an MEP  and many of his family and friends continue to pull him in a pro-EU direction.

But a by-product of this personal embedding in the Brussels machine is that he understands it a lot better than many other politicians. He knows its absurdities and its corrupt distortions, an insight sharpened by his time spent as the Telegraphs correspondent out there during the turbulent Maastricht years. As a result, he has an ability to dissect its machinations in detail, subjecting the Prime Minister to a calculated torture. (He might be too good at this  as James Kirkup notes, if his intention is to extract concessions from Cameron before backing Remain then he is at risk of over-reaching and making it too painful for himself to backtrack later on.)

To a degree, his antics on this topic are better explained by his character than by his views. As my colleague Andrew Gimson notes in his biography, he revelled in the chaos he caused by writing about the EU  in 2003 the man himself gleefully recounted his role in the Danes rejection of the Maastricht Treaty. Of his years covering the EU beat, he wrote:

Day after day, I would sit in my wonderful office in Brussels, looking out at the ponds, and I would marvel, in a horrified way, at the impact of news from Brussels. It was like chucking a crust into the water, and watching the fish boil and thrash to get it.

That temptation to cause trouble for troubles sake, to observe and enjoy the effect of those liberally distributed crusts, has a powerful pull for the Mayor in addition to any strategic benefit he may perceive in doing so. The risk for him is that by stirring up speculation that he might support a Leave vote, the disappointment should he eventually back Remain will alienate people who might otherwise have supported him.
The roots of the Conservative Party reach back to the era when MPs sat in the Tory interest without the support of any party members at all. Is the wheel turning full circle?

On the surface, all is well  or not bad, at any rate. According to CCHQ, party membership is rising again (though it has halved since 2005). So is conference attendance. A brilliantly targeted election campaign snatched victory last May from the jaws of a hung Parliament. The Conservatives remain the best-represented party in English local government. Stephen Crabb is helping to lead a revival in Wales, as is Ruth Davidson in Scotland, from a lower base.

But once one peers past the sparkling exterior paintwork, the houses interior looks shabby and its foundations vulnerable. The presumption must be that any membership growth is concentrated in the part of England in which it is strongest  the prosperous South-East  and not in the Midlands and Northern marginals which the party must win and hold in 2020.

Indeed, there are no Conservative seats in such non-Southern cities as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester and Coventry (though there have been within living memory, and are still some on the edges of some of these cities). There are few Tory councillors in these conurbations, and none at all in some cases. Read Lewis Bastons piece on this site chronicling the loss of inner surburban areas.

Even in the South-East, not all Associations are healthy. The real significance of the RoadTrip 2015 controversy is that membership in some Associations cant manage a full canvass or delivery: no wonder CCHQ welcomed Mark Clarke and his offer of busloads of young activists like a long-lost son. For better or worse, the burden and cost of fighting a campaign falls increasingly on the shoulders of the candidate himself.

The Conservative Party has always attracted more than its fair share of the career-minded young and the public-spirited old. What is missing is the tranche in between: the mass of people of working age who saw themselves as having a stake in what was once called the Conservative interest. Their falling-away is part of a bigger tale of the erosion of traditional parties and the rise of outsider insurgents: Trump, Sanders, Farage, Le Pen.

Jeremy Corbyns Labour leadership win and the evisceration of the Blairites is a sign that no triumph lasts forever, and that even the most established parties are now exposed to the asteroid-strike of popular revolt. There are two extreme responses to this hollowing-out: an exclusive stress on growth from the bottom-up, with its potential for extremist capture, or to run the party from the top down through centralised control.

David Cameron has gone for the latter in three key respects. First, party conference has been transformed from a discussion form for members into a corporate event for lobbyists. It has been moved from affordable seaside towns to expensive big cities, with a consequent drop-off of less well-off activists. There is little debate inside the conference hall itself; most of the real action takes place on the fringe.

Second, candidate selection in winnable seats is increasingly shaped not by the local Associations who must work with the person chosen, but by CCHQ. If the Association selects itself, members in safe seats arent allowed to know who the candidates are before turning up to the final selection. If an Open Primary does, the Association loses the one remaining power it has: to select its own candidate. This may be right but it gets nothing in return.

According to Nick Timothy, our columist and a former senior SpAd to Theresa May, safe seats are treated as baubles to be handed out as a form of patronage. The costs of being a candidate  41,000 even ten years ago  plus the shrivelled status of being an MP are leading to a higher turnover: nine first-timers stood down in 2010. That in turn boosts the power of the centre, as will seats that cross county boundaries and more frequent boundary reviews.

Third, CCHQ itself has been turned into a branch office of Downing Street. The Chairman is no longer a senior MP with standing in his own right, such as Cecil Parkinson, Norman Tebbit, Kenneth Baker or Chris Patten. Not so long ago, its function was to balance a focus on the short-term (winning the next election) with one on the long (building up support among ethnic minority voters, students, business, the professions, and so on).

The lack of oversight of Conservative Future revealed by the RoadTrip 2015 row was an indication of how unbalanced CCHQ has now become. I will avoid getting into the controversies about Lords appointments and Ministerial promotions, partly because MPs invariably complain about not getting promoted. But there can be no doubt that, when it comes to appointments, the Whips have less sway than they used to and the Chancellor has more.

The Daily Telegraph is running a lively campaign portraying local Associations in uproar about the Prime Ministers remarks last week. However, an examination of the facts suggest that although there may be unease there is no revolt. Many activists will believe that the leadership does not view them as swivel-eyed loons. Others will think it does, but shrug their shoulders.

A leadership election will take place in less than four years. It will provide an opportunity for the candidates to set out their view of the future of the party as well as that of the country (and so it should: after all, members will be electing a Party leader). During the coming months, ConservativeHome will draw up a Charter for Party Reform, and put it to those candidates when the election comes.

This week, we are having a trial run of five ideas  all of which have received significant if not majority support from this sites Party member readers. The first is electing the Chairman of the Party Board. We will in due course also be asking the sites readers to write in with theirs. In the meanwhile, the Feldman Review is due to report soon. Senior Party members were briefed about them in London on Saturday.
02/08/2016

For years, traffic deaths have been declining steadily as cars become more crashworthy and enforcement of drunken driving laws have been ramped up. But that all came to a screeching halt last year, with traffic deaths showing a steep 9.3% increase in the first nine months of 2015.

NHTSA estimates that more than 26,000 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of 2015, compared to the 23,796 fatalities in the first nine months of 2014. U.S. regions nationwide showed increases ranging from 2% to 20%, and federal safety regulators blame driver behavior.

Its time to drive behavioral changes in traffic safety and that means taking on new initiatives and addressing persistent issues like drunk driving and failure to wear seat belts, said Dr. Mark Rosekind, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Could do more

But safety advocates say the NHTSA and other federal agencies could be doing much more to reduce the toll of highway deaths and injuries.

One group, AnnaLeaha and Mary for Truck Safety, is promoting a petition asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to declare a Vision Zero policy aimed at reducing traffic fatalities to zero. The group says it has gathered nearly 16,000 signatures so far and plans to present them to the department at a meeting on March 4.

The organization is named for two sisters, AnnaLeaha and Mary Karth, who died when their car was hit by a semi-trailer truck in May 2013 during a traffic back-up on a Georgia highway. The family alleges the truck driver had been behind the wheel for too many hours when he struck their car, which ended up beneath the trailer of the truck, which the family says did not have adequate "underride" protection.

In December, the NHTSA proposed tougher underride regulations that would require stronger rear-impact guards on trailers and semi-trailers to keep cars from ending up under trailers, a circumstance that often causes death by decapitation.

While laudable, the proposal came decades after safety advocates had begun asking for it. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had been asking the NHTSA for a stronger underride standard since 2001, after testing bars on trailers built by three companies to federal standards. Cars with crash-test dummies slammed into the bars, which buckled or broke in several tests. The trailers often broke through the windshields.

50 years

The NHTSA's parent agency, the U.S. Department of Transportation, is currently marking its 50th anniversary and has been spending taxpayer money to congratulate itself for its safety efforts, even though the NHTSA receives only 2% of the department's annual budget. Critics say the NHTSA is notoriously slow to identify safety defects and act on them, as demonstrated by the years that went by before fire-prone Jeep Cherokees were finally recalled.

Safety advocates note that 2 million Americans have lost their lives in traffic accidents during the 50 years that Transportation Department has been in charge of highway safety.

"Crash victims might judge their record differently in light of the enormous number of tragedies they presided over and did not prevent," said Louis Lombardo of Care for Crash Victims.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says he recognizes the unexpected spike in 2015 deaths is a signal that more needs to be done. His department is holding a series of "safety summits" beginning today in Sacramento, hoping the summits will "provide us with new approaches to add to the tried-and-true tactics that we know save lives.

Foxx says it's clear that "unsafe behaviors and human choices ... contribute to increasing traffic deaths on a national scale." He quotes the NHTSA research as showing that human factors contribute to 94% of crashes.

Red flags

Were seeing red flags across the U.S. and were not waiting for the situation to develop further, said Dr. Mark Rosekind, NHTSA Administrator. Its time to drive behavioral changes in traffic safety and that means taking on new initiatives and addressing persistent issues like drunk driving and failure to wear seat belts.

Rosekind notes the estimated 2015 increase in highway deaths follows years of steady, gradual declines. Traffic deaths declined 1.2% in 2014 and more than 22% from 2000 to 2014.

The safety summits will address drunk, drugged, distracted, and drowsy driving; speeding; failure to use safety features such as seat belts and child seats; and new initiatives to protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, NHTSA said.
Close

Scientists have been trying to create nuclear fusion for more than half a century, and the Germans look as if they can go close to doing it. They recently injected hydrogen into their Wendelstein 7-X fusion device, leading to the heating of the gas into plasma for a moment, said the Christian Science Monitor.

Even though the device does not produce energy from plasma, the experiment might reveal the design's feasibility in its use as a power plant.

"With a temperature of 80 million degrees and a lifetime of a quarter of a second, the device's first hydrogen plasma has completely lived up to our expectations," said Hans-Stephan Bosch, who worked on the Wendelstein 7-X, in a press release.

At present, two different fusion power plant designs include the tokamak, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor in France, as well as the stellarators such as the Wendelstein 7-X, thought to be the current largest in the world.

The Wendelstein 7-X's full heating power will be tested in four years. Its ability to undertake 30-minute discharges will also be tested. Positive results will strengthen the idea that stellarators have an edge over tokamaks for continuous operation, as opposed to pulses.

"The impressive results obtained in the startup of the machine were remarkable," David Anderson, a professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin, told CBS News."W7-X is a truly remarkable achievement and the worldwide fusion community looks forward to many exciting results."

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
Close

At present, scientists are aiming to sequence the genomes of each living kakapo on earth, says Engadget.



This species is in danger, with just 125 parrots alive today. Being the heaviest parrot species in the world, without the ability to fly, the species' genomes are being sequenced, so that they are able to get back their numbers, even as we get a better penetration into their risk to illnesses.

While one female kakapo's genome has been sequenced, the team will gather DNA from 40 other animals, every one of which will be sequenced by New Zealand Genomics Ltd. It will be completed on a particular day in March.

Success from the team will make the team's victory a first in the sequencing of the genome of an animal population, says Radio New Zealand National.

"The questions we can answer will be limited only by our imagination," said Bruce Robertson, a member of the research team. "As with the human genome project, we'll be mining this for many years to come, and new and novel things will come out of it."

The lifespans of kakapos are very long, with an average life expectancy of 95 years. They pick up their mates after every three to five years. The success of the project might get the species expanding and multiplying again. The reduction in their numbers takes us back to the time when European and Polynesian colonizers brought some predators, making them open to risk due to their lives on the ground.

Researchers are funding their project through crowdfunding, aiming to generate $45,000 that can help to keep the study going.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
Hunger Striker Muhammad al-Qiq In Struggle Against Death

By Ali Abunimah

08 February, 2016

Electronicintifada.net

Fayha Shalash, the wife of gravely ill hunger-striking Palestinian journalist Muhammed al-Qiq, sits with her son at her home in the West Bank village of Dura on 20 January. Al Qiq, seen in the poster, started a hunger strike against his arbitrary detention by Israel in November. Wisam Hashlamoun APA images

Israeli doctors say that Palestinian hunger-striker Muhammad al-Qiq could die at any minute.

The 33-year-old journalist remained on hunger strike in the HaEmek hospital in Afula, in the north of present-day Israel, for the 75th consecutive day on Saturday.

Hiba Masalha, an attorney for the Palestinian Authoritys Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, visited al-Qiq on Friday evening in the hospital where he is being kept under an Israeli court order.

Masalha said that al-Qiq is in a struggle against death

A photo tweeted by the Quds news outlet on Saturday shows al-Qiq with a Quran by his hospital bedside:





There has been a severe deterioration in the health condition of the detained journalist Muhammad al-Qiq, Masalha told Quds.

He has completely lost the ability to speak. He continues to suffer from fatigue, dizziness and breathing difficulties due to the continuation of his hunger strike and his refusal of treatment for the 74th consecutive day, she said.

Masalha added that al-Qiqs condition has become severe following his rejection of the Israeli high courts decision to freeze his administrative detention order.

On Thursday, the Israeli judges froze al-Qiqs detention  but ordered him to remain in HaEmek hospital.

Al-Qiq began his hunger strike in November, shortly after Israeli authorities arrested him. Following his interrogation, Israel put him in administrative detention  indefinite imprisonment without charge or trial.

The courts decision is deception, Masalha said, adding that al-Qiqs demand is an end to his detention, not a freezing which means that he can be re-arrested at any time.

Masalha said that the deputy director of HaEmek hospital, Dr. Tuvia Tiyosuno, had informed her that al-Qiq is in extreme danger and in constant decline.

Al-Qiqs internal organs could fail at any time and he is at high risk of bleeding in his brain.

His heart could stop beating at any time, which is why the hospitals ethics committee decided that al-Qiq could be treated against his will if it meant saving his life, Masalha said the Israeli doctor told her.

Every minute that passes poses a threat to his life, Masalha cited Tiyosuno saying.

Masalha said she was called to the hospital by the Israeli doctors Friday evening in light of al-Qiqs condition and his insistence that any treatment he received would take place only in a Palestinian hospital.

Masalha added that efforts were ongoing with Israels military occupation authorities to reach an agreement over al-Qiqs case.

On Friday, Palestinian media disseminated this video of al-Qiq in his hospital bed holding a sign in English, Hebrew and Arabic declaring that he was continuing his hunger strike:

Earlier on Saturday, Quds TV reported that al-Qiqs family had denied that any deal had been reached.

Human rights organizations and UN officials have called on Israel to charge or release al-Qiq, who is one of more than 660 Palestinians held in administrative detention.

As his strike has continued, Palestinians throughout the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and present-day Israel have held rallies and vigils in solidarity with al-Qiq.

On Friday, among his visitors in hospital was Sheikh Raed Salah, leader of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, a political party Israel outlawed in November.

Update

On Sunday, al-Qiq refused an Israeli offer to be released in May. While still gravely ill and at risk of death, the hunger striker is insisting on an immediate end to his administrative detention, the Maan News Agency reported.

Ali Abunimah Co-founder of The Electronic Intifada and author of The Battle for Justice in Palestine, now out from Haymarket Books. Also wrote One Country: A Bold-Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Impasse. Opinions are mine alone.


India-Pakistan Peace: Breaking Kashmir Impasse

By Arshad M Khan

08 February, 2016

Countercurrents.org

There is a time in the affairs of countries when circumstances align for improving relationships. Such a time is now for India and Pakistan. Both countries are plagued with terrorism; both countries lag behind colonial contemporaries and need speeded-up development; more urgent, India and Pakistan have signed a deal to buy gas from Turkmenistan. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline on which work began in December will have a capacity of over a trillion cubic feet annually shared equally between India and Pakistan with a nominal amount for Afghanistan. However, insurgencies put it at risk; hence the added incentive for the two major players to put the past behind them.

The biggest impasse to normalizing relations has been Kashmir. That picturesque valley, has for nearly seven decades frustrated peace overtures on the subcontinent. It has also become a highly combustible, even explosive, tinder box for two nuclear powers where incessant frictions are liable to set it off. Although in human and economic terms the most costly, it is not the only insurgency trammeling development in a region where discontent continues to grow. And therein, paradoxically, might lie the seeds of peace.

In the April 2015 issue of National Geographic, a magazine few would call political, an eye-popping map of India is displayed in its signature graphic style. A rusty, dried-blood light brown, mapped carefully around areas of government control, reveals almost a quarter of the country where the Naxalite rebellion coupled with the Adivasi struggle for land rights has taken hold. The area runs south from the Nepal border in the north, to Kolkata (Calcutta), then along the Bay of Bengal to near Chennai (Madras). Westwards, it extends almost to Varanasi on the Ganges, close to Nagpur in Central India, and Bangalore (the IT capital) in the south.

Adding the Kashmir insurgency increases the area of strife to one-third of the country. This omits the insurgencies in Assam and Manipur. That the prospect of prosperity under such a state of siege is significantly undermined and that Kashmir bleeds the most resources, should draw a rational government focused on economic growth to the negotiating table.

Official casualty counts in the Naxalite struggle number 12,000, the actual figures often higher. In Kashmir alone, authoritative sources place the toll of dead and disappeared at over 75,000 with 100,000 torture victims. The 700,000 Indian security personnel are kept busy at significant expense. Global politics leave the Kashmiris with little outside support, although Pakistan, spurred by self-interest, has been a stalwart backer in their struggle to throw off India's yoke. India portrays the insurgency as terrorism by a minority, despite massive demonstrations that have been put down brutally in the past. India also refuses to hold a decades old promised plebiscite to allow the Kashmiris to decide their own fate. The reason is obvious. Given a choice, the Kashmiris could vote to leave India. Whether they would join Pakistan or prefer a state of their own is an open question, and offers the possibility of compromise.

In the past proposals have included (a) the possibility of arbitration and (b) the acceptance of facts on the ground, namely, establishing the current Line of Control as the international border. Great powers may draw lines on maps but it does not mean a stable border -- the Kurdish example comes to mind. If events took such a course, the people of Kashmir would continue their struggle, probably for an independent homeland.

That is not all. In the present climate of religious extremism, any Pakistani leader signing off Kashmir will also quite likely be signing his death warrant. No exaggeration because one only has to remember what happened to the Punjab governor Salman Taseer, who, aware of the risks, spoke out nevertheless against blasphemy laws. It is worth noting that the German politicians who signed the punitive and humiliating Treaty of Versailles following the First World War were also assassinated -- aside from debilitating reparations, the treaty severed large chunks of territory leading to revanchism and an irredentist Adolf Hitler.

Development without stability is an uphill struggle. It is one reason India and Pakistan in per capita GDP have lagged far behind their independence contemporaries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Just one example: Tata's efforts to locate manufacturing facilities near raw material sources, the mines in the Naxalite troubled region, in a move to enhance efficiency and promote area development, proved fruitless. Under threat, it was forced to change plans and relocate elsewhere.

Of all these restive regions, by far the most demanding in expense and personnel is Kashmir. What are the options? The status quo, but that is the problem. In a plebiscite the Kashmiris tired of a repressive security apparatus are likely to vote to join Pakistan, and that is anathema to India. It is why India has reneged on its 60-plus year promise to hold one. Thus the only remaining option is a vote offering a third option -- that of a politically independent Kashmir. The likely result will require India to yield political control, and Pakistan too might have to relinquish its narrow part of Kashmir. But Kashmiris governing themselves is only part of this plan.

The thrust of the proposal is economic: an economic imbrication and eventual interweaving that would bind the parties forever in peace. It envisages an eventual community not dissimilar to Europe. In such a proposed future, the initial shedding of political control loses its sting, and looking back the current animus between the actors will appear risible. After all, do the Germans now really care that Alsace remains with France?

Ask any economist or industry maven about the advantages of intra-subcontinent trade and there is virtually no disagreement. Trade between India and Pakistan would benefit both. Kashmir would benefit because it would be able to trade with its natural trading partner, Pakistan -- it's to where the rivers flow and its an old story. Then of course there are tourists, who, returning in much larger numbers to a tranquil valley, would benefit all three entities.

We live in an era where devolution, even independence, for distinct ethnicities is often a preferred solution. Czechoslovakia split in two, peacefully, while Yugoslavia broke up in a convulsion of violence. There is a choice it seems, if the parties are not too blind to see it. The many Asiatic republics splintering from the former Soviet Union maintain close economic ties to Russia. Devolution has also not been forgotten in Scotland where in the last election the Scots voted a near clean sweep for the Scottish National Party, which won 56 seats out of 59, an unheard of gain of 50.

On the subcontinent, where the old grammar of discourse on the central issue has become a dead-end alley, peace and a prosperous future require protean attitudes and an abandonment of ossified stances. "[W]e know what we are, but know not what we may be ...". The devolution model offers a non-violent prospect and its possibilities.

Dr. Arshad M Khan (http://ofthisandthat.org/index.html) is a retired Professor. A frequent contributor to the print and electronic media, his work has been quoted in the U.S. Congress and published in the Congressional Record.




The Urgent Need For Complete Abolition Of Nuclear Weapons



By John Scales Avery

08 February, 2016

Countercurrents.org

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 in the morning, an atomic bomb was exploded in the air over the city of Hiroshima in an already-defeated Japan. The force of the explosion was equivalent to twenty thousand tons of T.N.T.. Out of a city of two hundred and fifty thousand people, almost one hundred thousand were killed by the bomb; and another hundred thousand were hurt.

In some places, near the center of the city, people were completely vaporized, so that only their shadows on the pavement marked the places where they had been. Many people who were not killed by the blast or by burns from the explosion, were trapped under the wreckage of their houses. Unable to move, they were burned to death in the fire which followed.

As Suano Tsuboi, one of the survivors of the Hiroshima nightmare, remembered later, I had entered a living hell on earth. There were people crying out for help, calling for members of their family. I saw a scchoolgirl with her eye hanging out of its socket. People looked like ghosts, bleeding and trying to walk before collapsing. Some had lost limbs. There were charred bodies everywhere, including in the river. I looked down and saw a man clutching a hole in his stomach, trying to stop his organs from spilling out. The smell of burning flesh was overpowering.

Three days later, Nagasaki was also detroyed. The motive for the nuclear bombings seems to have been, not so much to defeat Japan, as (in the words of the Manhatten Project's military commander, General Leslie Groves) to control Russia.

A few days after the terrible events of 6 and 9 August, 1945, the French writer Albert Camus commented: Our technical civilization has just reached its greatest level of savagery. We will have to choose, in the more or less near future, between collective suicide and the intelligent use of our scientific conquests. Before the terrifying prospects now available to humanity, we see even more clearly that peace is the only battle worth waging. This is no longer a prayer, but a demand to be made by all peoples to their governments - a demand to choose definitively between hell and reason.

Even if the horrible nuclear destruction of the two Japanese cities had been justified as a means of ending the war quickly, even if Japan had not already been sueing for peace, the end does not justify the means. In Gandhi's words, The means may be likened to a seed, and the end to a tree; and there is the same inviolable connection between the means and the end as there is between the seed and the tree.

Mahatma Gandhi's assertion that the end achieved iinevitably reflects the means used to achieve it is confirmed particularly clearly by the history of nuclear weapons. The terrible destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was tragic in itself, but even more disastrous is the nuclear arms race which followed. It continues to cast an extremely dark shadow over the future of human civilization and the biosphere.

In 1946, the United States proposed the Baruch Plan to internationalize atomic energy, but the plan was rejected by the Soviet Union, which had been conducting its own secret nuclear weapons program since 1943. On August 29, 1949, the USSR exploded its first nuclear bomb. It had a yield equivalent to 21,000 tons of TNT, and had been constructed from Pu-239 produced in a nuclear reactor. Meanwhile the United Kingdom had begun to build its own nuclear weapons.

The explosion of the Soviet nuclear bomb caused feelings of panic in the United States, and President Truman authorized an all-out effort to build superbombs using thermonuclear reactions - the reactions that heat the sun and stars. The idea of using a U-235 fission bomb to trigger a thermonuclear reaction in a mixture of light elements had first been proposed by Enrico Fermi in a 1941 conversation with his Chicago colleague Edward Teller. After this conversation, Teller (perhaps the model for Stanley Kubricks character Dr. Strangelove) became a fanatical advocate of the superbomb.

After Trumans go-ahead, the American program to build thermonuclear weapons made rapid progress, and on October 31, 1952, the first US thermonuclear device was exploded at Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands. It had a yield of 10.4 megatons, that is to say it had an explosive power equivalent to 10,400,000 tons of TNT. Thus the first thermonuclear bomb was five hundred times as powerful as the bombs that had devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Lighter versions of the device were soon developed, and these could be dropped from aircraft or delivered by rockets.

The Soviet Union and the United Kingdom were not far behind. In 1955 the Soviets exploded their first thermonuclear device, followed in 1957 by the UK. In 1961 the USSR exploded a thermonuclear bomb with a yield of 58 megatons. A bomb of this size, three thousand times the size of the Hiroshima bomb, would be able to totally destroy a city even if it missed it by 50 kilometers. Fall-out casualties would extend to a far greater distance.

A 15 megaton thermonuclear device, detonated by the United States at Bikini Atol in the Marshall Islands in 1954, caused fallout that produced radiation sickness and fatalities on the Japanese fishing boat Lucky Dragon, which was 130 kilometers distant from the explosion. In England, Prof. Joseph Rotblat, a Polish scientist who had resigned from the Manhattan Project for for moral reasons when it became clear that Germany would not develop nuclear weapons, was asked to appear on a BBC program to discuss the Bikini test. He was asked to discuss the technical aspects of H-bombs, while the Archbishop of Canterbury and the philosopher Lord Bertrand Russell were asked to discuss the moral aspects.

Rotblat had became convinced that the Bikini bomb must have involved a third stage, where fast neutrons from the hydrogen thermonuclear reaction produced fission in a casing of unenriched uranium. Such a bomb would produce enormous amounts of highly dangerous radioactive fallout, and could be made arbetrarily large with little expense because of the use of unenriched uranium. Rotblat became extremely worried about the possibly fatal effect on all living things if large numbers of such bombs were ever used in a war. He confided his worries to Bertrand Russell, whom he had met on the BBC program.

After discussing the Bikini test and its radioactive fallout with Joseph Rotblat, Lord Russell became concerned for the future of the human gene pool if large numbers of such bombs should ever be used in a war. To warn humanity of the danger, he wrote what came to be known as the Russell-Einstein Manifesto.

On July 9, 1955, with Rotblat in the chair, Russell read the Manifesto to a packed press conference. The document contains the words: Here then is the problem that we present to you, stark and dreadful and inescapable: Shall we put an end to the human race, or shall mankind renounce war?... There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge and wisdom. Shall we, instead, choose death because we cannot forget our quarrels? We appeal as human beings to human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do so, the way lies open to a new Paradise; if you cannot, there lies before you the risk of universal death.

Lord Russell devoted much of the remainder of his life to working for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Here we see him speaking to a CND demonstration at Trafalgar Square. Image source: mueralainteligencia.com

Lord Russell devoted much of the remainder of his life to working for the abolition of nuclear weapons, as did Joseph Rotblat. In 1995, 50 years after the tragic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Joseph Rotblat was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his lifelong efforts to abolish both nuclear weapons and war itself. He shared the prize with Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, an organization which had been established as a consequence of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto.

In his acceptance speech, Sir Joseph (as he soon became) emphasized the same point that had been made in the Russell-Einstein Manifesto - that war itself must be eliminated in order to free civilization from the danger of nuclear destruction. The reason for this is that the knowledge of how to make nuclear weapons can never be forgotten. Even if they were eliminated, these weapons could be rebuilt during a major war. Thus the final abolition of nuclear weapons is linked to a change of heart in world politics and to the abolition of the institution of war.

The testing of hydrogen bombs in the Pacific half a century ago continues to cause cancer and birth defects in the Marshall Islands today. Fallout from the bombs contaminated the island of Rongelap, one of the Marshall Islands 120 kilometers from Bikini. The islanders experienced radiation illness, and many died from cancer. Even today, half a century later, both people and animals on Rongelap and other nearby islands suffer from birth defects. The most common defects have been jelly fish babies, born with no bones and with transparent skin. Their brains and beating hearts can be seen. The babies usually live a day or two before they stop breathing.

The environmental effects of a nuclear war would be catastrophic. A war fought with hydrogen bombs would produce radioactive contamination of the kind that we have already experienced in the areas around Chernobyl and Fukushima and in the Marshall Islands, but on an enormously increased scale. We have to remember that the total explosive power of the nuclear weapons in the world today is roughly half a million times as great as the power of the bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What is threatened by a nuclear war today is the complete breakdown of human civilization.

Besides spreading deadly radioactivity throughout the world, a nuclear war would inflict catastrophic damage on global agriculture. Firestorms in burning cities would produce many millions of tons of black, thick, radioactive smoke. The smoke would rise to the stratosphere where it would spread around the earth and remain for a decade. Prolonged cold, decreased sunlight and rainfall, and massive increases in harmful ultraviolet light would shorten or eliminate growing seasons, producing a nuclear famine. Even a small nuclear war could endanger the lives of the billion people who today are chronically undernourished. A full-scale war fought with hydrogen bombs would mean that most humans would die from hunger. Many animal and plant species would also be threatened with extinction.

Today, the system that is supposed to give us security is called Mutually Assured Destruction, appropriately abbreviated as MAD. It is based on the idea of deterrence, which maintains that because of the threat of massive retaliation, no sane leader would start a nuclear war.

Before discussing other defects in the concept of deterrence, it must be said very clearly that massive nuclear retaliation is a form of genocide and is completely unacceptable from an ethical point of view. It violates not only the principles of international law, common decency and common sense, but also the ethical principles of every major religion.

Having said this, we can turn to some of the other faults in the concept of nuclear deterrence. One important defect is that nuclear war may occur through accident or miscalculation, failures of computer systems, misinterpretation of radar signals, insanity of a person in charge of the weapons, uncontrollable escalation of a conflict, or because of terrorism. This possibility is made much greater by the fact that, despite the end of the Cold War, 2,000 missiles are kept on hair trigger alert with a quasi-automatic reaction time measured in minutes. There is a constant danger that a nuclear war will be triggered by an error in evaluating the signal on a radar screen.

Incidents in which global disaster is avoided by a hair's breadth are constantly occurring. For example, on the night of 26 September, 1983, Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov, a young software engineer, was on duty at a surveillance center near Moscow. Suddenly the screen in front of him turned bright red. An alarm went off. It's enormous piercing sound filled the room. A second alarm followed, and then a third, fourth and fifth, until the noise was deafening.

The computer showed that the Americans had launched a strike against Russia. Petrov's orders were to pass the information up the chain of command to Secretary General Yuri Andropov. Within minutes, a nuclear counterattack would be launched. However, because of certain inconsistent features of the alarm, Petrov disobeyed orders and reported it as a computer error, which indeed it was. Most of us probably owe our lives to his brave and coolheaded decision and his knowledge of software systems. The narrowness of this escape is compounded by the fact that Petrov was on duty only because of the illness of another officer with less knowledge of software, who would have accepted the alarm as real.

Narrow escapes such as this show us clearly that in the long run, the combination of space-age science and stone-age politics will destroy us. We urgently need new political structures and new ethics to match our advanced technology.

Modern science has, for the first time in history, offered humankind the possibility of a life of comfort, free from hunger and cold, and free from the constant threat of death from infectious disease. At the same time, science has given humans the power to obliterate their civilization with nuclear weapons, or to make it uninhabitable through anthropogenic climate change. The question of which of these paths we choose is literally a matter of life or death to for ourselves or our children.

Will we use the discoveries of modern science constructively, and thus choose the path leading towards life? Or will we produce more and more lethal weapons, which sooner or later, through s technical or human error, or through uncontrollable escalation of a conflict, will result in a catastrophic nuclear war? The choice is ours to make. We live at a critical moment of history, a moment of crisis for civilization. No one alive today asked to be born at a time of crisis, but history has given each of us an enormous responsibility to future generations.

Of course we have our ordinary jobs, which we need to do in order to stay alive; but besides that, each of us has a second job, the duty to devote both time and effort to solving the serious problems that face civilization during the 21st century. We cannot rely on our politicians to do this for us. Many politicians are under the influence of powerful lobbies. Others are waiting for a clear expression of popular will. It is the people of the world themselves who must choose their own future and work hard to build it. No single person can achieve the changes that we need, but together we can do it.

The problem of building a stable, just, and war-free world is difficult, but it is not insoluble. The large regions of our present-day world within which war has been eliminated can serve as models. There are a number of large countries with heterogeneous populations within which it has been possible to achieve internal peace and social cohesion, and if this is possible within such extremely large regions, it must also be possible globally.

We must replace the old world of international anarchy and institutionalized injustice by a new world of law. We also need a new ethic, where loyalty to one's family and nation is supplemented by a higher loyalty to humanity as a whole.

We know that war is madness. We know that it is responsible for much of the suffering that humans experience. We know that war pollutes our planet and that the almost unimaginable sums wasted on war prevent the happiness and prosperity of mankind. We know that nuclear weapons are insane, and that the precariously balanced deterrence system can break down at any time through human error or computer errors or through terrorist actions, and that it definitely will break down within our lifetimes unless we abolish it. We know that nuclear war threatens to destroy civilization and much of the biosphere.

The logic is there. We must translate it into popular action. The peoples of the world must say very clearly that nuclear weapons are an absolute evil; that their possession does not increase anyone's security; that their continued existence is a threat to the life of every person on our planet; and that these genocidal and potentially omnicidal weapons have no place in a civilized society.

Modern science has abolished time and distance as factors separating nations separating nations. On our shrunken globe today, there is room for one group only - the family of humankind.

John Avery received a B.Sc. in theoretical physics from MIT and an M.Sc. from the University of Chicago. He later studied theoretical chemistry at the University of London, and was awarded a Ph.D. there in 1965. He is now Lektor Emeritus, Associate Professor, at the Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen. Fellowships, memberships in societies: Since 1990 he has been the Contact Person in Denmark for Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. In 1995, this group received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts. He was the Member of the Danish Peace Commission of 1998. Technical Advisor, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe (1988- 1997). Chairman of the Danish Peace Academy, April 2004. http://www.fredsakademiet.dk/ordbog/aord/a220.htm. He can be reached at avery.john.s@gmail.com

NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING

1) A. Osada, Children of the A-Bomb, The Testament of Boys and Girls of Hiroshima, Putnam, New York (1963).

2) R. Jungk, Children of the Ashes, Harcourt, Brace and World (1961).

3) J. Hersey, Hiroshima, Penguin Books Ltd. (1975)

4) .R. Rhodes, Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb, Simon and Schuster, New York, (1995)

5) With the help of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (www.wagingpeace.org), the Republic of the Marshall Ilands is suing the 9 nations that currently possess nuclear weapons for violation of their leagal obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty of 1970.

6) R. Falk and D. Krieger, The Path to Zero: Dialogues on Nuclear Dangers, Paradigm Publishers, (2012). https://www.wagingpeace.org/shop/the-path-to-zero-dialogues-on-nuclear-dangers/

7) O. Toon , A. Robock, and R. Turco, The Environmental Consequences of Nuclear War, Physics Today, vol. 61, No. 12, p. 37-42 (2008). https://www.nucleardarkness.org/

8) J.S. Avery, Flaws in the Concept of Nuclear Deterrence, Cadmus. April 12, (2012). http://cadmusjournal.org/article/issue-4/flaws-concept-nuclear-deterrance

9) J.S. Avery, The Arms Trade Treaty Opems New Possibilities at the UN, Cadmus, May 17, (2013), http://cadmusjournal.org/article/issue-6/arms-trade-treaty-opens-new-possibilities-un

10) J.S. Avery, Remember Your Humanity. Eruditio, March 23, (2015), http://eruditio.worldacademy.org/issue-6/article/remember-your-humanity

11) J.S. Avery, Crisis 21: Civilization's Crisis in the 21st Century, Chapter 6. Danish Peace Academy, (2008). http://www.learndev.org/dl/Crisis21-Avery.pdf

12) D. Ikeda, Peace Proposal, 2105, http://www.daisakuikeda.org/assets/files/peaceproposal2015.pdf

13) Helfand Can We Prevent Nuclear War, Ted Talk, (2016). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUm82W7B2BY






Hungarian Lessons

By Linh Dinh

08 February, 2016

Countercurrents.org

I was surprised by how grimy and sooty Budapest was. So many of its buildings, once gorgeous, were in an advanced state of decay. This city looked better before World War II, for sure, and certainly a century ago. Since escaping Communism, Budapest is regaining its glories, though not at the same pace as Prague. Theres a peculiar local fad called ruin pubs, where hip types can drink and dance in these half wrecked buildings. Too creaky to boogie, I only glimpsed them from the outside, but they didnt look half bad.

In the subway concourses, there were many homeless, and they stayed there all day. Other aimless types loitered. The underground shops offered food, drinks, magazines and flowers. Some were owned by Chinese. At street level, there were many gyro shops run by Greeks, Turks or just plain Hungarians. According to the 2011 census, 7.3% of Budapest residents were foreign-born, but most were just ethnic Hungarians arriving from Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.

Before World War II, there were 200,000 Jews in Budapest and they had the largest synagogue in all of Europe. Half would be massacred by Germans and their Hungarian allies. In the countryside, a Jews chance of survival was even worse. Many Gypsies were also killed. Estimates of Gypsies in Hungary range from 3.1 to more than 10%. Thanks to a high birthrate, that percentage is constantly increasing.

Many of the most famous Hungarians were, well, not Hungarian, as in Magyar. Franz Liszt was German. Bela Bartok was half German and a quarter Serbian. Houdini, Robert Capa, Arthur Koestler and Andre Kertesz were Jews.

Hungary has gotten much bad press lately because of Viktor Orban. Newsweek compared him to Mussolini, and John McCain described him as a neo-fascist dictator getting in bed with Vladimir Putin. When Orban became Prime Minister in 1998, he integrated Hungary into NATO so was seen as snugly in the Western camp, but with his second stint as Hungarys leader, from 2010 to now, Orban has made some bold moves against both Brussels and Washington. What has been most highlighted and lambasted is Orbans stance on the current refugee/illegal immigrant crisis, but some of his other decisions are even more rebellious against the hegemony of the AngloZionists, to borrow a term from the Saker.

Orban rejected the IMFs austerity measures, increased Hungarys oversight over its Central Bank, raised taxes for all banks and, in 2013, even kicked out the International Monetary Fund. Orbans moves against banksters have not been foregrounded by the international press because banksters and their allies dont want you to think too much about their rampant criminal activities.

In defiance of the AngloZionists effort to isolate Russia, Orbans government agreed in 2014 to have South Stream go through Hungary. This Russian gas pipeline would also have crossed Turkeys territorial waters, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Slovenia and Austria. Though it would have benefited all of Europe, South Stream was scuttled by our global elites through pressures on Bulgaria. In contrast to Hungarys decision, Poland has gone out of its way to avoid relying on Russian natural gas by arranging in 2006 to buy from distant Qatar. Thanks to a delay in the construction of a sea terminal, Poland still hasnt quaffed any Qatar liquefied natural gas, though its already paying through its nose due to contractual obligations. Huffing the Russian stuff costs a lot less.

Besides seeking closer ties with Russia, Orban has repeatedly stressed that sanction against Russia hurts all European countries. What hes advocating, then, is a Europe that must look out for its own interests in defiance of the suicide diktats from the AngloZionists.

In 2011, Orban banned GMO crops from Hungary and destroyed 1,000 acres of corn planted with Monsanto seeds.

Also of note is Orbans reaching out to Hungarians in neighboring countries. His government has provided monetary aid and even citizenship to all ethnic Hungarians (with the stipulation that one must speak the language to be naturalized). Thanks to the vindictive Treaty of Trianon after World War I, Hungary lost 71% of its land and 66% of its people. Not even Germany was truncated so ruthlessly.

Orbans government has revoked tax-exemption status from most Hungarian religious organizations, including all versions of Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Bahai, all but three Jewish synagogues, as well as many Christian sects or denominations such as Opus Dei, Benedictines, Marists, Carmelites, Mormons, Jehovahs Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Episcopalians and Methodists. The only ones to receive state recognition and support are those deemed traditional to Hungarian society.

Echoing Putin and other leaders, Orban has condemned NGOs as a fifth column. Though as a young man, Orban received a four-month scholarship from the Soros Foundation to study in Oxford, he is fingering the Budapest-born Soros as an unwelcome meddler in Hungary and the rest of Europe. Thanks for the chump change, George, but bug off!

What you have, then, is a nationalist leader, and in Europe, we havent seen one in a long while whos so unapologetic without sounding shrill. In his speeches and interviews, Orban explains himself quite clearly and candidly. To Die Weltwoche, a Swiss newspaper, Orban said in November of 2015, There are terms and concepts which for a long time could not be uttered, but which are once again beginning to form part of public discourse. For example, bordersare they good or bad? We can once again say that they have their good sides. Or nation: this word can once again be used in a positive sense. Christianity: most European leaders  including myself  are advised not to use this word too frequently, because most Europeans no longer feel Christian. Now, however, this word is once again returning to political debates. Or pride, as in the pride of a nation: once again it has become a legitimate expression. A positive consequence of the migration crisis is that once again we are attempting to talk openly about our continents identitymore freely than in the past two decades.

The refugee/illegal immigration crisis has also exposed the impotence of the European Union, This negative impression over the EUs helplessness already existed before the migration crisis. The citizens of Europe saw it during the financial crisis and the crisis over Greece. They criticized their politicians for not being able to find a way out of the financial crisis. The stagnation of our national economies is still evident [] European citizens are convinced that their leaders are not effective. The migration crisis has, however, created a new impression. This is not related to effectiveness, but to democracy.

With citizens having no inputs, and most European leaders unable to make decisions in their nations interests, one is left to wonder who are behind all this mayhem? Orban, It is hard to shake off this thought. We were debating for months, but the outcome was always the same: Let the people in. And on top of this, in the first few months, for some reason no one was able to say out loud that this is an issue of the utmost importance for Europe. For months it was first regarded as a humanitarian issue, and then as a technical problem as to where the refugees should be settled and how they should be distributed. No one raised the question of whether the essence of the matter is more about our existence, our cultural identity and our way of life. I do not know for certain what is actually happening, and I do not want to blame anyone; but the suspicion arises that none of this is happening by chance. I am not brave enough to publicly talk about this as a certainty; the suspicion inevitably emerges, however, that there is some kind of master plan behind this.

The same elites whove weakened, if not destroyed, countries in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and elsewhere have done so to the United States itself, and it has all been executed by design, for its easier to rule and rob prostrated and confused populations. The master plan is to reduce citizens of whatever nation to disposable cogs that must compete for the lowest wages and be chained to lifelong debts, as dished out by criminal banks. In the United States, farcical elections are held with sustained fanfare to give an increasingly angry populace an illusion of political participation. Whoever is propped up as President, the military banking complex, Anglo Zionists or American Empire, call them what you will, will continue their rampage worldwide while eviscerating their host nation.

Is there an alternative? Orban sees the world as having changed radically since the 2008 financial crisis, and theres no recovery, in his view. Though guarded in his statements, hes prepping Hungary for life beyond the collapse of both Washington and the European Union. In the meantime, Orban is straddling East and West. In August of 2014, Hungary was caught sending about 80 T-72 tanks to the Ukraine. Dumped for just $8,500 a piece, it hardly seems worth it to antagonize Russia. The Pentagon has also announced it will send heavy weapons and tanks to Hungary. Perhaps Orban will use these new tanks to retake the TransCarpathian as Ukraine weakens even further.

Joining NATO in 1999, Hungary participated in the embargo of Yugoslavia, and for the American wars on Afghanistan and Iraq, it sent 360 then 300 troops, respectively. After aiding the American Empire, Hungary is dodging the consequence by rejecting legitimate refugees. Orban was disingenuous, then, when he claimed, We did not destroy the countries from which migrants are coming. We did not bomb anyone. We did not invite anyone here. And now those who dropped the bombs and sent out invitations want to settle them here. Is this fair? Orban has evolved from a US-groomed protege to a critic of Uncle Sam. He has matured.

Its interesting that in all former Communist countries, citizens have rejected any globalist vision, as embraced by the left, to elect nationalist governments. American politicians also speak of defending the nations interests, but its only so much hot air from jerking puppets. With sane, intelligent voices drown out by incessant garbage, theres no composure or wisdom in the public discourse. Instead, we get slogans or loutish insults. We dwell in a mad mental universe. In his 2013 Presidential Address, Vladimir Putin stated:

Today, many nations are revising their moral values and ethical norms, eroding ethnic traditions and differences between peoples and cultures. Society is now required not only to recognize everyones right to the freedom of consciousness, political views and privacy, but also to accept without question the equality of good and evil, strange as it seems, concepts that are opposite in meaning. This destruction of traditional values from above not only leads to negative consequences for society, but is also essentially anti-democratic, since it is carried out on the basis of abstract, speculative ideas, contrary to the will of the majority, which does not accept the changes occurring or the proposed revision of values. We know that there are more and more people in the world who support our position on defending traditional values that have made up the spiritual and moral foundation of civilization in every nation for thousands of years: the values of traditional families, real human life, including religious life, not just material existence but also spirituality, the values of humanism and global diversity. Of course, this is a conservative position. But speaking in the words of Nikolai Berdyaev, the point of conservatism is not that it prevents movement forward and upward, but that it prevents movement backward and downward, into chaotic darkness and a return to a primitive state. In recent years, we have seen how attempts to push supposedly more progressive development models onto other nations actually resulted in regression, barbarity and extensive bloodshed. This happened in many Middle Eastern and North African countries. This dramatic situation unfolded in Syria.

These progressive development models are nothing but dignified cloaks to hide barbaric imperialism. The USSR worked the same way. Having never been subjugated and humiliated, Americans have only dished out, and not experienced, chaotic darkness and a return to a primitive state, but the elites that have destroyed so many lives worldwide are also working against us Americans, so a future of terror and degradation will be our lot unless we can muster up the collective will to challenge our criminal overlords. Sniping at each other, theres no dialogue here, much less unity. It doesnt look promising.

Linh Dinh is the author of two books of stories, five of poems, and a novel, Love Like Hate. Hes tracking our deteriorating socialscape through his frequently updated photo blog, Postcards from the End of America.




President Obama's Visit To Mosque And Presidential Race

By Abdus Sattar Ghazali

08 February, 2016

Countercurrents.org



The seven million strong American Muslim community has welcomed the visit of President Barrack Obama to Maryland mosque where the President called on Americans to embrace their common humanity and reject the inexcusable political rhetoric emanating from the presidential campaign trail.

The President said: "In this era of heightened rhetoric during the Presidential election season, along with the rise of anti-Islamic propaganda, it is important for our elected officials to stand with the Muslim community to show solidarity with the more than 6 million Muslim Americans. Our nation was founded on religious tolerance and common ethos which requires us to stand together as Americans."

Most Americans do agree that there is a lot of discrimination against Muslims. A Pew Research Center survey released the same day as Obama's speech finds that 59 percent of Americans say there is "a lot" of discrimination against Muslims today. In other words, Obama was right on point.

According to Baltimore Sun, though Obama touched on the presidential election only tangentially, White House aides say he decided to speak at the mosque largely to counter statements and policies floated by Republican candidates in recent months. Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump, in particular, has stirred controversy by proposing to bar Muslims from entering the country.

"Recently, we've heard inexcusable political rhetoric against Muslim Americans that has no place in our country," Obama said. "We have to reject a politics that seeks to manipulate prejudice or bias, and targets people because of religion."

White House officials were quoted by CNN as saying that Obama was looking to issue a forceful counterpoint to the language favored by some Republican presidential candidates like Donald Trump, who has proposed banning all Muslims from entering the country until tighter anti-terror measures are put into place. But they also hoped to counter GOP claims that Obama hasn't been forceful enough in demanding that Muslim leaders help root out extremism.

Republican presidential candidates, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump criticized President Obama's call for religious tolerance. The Christian Science Monitor reported that the GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump was among the first to criticize President Obama for his visit to Mosque. When asked on Fox News Channel about the president's visit, he said, "Maybe he feels comfortable there." "We have a lot of problems in this country, Mr. Trump continued. There are a lot of places he can go and he chose a mosque. On Friday, in a campaign rally in Florence, South Carolina, Trump accused President Obama of apologizing to Muslims.

On his campaign trail in New Hampshire, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio accused the president of "pitting people against each other by making an appeal to Muslim Americans. "Look at today. He gave a speech at a mosque, basically implying that America is discriminating against Muslims," Mr. Rubio said in Dover, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. "Of course theres discrimination in America, of every kind. But the bigger issue is radical Islam." "This constant pitting people against each other, I cant stand that," he continued. "It's hurting our country badly."

President Obama spoke warmly about Islam during his speech at the mosque, highlighting the contributions that Muslims had made to the fabric of American society. Islam has always been part of America, he said, detailing the beginnings of the religion among African slaves brought to America. He also pointed out that Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Virginia statute for religious freedom that the Mohammedan should have his faith protected in the United States.

During his speech, the President praised the religion for being a religion of peace  not the hate preached by groups like ISIS.The very word Islam comes from Salam  peace, he said. The standard greeting is As-Salaam-Alaikum  Peace be upon you, he explained. Like so many faiths, Islam is rooted in a commitment to compassion and mercy and justice and charity. Whoever wants to enter paradise, the prophet Mohammad taught, let him treat people the way he would love to be treated, he said as the audience applauded. For Christians like myself, Im assuming that sounds familiar, he continued.

During his speech, Obama praised Islam for being a religion of peace  not the hate preached by groups like ISIS.The very word Islam comes from Salam  peace, he said. The standard greeting is As-Salaam-Alaikum  Peace be upon you, he explained. Like so many faiths, Islam is rooted in a commitment to compassion and mercy and justice and charity. Whoever wants to enter paradise, the prophet Mohammad taught, let him treat people the way he would love to be treated, he said as the audience applauded. For Christians like myself, Im assuming that sounds familiar, he continued.

Obama reminded the audience that political opponents of Thomas Jefferson accused him of being a Muslim. So I was not the first, he said lightly as the audience laughed. Its true. Look it up. Im in good company. Obama pointed out that the founding fathers also supported the religion of Islam. Jefferson and John Adams had their own copies of the Koran, he said. Benjamin Franklin wrote, that even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach to us, he would find a pulpit at his service.

Obama also urged Christians to defend Muslim-Americans when their religion was under attack. If were serious about freedom of religion  and Im speaking now to my fellow Christians, who remain the majority in this country  we have to understand, an attack on one faith is an attack on all our faiths, he said.

He demanded that Americans stop profiling Muslims and treating them differently because of their faith  criticizing political rhetoric for inflaming hatred against the Muslim community. We have to reject a politics that seeks to manipulate prejudice or bias and targets people because of religion, he said.

American Muslim groups have welcomed President Obama's visit to Baltimore Mosque.

"We welcome President Obama's historic visit and applaud his remarks both rejecting anti-Muslim rhetoric and reminding our fellow American's about Islam's long history in our nation and about constitutional protections guaranteeing religious freedom," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "In his remarks, the president acknowledged the many contributions of Muslims in all aspects of American life." He said CAIR and other Muslim organizations have for many years called on the president to visit an American mosque. Awad noted that President Obama also said "engagement with Muslim American communities must never be a cover for surveillance" and stated that criticism of American foreign policy is a "healthy tradition."

"The president's first visit to an American mosque is a significant step in the right direction and will hopefully encourage our nation's political and religious leaders to join him in pushing back against rising Islamophobia," said CAIR Maryland Outreach Manager Zainab Chaudry.

The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) welcomed President Barack Obamas visit to the Islamic Society of Baltimore and applauded the presidents acknowledgement of Islam as a part of Americas fabric since colonial times. "In rebuke to politicians like Donald Trump, Obama presented Islam as an essential part of the nations heritage, going back to Muslim slaves brought to the British colonies and running through Jeffersons Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom up to Fazlur Rahman Khan, who designed two of Chicagos tallest skyscrapers," the ICNA statement concluded.

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) welcomed President Obama's address at the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) and thanked him for his commitment to combat bigotry. In a statement, ISNA said: "In the midst of hateful rhetoric and the rise of Islamophobia during this election season, ISNA sees President Obama's address as step in a positive direction and his visit as a historical moment. President Obama's message highlighted the contributions of Muslim Americans as a vital part of the American community throughout the nation's history. We hope the address becomes a launching pad for dialogue to move the nation towards the pluralistic society the Founding Fathers envisioned. ISNA encourages friends of other faiths and more elected officials to visit mosques across the nation."

Abdus Sattar Ghazali is the Chief Editor of the Journal of America (www.journalofamerica.net) email: asghazali2011 (@) gmail.com






Does Bangladesh Need Development Before Democracy?

By Taj Hashmi

08 February, 2016

Countercurrents.org

Liberal democracy isnt an impediment to development, rather democracy is development; its the epitome of human achievement and development, its the End of History. Had Mujib compromised with Yahya and Bhutto by dishonouring his peoples democratic aspirations, possibly our history wouldve been very different, nothing to be proud of or celebrate about.

Its unbelievable but true. Some people still believe Bangladesh needs development first, before its transition to democracy! Mozammael Khan in a recent posting, Development and Democracy: Time to look to the East(Daily Star, Feb 2, 2016), has argued that Bangladesh needs a Lee Kuan Yew or Mahathir Mohamad to become as developed as Singapore or Malaysia. Although an academic and a human rights activist in Canada, Mozammel Khans arguments are very similar to what Ayub Khan and Sukarno put forward in defence of guided democracy or dictatorship in the1950s and 1960s.

Setting aside my differences of opinion with Mozammel Khans rosy picture about the state of economy in Bangladesh, I concentrate here on the main premise of his article, which argues:  it is probably the time that the country looks to the East for guidance, where development has taken priority over liberal democracy as practiced in the West. A case in this could be either Malaysia or Singapore - both of these countries have achieved exemplary growth over the last 50 years.

I believe no country anywhere in the world should trade human rights, human dignity, democracy, and above all, freedom, for so-called development. Im not going into the polemics of development and underdevelopment, which Andre Gunder Frank, Hamza Alavi, and Immanuel Wallerstein  among many other social scientists  have already resolved in the 1970s.

Their shattering the myth of development under colonialism and post-colonial surrogate states of global capitalism is enlightening. I think those still enamoured by some so-called success stories of development in countries like Singapore and Malaysia, should re-appraise Gunder Franks development of underdevelopment; Wallersteins anti-systemic movements theses; and Alavis The State in Post-Colonial Societies: Pakistan and Bangladesh.

For ten years, I taught modern Asian and Middle Eastern history at the National University of Singapore. The immaculately clean, organized, and disciplined city state with almost corruption-free governance; excellent law and order situation; affordable food, public housing, healthcare, education, and metro rail; and the home to the best airline and best airport in the world failed to delude me ever that I was living in a developed country. Singapore isnt another Japan, Australia, New Zealand, or any country in West Europe or North America with regard to development.

Thanks to the draconian Internal Security Act, anybody in Singapore and Malaysia can be put behind bars without trial for an indefinite period. The exploitation of cheap foreign and domestic workers; not-so-hidden poverty; and the lack of respect for democracy, human rights and human dignity draw a parallel between Singapore/Malaysia and the oil rich Arab autocracies in the Persian Gulf. They arent developed countries, let alone role models for Bangladesh.

Mahathirs rule was as dictatorial as that of Lee Kuan Yews. As one writer elaborates:   his [Mahathirs] accumulation of power came at the expense of the independence of the judiciary and the traditional powers and privileges of Malaysia's royalty. He deployed the controversial Internal Security Act to detain activists, non-mainstream religious figures, and political opponents including the Deputy Prime Minister he fired in 1998, Anwar Ibrahim.

As quoted by Dr Khan, nothing could be more unsubstantial than Lee Kuan Yews perception of democracy and development. Lee thought, democracy leads to undisciplined and disorderly conditions which are inimical to development, and asserted in the manner of another Sukarno or Ayub Khan:

The ultimate test of the value of a political system is whether it helps that society to establish conditions, which improve the standard of living for the majority of its people. Democracy is one way of getting the job done, but if controlled electoral procedures are more conducive to the attainment of valued ends, then I'm against liberal democracy. Nothing is morally at stake in the choice of procedures. Democratic procedures have no intrinsic value. What matters is good government [italics mine].

Both Lee and Mahathir believed Asian values were different from (and superior to) Western values, in every sphere of life, including governance. The premise of development-before-democracy is an alibi for dictatorship, a fig leaf of autocrats unquenchable thirst for glory and power.

We cant, however, define development by the number of tall buildings and flyovers; the length of paved roads; mass rapid transit networks; and the number of flashy cars in a given country. Development is all about the development of our mind and culture. In developed countries, people are free to think and express their opinion without any fear of intimidation; governments respect human rights, and guarantee equal opportunities to all, irrespective of race, religion, gender and age. And only true democracy protects human rights by ensuring the rule of law and equal opportunity.

Today  more than a quarter century after the end of the Cold War  those who still think theres nothing so special about democracy, and civil/military autocrats are as legitimate as elected governments, they simply dont know the wind of change  for democracy and freedom  is getting stronger, even in parts of the Arab World. One domino will fall after another, everywhere, including Singapore and Malaysia. Its too late to revive the good old days of Lee and Mahathir, anywhere, including Bangladesh. Nobody can sustain Marxs proverbial Oriental Despotism that existed in the past  and still exists in countries like Myanmar and North Korea.

However, the theory that justified controlled democracy or absolute dictatorship  both in pro-Western and anti-Western dictatorships during the Cold War years, is fast losing altitude. A couple of them have already crash landed in Indonesia, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen, and many more are struggling to remain afloat. While Moscow and Beijing are still backing their rogue client states, Washington and its allies are fast withdrawing support from their erstwhile client states.

Liberal democracy isnt an impediment to development, rather democracy is development; its the epitome of human achievement and development, its the End of History. Liberal democracy is the most powerful weapon against terrorism. Leading counterterrorism experts believe, denial of democracy, the rule of law, human rights and human dignity are the main factors behind the rise of terrorism, Islamofascism, and anarchy in the Muslim World. Turbulent Bangladesh no longer can afford to wait for the elusive development, before it becomes a fully-fledged liberal democracy.

Last but not least, the Pakistani military regimes refusal to respect the overwhelming majority Bengalis democratic rights to choose their leader triggered the Liberation War in 1971. Since democracy was the raison d'etre for Bangladesh, one wonders why the country should follow Lee, Mahathir, or other proponents of controlled democracy or dictatorship instead of its own founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who fought for the democratic rights of his people, and refused to compromise with the Pakistani military junta. Had Mujib compromised with Yahya and Bhutto by dishonouring his peoples democratic aspirations, possibly our history wouldve been very different, nothing to be proud of or celebrate about.

The writer teaches security studies at Austin Peay State University. He is the author of several books, including Global Jihad and America: The Hundred-Year War Beyond Iraq and Afghanistan (Sage, 2014).




Lessons From The Holocaust For Our Times, Part 1

By Dianne Monroe

08 February, 2016

Carolynbaker.net

My mother didnt die when so many others did  and so lived to give birth to me. I write about this now, because it has everything to do with today, even though the cataclysm in which so many perished happened more than 75 years ago. I owe my life, in part, to people who were willing to risk theirs, whose names I will never know.

The story is etched in my bones. I remember its telling and retelling as far back as my early childhood memories. The details are blurred with the passing of time. No one who lived it is still alive. I would not know how to verify the specific facts. So I write this story to the best of my memory, knowing its truth in the deepest and widest sense.

My mothers family were Dutch Jews with a several century history of calling Holland their home. They were Sephardic Jews, descendants of those who fled the Spanish Inquisition in the 1500s. They came from a people who had a well-refined intuition about when it was time to flee and had found the ways to do so.

More Jews from Holland died in the Holocaust than from any other Western European country. An often used estimate is 75%. (Other estimates range as high as 90%.) How did this part of my family manage to survive? And what might be the implications for our times of climate crisis, when we are already living in what is called The Sixth Extinction (with dozens of species going extinct every day), when the future of life as we know it may hang in the balance?

My mothers family considered themselves Dutch first, as did many Dutch Jews. They were only nominally religious, yet proud of their history as Sephardic Jews. My Grandfather was a professional classical musician. He played woodwinds (bassoon, oboe, clarinet) with the Dutch symphony. My grandmother was a visual artist. She was born and raised in Amsterdam, where most of Hollands Jews lived, in a vibrant neighborhood with a historic theater a half block from her home and the Amsterdam zoo only a block away.

During World War 1, my grandmothers parents (my great-grandparents) took in a German Jewish orphan called Ulie. She was raised as my grandmothers little sister. When Ulie grew up she returned to Germany. Over time the family stopped hearing from her.

My grandmother married and moved to The Hague, about an hour from Amsterdam by train. My mother and uncle were born there. The family watched nervously the rise of Nazism in Germany, which shares a border with Holland.

One day, as my grandfather told the story, he was returning home from rehearsal when he was approached by a stranger who said he was a friend of Ulie. The stranger then began a conversation about Ulie. Eventually the stranger asked if my grandfather would do a big favor for Ulie, even if it was dangerous. My grandfather replied that Ulie was like a sister to his wife and he would do anything for her.

The stranger then revealed that Ulie, her husband and baby were being smuggled out of Germany and needed a safe place to stay while arrangements were made to get them to England. My grandfather invited them to stay with his family. These surprise guests changed how my grandparents saw the scope of the danger from Germany and this proved to be the salvation of my family.

Most of Europe was unaware of all that was going on in Germany, and mass extermination plans already being laid for the near future. How could they know? Many Jews in neighboring countries believed, not unreasonably, that the safest course of action was to hold tight. Many Jews in Germany believed the best way to survive was to keep a low profile and obey the increasingly onerous laws that restricted and marginalized Jews.

Many Jews (including Anne Franks family, who immigrated from Germany) believed Holland would be safe, in part due to its neutrality during World War I and its long tradition of religious tolerance. The situation was far more complex and unclear than hindsight may lead us to believe.

Many Jews did try to emigrate, but this was not easy to do. Most of the worlds countries had strict immigration quotas with complex requirements and long waiting periods. Each applicant competed with thousands of other equally desperate people for too few available openings. Most countries, including the United States, Canada and Great Britain, were unwilling to increase their immigrant quotas, even with this urgent need.

Does this sound like something going on today? (Hint: replace Jewish with Middle Eastern.)

There was always an air of clandestineness in the way my grandparents told this story, things they remained silent about, details they carried to their graves, that I wish I knew. It seemed that there was some kind of illegality about their harboring German Jews (who would not have proper immigration papers) and how they were to be brought into England.

The impression I was given was that there was risk involved for my family. I remember my mother telling me that she was given strict orders not to tell anyone about Ulie and her family. These guests stayed in a room without windows, in the center of the house.

My grandparents willingness to take this risk for Ulie and her family gave them connections to what seemed to be an early resistance movement. It also gave them insider knowledge into just how bad things were for Jews in Germany, and how bad they would be if Germany invaded Holland.

As early as 1933, shortly after Hitler came to power, the first concentration camps were established. Initially they were to imprison enemies of the state (socialists, communists, homosexuals and others). Mass arrests of Jews did not begin in earnest until 1938. It seems that Ulie and her family were taken in an early raid and somehow escaped, in the process becoming connected with the people who helped her and her family arrive in Holland en route to England (again, likely an early resistance movement). They were in really bad shape when they arrived in my grandparents home.

Once in my grandparents house, Ulie and her husband shared their experience, and information about what was really going on in Germany  which few people actually knew. From then on, my grandparents began figuring out how to get out of Holland. Their chance connection with an early resistance movement (because my grandmothers parents took in a German Jewish orphan) gave my grandparents the understanding that they really needed to leave, and some connections that could help them find ways to do so. (Another serendipitous connection allowed them to get into the U.S, even with its restrictive immigration policies  but that story is beyond the scope of this article.)

My grandmothers parents, (who raised Ulie as a child) did not escape. They were murdered in Hitlers death camps, along with most of my extended family. Yet, had my great-grandparents not opened their home to this orphan child, my grandparents would not have had an early warning of the necessity to leave, nor the connections to help them do so  and I would not have been born.

We truly cannot envision the ripple effects of our actions and the impact they can have on the future.

Because we risked ourselves for others, we ourselves were saved, I remember my grandmother telling me, over and over again, when I was still in elementary school. This message shaped who I am and how I have lived my life.

I tell this story, which is so much a part of me, because of what it has taught me about life and about where humanity stands today. I write to share what I learned, and also to invite you to share what you may learn. It feels risky and vulnerable to share such a personal story so publicly. If I did not feel it was so relevant to our world today, I might not share it in this way.

What does all this have to do with the challenging, perilous and complex times in which we live?

In Part 2 of this series, I share my ideas on this. (Hint: it has something to do with, because we risked our lives for others, we ourselves were saved and the ripple effect our actions can have, often in surprising and unexpected ways.) But theres more

Meanwhile, I invite you to share your ideas about the connections between this story and where we stand today. Be in touch and let me know. (Dianne@diannemonroe.com).

Dianne Monroe is a Life Mentor, Inner Wilderness Guide, Experiential Educator, writer and photographer, living in Sonoma County, CA. She offers programs and personal mentoring using a blend of arts, creativity and nature connection practices to support people in finding soul path and purpose, knowing their deepest life story for this world, navigating times of transition and more. Visit her at www.diannemonroe.com, dianne@diannemonroe.com.




My Unique Perspective Into The Russian-Turkish Crisis

By Ramziya Zaripova

08 February, 2016

Countercurrents.org

Born and raised in Russia I live currently in Germany and my boyfriend is Turkish. I spend at least 4 months a year in Turkey. So I have a unique perspective into the Russian-Turkish crisis. I read Turkish and Russian fluently, so I am aware of outrageous propaganda campaigns conducted by both sides. This article is an examination of this tragic development

Born and raised in Russia I live in Germany, and my boyfriend is Turkish. I spend at least 4 months a year in Turkey but I still have my family and friends back home in Russia. So I found myself in a rather interesting position in the recent Russian-Turkish crisis. Usually propaganda is based on the population's ignorance of the other side's opinion. This state of ignorance is automatically achieved if opponent countries speak different languages. In my case every day I read news and watch television both in Russian and Turkish. I love both countries and I hate seeing those becoming enemies. But what I hate to see even more, is how two nations, not just states and political elites, start hating each other on a personal level. Official news  both in Russia and Turkey - do not reflect the reality. It's just a part of the official propaganda which goal is to control citizens' minds. If that statement wasn't true, I would've received approximately the same information through both Russian and Turkish channels. But what happens in reality?

I want to give you a couple of examples why I think that carefully chosen anti-propaganda and not events and facts influence common people's minds. Let's start with Turkey. A couple of weeks ago I saw on my boyfriend's Facebook page an article in Turkish with a familiar figure. It was Vladimir Zhirinovsky  the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in Russia - proposing to drop a nuclear bomb on the Strait of Bosphorus. This extremist statement has provoked a lot of aggression towards Russia. Without any previous knowledge about that politician (who is familiar to any Russian) Zhirinovsky's words sounded as a direct appeal to start a war. Unfortunately, Turkish people are not aware of the fact that Zhirinovsky is famous for his radical statements. I would like to cite just a couple of them. He is against women's rights (a woman should sit at home, cry, repair clothing and cook'), learning English at schools (lets not make our children learn English. It will be better if they learn how to use Kalashnikov. Then the whole world will have to speak Russian') and has strange views about terrorists (we should hate everything about terrorists. A normal man won't wear a long black dangling beard'). So none of his statements are taken seriously in Russia. Really. It may sound absurd but he is seen more as a clown / comedian in the Kremlin. I think his function is to distract people's attention from serious issues. Anyway, those facts are not known in Turkey, so his statement was successfully used to heat up anti-Russian hatred.

Another case was a true 'elephant' made out of a 'fly'. Right after the incident with the Russian plane there was a photo all over Turkish media with a man wearing a black mask on his face on a board of the Russian warship 'Caesar Kunikov', while the ship was passing through the Bosphorus Strait. The man was holding a ground-to-air missile on his shoulder. That incident was immediately interpreted by the Turkish as a Russian provocation. The photo circulated through the media for days and received a lot of attention. As if a single man could blow up a half of Istanbul! Needless to say that the photo has never appeared in the main-stream Russian news.

Now about Russian media. Anti-Turkish propaganda had a wide range: from sarcastic jokes and cartoons (My favorite joke is about Dmitri Medvedev banning Turkish kebab, a music group called 'Turkish Choir', a cezve  a pot designed for making Turkish coffee and 'Turkish Gambit'  a book by Boris Akunin) to Putin's rather dirty statement that Turkey tried to 'lick America's private parts' - a phrase which is not, to my mind, supposed to come out of the president's mouth. Russian media has also proved to be perfect at exploiting the sentiment of pity. Russian TV has attracted a lot of attention to the death of Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Peshkov  the pilot from the downed plane. Posthumously he has been awarded the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation. One of new streets in Lipetsk  the pilot's home town  will receive his name. Television seemed to have captured everything: arrival of the plane with the coffin, young cadets  future officers  bringing flowers to the Lipetsks monument dedicated to fallen pilots, crying old women with red carnations, paper planes with signs 'We remember' made by school children... With all respect and my condolences to the Lieutenant Colonel's family I can't stop worrying if that tragedy has received too much attention. At that time it was very hard not to start hating Turkish army, Erdogan, Turkey and everything what is connected with that country after just a couple of evenings spend by watching the news. My Mom told me in November that she would like to visit me again in Istanbul. When I started talking about it in December she simply said: I am a patriot. So fast Russians - at least the generation born and raised in the Soviet times - have become a Turkish enemy. Not a single person on the TV screen was shown asking this simple question: why a Russian pilot died in Syria?! Despite a lot of information about that case I couldn't find any videos with Peshkovs widow. What did she have to say about it? Is it fair that her husband had to protect the homeland even if there is about 464 miles between Russian and Syrian borders? There is no statistics how many Russian soldiers have already died in Syria. This data is of course classified. And how many somebody else's fathers, husbands, and sons still run the danger?! These questions cannot be asked and answered in Russia.

How easy it is to start a mass paranoia! Anybody who was interested in this conflict has already heard about a 'stab in the back'. Russian government looks back now and with pity exclaims: 'Turkey has been always our enemy, so many wars have been between Russia and the Ottoman Empire! We shouldn't have trusted them in the first place'. Years of friendship and partnership are forgotten, as if Erdogan never came last September to Moscow to open a new mosque or as if Putin has never shaken hands with Erdogan in Samsun, eastern Turkey, on the opening ceremony of the 'Blue Stream'. In the past Russia had so many wars with so many countries, so that according to this logic of post-war-distrust Russia shouldn't deal with any of those states: Germany, USA, France, Poland, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Hungary, Iran, etc.

So what is the result of the crisis? Putin has hypocritically declared that Russia is not against Turkish people but against its government. Turkey tries to convince its population that Turkish economy  not the most stable one  won't suffer from the crisis with Russia. But even carefully chosen propaganda is not able to conceal the truth. Last December vegetable and fruit had record low prices in Istanbul. Television showed excited housewives buying three kilograms of tomatoes instead of usual two. The reason for that fantastic luck was a long line of trucks with greens stuck on the Russian border after the Putin's partial ban on Turkish import. So while somebody had saved 20 cent on the market, thousands of people got bankrupt. Other markets which have suffered a lot in Turkey are textile, leather and fur. Fur market has suffered at the most because a big part of it was oriented toward Russian importers. Needless to say that furs are not that popular among locals because of the warm climate, so those goods couldn't be sold inside of Turkey like tomatoes and cucumbers. Buyers from other countries in the region such as Moldavia, Tadjikistan or Kyrgyzstan who also buy furs are usually interested in lower quality and cheaper products, so that companies selling high-quality furs suffered at most. I walked on Laleli two weeks ago - a wholesalers district in Istanbul  some shops were closed and it was unusually quiet on the streets. I talked to the street seller of chestnuts and he told me that the business has been very slow for a long time. The young man was complaining about the worsening of the economic situation unlike Erdogan who keeps promising Turkish citizens that cooperation with Europe instead of Russia will bring wealth and prosperity to the country.

Russians have suffered as well from the crisis. Not Putin  he still will eat tangerines from a gold plate  but Russian pensioners who won't be able to pay twice as much as before for fruit and vegetables in the wintertime. Turkey was also one of the most favorite vacation destination for a lot of Russians. It was popular because of warm sea, relatively lower prices in comparison with Spain or Thailand, good service and hospitality of Turkish people, who already learnt Russian, so it was not even necessary to practice broken English. Instead of going to Turkey, Russian officials recommend to visit the newly-acquired Crimea resorts, the Baikal Lake or even Iran. First two destinations have really beautiful nature but the infrastructure and hotels are in a poor condition. I dont want to deny that the Baikal Lake is a magnificent place to visit with many ancient legends and unique shaman rites but it takes days actually to get there. It is obviously not an easy place to go to with small children or for elderly tourists. As for Iran, who is planning to cancel visas for Russian tourists, its one of the most unsuitable tourist locations. Alcohol is officially forbidden, signs in English are scarce, and women have to wear a scarf on the streets. I had an Iranian female friend who argued that it's not a very strict ban, as 'you just have to put a scarf on your head but your hair may be showing'. Well, a poor consolation for Russian girls who are used to wear bikinis and miniskirts in Antalya and Alanya. For me personally the most disturbing fact is that they use Arabic or Persian numerals in Iran. So you won't be even able to figure out prices in a restaurant if locals don't speak English.

To sum up, the crisis between Russia and Turkey has brought only harm to both countries. Both governments try their best to conceal the simple truth  the conflict will affect common peoples lives - and use all possible means to heat up hatred towards each other.

Ramziya Zaripova: Born and raised in Russia I live currently in Germany and my boyfriend is Turkish. I spend at least 4 months a year in Turkey. So I have a unique perspective into the Russian-Turkish crisis. I read Turkish and Russian fluently, so I am aware of outrageous propaganda campaigns conducted by both sides. This article is an examination of this tragic development




Rohith Vemulas Death: A Noose Around The BJPs Neck

By Anand Teltumbde

08 February, 2016

Countercurrents.org

Rohitha Vemulas dream of becoming Carl Sagan to write science abruptly ended at the altar of caste but in death it is metamorphosed into a peoples dream to end the circumstances that caused it. Rohith dropped out from the process of his likely anointment by the casteist establishment as the doctor of philosophy but in the poignant lines he left behind as his suicide note are a piece of philosophy of the dalit existence in this cursed land that shall live on for years. Although this 26 year old son of a landless dalit mother blamed none, friends or foes, which the casteist vultures that devoured his life would try using to claim their innocence, his death has already exposed their criminality stemming from their casteist mindset.

The agitation of his fellow students unleashed by his death, backed by the national and international protests, and their teachers resolve to side by them has forced the conceited administration to revoke the suspension of his remaining four comrades. In a spirit of revolt becoming the true moral tribute to Rohith, the students have immediately rejected the administrations awkward overture and declared their resolve to continue their struggle, already in its 18th day and fourth days of hunger strike as I write, until the people responsible, including Smriti Irani are punished. It is not important whether they would really be able to hold on before the might of the fascist regime, but the tone is already set for the latters decimation. The students, who in their innocence greatly contributed to BJPs win in the last elections have come together to say emphatic no to its casteist and communal agenda. It manifests into complete isolation of the BJPs students wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in campuses all over the country. There are indications that it may get a lasting organizational form. Rohiths death has already accomplished what he would not have been able to do living.

Criminality Exposed

While the saga of crime against dalits is ancient, the roots of the current episode in the Central University of Hyderabad (HCU) lie in the false police complaint lodged by the ABVPs HCU Unit president and its state committee member, N Susheel Kumar alleging that a mob of 30 ASA (Ambedkar Students Association) members had beaten him to extract an apology for his remarks on Facebook calling ASA goons. It was in reaction to the demonstrations of the ASA condemning ABVP attack on screening of Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hain in Delhi Universitys Kirorimal College associated with arrogant statements like, main Hindu hoon, main tujhe thappad maarunga. (Im a Hindu, Ill slap you.). Taking offence, the ASA had mobbed Susheel Kumar and demanded a written apology, which he gave in presence of security personnel. However, the next morning he admitted himself into a private hospital, got him photographed and filed a police complaint. The proctorial board of the HCU, in its investigations, did not find any hard evidence for beating; the doctor as well as the security personnel having testified in negative. But still based on some ghost witnesses, the board recommended the suspension of five students for a semester, reportedly under pressure from the BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao who met the then vice-chancellor Prof. R.P. Sharma and the BJP MP and union labour minister of State for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya writing to the union Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani.

The letter from Dattatreya, an RSS member of 50 years vintage, pracharak for two decades, a veteran BJP leader to be a minister of state in the Atal Behari Vajpayee as well as in the current Modi government, to Smriti Irani, who has been infamously promoting hindutva agenda in educational institutions has eventually precipitated the abominable punishment that led to Rohiths death. Dattatreyas letter irresponsibly complained against the HCU for having become a mute spectator of the casteist, extremist and anti-national activities of the ASA. In support of his charge he alleged that the ASA had protested against the hanging of Yakub Menon. And Smriti Irani suggestively wrote to the VC to take action as she had done earlier in the case of an anonymous complaint against the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle in IIT, Madras. As per these recommendations, five ASA members were suspended for a semester. It sparked off massive protest which forced the VC to revoke the order pending investigation by a new committee. The new VC Prof Appa Rao, with a two-decade history of rusticating dalit students, who is now being openly accused by his own staff as being casteist (The News Minute, January 22, 2016) crawled into expelling five students out of hostel and banning them from accessing library, hostel and administrative building in groups. The punishment had all the symbolism associated with the Manusmriti vis-a-vis the outcastes.

Vile Stratagem

It is not either the stray case of prejudice of certain casteist functionary or the first case of dalit scholar committing suicide in the HCU, nor is the HCU the only university in the country to have such incidents. That the caste venom pervades the country is proved by several surveys right from 1950s through this century, as late as in 2015 (The India Human Development Survey (IHDS-2) by the NCAER) and its incidence is perhaps rising in recent years as revealed by its raw manifestation in the form of atrocities. (The Atrocities have risen from 33507 in 2001 to 47,064 in 2014 as per the National Crime Research Bureau). The reason can be traced to the social Darwinist ethos of neoliberalism which reversed the welfarist paradigm created by Keynesian economics. Its social implications contra-intuitively resonate with the upsurge of Hindutva forces in the country, evidenced by the BJPs rise from a marginal position in 1980s to be the contender for political power at the center. Castes which were being spoken about in hush-hush tone are now flaunted and justified in the open. The Hindu religiosity was considered a mark of backwardness, is being proudly exhibited with wraps of vermilion threads tied onto wrists and kumkum marks on the foreheads even by the professorial class.

It is this brahmanic upsurge which is driving dalit scholars to kill themselves. Speaking of the HCU, there have been reportedly 12 suicides of the dalit scholars in the HCU since its inception in 1970 but most of them (8) during the past single decade; Rohiths being the ninth. Senthil Kumar (2008), pursuing Ph D in physics, R. Balaraj (2010), pursuing Ph D in Telugu literature, Madari Venkatesh (2013), a Ph D scholar in High Energy Materials and Pulyala Raju (2013), a PG student in Applied linguistics are a few names that are easily remembered because their cases were investigated by the committees which pointed out the rampant caste discrimination to be the cause. But they failed to sensitize the casteist administration. On the contrary, they are further emboldened to persist with it obviously encouraged by the right wing forces in power.

How does it gel with the desperate attempts of the right wing government to woo dalits through its over-kill of love for their icon in Babasaheb Ambedkar? It is not difficult to fathom. It wants dalits to accomplish its hindutva agenda but not radical dalits that could spoil its broth. Memorializing Ambedkar or going gaga over observation of his 125th birth anniversary, it hopes, would fool gullible dalit masses into voting for it. But a few radicalized Rohiths could topple its applecart. It is unfortunate; the dalits do not understand that Ambedkar wanted prabuddha (enlightened) dalits to emerge from his followers and not the hymn singing devotees. It is therefore that Ambedkar risked emphasizing higher education over the elementary education because he saw that only the former could create critical thinking in people and provide moral strength to stand up against the free play of caste prejudices of dominant elements. The government is crushing these potential torch bearers of Ambedkar in every possible manner while singing paeans to him. The strategy of the hindutva camp is to brahmanize common folks of the dalits and to demonize the radical dalits. As dissenting Muslim youth are branded terrorist, dalit-adivasi youth are being stamped as extremists, casteists and anti-nationals. The Indian jails are filled with such innocent youth incarcerated for years under the vague charges like sedition and unlawful activities. Under the veil of samarasata the hindutva forces feigning caste blindness could oppress the dalits with impunity. Death symbolizes the exit from this oppression, the life is enduring it.

Political portents

Rohiths death exposed the multilayered injustice of the saffron establishment. Entire student community, barring of course the ABVP, came out spontaneously condemning the hindutva hooliganism. It exposed the dalit leaders who failed even to speak out against their political patrons in the face of such monumental injustice. The dalits who were fooled by them into voting for the Hindutva forces have slowly woken up to see their folly. The caste is culture of ancient India which is craved for by the hindutva forces. What dalits call discrimination, is natural to the hindutva. Howsoever, they camouflaged it as expedient for their political strategy, it has kept spilling over in many ways every day. The prime minister speaking at Lucknow University described Rohiths death just as loss to a mother and shed crocodile tears in filmy style. He kept mum over the misdeeds of his own ministers that contributed to Rohiths death despite huge political backlash. Smruti Irani in her characteristic ineptitude tried blaming the entire HCU episode to dalits lying that a dalit professor had headed the subcommittee that had recommended the punishment. It provoked all dalit teachers of the HCU to resign enmasse from their administrative responsibilities. The previous day, the teachers body of the HCU had boldly rejected the request from the VC to resume classes until the punishment was revoked. The VC had to lick the dust and revoke the suspension. The prime minister announced the judicial commission to enquire into the entire episode in another attempt to cover up the sins of his own tribe. This all would not go unnoticed by people. The Brahmanical pride in self righteousness blinds BJP to see Rohits noose tightening around its neck too.

Dr Anand Teltumbde is a writer and Democratic Rights activist with CPDR, Mumbai




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Alzheimer's Association Workshop: "Healthy Living for Your Brain & Body," 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Dunigan YMCA, 6846 Oak Grove Road. Guest speakers will include Susan A. Hall, natural health practitioner and Zach Oxford, YMCA Wellness manager ($5 donation suggested). Registration required by calling 800-272-3900.

SongShine Evansville: will present a music-based voice therapy program that helps strengthen the speaking voices of those who suffer from Parkinson's, stroke and other neurological disorders or simply aging. Starting March 8, the classes will meet on Tuesdays from 1:30-2:30 p.m. through May 17 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 5130 Lincoln Ave. The classes use classical singing exercises, relaxation, physical awareness and breath, diction and articulation, creative imagination, emotional engagement, rhythmic movement and group singing to enhance speech. Registration will be at 1 p.m. the first week. Classes are free, but a $10 registration fee is required. A kit containing a textbook, CDs, a bookstand and a bag is $45. Call 812-457-5137 or register online at SongShineforParkinsons.org. Classes are taught by Certified SongShine instructors. Scholarships are available if needed.

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Men's bereavement support group: Meeting 9-10:30 a.m. the second Monday of each month in Room 204 at Deaconess VNA Plus, 610 E. Walnut St.

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Pulmonary fibrosis support group: Meeting 3 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Room 1420, Deaconess Hospital, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com.

COPD/asthma support group: Meeting 3 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month, Room 1420, Deaconess Hospital, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com.

Mending Hearts pregnancy loss support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month, Gift Conference Room, off the lobby of St. Mary's Hospital for Women & Children, 3700 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-4204.

Men's cancer support group: Meeting 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, St. Mary's Epworth Crossing Community Conference Room, 100 St. Mary's Epworth Crossing, Newburgh. Information: 812-485-5725.

Stroke support group: Meeting 10 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month, St. Mary's Community Education Room at Washington Square Mall, 5011 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-5607.

ALS support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Meeting Room E, Deaconess Gateway Hospital. The support group is for patients, caregivers and survivors who have lost someone to Lou Gehrig's disease.

Women's cancer support group: Meeting 5:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month, St. Mary's Epworth Crossing Community Conference Room. Information: 812-485-5725.

Compiled by Leah Ward,

leah.ward@courierpress.com
SHARE Blake Rhodes

By Richard Gootee of the Courier and Press

An Evansville man was arrested and accused of firing a shot at a vehicle on Diamond Avenue late Sunday. Police identified the suspect as Blake A. Rhodes, 21.

According to a probable-cause affidavit, two women reported to police dispatchers that a passenger in a car that passed them on Diamond Avenue fired a single shot at the vehicle they were in near the Kratzville Road intersection about 10:30 p.m. The other vehicle was found in the 1200 block of Bella Vista Square.

There is no indication that the vehicle the women were in was struck by gunfire, and there were no reported injuries listed in the affidavit.

The driver of the vehicle allegedly shot at told police she saw the car Rhodes was in approach her at a high rate a speed as she was going east on Diamond Avenue. She told police she hit her brakes in an attempt to get the other driver's attention and that's when the vehicle passed her, partially going in the median to do so. She told police that she did not see the passenger point a gun at her car but heard what she thought was a gunshot as it passed.

The passenger in her car reportedly told police that the front-seat passenger of the other car held a gun out the window and fired a handgun toward them as the vehicle went past.

Both Rhodes and the driver of the car he was in denied that Rhodes fired a shot at the two women, police said. The driver of the vehicle Rhodes was reportedly in was not arrested in connection with the incident. Both men claimed to police that they were racing the other vehicle, according to the affidavit.

In the affidavit, investigators wrote that they located a gun in the apartment Rhodes was in after the incident that was one shot from being fully loaded.

Rhodes faces preliminary charges of two counts of criminal recklessness. He is initially being held without bond, according to jail records.
Eric Holcomb

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By Zach Osowski

INDIANAPOLIS  The Republican race for Dan Coats' seat is down to just two candidates after Eric Holcomb announced he is dropping out of the race.

Holcomb bowing out leaves the GOP nomination down to Todd Young and Marlin Stutzman, both current U.S. Representatives from Indiana. Holcomb dropped out of the race after filing for the position on Jan. 27.

Holcomb was substantially behind the other two candidates in terms of cash on hand reported at the end of 2015. Holcomb had $229,000 according to campaign records, compared to $1.1 million for Stutzman and $2.3 million for Young.

Young is currently the U.S. Representative of Indiana's ninth district but is giving up that seat to run of Indiana Senator. Stutzman is doing the same for his third district seat. The U.S. Senate seat opened up last year when Coats announced he would not run for re-election in 2016.
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Judy Stock

Haubstadt

I thought Indiana was not accepting the Syrian refugees and now I read in your paper that one is living in Evansville. Why?

America has enough to take care of if we would take care of our own people, who are homeless and not working. I am totally against any more foreigners coming to America. They cannot speak our language, hard telling what diseases they bring with them and the taxpayers have to support them. The taxpayers are already over burdened with all the people they have to take care. A prime example is the taxpayers should not be in the baby business. More babies are being born at the taxpayers expense than ever before.

America is so in debt and more money will be borrowed to support the refugees. This is really a shame and don't throw religion at me. We need to take care of our own first! We need to take care of Americans first!
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has acquired a small data protection vendor that in some ways competes with more well-known applications like Veeam.

Trilead, an Altendorf, Switzerland-based developer of low-cost data protection software for VMware vSphere and ESXi and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualised environments, put a statement on its website home page that it was acquired by HPE.

Neither the timing of the acquisition nor the purchase price was addressed in the statement.

The Trilead statement read: "We are thrilled to announce that Trilead is now a part of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and its family of global and industry-leading information management and governance solutions. Its been an exciting adventure for all of us at Trilead, thanks to our dedicated community of partners and customers. There is a lot more to come and we look forward to continued enhancements under the Hewlett Packard Enterprise brand."

An HPE spokesperson, in response to a CRN USA request for more information, emailed a statement: "To further accelerate our focus on virtualisation, we acquired Trilead, a provider of backup solutions targeted exclusively on virtualised environments. This acquisition is consistent with HPEs broader strategy to invest in growth areas that are core to the business."

The Trilead software is available in three versions. The Free edition backs up virtual machines while they are running, and allows drag-and-drop copying of files between VMware, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD servers.

The Pro edition adds tape backup, incremental backups, offsite backup copies, file-level restore, cloud backups and replication. The Enterprise edition adds several advanced cloud backup and restore features, encryption, and support for certain other products including EMC XtremIO and VMware Virtual SAN (VSAN).

The Pro edition is priced at US$790, while the Enterprise edition is priced at S$1,460. The prices are based on one license per installation regardless of the number of virtual machines or processors used.

However, the company currently provides only email-based support.

Trilead is the second investment HPE has made in the storage software industry. HPE on 12 January said it has acquired an equity stake in Scality, a developer of object storage software.

HPE appears to have partnered with Trilead in the past. The company, back when it was known as Hewlett-Packard, included Trilead as part of a software bundle in its EVA 6000 array.

This article originally appeared at crn.com
Japanese industrial conglomerate Toshiba expects a bigger full-year loss than previously anticipated, amid mounting restructuring costs after a $1.8 billion accounting scandal.

Toshiba said on Thursday it now expected a net loss of 710 billion yen ($8.5 billion) compared with a previously expected loss of 550 billion yen.

Chief executive Masashi Muromachi told a press conference that Toshiba had lowered its expectations to fully reflect possible downside risks to its business.

Muromachi also pledged to accelerate restructuring efforts, announcing an additional 240 job cuts or replacements on top of some 10,000 already announced.

He also reiterated plans to sell Toshiba's loss-making laptops and home appliances businesses.

Muromachi said he could not rule out a possible deal with Sharp for the home appliances unit even after it chose Taiwan's Foxconn as its preferred bidder in takeover talks.

He also said a foreign manufacturer could be the buyer.

Toshiba is trying to recover from a book-keeping scandal in which it overstated profits from around 2009. In December, it said it would slash 6,800 consumer electronics jobs, taking total cuts beyond 10,000, including previously announced plans.

(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando and Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Stephen Coates and Mark Potter)
BlackBerry on Friday Canadian time confirmed that it has laid off "a small number of employees" at its offices in Waterloo, Canada and Sunrise, USA.

The layoffs come as the mobile company sharpens its focus on security software, services and Android smartphones tailored for the enterprise market.

As BlackBerry continues to execute its turnaround plan, we remain focused on driving efficiencies across our global workforce, the company said in a statement. This means finding new ways to enable us to capitalise on growth opportunities, while driving toward sustainable profitability across all parts of our business.

BlackBerry revealed its layoffs in response to a report by MobileSyrup claiming that the company is cutting 35 percent of its Waterloo headquarters, or at least 1,000 employees. The company later revealed that "approximately 200 employees have been impacted in Canada and Florida."

Among those leaving the company's Canadian headquarters is Gary Klassen, creator of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), a cross-platform instant messaging application.

The company has revealed cuts before, back in May, when it laid off an unspecified number of employees in its device unit.

BlackBerry's layoffs come months after the company introduced the security-based BlackBerry Priv, its first smartphone to run on Google's Android operating system as opposed to the BlackBerry 10 operating system, by which previous smartphone renditions were powered.

BlackBerry Priv won't be the company's only smartphone to run on Android - during an interview with the Economic Times, Damian Tay, senior director of APAC Product Management, said the phone is part of the company's transition to the Android platform.

Grosfield said that this evolution makes sense for BlackBerry as it sharpens its focus on the enterprise market.

"Android-based handsets secured by BlackBerry's DTek software provide a best-of-both-worlds solution to gain market share while staying true to the Waterloo-based company's proven track record of second-to-none security and manageability, especially in the enterprise market," he added.

This article originally appeared at crn.com
Managed services News

CRN Exclusive: MSPs Get Help For Health-Care Clients With HIPAA Tool

Rick Saia

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Managed service providers that serve small health-care practices will now have a cloud-based tool to help them avoid federal audits under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act -- more commonly known by its acronym, HIPAA.

The tool, HIPAA Help Center, was unveiled Monday by Dallas-based Ingenium Professional Services. The CEO of an MSP based in Missouri that served as a beta tester praised its functionality, saying the HIPAA Help Center will save his company time and money, while sparing his customers the headaches and potential lost revenue that can come with a federal audit.

"Weve asked for this stuff for a long time, said John Motazedi, CEO of SNCSquared, an MSP based in Joplin. The tool is a help to small health-care practices that don't have the time, patience or knowledge to know all they need to know about HIPAA, Motazedi added. "That becomes the real key."

[Related: IDC: Federal, Health-Care And Retail Mobile Spending Will Drive Channel Opportunities]

"HIPAA compliance is not optional, and make no mistake  audits are coming," Jim Bibles, chief compliance officer of HIPAA Help Center, said in a statement. "At the same time, maintaining the levels of security mandated by the federal government is becoming more and more difficult."

"I've never met a surgeon, a general practitioner, a chiropractor or an ophthalmologist who enjoyed dealing with HIPAA regs," Bibles said. "But compliance does not need to be daunting, and it doesn't need to take your focus away from your patients. It's a cost of doing business in today's interconnected world. Our focus is to make it painless, cost-effective and worry-free."

HIPAA, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1996, mandates the protection and confidential handling of protected health information, and established industrywide standards for health-care information on electronic billing and other processes.

The HIPAA Help Center is a custom-built tool that enables practices to become HIPAA-compliant quickly and easily. In an interview with CRN, Bibles said it's very common for small medical offices to face audits and not be ready for them.

In the first half of 2015 alone, more than 93 million health-care records were breached, according to the statement from Ingenium. The U.S. Office of Civil Rights (OCR) -- which treats HIPAA complaints as civil-rights violations -- has responded with a dramatic increase in audits, and issued punitive fines even to smaller practices that have typically avoided OCR's attention. One practice with just 13 physicians was fined $750,000 for not having key policies in place, according to Ingenium.

"In the world of audit, if you don't write it down and you can't show evidence, you didn't do it," Bibles added.

The help center includes real-time, task-based risk assessment; audit-ready reporting; up-to-date HIPAA policies and procedures; incident response management; easy-to-follow training; asset inventory administration; and a $100,000 insurance policy to protect the business.

Bibles said the help center will help MSPs that are not experts on HIPAA but are performing risk assessments on behalf of their clients.

Motazedi, who said 80 percent to 90 percent of his company's clients are in the health-care vertical, supported that claim, noting that the help center had stuff that his company was missing. He said the tool automatically notifies the user of any updates in HIPAA regulations and electronically flags potential areas of noncompliance.

Another MSP, The Computer Guys Inc. of Farmington Hills, Mich., saw similar benefits, according to Executive Vice President Bob Deuby, who said he began helping Ingenium in developing the tool in November 2014. And his clients said having such a tool would be "fantastic."

"I knew this thing was going to be a home run," he said.

Internally, the help center saves a lot of time and money, especially with extensive lunch-time training sessions for his staff on HIPAA and relaying information about the law to customers. It was a "pain in the neck," Motazedi said.

Now, with the help center, he can save much of that training time, as well as money on lunch.

"The beauty of it now is, it's done," Motazedi said.


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BETHEL  A local salon with nearly three decades of experience contributing to the local community was recently named one of the best businesses in the industry for their philanthropic efforts.

Maria Rodrigues and Robin Miller, who started Escape Salon and Boutique on Greenwood Avenue 29 years ago, said giving back is in the very culture of the business they created. The salons motto, Rodrigues said, is Everyone Sincerely Cares About People Everywhere.

This is a great honor, but its really due to the incredible staff members we have working for us, an incredible base of clients who care so much about the community that were a part of, Rodrigues said. Its really through their support that we are able to do all that we do. We find that people enjoy helping out and becoming part of something, often all they need is the right avenue to follow.

Salon Today, a national trade publication covering the salon and spa industry, named Escape one one of its top 200 salons in the United States. Escape was one of only two dozen salons to earn the designation based specifically on its philanthropic efforts.

Our editors recognize that strong business leadership requires the mastery of a number of different best business practices, Stacey Soble, editor-in-chief of Salon Today, said in a recent statement announcing the award recepients. The salons named to the Salon Today 200 for 2016 not only proved they excel in one or more of these areas, they also have created rewarding environments for their staff members and standout experiences for their clients. Their willingness to share their success offers our readers important business benchmarks and inspirational b usiness-building ideas.

Rodriques said the salon holds quarterly fundraising efforts for a variety of local charities, annually supports the Bethel-based Scotty Fund, which provides assistance to families with chronically ill children and participates each year in Relay for Life.

The salon also offers a boutique thats filled with fair-trade products as well as locally made goods.

Weve been making a real effort of late to support the local artisan community, Rodrigues said.

Bobbi Jo Beers, director of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, noted that Escape was also named the organizations business of the year in 2014.

The boutique that offers a place for local artisans to sell their wares really tells a lot about who the salon owners are, Beers said. For them its not about profit margins, its about doing what they can to help provide for a strong community. They are always lending a helping hand and are a true asset in the community.

dperrefort@newstimes.com;
Strategic partnerships between brands can be a mutually beneficial relationship. Partnering allows established brands to reach new markets, gain greater distribution and dovetail on their partners previously established momentum. 2015 saw no shortage of innovative brand partnerships come to fruition.

Related: Millions of Diet Coke Bottles Are Getting Some Love From HP

These top 10 were a win-win for brands and consumers alike:

1. Apple + Hermes

Apple defines its Hermes-branded watch as the culmination of a partnership based on parallel thinking, singular vision and mutual regard. That boils down nicely to a partnership of two highly esteemed brands, making Apple's must-have wearable even more covetable with a luxury fashion boost. Given that Apple Watchs biggest criticism has been its design aesthetics, offering an upscale version with Hermes handmade leather straps and an exclusive watch face ups the cool factor considerably, extending the reach of the Apple Watch from techies to more fashion conscious consumers. Retailing at a significantly higher price point than the regular Apple Watch, this partnership represents a status symbol as much as a beautifully designed and highly functional watch.

2. BMW + Montblanc

Its only fitting that luxury cars should be packed with upscale luggage, right? With an eye on materials, quality, design and functionality, the BMW Montblanc partnership aims to unite the many sides of contemporary luxury. Montblancs line of products are designed to match the BMW 7 Series for everyday driving and extended trips. Luxury partnerships like this one might have a more niche market -- those who already drive new BMWs -- but that market can afford to match their gear to their wheels, making this feel like an authentic partnership for the design-minded.

3. Balmain + H&M

Last fall the French couture label Balmain partnered with H&M to offer runway looks at slightly more real-world prices. Judging by the swift sell-out and accompanying #Balmania hashtag, the collaboration was a major success. Balmain got a much-needed shot of relevancy in the digital age by bringing its ornate styles to a wider audience, promoted by this years hottest model, Kendall Jenner. Following in the wake of Targets successful high end partnerships, H&M expanded its range from fast fashion to high fashion in this much-hyped partnership.

4. EVA Air + Hello Kitty

Taiwanese airline EVA Air recently unveiled its Hello Kitty-themed Boeing 777 with new service between Taipei and Houston. The colorful planes, adorned with the iconic Japanese cat cartoon and all of her friends, are sure to stand out at terminals. The branding extends to the entire flight experience with over 100 Hello Kitty-branded items inside the plane. As Hello Kitty has grown from a picture on a coin purse to a $7 billion per-year phenomenon in its 40 year lifespan, EVAs branding aligns with Asias favorite cat for greater exposure and a fun take on flying.

5. Ford + Hearst

Fords branded content partnership with Hearst took Built Ford Tough to new levels with over 120 pieces of original editorial content. Running with the slogan The Code, this content conveyed a set of skills and tools that every Ford man should possess. Running in Esquire, Popular Mechanics, Road & Track and Car and Driver, the Ford F-150 lifestyle organically reached its target audience with thoughtful content offering practical lifestyle advice.

Related: Uber Pushes Into Public Transit With New App Partnership

6. Covergirl + Lucasfilm

As the world geared up for the premier of the seventh Star Wars movie, brands hopped on the bandwagon of George Lucas record-breaking space saga with products marketed around the franchise. Covergirls Star Wars makeup line is interesting, because the franchise has been marketed in the past more to men than to women. The limited-edition makeup set features two product lines that embody the Dark Side and the Light, proving that Star Wars has equal draw for both sexes. Designed by legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath, the 19-piece collection features quotes from the film that target a beauty audience that may have been there all along -- just see Princess Leias braids.

7. Burberry + LINE

Image: Courtesy of Line

Burberrys partnership with LINE, Japans top messaging app, represents another tech-savvy move for a traditional luxury brand that has become increasingly open to digital upgrades. With over 50 million users, LINE gives messaging a unique spin with its popular stickers, or cartoon-like emojis. Outfitting two of LINEs most popular characters in Burberry plaid is a groundbreaking way for a fashion brand to reach a huge audience with special offers and campaign news.

8. Spotify + Starbucks

Starbucks is the original coffee-shop-with-music venue, so it seems only natural that it would partner with Spotify to bring music into its franchises in new ways. Starbucks employees will receive a premium Spotify subscription that they can use to curate music to playlists featured on Spotify. Users can also earn My Starbucks Reward points through the music app. As Starbucks announced earlier this year that it will no longer sell CDs, the leap to Spotify keeps both brands relevant throughout the day, from the morning coffee to an afternoon pastry and playlist.

9. Ikea + Dreamworks

Known for its Swedish meatballs as much as its affordable furniture, IKEA recently launched a line of products called Lattjo, which aim to bring more fun into everyday lives. By partnering with Dreamworks to animate the collection of toys, instruments and costumes through a series of short films, IKEA gets a boost from one of the most imaginative film studios around. Creating stories about Lattjos characters not only gives the collection a greater context, but it also serves as a digital gateway as IKEA prepares to roll out its first childrens digital experience with a Lattjo-connected app. Dreamworks has established credibility among children, while IKEA has already won over parents with affordability -- making a powerful duo for promoting play.

10. UNICEF + Target

UNICEFs recent Kid Power partnership with Target merges a philanthropic initiative with a wellness-wearable device. As kids in the U.S. complete fitness-based missions, they earn points that can be used to unlock therapeutic food packets that UNICEF delivers to malnourished children around the world. Partnering with Target -- which will retail the fitness trackers for $39 -- will allow UNICEF to reach a projected audience of 70,000 kids in the next year. The combination of encouraging healthy living with greater global awareness is a promising partnership.

Effective brand partnerships have to feel synergistic. Both parties need to bring something interesting to the table -- otherwise consumers will view the partnership as merely a marketing gimmick. As these creative partnerships demonstrate, the power of pairing up boosts revenue, audience and reach in ways that make it exciting to see what 2016 will bring on the branding front.

Related: Google and Ford Reportedly Teaming Up to Build Self-Driving Cars

Related:

10 High-Profile Brand Partnerships That Struck Gold

Millions of Diet Coke Bottles Are Getting Some Love From HP

Uber Pushes Into Public Transit With New App Partnership



Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
According to mobile marketing technology firm, Fisku, cost per install in November of 2015 for iOS increased 40 percent from $1.10 to $1.54, while Android increased an astonishing 101 percent from $1.13 to $2.27 year-over-year.

With the cost per install consistently growing each year, app publishers must get creative with their marketing efforts.

After successfully launching apps of our own and also for our clients, you will discover five of our favorite growth hacks to increase downloads when you have little to no budget.

Related: Why Your Small Business Needs a Mobile App

1. Paid-to-free campaign

This is a campaign that I have run many times and its driven hundreds of thousands of downloads on multiple occassions.

If youre not familiar with a paid-to-free campaign, its where you make a paid app available for free for a couple of days.

If you have a free app, you can make one of your in-app purchases free. However, the in-app purchase must be a non-consumable type, which means that the product is purchased once by users and does not expire or decrease with use. For example, new race tracks for a game could be implemented as non-consumable products.

It is important to note that getting media exposure is crucial to making this a successful campaign. I generally give a big website like AppAdvice or BGR the exclusive on the free campaign, which dramatically increases the chances that the website will cover the price change. Skip to the fourth strategy of the article to learn more about the exclusive strategy.

2. App store optimization

There are two commonly overlooked components of your app store listing page that can increase your downloads -- reviews and in-app purchases.

The words that are in your app store reviews -- those left by your users -- and in-app purchases are all indexed by Google Play and iOS. Having targeted, relevant keywords in both areas will help you see a dramatic increase in downloads.

In fact, I share a black hat ASO strategy that we at App Masters use to hack app store reviews to instantly increase keyword rankings.

3. Localization

There are 28 regions in the App Store, and each country has its own App Store. It would be naive to think that the world only searches for apps in English. In fact, most users will read and search the App Store in their native language.

Unless your app is designed for a specific region, take the time to localize your app in every language. You never know who will find your app useful.

Gonzalo Juarez, co-founder at eTips, the number-one publisher of mobile travel apps, proudly admits that they do not run any paid marketing campaigns. Localizing his apps has led to a greater than 200 percent increase in downloads and in countries where they didnt have exposure before.

Juarez suggests first translating the words used in your app name and keyword field. Once you start to notice an increase in downloads for a particular language, he suggests further translating your app description, screenshots and then finally your in-app content.

Lastly, use a translation website like Gengo or OneHourTranslation, and hire two translators - one to do the initial translation and another to proof it.

Related: How Duolingo Mastered the Fickle Language of Startup Success

4. The exclusive strategy for public relations

Using the exclusive strategy, we have been able to secure coverage on Techcrunch, Social Times, AppAdvice and BGR.

What is it? You give a big publication the first right to publish your announcement: product release, update, funding, etc. Big sites love getting an exclusive, because it means that they will be the first to write about the announcement, which generally leads to the other big websites linking back to them as the source.

Its a win-win strategy, because they get traffic and backlinks -- and you get coverage.

The key to success for this strategy is to start early. You want to start pitching about two weeks before your launch date. You should only pitch the exclusive to one publication at a time, and be sure to follow up only once. If you do not hear back, you can move on to the next publication.

5. App store feature hack

Theres a little-known strategy that Ive used to help multiple clients get featured by Apple. Before we get to that, its important to know what Apple is looking for in your app.

I go into quite a bit of detail about this growth hack in this blog post, but heres the gist.

Most developers know that they can email appstorepromotion@apple.com to pitch their apps for a possible feature. However, within Apple, there are app store managers for each app category.

Using a LinkedIn search for app store manager, you can find out how to contact the right person to pitch at Apple.

I like to use the Email Hunter Chrome extension, because it automatically creates an email button within LinkedIn that reveals the persons email address. The software makes an educated guess of the email, so sometimes you may get a bounce back.

Related: Los Angeles Techweek 2015 Features Mobile, Health Care and Fashion Innovations

Related:

Bro Code: Teenage 'Treps Amer And Mohamed Yaghi

5 Growth-Hacking Strategies to Increase Your App Downloads

With This App, Women Always End Dates With More Cash in Hand



Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
BRIDGEPORT  Fernando Santiago has been on the run ever since police said he and two companions broke into the home of a local barber in October and stabbed the victim to death in front of his family.

Santiago, 37, was arrested Wednesday by the U.S. Marshal Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force in Spartanburg, S.C. After waiving extradition, he was brought back on Monday to Bridgeport, where Superior Court Judge William Holden ordered Santiago held in lieu of $1.5 million.
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HARTFORD  As many as 400,000 new voters could be automatically registered through the state Department of Motor Vehicles under a proposal announced Monday by Secretary of the State Denise Merrill.

The legislation, which will be reviewed by the General Assembly, would use the full range of state Department of Motor Vehicles transactions to give new voters the option to use their electronic signature to certify citizenship, with an additional option to affiliate with a party.

We have the technology to run an easier, more efficient and cost -effective system that will remove barriers, frustration and waiting times, Merrill said during a morning news conference in her Capitol office. In recent years, the state has initiated Election Day registration and online signups that resulted in tens of thousands of new voters.

This goal, while obvious in some ways, is not a reality, Merrill said of the need to make it easier to register. Those not wanting to register to vote would be able to opt out of the program, which is already being used in Delaware, Oregon and California and is being proposed this year in about 25 other states.

The registration would be automatically transferred to the secretary of the states existing online system and then to local voter registrars.

These are two very separate systems, but I think it would make a big difference in how quickly someone could get registered, Merrill said. This process will do more than simply bringing our voter-registration system into the 21st century; it would make Connecticut a cutting-edge leader in the modernization of voter registration systems.

Merrill said the investment would pay itself back. She said that in Delaware, 85 percent of new-voter applications come from its DMV, and about 40 percent of DMV transactions result in voter applications.

We believe in Connecticut that the system could register as many as 400,000 new voters, she said, stressing that an estimated one-third of eligible voters are not currently registered. A certain percentage of those will come to the DMV to get new licenses, to change their address, et cetera.

Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut, said more voters means better support for the democratic process.

The potential for increasing participation by increasing registration is a big one, Quickmire said in a phone interview. We really see that this particular idea will help ensure election integrity and continues to modernize our election registration process.

Merrills proposal has national support.

Automatic, permanent voter registration has the power to transform voting in America, said Jennifer L. Clark, counsel in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Multiple people quarantined in the state following the panic surrounding an Ebola outbreak in West Africa plan to file a lawsuit in U.S. District court on Monday.

According to a news release sent out Sunday evening, the plaintiffs are suing over what they call a pattern and practice of unlawful quarantine of travelers from countries affected by Ebola. Those suing include one current and one Yale University former public health student quarantined upon their return from a humanitarian trip to Liberia in fall 2014; a West African family of six quarantined in October 2014; the aunt in whose house the family was quarantined ; a religious leader who travels between churches in West Haven and Liberia and his wife; the Liberian Community Association of Connecticut; and a physician who specializes in emergency medicine and has treated Ebola patients in West Africa.
What's going on in and around Somerset County?
Ian relief: Deadline extended for property tax payments

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order delaying the payment of property taxes across 26 Florida counties struggling from impact of Hurricane Ian.
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If David Camerons failure to win an outright majority in 2010 was a setback for the Tories, it was a disaster for Labour.

The once-slick machine that had coasted to three electoral routs under Tony Blair was by then rusting into obsolescence.

Most of the best people had gone; the good policy ideas had all been tried; the simple fact that all governments have a shelf life had been brutally reconfirmed by the rheumatic coffin-lid scratchings of the Brown administration.

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David Cameron's (pictured left) failure to win a majority at the 2010 General Election was a disaster for Labour, writes Chris Deerin

In politics, there is a time to lose  but Labour only sort of lost. Catastrophically, just when it needed and deserved a thumping, a sliver of hope arrived in the shape of a hung parliament.

A team was dispatched to negotiate a coalition with the Lib Dems. There was talk of a new progressive alliance  an idea last mooted in the late 1990s before being nixed by the all-conquering Blair.

To the death, Gordon Brown thought he might cling on to No 10, only bowing to the inevitable at the very last moment.

That final phone call to Nick Clegg, as Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell and others looked tearfully on, lives long in the memory: Nick, I cant hold on any longer. Ive got to go to the palace. The country expects me to do that. The Queen expects me to go. I cant hold on any longer.

Out of office, but not, in their heads, out of the running.

The thinking went like this: if a liberal, modernised Conservative Party with an appealing young leader still couldnt deliver a parliamentary majority after 13 years in opposition, then this defeat was merely a wrinkle in the Lefts grand plan.

A tweak here and there and a grateful public would once more grasp Labour to its bosom.

Two things happened instead. The Tories slipped into the driving seat, remembered that they had always been rather fond of power, and shamelessly went about doing everything they could to keep hold of it.

Labour, the scent of entitlement lingering in its nostrils, many of the same old faces gathered round the top table, failed to dispassionately analyse what had gone wrong, went for the least suitable candidate as leader and ignored the need to sensibly repurpose a workers party for a century in which that term means something quite different to what it once did.

Today, David Cameron has the majority that previously eluded him, and in the absence of a compelling, reconstructed argument for modern, moderate measures by modern, moderate men and women, the ridiculous Jeremy Corbyn and his hard-Left gang have nipped in to steal Her Majestys Opposition.

If Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) and his supporters turn the party into 'a puritanical protest movement' the party will be 'done for good'

Labour is done for a generation. If the Corbynites are successful in their efforts to seize control of every aspect of the internal machinery, to deselect non-hard-Left MPs, and to turn a potential party of government into a puritanical protest movement, Labour is done for good.

But if there is an upside to all this, it is that the pounding received in 2015 was a pounding it badly needed.

In the certain knowledge that they will also lose at the next general election  the Tories could stand a prize marrow against Corbyn and still walk it  Labours smarter elements finally have space to think, to favour philosophy and strategy over tactics, and to wrestle with the question that currently has no good answer: what, in the 21st century, is Labour for?

They have begun to do so. My friend Stewart Wood was at the heart of both the Brown administration and Ed Milibands shadow Cabinet.

As Lord Wood of Anfield (his main failings, aside from his choice of boss, are passions for Liverpool FC and Jethro Tull), he has acquired the status of elder statesman at the tender age of 47.

Having taught political science at Oxfords Magdalen College, which saw a fair number of todays bright young politicians pass through his hands, he has been both theorist and practitioner, thinker and doer, which puts him in a unique position.

Finding himself on the political margins, Wood admits that opposition forces you into easy arguments that dont do justice to the complexity, long term-ness or seriousness of the problems Britain faces.

This was a failing of the Tories up to 2010 and Labour after it  both sides found it convenient to blame the other for big structural faults that go back decades.

A recent article saw Wood look frankly at the errors of the Miliband project. Its analysis that capitalism needed reform after the crash of 2008 was correct and shared by the public, he said, but its prescription was not.

Ed Miliband was 'the least-suitable candidate' to lead the party out of the 2010 election

Voters were not persuaded that our strong criticism of the way markets in Britain were working was coming from people who actually wanted the market economy to work well.

'We came across as having the outrage of sceptics of capitalism, not the concern to sort things out of critical friends of capitalism...

'If we want to reform the way our market economy works  to channel the publics anger about Google, Fred Goodwin, energy company profits, zero-hour contracts and inequality into real change  we need answers that match the scale of the problems.

We need to acknowledge that our economy is changing and we dont have all the answers yet.

'We need to settle the question of the affordability of our policies to get permission to be heard on our reform proposals.

'And we need to invite business to share the mission to improve the way we create wealth, share it and compete.

Fixing the UKs deep-seated problems, from growth being too dependent on debt, to weak productivity, to turbo-charging R&D and innovation, will require a shared commitment across political parties, and between politicians and business, to sort things out and wont come in one manifesto or one parliament.

Wood talked of finding common cause with free-thinking Tories such as the columnist Tim Montgomerie, former Cameron adviser Steve Hilton, ex-shadow home secretary David Davis, who has just finished a book on the new capitalism, and the brilliant MP Jesse Norman, who has long argued for a return to properly governed markets.

Its not just Wood whos showing real pep. Jamie Reed, a clever former shadow minister who resigned after Corbyns elevation, believes Labour has failed to adapt to post-crash economics, ever-quicker globalisation, technological change and the rise of identity politics.

Ive been going around the country speaking with people, he tells me. In Liverpool, one Labour guy said to me Its like Corbyn doesnt understand the modern world and doesnt want to. Blair stopped being Prime Minister before the first iPhone was released were becoming the New Conservative Party.

Reed is obsessed with the impact technology will have on the NHS, schools and social services, and on the thorny issue of England and Englishness.

As a product of the Industrial Revolution, Labour should understand the world is in the midst of another one, he says, but it struggles to accept the limitations of politics, government and old ways of working.

A number of MPs Ive spoken to have pointed out that Corbyn hasnt attended a PLP meeting since the start of the year.

Its a legitimate question to ask: is he frightened of his MPs or does he hate them? said one.

In the absence of leadership and electoral optimism, the Centre-Left policy debate has been re-energised for the first time since the early 2000s.

MPs such as Pat McFadden, Dan Jarvis, Chuka Umunna, Tristram Hunt, Jon Cruddas, Stella Creasy, Shabana Mahmood, Michael Dugher and Stephen Kinnock are all engaging with gusto.
A vital voice has been missing from the debate over David Camerons negotiated deal for Britain to remain in the European Union  and whether the people of this country should endorse it in the forthcoming referendum.

The voice is that of Margaret Thatcher: it has not been heard for the obvious reason that the former Conservative Prime Minister died three years ago.

Yesterday Lord Powell, who as Charles Powell was her principal foreign policy adviser and worked for her continuously from 1983 until her eviction from Downing Street seven years later, attempted a form of post-mortem ventriloquism by declaring: She would have gone along with what is on offer  indeed, negotiated something similar herself.

Margaret Thatcher would be voting to stay in the EU if she was still alive, claims Lord Powell, who served as her private secretary from 1983-1990

I am reluctant to criticise Lord Powell, and not just because I like and admire him. Charles continued to be close to Margaret Thatcher during her final years and was, apart from her nurse, the last person to see her alive. But his intervention  to the effect that the lady was not for Brexit  has infuriated her other intimates, and for two reasons.

First, they think it is nonsense; and second, they think she would have been most upset to have been used as a weapon by those attempting to persuade wavering Tories to back David Camerons deal.

One is Lord Forsyth, who painstakingly looked after Lady Thatcher whenever she attended the House of Lords.

He told me yesterday that during those years: If there was one subject that she wanted to talk about, it was why Britain should leave the EU. You only had to mention it and she would go off like a Roman candle.

Forsyth is incredulous at the idea that Margaret Thatcher in her prime would have contented herself with the paltry package being recommended by David Cameron. Its supposedly key element was to have been an agreement that new migrants from the EU into the UK would not be eligible for in-work benefits for the first four years of their residency here.

This, anyway, is a piffling matter, compared with Camerons earlier promises to claw back British sovereignty over a range of areas such as migration from the EU, employment law and fishing, via full-on treaty change.

Yet even on his chosen minimal objective, all Cameron has achieved is a provisional undertaking that the European Commission will listen to a request from the UK to limit in-work benefits to EU migrants, but that the full withdrawal of such benefits could last for only a year. Even if the Commission agreed to that, the European Parliament could vote to block it.

Charles Moore, Margaret Thatchers official biographer, who had been restraining himself from questioning Camerons negotiations until now, was outraged: I feel a fool for having argued for fair play and giving the fellow a chance . . . not only is it unimpressive, it is insulting.

But even before this debacle, Moore made it clear that Thatcher would have been for Brexit. Interviewed in 2013 by Andrew Neil about the first volume of his monumental Thatcher biography, Moore was asked if the woman he had known so well had come to the view that Britain should leave the EU. He answered: Yes . . . although advisers had persuaded her that she should not say this in public.

Jacques Delors pictured with Thatcher in 1987 after a battle over European federalism, infuriated the Tory Prime Minister by telling the Trade Union Congress that Europe would help save them from Thatcherism

One of those advisers was none other than Lord Powell  who I know from my own discussions with him (always friendly) is very much opposed to Brexit. Having been at Thatchers side as Britain led the legislation to set up what became known as the Single European Market, he is understandably reluctant to see us  in effect  declare it to have been a mistake.

Yet Thatcher, advised by Powell and the Foreign Office, failed to anticipate the way in which Brussels  led by the European Commissions then president, Jacques Delors  would use the Single European Act to extend its scope over ever-wider areas of policy, for example, in the fields of employment and the environment.

Powell conceded this in an interview with the Margaret Thatcher Foundation in 2007.

I think with hindsight we should have been more alert to the Commissions duplicity in some of these matters  using powers for purposes for which they were never intended and, indeed, purposes which had never been discussed  in order to get their way and circumvent the obstacles, as they saw it, to the further extension of Europes role and their own powers, he said. We erred there.

Margaret Thatcher gave vent to her own feelings on the matter in her seismic Bruges speech of 1988: 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.

Lord Powell said Thatcher would have put aside her emotional Euroscepticism to vote in favour of remaining in the European Union

Two years later she transfixed the House of Commons with her Dispatch Box-thumping response to Jacques Delors proposals for the European Parliament to be considered the democratic body of the EU, the Commission to be its Executive and the Council of Ministers its Senate: No! No! No!

It was this volcanic blast against Brussels that triggered her fall.

Sir Geoffrey Howe, who by then had the non-job of Deputy Prime Minister, was convinced that Britain should be at the heart of the EU. He resigned, trashing her leadership style in a Commons speech of exquisite revenge, and precipitating the challenge which saw her booted out of office by her own MPs.

But it was not until the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, which created the monstrous blunder of the euro, that Thatcher came to believe Britain should no longer be part of the EU at all.

Powell insists: Late in life she made incautious remarks about Europe being the source of all problems, and toyed with the idea of withdrawal . . . but I do not believe that was the real Thatcher speaking.

Im not sure what he means by that. Is it a delicate way of saying that by then she had lost too many of her marbles to be seen as the real Margaret Thatcher?

I met her only a couple of times during that period of mental decline: it seemed to me that while her memory had receded alarmingly, what remained with almost luminous clarity were her gut feelings on the big topics of the age.

Lord Powell claimed Thatcher, pictured left, would have 'negotiated something similar' to David Cameron's EU deal if she was Prime Minister today

It is true that, in public, she never called, in terms, for the UK to leave the EU. This was because, while she could be very biting in private about her successors as Tory leader, she would never be disloyal or unhelpful to them in her public utterances  and the official line of the Conservative Party has never been for Brexit.

But in her 2002 book Statecraft, she was, to quote Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom, the first major British political figure to raise the prospect of Brexit.

In her final book she wrote: That such an unnecessary and irrational project as building a European superstate was ever embarked upon will seem in future years to be the greatest folly of the modern era. And that Britain, with her traditional strengths and global destiny, should ever have been part of it will appear a political error of historic magnitude.

Sounds like a vote for Brexit to me.

Admittedly, this was not Prime Minister Thatcher speaking  the real Thatcher who Lord Powell argues would have pragmatically negotiated a deal of the sort David Cameron tells us we should all support.

Sorry, Charles, but I cant believe you really think that any version of Margaret Thatcher would have been satisfied with such a negotiation.

Just recall the four years in which she pounded and pounded away in Brussels to get the British EU budget rebate, against the most determined opposition from all the other heads of government. She was not satisfied with vague assurances of what might be done at some future date: she wouldnt stop until the thing was absolutely and definitively nailed down  as a result of which British taxpayers have been saved many tens of billions of pounds.

Frankly, she had too much respect for Parliament in Westminster to present it with anything less than a watertight and satisfactory final settlement.
Chiselled abs and sculpted pecs sported by male models and Hollywood actors may appear to be Western society's idea of how men should look - but it hasn't always been that way.

Rewind 150 years and the 'perfect' American male figure would be considered overweight today, Pittsburgh-based artist Nickolay Lamm has revealed.

Influenced by a number of trends, changes in culture and even availability of food, the ideal frame appears to have transformed enormously from the 1870s when a rounded physique was considered to be a sign of wealth and social class.

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Nickolay Lamm sculpted 3D models on his findings of how the perfect body has changed over the years

Lamm, a graphic designer and researcher, who created a range of 'standard human body proportioned' Lammily dolls in 2014 as a direct challenge to Mattel's Barbie, collected images from each decade for the study.

And in a blog post on Lammily.com, he pointed out that it isn't just women who have seen their body shape being held up against impossible standards over time.

He used 3D computer modelling to demonstrate how the perfect male body has changed over the last 150 years - and how the lean silhouette we see as the standard today, was far from desirable for wealthy gents in the late 19th century.

1870s: WIDE WAISTS

In the 1870s, having a wide waist was a sign of wealth and suggested having money to pay for plenty of food

On his site, Lamm points out that having a generous stomach was a status symbol and a sign of being able to afford plenty of good food.

Today, men with rolls of fat around their middle are regarded as overweight but in the late 19th century, a tubby frame was linked with a higher economic status.

In 1866, a Fat Man's Club was founded in Connecticut for members who weighed at least 200lb.

But by 1903 the club closed its doors as the high social status linked to excess weight began to change as food became accessible to more people and was no longer seen as a sign of wealth.

1930s: THE EARLY HOLLYWOOD IDEAL

The slim ideal came 60 years later when food became easier to access for everyone

By the 1930s, Hollywood required actors to have a relatively lean physique - not least because the camera made people look bigger than they were.

Screen icons like Cary Grant and Clark Gable exemplified this trend while it's interesting to note that one star of early Hollywood who was famed for his size - Fatty Arbuckle - was a comic figure before his death in 1933.

Then in 1940, Harvard psychologist William H. Sheldon introduced the idea of body types that is still referred to today. He divided bodies into chubby endomorphs, muscular, broad-shouldered mesomorphs and skinny ectomorphs.

Having a body tending towards mesomorphy meant posessing the most favourable personality with traits including courage and a love of risk.

1960s: THE SLIM COUNTER CULTURE FIGURE

In the 1960s, men began rebelling, growing their hair, and some even experimented with drugs

However, just 30 years later the male ideal changed again, and the traditionally masculine body shape had morphed into a thin young man, who was the embodiment of the American counter culture.

Lamm quotes Lynne Luciano, the author of Looking Good, Male Body Image In Modern America, who writes: 'Members of the counter culture were often the highly educated children of the prosperous and influential middle class... With their attention focused on protest, social change, and discovering their inner beings, young men appeared to care little about fitness or body image.

'They didnt work out, they were fond of drugs, and many seemed unacquanted with the notion of a comb. On the other hand, they were likely to prize the length of their hair, wore interesting clothes, and made a great fuss over eating natural foods.'

1980s: BULKED UP BODIES

Men in the 1980s were far cry from the skinny frames sported in the 1960s, after bodybuilding became a mainstream activity

By the 1980s, the male ideal had swung back to a more bulked up look.

Lamm puts it down to the popularity of health clubs and working out, while the vogue for skimpy clothes that accentuated the frame also drove the 'body beautiful' movement.

Body building went mainstream as action heroes including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme showcased huge bulging muscles in a series of highly lucrative blockbusters including the Rambo films and the Terminator franchise.

Lamm quotes HDNet Movies, that says: 'The films operated on the notion that one man, a pinnacle of physique, would be the saviour, and that strength, guts, and glory were the resolution to any challenge these characters would face.'

1990s - present: THE EVERYMAN

The 'lean and muscular' body that became the perfect shape in the 1990s is still seen as the 'ideal' frame

As the excess of the Eighties segued into the minimalism of the 1990s and the emphasis on such big, beefy bodies began to shift.

The physique that soon captured imaginations was Brad Pitt's slim 'cut' torso from 1999's Fight Club and personal trainers say that clients request a body like his to this day.

In 2012, a study funded by the University of Newcastle researched the ideal body size and shape that we want for ourselves and our partners.
Karl Lagerfeld has dubbed the two the 'royal sisters'

Karl Lagerfeld famously dubbed them 'the royal sisters' because of their strikingly similar looks.

The brunette princesses are both known for their sophisticated style and ability to set fashion trends, so it's no surprise that they might be taking inspiration from each other.

Now the Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has attended an event in Copenhagen wearing a dress almost identical to one the Duchess of Cambridge has previously worn.

Mary wore the knee length dark blue Issa dress during an official event on 4 February for World Cancer Day.

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Copycat? Princess Mary has worn a similar dress to the one Kate Middleton wore in 2010

The Duchess famously wore a royal blue Issa wrap dress to her engagement announcement to Prince William in 2010.

Princess Mary wore the dress whilst out presenting the annual Cancer Society Award to nurse Majken Hjerming at a ceremony in the Royal Danish Playhouse. Ms Hjerming had been nominated for the award after she helped establish a common room in her hospital for young cancer patients aged 15-29.

The 44-year old complemented the dress with matching navy blue pointed pumps, drop earrings and a royal blue clutch. She also wore her grey JOSEPH Double Cashmere Oslo Coat, which appears to be a favourite as she has worn it to events before in the winter.

In contrast, when Kate wore the dress she paired it with black pumps and simple jewelry. Mary chose to sweep her hair back into an elegant updo, whilst back in 2010 Kate opted for a classic look with her hair blow dried to perfection.

Simple and classic: Mary chose to wear the Issa silk jersey wrap dress to a World Cancer Day event last week

Jewel toned: The royal blue Issa dress Kate Middleton wore to her engagement announcement in 2010 sold out almost immediately

Both dresses are by designer Daniella Helayel, who launched Issa in 2003. In 2006 her designs were shown at London Fashion Week for the first time, and have been a staple for celebrities and It Girls ever since.

Ms Helayel is Brazilian-born but London based, and her label is is described on its website as 'feminine, colourful, glamorous designs that provide a versatile and elegant wardrobe.'

Everyone from Naomi Campbell and Madonna, to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have worn Issa designs over the years.

All smiles: Mary appeared very happy as she arrived at the event at the Royal Danish Playhouse

Warm AND Stylish: Mary wore her JOSEPH Double Cashmere Oslo Coat, a favourite of hers for the winter months

Kate Middleton's silk jersey Issa dress famously flew off the shelves after she wore it when announcing her nuptials at St James' Place in November 2010.

Both royals are known for their classic and elegant style, with Karl Lagerfeld describing the two as the 'royal sisters' because they look and dress so alike.

The 'Phylis' Issa wrap dress retails for 575 and features a V cross front neckline and long sleeves. It's belted at the waist and sits just above the knee, giving it a classic, flattering shape.

Bringing warmth to a cold evening: The brunette beauty is greeted as she arrives at the event for World Cancer Day

Royal duties: Mary looked poised and collected as she spoke to the crowd at the event
The beauty columnist gives her recommendations for this week

RACE YOU THERE

We've waited patiently, but at last Marc Jacobs make-up has arrived in Britain.

Launched in the U.S. in 2013, it is loved by make-up artists around the world for its quality, strong pigments and luxe, shiny black cases. Stand-out products include Full Cover Foundation Concentrate (37), available in 22 shades and brilliant for those with pigmentation problems.

Its Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara (20) is set to fly off the shelves, thanks to a smudge-free formula that adds volume in just one coat. But the nail lacquer (15, above), with a wet-look finish, is the star buy (harrods.com).

GET AWARD SEASON SKIN

Celebrity make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury used her Magic Foundation (45, charlottetilbury.com) to give Demi Moore beautifully glowing skin at the SAG Awards last weekend.

It contains vitamin C - an antioxidant to revive and add glow. To enhance Demi's skin, she used her Complexion Brush, 45, to buff foundation for a truly flawless finish.

THIS WORKS

This week, Nails Inc is launching a new shade of Paint Can (10, nailsinc.com), its famous spray-on polish. Mayfair Lane is a pale rose pink that's perfect for this spring's natural nail trend. For an easy manicure, apply a base coat, spray Paint Can evenly over the nails and watch it dry instantly.





WHAT'S NOW AND HOW TO DO IT - POWER BROWS

Inspired by Cara Delevingne and Keira Knightley, bold brows are still in fashion, but this spring they have a natural finish.

'The more natural hair you can see, the better. It's key to a more anti- ageing look,' says Nilam Holmes-Patel, founder of High Definition Brows.

Maybelline's crayons have a waxy texture that make colouring easy, while Benefit's brow gel colours each hair to make them look fuller. For fine hair, Becca's Contour Mousse adds definition. Great all-rounder Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Definer has a nib to colour and a spool for grooming.

IS LIP BALM MAKING YOUR LIPS DRYER?

It's a fact that over-applying lip balm can make dry lips even drier. This is because the constant layer of hydration stops your lips from generating their own natural moisture.

For lip balm lovers, it is important to restrict the number of times you apply it. And it means you have to choose a product carefully. There is also the problem of sensitivity to popular ingredients in our favourite lip balms, such as menthol and salicylic acid.

Burts Bees 100% Natural Lip Balm (3.69, Boots) will hydrate lips without the worry of allergic reactions. I love the new Clinique Sweet Pots (15, Boots) which contains a scrub to exfoliate dry lips and keep them soft.

THREE OF THE BEST...ARGAN OILS

IN YOUR 50S

Catherine Zeta-Jones says argan oil is her favourite anti-ageing ingredient. This Argan+ Moroccan Rose Rejuvenating Micellar Water (6.99, Waitrose) gently takes off make-up.

IN YOUR 60S

Dr Organic Pure Moroccan Argan Oil (14.99, Holland & Barrett) is non-greasy and easily absorbed. I recommend applying it before bed for a healthy glow the next morning.

IN YOUR 70S

La Sultane de Saba Argan Oil with Orange Blossom (32, lasultane desaba.co.uk) is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Ideal for older skin or as an indulgent treat at any age.

SHAMELESS INDULGENCE

Today is Chinese New Year so its the perfect excuse to treat yourself - or a loved one - to this beautiful, jewel-encrusted compact.

Estee Lauder commissioned the limited edition piece to celebrate the Year of the Monkey. Embellished with Swarovski crystals, it comes with a mirror and Estee Lauder Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder, which should be applied over foundation with a large, fluffy brush to create a softfocus effect to the skin.
A woman who has spent more than $14,000 (10,000) on outfits and wigs to look like fairy-tale princesses has revealed she has even persuaded her boyfriend to dress up as a prince.

Sarah Ingle, 25, has splashed $12,200 (8,500) on 17 outfits and $2,100 (1,500) on 16 wigs to make her look like Cinderella, Snow White and Elsa from Frozen among other Disney royals.

Sarah, from Denver, Colorado, spends three hours transforming into the character, including using makeup to change her face and perfecting their mannerisms.

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Sarah Ingle, 25, has spent thousands on outfits to make her look like a princess, pictured as Elsa from Disney's Frozen wearing blue contact lenses over her hazel eyes to look more like the character

Sarah has spent $12,200 (8,500) on realistic outfits to look like princesses, pictured as Cinderella in her evening gown in a blonde wig

Sarah, a full-time marketing manager, spends her weekends dressing as princesses and charges $140 (100) an hour for an appearance and performs at children's parties and community events.

She said: 'I absolutely love dressing up as all of the different princesses.

'It takes a lot of time to get into the outfits because they have lots of layers that tie up at the back.

'Then I have a different wig and makeup look for each princess.

'I have to contour my face when I play Aurora from Sleeping Beauty because my face is much rounder than hers.

Sarah gets her finance analyst boyfriend Derek Van Schaik, 30, to dress as a prince to complement her characters

Sarah's favourite outfit is Ariel from the Little Mermaid, pictured, because she gets to 'wear a red wig and tail and be a mermaid for the day'

Sarah dressed as Aurora from Sleeping Beauty in a crown and long blonde ringlets, she contours her face to look more like the princess

'And as I have hazel eyes, I have to wear blue contact lenses for the Little Mermaid and Elsa from Frozen.'

Sarah's favourite outfit is Ariel from the Little Mermaid because she gets to 'wear a red wig and tail and be a mermaid for the day.'

Upon request, she dresses up as fairy tale characters Belle from Beauty And The Beast, Cinderella, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Ariel from the Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, Princess Merida from Brave, Snow White and Elsa and Anna from Frozen.

She said: 'Nothing makes me happier than seeing the look on children's faces when they see their favourite princess arrive at their party- it's magical.'

Sarah, pictured off-duty, is a full-time marketing manager and dresses as princesses on the weekend for appearances at parties

Sarah has 17 different princess outfits, including Snow White's iconic dress and bow worn with a short black wig

Sarah in an elaborate cape and gown as Princess Anna from Frozen worn with pigtail plaits

Sarah said: 'People often compliment me on my looks when I'm in character, and children always think I'm a real princess which is lovely,' pictured as Elsa from Frozen

Sarah also volunteers at hospitals and care homes, entertaining children with her princess performances.

She said: 'Last year I spent Christmas Day at a nursing home dressed as Snow White, and it was just wonderful to see how much all of the residents enjoyed themselves.

'People often compliment me on my looks when I'm in character, and children always think I'm a real princess which is lovely.

'I'll never forget the day that I was asked to perform for a little girl who was celebrating the beginning of a break from her cancer treatments.

'Seeing her face light up as she sang along with me was just incredible and it was just the most amazing day.'

Sarah, right, with her younger sister Emily Ingle, naturally has characteristics of the princesses with big eyes

Sarah applied her makeup and then uses a wig cap before wearing one of the princess' tresses to make her look more realistic

Sarah dressed as Rapunzel with long flowing hair tied into a plait and decorated with flowers and a pale-pink bodice dress

Sarah wears a forest-green dress to be Princess Anna from Frozen, she launched her own party events business last year

In January 2015, Sarah launched party events business, 'Princess Ever After', with boyfriend Derek Van Schaik, 30, a finance analyst.

Derek often transforms into Sarah's own prince charming and accompanies her, in full character, to parties around Colorado.

Sarah said: 'Derek absolutely loves me as a princess and he's beyond supportive.

'He never gets sick of me singing Disney songs around him, which most boyfriends might find annoying.

'I have even convinced him to dress as my prince for some jobs and he really gets into character which is really sweet.'

Sarah spent Christmas Day last year at Holly Heights Nursing Center in Denver and lifted residents' spirits

Sarah has 5,000 followers on Instagram and has many 'lovely messages' on her appearance and ignores negative attention

Sarah began documenting her princess looks on Instagram two years ago, and has since gained over 5,000 followers.

She says: 'I am amazed by all of the support I receive on Instagram.

'I receive many lovely messages commenting on my appearance which is really encouraging.

'I rarely receive any negative attention, but If I do I just shrug it off.'

Sarah hopes that she will be able to take her princess performing to the next level and dreams of working as an official princess for Disney one day.

She says: 'It would certainly be a dream to be a real Disney princess - I'd love to be Ariel.

'I have friends who work at Disney, and I am super jealous.

'I've been to Disney World in the past and I'm looking forward to going again in March.
You can tell me to stop sexually objectifying men, but I wont listen. I probably wont even hear you. I certainly didnt when Poldark was on, prancing about my TV screen, brightening up my evening by taking his shirt off, skinny-dipping in the Cornish sea or riding a horse in that intense way he does.

I found it hard to register anything much when watching Poldark, up to and including pseudo-political objections to my appreciation of . . . well, Poldark.

And until Poldark returns to our TV screens, I am often distracted by other luscious male actors  Prince Andrei in the BBCs War And Peace, Mr Selfridges Gregory Fitoussi (now in More 4s Spin) or Idris Elba (Luther).

Despite being a strong feminist Polly Vernon says she has no problem lusting over TV hunks including War and Peace's Prince Andrei

There are so many to choose from! Theyre all over the schedules  gorgeous male actors its hard to imagine werent cast with at least one eye on their potential to entrance female viewers.

I know the arguments against me gawping at those men: How dare you, as a feminist, subject men to the sort of diminishing treatment you get so angry about when it happens to women?

But fancying people and being fancied back is one of the purest joys around, no?

Polly (pictured here) argues that it is important for women to objectify men as it serves as a reminder that women have a lot of power in sexual politics

I passionately believe sexually objectifying men is important, notably because its fun, but also because it serves as a reminder that women have a lot of power where the politics of lust are concerned.

We spend so much time wondering if were up to scratch physically  are we thin enough, young enough, enticing enough?

But when we pause to contemplate the undeniable allure of Poldark in britches or Luther in a trench coat, we drop all those neuroses, all those anxieties, and remind ourselves that it really isnt just about how we look to men. We can look at them, too. We can  and we do.
Kim Winser OBE, 56, owns and runs her own clothing line, Winser London. She lives in Berkshire with her son and their springer spaniel.

Four years ago, while I was working for Net-a-Porter, the online luxury fashion retailer, I met with a group of friends for lunch in London. Wed all been shopping that morning, yet each of us turned up empty-handed.

My light bulb moment came as I realised there were seven women sitting around a table in one of Londons top shopping districts and none of us had bought a thing. The most wed managed were toiletries and the odd lipstick.

Kim Winser says her light bulb moment came after a shopping trip where her friends failed to buy anything because of extortionate designer prices

We started to talk about why, despite traipsing around the shops, wed all ended up keeping our credit cards in our bags. Though we were all different ages  in our 30s, 40s and 50s  the reasons were unanimous.

Designer clothes, though beautifully cut, were ridiculously expensive and none of us were prepared to pay those prices, while those in High Street stores, while reasonably priced, were unflattering and made from low-quality fabrics. Where were the well-cut quality clothes within our budget?

We moaned about it for ages and, as the conversation moved on, I started to think that maybe there was an opportunity here.

She started up her business Winser clothing and March 1 will see the business celebrate its third year

Id worked in the fashion industry since leaving school, having spent 20 years in womens fashion at Marks & Spencer before going into the luxury sector. So, as the lunch bill arrived, I announced that I was going to set up my own brand.

The Pinot Grigio may have helped, but in that moment I decided I was going to go for it.

My conservatory at home quickly transformed into my makeshift studio, filled with doodles, drawings and, as my team grew, professional designers.

Soon after, we secured Yasmin Le Bon as the face of our brand. She was exactly the woman I felt we needed as our representative: glamorous, beautiful yet down-to-earth and genuine. I was thrilled.
He's won a legion of female fans with his turn as the dashing Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in the BBC adaptation of War And Peace, which reached its shattering finale last night.

But while James Norton has now been dubbed the Russian Mr Darcy and the next British superstar, it's quite a turnaround from the time when eight million people were wishing his character dead.

Tomorrow night the 30-year-old actor will be back on screens as psychotic triple murderer Tommy Lee Royce in the BBC's crime drama Happy Valley.

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James Norton, 30, has won gone from being feared - thanks to his frighteningly realistic portrayal of a rapist and murderer in Happy Valley - to the latest British heartthrob tipped for Hollywood stardom

The actor's turn as the dashing Prince Andrei Bolkonsky in the BBC adaptation of War And Peace, left viewers in tears as the series reached its shattering finale last night.

In the show Tommy is now in jail awaiting trial for murder, but even behind bars he is still tormenting Detective Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire.

He's thought to have raped Catherine's daughter and the first series opened with him being released from prison where he'd served time for drugs offences.

When he then became involved in a kidnapping that spiralled out of control, he killed three people and beat Catherine to within an inch of her life in a cellar.

James's performance was so terrifyingly realistic that he admits his own mother was taken in by him.

The star's Happy Valley character Tommy is now in jail awaiting trial for murder, but even behind bars he is still tormenting Detective Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire

Series One of the hit drama saw Tommy become involved in a kidnapping that spiralled out of control. He went on to kill three people and beat his nemesis Catherine to within an inch of her life in a cellar

James set hearts racing with his romantic scenes alongside Lily James, and fans tweeted tributes to his cheekbones and chiseled features after every episode

'Even my dear old mum said shes found herself standing up, screaming at the telly  and then suddenly remembered that it was her son,' he told The Telegraph.

Speaking about the last episode of the hit show, he said: 'Itll be a weird feeling to look at my watch at 9.45pm and think: "So, 8 million people are currently wishing me dead".'

To prepare for the part, the production team put him in touch with a criminal psychologist who helped him get inside the mind of the psychopath.

And his research clearly worked, as he said that catering staff on the set of his ITV drama Grantchester were wary of him after seeing him on Happy Valley and gave him smaller portions.

One of James's early roles was a part in That Face at the Crucible Studio Theatre in Sheffield in 2010

James in 2011 at the after party for his play The Lion in Winter, in which he played Prince Geoffrey. His early career consisted mostly of theatre roles, although he did play a small part in Dr Who

It's a testament to how convincing James was in his breakout role that producers warned him he could be attacked by angry viewers, and he was at one point confronted by an irate pensioner who called him 'a beast'.

Thanks to his love scenes with Lily James in War And Peace, however, opinion has certainly changed.

Fans took to Twitter last night to say they were in tears over Prince Andrei's demise and social media users have been swooning over him on a weekly basis - and even tweeting tributes to his cheekbones and chiselled features.

Just as Colin Firth made a name for himself in Pride And Prejudice, similar comparisons have been made about James.

Former theology student James plays the Reverend Sidney James in ITV's Grantchester, which returns to screens next month

James Norton strips off while filming a scene for Granchester, a 1950s crime drama in which he plays a hard-drinking clergyman who gets in involved with solving murders

There's no chance of him getting an over inflated ego though, as he says his family and friends are determined to keep my feet on the ground. His great-aunt Daphne in particular has done her bit to bring him down to heart.

'She said to me: "I don't get it, you're much better looking on film than you are in real life",' he revealed.

He has kept fans guessing as to whether he's a single man or not, but has been linked to Eleanor Wyld, 26, an actress who has appeared in Casualty, Holby City and Johnny English Reborn.

With War And Peace's executive producer Harvey Weinstein no doubt taking note of the actor's rising popularity, he's being tipped as the next big British star to break into Hollywood.

Just as Colin Firth made a name for himself in Pride And Prejudice, similar comparisons have been made about James but he says his family keep his feet on the ground

James's father Hugh (left) played a peasant in War And Peace and regularly appears as an extra in his son's TV shows

He's already played small parts in Belle, Rush and Mr Turner, and is already going back and forth to Hollywood for work.

Although he's not working on any major projects yet, he admits that he is itching for his big break and would love the land a part as a villain in a big production.

He's said he would be foolish not to take advantage of the opportunity to break into Hollywood, but insists he'd never leave the UK for good, where he has a home in Peckham, London.

Born to a middle class family in London in 1985, his parents moved north to North Yorkshire where he attended Catholic school Ampleforth College.

He went on to study theology at Cambridge, and describes himself as fascinated by religion but not necessarily religious.

The actor who went to Cambridge and studied at Rada has spoken out against the so called 'posh bashing' of actors such as Eddie Redmayne

James is believed to be single but has been linked to actress Eleanor Wyld who has appeared in Johnny English Reborn as well as Holby City and Casualty

His heart always lay in acting though, after signing up for work experience at Scarborough theatre in his teens and taking part in drama groups at university.

A stint at Rada followed, and he worked mainly in theatre before getting his big break playing Tommy in Happy Valley - although he did have a small part in Dr Who.

And he's spoken of his delight at winning the part of the shaven-headed thug despite his impeccably middle class background.

He's also been open about his disdain for so-called 'posh bashing' bemoaning the fact that Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is up for a gong again this year, but most of the coverage is about the fact he went to Eton.

'I think it's ridiculous actually, actors are meant to be able to transform. We want to take on an accent or a hairstyle or a dog collar,' he said.

'The most exciting thing about playing Tommy is the opportunity to show people I can play against type. I want to do more diverse roles.'

Fans of James will not only have Happy Valley to look forward to, but he's also returning in 1950s detective drama Granchester next month.
Saoirse Ronan may have earned global success at an early age after being nominated for her first Oscar when she just was 13, but the actress has credited her ability to cope with the pressures of her rising stardom to her mother's presence on set during her adolescence.

The 21-year-old, who is nominated for an Academy Award again this year, for her leading role in the 2015 film Brooklyn, told New York magazine that the benefit of a strong parental influence is actually something she has in common with fellow former child star Jodie Foster.

'I was talking to someone who started out as a child actor, last night, and went on to do incredible things, and we were both saying it was a huge, huge influence to have our mothers with us when you were young and mothers who came from a more of an ethical standpoint than a business one,' explained the actress, who covers this week's issue of the magazine.

Motherly love: Saoirse Ronan has revealed that it was her mother Monica's presence on set that helped keep her grounded when she was a critically acclaimed child star

Porcelain beauty: The 21-year-old Oscar nominee stars on the cover of this week's New York magazine

'To have someone with you from 10 to 19 when you're on set, who has perspective and is only there to look out for you, it really means that you have a more realistic way of looking at this entire world,' she continued. '[It was] Jodie Foster. She's absolutely amazing.'

Saoirse, who was born in the Bronx, but raised primarily in Ireland, was nominated for an Oscar as a teen for her role as Briony in the 2007 English drama Atonement, which also starred Keira Knightley and James McAvoy.

However, despite her critical success, the Irish actress said she didn't really feel the pressures of Hollywood.

Support system: Saoirse is pictured with her mother Monica Ronan (right) and producer Andrew Karpen (left) at the Atonement premiere party in 2007

Life-changing role: The former child actress, who is pictured at the Venice film festival in 2007, was the star of the film Atonement

Rising star: Saoirse played Briony in the 2007 film, which also starred James McAvoy, and was nominated for an Oscar at the age of 13 for her work

'I feel it a bit now, and I could see a change when Hanna came out, because it was the first sort of commercial success I'd had, apart from Atonement, and I was very young then - a lot of that went over my head,' she recalled.

'Part of it was that I'd grown up outside LA so I wasn't exposed to the competitive side of that world, where you feel like you have to do a thousand and one things in order to keep up with everyone else.

'I didn't have that pressure of feeling like I needed to be exposed more or do a big studio film in order to get more work. It was down to the type of work I wanted to do,' she added.

Sweeping romance: Saoirse is nominated for an Oscar for her role in the 2015 film Brooklyn. The actress plays Eilis, a young woman from Ireland who falls in love with an Italian man after immigrating to New York

Blonde beauty: Saoirse is pictured at a screening of Brooklyn in Los Angeles last month (left) and at this year's SAG Awards (right)

Amazing mentor: Saoirse revealed that she recently bonded with former child actress Jodie Foster, who is pictured in the 1974 film Paper Moon, about the importance of having their mothers on set with them

In Brooklyn, Saoirse plays Eilis, a young woman from Ireland who falls in love with an Italian man after emmigrating to New York, and while her character faced extreme home sickness at first, the actress said she still feels a 'very strong connection to the city' even though she moved away when she was three years old.

Saoirse explained that she appreciates the fact that everyone else in the city has faced similar struggles, which makes her feel like she is 'never really alone'.

The star, who is making her Broadway debut in The Crucible on March 1, noted that half the cast in the play are Irish and English.
What's the difference between a supermodel and a superhero? Not much, from the looks of Karlie Kloss, Adriana Lima, and Candice Swanepoel in a series of stunning new photos.

The gorgeous women all star on their own covers of the latest issue of Garage Magazine, flexing their fierceness as five of Marvel's hottest female heroes.

But none of these ladies is gifted with a superhuman ability to show cleavage or flaunt a toned backside. Rather, this photoshoot was all about girl power, showing how strong these super women can be without sexualizing them.

Powerful: Karlie Kloss appears on one of five new covers of Garage Magazine as the superhero Black Widow

Don't make her mad! Adriana Lima appears on another cover as an understated incarnation of She-Hulk

Candice Swanepoel poses as Spider-Gwen - character who got her own comic book in February 2015 and sees Gwen Stacy from the original Spider-Man comics as having spider powers, too

Super chill: Lexi Boling (left) stars as a less sexed-up version of Captain Marvel, whose alter-ego is Carol Danvers, while Cuba Tornado Scott (right), director Ridley Scott's granddaughter, is a female version of Thor

'It's important that young girls have fierce and strong role models to look up to and that's what this project is really about,' said Karlie Kloss. 'These role models come in many forms, from fictional Super Heroes to incredible businesswomen to strong female athletes.'

In the magazine's Spring/Summer issue, which hits newsstands February 11, Karlie, Adriana, Candice, Lexi Boling, and Cuba Tornado Scott all try on their own superhero personas, with a fashionista twist.

'Reinterpreting our superheroes through these fashion magazine covers perfectly demonstrates what we believe about our characters  the idea that anyone can express their own unique identity and individualism,' explained Sana Amanat, Director of Content Development & Editor at Marvel Comics.

Not-so-sexualized: Unlike Scarlett Johansson's version of Black Widow (right), Karlie doesn't wear a bodysuit that makes her figure the focus

Role models: Karlie said having 'fierce and strong' women to look up to is important

Covered-up: Adriana's version of She-Hulk, too, bears less skin and even obscures her chest

Gorgeous: The 24-year-old supermodel knows about showing skin on the Victoria's Secret runway, but she can reel it in and look stunning, too

Karlie, 23, takes on Black Widow - who has been most recently portrayed on film by a curve-clinging bodysuit-wearing Scarlett Johansson.

Unlike ScarJo, though, Karlie doesn't put the spotlight so much on her amazing figure as she does Black Widow's super powers: intellect, combat, and espionage.

On her cover, she is pictured with an auburn bowl cut, practically make-up-free as she stares at the camera. Inside, her look is edgier, as she is dressed head-to-toe in leather with her medium-length hair wet and slicked back.

Adriana Lima, too, rocks a clean, fresh face on her cover, her blue-green eyes stunning without the help of cosmetics to amplify them.

The 34-year-old does her best She-Hulk, a.k.a. Jennifer Walters, opting for a flowing green dress over green skin. Also unlike the comic, Adriana isn't baring her bust in a skintight bodysuit.

Strong: Candice is a total tough girl in her combat boots and black leggings, showing hardly any skin at all

Tough girl: Cuba keeps it cool in a spiked moto jacket and a shaved head that reads: 'Don't mess with me'

Who says it's a man's world? Cuba plays Thor, who was most recently portrayed by Chris Hemsworth

Fellow Victoria's Secret Angel Candice Swanepoel, 27, traded her wings for a web in this shoot, dressing up as a fashion-forward version of Spider-Gwen.

The blonde stunner rocks slicked-back hair, black leggings, combat boots, and a RUN DMC sweatshirt, looking every bit the tough chick.

Also earning covers of their own are 22-year-old Lexi Boling as Captain Marvel, and director Ridley Scott's granddaughter Cuba Tornado Scott as a lady version of Thor.
The Belgian royal family have jetted off to Switzerland for their annual family ski trip.

Queen Mathilde and King Philippe whisked their four children off to Verbier - a resort loved by celebrities and aristocrats - for a fun-filled winter break.

The monarch and his adorable kids got a chance to showcase their skills on the slopes before playing in the snow and posing for a picture-perfect holiday photograph.

The Belgian royal family have jetted off to Switzerland for their annual family ski trip, pictured Queen Mathilde and her sons, Prince Emmanuel and Prince Gabriel

Queen Mathilde and King Philippe whisked their four children off to Verbier - a resort loved by celebrities and aristocrats - for a fun-filled winter break

Queen Mathilde appeared in high spirits as her sons - Prince Gabriel, 12, and 10-year-old Prince Emmanuel - were busy making snowballs.

Dressed in a plain black ski jacket with a silver waist belt and a fur-trim hood, the 43-year-old looked her usual stylish self.

She completed the cosy look with a pair of cream salopettes and tortoiseshell print sunglasses.

Meanwhile, the young princes were dressed in matching vibrant red jackets, grey ski trousers and adorable Aztec-print bobble hats.

The monarch and his adorable kids got a chance to showcase their skills on the slopes before playing in the snow and posing for a picture-perfect holiday photograph

Belgium's Queen Mathilde and King Philippe took a break from skiing to pose for a couple's photograph

King Philippe, 55, dressed in a padded khaki coat and black trousers, led the troop down the slopes

Queen Mathilde, pictured left, and King Philippe, right, whisked their four children off on a winter ski break

Queen Mathilde kept a watchful eye and ensured everyone was wearing their safety helmets

After they tired of playing in the snow, the threesome donned their skis and joined the rest of the family on the mountain.

Fifty-five-year-old King Philippe, dressed in a padded khaki coat and black trousers, led the troop down the slopes.

He was followed by his daughters, Princess Elisabeth, 14, and seven-year-old Princess Eleonore.

They looked incredibly cute wrapped up in bold pink jackets, white salopettes and cosy bobble hats.

Queen Mathilde kept a watchful eye from the back of the pack and ensured everyone was wearing their safety helmets.

After working up a sweat, the royals grouped together and posed in front of their idyllic chalet, which had a snow-covered roof and an outdoor play area.

The happy family merrily placed their arms around one another and beamed at the cameras.

After working up a sweat, the royals grouped together and posed in front of their idyllic chalet, which had a snow-covered roof and an outdoor play area

Clearly keen skiers, the family whizzed in tandem down the snowy mountain

It is the family's first official break and gives them a rest from royal duties.

Last month, Queen Mathilde welcomed Queen Rania of Jordan to the Belgian Royal Palace.

Queen Rania looked elegant for the afternoon meeting in light pink blouse, brown leather skirt and a camel and pink Balenciaga coat.

Queen Mathilde dressed in a light blue lace top, a grey a-line skirt and a silver waist belt, to pull the look together.

While enjoying a private lunch, the royals discussed the issues that Jordan is facing after thousands of Syrians sought refuge in Jordan.
The birth defects linked to the Zika virus are 'more severe' than first thought, leading experts warned today.

Doctors say they are struck by the severity of a small number of cases of microcephaly in Brazil.

Consultations between experts in the country and colleagues in the US have increased in the last two weeks.

And some of the leading authorities on the condition have warned of patterns of unusual devastation in scans of the newborns' malformed brains.

While it is not yet know how representative the scans are, the early observations of these doctor point to a tough rough ahead for the babies, their families and communities.

Leading experts on microcephaly, the birth defect linked to the Zika virus, have warned cases of the condition linked to the outbreak in Brazil are 'more severe than simple microcephaly'

It heightens the concern surrounding Zika, which is suspected of causing the birth defects.

Dr William Dobyns, a geneticist at Seattle Children's Hospital, said: 'We are in the process of very rapid information gathering on what has been seen.

'The condition that I've been able to review, very preliminary, is more severe than simple microcephaly,'

The Zika virus is typically transmitted by mosquito, causing mild symptoms in about 20 per cent of cases, while most people experience no illness at all.

However, last week the first sexually transmitted case of the virus was reported during the current outbreak, in Texas.

While Brazilian health officials warned pregnant women to avoid kissing strangers, after they discovered traces of the active virus in saliva and urine samples - raising fears the disease could spread via bodily fluids.

A spike in reported microcephaly cases among babies in areas of Brazil with Zika outbreaks has triggered an international effort to determine whether the virus has caused the condition.

The suspected association prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the outbreak an international health emergency, last Monday.

Doctors in the US and Brazil have been studying brain scans of babies born with the condition from regions affected by the Zika virus, pictured. They say many babies are showing signs of 'a very severe form of microcephaly' where the brain is not just small, but is also malformed and suffering severe destructive injury

Dr Dobyns has spent 30 years researching and treating microcephaly.

The condition is defined by an abnormally small head in a newborn, and it is known to lead to developmental disabilities, ranging in severity from mild to severe.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has sought to draw on his expertise in understanding the unfolding epidemic.

These children have a very severe form of microcephaly. The brain is not just small, it's small with malformations of the cerebral cortex and calcifications. It has the appearance of a very severe, destructive injury to the brain Dr William Dobyns, a geneticist at Seattle Children's Hospital

With a small group of geneticists and other specialists in microcephaly, he recently reviewed scans of a handful of babies sent to him by a colleague in Brazil.

All the experts were struck by the scale of the malformations, he said.

'These children have a very severe form of microcephaly,' Dr Dobyns said.

'The brain is not just small, it's small with malformations of the cerebral cortex and calcifications.

'It has the appearance of a very severe, destructive injury to the brain.'

He said it is particularly alarming that in the Brazilian cases, there appears to be an excess of spinal fluid between the brain and the skull of the babies.

'If the brain is growing and then suddenly shrinks, then you'll see fluid between the brain and skull,' Dr Dobyns said.

'It has a pattern that suggests that the brain has actually decreased in size.'

Dr Leonardo Vedolin, a neuroadiologist and researcher at the Moinhos de Vento hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, shared with Dr Dobyns scans of two more babies with microcephaly, this week.

Pollyanna Rabello, left, kisses her baby Luiz Ohilipe, who was born with microcephaly, at their home in Marica, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. More than 208 cases of the condition have been recorded in Marica

The doctors belong to a brain defects study group that convenes via video conference each month.

The group is now focusing its efforts on the Zika virus.

Neither Dr Vedolin, nor Brazil's Health Ministry, were able to provide a breakdown on the severity of confirmed microcephaly cases.

WHAT IS MICROCEPHALY? Microcephaly is a birth defect where a baby's head is smaller than expected, when compared to babies of the same age. They often have smaller brains, that in many cases have not developed properly. Babies diagnosed with the condition are likely to suffer other health problems. These include: seizures developmental delay intellectual disability problems with movement and balance feeding problems, including difficulty swallowing hearing and vision loss Microcephaly varies in severity from mild to severe and lifelong difficulties. In some cases the condition can be life-threatening. It is not a common condition. The CDC estimates the incidence ranges from two babies per 10,000 live births to around 12 babies per 10,000 live births in the US. Source: CDC Advertisement

In general, Dr Vedolin said five per cent of microcephaly cases are severe.

But the proportion appears greater among the cases in Brazil, he noted.

Public health officials in Brazil are investigating more than 4,000 cases of suspected microcephaly, and have confirmed more than 400.

Prior to the Zika outbreak, Brazil saw on average 163 cases annually of microcephaly over the past five years, according to WHO.

In 17 of the new cases, the presence of Zika was identified in the mother or the baby.

A study of 35 Brazilian babies born with microcephaly during the Zika outbreak reported by the CDC January 29 added strength to the suspected connection.

The mothers of all 35 infants had lived in or visited Zika virus-affected areas during pregnancy, the report said.

Twenty-five infants had severe microcephaly, and 17 had at least one neurologic abnormality.

Dr Frank Esper, an infectious disease expert from Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, said he expects a steady wave of studies on Zika and microcephaly that will provide a much clearer picture over the first half of 2016.

By the broadest definition, about 2.3 per cent of all babies are microcephalic, Dr Dobyns said.

Some cases are so mild they involve no complications at all.

About one tenth of one per cent of the cases are so severe that lifelong care is required, he said.

There are many known causes, including a wide range of genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, as well as oxygen deprivation to the fetus, cytomegalovirus and severe fetal alcohol syndrome.

Lifespan in severe cases can be months or as long as 10 years, depending on proximity to good medical care, Dr Dobyns said.

The Zika virus is typically transmitted by Aedes mosquito, pictured. In most cases the symptoms are almost non-existent, and around 20 per cent of people will suffer a mild form of the disease. However following an outbreak in South and Central America last year, WHO experts declared the epidemic an international health emergency, after growing concerns the virus is linked to microcephaly

Dr Dawn Nolt, a member of the American Association of Pediatrics' (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases, and other doctors, said more severely affected children often require treatment for epileptic seizures, as well as physical, respiratory and speech therapy.

They may need help with everyday activities, such as eating or walking.

'It's crucial to go to a care center with good neurology and genetics teams that can evaluate the child comprehensively,' said Dr Ghayda Mirzaa, a pediatric neurologist and colleague of Dr Dobyns at Seattle Children's.

Doctors in Recife, Brazil are sending mothers with afflicted babies for therapy to help stimulate eyesight, hearing and motor skills to minimize retardation in mental and physical development.

There are a handful of centers of microcephaly research and treatment in the US, including Dr Dobyns' hospital in Seattle.

The consultations of physicians like Dr Dobyns in the Brazil cases is informal at this point but could form the basis for an organized exchange of expertise that will inform the ongoing care of the children of the epidemic.

'We need to get the message out that this is real, and coming, without getting everybody to panic,' Dr Dobyns said.
HIV-positive patients in the US will be able to donate their organs to save the lives of others for the first time, under new plans.

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore has been given the green light to become the first center in the country to perform HIV-positive to HIV-positive transplants.

Surgeons at the university's School of Medicine will become the first in the world to transplant a liver from one HIV-positive patient to another.

And they will become the first in the US to execute a HIV-positive to HIV-positive kidney transplant.

Experts at the Baltimore hospital said the development has the potential to change the lives of thousands of patients.

Surgeons at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore will become the first in the world to perform a HIV-positive to HIV-positive liver transplant, and the first to execute a kidney transplant in the US between HIV-positive donor and recipient (file image posed by models)

Dr Dorry Segev, associate professor of surgery, said: 'This is an unbelievably exciting day for our hospital and our team but more importantly for patients living with HIV and end-stage organ disease.

'For these individuals, this means a new chance at life.'

The surgery will be possible after the hospital received approval from the United Network for Organ Sharing, to perform the operations.

The announcement brings to fruition a two-year effort on the part of Dr Segev, to help draft and push through the 2013 HIV Organ Policy Equity Act (HOPE).

The bill, signed by President Obama made it possible for HIV-positive individuals to donate organs.

Major advances in the treatment of HIV and AIDS mean that people diagnosed with the virus are living longer.

Organ transplantation is actually even more important for patients with HIV, since they die on the waiting list even faster than their HIV-negative counterparts Dr Dorry Segev, associate professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins

As a result, a growing number of HIV-positive people are developing medical conditions that result in their needing an organ transplant.

Approximately 122,000 people are on the US transplant waiting list at any one time.

Thousands die each year, many of whom may have lived had they received the organ they so desperately needed.

Dr Segev estimates that each year, about 500 to 600 HIV-positive would-be organ donors had organs that could have saved more than 1,000 people, if only the medical community was allowed to use the organs for transplant.

The antiquated law, which the HOPE Act reversed, prevented doctors from using organs from HIV-positive donors, even if they were intended to be given to an HIV-positive patient desperately in need of the organ.

Speaking at the time of passing the HOPE Act, President Obama, said: 'For decades, these organ transplants have been illegal.

'It was even illegal to study whether they could be safe and effective. But that policy has become outdated.

'Our country has come a long way in our understanding of HIV and in developing effective treatments.

Dr Segev, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins, estimates every year 500 to 600 HIV-positive would-be organ donors had organs that could have saved more than 1,000 people, if only the medical community had been allowed to use the organs for transplant (pictured HIV illustrated in the blood stream)

'And as our knowledge has grown, the possibility of successful organ transplants between HIV-positive people has become more real.

'The HOPE Act lifts the research ban. In time, it could lead to these organ donations for people living with HIV.

'And that, in turn, would help save and improve lives and strengthen the national supply of organs for all who need them.'

Despite very positive outcomes in non-HIV transplants in HIV-positive recipients and proven results of HIV-positive to HIV-positive kidney transplants in South Africa, HIV-positive to HIV-positive transplant in the United States was not a possibility until now.

Analysis of cases in South Africa have shown an estimated five-year patient survival rate following kidney transplant of around 74 per cent.

Dr Segev said: 'Organ transplantation is actually even more important for patients with HIV, since they die on the waiting list even faster than their HIV-negative counterparts.

'We are very thankful to Congress, President Obama and the entire transplant community for letting us use organs from HIV-positive patients to save lives, instead of throwing them away, as we had to do for so many years.'
From the outside, Jason Watkins and Clara Francis look like a couple who have it all. He's one of Britain's most acclaimed actors who starred in the BBC spoof show W1A and was awarded a Bafta for his role in the ITV drama The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jefferies.

She's a successful jewellery designer who, having trained as an actor, recently returned to the stage to rave reviews after a 12-year break. They have two beautiful children - Bessie, eight, and Gilbert, four.

But what outsiders don't see is the black hole at the heart of their family, left by the loss of their youngest daughter, Maude.

Actor Jason Watkins and his wife Clara, a jewellery designer, who lost their youngest daughter, Maude

Maude died, aged two-and-a-half, on New Year's Day, 2011.

'I think about her all the time,' says Clara, 'about what happened, what she'd be doing now. I'll see a mother with two girls and I'll think, "Oh, that was me", or I'll see a pair of shoes like ones she had.'

Maude fell victim to sepsis, a condition that claims the lives of 44,000 people in the UK each year, young and old.

Sepsis can develop rapidly following even the mildest of infections, such as a tummy bug or sore throat. For reasons little understood, the body's immune system over-reacts to the initial infection, attacking the its own tissues and organs.

If caught in time, sepsis can be successfully treated with antibiotics. But the NHS is failing to spot the signs, and every year tens of thousands of patients - including 1,000 children - die as a result of the condition.

Last month, the Mail highlighted the tragic death of William Mead, the one-year-old Cornish boy killed by sepsis in 2014 after warning signs were missed by doctors and the NHS 111 helpline.

Now, Jason and Clara are sharing their heartbreaking story in the hope it will save lives and help to jolt the NHS into action.

When Clara heard Melissa Mead talking about her son's death on the radio last month, she 'simply froze'. 'I thought, "My God, it's happened again." I just sobbed.'

Maude, 2 and a half, fell victim to sepsis, a condition that claims the lives of 44,000 people in the UK each year

Such has been Clara's pain that only now, five years on, is she able even to look at photographs of her child. But her grief is tempered with anger.

In January, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt apologised to the Mead family, admitting that 'our understanding of sepsis across the NHS is totally inadequate'.

Clara is telling her daughter's story to help Mr Hunt understand exactly how inadequate that response is. Speaking publicly about the loss of Maude for the first time, she has a message for Mr Hunt: 'He must get his act together.

'He must take sepsis seriously and spread the word about it among medical staff and recognise that this is a real problem.'

Like Melissa Mead, Clara and Jason are supporting the Mail's urgent call for a campaign to increase the public and medical professionals' awareness of the dangers of sepsis, and for a radical improvement in the way the NHS tackles the condition.

'If I'd known what to look out for, Maude would still be here today - it's as simple as that,' says Clara.

The couple's account of their daughter's last days is a harrowing story that will make any parent's blood run cold.

It began with a simple sniffle in the middle of December 2010. Two weeks later, their beloved Maude was dead.

'Maude started to develop a sore throat and all those things parents are familiar with when their child has a cold,' recalls Jason.

'It went on for a week, but she wasn't particularly bad - she had symptoms but she was playful.'

The couple's daughter's last days began with a simple sniffle in the middle of December 2010

By December 30, 12 days since her first symptoms, Jason was worried that what he had thought was a cold was starting to go to Maude's chest.

He took her to their GP, who did all the things one would expect - checked Maude's chest, pulse and temperature - and said she had a throat infection.

But, as Jason opened the door to leave, something made him hesitate. 'I said: "Are you sure we've done everything?". She paused and said: "You know what? Take her to A&E." '

At University College Hospital, London, medics concluded it was probably croup, a common childhood viral condition. Maude was given steroids to reduce the inflammation in her airways, then 'they sent us home', says Clara. The couple felt partially reassured, but still strangely uneasy.

By the following afternoon, Maude was having serious problems breathing. Jason recalls: 'She was faint, growing pale and becoming subdued and floppy, with a raised temperature and episodes of rapid breathing.'

Unknown to Jason and Clara, as it would be to most parents, Maude was already showing telltale signs of sepsis. The window of opportunity for saving her life was fast closing.

At about 5pm on New Year's Eve, they drove back to the hospital. Jason recalls that by this time 'Maude was having difficulties, she seemed to be losing consciousness and we were trying to keep her awake'.

Clara held Maude on her lap as she gasped for air during the short but nightmarish journey.

If we had known the signs, Maude would still be here today

'I still believed she was going to be all right,' says Clara. 'I thought, "She's only got croup, it's fine." '

In hospital, Maude did seem to improve. They took her temperature, X-rayed her chest and put her on oxygen, steroids and fluids through a drip. This time, she was given antibiotics for her throat infection.

She didn't have the blood tests that would have revealed sepsis, and by that stage it was almost certainly too late for the antibiotics to have had any impact on the condition.

Her temperature started to fall and she 'calmed down', says Jason. 'I was very relieved, watching her struggling had been awful.'

But he was surprised when, after a couple of hours, he was told he could take Maude home. The diagnosis was unchanged - 'a classic case of croup'.

'I tried to remind them of the terrible symptoms she'd had . . . my instinct was that they should have monitored her through the night.'

Back home at about 10pm, Maude was 'still not quite herself but she didn't seem to be drastically ill,' says Jason. 'She was tired, but her colour had improved and she was a bit more chirpy.'

They put her in her cot and checked on her several times. 'She was fine - not too hot, not too cold, sleeping and breathing normally.'

Finally, 'exhausted and traumatised', they went to bed.

Clara's last memory of her daughter alive is heartrending.

'I said goodnight. She did this little thing we used to have where she'd touch my nose before she went to sleep . . . now I think I was putting her down and she was going to die and I should have known.'

It was only at Maude's inquest, seven months after her death, that they heard the word sepsis as the cause for the first time. Like many people, they had never even heard of the condition before

One of the many cruelties surrounding Maude's loss is that Clara cannot shake the conviction that she is somehow to blame. She pauses, as tears start to flow. 'You have one job, to stop your child dying, and I couldn't do that.'

Clara recalls very little of events the following morning, beyond Bessie coming into her parents' bedroom at about 7am. In a quiet voice, still thick with shock five years on, Jason recalls Bessie saying: 'I can't wake Maude.'

What follows feels intrusive, a raw exposure of a family's deepest, most painful wound. 'But I think now's the time to share it,' says Jason.

'It gives an idea of how awful this thing is and hopefully will sting other people into action.'

He continues in a faint voice: 'I walked into her bedroom and saw her in the cot. She was lying face up. I knew she had died. She was cold. I think I was just calling her name. I remember my wife saying: "What's the matter?" and I said: "I think she's gone, I think we've lost her."

'Clara started howling and Bessie was asking: "What is it?" and somehow I was trying to make it like a game for her. I tried to revive Maude, but it was just awful, I knew she had died. I rang 999 . . . I couldn't believe it...'

He gropes for words to describe the indescribable. 'I was controlling my hysteria . . . at this point you're not thinking about anything but trying to bring her back to life - you can't believe it, it's all wrong, please let this not be true.'

A paramedic arrived quickly and did everything he could, but 'he just looked at me and said: "I'm afraid she's gone." ' After that, Jason doesn't remember much. He knows he went downstairs to tell Clara and Bessie. Then, because it was an unexplained death, the police arrived.

I was controlling my hysteria as I tried to revive her

They were, he remembers, 'great, very compassionate. I came back upstairs and saw Maude again and just fell on the floor in front of these officers, who were clearly shocked and absolutely devastated themselves.'

He pauses. 'This is horror,' he says finally. 'You feel terrible guilt. We must have done something wrong . . . of course, we didn't, but part of you will always feel that.'

It was only at Maude's inquest, seven months after her death, that they heard the word sepsis as the cause for the first time. Like many people, they had never even heard of the condition before.

The post-mortem examination revealed that Maude had contracted a bacterial infection as a complication of a common strain of flu; the infection had spread rapidly through her blood, provoking sepsis.

Jason doesn't blame any individual for his daughter's death. 'I blame a system of care that does not entertain the idea of sepsis in a child displaying these symptoms,' he says. 'And more children have died because that dysfunctional system has continued.

'That is inadequate and it is why I'm campaigning. If sepsis had been more in the ether, then the doctors would have been thinking about it and so would we.

The post-mortem examination revealed that Maude had contracted a bacterial infection as a complication of a common strain of flu; the infection had spread rapidly through her blood, provoking sepsis

'Maude should not have died and - four whole years later - neither should William Mead.'

Jason and Clara are getting on with their lives, but celebrate Maude's memory in everything they do.

When Jason won his Bafta in 2014 for his portrayal of Christopher Jefferies, the man wrongly accused of the murder of Bristol landscape architect Joanna Yeates, he dedicated the award 'to Maudie'.

In January 2014, Jason and Clara were married in what she recalls as a 'bittersweet' ceremony, conducted by the same humanist minister who had performed Maude's funeral.

'I wanted her to be present, she should have been there,' says Clara.

Clara wore a gold hare brooch she had made herself, which Maude had always loved and played with.

After Maude died, Clara made another hare for her 'and we put it in her coffin, so she could take it with her'.

Jason and Clara had her name tattooed on their arms. Both say they are the least likely people to have a tattoo, but the gesture had powerful meaning.

'I can't bear the thought that she is going to be forgotten,' says Clara, 'that people will look at me and think I'm a normal person, because I am not.' She became pregnant with Gilbert just three months after Maude's death.

She was cold and lying face up. I knew she'd died

'I needed to have another child. I didn't even think about it - it was so primal, it was about survival.'

There was, she says, 'a huge part of me that just wanted her back, if I'm honest. But I look at Gilbert now and I think, "Wow, you're a total miracle", and he is here entirely because of her.'

Understandably, she is on constant alert for any sign of trouble.

'When either of my kids gets any sort of illness, I'll go from being a normal human being to thinking they're going to die, even if it's something really minor. I think, "If it can happen once there's no reason to believe it can't happen again", so I live in a permanent state of insecurity.'

In her darkest days, Clara found comfort in SLOW (Surviving the Loss of Your World), a group of parents who have lost children.

'I needed to speak to people who were further down the road, who had found a way of living,' she says.

Five years on, now it is Clara offering solace to the newly bereaved. They will find, as Clara has, that there is no 'getting over' such a thing, and that it changes you forever.

'I consider my life as split into two parts,' she says. 'There's before Maude died, and after Maude died.

'Before, I was innocent. I trusted the world, I trusted doctors, I trusted that if you were good, good things would happen to you.

'I was wrong.'

Jason and Clara are raising money for the charity UK Sepsis Trust.

For more information, visit justgiving.com/Jason-Watkins4Maude

WHAT IS SEPSIS? Sepsis is not a disease in its own right - it's a life-threatening over-reaction by the immune system to what usually starts out as a minor bacterial, fungal or even viral infection in or on the body. About 50 per cent of cases are thought to be caused by respiratory infections, and another 20 per cent each by urinary infections and stomach bugs. A minority start with something as seemingly trivial as a cut, bite or sting. The immune system's response to any infection is to send white blood cells to the scene to attack the invading germs. But for reasons not well understood, in some cases the immune system goes haywire, attacking the patient's own body as well as the invading bugs. Under this assault, blood pressure can drop to a dangerously low level and vital organs such as the heart, liver and lungs, deprived of oxygen, begin to fail. This is known as septic shock. The very young, very old and those whose immune systems are already compromised are most at risk, but sepsis can also affect healthy people in the prime of life. Without treatment, death can follow shockingly quickly - sometimes within a few hours. THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW If a child or adult who has had any infection - even a mild cold - develops one or more of the following symptoms, call 999 immediately and say you think they have sepsis. 1 Abnormally cold to touch 2 Breathing rapidly/struggling for breath 3 Very lethargic/difficult to rouse 4 No urine (or wet nappy) for more than 12 hours 5 Skin mottled, bluish or extremely pale REMEMBER: Sepsis can begin under the cover of any infection, such as flu, a tummy bug, a chest infection or even a sore throat. If sepsis is suspected by doctors, treatment with antibiotics must begin as soon as possible - ideally within one hour of diagnosis  even before blood tests are given. Sepsis can begin under the cover of any infection, such as flu, a tummy bug or a chest infection [file photo] Advertisement

Why is the NHS allowing so many needless deaths ?

Sepsis, a stealthy killer that claims 44,000 lives a year in the UK, is the dirty big secret at the heart of the NHS.

While a further 100,000 people a year survive sepsis, they're often left with serious long-term complications, including irreversible damage to lungs, heart, kidneys and brain and limb amputations.

Sepsis targets young and old alike and accounts for more deaths than lung, bowel and breast cancer combined.

All too often, the NHS is failing to recognise the telltale signs until it is far too late, as tragically illustrated by the needless deaths of toddlers William Mead, whose story the Mail highlighted last week, and Maude Watkins, whose parents have spoken so movingly here.

Shamefully, NHS England's survival rate lags woefully behind best practice in other countries - including, incredibly, other parts of the UK.

Hospital failures

Sepsis patients admitted to hospital in England have a 30 per cent chance of dying, compared to 24 per cent in Wales, and 20 per cent in Scotland. (In some U.S. hospitals the death rate is just 9 per cent.)

This disparity 'really is a scandal', according to Ron Daniels, a consultant in critical care and anaesthesia at Good Hope Hospital, Birmingham, who is leading the charge for improvements in sepsis care.

Over the past few years, Dr Daniels and the charity UK Sepsis Trust have developed the clinical tools to help doctors spot and treat sepsis. If more widely used, these could save thousands of lives every year.

But while they have been adopted in Wales and Scotland - 'because if the central teams there say, "You should do this", it tends to get done', says Dr Daniels - take-up has been patchy in England's more decentralised NHS. 'Scotland and Wales have also put significant resources and a central team behind this,' says Dr Daniels.

Sepsis patients admitted to hospital in England have a 30 per cent chance of dying [file photo]

If the death rate across the rest of the UK was cut to 20 per cent, as it has been in Scotland, 'we would be saving between 12,000 and 14,000 more lives a year,' he adds. 'And we know we can do it, because if Scotland can, England can.'

The vital tests

Today, with the support of the parents of William Mead and Maude Watkins, the Mail launches a campaign calling on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to introduce an awareness programme to identify the signs and dangers of sepsis to patients and doctors alike.

The NHS must also commit to ensuring that the clinical tools developed by the UK Sepsis Trust to help doctors spot and combat the condition are adopted as widely and as quickly as possible.

As things stand, awareness of sepsis among doctors in England is shockingly poor. A report into sepsis care published last year found that 'a good outcome for many appears to depend primarily on recognising the problem and doing the simple things right and promptly'.

However, in the majority of cases reviewed, 'sadly that's not what is happening'. In a third of cases eventually diagnosed as sepsis in hospital, GPs hadn't checked any of the four basic signs of temperature, pulse, blood pressure and respiratory rate, missing an early opportunity to act on sepsis.

Furthermore, when these patients reached A&E, 'things did not always improve very much', with diagnosis delayed over and over again.

And timely treatment is the difference between life and death.

Patients with suspected sepsis need oxygen, intravenous antibiotics and fluids as rapidly as possible, to help failing lungs, counter the infection and compensate for a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

Today the Mail launches a campaign calling on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to introduce an awareness programme to identify the signs and dangers of sepsis [file photo]

And if there's a source of infection that can be dealt with - such as an abscess - it needs removing urgently. Waiting for blood test results to come back before treating a patient can prove fatal.

That's why Dr Daniels and the UK Sepsis Trust developed the Sepsis Six: three tests and the three treatments (antibiotics, intravenous fluids and oxygen) that must be given within the all important 'golden hour' of sepsis first even being suspected.

'Time is of the essence,' says Dr Daniels. 'Every hour of delay after diagnosis increases the risk of death by 8 per cent.'

And yet last year's report found that, shockingly, 'the majority of patients do not receive antimicrobial drugs [antibiotics] within an hour of the diagnosis'.

Educating professionals is only half the job, says Dr Daniels. 'We believe that the tragic deaths of William Mead and Maude Watkins highlight an urgent need to educate the public with a campaign similar to Act F.A.S.T. for stroke.'

Launched in 2009, the 12.5 million stroke campaign led to 4,300 fewer people becoming disabled and saved many lives, halving the death rate to 39,000 a year. It also saved the NHS more than 330 million.

Most people 'don't want to make a fuss or be seen to be over-anxious', says Dr Daniels. 'But we need to empower people to feel they can call 999 or phone their GP and say: "I'm worried this might be sepsis." '

Call to action

William Mead's mother, Melissa, is supporting the Mail's call for action.

'Had I been privy to a sepsis campaign, there is a chance I would have looked at William's symptoms differently and thought, "sepsis",' she says. Instead, the family was repeatedly reassured that William had a typical childhood virus.

'The need for a national campaign has gone beyond important, it's vital,' she says. 'We absolutely need to have the danger of sepsis drummed home. I want to see it on the TV, on the sides of buses, in Tube stations, in the bounty packs that are given to new parents.

'I cannot allow my son to have died in vain.'
Keen to revamp the Congress, Rahul Gandhi has been quietly giving a corporate touch to rebuild the grand old party.

As part of creating a talent pool of younger leaders, Rahul has been personally evaluating resumes and conducting interviews with around 600 party members who are eager to implement his plans.

Since the Congress suffered the 2014 Lok Sabha poll debacle, Rahul has been planning to enforce large-scale changes in the party organisation but could not do so owing to resistance from within.

Congress V-P Rahul Gandhi has been personally evaluating resumes and conducting interviews with around 600 party members

Sources said the younger leaders who have been selected through the interview process over the past few months are waiting in the wings and whenever the changes in party will be rolled out, they will be given key roles.

This group, in a sense, would be the new team Rahul, which will give a new flavour and purpose to the Congress, which is struggling hard to establish reconnect with the voters since the party was wiped out in the 2014 polls.

In the months after the last Lok Sabha elections, Rahul faced criticism for the partys poor show but could not effectively introduce the changes he sought as the vested interests were always managed to derail the process.

Realising that rumours of a senior vs youngster tussle within the party was damaging the Congress more than helping it regroup, Rahul started highlighting the fact that his new team would be a mix of youth and experience, one of the Congress vice president's aides said.

The statement took care of the sentiment within the party which was more in favour of status quo than accept the need for a thorough revamp of the Congress, which found itself to be removed from the young aspirational voters.

Sources said Rahul had realised the shortcomings of the culture of patronage, which had been followed for decades to build new leadership, and wanted to shift to a more democratic system where youngsters without a pedigree could hope to rise through the ranks.

He has been taking keen interest in selecting the candidates and personally interviewing them. He just wants to be sure of the people would implement his agenda in future, a senior AICC functionary told Mail Today.

Last year, there were strong rumours that Rahul would take over as party chief from his mother Sonia Gandhi and unravel his new team.
Modi spent more than 30 minutes at the 12th century Lord Jagannath temple

PM Narendra Modi offered prayers at the 12th century Lord Jagannath temple and said he was touched by the warmth and affection shown by the people of Puri.

Modi, who was accompanied by priests and local BJP leaders, spent more than 30 minutes inside the temple. This is Modi's first visit to the temple since becoming the prime minister.

Earlier before the 2014 general elections, Modi had vowed to come here again if his desires are fulfilled. As he has become the prime minister, Modi came to express his gratitude to the Lord, said a priest.

BJP firming up election strategy

BJP chief Amit Shah held deliberations with the partys Uttar Pradesh leaders on Sunday as he seeks to firm up the electoral strategy for the politically crucial state, which goes to polls early next year.

The party is yet to announce its state unit president as it grapples with the challenge of identifying a suitable candidate for the job.

Shah deliberated on several issues in his meeting with the core group of state leaders, including Laxmikant Bajpai, whose term as the UP party chief ended in mid-December, and Om Prakash Mathur.

Kejriwal returns to take stock

CM Arvind Kejriwal returned to New Delhi from Bengaluru after undergoing 10 days of naturopathy treatment for chronic cough at a private medical institute.

Within hours of his return, Kejriwal met his ministers at his official residence to discuss issues such as the strike by MCD sanitation workers and the death of a six-year-old boy at Ryan International School.

The CM had left for Bengaluru on January 27.

Thampu: Stephens not a public park

Noted alumni of St Stephen's college, including historian Ramachandra Guha and chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, were denied entry into the campus to attend a condolence meeting for a popular dhaba owner Rohtas, as no prior permission had been sought for the event.

Principal Valson Thampu reportedly said the college was not a public park where anyone could walk in without following the protocol. Rohtas (65), who was loved by generations of the alumni, died last week.

Rahul heads south with polls on mind

After the Congress defended Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who is allegedly facing the heat in a solar scam, Rahul Gandhi is visiting the poll-bound state to evaluate the ground situation.
The Narendra Modi governments flagship scheme Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) meant to develop model villages across the country has started losing steam.

The majority of parliamentarians have not shown interest in identifying and adopting villages after the scheme entered phase II.

About 2,200 villages have to be developed in the first three phases of SAGY by 2019. The deadline for every MP to nominate a village for phase II has already lapsed on January 31.

About 2,200 villages were meant to be developed by 2019 in the first three phases of the Modi government's flagship scheme 'Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana'. (File picture)

Earlier, the union rural development ministry had written a letter to parliamentarians to identify villages so that the process of developing them could begin on time. However, officials claimed only a few MPs have shown interest in the scheme in the second phase.

According to official data, only 23 out of 543 Lok Sabha members have come forward and identified villages to carry out development projects.

The situation is no better with Rajya Sabha MPs, as only 6 out of 252 MPs have shown interest in the initiative.

The Modi government had launched the ambitious scheme in October 2014 with the aim of translating Gandhis vision of an ideal Indian village into reality.

Under SAGY, every MP adopts a gram panchayat and develops it on set parameters, mostly using various schemes of the Centre and the state.

Scarcity of funds

The Modi government launched the ambitious scheme in October 2014 with the aim of translating Gandhi's vision of an ideal Indian village into reality

However, a senior rural development ministry official said parliamentarians have complained about scarcity of funds to carry out these development schemes.

They have raised the issue in Parliament and have also written letters to the ministry. Thereafter, the ministry wrote a letter for provision of funds from corporate, voluntary and private sectors, added the official.

The official said there is no separate fund for this scheme from the government.

"MPs have to carry out the work on various existing schemes of the Centre and state governments. On an average, most of the parliamentarians have complained about lack of funds to the tune of Rs 2 crore in one gram panchayat. This is also termed as critical gap funding, but it can be resolved, he said.

The official said there are 233 government schemes that could be used to develop villages, but surprisingly many lawmakers are not aware about most of these. And that might be the reason for them not warming up to the village development project.

We have conducted many orientation programmes to inform MPs about the government schemes and how to carry them forward, but many of them are not aware it seems, added the official.

In order to resolve the issue of fund crunch, the government has decided to tap corporate resources for the scheme.

A letter dated December 22, 2015 by the Rural Development Ministry clearly said gram panchayats should tap the resources of the private sector for development works.

Each gram panchayat should proactively tap the resources and strengths of the private, voluntary and cooperative sectors which could help in making available relevant technologies for local adoptions as well as making investments for local economic development, either independently or to supplement government efforts, said the letter, which has been written to principal secretaries.
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There is finally some good news for scores of commuters coming to and from the IGI Airport in the national Capital.

The public works department (PWD) of the Delhi government has begun work on two long-pending flyovers at Dhaula Kuan to free the junction from daily traffic congestion.

Two flyovers at Dhaula Kuan along with four other flyover projects have been fast-tracked to decongest Delhis arterial roads.

The proposed flyover near Dhaula Kuan Metro Station will help facilitate unhindered flow of traffic from NH-8 to SP Marg

With the Centre sanctioning Rs 3,250 crore, work on these projects will start in a couple of months.

The fund will also be utilised on road-widening projects to eliminate traffic snarls on 200 spots identified by the Delhi traffic police.

Officials said all these projects were conceived by the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit government but they got stuck due to shortage of funds and three consecutive elections.

However, a committee formed by the Union Urban Development Ministry had recommended revival of these projects as a long-term solution to Delhis persistent traffic snarls.

According to the plan, the PWD will construct two flyovers at Dhaula Kuan  one on National Highway-8 and the other on Sardar Patel Marg-Cariappa Marg intersection. The project has been cleared by the traffic engineering body UTTIPEC and sent to the DDA for approval.

A PWD official said a flyover will be constructed near the Dhaula Kuan Metro Station and some road widening will be done to facilitate unhindered flow of traffic from NH-8 to SP Marg.

The second flyover will be constructed on Cariappa Marg that will allow smooth vehicular movement from SP Marg to Delhi Cantonment and further up to Jail Road.

Traffic Officials said there is always heavy traffic turning right on to Cariappa Marg from Sardar Patel Marg and a similar volume of traffic going straight towards the airport and Gurgaon - traffic movement gets very slow on these stretches.

According to the plan, the right turn towards Cariappa Marg will be closed. Instead, vehicles will go past the Dhaula Kuan Metro station and make a U-turn under the flyover, then turn left onto Cariappa Marg.

Traffic moving straight towards NH-8 will continue as usual. The straight moving traffic will have a three-lane road, while the U-turn will be a two-lane road.

On the other carriageway, vehicles coming from NH-8 and going towards Dhaula Kuan, including buses, will be able to use the new three-lane flyover.

Drivers who need to turn left towards Cariappa Marg wont have to take the flyover any more.

Central funds

Well-placed sources said funding for most of these projects will be done by the Centre. Last year, UD Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had announced Rs 3,250 crore for Delhis decongestion plan. The Centre has released Rs 1,500 crore for the state government.

We have submitted the estimate to DDA for approval. Subsequently, it will be sent to the urban development ministry. We will use this fund for constructing the flyover, PWD Secretary Sarvagya Srivastava said.

Notably, the government has also granted Rs 1,665 crore for the DDA and Rs 85 crore for North MCD. The DDA and Delhi Police have been asked to suggest measures to unclog city roads, officials said.

North MCD has been asked to complete remaining work of grade separator at Rani Jhansi Road (flyover from St Stephens Hospital to Filmistan). This will reduce travel time from Karol Bagh to north Delhi from the current one hour to just 10 minutes.

The North MCD has also proposed three flyovers at Kirari, Ghevra and Narela, the cost of which will be partly borne by the civic body.

Rural projects DDA, on the other hand, will be executing four projects in rural areas that would help in significant reduction of traffic congestion in the city. These include rail under-bridges (RUBs) at Holambi and Mundka and a railway over bridge at Narela.

Skywalk to end pedestrian woes at ITO intersection

By Rakesh Ranjan in New Delhi

The ambitious decongestion plan for Delhi will also address the pedestrian woes at the citys busiest ITO intersection with the construction of a skywalk.

After several failed attempts, the Delhi government is finally going ahead with the skywalk connecting Pragati Maidan Metro station and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.

The project aims to eliminate pedestrian interference with vehicular traffic and thus reduce accidents on the stretch

The project aims to eliminate the pedestrian interference with vehicular traffic and thus reduce accidents on the stretch.

The skywalk will be constructed in such a way that it will provide easy access to all roads criss-crossing the ITO intersection. The design will factor in the new subways constructed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation that serve as the entry/exit points to the ITO Metro station.

The design of the skywalk has been modified to connect it with the subways. The skywalk was planned keeping in view the large volume of pedestrians who have to navigate through heavy traffic in absence of foot over-bridges. Also, the pedestrian movement along the drain from Pragati Maidan Metro station to ITO poses a big risk to commuters, said a PWD official.

The area attracts a lot of pedestrian traffic since it has both an institutional and office area. The skywalk will connect to Tilak Bridge railway station, Sikandara Road, DDU Marg, Indraprastha Marg near the Delhi police headquarters and the building of the Institute of Engineers, he added.

ITO intersection, which is frequented by over 4 lakh vehicles every day, is home to several prominent government establishments, including the Police Headquarters, the headquarters of the Delhi Development Authority, Vikas Bhawan, the Income Tax Office and other central revenue buildings.

It also serves as a crucial link between East Delhi and other Central Delhi areas. By connecting the Tilak Bridge railway station, Pragati Maidan Metro station, bus stops and subways in the area, the PWD hopes to ensure smooth pedestrian traffic.
While MCD sanitation workers refused to call off their strike, the Capitals Resident Welfare Associations have accused the Delhi government of failing to make arrangements to get garbage off the roads.

The heaps of rubbish lying unattended have left residents angry. With no garbage lifted from their houses and surrounding areas, locals are feeling helpless and fear the spread of an epidemic.

Rajender Mewati, General Secretary, United Front of MCD Employees Association, told Mail Today that the sanitation workers will continue with the strike and wait for the high courts decision.

RWAs have accused the state government of not making any arrangements to get garbage off the roads

In east Delhi, no task forces reached our lanes and the markets. Having known that east Delhi always remains the most affected area during strikes, the government should have been cautious and should have made arrangements. People have started burning the garbage, which in turn, is also creating pollution as they are not left with any option. The health of the residents is at stake and there is no visible action from civic agencies or the government, said BS Vohra from East Delhi RWAs Joint Front Federation.

Similarly, in north Delhi, heaps of garbage could be seen on GT road, near Amba cinema, polo road and Mukherjee Nagar.

The MCD spokesperson told Mail Today that they did make an appeal to the sanitation workers to resume work as the Delhi government had agreed to pay for their salaries.
The Delhi Police are preparing a detailed reply to the 24 questions raised by Divyansh Kakroras father regarding the death of his child, and the Delhi government has decided to recommend a CBI probe.

On Saturday, the boy's father RK Meena prepared a list of 24 questions which highlight loopholes in the police investigation.

According to senior police officials, the reply will be ready shortly.

A candelit vigil is held outside Ryan International School, where pupil Divyansh Kakrora was found dead

We will be answering all the questions raised by the boys father. The reply will be submitted by Monday, a senior police official said.

Meena also alleged that the private parts of his child were hurt, as revealed by marks on his corpse.

How can my, or any, child lift such a heavy lid. And if he fall down accidentally, then why his shoes were found outside the tank? I have 24 such questions, but the police is not interested. I demand a CBI probe in the matter, he said.

The family has approached HRD Minister Smriti Irani and demanded a CBI enquiry. A copy of the letter was also sent to the Prime Ministers Office.

In the letter to Irani, the parents alleged there was a conspiracy behind the incident and demanded action against the school management.

Divyansh's death was too suspicious and the reasons have still not been cleared by school authorities. I am sure about some conspiracy against my child. Being a father, I just request you to please try to hand over this case to CBI so that proper investigations can be made in this case, otherwise I know this case would suppressed by the school administration, his father said in the letter.

Meanwhile, Delhi Government on Sunday said it will recommend a CBI inquiry into the death of a Ryan International School student in view of shortcomings in the ongoing probe, even as the distraught parents of the 6-year-old sought HRD minister Smriti Irani's intervention.

We have decided to recommend a CBI probe into death of Divyansh. We can see shortcomings in the ongoing probe. Divyansh's parents have levelled serious allegation, said Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio.

Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said: CBI inquiry should be ordered into the case heeding to the demands of the parents.

Delhi BJP Chief Satish Upadhyay said: The police should probe all possible angles.

Meena also met Delhi Women and Child Welfare minister Sandeep Kumar and expressed concern that police was not properly investigating the death of his son, whose body was found in the reservoir under the amphitheatre of the school located in south Delhi on January 30.
Delhis sole child rights protection body is unable to address complaints of child rights violation and medical negligence in schools, like the recent death of six-year-old Ryan International student Divyansh.

The Reason: The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has one chairperson while the posts of the five other members have been lying vacant for the past five months.

The delay in appointing the members has left the commission toothless.

Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights is currently unable to investigate cases like the death of a six-year-old at Ryan International School

At full strength, the body consists of five members and one chairperson who deal with child rights and issues pertaining to them. Sources in the department said these posts have been lying vacant since September last, and since then most cases have been put on hold.

Under normal circumstances, as soon as the commission receives a complaint, the members start an initial enquiry and intervene in the matter. After completing the report, the members send a status report to the Chairperson, after which the next course of action is decided.

In the absence of members, the functioning of the commission has been affected. Though all urgent matters are being resolved many others are being put on hold. The posts have been lying vacant for far too long, a senior government official told Mail Today.

The Commission was constituted under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act.

The Act empowers the Commission to act as a Civil Court to undertake suo-motu enquiry and also look into complaints related to deprivation and violation of child rights and non-implementation of laws for the protection and development of children.

The DCPCR, under Commissions for Protection of Child Rights, is mandated to look into complaints or take suo motu notice of the cases involving violation of constitutional and legal rights of children, examine and review the safeguards provided by any law for the protection of child rights, and recommend measures for their effective implementation in the best interest of the children.

The commission is like a forgotten land. No one is interested in the welfare of the commission. Large number of people come to the commission complaining about child right violations, a senior official added.

The Commission is mandated to intervene whenever there is a failure to implement policies, decisions, guidelines or instructions as far as a childs rights are concerned, as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Chairperson of the Commission, Arun Mathur, said: All the five posts are lying vacant but we still manage to look at all complaints. No issues are being left unaddressed. We hope to get some members by the end of this month.

The Women and Child Development (WCD) ministry is looking at the hiring process for the members. Sources in the WCD Ministry said it should soon be resolved.
A 21-year-old Delhi University student was allegedly killed by her lover in the Model Town area of the Capital.

The murder only came to light after five days when the neighbours first reported a stench from the accused's residence, where he had allegedly dumped the body in a shaft.

The accused, Naveen Khatri, was arrested on 7 February.

The Delhi University student, 21, reportedly wanted to marry her alleged killer - but his family objected. (Picture for representation only.)

Police claim that on Tuesday Khatri allegedly strangled the woman, a final-year student at Lakshmibai College under the University of Delhi, who was in a relationship with him.

He tried to dump the body somewhere else and also tried and failed to burn it, after which he threw it in a shaft at his residence in Gurmandi which comes under the Model Town police station in northwest Delhi, police said.

During the interrogation, it emerged that Khatri was to get married to someone else.

The police are also probing the role of other members of the accuseds family in the incident as they had apparently objected to their relationship and wanted Khatri to marry the other woman, they said. The police added that several people were questioned in the case.

The matter came to light on 7 February after neighbours complained of a terrible stench, and the police were informed.

A case of murder has been registered and the accused has been arrested. Further investigation is underway, DCP, Northwest, Vijay Singh said.

A relative of the victim claimed that she and Khatri wanted to marry, but it was mutually decided that marriage cant happen as they were from the same village.

We were not aware that they were in contact with each other. When police went to Naveens apartment with warrant, they found her dead and recovered her charred body, she said.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has stoked another controversy by saying his government may allow luxury hotels to serve beef to foreigners.

His team immediately went into damage control mode and clarified that the chief ministers statement had been misinterpreted.

There is a ban on liquor in Gujarat. But there is a special permission under which foreigners can consume alcohol. Likewise the Haryana CM was asked whether there would be any special permission under which foreigners could eat beef in the state, Jawahar Yadav, officer on special duty (OSD) to the Haryana CM, told a news agency.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said his government may allow luxury hotels to serve beef to foreigners via a special licence

If we have to work out some facility for them (foreigners) to be able to (consume beef) we will do it. It could be a special licence (as) whatever is licensed, no one can oppose (under) the law, Khattar said, according to the media report.

The Haryana chief ministers statement came in the context of foreigners who are accustomed to eating beef or its products.

Everyone has a personal lifestyle choice of eating and drinking, especially those who come from abroad we dont have any opposition to that. In fact, we are not opposing this for anyone, Khattar had reportedly said.

However, Khattars media adviser sought to clarify his statement saying no final decision had been taken and the government would examine every aspect before taking the final call.

A query pertaining to facilitating beef license to hotel had come to the CM to which he has replied that the state government may think of implementing it in Haryana, Amit Arya, media adviser of CM Manohar Lal Khattar, told Mail Today.

Khattars media adviser sought to clarify his statement saying no final decision had been taken on the CM's suggestion

Haryana is one of the few states ruled by the BJP where the state government has imposed a complete beef ban. The state has also improvised a special law that imposes a Rs 1 lakh fine or 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for slaughtering cows or involvement in selling or buying beef products.

The statement comes months after the Haryana chief minister sparked a controversy in October 2015 with his remarks about the beef ban, when he was quoted saying that Muslims will have to give up eating beef if they want to live in India.

Haryana followed the ban on beef after it was imposed in BJP-ruled states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan in March 2015.

The Khattar government had passed the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan legislation in March last year but got President Pranab Mukherjees approval only in November.
The Crime Branch of Gurgaon Police gunned down notorious gangster Sandeep Gadholi in a Mumbai hotel on Sunday, and arrested two of his aides.

Gadholi, who has 36 cases of murder, robbery and extortion against him, had taken shelter in Metro Hotel situated in Andheri east, along with two of his close aides.

When a Crime Branch team raided Gadholis hideout, he and his aides opened fire at them.

Sandeep Gadholi had 36 cases of murder, robbery and extortion against his name

Gadholi, who has a Rs 1 lakh bounty on his head, received bullet injuries to his chest and head in retaliatory cross-fire. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Two Crime Branch officials also sustained bullet injuries and are undergoing treatment.

Officials have managed to arrest Gadholis aides Manish Khurana and Deepak.

The Gurgaon Police suspected the involvement of Gadholis gang in Mumbai after one of his gang members was reportedly involved in molesting a model.

Sources said that Gadholi has many girlfriends, including bar girls, in Mumbai and one of them may have tipped off Crime Branch sleuths about the gangsters location.

We had been receiving inputs about Gadholis activities in Mumbai for past few days and our Crime Branch and intelligence officers were keeping a close tab on the activities of his gang members. On Sunday, Crime Branch officers received a tipoff about his presence in Metro Hotel, which was followed by a raid and encounter, said Gurgaon police commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk.

Gadholi was on the run since 2014 and his gang members were using different places in Mumbai as safe hideouts. This is the second achievement of Gurgaon Police with this encounter after we managed to arrest gangster Birendar Singh Dayma alias Bindar Gujjar in the first week of December last year, he added.

The rivalry between Gadholi and Gujjar had come to light in October last year when a close aide of Gujjar's was found dead in a car. A few hours later, Gujjars sharp shooters targeted Gadholis aide Manish Khuranas residence, leaving him with serious injuries.

Gujjar had also plotted the murder of one of Gadholis key aides on Diwali last year at the Sector 5 fuel station. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras.
A body representing Sufi-Sunni Muslims on Monday claimed that dreaded terror outfit Islamic State (ISIS) is active in the country under different names, and sought a ban on fronts representing such groups to prevent threats to national security.

The comments by the All India Tanzeem Ulema-E-Islam (AITUI) came after Home Minister Rajnath Singh claimed on December 27 that ISIS has not been able to establish its roots in the country due to the family values of Indian culture.

At its day-long anti-terrorism conference held in the Capital, the AITUI also made a strong pitch for critical examination of Islamic studies imparted across varsities in the country and sought to promote Sufi content to remove extremist influences on young people.

An alleged Islamic State (ISIS) suspect, identified as Azhar Iqbal (with his face covered), is taken to a court after his arrest in Bhopal

Terror activities are on rise in the world. We condemn it and assert the Sufi-Sunni Muslims are in no way engaged in such activities. But we want to highlight, the ISIS is active in India under different names, said AITUI president Mufti Mohammed Ashfaq Hussain Qadri.

The ISIS front outfits are holding conferences and receiving funds from Saudi Arabia and Qatar for it. We want Centre to ban all such outfits in view of national security, he added.

Appealing to Sufi-Sunni Muslim youth in India against falling prey to extremist elements, clerics participating in the event insisted that the government should promote Sufi content in syllabus taught as part of higher Islamic studies.

The clerics, who had gathered here from different parts of the country, also urged the Centre to give up efforts to change minority status of educational institutions - an apparent reference to the governments stand on the Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia - and instead make efforts to gain the confidence of community youths.

The clerics also favoured enacting a law that will provide for capital punishment to those who insult prophets and Gods worshipped by people of any religion.
16:30: The Footsie has posted a fall of nearly 3 per cent in a manic day's trading that saw billions wiped off stock markets globally.

London's premier index closed down 158.7 points at 5689.36, meaning that it has fallen almost 9 per cent since the start of the year.

In Europe the losses were even worse, with both Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 finishing down 3 per cent. The US Dow Jones fell 2 per cent or 353.7 points to 15,851.2 in early trading.

Rout: Deutsche Bank fell 7.3 per cent at a 7-year low today, in what has been a torrid day's trading for banks

Banks have been some of the biggest fallers following a string of bad results, negative interest rates and worries about a high level of unprofitable loans on their balance sheets in recent weeks.

Commerzbank finished down more than 8 per cent at a two-and-a-half year low, Deutsche Bank fell 7.3 per cent at a 7-year low and BNP Paribas was off 5 per cent at a 3-year low.

In the US, not even the mighty Goldman Sachs could avoid the rot. It is currently the biggest faller on the Dow Jones, falling almost 5 per cent in morning trading in New York.

Meanwhile in London HSBC finished 4.3 per cent lower at or 19.9p at 437.9p, Lloyds was down 1.2 per cent, or 1.0p, at 61.0p and Barclays was off 5.3 per cent, or 9.3p at 163.9p.

Royal Bank of Scotland lost 4.6 per cent, or 11.2p at 230.7p and Standard Chartered closed down 6 per cent, or 26.0p, at 427.0p.

Owen Callan, senior analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, said: 'People are worried about the global economy and particularly now we are beginning to look at the banks.

'You are seeing more and more people saying: is this 2008 again? Maybe not quite as severe, but do we need to be worrying about the banking sector and risk assets on a bigger level?'

Jaisal Pastakia, at Heartwood Investment Management, added: 'Concerns are increasing that in a climate of negative interest rates and prolonged dovish monetary policy, banks' profitability will be squeezed.

'A high level of unprofitable loans on banks' balance sheets impacts the broader economy by stifling both domestic demand and bank lending growth.'

Global markets have suffered a torrid start to the year due to a slowdown in emerging markets and oil price falls. Brent crude fell just under half a US dollar to $33.69 a barrel today.

BT was down more than 4 per cent or 21.1p to 454.8p, after it confirmed it had begun the search to replace its finance director.

Engine-maker Rolls-Royce saw its shares fall 2.6 per cent or 13.8p to 515p amid fears it will slash its dividend for the first time in more than 20 years.

Gold rising to a six-month high gave uplift to gold miner Randgold Resources, which hailed 'one of the best years' in its history despite seeing annual pre-tax profits fall 26 per cent compared with a year ago. Its share were up 13.2 per cent or 700p to 6,000p.

Elsewhere, Tool rental firm Speedy Hire said it had agreed to buy rival OHP as it seeks to expand its presence in the rail market. Shares lifted 4 per cent or 1.5p to 38.2p.

The pound was slightly down against the US dollar at $1.43, as traders still reacted to last week's US jobs data which will further strengthen the dollar if a second rates hike follows. The US Federal Reserve raised rates for the first time in almost a decade in December. Sterling was marginally down against the euro at just under 1.29.

The biggest risers in the FTSE 100 were Fresnillo up 7.8% or 61.5p to 849.5p, InMarsat up 7% or 71.5p to 948.5p, Anglo American up 3.5% or 12.7p to 376.1p and Randgold Resources up 13.2% or 700p to 6,000p.

The biggest fallers in the FTSE 100 were Worldpay down 8.6% or 26.2p to 275.6p, Berkeley Group down 7% or 261p to 3,129p, IAG down 6.1% or 31p to 475.3p and Ashtead Group down 7% or 68p to 828p.

14:50: The Footsie remained firmly on the back-foot in mid-afternoon trading as US stocks joined in the global stock market rout.

Not long after lunch, the FTSE 100 index was down 134.1 points at 5,713.9 - only marginally better than its level at lunchtime. Meanwhile in Germany the DAX has fallen below the 9,000 mark for the first time since October 2014, currently down some 2.8 per cent.

On Wall Street the Nasdaq fell 82 points at 4,530.0, while the S&P lost 22.0 points at 1,857.0 and the Dow Jones was off 185.0 points at 16,014.0 at the open.

Sea of red: Traders saw Wall Street open down and for many the finishing bell cannot come fast enough

Just like in Europe, its is large banks that have been among the biggest losers. Bank of America has fallen 4.9 per cent, Citigroup 4.3 per cent, and Goldman Sachs 3.8 per cent.

Petroleum-linked stocks have also been damaged after oil prices resumed their downward trend. ConocoPhillips tumbled 2.7 per cent, Anadarko Petroleum 5.9 per cent and oil-services company Weatherford International 5.5 per cent.

Investors are continuing to head to safe haven assets and US 10-year Treasury yields have fallen to 1.796 per cent as prices rose, while 10-year German government bond yields fell to 0.245 per cent while Southern European bonds sold off sharply.

Connor Campbell, at Spreadex, said: 'Unsurprisingly Monday's US open added little to the markets beyond an extra dose of misery, an empty calendar leaving the global indices stranded in a bearish no-man's land.

'Plunging 330 points after the bell, the Dow Jones joined its European peers for a truly dismal day of trading. That drop has seen the Dow fall through the 15900 mark to touch fresh week and a half lows.'

He added: 'The FTSE, continually harmed by Brent Crude's insistence at trading below $33.50 per barrel, fell by 2.7 per cent, zipping past the 5700 level for the first time since mid-January.

'The Eurozone, meanwhile, continued to be the source of the day's largest losses. The CAC dropped by over 3% and now sits a mere 75-ish points above 4000; the DAX was equally as dire, matching that 3 per cent fall to drop below 9000 for the first time since October 2014.'

'Frustratingly it looks like there is little on the cards tomorrow to change the intensely bearish atmosphere currently suffocating the life out of the markets, with the week's major events occurring from Wednesday onwards.'

Where's the bottom?: This morning oil futures hit $29.80 a barrel as investor fear gripped global markets

13:00: The Footsie suffered a disastrous morning's trading, hit by falling oil prices, worrying China data and tumbling European and UK bank shares.

By lunchtime the FTSE 100 index down 2.3 per cent, or 138.4 points at 5,709.0 points, as the index managed to wipe billions of pounds of value in just five hours trading.

The rout was Europe wide, with shares on the Paris CAC 40 down 3.0 per cent, while Germany's DAX has also slid by the same margin. Meanwhile the Greek stock market has slumped by 5 per cent to its lowest level since 2012.

Investors have headed for cover and snapped up safe haven assets, such as US and German government bonds. Gold has also climbed 0.23 per cent to $1,176.11 a troy ounce.

Grim: A trader suffers a migraine after a tough morning trading session and there looks to be no respite

The sell off appears to have been triggered by data out earlier this morning which showed that China burned through another $99.5billion in foreign exchange reserves last month, in its attempts to defend the yuan.

This was then followed by oil tumbling to $30 a barrel. The pound is also a cent down against the US dollar at 1.44, as traders reacted to last week's US jobs data which will further strengthen the dollar if a second rates hikes follows in March.

Connor Campbell, at Spreadex, said: 'A slow start soon turned disastrous this Monday, with many of the European indices plunging to lows not seen since October 2014.

'With Citigroup warning of a potential 'death spiral' if investors behave irrationally to the stronger dollar/weaker commodities/harmed emerging markets cycle that the world appears to be trapped in at the moment, the markets have taken another kicking this Monday.

'It doesn't help, of course, that the day's economic calendar is so sparse, with investors left pondering the purely negative side of things as the morning continued.'

Some of the worst performing stocks across Europe were bank shares, following worries over non-performing loans, a slew of weak earnings from large banks and weak growth prospects.

Commerzbank has dropped by 4.7 per cent, Deutsche Bank is down 3.4 per cent, and BNP Paribas has lost 3.3 per cent.

In London Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland are both down 1.7 per cent. Lloyds has slumped 1.3p at 60.5p and Royal Bank of Scotland has fallen 5.8p at 236.1p.

Elsewhere BT was down more than 1 per cent, or 7.7p to 468p, after it confirmed it had begun a search for a new finance chief.

Engine-maker Rolls-Royce saw its shares fall more than 2 per cent, or 13p to 516p, amid fears it will slash its dividend for the first time in more than 20 years.

The embattled firm has seen its share price fall as reports speculate it could chop a quarter off 2014's payout of 23.1p a share.

The City expects the firm to report an annual underlying pre-tax profit that has slumped by 16.5 per cent to 1.35billion compared to a year ago, after it was hit by defence spending cuts and falling crude prices that have impacted its Marine division, which supplies the oil industry.

In another sign of unease, shares in UK chipmaker ARM Holdings have slipped by 5 per cent, or 51.0p, at 932.0p putting it at the bottom of the FTSE 100 leaderboard.

ARM reports results on Wednesday, and analysts fear it is suffering from the slowdown in the US technology sector.

Elsewhere, Tool rental firm Speedy Hire said it had agreed to buy rival OHP, as it seeks to expand its presence in the rail market.

Merseyside-based Speedy Hire said it would buy OHP, based in Crewe, for an initial fee of 1.5million, and take on around 1.7million in debt.

Shares lifted 5 per cent, or 2p to 38.8p.

09:40: A lack of data, company results and little steer from Asia overnight meant the Footsie has had a lacklustre start to the week.

In early trading the FTSE 100 index has turned down 90.8 points at 5,757.1, after initially making brief gains at the opening bell.

Due to the lack of activity overnight in Asia, traders have had little to sink their teeth into this morning. As a result the strong US jobs figure from last Friday still lingers over the markets and sentiment is being damaged by the likelihood of a March rate hike from the Federal Reserve.

Investors are therefore in wait-and-see mode ahead of Janet Yellen's testimony to lawmakers on Wednesday, anxious for hints about which way the Fed chair will go next month.

Markets are also being hampered by the fact that bourses in China will be closed for most of this week for New Year, with only Japan and Australia remaining open.

Holiday: Many traders have expressed relief that Chinese bourses are closed for the country's New Year given the volatility its stock markets have caused since January

IG Markets' Evan Lucas, said: 'Lunar New Year means there is an eerie quiet, with only Japan and Australia open for business for most of the week.

'Volumes will be well below average and there tends to be a build-up of global leads that is released once Asian investors return to their desk - expect 'release valve' trading late in the week.'

In London losses were being led by blue chip giants WPP and Rolls Royce.

Rolls Royce is being hurt by news that management is set to meet on Thursday to discuss the extent of its first dividend cut in more than 20 years.

Its shares have fallen 3.4 per cent, or 18.0p, at 511.0p.

Meanwhile WPP received a downgrade this morning from Investec, which believes the business will be hit by the economic slowdowns in China and Brazil.

WPP shares are down 46.0p at 1,371.0p.

In better news miners are propping up the top of table, being led by Rio Tinto, Glencore and Rangold Resources.

Oil prices have helped, with Brent crude and US crude up 0.2 per cent.

Randgold Resources chief executive Mark Bristow described 2015 as one of the best years in the company's history.

The gold miner said profits in the three months to the end of December rose to 53.52million, up from 48.76million for the quarter in 2014.

Production set a new record of more than 1.2 million ounces, up 6 per cent year-on-year, the company added.

It also said it could generate cash flows at gold prices well below the $1 000/oz level.

Stocks in focus in London include:

BT: The telecoms firm has started to look for a new finance director to replace Tony Chanmugam but that no formal decision had been taken on a replacement or when the change would be made.

HSBC: There are reports that bank giant will decide in the next couple of days whether to shift its London headquarters overseas.

UK company news scheduled today includes:

Interim results: Randgold Resources

Economic news scheduled today includes:
Companies would be forced to publish all tax payments and profits

First draft of new EU law due to be

The world's biggest multi-national companies, including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Starbucks, could be forced to publish the profits they make and tax they pay in every country they operate in within the EU.

A first draft of the proposed EU law is expected to be published in April, official sources told the Guardian.

Last month, US officials blasted the European Commission for 'disproportionately targeting' American companies in its drive against tax avoidance.

Unfairly targeted? Last month, US officials blasted the European Commission for 'disproportionately targeting' American companies in its drive against tax avoidance

By forcing the world's biggest companies to publish their profits and tax affairs country-by-country, the European Commission aims to crackdown on controversial 'sweetheart' deals between corporations and local tax offices.

The Commission's president, Jean-Claude Juncker, is believed to be in favour of the initiative and a source close to the matter said officials 'are currently finalising the impact assessment work.'

A second source said: 'It will likely target the large multinationals, all multinationals and not just the EU ones.' The revenue threshold required has not been confirmed.

Poll Should large multi-nationals be forced to publish their profits and tax payments? Yes No Should large multi-nationals be forced to publish their profits and tax payments? Yes 319 votes

No 19 votes Now share your opinion





The impact assessment had 'really swayed opinion' inside the Commission in favour of public reporting, one source told the Guardian.

In the EU, new tax laws usually require the agreement of all 28 member states.

However, in this instance the new rules would be introduced by amending one or two existing directives, meaning it would only have to be approved by 16 of the 28 EU member states.

Last month, tech-giant Google agreed to make a 130million back-dated tax payment to HM Revenue & Customs.

The deal, lauded by Chancellor George Osborne as a 'major success', covers ten years of underpaid UK taxes by the company.

Over the past decade, Google has made profits of around 6billion from its UK operations.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid later admitted HMRC's tax deal with Google was 'not a glorious moment' for the Government.

David Davis, the vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on tax, said he believes Google makes around 1.2billion a year in profit from UK sales and therefore should pay around 200million in tax.

Payout: European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager found Starbuck's operations in the Netherlands culpable to tax avoidance and ordered it to pay 23million in unpaid taxes

US-based coffee chain Starbucks has already fallen foul of the Commission's anti-tax avoidance drive.

European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager found Starbuck's operations in the Netherlands culpable to tax avoidance and ordered it to pay 23million in unpaid taxes.

WHAT IS A 'SWEETHEART' TAX DEAL? Secret agreements drawn up between local tax officials and companies to settle tax disputes.

Last month, Ms Vestager also ordered 35 multi-nationals in Belgium to pay 700m in dodged taxes. Similar investigations are ongoing into Apple in Ireland and Amazon in Luxembourg.

Discussing the recent Google/HMRC deal, Ms Vestager told BBC Radio 4: If we find that there is something to be concerned about if someone writes to us and says, well, this is maybe not as it should be then we will take a look.'

Commenting on the EU Commission's proposals, John Christensen, executive director of Tax Justice Network, said: 'For a very long time big companies have been saying their tax affairs are a matter of competitive confidentiality.

'We think it is incredibly important as a matter of principle that this information is made public.'

Approval: In the EU, new tax laws usually require the agreement of all 28 Member States. But, the new EU tax proposals outlined today are likely to be drawn up by amending existing directives, meaning only 16 Member States need to approve them

Last month, the European Commission published a series of proposals aimed at tackling global tax avoidance.

The proposals include introducing new legally bindings measures to block the most common methods used by companies to avoid paying tax and launch a written 'recommendation' to member states on how to prevent tax treaty abuse.

This is Money has contacted Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Starbucks for comment. All have so far refused to comment.
The 50 note should be scrapped in order to 'make life harder' for the perpetrators of global terrorism, corruption, tax evasion and financial crime, new research suggests.

Along with the 50 note, other high denomination notes like 500 euro notes and 100 dollar bills should also be taken out of circulation to disrupt the 'bad guys' and their illicit operations, former Standard Chartered boss Peter Sands said in his report for Harvard Kennedy School.

Despite sizable investments in technology for surveillance and intelligence systems, only 1 per cent of 'illicit financial flows' are currently seized, the report adds.

On the way out? The 50 note should be scrapped in order to 'make life harder' for the perpetrators of global terrorism, corruption, tax evasion and financial crime, new research suggests

High denomination notes, like the 50 note and 500 euro note, are the 'preferred' payment method for crooks given the anonymity and and lack of transaction record they provide.

Without these high-value notes in circulation, the perpetrators behind large-scale crime and corruption would face higher costs finding substitutes and face a higher chance of being detected, the report said.

Mr Sands stressed his report does not constitute an argument for the total removal of cash from the global economy. He said: 'Despite the rapid growth and development of electronic payment mechanisms, cash still plays a vital role in the functioning of the economy.

'In every country cash is still the predominant method of making small payments, which represent the vast majority of all payments.'

He adds: 'High denomination notes are arguably an anachronism in a modern economy given the availability and effectiveness of electronic payment alternatives.

'They play little role in the functioning of the legitimate economy, yet a crucial role in the underground economy. The irony is that they are provided to criminals by the state.'

High denomination notes are 'far more attractive' to the world's criminal underworld than bank transactions, Bitcoin, gold and diamonds, Mr Sands said.

Illicit flows of money: Map of key countries of destination and origin for cash movements in and out of the EU

Up in smoke? US 100 dollar bills should be a thing of the past, Peter Sands said in his 'Making it Harder for the Bad Guys' report for Harvard Kennedy School

Asked how realistic the proposals are and how quickly they could be implemented, Mr Sands told This is Money: 'These proposals are very realistic. High denomination notes play a very limited role in the legitimate economy so would hardly be missed.

Poll Should 50 notes become a thing of the past? Yes No Should 50 notes become a thing of the past? Yes 258 votes

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'A tiny percentage of people use them and for a tiny percentage of transactions. And where they are used legitimately the inconvenience of having to use a lower denomination is far outweighed by the benefits of getting rid of them.

'I'm not saying there won't be resistance. There will. But some of it is misdirected - I am not proposing we get rid of all cash. And some of it is self-serving - from people who like using high denomination notes to evade taxes.

'One of the attractions of this proposal is that it is very easy to implement. The central bank simply turns the printing presses off.'

In his report, Mr Sands suggests the world's biggest issuers of high-value notes could commit to removing such notes from circulation at G7 or G20 level.

The scale of illicit flows of money is staggering. Global financial crime flows are estimated to top $2trillion every year, while tax evasion robs the public sector of anything between 6 per cent and 70 per cent of what tax authorities estimate they should be collecting, the report suggests.

Asked how realistic the proposals are and how quickly they could be implemented, Peter Sands (pictured) told This is Money: 'These proposals are very realistic. High denomination notes play a very limited role in the legitimate economy so would hardly be missed'

Globally, illicit money flows fueling corruption amount to around $1trillion a year.

The largest sums of money flowing from transnational organised crime stems from drugs trafficking. Estimates suggest drug-trafficking revenues amount to around 0.4-0.6 per cent of global GDP, or between $300-450billion. Cash dominates the drug economy, Mr Sands said.

Breakdown: Proceeds of selected types of transactional crime and use of cash between 2003 and 2009

Money also forms a crucial role in the spread of global terrorism. One Al-Qaeda operative once said: 'There are two things a brother must do for jihad: the self and money.'

The amount of money terrorists actually need to carry out their dismal acts is relatively small, estimates from the Centre for Homeland Defence and Security suggest.

The World Trade Centre bombing in New York in 1993 would have cost terrorists around $19,000 to fund, while each of the 13 hijackers involved in the 9/11 bombings of 2001 received $10,000 each.

The recent terrorist attack on the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris is estimated to have cost approximately $6,000 to fund, the Centre for Homeland Defence and Security says.

While the amounts used to fund terrorist atrocities may be relatively small, terrorist organisations typically need and have 'much deeper financial resources than the costs of individual operations might suggest', Mr Sands said.

Terrorism: The top 10 richest terrorist organisations

Cost of terrorism: The estimated cost of a selection of terrorist atrocities, according to the Centre for Homeland Defence and Security

Terrorists use the money to recruit, train and pay individuals, acquire weaponry and other equipment and sustain 'systems of patronage', the report suggests.

The richest terrorist organisation in the world at present is ISIS, which is estimated to have funds of between $500million to $2billion.

ISIS gets most of its income from the oil trade, kidnapping ransoms, protection money, bank robberies and looting.

While removing high-value notes from circulation will not eliminate global terrorism, it could stem its flow, Mr Sands said in his report.

ISIS: The richest terrorist organisation in the world at present is ISIS, which is estimated to have funds of between $500million to $2billion
Almost every top official in a remote South Texas city was arrested on Thursday under a detailed federal indictment that accuses them of taking bribes from contractors and sending city workers to help an illegal gambling operator nicknamed Mr T.

Crystal City's mayor, city manager, mayor pro tempore, one of three current councilmen and a former councilman were all arrested under an indictment obtained by the U.S. attorney's office in San Antonio, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney said.

A second councilman is already charged in a separate case with smuggling Mexican immigrants.

That leaves just one councilman not facing federal charges in Crystal City, a town of about 7,100 people about 50 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

Crystal City Mayor Ricardo Lopez (left) and City Manager William James Jonas (right) are both accused of accepting thousands of dollars worth of bribes

Mayor Pro Tempore Rogelio Mata (left) and current councilman Roel Mata (right) are accused of accepting bribes to re-elect James Jonas, among other offenses

Former councilman Gilbert Urrabazo (pictured) is also accused of voting to keep Jonas as city attorney and city manager at a salary reported by local media to exceed $200,000 in exchange for payments

Once billed as the 'Spinach Capital of the World,' Crystal City's logo features a cartoon of Popeye, and a spinach festival with a cook-off and a beauty pageant draws tens of thousands of people each year.

But in recent months, the town has been in the news for turmoil at City Hall and allegations of misuse of public money.

'What happened is nothing to celebrate. It's something sad that happened to us,' said the remaining councilman, Joel Barajas, on Thursday.

'By all means, we need to move forward.'

The indictment accuses the town's leadership of using their positions 'to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting payments and other things of value.'

Also charged was Ngoc Tri Nguyen, alleged to be an operator of illegal gambling rooms, who was nicknamed Mr T.

Crystal City Mayor Ricardo Lopez took $6,000 from Nguyen to buy a vehicle, the indictment alleges.

In return, he allegedly waived some taxes for Nguyen and had employees close competing casinos that violate state law but exist informally throughout South Texas.

Lopez allegedly told city employees inspecting Nguyen's property to 'make it easy.'

The officials are accused of accepting bribes from Ngoc Tri Nguyen (pictured), alleged to be an operator of illegal gambling rooms, who was nicknamed Mr T

City Manager William James Jonas and Mayor Pro Tempore Rogelio Mata are accused of giving a contractor a $12,000 payment 'in exchange for payments and other things of value.'

And Lopez, Rogelio Mata, current councilman Roel Mata and former councilman Gilbert Urrabazo are accused of voting to keep Jonas as city attorney and city manager at a salary reported by local media to exceed $200,000.

In exchange, Jonas provided payments and other illegal benefits to the four leaders, the indictment alleges.

None of the six men had attorneys listed in federal court records, and several messages left at City Hall were not returned.

When Barajas, who was elected to the council last year, tried to have Jonas' contract suspended last month, the rest of the council boycotted the meeting so it couldn't go forward.

Barajas said then that the city had nearly $2 million in unpaid bills and was facing bankruptcy.

Separately, Crystal City Councilman Marco Rodriguez was accused last month of smuggling three Mexican immigrants in the back of a pickup truck.

Residents interviewed Thursday said the arrests are painful but necessary.

'Crystal City is a good town,' said 67-year-old Maria Sanchez Rivera, a lifelong resident. 'If you do wrong, you have to face your consequences. We've got laws for everything and we've got to abide by what the law says.'

Richard Durbin Jr., the U.S. attorney for San Antonio, said he hoped the indictment would help restore public confidence in local government, but that his office could only go so far. None of the officials will immediately lose their positions.

'What we can do is that first step,' Durbin said in an interview. 'In the end, it falls back on the citizens to make the next decision on who they put in those offices, because that's how the system works.'

Just one councilman not facing federal charges in Crystal City, a town of about 7,100 people about 50 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border
Peeling back her headscarf, Joyce Frimpoma reluctantly reveals her mutilated face.

The side of her head has melted away. Once where there was a flowing mane of beautiful black hair there are now scars stretch across her scalp, her face and down her neck.

Her shocking disfigurement would lead anyone to assume her scars were the result of a horrific accident.

But the disturbing truth is they were deliberately inflicted by her partner of 14 years, with whom she has three young children.

Brave: Joyce Frimpoma, 32, had battery acid thrown into her face as she opened her beauty salon and street kitchen by her partner of 14 years and father of her three young sons

Caring: Before the attack, businesswoman Joyce supported her attacker Freddy and their three young sons with her beauty salon business

Her crime? She smiled at a male customer at the beauty salon and street kitchen she runs.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline on the condition she is allowed to sit in the dark at the home she once shared with him on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana, Joyce, 32, bravely recalled the morning her life changed forever.

'I was heading to my beauty salon, it was about 3am. I was getting ready to make porridge to sell for the early morning customers on their way to work.

'But I noticed someone hiding behind one of the other shops in the row.

'He covered himself in one of the cloths that I kept in my shop, and was hiding something beneath it behind his back.

Destroyed: Joyce told MailOnline how Freddy threw acid at her after he saw her smile at a male customer in the shop that she ran in Accra, Ghana

Scarred: Joyce was helped in the street by a man who got her into a taxi and took her to hospital. She said: 'I screamed for help and started running but I was completely disorientated and ran into a wall'

'When he came closer I realised that it was my partner, Freddy. I asked him why he was hiding underneath the cloth.

I asked if he was feeling sick or something, because he was walking very slowly in a strange way.

He said that he wasn't sick, but that he wanted to talk to me and so I should come closer to him.'

Trusting, never imagining the father of her children, Yaw Frimpong Adaqua, whom she called known as Freddy, would want to hurt her, Joyce approached him.

I felt the acid on my skin as though I was being burned alive. Acid victim Joyce Frimpoma

What she didnt know was that Freddy, ten years her senior and unemployed for months, was consumed by rage  having seen her smile at a customer in the shop.

The couple were going through a rocky stage in the months leading up to the attack.

Joyce had recently left Freddy, 42, because she wanted him to marry her for the sake of their children  but Freddy, who suffered from depression, refused.

Reliving the horror, Joyce went on: 'I wanted to know what he was hiding behind his back and I reached out my hand to get it. It was a small container with something in it.

'I put my fingers in the liquid and felt it burning, and quickly pulled my hand back.

'At that moment, my handbag fell off my shoulder and I bent down to pick it up. And when I stood back up he threw the rest of the acid at me and tried to hit my face.'

In some ways, Joyce was lucky. She reacted quickly and turned her head away from the scalding chemical.

'I turned my face just in time, so it only hit one side of my head. I was lucky. I avoided getting it all over my face.

'When I felt the acid on my skin and in my face it felt as though I was being burned alive.

'I screamed for help and started running but I was completely disorientated and ran into a wall.

'There was even smoke coming from my body where the acid had hit, and it smelt like when you are barbecuing goat meat.'

As the acid ate its way into her skin, she collapsed, semi-conscious. It was then that a man appeared from inside a building and shook her back into consciousness.

She continued: 'At the same time a little girl walked up and wanted to help me and touched the acid-infected skin.

'But my skin was peeling off so I asked her to stop.'

The man called a taxi for Joyce, and travelled with her to the local hospital.

Horror: Joyce went on, 'At that moment, my handbag fell off my shoulder and I bent down to pick it up. And when I stood back up he threw the rest of the acid at me and tried to hit my face'

Recovery: Joyce was treated at a specialist burns unit in hospital. She has had a number of skin grafts to repair the scars - but rebuilding her confidence is taking longer

She transferred to the Korle-Bu Hospital - the main hospital in Ghana, where there is a special burns unit.

'At the hospital they said I should have put plenty of water on the skin right away, which would have helped reduce the scarring.

'But I didn't think of that at the time, I was just screaming and running.'

Freddy, spent his days drinking and smoking marijuana, while Joyce worked at turning her beauty salon and street kitchen into a thriving business.

But, on a rapid downward spiral, he soon he began beating his Joyce and would disappear from the family home for hours at a time.

The acid continues working its way into the skin and body, and when it gets deep enough it will begin to corrode the muscles and the bones as well. Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, plastic surgeon at Korle-Bu Hospital

'He became increasingly bitter and became extremely jealous every time he saw I smiled and talked to my male customers at my shop. But I had to do that to get them to buy my things,' said Joyce.

Blaming her for his own failure, Freddy eventually decided to destroy her.

In the months following the attacks, Joyce underwent several skin grafts, paid for with her own money and money donated by family and friends.

After the money ran out, she returned to her family's village where she was treated with traditional herbs.

Today, two years on, she still suffers from severe headaches and has trouble moving her head because her neck is so covered in scar tissue.

She uses her headscarf to cover the worst of her scars, and tries to only leave the house at night with her sister by her side.

In happier times: Joyce said she trusted Freddy as they had spent 14 largely happy years together and had three children

Struggle: Joyce insisted she spoke to MailOnline under the cover of darkness. She said she struggles to overcome the physical scars of what has happened to her

Struggle: Joyce says she is so ashamed of her injuries that she doesn't want to leave the house during the day and is happier under the cover of darkness

During the day, she wears a wig with long hair to cover the scars on the side of her face.

'I think these men attack their wives and girlfriends with acid because they are jealous and are wicked.

'They want to destroy their women's beauty because they think that no other man should have her.'

Dr Edem K. Anyigba, a plastic surgeon in the burns unit of Korle-Bu Hospital, said the shock means many women don't get the right treatment in the seconds after the attack - the time when it matters the most.

He told MailOnline: 'It's in the first few seconds where you have the chance to reduce the damage by dousing the victim in water.

'But most people here in Ghana don't know that. As the minutes pass, it will only get harder to save the skin.

'That's because the acid continues working its way into the body, and when it gets deep enough it will begin to corrode the muscles and the bones as well.'

Freddy has been charged over the attack and is in custody awaiting trial in Ghana.

Joyce is just one of dozens victims of acid attacks in Ghana, where, despite there being no official statistics, have been rocked by a number of incidents in recent years  and yet there is still no regulation on its sale.

Suffering: Joyce had several skin grafts following the attack, using her own money and that donated by friends and family. But when the money ran out she returned to her family home to be treated with traditional herbs

In May Adam Mahama, chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East region, died in an acid attack.

In April 19-year-old Vivian Adomako was attacked with acid by her boyfriend when she called off their relationship after pressure from her family.
A young mother tricked into prostitution by her 'Prince Charming' boyfriend and kept as a sex worker for ten years has revealed how she was raped 40,000 times, earning her pimp $1.2million from selling her body.

Alejandra Rodriguez, bravely spoke to MailOnline to warn other trafficked women how she was raped 60 times a day.

She revealed how one customer was raping her while he held a revolver in her mouth and she begged him to pull the trigger to put an end to her misery.

Alejandra's nightmare began when she was 19 and she fell in love with a man called Francisco, who after eight days, told her he loved her and wanted to marry her.

Scarred: Alejandra Rodriguez was seduced by a sex trafficker when she was 19 and taken to his home town of Tenancigo, Mexico's sex trade capital where she tricked into becoming a prostitute

Abused: Three years into her slavery, she begged one of her clients - the 55th that day - to kill her with the gun he had forced into her mouth as he raped her

Francisco persuaded her to come and live with his parents in Tenancingo, Mexico, and, believing they had a future together, she agreed.

But it was a trick. Once at his parents' house, he changed and she was locked inside all day - and not allowed to leave.

It set in motion wheels that would leave her as a sex slave where her pimp took her from city to city in Mexico and the US for sex.

Alejandra is one of thousands of girls tricked into prostitution in Tenancingo, the small town in Mexico where the big houses with shiny cars parked outside are all paid for by human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Alejandra bravely recalled the moment she bit onto the end of the gun and asked the man who had paid her pimp $30 for sex to blow her brains out.

In her first interview since she escaped two years ago, Alejandra said: 'I was beaten severely for having spoken to a client instead of silently obeying. But it didn't stop me wanting to die.'

The man was Alejandra's 55th client of the day at the brothel in Atlanta, Georgia, where she was held prisoner.

She was 19 when she first met Francisco, who was good looking and five years her senior from the village of Tenancingo, 50 miles east of Mexico City.

'He was a master seducer,' she continued, 'he made me feel beautiful and I trusted him completely.'

After just eight days, she agreed to leave her childhood home and move with Francisco to Tenancingo.

'Industry: Alejandra is one of the thousands of women who have fallen victim to the handsome sex traffickers from the town of Tenancingo, who seduce them before making them their slaves. Pictured is Andreina Martinez, a counsellor who works to rescue victims

Fear: When she got to her boyfriend's parents' house in Tenancingo, 50km east of Mexico City, they held her prisoner and forced her into prostitution where she was forced to have sex with 60 times a day

'I was completely in love with Francisco and I believed he loved me. It was only later when I saw him using the same techniques to seduce other victims that I knew it was an act.'

Arriving in Tenancingo, Alejandra found herself living in the family home, a high-security mansion with 24-hour vigilance.

'It was just Francisco, his mother and his father. They were very polite to me, but I wasn't allowed to leave the house and they would never tell me the reason why.'

They were very polite to me, but I wasn't allowed to leave the house and they would never tell me the reason why. Alejandra Rodriguez, sex slave

Soon Francisco and his parents put pressure on Alejandra to prostitute herself. He made false promises of presents and money for her family, and after a month Alejandra gave in.

'I said I would try it, but by saying yes, I condemned myself to hell.'

She was taken to a guarded hotel room in the Mexican city of Puebla, 10 miles from Tenancingo, and forced to work from 10pm to 10am, at first seeing as many as 20 clients a night.

'On my first night there I tried to escape, but Francisco beat me harshly and forced me back into the room with the next client.

'I had only ever had sex with two boys, but over my first two months in Puebla I was raped more than 1,200 times.'

Alejandra's time in Puebla is a typical technique of the Tenancingo pimps, training their victims to 'kill their feelings' and 'think of their bodies as a commodity to be sold'.

'Francisco would rape me and tell me that I was useless, that I was good for nothing more than selling my body to whoever would pay.'

Tricked: Francisco became her pimp, selling her around the U.S. and Mexico for the next 10 years, for $30 a time - Alejandra estimates that she has had sex with at least 40,000 men

Tricked: Alejandra told MailOnline that over a ten-year period the man she loved would have made $1.2million from selling her body

Sex trade: Many of the girls, like Alejandra, come through Tenancingo (pictured) where many of the city's properties are paid for through human trafficking

After two months 'training' in Puebla, Francisco took Alejandra to the U.S., crossing the Arizona border illegally during a dangerous five-day walk across the Sonora Desert.

Soon she found herself a prisoner in a house owned by Francisco's family in Atlanta, Georgia.

'There was a girl from the Dominican Republic in the house when I first arrived, but I was never allowed to speak to her,' she said.

'The other girl was eventually murdered after too many escape attempts. The final straw came when the Dominican tried to bite a client's nose off. Francisco shot her in the head.

'There were days that I would have to attend to as many as 60 clients a day. I estimate that in three years I was raped more than 40,000 times, which means that Francisco made more than a million dollars selling my body in the U.S.'

Francisco would charge $30 per client throughout Alejandra's 14-hour working day, but she never saw a cent of the money.

Trafficking: Tenancingo, 30km east of Mexico City, is in one of the country's poorest states, yet it is filled with huge, brightly-coloured mansions - all bought from profits from the sex trafficking trade

Wealth: Tenancingo is described as the dark heart of Mexico's sex trade where a number of the garish homes like this are built on the back of prostitution and exploitation

According to the U.S. Department of Defence, human trafficking is the world's fastest growing criminal industry, with over 20million victims worldwide.

The Tenancingo syndicate is estimated to be responsible for over 60 per cent of sex trafficking within North America. Of the 32 sex traffickers arrested last year by the New York branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 26 were from the small Mexican town.

Alejandra was only allowed to return to Mexico when she became pregnant with Francisco's child, after three years in Georgia.

There were days that I would have to attend to as many as 60 clients a day. I estimate that in three years I was raped over 40,000 times. Alejandra Rodriguez

The child, once born, was taken straight to Tenancingo to be raised by Francisco's family, while Alejandra was sent to work all over Mexico.

Over seven years, she was taken to brothels and hotel rooms in every major town and tourist resort in the country, before arriving in La Merced, Mexico City's infamous kerb-crawling district.

But the age of 29, Alejandra was 'burned out after 10 years of living hell'. She decided to escape, fleeing to Mexico City's bus terminal in the hope of returning home.

But when she arrived at the bus terminal, to her horror she spotted Francisco searching for her.

'I prayed to God that he wouldn't see me getting onto the bus. I was so terrified of returning to that nightmare.'

Francisco didn't spot her, and as the bus pulled out of the Mexican capital, Alejandra knew that her 10 years as a slave to the Tenancingo sex traffickers had come to an end.

'I had to lie to my family. They still believed, after 10 years, that Francisco was a good man. I had to say I left him rather than tell them the shameful truth.'

But even now Alejandra still hasn't reported the crimes she suffered. Francisco still has custody of their son, and threatens to kill him if he should be brought to justice.

'I know where that b****** is, as well as the fact that he has three other girls, two of them under 16, working for him.

'But I would rather suffer in silence than bring my baby's life into danger.'

Alejandra worries that her son, being brought up in a town built on the sex trade, will follow in his father's footsteps.

'It would be a tragedy, but he's still my son.'

'Hell': By the time she was 29, Alejandra was 'burned out' by the constant abuse of her body and decided to escape, to make a run for it back to her home town. Andreina Martinez (pictured) said the organisation doesn't 'accuse, judge or condemn' the women it helps

Held: Although Alejandra was able to eventually escape, she can't report the crimes she suffered to the authorities as Francisco still has custody of their son, and he has threatened to murder him if he is ever caught. Pictured counsellor Ms Martinez

She is only now able to talk about her experiences thanks to the help of counsellor Andreina Martinez who works to rescue sex trafficking victims and rehabilitate them into society.

'We don't accuse, judge or condemn,' says Andreina Martinez. 'We approach these women in a spirit of friendship and get to know them as individuals, something which they have been trained not to do by the pimps.'

Alejandra is helping the victims of sex trafficking to escape as she did.
This is America's 'most hated mom' Casey Anthony emerging from hiding to launch a new career - as a photographer.

Daily Mail Online can reveal the pariah mom, 29, has registered a new business, Case Photography, LLC, in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she has been staying with a private detective more than twice her age.

Our exclusive images show the amateur shutterbug taking pictures of buildings and street scenes with her Canon digital SLR camera.

Despite having lived as a virtual recluse since she was sensationally cleared of murdering daughter Caylee in 2011, Anthony seemed remarkably relaxed to be spotted out and about.

'Make sure you get my good side. I'm working here,' she joked, before trying to turn the tables on our photographer by taking pictures of him from her car.

Pariah mom Casey Anthony has filed papers with the Florida Department of State to register a new business, Case Photography, LLC. Our exclusive images show the amateur shutterbug taking pictures of buildings and street scenes with her Canon camera

Anthony has set up blogs, online slideshows and a Facebook page to showcase her work - but is yet to post a single image. Daily Mail Online can reveal the papers have been copied to Facebook page where users have posted threats and abuse

In 2014 Anthony was living as virtual recluse and working as 'a housekeeper, clerk and secretary

Anthony was joined on the day out by veteran private detective Patrick J. McKenna, 67, who was lead investigator on her defense team. She has been staying with McKenna

Twice-divorced McKenna is also famous for unearthing the racist police tape that wrecked the prosecution of OJ Simpson and for helping Kennedy scion William Kennedy Smith beat rape charges

Anthony was joined on the day out by veteran private detective Patrick J. McKenna, 67, who was lead investigator on her defense team.

Twice-divorced McKenna is also famous for unearthing the racist police tape that wrecked the prosecution of OJ Simpson and for helping Kennedy scion William Kennedy Smith beat rape charges.

Anthony's new business is registered to McKenna's $500,000 single-story family house, along with her driving license.

Paperwork lodged with Florida's Division of Corporations reveals she paid $160 to establish it as a limited liability company operating from January 1 onward.

Daily Mail Online can reveal the papers have already been copied to Facebook where users who were outraged by the not guilty verdict have posted threats and abuse, promising to bombard Anthony with nuisance calls.

'We HAVE to harass her so hard she is out of business. reviews on Google, linked in, wherever we can find her,' said one contributor.

'Let the Caylee cards flow in by the millions, phone calls too. might have my 5 yr old say "mommy"/'

Another user wrote: 'Can you imagine hiring a photographer to take your precious baby's photos and she shows up?'

Anthony has also set up blogs, online slideshows and a Facebook page to showcase her portfolio - but is yet to post a single image.

Her interest in photography first emerged during her trial when a psychological assessment listed it as one of her childhood hobbies.

Paperwork lodged with Florida's Division of Corporations reveals she paid $160 to establish it as a limited liability company operating from January 1 onward.

'Make sure you get my good side. I'm working here,' she joked, before trying to turn the tables on our photographer by taking pictures of him from her car with her Canon EOS Rebel T5, which is fitted with an 18-55mm zoom lens

Anthony's new business is registered to McKenna's $500,000 single-story family house, along with her driver's license

She is said to have taken numerous portrait photos of two-year-old Caylee, whose skeletal remains were found in woodland five months after she disappeared in 2008.

Prosecutors accused Anthony of suffocating the toddler with duct tape and dumping her body but a jury cleared her of first degree murder.

Anthony immediately went into hiding but was forced to surface for a March 2013 bankruptcy hearing where it was revealed she owed her former attorney Jose Baez nearly $1 million in legal fees.

Another of her attorneys, Cheney Mason, claimed in July 2014 that Anthony was living as virtual recluse and working as 'a housekeeper, clerk, secretary and stuff like that.'

'She hasn't been freed from her incarceration yet 'cause she can't go out,' he told CNN.

'She can't go to a beauty parlor, she can't go shopping to a department store, she can't go to a restaurant, she can't even go to McDonald's. She can't do anything.'

Rumors of a supposed tell-all TV interview never materialized but a spate of reports and alleged sightings eventually linked Anthony to West Palm Beach.

Daily Mail Online published exclusive photographs in May last year of Anthony going for a run close to McKenna's property.

A photo published by TMZ last week appeared to show her hosting a yard sale at the same house, just a few hundred yards from the waterfront.

McKenna's resume boasts of other well-known clients including Yoko Ono, philanthropist-turned killer John E. du Pont and Gary Giordano, the last person to see missing Robyn Gardner alive in Aruba.

A neighbor told Daily Mail Online: 'Pat is a good guy. He's the best at what he does. If he doesn't want you to find someone, you probably never will,'

Daily Mail Online published exclusive photographs in May last year of Anthony going for a run close to McKenna's property
Under guard: Stuart Andrews, 54, who was found with self inflicted injuries and detained by police

A City IT consultant and former Bank of England adviser under police guard in hospital after the suspected murder of his wife was last night being treated for self-inflicted injuries.

Oxford classics graduate Stuart Andrews, 54, was arrested in London after his wife Caroline, 52, was found dead by police on Thursday at the rented 500,000 bungalow in Benenden, Kent, where they lived with their four children.

Last night police refused to reveal the nature of Mr Andrews injuries or how he had received them.

A Kent Police spokesman said: He has non-life threatening injuries in hospital. Officers are waiting to speak to him.

The spokesman said the death of Mrs Andrews, who worked as a supply teacher at Benenden Primary School, was being treated as murder.

He added that a post-mortem into her death had taken place on Friday, but he was unable to confirm how she died, saying only: She did not die as a result of a firearm.

During the hunt for Mr Andrews, 30 officers carrying guns piled on to a busy commuter train at Gillingham station and searched it for 90 minutes.

Footage shows officers walking down the train carriage holding guns, with one distressed passenger demanding to be let off because he was claustrophobic.

Discovery: Caroline Andrews was found dead by police at a rented 500,000 bungalow in Benenden, Kent

Armed: During the hunt for Mr Andrews, 30 officers piled on to a busy commuter train at Gillingham station

Mr Andrewss social media profile describes him as an information management consultant for global business advisers Alix Partners, and says he graduated from Oxford in 1984.

Mr Andrews went on to work for banks including HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland. It is believed he and his wife may have had financial difficulties.

According to The Sunday Times, he also provided services for the Bank of England and had been married to his wife for more than 30 years.

The newspaper also reported that they had four children - organist Charles, 26, graduate Henry, 23, student Polly, 19, and a daughter aged 14. Only the youngest still lived with them.

Neighbour Derek Catlin said Mr and Mrs Andrews lived at the property with their four children aged from around early to late teens, along with their two dogs.

Investigation: Police at Dover Priory station on Thursday as they searched for Oxford graduate Mr Andrews

Retired chartered surveyor Mr Catlin, 71, said: They were very normal, very pleasant people. This makes us all feel very odd.'

Another local, Karen Callaghan, 49, said: It's very sad for the village. Everyone knows everyone round here. The locals have been here a long time.

Benenden Primary School headteacher Gill Knox said: The tragic death of Caroline Andrews has left the staff at Benenden C of E School shocked and saddened.

Caroline and her family live in the village and are well known at the school. Caroline has been a loved and well-respected supply teacher for a number of years who has enriched the lives of the many children she taught.
A woman has been saved from the block of flats in Taiwan that collapsed after Saturday's earthquake after she was found underneath the body of her dead husband.

Tsao Wei-ling, 45, survived for more than two days in her destroyed apartment after a 6.4 magnitude quake toppled the high-rise apartment building in Tainan City, killing at least 37 people.

Two of the victims are Ms Tsao's two-year-old son and her husband, who saved her life by shielding her from a collapsed beam with his own body.

A male survivor named by officials as 40-year-old Lee Tsung-tian, was pulled out concious from the sixth floor of the 17-storey building, after a 20-hour dig by rescuers

Hunt for survivors: Tsao Wei-ling, 45, survived for more than two days in her destroyed apartment after a 6.4 magnitude quake destroyed the high-rise apartment building, killing at least 37 people

Misson: Lee Tsung-tian, is transferred by rescue workers after being rescued from the rubble at the Wei-Kuan complex which collapsed in the 6.4 magnitude earthquake, in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan

Taiwan's Eastern Broadcasting Corp. reported that Ms Tsao called out 'Here I am' as rescuers dug through to find her, eventually locating her under the body of her husband.

Her husband and son were found dead, while five members of her family remained unaccounted for, it said.

More than 100 people are believed to be still buried in the collapsed building from a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar: the Lunar New Year holiday.

Census records show around 260 people living in the blocks but Mayor Lai said it was now thought that more than 300 had been inside to celebrate the holiday.

Rescuers also saved 28-year old Chen Mei-Jih, a guest worker from Vietnam, and an eight-year-old girl, both found conscious but trapped in the fifth-floor section.

Dramatic: A female survivor, believed to be a 28-year-old guest worker from Vietnam is carried away after being rescued from the building

Saving grace: A 14-year-old girl named as Zhou Li is seen on CCTV as she is pulled out of the wreckage of the 17-storey building on Sunday

The building has been described as having 'folded like an accordion' when the earthquake struck

An ambulance takes away a Vietnamese national, identified as 28-year old Chen Mei-Jih, to the hospital after she was extracted from the rubble at the Wei-Kuan complex

Two emergency workers carry a victim recovered from the collapsed Wei-kuan complex in Tainan

Investigation: Taiwan's interior minister said an investigation would examine whether the developer had cut corners during the construction of the apartment complex in the late 80s

A male survivor named by officials as 40-year-old Lee Tsung-tian, was pulled out concious from the sixth floor of the 17-storey building.

Rescuers told how they had been trying to dig him out of the rubble for more than 20 hours but were unable to do so as he was trapped by his leg.

Several hours later, Mr Lee's girlfriend was found dead in the rubble.

The government in Tainan, the worst-hit city, said that more than 170 people had been rescued from the 17-story building, which folded like an accordion after the quake struck.

The death toll from Saturday's powerful 6.4-magnitude quake in south Taiwan currently stands at 37.

Thirty-five of those were from the building collapse in Tainan city, including several children, and two other people died elsewhere in the city.

Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage, though a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

The spectacular fall of the high-rise, built in 1989, raised questions about whether its construction had been shoddy.

Miracle: An emergency worker carries a rescued six month old girl from the rubble of the apartment block

Pictures of the flats destroyed in the quake in Tainan show cans of cooking-oil packed inside wall cavities exposed by the damage, apparently having been used as building material

The government in Tainan said that more than 170 people had been rescued from the 17-story building

Emergency rescuers remove a body found in the remains of the high-rise residential building in Tainan

Thirty-five of the 37 victims of the earthquake have been found in the collapsed building in Tainan city, including several children, and two other people died elsewhere in the city

Pictures of the Wei-kuan complex destroyed show that its walls appear to have been built using empty cooking oil cans.

While Tainan's government says the building had obtained its construction permit legally, images show large rectangular, commercial cans of cooking-oil packed inside wall cavities exposed by the damage, apparently having been used as building material.

Tainan's government said the building had not been listed as a dangerous structure, and Taiwan's interior minister, Chen Wei-zen, said an investigation would examine whether the developer had cut corners.

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said there was still hope for survivors, even beyond the first 72-hour rescue window, the most likely time for people to be found alive.

Aftermath: Local residents line up to collect water after being without since Saturday's earthquake in Tainan

LRescuers on Sunday found signs of live within the remains of a high-rise residential building that collapsed in a powerful, shallow earthquake in southern Taiwan that killed over a dozen people and injured hundreds

'We will carry on until the last second. The golden 72 hours of rescue is the standard, but there are many exceptions,' said Ma after visiting two survivors at a Tainan hospital who are in a stable condition, with fractured bones.

One of them had lost her 10-day old baby and husband. Her two other children remain missing

The other had lost her husband, while her son and pregnant daughter-in-law are missing.

'Many people are still trapped and our hearts are sinking,' said Ma.

Tainan deputy mayor Yen Chun-tso who visited the hospital with Ma added: 'More than 100 people are trapped at the bottom and every single one of them is a challenge', but pledged rescuers would not give up.

Cranes, drills, ladders, sniffer dogs and life detector equipment are being used to trace and extract the trapped, though with the building precarious, emergency workers and soldiers have also had to spend time bolstering the ruins.
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A pedestrian killed by a collapsing crane was eulogized Sunday as a man of kindness and generosity as the final remnants of the crumpled steel were removed from the Manhattan street where they fell.

Wall Street worker David Wichs, 38, has been described by relatives as a mathematical whiz who graduated from Harvard University and worked at a computerized-trading firm.

His good deeds also made him 'an angel,' said Haskel Lookstein, rabbi emeritus of the Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, where the funeral was held.

David Wichs has been described by relatives as a mathematical whiz who graduated from Harvard University. His good deeds also made him an 'angel' to many who knew him

Wichs' widow, Rebecca Guttman, called her pain 'unbearable'. She said she would do her best to live for 'both of us'

'We honor a very unique man whose life was a life of giving: giving from his possessions to causes he believed in passionately,' Lookstein said.

The recipients included the Yeshiva of Flatbush, which had welcomed Wichs as a 14-year-old from Prague who barely spoke English and knew no Hebrew. 'He never forgot it, and he gave back generously,' the rabbi said.

'He gave an unusually large part of his income, but he gave of his person to everybody sitting here,' Lookstein said. 'He was a supreme mensch in every respect.'

Today his family held a funeral service at Kehilath Jeshurun temple in New York for the 'generous' and 'brilliant' mathematics genius

His good deeds also made him 'an angel,' said Haskel Lookstein, rabbi emeritus of the Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, where the funeral was held. Several mourners are pictured shortly after the funeral

Friday night friends and coworkers paid tribute to the mathematics genius, with the family rabbi saying that he was 'an absolute angel'. Mourners gather outside as Wichs' remains were taken for burial

His coffin was draped with a black cloth with a white star of David. Wichs' remains were taken for burial at Passaic Junction Cemetery in Saddle Brook, New Jersey

Wichs' widow, Rebecca Guttman, called her pain 'unbearable.'

'I want you to know that I will do my best to live for us both,' Guttman told her fellow mourners.

His coffin was draped with a black cloth with a white star of David.

Wichs was crushed to death as he walked down the street on Friday after the gigantic crane toppled over in high winds.

He was born in Prague and immigrated to the US as a teenager, graduating from Harvard University with a degree in mathematics. He went on to work at the computerized financial trading firm, Tower Research Capital, and lived in New York's Upper West Side.

Friday night friends and coworkers paid tribute to the mathematics genius, with the family rabbi telling the New York Daily News: He was an angel, an absolute angel.

Wichs' remains were taken for burial at Passaic Junction Cemetery in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.

Three other people were struck by debris and injured in the accident Friday.

'Given what happened here, it's extraordinary that there was not more damage, and it's extraordinary that we did not lose more people,' Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference Sunday in which he announced a four-point plan to increase safety when large construction cranes are operating.

The mayor said there will be new restrictions on crawler cranes during wind conditions. Fines for failure to safeguard equipment will be doubled. He said there will be increased enforcement of pedestrian safety alongside crane sites. And neighboring buildings will get more notifications about crane activities.

City officials say it could take weeks to determine why the crane collapsed while it was being lowered during strong winds.

Work crews sliced the 565-foot-long mangled crane into dozens of pieces, then used other cranes to load the pieces onto flatbed trucks. Other workers have been concentrating on crushed water pipes and street repairs.

Firefighters and construction crews work on clearing a collapsed crane in New York. Officials are working to determine why a huge construction crane that was being lowered during strong winds came crashing down onto a street

Work crews sliced the 565-foot-long mangled crane into dozens of pieces, then used other cranes to load the pieces onto flatbed trucks. Other workers have been concentrating on crushed water pipes and street repairs

The mayor said there will be new restrictions on crawler cranes during wind conditions. Fines for failure to safeguard equipment will be doubled

The married 38-year-old lived on the Upper West Side. Although initial reports said he was sitting in a parked car, Wichs was actually walking on the street. Pictured right, the crane chain made its way inside what appears to be an office building

The couple belong to the Kehilath Jeshurun synagogue on East 85th Street on the Upper East Side. Rabbi Elie Weinstock said: 'It's a terrible tragedy to lose such a young man like him. Right now it's just too much to process.'

His co-worker, David Faucon, said Wichs was 'genuinely nice in a way that was really stunning. It was a real tragedy.'

Wich's sister-in-law Lisa Guttman, who called Wich 'the most special person ever', said: 'He really created a life for himself. He literally took every opportunity he could find.'

The 565-foot-tall crane that toppled and flipped upside down, stretched along nearly two city blocks in downtown Manhattan

Two buildings were clipped and more than a half-dozen cars were destroyed when the massive crane suddenly collapsed onto Worth Street between Broadway and Church Streets while being lowered during snow fall and strong winds at 8.24am on Friday.

The New York City street where it collapsed remains blocked off but the 565-foot-long crumpled steel crane has now been removed. Work crews had to slice it up into dozens of pieces. They used other cranes to load the pieces onto flatbed trucks.

Investigators questioned the crane operator, 56-year-old Kevin Reilly, who is said to be cooperating with officials. He was arrested three times in the 1980s for driving under the influence, according to the Daily News.

A permit was issued for the crane to move generators and air conditioning equipment at the former Wester Union building at 60 Hudson Street, and the crane had been parked on Worth Street since January 30.

The city requires that all crawlers are secured once winds reach 25mph, so authorities began lowering it Friday morning as a safety precaution. Winds at the time were blowing at about 22mph.

Officials had already directed people away from the area as they were lowering the crane, which minimized the number of casualties.




Four transplant patients died after contracting an infection during a mold outbreak at a western Pennsylvania hospital, it has been revealed.

The latest victim, Che DuVall, 70, died on Saturday morning at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian, six months after getting a double lung transplant.

Three other patients died before a report about the deadly infection was published in December.

All four patients were at the hospital between September 2014 and September 2015. They likely caught the infection by spending time in a negative pressure room normally reserved for patients who already have infections, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Che DuVall (pictured), 70, is the fourth transplant patient who died after catching an infection during a mold outbreak at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian. Three other patients had died before him

UPMC suspended its transplant program for a week in September but resumed it after a review of procedures and treatments.

DuVall, a retired glass cutter and a father of three, was diagnosed with the infection last September, one month after his double lung transplant.

He and his wife Karen filed a lawsuit against the hospital last month, WPXI reported. They said UPMC Presbyterian recklessly housed him in a room that made him more susceptible to such an infection, leading to the removal of parts of his new lungs.

UPMC, which declined to comment on the suit, has maintained that the deaths cannot be directly attributed to mold because transplant patients with weakened immune systems are at risk of picking up infections that otherwise healthy people routinely fight off.

'We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, as well as to our doctors and nurses who have worked with great compassion and skill to care for him,' UPMC spokeswoman Allison Hydzik said in a statement.

'We again want to reassure our patients that we have taken every possible precaution to make our hospitals as safe as is humanly possible and have followed all recommendations made by federal and state regulators.'

UPMC (pictured) suspended its transplant program for a week in September but resumed it after a review of procedures and treatments

DuVall and three other patients likely caught the infection in a negative pressure room (file picture) normally reserved for those who already have infections, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said




Authorities say two men were killed and a third survived a gunshot to the head after an armed fight broke out at a large apartment complex in Marin City, north of San Francisco.

The violence began on Sunday with a domestic dispute in which other people tried to intervene, Marin County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Doug Pittman said.

Pittman told the Marin Independent Journal he did not know whether the victims were shot or might have died from other injuries, although other reports said that they were shot dead.

Killed were 29-year-old Jacari Lloyd Devon Cook and 60-year-old Carl Lee Breaux, according to the newspaper.

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Speaking out: LaShawn Fourshey (left) says she is the mother of Jacari Cook (right), one of two men killed. Fourshey has said Cook was married with two daughters

Marin County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Doug Pittman said the violence began on Sunday with a domestic dispute in which other people tried to intervene

LaShawn Fourshey, Cook's mother, told NBC Bay Area: 'He didn't hang out - I don't understand.

'Why him? This is not supposed to be happening to me.'

She also revealed that Cook and Cook's father-in-law died attempting to protect a woman.

Speaking to KGO, Fourshey said Cook was married and has two daughters.

Family friend Herbert Wade also spoke to the ABC affiliate, saying: 'We're not going to have a very good Super Bowl Sunday in Marin City today.'

Pittman said authorities initially received reports of gunfire and a possible altercation involving people with bats or sticks

Investigators were trying to determine what happened and planned to interview the survivor to get details

Pittman said authorities initially received reports of gunfire and a possible altercation involving people with bats or sticks.

The survivor was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to his head.

His condition improved by the afternoon. Investigators were trying to determine what happened and planned to interview the survivor to get details.

Pittman told the Marin Independent Journal: 'Were still trying to piece together what is really a large jigsaw puzzle.
Viewers watching last night's final episode of the BBC adaptation of War and Peace took to Twitter after the 80-minute episode aired to say they were 'exhausted' by the misery of Tolstoy's epic novel.

Andrew Davies' screenplay has gripped audiences for six weeks with its graphic portrayal of love, loss and conflict.

And the final episode didn't offer any respite from the blood-spilling with plenty taking to social media while the programme aired to say they were shocked by the gruesome end met by some of the plot's central protagonists.

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Fan favourite James Norton's Prince Andrei was also killed after succumbing to wounds from the battlefield

Tuppence Middleton's Princess Helene, pictured, was one of six War and Peace characters to die in the finale

Dying of a broken heart: Ade Edmondson's Count Rostov met his maker in last night's episode after losing the family home and hearing that his son, Petya, had been slain in battle

Nobody does misery like Tolstoy: Viewers said they were 'worn out' by the relentless barrage of deaths in last night's War and Peace

In total, six key characters died during the bloody climax to the series, including Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, played by heartthrob James Norton, and young soldier Petya Rostov.

Viewers took to Twitter to say the flurry of deaths had left them feeling fatigued by all the drama.

@loobyloubell said: 'Jesus! They saved most of the misery for the final episode....not sure how much more I can take.'

@lucyabelson also proclaimed that she 'couldn't take any more' while @markrusselluk wrote 'The misery, darkness, the hope, the joy, the light. I'm exhausted!'

Others expressed surprise that there was a happy ending after the gore finally abated and a rejuvenated Pierre (Paul Dano) married the love of his life Natasha (Lily James).

'Oh wow, it's a happy ending after all that misery' said @IanBaxter66 while @Jaspersmum said that she was 'worn out' with the misery but 'pleased of a Disney ending'.

So, who exactly came a cropper? Prince Andrei died from horrific wounds sustained during the Battle of Borodino, which was portrayed in last weeks episode. After being rescued alive from the battlefield handsome Andrei lived long enough to be reunited with Natasha and his son...but not much more.

The biggest reaction on Twitter was reserved for the death of young Petya Rostov (Otto Farrant), who bravely participated in an ambush of French troops only to be shot and left dying in the snow.

Young soldier Petya Rostov (Otto Farrant) bravely went into battle during the ambush of the French troops in the final part of Tolstoy's plot...but quickly came under fire

A death too far? Petya Rostov's demise was greeted with sadness and 'heartbreak' on Twitter

Tragic: Crimson blood pours into the snow as young Petya falls from his horse

Twitter users were left saddened by the death, with many seeing it coming. 'Saddest moment so far...heartbroken' wrote @SabahRiaz while @Apete4010 said: 'Oh c'mon, Petya could have survived.'

@ginandcrumpets commented on the inevitability of the situation, saying: 'Petya's face as he rides into battle and realises too late that war is terrible and best avoided, especially when the enemy has guns.'

On screen the death of Petya indirectly contributed to his father's demise. Count Rostov's failing health appeared to falter further upon hearing that his young son had been slain in the ambush.

The elderly count (Ade Edmondson) died from what appeared to be a combination of old age, the trauma of witnessing his country being invaded and his Petya's murder.

Keep the hankies close: Just when you thought nobody else could depart, Count Rostov began to fade after watching his fortune crumble and learning of his son's death

Farewell father: Prince Nikolai kisses his father in his coffin while Natasha weeps at Count Rostov's funeral

Another one gone: Anatole Kuragin (Callum Turner) died off-screen after having his leg amputated in last week's episode

Suicide? Helene met her maker after taking a fatal dose of medicine trying to get rid of her unborn child

Newly introduced peasant Platon Karataev also stuck a nerve after he was shot dead after striking up a friendship with Pierre Bezukhov while they were both prisoners of war.

To intensify the human tragedy, producer Andrew Davies focused on the desperate emotion of Karataevs little black dog, who howled pitifully when its master was shot and did not want to leave his side. 

@madisonwales wrote that he was 'still mourning' for the dog while at @PurpleSquidCopy asked: 'What happened to the dog, Pierre?'

@SallyTrousers pondered: 'Can we go back and get the dog now?' while @PhillipaAshley worried about the cold weather: 'Someone get that dog a coat'.

Elsewhere, fellow soldier and Andrei's love rival, Anatole Kuragin, who last week was the subject of a gruesome leg amputation after also being injured on the battlefield, petered away more quietly, dying off-screen.

Anatoles sister, Princess Helene Kuragina, played by Tuppence Middleton, tragically met her maker too. She took a fatal overdose of medicine in a bid to get rid of her unborn child. She had been cast out of society for becoming pregnant to a man who was not her husband. Her dramatic demise saw her dying in a white dress, soaked in blood.

The death of Platon Karataev, right, left viewers wondering about the fate of his pet dog, being held in the image above by Pierre (Paul Dano)

Concern for the pooch: The character of Platon Karataev, who is shot for not keeping up with the soldiers and his fellow prisoners of war, left behind a simpering dog, which caused lots of reaction on Twitter

There was a happy ending for Lily James' and Paul Dano's characters Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov, pictured, who declared their love for one another

In a flash-forward, the couple were shown very much in love and cradling their child, pictured

Dano's protagonist was taken as a prisoner of war who endured hardship before his happy ending

Fortunately, there was respite from the misery in the shape of Natasha and Pierre.

The couple shared a passionate kiss as they finally admitted their true feelings for one another  and were free to plan a future together after the deaths of Pierres wife Princess Helene and Natashas former fiance Prince Andrei.

The final scene  set a year in the future  saw them cradling a baby together.

War and Peace has faced some criticism for featuring too many characters and for being hard to follow but has generally proved a huge hit for the BBC.

An average audience of 5.4million viewers have been watching over the past five weeks.

Reaction to the series was overwhelmingly positive, with thousands taking to social media to wax lyrical about the show.

Many said Sunday nights would not be the same again and praised the BBC for handling the adaptation so well.

But the beard he came back with, pictured, became the talk of social media after the episode ended

Gillian Anderson, pictured left, and Stephen Rea, right, were among the series' all-star line-up

The BBC adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic averaged around 5.4million viewers over the series

It caused some controversy last week when it showed a naked man just minutes after the 9pm watershed

Star James Norton took to Twitter after the final episode to thank fans for tuning in to watch

The BBC series met an overwhelmingly positive reception from the public with thousands praising it on Twitter

Paul Dano and Norton came in for praise for their performances, pictured, on social media

But not everybody was as impressed with the series with some labelling it as 'rubbish and 'tosh'

Sophie Osborne said on Twitter: 'What a thing of beauty & painterly portrait of life itself. Superb series & cast; Dano is always exceptional & adore James.'

'FStoddart' added: 'Hats off @BBCOne, #WarAndPeace was awesome. Totally gripping and utterly loved it.'

Despite the near universal acclaim the series enjoyed, there were some people who were less impressed.

Ahmed Masoud said: 'I thought everyone was going to die in #WarAndPeace including us, the viewers. Sorry, that was a rubbish adaptation.'

Norton took to Twitter after the end of the series to thank fans for tuning in.
This is the extraordinary CCTV footage of the suspected bomber of a Somali plane at the exact moment when he is being handed a laptop in which the explosives were concealed.

The video, released by Somali intelligence officials, shows a passenger being given a laptop by two other men, one of whom is wearing a security jacket, after he passed through security.

The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) believes the passenger is the suicide bomber who was blown from the Daallo Airlines jet creating a gaping hole in the fuselage and forcing the plane to make an emergency landing back at the Mogadishu airport.

Newly-released footage shows two men handing a laptop to a passenger after he passed through security. One of the two men is wearing a security jacket

The suspected bomber approaches the two men after he passed through security checkpoint

He is being given a laptop, which investigators believe contained the explosives that ripped a hole in the Daallo airlines jet

It is believed the laptop-like device was the bomb that caused the explosion. The plane's pilot said that if the explosion happened when the aircraft was at a higher altitude it could have caused the jet to crash.

'There are investigations going on and about 15 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident,' a Somali security official who asked not to be named told AFP.

'The initial investigation results indicate that the bomb was planted in a laptop and was carried by one of the passengers.

'A CCTV camera recorded some of the activities and the attack is believed to have been coordinated by a network of individuals, many of whom have been arrested and are being investigated,' the source added.

The authorities had initially attributed the blast to sudden air decompression.

But on Saturday, following investigations by Somalia and international experts, Transport and Aviation Minister Ali Ahmed Jama blamed a bomb.

'Experts have confirmed the explosion that occurred inside the Daallo Airlines [jet] was not a technical problem but was a bomb that was intended to destroy the plane and kill all passengers onboard,' he said.

The man who was sucked out of the plane and plummeted to his death was believed to be a wheel chair bound suicide bomber identified as Abdulahi Abdisalam.

The pair is depicted at the top right of this CCTV footage. One of the two men is holding a laptop

The suspected bomber approaches the two men after he went through security checkpoint at Mogadishu airport

One of the two men, wearing a security jacket, is seen talking on the phone, while the other hands the laptop to the passenger

Somali investigators said they arrested 15 people in connection with the bombing incident

Photos of the damage to Daallo airlines taken after the emergency landing

Another two passengers were slightly injured.

Analysis of the bomb residue suggested it contained 'military grade explosives', a source close to the investigation told CNN.

Analysts said the bomber may have smuggled the bomb on board in his wheelchair before moving to a different seat once on board, a Western diplomat briefed on the investigation told the Wall Street Journal.

Serbian pilot Vladimir Vodopivec told a Serbian newspaper he immediately suspected a bomb, adding he was able to make a forced landing after the explosion did not damage his navigation system.

Daallo Airlines operates out of Djibouti, flying to destinations in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf.

Analysis of the bomb residue suggested it contained 'military grade explosives'

The authorities had initially attributed the blast to sudden air decompression

The man who was sucked out of the plane and plummeted to his death was believed to be a wheel chair bound suicide bomber identified as Abdulahi Abdisalam

Mogadishu airport is heavily fortified and adjoins the capital's main base of the African Union mission to Somalia, the 22,000-strong force backing the government in the battle against Al-Qaeda-affiliated Shebab insurgents.

The insurgents have lost ground since being routed from Mogadishu in 2011 but continue to stage regular shooting and suicide attacks.
A builder has found an eerie message about missing toddler William Tyrrell painted on a tree hiding a mysterious cache of objects in a forest just 12km from where the three-year-old vanished 18 months ago.

The tree trunk is in Middle Brother state forest in the Yoorigan National Park on the NSW mid-Norther Coast, just an 18 minute drive south of Kendall where William was last seen at his grandmother's house.

Painted on the tree trunk in red is the message: 'Jesus Saves William Tyrrell' and hidden within the trunk was a can filled with a compass, torch, coin and a sealed bag with post-it notes.

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Found by a builder driving through Middle Brother forest, 12km from where the toddler went missing 18 months ago is the red painted message 'Jesus Saves William Tyrrell' along with a cache of mystery objects

Wauchope builder Bob Carnes found secreted in a fork of the tree, this can and when he opened it inside was compass, torch, coin and a sealed bag with post-it notes, which police are believed to have recovered

The bizarre find was located just an 18 minute drive from where three-year-old William Tyrrell (pictured) went missing in September 2014 from his grandmother's home at Kendall on the NSW mid-North Coast

Bob Carnes found the painted message and the mystery objects in Middle Brother Fporest (above) which is just 12km south of the town of Kendall, which William had been visiting when he vanished

Police are investigating the find after Wauchope builder Bob Carnes found the tree and the hidden objects while driving through Middle Brother forest at the weekend.

Locals have told Daily Mail Australia that a police helicopter was overhead above Kendall on Sunday afternoon and that police vehicles have been seen in the area.

It is not the first time a message relating to William Tyrrell has been found on a tree near the crime scene.

Mr Carnes photographed the tree trunk with the painted message and the can and its contents and texted NSW Police photos of the objects along with the screen shot of the location on his phone.

He then returned the objects to their original position in the tree trunk. On Facebook, one of Mr Carnes friends speculated that the objects could have something to do with a practice called 'geocaching'.

Geocaching is an activity in which participants use a GPS to hide and seek objects in containers. On Facebook, Mr Carnes' friends wrote that they hope it wasn't some sort of 'sick' game connected with William Tyrrell's disappearance.

It is 18 months since toddler William Tyrrell (pictured) went missing at the age of three and there have been many twists and turns in one of Australia's most mysterious recent child abduction cases

Mr Carnes stopped his vehicle in the forest to investigate the tree painted with the message about William Tyrrell and found, as he told Facebook friends, a can with a compass, torch, and sealed bag with post-it notes

Emergency services volunteers (above, left) assist police in the ground search for William Tyrrell near Kendall on the NSW mid-North Coast in September 2014, just 12kms from (above, right) where the painted tree and mystery objects were found last weekend

No major developments in the missing William Tyrrell case have publicly emerged since police dug up the yard of fridge repairman Bill Spedding (above) just over a year ago and drained his septic tank

The disappearance of William Tyrrell (pictured, above left, in his beloved Spiderman suit) and (above, right) with gifts from his family has baffled police and agonised his distraught parents and sister

Police officers line up on a road in the NSW Mid-North Coast as they prepare to search the bush for traces of missing toddler William Tyrrell but found nothing connected with the three-year-old

NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia that officers had gone into the forest to find and and retrieve the objects.

A spokesperson said the painted message and the objects may be a type of shrine to the missing toddler rather than a clue left by William's abductors.

It is just over a year since NSW detectives appeared to have a solid lead in the case of William Tyrrell, who went missing from Kendall on September 12, 2014.

No trace has been found of the toddler, who disappeared while playing in the yard with his sister while the pair were staying at the Kendall house of their grandmother.

NSW Superintendant Paul Fehon gestures to the house in Kendall where William Tyrrell disappeared from in September 2014 while playing with his sister in their grandmother's yard

It is just over a year since NSW detectives appeared to have a solid lead in the case of WilliamTyrrell, when they excavated the yard of repairman Bill Spedding, who has not been charged over the boy's disappearance

Five months later, in January last year, dozens of forensic police and detectives descended on the NSW mid-North coast of washing machine repairman, Bill Spedding.

Officers excavated the yard of the Bonny Hills home Mr Spedding rented with his wife, Margaret, as well as draining a septic tank and making an extensive search of a subterranean set of rooms under the house.

Police took away bags of evidence, but have not released any information about their search, nor have they laid any charges over William's disappearance.

Mr Spedding, who has publicly stated he has nothing to do with the Tyrrell case, has since been arrested over unconnected child sex abuse allegations.

Initially held in custody, he was released on bail and returned home to the Bonny Hills house last June to await a further hearing on charges on allegedly sexually abusing two girls, then aged three and six, in Sydney in 1987.

A team of NSW investigators, led by Detective Inspector Gary Jubelin, has taken command of the Tyrrell case and has reportedly looked into a mid-North Coast social group Grandparents As Parents Again (GAPA), which police allege had members who were part of a paedophile ring.

Anyone with information about the William Tyrrell case should call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
Opened just before World War I, Baron's Hotel in downtown Aleppo has long been synonymous with comfort and high civilisation.

It was here that Agatha Christie wrote her famous crime novel, Murder On The Orient Express. Lawrence of Arabia stayed at Baron's as he plotted the downfall of the Ottoman Empire.

When I knocked on the door last week, I found that the hotel had been struck regularly by mortars. But it was still standing and, unbelievably, it was still open.

The tourists who used to flock to Baron's in their thousands no longer visit. Instead, the hotel has opened its doors to refugees from Syria's unspeakably barbaric civil war. Lawrence of Arabia's room  number 202  was until recently occupied by a displaced couple with three small children.

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PETER OBORNE visited the once famous Baron's Hotel in the besieged city of Aleppo (pictured, Syrian refugees who have amassed on the Turkish border after fleeing Aleppo)

Tens of thousands of men, women and children have fled Aleppo in recent weeks after the Syrian army entered two pro-government Shiite towns outside the city

Downstairs, in what had been the Grand Salon, another of the hotel's new guests told me her harrowing story.

Fighters from the Free Syrian Army  the rebel faction hailed by the British government as 'moderate'  took over her village three years ago. They forced her to wear black, veil her face and stay at home.

Thanks to the fighting, her husband lost his job as a house-builder. Eventually they made the decision to flee, leaving behind everything they owned. Now her husband makes a miserable living by selling vegetables in the street, while her 12-year-old son works unpaid at a nearby tailor.

There was a hole made by the blast of a sniper's bullet on the wall above her. But otherwise the Grand Salon retained its original European furniture and pictures, with a pianola in the corner.

Yet if Agatha Christie were alive and tried to ply her writing trade as she once did on the terrace here, she would risk being blown up by mortar or hit by gunfire. And when she looked up from her writing, she would be greeted by a view of empty streets, damaged buildings and road blocks.

It is only four years ago that the northern Syrian city of Aleppo was one of the most prosperous and beautiful in the Middle East.

Tourists from around the world visited its ancient mosques and churches, fabulous citadel, and the largest covered market in the world.

A Syrian woman makes enquiries regarding the possible opening of the closed Turkish border crossing with Syria, on the outskirts of the town of Kilis

The fighting in the war torn city has spurred countless refugees (pictured) to head north to Turkey, and thence to Europe

Aleppo was also the industrial powerhouse of Syria, with buoyant textile and pharmaceutical companies sustaining a booming population of well over two million.

Now, almost everything has been destroyed by war. President Assad's army has managed to hang on to the west of the city, while the east is dominated by rebel groups which include Al-Nusra (the Syrian affiliate of Al Qaeda) and Islamic State.

The fighting has spurred countless refugees to head north to Turkey, and thence to Europe. As the Mail's front page on Saturday showed, an escalation in recent days has led to a human tide of tens of thousands pouring out of the city, many ending up at a refugee camp on the border with Turkey. Other families have fled into the government-controlled area of the city where I stayed.

I discovered that the famed Aleppo University has been turned into a giant camp, with 17 out of its 20 dormitory blocks used by displaced families, some of whom sleep a dozen or more to a room designed for two students.

One man, who looked 75 though he assured me he was only 50, told how his family home and olive oil business in the old city of Aleppo had been destroyed by the Islamists of Al-Nusra.

The terror group beheaded one member of his family, and ripped another apart by tying him between an electricity pylon and a moving car. Another family member has been kidnapped, and no one knows where he is.

One man, who had been a tailor in peacetime, told me he came into western Aleppo to flee Free Syrian Army fighters  who promptly came after him and made an unsuccessful attempt to abduct his daughter from their university shelter.

Syrian families - carrying what little belongings they have - walk along a road to a temporary housing complex located at the closed Turkish border gate

Some families have ended up in squalid refugee camps on Turkey's border (pictured), while others fled into the government-controlled area of the city where PETER OBORNE stayed

Such are the horrors that pass for everyday life in this benighted city. The inhabitants are now so accustomed to the sounds of shell and mortar fire that they no longer look up when they hear an explosion.

I met one schoolmistress who had just made a terrifying journey from her home in an Islamic State-controlled area just east of Aleppo to collect her monthly salary of 30,000 Syrian pounds (about 50) from the education directorate in the city centre.

Before the war, this journey had taken barely 40 minutes. Hers had taken five days as she made her away across Al-Nusra and Islamic State road blocks.

The teacher told me that in her home town she was made to dress entirely in black. She said simply: 'They will kill me if I show any flesh.'

She was forced to live indoors, except when being ordered into the public square to witness the frequent beheadings and crucifixions.

Intriguingly, she told me the foreigner fighters who controlled her area included French, British, Egyptians, Afghans and Americans  'very blond Americans and black ones'.

Islamic State does not allow her to teach  but she is still paid by the Syrian government. This brave and stoical woman would shortly make the journey back to rejoin her husband and young children. She told me she had no doubt that the advancing Syrian government army would soon retake her home town.

'Then the Islamic State will booby-trap the houses and use us as human shields,' she said.

Aleppo today is a city of darkness and cold. Electricity has been cut for more than three months, and there had been no water for 12 days by the time I reached the city.

One man still staying at the Baron's Hotel in Aleppo (pictured, refugeeds who fled from the city) said the al-Nusra Islamist group beheaded one member of his family, and ripped another apart

In both cases, Islamic State is to blame. Its fighters hold the power station which supplies electricity. They are now besieged by the Syrian Army.

Aleppo's water comes from the Euphrates river to the east via a giant water processing plant, which is also under ISIS's control.

The people make do with private generators  but they are expensive and most families can only afford a dull electric light. For water, they dig wells, but many cannot wash regularly. Doctors told me there was an epidemic of fleas in the city, and that they fear cholera when summer comes.

Doctors also told me of a deadly shortage of medical supplies. When they try to go to Islamic State-controlled areas to deliver vaccinations, they are often insulted and turned away.

As a result, long-forgotten diseases are being seen again. Even polio, eradicated ten years ago, is making a return.

Aleppans have a phrase for the kind of life they are living: they call it 'dead alive'.

No wonder so many are fleeing. Large parts of the city feel empty. Of the more than two million who lived in Aleppo before the conflict, there are probably fewer than 800,000 today. One man, a lawyer, told me that three-quarters of his friends fled Aleppo last summer.

He guessed that of the estimated 200,000 Christian population before the conflict, there are only 25,000 today. They know all too well what Islamic State likes to do to Christians.

The churches do everything they can to encourage their congregation to stay. They provide food, electricity and sometimes even accommodation for their desperate congregations.

At the Arabic Presbyterian Church, I witnessed the elders handing out food vouchers after the service, and distributing water from a well.

Four years ago, the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, where these people are fleeing from, was one of the most prosperous and beautiful in the Middle East

'One of our principles is that we shouldn't leave the country when it is passing through difficult times,' I was told by the Rev Selimian, pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Church.

'When your mother gets sick do you get another mother? We as church leaders are staying here, we say there is no reason for you to go.'

He added, however, that church-goers must make their own decisions, and many have done so, knowing that they face death if the jihadi groups in the east of Aleppo win victory.

If this trend persists, the Christian community in Aleppo, which dates back to the very earliest years after Christ's death, will very soon cease to exist.

Frequently during the conflict, Aleppo has been completely surrounded by rebels and cut off from the outside world.

It was isolated for much of this winter. For the past few weeks, though, a relatively safe road has been reopened from the south into the city, thanks to recent military victories by the Syrian army. I entered the city with a government minder along this heavily protected road  and during my time in Aleppo I was eyewitness to a rapid and perhaps decisive turn in the Syrian civil war.

It is a change that opens up the prospect of relief for Aleppans in the west of the city  and makes it much more likely that the ancient Christian community can survive.

But it also means fresh hazard for hundreds of thousands of Syrians caught up in the conflict between the Syrian army  backed by merciless Russian airpower  and the Islamist militias.

Frequently during the conflict, Aleppo (pictured, young boys who fled the city with their families) has been completely surrounded by rebels and cut off from the outside world

Now, the unlucky ones are held as human shields or trapped between the two warring and brutal armies, while the 'lucky' ones flee with no more than the clothes they stand up in towards the Turkish border.

If they can gain access to Turkey, presumably many will seek a passage to Europe, to join the throngs of migrants who have already fled the conflict and are now in the European Union.
More than 3,500 babies in Britain are stillborn every year  a higher rate than in Estonia, Poland and Croatia, official figures show.

The stillbirth rate in Britain remains stubbornly high  4.6 per 1,000 births after 24 weeks  despite efforts to reduce it.

According to the latest calculations by the Office for National Statistics, 3,564 babies were stillborn in the UK in 2014.

New figures show 3,564 babies were stillborn in the UK in 2014 - a higher rate than in Estonia and Poland

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt recently pledged to cut the stillbirth rate by 20 per cent in England by 2020 and 50 per cent by 2030.

A separate study published in medical journal The Lancet last month ranked Britain 21st out of 35 wealthy developed nations for stillbirth rates.

The research found the UKs rate was higher than countries including Estonia, Poland, and Croatia.

It also revealed Britain was lagging behind other countries when it came to reducing its rate.

Charlotte Bevan, of stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands, said: Our progress is way behind countries like the Netherlands, who are moving four times faster than we are to save lives.

Its devastating for families not just to think their child might have lived if only theyd received the right care, but also to know another child tomorrow will die in similar circumstances because units arent implementing guidance.

She added: We know 60 per cent of babies who die before they are born and close to their due dates might have been saved if basic guidelines in antenatal care were followed.

We have much of the information we need to save up to 600 lives every year. Professor Joy Lawn, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has said that most stillbirths are preventable and that the shockingly slow progress on the problem is unacceptable.

Many stillbirths are caused by problems with the placenta  the lifeline providing the baby with oxygen and nourishment in the womb

The Royal College of Midwives pointed to a critical shortage of 2,600 midwives in England as hindering reductions in the stillbirth rate.

A rise in the number of babies born to women in their thirties and forties  with the increased risk of complications in pregnancy  is thought to be linked to the high number of stillbirths. The average age of a mother in 2014 was 30.2.

Other factors implicated in stillbirths include maternal obesity and smoking.

A Department of Health spokesman insisted progress has been made but said the rate was still far too high.

He added: We want the NHS to be the safest place in the world to have a baby and our ambition is to halve stillbirths through a campaign launched by the Health Secretary, because we want to ensure fewer families go through this heartache.
MPs will decide this week whether to grant themselves anonymity if they are arrested.

Making their names public could breach their right to privacy under the European Convention on Human Rights, they say.

Under the current rules, the House of Commons must be notified any time a member is arrested by police. The details are then printed in the official parliamentary record so the public can know about any criminal proceedings involving elected members.

Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said: The public have a right to know if their MP has been arrested.

But a review by the powerful Procedure Committee, which oversees the rules governing the Commons, has called for MPs names to be kept secret to protect their right to privacy under the European Convention.

The recommendation has been endorsed by ministers and has been scheduled for debate on Wednesday but could be nodded through without a vote.

Sir Alistair Graham, a former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said: I think the information should be publicly available. Its another sign that MPs are not taking a really serious approach to their own disciplinary issues.

The public have a right to know if their MP has been arrested.

Details of the plan were reported yesterday as it emerged that five MPs have been secretly referred to the police in the past 12 months over concerns that they may have committed criminal offences relating to their expenses.

Their names are being withheld by the expenses watchdog, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Several of the MPs facing investigation were re-elected last May despite investigations into their affairs, it was claimed.

Details of three cases under investigation first emerged last year when they were buried at the back of Ipsas annual report.

In one of them, police concluded the MP had no case to answer but an unidentified aide was cautioned for fraud by false representation.

The other two cases are still under investigation.

Yesterday, The Sunday Telegraph reported that a fourth case was referred in May to a force outside London but no further details have emerged. The case was revealed after a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

This law, which has exposed numerous public sector scandals as well as wasteful spending, is under threat from the Government. Ministers claim it is too costly to administer and have ordered a review.

Minister's 4k expenses for having family to stay Expenses claim: John Hayes A minister has claimed thousands in expenses for his children to stay with him on visits to his London flat. John Hayes, the Home Office security minister, received 4,850 on top of his annual rent allowance to cover accommodation costs for his two children, who live in Moulton, Lincolnshire. In total, the MP for South Holland and the Deepings has claimed 84,005, including the dependant supplement charge, since he started renting the one-bedroom flat in September 2012. Mr Hayes said he had contacted the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and theyve said I havent broken any of their rules. But Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, told The Sunday Times Ipsa should investigate. Advertisement

The investigation into the fifth MP was revealed by the Metropolitan Police after a complaint from a member of the public.

Ipsa says it would breach the MPs rights under data protection laws to reveal who they are.

Justifying its secrecy recommendation, the Procedure Committee said some arrests could relate to activities which are essentially private in which an MP has not behaved in such a way as to make public knowledge inevitable.

Its report said the intention was to give MPs the same rights to privacy as any other citizen.

But critics say that, as elected members, they are afforded privileges that the public do not have, so should be treated differently in the interests of transparency.

The Procedure Committee says that instead of publishing the details of MPs arrested over alleged criminal behaviour in their private lives in the daily Westminster order paper or agenda, the Speaker and the Clerk of the House would consult with the member involved.

Their name would be disclosed only if it was agreed an issue of parliamentary privilege or constitutional significance was at stake.

The last instance of the House being notified of an MPs arrest was in 2014, when Tory Mark Pritchard was detained over an allegation of rape.
Prisoners will not be forced to declare their criminal convictions in job applications under radical reforms announced by David Cameron today.

It was one of a raft of reforms revealed by the Prime Minister as he condemned the 'scandalous failure' of the justice system to rehabilitate criminals.

Another radical scheme unveiled today was a plan to allow inmates out of jail during the week.

He immediately faced accusations of going soft on crime, with Tory MP Philip Davies telling MailOnline the reforms were 'stupid'.

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David Cameron, pictured visiting HMP Onley in Rugby today, said prisoners would not have to declare criminal convictions on job applications as he announced wholesale reforms to the UK prison system

The reforms unveiled by the Prime Minister, pictured speaking to inmates being trained as baristas at HMP Onley today, would require former inmates only to declare their criminal record at interview stage

'How many former prisoners is he taking on?' Mr Davies asked. 'How many burglars is he taking into Downing Street?

'He should stop lecturing us about crime and start prioritising the law abiding citizen in this county rather than everything being about the victims of criminals.'

Ex-prisoners will only have to tell potential employers of their criminal record once they get to interview stage under the proposals unveiled by Mr Cameron in a major speech on prison reform - the first by a prime minister solely on jails in two decades.

Mr Cameron hopes the move - which mirrors the 'ban the box' scheme in the United States - will prevent ex-offenders being rejected for jobs out-right because of the 'shame of prior convictions'.

The new radical scheme for prisoners near the end of their sentences would see them behind bars only at weekends.

The intervention follows Mr Cameron's new year promise to focus on 'real social renewal'. He later said Britain was in the middle of a 'turnaround decade' of social reforms. The Prime Minister announced today that:

Foreign criminals will have to hand over their passports and declare nationality

Government will consider separate cells for terrorists and a ban on imams

Prison governors will gain more powers over budgets, education and rules

Some offenders will be banned from drinking after release and fitted with tags to detect alcohol consumption;

New GPS technology will allow constant monitoring of criminals on community service;

Mobile phone firms will be told to switch off the signal near prisons to stop convicts making calls;

New league tables of prisons will show which are best at rehabilitation.

His language triggered fears among some Conservative MPs that he is neglecting the dictum that 'prison works'.

Tory MP Philip Davies, pictured right, described the radical reforms announced by Cameron, pictured left in central London today, as 'stupid' and said he should be prioritising 'law abiding citizens' rather than criminals

The radical scheme for prisoners near the end of their sentences would see them behind bars only at weekends

Mr Davies hit out at the reforms and referred to Mr Cameron's decision to employ Andrew Coulson, his former director of communications, to condemn his poor track record.

'His announcements are frankly stupid,' he told MailOnline.

NEW RULES FOR PRISONS TO DECIDE HOW MANY PANTS INMATES SHOULD BE ALLOWED Cameron, pictured talking to a prison guard today, said there were so many rules for prisons that basic security was being undermined David Cameron today announced plans to give prison governors greater control over rules for prisoners, saying it was wrong that Whitehall officials were 'wondering how many pairs of underpants they're allowed'. The Prime Minister said the current system was 'infantilising' senior staff and unveiled plans to create six new 'reform' prisons where proven governors would be given 'total discretion' over how they spend their budgets. He bemoaned the 'incredibly and uniquely centralised' bureaucracy of the current prisons system, where central government decides national limits on possessions available to inmates, such as the number of jigsaws and sheets of music. Rules and guidance on running prisons amount to 46,000 pages, Mr Cameron said. There were so many rules that basic security failings had failed, he added, meaning prisoners were often able to access social media and led some jails becoming 'awash with alcohol and drugs'. 'We've reached the point where someone in Whitehall is sitting around deciding how many jigsaws a prisoner should be able to keep in his cell, how many sheets of music they can have in their possession  twelve, in case you're wondering - and even how many pairs of underpants they're allowed.' But he rejected 'lazy' claims that prison was a 'holiday camp', insisting they were 'often miserable, painful environments: isolation; mental anguish; idleness; bullying, self-harm; violence; suicide. He said: 'Is it a sensible strategy to allow these environments to become twisted into places that just compound the damage and make people worse or should we be making sure prisons are demanding places of positivity and reform so that we can maximise the chances of people going straight when they come up?' Advertisement

'I know he's very good friends with Andrew Coulson but I'm not sure he should be bringing in reforms to the benefit of his former employers - he's turning his employers into prisoners.

'As a former retailer, if I'm recruiting someone I'd like to know if they've been convicted of shoplifting.'

A similar weekend jail scheme by Labour ended in disaster when it emerged some inmates went on binge drinking sessions on Friday night before 'sleeping it off' in their cells all weekend.

Speaking in central London today, Mr Cameron said: 'There's a simple problem: today, ex-offenders are often rejected for jobs out right because of their past.

'I want us to build a country where the shame of prior convictions doesn't necessarily hold them back from working and providing for their families.

'Of course, I want businesses and organisations to know who they are interviewing.

'If a conviction is 'unspent', they need to know about it and make the right decision for that business.

'But here's my question: should offenders have to declare it up-front, before the first sift of CVs  before they've been able to state their case?

'Or might this be done a bit later, at interview stage or before an actual offer of work is made?'

He announced that the Government will 'lead by example' by 'banning the box' - where employers do not ask about previous convictions - on job applications for the civil service.

Mr Cameron also announced plans to give governors greater powers over rules for prisoners, saying it was wrong that officials in Whitehall were 'wondering how many pairs of underpants they're allowed'.

He pledged to open a 'new front' to tackle radicalisation in jails, revealing the Government was considering a ban on imams preaching in prisons and plans to house terrorists in separate cells.

Around 1,000 of Britain's prison population had been identified as extremist or vulnerable to being radicalised, the Prime Minister said.

'We will not stand by and watch people being radicalised like this while they are in the care of the state,' he declared.

'And I want to be clear: I am prepared to consider major changes: from the imams we allow to preach in prison to changing the locations and methods for dealing with prisoners convicted of terrorism offences, if that is what is required.'

Mr Cameron said the Government will introduce new laws to force foreign criminals to hand over their passports to police and to make them declare their nationality in court.

It follows problems prison governors have encountered in identifying the nationality of inmates after they have arrived in prison.

It will help speed up the deportation of foreign criminals in Britain.

In an effort to head off any criticism, Mr Cameron insisted punishment is 'not a dirty word' and that prisons are needed to lock up dangerous offenders such as killers, rapists and child abusers.

He also conceded that not all criminals 'seek redemption'. Instead the PM said prison reform can be a 'great progressive cause' offering offenders 'chances to change'.

The weekend prison scheme is aimed at helping inmates adjust to normal life before their full release.

One Whitehall source described it as an 'intelligent and sensible' approach to try to reduce reoffending and would 'apply only to some prisoners'  likely to be those considered lower risk.

Keeping prisoners behind bars at the weekend will limit their opportunities to commit crimes.

In his speech in central London today, Mr Cameron said he wants to end the 'out of sight, out of mind' attitude to prisoners. 'My starting point is this: we need prisons,' he said.

'Some people  including, of course, rapists, murderers, child abusers, gang leaders  belong in them. For me, punishment  that deprivation of liberty  is not a dirty word.

'I never want us to forget that it is the victims of crime who should always be our principal priority. And I am not unrealistic or starry-eyed about what prisons can achieve. Not everyone shows remorse and not everyone seeks redemption.

'But I also strongly believe that we must offer chances to change; that for those trying hard to turn themselves around, we should offer hope; that in a compassionate country, we should help those who've made mistakes to find their way back on to the right path.'

He pointed to shocking figures showing nearly half of inmates are caught reoffending within a year of release. Prison violence, drug-taking and self-harm should 'shame us all'.

The Prime Minister will pledge to protect the 130million prison education budget. Governors in reform prisons will be free to rehabilitate offenders as they see fit

He said that 'failure' costs up to 13billion a year: 'It matters to you: because in the end, who are the victims of this reoffending? It's the mother who gets burgled or the young boy who gets mugged.'

The Prime Minister pledged to protect the 130million prison education budget. Governors in reform prisons will be free to rehabilitate offenders as they see fit.

Currently all jails are closely tied to Whitehall, with strict rules on how inmates can be rewarded and punished.

Former justice secretary Chris Grayling introduced tougher rules on prison conditions before he was moved. Many of his other justice reforms have already been ditched by his successor Michael Gove.

Imams could be banned from preaching in jails and terrorists could be housed in separate cells under PM's prison reforms

David Cameron said today the Government would consider banning imams from preaching in prisons and housing terrorists in separate cells to clamp down on extremism.

Pledging to open up a 'new front' to tackle radicalisation in jails, the Prime Minister revealed there are currently 1,000 inmates who have identified as extremist or vulnerable to being radicalised.

He said prisoners were easy recruiting target for terrorists and 'weak' individuals were being forced to convert to Islam through 'intimidation, violence and grooming' to spread a 'warped view of the world'.

Cameron visited HMP Onley in Rugby today ahead of his pledge to 'open a new front' on tackling extremism among Britain's prison population

'We will not stand by and watch people being radicalised like this while they are in the care of the state,' Mr Cameron declared today in a major speech on prison reform.

'And I want to be clear: I am prepared to consider major changes: from the imams we allow to preach in prison to changing the locations and methods for dealing with prisoners convicted of terrorism offences, if that is what is required.'

But Labour reacted to today's announcements by asking why the Tories had failed to improve conditions in jails during their last five years in power, highlighting quotes from Mr Cameron in 2007 when he promised to make prison reform one of the key planks of his 'central mission'.

Lord Falconer, the Shadow Justice Secretary, said: 'The scandalous failure David Cameron condemns is his own.

'The Tories have had five years to improve our prisons and we have heard promises of 'rehabilitation revolution' many times before.

'Instead, they have cut staff, closed effective jails, decreased transparency and presided over a crisis.
Her accusations led to the revelation of his affair with Monica Lewinsky

She has been a vocal supporter of The Donald throughout his campaigning

Paula Jones, who sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment in 1994, has been rubbing shoulders with the enemy.

Jones posted a selfie with Donald Trump while both were at the Little Rock Rally in Arkansas.

The outspoken former state employee posted the picture with the words: 'Donald Trump thanks for stopping and allowing a selfie!'

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Paula Jones, who sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment in 1994 posted a selfie (right) with Donald Trump while both were at the Little Rock Rally in Arkansas on Wednesday. She also took a video (left)

Loyal supporter: Paula posted this message with the selfie she took on Wednesday

A video, filmed at the same time as the selfie on Wednesday, shows Jones screaming with excitement as Trump walks near to where she stands behind the barriers.

She shouts: 'Paula Jones! Paula Jones! I want a selfie!' which she then takes with Trump.

The pair then appear to talk, but what they say cannot be heard over the sound of the crowd and the arena's music.

Jones has been a vocal supporter for Trump throughout his campaign trail.

One comment posted on Twitter in December reads: 'Hey Donald Trump! I am 100% voting for you! We need a real President with brains and guts!'

While another says: 'Why are all the GOP candidates so angry with Donald Trump? I'm sure they are thinking the just not brave enough to say it tho!'

And back in August Jones tweeted: 'Shame on Rupert Murdoch owner of Fox News for telling the judges to stick to Donald Trump.'

Jones has been a vocal supporter for Trump throughout his campaign trail and has frequently posted messages of support, including this one in December

Jones is clearly a big supporter of Trump's outspoken character, posting this message in December

As well as her vocal support for Trump, she also recently spoke against former president Clinton for campaigning with wife Hillary.

On Wednesday, she said Hillary is 'responsible for the cover-up' of her husband's affairs.

'[Bill Clinton] talks about what a good leader Hillary is for women? No, that just makes me sick,' Jones told Inside Edition.

'She can't be trusted,' Jones said.

'I don't see how they can believe that [Hillary] is for women. She is for herself.'

Paula Jones sued Bill Clinton in 1994 and has also recently attacked the former president and his wife, Hillary Clinton, saying she can not be trusted

Scandal: Paula Jones (left) in 1994 and Monica Lewinsky and then-president Bill Clinton in 1998

In an interview with Inside Edition, she said: 'I can't believe he's got the nerve to do it.'

'I can't believe he's still going out there and showing his face. How can you go out there and talk to people like nothing has happened?'

Jones' accusations that the former president sexually harassed her in an Arkansas hotel room while he was governor of the state led to the revelation of his affair with Monica Lewinsky and his impeachment in 1998.

Jones alleged that Clinton had improperly touched her, exposed his penis and asked her for sex.

The harassment was said to have happened in 1991, while Jones was an Arkansas state employee.

The suit was settled out-of-court in 1998 and reportedly resulted in Clinton, who denied Jones' claims, paying Jones' team $850,000.

Jones says she received less than one fifth of the money.

Clinton's sexual relations with the then-White House intern Lewinsky were uncovered during an investigation prompted by Jones' suit.

Clinton was found to have been lying under oath about his affair with Lewinsky.
The Centre for Social Justice want new measures to assess childrens life chances in Britain (file photo)

Divorce, drug or alcohol addiction and serious debts should be included in five new measures of whether a child is living in poverty, a leading think tank says.

Youngsters are also at risk if families have no skills or just one parent is able to work, according to the Centre for Social Justice.

The proposals, revealed today, have been drawn up to replace Labours discredited child poverty target, which ministers are planning on scrapping.

They want new measures for childrens life chances  and are set to assess factors such as household worklessness and a childs educational achievement.

The main measure used is whether youngsters are in households with incomes below 60 per cent of the national average.

But this leads to perverse outcomes such as more families being classed as poor when the economy grows.

The CSJ, which was founded by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, said all five new factors were needed for an all out assault on poverty.

Philippa Stroud, report author and CSJ executive director, said: To truly measure poverty, all five root causes  worklessness, family breakdown, educational failure, addiction and debt  must be taken into account.

If a family is in serious personal debt or is experiencing drug or alcohol addiction, we need to look beyond the household income to work out the condition the children are growing up in.'

She added: If the Government is serious about an all-out assault on poverty, this is the metric to deliver it.

The Child Poverty Act commits the Government to eradicate child poverty by 2020.

But David Cameron has faced criticism for not doing enough to recognise the importance of stable families in policy-making.

The CSJ report points out half of children in low income families are not living with both parents by the age of five. It also calls for relationship support for the poorest communities.

Factors: CSJ boss Philippa Stroud, pictured with pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, said to measure child poverty, worklessness, family breakdown, educational failure, addiction and debt should be taken into account

It also includes an assessment of family income, such as if a parent is on out of work benefits.

A child would be classified as in poverty if they were found to have one or two life chance risks combined with one of the income measures.

Children in a family with three or more life chance risks would be considered to be in entrenched poverty.
Ministers have been mocked for appointing a man to ensure that more women are put on company boards.

Sir Philip Hampton, a leading businessman from banking and pharmaceuticals, will head the review on raising women's participation on the boards of the country's top 350 companies.

But controversy erupted when it emerged that not only had the government appointed a man to the role, but they had made a woman his deputy.

Dame Helen Alexander, who chairs UBM, will be his number two on the panel.

The announcement was mocked on Twitter.

Ministers have been mocked for appointing a man to ensure that more women are put on company boards (file photo)

Sophie Walker, leader of the Women's Equality Party, said the appointment was proof that much change was needed.

'It is beyond ironic that a man has been appointed into this role, which simply reinforces the idea that senior leadership is men's work.

'Evidence shows that companies thrive when their leadership is diverse, so getting more women onto boards  currently only five female CEOs run FTSE 100 firms  is critical.

'Today's announcement is proof that we need to force change.'

Another Twitter user, Mark Weights, wrote: 'Very important work - needs a chap to make sure it's done right.'

But Nicky Morgan, who is Women's Minister as well as Education Secretary, defended the appointment, saying: 'Men have a critical role to play in this and I look forward to working with Sir Philip and his team on this incredibly important agenda.'

Sajid Javid, the Business Secretary, added: 'Sir Philip brings a wealth of business experience to this important role, and he has an impressive track record of creating a culture where women can thrive and succeed.'

Sophie Walker, leader of the Women's Equality Party, said the appointment was proof that much change was needed (file photo)

A Government spokesman said: 'In many businesses there is still a male-dominated culture and it is really powerful for men to be supporting and leading increasing the representation of women in business.

'Both Sir Philip and Dame Helen were chosen to lead the independent review because of their extensive combined experience at executive and non-executive levels.'

Sir Philip, who is chairman of drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline, is a former chairman of supermarket retailer J Sainsbury and high street bank Royal Bank of Scotland.

He signed off a bonus worth nearly 1 million to then chief executive, Stephen Hester.

Sir Philip turned down his own 1.4 million bonus at the bank as it came after the taxpayer bailed out RBS.
But job losses in Redcar and Scunthorpe damaged growth in North East

The economy is growing at the fastest pace for six months led by a surge in activity in the Midlands.

In a sign the UK is weathering the storm in the global economy, output rose strongly in January as manufacturers as well as firms in the huge services sector prospered, according to a report published today.

Growth was strongest in the West Midlands and the East Midlands but there was a sharp slowdown in the North East where the economy is still reeling from job losses in the steel industry where job losses from steel plants in Redcar and in Scunthorpe have damaged growth and job prospects.

Economic growth was strongest in the West and East Midlands (file photo of Birmingham)

Scotland was the weakest region, hit by the collapse in the oil price which has led to thousands of job lost in the North Sea industry and thousands more expected to be culled.

The report, compiled by researcher Markit for Lloyds Bank, will be something of a mixed bag for chancellor George Osborne who will welcome signs that the recovery is spreading beyond London but will be worried about the lacklustre performance further north.

It underlines the challenge facing the Chancellor as he seeks to build a 'northern powerhouse' to make Britain less reliant on London and the south east.

Tim Hinton, a managing director at Lloyds Banking Group, said: 'Despite a number of headwinds, UK businesses recorded their fastest output growth for six months in January. A promising start to 2016.'

The report found employment rose again last month, meaning the level in England and Wales has risen consistently for over three years. However, while the overall increase in employment was solid, levels barely rose in Wales, and fell in the North East for the second time in three months.

George Osborne will welcome signs that economic recovery is spreading beyond London (file photo)

The findings are based on an index of activity in all the regions of the UK where scores above 50 show growth and scores below that threshold show decline.

The UK clocked up a score of 56.1 in January, its best performance for six months and up from 55.3 in December.
The Perth zoo animal was covered in faeces but is now in good health

It is critically endangered and the shells are highly prized on black market

The 10-year-old radiated tortoise was stolen from Perth Zoo last week

A rare tortoise is back home after it was dumped at a police station

A critically-endangered tortoise that was recently stolen from Perth Zoo has been reunited with its keepers after it was dumped at a police station in a backpack.

The 10 year old radiated tortoise was stolen on Monday night or early Tuesday morning last week and staff feared for its safety as the animals are often killed for their shells which are then turned into n turned into ornaments and sold on the black market.

The animal was dumped at Kensington police station in Perth and returned to the zoo after being checked at Murdoch University Veterinary Clinic.

The 10-year-old radiated tortoise that is critically endangered due to poaching

'We're ecstatic that it's back,' a zoo spokeswoman told AAP.

'It wasn't in the best condition. It was covered in faeces so obviously whoever had it didn't know how to care for it appropriately.'

She said the tortoise was being re-hydrated but was otherwise in good health.

The tortoise was stolen from Perth Zoo last week and purchased by a member of the public who returned it

The spokeswoman said the facility's security systems would be reviewed.

'We did have two that were stolen a couple of years ago and we completely stepped up security within that area but unfortunately whoever took it managed to circumvent that security.

'The tortoise won't be on display until we're 100 per cent happy with that area.'

It was highly unlikely the thieves would be caught, she said.

'For us, the focus wasn't prosecution of the person - we just really wanted to get the animal back.'

According to a Facebook post by WA Police's Central Metropolitan District, the tortoise was purchased by a member of the public not knowing the black market value or the rarity of the animal.

The rare tortoise is native to Madagascar and is currently too young for keepers to tell what sex it is.
Donald Trump is continuing to dominate as a new poll from the New Hampshire primary reveals he is holding a double digit lead over his opponents.

The Monmouth University survey, released today, shows 30 per cent of New Hampshire Democratic primary voters saying they would vote for the billionaire businessman, while his four rivals are locked in a dead heat.

Vying for second place in an almost-tie are Ohio Governor John Kasich who got 14 per cent support, followed by Florida Senator Marco Rubio who got 13 per cent.

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Donald Trump is continuing to dominate as a new poll from the New Hampshire primary shows 30 per cent of likely Republican primary voters saying they would vote for the billionaire businessman

Trailing behind The Donald is Ohio Governor John Kasich (left) who got 14 per cent support, followed by Florida Senator Marco Rubio (right) who got 13 per cent

Next is former Florida Governor Jeb Bush who also drew 13 per cent, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz who had 12 per cent support.

No other candidates received support in double digits, with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie polling at six per cent, Carly Fiorina at 5 per cent and Ben Carson at 4 per cent.

With only two days to go until the state's primary, the poll also revealed that 49 per cent of those asked were completely decided about which candidate they would vote for, while 31 per cent said they had a strong preference.

This left nine per cent undecided, while twelve per cent had a slight preference.

Trumps dominance comes despite his seemingly unsuccessful speech earlier Sunday in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

Next is former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (left) who also drew 13 per cent, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz (right) who had 12 per cent support

The Monmouth University poll spoke to 502 likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of 4.4 per cent

During the hour-long speech he appeared to lose about 10 per cent of his audience, with most who didn't stay for the entire speech appearing to be college students.

Some told DailyMail.com that they were not Trump supporters and were assigned to attend the rally by a political science professor.

Marco Rubio's uneven debate performance just days before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary has emboldened a trio of governors seeking to stem his rise in the Republican race for president.

But if Rubio's rivals can slow him in New Hampshire, they are likely to leave the GOP with a muddled mix of establishment contenders and no clear favorite to challenge Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

Trump's audience on Sunday was peppered with children and included some rally-goers in their 90s

At the heart of the battle between Rubio and Chris Christie, John Kasich and Jeb Bush is whether the freshman Florida senator has the experience and policy depth to serve as president - or whether he's simply a well-spoken lightweight.

Christie unleashed withering attacks against Rubio in Saturday's debate, and the New Jersey governor tripped up Rubio by calling him out in real-time for his reliance on rehearsed talking points.

The survey also polled on likely Democratic primary voter and found Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders held just a 10-point advantage over rival Hillary Clinton, 52-42 percent - a slightly closer race than the 53-39 percent results from last month's poll.

Democrat primary voters appeared more decided than their Republican equivalents, with 60 per cent saying they were devoted to their candidate choice.

While 23 per cent said they had a 'strong preference right now but would be willing to consider other candidates'. This seven per cent with a slight preference and ten per cent remained undecided.

The poll spoke to 502 likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of 4.4 per cent.
A key district of Afghanistan where 106 British troops lost their lives is on the brink of falling back to the Taliban, it was reported yesterday.

Most of Sangin, in Helmand province, had already been taken by the insurgents with the Afghan government now controlling just a few square kilometres of Sangin city, an Afghan army commander told the BBC.

British soldiers who were seriously injured in the fighting have described the collapse as heartbreaking.

Royal Marines from 45 Commando stop and search a man while on patrol in Sangin DC in the Helmand province of Afghanistan

Afghan forces have struggled to fight off the Taliban since the US and NATO officially ended their combat mission at the end of 2014.

The insurgents have spread their footprint across the country, leading to high casualties among Afghan forces and growing fear among the population.

The claims came as it was revealed Afghanistan expects to hold direct talks with the Taliban by the end of this month

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday [SUN] that Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and America had agreed on a roadmap toward peace talks during a meeting in Islamabad last week.

He said the government hopes to put an end to the futile violence which is imposed on our people.

The last direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban broke down after just one session last summer.

But the latest peace initiative will provide little succour to families of British soldiers who lost their lives in Sangin and injured veterans themselves.

Warren Richardson, from Livepool, had to be medically discharged from the Army after being shot in both legs after being caught in a Taliban ambush while on patrol with the 2nd Battalion Rifles in the Upper Sangin Valley in July 2009.

He said: The news is just heartbreaking. Theres no words for it really.

So many gave so much for it.

It just beggars belief that it can fall back into the hands of the Taliban.

Almost a quarter of British military personnel killed during the UKs combat mission in Afghanistan died defending the town.

There were reports in December last year that the district was almost entirely in Taliban hands but since then the Afghan government has sent in reinforcements.

Government officials have repeatedly asserted that, despite the continuing Taliban assault, Sangin is secure.

Speaking via satellite phone, an Afghan Army source yesterday [SUN] told the BBC there had been repeated Taliban attacks on remaining government positions in recent days.

Eight Afghan soldiers were killed and nine were taken alive when the Taliban overran a base called Sahra Yak three days ago, he said.

All the weapons and ammunition were seized, including an armoured vehicle.

Two other camps are also under threat, if they dont get the support needed, God forbid, they will have the same fate, he told the BBC.

The next four-country meeting is scheduled for February 23 in Kabul.

The Taliban are not taking part in those negotiations, which aim to lay the groundwork for peace talks.

The Afghan government has long accused Pakistan of granting the insurgents safe haven across the porous border, charges denied by Islamabad.

But Pakistan is widely believed to have influence over the Taliban and is seen as a key player in any peace efforts.

Members from J company 42 Commando Royal Marines conducting a multi-national attack to remove Taliban insurgents from Sangin, Afghanistan

The Taliban fractured last summer after the announcement of Mullah Omars death, with senior figures accusing his deputy-turned-successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, of deceiving them by speaking in his name.

The infighting appears to have died down in recent weeks, with many top commanders publicly accepting Mansoors leadership

A unified front would allow the insurgents to speak with one voice in future talks.

but despite the recent diplomatic efforts, the war shows no sign of abating.

A roadside bomb targeting judges in the eastern city of Puli Alam killed a policeman yesterday [Sunday] and wounded eight people, including four senior judges, said Salim Saleh, spokesman for the Logar provincial governor. No one claimed the attack.

In the northern Sari Pul province, a former local militia commander was killed by a remotely detonated bomb yesterday [Sunday], said Zabi Amani, spokesman for the provincial governor. Four people, including three of the commanders bodyguards and a young boy, were wounded.

In Kunar province, on the border with Pakistan, the bodies of three health workers involved in vaccinating Afghan children against polio were found late on Saturday, almost two weeks after they went missing in Ghaziabad district.

Polio, a debilitating disease easily prevented with vaccinations, is endemic in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan.
Two men died and four other people were injured in a shooting after a Mardi Gras Parade in Pass Christian, Mississipi.

Carlos Bates, 29, of Gulfport, and Isiah Major III, 43, of Bay St Louis, each died at the scene from a gunshot wound. The four other people were taken to hospital.

A fight erupted and police were called shortly after the St. Paul Carnival Association's parade.

The shooting happened about 20 minutes after the last float had left, Pass Christian Police Chief Tim Hendricks told WLOX.

Carlos Bates, 29, of Gulfport, and Isiah Major III, 43, of Bay St Louis, died in a shooting after a Mardi Gras Parade in Pass Christian, Mississipi. Pictured, a woman embracing two children near the scene of the shooting

About 50,000 people had come to watch the parade in Pass Christian, a coastal city of 5,300, Hendricks said.

'I think I heard 12 shots fired. We thought it was fireworks at first,' Celeste Plaisance told the Sun Herald.

She ran into her mother's house when she saw someone had been shot and people were running away.

Bates' and Major's bodies, covered in yellow sheets, lay near her mother's steps later on.

No arrest had been made as of Sunday evening as the investigation continued.

Police were called shortly after the parade had ended. 'I think I heard 12 shots fired. We thought it was fireworks at first,' Celeste Plaisance told the Sun Herald. Bates' and Major's bodies, covered in yellow sheets (pictured), lay near her mother's house
Lord Powell claimed Thatcher, pictured, would have 'negotiated something similar' to David Cameron's EU deal if she was Prime Minister today

In her 2002 book Statecraft, Margaret Thatcher dismissed the EU as a feeble giant whose desperate attempts to be taken seriously are largely risible.

It was typically withering rhetoric from a politician who throughout her 11 years as Prime Minister railed constantly against the overbearing, wasteful, profoundly undemocratic Brussels club.

Her most celebrated attack came when EU president Jacques Delors proposed sweeping new powers for the European Commission, Parliament and Council. In a barnstorming Commons statement, she replied: No! No! No!

So its bizarre  some say a sign of desperation  that the campaign to keep Britain in Europe now claims Lady Thatcher as its own, with her former aide Lord Powell saying she would never have voted to leave.

Of course, the Mail cant be sure but everything we know about her political philosophy and driving passions  love of country, defence of the individual against the interfering state, loathing of arrogant elites  tells us Lord Powell is wrong.

Lady Thatchers instincts were those of a pure grassroots Tory (the kind whose sceptical opinions on Europe Mr Cameron has shamefully told his MPs to ignore).

She listened to the views and worries of ordinary people and became their champion. It was on their votes  right across the country  that she won three elections.

True, she never fully advocated pulling out of the EU but those were different times. The year she left No10, net migration into Britain was 36,000 and a relatively minor issue. Last year it was 330,000 and with millions on the move in the Middle East its now the voters biggest concern.

Lady Thatcher would have been dismayed by the effect this human tide  much of it through the EU  has had on swathes of middle Britain. Schools, the NHS and housing are under immense strain and the character of many areas changed beyond recognition with no consultation.

Would she have regarded this as democracy?

The last two decades have also seen a relentless assault on British sovereignty by the European courts, a blizzard of business red tape and a rise in member states from 12 to a totally unmanageable 28  19 of which belong to the club-within-a-club known as the Eurozone.

Lord Powell said Thatcher would have put aside her emotional Euroscepticism to vote in favour of remaining in the European Union

Margaret Thatcher would be voting to stay in the EU if she was still alive, claims Lord Powell, who served as her private secretary from 1983-1990

Jacques Delors pictured with Thatcher in 1987 after a battle over European federalism, infuriated the Tory Prime Minister by telling the Trade Union Congress that Europe would help save them from Thatcherism

The Mail suspects Lady Thatcher would have been deeply disturbed by these developments, not to mention the gag on ministers speaking against Mr Camerons campaign to stay in an unreformed EU.

She would surely have employed force of argument rather than simply shutting down debate.

Ironically, she too, called in her book for a fundamental re-negotiation of Britains EU membership. But she advocated radical changes, such as pulling out of the common agriculture, fisheries, foreign and defence policies.

If she were writing today, she would almost certainly place regaining border controls at the top of her list.

By contrast, Mr Camerons proposed reforms seem trivial, almost irrelevant. And they surely would never have been enough to convince Lady Thatcher that staying in the EU was in Britains national interest.

Its one law for them...

MPs are expected to vote this week to grant themselves the right to anonymity if arrested  dealing yet another blow to open government.

Astonishingly, five honourable members were referred to the police last year over alleged expenses cheating but not named.

Some were re-elected in May by constituents ignorant of the allegations.

MPs are expected to vote this week to grant themselves the right to anonymity if arrested  dealing yet another blow to open government

Astonishingly, five honourable members were referred to the police last year over alleged expenses cheating but not named

Didnt they have a democratic right to know?

Meanwhile Sir Cliff Richard, whose home was raided 543 days ago over historic child abuse accusations, has been exposed to the full glare of publicity but still hasnt been charged with anything.
The open letter is believed to have been circulated on pro-ISIS websites, despite the fact the ISIS widow could be killed for voicing discontent from within the terror organisation's stronghold in Syria (file image)

The widow of an Islamic State jihadi has risked her life by writing a letter to complain about the group's senior figures and the way they treat the families of dead fighters.

The open letter is thought to have been circulated on pro-ISIS websites, despite the fact the woman could be killed for voicing discontent from within the terror organisation's stronghold in Syria.

Anyone who dares to criticise ISIS from the inside is branded 'murtad', meaning apostate, and face being whipped, tortured and even being executed.

The woman, who is believed to be a Westerner, calls herself al-Muhajirahm in the letter which was posted online under the title 'A Reminder to the Leaders of the Islamic State' on January 27.

Voice of America reports she complains about the treatment of some widows within ISIS, who she says are not given the support they need after their husbands 'martyr' themselves.

She wrote: 'Imagine that you've helped a sister who requested zakat (charity) two days ago, but you have ignored the sister who has been waiting a month before.

'She cries every night, concerned about how to feed her children as her husband is martyred.

'The tears that roll down her cheeks and the pain she suffers will be something you will be asked about and accountable for.'

Dissatisfaction from within ISIS is rarely voiced, presumably because of the ramifications faced by those who speak out.

The letter was posted on JustPaste.It and was spotted by Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a group that monitors online terror activity.

'Such criticism is almost never found in such a widely circulated document,' Anat Agron, a MEMRI researcher told VoA. 'In the past, IS members have publicly criticized aspects of life in the Islamic State, however, normally such posts were swiftly deleted.'

ISIS have unveiled a new training camp in the Egyptian desert as the group continues to pose a threat in the Sinai peninsula

Meanwhile, ISIS have unveiled a new jihadi training camp in the Egyptian desert as the group continues to pose a threat in the Sinai peninsula.

The images were taken at the Abu Hajr al-Masri training camp, named after a former Egyptian jihadi and is situated in the remote Sinai desert.

The small group of recruits are shown practicing with weapons and undergoing fitness training.

All of the fighters appear to be wearing the same matching black robes and beige coloured balaclavas to obscure their identity.

They are pictured handling machine guns and practicing military tactics in different formations.

Some of the fighters are shown tackling an assault course, including jumping through burning metal hoops and crawling along the ground.
CAGE representatives should be allowed to speak at Oxford providing students are exposed to a counter argument, according to a former director of public prosecutions.

Ken Macdonald, warden of Wadham College, Oxford, said a platform should be given to the organisation, which recently called British executioner Jihadi John a beautiful young man.

His sentiments echo those of Oxford vice chancellor Louise Richardson, who questioned whether extremist speakers should always be banned on campuses.

He also warned that anti-extremism law risks having a chilling effect on academic debate at universities and a deadening impact on research.

Ken Macdonald, warden of Wadham College, Oxford, warned that anti-extremism law risks having a chilling effect on academic debate at universities and a deadening impact on research

He added that while he agreed it is fair to ask universities to stop terrorists, the move could mean lecturers having to shut down discussion.

Lord Macdonald  a barrister, whose role as director of public prosecutions between 2003 and 2008 made him one of the most senior legal figures in England and Wales  spoke amid growing dissent from academics over the Prevent programme.

Many have vowed to boycott it as they view it as a repression of freedom of speech and feel they are being asked to spy on students.

He said: The Prevent duty goes far beyond [existing] constraints. It requires a university to do much more than to report a terrorist in the nest if we can possibly find one.

Read literally, it envisages a future in which people might be constrained from arguing, in a university of all places, that democracy is wrong in principle  goodbye Plato.

One is forced to contemplate a level of uncertainty that plainly risks a chilling effect on intellectual discourse and exchange, not to mention a deadening impact upon research into difficult contemporary question.

Speaking at a seminar in Oxford last week which was then reported in the Guardian, Lord Macdonald said policing of campuses could spiral out of control.

David Cameron argued in a speech in September that the new law is not about oppressing free speech or stifling academic freedom, it is about making sure that radical views and ideas are not given the oxygen they need to flourish.

Schools, universities and colleges, more than anywhere else, have a duty to protect impressionable young minds, he said.

CAGE recently described British executioner Jihadi John as a 'beautiful young man'

Last year, the governments extremism analysis unit claimed at least 70 events featuring hate speakers were held on campuses.

But Lord Macdonald disputed the reach of the new legislation and said it would be a grave mistake for universities to ban speech on campus that isnt otherwise remotely criminal.

The governments decision to pick out universities such as University College London and Kings College, London, was unfair, ignorant and philistine, according to Macdonald, after Downing Street named them as having students who had been at least partially radicalised during their time studying.

My own view is that our new vice-chancellor, Professor Louise Richardson, was absolutely right to say recently that she would not hesitate, with the provision of counter argument, to have an organisation like CAGE speaking at Oxford, Lord Macdonald said, adding: I wouldnt hesitate either.

Last year, Cameron said the National Union of Students had shamed itself for its links with CAGE, a group that says it campaigns for the victims of the war on terror.

Lord Macdonald  who lead the Crown Prosecution Service as DPP  said university leaders had a potential defence against the restrictions of last years Counter-terrorism and Security Act, thanks to explicit legal obligations to promote free speech dating back to the Thatcher era.

The public importance naturally accorded to a universitys statutory obligation to maintain freedom of speech and academic freedom would be accorded very significant weight by any court considering an application for a mandatory order under the [Counter-terrorism and Security] Act, he said.

It seems clear that an ability on the part of a university to show that it has considered the risks of a particular piece of research, and balanced those risks against the importance of free academic inquiry, will be sufficient to render its conduct compliant.

But Lord Macdonald agreed that universities have a role in tackling radicalisation among young people.

We have passed into a world where some young men and women have graduated not in history or maths, but from terror porn on the internet to the real thing in Syria and Iraq. This matters a great deal, specially when they decide, if they survive, to come home.
A 52-year-old woman has been killed and her disabled 80-year-old mother is fighting for her life in hospital after they were both stabbed 'in a suspected feud between neighbours'.

The victims were attacked on Sunday evening at a property in Bury, Greater Manchester, and were rushed to hospital.

The woman killed has now been named locally as 52-year-old Maylyn Couperthwaite while her mother has been named as 80-year-old Audrey Couperthwaite.

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The victims have now been named locally as Maylyn Couperthwaite, 52, pictured left, and her mother Audrey Couperthwaite, 80, who remains in a critical condition. Forensic teams, right, were at the scene today

The pensioner remains sedated in hospital and is unaware her daughter was killed.

Officers have launched a murder probe and a 62-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody.

It is thought the incident is linked to a six-year feud between neighbours, according to local reports.

Police have confirmed they had received a series of calls starting in 2010.

All were alleging antisocial behaviour, not violence, so they were handed to social services and Six Town, the housing association which owns the property, according to police.

One of the calls alleged that a cigarette butt had been pushed through Maylyn's letterbox. The last call came in September last year.

The street in Bury, Greater Manchester, pictured, where the double stabbing took place. The victims have now been named locally as Maylyn Couperthwaite, 52, and her mother Audrey Couperthwaite, 80, who remains in a critical condition

The mother and daughter had also been accused of spying on another resident and accused of purposefully playing loud music, according to neighbours.

They were accused of being 'the secret police', one neighbour said.

Locals say the mother and daughter were regularly seen walking their dog and both women were said to use walking frames.

One resident in the street, where mostly elderly people live, said: 'This is a friendly area and they are nice people. This is something that has come right out of the blue.'

Another added: 'They were nice people always walking their dogs. They would talk to us. They were friendly. I was in their house only last week.

'They are both disabled so they wouldn't have stood a chance. I worry about how this will affect the mother when she finds out.'

As forensic experts continued to examine the bungalow where the incident happened, one neighbour who asked not to be named said: 'I heard screaming but just thought it was kids messing about at first.

'Then I looked through the curtains and saw four or five police cars screaming into the road.'

He said he then saw police lead someone away and taken into the back of a police van.

Neighbours described hearing a scream coming from the house where the double stabbing took place.

Police have arrested a 62-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder

Detective Superintendent Sara Wallwork, of Greater Manchester Police's Serious Crime Division, said: 'One of the victims of this shocking incident has now sadly died and we have launched a full murder investigation.

'I know an incident like this can cause a lot of shock within the community but I would like to assure everybody that we have a dedicated team of detectives currently working to investigate the circumstances leading up the stabbing.

'The other victim is currently in hospital undergoing surgery and she remains in a life-threatening condition and my thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with these ladies and their loved ones as we investigate what has happened.

'We have made an arrest and currently have a man in custody but our investigation continues and I would like to urge anybody with information to please contact police.'

Supt Rick Jackson from GMP, added: 'We recognise that there will be a lot of concern around this tragedy but I would like to reassure people this is an isolated incident and an individual has even arrested.

'Enquiries are progressing and we are supporting the family through this tragic incident and we are not looking for anybody else at this time.'
Google, Facebook and Amazon could be forced to publish their revenue and taxes paid, under a new law drafted by the EU.

The proposed law, to be drawn up this year, would force every large company which operates within the EU to reveal its profits and taxes.

The European Commission is to table the legislation with the aim of making the worlds largest multinational corporations operate to full public scrutiny.

The proposed law, to be drawn up this year, would force every large company which operates within the EU to reveal its profits and taxes, including online giants Amazon, Facebook and Google (stock image)

Officials from the EU told the Guardian that the idea would be to make taxation rules apply to the worlds biggest conglomerates - including those from the US.

Eurocrats are currently finalising the impact assessment work, a source told the newspaper.

Its likely there will be some form of legislative initiative announced for the beginning of April  for public country-by-country reporting.

Another EU source said: It will likely target the large multinationals, all multinationals and not just EU ones.

The impact assessment had really swayed opinion inside the commission in favour of public reporting.

Last month, the Government was accused of agreeing a derisory 130m tax deal with Google, which has made 6bn in profit in the UK in the last ten years.

The company, and other large coporations like it, notoriously funnel their international sales via Dublin to benefit from Irelands lower tax rate.

The proposed law to be drawn up this year would force every large company, including Facebook, to reveal its profits and taxes (stock image)

David Davis, the vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on tax, said he believes that Google makes around 1.2billion a year in profit from UK sales and therefore should pay around 200million in tax.

But its tax set-up allows the business to send UK sales revenue through an Irish subsidiary and legally avoid corporation tax in Britain.

That cash is then funnelled via Holland, which offers a tax break too, and on to a holding company in Bermuda, which has a zero rate of corporation tax.

The new EU law would mean that the tax breaks received and revenue funnelled by Google in Ireland, Holland and even Bermuda could be forced to be declared.

The EUs competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, has already found Starbucks in the Netherlands and Fiat in Luxembourg culpable of tax avoidance and ordered them to pay 30m (23m) each in unpaid taxes.

Last month, she also ordered 35 multinationals in Belgium to pay 700m in dodged taxes. Similar investigations are ongoing into Apple in Ireland and Amazon in Luxembourg.

The revenue threshold for companies ordered to report their earnings and taxes publicly has not yet been agreed.

But officials said the new rules will apply only to all large global multinationals, meaning US companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook will fall under its scope.

The new draft, to be presented in April, requires the agreement of all 28 governments.
The funeral home said they are proud to be part of the local community

A photo was shared on social media and has sparked interest in the parlor

Hearses and caskets have replaced cars and fryers at a former fast food chicken restaurant.

A photo of Blackwell Funerals in South Australia was posted to Reddit on Sunday, which sparked global interest after users found out the property was a former Red Rooster restaurant.

'This old red rooster has reinvented the meaning of an express funeral parlor,' read the photo's caption, which has been viewed 2,500 times.

Two years ago Blackwell Funeral's took over the South Australia property, which used to operate as a Red Rooster restaurant

A photo of the former chicken rotisserie property was shared on social media on Sunday and sparked global interest in the property

The former chicken rotisserie and neighbor to Dominos Pizza has had a fresh paint job, signage change and added a chapel, office and reception since its conversion two years ago.

A spokesman for Blackwell Funerals told Daily Mail Australia that the location was chosen to service the communities of Southern Adelaide.

'The Aberfoyle Park location was purposely established at this location, to make services available to the families and communities of Southern Adelaide. We feel very much at home here and thank those around us for making us feel so welcome.'

The Blackwell Funeral's spokesman said the business was proud to be associated with the local bowling club, lifestyle villages, and nursing homes within the community.

A spokesman for Blackwell Funerals told Daily Mail Australia that the location was chosen to service the communities of Southern Adelaide (stock photo)

Blackwell Funerals general manager Jason Maher told said there were 'no funeral homes 'anywhere near'.

Blackwell Funerals general manager Jason Maher told the Daily Telegraph in 2012 that there were 'no funeral homes anywhere near'.

'I think the closest one to the west is probably Brighton, I think the south would be Morphett Vale,' Mr Maher said.

'There's a massive (need) that is currently not being serviced by a funeral provider.'

Mr Maher didn't believe the site was inappropriate for a funeral home.

'It's right there at the end so it's not right in the middle of that (shopping) complex.' .

The Adelaide funeral home general manager said he didn't think the site was 'innapropriate' (stock photo)




Nicole Bartley was charged with raping an inmate and planning to smuggle marijuana into the jail

A Rikers Island corrections officer has been arrested on charges of planning to smuggle marijuana to an inmate she has a sexual relationship with, according to authorities.

Nicole Bartley, 30, was charged with promoting prison contraband, as well as rape and other charges.

The rape charge stems from New York law, under which inmates cannot legally consent to sex inside the jail.

Mark Peters, the department's commissioner said: 'This case involving sex for drugs puts on full display the dangers of corruption in our City's jails and the connection between the drugs, inappropriate relationships and violence that pervade the system.'

Bartley told investigators the inmate 'played me for a fool'.

She said she let her guard down because thought she 'was falling in love' with him.

Bartley admitted to having sex with the inmate and agreeing to pick up marijuana for him, according to the Daily News.

'I was in love with him. He used me and played me for a fool. I had sex with him on one occasion in the jail a few days before January 30,' she said.

Bartley is the second corrections officer to be arrested in four days for allegedly trying to bring illegal narcotics into New York's infamous Rikers Island jail complex

She said she used a condom to have sex with him in the closet 'when everyone else was locked in'.

Bartley, who started working at the complex in 2014, was released on $1,000 bail and faces up to four years in prison for the rape charge.

Her aunt, who didn't believe the allegations, said that she believes the complaint was fabricated by an inmate or 'someone'.

Bartley is the second corrections officer to be arrested in four days for allegedly trying to bring illegal narcotics into New York's infamous Rikers Island jail complex.

More than two dozen officers and other staff members have been charged since 2014 with crimes including assault, official misconduct and smuggling at Rikers Island (pictured)

More than two dozen officers and other staff members have been charged since 2014 with crimes including assault, official misconduct and smuggling, as officials seek to address criticism that Rikers is plagued by a culture of violence and abuse.

Gunner the drug-sniffing dog alerted authorities to Bartley when she arrived to work on Saturday

Rikers, which has 10 separate jails, typically has about 10,000 inmates, most of whom are either awaiting trial or serving short sentences after conviction.

The city's Department of Investigation said a drug-sniffing dog alerted authorities to Bartley when she arrived for work at 5am on Saturday.

While Bartley did not have any drugs on her, investigators found about 70 grams of marijuana at her home that she intended to deliver to an inmate with whom she had a sexual relationship, the department said.

The same dog, named Gunner, helped authorities on Wednesday arrest another officer, Mohammed Sufian, who was found to have hidden synthetic marijuana inside his socks on his way into Rikers, authorities said.

Sufian, who had been working at the jail since October 2014, was stopped by a drug-sniffing dog at the front gate and was allegedly found with more than 60 grams of synthetic marijuana wrapped in electrical tape and hidden in his socks.

Authorities claim Sufian had been paid $500 to take in the drugs and was promised more money upon delivery.

After his arrest, investigators searched his Brooklyn home and found four more packages of synthetic marijuana, with about 126 grams, and a 32-gram package of tobacco they believe was going to be taken to the jail, authorities said.
Victorian mother Cella White has reportedly pulled her children out of a school over claims a program that promotes transgender awareness is 'brainwashing' students within the institutions

A mother has reportedly pulled her children out of a school over claims a program that promotes transgender awareness is 'brainwashing' students within the institution.

Victorian mother Cella White said her 14-year-old son was told in science class that he could wear a dress to Frankston High School, about 40 kilometres south of Melbourne, and call transgender students by their preferred pronoun, the Herald Sun reported.

The government-funded program - run by the Safe Schools Coalition since 2010 - is designed to create safe and inclusive school environments for same-sex attracted, intersex and gender diverse students.

'This isn't about safe schools, it's transgenderism and gay activism bought into the classroom,' Ms White told the publication.

The mother of four said the school's policy could see children sharing a bathroom with gender-diverse students.

'It could be a year 12 student of the opposite-born sex in the bathroom with my year 7 daughter who is blind,' Ms White said.

She also claimed that she was not the only parent who was unhappy with the school's policy.

Ms White said she wanted to warn other parents of 'what their children are being taught'.

'It's being presented as an anti-bullying program but the education department said it's a sexual diversity program,' she said.

The mother of four claims her 14-year-old son was encouraged to wear a dress to Frankston High School (pictured), about 40 kilometres south of Melbourne

A spokesperson for Minister for Education James Merlino told Daily Mail Australia the program was designed to promote inclusion, safety and understanding within the school grounds.

'Claims that the program is about brainwashing or indoctrination are just wrong,' the spokesperson said.

'Discrimination, harassment and bullying have no place in Victorian schools, and it is up to all of us to establish safe and inclusive learning environments for every one of our students.

'We are proud of the work the Safe Schools Coalition is doing to make all Victorian students feel supported.

'Labor made an election commitment to bring this important program to every Victorian government school and we are happy to honour that promise.'

Director Safe Schools Coalition Australia Sally Richardson told Daily Mail Australia the program 'works to actively support schools, across all education sectors'.

'[And] to build respectful relationships, celebrate diversity and support individual choices for the wellbeing of all young people.

'We provide schools with practical ways to foster a positive school culture where students, staff and families of all gender identities feel safe, included and valued.

'To date close to 500 schools have joined the program nationally and we look forward to seeing this number grow as we continue our work in 2016.'
Thousands of pensioners get as little as a weeks notice before their care home fees soar, a report claims.

Annual care home fees increased by an average of 900 across England in the last financial year, while fees in the East of England rose by more than 2,000, according to Citizens Advice.

An investigation of 404 care homes across England  housing 22,000 residents  revealed that almost one in ten (8 per cent) give only a weeks notice of a rise in fees.

Annual care home fees increased by an average of 900 across England in the last financial year, while fees in the East of England rose by more than 2,000, according to Citizens Advice (file image)

Care home fees are usually based on a weekly rate, and often paid monthly by direct debit. This means that after the weeks notice, residents have to start paying the higher price, which could cost them an average of 52 extra a month.

In its report, the charity says residents or their families have little alternative but to pay any rise in fees because a week does not give them enough time to establish if the increase is fair  and to negotiate with the provider if it isnt.

Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said people in care homes were at the mercy of price rises. She added: A weeks notice puts enormous pressure on care home residents or their families to pay.

It is unreasonable for vulnerable people to face such a small window to compare costs and make alternative arrangements if they cannot afford the higher fees.

Thousands of pensioners get as little as a weeks notice before their care home fees soar, a report claims (file image)

Some people are also being caught out by hidden extra care fees appearing on their bill.

Nobody can be expected to budget for extra costs that are not clearly set out by the provider.

The Citizens Advice report recommended that residents or their families should have four weeks notice at the very least, and a simpler process for people to complain about poor experiences in care homes.

[The] Competition and Markets Authority should look into whether the care home market is working well for people paying for its services, Miss Guy said.

Clearer guidance is also needed on extra care costs so those paying are not landed with shock bills.

Last year David Cameron vowed to come good on his promise to introduce a cap on care home fees  but admitted it would take longer to implement than he pledged during the election campaign.

Ministers caused outrage in September by delaying the flagship manifesto commitment to bring in a cap of 72,000 on care home costs by next April until 2020.

Experts said it may never be implemented, leaving pensioners with assets of more than 23,250 bearing the full catastrophic costs of their care indefinitely.

But the Prime Minister said in the same month he was very keen to deliver everything in the manifesto, which he called the good book.
A former Australian university student who is potentially facing the death penalty after being accused of lacing a friend's ice coffee with cyanide has refused to take part in a police reenactment.

Jessica Kumala Wongso, 27, has been charged with the premeditated murder of her friend, Wayan Mirna Salihin, who died in Olivier restaurant in Central Jakarta, Indonesia, on January 6.

On Sunday Wongso was taken by Indonesian officials to the crime scene wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, looking downcast as a sign with her name on it hung around her neck.

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Jessica Kumala Wongso (pictured) who is accused of lacing a friend's iced coffee with the deadly substance cyanide is pictured here at the scene of the crime in Jakarta, Indonesia

There was an extremely heavy police presence outside the Olivier cafe on Sunday

According to local media outlet Liputan 6, the 27-year-old was taken to the Olivier cafe and re-enacted her version of events.

This took place between 8.30am and 2.10pm on Sunday.

She then refused to take part in a second recreation so police instead found a body double to do it in her place.

There was a very heavy police presence outside the cafe in Jakarta while investigations took place inside.

Wongso could face one of three sentences if she is convicted of her friend's murder: 20 years in jail, life in prison or the death penalty.

According to local media she took part in a reenactment at the crime scene between 8.30am and 2.10pm

Wongso was pictured at the cafe in an orange prison jumpsuit (left) with a sign around her neck that had her name on it (right)

Earlier it was revealed that the AFP was asked to help in the murder case

Earlier it was revealed that the AFP was asked to help in the murder case of the former Australian university student.

The Indonesian Police has approached the Australian Federal Police for help, but Justice Minister Michael Keenan would have to sign off on any release of information, Fairfax reported.

Ms Wongso and Ms Salihin reportedly studied together at Billy Blue College of Design in Sydney and Swinburne University of Technology.

Police said Ms Wongso arrived at the cafe around an hour before her two friends and ordered three drinks, including the Vietnamese iced coffee that is believed to have killed Ms Salihin.

Jessica Kumala Wongso (pictured) has been charged with premeditated murder and could face the death penalty

Wayan Mirna Salihin died after consuming a cup of iced coffee that was laced with cyanide on January 6

Ms Wongso has participated in a re-enactment with police at the restaurant

Jakarta Commissioner Edi Hasibuan said the accused was seen on CCTV footage sliding the drink towards the young newlywed before she fell to the ground

Jakarta Commissioner Edi Hasibuan said the accused was seen on CCTV footage sliding the drink towards the young newlywed before she fell to the ground, started foaming at the mouth and convulsing.

He alleges that security footage captured her looking back and forth to see if anyone was around while she handled the coffee before the encounter, Indonesian media reported.

Mr Hasibuan said the camera's vision was obstructed when Ms Wongso placed a paper bag on the table.

Yudi Wibowo, Ms Wongso's lawyer and uncle, challenged police to released the footage to the public as he believes it will clear his niece's name but authorities declined as it is evidence in an ongoing investigation.

The Indonesian Police has approached the Australian Federal Police for help, but Justice Minister Michael Keenan (pictured) would have to sign off on any release of information

Ms Salihin took a sip and said her drink tasted bitter before dropping to the floor, convulsing and foaming at the mouth

MsSalihin had only just married her partner Arief Soemarko, who was left devastated after her death

Ms Wongso has maintained her innocence since her former study partner's death, telling reporters that she 'does not know where the cyanide came from'

He also denied that cyanide was involved in the murder and questioned an autopsy that allegedly confirmed that Ms Sahlihin had the poison in her system.

Head of the Jakarta Police forensic laboratory Brigadier General Alex Mandalika said results indicated that more than a deadly dose of cyanide was found in her stomach.

'Based on our investigation results, the concentration reached 15 grams per litre. Just imagine, 90 milligrams alone is already lethal,' he told the Jakarta Globe.

Ministerial approval is needed for international police assistance in any case where a person has been detained, arrested, charged or convicted of an offence that carries the death penalty.

Ms Wongso has maintained her innocence since her former study partner's death, telling reporters that she 'does not know where the cyanide came from'.

'I just want to help police and Mirna's family reveal who was behind all of this,' she told the Jakarta Globe.

Ms Wongso said she hopes to assist police so that they can find the person behind her friend's death

Tests found that she had been poisoned by cyanide, traces of which were found in the coffee she was drinking when she collapsed and died

Mr Soemarko is comforted as he walks in front of his new bride's coffin before her burial

The 27-year-old has been charged under Article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder, which carries a jail sentence of 20 years to life or death by firing squad.

POLICE TIMELINE The three young women agreed to meet at a coffee shop in the city on January 6. Jessica was the first to arrive and ordered a cocktail for herself and a cold Vietnamese coffee. Minutes later, Mirna and Hani arrived and Mirna proceeded to drink the coffee. 'It's awful - it's bad,' Mirna cried. Shortly afterwards she collapsed with convulsions and began to foam at the mouth. She died as she was being rushed to hospital. Advertisement

Indonesian authorities have searched Ms Kumala's home for the pants she was wearing that day to to test them for trace evidence but according to local media outlets she said her maid had discarded them.

She said she ripped the pants as she attempted to help carry Ms Sahlihin after she had fallen to the ground.

Chief Detective Krishna Murti said officers have collected about 20 witness statements, spoken to six experts and have conducted a re-enactment of the events.

He said Ms Wongso's recollection of events is 'highly inconsistent' with the information they have received.

Ms Kumala was named a suspect on Friday and arrested at a hotel at around 7am on Saturday.

Ms Kumala was named a suspect on Friday and arrested at a hotel at around 7am on Saturday

The incident happened at Olivier restaurant in Central Jakarta on January 6, 2016

Local authorities made inquires with the Australian Federal Police about the relationship between the two friends, who had studied together in Sydney and Melbourne before moving to Indonesia.

'We have contacted the Australian Federal Police because we need some information,' the head of Jakarta Police general crime division, Senior Commander Khrisna Murti, told the Jakarta Post.

According to the Jakarta Post, the pair had studied together at the Billy Blue College of Design in Sydney before moving on to the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne.

The paper said that Ms Wongso continued to work in Australia following her graduation in 2008 before finding a job in Indonesia last month.
The lawyer who represented reviled Anita Cobby killer Gary Murphy has spoken out for the first time in 30 years to deny a rumour that prevailed at the time: that she had slept with Murphy.

Ms Johnson has hit out at detractors, saying they invented the rumour to 'take out' the 'b****' who was legally defending one of nation's worst murderers.

'I was representing this person that everyone had already decided was guilty ... so I think it was good they were like, you know, lets take this b**** out,' Ms Johnson told Channel Seven.

Gary Murphy, pictured in a police mugshot, was a 29-year-old accused of one of the nation's most depraved killings when Sydney solicitor Leigh Johnson defended him during the 1987 Anita Cobby murder trial

Solicitor Leigh Johnson (pictured) has for the first time denied the 30-year-old rumour that she had a sexual liaison with her client, reviled Anita Cobby killer Gary Murphy, when she defended him at his 1987 trial

Gary Murphy, pictured with detectives in the paddock at Prospect in western Sydney where he and his brothers along with John Travers and Michael Murdoch raped and killed beauty queen Anita Cobby, from the book 'Anita Cobby - The crime that shocked the nation', New Holland publishing

Solicitor Leigh Johnson has branded the 30-year-old rumour that she slept with killer Gary Murphy (pictured, handcuffed with detectives) 'ridiculous', saying she only saw him surrounded by prison officers in jail

'And what better way to take out a woman than just go, "Well, shes a wh**e". Its a really good way and thats what people do.  Anyone with any brains would just go, "Oh how ridiculous".'

Ms Johnson was asked publicly about the rumour for the first time in a Seven Network interview by reporter Steve Parnells, to be screened tonight.

The interview is part of the program Seven News Investigates: Anita Cobby, You Thought You Knew It All.

In the 1980s, Leigh Johnson was a prominent and controversial Sydney solicitor who was hired to represent Gary Murphy, one of three depraved brothers who along with John Travers and Michael Murdoch committed the brutal 1986 murder of 26-year-old nurse, Anita Cobby.

Ms Johnson defended Gary Murphy during the men's 1987 trial for the Cobby murder. Murphy and the other defendants were already incarcerated on remand by the time Ms Johnson was engaged to be his legal counsel.

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Following the 1986 murder of nurse and beauty queen Anita Cobby (pictured), Leigh Johnson was engaged to defend one of the three brothers in the gang who killed Ms Cobby, Gary Murphy

Gary Murphy (above, left) was 28 when he murdered Anita Cobby and was considered more 'likeable' than his older brother Michael (above, right), a prison escapee, but had a 'hot temper' after drinking and smoking dope

Solicitor Leigh Johnson (above) tells Channel 7 that the rumour she slept with her killer client was unbelievable and invented to smear her name because she was representing someone involved in a horrific crime

Goulburn prison (pictured), which lies 200km south-west of Sydney, with the wings of the main prison, centre, where Anita Cobby killer Gary Murphy lives and will die behind bars

Nevertheless, at the time there was a rumour that Ms Johnson and Murphy had a sexual liaison.

She told Channel Seven the rumour was unbelievable and had been invented to smear her name because she was representing someone who had been involved in the horrific crime in which Ms Cobby was beaten, repeatedly raped and dumped in a field where her throat was cut.

Asked by Pennells about the rumour that she and Murphy slept together, Ms Johnson replied: 'Interesting rumour given that the only way I ever saw Gary was surrounded by prison guards and across a six foot table.

Cruelly slain: Anita Cobby (above) was just 26 when she was raped, murdered and almost decapitated in a field in western Sydney

'I was representing this person that everyone had already decided was guilty but nobody cared really what they had to say.

'It just amazes me people love to believe s*** and not let facts get in the way of a great dirty story.'

At the time of the trial, Murphy was being held at Parklea prison in western Sydney, and was brought into Long Bay Correctional Centre's Reception and Induction wing while attending the trial at the NSW Supreme Court at Darlinghurst.

Aged 28 at the time of Ms Cobby's murder, Gary Murphy was accused along with his older brother, prison escapee Michael Muprhy, 33, and younger brother, Les Murphy, then 22.

One of nine siblings who grew up in the Blacktown area of western Sydney, Gary Murphy was a car thief who had left school early.

Some reports described him as 'likeable' and said that he 'treated women well'. But he was also known for 'having a hot temper' and getting into fights after drinking and smoking cannabis.

Gary Murphy, along with brother Michael Murphy, John Travers and Michael Murdoch are considered 'never to be released' life sentence inmates and will die in prison. Gary Murphy lives in the main section of Goulburn prison, south-west of Sydney.
Mr Cameron, pictured today on a visit to HMP Onley, plans to warn the Jungle camp would move to Kent if Britain quits the EU

Downing Street today stood by a claim the Calais Jungle camp could reappear in Kent 'overnight' if Britain leaves the EU despite a fierce backlash claiming David Cameron was 'scaremongering'.

The Prime Minister's spokeswoman said there would be 'no guarantee' agreements with France that effectively place the British border in Calais would survive the UK leaving the EU.

And Mr Cameron today claimed there were many French politicians who would 'love' to tear up the deal with Britain - suggesting at a press conference a Brexit could be the excuse they need.

But the Prime Minister's claims were immediately attacked by senior Tories, including former Cabinet minister Liam Fox who pointed to a quote from the French government last year ruling out the idea that it would ever tear up the agreement.

Dr Fox added that he was 'sad and disappointed' at Mr Cameron's claims while David Davis said it was 'desperate scaremongering'.

This afternoon the Prime Minister stood by his claims, saying: 'If we stay in a reformed EU, you know what you get - a border in Calais and vital information about criminals and terrorists running around Europe.'

And his spokesman said leaving the EU could see 'thousands' of people rushing to the south of England.

'The point here is about a huge number of people coming to the UK effectively overnight to claim asylum,' the spokesman said.

'So you're literally having thousands of people coming to the UK overnight to claim asylum in Folkestone or other entry points on the south coast.'

The spokesman continued: 'We have that relationship (with France), partly because we're both partners within the EU.

'Should we leave the EU there is no guarantee that we could see those controls continue.'

'The people in the camp would effectively move overnight to the south of England that would be a concern in terms of what could happen if we left the EU.'

Ukip leader Nigel Farage blasted the PM, saying he was trying to distract voters from his 'pathetic EU deal'.

And Tory MP Andrew Bridgen told MailOnline the report was a signal of panic from Mr Cameron's team following the chilly reception to his draft deal, unveiled last week and due to be finalised at an EU summit beginning in just 10 days time.

The claims made by Cameron, pictured visiting a prison in Rugby today, were rubbished by senior Tory figures, including the ex-Cabinet minister Liam Fox, who said he was 'disappointed' by the PM's comments

The Prime Minister, pictured today talking to inmates training as barristers at HMP Onley in Rugby, faced claims he was 'scaremongering' over the suggestion that 'thousands' of migrants could come to the UK overnight if Britain leaves the EU

Dr Fox pointed to comments made by Bernard Cazeneuve, the French Interior Minister, who rubbished suggestions the border with Britain could be opened.

'Calling for the border with the English to be opened is not a responsible solution,' Mr Cazeneuve said.

'It would send a signal to people smugglers and would lead migrants to flow to Calais in far greater numbers.

'A humanitarian disaster would ensue. It is a foolhardy path, and one the government will not pursue.

'On the contrary, were going to make the border even more watertight to dissuade smugglers and migrants, respect international rules and reduce the pressure on Calais.'

Ukip leader Nigel Farage hit out at the claims from the Prime Minister, insisting it would be nothing more than a distraction from his 'disastrous, shambolic, pathetic deal'

Senior Tory MP Sarah Wollaston warned the In campaign should not use 'alarmist' rhetoric to scare people into backing Britain's EU membership

Liam Fox, the former Conservative Defence Secretary, said he was disappointed to see Mr Cameron launch was he described as 'scaremongering'

The former Tory leadership candidate said Mr Cameron knew the bilateral agreement with France had 'nothing to do with' Britain's EU membership

London Mayor Boris Johnson questioned whether Mr Cameron's renegotiation 'genuinely achieved any reform' and warned he should have 'tried harder' to secure Britain's borders.

Mr Cameron's claim, the plan for which was reported in yesterday's Daily Telegraph, sparked an immediate backlash.

Dr Fox said: 'Sad and disappointed to see our Prime Minister stoop to this level of scaremongering.

'Especially as he knows the #Calais agreement is nothing to do with the EU and agreed between the two govts.'

The former defence secretary later claimed the angry row was a 'red herring' because the deal was a bilateral one between Britain and France.

Mr Farage said: 'Le Touquet Treaty is a bilateral deal, nothing to do with the EU & of course international co-operation would continue once we leave the EU.

'David Cameron is doing anything he can to distract the British people from his disastrous, shambolic, pathetic EU deal.

'Once again we see the pro-EU establishment adopting fear and scaremongering tactics. I believe in Britain - we will thrive outside EU!'

More than 7,000 people are now camped out in Northern France, pictured last week, waiting for a way to reach Britain

Mr Bridgen said: 'The Prime Minister of an independent Britain would have the ability to prevent the jungle moving to Kent if he had the will to do so.

'I think it's a bit desperate really.

'It's project fear - given the failure of the Prime Minister's renegotiation to impress the British people, it would appear project fear is revving up.'

THE BRITISH BORDER IN FRANCE: WHAT IS THE DEAL KEEPING THE JUNGLE IN CALAIS? Britain and France signed the Le Touquet treaty in 2003 amid tensions over the number of people in camps at Calais. The deal was the latest in a series that allowed Britain to carry out border checks on the French side of the Channel - meaning papers were checked there and vehicles inspected. British officials are based on the French side of the channel and cooperation around the eurotunnel terminal was stepped up last summer as the numbers trying to break into the tunnel grew. Scrapping the deal could see British border checks brought back to the English side of the Channel - potentially allowing people to reach the Kent shore to set up camp while awaiting processing. There are currently around 7,000 people at the camps, pictured above last week, with 'roads' handed British-styled names such as Queen Elizabeth II Street. Advertisement

David Davis, who launched a bid to be the Out campaign figurehead last week, said: 'As the argument slips away from the Remain campaign they are forced to rely on desperate scaremongering.

'We already have a process where air carriers transporting passengers with no visa are fined as well as being responsible for returning people they have flown to the country illegally. There is no reason why the same policy would not work for trains and ferries.

'And we should spend a small fraction of the savings from our current EU budget contributions on enhancing our border controls and ensuring that they operate effectively.

'It is the failed EU immigration policy that has created the 'Jungle' camp near Calais. The idea that leaving the EU would give us less control of our borders is simply preposterous.'

Senior Tory MP Sarah Wollaston tweeted: 'It is simply not credible to claim that EU cooperation on security issues would end in the event of #Brexit.

'Ratcheting up the alarmist rhetoric on security by project fear 'in' campaign will backfire; people don't like to be be taken for fools.'

Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliott said: 'UK border controls are in France because of a bilateral treaty, not because of our EU membership, and a result of the camps in Calais, not the cause of them.

'Clearly, No 10 is in a blind panic over the failing renegotiation.'

Britain and France agreed in 2003 that border checks would all be done on the French side of the Channel.

There are currently around 7,000 migrants camped in Calais and Dunkirk, many of whom make regular attempts to get into the Channel Tunnel or board a ferry.

Ending the agreement would mean cars and lorries would not be checked for migrants until they reach the British side of the Channel.

The Prime Minister was defended by Tory MP Damian Collins after it was reported Mr Cameron would warn of the risk Calais migrants would move to Britain if the UK quits the EU

London Mayor Boris Johnson, left, has questioned what Mr Cameron's deal is worth while Tory MP Liam Fox, right, will argue this week that staying in the EU is a risk to Britain's national security

Damian Collins, the Tory MP for Folkestone and Kent, today said the Prime Minister would be 'right' to make the the warning.

Revealing the planned tactic, a source told the Telegraph: 'We will be telling people, look, if we leave the EU, the Jungle camp in Calais will move to Folkestone.

'That is not something people want.'

The source added that France would 'love to pull out' of the 2003 Le Touquet treaty which allows the UK border controls in France.

Mr Johnson raised Tory tensions over Mr Cameron's draft deal yesterday by questioning what the Prime Minister had secured from Brussels.

And in his regular Daily Telegraph column the mayor warned: 'In deciding how to vote I (and I expect a few others) will want to know whether we have genuinely achieved any reform, and whether there is the prospect of any more.'

Mr Johnson was critical the deal would allow centralisation of tax and budget powers within the Eurozone.

Mr Johnson raised Tory tensions over Mr Cameron's draft deal yesterday by questioning what the Prime Minister had secured from Brussels

On sovereignty - thought to be Mr Johnson's key demand - he said it appeared Mr Cameron had 'done better than many expected' but questioned whether it was a 'bazooka or popgun'.

And on borders, the Mayor blasted: 'Why didn't we try harder to recapture control of our borders, rather than stick at this minor (if worthwhile) change to the law on benefits?'

Elsewhere, Tory MP Liam Fox will argue this week that staying in the EU is a risk to Britain's national security because of open-door migration.

The ex-defence secretary will warn that millions of migrants will be able to come to the UK over the next four years  possibly including terrorists.

He will highlight that many of the more than 1million who have entered Europe during the migrant crisis may be given passports by their host countries in the coming years.

Once they have citizenship, they will be free to move around the EU.

His speech represents a move by Brexit campaigners to hammer home the national security case for leaving.

Dr Fox will say 'remaining in the EU with no control of migration is a threat to national security'.

He will make his speech at a conference of Eurosceptics organised by MEP David Campbell Bannerman, co-chairman of Conservatives for Britain.

Boris Johnson accuses David Cameron of 'not trying hard enough' to regain control of Britain's borders

Boris Johnson today accused David Cameron of not trying hard enough to regain control of Britain's borders as speculation intensifies over which side of the EU campaign he will join.

The Prime Minister hailed proposals for an 'emergency brake' on EU migrants' access to benefits as 'substantial change' when he unveiled his draft deal for Britain to remain in the EU last week.

But the Mayor of London dismissed the changes as a 'minor' tweak to benefit rules.

And he complained that the Government had accepted that freedom of movement was 'an age-old inviolable principle of the EU'.

The Mayor of London said he would like to remain in the EU but insisted he would 'wait until you see the whites of their eyes' before making his decision.

'This is not quite so,' he wrote in his Daily Telegraph column. 'Until recently it only applied to 'workers' rather than all EU citizens.

'Why didn't we try harder to recapture control of our borders, rather than stick at this minor (if worthwhile) change to the law on benefits?

'There may be a good explanation, but we need to hear it.'

Mr Johnson piled pressure on Cameron by adding:' Let's hope for some answers in the next fortnight.'

But Downing Street responded to his comments by insisting Cameron had put a 'vast amount of time and effort' in securing concessions on migration and welfare.

JAMES SLACK'S ANALYSIS: The reasons the Jungle WON'T come to the UK

David Cameron claims that if Britain quits the EU, Jungle-style migrant camps will spring up in the South East. JAMES SLACK looks at why critics say he is scaremongering.

The Calais border deal has nothing to do with the EU

The Prime Minister claimed that France could tear up the deal under which British border officials are allowed to operate on French soil. In fact, the arrangement is based on bilateral treaties, signed in 1993 and 2003, which have nothing to do with the EU. France could end the agreement tomorrow  or keep it in place for decades  regardless of our EU membership. France is required to give two years notice to change the rules  giving the lie to No 10s claims that thousands could be here almost overnight.

It is not in Frances interests to have a borders free-for-all

If migrants believe there will be fewer border checks at Calais, even more are likely to make the journey across France to Calais  bringing further chaos to the port. French railway company SNCF has a 55 per cent stake in Eurostar and will be desperate to avoid making a bad situation worse. The UK has also given France around 20million to boost security at Calais, including erecting giant new fences. Ending the agreement with the UK would mean turning off the funding taps.

If migrants believe there will be fewer border checks at Calais, even more are likely to make the journey across France to Calais  bringing further chaos to the port

The current deal benefits both sides  not just Britain

In October, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said calling for the border with the English to be opened would send a signal to people-smugglers and would lead migrants to flow to Calais in far greater numbers. A humanitarian disaster would ensue. It is a foolhardy path, and one the government will not pursue. Also, under existing treaties the French are allowed to have border controls at Dover. If they wave everybody through into Britain, they could expect the UK to reciprocate. France already has a huge terrorism problem. Would it really wish to gamble on who was entering from the UK side?

Britain has other ways of policing its borders

Mr Cameron gives the impression it is the juxtaposed controls or nothing. In fact, we have a series of existing powers to allow us to turn away people with no permission to enter the UK.

The idea that camps would spring up on English soil is nonsense
Court also told he kept a full-length naked poster of himself in wardrobe

One of Australia's leading criminologists is on trial accused of playing a game of naked hide and seek with a young girl and touching her with his penis.

Paul Wilson, 74, the former head of criminology at the Gold Coast's Bond University, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexually abusing the girl aged under 12.

The court heard the molestation claims refer to alleged incidents at his Brisbane home which occurred more than 40 years ago.

Criminologist Paul Wilson leaves court in Brisbane on Monday where he faces four counts of indecent treatment of a girl under the age of 12 in the mid-1970s

The court also heard that Mr Wilson kept a full-length naked poster of himself in his wardrobe.

The ABC reported that among the claims, prosecutors will allege Mr Wilson had her stroke his genitals and that he placed his penis on the girl.

On Monday he pleaded not guilty in the Brisbane District Court to four counts of indecently treating a girl under the age of 12 between March 1973 and November 1976.

The jury was told the published academic, now in his mid-70s, met his alleged victim while she played with his daughter.

Among the allegations heard were he invited her to his upstairs bedroom and showed her a full-length poster of himself naked pinned to the back of a wardrobe door.

Defence lawyer Peter Davis said Mr Wilson refutes the allegations, according to the ABC.

'He categorically denies he acted inappropriately,' he told the court.
Chipotle repeatedly told employees they need to stay home if they feel sick and the restaurant chain kept all its U.S. locations shuttered early Monday as executives went over new food safety procedures.

The presentation for workers, which comes after Chipotle has been slammed by a series of food scares, was broadcast live at hundreds of theaters and hotel conference rooms around the country.

Co-CEO Monty Moran noted that two of the four incidents had been the result of norovirus, which is typically caused by sick workers.

'If you're feeling sick, especially if you've vomited, whether at work or at home, you need to let your manager or your field leader know right away,' Moran said in a broadcast from a restaurant in Denver.

Steve Ells, founder, co-CEO, and chairman of Chipotle Mexican Grill, appears via video conference at a New York movie theater as he speaks from Denver to employees nationwide on Monday

Chipotle co-CEO Monty Moran (pictured) said: 'If you're feeling sick, especially if you've vomited, whether at work or at home, you need to let your manager or your field leader know right away'

Chipotle employee Kevin Ortiz, center, arrives at a New York movie theater to listen to a video conference for the fast food chain on Monday

With an estimated 50,000 employees in attendance to view the presentation that lasted more than an hour, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. postponed opening its restaurants for four hours Monday, to 3 p.m. local time.

As a peace offering to inconvenienced customers, Chipotle said it was offering free burritos to people who text in a code to the company. Moran urged employees to be 'incredibly hospitable' to customers as the company pushes to win back business.

'We need you to be your very best,' he said.

Chipotle is trying to bounce back from plunging sales since an E. coli outbreak came to light in late October, and a separate norovirus incident in December. The declines have persisted, with January sales down 36 percent at restaurants open at least 13 months.

To work through the crisis, Chipotle has hired Rubenstein Public Relations, which helped organize the national worker meeting. The Denver company said employees watched the presentation at more than 400 locations around the country.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. postponed opening its restaurants for four hours Monday, to 3 p.m. local time

In New York City, employees filed into two theaters inside Regal Cinemas in Union Square. Many had orange pieces of paper on which they had been told to take notes, though that proved difficult in rooms darkened during the presentation. Employees, who were paid for attending, said they were told to come wearing their uniforms.

In a short video, employees were told to watch for symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, explosive diarrhea, yellowing of the skin and eyes and dark urine.

'When anyone vomits in the back of the house or the front line, this is a red event, which means we close the restaurant immediately,' said Gretchen Selfridge, a Chipotle restaurant support officer.

Executives also covered procedural changes that ranged from handwashing rules and the marinating of meat, to centralized locations where tomatoes and lettuce are chopped. During a brief question-and-answer period in which Chipotle selected screened questions, one employee asked whether the company planned to start chopping vegetables in restaurants again.

When the question appeared onscreen, employees in New York City groaned. One said upon leaving that cutting vegetables in stores is hard work.

How long it takes Chipotle to bounce back remains to be seen.

A sign on the door of a Chipotle restaurant indicates the store is closed until 3 p.m. Monday in Florida

Other companies hit by food scares have taken about a year or more to recover, Chipotle executives note, though they acknowledge that their situation may differ because it involved more than one incident, and they received intense exposure in both social and mass media.

In the meantime, Chipotle has said it does not plan to slow down its rate of new store openings. Chipotle already has more than 2,000 locations, primarily in the U.S.

It tweeted Monday: 'We'll be live-tweeting our national employee meeting today to discuss recent and future food safety. And we'll be on #Periscope at 12pm EST.'

Workers getting paid sick leave is part of the company's overhaul, according to CNN Money.

CNN reported that in 2015, approximately 500 people became ill.

Chipotle is also facing a federal criminal investigation.

Now the company is plotting a comeback, with its largest marketing campaign yet to start this week.

Chipotle says on its website customers can get a free burrito if they text "RAINCHECK" to 888-222.

'If we messed up your lunch plans today, follow the steps and we'll hook you up,' it says.

The offer is valid from 11am to 6pm EST Monday and a coupon for the burrito should be sent within 10 days, according to the company.

Four other chains - Freshii, On the Border, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Taco Bell - are offering promotions during the time Chipotle is closed,Time Money reported.

Now Chipotle is plotting a comeback, with its largest marketing campaign yet to start this week

Moe's, according to Time Money, said: 'Not only is Moe's Southwest Grill open on February 8, we're also offering a Buy One, Get One deal so you and your friend or colleague can enjoy the best rebound burrito on the market  complete with all the free chips and salsa you can pack in.'

On Monday, Moe's tweeted a Vine video of someone dressed as a burrito working out.

The company wrote: 'Today's gonna be crazy, but we've prepared like a champ. #WelcomeToMoes.'

Taco Bell stores meanwhile began selling its 'Quesalupa,' which was advertised during the Super Bowl. The product was previously part of a blind pre-order campaign, Time Money noted.

Freshii announced January 22: 'To help American consumers through these dark hours, healthy fast-casual food leader Freshii is offering a fiesta of half-priced Mexican-inspired menu items all day Monday.

'Freshii will discount all Mexican fare at its 200 participating locations in 80-plus cities in 15 countries.'

On the Border tweeted Monday: 'TODAY ONLY! $5 Border Bowls & #Burrito Boxes! #CHIPSnSALSA included.'
The Chancellor of Austria has called for all migrants and refugees trying to reach Europe to be sent back to Turkey.

Chancellor Werner Faymann said border police should save everyone trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach the EU, but then immediately deport them.

He added that Austria will extend its border controls if Turkey does not take back refugees picked on their way to Greece and returned.

Return policy: Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said border police should send all refugees and migrants trying to enter the EU back to Turkey as this is the only measure that would make enough of an impact

Faymann, the leader of Austria's Social Democratic Party, said in an interview that sending back migrants and refugees to Turkey is the only measure that would make a radical enough impact.

'Frontex [the EU's border agency] must pick up the people fleeing to Greece. We have to save all of them, but then these people should be sent directly to Turkey,' Social Democrat Faymann said.

The left-wing leader said this approach was 'the only totally effective measure to break the human trafficking' of migrants, The Local reports.

Austria is set to introduce a new border management system at Spielfeld, a key crossing point on its south-eastern border with Slovenia, which aims at speeding up applications and making the country less attractive to asylum seekers.

More such border management facilities on other routes may be needed if Turkey does not respond to his proposal, the chancellor was quoted as saying.

Faymann said Turkey must make a decision by February 18, when EU leaders meet for a summit.

Arrivals: Refugees and migrants such as this group, who arrived aboard the passenger ferry at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece, on Sunday, would be forced to return

It would not be a solution if Turkish border controls led to 10,000 refugees arriving at EU borders instead of 20,000, Faymann was quoted as saying in the interview.

'Then we must secure our borders even more,' Faymann said. 'To protect internal borders is a makeshift solution. But we have to be prepared.'

Faymann's comments comes just months after he fiercely criticised Hungary's managing of the refugee crisis, comparing their methods to the Nazi persecution of Jews during the Holocaust.

During an interview in September, Faymann suggested that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's treatment of the refugees was similar to the deportation of Jews to Nazi death camps.

'Sticking refugees in trains and sending them somewhere completely different to where they think they're going reminds us of the darkest chapter of our continent's history,' he said, making a thinly-veiled allusion to the way thousands of Hungarian Jews were transported to Auschwitz in 1944.

Austria, which has a population of 8.4 million and last year received 90,000 applications for asylum, has said that the number of refugees it will accept this year will be limited to 37,500.

Ankara and Brussels agreed to slow down the flow of migrants in a deal reached late November last year, but refugees continue to stream into Greece.

More than one million people arrived in Europe last year, fleeing war and failing states in the Middle East and Africa.

Harsh measure: Faymann said EU border police should save everyone trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Greece, but then immediately deport them back to Turkey

Earlier today, reports came of at least 11 people drowning when when their boat sank in the Aegean while they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, local media said.

The migrants had set off from the district of Dikili in western port city of Izmir in an apparent bid to reach the Greek island of Lesbos, Dogan news agency said.

The Turkish coastguard rescued three migrants.

Turkey, which is hosting at least 2.5 million refugees from Syria's civil war, has become the main launchpad for migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty to Europe.

The deaths came as German Chancellor Angela Merkel has met Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu for more talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe.

Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Ms Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow. Germany saw an unprecedented 1.1 million asylum seekers arrive last year, many of them fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In her weekly video message on Saturday, Ms Merkel said European Union countries agree that the bloc needs to protect its external borders better, and that is why she is seeking a solution with Turkey. She added that, if Europe wants to prevent smuggling, "we must be prepared to take in quotas of refugees legally and bear our part of the task".
Police said there was no reason to suggest he was targeted individually'

Police are hunting for two armed robbers after a wealthy businessman was shot in the leg during a bungled raid on his 2milllion home.

Timothy Mardon was left with life-changing injuries after intruders forced their way into his Grade II-listed home in the Essex village of Sible Hedingham on Saturday morning.

The insurance executive, believed to be a father-of-two, locked himself in his bedroom at the Georgian mansion after being woken up by the robbers.

Police are hunting for two armed robbers after millionaire insurance tycoon Timothy Mardon (pictured with his wife Sarah) was shot in the leg during a bungled raid on his 2milllion home

But he was left needing urgent surgery for a gunshot wound after the two men, both in their 20s, fired the weapon through the closed door.

The two men then fled the property and are still at large.

Police are treating the incident as an aggravated burglary although nothing was believed to have been taken in the raid.

Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings, from Essex police, said there was 'no reason to suggest that he was targeted individually'.

'We do believe at this moment that it was a theft-related motive,' he said.

Mr Mardon, who has worked in the insurance industry for 22 years, is a division president at Ace Tempest Re in Bermuda, where he and his wife Sarah spend most their time.

Police are hunting for two armed robbers after a wealthy businessman was shot in the leg during a bungled raid on his 2milllion home (pictured)

Timothy Mardon was left with life-changing injuries following the incident at his Grade II-listed home (pictured) in Sible Hedingham, Essex, on Saturday morning

Ms Mardon is the chairman of The Eliza DoLittle Society, a not-for-profit organisation which aims to provide help to the island's poor.

Documents show Mr Mardon bought the house in 2006 for 1.8m from Gary Mulgrew, one of the millionaire British bankers who became known as the 'NatWest Three'.

Mr Mulgrew was jailed in the US in 2008 following a high-profile extradition bid after being falsely accused of helping destroy US energy company Enron. He eventually pleaded guilty only to defrauding his employer NatWest.

The village's parish council chairman Ron Volkwyn, who has lived in Sible Hedingham for more than 30 years, said the attack was a 'shock' and 'extremely unusual'.

Mr Mardon, believed to be a father-of-two in his 40s, had locked himself in his bedroom as the two intruders forced their way into the Georgian mansion. Pictured: Police at the scene

A forensics team was sent to the scene and police have also carried out house to house inquiries

The robbery took place in the Essex village of Sible Hedingham. The suspects are both white men in their 20s of slim build and were wearing dark clothing and one of them is described as bald

'It really is bad news... it's shock and sadness for the victim,' he said. 'Nobody seems to know who lives there - you never see them.'

Neighbour Penny Miragliotta echoed Mr Volkwyn's sentiments and said she was woken up by her dog who started barking as police arrived.

Documents show Mr Mardon bought the house in 2006 for 1.8m from Gary Mulgrew, one of the millionaire British bankers who became known as the 'NatWest Three'

'I saw three or four police cars at least and they were having to climb over the walls because they could not get through the gates,' she said.

One neighbour told The Times: 'The couple, Tim and Sarah, spend most of their time in the Caribbean. They're only really here for a couple of weeks at Christmas, and some other times. The whole thing seems odd.'

Yesterday, a forensics team were at the scene while police were carrying out house to house inquiries.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Mark Cadd added: 'Two men forced entry to the house in the early of hours of the morning and threatened the householder, a man in his 40s.

'He locked himself in a bedroom and it is believed a gun was then fired through the door injuring him.

'The two men have then fled from the property and at this time it is not believed that anything has been taken.'

The suspects are both white men in their 20s of slim build and were wearing dark clothing and one of them is described as bald.

Mr Cadd added: 'This was an extremely distressing incident for the victim and he has suffered life-changing injuries which have left him in great pain.

'I urgently need to find the men responsible and I would appeal for anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour in Sible Hedingham, either before or after the burglary, to call me at Essex Police on 101.
was aimed at promoting tourism at the historical attraction

An ad shown during the Super Bowl to promote tourism at Colonial Williamsburg has provoked outrage after using footage of the 9/11 attacks.

The commercial was shown across some areas of the U.S. including New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. and was produced by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

The minute-long promo for the 'living museum' showed some of the defining moments in American history in reverse such as the first flight, missions to space, suffragettes and even the inauguration of President of Barack Obama.

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An ad to promote tourism at Colonial Williamsburg shown during the Super Bowl has provoked outrage after showing a clip of the 9/11 attacks

It shows in the reverse, one of the towers collapsing to the ground, in the attack in Manhattan which killed almost 3,000 in 2001

The voice-over, narrated by NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, asks where the American spirit first started to take shape, and answers that it was in Colonial Williamsburg

The voice-over, narrated by NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, asks where the American spirit first started to take shape, and answers that it was in Colonial Williamsburg.

However, one of the moments used in the ad, showed one of the towers of the World Trade Center after it was hit by a plane.

It then shows in the reverse, one of the towers then collapsing to the ground, in the attack which killed almost 3,000.

It came as the voice-over states: 'When you reflect upon our sacrifices, our breakthroughs and yes, our heartbreaks, how is it possible that an entire country came to believe anything is possible.'

Viewers, including SNL star Taran Killam, took to Twitter to slam the ad saying that showing the 9/11 footage in the promo was in bad taste

But after the commercial was broadcast during the Super Bowl coverage, viewers flocked to social media branding the ad as 'shocking'.

Saturday Night Live star Taran Killam wrote: 'Did Colonial Williamsberg just show 9/11 footage in reverse? Seems a bit unearned.' (sic)

Matt Binder tweeted: 'Major superbowl commercial fail by Colonial Williamsburg. 9/11 shouldn't be used to sell anything but war.'

Michele Weisman said: 'Wow did that Colonial Williamsburg ad just show the twin towers go back up? #whatwereyouthinking #notcool'

Bob McKee wrote: 'I have never been to Colonial Williamsburg and thanks to their #superbowl50 I never will. Sept 11 should not be used to sell anything.'

While Costa Costidis added: 'Yea the terrible quality of both offenses is shocking, but not nearly as shocking as Colonial Williamsburg putting 9/11 footage in an ad.'

However, despite the the outrage, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation stood by their ad.

In a statement the Foundation's spokesman Joe Straw said: 'We understand and respect that some of the images in the ad are jarring

'However, the small data point of people who objected to some of the imagery in the ad does not represent the total viewership. Not even close.'
This is the dramatic moment a wildlife expert was forced to fight for his life and used a pair of binoculars to defend himself after a large male leopard went on a rampage in a school in India.

Wildlife expert Sanjay Gubbi was one of six people who was mauled by the leopard as he attempted to capture the rogue animal during its ten-hour rampage.

The shocking incident took place in the Vibgyor International school in Kundalahalli in the Indian city of Bangalore, according to the News Minute.

The leopard was eventually tranquilised, 10 hours after the big cat rampaged through the school, attacking several people including a scientist and a forestry employee.

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He only survived after he used a pair of binoculars to beat back the big cat and prevent further injury

Wildlife expert Sanjay Gubbi fought off the leopard after the big cat attacked him as he tried to escape

With blood dripping from his injured arm, Wildlife conservationist Sanjay Gubbi runs for his life

Photos have emerged of the moment Mr Gubbi grappled with the leopard, desperately attempting to wrestle the big cat, close to the school's swimming pool.

He can be seen struggling as the beautiful leopard overpowers him and sinks its claws and teeth into the side of his arm and shoulder.

CCTV footage shows the early moments when the leopard, believed to be an eight-year-old male, walked onto the school's premises early yesterday morning.

Witnesses described how the leopard seemed to panic as it ran through the school, jumping on anyone who got in the way.

The lion bites into the upper arm of Mr Gubbi as he tries to free himself from the aggressive big cat

The leopard charges towards a crowd of young men, who desperately try to run for their lives

Mr Gubbi uses his binoculars to fight off their lion as it claws at his right arm and shoulder

Forestry officials run towards the leopard in a desperate bid to try and halt its devastating rampage

The leopard attacks Sanjay Gubbi near the swimming pool despite a man armed with a tranquiliser gun waiting in the wings

The leopard pads away from the scene, leaving behind a large trail of blood. Witnesses described how the big cat jumped on people and tore at their bodies with its claws and teeth

The leopard is believed to be an adult male, aged around eight-years-old. Local media revealed that the leopard may have entered the school from a nearby forestry area

Several other people injured by the leopard have now been named including forest department employee Benny Maurius.

Local reports described how Mr Gubbi, a wildlife expert, tried to evade the leopard by climbing up a wall but was pulled down by the leopard.

He only survived after he used a pair of binoculars to beat back the big cat and prevent further injury.

It is also thought that a television channel cameraman and presenter were also caught up in the incident and injured.

Officials took time to put up nets were only able to capture the leopard ten hours after it first entered the school

Desperate to capture the fugitive leopard, large nets were laid out in several of the school rooms

India has a considerable leopard population, according to a recent wildlife census, which estimates it currently stands at 12,000 to 14,000 leopards

Environment officials brought a large metal cage to the school in preparation for the eventual capture of the eight-year-old leopard

Several men managed to trap the leopard in a large net while it was hiding up a ladder. After a ten hour ordeal, the leopard was tranquilised and removed to safety

The leopard was eventually captured after it was cornered and tranquilised by several veterinary staff.

'It was a long struggle to capture the leopard. Although it was injected with tranquilisers it could be captured only around 20.15 local time when the medication took full effect,' said senior police official S Boralingaiah.

India has a considerable leopard population, according to a recent wildlife census, which estimates it currently stands at 12,000 to 14,000 leopards.

The school's CCTV footage shows the leopard prowling through the corridors of the school in Bangalore
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This is the incredible moment a huge wave engulfed an entire Cornish cliff face as Storm Imogen lashed Britain with hurricane-force winds today.

Dramatic photos show giant waves lashing the coast of Sennen, near Land's End, as experts warned conditions at sea reached 'phenomenal' states.

Waves measuring up to 63ft were recorded off the Cornish coast at St Ives, while a height of 44.2ft was observed off the coast of the Isles of Scilly.

It came as Britain's ninth named storm battered the south of England, leaving the transport network in chaos and around 13,000 homes without power.

Schools had to be closed, major roads and bridges shut and ferry services cancelled as winds of up to 100mph battered the coast of Britain.

Scroll down for video and forecast

Looming: Huge waves crash over the cliffs at Sennen near Land's End in Cornwall as Storm Imogen batters large swathes of the country

Swell: Massive waves crash over the cliffs at Sennen near Land's End in Cornwall today as experts said sea conditions were 'phenomenal'

Making an impact: Storm Imogen brought huge waves to the coast of Cornwall today including at Sennen where they engulfed the hillside

Battering the coasts: Large waves crashed against the rocks at Porthcawl in Wales today as wind speeds reached up to 100mph in parts

Dover: A DFDS ferry is seen making her way through the choppy waters off the Kent coast today as Storm Imogen crashes into Britain

Newhaven: Waves crash over a lighthouse on the south coast of England in West Sussex as the latest storm hits the country

Dover: A DFDS Ferry is battered by waves as she arrives at the Port of Dover in Kent as Storm Imogen sweeps across Britain

Oh dear: A driver ignores the road closure signs and gets stuck in deep floodwater from the River Avon in Fladbury, Worcestershire

Murky waters: There was widespread flooding at Crooklets Beach in Bude, Cornwall, today as rivers in the area topped their banks

Spilling over: Floodwater engulfed a field near Crooklets Beach in Bude, Cornwall, today as Storm Imogen brought further wind and rain

Incredibly high: Huge waves were seen drenching the coast of Porthleven in Cornwall today as waves reached up to 63ft in nearby St Ives

Unusually empty: The QEII Bridge at the Dartford Crossing in Dartford, Kent, was closed for much of today due to the hurricane-force winds

The storm also left a number of people needing hospital treatment including two children who were injured when a wall fell on them in Worcestershire, and an elderly man who suffered a double leg fracture when a 5ft flint wall landed on him and his dog in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.

An RSPCA inspector also remains missing tonight after trying to rescue dozens of stricken sea birds at a beach near Penzance in Cornwall at the height of the storm. His family fear he may have been swept out to sea as winds topped 100mph across exposed parts of the UK.

It comes as more than 13,500 homes were left without power across the South West and South Wales due to the extreme weather conditions.

Western Power Distribution said engineers worked to reconnect many of the homes but more than 5,000 properties are still affected in Cornwall.

A further 2,500 are without power in Devon and 1,000 in Gloucestershire.

The storm has caused major disruption to southern England, including to rail commuters who faced rush-hour chaos as they tried to make their way home this evening amid a barrage of cancellations and delays.

Trains in and out of London were disrupted due to the hurricane-force winds, while routes to Brighton, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth, Southampton, Gloucester and Cardiff were also affected.

While many services were outright cancelled, speed restrictions were also imposed on the remaining routes at various times due to the high winds.

Affected networks include Arriva Trains Wales, Great Western Railway, Southern, South West Trains, Gatwick Express, Southeastern and Thameslink.

Gatwick Airport also warned flights may be disrupted.

Feeling the force of Storm Imogen: Robert Braddick feels the effects of the hurricane-force winds at Westward Ho! in North Devon today

Making a splash: Waves lash the seafront at Westward Ho! as Storm Imogen whips the sea into frenzy across much of southern England

Preparing for take-off? One man grapples with a scarf in the strong winds near Chesil Beach, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, this afternoon

An almighty force: A couple, watching from the promenade, are dwarfed by the huge waves battering the end of Chesil Beach in Dorset

Watergate Bay: Storm Imogen has whipped up the surf in Cornwall and created a mass of white foam covering this beach today

Blackpool: High winds and big waves batter the Lancashire coast as many parts of Britain are hit by severe weather today

Unbelievable: Storm Imogen whips the sea into a writhing foam in Croyde, Devon, today as thousands of homes were left without power

What a mess: Sea foam covered shop fronts and the main path to Croyde beach in North Devon today as Storm Imogen caused havoc

Croyde: Storm Imogen left its mark on the Devon village after the high tide caused 5ft-high foam to coat the entire beach

Land's End: Waves crash over the Longships Lighthouse just off the Cornish coast as the ninth named storm of the season hits Britain

Crashing over the sea defences: Newhaven Harbour wall and lighthouse in East Sussex took a battering today as Storm Imogen hit the UK

Bretforton: Two children have been airlifted to hospital after a garden wall collapsed in this Worcestershire village this morning

FLOODING, OBSTRUCTIONS AND LIGHTNING STRIKES: TRANSPORT TROUBLE ON BRITAIN'S ROADS AND RAILS TODAY TRAINS Maesteg - Cheltenham Spa (Arriva Trains Wales) - no services until 7pm due to severe weather

Milford Haven / Fishguard Harbour / Carmarthen - Cardiff Central (Arriva Trains Wales) - 60-minute delays due to severe weather

Swansea / Llanelli - Cardiff Central (Arriva Trains Wales) - no services until 6pm due to severe weather

Cardiff Queen Street (Arriva Trains Wales) - services through the station delayed by up to 30 minutes

Pwhllheli / Aberystwyth - Birmingham International (Arriva Trains Wales) - buses replace trains due to flooding

London Paddington - Cardiff Central (Great Western Railway) - trains running at reduced speeds due to high winds

L ondon Paddington - Swansea (Great Western Railway) - trains now terminating at Bristol Parkway

Bournemouth / Dorchester West - Weymouth (South West Trains) - delays of 30 minutes to trains due to lightning strike

Exeter St Davids - Taunton (CrossCountry) - obstruction blocking the line

Exeter St Davids - Par (Great Western Railway) - tree on the line causing delays of up to two hour s

Bristol Temple Meads (Great Western Railway) - trains running at reduced speeds due to severe weather

Southampton Central (CrossCountry) - speed restrictions causing delays

Finsbury Park - Stevenage (Great Northern) - safety checks on the line

Three Bridges - Haywards Heath (Southern) - delays of 45 minutes after tree fell on the line

Dover Priory - Canterbury East (Southeastern) - obstruction means trains cannot run

Reading - Guildford (Great Western Railway) - obstruction in Farnborough disrupting services

Bristol Temple Meads - Bath Spa (Great Western Railway) - signalling problem causing 35-minute delays Advertisement

Earlier today, all trains in and out of Cornwall were cancelled after a tree fell onto the tracks and was struck by a train near Bodmin.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: 'A tree has come down on both sides of the tracks a mile west of Bodmin Parkway. A train has struck the tree.

'No one is injured but damage has been caused to the train. Trains have been stopped as the tree is covering both lines of the track.'

Motorists also faced further misery on the roads, with the Severn Bridge closed in both directions because of the strong winds.

The Dartford Crossing was also shut in one direction, leading to a backlog of traffic between Essex and Kent, while the A35 between Devon and Hampshire was closed between the A37 at Dorchester and the A3066 at Bridport due to a fallen tree.

The M4 near Port Talbot was also shut after a lorry overturned in high winds, causing massive tailbacks, and Highways England issued a severe weather alert for 'high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes, which are advised to take extra care when travelling, due to the increased risk of vehicles being blown over'.

Ferry companies Brittany and P&O also cancelled services throughout the day, with the choppy sea conditions proving too dangerous to set sail.

DFDS and P&O ferries between Dover and Calais were affected, while services from Liverpool to Dublin and from Newhaven to Dieppe were also cancelled. Journeys between the UK and Spain and France are also disrupted in the coming days.

Alert: This Magic Seaweed surf chart shows waves incoming between 9am today and 3am tomorrow - with black signifying almost 50ft

Newhaven: A brave surfer rides a wave as the wind whips spray off waves off the coast at East Sussex today

Broad Haven: A man and his dog watch waves crashing over the rocks today near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, South Wales

Bridgend: Firefighters evacuate the town centre in South Wales in the interests of public safety after roof tiles came off various buildings

Chipping Campden: A trampoline impaled on a caravan in a Gloucestershire village following the arrival of Storm Imogen

Bristol: A photo of a building in the St Annes area of the city where a man aged in his 40s suffered head injuries after trees fell into his flat

Brighton: A couple get a close look at the waves crashing into the harbour wall as Storm Imogen slams the south with gales and rain

Dorchester: A car has been hit by a falling tree today on the main A35 road near Bridport in Dorset

Wrapping up warm: A group of people made sure they had their hoods over their heads as they crossed the Millennium Bridge in London

Struggling with the wind? Several young women saw their hair blown wildly in the hurricane-force winds near St Paul's in London today

It comes as an RSPCA inspector remains missing after attending the rescue of dozens of sea birds at a beach near Penzance in Cornwall.

Mike Reid, 54, has not been seen since he was called to a wildlife rescue involving 20 to 30 gannets stranded on rocks at Porthchapel Beach.

Inspector Jean Phillips, based in Penzance, said: 'We are extremely concerned for Mike's welfare, particularly with the wet and windy weather.'

Speaking from her home in Redruth, Cornwall, Mr Reid's wife Tracey, 45, told today how she was just anxiously waiting for news.

She said: 'It looks like he may have fallen from a cliff and gone into the sea. That is what we think has happened but we just don't know.

'They are still searching inland. We are all devastated and feeling numb, but we just don't know what is happening at the moment.'

Earlier, two children in the Worcestershire village of Bretforton were airlifted to hospital after being pulled from rubble when a wall collapsed on them.

The youngsters, a boy and girl aged five and seven, suffered serious leg injuries when the stone garden wall next to the B4035 fell on them.

Paramedics stabilised them before they were flown to hospital for treatment, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said.

Mother Clair de Groot wrote on Facebook that her son was involved in the incident and said it was 'very chilling to hear the air ambulance land'.

HUNT FOR RSCPA INSPECTOR FEARED SWEPT OUT TO SEA BY STORM IMOGEN AS HE TRIED TO RESCUE GANNETS Missing: Inspector Mike Reid has not been seen since yesterday An RSPCA inspector is feared to have been swept out to sea after trying to help to rescue of dozens of sea birds at a beach during Storm Imogen yesterday. Inspector Mike Reid, 54, has not been seen since he was called to the rescue involving up to 30 gannets stranded on rocks at Porthchapel Beach near Penzance, Cornwall, at about 2pm. The alarm was raised this morning when he had failed to return home to Redruth from duty, and the RSPCA is working alongside Devon and Cornwall Police and the Coastguard to find him. His wife Tracey, 45, said: 'All I know is that he was on a job and it looks like he may have fallen from a cliff and gone into the sea. That is what we think has happened but we just don't know. 'The search in the sea has now been stopped, but they are still searching inland. He had been on a night shift and I reported him missing this morning. He was helping to rescue some gannets.' Mr Reid - an inspector for 30 years - is described as white, 5ft 8in, of stocky build, with short greying spiked hair. He was wearing black trousers, a white shirt and black jumper. His wife added: 'He loves animals and would do anything to rescue them. We are all devastated and feeling numb, but we just don't know what is happening at the moment.' The region was hit by high winds and heavy rain at the time and the emergency services fear he could have been washed out into the sea. His white van was found parked at a theatre car park. Dermot Murphy, the RSPCA's Assistant Director for the Inspectorate, said: 'We are extremely concerned and urge anyone who may have seen Mike yesterday to contact Devon and Cornwall Police who are leading the search. 'He has not been seen since he responded to a call to our national control centre about stricken birds yesterday. We are in close contact with his family and will continue to provide ongoing support through the search.' Another relative said: 'We are devastated and Tracey is obviously distraught. She has just been told her husband is missing.' And Inspector Jean Phillips, of Devon and Cornwall Police, added: 'We are extremely concerned for Mike's welfare, particularly with the wet and windy weather overnight.' Advertisement

Bristol Airport: A plane comes in to land during high winds today as speeds hit almost 100mph in Britain

Lower Brockhampton: A flooded road and fields in Dorset as winds of nearly 100mph hit Britain after Storm Imogen slammed into the South

Newhaven: Waves hit a lighthouse on the harbour wall in East Sussex today as the ninth named storm this season strikes the UK

Aberystwyth: Damage caused by the impact of Storm Imogen is clearly seen in West Wales after the high tides subsided today

Swansea: Huge waves lash the coast in South Wales, overlooking Mumbles Lighthouse, as Storm Imogen hits the country

Southsea: Storm Imogen hits the Hampshire coast today as this Wightlink ferry struggles to make it through the waves

Dover: Waves crash against the harbour arm on the Kent coast as Storm Imogen sweeps across the southern regions of the country

Brighton: A man takes a photo next to his wet dog on the East Sussex coast as Storm Imogen continues to batter the UK

Hastings: The windswept East Sussex coast is pictured as Britain is lashed by hurricane-force winds that reached nearly 100mph

Bridgend: An overturned lorry on the M4 near Port Talbot in South Wales as strong winds and heavy rain battered Britain

Overturned: A lorry was blown over onto its side after hurricane-force winds battered the coast of Brighton, East Sussex, this afternoon

Dovey Junction station: Arriva Trains Wales cannot run on parts of the Cambrian line today 'due to flood water being above a safe level'

Elsewhere in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, a man was seriously injured and his dog was killed after high winds brought a wall crashing down on them.

The elderly man suffered a double fracture in his leg after a 5ft flint wall collapsed onto him and his pet just before 8am this morning.

Meanwhile, police were forced to close Bridgend town centre in South Wales over concerns for public safety and fears of injuries from tiles being blown from roofs.

Fire crews in Carmarthenshire were also called to a wind turbine that caught alight near the village of Pontyates shortly before 2pm.

And Cape Cornwall School in Penzance, Cornwall, was closed after storm damage to a neighbouring property, with an assessment due to be carried out.

In Yatton, North Somerset, a roof blew off a Lloyds Bank branch, while the Forestry Commission closed a number of forests due to the dangerously high winds.

In the St Annes area of Bristol, a man in his 40s was injured after trees fell onto a three-storey block of flats. He was treated for a minor head injury.

Source: The Cornish Guardian

West Stafford: A Highway maintenance vehicle drives along a flooded road in a Dorset village near Dorchester today

Missing: RSPCA Inspector Mike Reid, pictured with his Yorkshire Terrier Siana, who is missing in Cornwall after going on a rescue mission

Ide: A 100ft tree came crashing down on a family's car outside their home near Exeter in Devon just before the school run this morning

Newquay: A car is buried by sand in a car park half a mile from Fistral Beach in Cornwall as Storm Imogen causes chaos on the south coast

Covered up: A man looks at a car that has been partially covered in sand at Fistral Beach car park in Newquay today after the high winds

Lyme Regis: Waves crash against the harbour wall in Dorset today as winds of nearly 100mph battered Britain after Storm Imogen arrived

Gosport: A 10ft trampoline ended up on a neighbour's conservatory in Hampshire after flying over two garden fences in the storm

Zelah: This motorist had a lucky escape when high winds pushed over a tree in his path driving through a village in Cornwall

Earlier, a major river search got under way for a man missing in Taunton after he was believed to have fallen into the River Tone this morning.

Avon and Somerset Police officers were originally called at 8.15am - but later stood down their units, saying that they had been given false details.

A force spokesman said: 'We're satisfied there's no one in the water and the information we originally received was incorrect.'

Around 225 Environment Agency flood warnings are in place across the UK amid heavy downpours, with 48 warnings calling for 'immediate action', particularly in the South West and Wales where parts were expected to see around 1.5ins (40mm) of rain today.

Met Office forecaster Emma Sillitoe said the winds would be some of the worst so far this winter.

She said: 'We have seen 96mph at the Needles off the Isle of Wight and gusts of 80mph are likely, especially along northern coasts of Devon and Cornwall and along the Bristol Channel as well.'

Winds are expected to gradually ease into the evening.

Clevedon: Waves lash the sea front as Storm Imogen hits the North Somerset coast near Weston-super-Mare this morning

Dorking: Cars stuck in flood waters in Surrey this morning as Storm Imogen brings flooding and gale force winds to the UK

Weston-super-Mare: Storm Imogen hits the Somerset coast this morning as winds reached almost 100mph overnight

Portland Bill: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency continues to warn people from going too close to the waves, such as these in Dorset

Porthleven: Rough seas are spotted on the coast in Cornwall this morning as Storm Imogen hits the south coast

Newtown: Storm Imogen has caused trouble in Mid Wales with the Hafren entertainment venue in Powys being damaged by the high winds

Last night 80 workers were evacuated from North Sea oil platform Brent Bravo which was damaged during a violent storm.

Crews were flown to nearby Brent Charlie and Brent Delta after Shell had concerns over structural damage to one of Brent Bravo's three legs.

A spokesman said: 'An incident occurred on Sunday evening on the Brent Bravo platform, located approximately 115 miles north east of Lerwick.'

Highways England warned motorists in the South to check forecasts and road conditions before travelling due to strong winds forecast up to 6pm.

The A35 running along the south coast between Devon and Hampshire has been closed in both directions near Dorchester due to flooding.

And the agency issued a severe weather alert for 'high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes, which are advised to take extra care'.

Traffic crossing between England and Wales is being diverted in both directions via the M4 following restrictions on the M48.

Cars parked at Fistral Beach in Newquay were left half-submerged in sand as wind lashed the beach and a lorry was blown over on the M4.

And the strong winds forced the Dartford Crossing between Essex and Kent to close in one direction - causing six mile queues in the area.

Newquay: Bruno, a bearded collie cross, walks in the wind on the coast of Cornwall today as parts of the UK are battered by Storm Imogen

London: A woman' s hair is blown across her face as she crosses the Millennium Bridge during strong winds today

Porthcawl: Gale force winds and huge waves pound the seafront as Storm Imogen arrives in South Wales at high tide this morning

Southampton: A car is badly damaged in Hampshire as Imogen began pounding the coast of the UK in the early hours of this morning

Worthing: Roads were closed in the West Sussex town including Shaftesbury Avenue because of falling scaffolding and other debris

Lancing: Solar panels in West Sussex were ripped off a roof by damaging gusts with a car reportedly hit by the renewable energy source

Limerick: Flood waters rise in the city in western Ireland this morning brought on by extremely high tides in the Atlantic today

Highways England spokesman Jon Allen urged drivers to 'check their routes and change their journeys accordingly' before setting off today.

Meanwhile those watching waves in coastal areas were warned to keep a safe distance, as 45ft swells in the Channel could create dramatic scenes.

MeteoGroup forecaster Mario Cuellar said: 'It is going to be very stormy on Monday with high winds and rain, especially in the South West and Wales.

'The storm will spread eastwards during the day and could bring disruption to travel, especially Channel ferries in the late afternoon.

'This stormy weather will clear later in the week but the forthcoming weekend also looks unsettled with a low weather front coming in over the north.'

Tomorrow and Wednesday should be drier, quieter and colder days for many before more wind and rain follows later in the week.

Storm Imogen follows Storm Henry, which ran close to the north of Scotland through Monday into Tuesday of last week.

On Saturday in Cornwall the heavy rain and high winds caused flooding problems, as five vehicles became stuck in flood waters.

Sporting fixtures were also postponed with Exeter v Oxford and Bristol Rovers v Wimbledon in League Two called off due to waterlogged pitches.

Weather watch: An amber wind alert is out for the South (left) and more than 280 flood alerts and warnings for England and Wales (right)

Current speeds: The Met Office originally warned of winds up to 80mph, but 96mph gusts hit the Needles off the Isle of Wight overnight
Message to the author - Thank you very much for ensuing your threat of going to social media following our telephone and email conversations.

Having spoken to this 'reviewer' over the telephone on Tuesday night, we were shocked to hear that her and her party had a bad experience. We were not made aware of any issues during their dining experience.

We would like to address a few things about this report;

* We DID NOT charge extra for the monkfish as she has claimed. We have a copy of the receipt and there is no record of this.

* We were not informed prior to their visit that a member of the party was pregnant, so as a restaurant on a busy Saturday night we had to adjust and create a new menu for a guest that could have affected our service for the whole evening.

* Had this guest stated she was not happy with the daube of beef we would have done something else or offered an alternative. It clearly seems this reviewer does not like the fact we want to rectify an issue she has brought up but is not willing to accept anything from us.

* If all 4 diners were embarrassed and it was in fact the worst food, I am embarrassed for them not having enough courage to express themselves on the evening. These are 4 adults all upset by their dining experience who ate all 6 courses without once alerting us to the fact that they were not enjoying it.

* Having dined in several Michelin star restaurants I am amazed this was her first review! I worry for all the other establishments she is going to!

She is clearly self-conscious and defensive and happy to slander an establishment.

* The 12.5% service charge that was and is added to the bills is discretionary and can always be removed. And why should you feel embarrassed to ask for it to be removed? If I am asked to pay for something that I feel I have not received I would refuse! The service charge was 41.30 (and has now been refunded).

* The gentleman that paid the bill quietly organised it at the bar away from the table. This was a perfect opportunity for the service charge to be questioned, for him to let us know how very terrible the evening had been.

There were no guests within earshot so there would have been no reason for any embarrassment. However, when asked how the meal was he responded positively.

The gift voucher was not presented at the time of the payment, yet we kindly obliged to take it off the bill and collect the voucher at a later stage. This was arranged with the gentleman and was handled very discreetly as requested. There was no fuss what so ever.

We wrote an email to acknowledge the feedback following the telephone call.

We offered the party a complimentary meal and a full refund of the service charge.

This was declined and the lady stated that she would use this site as a tool for being detrimental to our business and 30 members of staff. Not to mention a dedicated and passionate Chef/patron who has helped develop the culinary dining scene for the people of Birmingham.

They are clearly not willing to compromise with us, which shows how social media has changed the way a restaurant has to operate and how guests' can influence and affect the organisation.

Should any person reading this report or any other establishment find it useful, please do not visit the restaurant.

In regards to Masterchef, Glynn is well celebrated and well received in the public scene. Perhaps this reviewer would have more satisfaction from watching Man versus Food.

We want guests to enjoy their experience here at Purnell's, and if we don't meet their expectations then we apologise. Food is subjective, we are not right or wrong, but this is our belief and ethos.

Everyone has their own right and opinion and we fully understand that we may not be to everybody's taste. When this is the case, feedback is welcomed and used constructively.
Danielle Thomas, 31 (pictured), has been jailed for using counterfeit 20 notes in a bid to clear her ex-boyfriend's drug debt

A heroin addict has been jailed for using counterfeit 20 notes in a bid to clear her ex-boyfriend's drug debt.

Danielle Thomas, 31, used the bogus money in stores around Bridgend, South Wales, after being ordered to do so by her ex-partner's drug dealer.

Thomas, from Cathays, Cardiff, was meant to give him the change from the fake money but was arrested after staff refused to accept the notes.

She has now been jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to using counterfeit money.

The court heard that Thomas had tried to use counterfeit 20 notes which had the same identity numbers in both Iceland and Aldi in Bridgend in December.

Staff refused to take the counterfeit currency but followed her out of the shop and notified a PSCO officer.

The court heard Thomas had also used four notes at Asda in the town centre, two notes in Tesco and one note in Store 21.

At the time of the offence, Thomas was already on bail for theft after being caught on CCTV stealing more than 400 worth of clothes.

She had failed to turn up for a hearing at magistrates' court relating to the theft, the court was told.

Defence barrister Harvey Roberts said his client had been battling drug addiction and that she had committed the crime to clear at unsettled drug debt.

He said: 'In October, early November, she was approached by an "Irish" man who said there was an outstanding drug debt from her ex-boyfriend.

'The person grabbed her and tried to drag her into a car but she got away but the man had taken her car keys. She made a complaint to the police but she refused to give the man's name.

'The same person came to her house and said the debt could be cleared if she went into shops, bought small value items with counterfeit money and gave the change to him.'

The court was told how Thomas had previously received a suspended nine-month prison sentence after attempting to steal a top and three bottles of perfume from a shop in Cardiff in July 2014.

When a security guard tried to stop her from leaving the shop, she pulled a sliced credit card from her pocket and slashed him with it, the court was told.

She has been jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty at Cardiff Crown Court (pictured) to using counterfeit money

But she claimed she had not realised she was holding the card and did not mean to hurt the security guard.

Thomas has now been jailed for 18 months, including 12 months for possessing counterfeit money.

Her suspended sentence was enacted but was reduced to six months.

Passing sentence, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Eleri Rees said: 'On November 18, you carried out a theft of goods over 400 and you failed to attend the magistrates' court on December 5 to answer for that.

'The very next day you committed five new offences of possessing counterfeit notes. Courts take a serious view of counterfeit money which undermines the economy.
A five-year-old boy has returned to school as a girl in one of the youngest cases of child gender transitioning in the country.

The head teacher of the Nottinghamshire school has written to parents and classmates to inform them of the boy's wish to be treated as a girl.

It is one of the youngest cases of gender dysphoria being officially recognised in a child in the country.

Bernard Reed, trustee for the charity Gender Identity Research and Education Society, said children as young as two could express discomfort with their biological sex

The condition can be diagnosed if an adult or child identifies as being opposite to one's biological sex.

The Nottinghamshire case comes as the number of young people being referred has risen by more than 50%, according to the Gender Identity Research and Education Society.

Bernard Reed, trustee for the charity, said children as young as two could express discomfort with their biological sex. He said one in 100 people had some sort of 'gender variation' whether formally diagnosed or not.

He added it would not be until at least 10 when a child could begin taking 'puberty suspending' medication if required.

Speaking to the MailOnline he said: 'We are delighted to see the support provided for this young person by the family, the school and the authority.

'There are a rapidly increasing number of young people uncomfortable if asked to explain who they are.

'Society generally is understanding, respecting and supporting these young people which is a very welcoming development.'

He added schools were generally good at supporting children with gender dysphoria and having discreet conversations with parents.

The Nottingham Post has reported that the five-year-old girl's parents, who wish to remain anonymous, are receiving help and support.

Colin Pettigrew, corporate director for children, families and cultural services, at Nottinghamshire County Council, said transgender is a new area for many schools

Colin Pettigrew, corporate director for children, families and cultural services, at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: 'Transgender is a new area for many schools. Nottinghamshire's achievement and equality team continues to support head teachers on a range of equality issues which includes providing appropriate advice and guidance.

'Transgender is a characteristic protected by law and therefore head teachers across England continue to and are required to agree a clear plan to support the needs of transgender children and young people.'

There is only one specialist clinic in the country for young people with gender identity issues in the country, based in London.

Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), in north London, sees children up to the age of 18.

In December, MailOnline reported on Kerry McFadyen who is helping her son who identifies as a girl.

The 32-year-old was bathing then three-year-old Daniel, who is now Danni, when he said he wanted to cut off his penis so he could be a girl.

It led to his parents making the difficult decision to allow Daniel to become Danni, in what is believed to be the UK's youngest case of a child wanting to change sex.

Kerry McFadyen pictured with Danni, who was born a boy but has lived as a girl since age three

Mermaids, a charity which supports children with identity issues, has said that up to 80 children as young as four years old are now trying to change their gender.
His family last saw him at his uncle's funeral in England

An Australian man who was forced to live on the streets in the UK for 16 years has reconnected with his family who are now arranging to fly him home.

Jason Ronald Douglas, 36, went missing after suffering the loss of his uncle  who he had been living with in the UK.

His family saw him at his uncle's funeral in 1999, then they returned home to Australia but he decided to stay in England.

He was living with a friend in Milton Keynes, but was kicked out in 2000. This is when he lost contact with his loved-ones back home.

Jason Douglas (pictured) went missing in 1999, his sister Sally Douglas (pictured) has been looking for him ever since, and after 16 years apart has finally manage to track him down

Mr Douglas lost contact with his family when he was kicked out of his friend's house. He has been living rough ever since, without a passport or any money

Since then they have been searching the country for him, finally finding him in a homeless shelter in the West Midlands, less than an hour and a half away from where he disappeared.

His family, who had been contacting police in England ever since his disappearance, last week spoke with an officer who happened to know Mr Douglas.

He passed a message on to the man who was living in a local shelter and numbers were soon exchanged.

His sister, Sally Douglas, told the Independent he cried throughout their first conversation in 16 years.

The siblings will finally be able to reconnect after thinking they would never speak with each other again

'He told me that the first ten years of him being there, he was homeless and living on the street as his passport and any ID he had was stolen, so he couldn't get any benefits to survive.

'So he turned to petty crime such as shop-lifting to eat and begging for money on the street,' she said.

The man told his cousin that he thought his family had 'abandoned him' that they had 'given up' and that 'no one cared'.

Mr Douglas says he lost his passport and ID when he first became homeless

He has told family members he is ready to come home and he thought they had 'forgotten' him

His cousin, Lisa Andrews, has been a major part of the search party set up to find Mr Douglas in 2000.

She spoke to The Herald Sun about the heartache the family experienced every day he was missing.

'No one can imagine what a family goes through in these sort of circumstances.

'Every birthday, Christmas, it was just devastation and sadness, wanting him to come home.

The man expressed anger when he was first found but came to realise he wasn't 'abandoned' like he thought.

'He said, ''I was hoping you would come and find me,'' and, ''I'm not going to hold a grudge, you found me. I want to come home. I'm ready for this to be over,''' Ms Andrews said.

The family have managed to raise $2,500 AUD to get Mr Douglas home in less than four days.

They now have to organise him a birth certificate, passport and flights so he can get back home.
Learning important facts, maths timetables and historical events must be a priority in schools, the education minister has said.

Nick Gibb hit out at schools across England who had 'relegated' a core academic curriculum to a 'backseat' in favour of 'joyless 'skills' and 'processes'.

He dismissed suggestions that the age of the internet made it less important to learn and remember facts, pointing to evidence that shows the five countries where pupils spend the least time using the internet - Poland, Japan, Hong Kong, China and South Korea  are all among the highest achieving education systems in the world.

Nick Gibb, pictured, dismissed suggestions that the age of the internet made it less important to learn and remember facts

Nick Gibb said education experts who believe it is unnecessary to know the names of historical figures, such as Oliver Cromwell, right, because they can simply use Google, are 'profoundly wrong'

'It is mistaken to believe you can outsource your memory to Google and still expect to think well,' Gibb said in a speech at Durham University.

'It is no more possible to think fluently on a given topic with the help of the internet, than it is to talk fluently in a foreign language with the help of a bilingual dictionary.'

But his comments were dismissed as 'profoundly wrong' by the leading teachers union.

'He is wrong about teaching and he is wrong about learning in schools,' Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said.

In a bid to continue the legacy of Michael Gove's school reforms, Gibb told schools they must bring back the 'thrilling content of education, be it timeless literature, scientific wonders, or great historical events'.

Gove, who was removed as Education Secretary ahead of the General Election in a bid to appease a growing hostility from teachers following a series of controversial reforms, accused schools of ignoring the importance of teaching traditional academic subjects in favour of a 'disconnected set of topics'.

Gibb said that despite the reforms, there 'remained many working within education' who disagreed with the belief that a core academic curriculum was 'a valuable inheritance for all pupils'

The education minister Nick Gibb said the countries with the highest education standards are those where pupils spend the least time on the internet

He said: 'Such figures think it superfluous to know, for example, Oliver Cromwell from Thomas.

'These views are superficially appealing. But I believe them to be profoundly wrong.'

Gibb added: 'It is the driving ambition for this government that a core academic curriculum should not be the preserve of a social elite, but instead the entitlement of every single child.

'Though there are some inequalities which schools cannot address, the unequal distribution of intellectual and cultural capital is one that they can.'

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the Head Teachers union, complained that Gibb's pessimistic view undermined teachers across England.

'Knowledge is a vital component of education,'he said.

'You cannot be properly creative without it, nor can you solve challenging problems without mastering some basic skills first.

'The majority of teachers would actually agree with this, I think, so the minister should be wary of painting too bleak a picture.'

In his speech Gibb added: 'As Schools Minister, I have visited around 400 schools, watched thousands of classes, and seen countless examples of this philosophy in action.

'It always saddens me to see thrilling content of education, be it timeless literature, scientific wonders, or great historical events, being relegated to a backseat, so that these comparatively joyless 'skills' and 'processes' can come to the fore.'
Choudhry Ikhalaq Hussain, 38, of Mayfield Terrace, Rochdale, was given permission to leave his trial

A child rapist was given permission to leave his trial and attend the funeral of a relative - but fled the country and is now believed to be in Pakistan.

Choudhry Ikhalaq Hussain, 38, was convicted of rape, sexual activity with a child and conspiracy to rape after a trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.

However Hussain, of Mayfield Terrace, Rochdale, claimed a family member had died and he was given permission by the judge to attend the funeral, which was to be held somewhere in the UK.

He was convicted in his absence after he fled the country during the trial.

Police say it is believed he fled through the port system and may now be in Pakistan.

According to reports, Hussain may have flown to Amsterdam before making his way to Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.

Hussain was among ten men found guilty of a range of serious sexual offences during two trials held at Minshull Street Crown Court.

They are due to be sentenced in April.

A teenage girl, raped by all ten men, contacted police following the 2012 convictions of nine Asian defendants for grooming white girls in the town. She said 'hundreds' of older men would ring her up wanting sex.

Last night the furious father of 'Girl A', who was abused by a Rochdale-based Asian sex gang jailed in 2012, criticised the justice system. He said to The Sun: 'When will they learn? Surely someone should have worked out what he was planning. One of the men who attacked my daughter managed the same trick and flew to Islamabad. He's never paid for his crimes.'

A spokesman for the Judicial Office said His Honour Judge John Potter allowed Hussain, who was on bail, to be released on one day of the trial.

A spokesman added: 'Choudhry Hussain was on bail during his trial, not in prison on remand so was free to attend any funeral.

'At the time he was giving evidence and his lawyers asked if (rather than giving evidence that day) he could go to the funeral.'

Police are now hunting for Hussain (pictured arriving at court in May, 2015), who claimed a family member had died and was given permission by the judge to attend the funeral - before fleeing the country

Prosecutor Neil Usher described the victim as an 'an extremely vulnerable young woman' who had endured a 'very difficult home life'.

He told the court: 'Some of this grooming was successful to the extent that as a child, and a vulnerable child at that, she on many occasions agreed to engage in sexual activity with a number of the older men.

'She told the police that there were other occasions when she had not agreed to have sex with some of the men, some of whom had nevertheless then gone on to have sex with her against her will.'

Hussain was found guilty alongside nine other men following a trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court (pictured)

Detective Chief Inspector Jamie Daniels, the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) for Operation Doublet, said: 'Operation Doublet was launched following the 2011 investigation into child sexual exploitation in Rochdale.

'We identified a number of cases, which broadly took place between 2004 and 2008, across Greater Manchester where teenage girls were being sexually exploited by older men.

'Hussain was one of the offenders identified and he has now been convicted of a number of serious offences but he seems determined to try and get away with not serving his time for the horrendous crimes that he has committed.

'We believe he may be in Pakistan but we are still determined to find him and ensure that he is held to account for what he did.

'If anybody has any information about his whereabouts then I would urge you to please contact the police.'

Anybody with information about Choudhry Ikhalaq Hussain is asked to contact police on 0161 856 2447 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Police are searching for a man who was filmed assaulting a 68-year-old man with a single blow to the head, reportedly after agitating for a fight with the senior citizen.

Footage shows the shocking moment the frail pensioner is knocked to the ground with a punch to the face outside Mimmos Pizza in Brookvale in Sydneys Northern Beaches.

More than two weeks later, police are still searching for the man responsible and are appealing to the public to contact police with any information.

Officers were called to the scene of the assault at 11.50pm on January 21, at which point the man responsible had already fled.

Police are searching for a man (far right in white shirt) who assaulted a 68-year-old man (second from right, red shirt) with a single blow to the head, reportedly after agitating for a fight with the senior citizen

Footage shows the shocking moment the frail pensioner is knocked to the ground with a punch to the face outside Mimmos Pizza in Brookvale in Sydneys Northern Beaches

The 68-year-old is unsteady on his feet and falls to the ground heavily in the moments after he is struck

Footage shows the shocking moment the frail pensioner is knocked to the ground with a punch to the face outside Mimmos Pizza in Brookvale in Sydneys Northern Beaches

A post on social media claims the man responsible asked the pensioner for a fight.

A third person tries to keep the younger man away from the senior, but when the bystander walks away the attacker immediately strikes the older man.

The 68-year-old is unsteady on his feet and falls to the ground heavily, clutching his face.

Detectives from Northern Beaches Local Area Command are keen to speak to a man who may be able to assist with enquiries.

The man pictured in the footage is described as being of Pacific Islander appearance.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Dee Why Police Station or Crimestoppers.

The man pictured in the footage is described as being of Pacific Islander appearance. He fled the scene before police arrived and investigators wish to speak to the man to help with their enquiries
TS Eliot despaired that 'the whole history' of his first marriage was a 'hideous farce', according to previously unpublished letters that cast new light on one of the 20th century's greatest writers.

The poet and playwright confided his innermost feelings in a correspondence that paints a portrait of the painful closing chapter of his 18-year marriage to Vivienne.

Letters to friends and to each other reveal the full extent of the torment suffered on both sides.

Relationship: New letters shed light on the marriage of TS Eliot, left, and Vivenne Haigh-Wood, right; they are pictured with Virginia Woolf, centre, in 1932

They reflect the fact that the break-up was all the more painful because Vivienne refused to believe that he was really leaving her and that her mental health was deteriorating.

In March 1933, she wrote to their friend Lady Ottoline Morrell, the society hostess: 'Yes I do think it might be a good thing for me to go to the Sanatorium... as I am... in a most terrible state of health... I look so awful.

'I have only had two, or three, baths since Tom went away. I have only washed my hair twice. I have the most filthy old clothes.'

But the letters also reveal Eliot's compassion towards his wife, challenging the assumption that he treated her cruelly when her mental health was suffering.

Passages show his commitment to paying for her medical treatment and concern about her life without him. In August 1933, he wrote to Morrell: 'I am anxious to be able to feel that Vivienne will not lose any friends through my action.'

The correspondence will be published on February 18 by Faber & Faber in a new 800-page book, The Letters of TS Eliot - volume 6 of 20 planned volumes. It focusses on a crucial period in his life - 1932 and 1933 - when American-born Eliot resolved to separate from Vivienne and went back to America to lecture.

Couple: The poet married Vivienne when he was a young man and they stayed together for 18 years

It was in a letter of February 1933, to his friend Alida Monro, that Eliot described his marriage as 'a hideous farce', saying: 'America has not made any difference, except in making more real to me the fact that I can be comparatively happy solely by being away from V... I cannot face the prospect of dragging on again the same futile life that I have been leading in London.'

Referring to her refusal to accept that the marriage was over, he continued: 'It will be better to have a sharp sudden break and get it over with than allow matters to drag on for months until she becomes reconciled to the fact that I do not mean to return.'

Thomas Stearns Eliot, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948, settled in England in 1915, the year he married Vivienne Haigh-Wood.

There seems to have been a good deal of harmony in the marriage until 1925, around the time that her mental state is thought to have deteriorated.

Whether she was bipolar or paranoid schizophrenic is unclear, but her symptoms included a particularly confrontational behaviour.

It has been said that from the turmoil of that marriage Eliot produced The Waste Land, one of the 20th century's greatest poems.

Widow: Eliot later married his second wife Valerie, pictured, who protected his legacy until her death in 2012

The difficulties of the relationship resulted from her supposed affair with Bertrand Russell, drugs and mental problems observed by friends like Virginia Woolf, who wrote in 1932 that Vivienne was a 'poor, raddled, distressing woman'.

Her mental state declined still further and she was committed to an asylum in 1938. After the police found her wandering the streets of London in the early hours, she asked her brother Maurice whether it was true that Eliot had been beheaded. She died in 1947, aged 58.

TS ELIOT, MODERNIST MASTER TS Eliot (1888-1965) was one of the greatest poets of the 20th century and a father of the modernist movement. He was born and brought up in the US, but moved to Britain as a young man to study at Oxford, and lived in the UK for the rest of his life. The poet found early success with works such as 1917's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, which spurned many of the established rules of poetry in favour of a more impressionistic style. In 1922 he published The Waste Land, widely seen as his masterpiece, a five-part poem roaming across mythological themes but also taking in modern-day London and featuring bleak references to his failing marriage to Vivienne. In later life, despite his revolutionary style, he became a cultural conservative and a devout Christian, publishing the religious-themed Four Quartets between 1936 and 1942, which led to his winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948. He also found more popular fame with his book Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, a collection of feline-themed light verse which was the basis for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Cats. After recovering from the turmoil of his first marriage, Eliot later settled down with his secretary Valerie Fletcher, 38 years his junior, who fiercely protected his legacy until her death three years ago. Advertisement

The relationship was dramatised in the 1994 film Tom & Viv, in which Willem Dafoe played Eliot and Miranda Richardson portrayed Vivienne.

John Haffenden, an eminent academic and the volume's editor, said: 'Eliot biographies have versions of this story, but they certainly didn't have access to everything.'

He added that the letters show that 'Eliot feels guilty as much as he feels reproachful' and that Vivienne 'doesn't understand why Tom won't come back to her'.

Her refusal to accept the breakup is reflected in a letter of September 1933 that Eliot wrote to Monro: 'V refuses to face the situation... She insists (through a rather feeble family solicitor) that she is waiting for me to return "on any terms I may impose".'

In 1957, Eliot married his secretary, Valerie, who died in 2012, having wanted to make her husband's correspondence available to the public.

In the latest volume's introduction, Dr Haffenden writes: 'Valerie hoped that, while facts relating to her husband's first relationship were scarce, the public could at least have knowledge of all his thoughts relating to the period. Valerie was also adamant that Vivienne's point of view should be given air.'

Haffenden, senior research fellow at the Institute of English Studies, University of London, believes that Eliot's feelings were more complex than some biographers have suggested.

'A good bundle of those judgements go against Eliot for betraying her, for treating her unkindly,' he said.

'I think this edition of letters puts that in perspective, that he's a very passionate man, really anguished about what he feels he has to do. I think the letters show he treated her with enormous kindness and sympathy.
A British woman believed to be linked to a paedophile ring for sex tourists in the Philippines is on the run from police after abused children as young as six months old were found living in squalor in her home.

Lilian May Thomson, 66, has fled her remote rural home in Subic Bay, and is suspected of escaping overseas using a second passport or hiding in the Philippines despite warrants for her arrest.

Now child protection campaigners have called for an international search for Thomson who they believe may have vital evidence about a major paedophile ring that peddles children for sex tourists in the sleazy Barrio Barretto red light area of Olongapo in Subic Bay.

On the run: Lilian May Thomson, 66, who is believed to be linked to a paedophile ring, has gone on the run

Home: MailOnline visited Thomsons property and found it abandoned with empty brandy bottles outside

Abandoned: A sign next to the back door of her home was apparently directed at the children in her care

Scottish-born Thomson, dubbed the 'world's worst foster mother by investigators', was arrested in July 2014 when law officers and social workers went to her ramshackle tin-roofed home in remote countryside and found five Filipino children, including a malnourished baby boy aged six months and a girl of seven who was kept tied to a chair.

Hard-drinking Thomson  who has several aliases and is known locally as Sherry Zimmer  allegedly hurled abuse at the investigators, threatening them, and bizarrely threw a ceremonial spear at them after grabbing the half-naked children and shutting herself inside the house.

The children were taken to hospital where examinations concluded two girls aged seven, a girl aged six and a boy aged seven had all suffered sexual abuse.

The boy later told how a male visitor to the house sexually abused him and took naked photographs of him.

In interviews with psychologists, the girls  who like the other children appear to have been allowed to live with Thomson by poverty-stricken local families  described being taken to parties in Barrio Barretto where they say they were molested by men they called uncle.

Court: Thomson (circled) was cleared after her lawyers argued her home was raided without a search warrant

Hard-drinking: Rows of empty brandy bottles are lined up on shelves outside Thomson's abandoned home

Despite the childrens evidence, Thomson was cleared of charges of child abuse and illegal detention and released in the middle of 2015 after spending almost a year in custody.

She was cleared after her defence lawyers argued her home was raided without a search warrant and evidence of abuse such as the girl found tied to the chair was not admissible because of the 'unlawful entry' by the officials.

Her lawyers interviewed the childrens parents who later gave statements claiming they gave their permission for their children to live with Thomson and that they were treated well by her and not illegally detained.

Police attempted to re-arrest her on two warrants for assaulting officers but have been unable to trace her. Court officials in nearby Olongapo confirmed Thomson was now considered a fugitive and would be arrested on sight.

MailOnline visited Thomsons home and found it abandoned with rows of empty brandy bottles outside and a sign next to the back door apparently directed at the children in her care reads: 'No Whining'. Thomsons abandoned car was parked outside and had been stripped.

Two local families said they had been hired to guard the property but knew nothing of Thomsons whereabouts.

Run-down: A young boy (not connected to Thomson) is pictured smiling outside her rural home in Subic Bay

Guarded: Local families said they had been hired to guard the Thomson's property, which has been abandoned

Neighbours: People living close to Thomson's remote rural home do not know where she is. One thought she was still behind bars

Thomson allegedly hurled abuse at the investigators, threatening them, and bizarrely threw a ceremonial spear (pictured) at them

'We thought she was still in jail,' one woman said. 'We have been asked to guard the house until she gets out.'

Thomson, a mother of two, is originally from Dunfermline in Scotland and lived in the US for some years and has both American and British passports.

She appears to have had a succession of young children and babies living with her since moving to the Philippines in 2001.

She claimed she decided to set up a childrens charity called the Scott Foundation to care for underprivileged children in the Philippines after the death of her younger son, but the foundation is unregistered and Thomson has no childcare qualifications.

Her arrest came after the three children, one of them half-naked, wandered into a girls home near Thomsons house, run by childrens charity, the Preda Foundation, in July 2014.

A Preda therapist spoke to the two girls and was shocked to discover they did not know their real names and only knew their nicknames.

They also had no idea why they were being kept at Thomsons house and how long they had been there.

Preda alerted social welfare and National Bureau of Investigation officers who then raided the house and removed the five children inside. All five of the children are currently still in care.

Father Shay Cullen, a Catholic missionary who started the Preda Foundation to fight child sex abuse and exploitation more than 40 years ago, said he believed Thomson may have knowingly or unknowingly been manipulated by a paedophile ring.

'The little boy testified very clearly using anatomical dolls that a man took pictures of him naked in the shower and abused him,' he said. 'The abuse of children by sex tourists is a huge industry and she is the key to finding the big players involved in this.'

Fled: Lilian May Thomson left her remote rural home in Subic Bay - her abandoned car is parked outside

Father Shay said he hoped international law enforcement agencies would help re-arrest Thomson if she had fled the Philippines so that any link with a paedophile ring could be properly investigated.

Thomson was made to surrender her U.S. passport after her arrest but may have left the Philippines using her British passport, he suggested.

He added: 'The children in this case have suffered terribly but they have not had any justice yet and that is what we want to see.'

Barrio Barretto in Subic Bay, where the U.S. once had a major naval base, is notorious for underage prostitution and has dozens of mostly American-owned bars popular with western sex tourists.

International childrens charity UNICEF estimates that 100,000 children a year, mostly from poor families, are forced into the sex industry in southeast Asia.

Notorious: A paedophile ring peddles children in the Barrio Barretto red light area of Olongapo (pictured)
The mother of the boy who was raped by an Iraqi migrant in a swimming pool in Austria, has said she regrets teaching her children to be welcoming to migrants and described the man's defence as 'just monstrous'.

The boy's mother Dunja, who arrived in Austria as an immigrant in the 90s from Serbia during the Civil War, said she had always taught her five children to offer the same hospitality to new arrivals that she had herself received.

Upon hearing her son's attacker's claim he had 'too much sexual energy', Dunja criticised his defence as 'just monstrous' and insisted he should be sent to prison and then be deported. She said she 'regretted' teaching her children to be welcoming to migrants.

The boy, known only as Goran, had to be hospitalised with serious injuries and his mother said her son has been crying himself to sleep every night since the attack.

The mother of the boy who was raped by an Iraqi migrant in a swimming pool (pictured) in Austria, has said she regrets teaching her children to be welcoming to migrants and described the man's defence as 'just monstrous'

The boy's mother Dunja, (pictured in local media) who arrived in Austria as an immigrant in the 90s from Serbia during the Civil War, said she had always taught her five children to offer the same hospitality to new arrivals that she had herself received

Speaking to local media, Dunja revealed how she was a single mother, who had struggled with little money but had always encouraged her five children not to judge other people.

However when she heard the Iraqi migrant's claims that it was a 'sexual emergency', she immediately wished she had warned her son about the dangers of trusting strangers.

'I couldn't believe it when I heard that. I come from Serbia, and I spent five years living in a Caritas home together with people from many different nations.

'You certainly can't call me a racist, but to try and defend himself in that way is just monstrous. It's like me saying I'm going to go to a bank tomorrow and rob it because I don't have enough money for my five children.

'I know that the physical wounds will heal, but the wounds to his soul may never heal,' she said.

The Iraqi migrant told police that he knew such an act was 'forbidden in any country of the world', and he was not 'always sick', as he has a wife and a daughter in Iraq.

The Iraqi, who had been working as a taxi driver in Vienna, told police he knew it was 'a mistake' and did not mean to 'scar the boy', reports Kronen Zeitung.

At first, Austrian did not release details of the rape, on December 2 at the Theresienbad pool, to protect the victim.

The Iraqi migrant who raped a 10-year-old boy in a swimming pool cubicle in the Theresienbad (pictured) pool in Vienna, allegedly told police that it was a 'sexual emergency' because he had not had sex in four months

The migrant arrived via the Balkans in September. Thousands of people cross into the country from Slovenia to get into Europe (pictured)

The boy's mother revealed how her son loves swimming and that she gave him three euros so he could go to the local Theresienbad swimming pool in the Meidling district of Vienna.

'He was so happy at having the money, and after school went there straight away so I wasn't expecting him back home immediately.

Three hours after school finished, I got a phone call from him and he was crying into the phone. I couldn't understand a word he said, but then somebody came on the phone and told me: 'Please come straight away, your child has been sexually assaulted.'

She said that she had rushed there straight away and was devastated when she looked through a glass window and saw her crying child sitting in a room with a man in swimming trunks who had handcuffs on.

She said her sister was with her, and the police had to stop her from attacking the man straight away.

The man had been in the swimming pool with a 15-year-old boy who was in some way connected to the man that attacked her son, and her son had been talking to the teenager.

Through the teenager, the boy had been introduced to the man, and when he later went to the cabin the man knocked on the door.

She added: 'I know that the physical wounds will heal, but the wounds to his soul may never heal. I don't want the man to be deported, I want him to be jailed because I have heard what they do to child sex attackers in jail.

'I want him to experience everything in jail that child sex attackers can experience from the other convicts. And then I want him deported.'

Reports emerged on Facebook and police said they must be sensitive about cases involving migrants, who have 'been through a lot', but that there would be zero-tolerance.

However, police have now officially announced the details of the shocking crime.

Austrian media have also been following another case of a 13-year-old girl who is allegedly repeatedly being raped by her 26-year-old husband, who she married in Syria.

However, the teenager has not spoken against her husband, who is claiming that he has the right to have sex with her after their marriage was consummated, under Islamic law.
Protesters at rallies and vigils right across Australia have been urged to call Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's office and leave a 'clear message' that asylum seekers are welcome to remain in Australia.

'Let them stay, let them stay,' 4000 colourful, spirited people chanted at Town Hall on Monday evening, while in Melbourne a similarly large crowd packed the front of the state library waving signs like 'Open the Borders'.

The Stand for Sanctuary rallies organised by GetUp! were also held in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Hobart, Canberra and regional centres across the country.

Thousands of Melbournians rallied on the steps of the state library in co-ordinated, Australia-wide rallies, protesting the High Courts decision regarding the 267 refugees facing deportation on February 8

Thousands of people gather at the Sydney Stands for Sanctuary rally at Town Hall Square in Sydney

Protesters have been urged to call Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's office and leave a 'clear message' that asylum seekers are welcome to remain in Australia

Thousands of Melbournians rallied on the steps of the state library in co-ordinated, Australia-wide rallies, protesting the High Courts decision regarding the 267 refugees facing deportation to Nauru

Vigils and rallies were held right across Australia from solemn events with candles to loud chants with posters and quiet gatherings by the ocean in Darwin

Many parents also got their children involved in the protests, emphasising the anguish Australians feel that babies and children will be sent from their homes to live in a detention camp

Many protesters carried posters showing the faces of some of the children being taken to Nauru

The protests come after the High Court last Wednesday validated Australia's offshore processing regime, which means 267 asylum seekers - including 91 children - who are in the country for medical treatment could be sent to Nauru.

While the government has not made a decision to deport them, advocates have pleaded for sympathy and thousands have turned out at Monday night's protests to voice their concerns.

At least 10 Anglican churches across the country, led by the Anglican Dean of Brisbane, Peter Catt, have offered sanctuary to the 267 people.

Emotions spilled over as thousands of Australians rallied nationwide to Malcolm Turnbull and the government

While the government has not made a decision to deport them, advocates have pleaded for sympathy and thousands have turned out at Monday night's protests to voice their concerns

Protesters in Melbourne carry placards which say 'Let Them Stay' as part of nationwide rallies

The protests come after the High Court last Wednesday validated Australia's offshore processing regime, which means 267 asylum seekers - including 91 children - who are in the country for medical treatment could be sent to Nauru

While the government has not made a decision to deport them, advocates have pleaded for sympathy and thousands have turned out at Monday night's protests to voice their concerns

As part of nationwide rallies supporting asylum seekers, a record turnout marched in Darwin on February 8. The Let Them Stay rally is pleading for the government not to send asylum seekers from Australia to Nauru

Actor Imogen Bailey implored the Sydney crowd to phone Mr Turnbull's office and leave a message.

'Our message is 'we want to let them stay',' she said.

Those rallying in Melbourne joined in a mass chant as GetUp! organiser Sally Rugg left a similar voicemail for the prime minister.

About 400 were expected at the Brisbane protest, which unlike the noisy Sydney and Melbourne events, will take the form of a silent reflection at St John's Cathedral in the city.

A record crowd marched through Darwin, with more than 300 people gathering along the Nightcliff foreshore.

'We can show mercy to these people, we can show compassion to them, we can do something vastly different from the terrible treatment they have experienced,' paediatrician Dr Josh Francis told the crowd.

A record crowd marched through Darwin, with more than 300 people gathering along the Nightcliff foreshore

'Please stop being evil': a placard at the Melbourne rally on the steps of the state library read

Emotions spilled over as thousands of Melbournians rallied on the steps of the state library in co-ordinated, Australia-wide rallies and chants of 'let them stay' rang out
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The bedroom in London where guitar legend Jimi Hendrix stayed in the 60s is to open to the public this week after a 2.4milion restoration project.

Hendrix, widely regarded as one of the best guitarists who ever lived, stayed at 23 Brook Street between 1968 and 1970.

The house, in Mayfair, has now been painstakingly restored to look exactly as it did in 1969, using pictured of him inside and recollections of former girlfriend Kathy Etchingham.

The entire third floor is to open to the public on Wednesday, and it also includes and exhibition chronicling his movements in this two years.

The bedroom of the flat (right) in Mayfair, London. where guitar legend Jimi Hendrix (left) stayed in the 60s is to open to the public this week after a 2.4milion restoration project

Kathy Etchingham, former girlfriend of Jimi Hendrix, poses on the bed of his flat on Brook Street, near Ocford Circus, London

Hendrix's flat (left) is in Mayfair, and is nextdoor to where baroque composer George Frideric Handel lived for 36 years in the mid-1700s

The bedroom on the third floor has undergone a 2.4million restoration to make it look as it did when Hendrix lived there in the late 60s

The adjoining room of his third-floor flat has become a museum, showing rock memorabilia from his glory days on the world stage

The covers of records he kept at the flat are also on display, and include songs from artists including Bob Dylan and Elmore James

The exhibition also tells a story, chronicling Hendrix's life during those two year in which he lived and performed in London

This is the tiny plaque outside 23 Brook Street that tells passers by that this is where Jimi Hendrix lived between 1968 and 1969

It is next to Handel House at 25 Brook Street, where baroque composer George Frideric Handel lived for 36 years during the mid-1700s.

Hendrix started his career in America but shot to fame after recording in London with his band the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

After songs such as All Along The Watchtower and Voodoo Child became instant classics, he suddenly died at the Kensington flat of a German girlfriend, chocking in his sleep after a drug overdose.

Alistair Stranack, chairman of the Handel House Trust, said: 'It is hard to think of another home in the world with such a concentration of musical genius.

Hendrix in his trademark hat sitting in the London flat in 1969, which now looks exactly as it did when he lived there

The Handel and Hendrix trust has recreated even the finest details, from the fruitbowl on the floor to the coal burner at the fireplace

These are the replica record player and amplifier in, along with records from Fifth Dimension and blues legend John Lee Hooker

This bizarre cuddly toy (right) has been recreated, based on one that was found in the flat after his death in 1970

Even the telephones in the room are exactly the same as those seen in photos of Jimi Hendrix in the flat from the late 1960s

Despite being famous fgor his workon the electic axe, Hendrix kept an acoustic guitar in the flat, carpeted throughout with rugs

On display on his bedside table are the lyrics to Voodoo Child (pictures), a Dictaphone, a shell and a box of Benson and Hedges cigarettes, which Hendrix was known for smoking

Hendrix's trademark hat lies on some music publications from the days when he lived in London. Melody Maker was a well-known magazine read by professional and aspiring musicians

Hendrix had red bed sheets and patterned cushions on his bed, with tapestries hung on the wall of the Mayfair flat

Hendrix obviously embraced the London lifestyle, keeping a smoking jacket and even the classic board game Monopoly in the flat

'We hope that the opening of Jimi Hendrix's flat will give people an added insight into the life and work of a figure whose actions have been examined no end since his death in 1970.

'Our research into the building and Hendrix's circle of friends and acquaintances has enabled us to present an image of what life was like in his time at Brook Street.
He says he won't decide which campaign he will join until EU deal is signed

Boris Johnson today accused David Cameron of not trying hard enough to regain control of Britain's borders as speculation intensifies over which side of the EU campaign he will join.

The Prime Minister hailed proposals for an 'emergency brake' on EU migrants' access to benefits as 'substantial change' when he unveiled his draft deal for Britain to remain in the EU last week.

But the Mayor of London dismissed the changes as a 'minor' tweak to benefit rules.

And he complained that the Government had accepted that freedom of movement was 'an age-old inviolable principle of the EU'.

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Boris Johnson warned that the current proposals for an 'emergency brake' were 'minor' tweaks to benefit rules and would not allow Britain to 'recapture' control of its borders, which are coming under increasing strain from thousands of migrants trying to cross the Channel from Calais, pictured above

Boris Johnson, pictured with David Cameron last summer, complained that ministers involved in the EU renegotiation had accepted that the EU's freedom of movement principle was sacred

Cameron, pictured today meeting prisoners at a Halfords academy at HMP Onley, had not tried hard enough to secure significant powers from Brussels to regain control of Britain's borders, according to Boris Johnson

The Mayor of London said he would like to remain in the EU but insisted he would 'wait until you see the whites of their eyes' before making his decision.

'This is not quite so,' he wrote in his Daily Telegraph column. 'Until recently it only applied to "workers" rather than all EU citizens.

'Why didn't we try harder to recapture control of our borders, rather than stick at this minor (if worthwhile) change to the law on benefits?

'There may be a good explanation, but we need to hear it.'

Mr Johnson piled pressure on Cameron by adding:' Let's hope for some answers in the next fortnight.'

But Downing Street responded to his comments by insisting Cameron had put a 'vast amount of time and effort' in securing concessions on migration and welfare.

Boris Johnson said plans for an 'emergency brake' were 'minor' tweaks to benefit rules but Downing Street said Cameron, pictured visiting HMP Onley prison today, had achieved significant reforms

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: 'At the start of it, people said there was "no point even trying to get these discussions, you wouldn't get anything from the EU, you wouldn't get any kind of change on migration or welfare, you wouldn't get an emergency brake, none of these things would happen".

'Actually the Prime Minister has gone out, worked hard, he has negotiated and he's go to a point where we now have proposals on the table from Donald Tusk which address these core issues.'

Mr Johnson's comments will fuel further speculation that he could join the Out campaign after months of uncertainty over his stance on the referendum.

SIX IN TEN TORY MPS TO VOTE FOR BREXIT David Cameron faces the prospect of well over 100 Tory MPs campaigning to leave the EU Six in ten Tory MPs are set to vote for Britain to leave the EU in the upcoming referendum, it has emerged. A survey of 144 Conservative backbenchers found that 66 (57 per cent) are opting for Brexit, while just 50 said they would campaign to remain in the EU. A dozen said they were yet to decide which side to join, while 16 declined to comment in a poll of MPs by the Sunday Times. Six in ten MPs said Cameron's deal was bad, while 48 of the 144 said it was good. Advertisement

In his column this morning Mr Johnson kept observers guessing which side of the EU referendum campaign he would join, insisting he would wait until the renegotiation deal with the EU's 28 leaders has been achieved.

He wrote: 'This is the moment to stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, squint down the barrel and only when you see the whites of their eyes should you finally let fly and decide whether to stay or leave the EU; because the arguments are as finely balanced as they have ever been.'

In a bid to secure the backing of the London Mayor, who is likely to play an influential role in how undecided people vote in the referendum, Cameron told MPs last week that he wants to 'put beyond doubt' the supremacy of the House of Commons over EU law.

Downing Street said proposals will be introduce 'in the coming weeks' but yesterday friends of Mr Johnson revealed he had given the Prime Minister a one-week deadline to unveil the plans.

'It will have to be next week if they are going to produce anything, a friend of Mr Johnson told The Independent on Sunday. 'They will probably ring him this week.'

The friend said Mr Johnson was 'still deliberating' which side of the EU campaign to join, adding: 'He won't be bounced, he won't be bullied and he won't be conned.

'He was given assurances on sovereignty.'

The Prime Minister is expected to make clear the British Supreme Court outranks the European Court of Justice, making it similar to Germanys constitutional court.

The idea was first mooted by Mr Johnson and at a Chatham House speech in November Mr Cameron tasked Michael Gove with drawing up the new laws.

But the Prime Ministers plans were dealt a blow on Friday when a leading British law officer said the plans would not work.

Sir Francis Jacobs, a former British advocate general of the European Court of Justice, said EU law will always prevail as long as Britain remains in the 28-state bloc.

He also said proposals to copy Germanys constitutional court, which judges whether EU laws is incompatible with German law, would only create another powerless talking shop and would only be able to raise doubts over EU law.

He said the German constitutional court simply raises doubts about European law and that can be very useful.

THE BRITISH BORDER IN FRANCE: WHAT IS THE DEAL KEEPING THE JUNGLE IN CALAIS? Britain and France signed the Le Touquet treaty in 2003 amid tensions over the number of people in camps at Calais. The deal was the latest in a series that allowed Britain to carry out border checks on the French side of the Channel - meaning papers were checked there and vehicles inspected. British officials are based on the French side of the channel and cooperation around the eurotunnel terminal was stepped up last summer as the numbers trying to break into the tunnel grew. Scrapping the deal could see British border checks brought back to the English side of the Channel - potentially allowing people to reach the Kent shore to set up camp while awaiting processing. There are currently around 7,000 people at the camps, pictured above last week, with 'roads' handed British-styled names such as Queen Elizabeth II Street. Advertisement

As the In and Out campaigns battle to win over Mr Johnson, Eurosceptic Tory MP Bernard Jenkin revealed that the London Mayor had told him he had never been an Outer during an exchange last week.

Mr Jenkin told The Mail on Sunday: 'Boris was quite open and frank about it  it was no secret conversation.

He is genuinely torn but I hope he will change his mind because he is one of the few who understands that if we stay in Britain will be in a weaker position than ever before.'

The disclosure of the exchange is embarrassing for Mr Johnson, who has repeatedly kept his cards close to his chest over which side of the EU campaign he will join.

'Out' campaigners have begged him to join them, believing his charisma and Churchillian rhetoric could boost their lacklustre campaign.

Mr Johnson played a vital role in forcing Mr Camerons to call a referendum and has made a string of rabble-rousing speeches about quitting the EU.

Two years ago he said: 'It might well be better to quit an unreformed EU than stay in.'

Last year he claimed that Britain could 'forge a glorious and prosperous future' on its own, and last week he said that Britain 'must be more willing to say, 'We are an independent country.' '

However, some Tories have long suspected that deep down, Mr Johnson, whose father Stanley was an MEP, is a closet Europhile.

One Conservative MP said: 'His dad was a Euro-MP, Boris went to school in Brussels, he speaks several European languages, he worked in Brussels, he loves being part of any elite.

'If he ever became PM he'd be a star in Europe. Why would he want to leave?'

Securing the Mayor of Londons backing for the In campaign would likely guarantee Cameron faces few truly big beasts in the referendum race to polling day, expected on June 23 if the remaining talks go well.

He gave cautious backing to Mr Cameron after the Prime Minister unveiled his reform package on Tuesday, saying he had made the best out of a bad job, adding: Lets wait and see where this whole thing goes.
Police are investigating yet another slashing attack on the New York subway after a man was knifed in the face making it the 11th such stabbing this year.

The 32-year-old male victim was slashed in the face by two men who turned violent on the stairwell of Boston Post Road and East Tremont station on No 2 and no 5 lines in Bronx.

The incident happened just before 4am on Saturday and after the man was attacked, the two suspects fled the scene.

The man was slashed across the face as he walked down the stairs at Boston Post Road and East Tremont station in the Bronx, pictured

It is understood the victim had been walking down the stairs, texting on his phone when he felt the knife across his face.

A police source told the New York Post: 'The victim is trying to talk to one and he expresses hes not interested in having a conversation with the guy. It may have been flirtation.'

It is unclear the extent of the victim's injuries and is the latest in a string of slashing incidents to take place on the subway this year.

This has prompted New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton to deploy more patrols to the subways, and ask New Yorkers to stop sleeping while riding trains.

Last week, a 30-year-old man was cut in the face on board a 3 train in Brooklyn, making it the tenth knifing attack in the subway this year.

Last week, a 30-year-old man was cut in the face on board a 3 train in Brooklyn, pictured, making it the tenth knifing attack in the subway this year

On the rise: Damon Knowles (pictured) is accused of wielding the knife that left grandmother-of-nine Carmen Rivera needing 30 stitches in her face after an attack on the 6 train at 7.15am on January 26

Another slashing: Ras Alula Nagarit is pictured at his recent arraignment in a Brooklyn, NY court. He allegedly slashed a woman at the Atlantic-Ave-Barclays Center 3 train platform last month

Police say the suspect, 37-year-old Stephen Brathwaite, used a folding knife on Steve Jean Baptiste after both men boarded the train at the Junius Streer stop in East New York.

Baptiste told police that he and a friend were waiting for the train shortly before 1pm when they noticed Brathwaite staring at them as he paced back and forth, according to the New York Daily News.

Grandma: Carmen Rivera returns home to the Bronx. Ms Rivera was the victim of a slashing on the subway that left a deep cut on her face

'Wanna fight?' Brathwaite reportedly asked before pouring coffee on Baptiste's back.

Baptiste boarded a separate car than Brathwaite, who police say suffers from schizophrenia.

Cops say Brathwaite sought out his victim after they both got onto the train. He then allegedly lunged at Baptiste and slashed the right side of his chin, according to the New York Post.

Others injured in attacks include a 71-year-old grandma who was attacked on the D train on January 26.

Damon Knowles is accused of wielding the knife that left grandmother-of-nine Carmen Rivera needing 30 stitches in her face after an attack on the 6 train at 7.15am on January 26.

Also this year, a 29-year-old woman was supposedly cut by Ras Alula Nagarit, who was wielding a cloth-covered machete, police said.

She was reportedly slashed on the Atlantic-Ave-Barclays Center 3 train platform where the attacker allegedly yelled, 'Ill chop you up right on this f****** train!

In early January, Amanda Morris, 24, was slashed by a stranger in Chelsea and Anthony Christopher Smith, 30, was cut in in the East Village just a little more than a week later.

Commissioner Bratton said that while there was a 12.9 per cent increase in subway knifings this year when compared to 2015, there is nothing to worry about.

During an interview last week, he said: 'This is New York and occasionally the media and police get focused on a series of incidents, and thats what happened here.' .

'In the subway system, the issue of concern that we have, that is the most constant concern, the more significant concern in terms of actual numbers ... is pickpocketing and theft of electronic equipment.'
Alistair Carmichael, pictured in November after an earlier hearing in the case, faces a legal bill of up to 80,000 after today's ruling

Former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister Alistair Carmichael will have to pay legal fees of up to 80,000 after a court found he told a 'blatant lie' on TV.

Former Scotland secretary Mr Carmichael faces the bill despite winning a court case over a leaked memo which could have seen him kicked out of Parliament.

The Lib Dem grandee survived the court bid to oust him over the release of a secret document which wrongly claimed SNP first minister Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron to stay in Downing Street.

But despite his court victory against four of his Orkney and Shetland constituents last year, Mr Carmichael faces paying his own legal fees after the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled against him today.

Judges ruled in December he did not break electoral law by lying about a leaked memo ahead of the general election.

Lady Paton and Lord Matthews found that while Mr Carmichael had told a 'blatant lie' during a television interview about the leaked document it had not been proven beyond reasonable doubt he had committed an 'illegal practice'.

After hearing legal arguments from both sides, Lady Paton said: 'In all the circumstances, exercising our discretion, we consider this to be in effect a case with divided success.

'Accordingly, we find no expenses due to or by any party.'

The four constituents, known as the petitioners, brought the rare Election Court action under Section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.

This states that 'a person who ... before or during an election, for the purpose of affecting the return of any candidate at the election, makes or publishes any false statement of fact in relation to the candidate's personal character or conduct shall be guilty of an illegal practice'.

They have raised almost 210,000 towards legal fees via a crowdfunding appeal while a separate crowdfunder set up by a friend of Mr Carmichael has raised more than 14,000 towards his expenses, estimated at between 50,000 to 80,000.

Roddy Dunlop QC, acting for Mr Carmichael, had argued 'expenses should follow success' after Mr Carmichael was found not to have breached the Act.

He said it was 'frankly inconceivable' that if the four petitioners had succeeded that they would not have sought expenses against the MP.

He added: 'Mr Carmichael is not a rich man.

'To force him to endure this process which has been hugely distressing for him and his family, and deprive him of any redress when he successfully defends himself, it would not be in the interests of justice. It would not be fair.

Mr Carmichael leaked a memo ahead of last year's election which wrongly suggested Nicola Sturgeon, pictured last week in Holyrood, wanted David Cameron to win the general election

He added: 'Mr Carmichael has already suffered very publicly the consequences of this court's rebuke.

'It would not be fair in a situation where he has from the outset denied any breach of section 106 to saddle on him the entire costs of defending this simply because the court was unimpressed by his behaviour.'

Jonathan Mitchell QC, for the petitioners, told the court there had been a public interest in bringing the case and pointed out they had successfully argued several points.

He said: 'The truth is this is a case which is brought upon himself by the respondent (Mr Carmichael) in which he acted throughout with a lack of candour, in truth he accepted in his own evidence that his position was thoroughly dishonest.

'This is not a petition brought frivolously or vexatiously, and indeed Mr Dunlop has not suggested that it was.'

Mr Mitchell said even the court in its opinion had referred to Mr Carmichael's behaviour as 'shocking, outrageous, dishonest, lacking in candour and unimpressive'.

He added: 'It would simply not be just if the petitioners, having brought this case, having got the public to support them, as to a limited extent the respondent has, should then be told that they have to pay the expenses of his uncandid defence.'

The case centred on a Channel 4 interview on April 5 in which Mr Carmichael denied having prior knowledge of the memo leak, which emerged about a month before voters went to the polls.
Headmistress: Kay Willett took action after being asked are you training the children to be terrorists?

A school called The Isis Academy has been forced to change its name after jokes about pupils being trained as terrorists.

The school in Oxford, which was only given the monicker three years ago after becoming an academy, has been rebranded The Iffley Academy to avoid confusion with Islamic State.

It had been named after part of the River Thames which flows nearby known as The Isis, but the school changed its title following a series of negative comments from contractors.

Headmistress Kay Willett took action after being asked are you training the children to be terrorists? and finding photographs of pupils and terrorists when she searched for the school online.

She said: We had negative comments from the wider community such as contractors and people who were coming to do work for us.

You would give the address out on the phone and when you said Isis the person would pause and say oh.

Anybody who did not know the nature of the school would make comments like are you training the children to be terrorists?

The feedback from staff is that if they gave the schools name when travelling around people would say my goodness that is unfortunate.

She added: It became so prevalent in the media and if you Googled "Isis" you got a mixture of photos of terrorists and photos of our kids.

The children themselves were beginning to pick up on the fact there were negative comments and we wanted them to be able to be proud of their school.

The 132-pupil special school, whose students have a range of disabilities and mental health needs, was known as Iffley Mead School until it became an academy three years ago.

Old name: Mrs Willett also found photos of pupils and terrorists when she searched for the school online

A rebrand was first discussed in December 2014 after ISIS hit the headlines - and now the new signs are being installed.

Mrs Willett added that pupils at the school, which is rated outstanding by Ofsted, were pleased with the name change.

She said: Many of our students aged ten to 18 have autism and mental health needs and they rely on us to give out positive messages about life.

When we told them why the name was going to change they were happy with that.

The Isis is the name given to the part of the Thames above Iffley Lock and is a focal point of rowing for Oxford University. But other organisations named after the river are sticking by their names.

Electrician Chris Carey, of Isis Electrical, said: We are still Isis, it seems like people are calling the terrorist group Daesh now anyway.

Mrs Willett said pupils at the school, which is rated outstanding by Ofsted, were pleased with the name change

I still get a few comments and I get funny looks in places outside Oxfordshire. It is just a storm in a teacup and we are happy to keep the name.

People would say 'my goodness that is unfortunate' Kay Willett, headmistress of The Iffley Academy (formerly The Isis Academy)

Oxford University's rowing team Isis also decided against changing its name two years ago following the rise of the terror group, to avoid giving the extremists 'more publicity than they are worth'.

But the founder of Isis Estate Agents changed the companys name shortly after its launch in September 2014 to Wallers of Oxford, because he saw it as an easy put-down for rivals.

And an English language school and education group called 'Isis' changed its name to Oxford International Education Group after staff received 'negative comments' for wearing Isis T-shirts.
President Barack Obama has downplayed the Zika virus, insisting 'this is not like Ebola'.

Speaking to CBS This Morning at the White House on Monday, Obama pointedly explained that the mosquito-spread infection linked to babies being born with abnormally small heads is not life-threatening.

But he followed his words of assurance with an announcement that he plans to ask Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to help fight the virus.

His far-reaching interview also covered North Korea, as the president admitted he thinks 'we have to be concerned' about Kim Jong Un's regime and its stockpile of nuclear weapons.

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Speaking at the White House on Monday, Obama pointedly explained that the mosquito-spread infection linked to babies being born with abnormally small heads is not life-threatening

Evidence has linked the virus to microcephaly, a devastating birth defect that can cause unusually small heads and permanent brain damage. Brazil has so far reported around 4,000 suspected cases

ZIKA LINK WITH BIRTH DEFECT 'STRONGER AND STRONGER' - CDC The suspected link between the Zika virus and a birth defect known as microcephaly appears 'stronger and stronger' as researchers study whether there is a causal connection, the head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday. Scientists are trying to establish whether infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy causes microcephaly, in which babies are born with abnormally small heads and an underdeveloped brain. Dr Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, said the agency is also working with researchers in Brazil to study a potential link between Zika and a wider array of developmental disorders in babies. The CDC upgraded its guidelines for testing pregnant women who have traveled to areas affected by the outbreak on Friday. Advertisement

'The good news is this is not like Ebola, people don't die of Zika - a lot of people get it and don't even know that they have it,' Obama opened.

'What we now know though is that there appears to be some significant risk for pregnant women or women who are thinking about getting pregnant.'

He said the money would be used to expand mosquito control programs, speed development of a vaccine, develop diagnostic tests and improve support for low-income pregnant women.

Zika virus disease is mainly spread by mosquitoes.

Most people who catch it experience mild or no symptoms.

But mounting evidence from Brazil suggests that infection in pregnant women is linked to abnormally small heads in their babies  a birth defect called microcephaly.

The White House said that as spring and summer approach, the U.S. must prepare to quickly address local transmission with the continental U.S. Obama added, however, that 'there shouldn't be a panic on this.'

Two health care experts will answer reporters' questions Monday at the regular White House press briefing: Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The administration's request to Congress is separate from the budget for the next fiscal year that Obama will submit to Congress on Tuesday. The administration seeks the Zika money much more quickly than the regular budget process would allow.

On Tuesday, administration officials are slated to brief Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, (R-Ky.) and other congressional leaders on the administration's Zika prevention and response plan, McConnell's office said.

The lawmakers also expect to hear more about the new funding request and the administration's other spending priorities 'given limited federal resources,' according to a statement from McConnell spokesman Don Stewart.

The Pan American Health Organization reports 26 countries and territories in the Americas with local Zika transmission. To date, there has not been transmission of the Zika virus by mosquitoes within the U.S., but some Americans have returned to the U.S. with Zika infections from affected countries in South America, Central America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.

Most of the money would be allocated to the Department of Health and Human Services to improve laboratory capacity, launch educational programs and establish rapid response teams.

About $250 million of assistance would be directed specifically to Puerto Rico though extra Medicaid funding. The island is in the midst of a fiscal crisis. And $200 million would go toward research and commercialization of new vaccines and diagnostic tests.

The virus, which is commonly found in parts of Africa and South East Asia spread to Latin America via French Polynesia. Last year more than 1.5 million people in South America became infected, before the virus jumped to the Caribbean, Mexico and Texas towards the end of 2015

Paulo Gadelha, president of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil's health institute cautioned, the virus's ability to infect other people through the two body fluids requires further study and does not yet merit any additional health recommendation

'ABSTAIN FROM SEX OR USE A CONDOM' SAY HEALTH EXPERTS US health authorities have today urged people to use condoms or refrain from sex if they live in or have traveled to areas where the Zika virus is circulating. The new interim guidelines from the US Centers from Disease Control are aimed at pregnant women and their partners. But they also apply to those people of childbearing age who are concerned about Zika, a primarily mosquito-borne virus which has been linked to birth defects. Earlier this week, US health officials confirmed the first case of sexually transmitted Zika, involving a person who had traveled to Venezuela and infected a sexual partner in Texas upon return. Advertisement

The remainder, about $335 million would go to the U.S. Agency for International Development. The money would help affected countries in South America, Central America and the Caribbean provide training to health care workers, stimulate private sector research and help pregnant women gain access to repellant to protect against mosquitoes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 50 laboratory-confirmed cases among U.S. travelers from December 2015- February 5, 2016, the White House said. So far, the only recent case that has been transmitted within the U.S. is believed to have occurred in Texas through sex.

Zika usually is transmitted through bites from infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are common in Florida, along the Gulf Coast and states that border Mexico.

Addressing North Korea, the president said: 'I think we have been concerned about North Korea's behavior for a while.

'This is an authoritarian regime. It's provocative. It has repeatedly violated U.N. resolutions, tested and produced nuclear weapons and now they are trying to perfect their missile launch system.

'I spoke with President Xi of China just a few days before this launch about the need to really tighten the noose on them.

'But what we're also doing is consulting with the South Koreans for the first time about more missile defense capabilities to prevent any possibility that North Korea could reach U.S. facilities or U.S. populations.

'This is something that we have anticipated. We have seen a pattern of behavior over them.
The billionaire lover of writer Alexandra Tolstoy is facing two years in jail for contempt of court.

Russian oligarch Sergei Pugachev, a former ally of President Vladimir Putin once dubbed 'the Kremlin's banker', was found guilty of 12 charges after having his assets frozen by the High Court.

The 53-year-old is in the midst of a bitter battle with the Kremlin, accused of owing hundreds of millions of pounds to the liquidator of his bank Mezhprombank, which went bust in the global financial crisis.

Russian oligarch Sergei Pugachev (left), the billionaire lover of writer Alexandra Tolstoy (right) and a former ally of President Vladimir Putin, is facing two years in jail for contempt of court

Russias state deposit agency alleges Pugachev siphoned taxpayers' money from the bank to a private account and is vicariously liable for its subsequent collapse.

In June 2014, Pugachev, who was living in London, had his 1billion assets - including two London homes and a villa in Nice - frozen while the investigation was being conducted.

The worldwide freeze prevented him from selling the properties or doing anything to diminish their value and also bans him from spending cash in bank accounts.

He was also ordered to hand over his Russian and French passports and to remain in the UK while the probe took place.

But he has now been convicted of contempt after breaching that order and also giving evidence to the court which he knew was false.

He was not present when the verdict was read out and is believed to have fled to France in June. A warrant is out for his arrest.

Broadcaster and writer Miss Tolstoy, a distant relative of War And Peace author Leo Tolstoy who has three children with Mr Pugachev, has claimed he is the victim of a high-level conspiracy in Russia to take over his empire.

The 53-year-old (left) was taken to court for owing hundreds of millions of pounds to the liquidator of his bank Mezhprombank, which went bust in the financial crisis. Miss Tolstoy, a distant relative of War And Peace author Leo Tolstoy, has claimed he is the victim of a high-level conspiracy in Russia to take over his empire

Pugachev also denies the allegation, saying it was used as an excuse to seize his assets after he fell out with Mr Putin.

Delivering her verdict, the judge said Pugachev was guilty of giving false evidence to the court knowing it not to be true.

He had also failed to hand over his French passport or other travel documents which allowed him to flee, she said.

Miss Tolstoy was educated at Downe House, the same Berkshire boarding school that the Duchess of Cambridge briefly attended, and went on to study at Edinburgh University

Pugachev also dealt in shares and sold two cars in breach of the freezing order.

Another hearing is fixed for Thursday when the judge will decide on his contempt. The liquidator Deposit Insurance company is seeking the maximum two years in prison.

The deeply religious Mr Pugachev was the man who ignited Putins career by introducing him to the daughter of former Russian president Boris Yeltsin.

Despite once looking after the money of Mr Putins inner circle, he fell out of favour in 2010 and was eventually forced to flee the country.

Having quit as a senator, Pugachev lost immunity against prosecution in Putins courts.

Miss Tolstoy was educated at Downe House, the same Berkshire boarding school that the Duchess of Cambridge briefly attended, and went on to study at Edinburgh University.

In 2009 she made the BBC documentary series, Horse People with Alexandra Tolstoy, in which she explored remote communities around the world where horses are central to the culture.

While spending a decade travelling around China, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan she met her first husband, a Cossack horseman.

During that marriage she lived in Moscow, where she gave English lessons to Mr Pugachev.

There was a minor scandal when she became pregnant by him while still married to the horseman. When they split there was a legal row over the 250,000 Moscow apartment they shared.
A three-year-old toddler picked up a loaded pistol at his great-grandparents' house and accidentally shot and killed his nine-year-old sister, police said.

Third-grader Kimberly Reylander suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was flown by a medical helicopter from the home in Irondale, Alabama to Children's of Alabama hospital, where she died.

A relative who was not home at the time had left the loaded gun on the nightstand, not realizing the children would be in the house that day, police chief Ken Atkinson said.

The other adults in the house were unaware the gun was in the room where Kimberly and her brother were playing.

Kimberly Reylander, nine, was remembered as smart, sweet, artistic and beautiful by her relatives. Her obituary reads: 'Kimi was her Mommy and Daddy's little angel. She was a gifted singer and artist.'

Kimberly (left) died on Saturday after her three-year-old brother accidentally shot her with a pistol left on their great-grandparents' nightstand in Irondale, Alabama

Kimberly's great-grandfather, Joel Watson said he and the other adults rushed into the room once they heard the gunshot.

He told WIAT: 'Her grandma was laying the towel on her head and laid down there and started praying, she was praying, I was praying, my wife was screaming and praying.

'Nobody knows how that feels until you experience it.'

Irondale police chief Ken Atkinson called it 'a tragic accident', but an investigation is still underway

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon, when Kimberly was sitting on the floor of the bedroom in the 2000 block of Monroe Drive, about 14 miles outside of Birmingham.

Kimberly and her brother lived nearby with their mother.

Atkinson called it 'a tragic accident', but an investigation is still underway.

Her maternal grandfather Rodney Watson told WBRC: 'She was a beautiful child, straight A student, she loved God, she loved singing at church, she was just a precious angel.'

He added: 'You know, I've always had this thought that this could only happen to someone else, you know you only hear about these things, but when it hits home it's hard.'

Other relatives remembered the young girl as smart, sweet and artistic. Her obituary reads: 'Kimi was her Mommy and Daddy's little angel. She was a gifted singer and artist.'

On Sunday, mother Amanda Reylander posted a photograph of Kimberly on Facebook, writing: 'Mommy loves you baby girl...I'm so sorry....'

As friends offered their condolences, she later added: 'I don't know what to do with myself.'

Neighbor Chrissy Coblentz said she lived next door from Kimberly's great-grandparents, and the young girl often played with her kids.

She set up a Gofundme page to pay for the funeral, which will be held on February 10.

Irondale police said there were no charges filed at this time.

According to the Washington Post, Kimberly is the fifth casualty in an accidental shooting by a toddler in 2016.

Her mother, Amanda Reylander (pictured left with Kimberly) posted a photograph of her daughter, writing: ''Mommy loves you baby girl...I'm so sorry....'
Steinem has since apologized and said women are more activist than ever

Gloria Steinem has apologized after she suggested that young women only support Bernie Sanders to meet men.

The Hillary Clinton supporter and feminist icon had told Real Time host Bill Maher that Sanders was popular with young female voters because 'the boys are with Bernie.'

The surprising claim came after Maher asked her why she thought her preferred candidate was not doing better with young women.

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Steinem has apologized for implying that young women aren't serious in their politics after her comments during an appearance on Bill Maher's Real Time

Steinem explained that women generally become more radical as they age as they lose power.

'And when you're young, you're thinking, 'Where are the boys?' The boys are with Bernie,' she said.

'Now if I said that - "Yeah, they're for Bernie 'cause that's where the boys are" - you'd swat me,' a shocked Maher had responded.

'No, I wouldn't,' she said.

Steinem, a celebrated leader of the feminist movement and founder of Ms. Magazine, faced a huge backlash online from younger voters who criticized the 81-year-old for being 'sexist' and 'patronizing.'

She subsequently apologized 'for what's been misinterpreted as implying young women aren't serious in their politics.'

In a Facebook post, she admitted she had 'misspoke' on the show 'in a case of talk-show Interruptus'.

Steinem had said that women get more radical with age but when they are young, 'you're thinking, 'Where are the boys?' The boys are with Bernie'

The Hillary Clinton supporter had told Real Time host Bill Maher that Sanders was more popular with young female voters because 'the boys are with Bernie'

She said: 'Whether they gravitate to Bernie or Hillary, young women are activist and feminist in greater numbers than ever before.'

Steinem expressed her support for Clinton's campaign back in October.

But it seems many younger voters are being swayed by the Sanders campaign.

The Vermont senator, leads the former Secretary of State by 20 points among likely Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire.

For voters aged between 18 and 29, he has a commanding lead of 76 per cent compared to Clinton's 24.

He also leads her among independents, with 69 per cent compared to 26 per cent, and with men, 70 per cent to 25.

Sanders even appears to have edged forward in the overall female vote, with 50 per cent compared to Clinton's 46, according to the NBC/WSJ/Marist poll conducted on February 2-3.

Clinton is still the most popular candidate with older voters where she maintains a lead of 51 per cent compared to Sanders' 44 for people aged 60 or over, CBS reports.

The Monmouth University poll spoke to 502 likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters with a margin of error of 4.4 per cent
An Alabama State Trooper expecting to write up a ticket for speeding ended up helping a woman give birth on Sunday morning.

Danny Lowe, of Huntsville, said he was driving his wife, Shawna, and their unborn baby to an Athens hospital around 6:40 a.m. when he was pulled over by Trooper Michael Kesler for speeding.

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Danny Lowe (bottom left) said he was driving his wife, Shawna, and their unborn baby to an Athens hospital around 6:40am when he was pulled over by Trooper Michael Kesler (top left) for speeding

Shawna Lowe, seen with her baby boy Barrett, has said: 'There was no time. It just happened in a matter of seconds'

He told WAAY: 'She started grabbing the handle on the truck and I knew she was in pain,

'I knew she was getting closer, so I wanted to get there so I started to speed up a little bit more.'

While being questioned, she began going into labor and the two men helped her deliver a baby boy along U.S. 72.

Danny Lowe said of the trooper: 'He was awesome. He settled me down.'

Shawna Lowe told WAAY: 'There was no time. It just happened in a matter of seconds.'

After delivering the baby, Kesler helped clean the baby and keep the mom and baby warm until an ambulance arrived.

Kesler later joined the family at the hospital and gave them flowers, cupcakes and a starter kit for new parents

Spencer Collier, Secretary of Law Enforcement, said in a news release that Kesler also helped take stress off the family by coordinating with the mother's doctor and ambulance personnel.

Kesler later joined the family at the hospital and gave them flowers, cupcakes and a starter kit for new parents.

The baby has been named Barrett. Both baby and mother are doing well, according to Mr Lowe.

Shoal Insider reported he got a 'warning ticket for speeding.'
The defence lawyer for a man who was falsely accused of sexually assaulting a well-known actress has claimed CCTV footage was slowed down by prosecutors.

Mark Pearson, a 51-year-old artist, was accused of sexually assaulting a well-known actress in her 60s when their paths crossed at London's Waterloo station.

Last month a jury cleared him of 'sexually penetrating' the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The jury unanimously dismissed the prosecution claim that the crime could have occurred in just a split second in front of dozens of commuters.

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CCTV showed Mark Pearson, a 51-year-old artist, walking through Waterloo was on his way home from work, weaving through a thick tide of London commuters and carrying a paper in his left hand

It has now been alleged that the CPS slowed down the CCTV footage of the station in an attempt to bolster their case.

Mark Bagshaw, Mr Pearson's defence lawyer, told The Telegraph: 'The CCTV was served on us in a way in which had been altered.

'The few seconds when my client walked past the alleged victim had been slowed down so it looked like he had more time to commit the alleged actions than he in reality did have.'

The CPS's alleged actions meant Mr Pearson's lawyers had to hire a forensic expert to correct the video.

Walking towards him across the concourse came an award-winning star of film, TV, theatre and radio

It cannot be said with certainty that the artist and the actress made even fleeting physical contact. CCTV images showed only that they walked past each other

He then walks on, having passed her for no longer than one second. Yet the woman, who is in her 60s, claimed Mr Pearson sexually assaulted her  penetratively  for 'two or three seconds'

By reducing the video's speed by half, the moments before and after Mr Pearson passed the woman, would have seemed longer to the jury than they really were.

The lawyer added: 'If we had not taken the steps we had, the CCTV would have been presented to the jury at that amended speed.'

Mr Pearson was cleared of the charge by a jury in 90 minutes at Blackfriars Crown Court.

Today he appeared on ITV's This Morning where he described the trauma the case had caused him.

He said: 'The footage totally contradicts what she was saying.

'I hold the CPS more responsible because we had the CCTV footage analysed by an expert, and the CPS still proceeded with the trial.

'There is something that has gone radically wrong with their processes.'

A CPS spokesman said: 'There was sufficient evidence for this case to proceed to court and progress to trial. We respect the decision of the jury.'

Mr Pearson (pictured on This Morning ) says he feels as though he has undergone a form of mental torture

The defence team questioned in court how Mr Pearson could have carried out the alleged assault when he was carrying a newspaper in one hand and holding his bag with the other.

Mr Pearson told the court: 'I would have had to crouch down, put my hand up the woman's skirt... penetrate her, take my hand out again... all while holding the newspaper and walking along the concourse... It's preposterous... It is against everything I believe in as a human being. I did nothing.'

There were no witnesses and no forensic evidence. The actress failed to pick out Mr Pearson in an identity parade of video images.

Summing up the case, the judge, His Honour Peter Clarke QC, told the jury that to convict Mr Pearson they had to be sure the assault happened as the actress described. There could be 'no middle ground'.

Every day, 300,000 people flow through Waterloo in Central London  Britain's busiest station. 'I was just one of those commuters  in the wrong place at one moment in time,' Mr Pearson added.

'For me, half a second turned into a year of hell. I feel I have undergone a form of mental torture sanctioned by the state.'
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Travelers aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship are furious after the ship knowingly sailed into a massive nor'easter off the coast of South Carolina.

Royal Caribbean has decided to turn the ship around and go back to Newark, New Jersey as a new storm brewing off the coast of Florida threatens to put the Anthem of the Seas back through stomach-churning swells.

Passengers were forced to endure a 'horrendous' night of rocking as the ship made its way through the storm with hurricane-force winds.

'#AnthemoftheSeas will turn around & sail back to Cape Liberty.

'This decision was made for guests' comfort due to weather forecasts.

'The forecast would likely have impacted original itinerary. We're also sensitive to what guests have already been through.

'We appreciate our guests' patience and cooperation. We know it was tough day on Sunday apologize for their discomfort,' Royal Caribbean's coporate Twitter posted.

The cruise line has offered a full refund and 50 per cent off the passengers' next cruise.

'Captain notified us that the ship is turning around to make way towards Bayonne, NJ. Too dangerous to go towards paradise,' Jacob Ibrag, 25, of New York, tweeted.

The powerful nor'easter was predicted as early as February 4, but the cruise still went ahead as planned.

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The ceiling of a Royal Caribbean cruise collapsed as the ship endured 150mph winds, which caused the ship to rock back and forth for hours on ends and causing damage to the furniture and structure inside the vessel

In the ship's kitchen, cutlery, coffee urns, sugar packets and more was sent sprawling across the floor as waves slammed into the ship

Huge pots were toppled as hundreds of towels lined the floors and door ways to keep water from the massive swells from seeping in

Rain pelleted the windows and doors shattered in the wind and waves of the nor'easter, which caused the ship to rock through the night

Frightened passengers posted pictures of damages from on board Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas as the ship swayed last night

Terror at sea: Waves crashed against the cabin windows as passengers hunkered down to brave the storm

The rising tides and swelling waves caused many passengers to panic, reaching out to social media and asking for prayers

Massive: The Anthem of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean, is the third largest cruise ship ever built

The Anthem of the Seas spent hours of the late afternoon into the evening yesterday rocking in tha storm's huge swells, which caused the ship to lean as much as 45 degree off center.

The ship experienced 'extreme wind and sea conditions' that were not expected as it made its way from New Jersey heading to Florida and the Bahamas in a week-long round-trip vacation.

Passengers were told to stay in their rooms starting around 3am this morning as furniture slammed about the ship's main halls.

In its statement, Royal Caribbean said four people were injured but not seriously and the damage to public areas and cabins 'in no way affect the sea worthiness of the ship.'

WHAT IS A NOR'EASTER 'A nor'easter, also northeaster, is a storm along the East Coast of North America, so called because the winds over the coastal area are typically from the northeast. 'These storms may occur at any time of year but are most frequent and most violent between September and April.' Source: NOAA Advertisement

Passenger Shara Strand said she was 'shaking all over' and suffering panic attacks as her Royal Caribbean cruise ship experienced high wind and rough seas while sailing from New Jersey to Port Canaveral in Florida.

Shara said she's been on more than 20 cruises before, but never experienced anything like what happened on the Anthem of the Seas.

'I'm not being over dramatic by saying it was the scariest moments of my life - having no control in hurricane-like winds for hours on end with baby on board, not being able to leave our cabins.

'Royal Caribbean should be ashamed of themselves for continuing on a course Mother Nature deemed unfit,' Shara wrote on Facebook.

The ship is carrying 4,529 passengers and 1,616 crew, according to a spokeswoman.

Jacob Ibrag, who is on board the Anthem of the Seas, told the Daily Mail:

'Around 3.30pm, the rocking of the boat and the winds truly started to take a toll on the ship.

'First thing my family and I did though was rush back into our cabins and try to prepare for the worst.'

Rocked: The ship was leaning so much in both of these pictures the men are actually standing up straight but appear to be defying gravity

Hurricane-force winds reaching 150mph caused huge swells, which sent the ship teetering through the night at angles of 45 degrees

Furniture toppled and broke as the ship was tossed around by giant ocean waves from the nor'easter, which began around 3pm yesterday

Today passengers tried to relax and prepare for their trip to Florida and the Bahamas, but were told the ship was being turned around

Today crews are sweeping up debris left over from the storm, which have included shards of broken glass from the banisters

Shattered glass and (what appears to be) a broken tower greeted passengers when they woke this morning and were able to go outside

Piles of broken furniture have been stack on the deck as passengers see external damages for the first time since the terrifying storm

People sent photos to every kind of social media, including Snap Chat, to document the stomach-churning night aboard the Anthem of the Seas

Before the ship was locked down early this morning, Jacob said he and his family walked around the ship and witnessed a group of passengers get trapped in an elevator.

'At one point a group of ten people got stuck in the middle of floors in an elevator.

'People banded together to help the mechanic on site to get the people out,' Jacob said.

He said the ship's rocking was so intense, he's sure people on board became ill.

In a video showing the ominous rain and climbing waves, those on board begin to panic as items can be heard crashing to the floor and sliding across the room.

Adam Middleton, 24, from London, was locked down in his cabin during the story.

He told the Mirror: 'The captain said it's the worst day at sea he's ever had.

'He had to turn the ship around when it got bad.

'We had to take things off the tables and secure fragile belongings as everything was sliding around.

'The captain held the ship in a stationary position against 150mph winds.

'He said ship was handling very well as its designed to.

'It was scary because we didn't expect it to be so bad.

'But we also felt okay in our room as we closed curtain and put a movie on.'

Another passenger, Leanne Petrone, documented the ship's frightening journey on social media.

'Crazy day on board the Anthem of the Seas.

'We've been stuck in our cabins since 3pm, with winds reaching 150 mph.

'Apparently the storm is dying down but the ship is certainly still rocking.

'I couldn't keep a single item on a dresser or counter, everything went flying.

'I can't wait for this to be over. I just want to get to the warm weather and calm seas,' she wrote on Instagram.

Passengers posted video on social media of bottles flying off their shelves as the cruise ship heaved back and forth in the nauseating waves.

Jacob Ibrag, who was on board the Anthem of the Sea, tweeted about his fears from his cabin room, which he was forced to stay in.

'Hungry, tired and seeking prayer from all of you tonight. The #anthemoftheseas has been rocking with no end in sight.

'Don't think I've ever missed land this much. In other news, wish I took those swimming lessons.

'Mother nature decided to take us all for a ride. Just wonder if this storm system could've been avoided,' he wrote.

One picture showed a man who was 'standing straight up' as the room around him appeared tilted.

The ship hit the storm off the coast of North Carolina as it made its way down south.

According to Royal Caribbean, the ship 'encountered some high winds and seas during its transit to Port Canaveral, Florida. In an abundance of caution, the Captain asked all guests to stay in their staterooms until the weather improved.

'There has been no damage to the ship due to the weather. The ship is currently sailing to Port Canaveral.'

Some passengers reported waves as high as the Deck 5 promenade with water leaking into the ship's doorways before watertight doors were closed.

They also said a large white structure broke off the top of the vessel and landed in a pool.

The Coast Guard told CBS News the ship 'diverted course as a precautionary measure' but wasn't in distress, adding that it was in touch with the Royal Caribbean every hour, and that the weather was improving.

The ship was due in Port Canaveral mid-day Monday, but Jason said the captain made an announcement that the ship won't get there until tomorrow morning.

'We're still maneuvering through the ocean and it seems like we could still run into a bit of uncomfortable weather,' Jason said the captain told passengers.

Stu Ostro, a self-proclaimed 'weather nerd', tweeted this image out to prove the nor'easter was predicted days before the ship left harbor

The captain decided rather than try to weather another storm system brewing in the south, the best course was to turn the ship around

No shopping today: Furniture and loose drawers were pictured strewn across stores on board, including this jewelry shop, although the glass cabinets remained intact

Towels appear to line the floor in order to keep the water out. The ship shut down service and asked passengers to stay in their rooms for more than ten hours to assure no one was injured during the storm
Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, pictured, has been criticised over his handling of Operation Midland which investigated VIP child sex abuse claims

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe faced fresh calls to apologise to Field Marshall Lord Bramall and the family of the late former home secretary Lord Brittan today.

Sir Bernard will face MPs in two weeks to give evidence on how the Met handled allegations of historic sex abuse in both cases, all of which proved unfounded.

Tory MP Tim Loughton, who will be among the MPs quizzing the commissioner on February 23, said 'serious answers' were required after a report found the probe into Lord Brittan was 'fully justified'.

David Cameron and Boris Johnson have already suggested Sir Bernard should make an apology.

Lord Bramall yesterday said he had not heard from the Met since it 'grudgingly' notified him last month that he would not face any charges after a ten-month probe into abuse and torture allegations made by a suspected serial fantasist known only as 'Nick'.

The 92-year-old Field Marshall, whose home was raided by 22 officers in the presence of his dying wife before he was interviewed under caution, said he had some sympathy for Sir Bernard, calling him a 'poor chap'.

The investigation into Lord Brittan concluded, after the Tory peer's death, that he had no case to answer.

Sir Bernard has so far resisted calls for him to make a formal apology over the two high profile cases.

But speaking to the BBC today, Mr Loughton said: 'When Bernard Hogan-Howe comes before our committee in a couple of weeks' time we will want some serious answers.

'But I hope by that stage he will have done the right thing and apologised, certainly to Lord Bramall, who is undoubtedly owed an apology.'

Turning to the Lord Brittan case, former Tory chancellor Lord Lamont said: 'Was he investigated in the way any other case would be investigated, or was it, in the post-Savile world, pursued with vigour that actually got it all out of proportion?'

He continued: 'I think [Sir Bernard has] got to answer these questions, I think personally he's got to apologise.'

Lord Lamont said the report into the investigation was just three pages long and 'fairly skimpy'.

Dorset Police's Deputy Chief Constable James Vaughan reviewed the Lord Brittan investigation and found it 'thorough and far reaching'.

And he told the BBC today: 'I've supplied a confidential report to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

The Metropolitan Police announced last month it had dropped the investigation into Lord Bramall, pictured

Lord Brittan, pictured in 2014, died before the Metropolitan Police concluded the investigation into claims made against him and found he had no case to answer

'The [Met] have then written to the Home Affairs select committee in confidence and I'm not at liberty to go into it, or to be drawn on any further detail of the report.'

He added: 'I was satisfied that on the conclusion of my report that the investigation undertaken by the [Met], which wasn't perfect ... was thorough and far-reaching.'

Last week, Lord Bramall blasted the Met's investigation into him.

He said: They said the allegation was I had abused an under-age male 40 years ago.

MET BOSS FORCED TO MEET LORD BRITTAN'S WIFE TO APOLOGISE Bernard Hogan-Howe Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe will meet Lord Brittain's widow in February to formally apologise for the way his force handled her late husband's false rape case. Diana Brittan's widow received an apology from the Met for hounding him because of claims made by mentally-ill Labour activist known as Jane. The force belatedly wrote to her three years later and told Lady Brittan the Met had found no evidence to charge the former Tory Home Secretary. Lord Brittan in 2011 Scotland Yard said it should have provided clarity at an earlier stage and apologised for any distress caused to Lady Brittan. But the letter went on to say that Lord Brittan might still have been charged, had he still been alive and further information emerged. As a result of the Mets delays, Lord Brittan died with the false rape allegations hanging over his head. Sir Bernard may apologise for the mean-spirited letter. Labours deputy leader, Tom Watson, also apologised to Lady Brittan for making baseless paedophile allegations against her husband, who died with the rape lies hanging over his head. Advertisement

I just dont see how a level-headed policeman could have believed a word of it without corroboration, which he didnt bother to get. It was I that had to prove I couldnt have done it.

'The same with the sex pool parties... absurd business of the policeman saying, Can you swim?

'And I said, Yes, I can swim.

Lord Bramall described seeing the officers face light up at this information.

The Met is set to shut down one of its high-profile sex abuse probes, Operation Midland, in a humiliating climbdown after initially saying that claims VIP paedophiles murdered a young boy were 'credible and true'.

Scotland Yard launched Operation Midland after hearing claims made by Nick, an alleged victim of child abuse.

Nick is at the centre of extraordinary claims that three boys were murdered by senior figures, including politicians, in a VIP paedophile gang operating around Westminster in the 1970s and 1980s.

Detectives now regard him as a Walter Mitty fantasist but Yard chiefs are desperate to justify spending so much money investigating his bizarre claims.

Lord Macdonald, QC, an ex-director of public prosecutions, criticised the polices new policy of we believe the victim, saying it could lead to miscarriages of justice.

He said police had got the balance wrong and officers risked being manipulated by fantasists.

General Sir Mike Jackson, former head of the British Army, said Sir Bernard should apologise immediately for the Mets shocking treatment of Lord Bramall. He told the Mail: I heard the wretched man (Sir Bernard) will apologise to Lord Brittans widow so lets hope he will do the same for Lord Bramall.

Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Anthony Stansfeld, who served under Lord Bramall in the Army, said: Why some senior police officers find it so difficult to apologise when clear and unnecessary mistakes have been made, and which have caused huge distress, I do not understand.

Later this month, Sir Bernard is due to meet Lord Brittans widow to discuss his forces failure to inform the Tory grandee before his death in January last year that he had been cleared of a false rape allegation made by a woman.
Valentine's Day reunion: American veteran Norwood Thomas, 93, boarded a flight to Australia on Sunday to reunite with his long lost love

A Second World War veteran has embarked on a 10,500-mile journey to visit his wartime girlfriend after more than 70 years apart.

Norwood Thomas, 93, boarded a plane from Norfolk, Virginia, to Australia on Sunday to reunited with Joyce Morris, 88, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Thomas was so excited for his upcoming reunion that he hardly slept the night before the flight.

'I woke up at 2:20 in the morning and never got back to sleep,' the vet told the paper at the airport ahead of the 10,500-mile journey.

'This is a great day,' he said. 'Its finally here.'

They first met in London shortly before D-Day but ended up going their separate ways after the war had ended.

Thomas calls Morris 'the one that got away.'

They recently reconnected via Skype. After their story went public, hundreds of people made donations to help fund Thomas' trip to Australia.

Air New Zealand arranged the flight to send Thomas to his long-lost love.

With local media jockeying to interview the wartime couple, the airline has reserved a room at the airport in Adelaide for Thomas and Morris to reunite in private before greeting the press.

'Im just looking forward to seeing her smile,' Thomas said, and 'giving her a squeeze.'

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Joyce Morris, 88, pictured during a recent Skype call with Thomas. Morris met Thomas outside London in the spring of 1944, but later moved to Australia

'I have no idea if therell still be romantic feelings. But at the very least, Ill get to spend time with an old friend. Just sitting and reminiscing will be wonderful,' he added.

It will take two days to reach Australia. Thomas says he would rather die traveling there than sit at home wondering 'what if?'

I have no idea if there'll still be romantic feelings. But at the very least, I'll get to spend time with an old friend. Just sitting and reminiscing will be wonderful.

Thomas will reach Australia in time to spend the most romantic day of the year with his long lost love, since Valentine's Day falls on Sunday.

Morris was 17 years old in the spring of 1944 when she met her 'Tommy' - a 21-year-old American solider stationed outside London.

The two soon fell in love, but became separated after the war and never did have their happily ever after.

The re-connection was sparked after Morris asked her son if it was possible to find people on the internet and the two of them were able to find Thomas on the news because he had gone skydiving at 88-years-old.

Morris' son contacted the reporter who covered the story about Thomas and the two sons were connected - the rest is history.

Morris called Thomas before their sons set up a face to face but when they finally saw each other on the computer screen, the couple couldn't help but giggle like young loves.

Fell in love: When they met, Thomas was 21 and Morris was just 17-years-old. The two fell in love shortly after and Thomas even asked Morris to be his bride. To his chagrin, she declined

'Tell me. Do you see me?' he asked.

'No, I can't see properly, no,' she said.

'Well, I'll tell ya, I'm smiling,' he told her.

'I'm sure you are,' she said, laughing, reports The Washington Post.

Morris told Thomas her son had printed a picture of him from the war that was online and that upon waking she looks at the photo and says 'Good morning, Tommy.'

Thomas told her, 'Just remember I will say good morning back to you.'

'I would love to be there to say in person,' he added.

Thomas told Morris he thought that she had died in a 1996 TWA crash because he read there was a British nurse named Joyce on board. He's delighted to know that she is still alive.

Face to face: In this photo taken on November 6, 2015, Thomas Morris via Skype from his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia

'I'm numb,' Thomas (pictured on November 6) told The Virginian-Pilot . 'I have no idea what my emotions are going to be once we meet face to face.'

'I was out with a friend, and being young, we had our eyes out for young ladies,' Thomas Told ABC

Thomas took a moment to tell ABC about the first time he set eyes on his first love and how he couldn't shake her from his memory.

'We were on a bridge crossing the Thames when we looked down and saw these two fine, young ladies. We went down, paddled around the Thames in rowboats for a bit, later got some drink and food and Joyce and I just clicked.'

The pair dated for a few months and Thomas remembered falling deeply in love with her,

'I think I fell in love with the way that she smiled,' he said.

'I'd always look at her and think, 'My God, that is one, sweet girl.'

ABC reports that the young lovers were separated in June after Thomas was forced to leave for France for the Battle of Normandy.

'My memory is very dim, but I remember that after the war was over and I went back to the U.S., we corresponded via letters for a little bit, and I did send her a couple of gifts,' Thomas said.

Thomas added that he invited Morris to go to the United States to be his wife but she declined.

'She said she couldn't and that she was just getting into nurse's training, and I realized I had more feelings for her than she did for me,' he said.

'So I thought that if I couldn't have my first choice, I'd have my second.'

Thomas ended up marrying a woman with whom he spent 56 years of life. He described her as being a 'very wonderful, strong woman.'

Sadly, she died of lymphoma at age 75.

After the heartbreak of losing his wife, Thomas began thinking of Morris more and more.

'She had always been on the fringes of my thoughts this whole time,' he said.

'She'd always pop up as a pleasant memory, and it turns out that she'd been thinking of me this whole time too. Her son looked me up on the Internet and contacted me. I found out she'd been living in Australia.'

After their Skype conversation, a fund was set up to raise money and some 300 people donated to the campaign, in addition to others who mailed checks directly to Thomas' house.
The bereft mother of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge has revealed how she begged her daughter not to go to Thailand because she feared for her safety.

Susan Witheridge, 58, pleaded with the 23-year-old to stay at home after she made a last-minute decision to visit south-east Asia before starting a masters course.

But Mrs Witheridge, who said she was going 'out of her mind' while Hannah was away, said she felt some relief when her daughter arrived on the island of Koh Tao, where she knew she would just be 'swimming and sunbathing'.

Susan Witheridge (left), the mother of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge (right) has revealed how she begged her daughter not to travel to Thailand. Hannah's sister Laura is also pictured (front)

Days late, while on that island, Hannah was raped and killed, alongside British backpacker David Miller, 24. Two Burmese men have since been convicted of their murders.

Speaking about the anticipation she felt prior to her trip, Mrs Witheridge said: 'The family had always been against Hannah going on the trip and tried to persuade her out of it.

'None of the family was happy with her going there, but she had made her mind up.'

Mrs Witheridge, from Hemsby, Norwich, made the moving comments in a statement which was read out during an inquest into the death of her daughter.

In the statement, Mrs Witheridge said she Hannah had originally planned to go to Europe or Australia before making a late decision to go to Thailand.

The 58-year-old said she pleaded with Hannah, 23, (left and right) to stay at home after she made a last-minute decision to visit the south-east Asian country before starting a masters course

She described how Hannah then tried to allay her fears by talking to members of the family on Skype or by sending them messages every day.

She recalled how she had been on a cookery course in Bangkok and had gone trekking while travelling around Thailand, which made her go 'out of her mind' with worry.

But Mrs Witheridge she said she 'relaxed' when she arrived in Koh Tao in September 2014.

Tragically, Hannah's father Tony, from whom Mrs Witheridge is separated, was forced to break the devastating news of her death shortly after.

Hannah's father Tony Witheridge was the only member of the family to attend the inquest

In the statement, she said: 'September 16 was the day which changed our lives forever. My husband burst into my kitchen and collapsed crying and sobbing.

'It was like a bad dream - but my dreams were never like this.'

Mrs Witheridge said her family flew to Thailand to be briefed by British embassy staff about how Hannah and Mr Miller from St Helier, Jersey, had been killed.

As well as being convicted of murder, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, both 22, were convicted of raping Hannah.

'The facts were brutal and too much to bear,' she added.

Mrs Witheridge also paid tribute to her daughter describing her as a 'beautiful and fun loving woman who filled the room with love and happiness'.

'There wasn't a bad bone in her body. She achieved so much and had so much more ahead of her. Our family is broken and will never be the same again,' she said.

'It will never make any sense. The fact that she is not here, affects us every day.'

Home Office pathologist Dr Nat Cary who conducted a post-mortem examination on Hannah said she had died from severe head injuries.

He said her wounds were consistent with multiple blows from the blade of a hoe and it was likely she would have died 'rapidly'.

Dr Cary also said there were signs that Hannah had been dragged and sexually assaulted. He found no evidence of defensive injuries.

Norfolk coroner Jacqueline Lake recorded a conclusion that Hannah had been unlawfully killed.

She sympathised with Hannah's family for their suffering over her 'tragic and unnecessary loss'.

Hannah died shortly before she was due to start the second year of a speech and language masters degree at the University of Essex.

Mrs Witheridge said she felt some relief when her daughter arrived on the island of Koh Tao (pictured), where she knew she would just be 'swimming and sunbathing'. Hannah was murdered there days later

Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, both 22 (left), were convicted of raping and murdering Hannah and murdering David Miller, 24, from Jersey

She graduated from the University of East Anglia with a degree in education in 2012.

Hannah's father Tony Witheridge, who runs a holiday lettings company in Hemsby, was the only member of the family to attend the inquest.

He was asked by the coroner if he wanted to say anything and replied: 'I think it's exactly how it happened, or unfolded.'

Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were working on Koh Tao when they were arrested for the murders.

The pair claimed during their controversial trial that earlier admissions were tortured out of them. Their defence team is believed to be in the process of making an appeal by disputing DNA evidence against them.

The family of Mr Miller from St Helier, Jersey, who was battered and drowned, said after the trial that they accepted the verdict.

Hannah's older sister Laura Witheridge, 27, criticised the 'bungled' police investigation into the murders in a Facebook post last month.
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While Brazilian carnival season is all about feathers, glitter and samba, German revellers have been using their parades to make some strong political statements, with floats firing shots at everyone from Chancellor Angela Merkel to Donald Trump.

One float set to take part in the annual 'Rosenmontag' (Rose Monday) parade in Dusseldorf showed Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan toasting with an ISIS fighter as they both drink glasses filled with the blood of the Kurdish people.

Another depicted a woman firing off a rocket to which she had tied two of the Cologne New Years Eve sex offenders, and a third saw a giant caricature of Angela Merkel sat in a boat being overcome by the 'wave of refugees'.

Unfortunately for the teams who had spent weeks building the huge papier mache floats, the Rosenmontag parade was called off due to severe weather warnings.

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Political commentary: A carnival float depicting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raising a glass of 'the blood of the Kurdish people' with an ISIS fighter stands in front of the city hall in Duesseldorf, western Germany

Trump trumped: Another float featured an enormous bust of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump - complete with a black eye to represent his recent loss at the Iowa caucus - being mocked by the Statue of Liberty

Drowning: A view of a carnival's float in Dusseldorf depicting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a boat with a German flag being overfurned by a 'fluchtlingswelle' - wave of refugees

Fighting back: Another depicted a woman firing off a rocket to which she had tied two of the Cologne New Years Eve sex offenders

However, some of the more spectacular floats, including those poking fun at Donald Trump's presidential campaign and the German populist right wing, were put on display for the public outside the city hall in Duesseldorf,

Duesseldorf and Essen joined several other German cities in calling off their main Carnival processions because of a forecast storm.

Strong winds are expected across a swathe of western Germany on Monday  including the Rhineland, the heartland of Germany's annual street Carnivals.

The head of the Duesseldorf Carnival committee, Michael Laumen, told ARD television that organizers decided gale warnings made it 'simply too dangerous' to go ahead with the annual Rose Monday parade. However, they plan to stage it later in the year.

Carnival organizers in Mainz, Muenster, Duisburg and elsewhere called off their parades on Sunday. Cologne plans to go ahead with its parade but has banned horses, large puppets and flags from the event for safety reasons.

Fight against terrorism: A carnival float suggesting fighting ISIS and terrorism with laughter is displayed for the public at one location after the 'Rosenmontag' (Rose Monday) parade, the highlight of the annual carnival season, was called-off in Duesseldorf, Germany

Sad times: A violent storm forced the cancellation of the Rosenmontag (Rose Monday) procession in the city on Monday

Whitewach: A float depicts Germany's euro-sceptic right-wing populist AfD party

Still on show: Unfortunately for the teams who had spent weeks building the huge papier mache floats, the Rosenmontag parade was called off due to severe weather warnings

The devil: A carnival float, depicting a red devil reading 'Death of Retail - Amazon', stands in front of the city hall in Duesseldorf

Sunday's carnival parade, called 'Schull un Veedelszoech', usually attracts about 250,000 visitors but this year fewer people attended due to strong winds and wet weather.

German men and women in clown costumes and bright wigs took part to the parade, a centuries-old tradition in western and southwestern Germany which normally culminated in the Rose Monday parade.

Alcohol-fuelled parties with fancy dress, popular songs and dancing continued over the weekend during what is called the 'fifth season' in Rhineland, which usually draws 1.5 million visitors.

Police in the city have said that 22 incidents of sexual assaults occurred in the city on the first night of the traditional Carnival street party.

That despite the deployment of 2,000 police officers on patrol by authorities in an effort to reassure the public.

They have 190 people in custody and officials have described them as 'a cross section of the general public'.

Sunday's carnival parade, called 'Schull un Veedelszoech', usually attracts about 250,000 visitors but this year fewer people attended due to strong winds and wet weather

German men and women in clown costumes and bright wigs took part to the parade, a centuries-old tradition in western and southwestern Germany

Celebrations culminate in Rose Monday parades when floats roll through the streets of Cologne and other Rhineland cities such as Mainz and Duesseldorf

Alcohol-fuelled parties with fancy dress, popular songs and dancing continued over the weekend during what is called the 'fifth season' in Rhineland, which usually draws 1.5 million visitors

Police in the city have said that 22 incidents of sexual assaults occurred in the city on the first night of the traditional Carnival street party.

Video cameras have been installed in the centre of Cologne and sales of pepper spray cans were brisk before the so-called women's carnival, the traditional day when women take over their towns ans symbolically castrate men by cutting off their ties.

A security point has been set up outside the twin-spired cathedral for women who feel threatened. Teams of people have been deployed around town to register any complaints.

It comes as a Belgian journalist has told MailOnline how drunken German yobs whispered 'would you sleep with me tonight' into her ear and then sexually assaulted her live on air during Carnival.

Esmeralda Labye had been unaware of the young men making obscene gestures behind her back as she reported live from the German city.

But while the New Year's Eve assaults have been largely blamed on a mob of young migrant men, the assault on Ms Labye was carried out by Germans.

Men and boys dressed in costumes wait for the beggining of the Carnival parede in Cologne

A Carnival reveller drives in an electric wheel chair during a carnival parade in Cologne

A girl with a coloured wig takes part to the annual carnival parade in Cologne

The carnival is taking place in a heightened atmosphere this year, after the New Year's Eve mob attacks, which sparked a nationwide uproar, the removal of Cologne's police chief

Police officers hold bunches of flowers during a carnival parade called 'Schull- un Veedelszoech' as part of the carnival season

Police are on added alert this year, particularly in Cologne, due to the New Year`s Eve sex attacks on women that have been attributed to gangs of North African men, predominantly from Algeria and Morocco

The shocking incident took place in the Alter Markt district of town as she appeared on air for the one o'clock news for Radio Television Belge de la Communaute Francaise (RTBF).

The carnival is taking place in a heightened atmosphere this year, after the New Year's Eve mob attacks, which sparked a nationwide uproar, the removal of Cologne's police chief and a heated debate about integration at a time when Germany has seen huge numbers of refugees come into the country.

Almost 1.1 million asylum-seekers arrived in Germany last year and most of the attackers in Cologne were described as being of Arab or North African origin.

Cologne prosecutors say they have received 1,037 criminal complaints over the New Year's events, including 446 allegations of sexual assault, three of them rape.

Criminal proceedings have begun against 50 individuals, of whom 11 are in custody, said Cologne prosecutor Ulrich Bremer. Most of the suspects are from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, he said. Several are asylum-seekers.

Josef Sommer, who heads the city's tourism agency, said he was confident the additional security measures would prevent a repeat of the New Year's assaults and allay latent fears of Paris-style attacks by extremists.

'Everyone can celebrate Carnival the way they're used to, with the exception perhaps that people should follow police advice to refrain from wearing costumes that include realistic replica weapons,' Sommer said.

Alcohol-fuelled parties with fancy dress, popular songs and dancing continued over the weekend during what is called the 'fifth season' in Rhineland, which usually draws 1.5 million visitors.

Josef Sommer, who heads the city's tourism agency, said he was confident the additional security measures would prevent a repeat of the New Year's assaults and allay latent fears of Paris-style attacks by extremists

Almost 1.1 million asylum-seekers arrived in Germany last year and most of the attackers in Cologne were described as being of Arab or North African origin

Children hold flowers as they celebrate the carnival Sunday during the carnival season in Cologne

People wearing costumes pose during the 'Koe-Treiben' carnival celebrations in Duesseldorf
Paul Grice, 38, escaped from the Dallas County Jail around 12.30am on Sunday

A manhunt is under way for a dangerous prisoner who escaped from jail in southern Arkansas on Sunday.

Paul Grice, 38, escaped from the Dallas County Jail around 12.30am on Sunday by apparently stacking items near a fence before putting a blanket over the razor wire and climbing over, according to ABC News.

He was still at the jail during a head count around 11.30pm on Saturday.

Authorities did not realize he was missing until about 2.30am on Sunday, and it's unclear how he made it out of the building.

His cousin, Amanda Parks, said that Grice showed up to her home in Montongo and woke her up around 3am.

'He knocked and peeked into my door, and asked my daughter-in-law where I was and he woke me up,' Parks told KARK.

'He just wanted to know about the tires on his truck and if his truck was running.

'He asked for his keys. I said go cause I don't want any part of this.'

Parks called authorities to let them know he was at her home, as Grice realized that his truck was not working.

Drew County Sheriff Mark Gober said that he took off running into the woods not long before they arrived to capture him.

'They did see where he crossed the highway right now were speculating he left the area but we're not sure,' Gober said.

'The public should be aware should be on the look out don't pick up strangers.'

Officers from Drew County, Dallas County, Bradley County and the Arkansas Department of Corrections are searching for Grice.

Grice was awaiting bedspace at the Arkansas Department of Corrections after being convicted for aggravated residential burglary in September.

He was still at the Dallas County Jail (above) during a head count around 11.30pm on Saturday, but authorities did not realize he was missing until about 2.30am on Sunday

In the 1990s, Grice was convicted on several charges, including second-degree murder, burglary and theft of property. However, he was released from prison on parole.

He murdered 74,-year-old James B. Rushing of Pine Bluff, according to ArkansasOnline.com.

Grice is described as a white male standing five feet, six inches tall and weighing about 155 pounds.

He was last seen wearing a black shirt, blue jeans and a light-colored jacket.

Authorities say he is considered to be very dangerous and are asking residents to be cautious of hitchhikers and suspicious persons in the area.
His official documents may have been lost in a government warehouse fire

the address of the jungle tent he was treated in

A St Louis military veteran who was decorated with a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars in Second World War is struggling to get the benefits he needs from the Veterans Affairs Department (VA), which is requesting evidence that may be impossible to find, including the address of a jungle medical tent he was treated in 72 years ago.

Emil Limpert fought in the jungles of the Philippines in 1944, where he was wounded when a grenade landed in a foxhole he was sharing with four other men, killing two of them, he told Fox News affiliate KPLR.

Limpert was treated in a medical tent and returned to action, but three years later shrapnel was found in his leg.

Frustrated: Emil Limpert of St Louis was awarded a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars during WWII, but says officials are demanding more evidence of his service before he and his wife can get the benefits they need

Purple Heart: The Purple Heart is given to military personnel who are injured or killed during war; Limpert and three other soldiers were hit with shrapnel from a grenade, and two of the men were killed

He had the shrapnel removed at his own expense, and never thought to apply for the benefits he now thinks he is owed.

'I thought well, as long as Im working Ill pay for it myself rather than argue with em,' he told KLPR. 'Well now Ive got nothing left.'

Limpert and his wife of 70y years  both in their nineties  now live in an assisted care home in Arnold, Missouri, and are having trouble affording the bills.

'We got rid of our car, we got rid of our house,' Limpert said. 'I got rid of money I had in bonds and stocks and now I need help.'

Limpert, who was awarded a Purple Heart, given to soldiers who are injured or killed in the field, and two Bronze Stars, given for heroic or meritorious performance, applied for benefits from the VA. But even his Purple Heart was no match for red tape.

Bronze Star: The Bronze Star is awarded for heroic or meritorious acts during service; Limpert received two during WWII, but they are proving little use in his search for support

A reply from the Veterans Affairs Department read, 'Your claim could not proceed under the program because the claim requires further evidence from the veteran.'

Although Limpert provided plenty of documentation, including discharge papers, an X-ray of his leg, details of his fellow soldiers who were hurt in the attack and, of course, the medals he was awarded for his service, this apparently wasn't enough.

The department asked for information Limpert cannot provide: affidavits from fellow soldiers, most of whom have died, or the location of the hospital where he was treated, which in Limpert's case was a jungle medical tent dismantled long ago.

Struggling: Limpert and his wife of 70 years are both in their nineties, and say they sold their car, house, stocks and bonds to pay for an assisted care home

Red tape: Although Limpert held on to many documents from his army days, including this record of honorable discharge, the VA cannot find his official records

Making things even more difficult, there appears to be no official documentation proving his service history.

Limpert was told that his documentation was probably destroyed in a fire in July 1973 that swept through a military records center in Overland, Missouri.

When asked to comment on the case, the VA said that Limpert would have to sign documentation before they would respond. Meanwhile, Limpert has contacted the office of Missouri senator Claire McCaskill for help.
The men behind the gang rape and murder of beauty queen Anita Cobby 30-years-ago confessed on secret tapes which can be heard for the first time outside court.

A woman referred to only as Miss X wore a secret recording device in her bra and secured the imprisonment of ringleader John Travers and four others for savage crimes in Sydney's west in 1986.

The tape with Travers confession was heard only during his trial, while a second tape of Miss X securing additional, unheard confessions has also surfaced three-decades on, Yahoo 7 reports.

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A woman referred to only as Miss X wore a secret recording device in her bra and secured the imprisonment of ringleader John Travers (pictured) and four others for savage crimes in Sydney's west in 1986

Miss X, an aunt of Travers', wore the secret recording device in her bra and the then-18-year-old promptly confessed and named all those involved.

We were all drunk and she f***ing seen all of us, Travers, then-18, said on the original tape.

So I just cut her.

Anita Cobby (above) was 26 when she was raped, murdered and almost decapitated

'She was a nervous wreck, she was absolutely shattered I think probably because she realised she had the key to the murder in the middle of her back,' the 1986 Homicide Squad Detective Sergeant, Ian 'Speedy' Kennedy told Seven.

But the young mother didnt stop there and wore a wire at Michael Murdochs home, where he too confessed.

The tapes led to the life-sentences of Travers, Murdoch, and brothers Michael, Gary and Les Murphy, though the second was never played in court.

Miss X reportedly remains in witness protection, 1986 Seven crime reporter Norm Lipson said.

She had been married to the then 18-year-olds uncle and approached police, who had their eyes on Travers and Murdoch but had failed to produce the needed evidence.

Anita Cobby, a 26-year-old nurse, had been walking home Blacktown train station after work when the man dragged her into a stolen car and raped and beat her for hours.

Her throat was then slit, almost decapitating Ms Cobby.

Her body was discovered naked and face down, with her eyes still open, in a field days later.

Following the 1986 murder of nurse and beauty queen Anita Cobby (pictured), Leigh Johnson was engaged to defend one of the three brothers in the gang who killed Ms Cobby, Gary Murphy

Gary Murphy, pictured in a police mugshot, was a 29-year-old accused of one of the nation's most depraved killings when Sydney solicitor Leigh Johnson defended him during the 1987 Anita Cobby murder trial

Miss X, an aunt of Travers', wore the secret recording device in her bra and the then-18-year-old promptly confessed and named all those involved

We were all drunk and she f***ing seen all of us, Travers, then-18, said on the original tape

'So I just cut her,' Travers said. Miss X, a young mother, didnt stop there and wore a wire at Michael Murdochs home where he too confessed

Gary Murphy (above, left) was 28 when he murdered Anita Cobby with older brother Michael (above, right), a prison escapee and three others

Gary Murphy, pictured with detectives in the paddock at Prospect in western Sydney where he and his brothers along with John Travers and Michael Murdoch raped and killed beauty queen Anita Cobby, from the book 'Anita Cobby - The crime that shocked the nation', New Holland publishing

Solicitor Leigh Johnson has branded the 30-year-old rumour that she slept with killer Gary Murphy (pictured, handcuffed with detectives) 'ridiculous', saying she only saw him surrounded by prison officers in jail

Goulburn prison (pictured), which lies 200km south-west of Sydney, with the wings of the main prison, centre, where Anita Cobby killer Gary Murphy lives and will die behind bars
Well known sex offenders have been visiting migrant centres and carrying out vile sex attacks on vulnerable under-age asylum seekers in Norway.

The shocking revelations were uncovered by Norway's National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos), who said some migrants in the centres had also carried out abuse.

'We have seen that well-known sexual offenders frequent the centres for unaccompanied minors and there have also been reports of abuse,' Kripos spokesman Eivind Borge told The Local.

Well known sex offenders have been visiting migrant centres and carried out vile sex attacks on vulnerable under-age asylum seekers in Norway. (Stock image)

Mr Borge suggested that some of the asylum seekers may have been to come forward with information about the attacks. MailOnline is not claiming or alleging that anyone in this photograph was involved in these attacks or criminal activity

The spokesman described how the sex offenders preyed on unaccompanied minors at the centre for newly-arrived migrants.

'Unaccompanied minors and other children in the reception centres are especially vulnerable.

'We assume that there is likely an under-reporting of instances,' he said.

Mr Borge suggested that some of the asylum seekers may have been to come forward with information about the attacks.

'Cases could be hidden because of the experiences many of the asylum seekers might have had with police and authorities in other countries.'

The shocking findings come as Turkey's coast guard confirmed that 27 migrants died after their boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, while four people were rescued.

The spokesman described how the sex offenders preyed on unaccompanied minors at the centre for newly-arrived migrants

Refugees are welcomed upon arrival at the Norwegian border crossing station at Storskog after crossing the border from Russia in last November

At least 27 migrants have drowned on a boat while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece

The search mission is still underway and at least 11 of the victims are children, an official said

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) said after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (left) that she is 'not just appalled but horrified' by the suffering caused by bombing in Syria, primarily by Russia

The search mission is still underway and at least 11 of the victims are children, an official said.

Turkey and Germany have now agreed on a set of measures to try to tackle the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aimed at halting attacks against Syria's largest city.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that she is 'not just appalled but horrified' by the suffering caused by bombing in Syria, primarily by Russia.

Merkel said that Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a U.N. resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on the civilian population.
Jeb Bush has begun to turn Donald Trump's favorite epithet back against him, calling the real estate billionaire a 'loser' on two successive days leading up to Tuesday's all-important New Hampshire primary election  and The Donald isn't taking it lying down.

'Here's the story on Jeb,' Trump said of the former Florida governor on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' program. 'He's a stiff who you wouldn't hire in private enterprise, okay? This is a stiff.'

'This is a guy that if he came looking for a job you'd say "No thank you," and that's the way it is.'

Minutes earlier on the same show, Bush was asked for a one-word reaction to hearing Trump's name.

'Loser,' he responded, hoping to get under the Republican front-runner's skin.

'LOSER': Jeb Bush turned Donald Trump's favorite insult back on him Monday morning

'STIFF': Trump said Bush would be unemployable in the private sector if he were hiring

Bush trotted out the 'L' word a day ago in Nashua, New Hampshire, claiming that Trump had used it first against Arizona Sen. John McCain and fellow former Vietnam-era prisoner of war Leo Thorsness.

'It's a sign of real weakness when you call John McCain or Leo Thorsness, or anybody else that is a POW  who served this country in a way that should be admired, American heroes  calling them losers? Donald Trump, you're the loser!" he said Sunday.

Trump responded Monday morning by saying, correctly, that he never called either man a 'loser.'

'He'll say that I said things that I never said,' Trump said of Bush, who is trailing him significantly in statewide polls.

'I never called John McCain a loser. You know that. I like John McCain. He's a nice guy! I never called him a loser.'

'The other man I supposedly called a loser, I don't ever know who he is,' Trump said of Thorsness. 'I never  I mean I don't know who the man is. Jeb is messing things up.'

Trump said last summer in Iowa that he doubted McCain qualified as a war nero despite the years he spent in North Vietnamese custody.

'He's a "war hero" because he was captured,' Trump said then, dismissively. 'I like people that weren't captured, OK?'

Click and 5 million people read it: Trump tweeted a hammer-blow on Bush in the wee hours of Monday morning

Trump blasted Bush on Monday for spending heavily on campaign ads, including on that ran during Sunday's Super Bowl and others that specifically targeted him.

'You know, he's spent $100 million on ads. He spent $25 million on negative ads on me and every time he does a negative ad my poll numbers go up. It's a weird thing,' Trump said.

'But the guy's a total stiff. He's not going anywhere. Remember this, for the voters: He wants Common Core and he's very weak on immigration. ... But he's gotta go around and stop lying because I never called John McCain a loser. It's really sad that he has to say that.'

Bush had hammered Trump for his business history that included seeking bankruptcy protection to reorganize business debts  and criticized his other rivals for failing to engage The Donald.

'This is a unique experience,' Bush said. 'Donald Trump just recently became a Republican so no one has had this experience dealing with the guy.'

'But I find it remarkable when you have the chance to talk about his temperament, as Ted Cruz was, and he totally ignored it. Or when Rubio had the chance to say that Trump is not a conservative, which he's not, he totally ignored it.'

'I mean, you don't confront a bully that way,' he blasted. 'They're scared of it. The guy's just a  you know, he's just a real estate guy! He's gone bankrupt four times. He's a successful man, but he's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. So why not confront him, challenge him?'

Hours later in Salem, New Hampshire, Trump fired back.

'He's like a child. He's like a spoiled child,' he said of Jeb.

'He's spent $110 million on a failed campaign, and he's nowhere. ...The last thing we need is another Bush.'

'We have to get rid of the Bushes of this world,' Trump added minutes later. 'Guys like that will never straighten out the country.'
When Darth Vader is coming at you wielding his lightsaber, it's a good idea to look sharp, something an overenthusiastic boy took to heart at Disneyland when facing down the Sith Lord.

The child was taking part in Jedi training at the theme park when he got carried away with his attack.

'I've been waiting for you,' an actor dressed at Darth Vader announces as the young 'padawan' steps onto the stage dressed in brown robes.

Jedi training at Disneyland: 'I've been waiting for you,' an actor dressed at Darth Vader announces

'Activate,' the MC orders as the two turn on their lightsabers.

The little boy gives Vader a run for his money as he swings his weapon rapidly and forcefully at the helmeted villain, surprising both the actors and the crowd.

The MC praises the boy and steps forward to bring an end to the session, but the padawan has not yet had his fill of the fight and strikes the man on the leg.

They try to lead him off but he lunges at the MC who shouts, 'Easy I'm on your side!' as he and two stormtroopers take the boy's enthusiastic lightsaber moves in their stride.

Finally he is persuaded to leave the stage, 'Good job young, man, well done'! the MC shouts, as the crowds clap and cheer.

One of the stormtroopers pretends to be injured at the side while the MC sits down on the stage saying, 'Oh my goodness. Did you see that? Woah! Friendly Fire!'

Ethusiastic: The little boy gives Vader a run for his money as he swings his weapon rapidly and forcefully at the helmeted villain, surprising both the actors and the crowd

Doesn't want to leave: They try to lead him off but he lunges at the MC who shouts, 'Easy I'm on your side!' as he and two stormtroopers take the boy's enthusiastic lightsaber moves in their stride

As the next little boy walks onto the stage, Darth Vader announces, 'We will see if you are as powerful as the Emperor has forseen,' causing the MC to joke and point off stage at the previous child: 'Did you see that power?'

Clearly the force is strong with this one.

Meanwhile the heavily-painted Sith Darth Maul fights another padawan in front of the stage.

Online commentators have praised the actors: 'I love that they went with the flow. That must have made the kid so happy!'

Another joked: 'I bet the people working in Disney land, finally got some action instead of doing the daily routines. HE IS THE CHOSEN ONE.'

Man down: One of the stormtroopers pretends to be injured at the side while the MC sits down on the stage saying, 'Oh my goodness. Did you see that? Woah! Friendly Fire!'
The murdered Cambridge student whose battered body was found in Cairo was killed because Egypt's secret service believed that he was a spy, Italian media claims.

Giulio Regeni, 28, was found dead near a highway outside the Egyptian capital, nine days after he was reported missing, having suffered 'inhuman animal-like violence'.

An autopsy carried out in Italy following his corpse's repatriation found that the PhD student had been brutally tortured before his death, including having his finger and toe nails pulled out.

Murdered: Cambridge graduate student Giulio Regeni, 28, from Italy, was subjected to 'animal-like' torture before his death in Cairo, Egypt, including his killers pulling out his finger and toenails

Italian media are now pointing fingers at Egyptian security services, saying the autopsy results show signs of torture which suggests that his killers believed that he was a spy, The Local reports.

The autopsy revealed that Mr Regeni's neck was twisted or struck which broke a vertebra and left him unable to breathe.

Prosecutors from Rome have now opened a murder investigation into the death of the doctoral student and ministers are calling for Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to fully cooperate.

Egyptian Interior Minister Magdi Abdel Ghaffar has responded to the accusations in Italian media, completely rejecting any notion that seucrity forces were involved in the killing of Mr Regeni.

'There are many rumours repeated on pages of newspapers insinuating the security forces might be behind the accident. This is unacceptable. This is not our policy,' he told a news conference.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is under pressure to authorize a state funeral for Mr Regeni, with anger mounting in Italy over Egypt's initial claims that the student had been killed in a road accident.

Mr Regeni, a student of Cambridge's Department of Politics and International Studies, had been in Cairo for just a few months, as part of his Ph.D. research into Egyptian labor movements, when he disappeared on January 25.

Murdered: The body of Mr Regeni was found on naked from the waist down on the side of a Cairo highway, bearing signs of torture, including stab wounds and cigarette burns according to an Egyptian investigator

He had left his apartment with a plan to travel by subway to meet a friend in the city, but was never seen again.

A second autopsy in Italy has shed further light into Mr Regeni's death with details so shocking that interior minister Angelino Alfano told Sky TV that he struggled to catch his breath after reading the report.

While opening details have been released analysis of tissue and body fluid, which could help pinpoint or at least narrow the time frame when Mr Regeni died, are expected to take several days.

Mr Alfano said the student had suffered 'something inhuman, animal-like, an unacceptable violence.'

Prosecutor Ahmed Nagi, who leads the investigation team on the case, had previously said 'all of his body, including his face' had bruises, cuts from stabbings and burns from cigarettes, adding that it appeared to have been a 'slow death.'

Italian police were dispatched to Cairo on Saturday and have started working with their Egyptian counterparts on the case.

Mr Alfano said: 'I am convinced that it is in the interest of el-Sissi to work together. No one can bring Giulio back to life, but bring the truth to the surface will perhaps be able to save more lives.'

Demonstrations: On the day Mr Regeni went missing, residents took to the streets to mark the fifth anniversary of the Arab Spring. Pictured, supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi march in Cairo

An Egyptian friend of Mr Regeni, who was from Fiumicello in the north-east of Italy, said that shortly before his death the student had been seeking contacts for trade union activists to interview as part of his research.

This political research had been the main focus when the friend was questioned by police following the Italian student's disappearance, he said.

Another friend explained he was travelling to downtown Cairo on the day of his disappearance, he said: 'A friend called him after he didn't show up. His cell was off then,' he told MailOnline, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He added: 'We briefly talked on the day of his disappearance, about two hours earlier. He was happy and cheerful, he was about to meet a friend. No indication of any worries whatsoever.

'I just feel terrible for his family, his girlfriend and all his friends.'

The Egyptian authorities had intensified a crackdown on dissent ahead of the January 25 anniversary of the Arab Spring, with police raiding apartments in downtown Cairo seeking signs of plans for organised protests and checking people's social media accounts.

For years, rights groups have accused Egyptian police of regularly torturing detainees.

Over the past year, they have also accused them of using 'forced disappearances' - detaining suspected activists or Islamists in secret without reporting their arrest.

The Egyptian Association for Rights and Freedoms documented 314 such disappearances in 2015, according to a lawyer, Halem Henish.

Most later turned up in prison, but at least five were found at the morgue, including one with signs of torture like burns and electric shocks.
A list of the most violent cities in each state has been released, with St. Louis, Missouri taking the top spot.

Compiled from data released by the FBI charting crime in the first six months of 2015, the 'Gateway City' is followed by Memphis, Tennessee, Detroit, Michigan, Birmingham, Alabama, and Rockford, Illinois, to round out the top five.

The violent crimes listed by the FBI include rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder.

Because the data excludes states with cities that do not have populations over 100,000, Delaware, Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are not listed and ranked.

A criminology professor argued against the idea that crime rates in St Louis were influenced by the turmoil following Michael Brown's death. Pictured, police arresting a protester in Ferguson a day after Brown's death.

The violent crimes listed by the FBI include rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder. The list excludes Delaware, Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, which do not have cities with more than 100,000 people

After decades of economic decline, Detroit was ranked number one spot in 2014. According to FBI figures in the first six months of 2015, the city landed in third place with 83.4 violent crimes per 10,000 residents

Baltimore ranked sixth overall, with 82.8 violent crimes per 10,000 people. Pictuerd, Baltimore police investigate the scene of a shooting in May, 2015

The FBI data also failed to include Little Rock, Arkansas, which has just under 200,000 people, and the state of Minnesota, where cities Minneapolis, St Paul, and Rochester all register above the 100,000 population threshold.

The top five slots of the list largely follow similar patterns in reports published in previous years, although Oakland, California, which previously ranked as the third most dangerous city in the country, was excluded from this year's list.

Instead, Stockton, California, which was listed in ninth place last year, has moved up to take seventh overall.

While people may question whether St Louis' crime rates have been influenced by the turmoil after a white police officer shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August 2014, Richard Rosenfeld, a professor of criminology at the University of Missouri-St Louis debunked the idea.

He told Forbes: 'Homicides were going up in 2014 quite a bit before Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson. So its hard to attribute it to a so-called Ferguson effect because we began to see those increases before August 9.'

Rosenfeld also pointed out that the figures do not track drug use or the crimes committed in subsequent turf wars.

THE MOST VIOLENT CITIES IN EACH STATE, WITH CRIME RATES PER 10,000 RESIDENTS 1. St. Louis, Missouri: 88.1 2. Memphis, Tennessee: 84.2 3. Detroit, Michigan: 83.4 4. Birmingham, Alabama: 82.8 5. Rockford, Illinois: 76.3 6. Baltimore, Maryland: 67.7 7. Stockton, California: 67.4 8. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: 65.3 9. Cleveland, Ohio: 61.5 10. Hartford, Connecticut: 55.8 11. Atlanta, Georgia: 55.7 12. Springfield, Massachusetts: 54.4 13. Anchorage, Alaska: 53.6 14. Tallahassee, Florida: 52.8 15. Odessa, Texas: 51.8 16. Newark, New Jersey: 50.2 17. Buffalo, New York: 50.2 18. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 49.1 19. Albuquerque, New Mexico: 48.2 20. Wichita, Kansas: 45.5 21. North Las Vegas, Nevada: 43.4 22. Jackson, Mississippi: 43.2 23. Durham, North Carolina: 42.8 24. New Orleans, Louisiana: 42.7 25. Tulsa, Oklahoma: 41.5 26. Pueblo, Colorado: 41.6 27. Des Moines, Iowa: 38.7 28. Salt Lake City, Utah: 38.2 29. Tacoma, Washington: 36.6 30. North Charleston, South Carolina: 34.8 31. Tucson, Arizona: 32.4 32. South Bend, Indiana: 32.2 33. Louisville, Kentucky: 30.2 34. Manchester, New Hampshire: 28.9 35. Providence, Rhode Island: 26.6 36. Norfolk, Virginia: 24.5 37. Billings, Montana: 21.1 38. Sioux Falls, South Dakota: 20.6 39. Lincoln, Nebraska: 17.4 40. Eugene, Oregon: 15.3 41. Fargo, North Dakota: 14.6 42. Boise, Idaho: 13.5 43. Honolulu, Hawaii: 11.6 Source: FBI Delaware, Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming were excluded, because these states do not have cities with populations of 100,000 or more. Arkansas and Minnesota were not listed. Advertisement
Germany, meanwhile, has said the cost of Russian airstrikes is 'horrifying'

The EU has demanded Turkey opens its border to 35,000 migrants amassing at the frontier as they flee an onslaught of Bashar al-Assad's government forces.

Turkey, already home to 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to provide refuge.

It comes as German chancellor Angela Merkel today said she was 'not just appalled but horrified' by the suffering caused by Russian bombing in Syria.

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Hundreds of migrants fleeing airstrikes and a government offensive on Aleppo try to enter a camp on the border with Turkey

A young boy who fled Aleppo with his family cries at the border crossing between Syria and Turkey

Three men assist an injured woman at the border crossing, which so far Turkey has refused to open

Syrian families wait at the border crossing after being unsuccessful in their attempts to enter Turkey

The refugees are fleeing a Russia-back Syrian government offensive which has hit residents of Aleppo

A woman carries her belongings in a bag on her head as she hopes for entry into Turkey at the border

She said: 'We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing - primarily from the Russian side.

'Under such circumstances, it's hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly.'

And Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the city of Aleppo 'is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy'.

Both countries will now push at the UN for everyone to keep to a resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt attacks on the civilian population.

Ms Merkel was in Ankara for talks on how to reduce the influx of migrants into Europe.

MACEDONIA BUILDS RAZOR-WIRE FENCE TO KEEP MIGRANTS OUT Macedonia has begun building a new razor-wire fence parallel to an existing one on its border with Greece to make it harder for migrants to enter the Balkan country. Since November only refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq have been allowed to cross the border on their journey to western Europe, but migrants from other countries have still tried to get across. 'The idea is to send a message to migrants that there is a double fence so give up crossing illegally,' a senior army official said. Macedonia has begun building a new razor-wire fence to double up its existing border protections to make it harder for migrants, pictured, to enter A Macedonian Police officer turns back migrants, pictured, out of Macedonia at a checkpoint on the border line with Greece near the town of Gevgelija More than 68,000 refugees have been registered entering Macedonia since the beginning of the year, and police say they stopped about 4,000 people trying to cross illegally in January alone. The European Commission last month pledged to increase security at the Greek-Macedonian frontier, where there are currently more than 60 police officers from other countries to help control the influx. Recently Macedonia has intermittently closed the border to refugees and it is now allowing across only those wishing to go to Germany or Austria, following similar decisions further along the migrant trail. Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki said in January that his government had no intention to fully close the border, but would coordinate with the European Union and 'do whatever necessary' to help solve the crisis. The new fence will be at a distance of five metres (16 feet) from the one erected in November on both sides of the border crossing for refugees at Gevgelija, the army official said. He refused to say how long the new fence would be, but local media reported that it would stretch for more than 30 kilometres (19 miles) along the frontier. Lence Zdravkin, an aid worker in Gevgelija, said the situation had become 'a bit tense' since authorities began building the new fence. Macedonian police say they stopped 4,000 people trying to illegally enter the country in January Meanwhile Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, on a visit to Sarajevo, praised Macedonia for its efforts to slow down the flow of people, adding that the Greek government 'did not help much in this area'. 'We want to make it easier for Macedonia and support it as well as other countries because they are not capable of stopping the migrant crisis on their own,' Kurz told reporters. Twenty-four migrants, including 11 children, drowned in the Aegean Sea on Monday as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, a Turkish news agency said, following the deaths of more than 360 in the Mediterranean in January. Bulgarian authorities said Sunday that two female migrants found dead in a rural mountainous region of the country had died due to freezing conditions. Advertisement

Turkey, a key country on the route to Europe, is central to her diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow.

Germany saw an unprecedented 1.1 million asylum seekers arrive last year, many of them fleeing the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr Davutoglu said the two countries' security forces would increase efforts to thwart illegal migration and combat smuggling groups.

The two leaders will also try to get Nato involved in the refugee issue, Mr Davutoglu said. He said they will seek the use of Nato's observation capabilities at the border with Syria and in the Aegean Sea.

German chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a joint press conference in Ankara today. She met with Turkish leaders to develop initiatives that will stem the refugee flow into Europe and in particular, Germany

A young girls sleeps in her mother's arms at the crossing where 35,000 Syrians have amassed

They are fleeing a government assault on Aleppo, a fiercely disputed city in Syria's civil war

He also said the two countries' aid organisations will co-operate in providing aid to the Syrians at the border.

Anakara agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration.

In return, the EU has pledged 2.3 billion to help improve the condition of refugees, and to grant political concessions to Turkey, including an easing of visa restrictions and the fast-tracking of its EU membership process.

Turkey has since started to require Syrians arriving from third countries to apply for visas, in a bid to exclude those who aim to continue on to Greece.

Turkey has also agreed to grant work permits to Syrians as an incentive for them to stay in Turkey, and has announced plans to increase coastguard capabilities and designate human smuggling as a form of organised crime - which would bring stiffer punishments.
UN investigators have accused the Assad regime of carrying out 'extermination' in its jails and detention centres through its brutal use of starvation, torture and executions of prisoners.

The report investigates alleged war crimes from the start of the uprising in March 2011 until last year and reveals how thousands of detainees have been killed while being held by both sides in Syria's brutal conflict.

Based on the hundreds of witness testimonies, the UN report reveals how prisoners held at detention centres run by the Syrian authorities have been the subjected to acts of rape, torture and murder as well as other alleged war crimes.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

The report investigates alleged war crimes from the start of the uprising in March 2011 until last year and reveals how thousands of detainees have been killed while being held by both sides in Syria's brutal conflict

'It is apparent that the government authorities administering prisons and detention centres were aware that deaths on a massive scale were occurring,' the report said.

It accused Damascus of committing 'extermination as a crime against humanity', targeting prisoners of war and civilians through the use of enforced disappearance.

The UN report, which stretches back to the beginning of the conflict in March 2011 and through until last November, is based on 621 interviews, including with more than 200 former detainees who witnessed one or more deaths in custody.

'Nearly every surviving detainee has emerged from custody having suffered unimaginable abuses,' commission head Paulo Pinheiro said.

The survivors recalled how their cellmates were beaten to death during interrogation or left to die in their cell from their severe injuries sustained from torture.

Inadequate medical treatment occurred in the prisons by both sides while overcrowding and a lack of food and water meant many prisoners died from the 'inhuman living conditions', the report said.

Most of the detainees who are known to have died are men, women and children. Some of the youngest victims were just seven-years-old, the report said.

The report is drawn from 621 interviews conducted between March 2011 and November 2015

The report detailed horrific abuses carried out in detention centres run by ISIS and other rebel and jihadi groups including massacres and executions of children

United Nations war crimes investigators have also provided judicial assistance to various countries in response to 15 requests for information on foreign fighters in Syria

Abuse, squalid conditions and deaths were consistent across places of detention and over time, and must have been condoned up the chain of command, it said.

'There are reasonable grounds to believe that high-ranking officers -- including the heads of branches and directorates -- commanding these detention facilities, those in charge of the military police, as well as their civilian superiors, knew of the vast number of deaths occurring in detention facilities,' it said.

'Yet (they) did not take action to prevent abuse, investigate allegations or prosecute those responsible.'

Damascus is meanwhile not the only one abusing and killing detainees.

The report detailed horrific abuses carried out in detention centres run by ISIS and other rebel and jihadi groups including massacres and executions of children.

ISIS, notorious for its brutal public executions by beheadings and throwing people off high buildings, has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, the report said.

The report seeks 'targeted sanctions' against unspecified individuals or groups responsible for possible war crimes

Syria's bloody five-year conflict has killed more than 260,000 people and forced half the country's population from its homes

The report is drawn from 621 interviews conducted between March 2011 and November 2015. Despite the shocking findings, investigators say they are short of enough evidence to provide more specific estimates of killings of those detained.

The report seeks 'targeted sanctions' against unspecified individuals or groups responsible for possible war crimes. The investigators lamented inaction by the U.N. Security Council about possibly launching criminal probes.

United Nations war crimes investigators have also provided judicial assistance to various countries in response to 15 requests for information on foreign fighters in Syria.

investigator Carla Del Ponte, a member of the U.N. commission of inquiry, told a news briefing that it had provided information about some suspects to national authorities.

'We have 15 requests already, to which we have responded,' Ms Del Ponte said.

She declined to identify the countries involved, but later told Reuters: 'These are low-level and middle-level perpetrators because they are foreign fighters, not high-ranking.'

A man stands on rubble at a site hit by what activists said was a barrel bomb dropped by government forces in Aleppo back in May 2015
The father of the 13-year-old Virginia girl whose gruesome murder made headlines last week is speaking out about his theories for how one of the suspects may have gotten a scar on her face.

Virginia Tech freshmen David Eisenhauer, 18, and Natalie Keepers, 19, have been arrested in connection to the stabbing murder of Nicole Lovell, 13, who disappeared after allegedly sneaking out of her home to meet Eisenhauer for a date on January 27.

While Keepers has only been charged with being an accessory to the murder, David Lovell voiced his belief that she may have been there when Eisenhauer killed his daughter, judging by a scratch on the engineering student's face.

Mr Lovell also shared how he was outraged after learning Keepers had asked for bond due to her gluten-free diet.

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In mourning: David Lovell, father of murdered Virginia teen Nicole Lovell, appeared on Dr Phil to speak about the gruesome crime. The full segment is set to air on Wednesday

Cyber life: The mourning father says he knew about his daughter's online conversations with older men and had previously grounded her from her phone and all social media

One of the reasons why she stated she needed bond was because she was not getting her gluten-free meals in jail,' he told Dr. Phil. 'I wish I gave a (silent pause) about her gluten-free meals.

'She said in court that she had battled with depression, that she was in some counselling at Virginia Tech, you know, she had been bullied as a kid.

'What I want to know how in the hell did that make her feel bullying my kid?

When asked what his daughter's likely reaction was at the time, he said he bet she fought hard.

'I bet she fought like a wildcat. She's my kid,' Mr Lovell told Dr Phil in a segment set to air on Wednesday.

'The Keepers girl, in her mug shot, looks like she has a scar. I'm pretty sure that would have been my daughter trying to fight back. She would not have gone out without a fight.'

Victim: Nicole Lovell (pictured), 13, was murdered after she disappeared from her home on January 27

Mr Lovell also revealed that he knew about his daughter's 'inappropriate' online communications with older men and said that she had been grounded from all social media just before her tragic death.

Police say Nicole met Eisenhauer on the anonymous messaging app Kik. Sources close to the investigation revealed to CNN last week that Eisenhauer and the victim had an 'inappropriate relationship' before her death and that he may have killed her to stop her from revealing the relationship.

'You could tell these older guys had fake profiles. Some of the things they said were way too grown up for the picture they had. We found out before Christmas and took her phone away from her,' Mr Lovell said.

In his appearance on Dr Phil, Mr Lovell held a stuffed panda bear for comfort, saying it was a gift a friend gave him as a symbol of his daughter's love for the animal.

Mr Lovell says he's still trying to comprehend losing his daughter.

'How can it go from being my wonderful happy daughter to she was murdered a few days later? I talked to her about a week before she went missing and everything was normal. She was my little baby girl,' he said.

Mr Lovell and Nicole's mother Tammy Weeks are not together. His wife Terri Lovell, Nicole's step-mom, also appeared on Dr Phil.

Mr Lovell talked about Eisenhauer's silence surrounding the murder, saying he knows he's hiding something.

'I would like to get locked up in the same cell with him. Im pretty sure I could get answers out of him. He took my little girl,' he said.

How can it go from being my wonderful happy daughter to she was murdered a few days later? I talked to her about a week before she went missing and everything was normal. She was my little baby girl.

Keepers appeared before a judge on Thursday, in a failed attempt to be freed on bond.

Fighting to keep the teen locked up, Montgomery County Commonwealth's Attorney Mary Pettitt described how authorities believe she and Eisenhauer plotted the murder. She did not suggest a possible motive, nor describe the killing itself.

But the prosecutor said messages on the girl's phone led to the suspects, and accused the college freshmen of deciding together in a fast-food restaurant that Eisenhauer would cut her throat.

Defense lawyers argued that Keepers' mental health could unravel behind bars.

Eisenhauer, 18, is jailed without bond on charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder. His arrest report says he told officers: 'I believe the truth will set me free.'

Keepers, 19, is charged with being an accessory to kidnapping and murder and with helping to hide the body.

Orchestrated: Prosecutors say David Eisenhauer, 18 (left), and Natalie Keepers, 19 (right), carefully planned the murder of 13-year-old Nicole Lovell, buying cleaning supplies and a shovel at separate Wal-Mart stores

The prosecutor said Eisenhauer initially denied his involvement when police found his messages on Nicole's phone, but eventually, he said he drove to the girl's home, watched her climb out of her window and greeted her with a 'side hug' before they drove off to pick up Keepers.

Keepers is adamant that she was not present at the killing itself, but she went along for the ride, Pettitt said. And once Nicole was dead, Keepers helped load her body into Eisenhauer's Lexus, the prosecutor added.

Nicole's remains were eventually found at a remote spot two hours south of campus.

Pettitt said it was Keepers who revealed the plot after officers tracked her down, but that she first tried to warn Eisenhauer, sending him a one-word text message reading 'Police.'

Nicole's parents, David Lovell and Tammy Weeks, attended the bail hearing but made no comments before leaving for their daughter's private funeral, where several hundred mourners paid their respects.

Friends and neighbors have described her as a lovely if awkward girl, clinging to childhood ways while exploring older behaviors.

Eisenhauer and Keepers went to high schools five miles apart in Columbia, Maryland. Excelling in the classroom and on the track, Eisenhauer was focused on competing with top college runners while pursuing a career as an engineer.
Three killers posed for selfies hours before stabbing a 14-year-old boy to death in a cemetery because one had an 'obsessive desire' for his teenage girlfriend.

George Thomson, 19, Brahnn Finley, 19, and Daniel Johnston, 20, launched the 'brutal and sustained attack' on Jordan Watson after luring him to the graveyard in Carlisle, Cumbria.

During the assault, Jordan was stabbed repeatedly in the head and neck and his body was later discovered by a dog walker.

Three killers posed for selfies hours before stabbing a 14-year-old boy to death in a cemetery because one had an 'obsessive desire' for his teenage girlfriend

George Thomson (middle), 19, Brahnn Finley (left), 19, and Daniel Johnston (right), 20, launched the attack on Jordan Watson after luring him to the graveyard in Carlisle, Cumbria, after taking a series of selfies

Now police have released photographs of the trio which shows them posing in Thomson's bedroom just hours before they left the house to kill the schoolboy in June last year.

Officers released the image after Thomson - who wanted Jordan out of the picture as his obsession with the youngster's girlfriend 'festered and grew' - was jailed for life with a minimum term of 27 years for murder.

His co-defendant Finley, from Carlisle, has also been jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years after being found guilty of murder.

Johnston was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Releasing the photograph, senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Andrew Slattery, described the attack as savage and brutal.

'For anyone to die in these circumstances is appalling, but this pre-meditated murder was carried out on a small 14-year-old boy,' he said.

During the assault, Jordan (pictured) was stabbed repeatedly in the head and neck and his body was later discovered by a dog walker

'Jordan was an ordinary 14-year-old boy, like hundreds of others growing up in Carlisle. To his family though he wasn't ordinary, he was unique, he was their son and brother and they loved him.'

During the trial, the court was told how the trio lured Jordan to the cemetery by telling him about an 'almost certainly fictional' arrangement to sell some weapons to another man.

Jordan was said to have 'looked up' to Thomson and would often visit him at home, where Thomson would boast about his collection of weapons.

The court was told how, when police searched Thomson's home, they found a large Gurkha knife under his bed, which was covered in traces of Jordan's blood.

Officers also recovered an 'unusually large' quantity of knives and weapons including a machete, a cleaver, a stun gun, a replica rifle and a block of knives next to his bed.

Detective Superintendent Slattery said Thomson had befriended Jordan and promised him ways of making huge sums of money, but that their friendship was a 'sham'.

'He told him exciting stories about his money-making schemes and promised him money in return for helping him with his illicit business,' he said.

'Jordan would have been excited about the prospect of earning what would have been to him huge sums of money.

'But George wasn't Jordan's friend; he had an obsession with his 14-year-old girlfriend and would stop at nothing to have her for himself.

'George's friendship with Jordan was a sham but Jordan trusted George and felt comfortable with him, alone, at night in a secluded place.'

Thomson (left) and Finley (middle) were found guilty of murder and Johnston was found guilty of manslaughter

The court was told how Finley had agreed to pay off a debt owed to Thomson by helping him carry out the killing.

Mr Slattery added: 'Jordan left his home that night in good spirits, no doubt looking forward to spending his money but he never returned. He was murdered in a vicious and sadistic attack which shocked the whole community.

'Together we have finally achieved what the Watson family and their friends wanted all along which was justice for Jordan.'

Jordan's family have said that no sentence will 'ever truly reflect' the loss that they feel. His parents Mike and Lisa Watson described the past seven months had been 'a living nightmare'.

In a statement paying tribute to their son, they said: 'The horrific tragedy that happened to our son Jordan in June 2015 will always be in our memory.

This picture shows the array of air guns and knives seized from the bedroom of 19-year-old Thomson

Also recovered from his bedroom was an arsenal of knives and weapons, including a machete, Carlisle Crown Court heard

'Jordan was full of fun and was loved by his family, particularly his younger sister which he was very protective of. We have our own special memories of Jordan which no one can take away from us.

'For the past seven months we have had so many unanswered questions. Every day we question why the life of our 14-year-old child was taken in such a cruel and violent way. We will never see our child grow up and live a full life.'

They added: 'Getting justice for Jordan has helped restore our trust and faith in people again. No sentence will ever truly reflect the deep loss we feel for losing our child Jordan.

'We are relieved with the verdict given and believe that those responsible for the brutal and callous killing of our child have been brought to justice. Only now can we truly take the first steps in getting our lives back on track.'

A friend of Jordan pays her respects and lays a floral tribute at the scene of his murder in Carlisle following his death in June

Jordan's sister younger Alisha said: 'The things I can remember about my big brother were going swimming, walking our dogs, Marley and Lucy, and having a snowball fight on the front when it had snowed.

'I am sad that my big brother isn't here anymore. I miss him loads, I like to go visit him to light a candle for him so he is not on his own.'

His friend Scott Rogers, added: 'I miss Jordan loads, he is a big miss and he wasn't my just my friend, we were more like brothers.'

Senior Crown Prosecutor of CPS North West, Isla Chilton, said that murder had 'shocked the whole community'.

She said: 'This was a premeditated murder, committed out of jealousy and planned in great detail by George Thomson. Thomson had even told several people beforehand that he wanted to kill Jordan. In the time leading up to the murder he recruited Brahnn Finley and Daniel Johnston into his plan.
They were tracked down after Renz used Hudson's credit card

Renz and Blehar were arrested in a campsite in

The remains of Patsy Hudson, 62, have been found in at least three desolate places across Ohio, eight months after she mysteriously vanished

The remains of a 62-year-old mother have been found in three desolate places across Ohio, eight months after she mysteriously vanished from her home.

Patsy Hudson was last seen in Mansfield on July 4, the same day her neighbors, Walter Renz, 53, and girlfriend Linda Blehar, 57, moved out of the house next door.

Hours earlier she filed a police report saying two of her cats had been poisoned by the couple in the midst of a fierce dispute.

The pair were arrested in a campsite southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday after Renz allegedly tried to use Hudson's credit card.

Detectives have learned Social Security checks are still going into Hudson's account at Chase Bank and ATM withdrawals from her account have been made across the country.

Someone was also paying a Verizon cellphone bill using Hudson's debit card.

However, Hudson did not have a cellphone.

According the Mansfield News Journal, police have searched at least three locations in the hunt for her body.

The areas are surrounded by a small number of houses and dwellings, but are mostly deserted.

Lonnie Clevenger, Hudson's son, said he has been living a nightmare since his mother disappeared.

'I think they (the suspects) need to be brought to justice and if any lethal injection exists, they deserve it,' Clevenger told the newspaper.

He said his mother was generous to people if she knew them.

Hudson was last seen in Mansfield on July 4, the same day her neighbors, Walter Renz, 53, (left) and girlfriend Linda Blehar, 57, (right) moved out of the house next door. The pair have since been arrested

They were taken into custody by federal marshals in a campsite southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, (pictured) on Thursday, but the pair have not been charged in connection with Hudson's disappearance

Mansfield police Chief Ken Coontz said: 'Our thoughts are with Ms. Hudsons family during this difficult time and as we await the coroners report.

Renz is being held on a receiving stolen property warrant for using Hudson's credit card.

Blehar is being held on a parole violation from Kentucky.

No one has been charged in connection with Hudson's disappearance.

Records from the Kentucky Department of Corrections show Linda Blehar was sentenced to two years in prison for bail jumping and served time in Hardin County, Kentucky, from July 2008 through January 2010.

Formal identification of Hudson's body is set to take place in the next 24 hours.
As some cities make the decision to shed Confederate monuments, Alabama lawmakers are moving in the opposite direction with a bill that will protect historical landmarks.

An ongoing discussion surrounds the south's widespread use of the Confederate flag, which is both a symbol of racism and regional pride.

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday over the 'Alabama Heritage Protection Act', which would ban the removal of any historic monument, marker or school name from public property unless a waiver is obtained from the Legislative Council, a committee of lawmakers.

Lawmakers are looking to pass the 'Alabama Heritage Protection Act', which would prohibit the removal of any historical monument, marker or school name. Pictured, a Confederate flag and statue in Jasper, Alabama

THE HISTORY BEHIND THE CONFEDERATE FLAG The 150-year-old flag was originally used as a Civil War battle flag by the seven slave states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas) that broke away from the Union in 1861. Due to the racist policies of those states, many calling for the flag's removal say it symbolizes hatred and white supremacy. It gained its modern meaning from the 1950s onwards when it was used in opposition to the Civil Rights movement that sought to end segregation and create equal right for blacks. In 1962, when the civil rights movement was cresting and the president was putting pressure on the south to end segregation, South Carolina proudly flew the flag in protest. Advertisement

The bill doesn't specify Confederate symbols but comes after controversy about their display.

The city of Birmingham has explored removing a Confederate memorial from a park. Governor Robert Bentley has also removed four Confederate flags last year from the Alabama Capitol.

If the bill passes, local governments could face a $100,000 fine if they remove an object without a waiver.

The long-standing debate was sparked again this summer following a mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

Gunman Dylan Roof proudly displayed the Confederate flag and hoped to incite a race war by killing nine churchgoers on June 17, 2015.

In a eulogy for one of the victims of the Charleston killings, President Obama called the flag 'a reminder of systemic oppression and racial subjugation'.

The shooting also prompted activist Brittany Newsome to climb up a 30-foot flagpole in Columbia, South Carolina, and remove the Confederate flag.

However, hundreds of people have staged rallies across the country to support the flag's presence.

Mike Williams, an organizer of one rally in Montgomery, Alabama this summer, said: 'We are being exterminated. Our hertiage is being put into museum. We have a right to honor our history just like every one else does.'

Film director Quentin Tarantino has also famously referred to the Confederate flag as the 'American swastika'

Dylan Roof (pictured) proudly displayed the Confederate flag and hoped to incite a race war by killing nine churchgoers on June 17, 2015

The shooting also prompted activist Brittany Newsome to climb up a 30-foot flagpole in Columbia, South Carolina, and remove the Confederate flag
A man arrested for drunk-driving while dressed as a clown was brought in to an unamused Jefferson County Sheriffs Office on Saturday after he was spotted driving erratically in Pinson, outside Birmingham.

Joel Allan Sloan, 51, of Fultondale, was stopped by a deputy after a motorist called in his odd driving pattern. Despite questioning by deputies, he gave no explanation for why he was dressed as a clown.

However, Sloan - who was driving a red Ford SUV rather than a more traditional clown car - did explain to the officer that he had 'just had a few drinks' at a local restaurant.

Funny business: Joel Allan Sloan in costume (left), as seen in a Sheriff's Office tweet, and his mugshot. Sloan was arrested for drunk-driving on Saturday, and did not explain why he was dressed as a clown

Unfortunately for Sloan, those few drinks were enough to be charged with Driving Under the Influence and he was brought into custody wearing a rainbow wig, polka-dot onesie and oversized clown's shoes.

The sheriff's office tweeted his arrival with the message 'There is nothing funny about DUI.' However, the grins on Sloan and a deputy suggest otherwise.

But Sloan wasn't smiling for long: after officers charged him with DUI, it emerged that he was also wanted on an outstanding felony arrest warrant for first-degree theft.

He has been placed in the Jefferson County Jail on a bond of $2,500.
Marshall Dion, aged 80, whofaces up to seven years in prison under a plea deal with prosecutors who say that he had been selling marijuana for decades

An 80-year-old man who admitted running a massive marijuana-dealing and money laundering operation is due to be sentenced in a federal court.

Marshall Dion faces up to seven years in prison under a plea deal with prosecutors in Boston who say that he had been selling the drugs for decades.

The senior citizen will appear in court on Thursday, where he is scheduled to be sentenced.

Dion was originally pulled over by police for speeding in Junction City, Kansas in 2013, and when his pick-up truck was searched, officers found nearly $850,000.

Investigators later found $2 million in a bank account, $880,000 in an Arizona building and nearly 400 pounds of marijuana and $11 million at a storage facility in North Reading, Massachusetts.

Prosecutors said Dion sold about 6,600 to 22,000 pounds of marijuana dating back to 1992.

During his trial, Dion told the judge, that he accepted the drug charges, but objected to the fact that the police officer in Kansas pulled him over for speeding.

He also disputed that he gave consent for his truck to be searched.

He said: Theres no way the officer could have known if I was speeding, even if I was, which I wasnt.'

Much of Dion's life is a mystery. Public records show he has lived in Boston; Portland, Maine; Grand Jnction, Colorado; and Tucson, Arizona. He told police who stopped him in Kansas that he was headed home to Tucson from Pennsylvania, where he had met with his accountant.

Dion appeared to live frugally, despite the millions authorities found and two homes he owned in Arizona. When he was stopped in Kansas, he was driving a 2002 GMC Sierra with an old refrigerator and other junk in the truck bed.

However, his legal troubles appear to date back decades.

In 1985, Dion crashed a single-engine plane he was piloting in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and Dion broke both his ankles.

When sheriff's deputies arrived, he was crawling along a muddy field as bills floated in the air, said Cathy Baxter, then a deputy sheriff.

Investigators found nearly 400 pounds of marijuana and $11 million at a storage facility in North Reading, Massachusetts, pictured

This is another one of Dion's storage units. Police describe him as being a 'career criminal' and in 1989, after Boston police found more than 100 pounds of marijuana in his car, Dion was convicted of trafficking charges

'This guy didn't even admit there was any money on the plane. He said, 'That's not my money. I don't know where that money came from,' Baxter said.

The government was allowed to keep nearly $112,000 recovered from the crash scene after a judge found it was likely drug proceeds. Dion was not charged criminally.

In 1989, after Boston police found more than 100 pounds of marijuana in his car, Dion was convicted of trafficking charges.

Police used a GPS device inside Dion's truck to re-trace his movements to a self-storage facility in North Reading, Massachusetts, where they said they found $11.5 million cash, more than 168 pounds of marijuana and records of customers, amounts of marijuana sold and cash balances.
A motorcycle champion was today told no action will be taken against him after the death of his new wife on their honeymoon in Dubai in early 2013.

Father-of-three Sean Emmett had been arrested by British police as they probed the circumstances surrounding how his wife Abbie plunged to her death from the couple's hotel room while abroad.

She died just days after the newlyweds had arrived in the United Arab Emirates following their wedding in Cape Town, South Africa, in February three years ago.

Sean Emmett (left) has been cleared after facing a three-year probe into the death of his wife Abbie (right)

Her death came just days after they arrived in the UAE following their wedding in South Africa (pictured)

Mr Emmett, 45, had his passport confiscated and was forced to stay in Dubai for 10 months while local police investigated the incident.

Dubai authorities found no suspicious circumstances, however, and believing it to be a suicide leap from a window, allowed him to leave the country in December 2013.

However, he was immediately arrested at Heathrow Airport by Surrey Police officers upon his return.

Emmett, a retired professional MotoGP rider, was quoted in the media at the time as saying: 'I did not kill my wife - it was an accident.'

Today a spokesman for Surrey Police said that bail 'had been cancelled' on a 45-year-old man arrested over the death. Officers said they had undertaken a thorough and complex investigation.

A spokesman said: 'The 45-year-old man arrested in connection with the death of Surrey resident, Abigail Emmett nee Elson, in Dubai in February 2013 has had his bail cancelled with no further action taken against him.

'Following the arrest of the man in December 2013 officers from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team carried out a lengthy and extensive investigation and have worked in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.'

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Antony Archibald said: 'This has been a challenging and complex investigation where we have had to liaise with a number of different agencies, including the authorities in Dubai.

'This process has taken a considerable period of time but it is vital that we explore all lines of inquiry as part of our efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

'This will remain a live investigation and our enquiries will continue.

Mr Emmett (pictured), 45, from Surrey, is a retired professional MotoGP rider. He is pictured back in 2013 shortly after being released by authorities in Dubai - hours before he was arrested by British police

Almost 4,000 supporters signed an online petition to the British Government to allow Mr Emmett back home

'We have liaised with the Elson family throughout our investigation and our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time. We will continue to provide appropriate support and updates for Abigail's family going forward.'

Mr Emmett was stuck in Dubai after authorities refused to give him his passport back while they investigated.

Almost 4,000 supporters had signed an online petition to the British Government to allow him home.

Tests had showed that Mrs Emmett from Addlestone, Surrey, had been drinking prior to her sudden death at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel in Garhoud on February 19.

A British coroner later confirmed the death had not been suspicious.

In March last year Mr Emmett was jailed for three months after attacking a girlfriend because he didn't like the way she was eating.

He flew into a rage over the table manners of Lana Saoud, 25, after drinking eight pints of Guinness - throttling her and hitting her around the face.

Blood was found all over the room where the 45-year-old motorcyclist and his partner of two years Miss Saoud were staying following the attack, Guildford Magistrates Court was told.

A judge was told Mr Emmett lost his temper after the couple returned to the house from a pub in West Molesey, Surrey, where they were staying with a takeaway.
Victory: Former Pirelli calendar girl Christina Estrada is allowed to sue her ex-husband in Britain (picture taken earlier in the trial)

The ex-wife of a Saudi billionaire has won the right to sue him in Britain after a judge rejected his claim to have immunity from legal action as a diplomat for St Lucia.

Former Pirelli model Christina Estrada is seeking a slice of the 4billion fortune of Sheikh Walid Juffali after the end of their 13-year marriage.

But the tycoon, who owns more than 140million of property in the UK, insisted that he was not subject to British divorce laws because he is St Lucia's representative to the International Maritime Organisation.

Today a High Court judge threw out that argument, describing his diplomatic appointment as 'spurious' and 'entirely artificial' and clearing the way for Ms Estrada, 53, to continue her lawsuit.

Dr Juffali, 60, who has vowed to appeal, was appointed to represent the Caribbean island at the IMO two years ago, but has never attended a meeting of the London-based organisation and has allegedly spent much of the time ill in hospital.

Mr Justice Hayden declared: 'I am satisfied that what has transpired here is that [Dr Juffali] has sought and obtained a diplomatic appointment with the sole intention of defeating [Ms Estrada's] claims consequent on the breakdown of their marriage.

'Dr Juffali has not, in any real sense, taken up his appointment, nor has he discharged any responsibilities in connection with it. It is an entirely artificial construct.'

The tycoon divorced Ms Estrada in Saudi Arabia by saying 'I divorce you' three times, but asserts in court statements that he has made 'generous' provision and bought her a property in Beverly Hills, California.

He claims he pays her $100,000 (70,000) a month and meets all the expenses of raising the couple's 13-year-old daughter.

Ms Estrada says Dr Juffali obtained the divorce without her knowledge and it is not possible for her to bring any financial claims against him in his Saudi homeland.

Couple: Ms Estrada is divorced from her husband Sheikh Walid Juffali; the pair are pictured together in 2005

Home: Sheikh Walid Juffali owns this extensive country estate near Windsor Great Park

She obtained leave under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984, which relates to overseas divorces, to make an application for financial relief in the family courts in London.

Her lawyers argued that Dr Juffali was not immune from family court proceedings because he is 'a permanent resident' of the UK with strong and enduring ties to the country, where his daughter was born.

He acquired a 10-bedroom house next to Windsor Great Park worth around 100million from his mother, and also owned a 41million home in Knightsbridge and another property in Devon, a court heard.

Dr Juffali's legal team argued that he had substantial property elsewhere, including in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and did not permanently reside in the UK.

They also contended he enjoyed 'general immunity' from being sued in the UK courts under Article 15 of the International Maritime Organisation (Immunities and Privileges) Order 2015.

Claim: Ms Estrada argues that Dr Juffali did not provide sufficient support for her and her daughter

After his arguments were rejected by the judge, Dr Juffali's spokesman said the ruling was 'deeply offensive' and vowed to appeal.

'My client will be appealing this decision which, at its core, he believes to be deeply offensive not least in its conclusion that his appointment to the International Maritime Organisation is an artifice,' he said.

'He does not believe that the English justice system has performed its duties in an appropriate manner in this case, nor that an English judge has the capacity or right to intrude on matters relating to the diplomatic arrangements and/or appointments of another state. If this decision is upheld, it will set a dangerous precedent for diplomats everywhere.

'He was, and remains, proud to serve as St Lucia's permanent representative to the International Maritime Organisation.'

Ms Estrada welcomed the ruling, and suggested that the case could prompt governments to review the cases in which diplomatic immunity can apply to court proceedings.

'The outcome of this case has far greater implications than to Ms Estrada herself,' a spokesman said. 'She believes it is crucially important that there should not be abuse and misuse of diplomatic immunity. And she hopes her case and others like it, will bring about a thorough review of the Vienna Convention.

'Ms Estrada is grateful to the Foreign Office, for its intervention in seeking a waiver of immunity to enable her case to proceed. This would not have had any impact on Mr. Juffalis ability to carry out his diplomatic role.

'She feels privileged to have called the UK her home for more than twenty years - a country that strives to protect the rights of women and children.
East London company was just a 'one man and a van operation'

They appealed to friends and family to pour money into company SEWL

Jolan Saunders (pictured) was the company director of SEWL which posed as a major firm supplying electricals to the London 2012 Olympics

Three fraudsters who fleeced investors out of 79.5milion and blew the cash on Bentleys, yachts and million pound houses are facing years behind bars.

Spencer Steinberg, 45, Michael Strubel, 53, and Jolan Saunders, 39, claimed they had won a contract to supply electricals to the Olympic Village ahead of the 2012 London games.

They said Saunders Electrical Wholesalers Limited (SEWL) also supplied goods such as including trouser presses and kettles to major hotel chains.

But SEWL was just a shabby high street electrical retailer in east London - a one man and a van operation.

Victims were persuaded to invest hundreds of thousands over a period of two months so SEWL could meet urgent orders, then paid seemingly sky-high returns.

They were then asked if they would roll over their investment for another two months.

The trio used bogus accounts to impress clients into parting with their cash.

Two investors parted with 2million after being shown fake company invoices that showed they were supplying the Olympic Village.

Others were fooled after Saunders started using doctored invoices from the Park Plaza chain of hotels that suggested they were a major supplier.

The trio were not investigated until the scandal of US investor and notorious fraudster Bernie Madoff hit the headlines in 2008, jurors heard.

Steinberg and Strubel were unanimously convicted of conspiracy to defraud after a five month trial at Southwark Crown Court.

Saunders earlier admitted conspiracy to defraud and acting as a company director while disqualified.

There were floods of tears and shouts of oh no from the public gallery as the verdicts were given.

Judge Michael Grieve QC granted Steinberg and Strubel bail ahead of sentence but warned: I am sure you are fully aware of the fact that it is a very serious offence of which you have been convicted and the inevitable sentence is going to be a custodial sentence.

Opening the case prosecutor Sarah Forshaw QC said the trio raked in 79.5million of investor cash and lived the life of Riley.

She said: The defendants persuaded people to part with their money on the promise they were going to invest it for them in a good, profitable business, then effectively pocked the money themselves.

It made them rich, rich at the expense of people they defrauded - you will hear about Bentleys, Ferraris, Porsches and Rolls Royces, you will hear about yachts and million pound houses.

You will also hear about how it was that these defendants, for a times, lived the life of Riley.

She continued: When their victims found out what these men had done, there were tears and expressions of regret from both of these defendants.

Michael Strubel (left) and Spencer Steinberg (right) claimed they had no reason to suspect the business was anything but legitimate - the judge said they should expect custodial sentences

Probably some of these tears were genuine, they knew by then they were in real trouble, theyd been found out.

Many of the investors from whom they had stolen money had been friends, they had trusted them.

These defendants had rather hoped that the fraud would continue for longer so that their closest friends and even some of their family members would not lose out when the scheme imploded as it did.

She added: Genuine or not, these expressions of regret were as convincing as the lies they had told in order to persuade people, some of them professional business people, to part with their money - these people are con men and they do it well.

One balance sheet for SEWL for the year ending 2008 showed revenues of around 100,000, but the following years accounts, showed a 2008 end-of-year revenue figure of 43.3million.

A purchasing order of 4.71 for light bulbs for the Grosvenor Hotel was doctored to show an order for 47,000.

Jeremy Stone, an old school friend of Saunders at the prestigious Chigwell School in east London, told how he lost 17million in the scam.

Saunders offered him the chance to invest in SEWL out of the blue, saying he needed to borrow 256,400 over 30 days to meet an urgent order.

Mr Stone said: My thought was that small business were struggling for investment, and it was somewhere [private] investors could step in and that could be a very profitable arrangement.

He added that the first request had not been for a very large amount of money, and he also wanted to support a friend he had lost touch with over the previous few years.

Mr Stone brought in his father Martin, an accountant and management consultant, to carry out all the due diligence and to manage the familys investment in SEWL.

Over the next few years, SEWL apparently seemed so lucrative, Mr Stone employed his father and his sister on salaries of 200,000 and 80,000 respectively to manage the familys relationship with the company.

He invited 14 other business associates to join him in investing in the company.

Mr Stone said they were sent hundreds of forged bank statements, invoices and other company documents to keep them on board.

He was taking a summer holiday in the summer of 2010 when he received a call from his sister saying she had received a NatWest bank statement for SEWL showing assets of 5million, with a recent in payment of 5,085,000.

But instead of showing a bottom line of in excess of 10million, the bank statement read 00.00.

It was only then that the Stone family began to realise the company was not legitimate and launched their own investigations.

Southwark Crown Court heard the men were made rich at the expense of people they defrauded and spent money on 'Bentleys, Ferraris, Porsches and Rolls Royces'

They eventually went to the High Court to ask for a freezing order on the assets of Saunders, Steinberg and their business associates.

Mr Stone told the court he ploughed 27million into the scheme and had 10million handed back in returns.

Neither his family nor any of their co-investors have been able to recoup any of the outstanding money.

The trio ran the Ponzi scheme for four years between 2006 and 2010 until they were investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.

A Ponzi scam works where a fraudulent organisation pays returns to its investors from new capital paid in by inciting individuals or businesses.

Steinberg and Strubel claimed they had no reason to suspect the business was anything but legitimate.

When the Bernie Madoff scandal broke in 2008, one investor told Steinberg he was spooked by the seemingly sky high returns he was getting from SEWL.

Steinberg said he was not concerned because Madoffs business was a city company.

It was a completely different business to Saunders. I didnt think SEWL was a Ponzi scheme, he said.

Steinberg of Lodge End, Radlett, Hertfordshire and Strudel of Manor Royal, New Southgate, north London, were both convicted of conspiracy to defraud.

Saunders, of Almonds Avenue, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, admitted the same charge.
Junior health minister Ben Gummer, pictured today in the Commons, told MPs almost 3,000 operations had been cancelled ahead of the strike

Almost 3,000 operations have already been cancelled ahead of Wednesday's strike by junior doctors, Health Minister Ben Gummer confirmed today.

Mr Gummer urged the BMA to call off the strike action and return to the negotiating table to resolve the outstanding issues over Saturday working hours.

Standing in for Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Mr Gummer accused the union of 'misleading' its members and prolonging the dispute.

But Labour's shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander, who secured the debate on a Commons urgent question, said Mr Hunt did not 'have the nerve' to turn up and account for his actions.

With the talks deadlocked on the issue of whether Saturday should be considered 'normal working hours' supporters of the junior doctors have launched a petition demanding MPs also work at the weekend.

More than 13,000 people have signed since the petition was created on the Government website at the weekend.

Turning to the need to resolve the dispute, Mr Gummer said today 'we cannot delay this any longer' as he added latest estimates suggest 2,884 operations have been cancelled ahead of a 24-hour strike.

He said: 'At some point this Government needs to make a decision.

'We have extended time and again the point at which we will introduce the new contract, precisely so we can give time for talks to proceed even though the BMA (British Medical Association) refused to discuss this for several years in a disjointed manner up until this point.

'But at some point we will have to make the changes which are necessary in order to get that consistency of service over the weekends. We cannot delay this any longer.

'No health secretary, no minister of health could stand in the face of the many academic studies which have shown an avoidable weekend effect and say that nothing should happen.

'Of course this should be done in concert with other contract changes, with changing the availability of diagnostics and of pharmacy and other services.

'It is part of the piece, we have always said that, but it has to be done at some point and that point is fast approaching.'

He later insisted: 'Strikes get us no nearer to a solution.'

As Mr Gummer addressed MPs, the number of signatures on a petition demanding MPs also work weekends grew toward 14,000

Ms Alexander insisted the Government was using a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut'.

She said: 'Throughout this dispute ministers have repeatedly conflated the need to reform the junior doctor contract with their manifesto commitment to a seven-day NHS.

'If junior doctors are the staff group who have to change their working patterns least to deliver this, which other groups of NHS staff will need to have the definition of unsocial hours changed in their contracts in this Parliament?

'In the last year, the Health Secretary has implied that doctors don't work at weekends, he's insinuated that juniors are somehow to blame for deaths amongst patients admitted on Saturdays and Sundays and he's insulted the profession's intelligence by telling them they've been misled by the BMA.

'If he was here I'd ask him if he regrets the way he's handled this dispute, but he hasn't even got the nerve to turn up.'

Mr Gummer said Mr Hunt would be in the Commons tomorrow to answer health questions at the regular session.

Junior shadow health minister Luciana Berger accused Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt of dodging MPs' questions

Junior doctors launched their first strike action on January 12 and had suspended the campaign of industrial action to engage in further talks

Announcing the new strike last week, BMA junior doctors committee chair Johann Malawana said: 'Over the past few weeks, we have welcomed the involvement of Sir David Dalton in talks about a new junior doctor contract, which recognises the need to protect patient care and doctors' working lives.

'His understanding of the realities of a health service buckling under mounting pressures and commitment to reaching a fair agreement has resulted in good progress on a number of issues.

'It is, therefore, particularly frustrating that the Government is still digging in its heels.'

He added: 'The Government's entrenched position in refusing to recognise Saturday working as unsocial hours, together with its continued threat to impose a contract so fiercely resisted by junior doctors across England, leaves us with no alternative but to continue with industrial action.'

Shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'Today's announcement that next week's industrial action will go ahead is deeply disappointing.

'Patients, NHS staff and junior doctors all want to see an end to this dispute. However, Jeremy Hunt's comments throughout these negotiations have left junior doctors feeling angry and demoralised.

'I am pleased that junior doctors will be covering emergency care services, but patients who see their operations and appointments cancelled next week deserve an apology from Jeremy Hunt.

'His actions have led to this dispute and it's about time he took some responsibility and brought an end to the deadlock.'

The Government's chief negotiator Sir David Dalton outlined the remaining issues in dispute in a letter, pictured, to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt

The sticking point in the talks remains the time at which premium rates of pay kick in for doctors working weekends.

The Government has made some concessions in a bid to break the deadlock with the BMA, drafting in Sir David Dalton in the hope of reaching an agreement.

Currently, 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and the whole of Saturday and Sunday attract a premium rate of pay.

An offer from the Government in November said doctors would receive time and a half for any hours worked Monday to Sunday between 10pm and 7am, and time and a third for any hours worked between 7pm and 10pm on Saturdays and 7am and 10pm on Sundays.

But in a new offer, dated January 16, Sir David said that, as part of an overall agreement, a premium rate of pay could kick in from 5pm on Saturdays rather than 7pm.

Furthermore, premium pay could start at 9pm Monday to Friday rather than the original offer of 10pm.
For more of the latest news and updates from Iran visit www.dailymail.co.uk/iran

Also shows construction of an underground tunnel into a heavily guarded mountain complex inside the facility

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Satellite images taken more than five years apart show that Iran may have been conducting secret test of nuclear explosives while negotiating with Western powers to have sanctions lifted.

Newly released satellite images of Iran's top-secret Parchin military complex reveal that even as Iran was working to negotiate a nuclear deal, it was apparently working to hide its atomic work of the past and hedge its bets for the future.

The first set of images show the military complex's explosives test facility, located some 20 miles south-east of Tehran, where Iran has been accused of carrying out nuclear tests.

Mystery site: This image shows the Parchin military complex's explosive's test facility, some 20 miles south-east of Teheran, Iran in 2010

Cleaner look: A second image taken five-and-a-half years later shows signs of a 'clean up' with scraped and paved soil, work which could have been carried out to hide nuclear explosives tests

A second image taken five-and-a-half years later shows signs of a 'clean up' with scraped and paved soil, work which could have been carried out to erase evidence of alleged nuclear explosives tests

The second set of images shows construction being carried out, building a tunnel into a heavily guarded mountain complex inside the Parchin facility, according to Stratfor.com.

A satellite photo taken last month, shows how the entrance to the tunnel has been covered up and einforced, while an 'administration building' has been completed.

This comes several months after Iran was forced to deny a clean-up of Parchin, after accusations by a U.S. think-tank using satellite images.

Secret work: Another image of the Parchin complex shows construction near an underground tunnel being carried out in July 2010

Covered up: A satellite snap taken last month shows how the entrance to the tunnel has been covered up and reinforced, while an 'administration building' has been completed

The U.S.-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) pointed to satellite images showing vehicles and container-like objects being moved at Parchin in August last year.

'Renewed activity occurring after the signing of the (July 14 deal) raises obvious concerns that Iran is conducting further sanitisation efforts to defeat IAEA verification. It may be a last ditch effort to try to ensure that no incriminating evidence will be found,' the Washington-based think tank said in a report.

However, Iran's UN office strongly denied the claims in a statement, adding that Tehran 'rejects the baseless claims about the so-called clean-up operations in the Parchin Military Complex'.
James Huff (pictured) served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and saw three armed conflicts in that time

A 20-year U.S. Army veteran, who had his truck stolen from his driveway has posted a massive sign outside his home shaming the thief.

The 2002 Ford F-350 truck was stolen on Thursday from James Huff's Rowlett, Texas, home.

James wrote the message on a four-by-eight piece of plywood and calls the thief 'a worthless dirt bag' on the sign.

'To: the worthless dirtbag that took my truck.

'I gave 20 years of my life serving in three armed conflicts to protect YOUR freedom.

'A freedom you pissed away when you stole what I earned.

'I hope your mother sees this so she knows YOU STOLE FROM A SOLDIER!'

James took to Facebook to post his message, saying he hopes the thief's entire family sees the post so they know what 'a low life' the person is.

'Yeah, my truck got JACKED.

'I hope the guy's mother, his wife, his kids, his entire family sees this so they know what a low life this person is.

'I've accepted the loss of my truck.

'I've learned from my mistake and will have full coverage and an anti-theft device next time around.

'BUT, I will sleep better at night knowing this dirtbag will never be able to hold his head high and be proud of who he is.

After his truck was stolen on Thursday James posted this sign so the thief would know he stole from a veteran

James's truck is a white 2002 Ford 320 with bumper stickers from Texas Hot Boats and boat clubs on the back

JAMES'S STOLEN TRUCK DETAILS James said the truck is a 2002 white F350 with a black lift gate, 18' chrome wheels, 2010 mirrors and tail lights, and a tube grill with a Texas Hot Boats and North Texas Jet Boat Club stickers on the back window. The Texas license plate is GBL-2166. Advertisement

'Something I can do every single day of my life,' he wrote.

Rowlett police said they have no leads, but older-model trucks, such as James's, are popular with thieves in the area.

James only had liability insurance on the truck, which does not cover theft.

'How can you hold your head up high and look at your family square in the eye? How do you sleep at night?' Huff told FOX4, speaking to the thief.

'I sleep well knowing I work hard and earn what I have.'

James said he was happy to serve his country and fight for the U.S.'s freedom, but that the person who stole his car 'pissed away' that freedom when he stole from a serviceman who gave two decades to his country
25-year-old inmate Codie Dotterer shot four guards with stolen stun gun

Detectives say a Pennsylvania inmate being hauled off to solitary confinement grabbed a guard's stun gun and fired, injuring four correctional officers.

Authorities say Beaver County Jail guards had found two pills in the cell of 25-year-old Codie Dotterer on January 7. While transporting him to solitary confinement, detectives say, Dotterer snatched a stun gun and fired.

Detectives say one guard was hit with its electric probes, two others were shocked by the wires leading to the probes, and a fourth was shocked because he was holding onto Dotterer's feet.

The Beaver County Times reports that Dotterer faces a preliminary hearing February 16 on aggravated assault and other charges.

Online court records don't list an attorney for him.

The pills found in his cell turned out to be Tylenol.

This isn't time that a correctional officer has let their guard down around inmates with devastating consequences. Just this week a Rikers Island corrections officer has been arrested on charges of planning to smuggle marijuana to an inmate she has a sexual relationship with, according to authorities.

Nicole Bartley, 30, was charged with promoting prison contraband, as well as rape and other charges.

The rape charge stems from New York law, under which inmates cannot legally consent to sex inside the jail.

Beaver County Jail, where 25-year-old inmate Codie Dotterer stole a guard's stun gun and stunned 4 officers

Mark Peters, the department's commissioner said: 'This case involving sex for drugs puts on full display the dangers of corruption in our City's jails and the connection between the drugs, inappropriate relationships and violence that pervade the system.'

Bartley told investigators the inmate 'played me for a fool'.

She said she let her guard down because thought she 'was falling in love' with him.

Bartley admitted to having sex with the inmate and agreeing to pick up marijuana for him, according to the Daily News.
A federal judge refused to grant a new trial for a Pennsylvania priest who claimed federal prosecutors wrongly withheld evidence in his sexual tourism case.

The 70-year-old priest, Joseph Maurizio, was convicted in September on charges he had sex with poor street children during missionary trips to Honduras.

U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson of Johnstown rejected his appeal, clearing the way for Maurizio to be sentenced on March 2, barring further appeals.

A federal judge has refused to grant a new trial for a Pennsylvania priest, Joseph Maurizio (pictured February 2) who claimed federal prosecutors wrongly withheld evidence in his sexual tourism case

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown suspended Maurizio after federal prosecutors filed charges in September 2014

The judge found that an alleged victim's statement was wrongly withheld but wouldn't have changed the outcome of the priest's trial.

'Given the substantial evidence that exists in this case ... the court finds it unlikely that a jury at a second trial would acquit defendant,' he wrote in the ruling issued Monday.

The appeal, which prompted a hearing before Gibson last week, concerned a statement given by one of the alleged victims who at one point told investigators he wasn't 'abused' by the priest.

The boy told a federal investigator that some others 'think badly of me' because of his contact with Maurizio, before adding, 'Perhaps they think he really abused me, but that was not the case.'

But Gibson agreed with Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Larson, who argued the victim's use of the word 'abuse' referred to one specific act and not to other alleged abuse by the priest.

The judge agreed with the prosecutor that the boy later clarified his statement to investigators, confirming that the priest fondled him, which Larson said was consistent with his trial testimony.

Defense attorney Steven Passarello argued he could have used the statement to cross examine the boy  which he opted not to do absent the statement  and that the priest deserved a new trial as a result.

Passarello said he planned to review the ruling and issue a statement later Monday.

Gibson agreed with Passarello that the statement favored the defense and should have been turned over. But the judge said the rest of the evidence  including testimony that another boy witnessed the priest fondle the boy who gave the statement  was strong enough to warrant conviction anyway.

Maurizio last served at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Central City (pictured), about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Prosecutors contend Maurizio used a self-run Johnstown-based charity to travel to an orphanage for several years ending in 2009

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown suspended Maurizio after federal prosecutors filed charges in September 2014.

Prosecutors contend Maurizio used a self-run Johnstown-based charity to travel to an orphanage for several years ending in 2009. Maurizio allegedly promised candy and cash to three boys to watch them shower, perform sex acts on themselves, or fondle them.

Maurizio last served at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Central City, about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
The Royal Air Force has hit more than 585 targets after flying more than 2,000 combat missions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, it was announced today.

Justine Greening, the International Development Secretary, said RAF aircraft and drones had helped in securing military success in Ramadi, Iraq and near Al Hal and around the Tishrin Dam in Syria.

In the most recent strikes detailed by the Ministry of Defence, Tornado jets fired a Brimstone missile and dropped three Paveway bombs at Kisik Junction in northern Iraq.

MPs have been told 585 ISIS targets have now been destroyed by the RAF. Pictured: This image shows a Tornado flight using Brimstone missiles to attack a number of mobile cranes brought in by Daesh to attempt to repair the severe damage inflicted by previous RAF and coalition air strikes on the Omar oil field

Ms Greening told MPs: 'Since the Foreign Secretary last updated the House on the campaign against Daesh in Syria and Iraq the global coalition, working with partner forces, has put further pressure on Daesh.

'Iraqi forces with coalition support have retaken large portions of Ramadi and in Syria the coalition has supported the capture of the Tishrin Dam and surrounding villages as well as areas south of Al Hal.

'The UK is playing our part.

'As of February 5, RAF Typhoon, Tornado and Reaper aircraft have flown over 2,000 combat missions and carried out more than 585 successful air strikes across Syria and Iraq.'

The latest Ministry of Defence update said: On Monday 1 February, two Tornados flew reconnaissance and close air support for the Kurdish peshmerga in northern Iraq.

'Near Kisik Junction, they used a Brimstone missile and three Paveways to attack three rocket launchers and a Daesh vehicle, then over Qayyarah, a further Brimstone and Paveway destroyed an ammunition truck and a mortar position.

'Typhoons operated in the area of Ramadi, where they conducted successful attacks on three terrorist strongpoints.'

Justine Greening, pictured making her Commons statement today, told MPs the RAF had successfully hit 585 targets

Ms Greening used her Commons statement - aimed at updating MPs on the funding conference for refugees held in London last week - to repeat pleas for Russia to stop bombing civilian areas in Syria.

US Secretary of State John Kerry used his visit to London last week to make a similar call following talks with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

Ms Greening said today: 'The UN's special envoy for Syria took the decision to pause these talks following and increase in air strikes and violence by the Assad regime backed by Russia.

'The UK continues to call on all sides to take steps to create the conditions for peace negotiations to continue.

'And in particular Russia must use its influence over the regime to put a stop to indiscriminate attacks and the unacceptable violations of international law.'

Ms Greening also urged the regime and other parties in the conflict to stop the illegal use of siege and starvation as a tactic and obstructing humanitarian aid from getting to civilians.

She said: 'Across Syria, Assad and other parties to the conflict are wilfully impeding humanitarian access on a day by day basis.

'It is a brutal, unacceptable and illegal action to use starvation as a weapon of war.

'In London world leaders demanded an end to these abuses including the illegal use of siege and obstruction of humanitarian aid.'

Ms Greening hailed the 7 billion in aid pledged by international leaders at a donor's conference for Syria in London on Thursday.

Some 4.1 billion has been pledged this year and a further 3.4 billion will be handed over by 2020 while Britain is donating an extra 510 million, taking the total funding from the UK to 2.3 billion.

RAF Tornado jets, pictured in Cyprus in December, have played a linchpin role in British action against ISIS targets
While refusing to let the name Bernie Sanders roll of his lips, former President Bill Clinton went after the Vermont senator again today at a campaign rally in Manchester.

'It bothers me to be in an election where debate is impossible because if you disagree you're just part of the establishment,' Clinton said today at Manchester Community College, shortly before his wife walked on stage.

The former president also thanks the young voters who were actually supporting Hillary Clinton.

In Iowa, she lost 18 to 29-year-old voters by 70 points.

'I am so grateful for all the millennial young people who are supporting Hillary,' Bill Clinton said.

'And they are just as mad as the ones who aren't,' he noted.

'They just know they've got to translate that anger to answer and that resentment to results,' he added.

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Bill Clinton has started attacking his wife's Democratic rival Bernie Sanders suggesting that the Vermont senator can't go around labeling who falls in the 'establishment' of the party

TEAMWORK: Bill and Hillary gave Sanders the one-two punch today in New Hampshire. She hit him for attending a Martha's Vineyard fundraiser for the Democratic Party attended by the same sorts of people he deplores her for taking checks from

POPULAR: Hillary is losing young people in New Hampshire more than 8-1 - but they seemed happy to see Bill today at a Manchester rally

Entering the community college today with daughter Chelsea at his side, Bill Clinton confessed that, 'the harder this election gets, the more I wish I were just a former president ... and not the spouse of the next one.'

The line got big cheers.

'And I'm so happy all the time because of our granddaughter and grandchild-to-be that I'm not mad at anybody, but I respect the anger, the apprehension, the anxiety that so many Americans have,' Clinton continued.

He noted how many Americans haven't seen their paychecks increase since the day he left the White House in 2001.

'So we need big changes, that's right, you'll hear Hillary talk about her visions,' Clinton said. 'The real question isn't whether we need big changes ,yes, the real question is, who's got the best ideas, who's the best change-maker.'

Pointing fingers, but not saying names, Clinton asked if it was fair to label his wife, or New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, or New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen as 'establishment.'

The two female politicians are supporting Hillary Clinton and were also on hand to introduce the candidate today.

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin also got a shout-out, with Clinton noting how he was supporting the former secretary of state and unsuccessfully tried to bring single-payer healthcare to his state, the plan that Sanders support.

COMEBACK KID: Bill and Hillary are seen here in Bedford New Hampshire during his 1992 campaign - when he came from behind to come in second in the state

ROLE REVERSAL: Bill Clinton even dressed the part Sunday as he ripped into Bernie Sanders at a campaign rally in New Hampshire

In Vermont it didn't work.

'That's hardly an establishment candidate,' Bill Clinton said.

Former Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor, who is going door to door for the Clintons in New Hampshire in advance of the state's primary tomorrow, put it a smart way, Bill Clinton pointed out.

'I asked Mark Pryor what he said when he was walking on doors, he said, "I like them both, I served with them both, but she gets a lot more done,'" the former president said.

Today's comments were an encore to the performance Bill Clinton gave yesterday in Milford, while Hillary Clinton was out of town in Flint, Michigan.

It was then that the former president began whacking Sanders around, without saying the Vermont senator's name.

'When you're making a revolution, you can't be too careful with the facts,' Clinton said, according to Politico.

'The New Hampshire I campaigned in really cared that you knew what you were doing, and how it was paid for,' Clinton said, reminding the voters of his own relationship with the state.

In the 1992 New Hampshire, Bill Clinton's campaign, under the duress of singing poll numbers, pulled off a silver medal in the state, which eventually propelled him to the Democratic nomination.

Sanders has a lot of large-scale ideas  universal healthcare, tuition-free public college, etc.  and has broadly described how he would pay for it, by raising taxes, but any economic drag that might occur from the new taxes has not been accounted for.

Clinton took on the 'Bernie Bros,' men on social media sites who are harassing Hillary Clinton's female supporters for only 'voting with their vagina[s].'

The former president called out the 'vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane ... not to mention sexist.'

He also reminded the audience about the data breach that occurred, allowing Sanders campaign operatives to sniff around the Clinton voter file last December.

'It was your campaign that made 25 separate inquiries in the mere space of 30 minutes trying to [loot] information out of computers,' Bill Clinton said, suggesting Sanders' public apology should be discounted because 'in private they sent an email complaining [about the DNC] leaving the keys in the car, and said, "all we did was drive off.'"

Clinton noted how the Sanders campaign raised $1 million off the incident.
Posters featuring the bearded actor that appeared in The Bronx were defaced with racist graffiti referencing 'bombs' and driving taxi

designer, became first Sikh man to appear in ad campaign for GAP

In 2013, Ahluwalia, who is also a model and

AeroMexico spokesperson said in email to Daily Mail airline regretted causing 'any

AeroMexico had reportedly offered to fly Ahluwalia first class before the incident at the airport checkpoint

later explained that airport screeners asked him to remove his turban in public, but he refused

to fly from Mexico City to New York City Monday morning

Ahluwalia, 41, who appeared in The Grand Budapest Hotel, was

Sikh actor and model Waris Ahluwalia, best known for his roles in Wes Anderson's films, claims that he was banned from boarding an AeroMexico flight Monday for wearing a traditional turban.

Ahluwalia, 41, who has appeared in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Darjeeling Limited and The Life Aquatic, took to Instagram this morning uploading a photo of himself holding up his now-useless AeroMexico plane ticket.

A post that accompanied the image read: 'This morning in Mexico City I was told I could not board my @aeromexico flight to NYC because of my turban. #FearisanOpportuntytoEducate #humanright #dignity #lovenotfear.'

Offensive: Sikh actor and model Waris Ahluwalia claims he was barred from boarding an AeroMexico flight bound for New York Monday because of his traditional turban

Ahluwalia, 41, pictured left posing in Mexico City International Airport, says security personnel prohibited him from getting on the plane after he refused to remove his article of faith in public

Within two hours, Ahluwalia message had drawn more than 650 'likes' and close to 140 comments, with most of the users blasting the Mexican airline for discrimination.

A commenter who goes by the handle @alevogelc wrote: 'I'm sorry for what happened, I really apologize on behalf of all the ignorant people of @aeromexico, but don't worry you got our support! sending you love from Mexico.'

Another Instagram user @tacirupekajaro stated: 'The [Mexican] government has a campaign to portray us as #mexicoglobal but we will never be such if public and private companies perpetuate #racism inside and outside.

In a statement to Daily Mail Monday afternoon, AeroMexico acknowledged that the actor was not permitted to board the flight, having refused to undergo a security screening.

'About the situation of passenger Waris Ahluwalia, Aeromexico reports that he was asked to submit to screening and inspection before boarding, in strict compliance with TSA protocol.

'We have offered the passenger to alternatives to reach his destination as soon as possible.

'We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused by this incident.'

The non-profit advocacy group The Sikh Coalition quickly picked up the story, repeatedly sharing Ahluwalias tweet on its social media account.

Ahluwalia's plane ticket, seen in his Instagram selfie, shows that the actor was scheduled to travel first class on board AeroMexico Flight 404 from Mexico City to New York City at around 7am Monday.

The code 'SSSS' on the face of the ticket indicates that Ahluwalia had been randomly pre-selected for a secondary security screening.

Wes Anderson's muse: Ahluwalia appeared in Wes Anderson's 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited, which takes place in his native India

In good company: The Sikh actor (far right) also had a role in Anderson's The Life Aquatic starring Bill Murray (center) and Anjelica Huston (right of Murray)

According to his recent Instagram posts, Ahluwalia jetted off to Mexico City five days ago for a vacation after an extended stay in Thailand.

Speaking to the New York Daily News this morning, Ahluwalia recounted how security personnel at Mexico City International Airport initially searched his bag, swabbed him for explosives residue and patted down his feet.

The actor initially complied with the security agents' demands but refused to remove his turban in front of other passengers - an act he likened to having to strip naked in public - and asked to be taken to a private screening area.

That is when Ahluwalia said he was informed by the airport staff: 'you will not be flying AeroMexico. You will need to book another flight.' The 41-year-old actor and model said he was stunned, especially since the airline had offered to fly him first class earlier.

Ahluwalia, who is also a successful jewelry designer with the New York-based House of Waris, later posted another selife from the airport along with a message that read: 'Dear NYC fashion week. I may be a little late as @aeromexico won't let me fly with a turban. Don't start the show without me.

This is not the first time that Ahluwalia has been targeted because of his faith.

In 2013, he became the first Sikh man to appear in an advertising campaign for GAP. A short time later, several billboards featuring Ahluwalia sporting a beard and turban were vandalized with racist graffiti.

The slogan for the national retailer's holiday campaign was 'Make Love' but one person scrawled over a poster that appeared in The Bronx, 'Make Bombs.'

The offensive scribbles also included the line: 'Please stop driving taxis!'
Adam Osborne, pictured, has admitted having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient ahead of a 10-day Fitness to Practise hearing

The psychiatrist brother of Chancellor George Osborne has admitted having sex with a vulnerable patient who had been under his care, a disciplinary panel heard today.

Dr Adam Osborne, who is currently suspended by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), admitted that he had engaged in an 'inappropriate' emotional and sexual relationship with the woman, despite being her private psychiatrist .

The woman, referred to as Patient A, had been under Dr Osborne's care between February 2011 and late 2014 and had a history of mental ill health.

It is not the first time the younger brother of the Chancellor has been in the spotlight for medical failings.

In 2010 he was suspended from practising medicine for six months after writing fraudulent prescriptions for a girlfriend, a family member and an escort girl whilst a psychiatry trainee at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.

The GMC found that Dr Osborne, who is five years the junior of his Chancellor brother, had 'behaved dishonestly' after attempting to obtain anti-psychotic medication for a cocaine-addicted woman he had been seeing while his partner was away.

As a result, the tribunal said the misconduct, which related to incidents between June 2006 and May 2008, impaired his fitness to practise.

Dr Osborne, who qualified as a doctor in 2004, did not attend the hearing, which is sitting in Manchester.

Instead, the tribunal will make a decision on the allegation that his fitness to practise is impaired by reason of misconduct in his absence when it is formally opened on Tuesday.

Dr Osborne admits that he knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that the woman was a vulnerable patient because of her history of mental ill health.

He further admits that between February 14 2015 and February 24 2015 he sent inappropriate emails to Patient A which referred to requests that she withdraw her complaint to the GMC against him, made threats towards her and the consequences for her family if she did not withdraw her complaint and an accusation that she had seduced him.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) Fitness to Practise hearing is due to last 10 days.

As previously reported, Osborne had his licence suspended by the MPTS last year after the accusation was made by the patient, who is married with two children.

It meant he could not practise again until the case was resolved.

Dr Osborne is the youngest brother of the Chancellor and one of four sons born to Sir Peter Osborne  who co-founded the wallpaper company Osborne & Little  and artist's daughter Felicity Loxton-Peacock.

His medical career has been beset by controversy since he finished his medical course at Manchester University in 2003.

Dr Osborne is officially registered to his home address in Shepherd's Bush, West London, which he shares with his wife Rahala Noor, a plastic surgeon.

His suspension in 2010 stemmed from a series of allegations surrounding his use of prescription drugs, which centred on allegations of a relationship with a prostitute.

George Osborne's (pictured) brother cannot practise as a doctor until the investigation is concluded

The GMC said that his 'relationship' with the woman had 'clouded his judgment' and led him to prescribe powerful anti-psychotic drugs, dishonestly use a false name and fail to inform her GP.

Dr Osborne was also disciplined for prescribing contraceptive pills to his then girlfriend, Rahala, a strict Muslim who would become his wife, and an anti-smoking drug to an unnamed family member.

The GMC hearing was told that Dr Osborne had been in a relationship with the prostitute, referred to as Miss B, from 2007 to 2008 while he was separated from his girlfriend and he was a trainee psychiatrist in Manchester.

Dr Osborne admitted prescribing the drugs to his girlfriend, to a family member, and Quetiapine, Haloperidol and Lorazepam to Miss B. But he denied his conduct was dishonest, misleading or impaired his fitness to practice.

He married Bangladeshi-born Noor in an elaborate Muslim ceremony in 2009 only after he had converted to Islam and changed his first name to Mohammed.

The pair met as undergraduates at St Andrews University, Fife, before going on to study medicine together at Manchester University.
The man cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher is setting up his own business - dedicated to remembering the dead.

Raffaelle Sollecito has unveiled plans for new company which provides 'graveyard services', such as replenishing flowers and placing candles.

The 31-year-old and former girlfriend Amanda Knox were sentenced to 26 years in jail in 2009 for the murder of Kercher, but after a series of court battles were both acquitted last year.

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Raffaelle Sollecito, left, was sentenced to 26 years in jail in 2009 for the murder of Meredith Kercher, but after a series of court battles was acquitted last year

Sollecito, who spent four years in jail for the 2007 murder, said the company would be called 'Memories', which would function like a 'social network for graves'.

Despite the Italian's association the high-profile murder, he told The Local: 'It's not morbid. It's innovative; there's no other service like this at the moment.

'I think it's a really sweet idea and a good way to remember the dead.

In March 2015, Italy's highest court ruled that Amanda Knox, pictured, and Raffaelle Sollecito were innocent of the murder, thereby definitively ending the case

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito in their infamous clinch after they were named as suspects in Ms Kercher's murder

'People can create a profile page for their deceased loved ones, where they can post photos, videos and share their memories.'

The business, based in Sollecito's home town of Giovinazzo, has been kick-started thanks to a 66,000 grant from the Puglia government and will offer a range of services, including tombstone and mausoleum cleaning.

Sollecito said he has been working on the website's database since October and hoped to have it live by spring.

He added that the idea came to him after the death of his mother in 2005, but he wasn't able to develop the concept after finding himself in the midst of a murder investigation two years later.

Kercher, an exchange student from Coulsdon in south London, was discovered dead on the floor of her bedroom in this flat she shared with Knox in Perugia, Italy

Kercher, an exchange student from Coulsdon in south London, was discovered dead on the floor of her bedroom in a flat she shared with Knox in Perugia, Italy.

Fingerprints and DNA at the scene were found to belong to Ivorian Rudy Guede, who was found guilty of her murder in a fast-track trial, but police also believed Knox and Sollecito to be involved.

Both were initially found guilty of Kercher's sexual assault and murder, but they were acquitted in a subsequent trial which questioned the evidence against them.

In March 2015, Italy's highest court ruled that Knox and Sollecito were innocent of the murder, thereby definitively ending the case.
He was charged with first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree reckless endangerment

A former grocery store employee who bragged that it was 'easy' to kill his former co-worker who spurned his advances told police he wanted to do it sooner but he needed to practice shooting his gun.

Christopher O'Kroley, 26, is accused of shooting dead 24-year-old Caroline Nosal in the parking lot where they both worked at Metro Market Cottage Grove in Madison, Wisconsin.

He allegedly committed the crime February 2, one day after he was fired from his job.

Co-workers described the relationship between O'Kroley and Nosal, of Stoughton, as one that soured after O'Kroley 'wanted more'.

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Christopher O'Kroley, 26, is accused of shooting dead 24-year-old Caroline Nosal at Metro Market Cottage Grove in Madison, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. He is pictured in an anti-suicide smock, being wheeled into the courtroom on Friday

O'Kroley's bond was set at $1million on Friday after he was charged with first-degree intentional homicide

Nosal, 24 (seen in a Facebook picture), died of gunshot wounds to the head and abdomen, an autopsy said. Coworkers described the relationship between O'Kroley and Nosal, of Stoughton, as one that soured

His bond was set at $1million on Friday after he was pushed into the courtroom in a wheelchair while wearing a suicide-prevention smock, according to WKOW.

An anti-suicide smock is a tear-resistant noose-proof form of clothing that officials put detainees in if they are on suicide watch.

He was also charged with first-degree reckless endangerment.

Two weeks before the shooting, O'Kroley was suspended from work after Nosal told a store manager that she was being harassed by him.

O'Kroley told police that following his suspension, he began planning to kill Nosal and himself if he was fired, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

He also told police when he was arrested on Wednesday that he would have shot Nosal to death a day earlier but he wanted to practice shooting the gun he had bought Monday before using it.

He went to their workplace Monday evening after practicing, but Nosal had left work. So O'Kroley went home, watched movies and ordered pizza before returning the next day to attempt the shooting again, police said.

He returned to the market on Tuesday and shot Nosal in the head and abdomen as she walked through the parking lot while leaving work, a criminal complaint said.

O'Kroley had learned through former co-workers via text message - on the pretext of collecting his belongings from the store when Nosal was not there - that she finished work at 8pm on Tuesday.

O'Kroley (pictured) told police officers that it was 'easy' to kill Nosal because she had 'ruined my life'. He is accused of shooting her twice outside Metro Market as she left work on Tuesday

Two weeks before the shooting, O'Kroley was suspended from work after Nosal (pictured) told a store manager that she was being harassed by him

He told police that he knelt down beside her car, and when he saw Nosal turn the corner, he stood up and shot at her chest.

When she fell, he shot her once more in the head, he told police.

He said that 'it was easy' to kill Nosal because she had 'ruined my life', and that he killed her out of anger. He described himself to police as a 'sociopath'.

'I killed Caroline and I'm about to kill myself. So don't be surprised when I don't respond anymore,' O'Kroley wrote in a text message to a co-worker after the shooting.

But he realized that he couldn't kill himself, he told police, and that his plan was to 'hijack someone's car at gunpoint', but he instead fled the scene in his own car.

O'Kroley was arrested on Wednesday about four miles from an area where his car was found abandoned. Police used K9s and a drone to search for him, according to Channel 3000.

O'Kroley said he planned to kill Nosal and himself if he was fired from Metro Market after his suspension. But after the shooting, he realized that he couldn't kill himself, he told police. Nosal is pictured above on Facebook

A memorial was made outside Metro Market in Madison, where Nosal was shot in the head and abdomen as she left work

He exchanged gunfire with Madison Police Officer Michele Walker before he was arrested, which led to a first-degree reckless endangerment charge on Friday.

'I'm glad I didn't hit her,' he said in court of firing at the officer twice. 'I don't know what else, I guess I'm sorry but... I don't know if I am sorry, I'm just glad I didn't hit her.'

Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain said the department believes that O'Kroley 'purchased the firearm locally and legally at a store, however that part of the investigation is still ongoing'.

Wisconsin Legislature eliminated a 48-hour waiting period for purchasing a handgun last year.
A judge in Pakistan has accepted a court petition from a British-trained lawyer arguing that the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the Crown Jewels belongs to Pakistan.

The 105-carat gem, once the largest known diamond in the world, has long been at the centre of a dispute with India, as it was acquired by Britain in 1849 when the East India Company annexed the region of Punjab.

But Javed Iqbal Jaffry, who filed the petition last year, claims the Koh-i-Noor - Persian for 'Mountain of Light - should be returned to Pakistan as the gem was seized from territory that became Pakistan in 1947.

The Koh-i-Noor, once the largest diamond in the world, was last worn by the late Queen Mother during her coronation and is on display at the Tower of London

The 105-carat gem, once the largest known diamond in the world, has long been at the centre of a dispute with India, as it was acquired by Britain in 1849 when the East India Company annexed the region of Punjab

The then-Queen Elizabeth (the late Queen Mother) with the then-Princess Elizabeth (the Queen) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, after the coronation of King George VI

When the Queen made a state visit to India to mark the 50th anniversary of India's independence from Britain in 1997, many Indians demanded the return of the diamond.

The diamond is set in a crown last worn by the late Queen Mother during her coronation and is on display with the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.

The petition was first rejected by the Lahore High Court on paperwork ground - but a judge has now accepted the case and will proceed to a further hearing.

'Koh-i-Noor was not legitimately acquired,' he wrote in his filing, according to The Telegraph. 'Grabbing and snatching it was a private, illegal act which is justified by no law or ethics. A wrong is a wrong. It does not become righteous or right by passage of time or even acquiescence.'

Jaffry, who has written 786 letters to the Queen and to Pakistan before filing the lawsuit, named the Queen and the British High Commission in Islamabad as respondents in his case.

He argued that Britain 'forcibly and under duress' stole the diamond from Daleep Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and last ruler of the Sikhs and seized it to Britain.

Jaffry told The Telegraph: 'The Koh-i-Noor was snatched illegally from the 14-year-old ruler of Punjab, from Lahore, by the East India British Company. It was gifted to Queen Victoria, but she never used it in her crown.

'The East India Company ruled Punjab, but the question is how can a company be the ruler of any country so how can you legislate for its actions.'

Britain's then colonial governor-general of India arranged for the huge diamond to be presented to Queen Victoria in 1850.

Indians have long laid claims on Koh-i-Noor.

When the Queen made a state visit to India to mark the 50th anniversary of India's independence from Britain in 1997, many Indians demanded the return of the diamond.

Last year, Bollywood stars and businessmen got together and instructed lawyers to begin legal proceedings in London's High Court to return the diamond.

Queen Elizabeth (the late Queen Mother) and King George VI in their robes and crown's Queen Elizabeth in her Coronation Robes Official coronation group taken at Buckingham Palace

The group, which called itself 'Mountain of Light', instructed British lawyers to seek the stone's return on the Holocaust (Return of Cultural Objects) Act, which gives national institutions in the UK the power to return stolen art.

At the time, historian Andrew Roberts told the Mail on Sunday: 'Those involved in this ludicrous case should recognise that the British Crown Jewels is precisely the right place for the Koh-i-Noor diamond to reside, in grateful recognition for over three centuries of British involvement in India, which led to the modernisation, development, protection, agrarian advance, linguistic unification and ultimately the democratisation of the sub-continent.'

A legend on the diamond says the gem can only be worn by God or women - but if a man wears it, he will meet an unfortunate end.

During a visit to India in 2013, David Cameron has ruled out handing back the diamond

'The right answer is for the British Museum and other cultural institutions to do exactly what they do, which is to link up with other institutions around the world to make sure that the things which we have and look after so well are properly shared with people around the world,' he said.

'I certainly don't believe in 'returnism', as it were. I don't think that's sensible.'

Cameron said: 'I don't think that's the right approach.'

'It is the same question with the Elgin Marbles,' he said, referring to the classical Greek marble sculptures that Greece has long demanded be given back
David Cameron, pictured today, pledged to 'open a new front' on extremism in prisons by announcing a series of radical reforms to the UK's justice system

Terrorists could be locked in separate prisons and Imams could be banned from visiting jails under proposals unveiled by David Cameron today.

The Prime Minister said ministers were considering the plans as part of the Government's renewed crackdown on extremism in UK jails.

Revealing that currently around 1,000 of Britain's prison population have been identified as extremist or vulnerable to being radicalised, Mr Cameron said inmates convicted of terrorism offences could be relocated to separate locations if prison governors deemed it necessary.

The measures - part of a 'new front' to tackling radicalisation in jails - would prevent prisons becoming a recruitment target for extremists, where terrorists are able to convert 'weak' individuals to Islam through 'intimidation, violence and grooming' to spread a 'warped view of the world'.

'We will not stand by and watch people being radicalised like this while they are in the care of the state,' Mr Cameron declared today in a major speech on prison reform - the first by a prime minister solely on jails in two decades.

'And I want to be clear: I am prepared to consider major changes: from the imams we allow to preach in prison to changing the locations and methods for dealing with prisoners convicted of terrorism offences, if that is what is required.'

The anti-extremism crackdown was part of a radical set of prison reforms unveiled by the Prime Minister today.

He also announced plans to make it easier for authorities to deport foreign criminals by forcing foreign nationals to hand over their passports and declare their nationality in court.

The reforms unveiled by the Prime Minister, pictured speaking to inmates being trained as baristas at HMP Onley today, will prevent 'weak' individuals from being targeted by terrorists, Cameron said

Cameron, pictured visiting HMP Onley in Rugby today, revealed there are currently 1,000 inmates in the UK who have been identified as extremists or vulnerable to radicalisation

It follows complaints from prison governors that they struggle to identify the nationality of inmates after they have arrived in prison, which slows down the process for deportation.

PRISONERS WON'T HAVE TO DECLARE CRIMINAL RECORD IN JOB APPLICATIONS Cameron, pictured today, wants to prevent prisoners being rejected for jobs out-right because of prior convictions Prisoners will not be forced to declare their criminal convictions in job applications under radical reforms announced by David Cameron today. Ex-prisoners will only have to tell potential employers of their criminal record once they get to interview stage under the proposals. Mr Cameron hopes the move - which mirrors the 'ban the box' scheme in the United States - will prevent ex-offenders being rejected for jobs out-right because of the 'shame of prior convictions'. But he immediately faced accusations of going soft on crime, with Tory MP Philip Davies telling MailOnline the reforms were 'stupid'. 'How many former prisoners is he taking on?' Mr Davies asked. 'How many burglars is he taking into Downing Street? 'He should stop lecturing us about crime and start prioritising the law abiding citizen in this county rather than everything being about the victims of criminals.' Another radical scheme unveiled today was a plan to allow inmates out of jail during the week. It would see prisoners near the end of their sentences locked behind bars only at weekends. Advertisement

Mr Cameron said: 'Of course, there is one group I do want out of prison much more quickly, instead of British taxpayers forking out for their bed and breakfast: and that is foreign national offenders.

'One of the big barriers here is that we dont systematically record the nationality of offenders early enough  and this can hamper our ability to deport them.

'I know the frustrations of prison governors when they have to try to find out someones nationality after theyve already arrived in prison.

'So I can announce today that we will now legislate to give the police new powers to require foreign nationals to hand over their passports, and make them declare their nationality in court.'

'It will help speed up the deportation of foreign criminals in Britain.'

Other major reforms announced today were plans to allow some prisoners out during the week.

The move will see inmates nearing the end of their sentences only locked up behind bars at weekends.

And prisoners will not be forced to declare their criminal records on job applications under new proposals.

The Prime Minister announced today that:

Prisoners won't have to declare criminal convictions on job applications

Some inmates will be let out during the week

Prison governors will gain more powers over budgets, education and rules

Some offenders will be banned from drinking after release and fitted with tags to detect alcohol consumption;

New GPS technology will allow constant monitoring of criminals on community service;

Mobile phone firms will be told to switch off the signal near prisons to stop convicts making calls;

New league tables of prisons will show which are best at rehabilitation.

Labour reacted to today's announcements with scepticism, asking why the Tories had failed to improve conditions in jails during their last five years in power.

The party highlighted quotes from Mr Cameron in 2007 when he promised to make prison reform one of the key planks of his 'central mission'.

Lord Falconer, the Shadow Justice Secretary, said: 'The scandalous failure David Cameron condemns is his own.

'The Tories have had five years to improve our prisons and we have heard promises of 'rehabilitation revolution' many times before.

'Instead, they have cut staff, closed effective jails, decreased transparency and presided over a crisis.

'While Ministers continue to ignore the appalling conditions in our prisons and with no additional funding provided it is unclear how these announcements will make any real difference.'
A dozen people who were transporting banners proclaiming that a new crime gang was taking control in the western state of Michoacan have been detained, officials in western Mexico said Monday.

A state official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the banners announced the appearance of 'La Nueva Familia,' or 'New Family.' The official was not authorized to be quoted by name.

The name of the group suggests it is a successor of the Familia Michoacana drug cartel that was largely crushed in 2010 when the Knights Templar gang chased it out of Michoacan. The Knights Templar was, in turn, displaced by armed vigilantes in 2013.

A dozen people who were transporting banners proclaiming that a new crime gang was taking control in the western state of Michoacan have been detained, officials in western Mexico said Monday (file photo)

Photos published by local media showed banners hung in two Michoacan cities that featured crossed assault rifles, a shield bearing the letters 'LNF' and the signature of 'La Nueva Familia.'

The banners said the New Family was 'cleaning up the people who support the CJNG,' a reference to the Jalisco cartel, which purportedly moved into Michoacan from neighboring Jalisco state after the vigilantes' uprising. The banner said the new gang would go after anyone who engaged in robbery, rape, kidnapping and extortion.

'All those who contribute to this scum will be punished,' the banner reportedly proclaims. The wording could not be confirmed with authorities.

Neither of the banners was found in Morelia, the Michoacan state capital that Pope Francis is scheduled to visit on Feb. 16.

Michoacan Gov. Silvano Aureoles told Imagen Radio that the banners are 'nothing to be worried about, absolutely nothing.'

The Michoacan state prosecutors' office said Sunday that those arrested were nine adults and three minors traveling in a convoy of four vehicles carrying the banners and weapons.

The Michoacan state prosecutors' office said Sunday that those arrested were nine adults and three minors traveling in a convoy of four vehicles carrying the banners and weapons (file photo)

It said the group's leader carried a hand grenade and threatened to detonate it avoid arrest.

The three minors were turned over to the juvenile offenders system and the nine adults, including three women, were held pending possible charges.

Aureoles suggested the banners could be 'a joke or a way to try to get attention,' but prosecutors said one of the women detained had been ordered to write messages left alongside dead bodies in three recent homicides.

Jose Godoy Castro, the Michoacan state attorney general, told local media the banners could be the work of small local gangs trying to look like a new cartel and mentioned 'The Viagras'  a local gang that rose to prominence after the Knights Templar were expelled  as possibly being behind the banners.
Central banks have been urged to wage war on tax dodging tradesmen, terrorists and drug dealers - by banning the 50 note.

High value bills are the payment mechanism of choice for criminals and corrupt officials, according to Peter Sands, the former boss of British banking giant Standard Chartered.

In a report entitled Making it harder for the bad guys, Mr Sands said 50, $100 and 500 euro notes play little role in the legitimate economy.

Peter Sands, ex boss of British banking giant Standard Chartered, has called for the 50 note to be scrapped as he claimed that high value bills are the 'payment mechanism of choice' for criminals and corrupt officials

He said ditching them would be a bold, effective  and relatively simple - step in the fight against organised crime, corruption, terrorism and tax evasion.

Although banning the notes will not stop financial crime, Mr Sands said it would make life significantly harder for those pursuing illicit activities by raising their costs and increasing the risks of detection.

It would also strike a blow against Britains cash-in-hand culture and help reduce the 34billion in tax that is dodged each year.

There are currently 236million 50 notes in circulation - which feature portraits of 18th century steam engine pioneers Matthew Boulton and James Watt - compared to almost 2billion 20 notes.

The 50 notes are only dispensed at a handful of cash machines in the UK, including in Londons wealthy Mayfair and Canary Wharf districts.

But when dispensed over the counter by banks, they are widely used for cash-in-hand payments to tradesmen such as builders, plumbers or electricians, according to Mr Sands report.

This enables households to illegally avoid 20pc VAT, while the tradesman can dodge income tax and national insurance.

More than 13billion of VAT is evaded every year, most of it through cash-in-hand payments. The remaining 21billion in tax evasion also includes losses of income tax and National Insurance, both of which can be to some extend blamed on the cash-in-hand trade.

Mr Sands believes eliminating the 50 note could reduce this by 10pc, raising an extra 1.3billion a year for the Treasury.

Mr Sands claims that 50 notes are widely used for cash-in-hand payments to tradesmen such as builders

James Daley, founder of financial website Fairer Finance said: Most people very rarely come into contact with a 50 note so I dont think banning them would be an inconvenience to the public.

'What it will do is inconvenience cash-in-hand tax dodgers and certain groups of criminals who will need bigger suitcases or more lorries to transport money.

More than 2trillion from financial crime and corruption is funnelled around the world every year.

The majority of criminals use cash because it is anonymous, there is no record of the transaction, and it is accepted everywhere.

British banks voluntarily withdrew the 500 euro note in 2010 amid evidence that 90pc of these bills are in the hands of criminals.

The European Commission last week committed to work with the European Central Bank to review the role of the 500 euro note in terrorist finance.

Mr Sands said that he did not think scrapping high value notes would be an inconvenience to the public

But Mr Sands, who produced his report for the Harvard Kennedy School, urged the worlds 20 largest economies to go further ahead of the G20 meeting in China in September.

He said: There is no compelling reason for governments to continue to provide tax evaders, criminals, terrorist and corrupt officials with such tools of the trade.

Drugs gangs smuggle an estimated $20billion to $30billion across the border between the US and Mexico every year.

But just $543million was seized by US customs officials between 2003 and 2013.

If the $100 bill was ditched, Mr Sands said drugs gangs would be hit by spiralling costs as they would have to double the number of pick-up trucks and individual smugglers to transport money.

According to Mr Sands report, transporting $1million in cash in $20 bills would weigh around 110 pounds and would fill four normal briefcases, which would be impossible for one courier to carrier.

But the same amount of money in $100bills would weigh just 22 pounds and fill just one suit case.

Scrapping big value notes would also hit terrorist groups, such as ISIS and Al Qaeda according to the report.

Mr Sands knows about money laundering from bitter experience.

His former employer Standard Chartered received a huge fine in the US in 2012 after being accused of breaching US sanctions against Iran and hiding 160billion of bank transfers that helped finance terror groups.
The suspected bomber who was blown from the Somali jet from Mogadishu to Djibouti was meant to be flying on a Turkish Airlines flight, Daallo Airlines chief executive said on Monday.

The explosion created a gaping hole in the fuselage and forced the plane to make an emergency landing back at the Mogadishu airport.

Mohamed Yassin, CEO of Daallo Airlines, revealed that most of the passengers who were on the flight were scheduled to fly with Turkish Airlines.

Most of the passengers who were on the Daallo Airlines flight were scheduled to fly with Turkish Airlines

But after the Turkish carrier cancelled its flight citing strong wind, the 74 passengers were ferried to Djibouti by one of Daallo planes across the Horn of Africa.

'That particular passenger (who was behind the blast) boarded the aircraft on a Turkish Airlines boarding pass and was on the list for the Turkish Airlines manifest,' Yassin said.

Yassin told Al Jazeera that the passengers would continue their journey from Djibouti on a Turkish Airlines flight.

'Turkish Airlines have not been in contact with us since the incident happened. You can say they are trying to distance themselves from the incident.' Olad said.

Turkish Airlines, which flies to Somalia three times a week, suspended its service on Tuesday.

It comes after the release of a CCTV video showing the suspected bomber of the Somali plane at the exact moment when he is being handed a laptop in which the explosives were concealed.

It is believed the laptop-like device was the bomb that caused the explosion. The plane's pilot said that if the explosion happened when the aircraft was at a higher altitude it could have caused the jet to crash.

'There are investigations going on and about 15 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident,' a Somali security official who asked not to be named told AFP.

'The initial investigation results indicate that the bomb was planted in a laptop and was carried by one of the passengers.

'A CCTV camera recorded some of the activities and the attack is believed to have been coordinated by a network of individuals, many of whom have been arrested and are being investigated,' the source added.
Twentieth Century Fox could be forced to change the name of hit television series Glee in the UK after losing an Appeal Court legal battle with a British comedy club chain of the same name.

The media giant today lost its first appeal against a 2014 ruling at the High Court in London which held that Fox had infringed the trademark of Comic Enterprises Ltd who run Glee Clubs.

Fox bosses said it would be a 'disaster' if it had to change the Glee name, which is worth millions of dollars and has been expanded into a franchise that includes worldwide tours, CDs and reality television competitions.

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Twentieth Century Fox is fighting a legal battle to avoid having to change the name of hit show Glee, pictured

The use of the name was found to infringe the trademark of Comic Enterprises Ltd, which runs a series of similarly named comedy clubs, in a High Court ruling in 2014

Deputy High Court judge Roger Wyand QC made the High Court ruling over the infringement in July 2014, but rejected a claim Fox was guilty of passing off because he ruled that in law there had been no misrepresentation.

Both sides appealed but Lord Justice Kitchin, sitting with Lady Justice Arden and Lord Justice Lloyd Jones dismissed them both.

In its action, Fox quoted the Oxford English dictionary saying 'glee club' refers to choral singing societies in general.

But the High Court judge ruled that it was 'fair and equitable' to order Fox to stop using 'Glee' as the title for the series.

He added: ' I do not accept that re-titling the series would be such an expensive and difficult task as is suggested in the evidence.

'I have no explanation as to the technical difficulties in the actual re-titling or the cost of that.

'The major cost and problem being relied upon is the cost of communicating the new name to the public in such a way that they realise that this is the new identity for their beloved old series.

'However I do not see this as being such an insurmountable problem as is suggested.'

Both sides appealed but Lord Justice Kitchin, sitting with Lady Justice Arden and Lord Justice Lloyd Jones dismissed them both.

Glee, pictured, was first broadcast in the UK in 2009 and has gone on to spawn a franchise including CDs, a live tour and reality TV competitions

The show's stars include the late Cory Monteith, left, and Lea Michele, centre,

He revealed that the court fight was not yet over as both sides want to argue that the rulings are incompatible with European law.

Twentieth Century Fox have already been ordered to pay 100,000 on account of damages which could run into millions.

In rejecting the appeal over the finding of infringement Lord Justice Kitchin said 'there exists a likelihood of confusion.'

Comic Enterprises opened its first Glee Club in 1994 providing venues for live stand up comedy. It now has venues in Birmingham, Cardiff, Nottingham and Oxford.

The Sky 1 TV programme about an American high school singing club was first broadcast in the UK in 2009, and has been sold to many countries around the world. It has also sold close to 3.5 millions songs in the UK alone.

Pictured: Glee Club in Birmingham. Comic Enterprises opened its first club in 1994

He said he had been told many times during the hearing how this series is a 'blockbuster' and he found it 'hard to believe that the cost of re-titling and publicising of the new name would be so prohibitive compared to the value of the series.'

He added: 'I think that an injunction is necessary to protect the claimant's intellectual property.

'Whilst it may well be true that the fan base for the programme will still think of the programme as 'Glee' they will be made aware of the fact that it cannot be called 'Glee' anymore because of the trade mark rights of the claimant.'

He said the re-titling should allow a reference to the programme 'previously known as 'Glee'.'

It could include a reference to a name that features in the programme such as the name of the High School.

Comic Enterprises had sought 1.25m damages on account of their full claim which depends on an account of profits, and could run into several million pounds.

A spokesman for Twentieth Century Fox Television said: 'We note the Court of Appeal's decision and welcome its consideration of the outstanding issues.

'We remain committed to proving the merits of our case and to delivering Glee to all of its fans in the UK.'
Most of what he brought to his five-

Pop artist Andy Warhol was an incurable hoarder of such epic proportions it shocked even his closest companions. His passion for shopping and possession obsession was all about the thrill of the chase.

Most of what he brought home, he never unpacked.

There was so much stuff in his Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, every inch of floor, table and sideboard space was filled with stuff  boxes, shopping bags, wrapped packages, and even old pizza crusts.

His hoarding became a substitution for the absence of intimacy in his life. He wrote he had an affair with his TV and married his tape recorder.

Science journalist, Claudia Kalb provides compelling insight into the fine line between mental illness and greatness and creativity that plagued some of historys most celebrated icons, including Warhol, Marilyn Monroe and Frank Lloyd in a compelling book, Andy Warhol Was A Hoarder, Inside the Minds of Historys Great Personalities, published by National Geographic Books.

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Andy Warhol created 610 Time Capsules in the early seventies, initially intended only as temporary storage while moving his studio. They became the repository for lunch receipts, ticket stubs, letters, cancelled postage stamps, dead batteries, even junk from trash picking

Andy Warhol, one of the most prolific and popular commercial Pop artists in the 1960s, grew up in a working class neighborhood in Pittsburgh in the late twenties and thirties.

He was shy, effeminate and artistic, the youngest of three boys.

He suffered his first bout of Sydenhams chorea at age eight, a neurological disease that causes involuntary muscle movements and discolors the skin. It left Warhols face blotchy and the artist remained self-conscious about his skin the rest of his life.

Often sickly and socially isolated, Andy escaped into celebrity magazines, comic books, the movies and drawing. He went to art school and headed to Manhattan where he launched what became an enormously successful commercial art career.

Here his possession obsession flourished. He couldnt throw anything away even when he didnt want it.

Warhol created 610 Time Capsules in the early seventies, initially intended only as temporary storage while moving his studio.

They became the repository for lunch receipts, ticket stubs, letters, cancelled postage stamps, dead batteries, even junk from trash picking.

When he moved to a five-story brownstone he filled the rooms with heaps of stuff he purchased --- from cheap watches, perfume bottles, 175 cookie jars, Tiffany lamps, paintings by the Abstract Expressionist artists

He had a persistent inability to part with anything and soon after moving into his Upper East Side apartment, clutter followed.

Warhol was a tireless shopper from 5 and 10-cent stores, to flea markets, antique dealers, art galleries and the citys finest stores.

When he moved to a five-story brownstone he filled the rooms with heaps of stuff he purchased --- from cheap watches, perfume bottles, 175 cookie jars, Tiffany lamps, paintings by the Abstract Expressionist artists, anything and everything.

The key feature distinguishing hoarding disorder from run-of-the-mill cluttering is that living spaces become so deluged with possessions they cannot be used for their intended purpose, writes the author.

When Warhol died, they found rooms in total disarray, boxes stacked high in front of a fireplace, paintings leaning against the wall.

Boxes blocked the entrance to rooms. Occupying every inch of floor, table and sideboard space were so many boxes, shopping bags and wrapped packages  that the appraisers could not penetrate further, his close friend, David Bourdon stated.

One had to climb over boxes to get to Andys four-poster canopied bed, the television and his stack of wigs.

And then there were his Time Capsules that contained balled-up clothing, leaking Campbells soup cans, desiccated pizza dough, decayed orange-nut bread, wigs that looked like road kill.

Warhol enjoyed his shopping sprees and that took him out of the OCD irrational behavior category and into the hoarding disorder.

Research points to deprivation early in life as a motivating factor but also anxiety as emotional impoverishment.

Warhol, a self-described loner, had one relationship with another man, interior designer, Jed Johnson. The rest of his years he was alone.

In April 1981, he wrote in his diary: Went home lonely and despondent because nobody loves me and its Easter, and I cried
Hillary Clinton is on track to take a major beating tomorrow in New Hampshire - a state she won in 2008 and her husband Bill made his famous 'comeback' in during his own campaign for the White House.

She's not winning women, a demographic that's low-hanging fruit given her advocacy as first lady on women's and children's issues, and the lion's share of young people are supporting her opponent, a CNN survey that dropped yesterday found.

The Clintons - plural - are now considering a staff shake-up that could include pollster and Barack Obama alum Joel Benenson getting the boot, according to Politico.

They're concerned the campaign's messaging and digital operations are to blame for her near defeat in Iowa and the anticipated blowout in New Hampshire.

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In the driving seat: Bill Clinton - who breakfasted with Hillary today as she campaigned in Manchester, NH, is intervening in her faltering campaign

Hillary Clinton is on track to take a major beating tomorrow in New Hampshire - a state she won in 2008 and her husband Bill made his famous 'comeback' in during his own campaign for the White House

'The Clintons are not happy, and have been letting all of us know that,' and in-the-know Democratic official told Politico. 'The idea is that we need a more forward-looking message, for the primary  but also for the general election too.'

The official told the publication, 'Theres no sense of panic, but there is an urgency to fix these problems right now.'

The anticipated change-up is reminiscent of rumors in New Hampshire during her failed 2008 bid for the White House. Staff reportedly avoided the chopping block because of her surprise victory in the Granite State.

Bill was said to be handily involved in those critical campaign decisions, as well. He'd taken a less prominent role this time around. But as polls began to indicate a Sanders surge, the ex-president began appearing on the campaign trail with and without his wife to ask voters for their support.

In Iowa last week, Clinton prevailed over rival Bernie Sanders, but only by a nose. She won 53 percent of women overall, but lost unmarried women to the 74-year-old senator by the same amount, despite recruiting Girls star Lena Dunham and pop star Demi Lovato to campaign for her.

She faces an even worse fate in New Hampshire, where a daily tracking poll conducted by the University of Massachusetts Lowell has him up by 16.

The CNN poll showed an even bigger gap, with Sanders sticking it to Clinton 58- 35.

Here, he's indisputably winning both women and the under 35 crowd, data from the poll shows.

He has 85 percent of the youth on his side, and 49 percent of women. He's besting Clinton by eight points in that demographic. She has the support of just over four in 10.

Efforts over the weekend to push more female voters her way went disastrously wrong as when feminist icon Gloria Steinem suggested that young women are supporting Sanders because they're boy crazy.

'When youre young, youre thinking: "Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie," ' Steinem told TV show host Bill Maher on Friday.

The next day her husband's former secretary of state Madeleine Albright said at a Clinton rally, 'We can tell our story of how we climbed the ladder, and a lot of you younger women think its done.'

'Its not done. Theres a special place in hell for women who dont help each other!' she said, reciting a statement she made famous.

The comments didn't sit well with women supporting Sanders.

BILL'S BACK: As polls began to indicate a Sanders surge, the ex-president began appearing on the campaign trail with and without his wife to ask voters for their support. He's seen here with his wife and daughter in Manchester today

Clinton, seen here today is New Hampshire, is not winning women, a demographic that's low-hanging fruit given her advocacy as first lady on women's and children's issues, and the lion's share of young people are supporting her opponent

Bernie Sanders has 85 percent of the youth on his side, and 49 percent of women. He's besting Clinton by eight points in that demographic. She has the support of just over four in 10

This morning on MSNBC Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said his candidate - who would be the first female president of the United States if elected - would see her numbers go up with women and young people as she talked more about her biography and background.

Her first job out of college was with the Children's Defense Fund in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She later moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, and married Bill.

As first lady of Arkansas she continued to focus on women and children, serving on the boards of the Arkansas Children's Hospital Legal Services and the Children's Defense Fund until Bill won the presidency.

In the White House she broadened her focus to take on health care reform as a whole and the plan she proposed is now known as Hillarycare. It was unsuccessful but she's touted it on the stump as a precursor to Obamacare.

Women's rights around the world also became a top issue for the then-first lady, and her September 1995 speech in Beijing, China, confronting that country's government with its record of abuses made history.

On the trail, Bill regularly refers to the China speech and the foreign government's efforts to keep people from it, moving it to the outskirts of town as a rain storm came through.

And Hillary Clinton always includes a section in her speech touting her 90s-era healthcare plan, which even she calls by its colloquies name now.

BACK TO THE BASICS: Since the close call in the Iowa caucuses last week Clinton has beefed up her day-to-day addresses to include more references to women's issues and a bit more of her background. She's also relying on more retail politics events like the one above in Manchester, New Hampshire today

Her biography often gets short shrift, however, as she lays out a laundry list of problems she intends to fix if she makes it to the White House.

And while she mentions women's issues at her rallies, they usually don't get more than a line as Clinton instead uses her time to combat attacks from the Sanders campaign on her ties to Wall Street and hammer him for proposals she says are unrealistic.

Since the close call in Iowa, Clinton has beefed up her day-to-day addresses to include more references to women's issues and a bit more of her background.

'I think, based on the work Ive done over so many years, that when you see people hurting, when you see them being treated unjustly, unfairly, discriminated against, and you want to help them, to do something that demonstrates that you care, that maybe you can make their lives a little better, try to do it,' she said. And if that means a quieter kind of success, thats fine,' she said in a Friday evening speech at a Democratic Party dinner in New Hampshire.

Her campaign directed DailyMail.com to the speech in response to a query about Clinton's New Hampshire pivot.

Clinton's anecdotes included a 'young waitress who spends all day working in a restaurant and all night working in a factory needs a raise; and the 'young people I meet who want to start small businesses, the entrepreneurs who have dreams.'

'Women across our country deserve equal pay for the work we do. They cant wait,' she said.

A little while later she returned to the topic of equal pay and said, as said, as she has in the past, 'I will protect our rights, civil rights and voting rights, workers rights and womens rights, gay rights and the rights of people with disabilities.'

'I will always defend Planned Parenthood and a womans right to make her own decisions about her health,' she said. 'And whenever I say this, some Republican will say Im playing the gender card. Well, if standing up for womens rights and womens health and equal pay is playing the gender card, then deal me in.'

Clinton for a time used the 'deal me in' line but axed it from Iowa events. It resurfaced in her Friday night oration and disappeared again by today's afternoon rally in Manchester.

There she was introduced by two local politicians who have been touring the state with her, New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, daughter Chelsea and husband Bill.

The female politicians are 'long time friends of Hillary's and mine,' Bill noted as he thanked them 'for standing up for her.'

Chelsea continued to promote Hillary through the lens of her role as a mother and grandmother.

Bill Clinton talked about the 'thousands of young people' who went through an early childhood development program she implemented in Arkansas known as 'HIPPY.'

'They have no idea she did it - she always makes something good happen,' he said.

Talking up her paid family leave program, that Clinton still hasn't disclosed a payment method for, he said one of the reasons she wants it is so that 'people can take care of their family members with severe conditions' like Alzheimer's.

Hillary made sure to note as she began her remarks how much she loves having her daughter and one-year-old granddaughter Charlotte on the trail with her.

'And to all the young people supporting me, I think you from the bottom of my heart,' she said.

To those supporting Senator Sanders, 'I thank you, too,' she told them.

'And I will say this to them - you may not support me now, but I will always support you, and I will always work to produce results for you.'

She spent a few minutes commiserating with America's youth about the tough times the country has seen in their life time and told them, 'I want you to imagine for me what it is we are trying to produce together.'

Sticking with the 'imagine' theme, she said during her speech 'imagine that finally women not only get qual pay but our rights to make our own decisions are finally respected.'

'And imagine that PP could actually take care of people instead of having to fend off these lawsuits and partisan attacks.'

Clinton will make one final push for voters tonight in Hudson, New Hampshire, a small town just outside of Manchester.

She'll again be joined by Bill and Chelsea.
The family of Hae Min Lee, the murder victim from the hit podcast Serial, have issued an emotional statement saying her convicted killer Adnan Syed 'destroyed our family'.

It is the second time they have spoken out in a week following 17 years of silence after the high school student was strangled to death.

Her body was found buried in a Baltimore, Maryland, park in 1999, and Syed, her ex-boyfriend, was charged with her murder.

The 35-year-old Muslim was given a life sentence for her death in 2000 when he was just 19, but he returned to court last week to argue that he deserves another trial and a new chance at freedom.

The emotional letter from Lee's family addressed fans of the hugely popular podcast who have 'run to defend someone who committed a horrible crime.'

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The family of Hae Min Lee (left), the murder victim from the hit podcast Serial, have issued an emotional statement insisting convicted killer Adnan Syed (right in court on Friday) 'destroyed our family'

They say Syed, who is trying to have his conviction overturned in a series of hearings in Baltimore, 'refuses to accept responsibility, when so few are willing to speak up for Hae.'

'Unlike those who learn about this case on the internet,' they added, 'we sat and watched every day of both trials  so many witnesses, so much evidence.'

The statement was released through the Maryland Attorney General.

Last week Deputy Maryland Attorney General Thiru Vignarajah read aloud the family's words from the steps of the Baltimore Circuit Court after Syed's appearance in front of a judge.

In his statement he said the family is being forced to 'relive a nightmare we thought was behind us' as a result of the hearing.

'Our family has lived without a heart for over 17 years. And we continue to grieve every day in private.

'We are grateful to all the people who are there and will be there to support and to give Hae a voice. She is the true victim.

'We believe justice was done when Adnan was convicted in 2000, and we look forward to bringing this chapter to an end so we can celebrate the memory of Hae instead of celebrating the man who killed her.'

The family have only spoken to the media once and refused to be part of the podcast. They were interviewed shortly after Syed was arrested and charged with Lee's murder. The victim's mother and brother are pictured

They have not been at the hearings, which continued on Monday.

On Friday, Syed's lawyers argued that the convicted killer was crippled by the omission of an alibi witness.

Asia McClain, now known as Asia Chapman, would have been 'critical' to Syed's first trial if she had been contacted by his original attorney, David Irwin, a legal expert for the defense, said.

Syed's attorneys are asking for a new trial on the grounds that his original attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, proved ineffective by failing to contact Chapman.

Chapman, a former classmate, testified Wednesday that she had a conversation with Syed at the library during the time prosecutors say Lee was killed.

Irwin said Gutierrez's failure to contact Chapman 'was well below the minimum required' for an attorney defending a client and that it was her duty to investigate all possible alibi witnesses.

'If you have a credible alibi witness, that's the best defense you can have,' he said.

'WE ASK THAT EVERYONE REMEMBER WHO THE VICTIM IS AND WHO THE CRIMINAL IS': FAMILY OF HAE MIN LEE'S STATEMENT IN FULL The events of this past week have reopened wounds few can imagine. It remains hard to see so many run to defend someone who committed a horrible crime, who destroyed our family, who refuses to accept responsibility, when so few are willing to speak up for Hae. She stood up for what was right, regardless of popular opinion. Unlike those who learn about this case on the internet, we sat and watched every day of both trials  so many witnesses, so much evidence. We wish Ms. Asia McClain had watched too, because then she would not do what she is doing. Whatever her personal motives, we forgive her, but we hope she will not use Hae's name in public, which hurts us when we hear it from her. She did not know Hae, and because of Adnan she never will. For those of us who saw the trials and heard the evidence, it is more clear than ever that Adnan is guilty and that his lawyer did the best job she could have for him. We are grateful to the media for respecting our privacy, but we ask that everyone remember who the criminal is and who the victim is. Weeks like this, it is easy to forget that seventeen years ago the beautiful, blossoming song of Hae Min Lee was silenced forever by Adnan Syed. In her diary, Hae once wrote: 'Do love and remember me forever.' We do, and we always will. Thank you to members of our extended family who support us through their presence at the proceedings. Please continue to keep Hae in your thoughts and prayers. DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL THIRU VIGNARAJAH 'The testimony and records that are already in evidence reveal that Syed received a tenacious and dogged defense in 1999 and 2000 by a team of some of Maryland's best lawyers. 'To think there was an oops or an oversight back then, let alone a failure of constitutional dimension, is just not consistent with what we are now seeing in the defense's file.' Advertisement

Just a year after Syed's conviction, Gutierrez was disbarred in connection with other cases and her failing health due to the effects of multiple sclerosis.

Deputy Attorney General Thiru Vignarajah on Thursday tried to poke holes the testimony of Chapman, who wrote two letters to Syed shortly after he was imprisoned in 1999.

'I'm not sure if you remember talking to me in the library on Jan. 13 but I remembered chatting with you,' she wrote in one. 'I have reason to believe in your innocence.'

Chapman wrote that she contacted the library, which is next to their high school campus, and that they had a surveillance system. McClain also told Syed that she was trying to reach his attorney.

'If you were in the library for a while, tell the police and I'll continue to tell what I know even louder than I am,' she wrote.

'My boyfriend and his best friend remember seeing you there too.'

Vignarajah questioned how Chapman knew certain details about Syed's case that she mentions in the letter and whether she had written the second one weeks after she said she did, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Chapman said the information solely came from rumors and information she heard being shared at their high school and not, as suggested by Vignarajah, from a search warrant.

Syed (seen in his jumpsuit waving at the camera) is trying to argue that his case was crippled by the omission of an alibi witness. His attorneys are asking for a new trial on the grounds that his original attorney, Cristina Gutierrez, proved ineffective

She also shot down the claim that Syed had sent her a letter from jail and asked her to type it, saying she had never even heard of the allegation.

Irwin called Chapman a 'fabulous' witness who would have 'changed the ballgame' had she testified at Syed's original trial.

Also on Friday, an investigator testified that he located 41 possible alibi witnesses for Syed, but only four told him they were contacted by the original defense team for the 2000 trial

Sean Gordon testified that out of 83 potential alibi witnesses, he was able to reach 41. Of those, he said, only four said they were contacted by Gutierrez and none were asked to testify.

Lee's family last week insisted that they believe justice was done when he was first convicted

Testimony also has focused on cellphone tower data that prosecutors used during Syed's first trial, claiming it placed him at the scene where Lee's body was found in 1999.

Gerald Grant, a communications forensics expert, testified in Baltimore City Circuit Court that jurors should have been told that AT&T cellphone records used to place Syed at the site were flawed.

The AT&T engineer who testified in the original trial was not aware that outgoing phone calls were reliable but incoming calls were not, Grant said.

A sheet accompanying the faxed records included that disclaimer but was misplaced or overlooked.

Meanwhile FBI Special Agent Chad Fitzgerald testified, the prosecution's first witness, argued that the cover sheet is of no consequence and that testimony given at Syed's trial by AT&T radio frequency engineer Abraham Waranowitz was true.

Fitzgerald's testimony contradicted an affidavit that Waranowitz wrote last year that says if he'd known about the cover sheet his testimony would have been different.

On Friday afternoon Fitzgerald said he stood by the validity of the original data presented at trial.

But during cross-examination Syed's attorney Justin Brown asked how two calls contained in the data - one traced to Dupont Circle in Washington and another traced to Baltimore - could have been made just 27 minutes apart when it would be nearly impossible to travel the distance in that time.

Fitzgerald said in order to answer he'd need more information.

'It would cause me to do more research,' he said.
Labour might never be able to resolve its differences on Trident policy, Andy Burnham warned today after Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry sparked fury for comparing Britain's state-of-the-art nuclear deterrent to World War Two spitfires.

The party's infighting over Trident intensified last night at its weekly meeting in Parliament as MPs were heard shouting at each other over Jeremy Corbyn's call to change party policy.

Mr Burnham, the pro-Trident Shadow Home Secretary, said this morning that his colleagues must find a way of acommodating both binary positions on Trident if the party is to move on to other issues.

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Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry compared Trident, pictured, to a spitfire as she tried to convince Labour MPs of the need to scrap what she described as the UK's outdated nuclear deterrent

But Thornberry faced anger from Labour MPs for comparing Trident to the Second World War aircraft, pictured

And this morning Ms Thornberry suggested she would not be prepared to authorise the use of nuclear weapons herself.

Her presentation in favour of scrapping Trident at last night's meeting was dismissed as 'waffly and incoherent' by the former shadow defence minister Kevan Jones.

Mr Jones said she had taken questions 'but didn't answer any'.

As she faced heckles from her own MPs at the private meeting, Ms Thornberry barked: 'There's no point trying to shout me down'.

Labour MPs reacted angrily after she compared Trident with a spitfire, with one MP reacting with disbelief that the 'most advanced engineering and manufacturing project in the world' had been compared to a Second World War aircraft.

A Labour party spokesman said she was trying to warn about the dangers of old technology being overtaken by new technology, pointing to recent concerns that live submarines could be identified and attacked by drones.

One Labour MP told MailOnline: 'Many were struck by the irony of the unilateralist defence spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn imploring people not to take entrenched positions as she regurgitated the latest incarnation of conspiracy theories and scare stories from the anti-Trident lobby.

Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock simply laughed when he was asked how Ms Thornberry's anti-Trident presentation was received.

And Labour MP Madeleine Moon tweeted: 'Oh dear, omg... need to go rest in a darkened room'.

Labour MP Madeleine Moon took to Twitter to voice her frustration at Emily Thornberry's performance at the weekly PLP meeting

Former shadow defence minister Kevan Jones, pictured right, dismissed the presentation given by Emily Thornberry, pictured left, as 'waffly and incoherent'

But speaking this morning, Mr Burnham pleaded with his colleagues to find a way to move on from the infighting.

'There are two positions here which are difficult to reconcile - maybe impossible to reconcile - and the party has got to find some way of accommodating those positions and move forward and don't let this issue take over everything,' he told the Today programme.

Mr Burnham continued: 'If there are two positions that are deeply held on both sides but can't easily be reconciled, the party needs to find some way of accommodating that and allowing people to move forward and actually move on to other issues and hold the Government to account.'

Andy Burnham, pictured, urged his party to find a way of moving on from the constant infighting over Trident policy

Ms Thornberry, also speaking on Today, said: 'If nuclear weapons need to be threatened, then they have failed.

'Everybody says that. The whole point about nuclear weapons is that you dont use them.

'And in order for them to work at all, you have to be able to say with confidence, I have a big stick, my stick is larger than your stick, and both sides need to be confident that that threat is a real one.'

Chris Leslie, the former shadow chancellor,said there was anger over the absence of Jeremy Corbyn, who has missed the last five meetings of the parliamentary party.

'I think the leader should be coming to the PLP,' he said pointedly as he left the meeting.

Mr Corbyn's spokesman said he will be attending the next meeting in a couple of weeks after next week's recess.

The Labour leader faced several high profile resignations from his frontbench after appointing the anti-Trident Ms Thornberry in charge of the party's defence policy.

He was accused of appointing her to the key job because she shares his support for unilateral disarmament.

The party's policy is officially in favour of renewing Trident but an internal review - headed by Ms Thornberry - is expected to recommend changing its stance to supporting Mr Corbyn's idea of sending nuclear missile submarines to sea without warheads.

A decision is likely to be announced within weeks as the party prepares for the Government to call a vote on Trident this summer.

Labour peer and ex-Navy chief Lord West today said he would quit the party if it opposes the renewal of Trident.

Lord West: "If Labour became a pacifist party, I could not in all conscience remain sitting on those benches" #watohttps://t.co/sCuopkdoPt  The World at One (@BBCWorldatOne) February 9, 2016

In January Mr Corbyn reiterated his long-standing opposition to nuclear weapons but pointed out that the submarines which carry the Trident missiles could be deployed without their nuclear warheads on board.

'They don't have to have nuclear warheads on them,' he said. 'There are options there.'

Ms Thornberry later confirmed she was looking at the 'Japanese option' - retaining the capacity to build nuclear weapons without actually possessing them.

At the weekend it was reported that moderate Labour MPs could fight the next election on a separate, pro-Trident manifesto if Mr Corbyn changes party policy to oppose renewal of the nuclear deterrent.

Former frontbencher Jamie Reed told the Sunday Times he had spoken to dozens of colleagues who would go to the polls backing Trident renewal in defiance of their leader.

'The vast majority of Labour MPs are keen to listen to and represent the ambitions and views of Labour voters and ex-voters,' the former shadow health minister said.
Donald Trump said on Monday that he would return a $250 donation from a notorious white nationalist whose organization made a raft of 'robocalls' to New Hampshire voters advocating for him in Tuesday's primary election.

William Daniel Johnson's American National super PAC made the calls, which advised: 'We don't need Muslims. We need smart, well-educated, white people.'

'I don't know who he is. Never heard of him,' Trump responded when a woman asked him during a town hall question-and-answer session Monday in Londonderry, New Hampshire, whether Johnson's donation would be sent back.

She tried again to jog his memory, but only got a 'Who is it?' out of The Donald.

'I would certainly return it if you think its appropriate,' he ultimately said.

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RETURN TO SENDER: Donald Trump said Monday that $250 a white nationalist donated to his campaign would be go back where it came from even though the Republican candidate himself had no idea who the man is

FEBRUARY DAY: Trump spoke at the Lions Club in Londonderry, N.H., where locals lined up for hours in the freezing cold for limited seats to hear him

PUBLIC ENEMY? William Daniel Johnson's American National super PAC paid for anti-Muslim 'robocalls' telling New Hampshire voters to support Trump, but his money's not welcome in The Donald's campaign

'I know nothing about him,' Trump insisted

'Yes you do!' she insisted. 'You've been asked '

'I have? OK. Then I would return it,' he said. 'Don't be so angry! I don't even know who he is.'

Over sustained applause at the Londonderry Lions Club, he shrugged and asked: 'Who the hell is he? I don't know'  and then moved on to field other questions.

In the American National super PAC's robocalls, one voice can be heard saying: 'I am a farmer and white nationalist. Support Donald Trump.'

Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks told CNN that the Republican front-runner for president 'has disavowed all super PACs offering their support and continues to do so.'

In addition to his super PAC's work, Johnson put his own money where his mouth is, according to Federal Election Commission contributor records.

He wrote a $250 check to Donald J. Trump for President in September.

Although Trump is spending his own money to run for president, Americans can  and do  voluntarily donate to his campaign committee.

HUH? ''Don't be so angry! I don't even know who he is,' Trump said of William Daniel Johnson, the notorious racist who wrote a check to his campaign committee

'American Renaissance' editor and white nationalist Jared Taylor, shown here, is one of the people who speak on a pro-Trump robocall paid for by Johnson's American National super PAC

Johnson proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1985 that would have said only 'non-Hispanic white[s] of the European race' could be citizens, and 'only citizens shall have the right and privilege to reside permanently in the United States.'

His plan was to deport all nonwhite U.S. residents immediately  anyone with an 'ascertainable trace of Negro blood' or whose ancestry was more than one-eighth 'Mongolian, Asian, Asia Minor, Middle Eastern, Semitic, Near Eastern, American Indian, Malay or other non-European or non-white blood.'

Johnson's super PAC also footed the bill last month for robocalls making a case for Trump in Iowa.

The Donald told CNN in January: 'I would disavow it, but nothing in this country shocks me.'

'People in this country are angry,' he said. 'They're angry at what's going on. They're angry at the border. They're angry at the crime. They're angry at people coming in and shooting Kate [Steinle] in the back in California, in San Francisco.'

'They're angry when Jamiel Shaw is shot in the face by an illegal immigrant. They're angry when the woman  the veteran, 65 years old  is raped, sodomized and killed by the illegal immigrant.'

'And they're very angry about it and, by the way, and thousands of other cases like that,' he concluded.
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Macedonia has begun building a new razor-wire fence parallel to an existing one on its border with Greece to make it harder for migrants to enter the Balkan country.

Since November only refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq have been allowed to cross the border on their journey to western Europe, but migrants from other countries have still tried to get across.

'The idea is to send a message to migrants that there is a double fence so give up crossing illegally,' a senior army official said.

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Macedonian army soldiers erect a second fence on the border line with Greece, near the southern Macedonia's town of Gevgelija

Macedonia started reinforcing the border fence with Greece, doubling it with another fence, which is expected to increase the control of the migrant flow

Since November only refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq have been allowed to cross the border on their journey to western Europe

The European Commission last month pledged to increase security at the Greek-Macedonian frontier, where there are currently more than 60 police officers from other countries to help control the influx

More than 68,000 refugees have been registered entering Macedonia since the beginning of the year, and police say they stopped about 4,000 people trying to cross illegally in January alone.

The European Commission last month pledged to increase security at the Greek-Macedonian frontier, where there are currently more than 60 police officers from other countries to help control the influx.

Recently Macedonia has intermittently closed the border to refugees and it is now allowing across only those wishing to go to Germany or Austria, following similar decisions further along the migrant trail.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki said in January that his government had no intention to fully close the border, but would coordinate with the European Union and 'do whatever necessary' to help solve the crisis.

The new fence will be at a distance of five metres (16 feet) from the one erected in November on both sides of the border crossing for refugees at Gevgelija, the army official said.

He refused to say how long the new fence would be, but local media reported that it would stretch for more than 30 kilometres (19 miles) along the frontier.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki said in January that his government had no intention to fully close the border, but would coordinate with the European Union and 'do whatever necessary' to help solve the crisis

Two girls play on the train tracks as they wait to cross the Greek-Macedonian border near Gevgelija

Czech police officers with a dog observe the border between Greece and Macedonia. The new razor-wire fence will make it harder for migrants to enter the Balkan country

Lence Zdravkin, an aid worker in Gevgelija, said the situation had become 'a bit tense' since authorities began building the new fence.

Meanwhile Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, on a visit to Sarajevo, praised Macedonia for its efforts to slow down the flow of people, adding that the Greek government 'did not help much in this area'.

'We want to make it easier for Macedonia and support it as well as other countries because they are not capable of stopping the migrant crisis on their own,' Kurz told reporters.

Twenty-four migrants, including 11 children, drowned in the Aegean Sea on Monday as they tried to cross from Turkey to Greece, a Turkish news agency said, following the deaths of more than 360 in the Mediterranean in January.

Bulgarian authorities said Sunday that two female migrants found dead in a rural mountainous region of the country had died due to freezing conditions.

Migrants look out of the window from a train heading to Serbia at the border between Greece and Macedonia.

European Union nations anxious to stem the flow of asylum-seekers coming through the Balkans are increasingly considering sending more help to non-member Macedonia as a better way to protect European borders
They paid victim $31,594 to secure their freedom in deal with prosecutors

Friends of the three Australian men who paid $30,000 to avoid being jailed for the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Croatia have defended them calling the 17-year-old victim a 's**t' and 'little b****'.

Dylan Djohan, 23, Ashwin Kumar, 23, and Waleed Latif, 21, pleaded guilty to raping the Norwegian backpacker in July at a bar in Split, Croatia.

The trio, who had their passports confiscated when they were arrested, are believed to have returned to Melbourne on Sunday after spending seven months in Croatia awaiting the rape trial.

Waleed Latif, 21, Ashwin Kumar, 23, and Dylan Djohan, 23, pictured in Croatia last year before they were arrested for raping a 17-year-old Norwegian backpacker in a bar in Split in July

In exchange for freedom and to avoid a trial, the men agreed with Croatian prosecutors to pay the victim $31,594 and pleaded guilty over the rape.

They were then handed a one-year prison sentence, which was reduced to a five-year good behaviour bond.

The case has prompted widespread backlash against the men after their identities were revealed, with many outraged Djohan, Kumar and Latif avoided jail by paying the victim.

While the men deleted their social media accounts on Monday, their friends were quick to defend them online with one saying the teenage victim was just trying to extort the Australians.

'They didn't do it... straight up extortion. That little b**** just wanted money,' one friend wrote in a post seen by Daily Mail Australia.

'Do you really think a 17yr old girl could get away from 3 grown men in a busy night club without anyone seeing security and all.'

Another post on Facebook labelled the 17-year-old victim as a 's**t', according to the Herald Sun.

'Weird 17 yr old at a nightclub, underage to me if thats the rule in Croatian clubs, no witnesses even locals there heard of nothing, its simple 1. its called being a s**t, lying about her age 2. Baited for payout 3. A girl could not possibility out muscle 3 men. 4. Most cased the victim gets bashed or killed neither happen 5. She knew what she was getting herself into....Extortion is the word. #istandwiththeboys (sic)'.

Djohan, who had thousands of Instagram followers before he deleted his account on Monday, regularly boasted of his body building on social media and documented his regime while he was holidaying in Europe last July

Ashwin Kumar, 23, Waleed Latif, 21, and Dylan Djohan, 23, (L-R) have returned to Melbourne after pleading guilty to raping a Norwegian backpacker, 17, in July at a bar in Split, Croatia

The men, who were on bail and free to roam Croatia, may have faced 15 years in jail had a deal not been finalised between their lawyers and Croatian prosecutors.

The good behaviour bond is enforceable in Europe but not Australia.

Police seized their passports in July last year after the 17-year-old backpacker reported them saying they had tried to gang rape her in the toilet of the Tropic nightclub in Split at about 1.30am on July 16 last year.

A Croatian court heard that the men had been drinking at the beach-side nightspot with the girl when one led the 17-year-old to the men's bathroom before the other two joined them and started assaulting her.

The girl was able to fight them off at the last moment but not before the three left forensic evidence to tie them to the assault.

Three semen samples were found on her clothing, with two of the accused men claiming they had consensual sex with the woman and the other denying any interaction her.

Security or staff from the club did not report the incident on the night.

Witness statements are said to have supported the Australians' version of events and the prosecutors case against the three men was reportedly weak.

Police seized their passports in July last year after the 17-year-old told officers the trio had tried to gang rape her in the toilet of the Tropic nightclub in Split at about 1.30am on July 16 last year

The court heard that the men had been drinking at the beach-side nightspot (pictured) when one forcibly led the 17-year-old to the men's bathroom before the other two joined them and started assaulting her

The three Melbourne men have since deleted social media, but their accounts revealed they are part of an amateur body building world.

Social media photos of the trio regularly show them working out in gyms getting 'jacked as f***' and posing shirtless on their European getaway showing off their ripped abs.

Djohan, who had thousands of Instagram followers before he deleted his account on Monday, regularly boasted of his body building on social media and documented his regime even while he was holidaying in Europe last July.

During his holiday, Djohan would shred his chest and torso in training for six days before doing some light cardio like beach volleyball with bikini babes, according to The Age.

His ideal cheat meal was three burgers and a thickshake.

'It used to be about getting shredded for the females, but these days it's all about building and becoming the best version of myself possible... Also females,' Djohan wrote previously on social media.

The men, who were on bail and free to roam Croatia, may have faced 15 years in jail had a deal not been finalised between their lawyers and Croatian prosecutors

The three men had left Melbourne to party in Ibizia, before heading to Split, Croatia (pictured) in July last year

Djohan's Instagram, in particular, heavily promoted his shredded lifestyle, which has become a phenomenon in the mainstream, according to Matthew Dunn, a Deakin University lecturer who has researched body building and body image in men.

'4 days into my Adonis shred and these cuts are coming in deeper than the Baltic seas. My gift from the gods was this blessed block of heathen marble... My curse from the gods is that I must sculpt it with my bare hands,' he wrote on Instagram.

'Pick up a dumbbell and join me in Valhalla!' Djohan wrote online. 'Summer's over but the glow of the gods remains with the aesthetic ones.

'Wellllll mate... you don't work hard as f*** for years to buy a Ferrari and then keep it hidden away in the garage do ya?'

It comes after Djohan reportedly took to social media days after learning he was free to return home to raise the possibility of joining the 'mile-high club' with a flight attendant.
Defendants say this works against the law which is to increase public safety

in whether university police are viewed as working for state'

Some former New Jersey police officers are being prevented from carrying weapons due to the state's confusing gun laws.

John Kotchkowski, 55, and Robert Dunsmuir, 48, are both retired University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey police sergeants who have been denied rights-to-carry permits.

The pair of retired officers have been turned down in their bid to get a permit due to the fact the current law does not specify that University police are eligible.

'There seems to be discrepancy in whether [state] university police are viewed as working for a state agency,' attorney Thomas Roughneen told Newark Star-Ledger. He is handling the appeals case for both retired officers.

Attorney Thomas Roughneen (left) is representing Robert Dunsmuir (center) and John Kotchkowski in their bid to have rights-to-carry permits.

Kotchkowski finds this particularly frustrating as he states that as a campus cop he worked on 'Carjackings. Armed robberies. Domestics, We did everything city cops did.'

'It's made me feel like my whole career was a sham, like they're saying I wasn't a real cop,' Kotchkowski told the paper. 'I feel the same way,' Dunsmuir added.

The law that allows retired officers to carry weapons was enacted in 1997, in response to the killing of retired Hanover Township police chief John Deventer. He was shot when he tried to stop the carjacking of an elderly couple in Newark's Fairmount cemetery.

Kotchkowski and Dunsimuir are fighting for their right as retired officers to carry concealed weapons.

Interestingly enough, one of the officers who chased Deventer's killers was then University Hospital cop John Kotchkowski. Last month a judge denied Kotchkowski's appeal for a permit. But Dunsmuir may have some hope as other retired campus cops have won their appeals.

It's made me feel like my whole career was a sham. John Kotchkowski

Kotchkowski and Dunsmuir both believe they worked for a state's agency and should be able to carry. But NJ state police say it's not clearly stated in the law.
Eddie Hutch Snr, pictured left, was reportedly shot nine times when four gunman burst into his home in Dublin. His death is said to be part of a gangland feud in the Irish capital

Irish capital Dublin is braced for all-out gang warfare after the city's tit-for-tat murder spree spiralled out of control with another brutal gun killing.

A brother of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch was shot dead in retaliation for the bloodbath at the city's Regency Hotel on Friday, in which gangster David Byrne was murdered ahead of a boxing match.

The four-man hit on Eddie Hutch Snr was ordered by the Kinahan crime cartel, to which Byrne was affiliated.

Father-of-five Hutch, in his late 50s, was reportedly shot nine times as he prepared to leave his home in the North Strand, Dublin 3, to go to the pub just before 8pm.

It is the third murder in the escalating feud - and came despite a massive police (Garda) presence on the streets.

Police chiefs have now ordered roadblocks be put in place and have increased surveillance on high-profile targets amid fears of further violence.

A prominent member of the Kinahan gang, 'Fat' Freddie Thompson, was reportedly arrested last night following a high-speed chase through the city. He was later released pending inquiries.

Thompson, a cousin of David Byrne, is believed to have recently returned to Ireland from Amsterdam, where he went after his release from a jail sentence for a pub brawl.

An elite Garda unit armed with high-powered weapons is being permanently set up in the city in the wake of the gangland bloodshed.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald signalled a green light for the new dedicated response team today and armed police were seen on the streets this afternoon.

A policy similar to that used to rein in feuding gangsters in Limerick in recent years will also be deployed in the capital amid growing fears of a murder frenzy.

The Kinahan crime cartel, which has its headquarters in Spain, sparked the feud by shooting dead Gary Hutch last year.

The Regency Hotel shooting was in revenge for this killing, and was blamed on the Hutch gang.

In return, the Kinahans chose to target the Hutch family.

Last night, four masked men burst into Eddie Hutch's home in Poplar Row and shot him dead in his hallway at 7.45pm.

Irish police (Gardai) pictured at the scene of the fatal shooting in Dublin tonight, where Eddie Hutch Snr is believed to have been killed in revenge for last Friday's attack on the Regency Hotel

Police forensics officers removed Mr Hutch's body this morning after the shooting last night

Police say at least four gunmen broke into the Dublin home of Mr Hutch and fatally shot the 59-year-old

It is understood Mr Hutch senior was shot nine times in the head and upper body.

The four men had pulled up in a Volkswagen Passat outside the house and kicked in his front door. They shot him dead in the hallway as he was about to leave.

Senior sources say that other members of the victim's family had been encouraging him to move to a safe house because of fears of reprisals in the feud.

However, as he was not considered by gardai to be a serious or active criminal, he had not left his home, which he shares with his partner Margaret.

He has some convictions, including fraud offences, but gardai believe he was a 'soft target' and 'easy to get at'. It was for this reason that he was targeted by Kinahan cartel.

A source said: 'He was shot dead by members of the Kinahan gang, undoubtedly. They didn't care which Hutch they shot dead, they just wanted to get one of them.

'They wanted a Hutch scalp and any Hutch would do. The Monk or the victim's son, Eddie Hutch Jnr, would have been much harder to get as they have heightened security around them.

'But Eddie Snr wouldn't have been as concerned for his safety, because he essentially was not involved in this feud and was not involved in criminality.'

Victim Eddie Hutch Senior, pictured (left) with his son Ross, was targeted in the tit-for-tat violencePictured right is his gangster brother Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch

'Fat' Freddie Thompson (right) - a friend of David Byrne (left), who was killed in the boxing weigh-in shooting on Friday - was questioned by police last night

A Volkswagen Passat, believed to be the getaway car, was found at a nearby location, sources say. A container of petrol was found inside but it was not set alight.

Police say they have identified most of those involved in Friday's attack but have made no arrests, in part because they suspect the attackers have fled Ireland.

Another of Hutch's relatives currently behind bars, Derek 'Del Boy' Hutch, was been moved to a secure wing of prison to deter assassins. He was convicted in 2010 of stabbing a man to death and attempted armed robbery.

CONTINUITY IRA CLAIM 'IS NONSENSE', SAY POLICE Gardai, the Irish police force, have dismissed as 'opportunistic nonsense' claims by the Continuity IRA that they were behind Friday afternoon's shooting spree at the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra. Senior gardai attended a meeting at Ballymun station yesterday to discuss the gangland atrocity which saw one criminal - David Byrne - murdered and two of his friends injured. In a phone call to the BBC in Belfast, the Continuity IRA said they ordered the killing of Byrne using a four-man gang, some armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles. The dissident republican group claim Byrne was singled out on Friday as a reprisal for the killing of Real IRA leader Alan Ryan in Dublin in September 2012. But security sources say they are do not believe this claim, given that Byrne - a senior member of the Christy Kinahan crime cartel - is not linked in any way to Alan Ryan's murder. Security sources say that they will fully investigate the claims by the Continuity IRA, as they must follow up on every aspect of this investigation. Advertisement

Just five days ago, David Byrne, 34, from Crumlin, was shot dead in the Regency Hotel attack.

He had been a key Dublin-based member of the Christy Kinahan cartel for a number of years and was considered a serious criminal.

Two of his close friends were also shot in the daylight attack and were lucky to survive.

Gardai believe Byrne was shot dead by members of the Hutch crime gang.

The hotel shooting was direct retaliation against the Kinahan crime syndicate from associates of murdered criminal Gary Hutch, shot dead in Spain last year by Kinahan gang members.

The leader of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, today called on 'mothers and grandmothers' of those involved to tell them to step back from the spiral of violence.

'The perpetrators are not idols or stars or heroes,' said Archbishop Martin.

'They are criminals who threaten not just public order but democracy and the rule of law and who have no care for anything except their own criminal interests.

'All of us have to remind them they are not untouchable.'

The first murder was claimed by a group purporting to be the Continuity IRA, a dissident republican splinter faction, but that drew scepticism from detectives immersed in gangland investigations.

The first claim of responsibility - attributed to dissident republicans and made with a code word to the BBC in Belfast - drew scepticism from seasoned commentators in Dublin while the top brass in the Garda said they were keeping an open mind and pointed to a 'criminal' element.

In a second statement, issued to the Irish Daily Mirror hours later and again purportedly from the Continuity IRA, dissident republicans dismissed the first claim as bogus.

Armed police were seen on the streets of Dublin today as officials sought to bring an end to the killings

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said: 'The gardai will have every resource that they need in order to have the kind of armed response that is necessary'

Roadblocks have been set up in parts of the city and a jailed relative of a victim has been moved for his safety

'The Continuity IRA wish to make it clear that we did not have any involvement in Friday's shooting at the Regency Hotel,' the second statement said.

'We have absolutely no involvement in criminal feuds. We see the false claim that the CIRA were involved in this act as another attempt to tarnish the name of the organisation.'

Gary Hutch was a nephew of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch and also a nephew of Eddie Hutch Snr, murdered last night.

Locals on Poplar Row in North Strand told the Irish Daily Mail that they heard shots fired before 8pm.

One woman who lives at the block of flats said: 'I heard all the sirens and came out to see what was happening. There was a swarm of Garda cars and ambulance crew.

'The man is known locally as 'Neddy' and he drove a taxi. With everything that went on last weekend we thought he'd cleared out but he came back tonight to collect something we heard,' said the woman.

'My kids often play outside that apartment so it's terrifying to think a group of gunmen burst into that apartment and gunned Neddy down.'

Both of the shootings took place in the north of the Irish capital, just a couple of miles apart

Flowers have been placed at the Regency hotel where a man was killed and two were injured on Friday

Family of victim Mr Byrne wrote tributes on notes with flowers after the killing during a boxing weigh-in

Two executioners dressed in SWAT-style police clothes are pictured storming the Regency Hotel in Dublin, where they shot dead gangster David Byrne (right) and injured two of his associates

Another local man added: 'The gardai need to step up here, there's small children living in this road and any innocent child could have been injured.'

The getaway car was found in nearby St Patrick's Parade. The gang, in a panic to leave the scene, appear to have forgotten to burn it out.

Gardai are hopeful of finding key forensic clues left behind. The murder victim's son - Eddie Jnr - is well known to gardai.

Eddie Jnr, who has 189 previous convictions for crimes including theft and car break-ins, walked away from Winning Streak with 33,000 in cash and prizes after his younger brother appeared for him on the RTE show last September.

Former Dublin Lord Mayor Councillor Christy Burke said the community is in a state of shock after last night's shooting.

'I called for calm and no retaliations. This is going to add more misery to a community already struggling with crime. We are in shock,' said Mr Burke.

One of the boxers, pictured, was in the middle of his weigh-in in Dublin just as the gunmen opened fire

Amid chaotic scenes, the boxer and audience members fled through an emergency exit to flee the gunmen

Just two and a half hours before the murder, gardai from across the six Dublin districts held a meeting at Ballymun Garda station to discuss how to contain the escalating feud.

Officers from each division had to submit a policing plan to contain the bloodshed in terms of monitoring the criminals involved and containing the violence.

Senior officers from the five other Garda divisions also agreed to provide a unmarked Garda car to Ballymun - because of lack of vehicles to monitor the escalating feud.

'But it was all obviously too little, too late. As senior gardai sat in the meeting, a murder plot was being hatched and it couldn't be stopped,' said a source.

Gardai are appealing for anyone who was in the area or may have information, to contact them at Fitzgibbon Garda Station on 01 666 8400, the Garda Confidential Line 1800-666-111 or any Garda Station.

Claims that the Continuity IRA were responsible for the Regency Hotel shooting have been disregarded in the wake of last night's murder.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said the attack was 'deplorable' and would be meeting senior Gardai officials tomorrow

In a tweet, pictured, he called for the culprits to be 'taken off the streets'

Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan is expected to meet Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald today to discuss the murder.

Ms Fitzgerald said last night: 'Tonight's fatal shooting in Dublin is another deplorable example of the ruthlessness of gangland criminals.

'It seems that some gangs are intent on waging a feud where human life counts for nothing.

'The gardai will take all necessary steps to try to prevent further bloodshed but we have to recognise the challenges they face.'

Kingpins in a long-running and bloody feud: Who's who in the gang war tearing Dublin apart?

THE KINAHAN CRIME CARTEL Christy Kinahan Originally from St Teresa's Gardens in Dublin's south inner city, the 'Dapper Don' now lives in a 4.5million villa in Spain's Costa del Sol where he is head of one of the biggest wholesale drug businesses supplying narcotics into both Ireland and the UK. Kinahan, speaks several foreign languages, including Dutch and Spanish, and has managed to avoid arrest despite massive police surveillance. Daniel Kinahan The eldest son of Christy, Daniel is believed to have inherited much of the day-to-day running of the Kinahan empire from his father Christy. He lives along with his father in the Costa del Sol, where he is also a boxing promoter, and it was in that role that he returned to Dublin for last Friday's ill-fated weigh-in at the Regency Hotel. He escaped through a window with a minder when the shooting started. Fat Freddie Thompson A well-known member of the Kinahan cartel, he is a cousin of David Byrne who was shot on Friday. Thompson has many convictions and was sentenced to 20 months last year for his part in a pub brawl. Despite reports that he had fallen out with the Kinahans, he is believed to have returned to work for them since his release. Liam Byrne A brother of murder victim David Byrne, he is believed to be one of the Kinahans' key henchman who plays a role in their drug business. He is reported to have been involved in sending arms into Ireland and was questioned by UK police in 2012, along with Thompson. However, they were never charged. He has convictions for firearms offences and assault. Paul Rice Another Kinahan henchman and feared career criminal. He was jailed for ten years in 1995 for armed robbery of a bank. Astonishingly, he escaped on horseback after the raid. Advertisement

GERRY HUTCH'S ASSOCIATES Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch Famously nicknamed 'The Monk', this former criminal is from Dublin's north inner city, he is believed to have been deeply involved in two of the biggest armed robberies in the history of the State, which he denies. A brother of Eddie Hutch who was murdered last night, he is an uncle to Gary Hutch, whose murder in Spain last September kick started the recent spate of bloodletting. Eddie Hutch senior Last night's murder victim was a brother of The Monk, and also an uncle to the late Gary Hutch. He is believed to have had very little involvement in crime. His death indicates how desperate the rival faction were to gain revenge against anyone connected to the Hutch family. Eddie Hutch junior A son of last night's victim, Edward has a series of convictions, including for theft and motoring offences. He came to national prominence last year when he won a place on RTE's Winning Streak. His brother Ross took his place, easing the potential for embarrassment for the national broadcaster. He won 8,000 in cash and a car worth 25,000. Derek 'Del Boy' Hutch Another nephew of the Monk, he is currently serving a 16-year sentence for his role in cash van robbery. He was attacked in October of last year by two inmates who are believed to have slashed him on the arm with a shiv. In 2011, he also got a six-year term with four suspended for the manslaughter of Alan Donoghue, who was stabbed by Del Boy and an accomplice on St Stephen's Day 2007 in Co. Meath. Advertisement

Boxing referee reveals chilling moment two men dressed as Gardai and armed with AK47s stared him in the eye before shooting another man dead at the weigh-in

A veteran boxing referee who was officiating at a weigh-in in Dublin when gunmen burst in and shot dead a gangster has told of his terror.

Mickey Vann was due to referee the fight between Irish boxer Jamie Kavanagh and Portuguese Antonio Joao Bento on Saturday night.

But the weigh-in for the fight, held in a Dublin hotel on Friday, turned into a murder scene after a team of gunmen, two dressed as police swat team members and another dressed as a woman killed alleged drug dealer David Byrne.

Mickey Vann (centre, in 2001) was officiating at the weigh-in on Friday where David Byrne was shot dead

The shocking scene was witnessed by British boxing referee Mickey Vann, who revealed he stared into the eyes of one of the killers.

Mr Vann, 72, told the Yorkshire Post: 'Two of them came in carrying Kalashnikovs. They had scarves round their faces, but they were dressed as Gardai. They walked in very slowly, with their rifles pointed down. They were looking at people on the floor, then one of them looked at me.

'I looked down, then they spotted a guy in a grey tracksuit standing four or five feet from me, lifted their rifles and shot him. There were two or three shots, really loud, then they just walked off.'

Mr Vann gave a statement to police before flying back to Britain when the boxing matches were cancelled.

The body of David Byrne lies slumped against the hotel reception desk after he was gunned down during the boxing weigh-in in Dublin on Friday

Two other men, who remain in hospital, were seriously injured by the four-strong gang, three of whom were armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Another witness told the Irish Independent that two gunmen entered the building and began shooting - while another two, including the man dressed as a woman - cornered those fleeing on the steps outside.

The witness explained: 'I heard a man dressed as a woman say 'he's not f****** here, I can't find him.' He was wearing a long blonde wig.

'The other guy roared back 'get the f*** out of here' just as the other two came out the front door and came out past me and went down to the silver transit van and they all bundled into this van.'

Gardai Chief Superintendent Barry O'Brien said it was a 'particularly nasty incident' that had involved 'severe weapons'.
Clarisa Bartolome, pictured, terrified a patient so much that she began to wet the bed, a hearing heard

A care home worker played lewd tricks on a resident, telling a colleague it was just a bit of fun.

Clarisa Bartolome and another worker terrified the woman in their care so much that she began to wet the bed and feared nights when they were on duty, a hearing was told.

The resident, who suffered from Parkinsons Disease, was subjected to disgusting behaviour by the pair, who also pelted her with jelly babies.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in Edinburgh yesterday heard evidence against Bartolome and another member of staff, who was not identified.

The alleged incidents happened between 2010 and 2013 when Bartolome was a nurse at Crimond House Care Home, in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.

The private home, run by Meallmore Ltd, specialises in caring for patients with dementia or learning disabilities.

Rosemary Cowe, a care worker at the same home, described Bartolomes behaviour as disgusting.

She said the nurse and the other worker played lewd jokes on four separate occasions. They laughed and claimed it was just a bit of fun.

Mrs Cowe told the hearing: I was on night shift work when I saw what happened to the resident and I totally thought it was inappropriate behaviour.

On another occasion, according to the witness, the resident had sweets thrown at her. She said the patient always had a bowl of sweets just as you came into the room and they started giggling and chucking sweets at her.

After throwing a black jelly baby, one of the pair had told her theres a black man for your night. The resident had told them to stop it.

According to Mrs Cowe, the incidents had a serious set of effects on the resident.

The patient, who has since passed away, never used to wet the bed, she said, but after the incident she begun to do so and feared the night shift when Bartolome and the other worker were there.

She also claimed that Bartolome regularly slept on shift.

Bartolome  who qualified as a nurse in the Philippines before joining Scotlands register in 2006  denies three charges levelled against her.

One of the charges alleges that in July 2013, she assaulted Resident A by grabbing her arm and/or shaking her.

The NMC alleges the nurses fitness to practise is impaired by reason of her misconduct.
Sentenced: Andrew Wright, 52, (pictured), a pilot nicknamed 'Biggles', has been jailed for 19 years for smuggling 33.5million worth of cocaine into Britain under the guise of an aerial photography business

A pilot nicknamed 'Biggles' has been jailed for 19 years for smuggling 33.5million worth of cocaine into Britain under the guise of an aerial photography business.

Andrew Wright, who adopted his moniker from the fictional aviator and adventurer, imported the Class A drugs from Germany to a North Yorkshire airfield over a period of three months in 2014.

The 52-year-old, along with the plot's mastermind Mark Dowling, 43, and his trusted lieutenant Jamie Williams, 38, were handed stiff deterrent jail sentences at the Old Bailey today.

Judge Nicholas Cooke QC told the trio the amount of cocaine they smuggled, some 268kg (591lbs) during eight trips, was 'off the scale' and of 'exceptional seriousness'.

Dowling was jailed for 24 years and his right-hand man Williams also given a 23-year custodial sentence.

Wright, who owned two Cessna light aircraft, used his aerial photography business Skyviews R Us Ltd as a cover for his illegal activities.

Williams would travel to mainland Europe to get the drugs from Holland then drive to Kassel airport in Hesse, Germany, to load them on to the plane before returning to the UK overland, the court heard.

Once back in Britain, Williams would travel to Breighton Airfield in Selby to collect the drugs from Wright and deliver them to the head of the operation, Dowling, in Essex.

The drug smuggling ring was smashed on November 17 2014 after Wright touched down in Selby with his latest consignment.

A border control officer searched his Porsche Cayenne 4x4 and discovered four bricks of cocaine in the boot with a further 30 blocks stashed in bags in the tail section of his plane.

In all, the cocaine had a total street value of 4.25million, the court heard.

When Dowlings house in Surman Crescent, Brentwood, Essex, was searched, police recovered documentation indicating the scale of the operation.

In a very short space of time, large sums of money were generated and at one point the plotters had nearly 2million at their disposal, the court was told.

Jailed: Wright, along with the plot's mastermind Mark Dowling (pictured left), 43, and his trusted lieutenant 38-year-old Jamie Williams (right) were handed stiff deterrent jail sentences at the Old Bailey today

Wright imported the Class A drug from Germany in his Cessna (pictured) over a period of three months in 2014

Dowling paid Williams a flat rate of 12,000 plus expenses for his involvement while Wright received 1,500 per kilo imported.

The court also heard the gang used several literary references as well as the famed boyhood hero 'Biggles' by W E Johns. Other names bandied around included Ginger - his companion - and Skippy.

Williams, of Romford, Havering, Dowling, and Wright, of Toad Hall, Selby, had previously pleaded guilty to their part in the drug smuggling plot between September 1 and November 18 2014.

Williams was also sentenced for separate drugs, firearms and money laundering offences relating to January 2015.

Dowling had admitted separate offences of transferring criminal property, possessing criminal property and cannabis and cocaine supply.

In mitigation for Wright, Tom Gent told the court that he had been in financial difficulties having 'taken the eye off the ball' of his legitimate aerial photography business after his wifes son died in a road crash.

On November 17 2014 a border control officer searched Wright's Porsche Cayenne 4x4 and discovered four bricks of cocaine in the boot with a further 30 blocks stashed in bags in the tail section of his plane (pictured)

The 34kg haul, with a street value of 4.25m, is believed to be just one of eight similar importations of a total of 268kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of up to 33.5million

Caught: Wright's Porsche Cayenne 4x4, which he used to move the drugs, is pictured next to his plane

The judge told him that of all the defendants his was a 'personal tragedy' but he had to bear in mind that cocaine can also 'ruin lives' and he had to deter other pilots from being tempted to get involved.

In the year 2014 to 2015, a total of 3.387 tons of cocaine was seized in the UK making the amount smuggled by Wright and his plotters eight per cent of that figure.

The court had heard that Dowling was not the head of the entire operation and there were more people higher up the supply chain abroad who fall out of the British jurisdiction.

Following the sentencing, Mick Maloney, head of the National Crime Agencys north east border investigation team, said: 'This crime group ran an organised operation, utilising the piloting skills of Andrew Wright to import large amounts of cocaine.
Rosie O'Donnell joked she would trade each of her four teenagers for three autistic triplets during a stand-up set in New York on Sunday.

'My teenagers are a nightmare, they're horrible,' Rosie, who is estranged from her eldest daughter Chelsea, 18, said at The Fund for Women's Equality & The ERA Coalition's A Night of Comedy with Jane Fonda.

The mother of five quipped that she decided to adopt a newborn baby even though she had four other teens so that she could remind herself why she had kids in the first place, according to People.

Making jokes: 'My teenagers are a nightmare, they're horrible,' Rosie, who is estranged from her eldest daughter Chelsea, 18, said at The Fund for Women's Equality & The ERA Coalition's A Night of Comedy with Jane Fonda

Estranged daughter: Rosie joked about family matters without mentioning Chelsea, 18, (pictured), with whom she had a very public feud last year. Rosies jokes come just two months after Chelsea told Daily Mail Online in an exclusive interview that Rosie cut all ties with her and wont let her have contact with her younger siblings

'I had four teenagers when I decided to adopt a newborn baby. You might ask why. Because I had four teenagers and I needed to remind myself that I actually do love children,' O'Donnell said before adding, 'Because I would trade each teen for autistic triplets, I am just saying I would.'

Rosie joked about family matters and named her children without mentioning Chelsea, with whom she had a very public feud last year.

'My son told me he's writing a book, Life With Mom: Not So Rosie.,' Rosie said during her set. 'I found it annoying.'

'I did the best I could,' she added. 'They blame you for everything.'

The former host of the view then spoke of her own troubled childhood before mentioning a parenting gaffe with her oldest son Parker.

Pictured on Sunday: 'I had four teenagers when I decided to adopt a newborn baby. You might ask why. Because I had four teenagers and I needed to remind myself that I actually do love children,' Rosie O'Donnell said before adding, 'Because I would trade each teen for autistic triplets, I am just saying I would'

I didn't have parents! My mother died, my father was a drunk abusive idiot. I had nothing, and my children complain, You wouldn't even help me with math! 

Rosie said her biggest parenting mistake with Parker was as follows: When he was 17 I made the biggest parenting mistake of my life, she said.

He had a girlfriend who was a year older, they were dating for three years. We went away on vacation for Christmas in Jamaica. There weren't enough bedrooms. ... I said, 'You and Allison could possibly share a room if you'd like on this trip,' and you know, all of a sudden, we didn't see him. So I said to Vivi, my 10-year-old, Where the hell is Parker?' She says, 'Where do you think he is, Mom? He's in the bedroom with Allison, bom chicka wah wah. 

That's bad parenting on a lot of levels, O'Donnell said with a chuckle.

I had no power after that. Zero.

Rosies jokes come just two months after Chelsea told Daily Mail Online in an exclusive interview that Rosie cut all ties with her and wont let her have any contact with her younger siblings until she agrees to a year-long therapy program thousands of miles from home.

The 18-year-old previously opened up to Daily Mail Online about how she felt like an outsider to her family after being sent away from her Nyack, New York home to a therapeutic boarding school in Utah for three years when she turned 13.

Ultimatum: Rosie issued her daughter Chelsea an ultimatum through text messages which the teen shared with Daily Mail Online

The teen said that she did not want to repeat the experience with the new program, which is based in Texas, and was pleading for an opportunity to address her problems nearer to home  and be allowed to see her siblings, Blake, 15, Vivienne, 12, and two-year-old Dakota.

Rosie and my other mom Kelli [Carpenter, Rosies ex-wife] want me to go to Texas for an independent living, therapy program. For the first 60 days its very restricted, you cant do anything and its just strictly therapy. After that you move into an independent living program where you get your own apartment and you can have your own car.

People could come visit me but I dont know if Id be able to go home.

They sent me away from when I was 13 until I was 17. This is my choice and I dont feel like I need it at this point. Ive been in so much therapy in the last couple of years that I know everything theyre going to teach me, she said in December.

Although her moms first brought up the program with Chelsea in the summer she said that in December, Rosie issued her an ultimatum through text messages which the teen shared with Daily Mail Online.

Rosie texted: go to texas  this is the last offer of any kind of help. ever.

Chelsea replied: Then I dont want ur help.

Rosie then wrote: u never have  go find another stranger to take care of u  till they kick u out  or u run away.

enjoy the rest of ur life. Goodbye.

New beau: Chelsea told Daily Mail Online she was dating a new boy named Nick (pictured) and said that Rosie met him and was nice only to later write a poem about him and his family that she found invasive

Chelsea also told Daily Mail Online that she was staying with a friends family in Massapequa, New York, after breaking up with her boyfriend in Barnegat Township, New Jersey, over a month prior.

The teen had been living with her ex, Steven Sheerer, 26, at his parents home since Rosie allegedly kicked her out in August, two weeks before her 18th birthday.

Chelsea said the relationship had become unhealthy and she was no longer speaking to Steve.

She told Daily Mail Online: I just wasnt happy. I had no way to get around so I was basically stuck in the house, all day, every day by myself.

I was really nauseous all the time, getting sick and just not feeling good at all.

Steve and I werent getting along. His family situation wasnt a healthy environment for me. I was miserable and so depressed. I was offered the chance to leave, and I took the offer to come down here.

I just didnt want to be with Steve anymore.

Chelsea met Sheerer on Tinder when she was 17 years old. Sheerer was on probation for convictions of possessing controlled dangerous substances and child endangerment. He was arrested in 2013 with heroin and marijuana while in a car with a woman and her two children aged one and three.

In August, after Chelsea was found staying at Sheerers home, he was charged with third-degree endangering a child and third-degree distribution of obscenity to a minor. The latter was the result of a nude photo Sheerer sent Chelsea when she was 17.

Chelsea petitioned a judge in New Jersey to drop charges that had been brought against him because of their relationship. The charges were dropped along with a no-contact order after a judge approved her request on September 4.

Chelsea said in December that she was living with the family of an old school friend after the boys mother offered her a place to stay.

They have been really helpful and theyre a big part of my life right now. Im happy there, she said.

But her new living situation has caused conflict with both of her mothers.

Rosie and Kelli are not happy that Im staying with this family, Chelsea said. Rosie has been really mean to the lady Im living with over text messages, like texts shes sent me in the past. It gets to the point where the lady is crying because my mom is being so mean.

Chelsea has not seen the text messages that Rosie had sent but said she witnessed the womans reaction.

The teen said: They were hurtful messages and she [Rosie] told the lady that she was a stranger and a crazy Rosie fan. Rosie was like, You must just love me and want to get to me.

But excuse me, nobody likes Rosie anymore. Shes not that special.

Kelli and Rosie divorced around the time Chelsea was 12. The couple started dating in 1999 when Chelsea was a baby and married in San Francisco in 2004 when gay marriage was legalized there. The pair share custody of their four children.

Siblings: Family secrets: Chelsea (second from left), with Parker, Blake and Vivienne, told Daily Mail Online Rosie smokes weed, never gets dressed and watches documentaries all day long

In 2012, Rosie, 53, married Michelle Rounds, 44, and adopted a baby girl, Dakota, in January 2013. The couple separated a year ago and reached a divorce settlement last October. They agreed to share joint custody of their toddler, Dakota.

Chelsea, who claims she last saw her mother a few months ago with her new boyfriend Nick, said that Rosie was civil to them both but that she was shocked to discover that Rosie had written a poem about her on her blog sharing personal information about his family.

Chelsea also said that Child Protective Services had visited Rosies home after she revealed that the TV star liked to smoke weed.

In an interview with Daily Mail Online in October, she revealed details of ODonnells life away from the public sphere, including how she likes to lock herself away in an arts and crafts house to paint, blast Madonna on the stereo and smoke weed.

Chelsea said: I mean, she smokes weed  not around us  but the whole house smells like it.

According to Rosies eldest daughter, CPS interviewed her younger siblings.

Chelsea said: Rosie accused me of calling Child Protective Services and said that it was all my fault. I said to her, I just mentioned you smoked weed, I didnt say you did anything to hurt my siblings. You do it by yourself, I can smell it in the house.

Chelsea also spoke of her anguish at being unable to speak to her younger siblings.

My parents have said that Im not allowed to see Vivvy and Blake. But I went out to dinner with my older brother, Parker, two or three weeks ago. We talked and hung out for a while.

Parker was telling me to make up with Rosie. He didnt talk about his feelings but he said it would be so much easier if you guys just made up.

In accordance:Chelsea says that her other mom, Kelli Carpenter, agrees with Rosie that she should go to Texas for a year

But the teen doesnt feel its that simple.

She said: I have a life here and I have things that Im not willing to leave to go to a program for a year, really far away.

They [Rosie and Kelli] are saying right now that I have to go to Texas, in order to have my siblings in my life. I have a lot to think about I guess.

Unless I go to this program they are like, Were done. We want you not to contact anyone else in our family. Theyve cut me out completely unless I text them and say that Im going to do this. Its really upsetting.

I asked if there was any alternative options  like if I could go to therapy every day for a year or go to a day program close to home. Im just trying to find different options. But they are just sticking with Texas.

I want my siblings in my life. So I guess I have to figure out a way to do that,' said Chelsea who said that Rosie has not been helping her financially.

My parents havent been helping me financially since Rosie kicked me out in August, Chelsea said.

I finally got the insurance card from Rosie which has been helping with my hospital bills and stuff. My friends family have been helping me out, trying to steer me in the right direction.

Im trying to get a job right now and trying to find a way to get back into school so I can get my diploma. If I cant do that then Ill just work for the next year and then try to get my GED.

I need to figure it out with my transcripts, what I need to do to finish school but it might just be easier to go to a local school and have it figured out there.

In the summer, Chelsea was considering a move to Wisconsin to live with her biological mother, Deanna Micolley. The pair were reunited last November after Chelsea reached out to her birth mom.
She campaigned for right to die in California but law didn't come in effect

Her brother Jay Watts said that she actually died peacefully with family

A terminally ill single mother who campaigned for a right-to-die law in California after she was diagnosed with cancer has died.

Christy O'Donnell, 47, died peacefully at her Valencia home with her daughter Bailey Donorovich, 21, and brother Jay Watts, PEOPLE reports.

The former lawyer and LAPD officer had feared she could 'drown in her own fluid' in front of her family after she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in 2014.

Christy O'Donnell (pictured with her daughter) has died at home from her long battle with cancer

Despite her campaign, the End of Life Option Act - which has been signed by California - has not been brought into effect.

It meant that O'Donnell was forced to suffer through months of pain after her stage IV lung cancer spread to her brain, spine, rib, and liver.

She would have 'taken the option a month ago when her seizures started' her brother told PEOPLE.

'She knew what was going onshe did the best she could,' he says. 'About a week ago, she wasn't able to speak at all because of the strokes causing damage  that was her second greatest fear.'

O'Donnell said last summer that her biggest fear had that her daughter would have to watch her suffer.

'If my liver fails, my stomach will become huge, painful, and distended,' she said. 'And with the bone tumors, there's not really any medication they can give me that's going to take away the pain.'

O'Donnell had said previously that she wanted to die on her own terms so her family doesn't witness her agonizing and painful death

She had campaigned for a right-to-die law in California but it never came into effect in time for her to avoid the suffering from Stage 4 lung cancer

A tumor in her left lung could also cause it to collapse, meaning she will 'drown in her own fluids'.

'That the whole rest of her life, her last moments of looking at me, touching me, and hearing my voice are going to be a horrible, terrible memory that she's going to have to carry, rather than it being a loving memory of me,' she told Yahoo.

'I can't wait. My daughter can't wait. 'I owe this to myself, and I owe this to my daughter.

Thankfully, her death was actually 'peaceful' death, according to Watts.

O'Donnell had filed a lawsuit against the state last May in conjunction with two other cancer patients and Compassion & Choices, a right-to-die advocacy group.

She was seeking that her doctors be given the right to prescribe medication which will allow her to take her life at her home in Valencia without fear of criminal prosecution, according toPeople.

O'Donnell drew inspiration from the case of the late Brittany Maynard, the cancer-stricken California woman who moved to Oregon to take her life with legal prescription drugs in November 2014 and became the face of the right-to-die movement.

Before she died, she was able to take her daughter away for one final trip to celebrate her 21st birthday.

'I think it's the first time I've seen Bailey smile like that in a very long time,' she said last year. 'It was nice to see her smile in such an uninhibited way.

O'Donnell had filed a lawsuit against the state last May in conjunction with two other cancer patients and Compassion & Choices, a right-to-die advocacy group
Looking chic in a grey coat flecked with sequins, the Queen arrived in London today after her extended Christmas break in Norfolk on a scheduled train service.

The cost of her first class ticket? 54.90 for a one hour 40-minute journey.

Quite a contrast, then, to the Duchess of Cambridge who made the same journey by helicopter on Sunday with a return cost to the taxpayer of around 3,000.

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The Queen arrived in London today after her extended Christmas break in Norfolk on a scheduled train service (right), with the cost of her first-class ticket at 54.90 for the one hour and 40-minute journey. In contrast, the Duchess of Cambridge (pictured on Sunday, left) took a private helicopter at a cost of 3,000 to the taxpayer

While the two trips aren't entirely comparable  not least because Kate made the journey to and from Anmer Hall, the mansion she shares with Prince William on the Queen's Sandringham estate, on the same day  the difference between their modes of transport is certainly notable.

On Sunday Kate, 34, was attending a service in London to mark the 75th anniversary of the Air Training Corps, her first engagement as its Honorary Air Commandant.

She took over the position - the first woman to do so - from Prince Philip who retired from the post after more than 60 years last month.

It is understood she took the Queen's Flight, the distinctive burgundy helicopter used by members of the Royal Family on official engagements.

It is paid for from money given to the Queen by the Government to fund her official duties as head of state.

The aircraft landed at Kensington Palace, Kate and William's London residence, allowing Kate time to change into an Alexander McQueen suit and Lock & Co hat before heading to the engagement for 11am.

After a lengthy festive break, the Queen looked ready for business wearing a sharp dark grey coat, matching dress, grey scarf and patent black loafers. Her Majesty looked in good spirits as she boarded the London train

Accompanied by officials and station staff, Her Majesty makes her way along Platform 1 at King's Lynn station

The 110-mile flight would take around 45 minutes. The helicopter was then seen taking off again after the engagement had concluded at 1pm, Kate having changed into a more casual outfit for travelling.

The decision to fly into Kensington Palace is not unusual as most royal flights use an area behind the palace, known as Perks Field, as a landing pad.

Royals are permitted to take flights between residences according to Buckingham Palace visits committee, although the Queen regularly choses to travel to and from Sandringham by train.

In contrast, the 89-year-old Queen boarded the 10.54am train from King's Lynn station  the nearest to Sandringham  yesterday to Kings Cross, taking her seat in the first class carriage five minutes before departure.

Station manager Graeme Pratt said: 'It's an honour to have her use the train service . I asked her if she enjoyed her stay in Norfolk, to which she said she did.'

The Duchess of Cambridge took a helicopter to return to London from Norfolk following the Christmas break. She is pictured attending a church service to mark the 75th Anniversary of the RAF Air Cadets on Sunday

It is understood Kate took the Queen's Flight, the distinctive burgundy helicopter used by members of the Royal Family on official engagements for her trip to London. She is pictured next to the aircraft in July 2014

The Queen has been staying at Sandringham, her private country estate, since late December, although she has continued to tackle the red boxes of official papers that arrive on her desk every day.

She returns to her official residence with a busy schedule ahead of her.

Over the next two days she will undertake a series of private meetings and audiences at Buckingham Palace before embarking on a slew of public engagements.

There will also be a cluster of events to mark her 90th birthday on April 21, both around the big day itself and later in June, when the nation celebrates her official birthday.

These include a spectacular equine pageant at Windsor Castle as well as a street party in The Mall.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said: The Royal Household makes careful decision about transport plans and always seeks to travel in the most appropriate way possible considering the arrangement for an official engagement.'
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People in China have gathered across the country's temples to burn the first stick of incense for the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Burning the first stick of incense is meant to give people the best luck and blessings and therefore people queue in their thousands on New Year's Eve to give them the best start to the new year.

Today marks the first day of the Year of the Monkey  the ninth animal on the Chinese zodiac calendar.

People burn incense sticks at the Yonghegong Lama Temple in Beijing, capital of China to mark the first day of the Lunar New Year

Scramble for the first prayers: People burn incense at the Yuanmiaoguan Temple in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, earlier today

Lucky: People burn incense and pray for good fortune on the first day of the Lunar New Year at Yonghegong Lama temple in Beijing

Packed for prayers: People in Beijing crammed into the ancient Taoist Yonghegong Lama Temple to pray for the Year of the Monkey

According to tradition, fortune-seekers queue outside different temples on the Lunar New Year's eve in the hope of entering the shrine as soon as the clock strikes to receive good fortune ahead of the others.

Crowds were seen in various temples across China at the early hours today, including the Lama Temple in the capital city Beijing, Longxing Temple in east China's Fengyang and Huayan Temple in south-west China's Chongqing, according to People's Daily Online.

Burning incense has become big business in China with some tickets for the first stick being sold for record prices. In the previous years, these tickets have been priced as much as 290,000 yuan ( 30,000).

In 2015, six Buddhist and Taoist temples in China auctioned items on Taobao.com.

In Datong, Shanxi province, a temple sold off the temple's first piece of burnt incense for 5,000 yuan (524). Another temple in Zhejiang province auctioned off a piece of burnt incense for 8,000 yuan (838).

According to CRI English, some items for sale at the temples reached as much as 3.1 million yuan (325,000). The temples say the money raised went towards the restoration of the temples.

Year of the monkey: A man prays for good fortune on the evening of Chinese Lunar New Year in Hefei, eastern China's Anhui province

Good luck and properity in 2016: People burn incense at a temple in Chengdu, capital of south-west China's Sichuan province

People pray at temples across China to welcome in the year of the monkey, said to be much luckier than the year of the sheep

Cold night: A couple burn incense along a street during Lunar New Year celebrations in Dandong, China close to the North Korean border

The holiday also known as Spring Festival focuses on family reunion and is a time when students and migrant workers return to their hometowns, some for the only time this year.

Spring Festival is the country's most important holiday, equivalent to Christmas for many in the west.

Children born during this year, the year of the monkey are said to be playful, mischievous and clever. Having a baby in the Year of the Monkey is generally thought to better than its predecessor, the sheep.

While people born during the previous years of the monkey are advised to wear red to warn off bad luck.

Huge crowds: Yuanmiaoguan temple in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong province is packed full of people

Giant fires: A man prays and burns incense sticks at Wuyou temple in Leshan, south west China's Sichuan province

Lunar New Year: People in Hong Kong pray and burn incense sticks to welcome the year of the monkey
for cremation the next day they heard him cry

A tiny baby recently pronounced dead in China woke up crying after spending 15 hours in a -12C morgue and just before he was going to be cremated.

Staff at the Pan'an Funeral Home in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, immediately took the month-old boy to the hospital after realising he was still alive on February 5, reports the People's Daily Online.

The baby, who is called An An, is currently under intensive care at the Pan'an People's Hospital.

Shocking: A little boy who died in Jinhua, east China, reportedly came back to life after 15 hours in a morgue

Premature: He was born weighing just 49 ounces. After spending 23 days in an incubator he was taken home

According to reports, the baby was born prematurely in a local hospital in Jinhua on January 8, weighing 49 ounces.

After spending 23 days in an incubator at the Pan'an People's Hospital, his family decided to take him home for Chinese Near Year. There, his condition deteriorated.

The boy's father named Mr Lu told reporters his son suddenly went pale two days afterwards, so he rushed his son to hospital for emergency treatment on February 4.

On the same day, the doctors determined the boy had a cardiac arrest and pronounced him dead at the hospital.

After the hospital issued a death certificate, his father wrapped the 'dead' baby in two layers of clothing and put him in a plastic bag before taking him to the morgue of the Pan'an Funeral Home at around 6pm on February 4.

Miracle: Doctors said they'd never seen anything like this before, they hope he can make a speedy recovery

Mr Lu was given a receipt from the Pan'an Funeral Home confirming the boy had been sent to the morgue

The father showed reporters a receipt issued by the funeral home, which confirmed the boy had been sent to the morgue and that the price of the funeral would be 1,000 Yuan (105).

At 9am on February 5, after about 15 hours, staff at the funeral home said they heard him crying as they prepared for his cremation.

A worker at the funeral home told a local TV station: 'As soon as I pulled him out of the morgue, I thought I heard noises. When I pushed him to the crematory, the noises became louder.

'I opened the container and saw him moving, so I told the father the baby was still alive.'

The baby was quickly rushed back to hospital.

According to the director of the funeral home, the freezer temperature was -12 degrees Celsius inside the morgue.

Doctors at the Pan'an People's Hospital in east China said this was their first encounter of such an incident. They could not explain what had happened, referring to it as a 'miracle.'

Doctor Chen, head of pediatrics, said: 'I have been a pediatrician for over 20 years. I've never seen anything like this.'

The baby boy is now under intensive care.
Police in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China have arrested a large wildlife smuggling gang that were attempting to import illegal wolf carcasses.

A total of 148 wolf skins, six carcasses and a large number of animal organs were discovered after police noticed that several containers smelt like rotting fish, the People's Daily Online reports.

Wolf meat was also seized during the bust which Chinese media are reporting to be the biggest discovery in 20 years.

Busted: Police arrested an undisclosed number of people after discovering illegally imported wolf carcasses

Illegal goods: Within the containers was wolf meat, skin and decorative amulets made from bones

The bust took place at the Takeshenken border check point in Altay Prefecture in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on February 4.

The Takeshenken border check point is 15km away from the Chinese-Mongolian border. Many goods such as cotton, livestock and tea are exported through the checkpoint.

The police discovered 148 wolf skins, 255 decorative amulets made from wolf bones and offal which was estimated to be worth around one million yuan (105,000).

According to local authorities, the items were set to be sold on China's black market where there is demand for exotic animal meats.

Local police say they have detained an undisclosed number of members of the wildlife smuggling gang.
Six people have been confirmed dead after a landslide buried a two-storey block of flats in south China earlier today.

There were 15 households living at the site in Fude village, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the People's Daily Online reports.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the landslide and have ordered a thorough inspection for hidden safety hazards.

Slide: Six people were killed after a landfall buried a block of flats in south west China's Guangxi province

Completely destroyed: According to reports, 15 households lived in this apartment block in Fude village

A long clean up needed: The houses were seriously damaged during the slide which killed 6 people

Emergency services were informed of the landslide at 3.25am on Monday, which is the first day of the Lunar New Year currently being celebrated across the country.

The death toll was raised to six after four people considered missing were later confirmed dead.

One villager named Lan Min, spoke with Chinese media saying: 'I felt the house was shaking. I thought it was an earthquake and told my family to rush out.'

China has a history of deadly landslides.

In December last year, a landslide in Shenzhen killed over 69 people and left 6 missing. Authorities in China have arrested 11 officials in connection with the incident.

While in August 2010, 1,287 people died after a landslide in Gansu province.

At the scene of the incident: Emergency services were informed of the landslide at 3.25am today
China used its spring festival gala show last night to show off its advancing technological power, putting on a dancing robot show.

Around 540 robots took to the stage in Guangzhou, southern China, simultaneously performing a dance routine while being filmed by drones overhead, the People's Daily Online reports.

The Spring Festival gala is described as the world's most viewed TV programme by its organiser, China's Central Television Station, with over 700 million people tuning in every year.

Stars of the variety show: 540 robots simultaneously dance in Guangzhou, southern China for the CCTV gala

Sparkling sky: Later on in the dance ensemble 26 drones spread glitter over the robots

One of the most talked about segments of the show was the performance by 540 robots dancing with the Guangzhou's skyline as a backdrop while famous singer Sun Nan sang about China catapulting itself to the peak of the world.

Towards the end of the video, 26 drones spread glitter over the robots.

Each robot is 16.5 inches tall and weighs around 1.5 kilograms.

Every move the robots made were designed according to the song meaning that the robots could keep in time with the music.

Li Chao, who was in charge of the robot group told CCTV: 'Each robot consists of 16 steering engines which are developed by our researchers independently. These steering engines can imitate the motions of human joints, so the robots can move so agilely.

According to Li, the original routine was only meant to feature 240 robots however to make the routine seem more impressive, the number was increased to 540.

This year's CCTV Spring Gala was over four and a half hours long and featured over 29 performances from the country's TV personalities and celebrities.

Interesting android: Each robot is 42 centimetres tall and weighs around 1.5 kilograms

One of the most watched shows:Over 700 million people watch China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala

Change of plan: There were originally meant to be 240 robots however the number was increased for effect
Many owners suspect their pet dog is smarter than the average hound.

But they may one day be able to put a number on it as British researchers have devised the first reliable IQ test for dogs.

It has been carried out on border collies and shows that just like humans, dogs vary in how clever they are.

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Many owners suspect their pet dog is smarter than the average hound but they may one day be able to put a number on it as British researchers have devised the first reliable IQ test for dogs. It has been carried out on border collies (pictured) and shows that just like humans, dogs vary in how clever they are

The research has a serious purpose  to understand how health affects intelligence and dementia.

So understanding intelligence in non-human species may help shed light on dementia in humans.

Studying the links between intelligence and health in dogs is easier than in humans.

This is because dogs do not ruin their health by drinking alcohol to excess, smoking cigarettes or taking recreational drugs  with a knock-on effect on their mental functioning, scientists say.

Dogs intelligence is also not affected by social class - whether they are born into a well-off or poorer family, the scientists argue.

The dogs appeared to enjoy the puzzles they had to solve and were rewarded for solving problems with treats.

Researchers by London School of Economics and the University of Edinburgh tested 68 border collies.

The tests included navigation, measured by timing how long it took to find food hidden behind barriers, and if they could tell the difference between different amounts of food.

They were also assessed at how well they could follow a human pointing to an object.

The researchers found that dogs who did well on one test tended be better at the other tests  suggesting that intelligence is generalised in dogs, as it is in humans.

Furthermore, dogs that did tests faster were likely to do them more accurately.

Dr Rosalind Arden, a Research Associate at LSE, said: Just as people vary in their problem solving abilities, so do dogs, even within one breed.

'This is significant because in humans there is a small but measurable tendency for people who are brighter to be healthier and live longer.

So if, as our research suggests, dog intelligence is structured similarly to ours, studying a species that doesnt smoke, drink, use recreational drugs and does not have large differences in education and income, may help us understand this link between intelligence and health better.

In addition, dogs are one of the few animals that reproduce many of the key features of dementia, so understanding their cognitive abilities could be valuable in helping us to understand the causes this disorder in humans and possibly test treatments for it.

The tests included navigation, measured by timing how long it took to find food hidden behind barriers, and if they could tell the difference between different amounts of food. The dogs appeared to enjoy the puzzles they had to solve and were rewarded for solving problems with treats (pictured)

The researchers found that dogs who did well on one test tended be better at the other tests - suggesting that intelligence is generalised in dogs, as it is in humans. Furthermore, dogs that did tests faster were likely to do them more accurately. A dog taking part in one intelligence test is pictured

THE IQ TESTS USED IN THE STUDY The study used four versions of what's known as 'detour tests' designed to measure insight, navigation, and spatial ability. In each test a treat was placed behind a see-through barrier in four configurations - short, long, V-shaped and maze-shaped. The test was to gain the food from a start point and the researchers recorded how much time had elapsed between the dog beginning the test and reaching the food. The next test, point-following, was designed to measure how well each dog would make a behavioural inference from a visual cue - in this case it was a human pointing towards a beaker. The tester looked straight ahead, and pointed one arm towards one of two beakers. The dog could choose one (or none) of two beakers to investigate. The researchers measured how many times the dog went to the pointed beaker as well as how quickly the dog went to the beaker. Next the study tested individual differences in dogs' discrimination between two quantities by counting how many times each dog went to the larger of two presented food treats. The faster a dog completed the tests, and the more successful they were, the higher their IQ. However, the researchers have not revealed the scoring details. Advertisement

The researchers said the suite of tests was conducted in under an hour per dog, which is comparable with the time it takes a person to do an IQ-type test.

Dr Mark Adams, Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said he hoped the prototype test could be rolled out more widely.

He said: This is only a first step, but we are aiming to create a dog IQ test that is reliable, valid and can be administered quickly. Such a test could rapidly improve our understanding of the connection between dog intelligence, health, even lifespan, and be the foundation of dognitive epidemiology

Dogs are excellent for this kind of work because they are willing to participate and seem to enjoy taking part.

In order to get a large sample of dogs from similar backgrounds the researchers recruited working border collies, which meant that there werent big differences in how they were raised.

One possible confounding factor in the dog IQ tests is that some dogs may be more motivated to succeed because they like dog treats more.

The researchers wrote in the paper: Learning about individual differences in animal intelligence is a first step in understanding how cognitive abilities fit into the fitness landscape.

It will provide crucial information on the relationship between intelligence and health, ageing and mortality.

Data from non-human animals are essential if we are to develop a complete understanding of intelligence, one of the most important traits in the entire animal kingdom.

Previous research has estimated that a dog is no cleverer than a human two-year-old.

Observations by obedience judges has found border collies as the most intelligent breed, followed by poodles, and German shepherds.

Golden retrievers were fourth, Dobermans sixth, Shetland sheepdogs and Labradors.
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Nasa recently released a series of fascinating images taken by New Horizons that seemingly showed mysterious objects 'sliding' across the surface of Pluto's vast ice plains.

The objects were dubbed 'floating hills' and scientists said at the time they believed them to be blocks of dirty ice.

The experts have now explained the hills, in the vast ice plain informally known as Sputnik Planum, are likely miniature versions of the larger, jumbled mountains on Sputnik Planum's western border and move over time like icebergs in Earth's Arctic Ocean.

Nasa recently released a series of fascinating images taken by New Horizons that seemingly showed a mysterious object appearing to 'slide' across the surface of Pluto's vast ice plains. They were dubbed 'floating hills' and scientist have now explained that the hills (marked right) move over time like icebergs in Earth's Arctic Ocean

Water ice is less dense than nitrogen-dominated ice which led scientists to conclude that the water ice hills were floating in a sea of frozen nitrogen.

The hills are likely fragments of the rugged uplands that have broken away and are being carried by the nitrogen glaciers into Sputnik Planum.

'Chains' of the drifting hills are formed along the flow paths of the glaciers.

'When the hills enter the terrain of central Sputnik Planum, they become subject to the convective motions of the nitrogen ice, and are pushed to the edges of the cells, where the hills cluster in groups reaching up to 12 miles (20 kilometers) across,' explained Nasa.

An especially large accumulation of these hills, measuring 37 by 22 miles (60 by 35km), have been spotted in the northern part of the region informally named Challenger Colles - honouring the crew of the lost space shuttle Challenger.

Nasa experts believe this object may be a 'dirty block of water ice' which is floating in denser solid nitrogen. Also visible are thousands of pits in the surface, which scientists believe may form by sublimation. Water ice is less dense than nitrogen-dominated ice which led scientists to conclude that the water ice hills were floating in a sea of frozen nitrogen

This feature is located near the boundary with the uplands, away from the cellular terrain, and may represent a location where hills have been 'beached' due to the nitrogen ice being especially shallow.

The latest image used to study the movement of these blocks of ice was captured by New Horizons' Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) instrument.

The image resolution is about 1,050 ft (320 metres) per pixels and it measures a little over 300 miles (almost 500km) long and about 210 miles (340 km) wide.

It was obtained at a range of approximately 9,950 miles (16,000 kilometers) from Pluto, about 12 minutes before New Horizons' closest approach to Pluto on 14 July, 2015.

Scientists from NASA's New Horizons mission have also combined data from two instruments to create this composite image of Pluto's informally named Viking Terra area

On 14 July, the telescopic camera on Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft took the highest resolution images ever obtained of the intricate pattern of 'pits' across a section of Pluto's prominent heart-shaped region, informally named Tombaugh Regio

WHERE WAS THE SHOT TAKEN? Transmitted to Earth on Dec. 24, this image from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) extends New Horizons' highest-resolution views of Pluto to the very center of Sputnik Planum, the informally named icy plain that forms the left side of Pluto's 'heart' feature. Sputnik Planum is at a lower elevation than most of the surrounding area by a couple of miles, but is not completely flat. Its surface is separated into cells or polygons 10 to 25 miles (16 to 40 kilometers) wide, and when viewed at low sun angles (with visible shadows), the cells are seen to have slightly raised centers and ridged margins, with about 100 yards (100 meters) of overall height variation. Advertisement

The original image was transmitted to Earth on 24 December from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI).

Also visible are thousands of pits in the surface, which scientists believe may form by sublimation.

Sputnik Planum is at a lower elevation than most of the surrounding area by a couple of miles, but is not completely flat.

Its surface is separated into cells or polygons 10 to 25 miles (16 to 40km) wide, and when viewed at low sun angles, the cells are seen to have slightly raised centres and ridged margins, with about 100 yards (100 metres) of overall height variation.

Mission scientists believe the pattern of the cells stems from the slow thermal convection of the nitrogen-dominated ices that fill Sputnik Planum.

A reservoir that's likely several miles or kilometers deep in some places, where the solid nitrogen is warmed at depth by Pluto's modest internal heat, becomes buoyant and rises up in great 'blobs', and then cools off and sinks again to renew the cycle.

'This part of Pluto is acting like a lava lamp,' said William McKinnon, deputy lead of the New Horizons Geology, Geophysics and Imaging team, from Washington University in St. Louis, 'if you can imagine a lava lamp as wide as, and even deeper than, the Hudson Bay.'

Computer models by the New Horizons team show that these blobs of overturning solid nitrogen can slowly evolve and merge over millions of years.

The ridged margins, which mark where cooled nitrogen ice sinks back down, can be pinched off and abandoned.

The 'X' feature is likely one of these - a former quadruple junction where four convection cells meet. Numerous, active triple junctions can be seen elsewhere in the LORRI mosaic.

Pictured here is the mountainous shoreline of Sputnik Planum. In this highest-resolution image from New Horizons, great blocks of Pluto's water-ice crust appear jammed together in the informally named al-Idrisi mountains. 'The mountains bordering Sputnik Planum are absolutely stunning at this resolution,' said New Horizons science team member John Spencer of the Southwest Research Institute

NEW HORIZONS' NEW MISSION The spacecraft that gave us the first close-up views of Pluto now has a much smaller object in its sights. New Horizons is on track to fly past a recently discovered, less than 30-mile-wide object out on the solar system frontier. The close encounter with what's known as 2014 MU69 will occur in 2019. It orbits 1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) beyond Pluto. Nasa and the New Horizons team chose 2014 MU69 in August as New Horizons' next potential target, thus the nickname PT-1. Like Pluto, MU69 orbits the sun in the frozen, twilight zone known as the Kuiper Belt. MU69 is thought to be 10 times larger and 1,000 times more massive than average comets, including the one being orbited right now by Europe's Rosetta spacecraft. On the other end, MU69 is barely 1 percent the size of Pluto and perhaps one-ten-thousandth the mass of the dwarf planet. So the new target is a good middle ground, according to scientists. The team plans to formally ask Nasa to fund the mission extension for studying MU69. Scientists promise a better name before showtime on January 1, 2019. Advertisement

Nasa also recently revealed new images of Pluto's informally named Viking Terra area.

The combined data included pictures taken by the spacecraft's Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (Lorri) on 14 July, 2015, from a range of about 31,000 miles (49,000km), showing features as small as 1,600 feet (480 meters) across.

Draped over the LORRI mosaic is enhanced color data from the Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC), gathered about 20 minutes after the LORRI snapshots were taken, from a range of 21,000 miles (34,000km) and at a resolution of about 2,100ft (650 meters) per pixel.

The entire scene is 160 miles (250km) across.

Among the features scientists find particularly interesting are the bright methane ices that condensed on many crater rims - the collection of dark red tholins (small soot-like particles generated from reactions involving methane and nitrogen in the atmosphere) in low areas, like the bottoms of craters, and the layering on the faces of steep cliffs and on crater walls.

In areas where the reddish material is thickest and the surface appears smooth, the material seems to have flowed into some channels and craters.

Scientists said tholin deposits of that thickness aren't usually mobile on large scales, suggesting that they might be riding along with ice flowing underneath, or being blown around by Pluto's winds.

The images are the latest to show mysterious 'pits' on the 'heart' of Pluto have been revealed in unprecedented detail, along with colour images of the dwarf planet's 'badlands'.

Mission scientists believe these mysterious indentations may form through a combination of ice fracturing and evaporation.

The scarcity of overlying impact craters in this area also leads scientists to conclude that these pits  typically hundreds of yards across and tens of yards deep  formed relatively recently.

Their alignment provides clues about the ice flow and the exchange of nitrogen and other volatile materials between the surface and the atmosphere.

The collection follows an image released by Nasa in September showing 10 close-ups of the frosty, faraway world today, representing one Pluto day, which is equivalent to 6.4 Earth days.

The more distant images contribute to the view at the 3 o'clock position, with the top of the heart-shaped, informally named Tombaugh Regio slipping out of view, giving way to the side of Pluto that was facing away from New Horizons during closest approach on July 14.

The side New Horizons saw in most detail  what the mission team calls the 'encounter hemisphere'  is at the 6 o'clock position.

This image reveals new details of Pluto's rugged, icy cratered plains, including layering in the interior walls of many craters. 'Impact craters are nature's drill rigs, and the new, highest-resolution pictures of the bigger craters seem to show that Pluto's icy crust, at least in places, is distinctly layered,' said William McKinnon, deputy lead of the New Horizons Geology, Geophysics and Imaging team

Pictured are Pluto's 'Badlands'. This highest-resolution image from Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft shows how erosion and faulting have sculpted this portion of Pluto's icy crust into rugged badlands topography

The more distant images contribute to the view at the 3 o'clock position, with the top of the heart-shaped, informally named Tombaugh Regio slipping out of view, giving way to the side of Pluto that was facing away from New Horizons during closest approach on 14 July.

The side New Horizons saw in most detail  what the mission team calls the 'encounter hemisphere'  is at the 6 o'clock position.

These images and others like them reveal many details about Pluto, including the differences between the encounter hemisphere and the so-called 'far side' hemisphere seen only at lower resolution.

Nasa's latest Pluto pictures depict an entire day on the dwarf planet. The space agency released a series of 10 close-ups of the frosty, faraway world today, representing one Pluto day, which is equivalent to 6.4 Earth days. The New Horizons spacecraft took the pictures as it zoomed past Pluto in an unprecedented flyby in July. Pluto was between 400,000 and 5 million miles from the camera for these photos

Flowing ice and a extended haze are among the discoveries from Nasa's New Horizons mission, which reveal distant Pluto to be an icy world of wonders. This panorama was captured by the New Horizons spacecraft from 18,000 kilometers (11,00 miles) away, just 15 minutes after the probe's closest approach




Google is gunning for its rivals in the battle for virtual reality, according to the latest rumours.

The California-based firm is reportedly working on an update to its current entry-level VR headset called Cardboard, and is expected to release the high-end gadget later this year.

The rumours also claim Google is bolstering its Android support for VR and is developing a smartphone-based system to rival Gear VR, the Samsung-Oculus Rift collaboration.

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California-based tech giant Google is reportedly set to challenge Samsung in the virtual reality arena with a high-tech headset of its own which could be released later this year. The smartphone-based system will rival Gear VR (pictured), the Samsung-Oculus Rift collaboration which has been available since last year

The rumours were first reported in the Financial Times.

The site explained that the new headset will support a wider range of devices than Samsung's Gear, which is limited to Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

In addition, Google plans to solve the lingering latency problem with VR  the slight delay between head movements and the video stream - which can be disorientating and leave users dizzy.

GOOGLE'S NEXT-GEN VR HEADSET The tech giant is reportedly working on an update to its current entry-level Cardboard, and is expected to release a headset this year. The firm is bolstering its Android support for VR and is developing a smartphone-based system which will rival Gear-VR, the Samsung-Oculus Rift collaboration which has been available since last year. The new headset will support a wider range of devices than Samsung's Gear, which is limited to Samsung Galaxy smartphones. In addition, Google plans to solve the lingering latency problem with VR  the slight delay between head movements and the video stream  which can be disorientating and leave users dizzy. Advertisement

Future developments could also see Google develop its Android operating system to incorporate VR support, rather than using a dedicated VR app, as currently.

During the Mountain View-based firm's recent quarterly earnings announcement, chief executive Sundar Pichai said that Cardboard was the first step for the global search firm's aspirations for VR.

He said: 'Beyond these early efforts, you'll see a lot more from us and our partners in 2016,'

At the end of January, Google provided an update on its official blog on the success to date of Cardboard, its low cost first foray into the world of VR.

The headset, which costs just a few pounds and is made of cardboard is a build-it-yourself set of goggles which contains the user's android smartphone.

Cardboard uses the smartphone's display, with a special app to show 3D images and to split the video stream into stereo channels.

Google's development team have hinted that Cardboard is only the beginning and the firm's chief executive recently told us to expect more from Google in the VR arena in 2016

To date, more than five million units of the cardboard viewers have been shipped worldwide and more than 25 million cardboard apps have been installed from Google Play, the Android app store.

Earlier this year, the firm posted a number of job adverts dedicated to consumer VR hardware.

In an interview with Time magazine, head of development for the Cardboard project, Clay Bavor, alluded to the future iterations of Google's VR.

'The amazing thing about Cardboard is that it's truly VR for everyone with a smartphone,' he told the magazine.

GOOGLE'S LOW-TECH VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSET Google last year revealed a bizarre low-tech toy - a virtual reality headset made of cardboard. The gadget was given out to attendees at the firm's annual developer conference, and can also be created at home. It uses a mobile phones as the display, with a special app to show 3D images and video. The 'cardboard' gadget was passed to attendees when they left the firm's keynote, which revealed new version of android for phones, TVs, cars and watches. 'With your phone and a piece of Cardboard you can see some pretty amazing stuff,' the firm said. 'We want everyone to experience virtual reality in a simple, fun, and inexpensive way.' 'Virtual reality has made exciting progress over the past several years,' it continued. 'However, developing for VR still requires expensive, specialized hardware,' Google said on the project's page. Head of Google's Cardboard development team said in a recent interview that the entry level device is 'not the end of the line' and hinted that Google are working on bigger and better iterations of VR devices Advertisement

'We think there's something powerful and important in that. Is that the end of the line? Of course it's not the end of the line.

'I think if you imagine the types of things that a company with the ambition and the technical resources and the know-how of Google would be working on, we're working on a lot of those things.'
more Lidar data, meaning more discoveries are likely in the coming years as

Some parts of the road are concealed, while others are easily visible

Seven have been found in two years,

They have been lost for thousands of years, but now a 'revolutionary' technique involving lasers is shedding lights on Roman roads and forts.

Archaeologists are using Lidar (light detection and ranging) data - which is typically used for flood modelling - to pinpoint the location of hundreds of miles of Roman roads in the north of England.

Their discoveries are giving clues to a neglected chapter in the history of Roman Britain almost 2,000 years ago when these roads helped Rome's legions conquer and control northern England.

Archaeologists are using Lidar (light detection and ranging) data - typically used for flood modelling and tracking changing coastlines - to pinpoint the location of hundreds of miles of Roman roads in the north of England. This image shows Vindolanda Roman fort in the centre, identified using Lidar data

For decades after the 43AD Roman invasion of Britain, a large region of the North, including what is now Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria, was controlled by a Celtic tribe known as the Brigantes.

Roman writer Tacitus wrote it was the collapse of the marriage between Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes - a Roman ally and her husband Venetius - that led to a showdown with Rome.

Following their divorce, Venetius organised a revolt in 69AD and Cartimandua fled.

The Emperor Vespasian then sent a force under Britain's new governor, Quintus Petilius Cerialis, to put down the rebellion and conquer northern England.

Building roads to link up forts and settlements across this rugged landscape was a vital part of this decades-long conquest of the North.

Amateur archaeologists have been able to use the flood maps, produced by the Environment Agency, to discover seven roads in the UK since 2013. The most recent connects Ribchester and Lancaster (shown)

Environment Agency Lidar data played a vital role in the search for Lancashire's lost Roman roads. This map helped to reveal part of the road from Ribchester to Catterall

THE ROADS USED BY THE ROMANS For decades after the 43AD Roman invasion of Britain, a large region of the North, including what is now Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria, was controlled by a Celtic tribe known as the Brigantes. Roman writer Tacitus wrote it was the collapse of the marriage between Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes - a Roman ally and her husband Venetius - that led to a showdown with Rome. Following their divorce, Venetius organised a revolt in 69AD and Cartimandua fled. The Emperor Vespasian then sent a force under Britain's new governor, Quintus Petilius Cerialis, to put down the rebellion and conquer northern England. Building roads to link up forts and settlements across this rugged landscape was a vital part of this decades-long conquest of the North. Advertisement

Archaeologists have used Environment Agency Lidar data to find seven of these important routes in two years.

Maps were created by aircraft equipped with laser scanners, which measure the distance between the aircraft and the ground.

The precision technology can detect differences in the height of the land of as little as 2-inches (5cm), making it ideal for detecting hidden structures buried under the soil.

Although the Environment Agency has been using the technology for some 20 years, it only made its Lidar maps available to the public in 2013.

Amateur archaeologist and retired road engineer David Ratledge,70, who has been researching Roman roads in Lancashire for 45 years, has used Lidar data to find an 11-mile (17km) long road between Ribchester and Lancaster.

He told The Times it is the first 'new' Roman road to be discovered in the UK for 150 years.

'These were the county's most important Roman sites so good communications between them must have been essential,' he said.

'Previously in Lancashire we only had aerial photographs from the 1940s and 1960s to go on, but with photographs, features only show up after a drought and we don't get many of those.'

Often Roman roads are very hard to spot from clues on the ground. These annotated photos along the route from Ribchester to Catterall show how hard it can be without Lidar to lead the way

'With Lidar, once you know what to look for, it's blindingly obvious - you just know you've found a road...It's been revolutionary.'

ROMAN ROADS IN BRIEF Roman roads were large structures, typically measuring 16 to 23ft (five to seven metres) wide. They reached a height of around one-and-a-half feet (half a metre) in the centre. While the Romans were famous for building roads in straight lines, the discovery of a road between Ribchester and Lancaster shows they also took the natural geography of a place into account, to avoid steep hills, for example. The roads were used to transport goods efficiently and for marching soldiers. Preservation of Roman roads in the UK varies, with some still protruding from the land and easily visible. Others are hidden under earth and have only been found thanks to Lidar. Advertisement

Although it was well known that there was a Roman road linking Ribchester to Lancaster, archaeologists spent decades searching for it in the wrong place.

They based their area of focus on the fact that Romans tended to take the shortest and most efficient route from place to place  and assumed that the road would run from northwest Ribchester in a straight line to Lancaster.

In reality, the road traces a line from Ribchester to Catterall to avoid the steepest hills, before angling off towards Lancaster  a route that no-one had thought of before seeing the evidence on the aerial flooding maps.

Roman roads were large structures, typically measuring 16 to 23ft (five to seven metres) wide and reaching a height of around one-and-a-half feet (half a metre) in the centre.

However, nearly two thousand years of weathering mean that they are often very difficult to spot at ground level.

Mr Ratledge said: 'The preservation of the remains varies massively.

Lidar can detect differences in the height of the land of as little as two inches (5cm), making it ideal for detecting hidden structures buried under the soil. However, some sections of Roman road are easily visible. This stock imaGe shows a section at Blackstone Edge, Rishworth Moor in Greater Manchester

'Parts of a road could still be half a metre high and easy to spot whilst in other parts it could be so subtle that you'd definitely miss it on the ground.'

WHAT'S LIDAR AND HOW IT'S USED? Lidar is a remote sensing technology that measures distance by illuminating a target with a laser and analysing the reflected light. It's used to make high-resolution maps used by a wide variety of professions. Farmers use Lidar to determine which areas of their fields to apply costly fertiliser, while archaeologists use it to reveal hidden structures. Self-driving cars use the technology for navigation. For example, Ford is using a combination of 3D maps and Lidar technology to allow its autonomous vehicles to 'see' road markings obscured by drifts of snow. It's used for environmental purposes such as monitoring deforestation and canopy heights as well as flooding - and devising flood defences. A worldwide network of observatories allow astronomers to use Lidar to measure the distance to reflectors placed on the moon, allowing the position of the moon to be measured with millimetre precision. Advertisement

Archaeologists Hugh Toller and Bryn Gethin have also revealed four previously 'lost' Roman roads using Lidar.

Mr Toller proved the course of a road from the Roman fort at Low Borrowbridge, near Penrith, to Kirkby Thore, the site of a Roman cavalry camp in Cumbria.

This is a missing part of a well-known road called the Maiden Way that continues towards Whitley Castle and Carvoran Roman Fort, Northumbria, near Hadrian's Wall

Mr Toller said: 'Often there are vague indicators of a route but not enough evidence to be sure.

'With Lidar we can spot any 'aggers'  a Roman embankment or rampart  and if you find 2 or 3km of these running dead straight there is nothing it can be except a Roman road.'

He is currently working on the precise location of four other Roman roads in northern England and there will likely be more discoveries, because the Environment Agency is making all its Lidar surveys available as open data, meaning anyone can use them.
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Have you ever been 'Hank Marvin' and fancied a Ruby Murray? Or heard a friend say something was 'banjaxed'?

Well now you can test yourself and find out thanks to a new interactive map which tests your knowledge of Britain's accents.

Made in partnership with travel website Expedia, the Accent Map of the British Isles provides a small sample of the diverse range of dialects spoken across the UK and Ireland.

Click Play below to take the test, or explore the accents on the interactive map. Mobile users can take the test on the Expedia site

Know your cockney from Glaswegian? The Accent Map of the British Isles is an interactive map that tests your knowledge of Britain's accents. It features of 15 of the 56 accents across the UK and Ireland (screenshot). Mobile users can take the test on the Expedia site

Players can either explore the 15 recorded examples of regional dialects, or can test themselves on how well they can discern the nations' dialects, including Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

In addition, players can test their knowledge - and their ears - over ten rounds, as they hear a regional dialect and have to pick out where in the country it comes from.

A recording is played and the player has four options to choose from.

While some are easy to place, such as the 'I'm 'ank Marvin, fancy a Ruby?', to the untrained ear, others are a little harder to differentiate due to the close proximity of choices, such as Cornwall and Devon.

The map's makers add the disclaimer: 'British and Irish accents can vary greatly, even in relatively small areas.

The scores: While some are easy to place, such as the 'I'm 'ank Marvin, fancy a Ruby?', to the untrained ear, others are a little harder to differentiate due to the close proximity of choices, such as Cornwall and Devon (screenshot)

From London to Birmingham (pictured left and right), the slang and drawl can be vastly different, despite the relatively short distance. The Accent Map enables users to explore and tune their ears to the subtle array of spoken English in England, Scotland and Ireland

'As such, Expedia's Accent Map of the British Isles serves only as a rough guide to the general sound of the accents found in the regions highlighted. In some instances, the accents have been exaggerated somewhat to highlight the differences more.'

ACCENT MAP OF BRITISH ISLES Players can either explore the 15 recorded examples of regional dialects, or can test themselves on how well they can discern the nations' dialects, including Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The recordings were made by actors who used regional phrases and exaggerated the accents to highlight the often subtle differences from across the regions. Advertisement

The recordings were made by actors who used regional phrases and then exaggerated the accents to highlight the often subtle differences from across borders and from one county to the next.

According to Expedia, there are 56 recognised accents in the UK and Ireland. However, the interactive map does not include any Welsh accents.

A spokesperson for the firm told MailOnline: 'The UK is the most dialect-obsessed nation in the world. In fact, there are very few other English-speaking countries with as many varieties of accents and language in such a small space, but many of us here in Britain are oblivious as to how many different dialects are spoken here every single day.

'This piqued our interest and in order to look into this further we came up with the fully-interactive Accent map that delivers two main benefits: the ability to put our knowledge of British dialects to test while also giving us the option to educate ourselves on those that are less knowledgeable of.'

From the fast-paced patter of Glasgow to the sleepy drawl of Somerset, the dialects and accents found across the British Isles today have evolved over thousands of years.

According to the British Library, a dialect is a variety of spoken English that differs in vocabulary, grammar and its pronunciation.

Whereas an accent is just the differences in the pronunciation and sound of the spoken language.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge recently delved into dialects with an app that tested the user's accent based on the pronunciation of a set number of words.

Called English Dialects, the app generates a heat map based on the player's answers to guess where it believes their accent is from. It attempts to guess a user's regional accent based on their pronunciation of 26 words and colloquialisms.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge similarly delved into dialects recently with an app that tested the user's accent based on the pronunciation of a set number of words. Called English Dialects, the app generates a heat map based on the player's answers to guess where it believes their accent is from (screenshots pictured)

Users can either select which word they use to describe an item, or they can listen to how different words are pronounced and select the most appropriate.

For example, one question asks what word the person uses to describe a small piece of wood that becomes lodged in a finger.

Another question features audio clips of a man saying the word 'bacon' in various different ways, and asks the user to select the clip that sounds most like their own pronunciation of the same word.

It also asks the endlessly contentious English question of whether 'scone' rhymes with 'gone' or 'cone'.

Last year, a poll in the US revealed the Glaswegian accent was considered by Americans to be the sexiest of all the British accents. The next most popular accent for those across the pond was the cockney accent, typical among East Londoners.

According to the survey, the American pollsters found the Geordie accent to sound the most intelligent.
While Hollywood may portray the howls of wolves in various ways, new research has found the animals do indeed have different 'accents,' based on their breed and location.

Researchers pinpointed 21 types of howl to find they corresponded to specific subspecies of wolf, as well as jackals and domestic dogs.

They believe the findings could help conservationists protect certain subspecies, and even shed light on the earliest evolution of our own language.

However, they don't currently know what the varied howls mean.

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Researchers have pinpointed 21 types of howl or 'dialects' in wolves to find they corresponded to specific subspecies of wolf, as well as jackals and domestic dogs. A stock image of an Arctic wolf howling is shown

For the study, an international team of scientists led by the University of Cambridge conducted the largest ever analysis of howling in the 'canid' family of species, which includes wolves, jackals and domestic dogs.

They used computer algorithms to classify 2,000 different howls into 21 howl types, based on pitch and fluctuation, and then matched up patterns of howling.

For example, the howling repertoire of the timber wolf is heavy with low, flat howls but doesn't feature the high, looping vocal that is the most frequently used in the range of howls deployed by critically-endangered red wolves.

The study showed that the various species and subspecies have distinguishing repertoires of howling, or 'vocal fingerprints' and that different types of howls are used depending on the canid species.

An international team of scientists used computer algorithms to classify 2,000 different howls into 21 howl types or 'dialects', based on pitch and fluctuation, before then matching up patterns of howling. Northwestern wolves at the Wolf Conservation Trust, UK are pictured

Wolf howl sound clips, below, will play automatically, but you can click on them individually to hear them again

This clip is of the howl of the threatened red wolf This is the howl of the Mackenzie Valley Grey Wolf

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT HOWLS The howling repertoire of the timber wolf is heavy with low, flat howls. However, critically-endangered red wolves make high, looping noises in their howls. This feature makes their calls similar to that of coyotes. While the howling repertoires of most of the 13 species analysed were very distinct, some bore close similarities to each other that may influence interbreeding and, in at least one case, threaten the survival of a species. Red wolves, hunted to the brink of extinction in the mid-20th century, were the focus of a reintroduction programme instigated by the US government, which has recently been halted due to a lack of success. Part of the problem was red wolves breeding with coyotes. The researchers found significant overlap between the howling vocabulary of the red wolf and the coyote, with both favouring highly modulated, whining howls such as the one classed by researchers as 'type three'. Advertisement

This is perhaps not too surprising, because wolves are spread across the globe, calling wildernesses in North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa home.

Lead researcher Dr Arik Kershenbaum, from University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology, said the findings could be used to track and manage wild wolf populations better, and help prevent conflict with farmers.

This could be achieved by creating more accurate howls to play to wolves, in order to encourage them to steer clear of farms and livestock, for example.

He also believes that by studying the sounds of other intelligent species that use vocal communication for cooperative behaviour, such as wolves and dolphins, it may provide clues to the earliest evolution of our own use of language.

'Wolves may not be close to us taxonomically, but ecologically their behaviour in a social structure is remarkably close to that of humans,' he said.

'That's why we domesticated dogs - they are very similar to us.'

'Understanding the communication of existing social species is essential to uncovering the evolutionary trajectories that led to more complex communication in the past, eventually leading to our own linguistic ability.'

The research was conducted by a team of scientists from the UK, US, Spain and India, and is published in the journal Behavioural Processes.

While the howling repertoires of most of the 13 species analysed were very distinct, some bore close similarities to each other that may influence interbreeding and, in at least one case, threaten the survival of a species - red wolves (pictured left) which breed with coyotes (right) which have similar howls

This clip is the howl of the European Grey wolf This clip shows how the slowed sounds of dolphins sound like a wolf

Scientists made use of howls recorded from both captive and wild animals, from Australia and India, to Europe and the US, whittling 6,000 howls down to 2,000.

WHAT DO THE HOWLS MEAN? Despite successfully categorising the howls, the researchers known little about the meaning of different dialects, because like dolphins, they are very difficult to study in the wild. 'You don't observe natural wolf behaviour in zoos, only in the wild, and you need to know where the animals are when howling before you can really begin to try and discern meanings,' Dr Kershenbaum explained. 'But, as with dolphin pods, physically following a wild wolf pack is virtually impossible.' Advertisement

These were then fed into machine learning algorithms to classify the howls into types.

Studies on howling in the past have had to rely on subjective human comparisons by looking at soundwave patterns, but the new algorithms allowed the howl types to be compared objectively.

The technique revealed that the various species have characteristically different repertoires of howl type usage.

While the howling repertoires of most of the 13 species analysed were very distinct, some bore close similarities to each other that may influence interbreeding and, in at least one case, threaten the survival of a species.

Red wolves, hunted to the brink of extinction in the mid-20th century, were the focus of a reintroduction programme instigated by the US government, which has recently been halted due to a lack of success.

Lead researcher Dr Arik Kershenbaum, from University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology, said the findings could be used to track and manage wild wolf populations better, and help prevent conflict with farmers. A protest in France about the threat of wolves on livestock is shown

Part of the problem was red wolves breeding with coyotes.

The researchers found significant overlap between the howling vocabulary of the red wolf and the coyote, with both favouring highly modulated, whining howls such as the one classed by researchers as 'type three'.

Dr Kershenbaum explained: 'This may be one reason why they are so likely to mate with each other, and perhaps we can take advantage of the subtle differences in howling behaviour we have now discovered to keep the populations apart.'

Despite successfully categorising the howls, the researchers know little about the meaning of different dialects because, like dolphins, they are very difficult to study in the wild.

'You don't observe natural wolf behaviour in zoos, only in the wild, and you need to know where the animals are when howling before you can really begin to try and discern meanings,' he explained.

'But, as with dolphin pods, physically following a wild wolf pack is virtually impossible.

The findings could even shed light on the earliest evolution of our own language. A conceptual image showing the stages of human evolution including Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens (pictured left to right) is shown

'We are currently working on research in Yellowstone National Park in the US using multiple recording devices and triangulation technology to try and pick up howl sounds and location.

'In this way we might be able to tell whether certain calls relate to distance communication or pack warnings, for example.'

Dr Kershenbaum said that wolves and dolphins show remarkable parallels with each other in social behaviour, intelligence and vocal communication.

'As well as being intelligent and cooperative species, wolves and dolphins have remarkably similar vocal characteristics, he said.

'If you slow a dolphin whistle down about 30 times it sounds just like a wolf howl, something I often do in my lectures.'
Few people see children as a threat but it seems racial stereotypes can change that.

A new study has found stereotypes linking black men with violence and criminality can result in black children as young as five being identified as dangerous.

White people taking part in the research were more likely to misidentify a toy as a weapon after seeing the face of a black five-year-old boy, compared to a white youngster.

Racial stereotypes are so deep-seated they trigger biases that lead to black children as young as five being considered as a threat, according to new research. In a series of tests, images of black children caused a panel of white college students to identify weapons in subsequent images more readily than toys (stock image)

Dr Andrew Todd, a psychologist at the University of Iowa who led the research, said the findings show racial stereotypes can produce a deep-seated bias in people's perception of others.

He believes these can unintentionally influence behaviour even if a person believes they are not racist.

'Our findings suggest that, although young children are typically viewed as harmless and innocent, seeing faces of five-year-old Black boys appears to trigger thoughts of guns and violence,' Dr Todd said.

ARE YOU A SECRET RACIST? While few people would readily admit to being racist, it seems most of us are far more prejudiced than we realise. In a recent study examining how people build up a picture of someone based on their name, researchers discovered participants tended to imagine men with stereotypically black names as bigger and more violent. The researchers found unknown black men were often seen as being of similar status to an unknown white males who have been convicted of assault. Perhaps most surprisingly, those who were taking part in the study were claimed to be predominantly liberal. Advertisement

'One of the most pernicious stereotypes of Black Americans, particularly black men, is that they are hostile and violent.

'So pervasive are these threat-related associations that they can shape even low-level aspects of social cognition.'

In the study, published in the journa Psychological Science, Dr Todd and his colleagues showed 64 white college students images of children's faces before pictures of toys or weapons.

They were told the first image was merely a signal that the second image was about to appear and they were to concentrate as identifying the second image as a toy, such as a rattle, or a gun as quickly as possible.

The children's faces included six images of black five-year-old boys and six images of white five-year-old boys.

The researchers found the students tended to be quicker at recognising guns after seeing a black child's face than the face of a white child.

They also more often mistakenly categorised toys as weapons after seeing pictures of the black boys.

But they also mistook weapons for toys after seeing a white child's face.

The researchers said their findings demonstrate that racial stereotypes trigger deep-seated biases in people's perception of others. Although children are often seen as being innocent, if they had black skin they were seen as more likely to be associated with weapons (stock picture shown) than white children

It demonstrates that black skin colour has become so associated with violence that it causes people to more readily link the two together, even when it is incorrect.

A second set of experiments saw white students shown the faces of both children and adults before categorising a second image of either a tool or a gun.

Again, after seeing a black face regardless of age, there was a bias for categorising objects as weapons.

Threat related words including violent, dangerous, hostile and aggressive were also more strongly associated with images of black boys than white boys.

Dr Todd said the findings also appear to be reflected in the real-world, which is what inspired the research.

He said: 'In this case, it was the alarming rate at which young African Americans - particularly young black males - are shot and killed by police in the US.
With sharp fangs, saggy skin and a whip-like tail, a mysterious mummified animal discovered in Turkey has left experts baffled.

The bizarre predator was discovered in an old cellar and it remains to be identified by natural history experts in the country.

Archaeologists have theorised the animal may be prehistoric, while others believe it could be some kind of cat, based on its mighty incisors.

With its ferocious fangs (pictured), saggy skin and whip-like tail, a mysterious mummy discovered in Turkey has baffled experts. The bizarre predator was discovered in an old cellar and remains to be identified

Dr Lidija McKnight, an Egyptologist and expert in animal mummies at the University of Manchester told MailOnline: 'It looks like one of the naturally mummified cats we find in Britain -bricked up in chimneys - for example.

'The tarsel/carpel bones look long which is diagnostic of feline species.'

The strange mummy is said to measure 3ft (one metre) long from its nose to the tip of its tail.

Dr McKnight said: 'One metre is quite long, but if it's a species of wild cat for example, they can be much larger than domesticates.

'The teeth are a bit weird, but if the soft tissues have record through the desiccation process, they may just look more pronounced.'

The rigid creature was recovered from a solid rock basement beneath the home of locksmith Abudllah Ozturk, from Nigde, which lies in the central Anatolia region of the country.

He has since put the remains on display in the window of his shop, after experts failed to identify the animal.

He told local media: 'I called two archaeologist friends who came and examined the skeleton.

'They told me that it belongs to a very old species which is probably extinct but they couldn't identify it and they didn't know which species it belonged to.'

Archaeologists have theorised the animal (pictured) may be prehistoric, while others believe it could be some kind of cat, based on the shape of its head and incisors. It could alternatively be a hoax

The rigid creature was recovered from a solid rock basement beneath the home of locksmith Abudllah Ozturk, from Nigde (marked on the map) which lies in the central Anatolia region of the country

Dr Aydin Topcu, Natural History professor at Nigde University, said: 'We are examining pictures of the skeleton and it seems to be a carnivore.

'But we need more time conduct further tests.

'After the examinations we will be able to tell what species it belongs to and of which period of time it is.'

But creature's skull and the history of the area suggests it s likely a cat.

This is because there is a history of cats being mummified - as well as children - in Anatolia between the 10th and 13th centuries.

The strange mummy (pictured) is said to measure 3ft (one metre) from its nose to the tip of its tail. The shape of the creature's skull and protruding fangs suggests it may be a cat

There is a history of cats being mummified in Anatolia between the 10th and 13th centuries. It is thought the tradition may stretch back much further and was inspired by practices in Ancient Egypt where cats were mummified for the cat-headed goddess, Bastet. A cat skeleton is pictured

MUMMIFCATION OF CATS The shape of the creature's skull and protruding fangs suggests it may be a cat. There is a history of cats being mummified in Anatolia between the 10th and 13th centuries. It is thought the tradition may stretch back much further and was inspired by practices in Ancient Egypt where cats were mummified for the cat-headed goddess, Bastet. Bastet was the goddess of warfare and was depicted as part lioness, part domestic cat. Cats were revered in Ancient Egypt, partly due to their ability to combat vermin such as mice which threatened food supplies. Advertisement

It is thought the unusual tradition may stretch back much further and was inspired by practices in Ancient Egypt where cats were also mummified for the cat-headed goddess, Bastet.

Bastet was the goddess of warfare and was depicted as part lioness, as well as domestic cat.

Cats were revered in Ancient Egypt, partly due to their ability to combat vermin such as mice, rats, which threatened food supplies  as well as cobras.

Cats of royalty were, in some instances, known to be dressed in golden jewellery and were allowed to eat from their owners' plates.

The tradition may have come to Anatolia from Egypt, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The bones of cats were used to send a message to the gods.

However, it is not clear whether the mummified animal of Nigde was wrapped in bandages, like many Egyptian car mummies were.

Bastet was the goddess of warfare and was depicted as part lioness, part domestic cat (pictured left). Cats were revered in Ancient Egypt, partly due to their ability to combat vermin such as mice which threatened food supplies. The tradition may have moved to Anatolia from Egypt. A mummified cat is shown right
Northrop Grumman has teased tantalising image of a new stealth 'superjet' capable of firing laser weapons and its possible replacement for the B-2 stealth bomber during a Super Bowl ad.

The so called 'sixth generation fighter' is rumoured to fly at supersonic speeds, although Northrop Grumman, who are developing it, say the specifications are still secret.

It used a Superbowl ad shown in some parts of the US to show the latest mockups of the still-classified vehicle.

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The video gives a fleeting glimpse of the sixth generation fighter,

LASER WEAPONS 'COMING SOON' Air Force bosses have boasted combat lasers will be fitted to fighters planes 'very soon' and have revealed a full scale prototype is being built. 'I believe we'll have a directed energy pod we can put on a fighter plane very soon,' Air Force General Hawk Carlisle has claimed at the Air Force Association Air & Space conference in a presentation on what he called Fifth-Generation Warfare, according to Ars Technica. 'That day is a lot closer than I think a lot of people think it is.' Advertisement

The stealth craft is expected to use advanced cooling systems to help disguise its laser systems.

Chris Hernandez, Northrop's vice president for research, technology and advanced design, told BreakingDefence last year the sixth-gem fighter will be long range because it won't have many bases to operate from overseas; it must 'carry a lot of weapons;' survivability will be key.

What do those requirements and physics lead you to?

'This looks a lot like a baby B-2 and this is really getting into our sweet spot,' Hernandez said.

Northrop Grumman has two design teams working on the new aircraft.

However, the firm would not discuss the plane's speed, saying that would have to wait for clearer direction from the Pentagon in the future.

It is expected to use laser weapons - and this has caused major problems around heat.

As Northrop president for aerospace Tom Vice said, managing heat will be key.

'Add in all the aircraft's power and thrust systems, and you have an enormous heat challenge,' said Hernandez.

The craft is expected to be used in 2030.

In April 2012, the Navy issued a formal request for information for the F/A-XX.

The clip shows the fighters rolling and twisting in combat

It calls for an air superiority fighter with multi-role capabilities to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft in the 2030s,

Boeing and Northrop Grumman are both developing concepts.

Lockheed Martin has been working on next-generation air dominance-related activities with the U.S. Armed Services and most recently the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to determine the best way to maintain air dominance in the post-2035 world.

In October of 2012, Frank Kendall, Undersecretary of Defense, tasked DARPA to explore concepts for the next generation of air dominance.

In an attempt to break the battle space into smaller pieces, DARPA defined separate focus areas that span capabilities across the air dominance battle space.

THE REPLACEMENT FOR THE B2 BOMBER The Air Force has chosen Northrop Grumman Corp., maker of the B-2 stealth bomber, to build its next-generation bomber. The highly classified, $80 billion project is designed to replace the aging B-2 bomber fleet with an information-age aircraft that eventually may be capable of flying without a pilot aboard. The loser of the high-stakes bidding contest was a team formed by Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. The video also shows off what is believed to be the firm's concept for a plane to replace the B-2 Bomber It was reported in July last year that the Air Force only generally described the platform, which it has designated as a top priority along with the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and KC-46A tanker. 'The new bomber will be a long-range, air-refuelable, highly survivable aircraft with significant nuclear and conventional stand-off and direct-attack weapons payload,' the service said. 'The LRS-B will provide operational flexibility across a wide range of military operations.' 'The long-range strike bomber will support America's defense strategy by forming the backbone of the Air Force's future strike and deterrent capabilities,' Defense Secretary Ash Carter said at a Pentagon news conference. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost at $348 billion over 10 years, and others have said it could approach $1 trillion over 30 years. Carter said the new bomber will meet the nation's long-range strike aircraft needs for the next 50 years. Wes Bush, chairman and chief executive of Falls Church, Virginia-based Northrop Grumman, said in a brief statement that his company will deliver on its promise to build a highly capable, affordable aircraft. 'Our team has the resources in place to execute this important program, and we're ready to get to work,' Bush said. The announcement marks an important step in the Pentagon's broader plan to modernize the entire nuclear force  missile-toting submarines, land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and long-range bombers. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost at $348 billion over 10 years, and others have said it could approach $1 trillion over 30 years. The craft has a single wing 'stealth design to evade detection Advertisement

'This decomposition may not be perfect and will most certainly be fine-tuned over time, but it does provide a logical construct for looking at the future battle space,' said Mark Jefferson, director of Next Generation Air Dominance programs at the Skunk Works.

Previous reports say the superjet might even not have a pilot.

According to the Pentagon, it may partially fall in the hands of artificial intelligence (AI).

Reports say that both the US Navy and Air Force are planning next-generation fighters that don't have just a human pilot.

Boeing (pictured) and Northrop Grumman are both developing concepts.

Known internally as NG Air Dominance, the craft features laser weapons. The so called 'sixth generation fighter' is rumoured to fly at supersonic speeds, although Northrop Grumman, who are developing it, say the specifications are still classified.

Future fighter jets may have an AI co-pilot on board that can help with sensory data in addition to autonomously landing the plane on an aircraft carrier.

According to the US Naval Institute (USNI), artificial intelligence will feature prominently on the successors to the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.

The US Navy is working on the F/A-XX and the Air Force on the F-X, with both designed to replace their predecessors by 2030 at the earliest.

'AI is going to be huge,' a US Navy official told the USNI.

While the exact purpose of AI in aircraft isn't known yet, it could have a number of uses from acting as a co-pilot to carrying out autonomous landings.

According to Popular Science the robotic co-pilots would be especially helpful for aircraft carriers, which are difficult to land on.

Recently the Navy's X-47B experimental drone landed autonomously on an aircraft, demonstrating the usefulness of AI in such a situation.

AI could also help with something known as advanced sensor fusion.

This involves combining data from various sensors to get a more accurate reading of a situation or location.

The Navy and Air Force are also hoping to get help from industry experts in Silicon Valley to aid them in the design of such sixth-generation fighters.
Rumours claim the signals are the first evidence of gravitational waves

Astronomers working on the observatory are apparently analysing the data

Signals have apparently been detected by the Advanced Ligo detector

They are said to be elusive ripples in the fabric of space and time created by every massive object in the universe, but despite decades of searching scientists have never seen them.

That could be about to change.

Rumours are spreading among physicists that researchers have detected gravitational waves for the very first time, a century after they were proposed by Albert Einstein.

It is believed an experiment called the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Ligo) has picked up signals from these waves just a few months after starting - and the results will be unveiled on Thursday at 10.30 EST (15.30GMT).

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Gravitational waves are invisible ripples in the fabric of space and time caused by the movement of dense objects, like black holes. These waves spread out across the universe but have never been seen by scientists. Fresh rumours, however, suggest detectors in the US have picked up signals that may be gravitational waves

WHAT ARE GRAVITATIONAL WAVES

Scientists view the the universe as being made up of a 'fabric of space-time'. This corresponds to Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, published in 1916. Objects in the universe bend this fabric, and more massive objects bend it more. Gravitational waves are considered ripples in this fabric. They can be produced, for instance, when black holes orbit each other or by the merging of galaxies. Gravitational waves are also thought to have been produced during the Big Bang. If found, they would not only confirm the Big Bang theory but also offer insights into fundamental physics. For instance, they could shed light on the idea that, at one point, most or all of the forces of nature were combined into a single force. In March 2014, a team operating the Bicep2 telescope, based near the South Pole, believed they had found gravitational waves, but their results were proven to be inaccurate. Advertisement

More details, including how to watch the conference, is available from the Caltech.

'100 years after Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, the National Science Foundation gathers scientists from Caltech, MIT and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration to update the scientific community on efforts to detect them.' the LIGO experiment organisers said.

'With interest in this topic piqued by the centennial, the group will discuss their ongoing efforts to observe gravitational waves.'

If confirmed, the discovery promises to revolutionise physics and astronomy by providing an entirely new way of observing the universe.

Gravitational waves are essentially ripples in space and time that spread outwards from objects with large amounts of gravity as they move through space.

Catastrophic events, such as a collision between two black holes, can create such large changes in the curvature of space-time, and these ripples can spread out across the universe.

A passing wave essentially stretches space in one direction and causes it to shrink in another.

Scientists hope that by detecting these waves, it may be possible to see parts of the universe that have remained hidden from conventional telescopes that use visible light, radio waves and X-rays.

It may also allow them to see black holes directly for the first time and perhaps even unravel the mysteries of dark matter, which is the invisible material that makes up around 80 per cent of the universe.

A number of physicists now claim the team working on Ligo is analysing signals it believes are proof of gravitational waves.

Dr Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist at Arizona State University, said he had received independent confirmation of the Ligo team's success.

Writing on Twitter, he said: 'Stay tuned! Gravitational waves may have been discovered!! Exciting.'

However, it is not the first time speculation about the discovery of gravitational waves has set tongues wagging.

In September, Dr Krauss said he had heard rumours of a gravitational wave signal again being detected at Ligo, less than a week after it began making observations following an upgrade.

My earlier rumor about LIGO has been confirmed by independent sources. Stay tuned! Gravitational waves may have been discovered!! Exciting.  Lawrence M. Krauss (@LKrauss1) January 11, 2016

At the time he gave it a '10-15 per cent' likelihood of being correct.

However, a spokesman for Ligo, which uses detectors in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana, refused to confirm the rumours.

WHAT IS LIGO? It is believed an experiment called the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Ligo) has picked up signals from these waves just a few months after starting. The Ligo detector uses lasers inside 5 mile-long (8km) concrete pipes that bounce back and forth to measure disturbances caused by gravitational waves coming from outer space. In 2014 the Bicep2 telescope at the south pole also sparked a flurry of excitement when astronomers were rumoured to have detected evidence for gravitational waves from the early universe. However, the astronomers later revealed the signal was caused by dust and the European Space Agency said analysis had found no conclusive evidence for gravitational waves. Speaking about the latest rumours from Ligo, Professor Gabriela Gonzalez, a physicist at Louisiana State University and spokesman for Ligo said: 'The Ligo instruments are still taking data today, and it takes us time to analyse, interpret and review results, so we don't have any results to share yet.' Advertisement

The Ligo detector uses lasers inside 5 mile-long (8km) concrete pipes that bounce back and forth to measure disturbances caused by gravitational waves coming from outer space.

Speaking about the latest rumours from Ligo, Professor Gabriela Gonzalez, a physicist at Louisiana State University and spokesman for Ligo told MailOnline: 'We are still taking data this week, and it takes months to analyze the data, interpret and review the results.

'We will share results when ready - we hope in a month or two from now, but of course we'll take the time we need to carefully review our results.

'The LIGO detectors have performed very well, with 3-4 times more sensitivity to binary neutron stars coalescences than we had in initial LIGO.

'The detectors have the the potential of being 10 times more sensitive than initial LIGO, and this year we expect the Virgo detector to join the network, so there are very exciting time ahead.'

In 2014 the Bicep2 telescope at the south pole also sparked a flurry of excitement when astronomers were rumoured to have detected evidence for gravitational waves from the early universe.

However, the astronomers later revealed the signal was caused by dust and the European Space Agency said analysis had found no conclusive evidence for gravitational waves.

Last month, the latest experiment to join the search for gravitational waves was launched by the European Space Agency from Kourou in French Guiana.

The Lisa Pathfinder spacecraft will use two free-floating gold platinum alloy cubes, held in a vacuum, to detect the tiny disturbances that may indicate a passing gravitational wave.

The spacecraft is a test for a much more ambitious mission called the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or Lisa.

The Ligo detector uses lasers inside 5 mile-long (8km) concrete pipes (pictured) that bounce back and forth to measure disturbances caused by gravitational waves coming from outer space

Einstein's Theory of General Relativity predicts gravitational waves (illustrated), that are ripples in the fabric of space-time. Despite the theory being 100 years old, they have not been found, mainly because they're so tiny. Hopes are high they will discovered this year by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory

Three spacecraft flying three million miles apart will be launched to fire laser beams at each other across the emptiness of space.

Due to the huge distances between the spacecraft, it will allow scientists to detect very low frequency gravitational waves.

The detection of gravitational waves is expected to be one of the major scientific breakthroughs of 2016 under predictions by a number of scientists.

However, many fear spreading rumours of discoveries before data has been properly analysed and reviewed, can lead to false expectations.

Gravitational waves were predicted under Albert Einstein's (pictured) General Theory of Relativity in 1916, but have since remained elusive. Many have even questioned whether Einstein made a mistake in his theory
Half the celebrity world - including singer Rita Ora and Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley - have been carousing on Miamis famous beach. Everyone else in the know (and with a few million to spare) is buying up property. Last year, more than 4.9 million cruise passengers sailed through its port.

Whats going on?

Well, the climate helps. While were shivering and sheltering from the rain in the UK, the weather in this part of Florida is up in the mid-20s.

It's a beach beauty: Miami has long been a favourite destination for a week on the Florida beach

The changing arts scene is upping the temperature, too. Art Basel - a cultural showcase which stages art fairs around the world - regularly brings in dealers and innovative artists. Last years festival was bigger than ever, with 77,000 visitors.

A new art museum, Perez, opened in 2013, featuring contemporary works from the US, Caribbean and Latin America. And theres a lively street art scene, the best of which can be seen in the former factory area Wynward. Here, one wall - with its wild splashes of colour by graffiti artist Rafael Sliks - is not dissimilar to the creations of Jackson Pollock.

There are some wonderful new hotels.

Faena, at the north end of South Beach, is pure theatre. There are gold columns and cossetting scarlet all over the place  from the toiletries to the bedroom curtains  and extraordinary art.

On the look-out: The Faena Hotel occupies a superb spot at the north end of the famous South Beach

Have you ever seen a mammoth skeleton embossed with gold leaf? Me neither. But theres one here by Damien Hirst called Gone But Not Forgotten, displayed in a climate-controlled box on the terrace. You can see it from the beach - and it is illuminated at night.

There is also an exotic mural in the entrance by Argentinian born artist Juan Gatti, which features flamingos, palms, tropical birds and skulls, transporting you into a fantasy jungle. A theme which is continued throughout.

This is the vision of Argentine developer Alan Faena, in collaboration with film director Baz Luhrmann. And it extends to the surrounding area - the Faena Forum, when it opens later this year, will hold art installations, intimate concerts, a theatre and a bazaar-style shopping area.

Bright, breezy: Rita Ora (left) is a big fan of Miami; (right) urban graffiti in the rising Wynward area of the city

And then there is that beach. Its on your doorstep. Skip across the boardwalk and you can explore its ten miles of sand and sample the life and soul of Miami. One morning, I take an Aeroga class  a mixture of yoga and aerobics  that has my heart thumping.

On a more leisurely ramble, I see people practising yoga on the sand, wiry retirees walking purposefully with little dogs, cyclists, and even someone on roller blades. Long live the Nineties.

More people are out and about in the shadier afternoons - but despite the many hotels which back onto its sands, it is still not crowded. Brightly painted lifesaving posts make colourful markers.

Making a trunk call: The Faena hotel is so chic that it can even boast a Damien Hirst artwork on its terrace

In one spot, something involving police cars is being filmed. In another, an artist is sculpting voluptuous mermaids from the sand - while, on the rocks, a model is being photographed in provocative swimwear.

You can walk from Faena to the renowned Ocean Drive - with its Art Deco flourishes - in around 40 minutes (or hire a citibike from 2.80 for 30 minutes).

In Coast To Coast, Jan Morris described 1950s Collins Avenue, which runs parallel to Ocean Drive as, a street of nightmarish hotels, each more feverishly grotesque than the last, pink and saffron and blue, with ....a constant stream of visitors, like a flood of some barbarous beverage, forever moving in and out of their doors.

But I like the pina colada paint job on Ocean Drive, although it is similarly busy and has just a touch of the tawdry. Bars line the streets, cream Bentleys cruise the tarmac, drunks sway along the pavements and you can have your fortune told by a South Beach psychic.

Up and coming: The Wynward Walls mural, painted by Rafael Sliks, is an eye-catching piece of urban colour

The north end of Collins Avenue is a classier turn.

Here, you can start or end the evening in The Regent Cocktail Club at the Gale Hotel. Or sit outside in the enveloping warmth of a Miami evening at 27 Restaurant and Bar, to dine on tasty American tapas. Dont be fooled, the portions are not small. This is America, after all.

Round that off with a Smoke and Sparks cocktail (tequila, jalapeno, lime, flaming salt) in the bar back at Faena and youll be as convinced as I am that Miami is still living the dream.
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To be transported to prehistoric landscapes you could try one of several creature-feature Hollywood movies available on DVD.

Or you could just go to Scotland.

These incredible photographs by 25-year-old George Turner, from Dorset, highlight the timeless, rugged beauty of its landscape. Save for the occasional road and castle, they're almost like a window to the land before time.

Turner said: 'The landscape feels so other-worldly. There are so many crags, crevasses and hidden valleys that it's impossible to get bored. I'm heading back in early March to photograph some of Scotland's amazing wildlife, including the critically endangered Scottish wildcat.'

Turner, who's been a professional photographer for just a few months, wanted to capture the locations' incredible variations in light. He added: 'It can go from amazing golden hues through to total darkness within the space of a minute.'

Whether taken in sunshine or gloom, the images are thoroughly enlightening.

The iconic Buachaille Etive Mor. 'There are few places in the UK - if not the world - that are as striking as this mountain,' said Turner

Turner said: 'The Cuillin Hills are famed for their sharp, knife-edged ridges. Who needs the Alps?'

'Roads through the Quiraing remind us that we're not actually on Mars but on home turf,' said Turner. 'Sheer beauty'

'There are no dinosaurs or Orcs on Skye, although in the Quiraing you'd be forgiven for thinking there are,' said Turner

Formed from a giant ancient landslide, the Old Man of Storr stands proudly above the Skye landscape

Sunset at the end of the earth. 'Neist Point is famed for its fiery sunsets and it's easy to see why,' said Turner

Named Kilt Rock for the rock formation resembling that of its namesake, this waterfall flows straight into the ocean from a nearby loch

Put on the map by 2012's Skyfall, Glen Etive is a place of quiet and beauty. 'Untouched perfection,' said Turner

Turner said: 'Sunsets on Skye are a tapestry of colour. This particular one had the impression of a huge explosion in the clouds'
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For some of us, owning a home by the sea is something of a dream. But for the Bajau Laut, stateless sea gypsies who live off the coast of Borneo, life on the water is just a part of who they are.

Traditionally, these boat dwelling nomads are from the many islands of the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines but many have migrated to the neighbouring area of Sabah, Borneo, due to the conflict in Muslim Mindanao. They have no citizenship and therefore no rights to public amenities or schools.

The unique community have become a disappearing tribe in recent years owing to dwindling trade and food supplies. And now, an increasing number of Bajau Laut are moving closer to the mainland for work - a move that could mean an end to this way of life.

Canadian photographer Mark Lehn travelled to Sabah, Borneo, in September 2015 where he captured these striking images.

Lehn said: 'I think it's amazing this culture still exists in our modern society. But I do see that it's going to be very difficult for the Bajau Laut to live a traditional life at sea in the future, with so many challenges associated with being a stateless community.

He added: 'Seeing these people and being the recipient of their kindness really made me appreciate some of the more simple things in life and the connection between people and our environment.'

Insalmali and Muslina are an elderly Bajau Laut couple that live off Bodgaya Island. They are nomadic sea gypsies who are stateless

Riki is cooking fish 'kuppu' on her family's Lepa Lepa, or boat. Bajau Laut live on the water year round and the children don't go to school

Traditionally, these boat dwellers are from the many islands of the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines but many now live in Borneo

A Bajau Laut woman stands on her Lepa Lepa, or boat, near Bodgaya Island. They rely on the sea for trade and for food sources

A Bajau Laut husband and wife fishing off Denawan Island. Their catch is vital to their survival and can be used for trade and for food

A young man fishing underwater. The water is crystal clear but depleting fish in the ocean have posed a big challenge to the tribe

The Bajau Laut community off Bodgaya Island where they dwell in small groups of stilted huts close to the coast but always on water

Bajau Laut women like Indda (pictured) wear pounded rice powder to protect their skin from sun damage caused by the water's reflection

Many Bajau Laut have migrated to Sabah, Borneo due to the conflict in Muslim Mindanao. However, they don't have Malaysian citizenship

This fascinating culture is today at risk, with increasing numbers of boat dwelling families moving to the mainland to seek work

These young Bajau Laut teenagers on Kulapaun Island may look 'menacing' with their make-shift balaclavas, however they are worn as sun protection for fishing in the shallow water

Boats belonging to the Bajau Laut float on the waters. It could be a way of the past as more people move to the mainland for work

Mark Lehn said: 'I had heard of sea gypsies around South East Asia and was intrigued with the idea of a culture living entirely at sea'

Saburan relies on the sea for food. Here, he's holding a horse-shoe crab - one which doesn't have the claws you see on other crabs

Sanglia is cooking tapioca in her family's boat. They live a simple life on the water and move from place to place for trade and food

Fewer and fewer Bejau Laut live a traditional life entirely at sea. Families like this one do not have land-based houses but instead live on tiny traditional wooden boats

A young man getting ready to find fish. He is wearing a simple diving gear of googles with just a length of plastic tubing for oxygen

A Bajau Laut woman stands beside a stilt house where some of the nomadic tribes dwell. Others simply live on their Lepa Lepa boats

Above, the fish dinner on a boat, is simple and rustic - much like the life that many of the Bajau Laut people live while on the water

Styling a customer's hair: Vina is a transgender hairdresser living in a Bajau community on the resort island of Mabul

Lehn said: 'I think it's amazing this culture still exists in our modern society. But I do see that it's going to be very difficult for the Bajau Laut to live a traditional life at sea in the future, with so many challenges associated with being a stateless community'

Rano is a spear fisherman and is hunting for sea urchins. The pristine waters of the sea off Borneo makes his job much easier

Large extended families live in split houses off Denawan Island in Sabah. There's a little more room in these but a boat is still vital

After a successful day fishing the catch are salted so they can be saved for later or preserved for days when the catch is not as good
A tourist fell in love with a dying stray dog just hours before she had to go home and later traced him to give him a new lease on life.

Ursula Vari from Los Angeles in California, was on holiday in Peru when the pooch approached her in pain, moments before her flight home was due to take off.

Vari stayed with the dog, which she later named Charlie, for about 20 minutes - enough for him to make a lasting impression.

Boarding her plane home, Vari said she couldn't stop thinking about the pup, who was completely bald and had 'raw paws from walking endless miles on the melting concrete'.

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When Ursula met Charlie in Peru, he had been battered, abandoned and even hit by several cars

In August, Ursula returned to Peru to collect her new companion who she had rescued from the streets

The fluffy white dog is now enjoying life with another rescue dog at Vari's home in Los Angeles

Landing in the US the following day, the keen traveller said that she knew she had to rescue the dog, who she believed had been battered, abandoned and even hit by several cars during his time on the streets.

Calling around local rescue centres, Vari described the pooch, who she had only known for half an hour, and sent pictures through in emails, asking staff to track him down.

Waiting up night after night to hear any news, the Los Angeles native finally received an email three days later - and it was from rescue group, Amazon Cares, who revealed they had found Charlie.

Charlie was completely bald and had 'raw paws from walking endless miles on the melting concrete'

The pooch had mixed dermatitis, mites, bacterial dermatitis, mange, and severe acute malnutrition

Writing on a video on her YouTube channel, Vari said that the dog was in so much pain he just wanted to disappear

After being told without medical care he would have days to live, Charlie underwent a medicated bath

The email stated that the mutt had mixed dermatitis, mites, bacterial dermatitis, mange, and severe acute malnutrition, and he was being prepared for a medicated bath and evaluation.

Vets revealed that Charlie would have only had a few days left to live at most without medical attention.

Raising money online, Vari paid for the pooch's health bills and received daily updates on his progress. After a few weeks, she opened an email containing a photo that showed specks of hair regrowing on his once-bare skin and 'burst out crying'.

In August, almost four months after she met Charlie, Vari flew back to Peru to bring him home to Los Angeles

The traveller said that although they had only met for 20 minutes more than four months before their reunion, Charlie new exactly who she was

Kissing upon their reunion, the happy duo headed to the airport to board their flight to LA

Writing on The Dodo, Vari said: 'His skin [was] raw, covered with mange that resembled parasitic volcanoes erupting hot lava. He mirrored a reptile with scabs covering the majority of his frail body. I swear, I could hear his vacuous wailing stomach. My heart sank as I kneeled down to comfort him.

'In August, almost four months after I met Charlie, I flew back to Peru to bring him home to Los Angeles. When I walked through the gate at the shelter, my heart pumped so much blood I almost fainted from excitement.

'We only met once, for about 20 minutes, a few months back, but when he saw me, he knew exactly who I was. He almost tipped me over with his kisses.'

After flying over to Peru, Vari took the pup back with her to her American home where he even joins her at yoga classes

Since then he has experienced a lot for the first time, including walking on a lead, riding - and being sick - in a car, and even his first relationship with fellow rescue dog, Gelsemina

After flying over to Peru, Vari took the pup back with her to her American home.

Since then he has experienced a lot for the first time, including walking on a lead, riding - and being sick - in a car, and even his first relationship with fellow rescue dog, Gelsemina.

Speaking about Charlie, who she is learning Spanish for as it is the only language he knows, Vari added: 'On a daily basis, he teaches me patience, and that love doesn't know colour, breed, age or borders. Every night now, I go to sleep every night with Charlie on my left, Gelsemina on my right and my book of 'Short Spanish Phrases' on my chest.'

Charlie stares through a window at the garden (left) and poses with his girlfriend, Gelsemina (right)

Vari said: 'On a daily basis, he teaches me patience, and that love doesn't know colour, breed, age or borders.'
They may be keeping photos of young Saint West under wraps, but that doesn't mean mom can't brag a little.

And that's exactly what Kim Kardashian did as she filmed a livestream for her app and website on Friday.

The 35-year-old had her little bundle of joy just off-screen as she began streaming, and couldn't help but gush: 'He's so cute, you guys!'

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Baby talk: Kim Kardashian couldn't help but gush over baby son Saint West, who was off camera as she livestreamed from her app/website on Friday

Kim continued to chat with her little boy, who could be heard gurgling from off-screen, asking: 'You wanna talk on my livestream?'

Eventually she called for the baby to be brought to her brother Rob (also off-screen), but not before disclosing that 'Sainty' was so cute, 'you have no idea.'

The mother-of-two - who posed for the camera in tight French braids, a form-fitting black top, and a coordinating, fur-lined jacket - later called to Rob to discuss how cute her and Kanye West's son was.

She can be heard shouting to her brother: 'He looks kinda like just like me, don't you think? He's so cute  he looks just like me!'

See more of the latest on Kim Kardashian as she gushes about her newborn son Saint

Mysterious: So far, Kim and husband Kanye West have kept photos of Saint - aside from this one, of his hand holding big sister North's - under wraps

Coordinating: For the video Kim showed off her new favorite hairstyle, while also sporting a fitted black top and fur-lined jacket

But then the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star laughed, assuring fans she had been joking as she insisted: 'Jk, jk, guys.'

Oddly, on Friday night at the NAACP Image Awards, Khloe's best friend Malika Haqq told People that Saint looks like neither Kim nor Kanye. 'He looks like Nori,' said the E! star, referring to Kim's first child, daughter North West.

During the six-minute livestream, Kim also opened a special package she had received from younger sister Kylie Jenner, 18, containing all six of her recently sold-out lip kit shades.

'Kim, thank you for being such a hardworking and dedicating influence,' Kylie wrote, in a special note to her sister, included along with the lipstick.

Sister act: The reality star filmed herself opening a package from younger sister Kylie Jenner, which included a heartfelt note

Jealous? However, as she looked through the goodies Kylie sent her, and realized that Kylie's dog, their grandmother, and sister Khloe had lipsticks named after them, she wondered: 'Should I be offended that I didn't get a name?'

However, as sweet as that was, Kim quickly notices that Khloe has a shade named after her - Koko K - as does her grandmother - Mary Jo K - and Kylie's dog - Dolce K.

'Should I be offended that I didn't get a name?' she wonders, before admitting that 'Grandma definitely deserved one.'

After opening the product Kim runs into her mother Kris Jenner, who informs her that all of Kylie's lip kits had sold out in only 28 minutes on Friday.

Good news! The mother-of-two ran into her mom - Kris Jenner - during the livestream, who informed her that Kylie's lip kits had all sold out that morning in only 28 minutes

New beauty must: Kim also gushed about her new love for French braids, as they make 'my face look skinny since nothing else really looks that skinny yet'

Then, before heading over to older sister Kourtney's place, Kim concludes the livestream by discussing her new favorite look, French braids.

She reveals that it began as merely a way to give her hair a break after all of the styling and damage it goes through, but that she's come to love it.

'It makes my face look skinny since nothing else really looks that skinny yet,' the reality star admitted.

Kisses! The E! star - who has recently returned to taping for season 12 of Keeping Up with the Kardashians -signed off of the livestream with a kiss to the camera, as she hurried off to visit older sister Kourtney

Something's brewing: The star hinted something was in the works in the caption of an Instagram selfie shared on Saturday, which contained the hashtag '#SecretProject'

Kisses! The mother-of-two puckered up for the camera as she declared in the caption, 'LOVE YOU GUYS!!!'

Hearts: Kardashian Instagrammed a video of herself blowing a heart out of smoke, however the smoke was fake and a visual effect
She's known for her reality TV past and outspoken personality.

So it's no surprise that Kelly Osbourne is reportedly ruffling some feathers in her new role as a judge on Australia's Got Talent.

According to the latest issue of New Idea, Kelly allegedly has a number of 'diva demands' that have left staff backstage 'walking around on eggshells' so they don't upset the 31-year-old.

Diva demands? New Idea claims that Kelly Osbourne is ruffling feathers backstage on Australia's Got Talent with her Hollywood behaviour

One bizarre request in particular is that Kelly has allegedly banned anybody from chewing gum, as 'the sound annoys her.'

New Idea also claims, via an unnamed insider, that there's a sign on the reality TV star's door warning people not to disturb her and that she insists on constant touch-ups from the Channel 9 glam squad.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 9 for comment.

No chewing allowed! The magazine reports that Kelly has banned anybody from chewing gum because the sound annoys her

High maintenance: The 31-year-old allegedly insists on constant make-up touch-ups from the show's glam squad to keep her looking camera ready at all times

Despite the magazine's claims of backstage drama, it seems that Kelly is getting along with her co-hosts like a house on fire.

The former Fashion Police host has struck up a friendship with Sophie Monk and the pair are often seeing enjoying themselves in selfies splashed across social media.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia at the David Jones Autumn/Winter fashion launch in Sydney on last week, the American star said: Her and I may wear pretty dresses and have all the eyelashes, but were bogans.

She added: Its so nice to work with a woman who is not competitive, we just have so much fun. You have no idea.

'Were bogans!' The reality TV star has struck up a close friendship with co-host Sophie Monk, telling the Daily Mail Australia last week that they're both bogans despite their glamorous appearance

Its so nice to work with a woman who is not competitive, we just have so much fun. You have no idea,' gushed Kelly

Kelly admitted she had not always been as fond of the Australian star as she revealed: I had seen her about in LA, but because she was so pretty I was too scared to talk to her.

But then from the first day, it was just instant. I get on and hang out with all the judges, we were all together on Sunday.

The purple-haired star gushed: Im so lucky to work not only here in this country but with the people I work with too.

And Kelly made it clear that she has been thoroughly enjoying her time Down Under as she said: Australias Got Talent had been amazing. To have the balls to get up there in front of the judges is a talent in itself. I have been blown away by the talent in this country and Im so honoured to be a part of it.

Im so lucky to work not only here in this country but with the people I work with too:' Kelly has nothing but kind words for her fellow co-hosts
She never fails to put a foot wrong when it comes to an evening on the red carpet.

So it was little surprise to see Coronation Street's Catherine Tyldesley putting on a stunning sartorial display as she arrived as the guest of honour at a corporate event, in Manchester.

Arriving at the 'MAD ball' on Sunday night, at the Hilton hotel, the 32-year-old actress showcased her incredible figure in a blue gown, as she stepped out alongside her co-star, Katie McGlynn.

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Blue beauty: Coronation Street's Catherine Tyldesley put on a stunning sartorial display as she arrived as the guest of honour at a corporate event, in Manchester on Sunday evening

Attending the event, held by Mark Andrew Developments Limited for their staff, the soap star channelled a classic and elegant look in her floor-length frock.

Showcasing her slim curves to the max in the figure-hugging cobalt blue dress, Catherine oozed a risque yet elegant air.

Accentuating and highlighting her bust and derriere thanks to the fit of the garment, the actress' dress also featured a tapering trail which fell loose and away to the floor at the knee.

Rounding her outfit off with a pair of silver sparkling stilettos, the actress further accentuated her figure.

Chic co-stars: Arriving at the 'MAD ball' on Sunday night, at the Hilton hotel, the 32-year-old actress showcased her increidble figure in a blue gown, as she stepped out alongside co-star Katie McGlynn

Keeping focus firmly on her dress, the actress left her look uncluttered and accessorised with a small metallic clutch and a pair of bejewelled earrings.

Wearing her blonde locks in a perfectly styled, back-swept do, the Manchester native let her golden locks tumble down around her shoulders in cascading, curling waves.

And choosing to showcase her naturally striking looks, the cobbles favourite opted for a natural palette of make-up; choosing to highlight her eyes with a flash of mascara and her lips with s lick of lip gloss.

Arriving at the event alongside Catherine was fellow Corrie star Katie McGlynn, who chose to follow a more sultry route with her evening attire.

From Weatherfield with style: Showcasing her slim curves to the max in the figure-hugging cobalt blue dress, Catherine oozed a risque yet elegant air

Slipping her slender frame into a figure-hugging black halter-neck gown, the 22-year-old actress showed off her toned arms whilst also showcasing her trim and slim figure.

Featuring a bandage effect on the torso, Katie's dress also sported a daring semi-sheer cutaway panel just underneath her bust.

The figure-hugging black number mimicked the nature of Catherine's garment, and followed the contour of her slim and curvaceous figure to the knee before falling away.

The young soap star rounded her wardrobe off with a pair of black stiletto heels, which feature gold detailing in the strap, enabling her to further highlight her form.

Backless in black: Slipping her slender frame into a figure-hugging black halter-neck gown, 22-year-old Katie showed off her toned arms whilst also showcasing her trim and slim figure

Katie wore her blonde lock styled into a back swept ponytail, which let the actress show off her natural features.

Using a subtle foundation and nude lipstick, Katie drew full focus to her eyes using a heavy black smokey eye effect.

The two actresses posed up a storm for the cameras as they arrived at the Manchester-based company's late staff party.

However they weren't the only guests from Weatherfield at the event, as Bruno Langley was also in attendance at the event with a raven-haired female friend.
She may be unlucky-in-love herself, and heading towards her second divorce.

But Cheryl Fernandez-Versini had no issue in lavishing praise on her best friend Kimberley Walsh on her Barbados-based wedding day.

Along with a stunning photo from the big day itself in Hello! magazine - which saw the blushing bride flaunt her amazing lace gown - Cheryl didn't hold back in letting the world know how proud she is of her closest pal.

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Bridal beauty: Kimberley Walsh has given fans the first glimpse of the white lace cut-out wedding gown she wore while tying the knot to new husband Justin Scott last month. She's pictured above with bridesmaids Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts

The bridesmaid said: 'The only way I could describe her is breathtaking. She literally took my breath away.

'I have seen Kimberley in so many beautiful outfits and with gorgeous hair and make up over the years, but this was on another level. And her beauty was coming from the inside out.'

'To watch your best friend marry the love of her life and having experienced their relationship flourish over so many years is something I have never experienced before.

'It's meant the world to me to be a part of their special day and I wish them all the love and happiness in the world because nobody deserves it more.'

Let's celebrate: Kimberley Walsh and partner Justin Scott certainly pulled out all the stops to ensure their big day, but the new husband admits that he didn't escape a telling off from Kimberley after failing to look at her walking down the aisle

Despite her own personal woes - she is currently embroiled in a split from her husband of 18 months Jean-Bernard - Cheryl beamed happily in the shot, showing off her lovely dress along with the happy couple and fellow bridesmaid and former Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts.

Meanwhile, Kimberley looked absolutely serene in the semi-sheer lace gown which featured a racy split which she wore down the aisle at her Barbados wedding last month.

However, despite the bride looking amazing, she didn't think twice about telling off dapper Justin after he failed to turn around to watch her walk down the aisle.

BFFs: In the interview, Cheryl, pictured hugging Kimberley aboard a catamaran the day after the wedding revealed her pride in being part of her best friend's big day, saying: 'To watch your best friend marry the love of her life... is something I have never experienced before'

Get ready to party... just don't take a photo: All guests - including Kimberley's former bandmates Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Nicola Roberts - were sent a detailed list of activities as the couple pulled out all the stops for their big celebrations

Property developer Scott, 33, told the publication: 'I couldn't wait to see her. Although I quickly realised I was in the doghouse even before we were husband and wife when her first words to me at the altar were, "Why didn't you turn round?"'

He was forced to explain to Walsh - while standing in front of all their guests at the altar - that the minister had told him not to.

He continued: 'When I did, though ... wow. She just looked incredible; more gorgeous than I've ever seen her.'

Letting loose: Cheryl - who is currently said to be planning to divorce second husband Jean-Bernard - appeared to get her mojo back as she cut shapes at the party

Stunning: Kimberley kept with the bridal theme in a sheer lace sun dress at the post-wedding party, while Nicola opted for a blue shirt dress and matching bikini

The couple, who have a son, Bobby, walked down the aisle surrounded by their showbiz friends and family in Barbados last week.

It emerged at the time that the pair pulled out all the stops to ensure their congregation had a ball.

All guests - including Kimberley's former bandmates Cheryl and Nicola - were sent a detailed list of activities they could expect to enjoy over the three-day celebrations.

The couple met their pals and relatives for cocktails and canapes on the eve of the wedding at the luxurious Drift Ocean Terrace Lounge, one of the hotspots in Holetown. St. James.

They were then whisked in private cars to St James' Parish Church to see the couple exchange vows, before dinner and dancing at The Cliff.

After a night of partying, guests were treated to a Sunday of cruising the crystal-clear waters on a catamaran, where they could swim with turtles.

Big day: The couple walked down the aisle at the St James Parish Church in Holetown, with guests being ferried to the place of worship from their hotels

Celebrity arrivals: Denise Van Outen and her partner Eddie Boxshall were the first guests to arrive at the wedding on Saturday

Lookimg good: The blonde performer and her man headed-up a celebrity guestlist in Barbados as the Girls Aloud singer finally tied the knot

However, the idyllic trip did come at a personal price - all guests were banned from taking any pictures of the three-day celebrations as the couple have cut a reported six-figure deal with a magazine.

The couple were so insistent that guests didn't take a cheeky snap, they dished out stickers so the camera was blocked out on all phones.

Among those sent the instructions was one of Kimberley's close showbiz pals, Denise Van Outen.

The 41-year-old blonde and her man headed-up the celebrity guestlist as they arrived at St James Parish Church for the nuptials, which saw Cheryl and Nicola acting as bridesmaids.

Looking glam as she stepped out in the sunshine, passers-by watched as the TV presenter and actress put on a leggy display in her summery ensemble.

Wearing a yellow and green dress which was fitted to her form, she certainly dressed to impress for the big event, set just off the main street.

Carrying a gold YSL clutch bag with a pair of silver, strappy shoes, the mother-of-one walked a fine line between sexy and occasion-appropriate.

Meanwhile, her handsome stockbroker beau looked dapper in a light blue suit, which he matched with a blue shirt and matching tie.

Stepping out with a pair of designer sunglasses, he was the ideal plus-one for Denise.

Together, they put on a stylish display alongside a host of like-minded guests, who included Cheryl's mum, Joan Callaghan.

Here comes the dress! The pop star's bridal gown was carried to the venue by a duo of assistants

Other guests at the bash included close members of Kimberley's family, including her lookalike mother.

Wearing a grey dress emblazoned with white flowers, the matriarchal figure looked somewhat nervous as she made her way to the church.

On the day, hours before the bride and her husband-to-be arrived at the oldest church on the island, final preparations could be seen by passers-by as a group of local handymen got to work.

However, the church doors remain unblocked, suggesting the just-married couple will make a traditional grand exit, confetti and all, following the intimate ceremony.

Inside, the antiquated building is Romanesque in design mixed with traditional Anglican touches - making it the perfect spot for the couple's low-key nuptials.

Here comes the bride: The former Girls Aloud singer entered the church via the sheltered walkway in order to avoid unveiling her dress before the ceremony

Taking no risks: Security were on hand to avoid any one interfering with the set-up

Perfect weather: Kimberley and Justin had the sun on their side as clear-blue skies blessed their big day

Suited to the 30C and above temperatures at this time of year, the building is made from light, local limestone, complete with mahogany beams.

It features just enough space for friends and family to gather, seating 550 and with 360 standing spaces on offer.

The church was built originally in 1628 but has been reconstructed twice in its history and is thought to be among four of the last remaining Anglican churches on the island.

Romantic: The venue is the oldest church in Barbados, meaning the ceremony will no doubt be steeped in tradition

Romanesque: The venue is built supported by mahogany beams and features stain glass windows

Enough room for all: It's expected to hold just enough room for friends and family

Read the full article and see the world exclusive wedding photographs in Hello! out now

Previously, The Mirror reported that Kimberley was due to wed outdoors at the luxury Bellevue Plantation.

She obtained the wedding certificate, accompanied by boyfriend Justin, on Tuesday and is now thought to be sharing the big day between the two idyllic locations.

Kimberley and Justin, who have been dating for 13 years, arrived in the Caribbean last Monday with their 18-month-old son Bobby as they started prep for their highly-anticipated nuptials.

The island spot, which is said to cost 10,000-a-day to hire, boasts a main house with a host of luxury features, including full staff and an array of optional beauty treatments.

The main house on the island contains eight bedrooms, suggesting other guests, including Cheryl and Nicola, will be staying at guest cottages on the idyllic island.

Photographs of the venue revealed stunning views, dreamy white sand beaches with turquoise seas and the grand mansion at the centre of the home.
Last year Lauren Brant was involved in an alleged affair with former NRL player Beau Ryan.

But in the months since the scandal she has changed many aspects of her life, and it appears that she is still reinventing herself as she showed off her new cropped bob haircut on Sunday.

The 26-year-old snapped a selfie of her new do, with honey blonde highlights throughout and posted the image on Instagram.

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Fresh new do: Lauren Brant still reinventing herself as she showed off her new cropped bob haircut on Sunday as she moves on from her alleged affair with NRL star Beau Ryan

'HAD to do a good old car selfie as I just got ma "hair did" at the one and only Mow Hair,' she captioned the post.

The former Hi-5 singer beamed towards the camera and showed off her haircut, with a new side fringe that covered her right eye.

She covered her lips in a slick of pale pink lipstick and highlighted her eyes with a swipe of eyeliner for her outing to the salon.

This is a fresh new look for Lauren, who previously sported shoulder length brunette tresses with balayage dyed highlights.

The new me: Her er previous look was shoulder length brunette tresses with balayage highlights

Lauren recently returned from a trip to Thailand that she heavily documented on social media.

The fitness enthusiast took part in ocean kayaking adventures, aerial yoga classes and gushed about the new friends she had made.

She has a new spiritual outlook on life and captioned one image of herself performing a yoga pose at sunrise, writing: 'Find your why today.....What is your reason? Let your absolute inner desires lead you and follow with openness and precaution. Listen to all, follow none. Foster a relationship with yourself.'

Escape: The former Hi-5 singer recently returned from a trip to Thailand that she heavily documented on social media

Bendy lady: The fitness enthusiast took part in ocean kayaking adventures, aerial yoga classes and gushed about the new friends she had made

Spiritual: She shared an image on Instagram as she performed a yoga pose and urged her followers to 'foster a relationship with themselves'

Scandal: In September last year, it was reported that Beau Ryan (pictured) retired Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks star reportedly embarked on an affair with the brunette beauty

In September last year, it was reported that Beau Ryan retired Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks star reportedly embarked on an affair with the brunette beauty.

Lauren's fiance at the time, personal trainer Warren Riley, took the story to Woman's Day, after allegedly discovering a text exchange between the former Hi-5 member and her friend who asked her what was going on with Ryan.

When pushed, Lauren is said to have confessed to a romance with married Beau - when they starred together in Sydney's production of Aladdin And His Wondrous Lamp back in July.

Turning to social media in a bid to appear nonchalant in wake of the scandal, the former reality star wrote on Instagram the same month: Find your light and let the light find you x, beside an image of herself with light shining from behind.

Her engagement with Warren ended soon after the news of the scandal broke.
War And Peace

Rating:

Of all the worlds great novels, War And Peace has the worst ending. Its a stinker, and then some. If, inspired by the glittering TV drama, youre planning to tackle this 560,000-word colossus of a book, do yourself a favour and skip the last 100 pages.

It isnt just the dozen final chapters of laboured droning about the philosophy of history and the irrelevance of great men.

What ruins War And Peace is Tolstoys epilogue depicting family life for his characters eight years after Napoleons retreat from Moscow.

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James Norton's Prince Andrei, pictured, was one of six characters to die in the finale of War and Peace

He imagines Nikolai as a brutish landowner, bickering with his wife Marya and beating the peasants to keep them in line.

His senile mother lives with them, as does his childhood sweetheart Sonya, an embittered old maid.

Prince Andreis son has grown up a nervous, twitching wreck, but most depressing of all is Natashas fate.

Shes a fat, slovenly nag. Fraught with jealousy over her husband Pierres absences, its been years since she danced or sang. Her life revolves around her four spoilt children. And shes only 28.

After loving and suffering with these characters for more than a thousand pages, all the reader can do is treat this nasty little sequel as a moronic joke and ignore it.

That, thank heavens, is what screenwriter Andrew Davies did at the climax of his sumptuous adaptation of War And Peace (BBC1).

Lily James' Natasha and Paul Dano's Pierre, pictured, enjoyed a happy ending unlike in the book

Instead, he gave us a glimpse of Natasha and her loved ones on a picnic in the sun-dappled Russian countryside, with Pierre gazing at her in adoration as their children and Maryas chased butterflies in the blurred grass, and the air rang with Nikolais contented laughter.

Perhaps thats a bit too much happily ever after, but I know which ending I prefer.

Though it has not been without flaws, this six-part vision of the Tsarist aristocracys absurdly romantic existence has been exhilarating.

When they werent wrapped in furs and rushing in sleds through snow-laden forests, the lovers in this whirling story were eloping or duelling or galloping into battle or waltzing themselves giddy.

Thanks to a 10million budget, we saw it all, photographed with ravishing attention to detail. Every scene was composed like an immense painting.

Sometimes, though, the picture was too crowded: every significant plotline in the book was squeezed into these six parts, with the result that it occasionally felt less like a drama and more like a students collection of revision notes.

This also meant that characters kept having to bring each other up to speed, with lines such as: This has broken him, and, You know were ruined.

The chanting monks on the soundtrack made it worse: we couldnt always make out the dialogue, especially the deathbed whispers and Paul Danos tortured mumbling as Pierre.

So, it wasnt perfect. It wasnt even close. But neither is the novel, and that remains one of the greatest works in all literature.

In the same way, this War And Peace is one of the most wonderful things ever shown on TV.

Greece

Rating:

Simon Reeve set out to make a Mediterranean travelogue in Greece (BBC2) and ended up with a very different documentary, as boatloads of refugees waded on to the island beaches.

It was a surreal sight: tourists taking selfies in the tavernas while caravans of destitute migrants shuffled past.

Reeve was speechless as he listened to one familys story. The father, a Syrian pharmacist with a wife and two daughters, explained their home had been bombed flat.

All they had were the clothes they stood up in and a phone with a flat battery.

But minutes later, as Reeve tried to help another woman and her baby who had collapsed in the heat, he was set upon by a gang of Muslim men who dragged the woman away, accusing her of shameless disobedience.

The presenter looked badly shaken, but then he tried to get back to ordinary travel show activities, like diving for sponges and flying a microlight.
In her breakout song she rhapsodies about finding a better lover in the UK.

And Elle King sealed the deal on Saturday when she got engaged to her British boyfriend Fergie.

The 26-year-old Ex's and Oh's singer shared the happy news with Instagram followers, after he popped the question in San Francisco Bay during a day out sailing.

Proposal: Elle King got engaged to her British boyfriend Fergie on Saturday

She captioned a picture looking delighted, with Fergie attempting to be on one knee: 'Fergie asked me to marry him on a sailboat under the Golden Gate Bridge. I said yes'.

Her new fiance also shared a post which showed him kissing Elle after his proposal.

Both wearing sunglasses, Fergie - who is Scottish and most likely using a nickname of the last name Ferguson - captioned: 'I asked this girl to marry me underneath the golden great bridge. Guess what? She said yes.'

Engaged: Her new fiance also shared a post which showed him kissing Elle after his proposal

Elle - who is the daughter of Saturday Night Live alum Rob Schneider and former model London King - has been sharing a romantic vacation in California with her husband-to-be.

The couple started their romantic road trip in Santa Monica before heading north to San Francisco.

They both shared loved-up images of their trip, including inscribing their initials in the sand on the beach.

Newly bethrothed: She shared a snap on Sunday at the Rolling Stone party, which she captioned: 'Red carpet for @rollingstone with my fiance @greatescapeglasgow ! Loving my beautiful dress by @cynthia_rowley !'

Cute couple: Elle also shared a picture as they set out on their sail boat trip, unaware he was about to get down on one knee

Smitten: They both shared loved-up images of their trip, including inscribing their initials in the sand on the beach.

So happy: They have been on a romantic road trip together in California

Nothing like a dame: They appear to be a perfect match

She shared a snap of the newly betrothed pair on Sunday at the Rolling Stone party, which she captioned: 'Red carpet for @rollingstone with my fiance @greatescapeglasgow ! Loving my beautiful dress by @cynthia_rowley !'

It's not known how long the couple have been dating, but Elle only started to appear on Fergie's Instagram feed one week ago.

And it appears to be something of a whirlwind for Elle too, who first referred to Fergie as her 'bae' only a week ago on a photograph together.

The voluptuous beauty made her acting debut in her dad's 1999 movie Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, before moving into music.

She's nominated for two Grammy Awards this year, which take place Sunday 15 February in Los Angeles.

Romance: It appears to be something of a whirlwind for Elle, who first referred to Fergie as her 'bae' only a week ago on Instagram

Whirlwind? It's not known how long the couple have been dating, but Elle only started to appear on Fergie's Instagram feed one week ago
He's not afraid of baring it all for the sake of his art, as he proved on film in 2008's Bronson.

So when the script for his latest project, mini-series Taboo, called for Tom Hardy to strip naked for a swim in a lake - the Hollywood star was more than obliging.

Busy filming scenes for the new BBC One and FX period collaboration in Essex last week, the Oscar nominee, 38, was forced to brave the elements and the cold water in nothing but his own skin.

Stripping off: Busy filming scenes for the new BBC One and FX period collaboration, Taboo, in Essex last week, Tom Hardy was forced to brave the elements and the cold water in nothing but his own skin

The Revenant star has been busy filming scenes for the Georgian drama in the South East and London, and thanks to a bizarre plot twist was asked to strip naked and swim through a lake.

But never one to shy away from the more risque and eye-raising requests of a director, Tom promptly stripped out of his costume revealing his muscular physique with no sense of modesty.

Already sporting a plethora of tattoos on his body, the Mad Max actor appeared to have spent some time in the make-up department, as he sported a variety of new, intricate geometric and banded tattoos across his body.

Daring to bare: The Revenant star, 38, has been busy filming scenes for the Georgian drama in the South East and London, and thanks to a bizarre plot twist was asked to strip naked and swim through a freezing cold lake

Undressing on a boat in the middle of the grey water, accompanied by another member of the cast, the actor appeared in his element as they filmed the bracing scene.

Sporting wry grins mid-take, Tom covered his modesty with a burlap bag he had just shoved his costume into, as he shared a laugh with his co-star.

However it looked as though it was back to action stations after the brief giggle, as the actor took the plunge, and threw himself overboard into the grey and murky waters.

Time to embrace the role: The British star seemed unphased as the camera rolled while he undressed in the rocking boat

Showing some skin: Shirtless and showing off some new body art, the actor cast brooding looks as he stuffed his costume into a burlap sack

Skin deep: Already sporting a plethora of tattoos on his body, the actor appeared to have spent some time in the make-up department, as he wore a variety of new, intricate geometric and banded tattoos across his body

Splashing around in the cold waters, Tom swam and waded his way back to shore where he promptly made a show of climbing out the lake - carefully flexing his muscles as he went.

Once out of the water and with the scene presumably finished, the London-born star was seen chatting animatedly to members of the cast, wrapped up in a thermal outdoor clothing.

Clearly relaxed with the pace of filming and life on set, Tom quietly chatted away as he toked on a vaporizer.

Not shying away from the role: Undressing on a boat in the middle of the grey water, accompanied by another member of the cast, the actor appeared in his element as they filmed the bracing scene

Getting the giggles? Sporting a wry grin mid-take, Tom covered his modesty with a burlap bag he had just shoved his costume into - while he and his co-star shared a laugh

Sharing is caring: The two actors appeared to have a fit of the giggles during the scene

For his latest role the actor has had his head shaved into a ragged fade 'do', while he is sporting a moustache and goatee for his role in the Victorian-based tale.

Taboo, due out later this year, tells the tale of adventurer James Keziah Delaney - who builds his own shipping empire in the early 1800s.

The mini-series, based on a story penned by Tom and his father Edward 'Chips' Hardy, sees Delaney return to Georgian Britain circa 1814 (during the Napoleon's second resurgence in Europe).

One last breath: The actor stood up to his full height in the boat, showing off his hulking frame, before leaping into the water

Easy does it: Leaning overboared, Tom threw modesty to the wind and prepared himself for the cold

A leap of faith: Shoving his body over the side of the boat , the actor committed himself to a huge jump

Making waves: Splashing down into the water Tom appaered to keep his head, and being the consuamte professioanl stayed in character

Following 10 years in Africa, Tom's character arrives back in London to discover that he has been left a mysterious legacy by his dead father.

Driven to wage a personal war of vengeance on those who have done him wrong, Delaney finds himself in conflict with the notorious and powerful East India Company, whilst also playing a dangerous game between two warring nations  Britain and the newly independent United States of America.

Directed by Kristoffer Nyholm, the eight-part American and British miniseries will also star House Of Cards actor Michael Kelly, Brazil star Jonathan Pryce and Game Of Thrones Oona Chaplin.

Running for shore: Wading and splashing ashore, The actor showed off more off the fake body art his body had been painted with

Almost there: Surging through the cold waters, the actor's flesh turned red as the cold started to seep in, however, he managed to remain in character

Casually does it: Tome sauntered away onto the grass as the crew filmed his exit into the cold wind

Polly Hill, Controller BBC Drama commissioning said in a statement: The talent on-and off-screen is incredible and I am so excited to see Steves captivating scripts come to life.

Tom Hardy and the rest of the cast are set to bring this original and spectacular story to life in a unique and epic way.

A release date has not been set for the series, but it is expected to air later this year on both BBC One and FX.

At ease: Clearly relaxed with the pace of filming and life on set, Tom quietly chatted away as he toked on a vaporizer
She smashed it out the park with a Super Bowl Halftime performance fitting of the Queen Bey.

And Beyonce made the most of the captive television audience of around 115 million to announce her Formation world tour on Sunday.

The 34-year-old singer revealed the Formation World Tour in a commercial, broadcast straight after the stellar performance with Coldplay and Bruno Mars at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

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Smashing it out the park: Beyonce made the most of the captive television audience of around 115 million to announce her world tour on Sunday

The star debuted new new track and album - also titled Formation - on Saturday and performed it for the first time on one of the biggest stages in the world on Sunday.

The commercial was remarkable for its simplicity, shot in black and white and showing an elegant and apparently naked Beyonce.

She is due to kick off the series of concerts at Marlins Park in Miami on April 27, before performing 21 additional stadium dates including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia and Dallas.

See Beyonce updates as she announces Formation world tour after Super Bowl

Big reveal: The 34-year-old singer announced the Formation World Tour in a commercial, broadcast straight after Sunday's stellar performance

Stark: The commercial was remarkable for its simplicity, shot in black and white and showing an elegant and apparently naked Beyonce

Fan-thriller: She is due to kick off the series of concerts at Marlins Park in Miami on April 27, before performing 21 additional stadium dates including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia and Dallas

The international leg of her tour kicks off at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, U.K. on June 28.

She plays Wembley Stadium in London on July 2, before moving to Europe with a date in Germany on July 12.

The 37-date tour concludes in Brussels on July 31, and tickets for the highly anticipated tour go on sale Monday February 15, but members of her fan-club Beyhive can purchase tickets in advance from Tues 9.

Stellar: She smashed it out the park with a Super Bowl Halftime performance fitting of the Queen Bey

Super Bowl 50: She put on a leggy display for the performance

Rocked it: She enjoyed a stellar performance with Coldplay and Bruno Mars at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California

No doubt she's hoping to match the success of Adele's tour which sold out in minutes in December.

It's her first solo tour since her ambitious Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in 2013.
It was always going to be a big night for television, but Sunday night's battle of the box has yielded a very clear winner - Channel Seven.

The premiere of made-for-TV movie Molly - a biopic of legendary Countdown host Ian 'Molly' Meldrum - was by far the most watched show of the night, pulling over 1.79 million viewers.

Also on Seven was major ratings winner My Kitchen Rules - which has scored consistently high since its launch last week - gaining an impressive 1.399 million and ranking second overall.

Good news! Molly, the Ian 'Molly' Meldrum biopic starring Samuel Johnson (pictured), was a huge ratings success for Channel Seven, pulling 1.793 as the most watched program on Sunday night

The official overnight metro ratings from OzTam showed that Molly and MKR combined to help Seven gain a total audience share of 34.4 percent.

Meanwhile, the network's flagship news program Seven News came third in the ratings, with 1.068 million tuning in.

Seven's domination will no doubt embarrass their commercial rivals - as high-profile reality shows Australia's Got Talent and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continue to struggle in the ratings.

Flop: Network Ten reality show I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! was a ratings disappointment, gaining just 626,000 viewers for its elimination show on Sunday, despite producers allegedly spending a million dollars to secure cricketer Shane Warne (pictured) as a star contestant

Time to celebrate! Channel Seven's My Kitchen Rules - which this season features youngest ever contestants Mitch (left) and Laura (right) - was the most watched reality TV show of the night, beating rivals Australia's Got Talent and I'm A Celebrity..., which aired on Channel Nine and Network Ten respectively

The second episode of Australia's Got Talent gained just 884,000 viewers for Channel Nine.

The poor performance may suggest that audiences are turned off by this season's all-new judging panel, comprised of Sophie Monk, Ian 'Dicko' Dickson, Eddie Perfect and Kelly Osbourne.

Meanwhile, Network Ten's much-hyped I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! fell to its lowest audience so far with only 626,000 viewers tuning in to see Courtney Hancock eliminated in the first public vote.

Steady on: Australia's Got Talent - featuring judge Kelly Osbourne, 31 - gained just 884,00 viewers

Lack of engagement: The all-new judging panel for the latest series of AGT may explain the low ratings

This will no doubt come as a shock to producers, who reportedly shelled out over a million dollars to recruit star contestant Shane Warne in a bid for ratings.

Both shows, however, came behind ABC's Doc Martin, a British comedy starring Martin Clunes, which managed just over a million viewers in the 7:40pm timeslot.

Overall, Nine could just about muster an audience share of 15 percent, placing second but gaining less than half the share of rivals Seven.

Oh, dear! I'm A Celebrity... fell to its lowest audience so far as Courtney Hancock was booted off in the show's first public vote this weekend

Network Ten was relegated to fourth place, behind public broadcaster ABC, with a meager 10.7 percent.

Elsewhere in the top 15 most-watched shows of the night, The X-Files new series pulled 556,000 viewers and U.S. sitcom Modern Family gained 463,000, both for Ten.

Game show The Chase Australia placed 13th with over half-a-million people tuning in.

SUNDAY'S TOP 15 SHOWS 1 Molly - Seven - 1,793,000 2 My Kitchen Rules  Seven - 1,399,000 3 Seven News  Seven - 1,068,000 4 Doc Martin - ABC - 1,004,000 5 Nine News - Nine 967,000 6 Australia's Got Talent - Nine - 884,000 7 ABC News - ABC - 867,000 8 Vera - ABC - 688,000 9 I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Elimination - Ten - 626,000 10 60 Minutes - Nine - 607,000 11 I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! - Ten - 600,000 12 The X-Files - Ten - 556,000 13 The Chase Australia - Seven - 510,000 14 Modern Family - Ten - 463,000 15 Family Feud - Ten - 419,000 Advertisement

Meanwhile, Molly has attracted a mainly positive response as an affectionate tribute to the Aussie pop music icon.

In particular, the two-part film's lead actor Samuel Johnson has been singled out for praise.

Bearing a strong physical resemblance to the 73-year-old, fans enjoyed how Samuel perfectly captured the great man's bumbling yet lovable personality.

Twitter user @BrandonMcKay6 wrote: 'Can't wait for @MollyTV again next week. That was brilliant.

'Can you say Gold Logie... @Sam_J_Johnson #Molly #Mollytv', he concluded.

And @librareanne tweeted it was a 'wild ride down memory lane' and claimed co-star Ben Gerrard 'stole the show' in his portrayal of Molly's transgender friend Caroline Jenkins.

Social media user @prlloyd63 said simply: '@MollyTV great show. Well produced.'

And @thatJCperson hoped that the concluding chapter of the two-part series was just as successful as the first.

They wrote: 'After that strong start we can only hope #Molly part 2 doesn't take a tumble down the ratings latter. #MollyTV'.

The second part of Molly airs next Sunday at 8.30pm on Seven.

On to a winner: Actor Samuel Johnson, 38, proved ratings gold for Channel Seven in the first part of Molly
They're the lovable mother-son duo who have warmed the hearts of My Kitchen Rules viewers with their close bond.

And on Monday night's episode of the hit cooking show, Anna and Jordan finally got to show what they were made of in the kitchen.

The close pair opted for a traditional, home-cooked concept for their instant restaurant, Mama Knows Best modelled on Anna's father's braised rabbit recipe.

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Family affair: Anna and Jordan went for traditional, homestyle cooking for their feast on Monday's night episode of My Kitchen Rules

Feeling sentimental: Anna was brought to tears a second time as her father's braised rabbit was given a perfect ten by Manu

'Tonight we're trying to put us on a plate. Home cooking, our heritage, our tradition,' said Jordan.

To add a more family feel to their meal, Anna decided to cook dishes that were family favourites.

'This meal tonight has been inspired by my dad. It's so dear to my heart,' the mother-of-four explained.

'The entree the main and the dessert were all my father's favourites.'

See MKR news as Anna chokes back tears after dad's braised rabbit dish wins over judges

Close to perfect: Manu praised the dish giving it nine out of ten

Shopping for ingredients: 'This meal tonight has been inspired by my dad. It's so dear to my heart,' said mother-of-four Anna

As the pair prepared their entree of baby octopus with spicy pork sausage, potato, and salsa verde, cougar Cheryl admitted that she wouldn't mind if the meal was a mess.

'I'm feeling nervous because we're at the bottom of the ladder in the competition,' the 50-year-old said.

She added: 'Seriously if something bad happens we won't be too upset. It is a competition.'

'Seriously if something bad happens we won't be too upset. It is a competition:' Cougar Cheryl hoped for the worst so she and boyfriend Matt could escape from the bottom of the leader board

'The entree the main and the dessert were all my father's favourites,' Anna continued

Delicious! The mother-and-son served baby octopus with homemade spicy pork sausage, potato, and salsa verde

Meanwhile controversial couple Zana and Gianni were quite the opposite, stating that they were hoping the food would be good so they'd finally have some competition worthy of their culinary skills.

'I think tonight is going to be our biggest rivalry, our biggest threat,' she said to the camera.

'This is 110 per cent competition menu,' Zana added, 'I'm really excited for this.'

'This is 110 per cent competition menu. I'm really excited for this:' Zana was happy to get competition ahead of her and husband Gianni's turn to cook

Amazing atmosphere: The European-themed Mama Knows Best restaurant received praise from the rest of the contestants

The couples were all impressed by the European-themed decor of Mama Knows Best, and the conversation quickly turned to Malta, where Anna is originally from.

However, some eyebrows were raised when Mount Druitt cop Monique - whose mother is Maltese - was unable to state just exactly where the country is.

'Funny that Monique couldn't tell us where Malta was,' said Gianni as wife Zana laughed. 'Her mum comes from Malta so she should probably know where it is.'

Clueless: Mount Druitt cop Monique didn't know where Malta is despite having a Maltese mother

What? 'Her mum comes from Malta so she should probably know where it is,' Gianni said to Zana

As Jordan and Anna prepared their food in the kitchen, it was clear that Anna was the one who knew what she was doing while her young son seemed a little lost.

'Mum, what do I do?' he asked at one point.

When the entree was finally brought out it received praise from judges Manu Feildel and Pete Evans, but both criticised the lack of salsa verde in the dish.

While Monique and Sarah were also fans of the dish, calling the octopus 'melt in your mouth beautiful,' Zana was less impressed.

'Mum, what do I do?' Jordan seemed to need a lot of direction and instruction from his mum in the kitchen

It's a hit! The pair's entree went down well with the judges, with the only criticism being a lack of salsa verde

'Didn't like the sausage, I felt like it was too dry for me compared to when I make it, she told the judges, before adding: 'Octopus was a bit plain for me.'

Back in the kitchen, the usually jovial Jordan showed a remarkably less charming side of himself as he suffered a mini-meltdown over the orange blossom ice cream he was in charge of making for the dessert.

The 23-year-old let off a string of censored expletives after discovering that he hadn't put the lid on the churner properly, before snapping at his soft-spoken mum.

'Melt in your mouth beautiful!' Monique and Sarah were huge fans of the octopus

'Octopus was a bit plain for me:' Zana had some criticism towards the dish despite enjoying it overall

'I know, just give me two minutes, Anna!' he barked when his mother offered some advice.

'Jordan take it easy honey,' said Anna. 'Do you want me to help you?'

'Nope,' he snapped back.

'I'm so gutted right now, I wanted to serve the perfect ice cream,' he explained in his confessional.

The duelling duo then got back to preparing their main dish, Anna's father's braised rabbit with pappardelle, but some more tense words were exchanged as they disagreed about onions.

Luckily they were able to pull it off without further problems and were able to wow the judges with the traditional family recipe.

Meltdown! The usually jovial Jordan lost his cool after realising that he hadn't secured the lid on the ice cream churner properly

'I'm so gutted right now, I wanted to serve the perfect ice cream,' Jordan confessed

'You knocked me off my chair,' said Pete, before adding that the dish had one of the nicest sauces he'd had in the competition.

As Manu praised the meal for its home-cooked quality, Anna was moved to tears, which also caused Monique to become emotional as she witnessed the touching display.

'It would've been amazing if my father had come to dinner tonight,' a tearful Anna expressed.

Even the notoriously finicky Zana was pleased with the food, stating: 'This is definitely the dish that has impressed me the most out of this competition.'

Dah dah! Braised rabbit with pappardelle was served as the main dish

'You knocked me off my chair:' Pete Evans was blown away by the sentimental meal

'It would've been amazing if my father had come to dinner tonight:' Anna broke down in tears as Manu praised her dad's famous braised rabbit

However, the competitive lawyer also said husband Gianni's pasta was better and that she'd be happy to make a pasta that could compare to their pappardelle, before Gianni challenged the mother and son.

Dessert was then served, the Maltese pastry imqaret with orange blossom ice cream which Jordan was amusingly unable to pronounce the name of despite assisting his mum as she cooked it.

Despite the drama in the kitchen, the dessert was met with near unanimous praise from everybody, with the only criticism being the ice cream which Jordan had bungled earlier.

'It's great.' said Zana as she dug in, before adding: 'Gianna's dessert is better.'

'This is definitely the dish that has impressed me the most out of this competition,' admitted Zana, before Gianni said that he wanted to go up against the mother and son in a 'past off'

Feeling the love: After some drama in the kitchen, Jordan and Anna were back on top after serving two winning meals

Anna and Jordan were met with high scores across the board, including a perfect ten from Manu for the main dish of Dad's braised rabbit.

The perfect score caused Anna to shed tears once again, with the mum-of-four choking: 'It's for my dad.'

Sarah and Monique were moved by Anna's emotional display, saying: 'I just saw the tears running down her face and I just wanted to give her the biggest hug.'

With a total score of 94, Anna and Jordan shot straight to the top of the leader board, pushing siblings Mitch and Laura to second place.
She is an undisputed queen of the catwalk and never fails to ensure all eyes are well and truly on her.

So Naomi Campbell did what she does best and treated the red carpet like the runway as she celebrated the launch of her new Yamamay lingerie collection in Milan, Italy, on Sunday evening.

Slipping her enviably long legs into a pair of racy fishnet tights, the 45-year-old supermodel turned heads as she posed in front of a billboard showing her flaunting her model figure in a set of lacy pink underwear.

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The world's a stage: Naomi Campbell did what she does best and treated the red carpet like a catwalk as she celebrated the launch of her new Yamamay lingerie collection in Milan on Sunday

No doubt pleased with the success of her first lingerie collection, the Vogue cover girl swapped her signature smoulder for a big beaming smile as she cosied up to the Yamamay founder, Gianluigi Cimmino.

Still posing up a storm, Naomi popped her hip to the side, emphasising her enviably toned pins which were given some extra height by the addition of a pair of platform peep top heels.

Donning a floaty black dress with a daringly high split hemline, the star ensured her best feature was on show.

Always a professional: Posing up a storm, Naomi, 45, popped her hip to the side, emphasising her enviably toned pins which were given some extra height by the addition of a pair of platform peep top heels

Adding a cropped leather jacket with silver zips, the flattering cut emphasised her tiny waist, putting her hourglass figure on full display.

Lining her almond shaped eyes with a sweep of plum coloured eyeshadow, she kept her accessories simple, donning a delicate gold necklace and a myriad of coloured charm bracelets on her slender wrists, that dazzled brightly in the light.

The sultry look was Naomi's second stylish ensemble of the day, as earlier she hit the red carpet in a pair of knee high lace up boots.

Best buds: No doubt pleased with the success of her lingerie collection, the Vogue covergirl swapped her signature smoulder for a big beaming smile as she cosied up to the Yamamay founder, Gianluigi Cimmino

Leggy lady! Slipping her enviably long legs into a pair of racy fishnet tights, the 45-year-old turned heads as she posed in front of a billboard showing her flaunting her model figure in a set of lacy pink underwear

Classic style: Donning a floaty black dress with a daringly high split hemline, the star ensured her best feature was on show, nipped in at her tiny waist to show off her flawless hourglass figure

The finishing touches: She kept her accessories simple, donning a delicate gold necklace and a myriad of coloured charm bracelets on her slender wrists, that dazzled brightly in the light

With her lean legs on display, the supermodel donned a figure hugging knitted dress that clung to her every curve.

Featuring a chic peplum frill that accentuated her tiny waist, the oatmeal coloured dress perfectly flattered her figure.

With her raven coloured locks styled in a center parting, her glossy tresses were left loose and poker straight, tumbling past her shoulders and framing her heart shaped face.

Model behaviour: The sultry look was Naomi's second stylish ensemble of the day, as earlier she hit the red carpet in a pair of knee high lace up boots, where she posed up a storm at the launch

Putting the boot in! Putting her best foot forward in a pair of knee high lace up boots, the 45-year-old cut a striking figure on the red carpet as she strutted past the shop window

Leggy lady! With her lean legs on display, the supermodel donned a figure hugging knitted dress that clung to her every curve, showing off the full extent of her toned frame

Toned: Featuring a chic peplum frill that accentuated her tiny waist, the oatmeal coloured dress perfectly flattered her hourglass figure whilst her pert posterior was on display in the figure-hugging dress

Peering out beneath her blunt full fringe, she sported a subtle smokey eye, her hazel coloured peepers framed by a thick line of kohl.

Highlighting her flawless coverage with a light coverage of matte powder and a sweep of blusher, her natural beauty shone through her minimal make-up coverage.

She finished off the look with a slick of rosy gloss on her plump pout.

Blinged up: Keeping her accessories simple, The Face presenter donned a myriad of coloured charm bracelets on her slender wrists, that dazzled brightly in the light

Brunette beauty! With her raven coloured locks styled in a center parting, her glossy tresses were left loose and poker straight, tumbling past her shoulders and framing her heart shaped face

Meet and greet: Peering out beneath her blunt full fringe, she sported a subtle smokey eye, her hazel coloured peepers framed by a thick line of kohl as she signed autographs for fans

Treating the shop walkway like a runway, it was easy to see how Naomi has maintained such a long-lasting successful career.

And the star was keen to share some of her wisdom with the new generation of supermodels, dishing out some advice to model of the moment, Gigi Hadid.

Explaining that she met Naomi in a chance encounter in Milan, the 20-year-old told LOVE magazine that she asked the star for some advice on how to walk.

That's a wrap! Keeping warm in the chill, she wrapped up in a cosy black coat that was belted at the waist

Natural beauty! Highlighting her flawless coverage with a light coverage of matte powder and a sweep of blusher, her natural beauty shone through her minimal make-up coverage

Model mentor: The catwalk queen offered advice to Gigi Hadid on how to perfect her runway walk before the star made her debut in the Victoria's Secret show

'I was with Naomi a couple of weeks before the [Victoria's Secret] show,' Gigi said

'[Naomi] said, "Don't apologise, don't do it. You are perfect the way you are. Everyone said my walk was weird too".'

But whilst Naomi has an instantly recognisable catwalk walk, the star recently found herself unable to perform her signature strut as she was left wheelchair-bound last month after injuring her foot.

Despite claims the star was set to have a hip operation, a spokesperson for Naomi told MailOnline: 'Whilst it is a private matter, it is a light foot injury which Naomi sustained before her visit to London.'

And it seems the star has put the incident behind her now, as last week she was feeling fit enough to dance the night away at 1OAK nightclub in New York where she was joined by Idris Elba.

Ready to work: The star seemed in good spirits despite recently suffering a foot injury that left her unable to walk and wheelchair bound for a month
Bruce Wayne promoted Gotham City while Lex Luthor championed Metropolis in commercials for Turkish Airlines that aired during the Super Bowl.

The first clever advert introduced new Turkish Airlines flights to destination Gotham City that was described as a 'city that's risen above its past to become a thriving urban center.'

'Thanks to a significant grant from my company Wayne Enterprises, Gotham is being restored to its former glory,' said Ben Affleck, 43, as Bruce Wayne as he strode into a waiting car.

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New destination: Ben Affleck portrayed Bruce Wayne promoting new flights to Gotham City in a Turkish Airlines commercial that aired on Sunday during the Super Bowl

Corporate contribution: Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg, meanwhile promoted Metropolis in another advert for Turkish Airlines

Travelers were urged to discover why Gotham City was great again and told they could catch a glimpse of a local celebrity as the iconic Bat signal was shown in the sky.

'There's never been a better time to visit our great city,' Wayne said while seated in a Turkish Airlines plane seat.

The Gotham City promotion also featured two views of the Ace Chemicals building where the Joker was disfigured and later became one of his hideouts.

Company grant: Wayne said that Gotham City was being restored to its former glory thanks to a grant from Wayne Enterprises

Travel options: Turkish Airlines was flying to Metropolis as part of its official partnership with Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice

Local celebrity: The commercial said visitors could perhaps meet one of Gotham City's local celebrities

Questionable marketing: The advert also featured shots of the Ace Chemicals building where the Joker was disfigured while trying to elude Batman

The clip ended with Batman wearing heavy armor and staring up at Superman hovering above him.

The Man Of Steel then landed on the ground and marched toward armoured Batman.

The commercial ended with the hashtag #FLYTOGOTHAM.

Hashtag time: The commercial ended with a hashtag promoting flights to Gotham

The second clip aired immediately after and promoted new flights to a rebuilt Metropolis.

'A city reborn, rebuilt and stronger than ever, proud of its heritage and its heroes,' a voiceover said amid images of the Daily Planet newspaper building, a statue of Superman and him flying around.

Jesse Eisenberg, 32, was shown as Lex Luthor saying that Metropolis was open for business again after a substantial contribution from his corporation LexCorp.

Metropolis landmarks: The Daily Planet newspaper building was shown in the advert promoting new flights to Metropolis

Proud city: The commercial said that Metropolis was proud of its heritage and heroes

Flying around: Superman was shown flying around Metropolis in the commercial

'We can't wait to welcome you,' Luthor said.

The advert ended with the hashtag #FLYTOMETROPOLIS.

Turkish Airlina is an official airline partner of Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

The superhero movie starring Affleck, Eisenberg and Henry Cavill as Superman is due out in cinemas on March 25.

Corporate citizen: Lex Luthor said Metropolis was open for business again after a substantial contribution from LexCorp

Can't wait: Luthor said that Metropolis was waiting to welcome visitors

Own tag: The commercial for Metropolis also ended with a hashtag

Caped crusader: Batman was wore heavy armor while looking up at hovering Superman
She recently soared to fame when her headline-hitting relationship with Geordie Shore's Scotty T in the Big Brother House.

Yet Megan McKenna originally came into reality TV prominence when she struck up a relationship with Ibiza Weekender star Jordan Davies when they both appeared in Ex On The Beach last year.

The 22-year-old beauty has lashed out at her Welsh ex-boyfriend, 23, in a furious Twitter tirade after he took aim at her during a candid Q&A session with his own 231,000 followers.

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Lost love: Megan McKenna originally came into reality TV prominence when she struck up a relationship with Ibiza Weekender star Jordan Davies when they both appeared in Ex On The Beach last year

On Sunday night, Jordan enticed his followers with the offer of a question and answer session, using the hash tag '#AskJordan'.

Naturally questions about Megan arose, following her stint in the Big Brother house, in which she became the fourth housemate to be voted out of the seventeenth series of the fly-on-the-wall show.

After the pair's fractious split, Megan seemingly became furious that Jordan was mentioning her name as she lashed out.

The feisty star, who is slowly becoming known for her outrageous temper, unleashed an angry rant at her former boyfriend as she set out to clarify her side of the story.

See CBB updates as Megan McKenna launches Twitter tirade at ex-boyfriend Jordan Davies

Outspoken: The feisty star, who is slowly becoming known for her outrageous temper, unleashed an angry rant at her former boyfriend as she set out to clarify her side of the story

Fuming: The 22-year-old beauty has lashed out at her Welsh ex-boyfriend, 23, in a furious Twitter tirade after he took aim at her during a candid Q&A session with his own 231,000 followers

She wrote: 'Can we please clarify the reason me and @JordanWeekender split up was because he was a LIEING scumbag. Who broke my trust. [sic]

'I ended it with him. Blocked his number/twitter/insta/snapchat and he still tried contacting me. So please Jordan. Drop me out.'

Jordan was clearly unimpressed with his ex-girlfriend's tangent as he retaliated to her Tweets by urging the Essex-born beauty to stop approaching him on the microblogging site.

He wrote: 'I wont stoop to your level with abusive tweets. Clearly shows you're still bothered. Im over you, you're nothing to me, don' @ me again'

Furious: Megan insisted she blocked her reality star beau days ago

Slamming the star: He wrote: 'I wont stoop to your level with abusive tweets. Clearly shows you're still bothered. Im over you, you're nothing to me, don' @ me again'

Moving on up: Jordan was clearly unimpressed with his ex-girlfriend's tangent as he retaliated to her Tweets by urging the Essex-born beauty to stop approaching him on the microblogging site

While the duo are at loggerheads on social media, they have certainly moved on romantically as both Jordan and Megan have become involved in well-publicised romances.

The formerly loved-up duo both appear in the current season of Ex On The Beach, where they starred alongside Scotty T - who Megan went on to romance in CBB, the show he eventually won.

In Jordan's Q&A on Twitter, he went on to insist that there was no bad blood between him and Scotty T, despite the fact he has been putting the moves on his ex.

Age-gap love: While Megan has been focusing her attentions on her Geordie counterpart, Jordan has been enjoying a dalliance with 53-year-old Nancy Dell'Olio

Former fancy: While the duo are at loggerheads on social media, they have certainly moved on romantically as both Jordan and Megan have become involved in well-publicised romances

While Megan has been focusing her attentions on her Geordie counterpart, Jordan has been enjoying a dalliance with 53-year-old Nancy Dell'Olio.

The duo headed out in London when a source told MailOnline: 'Jordan got in contact with Nancy's camp as he has admired her from a far (from CBB) and asked to meet her. Nancy agreed after seeing some pics.

'She's been to Bar 68 & Boston a few times recently and it's her new favourite haunt, so Nancy chose to have the date there. Eager Jordan travelled from Cardiff for the date. Nancy (in true Nancy style, was an hour late).'

Megan meanwhile has been painting the town red since her CBB release - although Scotty T has been notably absent from her side.
As she mourns the loss of her year-long relationship with Louis Smith, Lucy Mecklenburgh is turning to profound quotes to help her through.

The former TOWIE star, 24, once again took to social media to seemingly inform her 977,000 followers that she was feeling empowered and would make it through the tough time.

She posted an image emblazoned with the lettering: 'It's going to be hard but hard is not impossible', alluding to the demise of her relationship with the 26-year-old gymnast.

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Making it through: Lucy Mecklenburgh, 24, once again took to social media to seemingly inform her 977,000 followers that she was feeling empowered and would make it through the tough time.

It seems that while Lucy was trying to help herself through, she was also aiming to empower her female followers by putting on a display of girl power.

She added the caption: '#mondaymotivation #youcandoit #girlpower'

And while she has been peppering Instagram with inspirational images, the fitness entrepreneur has also been showing her strict diet has falled by the wayside slightly.

Perhaps taking aim at her beau, Lucy shared an image of a scrumptious looking pizza and added the caption: 'Fine dining for one'.

All over: She posted an image emblazoned with the lettering: 'It's going to be hard but hard is not impossible', alluding to the demise of her relationship with the 26-year-old gymnast

Breaking their silence: Lucy Mecklenburgh and Louis Smith took to social media on Friday night to share their feelings after their split was announced

She also shared a picture of a bag of Cadbury's Mini Eggs and a tub of ice cream while adding the caption: 'Ohh yess! Take me out, Ben & Jerry's & mini eggs'

Lucy revealed she was watching ITV dating show Take Me Out, perhaps feeling a hint of nostalgia as her former beau Mark Wright hosts the spin-off programme, Take Me Out: The Gossip.

After it was confirmed on Friday that Lucy and Louis Smith had called time on their relationship she took to social media to share an inspirational quote, letting her fans know she was looking on the bright side following their break-up.

Lonely night in: She also shared a picture of a bag of Cadbury's Mini Eggs and a tub of ice cream while adding the caption: 'Ohh yess! Take me out, Ben & Jerry's & mini eggs'

Dinner for one: Perhaps taking aim at her beau, Lucy shared an image of a scrumptious looking pizza and added the caption: 'Fine dining for one'

Lucy, 24, posted on Instagram: 'Everything happens for a reason'.

The message was met with a flood of supportive comments from her fans, who reassured her that she wouldn't stay single for long and told her she deserved happiness.

Lucy's social media posting comes as Louis replied to a fan comment on one of his own Instagram pictures, revealing that he agreed he doesn't 'deserve' her.

'You don't deserve @lucymeck anyway she's beautiful and you both ovs wanted different things in life (sic),' one person wrote.

Not-so-cryptic post: Lucy reassured her fans she was looking on the bright side by sharing this message, while Louis replied to a fan comment, agreeing that he didn't 'deserve' his ex

The gymnast candidly replied: 'Can't agree with you more on everything you've said lol.'

Lucy and Louis are said to have called time on their long-distance romance over Louis' reluctance to get married and start a family.

While the couple spoke openly about their future plans, Lucy reportedly felt as though the sportsman had 'really led her on' in leading her to believe he was ready to settle down.

Last chance holiday: Lucy and Louis embarked on a romantic couple's holiday over the New Year to celebrate their official one-year anniversary, but the break reportedly 'just made things worse'

A source told The Sun: 'Lucy wanted things that Louis just wasnt ready to commit to. In the end Lucy wasnt prepared to wait.

'Louis really had led Lucy on in that theyd discussed marriage and kids at length  it came like a bolt out of the blue and doesnt really make any sense to her.'

The pair embarked on a romantic break to Thailand celebrate their one year anniversary over the festive period, ringing in the New Year together just a five weeks ago.

Lucy posted at the time on Instagram: 'It's our 1 year anniversary at midnight. Can't believe I've put up with him for a WHOLE YEAR! jokes love him to bits Bring on 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Calling it quits: The sartorially savvy duo met while filming BBC gymnastics competition Tumble in August 2014, bonding over their mutual love of staying fit and healthy

Despite seeming more loved-up than ever as they shared a series of cute couple selfies, it appears that instead of helping the couple move past their differences, the holiday 'just made things worse'.

MailOnline has contacted both Louis and Lucy's representatives for comment, who confirmed they have parted ways.

The pair first met in August 2014 on gymnastics-based BBC reality show Tumble, which Louis judged and Lucy competed in.

Before long, their friendship turned to romance and they went public as a couple in December 2014.

'It came like a bolt out of the blue': Lucy is alleged to be shocked by the split because she thought Louis was on the same page as her when it came to starting a family

The career-orientated pair first sparked rumours their relationship was on the rocks earlier this month when Lucy began building her own home in Essex.

Asked if they've spoken about moving in together, Lucy told Star magazine: 'Not right now. He built his house in Peterborough and I've nearly finished building mine in Essex.

'It wouldn't work at the minute. It's important to have your own space and not to plan things around someone else. We live our own lives and see each other when we're both free.'

Lucy has been rather unlucky in love so far, dating TOWIE lotharios Mark Wright - who is now married to actress Michelle Keegan - and Mario Falcone, the latter of which she had an ill-fated engagement to.

The fitness entrepreneur was also linked to Katherine Jenkins' ex Gethin Jones.
Sir Elton John became the latest passenger in the seat, joining The Late Late Show's James Corden for Carpool Karaoke.

Cruising around the streets of Los Angeles, the celebrity duo kicked back as they belted out the tunes to some of Eltons classics including, Your Song, I'm Still Standing and Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me.

During his appearance on the Sunday's segment, the British musical legend slipped into a variety of flamboyant outfits as he discussed his reputation for having a bad temper.

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Playful nature: Sir Elton John was the latest star to get in the passengers seat with James Corden for The Late, Late Shows Carpool Karaoke segment on Sunday evening

When host James asked if him, given his track record, if he finds it difficult when his children throw tantrums, he replied, 'I love it.'

The hitmaker also revealed his own most memorable outburst was not one of his extreme displays of temper, but came after he had been up for 'a couple of days' and he demanded the manager of a London hotel change the elements to suit his whim.

'I rang the office, I spoke to a guy called Robert Key and I said Robert it's far too windy here can you do something about it, he started to explain. 'I can imagine him putting his hand over the receiver and going "he's finally lost the plot."

Getting into the spirit: Cruising around the streets of LA, the pair kicked back as they belted out the tunes to some of Eltons classics including, Your Song, I'm Still Standing and Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me

Bright move: The 68-year-old star showed off his fun side by slipping on a variety of flamboyant costumes

'It wasn't a tantrum as such, but as far as reality goes it was pretty far off the chart.'

But the 68-year-old explained how fatherhood to his boys, aged five and three, has made a much happier man, adding: 'They've been amazing. I haven't had one second in Zachary or Elijah's life where I've felt that they've been getting on my nerves.

'I cant believe I'm sitting in the car telling you this, because 10 years ago if you told me I'd be telling you this I would've said your crazy but it's changed my life.

'I love it': During the journey, Elton discussed his reputation for having a bad temper

'They have been amazing': But the star explained how fatherhood to his boys, aged five and three, has made a much happier man

Lion King: The singing sensation also attempted to dress up as a lion during Circle of Life

Another classic: The pair ended the stint with an impressive duet version of Don't Let the Sun Go Down

'I thought I was too old to be a dad and no I'm not to old to be a dad. You're not too old to do anything. They've changed our lives completely.'

Elton also confessed that he does not even have his own smartphone, by saying: 'I don't have a phone... there's someone around me, usually a security person with a phone. I do have an iPad.'

And because of this he has to buy four physical copies of any album he likes so there is one at each of his homes around the globe.

The self-confessed lover of excess said: 'I've never been able to buy one of anything. I usually buy four copies (of records). One for the house here, one for the house in France, one for the house in England, one for the place in Atlanta.'

His Tiny Dancers: Sir Elton and husband David with their boys Elijah and Zachary

Back on the road: The chart star was performing in France's Olympia Music Hall on Sunday
He ended his romance with Emma Stone for the second time last year after a four-year relationship.

And it seems as if Andrew Garfield is ready to mingle again as the Hollywood actor was pictured enjoying a late night dinner outing with a mystery brunette on Sunday evening.

Kicking back inside a London pub, the 32-year-old appeared to be in great spirits as he happily chatted away with his female companion.

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Ready to mingle? Andrew Garfield was pictured enjoying a late night dinner outing with a mystery brunette in London on Sunday evening

The pair were seen putting on a cosy display, looking completely relaxed and at ease with one another during the late night proceedings.

Spiderman star Andrew cut a relatively stylish figure in a cobalt jumper and dark denim trousers, which was styled further with a chocolate brown overcoat.

Meanwhile, the unknown woman wrapped up warm in fur-lined padded jacket and tight black jeans, while teaming the look with leather ankle boots.

Just friends? Kicking back inside a pub, the 32-year-old was seen getting rather cosy with the unknown woman

Looking good: He cut a relatively stylish figure in a cobalt jumper and dark denim trousers, which was styled further with a chocolate brown overcoat

Meanwhile... the pretty brunette wrapped up warm in fur-lined padded jacket and tight black jeans, while teaming the look with leather ankle boots

In October, it was widely reported that Andrew and Emma called it quits after a brief reunion last summer, following a previous breakup.

The former lovebirds became an item after meeting on set of The Amazing Spider-Man in 2011, and over the past year their relationship had been hovered by break-up rumours.

A source at the time told People that the couple split a few months ago, adding: 'There was no drama, they've been apart while working. They still care about each other.'

Chilled vibes: Andrew appeared to be in great spirits as he happily chatted away with his female companion

Chatting away: They looked completely relaxed and at ease with one another during the late night proceedings

Beaming: The British star seemed pretty pleased with himself as he kicked back over the weekend

Eyes on each other: Andrew was seen happily smiling away during the late night outing

Andrew is back in the UK after spending a few months in Sydney, filming scenes for World War II drama Hacksaw Ridge alongside actors Vince Vaughn, Andrew Garfield and Hugo Weaving.

Elsewhere, Emma recently reunited with her Crazy Stupid Love and Gangster Squad co-star Ryan Gosling for their upcoming musical-comedy La La Land, which will be released in July.

Towards the end of last year, it was announced that the actress has been snapped up to star in the adaptation of Love May Fail, a dark comedy by Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick.

Moving on? The Social Network actor ended his romance with Emma Stone for the second time last year after a four-year relationship

Home turf: Andrew is back in the UK after spending a few months in Sydney, filming scenes for World War II drama Hacksaw Ridge alongside actors Vince Vaughn, Andrew Garfield and Hugo Weaving
Her social media sites are littered with smouldering snaps of her daily attire and high-end parties.

And on Monday, Millie Mackintosh gave fans another sneak into her lavish lifestyle as she posted a sexy picture of her latest style choice.

Working her magic in front of the camera, the former Made In Chelsea star flashed her sheer black bra as she slipped into a chic white number, from her own collection.

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Daring to bare: Millie Mackintosh shared quite the racy snap of herself where she can be seen flashing her bra

She stripped back the glamour by allowing her natural beauty to shine, but accessorised with a delicate Gemporia necklace and a ring to match.

Earlier on in the day, Millie posted a video of an early morning fitness session, where she stripped down to green printed leggings and a black sports bralet.

Killer push up and pike combo @markzim88 #camo #girlswholift, she captioned the short footage.

Fitness fans: Just moments before, the London socialite posted a video of an early morning fitness session

Working it: The former Made In Chelsea star showed off her slender frame in printed leggings and a black sports bralet

Meanwhile, the online posts come soon after her husband, Professor Green, candidly revealed that he has just spent one day with his wife since ringing in the New Year.

The 32-year-old rapper spoke to The Sun newspaper about the troubles in their marriage due to the difficulties in seeing each other - yet vowed they make the most of the time they have.

Professor Green, real name Stephen Manderson, will celebrate their third wedding anniversary in September after marrying in an idyllic ceremony at Somerset's Babington House in 2013.

Despite a beautiful wedding and a seemingly dreamy start to marriage, rumours began to surface claiming the couple were rowing and heading towards a divorce.

Trouble in paradise? Professor Green candidly admitted that he has been struggling to spend time with his beautiful wife - after spending just one day together in 2016

Solo trip: The 32-year-old rapper spoke to The Sun about the troubles in their marriage due to the difficulties in seeing each other - yet vowed they make the most of the time they have

The Read All About It hitmaker hit out at the reports but admitted the couple were visiting a couple's therapist to help hash out some of their issues.

Now the London-born lad has admitted he and Millie have only seen each other once in 2016 after taking a trip to Italy on January 30 - in a bid spend some quality time together.

He said: 'It was the first time I had seen her properly in 30 days. We had seen each other like ships in the night, but we werent getting any quality time together. It is good sometimes to have space, but it is also difficult when you miss someone for that long.

Dreamy day: Professor Green and Millie's two-year marriage has been fraught with rumours of strife

'It used to happen when I was touring. You would have a day off and try and have the best day of your life. But then youd just start arguing. That is a relationship.

'The best way is a balance and being really clever with the time you do have together and making the most of that.'

Clearly thrilled with their brief stint together, Professor Green documented the seemingly booze-soaked mini break on his Instagram profile.

He added a snap showing Millie surrounded by glasses of red wine with a sumptuous pasta dish in front of her, where she looked relaxed and blissfully happy.

Happy to be back: Clearly thrilled with their brief stint together, Professor Green documented the seemingly booze-soaked mini break on his Instagram profile

The handsome star added the caption: 'Why are you taking a picture when you could be eating pasta? First day spent together all year'

He then shared a cheeky image of Millie asleep, where she seemed to be nursing a hangover as he added the caption: 'This one's feeling oh so clever this morning' with a number of alcohol related emojis.

Proving his pride in his stunning wife, Professor Green shared an image of Millie during her solo visit to the Zoolander 2 premiere in London on Thursday.

Clearly over the moon with her sexy appearance in a racy black, he added the caption: 'Could do worse'

Sleepy head: He then shared a cheeky image of Millie asleep, where she seemed to be nursing a hangover as he added the caption: 'This one's feeling oh so clever this morning' with a number of alcohol related emojis
The last time we saw James Nesbitt's Cold Feet character Adam Williams, he was struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife Rachel.

However, 13 years on, it looks like Adam may have found love again after the cast of the rejuvenated series were spotted filming wedding scenes in Manchester.

The Northern Irish actor and his stunning new co-star Karen David were spotted getting into a taxi covered in 'Just Married' paraphernalia, driven by his best friend Pete Gifford (John Thomson).

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Wedding bells? James Nesbitt and his new co-star Karen David film the new series of Cold Feet in Manchester city centre on Monday

Nice day for a wedding... sort of: Pete Gifford (John Thomson) is clearly dressed for a wedding as he joins his BFF in the rain

The three actors were spotted filming scenes for upcoming sixth series of the ITV show in Manchester's Northern Quarter on Monday.

As Adam, James was dressed smartly as he left a hotel with what could be his new bride Karen, wearing a white coat with an engagement and wedding ring quite clearly on her left hand.

Meanwhile, his best friend Pete was clearly dressed for a wedding in his blue suit, with a pink rose buttonhole.

Her something blue: Adam complemented his love interest Karen in blue, who teamed her cream coat with a blue handbag and high heels

Chic: Adam's new female companion Karen looked very smart in a cream coat, blue heels and some bling on her wedding finger

The apparent newlyweds then climbed into Pete's taxi, which was covered in streamers and empty beer cans.

The latest scenes came after the cast were spotted filming at Manchester airport last week, with James's character seen being wheeled off on a stretcher into an ambulance.

While Adam was being treated by paramedics, castmembers John, Fay Ripley (Jenny), Hermione Norris (Karen Marsden) and David (Robert Bathurst) were looking on helpless.

The waiting game: John as Pete looked bored as he perched on a taxi covered in 'just married' paraphenalia

Picking up Downton Abbey's Sunday night slot on ITV, the iconic series - written by Mike Bullen - is gearing up to be one of television's biggest comebacks when it returns later this year

Galavant star Karen was also spotted on location at the airport last week too, further suggesting she is a new addition to the cast.

Notably absent for the new series is their co-star Helen Baxendale, whose character Rachel was killed off in a car accident in Series 5 back in 2003.

Picking up Downton Abbey's Sunday night slot on ITV, the iconic series - written by Mike Bullen - is gearing up to be one of television's biggest comebacks when it returns later this year.

Highly regarded as one of the best British comedy drama series, the show pulled in an average of 8million viewers during its 1998-2003 run.

In a rush: Adam and his 'bride' Karen rush out of their hotel to their waiting taxi... as they presumably are off on honeymooon

Friend in need: The two best friends looked harried as they prepared to head off in the taxi

Happy again: The scenes will no doubt have fans wondering if Adam has found love again following the death of Rachel

The series also won over 20 major awards, including a BAFTA for Best Drama Series.

Last time fans saw the group of friends, they were gathered for the scattering of Rachel's ashes following her death.

Pete and Jenny divorced in the series due to infidelity with him remarrying an Australian called Jo.

However, after his second marriage broke down, Jenny was seen returning from her new life in New York in the final episode and moving back in with Pete.

Meanwhile, David and Karen also split up during the show, with the former going on to have a relationship with his divorce lawyer, Robyn Duff (Lucy Robinson).

The way they were: The original cast when the show first started in the 1990s
She just celebrated a true benchmark for any model in the 21st Century, as her Instagram following rocketed past the 1million mark in January.

But any of her fans may have been forgiven for not recognising Poppy Delevingne on Monday, as she stepped out in London make-up free - throwing her usually flawless style to the wind.

Clearly in a relaxed mood, the stunning 29-year-old model showcased her naturally striking and pretty features in all their glory, as she opted for a fresh-faced look for her outing in the capital.

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Changing faces: Poppy Delevingne was almost unrecognisable on Monday, as she stepped out in London make-up free - throwing her usually flawless style to the wind

The model, who recently appeared on the cover of LOVE magazine to promote her stint as a new columnist, rocked a very casual and laid-back look as she stepped out in London with a pal.

Showcasing her stunning features by going make-up free for her outing, the socialite - who is the elder sister of rising supermodel and actress Cara - showed off her flawless alabaster complexion.

Adding a further touch to her naturally stunning look was the model's windswept locks, which blew around her face in the breeze; although her wayward platinum tresses only seemed to bolster her raw beauty.

Flawless features: Clearly in a relaxed mood, the stunning 29-year-old model showcased her naturally striking and pretty features in all their glory, as she opted for a fresh-faced look for her outing in the capital

Alabaster beauty: Showcasing her stunning features by going make-up free for her outing, the socialite - who is the elder sister of rising supermodel and actress Cara - showed off her flawless alabaster complexion

The London-born model channelled a relaxed yet chic vibe, as she braced herself against the cool winter weather.

Donning a large blue furry coat, which featured pink banding on the elbows, Poppy ensured that she kept warm, while she also donned a faded blue sweater underneath the jacket.

Teaming her winter warmers with a pair of black skinny jeans, the model kept to a fashion staple, as she subtly showcased her lithe and toned legs to the max.

Wrapping up warm: The London-born model channelled a relaxed yet chic vibe, as she braced herself against the cool winter weather - donning a large furry coat and blue jumper

Stylish staples; She also wore a pair of black skinny jeans, the model kept to a fashion staple, as she subtly showcased her lithe and toned legs to the max ; before adding a jazzy touch with her animal-print boots

Winter chic: Accessorising her look with a timeless yet practical high-fashion staple, the model wrapped a red silk scarf around her neck

Adding a jazzy flare to her look, Poppy donned a pair of strappy animal-print boots.

Accessorising her look with a timeless yet practical high-fashion staple, the model wrapped a red silk scarf around her neck.

Heading out into the capital with her friend and fellow social mover and shaker, Amanda Sheppard - Bryan Ferry's second wife - Poppy appeared to be spending some downtime with her friends.

Her relaxed day out comes after a jaunt to Paris with husband of two years, James Cook, where the couple enjoyed a short break with Poppy's younger sister Cara.

Treating her 1million devotees on Instagram to a glimpse of their action-packed weekend, the writer and model shared a series of snaps with Cara and James from over the weekend.

A break with the family: Her relaxed day out comes after a jaunt to Paris with husband of two years, James Cook, where the couple enjoyed a short break with Poppy's younger sister Cara
They call themselves best friends, but a fitting description might be partners in crime.

And on Tuesday, Amber Rose, 32, and Blac Chyna, 27, landed in Trinidad and Tobago for the island country's annual festival.

The duo are set to host an event called Baewatch.

Traveling together: On Tuesday, Amber Rose and Blac Chyna landed in Trinidad and Tobago for the island country's annual festival

Both women dressed similar in their all-black ensembles, with Amber appearing to take her's up a notch, sans her Nike athletic trainers.

The actress wore a V-neck T-shirt layered under a zippered biker jacket.

She completed her look with a pair of skinny trousers and dark shades, before accessorizing with a pair of diamond stud earrings.

Laid-back style: Blac dressed in a similar style as Amber, though opted for a more comfortable look

Blac dressed in a similar style as Amber, though opted for a more comfortable look.

The former exotic dancer layered a hoodie over a pair of leggings and added a pair of '90s inspired shoes.

The Lashed by Blac Chyna salon owner concealed her face from the paparazzi behind a set of dark shades.

Flying again: The trip comes after Blac was recently arrested at AustinBergstrom International Airport for allegedly yelling at a flight attendant in a drunken rage

The trip comes after Blac was recently arrested at AustinBergstrom International Airport for allegedly yelling at a flight attendant in a drunken rage.

She was rescued by her new boyfriend Rob Kardashian, who drove to Texas to collect her.

Rob shocked his family and fans when it was recently revealed that he is dating the model, who has been locked in a bitter feud with his sister Kylie Jenner since Kylie started dating Blac's ex-fiance Tyga.

Amber, on the other hand, was involved in a very public Twitter feud with ex Kanye West, after he began attacking her ex-husband Wiz Khalifa.

Since then, the two have appeared to make up, with Amber posing for a selfie alongside Kanye's wife Kim Kardashian.
Sofia Vergara had a medical area at her wedding where guests could re-hydrate after drinking too much.

The Modern Family actress, 43, tied the knot with Joe Manganiello in Palm Beach, Florida, last November and ensured revelers could keep partying by making sure there was an IV station set up to give people a pick-me-up from the alcohol.

Wedding guest and Modern Family co-star Julie Bowen, 45, told Ellen DeGeneres on Monday: 'It was crazy. You had to hydrate. They had a little ambulance truck, an IV station where you could go get IV hydration.'

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Time to chat: Julie Bowen, 43, appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres show on Monday

Shocked talk show host Ellen replied: 'Like, literally a needle goes into your arm and they give you hydration? That's how much people were drinking?'

Julie confirmed: 'Yes, I thought somebody had had a heart attack or there was an event, 'cause there was this first aid truck set up outside of the pool area where all the bungalows are. And there are people, sipping espresso, getting IV re-hydration.

'There is nothing, apparently, nothing you can do in three days that can't be undone by some IV re-hydration,' she added.

Intoxication station: The Modern Family actress discussed co-star Sofia Vergara's wedding, and how the Colombian beauty had a medical station at her November nuptials to actor Joe Manganiello

Wild girl: Julie admitted any event thrown by Sofia is always insanity because she parties so hard

The 45-year-old actress admitted any event thrown by Sofia is always insane because she parties so hard.

'If you've ever been to a Sofia event, it's three days. It's like a slow-moving trolley. You jump on, you drink and you dance and then you jump off. You can't stay on the trolley for three days,' admitted Julie.

'It's a party train. It's insanity. And it's really fun,' she concluded.
She made worldwide headlines in January by posting a video revealing her decision to boycott the Oscars because of the lack of diversity in the nominations.

And on Monday Jada Pinkett Smith jetted out of Los Angeles as the nominees gathered for the Academy Awards luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hilton just 20 days before the little golden statuettes are handed out in a glitzy ceremony.

The 44-year-old actress channeled biker chic in a black leather jacket worn over a long fitted black dress with a scarf wrapped around her neck and white sneakers with black laces as she arrived at LAX ready for her flight.

Set to go: Jada Pinkett Smith smiled at a fan as she turned up at Los Angeles International airport on Monday ready to jet out just 20 days before the Oscars. She and husband Will Smith are boycotting the honours

Jada, who toted a large black bag, smoothed her dark hair back into a chic up do and kept her shades on as she walked across the concourse followed by an assistant pulling her small bag.

The smiling Matrix star may have been on her way to New Orleans to continue shooting an R-rated comedy with Christina Applegate and Kristen Bell - previously titled Bad Moms.

But she happily stopped to sign an autograph for a fan.

Jada caused consternation when she posted her video about the 'white' Oscars on January 18, Martin Luther King day in the U.S.

See more of the latest news on the Oscars 2016 race row and celebrity boycott

Just sign here: The 44-year-old caused consternation when she posted a video on January 18, Martin Luther King Day, calling out the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for snubbing people of colour

Airing her thoughts on the Academy's neglect to nominate any people of colour in the top acting categories she said: 'Here is what I believe, the Academy has the right to acknowledge whomever they choose, to invite whomever they choose.

'And now, I think that it is our responsibility now, to make the change.'

The news came as a surprise to her husband Will Smith who was flying to Thailand when the video was posted. He was met off the plane by a gaggle of reporters all asking him about the boycott he knew nothing about.

Looking good from every angle: The Matrix star wore a black leather biker jacket over a form fitting black dress and sneakers and wrapped a scarf around her neck

The 47-year-old later told BBC Radio 1's Breakfast Show that he quickly phoned Jada, jokingly saying: 'Babe, you gotta give a fellow a little heads up, you know?'

And the couple were the butt of good-natured jokes from host Anthony Anderson at the NAACP Image Awards on Friday.

'Will and Jada in our audience tonight,' announced the Law & Order regular. 'Hell, they better be here after all this ish they started', as the room roared with laughter.

Celebrity couple: Jada and Will were the butt of good-natured jokes from host Anthony Anderson at the NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday

Ish is slang for the word s*** used by rappers in place of profanity so their songs can get radio play.

Spike Lee, nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a lifetime achievement award, has also said he will not be attending.

The Academy Awards will air on ABC on February 28 at 7 pm EST.
Tom Cruise has resumed filming on his biopic of drug smuggler Barry Seal, after shooting was suspended last year following the death of two crew members in a plane crash.

The actor, 53, was seen in the cockpit of a small plane in New Orleans, Louisiana on Wednesday as he returned to the project titled Mena.

Hauntingly, Cruise was using the same model of plane, a twin-engine Aerostar, that was used for filming last year, which crashed and killed two men in September.

Back to work: Tom Cruise resumed filming on Mena on Wednesday in New Orleans, after shooting was suspended last year following the death of two crew members in a plane crash

He's got a handle on this: The 53-year-old actor, who is a trained pilot, was seen in the cockpit of a small plane

Carrying a leather bag and dressed in a button down shirt and jeans, Cruise sported retro sideburns as he slipped on a pair of aviator sunglasses once inside the small aircraft.

The actor, who is a trained pilot, was later seen filming in a large airplane hangar filled with propeller planes.

In September last year a small plane assigned to the crew of the movie starring Cruise crashed in the Colombian Andes, killing two people, including a Los Angeles-based film pilot, and seriously injuring a third, the country's civilian aviation authority said at the time.

An official with the aviation agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter, said Cruise was not on the aircraft.

Crash: This photo released by the San Predro de los Milagros Fire Department shows the wreckage of the small that crashed in a rural place of San Pedro de los Milagros, Colombia on September 11 2015

He's still a Maverick: Cruise plays American pilot Barry Seal, a drug runner recruited by the CIA to try and capture the late cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar

Tragic: In September last year a small plane assigned to the crew of the movie starring Cruise crashed in the Colombian Andes, killing two people

Resuming: This is the first time Cruise has been pictured on set of the film since the tragic events of September

The official said an American, Alan Purwin, was killed along with the Colombian Carlos Berl. A third person aboard, American pilot Jimmy Lee Garland, was rushed to a hospital in Medellin, where he was in intensive care.

The official said the twin-engine Aerostar ran into bad weather late in the afternoon on September 11 after taking off from the colonial town of Santa Fe de Antioquia for a short flight to Medellin. No emergency was reported to air traffic controllers.

The Piper Aerostar-600, with tail number N164HH, appears to be the same aircraft that Cruise, a trained pilot, was photographed exiting the cockpit from upon his arrival in Medellin on August 20 to start work on his new film.

Victim: American Alan Purwin, who was one of two people killed, is seen left with Cruise. American pilot Jimmy Lee Garland, right, was rushed to a hospital in Medellin, where he was in intensive care

Journey: Colombian soldiers are seen together with Cruise earlier this summer. Cruise arrived in August in Colombia to film a movie called Mena, about the American pilot Barry Seal

Cruise arrived in August to film Mena, about American pilot Barry Seal, a drug runner recruited by the CIA to try and capture the late cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar. Seal was shot and killed in 1986 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, allegedly by assassins sent by Escobar's Medellin cartel.

Cruise's spokeswoman, Amanda Lundberg, had no comment at the time of the crash last year.

Purwin was founder and president of the Los Angeles-based Helinet Technologies, a company providing aerial surveillance technology to law enforcement. On the company's website, he's described as 'one of the top film pilots of his generation' with a list of credits from television and major Hollywood movies such as Transformers, Pearl Harbor, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Career: Purwin was founder and president of the Los Angeles-based Helinet Technologies. He is seen on the right with Prince Harry

He sat at the controls of a helicopter for the first time at age 16 and two years later took his first flying job crop dusting in Indiana, according to Helinet's website.

'Alan's enduring passion for film and flying has created aerial footage loved by millions around the world,' according to an online bio on the website of Shotover, an aerial cinematography subsidiary of Helinet.

In his last Tweet sent two days before the crash in September, Purwin expresses joy at landing on a dirt runway between the towering jungled mountains surrounding Santa Fe de Antioquia.

Helinet's Vice President Jack Snyder declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press in September.

Garland, the sole survivor, is a flight instructor and manager of a regional airport in Georgia's Cherokee County, near Atlanta.
Teresa Giudice's prison memoir is published on Tuesday and it's not the book that was originally envisaged when she first embarked on it.

At first, the Real Housewives Of New Jersey star worked with author Heather Maclean who co-wrote her four hugely successful cookbooks but then ditched her in favor of People reporter K.C. Baker.

Giudice, 43, then 'excommunicated' her former best friend, according to PageSix.com, banning her from making contact via email or visiting her behind bars at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut.

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Jailbird no more: Teresa Giudice will publish a book Tuesday about her experiences behind bars last year as she served almost 12 months of a 15-month sentence for fraud. She's pictured in New Jersey on January 14

A source told the gossip website that Maclean initially worked with Giudice on a book that aimed to tell the stories of the women she served time with and wouldn't exploit her daughters.

But the reality star changed her mind as she served 12 months of a 15-month sentence for fraud.

Her book Turning Tables: From Housewife To Inmate And Back Again, that's published Tuesday, details her children's distress when she left them to go to prison, her humiliation at being strip searched and the lesbian sexual activities of her cell mates.

Tell all: The reality star wrote the book with the help of writer and reporter for People, K.C. Baker

'Excommunicated': It's claimed that Giudice originally started work on the book with Heather Maclean (left with her husband) who co-authored four successful cookbooks with the reality star. But Giudice 'cut her off' after deciding to partner instead with Baker (right with singer Michael Buble)

Did time: Teresa served just under 12 months of her 15-month sentence at the federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, pictured

In a statement to PageSix.com on Monday, Maclean confirmed: 'I did work with her on a book for many months both before and while she was in prison that was meant to serve as a cautionary tale for other women who find themselves in bad situations.'

'I believe that she had an opportunity to use her platform to shine a light on womens issues and could have been a wonderful advocate for better financial decision-making. However, Teresa chose to go in a different direction,' the writer continued.

'The way this was handled was a shock to me  despite that, and the end of our time together, I wish her all the best with it.'

Maclean helped Giudice with 2010's Skinny Italian: Eat It And Enjoy It, 2011's Fabulicious! Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook, 2012's Fabulicious! Fast And Fit and Fabulicious! On The Grill in 2013.

Back home: The 43-year-old was released from prison on December 23 and reunited with husband Joe and their daughters Gia, Milania, Gabriella and Audrina. They're pictured in a photo she shared on Instagram

In an excerpt from the book published on People.com on Monday, the Bravo reality star said she realized that she had to 'try to make things right again in my life' and vowed to come out of prison 'a better person.'

Giudice described the last hours of freedom last January 5: 'Instead of having more time with my babies, I had to leave for prison in the middle of the night while they were sleeping  because of the paparazzi. This is how bad things had gotten,' she wrote.

In the tell-all co-written with Baker, she describes how she and husband Joe went upstairs with their four daughters and they all lay together on her bed.

'I told the girls, 'Mommy has to leave,'' the Real Housewife recalled.

'We lay there, a tangled mess of arms and legs, hugging each other and crying,'she added. 'This was tearing my heart out, but I didn't let them see that. I couldn't. I had to be strong for them. They were my focus  not me.'

Free: The Real Housewives Of New Jersey cast member celebrated the end of her house arrest and daughter Milania's 10th birthday last week

Good to go: On Monday it was announced The Real Housewives Of New Jersey will return for season seven with Giudice, her sister-in-law Melissa Gorga and friend Jacqueline Laurita

Giudice was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, on December 23 after serving almost one year behind bars.

She officially completed her sentence on February 4 when her house arrest ended.

Joe Giudice is set to start his 41-month jail sentence for his fraud convictions in March.

While he is inside, his wife will be once again filming the bravo reality show.

The network's Andy Cohen confirmed the news on Monday as he announced the casting for season seven of Real Housewives Of New Jersey.

Giudice's sister-in-law Melissa Gorga, who is also returning along with friend Jacqueline Laurita, shared a snap of the three of them on Instagram with the caption, 'We're baaaack!'
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She proved to have the winning playboook at the Oscars in 2013.

And Jennifer Lawrence looked in top form as she made another rush for gold at the annual Academy Awards luncheon in Beverly Hills on Monday.

The 25-year-old took the plunge in a cleavage baring top and smart blazer cinched at the waist with a wide belt. The blonde looked to be positively glowing as she posed for the cameras on the red carpet.

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She's a winner! Jennifer Lawrence looked in top form as she made another rush for gold at the annual Academy Awards luncheon in Beverly Hills on Monday

A hint of her toned legs were visible in her dark trousers which clung to her thighs before tapering out with a flared hemline.

JLaw won Best Actress at the Oscars in 2013 for Silver Linings Playbook. This year she earned her fourth nomination for Joy, another film directed by David O. Russell.

The 88th Academy Awards are about three weeks away, but campaigning is already getting serious.

Other guests in attendance were her rivals in the Best Actress race, Charlotte Rampling (45 Years), Brie Larson (Room), and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn).

See more of the latest on the Oscars 2016 as nominees attend the Academy Awards luncheon

Dressed to impress: The 25-year-old took the plunge in a cleavage baring top and smart blazer cinched at the waist with a wide belt

Center of attention: A hint of her toned legs were visible in her dark trousers which clung to her thighs before tapering out with a flared hemline

Win or lose, she takes gold! This year's Oscar swag bag is worth a record-setting $232,000 and features trips to Israel and Japan as well as a Vampire Breast Lift

JLaw won Best Actress at the Oscars in 2013 for Silver Linings Playbook. This year she earned her fourth nomination for Joy, another film directed by David O. Russell.

Friends in high places: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs posed with JLaw on the red carpet

Actress Alicia Vikander, who has been acknowledged in the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in The Danish Girl, stunned in a short-sleeved orange mini dress that showed off her toned legs and arms.

The 27-year-old Swedish star added beige ankle strap heels for a summer feel even though it's the dead of winter.

While Rachel McAdams looked like a winner already in her sparkly mini dress. The Notebook vet has been given a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category for her turn in Spotlight.

The brightest star: JLaw posed for a snap once inside the luncheon amid a sea of industry colleagues

Nifty: Rachle McAdams pink little sleeveless number had a cute red bow on her chest that was planted just below a lavender jewel-encrusted neckline

Awesome in orange: Actress Alicia Vikander, who has been acknowledge for her Best Supporting Actress work in The Danish Girl, stunned in a mini dress that showed off her toned legs and arms

The Oscars love her voice: Lady Gaga is nominated for her song Til It Happens To You - a collaboration with Diane Warren - in the Best Original Song category for the film The Hunting Ground

The 37-year-old blonde's pink little sleeveless number had a cute red bow on her chest that was planted just below a lavender jewel-encrusted neckline.

Last year, JLaw famously challenged the way Hollywood looks at gender and the pay hierarchy in scathing essay.

She learned by way of the Sony email hacking scandal that she earned far less than her male counterparts in American Hustle.

She sure is in bloom: Rooney Mara, who has been recognized for her work in Carol as a Best Supporting Actress, looked striking in this white mini dress with flower embroidery on the sleeve and side

Pretty in pink: Also present was Best Actress nominee Brie Larson, who got a nod for her work in the drama Room

All dressed up... and somewhere to go: Hannah Bagshawe and Eddie Redmayne posed up on the red carpet

A winner every day:Saoirse Ronan showed off her amazing figure on the red carpet

Writing on Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter blog, Jennifer asserted: 'I would be lying if I didnt say there was an element of wanting to be liked that influenced my decision to close the deal without a real fight.'

The Hunger Games star continued: 'I didnt want to seem "difficult" or "spoiled". At the time, that seemed like a fine idea, until I saw the payroll on the Internet and realized every man I was working with definitely didnt worry about being "difficult" or "spoiled."'

However, the star caught some flack for her comments when it was noted that she made $52 million last year.

Does he already have his acceptance speech written? Leonardo DiCaprio looked his usual red-carpet dapper self in a dark suit with polka dot tie. He is one of the favorites this year as his work in The Revenant has won raves

Going simple: Matt Damon chucked the tie for a less formal look; his grey suit made him look rather nondescript. The star is nomination for Best Actor for his work in The Martian

This man sure cleans up well: Mark Ruffalo, who has been given props for his turn in Spotlight, wore a grey suit with black shoes; also present was Steven Spielberg (right) whose film Bridge Of Spies has been recognized

Meanwhile, whether JLaw takes home the Oscar this year or not, she will still be leaving with plenty of gold.

This year's swag bag is worth a record-setting $232,000 and features trips to Israel and Japan as well as a Vampire Breast Lift.

Distinctive Assets, the marketing company in charge of creating the luxurious bags, claims that 'Everyone wins' with this year's incredible bag.
He is considered something of a style icon.

But David Beckham seemed to question his fashion sense on Monday - after he stepped out wearing matching outfits with his 16 year-old son, Brooklyn.

The pair cosied-up in a New York street, where they sported their second matching look in as many days.

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Like father, like son: David Beckham seemed to question his fashion sense on Monday - after he stepped out wearing matching outfits with his 16 year-old son, Brooklyn

Both sporting military print and beanie hats with a black hooded top, they looked seriously alike.

Sharing the snap on Instagram, David wrote: 'Not sure if I'm a cool dad or Brooklyn is thinking seriously we have similar coats on dad'.

It comes just two days after they both sported similar lounge wear during a trip to a skate store in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The 16-year-old star went for a casual vest and black shorts, while David, 40, opted for a soft cotton T-shirt and pulled up tracksuit bottoms.

See more of the latest on David Beckham as he and Brooklyn wear matching outfits again

Cool duo: With a fashion designer mother and style icon father, Brooklyn Beckham is bound to borrow sartorial tips from his parents

David wore a baseball style T-shirt with green arms and piping and a white body, while he pulled his grey tracksuit bottoms up into a shorter style.

In the same style as his son, he slipped on a pair of flip-flops the same as Brooklyn's, although his were in a bright white hue.

Looking every inch the superstar, David pulled on a baseball cap while shielding his eyes with a pair of sleek aviator sunglasses.

The retired footballer's smattering of designer facial hair and inked-up body made him instantly recognisable as one of the world's biggest superstars.

Hunky star: David was looking ultra handsome in his laid-back ensemble

Hip daddy: And the trendy teen proved he has inherited his dad's style as the duo stepped out in similar lounge wear during a trip to a skate store in Los Angeles on Saturday

Laid-back and lovely: David wore a baseball style T-shirt with green arms and piping and a white body, while he pulled his grey tracksuit bottoms up into a shorter style

Brooklyn was clearly enjoying the balmy climes of his adopted home in Los Angeles, a world away from his native England, as he sported a scanty, weather-appropriate ensemble.

His retro style white vest was emblazoned with a faded slogan while his baggy black shorts screamed casual wear.

Inspired by his dad he went for black flip-flops, while accessorising with an array of delicate gold jewellery including two bracelets and a necklace.

Taking inspiration: Inspired by his dad he went for black flip-flops, while accessorising with an array of delicate gold jewellery including two bracelets and a necklace

Warmer weather: Brooklyn was clearly enjoying the balmy climes of his adopted home in Los Angeles, a world away from his native England, as he sported a scanty, weather-appropriate ensemble

Shop till you drop: The duo cut serious figures as they ambled along the street ready to hit the skate store

While the duo headed to the store, Brooklyn was potentially forking out his own cash after his first pay cheque, as he recently scooped his first photography job.

Proving to be just as professional as his famous father and mother, Brooklyn had a certain level of confidence about him last week as he got on with his first job as a photographer.

Taking to the streets of London, the teen was on the ball as he shot Burberry's latest This Is Brit fragrance campaign.

Handsome pair: The boys looked casual and cool as they sauntered along the streets

Payday come round? While the duo headed to the store, Brooklyn was potentially forking out his own cash after his first pay cheque, as he scooped his first photography job

Engrossed: Brooklyn couldn't resist checking his phone as he ambled along the sidewalk

On location, Beckham was focused as he captured his subjects as they stood on a cobbled pathway.

Earlier this week via Instagram, the 16-year-old son of David and Victoria Beckham revealed he'd been hired by the luxury brand to shoot their latest fragrance.

Posting a black and white photograph of himself holding onto a camera, the model wrote: 'Excited to photograph the @Burberry campaign tomorrow. Watch it live on their Instagram & Snapchat #THISISBRIT'.

However it's no doubt the star will be in safe hands with the brand who have a history with the famous family.

At the age of 10, Brooklyn's younger brother Romeo made his modelling debut with the brand, and has continued to work with the company on several occasions.

Snap happy: While the duo headed to the store, Brooklyn was potentially forking out his own cash after his first pay cheque, as he scooped his first photography job

Burberry boy: Earlier this week via Instagram, the 16-year-old son of David and Victoria Beckham revealed he'd been hired by the luxury brand to shoot their latest fragrance
Japan steps up bid to win Australia submarine contract

Japan has assured Australia it will share its most secret stealth technology if it wins a contract to design and build Canberra's next generation of submarines, a report said Monday.

Three international bidders are competing for the project worth up to Aus$50 billion (US$36 billion) to replace Australia's current diesel and electric-powered Collins Class submarines which are set to be retired from about 2026.

The tender process is now closed with submissions received from DCNS of France, Germany's TKMS and the Japanese government.

Australian Collins class submarines in formation in Cockburn Sound, near Rockingham in Western Australia on March 22, 2015 CPOIS David Connolly (Royal Australian Navy/AFP/File)

Besides matching the range and endurance of the Collins Class, the new generation of subs are expected to offer superior sensor performance and stealth capabilities.

Japan's Deputy Defence Minister Kenji Wakamiya said Tokyo ordinarily only shared details of its Soryu class submarine with the United States, but Australia was also considered a deeply trusted ally.

"It is of major importance to us that we will be sharing this secret technology with Australia," he told The Australian newspaper in comments published Monday.

Wakamiya added that Tokyo's willingness to do this demonstrated the importance it placed on maintaining regional security.

"Please also recognise that this decision was based on Japan seeing Australia as a very important partner," he said.

"And I believe that a joint project to build the new submarine would contribute greatly to maritime safety in this region."

Late last year Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani echoed similar sentiments that picking Tokyo could help ensure maritime security in the Asia-Pacific.

He was alluding to the importance of allies such as the US, Japan and Australia working together in the face of China's growing military might.

For Australia, cooperating with Japan -- whose Soryu is widely seen as the best submarine of its type - risks angering its biggest trading partner China.

According to the report, Japan is offering to build a new Soryu with its hull extended six to eight metres (20 to 26 feet) to carry more batteries and fuel to take account of the massive distances the Australian navy travels.

The tender process has been politically sensitive, with Canberra keen to maximise Australian industry involvement and jobs. There are fears that any off-the-shelf purchase could kill off the domestic shipbuilding industry.
Nigeria army probes recent Boko Haram attacks

Nigeria's army on Sunday said it has launched a probe into recent attacks by Boko Haram militants which claimed dozens of lives of lives near Maiduguri, capital of northeast Borno state.

At least 85 people died when insurgents stormed and torched a village on January 30, the third attack in four days defying President Muhammadu Buhari's claim Nigeria had largely defeated the jihadist group.

"The recent unfortunate attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on communities close to Maiduguri, despite our successes, call for concern," the army said.

Children fleeing from Boko Haram Islamists walk past burnt houses in Mairi village on the outskirts of Maiduguri, capital of northeast Borno State, on February 6, 2016

"The Nigerian Army has already commenced investigation into the attacks... All cases of indiscipline and related acts of misconduct including human rights abuse in the operations will be tried by the Special Court Martial," said the statement said, without clarifying what the probe was investigating.

Thousands of people have fled their homes near Maiduguri for the capital and many are afraid to return, despite government assurances of their safety, after the recent attacks.

Buhari in December claimed that Nigeria had largely won the fight against Boko Haram, but since then the militants have killed dozens in raids and suicide attacks, including across the border in Cameroon.

Rights group Amnesty International has also accused the military itself of committing war crimes and possible crimes against humanity in the course of its operations against the group.
S. Korea navy fires warning shots at North vessel

The South Korean navy fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol boat that intruded over their disputed maritime border Monday, a day after the North's launch of a long-range rocket raised tensions.

The defence ministry in Seoul said the North Korean vessel crossed the Yellow Sea border just before 7:00am (2300 GMT Sunday).

"It quickly retreated after the South Korean navy fired warning shots," a ministry official said.

South Korean Navy participate in winter training at a base in the southern coastal city of Changwon on February 7, 2016 YONHAP (YONHAP/AFP)

The de-facto maritime boundary between the two Koreas -- the Northern Limit Line -- is not recognised by Pyongyang, which argues it was unilaterally drawn by US-led United Nations forces after the 1950-53 Korean War.

Both sides complain of frequent incursions by the other and there were limited naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and 2009.

Incidents like Monday's intrusion are quite common and rarely escalate into anything more serious.

However, South Korea is on a high state of alert following Sunday's rocket launch, which Seoul insists amounted to a disguised ballistic missile test.
Cambodia arrests man wanted for Bangkok Spaniard killing

The prime suspect in the grisly murder and dismemberment of a Spanish national in Bangkok was returned to Thailand Monday after his arrest in Cambodia, police said.

Multiple body parts belonging to businessman David Bernat were found floating in Bangkok's Chao Praya river last month.

Police believe he was kidnapped and murdered for financial reasons, with investigators saying they have traced more than $1 million moved from the victim's bank account after his death.

The prime suspect in the grisly murder and dismemberment of a Spanish national in Bangkok has been returned to Thailand Tang Chhin Sothy (AFP/File)

Last week they named their chief suspect as Artur Segarra, 36, also a Spanish national, saying they were confident he remained inside Thailand because he had recently withdrawn money from a cash machine inside the country.

But Cambodian police said Segarra was apprehended in a restaurant on Sunday in the town of Sihanoukville.

"We arrested him yesterday late afternoon," Chuon Narin, police chief of Kampong Som province, told AFP on Monday.

He was later handed over to Thai police in the eastern province of Trat. General Panya Maman, the officer leading the murder investigation, said Segurra would be sent to Bangkok for interrogation.

"A criminal court has issued an arrest warrant against Artur for premeditated murder and illegal disposal of a body," he told reporters.

If charged and convicted, Segurra could face the death penalty.

The gruesome case has dominated Thai media coverage in recent days with television networks airing grim footage of officers hauling Bernat's remains out of the river.

Police questioned a Thai woman over the weekend who was allegedly seen with Segarra in recent days.

Investigators initially struggled to identify the victim. Last week police said they believed the man was of Asian origin and suggested that Chinese triads might have been involved because of the method chosen to dispose of the body.

The wide Chao Praya winds its way through Bangkok, which boasts a large network of canals, and it is not unusual for bodies to be dumped in the city's waterways. But it is rare for a foreigner to meet such a grisly fate.
Afghan civilians, soldiers killed in separate attacks

Nine people were killed and eighteen injured in two separate suicide attacks in Afghanistan on Monday, authorities said, days after a fresh round of international talks aimed at reviving dialogue with the Islamist group.

The militant group is stepping up attacks nationwide in the 15th year of its insurgency against the Western-backed government in Kabul.

The carnage began Monday morning when a suicide bomber threw himself against a bus carrying Afghan troops in the northern province of Balkh, killing three soldiers and wounding eight, the defence ministry said.

The scene in Yahyakhail in Paktika province on February 8, 2016 after a suicide attacker blew himself up among people queuing at a bakery Hekmatullah (AFP)

A spokesman for the provincial governor, Munir Ahmad Farhad, said the bomber ran towards the bus as it slowed down for a speed bump in Dehdadi, a district near the provincial capital Mazar-i-Sharif.

On Monday afternoon another suicide attacker blew himself up among a crowd of people queueing outside a bakery in Yahyakhail, a remote district in the volatile southeastern province of Paktika on the border with Pakistan. The attack killed six civilians and wounded 10.

"We dont know what the target of the attacker was but all the casualties are civilians," Yahyakhail district governor Musa Jan Kharoti told AFP.

The account was confirmed by the provincial deputy governor Attaullah Fazly.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Paktika. The Taliban, whose hardline regime was toppled by a US-led coalition in 2001, claimed responsibility for the attack on the army bus.

The group have stepped up their campaign against government and foreign targets in Afghanistan this winter, when fighting usually abates, underscoring a worsening security situation.

Afghan troops and police have suffered record casualties since NATO ended its combat mission in December 2014, leaving them to battle the resurgent Taliban largely on their own.

At least twenty Afghan policemen were killed on February 1 when a suicide bomber struck outside their base in the capital Kabul.

With neither side in the conflict seemingly able to accomplish a decisive victory, Kabul, regional powers and the United States have pinned their hopes on a peace settlement.

On Saturday representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US announced that direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban were expected to take place by the end of the month, indicating the insurgent group were willing to return to negotiations six months after an earlier round of dialogue fell apart.

Pakistan backed the Islamist group during their 1996-2001 rule and is accused of continuing to shelter its leaders in exile. Its role is seen as key in persuading the Taliban to return to talks.

A wounded Afghan boy walks with an Afghan National Army (ANA) soldier at the site of the suicide attack in Balkh province Farshad Usyan (AFP)
Myanmar presidential nominees to be named March 17

Myanmar will not discover who its new president will be until at least mid-March, an official said Monday, as speculation swirls over who will serve as proxy for democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The cut off point for presidential candidate proposals will be March 17, Win Khaing Than, the speaker of Myanmar's combined houses of parliament told lawmakers Monday.

That means voters will have waited more than four months to discover who the new president will be after they delivered a thumping victory for Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party in landmark November polls.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won landmark polls in November 2015 Ye Aung Thu (AFP/File)

Suu Kyi is currently barred from top political office by a junta-era constitution because her children and spouse were foreign born.

The announcement prolongs anxiety over who will take over the presidency from outgoing general-turned-reformer Thein Sein at the end of March, as Myanmar looks to shrug off decades of military domination.

Suu Kyi has insisted her party's sweeping victory gives her a mandate to rule "above" the next president.

She has yet to indicate her choice of proxy leader.

Observers see her reticence to name a candidate as a sign that she and senior NLD figures are locked in negotiations with the military to cut some sort of deal that might allow her to rule.

Myanmar's army has an effective veto on any constitutional change and has publicly rebuffed all attempts at its alteration.

"(The military) will never change their position," information minister Ye Htut told AFP.

The former army officer, who is the spokesman for the outgoing quasi-civilian government, said the army will adhere closely to the constitution.

Three presidential candidates will be nominated, one by each of the lower and upper chambers and one from the army, which retains 25 percent of parliament's seats.

The new president will then be chosen by a vote of the combined houses, which are dominated by an overall NLD majority.

Suu Kyi last week said it was "not yet time to form a government", urging people not to be "anxious".

The Nobel laureate, 70, met army chief Min Aung Hlaing days before her party took up its parliamentary majority on February 1 to discuss the transition.

As fevered speculation takes hold, broadcasts in state-backed media over the weekend appeared to suggest a breakthrough in talks, only to correct the report on Monday saying it reflected the personal views of some MPs.
ICC apologises for Gbagbo witness blunder

The International Criminal Court Monday apologised for an embarrassing blunder during the trial of former Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo which led to the unmasking of several protected witnesses, and ordered a formal inquiry.

"What happened on Friday afternoon... is of utmost and inexcusable gravity for which the chamber, but I would say the whole ICC, apologises," presiding judge Cuno Tarfusser said, offering a formal apology.

"It is of such gravity that the chamber has ordered an ... internal investigation in order to find out how this could have happened," a visibly upset Tarfusser said.

Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo is on trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague Peter Dejong (POOL/AFP/File)

He was speaking as the second full week of Gbagbo's crimes against humanity trial began in the international tribunal based in The Hague.

On Friday the prosecutor mentioned the names of several witnesses whose identities have been ordered to be kept secret, thinking the microphones were off.

But the incident was relayed live to the public gallery, and recordings have since spread widely on social media, including YouTube.

The judge added he did not know whether Friday's incident happened because of "recklessness, superficiality (or) stupidity," adding he did not want to "speculate about something else."

"We are awaiting a detailed report," Tarfusser added.

Protecting witnesses is one of the key promises of the ICC as it seeks to bring to justice those responsible for the world's worst crimes.

The tribunal, set up in 2002, goes to enormous lengths to shield the identities of sensitive witnesses from the public, pixellating their faces and disguising their voices. In some cases, witnesses who fear reprisals are moved to a new country and given a new identity.

The trial of Gbagbo, 70, and his firebrand youth militia leader Charles Ble Goude, 44, opened on January 28, and is set to last three to four years.

The two men have denied four charges arising out of their alleged roles in post-election violence that ravaged the west African country in 2010-11.

- Criminal offence -

But on Friday prosecutor Eric MacDonald inadvertently gave the names of at least three witnesses, in a blunder which made headline news in the Ivory Coast.

It provoked outrage from Gbagbo's supporters and those of his bitter rival, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, over the weekend.

Tarfusser urged everyone to "calm down as we don't want to ignite anything. We just want to do our jobs as best as possible."

He also warned that any attempt to interfere with or unmask witnesses was a criminal offence, reminding all involved "to do nothing to reveal or continue to publish... the identities of protected witnesses."

On Wednesday, witness P547 also accidentally gave his name as he recounted how forces loyal to Gbagbo allegedly fired on unarmed protesters.

Some 3,000 people were killed after the disputed Ivory Coast presidential vote in late 2010, when Gbagbo refused to cede victory to Ouattara, who was backed by international powers after snatching a narrow victory.

After the apology, Gbagbo's trial resumed with defence lawyers continuing a cross examination of the prosecution's first witness, known only as "P547".
Italy demands answers as anger mounts over student slain in Egypt

Italy on Monday warned Egypt it would not allow the fate of Giulio Regeni to be brushed under the carpet as anger mounted over the Cambridge University student's torture and killing in Cairo.

With the media publishing gruesome details of Regeni's treatment and pointing the finger at Egyptian security services, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was under pressure to authorise a state funeral for the slain 28-year-old.

Regeni disappeared on January 25 and was found dead on February 3. An Italian autopsy carried out following his corpse's repatriation at the weekend concluded that he was killed by a violent blow to the base of his skull having already suffered multiple fractures all over his body.

Activists and Italian nationals living in Egypt take part in a rally in Cairo in memory of Italian student Giulio Regeni, on February 6, 2016 Mohamed El-Shahed (AFP/File)

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that Egypt appeared to be collaborating with a team of Italian detective and forensic investigators dispatched to Cairo.

But he warned: "We will not settle for alleged truths."

Gentiloni, in an interview with daily La Repubblica, added: "We want those really responsible identified and punished on the basis of law."

La Repubblica reported that, as well as being systematically beaten, Regeni had his finger and toe nails pulled out in a pattern of torture which the daily said suggested that his "death squad" killers believed him to be a spy.

Regeni was in Egypt working on a doctoral thesis on Egyptian trade unions. It has emerged since his death that he was also writing, under a pseudonym, for a communist Italian daily Il Manifesto, fuelling speculation that links to local opposition figures may have resulted in him being targeted.

Italian officials' anger over Regeni's death was exacerbated by their being initially informed the student had been killed in a road accident.

- Punch in the stomach -

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has been particularly outspoken, describing seeing the results of the autopsy as a "punch in the stomach" and Regeni's killers as "inhuman and animalistic."

Alfano said he was in favour of Regeni being given a state funeral later this week.

"There is a protocol to be respected and the President of the Council of Ministers (Renzi) decides, but I would say this is about the death of a young man who honoured all of Italy and the idea of a state funeral should be taken very seriously."

Renzi faces a difficult balancing act in handling the fallout from Regeni's death. Too much overt criticism from Rome of the military-backed regime in Cairo could jeopardise the hopes of the murder inquiry ever getting to the truth.

Italy also has major business interests in Egypt and will need Cairo's support if a planned Italian-led peacekeeping force is sent into neighbouring Libya to help stabilise the country, if and when a new national unity government is established there.

"Egypt is our strategic partner and has a fundamental role in the stabilisation of the region," Gentiloni said.

"But here we are confronted with a different problem, the duty of Italy to defend its citizens and to ensure that when they are victims of crime, the guilty are brought to justice."

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has insisted Cairo is committed to finding the killers. "People are jumping to the conclusion that he was interrogated but that has not been proven," he told Corriere della Sera's Sunday edition.

Italian ambassador Maurizio Massari arrives at a morgue in Cairo on February 4, 2016 Mohamed El-Shahed (AFP/File)
Habre had 'power of life, death' over Chadians, lawyer tells trial

Chad's ex-dictator Hissene Habre had the "power of life and death" over his people, a lawyer for victims of atrocities carried out during his 1980s reign said Monday at his war crimes trial in Senegal.

Habre who was president of the semi-desert central African country from 1982-1990, is charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture -- the first time a despot from one African country has been called to account by another.

The 73-year-old went on trial last July.

Chad's ex-dictator Hissene Habre had the "power of life and death" over his people, says a lawyer for victims of atrocities carried out during his 1980s reign

On Monday, lawyers representing victims began presenting their closing arguments to the Extraordinary African Chambers, a special court established in Dakar by the African Union under an agreement with Senegal.

"The testimony is unanimous. No-one could do anything without taking it up with the President of the Republic," lawyer Yare Fall said, summarising the accounts provided by scores of witnesses, who described the horror of life in Chad's prisons during his watch.

Once backed by France and the US as a bulwark against Libya's Moamer Kadhafi, Habre was toppled in 1990 and went into exile in Senegal, where he was arrested in June 2013.

An investigating commission found that well over 40,000 people were killed during his rule, which was marked by fierce repression of his opponents and the targeting of rival ethnic groups.

Among the torture described by former prisoners was the "Arbatachar," in which all four limbs were tied behind the victim's back, causing agonising pain and sometimes paralysis.

"People sang about Hissene Habre here, Hissene Habre there, Hissene Habre everwhere. It was he who freed people and he who had them executed," Fall said.

Not only did Habre "not take the necessary measures to prevent crimes being committed" against civilians, he also failed to punish them when they came to light, Fall continued, declaring: "He had the power of life and death over the people of Chad."

Habre, who was ousted by Chad's current President Idriss Deby Itno, has refused to address the court whose authority he does not recognise.

After being manhandled into the opening trial session at which he shouted angry defiance, the bespectacled Habre has sat dressed in white, his face partially covered by a traditional white turban.

He was watched proceedings silent and impassive and immobile, save for the occasional swish of a foot.

- Gestapo-style repression-

Another lawyer representing the victims, Philippe Houssine, said: "Habre put in place for his exclusive use an army and service of repression," in the shape of the feared Directorate of Documentation and Security (DDS), his political police.

"At his initiative, the DDS, created as an organ of counter-espionage, was transformed into a machine of repression."

For another lawyer, Laminal Ndintamadji, said the whole nation suffered under Habre.

"The all-powerful DDS was like the Gestapo. Every family in Chad lost someone, everyone suffered from this horror," Ndintamadji said.

She urged the court's Burkinabe president Gberdao Gustave Kam: "This is a decimated people -- you have a duty to give them justice."

The 15 plaintiffs' lawyers are expected to finish presenting their closing arguments Tuesday, after which the prosecution and the defendant's court-appointed lawyers will have the floor.

The court is expected to return its verdict in late May, court spokesman Marcel Mendy.

Habre could be sentenced to life imprisonment with forced labour.
DR Congo clashes kill at least 15: authorities

At least 15 people have been killed in clashes between armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been the scene of heightened ethnic tensions in recent weeks, local authorities said Monday.

"There have been clashes in the village of Mukeberwa" in North Kivu province on Sunday, Bokele Joy, the administrator of Lubero Territory where the fighting took place, told AFP.

"According to information that I have, between 15 and 30 people have been killed," he said, adding that he could not be more precise as there are no army troops or national police in the area.

Congolese troops speak with people on January 7, 2016 in Miriki, north of Goma, after 15 people died when Hutu rebels attacked civilians Kudra Maliro (AFP/File)

The United Nations said it was "alarmed by reports of escalating inter-communal violence" in the area, citing "at least 21 people killed, 40 wounded and 70 houses burned down over the weekend.

"We have also received reports of massive displacement of civilians, looting, abductions and of at least three rapes during the past few days," it said.

Witnesses and local leaders confirmed that many locals had been forced by the violence to flee their homes, though no official numbers were immediately available.

Joy added that the fighting broke out after an ethnic Nande militia attacked Mukeberwa, which is held by Hutu rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, based for decades in eastern Congo and said to include perpetrators of the 1994 genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

According to the UN mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and local authorities, inter-ethnic tensions have risen in the region since killings in early January at the Nande village of Miriki, 110 kilometres (65 miles) north of Goma, capital of the restive North Kivu province.

Up to 17 people, including two women and the daughter of a local chief, were killed in Miriki by suspected Rwandan Hutu rebels.

For several months, Nande chiefs have opposed the return of displaced Congolese Hutus to the region, accusing them of conspiring with the FDLR.
Hamas denies Israeli charge Gaza treated IS wounded

Hamas on Monday denied Israeli accusations that wounded Islamic State group fighters from Egypt had been smuggled through tunnels to receive medical care in the Islamist-run Gaza Strip.

Israeli General Yoav Mordechai had accused the jihadist group of smuggling wounded fighters from Sinai Province -- the IS affiliate in northern Egypt -- through tunnels into the Palestinian enclave for treatment.

"We have reliable information that the members of ISIS in the Sinai entered the Gaza Strip via tunnels to be treated in Hamas hospitals," Mordechai said in an interview with the Arabic-language website Elaph.

A Palestinian emerges from a tunnel that runs between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip Said Khatib (AFP/File)

Mordechai heads the defence ministry body responsible for coordinating Israeli government activity in the Palestinian territories (COGAT).

He alleged that wounded militants were taken to hospital in Khan Yunis, according to a transcript of parts of the interview provided to AFP by COGAT, but provided no firm evidence for the claim.

The Hamas interior ministry immediately dismissed the allegations as "false".

Spokesman Iyad al-Bozom said the allegations were "aimed at inciting against the Gaza Strip and causing tension in the relationship between the Strip and the Arab Republic of Egypt (while) working to tighten the siege".

Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said hospitals in the enclave treat only local residents.

An Israeli blockade severely restricts the movement of people and goods into and out of the territory, and Egypt's sole border with Gaza has also remained largely closed since 2013.

Egypt has been accused of destroying tunnels that Gazans used to smuggle goods and food in but which were also allegedly used for moving weapons.

In late 2014, as part of an attempt to restore peace in its restive northern Sinai region, Egypt began setting up a buffer zone on its border with Gaza and destroyed hundreds of tunnels.
Bone tests can ruin migrant kids' Europe chances: study

Among the refugees arriving on Europe's shores seeking sanctuary from war, poverty or persecution, many are children -- often orphaned, alone and without official papers.

Once they get there, the older ones may be subjected to physical assessments to determine whether they are in fact still children who qualify for certain rights.

The problem is, the tests are flawed, a biologist alerted Monday in the journal Annals of Human Biology. Many minors risk being wrongly classified as adults.

A refugee gives his fingerprint at a registration centre in Heidelberg, western Germany Uli Deck (dpa/AFP)

"The discrepancy, no matter how small, has life-changing consequences," said Noel Cameron of the Loughborough University in England.

A mistake "results in the loss of any access to rights and privileges afforded to children, including housing and foster care, and may lead to repatriation and continued persecution."

Cameron pointed out flaws in the so-called "skeletal maturity" assessment of the hand and wrist bones of teenagers, used by many European countries to determine the age of those without papers.

On average, about 50 percent of European boys have adult skeletons already by the age of 16-and-a-half, he said.

Conversely, about one in five are not yet "skeletally mature" by the age of 18.

"Thus a decision based on adulthood being defined as the attainment of full skeletal maturity condemns those skeletally advanced 16- and 17-year-olds to laws governing adults, and those skeletally delayed 18-year-olds to laws governing children," Cameron wrote.

Using a physiological measure to determine an asylum-seeker's age, and thus their fate, "is inappropriate at best and simply wrong in over one third of assessments," he added.

In Britain alone, there were 2,168 asylum applications from unaccompanied children in the year ending in June 2015, said the article -- some eight percent of the total applications submitted in that period.

Age assessments were carried out in 488 cases, of which 58 percent resulted in an adult classification, though it is impossible to know how many would have been wrong.

"Figures similar to these can be found in most countries of the European Union," wrote Cameron.

Almost all, he added, used skeletal maturity tests as the main age gauge of migrant asylum-seekers.

"It is scientifically indefensible to ignore the known imperfect association between maturity and age in order to decide who will, or will not, be granted the opportunities afforded by asylum in Europe," said Cameron.

The alternative?

"Chronological age is not a biological variable. It is a social construct relating to behavioural maturity and thus behaviour ought to be the core target of assessment," the biologist told AFP by email.

According to the UN refugee agency, more than 74,000 migrants have already arrived in Europe by sea this year from countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, many risking their lives in dangerous vessels operated by people smugglers.
Guinea media seeks justice for journalist killed in clashes

Hundreds of people joined a march in Conakry Monday in memory of journalist El Hadj Mohamed Diallo who was shot dead last week in clashes outside the offices of an opposition party.

Five media associations called for justice and a "press-free day" on Tuesday in honour of Diallo who died on Friday after receiving a bullet to the chest in the capital Conakry.

The four-hour march by some 300 journalists, civil representatives and ordinary citizens took place without incident and ended up in front of the justice ministry building.

Guinean journalists march on February 8, 2016 in Conakry to protest after a journalist was shot in clashes outside the offices of an opposition party on February 5 Cellou Binani (AFP)

The protesters demanded justice for Diallo, who worked for the private Guinee7 news website and the weekly L'Independant.

He had been standing outside the headquarters of the main opposition party, Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), when violence broke out over the recent removal of the party's vice president, Amadou Bah Oury.

Bah Oury had gone to the headquarters intending to challenge the decision to expel him from the party leadership. But his presence sparked clashes between supporters and the building's security guards during which shots were fired.

One of the bullets struck Diallo, who later died in hospital.

Both the UFDG and Bah Oury blamed each other for the unrest in separate statements on Saturday.

According to relatives, Diallo was married and had a young daughter.

He was buried on Sunday in the Conakry suburb of Ratoma.

In a joint statement five press associations urged "all Guinean media to observe a press-free day" on Tuesday.

During the march, the protesters chanted that this was "one death too many,".

Some carried a banner bearing the message; "we demand justice for the victim, the widow and the orphan".
France to probe new child rape allegations in C. Africa

French investigators will probe new allegations by young children of sexual abuse by French soldiers in the Central African Republic, a judicial source said Monday.

The allegations were made to UN investigators last month by a sister and brother, now aged seven and nine, the source said.

The children described being forced to perform oral sex on unidentified soldiers in exchange for water and biscuits in 2014, adding that other children were abused in the same way by several French soldiers on repeated occasions.

UN peacekeeping forces patrol in Bangui on December 30, 2015 Issouf Sanogo (AFP/File)

The Central African Republic is struggling to recover from a cycle of sectarian violence that exploded after a 2013 coup, pitting mainly Muslim rebels against Christian militias, but international peacekeeping efforts have been undermined by a string of sex abuse claims.

On Friday the Congolese government said it was investigating claims of abuse by members of the UN peacekeeping force known as MINUSCA.

The United Nations has said it will repatriate 120 peacekeepers from the Republic of Congo, after last month asking DR Congo to send home its contingent.

The EU's EUFOR mission has also been targeted by similar complaints.

Among other claims, two teenagers said they were raped by EUFOR soldiers whom they believed to be from Georgia.

Last month, a hard-hitting report found the United Nations had grossly mishandled allegations of child sex abuse in CAR.
Israel sets conditions for return of Palestinian bodies

Israel is ready to return the bodies of 10 Palestinians killed while carrying out attacks but their families have refused to accept certain conditions, a government spokesman said on Monday.

Israel will return the bodies if the families "agree in advance that the funerals take place at night, with a limited number of attendees," a spokesman for the ministry of public security told AFP.

"These conditions have not yet been accepted by the families," he said, despite reports in the Israeli media that two of the bodies could be returned by Tuesday to families in east Jerusalem.

Israeli security forces hand over the body of Palestinian Haitham al-Bau, who was shot dead by Israeli soldiers after throwing a petrol bomb at a military jeep, to members of the Palestinian Red Crescent on February 5, 2016 Hazem Bader (AFP/File)

Since a wave of violence erupted in October, 165 Palestinians have been killed, according to an AFP count. More than half of them were attackers.

The violence has also claimed the lives of 26 Israelis, an American, an Eritrean and a Sudanese.

Israel does not always immediately return the bodies of slain attackers.

The policy has infuriated Palestinians and sparked condemnation from rights groups who decry what they say is "collective punishment".

Israeli security forces are also divided on the policy.

The army, which controls the occupied West Bank, argues that such confiscations exacerbate tensions and has returned dozens of bodies since December.

Annexed east Jerusalem however is under the authority of Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan and he has staunchly refused to release the bodies of the 10 attackers.

Three Arab Israeli members of parliament last week met the relatives of Palestinians killed while attacking Israelis, sparking a bitter row in parliament.

On Sunday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would advance legislation to enable the Knesset to suspend members over what he termed "inappropriate behaviour".

Arab Israelis -- who represent about 18 percent of Israel's population -- are the descendants of Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948.
Syria rebels under pressure as displaced mass on the border

Beleaguered rebels in northern Syria faced double defeat on Monday by both the Russian-backed regime and advancing Kurdish militia, as tens of thousands of displaced amassed on the Turkish border.

The worsening refugee crisis has pushed Germany and Turkey to ask NATO for help policing Turkey's shores, after two dozen more migrants drowned there en route to Greece.

In Ankara, German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with Turkish leaders, saying the two countries would ask a meeting of NATO defence ministers whether and how NATO could support coastguards.

Syrian refugees jostle each other near the Turkish border crossing on February 6, 2016 Bulent Kilic (AFP/File)

Merkel said she was "horrified" by the suffering of people stranded on the Syrian-Turkish border after fleeing fighting in northern Syria.

Fierce clashes in the north of Aleppo province -- sparked by a week-long government assault with Russian air support -- have displaced tens of thousands of people.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said his government fears that violence could drive as many as 600,000 refugees to its border in a "worst case scenario".

The United Nations so far estimates that 31,000 people have fled from areas near and in Aleppo city, a vast majority of them women and children, according to Linda Tom, spokeswoman of the UN's humanitarian aid organisation.

Eight informal camps on the Syrian side of the border are at "full capacity", she said, amid reports that refugees are sleeping rough in fields and on roads.

Government troops and allied forces have seized a string of rebel-held villages, taking them to about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Turkey.

"It's the first time since 2013 that the Syrian regime has been this close to the Turkish border in Aleppo province," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based monitor.

- Rebels 'collapsing' -

Kurdish forces have also pushed further east from their bastion in Afrin, seizing six villages in recent days after rebel groups withdrew.

Opposition fighters are now squeezed "between the pincers of the army, which is pushing north, Kurdish forces coming from the west, and IS which dominates the east," Abdel Rahman said.

The regime offensive, one of the largest yet in the north, has cut a major rebel supply route out of Aleppo city.

Regime forces now have their sights set on taking Tal Rifaat, one of three remaining rebel bastions north of the provincial capital.

After capturing the village of Kafeen late Sunday, government forces are now just five kilometres (three miles) south of Tal Rifaat.

According to analyst Fabrice Balanche, Syria's regime aims to "close off the Turkish border to deprive the rebels of their logistical support".

- 'Total impunity' of regime -

More than 260,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in Syria's bloody war, which diplomatic efforts have so far failed to resolve.

The most recent round of UN-brokered indirect negotiations in Geneva last month was "suspended" until February 25.

Last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told The Financial Times newspaper that "aerial bombing continued" when the talks began, making it "extremely difficult" for negotiations to take place.

On Monday, Moscow sharply criticised Ban, saying he had "practically" accused Russia of torpedoing the talks.

"This is clearly not what happened," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"We have always considered and continue to consider that comments from the chief administrator of an global organisation... should remain impartial and objective."

After talks in Washington between their top diplomats, the United States and Saudi Arabia said Monday they will push for an immediate ceasefire in Syria at international talks later this week.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir met ahead of the broader negotiations in Munich in Thursday.

Both cited UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access to besieged Syrian towns.

"And we hope that when we meet in Munich in the next few days, we'll be in a position where we can make progress on that goal," Kerry said.

In a scathing report published on Monday, UN investigators accused the Damascus government of "exterminating" prisoners in regime jails and detention centres.

"The mass scale of deaths of detainees suggests that the government of Syria is responsible for acts that amount to extermination as a crime against humanity," commission head Paulo Pinheiro told reporters in Geneva.

"Nearly every surviving detainee has emerged from custody having suffered unimaginable abuses."

Based on 621 interviews -- many of them with former detainees who witnessed deaths while in custody -- the report adds to a huge body of evidence from the commission and others, detailing horrific abuse, torture and killings in Syrian-run jails.

Syria: civilians flee as regime, Kurds advance against rebels Gillian Handyside (AFP)

Syrian government soldiers celebrate after taking control of the village of Ratian, north of the embattled city of Aleppo, from rebel fighters on February 6, 2016 George Ourfalian (AFP/File)

The bodies of drowned migrants lie covered on the deck of a rescue boat on February 8, 2016

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu hold a joint press conference in Ankara on February 8, 2016 Adem Altan (AFP)

Syria's bloody five-year conflict has killed more than 260,000 people and forced half the country's population from its homes Louai Beshara (AFP/File)
Russian air strikes in Syria 'good thing': Del Ponte

Former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is currently probing rights abuses in Syria, on Monday backed Russia's air strikes on "terrorist groups" in the war-torn country.

"Overall, I think the Russian intervention is a good thing, because finally someone is attacking these terrorist groups," Del Ponte told Swiss public broadcaster RTS, listing the Islamic State group and Al-Nusra among the groups targeted.

But Del Ponte, a member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, quickly added that the Russians apparently "are not distinguishing enough between the terrorists and others, and that is not as good."

Former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is currently probing rights abuses in Syria, thinks Russian intervention is a good thing but that the Russians "are not distinguishing enough between the terrorists and others" Fabrice Coffrini (AFP/File)

Her comments came amid international bickering over the Russian air strikes and what role they played in undermining last week's peace talks to end the country's five-year war.

Moscow launched a bombing campaign in Syria last year at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying it was targeting the Islamic State group and other jihadist organisations.

The West has accused Russia of targeting more moderate factions that oppose Assad's regime, and Syrian activists say the strikes have killed civilians, allegations Moscow dismisses as "absurd".

UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura last week suspended attempts to begin a dialogue between al-Assad's regime and the opposition, as Russia pressed on with its bombing campaign on the ground.

One day after the talks broke down, Russia's defence ministry said that air strikes had hit 875 "terrorist targets" in Syria since the start of the month.

Del Ponte, a 68-year-old Swiss national who came to prominence investigating war crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, also touched on another sensitive subject Monday, saying she thought Assad should be included in peace negotiations.
US hopes to send anti-missile system to SKorea 'as quickly as possible'

The US military wants to send a sophisticated missile defense system to South Korea "as quickly as possible," the Pentagon said Monday as it seeks to counter an ever-defiant North Korea.

After Pyongyang's launch of a long-range rocket on Sunday, South Korean and US military officials said they would start formal discussions on placing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) on the North's doorstep.

Though the launch saw North Korea successfully blast a satellite into orbit, the United Nations and world powers quickly condemned the action as evidence Pyongyang is continuing to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the US mainland.

US soldiers stand guard at Taesungdong Elementary School in South Korea on February 4, 2016 Jung Yeon-Je (AFP/File)

The launch came only weeks after North Korea carried the latest in a series of underground nuclear tests.

"Without getting into a timeline, we'd like to see this move as quickly as possible," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said of a possible THAAD deployment.

"We are beginning the consultations now and in the current days with the South Koreans, and we expect that this will move in an expeditious fashion."

America's highly deployable THAAD system fires anti-ballistic missiles into the sky to smash into enemy missiles either inside or outside the Earth's atmosphere during their final flight phase.

The interceptor missiles carry no warheads, instead relying on kinetic energy to destroy their targets.

While China firmly opposes the deployment of such anti-missile hardware so close to its borders, the move to place THAAD in South Korea underscores Washington's frustrations with Beijing's failure to take a tougher line with Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons program.

Cook stressed the missile defense system was in no way meant to pose a threat to China.

"If the THAAD system were deployed to the Korean Peninsula, it would be focused solely on North Korea, contribute to a layered missile defense that would enhance the alliance's existing missile defense capabilities against potential North Korean missile threats," he said.

"This is a defensive system put in place. We don't believe it should pose any kind of concern to the Chinese."

- Rapidly deployable -

A US defense official told AFP the anti-missile system could be deployed within one to two weeks of a deployment order.

"Once... decisions are made, that (timeframe) is possible," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The THAAD system, in service since 2008, includes truck-mounted launchers, radars, interceptor missiles and global communications links.

Five THAAD batteries are currently operational, according to the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, and two more were ordered in 2014.

One of these is permanently based in Guam, home to a large US military base in the Pacific, to protect against any North Korean missiles.

About 28,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea and the two forces have very close military ties.

Cook said an eventual THAAD deployment would be operated by US forces in South Korea.

"The United States remains fully committed to the security of our allies in the region and we will take all necessary steps to defend ourselves and our allies and respond to North Korean provocations," he said.

Anti-war activists hold a banner demonstrating against the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system outside the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on March 17, 2015 Jung Yeon-Je (AFP/File)
Turkey fears new influx of up to 600,000 Syrian refugees: minister

The Turkish government fears that fierce fighting in Syria's Aleppo province will spark the arrival of up to 600,000 refugees at its border in a "worst case scenario", Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Monday.

"The worst-case scenario that could happen in this region in the short term would be a new influx of 600,000 refugees at the Turkish frontier," Kurtulmus told journalists following a cabinet meeting.

The clashes in the north of Aleppo province -- sparked by a week-long government assault with Russian air support -- have displaced tens of thousands of people.

Syrians fleeing the northern embattled city of Aleppo wait on February 6, 2016 in Bab al-Salama, northern Syria, near the Turkish border crossing Bulent Kilic (AFP/File)

"As a consequence of this situation, we are seeing 200,000 people being forced to flee -- 65,000 in the direction of Turkey and 135,000 inside Syria," Kurtulmus said.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said earlier Monday that some 30,000 people were already massed at the Turkish border.

Huge crowds of refugees, mainly women and children, have been forced to wait at the Oncupinar border crossing, which remains closed with only medical emergencies allowed through.

"Our objective for now is to keep this wave of migrants on the other side of Turkey's borders as much as is possible, and to provide them with the necessary services there," Kurtulmus said.

The Turkish government has insisted for several days that its open-door policy to refugees fleeing the Syrian war remains unchanged and that it is ready, if necessary, to accommodate a new wave of arrivals.

"Obviously, as always, we will provide for our Syrian brothers and accept them when necessary," Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Yelp shares roller-coaster on early earnings release

Yelp shares took a roller coaster ride on Monday after quarterly earnings that beat expectations were accidentally released before the close of market.

Late day trades on the New York Stock Exchange sent Yelp shares soaring and plunging after earnings were disclosed prematurely.

Yelp shares were down more than 12.5 percent to $15.81 about 19h30 GMT.

Late day trades on the New York Stock Exchange sent Yelp, their East Coast headquarters seen on October 26, 2011 in New York City, shares soaring and plunging after earnings were disclosed prematurely Spencer Platt (Getty/AFP/File)

The website that serves up crowd-sourced reviews of businesses reported a loss of $22.2 million in the final three months of last year on revenue that climbed more than 40 percent to $153.7 million when compared to the same quarter in 2014.

The San Francisco-based company also announced that chief financial officer Rob Krolik will step down from the position this year after a replacement is hired.

"I am a strong believer in the power of Yelp to help consumers and local businesses alike," Krolik said in an earning release.

"After almost five years with Yelp, I am ready to take some time off to spend more time with family," Krolik said in an earning release.
Sudan army urges civilians to return to clashes-hit Darfur area

Sudan's military on Monday called on civilians displaced by two weeks of fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra to return to their homes, claiming to have captured most of the area.

The rebels strongly denied the claim and urged the international community to intervene to protect civilians.

Clashes flared between insurgents and troops in Jebel Marra, a stronghold of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army led by Abdulwahid Nur (SLA-AW), on January 15 and tens of thousands of civilians are thought to have fled the fighting.

A picture released by UNAMID shows a general view of Zam Zam camp for internally displaced people, in North Darfur, on February 18, 2014, as they flee fighting between government and armed movements in the area of east Jebel Marra Hamid Abdulsalam (UNAMID / HO/AFP/File)

"The armed forces, announcing they have extended their control over the Jebel Marra area and have secured all roads and tracks and important sites, invite all citizens in the area to return to their villages," army spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami said in a statement.

"The armed forces are still continuing their efforts in the area to complete the combing of the small remaining pockets" of Jebel Marra, the spokesman said.

But Abdulwahid Nur, head of the SLA-AW, denied his forces had lost control of the area.

"I will say that is not true at all, that is a lie," Nur told AFP by telephone from France.

"Since January 25, they have been continuously attacking us from eight directions" in Jebel Marra, he said.

He called the fighting "a tragedy, with the silence of the international community".

Access to Darfur is strictly limited by the government, making it almost impossible to independently verify accounts from both sides.

Tens of thousands of civilians are thought to have fled the latest clashes, which came after a period of relative calm following President Omar al-Bashir's extension of a ceasefire in the area in a New Year's Eve speech.

The military said in their statement they were responding to violations of the ceasefire, but the SLA-AW said troops tried to fight their way into the area.

The army's call for civilians to return came after the United Nations warned that civilians displaced by the fighting were facing dire humanitarian conditions.

"They are basically in need of everything," said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Marta Ruedas.

- 'Worst civilian displacement' -

The surge in violence "has seen, as a result, the worst civilian displacement that we have seen in the UN in the past decade" in Jebel Marra, she said.

The UN has been unable to gain access to some of the areas worst affected in Jebel Marra, which straddles North, South and Central Darfur states, and has been unable to verify the number of people displaced into the surrounding areas.

Ethnic insurgents in the western Darfur region in 2003 mounted a rebellion against Bashir's Arab-dominated government over claims they were being marginalised.

Bashir unleashed a bloody counter-insurgency using militia, ground troops and jet bombers that saw him indicted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges in 2009, which he rejects.

Some 300,000 people have been killed the conflict and there are 2.5 million people in the region who have been displaced, according to the UN.
UN sanctions on North Korea failing, 10 years on: UN experts

A raft of UN sanctions imposed on North Korea over the past decade has failed to prevent Pyongyang from scaling up its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, a UN panel of experts has concluded.

"There are serious questions about the efficacy of the current United Nations sanctions regime," the experts said in a confidential report obtained by AFP on Monday.

The panel's finding came as the UN Security Council is working on a new sanctions resolution to punish North Korea for its fourth nuclear test and a rocket launch that the world views as a disguised ballistic missile test.

This picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on February 7, 2016 shows North Korea's rocket launch of the earth observation satellite Kwangmyong 4 at an undisclosed location in North Korea

"Sanctions have not prevented the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from gradually improving and expanding its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities," said the experts.

Investigations by the panel showed that Pyongyang has been successful at sanctions-busting, but the experts also faulted UN member-states, particularly in Africa, for failing to fully implement the measures.

Despite the failings, the panel nevertheless proposed adding three North Korean entities and four individuals to the UN sanctions blacklist, which provides for an assets freeze and a global travel ban.

The names of the seven were contained in a confidential annex to the report, diplomats said.

The panel also recommended adding drones and related technology to the list of items banned from trade with North Korea and to strengthen measures to prevent specialized training of North Koreans.

The Security Council has imposed four sets of sanctions on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006, but the panel said it found "no indications that the country intends to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs."

Sanctions-hit companies have managed to conceal their banned activities by embedding agents in foreign companies, resorting to diplomats to act as middlemen and dealing with a "small number of trusted foreign nationals," said the 330-page report.

After Ocean Maritime Management was blacklisted in July 2014, the North Korean shipping company continued to evade sanctions by operating "through foreign-flagged vessels, names and company re-registrations and the rental of crews to foreign ships," said the report.

- Beefing up missile program -

The panel said North Korea is placing "heightened emphasis" on its missile programs, developing short-range missiles, upgrading its launch facilities and scaling up development of its submarine-launched missile capabilities.

The May 2015 test of a submarine-launched missile test was a "major technological development and a clear indication of an ongoing program to develop and operationalize the SLBM," the experts said

North Korea is also upgrading its Sinpo submarine shipyard and has promised more launches using long-range rockets.

These developments indicate that prospects for North Korea to "address security and humanitarian concerns of the international community as expressed in the resolutions are increasingly remote," said the report.

While North Korea is actively pressing on with its banned programs and flouting sanctions, UN member states are showing little interest in enforcing the measures.

Experts complained that governments were either ignoring UN requests for information on possible sanctions violations or handing in reports of "poor quality" that lacked details.

"The need for all member-states' commitment to strengthened enforcement of United Nations sanctions remains as important as ever," said the report.
Police: 2 dead in shooting after Mardi Gras parade

PASS CHRISTIAN, Mississippi (AP)  Mississippi police say a shooting after a Mardi Gras parade in Pass Christian has claimed two lives and left four wounded.

Police Chief Tim Hendricks confirmed the number of dead and wounded to WLOX-TV (http://bit.ly/1nRDMjF ).

Celeste Plaisance tells The Sun Herald (http://bit.ly/20PHjO1 ) she heard about 12 shots Sunday afternoon and thought it was fireworks at first. She says the victims were near her mother's home off the parade route.

On Saturday, parade accidents in south Louisiana injured a man and a woman. Police in Lafayette, Louisiana, told local media that a man fell from the top level of a float during a parade there.
A former court clerk who pleaded guilty to embezzlement must pay back more than $1 million, at $600 a month, a Mississippi judge has ruled.

'We can all do the math,' Pike County Circuit Court Judge David Strong told Greta Dubuclet Patterson, 46. 'We all understand that $600 a month is not going to get you to a million anytime soon.'

It would take more than 141 years at that rate, The Enterprise-Journal reported. But Strong told the former McComb court clerk on Friday that if she misses a payment, she'll go to prison or a restitution center, where she would live and be driven to and from work.

Greta Dubuclet Patterson pleaded guilty to embezzlement and has been ordered to pay back $1 million at $600 a month.

Patterson, who stole money from the city while working as a clerk, pleaded guilty in December. She admitted to stealing fine payments for the past year.

Strong sentenced her to restitution and 10 years of house arrest, suspending eight years. Friday's hearing decided how much she must repay.

District Attorney Dee Bates said a city investigation found that Patterson had embezzled more than $1 million since 2009.

Mayor Whitney Rawlings said he really wanted Patterson to go to prison, but Bates told him that he couldn't get both restitution and prison time.

Mayor Whitney Rawlings (left) was dissapointed with the ruling, and hoped that Patterson would serve time in prison for her crime. DA Dee Bates (right) says that Patterson had embezzled more than $1 million.

'I'm disappointed and I know the citizens of McComb are certainly disappointed at the way this thing has come out,' Rawlings said.

They'd have thrown away the key Mayor Whitney Rawlings

If a mayor were caught embezzling $1 million, 'they'd have thrown away the key,' he said.

Bates said that if Patterson goes to prison, parole and other early-release policies could free her in less than two years. Officials agreed that $600 a month was a realistic amount to expect, he said.
PICTURED: Editor selections from Latin America

Carnival got under way in Rio de Janeiro last week despite worries in the South American country that has been the hardest hit by the mosquito-borne Zika virus outbreak in the Americas.

Brazil's Carnival is five days of non-stop street parties that bring together millions of revelers in an inviting mass of bare ankles, uncovered legs and denuded torsos. But most people ignored appeals to cover up and slather on repellent.

Mexicans made final preparations for a weeklong visit by Pope Francis that begins Feb. 12. His trip will include a one-day stop in Chiapas, where he will celebrate Mass and lunch with indigenous people. The Vatican said Francis will present a decree authorizing the use of indigenous languages by priests in the southern Mexico state.

In this Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 photo, a boy poses for a photo with a tri-colored Guy Fawkes mask, in a slum of Recife, Brazil. Rio's Carnival got under way as scheduled on Friday despite the serious outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A band of former Haitian soldiers clashed with a far larger gathering of anti-government demonstrators in the capital, resulting in the killing of one ex-soldier amid a political crisis over the failure to elect a new president.

Yoko Ono brought an anti-violence message to Mexico City with the opening of a participative-performance exhibit dubbed "Tierra de Esperanza," or "Land of Hope."

In a "Behind the Camera" feature, AP photographer Felipe Dana went back to visit a Brazilian mother and her new son who has microcephaly, which some researchers have linked to Zika. Dana reflected on how he originally met them and told about little Jose Wesley now suffering with signs of disabilities that will require constant care in the years ahead.

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This gallery was curated by photo editor Anita Baca in Mexico City.

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Associated Press photographers and photo editors on Twitter: http://apne.ws/150o6jo

In this Jan. 16, 2016 photo, a Tzotzil Indian lay woman distributes Holy Communion during a Catholic Mass in honor of the Christ of Esquipulas in Chajtoj, Chiapas state, Mexico. Pope Francis travels to Mexico Feb. 12-18, that includes a one-day visit to Chiapas. The Feb. 15 visit to the heavily indigenous Mexican state of Chiapas appears aimed at celebrating the region's "Indian church," a mix of Catholicism and indigenous culture once considered a thorn in the side of standard liturgy by the Vatican. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

In this Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 photo, Marina Parra holds a picture of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez and wears a replica of his signature red beret during a parade marking the anniversary of his failed coup, in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez, a former paratrooper, led a failed coup in 1992 before being democratically elected president six years later. Chavez died of cancer in March 2013 at the age of 58. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

In this Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 photo, soldiers control a group of protesters as one sits on a sidewalk with a sign that reads in Spanish,"100 years of Armenian genocide and Erdogan continues with the Kurds," during a protest against the visit of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Quito, Ecuador. His South American three-country tour included Chile and Peru. His visits to Peru and Ecuador were the first-ever by a Turkish president. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

In this Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 photo, victims of sexual violence wear shawls that shield their faces as they attend the first day of hearings for a trial against a former military officer and a former paramilitary fighter accused of sexual violence during Guatemala's civil war in Guatemala City. Military forces are accused of subjecting indigenous Q'eqchi women to systematic sexual and domestic slavery in 1982 after repeatedly attacking Sepur Zarco, a small village in northern Guatemala, where community leaders were killed or disappeared. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

In this Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 photo, a campaign card promoting the ruling party's presidential candidate Jovenel Moise sits on the head of Neroce R. Ciceron, a former captain in Haiti's disbanded army, after he was beaten to death by anti-government protesters in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Members of Haiti's abolished military parading the streets clashed with anti-government protesters who were demanding the resignation of Haiti's President Michel Martelly. Some protesters hurled rocks at the ex-soldiers, and a few ex-soldiers fired their weapons. Haitis military was abolished in 1995 because of its history of toppling governments and crushing dissent. The card was placed on the man by opposition protesters to signify that the ex-soldier died for the ruling party's presidential candidate. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

In this Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016 photo, a city worker fumigates a public school to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, known to transmit dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The World Health Organization has declared a global emergency over the explosive spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects in the Americas. Honduras is now reporting 3649 confirmed cases of Zika infections and has also declared a state of national emergency. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

In this Jan. 30, 2016 photo, Jose Wesley, who suffers from microcephaly, sleeps on a large pillow on his mother's bed in Bonito, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Associated Press photographer Felipe Dana paid a return visit to Jose, who he met while covering the Zika virus outbreak and its reported connection to microcephaly in the northeastern state. A month had gone by and it did not appear that little Jose was getting better. Not only did Jose scream uncontrollably, but one of his eyes convulsed. Jose's mother said that in subsequent doctor visits she had learned that Jose would likely be blind and paralyzed. He had lost weight, from 7 to 5 kilograms (15 to 11 pounds), a huge drop for a baby who should be growing. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 photo, a police officer takes a photo of a colleague in front of a mural featuring Pope Francis as a graffiti artist, in Ecatepec, Mexico City's most populous suburb. Francis travels to Mexico Feb. 12-18 for a week-long visit. The police officers were part of a security drill, going over the pontiff's route to Ecatepec, where he will arrive via helicopter, to celebrate Sunday Mass on Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)

In this Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 photo, a dog wears a superhero "Flash" costume at the annual carnival pet parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dozens of costumed pets took the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to participate in the parade in Copacabana, marking its 14th year. Super heroes, concubines, queens and princesses were represented. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

In this Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016 photo, Haitians dressed as bananas to show their support for organic banana farmer and presidential candidate Jovenel Moise, from the PHTK party, march to demand elections be reinstated, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Haiti had been scheduled to hold a presidential and legislative runoff Jan. 24. But the now-splintered provisional electoral council canceled it for a second time amid the protests and suspicion that the first round was marred by widespread fraud favoring Moise, President Michel Martelly's chosen candidate. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
Controversial minister to become Australia's rights envoy

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  The former Australian immigration minister who began the widely condemned policy of sending asylum seekers to Pacific island detention camps will become Australia's first special envoy for human rights, the government said Monday.

During his 1996-2003 tenure as immigration minister, Philip Ruddock, the second-longest-serving lawmaker in the Australian Parliament's 105-year history, implemented Australia's so-called Pacific solution to deter asylum seekers from attempting to reach Australia by boat.

The United Nations' refugee agency joined human rights groups in criticizing Australia for sending thousands of asylum seekers from the Middle East and Asia to Australia-funded camps in the impoverished island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

As Australia's special envoy for human rights, Ruddock, 72, will promote Australia's candidacy for membership to the U.N. Human Rights Council for the 2018-20 term. He will also represent Australia's conservative government at international human rights events, Foreign Minister Julia Bishop said.

"He will also promote our broader human rights agenda, including global abolition of the death penalty, for which he has worked tirelessly over many years," Bishop said in a statement.

Ruddock, a long-standing member of Amnesty International who refused the rights group's request to stop wearing its lapel badge while asylum seekers were being deported, defended his role in implementing the government's tough policy, which stripped refugees of legal rights they would have enjoyed on the Australian mainland.

"No regrets," Ruddock told Sky News television Monday. "We have been studiously observing our obligations in relation to people who have a well-founded fear of persecution."

Ruddock will remain in Parliament until elections are held later this year. He will have spent 43 years in Parliament by September.

The offshore detention camps were closed after a center-left Labor Party government was elected in 2007. But the camps were reopened the following year after a resurgence in asylum seekers sailing for Australia in ever-growing numbers.

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Candidates sprint to NH finish, but brace for long campaign

SALEM, N.H. (AP)  Eyeing their first wins in a capricious campaign, Republican Donald Trump lashed out at his opponents Monday while Democrat Bernie Sanders sought to play it safe on the eve of the nation's initial primary. GOP contenders vying for second and third saw fresh hopes for survival after New Hampshire as both parties settled in for a drawn-out slog to the nomination.

As snowfall brought yet more uncertainty to the race's final hours, Hillary Clinton tried to move past talk of a shakeup in her campaign and controversy over comments by supporters that women should feel obliged to vote for her. Barnstorming New Hampshire with her husband and daughter, she worked to flip Sanders' favored critique against her by claiming that he, too, had taken big bucks from Wall Street  if only indirectly.

But it was Trump, the billionaire businessman, who launched the harshest attacks  not just against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who had bested him in Iowa, but against Jeb Bush as well. The former Florida governor is one of three Republicans hoping Marco Rubio's recent stumbles have opened a fresh path for one of them to emerge as the more mainstream alternative to Trump and Cruz.

A supporter holds up a sign as Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump addresses the crowd during a campaign rally Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

"Jeb is having some kind of a breakdown, I think," Trump told CNN, calling Bush, the son and brother of presidents, a spoiled child and an embarrassment to his family. "I think it's a very sad situation that's taking place."

The enmity was mutual. Vying for votes in Nashua, Bush described his opponent variably as a loser, a liar, a whiner and the worst choice for president. He blasted what he said was Trump's proclivity for "insulting women, castigating Hispanics, ridiculing the disabled and calling American POWs losers."

Trump did get in a shot at Cruz during a massive rally in Manchester Monday night. When an audience member shouted out an insult directed at Cruz  a vulgar term for "coward"  Trump repeated the term and jokingly reprimanded the woman.

Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler responded via email, saying, "Let's not forget who whipped who in Iowa."

Still, Trump was running ahead in New Hampshire's pre-primary polls, as was Sanders on the Democratic side.

Not so long ago, Republicans saw New Hampshire as the proving ground that would winnow their chockablock field of candidates. Rubio's surge into third place in Iowa one week ago raised the prospect that voters here would anoint him over Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Yet Rubio faced fresh questions about his readiness  and his ability to defeat the Democratic nominee  after Saturday's debate, when he was mocked for reciting rote talking points about President Barack Obama over and over.

Growing doubts about Rubio seemed to portend a fight for delegates that could extend for weeks or months  to the dismay of Republican Party leaders hoping for a quick consolidation behind anyone but Cruz or Trump. Democrats are already resigned to the likelihood of a protracted primary following Sanders' strong performance in Iowa.

Rubio insisted his repetitions were part of his plan.

"People said, 'Oh, you said the same thing three or four times,'" Rubio told some 800 people in a school cafeteria in Londonderry. "I'm going to say it again."

Sensing Rubio's vulnerability, nearly everyone seemed to be on the attack.

Bush's campaign debuted a new ad questioning Kasich's conservative credentials, while an outside group backing Rubio pulled an ad attacking Cruz and replaced it with one assailing Bush. Christie and Bush both piled on Rubio, claiming he hadn't been tested the way that governors have.

All of them filled their calendars with campaign events in South Carolina, the next state to vote, signaling they had no intention of dropping out no matter the verdict in New Hampshire.

In the week since Clinton eked out a win in the leadoff Iowa caucuses, her campaign has worked aggressively to lower expectations for New Hampshire, where Sanders has maintained a sizable lead despite Clinton's victory here eight years ago. Sanders, a Vermont senator, is well known to voters in neighboring New Hampshire.

Clinton was shouldering renewed troubles amid talk of a possible campaign reshuffling. Although campaign manager Robby Mook is expected to stay, some Clinton allies have said new advisers may be brought in after Tuesday.

The former first lady insisted it was all overblown.

"I have no idea what they're talking about or who they are talking to," Clinton said on MSNBC. "We're going to take stock, but it's going to be the campaign that I've got."

Sanders, wary of upsetting a race trending his way, stuck to core campaign themes as he addressed cheering supporters in Nashua. In recent days Bill Clinton has accused some Sanders' supporters of waging "sexist" attacks, and feminist Gloria Steinem and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright have criticized women who aren't supporting Clinton.

Yet Sanders passed up all that on Monday, instead telling supporters in Nashua, "We have come a long way in the last nine months." But his campaign did take issue with Clinton's claim that Sanders benefited from Wall Street money donated to Senate Democrats' campaign arm, with campaign manager Jeff Weaver arguing it "suggests the kind of disarray that the Clinton campaign finds itself in today."

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Lederman reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Ken Thomas in Manchester, Holly Ramer in Hudson, Thomas Beaumont in Goffstown and Sergio Bustos and Lisa Lerer in Nashua contributed to this report.

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Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush throws a snowball following a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Republican presidential candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie smiles as he is introduced by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan at a town hall-style campaign event, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Hudson, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks during a campaign stop at the public library before next Tuesday's first in the nation presidential primary, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Plaistow,NH (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. speaks during a campaign stop at Daniel Webster Community College, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Political tourists flock to New Hampshire for up-close view

SALEM, N.H. (AP)  Ann and Jon Vitti hopped on a flight from Los Angeles to snowy New Hampshire last week to witness first-hand what they can't see on their TV: The more personal side of presidential politics.

"The campaign's always over by the time it gets to California and we never get to see it, so we had to go to the campaign," Jon Vitti, a television writer, said Friday night after watching Chris Christie take voters' questions for nearly two hours in Salem, New Hampshire.

The Vittis are just two of many voters who have flocked to New Hampshire as political tourists in the week leading up to the state's Feb. 9 presidential primary. They come from as far as California and as nearby as neighboring Massachusetts to engage in an up-close civics lesson and pose direct questions to the potential next president, an opportunity virtually unheard of in the rest of the country.

Alex Tsipis of Wayland, Mass., left, listens to Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich during a campaign stop in Nashua, N.H., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. Tipis travelled New Hampshire to hear Kasich in person. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

While the campaign plays out through televised debates and advertisements in the rest of the nation, the town hall meeting is a staple of New Hampshire campaigning. At these events, held in high school gymnasiums and VFW halls, voters seek detailed explanations from candidates on everything from drug addiction to stemming the rising costs of health care.

It's here that voters can witness poignant or unscripted moments. After a woman told an emotional story about her son's fight against drug addiction, for example, John Kasich offered to call the young man and offer words of encouragement. Christie, ever the showman, asked one of his staffers to pull a dollar out of his pocket and hand it to a young voter in the crowd at a recent town hall as a means of mocking Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders' plan to make college tuition free.

Alex and Peter Tsipis, brothers from Wayland, Massachusetts, wanted to see Kasich up close to make sure he was as great a candidate as they believed. They made a 45-minute jaunt to Nashua on Sunday morning, arriving two hours early to get front-row seats. The brothers, 20 and 18 years old, respectively, came away with selfies and stronger convictions that Kasich is their guy.

"Seeing it up in person, you really get your own perspective on it and you can interpret it any way you want," said Peter, a high school junior who will vote for the first time on March 1. "I really loved the whole format."

Les Liman of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, flew to Manchester in early January to stay with an old friend and take in the scenes. Over two and a half days, he saw Kasich, Christie, Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina and Rand Paul. Scott Landry, meanwhile, took a quick drive over the border from Massachusetts so his 14-year-old son, who writes a political satire column for his middle school newspaper, could see Christie and Rubio up-close. Landry said despite living nearby, this trip was his first time coming to New Hampshire for a political event.

"Every four years I want to do it," he said.

Efforts to build a marketing campaign around the primary were quickly blocked in 2007 by Secretary of State Bill Gardner, a fierce defender of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary status. At the time, Gardner said he didn't want to give other states the impression that New Hampshire fights to be first for the money that comes from an uptick in hotel stays and restaurant visits.

"Some people accuse of us being so adamant about protecting it because we do it for the money," Gardner told The Associated Press then. "That's not why we do it."

Indeed, New Hampshire natives and visitors alike see the primary as a valuable opportunity to press candidates on the issues that matter before the campaign moves to a bigger stage. Dan Kipnis, a retired fishing captain, ventured from Miami Beach to New Hampshire this week to press Jeb Bush and Rubio about climate change and rising sea levels.

Asked why he didn't wait until next month when Florida holds its presidential primary to bring up the issue, Kipnis said, "New Hampshire is where all the voting begins."

"I want the presidential candidates to talk about it  now," he said following a Bush town hall. "We can't wait."

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AP writers Sergio Bustos and Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.

Peter Tsipis of Wayland, Mass., left, snaps a selfie with Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich during a campaign stop in Nashua, N.H., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. Tipis traveled New Hampshire to hear Kasich in person. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

With a campaign sign held by her daughter Ava reflected in her sunglasses, Natalie Schmidt of Los Gatos, Calif, smiles as Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich boards his campaign bus following a stop at Nashua Community College in Nashua, N.H., Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Germany, Turkey vow diplomatic effort to end Aleppo violence

ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  As tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing violence massed at Turkey's border, Turkish and German leaders pledged Monday to redouble diplomatic efforts to end the fighting around the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo and prevent more refugees making their way into Europe.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkey's prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, that she was "not just appalled but horrified" by the suffering caused by the bombing in Syria, primarily by Russia.

Merkel said Turkey and Germany would push at the United Nations for all sides to adhere to a U.N. resolution passed in December that calls for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians in Syria.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu speak after a welcome ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Merkel is meeting Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

Merkel was in Ankara for talks on how to reduce the influx of migrants into Europe, mostly via a perilous boat crossing from Turkey to Greece. Turkey's coast guard said Monday that another 27 migrants had died after their boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit while trying to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

Her visit came after a Russian-backed Syrian government offensive around Aleppo sent up to 35,000 Syrians fleeing toward the border with Turkey in recent days.

Turkey has taken in 2.5 million Syrian refugees since the conflict began, and authorities say the country has reached its capacity to absorb refugees. The border crossing remained closed for a fourth day on Monday and aid groups continued to provide assistance to the Syrians massed at a displaced persons camp nearby.

Syrian army troops meanwhile, recaptured another village north of Aleppo on Monday, bringing troops and allied militiamen to within a few miles (kilometers) of the Turkish border.

Aleppo "is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy," Davutoglu said.

"No one should excuse or show tolerance toward the Russian air attacks that amount to ethnic massacres by saying, 'Turkey takes care of the Syrian refugees anyway,'" Davutoglu said. "No one can expect Turkey to take on the burden on its own."

Added Merkel: "We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing  primarily from the Russian side."

"Under such circumstances, it's hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly," Merkel said.

Hussein Bakri, an official in the interim government set up by the Syrian opposition, said more than 70,000 people had been displaced from Aleppo and urged the international community to "shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Syrian people by stopping the Russian bombing."

"If the situation continues like this, it will lead to the displacement of up to 400,000 people from Aleppo province and from Aleppo city," Bakri said. "It is clear that the Russians are aiming for the encirclement and to lay siege to Aleppo as has happened in other parts of Syria."

The EU has urged Turkey to open its border and let in the thousands fleeing the Aleppo onslaught. But Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said after a Cabinet meeting on Monday that Turkey's priority is to keep the fleeing Syrians within the borders of their country "and provide them with assistance there."

Merkel and Davutoglu said Germany and Turkey would work together to provide aid to the refugees at the border.

Another top Turkish government official reacted angrily to the EU pressure on Turkey to open its doors to the Syrian refugees, yet seal them for migrants trying to leave Turkey and reach the EU via the water crossing into Greece.

"On the one hand they say 'Open your borders, take everyone in,' and on the other hand they say, 'Close your border, don't let anyone through,'" Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan said. "Why don't you take them in?"

At the Turkish border gate of Oncupinar, opposite Syria's Bab al-Salameh crossing, several dozen Syrian refugees waited on Monday in the hope that it would be opened so that their friends or family could cross into Turkey.

"If Aleppo falls, people will come out in the millions to Turkey wearing nothing but the clothes on their backs," said Aleppo native Yasser, who declined to give his surname out of concerns for his safety. "We thank Turkey because they have stood with us more than our Arab brothers but we ask that this border gate be opened in both directions."

Turkish officials have not offered a reason for keeping the border closed but aid workers said that opening the gate would spur more arrivals.

"We are worried that opening the gates will lead to an increase in refugees," said Burak Kacacaoglu, a spokesman for the non-governmental Islamic charity group, Humanitarian Relief Foundation. "We are concerned about the airstrikes which are increasingly targeting civilian areas. This is what causes refugees."

The deepening humanitarian crisis in Syria was further highlighted by a United Nations report on Monday that said thousands of detainees held by the Syrian government have been executed, beaten to death or otherwise left to die on a scale that amounts to "extermination" under international law. The U.N.-backed Commission of Inquiry on Syria called for "targeted sanctions" against high-ranking Syrian officials responsible for such crimes, but did not name any suspects. It also documented mass executions by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front.

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Moulson reported from Berlin. Dominique Soguel in Kilis, Turkey, contributed to this report.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu inspect a military honour guard during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Merkel is meeting Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu shake hands during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Merkel is meeting Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu speak as they look towards the city center after a welcome ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Merkel is meeting Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu inspect a military honour guard during a welcoming ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Merkel is meeting Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)
Cruz seeks to appeal to supporters on fringe of GOP

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. (AP)  Some politicians run from polarizing endorsements. Ted Cruz seeks them out.

The Texas senator's strength in the 2016 Republican presidential primary is drawn, at least in part, from the backing of high-profile figures from his party's far-right fringe. They are people, like his national co-chairman Iowa Rep. Steve King, who may be popular among the passionate conservatives who usually decide primary contests, but could turn off the swing voters and independents who typically decide general elections.

King is a leading voice on immigration, having compared those who cross the border illegally to drug mules and livestock. Cruz has also embraced endorsements from an evangelical leader who described Hitler as a hunter of Jews sent by God, and B-list entertainers like Phil Robertson, the anti-gay patriarch of the Louisiana duck hunting family featured on the popular cable show "Duck Dynasty."

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, waves as he leaves a campaign event, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Peterborough, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

"When a fellow like me looks at the landscape and sees the depravity, the perversion  redefining marriage and telling us that marriage is not between a man and a woman? Come on Iowa!" Robertson told an adoring crowd in Iowa City, Iowa, the day before last Monday's caucuses. Many in the crowd blew duck hunting whistles as a sign of support.

"How about Phil Robertson. What an extraordinary human being," Cruz declared when taking the stage.

As the campaign shifted this week to New Hampshire, which hosts the nation's second primary contest on Tuesday, Cruz continued to promote King's backing and a fresh group of divisive figures.

"I'm all the way in supporting Ted Cruz for president," King declares in a video played before his Sunday afternoon town hall-style meeting in Peterborough.

Cruz was then introduced by former New Hampshire House Speaker Bill O'Brien, a Republican leader who was essentially deposed because he was too polarizing.

"That's a November conversation," O'Brien said when asked whether he and other hardline conservatives might alienate some voters. "This is a Republican conversation."

Former New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen, who last week endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich, described Cruz backers as "a collection of misfits." He called King "my least favorite member of Congress."

"His rhetoric on immigration has been appalling," Cullen said.

Yet Cruz, who infuses his pitch to voters with readings from scripture and exhortations to "awaken the body of Christ," is betting that aligning himself with the stars of his most conservative wing will ultimately deepen his base of support in the primary election and November's general election alike.

That helps explain why Cruz called Robertson a "joyful, cheerful, unapologetic voice of truth."

Robertson faced a backlash for declaring in 2014 that gays are sinners and that African-Americans were happy under Jim Crow laws.

Cruz also celebrates the backing of Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, an organization the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled as a hate group largely because of its anti-gay positions. The organization remains influential and well-respected among social conservatives.

Cruz also has the backing of Troy Newman, president of the Kansas-based anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, who serves as a board member of the Center for Medical Progress.

The organization was widely praised by conservatives for producing information that set of an investigations by Congress and Republican efforts to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood. Two members of the group were also indicted in Texas last month after a grand jury investigated the Planned Parenthood videos.

And the Cruz campaign recently issued a press release promoting the endorsement of Mike Bickle, founder of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. Bickle believes acceptance of gay marriage is a sign of the end times and has described Hitler as a hunter of Jews and called Oprah Winfrey's tolerance and popularity a precursor to the apocalypse.

Such endorsements have caused problems for Republican presidential contenders in the past.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry drew criticism in 2011 when he appeared with Bickle. And 2008 GOP nominee Arizona Sen. John McCain renounced his endorsement from televangelist John Hagee, who had made similar comments as Bickle did about Hitler.

Cruz called it "an honor and privilege" to join Hagee for his 75th birthday party last year. And he is unapologetic about his support from such polarizing figures.

"I am proud to stand with men and women of faith," Cruz said in a statement. "Hundreds of pastors, priests, and rabbis all across America have joined our campaign, and they knew a day would come where those who are hostile to religious faith would try to attack and break our unity. They will try to misconstrue our words and use them against us. We are not going to play that game."

And for now at least, the endorsements seem to be doing more harm than good.

"I think Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty is funny. But his son endorsed Donald Trump," said Jenny Menning, 55, of North Sutton, N.H. "So, for me, it's a wash."

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Bauer reported from Iowa City, Iowa.

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Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sbauerAP and Steve Peoples at: http://twitter.com/sppeoples

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, (foreground, right) mingles with audience members after a town hall-style campaign event, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Peterborough, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at a town hall-style campaign event, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Peterborough, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, (foreground center) mingles with audience members after a town hall-style campaign event, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Peterborough, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2016, file photo, Phil Robertson, of the Duck Dynasty reality television program, uses a duck call at a Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, campaign event at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Iowa City, Iowa. Some politicians run from people on the fringe, but not Cruz. The Texas senator's appeal among the base is relying, at least in part, by endorsements from some of the far right tea party wing of the Republican Party who oppose gay marriage, an evangelical leader who has described Hitler as a hunter of Jews sent by God, and entertainers like Robertson. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
Chinese visit temples, fairs to ring in Year of the Monkey

BEIJING (AP)  Chinese and others around Asia flocked to temples and fairs to pray for good health and fortune on Monday, the first day of the Lunar New Year.

In Beijing, hundreds of thousands of people visited traditional fairs held in parks, as well as Buddhist and Taoist temples offering singing and dance performances and open-air markets selling handicrafts. Ethnic Chinese people in other countries celebrated the holiday as well.

Monday marks the first day of the Year of the Monkey  the ninth animal on the Chinese zodiac calendar.

Dragon and lion dancers perform amidst exploding firecrackers in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 at Manila's Chinatown district in Manila, Philippines. This year is Year of the Monkey in the Lunar calendar. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

The weeklong holiday, known as the Spring Festival in China, is focused on family reunion and is a time when students and migrant workers return to their hometowns. It is the country's most important holiday.

Dancers dressed in lion costumes entertained the crowds in Manila's Chinatown, Indonesia's ethnic Chinese prayed in Jakarta, and the Sydney Opera House was lit red.

Travel agent Meng Su was lining up to burn incense at the Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple in central Beijing, which is regarded as a popular tradition that brings good luck to those praying.

"Chinese people revere the power of nature and believe in gods, so we hope to express our blessings and that the gods can hear us," said Meng, 39. "It's also a way for us to find some comfort."

Another Beijing resident, Yan Xiaying, 29, said her mother had a clear target as the pair visited the temple.

"I guess my mother hopes that I get married soon," Yan said, with her mother agreeing.

A Chinese dancer dressed in the traditional costume performs a cultural dance on stage during a temple fair for a Lunar New Year celebration in Beijing, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Millions of Chinese began celebrating the Lunar New Year, which marks the Year of the Monkey on the Chinese zodiac. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Performers participate in a lion dance at Ditan Park to mark the first day of Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Millions of Chinese began celebrating the Lunar New Year, which marks the Year of the Monkey on the Chinese zodiac. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Chinese dancers dressed in traditional costumes perform a cultural dance on stage during a temple fair for a Lunar New Year celebration in Beijing, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Millions of Chinese began celebrating the Lunar New Year, which marks the Year of the Monkey on the Chinese zodiac. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Indonesian ethnic Chinese pray during the celebration of the Lunar New Year at Dharma Bakti Temple at the China Town in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. The celebration marks the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese calendar.(AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Revelers jostle to catch gift items, including red envelopes containing cash known as "ampao", being tossed from a super market in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 at Manila's Chinatown district in the Philippines. This year is Year of the Monkey in the Lunar calendar. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

An Indonesian ethnic Chinese walks inside a temple during the celebration of the Lunar New Year at the China Town in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. The celebration marks the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese calendar.(AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

Chinese visitors pray during the celebration of the Lunar New Year at a temple in Hong Kong, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. The celebration marks the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese calendar. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Maldives police arrest judge, ex-prosecutor general

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  Maldives police arrested a judge and a former prosecutor general for issuing an arrest warrant for the country's president without the police requesting one, an official said Monday in the latest political turmoil in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Ibrahim Hussain Shihab, a spokesman in the president's office, said former Prosecutor General Muhthaz Muhsin and Judge Ahmed Nihan were arrested Sunday night.

Muhsin was sacked earlier by parliament, where President Yameen Abdul Gayoom's party has a majority. Nihan is a magistrate on a nearby island.

Maldives police are investigating a complaint against Gayoom of embezzlement of state funds and the warrant was issued in connection to that case. Gayoom has not responded to the allegations against him.

Maldives held its first multiparty election in 2008. However, its transition to democracy has been difficult with its judiciary, police and bureaucracy still deemed heavily politicized.

Nihan is the second sitting judge to be arrested in recent years after a conflict with the government.

The arrest of a top judge in 2012 led to the fall from power of the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, who was later sentenced to 13 years in prison for ordering the arrest.

Nasheed was released temporarily last month to undergo spinal surgery in Britain, but it is uncertain whether he will return home.
The Latest: Greece: Stop migrants in Turkish waters

ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  The Latest on the influx of migrants into Europe (all times local):

10:05 p.m.

Greece's defense minister says he wants an agreement with neighboring Turkey that would allow the European Union's Frontex border agency to stop and turn back  within Turkish waters  boats carrying migrants to the Greek islands.

Members of Turkish forces look at the bodies of some of the migrants that were drowned as they were trying to reach Greece, at a port in the coastal town of Dikili, near Izmir, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Turkey's state-run news agency says dozens of migrants attempting to reach Greece have drowned after their boat sank off the Turkish coast.The drownings came as Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting Ankara to discuss the migrant crisis with Turkish officials. (AP Photo)

Panos Kammenos said Monday that he has already made the proposal to his EU colleagues, who "showed great interest," and will raise the matter with NATO officials.

He said Greek authorities are in a position to locate smugglers boats as they leave the nearby Turkish coast and alert Frontex, and the Turkish coast guard. Kammenos said this would "stop the great migratory flow to Greece" and stop deaths of migrants and refugees trying to reach Greece in rickety boats.

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8:55 p.m.

Turkey's deputy prime minister says his country's priority is to keep fleeing Syrians within the borders of their country and provide them with assistance there.

Tens of thousands of Syrians have massed at the Turkish border in recent days, escaping a Syrian government onslaught around the city of Aleppo. Turkey kept the border closed for a fourth day on Monday and it was not clear if the refugees would be allowed in.

Numan Kurtulmus said after a cabinet meeting that Turkey would care for Syrians outside of Turkey "as much as possible."

He said some 77,000 Syrians are being given assistance in displaced persons camps in Syria along the border with Turkey, including those who arrived recently.

Kurtulmus said that an estimated 600,000 Syrians could mass at the border in the "worst case scenario."

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6:15 p.m.

Austrian foreign minister Sebastian Kurz says his country will not be able to handle the same number of migrants this year as it did in 2015 and will help Western Balkan nations stop them at their borders.

Last year Austria received 90,000 asylum-seekers, which overstretched its capacities, Kurz said Monday in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo.

"Macedonia is ready to accept the help of the European Union. This is unfortunately not happening in Greece," Kurz said, insisting that the EU offered Greece support but it was rejected.

He said last summer he warned that the welcome culture in Europe was correct on a human level but that it could encourage more people to head toward the continent, which is what happened.

Kurz noted that it was wrong for Europe to watch migrants arriving in Greece and then let them be directed further to non-EU countries.

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5:15 p.m.

Turkish coast guard officials say they have recovered the bodies of five more migrants, raising to 27 the death toll in the latest boat sinking accident off the Turkish coast. At least 11 of the victims are children, an official said.

A coast guard statement said a search-and-rescue mission, backed by helicopters, was still underway for other migrants reported missing after a boat carrying them to the Greek island of Lesbos went down in the Bay of Edremit on Monday.

The Dogan news agency had earlier reported that 11 other migrants had drowned off the resort of Dikili, south of the Bay of Edremit, and put the total death toll at more than 30. It later corrected that report and said the 11 victims were from the same accident and were included in the coast guard officials' toll.

Ali Sirmali, local administrator for the town of Edremit, said authorities have recovered the bodies of 11 children.

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4:35 p.m.

Hungary's prime minister says Western European leaders who consider migration a positive issue are to blame for the "very serious terror risks" and for deteriorating everyday security on the continent.

Viktor Orban says migration "must be stopped" and has reiterated his call for a "European defense line" on the northern borders of Greece to end the influx of people.

Orban, who hosted Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo on Monday, said that the "migrant phenomenon did not break into Europe violently" but that migrants were called into Western Europe "without control, filtering or security screening."

Szydlo also called for the strengthening of the southern borders of Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, saying that "the migration issue has to be solved basically outside the EU borders."

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4:30 p.m.

Opponents are accusing British Prime Minister David Cameron of using scare tactics after he said that thousands of asylum-seekers could come to Britain overnight if the country votes to leave the European Union.

A Cameron spokesman said it was "perfectly feasible" that France would end existing border arrangements with Britain, leading to "thousands of asylum-seekers pitching up in southeast England."

Currently, British border officials check U.K.-bound passengers on French soil, under an arrangement between the two countries.

Downing St. says that if the arrangement ended, thousands of migrants living in makeshift camps near the French port of Calais would be free to cross the English Channel.

But David Davis, a Euroskeptic lawmaker from Cameron's Conservative Party, said "the idea that leaving the EU would give us less control of our borders is simply preposterous." Another Conservative legislator, Sarah Wollaston, accused Cameron of "ratcheting up the alarmist rhetoric."

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2:55 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she's "not just appalled but horrified" by the suffering caused by Russian bombing in Syria.

Merkel, speaking Monday after a meeting with Turkey's prime minister, said that Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a U.N. resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on the civilian population.

She said: "We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing  bombing primarily from the Russian side."

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the Syrian city of Aleppo "is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy."

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2:45 p.m.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says Turkey and Germany have agreed on a set of steps to halt the flow of refugees from Syria, including a joint diplomatic initiative to stop the onslaught against Aleppo.

Davutoglu said during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the two countries would also carry out "joint efforts" for greater NATO involvement in the refugee issue. He said they would seek the use of NATO's observation capabilities at the border with Syria and in the Aegean Sea.

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2:20 p.m.

A top government official has reacted angrily to European Union pressure on Turkey to open its doors to tens of thousands of Syrians who have massed at the frontier fleeing a government onslaught.

Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan accused the EU on Monday of giving Turkey lessons in morality and pushing the refugee burden on the country, without taking any responsibility itself.

Akdogan said: "On the one hand they say 'open your borders, take everyone in' on the other hand they say 'close your border don't let anyone through."

"Without even providing money, they say 'taking these people is conscience necessity,'" Akdogan said. "Is it just us that must to act with conscience? ... Why don't you take them in?" He was referring to the 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) the EU has pledged to help Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Numan Kurtulmus, another deputy prime minister, said Sunday that Turkey had reached the end of its capacity to absorb refugees but would continue to accept Syrians escaping the conflict. He says the country is home to 3 million refugees, including 2.5 million Syrians.

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2:15 p.m.

Germany's foreign minister says that seeking a military solution to Syria's civil war will only pave the way for years more fighting.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier said before talks involving the U.S., Russia and regional powers expected Thursday in Munich that it's important to calm fighting in Syria, enable humanitarian access and so "reopen the door for negotiations between the government and the opposition in Geneva."

He added Monday that it's a "difficult task, but I think the current situation should show everyone that anyone who counts on a military solution will experience five years more civil war."

A U.N.-led attempt to launch indirect talks between a government delegation and opposition representatives in Geneva was adjourned last week amid bickering. U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura said the process will resume Feb. 25.

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1:55 p.m.

Authorities in Macedonia have begun reinforcing a barrier at its border with Greece, designed to limit the number of migrants and asylum seekers crossing into the country.

The army confirmed Monday that construction was underway to create a second layer of fencing along sections of the border.

An Army official told The Associated Press that "preparations are underway to build a second row of barbed wire and metal fencing, five meters behind the existing fence." The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he is not authorized to speak directly to the news media.

Macedonia started building the fence in November when it toughened entry criteria for migrants and refugees traveling through Greece.

By Konstantin Testorides in Skopje.

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1:50 p.m.

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos says the country will complete new migrant screening centers and transit camps within a week, despite long delays and local protests against some of the projects.

Kammenos says: "Our country has undertaken certain important commitments for mid-February, and with the help of the armed forces, those commitments will be honored,"

Protests against two planned transit camps took place Monday near Athens and Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki. The rally outside the Greek capital was organized by the extreme right Golden Dawn party.

According to Greek and European Union officials, the two new camps will have a combined capacity of 3,000 places, to be expanded to 8,000 places later this year.

At the weekend, a group of residents on the island of Kos continued demonstrations against a planned screening center for migrants, with protesters using burning tires to set up roadblocks.

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11:55 a.m.

Dozens of Greek riot police have been deployed to a demonstration organized by the extreme right Golden Dawn party against plans to build a new transit camp for refugees and migrants near Athens.

Four of the party's 18 lawmakers were present at the rally Monday outside the port of Perama, about 15 kilometers (9.5 miles) west of Athens, where the government is planning to build the camp with the help of the armed forces.

About 150 people staged a counter-demonstration near the site.

Greece is under pressure from the European Union to complete screening centers on five islands and increase its capacity to house asylum-seekers and detain migrants facing deportation.

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11:50 a.m.

A retired general who once led the French Foreign Legion will appear in court after he was arrested for taking part in a banned anti-migrant protest in Calais.

Christian Piquemal and around 150 militants from anti-Islam and anti-immigration group Pegida gathered Saturday in the northern French city to chant slogans such as "We must not let Calais die. Calais is part of France."

Police dispersed the rowdy protest with tear gas.

Calais has been a focal point for migrants who want to slip into Britain via the Channel Tunnel. Several thousand have been living there in slums for months.

The demonstration was one of several around Europe Saturday amid growing tensions over the massive influx of asylum-seekers to the continent.

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10:40

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is meeting Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe.

Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow.

Her talks in Ankara Monday come as Turkey faces mounting pressure to open its border to up to 35,000 Syrians who have massed along the frontier fleeing an onslaught by government forces.

Turkey, home 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to provide refuge.

Turkey agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration. The EU has pledged 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to help improve the condition of refugees.

People carry a body of one of the migrants that were drowned as they were trying to reach Greece, at a port in Bakilesir, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Turkey's state-run news agency says dozens of migrants attempting to reach Greece have drowned after their boat sank off the Turkish coast. The boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, which is just a short distance away from the Greek island of Lesbos. The drownings came as Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting Ankara to discuss the migrant crisis with Turkish officials. (IHA via AP) TURKEY OUT

Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, left, and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban attend a joint press conference after their meeting in the Parliament building in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. (Szilard Koszticsak/MTI via AP)

Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, left, and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban attend a joint press conference after their meeting in the Parliament building in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. (Szilard Koszticsak/MTI via AP)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu speak after a welcome ceremony in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Merkel is meeting Davutoglu and other Turkish officials for talks on reducing the influx of migrants to Europe. Turkey, a key country on the migrant route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

Refugees and migrants sit outside a terminal building, after their arrival from the Greek eastern islands, at the Athens' port of Piraeus on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. An estimated 850,000 migrants arrived in Greece in 2015, overwhelming the coast guard and reception facilities. Aid groups say cash-strapped Greece has shelter for only about 10,000 people, just over 1 percent of those who have entered. Most travel on via land across the Balkans and into the EU's heartland of Germany and beyond. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Refugees and migrants sit outside a terminal building, after their arrival from the Greek eastern islands, at the Athens' port of Piraeus on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. An estimated 850,000 migrants arrived in Greece in 2015, overwhelming the coast guard and reception facilities. Aid groups say cash-strapped Greece has shelter for only about 10,000 people, just over 1 percent of those who have entered. Most travel on via land across the Balkans and into the EU's heartland of Germany and beyond. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Extreme-right activists and supporters of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West), demonstrate in front of the train station in Calais, northern France, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Hundreds of extreme-right activists demonstrated Saturday to "save" Calais from homeless migrants inundating the French port city in hopes of crossing the English Channel to Britain. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

French police officers use tear gas during a demonstration of extreme-right activists and supporters of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West), in front of the train station in Calais, northern France, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Hundreds of extreme-right activists demonstrated Saturday to "save" Calais from homeless migrants inundating the French port city in hopes of crossing the English Channel to Britain. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

Extreme-right activists and supporters of PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West), demonstrate in front of the train station in Calais, northern France, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Hundreds of extreme-right activists demonstrated Saturday to "save" Calais from homeless migrants inundating the French port city in hopes of crossing the English Channel to Britain. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)
Call for responsive governments at Dubai summit amid turmoil

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders called on governments to be responsive to and inclusive of their citizens at a conference in Dubai on Monday, as the unrest of the Arab Spring reverberates across the Middle East.

Those gathered for the World Government Summit offered no immediate solutions to the crises gripping the region, from low global oil prices and global warming to violent extremism. But all acknowledged that keeping government responsive to its citizens remains crucial.

"As we've seen in the tumult across the Middle East and North Africa, when governments do not lift up their citizens, it's a recipe for instability and strife," Obama said in a video address shown at the summit.

Emirati officials watch U.S. President Barack Obama's keynote address at the opening ceremony of the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Those gathered for the World Government Summit in Dubai offered no immediate solutions to the crises gripping the region, like low global oil prices, global warming and the rise of violent extremism. But all acknowledged that keeping government responsive to its citizens remains crucial. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Five years after the Arab Spring promised democratic change, much of the Middle East remains mired in chaos, with civil wars in Syria and Yemen, militia rule in much of Libya and the Islamic State group in control of a self-styled caliphate in the heart of the region.

Mideast governments that rely on oil have begun cutting their spending as crude prices hover around $30 a barrel, down from $107 over the last 19 months.

Youth unemployment remains high in the Mideast and is growing in other regions, causing many to grow suspicious of those governing them, said Jose Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

"It is the curse of modern times," he said.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim echoed that point, calling on governments to remain open and transparent.

"Governments that operate in opaque, exclusive and unaccountable ways or fail to empower local authorities often plant the seeds of discontent," he said. "When governments don't allow the public to participate in decisions, it breeds suspicions."

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap .

An Emirati man plays at the "Caring Machines" section of the Museum of the future during the opening day of the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Those gathered for the World Government Summit in Dubai offered no immediate solutions to the crises gripping the region, like low global oil prices, global warming and the rise of violent extremism. But all acknowledged that keeping government responsive to its citizens remains crucial. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

Emirati officials visit an exhibition during the opening day of the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Those gathered for the World Government Summit in Dubai offered no immediate solutions to the crises gripping the region, like low global oil prices, global warming and the rise of violent extremism. But all acknowledged that keeping government responsive to its citizens remains crucial. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)

An Emirati man poses for a photo at the Museum of the future during the opening day of the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Those gathered for the World Government Summit in Dubai offered no immediate solutions to the crises gripping the region, like low global oil prices, global warming and the rise of violent extremism. But all acknowledged that keeping government responsive to its citizens remains crucial. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
Search for life continues at Taiwan complex toppled by quake

TAINAN, Taiwan (AP)  Rescuers using cranes, dogs and electronic devices searched for survivors Tuesday in a high-rise apartment complex in southern Taiwan that was toppled three days earlier by a powerful earthquake.

The death toll in Saturday's disaster stood at 40, while 320 people had been rescued, the Tainan city government said on its official website.

More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris following the tragedy that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year.

A recovered wedding portrait is propped up at the search and rescue staging area of a collapsed building complex in Tainan, Taiwan, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a powerful quake that struck on Saturday, Feb. 6, during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year.(AP Photo) TAIWAN OUT

All but two of the casualties in the quake were recorded in the collapse of Tainan's Weiguan Golden Dragon 17-story complex. Although the shallow 6.4-magnitude quake was potentially devastating, few buildings were damaged as a result of strict construction standards in force on an island that is frequently struck by quakes.

Most of those who survived were rescued in the hours immediately after the quake, in which the building collapsed onto itself before toppling.

Ko Ching-chung said he had propped himself against a wall to avoid falling onto his girlfriend after the quake hit just before 4 a.m. But after 20 hours, he could no longer hold on and collapsed onto her.

"She would have soon not been able to breath. I said to her I had to lay on top of her and she said to me it's OK," Ko told reporters at the hospital where he was recovering.

Five survivors were believed to have been pulled out on Sunday, and at least four on Monday. One of them, Tsao Wei-ling, called out "Here I am" as rescuers dug through to find her.

She was found under the body of her husband, who had shielded her from a collapsed beam, the government-run Central News Agency reported. Tsao's husband and 2-year-son were found dead, and five other members of the family remained unaccounted for, it said.

Teams also rescued a 42-year-old man on Monday, and, later, an 8-year-old girl, who had been trapped for more than 61 hours.

Mayor Lai Ching-Te told reporters he briefly exchanged words with the girl, Lin Su-chin.

"She is awake, but looks dehydrated, lost some temperature but she's awake and her blood pressure is OK," he said. "I asked her if there's anything wrong with her body. She shook her head."

Shortly afterward, rescue workers also pulled out a 28-year-old Vietnamese woman, identified as Chen Mei-jih, who had been trapped on what was the building's fifth floor.

Family members of the missing flooded into the information center in search of their loved ones or to wait anxiously.

Tensions rose as some relatives, losing patience, demanded to speak to rescue workers directly to get the latest information.

A couple sitting in a small room where officials release information said they had heard no news about their daughter-in-law and two young grandsons.

"Does that mean we are here to wait for bodies?" grandfather Liu Meng-hsun cried out angrily.

Earthquakes rattle Taiwan frequently. Most are minor and cause little or no damage, though a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

The spectacular fall of the high-rise, built in 1989, raised questions about whether its construction had been shoddy. The government says it will investigate whether the developer cut corners.

The extended Lunar New Year holiday officially started Monday, but celebrations were subdued and both President Ma Ying-jeou and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen canceled the traditional handing out of envelopes of cash in their hometowns.

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Associated Press video journalist Tassanee Vejpongsa in Taipei, Taiwan, and writers Louise Watt and Christopher Bodeen and news assistant Henry Hou in Beijing contributed to this report.

As night falls, emergency rescue workers continue to search the rubble of a collapsed building complex in Tainan, Taiwan, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year. (AP Photo)

Rescue workers carry 28-year-old Vietnamese woman identified as Chen Mei-jih, rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building complex to a waiting ambulance in Tainan, Taiwan, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a powerful quake that struck on Saturday, Feb. 6, during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year.(AP Photo) TAIWAN OUT

As night falls, emergency rescue workers continue to search the rubble of a collapsed building complex in Tainan, Taiwan, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a powerful quake that struck on Saturday, Feb. 6, during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year.(AP Photo) TAIWAN OUT

Emergency rescue workers continue to search a collapsed building complex in Tainan, Taiwan, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. More than 100 people are believed to be still buried in the collapsed building from a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year holiday. (AP Photo/Gladys Tsai)
Stun guns in demand in Germany amid security concerns

PRAGUE (AP)  After the attacks in Paris and New Year's security scares, Germans have been snapping up self-defense equipment like stun guns  to the delight of a Czech manufacturer who corners the market.

Prague-based Euro Security Products, or ESP, has been flooded by new orders from Germany for stun guns and can't keep up with demand.

Company owner Bretislav Kostal said demand began skyrocketing in September and the company delivered a total of 25,000 for the German market in 2015. Some 15,000 of those were in the last four months of the year.

In this picture taken on Monday, Jan. 25, 2016, owner of Euro Security Products, a self defense equipment company, Bretislav Kostal displays a stun gun in Prague, Czech Republic. After the attacks in Paris and New Years security scares, Germans have been snapping up self-defense equipment like stun guns _ to the delight of a Czech manufacturer who corners the market. Prague-based Euro Security Products, or ESP, has been flooded by new orders from Germany for stun guns and cant keep up with demand. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

"Our production capacity was 3,000 pieces a month. Now, we've been working to increase it to 4,000 a month," Kostal said.

Ingo Meinhard, the head of the German association for weapons dealers, said the group had seen increasing interest in defensive products such as stun guns, CS gas and pepper spray following the attacks in Paris in November.

Though official sales figures were not yet available, he said there had been a further increase in demand following the New Year, which saw a terrorism scare in Munich in which two city stations were evacuated, as well as assaults on women by foreigners in Cologne.

Meinhard said it was less likely that the security concerns were about the influx of migrants and refugees into Germany. "It is in fact the terror threat, from our point of view," he said.

He noted there was demand across generations and professions and from both sexes. He said that, previously, the typical customers tended to be people who worried about their safety after dark when night started falling earlier in the autumn.

"We think that most of these articles ... will never be used," he said, but rather serve the "psychological effect" of making people feel safer.

Stun guns that disable people or animals with an electric shock are cleared for sale only in a few other European countries, including the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, France and soon Italy.

ESP was the first producer to meet strict requirements of the new German regulations in 2012 and claims to have about 90 percent share of the national market.

Germany's kh-security GmbH & Co. KG, which distributes the Czech stun guns, confirmed the big rise in sales last year and another peak following the New Year's Eve security incidents.

"We're not in a position to react so quickly," Kostal said. "With the orders we have, we are sold out for the next three months."

Besides the stun guns, ESP exports expandable batons, pepper sprays, shields, textile handcuffs and other products to more than 50 countries for individual customers as well as police and armed forces.

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Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

In this picture taken on Friday, Feb. 5, 2016, stun guns are tested at a shop of Euro Security Products, a self defense equipment company, in Prague, Czech Republic. After the attacks in Paris and New Years security scares, Germans have been snapping up self-defense equipment like stun guns _ to the delight of a Czech manufacturer who corners the market. Prague-based Euro Security Products, or ESP, has been flooded by new orders from Germany for stun guns and cant keep up with demand. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Taxi in Prague block traffic, demand higher pay, ban on Uber

PRAGUE (AP)  Hundreds of Czech taxi drivers are blocking a major road in downtown Prague to demand higher pay and protest alternative services such as Uber.

The protest began early Monday with drivers blocking two of the three lines in both directions on a key road near Prague's Central Station, causing significant traffic delays.

The protest comes after talks between a company representing the drivers and City Hall collapsed at the end of 2015.

Hundreds of Czech taxi drivers are blocking a road in downtown Prague to demand higher payment and protest alternative services such is Uber, in Prague, Czech Republic, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. The protest began early Monday with drivers blocking two of the three lines in both directions on a key road near Pragues Central Station, causing significant traffic delays. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

The drivers claim Uber and other ride-hailing apps are illegal because they don't meet all the requirements traditional taxi companies have to. They also want to be allowed to charge passengers more than the current maximum of 28 koruna ($1.16) per kilometer.

Prague Mayor Adriana Krnacova says the drivers have no real reason to protest.
Donald Trump looks for a win in New Hampshire primary

BEDFORD, New Hampshire (AP)  Republican Donald Trump appeared poised to clinch his first victory in Tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, while Sen. Bernie Sanders was cruising to a likely win over Hillary Clinton in what has become an unexpectedly competitive Democratic race.

As snowfall brought yet more uncertainty to the race's final hours, Hillary Clinton tried to move past talk of a shakeup in her campaign and controversy over comments by supporters that women should feel obliged to vote for her to become the first female president. Campaigning across the northeastern state on Monday with her husband and daughter, she worked to flip Sanders' favored critique against her by claiming that he, too, had taken money from Wall Street  if only indirectly.

The New Hampshire primary traditionally plays a pivotal role by providing momentum to the winners heading into the next contests in South Carolina and Nevada. Those candidates who fare poorly could see donations dry up and face pressure to withdraw from the race. In the last 10 elections, the winner of the Republican primary went on to become the eventual nominee eight times; on the Democratic side, seven winners went on to become nominees.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a town hall campaign event at the Londonderry Lions Club Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Londonderry, N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Trump, the billionaire businessman, launched the harshest attacks  not just against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who had bested him in Iowa, but also against Jeb Bush. The former Florida governor is one of three Republicans hoping that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's recent stumbles have opened a fresh path for one of them to emerge as the more mainstream alternative to Trump and Cruz.

"Jeb is having some kind of a breakdown, I think," Trump told CNN, calling Bush, the son and brother of presidents, a spoiled child and an embarrassment to his family. "I think it's a very sad situation that's taking place."

The enmity was mutual. Vying for votes in Nashua, Bush described Trump variably as a loser, a liar, a whiner and the worst choice for president. He blasted what he said was Trump's proclivity for "insulting women, castigating Hispanics, ridiculing the disabled and calling American POWs losers."

Trump did get in a shot at Cruz during a massive rally in Manchester on Monday night. When an audience member shouted out an insult directed at Cruz  a vulgar term for "coward"  Trump repeated the term and jokingly reprimanded the woman.

Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler responded via email, saying, "Let's not forget who whipped who in Iowa."

Still, Trump was running ahead in pre-primary polls, as was Sanders on the Democratic side as candidates race to collect delegates for the parties' national nominating conventions in July.

Not so long ago, Republicans saw New Hampshire as the proving ground that would winnow their unwieldy field of candidates. Rubio's surge into third place in Iowa one week ago raised the prospect that voters here would anoint him over Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Yet Rubio faced fresh questions about his readiness  and his ability to defeat the Democratic nominee  after Saturday's debate, when he was mocked for reciting rote talking points about President Barack Obama over and over.

Growing doubts about Rubio seemed to portend a fight for delegates to the party's national convention that could extend for weeks or months  to the dismay of Republican Party leaders hoping for a quick consolidation behind anyone but Cruz or Trump. Democrats are already resigned to the likelihood of a protracted primary contest following Sanders' strong performance in Iowa.

Sensing Rubio's vulnerability, nearly everyone seemed to be on the attack.

Bush's campaign debuted a new ad questioning Kasich's conservative credentials, while an outside group backing Rubio ran an ad assailing Bush. Christie and Bush both piled on Rubio, claiming he hadn't been tested the way that governors have.

In the week since Clinton eked out a win in the Iowa caucuses, her campaign has worked aggressively to lower expectations for New Hampshire, where Sanders has maintained a sizable lead despite Clinton's victory here eight years ago against then Illinois-Sen, Barack Obama. Sanders, a Vermont senator, is well known to voters in neighboring New Hampshire.

Sanders, wary of upsetting a race trending his way, stuck to core campaign themes as he addressed cheering supporters in Nashua. In recent days, former President Bill Clinton has accused some Sanders' supporters of waging "sexist" attacks, and feminist Gloria Steinem and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright have criticized women who aren't supporting Clinton.

Yet Sanders passed up all that on Monday, instead telling supporters in Nashua, "We have come a long way in the last nine months." But his campaign did take issue with Clinton's claim that Sanders benefited from Wall Street money donated to Senate Democrats' campaign arm, with campaign manager Jeff Weaver arguing it "suggests the kind of disarray that the Clinton campaign finds itself in today."

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Lederman reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Ken Thomas in Manchester, Holly Ramer in Hudson, Thomas Beaumont in Goffstown and Sergio Bustos and Lisa Lerer in Nashua contributed to this report.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speak during a campaign stop, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at Manchester Community College in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. speaks during a campaign stop at Daniel Webster Community College, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush throws a snowball following a campaign event, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Republican presidential candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie smiles as he is introduced by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan at a town hall-style campaign event, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Hudson, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks during a campaign stop at the public library before next Tuesday's first in the nation presidential primary, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Plaistow,NH (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
Giant red carpet for Egypt leader's motorcade sparks uproar

CAIRO (AP)  Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is facing criticism after a massive red carpet was laid over public roads for his motorcade during a trip to open a social housing project in a Cairo suburb, where he preached austerity.

Images of the giant red carpet prompted a wave of ridicule on social media, with a hashtag mocking the carpet trending in Arabic. A local newspaper devoted much of its front page Monday to the incident.

"How is the president asking us to tighten our belts while the 4 kilometer (2.5 mile) red carpet says otherwise?" read a headline in Al-Maqal newspaper, whose editor-in-chief, Ibrahim Eissa, is one of Egypt's most prominent TV commentators.

In this Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016 image taken from Egypt State TV, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's motorcade drives on a red carpet during a trip to open social housing projects in a suburb of Cairo, Egypt. Images of the giant red carpet prompted a wave of mockery on social media, and one local newspaper devoted its entire front page Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, to accusing el-Sissi of decadence while he asks Egyptians to tighten their belts. (Egypt State TV via AP)

El-Sissi, who as military chief led the overthrow of an elected Islamist leader in 2013, has staked his legitimacy on reviving the economy after years of unrest, including by trimming costly state subsidies, a theme he touched upon at Saturday's event.

He said the state spends around 40 million pounds ($5.1 million) a day to provide clean water, with only part of the cost passed on to consumers.

"One (cubic) meter of water that reaches you costs me this much, and you are taking it by that much, and the state is unable to continue this way," el-Sissi said in a televised conference.

The military provided a rare public response to the furor over the carpet. Brig. Gen. Ehab el-Ahwagy explained on several talk shows Sunday night that the carpet was not purchased by el-Sissi's administration and had been used for more than three years on similar occasions.

"It gives a kind of joy and assurance to the Egyptian citizen that our people and our land and our armed forces are always capable of organizing anything in a proper manner," el-Ahwagy told prominent TV talk show host Amr Adeeb.

"It is laid out in a way to beautify the general area, so it gives a good impression of the celebration that is being broadcast to the whole world."

El-Sissi's promises to bring stability have come amid heavy clampdown on dissent. Thousands of Islamists and a number of prominent secular activists have been imprisoned. Unauthorized protests have been banned.

On Monday, hundreds of soccer fans nevertheless held a rally inside a Cairo park to commemorate the deaths of 22 people killed in clashes last year between the police and fans of the Zamalek football club. The fans set off firecrackers and waved banners as large numbers of security forces were deployed outside the park.

The rally came one week after a similar gathering by fans of Egypt's top football club, Al-Ahly, commemorating the 74 people killed in a soccer riot in 2012 in the Suez Canal city of Port Said.

Egypt's hardcore soccer fans, known as ultras, played a major role in the protests that roiled the country during and after the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Hardcore fans of Egypts Zamalek football club hold up flares and chant slogans in Fustat Park, Cairo, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Hundreds of soccer fans held a rally inside a Cairo park to commemorate the deaths of 22 people killed in clashes last year between the police and fans of the Zamalek football club. The fans set off firecrackers and waved banners as large numbers of security forces were deployed outside the park. (AP Photo/Belal Wagdy)
Monaco defender Coentrao likely to be out injured for weeks

MONACO (AP)  Monaco defender Fabio Coentrao is expected to miss several weeks of action after fracturing his left foot over the weekend.

Coentrao was injured in Saturday's 1-0 win against Nice in the Rivieira derby

Monaco has yet to determine the length of time it will take for the Portugal international to recover but Coentrao has been put on the list of injured players ahead of Tuesday's French Cup match at second-division Sochaux.
WWII vet begins journey to reunite with wartime girlfriend

NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  A 93-year-old World War II veteran is embarking on a 10,500-mile journey to Australia to visit his wartime girlfriend after more than 70 years apart.

It will take Norwood Thomas, who boarded a plane Sunday from Norfolk with his son, two days to reach the country, where he will be reunited with Joyce Morris, The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/1L8P3l0) reported.

"I'd rather die traveling to Australia than live sitting around at home wondering, 'What if?'" Thomas said.

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2015 file photo, Norwood Thomas, holds up a photo of with Joyce Morris at his home in Virginia Beach, Va. Thomas is embarking on a 10,500-mile journey to Australia to visit Morris. She was the 93-year-old World War II veteran's wartime girlfriend. (Bill Tiernan/The Virginian-Pilot via AP) MAGS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT

News media around the globe have printed or broadcast the story, which has gone viral online.

"It's the craziest thing," Thomas said. "I can't believe how interested all these people are."

The two first met in London shortly before D-Day. Morris was a 17-year-old British girl, whom Thomas remembers as a "pretty little thing," and he was a 21-year-old paratrooper with the 101st Airborne.

"Joyce was special. The one that got away," Thomas said. "But after the war, my orders to go home came so quick there was no real chance to even say goodbye."

Thomas, who hasn't seen Morris since 1945, has kept a photo of her ever since.

After the war, the pair wrote letters to each other, and Thomas even asked Morris to come to America and be his wife. But somehow Morris misunderstood and thought he'd found someone else. She stopped writing.

As time passed, the two went on with their separate lives. They both married other people, had careers and children. Thomas' wife died in 2001. Morris divorced her husband after 30 years.

Last year, Morris asked one of her sons to look for Thomas on the Internet, where she found his name featured in The Virginian-Pilot newspaper's D-Day series called "The Lucky Few."

Thomas and Morris, who is now 88 and nearly blind, recently reconnected via Skype. After their story went public, hundreds of people made donations to help fund Thomas' trip to Australia, and Air New Zealand arranged the flight.

"It's really touching," Thomas' son, Steve Thomas, said of the donations. "We want them to know it worked. He's going."

Norwood Thomas said he's excited to see Morris.

"I'm just looking forward to seeing her smile," he said. "I have no idea if there'll still be romantic feelings. But at the very least, I'll get to spend time with an old friend. Just sitting and reminiscing will be wonderful."

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South African university suspends 2 in costume outcry

JOHANNESBURG (AP)  A South African university suspended two white students for painting their faces in what it called a "blackface" incident deemed to be racially offensive. One of the students, however, said they were dressing as purple space aliens for a party with a galactic theme.

The episode at Stellenbosch University comes amid heightened debate on social media about racism in South Africa, which became a multi-racial democracy after the end of white minority rule in 1994.

University spokesman Martin Viljoen said Monday that the university is aware of "new evidence"  a reference to the account about alien costumes  and that an investigation is ongoing.

In a statement Sunday, the university said it acted swiftly after the reported "blackface" incident that occurred Friday. Workshops and other discussions were held in university residences over the weekend to "to create awareness and understanding," it said.

"Stellenbosch University condemns all forms of racism and discrimination and acknowledges the severe negative impact of the pain and trauma experienced by students, staff and members of the public," the university said.

One of the suspended students, Poekie Briedenhann, said there had been a misunderstanding because the dark purple paint and glitter for a "stellar space" party "appeared as black," South African media reported.

One photograph of the students, posted on social media, shows them with dark face paint. Another photo shows a woman with purple face paint and blue lips as well as what appear to be antennae made out of silver foil.

In 2014, two white students at Stellenbosch University were accused of racism after painting their faces dark to portray tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams at a costume party. They expressed regret.

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The Latest: Clinton vows to 'make a difference' every day

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP)  The Latest on the race for the White House with one day to go until the New Hampshire primary (all times local):

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9:15 p.m.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton embrace during a campaign stop Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Hudson, N.H. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Hillary Clinton is holding her final rally before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, vowing to "get up every day to make a difference" for Americans if she wins the White House.

Clinton says in Hudson, New Hampshire, that voters face a "big choice," likening the primary election to a "giant job interview" over who best represents the kind of future Americans want.

She is pointing to health care as a major dividing line in her primary race against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Clinton says they have the same goal of universal coverage but Sanders' approach would plunge the country into another contentious debate.

Clinton tells the crowd to "stick with this. We're going to make it work for everybody."

She was introduced by former President Bill Clinton, who calls his wife the greatest "change maker" he has ever met.

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9:05 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is firing up his supporters ahead of Tuesday's New Hampshire primary with a profanity-laced rally that's drawn thousands despite a snowstorm.

Trump tells about 5,000 people packed into one-half of a Manchester sports arena that they "have to go out and vote no matter what."

He says: "If you're sick, if you're really like you can't move, you're close to death, your doctor tells you it's not working, your wife is disgusted with you, she said, 'I'm leaving.' No matter what. She says, 'Darling, I love you but I've fallen in love with another man,' I don't give a damn. You've got to get out to vote."

Trump is hoping for victory after coming in second in last week's Iowa caucuses.

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8:25 p.m.

Chris Christie's closing remarks at his last town hall in Manchester: "I've got a flight to South Carolina Wednesday morning, and I intend to take it," he said. "I want you all to send me off as your guy."

Christie said he wants to leave New Hampshire knowing that its voters "met me, got to see me, I opened my heart to them and they opened their hearts to me, and we made history together."

He asked supporters to offer friends, neighbors and relatives rides to the polls.

"I'll tell you one last thing, I'm gonna be president of the United States," he said.

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8:10 p.m.

Jeb Bush is making his closing argument to New Hampshire voters, pushing his experience as a two-term Florida governor while dismissing rivals Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio as being unprepared to lead the country.

Bush says the next president can't be "a divider-in-chief or agitator-in-chief, but a commander-in chief."

"I know how to lead," Bush said Monday night in a speech in Portsmouth, N.H., where a sizable and enthusiastic crowd braved a winter snow storm to attend the town hall meeting on the eve of the nation's first primary.

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5:15 p.m.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he is considering mounting an independent campaign for president.

Bloomberg told The Financial Times on Monday that he was "looking at all the options" when it comes to a bid.

The billionaire businessman said he found the current campaign to be "an insult to the voters."

It's the first time he acknowledged a possible run.

Bloomberg's aides floated the idea last month that the former mayor could fill a gap in the center of the political spectrum.

He is distressed by the rise of Donald Trump and Texas Senator Ted Cruz among Republicans and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders among Democrats.

Bloomberg was a Democrat before becoming a Republican to run for mayor in 2001. He then became an independent.

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4:05 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is telling workers at a Manchester company that she hopes people in New Hampshire will come out to vote on Tuesday despite snowfall in the state.

Clinton was meeting with employees of Velcro Companies, which makes fasteners.

She says at this point "it's going to be a race to the finish." When one worker asked her to compare herself to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton said she doesn't want to "over promise" but "deliver" for people.

New Hampshire will host the nation's first primary Tuesday. Snow and slush is forecast in most of the state.

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3:46 p.m.

Donald Trump is bursting back onto television in South Carolina.

Advertising tracker Kantar Media's CMAG identifies $463,000 worth of new Trump TV and radio commercials that are set to begin airing Tuesday in the third-to-vote primary state.

That's a major increase from the $26,000 in ads he's had up in South Carolina during the past seven days.

All told, the celebrity businessman and Republican presidential candidate who placed second in the Iowa caucuses has put about $8.9 million into campaign ads, CMAG shows. He has made three different TV spots. Two of them begin with an image of Trump wearing his signature red "Make America Great Again" ball cap and giving the thumbs-up.

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3:40 p.m.

The first votes of the first-in-the-nation primary will be counted Tuesday in three tiny communities where primary day lasts all of five minutes: Hart, Millsfield and the most famous, Dixville notch.

They all qualify to hold midnight votes under a New Hampshire law that allows communities with fewer than 100 voters can get permission to open their polls at the stroke of primary day and close them as soon as all registered voters have cast their ballots.

It shouldn't take long.

Dixville, which exists as a town only for voting purposes, has nine voters.

Hart, about 80 miles south, has 41 registered voters.

Millsfield, home to 22 registered voters, also is making a comeback this year, though it's unclear just when the town last voted at midnight or when its tradition started.

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3:19 p.m.

Presidential candidate Marco Rubio's campaign says two dozen of Sen. Rand Paul's Kentucky supporters in the state legislature are endorsing Rubio.

Paul ended his presidential campaign last week after a poor showing in the Iowa caucuses and will instead focus on his Senate re-election.

The new Rubio supporters include state Rep. Jeff Hoover, the top Republican in the Kentucky House, and state Sen. Ralph Alvarado, who introduced Paul at his presidential campaign kickoff rally last year.

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2:25 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says rival Bernie Sanders accepted about $200,000 in indirect donations from Wall Street and "there's nothing wrong with that"  asserting that big donations from the financial industry it didn't change his views on public policy, and they don't change hers.

Sanders has cast the Clintons as part of the Democratic establishment during the primaries and holds a solid lead against the former secretary of state in Tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary. He has criticized Clinton for accepting campaign donations and speaking fees from Wall Street firms.

Clinton was joined by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea Clinton on Monday in an all-hands-on-deck day of campaigning on the eve of the New Hampshire primary.

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2:08 p.m.

There's no mistaking Marco Rubio's new enemy No. 1 in New Hampshire: Jeb Bush.

That's the takeaway from freshly filed Federal Election Commission reports that track last-minute spending before the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.

The reports show Conservative Solutions PAC, an outside group spending tens of millions of dollars boosting Rubio, made a major change in its advertising plans after Rubio's disappointing debate performance on Saturday.

The super PAC replaced more than $500,000 worth of planned New Hampshire ads supporting Rubio and attacking Iowa winner Ted Cruz with commercials exclusively opposing Bush, the reports show. The group is also now spending money on mailings to voters that oppose both Bush and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, according to FEC filings.

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2:00 p.m.

Bernie Sanders is drawing animated crowds in the final hours before voting begins in New Hampshire.

One man in Manchester, responding to Sanders' description of the Bush administration's role in the economic recession, interrupted the candidate:

"They stole the country," the man shouted, using an expletive to describe the Bush administration.

"Well, I wouldn't phrase it exactly like that but it's close to true," replied Sanders.

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1:26 p.m.

Republican Sen. John McCain says the "loose talk" in the presidential campaign about reviving waterboarding and other interrogation methods skips over the fact that the technique failed to obtain lifesaving intelligence.

The Arizona Republican survived 5  years in a Vietnamese prison and says such techniques are inhumane and compromise the nation's values.

McCain, the GOP's presidential nominee in 2008, issued a statement after Republican contender Donald Trump told a town hall in Salem, New Hampshire on Monday that waterboarding is "peanuts," compared to what Islamic State militants are doing. "It's fine," Trump said of waterboarding. "And much tougher than that is fine. When we're dealing with these animals we can't be soft and weak like our politicians."

Trump isn't saying what other interrogation techniques he would support.

President Barack Obama banned waterboarding when he took office in January 2009.

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1:18 p.m.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is spending the final day of the New Hampshire primary attacking a rival who is far behind him in the polls: former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Speaking at a town hall event in Salem, New Hampshire, Trump went after Bush, calling him "a total stiff."

He says, "Here's a guy, honestly, if he weren't in government...you wouldn't hire him to do anything."

He adds that Bush is "like a spoiled child" and "not a smart man" because he's in favor of the common core education standards.

Later, in front of the Manchester Rotary Club at Fratello's Italian Grille, Trump said Bush is "not smart enough to win"  and more.

For his part, Bush tweeted Monday that Trump is a "loser," a "liar" and a "whiner."

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1:05 p.m.

On a snowy final day of campaigning in New Hampshire, John Kasich is reflecting on lessons from his parents' death in 1987 and his short-lived presidential campaign in 1999.

Kasich is telling a packed crowd in snowy Windham, New Hampshire, on the primary battle's final campaign day that he has few memories from his 1999 bid aside from talking to a voter for 20 minutes only to have her ask, "When is the candidate going to arrive?"

This campaign, he says, is different.

Kasich has taken to urging voters to slow down in their everyday lives and spend more time listening to their families and neighbors. Kasich's parents died in a car crash in 1987, and he says going through a dark time has allowed him to better connect with people who are struggling in their everyday lives.

He says," there are a lot of people who never get listened to."

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12:40 p.m.

A woman who attending a town hall for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has a curt replay to the recent discussion on the presidential campaign trail about special places in hell for certain women.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright recently urged women to vote for Hillary Clinton, saying, "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other."

At the town hall meeting for in Hudson, New Hampshire Monday, the Christie supporter retorted: "There is a special place in hell for women who vote for women just because they're women."

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12:30 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is telling customers at a popular Manchester, New Hampshire, breakfast spot that "I need you tomorrow."

Making her way around Chez Vachon, Clinton and husband Bill, thanked another diner for wearing one of her campaign buttons. She says, "With your help, we can do it."

The Clintons have visited the restaurant before and photos of them are on the walls.

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12:15 p.m.

Chris Christie got a heated reception outside a Hampstead, New Hampshire, coffee shop, where some his New Jersey critics waited in the snow to heckle him.

Holding signs calling Christie "New Jersey's Biggest Loser," the protesters chanted "Chris Christie: Bad for New Jersey, bad for you."

Christie slipped in a back door to avoid them. He said he loved hearing from some of his "favorite Democrats" because it fires him up.

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12:00 p.m.

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is choosing not to respond to recent Clinton campaign accusations that his backers are waging "profane" and "sexist" attacks on the former secretary of state.

Instead, the Vermont senator is sticking to his campaign message, hoping to avoid any misstep that could undermine his sizeable New Hampshire lead just a day before voters head to the polls.

"We have come a long way in the last nine months," he told cheering supporters in Nashua, N.H. on Monday morning.

He added: "There is nothing, nothing, nothing that we cannot accomplish."

On Sunday, former President Bill Clinton said Clinton supporters were being subject to "vicious trolling and attack" online. Sanders' aides say their campaign has no desire to engage in an extended back-and-forth over the issue.

Sanders has denounced supporters that level sexist attacks, saying his campaign doesn't want "that crap," in an interview with CNN on Sunday.

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11:35 a.m.

Republican Donald Trump is doubling down on his support for intensifying interrogation techniques for some foreign prisoners. Trump said during this week's GOP debate that he is in favor of bringing back waterboarding and "a hell of a lot worse."

He's not saying what other techniques he'd support.

Trump is telling a town hall in Salem that waterboarding is "peanuts," compared to what Islamic State militants are doing. "It's fine," Trump says of waterboarding. "And much tougher than that is fine. When we're dealing with these animals we can't be soft and weak like our politicians."

He says the country's enemies are "laughing like hell at the United States" for even questioning the technique.

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11:30 a.m.

John Kasich is getting some friendly advice from a Vietnam War combat veteran on how he should deal with the Joint Chiefs of Staff is elected president.

After saying he was nervous to ask a question, the man ended up in the middle of the room with his arm around Kasich, offering his thoughts on military readiness.

Kasich jokingly offered the man a job as Secretary of Defense, then says he'll welcome advice for anyone who wants to talk to or yell at him if elected.

He says, "that's how you get smart...you cannot limit the advice that you get."

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11: 06 a.m.

The Jeb Bush campaign is releasing a new online ad Monday aimed at John Kasich, questioning the Ohio governor's conservative credentials.

The "No Comparison" ad contrasts Bush's record as a two-term Florida governor with Kasich's record as a top House leader and as a governor.

The ad comes only a day before the New Hampshire primary, where Kasich, Bush and other GOP candidates are in a fierce fight for second place behind front-runner Donald Trump.

The nearly 90-second ad slams Kasich for voting in favor of an assault-weapons ban in 1994, his efforts to reign in defense spending and his decision to expand Medicaid in Ohio under President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act.

The ad claims "Jeb is the conservative you can trust."

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10:30 a.m.

Donald Trump has traded his usual large-scale rallies for an intimate town hall setting.

Trump is taking questions in an Elks Lodge in Salem, New Hampshire in front of a crowd of about 230 people.

The billionaire businessman began by talking about the state's drug crisis, saying that obtaining heroin is now "cheaper than getting candy."

Trump has been criticized by some of his rivals for failing to spend enough time in the state and largely foregoing the kind of one-on-one campaigning that has long been a hallmark of the state.

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9:30 a.m.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hopes his latest celebrity endorsement before the New Hampshire primary will give him the boost needed for a strong performance Tuesday.

Christie was joined Monday at a town hall meeting in Hudson by Buddy Valastro, star of the TLC reality show "Cake Boss."

Valastro praised Christie's leadership in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and his ability to get things done in a heavily Democratic state.

"We need someone who's going to cut through the bullcrap and bring people together."

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8:20 a.m.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has ramped up his schedule as he works to close the deal with New Hampshire voters the day before they head to the polls.

Trump will be holding a rally at an Elks Lodge in Salem, followed by town halls in Manchester and Londonderry.

He'll cap the night with a rally at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Trump is facing pressure to translate his poll numbers and rally crowds into votes after a second-place finish in Iowa last week.

Meanwhile, speaking to MSNBC's Morning Joe Monday, Trump said Iowa's caucus system is "complex" and he feels he can win New Hampshire's Tuesday primary.

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8:00 a.m.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says he feels he did "great" in the last Republican presidential debate and is optimistic that he will do well in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

Speaking to "CBS This Morning" Monday, Rubio refrained from attacking his rivals, particularly Govs. Jeb Bush and Chris Christie, who say the freshman senator doesn't have the experience needed to be president.

He dismissed critique of his performance at Saturday's debate, saying Monday that it was his campaign's "Despite what people want to say, it was our greatest fundraising night."

Instead, he is emphasizing his strong third-place finish in last week's Iowa caucus, asserting that he has a chance to do equally as well in New Hampshire.

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7:45 a.m.

Republican presidential hopefuls Jeb Bush and Chris Christie say Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, hasn't been tested in a way that the governors running for president have, leaving him unqualified to be president.

Speaking to MSNBC's Morning Joe Monday in New Hampshire, which is set to host the country's second nomination contest Tuesday, Bush referred to Rubio as "a bright, charismatic leader" but described his leadership skills as a "work in progress."

Christie, New Jersey's sitting governor, repeated accusations that Rubio recites the same campaign points, calling him a "talented guy" when required to "deliver a speech, read a teleprompter."

Bush, Florida's former governor, also attacked billionaire Donald Trump, with whom he clashed at Saturday's GOP debate over the issue of eminent domain, calling him a "loser."

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7:30 a.m.

The American Legion has asked the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to "cease and desist" from using the organization's emblem in campaign fliers.

The American Legion wrote to Sanders' Senate office that it did not have permission to use the emblem in his campaign fliers.

Sanders' campaign didn't immediately return a request seeking comment.

The American Legion has twice complained to Sanders officials since Jan. 22 about the use of the emblem in campaign materials. A Feb. 1 letter from the American Legion obtained by The Associated Press warns that "any further communication about it will be through our trademark attorney in the appropriate forum."

An earlier report in a New Hampshire paper said that Sanders had used the images of pastors and veterans in his fliers.

Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump addresses the crowd during a campaign rally Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a town hall campaign event at the Londonderry Lions Club, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Londonderry, N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton meets with costumers before having breakfast, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at Chez Vachon restaurant in , N.H. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. speaks during a town hall meeting with employees of BAE Systems in Nashua, N.H., Monday Feb. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign stop at Great Bay Community College, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016, in Portsmouth, N.H. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2016, file photo, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. listens to testimony by U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Commander and Resolute Support Commander Gen. John Campbell, on Capitol Hill in Washington. McCain says the "loose talk" in the presidential campaign about reviving waterboarding and other interrogation methods skips over the fact that the technique failed to obtain lifesaving intelligence. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Snow begins to fall as Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Gov. John Kasich talks to reporters after a campaign stop at the public library before next Tuesday's first in the nation presidential primary, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Plaistow, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Republican presidential candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks at a town hall-style campaign event, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, in Hudson, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

FILE - In a Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Plymouth State University, in Plymouth, N.H. Trump has given a list of reasons for his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, including a failure to invest in boosting voter-turnout and claiming that Ted Cruz stole the win. But with voting fast approaching in New Hampshire, data from political advertising tracker Kantar Media reveal another possible explanation: Trump got pummeled on TV political-advertising. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

A man holds a photograph of Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush as Bush greets people after a campaign event in Salem, N.H., Sunday Feb. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Italy urges Egypt to help find who tortured, killed student

ROME (AP)  Italy kept pressure on Egypt Monday to cooperate in finding who tortured and murdered an Italian student doing research in Cairo, insisting it wouldn't accept convenient answers in the case.

"We won't settle for purported truths, as we have said on the occasion of the two arrests initially linked to the death of Giulio Regeni," Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni insisted in an interview published in La Repubblica newspaper.

"We want those who are really responsible to be found out, and be punished on the basis of law," the minister said.

FILE - This file image posted online after the Jan. 25, 2016 disappearance of Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni in Cairo, Egypt shows Reggeni in a graphic used in an online campaign, #whereisgiulio seeking information on his whereabouts. Egypt has denied the police had anything to do with the brutal killing of an Italian student whose body was found on the outskirts of Cairo bearing signs of torture. (#wheresgiulio via AP)

Italian media have honed in on the hypothesis that elements in Egypt's security force, which have been criticized by human rights champions, had arrested the young man before his death because he was in contact with Egyptian labor activists as part of his research.

But Egypt's interior minister retorted that his country's investigators are working hard to solve the case and insisted Regeni had never been arrested, let alone picked up by his country's security forces.

Asked at a Cairo news conference if Regeni had been detained, Interior Minister Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar replied: "It didn't happen. We stressed that to many officials. We stress it once again."

Asked if Regeni was a spy, the Egyptian minister replied: "Not at all. We are dealing with a crime committed against a foreign national."

"There were rumors and talk in the press hinting and linking the security apparatus to the incident," the minister said. "This is rejected. This is not the policy of the Egyptian security service."

Gentiloni's remarks about "purported truths" referred to statements last week by some Egyptian authorities - later denied - that two suspects had been picked up for questioning in the case.

An Italian Justice Ministry undersecretary, Gennaro Migliore, had even sharper words for Egypt's authorities Monday as gruesome details emerged about the 28-year-old student's brutal end.

Regeni's "massacre is a very grave stain on a fundamentally authoritarian regime," Migliore said.

The Cambridge University doctorate candidate had been living in Cairo for a few months, doing research into Egyptian labor movements and other social issues.

Regeni vanished on the evening of Jan. 25, as he traveled by subway after telling friends he was going to a birthday party. That date coincided with the anniversary of the 2011 Egyptian uprising. Egyptian security forces were out in force, intent on quashing any signs of protest.

Rights groups have accused Egyptian police of regularly torturing detainees, and in the past year, of detaining suspected activists or Islamists without ever reporting their arrests.

Egyptian authorities informed Italian authorities on Feb. 3 that Regeni's body had been found along a highway on Cairo's outskirts. At first, Egyptian officials blamed the death on a road accident.

The Egyptian interior minister, Abdel-Ghaffar, told reporters on Monday that the body had been found by commuters whose vehicle had broken down.

After an initial autopsy performed by Egyptian authorities in Cairo, a second was performed Saturday in Rome after the body was flown from Egypt. The Italian autopsy found that Regeni had suffered extensive bruises and many fractures, and died after a neck vertebra was broken, perhaps by a heavy blow or a violent twisting of the head.

La Repubblica on Monday reported that the nails on all his toes and fingers had been ripped off, and that all his fingers had been broken.

Pending laboratory results of tissue and fluid samples are expected to help understand how much time elapsed between Regeni's death and the discovery of his body.

Italy needs Egypt to help in keeping northern Africa out of the hands of the Islamic State group, which has made steady gains in neighboring Libya. Italy, along with the United States, has been urging Libya's rival governments to unite, to reduce the chaos gripping the oil-and-gas rich country since dictator Moammar Gadhafi was ousted and killed in 2011.

Regeni was being honored by Italy's leading museum for Egyptian art and history. Turin's Egyptian Museum said it is dedicating a room to the young man, "barbarously slain for having defended his ideals and his courageous activity of research."

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Maggie Michael contributed from Cairo.

In this picture made available by the Egyptian Museum of Turin, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, a general view of the Deir El Medina hall of the Egyptian museum which will be titled to the memory of the Italian doctoral student Giulio Regeni. Regeni, 28, disappeared in Cairo on Jan. 25, the anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising, a day when security forces were on high alert and on the streets in force to prevent any demonstrations or protests. His body, stabbed repeatedly and exhibiting cigarette burns and other signs of torture, was reported found on Feb. 3. ( (Egyptian Museum of Turin/Photo via AP)

Fimuicello's Mayor Ennio Scridel delivers his speech during a candle lights procession to honor the memory of Giulio Regeni in his hometown of Fiumicello, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. Regeni, 28, an Italian doctoral student disappeared in Cairo on Jan. 25, the anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising, a day when security forces were on high alert and on the streets in force to prevent any demonstrations or protests. His body, stabbed repeatedly and exhibiting cigarette burns and other signs of torture, was reported found on Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Paolo Giovannini)

People gather during a candle light procession to honor the memory of Giulio Regeni in Fiumicello, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. Regeni, 28, an Italian doctoral student disappeared in Cairo on Jan. 25, the anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising, a day when security forces were on high alert and on the streets in force to prevent any demonstrations or protests. His body, stabbed repeatedly and exhibiting cigarette burns and other signs of torture, was reported found on Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Paolo Giovannini)

Mourners attend a candlelight vigil for slain Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni in front of the Italian embassy in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Regeni disappeared on Jan. 25, the anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising. He was found this week with multiple stab wounds, cigarette burns and other signs of torture on the outskirts of Cairo, Egyptian officials said. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Broadway's 'Tuck Everlasting' hopes for eternal experience

NEW YORK (AP)  Andrew Keenan-Bolger isn't tapping into his vulnerable side for his next Broadway role. He's trying to be utterly fearless.

In the new musical "Tuck Everlasting," the actor plays a character who simply doesn't fear death. So Keenan-Bolger is honing his recklessness and rashness.

"I think there is a level of danger that I want to present to the audience and push them slightly past the comfort level," he said. "My goal is to make all the moms in the audience almost have a heart attack. We'll see how that goes."

Andrew Keenan-Bolger, center, stands on set under construction at a scene shop in New Windsor, N.Y., where the set for the musical Tuck Everlasting is being made. In the new musical Tuck Everlasting, the actor plays a character who simply doesnt fear death. (Jeremy Daniel/ Matt Ross Public Relations via AP)

"Tuck Everlasting" is based on the popular 1975 children's book by Natalie Babbitt about a young girl in the 1880s who befriends a unique family that has gained eternal life. It starts previews on March 31.

"While the story is really small  it's one girl's adventure  I think it's natural for a Broadway audience because of the scale of the questions that it raises," said Keenan-Bolger. "Essentially, if you boil down the musical to one question it's If you could live forever, would you?"

Keenan-Bolger, last on Broadway in "Newsies," plays a 104 year-old man who is stuck at 17, an unjaded teen described in the book as "like water: thin, and quick." He leaps into streams and scampers up trees without a second thought.

Casey Nicholaw, who directs and choreographs the new musical, has known Keenan-Bolger since they were both in "Seussical" in 2000, and thinks the casting this time is spot-on.

"He's got such a mischievous look to him and energy to him. You know, he is kind of ageless in life. So it's a perfect match," said Nicholaw, who directed "The Book of Mormon" and "Aladdin."

The two men recently left New York City to see how a key part of the show is shaping up  the enormous abstract tree designed by Walt Spangler that will take up most of the 25-foot tall proscenium at the Broadhurst Theatre and be a jungle gym for Keenan-Bolger's character.

At a scene shop in New Windsor, New York, Keenan-Bolger leapt up into the branches and rode one of the massive mechanical limbs. He will have no wires to protect him, just well-placed grips. "It reminds me of a climbing wall but with no rope," he said.

The musical, which made its debut last year at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, has gone through phases of being too morose or too sweet. Nicholaw said it needed to twinkle.

At one reading, he heard a lot of sniffles in the audience. "I turned around. It was all men in suits. I was like, 'Wow, that was not what I was expecting,'" he said. "It's taken us a while to find the right tone for it and I think we've finally found it."

The show has music by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen, who collaborated on "The Burnt Part Boys." The cast will also include Carolee Carmello, Fred Applegate and Terrence Mann. It will star newcomer Sarah Charles Lewis, 12.

Keenan-Bolger, who is a co-author of the new children's series "Jack & Louisa" and is the brother of actress Celia Keenan-Bolger, remembers his mother reading "Tuck Everlasting" to him as a kid and being embarrassed that it made her so emotional. He completely understood when he returned to it as an adult.

"I think especially kids connect to it because it's one of the first books that we read that deals with mortality. People have not given children enough credit to understand the idea of death. But I really think they do," he said.

"They lose a grandparent or a pet and it's scary and confusing. I think Natalie Babbitt was one of the first geniuses who recognize that and helped everyone make sense of it. You can't have living without dying."

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Online: http://www.tuckeverlastingmusical.com
Austria supports Bosnia's application for EU membership

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP)  Austria's foreign minister says his country supports the EU membership application Bosnia intends to submit next week.

Speaking to reporters in Sarajevo on Monday, Sebastian Kurz said Bosnia needs to lay the foundation for an effective coordination mechanism in the next few days.

A coordination mechanism will enable the country to harmonize its laws, standards and policies with those of the EU on all levels of government, from national down to municipalities.

By applying, Bosnia will open a long process of reforms that can eventually lead to membership.
Senator scrutinizes pharma links on government pain panel

WASHINGTON (AP)  A high-ranking Senate Democrat is scrutinizing links between pharmaceutical companies and government advisers who recently criticized efforts to reduce painkiller prescribing.

Sen. Ron Wyden says he has a "number of concerns" about how panelists were selected and screened for an advisory panel on pain issues that includes government experts, outside academics and patient advocates. Wyden's inquiry follows a recent Associated Press story that found nearly a third of panelists at a December meeting of the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee had apparent financial ties to painkiller manufacturers, including the maker of OxyContin.

"These financial and professional relationships raise serious concerns about the objectivity of the panel's members that deserve additional review," Wyden writes in a letter Monday to the head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

A spokeswoman for the federal agency said in a statement: "HHS has received the letter and will respond directly to the Senator."

The pain panel attracted attention late last year after several members bashed a federal plan to recommend doctors reduce their prescribing of painkillers for chronic pain. The draft guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are intended to curb deadly overdoses tied to powerful but highly-addictive opioid drugs, including Percocet and Vicodin. Opioid painkillers and heroin  which is also part of the opioid family  caused 28,650 fatal overdoses in 2014, the highest number ever in the U.S.

Since coming under criticism from the panel, the CDC has re-opened its guidelines to additional public comment and review.

In his letter, Wyden states that the law creating the federal pain panel "makes no provision that representatives of the pharmaceutical industry are included on the panel."

Yet several non-federal members  through their organizations or directly  have received funding from painkiller makers, Wyden notes.

As previously reported by The Associated Press, two panelists work for the Center for Practical Bioethics, a Kansas City group which receives funding from multiple drugmakers, including OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma, which donated $100,000 in 2013. One panelist holds a chair at the center created by a $1.5-million donation from Purdue Pharma. The other has received more than $8,660 in speaking fees, meals, travel accommodations and other payments from pain drugmakers.

"I am concerned that this single organization with significant ties to a major opioid manufacturer had two paid staff sitting as committee members at the same time," Wyden writes.

A third member of the panel is a director with the U.S. Pain Foundation, a nonprofit that receives most of its funding from drugmakers, including a $104,800 donation from Purdue Pharma in 2014, according to IRS Records cited by Wyden.

Two other panelists are connected to the American Chronic Pain Association, another nonprofit that receives substantial funding from drugmakers, including Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca Plc, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. and AbbVie Inc.

The legislation creating the panel  which helps coordinate federal pain policies  was championed for years by drugmakers, who lobbied Congress to increase investments in treating and researching pain. Eventually, legislation creating the group was folded into the Affordable Care Act of 2010, President Obama's signature health care overhaul.

Wyden, who is the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, asks HHS officials to submit their policies for selecting panel members and vetting their potential conflicts of interest.

In a separate letter, also sent Monday, the Oregon lawmaker gave his endorsement to the CDC's painkiller guidelines, which recommend primary care doctors prioritize non-opioid approaches to treating chronic pain.

"The CDC's efforts mark a turning point towards a smarter approach to pain management," Wyden said in a statement Monday. "I am going to ensure these guidelines are not influenced by the companies who manufacture opioids."

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On the Web:

http://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Wyden%20Letter%20to%20HHS_Opioid%20Conflicts.pdf
Ian Mader named AP's news editor in Florida

MIAMI (AP)  Ian Mader, a veteran foreign correspondent with a reputation for breaking news and challenging reporters, has been named The Associated Press Florida news editor based in Miami.

The appointment was announced Thursday by interim South Editor Ravi Nessman, who oversees 13 southeastern states plus the District of Columbia.

"Ian is a great journalist whose long experience calmly steering some of the highest profile stories in the world will be a major asset to AP in Florida," Nessman said.

Ian Mader poses for a photo in Beijing on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mader, a veteran foreign correspondent with a reputation for breaking news and challenging reporters, has been named The Associated Press Florida news editor, based in Miami. (Eunice Mateo/Courtesy of Ian Mader via AP)

Mader, 50, joined The Associated Press in 1992 and has worked in Alaska, Maryland, New York and Germany. Before becoming China news editor in Beijing in 2012, he spent a decade as a supervisory editor and top stories editor on AP's Asia regional desk in Bangkok.

Mader played a lead role in AP's coverage of the disappearance of Malaysia Air MH370, the tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan and the earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand. He also has led coverage of China's increasing crackdown on dissidents in recent years, accusations of corruption against Communist Party members and the authorities' use of torture against activists.

Mader's Spanish skills, his international experience and his commitment to cross-format journalism will be an asset to AP's coverage of the cosmopolitan state of Florida. He will lead a team of talented journalists in telling the world about the state of Florida's politics, lifestyle, aging population, tourism and diversity.

He will begin work on March 22.
Displaced by fighting, Kurdish residents call for peace

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AP)  Azize Calis is pleading for peace.

The 70-year-old Kurdish woman is among tens of thousands displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer.

Calis and her family fled from their home about two months ago with only the clothes they were wearing from one district in the city of Diyarbakir to the relative safety of another. Besides fearing for her life, she was also faced with round-the-clock curfews and being left without food, electricity or water.

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, a family leaves the Sur district in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The family are among tens of thousands displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer. (AP Photo/Murat Bay)

"They rained fire, calamity, wrath on top of us," Calis said in Kurdish from the shoddy rented house where the family of eight has sought refuge in Diyarbakir's low-income Baglar district. "We escaped to save our lives."

A two-and-a-half year peace process between Turkey's government and the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, broke down in July, reviving three decades of conflict that has cost more than 40,000 lives.

The PKK has been fighting government forces for self-rule for Kurds in the mainly Kurdish southeast since 1984. Turkish government officials say the Kurdish militants have launched the latest violence in urban districts after being emboldened by Syrian Kurdish forces' success against the Islamic State group in the northern Syrian city of Kobani.

The Calis family ran away from Diyarbakir's historic Sur district, an area famed for its ancient city walls  dotted with historic mosques and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While Baglar is far from the gunfire and blasts that ring from Sur, the living conditions are spare. Apart from a TV set and a rug, the house has no furniture aside from the cushions they sit on and the mattresses they sleep on.

Calis longs to return home, blaming both Kurdish and Turkish leaders for her misery, and imploring them to seek peace.

"We are in a miserable state. If our (Kurdish) leader and those leading Turkey, if they had a little mercy, they would not bring about this wrath on us," Calis said. "We want peace, we want peace, we want peace!"

Fighting persists in urban areas in Turkey's southeast, including in the Sur district. Turkish security forces, backed by tanks, have embarked on large-scale operations to root out Kurdish militants and imposed round-the-clock curfews in several municipalities, displacing tens of thousands of people  mostly Kurds.

Kurdish militants have set up barricades, dug trenches and primed explosives to protect the areas they declare to be under Kurdish self-rule.

Several neighborhoods of Sur and the nearby town of Cizre have been under siege since December, while the blockade in the town of Silopi was lifted late last month after the government declared it to be cleared of PKK-linked militants.

The military says at least 175 militants have been killed in Sur and another 574 have died in Cizre since the start of the operations. The zones under curfew are off-limits to journalists and observers, leading to human rights concerns.

This month, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein called on Turkey to investigate the alleged shooting of a group of unarmed people in Cizre after video he described as "extremely shocking" was posted online.

The video purportedly shows people wheeling a body on a handcart behind a man and a woman who are waving white flags, before apparently being targeted by gunfire. Human rights advocates have also voiced concern over the fate of around 20 people who were reportedly wounded during the fighting in Cizre last month and allegedly stranded in the basement of an apartment. A pro-Kurdish party has accused the government of denying them medical assistance while the government says ambulances and medical teams haven't been able to reach the wounded because of militant attacks.

The Turkish Human Rights Foundation says at least 224 civilians, including 42 children, have died in combat areas under curfew since August.

More than 200 soldiers and police were killed in the conflict since July, according to the government.

When authorities lifted the siege in Sur for a few hours two months ago to allow residents to buy provisions or leave the neighborhood, Calis, her daughter-in-law and six grandchildren, fled along with about 45 of her neighbors.

"We left all our belongings behind," Calis said.

The family found refuge with a relative, but with two other families already living in the two-bedroom apartment, conditions were too cramped. More than a week ago, they were able to move into a cheap house in Baglar, about three kilometers (about two miles) west of Sur.

Another former Sur resident, 20-year-old Nurhayat Sahin, says she was trapped in her house for six days before she decided to leave waving a white flag.

"When my house was riddled with bullets, I grabbed a flag and left with the children," Sahin said. "We just want the fighting to end."

They stayed with her sister-in-law until that house also became too dangerous to live in. Local authorities in Diyarbakir eventually placed them in a hotel.

Interior Minister Efkan Ala said the operation against militants in Sur is "85-90 percent complete" and the curfew there could end in a few weeks.

"Our security forces are working street by street, turning them into secure places," Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

The lengthy fighting has taken its toll on the region's economy. With several jewelry stores, food wholesalers, clothing stores and hardware shops, Sur is also Diyarbakir's main commercial center.

Sahismail Bedirhanoglu, owner of a hotel in Sur and chairman of the Eastern Southeastern Industrialists and Businessmen Association, estimated that between 1,500 and 2,000 small businesses have been affected by the blockade.

"All commerce has stopped. I myself had to close the hotel and send my employees on unpaid leave. Thousands are currently unemployed," Bedirhanoglu said. "Even if the operations were to end tomorrow, it would take a year for the city's economy to recover."

The extent of the damage to the city's cultural heritage wasn't known and an official in charge of protecting the heritage refused comment. In October, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported that two churches and a mosque were damaged during the clashes in Sur.

Davutoglu has promised to rebuild areas damaged in the operations and vowed to turn Sur into a "new Toledo," a reference to the Spanish city which was once a center of learning and co-existence between the three main religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. A famous fortress there was badly damaged in the 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War and was restored.

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Suzan Fraser reported from Ankara.

In this photo taken on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, family members of Azize Calis sit together in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The 70-year-old Kurdish woman is among tens of thousands displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer. (AP Photo/Resit Ozbay)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, a family leave the Sur district in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The family are among tens of thousands displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer. (AP Photo/Murat Bay)

In this photo taken on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, Azize Calis, center, sits with her family in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The 70-year-old Kurdish woman is among tens of thousands displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer. (AP Photo/Resit Ozbay)

In this photo taken on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, members of a displaced family are photographed in a hotel room paid by the government in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The family are among tens of thousands displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer. (AP Photo/Resit Ozbay)

In this photo taken on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, Azize Calis, left, sits with her family in Diyarbakir, Turkey. The 70-year-old Kurdish woman is among tens of thousands displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer. (AP Photo/Resit Ozbay)

In this photo taken on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, people look at their destroyed homes and shops in the Sur district in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Tens of thousands of people have become displaced by fighting raging between Turkish security forces and militants in the southeast after a peace process collapsed in the summer. (AP Photo/Murat Bay)
Guyana to cut sugarcane planting by half amid drought

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP)  Guyana's state-owned sugar corporation says it will cut back on sugarcane planting by 50 percent amid a worsening drought.

Company spokesman Ray Sangster says it makes no sense to invest in new plants because current ones are withering given the lack of significant rainfall since September. He said Monday that the decision will have a severe impact on production starting next year.

This year's estimated production of 240,000 metric tons (265,000 tons) of sugar remains on target.
Belarusian leader says Russia will offer bailout

MINSK, Belarus (AP)  The leader of Belarus says Russia has promised to offer financial assistance to his nation.

President Alexander Lukashenko said Monday that he has secured Russian President Vladimir Putin's promise to help shore up the Belarusian economy, which has suffered from recession in Russia, its main export market.

Lukashenko didn't elaborate, but Belarus is seeking a $2-billion loan from a Moscow-dominated economic alliance. Russia has provided Belarus with cheap natural gas and released $900 million in loans to Belarus last year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the Bocharov Ruchei residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Friday, Feb. 5, 2016. (Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Russia and its western neighbor have developed close economic and military ties, but Lukashenko has bristled at Moscow's attempts to gobble up Belarus' economic assets and resisted the Kremlin push for Belarus to host a Russian military base.
Winter storm threatens Cape Cod with up to 18 inches of snow

BOSTON (AP)  The second winter storm in four days to hit the Northeast centered on New England on Monday, bringing howling winds and coastal flooding and threatening Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts with up to 18 inches of snow.

The storm could last into Tuesday, when New Hampshire's first-in-the nation presidential primary is held. The storm was accompanied by high winds that brought scattered power failures, as well as coastal flooding from south of Boston to Cape Cod and Connecticut. A major surface road in south Boston was closed by flooding late Monday morning.

By Monday afternoon, Cape Cod and the islands appeared to have met the conditions for a blizzard, the National Weather Service said. Much of the rest of Massachusetts and most of Connecticut were under a winter storm warning and could get as much as 10 inches of snow. Boston could see 6 to 10 inches.

Jean Brown bundles up as she walks in downtown Providence, R.I., during a snow storm, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut, could see winter storm conditions with an accumulation of 4 to 8 inches. The heaviest snowfall is expected during Monday's morning commute through the afternoon. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

The storm led to accidents, including in Connecticut, where a charter bus crashed and fell on its side on Interstate 95 in Madison. At least 30 people were injured, including six of them critically.

In Rhode Island, crowds of mourners lined the streets amid bitter temperatures and falling snow to bid farewell to former Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci, whose hearse was carried by horse-drawn carriage from City Hall to the city's Roman Catholic cathedral.

Other parts of the Northeast, including Northern New England and the New York City area, was expected to get much less snow. New York City, Philadelphia and northern New Jersey could get 2 to 3 inches from Monday into Tuesday night, the weather service said.

The snow meant unpleasant outdoor work for some people.

Sean Nardone, a custodian for the U.S. Postal Service, was scheduled to spend the day shoveling and treating the front steps of several post offices south of Boston.

"I don't like it very much," Nardone said as he tossed rock salt on the steps of the Whitman post office while a howling wind blew.

"I hope global warming friggin' helps out this winter," he said. "I hate to sound selfish, but I could use some warmth."

Raj Patel, who co-owns a convenience store in Whitman, said the storm is good for business.

"It's convenient for the neighborhood. We are always open for them. In past storms, we've sold out of milk right away. Milk, bread, water  a lot of people walk from their homes, so we stay open," he said.

Communities across the region closed schools and issued on-street parking bans.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker closed state offices in nine counties Monday, and state courts were closed in 10 counties.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which was crippled by a series of historic storms during Boston's record-breaking winter last year, was operating on a normal weekday schedule with winter routes in effect for buses. Although there were delays, no major problems were reported.

Restoring confidence in the MBTA's reliability is important, state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said.

"That's what we all lost faith in last winter," she said. "I think every storm where the T is able to run service pretty well, I hope, will help to restore that (faith)."

Boston's Logan Airport remained open, but hundreds of inbound and outbound flights were canceled.

Ferry service to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard was suspended.

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Associated Press writers Bob Salsberg in Boston; Denise Lavoie in Whitman, Massachusetts; Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire; and Pat Eaton-Robb in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

A passenger waits in the snow to board a bus at Kennedy Plaza in Providence, R.I., Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut, could see winter storm conditions with an accumulation of 4 to 8 inches. The heaviest snowfall is expected during Monday's morning commute through the afternoon. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Obama says the US and Italy are working together in Libya

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Barack Obama and Italian President Sergio Mattarella met Monday to discuss efforts to fight the spread of the Islamic State in Libya, where the extremist group is capitalizing on political instability to increase its influence.

Obama and Mattarella reviewed plans to support a Libyan unity government, Obama told reporters after the meeting in the Oval Office. With a stable government in place "that will allow us then to help them build up their security capacity and to push back against effort by ISIL to gain a foothold," Obama said, using an alternative acronym for the group.

Obama has been deliberating whether to take more aggressive and sustained military action against the Islamic State group in Libya. Last week, he directed his national security team to bolster counterterrorism efforts there.

President Barack Obama meets with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Meanwhile, U.S. and European diplomats are pushing to solve Libya's political crisis.

The country has been divided between two rival factions since 2014, part of the fallout from the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Italy has said it would take the international lead in providing security support, along with help from the U.S., should talks to form a single government succeed.

In his remarks, Obama said Italy already has played a key role in the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, particularly in the fight for the Mosul Dam in Iraq.

He said the leaders also discussed efforts to manage the flow of refugees fleeing the violence in Syria.

Mattarella said he and Obama agreed on a "very balanced" and "humane" approach.

"We have to consider issues of security and the rights of the people that are affected," he said, speaking through a translator.

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Italian President Sergio Mattarella during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington,Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Italian President Sergio Mattarella speaks to members of the media during his meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington,Monday, Feb. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Saudi offer to send troops to Syria comes with uncertainty

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  Saudi Arabia's offer to send troops to fight Islamic State in Syria is as much about the kingdom's growing determination to flex its military might as it is about answering U.S. calls for more help from its allies in the Middle East.

A Saudi deployment runs the potentially explosive risk of confrontation between one of the Arab world's most powerful militaries and forces keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power. That's if the Saudi proposal even gets translated into action.

Just putting the offer on the table gives the Saudis an opportunity to show leadership in addressing U.S. concerns that its regional allies aren't doing enough to fight IS. It also puts pressure on Washington to do more as Defense Secretary Ash Carter and allied defense ministers gather in Brussels this week for talks on confronting the extremists.

Saudi Arabia has teamed up with 20 other nations to launch the biggest military exercise every staged in the region - dubbed North Thunder. Pictured are members of the Saudi security forces

Brig. Gen. Ahmed Asiri, the Saudi military spokesman, made clear the kingdom's offer is contingent on the support of the U.S.-led coalition battling the militant group in Iraq and Syria. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which also has offered to deploy ground forces, are part of the coalition but have eased up on their contributions to the air campaign after earlier, high-profile sorties over Syria.

In Washington, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir implied Monday that his country's willingness to send special forces to Syria was contingent on the U.S. leading the ground effort.

"The coalition will operate the way it has operated in the past, as an international coalition, even when there is a ground-force contingent in Syria," al-Jubeir told reporters after meeting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

"The U.S. is leading the international coalition against ISIS in Syria," he said, declining to discuss potential Saudi troop numbers, deployment dates or targets. "There would be no international coalition against ISIS in Syria if the U.S. did not lead this effort."

Saudi Arabia is far more focused on another war even closer to home. In Yemen, a Saudi-led coalition heavily supported by the Emirates is battling Iranian-backed Shiite rebels and a former president's supporters who control the capital of Sanaa and other parts of the impoverished country.

The Yemen intervention highlights Saudi Arabia's growing assertiveness since King Salman's ascension to the throne just over a year ago, along with the rise of his son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The 30-year-old prince was named by his father as defense minister and second-in-line to be king.

Prince Mohammed has announced the creation of a Saudi-based Islamic military alliance intended to fight terrorism. The bloc includes much of the Sunni Arab world, several African and Asian countries, as well as NATO member Turkey. Not included are IS front lines Syria and Iraq, or Saudi Arabia's chief rival, Shiite powerhouse Iran.

"The Salman doctrine is about projecting power and military strength," said Dubai-based geopolitical analyst Theodore Karasik, who believes the Saudis' offer for troops in Syria could portend other military expeditions in the region. "It may be looking for leverage, but it's also very serious," he said.

While the Saudis say their aim is to fight IS, the timing of the kingdom's announcement raises questions about its motives.

Russia's intervention in Syria has sharply altered the military landscape, routing Saudi-backed rebels from key areas in the north and giving Assad the upper hand. Prospects for any meaningful peace talks appear to be dwindling by the day.

Any ground troops deployed to fight IS would almost certainly have to enter from the Turkish border, close to the area where Syrian government troops and allied militiamen have been advancing under cover of blistering Russian airstrikes.

Saudi ground troops would find themselves embroiled in complex terrain where hundreds of Shiite fighters from Iran, Lebanon and Afghanistan also are fighting. That would make the proxy sectarian wars that Iran and Saudi Arabia have been waging suddenly more intimate, potentially putting Saudi and Iranian troops in the same fighting space.

IS would certainly relish the chance to take on Saudi ground troops, given that it views the Saudi monarchy as a top enemy in the region. Saudi troops might well find themselves less battle-hardened than the jihadists and would no doubt be singled out for capture.

The seizure by IS militants of a Jordanian pilot whose plane crashed over Syria in 2014 and his subsequent videotaped killing was a factor in dampening Arab participation in the air campaign in Syria.

At a news conference Saturday in Damascus, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem ridiculed the Saudi offer to send troops to Syria, vowing they would "return home in wooden coffins."

"The question that Saudi Arabia should be asking itself is, what did it accomplish in Yemen? Was it successful?" he asked. "It has sown destruction, hitting every target two, three times and did not leave a stone standing. Did the Yemenis surrender?"

Al-Moallem said the offer was a sign of Saudi frustration that their "tools" in Syria were losing in the face of sweeping victories by the Syrian army.

The head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also said Saturday that Riyadh lacked the courage to make such a move.

Tackling IS head-on in Syria also risks blowback in Saudi Arabia. The militant group already has carried out multiple suicide bombings in the kingdom, possibly including one late last month at a Shiite mosque in the country's east that has not yet been claimed by any group but bore the hallmarks of IS militants.

Many of the attackers have been Saudi citizens, pointing to the home-grown jihadist sympathies that Saudi authorities struggle to contain.

Fahad Nazer, a political analyst at Virginia-based consultancy and security firm JTG Inc., predicted that a ground campaign against IS would nonetheless garner considerable support inside the kingdom, at least initially. But it is hard to say how long that support would last if casualties started mounting, he added.

"Very few countries would want to go into Syria without reservations," he said. "I don't think Saudi Arabia would go into this lightly. It would be kind of a last resort."

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Karam reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Bradley Klapper in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Adam Schreck on Twitter at www.twitter.com/adamschreck and Zeina Karam at www.twitter.com/zkaram .

FILE- In this Nov. 11, 2015 file photo, Saudi Arabian Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a summit of Arab and Latin American leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabias offer to put boots on the ground to fight Islamic State in Syria is as much about the kingdoms growing determination to flex its military might as it is about answering U.S. calls for more help from Mideast allies. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali, file)

FILE- In this Monday, Sept. 14, 2015 file photo, an Emirati soldier stands guard out the rear gate of a Chinook military helicopter, escorted by a Blackhawk helicopter, traveling from Saudi Arabia to Yemen. Saudi Arabias offer to put boots on the ground to fight Islamic State in Syria is as much about the kingdoms growing determination to flex its military might as it is about answering U.S. calls for more help from Mideast allies. (AP Photo/Adam Schreck, file)
Tanzania arrests more suspects in slaying of British pilot

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP)  Police in Tanzania say they are holding a total of nine suspects over the killing of a British helicopter pilot who was on an anti-poaching mission.

Simiyu regional police commander Lazaro Mambosasa said Monday that seven more suspects were arrested for the shooting death of Roger Gower, who was on a joint operation with Tanzanian wildlife authorities when he was shot. Gower died Jan. 29 in Maswa wildlife reserve, near Serengeti National Park.

Mambosasa said some of the suspects identified the man who pulled the trigger. Three elephant tusks and 29 firearms were seized in the operation to arrest Gower's killers.
Next up: New Hampshire set to vote in nation's first primary

CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  It's been 100 years since New Hampshire held its first presidential primary, and it seems like some of the current candidates have been hanging around for nearly that long. More than a few started popping up a full two years before Tuesday's state election, and nearly all have spent recent months hosting town hall meetings, holding rallies and meeting voters.

Here are details about the primary and what to look for:

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FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2012, file photo, ballot inspector Connie Bell, right, holds open a curtain on a voting booth during voting in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary at Memorial High School in Manchester, N.H. Its been 100 years since New Hampshire held its first presidential primary, and it seems like some of the current candidates have been hanging around for nearly that long.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

WHEN AND WHERE

State law requires polls to be open between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, but each town and city sets its own hours. Most allow voting between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., with a handful opening polls as early as 6 a.m. and about 20 remaining open until 8 p.m. And three tiny towns  Hart's Location, Dixville and Millsfield  have permission to open their polls at midnight and close them moments later once everyone has voted. Altogether, there are 319 polling locations  cities and larger towns have multiple wards.

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TURNOUT

Secretary of State Bill Gardner expects the total number of ballots to be cast Tuesday to top the records set in 2008, the last time both sides had contested races.

That year, just over 241,000 ballots were cast in the GOP primary and just under 289,000 in the Democratic primary, which amounted to nearly 60 percent of registered voters. On Tuesday, he's predicting 282,000 Republican ballots will be cast, and 268,000 Democratic ballots.

Independent voters, officially known as "undeclared," can vote in either primary, and can revert back to undeclared status immediately afterward. As of Feb. 5, there were 882,959 registered voters: 44 percent were undeclared, 26 percent were Democrats and 30 percent were Republicans.

New voters can register at the polls on primary day.

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UH OH, IT'S SNOW!

Yard signs stuck in snow banks are a New Hampshire primary staple, but that was a rare sight until the final days of the campaign. Much of the state saw very little precipitation until a pair of storms in the final days before the primary, including a storm Monday that made for a lot of slipping and sliding in the southern and eastern parts of the state. Only flurries are forecast for primary day, so voters shouldn't have any problem getting to the polls.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

In 1913, Rep. Stephen Bullock traveled by horse and buggy from his Richmond farm to Concord to propose a bill creating the primary. The Legislature passed it that spring, and after some tweaking of the law two years later the first presidential primary was a held in March 1916.

While other states beat New Hampshire that year, New Hampshire has had the first primary since 1920. It wasn't until 1952, however, that voters cast ballots for candidates directly instead of choosing delegates. Since then it has snowballed, with much media attention and maneuvering to remain ahead of other states. State law requires the primary to be held seven days ahead of any other similar contest, and long-serving Secretary of State Bill Gardner has fought repeated attempts to usurp his state's position.

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VERMIN, WHO?

Unlike other states, it's cheap and easy to get on the ballot in New Hampshire: Candidates sign some paperwork and hand over a $1,000 check to the secretary of state. This year, a near record 58 White House hopefuls signed up  30 Republicans and 28 Democrats.

All but three of the candidates are men. Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republicans Carly Fiorina and Chomi Prag are the only female candidates.

For the 2012 election, 44 presidential candidates from 26 states got on New Hampshire's ballot. The all-time high was 1992, when 61 signed up.

This year's crop included some familiar faces, including Edward O'Donnell of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, a Democrat making his seventh run. Perennial candidate and performance artist Vermin Supreme also signed up at the secretary of state's office, wearing his signature rubber boot on his head. He's touting a plan to provide every American with a pony.

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WHAT'S THE POINT?

The sponsor of the original bill creating the primary wanted to give average citizens a greater say in the election process, and proponents of the primary argue that New Hampshire has continued to embrace that ideal more so than other states. New Hampshire elects its governor and huge 424-member Legislature every two years, making campaigning a near constant and giving voters plenty of practice to hold candidates accountable.
US faces shortcomings in coalition-building for anti-IS war

WASHINGTON (AP)  To doubters of its strategy for defeating the Islamic State, the Obama administration likes to tout its coalition of 66 nations and claim strength in numbers. But a year and a half into the war, some administration officials are acknowledging that this supposed source of strength has its own weaknesses.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter offered a glimpse of his own apparent frustration last week when he referred to "our so-called coalition" and suggested the slackers need to step up.

"We need everybody, and that's all the Europeans, the (Persian) Gulf states ... Turkey, which is right there on the border. So there are a lot that need to make more contributions," he said.

FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2016 file photo, Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon. To doubters of its strategy for defeating the Islamic State , the Obama administration likes to tout its coalition of 66 nations and claim strength in numbers. But a year and a half into the war, some administration officials are acknowledging that this supposed source of strength has its own weaknesses. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

So Carter is leaving Tuesday for Brussels, where he will convene a meeting Thursday of defense chiefs from about two dozen coalition countries, including most NATO members, Iraq and the Gulf states. He indicated he will, behind closed doors, share with them details of the U.S. strategy for recapturing the main Islamic State group strongholds in Syria and Iraq.

"What I'm going to do is sit down and say, here is the campaign plan ... If you're thinking World War II newsreel pictures, you think of an arrow going north to take Mosul and another arrow coming south to take Raqqa," he said last week. And then he will run through a list of military capabilities  "boots on the ground, airplanes in the air," plus trainers and other support personnel  that will be needed to achieve victory.

"And I'm going to say, 'OK, guys. Let's match up what is needed to win with what you have, and kind of give everybody the opportunity to make an assignment for themselves,'" he said. "The United States will lead this and we're determined, but other people have to do their part because civilization has to fight for itself."

A few coalition countries have made promises of increased support in recent days. The Netherlands, which has been carrying out airstrikes in Iraq, said on Jan. 29 that it would expand its efforts to Syria. Saudi Arabia indicated last week it could send ground troops into Syria, although it was not clear whether the offer was conditioned on U.S. ground forces participating. Canada announced on Monday that it will quit conducting airstrikes in Syria and Iraq by Feb. 22 but will expand its contributions to training Kurdish and other local forces and provide more humanitarian and developmental aid. Canada also will keep two surveillance planes in the region and conduct aerial refueling missions.

Over the course of a decade and a half of coalition warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. officials have frequently found themselves pleading and cajoling with the Europeans to contribute more, and they generally have responded with pledges to do just a little bit more. The pattern may be repeated in Brussels. Inevitably it falls to the U.S. military, with greater resources and a longer reach, to carry the biggest burden in countering terrorism.

The air campaign in Syria and Iraq, for example, is advertised as a 13-nation undertaking. But of the 10,060 strikes conducted over the past year and a half  6,723 in Iraq and 3,337 in Syria, as of Feb. 1  U.S. warplanes have conducted all but 2,124 of the Iraq hits and all but 208 in Syria. At their low point last August, the allies conducted only two strikes in Syria while the U.S. conducted 210, according to figures provided by the Pentagon. More recently, non-U.S. airstrikes have increased as a share of total strikes.

The U.S. also is counting on another kind of partnership, one that is central to its strategy for not just defeating the Islamic State group but ensuring it stays defeated. It is trying to empower local armies in both Iraq and Syria by partnering with them for training, equipping and advising  without doing the fighting for them. Carter wants more European allies to chip in with trainers and other forms of support.

This cooperation between local and coalition forces is beginning to pay dividends, especially in Iraq, where U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces recently recaptured the city of Ramadi. Iraqi Kurdish forces, known as the peshmerga, have made even more substantial battlefield gains with a great deal of help from U.S. forces.

The Kurdish equation is complicated, however, by sensitivities involving Turkey, a NATO ally that fears a Kurdish insurgency within its own borders. In a report this month for the private Institute for the Study of War, analysts Patrick Martin and Christopher Kozak wrote that the U.S. and its coalition partners may have become over-reliant on the Kurds, and that this threatens to drive Turkey away from deeper cooperation against the Islamic State militants.
Militants shoot down Libyan fighter jet

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP)  Libya's air force chief of staff says a fighter jet was shot down while carrying out airstrikes against Islamic militants.

Brig. Gen. Saqr al-Jaroushi told The Associated Press that a Libyan MIG32 was striking the positions of Islamic State militants and other militias in the eastern town of Derna when it came under fire by anti-aircraft guns on Monday. He says the pilot ejected and landed safely.

The spokesman for a coalition of Islamic militias in Derna, Abdul-Moneim al-Shairy, confirmed that his group fired at the jet.

Four civilians were killed in Derna by an airstrike the day before. Al-Jaroushi says that strike was carried out by a "neighboring country," in a thinly-veiled reference to Egypt.
The Latest: Paltrow's security guard testifies about letters

LOS ANGELES (AP)  The Latest on the trial of a man accused of stalking Gwyneth Paltrow (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

Gwyneth Paltrow's head of security says details he gave the actress about a letter from a man charged with stalking her clearly distressed her.

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2015 file photo, Gwyneth Paltrow attends LACMA 2015 Art+Film Gala at LACMA in Los Angeles. Opening statements have begun in the trial of a man accused of stalking Gwyneth Paltrow. A prosecutor says Dante Soiu has stalked Paltrow for 17 years and sent her 66 letters between 2009 and 2015. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, FIle)

Terry Abbott says after revealing the contents of the letter, he stopped giving Paltrow many details about the writings of Dante Soiu (Soy-YOU), who has pleaded not guilty to felony stalking.

Abbott says he believes the letter was one that arrived in 2009 or 2010 but he doesn't remember the precise date. He says after the incident, he told Paltrow when Soiu sent her a letter or package, but didn't give her many details.

He says news of Soiu's writings always concerned the actress.

Soiu's attorney contends her client's 66 messages sent between 2009 and 2015 were non-threatening and focused primarily on religious scripture and his desire to minister to the Oscar winner.

Abbott was the second witness in the trial, which resumes Tuesday at 11 a.m.

___

3:00 p.m.

Gwyneth Paltrow has concluded her testimony against a man charged with stalking her.

The actress spent roughly two-and-a-half hours Monday testifying at the stalking trial of Dante Soiu (Soy-YOU), who is accused of sending Paltrow 66 letters in recent years.

Soiu's attorney Lynda Westlund questioned whether Paltrow had read all the letters and knew what was in them. Paltrow conceded that she hadn't read all the letters purportedly sent by Dante Soiu, but she knew generally about them and was concerned about them.

Paltrow testified Monday the letters contained vague threats and religious statements.

Westlund contended Paltrow misinterpreted certain passages of scripture and theology in Soiu's writings.

Soiu has pleaded not guilty to stalking Paltrow. The Oscar-winning actress previously testified that she felt afraid for her safety and her children's safety based on Soiu's letters, which contained statements about marrying her, her death, and religious pronouncements.

Paltrow let out a sigh of relief when she was excused as a witness.

___

1:50 p.m.

Gwyneth Paltrow has broken down describing her fears of a man who is on trial for stalking the actress.

Paltrow cried briefly when a prosecutor asked her if she was afraid of Dante Soiu and worried for her children.

The actress had a pained expression on her face for several moments while describing her feelings about Soiu, who sent Paltrow 66 messages professing his love and desire to marry her between 2009 and 2015.

Paltrow previously testified against Soiu in 2000 in a case that ended with him being found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to a mental institution.

The 43-year-old Oscar winner had remained composed throughout most of her testimony, but the question about fears for her children caused Paltrow to break down. She quickly regained her composure and went on to say she was afraid of Soiu, who over the years has sent a variety of messages, ranging from religious to pornographic.

One of his recent packages included clothes he wanted the actress to wear.

___

12:10 p.m.

Gwyneth Paltrow has authenticated for a jury 48 letters she's received from a man on trial for stalking her.

The Oscar-winning actress is testifying against Dante Soiu (Soy-YOU), who is currently facing a felony charge for letters he sent her between 2009 and 2015.

Soiu was previously tried for a series of pornographic messages and gifts he sent the actress, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2000.

Paltrow has read portions of several of the letters for jurors, with many containing religious messages.

Some have mentioned Soiu's desire to marry Paltrow, cleanse of her sin and death. Paltrow says the letters have been upsetting to her.

A prosecutor says Soiu has sent Paltrow 66 letters and the actress is expected to continue going through for jurors when court resumes after its lunch break.

___

11:45 a.m.

Gwyneth Paltrow has taken the stand in the trial of a man accused of stalking her.

The Oscar-winning actress testified Monday in a Los Angeles courtroom about letters that Dante Soiu (Soy-YOU) sent her between 2009 and 2015.

The letters describe Soiu's intention to marry Paltrow and a pair of earrings he sent her in 2009 as a Christmas gift. Several letters contained pornography and statements that Soiu wanted to cleanse Paltrow of sin.

Soiu, who is from Ohio, has pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer says Soiu has simply written to Paltrow and that recent letters haven't included pornography.

Attorney Lynda Westlund says Soiu is a Christian man who is simply trying to minister to the actress.

___

11:20 a.m.

Opening statements have begun in the trial of a man accused of stalking Gwyneth Paltrow.

A prosecutor says Dante Soiu (soy-YOO') has stalked Paltrow for 17 years and sent her 66 letters between 2009 and 2015.

Deputy District Attorney Wendy Segall said Monday that Soiu has shattered Paltrow's sense of security.

Soiu was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2000 in a previous trial and was sent to a mental institution for several years. He was re-arrested last year after sending Paltrow new correspondence.

Soiu, who is from Ohio, has pleaded not guilty. He shook his head during portions of Segall's opening statement.
Gwyneth Paltrow tearfully testifies against accused stalker

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Gwyneth Paltrow testified Monday in the trial of a man accused of stalking her, saying he wrote upsetting letters discussing her death and his intention to marry her and also sent her pornography and unsolicited gifts.

Dante Soiu is accused of stalking the Oscar-winning actress for 17 years, but the case focuses on the most recent batch of 66 messages he's sent her between 2009 and 2015.

Several of those messages referenced Paltrow's death, Soiu's desire to marry her and unsolicited gifts, including clothes, a pair of earrings and a Weight Watchers cookbook.

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2015 file photo, Gwyneth Paltrow attends LACMA 2015 Art+Film Gala at LACMA in Los Angeles. Opening statements have begun in the trial of a man accused of stalking Gwyneth Paltrow. A prosecutor says Dante Soiu has stalked Paltrow for 17 years and sent her 66 letters between 2009 and 2015. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, FIle)

The actress broke down briefly during her roughly two-and-a-half hours on the stand after a prosecutor asked Paltrow about whether she feared for her children's safety as a result of Soiu's missives.

"Yes," Paltrow responded tearfully. She quickly regained her composure and explained why she was so rattled by Soiu.

"I'm scared because the communications completely defy logic," she said. "I've been dealing with his for 17 years with the communications from this man."

Soiu's attorney said he has simply written letters to Paltrow, and that recent letters haven't included pornography. Attorney Lynda Westlund said Soiu is a Christian man who is just trying to minister to the actress.

Paltrow testified about letters and packages she received from Soiu dating to 1999, including several that contained pornography, sex toys and statements that he wanted to cleanse her of sin.

"This is a case that has gone on for Ms. Paltrow for 17 years," Deputy District Attorney Wendy Segall said during opening statements. "Her sense of security has been shattered by this man."

Paltrow, 43, remained mostly composed in the witness stand, showing concern on her face. Dressed in a white turtleneck and black slacks, she at one point identified Soiu, 66, who was wearing a blue shirt and gray sweater.

Soiu was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 2000 in a previous trial involving messages he sent to Paltrow, which included pornography and sex toys. He was sent to a mental institution for several years, but re-arrested last year after sending the actress new correspondence.

The recent batch letters described Soiu's intention to marry Paltrow and also a pair of earrings he sent her in 2009 as a Christmas gift. He has also sent her religious books, and forwarded her letters he has sent to President Barack Obama and actress Angelina Jolie.

One letter described Paltrow "bowing to death." The actress said the reference was disturbing.

In another, Soiu is accused of writing, "I have a goal: to marry Gwyneth Paltrow and take care of her."

"I felt very upset by it," Paltrow said.

"This has been a very long and very traumatic experience already," Paltrow said.

At the top of another letter, Soiu is accused of writing, "I am sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me." Paltrow said she recognizes Soiu's handwriting after having received so much correspondence from him.

Paltrow won an Oscar in 1999 for her role in "Shakespeare in Love." She has two children with estranged husband Chris Martin, the frontman of the band Coldplay.

The pair's divorce, filed in April 2015, is still pending.

Soiu, who is from suburban Columbus, Ohio, has pleaded not guilty. He shook his head during portions of Segall's opening statement, but has remained quiet throughout Paltrow's testimony Monday.

Her testimony came a day after Paltrow appeared at Super Bowl 50, cheering on Coldplay and her friend, Beyonce Knowles, during their halftime performance.

___
Attorney General to visit 6 cities to highlight police work

WASHINGTON (AP)  Attorney General Loretta Lynch plans to visit six cities in the coming months to highlight police departments she sees as role models for law enforcement.

The locations were chosen because they embody a particular trait of successful policing, such as effective use of data, strong community relationships or a commitment to officer safety, Lynch said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press.

The first visit is planned for Thursday and Friday to Miami-Dade County in Florida, where Lynch is scheduled to recognize the Doral police department for its work building community trust. She'll also host a youth town hall and a community policing discussion in Miami, among other events.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch speaks during an interview with The Associated Press about improving relationships between police and their communities, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at the Justice Department in Washington. Lynch plans to visit six cities, starting this week, to highlight police departments she sees as role models for law enforcement. The locations were chosen because they embody a particular trait of successful policing, such as effective use of data, strong community relationships or a commitment to officer safety, Lynch said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The other locations are Portland, Oregon; Indianapolis; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Phoenix and Los Angeles.

"It really is our hope to highlight the areas where police and community members are sitting down together and figuring out, 'How do we all make this work?'" she said.

The visits represent the second phase of a community policing tour that Lynch, a former federal prosecutor in New York, began last year after being sworn in as the nation's top law enforcement official.

In that first phase, she visited cities where police forces were taking steps to overcome difficult relationships with their communities.

Now, the focus turns to departments that are seen as successful in implementing "pillars" of policing identified in a White House report last May. Each city on the tour represents a different pillar  or subject area  including building community trust, community policing, crime reduction and officer training and education, Lynch said.

"I'm going to jurisdictions where departments have taken those pillars, have made substantial and concrete advances toward them and where we're seeing positive results," Lynch said, adding that she hopes they can be guideposts for departments looking to improve.

The initiative is part of a national discussion on police use of force and effective law enforcement tactics, a topic that took on new urgency amid a series of high-profile police shootings of unarmed young men in places including Ferguson, Missouri; Cleveland; and North Charleston, South Carolina.

That conversation has often been challenging and "painful on many fronts," Lynch said. But, she said, she's been encouraged by the number of police departments that are looking to evolve on training and tactics and to improve cooperation with the Justice Department, which has the authority to investigate troubled departments and press for sweeping overhauls.

"In my first incarnation as U.S. Attorney when we dealt with these issues, every situation was adversarial, every situation was generally confrontational," said Lynch, who twice served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. "Now we're at a point where we have police departments reaching out to us for assistance."

In Ferguson, city officials are preparing to vote on whether to adopt a proposed settlement with the Justice Department that calls for widespread changes in police policies, training and practices. New estimates from the city say the cost of implementing the agreement could approach $4 million in the first year alone.

The Justice Department would have the option of suing Ferguson if the City Council rejects the deal, although the attorney general said she hopes it won't come to that.

"We think that the agreement that's been presented to the city of Ferguson is comprehensive, it's thorough, it's fair and it effectively addresses the problems that we outlined so many months ago," Lynch said. "We hope that they will vote on it expeditiously and that we can move forward and avoid litigation."

___

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP

Attorney General Loretta Lynch speaks during an interview with The Associated Press about improving relationships between police and their communities, Monday, Feb. 8, 2016, at the Justice Department in Washington. Lynch plans to visit six cities, starting this week, to highlight police departments she sees as role models for law enforcement. The locations were chosen because they embody a particular trait of successful policing, such as effective use of data, strong community relationships or a commitment to officer safety, Lynch said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Emily Thornberry branded 'waffly and incoherent' as Labour Trident row continues

Shadow defence secretary Emily Thornberry has been branded "waffly and incoherent" amid renewed Labour infighting over Trident.

Mrs Thornberry gave a presentation on her approach towards the issue of renewing the nuclear deterrent at a meeting of the Parliamentary Party.

Leader Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of appointing her to the key job because she shares his support for unilateral disarmament.

Emily Thornberry has been branded "waffly and incoherent"

After Mrs Thornberry's appearance on Monday evening, former shadow defence minister Kevan Jones said she had taken questions "but didn't answer any".

"Waffly and incoherent," he told reporters outside.

Mrs Thornberry, who spoke for around half an hour, said she wanted to carry out the ongoing review of Labour policy on Trident in an "atmosphere of mutual trust and respect".

In the face of hostile questions from MPs and peers, she said: "There is no point trying to shout me down."

Some MPs complained that she had compared the Trident system to Spitfire aircraft.

However, a senior Labour source insisted she had been trying to suggest that some military technology had to be replaced, like Spitfires, and others could be updated - like Tornadoes.

The source indicated that Mrs Thornberry had also raised doubts about whether submarines were a safe way to carry the nuclear deterrent.

"She was talking to some people about drones and it was apparent it was absolutely possible that large submarines could be tracked and attacked by drones," the source added.

Interventions were "evenly" split between speakers who wanted to renew Trident, those who did not think it was a "binary choice", and those who opposed renewal, according to the source.

Quizzed on how it had gone as she left the meeting, Mrs Thornberry said: "Alright."

When former leader Lord Kinnock was asked for his verdict he replied, "Yeah", and then walked away laughing.

Mr Corbyn was not present as he was manning a phone bank for Labour's London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan.
Director hopes Oscar-nominated film will help end Pakistan honour killings

By Syed Raza Hassan and Krista Mahr

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD, Feb 8 (Reuters) - An Oscar-winning filmmaker hopes her latest Academy Award-nominated documentary will help bring tougher laws against honour killings in Pakistan, which account for the deaths of hundreds of women and men each year.

The film, which follows the story of a young woman who survived attempted murder by her father and uncle after marrying a man without their approval, was nominated for an Oscar in January, prompting Pakistan's prime minister to pledge to take a firm stand against the "evil" practice.

More than 500 men and women died in honour killings in 2015, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Many of these crimes, carried out by relatives who say their mostly female victims have brought shame on the family, are never prosecuted, observers say.

"People need to realise that it is a very serious crime," Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy told Reuters in an interview in the southern city of Karachi.

"It's not something that is part of our religion or culture. This is something that should be treated as pre-meditated murder and people should go to jail for it."

Obaid-Chinoy's film "A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness", scheduled to air on HBO in March, tells the story of 19-year-old Saba from Pakistan's Punjab province.

After marrying a man without the agreement of her family, Saba's father and uncle beat her, shot her in the face, put her in a bag and threw her in a river, leaving her for dead.

Saba survived, and set out to ensure that her attackers were brought to justice.

Her father and uncle were arrested and went to jail, but Saba was pressured to "forgive" her attackers. That option under Pakistani law can effectively waive a complainant's right to seek punishment against the accused, even in the case of attempted murder.

Altering the law to remove the possibility of "forgiveness" could help reduce the number of honour killings in Pakistan, advocates of such a change say.

An act that would amend the law across Pakistan was passed by one house of parliament last year, but did not clear the other chamber due to delays, said Sughra Imam, who introduced the bill when she was a lawmaker.

Both she and Obaid-Chinoy hope the attention the film has received abroad and at home, including from Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, might help push the amendments through.

"The greatest win of 'A Girl in the River' would be if the prime minister does take the lead, brings the stakeholders on board and they pass the (act)," Obaid-Chinoy said.

After the film was nominated in the short documentary category, Sharif issued a statement congratulating the filmmaker and pledging his government's commitment to rid Pakistan of the "evil" of honour killings by "bringing in appropriate legislation."

Obaid-Chinoy has already won an Oscar in the same category for "Saving Face", a film about acid attacks in Pakistan.

Sharif invited the director to screen the new film at his residence to an audience of prominent Pakistanis.

Although it is not clear exactly how Sharif proposes to change existing legislation, Obaid-Chinoy said his reaction was a pleasant surprise.

"This could be (Sharif's) legacy ... that no woman in this country should be killed in the name of honour, and if she is, people should go to jail for it," she said.
To protect Chinese investment, Pakistan military leaves little to chance

By Syed Raza Hassan

GWADAR, Pakistan, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A heavy police presence, guarded convoys, new checkpoints and troop reinforcements have turned parts of the southern port city of Gwadar into a fortress, as Pakistan's powerful military seeks to protect billions of dollars of Chinese investment.

Securing the planned $46 billion economic corridor of roads, railways and pipelines from northwest China to Pakistan's Arabian Sea coast is a huge challenge in a country where Islamist militants and separatist gunmen are a constant menace.

The armed forces and interior ministry have sent hundreds of extra soldiers and police to Gwadar, the southern hub of the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and more are on their way.

"Soon we'll start hiring 700-800 police to be part of a separate security unit dedicated to Chinese security, and at a later stage a new security division would be formed," Jafer Khan, regional police officer in Gwadar told Reuters.

A senior security official in the town of around 100,000 people said a further 400-500 soldiers had been recruited as a temporary measure to protect Chinese nationals.

On a recent visit, an SUV carrying Chinese visitors was escorted by two police cars and an army vehicle, while police blocked traffic at every crossroad along the route. It was not clear who the passengers were.

Keeping foreign workers and executives safe in Gwadar, which has expanded significantly over the last 15 years largely thanks to Chinese investment, is relatively straightforward.

The same cannot be said of the corridor as a whole.

Its western branch passes north through Baluchistan province, where ethnic Baluch separatist rebels are opposed to the CPEC project and chafing under a military crackdown.

It skirts the tribal belt along the Afghan-Pakistan border where Islamist militant groups including the Pakistan Taliban and al Qaeda have long been based, and takes in Peshawar, scene of some of the worst insurgent atrocities of recent years.

CRACKDOWN AND ANGER

The main responsibility for securing the corridor, vital to Pakistan's long-term prosperity, lies with a new army division established in the last few months and numbering an estimated 13,000 troops.

Pakistan's Planning Ministry does not yet have specific estimates on how many jobs the CPEC will create in Pakistan, although officials believe the project could generate hundreds of billions of dollars for the economy over the long term.

Some of the police, army and paramilitary reinforcements deployed in the last year have been stop-gap measures while the new Special Security Division builds to full strength.

Enhanced security goes beyond Gwadar and across Baluchistan, an arid, sparsely populated province bordering Iran and Afghanistan which sits on substantial deposits of untapped natural gas.

"We have tightened our security in those areas where the corridor is supposed to pass. We cannot allow Pakistan's economic backbone to be held hostage," Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, the provincial home minister, told Reuters.

The tough approach means anger is growing among separatist rebels and the broader Baluch community, a potential problem for the military as it pursues a two-pronged approach: amnesty for rebels willing to disarm and hunting down those who are not.

"We consider the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as ... an occupation of Baluch territory," said rebel spokesman Miran Baluch, a member of the Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF), adding its fighters would attack anyone working on the project.

"Thousands of Baluch families have been forced to flee the area where the CPEC route is planned. (The) Baluch (people) will not tolerate such projects on their land."

The low-level insurgency has hit development in the province for decades. In recent violence, five soldiers were killed by a remote-controlled bomb some 50km (31 miles) east of Quetta last month.

Also in January, two coastguards died in a bomb blast in Gwadar district, although in both cases it was not possible to determine who was behind the attacks.

PROGRESS SO FAR "QUITE SMOOTH"

Army chief General Raheel Sharif, who launched a prolonged assault on Islamist militants after Taliban gunmen massacred 134 pupils at a school in Peshawar in late 2014, will hope a sharp fall in violence nationwide will also benefit the CPEC.

Militant, insurgent and sectarian groups carried out 625 attacks across Pakistan in 2015, down 48 percent from 2014, said an independent think-tank, the Pak Institute for Peace Studies.

"Once people find they have a stake in this progress, the need for checkposts and barricades will disappear," he said this month in Quetta, as he and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif officially launched a new highway linking the city with Gwadar.

The Pakistani Taliban recently threatened to target important government and military installations that could inflict economic loss on the country, although they did not talk specifically about the CPEC.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said progress so far on the corridor was "generally speaking, quite smooth".

"The Pakistani government has done a great deal of work to protect the security of Chinese organisations and citizens. China is deeply thankful for this," Lu added.
Poland - Factors to Watch Feb 8

Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 1 hour):

UNEMPLOYMENT

Poland's labour ministry will on Monday release its January unemployment estimate.

DEBT

Poland may issue yuan-denominated bonds this year, and does not rule out issuing debt in U.S. dollars, deputy finance minister was quoted as saying by Puls Biznesu daily.

FX LOAN BILL

Polish president is waiting for the financial regulator to opine on his proposed foreign exchange loan bill before taking further steps, head of the presidential office told weekly wSieci.

****Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.****
PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - Feb 8

SOFIA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

-- Two female Iraqi asylum seekers have frozen to death when trying to cross the mountainous border between Bulgaria and Turkey, officials said. Another 15 migrants were rushed to hospital in the Black sea city of Burgas. (Trud, Telegraph, Standart, Duma, Sega, Monitor)

STANDART - Bulgaria will organise an investor conference in may to check the interest of building a gas hub in the country, deputy prime minister Tomislav Donchev said.
Russian firepower helps Syrian forces edge towards Turkey border

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

BEIRUT, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The Syrian army advanced towards the Turkish border on Monday in a major offensive backed by Russia and Iran that rebels say now threatens the future of their nearly five-year-old insurrection against President Bashar al-Assad.

Iranian backed-militias played a key role on the ground as Russian jets intensified what rebels call a scorched earth policy that has allowed the military back into the strategic northern area for the first time in more than two years.

"Our whole existence is now threatened, not just losing more ground," said Abdul Rahim al-Najdawi from Liwa al-Tawheed, an insurgent group.

"They are advancing and we are pulling back because in the face of such heavy aerial bombing we must minimise our losses."

The Syrian military and its allies were almost five km (3 miles) from the rebel-held town of Tal Rafaat, which has brought them to around 25 km (16 miles) from the Turkish border, the rebels, a residents and a conflict monitor said.

The assault around the city of Aleppo in northern Syria has prompted tens of thousands to flee towards Turkey, which is already sheltering more than 2.5 million Syrians, the world's largest refugee population.

In the last two days escalating Russian bombardment of towns north west of Aleppo, Anadan and Haritan, brought several thousand more, according to a resident in the town of Azaz.

Rebel-held areas in and around Aleppo are still home to 350,000 people, and aid workers have said they could soon fall to the government. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted at the weekend as saying Turkey was under threat.

Damascus says it wants to take back full control of Aleppo, Syria's largest city before the civil war erupted five years ago. It would be a huge strategic prize for Assad's government in a conflict that has killed at least 250,000 people across the country and driven 11 million from their homes.

After around a week of heavy Russian air strikes, Syrian government troops and their allies broke through rebel defences to reach two Shi'ite towns in northern Aleppo province on Wednesday, choking opposition supply lines from Turkey.

SUPPLY LINE

The Syrian army's success in opening a route to the Shi'ite towns of Nubul and Zahraa enabled it to cut a main highway that linked rebel held areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo with the eastern part of Aleppo held by insurgents since 2012.

The latest gains by the Syrian government brings it to the closest point to the Turkish border area since August 2013, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The capture of the towns of Mayer and then Kafin, just north of Nubul and Zahraa, in the past 24 hrs have opened the road towards Tal Rifaat, the next focus of the army assault. The capture of that would leave only the town of Azaz before the Turkish border itself.

The prospect of the loss of Azaz, just a few miles from the Bab al Salama border crossing, would virtually wipe out the insurgents from their main stronghold in northwest Syria.

Russian bombing has for weeks targeted rebel routes to the main border crossing that was once a major gateway from Europe and Turkey to the Gulf and Iraq.

Since it fell to insurgents, the crossing has been both a major commercial lifeline and arms supply route for rebel-held areas in Idlib and Aleppo provinces.

The army's advance has also been indirectly helped by Kurdish-led YPG militias who control the city of Afrin, south west of Azaz. They have seized a string of villages including Ziyara and Khreiybeh in the last few days, rebels said.

The Observatory also said they had secured the villages of Deir Jamal and Maranaz from Islamist insurgents.

Four months of Russian air strikes have tipped the momentum of the war Assad's way. With Moscow's help and allies including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, the Syrian army is regaining areas on key fronts in the west.
An RTI application by The Indian Express led to startling disclosures on Monday about bad debts of Rs 1.14 lakh crore written off by 29 state-owned banks between financial years 2013 and 2015 - much more than in the preceding nine years.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed that bad debts that stood at Rs 15,551 crore for the financial year ending March 2012, climbed to Rs 52,542 crore by end-March 2015.

The RBI did not report details of the biggest defaulters - individuals or business entities - whose bad debts of Rs 100 crore or more were written-off, arguing that "the required information is not available with us".

So vital information for the economy and policymakers is not available even for a scam of such horrendous proportions. Though the government has been trying to shore up public sector banks through the infusion of equity capital and other measures, the bad loans written off by these banks between 2004 and 2015 amount to more than Rs 2.11 lakh crore.

More than half of these loans, or Rs 1,14,182 crore have been waived between 2013 and 2015. The RBI data till 2012-'13 shows that between 2009 and 2013, advances by the public sector banks to individuals and business entities increased, and the bad debts written off by them doubled from 0.33 per cent of total advances in 2009 to 0.61 per cent in 2013.

The top ten banks writing off bad debts in 2015 (in rupees crore) were State Bank of India (SBI): 21,313; Punjab National Bank (PNB): 6,587; Indian Overseas Bank: 3,131; Allahabad Bank: 2,109: IDBI Bank Ltd: 1,609; Bank of Baroda: 1,564; Syndicate Bank: 1,527; Canara Bank: 1,472; UCO Bank: 1,401; Central Bank of India: 1,386.

When the write-off of bad debts of the top ten banks in the last three financial years (in rupees crore) is tabulated, the financial situation is even more grim.

The top ten banks in writing off bad debts in the last three financial years (in rupees crore) were SBI: 40,084; PNB: 9,531; Indian Overseas Bank: 6,247: Bank of India: 4,983; Bank of Baroda: 4,884; Canara Bank: 4,598; Central Bank of India: 4,442; Allahabad Bank: 4,243; Syndicate Bank: 3,849; Oriental Bank of Commerce: 3,593.

With public sector banks sitting on over Rs 7 lakh crore of stressed assets, including non-performing assets (NPAs) and restructured loans, RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has repeatedly expressed concern over the health of public sector banks.

But these figures give lie to the claims by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley that the foundations of the economy are strong. He would be right if the colossal debts of the public sector banks were not so astronomically high. And why was this information not put in the public sphere by the Union government?

NPAs of even the public sector banks were kept hidden from the public eye. Rs 1,14,182 crore invested in the social sector would have reduced poverty and boosted the market because of increased effective demand consequent on the rising incomes of the poor.

It would have helped the manufacturing sector, which despite the government rhetoric, is far behind China. But propaganda has displaced real statistics. The perilous state of the public sector banks also indicate that we are far from Make in India.
During the 26/11 investigation, we could do a much better job of exposing Pakistan's perfidy compared to the 1993 Bombay blasts probe. This was not necessarily because of our success in capturing Ajmal Kasab alive but because we could marshal scientific evidence with American help to nail Pakistan, which was not forthcoming during the 1993 blasts enquiry.

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) chief Robert Mueller had given details of this close cooperation when he addressed the Council on Foreign Relations on 23 February, 2009.

After David Headley's story came to light following his arrest in October 2009, there were misgivings in India as to why the US did not forewarn us on his pre-26/11 activities.

But their draconian Intelligence Identities' Protection Act prohibited anyone from disclosing the identity of informants to others, including foreign governments. "Scooter Libby", a close confidante of vice-president Richard Cheney was convicted under this law in 2007 for revealing the identity of a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) deep cover agent.

But the US did not fail in passing on advance intelligence on 26/11 to us. Our former home minister P Chidambaram had admitted in November 2010 that America had indeed shared intelligence with India in "the months leading to the attacks and thereafter", though Headley's name was not mentioned.

Ordinarily, even within a country, the name of the informer is never revealed while passing on such intelligence.

On March 18, 2010 Headley entered into a 35-page "Plea Bargain Agreement" with the state attorney at the Illinois Northern District Court. He pleaded guilty on three conditions to a dozen US federal terrorism charges, including planning the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Firstly he would not be given the death penalty. Secondly, he would not be extradited to India, Pakistan or Denmark. Thirdly "sentencing guidelines" would be followed.

Our previous government was wrong in assuring us that they would try to get Headley extradited to India. The plea bargain conditions are irrevocable. Also no country would agree to extradite an accused before completing his trial and sentence in home country.

On January 24, 2013, Headley was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment followed by five years of "supervised release". So any chance of his coming to India to stand trial would happen only in 2054!

But Headley knew much more about the culpability of Pakistan than what has been judicially known. So the question was how to get his testimony in an Indian court without his physical presence? That is where his plea bargain agreement came in handy.

On March 18, 2010 he had agreed to fully participate in any debriefings for the purpose of gathering intelligence or national security information. He also agreed to testify in any foreign judicial proceedings held in the United States by way of deposition, video-conferencing or letters rogatory when directed by the United States Attorney's Office.
Whistle-blowers are part of democratic governance - to be protected, not persecuted.

One of the greatest whistle-blowers of our time is Julian Assange. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (Working Group) held that the "deprivation of liberty of Mr Assange" is contrary to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ie ("CPR") and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.

The case is not one of simple detention but constructive detention. Assange cannot leave the Ecuador embassy in London. The moment he steps out he will be arrested, sent to Sweden for an alleged sex crime for which he has not been charged in nine years, without even an extradition request. The US wants him for WikiLeaks which told the world how the US and its war machine work.

"Poodle" allies

It is the US that orchestrates its "poodle" allies - Australia, Britain and Sweden - to protest the UN decision as rubbish and ridiculous; and keep the heat on Assange alive in London. Recall the sentence in 2015 of Chelsea Manning (a man who claims to be a woman in spirit) for 35 years with possible parole in eight years for leaked documents to Assange's WikiLeaks.

What awaits Assange is worse. His leaked information on Afghanistan and Iraq includes US soldiers wantonly killing civilians from a chopper.

Born in 1971, Assange had a "nomadic" childhood: Despite an incomplete education without a degree at Melbourne University, he became a hacker par excellence, establishing WikiLeaks in 2006. He got awards galore for journalism; and even a gold medal for peace, awarded earlier to Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama and spiritualist Daisaku Ikeda. The downside was three sexual molestation charges in Sweden which are time-barred, but there is a rape case which is alive till 2020. On its part Sweden issued an international arrest warrant but only an order of the Swedish court requiring his questioning without initiating extradition. Assange believes he can absolve himself. But the larger conspiracy is to get him to the America which has put him on a man-hunting time line, asking other countries to criminally investigate him.

Legally the question is: Why does this come under the Working Group's jurisdiction? Clearly, it is not incarceration as normally understood. Assange was detained in Wandsworth prison from December 7, 2010 (including ten days in isolation) and 550 days under house arrest. Seeking asylum from the Republic of Ecuador in London, he was granted "diplomatic" (not political) asylum on August 16, 2012. He has remained in that embassy ever since.

Security

Who wants what? Britain has spent over 12.5 million on security round the Ecuador embassy from 2010-15, but will arrest him if he steps out. In 2012, Sweden permitted only extradition for questioning in Sweden. But all this is part of a chain to get him to America and imprison him for the rest of his life. In this amazing stand-off, Assange is under incarcerated asylum in the embassy.

The Working Group is a highly respected body which monitors detentions throughout the world. Its decisions have been honoured. The Human Rights Committee in its General Comment 35 on Article 9 of the CPR states: "An arrest or detention may be authorised by domestic law and nonetheless be arbitrary... interpreted more broadly to include elements of inappropriateness, injustice, lack of predictability and due process of law as well as elements of reasonableness, necessity and proportionality."

Confinement

The uncertainty was not just the confinement in the Ecuador embassy in England but also the Swedish demand for a preliminary investigation and further extradition to America.

In Deliberation No 9, the Working Group clarified all terms of arbitrary detention including constant surveillance were arbitrary even if authorised by law. It invoked England's Supreme Court's decision in the Bank Mellat case on applying proportionality to human rights and personal freedoms. The Working Group found a deprivation of Assange's liberty with a direction to Sweden and Britain to ensure his safety and freedom of movement and let him enforce his right to compensation.

The response of Britain, Sweden, Australia and America decrying the decision is hypocrisy. Can you keep a person in de facto confinement for almost six years which is, itself, a punishment? Historically, Sheikh Abdullah house arrest for 20 years without law is a blot on India's post-Independence history. He was not convicted of anything. Continued denial of bail in India is another example. No less Sahara's Subrata Roy is in jail for almost two years. Under the Contempt of Courts Act 1971, the maximum punishment for contempt is six months imprisonment or Rs 2,000 or both.

The Supreme Court invoked some hidden power to incarcerate him indefinitely until he pays Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore bank guarantee which is difficult to arrange from inside Tihar. The Sahara case is as arbitrary as they come.

Sahara should approach the UN Working Group. The government of India should have the guts to tell the Supreme Court that its order is disproportionate and against both international and constitutional law precepts.
If the statement issued by the government of Tamil Nadu is true, then the death of the bus driver Kamaraj in Natrampalli could be the first confirmed recorded death of a human being caused by a meteorite. A meteorite causing the death of a human being is so rare - that barring one possible instance (and that too in India), it has never been confirmed.

The National History Museum, London, clearly says: "There have been no recorded deaths due to a meteorite fall." Even the massive Chelyabinsk meteorite which led to nearly 1,500 injuries in Russia did cause result in fatalities.

However, Harvard University's International Comet Quarterly suggests the possibility of one earlier death due to a meteorite. It quotes three meteorite impacts in India during the last two centuries - Mayurbhanj in Orissa (2003), Mhow (1827), and Oriang, Malwate (1825). While referring to Oriang, the magazine says: "Man killed, Woman injured in meteorite fall [considered 'possible']." This is referred to as a possibility, but has never been confirmed.

Most science journals and magazines have however not reported any human death caused by a meteorite.

Prior to this incident, the death of a dog by a meteorite was recorded in Egypt in 1911. The Nakhla Martian meteorite reportedly hit a dog, and local stories say that the dog vaporised immediately. The incident was witnessed by a farmer.

NASA says "The meteorites are very real, so there's no reason to doubt the dog story." Nakhla was the area where the meteorite struck, and it originated from Mars - hence the name Nakhla Martian Meteorite.

In another incident, a boy was hit in Uganda (1992) when he was struck on his head by a small specimen of the Mbale meteorite.

NASA reports 48 impacts of the shower and measurements of short-lived radionuclide data, while the Dutch Meteor Society has photographs of the specimens and the boy. No fatalities were reported.

Two huge meteorite impacts have been reported in Russia. One of the biggest meteorite impacts was the Tunguska event (Siberia) in 1908, which impacted 2,000sq of and destroyed nearly 80 million trees, measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale. Since it was a remote location with little human habitation, no fatalities were recorded.

The Chelyabinsk meteorite in February 2013 caused 1,491 injuries (including 311 children), and two people were hospitalised in a serious condition. The light flash caused by the meteor resulted in eye pain and temporary blindness among many, but no one died because of the event.

As many science journals and magazines have reported, chances of a human being killed by a meteorite impact are rare.

Chron termed it as an "ultimate low-probability, high-risk event." The magazine WIRED says that odds of getting killed by a meteorite are roughly one in 250,000.
RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil - Due to the Zika virus, scientists have told large swathes of South America to stop breeding, but this warning will most certainly go unheeded, especially during the 2016 Olympics.

The summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will see millions of people converging on Brazil from all over the globe at a time when the Zika virus will be most prevalent. Authorities on the ground have been spraying certain areas to kill mosquitoes however the virus has already evolved and can now be transmitted through bodily fluids, including saliva, blood and semen.

The long term threat to the human populace is that Zika becomes irrevocably established in human DNA, ultimately creating a new type of human with severely shrunken brains over thousands of years. Where the human brain has evolved over the past 500,000/million years by increasing in size, there could now be a period of reverse-evolution with humans regressing in development.

Naturally, the poorest areas of the planet where over-population and poverty are most prevalent will be most affected in the short term. It is therefore imperative that the authorities within these regions seek to halt any breeding or sexual relations whilst the Zika virus is endemic. Unfortunately, within the third world and developing nations there is little impetus from government and the population to halt their mass breeding and the Zika virus will most certainly spread far and wide.

Once the Zika virus spreads through countries like China, India and the continents of Africa and South America, the results will soon be noticed, and air travel will ensure the virus spread to North America, and Europe. It does not matter if a country has cold winters, and Aedes type mosquitoes cannot survive, the virus has three or more delivery methods, therefore increasing its chances of infecting its target.

The millions of people who will attend the Brazil Olympics of 2016 will thus be conduits for the spread of Zika. When the final Olympic ceremony ends, they will all make their way to all four corners of the globe spreading the Zika virus far and wide.

The Rio Olympics will thus be an efficient method to deliver the virus globally, unchecked, undetected and to spread further than at any time before thanks to modern air travel.
Nestled between Africa and Asia sits the Red Sea, known for the algal blooms that turn its water a reddish hue. Here, amidst a coastal desert, the seas Gulf of Eilat (also known as the Gulf of Aqaba) is home to unparalleled marine systems of great interest to ocean scientists all over the world.



This past December eight Dalhousie Marine Biology and Ocean Sciences students skipped their holiday break to travel to Eilat, Israel and learn about this unique environment in person.



Thanks to the Schulich Ocean Studies Centre  an initiative between Dalhousie and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI) in Eilat  the students could take a field course taught at IUI for a full credit toward their undergraduate degrees. While the course is open to students at several Israeli universities, Dalhousie is the only Canadian university involved.



Two week crash course



It was an intensive course, says Connor Booker, a fourth-year Marine Biology student. We covered chemical, biological and physical oceanography, marine biology and geology.



The course, "Introduction to the Ecosystem of Gulf of Eilat: Coral Reef and Subtropical Sea," was a two-week lesson the students will never forget. Along with lectures, snorkelling through the coral reefs and joining in on a research cruise, students were given a research task to complete in the field.



Dal students (left-right) Matt Auvinen, Connor Booker, Danielle Moore, Emma Arsenault, Kelsey Desilets, Kaitlin Burek, Lia Domke and Izzy Jubinville in Israel this past December.



My project looked at fish species richness around coral knolls. Someone might say knolls are like giant boulders of coral, says Kelsey Desilets, another fourth-year Marine Biology student.



With her research goal in mind, Kelsey went diving in the Gulf  a world-renowned dive spot  and counted 40 different species of fish during her underwater work.



The whole course revolved around [the question] 'why are there coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba?' says Kelsey.



An environment like no other



The Gulf is a narrow finger-shaped basin in the north of the Red Sea, part of the Great Rift Valley between two major tectonic plates stretching from Syria to east Africa. Its geological characteristics in part give way to marine conditions that arent typical anywhere else. In the Gulf of Eilat, depths of almost 2,000 metres are found mere minutes away from the shore. Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are all visible from seashore in Eilat, which provides an interesting context to scientific investigation as well.



For almost two weeks, students in the course put the textbooks down and carried out field work.



It was cool to come into the course with knowledge from [the Dal class] Blue Planet, says Kelsey. In that class, Kelsey learned how the rest of the world works. But its completely different in the Gulf of Aqaba, she says.



This fascinating marine area has always caught the attention of ocean scientists, including some here at Dal also involved with the Schulich Ocean Studies Centre.



International in scope



Marlon Lewis, a professor in Dalhousie's Department of Oceanography, is interested in the deep-water mixing properties of the Gulf, a basin where unusually warm and constant temperatures are observed from the surface to deep down within the water column. With longtime scientific ties to Israeli researchers and institutions, Dr. Lewis played a part in getting this course off the ground after generous support from Canadian philanthropist Seymour Schulich.



In fact, part of the Schulich Ocean Studies Centre partnership includes teaching visiting Israeli students about the North Atlantic here in Halifax through Dr. Lewiss and instructor Laura DeGellekes "Introduction to Field Oceanography" SEASIDE course. Last summer, Dalhousie hosted eight Israeli students through this initiative and will welcome another group again this summer.



Oceanography by its nature is very international in scope, says Dr. Lewis. The experience gained by students from Israel and Dalhousie has contributed to both a scientific and cultural foundation that will stand long after the courses are finished.



While exploring on land, students learned about the geological history of the area  an important factor in the Red Sea environment.



Connor and Kelsey were two students in the first Dal cohort benefitting from the partnership. Applications for the 2016/17 winter field course at IUI will be available to Dal students soon.



Im so grateful to have been accepted into this class. Its everything you could ever want in a course, says Kelsey. Dal really is the place to study oceans in Canada.



Those interested in more information on placement in the 2016/2017 winter field school with IUI should contact the Schulich Ocean Studies Centre Initiative Project Coordinator (c.macneil@dal.ca).
In keeping with custom, the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium was alight with the sounds and sights of culture this past Friday to ring in the Chinese New Year. Hosted by the Dalhousie Chinese Students and Scholars Association, the Chinese Spring Festival Gala brought together both native speakers and those learning Mandarin for traditional food, song and dance.



The Chinese New Year, which officially takes place on Monday, February 8, is also known as the Spring Festival in China and marks the first day of the New Year in the lunisolar Chinese calendar, kicking off a 15-day-long celebration. Since family gatherings are one of the most important parts of the festivities, Dalhousies gala is meant to celebrate Chinese culture but also give international students a taste of home while theyre here.





Dalhousie hosts more students from China than from any country other than Canada.



Our diversity is what makes Dal such a great place, says Dalhousie President Dr. Richard Florizone. Events like this allow us to recognize and preserve cultural diversity on campus, and share the experience with our entire community.



Its really inspiring, says Shannon Brownlee, assistant professor in Film Studies at Dal, student in the Chinese Studies program and member of the Chinese Choir. For one thing, its inspiring to see students not just going to their class and learning material, but actually integrating what they learn into their lives.



Marking an anniversary



For Dr. Shao-Pin Luo, the Year of the Monkey also marks the celebration of something else: the 10-year anniversary of Dalhousies Chinese Studies Program. As assistant professor and coordinator of the program, she has been delighted to watch its growth from one class with 32 students in 2005 to the introduction of a Chinese Studies Minor in 2013.



We do all these extra curricular activities, and its small but its like a family, Dr. Luo says about the program. Events like the gala create an interest and it gives them the opportunity to meet Chinese students but also for them to immerse in Chinese culture.





Among those students was Jacob Hubner, a second-year Biology student with a minor in Chinese studies, and one of the MCs from Fridays event. Having traveled to China prior to coming to Dal, he was eager to continue his learning with the China Studies Program, both in and outside of the classroom.



As important as it is for international students to come here and get an experience in Canadian culture, its just as important that we in turn get a taste in theirs, he says. What I really love about the program is Dr. Luo. Since the program is so small, shes able to make it a lot more than just a class. We go to events, we have lectures, weve got a Chinese choir, and were having a big dumpling making party coming up. Its really amazing that shes able to make it more than just a language class, but a culture experience.



Students in the Chinese Studies program also marked the Year of the Monkey with a dumpling party Saturday evening.

For more on Chinese Studies at Dal, visit the programs website.


Mumbai: The Bachchan clan bid adieu to Maldives on Sunday afternoon after a short vacation in the island nation. Amitabh, who has kept up to Sunday routine of meeting his fans for the past twenty-nine years, met them outside his Juhu residence Jalsa in Mumbai.

Read: The Bachchan family rings in Abhishek's birthday in Maldives

The actors followers and supporters gathered in large numbers to meet their favourite star. He posted several pictures and wrote, "All in a few hours .. from a country to another .. from an air to another air .. from the exotic to the emphatic .. from work schedules of harsh labor, to fancy hats and tanned skins .. All in a few hours .."

He further wrote, "O&O was .. One & Only the resort in the Middle of IO .. middle of the Indian Ocean .. just sauntering out from the villa by the beach to the purest white sands in the early sunrise .. from the salt of the Ocean to the infinity of the pool by the sun deck .. from not knowing how much one slept to not knowing what time it was .. from not having a schedule, to not desiring one either .. from see through waters in miles, to lagoon coral blues in surround  from those silent waves in the ear .. to the sounds of recorded iTunes from iPhones  from watching Kabaddi on large outdoor screens on your private beach to the celebration of birthday 40 .. !!"

He concluded by writing, "You almost feel you do not deserve this ..But God has been kind and loving and most gracious .. the guilt of such joys is often played within .. and then one wonders why .. why even allow the thought to enter the mind .. but it does .. it comes in waves and expressions .. am I doing right .. can I .. should I .. And then it dawns - you have worked, now rest and enjoy .. But  the mind is not at rest at this .. to deserve .. persevere .. !!"
London: The spread of a disease that is decimating global honeybee population is human-made and driven by European bee populations, a new study has claimed.

The study found that the European honeybee Apis mellifera is overwhelmingly the source of cases of the Deformed Wing Virus infecting hives worldwide.

The finding suggests that the pandemic is human-made rather than naturally occurring, with human trade and transportation of bees for crop pollination driving the spread.

Although separately they are not major threats to bee populations, when the Varroa mite carries the disease, the combination is deadly, and has wiped out millions of honeybees over recent decades, researchers said.

Varroa feed on bee larvae while the Deformed Wing Virus kills off bees, a devastating double blow to colonies.

The situation is adding to fears over the future of global bee populations, with major implications for biodiversity, agricultural biosecurity, global economies, and

human health, researchers said.

"This is the first study to conclude that Europe is the backbone of the global spread of the bee killing combination of Deformed Wing Virus and Varro," said Lena Wilfert from the University of Exeter in UK.

"This demonstrates that the spread of this combination is largely human-made - if the spread was naturally occurring, we would expect to see transmission between countries that are close to each other, but we found that, for example, the New Zealand virus population originated in Europe," Wilfert added.

This significantly strengthens the theory that human transportation of bees is responsible for the spread of this devastating disease, researchers said.

"We must now maintain strict limits on the movement of bees, whether they are known to carry Varroa or not. It is also really important that beekeepers at all levels take steps to control Varroa in their hives, as this viral disease can

also affect wild pollinators," Wilfert said.

Researchers analysed sequence data of Deformed Wing Virus samples across the globe from honeybees and Varroa mites, as well as the occurrence of Varroa.

They used the information to reconstruct the spread of Deformed Wing Virus and found that the epidemic largely spread from Europe to North America, Australia and New Zealand.

They found some two-way movement between Europe and Asia, but none between Asia and Australasia, despite their closer proximity.

Researchers also looked at samples from other species suspected of transmitting the disease, including different species of honeybee, mite and bumblebees, but concluded that the European honeybee was the key transmitter.

"Our study has found that the Deformed Wing Virus is a major threat to honeybee populations across the world and this epidemic has been driven by the trade and movement of honeybee colonies," said Roger Butlin from the University of Sheffield in UK.

The findings were published in the journal Science.
Centre is likely to ask Pakistan to use Headleys testimony and prosecute Major Iqbal, Sajid Mir and his other Pakistan handlers. (Photo: PTI))

New Delhi: India will tell Pakistan to act swiftly India against the Mumbai terror attack accused, especially Pakistani state actors and JUD chief and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

This follows attack convict David Coleman Headleys video deposition in a Mumbai court today which has strengthened India's case against Pakistan allowing its soil to host terror training camps, government sources said.

Headley, who is serving a 35-year sentence in America, confirmed before a Mumbai court today that his handlers were LeTs Sajid Mir and that he also took instructions from ISIs Major Iqbal.

Government sources said India will tell Pakistan to use Headleys testimony to identify and prosecute Major Iqbal, Sajid Mir and his other Pakistan handlers.

Top sources also said if Pakistan is sincere, it should speed up its probe into the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. They hope Pakistan is now convinced that its men played a crucial role in planning and executing 26/11.

Read: 26/11 attacks trial is test of Pakistans sincerity, says India

Government sources said Headleys deposition strengthens what is already known in India about the ISIs involvement. A fresh dossier may be sent to Pakistan to be added to the existing information already shared by India.

Pakistani-American terrorist and one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks, David Coleman Headley, also revealed before a special Mumbai court on Monday via video conferencing that LeT made two unsuccessful attempts to carry out terror attacks before finally striking in November 2008, once in September and another in October. He also stated he was a "true follower of the Lashkar-e-Taiba".

Read: 2 attempts had failed before Mumbai terror attack, Headley tells court

Headley claimed that he had visited Mumbai seven times before the 26/11 attacks and Delhi once.

Headley said that Hafiz Sayeed is main leader of LeT and he was inspired by the leader after listening to his speech in Pakistan.

Read: Was inspired by Hafiz Sayeed's speeches, reveals David Headley

Headley also said he was introduced to ISIs Major Iqbal and that both Iqbal and Sajid Mir were happy to see his Indian visa. Dr Tahawwur Hussain Rana had helped Headley get the Indian visa, he told court. Headley met him in a military school in Pakistan's Punjab province. Dr. Rana was his schoolmate for five years. After school, Rana became a doctor in Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.
Bid to avert future border flareups?

New Delhi: Asian giants India and China seem to have taken their defence cooperation to a whole new level despite irritants in bilateral relations, with the two nations conducting joint tactical exercises in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. The exercises were held Saturday in eastern Ladakh by border troops of the two armies and are part of efforts to enhance interaction between the border-guarding forces of the two sides.

China has illegally occupied Aksai Chin in eastern J&K, that comprises huge swathes of land of thousands of kilometres. Chinese troops are also involved in projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while China is also building an economic corridor linking it to Pakistan through PoK despite Indian protests.

India had earlier signed a Border Defence Cooperation Agreement with China a few years ago to eliminate the possibility of any sudden military conflagration along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Under this agreement, the border patrols of the two sides were not to tail each other when they come face-to-face while patrolling the LAC, the de facto border in both the J&K and Arunachal sectors. Chinese troops often transgress into Indian territory as both nations have different perceptions of the LAC demarcation that they never mutually agreed upon.

In a statement from Udhampur, headquarters of the Indian Armys Northern Command in J&K, the defence ministry said: The first Joint Tactical Exercise between border troops of both countries was conducted in the Chushul-Moldo area on February 6. This is a part of ongoing initiatives taken by India and China to ensure greater interaction between troops stationed along the LAC, and thereby ensure peace and tranquillity on the border. As previously agreed by both countries, the exercise focused on actions to be coordinated to jointly tackle aspects of Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief.

The Indian Army team of 30 personnel was led by Col. Ritesh Chandra Singh while the Chinese delegation was led by Col. Qu Yi. Lasting an entire day, the joint exercise was based on a situation of a national disaster occurring on the border and the subsequent rescue mission coordination by joint teams of both countries.

The MoD added: The joint exercise, code-named Sino-India Cooperation 2016, compliments the Hand-in-Hand series of India-China Joint Exercises and the recently conducted border troops Joint Exercise in Sikkim. The increased interaction amongst Indian and Chinese border troops is a very positive step in enhancing confidence and building relations between the two armies.
"I want to be with my husband shortly so that we can go to Djibo and continue there," Jocelyn Elliott, 76, said at Burkina Faso's presidential palace. (Photo: AFP)

Ouagadougou: An elderly Australian humanitarian worker kidnapped by Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists in Burkina Faso said Monday after her release that she hoped to be reunited with her husband and "continue" their medical work.

"I want to be with my husband shortly so that we can go to Djibo and continue there," Jocelyn Elliott, 76, said at Burkina Faso's presidential palace.

Elliott and her 81-year-old surgeon husband Ken have run the sole medical clinic in Djibo, a dusty town near the border with Mali, since 1972. A couple from Perth in western Australia, they have also carried out humanitarian work in Mali and Niger.

The pair were abducted close to the Niger border on the night of January 15-16.

Malian militant group Ansar Dine said the couple had been taken by jihadists from the "Emirate of the Sahara" suspected by experts to be a branch of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Elliott was freed after mediation from Niger, which is now trying to secure her husband's release.

She arrived in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital, on Monday aboard a Niger presidential plane and was taken to the presidential palace, where she was greeted by head of state Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

"I am very moved to be here with my Burkina family. I want to thank the people of Burkina for their support in my absence," she said in a brief media statement in French.

Elliott also thanked "the governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and Australia."

Foreign Minister Alpha Barry confirmed Elliott's intentions. "She has decided to stay in Burkina Faso," Barry said.

Kabore commended "action taken for 40 years for the benefit of the people most deprived of health care in the difficult parts of Burkina".

"Forty years is almost a whole lifetime in the service of Burkina," the president added.

Elliott had appeared on Niger television Sunday evening alongside President Mahamadou Issoufou, who confirmed that his country had mediated but did not give details on either the circumstances or the location of her release.

He paid tribute to the Elliotts for their work.

"I think those who abducted them should know the contribution this couple have made to the poorest people in our regions. I hope they will be back together soon and that Jocelyn's husband will soon go free," Issoufou said.

'No ransom paid'

Barry said on Sunday that the focus was now on securing the release of Ken Elliott.

"For now we know that her husband is alive and well. Now further negotiations will begin for his release and we will do everything to secure it," said Barry, adding that "no ransom was paid or conditions imposed" by the kidnappers for the release of Jocelyn Elliott.

Kabore echoed this view, thanking Niger and adding that "work must go on since Dr Elliott has not yet been freed, but we have high hopes that something will be done in the next few days."

The Burkina government had said the pair were kidnapped in Baraboule, near the country's borders with both Niger and Mali.

The kidnapping prompted an outpouring of support, with the people of Djibo turning to Facebook to plead for the couple's release and hundreds of students with placards reading "Free Elliott" taking to the streets of the town with their teachers.

Their abduction coincided with a jihadist assault on an upmarket hotel in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou that left at least 30 people dead, including many foreigners.

Until recently Burkina Faso had largely escaped the tide of Islamist violence spreading in the restive Sahel region.

But the January attack on the Splendid Hotel, which is popular with foreigners and United Nations staff, has heightened fears that jihadist groups are casting their net wider in West Africa.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull thanked Niger and Burkina Faso for their efforts, while the Elliott family released a statement saying they were "deeply grateful" for Jocelyn's release.

In other comments, Elliott clarified that she was aged 76 and her husband was 81. Their ages had previously been given by officials as 84 and 82 respectively.
Police believe he was kidnapped and murdered for financial reasons with investigators saying they have traced more than $1 million moved from the victim's bank account after his death. (Representational Image)

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: The prime suspect in the grisly murder and dismemberment of a Spanish national in Bangkok has been arrested in Cambodia, police said on Monday.

Multiple body parts belonging to businessman David Bernat were found floating in Bangkok's Chao Praya river last month.

Police believe he was kidnapped and murdered for financial reasons with investigators saying they have traced more than $1 million moved from the victim's bank account after his death.

Last week they named their chief suspect as Artur Segarra, 36, also a Spanish national, saying they were confident he remained inside Thailand because he had recently withdrawn money from a cash machine inside the country.

But Cambodian police said Segarra was arrested in a restaurant on Sunday in the city of Sihanoukville.

"We arrested him on Sunday late afternoon," Chuon Narin, police chief of Kampong Som province, said on Monday.

"This morning I will send him to the immigration department so that we can hand him over to the Thai authorities," he added.

The gruesome case has dominated Thai media coverage in recent days with television networks airing grim footage of officers hauling human remains out of the river. Police questioned a Thai woman over the weekend who was allegedly seen with Segarra in recent days.

Investigators initially struggled to identify the victim. Last week police said they believed the man was of Asian origin and suggested that Chinese triads might have been involved because of the method chosen to dispose of the body.

The wide Chao Praya winds its way through Bangkok, which boasts a large network of canals, and it is not unusual for bodies to be dumped in the city's waterways. But it is rare for a foreigner to meet such a grisly fate.

Thai police said they would likely hold a press conference in the afternoon. Channel 3 television reported that Segarra had already been placed on a helicopter back to Thailand.

Cambodian police have returned a number of high profile criminal suspects to Thailand in recent months, including one of the alleged perpetrators of last summer's Bangkok bombing and an Australian wanted for his alleged involvement in the murder of a fellow national and former Hells Angels member in Pattaya.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country let in more than a million asylum seekers last year, was due to hold talks with Erdogan and his Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in the Turkish capital today. (Photo: AP)

Oncupinar, Turkey: Tens of thousands of Syrians were stranded at the border with Turkey on Monday after escaping a Russia-backed government offensive in Aleppo, as Germany's chancellor prepared to visit Ankara to press for tighter border controls.

Turkey has vowed to help the crowds of people, including many women and children, but has not opened its borders and aid agencies have warned they are facing a "desperate" situation as they wait for help.

"Turkey has reached the limit of its capacity to absorb the refugees," Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told CNN Turk television.

"But in the end, these people have nowhere else to go. Either they will die beneath the bombings or we will open our borders.

"We are not in a position to tell them not to come. If we do, we would be abandoning them to their deaths."

Turkey's Oncupinar border crossing, which faces the Bab al-Salama frontier post inside Syria, remained closed on Sunday as thousands of refugees gathered there for a third day waiting for the gate to open.

Carrying their few belongings, Syrians queued in the cold and rain in squalid camps waiting for tents being distributed by aid agencies. Others are reportedly sleeping in fields and on roads.

A Turkish official said the crossing was "open for emergency situations," adding that seven injured people have been taken for treatment in Turkish hospitals.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey is "under threat," and pledged that "if necessary, we have to and will let our brothers in".

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday Turkey had already received 5,000 fleeing the offensive and another 50,000 to 55,000 were on their way.

The medical aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said camps for displaced people in northern Aleppo province were overwhelmed, and three MSF-supported hospitals had been bombed.

'Desperate'

"From what MSF can see the situation in Azaz district is desperate, with ongoing fighting and tens of thousands of people displaced," said Muskilda Zancada, head of the group's Syria mission.

"We... have seen problems with lack of space to accommodate people, and insufficient water and sanitation in many areas."

The European Union has said Ankara is obliged to keep its frontiers open to refugees, while also pressing to help stem the largest influx of migrants into the bloc since World War II.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country let in more than a million asylum seekers last year, was due to hold talks with Erdogan and his Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in the Turkish capital on Monday.

The EU has promised three billion euros ($3.3 billion) of aid in return for Ankara's help in stopping the flow of new arrivals on its shores, most of whom make their way through Turkey.

Inside Turkey, which has the largest population of Syrian refugees with some 2.7 million people on its soil, residents of border areas fear being overwhelmed by a fresh wave of new arrivals.

The governor of Kilis province, Suleyman Tapsiz, said Turkey was taking care of 30-35,000 refugees who had gathered around the Syrian city of Azaz in the space of 48 hours.

"Life here would be paralysed in the face of a mass exodus," said Tugba Kaya, from the border town of Kilis, Turkey's only major urban centre with a majority of Syrians.

'Survival and dignity'

Top diplomats from countries trying to resolve Syria's five-year conflict, which has claimed 260,000 lives and displaced half the population, are set to meet February 11 after peace talks collapsed last week.

Pope Francis urged the international community "to spare no effort to urgently bring parties back to the negotiating table", and appealed for generosity to ensure the "survival and dignity" of displaced Syrians.

The latest crisis began as Syrian government forces closed in on Aleppo city in their most significant advance since Russia intervened in September in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Regime troops advanced Sunday towards the rebel town of Tal Rifaat, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Turkish frontier, a monitoring group said.

It is one of the last rebel strongholds in northern Aleppo province and government troops are just seven kilometres away, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Syria's mainstream rebels are now threatened with collapse after the regime severed their main supply line to Aleppo city.

Opposition forces and roughly 350,000 civilians inside rebel-held parts of the city face the risk of a government siege, a tactic employed to devastating effect against other former rebel bastions.

On Sunday an aid convoy entered the regime-besieged town of Moadamiyat al-Sham near Damascus, in a new joint operation organised by the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
A leopard entered the Vibgyor High School in Kundalahalli early on Sunday and injured four persons, leading to tense moments in and around the school. It was ultimately caught around 7:30 pm by forest officials.





CCTV camera footage from the school showed the leopard roaming around its corridors at 4 am, when it was first spotted by school authorities.



Deepika Bajpai, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Urban, said the department got a call from the school at 6 am. We reached the spot at 10 am and started the operation to capture the leopard. However, we were able to tranquilise it at only at 7:30 pm, she said.



TV grabs showed the leopard attacking some persons near the schools swimming pool. The four injured included an activist and conservationist who works with the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP), a worker of the BBPs SOS centre, a driver with the Forest Department named Benna and conservationist Sanjay Gubbi.



Of the four, Gubbi is believed to have sustained serious injuries and has been admitted to Apollo Hospital in Whitefield.



The leopard is a male of around eight years old. It did not sustain any injuries, according to the latest report. However, clearer information on its exact age and injures will be available after a thorough examination, officials said.



Forest department officials suspect the leopard to have travelled at night as no one reported to have sighted it before the school.



Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife) Ravi Ralph said the leopard was sent to the BBP and will stay there for two days till forest officials come to a decision whether to release it or not. Presently, the BBP houses around 36 leopards. It will be kept at the BBP rescue centre. The whole operation comprised a contingency team from the Forest Department and the BBP that included the principal chief conservator of forests, chief conservator of forests, deputy conservator of forest, four range forest officers and other officials. The local police were also called in to control the public.



School to work normally

Roshan Dsouza, principal, Vibgyor High, said in a statement that the situation had been brought under control. He said there will be regular classes on Monday.



Amidst the high-rise buildings, it is unfortunate that the leopard entered the area. However, with the help of our security system and CCTV cameras, the leopard activity was traced in time. The school immediately took necessary measures and informed the local police and forest department. An investigation is on at the school by the Forest Department and police. We are awaiting a clearance from the authorities. The school management has also sent out messages to anxious parents reassuring them about the situation.


The body of a 71-year-old woman was found near a garbage dump in south Delhis Fatehpur Beri on Sunday morning. The police have sent the body to AIIMS Trauma Centre for post-mortem.



Somebody called the PCR around 6 am, and told us that an elderly woman was lying near a garbage dump. We reached at the spot and took her to the hospital where the doctor declared her brought dead, said a police officer who is investigating the case.



Natural death, say cops

According to the police, there are no injury marks on the body. While the preliminary investigation shows the death as natural as the woman was a patient of diabetes and low blood pressure, the family members of the deceased have alleged that she was murdered.



Perhaps, she became unconscious and fell at the place while returning home on Saturday night and later died due to cold, said a police officer.



The woman, identified as Wadiya Devi, was a widow and was living with her son and daughter-in-law in Okhla.



According to Devis family members she was wearing a gold chain which is missing from her neck when her body was found.



The family members have hinted at the possibility of the elderly woman being killed for the gold chain.



We are investigating the case from all angles. The post-mortem report is awaited. We can arrive at the reason of death after the report arrives, the police officer added.



According to the neighbors of the deceased, Devi was a religious woman.

She was very fond of jagrans organised in the colony. On Saturday night, she had gone to a jagran near her house.



According to the family members, there were times when she didnt come home at night as she would be attending jagran. Even last night, the family members thought that she was in a jagran and didnt panic when she did not return at night, the police officer said.



Police are now talking to family members and neighbours of the deceased as a part of the investigation. CCTV cameras of the area are also being scanned now for the purpose.


A 28-year-old man stabbed his aunt, 45, to death with an ice pick on Saturday evening in northwest Delhis Welcome Colony in an attempt to rob her jewellery.





The accused, identified as Mohammad Mehfooz, has been arrested.

According to police, Mehfooz was to get married on February 15.



The deceased, Husn Jehan, was a resident of galli no-7, Janta colony, Welcome.

Jehan and her husband, Mohammad Younus, have four sons and a daughter. Two of their sons got married in October last year.



Younus runs a cloth-stitching factory in Kabir Nagar.

Around 6 pm on Saturday, Jehan was sitting with her daughter-in-law Aafreen on the first-floor of her house when Mehfooz  one of her nephews  came to her house.



Jewellery collection



He told her that he wanted to see her jewellery collection to have an idea about the kind of jewellery he would have at his wedding this month.



Mehfooz then went in to bring the jewellery box. Around the same time Mehfoozs daughter-in-law Aafreen left the room to go downstairs.



Victim resists

As Mehfooz found his aunt alone, he tried to snatch the jewellery from her hands. When Jehan tried to resist, Mehfooz pulled out an ice pick from his pocket and jabbed it on Mehfoozs body multiple times, said a police officer.



Hearing her mother-in-law scream, Aafreen came running upstairs. She ran downstairs screaming for help. Jehan rolled down the stairs of the first-floor house and fell on the ground, the police officer added.



On hearing the commotion, neighbours rushed inside and nabbed Mehfooz.

They then handed him over to the police.




The Delhi government has decided to call for a CBI probe into the death of a six-year-old student at Ryan International School after his father alleged that that the boy was sexually assaulted and his body was dumped in the water tank later.





Ramhet Meena, father of the deceased student, wrote to Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and sent a copy to Prime Ministers Office.



Devansh Meenas body was found drowned in the water tank of Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj on the January 30. His death was too much suspicious and the reasons are still not cleared by school authorities. I am sure about some conspiracy against my child, the letter said.



Being a father, I request you to try to handover this case to CBI so that proper investigations can be made in this case otherwise I know this case would (be) suppressed by school administration.



Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Delhi government will soon recommend a CBI probe into Devansh Kakoras death, a demand made by the boys father who had yesterday alleged that the child was sexually assaulted before being done to death and that there were injury marks on his private parts.



We have decided to recommend a CBI probe into death of Devansh. We can see shortcomings in the ongoing probe.



Devanshs parents have levelled serious allegation, Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said.



Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said CBI inquiry should be ordered into the case heeding to the demands of the parents while JD (U) general secretary K C Tyagi said he supports Delhi governments decision to recommend handing over of the investigation to the central agency.

Delhi BJP Chief Satish Upadhyay said police should probe all possible angles.



In the letter to Irani, the parents alleged there was a conspiracy behind the incident and demanded action against the school management.



Meena on Sunday met Delhi Women and Child Welfare minister Sandeep Kumar and expressed concern that police was not properly investigating the death of of his son, whose body was found in the reservoir under the amphitheatre of the school located in south Delhi on January 30.

So far the police has only been talking to the school staff and they have not recorded our statements, he said.



A magisterial probe ordered by the Delhi Government into the case said that deliberate inaction by the school authorities amounted to gross criminal negligence which led to the death of the child.

Hoping for justice for my child through your cooperation, I also demand action against the school management, Meena said in the letter to Irani.



Meena had on Saturday alleged that injury marks were seen on the boys body including on private parts and that he saw cotton swabs on the childs private parts.



He also alleged that the principal of the school has threatened the family to keep quiet over the issue.



Police refute assault

However, a senior police officer, handling the probe, had ruled out sexual assault on the basis of the initial post-mortem report and investigation so far.



Schools principal Sandhya Sabu and four other staff were arrested by the police in the case.

But all of them had got bail earlier this week.



The initial post-mortem report suggested he died of drowning and no external injuries were found, police had said.



Expressing dissatisfaction with the Delhi Police investigation so far in the case, Meena said that he wanted an independent enquiry.



I am demanding an enquiry by the CBI or an independent agency because there are chances that the evidences in the case may be tempered, he said.




The BJP has slammed the Arvind Kejriwal governments Odd-Even scheme for road rationing saying it has become a facade to cover its nepotism, loot and administrative failure to prevent the civic strike.





The BJP said the two-day exercise of seeking public views on repeating the road rationing scheme was a waste of money and public transport should be improved before re-implementing the scheme.



Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said, Last month the government brought Odd-Even scheme to cover up the public outcry against the hefty MLA salary hike and now again they are raising the issue to cover up the failure to handle the civic strike problem.



Leader of Opposition in Assembly Vijender Gupta said the AAP government seems to have no plan or vision for the citys development.



The Odd-Even scheme launched in a rush is a perfect example of the present governments utter inefficiency in providing sustainable solutions in times of crises. Now the AAP government is going to the public to know their views on Odd-Even scheme, which they should have done much before the launch of the scheme, said Gupta.



He said Chief Minister was once again playing the victim card by attributing the AAP governments failures to the BJP-led Centre.



Referring to the 12-day-old civic workers strike, Gupta said the Delhi government is only interested in creating a fuss. They have no regard for the Constitution and are only interested in pursuing their narrow political goals even at the cost of turning Delhi into a garbage dump.
Refusing to wade into the intolerance debate, noted actor Kamal Haasan has said he was against the word "tolerance" as he underlined that all communities need to "accept" each other to save the country from disintegration.



Haasan, during a "fireside chat" with students of the prestigious Harvard University, said the country has already lost its two arms -- Bangladesh and Pakistan -- and all efforts should be made to maintain the unity and integrity of the country.



Citing the example of a sleeveless sweater knit in green thread among other colours, Haasan said, "It (India) is a sweater which is already knit with green thread (among other colour wools). You just can't pull (the green thread). There is no sweater left then."



"We have already lost the sleeves of the sweater -- Bangladesh and Pakistan (have) gone. It's a sleeveless sweater So let's keep the sweater. It's getting cold," he said amid applause from the young Indian students studying at the Harvard University and other higher educational institutions around Boston including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.



Haasan's answer came in response to a question from one of the students who wanted to seek his views on voices of intolerance coming from some of the popular Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan.



"I am against the word tolerance. You do not tolerate; you accept a friend. Why should you tolerate everything? It is a view either you accept it or not accept it? Why do you tolerate?" Haasan asked.



"Intolerance is there because you are tolerating it. Do not tolerate. Accept the Muslims as your co-citizens. Do not tolerate them. Accept the Hindus (as your co-citizen). That's the problem of tolerant. Accept it (Muslims) because you are not going to take away the green in your Indian flag," the popular Indian actor told the audience.



The intolerance debate had raged in India recently with many writers, artists and civil society members expressing alarm over the issue.
Lashing out at the Akhilesh Yadav government over Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali's concert in Lucknow, the Shiv Sena today branded Uttar Pradesh as an "Islamic state" and alleged that the state government has begun "anti-national business" for appeasement politics.





The ruling ally also took a swipe at the BJP for being a "mute spectator" to the event, and demanded that those who allowed the concert to take place should be booked for anti-national activities.



"The 'Islamic Yadav' government says that Ghulam Ali was invited to perform to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. But, to promote unity, why does one need Pakistani artistes only? There are fine Muslim artistes in the country who are famous," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.



"Keeping the upcoming Assembly polls in mind, the Yadav government has started an anti-national business (of inviting Pakistani artistes) to play appeasement politics," it alleged.



Lashing out further at the UP government, it said, "Uttar Pradesh is a mine of fine artistes, but (Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh) Yadav is only interested in coal from Pakistan," and added that tomorrow Yadav may invite Hafiz Saeed to appease the minority community.



"People who feel that the Pathankot terror attack should be forgotten and Ghulam Ali should be allowed to perform are traitors of the country. If Ghulam Ali is allowed to perform amidst the wails of the family of the martyred jawans, then people responsible (for giving permission to perform) should be booked for anti-national activities," it said.



Taking a jibe at the BJP, the Sena sought to know if the party bagged 71 seats in the UP Lok Sabha polls to remain mute spectator to Ghulam Ali's performance.



"This is bizarre. On one hand ISIS is troubling the Indian government, on the other the Yadavs have turned UP into an Islamic state and welcomed Ghulam Ali," it said.



Ghulam Ali yesterday regaled the audience with his popular numbers on the concluding day of Lucknow Mahotsava.



His performance went off peacefully despite threats by Shiv Sena, which had forced cancellation of his concert in Mumbai last year.


Popular Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, who had vigorously campaigned for TDP-BJP alliance in the 2014 state and Lok Sabha elections, yesterday requested the state government to engage in direct talks with Kapu leaders spearheading the reservation issue, which, he noted was an election-promise made by the TDP.



"A group of balanced intellectuals should be entrusted with the responsibility of finding a mutually-acceptable solution before it jaggernauts into an uncontainable situation (sic)," tweeted Kalyan, who belongs to the community.



Meanwhile, the Congress claimed in a release that its state unit president N Raghuveera Reddy and party MP Chiranjeevi were "arrested" at Rajahmundry while proceeding to Kirlampudi to express solidarity with Padmanabham today.

Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham today ended his indefinite fast, he had begun on Friday to demand quota for the community, after "assurances" from the Andhran Pradesh government, including allocation of Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu welfare corporation.The breakthrough came after K Atchannaidu, Minister for Labour, TDP state unit president K Kala Venkat Rao and party MLAs - Thota Trimurthulu and NVS Varma - held talks with Padmanabham at his native village Kirlampudi in East Godavari.Kala Venkat Rao and Atchannaidu offered lime juice to Padmanabham, who has been fasting along with his wife, some family members and supporters.Padmanabham said the government has assured him it would obtain the report of a commission on backward classes (for inclusion of Kapus in BCs), within seven months instead of nine, if possible, and allocate Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu (welfare) corporation from next year.The government set up the commission to study the issue of reservations for the community and it is expected to submit its report within nine months.The government representatives asked Padmanabham to join the discussions leading up to the decision on reservation.The government would separately provide Rs 500 crore this year and accept all the applications made this year to Kapu Corporation by the community members for benefits, he said.Padmanabham said he is in favour of provision of "creamy layer" among the Kapus. Atchannaidu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is "very positive" on the demands of the community.The government would be judicious in dealing with the police cases registered in connection with the violence that erupted during a rally organised by Padmanabham on January 31, the minister added.Atchannaidu said no injustice would be done to the Backward Classes in the process of providing reservation to Kapus.Padmanabham appealed to Naidu to bring a resolution in the Legislative Assembly, after receipt of the panel's report, and forward it to Centre for incorporating Kapus in the seventh schedule of Constitution.
US Secretary of State John Kerry today greeted people of the Himalayan region including India, Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet on Losar, the Tibetan New Year.





"On behalf of President (Barack) Obama and the people of the United States, I offer our warmest wishes to all of the peoples of the Himalayan region celebrating Losar for a joyful New Year," Kerry said in a statement.



"The United States joins you in celebrating the history and vibrant culture of the peoples of the Himalayan region, including those in Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Tibetan areas of the People's Republic of China," he said.



The Losar festival marks sacred and secular practices like prayers, ceremonies, rituals and folk dancing and merrymaking.



Kerry said the rich cultural heritage in song, poetry, art, and literature has enriched humanity. "As you gather with family and friends to celebrate Losar, know that the US stands with you as a partner and friend. May the New Year be filled with peace and prosperity," Kerry said.
Freedom is taken away from women, on the pretext of tradition, and her rights are denied in the name of safety, said All India Progressive Womens Association (AIPWA) Secretary Kavitha Krishnan.





These steps  which are meant to ensure the safety of a woman  however, make her more unsafe, said the womens rights activist.



She was speaking at a programme organised at St Aloysius College in Mangaluru on Monday by the Citizen Forum for Mangalore Development and St Aloysius College Womens Cell.



Stating that instilling fear is a method used to forcefully discipline women and to curtail their rights, Kavitha said that a womans ideas are not accepted in spite of knowing that she is correct. She demanded that women be allowed to safeguard their freedom. Dress code and time limitations, which are forcefully loaded on them, do not mean to make them strong. Owing to their selfish motives, some forces do not want women to progress. Women are, instead, disciplined on the pretext of tradition and this happens in most of the religions, Kavitha said.



Even in the modern global market, women workers are not allowed to use mobile phones and they are made to stay in hostels so that they do not socialise with people or form unions, flouting labour laws. This is done only with an intention of making profits. This kind of situation exists in garment factories in Karnataka and other states, the activist said.



She lamented that those who fight for the rights of adivasis and dalits are branded as anti-nationals. Even during the regime of the UPA government in the Centre, the activists of Kudankulam nuclear plant, who protested against the project in Tamil Nadu, were foisted with cases of sedition, by the government, she reminded.



Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim and Citizen Forum for Mangalore Development President Vidya Dinker were present during the talk.

DH News Service
Aquaculture should be transparent towards meeting the purpose of producing pure aqua-medicine, opined Nitte University Pro Chancellor Professor Shantaram Shetty.





He was speaking after inaugurating a 15-day national training programme on aquatic medicine, organised by Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, College of Fisheries, Mangaluru and National Fisheries Development Board at Fisheries College in Yekkur on Monday.



He said India has a long coastal line of 7,000 km and around 30,000 tonnes of fish is being exported from India every year.



There is a lot of scope for aquatic medicine, provided the resources are utilised in the best way and in a scientific manner, he added.



Need for methodology

Expressing his concern over an increased use of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture, Professor Shetty felt the need for a teaching methodology to make the general public aware of the situation.

There were times when there was a lack of infrastructure in the country, which restricted the development, he said.



But today, there are good infrastructure facilities compared to the past and the youth have to utilise the facilities available to the full potential and should strive

towards the development of the nation, Professor Shetty said.



Compared to other nations, there are very less number of research works being done in India.

Only 0.5 per cent of research publications is being contributed from the nation. The deans of academic institutions should encourage students to carry out research, he opined.



He called upon the youngsters to develop scientific temper. At the same time, one must remember that science without humanity is a blunder, he said.



Dean and Course Director Dr K M Shankar was present on the occasion.

DH News Service


Historian and Biographer Ramachandra Guha gave a call to the young denizens of the country to do their mite in solving the problems plaguing society like exploitation of dalits, oppression of women among others.





While delivering the inaugural address at the opening of MYRAGO, an annual student festival at MYRA School of Business, here, recently, Guha said, Youth should also defeat fundamental forces which are corroding roots of an emerging nation in the world economy.



Substantiating, Guha said it was because of historical reasons and patronisation of rich cultural heritage, cities like Mysuru, Bengaluru, Dharwad, Pune etc., were known to all. Youth should develop interest in such aspects of the country.



Guha said the uniqueness of India lies in the adoption of universal adult franchise especially in a young nation ridden with poverty and illiteracy. Comparing the evolution of democratic models of different countries such as England and France, where the model of one language, one religion and one enemy united the nation, Guha pronounced that Indiaa relatively young republic was a successful democracy. This audacious gamble not only worked but was hugely successful as well.

Drawing parallels across diverse countries such as Great Britain and Sri Lanka, he opined the plurality of languages and religion was the strength of India. The credit goes to farsighted vision of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Ambedkar and others.



Unity in diversity is the essence of India that makes it a confederation of more than 30 states and Union Territories with different cultures, languages, music, dance, drama, art and architecture.

He warned against the concept of Hindi, Hindu, Hindustani or one language, one religion, one nation theory citing examples of countries, which have ruined themselves having gone that route.



Today, different states of India follow different languages but follow single rulebook called Constitution of India, which has given equal rights to all citizen irrespective of their caste, creed, region or religion. He elaborated the importance of celebration of multiple languages and history tells that imposition of one language and one culture will have dire consequences. He cited the examples of separation of East and West Pakistan and civil war in Sri Lanka.



While bringing up the virtues of work life balance, he highlighted the importance of music, literature, art, architecture and being with nature. Work life balance does not mean, sitting at home as couch potato and watching IPL, but exploring other dimensions of life, so that one would have a better understanding about oneself and the society in which one lives, he said.

DH News Service
In an embarrassment to the ruling Congress, supporters of independent MLC Byrathi Suresh and Congress MLC H M Revanna on Monday got into heated arguments, holding each other responsible for their leaders missing out on a Congress ticket to contest the byelections.





The confrontation took place when Revanna was accompanying Congress candidate C K Abdul Rahaman Sharief in the byelection campaign on Dinnur Main Road on Monday.



Both the MLCs were aspirants for a Congress ticket for the byelection. Byrathi Sureshs followers claim that his leader, who had been making preparations for contesting the elections for many days, lost out because of Revanna.



There was a similar incident recently during the launch of the party's election campaign in Hebbal constituency in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Byrathi Suresh is a close aide of Siddaramaiah. The Chief Minister wanted Byrathi Suresh to contest the election as a Congress candidate, but the party picked Sharief. Revanna has been sulking ever since. Revanna later told reporters that Byrathi Suresh was not indispensable for the party. It is not proper to shout slogans against others for the denial of a ticket. I have worked in the constituency for the last eight years.

Byrathi Suresh should first learn to serve people before seeking a ticket, he added.



Campaign picks up

The party intensified the campaign in Hebbal on Monday with the Chief Minister and many of his ministerial colleagues hitting the trail. Siddaramaiah went on a roadshow on the main thoroughfares of Vishwanatha Nagenahalli, Dinnur Main Road, Manorayanapalya and Gangenahalli areas of the constituency. Earlier, hundreds of Congress workers led by Minister D K Shivakumar and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy held a padayatra in Geddalahalli, Radakrishna Temple, Sanjaynagar, seeking support for the party candidate.
Panel ordered cops to pay Rs 25K each to 11 men who were picked up



Six months ago, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission had ordered the police inspector and assistant sub-inspector of Byatarayanapura police station to pay Rs 25,000 to each of the 11 people they had illegally detained.



Following a complaint by Prakash Cariappa, fact-finding co-ordinator of South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (Sichrem) in January 2009, the commission passed the order in July 2015.



Cariappa said in the last eight years of serving as a co-ordinator, he found most of the orders passed by the commission were obeyed. The Byatarayanapura police case was a serious one and the then chairman of had conducted the investigation.



The 11 people, including two minors, were illegally detained by police for petty crimes and it was found that the police were guilty. They had sought Rs 5,000 from each of the detainees to release them. Although the commission passed a very stringent order directing the Home department to take disciplinary action against the two police officers and to pay Rs 25,000 to each of the detainees, the order has not been complied with till date, he said.



He says normally in such cases, the police approach the High Court and get a stay on the commissions order and when the victims are approached to appeal for their compensation, they turn hostile. In very few cases, the commissions order is complied with when there is a serious violation of human rights and sometimes, the commission also recommends a CID inquiry. Again, the case is registered with the CID and kept pending with no action, he said.



However, the commissions acting chairperson Meera C Saksena said there was always liberty to approach the court to appeal against the order.



It is not true that most of the orders passed by the commission are not complied with. There have been many high profile cases where compensation has been paid, she added.


It was last year that the Bengaluru police got a whiff of the syndicate involved in trafficking children to the US. The police commissioner formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to expose it and instructed the sleuths to work clandestinely to gather leads.





The existence of the SIT, headed by Additional Commissioner of Police (East) P Harishekaran, was made public only on Monday. Police said a large amount of work needed to be done clandestinely and the collated data analysed.



I personally got information about the syndicate a year ago and the SIT was formed immediately. We are yet to find answers to many questions or know the objectives of the syndicate and the background of the suspects, he said.



Modus operandi

Some people overstaying in the US wanted their children in India to join them. But the children could not legally travel to the US in the absence of passports and visa. The immigrants got in touch with the syndicate which offered to traffick one child for Rs 25 lakh. The syndicate sent at least 32 children thus.



To begin with, it identified couples to act as parents of the beneficiary child. The couple was genuine at times and fake sometimes.



In some cases, the husband was genuine and the wife fake. In others, the wife was genuine and the husband fake. The couple and the child were trained in a house in Benglauru to act like one family. The syndicate obtained house rent agreements, marriage certificates and other documents from the BBMP, Bescom and other government agencies to get passports and visa.



The syndicate misused the drop box facility at the US consulate in Chennai to apply for visa for children aged below 14 years. The facility doesnt require the appearance of children in person. It obtained non-immigration B1/B2 (business and pleasure visa).



Travel arrangements were made once the passports and visa were ready. Sometimes, short package trips for three days were mentioned in the visa. The couple never stayed in the places shown in the visa. They would return within 48 hours after dropping off the child at the US.



The syndicate members stayed in Shivajinagar, Ramamurthy Nagar, Banaswadi, Baiyappanahalli, RT Nagar, Ashoknagar, Rajajinagar, Vijayanagar, Halasuru Gate, Banashankari, Girinagar and HAL localities.



Police got on their trail after finding marked differences in the facial structures of the children and their so-called parents. They zeroed in on 16 couples and checked their antecedents and then carried out the raids on Monday. Couples from Gujarat and Punjab are involved in the racket, police said.

DH News Service
In place of what are now the mightiest mountains in the world, once there was a shallow sea.



Out of this sea, at some point in the distant past of Earths geological history, gigantic waves rose. About a million years ago, these waves began to form themselves into the vast mountain system, which we now know as the Himalayas, with Mount Everest towering above them all. The third highest peak, Kanchenjunga shadowed over Sikkim as its deity and shaped the very nature of the state  a former kingdom of the northeast, Indias greenest state with largest forest cover and now the first organic state of the nation.



Rich biodiversity



Its not easy to find Sikkim on the map unless one knows where to look. The tiniest state in the northeast extends only for 112 km from north to south and 64 km from east to west. But what Sikkim lacks in size, it makes up for in the grandeur of its Himalayan scenery. Sikkim ranges in altitude from a mere 244 metre in the valley of River Teesta to a towering 8,540 metre at Mount Kanchenjunga. The melting snow from the peaks cascade down the mountainside in numerous waterfalls to form rivers in the valley.



These small rivers all flow into the Teesta that flows through the highlands of Sikkim. This is where the true beauty of Sikkim could be discovered. To the exploring eye, a whole new world is revealed through the green mantle of its forests, home to the snow leopard, red panda, clouded leopard and numerous birds.



Sikkim biodiversity statistics can easily surprise anyone. Covering just 0.2 per cent of the total geographical area of the country, the state harbours over 4,500 species of flowering plants, 550 species of orchids and several species of rhododendrons, conifers, bamboos, ferns, tree ferns, oaks, medicinal plants and mammals. And many species are still being discovered. Sikkim also has 28 mountains and peaks, more than 80 glaciers, 227 high altitude lakes and wetlands and over 104 rivers and streams.



But the ultimate charm of Sikkim is in its flowers. In spring (from late April to mid May), the forests of Sikkim are ablaze with brilliant rhododendron blossoms for miles. It is no wonder the state is often referred to as the valley of flowers. After all, with so much beauty everywhere, it is difficult to give pride of place to any one flower species. While the flowers add to the natural beauty of the former kingdom, Sikkims greatest glory in recent times has been the conscious effort to treasure and respect the generosity nature has bestowed upon them.



Through public and government collaborated green drives, annual afforestation schemes that are willingly executed, and mindful decisions taken by the people to opt for organic farming, Sikkim, in the last two decades, has proven how ecology and economy can work in tandem, efficiently and quite profitably.



Farming in Sikkim is dictated by the nature of its terrain. Wheat, potato and barley are grown in higher altitudes, while maize and rice are grown in the terrace fields that stripe the mountainside. Some of the major crops produced in Sikkim are cardamom, ginger, turmeric, Sikkim mandarin, kiwi, buckwheat, paddy, maize and millets.

It was 13 years ago in 2003, when the Pawan Chamling-led government decided to make Sikkim an organic farming state through a declaration in the legislative assembly. Since then, around 75,000 hectares of agricultural land has been gradually converted to certified organic land by implementing organic practices and principles, as per the guidelines of the National Programme for Organic Production.



Organic cultivation is a way of farming which doesnt involve the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers. It maintains a harmonious balance among the various complex ecosystems and doesnt destroy any natural resource. Biodiversity conservation, and less or no pollution are also the benefits of this kind of sustainable farming. Over time, the quality of soil also improves which further increases crop standards and production.



According to Sikkims agriculture secretary Khorlo Bhutia, the transformation of Sikkim to an organic state wasnt overnight, but it was not difficult because of the prevalent farming practices. He says, There was only limited use of chemical fertilisers prior to 2003 and the crop cultivation depended on low external inputs. Farmers were traditionally familiar with organic production and organic inputs like farmyard manure were used.



The government made organic manures and pesticides readily available and trained farmers to produce on their own. This also became an additional source of income for the farmer as organic fertilisers are in huge demand in other parts of the country and outside as well. The success of this people-driven plan is clearly supported by the real figures  of the 1,24,000 million tonnes of organic food produced in the country, around 80,000 million tonnes is supplied by Sikkim alone.



Challenges ahead



The major challenge for Sikkim today post the Organic State status will be to maintain this tag in the certified terms. An organic certification of each farm through a registered source will only add more value and give a stamp of assurance to the produces organic nature. Sikkim will also have to create new organic markets as traditional farming markets will not work for these farmers. Good news is, organic products are the new age mantra, and if the state can present itself as a trusted source of organic produce overtime, the path will be easily paved for a better tomorrow financially and ecologically.



So, is it that simple to envision a better future without cutting down trees, wiping out forests, and obliterating nature? Through this initiative, Sikkim has proven that is in fact possible to live without harming nature. Satellite data shows Sikkim to be the greenest state in the country with a forest cover of 47.3 per cent, as compared to the national average of 21 per cent. It is the only state in the country whose forest area has increased in the last two decades by over three per cent.



Green initiatives, like Paryavaran



Mahotsav, and Ten Minutes To Earth, have encouraged people to plant native trees and flowering species in thousands every year with constant support from the government. Sikkim may not be easily accessible or technology friendly due to the nature of its terrain.

However, modern contraptions that invariably are leading to more trouble for the planet pale away in comparison to one thing that Sikkim has  a respect for nature and an action-oriented plan that has proven profitable for the land and its people. Theres a lesson in it for all of us!
With 12 Muslim youths arrested over links with Islamic State (IS) in recent times, the Shahi Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure transparency in such actions and that no innocent person is victimised.



Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari met Modi for about 30 minutes during which he sought to impress upon the prime minister the need for making the public aware of the nature of alleged terrorist activities so that one may construe how substantial the charges were.



The meeting came on a day a Muslim organisation representing Sufi Sunnis, All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Islam, claiming at a seminar here that Islamic State was active in India under different names and banners and being funded by those from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.



In the meeting, a statement issued by Shahi Imams office said, Bukhari expressed concern over the detention of Muslim youths on charges of their links with IS and indulging in terrorist activities. There should be transparency in carrying out such detentions and the nation should be made aware of the nature of the alleged terrorist activities so that one may construe how substantial the charges were, the Shahi Imam told the prime minister.



He told Modi that there was concern among Muslims. While carrying out those detentions, Bukhari suggested that special care should be taken to ensure that the lives of innocent Muslim youths and their families were not ruined.



He also sought to draw the prime ministers attention towards a large number of Muslim youth languishing in jails under allegations of terrorism and no one was there to take care of them.



Bukhari also urged Modi to review his governments stand on not accepting the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia. According to the statement, Modi has promised to consider the issues and said that his government would not take any step that might put the communal harmony of the nation at stake. There was, however, no statement from the government.

Stop arrests, demand leaders

Top leaders of six Muslim organisations on Monday asked the Centre to immediately stop arresting Muslim youths on the pretext of links with IS, DHNS reports from New Delhi. They said the fresh campaign of detention and arrest was an organised conspiracy to malign Islam and Muslims, suspect their patriotism, terrorise them and to get political benefits by creating hatred between Hindus and Muslims.



The demand was raised by leaders of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Arshad Madni), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (Mehmood Madni), Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadees and All India Milli Council at a joint press conference here.
Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Headley admitted that he and military physician Dr Tahawwur Hussain Rana were batch mates at Cadet College Hasan Abdal in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, but said the latter knew very little of his activities.





Dr Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian resident of Chicago, who is an immigration service businessman and a former military physician, was held for plotting an attack on the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.



Rana was, however, not found guilty of involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, a charge for which he was originally detained.



When Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam asked did Rana know about his role till he was arrested, Headley said: After 26/11 attack, he knew a bitI told him not to come to Indianear the very end he came to know.



He admitted that Rana knew about the contents of the visa application and Raymond Sanders, his partner at the Immigrant Law Centre, Chicago.



Headley said that he was from the beginning aiming for a five-year business visa with multiple entry facility, which he got the second time. Asked about his cover story in Mumbai, he said, .that of being an immigration consultant.



Headley also said that Sajid Mir and Maj Iqbal were aware of the cover.


In what could be a major embarrassment for Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Toiba agent David Headley on Monday named some of his contacts and handlers who were at one point of time or are officials of the Pakistani Army or the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).





Headley named three people, Maj (retd) Abdul Rehman Pashawho at one point of time worked with Khyber Rifles Regimental Centre; Maj Iqbal of ISI  who was in regular touch with Headleys handler Sajid Mir; and Major Aliwho interrogated him in the Landi Kotal jail.



To a question by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, he said that Sajid Mir and Maj Iqbal were happy when he secured the American passport under the new name and the Indian visa.



When asked do you know Maj Iqbal, Headley said: YesI knew him, I met him in Lahore, dont know where he was serving. When asked who introduced him to Maj Iqbal, he said it was Ali. To another question whether Ali is Major Ali, he said, yes.



When asked who introduced him to Maj Ali, he said: When I was in Landi Kotal jail, next to the Afghan border, he came to interrogate me.



Headley admitted that he was caught as he was presumed to be a foreigner and foreigners are not allowed in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). When asked whether he was discharged because of his intervention, he replied in the positive.
Lashkar-e-Toiba operative Zaibuddin Ansari, the Indian link in the 26/11 terror attacks, on Monday made an unsuccessful bid to stall the proceedings of the recording of evidence of David Coleman Headley.





Ansari sought that his application on documents, vis-a-vis the Pakistani-American, be decided first.

Ansari, who appeared from the Arthur Road prison through video-conferencing, also said that he was not Abu Jundal as was being referred to. My plea to the court is pending, he told Additional Session Judge G A Sanap.



He had objected to polices application seeking documents pertaining to Headley from a NIA court in Delhi.



To this, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said, He is trying to delay the proceedings. Ansari also said that he had withdrawn his lawyer.



However, I A Khan, a lawyer present in the case said that he would like to represent Ansari. The judge then asked him whether he agrees for it, to which Ansari gave his nod. But Ansari again rose up and said that he was being framed, to which the lawyer said that in the evening he would visit the jail and take the brief. Ansari still said that the charges that he was facing is false. I want to challenge it in the Bombay High Court, he said.
A routine check along the National Highway-2 near Burdwan in West Bengal led to the arrest of six people, who were travelling in a car bearing forged Ministry of Defence (MoD) sticker on Monday.





While they have been arrested on the charge of impersonation, security agencies are delving deeper to find if the men were involved in any anti-national activities.



The six men were arrested near Burdwans Jamalpur on the national highway when they failed to produce valid documents or any identity papers to prove they were actually employed with the Defence Ministry. The car bore a sticker announcing Ministry of Defence OFB-Kolkata on both the front and back windshields. It was, however, not enough to satisfy the policemen on duty at the roadblock and they asked for identity cards, which the suspects failed to provide.



The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) comes under the Defence Ministry and is responsible for a number of factories manufacturing munitions across the country, all of which are high security and restricted zones. Althou



While state police officers are grilling the six men on their intentions behind using a forged OFB sticker on the vehicle, senior military intelligence officers are likely to interrogate them on Tuesday, sources said.



The six men have been identified as Shakir Ahmed, Salim Akhtar, Sheikh Irfan, Sheikh Ansaruddin, Abdul Akhtar and Sheikh Shahrukh. All of them are residents of Tiljala area in Kolkata, which has often come under suspicion of harbouring anti-national elements in its ghettos, many of which are inaccessible even to the police.
The upcoming Budget session of Parliament may be a wash out as the Congress and the BJP are refusing to check their barbs against each other.





While Prime Minister Narendra Modi blamed one family  an apparent reference to the Gandhi family  for the repeated disruptions in Parliament, the Congress had hit back with charges of nepotism against Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.



Besides, the Congress also plans to raise the issue of the Maharashtra governors sanction to prosecute Ashok Chavan in Adarsh scam and Dalit student Rohith Vemulas suicide during the Budget session.



Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu also held a meeting with NDA constituents  the TDP, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal, RPI (A) and the Apna Dal to chalk out the strategy for the session. BJP president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu were among those who attended the meeting.



The Budget session would take place at a time when campaigning for the Assembly elections to four states and one Union territory would be underway. Leaders admit that the campaign heat will definitely have an impact on the functioning of Parliament.



It is the responsibility of the government to run Parliament to reach across (to the opposition) which then creates a situation conducive for smooth functioning of the House. The prime minister has completely and absolutely failed to show that statesmanship, AICC spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters when asked whether the Congress would continue to disrupt Parliament.



Tewari also recalled the then leader of the opposition Arun Jaitleys remarks justifying disruption as a legitimate Parliamentary tactic.



However, not everyone within the Congress agrees with the line taken by the party in Parliament. Ironically, such leaders have been reduced to watching the party activities from the margins.

We have jumped into this blame game quite early and it could backfire on us, a senior Congress leader said.



Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu too has gone on the offensive against the Congress accusing it of being intolerant towards the mandate of the people.

DH News Service
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indias (Trai) decision not to allow differential pricing of data to access the Internet received appreciation from activists and different political parties while Facebook and telecom operators said they were disappointed.





Political parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena welcomed the decision while IT Industry bodies Nasscom and IAMAI too lauded the regulator.



Our submission highlighted the importance of net neutrality principles, non-discriminatory access and transparent business models aligned to the goal of enhancing Internet penetration in the country, Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar said.



The Internet firms body IAMAI, whose members include Google, Facebook, LinkedIn etc appreciated the regulation, but with a concern.



The association has a slight concern on the exception and the exception to the exception as to how this entire thing will pan out. The association hopes that the exceptions to the rule will not be misused by the TSPs (Telecom Service Providers), IAMAI said in a statement.



Facebooks disappointed

Social media giant Facebook expressed disappointment and said it will adversely impacts its free Internet platform Free Basics.



Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the Internet and the opportunities it brings, Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.
In the ensuing Assam polls, the Congress and the BJP are not leaving anything out of their political duel, not even Assam Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Shankardeva.





After Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a conclave of the saints followers in Sivasagar on February 5, a fresh controversy has erupted with the Congress accusing the BJP of playing politics in the name of the saint.



Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday dared state BJP president and BJPs chief ministerial candidate for Assam Sarbananda Sonowal to come out with fact sheet as to what the previous and the present BJP-led NDA governments had done for perpetuating the memory of saint-social reformer Srimanta Sankaradeva.



In a statement here, Chief Minister Gogoi said that state BJP president Sonowal has been spreading canards against the state government for showing disrespect to Srimanta Sankaradeva which is false, absurd and ridiculous.



Our government has been doing everything possible to perpetuate the memory of the great saint-social reformer. Grants have been given to the satras, bhaona has been promoted, and recently we decided to name the Assam Houses and Bhawans after the Mahapurusha. By doing all this, are we showing any kind of disrespect to the Mahapurusha? What did the previous and present BJP-led NDA governments do in this regard. Will Sonowal spell it out, he said in the statement.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 5 became the first prime minister to have attended the annual convention of the Srimanta Sankardev Sangha, the apex body of follower of the 15th century saint who has great following in Assam.
Pakistans media has claimed that the SIT probing Pathankot attack has not come across Jaish-e-Mohhamed (JeM) chief Moulana Masood Azhars role in the terror strike.





This may hit efforts to salvage the recent peace-initiatives by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Nawaz Sharif.



Islamabad has not yet formally informed New Delhi about the outcome of the probe carried out by its Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the role of Azhar and JeM in the January 2-5 attack on the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot in Punjab.



A report in a newspaper of Pakistan, however, quoted unidentified officials, stating that probe team could find no substantive evidence to suggest that the radical cleric had ordered or masterminded the strike on the airbase in India.



Officials in New Delhi said that the media report from Islamabad indicated that Pakistan was again going back to the denial mode on the issue of terror masterminds operating from its territory and launching cross-border strikes in India.



A senior official pointed out that India did not call off the process initiated by the two prime ministers for resumption of the stalled bilateral dialogue even after the terror attacks on the IAF base in India, only because Islamabad was willing to act on the information provided by New Delhi on the role of Azhar and other JeM operatives, who planned and the strike. New Delhi is of the view that if Pakistan backtracks on its promise and focuses more on giving a clean chit to an international terrorist like Azhar than, it will also have to factor in the change in Islamabads approach while deciding on future course of bilateral engagements.



The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Government put Azhar on the list of Specially Designated Nationals for his terror links long back. While the JeM is outlawed in Pakistan, its front Al Rahmat Trust has been maintaining several offices across the country.


The Supreme Court on Monday refused to allow a plea for maintaining status quo in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly which has been kept under suspended animation on January 26.





A five-judge Constitution bench presided by Justice J S Khehar did not allow a plea made by Fali S Nariman, appearing for the Congress leaders, that a direction be issued not to disturb the status quo as the matter is still pending before the court.



Nariman referred to a communication sent by Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok to the governor, seeking permission to perform duties of Speaker. The counsels submission reflected the fear that the rebel Congress MLAs, along with BJP legislators may impress upon the governor for exploring possibility of fresh government formation in the north-eastern state

.

He also said the governor, on his part, has sought opinion of law department on the letter. This should not be allowed till the permission from the court, Nariman said.



To this, the bench said, Our permission is not required for everything. We dont want anybody to subject to our jurisdiction. Meanwhile, the bench, also comprising Justices Dipak Misra, M B Lokur, P C Ghosh and N V Ramana, asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to provide the list of documents seized from offices of deposed Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki and his cabinet colleagues after imposition of Presidents Rule in the state.



Rohatgi said most papers, running into lakhs of pages, may be irrelevant and unrelated. The court then asked him to provide the petitioners the list only so that they would be able to point out the relevant documents required for buttressing their arguments against the decision to impose Presidents Rule in the state.
In a sensational disclosure, Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative David Headley told a Mumbai court on Monday that the group of 10 fidayeens who were part of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks had failed on two previous occasions.





The 56-year-old LeT operative deposed before Mumbai Sessions Courts Additional Sessions Judge G A Sanap, who presides over cases related to terrorism, from an undisclosed location in the United States through video-conferencing.



Besides, Headley, who has been sentenced to 35 years in prison in the US after a plea bargain, recalled how he was influenced by LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and LeT chief of operations Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and how eager he was to fight the Indian Army in Kashmir.



Headley also spelt out his association with his handler Sajid Mir and officers from the Pakistani Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), like Maj Iqbal, Maj Ali and Maj (retd) Abdul Rehman Pasha. Sajid Mir told me that the plan has failed twice, said Headley, during his examination-in-chief by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.



When asked about the first attempt, he said: The first attempt failed in September 2008. The boat hit the rocks in the ocean. The people had life jackets and they came to the shores. However, the weapons and ammunition were lostthe boat had disintegrated.



When Asked about the second attempt, he said: It happened in a month or so (around October 2008)that failed also. When Nikam wanted to know as to who were in the first and the second boat, he said: The same 10 people.



Coming to the 26/11 attacks and when questioned whether in the third boat also the same persons were there, Headley said: It is the same group of persons. Yes, they are the same people. This is new information for the Mumbai Crime Branch-CID that had investigated the 26/11 terror attacks and the National Investigation Agency, which is in touch with the US agencies.



In fact, LeT fidayeen Kasab, the lone terrorist to be caught, had made three statements, but this fact has not come to light.



First attempt in Sept 2008: Boat hit rocks. People had life jackets and they came to the shores. The weapons and ammunition were lost.



Second attempt: It happened in a month or so (around October).


Giving a big boost to Net Neutrality, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on Monday barred telecom operators from charging different rates for access to the web depending on the content.





The decision is seen as a major setback to Facebook's controversial Free Basics and other such plans offering differential data tariffs. No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content, said Trai chairman R S Sharma, while unveiling the details of the regulations titled Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016, effective from Monday itself.



The regulator also said if any telecom operators violate the ruling, they would be fined a minimum of Rs 50,000 per day and up to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh. The regulation is described as a boost to Net Neutrality as internet activists earlier said any differential pricing to access web would violate the principle as it restricts access to free and open Internet.



Anything on Internet cannot be differently priced. This is the broad point that we have highlighted in the regulation, said Sharma.



Plans which are active in contravention of the new regulations should cease to exist in 6 months, Sharma said, adding that the new regulations have been notified in the Gazette and are effective from Monday itself. When asked about telecom operators providing their own applications or services like music, movie applications at discounted or reduced rates to their subscribers, Sharma said: Let's not talk about specific product or services. Anything available on Internet should not be priced indiscriminately. However, service providers have been allowed to reduce tariff for access in case of providing emergency services.



We have not defined emergency services. But in case of such services, operators have to inform Trai within 7 working days, said Sharma. The new regulations come amid a long-running debate on Net Neutrality where Facebook has been facing flak for its Free Basics platform, while operators like Airtel have been at the receiving end for similar plans announced earlier.

DH News Service



What is differential pricing?

Differential pricing or zero rating is where service providers offer free data to users for select applications and websites for example, Facebooks Free Basics.



Raging debate

Debate on Net Neutrality picked up across the country after Airtel decided to charge separately for Internet-based calls in December 2014, but withdrew it later after protests

The debate heated up after Airtel launched free Internet platform Airtel Zero and later Facebook also launched Internet.Org, renamed as Free Basics



Reactions

Facebook expresses disappointment. Company says it will adversely impact Free Basics

Internet activists, political parties, IT Industry bodies Nasscom and IAMAI hail ruling



TRAI says

No service provider should offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content

No service provider shall enter into any arrangement that has the effect of discriminatory tariffs

Failure to comply will attract Rs 50,000 fine per day up to Rs 50 lakh

Will review decision after two years or at an earlier date

Existing plans should cease to exist in 6 months

Now new plans on this issue from Monday itself
Dresden -- Feb 8, 2016 -- The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS has developed an IP Core, which as an enhancement of the established CAN 2.OB standard, supports both the ISO CAN FD as well as the non-ISO CAN FD. In addition to this enhancement, which also allows for the connectivity of complex electronic control units with greater data throughput, the Fraunhofer IPMS CAN FD IP Core provides other useful functions. Thereby, designers of embedded systems can obtain a flexible and useful core for the development of powerful CAN FD solutions. Visitors to the 2016 Embedded World Exhibition & Conference held in Nuremberg from 23.-25. February are invited to stop by Booth 583 in Hall 4 to get a first impression of the new Fraunhofer IPMS CAN FD IP Core.

For about 20 years, the CAN (Controller Area Network) protocol has been the dominating bus system for automobiles. Whether addressing efficient digital motor control or the regulation of functions such as lighting, climate control, power windows, navigation systems, indicators, tire pressure monitoring, anti-lock braking systems or electronic stability control, the low-cost CAN enables the flawless and reliable communication between different control, sensor and multimedia units. The maximum possible data throughput via the CAN 2.OB standard is increasingly insufficient for complex electronic control devices. Introduced in 2012 and approved by ISO, the CAN-FD expansion provides substantial improvement. Shortening bit times in the data phase and enlarging the data field to 64 bytes have since enabled significantly greater data transmission rates in order that control devices requiring broader bandwidths can be cross-linked.

Beyond the CAN FD expansion, the Fraunhofer IPMS IP Core commands additional functions which support the host processor in the management of the IP Core communication. Dr. Frank Deicke, Business Unit Manager at Fraunhofer IPMS explains, The transmit buffer of our IP Core can be operated in first-in-first-out or priority mode. Here, messages of higher priority are automatically sent out first. He continues, In addition, our core supports time-triggered CAN (TTCAN) according to ISO 11898-4. With that, it is possible to set timeframes for sending messages at defined time points and mark received messages with a time-stamp. Communications network designers can then therefore ensure that data from individual control units is available in real time.

Although primarily used in the automotive industry, CAN 2.OB and CAN FD protocols are by no means limited to this sector. Possible fields of application are found everywhere where the number of electronic control devices is increasing: in monitoring systems of automation technology as well as in medical analysis equipment and aircraft cabin and flight-guidance systems, railway vehicles or elevators. The Fraunhofer IPMS CAN FD IP Core has already been incorporated into numerous ASIC- and FPGA designs and used in the field. It is delivered either as netlist or via VHDL or Verilog source code and can be flexibly implemented into individual control devices or circuits (system-on-chip, FPGA) through its 32-bit controller interface (8 bits and 16 bits, as well as AMBA APB and AHB optional), fully synchronous description and modern clock domain crossing.

Experts from the Fraunhofer IPMS will be on hand in Nuremberg at the 2016 Embedded World, the world's leading exhibition for embedded technologies, providing information about the institute's services from 23.-25. February. Fraunhofer IPMS can be found at Booth 583 in Hall 4. Participants of the accompanying Embedded World Conference are cordially invited to attend the Migration from CAN to CAN FD  How to Boost Network Performance presentation to learn more about the steps of the integration of the CAN FD protocols. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday, 25. February.






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by Kathleen Gilbert BEIJING, September 7, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com)  Escaped Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng is leading international opponents of forced abortion in calling upon the worlds largest company to end compliance with the Chinas one-child policy. Family planning police have targeted employees (569)

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Dharma AdhikariImages are not what they used to be. They have become much more than a newspaper or a family photograph, or a Dhurmus-Suntali sitcom.As our society, politics and ideologies increasingly conspire with the all-powerful digitally advancing economic forces that intrude into our lives, the difference between an object and an image practically ceases to exist.Some of the uniquely Nepali rarities are simulated everyday by the mass media machinery and thus amplified, and others protrude from our minds as those imagified objects trigger flashbacks. One such supremely arresting experience that has pestered me for some time is the sight of towel-draped chairs in our officialdom. Now, those are more than objects. They are an image par excellence.More familiar to us and, as a result, an invisible ground overall, include: netas in flower garlands and khada shields, prayer flag-like open air laundries, free-roaming cattle in roads, gentleman in tie and topi, children on tuin for aerial river crossing, Sherpas hauling gears, men paddling rickshaws, and, not to forget, people squatting for open defecation.You don't need a photo for these to be an image. Even without the mediating technologies, they encapsulate our mettle, our tender spots, our self-pride. They persist, and now with the seemingly infinite social media simulations, they magnify. The attention economy thrives on global referrals, and we often hear about ourselves from others. That's when we find it hard to ignore how they perceive us.The power of an image lies in rendering things familiar, which oddly means invisible. Our little symbols have defied successive revolutions of all political shades. Our deeply entrenched images have not given in to change easily.Revolutionary violence may disrupt an order and alter structures, but the little particulars, as habits of the mind, hang tough. No measure of abrupt intervention has helped dissuade them easily. And the pace of evolution is slow to make a quick effect. Often, it is the economy, stupid! And sometimes, it is also a matter of moral choice, for instance, humans co-existing with cattle, as depicted in an iconic image of the 1960s Durbar Square by the late Swiss geologist Toni Hagen, on exhibit this week at Nepal Tourism Board.The real question is: Do we want to be defined by such images, and if so, in what ways?------It took millions of years for the tree-climbers to begin on all fours, and then to squat, stand and walk. Something must have gone amiss in the chain of evolution; to some, we still look like we are crawling.But civilization is tricky. Appearance can be deceptive. While "open societies" like to sanitize their media and human perceptions, we tend to be more open and spontaneous in our manifestations. Yet, that does not earn us any credit for openness. Are we chaotic and cluttered? Should we, then, attribute our open cremations and a rather zealous display of corpses in the media to our tribal instincts?In his powerful book, The Image (1961), historian Daniel Boorstin wrote about the American "age of contrivance" in which false appearances and phony images replace real images, largely in service of market forces and the power elites. The sanitized and carefully choreographed image of a tourist destination, for instance, appears more real than the real place. What we see is not what we get.The problem with our simulation is that in their pictorial power, objects as imagesfrom tuin crossings to defecation to Sherpa portersrarefy our realities, shutting us out from the knowledge of existing suspension bridges, flush toilets and Sherpa farmers or businesses.Coming to the core of this article, some notice the towel-draped chair, a ubiquitous image in government offices, and, and for many, it remains largely invisible. There is more than meets the eye. Kursi, the chair, is itself a symbol of supreme power in Nepal, and when you cover it with a towel, you must be hiding something important.Lest I get carried away by my own illusions, I could not help but dig into literature and talk to some colleagues in senior government posts about the background and implications of towels being draped over chairs.It turns out that towel-on-the-chair accounts are more common in India, where this invention took place. However, our Indian friends themselves often lament that few people have bothered to understand its origin. Such towels were introduced there by the British to prevent the subjugated Indians from smudging chair covers by their oily hairs. The colonial masters themselves never covered their chairs with towels. Towels on seat frames were introduced as sweat sponge for human backs, according to another theory.As imitation is in our DNA, perhaps we inherited this colonial culture from our brothers across the border. Now it is difficult to tell if our maharajas or mukhtiyars in the past ever fell into this 'refined taste'. I'm still looking for any visual evidence from our history that might confirm the speculations about the adoption of this bizarre culture.And I can't help picture in my mind thousands of chairs decked with towels. The government bureaucracy employs over 80,000 and that's not counting the military. In my mental picture, I also see at least 70 to 80 million rupees changing hands annually simply because these towels aren't free. One senior official, who confides that he uses a colorful towel, says only adhikrit-level employees use it, as a status symbol. "It's a matter of prestige; a matter of maintaining hierarchy".Personally though, he believes this is a needless practice, but this culture is deeply ingrained. As he put it: "I am telling you as a friend, without the towel on the chair, it is like something is missingke pugena, ke pugena".Popular media representations cash in on this sentiment. It does not exactly look like a towel in episode 2 of the political television drama "Singha Durbar", but Gauri Malla is all for covering her chair upholstery.Officials I talked to see both merits and demerits of this weird practice. In the old days, towels were handy to wipe hands, to wipe out dust and ink stains. These days, hardly anyone uses fountain pens, and increasingly, office places are vacuum-cleaned and bathrooms are stocked with toilet papers.An officer says this topic would be considered a trivial issue in Nepal, but a profound issue, for example, in Europe. He was pointing out the government ambivalence on this archaic practice. There is no specific policy; however, he recalls receiving guidelines from his ministry on the use of office equipment, and vaguely remembers some reference to towels. One thing he is certain of is that draping towels over chairs is increasingly discouraged in officialdom.Throw in the towel! No more race for status or false appearances.-----Sociologically, the image of the towel is deviant. The real issue, it appears, is our towel mentality more than the towel draped over the chair. To end on a positive note, things appear to be heading for the better; the oversized Italian-style leather chair in the PM's office looks all bare and naked. Published in, 9 February, 2016
Google is reportedly working on a new VR headset, which will be made out of solid plastic and will rely on a smartphone for displaying VR images.

According to a recent report by Financial Times, Google may be working on a new Virtual Reality headset, which will be in direct competition with Samsung's Gear VR. The new Google VR headset will reportedly house additional sensors and lenses. It is also expected to be housed in a solid plastic mold. Similar to the Samsung Gear VR headset, the new Google VR device is also expected to rely on a smartphone for its power and functionality.

Earlier in January, Google had created a dedicated VR division, given that the company needs to play catch-up with the likes of Samsung, HTC, Facebook owned Oculus, Microsoft and Sony. The Samsung Gear VR was launched in India just last month and is priced at Rs. 8,200. Apple is also reportedly working on a VR headset. Last year, Apple was awarded a patent for an iPhone-compatible headset that would display virtual reality images. The US Patent and Trademark Office approved Apples patent, called the "Head-Mounted Display Apparatus for Retaining a Portable Electronic Device with Display."



The new Google VR headset is expected to launch later this year. This will definitely be a notable upgrade from the Google Cardboard, which relies heavily on sensors built into a smartphone. What's left to see is if Google will be able to make up for lost time and get ahead in the VR race.
LED International ceased joint venture negotiations with Shenzhen Ruihetai Industry Co. Ltd (RHT) on Monday, having discussed possibilities with RHT for almost a year.

The AIM-traded company had announced its intention to form a joint-venture with the shareholders of RHT on 31 March 2015.

However, those negotiations had now ceased.

"Upon further discussions with the company's People's Republic of China lawyers and shareholders of RHT, it was concluded that the proposed joint venture did not achieve the original goals of the parties", the company's board said in a statement.

"The company has sent a termination notice to the shareholders of RHT in respect of all agreements executed as part of LED's negotiations", it confirmed.

LED International was also seeking to publish its audited report and accounts for the year ended 30 June 2015 during the second quarter of 2016, blaming the delay on the first quarter being a peak season for audit firms in Hong Kong.

LED International's independent auditor had issued a series of disclaimers of opinion on its consolidated financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2014, and the firm said it was working to resolve and remove a number of them from the 2015 statements.

Its shares were suspended from trading on AIM on 22 December 2015 pursuant to AIM Rule 19, and would remain so until LED International published its audited results for the year ended 30 June 2015.
Wood Group shares fell after Goldman Sachs downgraded the company from neutral to sell and cut its target price from 639.6p to 517.6p.

In a note on Monday, the investment bank focused on working capital analysis, which it believed would be the key there for the oil services sector this year.

As low oil prices lead to negative free cash flow generation for oil producers, we believe oil services companies will face delayed payments that they will largely have to accept given the high competition for new orders created by a lack of order intake in the industry.

It said it sees working capital risks for Wood Group, saying the market overestimates the companys resilience.

We see risks of a material miss vs. 2016 consensus expectations given indications of spending cuts from US E&Ps and muted North Sea activity.

Shares in the company were down 57p (9.04%) to 573.50 at 1513 GMT.
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Aviva has appointed Claudia Arney as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect.

The FTSE 100 insurance and asset management company announced the appointment on Monday.

Arney has a wide range of experience as both an executive and non-executive director across financial services, digital and government sectors.

The company said she brings a wealth of expertise transforming and expanding businesses online and building digital capabilities.

She is currently a non-executive director of Derwent London, Halfords Group and the Premier League, as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the Shareholder Executive.

Previously she has been deputy chairman and senior independent director of Telecity until last month, and chairman of the Public Data Group from 2012 to 2015.

Arney has also sat on the boards of Which?, Doctors.net.uk, Transport for London and Partnerships UK.

In her executive career, she was group managing director of Emap, responsible for transforming the predominantly print trade publishing business into a digital data and information business.

Prior to that she was director of the enterprise and growth unit at HM Treasury, and executive director at Goldman Sachs.

Aviva chairman Sir Adrian Montague said Arney is a welcome addition to the board.

Claudia's experience as both an executive and a non-executive in a variety of sectors, including government and financial services will be invaluable to Aviva.

Claudia has a wealth of digital and technological experience and I am confident she will be a real asset to the Board."
Rolls-Royce shares were under pressure on Monday amid reports management of the aerospace and defence group will cut the dividend this week for the first time in 25 years.

The company, which has issued five profit warnings in the last two years, will publish its financials on Friday.

It announced a major restructuring in November aimed at saving between 150m and 200m per year from 2017.

It also warned in November that it might cut the dividend amid a slowdown in demand for spares and services for existing aero-engines.

Brenda Kelly, head analyst at London Capital Group, said consensus in the City is that Rolls will post underlying pre-tax profits of 1.3bn for 2015, down 20% from the previous year and below the companys guidance of 1.33bn to 1.48bn.

Meanwhile, Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said the possibility of a cut to income is a major theme among corporates as they deal with margin pressure amid a tough economic environment.

He said while RRs 3% yield is far from the high single digits at risk among commodity-focused names, it highlights how bad things have got, as if five profit warnings in less than two years wasnt enough."

The sacred investor dividend is after all akin to a castle keep - a refuge of last resort to maintain shareholder interest and always defended to the very last. But at the avoidance of another profits warning could a brief dividend cut be a relief of sorts?

At 1110 GMT, Rolls-Royce shares were down 3.6% to 510p.
Google is developing a new virtual-reality headset for smartphones, and adding extra support for the technology to its Android operating system, as it challenges Facebook's Oculus for an early lead in Silicon Valleys latest platform war. The new headset will be a successor to Cardboard. the cheap-and-cheerful mobile VR viewer that Google launched in 2014, and feature better sensors, lenses and a more solid plastic casing, said people familiar with its plans. The smartphone-based device will be similar to the Gear VR, a collaboration between Samsung and Oculus that went on sale to consumers late last year.  Financial Times

The 500 note, $100 bill and 50 note are rarely found in the average consumers wallet in todays world of easy digital payments and contactless bank cards. But with cash still very much king in the underworld of terrorists, drug lords and tax cheats, a new paper has called for the abolition of the currency of corrupt elites.  Financial Times

US multinationals such as Google, Facebook and Amazon will be forced to publicly disclose their earnings and tax bills in Europe, under legislation being drafted by the EU executive. The European commission is to table legislation in early April aimed at making the worlds largest multinational corporations open their tax arrangements with EU governments to full public scrutiny.  Guardian

Rolls-Royce is poised to cut its dividend payment to shareholders for the first time in almost 25 years, underlining the crisis at the famous engineering group. The dividend cut will be a blow to Britains leading pension funds, who are amongst the biggest shareholders in the FTSE 100 company.  Guardian

The collapse of the Schengen system of open borders risks plunging Europe into fresh economic turmoil, Hungarys foreign minister has warned. Europes escalating migration crisis - which saw over a million people pour into the continent last year - has led to the re-introduction of temporary border controls in the EU for the first time time in two decades, threatening to reverse one of Brussels landmark integration projects.  Telegraph

Debt-laden oil explorer Tullow Oil is expected to report 2015 profits of $600m, well below the previous years almost $1.1bn, as the ongoing oil rout continues to erode value across oil and gas firms. But the firm is nonetheless touted as a prime choice for the return of investment to oil-rich West Africa, which could position Tullow to survive a prolonged downturn in the oil market. - Telegraph

Britains war chest for emergencies has risen by $25 billion over the past year to protect against market chaos if the country votes to leave the European Union. The governments foreign currency reserves have increased by 34 per cent in the past 12 months, from $73.4 billion to $98.2 billion. It was the largest increase in a year since 2001.  The Times

The oil price rout, collapsing valuations and a growing mountain of debt left 80 per cent of Britains oil companies floundering in the red by the end of last year, according to research carried out for The Times. The number of loss-making UK oil and gas companies on AIM in the final quarter of last year rose to 64, up 10 per cent on the same period a year earlier, according to an analysis that highlights the impact of the low oil price.  The Times

A row has erupted between the Serious Fraud Office and one of Londons leading law firms over figures said to show that the agency ignored tip-offs because of budget cuts. The SFO accused Pinsent Masons yesterday of deliberately misinterpreting data showing that while the number of whistleblowing reports to the agency had risen last year by 324 to 2,832, only 16 new investigations had been opened.  The Times
Circleville Pumpkin Show 2022: What you need to know if you plan to go
Four firms join forces in Salus to help clients prepare for natural disasters



Journal Staff Reporter By LYNN PORTER Journal Staff Reporter

The Salus Resilience team includes (left to right) Allison Pyrch of Hart Crowser, Ed MacMullan of ECONorthwest, Jay Raskin and Brian Knight of WRK Engineers.

Hart Crowser has formed a partnership to provide planning, engineering, architectural and financial consulting services to help companies and public agencies prepare for natural disasters.

The new firm is called Salus Resilience, and is based in Portland. It is made up of Hart Crowser, a geotechnical, environmental and natural resources firm; Jay Raskin Architect; structural engineer WRK Engineers; and ECONorthwest, which provides economics, planning and financial consulting services.

Allison Pyrch, an associate geotechnical engineer with Hart Crowser, will head the new firm.

Salus will do resilience assessments to determine where a building, utility, infrastructure or system is vulnerable to natural disasters, and create a plan to incrementally fix any problems. Pyrch said Salus is taking a team approach because resilience planning has many facets.

The firm is named for Salus, the Roman goddess of safety, welfare, health and prosperity.

Pyrch said Salus was formed because the four firms anticipate an increase in demand for natural disaster planning  especially after last year's article in The New Yorker titled The Really Big One. The subtitle was An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when. She said the deadly 2012 Hurricane Sandy also heightened interest.

Oregon and Washington have developed resilience plans in the last five years, and there's been more national attention since Sandy about the need for resilient buildings and infrastructure, she said.

Resilience plans developed by Salus could be for a building, county or state, or part of master planning for a new development.

Salus will determine how a business or public agency can keep running following a disaster. It will also do financial planning, including assistance with grant proposals, to help get money for disaster preparation.

Salus can also do the work called for in the plans, Prych said, such as seismic retrofits or architectural design to make buildings safer.

Prych said communities, companies and agencies need to be prepared.

If you have large sectors of an electrical grid in a tsunami zone, that's not going to be resilient, she said. If you have a platinum-rated LEED building that is not designed to withstand earthquake forces, that's not really sustainable.

Pyrch said interest is keen now in planning for earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, storms and climate change.

For instance, Seattle-based Hart Crowser is on a team doing natural disaster planning for some Oregon airports, she said. It also is interviewing for a feasibility study to replace or retrofit the Burnside Bridge in Portland because of seismic concerns.





Lynn Porter can be reached by email or by phone at (206) 622-8272.




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TORNILLO, Texas (AP)  An international bridge over the Rio Grande near El Paso opened for the first time last week after years of construction delays, giving officials hope it would be a boon for Texas-Mexico border commerce.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto joined U.S. officials to dedicate the Tornillo-Guadalupe Port of Entry and International Bridge. The bridge in a rural area about 30 miles downstream from El Paso replaces the narrow 77-year-old Fabens-Caseta international bridge about 650 yards away.





. . .
Team Robins attend Middle Georgia Military Affairs Committee luncheon

Maj. Gen. Derek P. Rydholm, director, A5A8 (Plans, Programs, Requirements, Assessments), Air Force Reserve, and the leaders of Team Robins enjoy lunch with the members of the Middle Georgia Military Affairs Committee at the Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB, Ga, Feb 5, 2016. The mission of the Committee, through a coordinated effort of surrounding Chambers of Commerce, is to strengthen and enhance community relationships with civilian and military Airmen of Robins Air Force Base, with a focus on contact, resulting in a positive impact on the Airmen and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo by Robert Helton)
Mexico experiences their first C-17

It is extremely rare when a C-17 aircrew, with a combined 173 years of total flight experience, lands in a place they never visited.



But yesterday, Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. flew a mission supporting the Coast Guard into Bahias de Huatulco, Mexico.



We were originally scheduled to deliver humanitarian aid to Nicaragua, but the Coast Guard had a helicopter that was stuck in Mexico because of maintenance issues, said aircraft commander, Lt. Col. Jeff Smith, 300th Airlift Squadron pilot. I think we are the first C-17 to ever stop here.



Bahias de Huatulco is a small tourist and beach town in the most southwest portion of Mexico and the locals were extremely interested in meeting the aircrew and seeing the massive C-17 up-close.



As the C-17 arrived at Bahias de Huatulco International Airport, most of the airport employees came out to see the C-17 and take pictures. This is a beautiful aircraft and everyone is taking selfies with it, said Gustavo Galicia, a cargo specialist at the airport. We are all excited that you came here.



The airfield manager confirmed that the 315 AW aircraft was the first C-17 to ever land at the small thatched roof airport. Well, I can honestly say that I have never flown into an airport that was an actual hut, said Maj. Ryan Fleming, 300th AS pilot.



The aircrew quickly loaded the broken helicopter into the back of the jet and took off.



Its not every day that a crew this seasoned will fly into place where they have never been, said Smith. But, I guess that is what being in the Reserve is all about.










Swan song of the iconic Land Rover Defender

The rugged off-road vehicle Land Rover Defender is winding down its chequered run stretched over close to seven decades. The preferred vehicle of military and governments around the globe, the Land Rover Defender, has been to places where few of its peers could have dared to go.

Though certainly not the last word in comfort and sophistication, the Land Rover Defender amply made up for the deficits in reliability and toughness  the two qualities that had endeared it to nobles and poor farmers alike.

Queen Elizabeth had been photographed driving a Defender on many occasions and Oprah Winfrey owned one, too.

Also, twice during his presidency, President Lungu of Zambia had ridden in an open-topped Defender belonging to the military during ceremonies.

The Defender was also the vehicle of choice for the Zambia Army, police and government departments.

The much-acclaimed vehicle celebrated 68 years of its history last week as the last of the current Defenders rolled out of its famous Solihull facility.

To mark the occasion, Land Rover announced a new Heritage Restoration Programme, which would be based on the site of the existing Solihull production line. A team of experts, including a number of long-serving Defender employees, would oversee the restoration of a number of Series Land Rovers sourced from across the globe. The first vehicles would be put up for sale in July 2016.

Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said: ''Today we celebrate what generations of men and women have done since the outline for the Land Rover was originally drawn in the sand. The Series Land Rover, now Defender, is the origin of our legendary capability, a vehicle that makes the world a better place, often in some of the most extreme circumstances. There will always be a special place in our hearts for Defender, among all our employees, but this is not the end. We have a glorious past to champion, and a wonderful future to look forward to.''
Pakistan-based terrorists attempted to attack Mumbai twice before the 26/11 strikes that killed 166 people, but failed in both earlier attempts, key accused and Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley told a Mumbai court on Monday. The first attempt to strike India's financial capital was made in September 2008 but the boat used by extremists to reach Mumbai's shores hit rocks in the ocean, Headley said during a deposition. All weapons and explosives on board were lost but the terrorists survived. The same group of terrorists made a second attempt a month later in October but failed again. In his deposition through video conference from a US jail, which began at 7 am, Headley said that he was a ''true follower of LeT'' and came to India eight times - seven before the terror attack on 26 November 2008 and once after that. Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India with a US identity and set up business. ''I applied for change in name on 5 February 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity. ''After I got a new passport I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person whom I was dealing with. The objective for coming to India was to set up an office / business so that I can live in India. Before the first visit, Sajid Mir gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai,'' Headley told the court. Headley also said that in his Indian visa application he had furnished all ''wrong'' information ''to protect his cover''. He reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House. His reconnaissance provided vital information for the 10 LeT terrorists and their handlers, who launched the attack. Headley, an American of Pakistani origin, has been an LeT member since 2002. He told the Mumbai court last December when he was first produced via video conferencing that he was ready to depose and turn approver in the 26/11 trials if he was pardoned. The court granted this and accepted him as a prosecution witness. ''The conspiracy was hatched outside India no direct evidence is there so far for the offence of criminal conspiracy. In this case fortunately for the prosecution, David Coleman Headley has willingly decided to unfold the conspiracy which was hatched outside India,'' the court said. Headley had also turned approver in the US in the trial against his former partner and friend Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani Canadian operative of the LeT. This helped him get a lenient sentence and a promise that he would not be sent to India or any other country to face trial. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison by the US court.










German regulator shuts operations of Canada's Maple Financial

German financial watchdog Bafin has closed the German operations of Canada's Maple Financial over expected financial over-indebtedness related to investigations into tax evasion.

Maple Bank's premises were searched by German authorities a part of a probe into serious tax evasion and money laundering related to so-called ''dividend stripping trades.''

The trades involved acquisition of a stock just prior to losing rights to a dividend, then selling it, taking advantage of a legal loophole, which was later closed, that allowed both buyer and seller to reclaim capital gains tax.

According to a statement by Bafin, once Maple Bank made some necessary tax provisions, over-indebtedness loomed.

Maple Bank said in a separate statement that the requested tax provisions were tied to the ongoing investigations into dividend stripping trades carried out between in 2006 to 2010.

According to a report in the German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung yesterday, the Frankfurt prosecutors alleged that Maple Bank and its business partners had cheated the taxpayer of some 450 million.

The bank's equity capital stood at only 300 million.

Bafin said in a statement that the lender with 5 billion in assets did not pose any threat to the financial stability of the country.

Meanwhile, National Bank of Canada said it would write off the full C$165 million ($119 million) carrying value of its stake in Maple Financial Group Inc, after Bafin's action.

According to the Montreal-based bank's statement, the writedown would be included in fiscal first-quarter results to be announced on 23 Februay, cutting the company's common equity Tier 1 ratio by about 13 basis points. National Bank, had in October signalled that a reduction of the kind was possible. Maple owns a 24.9 per cent stake in Maple Financial, the parent of Maple Bank GmbH.

Maple Bank spokeswoman, Barbara Fuchs, said in Frankfurt, that the company could not comment on investigations.

''These events result from ongoing investigations launched by German authorities in September 2015 focusing on selected trading activities by Maple Bank, and certain of its current and former employees,'' National Bank said Sunday. ''None of National Bank of Canada and its employees were involved in these trading activities, nor to our knowledge is National Bank of Canada or any of our employees the subject of these investigations.''


French retailer Casino Guichard-Perrachon to sell stake in Thai supermarket chain for 3.1 bn

French retailer Casino Guichard-Perrachon SA yesterday struck a deal to sell its controlling stake in Thai supermarket chain Big C Supercenter Pcl to TCC Holding Co for 3.1 billion ($3.5 billion).

Casino Guichard-Perrachon sold its 58.56 per cent stake to TCC Holding, a company controlled by Thailand's richest man, Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, for 252.88 baht a share.

The offer is an 11 per cent premium to Big C Supercenter's 5 February closing price and a 28 per cent premium to 14 January, just before Casino said it planned to sell its stake.

The disposal will allow Casino Group to reduce its debt by  3.3 bn.

Casino Guichard-Perrachon said that the transaction is expected to close by 31 March 2016 and will reduce its debt by 3.3 billion.

The purchase cuts Casino's debt in half and puts it well on track to reach its goal of raising 4 billion through asset sales this year, said Casino Guichard-Perrachon's CFO, Antoine Giscard-D'Estaing.

Big C Supercenter is a leading hypermarket operator in Thailand with over 120 hypermarkets located in Bangkok and other parts of the country.

Founded 118-years ago, Casino Guichard-Perrachon is the world's sixth-largest food retailer with 14,000 stores, employing 336,000 people and annual sales of 48.5 billion.

Over 58 of its sales are generated in fast-growing countries, mainly in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

Sirivadhanabhakdi, an aggressive acquirer successfully wrangled an $11 billion deal in 2013 to take control of Singapore-listed Fraser and Neave (F&N) by outbidding Heineken NV, the world's third-largest brewer.

Last year, TCC Holding agreed to buy Metro AG's Cash & Carry wholesale business in Vietnam for 655 million.

Sirivadhanabhakdi holds vast assets, including hotels in Bangkok, Kobe, Hanoi, Singapore and New York, and beverage business of fruit juices and bottled water.
Lycos Internet to buy Austria's TriTelA Gmbh' messenger and tech platforms

Lycos Internet Ltd, a digital marketing company, today struck a deal to buy Austria's TriTelA Gmbh, the owner of MYSMS messenger and tech platforms SPH Wien and Kika Social, in an all-stock transaction.

Under the terms of the deal that has been approved by the boards of both companies, Lycos will issue 2.848 crore additional shares in return for the 100 per cent ownership of the company.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

TriTeIA GmbH owns multiple solutions in the mobile ecosystem. Its solutions include content management and analytics platform for video and unified platform for social media listening, engaging and measurement.

Under the brand name 'MySMS', TriTeIA provides a cross-platform messenger that synchronizes SMSes and instant messages between a wide range of mobile, web and desktop platforms  all through a single cloud-based account. This product has 3 million downloads across various app stores.

SPH Wien is a content management and analytics platform for video.Kika Social is a unified platform for social media listening, engaging and measurement.

The proposed acquisition brings in cloud-based framework to Lycos that can tie multiple nodes like SMSes, instant messages, wearables, cars and appliances with the consumer through multiple devices smart phones, Tablets, laptops and OTTs.

Massachusetts-based Lycos, is a search engine and web portal founded in 1994, spun out of Carnegie Mellon University.

It was acquired in 2010 for $36 million by Ybrant Digital, a Bombay Stock Exchange-listed company founded in 1999 by Suresh Reddy and Vijay Kancharla.

Lycos operates as a division of Ybrant Digital.

Lycos, whose clients include Airtel, British Airways, Coca-Cola, Hyundai Motors, ICICI Bank, lTC, lNG, Lenovo, LlC, Maruti Suzuki, MTV, P&G, Qatar Airways, Samsung, and Viacom, is one of the original and most widely known Internet brands in the world, evolving from pioneering search on the web, into a family of three business units covering digital media, marketing, and Internet of Things (IoT).

The company employs around 450 people across the US, Israel, India, Western Europe, Australia and Latin America.
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dpa ElectionsData

With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc.

The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties.
AOL on Monday announced that it has agreed to purchaseAlephD as it ramps up efforts to boost its key assets: its global content brands, millennial-focused over-the-top content, original video content, and programmatic advertising platforms.

AlephDs algorithms focus on publisher analytics and price floor optimization. They let publishers control and optimize the pricing and packaging of their inventory to maximize revenue.

The company also helps publishers find the optimal price for deals, monitor the performance of new and ongoing deals, and monitor and analyze auctions.

It will become a key part of ONE by AOL: Publishers, into which five other technologies previously available as separate offerings will be consolidated:

Marketplace

Adap.tv, now called ONE by AOL: Video

AOL On

Vidible

Millennial Media, which AOL acquired last year for $238 million

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

AOL is building toward becoming the worlds largest mobile technology company, and through solutions like ONE by AOL: Publishers, we are helping to grow the revenue pie, not only for AOL, but also for the 75,000 publisher partners that we work with, AOL spokesperson Gerasimos Manolatos told the E-Commerce Times.

More About AlephD

Publishers pay about 50 percent of revenue to technology middlemen for yield optimization and other capabilities, a fee called the tech tax in the industry, an unnamed AOL spokesperson said in a statement provided by Manolatos.

They get locked into technologies offered by startups and have to give away their data and content to use these technologies.

AOL seeks to change that: It will integrate AlephD into ONE by AOL: Publishers over the course of the year, and the resulting product will let publishers find the right audiences for their products and deliver more creative branding to them, the AOL spokesperson told the E-Commerce Times.

The Pain of Publishers

There have been major complaints about advertising in general, observed Michael Goodman, a research director atStrategy Analytics.

The overarching issue publishers have had with respect to digital ads is that CPM (cost per thousand) prices are pushed to the bottom, he told the E-Commerce Times. This is a long-standing issue with digital advertising.

Programmatic advertising has become the trend, but to a certain extent [it] hasnt always been the best thing for publishers, Goodman added.

But its here to stay, and the question now is how to make it better, and if you have something like price floors that gives publishers more control over their pricing, that will make it more attractive, he said.

The Evolution of the Market

The old notion of the business transaction  in which the buyer and seller negotiate a price, sign a deal and conclude the transaction  is gone, remarked Mike Jude, a research program manager at Frost & Sullivan.

Weve been evolving toward continuous transactions which take place on the fly in real time, typically on an agreed set of metrics, exactly the way the stock market works, he told the E-Commerce Times.

This already has happened with airline tickets and hotel prices, as consumers go to aggregators, and to some extent on eBay, where the weight of the market determines the value of the good or service, Jude pointed out. The same things happening with content.

The change isnt a good thing or a bad thing. It simply means the market moves faster, and when that happens, the market generates higher revenues, he said. This is capitalism at the speed of analytics.

AOL has invested about $1 billion in seeking to become a major media player, and if it catches on, AOL can be more successful than it has been heretofore, Jude said. AOL has been reinventing itself forever.

Verizon purchased AOL last year to pursue its vision of becoming a force in the OTT market, and the markets going that way, with Facebook, Google and other players tracking consumers across platforms, Strategy Analytics Goodman said. Thats the key for all targeting  to be able to go across platforms.
In the runup to the release of Apples Q1 2016 earnings report Tuesday, one of the big unanswered questions was whether the iPhone could maintain its sales momentum.

Q1 2015 iPhone sales hit a record 74.5 million units, and its possible the latest quarters shipments may not equal  let alone exceed  that mark.

IDC has forecast of slowing sales industrywide for 2016. The smartphone market will see the first single-digit growth year ever.

The slowdown in Chinas economy, weak demand for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and sluggish Apple Watch sales are also of concern.

However, we think sales are actually going to be up in volume this year compared to a year ago, said Jeff Orr, a senior practice director atABI Research.

First, China is still a great opportunity despite the slowing down of its economy, and second, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were launched a little later than iPhones used to be launched previously, so we arent sure whether or not theyll hinder Apples quarter, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Great Expectations

Apple historically has exceeded analysts expectations while playing down its performance prior to releasing its earnings reports.

FactSet StreetAccount estimated Apple sold 75.5 million iPhones in the quarter  surpassing the previous years record by about 1 million units, according to news reports.

FBR, which slashed its estimates for iPhone 6s sales in December, earlier this month predicted a huge uptick for the upcoming iPhone 7 and dismissed investors fears about slowing growth at Apple as being overblown, while acknowledging the company has been through a rough patch.

The market agrees  Apple shares were up by US$1.28 to $100.72 at the time of writing.

Should we expect any company to keep setting records year over year? The answer is no, Orr said. The problem Apple has is that investors always expect it to show a meteoric performance. The question is, at what point do you become disgruntled because you dont get meteoric performance out of the company?

Leveraging Preowned Phones

Sales of refurbished smartphones are taking off, and Apple has ventured into this area.

Refurbished iPhones can be sold in price-sensitive but growing markets without any brand dilution, pointed out Andreas Scherer, managing partner atSalto Partners.

It could be tempting to develop a cheaper product thats being sold utilizing a different brand name in order to win in Africa, India and Indonesia, but the better strategy is to sell refurbished iPhones, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Grabbing Market Share

In the future, the replacement business will outpace the new phone business, ABIs Orr suggested.

For Apple the issue no longer will be offering items good enough for first-time buyers to purchase an Apple product; it will be about getting Android or Microsoft phone users to switch, he explained.

Its getting increasingly difficult to get that kind of differentiation, but thats not just an Apple problem. Its the same thing Samsung has been facing over the past two years and being hammered by investors over, Orr said.

Where Apple Might Go

Apple needs to continue to win in its core markets, Scherer observed. That means relentlessly focusing on replacing existing iPhones with newer versions in markets such as the United States, and introducing upgrade incentive programs and incentives to buy additional phones as part of family plans through carriers.

Perhaps Apple could move away from its image as the largest manufacturer of smartphones, Orr said.

Were hearing talk about moving the audio jack and creating a new accessories market thats exclusive and led by Apple  Beat headphones and other products using the Lightning connector or wireless interfaces, he elaborated.

Other possibilities for Apple are wireless charging, improving battery life, wraparound screens, incorporating OLED technologies, and making iPhones more user-proof and water-resistant, Orr suggested.
As the U.S. retail industry puts another long holiday shopping season behind it, a few changes appear to be taking place.

For one thing, it appears theres a new recipe for success. Growing a business requires more than setting up a fancy website, placing inventory into a warehouse, and engaging a service to make speedy deliveries.

Thats in part because customer expectations have changed. There are severe costs and challenges involved in building a successful e-commerce operation, and todays customers have little patience for an online experience that falls short.

As more and more retailers roll out mobile payment services, its critically important that they ensure their mobile apps maintain the same digital performance experience that their retail websites offer, or risk losing customers who are trying to make purchases over their mobile devices, Dynatrace analyst David Jones told the E-Commerce Times.

Millennials, in particular, are rather unforgiving of mobile shopping sites that fail to deliver, suggest the results of a Dynatrace-commissioned multinational Harris Poll conducted just before Black Friday.

Eighty-one percent of millennials shopping with tablets or smartphones said they would walk away from a buggy, slow, or crash-prone mobile site or app.

Also 51 percent of them said they would broadcast their bad experiences across social media, which could result in great damage to a retailers reputation.

Overall, retailers must be ready to compete for millennial shoppers. Sixty percent of them planned to do more mobile shopping than they did a year ago, and 62 percent planned to use mobile apps in making in-store purchases, according to the survey, which included responses from 5,110 smartphone users in five countries  the U.S., UK, France, Germany and Australia.

Another key component of the mobile shopping experience is growing demand for retailers to offer a ship-to-store option. That typically involves a customer ordering from a home, office or laptop computer or smartphone app, and then picking up the order directly from the store. Some customers order on behalf of others from a remote location  parents for their kids away at college, for example.

For traditional stores to have both the proper inventory and the technology available to give customers the right product in a timely manner is often a difficult task, noted Curbside CEO Jarod Waldman.

Curbsides mobile app lets customers buy from traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, and quickly and efficiently pick up their orders.

What weve developed at the core is a very noninvasive way to notify stores that the customer is waiting outside for pickup, said Waldman.

Sears, which is facing brutal competition with Target, has been a leader of the trend to let online customers pick up merchandise on the same day.

Sears, founded in 1886, started out as a major mail order department store, allowing customers both to buy in-house and order goods from the legendary Sears catalog  which, for many rural customers, was the only means of accessing essential goods.

Sears offers customers the option of making transactions online and then picking up or returning goods at a store, using the in-vehicle feature of the Sears app. They can drive to a designated parking area and pick up, exchange or return an item in five minutes.

Were taking the stress out of shopping and letting them shop with us wherever, whenever and however they choose, said Leena Munjal, senior vice president for customer experience and integrated retail at Sears Holdings.

Fulfilling the Order

Another problem that plagues e-commerce companies is achieving fast, accurate fulfillment. Many online companies have large regional distribution centers with millions of products stored in large warehouses.

To meet that need, Newegg deployed Honeywells Vocollect, which uses a combination of radio frequency and voice recognition-enabled headsets to achieve radical improvement in the performance of its warehouse workers, who process more than 10 million packages per year.

The Newegg Memphis distribution center, which processed about 30 percent of its orders, was transformed from one of its lowest-performing facilities to one of the best, as the technology helped reduce errors by 23 percent, according to the company. The devices  headsets that pick up SKU orders from warehouse workers  helped reduce training time for new employees in an environment that relies heavily on seasonal workers.

Were faced with the significant challenge of fulfilling customer orders on time, said Kunal Thakkar, senior vice president of operations at Newegg. Because we receive thousands of orders an hour, we need to invest in technologies to automate and optimize processes.

Honeywell has worked with a wide variety of companies to make warehouse operations more efficient using the Vocollect devices. It has been beta-testing the technology with grocers in the U.S. and Europe that want to expand their businesses to process online orders at the store, according to Honeywell spokesperson Eric Krantz.

Full versions of the Vocollect systems are expected to roll out during the first half of 2016, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Overnight Delivery

Delivery of packages to customers is one of the biggest nuts to crack in the e-commerce chain. It is not only costly and time consuming, but also chancy, in that it often requires the retailer give up control of the process to a third party.

Amazon most famously fell victim to that pitfall during recent holiday seasons, when millions of packages were delayed due to logistical problems and sheer overload at the U.S. Postal Service, UPS and FedEx.

Amazon has been testing various options to take control of its own delivery service. The company last year launched Amazon Flex, a two-hour delivery service that pays local delivery workers up to US$25 to deliver goods for Amazon Prime customers.

Flex currently is available in the Seattle, Richmond, Nashville, Austin, Dallas, Baltimore, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Minneapolis, and Indianapolis metro areas.

The company also has begun looking into buying its own fleet of aircraft. It has begun testing its own truck fleet, and it recently acquired the remaining stake of Colis Prive, a France-based delivery company in which it held a 25 percent stake.

UPS enjoys a good working relationship with Amazon, said spokesperson Natalie Norrington, but she declined to get into specific details of their relationship. Amazon is only one of many e-commerce companies that uses UPS services.

Overall, UPS remains a massive distributor of e-commerce packages. The company delivered more than 300 million packages in 2014, Norrington told the E-Commerce Times, which averages out to more than 14.3 million per day.

Forty-five percent of UPS e-commerce deliveries went to residential addresses in 2014. Residential deliveries as a percentage of total business are expected to grow by 50 percent over the next five years, Norrington noted.

The company is aware that peak season delivery requires taking steps to expand capacity.

During peak 2015, UPS increased its use of advanced scanning and sorting technology in more facilities to improve processing capacity, said Norrington, and upgraded visibility systems so that we had a more precise knowledge of all transportation assets during the holidays.
The U.S. government was shaken last year when theOffice of Personnel Management disclosed that employment records affecting 21.5 million people had been breached. The Obama administration acted quickly and initiated several comprehensive actions designed to shore up federal data protection  including an immediate 30-day cybersecurity sprint.

A parallel initiative that theAmerican Council for Technology and the Industry Advisory Council, or ACT-IAC, launched in July revealed that federal agencies still have a long way to go to strengthen cybersecurity performance.

Despite decades of law and policy that require government to improve its security and privacy, many federal agencies still struggle to effectively defend themselves against a torrent of cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats, according to an ACT-IAC report released last month.

ACT-IAC is a forum for private sector and government cooperation on information technology issues.

Until actions are taken that effectively counter these kinds of threats systematically across the government, agencies risk losing public confidence and trust in online activity that are key to delivering citizen and business services more efficiently through the use of technology, ACT-IAC said.

Five Elements for Better Security

ACT-IAC undertook its initiative not as an exercise critical of the government but as a project designed to provide recommendations to assist federal agencies in improving security. The cooperative effort included contributions from the private sector, academia and government. The organization functioned as a facilitator in developing recommendations.

The report incorporates ideas or suggestions from a wide variety of sources, and as such it does not constitute recommendations or endorsement of those ideas by ACT-IAC, Michael Howell, senior director, Institute for Innovation and Special Projects at ACT-IAC, told the E-Commerce Times.

The initiative generated 127 recommendations for strengthening federal cyber protections.

In the process of gathering suggestions, a panel ACT-IAC assembled turned up five major factors at work in the federal cyber environment:

Not rocket science: While improved technology is crucial, much of what is required for boosting protection is already known but hasnt been fully or properly implemented government-wide.

Talk to each other: Cybersecurity experts and federal agency business executives need to improve communications more directly and diligently about the connection between cybersecurity and agency missions.

Risk and IT connections: It seems logical, but ACT-IAC found that emerging cadres of executive-level risk managers such as chief risk officers and chief data officers need to work with their traditional counterparts in IT, such as agency CIOs.

Boosting cyber IQ: Cybersecurity-related training in government is largely deficient. Greater emphasis is needed on competencies, practice sessions and drills, and shared cyber knowledge management.

See something, say something: Enhanced and timely operational information sharing (threats, incidents, solutions and responses) between industry and government is critical to improving cyber safeguards, ACT-IAC found.

Vendor Issues Addressed

One section of the report deals with cybersecurity issues associated with IT vendors that compete for business in the federal market.

The success of cybersecurity across the federal government depends on an acquisition process that is agile, dynamic, and responsive to procure goods, services, and capabilities consistent with the 21st century imperative to operate at the speed of the web, the report noted.

One suggestion is to utilize a cyber-protection standard across all federal contracts, modeled on the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP, which is used to ensure security in the acquisition of cloud technologies. A CyberRAMP process would involve third-party certification administered on an acquisition-by-acquisition basis, or generally for all acquisitions where IT is involved. The General Services Administration could host the program.

Recently, however, the FedRAMP process has led to excessive delays in the cloud acquisition process.

Ensuring that adequate cybersecurity is built into information technology acquisitions, while simultaneously accelerating the acquisition process to deliver the best solutions available to meet mission requirements, is a big challenge, said David McClure, chief strategist ofVeris Group and a co-chair of the ACT-IAC initiative.

Programs like FedRAMP have the potential to provide important, reliable assurance of cybersecurity in IT products in timely and cost-efficient ways. The federal government and industry have identified the need to accelerate the processing of FedRAMP certifications and are working on ways to do that, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Based on the ideas contained in the report, we believe it is important and possible to accelerate IT acquisitions without sacrificing cybersecurity in the process, McClure said.

Another acquisition-related suggestion involves the creation of a federal cybersecurity acquisition portal, which would be open to government and industry to help accelerate sharing, adoption, and implementation of best practices and tools.

This portal could help address inconsistencies in how acquisition policies, rules, and regulation are implemented in the federal government, the report noted.

Information available through the portal should include all current and proposed federal government contract requirements, as a minimum, as well as sample acquisition evaluation criteria and evaluation methodologies.

A Role for the NIST Framework

More generally, contributors to the report noted the potential value to government agencies of theNational Institute of Standards and Technologys Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. Issued in 2014, the NIST framework has gotten traction in the private sector as a sound baseline reference for dealing with cyberthreats  and it has relevance to government agencies as well.

The NIST framework, along with other NIST publications and standards, was identified by multiple contributors to the ACT-IAC report as useful tools that could help strengthen federal agency cybersecurity programs. For example, it was suggested that metrics based on the NIST framework could help strengthen proactive defenses, noted ACT-IACs Howell.

An underlying theme of the ACT-IAC report indicates that a more proactive approach to cybersecurity is in order, rather than a reactive, post-incident approach.

However, prevention of cyberincidents should be just one element of a comprehensive strategy, according to Howell.

The report recognizes that cybersecurity threats are rapidly evolving, and incidents with significant impacts are increasing, he said, noting that old, well-known methods of cyberattacks are still successful, while newer more sophisticated methods are increasing.

Coping with these challenges requires a comprehensive understanding of vulnerabilities, threats and exploits that can come from both outside and inside the agencies, Howell added. A balanced combination of capabilities to address the full range of prevention, detection, response and recovery capabilities is required.

Questions designed to spur ideas for improvement were drafted after consultation with senior government officials as to the types of recommendations that would be most useful. In August and September, ACT-IAC conducted an open public platform and established a process for people to submit their ideas and vote on ideas submitted by others.

Kenneth Allen, executive director of ACT-IAC, sent the results of the project to federal CIO Tony Scott in late December.
The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University on Monday released a report that questions the so-called going dark phenomenon.

The U.S. government and its surveillance and law enforcement agencies have been calling for an end to encryption because they say it lets terrorists communicate and plan with impunity and is responsible for going dark  the inability of law enforcement to monitor communications.

Thats not true, according to the Berkman Center, which notes the following:

Not all companies likely will adopt end-to-end encryption and other technology for obscuring user data because most businesses providing communications services rely on access to that data for revenue streams and product functionality, including user data recovery;

Software ecosystems are fragmented and far more standardization and coordination than currently exists would be needed to ensure that encryption becomes widespread and comprehensive;

Networked sensors and the Internet of Things will grow substantially, possibly enabling real-time interception and recording, and, in essence, providing a workaround to encrypted channels; and

Metadata isnt encrypted, and it needs to remain unencrypted in order for systems to operate.

The center is suggesting a think-it-through-first strategy, which seems obvious but apparently isnt, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

What were currently doing isnt very effective, and the government should likely fix the not very effective part before they ask for permission to do more surveillance, he told TechNewsWorld.

Market Forces at Play

Short of a form of government intervention in technology that appears contemplated by no one outside of the most despotic regimes, communication channels resistant to surveillance will always exist, the report states. This is especially true given the generative nature of the modern Internet, in which new services and software can be made available without centralized vetting.

Market forces and commercial interests will likely limit the circumstances in which companies will offer encryption that obscures user data from the companies themselves, and the trajectory of technological development points to a future abundant in unencrypted data, some of which can fill gaps left by the very communication channels law enforcement fears will go dark and beyond reach, the report states.

That hasnt quelled law enforcements calls to limit encryption. FBI Director James Comey has been arguing for an end to encryption, and senior Obama administration officialsmet with high-tech firms CEOs last month in whats been viewed widely as an attempt to get high-tech firms to cooperate with government requests for data and possibly create encryption backdoors.

In November, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the U.S. National District Attorneys Association released a report on going dark, and made seven recommendations.

Legislators in New York and California last month introduced bills toban the sale of smartphones encrypted by default, on antiterrorism and anti-human trafficking grounds.

More Efficiency Needed

Its not as if law enforcement  or the U.S. National Security Agency  isnt scooping up tons of data already.

Back in 2013, the NSA began work on a 600,000-square-foot data center in Utah to house all the data it was getting.

In May, a federal appeals court ruled that the NSAs telephone metadata collection program was illegal under the Patriot Act.

Some local law enforcement agencies use StingRay phone trackers on the sly, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has been collecting data on Americansphone calls illegally for decades. The U.S. Marshals Service also iscollecting data through specially equipped planes without a warrant.

A Happy Medium?

There is a lot of value to metadata, and the Berkman report might be a compromise that all sides should willingly agree to, suggested Daniel Castro, vice president at theInformation Technology and Innovation Foundation.

The debate on counterterrorism and privacy seems to have some entrenched views, and so the Berkman reports useful in that it tries to shake out some new perspectives, he told TechNewsWorld. Its important for law enforcement to recognize, and start using, many of the other tools at its disposal that do not depend on having backdoor access to encrypted data.
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(Photo: WCC Marianne / Ejdersten)Representatives of the World Council of Churches visited Greece in October 2015 to strengthen efforts in support of refugees in Europe and the Middle East. The WCC solidarity visit was hosted by the The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the [Orthodox] Church of Greece.

The renowned Bambino Gesu children's hospital in Rome is treating a seven-year-old Syrian girl suffering from a rare form of eye a day after arriving in Italy with her family.

Falak al Hourani, her parents and her younger brother Hussein came to Rome thanks to a "humanitarian corridor" project initiated by the Rome-based Catholic Sant'Egidio Community and the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy.

The al Hourani family fled their home in Homs, nearly three years ago due to the conflict engulfing Syria and went to Tripoli, in northern Lebanon, Vatican Radio reported.

The family's arrival in Italy is the first of an estimated 1,000 refugees being brought to the country in an ecumenical project aimed at deterring people from making the perilous journey by sea.

Now that peace talks aimed at ending the five-year old Syrian civil war in which the United Nations estimates more than 250,000 people have perished.

U.N estimates put the number of internally displaced people in Syria at more than 6.5 million, while it says 13.5 million people inside Syria are classified as "in need of assistance."

In December the coalition of Protestant and Catholic organizations reached an agreement with the Italian government to provide travel and integration services for refugees from North Africa and the Middle East.

HUMANITARIAN VISAS

The government will provide humanitarian visas to ensure the right to take up residence, the World Council of Churches said in a statement.

The visas will not allow passage to other countries in the European Union. Christian agencies will furnish airline tickets to Italy as well as accommodation, assistance with asylum procedures, educational opportunities and Italian language courses.

Sant'Egidio's Cesare Zucconi told Vatican Radio, "The churches together with the Italian government are issuing, for the first two years up to one thousand humanitarian visas, so up to one thousand people, more or less, will come from Lebanon, Morocco and Ethiopia in the next month."

Regarding the plight of the family, Zucconi said the family had been living in bad conditions and had no money, just like many of the thousands of other refugees that have fled to Lebanon from Syria.

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR has welcomed the initiative, one of a number of private sponsorships helping refugees to rebuild their lives.

With the Federation of Protestant Churches in Italy (FCEI), Sant'Egidio has opened assistance offices in Morocco and Lebanon, with the future possibility of a third office in Ethiopia.

Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, said in December, "This admirable agreement is an essential early step in addressing the humanitarian crisis facing many places in the world.

"It is a model for churches, related faith-based organizations, governments and the international community to act together in the interest of humanity."
Everyone from governors and state lawmakers down to advocates and parents has an opinion on how the U.S. Department of Education should go about turning the sometimes-murky verbiage of the Every Student Succeeds Act into actual federal regulationsand more than 350 of them laid those opinions out during a quick-turnaround written comment period.

An Education Week review of selected comments found many respondents offering detailedand often contradictoryadvice when it comes to the laws provisions on accountability, test participation, assessment, teacher qualifications, and more.

Some comments filed over the several-week period ending Jan. 21 were broad. For example, the California Federation of Teachers, the National Governors Association, and others asked for a light federal touch in the still-to-be-written regulations.

Others dove deep into the policy weeds. For instance, Disability Rights Arkansas, an advocacy group, asked the department to make sure states use research to back up their choice of n-size'the term for the minimum number of students a school must have from a particular subgroup in order for that group to be considered for accountability purposes.

Sounding Off The U.S. Department of Education got more than 350 comments on how it should regulate under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Some highlights: Regulation, guidance, and technical assistance must ensure that low-income communities, communities of color, the disability community, immigrant communities, and tribes are included in decisionmaking.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with about three dozen civil rights, disability, and education redesign organizations Parents, communities, and California educators are not interested in having highly prescriptive rules and mandates around pre-K-12 education from the federal government. This is especially true when it comes to requiring the use of standardized tests in making high-stakes decisions in both school and educator accountability.

California Federation of Teachers Recognizing each states readiness to implement ESSA varies, the federal government should allow a flexible timeline to allow for early implementation or provide additional time for states to make necessary changes to state policy and improvements to state infrastructure.

National Governors Association With regard to state accountability systems, the department should seek input from states and local school districts and provide explicit nonbinding guidance and best practices that can help states and school districts identify, set, and use a variety of student success indicators.

National School Boards Association CEOs believe that states should continue to ensure student tests and graduation rates are the predominant factors in determining whether states and districts are meeting the state-defined goals for differentiating among all public schools in the state.

Business Roundtable We recommend that [the Education Department] clearly define terms regarding statewide accountability to ensure that schools and states appropriately measure indicators of student achievement to drive school improvement.

National PTA "[E]nsure that state and local plans serve all groups of kids. Past experience is full of examples of state and local decisionmakers deprioritizing or downright undermining the needs and potential of low-income students, students of color, English-learners, and students with disabilities.

The Education Trust State accountability systems must be comprehensive, robust, and aligned to challenging and high standards, must provide publicly accessible and transparent information about school and district performance, and must identify our highest-needs schools and district.

Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (CONNCAN) SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education

Still others dealt with practical questions. The Mississippi Department of Education, for example, asked for a list of which federal programs will continue under ESSA, so that the state can figure out its own staffing.

In general, educators and the organizations that advocate for them favor a regulatory philosophy that puts a premium on local decisionmaking, while civil rights organizations and advocates for particular groups of students are pressing for a more stringent approach to accountability to maintain equity.

Its clear that ESSA gives states much greater control over which low-performing schools to identify for improvement than they had under its predecessor, the No Child Left Behind Act.

But there are questions about how far that new leeway goes. For instance, the law requires states to incorporate into their school-ratings systems both academic factorssuch as test scores and graduation ratesand factors that get at school quality, such as teacher engagement and access to advanced coursework. And academic factors need to have much greater weight as a group than non-academic factors.

Its unclear though, if the department will decide to provide more specifics on what much greater means.

Guidance Sought

Some commenters hope for federal guidance on the issue, including Mitchell D. Chester, the commissioner of education in Massachusetts.

Without any sort of rules of the road, the interpretation of much greater weight is likely to vary widely, he reasonedone state might think it means that academic factors need to account for 60 percent of a schools score, while another might decide it means 95 percent.

But AASA, the School Superintendents Association, wants federal officials to give states as much leeway as possible in this area.

One issue that came up over and over: testing participation rates.

ESSA keeps in place the NCLB laws requirement that schools test 95 percent of students, both for the whole school and for subgroups of students.

Under the NCLB law, schools that fell short of that threshold were considered automatic failures. Under ESSA, however, states get to decide what happens to those schools.

The New York State Boards of Education, like other groups, finds that confusing.

This internal inconsistency only encourages parental refusal and places school districts throughout the country in an untenable position, the boards wrote.

The NYSBE urged the department to make it crystal clear that states and districts can still pass laws that allow parents to opt out without penaltiesand that school districts wont be punished if parents choose to exempt their kids from testing.

But plenty of other commenters were on the other side of the opt-out argument.

For instance, Chiefs for Change, a coalition of state and district superintendents that in the past has supported policies such as rigorous standards and online learning, urged the department not to allow for any wiggle room on testing participation rates.

The Education Department must remember that one size does not fit all and there is not one best system or model that will serve all students and all schools, AASA wrote.

ESSA keeps the NCLB laws testing schedulerequiring states to test students in grades 3 through 8 and once in high school.

But it allows for some new flexibility. For instance, districts can let high schools use a nationally recognized testsuch as the ACT or SATfor accountability purposes.

And ESSA creates an innovative local assessment pilot project, allowing up to seven states or consortia of states to try out new kinds of tests, such as performance assessments, with the goal of eventually taking them statewide.

Treading Carefully

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, an advocacy organization, was joined by three dozen civil rights and disability groups in asking the department to tread carefully in writing rules for these local tests.

Any local tests, they wrote, should meet the highest standards of validity, reliability, and comparability and ensure that English-language learners and students in special education get the accommodations they need.

The testing flexibility should not be an excuse to provide vulnerable students with lower quality assessments or obscure disparities in student outcomes, the organizations wrote.

Meanwhile, Jobs for the Future, the Alliance for Excellent Education, and the Learning Policy Institute want the department to encourage states to adopt assessments that incorporate not just math and reading, but higher-order thinking skills, like complex problem-solving and collaboration.

And those organizationsall of which work on college-readinesswant more information on how states could use portfolios or projects for accountability purposes, without running afoul of the laws requirement that all students in the same grade take the same test.

The ACT, on the other hand, urged the department to use caution in approving state plans to use multiple interim assessments for accountability purposes, instead of a single, more comprehensive test. Interim tests tend to be designed differently and given under different circumstances than the single summative tests states are used to, the ACT argued.

AASAs plea for local leeway extends to another provision in ESSA, which calls for states to identify schools where subgroups of studentssuch as English-language learners and students in special educationare consistently underperforming.

Student Subgroups

Under ESSA, such schools will need to come up with a plan to combat their problems, and their progress will be monitored by the district. Its not clear from the law, however, what consistently underperforming means exactly.

AASA wants to leave that definition entirely up to states, so that they can come up with parameters that fit the local context.

But groups including the Parent Teacher Association want more guidance on what constitutes consistent underperformance.

For instance, the League of United Latin American Citizens suggested the department direct states to include both the longevity of the underperformance and the severity in identifying schools to focus on.

Commenters seized on other technical aspects of accountability. For instance, the Education Trust, which advocates for poor and minority students, wants the department to make it clear that states cant combine different groups of students for accountability purposes through super-subgroups as they did under the Obama administrations waivers from the NCLB law.

But the Foundation for Excellence in Education, an education-redesign organization started by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, wants states to be able to focus on the bottom 25 percent of students in each school, as some, including Mississippi, did under NCLB waivers.

Teacher Quality

ESSA gives states a longer leash than they had under NCLB when it comes to teacher quality and effectiveness. But it retains the requirement that states ensure that low-performing schools have access to their fair share of effective teachers.

TNTP, a teacher training advocacy organization, said that provision opens the door for the department to require states to develop evaluation systems that meaningfully differentiate when it comes to educator effectiveness.

But some educators are clamoring for as much flexibility on teacher qualifications as possible. For instance, Alaskas Kenai Peninsula Borough School District said isolated schools need as much running room as they can get when it comes to teacher qualifications.

The Department is reviewing the ESSA comments and will be tackling many of the issues raised in coming weeks and months.
By Marti Quintana.

Mexico City, Feb 8 (EFE).- Besides their vital role in establishing Catholicism in Mexico, the Basilica of Guadalupe and the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, both visited by Pope Frances last Feb. 13, were pillars in the construction of the nation as it stands today.

"Mexico is not a pre-Columbian reality - Mexico was born with the founding of New Spain. And the conquest of New Spain created a new people that identifies itself with Our Lady of Guadalupe," National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM, Historic Research Institute professor Jorge Traslosheros said.

With their fusion of a laity cult with the hierarchy, these two churches, which attract millions of visits every year, spread the Catholic faith among the native peoples even before the Viceroyalty of New Spain (1535-1821) was established.

The massive conversion was sparked by the cult of Guadalupe, which began following the apparition of the Virgin Mary to the Indian Juan Diego in the year 1531.

"Starting with the apparition of the Blessed Virgin at Guadalupe, the friars began to notice that their evangelizing efforts took on a new force and attraction," the basilica's chaplain Andres Enrique Sanchez said.

With the construction of the first shrine that same year, Our Lady of Guadalupe awakened "the devotion of both Indians and Spanish conquerors alike," thus becoming a link between natives and colonists, and also between "rich and poor," the chaplain said.

"Our Lady of Guadalupe's impact on forming Mexico's Catholic culture probably has no comparison anywhere else in the world," Traslosheros said.

Proof of that are the 20 million faithful who visit the basilica every year from all over the country and from elsewhere in the world.

Despite the vast importance of the basilica in developing Catholicism, the growth of the religion in Mexico cannot be explained without the Metropolitan Cathedral of the capital, the maximum expression of "the hierarchical church," Traslosheros said.

As the seat of the bishop, the cathedral "is where we find the great pastor of all this Guadalupan Catholicism. And it is there we see the most exquisite expression of this Catholicism as it was taking shape," the specialist in religious history said.

Yet in spite of its hierarchical values, the cathedral, whose construction began in the last half of the 16th century and was inaugurated in 1813, was always open to all social groups, a fact that once again drew native peoples into the fold.
Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London.

17:55, 17 OCT 2022
Re: Hello from Oz via London- coming to Zurich in April with 3 kids!! Quote: Justinev Speaking very little high German and no Swiss German, I'd like to get a virtual network started that perhaps I can call on once we arrive.



https://en.duolingo.com/



For Swiss German, try reading this...



http://www.eldrid.ch/swgerman.htm



Quote: Justinev A couple of questions in planning our move:

Thoughts on Zollikon vs Kusnacht vs Meilen vs Mannedorf (budget aside, what are the differences between towns?)



http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/trainsearch.exe/en



I love Kusnacht because it has a proper village centre, swimming pool, ice rink, and the people are really friendly, particularly at the Gemeinde (council offices). Erlenbach is just down the road too. I would consider Meilen, but the Mannendorf commute might be a bit too far. Depends on your husband.



Quote: Justinev Are there affordable places to buy furniture that is not ikea? Somewhere like Voga.com for replica classics? If I buy from Germany or France how much tax will I be subject to?





Quote: Justinev Finally, anyone know of short term furnished accomodation for a family of 4/5 on the Gold Coast?

You need to be looking at Homegate and Comparis to get a feel of what's in the area. Just cut and paste the ads into Google Translate and remember that 2 rooms, is usually one living room and one bedroom. Kitchen and bathroom aren't included in that figure, so if you need three bedrooms, you need to look at apartments which say they have 4 rooms +.



Good luck! Join Duolingo now and set yourself a low target to start with. If you can squeeze in 15mins of this a day, you'll be surprised at the difference it will make to you when you arrive. Even just doing the shopping will be much easier for you.For Swiss German, try reading this...Tax wise, Kusnacht is a good bet. Commute wise, it depends on what your husband will accept as reasonable. Check the trains on the S6, S16 and S7 routes.I love Kusnacht because it has a proper village centre, swimming pool, ice rink, and the people are really friendly, particularly at the Gemeinde (council offices). Erlenbach is just down the road too. I would consider Meilen, but the Mannendorf commute might be a bit too far. Depends on your husband.I bought our furniture from the Brocki (second hand shop), Conforama and 3 pieces from Ikea.Define short term?You need to be looking at Homegate and Comparis to get a feel of what's in the area. Just cut and paste the ads into Google Translate and remember that 2 rooms, is usually one living room and one bedroom. Kitchen and bathroom aren't included in that figure, so if you need three bedrooms, you need to look at apartments which say they have 4 rooms +.Good luck!
Occupy trespassed for months, ranchers arrested after 24 days of trespassing By Rachel Alexander

Political correctness has invaded our culture so thoroughly there are essentially two tiers of justice in this country. If you are a white, progressive, privileged hippy Millennial, or a Black Lives Matter activist, law enforcement and the legal system will bend over backward to accommodate your protests and acts of civil disobedience. The media will hype up any incident in your favor. In contrast, if you are a white, Christian, patriotic rural rancher raising cows for meat, you can expect to have the book thrown at you for the smallest infraction. If there is any media coverage, it will be spun against you. Rural ranchers have a legitimate gripe against the federal government seizing 48 percent of the land in Western states, then leasing the land back to them at increasingly higher rates. It is eerily reminiscent of feudalism, peasants toiling on the land owned by the lords and nobles. The ranchers and activists who took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in rural Oregon to protest the unjust prison sentence of the Hammonds were trespassing. Although the building is open to the public, staying overnight indefinitely without permission constitutes trespassing, which is generally considered a misdemeanor unless there are additional circumstances such as destroying property. In Oregon, criminal trespassing with a firearm is a misdemeanor. Due to the low-level nature of the crime, law enforcement often doesn't bother to arrest trespassers. At first, law enforcement allowed the protesters to move freely between the wildlife refuge and the neighboring town of Bern. But under pressure from politicians, the FBI set up a road blockade to arrest them. It resulted in the death of one rancher, Lavoy Finicum. A video was released of the shooting, showing Finicum with his hands in the air. Law enforcement said he reached for his gun so they shot him, but some question whether this is what the video shows. However, Finicum previously warned there could be a confrontation with law enforcement and that he would rather die than be arrested. A witness said she heard him say "just shoot me" right before he was shot. As a result of his death, there is concern why law enforcement aggressively started to arrest the protesters. If Finicum had been a black man, the shooting would have been headline news for days, with rioting, protests and investigations launched into the officers involved. After Michael Brown was shot by law enforcement in Ferguson, riots broke out claiming that he was wrongly shot because he had his hands up. The Department of Justice concluded that he did not. When the Occupy movement camped out in parks around the country, they were trespassing by staying overnight when the parks are closed. However, the Occupiers were allowed to remain in the parks for months on end in some locations. The ranchers were not given this accommodation; law enforcement began arresting them just 24 days after they started the sit-in. And unlike the ranchers, Occupiers caused millions of dollars of damage to property, which turns a trespassing misdemeanor into a felony. Everyone has seen the photos of Occupy protesters engaging in violence. "Occupy Wall Street Exposed has counted a dozen deaths, including three murders; more than a dozen rapes; more than 25 disgusting cases of indecent exposure, public defecation, etc; more than 500 thefts; more than 6,800 arrests; and in excess of $12 million in property damage," Powerline reported in 2012. Five Cleveland Occupiers were caught plotting to blow up a bridge and the Republican convention. Incredibly, the Southern Poverty Law Center said it had no plans to investigate the attempted terrorism, since it was left-wing extremism In Seattle, vandals smashed the windows of local businesses including Niketown and American Apparel stores. Yet they have been allowed to continue camping out in Seattle's parks and outside City Hall to this day. The police merely shoo them out of one park and into another. It is well known that many of the Occupiers were armed, some illegally. One protester, Joshua Fellows, was arrested for having an unregistered gun. When Black Lives Matter protesters rioted and destroyed property in Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, the mayor said people need to give them space, even if means giving the violent ones space too. "We gave those who wished to destroy space to do that, as well," she said. Over 300 businesses were damaged and 27 stores looted. Some point to the fact the ranchers were armed and made statements about anticipating a fight with law enforcement. Yet there wasn't any violence  or even property destruction  until law enforcement upped the ante by setting up a roadblock to arrest them. The difference in treatment is that the police didn't aggressively pursue arresting the Occupiers after just 24 days, even though they had committed crimes, made threatening remarks about law enforcement and some also possessed guns. When the police did start cracking down on them, it was mostly to chase them away with pepper spray or batons. Many were arrested for things like attacking law enforcement and minor in possession of marijuana. Was it wise of the ranchers protesting to walk around openly carrying guns, warning there could be a confrontation with police? No, they could have protested on street sidewalks without trespassing, carrying concealed. They could have lobbied the state legislature and Congress to change the laws. The ranchers likely overreacted because they have had no success so far using other avenues. Oregon has a very left-leaning legislature that will not take action. Even the conservative Utah legislature hasn't gotten far. Legislation was passed there requiring the federal government to return its land, but the federal government has ignored the law. Something needs to happen to fix this problem, but the answer is not trespassing with guns. Powerful politicians won't go easy on them like they do with lefty protesters, but will throw the book at them. Rep. Ken Ivory (R) of Utah started the American Lands Council to return federal lands back to local control. Perhaps this is where everyone should focus their efforts to return our land where it belongs. Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, and other publications. Home
Better red than Ted By Dr. Robert Owens

This may be an election that could seal the deal for the Progressive fundamental transformation of America, as 2016 is shaping up to be a watershed election. Socialists and Communists have run for the presidency many times in America. Between 1900 and 1920 Eugene V. Debs was the Socialist Party's nominee in five presidential elections. The Communist Party USA has not disappeared. For many years, it has instead endorsed the Democrat candidates for president, which is understandable looking at their party platforms and the solid work the Democrats continue to do for their cause when in office. However this year it is different. Instead of the usual procedure of the Democrat contenders masking their true agenda under the cloak of Progressivism we have a major player who has proudly called himself a Socialist for decades though for this national bid he is trying to soften it by calling himself a Social Democrat. This is enough to bewilder the low information voters who make up the bulk of Democrat supporters and their rank and file foot soldiers. They will argue for hours that their guy isn't a Socialist. No, he's a Social Democrat, and though they can't tell you what the difference is they want you to know it makes a big difference. All this despite the fact that one click of the mouse reveals that up until this year their guy vocally asserted he was indeed a Socialist, and he didn't join the Democrat Party until 2015. And among the diehard apparatchiks and ideologues who make up the Democrat core when looking at the current field of Republican contenders they may well be saying, "Better red than Ted." This presidential contender is Bernie Sanders. As stated above he now calls himself a "Democratic Socialist." It's a label he's been asked to justify many times. When asked to describe what he means by this, he points to the progressive values of nations like Sweden, Denmark and Norway. He shifts the target and describes his politics as a fight against the injustice that he says is inherent in American political and economic tradition. Sanders praises Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. He cites them for using the power of the government to create jobs and lift Americans out of poverty. He also says their actions to create and strengthen the social safety net (which some today see as a hammock) were denounced by conservatives at the time and since as socialism. In this he is right. They did and we do. Sanders says, these programs make up "the fabric of our nation and the foundation of the middle class." He goes on to say what many have known about FDR's programs since the 1930s and Democrats have denied since, "By the way, almost everything he proposed was called socialist.'" As pointed out above, though many of his supporters are quick to say he is no socialist and anyone who says otherwise is part of the mythical rightwing conspiracy Bernie isn't shy about who he is and what he stands for. He says without apology, "Let me define for you, simply and straightforwardly, what Democratic Socialism means to me. It builds on what Franklin Delano Roosevelt said when he fought for guaranteed economic rights for all Americans," Obviously referring to FDR's Second Bill of Rights which he proposed in his State of the Union speech in 1944 and which was quickly buried even by a Democrat Congress. These give away guarantees included: The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad

The right of every family to a decent home

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment

The right to a good education Neither the chairwoman of the Democrat Party, Debbie Wasserman Schultz nor the leading candidate for their nomination, Hillary Clinton can explain the difference between a Progressive and a Socialist. However when trying to get the votes of Americans Hillary who has called for curbs on "the excesses of capitalism" said, during the first Democratic presidential debate, after hearing Sanders refer to the Europeans who have built their systems on the fact that America defends and supports them, "I love Denmark. But we are not Denmark  We are the United States of America." Hillary continues to wear the Progressive cloak to disguise her Socialism. At least Bernie is honest enough to admit what he is even if his supporters continue to deny it to others and maybe even to themselves. However perhaps Bernie is using the cloak of Socialism to cover something even more foreign to America? Some say that if Sanders were vying for a Cabinet post, he'd never pass an FBI background check. Is there any evidence to back this up? While attending the University of Chicago, Sanders joined the Young People's Socialist League: the youth wing of the Socialist Party USA. What was the mission of the Young People's Socialist League? It was spelled out in the preamble to its constitution: "The Young People's Socialist League of America calls upon all young people who are interested in the emancipation of the working class from the chains of wage slavery to join its rank and through it and its associated organizations of the International Socialist Movement, to work for the overthrow of the present capitalist system in all its social and economic rami?cations, and for the establishment in its stead of a worldwide socialistic cooperative commonwealth." After graduating with a political science degree, Sanders moved to Vermont, where he headed the American People's History Society: an organ for Marxist propaganda. There, he produced a glowing documentary on the life of socialist revolutionary Eugene Debs, who was jailed for espionage during the Red Scare and hailed by the Bolsheviks as "America's greatest Marxist." Sanders still hangs a portrait of Debs on the wall in his Senate office. In the early '70s, Sanders helped found the Liberty Union Party, which called for the nationalization of all US banks and the public takeover of all private utility companies. After failed runs for Congress, Sanders in 1981 managed to get elected mayor of Burlington, VT., where he restricted property rights for landlords, set price controls, and raised property taxes to pay for communal land trusts. Local small businesses distributed fliers complaining their new mayor "does not believe in free enterprise." According to the New York Post: His radical activities didn't stop at the water's edge. Sanders took several "goodwill" trips not only to the USSR, but also to Cuba and Nicaragua, where the Soviets were trying to expand their influence in our hemisphere. In 1985, he traveled to Managua to celebrate the rise to power of the Marxist-Leninist Sandinista government. He called it a "heroic revolution." Undermining anti-communist US policy, Sanders denounced the Reagan administration's backing of the Contra rebels in a letter to the Sandinistas. His betrayal did not end there. Sanders lobbied the White House to stop the proxy war and tried to broker a peace deal. He adopted Managua as a sister city and invited Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega to visit the US. He exalted Ortega as "an impressive guy," while attacking President Reagan. Sanders also adopted a Soviet sister city outside Moscow and honeymooned with his second wife in the USSR. He put up a Soviet flag in his office, shocking even the Birkenstock-wearing local liberals. At the time, the Evil Empire was on the march around the world threatening the US with nuclear annihilation. Then, in 1989, as the West was on the verge of winning the Cold War, Sanders addressed the national conference of the US Peace Council  a known front for the Communist Party USA, whose members swore an oath not only to the Soviet Union but to "the triumph of Soviet power in the US." Today, Sanders wants to bring what he admired in the USSR, Cuba, Nicaragua, and other communist states to America. For starters, he proposes completely nationalizing our health care system putting private health insurance and drug companies "out of business." He also wants to break up "big banks" and control the energy industry, while providing "free" college tuition, a "living wage" and guaranteed homeownership and jobs through massive public works projects. Price tag: $18 trillion. This may all sound radical. At this point it isn't. After a century of the Progressive agenda, their Living Document, and their incremental moves to fundamentally transform the United States, this is just the capstone. This is the point where they can finally take off their mask and show us who our neighbors, families, and co-workers have been voting for all these years. To paraphrase The Rolling Stones: Please allow me to introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste I've been around for a long, long year Stole many a man's soul and faith I stuck around St. Petersburg When I saw it was a time for a change Killed the czar and his ministers Anastasia screamed in vain. For those of us who believe that freedom is given to us by God, who believe that free choice is an inherent right, who believe that the imposition or adoption of central planning and take from anyone to give to anyone plans are merely deceptive strategies used by demagogues to gain power, it becomes clear who is the real author of these programs our fellow citizens are rushing eagerly to embrace. Does he have a chance? It is hard to run against Santa Clause, and for those who have imbibed of the Sanders Kool Aide it might just be, "Better red than Ted." Dr. Robert Owens teaches History, Political Science, and Religion. He is the Historian of the Future @ http://drrobertowens.com  2016 Contact Dr. Owens drrobertowens@hotmail.com Follow Dr. Robert Owens on Facebook or Twitter @ Drrobertowens / Edited by Dr. Rosalie Owens Home
Questions of ethnic identity persistence in mass-media dominated North America (Part Three) By Mark Wegierski

The second area of possible resistance to mass-media assimilation that could be looked at, are the cultural and multicultural policies of the Canadian state. Various levels of Canadian government offer considerable support to what could be considered the quote-unquote "Canadian" part of culture, especially the area of Canadian literature or so-called CanLit. They also offer considerable support to the cultural activities of various ethnic groups and organizations. However, there are very few professionally published Polish-Canadian authors. Certainly no one has reached the prominence of Ukrainian-Canadian author Janice Kulyk-Keefer. She was one of only four core professors at the University of Guelph Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program. Along with her Ukrainian-Canadian colleague Marsha Skrypuch, she offers the hope to Ukrainian-Canadians that some important new writers could emerge in the future from that community. As far as the possibility of obtaining government funding for its cultural initiatives, the Polish-Canadian group clearly lacks saliency. A lot of currently prominent areas such as "anti-racism" obviously focus on so-called visible minorities. So, the Polish-Canadian appeal for funding appears rather amorphous and unfocussed in terms of the current-day priorities of official multiculturalism. The third possible area is trying to generate a certain cultural resiliency by one's own efforts and resources. Here, the Ukrainian-Canadian community has especially excelled. One could specifically mention the work of the Taras Shevchenko Kobzar Literary Foundation. This foundation offers a very substantial annual award to the best book on Ukrainian-Canadian themes. It also offers literary scholarships, such as covering the tuition costs of the prestigious Humber College Writers' Workshop in Toronto, for those working on a manuscript on a Ukrainian-Canadian theme. There are also very extensive academic scholarships available in the community (reaching as much as $20,000 per year) for graduate students working on Ukrainian or Ukrainian-Canadian themes. Any Polish-Canadian efforts along these lines are rather nugatory. The Polish-Canadian student scholarships of which the author is aware are based mostly on need rather than merit, are available mostly to undergraduate university students, and offer (at the absolute maximum) about $1,000 a year. There appear to be no literary scholarships along the lines of writers' grants in the Polish-Canadian community. The literary awards of the W. & N. Turzanski Foundation (which are apparently no more than a few thousand dollars per laureate) have been mostly given out to extremely prominent writers from Poland. Obviously, the various kinds of ethnic media could be of considerable importance to the community. While there are a number of Polish community newspapers of varying quality in Canada, they have almost always been very reluctant to publish articles in English. This tends to cut off the generations born in Canada from the community debates. Another focus for the community could be the endeavors of its prominent scholars, especially in the humanities and social sciences. It could be argued that the holding of academic positions in medicine, sciences, engineering and other technical areas, and business, has relatively small social and cultural impacts. By comparison, the number of academics of Ukrainian descent in Canada (especially those focussing on humanities and social sciences) is far, far larger. While the endeavors of professor Tamara Trojanowska in the Slavics Department at the University of Toronto have been substantial (for example, organizing a major international conference on Polish themes in February 2006), professor Piotr Wrobel, who currently holds the Chair of Polish History at the University of Toronto, is considered by some as not being too helpful to the Polish-Canadian community. Thanks to the isolated but genuinely idealistic efforts of professor Kazimierz Patalas of the Freshwater Institute in Manitoba, and professor Zbigniew Izydorczyk at the University of Winnipeg, there has appeared the book, Providence Watching: Journeys from Wartorn Poland to the Canadian Prairies (Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2003). This was an English translation of a work which professor Patalas put together with considerable effort, "Przez boje, przez znoje, przez trud: Kombatanckie losy" (Through battles, privations, and hardship: The fate of Polish soldiers) (Winnipeg: Polish Combatants' Association  Group 13, 1996). Professors Patalas and Izydorczyk undertook a supreme effort to bring the book forward to appearance in English. In today's climate, the publishing of a book friendly to the Polish cause, by a recognized Canadian publisher, requires a huge personal effort and well-established professional contacts. In this case, professor Daniel Stone, who teaches Polish and East European history at the University of Winnipeg, wrote a lucid introduction to the book. From the current-day vantage point, it looks like isolated, individual, self-sacrificing efforts will be the main context of whatever helpful initiatives occur in the future of the Polish-Canadian community. Whether these will be enough to create some kind of enduring Polish-Canadian identity, is rather problematic. To be continued. Partially based on an English-language draft of a presentation read at the conference, Transatlantic Encounters (Lodz, Poland: University of Lodz), September 28-30, 2008. Mark Wegierski is a Toronto-based writer and historical researcher. Home
If Trump is the answer...

By Mark Alexander



If Donald Trump is the answer, then what's the question his supporters are asking?

Fact is, they're asking the most important questions every genuine conservative is asking. Consistent with my mission statement, I'm asking, "How do we restore constitutional limits on government and the judiciary? How do we restore free enterprise, our national defense capabilities and traditional American values? How do we undo all of the damage Obama has done and correct our nation's course back toward Liberty? How do we defeat Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders and win the next presidential election?"

But Donald Trump?

By way of disclosure, let me say that I would "vote early and often" for Trump if he is the Republican nominee. Having said that, I hope there will be a more viable and reliable ballot option.

Bear with me.

In the wake of the Iowa caucus results, Trump is again asking, "How stupid are the people of Iowa?" After a 15-hour blackout, he woke up mad, claiming, "Ted Cruz didn't win Iowa, he stole it. ... Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified." This from a guy who has not voted in a Republican primary for almost 30 years... (This sounds like a set up  "I'm being treated unfairly, thus I will run third-party to insure a Democrat victory in 2016!")

Though I consider Iowa more a generator of media advertising revenue than I do a solid predictive indicator of presidential election outcomes, the caucus results are, just the same, instructive.

Trump, who assumed he had Iowa in the bag, made two mistakes that will influence the results of the upcoming primaries.

First, he backed out of the Iowa debate just before the caucuses, not because he has "zero respect for [Fox News journalist] Megyn Kelly," as he claimed, but to avoid being called out on a growing list of prevarications and obfuscations. Despite the not-too-clever diversion of his alternate event "for the veterans," his supporters in Iowa stayed focused on the task at hand  casting a vote for the candidate they think is best suited to be the 45th president of the United States.

Second, while he may have avoided the Iowa debate, Trump's petulant attack against his primary rival, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, in the days after that debate resulted in exposing his clear and continuing support for ObamaCare, one of the most important agenda items on conservative lists for legislative repeal.

Just before the Iowa Caucus, Cruz asserted, "Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have the identical position on health care, which is they want to put the government in charge of you and your doctor." That is not quite accurate  Trump's socialist health care plan is actually more statist than Clinton's plan.

Trump attempted to deflect the criticism, protesting, "Ted Cruz is a total liar. I'm so against ObamaCare. ... I don't even know where he gets this." Where Cruz "gets this" is the same place he got Trump's liberal "New York values"  remarks from Trump himself! Trump has written and spoken repeatedly in support of state-run health care systems. In his book, The America We Deserve, he praised Canada's failed socialist single-payer health care system: "We must have universal health care. I'm a conservative on most issues but a liberal on this one."

Betrayed by his own words, Trump refuted (and simultaneously confirmed) Cruz's claims, saying, "He has got no heart. And if this means I lose an election, that's fine because frankly, we have to take care of the people in our country." Of course, Trump's socialized medicine proposals would deepen the disastrous consequences of the so-called "Affordable Healthcare Act" and accelerate the deterioration of health care services. Think "Veterans Affairs on steroids."

The fact is, Trump is a case study in contradictions, with long-held and defended liberal positions averse to Liberty, including his support for state-run health care, gun control, enormous tax increases and executive unilateralism. His apparent contradictions are now the toasts of late-night liberals like Stephen Colbert, who recently aired a "debate" segment, Donald vs. Trump.

Apparently, Trump didn't receive the memo that a man has only one chance to make a first impression. Now, instead of providing a candid and honest explanation for his 11th-hour conversion to conservatism and all the flip-flopping, Trump is content to simply deny he ever held those liberal positions. His undeniable denial of reality should concern anyone who supports him.

Having said this, I expect protests from Trump supporters that will fall into two previously established categories.

About 10% will offer reasoned objections, which I welcome. They are actually open to criticism of Trump, and the resulting dialogue provides useful insights for both of us.

However, the remaining 90% will hurl vitriolic diatribes, shooting insults and threats at this messenger, much like the shots Trump takes at his critics. The rage and resentment in these protests are a testament to Trump's anger-driven support, which I described in "The Trump Card  Ace of Anger Affirmation."

For the record, I have been shot at on a few occasions  and by "shot at" I mean with high-velocity projectiles, not derogatory words  so insults don't bother me. But what I do find deeply troubling is that the vitriolic variety reflects a cultish devotion to Trump, whose narcissistic persona basks in the light of such unquestioned devotion. Too many of his supporters are intolerant of any divergent perspective on Trump, no matter how well reasoned.

Don't get me wrong: Grassroots Americans should be angry about the lame "establishment Republicans" who haven't made way for the growing ranks of young conservatives now in the House and Senate.

And it's not only Trump's conservative supporters who are mad. Notably, analysis in The New York Times  "Trump's Strongest Supporters: A Certain Kind of Democrat"  recently reflected that "[h]is very best voters are self-identified Republicans who nonetheless are registered as Democrats." These are folks who, in 1980, might have been described as "Reagan Democrats."

The comparison is understandable, given that Trump's simple mantra, "Make America Great Again," was "borrowed" from President Reagan's slogan, "Let's make America great again." Fact is, Trump is a "good communicator" and his simple solutions to complex problems resonate with both grassroots Republicans and Democrats.

But Donald Trump is no Ronald Reagan, who was a genuine, humble conservative, and a model of servant leadership.

Human nature tells us that many people are more convicted by what they want to believe than by a considerable body of evidence contradicting those beliefs. Noted historian John Lukacs, in his book "Democracy and Populism," wrote, "Most people believe and think what they prefer to think and what they want to believe: their vision of the world and their own likes and dislikes ... are seldom separable."

In the timeless words of John Adams, however, "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."

Facts and evidence, fellow Patriots. Facts and evidence.

Donald Trump is not the answer to the critical questions genuine conservatives are asking, including those genuine conservatives among his supporters.

So, it's off to New Hampshire we go, where I expect Trump's "New York values" to play well. However, take note. His national disapproval rating has soared to 60%, which renders him all but unelectable against potential adversaries as fundamentally flawed as Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden.

But if Trump actually makes it to the general election and defeats his Democrat opponent, I note this irony: Now that the ranks of conservatives (as opposed to "Republicans") in the House and Senate have surged, those conservatives might be faced with a "Republican" president who is both autocratic and statist, a combination that will be perilous to the future of Liberty.

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
How to avoid being raped? Just say no By Selwyn Duke

As they circle the drain, Western societies increasingly start to seem like parodies of real civilizations. It's as if, to twist Shakespeare's famous line, all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players in a really bad comedy that won't get past its first season. The latest chapter is a Finnish anti-rape video that, writes Jihad Watch's Robert Spencer, teaches women that all they "have to do to keep from being raped is turn around, hold out their hand in a halt' gesture and say Stop!'" The video, shown below, portrays a woman being approached from behind by a man who appears to be a native Finn (maybe Huck Finn?) because, as we all know, Finnish men have suddenly decided to start preying on their women. The fact that the rising rate of sexual assault and concern about it coincide with the influx of Muslims into Finland is purely coincidental, I tell ya'. In the video, the woman holds up her hand assertively shouting "Stop!" or "No!" and the alleged rapist backs off, completely cowed. Of course, though, I can't speak Finnish, so I'm taking Spencer's word for it on what's being related in the video. But other possibilities do suggest themselves. Perhaps the women is, using a Jedi mind trick: "No, you don't want to rape me. You don't want to rape me. You don't want to rape me," prompting the miscreant to back off, confused and repeating trance-like, "I don't want to rape you."

is saying, "I've told you thrice already, I don't have the time!"

is telling her boyfriend, "No, Sven, I'm not going to show this video to the authorities and back up your claim you're a Muslim migrant just so you can get more government benefits!"

is stating, "I don't care if you're going to visit San Francisco. You can't borrow this purse."

is protesting, "Don't tell me where to go, that I shouldn't walk into the Arab section. That's patriarchal and Islamophobic!" When the woman performs her arm movements, she also reminds me of a stewardess (if this offends people who now insist on the term "flight attendant," good!) giving the pre-flight explanation of how to use the inflatable life jacket under your seat. And, interestingly, the kind of people likely to accost a woman in Finland can also be voted most likely to bring down an airplane. It appears that Nordic countries are competing hard for the Darwin Award. Sweden currently is the top contender, but the others aren't giving up on the race to the bottom. And whether it's Sweden, Norway or some other land that reaches the nadir first, it's not unreasonable to say they're all Finnished. Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Twitter or log on to SelwynDuke.com. Home
NAACP head can use bad language when complaining about language because he's "one of the best guys" By Selwyn Duke

Perhaps NAACP now stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Cursing and Profanity. Don Harris is the white head (yes, he really is white, and reminiscent of a pustule, and, unlike Rachel Dolezal, even identifies as white) of the Maricopa County Chapter of the NAACP. He's also very concerned about injudicious use of language, which is why he was on hand to try to collect the scalps of six Desert Vista High School girls who lined up to spell the word "ni**er" with letters and asterisks printed on their shirts, on their recent picture day. The girls were suspended for a complete school week, but this wasn't good enough for left-wing activists. Change.org circulated a petition reading, "[The girls'] punishment was 5-days suspension. This hurtful use of a racial slur is a complete disregard for the dignity of the black community in Arizona and across the nation and the punishment does not fit the total ignorance and cruelty of the crime[*]." *Some exceptions may apply: please ignore the "dignity of the black community" when rap thugs and their wannabes use the word continually. And despite the picture having been taken without the school's knowledge, the petition continued, "We demand the resignation of the school's principal, Christine Barela, immediately for deeming this 5-day vacation from school an acceptable punishment." Yes, the girls and their principal should be drawn and quartered and their body parts scattered in the far reaches of the realm. That'll show em! So Harris, the white head, participated in an event last week in the Tempe Union High School District to discuss why the powers-that-be didn't go medieval on the girls. But after the meeting, The American Mirror writes, "while participants were speaking with the media, he was caught on camera saying Channel 12 reporter Monique Griego had nice t[**]s.'" Hey, I think Howard Stern has just found his next guest. But here's where it really gets amusing. When Phoenix's New Times called the NAACP office to ask about Harris' remark, he replied, "The meeting was over. I apologize if anyone was offended. I could have said nothing. I'm really f*****g sorry." Maybe that's how little Don learned to apologize at home. Caught with his hands in the cookie jar? "I'm really @#$%&! sorry, ma!" Harris wasn't done, though. Since he'd pledged $5,000 for the "n-word effort" (whatever that means, in practical terms), the New Times, being politically correct itself, asked if an effort should be made to eradicate "sexist" language. Here was his response, as the paper relates it (I've cleaned it up): "I'm going to slash my wrists," he spews. "Better yet, I'm going to throw myself out of a f*****g window, except I'm on the first floor I'm one of the best god****d people in the state." "They've seen me now, they've seen what I've done. I've given up my law practice. I'm down here six, seven days a week. That's what my commitment is. I support NOW, the women's organization  god***n!  are you sh*****g me? Are you going to write this up?" Now, I very much like Harris' first two propositions. Instead of following such a course, however, something else is more likely; as the New Times amusingly put after mentioning that the vulgarian abruptly hung up the phone, "No doubt he's back working to eradicate an offensive word" (not, however, in the service of the NAACP; he resigned shortly after the scandal). To be clear, I don't come at this from a politically correct perspective. Rather, the operative principle here is common decency, the kind George Washington (who never used profanity) and our grandparents generally exhibited. For instance, the aforementioned Mirror ran the very clever headline, "OMG: NAACP leader uses F-word to apologize for using T-word after N-word meeting." Well crafted, but I could respond, "Writer uses God's name in vain to criticize NAACP leader for using F-word to apologize for using T-word after N-word meeting." And that's the point: what should our social standards for speech be? The problem with the politically correct thought police is not that they use social pressure to stifle some speech; again, whether it's stigmatizing the use of profanity or something else, every group does that. The problem is that the PC code is almost entirely wrong, quite stupid and allows for great contradiction. Leftists descend to the very nadir of inanity, sometimes objecting to terms and names such as black hole, niggardly, Easter eggs, Christmas Trees and crippled as they rail against "microaggressions" and stigmatize substantive speech ("safe areas" and speech codes). And they sometimes do it via profanity-laced tirades that would make a drunken sailor blush. They have things backwards. "Niggardly" and other legitimate terms relate qualities and concepts; profanity is simply verbal violence and ugliness. Of course, some will roll their eyes at my "God's name" comment and, as one respondent who emailed me years ago mockingly put it, Little Lord Fauntleroy standard. But note that I grew up in the Bronx and have heard it all  I also ultimately saw through it all. Moreover, aren't such comments reminiscent of when leftist Bill Maher said about a decade or so back that the Boy Scouts should be tolerated because the "squares" need some place to go? We'd do well to remember C.S. Lewis' observation: "In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst." I'd add, we mock virtue and are surprised when vice reigns supreme. That the respondent in question was no liberal illustrates an important point: more and more conservatives today are using profanity publicly, with it appearing even in commentary as they play the caboose to the engine of liberalism. That is to say, it apparently means nothing to them that it is liberals who mainstreamed vulgar language; they're more than happy to embrace and defend yesterday's liberals' cultural norms and scoff at those who object, coarsening society along the way. This gets at the true relationship between the processes known as liberalism and conservatism, as G.K. Chesterton so colorfully explained: The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of Conservatives is to prevent mistakes from being corrected. Even when the revolutionist might himself repent of his revolution, the traditionalist is already defending it as part of his tradition. Thus we have two great types  the advanced person who rushes us into ruin, and the retrospective person who admires the ruins. The reason this two-step-dance process of national death occurs is simple: reference to taste and not Truth. This is illustrated perfectly by Harris. It's not surprising he thinks he's "one of the best" people in his state and polishes up his credentials by saying he supports NOW; this is reminiscent of Bill Clinton and ex-senator Bob Packwood, both of whom supported feminism publicly and abused the feminine sex privately; it also reflects research showing that while leftists rail against greed in principle, they're defined by it in practice. They seem to believe they can indulge their beloved personal corruption and then expiate it with public displays of faux virtue. More to the point, however, is that they exemplify that modernist mistake of self-deification. A person who believes in Truth (by definition absolute) uses it as his yardstick for morality. Now, when he looks around at others, he sees that they pale in comparison to this perfect standard. But so does he. Thus, he realizes that he and his fellow man truly are brothers in sin, both needing salvation, and can honestly say "But there for the grace of God go I." But what about when someone is a relativist and doesn't believe in Truth? What is his yardstick for behavior? It's usually himself. Not believing there is an objective standard for morality  and thus not really believing in morality, properly defined  the only yardstick he has left is emotion. This is why, as this study shows, most Americans make what should be moral decisions based on feelings. This often leads to great arrogance and contempt for others. Having a behavior standard reflecting your emotions is just another way of saying it merely reflects you. This makes it easy to view yourself as perfect, for it's relatively hard to be out of conformity with yourself. A yardstick never fails at being three feet long. Yet since no one is a carbon copy of you, others will always fail to measure up to your "truth" the way you do. So you look in your ethereal mirror and see this font of virtue, and you look down on the Lilliputians below and see vice. And you have thus put yourself in the place of God and have reduced others to disobedient children in need of your guidance and discipline. This explains the infamous superciliousness of those we call leftists, but remember that many "conservatives" are just a bit behind the twisted curve. It's sadly amusing to ponder a film such as Idiocracy (whose creation itself reflects descent into idiocracy), which portrays a degraded, vulgar, dystopian future, and think that all and sundry are making it prophetic. And if we haven't yet destroyed ourselves and are still doing the two-step dance of civilizational death in 30 years, it's easy to imagine conservatives shouting @#$%&! and @#$%&! and @#$%&! at those who point out that they're politically and linguistically just like yesterday's Hillary Clintons. Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Twitter or log on to SelwynDuke.com. Home
Phantom thread of Islam in the fabric of America, Part 1: Christian no more? By Debra Rae

This February, America celebrates the 284th birthday of George Washington, venerated father of his country. On his birthday the Senate traditionally reads Washington's Farewell Address, in which he urged Americans to avoid excessive political party spirit and geographical distinctions. In foreign affairs, he cautioned against long-term alliances with other nations. Aware that "it is impossible to rightly rule the world without God and the Bible," Washington further noted, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports." Accordingly, the General issued orders to be attentive to "the higher duties of religion." The dispositions, habits, and duties to which Washington adhered were decidedly and conspicuously Christian. Indeed Chief Justice John Marshall knew Washington as the "sincere believer in the Christian faith" and "truly devout man" that he was. On behalf of the United States, especially for brethren who served in the field, Washington prayed for holy protection of the "Divine Author of our blessed religion through Jesus Christ, our Lord." His expressed desire was for the world to be filled with the knowledge of God and His son, Jesus Christ. To this end, the General characterized the Continental army as "Christian soldiers defending the dearest rights and liberties of his country;" and his field notebook contained a personal prayer book, expounding merits of the Lord Jesus. Ronald Reagan echoed Washington's sentiments while warning, as if prophetically, "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." Christian No More? Over many decades, the vision of "a shining city upon a hill" has dimmed, so much so that President Obama has contravened several Supreme Court rulings by announcing, "Whatever we once were we are no longer just a Christian nation." True, Constitutional freedom of religion gives place for free exercise of differing persuasions. However, by regaling "deep appreciation for the Islamic faith," whose unspecified contributions "over the centuries" have allegedly "shaped our country," the President seems to have round-filed America's heavily documented heritage to the contrary. George Washington's own writings, journals, letters, manuscripts (and those of his closest family and confidants) showcase the Christian cornerstone for what would become one of the most prosperous, free nations in the history of civilization. Without affording even a nod to the Qur'anic moon god, Washington unapologetically credited this astounding feat to the God of the Bible. Assimilation Mandate Even if Muslims fought in the Revolution, as purported by progressive revisionists, Washington likely would have repeated to them counsel he offered Chiefs of the Delaware Indian tribe at the Middle Brook military encampment: "Congress will look upon [your youth] as their own children  You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention." Guided by biblical principle, Washington invited them to share the nation's blessings by assimilation (biblical ethics and English language included). Keep in mind, to their credit, at least half of our presidents were proficient in speaking or writing a language other than English, yet the language of our Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution of the United States of America, and Bill of Rights was Englishnot Spanish; not Ebonics; not Arabic. Phantom Thread of Islamic Patriotism Progressives nonetheless advance a fanciful notion that, from America's founding, some phantom thread of Islam has been tightly interwoven within the fabric of her history. Since the colonial period (when some twenty thousand African Muslim slaves were transported), through the early 20th century influx of Muslim immigrants, to the present day, Islam purportedly played an integral role. "Presence"? Maybe. "Integral"? I think not. Cultural jihad by no means accounts for America's preeminence. Written by Mohamed Akram, the Explanatory Memorandum (1991) characterizes America's Islamic Movement as a settlement process. Likened to a "grand jihad," this process expressly purposes to eliminate and destroy Western civilization from within. In imploring Americans to "revere and respect" the Muslim's alternate "path to grace," Obama overlooks cultural jihad, Islamic anti-Semitism, and Shari'ah Law, all of which defy American values. Tellingly, there is no Arabic word for "democracy," nor does the Qur'an even once ascribe "love" to Allah. Islamic "peace" trails submission, if not by choice, by force. The biblical mandate is not to overcome by force, but rather to "overcome evil with good." Jesus came "to seek and save the lost." In contrast, adherents of the Qur'an view the West, not as a culture to be embraced or even tolerated, but rather as an obstacle to be overcome. An immutable and compulsory mono-cultural system, Shari'ah is the crucial fault line of Islam's civil struggle. Under its dictates, peaceful coexistence at best is untenable. Even so, in publicly praising Islam for its "proud tradition of tolerance," President Obama ignores the plight of Christians who, to this day, pay the ultimate price for professing their Christian faith in "tolerant" Islamist nations. Remember, some seventy percent of the world's population lives in countries that restrict religious liberty; and most are Muslim-majority countries (plus China and North Korea). "Right" Not to be Offended Throughout the Revolution, General Washington suffered lack of support from the colonies and congress, not to mention soldier desertions, mutinies, defeats, and military betrayals by Gates, Lee, Rush, Conway, and Arnold. Even after military victory, Washington faced political resistance, mudslinging, and betrayals, yet he labored eight years to forge a nation through a political experiment that had never before been attempted. Washington accepted that offenses come. Though his integrity, republican principles, and military prowess were brought into question, Washington nonetheless persevered. Routinely misunderstood and portrayed as caricatures (if at all), post-9/11 Muslim-Americans portray themselves as unfairly maligned and marginalized. As other minority groups, these claim some unwritten "right" not to be offended. Even if said allegations ring true, skittishness is not without cause. From AD 33 until Y2K, Muslim terrorists murdered some nine million Christians; and since 1972, deadly Islamic terror on American soil has injured and/or killed civilians in New York, Maryland, Washington DC, Washington State, California, Illinois, Missouri, Arizona, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, Colorado, Georgia, Arkansas, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Though one unfortunate Muslim-American revenge killing followed 9/11, roughly three thousand died at the hands of radical Muslims. Truth be told, Jihadi terrorists pose a much greater threat to peace loving Muslims than wary Westerners do. Based on exhaustive documentation, America first and foremost is one nation under God. Heralding the God of the Bible may well offend some. Still, in celebrating the legacy of founding father George Washington, we do well to remember Esau who lightly esteemed his birthright and, for a bowl of pottage, forfeited the double portion due him as Isaac's firstborn son. Should we disparage our noble heritage in following Esau's example, America will be a nation gone under, as Reagan warned. More to follow in Part 2. Debra Rae is a regular contributor to The Intellectual Conservative and this publication.  2016 Home
"How did you manage to get ahold of a loan officer at 9:30 at night on a Thursday?" The question came in over text, so I couldn...
On 8th February, the ESRF welcomed the Italian and French ministers of research to witness the signature of a collaboration agreement between the ESRF and INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare). This agreement represents a decisive milestone for the ESRF-EBS project, which will create a new generation of synchrotrons with performances that are unique in the world.

Francesco Sette, Director General, ESRF, Bertrand Girard, Chairman of the Council of the ESRF, and Fernando Ferroni, President of INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare), signed a collaboration agreement in the presence of the Italian and French Ministers, Stefania Giannini, Minister for Education, Universities and Research, and Thierry Mandon, Minister of State for Higher Education and Research.

The Ministers chaired the signing ceremony of the collaboration agreement between ESRF and INFN, following the visit of the ESRF new Experimental Hall and the presentation of examples of the international research carried out at the ESRF in areas such as structural biology and medical research to conceive new drugs, materials science to understand the geodynamics of our planet, soft matter to understand the functioning of muscles, archaeology to unveil non-destructively mysteries of ancient artefacts, environmental sciences and nanotechnology.

The delegation visit one of the structural biology beamlines in the new Experimental Hall. Credit: ESRF/P. Jayet

This agreement reinforces the links between ESRF and INFN, which date back to the very beginning of the ESRF, and to the design of the existing machine. Since 2011, collaboration between ESRF and INFN-LNF (Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati) has further strengthened with the conception and engineering design of the new revolutionary ESRF-EBS storage ring. INFN, with its pioneering work on DAFNE (the first accelerator made almost entirely with aluminium vacuum chambers), has helped in all aspects of the design and construction of the ESRF-EBS vacuum system.

The ESRF-EBS is a major challenge requiring state-of-the-art accelerator technology to realise a very innovative relativistic electron beam dynamics design. This unique project is supported by the 21 partner nations of the ESRF, including France, the host-country, and Italy whose contributions to the ESRF amounts to 27.5% and 13.2% respectively. The principal aim of this project is to construct and commission the new 844 m circumference ESRF-EBS storage ring, over the period 2015-2022. About 90% of the existing infrastructure will be re-used, and the new ESRF-EBS design has been conceived with greatly improved energy efficiency providing a 20% reduction of electricity costs. Consequently, also thanks to expertise of ESRF staff and the network between European accelerator laboratories, the construction and operation of the ESRF-EBS is very attractive from many points of view: science, technology, education of young generations in challenging jobs and financial costs. With performances multiplied by 100 in terms of brilliance and coherence, this new source of synchrotron radiation will offer unprecedented tools for the exploration of matter, for the understanding of life at the macromolecular level and for the excellence of European and world science. It constitutes a prime example in the implementation of the European Research Area.

This agreement represents a key step in the construction and installation phases of the ESRF-EBS new storage ring. It will result in an exchange of expertise and a strengthening of technical assistance between ESRF and INFN.

The ministers welcomed this agreement and stressed the importance of this signature:

As underlined by Minister Thierry Mandon, This partnership between the ESRF and the INFN is a historical one, because it is at the heart of immense scientific progress. It is the illustration of the famous 1+1=3. Creation of new strengths, new summits, new lights. By building new knowledge, by probing and advancing towards unknown territories, researchers play an essential role. They make the world less gloomy, less obscure, less blurry, less dark. They make the world brighter! Inside the ESRF Experimental Hall, the delegation receive explanations on the magnet elements for the ESRF-EBS project. Credit: ESRF/P. Jayet.

"The collaboration agreement signed today testifies of the primary role played by Italy in important European research infrastructures, like the ESRF, which develops an outstanding scientific activity in many different domains: from cultural heritage to nanotechnologies, from environment to the study of new drugs", affirms Minister Stefania Giannini. "Essential, in this regard, is the scientific know-how provided by the INFN. Italy, together with France and Germany, is among the main contributors to the ESRF, a model of international cooperation, which welcomes every year thousands of scientists. An example - concludes Stefania Giannini - of the Europe that we like."

Francesco Sette underlined that: "This agreement strengthens the partnership between ESRF and INFN, a collaboration which is going since many years, and will be of great importance at a time in which ESRF and its European partners work together to invent and construct the new ESRF-EBS storage ring. The ESRF-EBS programme is a great technological challenge, and its realisation needs the support and input from the outstanding European accelerator community, among which the INFN with its physicists and engineers from the INFN-LNF in Frascati. The ESRF-EBS, delivering a conceptually new and first-of-a-kind storage ring, will provide synchrotron scientists with a new generation of extremely high brilliance X-ray beams for the exploration of matter, the understanding of life at the macromolecular level, and the excellence and advancement of European and world science."
A new study suggests that people are more likely to misidentify a toy as a weapon after seeing a Black face than a White face, even when the face in question is that of a five-year-old child.

The research is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

"Our findings suggest that, although young children are typically viewed as harmless and innocent, seeing faces of five-year-old Black boys appears to trigger thoughts of guns and violence," said lead study author Andrew Todd, an assistant professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa.

The inspiration for the series of studies, conducted by Todd and University of Iowa colleagues, Kelsey Thiem and Rebecca Neel, began with a real-life observation:

"In this case, it was the alarming rate at which young African Americans -- particularly young Black males -- are shot and killed by police in the U.S.," explains Todd. "Although such incidents have multiple causes, one potential contributor is that young Black males are stereotypically associated with violence and criminality."

Previous research has shown that people are quicker at categorizing threatening stimuli after seeing Black faces than after seeing White faces, which can result in the misidentification of harmless objects as weapons. Todd and colleagues wanted to find out whether the negative implicit associations often observed in relation to Black men would also extend to Black children.

The researchers presented 64 White college students with two images that flashed on a monitor in quick succession. The students saw the first image -- a photograph of a child's face -- which they were told to ignore because it purportedly just signaled that the second image was about to appear. When the second image popped up, participants were supposed to indicate whether it showed a gun or a toy, such as a rattle. The photographs of children's faces included six images of Black five-year-old boys and six images of White five-year-old boys.

The data revealed that the student participants tended to be quicker at categorizing guns after seeing a Black child's face than after seeing a White child's face. Participants also mistakenly categorized toys as weapons more often after seeing images of Black boys than after seeing images of White boys.

However, they mistakenly categorized guns as toys more often after seeing a White child's face than after seeing a Black child's face.

The researchers' analyses showed that the negative bias linking Black faces with threatening objects was driven entirely by automatic associations, which can unintentionally influence behavior.

In a second set of experiments, 131 White college students were shown faces of both children and adults before categorizing the second image as either a tool or a gun.

Again, Todd and colleagues found that seeing a Black face, regardless of whether it belonged to an adult or a child, elicited a bias whereby the participants categorized objects as weapons. Participants classified guns more quickly after seeing a Black face than after seeing a White face, and were more likely to mistakenly classify the non-threatening objects as guns after seeing a Black face.

A final experiment revealed that even threat-related words -- including "violent," "dangerous," "hostile," and "aggressive," -- were more strongly associated with images of young Black boys than with images of young White boys.

"One of the most pernicious stereotypes of Black Americans, particularly Black men, is that they are hostile and violent," Todd and colleagues write. "So pervasive are these threat-related associations that they can shape even low-level aspects of social cognition."

The researchers were surprised to find that images of harmless-looking five-year-olds could elicit threat-related associations that were on par with those elicited by images of adults. Todd and his colleagues hope to conduct further research into the extent of this implicit bias, investigating, for example, whether it also applies to Black women and girls.

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For more information about this study, please contact: Andrew R. Todd at andrew-todd@uiowa.edu.

The article abstract is available online: http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/02/01/0956797615624492.abstract

The APS journal Psychological Science is the highest ranked empirical journal in psychology. For a copy of the article "Does Seeing Faces of Young Black Boys Facilitate the Identification of Threatening Stimuli?" and access to other Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.
Last year, researchers from Aarhus BSS, Aarhus University developed a so-called quality index, a tool applied when mapping the factors that matter in Danish people's perception of food quality. This year, the tool has been adjusted and extended. The "Quality Index 2015" was ordered and financed by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark (now: the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark) as part of an agreement with Aarhus University on research-based public sector consultancy.

The quality index has been developed in collaboration with "Food Culture" (Madkulturen), which is a self-governing institution under the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark.

The reason for developing the index and measuring the levels of consumer satisfaction is that extant knowledge of the consumers' perception of food quality is both fragmented and dated. Last year, researchers also studied how satisfied we were with the food we are able to buy, and on a general level, we are quite satisfied - even slightly more satisfied than the year before. "This is most likely due to an overall increase in consumer optimism," says George Tsalis, research assistant at the MAPP Centre and one of the authors of the 2015 Quality Index, and emphasises:

"You need to look at a longer period of time to spot an overall tendency. What we have here is a snapshot of how things are."

Soft-boiled eggs or homemade sushi

This year, the section of the tool which concerns Danish people's kitchen skills has been significantly extended compared with last year. Here, questions include everything from the level of difficulty in the dishes we make to our knowledge of storage, health and taste. While more than 92 per cent of Danes know how to boil an egg, less than one in 10 have tried their hands at making homemade sushi or cooking a fish soup from scratch.

Our kitchen skills and our knowledge of how to store and prepare food is perhaps not surprisingly closely linked to our level of education and income. The more educated we are and the more money we earn, the more advanced we are in the kitchen, and the more we care about quality when we go shopping.

But why is it even necessary to explore whether Danes know how to make mayonnaise or fillet a fish?

"Skills are a manifestation of something else found on a higher level. Our skills say something about our entire lifestyle, our approach to food, meals and consumption, so skills are an integrated part of the tool," George Tsalis explains.

What type?

In the study, researchers have divided consumers into five segments according to their eating habits and purchasing patterns: The quality-aware are people who shop in delis, care about natural and organic food and experiment in the kitchen. 26 per cent of Danes belong to this group.

The next group comprises the organic-efficient, who, like the quality-aware, care about organic food, but who are less concerned with cooking and preparing the food compared with the quality-aware. The organic-efficient make up 25 per cent of the participants in the study. Then there are the unconcerned consumers, who make up 24 per cent of the participants. They care less about whether or not food is organic, natural or contains additives. They do, however, care more about cooking than the organic-effective, and they willingly try out new recipes. 17 per cent of us are conservative consumers, who buy more ready-made dishes than others and steer clear of great culinary adventures.

Finally, we have the disengaged, who make up 9 per cent of the population. As the name suggests, they care little about the quality of their food or their meals. The group of disengaged is, however, almost half the size of what it was in last year's study. Here 16 per cent of us did not think much about cooking skills or shopping for food.

For more information on the different types, please see last year's Quality Index.

Did our grandmothers have better kitchen skills?

The study shows that people under 30 generally know less about cooking, taste, storage and health than older people. However, this does not mean that the younger generations have lost certain skills, George Tsalis points out:

"It is a natural process. These people will also get to be 40, 50 and 60 years old, and as we do get smarter with age, this group will not remain at the same level of knowledge and competences throughout their lives."

Willingness to pay

The participants in the study were also asked about their willingness to pay more for certified food products with specific quality stamps such as products that are animal friendly, locally produced or organic, etc. Here, the study showed that, just as in the 2014 study, many Danes (75 per cent) are willing to pay slightly more for animal-friendly products. The quality stamp certifying that the products are animal friendly is also the stamp which would persuade most people -- even the disengaged -- to pay more.

"Personally, I find it positive that the 2014 results regarding animal welfare were not just coincidental. This year's study confirmed that people are not just concerned with their own welfare, but also with the welfare of the animals that end up on their plates. This shows that the consumers are engaged and involved. We are not just unconscious consumers," says George Tsalis.

The contribution of the index?

George Tsalis is careful not to draw any overall conclusions about Danish people's food habits on account of two years' of studies. But the quality index is an important tool for monitoring our habits, consumption and approach to food quality over time.

"The small changes that happen from year to year are to be expected, and they say nothing about an underlying or permanent change in the state of affairs. But if you measure the same factors again in 10 years, I think that we will see other patterns in our consumption, level of satisfaction and the general approach to food and meals."

By measuring Danish people's overall satisfaction with food and the other parameters over time, you can monitor significant changes in the population's attitudes, purchasing and eating habits. This allows you to take action at an early stage via specific initiatives or campaigns if politicians wish to push people in a certain direction e.g. to persuade them to eat more healthily or to cook more from scratch.

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Further information

The results have been published in a report from the DCA -- Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture -- at Aarhus University.

Download the report Kvalitetsindeks 2015 -- et instrument til kortlgning af fdevare-forbrugernes kvalitetsopfattelser", DCA report number 069, December 2015.
European bison imported from Poland now roam Denmark's Baltic island of Bornholm in places where the animals haven't lived for thousands of years. Meanwhile, in a far corner of Siberia, scientists are attempting to reconstruct an ecosystem that was lost many thousands of years ago along with the woolly mammoth by introducing bison, musk oxen, moose, horses, and reindeer to a place they call Pleistocene Park.

These efforts to "rewild" the landscape have become increasingly popular in some corners, but researchers writing in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on February 8 say that scientific evidence supporting the potential benefits of this form of restoration is limited at best. As history has shown, the introduction of species into new places is often met with unexpected, negative consequences for the environment.

"Implementation of rewilding in the field is already occurring," says David Nogues-Bravo of the Center for Macroecology, Evolution, and Climate at the University of Copenhagen. "However, scientifically we are in the dark about the consequences of rewilding, and we worry about the general lack of critical thinking surrounding these often very expensive attempts at conservation. Practitioners mustn't assume that scientists are able to predict the full consequences of introducing novel species to dynamic and ever-evolving ecosystems."

Nogues-Bravo and his colleagues say that before implementing rewilding in the field as a major conservation approach, more basic research is needed about the consequences of modifying ecosystems. They argue that, for now at least, conservation efforts should focus instead on protecting biodiversity and on reducing major threats to the environment, such as deforestation, climate change, and invasive species.

"We don't know what the consequences of rewilding may be, and rewilding may also bring de-wilding in the form of local and global extinctions," says Carsten Rahbek, also a co-author. He and Nogues-Bravo note the potential also that rewilding might draw down already limited funds available for less splashy, but more scientifically supported, conservation projects.

Daniel Simberloff, a co-author from the University of Tennessee, says that the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park is often highlighted as a success story through its cascading effects on the landscape. But the influence of such reintroductions can be highly variable and hard to predict.

"Only in some cases do you find evidence of strong cascading effects of large mammals, while other examples show only weak effects or even unexpected, but dramatic, negative consequences," Simberloff says. "Therefore, we advocate caution and careful consideration both for the animals that are rewilded and the ecosystems they are placed into."

While hard work, vigilance, and creativity on the part of scientists, conservation practitioners, and policy makers are required to face the world's sixth mass extinction event, the researchers write, "our hope is that the hard work is grounded in detailed ecological theory and offers clear conservation benefits to all of biodiversity and not just the opportunity to see large, wild beasts roaming the landscape."

The researchers say that they are now exploring the feasibility, adequacy, and risks of rewilding by studying fossil remains and their DNA in museums around the world. Their goal is to understand changes in ecosystems that occurred in past "natural experiments" that resemble rewilding.

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The authors were supported by Det Frie Forskningsrads Forskerkarriere Program Sapere Aude and the Danish National Research Foundation.

Current Biology, Nogues-Bravo et al.: "Rewilding is the new Pandora's box in conservation" http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.12.044

Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. For more information please visit http://www.cell.com/current-biology. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com.
The Earth may suffer irreversible damage that could last tens of thousands of years because ofthe rate humans are emitting carbon into the atmosphere.

In a new study in Nature Climate Change, researchers at Oregon State University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and collaborating institutions found that the longer-term impacts of climate change go well past the 21st century.

"Much of the carbon we are putting in the air from burning fossil fuels will stay there for thousands of years - and some of it will be there for more than 100,000 years," said Peter Clark, an Oregon State University paleoclimatologist and lead author on the article. "People need to understand that the effects of climate change on the planet won't go away, at least not for thousands of generations."

LLNL's Benjamin Santer said the focus on climate change at the end of the 21st century needs to be shifted toward a much longer-term perspective.

"Our greenhouse gas emissions today produce climate-change commitments for many centuries to come," Santer said. "Today's actions - or inaction - will have long-term climate consequences for generations of our descendants".

"The long-term view sends the chilling message what the real risks and consequences are of the fossil fuel era," said Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern in Switzerland, who is past-co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Working Group I. "It will commit us to massive adaptation efforts so that for many, dislocation and migration becomes the only option."

Sea level rise is one of the most noticeable impacts of global warming, yet its effects are just starting to be seen, according to the article. The latest IPCC report calls for sea level rise of one meter by the year 2100. In the new study, however, the authors look at four different sea level-rise scenarios based on different rates of warming, from a low rate that could only be reached with massive efforts to eliminate fossil fuel use over the next few decades, to a higher rate based on the consumption of half the remaining fossil fuels over the next few centuries.

With just two degrees (Celsius) warming in the low-end scenario, sea levels are predicted to eventually rise by about 25 meters. With seven degrees warming at the high-end scenario, the rise is estimated at 50 meters, although over a period of several centuries to millennia.

"It takes sea level rise a very long time to react - on the order of centuries," Clark said. "It's like heating a pot of water on the stove; it doesn't boil for quite a while after the heat is turned on - but then it will continue to boil as long as the heat persists. Once carbon is in the atmosphere, it will stay there for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, and the warming, as well as the higher seas, will remain."

For the low-end scenario, an estimated 122 countries have at least 10 percent of their population in areas that will be directly affected by rising sea levels, and some 1.3 billion people - or 20 percent of the global population - may be directly affected. The impacts become greater as the warming and sea level rise increases.

The new paper makes the fundamental point that considering the long time scales of the carbon cycle and of climate change means that reducing emissions slightly or even significantly is not sufficient. "To spare future generations from the worst impacts of climate change, the target must be zero - or even negative carbon emissions - as soon as possible," Clark said.

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The researchers' work was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the German Science Foundation and the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides solutions to our nation's most important national security challenges through innovative science, engineering and technology. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Amsterdam, February 8, 2016 - 200,000 fish bones discovered in and around a pit in Sweden suggest that the people living in the area more than 9000 years ago were more settled and cultured than we previously thought. Research published in the Journal of Archaeological Science suggests people were storing large amounts of fermented food much earlier than experts thought.

The new paper reveals the earliest evidence of fermentation in Scandinavia, from the Early Mesolithic time period, about 9,200 years ago. The author of the study, from Lund University in Sweden, say the findings suggest that people who survived by foraging for food were actually more advanced than assumed.

The Mesolithic period, which spanned around 10,000-5,000 BC, marked the time before people started farming in Europe. At this time, researchers previously believed groups of people in Scandinavia caught fish from the sea, lakes and rivers and moved around following the sources of food they could find.

"This is a really exciting and surprising finding that gives us a completely new picture of how the group lived," said Adam Boethius, author of the study and historical osteology PhD student at Lund University in Sweden. "We'd never seen a site like this with so many well preserved fish bones, so it was amazing to find."

For the first time, the new research suggests the foraging people actually settled much earlier than previously thought. They stored huge amounts of fish in one place by fermenting them, suggesting the people had more advanced technology and a more sedentary life than we thought.

If the people were more sedentary, they would have been better able to develop culture. This, say the authors, makes the culture more comparable to the Neolithic people in the Middle East, who were traditionally thought to have settled much earlier than their northern European counterparts.

Boethius and his colleagues had been excavating a site at Norje Sunnansund to rescue any artifacts from Mesolithic settlements before a road was built. As they started to dig, they found lots of fish bones, which indicated people had lived there. They then uncovered an elongated pit or gutter surrounded by small stake holes and completely filled with fish bones.

"It was really strange, and because of all the fish bones in the area we knew something was going on even before we found the feature," said Boethius. "At first we had no idea what it was so we rescued it from the area to investigate."

The excavation involved 16 archaeologists during five months. Boethius analyzed the feature and the contents and discovered the fish bones were from freshwater fish. He also showed the fish had been fermented - a skillful way of preserving food without using salt.

The amount of fish they found could have supported a large community of people. Given the amount and type of fish found at the site, Boethius believes freshwater sources played a more important role in the development of culture in the area than we thought. He is now working on further research to find out exactly what people were eating, and how this knowledge impacts our understanding of these ancient societies.

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Article details:

"Something rotten in Scandinavia: the worlds earliest evidence of fermentation" by Adam Boethius (doi: doi:10.1016/j.jas.2016.01.008 ). The article appears in Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 66 (February 2016), published by Elsevier.

A copy of the paper is available to credentialed journalists upon request, contact Elsevier's Newsroom at newsroom@elsevier.com or +31 20 4853564.

About Journal of Archaeological Science

The Journal of Archaeological Science provides an international forum for archaeologists and scientists who share a common interest in developing and applying scientific methods to inform major debates through improving the quality and reliability of scientific information derived from archaeological research. The journal publishes papers that present major advances in scientific methods and techniques in archaeology, showcase innovative science, shape global debates, address questions of broad significance and describe studies with far-reaching applicability.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make groundbreaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions -- among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey -- and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Faculty experts from Indiana University will join thousands of scientists converging on Washington, D.C., from Feb. 11 to 15 at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The IU scientists will travel to the nation's capital to deliver presentations and accept honors in recognition of their roles as leaders in the fields of informatics, chemistry, biology, the philosophy of science and others.

On Feb. 13, Katy Borner, Victor H. Yngve Professor of Information Science in the IU School of Informatics and Computing, will deliver "Visual Analytics: Mining, Mapping, and Accelerating Local and Global Science and Technology," about tools for improving information access, research management and networking among scientists.

An internationally recognized expert on data visualization and science of science studies, Borner focuses her research on the development of data analysis and visualization techniques to assist with access, management and interpretation of data. She is also the founding director of IU's Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center; curator of "Places and Spaces," an international traveling exhibit on data mapping; and the author of two beautifully illustrated books by MIT Press: "Atlas of Science," published in 2010, and "Atlas of Knowledge," published in 2015.

Borner's presentation is part of "New Science Roadmaps for Global Research" from 3 to 4:30 p.m., organized by Ben Shneiderman, University of Maryland, with a discussion lead by Peter Arzberger of the National Science Foundation.

On Feb. 14, Noretta Koertge, professor emeritus in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of History and Philosophy of Science, will deliver "The Role of Scientific Virtues in Understanding and Teaching Research Ethics" on the underlying values that guide the work of effective scientists.

Originally trained as a chemist, Koertge has a long and distinguished record as an expert in the philosophy of science. She is the author of the textbook "The Nature of Scientific Inquiry"; compiled essays for a volume from Oxford University Press, "Scientific Values and Civic Virtues"; and served five years as the editor-in-chief of the Philosophy of Science, a leading journal in the field. She currently teaches courses in IU's Hutton Honors College on topics such as research ethics, conflicts in science and scientific reasoning.

Koertge's presentation is part of "Virtues of U.S. Scientists Guiding Scientific Practice" from 10 to 11:30 a.m. led by Jennifer Wiseman, a senior astrophysicist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

In addition, Jessica Gall Myrick, an assistant professor in IU's Media School, will deliver a presentation on the social and psychological importance of Internet cat videos, a topic for which she has received wide media coverage. The presentation will be a part of the "Annals of Improbable Research" from 8 to 10 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.

Borner's and Koertge's presentations will both take place in the Wilson C conference room at the Marriott Wardman Park, Diplomat Ballroom, Washington, D.C.

Lastly, three IU professors and eight alumni will be officially inducted as 2015 AAAS fellows at the AAAS Fellows Forum on Feb. 13. The professors are:

William F. Carroll Jr., adjunct professor in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Chemistry

Armin P. Moczek, professor in the College's Department of Biology

Richard R. Wilk, Distinguished Professor and Provost's Professor of Anthropology in the College's Department of Anthropology

IU alumni named 2015 AAAS fellows are:

Barry Aprison of the University of Chicago

Gen-Seng Feng of the University of California at San Diego

Watson M. Laetsch of the University of California at Berkeley

Dennis L. Lichtenberger of the University of Arizona

Reinhard C. Laubenbacher of the University of Connecticut

Ellen K. Pikitch of Stony Brook University

J. Donald Rimstidt of Virginia Tech

G. Philip Robertson of Michigan State University

The fellows' induction will take place from 8 to 10 a.m. Feb. 13 in the Omni Shoreham Hotel Regency Ballroom, Washington, D.C. IU-affiliated fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold-and-blue rosette pin, joining the 347 new fellows selected by the AAAS in 2015.

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MANHATTAN, KANSAS -- The majority of millennials may not be putting their money where their mouths are when selecting chocolate, according to a Kansas State University expert in psychological sciences.

Despite strong preferences for ethical chocolate in focus groups, only 14 percent of millennials in individual choice studies selected candy with ethical or social factors labeling -- such as organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified, non-GMO and Fair Trade -- according to a study by Michael Young, professor and head of the university's psychological sciences department.

"For most participants, their choice behavior reflected minimal concern for ethical factors, whereas their public declarations in a focus group suggested otherwise," Young said. "Participants who modestly preferred a candy with certain labels in our focus group may be unwilling to pay much more to obtain it."

The study "Millennials and chocolate product ethics: Saying one thing and doing another" will be published in an upcoming issue of Food Quality and Preference. Young and his research assistant Anthony McCoy, doctoral student in psychological sciences, Albion, Michigan, evaluated answers from 80 participants in focus groups and 214 participants for the choice studies. Participants were assigned to focus groups based on ages in the millennial range -- younger millennials were participants 18-25 years old and older millennials were participants 26-35 years old.

"We got the impression in the focus groups that millennials were learning in college what attitudes were popular to express regarding their food," Young said. "But many of the older millennials confessed that they often were not making purchases consistent with those expressed attitudes due to limited financial resources."

Discussions among younger millennials commonly mentioned words like food, favorite, company, snack, fat, calories and words related to brand names and ingredients. The common words for the older millennials included company, ingredients, organic, bar, food, fair trade, vegan, price and words related to purchasing locations and packaging.

Young and McCoy separated choice study participants into six clusters based on trends with their preferences: lower fat and pro-taste cluster, 31 percent; low fat, some sugar cluster, 19 percent; calorie and health conscious cluster, 14 percent; socially conscientious cluster, 14 percent; sweet and tasty cluster, 11 percent; and pro-taste and anti-organic cluster, 11 percent.

Five of the six clusters, or 89 percent of the participants, favored clean labels, which Young defines as a smaller number of ingredients with pronounceable names. According to Young, two large chocolate companies announced changes to their labels in February 2015 in support of this preference. The one cluster that did not show preference for clean labels was the pro-taste and anti-organic cluster, which also preferred higher fat and had a distinctive dislike for organic and non-GMO products.

"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what is really going on in the heads of the individuals in the pro-taste and anti-organic cluster," Young said. "They were mostly men with high self-control -- individuals who don't impulse buy -- and all they really cared about was the taste."

Participants in the choice study also filled out a survey about buying history of average food items, which Young and McCoy used to establish buying demographics and confirm the clusters. For example, they found that participants in the calorie and health conscious cluster reported that they did not typically buy things like chocolate milk or cake mixes.

"The buying demographics validated the emerging picture of the clusters," Young said. "What they were doing in the context of the experiment really did correlate with what they were self-reporting as products that they were buying in the real world."

The majority of the participants were from the Midwest, which Young said may influence the choices.

"Although older millennials voice their interest in certified ethical chocolate, it is too early to tell if this is a fad or a shift in consumer preferences," Young said. "However, ethical sourcing is a laudable goal and companies should lay the groundwork for possible change in consumer preference."

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NJIT President Joel S. Bloom has been selected for the Air Force Chief of Staff's civic leader program. Bloom, who is one of only a few national university presidents ever requested to serve in such a role, joins about 30 business and civic leaders from across the nation.

"I am honored by this opportunity to serve with such a distinguished group of advisers," President Bloom said. "NJIT has a great history with the Air Force, having started our Air Force ROTC program in 1949 and having many alumni in service."

NJIT distinguished alumni with long service to the Air Force include Manuel Garrido '65, George Olson '77 and Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski '78, who is the third woman in Air Force history to receive a fourth star and who leads the Air Force Materiel Command.

The Air Force Civic Leader Program is an Air Staff-level program whose membership is comprised of respected business and community leaders. The Air Force civic leaders are unpaid advisors, key communicators and advocates for Air Force issues. They provide ideas, programmatic and base reviews, and feedback to advise the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff and Air Force senior leaders about how missions can best be accomplished and about public attitudes. Bloom will soon be traveling to air force bases in the United States and Europe. The program also benefits NJIT by offering visibility, access to Air Force R&D and engagement of civic and business leaders from across the nation.

In selecting Bloom, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, Air Force chief of staff, called him "a steadfast friend and loyal supporter" while noting the importance of the program, which meets at least three times per year. "One of my priorities as the Chief of Staff is to strengthen the partnership between our communities, their leaders, and senior Air Force leadership," Welsh wrote. "I will rely on your experience, knowledge, and candor when asking for ideas and feedback on ways we can be better neighbors, support our Airmen and their families, and serve the nation."

Bloom, who became NJIT's president in 201l, is spearheading the growth of the university, currently achieving a student enrollment of more than 11,300 students, hiring nearly 100 additional faculty, a $300 million campus transformation of new facilities such as the Life Sciences and Engineering Building, the Wellness and Event Center, the Science Park parking facility and renovations to the Central King Building. Under his leadership, the admissions standards have risen, research funding has improved to more than $110 million, the university's reputation as a top research and polytechnic university has grown and the New Jersey Innovation Institute was created as a prime entry for business and government partners as well as to help increase NJIT's already substantial economic impact of over $1.7 billion.

Bloom started his career in industry working as an economist. He subsequently became an educator and administrator for the New York City public schools. Before coming to New Jersey, he worked as a research director and instructor at Teachers College, Columbia University. From 1983 through 1990, Bloom served as assistant commissioner in the New Jersey Department of Education for the Division of General Academic Education.

Since joining NJIT in July 1990, Bloom has served the university in many capacities and in 1996, was promoted to vice president for academic and student services. Bloom was appointed as the first dean of the Albert Dorman Honors College in 1998, in addition to his vice president responsibilities.

Bloom is presently chair of the Science Park Board, treasurer of the NJ President's Council and treasurer of the NJEDge.Net Board. In addition, he serves as a member of the following boards: the Newark Alliance, Philadelphia Alliance for Minority Participation, La Casa de Don Pedro, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Presidents Council. Bloom has been the recipient of many national and state education awards, as well as federal, foundation and corporate grant awards. He was most recently named "Educator of the Year" by the Research & Development Council of New Jersey.

Bloom holds a master's degree and a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. He also earned master's and bachelor's degrees from Hunter College of the City University, New York City.

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About NJIT

One of the nation's leading public technological universities, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is a top-tier research university that prepares students to become leaders in the technology-dependent economy of the 21st century. NJIT's multidisciplinary curriculum and computing-intensive approach to education provide technological proficiency, business acumen and leadership skills. With an enrollment of more than 11,300 graduate and undergraduate students, NJIT offers small-campus intimacy with the resources of a major public research university. NJIT is a global leader in such fields as solar research, nanotechnology, resilient design, tissue engineering and cybersecurity, in addition to others. NJIT ranks fifth among U.S. polytechnic universities in research expenditures, topping $110 million, and is among the top 1 percent of public colleges and universities in return on educational investment, according to http://www.Payscale.com.
CORVALLIS, Ore. - At the rate humans are emitting carbon into the atmosphere, the Earth may suffer irreparable damage that could last tens of thousands of years, according to a new analysis published this week.

Too much of the climate change policy debate has focused on observations of the past 150 years and their impact on global warming and sea level rise by the end of this century, the authors say. Instead, policy-makers and the public should also be considering the longer-term impacts of climate change.

"Much of the carbon we are putting in the air from burning fossil fuels will stay there for thousands of years - and some of it will be there for more than 100,000 years," said Peter Clark, an Oregon State University paleoclimatologist and lead author on the article. "People need to understand that the effects of climate change on the planet won't go away, at least not for thousands of generations."

The researchers' analysis is being published this week in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Thomas Stocker of the University of Bern in Switzerland, who is past-co-chair of the IPCC's Working Group I, said the focus on climate change at the end of the 21st century needs to be shifted toward a much longer-term perspective.

"Our greenhouse gas emissions today produce climate-change commitments for many centuries to millennia," said Stocker, a climate modeler and co-author on the Nature Climate Change article. "It is high time that this essential irreversibility is placed into the focus of policy-makers.

"The long-term view sends the chilling message (about) what the real risks and consequences are of the fossil fuel era," Stocker added. "It will commit us to massive adaptation efforts so that for many, dislocation and migration becomes the only option."

Sea level rise is one of the most compelling impacts of global warming, yet its effects are just starting to be seen. The latest IPCC report, for example, calls for sea level rise of just one meter by the year 2100. In their analysis, however, the authors look at four difference sea level-rise scenarios based on different rates of warming, from a low end that could only be reached with massive efforts to eliminate fossil fuel use over the next few decades, to a higher rate based on the consumption of half the remaining fossil fuels over the next few centuries.

With just two degrees (Celsius) warming in the low-end scenario, sea levels are predicted to eventually rise by about 25 meters. With seven degrees warming at the high-end scenario, the rise is estimated at 50 meters, although over a period of several centuries to millennia.

"It takes sea level rise a very long time to react - on the order of centuries," Clark said. "It's like heating a pot of water on the stove; it doesn't boil for quite a while after the heat is turned on - but then it will continue to boil as long as the heat persists. Once carbon is in the atmosphere, it will stay there for tens or hundreds of thousands of years, and the warming, as well as the higher seas, will remain."

Clark said for the low-end scenario, an estimated 122 countries have at least 10 percent of their population in areas that will be directly affected by rising sea levels, and that some 1.3 billion - or 20 percent of the global population - live on lands that may be directly affected. The impacts become greater as the warming and sea level rise increases.

"We can't keep building seawalls that are 25 meters high," noted Clark, a professor in OSU's College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. "Entire populations of cities will eventually have to move."

Daniel Schrag, the Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology at Harvard University, said there are moral questions about "what kind of environment we are passing along to future generations."

"Sea level rise may not seem like such a big deal today, but we are making choices that will affect our grandchildren's grandchildren - and beyond," said Schrag, a co-author on the analysis and director of Harvard's Center for the Environment. "We need to think carefully about the long time-scales of what we are unleashing."

The new paper makes the fundamental point that considering the long time scales of the carbon cycle and of climate change means that reducing emissions slightly or even significantly is not sufficient. "To spare future generations from the worst impacts of climate change, the target must be zero - or even negative carbon emissions - as soon as possible," Clark said.

"Taking the first steps is important, but it is essential to see these as the start of a path toward total decarbonization," Schrag pointed out. "This means continuing to invest in innovation that can someday replace fossil fuels altogether. Partial reductions are not going to do the job."

Stocker said that in the last 50 years alone, humans have changed the climate on a global scale, initiating the Anthropocene, a new geological era with fundamentally altered living conditions for the next many thousands of years.

"Because we do not know to what extent adaptation will be possible for humans and ecosystems, all our efforts must focus on a rapid and complete decarbonization -the only option to limit climate change," Stocker said.

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The researchers' work was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the German Science Foundation and the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Note to Editors: Co-author Benjamin Strauss, of Climate Central in Princeton, N.J., has an interactive global map that shows what could happen with different levels of rising water. It is available at: http://bit.ly/1StjEC2
Shining lasers at superconductors can make them work at higher temperatures, suggests new findings from an international team of scientists including the University of Bath.

Superconductors are materials that conduct electricity without power loss and produce strong magnetic fields. They are used in medical scanners, super-fast electronic circuits and in Maglev trains which use superconducting magnets to make the train hover above the tracks, eliminating friction.

Currently superconductors only work at very low temperatures, requiring liquid nitrogen or helium to maintain their temperature. Now scientists publishing in the prestigious journal Nature have found a way to make certain materials superconduct at higher temperatures.

The team, led by the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter and including the Universities of Bath and Oxford, shone a laser at a material made up from potassium atoms and carbon atoms arranged in bucky ball structures and found it to still be superconducting at more than 100 degrees Kelvin -- around minus 170 degrees Celsius.

The researchers hope these findings could lead to new routes and insights into making better superconductors that work at higher temperatures.

Dr Stephen Clark, theoretical physicist at the University of Bath, worked with his experimental physicist colleagues to try to understand how superconductivity might emerge when the material is exposed to laser radiation.

He explained: "Superconductors currently only work at very low temperatures, requiring expensive cryogenics -- if we can design materials that superconduct at higher temperatures, or even room temperature, it would eliminate the need for cooling, which would make them less expensive and more practical to use in a variety of applications.

"Our research has shown we can use lasers to make a material into a superconductor at much higher temperatures than it would do naturally. But having taken this first step, my colleagues and I will be trying to find other superconductors that can be coerced to work at even higher temperatures, possibly even at room temperature.

"Whilst this is a small piece of a very large puzzle, our findings provide a new pathway for engineering and controlling superconductivity that might help stimulate future breakthroughs."

91 per cent of physics research from the University of Bath was judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent by the in the recent independently-assessed Research Excellence Framework 2014.

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The research was led by the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, (Hamburg, Germany). Other collaborating institutions were: The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging (Hamburg, Germany), INSTM UdR Trieste-ST and Elettra -- Sincrotrone Trieste (Trieste, Italy), Universita di Roma "Sapienza" (Rome, Italy), Universita degli Studi di Parma (Italy), University of Bath, (Bath UK), Oxford University (Oxford, UK), National University of Singapore.

European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme funded the study.
A team led by engineers at the University of California, San Diego has 3D-printed a tissue that closely mimics the human liver's sophisticated structure and function. The new model could be used for patient-specific drug screening and disease modeling. The work was published the week of Feb. 8 in the online early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers said the advance could help pharmaceutical companies save time and money when developing new drugs.

"It typically takes about 12 years and $1.8 billion to produce one FDA-approved drug," said Shaochen Chen, NanoEngineering professor at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. "That's because over 90 percent of drugs don't pass animal tests or human clinical trials. We've made a tool that pharmaceutical companies could use to do pilot studies on their new drugs, and they won't have to wait until animal or human trials to test a drug's safety and efficacy on patients. This would let them focus on the most promising drug candidates earlier on in the process."

Chen and Shu Chien, a professor of Medicine and Bioengineering, director of the Institute of Engineering in Medicine at UC San Diego and recipient of a National Medal of Science, are co-senior authors of the study.

The liver plays a critical role in how the body metabolizes drugs and produces key proteins. This is why liver models are increasingly being developed in the lab as platforms for drug screening. However, existing models so far lack both the complex micro-architecture and diverse cell makeup of a real liver.

The UC San Diego team engineered a human liver tissue model that more closely resembles the real thinga diverse combination of liver cells and supporting cells systematically organized in a hexagonal pattern.

"We've engineered a functioning liver tissue that matches what you'd see under a microscope," said Chen.

"The liver is unique in that it receives a dual blood supply with different pressures and chemical constituents. Our model has the potential of reproducing this intricate blood supply system, thus providing unprecedented understanding of the complex coupling between circulation and metabolic functions of the liver in health and disease," said Chien, who studies how blood flow and pressure affect blood vessels.

To do this, the team employed a novel bioprinting technology developed in Chen's lab, which can rapidly produce complex 3D microstructures that mimic the sophisticated features found in biological tissues. The liver tissue was printed in two steps. First, the team printed a honeycomb pattern of 900-micrometer-sized hexagons, each containing liver cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. An advantage of human induced pluripotent stem cells is they are patient-specific, which makes them ideal materials for building patient-specific drug screening platforms. And since these cells are derived from a patient's skin cells, researchers don't need to extract any cells from the liver to build liver tissue.

In the next step, endothelial and mesenchymal supporting cells were printed in the spaces between the stem-cell-containing hexagons.

The entire structurea 3  3 millimeter square, 200 micrometers thicktakes just seconds to print. This is a vast improvement over other methods to print liver models, which typically take hours.

The structure was cultured in vitro for at least 20 days. The researchers then tested the resulting tissue's ability to perform various liver functions, such as albumin secretion and urea production, and compared it to other models. They found that their model was able to maintain these functions over a longer time period than other liver models. Their model also expressed a relatively higher level of a key enzyme that's considered to be involved in metabolizing many of the drugs administered to patients.

"I think that this will serve as a great drug screening tool for pharmaceutical companies and that our 3D bioprinting technology opens the door for patient-specific organ printing in the future," said Chen.

"The liver tissue constructed by this novel 3D printing technology will also be extremely useful in reproducing in vitro disease models such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, and cancer," added Chien. "Such realistic models will be invaluable for the study of the pathophysiology and metabolic abnormalities in these diseases and the efficacy of drug therapies."

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The researchers have filed provisional patents on the liver tissue model. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (grants R01EB012597 and R21EB017876). The researchers acknowledge use of the UC San Diego Neuroscience Microscopy Shared Facility.

Full paper: "A Deterministically Patterned Biomimetic Human iPSC-derived Hepatic Model via Rapid 3D Bioprinting," by Xuanyi Ma, Xin Qu, Wei Zhu, Yi-Shuan Li, Suli Yuan, Hong Zhang, Justin Liu, Pengrui Wang, Cheuk Sun Edwin Lai, Fabian Zanella, Gen-Sheng Feng, Farah Sheikh, Shu Chien, and Shaochen Chen, all at UC San Diego. The paper is published online the week of Feb. 8, 2016 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Agricultural policies aimed at alleviating poverty in Africa could be making things worse, according to research by the University of East Anglia (UEA).

Published this month in the journal World Development, the study finds that so-called 'green revolution' policies in Rwanda - claimed by the government, international donors and organisations such as the International Monetary Fund to be successful for the economy and in alleviating poverty - may be having very negative impacts on the poorest.

One of the major strategies to reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is through policies to increase and modernise agricultural production. Up to 90 per cent of people in some African countries are smallholder farmers reliant on agriculture, for whom agricultural innovation, such as using new seed varieties and cultivation techniques, holds potential benefit but also great risk.

In the 1960s and 70s policies supporting new seeds for marketable crops, sold at guaranteed prices, helped many farmers and transformed economies in Asian countries. These became known as "green revolutions". The new wave of green revolution policies in sub-Saharan Africa is supported by multinational companies and western donors, and is impacting the lives of tens, even hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers, according to the study's lead author Dr Neil Dawson.

The study reveals that only a relatively wealthy minority have been able to keep to enforced modernisation because the poorest farmers cannot afford the risk of taking out credit for the approved inputs, such as seeds and fertilizers. Their fears of harvesting nothing from new crops and the potential for the government to seize and reallocate their land means many choose to sell up instead.

The findings tie in with recent debates about strategies to feed the world in the face of growing populations, for example the influence of wealthy donors such as the Gates Foundation, initiative's such as the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, and multinational companies such as Monsanto in pushing agricultural modernisation in Africa. There have also been debates about small versus large farms being best to combat hunger in Africa, while struggles to maintain local control over land and food production, for example among the Oromo people in Ethiopia, have been highlighted.

Dr Dawson, a senior research associate in UEA's School of International Development, said: "Similar results are emerging from other experiments in Africa. Agricultural development certainly has the potential to help these people, but instead these policies appear to be exacerbating landlessness and inequality for poorer rural inhabitants.

"Many of these policies have been hailed as transformative development successes, yet that success is often claimed on the basis of weak evidence through inadequate impact assessments. And conditions facing African countries today are very different from those past successes in Asia some 40 years ago.

"Such policies may increase aggregate production of exportable crops, yet for many of the poorest smallholders they strip them of their main productive resource, land. This study details how these imposed changes disrupt subsistence practices, exacerbate poverty, impair local systems of trade and knowledge, and threaten land ownership. It is startling that the impacts of policies with such far-reaching impacts for such poor people are, in general, so inadequately assessed."

The research looked in-depth at Rwanda's agricultural policies and the changes impacting the wellbeing of rural inhabitants in eight villages in the country's mountainous west. Here chronic poverty is common and people depend on the food they are able to grow on their small plots.

Farmers traditionally cultivated up to 60 different types of crops, planting and harvesting in overlapping cycles to prevent shortages and hunger. However, due to high population density in Rwanda's hills, agricultural policies have been imposed which force farmers to modernise with new seed varieties and chemical fertilisers, to specialise in single crops and part with "archaic" agricultural practices.

Dr Dawson and his UEA co-authors Dr Adrian Martin and Prof Thomas Sikor recommend that not only should green revolution policies be subject to much broader and more rigorous impact assessments, but that mitigation for poverty-exacerbating impacts should be specifically incorporated into such policies. In Rwanda, that means encouraging land access for the poorest and supporting traditional practices during a gradual and voluntary modernisation.

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'Green Revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications of Imposed Innovation for the Wellbeing of Rural Smallholders', Neil Dawson, Adrian Martin and Thomas Sikor, is published in World Development.
Low cost airlines, natural disasters, regional competition, tightening visa rules and terrorism have all changed backpacking in South East Asia.

In his paper Change, Choice, and Commercialization: Backpacker Routes in Southeast Asia for the international journal Growth and Change, Dr Mark Hampton, Reader in Tourism Management at the University of Kent's Business School, describes how the backpacker is now less of an independent traveller and is increasingly more like a conventional tourist.

Increasing commercialisation and institutionalisation of backpacker tourism has changed from the original 1970s 'hippy' trail with new destinations emerging. Although Bangkok -- the home of the iconic Khao San Road -- remains a major air hub and regional entry point, other established backpacker centres on the trails such as Penang in Malaysia have undergone relative decline while newer destinations such as Siem Reap in Cambodia have emerged.

In his new paper, co-written with Professor Amran Hamzah of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Dr Hampton argues that there is an increasing process of convergence between backpackers and conventional tourism. Dr Hampton says it became clear that many backpackers had perceptions of the 'exotic' northern route with exciting new destinations in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and most recently Myanmar (Burma). This image was partially constructed informally by other backpackers, but increasingly was being manufactured by travel firms and official tourism planning and marketing.

The Southern trail has also undergone modification and Dr Hampton found rural enclaves interspersed with 'holiday within holiday' beach destinations. In some cases they found increasing provision of more upmarket, capital-intensive flashpacker accommodation. In these rural enclaves, businesses only provided basic facilities but often had high quality attractions or activities such as scuba diving in the Perhentian islands and Koh Tao, or jungle or hill treks inland.

One of the more important changes accelerating the institutionalisation of backpacker tourism is the rise of specialist backpacker tour operators offering exotic trips. Backpackers still (at present) mostly travel by land transportation within the region which is increasingly owned and operated by specialist backpacker travel firms who then plan their own routes and create new networks.

The growing understanding of the different drivers of the changing backpacker flows will prove useful for tourism departments in Asia and elsewhere for planning and managing this growing international segment.

Having such large, highly integrated firms that control backpacker transport, accommodation and tours could mitigate against pro-poor tourism, the specific approach that seeks to use tourism as a strategic tool to alleviate poverty among marginalised communities. Policies of encouraging small-scale tourist enterprise, could concentrate tourism in fewer destinations, and raises the possibility of anti-competitive behaviour. For the backpackers themselves, it appears that their journey choices, and the possibilities of true independent or even spontaneous travel, have been largely reduced.

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For further information or interview requests contact

Sandy Fleming at the University of Kent Press Office.

Tel: 01227-823581/01634-888879

Email: S.Fleming@kent.ac.uk

News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news

University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent

Notes to editors

Established in 1965, the University of Kent -- the UK's European university -- now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome.

It has been ranked: third for overall student satisfaction in the 2014 National Student Survey; 16th in the Guardian University Guide 2016; 23rd in the Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2016; and 22nd in the Complete University Guide 2015.

In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2015-16, Kent is in the top 10% of the world's leading universities for international outlook and 66th in its table of the most international universities in the world. The THE also ranked the University as 20th in its 'Table of Tables' 2016.

Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality.

Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium.
Baltimore, Md., Feb. 8, 2015 -A multi-disciplinary group of researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) have for the first time determined the genetic makeup of various strains of E. coli, which every year kills hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

The paper, which appears in a recent issue of Nature Microbiology, analyzed the DNA of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), which are the strains of the bacteria that cause diarrhea.

The scientists, led by David Rasko, PhD, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at UM SOM and Michael Donnenberg, MD, Professor of Medicine at UM SOM, identified certain strains that are typically much more lethal than others. The results will help researchers focus efforts to identify, treat and potentially control these more dangerous versions. This could lead to a better understanding of exactly how the bacteria causes damage, and eventually, more effective treatments that could significantly lower the death rate for diarrheal diseases, which are a leading cause of child mortality around the world. Each year diarrhea kills around 760,000 children under five. It is also is a leading cause of malnutrition in children under five years old. Globally, there are nearly 1.7 billion cases of diarrheal disease every year.

"These findings really help us map the associations between the bacteria and these illnesses in a new way. This kind of research would not have been possible a few years ago," says Dr. Rasko. "But with new advances, we can make these kinds of exciting discoveries." Rasko described the research as "genomic epidemiology," a new way of doing public health science that integrates the most cutting-edge technologies with an extensive knowledge of the pathogenic bacteria, both of which exist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Dr. Rasko and his colleagues, including researchers in The Gambia, Mali, Kenya, Mozambique, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, examined the genomes of 70 strains of E. coli, which were obtained from infected children enrolled in the Global Enterics Multi-Center study (GEMS). Some of the cases were associated with death, others where had symptoms but no death, and others were not associated with symptoms; as a result, the scientists had access to strains with a range of outcomes.

They analyzed the genetic differences between the strains and mapped them onto disease outcome. Then, they divided the strains into categories, based on genetic content and clinical outcome. They are not sure how the genetic variations may be linked to symptoms and outcomes, but the pattern provides a rich area for further research, Rasko said. He suspects that increased E. coli lethality is caused by a group of genes interacting rather than one or two genes.

"This research epitomizes what IGS is all about," says Claire M. Fraser, PhD, Director of IGS "We want to take genomics and use it in novel ways, ways that can be of practical use to clinicians around the world."

Over the past several years, IGS has increasingly taken a larger role in the study of the genetics of infectious disease. In 2014, it was awarded a five-year, $15.2 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to develop the Genome Center for Infectious Disease.

"This work by Dr. Rasko and his colleagues is on the cutting edge of how scientists can use data and genomics to get at difficult public health questions," says UM SOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who is also Vice President of Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland and the John Z. and Akiko Bowers Distinguished Professor at UM SOM. "I am confident that they will continue to identify crucial leads in our fight to improve the lives of people around the world suffering from disease."

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About the Institute for Genome Sciences

The Institute for Genome Sciences, founded in 2007, is an international research center within the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Comprised of an interdisciplinary, multidepartment team of investigators, the Institute uses the powerful tools of genomics and bioinformatics to understand genome function in health and disease, to study molecular and cellular networks in a variety of model systems, and to generate data and bioinformatics resources of value to the international scientific community. igs.umaryland.edu

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

The University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 and is the first public medical school in the United States and continues today as an innovative leader in accelerating innovation and discovery in medicine. The School of Medicine is the founding school of the University of Maryland and is an integral part of the 11-campus University System of Maryland. Located on the University of Maryland's Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine works closely with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide a research-intensive, academic and clinically based education. With 43 academic departments, centers and institutes, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians and research scientists and more than $400 million in extramural funding, the School is regarded as one of the leading biomedical research institutions in the U.S. with top-tier faculty and programs in cancer, brain science, surgery and transplantation, trauma and emergency medicine, vaccine development and human genomics, among other centers of excellence. The School is not only concerned with the health of the citizens of Maryland and the nation, but also has a global presence, with research and treatment facilities in more than 35 countries around the world. medschool.umaryland.edu
CHAPEL HILL - Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect and the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States. Mutations in the gene TBX5 have been shown to cause both rare and more prevalent forms of congenital heart disease, yet the underlying mechanisms have remained unclear.

A team led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has now found evidence pointing to a culprit. The scientists discovered that the TBX5 mutations allow other genes normally involved in cancer and the nervous system to be inappropriately "turned on" or expressed in the developing heart. This gene expression could play a major role in congenital heart disease.

The finding, published in the journal Developmental Cell, provides insight into how patients develop heart disease and a road map for future studies on other genetic defects that lead to a malfunctioning heart.

"Our lab and others have had a long-standing interest in the TBX5 gene because it is essential for heart development and it appears to play a critical role in human disease," said senior study author Frank L. Conlon, PhD, professor of genetics in the UNC School of Medicine and professor of biology in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences. "Yet we never would have guessed that these mutations would generate this effect on other genes. It demonstrates just how much more we have to learn about the origins of heart disease."

Heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the Western world. Approximately 1.4 million children and adults in the United States are currently living with a congenital heart defect. One of the most common defects is a hole in the septum - the wall that divides the right side of the heart from the left. As a result, blood flows to the wrong place or in the wrong direction, and the body's tissues stop receiving the oxygen they need to function properly.

"The health problem is compounded by the fact that most individuals are asymptomatic," said Conlon, who is a member of the UNC McAllister Heart Institute. "These kids can be living what seems like a perfectly healthy life, running around outside and stressing their heart, putting themselves into a state of oxygen deprivation, and no one knows until they fall down dead. It is absolutely devastating."

Mutations in the TBX5 gene cause the rare Holt-Oram syndrome and the more prevalent Tetralogy of Fallot, two conditions marked by septal defects. Over the last two decades, mounting evidence has indicated that this gene acts as a transcription factor, a kind of master switch that turns on other genes during development. But no one had been able to figure out which genes TBX5 controls in the developing heart, and how.

In this study, Conlon decided to apply the latest proteomic, genetic, and biochemistry tools to determine how defects in TBX5 could lead to heart disease. The project took five years and the efforts of over a dozen researchers at the Conlon lab at UNC, the Ian Davis lab at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Ileana Cristea lab at Princeton University, and the Ivan Moskowitz lab at University of Chicago.

First, the researchers stuck a tag on the TBX5 protein so they could extract it from heart tissue along with all its other associated proteins. They pulled down approximately 100 proteins, including some members of the "NuRD repressor complex" that is known for tightly winding up sections of DNA in a way that turns off a variety of different genes. Using molecular modeling and traditional genetic cross breeding in mice, the researchers showed that TBX5 binds to DNA and recruits this NuRD complex, which then represses genes normally activated in cancer and in the nervous system.

Finally, the group engineered tissue culture cells to carry the same mutations that cause heart disease in patients and showed that the mutations disrupted the interaction between TBX5 and NuRD, leading to the inappropriate activation of cancer and neural genes in the heart.

"We believe that these cancer genes could fuel the incorrect growth of the heart, and the neural genes could trigger cardiac conduction abnormalities, both of which are commonly found in congenital heart disease," said Conlon.

He and his colleagues believe that their proteomics-based approach coupled with molecular modeling can provide a powerful strategy for predicting which mutations are likely to be responsible for disease in patients and which are more likely to be harmless. In the future, the researchers plan to repeat their experiments with other proteins to further define the molecular mechanisms underpinning congenital heart disease.

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The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Frank Conlon, PhD, is also a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
PHILADELPHIA (February 2, 2016) -- A team of researchers, led by Tanja Kral, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, concluded that a breakfast high in protein - like eggs - keeps children fuller longer than cereal or oatmeal, causing them to eat fewer calories at lunch. The study, recently published in Eating Behaviors, also concludes that the effects of a protein-rich meal don't last throughout the day. It only impacts a mid-day meal.

The study recruited forty, 8- to 10-year-old children to consume one of three, 350-calorie breakfasts (eggs, oatmeal, or cereal), then played games with research staff and then ate lunch, once a week for three consecutive weeks. On each occasion, every participant had to eat their entire breakfast, but could eat as much or as little lunch as desired. Throughout the morning, they answered questions like, "How hungry are you?" and "How much food do you think you could eat right now?" Their parents also logged in a food journal what the children ate the remainder of the day.

According to the research, after consuming the egg breakfast (scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast, diced peaches, and one percent milk) children reduced their energy intake at lunch by seventy calories. That's roughly equivalent to one small chocolate-chip cookie.

Moderately active children in the same age range as those who participated in the study generally need between 1,600 and 1,800 calories daily. The 70-calorie drop at one meal equals about four percent of a child's daily caloric needs. Eating beyond the caloric threshold, even by a little, can cause excess weight gain and obesity in children, if sustained.

"I'm not surprised that the egg breakfast was the most satiating breakfast," said Kral. "What does surprise me is the fact that, according to the children's reports, eating the egg breakfast didn't make them feel fuller than cereal or oatmeal, even though they ate less for lunch. We expected that the reduced lunch intake would be accompanied by lower levels of hunger and greater fullness after eating the high protein breakfast, but this wasn't the case."

Future research should study children over a longer period of time as these findings could have important implications for the prevention of obesity, particularly for young people. "Approximately 17 percent of US children and adolescents are considered obese," Kral says. "It's really important that we identify certain types of food that can help children feel full and also moderate caloric intake, especially in children who are prone to excess weight gain."

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The research team included Jesse Chittams from Penn Nursing, Annika Bannon from the University of Massachusetts and Renee Moore, PhD, from Emory University and was supported by a research grant from the American Egg Board/Egg Nutrition Center. The funding sponsor had involvement in the study design, but had no role in data collection, analysis, interpretation of the data, writing of the manuscript, and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world's leading schools of nursing and is ranked the #1 graduate nursing school in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. Penn Nursing is consistently among the nation's top recipients of nursing research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice.
NMDA glutamate receptors, which function as receptors that bond with glutamates, are known to be deeply involved in animal memory and learning. In order for memories to be created inside the brain, these NMDA glutamate receptors must first be transported to and accumulated in the synapses.

University of Tsukuba Faculty of Medicine Professor Yosuke Takei, in a joint study with the University of Tokyo, has for the first time clarified the mechanism in the brain that inhibits derailment of the receptor transport that supports memory.

The research group has ascertained that a molecule known as MAP1A connects NMDA glutamate receptors as they are being transported to the synapses to the microtubules, stabilizing the receptors and preventing them from becoming "derailed," and playing a role in improving the overall efficiency and stability of the transport process. In the nerve cells of mice that lack MAP1A, the NMDA glutamate receptors are not carried effectively to the synapses, resulting in a remarkable loss of memory capabilities in the mice.

The transport of NMDA glutamate receptors is a fundamental system that supports brain functions such as memory and learning. Recently, however, discoveries such as receptor transport abnormalities in the brains of schizophrenia patients, have started to show the receptors' deep involvement in neuropsychiatric disorders. Developments of drug and gene therapies that can be effective on the receptor transport support system clarified in this study are expected to give rise to new treatment strategies for memory impairment and schizophrenia.

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KNOXVILLE--Microorganisms in the gut could play a role in reducing the severity of malaria, according to a new study co-authored by researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the University of Louisville.

Steven Wilhelm, the Kenneth and Blaire Mossman Professor in UT's Department of Microbiology, and Shawn Campagna, associate professor of chemistry at UT, partnered with Nathan Schmidt, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at U of L, to examine the gut microbiomes of mice. They discovered that the severity of malaria is not only a function of the parasite or the host but also is influenced by the microbes in the infected organism.

The research could one day help scientists develop new treatments for malaria in humans.

The findings publish this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Unfortunately, we are still years away from an effective and easily administered malaria vaccine, and drug resistance is a growing concern," Schmidt said.

Wilhelm added, "The research provides a potential new avenue to investigate factors that control the severity of malaria. With one million people dying each year, many of whom are young children, any approach that may save even a few lives is worth following up on."

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease, and those with the illness often experience fever, chills and flu-like symptoms. It may be fatal if left untreated. Malaria transmissions typically occur in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

During the study, the research team found that genetically similar mice acquired from different vendors showed significant differences in pathology after infection with malaria. The researchers measured the mice gut microbiomes--via DNA sequencing of the bacteria in the digestive tract--and noted significant differences within the different populations. Schmidt directly transferred the gut microbiomes to other mice and was able to show that the differences in disease severity were transferred.

The researchers observed an increased abundance of bacteria common in yogurt in the mice that exhibited reduced malaria pathology. When mice were fed a yogurt containing these bacteria the researchers discovered that the severity of malaria decreased.

"These results demonstrate the possibility of modifying the gut microbiome to prevent severe malaria," Schmidt said.

Wilhelm noted that while the research interventions lessened the severity of malaria in mice, it did not prevent or cure it.

The researchers are a long way from perfecting similar treatments in humans but are working on understanding the mechanism.

"A way to help people who are infected--and especially a simple and cheap way, as much of the infection occurs in the developing world--would be a great service to society," Wilhelm said.

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The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society and Wilhelm's Mossman Professorship.

CONTACT:

UT: Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)

UT: Steven Wilhelm (865-974-0665, wilhelm@utk.edu)

U of L: Jill Scoggins (502-852-7461, jill.scoggins@louisville.edu)

U of L: Nathan Schmidt (502-852-3741, nathan.schmidt@louisville.edu)
Researchers at Umea University in Sweden help assess the risk that Zika will spread to Europe by describing the transmission season, areas at risk and intervention strategies. By using previous knowledge on Dengue, they are now strategizing on how Zika can be controlled.

"From a European perspective, the best immediate response to Zika is to help prevent the spread of the virus where the outbreak takes place," says Joacim Rocklov, epidemiologist at the Department of Public Health and Clinical medicine at Umea University.

As Europe responds to the global threat of the Zika virus, a team of leading experts on Dengue and other mosquito-borne viruses are providing crucial expertise. Dengue and Zika viruses are carried by some of the same mosquito types and also share a number of characteristics in terms of how viral infections manifest. Therefore, what the scientific community already knows about Dengue will be key in efforts to understand and prevent the spread of Zika. In this effort, Umea University's current leading role in the Dengue research is highly relevant. Umea University researchers are in dialogue with the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC) to advice on the many knowledge gaps on Zika.

Umea University has since 2011 hosted DengueTools, an EU funded research consortium, developing innovative interventions for predicting and fighting the mosquito transmitted virus. This international research effort, which includes 14 partners in 11 different countries, has resulted in a model research infrastructure that can now be applied to fight the Zika virus.

"We can now use the well-functioning infrastructure we have already built through the Dengue Tools consortium to fight the spread of Zika. And in this existing model, Brazil, which has been hit hard by Zika, is already a strong partner," says Joacim Rocklov.

The World Health Organization announced on 1 February that the rapid spread of the Zika virus amounts a global health emergency, echoing a call by the EU to fund research on the topic. In addition to the Umea researchers' role as expert consultants to the ECDC, the Umea University researchers, led by Joacim Rocklov and Professor Annelies Wilder-Smith, are answering this call and capitalizing on the existing partnerships, infrastructures, technologies and knowledge developed through DengueTools consortium to combat the ongoing Zika pandemic.

###

Fresh video interview on Zika

Watch and download an interview with Associate Professor Joacim Rocklov at the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umea University explaining the research on Zika:

Link to video interview: https://vimeo.com/154571562

Q&A 1 (00:00-00:36): What is most important now?

Q&A 2 (00:37-01:41): Why is this research of importance? What are the objectives?)

Q&A 3 (01:42-03:16): When does this project start?

Q&A 4 (03:17-03:51): Short background

Additional footage of surroundings for editing:

https://vimeo.com/154571561

All video footage is free to use, edit and share, please give credit to Umea University. Photographer: Hans Karlsson, Umea University.

High resolution portrait photos for download

https://mediabank.umu.se/share/fa3b1933abc64bc30e909fcdb50b2cc6 Photographer: Mattias Pettersson, Umea University

Read more about the DengueTools consortium:

http://www.denguetools.net/
Symptoms of knee instability in older adults may indicate an increased risk of falling and of experiencing the various physical and psychological effects that can result from falling, according to a study published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The findings indicate that determining effective treatments for knee instability should be an important priority as clinicians care for aging patients.

Knee buckling, often described as a knee "giving way," is a symptom of knee instability that frequently affects older individuals, in particular those with knee pain and knee osteoarthritis (OA), and may be caused by muscle weakness and balance difficulties. If knee instability leads to frequent falls and fall-related injuries, exercises and other interventions that stabilize the knee may help maintain older individuals' health and quality of life. To investigate this potential link, Michael Nevitt, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco, and his colleagues prospectively studied 1842 participants in the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST) who were an average of 67 years old at the start and who had, or were at high risk for, knee osteoarthritis.

At the end of 5 years, 16.8 percent reported knee buckling, and at the end of 7 years, 14.1 percent had recurrent (?2) falls. Bucklers at year 5 had a 1.6- to 2.5-times higher likelihood of recurrent falls, fear of falling, and poor balance confidence at year 7. Those who fell when a knee buckled at the start of the study had a 4.5-times, 2-times, and 3-times higher likelihood 2 years later of recurrent falls, significant fall injuries, and fall injuries that limited activity, respectively, and they were 4-times more likely to have poor balance.

"Falls, injury from falls and poor balance confidence are extremely common and debilitating problems in older people. The present study has demonstrated for the first time that knee instability and knee buckling are important causes of these problems in the very large segment of the older population suffering from knee pain," said Dr. Nevitt. "Fortunately, it may be possible to treat knee instability and prevent knee buckling with targeted exercises. Joint replacement surgery can also improve knee stability." He added that pain is the predominant symptom of knee osteoarthritis, and symptoms of instability such as knee buckling and falls may be overlooked by treating professionals. The most important immediate impact of these findings on patient care is that health professionals should query their patients with knee OA about instability, buckling, and falls, and work with them to take preventive actions, including proper use of walking aids, leg strengthening, and appropriate footwear."

###

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Aging. Dr. Felson was also supported by the NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit at the University of Manchester in the UK.

Full citation: "Symptoms of Knee Instability Are Risk Factors for Recurrent Falls." Michael C. Nevitt, Irina Tolstykh, Najia Shakoor, Uyen S. Nguyen, Neil A. Segal, Cora Lewis, and David T. Felson for the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study Investigators. Arthritis Care and Research; Published Online: February 8, 2016 (DOI: 10.1002/acr.22811).

URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/acr.22811

Author Contact: To arrange an interview with Dr. Nevitt, please contact Laura Kurtzman, Senior Public Information Representative in the UCSF Public Affairs Office, at laura.kurtzman@ucsf.edu or +1 (415) 502-NEWS (6397).

About the Journal

Arthritis Care & Research is an official journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), and the Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP), a division of the College. Arthritis Care & Research is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes both original research and review articles that promote excellence in the clinical practice of rheumatology. Relevant to the care of individuals with arthritis and related disorders, major topics are evidence-based practice studies, clinical problems, practice guidelines, health care economics, health care policy, educational, social, and public health issues, and future trends in rheumatology practice. The journal is published by Wiley on behalf of the ACR. For more information, please visit the journal home page at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/acr.

About Wiley

Wiley is a global provider of knowledge and knowledge-enabled services that improve outcomes in areas of research, professional practice and education. Through the Research segment, the Company provides digital and print scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising. The Professional Development segment provides digital and print books, online assessment and training services, and test prep and certification. In Education, Wiley provides education solutions including online program management services for higher education institutions and course management tools for instructors and students, as well as print and digital content. The Company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.
The confidence crisis in Ukraines banking system is over and lending growth should resume this year, according to central bank deputy governor Vladyslav Rashkovan.

Speaking at Euromoneys Central and Eastern Europe Forum in Vienna, Rashkovan said the resumption of household deposit growth in Ukraine in the second half of 2015 was evidence of the central banks success in stabilizing the financial system and restoring public trust in the banking sector.



Vladyslav Rashkovan



Planned cuts in interest rates this year should boost demand for credit, he added. We expect to decrease the discount rate to around 14% by the end of the year, which will make lending more affordable, he said.

The benchmark rate has already come down from a high of 30%, set by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) last March in the wake of its move to a free-floating currency regime, but still stands at 22%.

Also on the agenda for this year is another round of bank stress tests by the NBU.

Initial tests in 2014 of Ukraines top 34 banks revealed a capital shortfall of Hrn61 billion ($2.4 billion). This was mostly made up by shareholders  however, a further dramatic increase in non-performing loans caused by the loss of Crimea, the war in eastern Ukraine and a sharp economic contraction, prompted the central bank to start a second assessment of the countrys 20 largest lenders last April.

According to the NBU, four of the banks surveyed did not require additional capital, while a further five had met the new regulatory requirements by the time the results were announced in January. Details of the banks involved were not released.

Rashkovan confirms that a further 40 banks will be assessed this year, with the process due to be completed by November.

Analysts note, however, that asset quality in Ukraine has continued to decline since the start of the stress tests. According to Fitch Ratings, NPLs accounted for as much as 44% of total loans outstanding in November, while at certain individual top-10 banks the figure is reported to be well over 50%.

NBU statistics also show a sharp deterioration in asset quality last year but put the current level of NPLs at just 21.2%. Rashkovan says the difference in estimates was partly due to the central banks treatment of related party lending. It is important to distinguish between types of assets when calculating NPLs, he says. If a bank owner is not servicing loans to himself, should that really be classed as a bad debt?

He acknowledges, however, that related party lending remains a big problem for Ukraine. Many of the 65 banks shut down by the NBU over the past two years as part of its clean-up of the sector were effectively pocket banks for local oligarchs.

They included Dmytro Firtashs Nadra Bank, Nikolay Laguns Delta Bank  at the time of its closure the fourth-largest bank in Ukraine  and two lenders owned by agribusiness tycoon Oleg Bakhmatyuk. In one of the latter, loans to related parties accounted for 96% of the total, according to the NBU.

So far, however, the central bank has been unable to rein in Ukraines largest oligarch-owned lender. At Privatbank, which holds around 34% of the countrys retail deposits, lending to parties related to owners Ihor Kolomoisky and Henadiy Boholyubov equated to nearly 45% of total regulatory capital at end-October, well above the new limit of 25% set by the NBU. Rashkovan also admits that, while the majority of depositors in the failed banks have been reimbursed via the restructured and recapitalized Deposit Guarantee Fund, to date no prosecutions have been brought against the bank owners and none of the Hrn335 billion of defaulted assets has been recovered.

The next step is to get those assets back and put the people responsible for bringing banks to bankruptcy in jail, he says.

Meanwhile, losses in the sector continue to mount. According to the NBU, Ukraines banks lost Hrn53.0 billion in 2014 and a further Hrn57.3 billion in the first 11 months of last year, excluding results from insolvent banks.

Deputy governor Kateryna Rozhkova is confident, however, that the system can return a positive operating result within two years. We hope that the series of measures we are conducting now will allow banks to enter the operating break-even by the end of 2017, she says.

That will be too late for one of Ukraines leading foreign lenders. UniCredit has sold its local subsidiary, Ukrsotsbank, to Russias Alfa Group in a share swap deal.

Carlo Vivaldi, head of CEE at the Italian group, praised the NBUs progress in modernizing and cleaning up the Ukrainian banking system, and noted that recovery was already underway in the economy.

GDP growth resumed in the second half of last year and that trend is expected to continue in 2016, he said.

He added, however, that full recovery was still a long way off. It will likely take a long time for Ukraine to get back to where it was before the financial crisis, he said. We considered all the options for Ukrsotsbank and we felt that the current solution was the best we could achieve at present.
This Friday night the Houston Chapter of the Science & Culture Network celebrated its public launch with a kickoff featuring a premiere screening of Living Waters: Intelligent Design in the Oceans of the Earth. Over 700 people showed up, quite an impressive turnout when you think about all the other activities that compete for our Friday nights. The premiere took place in the newly built sanctuary of Faith Bible Church in The Woodlands, TX. With a fresh design and theater-style seating, it was the perfect venue for a film screening.

Houston Chapter officer Jarrett McCleskey served as emcee, opening the evening by handing out door prizes  recently released boxed sets of Illustra Medias Design of Life series  to audience members who had driven the furthest to attend. A surprising number had traveled three to five hours, with the grand prizewinner having come from ten hours away! Clearly, Texas is hungry for intelligent design.

Lee Strobel, who has worked on previous Illustra projects, gave a warm welcome and introduction to the film, commending the tireless work of both Illustra Media and Discovery Institute (thank you!) in demonstrating the design of life, and showing how nature refutes the claims of scientific materialism.

Of course the film itself is beautiful and illuminating, as readers of Evolution News will already know. Afterward, the audience was fully engaged in the Q&A session. Philosopher of biology Dr. Paul Nelson, a Discovery Institute Fellow and featured scholar in the film, joined producer Lad Allen in offering details about the navigational skills of Pacific salmon, advice for young filmmakers, and insights on why scientists are so committed to materialist explanations for phenomena that seem so clearly to be the product of a mind.

Many in the audience hung around for close to an hour after the event to continue the conversation with Strobel, Nelson, Allen, and the Houston Chapter representatives. The lobby was abuzz as attendees discussed their favorite parts of the film. One high school student burst from the sanctuary after the event and exclaimed, That was so cool! This is my passion!

The book table, meanwhile, was busy as customers snatched up the new Design of Life sets. At just $22 for three films, its a steal, and a great way to start a conversation about ID with your friends.

Bob Jefferis, Chapter president, said the groups next project will be a meeting at the end of February. If you live in the Houston area, be sure to follow this pioneer chapter of the Science & Culture Network here and subscribe to their e-newsletter for updates on upcoming meetings and more!

We wish to congratulate the Houston Chapter for putting on such an expertly organized and well-attended inaugural event. The energy that our friends in Texas bring to their efforts is truly exciting. And judging from this event, that energy is contagious.

Photo credit: Mark Ramsey.
You probably know the basic plot of the tired old film and play Inherit the Wind. For teaching Darwins theory of evolution in a small Southern town, freethinking biology teacher Bertram Cates gets prosecuted by Christian fundamentalists. Loosely based on the infamous Scopes trial, Inherit the Wind is much more propaganda than history, yet it continues to shape popular cultures understanding of the debate over Darwinian evolution.

So congratulations to Los Angeles-based playwright and actor Matt Chait who has turned Inherit the Wind on its head. In his new play Disinherit the Wind, Chait takes the characters from the first play, reshapes them, and places them in a radically different environment. As he notes, The names of the characters are the same as those in the original play, although their roles are quite different.

No longer set in a parochial Southern town, the story now takes place in modern multicultural Los Angeles. Bertram Cates is no longer a pro-Darwin high school teacher. Instead, hes a brilliant neurobiologist at UCLA who is sceptical of Darwinian materialism. And the zealots who are trying to burn him at the stake arent Christian fundamentalists, but fanatical Darwinists. Moreover, the play makes clear that scepticism of Darwinism isnt limited to Christians. In fact, Professor Cates is inspired by New Age spirituality from the East, and he pushes back when a reporter tries to use traditional stereotypes to pigeonhole his views:

HORNBECK [a reporter]: How did God create the world in six days? CATES: I dont know. Did she? HORNBECK: Why are you asking me? Arent you a Creationist? CATES: No, why? Are you? HORNBECK: But you dont believe in evolution! CATES: I dont believe in Darwinian evolution. HORNBECK: Well, what kind of evolution do you believe in? CATES: The kind that I cant explain in a sound bite, which is why I rushed through that phalanx of reporters. But I will leave you with this: I believe that evolution is the result of a purposeful accumulation of ideas and not a random accumulation of materials.

Howard Blair, who in the original play was a 13-year-old student who testifies on the side of the prosecution, is transformed into a star graduate student who testifies in defence of Professor Cates. Howard also happens to be in love with Melinda Brown, the daughter of the Biology Department Chair who helped dismiss Cates. Melinda demands to know why Howard is testifying on behalf of Cates, and he tells her of his growing scepticism of Darwinian materialism. Far from being repelled, she is intrigued, but she wonders why Howard never had the courage to tell her his real views before. He explains:

Because Im a biologist and for a biologist to think like this, or to express these views, is heresy Because Ill be burned at the stake. Well, maybe not burned at the stake, but definitely excommunicatedmaterialist neo-Darwinism has become the new religion of science. Its an anti-religion religion, but its a religion nevertheless. Marty Dunlap [a fellow graduate student] was just here and when he found out I was testifying for Dr. Cates, he acted like alike a fundamentalist and I had just burned his Bible.

There is one new main character in the play who isnt inspired by Inherit Wind: a dogmatic Darwinist named Robert Hawkins, described as a zoologist from Cambridge University. Hawkins is obviously a stand-in for former Oxford University biologist Richard Dawkins (who, interestingly enough, served as an assistant professor of zoology at UC Berkeley in the late 1960s). Some of the best scenes are the ones with the self-important Dr. Hawkins. You can watch the whole play on Vimeo:

Disinherit the Wind debuted last fall at the Ruby Theatre at the Complex in Hollywood, where it had a six-week run. Author Matt Chait played Bertram Cates, and Circus-Szalewski did a spot-on impersonation of Richard Dawkins for the character of Robert Hawkins. The play received some good reviews, and now you can also purchase the script at Amazon. Its well worth a look and a read  especially as we approach Charles Darwins birthday (February 12), aka Academic Freedom Day, later this week.

Photo credit: Ed Krieger.
Today's Canadian Dollar (CAD) Exchange Rates have Reflected Investor Uncertainty after the Latest Oil Price Rout

The British Pound rate rally caused by positive UK trade balance figures for December has unfortunately been short-lived today.

While good news for the month, Decembers figures complete a poor picture of the state of UK trade during 2015, showing that the deficit in the final quarter increase almost -2 billion.

The UK Trade Balance figures for December have shown a better-than-expected improvement, although the non-EU deficit increased by more-than-forecast.

The Visible Trade Balance was forecast to drop from -11.5 billion to -10.4 billion, but instead fell to -9.9 billion, while the Total Trade Balance deficit fell more-than -1.3 billion.

Last week for the Canadian Dollar was generally poor, both in terms of the commodity price movement and the relatively scant domestic data that was released over the five days.

Monday actually saw a supportive development in the form of the RBC Manufacturing PMI for January, which rose from 47.5 points to 49.3. Even this initial news was something of a hollow victory, however, as the higher figure still remained in the sub-50 contraction range.

Although Wednesday brought an overall neutral Canadian senate hearing on the decline of the Loonie, with Bank of Canada (BOC) officials in attendance, Friday saw the Canadian currency dive due a worse-than-expected result.

Here are live CAD, GBP, USD exchange rates for your reference;

On Friday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1

The GBP to GBP exchange rate converts at 1 today.

At time of writing the pound to us dollar exchange rate is quoted at 1.122.

Today finds the pound to chinese yuan spot exchange rate priced at 8.142.

NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 21st Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks.

Canadian Unemployment Rate Climbs, Weighs on CAD Exchange Rate Trading

Against forecasts of stagnation at 7.1%, the Canadian Unemployment Rate for January rose from 7.1% to 7.2% on Friday. The Loonie subsequently slumped, with even a rising Ivey purchasing managers index for the same month failing to restore confidence in the currency.

The only Canadian data out today has been the December building permits result, which has risen substantially from a -19.9% figure in November to an 11.3% rise in the following month. However, the price of oil has dived to almost $30 today, something that has severyly limited the appeal of the Loonie.

The near future will bring a speech from BOC Deputy Governor Timothy Lane on the subject of monetary policy and financial stability.

Pound Sterling (GBP) Rudderless Today on Absence of Direct Data

While the Canadian Dollars movement today is the result of commodity prices and domestic data, the Pound has generally been at the mercy of other currencies, having effectively drifted throughout the day.

The only news to speak of has been largely detrimental in nature; the PM has warned that camps like the Calais Jungle could spring up in Southern England if the UK leaves the EU and in addition, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has reported that there is at least a 25% chance that the current government will need to institute further cuts, borrowing or tax hikes before the end its tenure.

Tomorrow morning will bring the announcement of the UKs December trade balance results; as of writing, forecasts were for a deficit reduction from -3.17bn to -3bn for the total balance but a slight increase from -2.45bn to -2.5bn for the non-EU field.

US Dollar (USD) Turns Bullish against the Odds after Fridays Incomplete Payoff

As with the Pound Sterling, the US Dollar has not been blessed with direct economic publications. Despite this, however, the Buck has managed to secure notable advances against the Polish Zloty and the South African Rand, among others.

US-centric developments have generally been poor  the falling oil price has continued to have a detrimental effect and additionally, the labor market conditions index change for January has dropped from 2.3 points to 0.4.

Tomorrow will bring the December US Wholesale Inventories figure, which at the time of writing was forecast to stay negative despite a positive shift from -0.3% to -0.1%.

Currency Market News and Exchange Rate Forecast: Oil Situation Proves a Stick Situation for US and Canada At Present

While their respective economies are highly divergent to a large degree, both Canada and the US hold a major similarity in their dependence on the extraction and export of oil as a large part of their income.

With this in mind, it seems as though both industries are currently going through a potentially permanent rough patch. Oversupply is the main issue at hand, and according to Challenger, Gray and Christmas CEO John Challenger:

Most companies have cut back their exploration. They are cutting back on their operations that are not as profitable but are more expensive to get energy out of the ground. Energy companies are realistic that there could be more supply coming on the market, that demand is still down.

UPDATE: Brent Slides Towards US$30 per Barrel, WTI Sinks Under

Oil prices continue to be of concern for the Canadian Dollar, with CAD weakened by a drop below US$30 per barrel for WTI crude and a drop to US$30.60 for Brent crude.

A Goldman Sachs study currently gives Canada a 55% chance of entering recession in the next quarter, rising to 84% for the coming year and 93% over the next eight quarters.
The National Sheep Association (NSA) is thrilled to announce the 12 individuals selected to represent the sheep industry in its 2016 Next Generation Ambassador programme, following an extremely competitive selection process.

This years impressive cohort comes from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from a self-employed contract shepherd with no previous farming experience to a third generation farmer who has recently directed the family business into sheep production. However, one thing they all have in common is there insatiable passion for the sheep industry and a willingness to communicate this to people from all walks of life.

As part of the overall NSA Next Generation initiative, the flagship Ambassador programme will provide the ambassadors with a series of training events covering a wide range of sheep topics. As well as increasing knowledge in the sector, the training aims to enhance personal development and business skills, which is vital to success in any trade. The individuals involved also develop a close working relationship with NSA, to the benefit of both parties.

Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive, says: The calibre of entrants we received this year has been outstanding and its been an extremely difficult job choosing the final 12 out of so many worthy candidates. The selection process is getting tougher each year and the enthusiasm and passion for the sheep industry shown by the many individuals that entered is very encouraging to see.

For 20 years or more, addressing the short fall of new entrants into the farming industry has been on the agenda and is one of the biggest challenges we face. The next generation coming through into the sheep industry is absolutely vital. We must cultivate talent and encourage high calibre individuals into the sector who can bring enthusiasm and fresh ideas.

NSA Next Generation is very much a two-way process and works, in part, to try and address this generation gap. As well as helping to further their own careers, the expert training also equips them with the communication skills and confidence needed to spread their passion and enthusiasm to a wider audience, and ultimately act as long term sheep industry ambassadors.

This years ambassadors have been selected from all corners of the UK. They are:-

 Jacob Anthony (22) Glamorgan

 Ellen Helliwell (22) Gloucestershire

 Hannah Jackson (23) Cumbria

 Jamie Laurie (22) Dumfries and Galloway

 Fred Love (23) Nottinghamshire

 Oliver Matthews (27) Somerset

 Alex Olphert (23) Hampshire

 Dan Pritchard (30) Swansea

 Tom Richards (22) Shropshire

 Michael Ritch (24) Aberdeenshire

 Robert Spink (24) Norfolk

 James Wright (23) Sussex
Bill is now heading to the Senate for review and consideration

By Diego Flammini

Assistant Editor, North American Content

Farms.com

Farmers in South Dakota could soon be legally allowed to grow industrial hemp.

South Dakotas House of Representatives voted 57-11 in favor of a bill that would allow industrial hemp to be cultivated.

The bill will now head to the Senate for deliberation.

The bills main House sponsor, Mike Verchio, says allowing farmers to grow industrial hemp can help with economic development and job creation.

If approved, farmers can apply to the state Department of Agriculture to grow industrial hemp  provided they pass background checks; earlier in February, North Dakota state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring chose three farms to test if industrial hemp can be successfully grown.

For those concerned about hemps close link to marijuana, Verchio said the South Dakota bill restricts the amount of THC  the main ingredient responsible for marijuanas effects.

Upon meeting the requirements of sections 2 to 6 inclusive, of this Act, any person in this state may plant, grow, harvest, possess, process, sell, and buy industrial hemp (cannabis sativa l.) having no more than three-tenths of one percent tetrahydrocannabinol, part of the bill reads.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia allow for hemp to be grown for either commercial or research use.
Bye Saucy Wings: Latest Fayetteville area food openings and closings

A Halal restaurant in Hope Mills opened. Spring Lake says goodbye to a wings joint since 2008 and hello to a new food truck.
The DOJs charges against Vincente Garcia, the former SAP regional director and head of SAPs Premier Client Network for Latin America, are filled with advisors, consultants, agents, and channel partners. In the e-mails, they refer to one another as friends and associates, and they talk about their connection with a public official, who at the end of a long transactional road will owe us a big one.

Garcia pleaded guilty in August to an FCPA conspiracy and was sentenced in December to twenty-two months in prison.

The SEC brought an enforcement action against his former employer, SAP SE, which paid $3.9 million to settle the FCPA offenses.

The SEC said Garcia excessively discounted SAP software in order to both facilitate bribery and to engage in self-dealing. Discounting goods and services to create a bribery slush fund isnt new  we saw it also in FCPA enforcement actions against Weatherford in 2013 and Mead Johnson in July 2015, among others.

It was also part of my FCPA case, for which I ultimately spent fourteen and a half months in federal prison, until my release in December 2013.

Are there messages in Garcias case and mine that might bring some insight to todays compliance challenges? I think there are, and they might not be what you think.

Its all about discretion.

International field personnel, especially in remote locations, often have more discretionary authority than their counterparts who work in lower risk regions, where offices are usually more thoroughly staffed. That was true during my working life, and from my conversations with todays compliance professionals and other executives, it remains true.

In other words, the amount of autonomy given to international sales people is often a function of distance, oversight, and internal resources. When they are further from home, they typically have more individual discretion. Sometimes compliance personnel would rather not pay a field visit to validate whats happening out there, or they dont have the travel budget. Its one of the last vestiges in the compliance world of dont ask, dont tell.

The irony is that when forward-positioned sales people are most successful, the compliance risks from their discretion are likely to grow too. Heres why.

Successful sales personnel are typically given more tools, resources, and discretion. After all, if someone is a rain maker, his or her bosses will want to crank sales up to the next level. Theres never really any finish line for sales people. The reward for success is more pressure to achieve even more success, and the sales people are given the tools and latitude to do that.

Profit motive drives companies to grow and thats not always a bad thing. But particularly in low integrity regions, someone needs to be asking how the sales success is being achieved. Someone needs to be willing to know whats really behind the apparent success, particularly before granting more latitude or investing more resources.

During my 20-year sales career, I often had an abundant amount of authority. Eventually I was able to decide for myself whether to give deep product discounts. I had the authority to negotiate success fees with agents, and set their commission rates.

The discretionary matrix that governed other parts of the organization did not apply to my sector  that was part of the reward for my sales success. What did I do with the discretion? I took advantage of it for my own gain, and eventually to break the law. Thats my responsibility and I went to jail for it.

Im talking about it now because the idea of giving sales people in frontier markets who are hitting their numbers more autonomy  without bringing more oversight  remains an area of tremendous risk. Its still hard to find senior managers who are willing to second guess success in distant provinces, and who might want to take a very long plane ride to some rough places so they can eyeball the sales people and make sure what theyre doing is compliant. In todays expense-cutting environment, they might not have the travel budget, and a phone call wont achieve the drill down thats necessary.

That means sales people are still left to themselves. So they use their wits and ingenuity to meet their numbers, and the company grows. At some level, its what theyre hired to do. But when that ingenuity comes with autonomy, there might be compliance problems lurking behind the sales success.

Someone may up in prison, like I did, and their company may take a big ugly hit for fines and disgorgement, and suffer serious reputational damage.

Preventing such disasters isnt complicated, but its loaded with lots of potential pain. Home office executives who are supposed to oversee sales activity in remote and high risk sectors need to look at whos making their forecast and earning their bonus, quarter after quarter.

Then, before giving those sales people even more discretion with little oversight, the executives need to ask a simple question: How are you getting there?

_____

Richard Bistrong is a contributing editor of the FCPA Blog and CEO of Front-Line Anti-Bribery LLC. He was named one of Ethispheres 100 Most Influential in Business Ethics for 2015. He consults, writes and speaks about compliance issues. He can be contacted here.
Not everything should be reduced to a 'top ten' list. Lots of things can be, lots of things should be, some topics wouldn't even make it to ten, but some things need thinking about. With your indulgence, I am going to resist reducing my take on writing an unreal novel in an all too real world to a top ten list. If you are harbouring a hope to write a book yourself, you will find much of what follows helpful, at least I hope so.

Doing Life in Paradise

Let's start with a famous quote.

If you write literarily about philosophy and ideas and you are not already famous for doing so, no-one's ever going to hear of you. Author unknown.

This is a truism that all writers whose ambitions include writing about ideas and who choose fiction as their preferred platform, are faced with before they write the first word of their novel. So if it is fame and fortune you are seeking then writing a novel which is an attempted literary think-piece on life and the everlasting troubles of being a human being, female or male, is most likely not going to result in anything like fame and fortune. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be attempted.

In my novel Doing Life in Paradise, I have boldly, if perhaps stupidly, gone where very few dare to go these days, in this frighteningly fast 'real' world where 'real' is stupefying superficiality and hyper-speed is the default. I have tried to write a literary book that elicits active participation from the reader. It discusses ideas and presents them through the prism of characters who are deliberately 'unreal' and whose trajectories do not align with the usual 'Hollywood' hero's journey. DLIP is not a book where 'boy meets girl, boy and girl get into a pickle, boy gets pickle into girl' to borrow a Hollywoodism. This novel does not follow the usual three-act formula, or even the Shakespearean structure of five acts. The characters are not 'realistic' in the usual sense of this description. The novel's themes are nonetheless universal, and include the discussion of the absurdity of life, and the human reliance on hope.

So back to the question of 'why write an un-real book in an all too real world?' Well, because it is the job of would-be-serious writers to continue the journey of examining the examined life (however there may be no unexamined lives left in this world). This world is so agonisingly and astonishingly real that we can't get away from it. It is relentlessly incoming, with blanket social media bombarding us, controlling us, telling us who we are, what we must do and how we should be, think and feel-if we are still capable of feeling.

Perhaps novels like Doing Life in Paradise offer something in short supply in today's noisy world, perhaps what it offers is 'quiet contemplation' or a chance to sit in a corner and indulge the act of reading and thinking. DLIP promotes this moment of escape, but not the usual 'escapism' of fantasy, or murder mystery, or love story, or action adventure, which are often merely exaggerated extensions to the streaming relentlessness of our real life. DLIP is none of these generic forms; it deliberately points out that some things don't make sense, and this is one of the greatest components of life, and our lives. We must celebrate the opportunities of the 'unrealness' explaining the 'real', after all we are no better off understanding ourselves, or our lives, or more urgently, our place in life, from the constant attachment and unnatural reliance on social media and twenty-four hour rolling news coverage. So this novel, which eschews formulaic story telling, tells a story and explains this story by the use of micro-stories. It is in effect a story which prefers to think rather than act, or think first at least, and might just offer for those who like to think, and I am hoping there are still some of those about, the quiet contemplation of an imagination working - theirs and mine.

For me, writing is about getting every single word and grammatical flourish right, however impossible this is. Everything on the page is intended to justify its presence by doing a lot of work; it must serve the themes, and the ideas in some material way. It isn't sufficient to just be there (like us), everything needs to tell a story as well as combine to tell the story. In DLIP I try very hard to achieve this outcome. I want my reader to take their time and savour the moment, the words and in doing so, discover the moment, even argue and disagree but above all, I want to make it worth their while to stay off the grid and enjoy their thinking time. Of course no doubt in all this I have failed, but I have not failed to try and neither should you. If you have a story to tell then tell it for the sake of the story, not for the prospect of possible fame and fortune. If you have things to say, thoughts to prosecute, things about life, about coping with life, then say it, there will always be readers who will applaud your bravery. I will be first among them.

Gary N. Lines, author of Doing Life in Paradise.

www.GaryNLinesAuthor.com
Idris Elba believes "change is coming" at the Oscars in the wake of this year's diversity row.

Idris Elba at the London Evening Standard British Film Awards

The 43-year-old actor is certain the Academy has taken notice of the complaints following the lack of diversity in the nominations list for the ceremony later this month and he is hopeful it won't happen again.

Speaking at the London Evening Standard's British Film Awards in the UK capital on Sunday night (07.02.16), Idris told FemaleFirst: "The discussion that's going on about the Oscars is fantastic. A change is coming, definitely.

"I do believe it, otherwise I wouldn't be here. And I think everyone feels it, it's a big subject and there is more work to do."

Idris picked up Best Actor prize at the ceremony for his performance as a rebel war lord who trains child soldiers in 'Beasts of No Nation' - a film which features a cast of all black actors which was not named in one category at the Oscars.

As the controversy surrounding the Academy Awards rages on Hollywood stars such as Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith and director Spike Lee have vowed to not attend the ceremony which takes place on February 28.

However, some prominent names such as Dame Helen Mirren and '45 Years' actress Charlotte Rampling have defended the Academy for their nominations.

Helen, 70, believes Idris' performance in 'Beasts of No Nation' deserved an Oscar nod but he didn't get one because audiences were put off from seeing the movie because of its grim subject matter about violent civil war in West Africa.

She commented: "Idris Elba absolutely would have been nominated for an Oscar. He wasn't because not enough people saw, or wanted to see a film about child soldiers."

Although the Oscars ignored him, Idris did scoop two prizes at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month in the Best Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role categories, something he was very proud of.

He said: "It was one of the biggest moments of my life. To be nominated by your peers. It's a great feeling.

"It was definitely a hard film to make, one of the hardest I've made actually. I enjoyed doing it, had a strong message ... I'm always keeping it original and stories come not from location but from a place of reality and that's what is important. In Africa there are so many stories to offer, so I'll probably be doing more films around that."
Captain America: Civil War is the 2016 film that I am looking forward to the most as I am a huge Marvel fan.

Captain America: Civil War

Tipped to be the biggest Marvel film yet, early word from the U.S. is that Civil War, which is the third solo film for Captain America, is testing well with audiences... I cannot wait to see what Joe and Anthony Russo deliver this time around.

This is the second Captain America movie for the filmmaking brothers and comes two years after they steered The Winter Soldier to both critical and commercial success.

At FemaleFirst, we are counting down the days until Civil War hits the big screen and this great new trailer sees our favourite heroes choosing their side. Check it out:

The movie sees Chris Evans reprise the title role and this movie is based on the much-loved Civil War story arc from the comic books. Scarlett Johansson and Anthony Mackie are also returning to the franchise as they reprise their roles as Black Widow and Falcon.

Robert Downey Jr is the huge new addition to the cast list as he reprises the role of Iron Man for the first time since Avengers: Age of Ultron. It will also be the first time that he has made an appearance in the Captain America franchise.

There will be plenty of other familiar faces as Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, and Paul Rudd will also be back as War Machine, Hawkeye, The Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Ant-Man.

The movie is also going to introduce us to Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland as Black Panther and Spider-Man for the first time; both have solo movies on the horizon.

Captain America: Civil War will kick off Phase Three of Marvel films and will be followed by Doctor Stranger later this year.

Captain America: Civil War is released 29th April.

by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Dame Maggie Smith claimed her Evening Standard British Film Awards win was proof "very old" actresses can still land great roles.

Dame Maggie Smith

Smith picked up the Best Actress prize for her role in 'The Lady in the Van' and quashed talk of ageism in the movie industry.

She said: "See there are parts for older actress. Even parts for very, very old actors. I'd like to say straight off.. there wasn't a blade of prosthetics."

Maggie also admitted she was very fond of her character and enjoyed making the movie.

She said: "She was a funny old thing but that's how we get to be. I think I'm older than she was. It was a great experience."

Elsewhere at tonight's ceremony (07.02.16), which took place at the Television Centre in west London, the movie's writer, Alan Bennett, 81, was honoured with a Special Award.

Accepting the prize, he said: "These lifetime achievement awards are really a sharp nudge in the direction of the grave. I think I might have a bit more to so but until then thanks very much ."

Idris Elba beat off competition from Michael Fassbender and Tom Courtenay to scoop the Best Actor accolade for his performance in 'Beasts of No Nation' and was stunned by his win.

He said: "Thanks you so much, I'm star struck. I haven't prepared a speech so I'm going to speak from the heart.... Arsenal did well today. But seriously, everyone here is really genuine and loving."

'Game of Thrones' actress Maisie Williams won the Rising Star award.

The 18-year-old star told the audience at the Television Centre in west London: "It was so wonderful to get into this career and to know you're doing a good job is really, really lovely."

'Brooklyn' was named Best Film, and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' won the Glass Award for Blockbuster of the Year, and Anthony Daniels - who plays C3PO - accepted the honour, apologising for not wearing his robotic suit.

He said: "This is probably the first and last time I will win an award. So I'm going to make the most of it."

Evening Standard British Film Awards list of winners:

Best Screenplay: Emma O'Donoghue, 'Room'

Technical Achievement: Mark Digby, 'Ex Machina'

Award for Comedy: Emma Thompson, 'The Legend of Barney Thomson'

Best Documentary: Amy

Rising Star: Maisie Williams

Glass Award for Blockbuster of the Year: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Actor: Idris Elba for Beasts of No Nation

Best Actress: Maggie Smith for The Lady in the Van

Best Film in partnership with Television Centre: Brooklyn

Editor's Award: 45 Years
The Jungle Book was one of the trailers that I was looking forward to seeing the most during last night's Super Bowl... it was a trailer that did not disappoint.

The Jungle Book is a live action version of the much-loved tale and is set to be one of Disney's biggest films in 2016.

The movie, which is set to hit the big screen here in the UK in April, and marks the return of Jon Favreau to the director's chair - I really am looking forward to seeing him put his own stamp on this well-known story and iconic characters.

The new official full-length trailer was played at the Super Bowl last night and we have it for you to take a look at. Check it out:

Favreau is no stranger to the blockbuster with the likes of Iron Man and Iron Man 2 under his belt... but this is set to be one of the biggest film projects of his to date. It is the first time that we have seen him in the director's chair since Chef back in the summer of 2014.

Justin Marks is also aboard the project, having adapted Rudyard Kipling's book into a screenplay.

Favreau has brought together a wonderful cast as Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, and Lupita Nyong'o will bring the characters of Shere Khan, Baloo, Bagheera, Kaa, King Louie, and Raksha to life.

The movie will also introduce us to the acting talents of Neel Sethi, who will take on the central role of Mowgli.

The Jungle Book is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (Sethi), a man-cub who's been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat.

Urged to abandon the only home he's ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don't exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (Johannsson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.

The Jungle Book is one of the 2016 blockbusters that I cannot wait to see as Disney have done a wonderful job with the likes of Maleficent and Cinderella in recent years... it really does look like they have got another huge hit on their hands.

The Jungle Book is released 15th April.

by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Beyonce has announced today The Formation World Tour, following her special appearance during Super Bowl 50 and the surprise release of new single and music video 'Formation'.

The shows will kick off on April 27 in North America, with 22 stadium dates lined throughout the country at cities includiing New York, Chicago, Dallas and more.

European dates will follow, starting on June 28 in Sunderland before moving to London, Manchester, Zurich, Amsterdam, Paris, Milan, Stockholm, Frankfurt and more, with a full list of tour dates and venues below.

Tickets go on sale starting Monday February 15 in Europe and Tuesday February 16 in North America, with Beyhive members able to purchase tickets in advance beginning Tuesday, February 9 and Monday, February 15 for shows going on sale February 22.

NORTH AMERICA:

Wed April 27 - Miami, FL - Marlins Park

Fri April 29 - Tampa - Raymond James Stadium

Sun May 1 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia Dome

Tue May 3 - Raleigh, NC - Carter-Finley Stadium

Thu May 5 - Nashville, TN - Nissan Stadium

Sat May 7 - Houston, TX - NRG Stadium

Mon May 9 - Dallas, TX - AT&T Stadium

Thu May 12 - San Diego, CA - Qualcomm Stadium

Sat May 14 - Los Angeles, CA - Rose Bowl

Mon May 16 - San Francisco, CA - Levi's Stadium

Wed May 18 - Seattle, WA - CenturyLink Field

Fri May 20 - Edmonton, AB - Commonwealth Stadium

Mon May 23 - Minneapolis, MN - TCF Bank Stadium

Wed May 25 - Toronto, ON - Rogers Centre

Fri May 27 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field

Sun May 29 - Detroit, MI - Ford Field

Tue May 31 - Pittsburgh, PA - Heinz Field

Fri June 3 - Boston, MA - Gillette Stadium

Sun June 5 - Philadelphia, PA - Lincoln Financial Field

Tue June 7 - New York, NY - Citi Field

Fri June 10 - Baltimore, MD - MT&T Bank Stadium

Sun June 12 - Hershey, PA - Hersheypark Stadium

EUROPE:

Tue June 28 - Sunderland, UK - Stadium of Light

Thu June 30 - Cardiff, UK - Millennium Stadium

Sat July 2 - London, UK - Wembley Stadium

Tue July 5 - Manchester, UK - Emirates Old Trafford

Thu July 7 - Glasgow, UK - Hampden Park

Sat July 9 - Dublin, IE - Croke Park

Tue July 12 - Dusseldorf, DE - Esprit Arena

Thu July 14 - Zurich, CH - Letzigrund

Sat July 16 - Amsterdam, NE - Arena

Mon July 18 - Milan, IT - Stadio San Siro

Thu July 21 - Paris, FR - Stade de France

Sun July 24 - Copenhagen, DK - Parken

Tue July 26 - Stockholm, SE - Friends Arena

Fri July 29 - Frankfurt, DE - Commerzbank Arena

Sun July 31 - Brussels, BE - Roi Boudoin

Complete tour and ticketing information is available at www.beyonce.com and www.livenation.com

Check out Beyonce's new track 'Formation' below:

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Duchess Catherine has launched Children's Mental Health Week with a new video.

Duchess Catherine

The royal has shown her support for the initiative in the clip, which shows her speaking to pupils from Salusbury Primary School in London, about the importance of being able to express their feelings.

In the clip she explained that she and her husband Prince William believe that "every child deserves to be supported through difficult times in their lives".

And Catherine - who has children Prince George, two and nine-month-old Princess Charlotte, added: "Every child deserves to grow up feeling confident that they won't fall at the first hurdle, that they cope with life's setbacks.

"This resilience - our ability to deal with stressful situations - is something we begin to learn in childhood, as we respond to each challenge and problem life presents.

"Many of us are incredibly fortunate that the issues we face in childhood are ones we can cope with and learn from. But for some children, learning to cope with life's challenges can be a struggle.

"While we cannot always change a child's circumstances, we can give them the tools to cope, and to thrive. With early support they can learn to manage their emotions and feelings and know when to seek help."

Catherine also spoke about the work of the charity Place2Be, of which she is patron.
Beth Tweddle can move her hands and feet following "successful" surgery on her broken back last night (07.02.16).

Beth Tweddle

The Olympic gymnast, 30, underwent an emergency operation to fuse two fractured vertebrae in her neck after she was involved in a horror smash training for 'The Jump' on Saturday (06.02.16) and, despite being in a lot of pain, she's already started showing signs of a positive recovery.

Beth's parents, Ann and Jerry, said in a statement: "The early medical indications were positive as Beth was able to move her hands and feet, despite being in a lot of discomfort.

"At 20:00 GMT last night Beth was taken down for surgery where they took a piece of bone from her hip and used it to fuse the two vertebrae that were fractured, along with pinning them together. It was a scary time for all of us and we're just very grateful that the operation was a success."

The retired athlete, who has won the title of Britain's greatest ever gymnast, sparked concern among fans over the weekend when she was airlifted to a hospital in Austria after she ploughed into a barrier and damaged her spine.

Following the shocking accident, Beth has been left with no choice but to leave the competition - making her the third celebrity to quit the show due to injury.

'Holby City' actress Tina Hobley, 44, was forced to pull out last week after she dislocated her elbow and fractured her arm when the crew failed to vacate the landing area.

And Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington, 26, has also decided to depart the competition after she dislocated her shoulder while practicing the frightening air jump last week.
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Danish fashion exports grew 7 per cent in the first nine months of last year to a record 23.9 billion crowns ($3.6 billion), overtaking one of Denmark's best known products  bacon, which recorded sales of 17.9 billion crowns ($2.6 billion) in the same period.The figures released by textile industry organisation Wear at the conclusion of the Copenhagen Fashion Week were confirmed by Statistics Denmark, Reuters said in a report

Danish fashion exports grew 7 per cent in the first nine months of last year to a record 23.9 billion crowns ($3.6 billion), overtaking one of#

Despite lacking the international brand recognition of Italian names such as Benetton or neighbouring Sweden's H&M, Danish fashion sales have surged."Fashion has a huge importance for total Danish exports and the Danish economy," Wear said in its report, aimed to show that apparel was just as economically important as pigs, a sector "usually seen and highlighted as one of the cornerstones of Danish exports".Many European clothing brands have their products made in developing markets such as China, and the Wear report did not say what proportion of "Danish" fashion is manufactured abroad.The country's fashion labels are not always instantly recognisable as Danish. Brands owned by Denmark's Bestseller group include Vero Moda and menswear producer Jack & Jones. Tiger of Sweden has been Danish-owned since 2003. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The Isko I-Skool Denim Award will open new avenues for students during the trade show CIFF as new partners and schools will participate from all over the world for the Denim Design Award.Supporting the future of fashion and the denim industry by sponsoring the most talented youths; this is and will always be Isko I-Skool's goal, said Marco Lucietti, global marketing director of Sanko/Isko division.

The Isko I-Skool Denim Award will open new avenues for students during the trade show CIFF as new partners and schools will participate from all over#

According to an Isko press release, the edition will be a huge success, with an increasing number of students and schools, more technical partners and some of the most popular denim brands participating in the event.The award is given through two contests; one dedicated to fashion design students through the Denim Design Award, and the other to marketing students through the Denim Marketing Award.Avery Dennison RBIS, Mavi and Archroma will be the gold partners of the edition, working with the students side by side through the design and industrialisation phases, Isko said.Vogue Talents, the project conceived by the international fashion magazine Vouge, will be one of the driving forces of the Denim Design jury, alongside other soon-to-be-announced key members.Vogue Talents will also honour one of the shortlisted design competitors with a special mention, the press release added.In the contest, students will be guided through the industrialisation phases in dedicated seminars held by Creative Room with the support of Tonello laundry and C&S garment maker.Avery Dennison RBIS will task students with designing a complete branding concept for their designs and communication.Students will have the opportunity to develop innovative branding and embellishments with Avery Dennison RBIS, which will be showcased on their final garments.Mavi another participating brand will oversee the creations of the athleisure mood, who will be joined by denim brand Ralph Lauren, Swarovski, Replay and Haikure.As of date, fashion schools like Chelsea from UK, Esmod Munich from Germany, IUAV from Italy, Artesis Plantijn University College from Belgium, Polimoda from Italy and FIDM from USA have confirmed their participation.New participating schools include Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti of Milan (NABA) from Italy and AALTO from Finland, the press release stated.As per Isko, this edition of Isko I-Skool is increasingly global, and reaches overseas to include the latest emerging markets that will definitely be key to tomorrow's industry.The Denim Design Award will ask students to develop innovative denim designs around three main moods; Renovated Denim Icons, Athleisure and Jool. (AR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Recently, there were speculations regarding the revival of Kamal Haasan's Marudhanayagam and that Lyca Productions, which is currently bankrolling Rajinikanth's 2.O, will fund the star actor's dream project, as well.

But speaking to The Hindu, the Vishwaroopam actor has revealed that Marudhanayagam indeed has a producer, but Lyca has nothing to do with the historical film.

"I have a friend of mine in London who is a film producer. He is willing to produce Marudhanayagam and has requested me to give him a call whenever I decide to restart the project," Kamal has said.

Assuring that it is possible to make Marudhanayagam feel the silver screen, the National Award-winning film-maker has said he has bigger plans for the movie.

"I want Marudhanayagam to have a worldwide release in several languages and I need a few who can help me achieve it", Mr. Haasan has said.

Meanwhile, three Kamal movies might hit cinema halls this year as well. While the actor is hoping to release his long awaited Vishwaroopam 2, he is confident of finishing his yet untitled flick, being directed by Rajeev Kumar.

Also, he will soon start working on a thriller, which will be directed by Rajesh M Selva of Thoonga Vanam fame.

Stay locked for further updates.

Nayantara's Interesting Role In Vikram's 'Iru Mugan'!
Earlier today ,Megastar Chiranjeevi started to Kirlampudi, East Godavari district, to visit Kapu crusader Mudragada Padmanabham, who is fasting unto death demanding for Kapu reservation. Being a Congress MP and a famous personality from the same community, Chiranjeevi wanted to extend his support to the mission.

However, the actor turned politician, along with a few other political leaders were arrested at the Rajamundry airport, before they met the Kapu leader. Chiranjeevi's support to the issue is expected to raise the intensity of the protests. Meanwhile, Congress workers are protesting against the arrest, alleging that it is unjust to take leaders into the custody, who has come to extend their support.

Chiranjeevi, who had a shoulder surgery a couple of days ago, was in fact advised to take a minimum of two weeks rest. But, the actor has decided to come out in favor of the serious protests by Kapu leaders, which are currently putting the political scenario of the state, ablaze.

On the other hand, mega fans are worried about the actor's health, while they are condemning the arrest, as well. Megastar Chiranjeevi had undergone a shoulder surgery at a private hospital in Mumbai on Thursday and it is said to be a very minor surgery.

"Over the last few months, he's been struggling with some pain in his shoulder. He has finally decided to get it operated as he starts shooting for his next film from March, and doesn't want the pain to aggravate," the source informed.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/07/16 -- On Monday February 8, 2016, the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Stephane Dion, the Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, and the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, will make an important announcement.

A technical briefing will follow the ministerial announcement with officials from National Defence and Global Affairs Canada.

DATE: February 8, 2016 TIME: 10:30 a.m. (EST), Announcement to be followed by a media technical briefing. LOCATION: National Press Theatre 150 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario

Journalists who are not members of the National Press Gallery will require accreditation from the gallery in advance. For more information, contact Collin Lafrance at collin.lafrance@parl.gc.ca.

Out-of-town journalists can also dial in to listen to the news conference, as well as the technical briefing. Please note these will be set up as listen-only mode lines.

International callers must dial the local phone number for proper access.

Participant dial-in numbers Local: 613-960-7527 Toll-free from Canada and U.S.: 877-413-4815 Pass code: 1972076

Contacts:

PMO Media Relations:

(613) 957-5555




AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, February 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

New solar tech Wysips Reflect extends smartwatch battery lifesimilar to analog watches

Pavilion France - Hall 5 Stand 5B21

Sunpartner Technologies, expert in cutting-edge solar tech, returns to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona for its fourth consecutive year to unveil its latest advances in telephones, connected accessories and IoT devices. Sunpartner is known for its patented Wysips: an invisible photovoltaic component embedded into any kind of surface that enables devices to generate their own energy.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150107/723989 )



To view the full press release, please click here

-> Sunpartner Unveils Wysips Reflect: The Future of Smartwatches

In the fast-growing market for smartwatches, aesthetics and longer battery life are crucial. Sunpartner's invisible solar solutions solve both those issues: Wysips modules are totally design neutral and extend smartwatch battery life by 30% to 50%.

To respond to market demands, the company has extended its range of products enabling mobile devices, connected objects, and accessories to go anywhere by harnessing free inexhaustible energy from the sun.

After Wysips Crystal for emissive screens and Wysips Graphics for textured surfaces, this year at MWC Sunpartner will unveil Wysips Reflect: an ultra-thin, invisible photovoltaic component that can be embedded in all types of reflective screens (LCDs in smart watches, electronic shelf tags...). Wysips Reflect also works with objects without a screen: analog watches (on the watch dial or the crystal), rear phone casings, wearable tech and more.

A new solar smartwatch will be unveiled at MWC 2016 and a partnership will be announced.

-> Watch Videos Streamed over Light Waves!

At Sunpartner's stand at MWC 2016, come and experience LiFi and watch streaming videos over light! LiFi (Light Fidelity) is a wireless technology that transmits data over visible light waves. Sunpartner's R&D has been working to increase the bandwidth speed of its LiFi receiver so users can watch streaming videos. Since Wysips technology is a photovoltaic material, it can also act as a photodetector and receive data in the LiFi chain. Several manufacturers are interested in this new tech so they can enhance user experience.

Visit http://www.sunpartnertechnologies.com


SEOUL (dpa-AFX) - The United Nations Security Council strongly condemned the missile launched by North Korea or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and announced that it will 'expeditiously' adopt a new resolution in response to 'these dangerous and serious violations.'



'The members of the Security Council underscored that this launch, as well as any other DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, contributes to the DPRK's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and is a serious violation of Security Council resolutions,' the UN Permanent Representative of Venezuela, Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, told reporters delivering the Council's presidential statement.



He added that the 15-member Council reaffirmed that a clear threat to international peace and security continues to exist, especially in the context of the nuclear test.



'The members of the Security Council restated their intent to develop significant measures in a new Security Council resolution in response to the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on January 6, 2016, in grave violation of the DPRK's international obligations,' Ambassador Ramirez stressed.



Members also recalled that they have previously expressed their determination to take 'further significant measures' in the event of another DPRK launch.



'In line with this commitment and the gravity of this most recent violation, the members of the Security Council will adopt expeditiously a new Security Council resolution with such measures in response to these dangerous and serious violations,' Mr. Ramirez announced.



The Council also expressed its commitment to continue working toward a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation leading to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.



North Korea launched a long-range rocket on Sunday, claiming it carried a satellite into orbit. But the launch was denounced by North Korea's neighbors and the U.S. as a long-range missile test that challenges the international community.



The rocket was launched around 9.30 am local time from North Korea's northwest Dongchang-ri launch site in a southward trajectory and reportedly dropped its first stage into the Yellow Sea off the Korean Peninsula.



Three hours after the launch, North Korea said through an official broadcast that it succeeded in placing the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite into orbit. The satellite is named after the country's late leader Kim Jong Il.



This is North Korea's first long-range rocket launch since December 2012. Under U.N. Security Council resolutions, the country is banned from conducting any launch using ballistic missile technology.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - February 07, 2016) - As the 21st century welcomes the arrival of social media and Internet advertising, it is becoming more difficult for companies to stand out among competitors. Entrepreneur and marketing expert Boris Mizhen explains why building a strong online brand is essential to those who aim for recognition and credibility. According to Mizhen, there are several key strategies that marketers can adopt to ensure the success of an impactful campaign.

With competition rising, Mizhen believes it is imperative for companies to define their brand for online purposes. The first step is to establish a target audience that will build loyalty for the content and promotions offered. He recommends presenting a service or product that endorses the benefits of the business to people by using a consistent message across all social media platforms. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest provide an opportunity for brands to build a unique voice when conveying their ideas. In the world of native advertising and clickbait, it is essential that advertisers create a tone that remains different from competing companies or products. The collection and interpretation of big data must be considered when planning a successful marketing strategy, as this can be an important tool in catering to clients' needs and desires.

The importance of a corporation's brand transcends every level of business and serves as a foundation for both large and small companies. Boris Mizhen believes that as marketers begin to develop a voice, it is important to appear on social platforms and incorporate their developed voice among popular trending topics. Organizations like Taco Bell and the recent Wendy's and Burger King feud have proven to be successful examples of creating an online persona as customers respond well to strong voices from companies that include jokes and friendly competition among each other. The exposure will depend on browsing behavior, social media interactions, geo-location, purchase patterns, and other specific analytics. A detailed and planed marketing strategy will establish the brand in a consumer's mind, helping build a loyal group of customers and attract first-time visitors through tailored content.

Boris Mizhen has built a successful reputation as an expert in Internet marketing and advertising. He has been responsible for contributing to some of the most successful online companies due to his knowledge and understanding of the ever-changing landscape of social media. Boris Mizhen is also a property developer and entrepreneur, known for his strong instinct for successful business ventures and investments in different technology industries. Mizhen is a firm philanthropist, having contributed to dozens of charities and organizations, such as the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven and Chabad of the Shoreline. Mizhen is a large contributor to gentrification in smaller neighborhoods and promotes education and support for people through study and good deeds in communities.

Boris Mizhen - Property Developer and Philanthropist: http://borismizhennews.com

Boris Mizhen - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmizhen

Boris Mizhen - Proud to Attend the First NYC Real Estate Tech Week: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSnMKWyspD0a+1c4+MKW20151110

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/8/11G081843/Images/Boris_Mizhen_--_Explains_Why_Building_an_Online_Br-758ad33004ff9e22aa6fba378dd022ff.jpg

Contact Information:

Boris Mizhen

www.borismizhennews.com

boris@borismizhennews.com
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - February 07, 2016) - IC Media Direct, a Washington and New York-based Public Relations and Reputation Management agency, is offering professional insight on the importance of online reputation for individuals and businesses. The company has been providing brand repair services since 1996, and has assisted many notable people in improving their online presence. In 2014 and 2015, IC Media Direct received the New York Excellence Award from the Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce (SBIEC) for having demonstrated a high regard for honoring business ethics and corporate values.

Reputation management is often overlooked by companies trying to establish a solid online presence and build trust. Local business directories make it easy for customers to review their personal experience with a brand, and businesses should be extremely aware of how their enterprise is perceived by potential customers. According to IC Media Direct, "what people say about your company has become the most significant reflection of your reliability and skills. In essence, you are what people find about you online." It's important for companies to monitor customer reviews to help identify and address the negative ones. 70 percent of buyers said they are affected by online criticism before making a purchase, and any negative feedback might deter them from choosing the products or services offered by a specific company. There are several ways of handling negative reviews, and IC Media Direct highlights that the best approach is to respond promptly and address the issue offline. "Negative feedback shouldn't be taken lightly, as it can help brands identify their weak points and improve the quality of their day-to-day business operations," says a spokesperson for IC Media Direct.

Reputation management should be at the top of companies' marketing strategy because of the impact that online reputation has, and how it can directly impact the efficiency of previous marketing efforts. When customers go online to learn more about a company or product, finding negative reviews will almost always drive them away. A lot of that confidence comes from positive reviews from actual customers, and when no such information is available, customers choose not to take any risk.

Founded in 1996, IC Media Direct is the leading provider of online reputation and brand repair services. Being two years older than Google, IC Media Direct provides revolutionary reputation management strategies that help companies and individuals rank better on search engines and project a positive image through a mix of media channels. The company has been awarded the New York Excellence Award from the Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce (SBIEC) for two consecutive years, releasing a groundbreaking handbook on Google brand repair last year.

IC Media Direct - PR and Marketing News: http://icmediadirectnews.com

IC Media Direct (@ICMediaDirectCo) - Twitter: https://twitter.com/icmediadirectco

ICMediaDirect.com - Google Reputation Management - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/icmediadirect

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/8/11G081845/Images/IC_Media_Direct_--_Leader_in_Online_Reputation_and-7111ce68d0ba82bd958777c94564359a.jpg

Embedded Video Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3QHOeY8qAM

Contact Information

ICMediaDirect.com

TEL: 1.800.595.0821

www.ICMediaDirect.com

pr@icmediadirect.com
PRAG (dpa-AFX) - Czech industrial production growth eased sharply in December, defying economists' expectations for an improvement, figures from the Czech Statistical Office showed Monday. Industrial production rose 0.7 percent year-over-year in December, much slower than the 5.7 percent gain in November. Economists had expected the growth to accelerate to 5.9 percent. Production has been rising since December 2014. The latest rate of increase was the weakest in this sequence. On a working-day-adjusted basis, industrial production fell 1.7 percent in December from a year ago. Production in the manufacturing sector climbed 1.1 percent and that for manufacturing sector went up 1.7 percent. At the same time, output in the utility sector registered a decline of 1.7 percent. Monthly, industrial production dropped a seasonally adjusted 2.6 percent at the end of the year. In the whole year 2015, total industrial production advanced 4.4 percent compared with the preceding year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

What does the future hold for the banking industry?

As the banking industry experiences systemic change brought on by technology disruptors and sweeping regulatory reforms, The Economist Events will convene more than 150 senior representatives to discuss the sector's prospects at The Future of Banking 2016 at The Shangri-La in Paris on March 10th 2016.

The Economist Events' Future of Banking 2016 will unite senior representatives from multinationals, challengers, new technology and emerging banking organisations with executives from the financial service sectors, together with policy makers, economists and academics. With increasing regulation coinciding with the advent of new technologies in financial services, the sector needs to keep up with the exponential pace of technology, while creating a sustainable and scalable business model which meets the demands of customers, investors and regulators.

Edward McBride, The Economist's finance editor, who will be chairing the event, commented: "It is an exciting time for the global banking industry, which faces unprecedented change thanks to technological innovation and regulatory reform. In the wake of the global financial crisis, the industry must develop a clear vision of tomorrow's banks. Lots of innovation and investment will be needed.Delegates will have the opportunity to debate what the future holds with experts in economics, finance and technology and build an informed view about where the industry is headed."

The expert line-up of speakers includes:

Philippe Bordena ve, Chief Operating Office r , BNP Paribas

Se verin Cabannes , Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Societe Generale

Angelos Deftereos , Senior Underwriter, Operational Risk, XL Catlin

Bob Diamond , Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Merchant Capital

Douglas Elliot , Partner, Oliver Wyman

Patrick Foley , Chief Economist, Lloyds Banking Group

Jordi Gual , Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Economist, CaixaBank; Professor of Economics, IESE Business School

David Harvey , Principal Consultant, Banking and Securities Practice, Dell Services

Jonathan Hill , European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union, European Commissio n

Taavet Hinrikus , Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, TransferWise

Nick Hungerford , Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Nutmeg

Matthias Kroner , Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Fidor Bank

Melanie Laing , Group Executive Human Resources, Commonwealth Bank Group

Josep Oliu , Executive Chairman, Banco Sabadell

Teppo Paavola , Chief Development Officer and General Manager of New Digital Business, BBVA Group

Ben Robinson , Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Temenos

Valentin Stalf , Founder and Chief Executive Officer, NUMBER26

Koos Timmermans , Vice-chairman ING Bank, ING Group

Baroness Shriti Vadera , Non-Executive Chairman, Santander UK

Radboud Vlaar , Co-Founder and Partner, Orange Growth Capital

Darren Westlake , Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Crowdcube

David Yates,Chief Executive Officer,VocaLink

For the latest programme and to register your place at the event, please visit the Future of Banking website here. You can also join us on Twitter at FutureBanking16 and @EconomistEvents.

About The Economist Events

The Economist Events is the leading provider of international forums for senior executives seeking new insights into strategic issues. These meetings include industry conferences, management events and government roundtables held around the world. As part of The Economist Group, The Economist Events is a highly respected brand with a 162-year history and an unrivalled reputation for excellence and independence. Each meeting organised by The Economist Events delivers objective and informed analysis. Our meetings provide unusually high-level forums where senior executives can gain insights, exchange views and compare strategies.

See http://www.economist.com/eventsfor more information, and join us on Twitter: @EconomistEvents

Gold Sponsors:

Deloitte

Deloitte LLP offers professional services to the UK and European market. Deloitte is a leading provider of audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to the financial services industry. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges.

IESE

IESE Business School is consistently ranked among the world's leading business schools. Highly international, IESE is committed to the education and development of responsible business leaders worldwide, offering high calibre degree and executive education programmes. In addition to world class campuses in Barcelona and Madrid, the school has centres in Sao Paulo, New York City and Munich, and delivers programmes at numerous other locations.

Temenos

Temenos Group AG is a market leading software provider, partnering with banks and other financial institutions to transform their businesses and stay ahead of a changing marketplace. Over 2,000 firms across the globe, including 38 of the top 50 banks, rely on Temenos to process the daily transactions of more than 500 million banking customers.

VocaLink

We're VocaLink. We believe that economies are powered by easy access to and movement of money. We empower businesses and consumers to move money by sharing our technology and payment industry expertise.

We're VocaLink. Powering economies, empowering people.

Silver sponsors:

Dell

Dell Services bring true end-to-end solutions to banking, insurance and capital markets. Built around our proven service portfolios, integrated with Dell's award-winning hardware, software and device offerings, we enable holistic IT transformation to meet your business objectives and help drive measurable value. From real-time payments and KYC, third party administration, to legacy modernisation, to applications, infrastructure, cloud and social media for business services and other analytics, we are your informed and stable partner for your transformation journey.

XL Catlin

XL Catlin's financial institutions team is a recognised market leader, with a suite of insurance solutions that offers sophisticated and comprehensive cover. Our Operational Risks team has extensive expertise and an innovative approach, based on over 40 years' combined Financial Institutions insurance underwriting experience.


PHOENIX (dpa-AFX) - Apollo Education Group, Inc. (APOL) announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by a consortium of investors including The Vistria Group, LLC, funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC (APO), and Najafi Companies for $9.50 per share in cash. Upon completion of the deal, Apollo Education Group will be privately held. The agreement was approved by Apollo Education Group's Board. The acquisition is expected to be completed in August 2016. Tony Miller, COO and Partner of The Vistria Group and former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, will become Chairman of the Apollo Education Group Board. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Strategic Round to Help Fuel Fintech Growth in Asia and Europe

Xignite, the leading provider of market data cloud solutions for financial institutions and financial technology companies, today announced that it has raised $20.5 million in a Series C funding round led by Tokyo-based QUICK Corporation, part of the Nikkei Group and Japan's largest financial information provider. StarVest Partners, Altos Ventures, and Startup Capital Ventures, Xignite's current investors, also participated. This new round brings Xignite's total funding to $37 million.

In connection with the capital raise, Xignite and QUICK will be partnering to deliver Xignite's cloud-based data solutions in the Asian market as well as QUICK's proprietary financial data and information through Xignite's market leading APIs. Xignite brings an elastic cloud infrastructure solution that is easy to use, multi-tenant, built on open standards and scalable with zero footprint to clients. QUICK is the first and leading financial information provider in Japan with a strong reputation and brand in Asia and a member of the Nikkei group.

Xignite will use the funds to further scale its sales and marketing efforts and expand its product capabilities in order to fuel the company's continued global growth. Together with QUICK, Xignite will continue to accelerate the growth and disruption created by financial technology innovations in the Asian market and elsewhere around the world.

Xignite powers many of the world's most innovative fintech leaders, including Betterment, Currency Cloud, SoFi, Jimubox and 8 Securities. Xignite's 1000+ customers are revolutionizing the financial services industry, disrupting key markets such as trading, wealth management, payments, and financial research and analysis. Over the past year, Xignite has experienced explosive growth, growing bookings by over 50 percent and serving more than 455 billion data requests from its APIs, with demand doubling every 6 months.

"The fintech revolution has only just begun and will sweep all aspects of the financial services industry in the coming years", said Stephane Dubois, CEO and founder of Xignite. "Financial institutions can no longer afford to operate rigid and proprietary data infrastructures. Fintech innovators continue to put pressure on more traditional financial services companies. These legacy institutions must innovate and simultaneously cut costs if they want to survive and thrive in this new paradigm. This includes the complex, burdensome and costly consumption of financial data. We are excited to have QUICK's backing and shared vision of an advanced, global market data cloud infrastructure."

"Asia is the world's largest fintech frontier and the region is experiencing hyper-growth," said Noboru Yoshioka, QUICK's President and CEO. "We are very pleased to announce that QUICK has partnered with Xignite, one of the most innovative fintech companies in the financial services industry. By combining our experience and leading position in Asia with Xignite's technology and innovation, we have a unique opportunity to capture the growth in this market."

Atsuyuki Nakajima, QUICK Managing Director, will be joining Xignite's Board of Directors. Mr Nakajima currently leads QUICK's Global and Strategic Business Development activities. As a 35+ year QUICK veteran, he brings invaluable knowledge and experience of the Asian market and financial market data to the Xignite board.

Marlin Associates acted as exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Xignite in connection with the transaction. Jonathan Kaufman, Senior Managing Director at Marlin, said, "We are extremely pleased to have played a role in this exciting transaction, a significant event in the market data industry. Stephane Dubois has built an impressive and innovative company that has helped fuel the growth and innovation in the financial technology industry. We wish Xignite and QUICK the best of luck in their partnership."

ABOUT XIGNITE



Named to the Forbes Fintech 50 List, Xignite, Inc. provides cloud-based financial market data APIs to help emerging companies and established enterprises deliver real-time and reference market data to their digital assets, such as websites and mobile apps. Xignite's clients include more than 1,000 financial services, media and software companies from disruptive fintech firms, such as Betterment, FutureAdvisor, Motif Investing, Personal Capital, Robinhood, StockTwits, Wealthfront and Yodlee, to leading financial institutions, exchanges and market data vendors. For more information, visit http://www.xignite.com or follow on Twitter @xignite.

ABOUT QUICK



As a financial information vendor in the Nikkei Group, QUICK distributes real-time global securities and financial information as well as political and economic information. It provides comprehensive solutions to the securities and financial market with services for supporting asset management, order routing and execution and network construction and maintenance.

ABOUT NIKKEI



Nikkei Inc. is one of the largest business media groups in Asia. Established in 1876 and upholding its corporate creed of being "fair and impartial", Nikkei has consistently provided high-quality reporting on business, economic and international affairs. Group operations range from books and magazine to digital media, database services, broadcasting, economic/cultural events and other activities. After Nikkei's purchase of the Financial Times Group, two business media brands span all corners of the world with unrivalled reach and indispensable news, comment and analysis.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160208005355/en/

Contacts:

Cognito

Lauren Pozmanter, +1 646-395-6300

xignite@cognitomedia.com
PORTLAND, Oregon, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

A new report published by Allied Market Research titled, "World Near Field Communication Market - Opportunities and Forecasts, 2014-2020", forecasts that the World Near Field Communication Market, would garner a revenue of $24.0 billion by 2020, registering a CAGR of 40.4% during the forecast period from 2015-2020. North America dominates the world NFC market, owing to the huge demand exhibited by the U.S. for near field communication technology. However, Asia-Pacific region is expected to exhibit a faster growth over the forecast period 2015-2020.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/647229 )



To know more about the report, visit the website at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/near-field-communication-market

In 2014, 1.2 billion smartphones were sold worldwide, which further increased by 7% in the first quarter of 2015. Increased penetration of smartphones and tablets in developed and developing regions, is the key driving factor for the growing adoption of NFC technology.

Based on the product type, global NFC technology market is bifurcated into NFC chip, NFC tag, NFC reader, NFC enabled SIM and others. NFC readers garnered the maximum share in 2014 (accounting for 45%) of the total market revenue. In terms of growth, the other product segment is estimated to register the fastest CAGR of 43.9%, during the forecast period 2015-2020. Among the device type segment which comprises smartphones, PC & laptops and other devices (infotainment and stereo headphone), smartphones dominated the market in 2014, accounting for 60% share in terms of revenue.

The key applications of NFC technology include contactless payment, information sharing, user authentication and access control, monitoring healthcare systems and others. Mobile or contactless payment dominated the global near field communication market by application, accounting for 33% market share in terms of revenue in 2014. It offers faster transactions as compared to conventional cash, credit or debit card transaction. However, monitoring healthcare systems segment would witness the highest CAGR of 42.8% during the forecast period. In this application, NFC sends data in encrypted form to reduce the possibility of information security breach.

Further, the world NFC market is analyzed based on geography into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and LAMEA. North America dominated the world NFC market, accounting for 34.7% market share in 2014. The region would maintain its dominance during the forecast period. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth at a CAGR of 43.1% during the same period.

Key Findings:

Mobile/contactless payment application dominated the world NFC market, owing to its outstanding benefits of secure payment

NFC readers contributed the largest market share in 2014. However, NFC chip and other NFC product segments are expected to exhibit a faster growth

North America would be the dominant geography in the NFC market throughout the forecast period (2015-2020) owing to the widespread adoption of NFC technology in different applications

would be the dominant geography in the NFC market throughout the forecast period (2015-2020) owing to the widespread adoption of NFC technology in different applications NFC technology is mainly used in different devices such as smartphone, pc/laptop and others, including NFC card and infotainment systems. Among all the devices, smartphone is the prime revenue contributor in global market

The report also outlines the competitive scenario of the world near field communication market, providing a comprehensive study of the key strategies adopted by companies operating in the NFC market. Key companies profiled in the report include, Infineon Technologies, Apple Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Broadcom Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and Inside Secure (now acquired by Intel), amongst others.

Similar Reports Published by Allied Market Research -

Europe In-Building Wireless Market - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/europe-in-building-wireless-market

World Wireless Audio Device Market - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/wireless-audio-device-market

About Us:

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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#205, Portland, OR 97220

United States

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E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com


VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/08/16 -- Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY)(FRANKFURT: D7Q1) "Monument" or the "Company" is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Klaus Eckhof as an independent Senior Geological Adviser to the Company to acquire, develop and review potential gold property transactions within the Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC") to build an inventory of significant gold resources within the country.

Mr. Eckhof is a senior qualified and experienced geologist with extensive understanding of the African continent, particularly within the DRC. He has spent 20 years in the region and has successfully identified, acquired, drilled up or been instrumental in acquiring and establishing considerable gold, base metal (multi metal, tin and copper resources) within a number of companies such as the Kibali gold deposit of 20 million ounces of gold, Tiger Resources, Alphamin Resources, Lafayette Mining and Spinifex Gold et al.

Monument has enlisted the services of Mr. Eckhof due to his wide knowledge of the regional geology and experience in the North East of DRC especially also in the South Kivu area. He was instrumental in directing the exploration team that established the Kibali gold deposit to more than 20 mill ounces of gold that was sold to Randgold in 2009 and has established a number of successful exploration initiatives in junior gold explorers. The Kibali project has since been developed into an operating gold mine with reserves and resources exceeding 20.0 M ounces of gold and now producing more than 550,000 ounces of gold per year at cash cost of between US$650 - 700 per ounce for the owners.

The Company is seeking opportunities in DRC and has spent time since late calendar 2014 in understanding and conducting due diligence in-country to better understand opportunities that may present themselves. There have been some notable transactions in Africa generally, and in DRC specifically. Management has undertaken a visit to the capital Kinshasa in 2015 to arranged meetings where several mining conferences have been hosted by the government recently to attract interest from the mining industry and others. Monument is an established mine builder and operator and looks for opportunities where its skills can be an advantage in a transaction that has potential to be placed into production in the short to medium term. The Company believes that Mr. Eckhof can assist in this process of building an inventory of gold ounces in the DRC.

About Monument

Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY)(FRANKFURT: D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Its experienced management team is committed to growth and is advancing several exploration and development projects including the Mengapur Polymetallic Project, in Pahang State of Malaysia, and the Murchison Gold Projects comprising Burnakura, Gabanintha and Tuckanarra in the Murchison area of Western Australia. The Company employs approximately 300 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities.

Robert F. Baldock, President and CEO

Monument Mining Limited

Suite 1580 -1100 Melville Street

Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web site at www.monumentmining.com.

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future plans ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or future events that are not historical facts and include the Company's plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this news release. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved".

The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation: risks related to general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Material factors and assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements in this news release include: expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations regarding the results of exploration on the Company's projects; assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals; the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Richard Cushing

MMY Vancouver

+1-604-638-1661 x102

rcushing@monumentmining.com



Wolfgang Seybold

Axino GmbH

+49 711-82-09-7211

wolfgang.seybold@axino.com




CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Reversing direction, the euro declined against most major rivals in Europe on Monday. The single currency weakened to an 11-day low of 129.51 against the yen, from a high of 130.90 hit at 1:45 am ET. The euro, having advanced to 1.1184 versus the greenback, reversed direction and reached as low as 1.1110. The euro eased to 1.1067 against the franc, 1.5674 against the aussie, 1.6760 against the kiwi and 1.5455 against the loonie, from its early highs of 1.1095 and 1.5785, 6-day high of 1.6895 and a near 2-week high of 1.5549, respectively. The next possible support for the euro is seen around 1.10 against the greenback, 128.00 against the yen, 1.095 against the franc, 1.56 against the aussie, 1.66 against the kiwi and 1.56 against the loonie. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
NEW YORK, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The study includes market size and forecast of the Chinese cards and payments market for the period 2012 to 2020 (in terms of number of cards, value and volume of transactions processed through these cards), along with key industry trends, major schemes, banks and card market by customer segments. The report also includes competitive landscape (card issuers in the country) for both debit cards and credit cards.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150727/756778)

In terms of number of cards in circulation, the Chinese payment cards market grew at a CAGR of 18.2% during the period 2012-2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% over the period 2015-2020. The total number of cards in circulation reached 4,949.2 million by the end of 2014, whereas the total population of the country reached 1.3 billion; representing a high penetration of 3.6 cards per person in 2014.

Explore Report with Detailed TOC at:https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/china-cards-and-payments-market

In China, the debit cards dominate the payment card market in terms of number of cards in circulation. In 2014, the debit cards accounted for 90.5% of the total number of payment cards in circulation. The frequency of debit card usage grew at a CAGR of 5.5% during 2012-2014. The frequency of transaction is expected to reach up to 7.7 times a year in 2020. The debit cards recorded an increase in average transaction value (ATV) from CNY 8,058.3 in 2012 to CNY 11,650.6 in 2014. The debit card transaction value at POS terminals remained higher than the transaction value at ATMs, as consumers prefer to use debit cards at POS terminals rather than at withdrawing cash at ATM. The transaction value of debit cards at POS terminals accounted for 54.8% of total debit card transaction value in 2014. Key players in the debit cards market include Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China and Bank of Communications.

Credit cards are primarily used by consumers at POS terminals for retail purchases, rather than for cash withdrawals at ATMs. In 2014, transactions at POS terminals accounted for 97.6% of total credit card transactions in China. The credit card market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 38.0% over the forecast period, to reach 797.1 million cards in circulation in 2020. The frequency of credit card use increased at a CAGR of 8.6% during 2012-2014. The frequency of transaction for credit card is expected to reach up to 17.9 times by 2020. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China was the leading bank in terms of number of credit cards in circulation in 2014.

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The charge card segment represented a small portion of the Chinese pay later card market. Average charge card transaction value increased from CNY 3,387.5 in 2012 to CNY 3,536.3 in 2014, at a CAGR of 2.2%. The average transaction value is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 1.3% during the forecast period of 2015-2020.

Banks and card issuers target various customer groups to offer card products, such as retail and corporate clients, and specific customer segments. Within credit card category, the issuers target corporate customers, frequent travelers and female customers. While in debit card category, the issuers target public transport users, regular account holders, and frequent shoppers. In the charge card segment, banks target high net-worth individuals and corporate customers.

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Australia Cards and Payments Market -https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/australia-cards-and-payments-market

Singapore Cards and Payments Market -https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/singapore-cards-and-payments-market

Turkey Cards and Payments Market -https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/turkey-cards-and-payments-market

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WOLFSBURG (dpa-AFX) - German automaker Volkswagen AG (VKW.L, VLKAF.PK, VOW.BE) said Monday it has appointed Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler as head of quality assurance, succeeding Frank Tuch. Volkswagen added that Tuch is leaving the company at his own request. Rothenpieler's appointment, effective February 15, 2016, is part of chief executive Matthias Muller's efforts to shake up the company's senior management team following the emissions-cheating scandal. He will report to Muller in the new role. Rothenpieler is a graduate mechanical engineer and joined the Volkswagen Group in 1986. He has been Board Member for Technical Development at the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand since 2014. Rothenpieler will be succeeded by Dr. Harald Ludanek as Board Member for Technical Development at the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand. Ludanek, aged 57, is currently Member of the Scania Executive Board and Executive Vice President, Head of Research and Development. Tuch, aged 48, has led the company's quality assurance since 2010 and was appointed by former chief executive Martin Winterkorn, who resigned in September 2015 after the breakout of the emissions-cheating scandal. Previously, Tuch was responsible for quality assurance and technical management of various companies, including at the former DaimlerChrysler AG and Porsche. However, Tuch will support the company in an advisory capacity, Volkswagen said. As part of his efforts to streamline the management board, Muller has almost halved the number of executives who report to him directly. This has enabled Muller and the leaner board to accelerate the internal decision-making process. On Frankfurt's Xetra, Volkswagen shares are trading at 113.35 euros, down 5.50 euros or 4.63 percent on a volume of 76,681 shares. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Northern Ireland Government Provides Grant to Fund Expansion

HOUSTON, Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Alert Logic (www.alertlogic.com), a leading provider of Security-as-a-Service solutions for the cloud, today announced that it received a grant by Invest Northern Ireland in support of its security research and technology development center located in Belfast. The 572,000 grant will enable the continued growth of its Belfast office in Northern Ireland by supporting approximately 90 jobs.

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In addition to opening an office in London in 2013 and a Security Operations Center (SOC) in Cardiff, Wales in 2015, Alert Logic has continued its expansion into EMEA with a security research and technology development center in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Today at a press conference in Belfast, Alert Logic CEO Gray Hall was joined by Finance Minister Mervyn Storey MLA where Invest Northern Ireland offered Alert Logic the 572,000 grant.

"European companies are moving to the cloud in record numbers and they realize that security solutions built in the cloud, specifically for the cloud, coupled with 24x7 managed services, is the way to keep their sensitive data safe and secure," said Gray Hall, CEO of Alert Logic. "We are thrilled to continue to expand our European presence and provide Security-as-a-Service solutions for EMEA business customers."

Alert Logic's Belfast office is a security research and technology development center, staffing employees in a variety of functions including threat intelligence, analytics and engineering.

"Cyber security and cloud security are two of the fastest growing sectors in the market and the highly educated, technical workforce in Belfast will help Alert Logic continue its rapid global growth," said Mervyn Storey. "This support will help create high-quality jobs for the future and will further contribute to the dynamic, growing economy of Northern Ireland."

Alert Logic has grown to six global offices, including its headquarters in Houston, Texas, and announced last month that it achieved more than $98 million in revenue run-rate in 2015, more than 40 percent growth over 2014.

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About Alert Logic

Alert Logic, the leader in security and compliance solutions for the cloud, provides Security-as-a-Service for on-premises, cloud, and hybrid infrastructures, delivering deep security insight and continuous protection for customers at a lower cost than traditional security solutions. Fully managed by a team of experts, the Alert Logic Security-as-a-Service solution provides network, system and web application protection immediately, wherever your IT infrastructure resides. Alert Logic partners with the leading cloud platforms and hosting providers to protect over 3,600 organizations worldwide. Built for cloud scale, our patented platform stores petabytes of data, analyses over 400 million events and identifies over 50,000 security incidents each month, which are managed by our 24x7 Security Operations Center. Alert Logic, founded in 2002, is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with offices in Seattle, Dallas, Cardiff, Belfast and London. For more information, please visit www.alertlogic.com.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- (Marketwired) -- 02/08/16 -- Barry Freel, Chief Technology Officer of Ensyn Corporation (Ensyn), is pleased to announce that Ensyn has been granted key regulatory approvals by California's Air Resources Board (ARB). These approvals relate to the application of Ensyn's Renewable Fuel Oil (RFO) as a renewable feedstock for refineries in California for the production of renewable gasoline and diesel (Refinery Co-processing). The approvals have been granted pursuant to California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Ensyn, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. and Tesoro Corporation were co-applicants in this process.

Ensyn converts forest residues and other non-food biomass to a biocrude known as Renewable Fuel Oil, or RFO, through the application of its proprietary RTP technology. RTP is a fast thermal process that Ensyn has had in commercial use for over 25 years for the production of food products, chemicals and heating fuels. Ensyn is now increasing production capacity for a broader commercialization of its fuels business, including Refinery Co-processing.

Refinery Co-processing involves the processing of RFO in Fluid Catalytic Crackers (FCCs) in refineries alongside traditional FCC fossil feedstocks, resulting in the production of ASTM specification diesel and gasoline. Ensyn has demonstrated this technology in numerous trials and demonstrations, including in operating commercial refineries. Ensyn is commercializing Refinery Co-processing in alliance with Honeywell UOP, a global leader in technology solutions for the refining industry.

The regulatory approvals received from the ARB covers the production of both gasoline and diesel via RFO co-processing in specific California refineries using RFO produced at Ensyn's facility in Ontario from forest residues. The carbon intensity of the resulting renewable gasoline and diesel was determined to be in the range of approximately 20-25 g CO2e/MJ, or approximately 70% less than traditional petroleum-based fuels. Ensyn expects that RFO produced at locations closer to the refineries will have reduced carbon intensity due to lower transportation impacts.

CJ Warner, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Tesoro, said, "We are very pleased to see these regulatory pathways confirmed. These approvals help support and validate our plans to process these renewable feedstocks using our existing infrastructure to produce less carbon-intensive fuels and help lower the cost of compliance with LCFS requirements in California."

Veronica May, Vice President and General Manager of Honeywell UOP's Renewable Energy and Chemicals business, said, "We congratulate Ensyn, Chevron and Tesoro on securing these regulatory pathways. We believe Refinery Co-processing offers refiners a cost-effective and efficient option for integration of cellulosic feedstocks into their operations."

RFO Co-processing

RFO co-processing is an innovative approach for the production of renewable gasoline and diesel. Conventional biofuel solutions are based on producing blend fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel that are blended with finished fuels post-refining. In contrast, Ensyn's co-processing solution provides refiners with a renewable feedstock and the result is ASTM specification transportation fuel, not a blend. RFO co-processing is based on the conversion of non-food, cellulosic feedstocks to fuels, avoiding competition with food markets. In 2015, Ensyn received Part 79 approvals from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its renewable diesel (RFDiesel) and renewable gasoline (RFGasoline).

Ensyn & Honeywell UOP

Ensyn and Honeywell UOP have a broad technology alliance that covers the production of RFO, as well as the commercialization of RFO co-processing. Ensyn and Honeywell UOP have established a joint venture known as Envergent Technologies LLC (Envergent) that licenses Ensyn's biomass conversion technology (RTP) for certain applications and provides performance guarantees to RFO projects that Envergent, Ensyn and Ensyn's partners are developing worldwide. In addition, Ensyn and Honeywell UOP are collaborating on the commercialization of RFO co-processing. Under this collaboration, Honeywell UOP is interfacing with refiners and facilitating a seamless integration of RFO into their refineries.

About Ensyn Corporation

Ensyn utilizes a proprietary and innovative process to produce a biocrude from forest and agricultural residues that is suitable for both heating applications, and further upgrading in existing oil refineries. Ensyn has been applying its core RTP technology for more than 25 years for the production of food ingredients, chemicals and heating fuels and is in the process of increasing production capacity for a broader commercialization of its fuels business. Ensyn owns and operates a commercial production facility in Ontario, Canada from which it sells RFO to industrial and commercial heating customers in the U.S. and Canada. Additional RFO production capacity is under development in Quebec, Canada; Aracruz, Brazil; and in the U.S. State of Georgia. Ensyn is executing its business plan in conjunction with key strategic relationships, including Honeywell UOP, Fibria Celulose S.A. and Chevron Technology Ventures.

About Honeywell UOP

Honeywell UOP LLC (www.uop.com) is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. Honeywell UOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc. and is part of Honeywell's Performance Materials and Technologies strategic business group, which also includes Honeywell Process Solutions, a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas, refining, petrochemical, chemical and other industries.

Contacts:

Ensyn

Ian Barnett

EVP

(647) 203-6588

ibarnett@ensyn.com




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Human Rights Watch says that at least 37 civilians, including six women and nine children, were killed in Syrian-Russian joint military operation that included the use of internationally banned cluster munitions in at least 14 attacks across five Syrian governorates since January 26. The New York based human rights watchdog Monday called on the International Syria Support Group, a group of 17 countries and three organizations that is scheduled to meet on February 11, to make protecting civilians and ending indiscriminate attacks, including with cluster munitions, a key priority. The surge in cluster munition use has taken place in the context of intensified Russian and Syrian military action to establish control over key strategic territory in the governorates of Aleppo, Damascus, Idlib, Homs, and Hama. The recent offensive around Aleppo has caused at least 20,000 people to flee towards the Turkish border, HRW says. At least seven attacks also took place as government and anti-government forces met for peace talks in Geneva, which were suspended on February 3. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PUNE, India, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new market research report"Cloud/Mobile Backend As A Service (BAAS) Marketby Service Type (Data and Application Integration, Identity and Access Management, Usage Analytics, Professional Service, and Support and Maintenance Service) - Global Forecast to 2020", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global BAAS Market size to grow from USD 1.32 Billion in 2015 to USD 28.10 Billion by 2020, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 84.2%.

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The growth in the number of mobile applications and increase in mobile game developers, and increased adoption of BaaS services among the SMEs and the enterprises, provides the market the future opportunity for the growth. The major drivers responsible for the growth of the Backend as a Service Market are increased adoption of cell phones and smart devices, demand for rapid deployment and development, and increased adoption of cloud-based applications.

In the services type segment, data and application integration service would contribute the maximum market share in 2015

The data and application integration services type is the core segment that prevents any kind of data leakage while transferring the data from one place to another. The data integration services type is widely adopted by the enterprises and comprises enterprise integration services, data and file storage and SaaS integrations. This service type enables the IT staff to connect the enterprise systems through single data and identity micro services. The data integration services type also manages the data as it includes hosting services where users can store, alter, update, delete, and upload any type of content. This makes the data integration service a robust service further providing high-end security features to the SMEs, large enterprises, and the end-users.

The growing demand for monitoring active users, devices and events, and securing the business critical data by the organization is driving the growth of the usage analytics in this market

The usage analytics services type assist organizations by providing numerous features such as push notifications, location, beacons, email, and SMS. The BaaS vendors provide analytics capabilities such as monitoring active users, active devices, events, API calls, and storage. The push notification is a system generated automatic message where users are notified for an event related to an application. The push notification also allows users to communicate with one another by using 'User to User' push notifications. The analytics dashboard enables the mobile app developers to track the usage of app and take control to deliver superior experiences across all devices and platforms.

Presence of all the major BaaS players and 35% of the total application developers in North America are the key drivers driving the North American market

North America is expected to have the largest market share and would dominate the Backend as a Service Market from 2015 to 2020 due to the presence of major BaaS players. In Asia-Pacific (APAC), the rapid adoption of the cloud-based technology has created numerous opportunities for the vendors offering BaaS services; hence, this region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The key players in the Backend as a Service Market are Microsoft, IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Kony, Kinvey, AnyPresence, Appcelerator, CloudMine, Built.IO Backend, and KII Corporation. These players adopted various strategies to expand their global presence and increase their market shares.

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The report covers detailed information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the Backend as a Service Market such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been done to provide insights into their business overview, products and services, key strategies, new product launches, mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, agreements, collaborations and recent developments associated with the BaaS market.

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Technavio has announced the top four leading vendors in their recentglobal mobile device management (MDM) marketreport. This research report also lists 11 other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period.

Competitive vendor landscape

According to this report, the global MDM market is a fragmented market, which creates opportunities for many mergers and acquisitions. The presence of a number of vendors in the market also provides innovative MDM solutions with the capabilities and features to provide rich customer experience and improved supply chain operations for faster and efficient business operations. The market is dominated by the top four vendors, which together held approximately 45% of the market share in 2015.

"The market is also witnessing the entry of many pure-play SaaS-based MDM vendors that are competing with large open-source MDM vendors in the market. Therefore, the market is constantly becoming fragmented with the presence of a large number of vendors," says Amrita Choudhury, a lead enterprise application research analyst from Technavio.

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Top four vendors operating in the global MDM market

AirWatch (Vmware)

AirWatch is growing faster than many other vendors in the market and has received several awards and accolades in the last few years. The company can offer stand-alone, embedded, as well as hybrid MDM capability. Its solutions can be offered through on-premise as well as through SaaS-based deployment models.

Citrix (Zenprise)

Citrix Systems was one of the leading vendors in the market in 2015. They offer XenMobile, which is a mobile device and application management solution. Its offerings are integrated with the Worx Mobile application, helping to deliver enterprise-grade MDM to protect organizations' data on any device. It also provides the largest ecosystems for various applications. XenMobile offers email, browser, file sharing, and editing through user-friendly platforms.

Good Technology

The company's MDM solutions mean that enterprises can manage diverse mobility needs and maximize employee productivity by delivering access to applications and data. Good Technology offers include secure business intelligence, enterprise mobility management, secure social business, mobile identity and access management, mobile collaboration, and secure content management. They acquired BoxTone, one of the promising vendors in the market, in Feb 2014.

MobileIron

MobileIron's virtual smartphone platform solution offers data driven MDM for real-time wireless cost control available on both on-premise, through virtual smartphone platform, and a cloud service through connected cloud. The MDM solutions serve industries including BFSI, healthcare, government, retail, manufacturing, and education. Their MDM solutions enable customers to host the Mobilelron Virtual Smartphone Platform on their premises.

The report also lists four other companies, including Fiberlink communication (IBM), SAP, Microsoft, and Google, as promising vendors of the global MDM market.

Fiberlink communication (IBM)

The company's MaaS platform offers SMEs a variety of mobile control and security features and allows enterprises to enfold productivity enablement tools for application management and document collaboration.

SAP

SAP's MDM portfolio includes SAP Afaria MDM, SAP Mobile Documents solution for mobile content management, and SAP Mobile Applications. The company's MDM solutions serve in key application areas such as sales and service, workflow, m-commerce, leave request, and travel request. The SAP Afaria MDM platform provides support to Apple iOS and Android phones and tablets. It enables the security of corporate data, supports costs, and increases IT efficiency.

Microsoft

Microsoft offers a product that will embed a subset of Intune MDM into Office 365. The development of the product is moving very fast as Office 365 adds productivity to the enterprise. With the combination of Office 365 with enterprise mobility suite of products, it is offering multiple layers of security. This feature can put the company in the leading vendor list and give competition to other leading vendors.

Google

Google recently entered the market with Android for Work application. The Android MDM application platform will be supported by Android devices. The company is promoting consistency through standardization of management API. The platform also includes work profiles security and built-in support for Microsoft Exchange and IBM notes.

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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

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HERCULES, CA and FORT COLLINS, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/08/16 -- Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO) and (NYSE: BIO.B) and Propel Labs today announced that Bio-Rad has acquired a high performance analytical flow cytometer platform from Propel Labs that will enable advanced and novice users to perform basic and multi-parameter cytometry for a wide range of applications and chemistries. Bio-Rad expects to launch the instrument later this year.

Flow cytometry is a technique used for identifying and sorting cells and their components. The flow cytometry platform that Bio-Rad is acquiring will support a variety of applications including immunology, phenotypic monitoring, cell signaling, and stem cell research. This innovative and proprietary technology will offer researchers greater confidence in results along with convenience that is unmatched by other available systems.

"We welcome the opportunity to expand our relationship with Propel Labs," said Shannon Hall, Bio-Rad President, Life Science Group. "The new instrument will complement our S3e Cell Sorter. When these instruments are combined with our antibody portfolio, Bio-Rad will offer researchers an unparalleled combination of ease and technology enabling greater insights into cellular mechanisms."

"This exciting new agreement builds on our already successful partnership with Bio-Rad," said Tidhar Sadeh, CEO of Propel Labs. "We are pleased to support Bio-Rad as it introduces an instrument that we believe will have a great impact in the area of cancer research."

About Bio-Rad

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO) and (NYSE: BIO.B) develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of innovative products and solutions for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. The company is renowned for its commitment to quality and customer service among university and research institutions, hospitals, public health and commercial laboratories, as well as the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food safety industries. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is based in Hercules, California, and serves more than 100,000 research and healthcare industry customers through its global network of operations. The company employs more than 7,600 people worldwide and had revenues exceeding $2.1 billion in 2014. For more information, please visit www.bio-rad.com.

About Propel Labs

Propel Labs is a privately held biotechnology instrumentation company headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Propel's experience and knowledge enable the design of next generation bio-instrumentation tools. The company focuses on the customer by quickly delivering innovative products and enhancing their research to advance patient care. For more information, please visit www.propel-labs.com.

Bio-Rad Forward-Looking Statements

This release may be deemed to contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements we make regarding our development and launch of new products. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "may," "will," "intend," "estimate," "continue," or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include our ability to develop and market new or improved products, problems we may encounter with our supply chain and product quality issues. For further information regarding our risks and uncertainties, please refer to the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation" in Bio-Rad's public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2015. Bio-Rad cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. We disclaim any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Tina Cuccia

Corporate Communications

510-724-7000

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Propel Labs

Tidar Sadeh

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SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/08/16 -- The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards were held in Los Angeles, CA on January 30th, 2016 to honor outstanding performances in motion pictures and prime-time television. With stars out in full force to honor their own, the Red Carpet was well-traveled with their arrivals and posings for an appreciative public.

A great diversity of hairstyles were to be seen throughout the evening among female celebrities, each striving to create the perfect marriage of fashion and personal statement. Simple ponytails took on stunning appeal with truly artistic design, up-dos looked magical in their arrangement, and high-fashion topknots dazzled as styling creativity was everywhere in evidence.

Maisie Williams of 'Game of Thrones' fame appeared with a piled bun hair style that was intentionally and deliciously disheveled to invoke a wild and tastefully dangerous look. Kristen Wiig, known for her work on 'Saturday Night Live' and numerous films, opted for the long lines of an artistically coiffed ponytail, boldly displaying lighter strands of hair alongside darker roots.

Christina Hendricks, nominated for Emmy awards six times for her work in 'Mad Men', sported a beautiful up-do that was a delightful confusion of romantic coils and swirls, perfectly complementing her facial features. Another 'Game of Thrones' alumna, Sophie Turner, demonstrated just how glamorous a long, full ponytail can be with her ballroom gown hairstyle accompaniment. Saoirse Ronan, from the movies 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and more recently, 2015's 'Brooklyn,' sported one of the most intriguing hairstyles of the evening, with an impressive, piled-high bun connoting volume from every observable angle.

Most of the hairstyle creations at the SAG gala event were the inspirations of professional hairstyle gurus who specialize in preparing highly complementary styles for celebrities. This is the particular realm of professionals with years of experience in hair styling, fashion understanding and usage, and a flair for optimal presentation at special events. While celebrities often have their favorites, this same kind of expertise is available to the public by equally adept professionals at many high quality salons, one of which is the Indigo Salon and Spa.

About Indigo Salon and Spa

The Indigo Salon and Spa was opened in the year 2011 by joint owners Randi Hosking and Phyllis Strauss, two highly trained professionals, each with 30 years of experience in fashion and hair styling in San Diego, and extensive knowledge of beauty products. Services they provide to the Hillcrest-San Diego community include hair styling, manicures, massage therapy, acupuncture, and bridal specials. Their facility, located on 4th Avenue, has two distinct sections to accommodate clients, one for salon operations, and the other for spa treatments.

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Contact Info:

Address: 3545 4th Avenue

San Diego, CA; 92103

URL: www.indigohair.com

Phone: (619) 294-3055



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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/08/16 -- BeWhere Holdings Inc. (formerly, Greenock Resources Inc.) ("BeWhere Holdings" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: BEW) is pleased to announce that it has completed its reversed takeover transaction (the "RTO") with BeWhere, Inc., and the concurrent non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of the Company, previously announced pursuant to a press release dated September 21, 2015.

On closing of the RTO, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of BeWhere Inc. ("BeWhere"), an arms' length private Ontario corporation carrying on the business of inventory management and control. The RTO was conducted pursuant to a share exchange agreement effective November 6, 2015 and, as part of the RTO, the shareholders of BeWhere received 18,999,996 common shares in the capital of BeWhere Holdings at a deemed price of $0.15 per share on a pro-rata and post-consolidation basis. The Company will resume trading on the TSX Venture Exchange on February 9, 2016 under the symbol "BEW".

Additional information concerning the RTO and the Offering can be found in the Company's filing statement which is available from the Company's profile on SEDAR, at www.sedar.com.

The Offering

Pursuant to the Offering, the Company wishes to announce that it has oversubscribed its offering of $2,000,000 and received gross proceeds of $2,034,450.45 representing the issuance of Units (a "Unit"). Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Share at an exercise price of $0.25 per Share at any time up to 36 months following the Escrow Release Date.

The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering to fund the costs of the Transaction and to fund the general working capital expenses of the resulting issuer. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a four month hold period, to end on June 5, 2016.

Resignation of Officers and Directors

The company wishes to announce the resignations of officers Johnathan Dewdney, CEO, and Ryan Cheung, CFO, effective February 4th 2016. The company also wishes to announce the resignations of Directors Ryan Cheung, Michael Blady, and Brendan Purdy effective February 4th, 2016. The company wishes to thank them for their efforts and wishes them well in future endeavours.

Appointment of Officers and Directors

In conjunction with the completion of the RTO, Mr. Owen Moore has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, and Director of BeWhere Holdings Inc. Mr. Christopher Panczuk has been appointed Chief Operating Officer and Director. Mr. Robert Allen has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Mr. Paul Christie and Mr. Kieran O'Briain have each been appointed as Directors of the Company.

Owen Moore Bsc, Msc - Chief Executive Officer and Director

Mr. Owen Moore is the Chairman and CEO of BeWhere. Mr. Moore was President and Co-Founder of Grey Island Systems International until successfully selling the company in October 2009. Shortly after earning his M.Sc. at York University, Mr. Moore co-founded Grey Island Systems International, a publicly traded Canadian/U.S. manufacturer and seller of real time internet-based vehicle monitoring and predictive arrival systems. In his roles there, first as CFO then as President, Mr. Moore drove an almost 50-fold increase in revenue to $24 million in less than ten years. In November 2012, Mr. Moore joined BSM Wireless as the Executive Vice President of Sales.

Chris Panczuk - Chief Operating Officer and Director

Mr. Chris Panczuk is the President and Secretary of BeWhere Inc. Chris Panczuk started in the Telematics industry in 1998 and was with BSM Wireless until 2014. Chris was the Vice President of Enterprise Sales at BSM Wireless Incorporated. He was responsible for building and designing specific solutions for key verticals, and advocating enterprise account relationships through advancement of business solutions.

Robert Allen - Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Robert (Bob) Allen, CA, served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance at TimberWest Forest Corp. from 2010 to 2012. Mr. Allen joined TimberWest with a strong background in both the BC forestry industry and financial management with 20 plus years of experience building, leading, and advising corporations through complex restructurings, acquisitions/divestitures, and capital market transactions. Prior to joining TimberWest, Mr. Allen served as Chief Financial Officer of Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. from November 2003 to November 2, 2009. Mr. Allen is a Chartered Accountant and he also holds a BSc in Agriculture from the University of British Columbia.

Kieran O'Briain, - Director

Kieran (Kee) O'Briain is the founder/CEO of KEE Human Resources, a leading Human Resources company in the transportation & distribution industry. KEE Human Resources employs of over 300 employees working out of offices across Canada to best serve its clients, some of whom are the largest trucking companies in Canada, operating over 10,700 vehicles and employing over 5,000 people. Mr. O'Briain serves on the Board of Directors of the Allied Trades Division of the Ontario Trucking Association and remains actively involved in a number of other trucking associations including the Canadian Trucking Alliance and the Alberta Motor Transportation Association.

Paul Christie - Director

Mr. Christie, is a former director of Grey Island Systems International Inc. Mr. Christie also served as the Supervisor of the Toronto District School Board for the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 school years. Prior to that Mr. Christie was a Toronto and Metro Councillor for the Metroward of East Toronto from 1985-1997. From 1991, he served as a Toronto Transit Commissioner, becoming its chair in 1994. He has also served as a Board Member of Toronto East General Hospital, The Riverdale Hospital, O'Keefe/Hummingbird now the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, the Toronto Zoo, the City of Toronto Non-Profit Housing Corporation (Cityhome) and a variety of community agencies.

About BeWhere:

BeWhere Inc. ("BeWhere") is an Internet provider of real-time information on equipment, tools and inventory in transit and at facilities. BeWhere designs and manufactures beacons and develops mobile applications, middle-ware and cloud based solutions enabling a level of operational visibility that was previously unavailable and / or cost prohibitive. BeWhere, a patent-pending solution, serves the emergency service, construction, utility and transportation industries.

BeWhere sells and markets its products through a network of distribution and technology companies. To date, BeWhere has secured distribution agreements with an impressive roster of resellers including a major telecommunications provider, leading vehicle telematics providers and logistic and supply chain management solution providers.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Owen Moore, CEO

BeWhere Holdings Inc.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

BeWhere Holdings Inc.

Owen Moore

CEO

info@bewhere.com




Manila: With the rupee fast losing value against the US dollar, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today blamed volatility in global commodity prices for currency depreciation and said deteriorating balance of payment (BoP) situation in several Asian countries also put stress on currencies.

"In several Asian countries, excepting China, the BoP is under stress which leads to currency depreciation," Mukherjee told reporters.

Mukherjee, who is attending 45th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank Board of Governors here, said certain fundamentals in the Indian economy have to be corrected against the backdrop of the rating agency Standard and Poor's downgrading outlook for the country's sovereign rating.

However, he did not elaborate.

Mukherjee, who will assume chairmanship of ADB tomorrow, said the global issues which have a bearing on the Asian economies would be discussed at the meeting.

Although the meeting began on 2 May, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III formally inaugurated the plenary marked by an impressive ballets by the local artists.

India's currency has suffered sharp losses by over 15 percent in the last few months, leaving a bruising impact on the country's imports, which mainly comprise crude oil. The rupee depreciation has resulted in the higher landed cost of the crude oil by the state-owned oil marketing companies, which have not been able to pass on the price increase to the consumers.

With prospects of subsidy bill shooting the budgeted target of Rs 1.8 lakh crore, global rating agency Standard and Poor's has downgraded the country's sovereign rating outlook.

The Reserve Bank too has expressed concern over the worsening current account deficit, which is likely to be 3.5 to 4 percent of the GDP for 2011-12.

Asked about the rating outlook downgrades of the India's sovereign rating, Mukherjee said fundamentals of the economy have to be corrected. "Fundamentals...we shall have to correct...," he said without elaborating what action the government was mulling.

He said the domestic issues cannot be discussed here since Parliament is in session.

The main areas of concern for Mukherjee were eurozone and Japan, as they provide a big markets to the merchandise from the developing world.

"Unless recovery in Japan and Europe is fast-tracked....it will have its impact. eurozone crisis is expected to cast its shadow...," he said.

The Indian Finance Minister who will assume tomorrow chairmanship of the ADB Board of Governors for a year, said the Asian region is still doing better than the developed countries.

"We will review the world economy...the (Asian) region is one of the important contributors to the world economy," he said. India will be hosting the ADB annual meeting next year in New Delhi.

According to ADB Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda, Asia's economy this year is set to grow by 6.9 percent, and 7.3 percent next year. It is the internal demand within the region that is driving the Asian growth.

PTI
New Delhi: Why are the private consortia which operate and manage India's showpiece airports at Delhi and Mumbai dead set against an audit of their books by a public auditor? Both have been citing presence of external auditors and a well-placed, existing mechanism for audits to deny any need for a fresh audit and this seems to be a valid enough argument at first glance.

Operators of both airports also argue that the Airports Authority of India, which owns 26% equity stake in each airport and is the body seeking an audit by the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG), has not made known any doubts nor sought any clarifications from the board of directors of either airport.

When AAI representatives on the board of the two airports have been silent for years on any alleged financial irregularities, why should the AAI now push for a CAG audit? Also, why is there talk of a CAG audit now when the airports were handed over to private consortia years back - almost a decade back in the case of Delhi?

These are valid arguments but they still do not address the real issue: why should DIAL and MIAL (Delhi and Mumbai airports respectively) be scared of opening their books to the CAG? Is it because of earlier scathing observations by CAG on how reluctance of the private developers to make adequate investments in their respective airport projects lead to hapless passengers bearing the burden instead?

Both the airports levied user charges at different periods of time for both international and domestic passengers in a bid to bridge the investment shortfall. But now, in the case of DIAL, CAG probably wants an audit for alleged diversion of revenues which may have taken place when DIAL formed joint venture companies for non-aeronautical functions with third parties, with minority stakes.

DIAL was formed in 2007 with GMR-led consortia holding majority 74 percent stake and AAI holding the remaining 26 percent. The concession agreement for the Delhi airport mandates that with 26 percent equity participation, AAI gets 46 percent share in airport revenues.

The CAG had made scathing observations on the same issue in its 2012-13 report too, where it had termed these JVs a "violation" of the terms of the airport concession agreement. The auditor had also alleged then that there was no way of knowing how much revenue from these subsidiaries was actually flowing to DIAL (and therefore coming to AAI as per the revenue share formula).

Once again, the CAG may have found something amiss with DIAL's 11 joint venture companies - these were formed for outsourcing various non-core operations at the airport like parking, food and beverages, cargo etc. The CAG perhaps believes that through these JVs, a part of the revenue which should have accrued to AAI is being diverted since the government does not audit these JVs and what they share as revenue with DIAL.

DIAL did not respond to Firstpost's queries today but it had earlier said that the airport concession agreement (OMDA) allows DIAL to make investment in JVs of non-aeronautical businesses. It had also said then that these JVs were in accordance with the provisions of Companies Act, where after the approval from the board of directors, investments in JVs as a minority share-holder could be made. Till end of last year, DIAL had divested its stake in two out of 11 JVs but all others continued to be operational.

So can DIAL be accused of diverting revenues away from AAI? If the formation of JVs is not barred under the airport concession agreement, then perhaps not. And it is well known that no airport operator performs all non-aeronautical functions by itself - these are usually outsourced to competent parties.

An industry veteran pointed out that in initial years, when these JVs were formed, it is possible that AAI's revenue share was impacted because "instead of getting Rs 46 for every Rs 100 earned by these JVs, AAI would have been given Rs 46 from every Rs 100 shared by these companies with DIAL. But this shortfall should have been overlooked since the airport has done really well and overall revenues have been increasing. A third of AAI's total revenue last fiscal came from DIAL".

Therein hangs the real question. Should any revenue shortfall from these JVs be overlooked merely AAI has been receiving far more through revenue share in DIAL than it was making when it was operating the airport on its own? AAI earned close to Rs 8,300 crore total revenues last fiscal of which close to Rs 2,500 crore came from Delhi airport alone.

This tug of war between AAI and the consortia which operate Delhi and Mumbai Airports respectively is a classic case of trust deficit between partners. The AAI has been asking GMR-led consortia which operates the Delhi airport and the GVK-led consortia which operates the Mumbai airport for allowing the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to audit their books since 2013.

According to sources in the know, the first such request was made almost three years back and at that time, the AAI had subsequently sought the approval of the ministry of civil aviation before going ahead with this. The ministry, sources said, sought the views of the Planning Commission which stated categorically that a CAG audit is valid since these airports involve investment of public money. But as is the case with most "sensitive" decisions in the Government, the ministry and AAI dragged their feet and the issue remained unresolved till now.

Only now have DIAL and MIAL invoked the dispute clause in the concession agreement while opposing the AAI demand for a CAG audit.

As we pointed out earlier, Delhi and Mumbai airports have both had a nasty brush with CAG's scathing comments in the past as well, which explains their wary stance this time around. In 2014, CAG had objected to the PPP model for Mumbai airport, saying risks had not been properly transferred to the private party as the project cost doubled and the funding gap was filled up by passengers through development fee. It has levied similar charges at DIAL too.

In the case of MIAL, CAG had said the project cost "more than doubled from Rs 5,826 crore to Rs 12,380 crore" but was restricted to Rs 11,647.46 crore till March 2014 by AERA. Though the project cost doubled, "the concessionaire did not appear to have faced financial vulnerability for the same, as the funding gap was being largely absorbed by the passengers through levy of development fee (DF), though such levy was not in the OMDA."

The CAG had also noted in this report that the revenue share of AAI was "set to decline with the outsourcing of activities as noticed in the case of domestic and international cargo activities and the airport hotel project".

Whether CAG will audit either or both of these airport projects may actually depend not on whether the airport developers allow it but on the view courts take in similar matters. CAG Shashi Kant Sharma has been quoted saying last month that here have been "irregularities and trust deficit" in certain audits of PPP while asserting that CAG can audit power distribution companies for example despite these being private entities.

The issue of auditing the accounts of discoms is pending in court as companies have opposed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals request to CAG for conducting their audit.
From the Indian point of view, the deposition of David Coleman Headley through a video link is the second best alternative available, next to bringing him to book on Indian soil.

The deposition could shed light on the 26/11 conspiracy and the role of various terror groups, and other crucial details of the terror strike at multiple locations which left 166 dead on 26 to 28 November, 2008.

Headley had already confessed to his role in the offences in the US for which he is serving a 35-year sentence.

Headley had pleaded guilty to the allegations against him in exchange for a very major concession-that he would not be extradited, as reported by Mumbai Mirror. With that option foreclosed, Indian officials hit upon the idea of making Headley an approver, the report states.

In a hearing on 10 December, a special judge had pardoned Headley and made him an approver in the case subject to certain conditions.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam has resorted to the measure-of turning to an insider to reveal intricate details of terror plots-on a number of occasions. Most notable among these were the 1993 serial blasts and the 2003 blasts at Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazar, both in Mumbai.

The measure has proved to be a particularly effective one, as terrorism conspiracies are naturally hatched in utmost secrecy, and direct evidence is very difficult to obtain in such cases.

This is more so as Headley has in the past implicated officers of Pakistan's ISI in the conspiracy, as pointed out in this article in Scroll. Headley had reportedly named three officials  Col Haroon Shah, Major Samir Ali and Major Iqbal in a statement to the NIA in an American prison. With members of the Pakistan establishment also under the scanner apart from 'non-state actors,' the possibility of co-operation from India's western neighbour decreases significantly. This makes the ongoing deposition even more important.

In his statement before a Mumbai court, Headley has also named Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, who has also been accused by India of being part of the 26/11 conspiracy, according to reports. While Pakistan has banned media coverage of the JuD, it has not banned the organisation per se, and continues to insist, despite international pressure, that the group is engaged in various social work activities and is not a terrorist organisation. Headley's statements about Hafiz Saeed can put more pressure on Pakistan to crack down on the JuD.

However, the process of getting him to depose via video link was a complicated. According to the Mumbai Mirror report mentioned above, it started with a meeting between Nikam, the then Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria and Joint CP Atul Chandra Kulkarni. Subsequently, the idea was communicated to NSA Ajit Doval, who asked the Indian ambassador in the US to prepare the groundwork for the measure.

Later, Ujjwal Nikam along with a senior police officer made a 'secret trip' to the US in order to arrive at an agreement on the matter, The Indian Express reported in December last year. The decision to hold meeting with US officials was cleared by the home ministry, the report stated.

From the initial reports of David Headley's deposition, it appears that the decision may be paying dividends. With Headley having nothing to lose, and India having everything to gain, it appears to be a win-win situation.

With inputs from IANS
New Delhi: One of 10 Indian soldiers feared dead after an avalanche six days ago in the remote Himalayas has been miraculously rescued alive, officials said.

He was found days after authorities said there was little chance of finding survivors following the Siachen Glacier accident last week.

"In the ongoing rescue operation at Siachen, of the 10 soldiers buried... (one) has been found alive," General D.S. Hooda from the army's northern command said in a statement Monday.

"All other soldiers are regrettably no longer with us," it added.

The rescued soldier, Lance Naik Hanamanthappa, was in critical condition and officials would try to evacuate him from the mountain later Tuesday morning to be moved to an army hospital in New Delhi.

"We hope the miracle continues. Pray with us," the statement said.

He was buried under nearly eight metres (25 feet) of snow, according to PTI news agency.

The soldiers were on duty at an army post on a glacier at an altitude of 5,900 metres when it was hit by the massive avalanche.

Specialist army and air force teams had been searching for the missing soldiers near the de facto border with Pakistan.

The army had said the odds of finding anyone alive were very slim, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on Twitter last week.

Indian troops patrol the Siachen Glacier, dubbed the world's highest battlefield, in the Kashmir region, which is disputed between India and Pakistan.

Avalanches and landslides are common in the area during winter and temperatures can drop as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit).

An estimated 8,000 troops have died on the glacier since 1984, almost all of them from avalanches, landslides, frostbite, altitude sickness or heart failure rather than combat.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan fought over Siachen in 1987. But guns on the glacier have largely fallen silent since a peace process began in 2004.

AFP
Last week, a Tanzanian woman was assaulted in Bengaluru. The tepid response of the political leaders and cops does not bode well for the city and the country. Interestingly no one is talking about this kind of intolerance. The state home minister who belongs to the Congress-run government told mediapersons that she was stripped but not molested. A few policemen have been suspended but the expat students remain in fear of further attacks.

In the last few years, instances of Africans being assaulted, molested and intimidated by local people have shown a sharp rise. They are subjected to racist remarks and asked to leave Bengaluru.

Bengaluru, Indias IT capital, was known for its inclusive character that allowed people from different parts of the country and world to make it their home or place of work. Amidst good publicity and word-of-mouth goodwill, Bengaluru transformed itself from a city of pensioners to a vibrant capital that attracted people from all over. The growth of the IT industry made the city a magnet for all those who sought new opportunities and sought to contribute to its economy. Transformation of Bengaluru has made the city a major economic centre in Karnataka contributing over 65 per cent to states GDP.

Bengalurus pleasant weather through the year and thriving educational institutions has attracted people not only from different parts of India but also 45 foreign countries, including students from Iran, Afghanistan and African countries. Over 3,000 foreign students study in Bengalurus colleges (30,000 across India) and over two lakh people from north-east India work across sectors, including the BPO sector, where their English-speaking skills make them more eligible than people from some other parts of the country.

The city has always had a tag of being safe and secure for everyone that gave people, including women a sense of freedom that no other city in India can boast of. According to data from the union government, Bengaluru hosts one-third of expat students in the country.

While enjoying the benefits that a commercially thriving urban area brings to its people, old timers would not hesitate to complain about the growth in population, traffic and noise.

The economic boom saw a parallel rise of fringe groups and lumpen elements, who, in the name of Kannada identity were regularly seen damaging property, demonstrating outside IT companies like Infosys demanding jobs for Kannada speaking youth, and physically attacking people. All political parties including the Congress Party indulged them, and they were allowed by the police to vent their frustration every few months and then stay quiet.

However, there was little or no effort by political leaders to address the larger issue of inclusiveness. Why were local people feeling threatened? Why were outsiders from north-east India or Africa targeted?

Every incident was treated as an act of some lumpen elements and ignored after a couple of arrests. Every political party that formed a government in Karnataka followed this principle.

A weak political response and police action has led to the growth of such incidents. In 2014 there was an exodus of people of the north-east from the city after incidents of attacks and intimidation. Similar attacks on African students who are also subjected to racist abuse have brought shame on Bengalurus image. But, there has been a pattern of such attacks that elicited a weak administrative response.

Over 2,000 African students from countries as diverse as Gabon, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Cameron, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda study and live in the city. Some of them study under ICCR-funded scholarships.

The government of India starting with the Manmohan Singh-led UPA and more aggressively under Modis leadership is currently trying to woo African countries away from the expanding Chinese footprint in their continent. The education sector has always been an area which attracted foreign students to India, and Bengaluru was seen as an ideal destination because of its image of a liberal, safe and inclusive culture. A growing sense of insecurity among African students in Bengaluru can damage not just the citys image but that of India which seeks to position itself as a peer of China.

In a telephonic chat, an African student from the Association of African Students in India who didnt want to be named said that the local police tend to take such attacks lightly. He said, for the last three-four years, there has been a steady rise in instances of attacks on African students in the IT city and there are also racist comments that they are daily subjected to. He said that Africa knows India as the land of Mahatma Gandhi, but such incidents dent Indias image back home.

He went on to state that Indians in Africa do not face such treatment. They are respected, he said.

Such comments do no good for India and her image. The Karnataka government must ensure that those involved in the assault get stringent punishment. The external affairs ministry led by Sushma Swaraj must take all steps to ensure that the state government walks the talk and punishes the guilty. Else, Indias outreach to Africa could suffer.

The writer was BBCs South India Correspondent based in Bengaluru from 2004-06
Mumbai: Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist David Coleman Headley, who is now an approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, started his deposition before a Special TADA Court via videoconferencing from a US jail, here at daybreak on Monday.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam is leading the prosecution case while well-known criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani is representing Headley before Special TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap at the five-hour proceedings.

Flanked by three persons  his attorney John, a US attorney Sarah and an unidentified person Bob  Headley was administered the oath at 7.30 am and Nikam started firing the questions at him.

Right at the start, he revealed that he was born on 30 June, 1960 in the US and shifted to Pakistan later where his name was Daood Sayeed Gilani.

Headley, 54, provided details of his passport and his seven-eight trips to Mumbai and one to New Delhi between 2006-2008 before the 26/11 attacks, including seven via Pakistan, one via UAE, and another trip to Mumbai in July 2009, after the terror attacks were executed.

Within a couple of hours, Nikam had posed around five dozen questions where Headley also revealed that most of the information on his visa application was false so that he would not blow his cover.

Admitting he was a LeT operative, Headley name one Sajid Mir as his main contact in the terror group.

"This is the first time that a terrorist is deposing and tendering evidence live in a foreign country. He will divulge the largers aspects of the 26/11 terror conspiracy, the people behind it and related aspects," SPP Nikam said on the eve of the trial.

Headley's ongoing evidence could help the prosecution nail the alleged co-conspirators in the attacks Zakiur Rehman Lakshi, the terrorists' handlers, the role and involvement of other state and non-state actors, the role of another arrested LeT activist Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, currently in a Mumbai jail.

At the previous hearing on December 10 last year, a special judge had pardoned Headley and made him an approver in the case subject to certain conditions.

Headley, a man with American-Pakistani origins, was asked by Judge Sanap to disclose all information pertaining to the 26/11 case which he had earlier shared with the US courts.

This could shed light on the 26/11 conspiracy and the role of various terror groups, and other crucial details of the terror strike at multiple locations which left 166 dead on 26 to 28 November, 2008.

Headley had already confessed to his role in the offences in the US for which he is seving a 35-year sentence.

IANS
Mumbai: Four suspected members of the notorious 'Chaddi Baniyan' gang were arrested in the wee hours of Monday in a an encounter with police after they robbed an elderly couple in suburban Borivali.

Three police personnel were injured in the encounter. According to police, the four robbed an elderly couple after assaulting them in Borivali. A police officer on night patrolling duty noticed some suspicious movement on a road at around 3.30 am, following which nearby police stations were alerted. A police team then started a search operation during which the accused, who were hiding in nearby bushes, fired at the cops.

In retaliation, the policemen also fired at them and succeeded in nabbing four gang members after a long search operation, a police official said.

A senior inspector and two other police officials were also injured in the exchange of fire, he said. The four accused, who also sustained injuries in the incident, were admitted to a hospital in Kandivali. The search operation was still on in Borivali, police said, adding that three more robbers were suspected to be hiding in the area.

Over 100 policemen from different police stations and crime branch have been deployed in the search operation, the official said, but refused to divulge any further details of the incident.

PTI
New Delhi: Delhi mayors on Monday met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought his "intervention" in getting their "rightful" share of funds under Delhi Finance Commission (DFC) recommendations from the AAP government.

The delegation led by Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay and comprising mayors Subhash Arya (South), Harshdeep Malhotra (East) and Ravinder Gupta (East) urged Singh to take cognizance of "unconstitutional" ways of the Delhi government.

The mayors apprised the Home Minister of the prevailing situtation due to strike by sanitation workers and asked him to ensure that Delhi government releases "around Rs 3,000 crore under 3rd DFC and implements 4th DFC without further delay", said East Delhi mayor Harshdeep Malhotra.

The 30-minute meeting was also attended by "secretaries of the Home ministry who were instructed by Singh to talk to top officials of Delhi government including Director Local Bodies to resolve the issues," he added.

"Delhi government has indulged in a lot of unconstitutional activities since it came to power which include depriving constitutional rights of the municipal corporations and bypassing the authority of Lt Governor in its business," Upadhyay alleged.

"We urged the Home Minister that the Centre should take cognizance of unconstitutional ways of the government. He directed Home ministry secretaries including the UT Secretary to take up these matters with Delhi government," Upadhyay claimed.

BJP legislator and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta was also present in the meeting.

PTI
New Delhi: The sanitation workers of the three municipal corporations on Monday agreed before the Delhi High Court to call off their strike and resume work immediately after MCDs said they have released their wages which would be received by all within two days.

The workers claimed that majority of them have not received salaries for January 2016 though the corporations say that wages were released on 5 February.

The municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs) told a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath that the funds were released on 5 February, but as some zonal offices were closed, everyone may not have received the wages and those who have not got their salary will get it in a couple of days.

The bench, thereafter, took on record statements made by both sides and listed the matter on 10 February when it will also hear arguments on issues of payment of other arrears as well as unification of the corporations, which were raised on Monday by unions representing the workers.

The court also took on record the corporations' statement that there would be no impediment in release of wages to the workers for the month of January.

During the brief hearing, the unions contended that salaries were not received by all as claimed by the MCDs.

They also said that trifurcation of the corporations had resulted in increase in expenditure by three times and sought unification of the three MCDs.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by Birender Sangwan who has sought lifting of garbage littered on streets due to the safai karamchaaris strike and that the stir be called off as it was causing hardship to the general public.

The submissions on behalf of the workers came pursuant to the court's notice to their respective unions on 5 February seeking their response to the PIL and the claim of the MCDs that salaries upto January 2016 have been released.

The court on that date had also remarked that sanitation workers cannot "hold the city to ransom" by going on strike if they have been paid their salary.

It had also asked the Delhi government whether it intended to enforce the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

To this, senior standing counsel for the Delhi government, Rahul Mehra, on Monday told the court that ESMA had been revoked by the city administration in 2015.

However, the petitioner submitted that ESMA of Haryana has been extended to Delhi.

PTI
Trikanjan, Kashmir: Nestled deep inside the Pir Panjal mountains in north Kashmirs Baramulla district, Badion Trikanjan, a non-descript village has refused to bury the dead bodies of three Pakistani militants killed in an encounter at Hajin Bandipora last week.

The residents of Badion, a hamlet of perhaps a hundred tin-roofed houses among terraced fields on left of the Jhelum river in Uri  95 kilometres north of Srinagar  the summer capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, say they are worried about the future of their children who might be attracted to militancy, if foreign militants are buried in their village.

On Friday, when police brought dead bodies of three militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)  an Islamist terrorist group based in Pakistan that fights mainly in Kashmir- killed in an encounter with security forces in Hajin area of Bandipora, the residents of this hamlet came on streets and stopped police from burying the dead bodies of Pakistani militants.

Early on Sunday morning, Khazeer Mohammad, walked down a pine tree-lined hilly road curiously looking at the five graves of militants, who where buried here last year, sandwiched between tall pine trees on the left side of the road which goes to the last village on the Line of Control between India and Pakistan in Kashmir.

Mohammad said the police first brought the two militants killed on the LoC, when they were trying to infiltrate and then three more, whom the villagers allowed to be buried behind an empty single-storey government building. But then they brought three more and that led to palpable tension between the police and the villagers.

When they brought three new dead bodies again on Friday we told them (police) this is a peaceful area, tomorrow when young people of this village look at these graves, their blood will start boiling. They will take a wrong step towards (militancy). And for that reason, we didnt allowed them to bury the dead bodies here. Mohammad, 47, a resident of the village told Firstpost.

We dont want this to become another Chahal and be branded as a place for unmarked graves. No one is sure who these people are, another resident, Ghulam Hussain Khan, said.

Khan was referring to the village of Chahal, five kilometers west of Trikanjan, where more than 235 dead bodies brought by the police and army were buried, and almost all of them remained unidentified. There is hardly any space left in the graveyard today for people to be buried. And the man, Atta Mohammad Khan, a farmer-turned-gravedigger, who performed the duty of digging the graves religiously for 20 years, died in January this year.

Before that, most of the foreign militants and unidentified people killed in encounters and gunfights  people whose dead bodies no one would claim in Kashmir  were brought to Kitchama, a village four Kilometers south of Chahal, that graveyard too become filled with militants. And then the police ultimately stopped getting bodies to the village.

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), in an official inquiry report on unmarked graves in 2011, had said there are 2,156 unidentified bodies buried in 38 graveyards across five districts of north Kashmir. The inquiry has also found 18 such graves in which more than one body is buried.

After the villagers refuse to bury the dead bodies of three militants on Friday in Trikanjan, the police was forced to bury these three LeT men near a police station in Boniyar.

Whenever there is an encounter in any district of Kashmir (recently), they get the dead bodies and bury them here. The young generation of this place, when they look at these young boys (who are killed by security forces in encounters) think they also should go to Pakistan. That is the reason we are saying we wont allow the dead bodies to be buried here, 29-year-old sarpanch of Trikanjan village, Raja Shahid, told Firstpost.

The refusal by this village has put the police in a dilemma over where to bury the foreign nationals  killed in gunfight with security forces in Kashmir  now.

Gareeb Das, the deputy inspector-general of police in Baramulla said if the dead bodies are allowed to be handed over to the locals in any place, it becomes a law and order problem for the police. Since there are no legal claimants, we bury them in far-off places.

In this case, we didnt want to have a confrontation with local people. We passed instructions to the local police not to use any kind of force on the people. We dont want to get them in trouble, as we are sensitive to the demands of the people, Das told Firstpost in Baramulla.

Their faces were disfigured; they were from LeT and killed in an encounter in Hajin. It was a recent group that had infiltrated into this side (of the LoC), he added.
New Delhi: Union Minister Uma Bharti has taken up the issue of green clearances for ambitious Ken-Betwa river linking project with Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and is hopeful of getting necessary approvals soon, the Water Resources Ministry informed on Monday.

Work on the project, considered as the first effort to link rivers from two different states, was expected to begin early 2016 but has been delayed, pending forest, wildlife and environment clearances.

The minister for water resources made a statement in this regard during the eighth meeting of special committee on inter-linking of rivers (ILR) held at New Delhi on Monday.

"(During the meeting), the minister informed that various clearances in respect of Ken-Betwa link project phase-I are in the advanced stage of processing.

"Bharti said that she has spoken to the union environment minister in this regard and is very hopeful of getting the necessary clearance very soon," the ministry said in a statement.

Terming ILR programme as "very important" for enhancing country's water and food security, Bharti said the NDA government is committed to its implementation with "consensus" and "co-operation" of states concerned.

On status of Par-Tapi-Narmada link project, she said the detailed project report (DPR) of the same was submitted to Gujarat and Maharashtra governments in August 2015 and their comments and views are awaited.

The minister said the issue of water sharing between the two states in respect of Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada link projects is being taken up on "priority".

Bharti informed that an officer-level meeting will be held with bureaucrats from both states and the union ministry to sort out pending issues.

"After this, I will hold a meeting with the chief minister of both the states on the issue. I hope we would be able to reach an agreement on water sharing in the two projects with the cooperation of both the states at an early date," Bharti was quoted as saying in the statement.

Bharti said the task force for ILR constituted by her ministry is examining all relevant issues in details and will help in bringing speedy consensus amongst states on the link project.

About her 3 February meeting with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik regarding Mahanadi-Godavari link project, Bharti said a team of Centre-state government officers will discuss all issues about this link and will submit its report within six months.

"After this report is submitted, I will have another meeting with the Odisha chief minister to finalise the link project and I am very hopeful for a positive response from the state in this regard," she said.

On some states raising the issue of redefining "surplus water", Bharti said that a sub-committee under the task force constituted by National Water Development Agency will submit its report regarding this within two months.

Water Resources Ministers from Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Rajasthan and senior officials from other states attended the

meeting.

PTI
Islamabad: A special investigation team set up in Pakistan to probe a deadly assault on Pathankot air base last month found no evidence implicating the leader of the group India blamed for the attack, Pakistani security officials said on Monday.

The officials said the team interrogated Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar and his associates and found no evidence linking him with the January 2 attack on the Pathankot air base in Punjab that killed seven Indian military personnel.

We searched their homes, seminaries, hideouts and also examined their call records for past three months and found nothing dubious, a security official with links to the investigating team said.

The raid on the air base stalled efforts to revive bilateral talks between the nuclear-armed neighbours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, in December.

In January, Pakistani authorities detained Azhar and several members of Jaish-e-Mohammad, sealed offices belonging to the outfit, and shut down several religious schools run by the group.

The security officials said on Monday that Azhar remained in custody, but did not say whether authorities were considering his release.

The investigating team has not ruled out the possibility that other members of Azhars group may have been involved, the officials said.

It also continued to look into groups affiliated with the United Jihad Council, an alliance of pro-Pakistan militant groups based in the Pakistani-administered part of the divided Kashmir region that claimed responsibility for the assault in Pathankot.

Jaish-e-Mohammad did not claim responsibility for the attack, but praised it in a statement released a few days afterward.

REUTERS
New Delhi: The postmortem report of the six-year-old boy, who was found dead in a water reservoir at Ryan International School in south Delhi, prima facie does not indicate any sexual assault, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said on Monday.

"The postmortem report has been received and it is being studied. Suffice to say that it (the postmortem report) does not prima facie indicate any sexual assault," Bassi said.

"Initial reading of the postmortem report does not suggest any sexual assault. The death was due to drowning," Bassi said, adding the police will correlate the findings of the postmortem report with their investigation into the matter.

On 30 January, Devansh Kakrora, a Std I student at Ryan International School in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj, was found dead in a reservoir under the school's amphitheater, following which the principal of the school, a teacher and three non-teaching staff were arrested for negligence causing the boy's death. All of them got bail the same day.

A day after the arrests, the police also sent notices to Ryan group's chief administrative officer and northern zone head seeking information on charter of duty for the school authority and construction of the underground water tank.

After the incident, the child's father had alleged that the boy might have been sexually assaulted before his death.

On Saturday, the Delhi Government had said the magisterial probe into the death of the student indicates a heinous crime and the investigation so far has ignored the observations of the child's parents.

Devansh's father met Bassi on Monday afternoon and expressed his doubts over the investigation. He insisted on a CBI probe.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage obtained from the school revealed that the boy was last spotted alive at the lobby around 12:15 pm on 30 January and around 1:20 pm he was seen being rushed the parking area by the school staff, who later put him inside a car, a senior police official said.

He added that it was the hospital authorities who informed the police about the incident at 2:40 pm.

PTI
Ahmedabad: A sedition case in Ahmedabad against Patel quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and three of his aides was on Monday committed to the city sessions court by Metropolitan Magistrate SM Kanabar.

The city sessions court will now initiate the procedure to frame charges against Hardik and his three aides - Chirag Patel, Dinesh Bambhaniya and Ketan Patel - as the crime branch had filed a charge sheet against them in Ahmedabad last month.

Hardik is currently lodged in Surat Jail (in connection with another sedition case there), while the three others are lodged in Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad.

All of them were produced before the Metropolitan Court on Monday.

The copies of charge sheet were handed over to their lawyers during an earlier hearing.

After their production, Hardik, who was brought to Ahmedabad on Sunday, was taken back to Surat while the three others were sent to Sabarmati Jail.

Several supporters of Hardik gathered outside the court during the hearing and raised slogans demanding immediate release of the 22-year-old Patel quota agitation spearhead and other jailed leaders.

Hardik and his aides are facing charges under IPC sections 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against government) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) in the case filed against them by Ahmedabad crime branch in October last year.

The police had in their charge sheet termed the quota agitation spearheaded by Patel as a "pre-planned conspiracy" that was hatched to put pressure on the state government to accept their "unconstitutional demand of quota."

PTI
By Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

Someone we know very well in Dehradun, a rich Jain businessman, has been diagnosed with Mad Cow Disease. He has lost most of his weight, ability to speak, eat, remember, most of his motor functions. He is being fed through a tube. He has gone from being a normal person to a vegetable in seven months.

The symptoms started with him being tired and depressed, short memory lapses. He couldnt sleep and his muscles stopped obeying him. He went to Mumbai and they diagnosed him with sleep apnea. They sent his tests to doctors abroad and the diagnosis was unhesitating: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known as vCJD (variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) in humans.

Commonly called Mad Cow disease, it is contracted through eating meat. But the gentleman is a vegetarian, said his wife. It turned out that he was eating meat while on business trips within India. He will be dead by next month.

For years, we have pretended that Mad Cow does not exist in India. People who have a brain deterioration, loss of memory and motor functions are diagnosed as senile or victims of Alzheimers disease. He is the second Indian that I know to have contracted BSE. The first one is a gentleman whose picture is on the net and who is lying in hospital with a tube through his nose. He too contracted it last year

We do not recognize any of the diseases that we are getting from infected animals: tuberculosis, leukaemia, Mad Cow. I have received a letter from a scientist/veterinarian who says that he has been trying to get government research agencies to investigate leukaemia in cattle for so many years with no luck. We barely even recognize the diseases we get from eating healthy animal meat: heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol to name a few.

But Mad Cow is very very serious. It is a fatal disease like rabies. It causes a spongy degeneration of the brain and spinal cord. The disease occurs in cattle. BSE has a long incubation period, about 2.5 to 8 years, usually affecting adult animals at four to five years. More than 180,000 cattle were infected in the U.K.

The disease is easily transmitted to humans who eat infected meat. By this year it has killed several hundred people all over the world and millions of animals.

In India we do not test for it or even acknowledge it. When this man got it in Dehradun a red alert should have been given all over the country and cattle should have been tested at slaughterhouses. He has eaten the meat in India and so will have many other people from the same animals. But no one has acknowledged his disease or informed the Food Safety Authorities.

Contrast this with the worldwide alert that has gone out in February 2015 when Canada officials confirmed a case of BSE in a beef cow in Alberta. It is the first reported Canadian case since 2011. Canadian authorities are tracing all animals of risk so they can be destroyed.

Or the alert from England last week which says that the government there is worried that blood banks may still be affected with Mad Cow Disease. Public health officials worry that the misshapen proteins, or prions causing vCJD can be transmitted through blood from asymptomatic donors. At least three vCJD cases out of 229 worldwide since 1980 are believed to have been contracted via blood transfusion rather than by eating contaminated meat. A study published last year found that 1 in 2,000 people in the U.K. might be carrying these prions.

BSE is caused by cattle, sheep or any other herbivorous animal being fed meat or bone meal. Protein cells become twisted into prions. Prions are NOT DESTROYED by fire, freezing, disinfectants, sterilization procedures or radiation. Contaminated beef foodstuffs prepared "well done" remain infectious.

The origin of the disease itself remains unknown though the British insist that it came from India and entered the food chain in the 1980s. Alan and Nancy Colchester, professors of neurology at the University of Kent, writing in the 3 September 2005 issue of the medical journal The Lancet, proposed a theory that the most likely initial origin of BSE in the United Kingdom was the importation from the Indian Subcontinent of bone meal which contained CJD-infected human remains.

The government of India called the research "misleading, highly mischievous; a figment of imagination; absurd," further adding that India and had not had a single case of either BSE or vCJD (I am sure this Dehradun case will escape our governments eye deliberately)

Although the BSE epidemic was eventually brought under control by culling all suspect cattle populations, people are still being diagnosed with vCJD each year. This is attributed to the long incubation period for prion diseases. As a result, the full extent of the human vCJD outbreak is still not known.

Look at the condition of the cattle that go for slaughter. 75% are downer animals: animals with disease, injuries, pregnant, unfit to eat, gangrenous.

Their conditions are exacerbated by the way they are taken in overloaded trucks. When they arrive at the slaughterhouse, most cannot even walk out. They are dragged out of the trucks. Many are already dead. The vets are supposed to reject downed animals according to the law. But there are no vets in slaughterhouses. They sit at home and are paid vast sums by the butchers to sign meaningless pieces of paper stating that the animal was well and the meat is fine.

There are no labs in slaughterhouses and no laboratory technicians to check whether the animal had any communicable disease. The blood and the bones are taken to filthy factories nearby and mixed and ground into bone meal which is fed to other animals, many of whom are vegetarian.

These are called High Protein Pellets. This process of grinding up diseased, dead animals for feed or fertilizer is called "rendering. India has thousands of rendering factories.

How can our government say that India is free of BSE when we have never tested a single cow for it? We denied having foot and mouth disease when, last year, thousands of cattle had it. We sent exports of meat contaminated with foot and mouth  knowing that it is also a zoonotic disease. We know that our cattle have brucellosis which in humans translates into tuberculosis. Do we check our slaughtered animals for that? No, we deny it. Do we check our cows for Bovine Leukemia, a disease that millions of cattle have been acknowledged to have in every country and which translates into human cancer. We dont even allow our vets to even raise the issue.

In the United Kingdom, anyone with vCJD symptoms must be reported to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit. In the United States suspicious cases have to be sent to the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center.

The American Red Cross has banned people who have spent a cumulative time of 3 months or more in the UK between 1980 and 1996 from donating blood.

Cows affected by BSE show progressively deteriorating behavioural and neurological signs. An increase in aggression, reacting excessively to noise or touch, losing the ability to coordinate muscles, a drop in milk production, refusal to eat and lethargy.

Hundreds of our cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats have these symptoms. But our vets are not trained to recognize these symptoms as BSE. There are no proper veterinary hospitals in rural India (two rooms without light and water, in Pilibhit), no labs to test the brain even for rabies. No wonder we say our cattle are healthy.

India is the largest exporter of bovine meat. Any admission of disease would destroy the industry. So our government and our medical establishment dont say anything. Has anyone gone to look at the Dehradun man? No. I came across this on the net. Indian neuropathologist Susarla Shankar says, "Officially, only 85 Indian CJD cases have been registered in the last 37 years. If our cattle would have had Mad Cow, there would have been a major epidemic in northern India long ago. 

But there has been a major epidemic of senility and Alzheimers. How many have been checked for misdiagnosis? Is 85 cases not an epidemic? I want to know the real statistics of how many people in India have the disease or have already died of it .

To join the animal welfare movement contact gandhim@nic.in, www.peopleforanimalsindia.org
Chennai: In a startling turn of events, the Crime Branch Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) on Monday told the Madras High Court that the death of three girls of S.V.S. Medical College of Yoga and Naturopathy and Research Institute, Villupuram, was not because they drowned.

The bodies of the three girl students -- T. Monisha, E. Saranya and V. Priyanka -- were taken out of a well in a farm near the college, around 170 km from here, on the evening of January 23.

While police registered a case of suicide, the parents of the girls alleged that the daughters were murdered for protesting against the lack of basic facilities in the college.

"The CBCID submitted to the court the first post-mortem report. According to the report, there was no water in the lungs and other organs of the girls which is normal in the case of people who get drowned," S. Rajinikanth, advocate for Monisha's father Tamilarasan, told IANS.

He said the second autopsy done on Monisha's body on the high court's orders was expected to be submitted by the CBCID on Tuesday.

Tamilarasan had petitioned the court for a second autopsy as the first was conducted without his consent.

Police in Villupuram said the three girl students ended their lives after the management demanded higher fees even though the college lacked basic facilities.

Police arrested Vasuki, Sukhi Verma and two other top officials of the college while the Villupuram district administration sealed the college.

Nearly four months ago, a few students of the college had allegedly attempted suicide in front of the Villupuram collectorate.

IANS
New Delhi: As Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley illustrated how his outfit had planned the 26/11 attacks, Congress on Monday asked the government what it would do now to bring the guilty of the Mumbai terror strikes to book.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters that there was never any doubt about Pakistan's involvement in the terror strikes and "strong evidence" had been provided to Islamabad.

The question now is how the Narendra Modi government would respond to bring to justice LeT leaders like Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, who have been released from jail, Tewari asked.

He said Pakistan had a hand in the terror attacks and it is a fact that Masood Azhar who was released from jail following IC 804 hijack was behind the Pathankot terror strike.

He said that while in the Opposition, the BJP had been harping that talks and terror cannot go together. Headley, who is serving a 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks, spoke about the role of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, Lakhvi as well as his handler in the outfit Sajid Mir.

He gave the sequence of events leading up to the November 26, 2008 assault as he deposed before special judge G A Sanap in Mumbai via video link, in the first such case of deposition in an Indian court from foreign land.

PTI
Ahmedabad: Patel quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel, who was brought here today for appearance before a court tomorrow in connection with a sedition case, said he will continue with the stir if he gets bail. Hardik was lodged in Lajpore jail in Surat following a sedition case against him by Ahmedabad police.

Speaking to the media before being sent to Sabarmati Central Jail here, Hardik reposed faith in the judicial process and said he will keep trying for bail. "We will continue the agitation even after I get bail," he said. He will be produced before the court of metropolitan magistrate tomorrow.

"The court had issued notice to Lajpore jail authorities, asking them to produce him in person in Ahmedabad as per the section 167 of the Code of Criminal Procedures (CrPC)," his lawyer Rafiq Lokhandwala said. The section mandates that an accused be produced before the court every fourteenth day after being sent to judicial custody.

"While the police had produced three other accused in the same case before the Ahmedabad metropolitan magistrate on earlier dates, Hardik was not being produced," his lawyer said. Hardik's bail plea filed on 22 January in this case is scheduled to come up for hearing in the city sessions court on Tuesday.

Hardik and his aides are facing charges under IPC section 124(A) (sedition), 121 (A) (conspiracy to wage war against government) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) in the case filed against them by Ahmedabad crime branch.

The police, in their chargesheet, had termed the quota agitation spearheaded by Patel as a "pre-planned conspiracy" that was hatched to put pressure on the state government to accept their "unconstitutional demand of quota."

PTI
By Sujanya Das

The Chinese New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. As the community in India is shrinking with time, the clear objective of this picture story is to demonstrate how they come alive during the festival in Kolkata, marking their presence in society.

Photojournalist Sujanya Das has been covering the Chinese New Year celebrations of Chinatown (Tangra) in Kolkata for the past two years  from the Year of Sheep to the Year of Monkey.

Over the years, the population has dropped to approximately 2,000.

Kolkata once boasted a significant population of over 20,000 ethnic Chinese-Indian nationals living in Tiretta Bazar (Old Chinatown) and Tangra (New Chinatown) with their own schools, social clubs, festivals and newspapers.

Tangra  home to the community  is considered India's only Chinatown.

The community had been traditionally involved in tanneries, finished leather goods, dentistry and also carpentry. But as the tanneries were shifted out of the city, most in the tannery business switched to restaurants to make a living.

It has become an endangered community as almost 75 percent of the new generation is moving out to settle in the West, for better career opportunities and better livelihoods.
By Subodh Lal

Ab kisi se bhi shikaayat na rahi

Jaane kis kis se gilaa tha pahle.

(Now there is no complaint to make

The lamentations of the past are over.)

So wrote Nida Fazli three decades ago. Lamentations or not, he always carried a pain in his heart about how, in the pursuit of narrow sectarian ends, humanity itself was being hurt. On return from Pakistan after one of his many visits there, he wrote:

Hindu bhi maze mein hai, musalmaan bhi maze mein

Insaan pareshaan yahaan bhi hai wahaan bhi.

(The Hindu is doing well, as is the Muslim

It is the human being who suffers everywhere)

Nida the word meant the call, the voice. That voice of reason was silenced today as the poet was snatched away by death from millions of his fans all across the Urdu-Hindi world. The end came this morning, in Mumbai  a city that he called his daftar (office). Though immensely popular in literary and film/television circles in Mumbai, Nida always missed the warmth of his hometown Gwalior. Nostalgia was to become a refrain in his poetry. Quite recently, in a preface that he wrote for my upcoming book of poems, he recalled the huge oak tree outside his house in Gwalior, the Nandi bull that sat under that tree and the little temple in niche close-by.

Nida was born in a family of poets in Delhi in 1938, but the family soon moved to Gwalior. His formal education must have started well after he may have been, in a manner of speaking, initiated in the world of Urdu Poetry as he must have heard his father and highly respected poet of his times - Janab Dua Dibaivi  recite his poetry to fellow poets or in family get-togethers. While he went on to obtain a Masters degree at Victoria College (now Maharani Lakshmibai College) in Gwalior, it was Nidas astounding learning and understanding of Urdu, Hindi and English literatures that really marked him out of the popular Mushaira variety of contemporary poets. He carried his scholarship lightly and never allowed his learning to weigh down his poetry that remained truly remarkable for its simple, yet profound, manner of communication. He was one of those rare poets who could fit into a group of Hindi poets as well as he would into a nashist of those writing in Urdu. Indeed, he could also hold his own where Shakespeare or the Romantics would be discussed among the (English) literati.

Nida was a modern man. His concerns were those of a global citizen. While himself rising above all narrow sectarianism, he did indeed exhort the world to understand that there was no other religion greater than humanity. In a Hamd (Prayer), he questions the Creator thus: How long will you remain perched in the skieshow long will you look down upon the universehow long will you rest in the religious books? While his family, including his poet brother Saba Fazli, migrated to Pakistan in late 1950s, Nida refused to go along for he believed that the partition was a big historical blunder and also that he belonged to India and no other country. His other major concern reflected the existential dilemma of all sensitive thinkers. Whether it is his nazms or couplets (including the form of doha), he is constantly searching for questions about the Condition of Man. In his dohas (which, incidentally, were extremely popular among audiences everywhere), he talks of aspects of daily experience but, magically still evokes thoughts about the meaning of life and existence.

Wo sufi ka qaul ho ya pandit ka gyaan

Jitni bite aap par utna hi sach maan

(It might well be the call of a Sufi or a Pandits knowledge

But real Truth lies in ones own experience.)

Naqsha lekar haath mein bachcha hai hairan

Kaise deemak kha gayi us ka Hindustan

(Map in hand, the child wonders

How come the termite ate up Hindustan)

Main bhi tu bhi yaatri chalti rukti rail

Apne apne gaaNv tak sab ka sab se mel.

(Both you and I are travelers in a train that runs and halts

Till our individual destinations arrive we are all together.)

Nida wrote poetry and lyrics for films, television serials and mushairas and kavi sammelans. But he also wrote prose  novel, essays, the works. Recently he wrote for BBC Hindi about contemporary issues. His songs in films became as popular as the Ghazals of his, which the maestro Jagjit Singh sang. Never did he compromise on quality while writing for films nor indeed on truth, in general. In fact, there was a time when he was a virtual persona non grata among big names in the world of poetry for he wrote scathingly about some of them in his work Mulaqatein (Meetings/Conversations). In all, he is credited with over twenty books. He received honours and awards from Cultural and Literary Organisations (Mir Taqi Mir Award, National Harmony Award, Sahitya Akademi Award,) Film establishments (best lyricist award) and at the national level (Padma Shri). Yes, indeed, he was that person in his own sher:

Har aadmi mein hote hain das-bees aadmi

Jisko bhi dekhna ho kayi baar dekhna.

(Every individual has many many people within him

Look at each many many a time.)

Nidas legacy as a poet, thinker, lyricist, secularist, concerned global citizen will live on.
New Delhi: Questioning the silence of Congress leadership over the Tanzanian woman stripping incident in Karnataka, pro-RSS publication on Monday attacked Rahul Gandhi for his "selective outrage" and said he has many questions to answer.

"Rahul Gandhi who managed to rush to Dadri and Hyderabad did not even bother to ask chief minister from his own party about the action he has taken on such ghastly incident.

"This shameful act has brought disdain to Bharat as a nation. Rahul Gandhi who does not miss a chance to blame RSS for all the wrong things should wake up and get rid of this policy of selective outrage. Otherwise, it would be difficult for the grand old party led by a dynasty to hold on to whatever little political space it is occupying," an editorial titled Shame of selective outrage in the Organiser said.

It further said that the downplaying attitude of Siddaramaiah government "is much more appalling".

"What is more shocking is the silence of the Congress leadership who do not miss a chance to raise the bogey of 'intolerance' and 'imposition of ideas' on various sections of society is keeping mum on continuous deterioration of law and order condition in the Congress ruled State.

"As claimed to be the sole custodian of 'democracy' and 'plurality' of Bharat, Congress and Rahul Gandhi have many questions to answer on this front," it said while taking a dig at Rahul.

The pro-RSS organ said this is not an isolated incident as crime graph in Karnataka is rising and so are terrorist activities, radical ideology is gaining ground in northern parts of the state and allegations of corruption and criminalisation of politics are growing.

It listed an incident of an Australian man was violently harassed for sporting a tattoo of an Indian goddess and now this Tanzanian student of business administration facing the wrath of mob fury.

It said the "insensitive approach" of state administration was evident with the state home minister being in a denial mode.

"Identity politics in every form is a favourite dictum of Congress Party. Sometimes it is Muslim, then Dalit, now a Bengalurian, conveniently missing that a foreign student also had an identity which was diplomatically much more sensitive," it said.

PTI
RJD president Lalu Prasad today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying "communal tension has increased" in the country during the NDA rule. He dared the Centre to impose President's rule in Bihar and questioned law and order in other states.

"Communal tension has increased in the country during Narendra Modi's rule. The PM did not rein in his party leaders making provocative communal statements. His hotheaded leaders earlier talked about sending Muslims to Pakistan, but instead of them, Narendra Modi himself went to Pakistan unannounced," Prasad said.

Kiski majaal hai ki Bihar me Rashtrapati shashan laye (who can dare impose Presidents Rule in Bihar). Those criticising law and order should give details of law and order in other states. Our government has been functioning well, The Indian Express quotes Lalu Yadav.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/bihar-impose-presidents-rule-lalu-prasad-yadav-dares-centre/

The RJD chief was addressing the election meeting in support of Congress nominee for Harlakhi Assembly seat Mohammad Shabir.

The by-poll is happening because of the death of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), an ally of the BJP, MLA Basant Kushwaha, a day before taking oath of the new House.

Criticising the NDA government at the Centre, Prasad highlighted lowering funds for important schemes like Indira Awas Yojna, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and those related to roads among others.

Congress general secretary Shakeel Ahmed, former Haryana minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav and state Congress chief and minister Ashok Choudhary also sought support for party nominee in the by-poll slated for February 13.

The Hindu reports that Lalu Yadav's son Tejaswi Yadav also lashed out at the Opposition for their 'barbs' on 'jungle raj' having returned to Bihar after the Nitish-Lalu combine took power last year.

With PTI inputs
These are not the best of times for the Telugu Desam Party supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

He is feeling terribly embarrassed. The discomfiture isnt only because of the challenges confronting him, but also because of their timing. There couldn't be a worse moment than now for Naidu to find himself mortified  as he came face to face with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a day when he would actually have preferred solitude to the revelry at the International Fleet Review (IFR) in Visakhapatnam on 6 February.

In fact, the second innings for Naidu as chief minister hasn't been hunky-dory at all.

Here are 10 issues that put him in the dock:

1. The takeoff itself wasnt very easy. He had to join hands with Modis BJP and also enlist the support of actor Pawan Kalyan to win the elections in 2014 in a truncated state of 13 districts. Naidu was the chief minister for more than eight years and eight months when Andhra Pradesh was made up of 23 districts. Moving the administration to Vijayawada from Hyderabad, finding offices and relocating staff have remained the biggest challenges and, in effect, jeopardised the administration of the state. He is still grappling with the quintessentially intransigent attitude of the government staff. Now, they are up in arms against the states move to privatise certain functions in important departments like revenue and registrations.

2. The residuary state started off with a revenue deficit of over Rs 14,000 crore. Plus, Naidu competed with his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao in hiking salaries for the state government and RTC employees. Meanwhile, the Centre, led by the TDPs political ally BJP, plays hide and seek with its junior partner. Although it says it will help Andhra Pradesh at every opportunity, the state's demands continue to go unanswered. The Centre has neither accorded a special category status nor has it acceded to the demand of a special package. Instead, it keeps announcing mega projects like the Outer Ring Road for the proposed capital, national highways etc  projects that are not the priority of the state government.

3. Naidus pompous effort to rope in foreign partners, especially Singapore and Japan, to build the new capital city is viewed grudgingly by the Centre, which, however, doesnt express its displeasure overtly. But, its big-brotherly attitude in arm-twisting the AP chief minister is more conspicuous than perceived. Modis gift of a pot of soil (collected from the Parliament) and another pot of water (collected from the Yamuna) on the occasion of the grandiose foundation-laying ceremony on 22 October, 2015, without announcing any special package, naturally rubbed the TDP the wrong way. The largesse of words and laxity in deeds by the BJP has always irked the TDP.

4. The political controversies that surrounded the choice of fertile lands and the land-pooling process for the new capital Amaravati, court cases on validity of the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA), reluctance of some farmers in over half-a-dozen villages to acquiesce to the coercion of the government to hand over their landholding, cases in National Green Tribunal and over 50,000 farm labourers being rendered unemployed, and the formal transfer of land to the government and issuance of compensatory deeds to the farmers still remain nagging issues, even as the government indulges in unabated discourse, through all available means, that Naidu could complete the land-pooling without any hassle.

5. Fingers were pointed at the chief minister as being responsible for the death of 29 people in stampede at Godavari pushkarams in Rajahmundry at the crack of dawn on 14 July, 2015. The cordoning off of the whole area for a film being shot on Naidu while taking a holy dip resulted in the unsavoury incident that ensued on the first day of the event.

6. The publicity blitzkrieg around the Pattiseema lift irrigation project by the Andhra Pradhesh government and its pompous inauguration did more damage to its reputation than good, thanks to defunct pump sets, their removal from Handri-Neeva project in Kurnool district and using them at Pattiseema. The very purpose of the project has come under a cloud. However, Naidus detractors suggest that the Pattiseema was implemented on a war-footing only to prevail upon Singaporean companies  that have come forth to participate in the building of the new capital city  that the area would be provided an uninterrupted water supply.

7. The cash-for-votes case in which Naidus involvement in luring Anglo-Indian MLA in the Telangana Assembly Elvis Stephenson and the subsequent leaking of audio tapes consisting of a purported conversation between Naidu and the MLA asphyxiated the TDP as a party and Naidu as the chief minister. At last, Naidu had to close ranks with his bete noire and Telangana chief minister KCR by calling the Telangana chief minister to his residence and then inviting him to the Amaravati foundation-laying ceremony as a special guest. But, this cash-for-votes case continues to remain the proverbial Sword of Damocles.

8. The call money racket involving several TDP leaders in Vijayawada, where several women were coerced into the flesh trade in exchange for returning the loan amounts they owed, hit the party's credibility. Although the government worked overtime to save itself from the ignominy, the facts laid bare its shallow defence.

9. The Kapu agitation by Mudragada Padmanabham hasnt come out of the blue. The government is being constantly goaded by Mudragada on fulfilling its poll promise and he had timed the amplification of the protest in such a manner that it surely had drawn the attention of the prime minister during his visit to Visakhapatnam.

10. Naidu has tried to portray his son Lokesh as the party icon in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. While his own pedagogy and claims of development of Hyderabad have been rejected by the people, his sons campaign and leadership have drawn flak from all sections, if the poll results are any indication.
Hyderabad: Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham on Monday ended his indefinite fast, he had begun on Friday to demand quota for the community, after "assurances" from the Andhra Pradesh government, including allocation of Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu welfare corporation.

The breakthrough came after Labour Minister K Atchannaidu, TDP state unit president K Kala Venkat Rao and party MLAs  Thota Trimurthulu and NVS Varma  held talks with Padmanabham at his native village Kirlampudi in East Godavari.

Kala Venkat Rao and Atchannaidu offered lime juice to Padmanabham, who has been fasting along with his wife, some family members and supporters.

Padmanabham said the government has assured him it would obtain the report of a commission on backward classes (for inclusion of Kapus in BCs), within seven months instead of nine, if possible, and allocate Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu (welfare) corporation from 2017.

The government set up the commission to study the issue of reservations for the community and it is expected to submit its report within nine

months.

The government representatives asked Padmanabham to join the discussions leading up to the decision on reservation.

The government would separately provide Rs 500 crore in 2016 and accept all the applications made this year to Kapu Corporation by the community members for benefits, he said.

Padmanabham said he is in favour of provision of "creamy layer" among the Kapus.

Atchannaidu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is "very positive" on the demands of the community.

The government would be judicious in dealing with the police cases registered in connection with the violence that erupted during a rally organised by Padmanabham on 31 January, the minister added.

Atchannaidu said no injustice would be done to the Backward Classes in the process of providing reservation to Kapus. Padmanabham appealed to Naidu to bring a resolution in the Legislative Assembly, after receipt of the panel's report, and forward it to Centre for incorporating Kapus in the seventh schedule of Constitution.

Popular Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, who had vigorously campaigned for TDP-BJP alliance in the 2014 state and Lok Sabha elections, on Sunday requested the state government to engage in direct talks with Kapu leaders spearheading the reservation issue, which, he noted was an election- promise made by the TDP.

"A group of balanced intellectuals should be entrusted with the responsibility of finding a mutually-acceptable solution before it jaggernauts into an uncontainable situation (sic)," tweeted Kalyan, who belongs to the community.

Meanwhile, the Congress claimed in a release that its state unit president N Raghuveera Reddy and party MP Chiranjeevi were "arrested" at Rajahmundry while proceeding to Kirlampudi to express solidarity with Padmanabham on Monday.

PTI
Boston: Taking a jibe at the Modi government, former minister and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said policies like 'Make in India' and hatred cannot go together as he asserted that "outrageous" statements against minorities by ruling party members only undermine the country's soft power.

To attract foreign direct investment, which is key to the construction and modernisation of the infrastructure sector and manufacturing, the Congress MP stressed on the need to maintain the pluralistic character of the country.

Before India tries to leverage its soft power to increase its standing in the world, Tharoor said first there is need to fix the problem at the domestic front.

"For us to be credible as a nation that enjoys and wields soft power, we have to fix our domestic problems first. The truth is that we have to do enough to keep our people, healthy, well and secure not just from jihadi terrorism. Progress is being made but not enough to reach everyone," Tharoor said in his keynote address to the Harvard University's annual Indian convention 2016.

"If on one hand, we go around saying Make in India, Startup India and Digital India and want to attract foreign investors, we can't do so if we are condoning hatred in India at the same time," Tharoor said in reference to the flagship schemes launched by the Narendra Modi-led government.

"It is not good when people in the ruling party make outrageous statements against minorities. These are not good because they undermine the soft power of India," Tharoor told the students in the packed Harvard Business School auditorium.

Tharoor asserted that in order to maintain India's soft power, the larger idea of India needs to be sustained.

"An India that celebrates the common space of every identity, it would be a secure to be a Muslim, secure to be a kayastha... whatever you define yourself. Because all of those identities are made secure under the Indian identity," he said.

Tharoor said if India wants to remain a source of attraction for the world, it must preserve the "precious pluralism like a civilizational asset".

"It is not so good when women are assaulted on the streets of Delhi. It is not good when some people begin to fear that it is safer to be a cow than to be a Muslim in India today," Tharoor said.

He also told the Indian students that one of his investor friends decided against investing in India because of acts of intolerance in the country.

Responding to a question, Tharoor said the Congress party has a "deep bench of talent".

"Political parties live by electoral success. We have taken quite a beating in the last couple of years. Fortunes always change in politics. It (Congress) is certainly not as has been caricatured as the most corrupt party of India," he said.

The Congress party happened to be in power when a number of corruption scandals took place, Tharoor said.

"Whoever had been in power would have been tarnished in the same way that happened to us," he said.

PTI
Omar Abdullah is right in saying that Mehbooba Mufti should either form a government in Jammu & Kashmir or have the courage to break the alliance with the BJP. The state is under Governors rule for exactly a month now, second in last one year, because of the inability of the political parties to form a government.

For the past six weeks, Mehbooba, the dynastic successor of her late father Mufti Mohammad Syed, has not allowed a popular government to be formed because of her personal whims, something that the nation at large can ill-afford in the sensitive border state. It is understandable that in the initial period, she was in a state of mourning and thus was not able to give a thought about government formation. But now, her actions defy logic.

A month on, many critical questions still remain unanswered. The first, will she dump the BJP or continue the partnership? If she goes for the second option, will she become chief minister or nominate someone else and be an extra constitutional authority the way Bal Thackeray or Sonia Gandhi were during the Shiv Sena rule in Maharashtra and two versions of the UPA at the Centre respectively? If she becomes chief minister, her party will have to contest two elections, an MLA election for herself from her fathers seat and an MP election from Anantnag parliamentary seat which she will have to vacate. She might name her younger brother Tassaduq Hussain Mufti as her party candidate from there.

The second, will she explore alternate possibilities and seek fresh allies in the Congress, the National Conference and Independents? In the last assembly election, over 65 percent electorate had voted to have a government of their choice. In the 87-member state assembly, PDP with 28 seats became the single largest party. The BJP with 25 seats became second largest; the JKNC won 15 seats, while the Congress came fourth with 12 seats. Independent and Others got seven. In that election, the BJP had the highest vote share, 23 percent; PDP closely followed with 22.7 percent votes but greater number of seats. After dumping the BJP, the PDP can form a government by aligning with the Congress and Independents. Sonia Gandhi had met her in Srinagar to offer her condolence on Muftis death. By turning conventional political wisdom on its head, she might join hands with the National Conference and Independents or the Congress to contain the bigger enemy, the BJP.

But for that she has to make a move, something which is nowhere in public sight.

No one knows whats going on in her mind. Mehboobas mourning got extended and later through sources and through some second rung leaders in the PDP, the nation got to know that she was not satisfied with progress of the agenda of alliance agreed upon by the PDP and the BJP. She blamed the Modi government for not doing enough to fulfil the promises in the agenda. She wanted concrete assurance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or from BJP president Amit Shah in this regard. She also wanted some confidence building measures to be put in place, albeit without going into specifics, either publicly or in her limited engagements with the BJP leaders in the last one month.

The BJP on its part claims that there has not been any substantive talk with her on the issue of government formation. Unlike last time, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav is not seen travelling to Srinagar, no negotiations are taking place in Delhi either. The BJPs patience is wearing thin but it does not want to precipitate the situation by making any contentious statement or by taking any unilateral action. The Governors Rule (Central rule) is any case in place and thus it indirectly controls the government. The party as it is has an uneasy relation with its alliance partner in another state, Maharashtra where it is running a coalition government with the Shiv Sena. By taking any hasty action with regard to the PDP in J&K it does not want to create an impression that in Modi-Shah dispensation it cant deal comfortably with its allies.

So for now the words in the BJP are patience and restraint. At this stage it is going with the proverbial, keeping a close eye on developments.

In an interview to some newspapers, the chief spokesperson of the PDP, Naeem Akhtar, said: The agenda of alliance is a sacred document for us but there is little forward movement when it comes to implementation of certain core political and economic issues. We dont want to form a government just for the sake of it. The Centre will have to address certain core political and economic issues and take state-centric measures to create an atmosphere of trust. He does not talk specifics.

Does he mean that during the Governors Rule period the Modi-led central government has to take those perceived measures which nobody outside a small PDP group is aware of? In response to a question on the measures, Naeem Akhtar said, They know which measures need to be taken. When and how that happens is a matter of understanding and trust.

By a nuanced blame game, the PDP appears to be trying to don the mantle of martyrhood. Perhaps it wants to convey the impression that it sacrificed the fruits of power for larger popular good. By implication, the BJP would be places as a villain in Kashmir valley. Its a game of political brinkmanship.

Omar Abdullah is on the mark when he said, "I don't know whether her party leaders know what these CBMs are, but people of the state don't know what she is demandingMehbooba Mufti must spell out clearly what she wants. Otherwise, she must have the courage to break the alliance and seek fresh elections in state."
LONDON U.S.-led air strikes have had a substantial impact on the money Islamic State (IS) makes from oil, and have helped force the militant group to cut its fighters' pay by up to 50 percent, a senior U.S official said on Monday.

Daniel Glaser, assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the U.S. Treasury Department, said the strikes had hit the group's ability to extract, refine and transport oil from territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria.

"When you look at difficulties that we know that they are having with respect to the transport, with respect to the extraction, I think it's fair to say they are no longer able to make money the way they used to be able to," Glaser told a London conference.

The strikes had also targeted cash storage sites which had "literally incinerated millions of dollars".

"(IS) has cut salaries to its fighters in (its de facto capital) Raqqa by up to 50 percent," Glaser added.

The cash squeeze on IS had also been intensified by the decision of the Iraqi government to cut off paying salaries to its employees in IS-held territory, as this amounted to some $2 billion a year, Glaser said.

"We see indications that our efforts to disrupt (IS) sources of revenue are bearing fruit, both because of targeted air strikes against (IS) financial and commercial activities and due to our efforts to decrease liquidity into (IS)-controlled territory," he added.

IS has declared a self-styled caliphate across areas of territory it controls in Iraq and Syria, imposing its own harsh interpretation of Islamic law.

Glaser said the US had estimated it made some $500 million a year from oil, along with hundreds of millions more from taxation and extortion to go with the hundreds of millions it had seized from banks when it captured Iraqi towns and cities.

He said IS still had a lot of money but cutting its income stream would hamper its efforts.

"It's not cheap to run a caliphate, it's not cheap to run a war," Glaser said. "You need to pay your fighters. They are having a harder and harder time doing it."

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
This is the first time in India that any court will be conducting the prosecution of a high-profile international terrorist via video-conferencing. But the deposition of David Coleman Headley in a Mumbai court on Monday will be more optics than substance.

Headley, who played a critical role in facilitating the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, has already been pardoned by the Indian court on the plea that he would reveal all about the role of his Pakistani handlers  particularly ISI officials, the operational commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and his chief Hafeez Mohammed Saeed. Legally, Headleys deposition is aimed at nailing Pakistanis prevarication and lies in the Mumbai attack.

In legal terms, Headleys confession in the crime and his dealings with Pakistans ISI operatives along with terrorists in Pakistani soil would provide incontrovertible evidence against Pakistans claim of the involvement of non-state actors in the Mumbai attack. His deposition will also provide 'prosecutable' evidence against not only Saeed or Lakhvi, but also top officers of the ISI acting as handlers of Headley.

But will it change the ground reality in relation to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism or Pakistan itself?

It seems unlikely.

There is neither any assurance from the US nor Pakistan that the deposition of Headley will result in any change in their approach to terrorism. The deposition is nothing more than a legal illusion, said an intelligence official dealing with the Mumbai terror attacks and Headleys case.

Those dealing with the security scenario feel that Pakistan is unlikely to roll back its policies on the basis of Headleys evidence. And there is a history behind it which makes Indian intelligence agencies quite wary of excessive optimism on the issue.

In fact, the not-so-little-known story about Headley is that he enjoys US protection because of his multiple roles as an agent of US and Pakistani intelligence agencies and the LeT. Just before the Mumbai attacks, US intelligence agencies supplied vague information about the impending attack on Mumbai. But they avoided giving specific details as it would blow Headleys cover. This is the precise reason why Indian intelligence agencies were never given direct access to Headley for interrogation. The access to him was always facilitated through an intermediary  a sleuth of the US agencies.

Indian intelligence agencies still believe that in Mumbai attacks, the intelligence input from US agencies had concealed more than it revealed.

Since Headley was regarded as a prized asset by US agencies, they avoided revealing his name till they realised that they had been double-crossed by Headley. His deposition on video-conferencing may prove Pakistans complicity in the crime and nail its lies, but will keep under wraps the dubious role of the US intelligence agencies.

At the end of the deposition, Headley is sure to have the last laugh as he will be exonerated of his crimes after revealing only half-truths and lies.
Ankara: Turkey's president lashed out at the United States a week after President Barack Obama's envoy visited a northern Syrian town that is under the control of Syrian Kurdish forces, which Ankara considers terrorists.

In comments published Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Washington should choose between Turkey and the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, as its partner.

That came after envoy Brett McGurk's visit to Kobani, where the PYD's military wing, aided by US-led airstrikes, drove back Islamic State militants a year ago. Turkey considers the PYD a terrorist group because of its affiliation with Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

Erdogan said: "How can we trust you? Is it me that is your partner or is it the terrorists in Kobani?"

In Washington, a State Department spokesman reiterated the longstanding US policy that considers the PKK "to be a terrorist organisation."

"We continue to call on the PKK to immediately cease its campaign of violence. A resumed political process offers the best hope for greater civil rights, security, and prosperity for all the citizens of Turkey," said Noel Clay of the State Department.

AP
Abu Dhabi: Warning that India is not immune to the threat from Islamic State (ISIS), the UAE, which has deported about a dozen Indians with suspected links to the terror group, said on Monday that its anti-terror cooperation with India is going to get "more institutionalised".

"There are no grey areas. We need to tackle this (ISIS) threat and nobody is immune. If you think you are immune (and) you are going to be negligent, you are going to be hit. Everybody.... whether India or the UAE," Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said in Abu Dhabi.

Ahead of the UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's three day State Visit to India starting Wednesday, Gargash told NDTV in an interview that strengthening bilateral cooperation against terrorism would be an important component of the royal visit.

Bilateral cooperation on terror was "working very well" and in the coming 12 months "it will be more institutionalised and work even better," he said in the backdrop of the Gulf nation having deported to India a dozen Indians with suspected links to ISIS in recent months.

Such cooperation was an important part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's discussions with the UAE leadership during his visit in August, Gargash said.

Underlining the threat posed by ISIS, the minister said, "no country was immune, no city is immune..... We need greater cooperation and zero tolerance for any sort of extremism, terrorism in order to confront this threat."

Asserting that there should be no distinction between one terror group and another, the minister said that there are no good terrorists and bad terrorists. The battle against terrorism was a "generational fight and the UAE is a worthy partner in this fight."

Answering a question about the joint statement issued after Modi's visit here in which India and the UAE condemned efforts by some states to use religion to support and justify terrorism, which was seen as a veiled reference to Pakistan, Gargash his country doesn't see "grey areas" in relation to terrorism.

"In our rejection of terrorism, whether that is done by a non-government group or whether it is sponsored by governments, we put all that in the same pile. Terrorism is terrorism," he said.

He emphasised that UAE was not playing Pakistan against India or the vice versa. India was a big power both globally and regionally and relationship with it was not related to third parties.

Describing Indo-UAE ties as "fantastic", the minister said that Modi's visit could see a "window of strategic shift" in the relationship. Modi was a very practical person and everybody was impressed with his 'can-do' attitude. "This is what we want to build on."

He underlined the commitment of the UAE, whose current investments in India are about USD 10 billion, to step up the investments, particularly in the infrastructure.

Turning to problems faced by investors in India, Gargash said "we need to work together to cut some of the red tape, make things smoother."

"I want to see clearer laws, smoother implementation, greater reception of foreign investments, not just UAE investment but foreign investment in general," he said.

There was a huge potential in bilateral economic ties but that has to be "unlocked".

PTI
Washington: The Islamic State's recent defeats signify its worsening money problems, desertions and a dwindling pool of fighters with many of them joining rival militant groups after facing pay cuts, according to a media report.

Citing top analysts and monitoring groups, the Washington Post reported that the recent losses of the terror group are linked to its struggles to pay fighters and recruit new ones to replace those who have deserted, defected to other militant groups or died on the battlefield.

US-backed Kurdish and Arab forces have seized significant amounts of territory from the extremist group in the parts of Iraq and Syria where it declared a caliphate in 2014.

"These issues suggest that as an entity that is determined to hold onto territory, the Islamic State is not sustainable," Jacob Shapiro, an expert on the Islamic State who teaches politics at Princeton University, was quoted as saying.

There appears to be a rise in the number of Islamic State fighters who have deserted or, in the case of the Syrian conflict, defected to other militant groups, Vera Mironova, an expert on armed groups in Syria and Iraq at Harvard University's Belfer Center, was quoted as saying.

The salary and benefit cuts have caused "for-profit militants" in Syria to increasingly "look for better deals" with other armed factions, she said.

The group, she said, is also struggling to replenish ranks of its foreign fighters, who tend to be more ideologically driven but also die in relatively large numbers on the battlefield.

Only a year ago, the Islamic State was seen as a juggernaut  rich, organised and fielding thousands of motivated fighters  but in recent months, its momentum has been reversed, the report said.

US military officials estimate that the group has lost as much as 40 percent of the territory it held in Iraq and as much as 20 percent in Syria, it said.

Kurdish and Arab forces, including Iraq's increasingly competent military, have advanced against the group with the help of airstrikes from a US-led coalition.

The air raids have damaged the Islamic State's oil infrastructure, a key revenue source, and the territorial setbacks have stripped the group of populations to tax and assets to seize, analysts say.

All of this, they say, appears to have forced the group to reduce salaries and benefits for fighters.

Last month media reports had said the terror group's Bayt al-Mal, the Treasury Ministry, has decided to cut the salaries of its fighters in half due to the "exceptional circumstances" Islamic State has been witnessing.

PTI
Last month, Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang said that the company will launch major smartphone in the US around mid-July this year under the Moto brand. Now, a bunch of images of possible Moto phones have surfaced in a new leak.

The images that are leaked by hellomotohk show Lenovo is indeed working on phones under Moto brand. As per the website, the phones in the images are 2016 edition of Moto X and Moto G. Considering the images, both the phones seem to sport a sleek design. The phones with plastic colored rear back could be the Moto G (2016) while the one with metal body may be the Moto X(2016). Similar to the older Motorola devices, users will be able to change the rear back panel with different colors, said the report.

Yang had said that the Moto device that will be launched in July this year will be more innovative, more attractive. Lenovo is keeping the Moto name for the high end line of smartphones. The image of the shell of the phone also shows Lenovo branding at the bottom. It must be noted that these could be the next generation Moto X and Moto G and nothing is official yet.

Via
We have already seen a bunch of reports about the upcoming 4-inch Apple iPhone 5se. Now a fresh one from Japanese website Mac Otakara suggests that the phone will come in hot pink variant. Along with the hot pink variant, the iPhone 5se will also come in space grey and silver option.

The hot pink color of the iPhone 5se is said to be on the same lines as that of the sixth-generation iPod touch or seventh-generation iPod nano. However, 9to5Mac contradicts the report and says that the iPhone 5se will instead come in rose gold variant that we saw on the iPhone 6s. Apple is expected to announce the 4-inch iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 on March 15. The iPad Air 3 is also said to come in rose gold option.

Earlier reports have said that the iPhone 5se will be powered by A8 chip, support NFC and Apple Pay. It will come with Live Photos, 8 megapixel rear and 1.2 mega pixel front camera. Pricing of the iPhone 5se will be similar to the iPhone 5s. The Japanese website does not provide any solid reference or a reliable source for the reason Apple might go with a new color variant for its upcoming iPhone.

via
Qualcomm Incorporated through Qualcomm Ventures has announced QPrize  Make in India contest in association with the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP). The goal of this contest is to catalyze Indian entrepreneurs and the startup community to drive the entire value chain from innovation to manufacturing in India. The winner will receive an investment of Rs. 2 crores (approximately US$ 300,000), said Qualcomm.

Last year Qualcomm announced its plans to invest up to US$ 150 million (approximately Rs. 9.8 billion or Rs. 980 crores) in Indian startup companies across all stages through its venture arm, Qualcomm Ventures.

Startups can get more information about the contest and download the form for participation here. The contest already opened from February 4th, last date for submitting entries is February 12th and DIPP will announce the shortlist on February 15th. Shortlisted companies will be invited for the final pitch presentation during the grand finale on February 18th, 2016.

Sunil Lalvani, vice president and president, Qualcomm India, said:

We applaud Prime Minister Modis vision of Make In India which has the potential to transform Indias manufacturing sector, spurring employment, investment and innovation. Energized by this vision, Qualcomm is excited to join hands with DIPP to announce the QPrize Make in India contest with the goal of stimulating the startup ecosystem to realize the dream of making India a hub for design and manufacturing.

Amitabh Kant, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said:

We are delighted to announce the QPrize Make in India contest that will be a driving force for Indian entrepreneurs aligning with our Prime Minister Modis vision for Start-up India and Make in India. It is heartening to see an industry leader like Qualcomm, joining forces and contributing to make this vision a reality. Besides the Rs. 2 Crore prize money investment, they will bring in immense experience and support to nurture the startups through Qualcomm Ventures and Design in India initiatives.
Aging baby boomers are turning 65 at a pace of 10,000 per day, and that poses a big problem for Social Security because payments made to retirees are funded by a shrinking pool of American workers.

The graying of America has Social Security predicting that its ability to pay full benefits to retirees could come under pressure as soon as 2034, and as a result, there's a raging debate around Social Security reform this election year.

Among presidential candidates who have weighed in with potential changes to sure-up the 80-year-old safety net, these four recommend reducing Social Security benefits to high-income earners.

No. 1: Jeb Bush

Jeb Bush believes that changing the full retirement age from 67 to some other number, potentially as high as 70, would give the most bang for the buck, but he also favors means testing that could reduce the amount that high income earners receive in Social Security in the future.

Bush points out that spending on government healthcare programs and Social Security has grown to almost half of federal spending from about one-sixth of spending in the mid-1960s. Absent change, he says that spending will double as a percentage of the economy by 2040.

Pushing back full retirement age could change that spending trajectory most, but implementing a new method for figuring out how much people receive at full retirement age may also help. Specifically, Bush thinks "we can change Social Security so that higher-income workers, who can afford to save for retirement on their own during their careers, get a smaller check when they retire. These kinds of reforms will ensure that Social Security remains stable over the next 75 years."

No. 2. Chris Christie

Chris Christie would gradually phase in a program that starts eliminating Social Security payments to single retirees when income heads north of $80,000. The plan is to apply a sliding scale to benefits for single high-income earners who haul in between $80,000 and $200,000 and eliminate benefits all together to those earning more than that. Christie has also said that the limits proposed for singles would be increased for married couples, but he hasn't said to what levels.

No. 3. John Kasich

Last fall, John Kasich asked a New Hampshire audience if anyone far from retirement would mind if they received a bit less in Social Security when they retired if it meant saving the system. One person spoke up against Kasich's idea, and Kasich humorously replied, "You'd get over it."

Kasich's off-the-cuff joke set off a firestorm, but that firestorm hasn't shifted Kasich's mind that major Social Security reform has to happen sooner, not later.

In December, Kasich discussed his plans for Social Security in Iowa, telling the Des Moines Register "high-income seniors are going to get less." He hasn't said how much less, but it's clear that high-income earners would pick up at least some of the tab for saving Social Security under Kasich.

No. 4. Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio maintains that Social Security is on an "unsustainable path" and that changing its direction is critical to the program's survival.

He thinks Social Security reform should include changing calculations that impact the amount of benefits high income earners will collect in retirement. By reducing the rate of growth of benefits for "upper-income" seniors, there's less risk that benefits will have to be cut for everyone.
It's hard to believe now that just three years ago, regional jet manufacturer Embraer's (ERJ 0.75%) order backlog was shriveling up. At the end of 2012, Embraer had only 185 firm orders left for its E-Jet aircraft family, representing less than two years of production.

By contrast, Embraer closed out 2015 with more than 500 firm orders on the books thanks in part to a surge of fleet renewal efforts among U.S. regional airlines. Embraer is set to continue this momentum in 2016 and could be close to securing a big order from a relatively new customer: Alaska Air (ALK -4.71%).

Alaska fends off a bigger rival

For many years, Alaska Airlines dominated the air travel market in its hometown of Seattle. However, it has recently faced a strong challenge from global giant Delta Air Lines (DAL -1.14%).

As Delta has added domestic flights in Seattle, Alaska Air has focused on maintaining its market share. At Alaska's investor day in December, management pointed out that the company had a stable seat share in Seattle from the end of 2012 to the end of 2015, at 51%.

One way that Alaska has looked to keep pace with Delta Air Lines is by adding new destinations to its route map. However, some of these routes don't have enough traffic to support mainline flights on a 737.

As a result, in 2015, Alaska began adding 76-seat Embraer E175s to its fleet. (These planes are actually operated by regional airline SkyWest.) Alaska likes the E175 because it has an effective range of about 1,700 miles, enabling "long-and-thin" routes. Management sees more long-and-thin growth opportunities, so it is looking to increase the regional fleet size.

Superior comfort

There is a second aspect to Alaska's growing interest in regional jets. Delta Air Lines has touted its "all-jet" service when trying to win customers in Seattle. By contrast, Alaska's in-house regional airline subsidiary -- Horizon Air -- operates a fleet of about 50 Q400 turboprops for short-haul regional flights.

While the Q400 has very low operating costs for short-haul flights, its slower cruising speed makes it uneconomical for longer routes. Furthermore, customers find jets more comfortable than the Q400, which feels cramped by comparison.

Alaska's reliance on the Q400 puts it at a disadvantage vis-a-vis Delta in some markets. The management team recognizes this. On the company's recent earnings call, CFO Brandon Pedersen stated, "Our competition, frankly, is using [regional jets] in many of our markets and I think we want to make sure that we are staying on par or better with the customer experience side."

More regional jets needed

Alaska's rivalry with Delta in Seattle is thus pushing it strongly toward growing its regional jet fleet. On the earnings call last month, management announced tentative plans to order 30 regional jets this quarter. Wholly owned subsidiary Horizon Air will operate these aircraft, now that its pilots and flight attendants have ratified new long-term contracts.

There are only two serious competitors in the 76-seat jet market today: Embraer's E175 and Bombardier's CRJ900. However, the E175 is almost universally preferred by travelers because it has a wider and taller cabin. This has helped Embraer win the lion's share of new regional jet orders in the past three years.

Given that Alaska's management specifically cited the customer experience as a key reason for adding more regional jets, picking the E175 would be almost a no-brainer.

If Embraer does win this order, Alaska wants deliveries to begin in 2017. Most of the deliveries would probably occur in 2018, though, as Alaska has 15 Q400 leases expiring that year.

This is great timing for Embraer. The company's order book for 2016 appears to be completely full. It has filled most of its 2017 delivery slots as well, but there is still some availability. Embraer's biggest need for new orders is in 2018. It plans to deliver the first of its next-generation E2-series jets that year, but current-generation models will still likely account for most of its production.

Snagging a big order from Alaska Airlines could go a long way in helping Embraer bridge the gap until production of its next-generation jets fully ramps up around 2020. This should enable Embraer to deliver steady revenue and profit growth over the next several years.
What: Shares of Seadrill (SDRL) slumped more than 10% by 11:30 a.m. ET on Monday. The renewed slump in the price of oil is what's fueling today's sell-off.

So what: The price of crude slumped nearly 3% by the mid-morning today to right around the $30-a-barrel mark. Aside from persistent oversupply, the primary weight on the price of crude today is the outcome from a meeting between Saudi Arabia and Venezuela over the weekend. Venezuela had hoped to convince Saudi Arabia to lead an OPEC effort to cut supplies, but that meeting ended without such an agreement.

With no one willing to shut down their oil pumps, it basically leaves the oil market to fix the situation itself. That is going to take some time. Not only does the industry need to see a meaningful production decline due to lack of investment in legacy oil fields to rebalance supply with demand, but it then needs to overcome its significant inventory overhang. Furthermore, even when balance has returned to the market and the price of oil rises to support new investments, it will be another 12 to 18 months before the offshore market will begin to recover, according to Seadrill CEO Per Wulff. In fact, he recently told Bloomberg that "we're likely to be at the end of 2017 before this starts being fun again."

The problem for Seadrill and others in the industry to overcome is surviving until that time. Seadrill's main obstacle is a very steep funding gap estimated by analysts to be $2.5 billion through 2018. There are no easy options to overcoming that gap, which is only going to become more of a burden the longer oil prices stay lower because of the impact that will have on credit availability within the sector.

Now what: Given the lag between the recovery in the oil price and the recovery in the offshore drilling market, every day oil goes down only pushes the recovery further into the future. That's a big concern, what with Seadrill having a pretty big funding wall to climb in the near term. Because of this, Seadrill's stock will likely remain very volatile until there are clear signs that a recovery is on the horizon.
This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.
Studies show that having a bachelors degree improves a persons earning potential, but that doesnt mean all colleges can justify the cost of their diplomas (though they certainly try). Now more than ever, experts encourage prospective college students to estimate the return on investment (ROI) of paying for a degree from a certain school, and lots of tools exist to help students with this project.

The Princeton Review, a popular education-research company, just published its 2016 Colleges That Pay You Back list, in which it ranks schools based on more than 40 data points, including graduate job placement, financial aid, student loan debt, graduation rates and graduate earnings. The data come from surveys of schools administrators and students, as well as PayScale data of alumni starting and mid-career salaries.

Theres more to choosing a college than favorable rankings. Even if a school seems to provide a good ROI, students and their families have to consider the risk of borrowing a lot of money to pay for college and the reality that there are no guarantees of success. Student loan debt is rarely discharged in bankruptcy, meaning those loans can dictate your financial health and impact your credit score for decades. (You can see how your student loans affect your credit by viewing your two free credit scores once a month on Credit.com)

A school with a great track record for graduate success doesnt necessarily mean its affordable for everyone and every degree it offers. Its a good idea to research schools you are considering thoroughly when trying to find the higher education institution that is right for you. With all that in mind, here are the schools the Princeton Review gave top honors for their ROI.

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2015-2016 tuition: $46,400 Location: Cambridge, Mass.

4. Harvey Mudd College

2015-2016 tuition: $50,368 Location: Claremont, Calif.

3. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

2015-2016 tuition: $40,800 Location: New York

Want to see what other schools are worth the cost according to the survey? You can find the rest of the list here.

More from Credit.comHow to Consolidate Student LoansHow Student Loans Can Impact Your Credit ScoreCredit Guide for College Graduates

This article originally appeared on Credit.com.

Christine DiGangi is a reporter and editor for Credit.com, covering a variety of personal finance topics. Her writing has been featured on USA Today, MSN, Yahoo! Finance and The New York Times International Weekly, among other outlets. More by Christine DiGangi
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Manhattan has agreed to review the 2012 insider trading conviction of former three-time McKinsey & Co. Managing Director and Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) board member Rajat Gupta.

Gupta was convicted of providing insider information to former Galleon Group hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam about Berkshire Hathaways (NYSE:BRK.A) $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

Gupta previously tried to appeal his conviction on the basis that he did not receive any benefit from Rajaratnam, but this appeal was denied by U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff and the appeals court in December 2015 did not overturn him.

But in light of the Newman insider trading conviction that was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Gupta might have another chance at restoring his reputation and dignity.

In United States v. Newman, hedge fund managers Todd Newman and Anthony Chiasson were convicted of trading on insider information in a case led by Wall Street-crusading U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara. But in December 2014, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturned their conviction on the basis that neither Newman nor Chiasson knew that the tipper was receiving any personal benefit. The Appeals Court interpreted a 1983 Supreme Court ruling that said that insider trading could only be prosecuted if the tipper received a personal benefit, like money, other than just maintaining a friendship.

Gary Naftalis, Guptas lawyer, successfully argued to the Appeals Court that Gupta did not receive any tangible benefit from Rajaratnam, other than nurturing a friendship.

The consequences of overturning Guptas conviction could be monumental for the future of insider trading cases. People tend to be very suspicious of Wall Street and insiders and this case has that front and center. By the nature of the defendant, there will be a lot of eyes on this case says Lathrop Nelson, a partner in the white collar and government investigations unit at Montgomery McCracken.

However, if the Appeals Court rules in Guptas favor, Nelson says that this wont necessarily be a death nail for insider trading cases particularly for those that can prove that tippers receive a tangible benefit. And if SCOTUS goes against the Appeals Court and concludes that prosecutors do not need to prove a tangible benefit in order to prosecute for insider trading, then the success of Newman and the potential overturning of Guptas case might be short lived.

According to Nelson though, Gupta has a good shot at winning his appeal especially after the Newman overruling and that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an insider trading case involving trades that Bassam Salman made based on mergers between clients of Citigroup (NYSE:C), where his brother-in-law worked. Bassams lawyers have argued that his brother-in-law Maher Kara did not receive any tangible benefit in exchange for tips.

If Guptas conviction is overruled though, reputation wise, he will have quite a ways to go. A court overturning his conviction will not restore his reputation overnight but its an important first step. Depending on what the court says in its ruling, Gupta may need to do more to rebuild it says Jon Haber, President of Cascade Strategy, a communications consultancy, and former special counsel in President Bill Clinton's administration.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) announced plans to shell out $10 million dollars to help local growers provide their stores with produce and meats that meet their new food safety protocols.

This money will be used to provide food safety support and education that is necessary to meet our standards. And to help offset the costs of enhanced testing and food-safety practices for some smaller farmers, Steve Ells, founder, Co-CEO, and Chairman of Chipotle told his employees during the nationwide employee meeting.

The Mexican fast food chain closed all of its 1,900 stores in order to hold an employee meeting to address food safety practices. More than 50,000 employees attended the meeting by gathering in hotel conference rooms and movie theaters to hear co-founders Ells and Monty Moran apologize and provide the next steps forward for the struggling company.

We called this meeting today so that we could share with you what weve learned from the outbreaks, adds Ells.

In 2015, the burrito giant had four incidents relating to food outbreaks.

We know the cause of three of them, says Moran. The salmonella outbreak in Minnesota and Wisconsin was linked to tomatoes. Thats one of the reasons why we no longer dice tomatoes in our restaurants.

Moran says the two norovirus outbreaks were likely caused by a mistake: specifically, employees coming to work while sick. The CDC officially closed their investigation regarding the other E.coli outbreak (the fourth incident) last Monday.

We still do not know for sure what it was, and we probably never will know, adds Moran. The events of 2015 have shown us that our recipe was out of balance.

The company now has a new plan in place that includes testing ingredients on farms and in its central kitchens and implementing techniques like blanching raw vegetables to kill germs.

We have also changed the way we marinate the steak and chicken, because steak and chicken can harbor dangerous germs like E.coli and salmonella before they are cooked, Moran outlined during the presentation.

Chipotle has been in crisis mode for months since the illnesses were traced to its restaurants in October last year. The company has since recorded a 37% decline in same-store sales, for the month ending December 2015, and Januarys comps showed no signs of improving.

While the federal investigation into the E.coli outbreak was officially closed last week by the CDC, the fast-food chain is still under a criminal investigation for a norovirus incident at a California restaurant in August.

When I opened the first Chipotle almost 23 years ago, I was focused on creating an extraordinary dining experience. This came out of my passion as a chef, says Ells. Our customers should never have to question whether their food is safe.
There are a lot of creative ways to make an extra buck. Unfortunately for Emerson College sophomore Jack Worth, his way may have been a little too creative.

Hoping to help offset college expenses, Worth, 19, posted his dorm room on Airbnb, boasting the private room offered sweeping views of Boston Common, right in the heart of downtown, reports the Boston Globe.

At first, Worths enterprising plan worked like a charm. Last month, three subletters rented out his abode in Little Building, a 12-story dorm housing about 750 students, which, according to the colleges website is located in the heart of Bostons Theatre District.

Disciplinary Action & Fines

But after two weeks on the market, college officials caught wind of Worths money-making venture and shut it down. Now hes facing a disciplinary hearing and a $150 fine from Airbnb. School officials told the Globe Worths move violated the schools housing and residency hall contract.

Apparently, Worth is not the only college student doing business on Airbnb, which has a page highlighting 46 dorm rooms available in New York City alone. An Airbnb spokesman told the Boston globe all hosts are asked to follow local regulations when renting a room or property.

Worth admitted that he violated school policies, which prohibit students from renting out rooms to protect residents from potential safety or security risks, but said he pre-screened renters, and accompanied them whenever they entered or left the building and got the OK from all his suite-mates.

Now Worths fate rests in the hands of the colleges disciplinary board, but his cause has made him into a virtual cause celebre, inspiring a Twitter hashtag and change.org petition called Free Jack Worth, which has signed up nearly 500 supporters. (Emerson College and Airbnb did not respond immediately to a request for follow-up comment.)

While some on Twitter are slamming Worth for potentially endangering fellow students, others are praising his entrepreneurship. Many have echoed the sentiments of one #FreeJackWorth tweeter, who noted Maybe Jack Worth wouldnt have had to rent out his dorm room if college werent so ludicrously expensive.

Certainly Worths story is testimony to the financial pressure college students face trying to stay afloat amid skyrocketing costs of tuition, books and living expenses. But for now, students might want to stick to less risky ideas like these alternatives to debt-building student loans  or try their hand at one of these unconventional money-making ventures for college students.

For those taking out student loans, its good to keep in mind that your credit scores can drop significantly if you fall behind on paying them back. You can monitor your credit score once a month for free using Credit.coms Credit Report Card. That way, you can see for yourself how student loan debt affects your scores.

More from Credit.comHow to Consolidate Student LoansCan I Pause My Student Loan Payments?Private Student Loans: What to Watch Out For

This article originally appeared on Credit.com.
Call it the workings of a digital genius or just coincidence, but Donald Trump has not only maintained his status as one of the frontrunners in the GOP presidential field; hes also cemented himself as the most digitally savvy candidate.

You can disagree with him or agree with him, but regardless he appears genuine for who he is Tripp Donnelly, the CEO and founder of RepEquity, a reputation management firm, tells FOXBusiness.com.

Out of all the presidential candidates from both parties, Trump has the most Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) followers with a whopping 6.04 million, trouncing the other GOP candidates. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is a distant second in the Republican field with just over a million followers.

He has a consistency of message across all media says Donnelly.

Trump has managed to keep the authenticity of his voice across social media, television appearances and speeches. Inside the beltway, political figures get into trouble because theyve outsourced that type of narrative or personal tone to someone on their staff says Donnelly.

He noted that people trust the social media ecosystem more if it sounds authentic. And authenticity is Trumps specialty, whether hes tweeting about celebrity breakups or accusing fellow candidate Texas Sen. Ted Cruz of fraud.

Everyone knows I am right that Robert Pattinson should dump Kristen Stewart. In a couple of years, he will thank me. Be smart, Robert.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2012

The State of Iowa should disqualify Ted Cruz from the most recent election on the basis that he cheated- a total fraud!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016

Another way that Trump has succeeded is speaking in the same way that people use search engines like Google (NASDAQ:GOOG). When Trump uses raw phrases like banning Muslims, this is how people search online. Other candidates speak in nuanced, polished statements, according to Donnelly, which dont translate well into search engines.

Donnelly says that when people search for issues like immigration, theyre typing in illegal immigrants, not undocumented residents. Given that Trump uses those same phrases, search engine results for those topics usually lead to Trumps page, relative to the other presidential candidates, according to Donnelly.

So is Trump doing this all on purpose? Donnelly thinks its just the perfect storm for The Donald.
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A 24-year-old woman from Minneapolis is firing back at bullies by speaking out about a rare inflammatory condition shes hid from the world since she hit puberty.

Express.co.uk reported that Megan Barnard was suicidal after she was diagnosed with incurable lymphedema at age 15. The painful condition has caused her right leg to look inflamed, a symptom that caused her classmates to nickname her the Michelin Man.

At my lowest point, I had written a suicide letter to my dad I told him I was done and I was just going to end it, Barnard told Express.co.uk.

The news website reported that Barnard developed lymphedema when her lymph nodes didnt fully develop to allow for fluid processing, an effect that caused fluid to accumulate in her leg.

Today, her right leg contains up to three liters of extra fluid at a time. She must wear compression pants for 70 minutes each day and use a compression pump to relieve some of the pain.

"All my joints ache constantly, and normal, day-to-day activities like walking and going to work are extremely painful, Barnard told the website.

She said she has seen several doctors who said the condition likely developed during puberty or that she may have injured her leg in some other way. They had no idea what caused it, she told the news website.

For almost the past 10 years, Barnard has hid her leg from her peers by wearing baggy clothes and covering her limb with a thick blanket at home. She even managed to keep her condition a secret from her boyfriend of two years.

I didnt really notice, Robert Neidenfeuhr, 27, Barnards boyfriend, told Express.co.uk. There were lots of closed doors, lots of lights off that kind of thing.

Barnard told the news website she is now getting vocal about the disease because she doesnt want other young women to suffer in silence as she had. She has also modeled for photos to help raise awareness for her cause

and the condition.

"I'm starting to come to terms with the condition but for 10 years I felt like I belonged in a circus, she told Express.co.uk.

Barnards next mission is to raise $44,000 on GoFundMe, a page she set up to help cover surgery costs that her health insurance wont take care of.

To insurance companies, my condition is cosmetic and is looked at no differently than having unnecessary plastic surgery. In reality, having lymphedema is anything but cosmetic, Barnard wrote on her GoFundMe page. I cannot do this on my own so I am finally opening up about my life and telling you all for the first time that I suffer from lymphedema. I am asking for your help to get my life back.
Researchers have discovered a second type of bacteria that causes Lyme disease that is carried by the same deer tick, but that veers from the conditions typical symptom of a bulls eye rash.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the Mayo Clinic and health officials from Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota said in a press release Monday that the bacteria Borrelia mayonii, as well as the previously known bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, can cause Lyme disease.

This discovery adds another important piece of information to the complex picture of tick-borne diseases in the United States, Dr. Jeannine Petersen, microbiologist at the CDC, said in the release.

Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness, infects more than 200,000 Americans per year, and, if left untreated, can cause potentially life-threatening damage to the heart, joints and nervous system. If treated early with antibiotics, its early symptoms of fever, headache and fatigue can pass after two to four weeks, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The CDC said in the release that the newly discovered bacteria is associated with those symptoms plus nausea and vomiting, as well as diffuse rashes and a higher concentration of bacteria in the blood. The first-discovered bacteria was associated with a rash that forms a bulls eye shape.

Scientists discovered the new species when six of 9,000 samples of people suspected of having Lyme in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota were found to have bacteria that was genetically distinct from B. burgdorferi. After DNA sequencing, researchers found the bacteria belonged to a different Borrelia species. According to the release, a culture test at the CDC analyzed blood from two of the patients.

The CDC said their findings suggest the new bacteria is limited to the upper Midwest. The agency couldnt identify it in any of the other estimated 25,000 blood samples drawn during the same period from residents suspected of having Lyme in the other 43 U.S. states including in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, where Lyme borne of B. burgdorferi is most common.


A hospital in Tennessee accidentally performed minor surgery on the wrong baby, and now the mother is left to wonder about the future of her newborn, CBS News reports.

Jennifer Melton thought her healthy newborn was being taken for a routine physical by doctors at University Medical Center in Lebanon. Then he came back hours later.

"At that point the nurse started to mention the procedure they had done," Melton tells WTVF. What they had done was a frenulectomycutting a flap of skin under the tongue to improve the tongue's range of motion in babies born with a specific condition.

But Nate didn't have that condition. "Essentially they took our child, who was healthy, from the room and cut his mouth," Melton tells WTVF. "At that point, I began to cry hysterically." Now Melton is worried Nate could have problems speaking or eating in the future.

"It's recklessness," the family's attorney says. "There's no excuse for cutting on a healthy child. There's no excuse for mixing up babies at a hospital." A report from the hospital is little consolation to Melton.

"I had asked for the wrong infant. I had likely performed the procedure on an infant different than the one I intended to," CBS quotes a doctor as saying in the University Medical Center's progress report.

"I admitted my mistake and apologized." (This hospital had to pay big after switching two babies at birth in 1994.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Wrong Newborn Gets Surgical Procedure

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About seven months after 2-year-old Sophie Skill had to be put on life support when she swallowed a lithium battery, the British toddler is on the mend, and her mother is speaking out to warn other parents of the objects toxicity.

Sophies mother, Clare, whose last name wasnt disclosed, said Sophie spent six days on life support last fall after suffering acid poisoning from the ingested battery, Metro.co.uk reported. The batteries, which are small, silver and round, are nicknamed button batteries. They are commonly used in remote controls, wristwatches, childrens toys, and hearing aids among the elderly, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), people who have swallowed one of the batteries may experience abdominal and chest pain, nausea and possibly bloody vomit, but they may also be asymptomatic.

The CPSC warns children can suffer chemical burns within as few as two hours of ingesting the batteries. That effect can prove life-threatening as was the case for Sophie, whose mother rushed her to the hospital after noticing the toddler was agitated and grabbing the back of her neck.

She was so distressed, and I just knew she had swallowed something, Clare told Metro.co.uk. My heart was beating so fast.

Doctors at Sheffield Childrens Hospital took an X-ray of Sophies neck, and the imaging revealed she had swallowed the coin-shaped object. Within two hours, surgeons operated on the little girl and removed it from her windpipe. But swelling in her throat prevented doctors from detecting that the battery had already burned an acidic hole in her esophagus.

When nurses noticed she wasnt healing well, they took an X-ray the next day and detected an acidic hole in her lung. Metro.co.uk reported that doctors input a chest drain and gave her a ventilator to aid in breathing, but the acidic hole kept corroding her esophagus.

Doctors fitted a T tube from Sophies hole to her stomach to properly drain the excess fluid, and they wrapped tissue from Sophie herself around the hole to help it heal, ITV.com reported. Next, doctors put Sophie on life support.

She was in pain, and I just wanted so much for her to be better, Clare told Metro.co.uk.

In September two months after the incident Sophie was finally discharged from the hospital. ITV.com reported that she must take an alkaline tablet each day and that there is no permanent damage from the injury.

Sophies family has reportedly launched a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of lithium batteries and is raising funds that will benefit Sheffield Childrens Hospital.

In early January, an Oklahoma toddler died six days after swallowing a lithium battery, and her family raised more than $11,000 on GoFundMe to cover her funeral expenses.
Since its release in October, Adeles single Hello has been massively successful and while the world took to the Internet to make self-deprecating jokes about the tunes emotional effect, what were laughs for some might actually be an important healing tool for others. While individuals can easily feel the emotional sway music can carry, according to therapists, that power can be used to treat everything from depression to speech impediments.

Jennifer Buchanan is a Canadian music therapist and the author of Tune In: A Music Therapy Approach to Life. Her patients range from a two-month-old with visual impairments to a 106-year-old with Alzheimers disease. Since listening to music can activate many parts of the brain, it can serve many different functions, she said. For psychological rehabilitation, for example, Buchanan believes that intentional music listening is key. This involves sitting in a quiet place and doing nothing but listening to the music.

The research is suggesting that we are looking at about 10 minutes to 20, 25 minutes of intentional music listening can put you right into that headspace, Buchanan, told FoxNews.com.

With her patients, Buchanan suggests creating different playlist for different moods and mood goals. To do so, they search through their music and categorize songs depending on the mood or emotion they elicit. From there, patients are asked to listen to the different playlists in increments, from their current mental state to where they would like to be.

Dr. Gail Gross, a family, child and human behavior expert, agreed that musics effect on mood can be used for positive change. She noted that research shows listening to relaxing music can have the same effect on our well-being that meditation does.

Music can change the way you breathe, so it can help your brain calm down, she told FoxNews.com, adding that patients have to be selective about the music they to listen to, to ensure that it yields the desired outcome. Like many forms of medicine and therapy, there is no blueprint for a cure. This form of therapy is highly specific to each individual, Gross said.

Since its depends so much on each individuals emotional response to music, what works for some might have the complete opposite effect for others. Panayotis Mavromatis, an associate professor of music theory at New York University, said this may be because there are some overarching generalities in musics construction that can alter our mood, but different cultures and lifestyles interpret music in their own ways.

Major scales and chords have traditionally been associated with happy feelings in recent western music, and likewise minor scales and chords have been ascribed a sad or dark affect, Mavromatis told FoxNews.com.

Scientists conjecture there may be a genetic component to our degree and quality of response to music. Clearly there are no universal patterns, but music therapists can still experiment to find out what works or not with a given individual he said.

Listening to music can be helpful, but producing music, whether it be singing or playing an instruments, has its benefits as well. For example, The Kings Speech tells the true story of King George VIs and his struggle with being the head of the British monarchy and an embarrassing stutter. His therapist instructs him to sing his words instead of speaking them and to King Georges surprise, it works. But how?

Singing words is effective is because speech is stored in a different part of the brain than musics lyrics and rhythm, said Dr. William Barr, an associate professor of neurology and psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center.

People who have lost the ability to speak cant retrieve words or maintain a rhythm in their speech, he told FoxNews.com.

But many of these people can still sing. The reason, Barr said, is that the words and rhythm of music are tied together and stored in a persons memory, which makes them easy to recall.

Again, the success varies on the patient and the extent of their condition. For some, music therapy is a great tool, for others, it offers only a moderate reprieve.

Many patients who had been unable to speak are able to sing words and even express their feelings, but only in a musical rhythm.

Whether its being used as a healing tool, or just as catharsis from an emotional event, turn on Adele and sing (or cry) your heart out. Itll do your mind good.
What do Queen Elizabeth, Kanye West, and Kristen Stewart have in common? They all have Resting Bitch Faceor, as New York puts it, a "face combining disgust, better-than-you snobbery, and boredom." Actress Anna Kendrick even once tweeted, "Is there a filter on Instagram that fixes Bitchy Resting Face? Asking for a friend." The not-so-formal condition came to prominence in 2013 with a "Bitchy Resting Face" PSA by Funny or Die.

Now, behavioral researchers Jason Rogers and Abbe Macbeth with Noldus Information Technology have used science to uncover why some people's resting faces are expressionless while those of others are considered angry and judgmental, the Washington Post reports.

The pair used software called FaceReader, which maps 500 points on the human face and assigns expressions based on the emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, disgust, contempt, and "neutral." When the researchers plugged in faces of famous RBF faces, the software lit up.

"Something in the person's face is relaying greater-than-trace amounts of contempt, but they don't intend that to be the case," Macbeth tells CBS News. That includes signals, Rogers tells the Post, such as "one side of the lip pulled back slightly, the eyes squinting a little." One key point: The researchers found that the condition afflicts men and women equally.

"This means that classifying RBF as a female-dominant expression of bitchiness is actually quite wrong, and probably a reflection of societal expectations of women," observes the post at New York.

(The Stir amplifies the point that men are affected, too, with a gallery of Kanye West RBF photos.) Can anything be done about RBF? "We can't 'fix' anyone's face," Macbeth, also a sufferer tells CBS.

But, she adds, "I don't think it's worth getting stressed out over." (Here's one woman talking about her RBF.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Researchers Show 'Resting Bitch Face' Is Real

More From Newser
Scientists have already developed devices that allow paraplegics to control the movement of some limbs with their thoughts, but inputting most of them poses risk for infection and other complications. Now, researchers in Australia say a new bionic spine about the size of a paperclip could be applied with minimally invasive surgery.

The Guardian reported that the technology, which measures only about an inch long and about .12 inches wide, would be implanted in three patients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Victoria in 2017. The device has previously been tested in sheep.

The bionic spine works by using electrodes that detect signals from the motor cortex and transmit them to a small device implanted in the patients shoulder. Those signals are then converted into commands, The Guardian reported, and fed to the bionic limbs with Bluetooth, thus commanding them to move.

Inputting the device involves making a tiny cut in the patients neck then feeding a catheter with bionic spine through the blood vessels that connect to the brain. That catheter extends to the top of the motor cortex, which plays a crucial role in generating nerve impulses that signal muscle movement. Surgeons remove the catheter but leave the bionic spine in place.

This is a procedure that Royal Melbourne staff do commonly to remove blood clots, co-principal investigator Dr. Nicholas Opie, a biomedical engineer at University of Melbourne, told The Guardian. Opie added that the surgery would take only a couple of hours.

Investigators will conduct the study on patients with lower-limb paralysis first because they stand to benefit the most from the device, Opie said.

Before the device is implemented, we will get patients to do tasks where you can see areas light up in their brain. We might train them to move computer cursor so well get a couple of different regions that become active, he told The Guardian.

According to The Guardian, the bionic spine may also help patients with conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, Parkinsons disease, and epilepsy, as the device would be planted in the same area of the brain that these conditions impact.
Noreen has done it again. After 7 chemos, and 3 hormone therapies, and 15 years, Noreen experienced a painful, lengthy setback.

For the last 4 months she has been in and out of the hospital, fighting one setback after another, accompanied by excruciating pain in her back, ribs and gallbladder; and ending with a fall when trying to walk, (without waking me to assist her) to the bathroom. She fractured her tailbone and had pain coming from everywhere.

A wonderful pain management specialist, Dr. Christine Lee has entered Noreen's life, and her pain has become manageable.

Spine doctor Dr. Sang Kim determined Noreen's tailbone fracture was not caused by her cancer. She was prescribed progesterone, and after 10 radiation treatments to her back, something started to work. She underwent a blood transfusion and painful Neupogen injections (which stimulate white blood cell growth), and suddenly her markers went down.

Miraculously, Noreen has bounced back.

Pain will remain a part of her life (but will be managed well). I got rid of the wheelchair, and bought her a neat walker -- and she is rounding-into her old self. This is proven by the fact that last night she cleaned the kitchen while I slept. And when Noreen cleans, look out!

Tonight I am taking this wonderful woman out to dinner. Wow!

I love this courageous wife of mine.

Woody


The name of Jesus is not welcome in the Johnson Space Center newsletter, according to a complaint filed on behalf of a group of Christians who work for NASA.

The JSC Praise & Worship Club was directed by NASA attorneys to refrain from using the name Jesus in club announcements that appeared in a Space Center newsletter.

Click here to join Todds American Dispatch  a must-read for Conservatives!

It was shocking to all of us and very frustrating, NASA engineer Sophia Smith told me. NASA has a long history of respecting religious speech. Why wouldnt they allow us to put the name Jesus in the announcement about our club?

Liberty Institute, one of the nations largest religious liberty law firms, threatened to file a federal lawsuit unless NASA apologizes and stops censoring the name Jesus.

The JSC Today newsletter is distributed electronically and includes a number of Space Center events  from salsa dancing lessons to soccer camp.

NASA issued a statement late Monday  that did not refute Liberty Institutes charge.

NASA does not prohibit the use of any specific religious names in employee newsletters or other internal communications. The agency allows a host of employee-led civic, professional, religious and other organizations to meet on NASA property on employees own time. Consistent with federal law, NASA attempts to balance employees rights to freely exercise religious beliefs with its obligation to ensure there is no government endorsement of religion. We believe in and encourage open and diverse dialogue among our employees and across the agency.

Since 2001, employees had gathered during their lunch hour to pray and sing and read the Bible. There had been no censorship issues until last year.

Liberty Institute attorney Jeremy Dys told me the club had placed an announcement in the Space Centers newsletter  announcing the theme of their meeting, Jesus is our life.

Following is the complete posting that appeared in the May 28, 2015 edition of JSC Today:

Join with the praise and worship band Allied with the Lord for a refreshing set of spring praise and worship songs on Thursday, June 4, from 11:15 a.m. to noon in Building 57, Room 106. (The theme for this session will be Jesus is our life!) Prayer partners will be available for anyone who has need. All JSC civil servants and contractors are welcome.

Soon after that, the legal department called the organizers and told them they could not use the name Jesus in their announcements, Dys told me. They said, no Jesus.

Click here to get the Todd Starnes Podcast  indepth interviews with conservative newsmakers!

The clubs leadership was told that NASA would be censoring all future club announcements that featured the name, Jesus, Liberty Institute alleged in its complaint letter.

NASAs legal department explained that including the name Jesus within the clubs announcement made that announcement sectarian or denominational.

They also alleged such announcements would cause NASA to violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Dys said the club organizers offered to provide a disclaimer, notifying readers that the announcement was private speech and was not endorsed by NASA or any other government agency. However, that offer was rejected as insufficient.

The club members knew right away that NASA was censoring them and they were not comfortable with that, Dys told me.

And so began a long process to resolve the matter.

The bottom line is that NASA should not be censoring this club just because they use the name Jesus in an employee advertisement, Dys told me. That is blatant religious discrimination.

And NASAs behavior is quite frankly baffling.

On Christmas Eve, 1968  the crew of Apollo 8 read the Creation story as they orbited the moon. Astronauts Jim Lovell, Frank Borman and Bill Anders took turns reading from the Book of Genesis.

NASA defended the astronauts after atheist Madalyn Murray OHair filed a federal lawsuit. The Supreme Court dismissed the suit due to lack of jurisdiction.

And astronaut Buzz Aldrin received communion on the lunar surface during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission.

NASA should continue its tradition of protecting the great religious expression of its employees, Dys told me.

Im not quite sure why NASA is getting all worked up over a group of scientists and engineers who want to worship Jesus.

If they can worship the Almighty in Outer Space, they ought to be able to worship Him back on Earth.

After all, He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth.
Political prognostication is an uncertain art, never more so than in the New Hampshire primaries of 2016. On the eve of the elections, equipped as I am with all the most scientific polling and profoundest opinions of the professional pundits, I still wouldnt place a bet on the electoral outcome of the race.

On other hand, Id be willing to put a few dollars on the proposition that, when the history of the 2016 presidential race is written, the past week in New Hampshire will go down as the place where the Clinton campaign lost its way.

Bernie Sanders didnt do her in. She did it herself, with two unforced errors.

The first error was her transparently false attempt to recast herself as a bank-busting progressive. This gave rise to a very public airing of a very inconvenient fact: After leaving the State Department, Hillary got rich selling her services to the highest bidder.

Not all of the $21 million Hillary got for speechmaking and private audiences came from Wall Street companies. But almost two million did. What did Hillary do for the money? Why was she worth a quarter of a million dollars an hour? Did the bankers pay her for leadership bromides (there is no I in team!) or valuable insights? Come on. She could have serenaded them with the original score of Cats for all they cared. That money was Wall Street venture capital, an investment in access and influence in a Hillary Clinton presidency.

Progressives know this of course, and they despise her for believing they are stupid enough to fall for her act. Thats why they holler liar when her face shows up on TV. Some will vote for her on in November, if she gets there, but they wont turn out in the Obama-like numbers required for victory.

Hillarys second mistake in New Hampshire was boasting that she gets things done (in contrast to Bernie, a mere dreamer). This invites the public to focus on her record and opens a door that leads to an empty trophy room.

After graduating from Yale Law School, Hillary flunked the Washington, D.C. bar exam. Her legal career in Arkansas tracked the rise of her husband in state politics. She became an associate at the Rose law firm after Bill was elected attorney general; and a partner when he became governor.

As first lady, Bill Clinton entrusted her with his health care policy. Her team produced an unworkable plan that went nowhere. She spent the rest of her White House years travelling the globe as a good will ambassador, wrote books about children and her cat, and directed the (unsuccessful) defense of her husband against charges of sexual harassment.

In the Senate, Hillary was hard working but undistinguished.

Her main accomplishment was getting federal aid for New York after 9/11 not exactly a heavy lift. She is mostly remembered (negatively by progressives) for voting in favor of the Iraq War, a decision she now calls a mistake.

In 2008, Hillary went into her first presidential race as a very well financed front runner. She mismanaged the campaign and lost to a little known first-term senator.

As Barack Obamas Secretary of State, Hillary presided over a series of diplomatic blunders. She declared a Russian reset that never happened. She was a cheerleader for the disastrous Arab Spring and the Muslim Brotherhood government that took power in Egypt. She was a key architect of the lead from behind invasion of Libya that ended in chaos.

What did Hillary really do as secretary of state? She logged a lot of miles. She says she was in the room for the decision to kill Usama bin Laden although it wasnt her call. And lately she has been saying that she set the table for the Iran nuclear deal. If true, this would be a dubious achievement. And, if she is taking credit for things that happened after she left State, there is the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of ISIS to account for.

Before New Hampshire there were plenty of people, not all of them Democrats, who accepted Hillarys experienced and competent image without thinking much about it. But this week she decided to stake her claim to the White House on her ability to get things done. That invites a skeptical second look. Coupled with her unconvincing progressive remake, this could leave her without a political identity or a credible electoral selling point.
As frontrunners in the Republican presidential primary campaign, Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, and Marco Rubio will have the opportunity to explain how they will reignite the economy and protect our security while remaining true to constitutional principles. One area where they should agree is on blocking the growth of the federal government, designed by the Founders to exercise only limited, enumerated powers.

It will not be simple to reverse the century-long evolution toward the large and unaccountable form of government that we call the administrative state. President Woodrow Wilson established its broad outlines to introduce more expertise and expel politics from lawmaking.

To Wilson, the lack of political accountability in agencies was a positive feature of the administrative state, not a fault. Today we are left with an ever-growing sprawl of federal agencies, often with unclear and overlapping purposes, and increasingly a law unto themselves.

According to the federal government itself, Washington, D.C. does not even have an authoritative list of all of its agencies. Nevertheless, they continue to put out thousands of new regulations a year, culminating in an administrative code that is 80,000 pages long with even more informal guidelines  far longer than the laws passed by Congress.

As it impoverished our liberties, presidents needed the help of the other branches of government to extend bureaucracys reach. The administrative state operates today with the assent of Congress and the passive acquiescence of the judiciary.

The administrative state violates the Constitution by transferring the power to legislate from Congress to agencies, which enact rules, enforce them, and then even adjudicate the cases that arise under them. The Constitution actually requires a separation of powers between the three branches, because our Founders rightly feared the consolidation of too much power in one person or entity.

As James Madison warned: The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

The Constitution grants no permission for the transfer of legislative power from Congress to another branch of government. While government agencies must have some discretion when carrying out Congresss laws, the Framers never intended the president to override Congresss choices with selective enforcement and unreasonable readings of statutes.

Sadly, the courts have stood by while the administrative state has grabbed more and more power. They read out of existence the non-delegation doctrine, which prohibits precisely the transfer of power from Congress to the agencies that has now become so routine. The courts compound their error by deferring to agency decisions, giving unaccountable bureaucrats wide latitude in their decision making.

Proof that agencies wield great and unaccountable power can be found in the Internal Revenue Service scandal, which targeted and then delayed applications for tax exempt status from hundreds of right-of-center groups hoping to become involved in the last election cycle.

Redefining and repeatedly delaying the employer mandate under ObamaCare, the Treasury Department exercised authority it did not possess. In settling non-adversarial lawsuits with friendly environmental groups, the Environmental Protection Agency expands its authority, with the imprimatur of the judiciary.

Our new book, "Libertys Nemesis," documents the wild growth of this welfare state and offers solutions. With 35 contributors who have worked at the highest levels of all branches of government, it covers an enormous amount of territory.

A determined president acting alone can only temporarily rein in the bureaucracy. He would have to surrender enormous policy-making power back to Congress, exercise great vigilance in policing subordinates, and resist the temptation to solve all of societys ills. And the gains might last only as long as his presidency.

A lasting solution requires the cooperation of all three government branches. Congress must stop giving up its lawmaking authority to the agencies, and must use its power of the purse to exercise effective oversight. The courts must be serious about blocking the delegation of legislative authority, and must be willing to scrutinize the legality and constitutionality of challenged agency actions. Presidents must faithfully execute the laws, rather than selectively enforce them to help political allies and punish opponents.

It has taken more than 200 years for the government to grow to its current size, and it will not be reined in without concerted effort.

The alternative is the further consolidation of power in the administrative state and the continued slide toward Madisons feared definition of tyranny.
During last week's Republican debate in Charleston, Senator Marco Rubio attacked Senator Ted Cruz for being in favor of "a VAT tax." Cruz responded that his flat tax plan of 16 percent has the full endorsement of "Reagan economist Arthur Laffer." He was referring to a joint statement by the two of us entitled: "The Cruz/Paul Flat Tax is the Best Tax." (Senators Cruz and Paul have endorsed similar tax reforms.)



Yes, we have long loved the flat tax and devoted our last book, "Return to Prosperity: How America Can Regain Its Economic Superpower Status" to explaining how an ideal flat tax with a broad base and the lowest possible tax base would work. The Cruz and Paul plans are roughly based on that work.



This isn't the only way to go, and we've also said we like a lot of the other candidate plans as well.

Ben Carson wants a low-rate flat tax too. Mike Huckabee is pushing a national sales tax to replace the income tax. Jeb Bush, John Kasich and Donald Trump want to cut tax rates, which now reach 40 percent, down to between 15 and 25 percent while eliminating unnecessary deductions and carve-outs.

Ironically, only Senator Rubio, the flat tax attacker, has a plan that adds tax credits and keeps income tax rates relatively high  though at 35 percent, his rate is still lower than in the current code.



One goal of nearly all these plans is to super-charge growth by dramatically lowering the business tax rate (now the highest in the world) and reducing the punitive double taxation of investment income.

This contrasts sharply with the two Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, who seem to be in a weekly bidding war to see who can raise tax rates the most.



So now to the charge that Cruz and Paul want a value added tax (VAT). A VAT is a tax that businesses pay on their receipts, minus their allowable expenses, including capital purchases and other input purchases.



VATs are regarded as bad taxes because, as Rubio points out, in Europe, they have helped finance flabby cradle-to-grave welfare states. But in Europe, the VAT has been an add-on tax to existing income and payroll taxes. Every conservative opposes that.



Under the Cruz and Paul plans, the payroll tax and the corporate income tax are eliminated.



The Cruz plan has other virtues that conservatives should think about as they decide which tax plan they like best.



First, the Cruz plan would give America the lowest tax rates since the income tax was devised 100 years ago. For this reason, his plan is estimated by the Tax Foundation to grow the economy by a gigantic $2 trillion extra GDP per year after 10 years.



Second, the Cruz plan eliminates almost all deductions and credits  which is how they get the rate so low. So the IRS could be dramatically shrunk in size. Don't forget, the fewer deductions, the fewer ways to cheat on your taxes, and the lower the tax rate, the lower the less cheating and the greater voluntary compliance.

Third, because the Cruz tax is a "consumption tax," it taxes imports at the 16 percent rate, but American products sold abroad are not taxed at all. This would level the global playing field for American manufacturers, tech firms, and drug companies and bring these jobs scampering back to the U.S. We wouldn't need Trump tariffs.



Finally, the tax would be much simpler that the current tax and the Cruz post card-sized return would replace the scores of forms many tax filers must fill out.



Yet, conservatives lead by Marco Rubio are charging that the flat tax that imposes a low tax rate on the broadest possible business tax base, which includes wages and salaries and benefits, is a European VAT and the rate will quickly rise from the teens to the twenties or even 30 percent.

Incidentally, that would STILL be lower than the Rubio tax rate.



Does anyone really believe that the two most relentless anti-big government crusaders against big government in the U.S. Senate, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, have a secret tax plan to expand the government? Most on the left despise the Cruz and Paul tax plans. Why would they if it was going to allow them to socialize the economy?



Most free market economists will agree that the right way to tax businesses is on their income minus their allowable expenses. This is the broadest base in exchange for the lowest rates. By the way, businesses would be able to write off immediately any capital purchases rather than dealing with 10-, 20- or 30-year depreciation schedules.



The complaint of some of our conservative friends is that the tax is TOO efficient and TOO pro-growth, and so it will raise too much money. Liberals will try to raise the tax rates to finance even more spending. That's right they undoubtedly will. But no matter what the tax system, liberals always want to raise tax rates. Bernie Sanders wants to raise the income tax to 90 percent. Any new pro-growth tax system is subject to the same criticism.

The way to prevent this is to require a three-fifths majority of both houses to raise tax rates once the flat tax is adopted.

Some also say that we should retain the FICA payroll tax as is and let businesses deduct their pay from the income tax. This is what Ben Carson's 14.9 percent plan would do. Because of the GATT trade rules, this would not allow our tax system to apply the tax to imports. Our exports would still be taxed here in the U.S. So this is not as effective a way to tax businesses, but if this is the hang up, we would gladly take the Carson plan in heart beat.



The sole reason we need taxes is to raise the requisite revenues to fund government. We believe, and Mr. Cruz does too, that the U.S. Government should collect taxes in the most efficient way possible so as to do the least damage to the economy.



We fail to see how cutting individual tax rates from 40 percent and business taxes from 35 percent to 16 percent or less isn't conservative or pro-growth. We fail to see how completely eliminating the corporate and death tax isn't pro-growth. We fail to see how allowing American companies to immediately expense all of their capital expenditures isn't pro-growth.



Mr. Rubio says that the flat tax will make America more like beaten down and socialistic Europe. We believe the flat tax is the most economically liberating tax system imaginable. The left will argue that it will raise too little money to cover our current expenses.

We think this plan will cause so much extra growth in the economy that even at a rate of 16 percent it will help balance the budget and reduce the debt.

If you're a conservative, what's not to like about that?


Bill Clinton has transformed from grandfatherly statesman to attack dog in a matter of days, aggressively going after Bernie Sanders on the campaign trail as the Vermont senator poses a rising threat to Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton's bid.

When youre making a revolution, you cant be too careful about the facts, Clinton said at a Milford, N.H., event Sunday, a swipe at Sanders call for political upheaval.

He followed up Monday at an event at Manchester Community College, accusing Sanders of demonizing anyone who disagrees with him.

We cant get in a place where were so mad that we demonize anyone who is against us, where we cant have an honest discussion about health care, where anyone who is on the other side is part of a mystical establishment, Clinton said.

The tone marks an abrupt change from how the former president has conducted himself on the stump so far. Until this past weekend, his remarks largely were limited to talking about his wifes biography, punctuated by tales of their dating life and how she has made everything she touches better.

But with New Hampshire's primary just days away and Sanders holding a strong lead, the former president's role has changed.

At Sundays event, Clinton painted Sanders as a foolhardy candidate whose proposals arent paid for and whose supporters include misogynists.

People who have gone online to defend Hillary and explain why they supported her, have been subject to attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat, Clinton said.

Sanders has since disavowed such attacks against Clinton, saying it's disgusting.

On health care, Clinton accused Sanders of not having a plan that was properly accounted for.

The New Hampshire I campaigned in really cared that you knew what you were doing, and how it was paid for, Clinton said.

For 20 years, Hillarys opponent had a different plan, which he called single payer but its really 51 payer as states have to pay 14 percent of it, Clinton said, before accusing Sanders of dropping the plan within 48 hours after he was questioned about it.

Is [that] good for America? I dont think so. Clinton said.

Bills barbs have allowed the former secretary of state to take a softer stance against Sanders, telling supporters in Manchester that Senator Sanders and I share a lot of the same goals, before saying the difference between the two is the ability to get things done.

I havent just talked, I havent just given speeches, Ive passed legislation, she said.

The former presidents latest barbs have echoes of 2008, when Clinton acted as attack dog against then-Sen. Barack Obama. Criticizing Obamas claims on his Iraq war stance, Clinton called it the biggest fairy tale -- a put-down that was interpreted as a broad-brush slam on Obamas quest to become the countrys first black president.

Later in South Carolina, Clinton got the name hatchet man for his attacks on Obama.
Federal officials are investigating an apparent breach of FBI and Department of Homeland Security employee information off a U.S. government system.

The hack  reportedly involving names, job titles and contact information for over 20,000 apparent FBI employees and over 9,000 apparent DHS employees  was first reported by Vices Motherboard. The report said the hacker plans to release the information.

A law enforcement source confirmed to Fox News that federal authorities are now looking into the matter  but it may only involve open-source material. The source described the stolen information as data that could be obtained by filing a Freedom of Information Act request.

We take these reports very seriously, however there is no indication at this time that there is any breach of sensitive or personally identifiable information, DHS said in a statement.

A Justice Department spokesman also said in a statement that this unauthorized access is under investigation but there is no indication at this time that there is any breach of sensitive personally identifiable information.

The incident comes after a hacking group said last week that it had accessed a trove of NASA data. But in that case as well, NASA said it had no evidence to indicate the information was anything other than already publicly available data.

Fox News Matthew Dean contributed to this report.
Hillary Clinton is in a box that she cant seem to get out of.

She wants to come off as being as progressive as Bernie Sanders, but with more realistic goals. She wants to tap the liberal enthusiasm that has more than eight in 10 younger voters flocking to her older opponent, but keeps reminding everyone that idealism only goes so far and shes the adult in the room. She rebels at the idea that shes part of the establishment, but runs an ad showing pictures of herself on the public stage going back decades.

And then theres the $675,000 from Goldman Sachs. Clinton keeps insisting that shes tough on Wall Street and that she cant be bought, but cant say what is obvious, that she took a chance to make some easy money.

The result is a message thats as muddled as the Iowa caucus results. Which, by the way, Clinton deserves credit for winning, but edging Sanders by three-tenths of a percentage point isnt exactly a thrill. And shes pretty openly running to lose less badly here in New Hampshire, hoping that the press will credit her with a respectful finish.

Bill Clinton's full-throated attack yesterday on Sanders' proposals, and on his supporters as sexist and misogynist, can only be read as a sign of desperation. His wife is even losing women to Sanders here in New Hampshire by 8 points, according to a CNN/WMUR poll.

Clinton brought passion to the MSNBC debate, but she might have gone at Sanders a bit too hard, accusing him of artful smears, among other things. He was disciplined and didnt take the bait, though he is noticeably uncomfortable discussing foreign policy.

And everywhere Hillary goes, the email scandal follows her like a dark cloudeven as she assured Chuck Todd that shes 100 percent confident it wont cause her candidacy to implode.

Perhaps her worst moment at the New Hampshire debate was when she was fending off Sanders accusation of being an establishment figureby clumsily saying that was impossible because shed be the first female president. It was an inopportune time to play the gender card. Clinton is a former first lady, former senator and former member of President Obamas Cabinet. Of course shes part of the establishment. (Sanders shot back by saying anyone with a Super PAC that collects $15 million from Wall Street fits that definition.)

Clinton is steeped in the issues, but in an echo of 2008, she has trouble connecting on an emotional level. Sanders, by contrast, can just rail about the millionaires and billionaires. Clinton offers nuanced policies that would move beyond Obamas record without venturing into the far reaches of Bernie land.

And nuance isnt selling well this year.

Bernie is talking about a political revolution. Hillary is talking about an evolution. Which ignites the grass roots more?

As the Washington Post noted, when Chuck Todd asked Clinton which of her proposals would be Job One, she gave a 293-word answer: Im for a lot of things. If

Im so fortunate to get the nomination, I will begin to work immediately on putting together an agenda, beginning to talk with members of Congress and others about how we can push forward.

In newspaper terms, shes all B-matter, no headline.

Hillary Clinton is still the presumptive Democratic nominee. But Bernie Sanders is tugging her to the left in a way that wont be helpful in a general election.
If you want unconditional love in New Hampshire, dont buy a dog. Become an undeclared voter.

Every four years, New Hampshire voters with no party affiliation become the most coddled and courted individuals on the political planet. The campaigns lavish them with literature and invitations to candidate events, and pepper them with incessant phone calls and canvassers knocking on their doors.

This year is no different -- the outreach has become so overwhelming that some voters have to unplug.

I've stopped answering the phone, one such undeclared voter, Barbara OBrien, told Fox News. And theyre out there canvassing my neighborhood, too.

Phone calls, at least five or six every night, Glenn McFarlane, another undeclared, told Fox News. I feel sorry for my postman because he's getting all the mailers coming in too. Yes it's a lot. Inundated.

The reason undeclared voters are such a popular group is because of New Hampshires primary rules. Registered Republicans and Democrats can only vote in their respective primaries. They cant cross over. But undeclared voters can walk into a polling place, register with either party, vote -- then on the way out, change their affiliation back to undeclared.

They are also the largest voting bloc, comprising some 44 percent of the New Hampshire electorate. Polls suggest they will break almost evenly between Democrats and Republicans. But as many as 23 percent say they dont know which party theyll vote for this year.

Ben Spangenberg is a member of that last group.

It's still a big toss-up for me right now, Spangenberg told Fox News. It could go Hillary Clinton, it could go Bernie, it could go Rubio, it could go Kasich, it could go Bush.

Spangenberg, who is disabled, says hell make up his mind based on which candidate he feels will best address the issues he deals with because of his physical condition.

Many other undeclared voters who spoke with Fox News have their mind set on which party to vote for, but like Spangenberg, they are still waffling back and forth between different candidates.

Still deciding, Susan Lunn told Fox News, but probably primarily interested in Marco Rubio and one or two of the governors.

Her husband Bob is also undecided. Hes a fan of Marco Rubio  and a few others.

I like [Rubios] demeanor and what he stands for, but I do like the governors, mainly because of the fact they have managed. They're executives, Lunn told Fox News.

Recent polls suggest undeclared voters favor Donald Trump the most. He gets 34 percent support in the latest University of Massachusetts tracking poll. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is next at 16 percent. While Trump more than doubles Kasichs support, Kasich enjoys the highest favorability ratings among undeclared voters.

I do like the fact that [Kasich] likes to budget, create a budget and have a balanced budget and I think he's not so right wing that he wants to work with Democrats as well, Chris DiGeronimo told Fox News.

Kasich insists he is a conservative, but his more moderate views on many issues are attractive to undeclareds who have voted Democratic in the past. People like Dan Dufour.

It's more that he appeals to the moderates, Dufour told Fox News. He's a fiscal conservative, a very conservative candidate but he's appealing to the people out there who are reasonable and want government moving forward.

Undeclared voters take their outsized role in New Hampshire politics very seriously. They come out to see and listen to the candidates -- in some cases, several times. And every one of them whom Fox News spoke with had watched the debate on Saturday to help form their decision.

Greg Stengel told Fox News that Florida Sen. Rubios stumble made an impact. I was really thinking Marco before the debate last night but that might have changed a little bit, Stengel told Fox News.

For Susan and Bob Lunn, it had the opposite effect. They didnt like the way New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ripped Rubio apart.

It sort of tilted us in a different direction, Susan Lunn told Fox News. Away from Christie at this point.

Bob Lunn feels the same way. Maybe leaning towards a governor, he told Fox News, but it would not be Christie. Too brash. I don't like his demeanor.

For many undeclared voters, who tend to eschew blood and guts politics, it may be the case that while the hangman gets the job done, hes not necessarily the most popular person in town.

But for Chris DiGeronimo, Christies visceral attack against Rubio was impressive.

Christie really shows well and he calls out the weaknesses of the other candidates and he speaks his mind, DiGeronimo told Fox News. I think he tries to do the right thing and that's important to me.

That said, DiGeronimo says he will probably vote for Kasich. Or  maybe someone else. Hes not sure yet.

I'm still open to options, he told Fox News.

Remarkably, many of these voters say theyll remain undecided right up until the moment they punch the ballot on Tuesday. Glenn McFarlane says he still has a lot to consider between now and then.

Just thinking it over, thinking it over, he told Fox News. Who's going to be the best to be commander-in-chief, who is going to be the best to lead us later on, you know the flash-in-the-pan politicians, we don't need them.
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PRESENTING YOUR NEW HAMPSHIRE FIELD GUIDE

GOFFSTOWN, N.H. -- Why does a sliver of a state on the coast of New England have so much say about who leads the United States of America? Ask anybody here and theyll tell you: because theyre darned good at it.

Since 1952, New Hampshire has selected the eventual nominee of the Republican Party 14 out of 17 times. Democrats do a little worse, but have still only missed the mark six times in 66 years.

In part, thats because of the influence of being the first-in-the-nation primary but it is also a function of being good judges of horseflesh. The simplest explanation for New Hampshire voters acumen is that they take this very seriously. It really matters to them.

So since Granite Staters know so much about who is likely to be your next president, perhaps you should get to know them a little bit better and how theyre likely to vote.

With famously flakey New Hampshire pre-election polls made flakier by tumultuous races for both parties, the only way to know how the Granite State will go is to break it into five pieces.

[New Hampshire Union Leader Executive Editor Trent Spiner tells Chris Stirewalt that this is the largest amount of undecided voters hes ever seen this close to the primary. Which way will they break? WATCH HERE.]

NORTH COUNTRY

In the beautiful but remote northern region of the state, life can be pretty hard. The major industries in the counties are tourism in the White Mountains and forestry. The paper industry once provided thousands of jobs and stable incomes but left long ago.

This should be the best part of the state for both parties frontrunners. The voters here, especially in Coos County (pronounced CO-as) match the demographic profile of both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders supporters. Sanders especially should thrive just across the border from his home state of Vermont.

Grafton County may be somewhat of an exception, as it has a slightly higher population and higher median incomes because of Dartmouth College and Plymouth State University.

Coos County

 Population: 31,653

 Median household income: $41,985

 Adults with bachelors degrees: 17 percent

 2012 general election: Obama 58 percent

 Residents age 65 and older: 22 percent

 Home to the tallest mountain in the Northeast, Mt. Washington

2012 Republican Primary result: Ron Paul, 30 percent; Mitt Romney, 28 percent; Jon Huntsman, 15 percent; Newt Gingrich, 13 percent; Rick Santorum, 11 percent

2008 Democratic Primary result: Hillary Clinton, 42 percent; Barack Obama, 29 percent; John Edwards, 22 percent

Grafton County

 Population: 89,658

 Median household income: $54,912

 Adults with bachelors degrees 38 percent

 2012 general election: Obama 61 percent

 Residents age 65 or older: 18 percent

 Home of Dartmouth College

2012 Republican Primary result: Mitt Romney, 30 percent; Ron Paul 25 percent; Jon Huntsman, 22 percent; Newt Gingrich, 11 percent; Rick Santorum, 9 percent

2008 Democratic Primary result: Barack Obama, 45 percent; Hillary Clinton 32 percent; John Edwards, 16 percent

Carroll County

 Population: 47,339

 Median household income: $50,866

 Adults with bachelors degrees:

 2012 general election results

 Residents 65 or older

 In 2008, then-Sen. Barack Obama was the first Democratic presidential nominee to win this county since 1912, and the first to win an absolute majority since 1888.

2012 Republican Primary result: Mitt Romney 41 percent; Ron Paul 23 percent; Jon Huntsman 16 percent; Newt Gingrich 11 percent.

2008 Democratic Primary result: Barack Obama 40 percent; Hillary Clinton 34 percent; John Edwards 17 percent.

CAPITAL CORRIDOR

A Democratic stronghold in general elections, the region around the state capital of Concord also happens to be the best bellwether for Republican primaries.

Concord and its surrounding regions will be a powerhouse for Bernie Sanders, especially closer to the Vermont state line, and in liberal enclaves will turn up the Bern.

While there are not a lot of Republicans in this region, watch the returns in these counties closely, especially Belknap County north of Concord. Belknap is one of the most reliably Republican parts of the Granite State.

The county, which includes parts of Lake Winnipesauke and other scenic spots, has picked the overall winner on the GOP side in every race since 2000, sometimes almost to the percentage point.

Belknap County

 Population: 60,305

 Median household income: $58,654

 Adults with bachelors degree: 28 percent

 2012 general election: Romney 52 percent

 Residents age 65 or older: 20 percent

 The town of Wolfeboro has been a summer resort for centuries.

2012 Republican Primary result: Mitt Romney, 40 percent; Ron Paul, 24 percent; Jon Huntsman, 15 percent; Rick Santorum, 10 percent; Newt Gingrich, 10 percent

2008 Democratic Primary result: Hillary Clinton, 37 percent; Barack Obama, 37 percent; John Edwards, 19 percent

Merrimack County

 Population: 147,171

 Median household income: $65,353

 Adults with bachelors degree: 33 percent

 2012 general election results: Obama 56 percent

 Residents age 65 or older: 16 percent

 The state capital, Concord, resides here

2012 Republican Primary result: Mitt Romney, 33 percent; Ron Paul, 24 percent; Jon Huntsman, 21 percent; Rick Santorum, 10 percent; Newt Gingrich, 10 percent

2008 Democratic Primary result: Barack Obama 38 percent; Hillary Clinton, 36 percent; John Edwards, 17 percent

Sullivan County

 Population: 43,103

 Median household income: $54,463

 Adults with bachelors degrees: 26 percent

 2012 General Election: Obama 56 percent

 Residents age 65 and older: 19 percent

 Site of the battle that triggered the French and Indian war

2012 Republican Primary results: Mitt Romney, 29 percent; Ron Paul, 24 percent; Jon Huntsman, 15 percent; Newt Gingrich, 11 percent; Rick Santorum, 11 percent

2008 Democratic Primary results: Barack Obama, 39 percent; Hillary Clinton, 36 percent; John Edwards, 17 percent

BOSTON BURBS/SEACOAST

The ever expanding footprint of Boston to the south has changed Southern New Hampshire from an industrial region into bedroom communities for the big city. While the new arrivals made the state more Democratic overall they also brought with them a strong aversion to the high taxes that led them to flee the Bay State.

This should be Hillary Clintons breadbasket based on polls and Iowa caucus results that show her doing better with big city and more affluent voters. To cut into Sanders lead she will need to perform well in these more densely populated areas.

Its hard to say which Republican will do best here. But we can know that this should be the weakest part of the state for frontrunner Donald Trump. This is Mitt Romney country, especially heading out towards the seacoast. The knife fight among traditional GOP candidates for voters in these counties has been intense. If anyone can pull away here is likely to run at least a strong second in the state.

Strafford County

 Population: 125,604

 Median household income: $58,825

 Adults with bachelors degree: 32 percent

 2012 general election results: Obama 56 percent

 Residents age 65 or older: 14 percent

 Home to University of New Hampshire

2012 Republican Primary results: Mitt Romney, 35 percent; Ron Paul, 25 percent; Jon Huntsman, 16 percent; Rick Santorum, 12 percent; Newt Gingrich, 9 percent

2008 Democratic Primary result: Hillary Clinton, 40 percent; Barack Obama, 34 percent; John Edwards, 18 percent

Cheshire County

 Population: 76,115

 Median household income: $55,155

 Adults with bachelors degree: 30 percent

 2012 general election results: Obama 61 percent

 Residents age 65 or older: 17 percent

 Keene, N.H. is located here and hosted the great pumpkin competition for over 20 yearsbefore an evening of debauchery forced the town to end it.

2012 Republican Primary results: Mitt Romney, 31 percent; Ron Paul, 26 percent; Jon Huntsman, 21 percent; Rick Santorum, 12 percent; Newt Gingrich 8 percent.

2008 Democratic Primary result: Barack Obama, 39 percent; Hillary Clinton, 34 percent; John Edwards, 17 percent

Rockingham County

 Population: 300,621

 Median household income: $77,384

 Adults with bachelors degree: 37 percent

 2012 general election results: Romney 52 percent

 Residents age 65 or older: 15 percent

 Named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, a two-time Prime Minister of Great Britain

2012 Republican Primary results: Mitt Romney, 46 percent; Ron Paul, 20 percent; Jon Huntsman, 15 percent; Newt Gingrich, 9 percent; Rick Santorum, 8 percent

2008 Democratic Primary result: Hillary Clinton, 42 percent; Barack Obama, 35 percent; John Edwards, 17 percent

MANCH-VEGAS

While Manchester and Nashua, the two biggest cities in Hillsborough County and the state, are part of the Boston bubble, they have a character of their own. This is the single largest pool of votes of any county, and the absolute key to victory for both parties. If you get blown out here you are not coming back.

Theres little question that this should be favorable terrirtory for Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side. It is the only major urban area of the state, and the only part of the state with a significant concentration of non-white voters. Bernie Sanders will do just fine, but this is the key to Hillary Clintons effort to cut into his New Hampshire advantage.

The big question is how Donald Trump will fair. This was one of best parts of the state for Ron Paul in 2012 and there is reason to believe those voters will swing to Trump. But this has been traditionally a stronghold for candidates on the Republican side who do well with more affluent and better educated voters.

In order to dominate the state in the way polls have suggested, Trump will need to turn out his coalition of lower-income Republicans and Democratic-leaning independents. This is where Trumps candidacy will meet its existential question: can he get out the vote among traditionally unlikely voters?

Hillsborough County

 Population: 405,184

 Median household income: $69,829

 Adults with bachelors degree: 35 percent

 2012 general election results: Obama 50 percent

 Residents age 65 or older: 14 percent

 Nashua is home to homegrown Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

2012 Republican Primary result: Mitt Romney, 41 percent; Ron Paul, 23 percent; Jon Huntsman, 16 percent; Newt Gingrich, 9 percent; Rick Santorum, 9 percent

2008 Democratic Primary result: Hillary Clinton, 42 percent; Barack Obama, 35 percent; John Edwards, 16 percent

Got a TIP from the RIGHT or the LEFT? FoxNewsFirst@FOXNEWS.COM

POLL CHECK

Real Clear Politics Averages

National GOP nomination: Trump 29.5 percent; Cruz 21.0 percent; Rubio 17.8 percent; Carson 7.8 percent

New Hampshire GOP Primary: Trump 31.6 percent; Rubio 14.6 percent; Cruz 13 percent; Kasich 12.4 percent; Bush 9.8 percent

National Dem nomination: Clinton 49.3 percent; Sanders 36 percent

New Hampshire Dem Primary: Sanders 53.3; Clinton 40.5 percent

General Election Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +4 points

Generic Congressional Vote: Republicans +0.5

General Election Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +2.7 points

Generic Congressional Vote: Republicans +0.5

ANOTHER FIRST IN THE NATION

New Hampshire is a state of book lovers, especially as the home to what claims to be Americas first free public library. WaPos Niraj Chokshi describes: Maybe theres a reason J.D. Salinger lived out his final years there and Robert Frost chose it as the subject of his first Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry collection. If a love of the written word can be quantified, nowhere is it stronger than in independent-minded New Hampshire. There is no other state that claims more librarians or library visits per capita, according to the latest Public Libraries Survey, conducted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Perhaps the reason is rooted in history: New Hampshire claims to be home not only to the worlds first free, tax-supported public library (the Peterborough Town Library, founded in 1833) but also the nations oldest state library (founded in 1717). Or maybe its love of reading is rooted in law: There is a statute that says that we cherish learning and that public libraries are a part of that, says State Librarian Michael York.

Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Sunday touted his debate performance, amid criticism about scripted responses and him needing to repeat his opposition to President Obama to defend a sustained attack by GOP presidential rival Chris Christie.

Christie, the governor of New Jersey, argued during the Saturday night debate that Rubio would be like Obama if elected -- a freshman senator leading the country with essentially no experience running a government.

Rubio said several times during the attack that Obama indeed knows exactly what he's doing," which is trying to make the country like the rest of the world.

On Sunday, Rubio defended his response.

I would pay them to keep running that clip because that's what I believe passionately, he said on ABC's "This Week." It's one of the reasons why I'm not running for re-election to the Senate and I'm running for president."

In the debate exchange, Rubio also said that Christie could barely pull himself off the campaign trail to return to New Jersey to deal with last months blizzard.

They had to shame you into going back, Rubio said. You stayed there for 36 hours. And then he left and came back to campaign. Those are the facts.

Christie, a former federal prosecutor, accused Rubio of distorting the facts about his governorship, including some about the states financial problems.

That's what Washington, D.C., does -- the drive-by shot at the beginning with incorrect and incomplete information and then the memorized 25-second speech. That is exactly what his advisers gave him, said Christie, who repeated a version of that response several times as Rubio continued.

Rubio is now in the top tier of GOP White House candidates with billionaire businessman Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

His recent rise has resulted in efforts by those in the GOP field, including Christie, to slow his momentum. As a Republican governor leading a Democratic-leaning state, Christie hopes to appeal to independent-minded New Hampshire voters in the state primary Tuesday to keep his campaign alive. He accused Rubio of scripted responses in the days leading up to the debate, too.

Rubio also argued Sunday, as proof his debate remarks resonated with supporters, that his campaign raised more money in the first hour of the debate than in any other debate.

As far as that message, I hope they keep running it. And I'm going to keep saying because it's true," he said. "Barack Obama  said he wanted to change the country. He's doing it in a way that is robbing us of everything that is special.
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and his campaign are asking zealous supporters known as BernieBros to stop the lewd, online criticism of journalists, Hillary Clinton backers and others critical of his political views.

If you support @berniesanders, please follow the senator's lead and be respectful when people disagree with you, Sanders' rapid response director Mike Casca said on Twitter, in an apparent effort to stop such online rhetoric.

The online attacks by Sanders supporters have included crude and sexually charged language. The candidate himself made clear Sunday that he disapproves of the BernieBros attacks and wants them to end.

It's disgusting, Sanders told CNN. We don't want that crap."

The Clinton campaign has confronted the Sanders campaign over the rhetoric. Former President Bill Clinton said Sunday at a New Hampshire campaign event that online supporters have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat.

His remarks suggested, as others have recently, that the so-called BernieBros attacks target women.



Anyone who engages in social media in support of Hillary Clinton has encountered this element, Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said Thursday at a Bloomberg Politics event. It can be nasty. It can be vitriolic. And I think the Sanders campaign needs to beware the extent to which  they let the mentality or the crudeness seep into the words and criticisms that they hurl at Hillary Clinton.

Fallon spoke after Clinton narrowly defeated the 73-year-old Sanders in the Iowa caucuses, despite him winning roughly 70 percent of the under-30 vote.

Sanders, a Vermont senator, argues he has never run a negative campaign in his roughly 33 years in office and wont against the front-running Clinton.

"Look, anybody who is supporting me that is doing the sexist things is -- we don't want them," Sanders told CNN. "I don't want them. That is not what this campaign is about.
There's a new conspiracy theory out there, but instead of invoking big government or aliens, it questions whether there's a laptop carved into an ancient Greek statue.

That's right  there's a theory out there saying that a funerary statue of a woman, dated to about 100 B.C., shows her looking at a modern laptop or a handheld digital device. The theory, proposed by the anonymous YouTube user StillSpeakingOut, ventures that the ancient Oracle of Delphi may have foreseen the invention of laptops, and told people about it.

"Just so we are clear, I'm not saying that this relief was depicting an ancient laptop computer," StillSpeakingOut said in the 100-second-long video. [Supernatural Powers? Tales of 10 Historical Predictions]

But "Greek tales about the Oracle of Delphi, which was supposed to allow the priests to quote-unquote connect with the gods and retrieve advanced information of various aspects," made him wonder whether the statue represented a prediction, StillSpeakingOut said.

In fact, the object depicted on the statue does look something like a laptop, said Jeffrey Spier, the senior curator of antiquities at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibu, California, which owns the statue.

But, of course, it's not, Spier said.

Instead, the object may be a jewelry box, a shallow chest or possibly a hinged mirror, as "we have hinged mirrors from this time period," Spier said. Perhaps it's a box containing incense, although there's no incense burner in the scene, so that may be a stretch, he added.

Another historian debunked StillSpeakingOut's idea that the so-called laptop has USB ports in its side.

"The 'USB ports' are drill holes for the attachment of a bronze object, or perhaps a separate piece of marble," said Jeff Hurwit, a professor of art history and classics at the University of Oregon.

Grave artwork

The statue, officially called "Grave Naiskos of an Enthroned Woman with an Attendant," depicts a well-dressed woman lounging on a cushioned armchair and reaching out "to touch the lid of a shallow chest held by a servant girl," according to the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Funerary reliefs, fashioned out of marble like this one, were common in ancient Greece, going in and out of style over the years, Spier told Live Science. Such reliefs start occurring in the archaeological record in the sixth century B.C. and continue until about the first century B.C.

These funerary statues would have sat above graves of the deceased, and are called naiskos, which are small temples dedicated to the deceased, Spier said. This one would have likely had a triangular top, and probably had the departed woman's name painted on top, he said.

"We have a number [of naiskos] in the museum," Spier said. "They show young girls with their toys or with pets. They are very nostalgic and sympathetic."

However, guests won't see the "enthroned woman" naiskos anytime soon at the Getty. The museum lent the statue to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where it will go on display April 18 for an exhibit called, "Pergamon and the Hellenistic Kingdoms of the Ancient World."

Guests visiting the Met can decide for themselves whether they think the statue shows a laptop, but the experts have already made up their minds.

"Seriously?" Hurwit said. "The 'laptop' is in fact a shallow box or lidded tray from which the woman is about to select a piece of jewelry, as is commonly shown in grave reliefs like this one."

However, this isn't the only conspiracy about modern technology showing up in yesteryear. In 2010, a similar flurry arose concerning a woman in a 1928 Charlie Chaplin film holding an object that looked like a cellphone. But that mystery object was likely an ear trumpet, used to help the woman hear, experts said.

Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Animal welfare officials in Scotland are seeking a new home for a giant rabbit.

The larger-than-life bunny, appropriately named Atlas, is a seven-month-old continental giant rabbit. Staff at the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Cardonald, Glasgow, took Atlas in when his owner could no longer take care of him.

Related: Cute zoo babies

In a statement released on Monday, Anna ODonnell, manager of the Cardonald SCPA Center explained that the dog-sized rabbit is about the size of a West Highland White Terrier. Atlas, she added, is still young with some growing to do.

Atlas, our larger than life rabbit, needs a new home! https://t.co/iTby6ABJOX pic.twitter.com/ROP4CujDmZ  SCOTTISH SPCA (@ScottishSPCA) February 8, 2016

He is a very friendly rabbit who loves attention and getting cuddles, she said. Atlas is also an inquisitive boy who makes everyone laugh with his mischievous character.

Related: America's only wild jaguar caught on video

Due to his breed and size, animal welfare officials are looking for a specific home for Atlas. A standard rabbit hutch wont do so his new owner will need plenty of space for him, ODonnell explained.

Although large, Atlas needs to do some growing before he catches up with Darius, who is said to be the worlds largest rabbit. Weighing in at 49 pounds and stretching out to 4 feet 4 inches, continental giant rabbit Darius celebrated his fifth birthday last year.
Not all weapons have a trigger, but that doesn't make them any less effective. No, I'm not talking about bombs, but rather about Google's new strategy to use its highly targeted advertising system in the battle against ISIS. Last week, Anthony House, the senior manager for public policy and communications at Google, revealed plans to show users anti-radicalization links in response to terrorism-related searches. The plan was outlined before a committee of the British parliament dedicated to counter-terrorism.

The program is still in its pilot stages, but House is hopeful that this new plan may provide a clever tool that protects the freedom of the Internet while protecting the livelihoods of the world's citizens. "We should get the bad stuff down, but it's also extremely important that people are able to find good information, that when people are feeling isolated, that when they go online, they find a community of hope, not a community of harm," said the Google manager.

The idea, the Internet giant says, is to provide a sort of alternative narrative to those looking for information about extremism. In a statement, a Google spokesperson further explained, "What was referenced is a pilot Google AdWords Grants program that's in the works right now with a handful of eligible non-profit organizations. The program enables NGOs to place counter-radicalization ads against search queries of their choosing."

Related: Google reveals Justin Bieber video is most complained about clip on YouTube

In addition to the counter-terrorism ads, Google is also ensuring that its subsidiary YouTube makes anti-extremism videos more discoverable, further aiding the overall efforts against ISIS and similar groups.

The move comes in the midst of an ongoing debate about the role and responsibility that social media groups should accept in responding to the proliferation of extremism. ISIS is known for leveraging sites like Twitter and Facebook for both recruitment and propaganda purposes, and a recent lawsuit against Twitter suggested that ISIS has only reached its current level of influence with the (albeit unintentional) help of social media platform.

And while Google ads may not be a comprehensive solution, it's certainly a step in the right direction when it comes to using tech to fight the bad guys.
An alleged wannabe terrorist who reportedly plotted a church shooting in support of ISIS is due in a Michigan court Monday on marijuana and gun charges.

Khalil Abu-Rayyan, 21, has yet to be charged with terrorism-related crimes, but hes been investigated for a terror connection since May. U.S. attorneys office spokeswoman Gina Balaya said Abu-Rayyan would have a court-appointed attorney at his Monday hearing. She said Abu-Rayyan has been under constant surveillance due to the possibility he could try to attack a church, police officers or others.

He was likely acting alone, authorities said.

In a criminal complaint, the FBI said Abu-Rayyan expressed support for ISIS "propaganda" postings on social media, including videos of its members beheading captives. It also said he made several incriminating statements to an undercover agent, including that he supported ISIS, had a "desire to commit a martyrdom operation," and that he wanted to behead someone.

According to the complaint, Abu-Rayyan told the undercover officer he planned to "shoot up" a Detroit church but that his father found the gun, bullets and mask he was going to use. He also said he bought a "cowboy gun," but he decided not to go through with the attack because it only held six bullets and he'd have to keep reloading it, it says.

Abu-Rayyan pleaded guilty last month to a pot possession charge, and he faces a Feb. 16 trial for a concealed weapon charge. Both stem from an October arrest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
At least 30 people were hurt, some of them seriously, after a bus headed to a casino rolled over on Interstate 95 in Connecticut during a blizzard Monday afternoon.

Ambulences were on the scene in Madison where the state Department of Transportation said the accident occurred around 12:30 p.m. The bus, owned by Dahlia Inc., and operated by VMC East Coast, left from New York City on its way to the Mohegan Sun, a casino spokesman said.

Dr. Andy Ulrich with Yale-New Haven hospital told FOX61 six incoming patients were in critical condition. A FOX61 reporter saw at least four people being removed from the bus on stretchers.

Mark D'Antonio, a Yale hospital spokesman, said they received eight patients, far fewer than the 30 they had originally been told to expect. One person suffered several broken bones and the others were less seriously injured with cuts and bruises, he said.

A Middlesex Hospital spokesperson said the Shoreline Medical Center received 16 patients.

As many as 70 people were on the bus, trooper Kelly Grant said. Crews took the passengers who weren't hurt to a nearby gym.

In a statement, VMC East Coast said it was saddened "that this has happened today" and thanked firefighters, paramedics and police.

The crash unfolded 13 years to the day after a Dahlia bus bound for Atlantic City crashed on New Jersey's Garden State Parkway. The 2003 crash killed two people and injured dozens more.

TV images from Monday's crash showed the bus on its side off the right shoulder of the highway. The northbound side of I-95 was closed between exits 61 and 62, according to WIAT.

"Our thoughts are with those who are injured, and we extend our gratitude to the first responders who are working to protect the safety of all those involved," Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement. "We urge all those who must travel to use added caution, allow extra time to travel, and reduce speeds as conditions warrant."



The accident occurred during a snowstorm that was expected to drop up to a foot of snow on parts of the state, but it was not immediately clear if the rough weather triggered the crash.

Click for more from FOX61.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Congrats to Jon Scott on the victory of his beloved Denver Broncos!

There were a few arrests overnight in Denver as fans celebrated in downtown Denver.

Did you see the debate Saturday night? What a crazy evening beginning with the super awkward introduction of the candidates. Doh!

Then there was the dismantling of Marco Rubio by Chris Christie. Rubio now being called a robot on the campaign trail by some critics.. Then there was Donald Trump fighting with the debate audience.. who booed him repeatedly.

New Hampshire voters head to the polls tomorrow for the first-in-the-nation primary, and the second major contest of the 2016 race for the White House.

The candidates are campaigning hard today.. theres a ton of live events for us to monitor:

1030EST -- Sen Cruz holds a town hall meeting. Turbocam, Barrington, NH. LIVE via LiveU

1130EST -- NJ Gov Christie holds a town hall meeting. Beantowne Coffee House & Cafe, Hampstead, NH. LIVE via LiveU

1200EST -- Fmr FL Gov Jeb Bush attends a rotary luncheon. Nashua Country Club, Nashua, NH. LIVE via LiveU

1215EST -- OH Gov Kasich appears on FBN's Cavuto Coast to Coast from Windham Town Hall, Windham, NH. LIVE

1225EST -- Sen Rubio makes a retail stop at Puritan Backroom Restaurant, Manchester, NH. LIVE via LiveU

1300EST -- OH Gov Kasich holds a town hall meeting. Searles School and Chapel, Windham, NH. LIVE

1330EST -- Sen Cruz holds a meet & greet. Tuckaway Tavern & Butchery, Raymond, NH. LIVE via LiveU

1330EST -- Donald Trump holds an event. Londonderry Lions Club, Londonderry NH. LIVE

1030EST -- Sen Sanders holds a rally. Daniel Webster Community College, Nashua, NH. LIVE via LiveU

1200EST -- Hillary Clinton holds a "get out the vote" organizing event with Fmr Pres Bill & Chelsea Clinton. Manchester Community College, Manchester, NH. LIVE via LiveU

1300EST -- Sen Sanders holds a rally. Palace Theatre, Manchester, NH. LIVE via LiveU

Donald Trump holds a commanding lead in new polls of New Hampshire. A Monmouth poll released yesterday shows Donald Trump with a double digit lead in the Granite state. It also shows Bernie Sanders with a ten point lead over Hillary Clinton.

Bill Clinton is going into attack mode as Bernie Sanders continues to build momentum in his fight against Hillary Clinton for the nomination.

Jonathan Martin in the New York Times writing today, Bill Clinton uncorked an extended attack on SenatorBernie Sanders on Sunday, harshly criticizing Mr. Sanders and his supporters for what he described as inaccurate and sexist attacks on Hillary Clinton. The former president, addressing a few hundred supporters at a junior high school here, portrayed his wifes opponent for the Democratic nomination as hypocritical, hermetically sealed and dishonest.

North Korea went ahead with a successful launch of a rocket this weekend further escalating a crisis over its nuclear program. Now comes word from South Korea that the North could test a nuclear device as soon as this week. The test this weekend was called a satellite launch by the North Koreans, but analysts say it was a successful launch of a ballistic missile that could reach parts of Alaska and even Hawaii.

Two more survivors pulled alive today from a destroyed building in Taiwan after an earthquake this weekend levelled buildings and left at least 36 dead.

It could be another ugly day on Wall Street as European stocks fell sharply overnight. (Most Asian markets are closed for the Chinese New Year). Oil falling to near $30/barrel again today.

Storm A Comin .. a blizzard warning issued for part of the East coast. NYC, Philadelphia and northern New Jersey could get 2-3 inches of snow.

President Obama meets with the Itlaian President Sergio Mattarella today at the White House.. Well get a tape playout in the 11am hour.

For more news, follow me on Twitter: @ClintPHenderson
The long arm of the law in Texas is getting a controversial boost from a tech company's license plate-tracking database, in what one critic called a "huge invasion of privacy."

Vigilant Solutions, which operates license plate readers around the state, has given at least two Lone Star law-enforcement agencies access to its massive automated database. Information culled from plate readers in police cars and affixed to traffic signals, as well as software programs that analyze it, is used to help cops track down deadbeats and scofflaws. And Vigilant, which in one case even collects the debt on behalf of the public agency, get a 25-percent cut.

Its a huge invasion of privacy, Dave Maass, an investigative researcher with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told FoxNews.com. They are taking advantage of a public safety rule that came years before anything like this was a possibility.

Vigilant has offered an array of automated license plate reader (ALPR) tech to agencies in Guadalupe County and the city of Kyle for access to all data on drivers with outstanding court fees.

Its a huge invasion of privacy.They are taking advantage of a public safety rule that came years before anything like this was a possibility.  Dave Maass, Electronic Frontier Foundation

The ALPR system uses networks of high-speed cameras that capture images of plates and convert them into machine-readable text which is geotagged and time stamped before being placed into a database. Analytical software can then be used to track and even predict an individual's movements.

Vigilant is figuring the data and tech will save police a lot of shoe leather when it comes to finding people who owe fines and fees.

We actually thought we were doing a good thing by giving defendants an option, Todd Hodnett, Director of Governmental Relations for Vigilant Systems tells FoxNews.com.

It makes more sense, he added referring to how the database is used in conjunction with credit card readers installed in police patrol vehicles after a law was passed in Texas last year. Rather than having their cars impounded ir going to jail, defendants can pay fines on the spot through the system.

Groups like the EFF find this troubling; due to the fact that it could be used to infringe upon what they say is a drivers right to privacy. LEARN-NVLS, the ALPR data system from Vigilant contains nearly 3 billion plate scans and pulls in more than 70 million more each month.

Vigilant likes to say that drivers dont have a right to privacy because of license plates but thats baloney, Maass said. They are taking advantage of a public safety rule that came years before anyone thought that data collection like this would be possible.

Hodnett refutes Maass claims, saying that various Supreme Court decisions support the fact that there is no right to privacy when it comes to plates and that their database dies not retain any information on drivers. Only the license plate with the date, time, and a geotag from when an image was taken is stored.

There is no personal information collected, he tells FoxNews.com. You dont even know who the individual is.

In a press release from December, the company boasted that its systems were used by law enforcement in Guadalupe County to collect on more than 4,500 warrants since April of that year. Just last month, the city of Kyle signed a similar deal with Vigilant, while Guadalupe County upgraded its contract to allow Vigilant the authority to dispatch contractors to collect on outstanding warrants.

Hodnett and Vigilant confirmed that the info collected is kept permanently on the database, but that there are strict safeguards in place to ensure that the data is not misused or viewed by unauthorized individuals.

As a company, weve mirrored the same controls as accessing motor vehicle profile, he said. Every query is tracked to a specific user who must have a permissible purpose.

Hodnett says that some of the safeguards used are usernames, passwords, government-issued email addresses and a valid Originating Agency Identification, or ORI number, which is issued to every law-enforcement agency in the country by the FBI.

Maass and the EFF maintain that this could prove problematic for law-enforcement and are making legislative efforts that calls for transparency and limits on data collected.

Vigilant is co-opting policing, he said. They have even found a way to impose quotas with a vague metric where they can turn around and take back the equipment if they arent getting enough from law-enforcement agencies.

If they want to keep these toys, they have to work in the interests of Vigilant or other companies," Maass said. "It makes policing about doing the work for the equipment rather than the other way around, getting the equipment and doing the job.
Open carry in Texas began not with a bang, but a whimper.

The new, and somewhat controversial law allowing licensed gun owners to carry their firearms openly in public took effect Jan. 1. Predictions that the law would cause panic or even put the public in danger have, so far, proven to be off-target.



We do not have anything interesting to report, Cpl. Tracey Knight of the Fort Worth Police Department said to a local newspaper, the Star-Telegram. Two calls so far, no issues. We have no concerns and we have had no problems.

Critics believed a public unaccustomed to seeing guns carried openly would call police out of fear. But no such complaints were filed in January in Tarrant County, where Fort Worth is the county seat.

I said before this became law that I thought it was going to be much ado about nothing but I didnt know it was going to be this much nothing,  Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson

I said before this became law that I thought it was going to be much ado about nothing but I didnt know it was going to be this much nothing, Tarrant Sheriff Dee Anderson told the Star-Telegram.

Other counties in the Lone Star State have reported few, if any, complaints related to the law in the first month of 2016.

In Bastrop County, despite anticipation that there would be a flood of 911 calls, none were logged the first weekend that the law went into effect.

Contrary to widespread perception, Texas' gun laws have long been among the strictest in the nation. Carrying handguns was first restricted by local legislature in 1871. In 1995, the law was changed to allow for concealed carry permits. The new, open-carry law was passed last year.

According to figures from the Texas Department of Public Safety, only 3.4 percent of the states 27 million residents have any sort of license to carry a firearm. While the new law allows licensed owners to openly display their weapons, it also allows private businesses to implement their own bans.

Many privately owned businesses across the state have implemented their own ban in the New Year as well as national chains, including Starbucks, Jack in The Box, and Chipotle. As required by law, the businesses must post separate signs for their bans on both open and concealed carry.

Other businesses see no issue and will allow customers to open carry, including The Home Depot and Bass Pro Shops.

Law enforcement authorities are not enthusiastic about the law. A recent survey by the Texas Police Chiefs Association found that 75 per cent of police chiefs in the state oppose the law. But those polled also agreed overwhelmingly that licenses should be required and that handguns should be holstered. Texas is among 15 states that require a permit.

We have concerns, James McLaughlin, executive director of the police chiefs association, said to the Dallas Morning News. And hopefully some of those concerns can be addressed.
A pro-choice group kicked off a corn chip controversy Sunday night when it mocked a Doritos commercial as being anti-choice for using the tactic of humanizing fetuses.

Some viewers laughed, while others were a little put off by the Ultrasound ad, which showed a fictitious fetus kicking around in the womb as its oblivious and expectant father munched on Doritos. But few took the advertisement as seriously as NARAL Pro-Choice America, which tweeted #NotBuyingIt  that @Doritos ad using #antichoice tactic of humanizing fetuses & sexist tropes of dads as clueless & moms as uptight. #SB50.

The tweet  part of a barrage criticizing various aspects of Super Bowl commercials seen as sexist or anti-choice  received 348 retweets and 325 favorites.

#NotBuyingIt - that @Doritos ad using #antichoice tactic of humanizing fetuses & sexist tropes of dads as clueless & moms as uptight. #SB50  NARAL (@NARAL) February 8, 2016

Many in the pro-life community took issue with NARALs framing of the commercial.

If NARAL is scandalized by the notion that a human fetus is human, then they are scandalized by science, Ashley McGuire, a senior fellow with The Catholic Association, said in a statement to FoxNews.com.

"Even if its a funny commercial to sell corn chips, its a political tact to them.  Chris Gast

We know children in the womb have distinct and human DNA. We also know that they exhibit all sorts of human behaviors in the womb such as yawning, thumb-sucking, and even dancing thanks to tremendous advances in ultrasound technology.

"But groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood rely on a denial of these scientific realities better suited to the Dark Ages to maintain their rabid insistence that those unborn babies are undeserving of basic human rights."

In the ad, the mom, a doctor and the father watch as the fetus moves to and fro in its moms tummy in an attempt to get closer to a chip wielded by the father.

When the exasperated mom flings the chip across the room, the baby follows  exiting the ultrasound frame and, apparently, the womb. The last bit is only intimated, as the camera pans to the horrified faces of the mom, dad and doctor as the Doritos logo flashes on the screen.

I thought the ad was funny. It was a big hit at the Super Bowl party I was at, and I was surprised how NARAL reacted, said Chris Gast, the director of communications for Right to Life Michigan.

Having an ultrasound is a very common experience for parents around the country, and I dont understand why NARAL finds a common everyday experience like having a baby to be a strong political statement.
The arrival of thousands of Somali refugees in a former mill city in Maine sparked a backlash at first.

Fifteen years later, though, Somali shops, restaurants and mosques serve as an example of how far the city of Lewiston has come.

All told, more than 5,000 Africans have moved to the city of 36,500 on the Androscoggin River.

As the U.S. prepares to bring in Syrian refugees, some point to Lewiston as an example of how immigration can be slow and painful  but ultimately successful.
A Massachusetts man pleaded not guilty to drug charges Monday and could still face a manslaughter charge after a 16-year-old Massachusetts girl died from an apparent overdose in her bed.

Officials say Lillian Anderson's mother found her daughter unresponsive Saturday morning near bags of heroin stamped "American Gangster" and "Gucci," WWLP reported. The girl was a student at Westfield High School, northwest of Springfield.

Seth Lombard-Hawthorne, 22, eventually turned himself in to police claiming he'd given the girl as many as 10 bags of herion, according to prosecutors. Investigators found more drugs in his car, according to Fox 6.

The suspect reportedly was held on $5,000 bail on charges of heroin possession and distribution. Prosecutors are considering adding the manslaugher charge, WWLP adds.

"My thoughts are with the Anderson family during this difficult time... With this tragic loss of life, I would like to highlight the 'Good Samaritan Law', which ensures that those who call 911 to report an overdose for themselves or others will not be charged with the possession or use of opiates," Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said.

Opiod-related deaths in Massachusetts topped 1,000 in 2014, according to state officials who estimated an even higher number in 2015.

Click for more from Fox 6.
Police say a man has died after being shot by an Austin officer responding to a call of a suspicious person acting aggressively in a neighborhood.

Police Chief of Staff Brian Manley told reporters that the man died at a hospital after being shot Monday morning in northeast Austin.

Manley says the officer arrived to find the suspect naked in a street and shot the man when he failed to heed orders to stop and charged the officer.

Authorities have not identified either the suspect or the officer, who Manley says has been on the force for more than 10 years.

The officer was placed on administrative leave as authorities continue to investigate the shooting.

Click for more from Fox 7.
The death toll from a powerful earthquake that toppled a high-rise apartment building in Taiwan rose to at least 34, according to government figures Monday, with rescuers digging through rubble for survivors more than 48 hours after the quake struck.

More than 100 are believed to be still buried in the collapsed building from a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year holiday.

The government in Tainan, the worst-hit city, said that more than 170 people had been rescued alive from the 17-story building, which folded like an accordion after the quake struck.

Mao Yi-chen, 20, was rescued soon after the magnitude-6.4 quake hit before dawn Saturday, and her older sister Mao Yi-hsuan was pulled out Sunday in serious condition. A rescue worker had handed over a photo album and homemade cards found next to her for her family to collect, said local official Wang Ding-yu.

"He said that 'maybe your home is damaged, but memories of the family can last,'" Wang said.

The extended Lunar New Year holiday officially started Monday, but celebrations were subdued and both President Ma Ying-jeou and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen canceled the handing out of envelopes of cash in their hometowns, a holiday tradition for Taiwan's leader.

The Tainan Disaster Emergency Center estimated that 118 people were still trapped at the site of the collapsed building, many at the bottom of the debris. Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te said rescuers were able to reach many people by using information from residents who got out about the possible locations of those still inside.

Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage, though a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

The spectacular fall of the high-rise, built in 1989, raised questions about whether its construction had been shoddy. Tainan's government said the building had not been listed as a dangerous structure, and Taiwan's interior minister, Chen Wei-zen, said an investigation would examine whether the developer had cut corners.

Eighth-floor resident Huang Guang-wei was pulled out Sunday morning from a different section from where he lived, showing how much the building twisted when it fell, Lai said. It took rescuers eight hours to get Huang out, hei said.

Among the fatalities was a 6-month-old baby girl who was pulled from the rubble and rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A deceased man believed to be her father was pulled out 40 minutes later, Wang said.

A man in his 60s, whose son escaped and whose daughter-in-law was in serious condition, was trying to help rescuers pinpoint his grandsons. "My 11- and 12-year-old grandsons are still inside on the ninth floor," said the man, who gave only his surname, Huang. "I told my son not to buy an apartment here; it was suspiciously cheap."

Beside him, another man nodded in agreement as he waited for news of his relatives on the seventh floor.

The emergency center said 171 people had been rescued from the building, 92 of whom were sent to hospitals. More than 100 people were rescued from other parts of Tainan. Nine other buildings in the city collapsed and five careened.

Taiwanese broadcaster EBC showed video of volunteers trying to comfort the mother of a missing 20-year-old man, Chen Guan-yu. "He always thinks of me," said the woman, whose name was not given. "He worries about me being single and lonely and that no one is taking care of me."
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At least four people, including an 8-year-old girl, were rescued Monday from a high-rise Taiwanese apartment building that was toppled by a powerful earthquake two days earlier  and apparently built with tin cans as construction filler.

More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year.

Saturday's quake killed at least 38 people in Tainan city in southern Taiwan, all but two of them in the collapse of the 17-story building. Even though the 6.4-magnitude quake was shallow, few buildings were reported to have been damaged, which experts said was because Taiwan's building standards are high.

But witnesses at the scene told Reuters that they saw large, rectangular commercial cans of cooking oil packed inside wall cavities exposed by the damage. The cans apparently were used as a building material.

Authorities have managed to rescue more than 170 people  the vast majority in the immediate hours after the quake  from the folded building using information about the building layout and the possible location of those trapped.

Five survivors were believed to have been pulled out on Sunday, and at least four on Monday. One of them, Tsao Wei-ling, called out "Here I am" as rescuers dug through to find her, Taiwan's Eastern Broadcasting Corp. reported.

She was found under the body of her husband, who had shielded her from a collapsed beam, the government-run Central News Agency reported. Tsao's husband and 2-year-son were found dead, and five other members of the family remained unaccounted for, it said.

Teams also rescued on Monday a 42-year-old man from the building, and, later, an 8-year-old girl, who had been trapped for more than 61 hours.

Mayor Lai Ching-Te told reporters he briefly exchanged words with the girl, Lin Su-chin.

"She is awake, but looks dehydrated, lost some temperature but she's awake and her blood pressure is OK," he said. "I asked her if there's anything wrong with her body. She shook her head."

Shortly afterward, rescue workers also pulled out a 28-year-old Vietnamese woman, identified as Chen Mei-jih, who had been trapped on what was the building's fifth floor.

Family members of the missing flooded into the information center in search of their loved ones or to wait anxiously.

Tensions rose as some relatives, losing patience, demanded to speak to rescue workers directly to get the latest information.

A couple sitting in a small room where officials release information said they had heard no news about their daughter-in-law and two young grandsons.

"Does that mean we are here to wait for bodies?" grandfather Liu Meng-hsun cried out angrily.

Outside, a woman stood at the edge of the rubble shouting, "Your grandma is here!" Rescuers had detected life within the area where the 16th-floor apartment of her son and his family was thought to be, and were said to have heard the sound of a child.

Her son, surnamed Wu, got out of the building soon after the quake, but his wife and their 4-year-old girl remained trapped, according to volunteers assisting the family.

Earthquakes rattle Taiwan frequently. Most are minor and cause little or no damage, though a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

The spectacular fall of the high-rise, built in 1989, raised questions about whether its construction had been shoddy. The government says it will investigate whether the developer cut corners.

Huang Jia-rui, a structural engineer in Tainan, said Taiwan's buildings aren't as quake-proof as Japan's, which is a leader in engineering quake-proof structures, but the island is catching up.

The extended Lunar New Year holiday officially started Monday, but celebrations were subdued and both President Ma Ying-jeou and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen canceled the traditional handing out of envelopes of cash in their hometowns.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


China wants its students to man up.

Amid fears that a shortage of male teachers has produced a generation of timid and effeminate boys, Chinese educators are trying to reinforce gender roles in the classroom, The New York Times reports.

Among Chinas 15 million teachers  who instruct 270 million students in kindergarten through 12th grade  women occupy four out of every five positions in urban areas, according to a 2012 study by Beijing Normal University, and officials want to even up the ratio.

In Zhengzhou, schools are asking boys to sign pledges declaring them to act like real men, while in Hangzhou, educators have started a summer camp called West Point Boys, teaching taekwondo classes with the motto We bring out the men in boys, the New York Times reports.

Colleges in the city of Fuzhou have even gone so far to offer full scholarships and teaching jobs to young men.

But the actions have led to a backlash among parents, who are accusing schools of propagating masculinity and gender norms, while female teachers are calling efforts to attract more male teachers with perks as sexist, according to the New York Times.

If women go into architecture, shouldnt the government give them a free education too? said Xue Rongfang, a student at Fujian Normal University. Why should men get this benefit?

It is also not clear if students get a boost academically if they are being taught by teachers of the same sex. A 2008 study of 9,000 11-year-olds in Britain could not find any link between male teachers and better grades among boys.

Click for more from the New York Times.


German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks Monday on calming the crisis of refugees streaming into Europe as Turkey faces pressure from the European Union to open its borders.

In her weekly video message on Saturday, Merkel said European Union countries agree that the bloc needs to protect its external borders better, which is why she is seeking a solution with Turkey. She added that, if Europe wants to prevent smuggling, "we must be prepared to take in quotas of refugees legally and bear our part of the task."

"I don't think Europe can keep itself completely out of this," Merkel said.

Her talks in Ankara come as Turkey faces pressure from the EU to open its border to up to 35,000 Syrians who have massed along the frontier in the past few days fleeing an onslaught by government forces.

One refugee, Muhammed Idris, told Reuters that he had fled from the nearby Syrian town of Azaz and aimed on entering Syria, based on the open-door policy touted by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

But he has been waiting for at a refugee camp for at least four days to get into Turkey.

"Before, Tayyip Erdogan was saying on TV that Syria and Turkey are brothers, but now he is not opening the doors," Idris said. "Our houses are destroyed and we came to his house. Where else should we go?"

Turkey, home to 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to provide refuge.

Refugees at the Oncupinar crossing near the Turkish city of Kilis were being shepherded into camps on the Syria side, Reuters reported Monday.

Our doors are not closed, but at the moment there is no need to host such people inside our borders," said Suleyman Tapsiz, the local governor in the region on the Turkish side of the border.

A Turkish aid official said refugees on the Syrian side were safe and we being given food.

"We're extending our efforts inside Syria to supply shelter, food and medical assistance to people," an official from the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation told the BBC.

Turkey agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration. In return, the EU has pledged $3.3 billion to help improve the condition of refugees, and to grant political concessions to Turkey, including an easing of visa restrictions and the fast-tracking of its EU membership process.

Turkey has since started to require Syrians arriving from third countries to apply for visas, in a bid to exclude those who aim to continue on to Greece.

Turkey has agreed to grant work permits to Syrians as an incentive for them to stay in Turkey. Ankara has also announced plans to increase coast guards' capabilities and designate human smuggling as a form of organized crime  which would bring stiffer punishments.

Meanwhile, another 33 people died Monday off Turkey's coast attempting to reach Greece.

Turkey's coast guard said 22 migrants died after their boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, while four people were rescued. Further south, another 11 people died in a separate boat accident, according to the private Dogan news agency.

The coast guard has launched a search-and-rescue mission, including helicopters, to try to find 14 migrants who are reported to be missing.

The International Organization for Migration says 374 refugees and other migrants have died so far this year while trying to reach Greece. Turkey, a key country on their route to Europe, is central to Merkel's diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow. Germany saw an unprecedented 1.1 million asylum seekers arrive last year, many of them fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
They witnessed the slaughter of their families on Mount Sinjar, and then were forced by ISIS into sexual slavery. Now the Sun Ladies are ready to fight - for veangeance as well as survival.

Some 2,000 Yazidi women who were captured in the brutal August 2014 attack on their mountain stronghold have escaped and have taken up arms against their former tormentors. Driven by the fresh memories of unspeakable atrocities and the survival of their people, hundreds have signed up to fight the black-clad terrorist army.

Whenever a war wages, our women end up as the victims.  Capt. Khatoon Khider, Yazidi female fighter

Now we are defending ourselves from the evil; we are defending all the minorities in the region, Capt. Khatoon Khider told FoxNews.com from the units makeshift base in Duhok, Iraq. We will do whatever is asked of us.

Khider is one of 123 Yazidi women who have undergone training and taken their place alongside the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, as they skirmish almost daily with ISIS and prepare for a looming assault on the terrorist armys Iraqi base in Mosul. The women range in age from 17 to 37, and there are another 500 who are awaiting training.

They call themselves the Force of the Sun Ladies, a name that reflects the cultures solar reverence. Monotheistic and embracing elements of several religions, Yazidi once numbered 650,000 in Iraq, nearly all on the northern Nineveh Plain. ISIS genocidal campaign to purify Iraq of non-Muslims led to the slaughter of thousands and displaced at least 200,000.

Women were throwing their children from the mountains and then jumping themselves because it was a faster way to die, Khider recalled. Our hands were all tied. We couldnt do anything about it.

Whenever a war wages, our women end up as the victims, she added.

Some managed to escape when coalition forces pounded ISIS from the air and broke its siege of Mount Sinjar. But thousands starved to death or died of heatstroke, and ISIS later systematically killed men, as well as women, deemed too old or too young to be sold into sexual slavery. Boys who could be brainwashed and conscripted as child soldiers were kidnapped.

Women taken as captives were ordered to convert to Islam, subjected to forced marriages and repeatedly raped. Several escaped after being sold off to low-level fighters, while others were ransomed back to their families.

Khider had no experience with weapons or combat when she approached the Peshmerga senior command and proposed the idea of a specialized all-female Yazidi force after having survived the assault on Mount Sinjar. She hopes that in forming the force, the women will be able to protect themselves and inspire other minority groups to follow suit.

Our elite force is a model for other women in the region, she said. We want to thank all the other countries who help us in this difficult time, we want everyone to take up weapons and know how to protect themselves from the evil.

The women willfully stepped into the line of fire as a support force to the Peshmerga on Nov. 13, the day the Kurdish forces took back their hometowns and villages from ISIS occupation. The newly formed unit engaged in direct combat and later helped clear streets and buildings rigged with explosives.

As with the Christians, Kurds and Iraqi military, they know the imminent battle to retake Mosul will be the real test. Iraqs second-largest city, Mosul is the terrorist groups regional base. Most of the Yazidi women who escaped ISIS were held in Mosul and can help provide valuable intelligence, as well as boots on the ground. And fighting to free those left behind provides added motivation.

We have a lot of our women in Mosul being held as slaves, Khider said. Their families are waiting for them. We are waiting for them. The liberation might help bring them home.

ISIS has taken girls as young as 8 and traded them at the market for a few dollars. One mother who gave birth while an ISIS slave told FoxNews.com she was not permitted by her captor to feed her newborn son. When the baby cried, the Muslim militant beheaded him, she said.

Its important to us to be able to protect our dignity and honor, a 19-year-old Sun Lady named Mesa told FoxNews.com. My family is very proud; they encouraged me to join.

Im very proud to protect my people, she said. And after all that has happened to us Yazidis, we are no longer afraid.

But one prospect frightens the Yazidi women as they prepare to fight ISIS. Yazidi boys kidnapped from Mount Sinjar have been drugged and brainwashed, and could now be fighting their mothers and sisters under the black flag of ISIS.

Now there will be terrorist Yazidis, something that never used to be, Khider added. But we have many missions left. We will do whatever is needed.

Mylee Cardenas contributed to this report.
In a daring open letter that spread online last week, a woman who called herself the widow of an Islamic State terrorist blasted the group for abandoning the families of dead fighters, potentially putting a target on her back.

The letter was signed "al-Muhajirahm," Voice of America reports. It's not clear where she may have written the letter, titled "A Reminder to the Leaders of the Islamic State."

The woman describes an ISIS widow who "cries every night, concerned about how to feed her children as her husband is martyred. The tears that roll down her cheeks and the pain she suffers will be something you will be asked about and accountable for.

Such criticism is almost never found in such a widely circulated document, Anat Agron, a researcher for the Middle East Media Research Institute, responded.

Analysts call the letter a sign of the terror network's blatant hypocrisy. While some women feel they've been left behind, the most recent edition of the Islamic State's online magazine includes an article praising ISIS widows.
The mother of a 10-year-old boy allegedly raped by an Iraqi refugee at a pool in Austria said she now "regrets" teaching her children to welcome migrants from wartorn regions of the world, local media reported Monday.

The 20-year-old refugee told police he attacked the child in December after experiencing a "sexual emergency," according to The Telegraph. He reportedly claimed he'd not had sex for 4 months.

The child was recovering in a hospital from serious injuries. His mother, identified as Dunja, said the boy has cried himself to sleep every night since the attack.

She said her son used to love swimming, and rushed to the pool in Vienna after school that day. After the reported attack in a changing room, the suspect went to the pool and jumped off the diving board before police arrested him, The Telegraph adds.

The mother called the refugee's defense "monstrous." She added, "I want him to experience everything in jail that child sex attackers can experience from the other convicts. And then I want him deported."

Dunja, a single mother of five, told local news agencies that she herself was a refugee in the 1990s, arriving in Austria after escaping civil war in Serbia.

Speaking about her son, she said, "I know that the physical wounds will heal, but the wounds to his soul may never heal."

Officials in Austria have said the country will take 37,500 refugees in 2016 and a total of 127,500 through 2019.

The suspect reportedly left his family in Iraq, arriving in Austria in September to work as a taxi driver.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A South Korean naval vessel fired five shots as a warning to a North Korean patrol boat that briefly moved south of the countries' disputed boundary line in the Yellow Sea, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday.

A South Korean military official told the Yonhap news agency that the North Korean vessel retreated northward after the warning shots were fired into the water. However, the incident underscores the heightened hostilities between the two Koreas.

The brief encounter came hours after the United Nations Security Council condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders described as a banned test of ballistic missile technology and South Korea's president called another "intolerable provocation."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early Sunday, and a month after the country's fourth nuclear test. He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbor and important ally, not to proceed, and, in another slap to Beijing, he chose to launch the rocket on the eve of Chinese New Year, the country's most important holiday.

China and the United States have been negotiating the text of a new Security Council sanctions resolution since Pyongyang's Jan. 6 nuclear test, which it claimed was a hydrogen bomb. That claim has been met with outside skepticism.

The U.S., backed by Japan and South Korea, wants tough U.N. sanctions reflecting Kim's defiance of the Security Council. But diplomats say China, the North's key protector in the council, is reluctant to impose economic measures that could cause North Korea's economy to collapse  and a flight of North Koreans into China across their shared border.

The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the launch and pledged to "expeditiously" adopt a new resolution with "further significant measures"  U.N. code for sanctions. The word "robust" referring to the measures was in an initial draft, but was dropped in the final statement.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters that "it cannot be business as usual" after two successive North Korean acts that are "hostile and illegal."

"What's important is that the Security Council unites," Power said. "China is a critical player. ... We are hopeful that China, like all council members, will see the grave threat to regional and international peace and security, see the importance of adopting tough, unprecedented measures, breaking new ground here, exceeding the expectations of Kim Jong Un."

However, China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, made clear that unprecedented sanctions aren't Beijing's priority.

He said a new resolution should "do the work of reducing tension, of working toward denuclearization (of the Korean peninsula), of maintaining peace and stability, and of encouraging a negotiated solution."

"I believe the council needs to work together for a new resolution," Liu added, indicating that China may want negotiations with the United States to be widened.

Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, whose country is also a North Korean ally, said: "It has to be a weighty resolution, but it also has to be a reasonable resolution" that doesn't lead to North Korea's economic or humanitarian collapse, or further heighten tensions.

Russia's goal is to see six-party talks aimed at denuclearization resume, he said, but in the current atmosphere that's unlikely because the North Koreans "have been very unreasonable" and are challenging the entire international community.

"We think this is wrong for their national interests ... for the Korean Peninsula ... for the region," Churkin said.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space program, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after liftoff, and vowed more such launches. A U.S. official said it might take days to assess whether the launch was a success.

But in Pyongyang, North Koreans celebrated the launch with an official fireworks display Monday night, state broadcaster KCTV reported, according to CNN.

Japan's U.N. ambassador, Motohide Yoshikawa, told reporters the missile, which went over Japan and landed near the Philippines, was "a clear threat to the lives of many people."

The Security Council underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, "even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle" contribute to North Korea's development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons and violate four Security Council resolutions dating back to the North's first nuclear test in 2006.

North Korea under Kim Jong Un has pledged to bolster its nuclear arsenal unless Washington scraps what Pyongyang calls a hostile policy meant to collapse Kim's government.

In a development that will worry both Pyongyang and Beijing, a senior South Korean Defense Ministry official, Yoo Jeh Seung, told reporters that Seoul and Washington have agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of the THAAD missile-defense system in South Korea. North Korea has long decried the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, and Beijing would see a South Korean deployment of THAAD, which is one of the world's most advanced missile-defense systems, as a threat to its interests in the region.

In a statement, North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration, in typical propaganda-laden language, praised "the fascinating vapor of Juche satellite trailing in the clear and blue sky in spring of February on the threshold of the Day of the Shining Star."

Juche is a North Korean philosophy focusing on self-reliance; the Day of the Shining Star refers to the Feb. 16 birthday of Kim Jong Un's father, former dictator Kim Jong Il. North Korea has previously staged rocket launches to mark important anniversaries.

Fox News' Jonathan Wachtel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
United Nations investigators say thousands of detainees have been executed, beaten to death or otherwise left to die as part of an extermination during Syria's civil war, in policies that appear to amount to crimes against humanity.



The U.N.-backed Commission of Inquiry on Syria presented a 25-page report Monday on killings of detainees by President Bashar Assad's government. It also cites execution policies by radical groups like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front.

"The killings and deaths described in this report occurred with high frequency, over a long period of time and in multiple locations, with significant logistical support involving vast State resources," the report said, according to Reuters. "There are reasonable grounds to believe that the conduct described amounts to extermination as a crime against humanity."

The report is drawn from 621 interviews conducted between March 2011 and November 2015. It stated that over the past four and a half years, thousands of detainees have been killed while in the custody of warring parties.

The report seeks "targeted sanctions" against unspecified individuals or groups responsible for such crimes. The investigators lamented inaction by the U.N. Security Council about possibly launching criminal probes.

According to the report, there are reasonable grounds to believe that high-ranking officers within Assads government knew of the killings and burials of bodies, and are thus individually criminally liable.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Franchising is full of creative entrepreneurs and marketers. With creativity, however, comes the desire to explain franchising in terminology that differentiates a brand from its peers.

Take for example a model FRANdata has defined for years as the Area Representative Growth Model. This model uses intermediaries (area reps) to sell and support franchisees in a territory, but those intermediaries do not contract directly with franchisees. We've come across at least 10 different names for this model, including regional director, regional developer, regional manager, regional services, master franchisee, master franchisor, area franchisee, area director, area developer, and area representative. This is a terribly confusing situation for prospective franchisees, lenders, suppliers, and the industry overall.

Last September the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) took steps to address this problem. NASAA released a commentary whose goal was "to provide practical guidance for disclosing certain multi-unit franchising arrangements that have become common in franchising" but for which there were no disclosure guidelines. The commentary addressed specific disclosure questions brought to NASAA's attention by franchise attorneys, its Industry Advisory Committee, and state examiners.

In a nutshell, the NASAA commentary describes three multi-unit franchising structures for which there are no universally accepted terms within franchising. These structures are not mutually exclusive; that is, a franchisor may use just one structure or a combination of two or three.

These structures are described in widely varying ways by different franchise systems and in different laws and regulations. NASAA concluded that a more uniform approach to disclosing multi-unit franchising arrangements would benefit prospective franchise investors, franchisors, state franchise administrators, and franchising in general. Ultimately, the authors of the commentary recommend adopting three common terms regardless of how they are described by any particular franchisor: area development, subfranchise, and area representation.

Taking the recommendation further, NASAA went on to say that "use of these terms will facilitate review of Franchise Disclosure Documents by state franchise administrators. If a franchisor uses terms different from those adopted, the Project Group recommends that the franchisor identify in cover letters sent to state franchise administrators how the terms the franchisor uses correlate to the terms adopted in this Commentary." If some parties opt to use non-standard language, they should provide a glossary corresponding to standard language.

In line with this announcement, FRANdata has formally adopted NASAA's names and definitions of franchise programs as part of how we categorize and define certain franchise terms in our database. We have a unique view of the practical impact of this initiative: we see how franchisors organize and present their documents and we struggle constantly to make sense of the information. Inconsistent labeling of franchise programs is a major challenge.

Franchisees today are looking for transparency from their franchisors. It's not enough to meet the letter of the law when creating FDDs; franchisors must make sure the information they disclose is easy to understand and useful to prospective buyers.

Besides franchisees and state regulatory groups, the lending community also requires a franchisor to properly communicate their information. One of the reasons lenders asked us to create our Bank Credit Report product is that the credit risk evaluations help lenders make sense of franchise information and terms in a way the FDD doesn't. Standardizing definitions is a step in the right direction.

Ultimately, franchisors will help themselves by adopting some basic standards. "When franchisors ask us to benchmark their performance against their peers, it's important that we all agree on the types of franchising programs being used and their relative historical results," says Edith Wiseman, president of FRANdata. "It is crucial that we are able to do apples-to-apples comparisons when gauging the relative success of their efforts."

Based on the NASAA guidelines, FRANdata is now using the following common definitions to classify franchisor offerings:

Unit: the usual offering of a single franchise unit.

the usual offering of a single franchise unit. Area Developer: the right to open and operate multiple units within a designated geographic area. FDDs also use such terms as multi-unit, area franchisee, or regional developer.

the right to open and operate multiple units within a designated geographic area. FDDs also use such terms as multi-unit, area franchisee, or regional developer. Area Representative: the right to recruit third parties as unit franchisees, and/or provide support to third parties entering into unit agreements. The area representative may or may not have their own unit(s). FDDs also use such terms as regional developer, area developer, or development agent. NASAA has mandated that separate FDDs be created for franchisors offering area representative agreements.

the right to recruit third parties as unit franchisees, and/or provide support to third parties entering into unit agreements. The area representative may or may not have their own unit(s). FDDs also use such terms as regional developer, area developer, or development agent. NASAA has mandated that separate FDDs be created for franchisors offering area representative agreements. Subfranchisor: grants unit franchises to third parties within a designated territory. Third parties signing the unit agreements are called subfranchisees. FDDs also use such terms as area franchisor, master franchisee, or regional franchisor. (For such offerings outside the U.S. we use the term "Master.")

You can find the NASAA commentary on the organization's website (nasaa.org).

Paul Wilbur, COO at FRANdata, has run the day-to-day operations and been part of the executive management team for more than 10 years. He has held technology and marketing roles at organizations including IBM, Digex, and Communities in Schools. Contact him at 703-740-4700 or pwilbur@frandata.com.
Card Connection Welcomes New Scottish Franchisee

February 08, 2016 // Franchising.com // Leading greeting card publisher and franchisor, Card Connection, has announced Munawar Mohammed is taking over the Scottish franchise territory of Aberdeen from Andrew Orr, previous franchisee for the region for 18 years. Munawar will now supply Card Connections quality range of greeting cards and accessories to retailers in the 200 square mile North East Scotland territory, from Stonehaven to John OGroats.

Andrew originally supplied my brothers retail outlets some 15 years ago so I knew of Card Connections clever franchised business system and we kept in-touch, confirms Munawar Mohammed. I have been working for the well-known furniture retailer DFS as one of the top sales people bringing in well over 1million for the company each year. Although I liked the job and the company, I felt it was time to branch out on my own and be directly rewarded for the effort I put in by running my own business.

Card Connection has a number of unique selling points which attracted me to the franchise: including licenced product such as Boofle and Disney, plus the Companys own in-house designed cards. There is a national account network where the franchisees supply around 100 Regional and National retail accounts such as Costcutter, WH Smiths Motorway Services, NISA, BP and Spar. In addition, I also liked the fact that there are only re-sale territories available which means the company has good systems in place and is particularly established in its sector.

Although franchisees dont need any direct experience of the industry, as we provide full training, Munawars retail sales background will make him ideally placed to manage the franchise, confirms Michael Johnson, Card Connection. We are delighted to welcome Munawar to our Card Connection family and are very much looking forward to helping him develop his franchise business over the next few years.

Card Connection is part of UK Greetings, which is a subsidiary of American Greetings Inc., one of the largest greeting card publishers in the world and has limited vacancies for franchisees that are keen to run an expanding business. Since the franchise network in the UK is complete, the available opportunities now consist of acquiring an already-established territory from an existing franchisee. These vary in price according to their level of development, but start at 7k + Stock + Card Connection fee with earnings potential in excess of 50k per annum.

Territories currently available include: Bath, Coventry, Reading/Windsor, Northampton, Plymouth, Oxford, Leicester, Liverpool, Ayr, Edinburgh and Ireland South. For further information about franchises for sale, please see: www.card-connection.co.uk

About Card Connection

Card Connection is one of the UKs most successful card publishers and is the market leader in the franchised distribution of greeting cards.

The company was established in 1992 and became a Full Member of the British Franchise Association in 1995. It now distributes greeting cards to around 13,000 outlets through its network of 67 franchisees. www.card-connection.co.uk

SOURCE Card Connection

Media Contact:

Mel Betts

Grapevine PR Ltd

01544 318546

melanie.betts@grapevinepr.com

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Dunn Brothers Coffee Partners With American Refugee Committee

Fresh Roasted Coffee Franchise To Contribute $10,000 Through the Sale of Changemakers Burundi Coffee Bean

MINNEAPOLIS - Feb. 8, 2016 // PRNewswire // - Dunn Brothers Coffee, the Minneapolis-based coffee franchise, with 87 stores in nine states, has again partnered with the American Refugee Committee (ARC) to help raise money for its humanitarian relief program.

Starting on February 8, Dunn Brothers Coffee will offer a Burundi Microlot coffee bean as the first in its Changemakers Collection. Through proceeds of the Changemakers Collection, Dunn Brothers will contribute$10,000 to ARC in 2016.

In Rwanda, ARC provides health care, shelter and other critical services to more than 50,000 refugees who have fled Burundi in the last 12 months.

Dunn Brothers Coffee Co-CEO and green coffee buyer Skip Fay said: "We've got a chance to do more than just pay a fair price for an excellent coffee from East Africa through this program. Giving back to a group of displaced peoples from coffee-growing regions can be more than an aspirational goal through this connection we've made with ARC, our storeowners, staff and customers throughout the country.

"ARC is a leader in helping refugees take control of their lives after war or disaster, so we're proud we can support them in their vital work. We look forward to an exciting February campaign and to continuing this fruitful partnership through 2016 and beyond."

The Burundi Microlot bean, from the Kayanza province of the country, is a big and bold coffee showing off a lot of chocolate and spice character. The acidity is bright and forward, and there are still more spice notes to be found in the finish along with caramel sweetness. The coffee will be available in Dunn Brothers Coffeestores and online at dunnbrothers.com starting February 8, 2016.

Dunn Brothers Coffee's collaboration with ARC goes back to 2014 when it helped create the Changemaker Chocolate Bar, a B.T McElrath chocolate bar crafted with Dunn Brothers dark roasted beans and with a portion of profits benefiting ARC. In 2015, Dunn Brothers Coffee was the presenting sponsor of The Maker's Collection, a line of beautiful, artisan products that give back, which launched to 1,100 of ARC's supporters at their Changemaker's Ball in November 2015.

About Dunn Brothers Coffee

Founded in 1987, Dunn Brothers Coffee has successfully proven to its customers and competitors that, even in the crowded coffee category, great-tasting coffee that is carefully brewed from hand-selected, freshly roasted beans boldly stands out in a class of its own. This Minneapolis-based, award-winning coffee company was founded on the principle that premium coffee customers deserve coffee that adheres to higher standards of quality every step of the way, from cultivation to cup. From sustainable, ethical sourcing practices to daily, on-site roasting, artisan hand-made premium beverages and community-connected local ownership - Dunn Brothers Coffee takes every possible measure to ensure quality coffee experiences at each of its 87 retail locations across the country. For more information, visit www.dunnbrothers.com.

About the American Refugee Committee

American Refugee Committee programs are built from the ground up. We work with people at the most vulnerable points in their lives, when they have lost everything to war or disaster. They let us know what they need most, and we work together to develop ways to help them get it. Our programs are as diverse as the people we serve, but they all work together for the same goal: to help people take back control of their lives. We have worked with refugees around the world for more than 30 years, and our 1600 staff members help nearly 3 million people a year throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East. ARC is also building a 21st Century humanitarian organization rooted in co-creating with committed people to provide more meaningful solutions to humanitarian crises worldwide. We are based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. To learn more, visitwww.ARCrelief.org.

SOURCE Dunn Brothers Coffee

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Forbes Names Values, Inc. by Dina Dwyer-Owens to Best Business Books From 2015

February 08, 2016 // Franchising.com // WACO, Texas  Values, Inc., the latest book from Dwyer Group Co-Chair Dina Dwyer-Owens, was recently named to the Top Ten Business Books From 2015 in Forbes.

This book is filled with stories and facts that prove that a value-driven organization can come out on top, said Shep Hyken, author of the Leadership column in Forbes that ranked the books. This may be one of the most important books you ever read, he added.

This serves as another beautiful validation that the message of Values, Inc. is resonating with people in ways I could have never imaged, said Dina Dwyer-Owens in a recent blog.

Dwyer-Owens released her book last March, challenging business leaders to focus on values. Her hope was to revolutionize the way business leaders think about success by offering inspiring stories from within Dwyer Group as well as admirable companies, business leaders and even heroes from across the globe who have overcome obstacles using a firm set of values.

Dwyer-Owens has long been associated with her companys signature Code of Values and the culture it has created for the $1.3 billion organization. Now, in Values Inc., she has provided a roadmap for others.

Its been said that 95 percent of companies that have a code of values dont even use it. Values, Inc. invites a movement to live right and do right in business and in life for a world in need of direction, Dwyer-Owens said.

The Forbes ranking is the latest honor for the author on a long list of achievements, having shared her book and been invited to speak about leading with values for prestigious university scholars, captains of industry and some of the highest ranking leaders in Washington, DC.

For a copy of the book, visit values-inc.com or order on Amazon.

About Dwyer Group, Inc.

The Dwyer Group, Inc., based in Waco, Texas, is a holding company of 11 franchise businesses, each selling and supporting a different franchise under the following service marks: Aire Serv, Glass Doctor, The Grounds Guys, Five Star Painting, Molly Maid, Mr. Appliance, Mr. Electric, Mr. Handyman, Mr. Rooter (Drain Doctor in the UK and Portugal), ProTect Painters, and Rainbow International. Collectively, these independent franchise concepts offer customers worldwide a broad base of residential and commercial services. In addition, Dwyer Group operates glass shops in New England under the Portland Glass brand name. Dwyer Group is a portfolio company of The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm. The firms international portfolio includes more than 75 companies. More information on Dwyer Group, or its franchise concepts, is available at www.dwyergroup.com.

Dwyer Group is also on Twitter at @DwyerGroup.

SOURCE Dwyer Group, Inc.

Contact:

Monica Feid

BizCom Associates

(972) 490-8053

MonicaFeid@BizComPr.com

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Marco's Pizza Announces Expansion Plans for the Houston Area

One of the Fastest-Growing Pizza Franchise Chains in the Nation Is Seeking Entrepreneurs in the Metropolitan Area of Houston, Texas

TOLEDO, OH - (Marketwired - Feb 8, 2016) - To meet the growing demand for pizza in the metropolitan area of Houston, Texas, Marco's Pizza franchise is seeking to partner with entrepreneurs who want a slice of the action.

How big is the demand for pizza in Houston? Forbes recently named Houston as the fastest-growing city in America for 2015. Forbes also reports that "its 4.5% year-over-year job growth rate is the nation's fastest." With major corporations such as Halliburton and ConocoPhillips employing thousands, the city will be a great place to do business well into the future.

That kind of growth makes it a perfect location for a Marco's Pizza. Their Ah!thentic Italian-style pizza is fresh-made with delectable cheeses, meats and vegetables, and they have several prime locations in Houston available for franchise partners who want to be part of the nation's fastest-growing large pizza chain.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently published a study on American eating habits that found that on any given day, 13% of the entire U.S. population is eating pizza. When applied to Houston -- population over 2 million -- that statistic means that more than 260,000 Houstonians are eating pizza every single day. With 17 stores already open in the Houston metropolitan area, Marco's Pizza is ready to grab a bigger slice of that market with the planned opening of 9 more stores in the area in 2016.

Marco's Pizza prides itself on making the best pizza money can buy. It is handmade in the Italian tradition, using fresh, never-frozen cheeses, making the dough in stores daily and using only premium meats and vegetables. Founded in Toledo in 1978, Marco's is the only Top 20 pizza chain founded by a native Italian. Marco's has enjoyed stunning growth in recent years and is on pace to open 1,000 restaurants by the end of 2017. The brand's proven business model and sustainable growth has been heralded by the likes of Forbes, Consumer Report,Entrepreneur, Franchise Times and Nation's Restaurant News.

"Our franchisees come from a remarkably wide variety of backgrounds. But there's a common thread among our franchisees -- passion for the Marco's product. Almost half of them were Marco's consumers first. They fell in love with our product," said Cameron Cummins, Chief Development Officer for Marco's Pizza.

Marco's Pizza is growing faster than the overall pizza industry

Marco's Pizza has the fastest unit growth, according to Nation's Restaurant News, which named the beloved pizza franchise as part of its Second 100 List. That list analyzes businesses that are smaller but are focusing on growing around the nation.

The publication states that while the pizza industry is mature and growth is limited, Marco's Pizza is the exception. Not only is Marco's growing faster than other pizza franchises, Marco's Pizza sales growth also is higher than any other pizza franchise. The publication reports that Marco's Pizza sales growth is tops for system-wide sales in the Second 100 pizza segment.

Marco's Pizza franchise seeks friendly, passionate entrepreneurs in Houston

Marco's Pizza wants welcoming, friendly individuals who remember customers' names and are passionate about the product to join the Marco's Pizza franchisee family. The investment required to start a Marco's Pizza franchise is typically about $350,000. The pizza franchise is looking for people who have a net worth of $150,000 and a minimum liquidity of $100,000.

To learn more, visit www.marcosfranchising.com.

SOURCE Marco's Pizza

Contact:

Cameron Cummins

Chief Development Officer

ccummins@marcos.com

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Pirtek Opens San Leandro, CA, Location Serving East Bay Area

Fluid transfer solutions leader continues expansion in California and the United States

February 08, 2016 // Franchising.com // San Leandro, CA, USA  Pirtek, the leader in fluid transfer solutions, has opened a new Service & Supply Center in San Leandro, Calif., a community south of Oakland with about 400,000 residents. The new facility at 1997 Burroughs Avenue is part of the companys ongoing expansion efforts throughout the United States. Pirtek has 57 Service & Supply Centers across the country.

Pirtek is the only franchise of its kind operating in the United States. It provides hydraulic and industrial hose replacement sales and services from its Service & Supply Centers. The new 4,200 square-foot facility in San Leandro has a staff of seven, with three 24/7 Mobile Service Vehicles ready to be dispatched for on-location work.

San Leandro lies in the East Bay area of California. Franchise owner Daniel Currid said this should prove an excellent spot for a Pirtek Service & Supply Center. Theres plenty of industrial activity going on in this area, said Currid, who is operating the business with his wife, Kathryn. Theres a port and an airport. The region is heavy with companies that do construction, manufacturing, marine work  all kinds of industries. Its an excellent market.

Currid comes to Pirtek after 18 years at a local Caterpillar dealer. It was a great experience, he said. But I wanted to be my own boss, so I started looking into some franchise opportunities.

After doing online research, Currid discovered Pirtek, and it appeared to be the right fit. Initially, the companys main draw was its connection to the field he had worked for so long. I have a lot of industry contacts and relationships from my previous work, which provides me with an edge, said Currid, who has lived in the East Bay area most of his life. Plus, I enjoy sales, turning over rocks to find new customers and new opportunities. Its about building relationships, building confidence, putting in the time and effort.

One of the things that deeply impressed Currid about Pirtek was the high level of support the franchises get from the corporate office in Rockledge, Fla. I found the team at corporate very knowledgeable, very supportive, he said. That made the difference for me.

As Pirtek continues its growth around the country, it is also investing in sponsorships and other marketing efforts. The company recently announced the formation of Pirtek Team Murray (team owner Brett Murray) and celebrated the unveiling of its logo prominently featured on the Indy car driven by Matt Brabham. The Chris Kyle Frog Foundation - established in honor of the famed American Sniper, Chris Kyle - also is part of the Pirtek Team Murray for the 100th race, and Kyles wife, Taya, serves as the teams Official Ambassador.

About Pirtek

Pirtek is the fluid transfer solutions leader in sales and service and the only franchise of its kind in the United States. Pirtek boasts more than 400 Service & Supply Centers in 23 countries around the world, and has more than 30 years of experience in the hydraulic and industrial hose replacement field. Powered by an industry-leading approach to sales and service and backed by a corporate center passionate about its franchisees and customers, Pirtek offers unmatched service and logistics. For additional information about Pirtek, visit http://www.Pirtekusa.com.

SOURCE Pirtek

Media Contact:

Ken Zeszutko

Zeszutko Corp.

PR on behalf of Pirtek

321-213-1818

zeszutko@zcorp-pr.com

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Pro Motocross Team Takes Over Wienerschnitzel for Charity

Joe Gibbs Racing Motocross to Work the Temecula Wienerschnitzel on February 11

February 05, 2016 // Franchising.com // IRVINE, California - Wienerschnitzel, the worlds largest hot dog chain, is giving control of the Temecula location to their motocross partner, Joe Gibbs Racing Motocross (JGRMX), on Thursday, February 11 from 5:00 p.m.  8:00 p.m. Members of the JGRMX team including riders Weston Peick, Justin Barcia and Phil Nicoletti, along with team owner, Coy Gibbs, will take over the restaurant to help Wienerschnitzel raise funds for two non-profit organizations. The restaurant takeover is happening just days before the Sixth Round Monster Energy Supercross race at Petco Park in San Diego on February 13.



Its a great feeling to know that JGRMX stands behind our mission of serving food to serve others, said Wienerschnitzel Chief Visionary Officer, Rico Ferrante. We are truly passionate about using our restaurants as vessels to give back to our communities as much as possible. This event is a great way to raise funds for important causes while having some fun with the fans!



The JGRMX team will take over restaurant operations from working the register and drive-thru to manning the condiment station and grills. Wienerschnitzel will donate 100 percent of sales from the event to the following organizations: United Service Organization (USO), the nations leading organization serving the U.S. military and their families, as well as Road 2 Recovery which provides financial assistance for motocross and Supercross members who sustain career-ending injuries.



We love having partners like Wienerschnitzel who are committed to supporting charitable organizations, and were happy to help any way we can, said JGRMX owner Coy Gibbs. Its going to be a lot of fun working in the restaurant and interacting with the fans all while raising money for these very worthy causes. A big thanks to Wienerschnitzel for getting us involved!



Temecula Wienerschnitzel

32080 Temecula Pkwy.

Temecula, CA 92052

Phone: 951-303-2200

www.wienerschnitzel.com

About Wienerschnitzel

Founded by John Galardi in 1961 with a single hot dog stand in Wilmington, California, Wienerschnitzel (www.wienerschnitzel.com) is a bona fide pioneer of the limited-service food industry. Today, Wienerschnitzel is the worlds largest hot dog chain and home of Americas favorite Chili Dog. Based in Irvine, California, the parent company, Galardi Group, franchises restaurants throughout the U.S., including Wienerschnitzel, Hamburger Stand, and Tastee Freez. An iconic American brand with a devoted following for over 50 years, Wienerschnitzel is poised for exponential growth, both domestically and internationally. With a refreshed marketing focus, Wienerschnitzel has received tremendous media attention and accolades including Franchise Times 20 to Watch and voted Best Fast Food in Southern California by the readers of Los Angeles Daily News for five years and running. In 2016, Wienerschnitzel was ranked #146 in the coveted Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500. Additionally, the company recently introduced a unique next generation store design featuring a smaller footprint and a lower cost of entry; while the simple menu allows for easy execution and lower food costs. As a family owned and operated company, Wienerschnitzel is in a unique position to always put its franchise partners first and is actively recruiting passionate franchise candidates to grow with the brand during this very exciting time. For more information on owning a Wienerschnitzel, visit franchising.wienerschnitzel.com or contact Ted Milburn - Director, Franchise Development at franchising@wienerschnitzel.com.

SOURCE Wienerschnitzel

Media Contact:

Aileen Donovan

Powerhouse Public Relations, LLC

949.261.2216

aileen@powrhousepr.com

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Rookie of the Year Danielle Loupee of South Bend, Indiana, Breaks the Franchise Revenue Record for Always Best Care

Wins a July 4th Weekend Trip for Four

February 08, 2016 // Franchising.com // Roseville, CA  Always Best Care Senior Services announced today that Danielle Loupee, business owner of Always Best Care Michiana, has established an all-time franchise revenue record in her first calendar year. In 2015, Ms. Loupee earned the Rookie of the Year award and now has set a company record. Ms. Loupee serves the communities of Mishawaka, South Bend, Granger, Elkhart, Nappanee and Southwest Michigan Counties including Cass, Berrien, and St. Joseph.

Always Best Care is one of the nations leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and skilled home health care. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada.

On behalf of the entire Always Best Care Family I want to congratulate Danielle on her outstanding achievement, said Michael Newman, Founder and CEO of Always Best Care Senior Services. Danielle has once again demonstrated that she is a talented leader and we are very fortunate to have her part of the Always Best Care family.

To recognize Ms. Loupees accomplishment, the Always Best Care Field Support Office has awarded her with an Appreciation Weekend to celebrate the July 4th weekend in downtown Chicago. Danielle and three of her guests will enjoy a variety of special activities including a two-night, two-room, lake view stay at the Hilton Chicago, dinners and July 4th fireworks presentation.

I am thrilled to be able to have made this achievement in such a short period of time, said Ms. Loupee. This is a wonderful testament to the terrific team we have in place and I hope this is a indication that our organization will have a long and very successful run servicing seniors and their families in the South Bend area.

In 2015, Danielle was named Rookie of the Year. Always Best Cares annual Rookie of the Year award honors the franchisee who achieves the highest level of sales during their first 12 months of operations. It is the highest award presented to first year franchisees.

Ms. Loupee is the owner of Always Best Care Michiana, located at 3120 N. Home Street, Suite B, Mishawaka, IN 46545. Phone (574) 232-8487, or visit http://www.alwaysbestcare.com/usa/in/michiana/south-bend. To contact Ms. Loupee directly, email dloupee@abc-seniors.com.

For information on Always Best Care franchise opportunities, call toll-free 1-855-430-CARE (2273), send an email to franchisesales@abc-seniors.com, or visit www.franchisewithalwaysbestcare.com.

About Always Best Care

Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care assists seniors with a wide range of illnesses and personal needs, and currently provides more than 4 million hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the companys clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas.

By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a clients particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of the Always Best Care business portfolio include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care now being phased in throughout the country. For more information, visit www.AlwaysBestCare.com. For franchise opportunities, visit www.FranchiseWithAlwaysBestCare.com.

Always Best Care also offers Free ABC Rx cards, which provide discounts of up to 65 percent off the cost of prescription drugs at more than 59,000 pharmacies across the USA, and have saved consumers more than $500,000 since its inception. This service is offered at no cost to the users, there are no deductibles, no waiting periods, no pre-existing exclusions, and no eligibility requirements -- everyone can use the card (even family members and pets!). The Free ABC Rx card covers many medications that Medicare Part D and regular insurance often do not. To download a free card, visit www.FreeABCRx.com.

Another exclusive program offered by Always Best Care is Always in Touch, a telephone reassurance program that provides a daily phone call to seniors and disabled adults who are living alone and have limited contact with the outside world. Always in Touch is the only absolutely free national telephone reassurance program of its kind anywhere in the USA and Canada. For more information on Always in Touch, or to request an application, visit www.Always-in-Touch.com.

SOURCE Always Best Care

Contact:

Jared Dansky

jdansky@getpr.com

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Tap House Grill Employee Turns Franchisee in Plainfield, Illinois

PLAINFIELD, ILLINOIS (PRWEB) February 08, 2016 - Tap House Grill Addictive Food/Creative Brews, a successful bar and restaurant franchise founded by spirited entrepreneurs and successful Chicago restaurateurs, announces an employee promotion to franchisee at its Plainfield location.

Local Oswego resident Santino Patragas has worked with Tap House Grill for nearly a decade and most recently served in capacity of managing partner. He started out as a host, moved to server and then on to general manager.

After building a career in the restaurant industry, Patragas decided he wanted a job that was a better fit for his entrepreneurial aspirations. TapHouse Founders Mark Zych and Robert Scott Ward agreed.

As the new owner of the Plainfield location, Patragas is responsible for maintaining the quality and service standards established by the Tap House Grill corporate office. In addition, he will handle all operational and marketing aspects of running his own bar and restaurant franchise.

What better way to expand our business than through our own Tap House family, Ward said. Santino has been a loyal employee of Tap House Grill for the last 10 years, and we cant think of a better way to reward his service and dedication to the brand than to promote him to franchise owner of our Plainfield location.

Launched in 2006, Tap House Grill Addictive Food/Creative Brews has multiple bar and restaurant franchise locations across the Chicago suburbs and several franchise agreements in the works. Executives created the Tap House Grill Franchise Group this year to provide thorough training, support and marketing guidance for franchise owners and operators.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Tap House Grill Franchise Group, visit thgfranchise.com or call the franchise team directly at (847) 496-7054.

About The Tap House Grill

The Tap House Grill Addictive Food/Creative Brews concept is designed to capitalize on the strong growth of the craft beer market, providing franchise owners a strong support system and a welcoming environment with food and drink that lives up to the concepts tagline, serving items like drunken shrimp, crispy fried bacon or the grilled chicken and wild mushroom press with a truffle aioli. With a franchise headquarters in Palatine, Illinois, the corporate organization operates seven bar and restaurant locations in the Chicago area.

SOURCE The Tap House Grill

Contact:

Bob Spoerl

TopFire Media

+1 708.249.1090

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The world has Jerry Pinkneys mother to thank for giving us one of childrens literatures greatest illustrators. He suffered from dyslexia, although it went unnamed for 40 years, and his mother read aloud to him, fostering his love of books and encouraging his interest in art.

In his over 50-year career, Pinkney has won multiple awards, illustrated over 100 books, and in 2016 received two of childrens literatures highest honors. He was awarded both the Coretta Scott KingVirginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award for substantial contributions . . . using award-winning African American literature for children and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award which is given to those who make a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.

The Wilder Award Jury observed that his illustrations detail a world that resonates with readers long after the pages of a book have been turned. If you havent yet enjoyed Pinkneys work, then you are in for a treat.

His art is so sumptuous that it doesnt even need words! In 2010 he won the Caldecott Medal for his wordless picture book The Lion and the Mouse. The traditional Aesops Fable is told through the most expressive mouse and lion youll ever encounter.

Pinkneys excellent use of pencil and watercolor enliven each animal. Readers will reach out to stroke the lions luscious mane which contrasts sharply to the diminutive heros tiny little hairs. After saving the lion, the mouse claims a knot of net for its children; I like to think its not just to sharpen their teeth, but to prepare a new generation to help those in need.

Adults are sometimes nervous to read wordless picture books aloud, but rest assured that children know how to enjoy them! I have found that some of the best conversations and most joy come out of pouring over these titles as equals. Look for Pinkneys other wordless fables such as The Grasshopper and the Ants and The Tortoise & the Hare.

Pinkney teamed up with author Robert D. San Souci to illustrate the retelling of the Creole folktale, The Talking Eggs.

As is true of many folktales, Blanches mother had a favorite daughter and she wasnt it. Her mother made her do all of the work, while her sister Rose lounged casually on the porch. When Blanche is kind and respectful to an old woman she meets in the woods, she is given a rewardtalking eggs which when thrown over her shoulder become valuable gifts such as diamonds, rubies, dresses and shoes. Her jealous sister decides she deserves presents too and seeks out the old woman, but shes neither kind nor respectful and doesnt listen. Her eggs become snakes, toads and yellow jackets which chase mother and daughter back to their home.

There they discover, clever Blanche has gone to the city to live like a grand ladythough she remained as kind and generous as always. Pinkneys illustrations vividly convey the whimsy of this imaginative tale.

Through the years, Pinkneys art has also illuminated history. In Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World written by poet Marilyn Nelson, his realistic portraits bring to life the members of this unique orchestra.

They were an interracial group during the 1940s, at a time when Jim Crow laws were the accepted norm and were working women at a time when women didnt traditionally work outside the home. Of course, every musician needs an adoring audience and Pinkneys dancers whirl across the page or shimmy their hips and stomp their feet as they enjoy this once in a lifetime experience.

Follow up a reading of this book by finding historic video of the Sweethearts online.

Rebecca Purdy is coordinator of childrens services for Central Rappahannock Regional Library. Reach her at 540/372-1160 or rpurdy@ crrl.org.
Seattle Family Law Firm Announces Client Services in Kirkland, DuBois Cary Law Group Now in Kirkland

Premier Seattle Family Law Firm DuBois Cary Law Group, PLLC, announces the opening of a new meeting location in Kirkland, WA.

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Seattle-based divorce and family law firm DuBois Cary Law Group, announces the expansion of its services into Kirkland, WA to better serve its Eastside divorce, family law and estate planning clients. Due to the increasing transportation challenges in King County, DuBois Cary attorneys travel to meet with clients at convenient locations on the Eastside and have added the option of meeting at Carillon Point. Clients can now meet with DuBois Cary at this address:

DuBois Cary Law Group

5400 Carillon Point, Building 5000, 4th Floor

Kirkland, WA 98033

The perfect environment for a family law firm, Carillon Point's character is recognized in its claim for some of the area's finest office space and restaurants, in addition to a four-star hotel, full service day spa and first-class marina facilities - all situated on the beautiful shores of Lake Washington in Kirkland, Washington.

"DuBois Cary's philosophy in expanding is to provide compassionate, family-centered legal representation for Eastside families on domestic law issues ranging from national and international child custody, to complex property division, to mediation and post-divorce relocation. We also provide seasoned litigation representation when necessary" says Amanda DuBois, owner and managing member of DuBois Cary.

About DuBois Cary Law Group

The DuBois Cary Law Group provides experienced family law and estate planning representation in an emotionally supportive environment, and vigorously represents clients in divorce and child custody matters. The DuBois Cary Law Firm has over fifty years of combined experience in complex litigation. DuBois Cary takes a team approach to client issues, and pulls additional support for clients from finance, accounting, parenting, trial consulting, tax planning, and psychology professionals. DuBois Cary serves clients in several Seattle, Bellevue and Kirkland locations.

For more information about us, please visit http://duboislaw.net

Contact Info:

Name: Elizabeth Myhr

Email: beth@duboislaw.net

Organization: DuBois Cary Law Group, PLLC

Address: 927 N Northlake Way Suite 210 Seattle, WA 98103

Phone: (206) 547-1486

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd-vNPBwQ_SMCUAcjooK2FQ

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/seattle-family-law-firm-announces-client-services-in-kirkland-dubois-cary-law-group-now-in-kirkland/102492

Release ID: 102492

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New Tennessee Home Exterior Painting Service Debuts on ESFS

ESFS announces today the opening of the Tennessee section of their Exterior Painting online quote service. Visitors to the site can obtain multiple competitive, no-obligation quotes from local painting contractors with little hassle or fuss.

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ESFS announces today the opening of the Tennessee section of their Exterior Painting online quote service. Visitors to the site can obtain multiple competitive, no-obligation quotes from local painting contractors with little hassle or fuss.

Available today, ESFS is opening the Tennessee section of their Exterior Painting online quote service. ESFS is a home improvement website that brings together a network of renovation and building contractors to match with prospective clients in their local areas. A visitor to ESFS can gain access to multiple competitive, no-obligation quotes from local companies with little hassle or fuss.

The new Exterior Painting Quote Service rolls out with 21 locations across the state available for immediate patronage. "We are always trying to increase our coverage and range of services to each state," ESFS director Mr. Aird explained. "All the contractors we partner with to provide our quote service are pre-approved to ensure consistent quality for all of our users."

Visitors to the website only need to fill out a simple form that determines their needs, ensuring quotes received are accurate for the work required. The client will be able to identify, for instance, what material their exterior is made from, and what condition it is in, all of which can have a significant impact on the time, and cost, required for a quality repainting to be carried out. As well as repainting, the service is also available for new builds, and even re-staining of wood.

"An exterior repaint is one of the simplest ways to completely rejuvenate the outside of a house, which can be very important when placing the property on the market," Mr. Aird advised. "However repainting is also a critical aspect of home maintenance and if too much time expires between each repaint, the house risks damage from the elements."

Coverage for the ESFS Exterior Painting services ranges from Memphis to Nashville and Knoxville, and in many small and big cities and towns in between.

About ESFS.org ESFS stands for Easy Simple Fast Service and is an online service dedicated to providing customers with no obligation quotes for a variety of services including home repair and additions, interior design and decoration, cleaning, roofing and construction from pre-screened local contractors.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.esfs.org

Contact Info:

Name: Matt Aird

Organization: Easy Simple Fast Service

Address: www.esfs.org



Release ID: 103282

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Click-A-Brick Announces Launch Of Next 30-Piece Building Brick Set

Click-A-Brick announces the release of its next 30-piece building brick set, Bug's Life. The set will feature bricks of black, brown and green, plus two eyes that children can put on their creations. The set can make five different insects.

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Click-A-Brick has announced the launch of its latest 30-piece building brick set, Bug's Life, set to launch in just a couple of days. Featuring bricks of black, brown, green and with a pair of eyes, the set can build five different insects including two different beetles, a grasshopper, a cicada and a dragonfly.

Click-A-Brick Co-Founders Jason Smith and Georg de Gorostiza say they chose to release the Bug's Life set next, as it continues with their animal themes, introducing children to the wide world of insects. Animals are among the most interesting subjects for children to explore, the co-founders say, and insects in particular hold a special fascination for kids, making it the logical choice to release next.

"Insects are a gold mine for children's imaginations," Smith said. "Maybe more than any other group of animals, bugs are able to really tap into a child's imagination. They come in so many different shapes and sizes, it's easy for kids to dive right in and start making all kinds of different bugs. We're hoping that children respond as favorably to making insects as they do to making other types of animals. The world of creepy crawlies is big and diverse and it holds a special place for children, particularly those who show a leaning toward science. The type of kids who collect bugs in jars are probably going to enjoy this set."

The Bug's Life set will launch simultaneously on the building brick toy company's Amazon pages for both the United States and United Kingdom and will soon be available on the Click-A-Brick website. With the company's expansion into the UK in full swing, all future sets will also be released simultaneously on both Amazon sites. Being able to launch the set at the same time in the US and UK markets is an indication of how much the company has grown already in its short lifespan, the co-founders say, noting that they are able to launch sets on a regular basis now thanks in part to the rapid expansion of the company.

"It's an exciting time at Click-A-Brick right now," Smith said. "With the UK expansion going so well and plans for robotics-inspired sets in the works, we feel like our brand presence is growing at a remarkable pace. Pretty soon, we'll be branching out into Europe and entering new markets there. This year is set to be a big year for Click-A-Brick as we take this brand global and we're happy to kick off that global expansion with Bug's Life."

For more information about us, please visit http://www.clickabricktoys.net/

Contact Info:

Name: Rob Swystun

Organization: Click-A-Brick Toys LLC

Phone: 855-976-3664

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/click-a-brick-announces-launch-of-next-30-piece-building-brick-set/103112

Release ID: 103112

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Malaysia Tour Website Launches Details About Upcoming Choices

Tours to Malaysia using Iran Air and Mahan are both direct and international with stops in United Arab Emirates, Qatar and between Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

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Malaysia tour (??? ????? )options are available to residents who want to explore the fascinating and historic areas of the country. Some of the tour highlights include Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang and Singapore. Travellers are invited to visit the website in order to specify the ports-of-call for the tour. The Malaysia destination for Iranian travellers can include a stay of as much as two weeks with no visa required. When a Singapore stop is included in the tour, visa requirements must be met before travelling.

Travel on the excursions may be done by external and internal flights. Tours to Malaysia using Iran Air and Mahan are both direct and international with stops in United Arab Emirates, Qatar and between Kuala Lumpur and Penang. There are ground transfers between cities and between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. The trip between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore is accomplished by air transport. The exact connections will be determined by the travellers, in coordination with the company representatives.

Vouchers for airlines and for hotels are provided in electronic form for convenience to passengers. It is important to contact the agency about delivery electronically. Allowance for receipt of the necessary documentation at the agency is important. Travellers are requested to send the first page of the passport via fax, or email. The agency will provide the paperwork as needed.

The hotels included in the tour package are usually rated at three-star. If the desired hotel is different than the standard package, travellers are invited to check the options which are pictured on the tour website. Arrangements can be made prior to the start of the tour.

The tour includes a number of points of interest, both historical and culturally significant. Shopping opportunities and enjoyment of the activities are a popular way to learn more about other parts of the globe.

For more information about us, please visit http://malaysia-tour.ir/

Contact Info:

Name: Yusef Abad

Organization: Saadatseir

Address: Address: Unit 7, Floor3, No 51, 25st St, Jamalodin Asad Abadi Av, Tehran Iran

Phone: 00982143674367

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/malaysia-tour-website-launches-details-about-upcoming-choices/103345

Release ID: 103345

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Leicestershire-based wealth manager Greyfriars Asset Management has acquired the independent financial services division of Chesham Insurance Brokers.

The partnership will add commercial and private insurance specialist assistance to Greyfriars, which reported more than 850m assets under management at the close of 2015.

Gareth Roberts, partner and head of advice at Greyfriars, explained through this vertical integration, the firm can expand the proposition it offers to both corporate and private clients.

The partnership enables us to increase our specialist areas and widen our client proposition, setting the foundations for further expansion throughout the UK and internationally.

Cheshams chief executive Tom Bartleet said their clients were increasingly looking for specialist independent financial advice from a trusted partner and his business therefore wanted to build a solution that would cater for that demand.

This partnership gives us the resources and expertise we need to be able to build on our client services and add value to our current proposition.

Chesham has over 40 years worth of experience in the commercial and personal insurance sectors, serving clients throughout the UK.

Mr Roberts added that Greyfriars parent company Best International is an expert in peer-to-peer lending and capital raising strategies for SMEs.

He said: There are therefore numerous synergies across the business, which proved highly attractive and the making of a successful acquisition.

peter.walker@ft.com
Investment trust managers claim Chinas spectacular growth of the past should not cloud judgement of the countrys future prospects.

The FTSE 100 fell at the start of the year after further turmoil in Chinese equity markets.

Chinas CSI 300 equity index was suspended at the start of this year following just 30 minutes after opening as the benchmark fell 7 per cent - triggering automatic circuit breakers.

The drop was driven by a further fall in the value of the Chinese renminbi.

Chinese policymakers set the onshore rate at a five-year low of 6.5646 against the US dollar, and this weakness - increasingly being driven by market forces - was viewed by investors as a sign of a more severe slowdown in the Chinese economy.

Ian Hargreaves, manager at Invesco Asia, said he had just returned from a research trip to China.

He found, among other things, concerns over renminbi depreciation had contributed to recent market weakness.

Mr Hargreaves said: I found nothing to suggest that the economy is deteriorating at a more rapid rate than we have seen so far.

Neither did I find any evidence of new factors undermining the resilience of the consumer and service sectors.

Howard Wang, manager at JPMorgan Chinese Investment Trust, said it was important for investors to acknowledge and be comfortable with Chinas slower growth.

He said: Many secular growth opportunities with strong multi-year prospects still exist across Chinese equities, especially in the new economy sectors of healthcare, internet, consumption and environmental protection.

AIC Members with largest percentage holdings in China (at 31 December 2015)

Fund Sector China% Hong Kong % Taiwan % Total % Fidelity China Special Situations Country Specialists: Asia Pacific 77.19 17.86 2.65 97.7 JPMorgan Chinese Country Specialists: Asia Pacific 68 14 14 96 JPMorgan Asian Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 34 11 14 59 Invesco Asia Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 23.4 20.03 10.71 54.14 Martin Currie Asia Unconstrained Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 42.42 5.97 48.39 Pacific Horizon Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 29 6 13 48 Schroder AsiaPacific Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 8 26 11 45 Asian Total Return Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 28.36 16.05 44.41 JPMorgan Global Emerging Markets Income Global Emerging Markets 13 7 21 41 Henderson Far East Income Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 17.78 10.92 10.74 39.44 Fidelity Asian Values Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 16.6 8.8 13.3 38.7 Edinburgh Dragon Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 5.89 23.84 6.05 35.78 Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 14.4 7.94 12.54 34.88 Schroder Oriental Income Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 3 19 11 33 Aberdeen New Dawn Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 5.01 22.19 5.6 32.8 Pacific Assets Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 3.38 10.13 17.78 31.29 Templeton Emerging Markets Global Emerging Markets 23.8 6.3 30.1 Witan Pacific Asia Pacific - Including Japan 12.34 12.21 4.67 29.22 Advance Developing Markets Global Emerging Markets 17 4 8 29 JPMorgan Emerging Markets Global Emerging Markets 7 9 8 24 Aberdeen Asian Income Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 4.28 11.92 5.06 21.26 Utilico Emerging Markets Global Emerging Markets 0.45 20.76 21.21 Aberdeen Asian Smaller Companies Asia Pacific - Excluding Japan 3.17 17.15 20.32

Source: AIC Monthly Information Release (MIR)

Dale Nicholls, manager at Fidelity China Special Situations, said he remained positive about the prospects for China, which continues to grow at a better pace than the developed world and personal consumption is likely to outpace this rate of growth as the economy transitions towards a consumer-led market.

Howard Wang, manager at JP Morgan Chinese Investment Trust, said it was important for investors to acknowledge and be comfortable with Chinas slower growth.

He said: Many secular growth opportunities with strong multi-year prospects still exist across Chinese equities, especially in the new economy sectors of healthcare, internet, consumption and environmental protection.

Mark Mobius, executive chairman at Templeton Emerging Markets Group and co-manager of Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust, said: We are not terribly concerned about growth in China, nor its long-term investment prospects.

We would dub current 2016 projections of about 6 per cent in gross domestic product growth as quite strong.

Ewan Markson-Brown, manager at Pacific Horizon Investment Trust, said China is amidst its great transition from an investment led economy to a service led economy, with services growth accounting for 80 per cent to 90 per cent of recent GDP growth.

Jonathan French, IFA at AW Financial Management in Bromley, said: China is still growing, just not quite as quickly.
Trading was suspended twice in the first week of the year alone, by an automatic circuit breaker put in place to avoid investor panic. Instead, it seemed to perpetuate fear and was hurriedly removed. By the last week in January, Chinese shares had fallen to a 13-month low.

It does seem to be fear rather than anything more concrete dragging the market down, however. Weve known that the Chinese economy has been slowing for some time now, and probably to a greater extent than the official data suggests. It is likely to slow even more this year.

We are equally aware that the Chinese government will intervene to try to keep things on track. So there hasnt really been any new news to cause such panic selling. The rebalancing from an investment-led to services-led economy will take a long time. No one said it was ever going to be easy.

Admittedly, the currency is a concern. For some time, other countries have been devaluing their currencies and China has been absorbing such weakness. They cant do this indefinitely and if the renminbi has to be devalued, it presents a significant risk. It would export (more) deflation to the rest of the world.

While Chinese consumer debt is relatively low, corporate debt isnt  and companies have borrowed in US dollars. Chinese corporate debt could well be the next asset to come under stress.

That said, with share prices in China having fallen significantly, opportunities are beginning to emerge. Caution is still required, as the situation could easily get worse before it gets better, but long-term investors with spare cash might consider buying on the dips.

February 8 marks the start of the year of the monkey. Astrologers wisdom suggests the monkey will bring a state of flux, in which anything can happen. However, their forecasts also predict for improvements in finances, politics and real estate, and plenty of economic growth. While Id like to believe the second half of this horoscope, I suspect the first may be more apt.

In either scenario, my preferred Chinese equity fund is Invesco Perpetual Hong Kong & China. Its a concentrated, multi-cap portfolio of both Hong Kong and Chinese equities. Managers Mike Shiao and Lorraine Kuo are based in Hong Kong and have a very experienced and well-resourced team.

Mike believes there is a dearth of research on Chinese equities, so the team conducts its own. This gives it a major edge.

The managers invest in quality companies that hold leading positions in their industries and visit about 1,000 companies a year. They are not afraid to hold positions that are substantially different from the benchmark, which is dominated by old state-owned companies.
UK net retail sales of funds fell to their lowest level for three years in 2015 as volatility challenged global markets, according to the latest Pridham report.

According to the report, increased redemptions pushed net sales to their lowest point for three years, at 17.6bn, despite gross sales hitting a new record for the year.

In comparison net retail sales reached 21.6bn in 2014, 20.9bn in 2013 and 14.4bn in 2012.

Volatile markets market meant investors were unsure of market timing although many were looking for income, boosting demand for equity funds which accounted for nearly half of all sales according to industry statistics, the report said.

However investors also showed a desire to balance their portfolios with targeted absolute return and property funds.

Estimates from the report showed Woodford Investment Management had the strongest net retail sales both for the final quarter of 2015, at 800m, and for the whole year in general.

Over 2015, the company saw some 3.3bn of estimated net inflows, though this was down 15 per cent from 2014.

Standard Life Investments enjoyed 3.1bn of net retail inflows, according to the report, with Gars leading the way once again.

BlackRocks multi-asset and passive products lifted it to third place, while Legal & General Investment Management, 7im and Fidelity were new entrants to the top ten.
Aegon UK could be set to benefit from a game-changing economy of scale with a potential acquisition of the Cofunds platform, a market commentator has said.

According to latest market speculation, the Legal & General-owned platform is set to end up in the hands of the Dutch-owned Aegon UK, which is headquartered in Edinburgh.

An industry source close to the negotiations has claimed the deal was signed and sealed two weeks ago, although neither company has confirmed this.

Platform specialist Mark Polson, founder of consultancy The Lang Cat, said: Although nobody knows anything yet, this could be a very major step for Aegon UK.

First of all, platforms are a scale game and Cofunds is enormous. With one stroke, Aegon UK could become the biggest platform provider in the UK.

It would be a game changer, a massive explosion in platform assets for them, as well as vastly interesting for the industry.

Aegon UK has already developed the at-retirement platform Arc, which it launched at the end of 2012, followed by the Retiready proposition in April 2014.

According to latest figures, Arc saw high levels of growth in 2015, with total assets accelerating to 5.3bn by year end.

Mr Polson added Cofunds book of business is quite disparate in structure, with institutional, retail (direct to consumer), white-label and advised.

It is clear how the advised business would fit into Aegon UKs model and you could see how the retail D2C would work, although the institutional and the white-label would be a different matter.

There is a further complicating factor, in that Cofunds is reported to be in the process of looking at new technology and may or may not have decided on something, while Aegon UK has already got a working platform that it has invested heavily in, he stated, adding Aegon has been transferring assets from its back book to the Arc platform.

He added that whether Arc would move onto a new tech structure, or Cofunds assets would be put onto the Arc platform, remained to be seen.

Mr Polson added Arc certainly has the right structure to cope with that move, if this deal were indeed to go ahead.

He said: As is always the case when an advised platform is looking to change ownership, there is more than the daily administration to consider; there is also the strategic fit with adviser firms.

When asked whether Aegon UK was the front-runner in a sale process, Stephen Wynne-Jones, head of marketing and digital at L&G, said: We do not comment on market speculation.

A spokesman for Aegon UK also said: This is market speculation and we would not comment on it.

At the beginning of January this year, L&G announced an agreement to sell its Suffolk Life specialist self-invested personal pension business to Curtis Banks in a deal worth 45m.

Suffolk Life had been bought by L&G in 2008, and administers about 26,500 Sipps, with assets under administration of 8.7bn.
FCA staff struggled to identify and handle market sensitive information, according to an internal audit several months after the regulators pre-briefing scandal broke.

One of three internal audits from October 2014 - published today by the Treasury select committee - stated there was a significant risk of FCA staff who handle market sensitive information on a daily basis becoming de-sensitised to the sensitivity of the information they were dealing with.

Another audit also found it was unclear what constituted a crisis for the FCA and that once it was faced with one there was a lack of directing policy about how it should be handled.

Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Treasury select committee, said: The FCA has had a difficult couple of years  the Davis review illustrated some of the regulators institutional weaknesses.

The reports  produced after the FCAs extraordinary and incompetent briefing of the press in 2013 on its plans to investigate the insurance industry  shed some light on the extent to which the FCA is improving its standards, and the overall quality of its work.

Deficiencies remain in the FCAs handling of crisis management, external communications and market-sensitive issues. This has been evident from the FCAs curious handling of their decision to drop an investigation into bank culture. There is clearly a great deal of work left to do.

In December the FCA abandoned its review of culture at UK retail and wholesale banks claiming it would achieve the same results by engaging individually with banks.

The audit on market sensitive information found some FCA staff were unclear that sending information in the body of emails to firms and other external bodies, excluding the PRA and Bank of England, was not a secure form of communication.

Staff were also unclear whether and how they should indicate that the information they were sending was market sensitive and that it should be handled accordingly.

The audit also said there was a lack of practical guidance of how staff can identify, handle and manage market sensitive information across the FCA - with the exception of the enforcement division.

Auditors found it was not possible to establish a consistent view on who was accountable for the FCAs approach to incident response and crisis management and what the roles and responsibilities of particular staff members were during an incident or crisis.

In March 2014 the Telegraph published an interview with long-term savings and pension Nick Poyntz-Wright, but with quotes attributed to the then FCA director of supervision Clive Adamson Mr Adamson without his knowledge.

The interview revealed the regulator would investigate the level of profits made by insurers from funds closed to new business which prompted a market sell-off that saw shares in insurance firms plummet by as much as 20 per cent.

In December 2014 the FCA published a report by Clifford Chance partner Simon Davis into its mishandling of the pre-briefing that led to the article, which found it to be high risk, poorly supervised and inadequately controlled.
Farmers are being warned to stay vigilant for sky lanterns endangering livestock and property as celebrations get under way for the Chinese New Year.

Festivities are due to last for two weeks from Monday (8 February) as Chinese communities across Britain celebrate the start of the Year of the Monkey.

Sky lanterns  usually made of rice paper with a bamboo or wire frame containing a lit candle or fuel cell  are a big part of the celebrations. But lantern debris can prove fatal to livestock.

If ingested, the frames can penetrate an animals digestive tract, leading to peritonitis, heart problems and in some cases death.

Some local authorities have banned lantern releases. Other councils are urging caution.

See also: Local council bans sky lanterns

Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said it wanted to wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year. But it called for restraint over sky lanterns.

Community safety manager Richard Priest said: The festivities are very special to our Chinese communities and often take place over a number of days, but there are fire risks.

Anyone planning to launch sky lanterns should be extremely careful, said Mr Priest.

They can rise to more than 1,000 feet, fly for up to 20 minutes and float for miles before landing  think before you light.

The NFU said it was urging everyone to celebrate safely and not to release sky lanterns.

Please remember the dangers these lanterns pose to families, homes, crop fields, livestock and wildlife, it warned.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which is also calling for a ban on lanterns, said lives as well as livelihoods were put at risk by the objects.

The CLA said it wanted people to enjoy the Chinese New Year, but to do so without the need to release sky lanterns  describing them as no more than flying fire hazards.

Those planning to release them as part of their celebrations need to take a moment to seriously consider the significant risk lanterns pose, it said.

They also cause the emergency services enormous and unwanted problems.
Story Highlights Monthly engagement at 32.5% last month

Engagement has been at or above 32.0% for five months 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The slightly improved level of employee engagement that persisted in the U.S. workforce in 2015 continued in January. Gallup categorized nearly a third of workers last month -- 32.5% -- as engaged in their jobs. Employee engagement has not fallen below 32.0% since August of last year.

The majority (51.9%) of U.S. employees were "not engaged" in January, and 15.7% were "actively disengaged."

The January 2016 estimate is based on Gallup Daily tracking interviews conducted with 7,215 adults working for an employer. Gallup categorizes workers as "engaged" based on their ratings of key workplace elements that predict important organizational performance outcomes, such as having an opportunity to do what they do best each day, having someone at work who encourages their development and believing their opinions count at work.

Engaged employees are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work. Gallup's extensive research shows that employee engagement is strongly connected to business outcomes essential to an organization's financial success, such as productivity, profitability and customer engagement. Engaged employees drive the innovation, growth and revenue that their companies need.

Bottom Line

In September 2015, monthly employee engagement averages rose to 32.0% and have not since retreated. In the five years Gallup has been measuring it among all U.S. employees, employee engagement had never stayed at or above that figure for more than two consecutive months. Positive gains in employee engagement, however slight, are welcome news to U.S. companies at a time when there is a crisis of engagement.

Survey Methods

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Jan. 1-31, 2016, on the Gallup U.S. Daily survey, with a random sample of 7,215 U.S. adults employed full or part time for an employer, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of employed adults, the margin of sampling error is 1.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

Learn more about how the Gallup U.S. Daily works.
Story Highlights 27% of Chinese worried and 40% stressed in 2015

Negative emotions increased the most among rural Chinese

Basic food and shelter greater concerns in rural areas

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Feelings of worry and stress are up among Chinese adults, with both climbing in 2015 to the high end of the levels Gallup has measured over the past decade. Twenty-seven percent of Chinese say they worried a lot the previous day, and 40% say they experienced a lot of stress.

These feelings have increased sharply as Chinese residents' satisfaction with their household income and personal savings dropped precipitously last year amid China's economic slowdown. Personal financial setbacks often lead to increased worry and stress. In addition, the Chinese government is urging greater consumer spending among its citizens as the nation transitions from manufacturing to a modern service economy.

Worry and Stress More Common Among Rural Chinese

Reports of experiencing these negative emotions have increased more among rural residents in China than among city dwellers. Twenty-eight percent of those living in rural farming areas or small villages say they worried a lot the previous day, versus 16% who said the same in 2014 -- an increase of 12 percentage points in one year. A substantial percentage of urban dwellers, 22%, also report feeling worried; however, this is down four percentage points from the previous year.

The broad urban/rural gap also holds true for those who experienced a lot of stress the previous day. Four in 10 rural dwellers (41%) reported feeling a lot of stress the previous day in 2015, an increase of 15 points from 2014. And although roughly the same percentage of urban Chinese (40%) reported feeling a lot of stress in 2015, the increase for city dwellers is just three points from 2014. The considerable increase in stress among Chinese who live in rural areas or small villages suggests they have now pulled even with stressed populations living in large cities.

Basic Food and Shelter Are Greater Concerns in Rural China

Concerns about providing basic food and shelter are likely one reason for the urban/rural gaps in worry and stress. Eight percent of rural Chinese say there have been times in the past 12 months when they did not have enough money to buy food for their families, compared with 2% of urbanites saying the same. Similarly, 12% in rural areas say they have not had enough money to provide their families with adequate housing in the past year, nearly twice the percentage reported by city dwellers, 7%, who have struggled to provide housing.

Bottom Line

Anxieties among rural Chinese may be an inevitable byproduct of the slowing economy and structural changes in China's economic policies. For decades, rural Chinese have migrated to work in low-end manufacturing plants, but those jobs are shifting to other Asian countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh amid China's transition toward a service and high-tech manufacturing economy. Rural Chinese likely worry that their future economic prospects are dimming as modern manufacturing requires more highly skilled employees.

These data are available in Gallup Analytics.

Survey Methods

Results are based on interviews with 4,265 Chinese adults, aged 15 and older, including a national sample conducted face to face in China and an oversample conducted by landline telephone in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou in July 2015. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

For more complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details.

Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works.
Everything at the Coffee Break Cafe, which opened in downtown Corvallis in December, is made from scratch, and food additives and preservatives are avoided, said Nate McDaniel, who owns the business with his wife Zenny.

Were flavor fanatics with the purity of the product. If you stick with pure, unadulterated ingredients, its hard to mess it up, McDaniel said. Its not really that complicated.

The focus on wholesome food and freshness is due to customer demand, but its also healthier, even with cookies, he added.

The most popular item on the menu so far is the coffee and molasses cookie combo, and the cafe specializes in fresh bakery treats. But soups loaded with ingredients, salads and other items also are on the menu.

On all of our soups, we like the idea of plenty. We dont come across as stingy, McDaniel said.

Many items are made from 100-year-old Midwest recipes, as McDaniels mother was a farm cook.

Zenny McDaniel also has added some recipes from her native Philippines, such as shakoy, a type of cinnamon twist, pineapple zucchini bread and more.

Making everything from scratch takes time, and the McDaniels usually are up at 4:30 a.m. every morning.

The married couple had been part-time bakers, wholesaling to other businesses, and in catering for years in the Salem area before they decided to open the cafe.

They chose Corvallis in part due to building owner Hugh White, who was looking for a new tenant and was very accommodating, McDaniel said, calling White a small business booster.

Corvallis was also a natural fit as McDaniel attended Oregon State University years ago.

McDaniel was excited about the downtown Corvallis scene, saying that there was an extraordinary and eclectic mix of businesses, and things werent as compressed as in other towns, such as Salem.

Coffee Break Cafe also offers catering services, and plans to have sidewalk seating in the future.

The cafe also makes its own fruit syrups for espresso drinks and other items, and at some point, those will be for sale to the public, McDaniel said.

McDaniel said that the Benton County Health Department and the city of Corvallis were easy to work with as he opened the cafe.
News & Notes

The Early Learning Hub of Linn, Benton & Lincoln Counties has launched a new website to provide resources and information to community partners in the three-county region.

The new website will have greater capacity than the previous site, and was built to be most beneficial for community partners to keep up with the rapid growth and changes the hub achieved during its first year.

In 2013, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2013, which directed the states Early Learning Hubs to accomplish three goals: Create an early childhood system that is aligned, coordinated and family-centered; ensure that children arrive at school ready to succeed; and ensure that Oregons young children live in families that are healthy, stable and attached.

Through partner organizations, the Early Learning Hub is working to develop capacity and infrastructure to help local parents and families most impacted by educational and health inequities in their communities.

This project was made possible through funding from InterCommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization to support the Early Learning Hub with identity branding.

For more information, visit lblearlylearninghub.org.

Voxtel, Inc., has been awarded the first increment of a $5.9 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency to explore manufacturing processes scalable from the nanoscale to the macroscale.

The effort, funded under DARPAs Atoms to Products program with additional support from the Oregon Nanomaterials and Microelectronics Institute, aims to revolutionize capabilities of additive manufacturing. Under the A2P program, and working with Oregon State University researcher Vincent Remcho, Voxtel is using synthetic DNA to encode nanoparticles that self-assemble into complex heterogeneous structures, integrating optical, electronic and mechanical elements.

The goal of the A2P program is to develop technologies and processes required to assemble nanometer-scale pieces with dimensions near the size of atoms into systems, components or materials that are at least millimeter-scale in size. Voxtel previously worked with DARPA on the Manufacturable Gradient Index Optics program to develop methods to manufacture inkjet-printed flat optics using nanoparticles. These technologies are being commercialized in the Voxtel spin-out Vadient Optics in Corvallis.

Voxtel, headquartered in Beaverton, specializes in advanced 3D imaging and nanophotonics products. For more information, call 971-223-5646, ext. 112.

Officers & Directors

MUG

Dan Rackham, pharmacy manager of Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, is serving as chair of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists Council on Therapeutics.

In this role, he participates in proposing new guidelines for hospital pharmacists across the United States.

Ten hospital pharmacists across the nation comprise the committee. The group met last September in Washington, D.C., to frame new policy proposals for the ASHP board and House of Delegates to consider. Once the board approves the policies, they become guidelines for hospital pharmacies.

Some of the issues the committee discussed included appropriate use of testosterone therapy, safety of epidural steroid injections, and the appropriate prescription of medications that can become addictive.

Rackham was an inpatient pharmacist at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital from 2009 to 2012, at which point he left to join the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy faculty. He returned to the hospital last year as pharmacy manager.

People on the Move

Lucidyne Technologies, Inc., in Corvallis, which has served the wood products industry for more than 30 years, continues its growth to serve its customers and markets.

Chris Matier has been promoted to the position of sales and marketing manager. Matier joined Lucidyne in 1998 as a sales engineer, and has been part of the Lucidyne team, selling control systems and Grade Mark Readers, and supporting the sales of Lucidyne GradeScan systems. Matier continues to be involved in the sales process, while also managing the rest of the Lucidyne sales and marketing team.

PEAK Internet in Corvallis recently named Gary Held its new director of operations.

Held has been with PEAK for 12 years, holding positions as a technical support agent and call center manager. Under Helds watch, PEAK has seen record satisfaction numbers from its customer service and technical support team.

Reinvestments

Oregon-based Childrens Miracle Network hospitals Doernbecher and Sacred Heart will benefit from $34,000 generated through an internal campaign at Oregon State Credit Union.

This is the fourth year the credit union has sent matched funds to the Childrens Miracle Network, and the total stands at $105,000.

The Corvallis-based credit unions staff dedicated $24,000 out of pocket to show their support for the credit union industry with a dollar-for-dollar match to the national Credit Union for Kids program. The 210-member team pledged the record amount to the Credit Union Legislative Action Council, and Oregon State Credit Union sent the match to benefit the Credit Unions for Kids/Childrens Miracle Network programs at Doernbecher Childrens Hospital, Portland, and Sacred Heart Hospital, Eugene.

The credit union also received a match of $10,000 for the third time in four years from a business partner. CO-OP Financial Services, Rancho Cucamonga, California, repeated the grant from its CO-OP Miracle Match program, which is dedicated to the Childrens Miracle Network. CO-OP Financial Services and Oregon State Credit Union matches now have combined to exceed $100,000.

Take a Bow

Jim Kuhlman of the Jim Kuhlman Insurance Agency, 931 N.W. Circle Blvd. in Corvallis, recently qualified for State Farms Chairmans Circle for the fourth consecutive year.

In addition to recognizing an agents sales ability, this award honors agents who align their business with the long-term direction of the company and who act as advocates for their customers. Only a few agents within State Farm receive this honor annually, as there are strict qualifying criteria and sales goals that must be met.
Missing Qatar girl : Police search for missing 15-year-old

Foto: Polizei Bonn

Bad Godesberg Since Saturday, a 15-year-old girl from Qatar has been missing. Police ask for help in finding her.

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Police are asking for help in locating a 15-year-old girl who has been missing since Saturday. She and members of her family had been staying in Bad Godesberg for the past several weeks. On Saturday at around 5:00 p.m., she left her familys apartment on Bahnhofstrae to visit relatives who live on the same street but she never arrived there.

According to police, the girl is from Qatar and does not have any other family or friends living in the area. This prompted them to begin a wide search for her. A police canine unit was called to try to track her but to no avail. She is described as 1.6 meters tall, with a sturdy build, and wearing a black chador.
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(List) Order Of Supremacy Of Yoruba Monarchs - Ooni Of Ife Is The Number 1

bayonel3 at 8-02-2016 09:29 AM (6 years ago) (m)

The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has declared that the Ooni of Ife remains the number one monarch in Yorubaland and should be given the honour due him. The monarch made this known in his Ake Palace, Abeokuta in Ogun State on Sunday when the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, paid him a courtesy visit. Oba Gbadebo went on to identify ego as the reason behind the disunity among traditional rulers and people in Yorubaland, calling for all to bury the hatchet to move the Yoruba race forward. He went on to list the five principal monarchs in Yoruba land according to their order of superiority.

The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has declared that the Ooni of Ife remains the number one monarch in Yorubaland and should be given the honour due him. The monarch made this known in his Ake Palace, Abeokuta in Ogun State on Sunday when the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, paid him a courtesy visit. Oba Gbadebo went on to identify ego as the reason behind the disunity among traditional rulers and people in Yorubaland, calling for all to bury the hatchet to move the Yoruba race forward. He went on to list the five principal monarchs in Yoruba land according to their order of superiority. According to Oba Gbadebo, the monarchs are: Ooni of Ife, the Alaafin of Oyo, the Oba of Benin, the Alake of Egbaland and the Awujale of Ijebuland.

He said: According to Oba Gbadebo, the monarchs are: Ooni of Ife, the Alaafin of Oyo, the Oba of Benin, the Alake of Egbaland and the Awujale of Ijebuland.He said: Quote Ooni is one of the five principal Obas in Yorubaland. The others are in order of the way they are classified on supremacy basis. After the Ooni is the Alaafin. After the Alaafin is the Oba of Benin, after him comes the Alake of Egbaland and the fifth and by no means the last or the least, the Awujale of Ijebuland. So, its our pleasure that you are in our midst today. We are happy to receive you.

You have demonstrated good upbringing already since you started. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo came and demonstrated that by prostrating as a man of culture. The papers carried it yesterday. We are proud that is an Egba man who came to visit the spiritual father of Yorubaland. Actually there is nothing wrong in terms of unity; it is ego-tripping, what people would think of me, I want to promote my own image. That is what has been wrong with us all along. Once we stop promoting self-image, there will be unity among us.

Every Oba in Yorubaland has a letter of appointment. Nobody has made you Oba of a place that you have not conquered or you think in terms of conquest. Why must you now call yourself what you are not. So, as you go along, let this humility be your watchword.



Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. +2348055557203 Posted: at 8-02-2016 09:29 AM (6 years ago) | Hero

kp45 at 8-02-2016 09:33 AM (6 years ago)

(m) Ok Posted: at 8-02-2016 09:33 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Ok Reply

dareper at 8-02-2016 09:47 AM (6 years ago)

(m) This young man must be powerful. Congratulations. Kabiyesi Posted: at 8-02-2016 09:47 AM (6 years ago) | Hero This young man must be powerful. Congratulations. Kabiyesi Reply

Toobad23 at 8-02-2016 10:02 AM (6 years ago)

(m) Where then put oba of ibadan? Posted: at 8-02-2016 10:02 AM (6 years ago) | Newbie Where then put oba of ibadan? Reply

Ennyolalekan at 8-02-2016 10:46 AM (6 years ago)

(m) before nko

that's where Yoruba originated Posted: at 8-02-2016 10:46 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac before nkothat's where Yoruba originated Reply

Slimchery at 8-02-2016 11:04 AM (6 years ago)

(m) poster go do your reseach well Posted: at 8-02-2016 11:04 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac poster go do your reseach well Reply

gogoman at 8-02-2016 11:07 AM (6 years ago)

(m) his wise move pay well well.. na sensible man Posted: at 8-02-2016 11:07 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero his wise move pay well well.. na sensible man Reply

emma4love3 at 8-02-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago)

(m) yea thats true.....history of Yoruba kingdom.... Posted: at 8-02-2016 11:25 AM (6 years ago) | Hero yea thats true.....history of Yoruba kingdom.... Reply

freethinker at 8-02-2016 11:35 AM (6 years ago)

(m) WHAT ABOUT THAT TOUT OBA OF LAGOS? Posted: at 8-02-2016 11:35 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac WHAT ABOUT THAT TOUT OBA OF LAGOS? Reply

ujmaria at 8-02-2016 11:57 AM (6 years ago)

(f) Young powerful man, Posted: at 8-02-2016 11:57 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Young powerful man, Reply

freethinker at 8-02-2016 12:03 PM (6 years ago)

(m) NO WONDER BINIS AND YORUBAS ARE BEHAVING ALIKE Posted: at 8-02-2016 12:03 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac NO WONDER BINIS AND YORUBAS ARE BEHAVING ALIKE Reply

Keffejude at 8-02-2016 01:08 PM (6 years ago)

(m) that toutalias Oloshi Oba of d lagoon whom was so against Abode becoming the governor of lagos is no where to be found on the list of supremacy amongs yoruba monarchs. lol all he knows best how to do is to insult other tribes with successful business men n women in Lagos IMAO Posted: at 8-02-2016 01:08 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac that toutalias Oloshi Oba of d lagoon whom was so against Abode becoming the governor of lagos is no where to be found on the list of supremacy amongs yoruba monarchs. lol all he knows best how to do is to insult other tribes with successful business men n women in Lagos IMAO Reply

peley at 8-02-2016 01:16 PM (6 years ago)

(m) WHERE THEY PUT AROMOLARAN OF IJESALAND WISH IS D FATHER OF OBA OYO AND BENIN?

Posted: at 8-02-2016 01:16 PM (6 years ago) | Newbie WHERE THEY PUT AROMOLARAN OF IJESALAND WISH IS D FATHER OF OBA OYO AND BENIN? Reply

Wazubia at 8-02-2016 02:27 PM (6 years ago)

(m) Wested generations. Posted: at 8-02-2016 02:27 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Wested generations. Reply

concentrate at 8-02-2016 02:38 PM (6 years ago)

(m) I guess the Ooni is the youngest among them Posted: at 8-02-2016 02:38 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac I guess the Ooni is the youngest among them Reply

Trueyarn at 8-02-2016 03:38 PM (6 years ago)

(m) Ok noted. Posted: at 8-02-2016 03:38 PM (6 years ago) | Hero Ok noted. Reply

Eazyatumeyi at 8-02-2016 03:56 PM (6 years ago)

(m) Thats good. Posted: at 8-02-2016 03:56 PM (6 years ago) | Hero Thats good. Reply

osarobo62 at 8-02-2016 04:18 PM (6 years ago)

(m) no.1) the great Oba of Benin is not counted as a yoruba king.

no.2) the Great Benin empire covered the whole of yoruba land up to lagos.

so it will be fallacious to grade the Oba of Benin under any yoruba monarch. Posted: at 8-02-2016 04:18 PM (6 years ago) | Hero no.1) the great Oba of Benin is not counted as a yoruba king.no.2) the Great Benin empire covered the whole of yoruba land up to lagos.so it will be fallacious to grade the Oba of Benin under any yoruba monarch. Reply

Ololababs at 8-02-2016 05:11 PM (6 years ago)

(f) Quote from: victor on 8-02-2016 04:18 PM no.1) the great Oba of Benin is not counted as a yoruba king.

no.2) the Great Benin empire covered the whole of yoruba land up to lagos.

so it will be fallacious to grade the Oba of Benin under any yoruba monarch.



I think he made a mistake. Oba of Benin is part of the Obas cuz Oduduwa had seven children and Oba of Benin is one of them. D Alake of Egba land "misyarned" on this. He should correct himself b4 promoting unnecessary discrimination.



Why did u think the Dein of Agbor land is supporting the Ooni? It's because they are from the same Father (Oduduwa) and mother.



The Obas should be 7 in numbers and not 5 Ok? Posted: at 8-02-2016 05:11 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming I think he made a mistake. Oba of Benin is part of the Obas cuz Oduduwa had seven children and Oba of Benin is one of them. D Alake of Egba land "misyarned" on this. He should correct himself b4 promoting unnecessary discrimination.Why did u think the Dein of Agbor land is supporting the Ooni? It's because they are from the same Father (Oduduwa) and mother.The Obas should be 7 in numbers and not 5 Ok? Reply
Pushkar-Gayathris Vikram Vedha showcases that a film can be made in any language or for any audience, can be told with the premise & outcome without deviating and keeping the narrative tight.
Poland's Controversial Law Expanding Surveillance Powers Comes Into Force

Sputnik News

14:35 07.02.2016(updated 14:36 07.02.2016)

Poland's controversial new law expanding government surveillance powers comes into force on Sunday after being signed by Polish President Andrzej Duda earlier this week.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Thursday, Duda signed into law the bill designed to increase government access to digital data and give security services additional internal spying powers.

From Sunday, Poland's Interior Ministry gains the ability to access citizens' personal data, communication and internet records without requiring a court's decision, the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper reported. The police may now keep records of individuals' locations, contacts and internet profiles, according to the report.

The move has been widely criticized by opposition, the European Union and human rights groups. Amnesty International called the legislation 'a major blow to human rights,' while opposition gathered to protest the legislation near the presidential palace in Warsaw on Friday.

Protesters have described the move as 'trampling the constitution,' Gazeta Wyborcza reported.

Meanwhile, Poland remains the subject of an EU inquiry into possible breach of EU legal standards that began in January after Duda approved laws restricting media freedom and enabling the government to appoint heads of public television and radio services.

Poland's Ombudsman Adam Bodnar said that parts of the law may be unconstitutional, and will need to be passed through the Constitutional Tribunal.

Another controversial motion passed by Duda's government late December requires Constitutional Tribunal rulings to be approved by a two-thirds majority of the court's judges.

 Sputnik

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Military Strikes Hit ISIL in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, February 7, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted seven strikes in Syria:

-- Near Ayn Isa, two strikes destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and suppressed an ISIL anti-air artillery position.

-- Near Mar'a, four strikes struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed nine ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Manbij, one strike destroyed three ISIL buildings.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack and fighter aircraft, and ground attacks, resulted in 10 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Kirkuk, one strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL light machine gun, two ISIL vehicles, and eight ISIL fighting positions.

-- Near Mosul, three strikes destroyed four ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL assembly area, an ISIL command and control node, two ISIL weapons caches, and suppressed an ISIL fighting position.

-- Near Qayyarah, one strike destroyed seven ISIL assembly areas.

-- Near Ramadi, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL recoilless rifle, an ISIL vehicle borne bomb, an IED cluster, an ISIL staging area, two ISIL bed down locations, and an ISIL weapons cache.

-- Near Sinjar, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations conducting strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations conducting strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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Four Yemenis killed in Saudi airstrikes on Sa'ada

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 4:16PM

Saudi Arabia's military campaign in Yemen continues incessantly with at least four civilians killed in the latest act of aggression in the northern province of Sa'ada.

Saudi jets carried out airstrikes in the Baqim district on Sunday, Yemen's al-Masirah news channel reported, adding that several people were also injured in the attacks.

Several other Yemeni provinces were also targeted by Saudi warplanes, including the capital Sana'a.

Meanwhile, Yemeni forces launched more retaliatory attacks against Saudi Arabia. On Saturday, two Saudi soldiers were killed by Yemeni forces in the border region of Najran.

Fighters from Ansarullah movement and allied army units also conducted rocket attacks on Saudi military positions in Najran.

On February 4, Yemeni forces destroyed four Saudi military boats in southwestern waters as the boats were approaching the port city of Mocha.

The Yemeni forces also shot down a Saudi spy aircraft in the Harad district of the northwestern province of Hajjah earlier on February 3.

Yemen has been under military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March last year. The Saudi military strikes were launched to supposedly undermine the Ansarullah movement and bring the fugitive former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, back to power.

At least 8,278 people, among them 2,236 children, have been killed and 16,015 others injured since March 2015. The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

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Two Saudi soldiers killed in Yemeni forces attacks

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 7:12AM

At least two Saudi soldiers have reportedly been killed in separate retaliatory attacks by Yemeni forces against the kingdom's southwestern border regions of Najran and Asir.

The Saudi Arabian National Guard announced on Saturday that Sergeant Khaled bin Mohammed was killed during clashes with Yemeni forces in Najran, located 844 kilometers (524 miles) south of the capital, Riyadh.

Another Saudi trooper, whose identity was not available, was also killed on Saturday afternoon after "heavy firing from inside Yemeni territory" targeted his border guard station in Asir region.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Saudi Arabia's military operation in Yemen, Brigadier General Ahmed al-Asiri, has dismissed media reports that more than 100 Saudi-backed mercenaries had been killed and 150 others wounded in an attack by Yemenis.

According to the media reports, the fatalities came after Yemeni soldiers fired an OTR-21 Tochka ballistic missile at Mass military camp in the al-Jada'an district of the central Yemeni province of Ma'rib.

A Yemeni military source, requesting anonymity, had said eight officers from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and nationals from other Arab countries were among the slain mercenaries.

Saudi air raids on Yemen continue unabated

Meanwhile, Saudi military aircraft have conducted a new round of airstrikes against several areas across Yemen.

On Sunday morning, Saudi fighter jets launched aerial attacks against al-Ghayl district in the northern province of Jawf, Sirwah district in the central Ma'rib Province as well as Nihm district in Sana'a Province.

However, there were no immediate reports of possible casualties and the extent of damage caused in the airborne assaults.

Yemen has been under military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March last year. The Saudi military strikes were launched to supposedly undermine the Ansarullah movement and bring the fugitive former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, back to power.

At least 8,278 people, among them 2,236 children, have been killed and 16,015 others injured since March 2015. The strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the impoverished country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

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Egypt forces kill 10 terrorists in N Sinai, wound dozen others

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 2:14AM

Egyptian armed forces have killed ten militants and wounded at least 13 others in a fresh attack on their hideouts in the troubled North Sinai province.

According to the army spokesman, the ground troops raided their hideouts in the provincial capital city of el-Arish, Sheikh Zuweid town, and the city of Rafah, which borders with the Gaza Strip in Palestine, the Egyptian Ahram Online newspaper reported on Saturday, adding that the Friday operation was aided by an army helicopter cover.

The spokesman also said that six other people were nabbed on suspicion of conducting assaults against security forces.

The Sinai region is under a state of emergency since October 2014, following a deadly terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 33 soldiers.

Over the past years, militants have been carrying out anti-government activities and deadly attacks, taking advantage of the turmoil caused in Egypt after democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi was ousted by the military in July 2013.

The government in Cairo has been battling militants in Sinai for years now and views the volatile region as a safe haven for terrorists.

Militants from the Velayat Sinai Takfiri group, previously known as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, have claimed responsibility for most of the attacks, mainly targeting the army and police.

In November 2014, the group pledged allegiance to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, which is wreaking havoc in Iraq, Syria and much closer in Libya.

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25 killed in army operations in southeast Turkey

Iran Press TV

Mon Feb 8, 2016 5:34PM

At least 25 people have been killed during the Turkish army's military operations against militants from Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the country's southeast.

The army said on Monday that nine civilians were among the dead, adding that ten PKK militants were killed in operations in the town of Cizre and six others in the city of Sur.

A 24-hour curfew has been imposed in parts of Cizre and Sur since December as part of the army's plan to drive out PKK militants who have declared autonomy over the Kurdish region. Some 749 people have been killed in the two cities since December.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Monday that the military operations in Cizre may end in the next few days.

'It is obvious that [the PKK] is implementing methods to destabilize cities in Turkey. In this regard, Cizre is a critical town, situated so close to the border, exploitable for weapons and terrorists to cross,' Davutoglu said.

Since late July 2015, Turkey's southeastern regions have witnessed a spike in violence amid heavy confrontations between army forces and the PKK, an outlawed group that have been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region inside Turkey since 1980s.

On July 20 last year, a bomb attack in the southern Kurdish-majority town of Sur claimed more than 30 lives. The Turkish government blamed it on the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group. After the bombing, the PKK, accusing the government of supporting Daesh, engaged in a series of reprisal attacks against Turkish police and security forces, in turn prompting the Turkish military operations.

Ankara's military has also been involved in an offensive against positions of the Kurdish group in neighboring Iraq.

Several thousands of Kurdish residents in Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey have, meanwhile, fled the embattled city amid intense clashes between government forces and the PKK militants.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by many countries.

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Pentagon Plans to Improve F-35's Capabilities With Refueling Drones

Sputnik News

02:25 08.02.2016(updated 02:39 08.02.2016)

The Pentagon aims to transform a planned Navy combat drone into a refueling tanker that would allow fighter jets serving with a carrier air wing to remain in the air longer and attack targets located deep inside the continent  such as sites in Russia or China.

The Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program is set to be retooled. The naval drone initially designed for reconnaissance missions will now be used as a carrier-based aerial refueling tanker for US Navy fighter jets like Northrop Grumman's E-2D Hawkeye or the F-35C.

The US Department of Defense has now focused on the new Carrier Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS) program. CBARS, aimed at extending the range of the carrier's air wing, will be developed over the next three years.

The shift from the UCLASS to CBARS is not news for some experts. The US Navy's director of air warfare Rear Admiral Mike Manazir envisioned it in 2013.

Manazir outlined how the UCLASS would be refitted to undertake missions alongside the Lockheed Martin F-35C Joint Strike Fighter. In particular, he noted the drone would be equipped with "refueling capability."

"They'll [drones] be able to give away something like 20,000 lbs. of gas and still stay up for seven-and-a-half hours," Manazir then said, specifying the UCLASS would be a huge drone that would weigh up to 80,000 pound and could be on the fly for up to 14 hours.

While in service, such refueling drones could replace some fighter jets like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets which the Navy occasionally uses as flying refueling tankers.

According to the National Interest, the Pentagon could also engage the refueling UAVs with the concept known as Naval Integrated Fire ControlCounter Air (NIFC-CA).

NIFC-CA presumes that all the units within the carrier strike group are united in one network through the means of datalinks. That would provide the carrier strike group commander with a clear vision of the battlefield, USNI.org wrote.

Under this scenario, Manazir suggested, the UCLASS could be used as a missile "caddy" for Navy fighters like the F-35C or the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye.

"Maybe we put a whole bunch of AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) on it and that thing is the truck," he said. "So this unmanned truck goes downtown withas far as it can gowith a decision-maker."

Extended with the refueling drone, the stealthy F-35C could fly deep into the enemy airspace and use powerful target detection. Then it would share the target location with all of the carrier group's units (F/A-18E/Fs, EA-18Gs, surface warships and submarines) and provide terminal weapons with guidance.

"He [F-35] would go in there using his X-band stealth technology, and go in there and he would get radar contacts and surface contacts and would ID them for us," Manazir pointed out.

The US' plans confirm the scenario outlined by Manazir. Alongside with the conversion of the UCLASS to a tanker, the Pentagon announced it will buy additional F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and improve the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

 Sputnik

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Somali Officials: Man Killed in Plane Bombing Given Laptop Before Flight

by Harun Maruf February 06, 2016

Somali security officials say they have identified a person they believe planned the bomb attack that was intended to bring down a Daallo Airlines flight last week.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior intelligence official told VOA's Somali service the suspect was known to the security agencies and is linked to at least another attack carried out by the al-Shabab militants.

The intelligence official says the person, said to be 40 years old, runs a business that sells mobile phones, eye glasses and clothing, and uses it as a cover for his covert al-Shabab operations. "He is not in jail, he escaped, we have been told that he was last seen in Afgoye town last week," says the official.



The mid-air blast blew a hole in the aircraft and forced the pilot of Flight 159, bound for Djibouti with 74 passengers on board, to make an emergency landing about 15 minutes after take-off from Mogadishu.

Officials have announced that the man ejected from the plane, Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh, was carrying the laptop that contained the bomb.

CCTV cameras released by the Somali government shows Borleh, who was limping, heading for the exit of the departure hall when two men, apparent airport staffers handed him what is believed to be a laptop as they walked past him.

The airport has three security screens run jointly by African Union troops, Somali security agents, and a Turkish company that runs operations at Mogadishu airport.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh spoke during an extraordinary session of parliament Sunday. Although the president did not go into the specifics of the investigation, he warned government officials against bailing out or helping the release terrorism suspects from government jails.

"As government officials we have to stop going to detentions and seeking the release of who are being suspected. Whether you are a minster, deputy minister, someone from the Palace, the elders, those of us who are being accorded a courtesy after they visit an office, that courtesy should not be exploited in order to get Al-Shabab detainees released."

The president also defended the security of the airport saying it has the "most up to date security screening" like any other airport in the world. The Somali leader said the government will fully publish the result of the investigation into the Daallo Airlines attack although he did not give a timeline.

Officials said at least 11 people have been detained during the investigation.

A senior Somali security official told VOA the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation is helping Somalia with the probe.

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Post-Sanctions Iran set to buy 2 telcom satellites: Minister

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sun 7 Feb 2016 - 11:29

TEHRAN (ISNA)- Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mahmoud Vaezi said that following removal of sanctions, Iran has been in serious negotiations with foreign firms in the last three weeks.

'We have been in talks with France, Japan, Russia, and South Korea. One of the satellites is a national telecommunications satellite and other one is a national telemetry satellite,' he told IRNA during a visit to Isfahan on Saturday.

He welcomed the post-sanctions developments notably in the economic areas and said that foreign countries and companies did not negotiate with Iran on technology transfer.

'Things have changed and negotiations have started,' the minister added.

Vaezi also said that following withdrawal of sanctions, Iran will have more options to choose its foreign partners so that prices decline, competition will increase, and Iran's conditions for importing high quality goods will be accepted.

'We can use credit lines and will no longer use foreign exchange dealers,' he said.

'There will be a giant leap in the field of communications with implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,' said the minister.

End Item

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Seoul, Washington to start talks on US missile deployment

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 9:52AM

South Korean and US military officials are set to begin formal negotiations on the possible deployment of an American missile system to the Korean Peninsula to deal with what they call threats from the North.

The announcement came on Sunday hours after Pyongyang said it successfully launched a long-range rocket reportedly aimed at placing an earth observation satellite into orbit. However, Washington and Seoul denounced the move as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.

"It has been decided to formally start talks on the possibility of deploying the THAAD system to South Korea as part of steps to bolster the missile defense of the Korea-US alliance," said Yoo Jeh-seung, the South Korean deputy defense minister for policy, in a joint briefing with US Lieutenant General Thomas Vandal.

THAAD is the acronym for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, a US army anti-ballistic missile system designed to shoot down ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach.

Washington says the deployment of the missile system to the Korean Peninsula acts as a deterrent against North Korea's ballistic missile program, but Russia and China say such a move would undermine stability on the restive peninsula.

"The Korea-US alliance had no choice but to take such a defense action because North Korea staged a strategic provocation and is refusing to have a genuine dialog on de-nuclearization," Yoo added.

Vandal, for his part, said it was "time to move forward" with the THAAD issue, adding that there was "growing support" in South Korea for the deployment.

Later on Sunday, the United Nations Security Council is slated to hold an emergency meeting in New York to discuss North Korea's recent rocket launch following requests by Japan, South Korea and the United States.

The three countries have slammed the North's launch as a violation of the Security Council resolutions that ban Pyongyang from any ballistic missile or nuclear activity.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and carried out several nuclear weapon tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013. It also conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, triggering condemnation from the international community.

Pyongyang is under UN sanctions over launching missiles considered by the US and South Korea as ballistic and aimed at delivering nuclear warheads.

North Korea says it is boosting defense capabilities in the face of enemy threats. The country is irked by joint military maneuvers by South Korea and the US and views them as direct threats against its security.

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Seoul Warns Russia, China of Missile Defense Deployment Talks With US

Sputnik News

13:15 07.02.2016(updated 15:51 07.02.2016)

Seoul has let Moscow and Beijing know in advance of the decision to start official negotiations with Washington on the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the South Korean territory, the government said in a statement on Sunday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, Yoo Jeh-seung, South Korean deputy minister for policy, said that South Korea and the United States had agreed to start talks on the deployment of the advanced US missile defense system.

'(We) have informed the Chinese and the Russian side [of the decision to start the negotiations] before the official Defense Ministry statement was issued,' the statement reads, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

The United States has raised the possibility of the deployment of a THAAD battery in East Asia in the past, a decision the Pentagon has said would be made through the trilateral Japan-South Korea-US security alliance talks.

China and Russia have expressed concern over the controversial defense system, arguing it could upset the regional balance and be used against Chinese interests.

 Sputnik

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Russian Glonass-M Satellite Reaches Orbit on Soyuz-2.1B Carrier Rocket

Sputnik News

07:23 07.02.2016(updated 07:37 07.02.2016)

The Glonass-M navigation satellite, launched from Russia's Plesetsk space center on a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket, was brought to its target orbit by the Fregat upper stage, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  This was the first launch of the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket from the Plesetsk space center in 2016.

'The Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket successfully brought the Russian navigation space apparatus Glonass-M to its target orbit at the set time,' the ministry told RIA Novosti.

The satellite made contact and is functioning normally, the Russian Defense Ministry added.

'Contact was established with the space apparatus, and stable telemetric connection is being maintained. The onboard systems are functioning normally,' the ministry told RIA Novosti.

 Sputnik

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South Korea, US to Discuss Deploying Missile Defense System

by VOA News February 07, 2016

South Korea and the U.S. will formally discuss deploying a missile-defense system known as THAAD, after North Korea claimed to have launched a satellite into space.

A joint statement by both militaries said the talks will 'explore the feasibility of THAAD deploying to and operating on the Korean Peninsula at the earliest possible date.'

According to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) has a truck-mounted launcher that can fire interceptors that destroy ballistic missiles 'inside or outside the atmosphere.'

'It has been decided to formally start talks on the possibility of deploying the THAAD system to South Korea as part of steps to bolster the missile defense of the Korea-U.S. alliance,' said Yoo Jeh-Seung, Seoul's deputy defense minister for policy.

'The Korea-U.S. alliance had no choice but to take such a defense action because North Korea staged a strategic provocation and is refusing to have a genuine dialogue on denuclearization,' Yoo said in a joint briefing with Lieutenant General Thomas Vandal, commander of the U.S. Eighth Army based in South Korea.

But the system is unpopular outside Seoul. Three years ago, when South Korea discussed purchasing the U.S.-developed system, China objected, citing a risk to its security.

Beijing once again objected Sunday, with a foreign ministry spokeswoman saying the country is 'deeply concerned' over the announced negotiations. Hua Chunying said the missile defense system will escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

China is North Korea's primary trading partner.

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In Demand: Why China Purchases Russian Su-35 Fighter Jets

Sputnik News

20:50 07.02.2016(updated 20:53 07.02.2016)

China's purchase of 24 new Russian Su-35 aircraft is essential for Beijing. The Chinese Air Force will not only get new jets that could affect the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait, but may also allow the Chinese military to assess the progress and development of J-11.

The purchase of 24 Russian Su-35 in the amount of about $2 billion is the second largest transaction between the Russian and Chinese militaries, the Carnegie Moscow Center wrote.

A year ago, a contract was signed for the supply of four battalions of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems totaling around 1.9 billion dollars. The negotiations had begun in 2010-2011 and by 2014 many contentious issues had been resolved.

It has been reported that the deliveries of the equipment could begin in 2016 and the transfer of the main parts of the equipment may take place in 2017-2018.

Looking at the advantages of the purchase of Russian aircraft by China, it seems that the Chinese are currently looking for additional ways of developing their combat aircraft capabilities.

As noted by the publication, between the two Chinese aircraft that are being developed at the moment, the J-20 and J-31, only the J-20 may be viewed as a fifth generation fighter.

Hence, the J-31 uses stealth technology, but its main units and components are borrowed from the 4+ generation fighters such as the J-10B, J-16 and FC-1, the Carnegie Moscow Center wrote.

As for J-20, which embodies the full potential of the Chinese aviation industry, the aircraft's potential combat readiness is not very clear at the moment. This is supported by all the available capability of similar technologies available in the US and other countries.

The publication taking note of the Russian Su-35, however, mentioned that the new jet is a maximum advancement of the earlier fighter jet the Su-27.

Therefore, the acquisition of the Su-35 would allow the Chinese military to assess the progress and development of J-11. The acquisition may act as a guide showing the Russian approach to problem solving in stealth technology making it easier to further enhance the capabilities of the Chinese aviation.

It is probable that with the supply of 24 Su-35's more contracts for units or various components for the new Chinese fighters, as well as technology transfer and R & D for the benefit of Chinese customers, may follow.

For Russia, the successful delivery of the fighter jets to China will further improve its position in foreign markets. It is expected that the next buyer of the Russian Su-35 may be Indonesia.

 Sputnik

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Meteorological Experts Rejoice over Successful Satellite Launch

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- Scientists and researchers of the State Hydro-meteorological Administration are delighted at the news about the successful launch of earth observation satellite Kwangmyongsong-4.

When interviewed by KCNA, Ryu Pong Chol, deputy director of the administration, said:

We are very excited at the successful launch of earth observation satellite into the space.

The meteorological data from the satellite would be greatly helpful to our administration as well as the building of economic giant.

Choe Kwang Guk, the head of the National Meteorological Observatory, said:

I extend warm congratulations to our space scientists and technicians.

The successful satellite launch following the successful H-bomb test encourages us to greet the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea with unprecedented achievements.

Pang Sun Nyo, section chief of the administration, said that she would devote her all to make fresh achievements in meteorological observation in the spirit displayed by the space scientists and technicians who succeeded in launching the satellite into space. -0-

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NATO Secretary General condemns North Korea's rocket launch

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Press Release (2016) 016

Issued on 07 Feb. 2016

I strongly condemn the launch by North Korea of a rocket using ballistic missile technology today, which follows the North Korean nuclear weapons test on January 6.

This launch is in direct violation of five United Nations Security Council Resolutions, which repeatedly call for North Korea to suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme, to re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on missile launching and not to conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology.

NATO continues to call on the North Korean authorities to comply with their obligations under international law, not to threaten with or conduct any launches using ballistic missile technology and to refrain from any further provocative actions.

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UN Security Council condemns N Korea rocket launch

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 6:49PM

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has strongly condemned North Korea for its latest launch of a long-range rocket.

The 15-nation council in a statement on Sunday reiterated that it would soon adopt a sanctions resolution "in response to these dangerous and serious violations."

The statement was backed by all council members during an emergency closed-door meeting that was held to discuss the controversial rocket launch. South Korea, Japan, and the US, had in a joint request, called on the UNSC to convene the session as soon as Sunday.

Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, the president of the council this month, told reporters that the launch was "a serious violation of Security Council resolutions."

Diplomats at the council had earlier said that they expected the body to issue a unanimous statement of condemnation.

The developments come after Pyongyang said it successfully launched a long-range rocket reportedly aimed at placing an earth observation satellite into orbit. However, the US and South Korea denounced the move as a cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test.

North Korea is already under UN sanctions over launching missiles considered by the US and South Korea as ballistic and aimed at delivering nuclear warheads.

Reacting to the latest launch, Seoul and Washington have agreed to start formal negotiations on the possible deployment of an American missile system to the Korean Peninsula to deal with what they call threats from the North.

The US says the deployment of the missile system to the Korean Peninsula acts as a deterrent against North Korea's ballistic missile program, but Russia and China say such a move would undermine stability on the restive peninsula.

Thousands of US soldiers are stationed in South Korea and Japan.

Senior officials in Pyongyang have frequently said that they are boosting defense capabilities in the face of enemy threats. The country is irked by joint military maneuvers by South Korea and the US and views them as direct threats against its security.

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EU denounces North Korea rocket launch

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 2:21PM

The European Union (EU) has lashed out at North Korea for its latest launch of a long-range rocket.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement on behalf of the 28-nation bloc on Sunday that the launch by North Korea was "yet another outright and grave violation" of its obligations.

Meanwhile, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has also in a statement criticized North Korea for launching the long-range rocket. "This launch is in direct violation of five United Nations Security Council Resolutions," he said.

The Western military alliance's chief also called on the North Korean authorities to comply with their obligations under international law.

North Korea on Sunday successfully launched the rocket, saying that it carried a satellite into space. The West and some regional countries say such launches by North Korea are in fact ballistic missile tests.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is set to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the controversial rocket launch. South Korea, Japan, and the US, have in a joint request, called on the UNSC to convene the session as soon as Sunday.

The launch has also drawn condemnations from France and Russia.

Reacting to the developments, South Korea has agreed to begin official talks with the US on the possible deployment of a US missile system on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea last conducted a long-range rocket launch in late 2012, successfully putting an object into orbit in what the West deemed as part of Pyongyang's effort to build an intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005 and carried out several nuclear weapon tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

Pyongyang, meanwhile, also pledged to launch more satellites.

North Korea is under UN sanctions over launching missiles considered by the US and South Korea as ballistic and aimed at delivering nuclear warheads.

Tens of thousands of US troops are stationed in South Korea and Japan.

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UN chief slams North Korea for 'provocative' rocket launch

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 7:5AM

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has denounced as "deeply deplorable" North Korea's new long-range rocket launch, which Pyongyang says was aimed at putting an observation satellite into orbit.

The UN chief reiterates his call on Pyongyang to "halt its provocative actions and return to compliance with its international obligations," Ban's spokesman said following the early Sunday launch.

Ban "reaffirms his commitment to working with all sides in reducing tensions and achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the spokesman added.

North Korea said the missile, carrying an earth observation satellite called Kwangmyongsong-4, was launched from the country's northwestern Dongchang-ri base at around 0030 GMT, and that the satellite successfully entered orbit about 10 minutes later.

"The complete success made in the Kwangmyongsong-4 lift-off is ... an epochal event in developing the country's science, technology, economy and defense capability," the North's state television said.

It added that the satellite is carrying various measuring and telecommunication devices, while circling the polar orbit at a cycle of 94 minutes and 24 seconds.

However, some believe the claims are a cover for testing an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Pyongyang's missile draws global condemnation

Later on Sunday, the UN Security Council is slated to hold an emergency closed-door meeting in New York over the incident at 11:00 a.m. (1600 GMT) following requests by Japan, South Korea and the United States.

The three countries have slammed the launch as a violation of the Security Council resolutions that ban Pyongyang from any ballistic missile or nuclear activity.

The US and its allies want to respond with a resolution that would impose more sanctions on Pyongyang, but they must first win the support of veto-holding China, which has shielded its neighbor and close ally in the past.

Pyongyang is already under UN sanctions over launching missiles considered by the US and South Korea as ballistic and aimed at delivering nuclear warheads.

North Korea missile launch regrettable: Beijing

Meanwhile, China has "expressed regret" over North Korea's launch of the rocket on Sunday, calling on all relevant parties to "deal with the situation calmly."

With regards to Pyongyang's "insistence on implementing a launch of missile technology in the face of international opposition, China expresses regret," China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Missile launch 'intolerable provocation': Seoul

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has called the launch an "intolerable provocation."

South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo has held an emergency meeting in Seoul with US Forces Korea commander, Curtis Scaparotti, and US Ambassador to Seoul Mark Lippert to discuss the situation.

Pyongyang missile launch 'intolerable provocation': Abe

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has, for his part, condemned North Korea's latest launch of a long-range rocket, describing it as a violation of UN Security resolutions and an 'intolerable provocation,' while pledging to "take action to totally protect the safety and well-being of our people."

Abe's comments came a few days after the country's Defense Ministry said Tokyo has ordered ballistic missile defense units in the Sea of Japan and onshore to shoot down any North Korean missile that would threaten its territory.

"Today the defense minister issued an order" to destroy such a missile if it "is confirmed that it will fall on Japanese territory," the Japanese ministry said in a statement.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, who issued the order, cited the "possibility that North Korea will launch a missile it calls a 'satellite' within coming days."

N Korea missile launch "serious damage" to regional security: Russia

In a separate development, Russia condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on Sunday, saying that the move dealt "a serious blow" to regional security including that of Pyongyang.

'It is obvious that such actions lead to a serious aggravation of the situation on the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia on the whole ... (and) inflict serious damage to the security of the countries of the region, first and foremost North Korea itself,' Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

'The course chosen by Pyongyang cannot but cause a decisive protest,' the Foreign Ministry statement said, adding, 'We urgently recommend that the North Korean leadership think whether the policy of placing yourself in opposition to the international community is in the country's interests.'

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US condemns 'provocative' North Korea rocket launch

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 2:19AM

The United States has condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket, calling it a 'destabilizing and provocative' move.

The rocket launch 'represents yet another destabilizing and provocative action and is a flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions,' White House National Security Advisor Susan Rice said in a statement.

'North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs represent serious threats to our interests -- including the security of some of our closest allies -- and undermine peace and security in the broader region,' she added.

The statement came shortly after North Korea launched the rocket on Sunday at around 0030 GMT despite warnings by a number of neighbors and world powers.

The missile was launched from the North's Dongchang-ri missile base located in the country's northwest region, a South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman said.

Pyongyang says the rocket was carrying an earth observation satellite. However, some believe the test is a cover for testing an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The missile is thought to have a range of over 10,000 kilometers, putting it in range of US mainland.

South Korea and Japan have threatened to shoot the rocket down if its trajectory passes over their territories.

On Friday, the US and South Korean leaders called the Chinese president and demanded punitive measures against North Korea.

'We will continue to work with our partners and members of the UN Security Council on significant measures to hold the DPRK to account,' US Secretary of State John Kerry said.

'Now is the time to do so in a firm and united way, with measures that make clear the determination of the international community to address the pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities by the DPRK," he added.



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UN Sec. Council Pledges 'Significant' Sanctions After North Korean Rocket Launch

February 07, 2016

The UN Security Council has strongly condemned North Korea's rocket launch and said it would adopt a new resolution with 'significant' new sanctions.

The statement was backed by China, Pyongyang's ally, and the 14 other council members during an emergency meeting on February 7, following North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket into space.

The closed-door meeting was requested by the United States, South Korea, and Japan to agree on a collective response to Pyongyang's move.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said the new UN resolution targeting North must be adopted very quickly and include 'unprecedented measures' that Pyongyang doesn't expect.

Japanese envoy Motohide Yoshikawa, too called for heavier sanctions, saying, 'the existing sanctions have not stopped North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.'

But China's UN Ambassador Liu Jieyi said the resolution should 'do the work of reducing tension...and of encouraging a negotiated solution.'

North Korea's state television said the launch -- ordered by leader Kim Jong Un to put a 'satellite' in space -- was a "complete success."

It said a North Korean satellite called Kwangmyongson-4 is now orbiting the Earth every 94 minutes and that the North would continue to launch satellites in the future.

But critics said the launch was a cover for testing a ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead -- a test that is banned by multiple Security Council resolutions.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket into space early on February 7, raising nuclear concerns in neighboring countries and in Washington.

It followed North Korea's claim in January that it tested a hydrogen bomb.

Condemnation after the February 7 launch was swift, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling it "deeply deplorable" and said the rocket used ballistic-missile technology. Ban also said North Korea must stop "provocative actions."

Russia said Pyongyang "once again demonstrated a flagrant disregard of norms of international law.'

'Such actions lead to a serious aggravation of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia on the whole...[and] inflict serious damage to the security of the countries of the region, first and foremost North Korea itself,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

China's Foreign Ministry said it 'expresses regret' about North Korea's 'insistence on implementing a launch of missile technology in the face of international opposition.'

France's presidential Elysee Palace condemned North Korea's 'senseless provocation' and called for a 'rapid and tough' response from the UN Security Council.

Britain's Foreign Office also warned of a 'robust response' if Pyongyang continues to violate UN resolutions.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry responded to news of the launch by reaffirming Washington's defense commitment to Japan and South Korea.

Kerry said the United States will work with the UN Security Council on "significant measures" to hold Pyongyang accountable for violating UN resolutions.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Strategic Command said that its systems had detected and tracked what it believed to be a North Korean missile launch into space.

In a statement, the U.S. Strategic Command said defense officials tracked the launch in a southern trajectory from North Korea over the Yellow Sea.

It said the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, "determined that at no time was the missile a threat to North America.'

Japan's national broadcaster, NHK, broke into its normal programming to quote a Japanese government statement that said the rocket passed over the southern Japanese island of Okinawa.

Japanese television broadcasts showed U.S.-supplied Patriot missile defenses on Okinawa poised to shoot down any debris from the launch that might fall on populated areas of Japan.

But authorities in Tokyo said no defense missiles were fired.

Also on February 7, a senior South Korean Defense Ministry official announced that Seoul and Washington had agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of an advanced missile-defense system in South Korea.

Yoo Jeh-seung told reporters that the system, called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), would bolster South Korea-U.S. defense in the face of escalating North Korean threats.

China and Russia have argued that the deployment of the THAAD system to South Korea would undermine stability and could trigger an arms race in the region.

China's Foreign Ministry said on February 7 it was 'deeply concerned' at the decision to begin official negotiations.

'The U.S. promises to deploy a missile-defense system in Korea are not a move in our favor," Russian State Duma Defense Committee Chairman Vladimir Komoyedov told Interfax. "This is a threat to us, in particular, to our nuclear forces."

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa, BBC, CNN, NHK, and Yonhap

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/north-korea-rocket- launch-nuclear-concerns/27536603.html

Copyright (c) 2016. 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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Six-Party Talks With North Korea Unlikely to Resume in Near Future

Sputnik News

22:20 07.02.2016(updated 02:19 08.02.2016)

Resuming the talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, with the participation of the DPRK, Russia, South Korea, the United States, China and Japan is unlikely at the moment, Russia's Envoy to UN Vitaly Churkin said Sunday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Motohide Yoshikaw said that North Korea's actions breach the UN Security Council's resolutions. The launch can be called a satellite launch, but it involves ballistic missile technology, he said, adding that Japan will insist on a 'harsh resolution.'

Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, triggering condemnation from the international community and prompting the UN Security Council to begin drafting an anti-DPRK resolution.

North Korea previously reported a successful satellite launch in 2012, in violation of the UN Security Council resolution.

'Of course, we would like to see the negotiations, would like to see the resumption of six-party talks, which will lead to the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Unfortunately, there is such an atmosphere at the moment that the resumption of the talks is unlikely,' Churkin told reporters after a UN extraordinary session over Pyongyang's long-range rocket and satellite launch.

 Sputnik

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UNSC to Unite Around 'Swift Response' to N Korea's Rocket Launch - US Envoy

Sputnik News

21:35 07.02.2016(updated 21:37 07.02.2016)

The United Nations Security Council is looking forward to a joint effort of its members in response to repeated violations of UN resolutions by North Korea, the US ambassador to the United Nations said Sunday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, North Korea announced it had successfully launched the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite atop a long-range rocket.

'We are looking forward to expeditiously consulting with our colleagues in the coming days and we will be looking to all Council members to unite around a swift and aggressive response to the DPRK's [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] repeated violations,' Samantha Power said following an emergency session of the UN Security Council on North Korea.

Power added that Pyongyang's rocket launch showed that North Korea would continue to escalate tensions and jeopardize international peace and security without proper response from international community.

Meanwhile, Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN Liu Jieyi said Sunday that existing UN sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear activities are unable to stop Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons.

Earlier in the day, Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Motohide Yoshikaw said that North Korea's actions breach the UN Security Council's resolutions. The launch can be called a satellite launch, but it involves ballistic missile technology, he said, adding that Japan will insist on a 'harsh resolution.'

Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, triggering condemnation from the international community and prompting the UN Security Council to begin drafting an anti-DPRK resolution.

North Korea previously reported a successful satellite launch in 2012, in violation of the UN Security Council resolution.

 Sputnik

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UN Security Council Condemns North Korea's Satellite Launch - President

Sputnik News

21:32 07.02.2016(updated 23:01 07.02.2016)

The UNSC has condemned North Korea's long-range rocket and satellite launch.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  The UN Security Council has strongly condemned North Korea's long-range rocket and satellite launch, which came in serious violation of the council's previous resolutions, the council's President Rafael Ramirez said Sunday.

'The members of the Security Council strongly condemned this launch, as well as any other DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technologyeven if characterized as a satellite launch [It] is in a serious violation of the Security Council resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013),' Ramirez told reporters after the close of the council's emergency meeting held Sunday.

The council reaffirmed the existence of a continued threat to international security in the light of North Korea's recent nuclear test, he added.

'Members of the security council will adopta new security council resolution with such measures in response to this dangerous and serious violation,' the president concluded.

Members of the UN Security Council also recalled that they had previously expressed their determination to take further significant measures in the event of another DPRK launch.

Tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after North Korea stated that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test on January 6, prompting condemnation from the international community.

 Sputnik

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Current UN Sanctions Cannot Stop N Korea's Nuclear Development - Beijing

Sputnik News

21:17 07.02.2016(updated 21:26 07.02.2016)

Existing UN sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear activities are unable to stop Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons, Chinese Permanent Representative to the UN Liu Jieyi said Sunday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, North Korea announced it had successfully launched the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite atop a long-range rocket.

'Given that North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons under previous UN sanctions, it has become clear by now, that the current level of sanctions cannot put a brake on North Korea's nuclear weapons development,' Liu said after a UN extraordinary session over Pyongyang's long-range rocket and satellite launch.

Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Motohide Yoshikaw said that North Korea's actions breach the UN Security Council's resolutions. The launch can be called a satellite launch, but it involves ballistic missile technology, he said, adding that Japan will insist on a 'harsh resolution.'

Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, triggering condemnation from the international community and prompting the UN Security Council to begin drafting an anti-DPRK resolution.

North Korea previously reported a successful satellite launch in 2012, in violation of the UN Security Council resolution.

 Sputnik

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North Korea Capable of Testing Submarine-Launched Missiles at 'Any Time'

Sputnik News

13:59 07.02.2016(updated 14:23 07.02.2016)

According to South Korea's military chiefs it is impossible to predict Pyongyang's actions Seoul expects North Korea to commit provocations 'at any time'.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  North Korea is capable of testing submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) at any time, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Lee Sun-jin said Sunday, local media reported.

'The DPRK can at any time conduct ballistic missile tests from submarines and commit other provocations. It is impossible to predict when, where and how this will take place. There is a high probability of armed provocations in nearby areas, in the northwest or in the rear,' Lee said in a statement, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

Earlier Sunday, North Korea launched the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite atop a long-range rocket. The launch sparked concern in Japan and South Korea, with South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok previously saying that Seoul would consider any of Pyongyang's satellite launches as a ballistic missile test.

 Sputnik

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UNSC Sanctions Against North Korea Should Not Cause Economic Collapse

Sputnik News

22:23 07.02.2016(updated 02:20 08.02.2016)

New UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang should not trigger a humanitarian and economic collapse in the country, Russia's Envoy to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said Sunday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, the UN Security Council held an emergency session and called for a response to North Korea's launch of the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite atop a long-range rocket.

'We believe that this resolution should be worthy of the Security Council, weighty. But, of course, its adoption should not lead to some humanitarian collapse in DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea], should not lead to an economic collapse in DPRK,' Churkin told reporters.

 Sputnik

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UN chief calls on DPR Korea to halt 'provocative actions' following missile launch

7 February 2016  Following a missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling on the country's Government "to halt its provocative actions and return to compliance with its international obligations."

"It is deeply deplorable that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has conducted a launch using ballistic missile technology in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions on 6 February 2016 despite the united plea of the international community against such an act," indicated a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

The UN chief also reaffirmed his commitment to working with all sides in reducing tensions and achieving the verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Last Wednesday, when DPRK announced it intended to launch the satellite in the coming weeks, Mr. Ban said it was a "deeply worrying development," that would "further aggravate the profound concerns that the international community already has in the wake of the recent nuclear test."

The UN Security Council is expected to hold emergency consultations today to address this issue.

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UN Security Council Strongly Condemns North Korea Rocket Launch

by Margaret Besheer, Brian Padden February 07, 2016

The U.N. Security Council has strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on Sunday.

The rocket, carrying what Pyongyang said was a satellite, was launched from North Korea's Tongchang-ri satellite launching facility near the northwestern border with China.

In a rare Sunday session, Security Council members met behind closed doors for 90 minutes to discuss the next steps for dealing with the defiant Asian nation.

Afterward, Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Ramirez, who holds the Security Council presidency this month, read a statement from the council.

He said this launch, "as well as any other DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle," which contributes to Pyongyang's "development of nuclear weapon delivery systems" is a "serious violation" of Security Council resolutions dating back to 2006.

The council said it is ready to "develop significant new measures" in response to North Korea's nuclear test of January 6, 2016 and Sunday's missile launch.

The council has imposed four rounds of increasingly stronger sanctions on North Korea in response to various nuclear and ballistic missile tests it has conducted since 2006.

"By now it is pretty clear that the existing sanctions have not stopped North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and delivery system further," said South Korean U.N. Ambassador Oh Joon.

'Tough, Unprecedented Measures'

"There can be no business as usual," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters. She said a new resolution must be quickly agreed to with "tough, unprecedented measures, breaking new ground here," and "exceeding the expectations of Kim Jung Un." A reference to North Korea's leader.

China's envoy, Liu Jieyi, agreed that a new resolution is necessary, but he did not indicate how tough Beijing is willing to be.

"A new resolution that will do the work of reducing tensions, of working toward denuclearization, of maintaining peace and stability, and of encouraging a negotiating solution," Liu told reporters.

Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin said a new resolution must be "weighty," but "reasonable."

"We believe we should not be looking at an economic collapse of the DPRK, we should not be of course looking toward some actions that would further heighten the tensions on the Korean peninsula and around it," he said.

'Totally Outrageous and Unacceptable'

Ambassador Oh said North Korea's actions are "totally outrageous and unacceptable." He said Sunday's launch would have cost close to $1 billion, which "would have fed the entire North Korean population for a whole year."

Many North Koreans live in poverty and face severe food shortages. Government spending is directed toward military programs, and the country receives international humanitarian aid. Last year, the United Nations appealed for over $100 million to fund food, agriculture, health, water and sanitation programs.

Japan's U.N. envoy, Motohide Yoshikawa, who along with the United States and South Korea called for Sunday's session, said the time for dialogue is over and more pressure is needed in the form of a "robust" Security Council resolution to stop Pyongyang.

For the past month, council members have been considering details of a U.S.-drafted sanctions resolution in response to North Korea's January 6 nuclear bomb test.

Venezuela's envoy said "everybody knows we are waiting for the agreement between two countries" on that text.



The two countries are the United States and China.



China has urged more dialogue with its rogue ally, while the United States and other nations want tougher international measures.

Increased sanctions

The U.S. Congress is working on unilateral sanctions legislation that would target third parties companies and banks, many in China, that do business with North Korea.

South Korea is reportedly considering closing the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to the rocket launch. The jointly run Kaesong project, that employs more than 50,000 North Koreans, is the last surviving inter-Korean development program. Virtually all other inter-Korean ties and assistance programs were severed in 2010 after South Korea accused the North of sinking a navy warship and killing 46 sailors.

China support

For sanctions to be effective China's support, as the North's chief benefactor and trading partner and as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, is considered essential.

But Beijing has been reluctant to support harsh punitive measures on North Korea.

Pyongyang says its' nuclear weapons program is necessary for national defense and non-negotiable.

In early 2009 Pyongyang withdrew from "six party talks" with Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic assistance and security guarantees.

Sunday's launch occurred in the first hours of an accelerated February 7-14 launch time frame Pyongyang announced Saturday. Earlier it had alerted international meteorological and telecommunications agencies the launch would take place February 8-25.

Technology

North Korea is believed to be working on miniaturizing a nuclear warhead to mount on a missile, but many experts say it is some time away from perfecting such technology.

The reclusive state is believed to have over 1,000 Soviet model missiles that can reach targets in South Korea and Japan, and enough plutonium to make eight to 12 nuclear bombs.

Last year U.S. military authorities said they believe North Korea has the ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to fit on a KN-08 long range missile, although North Korea has not yet demonstrated this capability.

Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.

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Global Community Outraged by North Korean Rocket Launch

by VOA News February 07, 2016

Global reaction to North Korea's announcement of launching a long-range rocket has been swift and created universal international outrage.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement condemning Pyongyang for "a flagrant violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions" related to the use of "ballistic missile technology."

Susan Rice, the U.S. national security advisor, said, 'North Korea's launch using ballistic-missile technology ... represents yet another destabilizing and provocative action and is a flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.'

Rice said the North Korea's weapons programs 'represent serious threats to our interests, including the security of some of our closest allies.'

U.S. Congressman Ed Royce, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, 'This latest aggression underscores the importance of enacting my legislation to strengthen targeted sanctions against this brutal regime."

'Direct violation'

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday blasted North Korea's launch as a 'direct violation' of five U.N. Security Council resolutions and demanded Pyongyang comply with international law.

In a statement, Stoltenberg said he strongly condemned the launch, which entailed the use of ballistic-missile technology and came after a widely condemned nuclear test on January 6.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye called the rocket firing an 'intolerable provocation.'

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised to "take action to totally protect the safety and well-being of our people.''

The European Union lashed North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket as 'yet another outright and grave violation' of its obligations and urged Pyongyang to engage in dialogue with the international community.

'These actions represent a direct threat to international peace and security in the region and beyond, and they further aggravate tensions on the Korean Peninsula to the detriment of all,' EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

'Clear and deliberate'

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond called the launch a 'clear and deliberate' violation of a number of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

France called the launching of the long-range rocket 'a senseless provocation' and called for 'a rapid and tough response from the international community at the Security Council.'

The U.N. Security Council is meeting Sunday to discuss the North Korean rocket launch at the request of the U.S., Japan and South Korea.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described North Korea's move as 'deeply deplorable' and 'in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions.'

Russia, which shares a border with North Korea and is one of the country's few backers, said Pyongyang displayed 'audacious disdain for the norms of international law.'

The Russian Foreign Ministry said, 'We urgently recommend that the North Korean leadership think whether the policy of placing yourself in opposition to the international community is in the country's interests.'

Beijing responded to Sunday's launch, expressing 'regret' the North disregarded the opposition from the international community.

Julie Bishop, Australia's foreign minister said North Korea is a 'threat to world peace' and condemned North Korea's 'provocative, dangerous and destabilizing behavior.'

Some material for this report came from AP, AFP and Reuters.

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N. Korea's 'Space Mission' Seen as Missile Development

by Baik Sungwon February 07, 2016

North Korea's latest long-range rocket launch is raising concerns in the United States and its allies that the communist country is moving forward with its ballistic missile program.

On Sunday, Pyongyang fired a long-range rocket from its west coast rocket launch site in Tongchang-ri. North Korea's state television said the launch ordered by the country's leader Kim Jong Un was a "complete success," and that Pyongyang will continue to conduct the launches.

Pyongyang insists the launch is a peaceful space mission. But its apparent noncompliance with international obligations raises questions about the purpose of the mission.

When Pyongyang notified the International Telecommunication Union, a U.N. agency that promotes international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, of the latest launch last week, it said the move was part of its effort to launch an "Earth observation satellite."

Controversial mission

Pyongyang, however, failed to provide some "mandatory information" required for the launch in its notification, according to the agency.

Sanjay Acharya, ITU's chief of media relations and public information, told VOA his agency had asked Pyongyang to provide the missing information, but Pyongyang proceeded with the launch without providing the information.

Pyongyang's long-range rocket launch drew wide international attention in December 2012, when the country succeeded in putting into orbit a satellite for the first time. A satellite launched at the time is believed to be in orbit, although whether it is functioning remains unclear.

"I have not heard of anyone who has picked up radio signals from their satellite. My guess is that if that satellite worked at all, it didn't work very long," said Jonathan McDowell at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, referring to the satellite that Pyongyang launched in 2012.

Cover for missile test

Many Western observers suspect Pyongyang is trying to advance its ballistic missile technology, noting the technology used to put a satellite into space also could be used to deliver a nuclear warhead.

U.S. military analysts say that whether Pyongyang has the capability to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach the U.S. mainland is Washington's primary concern. While many of them believe Pyongyang needs more time to reach full ICBM capability, some say Pyongyang might already have the ability to strike some parts of the U.S mainland.

Bruce Bechtol, a professor at Angelo State University in Texas, said the 2012 launch showed Pyongyang had "the capability of hitting Alaska, Hawaii, or parts of the West Coast of the United States."

Strong condemnation

Washington condemned Sunday's launch and stepped up diplomacy to take action against Pyongyang.

The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State John Kerry spoke separately on Sunday by phone with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan. Kerry called the launch a "violation of multiple U.N. Security Council Resolutions that threatened international peace and security" and "emphasized the importance of a united international response to North Korea's provocations, including through a strong U.N. Security Council resolution," said State Department spokesman John Kirby in a statement.

The U.N. Security Council on Sunday vowed to "adopt expeditiously a new Security Council resolution."

The latest move marked Pyongyang's sixth long-range rocket launch since 1998. The launch followed the country's fourth nuclear test last month.

U.N. sanctions ban Pyongyang from conducting nuclear tests or any launches using ballistic missile technology.

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South Korea: Pyongyang Rocket Launch Requires Quick UN Action

by Brian Padden February 07, 2016

North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket Sunday, carrying what it said is a satellite in defiance of U.N. sanctions barring it from using ballistic-missile technology, has led to calls for quick action against Pyongyang.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye called on the U.N. Security Council to quickly act.

"With an understanding that North Korea's nuclear and missile threat is an actual threat against the international community and in opposition to world peace, the U.N. Security Council must make a strong measure immediately," Park said.

Rocket launch

The rocket was launched Sunday morning from North Korea's Tongchang-ri satellite launching facility near the northwestern border with China. The rocket headed on a southward trajectory passing over Japan's southern Okinawa islands.

North Korea later released a statement through its official state news agency KCNA confirming the launch.

"Scientists and technicians of the DPRK have completely succeeded in entering an Earth observation satellite called Gwangmyongsong-4 into an orbit, which has been developed according to the nation's five-year space development plan of 2016," said a KCNA announcer.

The launch prompted South Korea and the United States to announce Sunday they would explore the feasibility of deploying an advanced missile defense system in South Korea, which China and Russia both oppose, 'at the earliest possible date.'

US, South Korea reports

The U.S. Strategic Command detected what it called a missile entering space, also indicating the launch was successful. South Korea's Yonhap news agency had earlier reported the rocket failed to reach orbit and instead fell into the sea near South Korea's Jeju islands.

Japan reportedly did not take action to shoot down the North Korean rocket, despite warnings that it would and putting its ballistic missile defense units on alert.

U.S. defense authorities tracking the rocket's trajectory say it did not pose a threat to the United States or its allies.

In 2012, North Korea also successfully launched a three-stage rocket putting a satellite into orbit.

Launch denounced

Pyongyang says the rocket launch is part of its peaceful space program to deliver Earth observation satellites into orbit. The North's space program, however, has been widely denounced as a hostile pretense to advance its nuclear and ballistic missiles technologies, which are banned by U.N. resolutions.

South Korea and the U.S. have decided to begin discussions about deploying a U.S. missile system to South Korea. The comment was made Sunday by Ryu Je-seung, a South Korean Defense Ministry official, in a joint news conference with Thomas Vandal, commander of the Eighth U.S. Army based in South Korea.

Vandal said, 'It is time to move forward on this issue. We look forward to close consultation and coordination on that as well as dealing with the threat to peace and stability posed by DPRK.'

The U.N. Security Council will meet Sunday to discuss the North Korean rocket launch at the request of the United States, Japan and South Korea.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said it was 'deeply deplorable that (North Korea) has conducted a launch using ballistic missile technology in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement condemning Pyongyang for "a flagrant violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions" related to the use of "ballistic-missile technology."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also denounced the North Korean launch and promised to "take action to totally protect the safety and well-being of our people.''

China's official Xinhua news agency Sunday expressed concern that the North Korean rocket launch will worsen tensions on the Korean peninsula and urged 'all relevant parties' to exercise restraint.

Increased sanctions

The long-range rocket launch follows North Korea's fourth nuclear test conducted on January 6.

In response to the nuclear test, the United States and its allies are already advocating for stronger international sanctions against North Korea to impose real economic pain by restricting shipping, aviation, and trade of resources, including coal and fuel.

The U.S. Congress is also working on unilateral sanctions legislation that would target third parties companies and banks - many in China - that do business with North Korea.

South Korea is reportedly considering closing the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to the North's rocket launch. The jointly run Kaesong project, that employs over 50,000 North Koreans, is the last surviving inter-Korean development program. Virtually all other inter-Korean ties and assistance programs were severed in 2010 after South Korea accused the North of sinking a navy warship and killing 46 sailors.

For any sanctions to be effective China's support, as the North's chief benefactor and trading partner and as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, is considered essential.

But Beijing has been reluctant to support harsh punitive measures on Pyongyang that that could lead to instability and further increase regional tensions. Instead it wants all sides to resume international negotiations.

Beijing responded to Sunday's launch, expressing 'regret' the North disregarded the opposition from the international community.

Pyongyang says its' nuclear weapons program is necessary for national defense and non-negotiable.

In early 2009 Pyongyang withdrew from "six party talks" with Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow to dismantle its nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic assistance and security guarantees

Sunday's launch occurred in the first hours of an accelerated Feb. 7-14 launch time frame Pyongyang announced Saturday. Earlier it had alerted international meteorological and telecommunications agencies the launch would take place Feb. 8-25.

North Korea is believed to be working on miniaturizing a nuclear warhead to mount on a missile, but many experts say it is some time away from perfecting such technology.

North Korea is believed to have over 1,000 Soviet model missiles that can reach targets in South Korea and Japan, and enough plutonium to make eight to 12 nuclear bombs.

Last year U.S. military authorities said they believe North Korea has the ability to miniaturize a nuclear warhead to fit on a KN-08 long range missile, although North Korea has not yet demonstrated this capability.

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Iran Reverses Ban On 1,500 Election Candidates

February 06, 2016

Iran's constitutional watchdog, the hard-line Guardians Council, has reversed a ban on 1,500 candidates who had registered to run in the February 26 parliamentary elections.

Iranian state media said the new list of approved candidates -- now numbering over 6,200 -- had been sent to the Interior Ministry.

Last month, the Guardians Council, a vetting body made up of clerics and jurists, disqualified thousands of moderate and reformist parliamentary candidates and four-fifths of the candidates for the body that will choose Iran's next supreme leader.

That decision sparked a growing dispute between Iran's hard-liner and reformist factions.

It is unclear how many of the newly approved candidates are considered to be reformists.

The upcoming vote is seen as a showdown between hard-liners and moderates, who hope for a boost in the wake of the newly implemented nuclear deal with world powers and the lifting of international sanctions.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/iran-reverses- ban-on-election-candidates/27535982.html

Copyright (c) 2016. 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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Daesh Takfiris execute 300 in Iraq's Mosul

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 10:17PM

Daesh Takfiris have executed 300 people in Iraq's embattled northern province of Nineveh.

"Daesh terrorists executed 300 people by firing squad in Mosul," said Mahmoud al-Sourji, a spokesman for Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, on Sunday, adding that all of them were "Iraqi police personnel, army troopers and civilian activists," Arabic-language al-Sumaria satellite television network reported.

Sourji further said that Daesh lives in a state of tension in Mosul and the mass execution confirmed the group's fear of people's rising in the militant-held city.

On Saturday, the terrorists publicly amputated the right hands of three teenagers accused of theft. The incident, reportedly, sparked the outrage of citizens, as the three boys were underage and the penalty was handed down by the group's so-called Sharia Court without investigation.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi forces managed to slay a Daesh military commander, called Abu Leil, along with four of his companions in Garma district, east of the city of Fallujah in Anbar province. A day earlier, another terrorist commander, called Shobaib Abu Majd al-Kanani, was also killed along with eight other Daesh commanders in an airstrike in Nineveh.

Wreaking havoc in Iraq since June 2014, the terror group has recently been losing ground to the country's army forces.

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Senior Daesh commander killed in northern Iraq

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 11:22AM

A top commander of Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has been killed in an airstrike in the northern Iraqi province of Nineveh.

Shobaib Abu Majd al-Kanani, the Saudi-born commander, was killed along with eight other Daesh commanders in an airstrike late on Saturday, Iraq's Alsumaria news website reported.

Also on Saturday, seven Daesh elements were killed and 12 others injured in airstrikes in the northern province of Kirkuk.

Some 45 Daesh terrorists were killed by Iraqi security forces in the northern part of the city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, on the same day.

Iraqi security forces patrol an area east of the city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, February 3, 2016. AFP

According to reports, Iraqi troops foiled a Daesh attack in the city and destroyed seven car bombs there. They also released over 70 Iraqi civilians from Daesh captivity. In another Sunday development, the terror group executed a number of children and women in the eastern part of Ramadi.

Gruesome violence has plagued the northern and western parts of Iraq ever since Daesh launched an offensive in the country in June 2014, and took control of portions of Iraqi territory.

The militants have been committing vicious crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in Iraq, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians and others.

Iraqi army soldiers and fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units are seeking to win back militant-held regions in joint operations.

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Russian-Made T-90 Tank Goes Through Baptism by Fire in Syria

Sputnik News

17:34 07.02.2016(updated 20:23 07.02.2016)

For the first time, the Syrian Army used Russian-made T-90A tanks in combat. Their baptism by fire took place near the city of Aleppo.

The T-90A, one of Russia's most advanced weapons, went through its baptism by fire in service with the Syrian armed forces. Earlier, it was reported by Turkish and Iranian media, and then the Russian Defense Minister confirmed the fact.

The Turkish pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak reported, citing a military commander, that over 80 T-72 and T-90 tanks were spotted in combat north of Aleppo. The report also read that Syrian forces backed by Russian jets took control over the towns of Nubul and Zehra, north of Aleppo.

Meanwhile, Syrian T-90s in action near Aleppo were then reported by Iran's FARS news agency on February 2. According to the agency, T-90 tanks were deployed near the town of Khan Tuman, south of Aleppo, after the Syrian Army regained control over the town in December.

Using the advantages of the T-90 tank, the Syrian Army alongside its allies surrounded the strategic towns of Khan Tuman and Al-Karassi, along the Aleppo-Damascus highway, a military source told FARS News.

However, the first news about delivering T-90 tanks to the mechanized division of the Syrian Army came on November 29, 2015. At the time, Russia neither confirmed nor denied it.

On February 5, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry told RNS news agency that in late-2015, a number of T-90 machines were delivered to Syria. According to the source, previously the tanks were in service with the Russian military. Syrian troops practiced at training fields in Russia. According to RNS, the tanks were first used in combat by the Syrian Army near Aleppo. They supported a ground assault by Syrian troops.

The T-90A tank entered service with the Russian Armed Forces in 2004. The T-90A is a modernized version of the T-90 Vladimir tank developed on the basis of the T-72B, in the 1980-1990s. It was named 'Vladimir' after its constructor Vladimir Potkin. The T-90A featured a new engine and turret and was equipped with a thermal-vision system. Its engine delivers 1,000 hp at 2,000 rpm. The tanks is equipped with third-generation active armor, capable of withstanding an attack by 120-mm M829A2 and DM43A1 tank rounds, designed for the Abrams M1A1 and Leopard-2 tanks respectively.

The T-90 protective system is capable of protecting the tank from the newest TOW-2A and HOT-2 anti-tank missiles.

According to FARS, in four-and-a-half years of the Syrian war various militant groups received over 9,000 US-made TOW anti-tank missile systems and M-79 grenade launchers. They were very successful against the aging T-55 and T-72 tanks of the Syrian Army. Only after the newest T-90 tanks were delivered to Syria the Syrian Army began its advance against militants.

The T-90 was delivered to Syria because the tank is equipped with the Shtora active armor, military analyst Alexei Ramm told Gazeta.Ru. Unlike, for example the T-72B, the T-90 tanks of the Russian Armed Forces were initially equipped with this type of armor. The need for it was dictated by the fact that many Syrian militants are armed with TOW missiles.

How does the system works? There are several laser radiation receivers, mounted on the tank, as well as two projectors near the gun. These receivers can detect laser radiation when the tank is being targeted and warns the crew of the threat, Ramm explained. In this situation, the crew can evade the attack. The second option is smoke-screening, and the third option is jamming the enemy target-acquiring system with the projectors.

The T-90A is equipped with a 125-mm smooth-bore gun  the 2A46M-2  with a barrel length of 51 calibers. Its maximum accuracy range while firing high-explosive anti-tank warheads is 4,000 meters, and while firing fragmentation projectiles  up to 9,600 meters.

According to the analyst, the Syrian Army would actively engage the Russian T-90 tanks in combat. He explained that ground relief allows for using the T-90 near Aleppo, Idlib, Hama and Homs but currently main combat actions are focused on Aleppo and northern Latakia.

'The principal task now is to neutralize threats to two western regions  Latakia and Tartus. If Latakia falls it would deal a serious blow to [Syrian President Bashar] Assad's position and would complicate the Russian aerial operation,' Ramm pointed out.

What is more, now an offensive is also underway against militants in the enclave of Salma. Tanks are not enough in this mountainous area, where ground forces backed by aviation are needed.

'If Salma and Aleppo are liberated Turkey will not be able to deliver supplies to terrorists,' he said.

In December, Syria's news agency SANA published footage from the battlefield where Russian T-90's were also spotted.

 Sputnik

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Over 300 al-Nusra terrorists killed in clashes with Syrian forces

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 10:57PM

Syrian government troops have killed over 300 members of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front group during clashes in the northwestern Aleppo province.

The Takfiri terrorists were killed near the village of Ratian, during the Syrian forces' latest offensive in the province, the al-Mayadeen television network reported on Sunday.

Al-Nusra has confirmed the deaths stating that they occurred over the last few days during heavy fighting in the region.

Syrian forces backed by Russian air support are currently engaged in one of their most significant campaigns since Moscow joined the battle against Daesh Takfiri terrorists September 30, 2015.

According to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Sunday, thousands of terrorists are on the run as Syrian forces head towards the town of Tal Rifaat, close to the Turkish border.

Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman noted that recapturing the area would stem the flow of militants and arms entering Syria via Turkey.

The strategic town is considered the last militant stronghold in the volatile border region. Syria's Arabic-language newspaper al-Watan has said that the recapture of Tal Rifaat would be a major blow to the militants.

'If it falls, the army will be able to progress and seize control of all of the northern part of Aleppo province,' al-Watan reported.

The foreign-backed conflict in Syria, which began in March 2011, has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 260,000 people and displaced almost half of the country's population.

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Syrian army tightens noose on militant-held town in Aleppo

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 6:13PM

The Syrian army and its allied forces are pushing ahead with a major offensive against a militant-held town in the northern province of Aleppo near the Turkish border.

The government troops are just seven kilometers away from the town of Tal Rifaat, which is located around 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the Turkish frontier, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Sunday.

Rami Abdel Rahman, the director of the SOHR, said that the Syrian government troops intend to push north to the border with Turkey to stop the flow of militant recruits and weapons into the Arab country.

The strategic town is considered the last militant stronghold in the volatile border region. Syria's Arabic-language newspaper al-Watan has said that the recapture of Tal Rifaat would be a major blow to the militants.

Meanwhile, the Syrian army backed by allied forces also took full control of a strategic hilltop in the Eastern countryside of Aleppo. The Barlaheen hilltop came under army control after daylong clashes with the terrorists.

Syrian fighter jets bombed militant hideouts in the Rasm al-Alam and al-Sin villages in the troubled region over the past hours.

The Syrian military backed by volunteer forces has recently inflicted heavy losses on foreign-backed militants during mop-up operations on different fronts. Over the past few weeks, the Syrian forces have also gained more ground against militants north of Latakia.

Syria has blamed Turkey for the bulk of the chaos in its northern provinces, including in Latakia and Aleppo, saying Ankara overtly trains and funds militants who enter those areas.

The conflict in Syria began in March 2011 and has reportedly claimed the lives of more than 260,000 people.

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NATO to blame for tension in Syria: Russia

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 5:33PM

Following allegations by NATO that Moscow is hindering peace efforts in Syria, Russia's Defense Ministry has struck back, saying the US-led military alliance is to blame for growing tensions in the war-torn country.

Major General Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, made the remarks on Sunday in response to a statement from NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, who criticized Russia's military campaign in Syria as "undermining the efforts to find a political solution to the conflict."

NATO states had been involved in Syria for three years, before Russia began its air campaign against Takfiri Daesh militants, pretending "they were eliminating the international terrorists," Konashenkov said.

During this period, "nobody in the West, or in Brussels, would not even consider any talks in Syria. They were only verifying the deadline for the final collapse of the country [Syria] under the scenario used in Libya, where those were the NATO countries, which established without hindrance the 'democracy' of Western sort,' he added.

The spokesman further noted that the Russian airstrikes proved to Syrians that "it is possible to fight and eliminate the international terrorism in their country," and thus they "could begin considering Syria's future.'

Konashenkov stressed that "terrorists" operating in Syria are feeling "tension" as a result of Russia's airstrikes in Syria, asking why a similar sentiment is felt by some NATO states.

UN-brokered peace talks between delegates from the Syrian government and divided opposition were suspended on February 3 only three days after their shaky start. The talks are not expected to resume before February 25.

The Syrian government delegation blamed the opposition for the failure of the peace talks, accusing it of pulling out because it was losing the fight on the ground.

The opposition group's pullout came as Syrian armed forces, backed by Russian air cover, made significant gains against Takfiri militant groups on several fronts. Moscow began pounding terror groups in Syria last September upon a request by Damascus.

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UAE says ready to send troops to Syria under US leadership

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 1:23PM

A senior official in the United Arab Emirates says the Persian Gulf state is ready to send troops to Syria to join a US-led campaign allegedly fighting Takfiri Daesh group.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said at a press conference in Abu Dhabi that 'this has been our position throughout' as the UAE has been "frustrated at the slow pace .... of confronting Daesh.'

'We are not talking about thousands of troops but we are talking about troops on the ground that will lead the way ... that will support ... and I think our position remains the same and we will have to see how this progresses,' he said, noting that the "US leadership" of the campaign is the UAE's prerequisite.

The announcement came after Saudi Arabia said on February 4 that it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the US-led coalition decides to start such operations. US State Department spokesman John Kirby welcomed the Saudi decision.

Saudi Arabia is a member of the so-called US-led coalition that has been conducting air raids against what are claimed to be the Daesh terrorists inside Syria without any authorization from the Syrian government or a UN mandate since September 2014. The US-led strikes have, on many occasions, targeted Syria's infrastructures and left many civilians dead.

Also on February 4, Russia's Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Turkey is making 'preparations for an armed invasion' of Syria.

Moscow "registers a growing number of signs of hidden preparation of the Turkish Armed Forces for active actions on the territory of Syria," Konashenkov added.

Ankara has rejected the claim, saying it has no plan "of staging a military campaign or ground incursion in Syria."

On February 5, Bahrain's Ambassador to Britain Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa also said that the kingdom is ready to deploy ground forces to Syria under the Saudi leadership.

He said the Saudi initiative was meant to combat both Daesh and the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian Foreign Ministry Walid al-Muallem has said that any "ground intervention on Syrian territory without government authorization would amount to an aggression that must be resisted."

He has also warned that potential aggressors would return home in a "wooden coffin."

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Saudi troops deployment in Syria political joke: Iranian commander

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 9:1AM

A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says Saudi Arabia's plan for the deployment of ground troops to Syria sounds more like a "political joke."

The Saudi ground forces will not be capable of combating Takfiri terrorists in Syria, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, second-in-command of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), said in a live televised interview Saturday night.

This is a psychological warfare carried out by the Saudi regime with specific goals in an attempt to portray itself as a fighter against terrorism and divert attention from its deadly aggression against Yemen, Salami stated.

He added that Riyadh has been funding and arming all terrorist and Takfiri groups in Syria, describing the ruling Al Saud regime as the root cause of chaos and massacre in Iraq, Yemen and Syria.

Salami said regional countries would never be deceived by the Saudi plot to send troops into Syria, because Riyadh has no capability to make any change in the status quo.

On February 4, Igor Konashenkov, Russia's Defense Ministry spokesman, said Turkey is making 'preparations for an armed invasion' of Syria.

Moscow "registers a growing number of signs of hidden preparation of the Turkish Armed Forces for active actions on the territory of Syria," Konashenkov added.

On the same day, Saudi Arabia said it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the US-led coalition, which is allegedly targeting terrorists in Syria, decides to start such operations. US State Department spokesman, John Kirby, welcomed the Saudi decision.

Salami also hailed as a "big event" the recent gains made by Syrian forces in the northern countryside of Aleppo Province.

"The liberation of Nubbul and Zahra [towns] changed the fate of regional and international political equations about Syria," the IRGC commander said, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia was "one of the main losers and the strategic loser of recent victories made by Syria's resistance."

Pro-government forces on February 3 succeeded in breaking the three-and-a-half-year siege on two Shia-dominated towns of Nubbul and Zahra, in a major blow to al-Qaeda-linked militants operating along the Turkish border.

The Syrian army, backed by the Russian air force, has dealt a series of heavy blows to terrorists across Syria over the past few months.

The Iranian commander added that Iran will not change its policies regarding Syria, saying, "Our policies to support Syria's political system are logical and based on common interests and such backing will continue at political and military levels."

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Kurdish forces retake northern Syrian village from Takfiris

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 8:44AM

Kurdish fighters have managed to retake a village in Syria's northern province of Aleppo from Takfiri militants as they continue to push the terrorists back from the area.

On Saturday afternoon, the People's Protection Units (YPG) forces took full control of the village of al-Alqamiyah near Menagh air base, located six kilometers (3.7 miles) south of Azaz, following a fierce exchange of gunfire with Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat al-Sham terrorists, Lebanon-based al-Ahed news website reported.

Kurdish troopers also wrested control of hilltops overlooking the village of al-Tamoureh. There have been reports of casualties on both sides.

Meanwhile, Syrian army forces inflicted heavy losses on foreign-backed militants during mop-up operations on different fronts.

Scores of al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front terrorists were killed on Saturday during intense clashes with Syrian troops in the southern town of Tafas, Syria's official news agency SANA reported.

Syrian troopers, backed by fighters from allied popular defense groups, also restored security to Aliyah village of the western coastal province of Latakia.

Separately, Syrian government forces killed several Daesh militants in Taybeh and Jib al-Safa villages of the northwestern Aleppo Province.

The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which flared in March 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 260,000 people and left over one million injured, according to the United Nations.

The world body says 12.2 million people, including more than 5.6 million children, remain in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria. The foreign-sponsored militancy in the Arab country has also displaced about half of the country's population.

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Iran General: Saudi Arabia Should Stay Out of Syria Fight

Sputnik News

23:09 07.02.2016

Saudi Arabia's call to send its ground troops to aid the coalition against Daesh - also known as ISIS - in Syria has received ridicule from the commander of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard.

Saudi Brig. Gen. Ahmad Asiri on Thursday announced the Kingdom's willingness to send troops into the blood-soaked battlefields of Syria, where Daesh has taken up territory and spread barbaric destruction.

The proposal was undermined in Iran by Maj. Gen. Ali Jafari.

"They claim they will send troops (to Syria), but I don't think they will dare do so,' Jafari told reporters in Tehran. 'They have a classic army and history tells us such armies stand no chance in fighting irregular resistance forces. This will be like a coup de grace for them.

"Apparently, they see no other way but this, and if this is the case, then their fate is sealed.'

Iran's Shiite-led government remains a fierce opponent of Saudi Arabia as well as Daesh.

Iran also supports the government of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad, who is fighting a war on two fronts against Islamic terror groups like Daesh and other rebels  many of which have been armed and fed by Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom intends to boost its force against Daesh in Syria even further by launching a multinational military training exercise in March. Officials have said the exercise would involve as many as 150,000 troops from multiple Middle Eastern Countries including Egypt, Sudan and Morocco.

 Sputnik

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Al-Nusra Front Confirms Deaths of 300 Terrorists in Syria's Aleppo

Sputnik News

21:44 07.02.2016(updated 21:59 07.02.2016)

More than 300 members of the al-Nusra Front terrorist group were killed in clashes near the Syrian city of Retyan in the Aleppo province.

The death of the militants occurred as a result of heavy fighting near the city of Retyan in the province of Aleppo, a source told TV channel Al-Mayadin under condition of anonymity.

The Syrian armed forces were said to have eliminated 300 fighters during the fierce fighting in the area over the last few days.

'The militants have confirmed the death of 300 al-Nusra Front in the battle for Retyan in the north of Aleppo,' the channel reported, citing the source as saying.

Last week, the government forces cut off the main supply routes of terrorists in the Aleppo province. With the help of Russian military forces and local militias, the Syrian military also managed to break the four-year blockade of two cities, with an overall population of around 70,000 inhabitants.

On Friday, the government troops continued their offensive to the north of the province toward the Turkish border. Terrorists active in the area fled in large groups, leading to the liberation of large parts of the region, the Syrian military reported on Tuesday.

 Sputnik

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In Saudi Arabia's Footsteps: UAE Poised to Send Ground Troops to Syria

Sputnik News

17:00 07.02.2016(updated 17:13 07.02.2016)

The United Arab Emirates said on Sunday it was ready to commit ground troops to Syria to take on Daesh terrorists as part of a US-led coalition.

When asked if the Gulf state was prepared to send troops to Syria, Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash told reporters in Abu Dhabi that this had been his country's position all along.

'We have been frustrated at the slow pace. of confronting Daesh. We are not talking about thousands of troops but we are talking about troops on the ground that will lead the way that will support and I think our position remains the same and we will have to see how this progresses,' he said as quoted by Reuters.

The announcement came less than a week after Saudi Arabia said that if the US-led antiterrorist coalition decided to launch such an operation, Riyadh would follow suit.

'If there was a consensus from the leadership of the coalition, the kingdom is willing to participate in these efforts because we believe that aerial operations are not the ideal solution and there must be a twin mix of aerial and ground operations,' Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told al-Arabiya TV.

He added that a decision could be made at a NATO summit in Brussels next week. US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter confirmed that he would discuss the initiative with Saudi representatives at the summit.

Bahrain said on Saturday that it was ready to send ground forces against Daesh militants as part of the US-led coalition.

Bahraini ambassador to Britain Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed al-Khalifa said in a statement that the kingdom would commit troops to operate' in concert with Saudis.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem warned that any ground operation in Syria, carried out without consent from Damascus, will be viewed as an act of aggression.'

"Let no one think they can attack Syria or violate its sovereignty because I assure you any aggressor will return to their country in a wooden coffin,' Muallem added during a press conference in Damascus.

 Sputnik

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Russian MoD Strikes Back at NATO's Accusations of Fueling Tensions in Syria

Sputnik News

13:08 07.02.2016(updated 15:47 07.02.2016)

The Russian Defense Ministry has blamed NATO countries for plunging Syria and the Entire Middle East into chaos.

Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov dismissed as 'stupid' a recent statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg who said that Russia's air strikes in Syria targeting rebel forces were 'undermining' efforts to find a non-military solution to the war, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

'What we have seen is that the intense Russian air strikes mainly targeting opposition groups in Syria are undermining the efforts to find a political solution to the conflict,' Stoltenberg said as he arrived for talks in Amsterdam with EU defense ministers.

Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said that it was the "NATO countries' reckless action, which plunged the Middle Eastern region into chaos," not the Russian military operation, that actually brought about the current crisis in Syria.

'It is Russia's aerial campaign of the past few months that helped the Syrians realize that they can fight on and destroy the international terrorists in their country,' he said.

General Konashenkov added that before Russia launched its aerial campaign in Syria, NATO countries had spent almost three years imitating a fight against international terrorism.

'No one in the West then talked about a negotiated settlement in Syria. All they did was fixing the date of the country's final breakup a-la Libya where the NATO countries felt so free to establish Western-style democracy,' Igor Konashenkov said in conclusion.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Air Force Pounds Daesh's Main Oil Supply Route to Turkey

Sputnik News

09:47 07.02.2016(updated 13:11 07.02.2016)

Syrian Air Force jets pulverized Daesh positions in the eastern part of Aleppo province on Saturday, causing serious damage to the main road used by the militants to send oil tankers into neighboring Turkey.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Army and Hezbollah forces, along with their popular allies, advanced on the strategic city of Tal Rafat in the north of the province, Iran's news agency Fars reported.

In a parallel development, Syrian fighter jets launched heavy airstrikes on militants' concentration centers in various parts of Damascus, Dara'a, Deir ez-Zor, Hama, Aleppo and Idlib.

The northeastern and northern parts of Aleppo province are still scenes of fierce clashes between the Syrian Army and the militant groups as the government forces continue their offensive in the north in a bid to seal the border with Turkey.

'The Army troops have now engaged in heavy fighting with the terrorists near Manbij in the northeastern territories of Aleppo province, which claimed the lives of many militants,' the Army said in a statement.

The Syrian Armed Forces and allied popular units have also launched a series of attacks on the bases and gathering centers of Daesh and al-Nusra Front in eastern and southeastern Aleppo on Saturday, killing and wounding many terrorists, Fars News wrote.

 Sputnik

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Moderate Syrian Rebel Factions Face Wipe-Out

by Jamie Dettmer February 07, 2016

The sweeping Russian-backed offensive in northern Syria by President Bashar al-Assad's military and foreign fighters from Iran, Lebanon and Afghanistan is triggering a humanitarian crisis by propelling thousands of civilians to flee to the Turkish border, say political activists and rebel commanders.

And the daunting offensive is altering dramatically the balance of insurgent forces in the north of the country to the benefit of al-Qaida-linked groups and the Islamic State, they say.

Some forecast an implosion of secular and less religious-based militias aligned with the Western-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) in northern Syria. "This is the end of the FSA in northern Syria," Bassam al-Kuwaiti, a well-known figure in political opposition circles, told VOA.

Merge, disband

Al-Kuwaiti said some moderate militias will be forced to merge; others will have no alternative but to disband altogether and join either the powerful Islamist insurgent group Ahrar al-Sham, [Free Men of Syria] or enlist with al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra.

"They will have no other option," he said.

Al-Qaida's affiliate and Ahrar al-Sham are partners in an alliance known as Jaysh al-Fatah, or Army of Conquest, and have recently debated formally merging.

In villages and towns northwest and north of Aleppo, FSA militias are already relying on Ahrar al-Sham and al-Nusra to help them to try to survive a week-long Assad onslaught that has seen Russian warplanes fly hundreds of round-the-clock bombing sorties.

Ahmad, a rebel fighter, said he and his unit came under 400 airstrikes in four days

Regime forces have managed to capture a chain of villages that control the main rebel supply route for insurgent-held districts in Aleppo city.

"The situation is disastrous," said rebel fighter Abu Zaid, who had just returned to Turkey from the front-lines. "The Russians are flying six-plane sorties and we are being bombarded by artillery and coming under multiple rocket attacks."

Shi'ite fighters

Several rebel commanders say most of the ground forces against them consist of foreign Shi'ite fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah movement and from Afghanistan as well as members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Afghanis and Iranians wear red headbands or armbands, and Hezbollah fighters yellow ones.

U.S. officials have told VOA Russian commandos, or Spetsnaz, are also in the regime's mix of forces and have been working covertly around Aleppo.

But Zakaria Malahefji, the political officer of the 3,000-strong Fastaqim Kama Umirt, a brigade aligned to the rebel alliance Jaish al-Mujahideen (Army of Holy Warriors), said they had not spotted Russians on the ground and few Syrian soldiers.

"You hardly see Syrian army troops fighting," Malahefji said. "We are fighting Iranians, Afghans and Hezbollah."

He was bitter about what he sees as a Western desertion of the Syrian revolution.

"I have spoken with the ambassadors and their staffs of the U.S., Britain and France and asked them, 'What will you do other than just make statements?' "

'We don't have weeks'

He said one message he got from a U.S. official read: "God willing, we are working on changing the conditions on the ground in the next few weeks."

"But we don't have weeks," snapped Malahefji, a former higher education teacher. "We need portable anti-aircraft missiles if we are to persevere" he said. "And we need more anti-armor missile systems like anti-tank TOW missiles."

In the complex and multisided conflict in northern Syria, all nongovernment players are jockeying to survive or to take advantage of the sudden dramatic shift of battlefield fortunes.

The position of the Kurdish YPG, or People's Protection Units, which is dominated by Syria's Democratic Union Party (PYD), appears the most tortuous. Rebel commanders accuse the YPG of being two-faced.

Around the mainly Kurdish enclave of Afrin, YPG fighters have started to coordinate with rebel factions to keep open a humanitarian corridor for displaced Syrians from northern towns and villages who are stuck on the Syrian-Turkish border near the Bab al-Salamah border crossing close to the Syrian town of Azaz.

No border crossings

Turkey, despite claiming it has an "open-border policy," has not been allowing refugees to cross.

YPG and rebel factions have been protecting civilians as they travel from Azaz. But at the same time the YPG has launched attacks on Islamist and moderate rebel factions around Afrin, seeking to expand the Kurdish enclave.

Russian airstrikes on Saturday helped Kurdish fighters alongside militiamen from Jaysh al-Thwar, a YPG Sunni Arab ally, to capture the strategic Tal Zinkah hill north of Aleppo.

Syrian rebels argue the YPG, the most effective ground partner for the U.S.-led international coalition fighting Islamic State militants, is a secret partner of Assad and directly and indirectly coordinates with Damascus.

YPG commanders have always denied the claim.

In an exclusive phone interview with VOA, PYD leader Salih Muslim echoed Assad and Russian officials.

"The Russian airstrikes are targeting terrorists, Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat al-Nusra," Muslim said. "The offensive won't impact Syrian Kurds."

Western analysts also warn the Assad offensive will weaken rebel moderate factions and force fighters to throw their lot in with the larger and more militant groups.

"The renewed pressure being placed upon the opposition also risks driving opposition groups to deepen their coordination with Syrian al-Qaida affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra and other Salafi-jihadist factions," cautioned Christopher Kozak, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.

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Syrian Kurds Cooperate With All Countries Assisting in Fight Against Daesh

Sputnik News

01:38 08.02.2016

The Syrian Kurds cooperate with the United States and all other countries offering their assistance in the fight against the Daesh jihadist group, a representative of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Earlier in the day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Washington to choose between the partnership with Turkey and Kurdish forces, which Ankara claims are linked to the pro-independence Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant movement, considered a terrorist organization by Turkey.

'The Americans have been helping [the Kurds to fight against Daesh] for almost a year and a half the Kurds were forced to cooperate when the Americans came to help. When the enemy comes at you, destroys you who would not agree?' Abd Salam Muhammad Ali told RIA Novosti on Sunday.

The PYD representative in Russia added that Washington was assisting Kurdish forces by launching airstrikes in Kurdish settlements besieged by terrorists, including Kobane in northern Syria.

A man rides a motorcycle past damaged buildings in al-Myassar neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria January 31, 2016

 REUTERS/ Abdalrhman Ismail

Boots on the Ground in Syria: Saudi Arabia More 'Interested in Helping Rebels Than Fighting Daesh'

Ankara is protesting against the Syrian Kurds' cooperation with the United States, as it is claustrophobic over 20 million Kurds living in Turkey, according to the politician.

Kurds, one of the largest ethnic groups in Syria, have been fighting against the Daesh militant group, which is outlawed in many countries, including Russia, for years.

 Sputnik

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Turkey to open border to Syrians 'if necessary': Erdogan

Iran Press TV

Sun Feb 7, 2016 11:19AM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced the country's readiness to let in tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who have massed along its border "if necessary."

He made the comments on Saturday while returning from Senegal in reaction to the gathering of a huge number of Syrians, mostly women and children, who have left their homes in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo toward the Turkish border since Friday.

"If they reached our door and have no other choice, if necessary, we have to and will let our brothers in,' he said.

The governor of the Turkish Kilis border province, Suleyman Tapsiz, said Saturday that the country has been providing aid to between 30,000 and 35,000 refugees who have assembled around the nearby Syrian city of Azaz over 48 hours.

Another 70,000 might head for the frontier, he said, adding that authorities would only open the gates if an "extraordinary crisis" erupts.

Also on Sunday, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said although the country has reached the end of its capacity to absorb refugees, it would go on letting Syrians in.

This is while Turkey's Oncupinar border crossing, opposite Bab al-Salama in Syria, is still closed to thousands of refugees gathered there for a third day and Kurtulmus did not provide any explanation for the move.

Turkey is said to be home to a total of 3 million refugees, including almost 2.5 million Syrians.

Ankara has been among the main supporters of the militant groups operating in Syria.

Turkey has also been accused on numerous occasions of being involved in illegal oil trade with Daesh. Russia has recently released pictures and videos purportedly showing the movement of oil tankers from Daesh-controlled areas in Syria toward Turkey.

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Oslo, 8 February 2016: Yara International ASA announces organizational and management changes, to improve strategic focus and execution.



"After spending recent months visiting numerous Yara sites, meeting employees and conducting business and organizational reviews, I have concluded on the key organizational changes needed to strengthen operational focus and improve alignment behind our strategic direction," said Svein Tore Holsether, President and Chief Executive Officer of Yara.



"It is clear to me that Yara's employees are dedicated and work hard every day to deliver value to our customers, shareholders and society. I am confident that the changes announced today will sharpen our strategic focus on profitable growth and reinforcing our integrated business model," said Holsether.



The following changes to Yara's organizational structure and corporate management are effective immediately:



A new "Production" segment is established, comprising the former Upstream segment and also Yara's mining activities, as these will increasingly be focused on production going forward. This segment will focus on securing the long-term competitiveness of Yara's production assets, and will be headed by Petter stb, formerly head of Yara's Gas and Industrial Applications business line. A strategic review of Yara's production base has already been initiated. Gerd Lobbert will step down as Head of Upstream and leave the company.



A new "Supply Chain" segment is established, comprising the former Supply & Trade segment and also Yara's IT function, which has a critical role in enabling efficient supply chain operations. This segment will focus on strengthening Yara's long-term competitive edge in sourcing and logistical operations, and will be headed by Tove Andersen, formerly head of Yara's Supply Chain Europe unit.



Alvin Rosvoll, formerly head of Yara's Supply & Trade segment will take up the newly established position as Senior VP for Partner Operations, with responsibility for securing Yara's interests in its largest joint ventures.



The Downstream segment is re-named "Crop Nutrition", and will continue the direction outlined in its recently developed strategy. The segment will continue to be headed by Terje Knutsen.



Lair Hanzen, formerly head of Yara's Downstream unit in Brazil, will take up the newly established position as Senior VP for Yara Brazil. Hanzen will be responsible for the entire Yara portfolio in Brazil, including the Galvani joint venture and all strategic projects in the country. Yara's segment financial reporting is not affected.



Kristine Ryssdal, currently Vice President Legal in Statoil ASA, will take up the position as Yara Chief Legal Officer, effective latest 31 May. Trygve Faksvaag will step down as Chief Legal Officer once Ryssdal joins, but continue working in Yara's Legal department.



A review of Yara's corporate functions is in progress, and Bente Slaatten has consequently decided to step down as Chief Communication and Branding Officer and leave the company.



The Communication and HR functions will report to CFO Torgeir Kvidal until further notice, and Kaija Korolainen has decided to step down as Chief HR Officer and leave the company.



"I am convinced that these changes will strengthen Yara going forward. At the same time I want to thank my colleagues who are leaving the executive management group, for their hard work and dedication to Yara," said Svein Tore Holsether, President and Chief Executive Officer of Yara.





Contact



Thor Giver, Investor Relations

Telephone: (+47) 24 15 72 95

Mobile: (+47) 48 07 53 56

E-mail: thor.giaver@yara.com



Esben Tuman, Media Relations

Telephone: (+47) 24 15 70 26

Mobile: (+47) 90 50 84 00

E-mail: esben.tuman@yara.com



Kristin Nordal, Media Relations

Mobile: (+47) 90 01 55 50

E-mail: kristin.nordal@yara.com





About Yara

Yara's knowledge, products and solutions grow farmers', distributors' and industrial customers' businesses profitably and responsibly, while nurturing and protecting the earth's resources, food and environment.



Our fertilizers, crop nutrition programs and technologies increase yields, improve product quality and reduce the environmental impact of agricultural practices. Our industrial and environmental solutions improve air quality by reducing emissions from industry and transportation, and serve as key ingredients in the production of a wide range of goods. We foster a culture that promotes the safety of our employees, contractors and societies.



Founded in 1905 to solve emerging famine in Europe, today, Yara has a worldwide presence, with more than 12,000 employees and sales to more than 150 countries.

www.yara.com



This information is subject of the disclosure requirements acc. to 5-12 vphl (Norwegian Securities Trading Act)




The combination of Kootenay and Northair will create a leading Mexican silver exploration and development company and consolidator.



Consolidation of High Profile Silver Resources in Mexico: A unique portfolio of high-quality resource-development staged assets in Mexico headlined by Kootenay's Promontorio and La Negra projects and Northair's La Cigarra project. Promontorio has a NI 43-101 pit-constrained resource consisting of 92.0M oz AgEq Measured and Indicated (44.5M tonnes at a grade of 64.3 g/t AgEq) plus an additional 24.3M oz AgEq categorized as Inferred (14.6M tonnes at a grade of 52.0 g/t AgEq) (see Table 1). La Cigarra has a pit-constrained NI 43-101 resource consisting of 51.5M oz Ag Measured and Indicated (18.5M tonnes at 86.3 g/t Ag) plus an additional 11.5M oz Ag (4.5M tonnes at 80.0 g/t Ag) categorized as Inferred resources (see Table 2).



Continued Exploration Potential and Resource Upside: Promontorio/La Negra and La Cigarra have all demonstrated continued exploration success since release of their NI 43-101 resource statements. The combined company will continue its focus on resource growth into 2016, with an exploration drilling program planned at La Negra in H1/2016, leading to a maiden NI 43-101 resource estimate, plus plans to drill test high profile targets identified during the 2015 air mag survey at La Cigarra (including the RAM Zone) and to further evaluate regional prospectivity within the 100% owned Promontorio Mineral Belt.



Prospect Generator Portfolio: In addition to resource development-stage assets, the combined company will maintain an active portfolio of generative properties within Mexico and Canada. Kootenay currently has four joint ventures partners in place and will continue to pursue further monetization opportunities which have the potential to provide the combined company with additional, non-dilutive asset exposure and diversification.



Platform for Further Consolidation: Northair and Kootenay both believe that investors in today's market are increasingly attracted by larger, more liquid exploration and development companies. The combined company, with rationalized G&A and a stronger balance sheet, will be positioned for growth and mandated to pursue further consolidations within the depressed junior silver sector.

Pit-Constrained 20 gpt AgEq

Cut-Off Tonnes

(000's) Avg

AgEq

(gpt) Avg

Ag

(gpt) Avg

Au

(gpt) Avg

Pb

(%) Avg

Zn

(%) AgEq

Oz

(000's) Ag Oz

(000's) Au Oz

(000's) Pb lbs

(000's) Zn lbs

(000's) Measured 10,289 74.79 32.69 0.40 0.46 0.55 24,741 10,814 134 105,328 123,715 Indicated 34,215 61.18 26.30 0.34 0.38 0.45 67,294 28,926 373 287,579 335,904 M+I 44,504 64.32 27.77 0.35 0.40 0.47 92,035 39,740 506 392,907 459,619 Inferred 14,564 51.95 24.95 0.28 0.28 0.31 24,326 11,683 132 89,430 98,462

Underground

Potential 45 gpt

AgEq

Cut-Off Tonnes

(000's) Avg

AgEq

(gpt) Avg

Ag

(gpt) Avg

Au

(gpt) Avg

Pb

(%) Avg

Zn

(%) AgEq

Oz

(000's) Ag Oz

(000's) Au Oz

(000's) Pb lbs

(000's) Zn lbs

(000's) Measured 3 62.27 25.12 0.32 0.37 0.63 6 2 0 23 40 Indicated 212 56.88 22.86 0.28 0.40 0.55 387 156 2 1,889 2,551 M+I 215 56.96 22.89 0.28 0.40 0.55 393 158 2 1,913 2,591 Inferred 1,265 61.17 26.57 0.37 0.36 0.38 2,488 1,081 15 10,049 10,667



Notes: * Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the Mineral Resources estimated will be converted into Mineral Reserves.



1 Open pit resources stated as contained within a potentially economically minable pit shell;



2 Pit optimization is based on assumed silver, gold, lead, and zinc prices of $31/oz, $1650/oz, $0.96/lb, and $0.89/lb respectively, mill recoveries of 74%, 70%, 81% and 88% respectively, a 1.5% NSR, Estimated mining costs of $1.20/t, and estimated processing and G&A cost of $12.00/t; and an estimated POX cost of $2/tonne ($30/tonne of pyrite concentrate)



3 Break-even cut-off grades used were 20 gpt AgEq for open pit mill material and 45 gpt AgEq for underground material;



4 Silver equivalency is based on unit values calculated from the above metal prices, and assumes 100% recovery of all metals; and



5 Mineral resource tonnage and contained metal have been rounded to reflect the accuracy of the estimate, and numbers may not add due to rounding.

Resource

Category Tonnes (000's) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Pb (%) Zn (%) Ag Oz

(000's) Au Oz (000's) Pb lbs (000's) Zn lbs (000's) Measured 3,620 88.9 0.074 0.14 0.19 10,340 9 10,920 15,510 Indicated 14,930 85.7 0.068 0.13 0.18 41,130 33 42,950 59,260 M+I 18,540 86.3 0.069 0.13 0.18 51,470 41 53,870 74,770 Inferred 4,450 80.0 0.058 0.13 0.16 11,460 8 12,680 15,610



Note:* Mineral resources are reported in relation to a conceptual pit shell at a 35 g/t silver cut-off grade and a $22/oz silver price. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and numbers may not add up due to rounding. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the Mineral Resources estimated will be converted into Mineral Reserves.

VANCOUVER, Feb. 8, 2016 - Kootenay Silver Inc. (TSX-V: KTN) ("Kootenay") and Northair Silver Corp. (TSX-V: INM) ("Northair") are pleased to announce that the companies have entered into a definitive arrangement agreement (the "Agreement") pursuant to which Kootenay has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Northair (the "Transaction"). The Agreement replaces the binding letter agreement previously announced on January 13, 2016. Pursuant to the Agreement, Northair shareholders will receive, for each common share of Northair held, 0.35 common shares of Kootenay, plus 0.15 of a tradable warrant to purchase Kootenay common shares at an exercise price of $0.55 for a period of five years from closing. Upon completion of the Transaction, Northair will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kootenay, and former shareholders of Northair will hold approximately 40% of the shares of Kootenay on an outstanding shares basis.The Transaction will be implemented by way of plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The Arrangement will require approval of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by Northair shareholders and option-holders voting together as a single class at a special meeting of Northair. Lock-up agreements in support of the Transaction have been signed by holders representing approximately 12.1% of the Northair securities entitled to vote to approve the Transaction.Information regarding the Arrangement will be contained in an information circular to be prepared, filed and mailed in due course to Northair shareholders and option-holders in connection with the special meeting of Northair shareholders and option-holders to be held to consider the Arrangement, expected to occur on April 14, 2016. All shareholders and option-holders are urged to read the information circular once it becomes available as it will contain additional important information concerning the Arrangement.Kootenay President and CEO James McDonald commented: "We are very pleased and excited to move forward with this milestone transaction with Northair. This is a well-planned consolidation that has the potential to provide both companies and their shareholders with far reaching benefits well into the future. Combining the Promontorio, La Negra and La Cigarra projects will immediately position Kootenay as one of Mexico's preeminent, asset based, silver development companies. Moreover, the support of a newly invigorated treasury and growth plan will allow us to prioritize the expedited development of both the La Negra and La Cigarra projects, as we continue to advance our generative project portfolio and pursue further strategic opportunities in the sector."Andrea Zaradic, President, CEO & Director of Northair, stated: "We could not be more pleased to complete our definitive agreement with Kootenay. Through the consolidation, we will clearly be dealing from a position of strength. By combining our established assets, that includes two of the highest profile recent silver discoveries in Mexico, we will stand out from our peer group as a recognized leader in the Mexican silver sector. As the consolidation moves forward, we believe this transaction will substantially benefit both Northair and its security-holders. First, it will enable our shareholders to obtain an attractive premium on their shares. Secondly, it will allow them to continue to participate in the La Cigarra silver project within a larger, and more diversified company. Equally important to future development, we will be backed by an exploration and mining team with a proven track record of building high valued mining companies."Table 1: Resource Statement for the Promontorio Deposit, Sonora State, Mexico: SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc., Effective Date March 31, 2013Table 2: Resource Statement for the La Cigarra silver project located in Chihuahua State, Mexico: GeoVector Management Inc., Effective Date January 14, 2015*The Promontorio and La Cigarra NI 43-101 reports, including the assumptions therein, are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and available at http://www.northairsilver.com and http://www.kootenaysilver.com.Under the terms of the Agreement, on closing each Northair common shareholder will receive 0.35 common shares of Kootenay, plus 0.15 of a Kootenay Warrant to purchase Kootenay common shares at an exercise price of $0.55 for a period of five years from closing. Upon completion of the Transaction, the former shareholders of Northair will own approximately 40% of the Kootenay shares on an outstanding shares basis.Northair's outstanding options will be adjusted in accordance with the Arrangement, and Northair's warrants will be adjusted in accordance with their terms, such that the number of Kootenay shares and warrants received upon exercise and the exercise price will reflect the consideration described above.The Arrangement will require approval from at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the shareholders and option-holders of Northair voting together as a single class on such resolution at a special meeting expected to take place in Vancouver, B.C. on April 14, 2016.The Arrangement is subject to applicable security-holder, court and stock exchange approvals and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature.The Arrangement includes customary provisions, including fiduciary-out provisions, covenants not to solicit other acquisition proposals and the right to match any superior proposal. In addition, Northair may be required to pay a termination fee of $500,000 if the transaction is terminated as a result of Northair accepting a superior proposal or completing an alternative proposal within 12 months of termination of the Transaction.Northair's Board of Directors have determined that the Arrangement is in the best interest of shareholders and option-holders, having taken into account advice from its financial advisor and the recommendation of the special committee of the Board of Directors, and have approved the Arrangement. Northair's Board of Directors recommend that their shareholders and option-holders vote in favour of the Arrangement.Full details of the Arrangement will be included in the management information circular to be filed with regulatory authorities and mailed to Northair shareholders and option-holders in accordance with applicable securities laws. Northair expects to mail the Information Circular in mid-March, 2016.The proposed Transaction is expected to be completed in April 2016 or such other date as the parties may agree.Upon completion of the Transaction, Northair's shares will be de-listed from the TSX Venture Exchange and it is expected that Kootenay will apply to cause Northair to cease being a reporting issuer under applicable Canadian securities laws.The senior executive team and the Board of Directors of the combined company will draw from the extensive experience and expertise of both companies. Mr. Ken Berry will remain Chairman and Mr. James McDonald will remain as President & Chief Executive Officer of the combined company. Upon closing of the Transaction, Ms. Andrea Zaradic and Mr. Tony Redaof Northair will be appointed to the Kootenay board of directors.Axium Law Corporation is acting as legal counsel to Kootenay.Haywood Securities Inc. is acting as financial advisor to Northair and its Board of Directors. Morton Law LLP is acting as legal counsel to Northair. Haywood Securities Inc. has provided a fairness opinion to Northair's Board of Directors that, as of the date thereof and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set out therein, the transaction is fair, from a financial point of view, to the shareholders and optionholders of Northair.The Kootenay technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed on behalf Kootenay by James McDonald, P.Geo, President, CEO & Director for Kootenay, a Qualified Person.The Northair disclosure of a scientific or technical nature contained in this news release was reviewed by David Ernst, a professional geologist and vice-president of exploration of Northair, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101. Kootenay Silver Inc. is an exploration company actively engaged in the discovery and development of mineral projects in the Sierra Madre Region of Mexico and in British Columbia, Canada. The Company's top priority is the advancement of precious metals projects contained within its Promontorio Mineral Belt in Sonora, Mexico. This includes its La Negra high-grade silver discovery and its Promontorio Silver Resource. Kootenay's core objective is to develop near term discoveries and long-term sustainable growth. Management comprises proven professionals with extensive international experience in all aspects of mineral exploration, operations and venture capital markets. Multiple, ongoing J/V partnerships in Mexico and Canada maximize potential for additional new discoveries while maintaining minimal share dilution.Northair is focused on advancing its flagship La Cigarra silver project located in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, 26 kilometres from the historic silver mining city of Parral. The property boasts nearby power, good road access, gentle topography, established infrastructure and currently hosts a NI 43-101 Resource estimate of 51.47 million ounces of silver in the Measured & Indicated categories grading 86.3 g/t silver and 11.46 million ounces of silver in the Inferred category grading 80 g/t silver. The mineralized system at La Cigarra has been traced over 6.5 kilometres and is defined at surface as a silver soil anomaly and by numerous historic mine workings. The La Cigarra silver deposit is open along strike and at depth and is approximately 25km north, and along strike of Grupo Mexico's Santa Barbara mine and Minera Frisco's San Francisco del Oro mine.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer of securities in the United States. The securities issuable in the transaction have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless exemptions from such registration requirements are available.The information in this news release has been prepared as at February 7 2016. Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms.Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Kootenay and Northair as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things: anticipated benefits of the Transaction to Kootenay and Northair and their respective securityholders; the pro rata shareholdings of the current shareholders of Northair in Kootenay; the timing and receipt of required securityholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals for the Transaction; the ability of Kootenay and Northair to satisfy the other conditions to, and to complete, the Transaction; the anticipated timing of the mailing of the information circular regarding the Transaction; the closing of the Transaction; analyst coverage, liquidity and access to capital markets of Kootenay; length of the current market cycle and the requirements for an issuer to survive the current market cycle and future growth potential for Kootenay. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: satisfaction or waiver of all applicable conditions to closing of the Transaction including, without limitation, receipt of all necessary securityholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals or consents and lack of material changes with respect to the parties and their respective businesses; the synergies expected from the Transaction not being realized; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macro-economic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets and the market price of Kootenay's shares; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities; title to properties; the failure to meet the closing conditions thereunder and the failure by counterparties to such agreements to comply with their obligations thereunder. In addition, Northair may in certain circumstances be required to pay a non-completion or other fee to Kootenay, the result of which could have a material adverse effect on Northair's financial position and results of operations and its ability to fund growth prospects and current operations. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, Kootenay and Northair expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in Kootenay or Northair's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This news release uses the terms "Measured and Indicated Resources" and "Inferred Resources", which have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of a Measured and Indicated and/or Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Kootenay and Northair advises U.S. investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize it. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of a Measured, Indicated and Inferred resource exists, or is economically or legally minable.SOURCE Kootenay Silver Inc. James McDonald, President, CEO & Director(403) 238-6986Ken Berry, Chairman(604) 601-5652Andrea Zaradic, President, CEO & Director(604) 687-7545Chris Curran, Manager of Corporate Communications(604) 687-7545
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - February 08, 2016) - Quaterra Resources Inc. ("Quaterra" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: QTA) (OTCQX: QTRRF) and its subsidiary Singatse Peak Services LLC ("SPS") today announced results from Hole B-050, the third core hole of a drill program to explore and further define the Bear deposit, a large porphyry copper system on the Company's 52-square mile property in the historic Yerington Copper District of Nevada. The drill program is being funded with option payments to SPS by Freeport-McMoRan Nevada LLC ("Freeport Nevada").

Highlights

Hole B-050, drilled vertically to a depth of 3,838 feet, intercepted 521.9 feet (159.1 meters) of 0.36% copper beginning at a depth of 2,429.2 feet. Included within this interval is 279.3 feet (85.1 meters) of 0.44% copper starting at 2,491.4 feet. A 6.1 foot (1.9 meter) interval of massive pyrite-magnetite-chalcopyrite skarn starting at 2,330.5 feet averages 1.91% copper, 0.22 ppm gold and 5.7 ppm silver. This hole extends the Bear mineralized system an additional 650 feet north of the nearest historic drill hole.

Table 1. Significant intercepts from Bear core hole B-050* HOLE B-049 From To Interval Interval % ppm ppm ppm feet feet feet meters Cu Mo Au Ag 2330.5 2336.6 6.1 1.9 1.91 < 2 0.22 5.7 2429.2 2951.1 521.9 159.1 0.36 34 0.011 < 0.5 includes 2491.4 2770.7 279.3 85.1 0.44 18 0.013 < 0.5 includes 2681.0 2721.7 40.7 12.4 0.59 31 0.015 0.14

*Drill intercepts are based on actual core lengths and may not reflect the true width of mineralization. Note: 1 ppm = 1 gram per tonne

Discussion

Hole B-050, collared 1,050 feet north-northeast of Hole B-048, is the third hole of an exploration program designed to corroborate historic assay results, determine geologic controls for higher grade mineralization and attempt to extend higher grade mineralization to the north. Copper mineralization starting at a depth of 2,429.2 feet occurs in typical porphyry copper-style, potassically altered quartz monzonite with small amounts of molybdenite. The thickness of the mineralized intercept is similar to those in adjacent historic drill holes.

The significance of the narrow zone of higher grade copper-gold-silver mineralization occurring above the main mineralized interval is unknown. The skarn is bracketed by quartz porphyry dikes and quartz veining and is part of a larger zone characterized by pyrite and magnetite veining, weakly anomalous gold and potassic alteration. All of these features are guides to mineralization elsewhere in the district.

Hole B-051, the fourth of the current drill program and located 1,150 feet east of Hole B-049, is in progress. Hole locations are shown on a map available on Quaterra's website at http://quaterra.com/bear-drill-holes-feb-2016/. A video of the current drill-program at the Bear deposit is available for viewing on the Company website at http://quaterra.com/quaterra-video-2015-bear-drilling/. Further results will be reported when available.

For background on the Bear deposit, Quaterra's Yerington project and the option agreement with Freeport Nevada please see the news release dated November 17, 2015, or visit the Company website at www.quaterra.com.

Quality assurance and control

Core samples were either sawed or split by SPS personnel in Yerington, Nevada, and shipped to Bureau Veritas Minerals NA - Inspectorate America Corporation, an ISO certified assaying/geochemistry facility, in Reno, Nevada for sample preparation. Gold analyses are assayed in Bureau Veritas' lab in Reno using their "FA430" procedure (fire assay with atomic absorption finish) with a 5 ppb Au detection limit. Prepared pulps are shipped to Bureau Veritas' lab in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, for analysis using their "MA 300" procedure for 35 element ICP-ES analysis. Commercially prepared standards and blanks are inserted by SPS at 50-foot intervals to insure precision of results as a quality control measure. SPS has a chain of custody program to ensure sample security during all stages of sample collection, cutting, shipping, and storage.

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Thomas Patton, Ph.D., the President and CEO of the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

About Quaterra Resources Inc.

Quaterra Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: QTA)(OTCQX: QTRRF) is a copper exploration and development company with the primary objective to advance its U.S. subsidiary's copper projects in the Yerington District, Nevada.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Thomas Patton, President & CEO

Quaterra Resources Inc.

Disclosure note:

Some statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements under Canadian securities laws and within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are identified in this news release by words such as "believes", "anticipates", "intends", "has the potential", "expects", and similar language, or convey estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives, potential outcomes, expectations, or goals. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. In particular, forward looking statements in this news release include or assume that the Company will receive all option payments over the next six months, that exploration results on the Bear deposit will define further mineralization, that historic exploration results will be confirmed by new exploration, that further drilling will extend the boundaries of the known high-grade mineralized area, and that drill results from the current drill program point to a large copper system. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. A summary of risk factors that apply to the Company's operations are included in our management discussion and analysis filings with securities regulatory authorities, and are publicly available on our website. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Vancouver, BC / TheNewswire / February 8, 2016 Manado Gold Corp. (TSX-V: MDO) (the "Company") is pleased to provide additional details of the Company's previously announced brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") (for additional details see the Company's news release dated January 13, 2016).

The Offering will also be opened up to eligible investors who would not otherwise qualify for the "accredited investor" prospectus exemption in accordance with the instruments identified in the Multilateral CSA Notice 45-318 - Prospectus Exemption for Certain Distributions through an Investment Dealer.

The Company previously entered into a letter of engagement with Mackie Research Capital Corporation (the "Agent'), whereby the Agent has agreed to act as lead agent on a commercially reasonable efforts basis for the Offering. Completion of the Offering is a condition of the closing of the amalgamation of the Company and RewardStream Solutions Inc. ("RewardStream") and is expected to be completed immediately prior to closing of the amalgamation. For additional details see the Company's news release dated September 10, 2015 and the Company's information circular dated January 8, 2016 (the "Circular") copies of which are available under the Company's profile on the SEDAR website ("SEDAR") at www.sedar.com).

The Offering will consist of a brokered private placement financing of 21,440,000 units of the Company (5,360,000 units of the resulting entity post-amalgamation) at a price of $0.07 per unit ($0.28 per unit post-amalgamation), for gross proceeds of $1,500,800. Each unit will consist of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder to purchase an additional common share at a price of $0.10 per share ($0.40 per share post-amalgamation) for a period of two years from the date of issuance.

The Company plans to use the gross proceeds of the Offering, in order of priority, as follows:

Use of Proceeds ($) Agent's Commission - 7% of Gross Proceeds 105,056 Sales and Marketing 883,765 General and Administrative Expenses 511,979 Total 1,500,800

The Offering does not have a maximum or minimum. In the event that the Offering is over-subscribed or under-subscribed or the Agent exercises its 15% over-allotment option, the Company plans to adjust the use of proceeds as set out above proportionately.

General and administrative expenses can include, among other things offering expenses, transfer agent and filing fees, professional fees, shareholder communication costs, office and miscellaneous expenses, directors' fees, research and development costs and management salaries. For additional details regarding use of available funds see the Circular on SEDAR.

Closing of the Offering is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of all necessary approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Manado Gold Corp.

Logan Anderson

President

For further information, please contact:

Logan Anderson

Phone: (604) 685-4745

Email: manadogold@outlook.com

or

Investor Relations

Dave Ryan

Email: manadogold@outlook.com

Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things, the Company's ability to complete the brokered private placement financing. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Coffee and heirloom tomato salad at Barista and Cook. Photo: Jess Belnik

The coffee gods have smiled upon Waterloo with the opening of Barista & Cook. It's the new eatery by Alan Thompson, the previous owner of Bang Bang in Surry Hills. Given the caffeinated focus of the venue's name, it's no surprise that Barista & Cook offers plenty of coffee variations you could dream of - cold drip, Chemex, V60 pour over as well as classic espressos.

Thompson, a self-declared coffee freak, points out that the seemingly new approaches he's taking are actually old methods. "Things like Chemex and pour overs, they are brewing techniques that have been around for a long long time, and they're just making a resurgence now," says Thompson.

The lush and airy Interiors at this new cafe are by Giant Design. Photo: Karen Low

The venue has been open for only two weeks, but already the crowds have descended. "It's hectic," says owner Alan Thompson. "We've come out of the stalls running, which is a good problem to have. I think we are in an area that was desperate and dying for a cafe, really."

After seven years of operation, Alan sold Bang Bang in May last year in search of something larger. He certainly found it at Barista & Cook, situated just up the road from Green Square station. The suburb is one of Sydney's fastest-growing areas and is expected to become the most densely populated area of the country. "I wanted to open a bigger operation. I had my eyes on Randwick or Maroubra. Then this site came up and I just thought, 'Wow. This is going to be a perfect cafe.'"

His new venue, by Giant Design (Mamas Buoi, Cuckoo Callay), is light and full of space. A lattice of plants, suspended from the ceiling, adds a cluster of lush greenery to the pared-back interiors of exposed brick, blond wood and concrete floors.

Buckle up for bracing breakfasts at Barista & Cook - such as buckwheat waffles with butterscotch pears, raspberries and creme fraiche ice cream. Photo: Jess Belnik

Head chef Adrian Borg from Excelsior Jones is the 'Cook' in the cafe's name and he has given the food a fresh twist. Start the morning off strong with char-grilled pork belly with chilli fried eggs, crushed edamame and puffed black rice ($18.50). Or try smoked trout kedgeree with spiced rice, boiled eggs, citrus yoghurt and coriander ($19.50).

For lunch, Thompson recommends the specialty cheeseburger ($19). "A cheeseburger is a cheeseburger, right? Not at Barista and Cook! It's grass-fed beef on a milk bun with cheese, house pickles and we use bacon jam as our relish - which we make in house," he says.

"It takes about four hours to break down. You put bacon in a pot with a whole lot of different flavours and seasonings and it becomes this really thick, gooey relish. So instead of having some rashers of bacon, you get this big dollop of bacon jam."

Grass-fed cheeseburger with bacon jam is one of the highlights at Barista & Cook. Photo: Jess Belnik

Open Mon-Fri, 6am-4pm, Sat-Sun, 8am-3pm

834 Bourke Street Waterloo, 02 8399 1234, baristaandcook.com.au
Noma chef Rene Redzepi will host his food symposium MAD at the Opera House in April. Kylie Kwong is one of the speakers. Photo: James Brickwood

The world's leading food minds are set to descend on the Sydney Opera House in April when acclaimed Noma chef Rene Redzepi brings his annual Copenhagen-based food symposium, MAD, to Australia.

Described by the Wall Street Journal as "the food world's G20", MAD (the Danish word for food) is a non-profit event that began in 2011. It aims to bring food professionals together to present ideas and initiate new projects "that help shape a better, exciting and more delicious future" says Redzepi, who announced "MAD SYD" via Twitter on Friday.

Redzepi is currently in Australia for a 10-week residency of Noma at Barangaroo. "Announcing Noma Australia made us immediately think of the possibility of hosting a MAD gathering here as well," says the Danish chef. "We aspire to have a conversation that crosses borders and continents and we see Sydney as one of the most exciting and influential cities in the world."

Confirmed speakers for the half-day event on April 3 include Redzepi, Kylie Kwong, Momofuku mastermind David Chang, lauded Italian chef Massimo Bottura, Australian social researcher Rebecca Huntley, and Zimbabwean farmer and food activist Chido Govera.

The theme of MAD SYD is "Tomorrow's Meal" and speakers have been asked to contemplate what that might entail. "I think it fits with Sydney; a place that's bustling," says Redzepi. "It feels like you're on a high-speed train here that's always getting faster."

The Sydney event will not replace the MAD symposium in Copenhagen this year, which Redzepi confirms will take place on August 28 and 29 "in our circus tent in our usual spot."

MAD SYD tickets start from $99. Visit sydneyoperahouse.com to register for presale by February 16.
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At its main banking facility at 2201 Sherwood Way, Texas State Bank is completing a 145-foot-long, 43-feet-wide solar carport - the largest solar project in the Concho Valley.

Gary Cox, the bank's president and CEO, said the planning for the carport  which covers 24 parking spaces and comprises 300 solar panels  began last October after Cox noticed a small solar structure at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.

"I wasn't envisioning something quite this big," Cox said, adding that he reconsidered once he realized the carport would generate 25 percent of the amount of energy used at the bank's main location, which includes four stories and a lobby.

"Obviously it doesn't produce anything at night," Cox said. "The 25 percent factors in seasonal demand. In the summer, it might produce a little more."

According to a project overview from Native, the Oak Hill company that installed the system, the carport reduces the bank's carbon footprint and its pollution "by using less electricity from traditional fossil fuel power plants."

Cox said the system is estimated to have a 25-year life span, with the payback of the initial expenditure being about 10 years.

"I think it would be worth other businesses considering and taking a look at to see if it fits their needs and would be beneficial to them," he said. "The government tends to encourage people to use solar energy with tax incentives. The technology has continued to improve, the cost has come down. So they're a lot more affordable now."

Texas State Bank opened at its Sherwood Way location in 1963. The bank also has branches on North Chadbourne Street and College Hills Boulevard.

facility to replace bank's drive-thru

First Financial Bank in late January demolished its drive-thru banking lanes on Koenigheim Street, across the street from the YMCA, clearing the site where it will build its new banking facility.

According to an article in the Standard-Times last September, the city last March agreed to purchase for $1.6 million the bank's current building, at 301 W. Beauregard Ave., to use as new police headquarters.

Al Torres, building official with the City of San Angelo, said in an email to the Standard-Times that the city's permits and inspections division has only received a demolition permit for the Koenigheim Street lot.

"They've constructed temporary drive-thru lanes behind their current location (on Beauregard) that will be in place until the new facility is complete," Torres said in the email.

The San Angelo Police Department is currently headquartered at 401 E. Beauregard Ave. According to a Standard-Times article published last April, the 45,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1963 and no longer accommodates San Angelo's burgeoning population.

Becca Nelson Sankey writes about business for the Standard-Times. Contact her at rnsankey@gmail.com.
SHARE photos by Patrick Dove/Standard-Times Tim Bingham rides Whirl Away in the bull-riding competition Sunday afternoon at the fourth performance of the 84th annual San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo at Foster Communications Coliseum. Bingham was awarded 86 points for the ride. Curtis Garton rides Badlands in the saddle bronc competition Sunday. Garton was awarded 83 points for the ride. He won the saddle bronc competition. Patrick Dove/Standard-Times Jacob Talley slides off his horse and onto the back of a steer during the steer wresting competition Sunday afternoon at the fourth performance of the 84th annual San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo at Foster Communications Coliseum. Talley finished his run in 3.5 seconds to top the leaderboard. shot/archived 2.07.16 Patrick Dove/Standard-Times Buck Lunak rides Witchy Woman in the bareback competition Sunday afternoon at the fourth performance of the 84th annual San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo at Foster Communications Coliseum. Lunak was awarded 78 points for the ride. shot/archived 2.07.16

By Kim Gierke

The hottest team in the world got together to take control of the tie-down competition at the 84th annual San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Sunday.

Despite not feeling good about his performance, world champion Caleb Smidt and his horse Pockets pulled off an 8.7-second run and, combined with an 8.0 Saturday night, now have a lead of more than one second over the rest of the field.

"Today I had a really good calf," Smidt said. "I didn't do a very good job at all. I took a little early start and had to pull and then, just like yesterday, I had a bad rope fall. There was errors and room for improvement on both calves. Hopefully, in the short round I will do a little better job."

Smidt and Pockets have now been a team for just over one year and it has been a great one. The two won nine rodeos in 2015 before dominating the competition at Las Vegas.

"It was just a dream come true," said Smidt. "That's what we practice for and that's what we do this for  to win gold buckles and win a lot of money and support our family. I roped good and Pockets worked outstanding all 10 rounds.

"I've won a lot on him," he said. "I have won more than what I paid for him so it was a good investment."

Another team that performed well Sunday was a Canadian pair of team ropers. Levi Simpson and Jeremy Buhler took first in 4 seconds flat, just edging out Texans Bobby Joe Hill and Boogie Ray who had a time of 4.1.

The team roping featured five teams, which finished in under five seconds. Texan ropers Tyler Wade and Kinney Harrell used a 4.7-second run to move into first place in the average at 9.4 seconds. Just a tick behind was the team of Smidt and BJ Dugger who had a 4.8, enough for a 9.5 second total.

Kaitaia, New Zealand, bronc rider Curtis Garton kept up the international flavor of the rodeo by winning the saddle bronc competition. Garton's 83-point ride topped the field and moved him into second place overall.

"I had a horse of Lancaster's today called Badlands," Garton said. "I actually had him at Houston a couple of years ago and placed in the round over there on him. When I saw that I had him here today I was really excited about it. He's big and kind of strong and you can win on that kind.

"He leads out the chute real hard and then he's got a couple of big swoops to him and he swoops back and forth and if you're still there after that then he's just jumping and kicking and being super good to ride. If you make it through the first few seconds you know you've got a good ride going."

Garton now lives in Lake Charles, Louisiana, but in living the life of a cowboy, he spends a lot of his time on the highways of America.

"I go to San Antonio next weekend and after that Kissimmee, Florida, then Perry, Georgia, and I'm banking on coming back here for the short round," he said.

The bulls won a highly competitive round as only two riders managed to hang on for eight seconds. Tim Bingham won the day money and moved into second place overall with an 86-point ride on Lancaster and Jones' Whirl Away. The Ogden, Utah, cowboy made it look easy, while Whirl Away spun hard to the left. Cody Johansen had an 82 on Carr Rodeo's Whip/Nae Nae and moved into fifth place overall.

Four riders had good rides that lasted more than seven seconds but couldn't quite make the whistle. Two-time and defending world champion Sage Kimzey couldn't make the whistle either so he won't make it back for the finals in two weeks.

Oklahoma barrel racer Tana Poppino was the first rider in the rodeo to break the 14-second barrier, finishing in a blistering 13.97 to take first place. New Mexico rider Sabrina Ketcham also ran well, finishing in 14.31 seconds, which is the third fastest time of the rodeo so far. Kelsey Lutjen, from Casa Grande, Arizona, had a 14.47 run, which puts her in sixth place overall for the round.

Jacob Talley had the fastest time of the rodeo, 3.5 seconds, to take first place in the steer wrestling. Second place on the day went to Nick Guy with a 4.1-second run and Clayton Hass was third in 4.3.

Stan Branco, the 2014 champion of San Angelo, had a 4.8-second run and his two-run time of 8.8 seconds puts him in second place in the average. Guy is in third at 9.1.

Buck Lunak needed a re-ride after his first horse, Wise Gal, stumbled out of the gate, and the Cut Bank, Montana, cowboy made it work well enough to win the bareback riding. Riding Witchy Woman, Lunack fought for a 78-point ride and edged out three other riders for the top spot.

Ty Fast Taypotat, a Canadian, took second place with a 77 and Mike Solberg, another Canadian, tied for third with Hunter Carter, both scoring 76.

The rodeo will resume next weekend with four more performances  Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

All performances are at the Foster Communications Coliseum.
Christie pounds Rubio

Audience boos Trump

Two Republican governors whose White House dreams hinge on Tuesday's New Hampshire primary were the biggest winners at Saturday's GOP debate, while first-term Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has been surging in recent polls, saw his hopes damaged when he was exposed as being overly scripted and inexperienced.While Donald Trump returned to the debate stage after dodging the final Iowa one, his opponents largely avoided engaging him. Trump's toughest opponent was the audience, which booed him several times -- and he ripped right back.A confident Ohio Gov. John Kasich stood above his rivals by sticking to a positive, inclusive message, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie -- like Kasich lagging in the polls and nearly out of cash -- scored big by lampooning Rubio's propensity to robotically repeat talking points.Slightly muting his usual bluster, Christie called out Rubio -- a first-term senator -- for not being "involved in a consequential decision where you had to be held accountable. You just simply haven't." Christie then pounded Rubio for repeating by rote a "memorized, 25-second speech that is exactly what his advisers gave him."Moments later, when Rubio said President Obama "is undertaking a systematic effort to change this country, to make America more like the rest of the world" and repeated the phrase, "this notion that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing is just not true," that he had said seconds earlier, Christie pounced."There it is. There it is. The memorized 25-second speech," Christie said. "There it is, everybody."On a major issue where Rubio briefly showed leadership during his four-year Senate career -- a bipartisan immigration plan that included a pathway to citizenship -- Christie said Rubio didn't fight to save the measure when the politics turned against him."A leader must fight for what they believe in," Christie said. "Not handicap it and say, well maybe since I can't win this one, I'll run."Christie had little to lose by going after Rubio hard in Manchester. The governor is one of several candidates who will probably be out of the race if they don't finish in the top three Tuesday.Funders -- both large and small -- will close their wallets if a candidate hasn't either won or surged in the polls after New Hampshire. And without money -- the lifeblood of any political campaign -- it will be time for some to go back to their day jobs -- or become a contributor on Fox News.Joining Christie on the life-support list are former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Kasich and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, who was the only candidate not invited to Saturday's debate, even though she's polling above retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson in the latest Real Clear Politics average of major polls in New Hampshire. That bar is low: Fiorina is pulling only 3.9 percent there.Christie confronted his presidential mortality recently, telling the Washington Post that "I've got to beat Jeb and Kasich here, and if I don't beat Jeb and Kasich here, I have to think long and hard about whether I go forward or not."That's because Christie's campaign has $1.1. million cash on hand, the least of any active candidate. He has made 70 visits to New Hampshire since the start of 2015 -- more than any other GOP hopeful according to WMUR, a New Hampshire TV station. But even though voters see a lot of Christie, they don't particularly like him; he's only pulling 4.9 percent in the state, good for sixth place.Kasich, who has made 68 trips to New Hampshire and has $2.5 million in the bank, also may be headed back to his day job in Columbus, Ohio, if he doesn't place high Tuesday. Currently, he's tied with Cruz for third in New Hampshire, pulling 12 percent there according to RealClear.Kasich stood above the field Saturday by being the only candidate to talk repeatedly about bringing people together. Within the first 100 days of his administration, Kasich promised to bring a bipartisan immigration plan to Congress that included a pathway to legal status, not citizenship, in sticking with the GOP guardrails on the issue. He talked about reaching out "to people who live in the shadows. I believe we need to help the mentally ill, the drug addicted, the working poor."Asked how how he would, as president, bridge the divide between law enforcement and families who have been the victims of excessive force, Kasich sought a middle ground where his rivals didn't."We love the police, but we've got to be responsible to the people in the community," Kasich said. "We have to do all of that."That was a far more inclusive answer than the one given by Trump, who firmly sided with law enforcement."I have to say that the police are absolutely mistreated and misunderstood," Trump said.Even though Trump is leading the polls in New Hampshire by a wide margin, his opponents barely scraped him Saturday, allowing the developer and reality TV star to remain above the fray.Instead, Trump tangled with the audience, which booed him several times. When they jeered him as he defended the value of eminent domain in building infrastructure, he accused the audience of being full of Republican donors."The reason they're not loving me is, I don't want their money," Trump said. He was also booed, in what may be a debate first, during his closing statement, when he began by accusing Iowa caucus winner Sen. Ted Cruz of "getting" Carson's votes in Iowa by spreading false information that Carson was suspending his campaign. Early in the debate, Cruz apologized to Carson but blamed CNN for not promptly clearing up a report that Carson had left the race. The nonpartisan factchecking site Politifact rated Cruz's explanation as "false."The audience didn't have a problem with Trump's response to a question about whether waterboarding was torture. Trump said the practice was necessary as a response to the savage beheadings that the Islamic State group was conducting on Western captives."I would bring back waterboarding," Trump said, "and I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding."
Solving the problems of contaminated water in Flint has to remain a local, state and national priority for the foreseeable future, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told city residents gathered in a Baptist church Sunday afternoon."Clean water is not optional, my friends. It's not a luxury," she said. "This is not merely unacceptable or wrong. What happened in Flint is immoral. Children in Flint are just as precious as children in any part of America."Clinton said she's been meeting with Michigan's congressional delegation to make sure that the federal government kicks in at least $200 million to fix the city's lead-damaged infrastructure. The measure stalled in the U.S. Senate last week as Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters blocked passage of an energy bill because it didn't include funding for Flint.Clinton, the former secretary of state and first lady, left the campaign trail in New Hampshire two days before the pivotal primary election to highlight the Flint water crisis yet again, framing the issue as one of failure, especially by Republican leadership in Lansing."We don't know how many children have been affected by lead poisoning," she said. "We know that even a single child suffering from lead poisoning due to the state's neglect is one child too many. We need action now."Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said in a smaller meeting with Clinton, after her remarks at the church, that Clinton is the only candidate who has reached out to the city of Flint and the only one who has been talking about the situation at the national level. She also said that the state didn't start moving aggressively on the issue until Clinton spoke up."We want you back home. We want you back in the White House," Weaver said.Gov. Rick Snyder's office, however, started calling for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies on Jan. 11, three days before Clinton publicly said in an MSNBC interview that the federal government should get more involved in the Flint water crisis.Clinton has been talking about the Flint water issue for weeks, calling on both the state and federal government to make the situation right. She even suggested Sunday that Flint residents be given the opportunity to do the work to replace the city's pipes or that workers with the federally funded AmeriCorps program could come in and help try to solve the problem."For nearly two years, Flint's water was poisoned, for nearly two years, mothers and fathers were voicing concerns about the smells and the colors of the water ... the rashes of those who were bathing in it. And for nearly two years, you were told the water was safe," she said.She spoke about being a new grandmother and how she would feel if the situation were happening to her family."For me, this is a personal commitment. I will stand with you every step of the way. I will not for one minute forget about you. I will do everything I can to help you get back up, get your strength and resilience flowing through this community again," she said. "Do not grow weary doing good. The road is long and I know there will be a lot of bumps along the way. But this is the most important work we're ever called to do."Clinton's focus also has resulted in her calling for one of the Democratic presidential debates to be held in Flint before Michigan's primary election on March 8. The Democratic National Committee agreed, announcing recently that CNN will broadcast a debate in Flint on March 6.Meanwhile, while Pastor Kenneth Stewart said that in nine months "the United States of America is going to give birth to a president ... and I hope it's a girl" -- and the enthusiastic congregation rose in agreement -- not everyone in Flint was a Clinton fan. A few yard signs for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump were seen on Carpenter Street leading up to the church.And a tractor-trailer was parked about a half mile from the church with a hand-painted message, complete with a drawing of Trump, that read: "Vote Donald Trump for president. Make America Great Again."The Michigan Republican Party said Clinton was exploiting the crisis in Flint for political gain."Families and residents in Flint deserve better than being used as political pawns by a presidential candidate," Michigan Republican Party chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel said in a statement. "This visit is not an act of benevolence; it is a calculated campaign tactic -- an attempt to grab headlines by a struggling campaign."The majority of the crowd in Flint, however, were supporters of Clinton. Detroit residents Jan Lossing and Lottie Jones Hood said Clinton's speech resonated with them."I felt empowered," Lossing said. "I felt uplifted. I think she really touched on what matters strongly. I feel as though she's really offering hope."Flint resident Ida Glasperel said every time Clinton mentioned the children affected by the crisis, a wave of emotion overcame her as she thought about her 12 grandchildren."I'm so concerned about them and if it'll affect them," she said. "I almost broke down in tears."Cheryl Broome, who lives in nearby Mt. Morris, said while she's appreciative Clinton made a stop in Flint, she's saddened by what she believes is a lack of quicker action from local government officials in the city."It's sad that it took the government all the way from the top to see what's happening," Broome said. "My baby, my son, he lives in Flint. He has to go to the fire stations every day to get water. I pray that they get the individuals who are accountable for this."
George "Duf" Sundheim, donning his "Duf Sundheim" navy blue fleece jacket and khaki pants, strode down the center aisle inside the Destiny Fellowship Church, wading into the crowded pews at a tea party meeting in the northern reaches of California.He'd been asked about immigration. Sundheim, a Republican candidate for Senate and thoughtful lawyer from Palo Alto, carefully explained that he supported a "path to legal status" for the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.A bearded man stood up from the back of the room and yelled an expletive. The seats began to empty."Obviously I cleared out the room tonight," Sundheim told the few who remained.The heated exchange laid bare an uncomfortable reality facing Republican candidates running to replace the retiring Barbara Boxer as well as for other statewide political offices.They need the votes of tea party loyalists, who are among California's most politically active conservatives. But embracing them too tightly may drive away Republican moderates and independents, whose support is essential if they hope to have any shot at winning in a state thoroughly dominated by the Democratic Party.Tea party supporters face an equally frustrating dilemma. They are often forced to vote for Republicans who, they believe, have failed to stand firm on the tea party's core beliefs of a limited constitutional government, free enterprise and fiscal responsibility in Washington and Sacramento."We aren't necessarily trying to build up the Republican brand," said Marilyn Snyder, 72, of the Redlands Tea Party Patriots, meeting at the Mill Creek Cattle Company restaurant in Mentone. "There are a lot of people in this group who despise the Republican brand."GOP Senate candidate Tom Del Beccaro spoke to the Redlands Tea Party at their monthly meeting at the restaurant Thursday night, and received a much warmer reception than Sundheim did up north. Del Beccaro preached about the benefits of a flat tax which, he said, would simplify the tax code, combat corporate welfare and allow for the Internal Revenue Service to be slashed.Del Beccaro, a Walnut Creek business attorney and regular on conservative talk radio, criticized GOP rivals Sundheim and Assemblyman Rocky Chavez of Oceanside for supporting a pathway to legal status for immigrants here illegally and for refusing to sign a pledge not to raise taxes. Why vote for them, he asked, if they are just going to parrot the ideas of the Democrats in the race, state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Orange County.The Republicans trail Harris and Sanchez in the most recent polls and are far behind when it comes to raising money. Voters will get their first opportunity to compare the Republican Senate candidates side-by-side during a GOP radio debate on San Diego station KOGO-AM (600) Monday evening.Both Del Beccaro and Sundheim are former chairmen of the California Republican Party, making it hard for them to avoid being yoked with the label of GOP "establishment" -- an anathema to tea party loyalists.Santa Monica businessman Al Ramirez, a tea party crowd-pleaser who challenged Boxer in 2010 and Sen. Dianne Feinstein in 2012, falling far short both times, also jumped into the Senate race last week. Adding another Republican to the mix threatens to fracture the GOP vote even more, increasing the odds that Harris and Sanchez could be on the ballot in November. Under California's top-two primary system, the two candidates who win the most votes in the June primary, regardless of party, face off in the general election.The California Republican Party for years has weathered steady declines, and as of last year accounted for just 28% of the state's registered voters, compared with 42% for Democrats, according to the secretary of state's office. At the same time, the tea party's influence in the state GOP has become robust.A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll released in September found that 48% of Republicans in California, and an equal number of self-identified conservatives, supported the tea party movement to some degree.Fresno City Councilman Steve Brandau, an active member of the Central Valley Tea Party, said the movement continues to grow across California, especially in the state's inland midsection, but it still doesn't have the numbers to get an ideologically pure conservative elected as U.S. senator, governor or any other statewide post. So they've switched tactics."We were chasing our tails by getting involved in races that we had no chance of winning, Senate races, other statewide races. I think we learned our lesson from that," Brandau said.Instead, grass-roots tea party groups are focused on city council and county supervisor races, raising money for presidential candidates and trying to mold the platform of the state Republican Party, which has a Tea Party California Caucus.Brandau decided to run for City Council because "just standing on the street corner complaining was not really working for me any more."To the south, members of the Bakersfield Tea Party are lobbying the Kern County Board of Supervisors to privatize county libraries instead of imposing a sales tax increase to support them."The tea party is alive and well. It's just in a different format," said member Tom Pavich. "You're not seeing large rallies.... That doesn't mean we're not out there."The loosely-affiliated, scattershot tea party movement born after President Obama was sworn into office in 2009, fueled in part by outrage over the Affordable Care Act and mounting federal deficit, has evolved into a more focused network of conservatives here in California, said John Barry, a state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots."It's kind of gone mainstream," Barry said. "We've moved from the angry conservative to having an organized organization."Barry said Del Beccaro or Ramirez should get tea party support, as will Republican congressional candidate Paul Chabot, who narrowly lost to Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) in 2014 and is now shooting for a rematch.UC San Diego political scientist Gary Jacobson said the rising influence of the tea party in the state GOP, even at the grass-roots level, will only accelerate the decline of the party's influence, because they are "culturally, ideologically and demographically out of touch with a large majority of Californians.""This is a disaster to the Republican Party," Jacobson said.Paty Newman, a former member of San Diego County's Republican central committee, said she left the Fallbrook area tea party years ago after seeing members trying to elevate their political stature as well as party members rallying around issues outside the core ideals of the movement.Her distaste only grew after tea party protesters in 2014 blocked buses filled with immigrants and their children bound for the U.S. immigration facility in Murrieta. Newman said the protest should have been focused on the Obama administration, whose policies allowed the influx to happen, not immigrant children."It was just rude," Newman said.Tea party firebrand and former state Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a Republican from Twin Peaks, said the GOP leadership in California and Washington are the only ones responsible for any impending doom.Donnelly ran for governor in 2014 against Democratic incumbent Jerry Brown, and he blames the Republican Party leadership for throwing its support behind GOP candidate Neel Kashkari. Kashkari gained his first big public notice as a leader of the Bush administration's bank bailout program, and spending $4 million on his campaign, only to be soundly defeated by Brown.Now is not the time for California Republicans to back a politically safe candidate in the Senate race, Donnelly said. In the presidential race, GOP voters have been invigorated by New York real estate developer Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas."It's a missed opportunity. This is an insurgent year," Donnelly said. "They want to hold a cross up, like to a vampire, if anything smells even a whiff of politicky."
In her final State-of-the-State address to lawmakers, Gov. Maggie Hassan touted the work they have done together and urged them to continue addressing the critical challenges facing New Hampshire.She spent much of her speech addressing the state's drug addiction crisis, what has been done to address the problem and what remains to be done.Hassan urged lawmakers to continue the Medicaid expansion program that serves 47,000 low-income state residents.And she laid out a program to move the state forward in a changing national economy that will require new and specialized skills, and the state's investment in training and education.She unveiled a new program, Gateway to Work, using existing federal and state money to move those on welfare and in at-risk families into the work force and good-paying jobs.Noting the eyes of the nation are on New Hampshire this week with the approaching presidential primary, she said, "Americans will see that the state of our state is strong -- and getting stronger."She spoke of the need for a skilled, highly educated work force, a good transportation system and lower energy costs to attract businesses to the state and existing business to expand here.And she backed increasing the minimum wage in New Hampshire, something the Senate killed along party lines, 14-10, on Thursday morning."(New Hampshire is) a place where we overcome our political differences, move past the inevitable arguments, and come together to make progress for our people, our communities and our economy," Hassan said. "And a place where we are facing the challenges of a changing economy head-on, keeping our communities safe and secure, and working together to help our families and businesses adapt and thrive."She urged lawmakers to approve full-day kindergarten and fully fund adequate education aid to school districts. She said in the last four years, the university system has frozen tuition while the community college system has lowered tuition, making higher education more affordable to state students.Hassan announced a new initiative -- 65 in 25 -- meaning 65 percent of the state's work force will have a post-secondary degree or credentials by 2025.And she proposed a new program targeting those on welfare and at-risk workers."Through Gateway to Work, we can provide more of the workers our businesses need to thrive, and we can help give more of our families the opportunity to work their way to self-sufficiency and into the middle class," Hassan said. "This effort will also help address the health care work force shortage in fields from direct care workers to pediatric nurses to psychologists. But we must do more."She said Medicaid expansion is essential in the fight against the drug addiction crisis."Addiction is a disease, and we must ensure that those afflicted with addiction can access services to treat this illness, just as we would for any other chronic condition," Hassan said, praising the Senate for approving bills Thursday to expand drug courts, provide law enforcement grants and upgrade the drug monitoring program.The fight against addiction requires additional resources and dollars, she said."While some may say that we can't afford to take steps that require additional funding, I believe that we can't afford not to," Hassan said. "Our economy continues to strengthen, and revenues are already more than 40 million dollars above projections this fiscal year. We can afford to address this challenge -- and we must."Returning to a familiar theme, she urged lawmakers to approve money for engineering and environmental work as the next step to bring commuter rail to Nashua and Manchester.
If the threat of jail or job loss isnt enough incentive not to commit a crime, heres one more: cash money.Thats the tactic Washington, D.C., is considering after the city suffered an alarming 54 percent increase in its murder rate last year. A similar approach in Richmond, Calif., has helped to reduce crime.The city council in D.C. gave unanimous but preliminary approval to a bill earlier this month that would identify up to 200 young people a year considered at risk of either committing or becoming victims of violent crime. If they complete behavioral therapy, life planning and mentorship programs run by the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement --stay crime-free the entire year -- they would get paid.The bill doesn't specify how much participants could earn, but the program would cost an average of $1.2 million a year for the first four years, including $460,000 for stipends.In Richmond, which took a similar approach starting in 2007, participants can receive up to $9,000 a year. Advocates say it has contributed to a 77 percent drop in homicides.While the idea of pre-empting crime through cash is rare, it wouldn't be the first time a city has paid residents to do the right thing.Marion, Ala., for example, is trying to stem a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak by paying people to get a TB test. Marion is in a rural area where many residents distrust medical care, largely due to poor access and lack of money to pay for treatment. Cash for grades programs, which are typically privately funded, give money to students who earn good grades or high test scores on Advanced Placement and SAT exams.Paying people to do what they're supposed to be doing already may sound odd, but supporters of the approach say financial incentives can prevent or alleviate larger problems. Skeptics, however, question how much impact the stipend part of this approach really has.Gun deaths and assaults have fallen since the Richmond program started, but critics say other factors -- such as the national decline in violent crime over the past decade -- had more to do with it. Overall crime has also gone down in Richmond since 2007, according to the website City-Data, although assaults, burglaries and thefts have increased.The prevention programs echo a larger trend in government of experimenting with new ways to solve some of society's biggest problems."Pay for success" programs, for example, seek private financing for preventive government solutions that are based on academic research. Governments only pay back private financiers if the programs prove successful. It's an idea that's been tried in the United Kingdom but has been embraced only relatively recently in the U.S.Academic studies have shown the benefits of behavioral therapy as a way to reduce recidivism, and stipends have been shown to change people's behavior in some scenarios such as getting people to quit smoking But John Roman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute who advises pay for success projects, said there isn't solid research yet on whether stipends are effective at reducing criminal behavior. This is again just throwing money at the problem," he said.In Washington, the anti-crime bill introduced byCouncilmember Kenyan McDuffie would establish an Office of Violence Prevention and Health Equity; require D.C. to develop a public health strategy using risk assessment tools, cognitive- and family-based therapy and service coordination; and would create a mental health training program for police officers.It will face a final council vote on March 1. If passed, it heads to Mayor Muriel Bowser, who hasn't yet taken a position on the proposal.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory escaped injury after the vehicle he was riding in was rear-ended on Highway 237 less than an hour after Super Bowl 50 let out at nearby Levi's Stadium, authorities said.The collision was reported at 8:05 p.m. in the eastbound lanes east of the North First Street exit, according to the California Highway Patrol. Officer Ross Lee said McCrory's vehicle was hit from behind by a Mercedes.Lee described the collision as minor, and that while McCrory -- who was not driving -- complained of pain, he was not taken to hospital. A passenger was taken to the hospital for a precautionary evaluation.McCrory was soon put into another vehicle and "continued on to his destination," Lee said.McCrory attended Super Bowl 50 and about 40 minutes before the collision, he tweeted, "We are so proud of our Carolina @Panthers for an amazing year. Showed the USA what NC is made of. We will #keeppounding" in reference to the Carolina Panthers' 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos.
(TNS)  Hours after a magnitude-6.4 earthquake destroyed buildings in Taiwan, four state lawmakers said they want California to help fund an earthquake early warning system, which has been stalled by a lack of funding.Theres no valid reason not to make this relatively small investment in an early warning system that has the potential to save the lives of Californians, state Sen. (D-San Mateo) said in a statement. I urge my colleagues and the governor to join us in fulfilling our primary responsibility of protecting the public.Added state Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), a former speaker of the state Assembly, in the statement: Its crucial that we fund a statewide earthquake early warning system and get it in place right away.The voices of support that emerged Friday for the warning system mark a change in tone at the State Capitol, where there had been few outspoken supporters of the system in recent years. On Wednesday, H.D. Palmer, deputy director for the Department of Finance, said that Californias policy is to not use money from the general fund for the early warning system.But it was becoming increasingly unclear when the public could expect to see the earthquake early warning system on their cellphones, computers and televisions, with no solution in sight for full funding.The total cost of building the system across the West Coast is $38 million, plus $16 million a year to operate it. For California alone, the cost is $23 million to construct the network, and $12 million annually to maintain it.Congress and President Obama have already kicked in about half of the $16-million annual cost to operate the program, but federal elected officials have said California, Oregon and Washington ought to contribute substantial amounts of money for the network.Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) hailed the interest of state lawmakers in the system Friday.Im thrilledIm really encouraged by whats happening, Schiff said in a telephone interview Friday. It was all the more apparent this week that we need the full buy-in by the state of California, and now we have some very influential lawmakers who are making earthquake preparedness and the early warning system one of their real priorities. I think we're really gaining traction now, and it's great news for California.The U.S. Geological Surveys earthquake early warning system was given the spotlight Tuesday at a summit held by the White Houses Office of Science and Technology Policy. The summit gave high-profile backing to the early warning system, and speakers urged policymakers to find a way for the system to be completed.The prototype early warning system has already shown promising results in its test phase  giving 30 seconds of warning to downtown L.A. before the ground shook from a magnitude-4.4 earthquake centered in Banning last month. In 2014, the system handed researchers in San Francisco eight seconds of notice before the shaking arrived from a magnitude-6.0 earthquake that began in Napa.But the system doesnt yet have enough seismic sensor stations  1,000 more need to be built or upgraded across the West Coast, added to the existing network of 650 facilities, which have been largely focused on the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.The blind spots are important to fill. A lack of sensors in the northern reaches of California means that San Francisco could receive delayed warnings if an earthquake started near Cape Mendocino and barreled south to the Bay Area.Other countries have developed earthquake early warning systems after devastating quakes killed thousands of people. Mexico City has had a system since 1991, built after a 1985 earthquake killed at least 9,500 people.Japan built a nationwide early warning system after 1995 Kobe earthquake killed more than 5,000 people. When the magnitude 9 earthquake hit east of Japan in 2011, many people in Tokyo, 200 miles away from the epicenter, had 30 seconds of warning that the shaking was coming.The warnings would allow elevators to automatically open at the next floor before shaking arrives, tell surgeons to halt surgery, and slow down trains to decrease the risk of derailment. In Japan, one factory has figured out a way to secure noxious chemicals between the time a quake warning is issued and when the actual shaking arrives.The early warning system works on a simple principle: The shaking from an earthquake travels at about the speed of sound through rock  slower than the speed of today's telecommunications systems. That means it would take more than a minute for, say, a 7.8 earthquake that starts at the Salton Sea to shake up Los Angeles 150 miles away.The two senators, Hill and Hertzberg, and Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) said they want to repeal a current state law that prohibits the use of state general fund dollars to fund an earthquake early warning system. Theyre also proposing $23 million to install earthquake sensor stations and upgrade telecommunications networks to get the system up and running in this state. The proposal, however, does not address ongoing operational costs.We will have conversations with project stakeholders about how to maintain the systems operability and long-term financing, Hill and Gray said in a statement.They added that the state legislative analyst recently predicted that California will end the next budget year with a reserve of $11.5 billion.We should use a small fraction of that money to make a smart, one-time investment in a system that can improve public safety and save lives, the lawmakers said. We share Gov. Browns commitment to fiscal restraint. However, to not invest a small fraction of the overall state budget to implement the earthquake early warning system would be fiscally irresponsible.Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian (D-Sherman Oaks) said he wanted secure funding to both build the early warning system and operate it through the budget process.During budget negotiations, Nazarian also planned to re-introduce the idea that the state should give owners a tax credit for earthquake retrofits; for instance, for every $100 spent on a qualified retrofit, a taxpayer would receive a $30 break on income or corporate taxes over a period of five years after the retrofit is completed.Nazarian introduced the idea as a bill in the last legislative session; it passed the Legislature and was vetoed by Brown.Every second matters in an earthquake, Nazarian said in a statement. Lets get this done.
When the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians , based in Michigan and Indiana, launched its education portal last August, it faced a unique challenge for a government of its size: The bands approximately 6,000 members attend learning institutions across the nation in school districts with varying requirements, standards and conditions.The bands customer relationship management (CRM)-integrated portal not only solved that problem, but it also built a foundation for future technologies  like artificial intelligence  that the governments leaders say will improve the lives of citizens.In 2013, long before the CRM launch, keeping track of everyones needs and offering them the appropriate services was challenging, said Sam Morseau, the bands director of education.In terms of the education portal, one of the biggest issues we had was collecting documents from citizens all across the nation, Morseau said, pointing to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as a key impediment. One of the things thats really helped out was being able to get an educational release and actually having the families submit data electronically. Itd be tremendously difficult for educational associates to collect that data on all of our citizens, but by putting it onto the citizens, it helps out in terms of efficiency and seeing strategic planning.The education portal is now being used by about 800 pre-college students and about 200 students attending colleges and universities. The portal streamlined several processes for students, like applying for scholarships, applying for book stipends, and applying for housing assistance, into a single application. The portal is linked directly to the bands CRM, eliminating any manual data entry on the government side, and providing access to real-time data about students. By building dashboards, Morseau said officials can find answers to questions like, How many fourth-graders are at a particular GPA?The system also helps the band manage a distributed populace. Districts vary in their adaptation of common core testing and preference for ACT or SAT testing, for instance.[Its] huge, Morseau said, because it paints a better picture in terms of strategic planning and forecasting for different programs and services.  Were extremely happy and excited about the use of technology and were looking to continue this on. One of our mottos is making sure we take care of the next seven generations and I think that by using and leveraging technology, it helps us continue that mission.The portal was built by several vendors and an internal project management team, said enterprise architect Pawel Majkowski. Microsoft and the bands Microsoft partner developed the portals backbone, which is SharePoint; Auth0 provided authentication; and K2 developed forms.The education portal is a great starting point for the band to understand the lives of its students, Majkowski said, and within the next year, officials want to explore a machine-learning algorithm that can help uncover even more new insights.Whats more attractive is what it could uncover potentially that we never knew about, Majkowski said. And to allow it to analyze and take a look at whats going on and create relationships for us that we never thought or knew existed, and then possibly use that data as a driver to make business decisions on how we want to change services or reallocate budgeting."Culturally and historically, he said, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians is a population that, unfortunately, has not had the best access to education and health care, and "a lot of things have happened as recently as 50 or 75 years ago that really shape how they do things, how they grow up, how they raise their families," Majkowski said. "And governments are coming in and getting smarter and smarter on how to give those citizens an edge to be competitive in todays society.
(TNS)  Florida's aviation leaders say drones need to be federally regulated to ensure they don't get too close to airplanes landing or taking off from airports around the country."We have a situation here where technology is out front of regulation," said Steve Grossman, chief executive officer of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority. "And I think we need to think that through."Grossman was one of seven Florida airport leaders to meet with U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Friday to discuss ways to better regulate drones, an small flying technology used by hobbyists for photography and corporations for surveying purposes.Others include Parker McClellan with NW Florida Beaches International Airport; Tom Jewsbury with St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport; Joe Lopano from Tampa International Airport; Emilio Gonzalez from Miami International Airport; Rick Piccolo from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport; and Phil Brown, executive director of Orlando International Airport.Nelson, who serves on the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees the Federal Aviation Administration , has ideas involving two types of technology to better control drones that pose a threat to commercial airspace.The first is a software to install in future drones, something to block them from flying over no-fly zones.The second, and more likely of the duo, is an electric fence that would link to the frequency of a drone if it gets too close to an airfield, he said."This is an accident waiting to happen," said Nelson. "And none of us want that to happen."As described by Nelson, the fence technology would allow an airport, or another agency, to gain control of a drone if it gets too close to the airspace. This would allow that agency to navigate the drone away from the airport and gather information about its owner.Nelson said he hopes to put any federal regulations in any upcoming bills that would reauthorize the FAA, which was recently reauthorized for six months in September.Gonzalez said pilots recently reporting spotting a drone flying nearby as they were coming in for a landing at Miami International. Brown and Piccolo described similar incidents at their airports, respectively.Miami-Dade County leaders then crafted and approved a local ordinance on Jan. 20 to definitively ban drones from flying nearby.Violators caught will be arrested and fined, he said.While airport leaders said local ordinances are helpful, a federal authority is better."We really need a federal standard," said Piccolo. "And a federal way to enforce this."
(TNS) -- The Sacramento, Calif., Municipal Utility District has canceled plans to build a $1.45 billion hydroelectric project at Iowa Hill in El Dorado County, citing high costs and the potential to obtain power more economically from other sources.SMUDs board of directors voted unanimously to abandon the project at Thursday nights meeting. The utility said the project had exceeded costs estimates, and there was a predetermined cost-based off ramp. SMUD also said the high cost of the project also presented financial risks.Iowa Hill was to be a 400-megawatt, pumped storage hydroelectric project, utilizing various power sources to perpetually pump water to generate electric power, as opposed to a system where gravity pushes water to a turbine. The project was to be built along the Upper American River Project at Slab Creek Reservoir.The utility said that its engineering contractor last year provided a construction cost estimate of $1.45 billion. An investment of that size, SMUD said, would significantly limit choices the utility has to pursue other power-generation technologies. Previous cost estimates for the project were in the range of $800 million to $1 billion.In 2015, SMUD said it re-evaluated the need for energy storage that would have been provided by the Iowa Hill project, determining that less than half of its capacity would be needed prior to 2030.Scott Flake, project director for Iowa Hill, said the proposal dates back to 2001, and there have been a lot of changes since thenThe price of solar has dropped dramatically. There are a lot more alternatives now.SMUD said the electric utility business is moving away from large, central power plants in favor of a wider distribution of energy resources, including battery storage and solar installations. The utility said other options include compressed-air energy storage, microgrids and small, flexible generating units fueled by natural gas. SMUD said technology for storing electricity in lithium-ion batteries has advanced at a surprising rate recently and could become economical on a larger scale in the next decade.SMUD said electric vehicles also could play a role in meeting future energy storage needs. The idea  promoted by Gov. Jerry Brown  is to have utilities pay electric car owners to store power in their parked vehicles that could be sent into power grid when its needed.The utility said its also working with the Western Area Power Administration to study the feasibility of adding a new transmission line in the Sacramento Valley. That could provide a similar boost in SMUDs capability to serve peak load and access to more clean renewable energy resources from the Pacific Northwest. SMUD said the Colusa-Sutter Transmission Line project would help SMUD meet goals to integrate larger supplies of intermittent renewable energy at a projected cost of about $240 million.SMUD said it will determine this summer whether to build a new, small powerhouse below Slab Creek Dam, independent of Iowa Hill.The utility said its decision to cancel the Iowa Hill project will not affect planned upgrades to the Slab Creek Dam and improvements to recreational attractions.
The New York State Office of Information Technology Services has a staffing problem, CIO Maggie Miller testified before the state Legislature during a joint budget hearing on Feb. 4. Within the next few years, she said, the agency expects to lose 25 percent of its staff to retirement -- and those officials cant be replaced because union rules prohibit the hiring of anyone from outside government but entry-level workers.Impending retirements will reduce the average level of experience for senior state technologists from 40 years to 11 years, Miller explained. To compensate for an impending dearth of expertise and to circumvent union rules, ITS was forced to raise the number of third-party contractors from 164 to 849 -- a huge funding sink, both Miller and the legislative panel agreed, given the relatively high cost of outside contractors at $245 million annually.The skills of our staff are locked into skill silos," Miller said, "leading to excessive spend on third parties and an inability to offer the most exciting career paths to our brightest and best, many of whom are stuck supporting legacy technologies."Miller suggested several possible solutions to this problem, including an in-sourcing agreement, as was used in years past, or by the transfer of existing contractors into state government as full employees, both solutions that would reduce reliance on relatively expensive contractors. Some union representatives, however, were unwilling to consider these options the last time they were presented, Miller told the panel.One of the ways we will address this is to focus and standardize on a smaller number of technologies, which will make it far easier for us to share expertise across all agencies.  Im open to suggestions on how to fill that gap, Miller said. Given the restrictions we work within, its very difficult.The 2016/2017 budget for ITS includes $587 million to be allocated to statewide consolidated technology services and an additional $85 million in capital funding for enterprise-level applications and programs. Much of the state funding, Miller testified, will go toward the states continued technology transformation. Within the past few years, more than 50 disparate technology agencies began consolidation under ITS through Gov. Andrew Cuomos IT transformation program.Having made significant progress with building a sound technology and infrastructure foundation," Miller said, "were beginning to shift our focus now to transforming the whole lifecycle experience of our citizens to one they have the right to expect in the digital era."Consolidating the states IT infrastructure has provided ITS with a view more clear that allows the agency to understand where their risks and vulnerabilities lie.During the consolidation and stabilization phases of the IT transformation, it became clear that a significant technology debt had accumulated over many decades of underinvestment, Miller said, adding that about $40 million of their 2016/2017 budget will be allocated to repair that debt.Though the state has come a long way in its IT consolidation efforts, she said whats left is an organization whose structure is informed by a fragmented past.The resulting environment is massively complex to support reliably and securely, she explained. Most importantly, this complexity leads to a negative citizen experience.Miller outlined initiatives intended to address this problem, such as building a set of strategic platforms comprising a portfolio of tools and services, which not just individually, but as an integrated set, will deliver an enhanced citizen experience across all agencies.Cybersecurity was the topic lawmakers asked about most during Millers testimony, and Miller herself stated that cybersecurity is her agencys top priority.Two 2015 frameworks from the National Institute of Standards and Technology will carry into the coming budget to inform new guidelines that ITS will create around a risk-based investment and cybersecurity best practices improvement program that will protect the states data this year and beyond, Miller said. She added that the consolidation of the states IT function under ITS makes cyber efforts, led by Chief Information Security Officer Jim Garrett, much easier than in the past. Because ITS now manages the infrastructure that houses the data theyre trying to protect, their security experts are able to view attacks across the entire lifecycle and ensure that new systems are compliant with best security practices.After questioning by Sen. Michael Nozzolio, Miller listed the steps ITS is taking to ensure the security of sensitive data, which include the remediation of outdated software and hardware, the employment of Deloitte consultants who assess the states cyber control risk related to regulated data and third-party controlled data, a revamp of legal language used for contractors to ensure best practices are used for regulatory control, the instatement of a comprehensive risk management program, and process improvements in the states enterprise cyber command center, enterprise risk assessments and identity management program.Nozzolio said he was doubly concerned that those charged with protecting the states data within each agency were not qualified to do so. Miller ensured him that the cybersecurity representatives embedded within each agency focused solely on cybersecurity, that they were members of a centralized cybersecurity team led by the CISO, and that they were qualified cybersecurity experts. The benefit of this organizational structure, she explained, was that each embedded official was able to become familiar with the unique security challenges of their assigned agency, but maintained a centralized command posture.Nozzolio continued pressing Miller on the controls in place, emphasizing the importance of protecting state data. Government, thank God, has not been a recipient of major attacks yet at the state level, Nozzolio said.After his line of questioning, Nozzolio called for further investigation into the matter on another day.In several cases, questions put to Miller by the legislators had already been comprehensively answered at an earlier point in her testimony, but she remained poised, affable and well-spoken throughout.Weve encountered and continue to encounter challenges in this multi-year journey, but those challenges dont deter us, Miller said. Rather, they inspire us to be even more creative, innovative, and deliver service excellence and the best possible experience for our citizens.
(TNS) -- Seen a flood of support for Russia's foreign policy on Twitter? Or a surge in sympathy for Islamic State terrorists?It could be genuine. But it also might be the work of bots  automated social media accounts programmed to push a message out widely and quickly.That's why the Pentagon's advanced research arm organized a four-week "Twitter Bot Challenge," inviting researchers to try to find 39 Robotic tweeters.Five teams found all the fakes. But Filippo Menczer, an Indiana University researcher who headed one of them, warns that the technology advances rapidly, and what worked today might not work tomorrow."It's very much work in progress," Menczer said. "It's a moving target."In an age when life is increasingly lived online, and the Islamic State in particular has proved adept at using social media to attract support and recruits, intelligence officials across the government are looking for ways to make sense of the deluge of information posted every day.They are working on ways to channel the flood to help spot terrorists, make better military decisions and identify threats against the president, presidential candidates and other leaders.The potential is obvious: billions of tweets, Facebook posts and Instagram pictures are posted every day, all of it possibly useful to law enforcement, the military and intelligence.Isaac Porche, a researcher at the RAND Corporation, said the potential is huge, especially if the information can be combined with other databases."It's one thing that if someone posts they like al-Qaida or ISIS," he said. "It's another thing if you have some data that shows this is not just a rant."While much of the interest is in using the data to spot terrorists and guide military campaigns overseas, law enforcement and domestic security services are also combing social media at home. Following the unrest in Baltimore last spring, officials complied a spreadsheet of dozens of online postings.The list of posts was included in documents the city released under a public information act, but it's not clear who created or how it was used.But reliably plucking out the threats from among pictures of children, pets and meals, or turning the swirling stream of data into a clear picture of what's happening in the real world, remains a challenge.In recent papers, Menczer and his colleagues detailed their efforts in the bot challenge and described a publicly available tool that anyone can use to help figure out if a Twitter account is controlled by a human or a few lines of computer code.Such tools can be made. Getting them to cover the entire social media universe is hard."Working that scale is hard," Menczer said. "Twitter is big."Civil libertarians, meanwhile, warn that tracking even public posts runs the risk of undermining Americans' free speech rights.But despite the challenges, officials say, some work is showing promise. The Department of Defense expects to have a system to suck in and analyze information from social media and elsewhere on the Internet fully operational this year.The tool, called Information Volume and Velocity, was created to scrape information from all corners of the Internet, including places not normally reached by search engines, analyze it for trends and provide commanders with up-to-the-second information.The Defense Information Systems Agency, headquartered at Fort Meade, said in December it would be looking for a contractor to pull data from "news sites, social media sites, micro-blogs, aggregation sites for news, blogs and forums, pictures, video, and images" into the system.Charlie Fields, an official at the DISA, said the tool has already been used in several different kinds of military operations, including humanitarian work and disaster relief."The program is designed to enhance commanders' situational awareness of what is happening in the social media realm and can help improve decision making," Fields said in a written response to questions.It's also cheap: The system costs less than $4 million per year to run  an almost insignificant sum in the Defense Department's massive budget.Other efforts have fared less well. The government's efforts to battle the Islamic State online have faltered, and after sending top officials to Silicon Valley to meet with social media company bosses, the Obama administration announced that it was changing the bureaucracy that was established to lead the fight.On Friday, Twitter announced that it has suspended more than 125,000 accounts since the middle of 2015 for connections to terrorism  primarily the Islamic State."We condemn the use of Twitter to promote terrorism and the Twitter Rules make it clear that this type of behavior, or any violent threat, is not permitted on our service," the company said in a blog post.A proposed effort by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency to track the terror group's movements through the darker corners of the Internet is being reconsidered, a spokesman for the agency said. Another push to bring social media to bear on the military's counterterrorism mission failed to meet its goals last year, a Pentagon spokeswoman said.The Department of Homeland Security faced criticism after the December shooting attack in San Bernardino, Calif., for not scanning the social media accounts of visa applicants.Homeland Security spokeswoman Marsha Catron said the department does have three pilot programs looking at how to use social media data as part of the application process."We are actively considering additional ways to incorporate the use of social media review in various vetting programs," she said.Rand Waltzman, a former researcher at DARPA, wrote a scathing critique of the government's efforts in Time magazine . He argued that U.S. officials are holding themselves back in the name of protecting people's privacy  and falling behind authoritarian states and terror groups that have no such qualms.Current interpretations of laws written well before the Internet age, he wrote, "have led to overly cautious and non-uniform policies and prohibitions resulting in massive confusion and paralysis."Waltzman declined to be interviewed.The tool being developed at Fort Meade filters information that would identify individuals, Fields said. A long-running program at the Department of Homeland Security follows a similar policy, collecting personal information only in limited circumstances.The Secret Service sought extra funding in its budget request for 2016 to step up its monitoring of social media during the presidential election campaign. Agents want to use the information to find groups who "may oppose a candidate's viewpoint" and who are using social media to organize protests.The Secret Service declined to comment, citing the sensitivity of its operations.Aaron Mackey, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said citizens might be reluctant to share their opinions online if they know that their tweets or Facebook posts are being collected by the government."If the user knows they're going to be put on a watch list or the FBI's going to knock on their door and ask if everyone's OK, they're not going to say anything remotely controversial," he said.Mackey said it's not clear that agents are easily able to discern between statements protected by free speech guarantees and real threats."The government does a really poor job trying to draw these lines," he said.One way around the potential legal issues is to have the social media companies spot threats and other problems themselves. The White House sent top officials to meet with bosses at Silicon Valley firms last month to find ways to do just that.Ned Price, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said the meeting showed how the president was committed to fighting the Islamic State online."The horrific attacks in Paris and San Bernardino this winter underscored the need for the United States and our partners in the international community and the private sector to deny violent extremists like ISIL fertile recruitment ground," he said in a statement.The meeting also spurred fresh interest in using social media data to calculate some kind of radicalization score for users  a sort of early warning system for terrorism. The concept would be similar to the work of Menczer and the other bot-spotters, only much more difficult."To detect a potential terrorist you have to infer intention," Menczer said, "and this is very hard even for human experts."
(TNS)  NASHVILLE  Gov. Bill Haslam says efforts by EPB and other municipal electric services to expand high-speed Internet to rural areas won't fully solve Tennessee's broadband accessibility issues and doesn't fairly treat for-profit servers like AT&T and Comcast."The easy thing everybody can say is, 'We need broadband,'" the Republican governor told Times Free Press editors and reporters last week. "The difficult thing is to say, 'How are we going to do it?' I mean, one of the current bills won't really do that. It'll provide broadband to some additional areas but it really won't take it to everyone, anywhere."Proposed legislation would lift restrictions on where municipal utilities such as EPB can offer services. Chattanooga's EPB has said the city-owned utility is eager to offer its fiber-optic telecom services throughout Bradley County.The municipal broadband bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland, would allow EPB and other public utilities to expand into areas served by rural electric cooperatives if the co-ops agree. But for-profit companies oppose the legislation.As proponents of the years-long effort to expand municipal broadband began cranking up another attempt this year, Randy Boyd, Haslam's commissioner of economic and community development, announced he was launching a statewide assessment of broadband access and usage in Tennessee.That prompted House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, to say the bill would likely be postponed a year.Haslam said Boyd will determine what parts of the state do not have broadband and how many people are without the service.The governor said his own "best read of the numbers" is there are 200,000 households that don't have broadband.Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, sponsor of the upper chamber's broadband bill, took issue with a number of the governor's statements. The 200,000 estimate is "totally bogus" and too low, she said, adding she's heard that estimate previously "from people who stand to profit by saying it's that low.""The truth is there are hundreds of thousands, more than 200,000," she said. "There's a significant number of homes that have no access and an equally significant number of homes that have no competition, no choice and something that is unreliable, unaffordable and that's not their product choice."The municipal broadband expansion bill "is taking 'trouble' off of the plate" of companies, Bowling said. "Their corporate model says that they can't provide to people unless it's in a more densely populated area. We do not quarrel with their model and we appreciate them going where they will go."However," she added, "Tennessee can no longer be held hostage to their corporate model. There will be multiple solutions, but they've got to include competition and choice."The Tennessee Municipal Election Power Association in a statement said, "With over 422,000 households across Tennessee without broadband, there will never be a silver bullet solution to getting everyone access.""Municipal broadband is just one solution to help get broadband to several thousand households that doesn't spend a dime of tax dollars and allows local utilities and communities to make the investment themselves," said the group, whose members include EPB. "Parents, students and businesses without broadband should not have to keep waiting year after year for the state to figure out the perfect solution when there is at least one very good one whose time has come."Rep. Dan Howell, R-Georgetown, said that while he respects and works well with Haslam on issues from education to rural development, "We are far apart on the issue of broadband."Last week, Howell told attendees at a broadband rally in the state Capitol that access to fast Internet was the No. 1 issue in his largely rural Bradley County district."I believe [House Bill 1303] will break the monopoly of the big telecoms that have held the rural residents of Tennessee hostage for two decades or more," Howell said. "Approximately 30 other states see the benefit of competition in the broadband industry and have allowed the market and consumer to decide who will be their provider."To Haslam's claim the bill isn't fair to commercial providers, Howell said, "I believe it's unfair that AT&T of Tennessee received $156 million in federal subsidies in September 2015 to provide broadband to the rural areas of Tennessee, while using their deep pockets and 14 lobbyists to kill HB 1303 and, as a result, any competition to their and the other big telecoms' monopoly."He was referring to money from the Federal Communication Commission's Connect America Fund for to expand broadband in Tennessee.However, AT&T spokesman Daniel Hayes said the two aren't the same."It is incorrect to equate the common practice of government providing incentives to encourage private-sector behavior with the concept of direct government competition," he said.He said the FCC fund's private-sector incentives are "specifically designed to encourage deployment to address a clearly defined and limited federal goal.""Generating significant amounts of public debt to sustain municipal networks is a different animal," Hayes added. "Taxpayer money should not be used to over-build or compete with the private sector, which has a proven history of funding, building, operating and upgrading broadband networks."Tennessee municipal electric services drew national attention last year when the FCC voted 3-2 to overrule state restrictions on municipal electricity providers. The federal agency decreed EPB and a municipal utility in Wilson, N.C., could expand their service territories to meet the congressional mandate to expand broadband service.Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery, Haslam's former general counsel, appealed the FCC decision to a federal appellate court, and EPB says it won't move ahead on any expansion until the court has clearly ruled it is permissible or state law is changed.
Kevin Magnussen has been at the centre of a stalking case, the Danish newspaper BT reported.

Just days after the Dane secured his return to F1 this year with Renault, it emerges that Magnussen and his girlfriend Louise have been harassed online for some months.

The harassment reportedly involved threats and the posting on social media of private photos and information - including a phone number and address - of Magnussen and his girlfriend by the stalker.

Louise, and Magnussen's father Jan, did not want to comment.

Copenhagen police would not confirm that an investigation is underway, but a spokesperson said cases typically involve the issuing of restraining orders.

The F1 driver also did not want to comment.

(GMM)
Renault reportedly tried and failed to secure the services of Stoffel Vandoorne for 2016.

The French marque's new team boss Frederic Vasseur ran the Belgian driver in his GP2 team ART last year, where he utterly dominated en route to the title.

But Vandoorne is tightly under contract to McLaren.

"With Stoffel, the situation is very clear," Vasseur said last week. "He is under contract to McLaren and I really think he will go there next year.

"McLaren is aware of his results and his ability, so I cannot imagine for a split second that they will let him go," he added.

Indeed, Vasseur has now been quoted by the Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure as confirming that he tried to sign up Vandoorne for 2016, before settling instead for the ousted former McLaren racer Kevin Magnussen.

"We had to forget the idea with Stoffel," he said.

"He has a contract there and they do not want to let him go. We needed a driver who was available and therefore we decided on Magnussen," Vasseur added.

He said he is happy with Renault's 2016 lineup, even though the marque inherited the plans made by the former Lotus team's chiefs.

"We are taking part of a pre-existing situation," Vasseur told the French daily L'Equipe.

"I chose one (Magnussen), but the other (Jolyon Palmer) is looking very good. Oddly, I have raced neither in the lower categories, but I do not mind not having an ART driver for Renault.

"With the third driver Esteban (Ocon)," he added, "it's different. I have always believed in him. He is coming to Renault (on loan) from Mercedes."

(GMM)
Alain Prost has hit back at the criticism of F1's 'power unit' era.

The F1 legend is an ambassador for the new works team project at Renault, the French carmaker that has struggled so far with the turbo V6 rules.

But Frenchman Prost said F1 is on the right track with its controversial 'hybrid' era.

"Let's go back a few years: all the major manufacturers had more or less the same (V8) engine," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"That's why they said 'We will stop if we cannot show our competence with something that is relevant to the automotive market'," Prost added. "They all want to prove that they are better than the competition.

"There is much complaining about the dominance of Mercedes, but let's be honest: they have just done the best job. They deserve to win.

"Sometimes in F1 you just have to accept that someone else is better," he said.

What Prost is slightly critical of are the restrictive F1 rules, which are making it difficult for stragglers like Renault and Honda to quickly catch up.

"In the past, if you had a problem, in one week you change everything and the week after you take it to the test track. Now there are too many restrictions," he argues.

But unwinding the clock and simply going back to the screaming V8s of the past, Prost insists, would be wrong.

"I know that many fans would wish for that, but it would be the wrong signal," he said. "Formula one has to showcase new technology.

"Perhaps a compromise is possible between what the fans want and what the manufacturers need," Prost added.

(GMM)
ITServe Launches Northeast Chapter with 400+ Company Executives

USA, February 05th 2016: ITServe Alliance is an association of IT Services organizations. The alliance is dedicated to providing its member organizations with a platform to collaborate and initiate measures that would contribute to protecting their interests and ensuring collective success.

ITServe core members and the North East team members successfully concluded a grand kick off meeting today in New Jersey.

This was a very successful event well attended by CEOs of 400+ companies. The highlight of the event was its eminent speakers Upendra Chivukula and Dinesh A Suryawanshi.

Speaking on this occasion, Upendra Chivukula, said, A strong organization like ITServe Alliance is needed to have the industry voice heard in Washington. On this occasion he also agreed to be a strategic political affairs advisor to ITServe Alliance.

Dinesh A Suryawanshi advocate to Senator Cory Bookers office has assured to arrange for a meeting with Senator to discuss about current issues and future roadmap.

During the kick-off meet Jay Talluri was announced as the ITServe Northeast Chapter President and Northeast Chapter Core team got introduced to members. Jay will be responsible for driving North East chapter growth and expansion strategy.

Speaking on this occasion Jay Talluri said "Unity brings success, we are building ITServe as a platform to serve our common interests and I welcome all IT Firms from North East States to join this great organization. I thank all core team members and sponsors for making this event a grand success.

Sridhar Chillara CEO for TV5 USA conducted interactive session with Shashi Devireddy - President of ITServe, past president Sudhakar Pennam, founding president Satish Manduva, Jay Talluri - president North East chapter and Venkat Gottipati Director of chapter relations.

During the session Satish Manduva did a detailed walk-through of lobbying efforts since 2010 and success in influencing policy changes, while Shashi Devireddy and Sudhakar Pennam spoke about the future of ITServe alliance and its unprecedented benefits to all the member organization.

Jay Talluri and Venakt Gottipati spoke about the potential value ITServe Alliance would bring to the North East Chapter.

After experiencing great response from member organizations the core members of ITServe Alliance said the organization will now be on a growth spree and will soon launch Detroit, Bay Area and Atlanta chapters.

ITServe Alliance is now on a mission to be North Americas largest IT company owners association that will deliver immense value to all its member organizations.

To know more and enroll for the membership with ITServe visit http://www.itserve.org Or E-mail: info@itserve.org

Visit our picture gallery online http://www.itserve.org/showphotos/PICABC025

Press note released by: IndianClicks, LLC
Software professional rapes NRI techie; arrested

Hyderabad: A software professional was arrested on Saturday for allegedly raping a 32-year-old NRI woman IT firm employee, police said.

"The woman and the accused Vishnu Vardhan had met on a dating app and continued their friendship over WhatsApp by chatting for the last six months," Golconda Police Station Inspector Khaleel Pasha said.

On February 2, the accused took the NRI techie from her house on the pretext of going out for tea and allegedly raped her.

The accused works in an IT firm in Banjara Hills area here.

On the night of February 2, the accused took the woman from her house in Tolichowki area on the pretext of going out for tea.

Later, telling her that he has some material which would be useful for her during her planned US tour, the accused took her to his house at Friend's Colony and offered her soft-drink mixed with alcohol.

"After drinking the beverage, the victim fell unconscious. Taking advantage of her condition, the accused allegedly raped her," the police officer said quoting the complaint lodged by the victim.

A case has been registered and further investigation is on. (PTI)
Watson most expensive at IPL auction; Yuvraj joins Hyderabad

Bengaluru: Veteran Australian all-rounder Shane Watson commanded the highest bid of Rs.9 crore from Royal Challengers Bengaluru while star batsman Yuvraj Singh was snapped up by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs.7 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction here on Saturday.

Watson, who has represented Rajasthan Royals (RR) every year since joining them in the inaugural edition in 2008, was bought by Vijay Mallay-owned RCB for Rs.9.5 crore from a base price of Rs.2 crore.

This is first time that Watson has featured in the IPL auction since the inaugural editon in 2008. He is the only player to win the player of the tournament award twice. But his deal was annulled after the Rajasthan and Chennai franchises were suspended for two years after the IPL was hit by a match fixing corruption scandal.

Yuvraj on the other hand, will make the move to Hyderabad from the Delhi Daredevils, who had bought him last year for Rs.16 crore. The veteran southpaw has been bought for a much reduced price this year, with the Sunrisers shelling out Rs.7 crore for his services. Yuvraj had a base price of Rs.2 crore.

The Daredevils have replaced Yuvraj with South all-rounder Christopher Morris, who has been bought for the same price as the Indian star. The 28-year-old had a base price of Rs.50 lakhs.

Among other big buys, medium pacer Mohit Sharma went for Rs.6.5 crore to Kings XI Punjab, while Hyderabad splurged Rs.5.5 crore for veteran left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra.

Delhi bought young Kerala wicketkeeper Sanju Samson and West Indian batsman Carlos Brathwaite for Rs.4.2 crore each. Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh went to new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants for Rs.4.8 crore.

Mitchell joined England star Kevin Pietersen, who was picked up for Rs.3.5 crore. The duo will join India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni at Pune.
Jagan Party In Jubilant Mood!

There is a proverb in Telugu: 'Aththa kottinanduku kaadu, thodi kodalu navvinanduku' (she cried not because she was beaten by her mother-in-law, but was laughed at by her co-daughter-in-law).

The Telugu Desam Party leaders in Telangana seem to be displaying such an attitude now after their debacle in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.

Not because they had won just one seat in the 150-member Corporation, but its arch rival, the YSR Congress party headed by Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is celebrating the outcome of the GHMC polls.

The Jagan party leaders are in jubilant mood with the Telanana Rashtra Samithi sweeping the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections by winning 99 out of 150 seats. They even danced on streets and burst crackers.

Apparently, the YSR Congress party leaders are happy that the TRS had taught a fitting lesson to the TDP in the GHMC elections, as the latter could get just one seat despite roping in stalwarts like Chandrababu Naidu, Lokesh Naidu and several ministers from Seemandhra.

However, they seem to have forgotten the fact that the YSR Congress too would have met the same fate had it contested the GHMC polls.

The TDP managed to get at least one seat, thanks to the support from the BJP, but the YSR Congress party which had no allies would have ended up with a blank. That is the reason for their jubilation!
No Regrets For Allying With TDP: Reddy

Telangana BJP President G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday stated that Bharatiya Janata Party's alliance with Telugu Desam Party was not responsible for its defeat in GHMC elections.

Speaking to media persons here, Kishan Reddy said that the BJP leaders do not think that their alliance with TDP led to their defeat in the GHMC polls.

He said losing or winning elections were part of politics. He said that the GHMC results would not have an impact on party's future prospects. He said that reasons for party's dismal performance were being identified and they would be immediately rectified.

Kishan Reddy said that the people have voted in favour TRS in view of some welfare schemes that it launched in the city. He said now it is the responsibility of TRS Government to fulfill all the promises that it made with the people of Hyderabad.

He said that the BJP would extend full cooperation to the State Government in the development of Hyderabad.
Radhakrishna Desperate To Protect Naidu

The Telugu Desam Party suffered a humiliating defeat in the just concluded Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections.

It could get just one seat, though it had won considerable number of MLA seats in the last Assembly elections, besides an MP seat (from Malkajgiri).

The Seemandhra voters in Hyderabad, whom the TDP took for granted as its vote bank, dealt a shocking blow to it by voting for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi en bloc.

The entire blame for the miserable performance of the party should go to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu who campaigned for the party for two days and particularly to his son Nara Lokesh Naidu, who led the party campaign from the front touring every nook and corner of the city, where the Seemandhra voters are predominant.

But for Vemuri Radhakrishna, chairman of Andhra Jyothy Telugu daily and ABN-Andhra Jyothy channel, it appears Naidu and Lokesh had no role in the TDPs ignominious defeat.

Particularly, the ABN channel, which had extensively covered Lokesh Naidus meetings in the GHMC polls in order to project that he was spearheading the party campaign, quietly throw the blame on to Telangana TDP working president A Revanth Reddy.

While making a post-poll analysis, the channel repeatedly showed the photograph of Revanth Reddy to explain the reasons for the TDP loss. Nowhere, it showed Lokesh or Naidu in order to create the impression that it was Revanth who was responsible for the TDP loss and not the father-son duo.

What is worse, the ABN channel also sought to show the YSR Congress party in poor light. Despite knowing fully well that the YSR Congress party did not contest a single seat in the GHMC elections, it included the partys name in the list of winners and losers, showing zero against the Jagan party.

Apparently, it wanted to project that the TDP had done better than the YSR Congress party by winning at least one seat!

What a crooked mind?
Pawan Kalyan asks Andhra to hold talks with Kapu leaders

Hyderabad: With Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and his wife continuing their indefinite strike demanding quota for Kapus, popular actor and Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan on Sunday urged the Andhra Pradesh government to hold direct talks with them.

Under fire from sections of his own community for not coming out in support of the movement, the actor on Sunday said the government should hold talks with the leaders spearheading the agitation before it goes out of control.

"I request the TDP government to engage in direct talks with the Kapu leaders spearheading the ongoing reservation issue, which was an election promise originally made by the TDP," he tweeted.

"A group of balanced intellectuals should be entrusted with the responsibility of finding a mutually acceptable solution before it juggernauts into an uncontainable situation," Pawan added.

Members of Kapu community in parts of coastal Andhra had been protesting against the actor for last few days for not supporting the quota movement.

He had condemned the violence that broke out during a meeting by Kapus at Tuni town in East Godavari district on January 31, saying that anti-social elements were involved in burning a train.

Pawan had also said that the violence could have been averted if the government and the police were prepared to face a protest in which thousands of people were participating.

He had also asked the Telugu Desam Party government to implement its poll promise to include Kapus in the list of backward classes and provide them reservation.

Pawan, who floated Jana Sena before the 2014 elections, had campaigned for the TDP-BJP alliance.
FordPass, described as a free digital, physical and personal platform, is an ambitious new customer service product that incorporates software services and apps, human agents and storefronts and is intended to support the companys strategic transformation into an auto and a mobility company. FordPass features four benefits for members: Marketplace includes mobility services such as parking and sharing; FordGuides help consumers move more efficiently; Appreciation, where members are recognized for their loyalty; and FordHubs, where consumers can experience Fords latest innovations.

Ford is working with platform-as-a-service (PaaS) provider Pivotal to build a software platform supporting FordPass, announced at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) ( earlier post ), that will enable the company to innovate rapidly and to iterate on new applications and mobility solutions for consumers.

FordPass also will allow Ford owners with SYNC Connect technology to remotely start, lock and unlock, and locate their vehiclecapabilities that will play a role in future mobility services.

With FordPass, we are making it easier for consumers, whether they own a Ford vehicle or not, to get where they need to go. Working with Pivotal, Ford will be able to rapidly add new features and adapt mobility solutions and services that benefit FordPass members in the ways that fit them best.Elena Ford, vice president, Global Dealer and Consumer Experience

By collaborating with Pivotal, Ford gains cutting-edge modern software development methodologies, next-generation cloud platform and analytics capabilities and knowledge. Pivotal and Ford IT engineers are working side-by-side to innovate in developing and designing new consumer experiences for FordPass members.

FordPass launches in April; membership is free for Ford vehicle owners and non-owners alike by registering online.

From experimentation to implementation. In the future, customers will be able to access both car-sharing and ride-sharing services via FordPass. Experimental work with Pivotal is now under way as teams are building the foundation for future applications and consumer experiences.

One of the first programs to result from the work is a Dynamic Shuttle service Ford is piloting for employees on its Dearborn, Michigan, campus. Dynamic Shuttle features smart ride-hailing technology with premium customized shuttles, applying insights from earlier experiments and research with urban commuters globally. The convenience of the service will allow employees to summon point-to-point rides on-demand.

With the pilot, once a mobile-based ride request is made, the Ford-developed softwareincluding the algorithm that drives the platforms technical capabilitiesimmediately determines the shuttle best suited to address the request without extending the travel time of riders already aboard. The rider is then sent an offer detailing proposed pick-up time and maximum duration of the trip. If the rider accepts the offer, the request is dispatched to the shuttle drivers navigation interface, along with the most efficient route to complete the requests of all riders in the timeliest manner.

Another project Ford is working on is GoDrive, an on-demand public car-sharing pilot in London. The service offers customers flexible, practical and affordable access to a fleet of cars for one-way journeys with easy parking throughout the city. The pilot gives Londoners access to transportation through 50 cars positioned in 20 locations; one-way trips with guaranteed parking; pay-as-you-go, per-minute pricing that covers all fees; and availability of zero-emission Focus Electric cars.

Pilots ranging from on-demand shuttles to car-sharing services and more are some of the many potential applications of FordPass, with seamless integration into the smartphone app built on Pivotal Cloud Foundry.

Pivotal Cloud Foundry. The Pivotal Cloud Foundry is an enterprise PaaS, powered by Cloud Foundry. It delivers a turnkey experience for scaling and updating PaaS on the private cloud, with no downtime. Pivotal Cloud Foundry enables developers to provision and to bind web and mobile apps with a range of platform and data services on a unified platform.

Pivotal Cloud Foundry includes:
The two are charged with conspiracy, obstructing commerce by robbery, and brandishing a gun in a violent crime.

FBI agents say 24-year-old Abigail Kemp and 35-year-old Lewis Jones III stole an estimated $4.3 million in jewelry by robbing six jewelry stores in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. One of the stores that the duo allegedly robbed was Jared Vault, 4000 Arrowhead Boulevard, at the Tanger Outlet Center in Mebane.

Authorities used cellphone records and tips from the public to find and arrest both of them Jan. 8 in the Atlanta suburb of Smyrna, Georgia.

Court records show that both suspects pleaded not guilty. Calls to their attorneys weren't immediately returned Monday.

A trial for both suspects is scheduled for March 21 in Panama City.
Google Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio said to be landing in Australia later this month

The Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio, which were announced by Google back in September last year and are currently available only in select countries, will soon be available in Australia.

According to a report by Ausdroid, both devices are now listed in the Australian appliance and media retailer JB Hifi's inventory system, and are expected to launch in a couple of weeks from now. As for the price, the devices will carry a tag of $59 each.

"The SKUs are in the system, with JB using 937278for the Chromecast 2 and 937282 for Chromecast Audio  both of which unfortunately do not show up in a search on their site," the report said.

Both Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio are also being offered by Kogan Australia, the report notes, adding that the retailer has currently listed the devices as Coming Soon, with 1-2 weeks shipping time-frame for the black version of Chromecast. While the price tag for both devices remains the same ($59), Kogan will also charge you a delivery fee.

Via
Huawei has announced that it has shipped over 10 million units of its P8lite smartphone since its launch in spring last year.

The firm also noted that the device - which is expected to get the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update soon - is the first Huawei smartphone which has been relatively more successful in global markets than in China.

The press release also revealed that global sales of all devices in the P8 series - which consists of P8, P8lite, and P8max - has crossed the 16 million mark. It also provided some details on Huawei's this year's monthly shipments, saying the company managed to ship over 12 million smartphones last month, which is an year-on-year increase of 93%.

Finally, it was also revealed that Huawei has been shipping more than 10 million smartphone units every month since October 2015. As you might already know, the company shipped a total of over 100 million smartphones last year.
Motorola has started pushing a new update to its second-generation Moto 360 smartwatch. The update brings along the usual Android Marshmallow goodies like Doze and new permissions model.

In addition, it also includes support for six new languages, including Mandarin (Taiwan), Cantonese (Hong Kong), Indonesian (Indonesia), Polish (Poland), Dutch (Netherlands), and Thai (Thailand).

Of course, other features - like new wrist gestures - that are there in the latest Android Wear update announced by Google last week are also included, but don't expect support for built-in speakers given that the wearable device doesn't pack any.

The update is rolling out in phases, and will hit all Moto 360 (2015) units "over the next few days," the company says.

Source

, as well as some performance and stability-related improvements are also included in the update.
Verizon has started rolling out a new update to Samsung Galaxy Note 4 units on its network. It bumps the software version to LMY47X.N910VVRU2BPA1, and brings along performance-related optimizations as well as latest security patches.

The update, however, doesn't bump the device's Android version, which stays at 5.1.1 (Lollipop) - the Android 5.1.1 update for Verizon's Galaxy Note 4 variants was released only last month, despite being first rolled out by Samsung back in August last year.

Coming back to the new update, like always, you'll see a notification when the OTA update hits your Galaxy Note 4. However, if you're feeling impatient, you can also head to your handset's settings menu and manually check for the update.

Source
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Haiti - FLASH : Beginning of the National Carnival this Monday (details)





After the cancellation Sunday, February 7, of the first day fat, "due to complications related to events marking the end of the presidential term the same day" according the terms of statement of the Primature, the carnival festivities will start according to our information this Monday, February 8, from 4:00 p.m. at the Champ de Mars.



The Musical groups taking part in the National Carnival, which takes place around the theme "Ayiti Tout Tan" are in order of appearance for this February 8 : Kreyol La, Bel Plezi, Rockfam, Mass Konpa, Barikad Crew, Carimi & Mikaben, Boukman Eksperyans.



The walking bands for this February 8, are in order of appearance : Relax Band, Fashion Matte, Original Bel Bebet, New York New York, An Gran Jan, Soul Rasta, Jaguar, Patty Cool, 620 Ans, 4X4 Tabou Band, Tet Kole, Beceba, Biznis Pa'm, Dieu Du Ciel, Style Ke Kal.



The course for the groups and walking bands is as follows: Departure from Stade Sylvio Cator, then they will direct on the Street Oswal Durand until Boulevard Jean-Jacques Dessalines, then to the Street Paul VI. They will then make few meters on Street Monseigneur Guilloux before engaging on the Avenue de la Republique front the National Palace, until the street Capois, they will take to complete the course at the Street St-Honore.



Follow live like every year on HaitiLibre.com, the National Carnival (Monday 8 and Tuesday, February 9, 2016). An appointment not to be missed. Happy Carnival to all !



Note that "complications" mentioned by the Primature without further details in its press release, make reference to the thousands of demonstrators who responded to the call of the opposition parties to celebrate their victory: the departure of President Martelly.



A protest that turned violent at the Champ de Mars, when demonstrators attempted to vandalize the Carnival stands. The forces of order have intervened quickly under stone throwing and had to use tear gas to disperse the protesters and restore order. It is reported at least one injured by stone throwing and several arrests.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Diplomacy : The United States welcomes the agreement signed in Haiti





John Kirby, John Kirby Assistant Secretary and Department of State Spokesperson declared :



"The United States welcomes the agreement signed https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16533-haiti-politic-the-details-of-the-agreement-from-a-to-z.html by Executive and Legislative authorities in Haiti to ensure the continuity of governance and the completion of the ongoing electoral process.



Echoing the Core Group statement of February 6, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16538-haiti-diplomacy-the-core-group-welcomes-the-conclusion-of-a-political-agreement.html we trust 'that all actors will keep the best interests of Haiti and its people above all other considerations.'



We also acknowledge the constructive role played by the Special Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16536-haiti-politic-oas-satisfied-with-the-formula-found.html in fostering a spirit of consensus among Haitian stakeholders.



The United States looks forward to continuing to work with Haiti and its international partners in support of strengthening democracy in Haiti."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By Lisa Espinosa | Published on 2016/02/07

A K-pop concert is a very unique concert-going experience. Unlike the many rock, R&B, and classical concerts that I have attended, K-pop concerts have a certain sense of unity amongst fans that is unparalleled. At the Infinite concert at New York City's Playstation Theatre on January 19, 2016 the sense of unity was awesome. It was the last leg of the North American tour and fans had waited for hours and hours in the 17F weather to make sure that they got up close and personal with their idols.

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Infinite is one of the top K-pop acts in Korea and in the world. The seven member team is known for its strength on live stages as well as their exceptionally synchronized and finessed dancing. Their live concert lacked for nothing. They were accompanied by a live band, explosions of ribbons and confetti, and a full-scale light show. Members performed as a whole as well as breaking up into their subunits for winsome performances that include hard-hitting Infinite H and paper airplane-flying Infinite F. Fanservice like the paper airplanes is par for the course in K-pop. K-pop groups take care of their fans with plenty of heartfelt speeches, tease peeks at well-toned abs, and lots of free giveaways. In return, fans learn fanchants and sing (or scream) along with their favorite (or all) tunes despite the fact that the fans may or may not speak Korean.

This is the phenomenon of K-pop, it's polished idols who put countless hours into their singing, dancing, and performance skills. They always mind their looks, their fashion, and the impressions that they man on the world. They adhere to the concepts of their albums, their promotions, and their activities. It's a rigorous life that have equally as rigorous audiences that extend from their native South Korea to the far reaches of the globe.

As an international fan of K-pop, I recommend making the effort to see a K-pop concert at least once outside of Korea. It's quite a different experience than listening to Western pop. Fanservice is performed with near religious fervor, and the quality of the performances is predictably high. K-pop is loved because of its high-quality, and because of the rigors of being a fan. It's rewarding to see a group after hours of unseen dedication: buying albums and products, learning lyrics in a foreign language, learning fanchants, and watching programs on youtube and through platforms like Viki and Dramafever.

My trip to see Infinite was most definitely worth it after only being able to listen to albums and watch their members in dramas and variety programs. Although I was there in a professional capacity, it is always difficult not to enjoy a performance of theirs. It was very much worth the trip to New York. Until we meet again, Infinite, perhaps next time in South Korea!

Written by: Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'
Published on 2016/02/07

Get to know your Korean side dishes with Beyond Kimchi, one woman is doing her best to keep dogs off the menu, Sue over at My Korean Kitchen shares a Luna New Year dish, and The Korea Times features the story of a North Korean defector who recently opened his first food truck.

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"The Top 6 Korean Side Dishes"

The first time you sit down to enjoy a Korean meal you may be overwhelmed by the number of side dishes around. Your table will be filled with small, at first unidentifiable, edibles, and you've just got to try them all! On that note, Holly lists the top six Korean side dishes, known in Korea as 'banchan'.

..READ ON BEYOND KIMCHI

"Korean Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk)"

The Lunar New Year is nigh! My Korean Kitchen has been posting a series of recipes in preparation for this massive holiday, and in this post, the last one, has on its menu Korean rice cake soup; which is, Sue says, "a must have food on New Year's Day in Korea".

...READ ON MY KOREAN KITCHEN

"Woman works to keep dogs off menu in S. Korea"

Dog soup is a seasonal dish and not a mainstay of Korean cuisine (it's considered a "traditional delicacy"), but there is still a disturbing number of dogs being killed each year, and not always in the most humane ways. In modern Korea, eating dog has become less popular as animal rights rises and because of animal lovers like this who are trying to keep them off the menu.

...READ ON CBS NEWS

"Defector opens food truck in S. Korea"

To avoid starvation, Park Young-ho and his brother crossed the Tumen River in China when he was just a boy in search of a better life. This year he opened his first business: a food truck. "Selling food on the side of the road in sub-zero temperatures is not easy at all... Still, it was a hard-won chance and I am not going to let it slip away".

...READ ON THE KOREA TIMES
Published on 2016/02/07 | Source

A growing number of young Koreans are avoiding family gatherings during the Lunar New Year to escape being grilled about their lives.

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One good excuse is to get a part-time job during the holidays. Part-time job portal Alba polled 1,267 members on Monday and found that 50.4 percent plan to work part-time during the holidays. Some 10.3 percent of them admitted they want to avoid talking with relatives about their job or academic achievements.

One 29-year-old who lives in Gwangju said he will work part-time at a supermarket during the holidays. "I failed a job interview last year and can't face my family. Rather than get stressed out, I prefer not to see them".

Many are also ducking out of family gatherings, because they are tired of being asked about their marriage plans.

Another popular escape is overseas. The Korea Transport Institute forecasts 106,000 Koreans will travel overseas every day during the five-day holidays, up 18 percent compared to last year.

There is even a shelter for those who refuse to face the music. Foreign language institute Pagoda Academy said it will open classrooms at eight of its nationwide branches during the holidays, and around 600 students had signed up as of Tuesday.

The academy expects over 1,000 people will use the facility.
Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby.

15:19, 20 OCT 2022
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One killed, five injured in US feed mill explosion

On February 7 an explosion at JCG Farms feed plant at Rockmart in Georgia left one man dead and five others injured. Rockmart Fire Chief Todd Queen told reporters one of the five injured men was flown by helicopter to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta in a critical condition.

Stock image

Engineers were called in to determine the structural integrity of the plant after the explosion caused a partial collapse of a two-story building on site and did significant damage inside the feed mill itself. Police closed Georgia Highway 101 until engineers gave the all-clear because of the danger of the building collapsing onto the roadway.

Eight people were working at the chicken feed plant at the time of the explosion. Some sources speculated that the blast was caused by an accumulation of grain dust igniting, while others said a gas leak could have been responsible.

11Alive News said there had been a small dust-related explosion at the plant within the last five years, but fire officials had been satisfied with measures to clean up the plant.



The Georgia Fire Marshals Office is working with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to uncover the cause of the blast.


Total starts gas production from Laggan and Tormore fields west of Shetland

On February 8, French oil group Total announced it had started gas production from the Laggan and Tormore gas and condensate fields, located in 600 metres of water in the West of Shetland area. The fields will produce 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d). Total E&P UK has a 60% interest in the fields alongside DONG E&P (UK) Limited (20%) and SSE E&P UK Limited (20%).

Location of Laggan & Tormore fields - Image: Total

The Laggan-Tormore development consists of a 140 kilometer tie-back of four subsea wells to the new onshore Shetland Gas Plant which has a capacity of 500 million standard cubic feet per day. Following treatment at the gas plant, the gas is exported to the mainland via the Shetland Island Regional Gas Export System (SIRGE) and the condensates are exported via the Sullom Voe Terminal.

Laggan-Tormore is a key component of our production growth in 2016 and beyond. The innovative subsea-to-shore development concept, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, has no offshore surface infrastructure and benefits from both improved safety performance and lower costs, said Arnaud Breuillac, President Exploration & Production. By opening up this new production hub in the deep offshore waters of the West of Shetland, Total is also boosting the United Kingdoms production capacity and Europes energy security.

Almost one fifth of the UK's remaining oil and gas reserves are thought to lie in the area to the west of Shetland.

The Shetland Gas Plant is said by Total to be capable of meeting 8% of the UKs gas needs and supplying energy to two million homes, part of a 3.5bn investment by Total. Challenging weather conditions delayed the project by more than a year and added millions to its cost.

The construction phase was estimated to have involved up to 800 jobs, which the French group said made it the biggest construction project in the UK since the London Olympics, with 70 full time posts in plant operation.

The announcement comes at a difficult time for the North Sea oil and gas industry, with industry leaders estimating that 65,000 jobs have been lost since 2014.

Scotland's Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: "It is the success of large investment projects such as this which will see the Shetland Islands remain a key hub for oil and gas production in the North Sea.

"Production from the North Sea as a whole is now increasing and cost efficiencies are being achieved. The Laggan and Tormore fields, which have a lifespan of 20 years, will provide a further boost to North Sea production."

Commenting on the start-up of production from Total E&P UKs Laggan-Tormore field in the west of Shetland, Deirdre Michie, Oil & Gas UKs chief executive, said:

The confirmation of first gas production from the Laggan-Tormore field is very welcome news at a challenging time for the UK oil and gas industry as a whole.

Developing the field attracted billions of pounds of investment to the UK, employed thousands of people and required technological innovation over many years. Production from the field will supply a significant proportion of the UKs gas needs, supporting energy security at a time of sustained dependence on gas as a fuel.



Investment in Laggan Tormore was made possible by the introduction of a tax allowance for deepwater gas developments several years ago. The significant economic contribution made by the project illustrates how changes to the tax regime can be a real enabler in maximising the economic benefit from our oil and gas reserves.


The prevalence of discrimination against working parents is still a key issue in the Australian workplace, despite advancements in parental leave policies and flexible working arrangements, experts say.



Employers need to get serious about creating flexible working environments and supporting individuals to access their parental leave schemes without judgment or discrimination, or risk losing their top talent.



A recent survey of more than 400 working mothers showed more than half said they have been discriminated against simply because they have children to care for, the Australian Financial Review reported.



It is the role of HR departments to ensure policies and procedures actually pervade company culture and the psyche of management and key leaders, says Dr Alannah Rafferty, Associate Professor at UNSW Business Schools School of Management.



Any time managers/leaders in an organisation dont actually follow-through on the HR practices and procedures that have been established in an organisation it is damaging to morale in the company, Rafferty told HC Online



She says management and leaders who do not follow through on existing policies and procedures can be causing irreversible damage to company culture.



This signals that management/leaders cant be trusted and is a big problem if we are going to establish a sense of psychological safety in a workplace, Rafferty says.



A second major issue is that it is also a big problem for organisational culture because it undermines peoples sense that leaders and credible and trustworthy, which is likely to lead to a negative organisational culture.



Australian Human Resources Institute national president Peter Wilson said company culture and management psyche has a major impact on creating supportive environments for working parents.



While larger organizations offered better working arrangements for working mothers, many medium to large size businesses dislike flexible working arrangements, Wilson told AFR.



"A lot comes down to the attitude of managers, and many don't want people working away from the office. However, companies are good at camouflaging this. They're aware it's politically incorrect to discriminate and it's against the law," he says.



However, companies are likely to lose some of their best talent if this issue is not tackled head-on, says Rafferty.



There is no doubt that a lack of consideration for working parents is a big problem for business today, Rafferty told HC Online.



It reduces the talent pool for key positions, it reduces the diversity of opinions and skills in the workplace, and it produces negative workplace cultures that alienate people, she says.

Patricia Ryan, Principal at The Workplace Employment Lawyers told HC Online that an increasing number of professional women are not returning to their jobs because they cant find the flexibility.

Longer term this leads to a scarcity of women in senior positions and on boards which perpetuates the problem, Ryan told HC Online.



Research commissioned by jobs website and training provider FlexCareers found one in four women resigned because their requests for flexible working hours were denied, while only 11 per cent reported having an ideal flexible work arrangement.



A separate report by Bain & Company showed that men who work flexibly feel unsupported and harshly judged, according to AFR.



And despite only taking short leave periods compared to their female colleagues, around 27 per cent of fathers and partners have reported experiencing discrimination relating to parental leave and return to work, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission.



Bain & Company partner Melanie Sanders, one of the report's co-authors, said employers that genuinely promote flexible working environments need to ensure it works for men and women.



"If we ever aspire in Australia to have women feeling they have equal opportunity to participate in the workplace, and men feeling they have equal opportunity to participate fully as fathers and care givers, as we see in some of the Nordic countries, we have to correct this imbalance," Sanders told AFR.



Discrimination (against both men and women) on the basis of parental responsibility is unlawful and HR needs to be aware of the legal ramifications and advise the business accordingly, says Ryan.



In one case, a female solicitor was awarded $95,000 in damages after the Fair Work Commission found that her firm had indirectly discriminated against her on the ground of sex.



In Hickie v Hunt & Hunt [1998], Hickie was a solicitor and contract partner at the law firm Hunt & Hunt who alleged that upon her return from a period of maternity leave on a part time basis, she was left with a significantly smaller practice than before her maternity leave.



The firms group meeting arrangements excluded her and no accommodation was made for her part time working hours. Her partnership contract was subsequently not renewed.



The Fair Work Commission found that there had been indirect discrimination and that the effect of the firms decision was to impose on her a condition that to maintain her position in the firm it was necessary for her to work full time. The commission said the condition was likely to disadvantage women and was therefore discriminatory.



Ryan says it is the role of HR to champion best practice parental leave policies and assist reluctant managers to work through any perceived obstacles associated with flexible working arrangements.



For example, a request for flexible work on parental responsibility grounds can only be refused on reasonable business grounds. HR needs to explain that to the business and assist managers to work through a positive business case for flexibility, Ryan says.



Employee productivity may actually be higher on a work from home day, and this can easily be measured in many occupations, such as by comparing billable hours or the number of sales made.



Individual managers may also take the opportunity to up-skill in technologies such as video conferencing, or using Skype to ensure employees who are out of sight arent also out of mind or off the grid, Ryan says.



And when a senior member of staff goes on leave, good HR processes and forward planning make the transition easier for everyone, says Barry Lehrer, Founder and Director of DiffuzeHR.

One of the biggest struggles for businesses is when senior staff members take an extended break, leaving a gaping hole in the business every-day running, Lehrer told HC Online.



Senior and longstanding staff are difficult to replace due to their intimate knowledge of the business and their expertise, making it an HR conundrum when they are legally entitled to take leave, he says.



Lehrer says the best HR strategies for a business to implement when a senior member of staff goes on maternity leave include:
A clear and well-enforced internet policy is critical to managing the vexed issue of employee internet usage, says Patricia Ryan, Principal of The Workplace Lawyers.



Overuse of the internet for non-work related activities is a form of under-performance or misconduct, as it is a dereliction of duty to take wages for not performing work activities, says Ryan.



As with all performance/misconduct issues, an employer needs to have warned an employee that it s not acceptable, given the employee an opportunity to improve and advise that if the behavior continues, termination may result, Ryan told HC Online.



It is advisable for employers to have a policy or policies in place, advising clearly what is acceptable, she says.



While many employers allow some personal internet use, such as for restaurant bookings and online banking, they must specify that it should not interfere with work activities. If the policy is non-existent or unclear, employees may not know what is acceptable.



Additionally, employees who work additional unpaid hours have a not unreasonable expectation that they should be allowed some personal use, Ryan says.



Also, employees tend to know who the high users are and expect the employer to intervene to stop that.



While employers can legally put in place policies forbidding employees from access social media sites during work hours, employees accessing certain internet sites at work can risk instant dismissal.



Generally, any porn site access will be unacceptable because if it causes offence, it will breach sexual harassment laws, putting both the employer and employee a risk of being sued, Ryan says.



Facebook can be a time waster, and some companies do not allow access to social media sites in work-time at all.



In the case of Richard OConnor v Outdoor Creations [2011] FWA 3081, the employee was dismissed for having 300 Google mail chats over two years. Despite Fair Work Australia saying the grounds for dismissal were reasonable, OConnors dismissal was deemed unfair due to lack of policy/training/procedural fairness on the part of his employer.



In Gmitrovic v Australian Government Department of Defence [2014] FWC 163, the employee won his unfair dismissal case after being sacked for using an anonymous search engine and software disguising his browsing history, as the commission found no evidence that his work suffered as a result of his internet use.



Ryan says HR can take practical steps ensure employees are not using the internet for non-work- related activities in the workplace, including:
By Jesse Wood

The Blowing Rock Town Council will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. for its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, which takes place in Town Hall on Main Street.

The Blowing Rock Town Council will consider a resolution required for the issuance of $4.6 million in bonds for general improvements to the towns infrastructure. This is related to the bond items approved by Blowing Rock voters in November 2014. During that election, four bond items (related to transportation, parks and rec, water and sewer infrastructure) worth $13 million were approved by citizens.

Town Manager Scott Fogleman said that the first issuance is going towards a mix of all four categories. However, Fogleman said that the first big project is the Main Street streetscape improvement project, which happens to be another agenda item to be addressed by council. He added that the next issuance is planned two years from now.

According to a memo from Fogleman in the meeting packet, Three bids have been received for the Downtown Streetscape Phases 5 and 6 capital improvement projects. Greene Construction, Inc. was the lowest responsive, responsible bidder with a bid of $382,922.77. Staff recommends award of the work to Greene Construction for $382,922.77. Funds currently appropriated for the project are sufficient to fund this work in addition to the recommended 10% contingency of $38,293. It is further recommended that bids taken for the Laurel Lane sidewalk replacement project be rejected and that this project be rebid informally and that it be reconsidered for award at the March 8 Council meeting.

See the rest of the agenda below:

Town of Blowing Rock Town Council Regular Meeting

1036 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC

February 9, 2016

6:00 p.m.

Please note that the Holiday Inn Express Conditional Use Permit topic is on the agenda for this meeting as the official notification of the Planning Board recommendation only. It will not be discussed by Council. Because it is a Conditional Use Permit, the Town Council must hear the case in a quasi-judicial hearing format. Because that hearing is not scheduled for this meeting, no one will be able to speak on any topic related to this case (e.g. traffic, landscaping, etc.). Once it is known which meeting the case will be scheduled for, the public hearing will be advertised and the item will be clearly identified as such on the agenda.

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor J.B. Lawrence

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

January 12, 2016 Regular Council Meeting

January 17, 18, 19, 2016 Annual Council Retreat

SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS AND REPORTS

Oath of Office for New Police Officer

Speaker: Tony Jones, Police Chief

Highway 321 Valley Boulevard Construction Update

Speaker: Kipp Turner, Maymead Construction

CONSENT AGENDA

Speaker: Scott Fogleman, Town Manager

Speaker: Scott Fogleman, Town Manager

A budget ordinance amendment has been prepared for Council to consider the recognition of $1,500 of utility franchise tax revenue expected over and above the budgeted amount and a $6,000 grant secured by the Blue Ridge Conservancy through the NC State Parks and Recreation Division for maintenance along the Glen Burney Trail.

Speaker: Scott Fogleman, Town Manager

A resolution has been prepared for Council consideration providing approval for the issuance of $4,635,000 of General Obligation Public Improvement Bonds, series 2015 for the Town of Blowing Rock. This issuance is associated with execution of a portion of the $13,000,000 of general obligation bonds approved by voters in November, 2014.

Speaker: Scott Fogleman, Town Manager

From time to time various pieces of equipment or office furniture are no longer needed. Council is authorized to sell personal property by electronic auction upon adoption of a resolution. At this time, a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria win poor condition has been identified for surplus since the vehicle has been replaced and is no longer in service.

Speaker: Kevin Rothrock, Planning Director

The Planning Board has recommended denial of this request to install a right in only access to the side/rear of the property from Ransom Street, and for the applicant to pursue other alternatives. This agenda item has been prepared to officially notify Council of that recommendation. The applicant is currently reviewing options and this case will need to have its required public hearing at the March 8, 2016 Council meeting in order to be considered.

Speaker: Jennifer Brown, Parks and Recreation Director

A request has been received from the Hunters Heroes Memorial Race Committee to hold their 4th annual 5k/10 mile run on Saturday, May 21, 2016. The 5k/10 mile run will begin at 8:30 am at the Watauga County Sherriffs Department in Boone. The 5k will end at the Boone Police Department and the 10 mile will end at the Blowing Rock Police Department. Afterwards there will be activities in Memorial Park for participants, their families, and other supporters. The committee is working with our staff on the details of the race and events in Memorial Park.

Speaker: Nicole Norman, Finance Officer

Real property tax billed for the 2015 tax year (fiscal year 2015-2016) totaled $3,612,786.38. Through February 2, 2016, $3,429,461.31 or 94.9% has been collected. Consistent with NC General Statute 105-369, and following Council approval, staff will send an individual letter to each property owner and allow at least 30 days for payment prior to publishing the list of real property owners and amounts still unpaid as of that date (projected to be April 18, 2016).

Speaker: Scott Fogleman, Town Manager

The High Country Council of Governments (COG) has successfully secured a 205(j) grant from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality on behalf of the Town of Blowing Rock to map the Towns stormwater collection system. This work is similar to that already completed for the sewer system and that currently taking place for the water system. Included with the same grant, the COG secured funding for the Town of Banner Elk and they will have a matching requirement as well. The total project cost for the entire effort is $15,000 for the Blowing Rock and Banner Elk systems combined. The project match for the Town of Blowing Rock portion is $2,494 and is recommended to be included in the upcoming fiscal year 2016-2017 budget. An agreement with the COG has been prepared for Council approval documenting this work scope and financial arrangement.

Any items removed from the consent agenda will be discussed during this portion of the agenda.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

No public hearings are currently scheduled.

DISCUSSION AGENDA

Board Appointments

Speaker: J.B. Lawrence, Mayor

Applications to fill positions coming up for renewal on the Town of Blowing Rock Boards and Commissions have been reviewed by Town Council for consideration and a final list has been prepared for Council approval. Once approved, new appointees will begin serving at respective meetings in March, 2016.

Speaker: Kevin Rothrock, Planning Director

Staff has prepared a Request for Proposals (RFP) to lease the historic Ice House located at 140 Maple Street. The Ice House has been vacant for several years, with the exception of serving as a staging office for the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce for the Blue Ridge Wine Festival activities. The RFP will seek to identify potential tenants that desire to utilize the interior space for office or retail purposes that will be most compatible with the downtown area.

Speaker: Doug Chapman, Town Engineer

Three bids have been received for the Downtown Streetscape Phases 5 and 6 capital improvement projects. Greene Construction, Inc. was the lowest responsive, responsible bidder with a bid of $382,922.77. Staff recommends award of the work to Greene Construction for $382,922.77. Funds currently appropriated for the project are sufficient to fund this work in addition to the recommended 10% contingency of $38,293. It is further recommended that bids taken for the Laurel Lane sidewalk replacement project be rejected and that this project be rebid informally and that it be reconsidered for award at the March 8 Council meeting.

SPEAKERS FROM THE FLOOR

Prior to the meeting, anyone wishing to speak shall complete an index card supplied by the Town Clerk, on which they will provide their name, address, telephone number and the topic they wish to address. In deference to all who wish to speak, each speaker will be asked to limit his or her comments to no more than three (3) minutes.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

An executive session is not currently planned.

ADJOURNMENT

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By Jesse Wood

The deadline to register to vote for the 2016 primary in March is Friday, Feb. 19.

Election day for the 2016 primary takes place on Tuesday, March 15, when precinct polls across the state will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

For those not able to vote on Election Day or prefer another voting option, early voting takes place from Tuesday, March 3 to Saturday, March 12. Absentee voting by mail is also available  with the last day to request a ballot by mail being Tuesday, March 8. See elections calendar here.

2016 marks the first year of North Carolinas controversial Voter ID law. This year voters will be asked to show an approved photo ID at the polls. Voters who request a mail-in absentee ballot isnt required to show ID, according to the State Board of Elections.

For more information about the voter ID law, click to this state-sponsored website or look for the public service announcements and the Be Recognized campaign by the state to educate voters on the new rules and procedures.

Sample ballots for the primary have been released. Note that if a voter is registered as a Republican, Democrat or Libertarian, those people may only vote on their partys ballot, according to Watauga County Election Director Matt Snyder.

However, if someone is registered as an Unaffiliated they have 4 ballots to choose from: Democrat, Libertarian, Republican, or Non Partisan. Note that if there is a secondary primary, Unaffiliateds will be restricted to the ballot of the party they chose in the first primary. So an Unaffiliated cant vote a Democratic ballot in the first primary and then a Republican ballot in the secondary primary, Snyder said.

The Non-Partisan ballot will only have the Connect NC Public Improvement Bond referendum on it. The others will obviously have only their party contests on the ballot. The only contest on the Libertarian ballot is for President.

See sample ballots for Avery and Watauga counties below:

Avery County Ballots

Note that young adults that are not yet 18 years old but will be by the November election wont be allowed to vote on the bond referendum. So 17-year-old voters will see similar ballots minus the bond referendum selection.

Republican Primary Ballot

Democratic Primary Ballot

Libertarian Primary

Nonpartisan

Watauga County Ballots

Republican Ballot

Democratic Ballot

Libertarian Ballot

Nonpartisan Ballot

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Health

The field of health is rapidly changing and increasingly complex. Our content helps you keep up with the latest trends in health care in ways you can understand.
(Preqin.com) As one of the leading financial centres in Asia, Singapore has become a significant source of capital for the hedge fund industry. According to Preqins Hedge Fund Investor Profiles module on Hedge Fund Online, there are currently 62 hedge fund investors based in Singapore, managing approximately $1.1tn in assets, trailing only Japan and Hong Kong with 118 and 87 institutions respectively. Singapore-based investors currently account for 16% of the total capital allocated to hedge funds in Asia.

To read this article:
My personal impression is that this tide of refugees is only the beginning. A considerably larger number of refugees will make their way to Europe over the next 20 years  not millions but tens of millions. Just look at the population projections for Africa! The rules should be re-considered because this tide alone has disoriented Europe, Soininvaara writes on his blog.

The rules on refugees should be updated as soon as possible because the flow of refugees to Europe will intensify considerably over the next two decades, estimates Osmo Soininvaara, a former chairperson of the Green League.

He estimates that if the relationship between the European Union and Russia continues to deteriorate, it could prompt Russia to create further unrest in Europe by granting refugees free passage through its territory to the external borders of the EU.

It has already become curiously easy to pass through the previously closely-monitored border areas of Russia. I warned as early as six months ago that the Finns Party's calls for absolute adherence to the Dublin Regulation may prove very unselfish, he points out.

Who? - Osmo Soininvaara,64, served five terms in the Finnish Parliament. - He served as the Minister of Health and Social Services in 20022004 and as the chairperson of the Green League in 20012005.

Soininvaara believes the number of refugees each member state receives should be fixed and the criteria for selecting the refugees revamped.

The way refugees are currently selected is far from optimal if the intention is to minimise the burden they place [on the continent] within the current quotas. We offer excellent legal protection to those who have somehow gained access into the EU and leave those who do not have the funds or strength to do that for dead, he argues.

Airlines face a notable fine if they bring a refugee to Finland. There is no way this is rational if the intention is to minimise the human suffering caused by the refugee crisis.

The Geneva Convention on refugees is rather impractical in the current circumstances, according to Soininvaara.

It should not be overturned but updated to reflect the current circumstances. Some kind of convention is necessary, he writes. We should not fix the number of refugees but rather the maximum burden they can place on a national economy.

An educated asylum seeker who has the required language skills, who is able to find employment and start paying taxes immediately is not a burden but rather a blessing. An illiterate, middle-age one who can never find employment is a greater burden, he explains.

President Sauli Niinisto similarly commented on the migrant crisis in his speech at the opening ceremony of the new parliamentary session on Wednesday.

We have to ask ourselves whether we aim to protect Europe's values and people, and those who are truly in acute danger, or inflexibly stick to the letter of our international obligations with no regard for the consequences, he said.

At some point, someone has to recognise that, here and now, we cannot fulfil all of our obligations under international agreements, Niinisto estimated in his somewhat controversial speech.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Angelos Tzortzinis  AFP / Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
Astrid Thors (SFP), the High Commissioner on National Minorities at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), expressed her concerns about the plans to tighten the criteria for family reunifications in an interview on YLE TV1 on Monday.

Thors, a former Minister of Migration and European Affairs, warned that the tighter criteria may become an obstacle to the social integration of immigrants.
The murder at the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra, which saw a killing squad of six men open fire, took place at a weigh-in where it was expected gangster Daniel Kinahan would be in attendance.

A Dublin TD has hit out at the fact that gardai were not monitoring Friday's boxing weigh-in before it became the scene of Ireland's most shocking gangland attack.

Independent TD Finian McGrath told the Herald that the presence of some of the capital's most well-known criminals and the connection to the Kinahan cartel should have warranted an undercover surveillance operation.

"Resources were not put in place even though a lot of people at that weigh-in were serious players in Dublin's gangland and you would assume that there should have been undercover gardai watching them," he said.

"There should have been more hands-on direct policing at the venue. The Minister for Justice has to take responsibility for how garda resources are focused and distributed."

The murder at the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra, which saw a killing squad of six men open fire, took place at a weigh-in where it was expected gangster Daniel Kinahan would be in attendance.

The Dublin Bay North candidate, who sat on a sub-committee of the Department of Justice tasked with examining gangland crime, said that he suspected the lack of gardai in the area was down to a lack of resources.

"Quality policing should always contain covert operations and preventative measures. I'd put money on it that the issue was down to funding and resources," he said.

The van used by the killing squad was burned out near the TD's home and he said that many of his neighbours have been left shaken by the events.

"People have been asking me over the weekend why there wasn't something in place when all of those gangland players were there," McGrath said.

Brutal

The murder was "horrific and brutal" he said, and had left the community in shock.

"The public are really annoyed that these horrific events took place in a hotel we all use - it's a popular venue for charity events and lots of my constituents use the gym there regularly," he added.

Meanwhile, the operators of Ireland's 999 emergency line have defended the fact that several panicked calls from the besieged hotel went unanswered.

James McGettigan, owner of the hotel, revealed that he was forced to call a detective friend when three calls to 999 were not picked up as the gunmen stormed his premises.

The businessman - who witnessed the assassination through a window - said that he eventually got through.

"I told the man what had happened. He said he would have to put me through to the Dublin division. But that kept ringing and ringing," he said.

"The man said they'll answer it any second now. Eventually, I just hung up. It could have been 25 seconds on the phone but it felt like two minutes."

Manager of the hotel John Glynn said that he contacted a detective friend he knew as well.

"When they were out of sight, I rang a detective inspector. He actually didn't believe me. I said: 'There's after being a horrific incident here in the hotel, three armed guys dressed as guards are after shooting a person right in front of me, who seems to be dead, and other people are badly injured'.

"He said 'are you being serious? Hang up and I'll start making the calls'."

BT Ireland, who were in the headlines last week over threatened industrial reaction by operators, said that staff responded in line with emergency procedures.

"The Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) received a surge in calls from different callers at the same incident on Friday.

"Initial calls were answered immediately and passed to the requested emergency service which responded accordingly.

"At the peak, a small number of calls went into a queue for a matter of seconds," a spokesperson said.

Minister Frances Fitzgerald said that the response to the emergency was swift.

"Gardai were inundated with calls by many members of the public who reported it," she said.

"I can tell you that the first car was despatched within 30 seconds and other cars were despatched very shortly afterwards from Santry and Ballymun."

But Ms Fitzgerald said she could not comment on reports that there were no gardai present during the weigh-in - despite the possibility for trouble.

"That's an operational matter," she said.
The Plough and the Stars - the original design for the Irish Citizen Army flag. Watercolour painting by W.H. Megahy. (HE:EW.2363)

Joseph Mary Plunketts rosary beads, given to him by Sgt W Hand, a member of the firing squad which executed him. (HE:EW.5368)

Poet-in-Residence at the National Museum, Dermot Bolger, takes an exclusive look at a fascinating series of Easter Rising objects that will go on display at a major new exhibition

To truly understand any complex historical event you must always look at the bigger picture. But at times an event only comes alive in your mind when it is conjured up in tiny every day objects. These may only be scattered fragments of a much wider jigsaw, but they can make history resonate in our lives.

Last week, using protective gloves, I held a number of seemingly commonplace objects in my hands while visiting the special conservation unit at the National Museum of Museum of Decorative Arts & History at Collins Barracks in Dublin.

This museum - where many scenes in RTE drama Rebellion were filmed - is a hub of activity as staff prepare to launch one of the largest exhibitions they've ever staged. Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising opens in March as the centrepiece of the National Museum's year-long programme of commemorative events.

Collection

I was granted a sneak preview because, from March to August this year, I will be the Museum's first-ever Poet in Residence. It is a collaborative project between the National Museum and Poetry Ireland, entitled Other Voices, which takes inspiration from the Museum's Easter Week Collection.

Our hope is to bring a wide range of different voices into the museum, through school workshops, community writing workshops and a series of public conversations - all free.

For anyone with an imaginative spark, it would be hard not to draw some inspiration from some of the objects I viewed.

Obviously, many of the exhibition's major artefacts are ironic and famous. These include an original copy of the Proclamation once owned by the rebels' chief medical officer Kathleen Lynn, the Irish Citizen Army Flag which flew over the Imperial Hotel and Pearse's handwritten surrender note.

But the items that sparked my imagination were unremarkable on the surface. Only after you understood their providence did they resonate with significance, turning historical figures - presented as virtual plaster-cast saints during my primary school days - into flesh-and-blood people.

The small razor blade might have belonged to any of our grandfathers, but it was the one that Thomas Clarke acquired after his release from Portland Prison in 1898 - when he had been imprisoned for his part in a dynamiting campaign. He shaved himself with it every morning from then until Easter Monday in 1916.

The set of rosary beads (inset) looked similar to beads that so many of us have unearthed when clearing out houses of elderly relatives. But these belonged to a British army officer, Sgt W Hand: a member of the firing squad who executed Joseph Mary Plunkett.

Hand gave them to Plunkett before his execution, as a mark of respect and for whatever solace they might provide to Plunkett who, only hours before, was married in the same jail where he would be shot.

He retrieved them before Plunkett was buried and gave them to his cousin, Dora, before Hand was sent to join the ongoing slaughter in France, where he was killed in 1918.

Some items look so ordinary that, without their case notes, nobody would guess their significance. These include the small spectacles case containing glasses belonging to Patrick Pearse.

But a closer examination of other apparently commonplace objects revealed a revolutionary intent. These include Dublin Corporation reports that Councillor William P Partridge brought with him to Tralee a week before the Rising. A glance at the cover suggests that this book was merely dull reading material. But once you open it you find sections of pages cut out to create a hidden compartment where Partridge concealed bullets and documents given to him by James Connolly.

No exhibition of this magnitude is staged without enormous input from a vast range of skilled people. It was fascinating to watch professionals painstakingly conserve the overcoat that Roger Casement wore when captured.

But it is impossible not to contemplate the 15,000 artefacts that now exist in the National Museum's 1916 collection without singling out one determined individual: Helen 'Nellie' Gifford Donnelly.

Nellie was the only one of the six famous Gifford sisters to fight in the Rising and the only one who declined to convert to Catholicism.

Repository

Perturbed by the quasi-religious tones in which the Rising was starting to be remembered, in 1932 she began to collect artefacts belonging to ordinary volunteers.

These might otherwise have ended up in drawers after people's deaths: their significance forgotten. The seeds of our now vast National Museum collection came from Gifford's initial meticulous efforts.

Her pioneering work started a repository which the Museum has constantly added to over the decades. This year's exhibition will contain weapons, uniforms, manuscripts, prison diaries and emotive personal memorabilia to help contextualise the Rising, to convey the varied personalities of the key people involved and examine the often overlooked experiences of ordinary Dubliners, whose deaths far exceeded the number of combatants killed on either side.

It will be a unique experience for me to write surrounded by such artefacts and to invite into the museum guests such as John Sheahan, who will play a new composition written in memory of Citizen Army leader Michael Mallen.

In a private reading in memory of a deceased relative who was executed a century ago, Paul Durcan also will read poems in memory of his great-uncle, Major John MacBride, his mother, Sheila Durcan, and other members of the MacBride family.

When this exhibition opens in March it will be a unique experience for every member of the public who visits Collins Barracks and loses themselves in contemplation of items that are both unique and remarkable in their ordinariness.

Proclaiming A Republic: The 1916 Rising opens at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks in March 2016
Hagerstown man found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in 2021 shooting

Hagerstown resident Gage J. Coles was convicted Thursday in the October 2021 shooting death of John A. Leonard IV and the shooting of Jaseye Stephens.
This weekend might be the last warm one we have in awhile

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Our demographic dividend is our greatest strength. Even the Prime Minister will agree that the importance of educating and skilling them cannot be underestimated.

Unfortunately, under the ruling dispensation, the youth of this country has been left in a state of despair. My native Madhya Pradesh has been ravaged by the Vyapam scam, which has not only destroyed the lives of thousands of students, but also resulted in innumerable unexplained murders. The Akali-drug mafia nexus in Punjab has single-handedly destroyed an entire generation of young children, who have become slaves to their own addiction. The FTII students have fallen victim to the saffronisation agenda of the BJP/RSS and are being forced to put up with Gajendra Chauhan as the chairman of their prestigious institution.

And finally the most recent and tragic death of Rohith Vemula, who was driven to suicide by the brutal arm-twisting that Union ministers of this government undertook. Union ministers, who have taken the oath of the Constitution, misused the institutional and state machinery to embolden and protect their own.

My birth is my fatal accident. I can never recover from my childhood loneliness. The unappreciated child from my past. My birth is my fatal accident. Rohith Chakravarthi Vemula wanted to be a writer of science, like Carl Sagan. The son of a security guard and a seamstress, he had overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles of caste, class and oppression to join the PhD programme at the prestigious Hyderabad Central University. Rohith was an impeccable student, an active and leading voice on many issues across campus such as protests against the beef ban, the persistence of the death penalty in the criminal justice system, communal violence against Muslims and Ambedkarite politics.

Dissent and a clash of contrarian viewpoints are part and parcel of university life. The best educational institutions bring together diverse individuals and opinions to construct an environment that stimulates the intellect and challenges the status quo.

Under this government, educational institutions and the entire administrative machinery are instead being used as a smokescreen by the saffron forces to further their agenda. It is quite ironic that the BJP accuses the Congress of the politics of vulturisation when they are the ones who politicised and escalated a college-level brawl by undermining the fundamental rights and freedoms of a socially marginalised group.

Following an alleged attack on an ABVP leader at HCU, labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya sent a letter to the HRD ministry referring to Rohith and his colleagues as casteist, extremist and anti-national, which was followed by an unprecedented five reminders in four months by the HRD Ministry to compel the university to act against the students.

Despite being previously cleared by a proctorial board, the students were suspended and banished by the new vice-chancellor, an RSS appointee with a decade-long history of discrimination against Dalit students. They were not just suspended from their academic programmes, but were also socially isolated and financially incapacitated. The nature of the punishment appeared to have all the symbolism of a caste cleansing, in line with the Sangh parivars most radical interpretation of the Hindu Shastras. The obsolete principles of adhikaar and bahishkaar, pitting the entitled versus the excluded, were exercised and actively propagated.

BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, always said, Educate, Agitate, Organize. Rohith and his colleagues were doing exactly that! In the last session of Parliament, we celebrated the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb. This government announced November 26 as Constitution Day and we spent a significant portion of the winter session discussing our commitment to Indias Constitution and the ideas and principles of Babasaheb, who spent his entire life fighting for the rights of the oppressed and the downtrodden of this country. I cant help but point out the hypocrisy of this government because there is no way one can reconcile what it practises with what it preaches.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite expressing supposed empathy towards Rohiths mother, neglected to mention Rohiths untimely death in his first Mann Ki Baat of the year. Any action against the Union ministers seems like a pipe dream. All the government has done following Rohiths death is aggressively debate whether or not Rohith was a Dalit, whether he belonged to the Mala community (which falls under the SC category) or the Vaddera community (which falls under the OBC category).

Let us, for a moment just for the sake of argument, assume that Rohith was not a Dalit. Is this the value we assign to the life of a young scholar in this country? Will Rohiths suicide only matter if he belonged to a certain caste or community? These are questions that require serious introspection. As the country collectively mourns the passing of an enlightened young mind, I am reminded of poignant lines from the last thing Rohith wrote, ever so observant even in death  the value of a manreduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote. To a number. To a thing. Neveras a mind.

Jyotiraditya Scindia is an MP and the Congress partys chief whip in the Lok Sabha.The views expressed are personal.
It started with Gandhi, continued with the non-aligned movement and now the recent India-Africa summit. The affinity between India and Africa has a long history, so to think that the continent is alien to the people of India seems improbable.

However, this is a reality. The belief that the African is depraved, poor and perverse still lingers in the minds of many Indians. The belief that the Africans are of lesser mind and needs saving from themselves informs the thinking of many.

The incident in Bengaluru emphasises this  an African was involved in an accident, another student who had nothing to do with this incident was pounced upon by a mob of mostly males, who ripped her clothes, were abusive and explicitly targeted her for being African, for being a girl, for being vulnerable, for being alone, for being at a public place at a particular time.

The incident caught the attention of the media probably because of its brutality, but this is not the first time an African has gone through such an ordeal because of her identity. We have been constantly reminded of our blackness and of being African. The look of suspicion and differential treatment we receive at various levels; both in school and offices are just a few of the many things we encounter as African students in India.

When I heard of the mob action and the treatment meted out to my compatriot, I began to recount my own experiences. I discussed this with my professor Dr Anuradha Chenoy, who has been a great support. As an African student in India, I came to understand what Frantz Fanon meant in the beginning pages of his books The Fact of Blackness and Black Skin, White Masks, and his sudden consciousness of his identity and the apparent difference he felt when he left his home for Paris. I came to realise that I am an African, and a West African for that matter. For the first time. I was constantly reminded of my identity by the gazes of people who passed me by.

As Africans we face discrimination at many points and it is even more pronounced if you are a woman. We are laughed at, ridiculed and I sometimes wonder, Has an African no god? The institutions in India, both the schools (universities we are enrolled in) and the government have failed to deliver on the promises of protecting and sheltering us as international students. We are left to deal with the harsh and adverse reality of a people who have a misconceived perception of an African.

But should my identity and where I come from really matter in this day and age? And should being a woman warrant such mob treatment? What happened to treating people equally and fairly regardless of gender, tribe or nationality? Clearly, what was operating in this case of the mob attack on the Tanzanian student was a mindset, a misconceived notion and a constructed view of the behaviour of the African. A perverse image of the African which is reinforced by our intolerance towards people we deem different.

This mindset, unfortunately, does not only target race, but also targets other identities that are different from their own; like being a woman. Being a woman brings with it its own dangers and challenges for you are an embodiment of your race and continent. We are prone to ill treatment because of our perceived vulnerability and difference in physical strength.

We see the injustices described being lived in front of our eyes. We have a categorical duty to respect the dignity of persons and the reason for this respect is we are all rational beings. Clearly, this was absent in the mobs action. The African woman in question here was bereft of this dignity. This calls into question the very idea of justice. How do we punish a mob? Does being in a collective group give the mob impunity? Are we living in a society where a mob will be allowed to take any action it considers right, but are actually criminal and then get away just because they are a band of brothers?

I was happy that the MEA has sent a team to examine this incident in Bengaluru, because India is like a magnet for African students. Thousands want to come here to study. The competition is very keen but we compete fairly for this opportunity. The Indian government has been in the past and even more now, establishing greater links with African countries through trade, lines of credit, investment and Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programmes. But to make all this possible, local people must be taught to be gracious, humane and tolerant of difference. India has announced 15,000 foreign scholarships, these will be well used if students are assured of their safety and are welcomed by people.

How would this be possible and how do can we achieve this feat?

First such an incident should not repeat itself and justice must be served and those complicit in this incident should be appropriately punished. Again, justice here means more than due process. The victim should be properly compensated, counselled and reassured of the due process that exists. Last but not least, the citizenry should be educated and re-oriented.

We realised that India-Africa friendship is only known at the highest level, with little being done at the local level. It is unfortunate all the leaders failed to deliberate on the issue of the plight of African students during the recent summit. Both the leadership of India and Africa must endeavour to include issues pertaining to the life and general situation of the African diaspora in India at high-level meetings and platforms.

Linda Peasah Owusu is a student at the School of International Studies, JNU. She is from Ghana. The views expressed are personal.
After extending support to her on Twitter recently, actor Aamir Khan reportedly invited actor Sunny Leone and her husband Daniel Weber for lunch. Aamir is shooting in the Capital while Leone and Weber were in the capital on other work commitments. After the lunch, the conversation spilled over on to evening tea. Aamir has extended an invitation to them to visit him on the sets of his film, a Mumbai tabloid quoted a source as saying.

Read: Will be happy to work with Sunny Leone, says Aamir Khan

The Indian Express quoted a source as saying, Aamir was very warm and hosted a sumptuous lunch for Sunny and her husband. The conversation veered around movies to the support she received from the industry recently.

The actor was recently in news for a rather rude and offensive interview by senior journalist Bhupendra Chaubey. While the said journalist came in for much flak, the lady in question drew support from her ilk with many celebs showing their support for the former porn star on social media. One of the questions asked to Sunny was whether she would want to work with Aamir Khan and, more importantly, if the actor would be interested in working with her. Post that interview, Aamir had come out in support of Sunny Leone.

Read: Sunny Leone is a rockstar; Celebs support actor after her TV interview

While social media was abuzz on the said topic, academics in Britain flayed its patriarchal and moralistic overtones, saying it highlighted Indias sexual hypocrisy.
He might have won a number of film awards, but actor Irrfan Khan thinks that they dont hold any meaning in the long run. In a recent interview, the 49-year-old actor said that awards in India do not help someone in their career growth. Winning awards dont do anything for any actor or director. It will not get you more money or better offers since theres no credibility to them. Its not something that one puts in their resume. he believes.

Irrfan further adds that unlike Academy awards, members of the Bollywood film fraternity cannot boast about the awards that they receive here. In the West, Academy awards or Golden Globes have a lot of significance. If someone wins an award there, their graph goes up. They get better movies, and obviously the money also shoots up. Par yahan aath-aath award jeet lete hain, aur uska kuch asar nahi hota, he adds.

Irrfan Khan and Tom Hanks in a still from Inferno

Read: Why Irrfan Khan rejected Steven Spielberg film with Scarlett Johansson

Moreover, referring to the National awards, Irrfan says in jest, They will more likely lose work rather than get it. (Winning a national award) is a great satisfaction for an artist because it is given by the government. But it has no impact on an artists career.

Irrfan joins a host of celebrities who believe that the majority of award ceremonies in India are shallow.

Read: From Nolan to DiCaprio: 4 times Irrfan Khan turned down Hollywood

Recently actor Rishi Kapoor, who had won a lifetime achievement award, had said in an interview, I use trophies as doorstops in my home. What they have done to film awards is extremely tragic. Agar sabko khush karna hai toh phir awards ka matlab kya hua? They had pleaded me to accept it. They think my work is over, so they keep giving me lifetime achievement awards. My work continues, irrespective of whether they give me an award or not.

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Indias 29 state-owned banks have written off a total of Rs 1.14 lakh crore between 2012-13 and 2014-15, a sum large enough to build more than 10,000 km of highways.

The Indian Express reported on Monday that twenty-nine state-owned banks wrote off a total of Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad debts between financial years 2013 and 2015, much more than they had done in the preceding nine years.

Here are five things such an amount can do to push India up on the development ladder:

1. Build more than 11,000 km of national expressways at an average cost of Rs 10 crore per km, entirely funded by the government.

2. The current NREGA annual budget is Rs 34,699 crore. With Rs 1.14 lakh crore, the government can widen the scope of the rural job scheme by nearly four times. Conversely, with such an amount, the government will be able to fully fund the NREGA scheme for nearly four years without setting aside money in the annual budget.

3. The written off debt amount of Rs 1.14 lakh crore, if made available to the government, will allow it to nearly fully fund the annual food subsidy bill of Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

4. India currently spends about Rs 14,000 crore to build rural roads. The written off bank debts is more than eight times the annual budget of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. With Rs 1.14 lakh crore, the government can expand the scope of the rural road scheme eight times.

5. India spends Rs 22,000 crore from the annual central budget to finance the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, a state-funded elementary and primary education programme. With Rs 1.14 lakh crore, the total amount written off as bad debts between 2013 and 2015, the government will be able to expand the scheme five fold.
The initial autopsy report of the 23-year-old DU student, Arzoo Singh Chauhan, who was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend on February 2 has ascertained that she was not pregnant at the time she was killed. The initial findings of the postmortem examination suggest that she died of asphyxia almost four days before her body was found.

Investigators said while it is clear that the murder was not pre-planned, they are now on the lookout for the accused father to shed more light on the case.

During questioning the accused Naveen Khatri told the police that he never intended to murder Arzoo Singh, and confessed that it all happened in a fit of rage. He told the police that Arzoo kept threatening to blow the lid and tell his family members about their secret meetings. He said she threatened to come to the wedding venue on the day of his marriage and create a scene. He said Arzoo got very hostile and started to slap and punch him while he was driving the car and as a reaction he punched her face and then strangled her using her dupatta, police said.

It is believed that Khatri then informed his father Raj Kumar, who is allegedly involved in a case of murder reported in 2006 and recently came out on parole, about the murder and he suggested him to drive the body home. Raj Kumar has been missing since the incident. We are trying to trace Raj Kumar who is still missing. It is unclear if he had a role in helping Naveen dump the body in the shaft. However we suspect that he was aware of the murder. Our teams are looking for him, police said.

Read | Accused stalked DU girl, boyfriends father under police lens

Arzoos semi-decomposed body was recovered from the ventilation shaft of Khatris four-storey home at Rajpura near Model Town on the northwestern parts of the Capital.

The 23-year-old, final-year Hindi honours student of Laxmibai College, was abducted on February 2 from outside the institution allegedly by her boyfriend from the same neighbourhood and strangled her with a dupatta inside the car. He was arrested on Saturday.

Police had on Sunday claimed that while was murdered at southwest Delhis Nangal Dewat, the accused concealed the body in the boot of his car, where it remained till the next morning. In the meantime, he had driven the body to his Rajpura house and around 5am he took it out from the cars boot, heaved it to the first floor and thrust it inside a ventilation shaft when members of his family were fast asleep. The dupatta was still tied around her neck, an officer said.

Two days later, suspected assailant Naveen Khatri married another girl and spent his wedding night at the same room in which the body was dumped.

Read | Arzoos body found in ventilation shaft, boyfriend confesses

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Municipal employees of Delhi temporarily called off a 13-day strike on Monday after the high court intervened to end the standoff with the government but a section of sanitation workers refused to budge, potentially lengthening the capital citys civic woes.

The agitation over alleged delay in payment of salaries had pitted the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the BJP, which controls the citys civic agencies and left garbage piling up by the capitals streets besides crippling healthcare and education.

A joint front of municipal workers representing 38 unions agreed to end the agitation after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) informed the court on Monday that it had released January salaries for all employees. The unions will take a final decision on their course of action after the next high court hearing on Wednesday.

We never wanted to cause any inconvenience to the people and have decided to carry out our daily duties to ensure the same, said Rajesh Mishra, president of the United Front of MCD Employees.

Authorities said the collection and disposal of garbage will be the first priority of the municipal corporation as more than 40,000 ton of waste is estimated to have piled up along major stretches in north and east Delhi.

The breakthrough came two days after a big chunk of teachers, engineers and administration staff had called off their stir. Doctors and paramedics had ended their strike earlier on Friday.

All the safai karamcharis are calling off the strike and will resume work immediately...We will monitor this petition (for further hearing on arrears issue), the HC said after workers raised the demand for payment of arrears such as dearness allowance and other such prerequisites.

A section of sanitation workers, mostly from east Delhi, however, said they will continue the strike alleging that the bailout by the Delhi government is still conditional.

We will continue the strike and will lead a protest against the Delhi government on Tuesday. We are against the conditional loan provided by the Arvind Kejriwal government, which suggests that contractual employees must be done away with, said Sanjay Gehlot, president of the Swatantra Mazdoor Vikas Sanyukt Morcha.

The AAP government has maintained that it gave adequate funds to the civic bodies and blamed financial mismanagement and graft in the BJP-run municipal corporations for the crisis.

The BJP, however, accused the AAP of mismanaging funds and plunging the city into crisis.

The relief came after a bench of chief justice G Rohini and justice Jayant Nath said it would hear on issues concerning the arrears of MCD sanitation workers on Wednesday.

During the day, Delhi mayors also met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and sought his intervention in getting their rightful share of funds under Delhi Finance Commission recommendations from the AAP government.

The mayors apprised the home minister of the prevailing situation and asked him to ensure that Delhi government releases around Rs 3,000 crore under 3rd DFC and implements 4th DFC without further delay, said East Delhi mayor Harshdeep Malhotra.
Pakistani analysts tend to suggest that Indias anger over the 26/11 Mumbai attacks is overwrought. They argue that Pakistan has suffered thousands of casualties in terrorist attacks over the last decade and want India to view the 2008 attacks against that backdrop and expect New Delhi to move past Mumbai for the sake of bilateral ties.

India has strong reasons not to buy into that narrative. There are, to be sure, terrorist groups that are waging war with the State in Pakistan, but that is a different problem from what Indian policymakers and the public face as they live with the awareness that elements of the Pakistani State are actively conspiring with terrorist groups to wage war against India. It is for that reason that the latest deposition  in a TADA court via video from the United States  of Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Headley assumes significance.

In his testimony, Headley rehearsed his journey as an LeT operative, visiting Mumbai seven times on recce visits. He spoke of being influenced by Hafiz Saeed and getting acquainted with a Major in the ISI who put him in touch with the LeT. As is well-known, Headley went on to reconnoitre targets in Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi for his handlers and plotted the GPS coordinates of the landing site for the 26/11 attackers. The Pakistan government may not accept Headleys version of events and use it to prosecute the perpetrators but his depositions will, as they continue, provide India with a firmer sense of the intimate links between the ISI and the LeT  and thereby harden Indian attitudes about the scope for forward movement in Pakistan.

Islamabad would do well to register the reactions in India to Headleys depositions to understand how much the lack of progress in Pakistan on the 26/11 attacks trials remains an impediment to forward movement. The Pakistani State has failed to act on the several leads it has received about the LeTs operations from Headley and western intelligence agencies who are quite alert to the threat the group poses to their own societies.

What is particularly disturbing is that the Nawaz Sharif government is unable to rein in Saeeds anti-Indian rhetoric, let alone prosecute him for crimes. Saeed has warned India of more Pathankot-style attacks. The influence of his hate speech cannot be underestimated, given that his group is known for effectively circulating his addresses and propaganda on the Internet.

The New York Times has recently reported that Pakistan may have facilitated the move of Sunni jihadists to the battlefields of Syria and thereby had a role in the rise of the Islamic State as well. Headleys testimony will sow fresh doubts about Islamabads willingness to address New Delhis concerns, given the regimes culpability in generating terror.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, has created a unique fund by raising money out of profits from a stationery shop and fines imposed on erring students, to help needy students.

When 19-year-old Eshwar Saini scored low because of keeping unwell and his scholarship was stopped for the semester, he had little hope of continuing studies. But IIT-Ds Board for Student Welfare (BSW) helped him pay his fees by giving him ` 22,000. Sainis father is a farmer in a village at Bundi in Rajasthan and earns about Rs 50,000 a year.

My father is a small farmer and cannot pay my fees. Last semester, I fell ill and could not score enough to get scholarship. I contacted BSW and based on my need they gave me aid and now I can focus on managing a good score to get my scholarship back, Saini, a third-year student of B.Tech said.

Undergraduate students are given up to Rs 25, 000 twice while postgraduate students are given the amount once during their entire course. Siddarth Jain, general secretary BSW, said, We do look into the application and check if the student deserves it or not, he said.

The money to provide financial aid to these students is generated from a stationery shop which is run inside the campus. The profit made by the shop is collected as funds. We also collect money through fines imposed on students who break rules like bringing bikes inside the campus. We collect around Rs 3-4 lakh throughout the year, SK Gupta, dean students affair, said.

Another student Ashish Yadav said that after his parents failed to pay his mess fee he contacted BSW. My father is a farmer and last semester we did not have money to pay my fees. But BSW helped me, Yadav, an M.Sc student, said.

Gupta said that many students who come from socially and financially backward background end up getting into a vicious cycle where they are not able to focus on studies. Their background is such that they need to focus extra on studies but due to financial constraints they cannot. If their scores go down, they dont qualify for scholarships and cant pay fees. We want to ensure that no student stops studies due to financial constraints. We streamlined this process from 2012, he said.

Read more: IIT-B team designs mechanism to release methane

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The Madhya Pradesh government will soon launch Dastak Abhiyan, a School Chalen Ham Abhiyan-like campaign to reduce absenteeism of students from the schools, officials said.

Absenteeism in schools is a major concern for the Madhya Pradesh school education department. In 2012, a scheme Pratibha Parv was launched to address the issue.

At a meeting of school education department, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had directed officials to identify out-of-school children and take effective steps to bring them into the mainstream of education. For this, motivators of School Chalen Ham Abhiyan were constantly contacted and trained.

Through the campaign, children who mostly remain absent will be motivated for regular attendance in schools to enable them to acquire prescribed skills in remaining time. Directives have been given to hold additional classes for such students, said Rajya Shiksha Kendra public relations officer and Amitabh Anuragi

During Pratibha Parv, it came the governments notice that D and E Grade includes students who mostly remain absent from schools. All collectors have been asked to bring them into mainstream of education through motivators under Dastak Abhiyan.

Children who have less than 20% of attendance during the last three months or who are continuously absent for one month have been placed in the category of out-of-school children.

As per plan, out-of-school students and school dropouts will be encouraged for admission in classes according to their age through residential special training and non-residential special training. After acquiring prescribed qualifications, they would be admitted in schools on regular basis.

Education facilities would also be provided to differently-abled children, who are not able to attend school.

School Chalen Ham-like campaign

Children who have less than 20% attendance during the last three months or who are continuously absent for one month have been placed in the category of out-of-school children

After acquiring prescribed qualifications, out-of-school students and dropouts will be admitted in schools on regular basis. Education facilities would also be provided to specially abled children, who are not able to attend school

Mobile resource advisors will impart teaching guidance at home

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to take a close look at the higher education sector during a meeting to review functioning of the human resource development ministry, under fire over the suicide by a Dalit scholar alleging discrimination on campus.

The meeting, to be held on February 17, is likely to discuss a number of issues including the lower rate of enrollments and implementation of various schemes in higher education.

A senior HRD official termed the review a routine exercise for an update on the ministrys schemes but sources claim that a range of issues related to central universities are likely to feature.

HRD minister Smriti Irani and the higher education secretary are expected to be present at the meeting, which comes in the backdrop of the suicide by Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad. The incident had sparked outrage across the nation with opposition parties and activists accusing HRD ministrys discriminatory policies of driving the student to commit suicide.

A number of higher education schemes had been announced by the ministry aimed at improving the current system including IMPRINT, a one-stop research funding mechanism, which stressed on developmental research and a national institutional ranking framework among others.

Read more: Dalit students suicide: Is Modi losing touch with the youth?

The review meeting will be held a day before Iranis session with vice-chancellors of all 46 central universities to discuss ending possible discrimination of socially disadvantaged students.

An analysis of government figures shows a sharp dip in the rate of growth in enrollment of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in higher education over the past four years.

A community-wise gross enrollment ratio (GER)  the ratio of the youth in universities and colleges compared to the total number of youth in higher education age group of 18 to 23 years  also reveals how fewer SCs and STs were getting into colleges.

Only 18 of every 100 SC youth made it to college in 2014-15 against a national average of 23.6. For scheduled tribes, the ratio was much lower at 13.3, underlining the skewed employment opportunities for the socially and economically disadvantaged.

The survey covered 3.3 crore students who had enrolled in colleges and universities, including about 45 lakh SC and 16 lakhs ST youth in 2014-15.

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Students at University of Mumbai (MU) have nowhere to complain about academic problems as the universitys Student Grievance Redressal Cell (SGRC) has not been working for the last six months.

The previous body was dissolved by the university, after its term ended on August 31. The state, which was preparing to bring a new law to govern public universities, had issued a resolution preventing fresh elections for all university committees, including the grievance cell.

The students, meanwhile, are bearing the brunt of the administrative mess. When we approached the university official regarding an exam-related issue, we were told they wont be able to look into the complaint, as theres no grievance cell in the university. They told us that it will be months before the new act is implemented and a new complaint redressal mechanism is set up, said Devaki Dave, a student from KM Kundnani College of Pharmacy, Cuffe Parade.

With no help from officials and little knowledge about the inner workings of MU, students often have to run from pillar to post to get their grievances heard. Students who are facing issues have nowhere to go. They keep making rounds of various offices in the university with little success, said Sachin Pawar a student from New Law College, Matunga. He added that the grievance cell must be housed in Kalina campus of the university instead of Fort campus, as most of the academic departments, including the examination department, are located in Kalina.

From availability of study material to payment of fees, the students are facing many issues. But theres no one to listen to them in the college or the university. So, the students simply put their grievances on social media, said Santosh Takale, a teacher from KC College. We dont know where to go in order to file our complaints. The online mechanism of sending grievances also appears to be broken, adds Khoj Agarwal, a CA aspirant.

The SGRC office has received around a dozen complaints in past few months, but they are lying in cold storage. As per the norms, the grievances are required to be resolved within a month. With the government, reportedly, waiting for budget session of state assembly to pass the new universities law, the cell is unlikely to be formed any time sooner.

While the university has put in place a temporary senate, academic council, management council and board of examination, consisting of ex-officio members - the varsity office bearers - and few nominated members, so far no such provision has been made for grievance cell. According to sources, the university may soon appoint an ad-hoc committee to deal with the grievances, as well.

However, there are concerns about the legality of an ad-hoc committee. The ad-hoc committee wont have any legal sanctity. It may help in resolving the issues amicably between warring parties, but wont be able to give a verdict, said an MU official.

Read more: No principals at 452 of 742 Mumbai University colleges

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A bus exploded in central London on Sunday alarming unaware witnesses but it later turned out that it was actually a stunt for a Jackie Chan action film.

The bus was travelling across Lambeth Bridge not far from Britains parliament when its top deck exploded with a large bang in a ball of flames.

One witness was the author Sophie Kinsella who said children in a park nearby had been freaked by the sight.

This is the aftermath of a London bus being blown up for a film shoot today. Lambeth Bridge remains closed. pic.twitter.com/nT36TWQZW1  MPSonthewater (@MPSonthewater) February 7, 2016

I was freaked too. Looked very real, she wrote on Twitter.

In fact it was a controlled explosion for the action film The Foreigner, starring actors Chan and Pierce Brosnan, which is due out later this year.

Anyone worried about the exploding bus on Lambeth Bridge just now? It was just for a movie. pic.twitter.com/1ypWZZ6jPp  Nigel Huddleston MP (@HuddlestonNigel) February 7, 2016

But for some it was all too reminiscent of the 7/7 attacks that killed dozens of people in London in 2005. One of those attacks targeted travellers on a red double decker bus.

John Taylor, whose 24-year-old daughter Carrie was killed in the 7/7 attacks, asked whether the stunt had been properly thought through.

@se1 fairly worrying robe woken up to an explosion and my first blurry eyed vision is this on Lambeth bridge!! pic.twitter.com/o91Up9vbgO  Anders (@IndiAndersJones) February 7, 2016

You can totally understand why some people would be alarmed seeing this today, Taylor told the Daily Mirror newspapers online edition. This seems particularly insensitive.

Read: Some Russian women are melting their jewels to make DiCaprio an Oscar

A bus explodes on Lambeth Bridge, during filming for Jackie Chan's new film The Foreigner, in London, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. (AP )

The bridge had been closed and the film producers had issued warnings of a controlled explosion to local residents and businesses before it was carried out.

Authorities, however, sought to reassure people afterwards.

If you saw this on Lambeth bridge this morning dont worry it was for a film & not a real incident, wrote London Fire Brigade on Twitter.
You know his name. He has been AWOL for almost 10 years. He promised he would never come back. But then that familiar Moby theme kicks in, and a terrified voice declares, My God, thats Jason Bourne. Hes back indeed and here is the breathtaking 30-second first trailer for his new movie, which looks like its simply called Jason Bourne. Well played.

Thats how iconic the character is. All it takes to transport us all back to the frenetic world of Bourne is 30 seconds of fan service and thats how theyre marketing this movie. Jason Bourne is a legend. Hes back. Go watch the movie as soon as it comes out.

Watch: Independence Day Resurgence trailer: Oh my God, were all going to die

Watch: X-Men Apocalypse trailer: Even J-Law cant save the world

Operation Blackbriar and Treadstone have been dismantled but the world is faced with a new threat, one that scares even Tommy Lee Jones. In Matt Damons own words: This is a post Snowden world. Expect some serious real-world consequence this time around.

Watch the trailer here

The world is at war, says a voice (maybe Julia Stiles) and they need a perfect weapon. Its the worlds lucky day then that Jason Bourne is alive and kicking in one of its remotest corners and this time, he remembers everything. There he is, taking part in underground fights and knocking men down with single punches. The trailer does a good job of hitting all the beats Bourne fans want to see. We get the gritty fist-fights, flashy international locations, the trademark Paul Greengrass handheld camerawork, and loads of Matt Damon.

Read: First-look: Matt Damon reborn as Jason Bourne in Bourne 5

It looks like Bourne is a superhero now, because while this short trailer doesnt tell us much about the plot or the emotional stakes it does show us some sweet, sweet large-scale action. The centerpiece has to be that car chase on the Las Vegas strip, which they shot only recently and shut down the iconic stretch of road for. Bourne is famous for its incredible car chases (remember Moscow?) and this one feels like its pushing the bar even higher.

After redefining the spy genre with three outstanding films, Bourne disappeared. Matt Damon insisted he would return only if director Paul Greengrass returned. They both went their separate ways. In the meantime, Universal dished out a sub-par spinoff starring Jeremy Renner, which, if anything, made fans clamour more excitedly for the return of Matt Damon. Lucky for us, both of them came to their senses and came back for more.

Jason Bourne (thats what were calling it till they tell us otherwise) also stars Alicia Vikander and Vincent Cassell as the villain. It arrives on July 29.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

The first poster for Jason Bourne.
Pakistani terrorists attempted to attack Mumbai twice before the 26/11 strikes that killed 166 people but failed both times, key accused and Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley told a local court on Monday.

The first attempt to strike Indias financial capital was made in September 2008 but the boat used by extremists to reach Mumbais shores hit rocks in the ocean, Headley said during a deposition. All weapons and explosives on board were lost but the terrorists survived.

The same group of terrorists made a second attempt a month later in October but failed again.

Read more: Headleys revelations: False visa info, LeT follower, recced CBI HQ

In his deposition through video-conference, which began at 7 AM, Headley said that he was a true follower of LeT and came to India eight times--seven before the terror attack on November 26, 2008 and once after that.

Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.

I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity.

After I got a new passport I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with. The objective for coming to India was to set up an office/business so that I can live in India. Before the first visit, Sajid Mir gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai, Headley told the court .

Headley also said that in his Indian visa application he had furnished all wrong information to protect his cover. He reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House.

His reconnaissance provided vital information for the 10 LeT terrorists and their handlers, who launched the attack.

Read More: David Headley: From a video store operator in NY to 26/11 accused

Headley, an American of Pakistani origin has been an LeT member since 2002, told the Mumbai court last December when he was first produced via video conferencing that he was ready to depose and turn approver in the 26/11 trials if he was pardoned. The court granted his wish and accepted him as a prosecution witness.

The conspiracy was hatched outside India  No direct evidence is there so far for the offence of criminal conspiracy. In this case fortunately for the prosecution, David Coleman Headley has willingly decided to unfold the conspiracy which was hatched outside India, the court said.

Read more: Headley reveals he changed name, visited India 8 times prior to 26/11

Headley had also turned approver in the US in the trial against his former partner and friend Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani Canadian operative of the LeT. This helped him get a lenient sentence and a promise that he will not be sent to India or any other country to face trial. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison by the US court.

With inputs from Agencies
Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley on Monday for the first time deposed before a Mumbai court through video conference after being made an approver in the 26/11 attacks case which may further unravel the conspiracy behind the brazen terror strike.

The court is currently trying key plotter Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said Headleys evidence is important to unfold many facts behind the 26/11 attack. He, however, refused to divulge any further information.

Read more: 26/11 attacks case: Headley deposes before Mumbai court via video link

What is Headley expected to say:

Meanwhile, a Mumbai police official said that Headley can give broader aspect of criminal conspiracy and who all were involved in the attacks which had left 166 dead and 309 others injured.

He may also bare therole of Pakistan in case, the official said.

Headleys testimony expected to detail the role of terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed, who roams free in Pakistan, and terrorist Abu Jundal who is facing trial in India and was identified by the lone 26/11 terrorist captured alive, Ajmal Kasab, as his handler.

Highlighting the importance of the evidences that are expected to be brought to fore by Headley, Nikam said,  The evidence of David Headley is important for two reasons. One of the Indian terrorists Abu Jindal who was in Pakistan and against whom the trial is pending. So, David Headley may give the broader aspect of the criminal conspiracy. The second aspect of the evidence of David Headley would be that why the conspiracy was hatched, who were the persons behind the criminal conspiracy and how it progressed with ultimately a huge death toll of 160 persons. We expect that David Headley would give his revelation. Because on oath he is going to give the revelation as he has made a commitment before the American court.

Read more: 10 things David Headley told NIA about 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks

Four years ago Headley made many startling revelations when he was interrogated in the US by a team of sleuths from Indias National Investigation Agency. At the time, he had revealed that the Mumbai attacks were possible only because of the complete support of the ISI. Headley had also told the NIA that he believed local Indian boys were part of the LeTs Karachi set-up which was created to launch operations into India by using militants of Indian origin. ( Read all the details here)

The court had on December 10, 2015, made Headly an approver and directed him to depose before the court on February 8.

Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai terror attacks, had told Special Judge GA Sanap that he was ready to depose if granted pardon.

Read more: 26/11 Mumbai attacks: Headley pardoned but the whodunit continues

Judge Sanap had made Headley an approver, subject to certain conditions and granted him pardon.

Presently, the court is trying the case against key LeT operative Abu Jundal.

From a video store operator in NY to 26/11 accused, who is David Headley?

Headleys maps and videos helped ten Pakistani fidayeens land by sea on Mumbais shores and launch one of the audacious attacks on the financial capital, killing over 166 people and injuring 300.

Between November 26 and 29, 2008, terrorists rampaged through two five-star hotels Oberoi and Taj Mahal Palace, Jewish outreach centre at Nariman House, Cafe Leopold, all in Colaba, besides Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Cama and Albless Hospital.

While nine terrorists were killed during the response operations, a lone gunman Ajmal Kasab was tried and hanged on November 21, 2012 at Punes Yerawada jail.

The FBI arrested Headley in October 2009 at OHare International Airport in Chicago while on his way to Pakistan. US District Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago sentenced him to 35 years in prison for his role in Mumbai attacks on January 24, 2013.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley revealed a goldmine of information for Indian authorities on various aspects leading to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, while deposing via videoconference from a US jail before Special TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap here on Monday.

He gave names of the officials connected to the Pakistan Army and spoke of their role, its dreaded Inter-Services Intelligence, the LeT and others who were involved in the conspiracy, planning and execution of the 26/11 attacks which killed 166 people and injured hundreds more.

Among the stunning disclosures was the fact that two unsuccessful attempts had been attempted in Mumbai in September and October 2008 which failed, before the final strike at multiple locations in south Mumbai on November 26-29, 2008.

Headly also named the feared LeT founder Hafez Sayeed and his close associate Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi - both suspected right from the beginning since the investigations were launched by Indian agencies after the 26/11 attacks.

He named two people directly linked with the Pakistan Army and ISI - Major Iqbal and Major Ali and unraveled how he (Headley) was arrested by Pakistan Army around 2002 when he was going to meet a drug smuggler to send arms and ammunitions consignment to Kashmiri groups fighting the Indian Army.

Right at the start, Headley revealed that he was born on June 30, 1960 in the US and shifted to Pakistan later where his name was Daood Sayeed Gilani. Headley, 54, provided details of his passport and his seven-eight trips to Mumbai and one to New Delhi between 2006-2008 before the 26/11 attacks, including seven via Pakistan, one via UAE, and another trip to Mumbai in July 2009, after the terror attacks were executed.

Here are the highlights of David Coleman Headleys revelations from his deposition on Monday, which will resume on Tuesday by 7am IST.

# When the public prosecutor in the 26/11 case Ujjwal Nikam asked Headley what is Jihad according to him, Headley said, Jihad is to fight against enemies of Islam.

# Headley revealed his intentions to go to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops, but Lakhvi found too him old for the training and didnt let him go. But they agreed to use him for some other purpose.

# Headley visited 5-6 militant training camps in Pakistan. He also attended Daura-e-Suffa, Daura-e-Amma, Daura-e-Khasa, Daura-e-Ribat leadership courses. During these courses, he was taught that India is enemy of Islam.

# Headley said he joined LeT after being influenced by its head Hafeez Saeed. He then took his first course with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad, and did LeTs work on directions of Hafeez Saeed.

# Dr Tahawwur Hussain Rana helped Headley to get Indian visa. Headly met him in a military school in Punjab province. Dr Rana was his schoolmate for 5 years. After school, Rana became a doctor in Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi.

# Sajid Mir (an LeT operative) was using the email Id chalchalo@yahoo.com to communicate. Major Ali introduced Headly to Major Iqbal of Pakistan ISI. Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal were happy to see my Indian visa. Sajid Mir was guiding Headley on getting visas.

# Headley and retired major Abdur Rehman Pasha were arrested in Landi Kotal near Pakistan-Afghanistan border because the former looked like a foreigner.

Headley further said: During my arrest, Major Ali came to interrogate me and I was having some Indian literature in my possession. During the interrogation I gave information to Major Ali that Im holding a business office in India. He thought that I will be beneficial for gathering intelligence from India.

# First attempt to attack Mumbai via sea route was made in September, 2008, but the boat hit rocks in the ocean, and weapons and explosives were lost, but those on board survived, Headley told the Mumbai court via a video link. He then said that the second attempt to attack was made in October 2008, with those involved in 1st attempt involved in this as well, but even this attack failed.

The third and final attack on Mumbai was successful.

# Headley said that all details except the place of birth, date of birth, mothers nationality and passport number, were incorrect in his visa application. In essence, most of the information on his visa application was false so that he would not blow his cover.

# After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks , Headley visited India on March 7, 2009, from Lahore . His seven visits to India prior to the attack were directly from Pakistan and 1 from UAE.

# Admitting he was a LeT operative, Headley name one Sajid Mir as his main contact in the terror group. He also revealed Sajid Mir wanted him to set up some business or office in India

# Headley admitted that he was a true follower of the LeT and had changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Coleman Headley for the purpose of acquiring a new passport to come to India.

# Headley also revealed that he recced the vice presidents house in New Delhi, India Gate and the CBI headquarters.

# Headley said it was LeT handler Sajid Mir who asked him to take general videos of Mumbai.

In December last year, Headley was pardoned by the court after her agreed to turn approver and appear before it connection with the 26/11 trials. His deposition is likely to unravel the conspiracy and nail Pakistans lies in connection with the attacks.

According to media reports on Sunday, Headley has reportedly confessed that 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks were masterminded by Pakistans terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and had approval of Paks Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI).

(With inputs from agencies)
A London-bound Air India flight from New Delhi with 90 passengers on board made an emergency landing at Frankfurt Airport after one of the Boeing 787-800 (VT-ANO) aircraft engines had to be switched off mid-air.

All the passengers were safe and Air India engineers are inspecting the aircraft engine to fix the snag that forced the flight to land at the German airport at 1332 hours (local time) on Monday, an Air India spokesperson said.

Air India flight AI-115, had departed around 0650 hours from the IGIA for Londons Heathrow Airport after arriving from Amritsar this morning, he said.

There was some issue with the engine that forced the pilot to switch-off one of the engines and seek permission to land at the Frankfurt airport, he said.

Notably, the same aircraft was grounded within a week of its induction in October 2013 after a large panel on fuselage got detached while operating a flight to Bengaluru from Delhi.
That BR Ambedkar was a bright student is known, but what did American and British academics say about his credentials? Archival documents released by the London School of Economics (LSE) cast new light on the iconic leaders student days here.

After completing a doctorate at Columbia University, Ambedkar wanted to research and study in Britain. His professor, Edwin R Seligman from Columbia, wrote to economist Herbert Foxwell at LSE on September 23, 1920, recommending his star student.

He writes me that he is desirous of utilising certain research facilities in both London and in Edinburgh and has asked for a letter of introduction to you. This I am very glad to give him, as he is not only a very able, but an exceedingly pleasant fellow, and I am sure that you will do for him what you can, Seligman wrote.

Foxwell wrote to LSEs secretary, Mair, in November 1920, I find he (Ambedkar) has already taken his doctors degree & has only come here to finish a research. I had forgotten this. I am sorry we cannot identify him with the School but there are no more worlds here for him to conquer.

This was Ambedkars second attempt to study at LSE after having enrolled for a Masters degree in 1916, when he took courses in geography with Halford Mackinder, political ideas with G Lowes Dickinson, and social evolution and social theory with LT Hobhouse.

(Picture courtesy: LSE History)

The fee for the course was 10 and 10 shillings. At the same time, Ambedkar enrolled for the bar course at Grays Inn. His 1916 application form in his handwriting has also been released by LSE, which mentions his permanent address as Bombay, India.

Ambedkars studies at LSE were interrupted as he was recalled to India to serve as a military secretary in Baroda, but in July 1917 the University of London gave him leave of absence of up to four years.

In 1920, Ambedkar returned to LSE after working as a professor of political economy at Sydenham College in Mumbai and giving evidence to the Scarborough Committee preparing the 1919 Government of India Act on the position and representation of untouchable communities.

Initially, he applied to complete his masters degree and write a thesis on The Provincial Decentralisation of Imperial Finance in India. His fees had gone up by a guinea, to 11 pounds and 11 shillings.

College archives show there was a slight glitch in his LSE career in April 1921 when he failed to send in his form for the summer examinations. The school secretary, Mair, had to write to University of Londons Academic Registrar for permission to submit the form late.

(Picture courtesy: LSE History)

In economics, Ambedkars tutors included Edwin Cannan and Foxwell. Ambedkar submitted his doctoral thesis, The Problem of the Rupee, in March 1923 but it was not recommended for acceptance. There were reports the thesis was too revolutionary and anti-British for the examiners. However, there is no indication of this in Ambedkars student file. The thesis was resubmitted in August 1923 and accepted in November 1923.

It was published almost immediately and in the preface Ambedkar noted my deep sense of gratitude to my teacher, Cannan noting that Cannans severe examination of my theoretical discussions has saved me from many an error.

Cannan repaid the complement by writing the Foreword to the thesis in which he found a stimulating freshness even if he disagreed with some of the arguments.

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London: Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, who has been in jail since 1995 after being convicted of a blast in New Delhi in 1993, is among several Sikh political prisoners likely to be released shortly, national security adviser Ajit Doval has informed a key interlocutor in official talks.

Jasdev Singh Rai, who was the chief interlocutor during talks between a delegation of overseas Sikhs and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in London in November, has been informed that procedures for the release of 42 political prisoners have been initiated.

After meeting Doval in New Delhi recently for a follow-up of the London meeting, Rai told Hindustan Times that the issues discussed included the release of prisoners, taking down of blacklists, and passports for families of those who had sought asylum abroad.

The talks with Modi were described as a major breakthrough after 31 years of standoff between overseas Sikhs and the Indian state. Doval was asked at the talks to carry forward the dialogue. There has been a campaign for Bhullars release in recent years.

Rai, director of the Sikh Human Rights group, said, He (Doval) reiterated that steps were being taken to release political prisoners. Some of them had already been released. However, the release has to go through proper channels, such as courts and other administrative procedures. This sometimes takes time.

Rai said, There are some 42 prisoners now. Of these, some expected to be released soon are Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar (in custody since 1995) and Gurdeep Singh Khera (in custody since 1990).

Lal Singh, who has been on parole 24 times (in custody since 1992), is also a high-priority case, Rai said, and added that other cases were also discussed during the talks with Doval.

Modi had promised to take down the so-called blacklist that includes individuals who were involved in the Khalistan movement, and are unable to get Indian visas (many of them reportedly hold non-Indian citizenships).

Doval said he had instructed embassies across the world, especially in Europe, to take down the local lists, while those on the lists made by central agencies of India were being taken down as soon as possible. The government is going through these lists, reviewing them and taking them down, Rai said.

Doval, he said, suggested periodic meetings in Delhi with a delegation of Sikhs from across the world; the first to be held within two months. The meetings would include of officers from various departments of the Indian government.

Rai said he would discuss with other Sikh organisations and set up a team, adding that the central issue in the discussions would be the miri-piri issue of Harmandar Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib.

It is hoped that the next meeting will be soon after the release of Bhullar, Rai said.

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A BJP emissary will travel to Srinagar in the coming week to negotiate government formation with the PDP in Jammu & Kashmir. Governors rule was imposed in the state on January 9 when the two ideologically divergent partners failed to form the government following sitting chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeeds death on January 7.

Sayeeds daughter, Mehbooba, on Friday had hinted at snapping ties with BJP if the Centre did not announce confidence building measures to end the stalemate.

A source said that BJP chief Amit Shah has asked the partys national general secretary Ram Madhav to discuss the issue with PDP chief Mehbooba. Madhav will reach out to Mehbooba in the coming week. We want the confusion to end soon, a BJP functionary told HT.

The party wants the stalemate to end before the start of the Budget session on February 23. It has already conveyed to the PDP its disappointment at the delay.

A meeting of BJP top brass and RSS senior members is expected to take place in Delhi over the next two days on the issue. It will be attended by senior leaders from the BJPs Jammu unit as well.

The BJP cadre in the state is very upset with the statements made by PDP. The statement by Mehbooba Mufti that the party is ready to go it alone in the state, indicating a fresh election, has been taken seriously, a BJP source said. Party workers on ground have been asked to start organisational work in the state, which includes reaching out to people. Meetings by BJP leaders are being held in constituencies and workers have been instructed to highlight the achievements of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and in the state during the coalition rule.

Meanwhile, PDP senior leader and spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar reiterated on Monday that the call will be taken by Mehbooba once the party is convinced the alliance will be beneficial to the people of the state. He, however, denied that the BJP had set any deadline for the PDP.
A jawan who was buried under 25 feet of snow was on Monday found alive in a critical condition six days after an avalanche hit an army post in the Siachen glacier.

It was a miraculous rescue, all efforts are being made to evacuate Lance Naik Hanaman Thappa to the RR hospital in the morning, said Northern Army commander Lt Gen DS Hooda.

Five bodies have been recovered so far and four bodies have been identified. All other soldiers are regrettably no more with us, he told PTI.

The soldier, who hails from Karnataka, was found buried under snow clinging to life with barely a pulse.

A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and nine other ranks of Madras Regiment were buried after their post was hit by the avalanche at an altitude of 19,600 feet close to the Line of Control (LoC).

Of the 10 soldiers presumed dead in #Siachen, one has survived. Lance Naik Hanuman Thappa is critical, pray for him. What a Miracle!  Rahul Singh (@rahulsinghx) February 8, 2016

Indian troops patrol the Siachen Glacier, dubbed the worlds highest battlefield, in the Kashmir region, which is disputed between India and Pakistan.

Avalanches and landslides are common in the area during winter and temperatures can drop as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius.

Northern Army commander Lieut Gen DS Hooda: Regrettably all the other 9 soldiers buried in #Siachen avalanche no longer with us. Sad. RIP.  Rahul Singh (@rahulsinghx) February 8, 2016

An estimated 8,000 troops have died on the glacier since 1984, almost all of them from avalanches, landslides, frostbite, altitude sickness or heart failure rather than combat.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan fought over Siachen in 1987. But guns on the glacier have largely fallen silent since a peace process began in 2004.

Read | Decision to deploy troops in Siachen based on security: Parrikar
Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley told a Mumbai court on Monday that he changed his name from Sayeed Dawood Gilani to David Headley to help the dreaded terror outfit carry out the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Headley, a United States national, is deposing before a sessions court from an American jail via video conferencing in connection to his role in the 26/11 terror strikes.

.Read more: 10 things David Headley told NIA about 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks

Headley said he was asked by the LeT to take several videos of Mumbai to prepare for the coordinated terror strikes that left 166 people dead and was advised by Siraj Mir, an LeT commander, to change his name.

He came to India eight times before the 26/11 attacks, and came directly from Pakistan on seven of those occasions, Headley said.

He also told the court that he applied for a visa in the US for India twice and gave wrong information in the form on most occasions.

Read more: 26/11 Mumbai attacks: Headley pardoned but the whodunit continues

The deposition started around 7.15 am, after another LeT operative, Abu Jundal alias Zabiuddin Ansari, who is facing trial in the 26/11 case, told the court that he wanted a new lawyer and asked the court to adjourn the hearing for 15 days. But session judge GA Sanap rejected the plea and began deposing Headley.

Headley was produced before the Mumbai court for the first time on December 10, when he said he was ready to depose and turn approver in the 26/11 Mumbai trial if he was pardoned.

Read more: David Headley: From a video store operator in NY to 26/11 accused

The court then granted a pardon to Headley and accepted him as a prosecution witness.

While giving the order the court had observed, The entire conspiracy could be unearthed and proved if one of the conspirators comes to court with the request of pardon.

The conspiracy of the 26/11 Mumbai attack was hatched outside India. Abu Jundal alias Zabiuddin Ansari is facing charges in the Mumbai attack as a co-conspirator. No direct evidence is there so far for the offence of criminal conspiracy. In this case fortunately for the prosecution David Coleman Headley has willingly decided to unfold the conspiracy which was hatched outside India, observed the judge.

Headley along with his partner Pakistan-born businessman Tahawwur Rana, had played a key role in the strikes. In 2010, Headley pleaded guilty in 26/11 attacks, admitting he had carried out a reconnaissance of the targets for the LeT before a US court. Headley had allegedly provided videos of various locations to LeT, where terrorist attacks were carried out. He had also provided useful information about the safe landing places which the attackers had used on the night of November 26, 2008.
A city court on Monday granted bail to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi after he surrendered before police in a case relating to an attack on Congress leaders.

The Hyderabad MP, soon after his return from Uttar Pradesh, produced himself before V Satyanarayana, deputy commissioner of police, south zone.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief was taken to government-run Osmania General Hospital for checkup.

He was subsequently produced before a magistrate at Nampally Criminal Court complex. The MP was granted bail on two sureties of Rs 5,000 each.

Owaisi and other AIMIM activists were booked in connection with the attack on Congress partys Telangana unit president Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir.

The AIMIM workers manhandled Congress leaders and damaged their car near Mirchowk police station in the old city in the presence of Owaisi on February 2 during elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The MP and others were booked for unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation.

Police had already arrested six accused in the case and they were all released on bail.
A series of explosive revelations made by 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused David Coleman Headley to a Mumbai court have underlined serious shortcomings in the trial conducted in the case against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants by Pakistan, experts said on Monday.

Three separate trials were initiated in the United States, India and Pakistan respectively, after the attacks left 166 people dead, but seven years later, there is little progress in the case in Islamabad.

The US tried Tahawwur Hussain Rana -- an accomplice of Headley  and sentenced him to 14 years in prison.

India hanged the lone captured attacker, Ajmal Kasab, in 2012. The trial against another accused Syed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal is going on in Mumbai, a case in which Headley is deposing from the US.

Read More: LeT taught me India is enemy of Islam: Headleys revelations on 26/11

But the trial in Pakistan have progressed at a sluggish pace, with the courts granting bail to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, one of prime accused in the case.

Under growing international pressure after the 26/11 attacks, Pakistan arrested more than six accused but didnt try them in earnest.

Lakhvi and other accused were put in jails but authorities ensured them comforts such as phones and personal body guards.

Indian security agencies were informed by their Western counterparts that Lakhvi was openly meeting his LeT associates and directing operations against India. He even fathered a child while in jail, Indian security agencies learnt to their astonishment.

Read more about Headleys revelations on 26/11

Headleys fresh testimony put a searchlight on the role played by Pakistani state actors in the Mumbai attacks, who were not even arrested or put to trial by the neighbouring country.

It also highlighted the fact that nothing has changed in Pakistan with terror outfits like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad, as the recent Pathankot attack has shown, are still working against India without any hindrance.

Read More: ISI named,2 failed attempts before 26/11: Headleys big revelation

Most of what Headley told the court in Mumbai wasnt new. He already deposed in the US court about the conspiracy hatched by the Inter Services Intelligence and LeT to carry out a series of attacks in India. The 26/11 attacks were the beginning of the larger conspiracy. Headley has also given a lengthy statement to the NIA on the whole conspiracy.

But his testimony in the trial court will be admissible as evidence in the trial against Jundal, unlike the statement to the National Investigation Agency officials that cant be treated as evidence as it was recorded by police officials.

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India may become the first country in the world with a recorded meteorite death after Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa announced on Sunday that a space rock killed a 40-year-old man in Vellore a day before.

Jayalalithaa said the mysterious explosion that killed Kamraj, a bus driver, on Saturday was caused by a meteorite --and not a grenade or bomb, as suspected earlier  that fell in the campus of a private engineering college in Vellore districts K Pantharappalli village.

The explosion, which killed one and injured three persons, created a crater and shattered window panes of buses and buildings, which made the police first suspect the trigger to be a manmade bomb, and not a celestial rock.

But despite the letter, scientists are yet to confirm the meteorite caused the death.

The probability of being killed by a meteorite is negligible, even witnessing one fall is rare. A fact-finding team of scientists is in Vellore to examine the crater and residue, says Dr Harsh Vardhan, Indias minister for science and technology.

A team from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bangalore is at the spot to examine the situation.

We dont have any records of deaths caused by meteorites in India. We cannot comment on the death as it is a police case. Youll have to ask the police, said K Thiyagarajan, principal staff officer, directors office, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore.

Scientists are there and well know more when theyre back, said Thiyagarajan.

Window panes of the college buses and several glass planes of the building were damaged when the meteorite fell.

Globally, there is no recorded human death caused by a meteorite. The Nakhla meteorite from Mars killed a dog in Egypt in 1911, and a boy was hit but not seriously injured by the Mbale meteorite in Uganda in 1992, but there have been no deaths.

The family of Kamraj, who may go down in history as the worlds first recorded person to be killed by a meteorite, got Rs 1 lakh as compensation, and each of the three injured got Rs 25,000 each from the Tamil Nadu chief ministers public relief fund.

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Reviewing the functioning of the lower level of administration, Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal on Sunday took to a clerks job and suggested method to reduce time for completing the work.

In his two-hour visit to the legal cell of the Secretariat, Aggarwal found that 375 cases of stamp refund were pending which would take about two years to dispose.

But, the DM, who was transferred to the state capital in December last, found a way out to cut short the time and suggested how the work could be done in a month, an official statement said.

During the visit, the DM came across an employee who appeared over-aged while one of her certificates, alleged to be forged, stated that she was 55 years old. Aggarwal has instructed officials to constitute a medical board to verify her age, the statement said.

Starting Sunday, the DM decided to visit different sections of district administration once a week to improve the work culture at lower level. He has also ordered Section, Block, District and Circle officers to do the same every Tuesday and review work, it said.

Aggarwal was recently awarded by the Election Commission of India for best electoral practices during his tenure as the DM of Gaya.
The government on Monday set up a control room for providing information on Zika virus disease that has most of Latin and central America and the Caribbean in its grip.

The 24x7 control room is operational at the ministry of health and family welfare. People can call on 011-23061469 and 011-23063205 at any time to get a response to their queries on the mosquito-borne disease.

In addition to the two diagnostic facilities at National Centre for Disease Control and National Institute of Virology, Pune, 10 new testing facilities will become operational by end of February. If required, another 10 laboratories will be added to the list.

The signages informing about the disease are being placed at 18 international airports, and informative pamphlets have also been prepared for immigrating passengers.

Meanwhile, the much-talked about India-made Zika virus vaccine may still be a far cry, with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) asking Bharat Biotech, the company claiming to have developed two vaccine candidates, to come back with more solid research.

Talking to HT, director general ICMR, Dr Soumya Sawminathan, said, Our scientific committee met people from Bharat Biotech last week but did not find adequate evidence to know how the vaccine was going to behave. We have asked them to come back with a little more data.

According to ICMR, the company is still trying to develop the vaccine candidate and once that happens they will have to make the product undergo toxicological testing that may take at least six months or more.

They have got the principle right as they have an inactivated virus, but it needs to be developed and such things take time. They cant bypass the regulatory procedures... We have given them a go ahead though, said Dr Swaminathan.

In a statement on February 3, the Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer said they began work on Zika virus vaccine in 2014, and filed the patent about 9 months ago. Krishna Ella, chairman and MD, Bharat Biotech, had said, The normal process for a vaccine to get commercialised takes about seven years, which includes the clinical trials, but if the Indian government moves aggressively in regulatory approvals then the vaccine could be made available.
An explosive testimony by US-born Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist David Coleman Headley has exposed the role played by some Pakistani military and intelligence officials in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which had left 166 people dead in the countrys business capital.

The 56-year-old US national, who deposed before an NIA judge through video-conferencing on Monday, said that though his sole contact in the LeT was one Sajid Mir, he was also in touch with an agent of the Pakistani intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), whom he identified only as Major Ali.

Read More | ISI named,2 failed attempts before 26/11: Headleys big revelation

Headley, who turned approver and is now lodged at a US jail, told judge GA Sanap that he came in contact with the ISI officer after he was arrested at Landi Kotal in Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Area.

Headley said he had been to the border area along with a retired Pakistani military officer, Major Abdul Rehman Pasha, to meet a drug dealer Zaib Shah, with the aim of smuggling weapons and explosives to India. He was arrested for being a foreign national in the area where no outsider is allowed to venture. Headley said he was later released following the intervention of Major Ali, after he showed Pakistani identity cards.

Read More | As it happened: Headley reveals Pakistan hand in 26/11 terror attacks

Headley said Major Ali later introduced him to one Major Iqbal as the former thought that the US national could be used to gather intelligence in India. Headley, according to his deposition before the court, changed his name from Syed Daood Salim Gilani to David Coleman Headley in Philadelphia in order to conceal his identity and also obtained a new passport in the new name, as instructed by Siraj Mir.

He conceded that he gave false information while applying for visa at the Consulate General of India at Chicago and later took help of his friend Dr Tahawwur Husain Rana and his partner Raymond Sanders for obtaining a 5-year business visa with multiple entries, so that he would not be required to apply for visa again and again.

Headley had met Dr Rana, a doctor in the Pakistani Army, at a military school in Punjab province. Dr Rana was his schoolmate for 5 years.

Replying to a question by special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, Headley said he reported the change of his name and obtaining of a US passport in the new name to both Siraj Mir and Major Iqbal, and both of them approved of it.

He also informed them about the story that he had cooked, that he was visiting India under the guise of an immigration consultant working on behalf of the firm of Dr Rana and Sanders  Immigration Law Center, established in Chicago in 2006.

Responding to another question from Nikam, Headley said he was not aware where Major Ali was serving at the time, but was aware that his headquarter was Khyber Rifle Regiment, a unit of the Pakistani army.

Read More | David Headleys deposition exposes Pakistans sham 26/11 trial
Testifying over a video link from an undisclosed location in the US, David Coleman Headley on Monday told a Mumbai court that Lashkar-e-Taiba and Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence were behind the 26/11 terror strikes. Headleys deposition has reinforced Indias stated position on Pakistans involvement, but it is unlikely to change anything on the ground, official sources said.

Headley has only corroborated what India always knew but Pakistan is unlikely to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice, going by Islamabads track record, the sources said.

Read more: LeT taught me India is enemy of Islam: Headleys revelations on 26/11

From propaganda point of view, the evidence is more robust now. But as far as dealing with Pakistan is concerned, nothing changes, the sources added.

India has given several dossiers to Pakistan to get the neighbour to crack down on the perpetrators of the attack. But Pakistan has not taken any concrete action.

The foreign secretary level talks between India and Pakistan have been in limbo after terrorists from across the border attacked the Pathankot fighter base in January, further straining ties between the two countries. No dates have been fixed for the talks.



Read more about Headleys revelations on 26/11

Kanwal Sibal, a former foreign secretary, said India knew that Pakistan was involved in the Mumbai attacks right from the beginning and several attempts to get Islamabad to act against the perpetrators had yielded no results. Pakistan has done nothing to bring them to justice and has taken shelter behind legal procedures. Headleys testimony hardly changes the big picture, he said.

Sibal added that taking the talk process forward now hinged on Pakistan cracking down on those who planned the Pathankot strike as Mumbai was no longer the central point.
Editors note: This story was first published on September 13, 2015. HT is republishing it following an incident in Bangalore where a leopard strayed into a school

Sundays leopard incident in Bengaluru has brought the endangered spotted feline back in the spotlight. The animal entered a school premises and attacked half a dozen people as it attempted to escape. It was finally captured after being shot with two tranquillizer darts.

Read more: Captured in pics: When a leopard strolled into a Bengaluru school

A couple of similar incidents have already been reported this year, adding to a growing list of man-animal conflicts, a cause for concern for environmentalists and those in prone areas. The species, which is endangered, is losing its habitat as urban boundaries grow and is likely to come more in contact with humans.

The countrys first-ever leopard census was in fact conducted last year to help monitor the animal. The numbers revealed both good and bad news. The good news was that the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimated there are 12,000 to 14,000 in the wild  a very healthy number for the endangered spotted big cats. The bad news was that almost half live outside protected areas and are vulnerable to conflict with people.

The damage this is doing to their numbers is borne out by data collected by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), which stated that 299 leopards had been killed by September; and 329 were killed in 2014. The highest number of deaths was reported in Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

In defence of the Bengaluru leopard: Why big cats are entering cities

The first-of-its-kind survey by the Dehradun-based WII collected data on leopards while conducting the tiger census in 2014  the tiger population, incidentally, is at an estimated 2,226, a 30% increase from 2010. Using the same methodology of double sampling  camera traps and scat DNA analysis  and extrapolation, the WII arrived at a leopard population of 7,872 in five landscapes, including the Gangetic plains, central India and the Western and Eastern Ghats. While camera traps covered 9,735 locations across the five major tiger landscapes  spread across 350,000 sq km -- a total of 10,000 surveyors also walked a combined 459,096 sq km across 18 states to gather data. Areas left out include Gujarat, West Bengal, the eight states of the north-east, and the higher reaches of Uttarakhand. The leopard data gathered in the tiger habitats was extrapolated to arrive at an estimated national leopard population, on the basis of prey populations, the ratio of spotted cats to tigers, and other factors, says YV Jhala, senior biologist with the WII.

Typically, there are five leopards for every tiger in the wild. As with the tiger census, there has been some debate among wildlife experts over the methodology used in the leopard count, and the accuracy of the extrapolation. The methodology of extrapolation using linear regression is fundamentally flawed and the results are not dependable as the methodology fails to take into account other extraneous factors that impact animal population, says biologist K Ullas Karanth, Padma Shri awardee and director of the Bengaluru-based Wildlife Conservation Society. Even within the tiger survey region, the basic methodology employed by the WII was flawed statistically. For this reason, I do not think the tiger and leopard numbers it generates for larger landscapes are reliable.

In defence of the Bengaluru leopard: Why big cats are entering cities

While senior WII biologists Qamar Qureshi and Jhala dispute this claim, PR Sinha, former director of WII and India representative of global wildlife monitoring body International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), vouched for data collected but not the final inference. To me, the data collected through a long process of field surveys is robust. Scientists can differ on the final statistical inference, says the biologist who introduced the methodology for tiger estimation in India in 2006. Karanth and WII scientists agree on one point - the actual number of leopards in the wild could be much higher, since the survey was restricted to tiger landscapes, which cover just 6% of the countrys wildlife areas. Even presence-absence estimations are vital for conservation strategy, adds Bittu Sahgal, editor of wildlife magazine Sanctuary Asia.

The concern being raised now is whether India has a plan to manage these numbers in light of the countrys degrading wildlife habitats. Sinha calls this a major worry because the leopards prey base is extremely poor. The WII survey has revealed that the small wild animals that are the prey for leopards in non-protected areas are in distress because of human encroachment and degradation of forests. As a result, leopards are forced to enter human habitats looking for food and water, especially during summer months. This has been in evidence from Mumbai to Meerut, where scores of leopards have been caught after they ventured into residential areas, some of them killed, others trapped, still others rescued from wells. The fact is, leopards are more adaptable and therefore able to live in closer proximity to humans, often without people even knowing they are around, Sahgal says. This proximity is becoming increasingly fatal, with the monthly death rate for leopards this year rising to 37, from 27 in 2014. The WII exercise could lead to a better protection and leopard management strategy, since we now know the forest locations with large leopard populations, Sinha says. For that to happen, there will have to be a will among foresters to protect the vulnerable animals, adds Sahgal. The more natural forests we destroy, the quicker we will push these animals towards extinction.

Buffer zone turns conflict zone

As the buffer zones have shrunk over the past decade, under the influence of human activity, prey populations have fallen and wild animals have been forced to forage further afield. Here, they are increasingly running into people, fields, wells and construction projects. The impact is clearly visible in the number of casualties  769 humans, 179 elephants and 110 tigers have been killed around wildlife zones between 2012 and 2014, according to data released by the government. This is about five times the number of these animals killed by poachers during this period.

It is the rising human population in many of these green corridors that is causing the rise in conflict, says Dipankar Ghose, director of species and landscapes with the advocacy group World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature. The quality of buffer zones is an area of concern and the prey population is not sustainable for the large populations of wildlife residing outside the protected areas, adds a biologist with WII.

In defence of the Bengaluru leopard: Why big cats are entering cities

About half of the 12,000 to 14,000 leopards in the country, a third of Indias 2,226 tigers, and 60% of its 29,000 wild elephants live in the buffer zones outside national parks and sanctuaries. Studies in states with a high density of wildlife, such as Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Assam, show that new conflict zones have been created in such areas over the past decade. The governments response has, in many cases, been counterproductive. Sensing that protecting wild animals will not fetch votes, the environment ministry earlier this year authorised state governments to declare wild animals vermin if they pose a threat to farms.

The vermin tag means that these species can then be hunted or eliminated until their numbers are sufficiently reduced. In a fresh advisory, the ministry recently added that forest departments can allow elimination of animals responsible for habitual crop raiding in rarest of rare cases. Rarest of rare has not been defined. While these options do not apply to endangered species such as the tiger, leopard and elephant, they help explain why prey populations are dwindling in buffer zones, forcing the endangered species into conflict with humans.

The union ministry has also asked state governments to adopt Gujarats volunteer programme to rope in civilians to help protect human habitats from wild animals. In Gujarat, the scheme was used to protect lions in and around the Gir National Park. Experts say people living around Gir have traditionally protected lions, but most of those in tiger and elephant conflict zones will most likely not have the same approach. The truth is, it will be difficult to prevent the conflict unless governments - state and centre - begin to work to fix the root of the problem: protecting and revitalising buffer zones and restoring crucial wildlife corridors between protected areas. The WII study will likely reiterate why this is crucial. It is the governments response that might fall short. Its latest measure, for instance, has been to open up degraded forests to private management, a move that wildlife experts say could destroy complex ecosystems altogether.

Watch | Stray leopard sneaks into Bengaluru school





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An Indian biotech companys breakthrough claim that it has developed two candidate vaccines against the Zika virus - while being hailed as a made in India product - has alarmed some virologists.

Krishna Ella, managing director of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, announced last week that his company is probably the first in the world to file a global patent for its vaccines against the virus that is suspected to cause birth defects and neurological problems and is terrorizing Brazil and other countries in South America.

The company said it started work on the vaccines a year ago using live Zika virus. But, despite repeated requests from IANS, neither Ella nor the companys spokesperson revealed from where or when the company got this virus.

It is a serious question, said Kalyan Banerjee, a renowned virologist and former director of the National Institute of Virology in Pune, a premier laboratory under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Normally one should not import any exotic virus into the country under any pretext, Banerjee told IANS in an email.

Only the government of Indias biotechnology board or a similar body is authorised to give permission to import after ascertaining all aspects of the virus.

It is amazing how the said laboratory obtained the live virus, particularly when there is no record of isolation of Zika virus from the Indian subcontinent, Banerjee said.

The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes Aegypti species of mosquitoes that are abundant in India.

Read | Along came a virus: Heres why people are panicking about Zika

Regarding the company getting the virus and making a vaccine, it needs to be carefully investigated, Banerjee said, pointing out that loopholes in the import of pathogenic agents may lead to national disaster.

He said strict vigilance was one main reason why the yellow fever virus -- which is also spread by Aedes mosquitoes and causes a fatal disease -- never came to India.

Durga Rao, another leading virologist at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, agrees.

One can import a virus from any source with approval from ICMR or the department of biotechnology but unauthorised introduction of a virus which is not reported yet in India by anyone could be a serious regulatory problem as it can get into the environment easily under our unsupervised facilities, Rao said in an email.

But inquiries reveal that the vaccine maker failed to follow the standard procedure for importing the live Zika virus whose potential threat to newborns forced the World Health Organization on February 1 to declare it a global emergency.

We did not import the virus and Bharat (Biotech) got it themselves, ICMR director general Soumya Swaminathan told IANS in an email to a query if the company sought its permission to import.

There are safety concerns with Zika virus vaccine -- so all steps in regulatory approval need to be followed, she said.

Asked if the DBT gave the permission, its secretary K Vijayraghavan -- instead of an emphatic yes or no -- said that the question is best addressed to the industry concerned.

Read | India to step up Zika virus watch as WHO warns of explosive spread

In an email, he said the DBT is committed to work with ICMR and the health ministry to ensure preparedness.

Apart from its reluctance to reveal the source of the virus used to develop the vaccines, the company has declined to give details about the global patent it claims to have filed in July 2015.

A search of the Indian Patent Office website for Bharat Biotechs patent applications, or the companys own website, does not show any specific filing for the Zika virus. One patent expert told IANS that it is possible that the patent office hasnt yet published this patent application.

Some scientists are impressed -- and at the same time intrigued -- by the Indian companys foresight in trying to develop a vaccine for a disease that was not yet there.

According to a report in the journal Science, less than a year ago, Zika seemed too trivial for anyone to bother developing countermeasures, and Brazil reported its first case (microcephaly) of Zika virus only in May 2015.

But Bharat Biotech says it started work on the vaccine as early as in 2014 and filed for patents for two vaccines in July 2015 itself, said one medical researcher who did not want to be named. This defies credibility.

But Bharat Biotech has dismissed this argument, saying the company was already developing vaccines for chikungunya and dengue and it was natural to work also on a vaccine for Zika virus which too is spread by the same species of mosquito.

Although the Indian company has an early start in vaccine development, bringing the vaccine to the market will be years away, experts say. There is no monkey model yet to enable comparisons of candidate vaccines and human trials have to be done in endemic countries like Brazil, not in India.

Read | Worried about Zika? Heres how you can avoid the virus
Born to a Pakistani father and an American mother in June 1960, Daood Gilani or David Coleman Headley spent his early days in Pakistans Attock district. He studied at the Cadet College Hasan Abdal till his parents separated, and he relocated to the United States with his mother Serril Headley.

With his mother running a pub called Khyber Pass, Headley studied accounting at a community college in Philadelphia, and later operated a video store, Fliks Video, at Center City, New York which he ran along with his mother. But Headleys life changed during one of his many visits to his native country Pakistan.

As it happened: LeT taught me India is enemy of Islam: Headleys revelations on 26/11

Headley, who used to visit Qadisiya Mosque in Lahore, saw a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) poster which sought funds to fight Jihad or Holy War in India in 1998. The poster touched Headley, and he called the LeTs office based at Model Town in Lahore to make a donation of Rs 50,000 (Pakistani currency).

A request from Abid, an LeT operative who then took the money from Headley and is now believed to be settled in Spain, to attend LeT chief Hafeez Saeeds lecture fast-tracked his entry into the world of terrorism.

Saeeds quoted a Hadith which said  a moment spent in Jihad gives you much more sawaab (reward) than the millions of namaz offered in Kaaba and that too on the night of Iailat-ur-Qadr (a pious night of Ramadan). The quote had considerable influence on Headley.

Headley met Hafeez Saeed on subsequent visits to Pakistan in 1999 and 2000, and decided to join the LeT cadre in 2001.

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Read more about Headleys revelations on 26/11

After undergoing a number of three-week and two-week training programmes to learn Islamic preaching, handle weapons, conduct reconnaissance and surveillance at Daura-e-Sufa, Daura-e-Aam, Daura-e-Khaas, Daura-e-Ribat, Bait-ul-Rizwan and Daura-e-Tadribul Musaleentraining camps in Pakistan, between 2002 and 2004, Headleys wait to wage war against India finally ended in 2005.

Read more: Headley reveals he changed name, visited India 8 times prior to 26/11

A quick name change in the US from Daood Gilani to David Coleman Headley ensured nobody suspected him in India. Armed with his mother-in-laws camera, two credit cards, 3 to 4 thousand US dollars, Headley landed in Mumbai on September 14, 2006.

Bashir, a local contact that fellow accused and friend Tawahhur Rana had talked to, received Headley at the airport, and assured him a room at Hotel Outram in South Mumbai.

Read more: David Headley: From a video store operator in NY to 26/11 accused

During his stay till December 14, 2006, Headley extensively photographed and videographed places like the BMC building, Haji Ali, Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal hotel, Apollo Bunder, state police headquarters, DN Road, Azad Maidan among others.

Headley returned to Pakistan and handed over the photographs and video tapes to Major Iqbal, one of his ISI handlers, and later to Sajid Majid alias Wasi, one of the key conspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack.

Headley then made a short trip to India on February 21, 2007, and with a local help got a new SIM card and also activated an internet account in a Reliance cyber cafe.

He left India on March 15, 2007, only to come back five days later with his wife Faiza and made bookings at the Taj Mahal and Trident Hotels. After conducting necessary reconnaissance of the hotels and areas nearby, Headley left India on May 15, 2007 for Dubai.

After staying with his wife and children for three days in Dubai, Headley once again entered India on May 20, 2007. Though it wasnt a productive reconnaissance trip, Headley went back to Pakistan and handed over the general photographs he had taken on Mumbai to Major Iqbal and Sajid.

Before his fifth visit to India, top LeT commander Abdur Rehman requested Headley to conduct surveillance of the National Defence College (NDC) in Delhi and Major Iqbal asked Headley to get him all information about Pune.

Headley boarded a flight from Lahore to Delhi in September 2007, and after conducting a quick reconnaissance of the NDC , reached Mumbai on September 4, 2007.

This was one of his most crucial visits, where he extensively photographed Hotel Taj, Shiv Sena Bhavan and visited the guards posted outside Bal Thackerays house. He then went to Mumbai, and conducted reconnaissance of army installations in the city. A quick visit to Lahore for Eid, and Headley returned to the city for more. Till the end of this visit, LeT had plans of only attacking the Taj Mahal hotel.

When he went back to Pakistan, and handed over the video footage he had collected, Headley learnt the LeT was under tremendous pressure to launch a spectacular attack against India, as disgruntled fighters were leaving the terrorist organisation.

With specific instructions to check for landing sites in Mumbai, with a plan to launch LeT terrorists through sea, Headley visited India once again in 2008. He booked a room at Hotel Outram, and later conducted surveillance of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and took boat rides from Colaba to spot landing points.

On April 11, 2008, Headleys visit to Cuffe Parade  Badhwar Park assured him an early morning boat ride the next day. Headley identified the landing spot as perfect, and plotted it on the Global Positioning Device he was carrying. After handing over the sinister design to his handlers in Pakistan, Headley spent some time in America, before returning to India on July 1, 2008.

Headley had walked into Mumbai to finalise the surveillance of the Taj Mahal hotel, Naval Air Station, Police headquarters, State Assembly building, El Al Airlines office, Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Chabad House and Mumbai Stock Exchange.

He also covered the Blue Synagogue, CBI office, Leopold restaurant, Colaba police station, Delhi Darbar, Israeli Consulate, DN Road and Trident Hotel. It was during this visit that Headley purchased the saffron wrist bands from Siddhivinayak Temple that Mohamed Ajmal Amir Kasab and his fellow attackers were wearing. He plotted all the locations on his GPS, and handed it over to Sajid. Headley had also thought about an egress option for the attackers, and had discussed it with his handlers in Pakistan. Headley who discussed the attack plans, and was in the know of Mumbai 26/11 terrorist attack, was later assigned for the Denmark project. He made his last trip to India in March 2009 and conducted extensive reconnaissance of Chabad Houses in India, and other vital installations across New Delhi, Goa, Pushkar and Pune.

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In December 2012, when the nation was rocked by the brutal gangrape of a 23-year-old paramedic in Delhi, a young Kashmiri social activist, Samreena Mushtaq, called up her friend Essar Batool and asked anxiously, Do you remember Kunan Poshpora?

On the night of February 23, 1991, personnel of the 4 Rajputana Rifles of the Indian Army cordoned off the two villages Kunan and Poshpora in north Kashmirs Kupwara district during an anti-insurgency operation and allegedly gangraped at least 23 women  with some estimates placing it at around 40.

Four years after Mushtaq had asked the question, it transpired into a book on the infamous mass gangrapes, co-authored by five Kashmiri women activists, all in their mid-twenties  Mushtaq, Batool, Ifrah Butt, Munaza Rashid and Natasha Rather.

The new book Do you remember Kunan Poshpora?  published by Delhi-based Zubaan Publishers as a part of its eight-volume series on Sexual Violence and Impunity in South Asia  was officially released at the Jaipur Literature Festival last month.

What exactly happened that night in Kunan Poshpora remains shrouded in a narrative of conflicting inquiry findings and the case is now being heard at the Supreme Court.

Nonetheless, it remains a most unfortunate chapter in the Valleys history, because this is only instance of allegation of mass sexual violence against the Indian Army.

The Army has consistently denied the accusation over the years. A Srinagar-based spokesperson of the Army said he cant immediately comment on the case because it was old and sensitive and he was not aware of the details. HT has registered an official query with the Army PRO at Delhi and but did not get a reply till the report was filed.

The 228-page new book documents the case details and discusses how rape has been used as a weapon of war and terror in Kashmir.

We were inspired by the outrage following the Nirbhaya incident. We thought that we must not forget the allegations of rapes of Kashmiri women in the ongoing conflict, said Batool.

The book actually stems from the five womens instrumental effort in re-opening the Kunan Poshpora case. In March 2013, motivated by them, 50 Kashmiri women from different walks of life had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition demanding the re-opening of the case.

Although petition was rejected by the high court after three hearings, it re-started the legal battle with a series of fresh appeals that followed.

The aim behind filing the PIL was questioning impunity and making the Indian Army answerable, writes Mushtaq in the book. An inquiry report by the Army -- dated March 1991 and carried in the book -- comes to the conclusion that the charges were mischievous and motivated and was made to defame the army.

Rashid, a lawyer associated with the JKCCS who was instrumental in drafting the PIL, said, There are many young Kashmiris who are completely ignorant about horrific incidents like Kunan Poshpora. I hope this book keeps it alive in our conversations. We shall not forget.

The book is divided into seven chapters titled: Kunan Poshpora and Women in Kashmir, Sexual Violence and Impunity in Kashmir, That Night in Kunan Poshpora, Life in Kunan Poshpora Today, Inquires and Impunity, People Who Remember and The Recent Struggle: An Insiders View.

The book contains records of police investigation, victims medical records, and civil societys perspectives on the case.

The survivors accounts presented in the book recreate the gory episode with chilling details. For instance, a survivor tells the authors, Three army men caught hold of me and 8-10 army men raped me in turns. They had huge battery torches with them and they used them to see my naked body, while making lewd remarks.

The book also documents how women and children from the two villages are still ostracised and taunted as people of the raped villages.

Kunan Poshpora women continue to suffer tremendous shaming. This reflects how patriarchal Kashmiri society is, said Rather.

The state government maintains that it is doing the best possible to help Kunan Poshpora women come out of the trauma. Chairperson of the State Commission for Women (SCW) Nayeema Ahmad Mehjoor told HT, The PDP-led government had been trying to help the women of the two villages economically, and create employment avenues.

But it was the state itself that had obtained a stay order from the Supreme Court in March 2015 after the HC directed the victims to be compensated.

A highly placed state official whom HT asked the reasoning behind the state seeking a stay order said, Yes, the state had obtained a stay on all orders of the high court  pertaining to the compensation and re-investigation  in the case, but I cant reveal why.

Wajahat Habibullah, the then divisional commissioner of Kashmir, who had conducted an inquiry into and raised doubts about the accusations, alleged in 2013 that the government had deleted important portions of his confidential report on the case in which he had recommended a high-level police probe.

We need to answer why the whole thing came up. There could be two possibilities  one, the people were under pressure from militants, or number two, something actually did happen that night. So, we need a high-level inquiry to ascertain the truth  this is what I have been maintaining forever, he told HT.

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Lachhman Dass was barely 22 when he faced formidable military challenges on the planets most unforgiving battlefield as a member of a hand-picked assault team assigned to capture the highest post on the Siachen glacier in June 1987.

The teams last serving soldier that carried out the dangerous mission against an enemy firmly ensconced in those heights will hang up his boots in April, bringing down the curtains on a magnificent chapter in Indias military history.

The death of 10 soldiers killed in an avalanche at Siachens 19,600-ft Sonam post last week has turned the spotlight back on the glacier and the hardships faced by the men defending it, aware of death lurking at every step.

Theres no guarantee you will come back alive. Soldiers have to endure an endless cycle of extreme conditions. But the job has to be done and we will do it no matter what the cost, says Subedar Major and Honorary Captain Dass, who was awarded a Vir Chakra for capturing Pakistans Quaid post.

Dass is from 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, a battalion designated as Bravest of the Brave for winning two highest gallantry awards.

He gets goosebumps when he strings together the events that led to the capture of the Pakistani post perched at a height of 21,153 feet, a vantage position in the western Himalayas from where Indian military activity could be easily monitored.

Several attempts to take the post had failed, the battalion suffered casualties, guns were frozen and soldiers deployed along the icy peaks were frostbitten.

It was a scene from hell. We were fighting for our own survival and the enemy was holding high ground, says Dass, who was part of one of the four teams that were formed to mount the final assault on June 24. The next 72 hours saw the battalions finest fighting men, including the legendary Bana Singh who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, stretched to their limit.

Bana Singh, after whom the Quaid post was renamed, and Dass were in the same team. They used a rope to climb an ice wall standing more than 1,200 feet to get near the enemy.

There was only one approach to get closer to the post. Even a handful of soldiers at those dominating heights can hold out against an attack by 100 soldiers. We knew we had to produce a miracle, he says.

Sonam and Amar posts were providing them cover fire but the soldiers went without food and sleep for three days before they crept up on the enemy bunker and lobbed grenades, killing eight Pakistani soldiers.

In 1987, soldiers deployed on the glacier received an avalanche allowance of a mere Rs 100 a month. The Seventh Pay Commission report has raised their hardship allowance from Rs 14,000 to Rs 21,000 and for officers from Rs 21,000 to Rs 31,500. However, bureaucrats will receive Rs 55,000 to Rs 75,000 a month as tough area allowance for serving in places like Leh and Guwahati, an anomaly that the three service chiefs have taken up with the government.
State cooperation minister Chandrakant Patil was dragged into a controversy on Saturday for using a fancy number plate car in Solapur. A day later, state transport minister Diwakar Raote directed transport department officials to take action against the car owner for using a fancy number plate.

Patil admitted to using the car to reach the venue from the helipad in Solapur but clarified it did not belong to him. Using fancy number plates violates provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Moreover, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court last year had directed the state government to take immediate action against car owners using such plates.

The SUV used by the minister had a number plate MH-13 8110, BJP, designed in a way to carry the party name. Patil, a BJP minister, was in Barshi, Solapur, to attend an event organised by party leaders. The issue snowballed into a controversy after a local Marathi news channel, ABP Majha, highlighted it on Saturday.

Its not possible for me to check number plates and licences of cars I use during my tours. I was asked by my party activists to sit in it. Its not a big issue, said Patil.

After the issue got media attention, Raote, ordered action against the owner of the car. Orders have been issued to take action against those who violated the rules, Raote told HT. He also maintained the car did not belong to the cooperation minister.

It was not my car. The transport minister can take action against the car owner, Patil replied when asked about the orders of the transport minister in the case.

Shyam Wardhane, the state transport commissioner, said, The transport minister must have given the orders to the district authority of the department. His orders will be followed as per the existing rules and regulations.
A team, constituted by Pakistan to investigate into the attack on Indian airbase in Pathankot last month, has concluded that there is no substantive evidence to suggest that Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of the outlawed Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant group, masterminded the deadly assault.

According to The Express Tribune, Pakistani authorities have conveyed to New Delhi that there was no substantial evidence that could prove the involvement of Maulana Azhar in the Pathankot assault.

Quoting sourcess, the Express Tribune said that the SIT informed the civil and military leadership in Pakistan in a last week meeting that the Indian evidence was insufficient to implicate Maulana Azhar. The team, however did not rule out involvement of some low cadre members of the JeM.

Six gunmen attacked the airbase in Pathankot on 2 January, leading to a three-day-long standoff that killed seven soldiers. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after India shared the leads with Pakistan.

Subsequently, a crackdown was launched in Punjab against the JeM, its headquarters were sealed and dozens of activists detained.

The SIT has since been working on the Indian leads. It is also expected to visit India to study the evidence the Indians have.

Meanwhile talks between India and Pakistan have been suspended till the former sees action by Pakistan against those responsible for the Pathankot attack.
Lashkar-e-Taiba operative and key 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes accused David Coleman Headley started deposing before a local court on Monday. Here are six of his most explosive revelations that we didnt know about before:

1)Terrorists tried to hit Mumbai twice before the infamous 26/11 strikes that killed 166 people but failed both times. The first attempt failed in September 2008 after the boat used by extremists to reach Mumbais shores hit rocks in the Arabian Sea. The terrorists survived but lost all weapons and explosives on board. A second attempt a month later failed also.

2)Headley joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba after being influenced by its head Hafeez Saeed. He then took his first course with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

3)Headley, a United States citizen, visited India eight times before the 2008 terror strikes, travelling directly from Pakistan on seven occasions.

4)Headley took several videos and conducted trial runs of terror strikes in India during his visits. He also recced the vice presidents house in New Delhi, India Gate and the CBI headquarters.

Also Read | Live: Influenced by Hafeez Saeed, Headley tells court on 26/11

5)Headley was asked by top Lashkar commanders to change his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.

6) Headley wanted to fight Indian troops in Kashmir but was told by his Lashkar handlers that he was too old.
Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh has said he would back a public-sector developed genetically modified (GM) mustard variety if the countrys biotech regulator clears it, comments that signal the Narendra Modi governments willingness to push the crop through all regulatory steps, for now.

Spelling out his position on GM mustard for the first time, Singh struck a neutral stance to say he would go by the regulators decision.

The environment ministrys Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has begun examining final biosafety data related to GM mustard after its developers sought necessary regulatory approvals for the product in December.

If the data square up, then the crop becomes eligible for commercial release. This possibility has sparked fresh protests from anti-GM groups.

There is a regulatory body for GM crops (the GEAC). Whatever decision the regulatory body will take, the agriculture ministry will accept it. If it is approved, we will welcome it, Singh told HT.

This is the first time since the UPA government halted the commercial release of Bt brinjal in February 2010 that a GM food crop has come up for regulatory approval. India currently allows only GM cotton, commercialised in 2002.

GM crops are those in which the genetic material (DNA) is altered so that there is some advantage either to the producer or consumer. Bt Brinjal, for example, has been tweaked to resist pests.

The farm minister said he trusted the regulator to take the right call. The regulator is fully equipped to decide on GM mustard and has technical expertise to consider all issues on the agricultural side as well as health and environment. So, it is for the GEAC to decide.

Unlike Bt brinjal, which had its roots in a gene developed by American multinational Monsanto, the GM mustard variety, technically called DMH 11, has been developed by Delhi Universitys Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants, led by Prof Deepak Pental.

The project, worth Rs 70 crore, was jointly funded by the biotechnology department and the National Dairy Development Board, which owns the popular food brands Mother Dairy and Dhara edible oil.

Pental said DMH-11 mustard had demonstrated 25-30% higher yields than those currently grown. He said his product had three genes from rapeseed that had been deregulated for consumption by Canada in 1996, by US in 2002 and Australia in 2003.

On Friday, the GEAC sought more data from Delhi University on GM mustard. Slamming the regulator, Sridhar Radhakrishnan, a campaigner from the Coalition for a GM Free India, said the GEAC was acting like a peddler of this controversial hazardous technology and behaving in a secretive manner.

The group had rejected the GEACs invitation to plead their case, demanding instead that the regulator make biosafety data of GM mustard public.

Also, over 32000 signatories have endorsed a change.org petition started by anti-GM leader Vandana Siva, demanding a stop to GM Mustard.

As far as food crops go, GM mustard could be a more relevant crop than Bt brinjal. India, the worlds largest buyer of edible oil, meets 60% of its annual demand of 18-19 million tonne through imports, which cost up to Rs 62,000 crore. This amount is nearly three times what the country spends on the Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan, the flagship primary education programme.

In May 2014, soon after assuming office, Singh had told HT that GM crops would not be a priority unless they were absolutely necessary.

The BJPs poll manifesto stated that its government would consider GM crops only after thoroughly assessing their safety. The NDA government has since backed research in GM technologies, although this is no sign that it is ready to allow GM mustard yet.

Whether to allow more GM crops, especially food crops, has been a deeply polarising issue, with right-wing groups linked to the ruling BJP and anti-GM NGOs vowing not to allow it.

Prime Minister Modi had, while launching a farm TV channel in May last year, called for newer technologies, including GM, to boost productivity.

Environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday rejected claims his ministry was speeding up approval to GM mustard, but said the government would back research into GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

Singh too has said his ministry supports research on transgenic crops if they are held according to regulatory procedures, a far cry from the fierce opposition by right-wing groups linked to his party.

GM technologies can help raise yields of Indian crops and improve productivity, globally among the lowest. Yet, they are bitterly opposed on grounds of biosafety and food security.

A recent paper by the NITI Aayog states: Objections to GM technologies are based on the twin fears that they may harm humans consuming the resulting produce and they may have adverse effects on biodiversity. But no compelling evidence supporting either of these fears has emerged more than two decades after the original introduction of GM foods in 1994.

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Gangster Sandeep Gadoli, wanted in 36 cases, including murder and extortion, was gunned down at an Andheri hotel on Sunday morning by a crime branch team from Gurgaon, after he refused to surrender.

The shootout  the citys first encounter in nearly five years  began after Gadoli fired two rounds at the police team and injured two of their constables. Police sources said Gadoli was injured when the team retaliated. He was taken to Cooper hospital where he died. Gadoli, according to the police, was hiding at the Airport Metro hotel in Andheri (East) with two accomplices and two women (identified as foreigners). They had booked three rooms  Gadoli was staying in one of them, his accomplices in the second and the women in the third.

Around 10.30am, a team of eight policemen reached the hotel, acting on specific information that Gadoli was holed up there. They studied the area, three policemen waited outside the hotel and five went inside to catch Gadoli. They found out his room number, knocked on his door and asked him to surrender. Instead, Gadoli fired two rounds, the police said.

The shots hurt head constable Paramjit Yahlawat and constable Vikram Singh. The team then opened fire in retaliation and Gadoli was shot four times.

While the Mumbai police have registered a case under section 307 of the IPC against Gadoli and his accomplices, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 10) Vinayak Deshmukh said the Haryana police had not informed the local police about their operation.

Gurgaon police officials in the city, however, claim they followed procedure and told the Mumbai police control room as soon as they reached the hotel.

The local police also reached the spot when the operation was going on, said police inspector Amit Kuhar of the Gurgaon crime branch.The Mumbai commissioner of police has transferred the investigation into the encounter at the Airport Metro hotel to the Mumbai crime branch, said Dhananjay Kulkarni, the spokesperson for the Mumbai police.

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Despite opposition, SAS Nagar municipal corporation is gearing up to introduce paid parking in all markets of the town following a recommendation of a three-member committee constituted for the purpose. As of now, markets in Phases 5, 3B2 and 7 have the paid parking system.

Sources say the MC is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 30 lakh per month if paid parking is introduced in all seven major markets of the town.

Not satisfied with the present setup, the committee also recommend some improvement in the system. The new parking rates and other recommendations will be discussed in the House meeting next week. The system is likely to be introduced by April-end in markets of Phases 1, 2, 6, 9 and 11.

The committee also recommended that gates should be put up at entry and exit points of the paid parking instead of ropes. The committee said closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras should be installed at entry and exit points and contractors should ensure that they are functional.

The committee said all entry and exit points in a paid parking lot should be manned. Raising concern over the safety of vehicles, the committee pointed out that employees at the parking lots do not check receipts at the exit point. Except for issuing a parking slip, the employees fail to provide any assistance to vehicle owners. They dont even assist residents in parking their vehicles systematically. The committee said residents were opposing the paid parking system due to these shortcomings.

The contract of JTS Constructions that is managing paid parking in Phases 5, 3B2 and 7 comes to an end in April. The company was awarded the contract in 2015 and had been issued several notices for violations.

The paid parking system had been opposed by the SAD-BJP and the Congress and it also dominated the MC elections. Politicians had been promising residents of doing away with the system.

Whats on MCs mind

Introduction of paid parking in Phases 1, 2, 6, 9 and 11

CCTV cameras at entry and exit points of parking lots

Single parking slip that can be used by vehicle owners in all parking lots in the town

Employees of contractor will be responsible for getting vehicles parked in a systematic manner

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah will hold meeting with Punjab deputy chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbur Singh Badal on Tuesday to discuss alliance issues. The meeting was earlier slated for Monday.

Though SAD sources maintained that it would be a routine meeting, Punjab BJP leaders said Shah is likely to convey to Akali leaders to give full honour and representation to the state BJP leadership.

Notably, state BJP leaders, in a meeting with Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 7, had alleged discrimination at the hands of Akalis. The issue is likely to figure in the meeting, said sources. Apart from Sukhbir, SAD leaders Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Naresh Gujral are likely to present in the meeting.

Earlier, the ruling NDA tried to put up a united face ahead of the crucial budget session, holding a more than two- hour long meeting to formulate a common strategy on the floor of the two Houses of Parliament.

It was for the first time in recent past that the BJPs top leadership had such a meeting with the senior functionaries of its alliance partners.

Under attack from the opposition for being pro corporate, NDA leaders decided to highlight from time to time its works for the welfare of farmers, poor and weaker sections of the society. A leader present in the meeting held at parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidus residence, said government leaders briefed the alliance partners about the achievements of the Narendra Modi government. General issues were discussed, issues that may come up in the upcoming session of Parliament, Naidu told reporters after the meeting.

BJP president Amit Shah also told NDA allies that he would separately meet the president of every alliance partner. NDA allies have been complaining about lack of coordination and Shahs assurance is seen as an effort to address the issue.
The Punjab government on Sunday urged the Centre to provide the state a financial package of Rs 15,000 crore in the coming Union budget, including a financial aid of Rs 100 crore to check cancer penetration in the Malwa belt.

A sufficient budgetary allocation for the payment of central sales tax compensation during 2016-17 was also demanded by Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa at the Centres pre-budget consultation meeting of finance ministers in Delhi. The meeting was presided over by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley.

Dhindsa said environmental resources had been overexploited and degraded, especially soil health and water that led to a high degree of economic distress among the farmers and also the landless workers, forcing them to commit suicide.

Punjab, he said, was equally into industrial crisis mainly due to tax holidays given by the Centre to the neighbouring hill states. This had led to the closure and flight of 274 industrial units involving investment of Rs 3,675 crore to the tax favoured states, he added.

Dhindsa said Punjab was a fit state along with Kerala and West Bengal for debt relief. He said the 14th Finance Commission had overlooked the most deserving case of the state for debt relief in Punjab, citing the power subsidy to agriculture sector as the reason.

The 14th Finance Commissions decision to reject Punjab for debt relief stood in contradiction to the recent statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in favour of subsidies to the agriculture sector.

Dhindsa also sought the waiver of the reimbursement of Rs 298 crore for deployment of paramilitary forces in the state.

He said the state government should be allowed to raise market borrowings as per its fund flow requirements within the overall fiscal deficit limit. There should be no quarterly limits in this regard, headed.

Refer ring to the recommended raising of the ceiling of professional tax from Rs 2,500 to Rs 12,000 per annum by the 14th Finance Commission, he said the limit should be uniform for all states and also supported appropriate constitutional amendment as recommended by the commission.
Ahead of the Union Railway Budget, city residents have voiced their wish list asking for alarms in bogeys announcing the next station, post offices having rail ticket counters, online booking of unreserved ticket services and first aid facility at the Chandigarh station.

As HT spoke to people across the city, not only did they share a wish, but importantly listed complaints regarding the upkeep of the station and the long queues they have to endure to buy tickets.

City based businessman, Kapil Narang, said, Whenever I come to the station, I realise that I belong to a fortunate lot who could book ticket online. The queues at the station are long and considering the rush, the station authorities should ideally increase the ticket counters and even staff for the convenience of passengers.

Misha Madan, a resident of Zirakpur raised the lack of proper checking points at the Chandigarh station. I believe that the relative and friends should be asked to leave from the main gate like at the airport or there should be certain restrictions to check the entry of people coming without tickets at the station, since nobody even asks a person entering at the station if he/she is carrying a platform ticket.

More number of ticket vending machines at the station, more express trains for western Uttar Pradesh, good quality guest room, construction of ramp at the Panchkula side of the station, safe night vehicle parking facilities were some of the other demands which the residents shared.

Manas Jain, city resident, asks for a dedicated app for buying tickets having easily accessible features.

Pavitra Gaur, student of Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, who travels to Delhi on every weekend said that the railways should have some kind of discounts for the college students. Besides the discount, there should be certain reserved category in express trains for the college or university hostellers, residing in the city who have to travel to Delhi frequently, said Gaur.

De-link food cost from Shatabdis also

Meanwhile, as the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has planned to announce a decision to de-link fare charges from catering costs in the premier trains in his upcoming budget speech, city residents wish the same policy can be implemented for Shatabdi trains, as there have been complaints in regard to the quality of the food, especially in Shatabdi express between Chandigarh and Delhi.

Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) offers e-catering services at Chandigarh station as well. IRCTC has all the menu details on its official website and any food item could be ordered by entering the PNR number of the train.

Railways ask for suggestions

The web portal of the government of India mygov.in has also asked the citizens to give their suggestions for the railway budget. People can share their opinions by logging on the site

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national spokesperson Sanjay Singh appeared in the court here on Monday in connection with the defamation suit filed by Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia. The court granted him bail on the condition of furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000.

Before appearing in the court, Sanjay said: Majithia has filed a defamation case against me for calling him a drug lord, but I am not afraid of it and I stand by my words. I will say it a thousand times that he is smuggling drugs in Punjab.

Sanjay said no court summons had been served on him, but he came to know about the hearing through the media and appeared himself as a mark of respect for the judicial system.

The next hearing of the case is on February 20. Majithia did not make an appearance in the court on Monday.

The AAP leader further said: How can the Punjab Police take action against Majithia since he is a cabinet minister in the Akali-BJP government and a close relative of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal? It was obvious that the police would give him the clean chit. As the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is an alliance partner of the NDA government, the Centre is also reluctant to take action against him.

Confident about an AAP win in the 2017 assembly elections, Sanjay announced that after coming to power in Punjab, the party would put Majithia behind bars.

Sucha Singh Chhotepur, state AAP convener, who was also present in the court, said Majithia had targeted Sanjay because he belonged to another state. He dared the minister to file a defamation case against AAPs Punjab leaders.
Even though the city could not make it to the list first of 20 smart cities, but the UT administration has initiated steps to ensure that prominent spots in the city are smartly connected.

Tenders will be floated on Monday inviting vendors to set up internet facility using Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) technology at the Sector 17 Plaza, the Sukhna Lake and the IT Park. Under the project, 30-40 minutes of internet would be given for free and after this limit, consumers will have pay to be online.

Other modalities are being worked out to make the project  announced last year into reality.

In January, the administration had invited Expression of Interest (EoI) to which four telecom companies  BSNL, Connect, Reliance and Vodafone had expressed interest and then the decision was taken to float tenders.

These would be finalised by next month and the selected company would get about five weeks to initiate the project.

Entry to admn offices to be through cards

As part of the digital project of introducing Wi-Fi zones in the city, the selected company will also issue Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards to the administration employees.

The administration staff and officials will be able to enter only with the help of the RFID cards in the offices and the record rooms.

The staff will be issued these cards and gates will be installed for managing entry. The entry to record rooms would be regularised with the move and work would be streamlined.

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A musician from Amritsar who failed to make the grade, a drug addict from Bathinda and a dhaba owner from Patiala were arrested by Chandigarh Police on Saturday for kidnapping a 19-year-old Hisar youth from his paying guest accommodation in Sector 21 on February 2 (Tuesday) and for demanding a ransom of Rs 2 crore. The accused had befriended the victim around two months before the crime and had taken him to Rama Mandi in Bathinda from where he managed to escape on February 3.

The accused have been identified as Rohit Sharma alias Shera (30), the mastermind who hails from Amritsar; Gagandeep Singh alias Gagni (20), a resident of Peer Kot village in Bathinda and Gurvinder Singh alias Mithu (27), a resident of Harchand Pura village in Patiala. The victim has been identified as Rajatpal Singh.

The motive

Assistant superintendent of police Guriqbal Singh Sidhu said the mastermind Rohit had run up a debt of Rs 35 lakh due to his failed investment in a company called SS Music and his initial target for kidnap was somebody else  Mansa resident Navjot Singh.

Sharma had known Navjot from his school days in Akal Academy, Patiala, where he (Sharma) had taken up a drivers job.

Now, after several years Sharma again befriended Navjot on Facebook after hatching the kidnap conspiracy, around two months ago.

The accused started visiting Navjot at his PG and befriended his roommates Rajatpal Singh, 19, and Maninder Singh (23).

It was at this stage that Shar ma decided to target Rajatpal, as he also seemed to be from a well-off family and had bragged that he was the son of a landlord and also revealed that he wanted to be model. Sharma then boasted that he was running a company and was in regular touch with stars that made Rajatpal trust him.

The day of the crime

On February 2 (Tuesday), the trio asked the victim to accompany them to Aroma Hotel. From there, they bundled him into Sharmas Honda Mobilio with an Amritsar registration number and left the city. Near Kharar, Rajatpal sensed that something was wrong and resisted. Here, Sharma assaulted him with a sharp-edged weapon.

The hatching of the conspiracy

Inspector Gurjeet Kaur said Sharma  already facing 12 criminal cases of theft, robbery and NDPS in Bathinda  was in touch with Gagni, a resident of district Bathinda, through Gagnis uncle and he knew that Gagni was a drug addict and thus lured him into the crime.

Sharma also lured the third accused Gurvinder Singh on promise of riches. Gurvinder also had a loan to repay.

T he accused have been remanded in three-day police custody.

During interrogation, the accused have told the police that Navjot was their target for kidnapping.

The three have been booked under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 364-A (kidnapping for ransom) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 19 police station.
Less than a month after being hoisted with much pomp in Ranchi, Indias largest tricolour flag is being replaced due to wear and tear from high-speed winds.

The flag, measuring 99 by 66 feet, was hoisted by Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar on January 23 with state chief minister Raghubar Das. It was flagged to a pole 293 feet tall atop the Pahari Mandir located on a hill.

The Pahari Mandir Vikas Samiti, committee-in-charge of the flag, said a new one had been ordered in Mumbai. Mukesh Agarwal, spokesperson for the samiti, said that the corner of the flag, held by ropes, had begun tearing.

This is the second time the flag, made of high-grade parachute material, showed damage. Last month, pictures of a tear in the saffron section of the flag were circulated on social media, but officials denied the fabric needed repairing.

Ranchi-based engineering company, Metallurgical and Engineering Consultants Limited (MECON), which helped develop the flag post, said that this was common in large, heavy flags and they needed to be changed every few months.

We have to keep some backups ready, Agarwal added.

The construction of the special pole cost around Rs 1.25 crore while the flag cost Rs 44 lakh. More than a 100 workers took 40 days to complete the project.

The Jharkhand flag displaced the one in Haryana as the tallest and largest flag which measures 96 feet by 64 feet and is hoisted at a height of 250 feet.

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The Coimbatore-based autorickshaw driver, M Chandrakumar -- whose novel, Lock-Up on police brutality, inspired Vetrimaaran to helm his latest, Visaaranai -- seems to have seduced another director. Vinoth Kamlin, also based in Coimbatore, will adapt another of Chandrakumars work, Veppamattra Velloliyal.

Unlike Visaaranai, which was a neat adaptation of Lock Up, Kamlins movie will be spun from a thought in Veppamattra Velloliyal. Kamlin said that soon after Chandrakumar returned from the Venice Film Festival -- where Visaaranai premiered -- the rights for the novel were acquired.



Visaaranai review: Vetrimaaran shows realism at its harshest best

Kamlin, who will make his feature debut with this movie, said that Chandrakumar saw the helmers two short films and agreed to be part of the project. Chandrakumar wrote the screenplay and the dialogues for Kamlins work.

Kamlin in fact read the first draft of Veppamattra Velloliyal even before Kumar had penned the climax, but the director was so smitten by the work that he decided to make a movie out of it.

The plot revolves around a woman and unfolds in a 24-hour span. The woman is in distress after her sexual encounters, and the work will capture her intense agony and pain.

Read: Surrendered myself to Vetrimaaran for Visaaranai, says actor Dinesh

M Chandrakumars book, Lock Up, 160 pages, clinched the Best Document of Human Rights Award in 2006. (HT Photo)

In a chat with this writer this morning, Chandrakumar said that he had never been able to find the answer for men turning into rapists. Men who may have lived as neighbours with women are suddenly consumed by beastly lust. My novel, Veppamattra Velloliyal, tries to examine this issue in the context of rape.

Read: Visaaranai is one of the best films in world cinema, says Rajinikanth

Kumars writings appear to reflect the sufferings of men and women. A take from his own bitter experiences many years ago in 2006 -- when he and his friends, employed in a small hotel in Andhra Pradesh, were picked up by the police, incarcerated in a suffocatingly small cell for 13 days and beaten to pulp for no apparent reason -- Visaaranai documents the helplessness of the have-nots in the face of injustice and horrific third-degree torture perpetrated by the police.

Watch Visaaranais trailer here:

The book, Lock Up, 160 pages, clinched the Best Document of Human Rights Award in 2006.

Chandrakumar has since then published six more stories, and jots downs his points when his autorickshaw is either waiting for custom or for the light to turn green. Late into the night, he pens his stories of suffering. The man also loves to read, Gorky and Chingiz Aitmatov being his favourite authors.

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Quietly tucked away in southern Africa, Botswana is a haven for animals and wildlife thats emerging as a top destination for visitors to discover. In fact, Lonely Planet picked Botswana as its must-visit country for 2016, ahead of Japan and the USA. Heres a look at what awaits in this years destination of choice.

Chobe National Park

In northern Botswana, near the town of Kasane, this national park is one of Botswanas key tourist destinations. Its a must for elephant-spotters, with a huge population of 40,000 living in the park. In fact, its one of the best places in Botswana to see elephants. The Chobe National Park is the third largest reserve in the country and is home to over 250 species of animals.

Read: From Vienna to Rome: Heres how you backpack across Europe on a budget

The Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is an unmissable sight for visitors to Botswana. (Istock)

The Okavango Delta is nature at its finest. This breathtaking natural landscape is the worlds second largest inland delta, stretching over 18,000 square meters (193,750 sq ft). Right at the north of Botswana, the deltas spectacular scenery is formed by the Okavango River, which, instead of flowing into the sea, finds its outlet in the Kalahari Desert, spreading its waters over 15,000 sq m (161,458 sq ft) of arid land. Over time, islands have formed and all manner of wildlife has found home in its fertile wetlands. Its a great place for photographers and wildlife-watchers to spot wading birds, elephants, wildebeests and hippopotamuses. The easiest way to visit the area is by joining an organized safari.

Read: Prague: The land of Czech beer, medieval castles and Kafkaland

The Kalahari Desert

The Kalahari Desert stretches between Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. (Istock)

Theres no way visitors can miss this huge desert, which stretches 900,000 sq km between Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. While temperatures can easily reach up to 42C in July and August, that doesnt stop vegetation from thriving. The site has several reserves, which are home to animals such as springboks, lions, hyenas, meerkats and antelopes.

Read: Berlin, a beautiful mess: You would love to lose yourself here

The Thamalakane River and Maun

Visitors can enjoy a romantic sunset on the banks of the Thamalakane River. (Istock)

At the Southern end of the Okavango Delta, the Thamalakane River is an ideal spot for a romantic trip to watch the sunset. Visitors should also take in the nearby town of Maun, 19 km away, which is a popular destination for the countrys tourists. It makes a good base for a trip to the Moremi Game Reserve.

Read: Backpacking in Italy? When in Rome, dont do as the Romans do

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Temperatures in Kgalagadi Transforntier Park can reach up to 70C in the sun or 42C in the shade. (Istock)

Straddling the border between South Africa and Botswana, Kgalagali Park sprawls over 38,000 sq km. Its the ideal spot for watching Africas impressive birds of prey, but the star beast here is the gemsbok (Oryx gazella). Kgalagadi means place of thirst, which is fitting for this park and its red sand dunes, located in the southern part of the Kalahari desert. Temperatures can reach up to 42C in the shade and up to 70C in the sun. Visitors follow a route alongside two dried up rivers, which are said to flow only once a century.
The Czech government paid a $6-million (5.4-million-euro) ransom to secure the release last year of two women kidnapped by armed men in Pakistan, the Respekt weekly reported in its Monday edition.

Czech psychology students Hana Humpalova and Antonie Chrastecka, both 24 at the time, were seized by armed men in March 2013 in Pakistans southwestern Balochistan province, near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran.

The pair had entered from Iran as tourists and were escorted into Pakistan by a tribal policeman.

In a video released shortly after their kidnapping, the two young women had pleaded for the release of Pakistani neuroscientist Aafia Siddiqui, jailed in 2010 in the United States on charges of terrorist links.

After two years in captivity, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka announced the womens release and return to Prague on March 28, 2015.

Negotiations with the kidnappers on the payment of a ransom were carried out by the Czech states security council, according to Respekt.

The talks werent easy, but in the end, none of us wanted to assume responsibility for the death of two young girls, the weekly quoted an anonymous participant in the negotiations as saying.

The decision to hand over the ransom was taken unanimously, the source added.

Government spokesperson Martin Ayrer told AFP that Sobotka will not be commenting on this report.

The Respekt report comes just days after five Czech men, who were kidnapped in Lebanon last July, were freed into the care of Lebanese security forces.

Their release appeared to be tied to the detention of a Lebanese man in Prague, with a Lebanese security official telling AFP: The release of the five Czechs... is the final part of an exchange deal, (that) includes the release of the Lebanese detainee in Prague, Ali Taan Fayyad.

That release, announced on February 2, received an indignant reaction from the US ambassador who said Pragues actions would encourage terrorists and criminals.
Former US president Bill Clinton has launched a blistering attack on Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders in a bid to help wife Hillary bridge the gap in polls in New Hampshire, which primaries on Tuesday.

In a speech on Sunday, the Bill accused Sanders of being choosey with facts, making false promises, and being less than honest about his own campaign funds.

When youre making a revolution, you cant be too careful with the facts, he said about Sanders without naming him, according to multiple reports about the speech.

He went on to accuse some Sanders supporters  called Bernie Bros  for attacking Clinton supporters online for backing her only because she was a woman, sexists.

Sanders has denounced those supporters.

The US senator from the neighbouring state of Vermont has maintained a commanding lead over Clinton in New Hampshire with 53.3% to 40.5%, staying obstinately out of her reach.

But the Clintons believe they can change that, given their history with the state. Bill Clinton came to be called the comeback kid in 1992 for coming second in New Hampshire.

And a win in New Hampshire in 2008 helped Hillary Clinton regain composure and hope after suffering a crippling defeat at the hands of a first-time senator, Barack Obama, in Iowa.

But the state has not responded as well to her this time  worse, she is trailing Sanders even among younger women there, according to a new poll. Can her husband help?

The Clinton campaign has deployed the former president carefully this time, mindful of the controversies that he kicked up in 2008. In Iowa, he was used to soften up his wifes image.

In New Hampshire, Politico news-site said, the Big Dog (as the former president is called, in a good way, in recognition of his larger-than-life persona) turned into an attack dog.

Without naming Sanders once again, the former president attacked his promises  especially the single-payer health plan that the senator has proposed to replace Obamacare.

Sanders is proposing a Canada-like health insurance system in which only a single entity pays the insurers, the government in this instance, and not several as in the US and India.

The government pays out of its income tax collections.

Clinton said: It is good for America? I dont think so. Is it good for New Hampshire? I dont think so. The New Hampshire I knew would not have voted for me if I had done that.

He also questioned Sanders attack on Clinton accusing her of accepting donations and money from big donors, saying the senator had himself turned up ad lobbyist-filled fund-raisers.

I practically fell out of my chair when I saw it, he said, according to The New York Times.
On September 2 last year, a single photograph became an inflection point in the conversation over Syrian refugees: Three-year-old Aylan Kurdis tiny corpse lying on a beach. His uncles application for refugee status had been rejected by the Canadian government and the issue had an impact on federal elections in October.

More importantly, it became a very human matter. In Toronto, 44-year-old Hyderabad-born Indo-Canadian Henna Agha reacted: Suddenly, the picture of Aylan Kurdi hit the news, and we were overwhelmed with sadness and helplessness. How to help people a half a world away?

A few days later I was contacted by some friends who said they were putting together a group to sponsor a refugee family, would Samie and I be interested? The answer was an immediate and resounding YES!

Canada expects to welcome about 10,000 privately sponsored refugees by the end of 2015, over and above the 25,000 the government plans on bringing in. Among the groups involved in the process is Riverdale Refugee Lifeline, comprising 24 people, including Agha.

Read | How an Indian-origin MP in Canada is helping Syrian refugees

It partnered early with the Eastminster United Church and applied to sponsor a single family of five to seven members or two smaller linked families.

Agha said, Our commitment is to support the family for the first year. Financial, emotional, material, and in all other ways.

Her group has already scouted and secured a temporary apartment and furnished it. We have translators ready and waiting. At this point we are just waiting for the email that tells us we have a match. Then the real work begins, Agha said. She pointed out that since 1979, over 275,000 privately sponsored refugees had arrived in Canada.

Once we have been matched, which hopefully will happen soon, the family arrives in approximately two weeks, she said. And this sense of anticipation is rife across communities in Canada.

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The Islamic States recent defeats signify its worsening money problems, desertions and a dwindling pool of fighters with many of them joining rival militant groups after facing pay cuts, according to a media report.

Citing top analysts and monitoring groups, the Washington Post reported that the recent losses of the terror group are linked to its struggles to pay fighters and recruit new ones to replace those who have deserted, defected to other militant groups or died on the battlefield.

US-backed Kurdish and Arab forces have seized significant amounts of territory from the extremist group in the parts of Iraq and Syria where it declared a caliphate in 2014.

These issues suggest that as an entity that is determined to hold onto territory, the Islamic State is not sustainable, Jacob Shapiro, an expert on the Islamic State who teaches politics at Princeton University, was quoted as saying.

There appears to be a rise in the number of Islamic State fighters who have deserted or, in the case of the Syrian conflict, defected to other militant groups, Vera Mironova, an expert on armed groups in Syria and Iraq at Harvard Universitys Belfer Center, said.

The salary and benefit cuts have caused for-profit militants in Syria to increasingly look for better deals with other armed factions, she said.

The group, she said, is also struggling to replenish ranks of its foreign fighters, who tend to be more ideologically driven but also die in relatively large numbers on the battlefield.

Only a year ago, the Islamic State was seen as a juggernaut -- rich, organised and fielding thousands of motivated fighters -- but in recent months, its momentum has been reversed, the report said.

US military officials estimate that the group has lost as much as 40% of the territory it held in Iraq and as much as 20% in Syria, it said.

Kurdish and Arab forces, including Iraqs increasingly competent military, have advanced against the group with the help of airstrikes from a US-led coalition.

The air raids have damaged the Islamic States oil infrastructure, a key revenue source, and the territorial setbacks have stripped the group of populations to tax and assets to seize, analysts say.

All of this, they say, appears to have forced the group to reduce salaries and benefits for fighters.

Last month media reports had said the terror groups Bayt al-Mal, the Treasury Ministry, has decided to cut the salaries of its fighters in half due to the exceptional circumstances IS has been witnessing.
Two pranksters sparked a scare in a Manhattan subway train after they broke into the conductors booth and announced on the public address system that Islamic State (IS) is hijacking the train and will blow it up.

The startling announcement aboard the Brooklyn-bound R train had riders scurrying out of the train when it pulled into the next stop. The suspects also slipped off the train at the next stop.

The two mischievous pranksters, in their 20s, broke into the conductors booth last Thursday and announced over the loudspeaker that they were IS members set to blow up the train, police sources were quoted as saying by the New York Post.

Passenger Lauren Crozier, a 30-year-old actor, was aboard the train heading to her home in Sunset Park when the declaration came over the loudspeaker.

At first there was some singing, it wasnt really audible. Then we heard, All hail ISIS! Crozier was quoted as saying.

Everyone took their earbuds out and stared at each other. Im not sure any of us thought it was a credible threat. Not after the first moment, anyway, he said.

Crozier said the suspects making the announcement also said, This train has been hijacked.

She said that once the train pulled into the next station, the whole train emptied out.

The train was taken out of service and taken to the Jamaica Yards in Queens, where an investigation was conducted.

A police source was quoted as saying, it was a hoax and there was no credible threat.
Madhesi parties in Nepal on Monday officially called off their four and half month long blockade of key border points with India as part of their protest against the new constitution.

The decision comes three days after Indian traders forcibly removed blockade on the Miteri Bridge in Birganj after a gap of 135 days, allowing smooth movement of cargo vehicles into Nepal.

A meeting of United Democratic Madhesi Front, comprising four parties, agreed to call of their protests citing present situation in the country and difficulties faced by citizens.

Programmes carried out as part of the protests including general strike, blockade of border points and closure of government offices have been stayed with immediate effect, said a release.

The UDMF, however, decided to continue with other milder forms of protests and give different shape to their agitation in coming days after wider consultations with various groups.

The front castigated some leaders from within for spreading false rumours about the agitation and the blockade and accused them of siding with forces which were trying to destabilise the protests.

Our protests would continue till all our demands are met. We havent backed off nor are going to in future, the release added.

The UDMF have decided to hold baton and torch rallies in Terai, the region bordering India where Madhesis reside, in the coming days.

Official announcement of removal of the blockade has paved the way for Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis visit to India this month. He had expressed reservations on the visit till the situation normalised.

Madhesis have been protesting against the new statute since August seeking a package deal for their 11-point demands which include fresh demarcation of federal boundaries and proportional representation in all state organs.

They have also rejected an amendment of the constitution passed by the parliament last month. The protests, which had turned violent on several occasions, have claimed 58 lives till date.

Blockade of the key border point at Birganj, through which nearly 70% of the Indo-Nepal trade takes place, had resulted in severe crisis of essentials, especially petroleum products.

Despite Indias denials, Kathmandu had accused New Delhi of imposing an unofficial blockade on Nepal in order to support the Madhesis, who share close cultural and family ties across the border.

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North Korea launched a long-range rocket carrying what it called a satellite, drawing renewed international condemnation just weeks after it carried out a nuclear bomb test.

Critics of the rocket program say it is being used to test technology for a long-range missile.

South Korea and the United States said they would explore whether to deploy an advanced missile defense system in South Korea at the earliest possible date.

The US Strategic Command said it had detected a missile entering space, and South Koreas military said the rocket had put an object into orbit.

North Korea said the launch of the satellite Kwangmyongsong-4, named after late leader Kim Jong Il, was a complete success and it was making a polar orbit of Earth every 94 minutes. The launch order was given by his son, leader Kim Jong Un, who is believed to be 33 years old.

North Koreas state news agency carried a still picture of a white rocket, which closely resembled a previously launched rocket, lifting off. Another showed Kim surrounded by cheering military officials at what appeared to be a command center.

Isolated North Koreas last long-range rocket launch, in 2012, put what it called a communications satellite into orbit, but no signal has ever been detected from it.

If it can communicate with the Kwangmyongsong-4, North Korea will learn about operating a satellite in space, said David Wright, co-director and senior scientist at the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Even if not, it gained experience with launching and learned more about the reliability of its rocket systems.

The rocket lifted off at around 9:30 a.m. Seoul time (0030 GMT) on a southward trajectory, as planned. Japans Fuji Television Network showed a streak of light heading into the sky, taken from a camera at Chinas border with North Korea.

North Korea had notified United Nations agencies that it planned to launch a rocket carrying an Earth observation satellite, triggering opposition from governments that see it as a long-range missile test.

The U.N. Security Council condemned the launch in an emergency meeting on Sunday, and vowed to take significant measures in response to Pyongyangs violations of U.N. resolutions, Venezuelas U.N. ambassador said.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters: We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. DPRKs (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer.

The United States and China began discussing a U.N. sanctions resolution after Pyongyangs Jan. 6 atomic test.

North Korea had initially given a Feb. 8-25 time frame for the launch but on Saturday changed that to Feb. 7-14, apparently taking advantage of clear weather on Sunday.

North Koreas National Aerospace Development Administration called the launch an epochal event in developing the countrys science, technology, economy and defense capability by legitimately exercising the right to use space for independent and peaceful purposes.

The launch and the nuclear test are seen as efforts by the Norths young leader to bolster his domestic legitimacy ahead of a ruling party congress in May, the first since 1980.

North Koreas embassy in Moscow said in a statement the country would continue to launch rockets carrying satellites, according to Russias Interfax news agency.

NEW MISSILE DEFENSE?

South Korea and the United States said that if the advanced missile defense system called Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) was deployed to South Korea, it would be focused only on North Korea.

Seoul had been reluctant to discuss openly the possibility of deploying THAAD. South Korean President Park Geun-hye termed Sundays launch an unforgivable act of provocation.

North Korea continues to develop their nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and it is the responsibility of our Alliance to maintain a strong defense against those threats, General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, US Forces Korea commander, said in a statement.

China, South Koreas biggest trading partner, repeated what it says is deep concern about a system whose radar could penetrate its territory.

South Koreas military said it would make annual military exercises with U.S. forces the most cutting-edge and the biggest this year. North Korea objects to the drills as a prelude to war by a United States it says is bent on toppling the Pyongyang government.

The United States has about 28,500 troops in South Korea.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would work with the U.N. Security Council on significant measures to hold North Korea to account for what he called a flagrant violation of U.N. resolutions on North Koreas use of ballistic missile technology.

Kerry held a telephone conversation with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on Sunday, according to the State Department.

South Koreas navy retrieved what it believes to be a fairing used to protect the satellite on its journey into a space, a sign that it is looking for parts of the discarded rocket for clues into the Norths rocket program, which it did following the previous launch.

China expressed regret over the launch and called on all sides to act cautiously to prevent any escalation. China is North Koreas main ally, but it disapproves of its nuclear weapons program.

Russia, which has in recent years forged closer ties with North Korea, said the launch could only provoke a decisive protest, adding Pyongyang had once again demonstrated a disregard for norms of international law.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the launch with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, the foreign ministry said later, with Japan initiating the phone call.

Russia stressed the importance of diplomacy in defusing the tension in northeast Asia during the call, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

NUCLEAR ASPIRATIONS

North Korea has been under UN sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006. It has conducted three more atomic tests since then, including the one last month, along with numerous ballistic missile launches.

North Korea has said that last months nuclear test, its fourth, was of a hydrogen bomb. The United States and other governments have expressed doubt over that claim.

North Korea is believed to be working on miniaturizing a nuclear warhead to put on a missile, but many experts say it is some way from perfecting such technology.

It has shown off two versions of a ballistic missile resembling a type that could reach the U.S. West Coast, but there is no evidence the missiles have been tested.
Two suicide bombers targeting Afghan government and military employees killed at least nine people on Monday and wounded 23, officials said.

Six civilians died and nine were injured in a blast outside a bakery shop in Yahyakhil district of Paktika province, an area near Afghanistans eastern border with Pakistan, district governor Musa Khan Kharuti said.

The suicide bomber apparently targeted police and government employees buying bread, a provincial police official said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Earlier in the day, three people were killed in an attack on a bus carrying Afghan army personnel in Dehdadi district, not far from the Balkh provincial capital of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.

The ministry put the number of wounded at eight, while Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesperson for the Balkh provincial governor, said that 14, including three women, had been injured.

The bomber detonated a suicide vest near the bus as it was carrying members of the armys 209th Shaheen Corps, and all of the reported casualties were army employees, Farhad said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the military bus in a statement released online. The statement named a resident of Wardak province, which neighbours the Afghan capital city of Kabul, as the attacker.

Buses carrying military and government employees to and from work have been common targets for insurgent groups like the Taliban, who are seeking to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul and reimpose harsh Islamic rule 15 years after they were ousted form power.

Afghan security forces have suffered record casualties since NATO ended its combat mission in December 2014, leaving them to battle the resurgent Taliban largely on their own.

At least 20 Afghan policemen were killed on February 1 when a suicide bomber struck outside their base in the capital Kabul.

With neither side in the conflict seemingly able to achieve a decisive victory, the Afghan government, regional powers and the United States have pinned their hopes on a peace settlement.

On Saturday representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US announced that direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban were expected to take place by the end of the month, indicating the insurgent group are willing to return to negotiations six months after an earlier round of dialogue collapsed.

The role of Pakistan, which backed the Islamist group during their 1996- 2001 rule and is accused of sheltering its leaders in exile, is seen as key in persuading the Taliban to return to talks.

(With inputs from AFP)
Indian-American Sikh designer Waris Ahluwalia on Tuesday claimed that he was denied boarding an AeroMexico flight bound for New York from Mexico City only because he was wearing a turban.

The New-York based designer-cum-actor of House of Waris fame posted his photograph with his flight ticket on photo-sharing app Instagram and claimed that he was denied boarding because he refused to remove his turban.

This morning in Mexico City I was told I could not board my @aeromexico flight to NYC because of my turban.#FearisanOpportunitytoEducate#humanrights #dignity #lovenotfear, Ahluwalia posted on Instagram.

A Sikh community-based organisation in the US, The Sikh Coalition, condemned the incident, calling it shameful, while several other users took to social media to support Ahluwalia.

Soon, people from across the world were up in arms with Ahluwalia and took to social media to express their condemnation for the incident:

#Sikh American actor Waris Ahluwalia refused access on board .@AeroMexico flight because he wears a turban. #EndHate pic.twitter.com/UY5IgsU6z2  Baljit Rihal (@BaljitRihal) February 8, 2016

On Instagram too, many sympathised with Ahluwalia while narrating similar experiences. A user by the name of hhardevbhamra wrote, A similar incident happened to me in Brussels a few years ago. Patience and educating worked and since then handheld metal detectors are being used at the airport. It feels terrible and is s#$%, but please use this to make things better for others.

This morning, Aeromexico refused to let celebrity Sikh designer and actor -- Waris Ahluwalia -- board his flight with his turban. #Shameful Posted by Simran Jeet Singh on Monday, February 8, 2016
Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary, an animal rescue in King City, Ontario, Canada, is actually home to about 70 rescue horses. When a pretty brutal Canadian winter started enveloping the region, the shelter became quite worried about its galloping darlings, who were exposed to the cold for the most part.

Thus, the shelter posted a simple plea for help on their official Facebook page, asking people who have extra horse blankets to drop by and give the shelter the blankets that are not being used anymore. It was a simple request; very brief and concise.

What happened next, however, proved to the shelter just how much the community supported its efforts, reported The Dodo.

Soon after its request was issued, blankets for its rescue horses started coming in, followed by more, and then some more. Pretty soon, all 70 of the shelter's rescue horses got warm blankets for their own.

The volume of donations was so massive that the shelter even ended up with a surplus of blankets, for the next batch of horses that it would rescue in the near future.

Such a reaction and support from the community has no less than stunned the shelter.

"Running a rescue can be exhausting at times, and it can be easy to feel alone, but your overwhelming support and encouragement stands as a testament to the fact that we can achieve more when we work together," the shelter stated on their official Facebook page.

Dog Tales is one of Canada's premier animal rescue shelters, spanning about 50 acres of land and being home to numerous abused, neglected, and unwanted animals.

Check out more Pets News here.

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Police suspect that six people identified as family members killed in their Chicago home were victims of a "targeted incident," according to the New York Daily News. They were found dead Thursday evening after police checked in following a call from a co-worker.

The victims, who have been identified as a Mexican couple and their adult son, daughter-in-law and two young grandchildren, all died of sharp-force or blunt-force injuries except for the older woman, who died of gunshot wounds. Their deaths were ruled as homicides on Friday, the Associated Press reported.

No motive for the attack has been identified yet, but police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said Friday that it is possible that a member of the family "was involved in something that could have targeted them." Authorities stated during a news conference that there were no signs of forced entry and that the victims in question had not been bound or restrained during the incident, according to Reuters.

Police had called in to the property after receiving a call from one of the victim's co-workers informing authorities that they had not been to work in two days. After seeing a body through the window, police gained entry to the residence and discovered five other bodies in different parts of the house, ABC7 Chicago reported. It is believed that they were killed sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday.

The names of the victims are Noe Martinez Sr., 62, Rosaura Martinez, 58, Noe Martinez Jr., 38, Maria Herminia Martinez, 32, Leonardo Cruz, 13, and Alexis Cruz, 10. Neighbors called them a "calm, quiet family" with no known record of violence.

Family members of the victims have set up a crowdfunding campaign through GoFundMe to raise money to send the bodies to Mexico for the funerals "where they would've wished to be buried." At the time of writing, they had raised over $25,900, with any extra funds going towards burial costs.

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Each star in the universe begins inside a rotating cloud of gas and dust that contracts to stellar densities due to the force of its own gravity. However, before these clouds harbor stars, the vast majority of them land onto a circumstellar disk that formed around the star due to the conservation of angular momentum. The process by which the cloud makes its way through the disk and onto the star, which leads to an increase in the star's mass, is the focus of many current astrophysical studies.

While it was previously believed that the star's final mass is the result of a steady accumulation, a new study by researchers from the University of Vienna suggests that this is not the case. Instead, the study reveals that the final mass is likely due to a series of violent events characterized by stellar brightening. One example of this can be seen in the young FU Orionis star located in the Orion constellation, which increased in brightness by a factor of 250 over just one year and has remained in this state for almost 100 years.

The new theory outlined in the current study proposes that this stellar brightening is caused by fragmentation that stems from gravitational instability in the gaseous disks that surround early stars. Subsequently, dense clumps of gas make their way onto the star. During the process of this transfer of gaseous clumps, excess energy is released that causes the brightening of the young star by huge factors - up to hundreds of thousands.

Eduard Vorobyov, co-author of the study, believes that this process can be described as "cannibalism on astronomical scales" and will further our understanding of the formation of planets and stars.

"This is a major step towards our understanding of how stars and planets form and evolve," he said in a press release. "If we can prove that most stars undergo such episodes of brightening caused by disk gravitational instability, this would mean that our own sun might have experienced several such episodes, implying that the giant planets of the solar system may in fact be lucky survivors of the sun's tempestuous past."

The findings were published in the Feb. 5 issue of Science Advances.

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The United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police are mulling the use of eagles to fight drones in the war against terrorism amid fears that extremists are increasingly turning to advanced technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to carry out attacks.

The new plan was inspired by a YouTube video showing a drone getting snatched by an eagle trained by the Dutch police. It purportedly piqued the interest of Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

"As would be expected in an organisation that is transforming we take an interest in all innovative new ideas and will of course be looking at the work of the Dutch police use of eagles," a Met Police spokesperson told the Daily Mail. "It's just part of modern policing. We keep a view on what's going to work in the UK by looking around the World and in Europe."

Law enforcement officials are struggling to address and regulate the use of drones in the U.K. In apprehending suspicious looking drones in the past, for instance, helicopters and the life of their passengers were threatened, according to the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority. This is critical since the U.K. Air Proximity Board has reported at least four near-miss terrorist attacks at airports last month alone, according to BBC News. The use of eagles is expected to make the job easier, as the birds see drones as their prey.

"They seem to be whacking the drone right in the centre so they don't get hit - they have incredible visual acuity and they can probably actually see the rotors," Geoff LeBaron, the National Audubon Society spokesperson, told The Guardian.

Watch an eagle snatch a drone in the video below:

WATCH how this eagle intercepts a drone mid-air. The bird was trained by Dutch police.https://t.co/qCAZIPh9PE  BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) February 8, 2016

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A spokesperson for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi confirmed the construction of a security wall around Baghdad on Sunday but ensured the public that it is "not politically motivated" or aimed at "achieving demographic change." The news comes after the plan to build the wall was seemingly rejected by the PM in an earlier the statement.

The plan for the wall was originally drafted by the Interior Ministry in a bid to prevent Islamic State group attacks inside Baghdad, as well as cut down on checkpoints inside the city that snarl traffic, according to the Associated Press.

When it was revealed, al-Abadi dismissed the possibility for the wall, citing its potential to separate various Iraqi citizens based on class or wealth. His denial had been prompted by a report from an interior ministry official who reportedly said that work on the wall was already underway.

"Baghdad is the capital for all Iraqis and it's not possible for a wall or a fence to isolate the city," he said at the time, according to Fox News.

However, with the wall confirmed to be under construction, the previous testimony has been ignored and now details about its intended purpose and implementation has been revealed.

Iraqi Interior Ministry's spokesman, police Brig. Gen. Saad Maan revealed the "wall" wouldn't be exactly be a wall, but a series of checkpoints around Baghdad intended to cut off routes that Daesh Takfiris uses to smuggle car bombs in, according to Press TV.

"It's not a wall exactly...We have reduced the number of attacks inside Baghdad, but we are working to prevent them completely," he said.

Bombings and attacks are still a near daily occurrence in Baghdad, mainly carried out by Sunni militants targeting security forces and the country's Shiite majority.

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Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said on Sunday that he opposes requiring women to register for a potential military draft - a move that he said would be "nuts," unlike his GOP rivals Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Chris Christie, all of whom showed some level of support for the policy change during Saturday night's GOP debate.

"I have to admit, as I was sitting there listening to that conversation, my reaction was, 'Are you guys nuts?'" Cruz said Sunday at a New Hampshire town hall ahead of the early voting state's primary on Tuesday, Politico reported. "Listen, we have had enough with political correctness, especially in the military. Political correctness is dangerous. And the idea that we would draft our daughters to forcibly bring them into the military and put them in close combat, I think is wrong, it is immoral, and if I am president, we ain't doing it."

"I'm the father of two little girls. I love those girls with all of my heart. They are capable of doing anything their hearts' desire. But the idea that their government would forcibly put them in a foxhole with a 220-pound psychopath trying to kill them doesn't make any sense," Cruz said, according to the Huffington Post.

Cruz's strong rhetoric was a departure from the consensus built among the Republican party's mainstream candidates during Saturday night's GOP debate. Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Chris Christie all indicated support for allowing women to register for the Selective Service, in the event of a military draft being reinstated, according to the Daily Caller.

"I have no problem whatsoever with people of either gender serving in combat so long as the minimum requirements necessary to do the job are not compromised," Rubio said. "I support that. Now that that is the case, I do believe Selective Service should be opened up for both men and women in the case a draft is ever instituted."

"I do, I do," said Bush, affirming that he thought women should be allowed to register, before adding, "The draft's not going to be reinstated."

Republican New Jersey Gov. Christie chose to focus on the possible discrimination involved, instead of military readiness, saying, "There's no reason why one young woman should be discriminated against for registering for the Selective Service."

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Despite its intended purpose, researchers at the University of Montreal believe that black-box warnings regarding the dangers of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications are misleading and could have serious negative consequences for the risk of youth suicide. In a new study, the team claims that these warnings conflict with the results of current research into the issue.

"Health Canada has issued a series of black-box warnings about the suicidal potential of ADHD medications," said Alain Lesage, co-author of the study, in a press release. "However, these warnings have failed to take into account epidemiological studies showing the opposite, that increased use of this medication has been associated with reduced suicide risk in adolescents."

Over the past 10 years, ADHD medical treatment has increased three-fold in Quebec, with 9 percent of boys 10 or older and 4 percent of boys 15 or older receiving treatment. However, suicides among Quebec's 15 to 19-year-olds decreased by almost 50 percent during this period, contrary to the warning issued by Health Canada.

"Clearly, the increased use of ADHD drugs indicates that they might actually reduce rather than augment the risk of suicide," said Edouard Kouassi, co-author of the study.

According to the authors, ADHD medication alleviates standard symptoms of hyperactivity and leads to an increase in school performance, self-esteem and reductions in conduct disorder, female pregnancy and drug abuse. They believe that Health Canada's black-box warnings may contribute to subscription reduction due to fears regarding health issues, when in fact these medications may be beneficial.

"The silence from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is especially worrying in a context in which it has been called on to prepare a national suicide prevention strategy for the government of Canada under Bill C-300. We wrote this correspondence hoping to sound the alarm about the warnings published by Quebec's health authorities, as elsewhere in Canada, which might lead to a decrease in this effective medical treatment," the study concludes.

Further research will need to conducted in other provinces as well as in the United States in order to establish a clear, conclusive connection between the use of ADHD medication and teen suicide rates.

The findings were published in the December issue of The Lancet Psychiatry.

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FRHI Hotels & Resorts (FRHI), the parent company of luxury brands Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Raffles Hotels & Resorts and Swissotel Hotels & Resorts, is pleased to announce it has received the prestigious J.D. Power President's Award. In doing so, FRHI becomes the first and only hospitality company to ever receive the commendation.

"We are honored and delighted to be the first hospitality company in history to be recognized by J.D. Power for this award," said Michael Glennie, president and chief operating officer, FRHI. "Our ability to emotionally connect with our guests and deliver on our service promise is what has earned us this award, and it is entirely due to the efforts of our extraordinary team of colleagues around the world. We are grateful to have such a remarkable group of professionals dedicated to earning a special place in the heart of each and every guest."

J.D. Power is a global marketing information services company providing performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are highly regarded by corporate institutions globally and are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. The J.D. Power President's Award is handed out on a discretionary basis to deserving companies and individuals demonstrating exemplary results in the areas of customer engagement, quality improvement, customer satisfaction and service excellence. During the 40 year history of J.D. Power, only 13 companies have previously received the President's Award.

"Across all of our brands we have a promise to deliver service that is meaningful, authentic and personalized; clearly this is resonating with our guests," said Michelle Crosby, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, FRHI. "Creating a great guest experience through every service interaction is pivotal to our success and this award is an amazing endorsement for the work we are doing in this regard. It also recognizes our commitment to our colleagues and our culture  we believe that we need to do a great job of taking care our colleagues so that our colleagues can do a great job taking care of our guests."

"The consistent excellence achieved by FRHI Hotels & Resorts and its brands over the past decade is extremely rare for any company in any industry," said Finbarr O'Neill, president of J.D. Power. "This award is a testament to FRHI's commitment to its customers and its employees, and for its dedication to continuous improvement."

This latest mark of distinction is also proof of the company's ongoing focus on innovation and improvement. Later this year, FRHI will roll out a new service training program for all three of its brands, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and individualized service. Available in 18 languages, the new program will feature video testimonials from valued guests, a video portal for colleagues to share their stories of service excellence and a calendar of online and in-hotel sustainment activities to ensure service is a priority throughout the year.

At FRHI, a commitment to exceeding customer expectations is part of the company's DNA. Recently, FRHI was also recognized for its customer loyalty as the highest rated brand in the Hotel (Luxury) category of the 2015 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index.
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Promotes Mark Weber to Director of Culinary Operations

Marcus Hotels & Resorts last week announced leadership appointments including the addition of Susan Terry as Vice President of Culinary and Food & Beverage Operations.

Ms. Terry will oversee the companys food and beverage operations including catering, banquets and more than 40 signature restaurants, bars and lounges across 19 properties. She will be responsible for strategic planning, financial performance, operations, talent development, and restaurant design and concepting.

Prior to joining Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Ms. Terry served as vice president of culinary operations for Hyatt Hotels Corporation, overseeing culinary as well as food and beverage operations for the Americas region. She began her 25-year career with Hyatt at the Hyatt Regency Suites on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, eventually moving to the Park Hyatt Century City. She rose to senior executive chef at the Grand Hyatt Washington before being appointed corporate director of culinary operations for Hyatt in 2006. Susan was promoted again in 2008 to vice president of culinary operations for the Americas.

During her tenure at Hyatt, Ms. Terry oversaw the creation of a global food and beverage operating initiative, with the guiding operating philosophy: healthy people, healthy planet and healthy communities. Building on this theme, she launched an innovative kids menu program, offering the Hyatts youngest guests more nutritious, fresh and interactive offerings. She was also deeply involved with the food and beverage components during the launch of four new brands: the all-inclusive concepts - Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara, as well as the lifestyle brand Hyatt Centric and the boutique-inspired Hyatt Andaz.

In related news, Marcus Hotels & Resorts also announced the promotion of Mark Weber to director of culinary operations for Marcus Hotels & Resorts.

Weber joined Marcus Hotels & Resorts in 2005 as executive chef of Mason Street Grill. He served as one of the masterminds behind the creation and development of the award-winning restaurant, which opened in 2006 as a classic, American grill serving wood-grilled steaks, fresh seafood and creative, regional American cooking. Weber has been instrumental in developing many menu concepts under Marcus Hotels & Resorts and further enhancing the food and beverage experience. Prior to joining Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Weber made his mark in the Milwaukee dining scene working for Bartolotta Restaurant Group as corporate chef and as owner/operator of his own restaurant, WaterMark Seafood. Weber is a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America.

Marcus Hotels & Resorts and Marcus Restaurants have a history of culinary excellence. With the addition of Susan and added responsibilities for Mark, we will be able to take the guest culinary experience to new heights, and will provide outstanding leadership for our properties nationwide, said Joseph Khairallah, chief operating officer of Marcus Hotels & Resorts.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced it will introduce its Four Points brand in Ethiopia with a new-build property developed by Alemgenet Trade & Industries PLC, an Ethiopian private liability company.

Slated to open at the beginning of 2019, Four Points by Sheraton Addis Ababa, Meskel Square marks Starwoods first new hotel in Ethiopia since the opening of the renowned Sheraton Addis Ababa, a Luxury Collection Hotel, in 1998. Strategically located on the main arterial avenue leading to Bole International Airport, the hotel is a short walk from popular city landmark, Meskel Square, and a quick drive to the United Nations and African Union Headquarters.

The entry of Four Points to Ethiopia, one of Africas fastest growing economies, is a significant addition to our rapidly expanding portfolio in the region, said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. As home to Africas largest airline, Addis Ababa is a key hotel market and an ideal city for a brand that serves the modern, everyday traveler.

Mr. Alem Fitsum, Managing Director Alemgenet Trade & Industries PLC said, We are very pleased to have reached this milestone, and we look forward to working with Starwood to provide our guests the comfort and authentic service they have come to expect from the Four Points brand."

Four Points Addis Ababa, Meskel Square will feature 450 stylish and contemporary guest rooms, including 44 suites and a Presidential Suite equipped with thoughtful touches that contribute to an unencumbered, comfortable stay. The hotel will also offer several food and beverage options including an all-day dining restaurant, a roof top specialty restaurant, a pool bar, and a lobby bar and lounge featuring the brands signature Best Brews program. Other hotel facilities will include a fitness center, an outdoor pool, an extensive Spa facility and over 2000 square meters of meeting and ballroom space. The hotel will feature all of the brands defining elements including Four Comfort Bed, free bottled water in all rooms and suites, fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and an energizing breakfast with fresh coffee that helps guests start and end the day right.

The Four Points brand has the largest global pipeline in Starwood and accounted for almost 45 percent of all deals signed in the region last year, said Neil George, Senior Vice President Acquisitions & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Africa & Middle East. With two Four Points Hotels currently operating in Africa and five more in the pipeline, the brand is enjoying great interest and traction with developers across the continent.

Four Points has proven to be a global hit with its distinctive identity and ability to meet the increasing demands of the modern, everyday traveler. The brand recently announced it has crossed the 200th hotel milestone.
Homer Simpson replaces Steven Avery for the Simpsons remake

The most talked about television show of 2016 has been mish-mashed with one of the most beloved programmes on television.

Yes, a new 'Netflix' trailer has dropped featuring the trial of one Homer Simpson, an innocent man convicted of the murder of Montgomery Burns.

The archive Simpsons footage is perfectly synced with the 'Making A Murderer' voice-over. As Homer is shown wearing a dress the narrator states, "they didn't dress like everybody else, they didn't have an education like other people."

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Of course, featured heavily in the trailer is Police Chief Wiggum and shyster attorney at law, Lionel Hutz.

Enjoy the hilarious Vulture mash-up of the Simpsons and 'Making A Murderer' below.
Gold Mining USA Inc (OTCMKTS:GMUI, GMUI message board) popped up on investors radars back in June 2014. On Friday, it managed to claw its way back to the list of the most heavily traded penny stocks again. Let's see what has changed over the last year and a half.

Well, during its last volume spike, the ticker managed to rack up a dollar volume of a whopping $700 thousand. At the end of last week, however, despite shifting more than thirty times the thirty-day average, it only reached a dollar volume of around $70 thousand.

When it experienced a 20% crash on June 3, 2014, GMUI was left with a price of just over $1 per share. By contrast, on Friday, the stock gained 20%, but despite this, it stopped at just $0.10.

Overall, GMUI hasn't really been the best investment out there. A point proven by the figures in the latest financial report:

NO cash or revenues

current assets: $9 thousand

total liabilities: $67 thousand

9-month net loss: $34 thousand

Apparently, the members of the management team realized that investors have lost their patience and now, GMUI is on a mission to regain the market's trust.

In December, the company announced that it has inked a letter of intent for the acquisition of Savannah Senior Living Resorts in Australia. Maurice Byrne, GMUI's CEO, described the revenue generated by the future subsidiary as attractive enough, and by the looks of things, the company is getting closer and closer to adding it to its balance sheet. At the end of last month, GMUI announced that a Costa Rican insurance company has given its preliminary approval for the issuance of a financial guarantee bond for up to $30 million which should make the investors funding the deal feel safer.

Sounds good, but is it really enough of a reason to put your money on the line?

That is for you to decide. Don't forget to read through the latest report in its entirety, though. If you do, you'll see that after defaulting on a promissory note, GMUI renegotiated the terms of the said note and reduced the conversion rate from $0.007 per share to par value ($0.0001).

You'll also see that between September 30 and January 25, the number of issued and outstanding shares grew from just under 61.6 million to a little over 64.6 million. What you won't see is who got the newly printed shares and why. You can thank the alternative reporting standards for this.
At the National Prayer Breakfast, President Barack Obama told the story of a group of Americans who were captured by the Nazis during World War II. The head of the German prison camp gave an order that the Jewish soldiers step forward. An American master sergeant, Roddie Edmonds, ordered all of his men to step forward. The Nazi held a gun to the sergeant's head and said, "These can't all be Jewish." The sergeant replied, "We are all Jews." Rather than execute all of the men, the Nazi backed down.

That kind of moral heroism took place in extraordinary circumstances. But even today there are moral heroes making similar if less celebrated sacrifices than those soldiers were ready to make.

Larissa MacFarquhar's recent book, "Strangers Drowning," is about such people. She writes about radical do-gooders. One of her subjects started a leper colony in India. One couple had two biological children and then adopted 20 more kids who needed a home. A woman risked rape to serve as a nurse in war-torn Nicaragua.

These people were often driven by moral rage and a need to be of pure service to the world. They tend to despise comfort and require a life that is difficult, ascetic and self-sacrificial.

For these extreme do-gooders, MacFarquhar writes, it is always wartime. There are always sufferers somewhere in the world as urgently in need of rescue as victims of a battle. The do-gooders feel themselves conscripted to duty.

Some radical do-gooders are what philosopher Susan Wolf calls rational saints. It is their duty to reduce the sum total of suffering in the world, and the suffering of people halfway around the world is no different than the suffering of someone next door.

There's a philosophy question: If you were confronted with the choice between rescuing your mother from drowning or two strangers, who should you rescue? With utilitarian logic, the rational saint would rescue the two strangers because saving two lives is better than saving one. Their altruism is impartial, universal and self-denying.

Others Wolf calls loving saints. They are good with others' goodness, suffering in others' pain. They are the ones holding the leper, talking to the potential suicide hour upon hour. Their service is radically personal, direct and not always pleasant.

This sort of radical selflessness forces us to confront our own lives. Should we all be living lives with as much moral heroism as these people? Given the suffering in the world, are we called to drop everything and give it our all?

The argument against this sort of pure moral heroism is that fanaticism in the relief of suffering is still a form of fanaticism. It makes reciprocal relationships difficult, because one is always giving, never receiving. It can lead to a draconian asceticism that almost seems to invite unnecessary suffering.

Love, by its nature, should be strongest when it is personal and intimate. To make love universal, to give no priority to the near over the far, is to denude love of its texture and warmth. It is really a way of avoiding love because you make yourself invulnerable.

In an essay on Gandhi, George Orwell argued that the essence of being human is in the imperfect flux of life, not in the single-minded purity of sainthood. It is the shared beer, the lazy afternoon, the life of accepted imperfection. Full humanness is in having multiple messy commitments and pleasures, not one monistic duty that eclipses all else.

In a 1982 essay called "Moral Saints," Wolf argued that the desire to be supremely good can never be just one desire among many; it demotes and subsumes all the other desires. She wrote that a world in which everybody strove to achieve moral sainthood "would probably contain less happiness than a world in which people realized a diversity of ideals involving a variety of personal and perfectionist values."

As Andrew Kuper of LeapFrog Investments put it, sometimes you can do more good by buying that beautiful piece of furniture, putting somebody in Ghana to work.

Yet I don't want to let us off the hook. There's a continuum of moral radicalism. Most of us are too far on the comfortable end and too far from the altruistic one. It could be that you or I will only really feel fulfilled after a daring and concrete leap in the direction of moral radicalism.

Brooks is a New York Times columnist.
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Things to Consider Before Hiring a CPA

Posted by Rich Blogger on Monday, 02-08-2016 4:42 am

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If you are planning to hire a CPA, you would be making one of the best decisions of your life because he will take away all your worries in terms of filing and paying taxes. This is because; it is really a pain to deal with these issues. Hiring the best CPA professional is not an easy task because so many professionals are present in the financial sector that hiring the best one can really be challenging. Below mentioned are a few tips, which you need to follow to hire the best one: Check the background of a CPAFirst, you need to perform thorough check for the background of CPA. You should know if he is capable of handling your tax matters or not. It has also been observed that some scammers alter the tax returns of their clients and get the refunds illegally. You have to be careful about such professionals including Falcon PC in this sector. If you are hiring a company, it is suggested to check the background of the company if it has ever been engaged with illegal activities. It wil...

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Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-02-08 Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at <http://www.pio.gov.cy/> TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW No. 25/16 06-08.02.2016 [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Burcu responds to President Anastasiades' statements [02] Ozersay calls on Akinci to issue a statement after President Anastasiades' interview [03] Tacoy accused the Greek Cypriot side of unwillingness towards the solution of the Cyprus problem [04] A delegation from the breakaway regime is discussing the administration of the water from Turkey today in Ankara [05] Atun's interview to AA; He reiterated the Turkish Cypriot side's red lines on the Cyprus problem [06] Kalyoncu: The distribution of water in the occupied area of Cyprus will start on March [07] Sibel will meet with Erdogan and Davutoglu in Ankara [08] Atalay said that with Davutoglu's consultation a religious official was appointed in the Greek Cypriot side [09] A plan to increase the health tourism in the occupied area of Cyprus [10] Merkel visits Ankara today over the Syrian refugee crisis; statements by Bozkir [11] Erdogan to US: "Is your partner Turkey or PYD?" [12] Davutoglu held contacts in Kazakhstan; "Turkey and Kazakhstan to be central in Eurasia" [13] Nokta magazine's author faces jail term for insulting the President [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Burcu responds to President Anastasiades' statements Under the title "The Greek Cypriot leader does not act correctly, this stance will harm the process", Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (08.02.16) reports that Baris Burcu, Turkish Cypriot leader's spokesman, issued a statement last night replying to an interview given by President Anastasiades to Politis newspaper. Burcu argued that President Anastasiades tried to create the impression that a "joint consensus" exists on issues on which no agreement has been reached yet. Burcu alleged that in spite of their prior "friendly warnings" the pre-election propaganda for the parliamentary elections to be held in May 2016 in the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus is being held in a manner, which harms the negotiating process. Burcu claimed that when the Turkish Cypriot side issues statements regarding its own positions, it always exerts the maximum effort not to harm the negotiating process. "We have never created the wrong impression that the Greek Cypriot side has adopted our views on issues on which we could not reach a consensus. We would expect our interlocutor to behave in the same manner", he argued and added: "Unfortunately it is seen that this is not happening. The interview published today in Politis newspaper is evaluated in this manner by our side. In this interview, the Greek Cypriot leader tried to create the impression that consensus exists on issues on which no consensus has been reached yet. This is not correct. Moreover, the sides formally announce together the issues on which they reach consensus. Approaches like this, which it is very clearly seen that are repetition of the known Greek Cypriot positions and aim at the elections, have absolutely no contribution to the negotiating process. Our president Mr Mustafa Akinci and his team are committed to the target of the solution of the Cyprus problem. He will continue to act with the sense of responsibility within this framework". (I/Ts.) [02] Ozersay calls on Akinci to issue a statement after President Anastasiades' interview Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (08.02.16) reports that Kudret Ozersay, chairman of the People's Party (HP), has said that some serious issues in an interview given by President Anastasiades to a Greek Cypriot newspaper do not coincide with the statements made by the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and called on Akinci to make a statement clarifying the issue. Writing yesterday on one of his social media accounts, Ozersay argued that the statements made by President Anastasiades show that "the situation is not pleasant at all". He said that Akinci should make a specific and detailed statement. Pointing out that Akinci has been saying "you should pay attention to what we are saying and not to what the Greek Cypriot press is writing", Ozersay noted that Akinci was right when saying that, but now the interview given by President Anastasiades is not something made up by anyone and could not be described as "speculations". "Anastasiades announced at firsthand what has been agreed, not his own positions", noted Ozersay wondering whether the Turkish Cypriots could not get what they wanted at the negotiating table, whether they have abandoned their positions, whether they have other gains which they do not know or whether President Anastasiades is lying. (I/Ts.) [03] Tacoy accused the Greek Cypriot side of unwillingness towards the solution of the Cyprus problem Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (08.02.16) reports that the general secretary of the Democratic party-National Forces (DP-UG) Hasan Tacoy, evaluating in a written statement the latest developments on the Cyprus problem, accused the leaders of the political parties of the "Greek Cypriot administration", as he called the Republic of Cyprus of unwillingness to solve the Cyprus problem. "For this reason, it is time for the Turkish Cypriot side to make a new evaluation", said Tacoy. Stating that the officials of the "Greek Cypriot administration" as well as the leaders of the Greek Cypriot political parties are openly against the continuation of Turkey's effective and active guarantees and support the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from the island, Tacoy said that they do not support a new partnership to be, under these circumstances. Tacoy went on and called the Turkish Cypriot side to re-evaluate and make an assessment of its strategy, taking into consideration the Greek Cypriot side's positions on the Cyprus problem. Tacoy called also the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to brief the "assembly" and the people on the latest developments on the Cyprus problem. (?) (AK) [04] A delegation from the breakaway regime is discussing the administration of the water from Turkey today in Ankara Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (08.02.16) reports that the issue of the administration of the water which had been transferred from Turkey to the occupied area of Cyprus from Turkey will be discussed in meetings in Ankara today with the participation of four self-styled ministers of the breakaway regime. The self-styled ministers of finance, Birikim Ozgur, economy, industry and trade, Sunat Atun, agriculture, natural resources and food, Erkut Sahali and transportation, environment and culture, Kutlu Evren are participating in the delegation which will convey the Turkish Cypriot proposals on the issue. In case the delegations reach a consensus, an agreement will be signed, according to the paper. In statements prior to their departure to Ankara, Ozgur said that they will give the final shape to a model which is in harmony with the "laws" and could make use of the efficiency of the private sector and the power of the "public" sector together. He noted that the project has come to its final stage and that the consultations with Turkey continue as regards the details of the "public-private partnership" model for the distribution of the water. Noting that they have created a model in which the risks that their "municipalities" could face will be eliminated, Ozgur argued that Turkey wants this model to function well. Ozgur described the project as the "biggest project in the history of the Turkish Cypriots" and added that within a few weeks the water will start flowing from the fountains. In his statements, Sahali said that a joint understanding exists between the sides and expressed the view that nothing will remain unsolved when understanding is shown to the mutual sensitivities. Finally, Atun said that they had agreed in the past on a "protocol" regarding the distribution and the use of the water resources and added that they will discuss in more detail this "protocol" in Ankara. (I/Ts.) [05] Atun's interview to AA; He reiterated the Turkish Cypriot side's red lines on the Cyprus problem Turkish Cypriot daily Gunes newspaper (08.02.16) reports that Sunat Atun, self-styled minister of economy, industry and trade, in statements to Ankara Anatolia said, inter alia, that a possible solution of the Cyprus problem will increase the potentials in the island. Referring to the "water project", Atun stated that four "ministers" of the breakaway regime will carry out contacts in Turkey with their Turkish "counterparts" in order to finalize the agreement on the distribution of the water. Atun explained that the "four ministers" will meet with Turkey's Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs, Veysel Eroglu. Stating that the "draft document", which includes the final views of the "government" of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus on the issue of water management, was received positively by Turkey, Atun said that he predicts that a final agreement will be reached between the "TRNC" and the Turkish government by Thursday the latest. Referring to the natural resources in the Eastern Mediterranean, Atun expressed the readiness of the Turkish Cypriot side to cooperate with "south Cyprus", as he called the Republic of Cyprus on this issue. "We are ready to cooperate with south Cyprus on the issue of the natural gas. Considering that we evaluate together the oil and natural gas that we will obtain, we can explore it together. Let's pass it to Europe via Turkey", Atun said. Supporting that a possible solution on the Cyprus problem will increase the potentials in the island, Atun said: "I consider that the trade environment will be ease through a bridge between south Cyprus, the TRNC and Turkey and that the trade volume is possible to reach to 3 billion in the first year". He added also that with a possible solution, the fenced off city of Varoshia will be re-structured and underlined that the benefits from the solution will increase the investments in several fields such as in the tourism sector e.t.c. Referring to the Cyprus negotiation process, Atun said that although the talks continue for half a century it is not easy to bring them to an end. "We have red lines at the negotiations and this is the current active and effective guarantees of Turkey. We will not accept the reconstitution of this. It is also out of question for us as Turkish Cypriots to make concessions on the issue of our equal status. Also, the existence of the Turkish troops in the island is very important for us. Our borders are also extremely important on the territory issue. (?)" Atun said. (AK) [06] Kalyoncu: The distribution of water in the occupied area of Cyprus will start on March Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis (06.02.16) reported that self-styled prime minister Omer Kalyoncu, in an interview to the paper, said that the document "advanced consultation", which includes the final views of the "government" of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus on the issue of water management, was received positively in Turkey. Kalyoncu explained that the works for the distribution of the water coming from Turkey will be concluded by the end of February, adding that on March the water distribution will begin. He noted that the water distribution will be administrated for a year by Turkey's State Water Affairs Department (DSI). Kalyoncu stressed that apart from the water issue, they have to discuss also the economic protocol in Ankara. He reiterated that Turkey's request is the privatization of the ports, telecommunications and "Kib-Tek" ("Cyprus Turkish electricity authority"), however, he added that they do not support the privatization of "Kib-Tek". (DPs) [07] Sibel will meet with Erdogan and Davutoglu in Ankara According to illegal Bayrak television (online, 08.02.16), the self-styled speaker of the "parliament" of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus Sibel Siber, who is currently in Ankara, will hold separate meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Siber and an accompanying delegation are visiting Ankara as guest of the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Ismail Kahraman. Siber and the accompanying delegation will hold contacts on working principles of the "Turkey-TRNC Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group" which maintains the cooperation and consultations between the "parliaments" of the two "countries". According to a statement released from the "assembly", self-styled deputy speaker of the "parliament" Huseyin Avkiran Alanli, self-styled "parliamentary administrator" Erdal Ozcenk, "deputies" Armagan Candan, Hamit Bakirci and Dursun Oguz as well as the self-styled general secretary of "parliament" Emine Sari are accompanying Siber during the visit. [08] Atalay said that with Davutoglu's consultation a religious official was appointed in the Greek Cypriot side According to Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (08.02.16), the self-styled head of the religious affairs Prof. Dr Talip Atalay, commenting on the work regardiing "The Cyprus Peace Process Religious Path", said: "We are making peace based studies for 5 years regarding, in particular, places of worship, the protection of respective rights in religious matters. These studies attract serious attention in the Turkish and Greek Cypriot sides and also in the international arena". Atalay, in statements to Ankara Anatolia news agency, said that Cyprus is one of the most strategic points of the region. Noting that there is no war situation in Cyprus, Atalay claimed: "On the contrary, there is a de-facto peace situation but we wish the peace to be permanent and to reach an agreement on the grounds that the Turkish Cypriots' rights and security can be guaranteed." Atalay argued that after the "war" (translator's note: Turkish invasion to Cyprus in 1974), the mosques in the government controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus, and the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Churches, Latin and Armenian churches in the occupied area of Cyprus could not be used easily, adding that in both sides these religious sites were isolated. Atalay explained that for the first time in 2011 with the consultation of the then Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, he started to have relations with the Greek Cypriot side by appointing a religious official in the Greek Cypriot side. He further said that with the Swedish Embassy's support an initiative with the religious leaders was launched. (DPs) [09] A plan to increase the health tourism in the occupied area of Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen (08.02.16) reports that Ahmet Savasan, "chairman of the Cyprus health tourism council", said that a new strategic plan has been prepared in order to increase the health tourism in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus. Savasan met with Emin Cakmak, the Founding Chairman of the Turkish Healthcare Tourism Development Council during a Health Tourism meeting, which was held in Istanbul. Cakmak said that Turkey's aim is to be one of the 5 world countries in the health tourism by 2023 and to gain 20-25 billion dollars. She noted that they will also place "North Cyprus" as an alternative destination in the health tourism, adding that their aim for 2016 is to introduce their tourism potentials in 54 country members of the World Health Council. (DPs) [10] Merkel visits Ankara today over the Syrian refugee crisis; statements by Bozkir Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.02.16) reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay a visit to the Turkish capital on Monday, to meet with the Prime Minister, as the European Union struggles to cope with the more than one million Syrian refugees that have fled their country due to an on-going civil war. According to her official program, Merkel will hold talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara, with the main focus of the meeting being the implementation of the EU-Turkey Action Plan. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was also going to meet Merkel in Ankara on February 8. "I will meet with her [Merkel] on Monday [Feb. 8] in Ankara. Prime Minister [Davutoglu] will also hold a meeting [with Merkel. The main topic will most probably be the refugee crisis," said Erdogan on the way back to Turkey from Senegal on Feb. 6, according to daily Hurriyet. Meanwhile, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (08.02.16) reports that as Merkel visits Turkey for another round of talks about Syrian migrants, Ankara calls on the European Union to open up a key chapter of membership negotiations before the re-admission agreement concerning immigrants comes into effect in June. Turkey's EU Affairs Minister and Chief Negotiator Volkan Bozk?r told Hurriyet Daily News that it was the EU Council's responsibility to fulfil the commitment made by the EU Commission and he believed "they would find a way to do that. Like they agreed to allocate a 3 billion [euro] package for hosting Syrian migrants in Turkey" Bozk?r said. "The EU has to open the 24th chapter before June when the re-admission [agreement] comes into effect." Bozk?r did not answer the question about how Turkey could respond if the EU fails to open the 24th chapter, repeating that Ankara believed the EU would have to find a way. (?) "The EU wants more cooperation on migrants," Bozk?r says, adding, "It also wants judicial reform in Turkey and at the same time, [it] does not open the 23rd and 24th chapters as legal grounds that we can discuss and move on; it is really hard to explain that", stated Bozkir. [11] Erdogan to US: "Is your partner Turkey or PYD?" Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.02.16) reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced a senior U.S. official's visit to Kurdish-controlled northern Syria, underlining the "mistrust" the visit has created in Ankara over the nature of Turkey's "partnership" with the U.S. Erdogan has also said that Turkey would not "make the same mistake it did in Iraq in 2003 vis-a-vis the creation of a de facto situation" in neighboring Syria, voicing his country's readiness in order to protect its national interests in case of all kinds of developing scenarios in Syria. Meanwhile, he also reiterated Turkey's stance on the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its military wing, the People's Defense Units (YPG). Turkey considers the party and its affiliates in the same category as the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Speaking to reporters en route from Dakar to Istanbul as he wrapped up a Latin America tour that covered Chile, Peru and Ecuador, Erdogan said: "We will take this issue to all international organizations. Each moment that we haven't taken it there is a loss for us. If steps are not taken for their [classification] as a terrorist organization, we would be delayed. Look, [U.S. Vice President Joe] Biden arrived with an assistant. He is a national security official whose name has earlier been cited with Mr. Obama too. Just during the meetings in Geneva, he travels to Kobane. He receives a plaque from a so-called general in Kobane. How will we trust? Am I your partner or are the terrorists in Kobane?" Erdogan asked. The U.S. envoy to the coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Brett McGurk, confirmed on February 1 that he visited Kurdish-controlled northern Syria the previous weekend. McGurk said his trip aimed to review the fight against the jihadist group that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq. He also said that it was long-planned and not "in any way" related to Syria peace talks in Geneva that are seeking to end a nearly five-year civil war that has killed at least 250,000 people and driven out more than 10 million people from their homes. (?) [12] Davutoglu held contacts in Kazakhstan; "Turkey and Kazakhstan to be central in Eurasia" Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.02.16) reported that Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday that Turkey and Kazakhstan will be two central countries in Eurasia in the fields of energy, trade and transportation. Davutoglu met Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev during a two-day official visit to Kazakhstan to further develop relations in the fields of transportation, energy and trade. Speaking during a press conference in Astana, Davutoglu said that Turkey constitute a gate to the European Union for Kazakhstan while the latter is a gateway to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) for Turkey. "As soon as the Middle Corridor ? a transportation network extending from the Caspian Sea through Turkey and Azerbaijan to Central Asia and China ? becomes active, Turkey and Kazakhstan will be two central countries of Eurasia," Davutoglu said. [13] Nokta magazine's author faces jail term for insulting the President Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (07.02.16) reported that Nokta Magazine's author Perihan Magden faces up to four years in prison for allegedly insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in statements on a police raid on the magazine in late 2015 that was published in Turkish news portal Diken. Magden said in her testimony that she only replied to questions from Diken reporter Tunca Ilker Ogreten regarding the confiscation of copies of the 18th issue of the magazine in September 2015 and that she told Ogreten her opinions about the practice. The indictment, however, stated that Magden's statements about Erdogan "went far beyond criticism and clearly could be regarded as insults." The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has demanded up to four years in prison for Magden following a criminal complaint that was filed by Erdogan's lawyer Ahmet Ozel. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio (AK/AM) Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-08 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] PM Tsipras and Iranian VP Jahangiri confirm intention to upgrade cooperation between the countries [02] Hotspots almost ready, says Alt. Defence Minister Vitsas [03] New Democracy leader Mitsotakis visits Lesvos [04] Alternate FM Xydakis pays three-day visit to Austria, Slovakia and Hungary [05] Tempi Valley open from 15:00 to 21:00 on Monday [06] PM Tsipras meets first Iranian Vice President Jahangiri; signs agreements [01] PM Tsipras and Iranian VP Jahangiri confirm intention to upgrade cooperation between the countries Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the first Iranian Vice-President E. Jahangiri on Monday confirmed their intention to upgrade cooperation between the two countries. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif had earlier signed a series of agreements aiming at upgrading the two countries' diplomatic relations. These agreements provide for: 1. A memorandum for political deliberations 2. An agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic passports 3. A roadmap for the improvement of bilateral cooperation The two leaders stressed the importance of combating violence and extremism, dealing with the Islamic state and strengthening cooperation with the view to safeguard the stability in a sensitive area of the world. Jahangiri pointed out that the visit of the Greek prime minister constitutes a milestone for the bilateral relations of the two countries and referred to the decisions taken aiming at strengthening cooperation in the economic sector. Tsipras said that his contact with the first vice president of Iran opens new grounds for cooperation. "We are two peoples who know how to fight for their independence and dignity," the prime minister said and referred to a strategic upgrading of their bilateral relations. Their common goal, Tsipras noted, is the fact that both countries come out of a long crisis and new possibilities open for the return to growth with mutually beneficial results. The prime minister also referred to the refugee issue saying that the crisis in Syria has an impact on Greece due to refugee flows, adding that we must all contribute so that stability is restored and the Islamic state is dealt with efficiently. To this direction, Iran can play a role, Tsipras added. According to sources, the Iranian vice president stressed the importance of making up for lost time in the two countries' relations. On his part, Tsipras outlined Iran's role in the region and stressed his determination on the development of high level bilateral relations. He also spoke of the geopolitical importance of Greece-Iran's cooperation. The leaders expressed their content over the cooperation in the energy sector, while the Greek Prime Minister said that due to the embargo, bilateral trade fell below 30 million euros in 2015, thus suggesting that there is much room for development and cooperation. He also proposed to organize joint economic committees in order to explore other areas of cooperation and overcome more quickly any obstacles. The two delegations discussed a range of technical issues in order to facilitate cooperation on the financial sector, the field of medicine and health in general, culture and education, infrastructure, transport and the construction industry. [02] Hotspots almost ready, says Alt. Defence Minister Vitsas ANA/MPA---Four out of five hotspots on the islands of Lesvos, Leros, Chios and Samos are almost ready, stated Alternate Defence Minister Dimitris Vitsas on Monday adding the despite the reactions of Kos residents the works continue on the island. "I am deeply sorry when the fear prevails in the mind and the people's actions," he said speaking to private TV Mega on Monday. Vitsas said that the aim is migrants and refugees "have a place to stay and eat for up to 48 hours after the identification and then to be transferred." [03] New Democracy leader Mitsotakis visits Lesvos ANA/MPA---Main opposition (ND) New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis is visiting the island of Lesvos in order to visit the migrants and refugees reception centers at Kara Tepe and Moria and to be informed on the condition by the local authorities. Mitsotakis' visit to Lesvos is held within the framework of a series of initiatives on the refugees issues. Moreover, ND leader will participate in a broad meeting that will be held at the Northern Aegean region headquarters. [04] Alternate FM Xydakis pays three-day visit to Austria, Slovakia and Hungary Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs Nikos Xydakis will visit Austria, Slovakia and Hungary  three countries that are on the "refugee corridor" and playing a major role in the refugee crisis  from Monday to Wednesday, 8 to 10 February. On Monday, Xydakis will visit Vienna, where he will meet with Austrian Foreign Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner and the Secretary General of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, Dr. Michael Linhart. On Tuesday, Xydakis will leave for Bratislava, where he will meet with the Foreign Minister of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak and the Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Ivan Korcok. Xydakis will complete his tour on Wednesday, in Budapest, where he will meet with Hungary's Foreign Minister Sandor Pinter, Deputy Minister of State for European Affairs Takacs Szabolcs Ferenc, and Economic Diplomacy Minister Levente Magyar. Xydakis' aim is to brief his colleagues on Greece's positions and explain that Greece is guarding its borders, which are also Europe's borders, together with the European organization Frontex adding that Greece does not sink boats carrying refugees because this would be a flagrant violation of European values and of the international law. The minister will highlight Greece's contribution to the refugee issue (escuing, in collaboration with Frontex of over 105,000 persons) and will ask for the implementation of the European Council's recent decisions on the joint handling of this historic crisis, with proportionality and solidarity. He will also ask for further material and moral assistance from the European partners; assistance that contrasts with any thought of suspending the Schengen Agreement, closing borders or hanging a new iron curtain, which would greatly jeopardize the historic endeavour of the European Union. [05] Tempi Valley open from 15:00 to 21:00 on Monday ANA/MPA---Farmers will open Tempi Valley on the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway at 15:00 on Monday in order for the traffic to be relieved. The Valley will remain open until 21:00 and afterwards farmers will block the road again with their tractors for 24 hours. [06] PM Tsipras meets first Iranian Vice President Jahangiri; signs agreements With the official welcoming ceremony, in the presence of the first Iranian Vice-President E. Jahangiri, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras began his visit in Tehran. After the talks, a series of agreements will be signed and a press conference will follow. The agreements to be signed are: 1. A memorandum for political consultations. Better dialogue on bilateral and international issues of common interest. 2. An agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic passports. 3. A roadmap for the improvement of bilateral cooperation. Intensification of bilateral contacts for cooperation in all sectors. General information Areas of cooperation: a. Trade: Great potential for strengthening bilateral contacts. Greek areas of interest: processed food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, cosmetics, agriculture equipment, building materials and construction equipment, chemical, software, development of retail chains, restaurant chains. b. Services: Construction, maritime transport (oil, petrochemicals), refining Iranian oil in Greek refineries, medical services in Greece, tourist flow from Iran to Greece, real estate services (interest in Greece's real estate market) road transport (Greek trucks crossing Iranian territory) c. Agricultural sector: Aquaculture. d. Energy: Oil (procurement, processing and storage in Greece). Natural Gas: Transportation of liquefied natural gas via Greece Renewable energy sources - photovoltaics. e. High Tech: Environmental management, water resources management f. Areas of Iranian investment interest (there are several funds in Iran looking for investments): Real estate sector, Tourism, Pharmaceutical g. Culture: Cultural, cultural exchanges. h. Mutual support and strengthening cooperation in bilateral institutions Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-08 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] Mediterranean monk seals make comeback in Aegean, no longer 'critically endangered' [01] Mediterranean monk seals make comeback in Aegean, no longer 'critically endangered' In a rare piece of environmental good news, the Hellenic Society for the Study & Protection of the Monk Seal (MOm) on Monday announced that the seal (Monachus monachus) has made an unlooked-for comeback in the Aegean, with its population recovering to the point where it is no longer considered "critically endangered". The monk seal has now dropped down one category in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, from 'critically endangered' to 'endangered'. MOm announced the news after it was informed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which made the decision based on a reassessment of the species' status carried out by MOm researchers, based on specific biological criteria. MOm worked with experts throughout the world to collect and evaluate the most recent data available concerning the conservation status of the monk seal, an MOm announcement said. They also noted positive developments in recent years in at least three of the four main regions of the monk seal's range, among them Greece. At the same time, there have been significant advances in knowledge concerning the biology and threats faces by the species. "What seems to have played a decisive role in improving the status of the species is the now positive approach of the majority of citizens, as a result of information, environmental training and general sensitisation," MOm noted. They warned, however, that the danger to the species has not been eliminated since the populations remain small and vulnerable and the threats they face - such as habitat degradation and competition from human fishing - remain significant. "The Mediterranean seal is still at risk of extinction but a step has been made in the right direction for its protection and we are seeing signs of recovery," MOm scientific coordinator Alexandros Karamanlidis told the ANA-MPA, noting that Greece hosted the largest and most important monk seal colony at present. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-02-08 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/> CONTENTS [01] First review of economic programme must be concluded by end-Feb., Greek FinMin says [02] Plummetting bourse 'confirms our worst fears,' ND's spokesman says [03] EU anti-fraud body seizes 55 mln smuggled cigarettes in Greece, Cyprus in Jan. [01] First review of economic programme must be concluded by end-Feb., Greek FinMin says Greek officials and the representatives of Greece's institutional creditors need to complete negotiations on all pending issues and conclude a first review of the programme by the end of February, Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos said Monday. Speaking in Parliament, Tsakalotos also expressed concern in the case negotiations are prolonged until May or June. The finance minister said he was more optimistic now than he had been before the start of negotiations on pension reform and tax issues. While acknowledging that there are still hurdles to be overcome, he noted that there was agreement "on the basic architecture of these two major reforms". Tsakalotos said the representatives of the institutions will return to Greece next week while technical delegations of the institutions are continuing negotiations with Greek officials. "We expect them to return in a reasonable space of time. Not this week, maybe next week. From that point, we will have two weeks to wrap up all pending issues. This will allow the start of talks on debt, which will help create conditions to turn a page and for investments to return," the Greek FinMin said. "There are thorns in negotiations. It is very significant to conclude the first review," he added. "Both the pension and the income tax reforms have a structural nature. They are significant changes that need to be made since they both contribute to the basic goal, which is to agree that in 2018 we will have a primary surplus of 3.5 pct of GDP." [02] Plummetting bourse 'confirms our worst fears,' ND's spokesman says Main opposition New Democracy spokesman George Koumoutsakos on Monday expressed his party's concerns over the sharp drop in stock prices at the Athens Stock Exchange the same day, saying it "confirms our worst fears." "We are most deeply worried about the dramatic downward course of the Greek bourse," he said, noting that this was "linked to a sense of increasing political uncertainty that is triggered by the governing majority itself." He also called on the government to immediately change course and policy, since it would otherwise bear heavy responsibility toward the country and the Greek people. [03] EU anti-fraud body seizes 55 mln smuggled cigarettes in Greece, Cyprus in Jan. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) announced that the agency had seized more than 55 million smuggled cigarettes in operations in Greece and Cyprus last month, with the help of local authorities. "Thanks to the close cooperation with the Greek general secretariat against corruption (AFCOS Greece), Greek and Cypriot customs, 33 million cigarettes, were seized at the end of January," OLAF said in a press release. "An additional seizure of almost 21 million cigarettes had already taken place at the Port of Piraeus, bringing the total number of seized cigarettes in Greece in the course of these 2 recent investigations to over 55 million." The body said that European cigarettes which legally set sail to Asia end up finding their way back into Europe illegally. This was the largest of five operations in which a total of more than 75 million cigarettes were seized in Greece, Russia, Germany and Spain between December 2015 and January 2016, a press release added. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
needs to step out of the shadows and reinvent itself as the face of the organization, particularly when it comes to attracting new talent.



The role of HR in talent acquisition is of pivotal importance to an organizations growth strategy, says Unisys Senior Human Resources Director, Tony Lehner.



In many cases, members of the HR team are the face of the organisation when we are attracting new talent, Lehner told HC Online. HR cannot be invisible, he says.



However, while Lehner says HR should play a visible role within a company, he highlights the need for a paradigm shift from HR as an administrative function to HR as a strategic partner.



HR should be seen  but we need to be seen doing the right things, Lehner says.



Businesses cant afford to have a Human Resources team that doesnt add real value to the business.



His Unisys Asia Pacific HR team consists of 28 HR professionals covering 9 Countries and 2400 employees. These include 15 people focused on Talent Acquisition & Resource Management, 8 in Strategic HR (HR Business Partners), 3 focused on Employee Relations  3 (ASK HR / grievance management) and two dedicated to HR Operations.



With over 50 per cent of my team involved in Resource Management / Talent acquisition you can see that sourcing and attracting the right skilled talent to Unisys is a priority, Lehner told HC Online.



The global information technology company has more than 20,000 employees around the world, with more than 900 of these based in Australia.



He says a key priority for the Unisys Talent Acquisition, Resource Management and HR Partners is working on sourcing strategies to attract talents with rare, high demand skills.



In most cases, members of the HR team are the face of Unisys when we are attracting new talent, Lehner says.



Recently we hired a new leader for our Asia Pacific business and my team and I were the only point of contact before we achieved a very short list for interview by members of the Global Senior Leadership team.



Our role was to attract the right talent to continue the growth of our business in Asia Pacific and to keep them engaged in the process.



The Unisys HR team has been pivotal to the companys growth throughout the Asia Pacific region, Lehner says.



For example, in February 2015 we needed to hire 50 service centre staff in the Philippines to support new business. We had 2 weeks notice to make and have offers accepted. We had minimal infrastructure and no office, he says.



To ensure Unisys met the business demand, ehree of the Sydney based HR Partners and two of the Malaysia based Talent Acquisition team travelled to Manila.

We met the target which ultimately led to a delighted client, Lehner says.



To me this was HR working on a real business priority. It meant understanding the market, understand how do we attract talent, what is the right level of compensation and how do we retain key talent, he says.



He says it can be all too easy for HR professionals to fall into the trap of becoming HR administrators.



HR is a support function but we need to provide this support where there is a real business priority. In my experience, I have often seen HR Partners become fancy HR Administrators, Lehner says.



I know I did this early in my career. It is an easy trap to fall into  typically the HR Partner receives great feedback from the business leaders  often in the form of awards,



But realistically they are doing low value work that the line management are too lazy (or scared) to do themselves.



He says HR has evolved from an administrative function to being essential to successful strategic planning and implementation and will continue to trend in this way.



No doubt HR has changed dramatically to be more strategic and less focus on low value work, Lehner says.



I think there will always be complex matters that need HR expertise but as line managers grow in capability and better tools are provided the mix of HR activities will skew to higher level value add.



Lehner says HR should be visible:



1. An active and strategic participant in the executive leadership team (people are a valued asset of the business)

2. Leading talent acquisition  usually HR are the first contact with new talent

3. Partnering with the business to develop programs to delight customers



HR should be invisible:



1. HR is not an administration function

2. HR should not be seen as a policing function (capable managers dont need to hide behind HR)

3. People strategies (including employee development / retention) need to be owned by the business. HR can advise and build programs but they are priorities for the business.

4. There is a role in advising/supporting to resolve people issues  but line managers need to be seen to own the employee / employer relationship





Tony Lehner is a guest speaker at the upcoming 2016 National HR Summit
Bill Aimed at Ending Operation Choke Point Passes House https://t.co/rWdUoknywm #nra #tcot  Conservative Sense (@conservasense) February 5, 2016

On Thursday, a bi-partisan majority of the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 766, the Financial Institution Customer Protection Act of 2015, sponsored by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO). As we reported last year, this bill targets the abuses of Operation Choke Point (OCP), an Obama administration enforcement program that lumped together legal and illegal businesses into a high risk category and threatened the banks with intense regulatory scrutiny. The goal of OCP was to deter the banks from forming or continuing relationships with the targeted industries, thereby driving them out of business. Included on this list were firearm and ammunition sellers, many of whom found themselves struggling to find or keep banking relationships as a result of the program.Rep. Luetkemeyers legislation would institute numerous reforms to bring more transparency and accountability to federal oversight of banks, all aimed at preventing the sort of unchecked enforcement discretion and twisting of legislative language at the heart of OCP.For example, the bill would require regulators that suggest or order a bank to terminate a customers account to put the directive in writing, with reference to any specific laws or regulations the enforcement agency believed were being violated. Moreover, no such reason could be based solely on reputational risk, the supposed basis for including firearm and ammunition businesses within the scope of OCPs high risk target list.Regulating agencies would also have to submit annual reports to Congress documenting any such requests or orders. Finally, the Act would make important amendments to the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, which agencies have cited as authorization for OCP, to clarify the laws scope so as to conclusively preempt this dubious justification.When he reintroduced the bill last year, Rep. Luetkemeyer published excerpts of a FDIC whistleblowers letter, which help substantiate the illegitimate ends of OCP. The individual wrote:I am an employee of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). I was proud of my job and the FDICs mission before Operation Choke Point. During the past two years, however, we have been told to examine banks much more harshly, if they deal with a class of customers prohibited by Choke Point.Predictability, the White House is already threatening to veto the legislation if it reaches the presidents desk.
Super Bowl ads are all about being bigger, more exciting, and yes, stranger than anyone expects  so we shouldn't have been surprised by Doritos' offering for Super Bowl 50. But we'll admit it, we were.

As you can see in the video above, one of Doritos' ads involves a woman's ultrasound, her husband opting to eat Doritos during said medical procedure, her outrage ... and ultimately, the baby's dramatic reaction. Terrifying.

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This ad made us less inclined to eat Doritos, and more petrified of what exactly a baby can see from inside the womb.

The Rock, mind you, disagrees with us completely:

That Doritos baby ultrasound commercial could win best commercial of #SB50.   Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 7, 2016

Doritos, in fact, had a number of ads on offer during the Super Bowl, each touting the brand's "For The Bold" slogan and part of their user-created "Crash The Super Bowl" marketing campaign. The winner gets one million dollars, and a pretty sweet addition to their portfolio.

The three runners-up are collected here:

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And as a bonus, Doritos even got charitable with that last ad. If you're reading this before midnight on Feb. 7, 2016, and send out a tweet with the hashtags #Doritos, #RescueDogs and #Promo, you can help the brand raise money for American pet shelters.

Dogs in trench coats AND the chance to help out pets in shelters? It was no surprise it was the eventual winner of the big prize.

Doritos, you've almost made up for the leg-clenching you induced in that ultrasound spot.

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With countless options out there, naming a baby can be a tough decision for parents-to-be. Some camps vie for traditional names, and some go for broke with a wildly unorthodox option, while others may look to the world of entertainment for their kid's official title.

There's really no perfect way to go about it, but here are a few surprising facts about how people around the world have been trying to make a name for their children.

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Bacon: from the table to your toddler

Looking for a little extra sizzle to spice up the family name? The bacon craze of the last several years is not limited to garnishing donuts or infusing into our alcohol. Some families have opted to add a side of bacon to their lives by naming their children after the mouth-watering morning maker.

If, however, you're looking for a vegan-friendly option, it should be noted that 214 U.S. boys were named "Kale" in 2014.

A royal welcome for Charlotte

The UK's Royal Family have captivated audiences for generations. Most recently, Prince William and Princess Kate's second child, Charlotte, became the centre of attention when she was born last May. Going by website Nameberry's rankings of most-searched names, Charlotte's been a big hit, taking the top spot after receiving millions upon millions of hits throughout 2015. But, to be fair, the name has been popular for a while, also having claimed the title from 2009-11.

Atticus Returns

The arrival of To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee's long-lost manuscript for Go Tell a Watchman this year seemingly had many interested in naming their babies Atticus. While a mid-year poll listed the moniker as the top pick for a boy's name, the less than heroic portrayal of Atticus in the prequel may have contributed to it dropping to number three by year's end.

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Billion Dollar Babies

Whether or not their parents were bankers or Alice Cooper fans remains to be determined, but five U.S. children were give the fiscally-minded first name "Billion" in 2014. With a name that rich, you'll hardly feel short-changed.

Names from 'Thrones'

High fantasy program "Game of Thrones" has made a huge cultural impact, with hundreds of babies across the UK taking on the names of characters like the brave Arya and the dragon-commanding Khaleesi aka Daenerys in 2014. Winter could be coming for this trend, though, as Khaleesi dropped from Nameberry's top 10 in 2014 down to the 28th spot on this year's list of most searched names.

The Rise and Fall of the Jennifer Generation

Name trends come and go, but perhaps not as drastically as it did for "Jennifer." The name surged into popularity in the early '70s, becoming the number one girl's name in Canada and the U.S. from 1970 to 1984, but it's dropped off significantly since then. The name had become so ubiquitous that author Linda Rosenkrantz's 1988 book "Beyond Jennifer & Jason: An Enlightened Guide to Naming Your Baby" actively suggested parents go another route. It seemingly worked. Jennifer didn't even crack the U.S.'s top 100 in 2014.

Sofia's the first worldwide

Disney titled their animated princess series Sofia the First for a reason. A recent study analyzing baby name statistics from 49 countries found that Sofia, or Sophia, is the top girl's name worldwide, with the title being most popular in Mexico, Russia and Italy. With the word meaning "wisdom," it's a smart and sophisticated choice.

For boys, the worldwide winner is believed to be Muhammad, alternately spelled as Mohammed or Mohammad.

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Baby names that might not spread

You've probably heard myriad food-related names over the years, from Honey, to Ginger, to Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter, Apple. No matter how delicious it may be, it seems like Nutella won't be one of them anytime soon. A couple in France attempted to name their child after the hazelnut spread in 2014, but a judge thought the idea was less than sweet, and denied the request. They opted to edit the girl's name down to "Ella."

Be careful what you call your little devils

The government of New Zealand maintains a hefty list of names parents cannot give Kiwi kiddies, with a most devilish option of "Lucifer" ixnayed six times between 2001-2013. They weren't just saying no to a fresh batch of fallen angels, though, as decidedly holier, though hardly humble options like "Messiah" and "Christ" were rejected as well.

How best to brand your baby

Naming your child is an intimate, personal experience for most, but U.S. rapper Chief Keef (born Keith Cozart) looked to his record label last summer for a bit of advice. As confirmed in a press statement by company head Alki David, the rapper and the child's "baby mama" agreed to name the boy "Sno FilmOn Dot Com Cozart" to help promote Keef's latest album, Bang 3.

Why stop at one?

Some people may find the traditional arrangement of "first-middle-and-last name" a bit too constricting, but keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to stick to this format. For instance, three months after the 2012 birth of actor Uma Thurman and former fiance Arpad Busson's baby girl, they settled on Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence Thurman-Busson. While extended and extravagant, they call her "Luna" for short.

Some classics never go out of style
In what may be one of the unluckiest deaths in human history, an Indian man was killed by an explosion that may turn out to be caused by a meteorite.

P. K. Senthil Kumari, the police chief in Vellore, Tamil Nadu told CNN that an object hit the ground at an engineering college, causing a loud explosion and created a crater more than half a metre deep in the ground.

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A 40-year-old bus driver named Kamaraj was walking past the building when the blast happened, according to local media reports. He suffered serious injuries and died en route to the hospital, reported Reuters. Three others were also hurt.

'No fire, nothing'

College principal G. Baskar told Reuters he'd never heard a sound like that before.

"There was no smell at all, no fire, nothing," he said.

Kumari said a scientist from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics will be analyzing debris to determine whether the fallen object was space debris or an actual meteorite.

The impact of the object left a large crater in the ground and shattered window panes in a nearby building. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

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It's unclear whether Kamaraj would be the first person to have ever died from a meteorite.

Researchers are skeptical of rare early reports of deaths caused by meteorites, according to a HuffPost blog by former astronomer Sten Odenwald. But even if they're all true, the odds of being killed by one are one in 250 million.

In 2013, meteorites injured hundreds of people in Russia, but no deaths were reported.

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Evan Kafka via Getty Images Baby making funny face

While Canada doesnt have lists of illegal baby names, some provinces can actually deny your baby name if officials deem it inappropriate. And Saskatchewan is one of them.

Global News reports that a name can be denied if it contains a swear word, is considered confusing (such as naming your child Baby), or is deemed embarrassing for the child. Numbers or symbols in a name are also considered unacceptable and are grounds for denial.

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Many people have no idea this law exists. In fact, Pat Dean, Vital Statistics registrar and director of Health Registries, says they havent denied a name for the past eight years.

I have never denied a name, Ive never even had one brought to me to look at, Dean told Global News.

Saskatchewan recently released its top baby names of 2015, revealing that Liam and Olivia were the most popular for that year. While the names on the list were nothing out of the ordinary, Dean says potentially controversial names, such as Hitler, can be accepted because most people consider it just a name.

For example Jesus is spelt J-E-S-U-S, well its not inappropriate thats how you say it and thats a Spanish name, Dean explained.

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The prairie province isnt the only one that can deny a baby name. Quebec and British Columbia also have strict naming laws that allow them to deny a moniker if they feel the name will result in embarrassment or future bullying of the child.

However, in other Canadian provinces, such as Ontario, parents have the freedom to choose whatever name they wish, as long as the monikers dont contain symbols or numbers. According to Anne-Marie Flanagan, a Consumer Services ministry spokeswoman, this is because choosing an appropriate baby name is considered the parents responsibility.

Choosing a name for a baby is something parents give a great deal of thought to and it's their responsibility, she told the Toronto Star. We absolutely live in a very diverse society... Something may have a different meaning in a different culture.

Compared to the rest of the world, Canada's baby-name laws are quite lenient. Parents in Iceland, for instance, can only choose a name from a pre-approved list for boys and girls, and parents in Germany must choose a name that is gender obvious and that will not embarrass the child.

Flip through the slideshow below to see more of the strictest baby-naming laws around the world.
The gap between rich and poor in Canada, and in many developed countries, is wider than previously thought, says a new study from the OECD.

Economists Nicolas Ruiz and Nicolas Woloszko argue in a new working paper that the existing data on income inequality is incomplete because its based on household surveys. High-end earners tend to under-report their income in these surveys, they argue.

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To fix the problem, the researchers looked at income tax data from the 34 OECD member countries, and then adjusted the data based on these numbers.

The results point to a significant increase of the level of inequality, they concluded.

In Canada, it was believed that the top 10 per cent of earners took home nearly three times as much income, on average, as the median earner.

The studys adjusted numbers indicate that Canadas top 10 per cent actually take home nearly four times as much as the median earner.

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Both Canada and the U.S. have a greater degree of wage inequality than previously estimated, the OECD study shows. But while Canada's wage gap has stabilized, the U.S.'s continues to grow. (Charts: Ruiz/Woloszko)

But the new numbers dont show any sort of different trend in Canadas wage inequality. Both the original figures and the new, adjusted numbers show the country experienced a marked increase in inequality in the 1990s, which has now leveled off at the new, higher levels.

Overall, Canada remains where it was among OECD countries  just slightly more unequal than the average.

The question of whether high-earning Canadians are hiding their incomes came into play in last years federal election, when then-Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau suggested that the small-business tax credit was being used by wealthy Canadians to avoid taxes.

The comment came under attack from business groups and entrepreneurs who called it a smear, but other experts suggested the practice is common.

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Kate Middleton made her fashionable return on Sunday as she attended her first official engagement of the year.

The Duchess of Cambridge recycled one of our favourite toppers, a custom-made knee-length powder blue Alexander McQueen coat, for the 75th anniversary of the RAF Air Cadets at St. Clement Danes Church in London, where she is an Honourary Air Commandant of the organization.

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The mother of Prince George and Princess Charlotte previously wore the belted and long sleeved McQueen coat with a pointed collar during her tour of New Zealand in 2014 and her visit to the Blenheim First World War memorial.

The Duchess of Cambridge is wearing the coat worn to the Blenheim War Memorial in 2014. pic.twitter.com/zprU5Ftzki  WhatKateWore.com (@WhatKateWore) February 7, 2016

Along with the standout frock, the 34-year-old royal wore other shades of blue in the form of a navy Lock fascinator, navy pumps from LK Bennett and an Air Cadets Dacre brooch, which is given to the top serving female cadet.

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The Duchess of Cambridge photographed by @iimages1 wearing Dacre brooch pic.twitter.com/KPB3hzRi0Y  Countess Wessex Blog (@AnnieElizabethN) February 7, 2016

The Duchess wore her glossy hair in her trademark bouncy blowout which hit just below her shoulders. The last time we saw Kate sport the coat in New Zealand, she wore her hair in a sleek curled ponytail.

And how could a Kate Middleton outfit be complete without her fave Mulerry clutch?

Welcome back, Kate!

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Kate Middleton rarely speaks publicly, but when she does, it's often for a good cause.

The Duchess of Cambridge, who is a patron of the children's mental health charity Place2Be, sat down with kids helped by the organization's work as part of a video supporting Children's Mental Health Week, according to Hello! Canada.

While the 34-year-old spoke about building up kids' confidence, she herself has struggled with public speaking in the past. But in this address, she was articulate and self-assured, looking right into the camera.

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"Every child deserves to grow up knowing their potential and feeling confident that they won't fall at the first hurdle," Kate said.

"But for some children, learning to cope with life's challenges can be a struggle."

Place2Be provides in-school support services for kids across the U.K., helping them deal with challenges like bullying, grief and domestic violence.

Kate has been a big advocate for children's mental health, according to People, even giving a public speech back in November.

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Kids' Snacks That Boost Their Mental Health See Gallery
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken a page from his predecessor by announcing that Canada's new mission against the so-called Islamic State will face a debate and vote in Parliament next week.

Such a step mirrors the approach of former prime minister Stephen Harper, who typically sought out the support of MPs before deploying the military. He continued the practice after he captured a majority government in 2011.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former prime minister Stephen Harper walk together at a ceremony marking the Parliament Hill attack in October 2015. (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

There is no constitutional requirement for a prime minister and the cabinet to seek the approval of the House of Commons in such a way  a fact Trudeau acknowledged at a press conference in Ottawa Monday.

"As we all know, military matters are the prerogative of the executive but I believe in Parliament and I believe in the value of robust and informed debate to express Canadians' views on issues of such import as this," Trudeau said. "And I look forward to bringing this forward to debate and a vote."

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A tweet from Trudeau's account, however, only mentioned a parliamentary debate.

We will bring this mission to a Parliamentary debate when the House returns next week.  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 8, 2016

Kate Purchase, Trudeau's director of communications, confirmed in an email to The Huffington Post Canada that "while this is an executive decision," a motion will be brought to Parliament next week and MPs will be asked to vote on it.

NDP defence critic Randall Garrison twice pressed the Liberals in the House last week to hold a debate and vote on the government's mission in Iraq and Syria.

"The very clear choice was to give this government a mandate to refashion that mission."  John McKay

"Canadians deserve answers and Canadians deserve to have their say," Garrison said during question period Friday.

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Liberal MP John McKay, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of national defence, cheekily "reminded" the New Democrat that Canadians had their say in the last federal election.

"In the election, the prime minister's position was very clear. The position of the former prime minister was very clear, and Canadians made a very clear choice," McKay said. "The very clear choice was to give this government a mandate to refashion that mission."

Past Tory motions

Trudeau voted against sending Canada's CF-18 fighter jets to Iraq in October 2014, and voted against extending the mission to Syria in March 2015. But both of those motions only called on MPs to "support the government's decision" on those missions.

The votes served to divide some Liberals, as party stalwarts publicly called on Trudeau and his caucus to back support military action against ISIS.

With eyes on the election, Tories also pointed to Trudeau's votes against the mission as proof that he was weak on security and terrorism.

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Ambrose blasts plan

The plan Trudeau unveiled Monday calls for the CF-18 airstrikes to end by Feb. 22, with a shift in focus to expanding the training of local security forces. The size of Canada's "train, advise, and assist" mission is set to triple.

Interim Tory Leader Rona Ambrose has already accused the new Trudeau government of failing to explain why it is ending the airstrikes.

And in perhaps a preview of looming debates on the mission, Ambrose released a statement saying the Liberals' plan conflicts with Trudeau's commitment to diversity:

"There is nothing that threatens diversity more than ISIS  whether it is the rights of women, cultural and religious freedoms, or the rights of gays and lesbians. "When our friends and allies are attacked, when our values are threatened, when human rights are trampled, and human dignity is crushed, it is our fight. Taking this fight to the enemy is part of a proud Canadian military history, one which the Prime Minister has repudiated with today's decision."

With a file from The Canadian Press

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David Fine

Only in Vancouver would a $7.4-million home in a desirable neighbourhood recently upgraded with $300,000 in renovations be slated for demolition to make way for a bigger, newer house. And people are sick of it.

Dozens of protesters gathered Sunday to highlight the planned teardown of 6088 Adera St., a 7,300 sq.-ft. home in the leafy community of Shaughnessy.

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Built in 1996, the home has new hardwood floors and an indoor pool, but the owners have applied to the city to raze it for a new single-family dwelling.

"Its better than most of us could ever dream of living in, and yet its going to go to the dump," Martha Cheney, one of dozens of protesters, told Global News.

Protest organizer Bev Watt told CTV Vancouver the teardown represents a "tipping point" for Vancouver's out-of-control real estate market.

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Concerned citizens say this Adera Street house deserves to be saved from demolition. (Photo: David Fine)

"One it is not green, two it is not increasing affordability and it certainly doesn't do anything for the city's density," said Caroline Adderson, an author who runs Vancouver Vanishes, a Facebook community dedicated to the city's heritage homes, in an interview with CBC News.

Vancouver Coun. Adrianne Carr said the practice of tearing down homes to replace them with bigger ones is adding to rising home prices in the city. She told CBC at the protest that changes to zoning bylaws may be needed to curb it.

Tearing down the Adera Street mansion will affect the neighbourhood, she said, because larger homes that tend to replace older properties sit empty as investments. That in turn dampens the vibrancy of communities and leads to low enrolment in local schools.

"This is a snowballing process that is really changing the very fabric of the social life and the physical landscape that makes Vancouver so unbelievably precious, she said in a Global interview.

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Vancouver Coun. Adriane Carr speaks to media during the protest on Sunday. (Photo: David Fine)

Its that tearing down and replacement cycle thats happening at such a rapid pace thats pushing the housing prices up, she added in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

However, Richard Yourker, who lives in the area, disagreed with the protest, telling CTV Vancouver that "people should be able to build a home that suits them."

The protest comes as The Globe and Mail published a feature on a legal, but controversial, flipping technique used by real estate agents in Vancouver. The outlet found a grey market where properties are "re-assigned" at least once before a deal closes, allowing agents to cash in on multiple commissions.

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After a tragic crane collapse in New York City last week, one firefighter stepped in to help a couple in need.

Nesh Pillay, from Toronto, was in a nearby salon getting her hair done for her wedding when a 565-foot construction crane collapsed, killing one man on Friday, reports the Guardian.

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Pillay, 25, who was supposed to get married to her now-husband Aaron Vanderhoff, 27, at Manhattan's city hall that afternoon, was escorted out of the salon by firefighters towards Manhattan's Tweed Courthouse. She had fortunately brought her dress into the salon with her.

Bride-to-be- Nesh Pillay, 25, is assisted by FDNY Chaplain Rev. Ann Kansfield after a crane collapsed near the beauty salon where she was having her hair done in downtown Manhattan in New York February 5, 2016.

Along the way, I told her [the firefighter] I was concerned about time, Pillay told the Toronto Sun. She said Im a chaplain, I could marry you.

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New York-based wedding photographer Mariana Feely of Mariana Feely Photography was there to capture the moment, which resulted in gorgeous shots of the couple surrounded by loved ones.

There was a rush of polarized emotions but it was perfect, Pillay said.

"My husband (eek!!!) and I are feeling very blessed as we reflect upon our good luck, fate, and the kindness of strangers," Pillay wrote on Facebook.

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In Canada, many pregnant moms have the excitement of tracking their baby's development in the womb week-by-week. With joy, they might tell their friends that "his spine is fully formed now" or "she has fingernails this week!"

In Canada, women are able to go for prenatal checkups throughout their pregnancies. Stock photo

This is something I took for granted. That, and the regular medical checkups with my family doctor throughout both of my pregnancies. I remember feeling safe and cared for, as the doctor measured, weighed, asked questions and gave advice.

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A cruel contrast

In many parts of the world, this scenario is completely different. I think about Ireen in Zambia, who went into labour long before her little one was ready to be born. Ireen's last weeks of pregnancy were filled, not with eager anticipation, but with headaches, diarrhea, chills - and fear. Her symptoms began at seven months gestation, and continued for weeks.

Without access to even the most basic medical care and advice, many women around the world don't recognize when their babies could be in trouble. World Vision photo

I would like to say that the story ended well -- but it didn't. Eventually, Ireen was rushed to the closest medical clinic. It had been too far away to visit on foot during the pregnancy, so Ireen had received no prenatal care. Friends had told Ireen the symptoms she was feeling were normal pregnancy side effects.

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It turned out that the side effects were anything but normal. They were the symptoms of malaria, as Ireen's body battled to fight the disease which had invaded her system. The child inside her was also struggling for life.

"When I arrived I was straight away taken to the labour ward where I delivered a still-born baby," Ireen recounts. At this point, medical staff told Ireen that she had severe malaria, which had also affected her child.

Lottery of life and death

Here in Canada, many moms have the option of eliminating risks that could cause their baby to be born too soon.

But like Ireen, an increasing number of moms in developing countries aren't reaching full term pregnancies, and their preemies often face a lifetime of health struggles, if they survive at all. Complications from preterm birth are now the single greatest cause of mortality for children under five. Every year, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm, and this number is rising. Preterm births are one of the world's most pressing social, cultural and public health challenges.

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World Vision photo

Here are a few of the risk factors that can lead to a pre-term birth:

Pre-gestational diabetes (something that's caught in checkups here in Canada)

Infection such as HIV, malaria, and conditions as simple and easily treated as a urinary tract infections

Malnutrition causing iron deficiency and anemia in moms

Pregnancies occurring too close together, before the mom's body can fully recover

The good news

The good news is proper nutrition and healthcare before, between and during pregnancies will help mothers deliver babies on time. In Zambia, Ireen and her three children are living proof. After surviving the malaria, Ireen was able to carry and deliver three babies -- on time and without complications. Ireen, now pregnant once again, regularly visits a local clinic to ensure that she and her child are healthy.

Ireen (right) has her blood pressure checked, as part of a routine prenatal checkup. She now has three healthy children. World Vision photo

And when babies are born too soon, cost-effective, practical solutions exist to help them survive and thrive. For example, a leading low-cost technique called 'Kangaroo Mother Care' involves swaddling a baby against an adult's chest (usually the mother's) for an extended period. This skin-to-skin contact provides warmth, the opportunity for frequent breastfeeding, protection from infection, stimulation, safety and love.

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World Vision has joined Plan International Canada, Save the Children, the Government of Canada and Johnson & Johnson in a new partnership called Born On Time. Together, they will be working to improve newborn survival rates, with a focus on preventing preterm births in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Mali.

Learn more about preterm birth and this new initiative by visiting Born on Time

World Vision photo
For all the focus on the sensationalism of the attention-seeking Donald Trump -- he fell short of expectations in Iowa -- Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has a message that resonates with many voters. It is a message that has been largely ignored by a mainstream media focused on horserace politics: polls, who's up and who's down, who said what and how that would affect their support (and yes, I've engaged in this kind of commentary myself in columns).

Sanders' message is speaking to those who feel left behind by the 21st century economy. He's highlighted issues of crushing student debts, a tough job market, inequality, and Wall Street abuse which led to the 2008 recession. Sanders has also highlighted the appalling state of healthcare in the United States, it is unfortunate that the United States is the only Western country without a universal and public system of healthcare.

From the 1980s onwards the rise of neo-conservatism has led many to expect less, with rising tuitions, minimum wage not keeping up in purchasing power, the rise of temporary and contract jobs, and a squeezed Millennial generation where many are having a hard time establishing themselves in careers.

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For all the trade deals and economic growth, many Americans have not seen the benefits.

Meanwhile America's political system is mired in quagmire, where it is hard to get initiatives through a fragmented Congress, where lobbyists and special interests buy off politicians. This political system is out of tune with the realities and concerns of Americans (as is much political reporting focused on horse race politics rather than substantive issues).

Sanders is speaking to this frustration and his message is resonating as seen with the results in Iowa where he achieved a virtual tie with the well-backed Hillary Clinton. There is no doubt as well that social media has changed campaigns, voters do not just get what is pre-packaged from the mainstream media. Through likes and shares on Facebook, issues that resonate with voters -- but that may not be talked about by politicians =- can get airtime. A candidate like Sanders who voters see as sincere and principled, who has a message that speaks to voter's concerns and frustration with their government, can resonate.

For many voters too, a candidate with strong convictions and ideals - who has a reputation for being honest and straightforward - is appealing even if they do not agree with all the views of that particular candidate. The fact that Sanders relies largely on smaller individual donations, and does not have Wall Street financial backing the way other candidates have, also appeals to supporters and shows a campaign that is a genuine movement.

Even if Bernie Sanders does not win the Democratic nomination - Hillary Clinton is still the favourite especially given her strong support in early primary states South Carolina and Nevada - he has significantly changed the conversation. Sanders has expanded the scope of debate, where universal public healthcare seemed off the table of mainstream political discourse, he has made it front and centre. His presence in the race and support has no doubt led Hillary Clinton to address issues of inequality and the causes behind it more, and has contributed to a substantive policy discussion in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

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There are some shortcomings of Sanders that are worth noting though. In many ways he is a lonely warrior having few endorsements from Congress, with even prominent current and former elected officials in his state of Vermont -- including former Governor Howard Dean, current Governor Peter Shumlin, and current Senator Patrick Leahy -- backing Hillary Clinton. Former Democratic Vermont Governor Madeline Kunin penned a Boston Globe column endorsing Hillary Clinton that was harshly critical of Sanders (he had run against her for Governor as an independent candidate).

In terms of achieving substantive legislative initiatives, in building up the needed alliances and coalitions, a president Sanders could face serious obstacles. Where Obama had to struggle with a Democratic majority Congress to achieve even limited healthcare reform, Sanders' proposals for universal public healthcare would be more difficult to achieve (especially with a Republican-majority House of Representatives).

Maybe Sanders could speak over the heads to Congress to the general public, get them to put pressure on their elected representatives, but even that is an uncertain proposition.

Of course this could be seen as less an indictment of Bernie Sanders' impracticality and more an indictment of the ineffectiveness of America's legislative system. Nonetheless, it is a challenge a Sanders presidency would have to face.

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She is also someone who has strong relationships in Congress, who could work with Congress to get substantive initiatives passed. For President Lyndon Johnson, his substantive accomplishments in Medicare for seniors and civil rights were in part because he was an expert at working with Congress.

A few words on Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley who dropped out of the Democratic nomination race after barely registering in Iowa, he is someone who was strong on policy and especially strong on urban policy which other presidential candidates were not talking about. He is a candidate who no doubt could have done well in another election year.

Overall, the Democratic field is much better than the disgraceful circus on the Republican side, where scientific facts like climate change are up for debate, where the bigotry and sensationalism of Trump has resonance, and where other leading candidates have failed to condemn Trump's bigotry.

There is no doubt that Sanders has changed the conversation and sent a strong message about concerns facing Americans. The 2016 election could herald a stronger progressive push in the United States, Sanders' support does speak to a wariness (at least among progressive voters) of incrementalist reforms that have to go through the labyrinth of Congress. The Democratic primary has shaped up to be an interesting one, one where substantive policy has been debated. Hopefully in the long-run this will have a real impact on the policy direction of the United States.
NARINDER NANU via Getty Images Canada's Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne visits the Golden temple in Amritsar on January 31, 2016. AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU / AFP / NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images)

International trade is vital for our country and province, but it should never come at the cost of turning a blind eye to human rights violations. Beyond advocating for greater access to consumer markets abroad, we need to go one step further and advocate for a higher quality of life for the people who are the driving force behind them.

With both Premier Kathleen Wynne and Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown competing for political points on their respective trips to India, it got me thinking; how can we take it one step further when it comes to the way trade agreements and negotiations are used?

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While premier Wynne and her 72-person delegation meet with India's heads of state to talk trade and visit the country's picturesque backdrops for photo-ops, they do so while simultaneously ignoring India's abysmal track record on human rights, systemic inequity and institutional racism.

"When our premier is representing Ontario, she needs to pack her values in her suitcase and take them with her."

When we look at our relationship with India, most would agree it's absolutely time that Ontario benefits from an official agreement, but this is also an opportunity to use these negotiations as a way to address the systemic social injustices facing the 1.2 billion people we are seeking to partner with.

Injustices like the deeply disturbing rates of sexual assault, violence against women and allegations of both military and police abusing their positions of power to further violate women.

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Documentaries like India's Daughter, a film about the brutal gang-rape and murder of a young woman from Delhi in 2012, are sadly based on real events that happen to women far too often in India with little or no attention from authorities and government to bring the perpetrators to justice.

I remember not too long ago, Kathleen Wynne said that ending sexual violence and harassment is a cause she feels strongly about, and that all Ontarians need to help end misogyny.

When the Indian Prime Minister Modi first took office, he mentioned the need for protection of women from violence and other abuses. Wynne had a unique opportunity when she met with Modi this week to ask him what programs and policies have been put in place and perhaps even offer some helpful suggestions that have proven to be effective for women's rights here in Canada.

But she didn't. And that speaks to the bigger issue of the low-key approach to human rights our premier has taken by choosing to ignore concerns about protection of women and other marginalized groups.

Canadians are known for having a social conscience, and so our political leaders need to do more to uphold that reputation on the international stage. Fighting for human rights, a commitment to social justice and treating people with dignity are all things that are important to us as Canadians. So when our premier is representing Ontario, she needs to pack her values in her suitcase and take them with her.

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That means in addition to the meetings with foreign government officials, meeting with women's rights advocacy groups across India to address the systemic issue of gender violence and inequality also needs to be a priority on Wynne's itinerary.

During this trip, the premier should be adding meetings with community organizations, leaders and intellectuals to her itinerary, to help truly understand the country our government is looking to trade with.

Take India's large agricultural sector, a tremendous contributor to their national GDP, for example. Over the years the industry has faced serious problems, particularly concerning the plight of farmers. By sitting down with someone like Vandana Shiva, a renowned social justice advocate and scholar, the premier would get a chance to understand the other perspective on how government policies have led to a disturbing rise in farmer suicides across India.

In India, marginalized communities like the Jains, Christians, Muslims and Mulnivasis face ongoing violence and hatred, often indirectly or directly through government supported initiatives. Meeting with people like Arundati Roy award-winning author and social justice champion, would not only provide a great deal of perspective into the systemic abuse faced by minority communities, but could help provide us with new strategies of dealing with these types of abuses that exist right here in Ontario.

The premier's trip to India needs to be more than just photo-ops for the South Asian community in Ontario to see. Instead of merely posing at the beautiful Golden Temple in Amritsar, where the walls are still ridden with bullets from government guns, the premier should be meeting with the Sikh community to discuss recent and very troubling concerns around state political interference with the Akal Takht, located within the Golden Temple complex, which represents the most important Sikh institution in the world.

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As Canadians who proudly demand the equal treatment of minorities, religious freedom, gender equality and basic human rights for its citizens -- allowing our political leaders to shamefully ignore these values in the name of business abroad, falls short of the high standard we rightfully set for ourselves.

I challenge our premier to prove her commitment to fighting for human rights both at home and abroad, and be vocal about improving the quality of life for those living in India. Raise even just one of these injustices that people have been trying to get the world to listen to for years.

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C/O Nadia Alam

On a cold, blustery January afternoon, doctors from as far as Kingston, Barrie and Milton drove down to stand in protest with colleagues, patients and MPPs. I was one of the 200 demonstrators challenging the Liberals' unilateral actions.

It was my first protest ever. I listened to speeches. I shouted "Care not cuts! Put patients first!" I waved a placard, "A scandal a day pushes doctors away!" And I marched. I even took a selfie.

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It was so different from what I had imagined. After all, in the recent past, I observed other protests with a sense of distance and even faint embarrassment. As the Ontario Medical Association ads affirmed, I did not see myself as an activist.

Instead, I found the rally thrilling, even uplifting. Something intangible in that moment when I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with others who cared infused me with passion and solidarity. It brought me out of my self-conscious shell and gave me clarity of purpose. So yes, I am now an activist.

I care enough about the mess the Liberals have made of Ontario's health care to protest. And as a result of the rally, the often under-reported issue of health care has come to the forefront of political campaigning in the Whitby-Oshawa byelection.

This serves as a reminder of the power that an ordinary person wields. As politicians vie for votes, it would do them well to remember that the public bequeaths them the power of representation, the power to voice their interests and needs.

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This is the same byelection that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is dipping his toes into. Rumours are there will be more protests the night of his appearance. These days, there are many groups who are unhappy with the Liberals.

In the past, I was generally detached from political rhetoric. Despite the scandals, I naively believed my elected leaders were benevolent. Now, I not only question their motives, I completely disbelieve their promises. What does it say about a leader when their followers no longer trust them?

Ontario Health Minister Eric Hoskins is pushing through an agenda to transform health care, and he's starting with primary care. In a climate of rising need and shrinking resources, a rethink of our health care system is necessary and overdue. But his timeline worries me: Ontario is expected to implement his agenda by spring of 2017. The devil is in the details, so they say.

I am terrified of how this rapidly shifting landscape will jeopardize my ability to care for patients and provide for my family.

Hoskins is doing this at a time when the provincial Liberals are pushing health care austerity. Funding for necessary physician services have been cut so drastically that clinics are closing, left, right and centre. As a result, more patients flood hospitals and emergency departments for what could have been dealt with in a community-based setting at less overall cost to the taxpayers.

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Clinic closure is the last resort when doctors hit the limit of other cost-saving measures: reduced service and staff. And while medicine is a portable profession, physicians like myself spend a great deal of time, money and love setting up a practice. We devote even more time nurturing patient-doctor relationships. This is not just a job. Medicine is a calling.

So even though we have been without a fair contract for nearly two years, physicians like myself are fighting tooth and nail to keep our practices afloat. Binding arbitration would settle this dispute, but the provincial Liberals refused us.

Health care austerity also affects funding for hospitals. In fact, Ontario's hospitals are now in such dire financial straits that most non-cancer, non-emergent surgeries have been rescheduled to the spring when funding is renewed.

Hospitals cost a ton of money to run -- money to hire nurses and support staff, to pay for new technology, to repair old equipment, to buy stretchers, gauze, lightbulbs, so on and so forth. Much of this money flows down from the provincial coffers.

Hospitals, like doctors, are not allowed to charge patients above the government's rate for medically necessary procedures. So they seek revenues elsewhere to help prop their doors open -- like parking fees. I used to think parking fees were a vile practice. But now I understand that parking fees are another symptom of chronic under-funding.

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I worry about the consequences of the Ontario Liberals' promise to freeze parking fees. Yes, patients will be happier in the short term, but what will hospitals do to pay their hydro bills? Delay more surgeries? Fire more nurses? Refuse to hire more physicians? Declare a "bed shortage" crisis?

You see, it's all intertwined. When hospitals say they "don't have beds," they don't mean that there are no physical beds. What's missing is the staff. You cannot safely place a waiting patient in an empty stretcher without a nurse to care for them or a doctor to manage their illness.

My greatest fear: we will hear more about patients like Burlington teen Laura Hillier who died waiting for one such hospital bed.

A colleague of mine encapsulated it perfectly: "On the surface of health care, like so many ducks on a pond, Ontario's physicians move with quiet dignity. But beneath that surface, we are paddling like hell to stay afloat."

As the population grows and ages, and the forecasted "Silver Tsunami" hits the pond in the next 15 years, who knows how many will sink, swim or fly away?

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In this climate of desperate instability, even the opposition parties are denouncing government policies undermining our health care system. But the provincial Liberals are still not listening. Will the federal Liberals?

Justin Trudeau is diving into the Whitby-Oshawa byelection. Will he do more than just come up for a photo opp? Will he address the growing unrest and outrage directed at the political big fishes in the small Ontario pond? Or will he dismiss it as too provincial?

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Alyssa Florentine/Butcher and Rye

"One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight, beyond the bliss of dreams."  John Milton, Comus

Craft cocktails are all the rage and mixology is alive and well throughout the country. Whether you prefer a simple cocktail (the type your parents might have enjoyed, like a gimlet) or something a bit hipper (from prohibition-styled cocktails to exotic mixes), Pittsburgh has it all.

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Here are few places may want to put on your list:

If you're looking for stellar craft drinks (beer and cocktails) this is a good place to start. They regularly offer locally produced spirits and beers, including Wigle Whiskey, Boyd & Blair Vodka, Arsenal Cider House and beers by Troegs and Victory. You'll find excellent burgers and perogies to accompany your libations -- all served by a great staff. A word to the wise, it can get pretty crowded during peak hours. 214 Craig Street (adjoining Legume).

It seems Acacia is a well-kept South Side secret. The former home of prohibition-styled bar, Embury. Folks are drawn to the door of an unassuming boarded-up storefront by great music. Inside is a slice of heaven, particularly for serious bourbon fans. A small cocktail lounge elegantly furnished with copper table tops and exposed brick walls. Knowledgeable staff and an overwhelming drink menu offer delicious inventive cocktails and custom made to order as well as an incredible selection of bourbons. Acacia doesn't serve food, but it's the perfect romantic spot for an after-dinner cocktail, with retro music and low lighting. 2108 E Carson Street.

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credit: Acacia Facebook

Tender Bar and Kitchen

This is a classic American cocktail bar -- in a repurposed bank. The 14-foot ceilings, old bank vaults and marble wainscoting add to the elegance and historic charm of this bar. The bartenders are passionate about their craft and offer an extensive list of cocktails 51 in all, as well as 16 wines, 100 whiskeys and over 70 other libations including brandies and cordials, three beers on tap, plus a cider. All in all, it's a good spot but can get crowded. 4300 Butler St. in Lawrenceville.

Richard DeSantz is the owner chef of this spot, in the Cultural District. It's a two-story restaurant known for its extensive whiskey selection. They have a towering wall of whiskeys, requiring a tall ladder to access the higher bottles. In all, they boast 600 varieties of whiskey including 350+ bourbons. There's also a long draft list and an extensive 38-cocktail menu; they serve their Moscow Mules appropriately, in a copper mug. The oil lanterns on some tables instead of candles create an atmosphere of rustic elegance. 212 6th St, Pittsburgh.

credit: Butcher and Rye Facebook (Alyssa Florentine)

This gastro pub is a wide-open space with a very large bar in the middle, a prohibition-era style of architecture, industrial decor and exposed brick, yet still manages to be cozy. They have high and low tables and semi-communal bench seating. They specialize in craft beers and artisanal cocktails having 40 beers on tap, nearly 100 whiskeys and more than a dozen craft cocktails. The Smokestack is one of the most popular draws. It has a whiskey base (pick your favourite) and the "smoke" comes from infusing the whiskey with fresh smoke from wood chips (again, pick your favourite woody fragrance). 4305 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

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credit: Industry Public House Facebook.

This multiple award-winning distillery is a hidden treasure located in the Strip District. It's an independent distillery and the first to produce commercially available craft rum in Pennsylvania. Maggie's use copper stills, imported from Spain, to make their rums and all products are distilled from scratch, right behind the cocktail bar. Yep -- they've built a little bar right into their distillery and it's open to the public Fridays and Saturdays. Their creative bartenders have an ever-changing cocktail menu -- not to be missed is their incredibly flavorful Spiced Rum. 3212 Smallman, cocktail hour (Friday and Saturday only).

credit Maggie's Farm Rum Facebook
No one will be celebrating this, but 2016 marks the hundredth birthday of one of the most vicious show business gossip magazines ever published. Broadway Brevities was launched in New York City in 1916, edited by a Canadian named Stephen G. Clow. Born into a respectable Prince Edward Island family, Clow would later describe himself to Time magazine, with characteristic exaggeration, as "the most famous and wicked blackmailer in world history." On his death, the US newspaper columnist Westbook Pegler called him "the originator of Saloon journalism."

Until 1925, when Stephen G. Clow was sent off to the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, Broadway Brevities brought a new sensationalism to the field of celebrity gossip. Month after month, the magazine hinted at same-sex relationships among the rich and famous, offered dirt about the backstage lives of producers and chorus girls, and described the vice dens of Columbus Square or Greenwich Village. Prominent New Yorkers feared seeing their name in its pages and paid money to ensure that they didn't. The short life of Broadway Brevities stands as a key event in the history of the twentieth century gossip industry.

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Stephen G. Clow had been born in 1873 to a family of merchants in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island . His father was a President of the Murray Harbour North Dairying Company who served as Justice of the Peace and was elected to the provincial Legislature. Family lore includes the suggestion that Stephen showed homosexual tendencies as a young man and was sent off to the United States to avoid local scandal. He arrived in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century.

Once settled in Manhattan, Clow set up a book publishing company, the Broadway Publishing Company, later exposed as a vanity press operation. He advertised widely for manuscripts, then published them in return for direct payment from their authors. Anthologies of ministers' sermons, memoirs by lesser Civil War generals and collections of turgid poetry fill the company's catalogues and advertisements, though it is difficult to imagine any of these selling in significant numbers. In 1913, the company collapsed in the face of lawsuits and debt.

Three years later, Clow launched Broadway Brevities. In the years which followed, Stephen G. Clow emerged as a well-known, colourful New York personality. He was seen at nightclubs and openings, always well-dressed and in the company of local celebrities. His circle of friends included mainstream Broadway journalists like Mark Hellinger (later a successful Hollywood producer) and New York personality Evelyn Nesbitt Thaw (the wife of Harry Thaw, whose killing of architect Stanford White in 1906 was seen as one of the most sensational crimes of the early 20th century).

Even as he moved in ever-loftier social circles, Clow and his magazine's staff became skilled in gathering information about the hidden lives of New York's theatrical and commercial elites. They positioned informants in the dressing room areas of Broadway theatres or near the doors of establishments of ill repute. Clow traded silence about one celebrity's indiscretions for revelations about those of another. A series of sensational articles with the title "Nights in Fairyland," published in the magazine's last year, visited gay and lesbian meeting places in Manhattan, describing their patrons and pick-up rituals in lurid detail.

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The trail of Clow and his co-conspirators filled the front pages of New York newspapers in January, 1925. The New York Sunday News called it "the greatest show on earth." Clow was found guilty and sent to prison, where he worked on the penitentiary's newspaper and sent reports on prison life to U.S. newspapers. On his release, in 1927, he worked briefly for the show business newspaper Variety. Clow relaunched Broadway Brevities in 1930, but it was soon taken out of his hands and transformed into a weekly tabloid newspaper, one of several sleaze sheets which fought for survival in the early years of the Depression.

By the mid-1930s, Clow had become a disgraced figure in New York. He worked, when he could, at the very lowest levels of publishing and turned up regularly in the offices of his well-established friends, begging for money. In 1937, he moved briefly to Toronto, where he helped the Rubin brothers launch a series of low-end sensational Canadian magazines (one of which revived the titleBroadway Brevities). Here, too, Clow ran afoul of the law. He was charged by Toronto police with publishing materials "tending to corrupt morals." The charges were dropped, but Clow returned to New York, where he died in poverty at Bellevue Hospital in 1941. No one came forward to claim his body.
BRADFORD, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: The Respect Party's George Galloway poses for a portrait during election campaigning on April 24, 2015 in Bradford, England. Britain goes to the polls in a General Election on May 7. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images) Nigel Roddis via Getty Images

George Galloway believes he is the spiritual son of left-wing hero Tony Benn, who he has posthumously appointed as the leader of the campaign to get the UK out of the EU.

In an interview with The Huffington Post UK, the former Bradford West MP spelt out his case for why the UK should vote Leave in the upcoming referendum, attacking the way the German-dominated EU crushed the anti-austerity government in Greece.

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Galloway, who is running to be London Mayor, claimed the biggest mistake Jeremy Corbyn has made since becoming Labour leader is abandoning his years of euroscepticism.

Speaking in a coffee shop in Neasden, north-west London, minutes before taking to the streets to campaign, Galloway claimed some on Labours frontbench were even more left-wing than him.

Galloway also responded to Labour MP Jess Phillipss claim that he was a rape apologist after he spoke in defence of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Reflecting on Corbyns support for the UK staying the EU, Mr Galloway  wearing his trademark hat  said: I think it was a very big mistake. Even tactically - it deprived Labour of the ability to cause difficulties for the Government which is usually one of the articles of faith of Her Majestys Opposition.

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It was, as it happens, the most popular strand of Jeremy Corbyns politics that he was eurosceptic. How could he be otherwise?

Like me, he is the spiritual son of Tony Benn.

George Galloway with Tony Benn and Arthur Scargill on an anti-war march in 1999

Setting out his own reasons why he is calling for the UK to leave the EU, Galloway said: The Greece debacle, where a left wing government resisting austerity and the ruin of working people and their families in Greece, were elected and then crushed by the overwhelming power of a German-dominated European Central Bank and other financial instruments and organs of the EU and no matter that they voted and they voted again and they voted again they are crushed by that same austerity.

He added: Mr Benn, who I campaigned with in 1975, made the peerless  then, as now  case.

If the European Union could be reformed that would be one thing, but it structurally, architecturally, is designed in a way that it cannot be reformed.

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There is no democracy in the European Union, the European Parliament is a joke.

Galloway is one of the countrys most recognisible politicians, and through out the interview and his subsequent speech outside the London Fatwa Council, people approached and asked for photographs.

The Scottish-born former Labour MP admits that part of his notoriety is down to his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in 2006.

As well as performing a dance routine while wearing a skin-tight red leotard, he also memorably asked fellow contestant Rula Lenska: Would you like me to be the cat? before miming licking a saucer of milk.

When asked by the Huff Post UK if he regretted appearing on the show, and specifically the cat incident, Galloway replied: I dont actually. That was a decade again so its a bit thin gruel as a criticism now.

I did it for charity, people do all kinds of things for charity and its usually approved of - when Jeremy Vine dressed up in womens lingerie.

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Its generally thought to be a good thing, but some people want to use it against me.

But the truth is, that last man I took a picture with said Ive been following you since I was a child and the first thing he cited was Big Brother, so for a generation of people its not a bad thing to have been in it.

I wouldnt do it again.

In the mayoral election, Galloway believes he is without a doubt the true Labour candidate in comparison with Sadiq Khan, who is actually representing the party.

I was 36 years in the Labour party, says Galloway, before adding: Im not even frankly all that left wing, Im not as left-wing as you probably think I am. There are people on the Labour frontbench now who are more left wing than me. I dont want to name names. Ive never been communist or a Trotskyist or any other kind of ist.

With the Labour leadership seeming to move towards his view of the world, especially on foreign affairs, does Galloway wish he was back in the party  and the House of Commons.

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Galloway replied: The only time I missed it was during the Syria debate and vote.

He then added: If things had been different, if I hadnt been expelled, you could say Id be the Shadow Foreign Secretary instead of Hilary Benn.

On the other hand if I had not been expelled, not defeated Labour twice in elections, not emerged as a leading critic of Western foreign policy and so on, perhaps I wouldnt have been considered for that position. Its a paradox but thats the way the cards fell.

As for rejoining, Galloway said: If they rescind my expulsion we can talk about it, thats what Ive said repeatedly.

One of those was Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips, who branded Galloway a rape apologist after claiming  in reference to the Julian Assange rape accusations  that not everybody needs to be asked prior to each insertion."

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The Huff Post UK asked Galloway whether he regretted making those comments.

He said: I made them many times and Im not minded to respond to Jess Philips, whose role in life seems to be to slander and insult people.

Jess Phillips accused Galloway of being a 'rape apologist'

Another MP who would not welcome him back into the fold is Naz Shah, who overturned Galloways 10,000 majority in Bradford West last May and took his seat in Parliament.

At a hustings event in the run up to the vote, Galloway claimed Shah had lied about her age when she was forced to marry.

He said: You claimed  and gullible journalists believed you  that you were subject to a forced marriage at the age of 15. But you were not 15, you were 16 and a half. I have your nikah in my pocket.

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Shah threatened to sue Galloway for defamation, and when Huff Post UK asked if he regretted making the comments, he replied: Theres not much I can say about that as the police are investigating that whole thing.

Turning to the London Mayoral contest, Galloway believes the biggest challenge for the capital is dealing with the security threat posed by Jihadists.

He said: Since Paris, which may I remind you happened only a matter of weeks ago, this issue has entirely disappeared from the agenda.

Yet the grim inevitability of such an attack is no less real than it was in the immediate aftermath of it when security services and others were telling us it was virtually inevitable.

Galloway would have more armed police on the streets of London to counter the threat, as well as setting up more visual checks around likely terrorist targets.

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He said: The causes of terrorism are the wall to wall Islamophobia, Islamicophobic hatred, thats the biggest radicaliser you know  its not even foreign policy. Its the sense amongst Muslims that they are hated and reviled in the mass media by right wing politicians.

It is a point he repeats to crowd of around 30 to 40 people when giving a speech outside the London Fatwa Council building in Neasden High Street, before telling the predominantly Muslim crowd: Youve seen me in Parliament, youve seen me on Question Time, on Newsnight, on the news, Im always defending you. Im always defending you. Its Wajib! Wajib! [An Islamic term meaning obligation]

Im not asking you to thank me for it, but I am asking you to vote for me. Im asking you, and your wives, and your children and your parents to vote for me.
Millions of pounds of cash promised for new mothers and children suffering from mental illness has been left unspent by the Tory government, HuffPost UK has learned.

Despite David Camerons recent pledge to deliver a revolution in mental health care, new Whitehall figures show that nearly 87m earmarked for this year has not been used.

At the start of Childrens Mental Health Week (February 8-14), Labour seized on the figures to warn that ministers needed to act more urgently on the public health emergency affecting a large chunk of the population.

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Of 15m earmarked this year specifically for perinatal mental health - mothers of new born babies who are particularly at risk - Government ministers have admitted that just 1m had been spent by January and only 5m is projected to be spent by the end of the financial year in March.

And of a bigger 250m a year originally budgeted for 'children and young people's mental health', there is a 77m underspend this year, Labour says.

The unspent sums emerged as a new survey revealed that more than three quarters of primary schools say they lack the Government funding to deliver adequate mental health support to children.

The joint research by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and childrens mental health charity Place2Be also found that nearly two thirds (64%) of the schools dont have a specialist counsellor based on-site.

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Yet Labour argues that ministers are also failing on the key issue of mothers mental illness, which in turn can have a direct impact on the wellbeing of their children.

Health minister Alistair Burt

In a written Parliamentary answer to his Labour shadow Luciana Berger, health minister Alistair Burt admitted that just 1.3m of a 15m package was being spent by NHS England this year, promising that "work is underway on how they spend the rest of the money".

In an update to more recent Parliamentary questions, the minister has since revealed that NHS England anticipates spending up to 5 million of the original 2015/16 funding of 15 million in this financial year.

NHS England will work with partners over the coming months to develop the new programme for improving specialist perinatal mental health services. This will include setting detailed plans for how the additional investment will be targeted over the period to 2020/21, he added.

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In another Parliamentary answer, Mr Burt also admitted that of the annual 250m available over the course of this Parliament for young peoples and childrens mental health, just 173 million of this has been allocated in 2015-16.

The Government insists that it is allocating large sums to mental health for children and mothers, with an injection of a total of 1.4bn, and stresses that the money will be spent over the next five years.

Shadow mental health minister Luciana Berger

But Ms Berger told HuffPost UK: These figures highlight the gulf between what Ministers promise on mental health and what they actually do.

'It is appalling that even where the Government has committed funding - to children's mental health services and support for new and expectant mothers - it has never fully materialised.

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"Services on the ground are struggling to cope with demand and can't afford these broken promises. Self harming amongst children has soared and too many are left to struggle without the help they need.

An authoritative study into the causes of maternal death showed that almost a quarter of maternal

deaths occurring between six weeks and one year after the end of pregnancy were due to mental health-related causes.

From a 2015 study on maternal deaths

In its annual report in December, the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit found that overall more than 100 women died from suicide between 2009 and 2013.

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Stark statistics from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit study

And it was clearly evident that many needed, but did not receive, specialist perinatal mental health care, it concluded.

Labour also says the number of perinatal mental health beds has been reduced since 2010 and the number of perinatal mental health in patient units has been reduced from 17 to 15 since 2010.

Half of UK women do not have access to an inpatient unit and either do not get the support they need or have to travel hundreds of miles to the nearest inpatient unit for a bed.

Nicky Morgan, Education Secretary

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan came under pressure after a new NAHT/Place2Be survey discovered that only larger primary schools, and those with a higher proportion of poorer pupils eligible for free school meals, were more likely to have access to a school-based counsellor.

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One in five children will experience a mental health difficulty at least once in their first 11 years and many adults with lifetime mental health issues can trace the symptoms back to childhood, recent research has found.

Just two in five primary schools (41%) have trained a member of staff on mental health issues and 84% of primary schools with a school-based counsellor say they are fully or partly funded by pupil premium funding, which is aimed only at the most deprived.

In a joint blog for HuffPostUK today, Shadow Mental Health Minister Luciana Berger and Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell said: Schools are desperately trying to manage the growing crisis in young people's mental health and the decreasing lack of access to expert support is making their jobs so much harder.

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: Were at a turning point in how we tackle childrens mental health issues and are determined to get it right.

Thats why were investing 1.4bn over this Parliament to transform mental health support for children and young people, and have also given 1.5m over the last 3 years to projects involving Place2Be.

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David Cameron has committed to reform Britain's prison system by the end of the year.

In an address on Monday, the first by a prime minister to focus on incarceration in more than two decades, the Tory leader signaled an increased role for rehabilitation.

He said: "For those trying hard to turn themselves around, we should offer hope... we should help those who've made mistakes."

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Cameron spoke of prison reforms in central London on Monday

Countries in the Nordics and Scandinavia have a reputation for minimising the number of inmates, allied to low recidivism rates thanks to a focus on extensive rehabilitation and resocialisation.

In fact, the rates of incarcerated people per 100,000 citizens show that some European countries are vastly outperforming the UK, in some cases by more than half. Below is a snapshot of European imprisonment rates.

Click here for a zoomable version of this infographic made for HuffPost UK by Statista

In particular, countries like Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands have significantly fewer people imprisoned - as a proportion of their general populations - than the UK.

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Here are 5 countries proving prisons can work for the benefit of both prisoners and wider society...
Most primary pupils are unable to get help from counsellors at school, a study casting further doubt over the state of mental health services for children in Britain has revealed.

Just a third of primary schools have an on-site counsellor, despite one in five children experiencing mental health problems before they reach 11. And, in most cases, the mental health professionals are on site for just one day or less a week.

The figures, based on a survey of almost 1,500 primary headteachers, were released last week by children's charity Place2Be and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).

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The research coincides with Place2Be's second Children's Mental Health Week, which was launched by the Duchess of Cambridge with a special video message.

As Place2Be's Royal Patron, the Duchess said that both she and The Duke of Cambridge feel that "every child deserves to be supported through difficult times in their lives."

The four children featured in the video with Duchess have all taken part in Place2Be's 'whole school' approach to good mental health. The break-time service is available to children who want to talk through and help understand issues that might be troubling them.

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The survey came as HuffPost UK discovered that 87m of promised funding for children and new mothers' mental health remains unspent by the Government.

There are around 4.5 million primary state school pupils in the UK, meaning there are as many as 3 million pupils who are not getting access to adequate support.

Jamie Maloy, headteacher at Viking Primary School in Northolt, said the number of children experiencing mental health difficulties increase in more deprived areas.

"Common sense tells us that children cannot learn if they are not happy, safe and secure. Children need the resilience to deal with family break ups, bereavement, domestic violence and a whole host of current safeguarding and neglect issues," he told The Huffington Post UK.

"Increasingly, this is having to be provided by schools. With the competing pressures of tightening budgets, new assessment and curriculum demands, as well as recruitment shortages, this is no easy task," Maloy said.

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According to the research, nearly four in five schools (78%) cite financial constraints as a barrier to providing their pupils with adequate mental health services.

More than half (53%) blame a shortage of services or qualified professionals.

One headteacher, who did not wish to be named, said: "If we could access specialist support early for our children I think some of the issues seen later in their education could be avoided."

An image taken from a video recorded by The Duchess Of Cambridge, with children from Salusbury Primary School in London, to launch Children's Mental Health Week

Dr Pooky Knightsmith, an emotional health adviser and director of the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, a charity educating young people on how to stay mentally well, says an increasing number of primary schools are asking for help.

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"Sadly we are getting more requests about how to support anxiety, self-harm, depression and eating disorders in upper primary," she told The Huffington Post UK.

"We are increasingly keen to do more preventative work in primary settings - this is where really positive ground work can be laid. About a third of the requests I field come from primary schools, whereas three years ago they used to be the rare exception.

"We are, without doubt, seeing an increase in children who are really struggling at younger and younger ages.

"It's heartbreaking."

Three in five primary schools do not have a member of staff who is trained in dealing with mental health issues. Despite this, Anna-Marie Shanley, headteacher at Holy Catholic Primary School, Salford, said mental health services are becoming an "increasingly essential" part of schools provision.

"Local mental health provision hardly touches the surface of need in our area," Shanley said. "So we took the decision to buy a service to meet that need quickly and in a way that supports the ethos of our schools care and support for the children and their family."

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"We help them make sense of what is going on around them and help build their emotional resilience," she continues. "If we dont address their emotional health and well-being then were doing these children a disservice.

Catherine Roche, CEO of Place2Be said primary school leaders are well aware of the challenges their pupils faced, "whether it's coping with parental separation, the illness or death of a loved one, or even witnessing domestic violence or substance misuse at home.

"The vast majority are already working hard to support them so that they're ready to learn and can get the most out of their education," she said.

"But teachers are not counsellors and sometimes schools need professional support to make sure that problems in childhood don't spiral into bigger mental health issues later in life."

Roche added that Children's Mental Health Week this year "focuses on the benefits of building children's resilience as a key life skill to help cope with life's difficult situations, both in childhood and into adult years.

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"Place2Be's work in over 250 schools and our training for school staff focus on understanding a child's behaviour and helping them to manage their emotions in a positive way.

"We are hugely grateful to The Duchess for helping to remove the stigma around children's mental health and for shining a spotlight on the value of supporting children in school from an early age," she said.

Childrens Mental Health Week this year focuses on the importance of building childrens resilience and their ability to cope with stressful situations

In March 2015, the Department for Education published guidance to help school leaders set up and improve counselling services in schools.

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Up to 85% of secondary schools in the UK provide pupils with access to a counsellor but data on the number of primaries doing so has not previously been available.

In its report, the DfE wrote: "There is robust evidence that a play-based counselling model [in primary schools] is associated with a significant reductions in psychological distress in primary school children."

Those schools with a large number of pupils eligible for free school meals were more likely to have invested in a school-based counsellor, with more than eight in ten of the schools with counsellors fully or partially funding them through pupil premium cash.

Children from poorer families are four times more likely to have serious mental health problems than those from the wealthiest.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of NAHT said the findings should remind the government the services schools, families and children rely on were under "great pressure".

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"Rising demand, growing complexity and tight budgets may be getting in the way of helping the children who need it most, he said.

"[Our members'] work demonstrates the crucial role that schools can play in supporting children's mental health and building their resilience."

To blog on the site as part of Young Minds Matter email ukblogteam@huffingtonpost.com
Emma Thompson had previously penned a moving tribute to her close friend, Alan Rickman, following the beloved actor's death from cancer last month.

READ MORE:

Last night, the Oscar-winning actress dedicated another award to the 'Harry Potter' star, speaking from the heart but also with humour as she remembered him in her speech.

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Emma Thompson dedicated her winning moment to her friend Alan Rickman

Emma was a popular winner at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, collecting her gong for her comedy performance in 'The Legend of Barney Thomson', a role which saw her play much older than her real age. Taking to the stage at Television Centre, the former home of the BBC in London's White City, she told the audience:

"I'd like to commit this moment in time to dearest Alan Rickman, who many of us are dearly missing tonight. It's so depressing but there it is, it does happen.

"He always predicted I would end up looking like my mother after a lifetime of Guinness, fish suppers and untipped Players. So thank you.

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Emma also had an unusual solution to offer for the ongoing problems of diversity within America's Academy, which she described as "full of old, white men". Watch what she has to say above in our video...

Elsewhere during the ceremony, Idris Elba scooped the Best Actor gong for his role of an African warrior in 'Beasts of No Nation'. Taking to the stage after his surprise win over the likes of Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender, Idris was clearly surprised, saying: "Thanks you so much, I'm star struck. I haven't prepared a speech so I'm going to speak from the heart.... Arsenal did well today. But seriously, everyone here is really genuine and loving."

Idris Elba hadn't prepared a speech for his victory in the Best Actor category

John Crowleys 'Brooklyn' claimed the top prize in the category for Best Film, presented by Matthew Perry, surpassing other contenders '45 Years', 'The Lobster' and 'High-Rise'.

In the Best Actress category, Maggie Smiths tragi-comic portrayal of her character in 'The Lady in the Van' saw her picking up the accolade for Best Actress, presented by David Hare. This is now the fourth time Dame Maggie Smith has been recognised by the Evening Standard in this category; thirty seven years since she first won the award for her performance in California Suite.

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All the winners below in bold.

BEST FILM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TELEVISION CENTRE:

Brooklyn

45 Years

High-Rise

The Lobster

BEST ACTOR:

Tom Courtenay (45 Years)

Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation)

Michael Fassbender (Macbeth/ Steve Jobs)

BEST ACTRESS:

Emily Blunt (Sicario)

Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)

Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)

Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van)

BEST DOCUMENTARY:

Amy

My Nazi Legacy

Palio

Amys childhood friends and first manager picked up the award, presented by actress Tuppence Middleton

BEST SCREENPLAY:

Emma Donoghue (Room)

Nick Hornby (Brooklyn)

Carol Morley (The Falling)

RISING STAR:

Tom Browne (director, Radiator)

Jake Davies (X+Y)

Agyness Deyn (Sunset Song)

Maisie Williams (The Falling)

AWARD FOR COMEDY(Film or performance):

Bill (director Richard Bracewell, writers Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond)

Olivia Colman (The Lobster)

Colin Farrell (The Lobster)

Emma Thompson (The Legend of Barney Thomson)

Emma Thompson was presented the award by actor Stanley Tucci

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT:

Roger Deakins, cinematographer of Sicario

Mark Digby, production designer of Ex-Machina

Michael McDonough, cinematographer of Sunset Song

Mark Tildesley, production designer of High-Rise

SPECIAL AWARD (OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION):

Alan Bennett for his contribution to British Film

EDITORS AWARD:

45 Years

The Editors Award is a special award to celebrate an extraordinary achievement or person that has lit up the industry in the last year. This years winner is Andrew Haighs romantic drama 45 Years, a chilling look at the fault line opening under a long-term marriage. The film stars Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling, and has been nominated for various awards since its release.

BLOCKBUSTER OF THE YEAR:

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Fifty Shades of Grey

Furious 7

Inside Out

Jurassic World

Home

Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2

Minions

Spectre

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Hugh Jackman has warned of the dangers of skin cancer and has urged his six million Twitter followers to use sunscreen.

The actor posted a selfie on 8 February showing a plaster on his nose. It is believed that he is undergoing treatment to have another skin cancer growth removed from his face.

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Jackman, 47, explained that he has basal cell carcinoma (BCC) which has developed after years of not using sun cream.

He took the opportunity to warn others about the health dangers of not using skin protection in the sun.

An example of what happens when you don't use sunscreen. Basal cell. Mildest form of cancer. USE SUNSCREEN PLEASE !! pic.twitter.com/phQsRS5QiI  Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) February 8, 2016

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer in the UK.

It is a non-melanoma skin cancer, which means a group of cancers have slowly developed in the upper layers of the skin, according to the NHS.

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Basal cell is caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or from using sun beds.

It can occur anywhere on the body, but is most commonly found on areas that are exposed to the sun such as the face, head, neck and ears.

According to the British Skin Foundation, it is also possible for a basal cell carcinoma to develop where burns, scars or ulcers have damaged the skin.

Those who are most at risk include:

- People with freckles or with pale skin and blond or red hair

- Those who have had a lot of exposure to the sun, such as people with outdoor hobbies or who work outdoors, and people who have lived in sunny climates

- People who use sun beds

- People who have previously had a basal cell carcinoma

Most incidences of basal cell carcinomas are painless. They tend to look like scabs which bleed occasionally and do not manage to heal.

"Some basal cell carcinomas are very superficial and look like a scaly red flat mark: others have a pearl-like rim surrounding a central crater. If left for years, the latter type can eventually erode the skin causing an ulcer," reads the British Skin Foundation website.

There are various methods for treating BCC which include radiation, laser surgery and applying topical medication. However if the cancer is left untreated, it can cause complications.

Speaking about his 2013 skin cancer diagnosis, Jackman told People magazine: "It's always a bit of a shock just hearing the word 'cancer'.

"Being an Australian it's a very common thing. I never wore sunscreen growing up so I was a prime candidate for it.

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He added: "Basal cell carcinoma is just something you have to deal with. It's cancerous. It will grow. You just have to get it out."

Over a period of 18 months, Jackman had four skin cancers removed - three from his nose and one from his shoulder.

Since his diagnosis, he has worked to raise awareness of skin cancer and has launched a range of sun cream for children.
LARGS, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 27: In this handout image provided by MoD Crown Copyright, HMS Vengeance departs for Devonport prior to re-fit on Ferbruary 27, 2012 off the coast of Largs, Scotland. The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded UK's leading naval support business Babcock, on March 25, 2012, with a contract to commence the planning phase for the A350 million GBP refit of Trident ballistic missile submarine HMS Vengeance, which will be undertaken at their Devonport Royal Dockyard. The pro Handout via Getty Images

Jeremy Corbyn is braced for his first Shadow Cabinet showdown over Trident amid warnings from Labour MPs that they will fight the next election on a pro-deterrent platform even if the party dumps it.

HuffPost UK understands that the Shadow Cabinet will discuss the issue at its meeting on Tuesday, the first time it has done so formally under Mr Corbyns leadership.

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Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry gave a brief update of her defence review to colleagues last week, but there was no debate and ministers on both sides of the debate are keen to ram home their views tomorrow.

Emily Thornberry, Shadow Defence Secretary

Ms Thornberry is expected to give a similar briefing to the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) tonight, where she could face a barrage of warnings from moderate Labour MPs worried about the electoral damage they believe will follow any shift to unilateralism.

Party insiders claim that she has found it very difficult so far in the review to find any evidence supporting Mr Corbyn's idea of having nuclear submarines without nuclear weapons on them.

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But Mr Corbyn is giving his full support to his Shadow Defence Minister, who wants to keep open alternatives to Trident and prove that the policy is a non-binary decision, and other Shadow Cabinet ministers are set to rally round her.

John McDonnell, Jon Trickett, Diane Abbott and Ian Murray are among those opposed to Trident, but upto 20 others in the Shadow Cabinet  including deputy leader Tom Watson and Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn  favour renewal.

Although a free vote is likely on any Government vote in the Commons before Easter, Ms Thornberrys supporters believes that it will be purely symbolic and that a full decision on going ahead with Trident isnt due until later this year.

No decisions will be taken tomorrow but a 'full and frank' debate is expected, with neither side ready to back down and various shadow ministers keen to air their views for and against.

Mr Corbyn replaced Maria Eagle as his Shadow Defence Secretary last month after she criticised him over his vow never to use nuclear weapons as Prime Minister.

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The showdown comes as Stephen Kinnock became the latest MP to warn that he will stand on a pro-Trident platform at the next election even if the party dumps the nuclear deterrent.

Mr Kinnock  son of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock and the Parliamentary aide to senior Shadow Cabinet minister Angela Eagle  made clear he would defy party policy to downgrade or ditch renewal of the 31bn weapons programme.

Stephen Kinnock, with his father Neil

The MP for Aberavon told BBCs Westminster Hour: "I believe we should have a nuclear deterrent . I am absolutely committed to us having a nuclear deterrent and I hope the Labour party policy will continue to be the one we have for the last 30 years .

If it isnt I would seriously consider standing on an alternative proposal if that is the if we had to come to that pass. But I hope we will not and that the review will say that we will keep the policy we have had for the past 30 years. "

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Mr Kinnock's father Neil, who battled to ditch Labour's policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament in the 1980s, warned late last year that "the British people will not vote for unilateral disarmament - and that reality has to be dealt with".

Labour backbencher Jamie Reed said on Sunday that dozens of fellow MPs were preparing to fight the 2020 election on a separate, pro-Trident manifesto if the party adopted the toxic move to oppose renewal.

Its ultimately about saving, not splitting the party, he said, claiming such a stance would be in line with Labour voters and ex-Labour voters, rather than unilateralists in the partys membership.

Ms Thornberry is set to deliver an interim report on her defence review this June, and Corbyn allies hope that it shift policy towards a position that would satisfy Unites insistence on skilled defence jobs, while making a symbolic shift away from nuclear weapons.
Labour splits over Trident widened tonight after Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry appeared to suggest that the nuclear submarine system was as outdated as World War II Spitfires.

At another fractious meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) in the Commons, furious MPs heckled Ms Thornberry as she answered their questions on her review of defence policy.

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Former defence minister Kevan Jones declared at one point during the heated gathering youre an embarrassment, and left the meeting saying she was waffly and incoherentcringeworthy.

Former First Sealord Lord West and backbencher Madeleine Moon won applause as they both urged the renewal of Trident and warned that the United States was worried about Jeremy Corbyn dumping the nuclear deterrent.

Afterwards, Ms Moon tweeted her verdict on Ms Thornberry, a unilateralist who was installed in her post by Jeremy Corbyn last month.

Oh dear oh dear omg oh dear oh dear need to go rest in a darkened room  Madeleine Moon (@MadeleineMoon) February 8, 2016

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Ms Thornberry also provoked concern when she accidentally told the MPs at the end of the day, the policy will be changed by the national conference. That was a Freudian slip if ever there was one, one MP told HuffPost UK.

One of the Royal Navy's Vanguard class nuclear submarines

But she sparked most anger when she compared the 31bn plans for a new generation of continuous at-sea submarines to patrolling our skies with a Spitfire.

The Shadow Defence Secretary said that high-tech drones could track submarines in future and suggested that just as Spitfires had become outdated, Trident could be overtaken by new technology.

It was when she said Ive been out talking to these young Turks about drone warfare that we looked at each other and couldnt believe it, one former shadow minister said.

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Ms Thornberry went on to point out that Tornado jet fighters had had to be updated, but MPs present said there was an audible gasp in the room as the Spitfire comparison was made.

The most advanced large manufacturing and engineering project in the world compared to a Spitfire, one MP said afterwards.

A Labour source said after the meeting that Ms Thornberrys reference to Spitfires was in a wider context of talking about defence technology.

She was talking about drones and it was apparent how it was absolutely possible that with improving technology, large submarines could easily be tracked and attacked by drones, he said.

So she said it is a question of keeping your eye on new technology. She said we don't have Spitfires any more, but we have some quite old planes, Tornadoes, but theyve been updated. She was saying some technology gets old. Some gets updated. Some things are replaced.

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Tempers boiled over so much that at one point Ms Thornberry told her hecklers theres no point trying to shout me down and PLP chairman John Cryer threatened to stop the meeting.

CND protestors, who want Labour to change policy

Ms Thornberry had started the meeting with a 10-minute update on the process of her defence review, stressing it was being done in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.

The party had to come to a collective decision, she said. "We all have different views, but I would ask people not to go into entrenched positions on this and to look at the evidence."

She said the review would be wide-ranging and cover conventional and cyber warfare as well as the vexed issue of the renewal of Trident, which she pointed out cost huge sums of public money and had to be scrutinised properly.

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"It was a toxic mix of Islington dinner party self-assuredness, total ignorance about the subject and complete indifference to the disastrous path down which she and Jeremy Corbyn are taking the Labour party, one backbencher told HuffPost UK.

It meant that people were sitting there in stony faced silence. People were looking into the middle distance and concentrating on keeping their faces straight while she was talking.

Former defence minister Kevan Jones

One MP claimed that Ms Thornberry had not wanted to take questions after her presentation but was warned by Mr Cryer beforehand that she had to do so.

When the questions did come, many were hostile. Pat McFadden began by asking that if she stood by her position as former Shadow Attorney General that airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq were legal. Ms Thornberry voted against airstrikes in Syria last year, but she said there was now more RAF activity in Iraq than before.

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You could feel the atmosphere curdling as she talked, one MP said. Ive never been at a more sour meeting.

David Lammy and Richard Burden appeared to back the Shadow Defence Secretary, pointing out how difficult the subject was.

But Jamie Reed warned of the death of shipyards if Trident wasnt renewed and John Woodcock asked her when she would visit Barrow in his constituency to meet the skilled workers whose jobs were at risk. Ms Thornberry agreed to visit.

Ex Shadow Cabinet minister Caroline Flint said the move to unilateralism would be a disaster and declared: Jeremys made up his mind hasnt he?

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Lord West

Lord West said that some of the top brass in the military were worried that the Tories are playing politics with Trident by refusing to hold a definitive Commons vote on the issue until after Labours party conference.

The former First Sea Lord and security minister urged the party to stick to renewal and said the Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary should be coming to Parliament as soon as possible for approval of the half billion of funding for preparations for Trident on top of 3.9bn already spent since 2007.

Lord West, who has intimate knowledge of the Trident system, pointed to his article in The House magazine recently in which he pointed out that Mr Corbyns idea of submarines without nuclear warheads would be dangerous and nonsensical.

As he left the meeting he said that Ms Thornberry failed to understand the physics, basic physics of the working of the Trident system, perhaps a reference to the way its missiles are difficult to defend against because they go so high into the atmosphere.

Ms Thornberry said that the Tories plans for holding a symbolic vote in the Commons, possibly as early as next month, was an elephant trap laid for Labour to parade its divisions on the issue.

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But Kevan Jones, who quit in protest at Ms Thornberrys appointment last month, told her in the meeting that she was wrong about the vote. Youre an embarrassment he said, just yards from her.

He and John Woodcock said that Ed Miliband had gone over all the numbers and funding for Trident and even he couldnt find an alternative to four new Trident Successor submarines.

Madeleine Moon, who sits on the Defence Select Committee, said that she was in Washington last week with Nato officials. This isnt just Britains nuclear weapon, this is Natos nuclear weapon, and people were asking what is the British Labour party upto?

Ms Moon said that Russian planes were buzzing British airpace, their subs were lurking British waters and asked for Ms Thornberrys assessment of the strategic Russian threat posed by Russia.

She had no answer. It was absolutely woeful, one MP said.

One MP revealed that Ms Thornberrys opening line of the evening was that it was wonderful to be Shadow Secretary of State for Defence. Its the second best job in politics, she had said, adding of course, the best job in politics would Secretary of State for Defence.

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It was laughable, one senior MP told HuffPost UK. It was downhill from there. She began with a lie and carried on lying all the way through.
A junior doctor accused Jeremy Hunt of "spin", "manipulation" and "lies" in a damning interview discussing the ongoing battle between the government and those on the frontline of the NHS.

SEE ALSO: Doctors Demand Hunt Works At Weekends Too

Rachel Clarke was talking in response to comments the Health Secretary made on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday morning in which he blamed the BMA for strike action.

Hunt was left looking decidedly uncomfortable when Andrew Marr read him a selection of remarks from junior doctors on the front line of the NHS.

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Quoting one, Marr said: "The profession is at absolute breaking point. I see doctors in tears because they are so despairing over what the future holds. Jeremy Hunt has done this. He's driving away a whole generation of doctors."

The health secretary deflected the criticism by blaming the British Medical Association, calling them "irresponsible" for "spreading misinformation".

Hunt answered: "It's incredibly disappointing, the totally irresponsible way the BMA has behaved in refusing to sit down and talk about how we can improve patient care and spreading misinformation."

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He added: "One of the reasons for that anger is they were told by the BMA their pay was going to be cut, it isn't. They were told they were going to have to work longer hours, they aren't...

"If you're told by your union that the health secretary wants to do these awful things, of course you're going to feel devalued."

Later on Sunday one of the junior doctors quoted earlier, Rachel Clarke, appeared on BBC News to respond.

She said: "It's extraordinary for me as a frontline junior doctor to hear my health secretary say that. I would like to believe that if her were actually committed to patient safety he would actually take seriously the concerns from the frontline of doctors like me.

"Instead there he seems to have used my concerns to have scored an opportunity to score cheap political points at the expense of the BMA.

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"He says he cares about junior doctor morale but I can tell you now that the single biggest problem for my morale, the thing that is making me want to quit my profession at the moment, is not the BMA, what I hear from the union or what I read in the media, it is what he, my health secretary says.

"He spins against us, he manipulates statistics against us and quite frankly he lies."

One of the main areas for disagreement is how doctors are paid for working unsociable hours, particularly on Saturdays.

The government has tried to claim an increase in deaths at weekends is due to lack of staff, which others have disputed, saying there is not the data to support this.

Hunt told Marr: "Health secretaries have these battles but what history judges in the end is, have you done the right thing for patients?"

Dr Johann Malawana, the BMA junior doctor committee chair, said the strike had been "wholly avoidable" and was caused by Hunt's "shambolic mishandling" of the matter.

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"[Hunt] risks alienating a generation of junior doctors and undermining the delivery of future patient care, which is why 98% of those junior doctors who voted, supported taking industrial action," he added.

The BMA has been clear throughout this process that we want to reach a negotiated agreement  no doctor wants to take industrial action, and our door has always been open to talks.

"But the government is putting politics before reason, and their continued threat to impose a contract that junior doctors have roundly rejected leaves us with no option.

Junior doctors already work around the clock, seven days a week and they do so under their existing contract.

"If the government want more seven-day services then, quite simply, they need more doctors, nurses and diagnostic staff, and the extra investment needed to deliver it."

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Just another day on the River... pic.twitter.com/Ts3bojblmk  LAMBETH FIRE (@FireLambeth) February 7, 2016

A blockbuster film stunt that saw a bus blown up in the middle of central London has left residents raging, after they feared another '7/7'-style attack on the capital.

Many hit out at the lack of warning that the double-decker travelling across Lambeth Bridge which burst into flames was being filmed for new Jackie Chan film 'The Foreigner'.

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Lambeth Bus Bridge Explosion See gallery

John Taylor, whose 24-year-old daughter Carrie was killed in the 2005 terror attack on a number 30 bus, says he was told of the shoot in advance but not that an exploding bus would be involved.

He said the lack of communication was "insensitive" and claimed other 7/7 victims' families would have been left upset too.

You can totally understand why some people would be alarmed seeing this today. Fair enough there is filming that goes on in the city but this seems particularly insensitive," Taylor told the Mirror.

I know a lot of the families, of other victims and survivors, would be upset by this. Perhaps it wasnt thought through as much as it should have been.

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7/7 hero Paul Dadge also condemned the Hollywood producers, saying survivors told of similar stunts in the past received no information this time around.

Would have been VERY easy to inform those involved in 7/7 this was going to happen," he wrote on Twitter.

Other films have been made that have comparisons (that) could be drawn to 7/7, survivors have ALWAYS been informed ahead. Very insensitive.

"Also hope London Fire Brigade were being paid to provide fire cover for the film."

Dadge and Taylor weren't the only people to recognise hallmarks of the decade-old terror attack, which killed 13 passengers and suicide bomber 18-year-old Hasib Hussain in Tavistock Square.

If you're filming a London bus blowing up and tweeting it out, SAY IT'S FAKE. Some of us lived through 7/7 waiting to see who'd died.  failnaut (@failnaut) February 7, 2016

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Others criticised the film crew and council bosses for not giving the general public enough warning.

Hey film types next time you blow up a bus on Lambeth Bridge maybe tell us first so children in park aren't freaked? pic.twitter.com/8Ui6YoE9N0  Sophie Kinsella (@KinsellaSophie) February 7, 2016

Why did London authorities not warn us that the #lambethbridge bus explosion was going to happen? Surely it's best to avoid scaring people?  Gareth Platt (@GazPlatt49) February 7, 2016

Headlines should really read: 'Distasteful publicity stunt sparks panic on Lambeth Bridge'  D. Davidson-Amadi (@TheSplinterCell) February 7, 2016

Despite some measure being taken to provide notice of some sort of stunt in advance.

Don't be concerned if you hear or see explosions on Lambeth Bridge today, filming is taking place including loud special effects.  MPSonthewater (@MPSonthewater) February 7, 2016

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@failnaut they told businesses & residents in the area, their responsibility to pass the info on not the filmmakers. pic.twitter.com/Oiq2cthZvG  Jess (@Allmmurr) February 7, 2016

Lambeth Bridge shut for filming tomorrow morning. Beware of controlled explosions! pic.twitter.com/TKz8xuatdO  London SE1 (@se1) February 6, 2016

But clearly not enough for the National Police Air Service to be in on the information.

Pilots on the helicopter tweeted photos of Sunday's incident, saying they were "very worried" until they realised it was just a film stunt.
Students at the University Of Birmingham have been forced to petition the police after claims a "drastic" increase in crime has failed to be taken seriously.

Over 4,000 people had signed the Change.org appeal by Monday after a spate of muggings and burglaries affected those living in the city's Selly Oak area.

The petition demands "increased action and constant police control".

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The petition had gained over 4,000 signatures by Monday

The petition reads: "There has been a huge increase in crime including robberies, burglaries and muggings aimed at local students surrounding the University of Birmingham.

"In response to this seemingly growing issue we strongly believe that a huge change is required by both the local police and Birmingham City Council to be more proactive than reactive in preventing these crimes from continuing.

"Action is needed to take this issue more seriously by putting constant patrols of police on the Selly Oak streets."

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It comes just two months after police released CCTV of a young woman being chased through the local train station by a man who attempted to take valuables.

Police issued their appeal in December after the man tried to grab car keys before the woman managed to push him away and drive off.

Selly Oak has a large student population

A spokesperson for David Jamieson, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, says he is to meet with students at Birmingham University's Guild to discuss their concerns.

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University of Birmingham Guild of Students said: "Over the coming days and weeks, we will continue to work closely with the University and West Midlands police  including lobbying for further patrols and support, where necessary  to ensure that every resident of Selly Oak feels as safe as possible in their community."

West Midlands Police has yet to respond to HuffPost UK's request for comment.

Speaking previously, Sergeant Matthew Crowley from Birmingham South police told the Birmingham Mail: We take this type of crime extremely seriously.
The UK should prepare for "greater violence" from far-right groups - and in "extreme cases, terrorism" - in 2016, as members increasingly target British Muslims to get their message across "as anti-Muslim hatred is being mainstreamed", a report has found.

Far-right extremists, the State of Hate 2015 report warned, are increasingly turning to violence, and some have even been videoed training with knives and teaching members martial arts and survivalist skills.

The report by Hope not Hate found that far-right groups had increased their public profile in 2015, staging a third more demonstrations than in 2014. Last year 61 demonstrations were held, compared to 41 in 2014.

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A report has warned that the UK should expect "greater violence" from the far-right this year; a bloodied protester is pictured above during a North West Infidels protest in Dover last month

"Political and economic conditions for right-wing extremist groups could hardly be better," the report released on Monday found, even though the activists remained "politically marginalised, fractured, leaderless and increasingly violent".

Nick Lowles, chief executive of Hope not Hate warned the UK needed to prepare itself for the "rising militancy of Britain's far right" which he said would "lead to greater violence in 2016".

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He said: This could be manifested in three ways: a general increase in anti-left wing harassment and attacks; communal violence where gangs of far-right supporters clash with Muslim or Eastern European youths; or, in extreme cases, terrorism.

The underlying rhetoric of much of Britains far right is that a societal conflict  either between Muslims and non-Muslims or more generally with immigrant communities  is inevitable. For some, that means preparing for it or even encouraging it along.

The Government needs to understand the changing nature of the British far-right threat and get to grips with the growing threat posed by far-right violence.

Far-right political party Britain First were accused of 'inflaming' tensions after staging a 'Christian Patrol' in Luton

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Hope not Hate said the most active far-right group in 2015 was the North West Infidels, who were involved in violence with anti-fascist protesters in Dover on January 30 this year.

The Infidels, the report said, is a network of "regional fascist gangs" which split from the English Defence League and "pursue a far more confrontational and violent agenda".

Hope not Hate said 2015 saw far-right activists increasingly getting involved in survivalist, outdoor training and martial arts groups.

These included, the report found, the Misanthropic Division, which is led by a former member of the fascist Azov Battalion in Ukraine and the Italian Nazi group, Casa Pound.

Another group, Sigurd Legion (Legion), Hope not Hate said, released videos documenting men stripped to the waist punching each other as they practice unarmed combat while others train with knives.

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National Action, which was overwhelmed by counter-protesters when it staged a "White Man March" in Liverpool last year, was the "most organisationally sophisticated neo-nazi group", the report found. It has its own internal internet forum and regularly uses the Dark Web.

Foreign far-right supporters living in the UK are also becoming increasingly active, the report revealed. One of the most active groups, according to Hope not Hate, is called Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski, meaning the national rebirth of Poland. Dozens of UK-based Italian fascists are also active in the British nazi music scene, the anti-extremist group found.

The State of Hate report noted that despite the acceleration of violence, traditional far-right movements were collapsing in the UK, such as the British National Party (BNP) and the EDL.

The 2015 General Election highlighted the "political impotency of Britains far right", the report found, with the BNP standing just eight candidates in 2015, compared to 338 in 2010, and averaging just 0.5% of the vote in these seats.

"A lack of effective leadership has severely hampered traditional British far-right parties, contributing to their underlying weaknesses," the report concluded.

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Hope not Hates 2014 State of Hate report revealed that the movements three key leaders - Nick Griffin, ex-leader of the BNP; Jim Dowson, formerly Chairman of Britain First; and Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, ex-EDL leader and current Pegida UK manager) had all withdrawn from frontline leadership roles during 2014.
The five things you need to know on Monday February 8, 2016

1) JUNGLE DRUMS

The drums of war over the EU referendum keep on getting louder. And the two key themes are already crystallising, with immigration the main weapon of the Brexiteers and national and economic security the bazooka deployed by the In camp.

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Yes, Project Fear (which was derided but kinda worked in Scotland) is back - but this time on both sides. The Telegraph splashes that David Cameron will warn in coming weeks that the Jungle migrant camp at Calais will have to move to Dover if the UK quits the EU.

Vote Leave insists its a bilateral deal that would be unchanged, and David Davis said yesterday there would be a migrant surge because of the PMs migrant benefit plans. In his own fear tactic, Nigel Farage claims more Cologne-style attacks on women will happen if we vote Remain.

As for who in Cabinet will back Leave, the fandango continues. Theres speculation Michael Gove could opt for Brexit but not in a leading role (which given his public image is probably wise). Priti Patel looks like shell be the poster girl (copyright Mail on Sunday) of Leave, though that title could go to the ghost of Margaret Thatcher if her former minister Lord Young is right (he disagrees with Charles Powell, who said shed back the In camp).

But Boris, in his latest Telegraph column, continues to play footsie with Eurosceps. He told Bernard Jenkin in the Commons last week he had never been an Outer. Yet in his column he lists more tests for the PMs Brussels deal.

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Meanwhile, that economic security argument looms. The Times reports the Bank of England has increased its emergencies war chest by $25bn in the past year to protect against market chaos if the UK quits the EU.

2) JAIL BAIT

Another Monday, another legacy speech from David Cameron. Today its the turn of criminal justice with the PMs six pilot Reform Prisons unveiled. Moves to treat prisoners as assets not liabilities echo similar campaigns by some conservatives in the US to end its own record locking-up rate.

The Howard League, while welcoming any change, warns that the big problem is overcrowding and our 85,000 prison population. But any let up in sentencing is exactly what worries the Mail, which splashes that Cams plans would see thousands of inmates in jail only at the weekends.

Damned if he does, damned if he doesnt. Yet the gap between actions and words is also evident on mental health today (its Childrens Mental Health week). Head teachers are warning about a lack of cash to help primary schools cope with the problem. More widely, Labours Luciana Berger tells HuffPost that 87m promised for new mothers and childrens mental health has not been spent. See our story HERE.

3) CURIOUS GEORGE

George Galloway is a bit of a news magnet right now. ITVs scoop yesterday - naming two other Beatles Brits in Jihadi Johns ISIL terror cell - allows several newspapers to point out one of them, Alexe Kotey travelled to the Middle East on an aid convoy organised by Galloway.

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But its Galloways decision to back Brexit that also catches the eye. Labours Jess Phillips Tweeted if ever there was a reason to back the In camp, this was it, adding I'd never heard of him until he dressed in a body stocking & pretended to be a cat for cash.

Galloway has given an interview to our own Owen Bennett in which he says he has no regrets over his Big Brother feline days. He also says he believes he is the spiritual son of Tony Benn. Read it HERE.

BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR

Watch Marco Rubio show in this Republican TV debate why shrink-wrapped soundbites dont always work.

4) SITTING ON DEFENCE

Emily Thornberry is expected to appear before tonights PLP meeting to discuss the latest update on her defence review. But while shes careful to keep some alternative options to Trident in play, many Labour MPs are toughening their language ahead of any symbolic Commons vote.

Last night on Radio 4s Westminster Hour, Stephen Kinnock revealed that he was one of many MPs who were ready to stand at the next election on a platform to renew Trident, even if his party changed policy to dump it. "I would consider standing on a separate pro-Trident platform if it came to that, he said.

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Meanwhile, left-wing grassroots group Momentum may get a mention tonight too. The group unveiled its steering group this weekend, including Jill Mountford, who stood against Harriet Harman at a general election in 2010. The Telegraph today has a leaked strategy document showing the group plans to spend 243,000 on eight permanent staff. It emerged this weekend Momentums social media coordinator has a criminal conviction for electoral fraud.

5) ITS ALL FOR CHARIDEE

When Matthew Hancock turned up on the Today prog on Saturday at 8.30am, he stunned many by announcing new rules that any charity in receipt of public money must not use it to influence government or Parliament.

Though many Tories think this is eminently sensible, the backlash was swift. Former Charity Commission member Andrew Purkis said it was shockingly repressive, terrible governance and peers were furious that the new clause was announced just days after the Charities Bill was concluded in the Lords. Labours Baroness Hayter blogs for us on the detail today HERE.

Theres so much anger about all this that Id be surprised if Labour didnt table an urgent parliamentary question today. The Lords is also in revolt over the new tenant tax (neat phrase, copyright John Healey). The Times reports Labour and the Libs will defeat it before Easter.

If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox.
After the birth of a baby, the last thing new mums will think about is hopping on a plane to travel the world.

But that's exactly what Karen Edwards, 31, did 10 weeks after giving birth to her first child Esme with her partner Shaun Bayes.

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"I guess you could say I have not had your typical maternity leave," she wrote on her blog which documents her travels.

"As relatively new parents, we have already been on many travel expeditions with our baby: several road trips, long ferry journeys, long and short haul flights, stopovers, camping trips and much more planned for the coming months."

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Oct 9, 2015 at 2:01pm PDT

Hong Kong

Describing herself as "travel mad", Edwards finished university with the intention to see as many countries as possible.

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When she found out she was pregnant, she was determined not to let it change anything.

The family-of-three spent 10 months travelling the world and Edwards admits her family thought she was "nuts" when she revealed her plans in November 2014.

Edwards, who was born in Ireland but lived in London when she gave birth, said the family boxed up their belongings, sold their car and put their house up for rent when Esme was just under three months old.

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Oct 8, 2015 at 1:15am PDT

Since first leaving London, the family have visited Ireland, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

"She was really well behaved and because she was small it was easy enough to keep her in the harness when we were on the move," Edwards told MailOnline.

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"We have no regrets, she got to experience new sights, scenes and smells as she grew and that is incredible.

"The only time I felt Esme was missing out was not having much socialising with other children."

But it wasn't always plain sailing.

Edwards said the hard parts of travelling with a baby included always being in the same room together (and not having the luxury of leaving the baby in another room to sleep), as well as not having enough toys all the time for her to play with.

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Oct 21, 2015 at 6:42am PDT

New Zealand

Writing on a blog post titled 'Bali with a baby', Edwards discussed what parts of the country were accommodating for little ones.

"There are plenty of spots on the beach you can grab some shade for little ones," she wrote.

"Waves werent too dumpy in the shallows so all good for baby to have a dip.

"Ubud has tens of hundreds of spa and massage parlours. Again very reasonably priced. I think its safe to say most places wouldnt like you to bring a baby with you.

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"We found if you go out in the morning when there are not many other customers they were happy to have us."

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Oct 29, 2015 at 5:42am PDT

Hong Kong

Edwards, who is a nurse, documented her journey on her blog and Instagram, posting photos of each place they visit.

After spending 10 months away and returning to London near the end of 2015, the couple are jetting off again with Esme, now 17 months, to travel Thailand, Cambodia and New Zealand.

She wrote on her blog: "The overall aim is to inspire like-minded travel loving parents 'your travel days do not have to be over'.

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"It is all about incorporating your little person into your way of life."

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Nov 12, 2015 at 1:41am PST

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Sep 16, 2015 at 4:17am PDT

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Sep 4, 2015 at 2:36am PDT

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Aug 29, 2015 at 11:19pm PDT

A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Aug 21, 2015 at 6:36pm PDT

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A photo posted by Travel Mad Mum (@travelmadmum) on Aug 7, 2015 at 9:09pm PDT

Keep updated with the family's adventures on Edwards' TravelMadMum blog.
Ranil Jayawardena

The 2015 General Election saw 176 MPs elected to the Commons for the very first time. In a series of exclusive interviews, The Huffington Post UK is speaking to MPs from the 2015 intake of the Conservatives, Labour and SNP. This week, it's the extremely decent Ranil Jayawardena...

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It was without doubt one of the most unsavoury moments of last year's General Election campaign.

Robert Blay, the Ukip candidate in the seat of North East Hampshire, was caught on camera saying he would "personally put a bullet" in Tory contender Ranil Jayawardena if he ever became Prime Minister.

Mr Blay, who was subsequently suspended by Ukip, also attacked Mr Jayawardena's Sri Lankan-born father, claiming he had "ponced off" the UK when he emigrated here in the 1970s.

The comments hit the headlines less than a week before polling day, meaning it was too late for Mr Blay's name to be removed from the ballot paper.

Mr Jayawerdena had the last laugh, seeing Mr Blay languish in fourth place while he grew the Tory majority from 18,597 to 29,916.

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In his 15 from '15 interview, Mr Jayawardena expressed his continued anger at the way his family was insulted by his Ukip rival, as well as his love of Sir Robert Peel and admiration for the Labour leader of Manchester Council.

Here is Ranil Jayawardena's 15 from '15:

1) Where were you born and raised?

I was born in London but raised in Hampshire in my constituency, which is why its such an enormous privilege to represent it.

2) What did you want to be when you were 16 years old?

I wanted to enter the Law. I wanted to become a barrister because I saw that as a way of applying the law to society and law and order is still one of my issues Im particularly interested in. I was very interested in making sure the law was applied fairly but also properly and robustly because I didnt think that was the case. I was interested in criminal justice and so on and maybe part of that was my father was a magistrate and still serves as a magistrate.

3) When did you first become interested in politics?

When I was at school I was interested in it because of the way I saw it affect peoples lives but I only became politically active in the 2005 General Election, so when I was at college, then more active when I was at university  the London School of Economics, which is a political hotbed. I stood for council in 2007 in Basingstoke and Deane, stood again in 2008 in what is now my constituency and represented that until last May.

4) Do you have any political heroes?

Hero is an unfortunate turn of phrase because it almost implies there is someone you are robustly following but as far as the term can be mitigated I think someone I really do think made a massive impact to our country is Robert Peel, who, of course, created the modern police service.

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The police do such an amazing job at keeping us safe and that was as a result ultimately of what he started  a non-militarised, policing-by-consent model, which is so different from the rest of the world. The second thing he did that was so powerful was the Tamworth manifesto, because he cast a modern Conservative Party. He set out that the Conservative Party had to change and reflect the country of the day, not the country of yesterday. In many ways David Cameron has done the same now.

Two-time Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel

5) Who is your favourite politician from another party who is currently still active?

Thats an easy one: Sir Richard Leese, the leader of Manchester City Council. Hes a Labour councilor who runs a very Labour council. Its not for any political reason but the principle reason that he and his Chief Executive officer have carried forward the idea that Greater Manchester should work together and over the last 20 years they, independent of government, have been pushing that agenda.

6) What did you do for a living before becoming an MP?

A local councilor, which was a great privilege, and that has given me a great basis to represent people here. I also worked in the City for Lloyds Bank in various different roles, originally in capital markets. I also worked in corporate banking for a time and worked with mid-sized businesses, which are a key area in the British economy.

HP: What was your reaction to your rival Ukip candidate Robert Blay, who was caught on camera saying he wanted to "personally put a bullet" into you, and also that your father ponced off us when he emigrated from Sri Lanka to the UK in the 1970s?

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It was shock. We knew that he held views that were not to dissimilar to the ones he espoused and was caught espousing. He had made his views very clear to people off the record, door-to-door. We knew he was bad mouthing me. What we didnt know was that this was what he believed.

I was shocked, but I was doubly shocked because he wasnt only attacking me but it was an attack on my family, on Alison and on Daisy and also on my father. Its one thing to insult someone but its another thing to insult someone and get your facts epically wrong.

He suggested that my father came to this country, and I think his words were something to the effect of that he came to this country to sponge off benefits. It couldnt be more from the truth. My father has never claimed a penny in benefits. He came here from Sri Lanka in the seventies, and indeed Rob Blay elicited this information from my father when my father was helping me on he campaign. My father is the nicest man and answered an honest question with an honest answer and he used this information against my father and me.

My father came here in the seventies, worked in security while he was learning his trade to become an accountant, he worked as an accountant, also worked for the financial regulator, set up his own business. Thats a positive story. And now hes contributing to society as a magistrate  voluntary service.

Rob Blay couldnt have been more wrong. Its one thing to attack me but its another thing to attack my family and I thought it was terribly wrong and I have to say one thing I was very disappointed about was that Ukip didnt ever contact me before the election to apologise. They said that they apologised via the BBC but they never apologised to me although I have to say one of the first things Douglas Carswell did when I was elected was come and apologise to me on a personal level and I appreciated that.

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[At the count] I didnt speak to him, he didnt seek to speak to me. Im a Christian, I go to church every so often and I want to forgive someone. He has not once apologized to me. He believes, Im told, he was dealt with unfairly by Ukip so one could argue he is holding the views he has set out and worse. He was asked by the media at the count, twice I believe, Do you apologise for your remarks? and he refused to do so. Then he sought to shake my hand after the result had been declared and Im afraid I refused his handshake and I stand by that decision, and indeed the majority of my constituents who contacted me post the election have agreed with me.

A man like Robert Blay has no place in public life and he should not be welcomed in any way.

7) What do you do to relax?

I do love going out for a walk, either in my village or popping down the Basingstoke canal in the village that my wife, Alison, grew up in. Its nice to go for a walk as its something all three of us can do together: Alison, myself and my baby daughter Daisy. Its a moment where, more often than not, theres no mobile signal so thats lovely. That tends to be what were doing at the moment.

8) If you could run any Government department which would you run?

My first answer has to be its been brilliant to be elected for my home constituency; that right now is the only thing Im thinking about. Im on the Home Affairs Select Committee and thats given me a real insight into the world of the Home Office and clearly they are many great challenges the Home Office faces.

9) What is the last book you read?

I cant remember! I used to read on holiday, I used to read a bit of fiction as its nice to zone out from time to time.

10) Who is your favourite band or artist?

I dont know who my favourite of all time would be but someone Im listening to now is a girl called Birdy. Shes from the New Forest and does some very nice acoustic work.

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11) Would you rather go on X Factor, Great British Bake Off or Strictly Come Dancing?

Well I havent got he X Factor, so thats no. I have no coordination, so it cant be Strictly, although I do love the program. So Bake Off by default, but Id resign myself to leaving very earlier.

12) Whats been the biggest change since becoming an MP?

Time management. Ive become better at it but at the same time its very difficult still. Before I had my job, and I had my council responsibilities, I had my political responsibilities and my family, so lots of different things. Now I have one all encompassing thing that never stops.

13) Whats the one thing you would change about UK politics if you could?

Can I cheat and say two things? One is the localism as I really do believe in greater devolution and I believe it needs local government to up its game too.

The second thing I would like to see is politicians of any political persuasion able to say that this is what they believe, make decisions if they are in government and stand by them and not be vilified for taking a decision they genuinely believe in.

14) What one reason would you give someone to visit your constituency?

Its just the most wonderful place. For anyone coming down from London its very easy to get to. Its a prosperous area. Its a place you can genuinely enjoy yourself.

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15) Which three words would your best friend use to describe you?
In a busy pub a man is brutally murdered. The killer doesn't feel the need to hide his face. What does the silence of witnesses mean for a community struggling with gang violence?

"That coward has got away with killing Lee with no balaclava on in front of 30 people. It's like the murder never really happened, and that's sad."

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Patricia Erdmann sits in a living room that is a shrine to her dead son Lee. Pictures of the 37-year-old on holiday, at weddings and with his five children are everywhere. She has an engraved marble memorial to him by her bed. Patricia admits to crying herself to sleep some nights.

Lee was drinking in The Wellington pub on Regent Road in Salford, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of Saturday 10 September 2011. He had been laughing and joking with a man at the bar and got up to go to the toilet. The same man shot him in the back when it was turned.

The Wellington pub where Lee was murdered

"The bullet went straight through Lee's heart and he just fell to the floor and then he went up to him and shot him in the chest again," says Patricia.

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"Then he just stamped constantly all over his face. After he'd shot Lee he just threatened everybody in the pub." The killer is thought to have stolen CCTV footage and left.

Patricia says her son "wasn't an angel" but that he was not in a gang. Police sources told Panorama that he fell out with a man who was.

Even though the police have asked repeatedly for witness to come forward and interviewed hundreds of people, as well as putting the case on Crimewatch, no-one has been willing to stand up in court as a witness.

The murder remains unsolved. Patricia says she knows people are scared of revenge attacks but is desperate for someone to speak out.

"There's 30 people in that pub, even mothers. How would they feel?" She says "everybody in Salford" knows who killed Lee. But the police don't have enough evidence to charge anyone.

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Former Detective Chief Superintendent Don Brown, who ran Project Gulf - an intelligence-sharing project aimed at taking down organised criminal gangs - says there is an ingrained wall of silence in places like Salford. "There was a time when a van actually drove around Salford saying 'Grassing is harmful to your health'."

The coroner in the Lee Erdmann case, Jennifer Leeming, criticised the lack of co-operation from witnesses as she recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. ''Lots of people know what happened and who was responsible but those people are not giving evidence because they are frightened."

Nazir Afzal, the former chief crown prosecutor for the North West of England, says that the fact nobody has been brought to justice sends a dangerous message to others.

"The impression will be that people are above the law," he says. "Clearly some individuals will feel that they can get away with murder."

But Lee Erdmann's isn't the only unsolved gangland murder in Salford.

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Paul Massey was shot outside his home

Last July Paul Massey, a man labelled Salford's "Mr Big" was shot on the driveway of his home, with a machine gun, in broad daylight. Massey had been sentenced to 14 years in prison in the 1990s for stabbing a man. But he claimed to have renounced his gangster past and in 2012 ran for mayor of Salford receiving a small but significant 2,000 votes.

In a BBC documentary that was never broadcast, Massey predicted his own death and said he "he pitied the person who did it" because of what his friends would do.

Paul Ferris was one of those friends - a convicted gunrunner from Glasgow who now writes books about his criminal past. "It's a never-ending cycle and it's a cycle that can only be broken when there's enough bloodletting," he says.

Ferris says he won't cooperate with the police. "The people that we were involved with don't engage with the authorities. We're not there to help them solve crimes - that's their job."

Despite this, Ferris says even if the police do their job it won't stop "street justice" being served. "If the police found the person who did it, they've got to survive prison, and there are a lot of friends of Paul's who are still in prison."

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Jayne Hickey and her son Christian were shot when two men knocked on their Salford front door

Police have asked for help in solving the Massey murder - again describing a "wall of silence" stopping people coming forward with evidence.

So far they have not charged anyone and in October, in a shooting linked to the murder, gunmen turned up at the home of a man called Christian Hickey.

Police believe that he was the intended target but instead, at close range, they shot and injured his seven-year-old son Christian Jr and his wife Jayne.

It was an appalling incident even in Salford's long history of gang violence.

"For me it crossed a line," says Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable Rebekah Sutcliffe. "Even [for] those people who do have a distrust of policing or haven't had a positive relationship with policing in the past... that line has been crossed. Come forward and tell us what you know about what's happened."

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For some in Salford though it's more complicated than simply "tell us what you know".

Having spent time in prison himself in his teens and early 20s, Graham Cooper now works with young people in Salford, showing them an alternative to gangs and guns.

He dismisses the claim there is a wall of silence in Salford. Rather, people are conscious of the risk of retribution and know the police have lots of different ways of catching criminals that can be just as effective.

He says that constantly criticising the community won't encourage people to come forward, and that everyone is shocked and angered that a seven-year-old has been involved in the violence.

In a Christmas letter, seven-year-old Christian Hickey asked Santa to help the police catch the men who hurt him. So far the police have been unsuccessful. They're still asking for witnesses.

This feature first appeared on the BBC News Magazinehere.

Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.
This week, the junior doctors are going on strike. Again.

Most of the people reading this won't know why. All these professionals, who claim to be committed to caring for some of the most vulnerable in our society, why would they refuse to turn up to work?

The government has done its best to confuse the issue. Some of the more biased newspapers have followed suit. There are headlines claiming that junior doctors are greedy, that they've been offered a 11% pay rise, but they want more. The general theme of the spin has been simple: the junior doctors are looking out for themselves.

I'd like to let you in on a little secret. The junior doctors aren't striking for themselves. There's actually lots of things they aren't striking about:

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It's not about money.

Sure, I think doctors would be right to be upset about the new contract, which - despite government claims of a 'pay rise' offer - actually threatens huge cuts in pay. Mr Hunt has offered to increase the 'base rate' of pay by 11%, but refuses to say what will happen to the 'banding' that the vast majority of trainees also receive.

As a personal example, my pay is made from the base rate plus a 45% banding rate. I may lose my entire banding rate. Even with an 11% increase in base pay, that's a drop of nearly 25% in my annual salary. How would you feel if your employer announced a non-negotiable drop in your salary? Great video asking members of the public the same question here...

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It's not about working long hours.

Doctors are used to working long hours, we know its par for the course. We actually work more hours in our contracts than most professions, 48 hours rather than the more common 37.5 or 40. We understand that - despite the government's blindness to the fact - the NHS runs a 24-hour service, and we are all part of providing that.

What scares us is the removal of current safeguards: at the moment, if a hospital breaks the rules and forces juniors to work extra hours, there is a significant financial penalty. This happens fairly often. In the new contract, the hospital may just be asked to enforce the limits, with no penalty. How would you feel if your employer decided to start ignoring the time limits on your contract?

It's not about weekends.

Junior doctor already work weekends. I'm a GP trainee, but I'm still working two of the next three weekends. Do I get days off either side? Nope. I only have one day off in the next 18. It's going to be hard work!

The government keeps talking about the risk of being in hospital over a weekend. Whilst this has been extrapolated from statistics that prove nothing of the sort, it does mean there is a push to further jeopardise our junior doctors' already limited opportunity for normal social lives. How would you feel if you were told Saturday is now the same as Monday morning? How would you balance family, friends, childcare...

Money, long hours, weekends. These may seem like totally reasonable causes for a strike. But there are even more important issues at stake...

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It's about safety.

Junior doctors are on the front lines. We know how understaffed A&E is; we see how thin on the ground clinical cover is during hospital on calls, and how GP surgeries are fighting against a sinking ship of paperwork, appointments and shrinking finances.

We know that patients are suffering, and, currently, junior doctors are working out of goodwill to hold up the creaking system. Junior doctors logged more than 10,000 hours of unpaid overtime during one five day period in October. Push the junior doctors harder? Goodwill gives way to exhaustion. Do you want a tired, unhappy doctor?

It's about making sure we have enough doctors.

The government scares us. They don't value junior doctors, and they don't see that junior doctors become senior doctors.

I posted previously about how general practice and psychiatry training schemes are running half empty. Five years ago, over 71% of newly qualified doctors joined training schemes. Last year? 52%. With record numbers of doctors leaving to work overseas, Jeremy Hunt is causing an exodus of professionals we desperately need.

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It's about saving the NHS.

The NHS is at risk of being terminally ill. It needs treatment, or its going to die. Trust us - doctors know about this sort of thing.

I'll be brutally honest here. If the NHS fails, I'll be okay.

Sounds cocky, but its probably true. In fact, I'll probably earn more than I do currently. I'll be able to afford health insurance premiums for my family, for myself. I'll be fine.

If the NHS fails, Jeremy Hunt will definitely be okay. More than okay. He will join a private healthcare company board, and earn vast bonuses in a climate of charging people for care they currently receive for free.

If the NHS fails, there's a big group of people that will not be okay. It's not doctors. It's not irritating politicians. It's the poor.

There will be hard working people at the bottom, choosing between healthcare... and food.

People getting cancer, then losing their homes.

Patients deciding its better to live in depression than in debt.

Children dying because they don't have parents with enough money to afford treatment.

And that's not a United Kingdom I'm willing to accept.

Junior doctors aren't striking for themselves. They are striking for all of us. Support them. #notsafenotfair

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As a soon to be dad, I'm filled with all the anxieties that most parents face two months before their baby arrives, but with one added caveat - will I be 'good enough'? Most people probably think along these lines but in my case it comes with the added pressure of knowing many of the pitfalls, trials and tribulations related to children's mental health. The one thing that reassures me is knowing that I have learnt more about child well-being from my parents, and those around me, than years of training.

I have been fortunate in that they, along with my teachers, provided me with time, attention, love, and, ultimately, the best environment to help me thrive. Not all children are so lucky and that is the biggest shame in our developed society. It is the sole reason I became a Child Psychiatrist. Throughout my career it dawned on me that so many of the mental and physical illnesses I had to treat, seemed to be wedded to my patients' early experiences.

In my humble opinion, caring for a child is the most important and hardest job there is. So much of our modern lifestyles hinder this process, and that's if we understand how important time and attention are in the first place. Unfortunately for a lot of children, the adults in their lives are not able to provide these basic necessities. I say that without judgement or prejudice. Time has become a luxury in our lives and if you, yourself, haven't experienced this kind of love; it is very difficult to become so selfless to provide it for others.

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Added to this is the large number of children who have significant neurodevelopmental disorders that aren't picked up. There really are not enough resources or education out there for parents, teachers, GPs or Paediatricians to realise how much of a child's behaviour is down to their brain. Conditions such as ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Condition, Dyslexias, Dyspraxias etc. are incredibly common. The majority of my clinical time is spent unpicking the consequences of letting a child struggle with these without the right support - whether that consequence would be depression, anxiety disorders or delinquency.

Even when these are picked up, increased government cuts, the introduction of unregulated free schools and academies have seemingly diminished the resources for them. In my short career, I am faced with teachers (whom I don't blame - my wife is a teacher!) telling me they have to focus their resources on only those that cause the most disruption. They and I know this is not good enough but what else can a teacher do when they have targets to meet with ridiculously large class sizes. There needs to be more support so that they can fulfill their wish of tailoring their input to each child.

So what's the solution? For me, it would be a whole societal shift in attitudes (which will hopefully one day does not seem so fanciful). In my generation, we have taken great strides in diminishing the effects of belonging to a minority or formally prejudiced group and one day the stigma of mental health may also fall. That is what inspired me to write this piece for Children's Mental Health Week and I think media initiatives such as The Huffington Post's collaboration with the HRH Duchess of Cambridge do a lot to help. Children feel incredibly alone with their difficulties and the sheer impact of sharing commonality often helps.

We need to readdress the priorities for our society, rather than simply focusing on those afflicted. It's been proven time and time again that early action (the earlier the better) does so much in helping solve problems later in life. Allowing those that support children, the resources to not only support some but also educate all in the importance of issues related to children's mental health; educating parents and teachers in child development; providing better access to assessments by clinicians, and increasing support for charity organisations who do profound work will all contribute. I've always thought it's strange that of all the things I was taught at school, how to be a parent wasn't one of them.

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Today David Cameron took a break from negotiations with the European Union to talk about the scandalous failure that is the prison system in England and Wales. Prison reform rarely captures the attention of Prime Ministers, but conditions have deteriorated so rapidly and substantially in the last few years that it has become hard to ignore.

That the speech took place at all was much more important than what was in it - the policies announced are all fairly small-scale and will have little to no impact if pushed through without comprehensive sentencing reform.

But let's start with the positives. It is important when a Prime Minister rightly says that the prison system in its current form is wasting both money and lives. David Cameron busted the perennial tabloid myth that prisons are holiday camps, clearing telling anyone who didn't already know that they are miserable places where many of the most socially excluded and mentally ill members of the community are locked in cramped, squalid and violent institutions. These messages matter and his intervention certainly gives Michael Gove the green light to make some changes.

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Cameron's plans to give governors more autonomy, improve the quality of work in prisons and hire more teachers are welcome. So too is tasking Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove to work on 'alternative provision' for those with mental health problems suffering in our prisons. But it is a nonsense to believe we can really make prisons places of education, hard work and rehabilitation without tackling the sheer number of people inside them, and sentencing reform was notably absent from today's speech.

The prison population currently stands at 85,634 - double what it was 25 years ago. Average sentence lengths have increased by a quarter in the last 10 years alone and the number of people on licence recalled to custody has risen by an astonishing 55% since the mid-1990s. At the same time budgets have been slashed and the numbers of staff cut by over a third. At the moment it does not matter how many excellent workshops or well-qualified teachers are waiting in the activity block - there are simply not enough staff to unlock a prisoner from his overcrowded cell so he can attend a maths class or his bicycle repair job.

The 1.3billion prison building programme has been sold (in part) as a solution to the overcrowding issue, but history has taught us that you can't build yourself out of a prison crisis. As soon as they are built they will be filled and leaving no choice but to keep open our decrepit Victorian institutions. We will be left with the same failing prison system, just bigger and more expensive.
I was recently asked on Twitter what can be done to revert mass global attention to the devastation caused by Boko Haram. This got me thinking: ever since the #BringBackOurGirls social media storm subsided, the powerful news agencies have paid very little attention to this crisis, despite attacks such the recent one in Dalori.

Tragically, the same can be said for the people in Darfur.

Does you remember George Clooney's involvement in the Save Darfur campaign?

In 2006, Mia Farrow, George Clooney and others passionately urged world leaders to act to stop the brutalities of this war raging in the western region of Sudan.

That was ten years ago.

Two days ago, the United Nations reported that about 44,700 people were forced to flee their homes in Darfur over the last 2 weeks because of the ongoing fighting between the government army and armed groups.

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In the space of just 14 days, nearly 45,000 people were packing up whatever they could and running for their lives, literally.

A crisis of seismic proportions, right? Yet - have you heard this reported on mainstream news channels? Have world leaders gone flocking to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan to demand that action be taken to stop this travesty?

Nope. To my knowledge, at least - George Clooney hasn't spoken publicly about it. And no new hashtag has been created... Yet.

So - why are the lives of one, two, or even tens of thousands of girls, women, men and boys in some places regarded as newsworthy only when a hashtag becomes a trending social phenomenon, or when a multimillionaire American speaks out?

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In all honesty, I am always delighted to see public reaction against racism, misogyny, bigotry and other cruelties. I'm a fan of #BlackLivesMatter, #Rhodesmustfall etc. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like have enabled millions of people to vent their outrage, profess their allegiance, or join a movement against unfairness and injustice.

But this passion, this anger, is transient. And then media interest wanes.

In April 2014, 276 school girls were taken from a boarding school in Chibok. The story is so tragic. We know it well. Many of them were preparing to take their exams when Boko Haram stormed and raided the school.

For days after this awful set of events, the former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan stayed silent.

So Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Antonia Banderas, Puff Daddy and scores of other celebrities spoke out. The starry spotlight soon produced the desired effect. Shortly after, world leaders gathered to discuss how to tackle Boko Haram.

So fast forward nearly 24 months on, where are we? Nigeria has a new President, most of the #Chibok girls (and yes, they have their own hashtag) are still not home, and hundreds of people continue to be killed by Boko Haram.

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Authorities suggest that 85 people were killed in last week's attack in the village of Borno state. The Economist writes 'locals reported hearing children screaming as they were incinerated in their burning homes'.

Grotesque acts of murder, pillage, rape and abductions are still being committed by an albeit weakened Boko Haram, and yet the world looks away.

And the President (to start with, anyway) remained silent.

#Dalori isn't trending, you see.

Wesley Snipes or Michelle Obama haven't held up a piece of paper, taken a photograph and Tweeted #Dalori.

As a communications professional, I enjoy working with celebrities who are motivated about a cause. It's invigorating for me to hear Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Akon, Michelle Obama and others stand up for the issues I have spent much of my professional life campaigning for. I also see how socially trending stories can inject urgency and vibrancy into an issue, and in some cases galvanise authorities to respond.

Yes, the combination of social media and star power is intoxicating, and yes, powerful. Put together, world leaders can respond quickly. But on its own, it cannot solve a crisis.

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Mainstream media, therefore, cannot be reliant on social media and celebrities to make this kind of story worldwide, top priority news.

They must dare to remain with stories even if they are unpalatable, hard to cover, or without a 'fresh angle'.

They must audaciously report a story even without access to a perfect English speaker; they must choose to challenge the authorities on the airwaves and in the newspaper interviews. And they must stay with a story even after Ms Jolie, Beyonce and Bono exit stage left.

Many of us reading this are living in a country where there is freedom of the press and free speech. Two basic rights which, tragically, have been denied to millions around the world. So if media houses have this freedom, let's see them use it responsibly, without relying on a trending hashtag, or a sprinkle of stardust to make it part of their agenda.
Take two parents, two entirely different cultures, traditions and perspectives and you get a family with some pretty tough discussions, strong opinions and choices ahead. We can't do it all and we certainly won't do it perfectly when it comes to our mixed heritage kids but there are some things we as parents need to make priority when raising kids of dual or multiple cultures.

1) Speak your language- If one of you speaks another language or originates from another country where English isn't the first language, that means your son or daughter could and should be bilingual. Even if you don't speak it well, passing down any culture often goes hand in hand with language. Your son or daughter may resent having to attend language school every Saturday now but they'll thank you for it later on when they're able to converse with friends and family from your native country.

2) Talk about your history- History can tell a thousand stories and telling your own history as well as that of your homeland will do wonders in opening up all sorts of discussions with your children. The Iranian Revolution marked a major historical upheaval and explains a lot about modern day Iran, its people, its diaspora and its politics. Pre-Revolutionary Iran and the ancient civilisations and dynasties also shed light on who and why Iranians are such a proud people. I don't know if I would understand my Dad's culture and origins if I didn't have this perspective.

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3) Emphasise both Cultures- Make sure you talk about both parent's cultures to your children. So easy is it for parents to get caught in the trap of emphasising only the culture that is 'exotic' or foreign that the partner who hails from the country in which you reside or one that is more common, gets forgotten. Make sure both of your cultures and traditions are valued and explained and talk about it with each other to ensure you're both on the same page.

4) Talk about racism- Even if you've never fell victim to racism, this is a must must discussion parents need to have with their children. Your children will have different experiences from you and they may have darker or lighter skin but either way they need to be able to talk about it and understand it even if you're uncomfortable talking about it.

5) Pass on your traditions- Traditions are so important in passing down one's culture. You don't need to do everything your parents did but highlighting the important ones, in discussion with your partner, will help your children again to understand where you come from and the parts of their culture which are important. In our family, we have chosen to continue the traditional Nigerian greeting but have chosen not to pierce our newborn daughters' ears. We have made these choices consciously and with intention about what we wish our children to take from Nigerian culture.

6) Mark your cultural festivals- With so many cultures to choose from, we're never at a loss to have a reason to celebrate. From Canadian Halloween, to Nigerian Independence Day to Nowrooz (Iranian New Year) Festival, we seem to have it all covered. Each one gets as much attention as the next and we even try to ensure we can attend a community gathering to make it is as authentic as it was for us growing up with the real thing.

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7) Demonstrate the importance of traditional greetings- Greetings are so important in today's globalised world where countries, people and cultures emphasise different things in their greetings. In Nigeria, greeting an elder is a very formal affair involving a bow or a curtsy along with lowered eyes to show respect. In Persian culture, men and women typically kiss each other on the cheek three times to show affection and respect. It's important that our kids understand how and why we greet each other in each setting so they can navigate their way around each cultural setting when they're older.

8) Visit your home country with your children- Even if you've never been and you're a third culture kid yourself, at least you had the benefit of being raised by parents who grew up there. Your children will need to see the real thing before they can understand your culture (and you) completely. The people, the cultural norms, complexities and weirdisms that make it up. Don't let it become just a vacation spot either. Let your children spend their summers there to know just how you grew up and how you actually lived.

9) Foster close relationships with your children's Grandparents- Grandparents are so important to imbibing your culture in your kids. They carry with them all of the above- history, traditions, language. Developing that relationship and ensuring your children get to know their grandparents will have a huge impact on them in years to come.

10) Give your children the freedom to adapt culture to who they are as third culture kids- Your kids are not you and their experience is going to be different from yours as children of an intercultural family. When they're old enough, allow them to explore their culture for themselves and decide which parts they can identify with and which parts they don't. This may change again when they have families of their own but it's important that you let them be who they are and not decide for them even when they're old enough to decide for themselves.
At the end of last week, a heterosexual couple claimed in the high court that their exclusion from civil partnership was discriminatory. Gay couples who want to legalise their commitment to one another can do it in one of two ways: either through civil partnership or through marriage. Heterosexual couples, on the other hand, have only one choice: marriage.

In an age of equality, this doesn't seem fair, the couple argued. Because of the historical baggage attached to the word 'marriage', they would rather formalise their arrangement through civil partnership. Gay couples have a choice. So why not them?

Well, the judge threw out their claim in effect because the two arrangements are legally identical. This is true. I happen to work with a former high court judge who informs me that about three words distinguish the legal status of civil partnership and marriage. The whole confusion came about because the government introduced rights for gay couples in 2004 and called it civil partnership. At the time, there was no call for gay marriage. Times and governments change. In 2014, the government introduced gay marriage, leaving civil partnerships as something of a historical hangover.

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So what is the sensible solution to this?

Whatever the answer, civil partnerships must be retained for those that already have them.

Abolishing them altogether is not going to happen. Nor should it. One day two people are 'civil partners'. The next day they have no legal status. A couple who happened to be going through a normal non-terminal bad patch would suddenly find themselves forced to make a deliberate choice whether to marry or not. No.

Nor should existing civil partners be forced to convert automatically to 'married' status. Conversion might leave their legal status unchanged. But the whole argument for introducing 'marriage' for gay couples in the first place was because of the idea there is something special involved in getting and being married.

Abolition, with or without automatic conversion, might deal with the historical anomaly. But it's clearly a non-starter.

As for extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples, maybe the aggrieved couple will get a more sympathetic audience from the court of appeal. It seems unlikely. Their better hope is to build a political campaign to change the law in parliament. However I can't see much of a bandwagon developing here either. There has never been much evidence of demand for civil partnerships for heterosexual couples. The one time such an informal scheme existed, just 998 couples signed the London Partnership Register over a three year period between 2001 and 2004. Given that this high profile scheme was promoted as a forerunner for civil partnerships, and therefore primarily for same sex couples, there was no great stampede for unmarried registration by legions of repressed opposite sex couples.

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Whatever the history of marriage, the couple's complaint that 'marriage' remains patriarchal and unequal today is patently wrong. Whereas until forty years ago, almost all couples who had children were married, today marriage is a genuinely free choice. Patriarchy has no opportunity to survive or thrive in such a setting.

Moreover, for a relationship to be unequal, there needs to be an imbalance of power. In relationships, power rests with the person who has least commitment. Marriage provides the framework most likely to equalise power. Couples share the same vision of a future together, ambiguity is removed and intentions are crystal clear. It is precisely outside marriage that power imbalances remain.

A few years ago, I did a study of 236 couples who had become new parents - Back off or Fire Back. Results revealed significant differences in the way married couples and cohabiting parents interacted during arguments. These patterns were entirely commensurate with these power differences. Cohabiting couples were twice as likely to argue in a way that one partner was dismissive and the other fearful. Far from being unequal, marriage represents the most equal of relationships.

On this basis it shouldn't surprise anyone to learn that, among all the dozens of factors that might be associated with domestic violence against women, being married comes bottom of the list. Yes, bottom. Marriage is the safest place to be. (See Appendix: Table 4.09 Column H of this ONS release if you doubt it)

So is there any case at all to continue civil partnerships further? I don't think so. However were a groundswell to emerge of couples who want to commit but don't want the baggage of the word 'marriage' - for whatever reason - I would be delighted if they want to do it via civil partnership. What matters is the expresson of commitment. Whether you call it 'marriage', 'civil partnership', or 'scrambled eggs', is neither here nor there.

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The most obvious solution to this historical problem is therefore to maintain existing civil partnerships, scrap new ones altogether, and thus have one single arrangement for all couples from hereon in. But if I'm wrong about the bandwagon, then I wish the couple the best of luck with their appeal and extension of civil partnerships to opposite sex couples.

Whatever the legal rights and wrongs, the present situation is clearly unequal.
via Flickr

It is a truth universally acknowledged that in any online discussion of women's rights, someone will indignantly argue that there's too much focus on women and that men's rights should also feature in the debate. And now, the Eastern European country of Romania has enshrined this 'What about the men?' thinking into the arrangement of its public holidays by announcing earlier this month that November 19th would be celebrated as 'Men's Day'. According to the proposal that was approved by MPs, public authorities can organize events to celebrate the occasion, while public television and radio can broadcast 'programmes dedicated to promoting 'men's rights' for the day. While International Men's Day is celebrated in over 70 countries (the UK included), Romania is the first nation in the world to enshrine it in law.

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Perhaps before it begins to celebrate men, Romania should focus a little more on improving the lives of its women, as, if the statistics are anything to go by, every day is men's day in the country. The World Economic Forum's numbers on equality of chances between men and women rank the country last in the European Union and 72nd worldwide. Even the law meant to enshrine the equality of men and women has a whiff of 'separate but equal' about it, saying that equality means "taking into consideration the different capacities, needs and aspirations of men and women and their equal treatment."

Add to the mix that Romania is that same European country where a young politician recently held a press conference to discuss the urgent matter of his loneliness and need for a girlfriend - specifically one that is good looking, intelligent and works in the justice system. Unsurprisingly, that party's boss is former President Traian Basescu who once called a female journalist a "filthy gipsy". All of this adds up to paint a picture of a country that simply isn't taking women's rights seriously.

However, while it's easy to scoff at Romania's blatantly unbashful celebration of males, the so-called enlightened West is not doing much better. There is a commonly held perception in the UK that the battle for women's rights was won long ago (the Suffragettes and the election of Margaret Thatcher spring to mind), thus rendering any debate moot. Indeed, feminism has somehow metamorphosed into a dirty word, so much so that only 7% of Britons will actually use it to describe themselves. Feminists are frequently disrespected, labelled 'feminazis' while the Oxford Dictionaries actually used the phrase 'rabid feminist' as a usage example for the word 'rabid'. When questioned, the lofty academics suggested that only a rabid feminist could possibly get upset by this.

But frankly, the UK could benefit from a shot of rabid feminism, as women continue to be disadvantaged in too many parts of life. According to the charity Rape Crisis, around 85,000 women are raped every year, and 1 in 5 women aged between 16 and 59 have experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16. However, when these women seek redress through the legal system, they are all too often let down. Just 13% of reported rapes end in a conviction in the UK and the care provided to rape and sexual assault victims by the Crown Prosecution Service has recently been declared to be falling "well short" of expected standards. Just last year someone who claimed that he only penetrated a sleeping teenager because he 'tripped' was cleared by a court.

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Pay is still unequal too. Men working full time are still paid 14.2% more than women in equivalent positions. Campaigners have warned that because of how slow progress towards equal pay is, it will take some 54 years to reach parity. Recent research from the Fawcett Society has also found that sexism is rife in recruitment, with a survey revealing that recruiters were more than twice as likely (16%) to be against equality of opportunity, with one in seven managers believing that their businesses would lose out if men and women were more equal.

Women are also more likely to see their rights and quality of life eroded through recent changes to the welfare system. A recent report on the government's welfare reform programme by the Scottish Parliament's Welfare Reform Committee has found that changes to welfare in the UK are having a disproportionately negative impact on women. For example, the new Universal Credit system means that housing benefit will be paid to a single earner, most likely to be the man in the household, further aggravating women's financial isolation as it will lead to an "increased need for women to bargain and negotiate within the household, decreasing women's financial autonomy and independence." The report also cautions that the benefit cap will make it much more difficult for women to flee domestic violence.
Last year, charities were threatened with the Lobbying Act's "gagging clauses", and now we learn that the Government wants to prevent charities using public money to participate in contemporary debates on public policy.

One could be forgiven for assuming that the Government does not want to be challenged, embarrassed or offered alternative policies by a sector that has always had the right (and, I would argue, the moral duty) to speak up for its beneficiaries, especially vulnerable communities and individuals. This feels like bullying or gagging - I hope that neither is intended but sadly charities will that they are.

Over the last few centuries, charities have both provided for people and addressed wider community interests by engaging in policy debates. And by doing this, charities have been able to make a significant contribution to creating a fairer, more tolerant, inclusive and just society and made both the economy and environment more sustainable.

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Surely there can be little doubt that charities are able to draw on evidence, based on the direct experience of their beneficiaries and clients, as well as the communities whom they serve. Such evidence arises when a charity delivers a contract for the public sector or undertakes activities funded through public sector grant or through other fundraising activities - it is funding neutral.

The reality is that charity members, users and beneficiaries as well as their specialist expert staff and volunteers have much to contribute to policy and practice development. So why this drive from the current Government to constrain them? Is it simply because this experience and expertise does not always complement government ideology or policy?

I really am perplexed here, because my experience suggests that mature and confident politicians welcome informed debate and campaigns, even when they disagree with them. There is no 'threat' here. Quite the reverse - there are many examples of politicians voluntarily changing or sharpen their own opinions as a result of evidence from charities, so why close or narrow this access to evidence?

Politicians may be worried that charities may sway public opinion and, in some cases, be more trusted by the public on a particular issue than ministers. And indeed, there is evidence that charities, on many social and moral issues, are often more enlightened than politicians focused on tabloid headlines and what they perceive to be popular opinion. Inevitably, this may occasionally cause discomfort for some politicians.

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My view is that if a charity exists to serve its beneficiaries, it should be able to do so in every way and in every dimension. This may be through services, advocacy, contributing to policy development - and also campaigning. All these are appropriate ways to achieve a charity's mission.

Although traditionally some charities have received public sector grants to support their core costs on an understanding that this enhances their ability to contribute in to policy development, few (if any) charities take public money solely to campaign.

And think tanks, which are registered charities, may be funded by governments to develop policy and influence, inform or shape legislation.

For example, a charity established to support homeless people may provide housing or advice - but surely it is equally entitled to argue for more public investment in housing and for a reversal of recent housing benefit changes such as the "bedroom tax". Through such actions, it may it can create more benefit for its beneficiaries than via direct services delivered on their own. Similarly, a charity running food banks may or may not receive public money but surely it has the right (and perhaps a duty), to highlight and challenge the welfare changes and other policies that are leading to increased demand at the food banks.

Surely charities have the right to seek to address the causes (and in particular, the underlying whole system and macro-policy causes - as well as the symptoms) of a social wrong, and this often requires advocating legislative change or public expenditure.

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Through the proposed legislative changes, the Government is not intending (at least, I fervently hope that it is not saying) that charities cannot both receive public sector funding and also campaign or work on the policy agenda as well. The Government claims that this is the case and that it merely wishes to ensure that traceable public money does not fund the latter activities. However even this will still seriously restrict a charity's ability contribute. And even if one accepts the Government's premise, there will be many serious challenges for trustees and chief executives.

For example, if a charity makes a modest surplus on a public sector contract, will it be forbidden from using this money to part fund its wider campaigning activity?

Charities sometimes put their public sector contracted activities into trading subsidiaries but would normally expect to covenant surpluses back to the charity, and for the contracted services to contribute to overheads and senior leadership executives' salaries. In this way trading activity supports the wider activities of the charity. So trading companies may not be the solution for charities delivering public contracts as there now be will be a need for trading companies to make no financial contribution to their parent charity, in the event that the latter undertakes some degree of lobbying?

Be in no doubt - tracking monies will create accounting labyrinths and cost money that otherwise could support a charity's objectives.

I am clear that trustees and chief executives have an explicit duty to ensure that their charities steer clear of partisan politics, use their scarce resources (money and people) prudently and stay true to their mission and values. They also have a duty to ensure full transparency for the charity's use of these resources and the impact it makes from so doing. They wish to comply with legislation and regulation but will be tested by bad legislation. However, above all, trustees and CEOs have a duty to ensure that their charity fulfils its mission and its obligations to its beneficiaries. And that often means 'speaking out' and seeking to influence both policy and legislation.

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The threat of challenge and the complexity of disentangling finances and activities across most charities will be very significant. Consequently, I do fear that the proposed legislation could too easily become a disincentive to fulfil their charitable mission of representing the interests of their beneficiaries by speaking out on or seeking to influence public policy. Indeed that this may be the Government's intention and hope.

Charities are the heart of a strong healthy civil society, and this means that charities should be at the heart of public policy discourse. Occasionally, charities will challenge and even oppose governments of every political hue. They will also promote alternative evidence-based policies. Surely this is the essence of a pluralistic democracy?
Manchester Airport dealt a damning blow to more than 8000 people who signed a petition asking Manchester Airport to introduce special transfer hoists, which safely help disabled passengers into their seats.

The Airport along with the other three airports it owns Bournemouth, London Stansted and East Midlands still do not have a facility in place that will assist wheelchair users to Board, or de Board flights safely and with Dignity. Instead passengers are dragged to there seats by Airport Helpers.

Passengers who have experienced this "drag" process stated they feel embarrassed, humiliated, and uncomfortable, and feel at risk of injury.

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Lauren Senior, 23, is a full-time carer for her brother Jacob, 17, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive degenerative condition which means his muscles are wasting away. Lauren who set up the online petition said "Whenever we go away, we fly from Manchester Airport" - but she 'dreads' the journey because there are no transfer hoists.

Lauren isn't alone in this; other people have taken to social media with similar complaints.

Rachel George had to travel from Cornwall to Manchester for treatment in hospital with her son. This was a weekly trip and lasted for 8 weeks. Adam her son suffers with a neuromuscular condition and cannot stand or walk at all. Rachel also suffers a back injury and is now unable to lift the 9 year old.

The family are now forced to drive the 5 and half hour (330 mile) trip to Manchester. Rachel said:

"We need to use a transfer hoist to get on the plane and i am sure that many other potential passengers, like my son, would be able to fly if Manchester Airport provided such equipment"

The Decision not to purchase Eagle Passenger Lifters at the airport came after the airport said that a recent trial of the system had "received mixed reviews from airlines and passengers".

Yet many campaigners are now saying that the trial at the airport was designed to fail from the start.

Campaigners say the airport went out of their way to make the system seem not needed. In fact since the trial started over 3 Months ago only a handful of people have been able to take advantage of it, as to take part in the trial, and not be dragged, you first of all had to know about the trial!

The Airlines and handling agents didn't tell you about it. If you rang the Disabled Assistance telephone lines, you weren't told about it either. Neither were customers told about the trial at Check-in.

The only way to take part in the trial was to contact the airport via an email address 48 hours prior to your flight. And that email address is hidden away amongst all the other Press Releases on the Airports Web Page.

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The Airport was so good at playing Hide and seek that in the first month it is understood that only 1 person took part in the trial which forced the trial to be extended over Christmas. It was then again extended until Febuary after further pressure from campaigners, yet the airport still refused to advertise the trial and again no passengers were informed prior to their flights that it existed.

It is estimated that around 20% of the UK's adult population has some form of disability. By 2030 this group is expected to represent nearly a third of the total population. The collective spending power of disabled people in the UK is estimated to be around 80 billion a year.

Other Airports such as Heathrow , Gatwick and Newcastle unlike Manchester are reacting to these statistics and now use the Eagle 2 Hoist. , Eagle Passenger Lifter.

One particular Airline at Manchester Virgin Atlantic also see the benefits the system brings to its passengers and is extremely enthusiastic about the Eagle Passenger Lifter.

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The Airline says that"It is their mission to have a the Eagle Lifter installed at all their ports in UK and overseas".

A spokes person for Virgin Atlantic said

"We will assist passangers to book the Eagle where ever possible both in the UK and at the destination airport too, we have also fed back to a number of Airports including Manchester the benefits the system provides, both operationaly and for our customers"

Campaigners are now looking at other avenues to make Manchester Airport take action and invest in there Disabled Passangers. As well as the Petition, Campaigners are now writing the City Council and other nine Greater Manchester Councils that own 64% of the Groups shares. They are also contacting the EHRC to highlighting how The Manchester Airport Group, fails to comply with Both The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and The Department for Transports document originally implemented in 2003 called "Access to Air Travel for Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility Document". This Document is a legal requirement by the Airport and sets out a number of requirements.

In particular Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 ANNEX I: Assistance under the responsibility of the managing bodies of airports, states that an airport is responsible for:

The assistance and arrangements necessary to enable disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility to:

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proceed from the aircraft door to their seats,

proceed from their seats to the aircraft door,

disembark from the aircraft, with the provision of lifts, wheelchairs or other assistance needed, as appropriate,

The document clearly shows how the Airport authority is ignoring its Legal Responsibility to organise the services necessary to enable disabled passengers to board, disembark and transit between flights with dignity and respect at all of its Airports.
Visit My Mosque (VMM) day has generated some considerable interest in the mainstream media with regards to Muslims in the UK who are, by now, used to receiving negative press having done so over the past decade. At the same time that President Obama visited a mosque, sadly the first visit during his presidency, this new initiative by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is an attempt to show everyone "how Muslims connect to God, communities and neighbours around them".

This year's event on 7 February in over 80 mosques across the country was attended by many local people, many for their first time. The popular LBC Radio, hosted by veteran broadcaster Tim Marshall, devoted an entire hour to discuss the initiative on 5 February.

Some pertinent questions and scepticism came through LBC's phone-in discussions; including 'why only 80 out of 2,000 mosques were participating'? The reality, sadly, is that of the estimated 1,200 to 2,000 mosques in the UK the majority are small prayer places, some in the corner of a housing estate or others simple makeshift temporary places of worship meeting the needs of a few local Muslims. Many are not MCB affiliates.

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Indeed, in our post-modern secular society we all have to improve our religious literacy. As one of the most successful pluralist and inclusive developed countries in the world, our knowledge and understanding is sadly limited.

Mosques and prayer places in many faith traditions are grass-root independent religious institutions that are run to serve local communities and cater for their spiritual and basic religious needs. The word Mosque is an Arabic one which means 'a place of prostration' and as in most religious cultures, it is sacred. Mosques, by nature, are open to all; they provide adherents with a spiritual sanctuary. Unlike some other religious places, no mosque keeps a register of its congregation.

The Mosque Open Day (MOD) has been a common feature in some big mosques across Britain for some time. The country's largest and London's oldest, the East London Mosque, has been opening its doors to non-Muslims for the past two decades in an attempt to "promote a better understanding of Islam and what goes on inside the building". This year's VMM Day attracted more than 250 non-Muslims from many backgrounds to this historic building.

For the past few years, since the MINAB (Mosque and Imams National Advisory Body) published its Mosque open day guide, many mosques have been trying to professionalise their activities, including encouraging visits from people with religious or non-religious backgrounds. The MCB itself launched an initiative to transform British Mosques nearly a decade ago with a view to improving their capacity and sustainability. The programme was run for two years with around 100 mosques across the country.

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One of the primary tasks the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) undertook when he migrated to Madinah was to build a mosque that became the centre of Muslim spiritual and community life in early Islam; the Prophet's mosque is still a centre of spiritual solace to millions of Muslims. With that tradition, Muslims build prayer places wherever they live. Mosques, as prayer places and community hubs, are an essential feature for Muslim community life. A mosque demands from Muslims a high standard in its service so that it can create a sense of community belonging and civic responsibility amongst people around it.

The ritual congregation prayer in a mosque is its main function, but this is only one aspect of its multi-disciplinary functions. A successful mosque should be a buzzing centre of community, social and cultural life - a seat of learning, a focal point for social interaction with other people, a site for medical and social care and a venue for bereavement as well as festivity and celebration.

Most mosques facilitate supplementary schooling for young children to learn basic Arabic to recite the Qur'an and lead ritual prayers, as well as counselling by Imams on Islamic issues. Small and makeshift mosques have limitations in physical space, resources and basic staff; many are only open during the prescribed prayer times.

The Muslim community is diverse and still evolving. Some are prosperous, others are struggling, and some face multiple social issues. One certain fact is that the community is facing challenges from a continuous negative portrayal from the media which is not being helped by the actions of a small minority from within.

Mosques can really play a better role in giving confidence and skills to their congregation to address some of the issues. The growing number of talented Muslim men and women in the community is still an untapped resource that needs to be harnessed to run mosques effectively. This is absolutely vital to improve the conditions of the Muslim community and allow for better interactions with the wider society and bring communities together.

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A key characteristic of a Muslim is to strive for excellence and not to be content with the status quo. It is time to bring young people with innovative ideas to transform the effectiveness of mosques. This is the best way to help change the dynamics of the Muslim community. Mosques can really play an ingenious role in paving the way of Muslim civic participation to create a better Britain.
2015 was a year of violence and humiliations for the British far right.

The general election proved its political impotency, the EDL continued its steady decline into oblivion and, while the number of far-right demonstrations increased (especially in the north of England), the overall numbers involved in the organised far right declined.

On the surface, it really should not be like this. Difficult economic conditions and austerity policies, compounded by the refugee crisis which has resulted in the biggest ever movement of refugees into Europe, have produced a toxic mix that the far right should have been able to exploit.

Similarly, the terrorist attacks in Paris, coupled with feared attacks in Belgium and Germany, have fed the worries of homegrown Jihadism and even of the incompatibility of Islam with Western Civilisation.

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Anti-Muslim hatred is being mainstreamed, too, both among the far right as well as on social media and in certain media outlets.

Yet even this weekend, the former EDL leader 'Tommy Robinson' (real name: Stephen Lennon) attracted fewer than 200 people to his latest rebranded adventure, Pegida UK, in a wet car park near Birmingham.

This decline in fortunes has marked a shift to increased desperation and violence, as noted in our new State of Hate 2015 report, which we launched today.

Smaller but more violent

2015 saw a rise in far-right demonstrations (61 in 2015 compared to 41 in 2014) and violent clashes between far-right activists and their anti-fascist counterparts. This is likely to continue into 2016.

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The most active group on the far right is probably the North West Infidels (NWI), who were involved in violence with anti-fascist protesters in Dover on 30th January this year.

The Infidels is a network of regional fascist gangs which split from the EDL and which pursue a far more confrontational and violent agenda.

Linked to this growing violence, 2015 saw a growth in far-right activists involved in survivalist, outdoor training and martial arts groups. These include the Misanthropic Division, led by a former member of the fascist Azov Battalion in Ukraine and the Italian nazi group, Casa Pound.

Others, such as Sigurd Legion (Legion), have released videos documenting men stripped to the waist punching each other as they practice unarmed combat while others train with knives.

National Action (NA), which tried to stage a "white man march" in Liverpool last year (which was routed by anti-fascists), is one of the most organisationally sophisticated neo-nazi groups, possessing its own internal internet forum and regularly using the 'Dark Web'.

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Foreign activists, from Italy, Ukraine and Poland, have also all been active in leading violence here in the UK over the past year, attacking both Muslims, Jews and anti-fascists.

One of the most active groups currently in Britain is called Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski, meaning "the national rebirth of Poland". Dozens of UK-based Italian fascists are active in the British nazi music scene.

Collapse of the old guard

The British National Party (BNP) and the anti-Muslim street movement, the English Defence League (EDL), are both shrinking and have fractured several times.

A significant reason for the far right's disastrous showing was UKIP, which stole the media limelight and most of the BNP's voters. While it won one parliamentary seat, over four million people voted for the party and gained 14% of the national vote.

The BNP, meanwhile, stood just eight candidates in 2015, compared to 338 in 2010, and averaged just 0.5% of the vote where it stood.

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Britain First's year was one of stagnation, too. Its huge social media footprint was not translated into any growth in offline activism and the group failed to mobilise more than 200 people for any single event.

Anti-Muslim hatred

The new far right is increasingly adopting a 'counter-jihadist' narrative - that Muslims and Islam are spreading, seeking to "take over" - in direct contrast to the racial nationalism (and often open anti-Semitism) of the "old" far-right groups.

Perhaps one of the most disturbing trends of 2015 was the seeming normalisation of this far-right rhetoric, especially in connection immigration and Muslims.

Papers such as the Express, Sun and Daily Mail have all published articles on the refugee crisis that would not have been out of place in the propaganda of the BNP or the NF.

Notable low points included Katie Hopkins' Sun article describing migrants as a "plague of feral humans" and claiming that "Some of our towns are festering sores, plagued by swarms of migrants and asylum seekers".

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Another low was the Daily Mail cartoon that portrayed migrants as rats swarming across the border in an image not just reminiscent of but very close to the Nazi antisemitic propaganda of the 1930s.
When we launched the UK's only newspaper for children, First News, (nearly 10 years ago in May 2006) we were ridiculed.

The adult media said, if there had been a need for a children's newspaper, there would already be one. Others commented that, even if the odd child or two were interested in the news, they would read it on the internet. This was the digital generation, after all!

When we started to have some success with our printed newspaper, there was still some scoffing. "Our readers were probably only reading the stories about animals or popstars," they said.

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I knew this wasn't true then. Today, it is even less so. The digital age has made the world a much smaller place and children are passionately engaged with what goes on in it - from climate change, to terrorism and, right now, the refugee crisis.

Kids get it. They get it totally. Every week we poll them to get their views on a story covered in First News. This week we asked them what they thought about Save The Children's call to let 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees in Europe, into Britain. We had the quickest ever response to a poll (and it was nothing to do with animals or popstars!). Overnight, 2,275 children registered their vote with 93% of them agreeing with Save The Children.

As well as their votes, many children left comments to express their thoughts. Here are a few of them.

Aalia, age 11 - These children are coming to England desperate for shelter. We should help them. We would all want to be welcomed into a country. We should let them in because, if we were them, we would want to be let in.

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Poojha, age 11 - I think that we should take in refugee children because it's only fair that they are treated like proper children. They need safety like us. Just because they're refugee children doesn't mean that they should be thought of less. We are all equal.

Shreya, age 7 - Yes they should SAVE THE CHILDREN. We should try to help as much as we can. Imagine if you were a child in this situation and this is happening to you.

Rebecca, age 13 - There are so many children who have seen such horrifying things who need homes and I'm sure that there's lots of couples or families who would take them in. Some of those children will be very young and I couldn't be content knowing that we wouldn't help.

All so clear in their thoughts. Yet, for me, this was the most poignant...

Francesca, age 11 - These children are the new generation. By giving them a new start you are giving them a new future.
After several months as a freelancer, I've now joined the ranks of the gainfully employed. That's right, I'm living the 9 to 5:30pm dream. And quite honestly, it's really tough cooking on the evening after a busy day at work. I come home and simply devour the contents of my fridge with no real thought to actually cooking something that might constitute, you know, a meal.

Recent meals for me have included pasta, beans on toast, avocado on toast, more pasta and baked sweet potatoes. Not the most exciting or creative meals, I think you'll agree.

I'm loving my new job, but the one thing I miss from my freelance days is the freedom to cook up a new meal during the all-important day light, and then having the energy as well to make something in the evening that's a bit more exciting than beans on toast. Seriously, how do people do it?!

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Of course, there are many recipe books out there from various chefs that have been written with the aim to help you at home whip up a home cooked meal in no time at all. In principle, I guess they're ok but sometimes they do annoy me because of the expectation that you will have 6,000 different ingredients in your pantry, (many of which you will use once, it will then go out of date and you'll have to throw away) and also the expectation that you own some fancy schmancy bits of kitchen equipment to help cut down on prep time. All in all, I sometimes feel these recipe books are unrealistic.

After much deliberation (and stubbornness, because I refuse to buy a food processor when I'm perfectly capable of chopping myself), here's how I think you can get creative with your cooking after a long day at work:

Use a slow cooker - I'm a huge fan of slow cookers, not only because they are super cheap and super economical, but also because they do all the work for you. Simply throw in your ingredients before you go to work in the morning, set on low and, voila, dinner will be ready when you get home. Spending 20 minutes in the morning to make your life ten times easier when you get home at night seems like a good idea to me.

Batch cooking and using the freezer - another thing I'm a fan of is making a huge batch of something on a Sunday, and then freezing it or even keeping a couple of portions in the fridge so you've got dinner ready to go when you need it.

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This is a brilliant way to use up things in your fridge that may be going out of date, or if you've accidentally bought too much of something, simply double up and freeze half for another day. Repeat after me: my freezer is my best friend!

Souping - slightly related to the last point is souping. Apparently this is the 'new trend' for 2016. Last year was juicing, this year is souping. I mention this with a healthy dose of scepticism, because I've been 'souping' for years now and I don't think this is anything new. Rather, somebody thought, 'quick let's come up with a new trend for 2016' and they happened to be eating soup at the time.

Again, it's a great way to use up vegetables, you can do it in batches and most soups freeze really well. I say most, because in my experience, any potato based soup comes out the freezer a little 'starchy'. Not quite as tasty as before you put in the freezer! There's so many soups that you can make and, when served alongside a cheese toastie, this makes a pretty tasty and quick meal.

Have key ingredients on standby (but don't go crazy) - again, the freezer will be useful here (remember, it's your best friend!). Whip up some homemade pesto and freeze in ice cube trays for ready-made pesto to add to your pasta dish. Same goes for homemade tomato sauce for pasta. Keep breadcrumbs frozen in your freezer, ready to add to homemade burgers and meatballs, so they can be rolled and shaped in a matter of minutes.

Keep tins of chopped tomatoes, your favourite beans, coconut milk and curry paste on standby in your cupboard. Yes, we could all make our own Thai Green curry paste, but who wants to do that after a long day at work?! Invest in a decent, low salt stock cube and keep a stash ready for adding to dishes.

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So really, after sitting down and thinking about this, there's no excuse for not getting creative with my cooking. Still, I'm sure there will be the odd night I'll come home and eat an entire packet of cooked prawns just because it's easier than cooking an actual meal! And, funnily enough, I'm ok with that!
By Toby M. Cadman and Carl Buckley

On 5 February 2016 the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled on a Communication filed on behalf of the exiled Editor-in-Chief of Wikileaks. It ruled that since his arrest on 7 December 2010 he had been held arbitrarily. The Working Group recommended that the UK immediately release him and that he should be afforded the right to compensation.

The decision is controversial for a number of reasons and has been highly criticised by the UK and Swedish Governments and a number of independent legal commentators. The UK Foreign Secretary has even gone so far to say that the decision is 'ridiculous' and has attacked the Working Group as lacking any real legitimacy. The position of the Government is that it is not legally binding and the members of the Working Group and not jurists, but academics.

The response of the UK is intriguing, particularly if one looks back to just a few months ago when the same Working Group, with the same members, ruled that former President Mohamed Nasheed was being held in the Maldives arbitrarily and in breach of international law. The Working Group made similiar recommendations in that case.

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The UK Government heavily criticised the Maldives for not immediately implementing the UN ruling. On 5 October 2015, Hugo Swire, Foreign Office Minister, stated on Twitter that the "UN opinion that detention of former #Maldives President #Nasheed was arbitrary reinforces UK calls for release of all political prisoners." This has been followed by the UK Government calling for sanctions following, amongst other things, the UN opinion. There was no suggestion that the members lacked legitimacy or the decision reached failed to take into account the submissions put forward by the Government.

It is disconcerting that it would appear to be 'personalities' rather than the 'issues' that is the driving force here. Both cases concern 'celebrity' politicians and in both cases there is an equal measure of criticism of the decision reached and the State's response. In Maldives, the threat of sanctions has been repeatedly raised, but the UK is less likely to waive from its current position of bloody-mindedness.

The hypocrisy is clear for all to see.

In dealing with human rights accountability over the past decade, I have become accustomed to feelings of frustration, of annoyance, and on occasion (restrained) outrage at the level of antipathy and hypocrisy.

During this past year however, my feelings of frustration has evolved; I am now deeply despondent. Despondent, as the United Nations, supposedly the custodian and warden of international law has fallen foul of the quote of Dutch philosopher, Baruch Spinoza, who opines "The greatest pride, or the greatest despondency, is the greatest ignorance of one's self".

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I have written in the past that one such organ of the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, has become the 'Eurovision Song Contest' of international justice. States are grouped by trade relations or ideological ties. This is evidenced most recently by the UK support of Saudi Arabia on the basis of 'intelligence sharing'. Human rights light States such as China, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Syria and Cuba frequently support each other and ensure there is little or no accountability in their own back yard.

The Human Rights Council, as part of its core function is to highlight, draw attention to, and take action against those States that commit human rights violations. This ought to be done without fear or favour. There ought not to any bias or double standard, and yet these two flaws are demonstrably highlighted in the abject lack of action taken in respect of a number of States.

One issue that has been consistently avoided by the international community, and importantly United Nations, is the situation in Bangladesh. I have been involved in Bangladesh since late 2010, principally advising on the war crimes trials, but more recently documenting mass human rights violations that have occurred under the current administration since 2012. This has involved filing numerous communications with the UN Special Procedures and the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, briefing Governments, non-governmental organisations and the media.

It is no secret that I am instructed to represent a number of individuals on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide before the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) and therefore I will continue to act in the best interests of my clients - that includes ensuring they have a fair trial. However, the issues that I have been raising over the years are not subjective, are not tainted with bias, nor are they simply a 'legal tactic'.

The international community has consistently spoken with unity, in that the ICT in principle should be applauded as there can be no justification for impunity; a position that I have agreed with since the inception of the ICT. However, as much as it is to be applauded as a principle, the practice of the ICT is something quite different. It has been, and should continue to be universally condemned for the manner in which it ignores fair trial rights and is simply a tool of political oppression and revenge.

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It is no coincidence that the rise in civil unrest and the wholesale fracturing of an entire society has arisen in conjunction with the ICT.

What is of surprise, and thus gives rise to my own despondency is that the custodian of international justice continues to remain silent.

The Human Rights Council prides itself on the position it commands, and rightly so. It has highlighted many areas of concern, and has been instrumental in the pursuit of international justice and the observance of human rights. Why then has it remained largely silent in the face of summary execution, enforced disappearance, political oppression, and arguably crimes against humanity in Bangladesh.

I simply cannot fathom why there are wholesale demands for action, and threats of sanctions against states such as the Maldives, whom I also represent, when the subject of this ire is one individual, a former President who has been shown to be a skilled manipulator, strong on rhetoric but weak on action, and above all, an individual who has publically admitted the conduct for which he was convicted. Yet, States such as Bangladesh where hundreds have been executed and forcibly disappeared have not be similarly condemned.

Similarly, States such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all of whom have an appalling human rights record barely receive a mention.

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One must question the position adopted, and further, one must question why there is such a selective approach to accountability.

Individual states adopting a selective approach to human rights observance, is one thing, such as the UK's hypocritical (and indefensible) position towards Egypt and Bahrain. The position cannot be justified, and the UK is wholly wrong in its position, yet it is balancing its economic and political need against its obligations towards human rights. It is a deplorable position to take, again, to echo the comment above, why condemn the Maldives and demand action and threaten sanctions, yet welcome President Sisi, mastermind of a military coup that has seen thousands murdered and tens of thousands imprisoned, and further, ignore completely Bangladesh.

It is a wholly different issue however when the independent institution of the UN demonstrates similar bias, and similar double standards. The Human Rights Council ought not to be politicised, it was designed to be free from such influence, and yet, what is the explanation for its inaction towards certain states.

Human rights violations are to be addressed wherever they may arise, without fear or favour. Pride and ignorance are words that should never be uttered. The evidence of gross and massive human rights abuses is evident throughout Bangladesh; the evidence is there for all to see. Without action, such abuses will continue to be perpetrated by the government as they are effectively being given tacit approval.

Without condemnation and action, further individuals are likely to be executed imminently by the Government of Bangladesh, executed following a trial that only the most ardent supporters of the Awami League have the arrogance to suggest are appropriate, and following trials that have been universally condemned outside of Bangladesh.

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Those that have been unfairly convicted and some of whom have been executed in Bangladesh do not make the headlines. They are not labelled as 'environmental activists' or 'pro-democracy whistleblowers' as Julian Assange and Mohamed Nasheed have been. They do not have celebrity lawyers. They are mostly members of an Islamist political movement. The question is however why should that matter. A democracy is not measured by how it treats its most treasured subjects, but how it treats those accused of the most heinous crimes and its commitment to the rule of law.
University of Southampton researchers have developed a revolutionary new form of treatment, known as Immunotherapy, which uses a person's internal functions to fight cancer.

The research has been conducted by specialists, and has had positive test results on a number of patients being treated at Southampton General Hospital.

Early forecasts suggest that a cancer immunotherapy vaccine could be available within 15 years, developed within a new state-of-the-art facility being built in the grounds of the Tremona Road hospital.

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The Southampton Centre for Cancer Immunology, which will cost 25 million to build, will attract the finest cancer research brains under one roof and transform the lives of tens of thousands of patients who will benefit from their discoveries. It will create 60 new jobs and put Southampton firmly on the world treatment stage.

Tim Elliott, professor of experimental oncology at the University of Southampton, will be the director of the new centre.

"This is the first time researchers have felt comfortable talking about a cure. The excitement comes from the fact that there are now trials of Immunotherapy" he exp;ained.

Part of the reason that cancer is so dangerous is often the lack of effective treatment. However, Southampton scientists have made what could be a potentially game-changing breakthrough in their attempts to find a cure.

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After years of minimal progression in the field, Immunotherapy, which supercharges the immune system to recognise and destroy cancerous cells, could provide the answer. Additionally, the treatment may actually provide patients with long-lasting protection against future growth.

"I think we will see vaccines used in Immunotherapy in patients with all types of cancer within 15 years" said Elliot.

Professor Elliott, who has worked ceaselessly for 35 years examining cells in the human body, is now seeing the positive results of his extensive research, with patients previously diagnosed as terminally ill far outliving that forecast, and sometimes leaving the process cancer-free.

Jac Samuel, senior Cancer Research UK nurse, heads up the specialist nursing team offering the trials to cancer patients in Southampton.

"What we are working on now will be the treatment of the future," she explained, adding that clinical trials were "absolutely vital" in getting the revolutionary research out of the lab and to the patients.

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Professor Martin Glennie, head of cancer science at the University of Southampton, expressed his huge satisfaction at the test results.

More than 90 per cent of patients treated with immunotherapy who have survived more than two years remain cancer free.

Cancer is one of the most devastating illnesses on the planet; relatively incurable, and potentially fatal, there were an estimated 2.5 million people living in the UK in 2015 who were diagnosed with the disease.
ASSOCIATED PRESS Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock briefs the press at Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Dec.12,2001. He said that over the years

CANBERRA -- Philip Ruddock, the 'Father of the House' as the longest-serving member of the federal House of Representatives, has announced he will not stand for his seat of Berowra at the next election.

Instead, the man who oversaw an extension of mandatory detention for unauthorised arrivals and masterminded the controversial 'Pacific Solution' in the early 2000s will head to the United Nations to become Australia's first special envoy for human rights.

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The Australian newspaper had reported earlier on Monday that Ruddock, aged 72, was set to announce his retirement from federal politics in coming days, to steer a push to get Australia a seat on the U.N.'s Human Rights council. Around an hour-and-a-half after the report was published online, foreign minister Julie Bishop announced the new position for Ruddock.

"As a distinguished member of the Australian Parliament for over four decades, the current Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, and a longstanding member of Amnesty International, Mr Ruddock is well-qualified to advocate and represent Australias human rights views and record," Bishop said in a statement.

"As Special Envoy, Mr Ruddock will focus on advancing Australias human rights priorities of good governance, freedom of expression, gender equality, the rights of indigenous peoples, and national human rights institutions.Mr Ruddock will actively in promote Australias candidacy for membership of the Human Rights Council (HRC) for the 2018-20 term. He will represent Australia at international human rights events and advocate our HRC candidacy in selected countries."

Soon after, Ruddock made an announcement of his own, on Twitter.

STATEMENT BY THE HON. PHILIP RUDDOCK MP pic.twitter.com/eSPuEkTmZM  Philip Ruddock (@philipruddockmp) February 8, 2016

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"The role [of special envoy] will, of necessity, require periods of travel abroad from now until the time of the next federal election. In order for me to devote myself to this task fully I cannot be active in a national political campaign and give effective time to my own re-election," Ruddock wrote.

"For these reasons I have come to the view that I should not seek re-endorsement for the seat of Berowra."

Ruddock entered the House of Representatives in 1973, and has been its longest-serving member since 1998. He was known as the architect of the 'Pacific Solution,' which saw refugee arrivals shipped to island detention centres in the Pacific Ocean, for which Australia has been widely criticised for over the intervening years.
The right kinds of food, how much to buy, plus all the other things (coolers!) you probably didn't think about.
In interviews for positions on the New York State Board of Regents, State Assembly Education chair Catherine Nolan asks candidates to share their vision for education in the state. These are my views on the purpose of education. During the interview process candidates are also asked how they will stay in contact with parents, teachers, and concerned citizens across the state. I will use my Huffington Post blog to promote open discussion that includes students. To support my nomination to the New York State Board of Regents contact Steven McCutcheon, the State Assembly Program and Counsel Staff at mccutcheons@assembly.state.ny.us.

Recent articles in the New York Times and an editorial on graduation rates raised important questions about the purpose of education. The superintendent of a high-achieving New Jersey school district located near Princeton University sent a letter to parents. He was concerned that pressure placed on the district's children to take multiple advanced classes, participate in resume building extra-curricular activities, get super-high grades, and be admitted to prestigious universities was producing extraordinary stress in young people and creating a mental health crisis in the community. In the past school year alone 120 middle and high school students were recommended for mental health assessments and forty were hospitalized. The superintendent, David Aderhold, urged a holistic, "whole child" approach to schooling that respects "social-emotional development" and "deep and meaningful learning" and not only academics achievement.

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The Times article focused on ethnic division in the community between White parents who tended to endorse Aderhold's position and Asian families, whose children make up 65% of the student enrollment, that feared proposed reforms would dumb-down education in the district and handicap talented students who want to attend elite universities.

But the article never addressed the underlying issue raised by Aderhold, 'What is the purpose of education?" The West Windsor - Plainsboro Regional School District is already one of the most affluent in the United States with well-funded enrichment programs. Should this school district and others be part of an enormous sorting mechanism that separates the affluent from everyone else and the elite from the ordinarily privileged? Is the purpose of a public education system to provide a selected few with a pathway to attain wealth, influence, and power? Or should public schools educate human beings to live full lives with respect for diversity, concern for others, a belief in equity, and the desire and ability to participate in a democratic society.

Another article, this time an opinion essay in the Sunday Review, reported on "alarming rates of anxiety and depression" in American students ranging from secondary school through medical school. In one California school district "54 percent of students showed moderate to severe symptoms of depression. More alarming, 80 percent suffered moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety." Test pressure on students, schools, school districts, and states under No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top laws continue with the new Every Student Succeeds Act. But another recent article in the Times documents the futility of curriculum based on testing and test prep.

Apparently, the easiest way for states to satisfy federal curriculum mandates is to cook the books. The Times reported on a high school in Greenville, South Carolina where students are told "Failure Is Not an Option. You Will Pass. You Will Learn. You Will Succeed." At first glance the sloganeering was very successful. In just four years the schools graduation rate jumped from about 65% to over 80%; clearly a documented education miracle.

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Unfortunately under closer scrutiny the South Carolina education miracle fads. On Spring 2015 college readiness examinations, only a dismal 10% of 11th grade students in this school were prepared for college-level reading and an even more dismal 7% were prepared for college-level math. On another test, fewer than half of the students had the basic math skills needed in an entry-level job. This is not just a South Carolina phenomenon. Nationally, while high school graduation rates in 2012-2013 rose to over 80%, less than forty percent of high school graduates were considered ready for college level work. After fifteen years of No Child Left Behind, more than six years of Race to the Top and Common Core, and endless high-states standardized testing, states discovered they could meet the new stricter academic standards simply by lowering the standard for graduation. A Times editorial denounced what it called "The Counterfeit High School Diploma." In the editorial the outraged editors praised a national high-stakes testing regime that clearly failed and Common Core standards whose main contribution was confusion.

The Times bemoaned the fact that "The country has yet to confront this problem [low academic standards] and commit itself to the steps it would take to correct it. Until it does, the United States will continue to lose ground to nations that have better prepared teachers and rigorous school systems that do better jobs of giving their citizens the skills they need." Unfortunately, the Times never asked the question "What is the purpose of education?" or attempted to answer it. In support of its position the Times also chose to cite two organizations, the Education Trust and Achieve, that have a history of being involved with individuals and groups opposed to teachers unions and teacher tenure, and in favor of charter schools, Common Core, and high-stakes testing.

The sad reality is that in other countries, countries whose education systems the United States claims to admire, there is actual discussion on the purpose of education and the best way to educate young people. One country in particular, Finland stands out because its students continually rank high on international exams. Last spring, Finnish education officials announced that they were totally revising the country's entire education curriculum. By 2020, Finland plans to phase out teaching individual compartmentalized subjects in its schools. Instead of studying math, science, and history in isolation, students will explore broad interdisciplinary topics and questions such as "How can the world effectively respond to climate change?"

Finland started implementing a thematic approach in its equivalent of high school two years ago. A heavy investment is being made in preparing teachers and preliminary results are largely seen as positive. Finnish leaders believe this approach is a better way to prepare young people for advanced education, modern work, and citizenship.

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In the United States such a plan would interfere with the powerful testing lobby, the ability of many states and localities to ignore educational inequality, and school budgets that want educational miracles done for cheap. It might also disturb Republican Party voters and Presidential candidates who don't believe in science or climate change.

The changes in education in Finland were reported in the Washington Post. Curiously, I could not find anything about the new Finnish curriculum in the New York Times.

One thing the Times and America's education deformers never address is that maybe the American school system is working the way it is intended to work. It sorts people out in school preparing them to be sorted out in life. It prepares some people for power, influence, and wealth convincing them that they earned their extravagant rewards based on hard work and merit rather than luck or privilege, which sounds a lot like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz's vision of America.

Meanwhile the bulk of the population receives few of society's tasty cookies. They are tracked into racially and economically segregated school and come to accept that failure is either their own fault or the fault of "others" - immigrants, Blacks, Latinos, and Muslims, who supposedly steal their jobs and threaten their imagined way of life. An educated populace would never accept this fairy tale, which is probably the reason education remains underfunded, teachers are constantly under attack, and states and localities remain free to provide substandard education to racial and ethnic minorities and the working class and poor.

If appointed by the State Legislature to the Board of Regents, I will use my position as a platform to organize the people of New York to fight for social justice for children, in schools, and in society as a whole. I will work with teachers and their unions as partners for education and I will publicly challenge elected and appointed government officials who make deals with companies like Pearson, channel money to special interest groups including charter and religious schools, and allow affluent communities to pretend that poorer neighbors do not exist.

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Key-rings bearing portraits of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin (C) are displayed at a handicrafts shop in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on February 4, 2016. Syrian government troops moved closer to encircling rebels in the country's second city Aleppo, threatening a total siege after cutting their main supply line. / AFP / JOSEPH EID (Photo credit should read JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images)

BEIRUT -- Late in the night on Feb. 2, the news hit: "all communication and supply line[s]" between Turkey and Aleppo had been severed, according to a Elijah Magnier, a renowned Arab war correspondent with Alrai Media Group. It seems to be so: the Syrian army and allied militias, backed by Hezbollah and Russian air power, took control of a tendril of territory that cuts off Aleppo-based rebels from the Turkish border. See the map below. Eastern supply lines for the so-called Islamic State appear to have also been cut. Of particular strategic importance is the village of Murassat Khan and adjacent towns north of Aleppo: by taking control of the area, Damascus ended the main Turkey-Aleppo insurgent supply line. The tourniquet around Aleppo can be pulled off the city -- and at the same time, one of the main ISIS oil corridors to Turkey is cut. If things proceed as they have been, with the regime advancing further into rebel-held territory, the red swathe of Syrian government forces will shortly expand to encircle all opposition forces (predominantly Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS), who themselves have been encircling Aleppo in the east.

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Map courtesy of Syria Direct

Edward Dark, a pseudonym for a respected commentator on Syrian affairs living in Aleppo,

on Feb. 3, "This is the beginning of the end of jihadi presence in Aleppo. After 4 years of war & terror, people can finally see the end in sight." But if we were to step back and take a look at more of Syria, as shown in the (slightly older) map below, a bigger picture emerges.

Take a close look at the map below. The yellow area purports to represent territory controlled by Syrian Kurds. In reality, "control" is not an appropriate word. But the territory in yellow nevertheless can be said to be friendly to the Syrian army. The People's Protection Units (a group of mostly Kurdish militias known by the acronym YPG) are being given Russian air support (and sometimes American air support as well). The Afrin canton (the yellow area in Syria's northwest corner) is the area through which the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency supply line to rebel coalitions, along the Mount Turkmen heights, reportedly used to run. The Latakia region is now in the process of being sealed. If government forces, moving north, can make friendly contact with the Kurds in the northeast, almost all Nusra and allied rebel forces would be nearly surrounded. The insurgents would be caught in a cauldron with their backs to a lightly populated and forested territory.

The grey, ISIS-controlled corridor, especially the Jarablus border crossing with Turkey,

. Turkey has

this represents its "red line." Were this corridor to be closed by the Syrian Kurds, the Turks have indicated they could respond by invading Syria. The YPG

nonetheless, that they are contemplating just such a move. In the last few days, the spokesman for the Russian defense ministry

that Russia has seen clear evidence of Turkish preparations for a military invasion of Syria. It seems likely that this statement is intended by Russia as a warning to Turkey to do no such thing.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made it absolutely clear (to Turkey and to everyone else) that Russia intends to close the border area between ISIS-held territory and Turkey: "The key point for the ceasefire to work is a task of blocking illegal trafficking across the Turkish-Syrian border, which supports the militants," he said. "Without closing the border it is difficult to expect the ceasefire to take place." Russia is politely telling Turkey that any incursion risks direct confrontation and war. Recently, for whatever reason, ISIS forces have appeared to start pulling out of that area.

Lavrov in Oman on Feb. 3. (Alexander Shcherbak\TASS via Getty Images)

With Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan being the irascible character that he is, it is possible that we may yet see surprises, like a Turkish incursion into northern Syria aimed -- ostensibly -- at preventing the Syrian Kurds from linking up along the southern side of the Turkish border. But, if Turkey were to take such independent action, it would likely forfeit any NATO support beyond rhetoric, and any Turkish expeditionary force would have to be launched in the face of Russia's complete air superiority in Syria, which extends right up to the Turkish border.

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To discourage Turkey from taking such a rash undertaking, however, Russia reportedly deployed several of its latest advanced fighter jets to Syria (which easily outclass Turkish F-16s) and also repaired and upgraded the Syrian air force's line up.

To put it baldly then, as things stand, Syria seems to be heading not towards a "quagmire" as many western politicians have suggested, but rather to a clear military outcome. As one knowledgable commentator noted, the negotiating table is not in Geneva. The true negotiations are taking place on the battlefields of Idlib and Aleppo -- and what has just been negotiated is the near encirclement of rebel forces into a cauldron. Nor, it seems, is Syria heading toward a low-intensity guerrilla war in the aftermath of any military victory on the ground. The scenes below, showing people's jubilation when the Syrian Army and Hezbollah forces entered villages that had been retaken from rebel forces this week, tell a different story:

Pics: jubilation in Shia towns Nibol & Zahra N. Aleppo as #Syria army & Hezbollah arrive to lift 3 year jihadi siege pic.twitter.com/6gtZmyuG1Z  Edward Dark (@edwardedark) February 4, 2016

Put simply, should Nusra members (who are mainly Syrian) and other rebels try to disperse and hide amongst local communities, there will be no water in which these fish can swim, to paraphrase the Maoist adage. They will find little or no public support. Syria has a very effective intelligence service. We may expect that within a year, most of the disbanded jihadists will have been found out and reported to the intelligence services by locals, who suffered grievously under their occupation. Most will be arrested or killed. Peoples who undergo the kind of trauma to which Syrians have been subjected either emerge as a psychologically defeated nation or they are strengthened by the crisis through which they have passed. I am quite sure from my visits to Syria through this crisis that its people will emerge stronger. Steel has entered into the Syrian soul.

I also expect Syria to soon again constitute a strong regional state. The meaning of this will be evidenced in a powerful, cohesive northern arc through the region -- and perhaps closer relations with Iraq. Correspondingly, certain Gulf states will find themselves eclipsed.

A civil defense team member stands on the debris of a building after a suspected Russian airstrike in Aleppo, Syria on Feb. 5, 2016. (Firas Taki/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

American and many European elites will find this outcome hard to swallow. Western diplomats and military officers have become more used to quagmires that lead to no political outcomes, or to fudges that lead to stasis, rather than interventions that have a real conclusion. That this should have been achieved with direct help from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah will be a bitter pill to swallow. It will have consequences too.

One is already apparent. The Obama administration

this week it would ask Congress to quadruple its security assistance to Europe. Polarization seems to be on the cards. The 4+1 coalition (Syria, Iraq, Iran, Russia and Hezbollah) is likely to become the core to a real security architecture for parts of the Middle East -- and probably Central Asia too. China will increasingly be drawn into this new architecture as well, since it fears that its "One Belt, One Road" project, on which its economic future largely is staked, is as vulnerable to Wahhabism as was Syria and Iraq. Chinese officials, I've been told, are aware that America could again use the Wahhabist tool to frustrate their new project.

The question is, will the bitterness at Syria, Russia and Iran's achievement poison America and Europe's attitude towards the new security architecture being forged in Syria? Will it be seen as anti-Western (which it is not), or will Europe manage to curb the Pavlovian NATO impulses sufficiently to establish some modus vivendi? The auguries are not promising.

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Peter Bergen wants everyone to chill out about terrorism. As he soberly explained at Civic Hall for the New America Foundation, of which he is a director, the CNN national security analyst and expert on jihadists not only promoted his new book, The United States of Jihad: Investigating America's Homegrown Terrorists, but also threw a bucket of cold water on the hysteria that surrounds the topic. Karen Greenberg, who directs the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School, began the event by interrogating Bergen about what he means by "Binladenism."

"We're a fundamentally ideological species," Bergen, who famously interviewed Osama bin Laden in 1997, began. "We seek meaning in a world which is often not very meaningful. And the way we often do that is by attaching ourselves to an ideology. What is an ideology? It is a set of ideas that claims to explain not only the present but also the past and also the future."

Binladenism, then, is an ideology that advocates "a Taliban-style theocracy from Indonesia to Morocco. And just like Nazism or Communism," Bergen added, "that nirvana or utopia can only be attained if we could get rid of a few people who are standing in the way." Groups like ISIS are thus a "continuation" of Binladenism: "It's the latest iteration of this set of ideas. The difference between Bin Laden and ISIS is that Bin Laden saw the caliphate as something that was somewhat out there, in the future."

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"If you look at ISIS propaganda," Bergen said, "Bin Laden remains a revered figure. It was Bin Laden who propagated these ideas around the world." Another martyr for jihadists is Anwar al-Awlaki, the New Mexico-born cleric whose sermons still serve as rhetorical fodder for ISIS. In the weeks after 9/11, Bergen said, Awlaki was visiting prostitutes "literally weekly." The Pentagon invited him to speak as "a moderate voice of Islam. It's unclear when he became an al Qaeda sympathizer." Bergen reflected on how "Americanized" jihad had become, citing a reviewer who called jihad "a form of American soft power."

Awlaki was not the only American to become a jihadist. Bergen examines the cases of 330 homegrown terrorists, such as David Headley, who helped plot the Mumbai attacks in 2008. "Understandably, a lot of family members don't want to relive the experience of their kid being wrapped up in a jihadi terrorism case." One such case is that of Carlos Bledsoe, a Muslim convert who killed a military recruiter in Little Rock, Arkansas in 2009. Bledsoe had gone to Yemen, where he was radicalized and ultimately driven to violence.

The "internet jihad" has radicalized many others, like Zachary Chesser, who threatened to kill the creators of South Park for portraying the prophet Muhammad (depicted wearing a bear suit). Chesser is now in the Supermax prison at Florence, Colorado, "a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone," Bergen said. The "paradox of ISIS," Bergen said, is its use of social media, "an American invention. I'm sure the irony of that is not something they appreciate. I don't think they do irony." Two days after he gave his talk, on Feb. 3, Twitter announced that they eliminated the accounts of 125,000 ISIS sympathizers.

"It's easy to criticize the overkill of what the NYPD did" with its well-documented profiling of Muslim communities, or what the FBI did with entrapping mentally disturbed people to commit acts of violence, but the salient fact is that this country has not suffered a mass casualty terrorist attack since 2001. According to research by New America, the number of Americans who have been killed by jihadi terrorists since 9/11 stands at 45, including the 14 people killed in San Bernardino last December. If someone had predicted that the number would be that low back in 2002, Bergen said, "that would have seemed like an absurd and overly optimistic claim."

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"The problem has been managed," Bergen said, adding later that no national politician to this day can say that. As far as the mass dragnet of American communications from the NSA goes, Bergen pointed out, it "has been the least fruitful. The things that really work are suspicious activity reports, family members saying something, community members saying something, undercover officers, informants, all things that work in any kind of law enforcement situation."

Engaging people in Muslim communities in the United States, rather than alienating them, is the only way to fight the problem. Trying to stop "radicalization" writ large is like "trying to stop the tide. It's a futile exercise." What is better is trying to stop people from getting recruited by extremist groups to become cannon fodder for the jihad in Syria and other places. Half of the foreign fighters going to Syria, Bergen noted, are killed. "Going to Syria is incredibly dangerous."

"What doesn't work is the NYPD mass surveilling where Muslims pray and go to work. According to one of the senior NYPD officers who was asked in a civil suit if [the program] yielded any leads, he said no." Likewise, "the NSA phone data yielded one case, one person sending $8,500 to Shabaab in Somalia. Now, okay, that's not something we encourage. But if you get all of America's phone data over five years and you only have one case, it doesn't make any sense."


Alexander McCoy is a current sophomore in Contemporary Civilization at Columbia University. Photo credit: Gabriella Levy.

Before coming to Columbia University two years ago, Alexander McCoy served as a guard for the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, where he witnessed a beheading in Riyadh.

"Reading the Qur'an really helped me put that memory to bed and find peace, because I discovered that the words in this book were not the same as the emotions that I was experiencing in that crowd," he said.

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McCoy studied the Qur'an in Contemporary Civilization, which was originally devised to help returning soldiers cope with the realities of the First World War. It is one of six classes comprising Columbia University's Core curriculum, which also includes Literature, Art, and Music Humanities, Frontiers of Science, and University Writing.

"I see the Core as a collection of motifs that are integral to what we call the Western tradition," said Natalie Felsen, a student liaison on the Committee for the Core. "There were times when I was in various Core courses and they all cross-connected."

Columbia students must take some iteration of the Core to graduate, so regardless of major, nearly all co-eds read Homer and Virginia Woolf. In a recent survey of 128 students in Literature Humanities or Contemporary Civilization, 67.2% of respondents answered that they were excited to take the standardized curriculum before attending Columbia. For 85.9%, it has either met or exceeded expectations.

Still Roosevelt Montas, Director of the Center for the Core, is aware of his program's pitfalls. Though he took issue with the concept of a "Western tradition," he noted that if the Core were being created today, it would probably include "other major civilizational traditions." Still, like Felsen, he appreciates its interdisciplinary nature.

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"It builds a coherence of conversation," he said. "For us who live in the West, it has special relevance because it allows us to see the evolution of the institutions, the categories, the idioms that we use today."

However, recent campus activism indicates that not everyone feels validated by the Core. Students have shared stories about their experiences with institutional racism propagated by the classes, expressing concerns about unrepresented voices.

At one rally, undergraduates articulated their disillusionment with the curriculum while demonstrating their solidarity with minority peers at Yale and the University of Missouri. Gabi Mayers, who participated in the speak-out, still wants to know how her Core courses relate to the current situation in the United States. "We're putting out the same old ideas, but we're not putting out new ones that are also changing with our new world," she said.

She remembers when her Literature Humanities professor proposed adding Song of Solomon to the syllabus before it became a permanent fixture last year: "One guy interrupted and said, 'I don't think we should study Toni Morrison. I studied a lot of African-American history in high school, and now I want to study real history.'"

Contemporary Civilization instructor Yohann Ripert, who sees the readings as a jumping-off point for discourse and critique, emphasized that the texts should be taken with a grain of salt. "This is why this is discussed as a seminar and not a lecture: to allow you to react to it, to disagree with it," he said. "And at the end of the whole reading, you'll disagree even more. All the better! But at least you'll be armed with all of the references. Now, you're informed. Now, you know why you disagree."

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Names of prominent Western thinkers are carved into the facade of Butler Library, a key student haunt for Columbia undergrads. Photo credit: Gabriella Levy.

The University of Chicago has a core curriculum reminiscent of Columbia's. Last semester, University of Chicago junior Austin Brown studied in Vienna as part of his Civilizations requirement, the counterpart to Columbia's Contemporary Civilization and Global Core. Brown admitted that colleagues sometimes take issue with their standardized science courses, which are often seen as a joke. However, the humanities curricula are not top priority on the University of Chicago's activist agenda.

"Sometimes I do find it surprising that people don't talk more about how it's just old white men," Brown said. "It almost feels like people are tired of talking about it. People have talked about it so much, and we have more relevant things to talk about."

"There's a big group geared towards addressing sexual assault on campus," he continued. "There's a huge racial equality movement. Stuff like that that's very active. I feel like people who would otherwise be invested in talking about those issues are talking about them, but on an already 'adult' scale."
Ma Bell is long gone, replaced, it seems, by Father Facebook.

Back in the 20th Century, Bell Telephone was often referred to as Ma Bell because, in the words of Urban Dictionary, it was "the entire national telephone network." It's true. Many people can recall a time when Ma Bell was the only telephone service in the country. Lily Tomlin's career got a big lift with her snarky telephone operator character named Ernestine who captured completely the arrogance of the telephone behemoth with lines such as, "We're the phone company. We don't care; we don't have to."

Well, there may be a new character out there for an aspiring comic. This one could have a field day with Facebook's growing reputation for arbitrary censorship. Huffington Post has already published a couple dozen articles on the topic over the past five years. Father Facebook has deleted photographs from pages devoted to breast cancer research and advocacy because, you guessed it, the photographs were of breasts. Photographs of some of the world's great art works have been censored because they show nude forms.

Now, it seems, Facebook is going after legitimate medical cannabis businesses.

Mary's Medicinals is headquartered in Denver, Colorado and makes nutraceutical products from cannabis. Despite the continuing federal ban on cannabis, it is legal for medical purposes in Colorado and at least 22 other states (some claim the number is 40 by including CBD-only laws). There are four states, including Colorado, which have legal adult-use-only cannabis sales. Mary's has been in business for three years and is best known for its transdermal cannabis patch.

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Like every business entity these days, Mary's Medicinals had a Facebook page that was first launched in 2013. It had 20,000 followers and many reviews of its products. All of that was obliterated in late January when Facebook pulled the plug on Mary's page leaving its community of medical cannabis users in the dark.

Facebook always clings to the high ground when it takes these actions, citing its "Community Standards" where they declare, "Our mission is to give people the power to share and make the world open and connected." It then goes on to list four broad topics which have numerous sub-topic links to drill down into the crux of the policy. These topics include things such as: Bullying and Harassment, Sexual Violence and Exploitation, Hate Speech, and, of course, Nudity.

It would seem that Mary's Medicinals falls under the "Regulated Goods" sub-topic which states: "We prohibit any attempts by unauthorized dealers to purchase, sell, or trade prescription drugs, marijuana, or firearms." Except that Mary's wasn't selling anything on Facebook. The site was strictly informational. Of course their products were featured but Mary's Medicinals is NOT the only legal cannabis company on Facebook that features their product. (And, by the way, type in "Guns for sale" in Father Facebook's search bar and you might find, as this author did, that more than 80,000 people were "talking" about those regulated goods.)

The action against Mary's Medicinals appears to be totally arbitrary and capricious. In the email to Mary's announcing the removal of its page, Facebook states, "We remove any promotion or encouragement of drug use." Yet Merck Pharmaceuticals (with 36k followers) and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (with 196k followers), among other drug companies, seem to be immune to Father Facebook's interpretive idea of "promotion or encouragement of drug use."

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Graham Sorkin, Mary's director of business development, is understandably livid about the actions of Father Facebook. In an open letter to the social media giant Sorkin wrote, "It is unfortunate that you choose to align with decades of racist, regressive policies and ban (with HIGHLY selectively enforcement) any information about 'marijuana.'"

Sorkin feels the real culprit in this case may be the underhanded action of a competitor. He told Ganjapreneur, "There are thousands of other product manufacturers not being shut down. It just takes one competitor to report your page."
By Alexandra Tunell, Allure

We challenged four blow-dryers--all promising a faster blowout--to a race. One tester with a medium-thick lob followed the same styling routine for five days. The products (shampoo and conditioner) and the brush stayed the same, but she swapped in a new blow-dryer each day. The models went up against the current speed demon, the T3 Featherweight Luxe 2i, which holds the title for the quickest blow-dry session: five minutes and 20 seconds. Here are the results.



Infiniti Pro by Conair 3Q

Special features: The brushless motor is lightweight and fast, and the strong and directed airflow reduces the need for hair-sizzling heat.

Results: It was surprisingly quiet but didn't do much to smooth our frizz or add shine.

Blowout time: 6:53



Price: $84.99, amazon.com

Paul Mitchell Neuro Dry

Special features: A fancy LED screen displays heat and power settings and a "clean filter" indicator.

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Results: Call us shallow, but this sleek, matte black dryer won us over before we even switched it on. Afterward, our hair looked so healthy and silky, we almost forgot we were due for a cut.

Blowout time: 5:40

Price: $174, amazon.com



Bio Ionic 10x

Special features: Weighs less than one pound, and the brushless motor uses 75 percent less energy than average dryers.

Results: This superlight blow-dryer didn't strain our arm muscles (and is great for travel). We loved how shiny it made our hair look.

Blowout time: 5:27

Price: $279.99, amazon.com



BaByliss Pro Italia Brava

Special features: A Ferrari-designed engine and six heat and speed setting

Results: This dryer worked in record-setting time, but beware of the highest heat setting. The air gets about as hot as a Ferrari's exhaust pipe, and the vents stay scorching for several minutes after unplugging.

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Blowout time: 5:18



Price: $228.99, amazon.com

More from Allure:

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As a public health nurse I receive referrals for a myriad of reasons. I work with families at what is likely one of the lowest times of their life. They are nearly all living in poverty- that is pretty much universal.

Before becoming a nurse, I was blind to the pervasiveness of poverty. I think that I believed in the abundance of Iowa, of America- and surely all who wished to be would be sheltered and fed. I was so very naive.

Today, my work days are filled with visiting the homes of families living under the shoddy umbrella of poverty. I slog into low income apartment buildings bearing my nursing bags, hoping not to bring any of the cockroaches, bed bugs and such that often permeate these buildings back home with me in one of my bags. I am saddened that I worry about bringing these things back to my home when my clients are so used to living this way. I advocate for them with their landlords, knowing that many times my words will fall on deaf ears. I realize that bugs are often the very least of my client's worries.

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I am sometimes scared. The hallways of these buildings are often dark and smell of mold, cigarette smoke and other unknown, and I fear-unspeakable, things. I am going into these places in the light of day and often wonder what it would be like to stroll this hallway under the cover of night, with my children in tow. How scared I would be. I wonder if my clients are also scared, or if they have become so accustomed to this way of life that it is no longer scary. I wonder what is worse- dropping your guard so that you may become an unsuspecting victim or living a life of fear? I shudder away those thoughts, because they make me feel helpless. I spend so many of my work hours feeling helpless.

I know things now that I often wish I didn't know. How often children go hungry in this country. How prevalent abuse is. Just how little we actually help those in need. How low we often make those living in poverty feel.

My fears seem very small compared to my clients. I fear that I can never do enough to help them. When I lay down this nursing badge- this false badge of courage, and undrape my stethoscope from around my neck at the end of the day I am often saddened by how little I could do for them. I hope that it was enough.

On a daily basis, I hear the stories that my clients entrust me with. The stories that are only told behind closed doors. The stories that curdle my blood.

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Refugees tell me of the horrors of their former country and I try not to weep unabashedly as though the pain was my own. They tell me of the gratitude to be in this country, but-if only it were safe again- how they would rush back to their home. They tell me that they cry themselves to sleep in longing for what once was. They dream and hope for their children to never see the horrors that they have seen in their lives.

Single mothers tell me of their past. Abusive boyfriends/husbands. The need to receive love, which they have often found in the arms of someone that never really loved them. The constant exhaustion. The struggle to work and provide for children with no help at all. The deep desire they feel that their children should have a better life than they have, without the constant struggle.

The parents who have spent time in prison tell me their stories. They are often brutally honest of their past transgressions. They have served their time but live in a society that no longer allows second chances. Something that was done in their youth may haunt them for their entire lives. They want their children to learn from their mistakes, to go to college instead of being locked up. They beg for opportunities to prove to society that they have changed, so that their children can have a better life.

Addicts tell me of their stories. Of how young they were when the struggle with addiction began, often as children. They tell me of their mother's/father's/grandparents addiction and how they once promised themselves that they would not be like them. The shame that they feel that they are repeating an egregious cycle. The fear that they feel that they will not overcome it. They tell me the importance of taking it day by day, but that a single day can feel so very, very long. They pray at night that their children will have better lives than they.

The abusers/neglectors tell me their stories. These are often the hardest stories to hear. The thought of anyone hurting a child makes a pit the size of a black hole in my stomach and it is often hard to remember not to judge. Then, you hear the stories of their childhood. The stories of their own abuse and neglect as children. These stories are most likely the hardest I have ever had to listen to-let your imagination run to the bowels of what you believe a human being can be capable of, and then go deeper-the stories take me to a place that I wish did not exist. What has been done cannot be undone. The shame they feel that they have subjected their children to the same. The shame they feel often permeates everything around them- I cannot leave these visits without feeling that it may have permeated me, as well. They want so desperately to be better parents and for their children to live a life without any further pain. They cry, screaming into their pillows so that no one can hear, for forgiveness and for their children to have a better life than they have.

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I hear the stories of those who are here, in this bleak place, because of the mistakes of others. The teen mother parenting the child of the man who raped her. The family who lost their lovely home after the loss of a job, and are now living in poverty for the first time ever. Those whose medical condition leaves them unable to work any longer, and who squeeze by on that tiny disability check. Those who have lived a life of poverty and know nothing else, have lost hope for anything better.

Each one of us has a story within us. Many of my clients have stories that would be far too gritty to be shown on even the most liberal of television stations. The ever more violent media has nothing on these stories. Nothing. Even my hardened nurse's stomach has threatened to purge at the truths coming from my client's lips.

Long after I have forgotten the names and faces of my clients, their stories will live within me. I am grateful for each and every word told to me in confidence. I carry the words carefully inside my heart.





What I want my clients to know about me:

Our program is voluntary, but I hope you will let me in for just one visit in your home before you decide if you will accept our assistance. So, that you will see that I am not like those who stare you down in the grocery store in anger when you pull out your SNAP card to pay for groceries. To see that I will not judge you and truly only want to help. To see that I will do everything I can to leave your family in a better place than where I found you.

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I SEE you. Not just what society sees. They seen a downtrodden human being that they imagine is "screwing the system". They want you to feel shame for every WIC check, food stamp and rental assistance dollar that you take. There will be no shame, no groveling expected from me- that is pure bullshit. I see you. Yes, you. I see how hard you are working to make a better life for your family. I see the love that you have for your children, even if you are sometimes unsure of how to show it. I see you, flaws and all, and am so grateful that you showed me the dark parts of your life as well as the successes.

I can teach you better parenting. I can assist you to find the local food pantries and apply for health insurance and sign you up for classes to learn English. I can encourage you to finish school, go back to school, attend AA/NA meetings, give you lists of current job openings and help you apply for child care assistance. I can teach how to live a healthy life, when to take your child to the doctor, give your information about your child's health care and educational needs. I can do all of this and more. However, as much as you respect me and my job as nurse- it is YOU who is doing the hard work. I will leave you after our visit today and it will be YOU who will stay up with a crying baby all night and apply for jobs tomorrow. It is YOU will administer your child's medicine and take them to the doctor. It is YOU who will make your life better by moving forward everyday in ways that will sometimes feel painfully slow.



I am grateful for you. I am inspired by my clients in a way that is impossible to verbalize. You make my struggles seem insubstantial. You make my life better simply by allowing me to be a small part of your life.

There is a lot of poverty hate in this world. You cannot turn on the television or scroll through social media without seeing the pervasive ideas of people "living off the system". People who want you to grovel simply because you need an occasional hand up. They don't see the truth, but what their every-angry hearts want to see- this misnomer of people sitting on their duffs and raking in the bucks. I see the reality- how you struggle for everything you have. How little we give to those in need. How bare your pantry constantly is, because the food stamps don't cover the entire month. How you go hungry so that your children can eat. How much of your hard-earned income goes to pay for this shitty, low-income apartment that you hate, but are ever so grateful for.

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For every client that I have, there are hundreds, thousands more out there living in sometimes desperate poverty. Maybe you are one of the thousands struggling through each day. I commend you on your strength, even as society wants you to falsely believe that poverty equates with weakness. You are so very strong.

So-you there. Yes, you. Struggling just to make it through today. I see you. I commend you on your hard work. Screw the nay sayers- they don't know what in the hell they're talking about. You make this world a better place with your every effort. You may live in poverty of currency, but you are rich in so many other ways. And, those of us who take the time to truly see you- are richer simply by knowing you.


The New York City Health Code expressly prohibits the possession of wild animals, and the term "wild animal" is defined broadly. It includes basically most of what you would view in the Bronx Zoo from a safe distance: lions, tigers and bears. The list may seem far fetched, but stranger things have happened in New York City. Once upon a time, or about a dozen years ago, a tiger and a caiman were captured by the New York City Police Department in an apartment in Harlem occupied by Antoine Yates.

The list of banned wild animals in New York City also includes pets that could be kept in an aquarium: venomous spiders like tarantulas and many kinds of venomous snakes. And, no you may not house an elephant in your studio apartment either. Even the crazy, nasty-ass honey badger is expressly prohibited under the Health Code in New York City Under the Health Code, those who possess wild animals are subject to a penalty of $500 and up to $1,000.

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Penalties for keeping or banned animals in your home may not end with a mere fine. One may be also be criminally liable under New York State Law for housing wild animals. First, under Agriculture and Markets Law, one could be charged with Overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide substance. The law covers extends to any cruelty to an animal, whether wild or domesticated, and failure to feed animals. The crime is punished by a class A misdemeanor, which means up to one year in jail. Aggravated cruelty to animals, which is also found in the Agriculture and Markets Law, punishes intentionally killing or causing a serious injury to a companion animal as a felony.

While aggravated cruelty to animals does not apply to wild animals, it is worth noting that even a goldfish could be a companion animal and killing one could be a felony! That's right, about a decade ago a man in Manhattan was convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals, and assault and weapons charges for throwing a fishbowl at a television and then in front of three children stomping on a goldfish -- which was named after one of the children. An appellate court that reviewed the conviction rejected the man's argument that "a fish is not a companion animal because it is not domesticated and because there is no reciprocity or mutuality of feeling between a fish and its owner, such as there is between a dog or a cat and its owner." The Court held that loyalty is not a defying characteristic of a companion animal.

In addition, housing a wild animal could implicate more serious criminal charges like reckless endangerment, either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the degree of risk of injury or death. Mr. Yates, who housed the 400-pound Bengali tiger in public housing, pleaded guilty to felony reckless endangerment.

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We need improvements in K-12 education. Too few students learn the critical thinking skills they need for successful life, work and citizenship. The race and class of students and the financial resources of their communities skew student learning. Republicans have an answer: Competition and privatization. Mainstream Democrats have an answer too: Compromise with Republicans.

In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King expressed his grave disappointment with the "white moderate [...] who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom." He lamented that "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance," he wrote, "is much more bewildering than outright rejection."

Read today, his words are a stinging indictment of those who advocate for half-measures to achieve equity in education while claiming the mantle of a contemporary civil rights struggle. His words are a resonant rebuke to contemporary calls to be pragmatic about what can be accomplished in the face of Republican obstructionism and extremism. Clearly, Republican have emerged victorious as a result of a well-funded, decades-long concerted effort to frame the political dialogue, taking substantive efforts at achieving social and economic equality off the table. But however easy it is to blame the Republicans, there is plenty of room for culpability among moderate Democrats.

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At King's writing in 1963, he decried the entreaties of "moderates" to be patient, to engage in less direct action, to accept slow incremental changes. Today, the brakes on transformational change come with the dogma of pragmatism. Especially in education policy, the politics of social justice and equality denial have taken a more cynical turn. Instead of promoting and supporting the highest quality education for every child, currently dominant education policies promote the expansion of charter schools in which parents must compete for limited slots for some children. Worse, taxpayer-funded charter schools drain funds from existing public schools. Instead of a national and state system of equitable funding for every school based on progressive income and corporate taxes, politicians leave unchallenged reliance on inequitable local property taxes and state funding formulas. Instead of a full-fledged assault on poverty, the pragmatists settle for escape from poverty for a few. Instead of advocating for enriching and expanding democratic participation, bipartisan support for state takeovers of local school governance and promotion of private charter schools has subverted democracy while making no substantive improvement in reducing inequity.

After the election of Ronald Reagan, Democrats made a strategic shift in hopes of winning back white working class men. Led by the Democratic Leadership Council, they began to eschew the unifying social responsibility rhetoric of the New Deal and Great Society. The shift was epitomized by Bill Clinton's value-laden phrases just as, "work hard and play by the rules," or "ending welfare as we know it." The not so subtle implication was that some folks were trying to get a free ride. Wittingly or not, the language served to confirm the canard that has long divided the poor from potential allies among the employed who still struggled to make a living. The relative boom of the 1990's may have taken the edge off working people's anger at the abandonment this direction represented. However, with the economic collapse in 2008, anger at economic dislocation has roared back with gale force. Hefty campaign contributions and support for deregulation, NAFTA and now the TPP, have further eroded Democratic credibility as the friend of working and middle-class Americans. Support for half-measures in the name of pragmatism has abetted rather than mediated multiracial inequality.

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The result in education, as in other domains, is that parents turn to self-preservation- and at times against one another- for two reasons. First, they are isolated. There is too little unified organized opposition to the erosion of democracy and social supports and insufficient public support for jobs and living wages. Advances such as unemployment insurance, social security, Medicare and Medicaid, collective bargaining, voting rights and school desegregation were all a response to organized political movements. The enabling legislation for each of these was not the result of visionary elected leaders making pragmatic compromises, but rather their response to public pressure. Second, with the waning of public pressure and the simultaneous increase in corporate lobbying, policy makers offer no collective solutions thereby reinforcing individualism and tribalism.

The system is rigged to support the super rich and their ideas. They are well organized, leaving everyone else to squabble over what is left. Countering the influence of the torrent of money unleashed by the Citizens United Supreme Court decision will not be accomplished with calls for pragmatism or even the election of lone progressives. (This, I think is Bernie Sanders point when he calls for a political revolution.) That result demands organization for some simple unifying ideas.

1)Rebuild the infrastructure of United States while creating millions of well-paying jobs. The costs will be offset by increased consumer buying power that will spur economic growth and stabilize families.

2)Recalibrate income tax rates so that the wealthy pay their fair share.

3)Fund public education with federal support from a graduated income tax and corporate taxes. This step would reduce state and local taxes while reducing inequality.

4)Provide federal incentives for racially and economically integrated public schools and communities so that all citizens have a shared interest in school improvement.

5) Establish a single-payer universal health care system.



Ironically, it was Barry Goldwater who said, "And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!"

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Ben Arnon (BA): Are you scared when you're in the middle of an intense scene making photographs? What is going through your mind during those moments? What are the emotions you're feeling and how do you stay focused?

Stephen Yang (SY): My experience with violence and unrest has evolved over time. You'll always have a certain amount of fear in a situation when you don't know the outcome. What I've learned is how to channel that fear into something useful. Or at least try to maximize the amount of my brain I can use for useful tasks rather than just running away. Certainly there are some situations where it's not worth the photo. Or there are situations when you'll have your gear taken away.

With Baltimore, my main concern was if someone did not like what was going on and that I was taking photos. My biggest concern was not being able to continue taking photos during the day because I might lose my gear.

The key to staying physically safe for me is being able to channel that fear into something that's useful. Some sort of energy that allows me to keep on assessing what's going on. When I'm feeling very afraid I'm not able to think about assessing the dangers or to assess what's a good photo and what's not a good photo.

It took a long time for me to get to the point where I can override that fear. I had a breakthrough in September during the West Indian Parade in Brooklyn, where there was a shooting. That is the closest I've been to a shooting.

We heard pops and then people started running. I threw a sandwich in my hand to the ground. As I was halfway to the popping sound much louder, distinctive popping started to my left. I could feel it in my rib cage. I turned to that sound and was able to lift the camera to my head, adjust the dial to adjust the exposures and get a picture. That was the first time I was able to wear down the fear of something like the initial sound of gunfire. I did not just run and hide. Rather, I became alerted to something.

Afterwards I felt a little strange about how little fear I felt. Something like Baltimore is a lot more difficult to assess because it's ongoing. If the danger is looming over your head for hours it does wear you down.

I think I would be remiss to not mention that it's part of the excitement of the job of photojournalist. Being hyper-aware. The adrenaline is addictive. I don't get that many opportunities in my normal life to have to think so quickly and be so reactive to my environment with so much utility. To think about how the world has been pared down to a most essential fight or flight sensibility.

BA: How do you get the shot as opposed to just a shot in those situations?

SY: I think people are drawn to geometrics and framing. The more you take photographs the better you get at honing your decision making and the shots you take. The more I do it the more I realize that the first frame is generally the best and to trust my instincts. It becomes more of a muscle memory over time. In my mind I think lighter or darker and from that I can move two clicks to the right or left, depending on what I'm seeing. For something where things are in motion, including myself, I need to stay above 1/500 of a second [shutter speed] for instance.

My best photograph from the West Indian Parade had me kicking myself actually. It 's a decent photo but it 's a bit out of focus. And the framing is not ideal. But it worked out okay. It ran as a double page in the New York Post and I was proud of it because it was my first breaking news cover. But I was upset and wished I had gotten it more in focus and that I'd been closer.

I think that's the more enjoyable thing about photography because there is a learning curve and I'm always improving over time. I think it's a good sign that I look back at photos I took.

BA: Is there a photo you've made that you're most proud of?

SY: I think I'm most proud of my Baltimore photos. Aesthetically speaking the picture of the cop car on fire is one of my favorites because it was the first time I'd actually shot something actively burning. That makes it appealing visually. Prior to that I'd always shown up to house fires or other scenes too late to get the active fire on film.

Sometimes you fall in love with a photo because it's hard to achieve. It was really hard to take, or someone told you you couldn't take it. Or it was cold. And there are other photos you love because they're visually very pleasing.

BA: What else do you think is interesting about your job?

SY: There is a lot of waiting in this profession. When you see the photograph you think it's action all the time. The reality is it's a lot of waiting around and a lot of piecing things together. You get really lucky sometimes. All the things that could have gone wrong you think about. There is a lot of detective work in the job that is essential to the photograph but you would never have any visual trace to it. That sense of trying to piece things together is a lot of what a photojournalist does.

There is a lot of trying to figure out not just how to take a picture of something but how to get the right person, how to get to the right place, being persistent, not allowing the difficulty get in your way.

When you're traveling, you have to figure out who to trust. If someone gives you a tip, you have to assess their motivations and if they're trying to help or hurt you. Everything is a puzzle. In journalism, you have to be skeptical about every piece of information you're given. There are a lot of agendas that play in life and in general. Being able to assess them is a very valuable skill in this profession. You have to sift through a lot of clues.

It is part detective and part photographer. It's always a balance between getting them to have a conversation with you or getting a photograph of them. Ideally you get both. But sometimes people don't want to do both. On the other hand, if you photograph someone who is a crime suspect without first talking they may not want to talk to you at all.

BA: So you're out there in conjunction with a reporter?

SY: Yes

BA: Tell me more about your experience in Baltimore. You went with a friend who is also a photographer and with no reporter. Walk me through your thought process on going down there and some of the key moments of your experience.

SY: I heard about what was going on in Baltimore on the Sunday before the funeral for Freddie Gray. Some peaceful protests, which had been going on for weeks, had started to become violent and an image went viral of a protester smashing a car window with a traffic cone. I looked up the drive to Baltimore and seeing that it was short called my friend and fellow New York Post photographer, Gabbriella Bass, and we took the trip down, sharing hotel and gas costs to photograph the funeral.

I figured even if nothing were to happen it'd be a pretty low financial cost. We shot the funeral on Monday and it didn't seem like the day was going anywhere in terms of news photography. The streets were quiet. A lot of local media from Baltimore and Washington, DC were there and the wires each had one photographer: AP, Getty, Reuters, the usual crowd.

After the funeral we decided to get some crabcakes and went to a place called Lexington Market, a large Chelsea Market style place in downtown Baltimore. When we got there it was closed, which seemed strange since it was right around lunchtime. A barber from a shop next door came out and told us everything was shut down and there was a riot coming. We didn't know what to think but he pointed us towards the northwest near Mondawmin Mall. We were hungry so we found a place to eat and parked the car within a few miles of the Mall, eating rib sandwiches as fast as we could. The people at the BBQ place also told us there was a riot coming. They'd heard through texts and social media.

We got all our gear and started walking north when we suddenly saw it: a large group of teenagers whooping and yelling, maybe a 100 people running through the street. We picked up our pace. Soon we were surrounded by the teenagers who had overrun a police car and started jumping on it, throwing rocks and sticks and taking selfies. I approached cautiously, not taking any more pictures than I needed to. A helicopter hovered close to the rooftops, around five stories overhead shouting through a megaphone "Disperse! Disperse! You will be arrested!"

Soon an armored police truck arrived with a few police cars and the officers jumped out, popped their trunks and brought out green shotguns (which I think were beanbag or rubber bullet grade). One pair ran up to me and Gabbi and pointed their guns right at us. I'd never had a gun pointed at me and I instinctively put my hands up and slowly showed my New York City press pass. They ran past us and grabbed a stranded officer, still pointing guns at us and everyone around. Then they threw the police officer in the back of an armored vehicle and drove off quickly. We learned later that the officer had been hiding in a stairwell waiting to be rescued right behind us.

We followed the crowd as they went from business to business, looting and breaking windows. More police arrived, but they were keeping a distance from the crowd, blocking off streets and seemingly containing the flow of people, but not actively trying to stop them. At one point we saw the people breaking into a CVS, destroying a plate glass and crawling through. Me and Gabbi, trying to stick together, decided to walk over. I took a breath, looked through the hole in the glass door and jumped in.

Inside it looked like people were shopping, loading goods into baskets and carts, but with broken glass and products strewn all across the floor. A man was kicking through a glass display while another was looting the prescription pills. Another had his arms full of candy and diapers. One kid just had a single juice bottle. I didn't want to stay inside the store for too long and be trapped, so I went outside. Cop cars were driving really fast through the intersection, not stopping. Kids yelled at them, throwing bottles of soda and rocks as they drove by. At one point a cop car drove by and a kid used a fire extinguisher to smash its back window. The car screeched to a halt and a crowd of boys stiffened up. A police officer came out, extended his baton, looked at the crowd of eager boys, then got back into his car and drove off.

The CVS was lit on fire as well as two police vehicles parked on the street. More and more police arrived, forming phalanxes near the action, but still not intervening. Every now and then they would advance, announcing to the line "Advancing 10 feet, move!" Then beating their batons on their riot shields. It felt like an ancient practice, the sound of the wood hitting the shields in unison. The smell of burning from the store and cars filled the air. Kids formed their own barricade near the police barricade made out of debris from the store, milk crates and other trash.

A firetruck arrived and tried to put out the car fire, but people started throwing rocks at the firemen and they left without putting the fire out. The rest of the day was running around with the kids as they looted every place they could find. We saw one photographer get attacked and thrown to the ground for taking photos but just as that happened other teens came by and stopped it. They told the others not to attack us, that we weren't the enemy and we were just doing our jobs. It was easier photographing after that, as if there were some kind of ground rules put into place. It also helped that everyone was taking photos with their cell phones, so we weren't the only documenters of the scene and therefore the ones incriminating people.

We got back to the hotel that evening, exhausted from all the adrenaline. I got calls from my agency, Polaris, that there was a warehouse fire going on but I was too tired to go. Eventually we left after a couple of hours and drove around the deserted streets, taking photos of the destruction.

People had stolen cars and left them in the middle of intersections, setting them on fire. Car carcasses laid about. On one dark street we were driving and the car ahead of us suddenly stopped, turned its lights off and four people got out. We quickly backed up and drove away. The national guard started lining up their tanks and military guys and we saw a few raids going on. We saw a few people arrested.

The next day the media descended upon Baltimore, but it was too late. All the madness had stopped and it was much more peaceful. People cleaned up the CVS and swept up broken glass and burned trash. People played music and college students milled about. Packs of journalists desperately searched for a story and the carnage they saw on TV, but there was nothing. I had been picked up by Der Spiegel and spent the next day taking portraits and following some of the more peaceful protests. That night there were very few protesters and lots of cops and we got teargassed. I had a gas mask but gave it to Gabbi as I couldn't wear it over my glasses. I thought it was going to be fine but as they upped the potency of the gas I couldn't bear it and had to turn away. She stayed as we got gassed and took some amazing pictures.

We left a day later as it became only more media and less and less protesters.

BA: What is the most terrifying moment you have ever had while shooting photos in a journalistic capacity?

SY: There have been some scary moments but it's hard to say which is the worst. I think the level of fear changes with time and experience. One of the scariest moments was when I was in Cairo trying to catch the tail end of the Arab Spring protests in March of 2011. The first day I was there I got up at first light and walked out of my hotel with my gear towards Tahrir Square. Nearby there was a TV station where tanks and the military had set up. I took a few pictures of sleeping protesters and a couple of tanks.

One of the soldiers sticking out of the top of the tank locked eyes with me and made a throat-slicing motion with his finger. I didn't get it. A block down and a few more pictures of tanks later, I had two soldiers running towards me. They grabbed me, pulling at my cameras and dragging me towards a tank, screaming at me half in Arabic and half in English. The one who spoke English kept saying "no pictures, give me your cameras." I kept saying "no, i'm a journalist." They told me I'd go to jail if I didn't give them my cameras. Eventually they settled for my memory cards. I was pretty shaken up, I hadn't really dealt with much police and military at that point and definitely not in a foreign country.

It turned out there was a curfew that I had unwittingly broken and was brazenly taking pictures of the military. They thought I was mocking their authority. Lesson learned. I went back to my hotel and drank half a bottle of whiskey and fell asleep at 10:00 am feeling like I had failed already.

Later in that trip, I experienced gunfire for the first time, though it was pretty distant. Anti-government and pro-government groups were fighting, throwing rocks, molotov cocktails and shooting at each other. It was night. I was in the crowd, running up and down the street and up onto the elevated highways, not knowing which way the fighting was coming or where the rocks were coming from. But I could hear them hitting. I didn't know anyone, but a couple of large Egyptian guys who said they were ex-police helped me navigate (and later extorted me for sixty bucks worth of beer at a bar). One of them kept chuckling at me as I flinched from the gunfire, telling me that it was far away and I shouldn't be worried. I was still worried, not having heard gunfire before and kept thinking it would ricochet or hit me from a quarter mile away.

BA: What moments in history do you wish you had shot but you missed?

SY: I had an opportunity to go to Libya when I was in Egypt, right when it was kicking off in Tripoli. I met a guy who said he was one of the civilian rebels fighting Gaddafi. We met at a hotel in Cairo and he said he was a citizen journalist and wanted my help with a computer he got from "a spy." Later me and an English computer guy helped him with the gear, though it seemed like the story kept on changing. Actually he had robbed a foreign journalist of a nice pro Canon camera, laptop and satellite phone.

He said his name was Adel Adris and he asked that I film his story. We sat one night in his room drinking beer, he told me his story, and I shot it on video. Throughout the story he'd take a sip of beer and would say "I'm going to hell for this beer. But it tastes so good. I'm going to hell for this beer."

The next day we ran down 20 flights of stairs to follow a protest that seemed to be getting out of hand, traveling towards the TV station where all the tanks were. We kept an eye on each other and took photos of the large mass of men, who turned out to be undercover cops revolting. They pulled out their IDs and showed us, big beefy men shouting as Adel loosely translated, his eyes going wide with fear when he realized they were cops.

Adel asked me that night if I'd like to go to Libya with him. He said he could sneak me across the border, make me a fake press pass and that he had a lawyer and a convoy going into the rebel areas. I was too afraid to say yes. I didn't have enough experience with conflict and felt out of my element just being in Egypt. Now I regret it because it would have been the perfect timing but I can't deny that I had no experience then. I know much more about how to handle myself than I did then. I was untested. Even now I'd probably like to have some protective gear and medical training before going into a place like that. Six months later I got a Facebook message from Adel's brother saying he had been killed about a month before Gaddafi's government fell.

I also wished I had gone to Ferguson sooner than I did. I kept going back and forth about it and couldn't make a decision. When I finally decided to go it was too late to get the clashes between protestors and police. I learned then that you have to either go right away or not go at all. Baltimore was my opportunity to be in the right place at the right time. We got lucky with the timing, but it was also because we just went, we didn't dither about what was going to happen and if it was going to keep on going or not.
At the beginning of January, I was returning home to Washington, D.C. after a third consecutive year of attending the annual Gay Christian Network Conference (gcnconf.com). It was another powerful year of inspirational and forward-leaning workshops and keynotes, some of which I was able to lead for the first time as a recently minted seminary student and member the organization's board.

Among the keynotes at the conference was my friend, mentor and colleague, the Rev. Allyson Dylan Robinson. Rev. Allyson challenged my 1,499 fellow LGBTQIA Christians and me in attendance, to not only embrace the fact that we had been victorious in the "Culture War", but that now was the time for us to show more grace to those over whom we had been victorious than we had been shown before the war had started. It was a challenging and controversial call, not only because of its claim of victory, but the way she pin-pointed a fault in our human nature, which is to look for opportunities to accumulate power for ourselves -- not to serve a greater purpose.

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I was inspired. Many were inspired! It was a simple, clear message, delivered masterfully. Rev. Allyson would even remark to me later that it was perhaps the greatest preaching experience of her 12 year career. A fantastic description of the experience, and certainly a remarkable moment propelling her forward in our mutual work to bring meaning to our fellow queer Christians' lives.

As I sat in seat 26C on my American Airlines flight connecting from Charlotte to Washington Reagan National Airport, I glanced up and instantly recognized infamous Kentucky County Clerk, and national icon of the Religious Right, Kim Davis as she passed me boarding the same flight. It was reported later that she came to Washington as part of a political group to attend the State of the Union Address at Congress the following evening.

All the oxygen left my body. Here within the touch of my hand had been a woman whose sole employment now was to openly mock and fight the rights and recognitions that so many of my friends and I had fought earnestly to achieve. I attempted not to stare, instead looking down, then left, anywhere that would allow me a personal moment to process this event. My enemy was ever present, and I didn't know what to do.

Tray tables went up, engines roared and soon we were in the air. I got up to use the restroom -- an activity I have volunteered to do on a plane maybe twice before, but it was the only way to catch an innocent glimpse of her, again. My eyes panned back and forth searching for her. I failed. I returned to my seat morbidly curious and unsettled.

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Not knowing what to do, my next logical move was Facebook. Downloading the in-flight internet service, I quickly posted a frantic alert to my list of friends about the seemingly absurd situation in which I found myself. Friends commented, laughed, yet provided no immediate thoughtful advice on how to handle myself.

Finally, I began to pray. Asking God for a reason why I was living in this moment, looking for wisdom. Should I find her? Should I say something? Do I just continue to gawk at her? Do I leave her alone? The questions rushed through my head, unanswered. Then I thought about Allyson and the Golden Rule. I reflected on other times where other people of some power or celebrity had crossed my path, and how in some cases I interacted, but only when welcomed. But, this felt different.

I finally resolved to meet her. And as the captain announced our decent into DCA, I hatched a plan. I would walk to about mid-way down the sky bridge and wait for her. I would wave her down and say... Oh my God, what would I say?!? The oxygen left my body, again. I began to run scenarios through my head. Keep it simple, Ben. Tell her how you feel. Three seconds.

The plane landed. I grabbed my carry-on and I sped out into the sky bridge. I counted to myself while I examined each face that departed the plane. Deep breath. She de-planed in front of me, wearing what I think was a nude-colored dress, over-laid with a thick winter coat.

Waving my hand in the air. "Hi, Miss Davis? Can I take a picture with you?" She agreed. We leaned in for a selfie -- the most modern human activity of which I can think. I quickly stated, "Miss Davis, my name is Ben. A lot of what you've done has hurt many of my fellow LGBT Christians and beyond, but I want you to know that I offer you the Peace of Christ." I extended my hand so as to shake hers.

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Blank faced, either from being stunned or afraid, she lightly grabbed my hand and said, "God bless you." She quickly turned and walked away to a waiting group.

I shook for about three seconds, collected myself and resumed my exit from the airport. As I went to meet my checked bag in Baggage Claim, I filtered and posted the picture on Facebook with only the quotes of my interaction with Kim Davis above it to my private friends list. It was a viral hit among my friends, and with each like or friendly comment, I felt like something interesting had just happened. I had achieved something, but I didn't quite know what it was. The overwhelming response was immediately positive. I was brave, courageous and had lived up to my Christian principles, said many. I had inspired others and been true to myself and to the greater good of humanity. That felt good.

However, the story didn't end there. With each acknowledgement from friendly voices, suddenly came something dark and unexpected. As the news of the event spread due to my friends' sharing of it, I started to receive personal messages and public comments about people's disgust with... me. I was called a brazen self-promoter, a hypocrite, a secret conservative, disloyal, hurtful and, most onerous to hear, of a low character. Not being a regular public commentator, or accustomed to such personal attacks, these comments -- mostly from friends -- really HURT. I soldiered on, and tried to ignore the comments, but they nagged at me, and a few hours later, wanting to avoid the stress of hearing that I was a bad person, I deleted the post.

Many friends reached out with curiosity for my reason for doing so, and I posted about the event, again, this time without the picture, saying that I had not wanted to deal with the hurt I had apparently and inadvertently caused, and that I wanted to find a better way to express myself than a momentary response. An attacker and friend posted that if I had any conviction that I would have left the original post up and stood by it. A perfect catch-22.

In my work at Cook Ross, I daily remind my clients to express and embrace their humanity and that of those around them. My colleagues and I are paid to give people good reasons and better strategies to treat each other with honor, respect and, hopefully, love. In fact, our founder Howard Ross instructs us to go out and fall in love with our clients. This is not unlike the instruction of Jesus Christ whom I have professed faith in since I was a child.(See Matthew 5, preferably in the NRSV.)

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I fell in love with humanity a long time ago. And, that love doesn't waiver just because someone denies my friend a marriage license, or calls me or my friends faggots. It doesn't change for the person who tells me how proud they are of me, or the one that tells me that I lack any integrity. My love for humanity is open and inclusive. It is a hard, daily struggle to see goodness in all that God has created.

I love Kim Davis. I love my friends and family. I love my community. And, I love those who would choose to tear me down. If you don't approve of my message or the tactics by which I choose to share my story, I still love you. And, ask anyone whom I have dated, I don't throw that word around very much. It is, however, what I feel in this moment. Maybe, tomorrow I'll be cranky or mad, but in this moment, I feel free to speak my truth. And, I want to offer you this same freedom.

My prayer for you, my reader, is that you will find the same love from God that I have found. That it will heal you in the places of your humanity where you find yourself discouraged, flawed, or damaged. Take courage and know that someone out there loves you.

Go in peace.
This article first appeared as an op-ed in my regular column in The Indian Express.

The Swiss mountain town of Davos has gone quiet. About a fortnight ago, however, it was abuzz with talk of the fourth industrial revolution: Robots, 3D-printed human organs, driverless cars. Soon it will be time to turn to another global confab, to celebrate India's preparations to embrace the first industrial revolution; a Make in India extravaganza between February 13-18.

In case you were wondering, the doyen of Davos, Klaus Schwab, in a recent piece in Foreign Affairs, explained the fourth industrial revolution as one that is "building on the third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century. It is characterised by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres." In other words, this sounds like an inflection point from where one could be launched into staggeringly many directions. Fortunately, we can plan our personal revolutionary itinerary thanks to the World Economic Forum September 2015 report, "Deep Shift", which lines up the tipping points for key technologies in a most orderly way: Robots and automation (tipping point 2021); Internet of things, wearable Internet, 3D printing and manufacturing (tipping point 2022); supercomputers in our pockets (tipping point 2023); driverless cars (tipping point 2026). Betting on bitcoin? Sorry, you've got to wait it out till 2027. And if you are patient, there will be more technological fusion in the years to come: Nanotechnology, genomics, quantum computing, to name a few.

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Putting aside our natural fascination with the next big things, the entire reason for getting excited about these industrial revolutions is that, purportedly, they make us better off. Certainly, the first (1760-1850) had set the precedent with dramatic increases in the GDP per capita in the industrialising countries, a trend that continued with the second (1850-1910) based on more complex technologies, such as the internal combustion engine and electricity. However, it should be noted that the take-off of the industrialised world went hand-in-hand with a marked divide between the West and the rest: The first two industrial revolutions gave rise to the industrial haves and have-nots.

Of course, we can look back and ask: Why were Britain and Europe the lucky ones? Why didn't the revolution begin or even spread elsewhere? There is, of course, no end of theories. Was it Calvinism that encouraged rationality, pragmatism and material gain that promoted industriousness and entrepreneurship? Did Europe get an irreproducible benefit from centuries of colonial plunder at the expense of the have-not societies? Was it "open science", the Renaissance, the decline of monarchy and inclusive governance? Was Jared Diamond right when

he cited the advantage of geography, climate and natural resources? The real answer is probably a systemic one -- some combination of many factors.

Regardless of the reasons for asymmetric development, the third revolution -- the one based on digital technologies -- was supposed to have been the redeemer of these past sins or systemic advantages; it was meant to be the first truly trickle-down revolution, if you will. Enthusiasts have talked excitedly about the benefits of the simple act of putting mobile phones in people's hands.

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Unfortunately, the third revolution is yet to deliver on its trickle-down promise. Our research on the state of the digital planet suggested that countries around the world are not only at very different stages of digital evolution, they are also moving at very different speeds. The World Bank's World Development Report (January) confirms these asymmetries with some sobering statistics: 4.4 billion people have never been online, almost two billion are untouched by digital technologies and 400 million live outside the mobile cellular signal range. Eighty per cent of India has not been online; a little over 70 per cent of Africans have never been online. Even where digital technologies have reached, the economics makes it unreachable. One GB of mobile data in Botswana costs more than twice that of Germany, while fixed-line broadband is 35 times as expensive in Indonesia as it is in Germany.

The third industrial revolution may even have been a bit of a waste on the beneficiaries of the first two industrial revolutions. There are serious questions about how useful these technologies have been for increasing productivity in the industrialised world. According to economist Robert Gordon, the average growth of output per worker in the US was 2.3 per cent a year between 1891 and 1972, a rate matched only briefly between 1996 and 2004, before falling to 1.3 per cent between 2004 and 2012. Granted that not all benefits of digital technologies are captured by productivity statistics; yet, this data is quite damning. In contrast, in the have-not countries, the impact could look very different simply because digital technologies can help these nations play catch-up.

In sum, while the historian Arnold Toynbee may have started popularising the idea of the industrial revolution back in the 19th century, these revolutions -- all three of them -- are not widely distributed even in the 21st century. My suggestion to our world's visionaries for the next Davos agenda: Let's put more innovative energy against getting industrial revolutions, one through three, and their spread to the next six billion. If countries, such as India, with a hundred times the population of 19th century Britain, can get to the first industrial revolution, through Make in India or some other form of catch-up, double its GDP per capita in a tenth of the time that it took Britain and, simultaneously, manage the burgeoning disasters of urban pollution, water shortages and chronic diseases en route -- that alone would be revolutionary. Rinse and repeat in other parts of the have-not world. Then we might have a fifth industrial revolution on our hands at a scale thousands of times that of the first. It might even eclipse the impact of the fourth that was all the rage at Davos this year.
It's Super Bowl week on the Left Coast but the number one topic of conversation is not the Broncos or the Panthers, it's Hillary versus Bernie. That's a big change from three months ago, when we talked about the Warriors and the awfulness of Donald Trump. But now we have a real contest for the Democratic nomination.

The Hillary versus Bernie controversy divides Berkeley households. While there are many females who argue that Clinton deserves a shot because "It's time the US elected a woman President," there are plenty of others who support Sanders.

Many Berkeley residents knew Hillary, in 1971, when she did a legal internship at the liberal Oakland law firm of Truehaft, Walker, and Burnstein. From that and other contacts, Berkeleyites like Clinton but many believe she is not as liberal as she once was. In contrast, Bernie Sanders never lived here but some activists knew him when he was involved in organizations such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Students for a Democratic Society. Almost without exception, Berkeleyites accept Bernie as a liberal.

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There are two lines of thought: whether major social change can happen suddenly or must occur incrementally. The other is whether Clinton or Sanders has the best chance of beating the Republican nominee.

Many Berkeley Democrats ask, "How is Bernie going to accomplish his agenda?" They accept the legitimacy of leveling the playing field and getting big money out of politics, but doubt that Bernie can accomplish this.

Clinton leads with voters who value her experience. At the January 17th Democratic debate, when asked what she would do in her first 100 days in office, Clinton replied, "I would work quickly to present to the Congress my plans for creating more good jobs in manufacturing, infrastructure, clean and renewable energy, raising the minimum wage, and guaranteeing, finally, equal pay for women's work... I would also be presenting my plans to build on the Affordable Care Act."

In contrast, Sanders said, "So, what my first days are about is bringing America together, to end the decline of the middle class, to tell the wealthiest people in this country that yes, they are going to start paying their fair share of taxes, and that we are going to have a government that works for all of us, and not just big campaign contributors."

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University of California Economics Professor Robert Reich observed the two candidates have contrasting views about how Presidents make decisions. He described Clinton's perspective as the president as "deal-maker-in-chief...by which presidents buy off or threaten powerful opponents." Reich described Sanders' perspective as a kind of "agitator-in-chief, " where the president mobilizes "the public to demand [big things] and penalize(s) politicians who don't heed those demands."

Clinton is running as an extension of President Obama. At the January 17th debate she said, "I want to be a president who takes care of the big problems and the problems that are affecting the people of our country everyday."

At the same debate Sanders said, "Very little is going to be done to transform our economy and to create the kind of middle class we need unless we end a corrupt campaign finance system which is undermining American democracy....And what we have got to do is create a political revolution which revitalizes American democracy, which brings millions of young people and working people into the political process.'

While some liberals question Sanders' "political revolution" notion, others remember that in the hardest slogging of the civil-rights era, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., called for a revolution of values: "We must rapidly begin ... the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism and militarism are incapable of being conquered."

This inevitably leads to the concern about electability: Who has the best chance of defeating the republican nominee?

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Many Berkeley residents feel that Hillary has the best shot at beating Trump or Rubio or whomever. But in the latest Huffington Post ratings, Sanders beats Trump by 5.5 percent while Clinton beats Trump by 6.4 percent; Sanders beats Rubio by 4.5 percent, Clinton beats Rubio by .9 percent.

The "elephant in the room" are Hillary's unfavorability ratings. In a recent Gallup article pollster Frank Newport observed that Donald Trump has a 60 percent unfavorable rating, "he has a higher unfavorable rating than any nominated candidate from either of the two major parties going back to the 1992 election." Newport noted that Hillary Clinton has a 52 percent unfavorability rating compared to Bernie Sanders 31 percent. (Among Democrats Sanders "net favorable rating" is 4 points higher than Clintons. 53 percent to 49 percent.)
Chris Christie promises to "beat" Hillary Clinton's "rear end" at a campaign rally; Donald Trump calls Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly a "bimbo" and Ted Cruz promises Hillary "a spanking." These vulgar, sexist attacks against women are relentless and they WILL affect the lives of every American woman.

Sadly, it's been completely okay in the 2016 presidential campaign for Republican candidates to repeatedly verbally assault women. Now, 158.6 American million women better get prepared to be treated with disrespect if one of these candidates is elected. Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Chris Christie have savagely attacked Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, GOP candidate Carly Fiorina, anchor Megyn Kelly and numerous other female reporters covering the election. And they have suffered no consequences for their behavior.

While Trump has taken some minimal heat for his vicious verbal attacks on women, he's still the Republican frontrunner. His supporters are as enthusiastic as ever. So are the fans of Ted Cruz and Chris Christie. Christie, in fact, was the latest to cross a misogynistic and creepily sexual line during an appearance in New Hampshire on Feb. 3. That was where he promised a small, cheering crowd that he would "beat" Hillary Clinton's "rear end". "You know why?" he asked his audience. "She's been running away from federal prosecutors for the last six months. Man, she sees a federal prosecutor on the stage, I'll beat her rear end on that stage." That's right. He thinks he'll score points with voters because he promises that he'll "beat" the "rear end" of Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, First Lady and Senator from New York.

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Well, if that's the treatment that a highly prominent and accomplished American woman will get from 'President' Chris Christie, then what can the rest of us hope for? Certainly, we'll get nothing better from a 'President' Donald Trump. Trump has infamously called Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly a "bimbo", "dopey" and "a lightweight reporter".

He accused her of having "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever" after she asked him about insulting remarks that he had made against women verbally and on Twitter during the first Republican debate. Yes, she had the gall to question him about how he would defend himself against Hillary Clinton in the presidential race when she pointed out his track record of making misogynistic comments against many women.

Trump has also famously called comedian Rosie O'Donnell a "degenerate", a "slob" and "pig". He told New York Times columnist Gail Collins that she had "the face of a dog" and he also told a female lawyer taking a deposition from him in a recent court case that she was "disgusting" for taking a pre-arranged break to pump breast milk.

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American women can look forward to a 'President' Trump who gets grossed out by the physical functions of women's bodies, whether it's breast-feeding, menstruating or going to the bathroom. Who can forget his tirade over Hillary Clinton taking a bathroom break during a recent Democratic debate? "I know where she went, it's disgusting. I don't want to talk about it. No, it's too disgusting." Evidently, American men don't have bodily functions, and therefore avoid being labeled as "disgusting" by Trump.

Even the sole female GOP presidential contender hasn't been immune to the candidates' war on women. Carly Fiorina, by no means a champion of women's rights (she's opposed to pay equity and abortions except for rape or incest), has been slagged by Trump for her appearance. "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?" he told Rolling Stone magazine, describing Fiorina, in an interview. American women, watch out if you're not a 10. President Trump will call you out for it. Even "Heidi Klum. Sadly, she's no longer a 10," he announced in August while on the campaign trail.

If you are female and you dare to question Trump on his comments or policies, he is fast and nasty on the attack. He's called New York Times reporters Amy Chozick and Maggie Haberman "third-rate reporters", highly respected NPR reporter Cokie Roberts "kooky", CNN reporter Sara Murray "absolutely terrible" and CNN host Alisyn Camerota a "disaster".

America's 104 female congresswomen had better get their body armor on if Trump, Cruz, or Christie is elected, and they don't always agree with their sexist president. Ted Cruz wants American voters to give Hillary Clinton "a spanking". What will he want to do to non-compliant Congresswomen or the millions of female citizens who disagree with his policies? Spank us all?!

This is no joke, for any and all American women. We've fought hard to be accepted as equals in both our career and family lives. Despite that, we still only earn about 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. We've fought to not be sexually harassed at work or by men we are dating. But if presidential candidates can savagely verbally attack women with no fear of punishment from GOP voters, then it's open season on all women, by all men.

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If Donald Trump can justify the insults he's flung at women as a necessary part of the battle against "political correctness", then all men will have a "valid" excuse to do it. "I don't, frankly, have time for total political correctness," he told Megyn Kelly when she asked him about calling women "fat pigs" and other names.
My big sister, Lynne, and I are very close -- sick, co-dependent kind of close. As a result, we love to work together. It started when we were six and eight years old, performing in musical comedies in our father's summer theatre. We did that every summer for our entire childhood.

We are creativity junkies and can't resist a project. Whether it's building a dollhouse, making fur muffs for Christmas presents for everyone we know, or shooting a movie with children under 10 who have no interest in doing a movie, we are always looking for that next endeavor that will satisfy our hunger for making art.

Twelve years ago, (but who's counting), we made a movie, "Made-Up." It was based on a one-woman play, "Two Faced," that Lynne had previously written and starred in and which I had directed. The movie version was a real family affair, directed by my husband, Tony Shalhoub. I played Lynne's part from the play and Lynne wrote in a sister part for herself.

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We had so much fun! We shot it at Lynne's and her husband George's house in Boston. "Made-Up" was a mockumentary. Lynne and I had envisioned shooting it very fast, with minimal lighting and practically no technical crew. We wanted the audience to see us, the actors, also shooting the movie. In the end, we had to adapt our vision and I'm grateful that we did. We had a crew, (not huge but a real crew), who shot the movie and there was lighting, and a focus puller made sure shots were in focus.

We loved making the movie together and are very proud of it. Many critics really loved it but it never got widely distributed. This situation was very frustrating for us. Lynne's reaction was to spend the next 10 years (but who's counting) developing an Internet distribution system, Movie Meeting House.

Meanwhile, I had been busy developing a fashion accessory, "Arms Control," for older women who aren't happy with their upper arms. Basically a long glove that goes from the fingertips to the underarm, "Arms Control" permits the wearer to keep upper arms covered while coquettishly baring her shoulders and chest. All the profits would go to Gun Control organizations. One year later, (but who's counting), I had not found a manufacturer in the U.S. which, coupled with other setbacks, convinced me that I was a terrible businesswoman and had to give up. This coincided with Lynne's growing discouragement about launching Movie Meeting House. The Internet was proving to be a difficult environment for channeling our creative impulses.

Then we came up with an idea for a web series. We would use the Internet to tell the story of two old fools trying to remain relevant in the digital age. Our plot line was simple and based on our relationship: what happens to two sisters when one puts her life on hold to come to the aid of the other sister who thinks she is dying.

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Lynne wanted to be the dying one because she believes life imitates art. She was afraid that if I actually ended up dying she would feel guilty for the rest of her life. And she would, I had no such qualms. So it was decided, she would be the dying one. I would be the caretaker.

This time our original dream could come true. We got to do it with virtually no crew, practically no lighting, and very, very fast. The actor you see shooting it, Joe Farina, really is. And he plays Hank and is our entire crew. In fact, Joe does everything except write it. Lynne and I write the script. We don't do improvisations. Our scenes may seem very random and a little pointless but we write them. They are intentional.

Our web series is called "All Downhill from Here." And it's all ours. There is no studio head telling us what to do or how to do it. We don't need a distributor, we don't need network approval, and we don't need big investors. All we need is an audience. At the end of the day, it's really just me and Lynne doing what we've always done -- putting on a show and hoping people watch it.

We will be promoting it on MOVIE MEETING HOUSE and I will be wearing ARMS CONTROL in every scene.

Earlier on Huff/Post50:
There was a time when I attributed my recovery from addiction solely to God or a "higher power." I was grateful to have been saved from the hell of living with an active substance use disorder and eternally indebted to God for his mercy and grace.

Then I realized there had to be more to it than just God. I couldn't wrap my mind around the idea that God would save me and not others. Nope - there had to be more.

I then went through a period of time when I attributed my recovery from addiction to God alongside my willingness, determination, resilience and fortitude. I was now an equal partner to God in the whole thing, and I was eternally indebted to God for his mercy, grace and for meeting me in the middle when I did my part.

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I then realized there had to be more to it than that as well. Many people I encountered had equal or greater amounts of those above mentioned personal attributes, along with the same God. Nope - there had to be more.

Then I went through a period of time when I attributed my recovery from addiction to God, willingness, determination, resilience, fortitude and access to the resources I needed as an individual to initiate and sustain recovery. This perfect combination of having exactly what I needed, when I was ready for it seemed to be the answer. I was eternally indebted to God for his mercy and grace, for meeting me in the middle with my personal strengths, and for a system that supplied what I needed, when I needed it.

Then I realized there had to be more to that too. Many people I've encountered have the same personal attributes, the same God, are in the same community with the same system; and yet they have not had access to initiating and sustaining the long-term recovery I've found. Nope - there had to be more.

Then I learned about privilege. I learned about the privilege I was born into as a white woman. I realized that by virtue of that privilege alone, I've always had a better shot at addiction recovery. I realized that I am part of a system that wanted to see me succeed as a juvenile justice involved youth because of my white skin. I realized I am part of a system that is more likely to cut me a break, more willing to give me a second chance and more willing to believe in my redemption than my counterparts of color.

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I learned that only 1 in 111 white woman wind up incarcerated in their lifetime, while 1 in 3 black men will end up behind bars. I learned that 2/3 of all people in prison for drug-related offenses are people of color, while 5 times as many white people report using drugs. I realized that our institutions and people in power are more forgiving of my past than the past of somebody who has lived with the same illness but in darker skin. I realized that the "something more" which has allowed me to find long-term recovery is privilege. My privilege as a white woman is the key ingredient that made the difference between me finding recovery, me finding a jail cell or me finding death.

This same privilege, in fact, allows me to be so open about being a person in long-term recovery. It allows me to be an active recovery advocate, to openly disclose my recovery status with less worry about some of the stigma and discrimination that my colleagues of color would face. As a white woman, I can tell you that I have over 10 years of continuous abstinence and you smile and call me an inspiration. I can't help but wonder if I was a black male telling you the same thing, if you'd clutch your purse and not trust as much in my redemption.

I've been thinking lately about how the addiction recovery advocacy landscape is predominately white, how the push to "come out of the shadows" has been led primarily by people of privilege. I've been thinking about how the war on drugs has affected a substantially greater amount of people of color, yet those same people are not as empowered to speak out. I've been thinking about how some of our events and rallies aren't organized by, geared toward or at all attractive to the very people most impacted by the war on drugs and devastating drug policies. I've been thinking about how it is a safer world for me as a white woman, or for some of you as white males, to disclose being a person in long-term recovery than it is for a person of color - how different my role as an advocate would be if my skin was brown rather than white. I've been thinking about how I may not even be alive, I'd probably not be free, and I'd certainly not be able to speak this truth and be heard in the same way as I am.

There was a time when I wouldn't speak out about privilege. Then I realized that the time to speak out is now. The time is now that we all talk about it. Let's have this long overdue conversation, good people.

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http://www.naacp.org/pages/criminal-justice-fact-sheet
In honor of Black History Month, I'm excited for an interview series with several lovely black women. My hope is that this series with be able to inspire black girls like myself by providing stories, advice, and emotional honesty from successful women. Their courage, determination, and all around badass-ness inspires me to do my best, and I'm sure that it'll do the same for you.

I spoke with Brandy Colbert, author of Pointe, which was named a best book of 2014 by Publishers Weekly, BuzzFeed, Book Riot, the Chicago Public Library, and the Los Angeles Public Library.

When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Since I was really young. I think the first time I actually said it when I was seven years old.

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How do you make sure that your characters are actually like people?

I generally just think of them as real people. I mean, I think that they have to develop through editing, so it's always helpful to have an editor ask more questions to help you round it out. Not to sound too hippy-dippy, but they sort of come to me. There are some times when they surprise me when I'm writing, which is pretty fun, too.

Do you put much thought into including black characters into your books, or does it just happen naturally?

When I was writing Pointe, I think I did want her to have a mix of friends, even though she [the main character] lived in a predominately white suburb, but it is something that I've had to think about. I did grow up in an all white town, so that was the norm for me, but I don't want to portray that as being normal.

I also live in LA now, and it's not like that. I guess it's becoming more natural now, maybe as a result of all the conversations, but also just trying to reflect the world around me.

What's the best part of being a writer?

Not the writing. No, I mean, I love writing. I think it's just getting to share stories with people and get the thoughts that are in my head make sense to them on the page.

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What do you think about when you hear "Black History Month?"

I think that, sadly, it's a month that people gloss over. I think it's a month that people are so used to hearing that we should celebrate, but they don't really think about it. I think it's necessary, I just wish we could approach it in a better, fresher way.

Is there a specific black woman from history who inspires you? What about a black woman from today?

I really am inspired by Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist. She was from the South and came from a big family, and my family is from the south and is big. Knowing that she was fighting for rights when it was physically dangerous is really inspiring to me. There are so many. I think Amandla Stenberg is really inspiring just because I didn't have that many black female role models when I was growing up and I wish I would've had someone like that who could speak about racial issues and be heard.

Of course, Misty Copeland is amazing. The first black principal dancer in the American Ballet Theater.

What does being a black woman mean to you?

Being a black woman means dealing with a lot of struggles that even my closest friends don't know about, sometimes because I don't mention it, but sometimes because they realize all the different things I'm going through. It's difficult. Sometimes it feels like we're the lowest, like who cares about us? But I love it because I don't know if I would be as strong as a woman if I hadn't gone through it.



Was there ever a point that you were ashamed or embarrassed of being black?

Definitely. It's shameful to say that now, but growing up it was hard...It was hard going to school not having people who looked at me, constantly getting asked about my hair or my skintone or inappropriate jokes. I think my hair was hardest for me.

I didn't know how to deal with natural hair at the time, and there were all of the relaxers and straighteners and I was trying to turn my hair into something that it wasn't.

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What role do you think black women have played in history?

Wow. A much bigger one than any black women are given credit for. I think that most people would be surprised to know all of the things that black women have invented. I think the problem is that we aren't taught what roles that we specifically played, and we have to teach ourselves black history.

I think I would feel better about it if we were being taught new things every year, but most people only sort of know Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. They were wonderful and amazing, but I wish that we had more history on the books.



What are you working on right now?

It's set in LA, which I'm excited about. It's about a sixteen year old black girl who went away to boarding school and comes back from the summer. She's dealing with her brother, who had a mental health break, and now their relationship is different. She is also questioning her sexuality.



If you could cast someone as the lead roles in Pointe, who would they be?

I feel like every time I see a young black actress I'm like "Oh my god, that's Theo!" But even though I already mentioned her, Amandla Stenberg is someone I have always thought of from the beginning. I never really thought of anyone else from the book in my head. I just picture it being very dark and moody.
Recently Bill Maher made a half-serious joke about Hillary Clinton's rocky journey to the White House - noting that she "just doesn't know how to campaign." He said something like: "Last time you lost to an unknown inexperienced young black guy and now you're losing to a 72 year old Jewish socialist. We're making it as easy as we can, but could you help out a little?"

I really admire Bill Maher and I find myself agreeing with him, almost all the time. But not this time. It does seem accurate to say that Hillary's momentum is off, she has watched a very sizeable lead in Iowa disappear as Bernie Sanders came on --as seemingly unstoppable as a long-in-the-tooth Sorcerer's Apprentice.

But it is inaccurate to say that she doesn't know how to campaign. Hillary Clinton is in fierce campaign mode - and unlike most of the other candidates, she is addressing issues directly and forcefully, demonstrating that she is both knowledgeable and experienced.

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The reason why she is faltering in the polls is not that she is inept. It is because she has lost her narrative. Or - more to the point - the Narrative has lost her.

Voters look to political candidates to tell them a story about themselves. Hillary's story, early on, had vast appeal - the appeal of a candidate campaigning to be the first woman president of the United States of America.

In 2008, she rode that same surge of momentum, but a young relatively inexperienced senator came along with a narrative that superseded hers - Barack Obama was running to be the first black President of the U.S. -- that story took off on its own - and that story became our history.

Now Bernie Sanders, a 72 year old Jewish socialist, trundles along - with his anecdotal predictions of "Revolution" - and he gets close to knocking Hillary off the charts. Whether you think the Washington Post was excessively harsh in painting Sanders as "not a brave truth-teller. He is a politician selling his own brand of fiction" - it is entirely fair to let the emphasis remain on the word "fiction" - which (until the politician is elected to office) is a useful descriptive of any candidate trying to persuade the public to accept his/her story of the state of the union - and how to change and better it.

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As Nicholas Kristof, (a self-confessed "admirer" of Sanders) noted recently in his New York Times column, there are fact-based concerns and unanswered questions about how Bernie will realize his ambitious agenda. Kristof's questions left Sanders looking like an absentminded professor, as he quoted the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a bipartisan group that found that Sanders' sums come up short by $3 trillion over a decade. But his followers, especially the disenchanted young, aren't reading the story's fine print - the bigger story sounds like perfect panacea.

(I remember a sociology professor I had in grad school, looking out at his class of hippie revolutionaries, fresh from People's Park protests, who observed (cynically, we thought) that "real revolution will never happen again in the U.S." The American Revolution, he said, built "institutions" in its wake: among them a system of government, a Constitution - the results of the hard intellectual work and compromise that followed the bloody battles for independence from England -after the heady phrase-making and call-to-arms of citizens was over.

But, getting back to Hillary -- it isn't only fresh idealistic narratives bumping earlier idealistic stories out of the running that appears to be shadowing her. The great enthusiasm for Hillary early on was also eroded because of the lack of faith in women's narratives in the long run. Hillary once travelled to China -- where she said that "Women's rights are human rights" - but that's exactly where the cracks in the narrative edifice begin to form.

Ultimately, it is my opinion that we still doubt women's aspirations to high office. We suspect they can't make it when the going gets tough. Despite all the consciousness-raising (one of the less grounded "institutions" generated by the protest movements of the 60's and 70's) - Hillary Clinton has undergone more savage on-line (and in other speechifying) abuse, as a woman (and just because she is a woman) than any other candidate running. (& notwithstanding Trump's sexist snark about Carly Fiorino's face) I have read and heard, over the years, a staggering number of character-assassination style attacks on her, often based solely on her physical appearance, her voice - and repeatedly, her private life.

Lena Dunham (of the hit HBO series, "Girls") and loyal campaigner for Hillary -- has spoken out about the adjectives routinely applied to her that would never enter a discussion of a male candidate - that she is "shrill", "frumpy", "fake", etc.

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These adjectives are stealth missiles that can "take out" the story of one extraordinary woman - running on her record - entitled to her own story, based more on "real life" than any fictional future.
I was an adventurous 22-year-old girl back in 1981, working a few jobs in Boston and going to school on and off, when one day I decided to join my older sister on a European backpacking adventure. And so off we went, set to travel for two months. When we got to Italy (five weeks in) we decided to head to the Greek Islands.

We began to follow a wise American guy traveling alone. He was knowledgeable, and knew where to go, whether by boat or train. His name was Stearns Charles Pluff (Chuck), a 27-year-old from Biloxi, Mississippi and he had already been traveling the world for a year and a half.

One day, on a train in Greece, I found myself sitting beside an aggressive older Greek suitor that I had no interest in. He was intruding into my space. Chuck called out to the guy who was harassing me and told him to leave me alone, as I was his wife. Quickly, I ran to sit beside Chuck and hug and kiss him as he was now my husband :). He was a handsome and dashing guy. Well, it happened to be a very nice kiss and hug that led to a lot more.

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All of us then traveled to Santorini, Greece and then back to Athens. My sister then wanted to cut the trip short (I always felt a bit guilty about the romance) and go back to the U.S. but I wanted to travel more, so she left for the airport and I went with Chuck to Istanbul, Turkey. We had an amazing time together. We traveled for a total of three-and-a-half weeks together. I cared for him, and we were immensely happy and comfortable with each other. But I knew I needed to go back to the U.S. to finish school. We said our goodbyes and agreed to write. I sent him a Christmas card but never heard back.

Fast forward 32 years to 2013, and I was packing up my house for a move. My oldest son came by for a visit and I said "Hey, look at my Europe file" -- as my son had completed a semester overseas. I emptied the accordion ribboned folder and let everything fall out. This included my Eurail map, ticket stubs, photos and lots of little pieces of paper.

He randomly pulled out one of the pieces of paper and said "What are these?" I said, "Before the Internet, when you met people, you wrote their name, address and phone number on a piece of paper and shared it." He said, "Who is this ... Stearns Charles Pluff?" I know, funny name. I said, "Oh well, there is a story behind that one." Of course I filter the story for my son. Knowing that I am divorced and alone, he told me that I needed to find this guy. I said, "Oh no no no, we are both Catholic and I am most certain he is married, I do not want to bother him."

My son grabs his laptop and after 30 seconds, he said, "Is this him?" WELL ... I tilt my head (because this photo of the guy is not the 27-year-old I knew, but someone 32 years older). I knew from the smile and the unique name and city, though, that it was him. It scared me but clearly made me smile. There he was. My son insists on me emailing him. I really had hesitations but then decided that, since my son never insists on anything, I ought to follow up. So I emailed Chuck the following:

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Title: Greece and Turkey 1981

On 5/20/13 11:13 PM, Cathy Farmer wrote:

--------------------

Chuck,

I was going through my old Europe file and I found your name with a Biloxi MI, address on a small paper. I figured I would look you up online, just for kicks. :)

I was traveling with my sister when we met in Greece. You and I then traveled to Istanbul which included a crazy crowded train ride with a knife being pulled but then we enjoyed a most amazing turkish bath. I bought a rug that still is in my home today. I hope the 30+ years have been good for you, as they have been for me. Sending a fond memory smile your way,

-- Cathy

Luckily, Chuck replied quickly to my email. He, too, was divorced and also unsuccessful in finding that forever love. So emails and texts soon turned into phone calls and finally Chuck came to the California Bay Area, whereupon old feelings were rekindled!

We are happily in love and living in Berkeley, California, doing work we enjoy and looking forward to traveling together a lot more as retirement nears.

Everyone can have a second chance at love, even after 50.



Earlier on Huff/Post50:
I thought I knew what Hillary Clinton stood for. But after her debate with Bernie Sanders, I'm not so sure.

I could hardly believe my own ears when Hillary suddenly launched into a full-throated defense of political contributions by wealthy corporations.

Huh?

Hillary forcefully proclaimed that she "absolutely rejects" the idea that "anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought."

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In other words, she believes that political contributions are perfectly fine.

No. This is not okay. In fact, political contributions are exactly the problem. This is the very mechanism that is undermining our society and blocking the passage of meaningful reforms that would benefit all of us as a whole.

The system itself is a viscous circle. Politicians are forced to raise huge sums of money in order to win elections. Once in office, these politicians must serve their wealthy corporate masters. If they failed to obey, then these politicians would be cut-off from future funding that they desperately need for reelection, and thus they would be swiftly voted out of office.

This entire system of political contributions is a modern-day form of legalized corruption, and it is causing the decay of our society. This corruption is directly responsible for the enormous problem of income inequality because wealthy interests are able to block reforms designed to benefit the middle and lower classes, which form the core of the Democratic Party.

So Hillary just flatly has it wrong on the central issue of our time.

In continuing her defense of political contributions, Hillary defiantly asserted that "you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received."

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This is the defense of "trust me," and "catch me if you can." Politicians have been hiding behind this forever. "Sure, I took all of this money, but no need to worry because of course I would never be influenced by money in any way whatsoever."

Really?

Then why are all of these wealthy corporations contributing so much money to politicians? Are they just wasting it? Just throwing it away for no reason?

And why do these corporations end-up with great advantages in government? Just by coincidence? Total happenstance? Magic?

It's just not credible. C'mon. We all know what is happening. Corporations contribute large sums to politicians because corporations receive direct benefits in return.

For Hillary to stand-up and defend this practice is shocking. And unacceptable.

Of course, Hillary has a bit of a problem on her hands because, in fact, she did accept huge amounts of contributions over the years. But Hillary must find a better way of addressing this issue.

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The truth is that Hillary did nothing wrong. She merely participated in the very same system as just about every other politician, even though this system is deeply flawed. If we were to disqualify every candidate who ever took a political donation, we would be left with hardly any candidates. Indeed, this is a tricky message to communicate, but voters can handle it.

If Hillary continues to defend the very corrupt practice that is causing such deep problems within our society, then the choice is clear.
College Tourist, by Roslyn Kent, University of Calgary

Failing to prepare is like preparing to fail; get organized, check off that list and do your research before you go overseas to the United Kingdom--you won't regret be over prepared.



It's normal to be overwhelmed by all the check lists, packing lists and shopping lists that you'll undoubtedly be inundated with prior to leaving for your exchange in the UK. Emotions aside, the last thing you'll want to deal with before you leave is the logistics of your exchange; unfortunately, your mom can't do it all for you. Not sure what you'll need while overseas? Here's what you should and shouldn't do prior to leaving for your whirlwind study abroad experience:

Don't:



1. Overpack: You won't be wanting to bring all your unnecessary bulky toiletries. You will be able to buy almost all of them there (unless you need to use specific brands) and chances are, they'll be even cheaper overseas (hello Poundland!).

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2. Buy a roaming package for your phone: Phone plans are dirt cheap in the UK (the cheapest you'll pay is 5/month or at the most, 15/month, which will probably included unlimited data and lots of texting and calling). If you extend your phone plan from home it will still cost you more, especially for data--you'll want data in case you get lost. Try to get a month by month plan so you're not tied down to anything. If you can, sign up with Three Mobile, that way you can use your phone for free in 10 other countries in Europe!

3. Pay for unnecessary visas: Make sure you're aware of exactly which visa you'll need while in the UK. It's likely your home university's study abroad office will assist you in this, but avoid seeking advice elsewhere (i.e. from friends who've never studied abroad). If you're a citizen of a commonwealth country then you won't have to pay for a visa at all if you only plan to stay in the UK for six months. Research the different options and be wary of paying for a visa you won't need.

4. Bring your hair dryer and straightener: If you want to avoid bringing home a broken hair dryer/straightener, it's highly advisable that you buy a cheap one over there and share with your roommates. Oftentimes, North American hair dryers and straighteners aren't equipped to handle the voltage of a UK outlet. If you're certain yours can handle it then go ahead and bring it with you, if not, it's better to be safe than sorry!

5. Pack clothing for all climates: When you go travelling during your study abroad, it's highly unlikely that the weather will be the same everywhere you go. It could be snowing in Poland and sunny and warm in Spain in a matter of a couple of weeks. Avoid having to buy a new pair of shorts or some mittens once you get there and pack a few pieces of clothing for each season--you won't regret it.

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Do:



1. Plan ahead for travelling: Is there anything you can bring with you that will help you plan for your eurotrip? It might be helpful to pack some of your things in a travelling backpacking of 30L or more and even bring along smaller items like a money belt, a lock for a hostel locker, a day pack or universal plug converters. These are things that you might not know where to buy once you arrive in the UK and they're quite easy to pack.

2. Prepare how you will spend money abroad: Are you going to open a bank account once you're there? Are you planning to use your visa? The former will involve wiring money over from your bank (more costly) or getting a bank draft before you go with the funds you will want to deposit in a new account once you arrive in the UK (cheaper). Talk to your bank personally and decide what the most affordable option is for you. Remember to keep in mind exchange rates and fees that your visa will incur.

3. Take out cash: You'll want a decent (but not hefty) amount of cash on hand for when you arrive in the UK in case you aren't able to set up your bank account right away or your visa doesn't work (also to pay for transportation on your first day). You might think you have it all figured out but you should still expect the unexpected.

4. Arrange how you will get to your new accommodation from the airport: It's never fun to be stranded in a new place, especially when you're jet lagged and incredibly overwhelmed. It's likely that there will be a train station in or near the airport you land in that will take you to your destination. Do your research before you go or talk to friends who have already studied abroad at the same university about the best way to get to where you need to be. Chances are you won't have a working phone for GPS when you arrive, which is something you might not think about until you actually land.

5. Bring photos from home: Order some 47 prints of your family and friends so you can put them up on your bedroom wall once you arrive; they wont take up space and they're relatively cheap to print. The first week of your study abroad can be the most challenging--mentally and emotionally--and you'll thank yourself later when you have a reminder of home to look at on a daily basis.



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6. Pack a journal: Buy a journal for yourself and write down something new for every day of your exchange. You may not believe it now, but your study abroad will flash before your eyes and before you know it, you'll be packing up your bags to head back home. There's no better souvenir to have than a journal filled with your favourite study abroad memories. It can also serve as a reminder of the names of places, people and specific things you encountered; you'd be surprised just how much you forget once you arrive back home.

A couple extra things to do when you arrive:



1. Buy a 16-25 railcard: If you think that you'll be doing a lot of travel by train to different places in the UK (I wouldn't think twice about this one!), then you'll definitely want to get yourself a railcard because it will get you 1/3 off all train tickets for the entire duration of your exchange. You can order one online and have it sent to your address in the UK once you arrive.
Get to the heart of your destination with a Lonely Planet Guide Book, ENTER TO WIN our GIVEAWAY. #TravelLovesMe

We've teamed up with the worlds biggest travel guide book publisher to spread the travel love. 10 lucky winners will receive one of ten Lonely Planet Guide Books in our Valentines Day #TravelLovesMe giveaway.

Students share why #TravelLovesMe



Roslyn Kent, University of Calgary I love to travel for the adventure. Exploring outside the city's limits can be one of the best and most exciting ways to discover hidden wonders and places that the average tourist never finds. For me, this often includes hiking, swimming and just wandering in general. If there's a little known secret about a destination that I'm travelling to, I'll make it my mission to find it, regardless of the trek it takes to get there. After all, it's often not the tourist destinations that give the best adventure, but the exploration of new ones that people never told you about.

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Nikki McKenna, Florida Atlantic University

I love travel because I love meeting new people and learning about their cultures, their languages and their customs. I love trying new food and seeing new sights as well as admiring the local flora and fauna of each place I go to. I love exploring new places and feeling that sense of adventure that the unknown brings. I not only learn about other cultures but I learn a lot about myself when I travel.

Miranda Siwak, Elon University I love to travel because I love the opportunity to see and experience new places, cultures and have new adventures doing things I normally wouldn't have the chance to do. Travel has long been one of my favorite pastimes, as I have always loved stepping outside my hometown and seeing more of the world. I've always loved just walking around, exploring new places and travel as been the perfect way to satisify that desire. I like seeing new cultures, and learning more about the historical context each place has to offer, spending as much time as I can at each destination, viewing every immense detail and learning more about what everything was used for over time.

Alea Gilhuly-Mandel, Curry College I love traveling because it makes makes me expect the unexpected and you get out of your comfort zone. I've always been a fan of routine and excessive planning, especially when traveling, but when you travel nothing goes to plan. Instead, you learn to expect the unexpected and deal with situations that you never thought were possible. Trying new things and getting out of your comfort zone is one of the best things about traveling because the minute you step outside your comfort zone you learn the most about yourself. You learn that you can handle any situation and you learn that you are stronger, braver and smarter then you ever thought possible. Sometimes you learn this early in the morning after getting your cell phone stolen the night before and sometimes you learn it late at night when you're trying new foods with people you never knew existed.

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Check out all the mobile news from Lonely Planet with the launch of Guides.



"We are very excited to launch Guides for mobile. We were one of the first travel publishers ever to have content available in the App Store and were a launch partner for the iPad," said Lonely Planet CEO Daniel Houghton. "We have taken the time to understand what travelers need and expect from a mobile product in 2016. Guides delivers Lonely Planet's expertly-curated content in a format that is contextual and intuitive on mobile devices and which utilizes the many great innovations of those platforms to deliver the best possible user experience."

Guides is available starting January 28, 2016 on App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android.

Carine Alexis, St. John's University I love to travel because it allows me to re-invent myself, and be more like the person I've always wanted to be. There's something very liberating about finding yourself in a new culture, free from the preconceived notions of people who know you well. Traveling has given me the opportunity to delve into different experiences and become the most adventurous, independent, and free-spirited version of myself; and once you experience that personal growth of character, you carry it with you for life.

Emily Roth, University of Connecticut I love to travel because I love being lost! There's nothing better than spending the day searching the streets of a small Italian city for gelato or wandering a deserted Greek island. I like not knowing what the coming hour, day, or week will hold. Our lives are usually so planned and scheduled and traveling is the perfect vacation from all that!

Emily Freebery, Fordham University I love travel for the amazing photos and the memories that come with them! There's nothing I love more then looking back at all of my travel photos, reliving the days and experiences from when I took them. Travel photos are an amazing way to take yourself right back any city or country you've visited. Uploading, sorting through, and editing my photos is one of my favorite pastimes (other then actually traveling and taking the photos of course!) and I never get tired of looking at them! Past travel photos are also a great tool to inspire future trips! Looking through my photos always makes me want to plan my next adventure!

Alexandra Perez, University of Iowa I Love to travel because I love the thrill of being a stranger in a new place. When you stay in the same place for so long you become stagnant and your life becomes routine. Traveling brings out the brave and courageous person that I've always wanted to be. I truly believe that I'm my best self when I'm exploring new places.

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Molly Green, University of Minnesota love travel because I love feeling anonymous in a new city. I love that nobody knows who I am, and I am just another traveler drifting through the universe carefully observing the surface level of a new culture. It is a very grounding and humbling experience, and I'm grateful for every opportunity I've had to be an outsider at a coffee shop, a family dinner, or a holiday parade in another part of the world.

Hannah Polston, University of Denver I love traveling because I love learning. College textbooks can teach you a lot about the world but traveling can teach you so much more. I love what travel has taught me about other cultures, customs, ways of doing things, people, food, languages, history, why things are they way they are, and maybe most importantly, what travel has taught me about myself.

Brooke Stafford, Penn State University I love to travel because I love to eat! After only a few weeks in Barcelona, Spain, my eyes were opened to foods with flavors I'd never tasted before--paella, chocolate-dipped churros, croquetas, empanadas, jamon, potatoes bravas and an endless supply of tapas. Salty, sweet, savory, spicy. I was suddenly head-over-heals in love with trying new foods. When I traveled to London, I experimented with food in the same way. I tasted classic foods, but with new flavors. The Camden Market taught me what ice cream and mac & cheese should really taste like... and my stomach couldn't have been more grateful. My love affair with food has grown ever since. Every new place I go, I taste-test the delicacies, I sip on new wines and I try as many desserts as I can. The world is a big place. If you're traveling to make new memories and to have new experiences, don't forget to EAT NEW FOODS! You won't regret it.

Gabrielle Hickmon, Cornell University I love to travel because I like to test myself! I love to see if I can find my way home, or figure out the subway system in another country. I find that I'm the best version of myself when I'm off wandering somewhere and quite honestly I'm addicted to the high I get from being both lost and found at the same time by traveling. I enjoy being forced to step out of my comfort zone and seeing how I will handle that. Will I feed myself, make friends, get lost? I like to travel because I love the challenge of losing myself in a new culture, land, and community, but also finding and recreating her again at each new destination.

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Sarah Dougherty, University of Alabama I love to travel because I love feeling like I'm a part of something bigger. Anonymously exploring is my favorite way to experience different cultures, lifestyles and things beyond the bubble of my comfort zone. I often get caught up in work and to-dos, and travel is my favorite way to refresh, feel inspired and get closer to being the person I want to become.

Niki Kirschner, University of Delaware I love to travel because of the duel feelings of adrenaline and relaxation. There is always the unknown factor when going somewhere new for the first time, but there is a calmness in that feeling as well. Getting to see, touch, taste, smell, and explore a part of the world that is new to you...there is nothing like it! If 100 people travel to the same destination there will be 100 unique experiences within that destination, which is why I love traveling so much!
Most couples believe that they need to get married, buy a house, have children and live "normal" adult lives. But in this brave new world, modern day couples are re-writing the script, taking the road less traveled, and daring to live the life of their dreams. We asked the top couples travel experts around the world about their favorite places to visit, ultimate bucket list trip, secret travel tips they swear by, and their most romantic destination. Here is our list of the top Instagram couples traveling the world that you need to be following. I now pronounce you, Mr. & Mrs. Nomad. #Relationshipgoals, commence.

Why You Need to Follow Them: They quit their jobs in corporate America, sold their cars, and rented out their Los Angeles home in order to travel the world, starting travel blog, Roamaroo.com. They believe in quitting your day job, but never quitting your daydream. Believing in the authenticity of the untold story, Roamaroo captures luxurious and adventurous destinations around the world. These travel experts are regular contributors to Livestrong.com, Elite Daily, and The Huffington Post. Editor's Note: I might be biased because I'm half of the equation!

Their ultimate bucket list trip is to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and follow the trek with a safari during the great migration, combining adventure and Mother Nature at its purest form. Their most romantic trip has been in an over-water bungalow at Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives where they were able to spend their days scuba diving in the idyllic Indian Ocean.

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Why You Need to Follow Them: Hannah & Adam kicked their corporate jobs to the curb and said good-bye to the "American Dream" in June 2013 and have been "Getting Stamped" across the world ever since! They have traveled to 6 continents, stamped in 55 countries, slept in 300+ beds, and made countless memories.

Their favorite destination is Koh Lipe, Thailand, where they fell in love with the friendliest locals and tasty Thai food. They love waking up to the waves crashing outside their beach villa, and only being steps to the ocean. Their ultimate bucket list trip is to Antarctica so they can make it to all seven continents in the world.

Why You Need to Follow Them: In June 2014, they quit their jobs in London to travel the world. They've since been traveling through Asia, chronicling their adventures along the way.

Their favorite destinations have been Mongolia and Nepal for the breathtaking scenery where they have planned their travels around exciting festivals. They recommend scheduling an Autumn trip to India around Diwali or heading over to Mongolia in July when they have their annual Naadam Festival (their Olympics equivalent).

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Why You Need to Follow Them: Since tying the knot in 2014, this wanderlusting couple has been all over the world... and they aren't slowing down! Whether they're exploring exotic locations (next stop: Cuba!), easy weekend trips (Palm Springs, anyone?), or their favorite backyard finds (Bear Flag fish tacos. Best on the west coast.), Bobby and Alli aim to prove that marriage is the ultimate adventure. Especially when you're married to your favorite travel buddy!

Their most romantic trip has been on their honeymoon to Panama, which included a trip to Panama City, a road trip to Boquete, and Boca Chica, a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific Ocean. Travel tips they swear by include "bringing a deck of cards wherever you go, stay hydrated, change your socks when you land after a long flight, and always have a sense of humor."

Why You Need to Follow Them: After meeting on Hayman Island, Australia in 2008. They have skimmed the Mediterranean on a Superyacht before heading to America to do the same only to end up spending 6 months living in The Maldives & Asia.

These diving lovers are obsessed with the romantic island of Nukubati in Fiji where they could catch fresh seafood daily in their remote village. They are torn between two bucket list trips, a stay in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora and then a luxury African safari.



Why You Need to Follow Them: An LA based couple that proves you don't need to quit your job to travel the world. Recently married at a destination wedding on the beaches of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, these partners in business and in travel run FitLife Productions in Santa Monica, California.

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Their most romantic trip was to Italy where Jeven proposed to Rachel while hiking through the Alps. They believe in not planning every step of a trip because "the best moments you'll have when traveling are the ones that you least expect. See where the day takes you. Don't look at trip Advisor or any other blog. Just let go and experience the adventure."

Why You Need to Follow Them: Nearly two years ago, this traveling couple sold all of their belongings and moved into a motorhome in order to travel around the United States.

These California natives love traveling to National and State parks in the U.S. They still manage to keep their full-time jobs while quenching their wanderlust. David and Allison believe that "experiences are more valuable than luxury...we would rather stay in a less expensive hotel and have the extra cash creating memories when traveling."

Why You Need to Follow Them: These married travel junkies are absolutely addicted to delicious food and extraordinary travel. Their life is a happy blur of hotel rooms, luggage, airports, good food, beautiful cities and great fun!

Out of the 32 countries they have traveled to, their most romantic trip has been to Hawaii in the United States while the idyllic island of Sardinia, Italy is a close second. These travel bloggers recommend not planning in advance as they prefer to "discover and wander. Why not get lost?!"

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Why You Need to Follow Them: These nomadic lovers met only one and a half years ago and have already traveled to over 20 countries together. They still manage to find time to travel despite pursuing law and medical degrees.

Their favorite trip together has been to Iceland where they road tripped through the country for a week. Their most romantic vacation has been to Cinque Terre, Italy, where they say they would "go back in a heartbeat." They are currently dreaming of bucket list trips to Japan, Cuba, and South Africa.

Why You Need to Follow Them: This adventure loving duo have been curiously traveling together for over 20 years. They've been travel blogging since 2008.

Their most romantic trip together has been in an over-water cottage in the "middle of Tumbak lagoon in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia. Alone, in the middle of the sea, after a beautiful sunset, under the stars and the moon, we were close to what we can call the perfect romantic spot." They are currently dreaming of a trip to Myanmar for its mix of culture and landscape.

Why You Need to Follow Them: Why You Should Follow Them: Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, these two have a big taste for travel and photography. They we quit their day jobs to fulfill a lifelong dream of traveling the world, wandering without an end-date and the comforting safety of a job or apartment to get back to. Their battle cry is to stay as long as we want in one spot, when they get bored, they move on.

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Their most romantic trip was a drive from Gothenburg, Norway to Jotunheimen, Norway to a national park. Upon arrival, they pitched a tent and enjoyed some wine with a private view of the fjords. When asked about travel tips, this Swedish duo said, "don't book too much in advance, take it as it comes and follow your gut. Just be curious, have fun and explore, you will only regret what you didn't experience. - To us, It's all about the amount of life in your time."

Why You Need to Follow Them: Mike & Luci are on a mission to encourage couples to get out and see the world together. They have visited 40 countries together and have fought on 6 continents. The pair shares a drive to explore and help couples overcome their fears and work together.

Their favorite destination thus far has been Istanbul for its incredible food and shopping. The duo says that, "you will never eat a better kabob than on the street in Istanbul" and that "the Grand Bazaar is one of the most interesting/overwhelming/crazy places we have visited." The travel tip they live by is traveling on the shoulder season because "everything on the shoulder season is cheaper: hotels, cars and attractions. You might have a couple days of rain, but trust us, you can afford a good umbrella with the money that you will save. We like to travel in the spring and fall, but each destination has a unique off-season."

Why You Need to Follow Them: Dave and Deb are well-known travel personalities in both online and mainstream media. Their highly acclaimed website, The Planet D, won back to back Gold Medals for Best Travel Blog by the Society of American Travel Writers (2014/2015) They've travelled to more than 100 countries on all 7 continents. As spokespeople and international ambassadors they've worked with some of the world's top travel brands and have been featured in major Canadian and international media outlets such as The BBC, Lonely Planet, The Today Show and Yahoo Travel.

The most romantic trip they have ever taken was a week in Santorini, Greece where they "relaxed, booked a cave hotel overlooking the caldera and ate Greek yogurt every morning" from their private balcony. Antarctica has been their favorite destination for the sheer wow factor and their ultimate bucket list trip would be trekking to see the mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda.

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Why You Need to Follow Them: In May 2015, they sold their belongings, rented their condo, and left the US on a one way ticket, getting hitched in Barcelona and never looked back. These digital nomads have no immediate plans to settle, but are evaluating each 'temporary home' as a place to reside one day.
It may not be what you've been told by your local, trusted corporate news conglomerate, but it's true in the hearts and minds of the majority of Americans: Bernie Sanders is the more favorable candidate for the Democratic Party's Presidential Nomination. According to the latest Gallup poll, conducted between Jan. 18 - 30, 2016, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has overtaken Sec. Hillary Clinton in national democratic net favorability ratings, +53 to +49, respectively. As for voters 64 and under, Bernie has a +11 net favorability over Hillary. For those under 30, he's a rock star, topping the former First Lady by 27 points! This poll, in which the democratic establishment candidate had previously held a substantial lead over her progressive counterpart, is a reflection of the fact that more and more Americans are beginning to hear and agree with Bernie Sanders' message. According to the same poll, Sen. Sanders is now known by 75% of citizens when, only months ago, during the mainstream media coronation of Clinton, he was a virtual unknown.

The main reason for voters' relative unfamiliarity with him was the intense and intentional mainstream media blackout of Bernie Sanders throughout the Fall, dubbed the "Bernie blackout." It wasn't until the Sanders campaign called out major networks like NBC, CBS and ABC in early January on their biased coverage (a whopping 23 to 1 ratio of Trump to Bernie despite their similar polling numbers) that they've begrudgingly begun to adjust their focus. When he was covered nationally, it was usually with open derision and disdain from establishment and corporate-owned punditry. They would talk themselves in circles over his "unelectability," or his "lack of experience," and especially his "radical views" that are far "too idealistic." All that nonsense was exposed as hollow words on the night of the Iowa Caucus.

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Escaping defeat by the narrowest of margins, even requiring odd-defying coin flip wins in six precincts, the Clinton campaign was put on notice. Even in a state like Iowa, where she has been cultivating a loyal Clinton base for over two decades, even with 1/4 voters still in the dark about Sanders' stances on the issues, she was unable to pronounce a convincing, or entirely confirmed, victory ... and the Sanders campaign is just warming up. In a recent CNN poll of democratic primary voters in New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders has extended his lead to 31 points over Clinton, an 8-point boost in the past few days.

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Art schools and university art departments are where the next generation of professional artists receives its training. A number of schools in the Northeast, however, have been taking a remedial course in the disposal of toxic art materials from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. "Schools just don't get that environmental rules apply to them," said Peggy Bagnoli, program leader for the EPA's College and University Initiative. "They think hazardous wastes are just what big factories produce."

The five year-old Initiative examined hazardous waste disposal practices campus-wide at dozens of colleges and universities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, but what struck government inspectors most clearly was the failure of the art departments to even know which materials they worked with were hazardous. "There is a real lack of knowledge within the art departments of what is in the materials they are using and what the risks are in handling or disposing of them," said Rich Piligian, an EPA inspector.

The EPA had assumed that the origins of most spills, leaks and improper storage of potential pollutants were the biology and chemistry departments. However, faculty in these departments were fully aware that they were working with dangerous materials, only using small amounts at any one time that fit into test tubes, whereas the art faculty often had no idea and regularly used gallon containers.

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"At one school, it was an art school, a ceramics instructor assured me that there were no glazes they used that contained lead," Piligian said. "I asked him for the Materials Safety Data Sheets for the glazes" - the manufacturer's description of the product's contents, including known toxic ingredients, which federal law requires art supply producers to make available to buyers - "and showed him that the glazes clearly contained lead. He just never had looked."

One of the worst instances of environmental damage resulting from an art department was a slow, chronic leak into the Charles River of various oils from an underground storage tank at Boston University's School of the Arts. The University was fined $253,000 by the EPA and required to spend $518,000 in clean-up and other environmental projects. The University of Rhode Island was also forced to spend approximately $800,000 in fines and clean-up for environmental contamination caused by the art and other campus departments. Brown University, the University of New Hampshire and Yale University, were also fined by the EPA for violations in their disposal practices of hazardous materials.

The EPA was concerned about both the effect of improper disposal on the water supply and the admixture of unmonitored fumes on the air quality.

Bagnoli noted that it was common practice at many school art departments for students and faculty to "dump their paints down the sink. Some of those paints contained cadmium and lead, which damage the water supply." When a spill occurred of turpentine or some other solvent, "someone would wipe it up with a rag or a sponge but not understand that the rag or sponge was now contaminated and needed to be treated as a hazardous waste. They just put in the regular trash." Additionally, many art materials were stored in unlabeled, open containers, and different wastes were poured into the same 50-gallon drums for disposal without any understanding of how the differing chemicals might react with each other.

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Russia has made no bones about its desire to keep Bashar al-Assad in power in Syria and Vladimir Putin has clearly put his bombs where his mouth is: Aleppo, Syria's biggest city and the most important one outside of Damascus, is on the way to falling to Assad, thanks to a firestorm of Russian attacks from the air.

A year after Assad seemed ready to run, he looks not only able to survive but beat down a widespread Sunni Muslim insurgency. His guardian angels are Russia and Iran's ruling mullahs. Russia's jet bombing has been especially decisive in isolating Aleppo and routing rebels.

Last year, US President Barack Obama dismissed Putin's intervention as a descent into quagmire, and it may eventually turn out to be so. But for the moment, Secretary of State John Kerry is left to practically beg Putin to lay off. The US dream of an Assad-free Syria, replaced by some sort of inclusive government, seems distant. Dead also is the idea that Iran, which after the nuclear program deal was welcomed into what's called the global community, would opt out of military activity in the Middle East.

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It was always clear that Iran would not easily give up its hold on Syria. Even if Assad somehow was persuaded to leave, Iran would want someone in his place who was as pliable (read: willing to keep its arms supply to its Hezbollah ally in Lebanon open). There's a sectarian aspect, too. Surrendering Syria would have meant the end of revolutionary Tehran's aim to spread Shiite Islamic influence into the heart of the Sunni Muslim Arab world. So Syria's Alawite minority, of which Assad is a member, has to remain in charge of the Sunni-majority country.

Russian stakes seem much less vital than Iran's. Keeping a Mediterranean naval base, that Russia may have not lost anyway, hardly justifies the destruction its planes are wreaking on Syria.

On the other hand, Putin has thrown the West and Middle Eastern allies into general disarray. He undoubtedly takes great pleasure in that. Europe is quaking under a migrant onslaught. Turkey has been hit by multiple terror attacks. And the US is caught up in sterile election debates about the horror of Syria without anyone offering clear ideas of what to do about it.

Putin's tactics in Syria are remarkably similar to ones he used to subdue a separatist rebellion in Chechnya in 1999 and 2000. His army pulverized the Chechen capital, Grozny, with artillery and jet bombing. Troops surrounded the city in an air-tight siege. Civilians fled, leaving the city as a free-fire zone.

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The same is happening at Aleppo, with Russian air power carrying much of the freight. Rebels say multiple bombing runs take place every hour. Syrian troops, backed by Hezbollah soldiers and Iranian-sponsored militias have surrounded the city. The West and Turkey may be horrified by the stream of refugees from the city, but for Putin, that's a good sign. Let Turkey and Europe worry about refugees.

Neighboring players in the region that have intervened one way or another are reluctant to forcefully help their rebel friends. Saudi Arabia is tied up in their own misguided Yemen bombing adventure. Turkey is mostly interested in bombing Syrian Kurds. Jordan is weak. And of course, all lack any sense of direction from Washington, nominal ally of all and leader of the Assad-must-go team. Obama has substituted an ineffective campaign against the Islamic State for an overall Syria policy.

It can be said that George Bush's war in Iraq opened Baghdad to Iranian domination. Obama's indecisiveness (or decision not to be decisive) guarantees Iran's ability to call the shots in Syria.

How, you may ask, can all this happen in the middle of Geneva peace talks, which have been suspended because of the Aleppo onslaught? Maybe the Vietnam War offers some perspective: from 1969 on, the US and North Vietnamese alternately escalated and eased military activity while peace negotiations dragged on and off; the US was especially active in launching massive bomb campaigns to encourage North Vietnam to accept an accord. It's pretty clear that Putin does not consider negotiations and bombing to be contradictory.

The destruction of Syria is awful. Tens of thousands of Syrians have been killed. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are homeless, in and outside of Syria. City after city has been devastated. And now Aleppo, which in the last years of pre-insurgency Syria experienced a kind of commercial renaissance, is being battered. The renaissance is long over; welcome to the Dark Ages.

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Mary's in love, Barrow's in tears, Carson's pushing his luck, Daisy's losing her manners, Isobel's weakening, Lord Grantham's bored and if looks from Violet could kill, pretty much everyone would be dead.

But the busiest chap on Downton Abbey's fourth-to-last episode Sunday night was writer Julian Fellowes, who was scurrying about the chessboard at the speed of sound, positioning players on the paths to their finish lines.

He even teased us with an apparent resolution to the hospital story, though we know in our hearts that the King will be replaced by a street mime before the hospital argument ends.

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Official word came down that the merger will go through as proposed, and Clarkson successfully proposed that Cora replace Violet as chairman of the board.

Cora agreed, saying she was ready for a job now that she no longer had to raise the girls, an amusing image considering that most Brit aristocrats see their children about as often as they see Halley's Comet.

In any case, no one was rushing to tell Violet, since this would be roughly as palatable as telling her she would have to wear clown shoes for the rest of her life.

So Violet went on blithely assuming she'd won, and she told Robert and Cora she would be "magnanimous in victory." As if.

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After she learned the truth, she directed Lord Grantham to "tell Cora I do not wish to see her face until I get used to having a traitor in the family."

Yup, she's taking it well.

Yet for all that, Violet finished a distant second in the victim sympathy sweepstakes Sunday, because first place went to the unlikeliest character in all of Downton: Evil Thomas.

He had started teaching Andy to read, a rather selfless gesture, and their sessions were late at night, so no one would know Andy can't read.

Alas, both Mrs. Patmore and Mr. Carson caught on to their get-togethers and misread them.

Carson confronted Barrow. Barrow assured him there was nothing untoward going on. Mr. Carson said he wished he could believe that.

Barrow was already clinging to his job by the tip of his pinky. Now he figured - probably correctly - that Carson was about to stomp on that.

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The episode ended with Barrow alone, crying.

Sorry, Violet, Barrow wins.

Meanwhile, Mary and Tom decided to crack the doors of Downton for a one-day open house, where the common folk from the Village could pony up a few pence for charity and see how the 1% lived.

Robert called the idea "crackers." "What can we offer them to see?" he said. "Lady Grantham knitting? Lady Mary taking a bath?"

Uh, that probably could draw a crowd.

No one cared much for the open house idea, except Tom, Mary and Isobel. Carson warned that if you let the peasants see how the rich live, it only gives them ideas: "Next thing you know, there's a guillotine in Trafalgar Square."





What no one realized except Edith's beau Bertie - an estate agent - is that the family couldn't just sit around and count the hours until the unwashed masses were shooed away. There needed to be guides, and since the librarian was on holiday, that task fell to Cora, Mary and Edith.

What followed would have warmed Miss Bunting's heart, wherever it is, since it seemed the Crawleys really didn't know much about things like, oh, the paintings or the architecture.

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A visitor asked Edith about one of the architects, and she said, "He designed many lovely, big buildings." Another visitor asked Cora about a fireplace design and she said she'd never noticed it before.

Happily, Violet saved the day. When she made an unscheduled entrance, Mary asked her to tell the guests what the Fourth Earl collected besides art.



"Horses and women," Violet replied as she swept past.

Violet was not there, however, to audition as a docent - though Maggie Smith was magnificent in Lettuce and Lovage.



She was on her way to confront Cora about the hospital board presidency, and since the fire in her eyes could have melted the polar ice cap, that touring group got a bit more of the Downton experience than they perhaps expected.

After the open house ended, Branson reported it had yielded a tidy return. So, like every kid who makes money at a lemonade stand, he suggested to the family that they hold regular open houses.

Everyone except maybe Cora agreed that was the worst idea ever.

Branson said every revenue stream counted these days, which led to a round of gloomy admissions about the problems of keeping large estates afloat.

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Mary cut that off by saying any conversation about the end was "weakling talk. . . . Thankfully, George and I are made of sterner stuff than the rest of you."

Beyond the move to eliminate Barrow, downstairs could have a lower-profile downsizing. The headmaster of the school where Daisy is taking her test asked Molesley if he might like to help part-time.

Molesley, who's not used to good news of any kind, looked like he'd just won the Irish Sweepstakes.

Naturally he also got some bad news. Baxter had a letter from Peter Coyle, who's now serving 10 years, asking if she would visit him.

On the surface, that seems about as enticing as a dinner invitation from a cannibal. But we clearly don't know the whole Baxter-and-Peter story yet, nor does Molesley, since she said she was considering it.

The really nasty story downstairs, though, was Daisy. It even sounds weird to say that, right?

It started when Mr. Mason gave her a note for Mrs. Patmore, thanking Mrs. P. for bringing him tea. Daisy asked why he needed to do that. He said he wanted to. She brought it back to the kitchen, opened it and threw it in the trash.

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Mrs. Patmore found it, read it and appreciated it.

Later Mr. Mason brought fresh vegetables for Mrs. Patmore. Daisy impatiently demanded to know why he'd do such a thing.

Gee, dunno. To be nice?

We knew from previous kitchen maids that Daisy doesn't always play well with others. But with Mrs. Patmore? Seriously?

Or maybe there's just something in the downstairs water. Mr. Carson ramped up his campaign to irritate Mrs. Hughes, though he wasn't as overtly rude as Daisy and unlike Daisy, he was clueless about the impact of what he was saying.

He criticized Mrs. Hughes's cooking, again, and he was also displeased with how she made the bed. Not the proper "sharp corners," he said, though Mrs. Hughes noted to Mrs. Patmore that she'd been a housekeeper all her life.

"I just want to bring things up to standard," Mr. Carson said of his rolling critiques. Another episode or two of this and Mrs. Hughes is going to be waiting up for him some night with a rolling pin.

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Carson's money shot, however, came when he went to upstairs to slip the very bored Lord Grantham a nip of a good wine.

Lord Grantham looked at it lovingly and said, sorry, I can't. Whereupon Carson told Mrs. Hughes they also needed to stop drinking wine, because it would feel "disloyal."

What Carson really wanted to do, of course, was drink the wine and give up Mrs. Hughes's cooking.

In other relationship news, Isobel got a visit from a Miss Cruickshank. She's the fiance of Lord Merton's son Larry, the one who treated Isobel like a bug you fish out of your lemonade.

Larry's arrogant denunciation had led Isobel to break off her engagement to Lord Merton. Now Miss Cruickshank told Isobel the whole family did not share Larry's heartless sentiments and she hoped Isobel might reconsider Lord Merton's still-open proposal.

Earlier in the evening Violet had asked if Isobel was "weakening" on her refusal of Lord Merton and Isobel looked uncharacteristically flustered. Hmmmm.

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Edith, meanwhile, was doing so well with the magazine that Lord Grantham suggested she might become "one of the interesting women of the day."

Cora got him to confess that's something he never would have said 10 years earlier. "The world has changed," he replied. "And I have changed."

Edith also continued to care increasingly less what Mary thought, and by Sunday night their brief detente in the wake of Lord Grantham's burst ulcer had pretty much evaporated.

When Mary asked a dismissive question about Bertie, Edith shot back, "As opposed to your car mechanic?"

Mary later described Bertie as "boring to an Olympian degree."

Mary did, however, remain fascinated with the Marigold mystery. She told Branson she would see any secrecy by others on that subject as "a betrayal," and when Branson took the bait and said she shouldn't view it that way, she correctly deduced that aha, there is a secret.

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Mary also grilled Anna again, and Anna seemed curiously evasive, though perhaps she was just puzzled.

Mary's better news was that she and Henry got caught in the rain in London - rain in London, there's a shocker - and ducked into a secluded alley, where they chatted briefly before kissing less briefly.

Mary said this was moving faster than she had expected.

Henry replied that while he knew his prospects were "modest at best" and she was a "great catch," nonetheless "you're a woman I happen to be falling in love with."

There must be something about the rain in London. It was also a matchmaker for Rose and Atticus.

Mary did admit to Henry that ever since Matthew was killed in a car crash, cars were not her favorite thing. Henry said she should give them another chance.

The fact she now seemed willing to do that was very good news to Branson, who's all-in on this affair.

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"He's mad about you and he loves cars," Branson said. "I rest my case."

Branson later asked Mary, "Could this be love?"
Today, the University of Phoenix's owner, Apollo Education Group, announced a $1.1 billion deal to be acquired by a consortium of investors including Apollo Global Management (no relation) and the Vistria Group, a private equity firm that includes Tony Miller, who was Deputy Secretary of Education under President Obama from 2009-2013. Miller would become Chairman of the Apollo Education Group Board. Would this be a good deal for America's students and taxpayers?

The University of Phoenix, by far the largest for-profit college, has seen a dramatic decline in enrollments and revenues in recent years, as the public has become aware of abuses and poor performance at the school and in its sector. But today's press release quotes Miller as promising change: "For too long and too often, the private education industry has been characterized by inadequate student outcomes, overly aggressive marketing practices, and poor compliance. This doesn't need to be the case." Miller pledges, "We are committed to accelerating and enhancing efforts to establish University of Phoenix as the leading provider of quality higher education for working adults and to continue supporting the organization's commitment to operating in a manner consistent with the highest ethical standards."

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However, it doesn't seem clear at all, at least not yet, that the new owner would bring genuine change.

Taxpayers have been giving Apollo Education as much as $3.8 billion dollars a year in federal student aid, more than 80 percent of the company's total revenue; even after the recent sharp declines, that amount, combining aid from the Department of Education, the Pentagon, and the VA, exceeded $2 billion last year.

The school's performance has not seemed to justify that enormous investment.

Department of Education data has shown that the University of Phoenix's graduation rate for first-time, full-time students is about 16 percent, and the graduation rate for the school's online programs is about 4 percent. Around 25 percent of University of Phoenix students default on their loans within three years of leaving school. A 2012 Senate report found that the University of Phoenix spent $892 per student on instruction in 2009, compared to $2,225 per student on marketing, and $2,535 per student on profit.

After an investigative reporter highlighted troubling, potentially unlawful recruiting tactics by the school directed at U.S. military service members, the Defense Department temporarily kicked the school's recruiters off bases and suspended its student aid to the school, until home state senator and Armed Services Committee chairman John McCain intervened. But the Pentagon is keeping the school under heightened scrutiny for a year. The University of Phoenix also has been under investigation in recent years by at least four state attorneys general, the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Education for alleged deceptive practices.

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So what are the signs of change, and what are the signs of more of the same?

I would start with Greg Cappelli, who has been CEO or co-CEO of Apollo Education Group since 2009 and with the company since 2007 -- the man who oversaw the record described above. Cappelli, apparently, will remain the company's CEO.

(Cappelli joined Apollo Education after many years as a senior research analyst, covering the for-profit education industry, for Credit Suisse, which is advising Apollo Education on the deal.)

And in terms of the for-profit college industry's long-standing habit of buying friends in Washington, things look also about the same. Vistria group's co-founder and principal is Marty Nesbitt, President Obama's best friend and the chairman of the Obama Foundation, charged with setting up the Obama presidential library. When word of this potential deal surfaced last month, Reuters reported, "Bringing in Vistria was a strategic decision for Apollo Global Management, the sources said, as the buyout firm hopes to smooth relations with government regulators once a deal is completed."

Indeed, the terms of the Apollo-Apollo deal already seek favors from the Obama Administration. Apollo Education only meets its obligations under the deal if it avoids getting a letter from the Department of Education that includes "a statement of intention not to approve the post-Closing eligibility of UOPX to participate in Title IV programs" -- meaning cutting off federal aid for the school under the new owner -- and it avoids the Department requiring the company "to post or maintain a letter of credit in excess of 10% of the Title IV Program funds received by UOPX in its prior fiscal year," as such limitations would constitute a "Burdensome Condition" (double emphasis in original).

In the past few years, the Department of Education has significantly stepped up protections for students and taxpayers against predatory practices by career colleges. Indeed, just this afternoon, Acting Secretary of Education John King and Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell held a press conference to announce that the Department is creating a Student Aid Enforcement Unit "to respond more quickly and efficiently to allegations of illegal actions by higher education institutions." Robert Kaye, formerly the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection's Chief Litigation Counsel, will head the unit. The President's 2017 budget request will seek an additional $13.6 million to strengthen Department oversight of school abuses.

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Kaye has a good reputation with FTC colleagues, and I doubt he would have taken the job if he wasn't serious about getting things done. But it was unclear from the press conference how large a staff he will have, and others who have come to the Department to hold the powerful for-profits accountable have faced frustration trying to swim against a tide of bureaucratic slow-rolling and pressure from Members of Congress in financial thrall to the industry. Let's hope that Department newcomers like Kaye and Rohit Chopra can make a real difference.

(The President's budget also will seek to close the loopholes in the federal 90/10 rule and restore the amount of non-federal money that for-profit colleges must obtain to 15 percent.)

The Department officials declined to offer details at the press conference about the approval process for the proposed University of Phoenix deal. If they are serious about their commitment to increasing protections, then they must give the University of Phoenix deal, and the proposed new and old leadership, genuine scrutiny.

This article also appears on Republic Report.

UPDATE 02-08-16 11:55 pm:

My colleague Barmak Nassirian, director of federal policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, expressed concern to the New York Times about how the new operators of the University of Phoenix might be tempted to restore the company's profitability by revving up its old predatory ways: "In Mr. Nassirian's view, putting the company 'back on steroids' would require the kind of 'overpromising and under-delivering' that got the educational company in trouble in the first place."
Group of school kids playing on a wooden climbing frame, South London, UK, 2000s. (Photo by: PYMCA/UIG via Getty Images)

This Saturday, 6 February, was the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. On this and every other day, the genitals of 8,000 girls will be mutilated, usually at the behest of parents and communities as a rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood. But for the nearly three million girls who were subjected to this practice last year, it was a passage only to a lifetime of pain, health problems and human rights violations. Or, in some cases, a passage to death.

The practice is widespread in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. But it also occurs in developed countries, like Norway, where the government and civil society organizations from the diaspora communities affected by the practice have been working together against it for a long time, and have achieved good results.

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In 2015, the international community committed to eliminating female genital mutilation everywhere. One of the targets of the newly adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to end such harmful practices against women and girls by 2030.

Protecting girls from genital mutilation is critical to their safe and healthy transition from adolescence to adulthood and to the realization of their full potential in life. It also empowers them to propel their nations' progress and development.

Since 2007, Norway has supported a joint effort by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and UNICEF to encourage communities to abandon this harmful practice. This effort is premised on the understanding that traditions, customs and behaviours change over time, but for change to be meaningful and lasting, it must come from within communities which collectively decide to abandon the practice. It is also based on the reality that parents everywhere want to do what is best for their children.

For families to be willing to challenge their long-term beliefs and traditions, they must trust that the new information they receive will benefit their communities, improve their lives and be widely accepted by those around them. When parents come to understand the health risks associated with female genital mutilation and the negative impact the practice has on girls' lives, they are more willing to abandon the practice, which in some parts of the world has gone on for centuries.

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UNFPA works in communities in dozens of countries, raising parents' and girls' awareness of the consequences of female genital mutilation and the benefits of protecting girls from this harmful practice. It does so in partnership with many national and local organizations, as well as countries including Norway. As a result of this effort, 15,490 communities so far have collectively decided to abandon female genital mutilation.

This is a positive decision that communities themselves have made and have celebrated through public, collective declarations. In places where female genital mutilation had been seen for generations as an essential rite of passage, such declarations also serve to assure girls that their future acceptance and respect by their communities will no longer depend on whether they have endured this practice.

In ending female genital mutilation, parents and communities are not only sparing girls the immediate pain and trauma but are also protecting their human rights.

In most developing and developed countries, the practice has been outlawed, but it persists. Whether in Norway or in sub-Saharan Africa, a sustained and concerted effort to raise awareness about its harmful effects and about the benefits of not subjecting girls to this practice can lead to its demise. Continuous community engagement is essential. UNFPA and Norway stand together to encourage all communities to consign this practice to history, to free girls from its damaging effects, and to contribute to the realization of girls' and women's potential everywhere. The world needs their power if it is to fulfill its sustainable development promise.
In an ugly soap opera still unfolding, Suffolk University's efforts to govern itself responsibly imploded over the past couple of weeks in an acid cloud of public "he said/she said." As the Suffolk debacle deepened, the finger pointing became a matter of public record.

Margaret McKenna, a seasoned, well respected, and often opinionated higher education leader, is at the center of the maelstrom. Ms. McKenna, a civil rights lawyer, successful former long-term president of Lesley University, and foundation executive, has been in office for eight months, not even long enough for an annual performance review. A faction on the Board, led by its chairman, Andrew Meyer, objected to her style, and questioned some of her administrative decisions, spending habits, and fundraising ability, according to published reports. By mid-week, Boston's mayor and others weighed in to support Ms. McKenna.

Ms. McKenna is the fifth president at Suffolk University in five years. It seems pointless to debate the merits of a case argued in the press. On February 5th, Suffolk announced a compromise. The Board chair will leave at the end of his term in May, 2016, Ms. McKenna will step down after the 2017 academic year, and the Board will have new by-laws ready for adoption by May, 2016.

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But the damage has been done. Suffolk University needs an immediate tutorial in shared governance.

The culprit is the University's by-laws. A 2014 review by Suffolk's accrediting agency, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), recommended they be revised. NEASC suggested that Suffolk rewrite its by laws to install a president with the authority of a CEO and that the Board relegate its responsibilities to program oversight and financial stewardship to assume a more advisory role. Significantly, the Board took no action.

The failure by the Suffolk Board to reform its policies is the real story unfolding at Suffolk. We may never know if promises were made to President McKenna about these reforms before she accepted the job. But the "fix" at Suffolk University begins with how the Board governs itself.

American colleges and universities operate through a system of shared governance. There are three groups: faculty, administration and trustees. The faculty exercise authority over the academic program -- the heart of the educational enterprise.

The president has a complex job. Presidents lead the administrative management of the college, setting the vision, developing revenue sources, and rationing resources. They look outward to determine how to position the institution competitively. Presidents can be thought of as the CEO who typically behaves like a 19th Century political boss -- doing favors and resolving political, social and cultural campus issues - while working with a group of independent artisans (faculty) who behave something like a medieval craft guild.

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It is a very different job than that of a corporate CEO. Harvard has yet to invent a business model that fully accounts for the nuances in a president's job that is often more like an elected mayor than a corporate titan.

Of the three groups, the Board of Trustees is by far the weakest. As one board chair once put it, trustees are part-time volunteers with responsibility over full-time experienced management. Their Boards can often exceed forty members, not counting emeriti trustees, allowing significant in fighting with inbred factions competing for power and influence. Sometimes weak, ineffectual boards elect bad chairs. It is hard to get those who behave like Mr. Burns on the Simpsons out of the way before they do too much long-term damage.

The result is often a quiet catastrophe for the school that plays out over time as the college's reputation erodes, its competitive edge weakens, and its key metrics soften.

In fact, boards have three -- and only three -- responsibilities. Boards have program responsibility writ large to set general policy guidelines to ensure that the institution is sustainable. Trustees are also the financial stewards, setting the comprehensive fee, approving fundraising targets, and managing the endowment. And finally, they hire, nurture, and replace the president, depending upon what is needed. That's it.

Suffolk University is a lesson in how not to behave. The story does not end now that President McKenna reached a compromise with her board. Suffolk will slowly recede from the daily headlines. But the animus, reputational damage, and embarrassment shared by its stakeholders will take a long time from which to recover.

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The bigger story perhaps is that Suffolk has become a poster child in higher education, and more generally among non-profits, for the failure of shared governance. Its outcome places the principal blame squarely on its trustees, especially on those who treated their institution as a wholly owned subsidiary of their sense of self.

What is most needed at institutions of higher education is better education among stakeholders on how shared governance works.
The lyrics of Freddie McGregor's Big Ship rocked out in my head as I boarded the massive Norwegian Pearl cruise liner. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon in South Beach Miami. The lyrics were particularly fitting as I was about to embark on the second annual Jamrock Cruise -- A massive reggae party lasting five days; spanning from Miami to Falmouth, then to Ocho Rios, then back to Miami.

The musical line-up was a thing of legends: Supercat, Bounty Killer, Capelton, Junior Gong (my current favourite), Stephen Marley (my fast up-and-coming favourite), Cham, Spragga Benz, Ky-Mani Marley, Third World, and many more.

The vibrations signified that it would be a trip for the ages. Kindred spirits, black, white, and everything in-between rocking to cries of "One love", "Chant down Babylon" and "Resist the system" as we traversed the Caribbean Sea.

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The actor Malik Yoba (see Empire) even took the stage to show one of the all-time legends Sir Barrington Levy some love; however, with each cry of "Free Buju" -- and they came frequently-- from various artistes, I couldn't help but feel that there was a tremendous irony and lesson to be learnt.

The first time I heard the word "deportee" was at VP Records in Queens, New York. It was during a Saturday morning pilgrimage (some time in 1993) with my stepdad to buy records. I first heard the unmistakeable voice of Buju Banton singing his hit Deportees (Things Change). Buju, clearly ahead of his time, was able to give language and meaning to a social issue that had yet to truly develop into the monster it is today.

More than two decades later, the popular perception of a deportee in Caribbean communities today still mirrors closely that of Buju's hit song -- living the high life in a foreign land, fuelled by drug money or other illegal activities; no regard for the suffering and poverty back home, then to have it all disappear when you get arrested, convicted, imprisoned, and ultimately deported, "Back together, again, mi baby fren" was the not-so-kind homecoming Buju warned for the deportee.

But what if this perception is wrong? What if most (keyword) deportees are nothing more than victims of the continued human, social and economic oppression of black and brown people in America perpetuated no less through the insidious system of mass incarceration? What if?

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Sankofa is a terminology I first heard while visiting West Africa. It implies that to go forward you must sometimes go back. With that said, allow me to take you back to a not too distant past, one with significant implications for the deportee conversation in Jamaica.

The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, in 1865, is often recognised as the law ending slavery in America. It made slavery unconstitutional "except as punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted" (US Const. amend. XIV). Immediately after Emancipation, "black codes" were passed that essentially criminalised all facets of black life in America.

The newly freed blacks could be arrested for looking whites in the eye or simply walking on the same side of the street; they would further be arrested for homelessness, unemployment, or for having occupations outside of those involving servitude to whites (see The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander).

Once arrested, and subsequently convicted, most of these people would be leased out, aptly named "the convict leasing system", to the same plantations from which they were just freed. The brutality and workload was now even more intense as they were now convicts -- lawbreakers, disposable, occupying a social position even beneath that of a chattel slave.

The black codes created a boom in the prison industry, precipitating the birth of mass incarceration in the United States. They also served as the catalyst for "neo-slavery", as the great African American historian W E B Dubois noted.

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As the father of three children (two daughters and a son), I often worry about their future. As a man with two daughters, I am particularly concerned about the type of men who they will eventually date, marry, and ultimately have children with. I have always believed that fathers have an obligation to instill confidence and self-worth in their daughters. Yet the responsibility of fathers goes beyond telling their daughters that they are beautiful, intelligent, and can be whatever they want to be. I also believe fathers have an important role in teaching their daughters life lessons ranging from how to manage a budget, how to drive a car, and most importantly how to avoid the pitfalls of life. One particular lesson I want to share not just with my two daughters, but with everyone's daughters is the importance of having children within wedlock.

There is no coincidence that the estimated 65% of children in the African American community who grow up without the involvement of their fathers, almost matches the number of children who are estimated to be born out of wedlock at 70-75%. Although many have disputed these percentages and point out the numbers of fathers involved with their children are greater than statistics show (an argument I also happen to support); it is clear that when children are born out of wedlock, there is a greater possibility that the father will not be involved. Indeed, when we are talking about children and father involvement, the number of children born out of wedlock and those raised without father involvement are not two separate issues, they are the same thing. Yet what is often missing in the conversation is why it is important to be married before having children. The answer lies in the difference men and women have in bonding with their children, as well as the commitment a man has in creating a family with a woman.

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Women bond with their children on a genetic level. A child is conceived within a woman and develops inside of her for 9 months. With few exceptions, the bonding process between mother and child has already begun at this point, and it is solidified once that child is born. Mother and child are bonded the first time the doctor lays a baby on her chest...during the first suckling....a lifetime bond has been formed. In contrast, men don't bond with their children on a genetic or biological level, men bond with their children by spending time with them. Men bond with their children by changing diapers...feeding their children...taking them to school every day....taking them to the park each weekend....playing with them. It may take months for a man to be bonded with his children. In some cases it may take years of daily contact for a man to bond with his children. The type of contact and time men need to bond with their children is only going to happen if a man is with the child's mother, and that is most likely to be in a marriage.

Commitment is important in this equation as well. Despite what many people believe, marriage isn't the biggest commitment two people enter, children are. Children permanently tie two people together for the rest of their lives. When you have a child with someone (whether in marriage or outside of it) you will be forever linked. Whether you love or loathe that other person, they have to right to attend future school functions, an untold number of birthday parties, family functions, graduation ceremonies, future weddings, etc. More importantly the permanent link will manifest itself through having grandchildren together, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren. The permanent link will continue even after you die, as you will be the ancestors of an untold number of generations after you. In comparison, marriage does not create a permanent link (unless children are born within that marriage). If you marry someone and divorce them without having children, you never have to see or hear from that person again.

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Because children are the biggest commitment two people can enter, the environment and conditions they are conceived are what is most important. This emphasizes the importance of marriage. In a marriage, a man has made a commitment to take care of a woman and be by her side. A man has pledged to spend the rest of his life with a woman, and he has demonstrated his commitment to a woman by valuing her enough to make her his wife. The man has demonstrated through his actions (not words) how he feels about the woman. Ideally this man will be providing for this woman. He has created a home for this woman....he is committed to her. It is only in this type of commitment that a woman should be secure enough to enter the "greatest" commitment possible to a man, bearing his children.

Even if a marriage ends in divorce, most men will have developed a bond with their children and will still remain involved in their lives. Children are the greatest gift a woman can give to a man....I truly don't believe enough women today realize that. If you look at animals...the female of most species make males fight for the right to mate....to prove themselves worthy. Those females will then only mate with the male that does that. How much above animals are we? This is why having children within marriage and with a man who proves himself worthy of being a father is important.
As a former Assistant Minority Leader in the New Hampshire Legislature, I am weighing in on the New Hampshire primary. There is no choice: It's got to be Hillary. I was excited when Bernie entered the race. The Republicans were sucking up all the air time and the print inches. Without some focus on the Democrats over the many months ahead before the general election, it was going to be Hillary who? The Democrats needed to get going. Besides. I was pleased that Bernie was focusing on the critical issue of income inequality. But income inequality is not the only domestic problem.

Hilary has a broader picture of the economy than any of the other candidates, Republican or Democrat. For example, her infrastructure proposals will help create many good jobs. We all believe that America is the greatest country in the world, and in many ways we are the leader. But when traveling home from Asia, with its many magnificent new airports, and arriving at JFK, Newark, or Logan airports with their aging terminals and then driving on roads with multiple potholes, one wonders which is the third-world country.

Then there is immigration. If the past is predictive of the future, keeping out immigrants as the Republicans suggest would not help every American find work. Talk about simple answers that don't solve the problem! Moreover, America's success stems from its being a true melting pot comprised of people of all nationalities, religions, and belief systems inherited from parents, grandparents, and great-parents. Immigrants to America have brought intellect, skills, and cultural traditions from their countries of origin, contributing to a rich melange. Only our Native American neighbors can claim to be indigenous to this great nation of ours. We tried inexperience with Obama and then we were disillusioned when he could not get legislation passed. We rail against the partisanship in Washington but the alternative to partisanship is often merely attainable and at times imperfect compromise. Hillary is the only one of all the candidates, Republican or Democrat, who actually has experience compromising, in the Senate. As Secretary of State, she had to to familiarize herself with the rapidly shifting international crises and negotiate with foreign leaders. Hilary is the only candidate who doesn't need time to master the many learning curves involved in negotiating the complexity of each one of the world's messes. We as a nation don't have the luxury of affording our new president training time to get up to speed.

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We want perfect candidates, but we have to settle for imperfect human beings. The longer candidates are in the spotlight the more they wilt, in other words: Familiarity breeds contempt. Hillary has the contempt of many, when she deserves respect for her steadfast willingness to work for families and for America.

Hillary will enter the White House with no illusions. She has proven she can survive the most virulent of attacks and has amply demonstrated her understanding of the complexity of social policy change. She has shown her tireless ability to work hard.

Or do we prefer to live in fantasy rather than admit the hard reality that experience is worth something and that every single one of the other candidates is also a flawed human being?
Photo by: Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx 2/6/16 Hillary Clinton at "The Get Out The Vote" Event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Searching for campaign infractions real and imagined, the media's etiquette police have been busy writing up Hillary Clinton for numerous violations lately.

"She shouts," complained Washington Post editor Bob Woodward last week on MSNBC, deducting points for Clinton's speaking style. "There is something unrelaxed about the way she is communicating, and I think that just jumps off the television screen."

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"Has nobody told her that the microphone works?" quipped Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough, who led a lengthy discussion about Clinton's voice (the "tone issue"). Scarborough and his guests dissected Clinton's "screaming," and how she is supposedly being "feisty" and acting "not natural."

Over on Fox, Geraldo Rivera suggested Clinton "scream[s]" because she "may be hard of hearing." CNBC's Larry Kudlow bemoaned her "shrieking."

During last week's debate, Bob Cusack, editor of The Hill, tweeted, "When Hillary Clinton raises her voice, she loses." (Cusack later deleted the tweet and apologized.) During a discussion on CNN about Clinton's volume, David Gergen stressed, "Hillary was so angry compared to Sanders."

The New York Times' debate coverage pushed the same "angry" narrative, detailing "The ferocity of Mrs. Clinton's remarks," and how she appeared "tense and even angry at times," "particularly sensitive," and was "going on the offensive." (By contrast, her opponent "largely kept his cool.")

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Media message received: Clinton is loud and cantankerous!

But it's not just awkward gender stereotypes that are in play these days. It's a much larger pattern of thumb-on-the-scale coverage and commentary. Just look at what seemed to be the press' insatiable appetite to frame Clinton's Iowa caucus win last week as an unnerving loss. Pundits also inaccurately claimed that she had to rely on a series of coin tosses to secure a victory.

As I've noted before, these anti-Clinton guttural roars from the press have become predictable, cyclical events, where pundits and reporters wind themselves up with righteous indignation and shift into pile-on mode regardless of the facts on the ground. (And the GOP cheers.) The angry eruptions now arrive like clockwork, but that doesn't make them any less baffling. Nor does that make it any easier to figure out why the political press corps has decided to wage war on the Democratic frontrunner. (And publicly admit that they're doing it.)

Sure, the usual nutty anti-Clinton stuff is tumbling off the right-wing media branches, with Fox News suggesting her campaign was nothing more than "bra burning," while other conservatives mocked her "grating" voice.

But what's happening inside the confines of the mainstream media is more troubling. Rush Limbaugh advertising his insecurities about powerful women isn't exactly breaking news. Watching Beltway reporters and pundits reveal their creeping contempt for Clinton and wrapping it in condescension during a heated primary season is disturbing. And for some, it might trigger bouts of deja vu.

It was fitting that the extended examination of Clinton's "tone" last week unfolded on Morning Joe. As Think Progress noted, that show served as a hotbed for weird gender discussions when Clinton ran for president in 2008: "Scarborough often referenced the 'Clinton cackle' and another panelist cracked a joke that Clinton reminded everyone of their 'first wife in probate court.'" (The crack about probate court got lots of laughs from Scarborough's all-male panel at the time.)

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The toxic put-downs during the heated Democratic primary in 2008 were everywhere (i.e. Candidate Clinton was a "hellish housewife"). At the time, Salon's Rebecca Traister detected among male pundits "a nearly pornographic investment in Clinton's demise."

And that was not an understatement. From Dr. Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University:

She was referred to as a "white bitch" on MSNBC and CNN; a blood-sucking "vampire" on Fox; the "wicked witch of the west" on CNN; and "everyone's first wife standing outside of probate court," a "she devil" and the castrating Lorena Bobbitt, all on MSNBC.

That Clinton was unfairly roughed up by the press in 2008 isn't really a question for debate anymore. Even the man who campaigned against her, President Obama, recently noted that "there were times where I think the media probably was a little unfair to her" during their Democratic primary battle.

I wonder if Obama thinks the press is once again being unfair with its primary coverage.

For example, as the press continues to focus on the issue of Clinton's speaking fees as a private citizen, the New York Times reported, "The former secretary of state has for months struggled to justify how sharing her views on global affairs could possibly fetch $225,000 a pop from banks. "

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The former secretary of state can't justify her large speaking fee, even though former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and former Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, among others, have all pocketed large, six-figure speaking fees?

Author Carl Bernstein said at CNN, "Now, you've got a situation with these transcripts, a little bit like Richard Nixon and his tapes that he stonewalled on and wouldn't release."

Over the past week, media outlets have been trying to explain how Clinton's hard-fought win in Iowa wasn't really a win.

During the run-up to the vote, Iowa was often described as a state that Clinton absolutely had to win (electorally, it wasn't). And so then when she won, what did some in the press do? They claimed she didn't really win Iowa, and if she did it was because of lucky coin tosses.

False and false.

"Even if he doesn't actually win, this feels like a win for @BernieSanders," tweeted Associated Press reporter Lisa Lerer the night of the Iowa vote, echoing a widespread media talking point. The New York Times repeatedly referred to her Iowa victory as a "tie."

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Note the contrast: In 2012, when Mitt Romney claimed to have won the Iowa Republican caucus by just eight votes, The New York Times announced unequivocally that Romney had, in fact, won Iowa. (Weeks later a recount concluded Rick Santorum won the caucus by 34 votes.)

Why was Iowa dubbed a loss by so many for Clinton? Because Sanders "was nowhere a few months ago," as CNN's Wolf Blitzer put it the night of the vote.

Actually, if you go back to last September and October, polls showed the Iowa race was in flux and occasionally veered within the margin of error. More recently, CNN's final Iowa poll before the caucus had Clinton trailing by eight points in that state. So the idea a close Iowa finish was "surprising," or constituted a Clinton collapse, doesn't add up.

Meanwhile, did you notice that when the Clinton campaign accurately predicted that it had the votes to win the caucus, members of the press were quick to mock the move. Even after Iowa officials declared her the winner, the Clinton campaign was attacked as being "disingenuous" for saying she was the winner.

And then there was the weird embrace of the coin toss story, which was fitting, since so much of the Clinton campaign coverage these days seems to revolve around a very simple premise: Heads she loses, tails she loses.

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See, $100,000 isn't an arbitrary number to me. It is the total of five years of my fundraising for medical research since the death of my 2-year-old daughter to a rare and as of yet incurable disease. When I think of $100,000, I remember the elderly woman who sent me $5 when she heard Chloe was dying. I think of the courageous relative who has battled addiction the better part of her life and saves her money so that she can send $100 to my annual fundraiser. I picture the scores of rejection letters from businesses that I receive for every one that sends me a sponsorship. I recall the 3 a.m. frantic emails I sent to keep my first awareness campaign afloat, all the while nursing my 5-week-old son.

My husband and I have sent nearly every penny of that money to various research projects and the largest amount to the University of Minnesota (a public sector research institution) in the hopes that the research conducted with our admittedly small amount of money will provide enough leverage to generate grants from the National Institute of Health (another publicly funded institution). Perhaps the wonderful university scientists we collaborate with will then make enough progress on the already-promising research to develop a drug that would cure MLD, the disease that killed our child. And here is where I force my brain to stop thinking about how the system works. Maybe one of your fellow pharmaceuticals will decide that a cure for MLD is worth their attention. Maybe all the hours of fundraising and the help of tax payers through that NIH grant will offset the risk enough to convince them that developing and marketing the cure will be profitable. Heck, maybe it will be their next big cash cow like a handful of "orphan drugs" that pull in billions of dollars a year in revenue for the companies that hold exclusive patents. Ms Retzlaff, you talked about drug development being risky at the hearing. But as someone who stands ready and willing to help take risk out of drug development, what I really heard you saying is that most drugs just don't have the astronomical return on investment to interest your company.



But really at the end of the day, it isn't all your fault -- nor are you an exception to the rule in the pharmaceutical industry. It's really a problem with the societal assumption that we Americans swallow that we need to "incentivize" pharmaceutical companies by allowing you to make obscene profits on the backs of the sick. If anything, this hearing provides ample evidence that obscene profit margins lead to obscene spending habits long before they lead to lifesaving drug development. And as long as the American people assume that you two are exceptionally bad people and not the norm in the pharmaceutical industry, nothing will change.
According to Facebook Chief Operating Officer and author Sheryl Sandberg, "Social gains are never handed out they must be seized." Recently, I was invited to speak at a faith-based community behavioral health luncheon. I spoke about therapeutic justice, ending the criminalization of people with mental illness, and the role of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Olmstead v. L.C.

The meeting room was filled with a diverse and highly dedicated group of mental health and substance use treatment providers, law enforcement officers, and mental health advocates. As I held up a copy of the Department of Justice Statement on Enforcement of the Integration Mandate of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Olmstead, I asked those familiar with the ADA integration mandate or Olmstead decision to raise their hands? I was not surprised when no hands went up.

At the end of my presentation the entire group joined with me to take a pledge to advance the Department of Justice enforcement guidelines of Olmstead and the ADA integration mandate, Title II within their organizations and the community.

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The Olmstead Decision

In 1995, a lawsuit was filed by The Atlanta Legal Aid Society on behalf of Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson based upon a violation of the integration mandate of the ADA, Title II. The women had been voluntarily admitted to a Georgia State Hospital, respectively diagnosed with mental illness and developmental disability. Each was hospitalized over two decades with intermittent discharges to inappropriate settings. Upon discharge, both women remained confined for several years due to the lack of availability of supportive community based programs.

On June 22, 1999 the U.S., Supreme Court affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in their community. Writing for the majority, Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated, "The integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public agencies to provide services in the most integrated setting appropriate for needs of the of qualified individuals with disabilities."

The Department of Justice Enforcement Guidelines



In 2009, in accordance with President Obama's launch of the Year of Community Living to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision of Olmstead v. L.C., the Department of Justice published technical assistance guidelines. The Statement on Enforcement of the Integration Mandate of Title II of the ADA and Olmstead v. L.C. is an essential document which every community and state-wide criminal justice and mental health organization, work group, coalition and task force must study and apply. This Department of Justice guide instructs on a variety of commonly asked questions. It addresses the legal basis for compliance for public agencies and system care planning, financing and implementation.
Socialism.

During the cold war, it was The dirty word in American politics. But, it's a popular idea today amongst millennial voters -- who one day will show up to vote in droves.

Slightly older voters still remember the USSR, Soviet Russia and many associate socialism with those failed communist authoritarian regimes.

Who can forget the torrent of Republican cries of socialism aimed at President Barack Obama after he famously said to Samuel J. Wurzelbacher aka 'Joe the Plumber' in 2008 that, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

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The good ol' US of A has actually implemented many concepts of Bernie Sanders' democratic socialism through the years, and you'd be surprised whose ideas we've used and who demands more social welfare programs.

Famously, a Tea Party Patriot demanded to, "get your government hands off of my Medicare" at a town hall about Obamacare.

We all carry a Social Security card.

And if we work, but don't earn enough to survive, then we get an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), that is money back from the government in the form of a "refundable tax credit" to the working poor.

The general concept is derived from the negative income tax.

Here's how the EITC and all Negative Income Tax programs work:

People who earn more money pay more in taxes, and the Federal government redistributes some of that money to those who earn very little money, but in our system a recipient must demonstrate that they're working to get a tax refund higher than their refund, which ultimately allows them to keep their homes and feed their children.

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Republican Milton Friedman created the negative income tax.

He's also the conservative hero that created the "free market" orthodoxy you hear daily on CNBC and frequently in today's Republican political discourse.

Friedman wrote a book called "Capitalism and Freedom" in 1962 and in 1976 won the Nobel Prize in Economics.

His conservative "Chicago school" eventually became the subject of Naomi Klein's critically acclaimed "Shock Doctrine" whereby American advisors exported free market ideas to China, Latin America and Eastern Europe to fairly disastrous results.

Milton Freidman advised both Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. He supported marriage equality, gay rights and legalization of marijuana too. But he wanted to abolish the Federal Reserve (where Sanders wants to Audit the Fed) and to abolish social security entirely in favor of his negative income tax idea.

That's right, Friedman wanted to eliminate all qualifications and simply guarantee each man, woman and child a certain amount of annual cash without strings. His original concept wouldn't have required work for welfare either.

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So, we've established that even the esteemed Republican "with a big R" Mr. Milton Friedman the legend, turned to socialism when it came to promoting the general welfare and securing the blessings of freedom to ourselves and our children.

It's why our Founding Fathers established the US Constitution.

When you think about it, we all depend on solid public works and use of the commons in our country to advance each individual's personal life goals.

Three hundred and thirty million people can't all be rugged individualists all of the time.

Public transit, public roads, public libraries, public schools, public records in real estate, the list is too numerous to name all of the important, government administered institutions, programs and the like.

Medicare, medicaid, depository insurance for banks by the FDIC, S-CHIP, the National Flood Insurance Program, Obamacare, crop insurance and many other insurance programs which rely on user fees, but are administered by the Federal Government to take risks which no private enterprise can reasonably accept.

In fact, one might say that the US Federal Government is the world's largest insurance company with side businesses in land management, homeland security and scientific research.

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The essence of Bernie Sanders' democratic socialism is a minimalist approach to extending that safety net to envelop the middle class and those who've been pushed to the bottom of that middle class in income, but remain culturally in America's great median which arose after World War II.

Sanders seeks to target the big ticket items, which everyone needs.

Universal healthcare? We already have a fragmented and poorly administered flavor of this. It costs more money per capita than true social medicine countries (the entire rest of the so called First World) and requires people to postpone treatment until they can visit hospital emergency rooms when they're uninsured. Sanders' plan is to cut out the middle man, dump private insurance companies whose administrative costs (CEOs, advertising and private bureaucracies) for public insurance with low administrative costs.

Free college education? England has it, Germany has it. Neither of those countries have devolved into Marxist-Lenninist states -- at least the last time I checked. Free public school education wouldn't stop elites from attending private schools with higher tuition costs, but they'd certainly remove the disincentive millennials face today of leaving school with insurmountable and irrevocable debts to be paid.

Breaking up the big banks? Banks in America have a long history of booms and busts, and without the FDIC to insure deposits, none of them would've survived the Great Recession of 2008. Actually, it is American history which shows that Republicans birthed the idea of anti-monopoly laws and we've had them for over 100 years to prevent companies from growing into ideally capitalist sole sources of commerce in their fields. Oh, and we did it after the Great Depression ushering in an era of prosperity, and not coincidentally far higher esteem towards Wall Street.

Bernie Sanders wants to save America from Wall Street, by saving Wall Street from itself.

Actually, it is American history which shows that Republicans birthed the idea of anti-monopoly laws and we've had them for over 100 years to prevent companies from growing into ideally capitalist sole sources of commerce in their fields.

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Chances are that you're reading this story on an iPhone, iPad or Mac computer. In a truly free market, you'd be reading this on a Desktop PC running windows because smart phones might never have caught on if Microsoft's unpopular offerings in the space were the only ones available.

Had we not had such laws, Microsoft would've long crowded Apple into history's dustbin as the company who popularized the personal computer, but couldn't stay afloat.

Self-proclaimed democratic socialist Bernie Sanders isn't proposing any direct redistribution of wealth from rich to poor, just to help the United States catch up to the rest of the industrialized world who offer universal healthcare as a human right, and many of whom offer free higher education.

Republican orthodoxy today is seeking to take some of Friedman's ideas about privatization -- which have a mixed record at best, atrocious at worst (like private prisons vs. private toll highways) -- and decouple them from his socialist redistribution of income ideas.
This article is the written version of episode 26 of Tiny Leaps, Big Changes. To listen to the full episode click here.

I've never been very good at saving money, it's one of the skills that I would argue I'm worst at.

It's interesting, I never really spend money on things. I rarely ever buy new clothes or shoes, I don't really spend much on my hobbies, and whenever I go out it's usually a pretty affordable time but somehow between the standard costs of living and the random charges that will pop up in a given week, my money just disappears.

Maybe you know this feeling...

If you're like me, you probably WANT to save more money right?

You want to look at your bank account and see a comfortable stash there, just in case an emergency happens or you want to go on vacation.

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Just because we aren't naturally good at saving doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to get better at it right?

That's what I thought too. It's the reason I first started reading and learning about personal finance.

In this post I want to share three very simple things you can do to start saving more money today.

Even if you've never felt like you could afford to before.

These three extremely easy strategies have helped me drastically so keep reading because I think they can do the same for you as well.

Write Down and Record All of Your Expenses Immediately After Spending.

The original idea for this came from the book I Will Teach You to Be Rich by personal finance blogger and all around internet bossman Ramit Sethi.

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Here's the recommendation:

Get yourself a small notepad, that's right a PHYSICAL notepad.

You want to have this on you at all times.

For the next week every single time you go to make a payment on something you have to immediately write down the purchase and how much it cost in your notepad.

Don't wait until you've gotten back to the office or until it's convenient.

If you spend money, you have to immediately write it down.

This does two really important things.

First, It allows you to make spending decisions consciously. We live in a world ruled by plastic cards. The reason it's so easy for us to spend money is simply because there is a psychological detachment between the swiping of that card and the money we have.

This is why it's so much harder to spend cash than it is to swipe a card.

By recording your purchase every single time you swipe, you consciously create that link between your purchases and your actual money.

Secondly, you create a running log of the things you choose to spend on. This allows you to go back through and identify the areas where your money is leaking out (a $10 purchase may not seem like much in the moment but it's very easy to do that 10 times in a single week and find yourself $100 shorter than expected).

Having this log gives you a basis to use when making decisions later on in regards to your expenses and where you should cut back.

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Pay Into Your Savings Before Paying Your Expenses.

In a 2013 interview titled "The Truth About the Psychology of Saving and Spending", Mike Coady sat down with Dr. Peter Collett from Oxford University to discuss the research that had been done on why some people save and others don't.

When asked the question "isn't saving linked to the ability to save?" Collett replied:

When you sit people down and ask them why they don't save, one of the standard explanations they offer is that they can't afford to do so. That's because they're thinking of savings as what's left over after they've paid for essentials, rather than of essentials as what's left over after they've ear-marked money for saving -- it's their savings that get squeezed, not their consumption.

This statement is the inspiration behind my second recommendation. Pay yourself first.

"But Gregg," you might reply. "I have to pay my rent and bills and other expenses"

No one is telling you to stop paying those things. What I'm suggesting is a simple shift in your approach to savings.

When creating a budget for themselves most people will factor in their recurring living expenses and bills first, leaving the savings portion for whatever is left over.

What many of us find at the end of the month is that there simply isn't anything left over and so savings gets treated as a casualty of war.

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A more effective approach would be to identify what we can save first and make sure we take that money out before anything else.

You still want to ensure that you budget enough to pay for your necessities, but by putting your savings in place at the top of the funnel rather than waiting for the end, you are ensuring that nothing will rise up throughout the money to slowly eat away at that money leaving you with nothing.

Put your savings into it's designated account first and you'll very quickly find yourself with an excess of cash and far less unnecessary expenses.

Save For a Clear Goal.

I talked about the idea behind goal setting a bit back in episode 8 titled "How to Achieve Your Goals and Resolutions". I recommend checking out the episode but the important part for the context of today's show is this:

When we set goals, our brains treat them as a part of our identity. We are just as attached to the idea of that theoretical thing as we are to any other part of what we consider our identity.

So what does this mean in terms of saving money?

Simply put having a set goal for your savings is a much more effective strategy than anything else.

Let's say you are saving to take a vacation to Paris. By making this goal clear and saying "I want to take a trip to paris" you are creating the connection between that idea and your identity.

All of a sudden it becomes much easier to take the actions necessary to move towards those things. When you think of spending money it becomes much easier to question it simply because the action would interfere with a part of your identity.

Saving money just to save money is a good thing and it can work, but if you lack discipline like I do, the key to giving yourself an unfair advantage is to tie it into who you are, your literal core. This way failure to take the actions required for that goal will become a painful process that you'll do everything to avoid.

Pretty straightforward right? Saving money doesn't have to be a complicated thing. The reason that we aren't able to is because of the way we approach it by trying one (or all) of the suggestions above you'll start to see a big difference in your situation going forward.

Next Steps

Here's a fun next step for you to take action on immediately. Identify one small area of your life where you could cut back on spending. Write it down and make this your goal for the next 7 days.

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Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, speaks during a campaign event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. Sanders said in a Feb. 4 debate that Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State, was part of a political establishment that's overly dependent on the financial industry, citing its sizable contributions to her super-PAC fundraising operation. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Several years before Bernie Sanders zoomed towards a virtual tie in national polls with Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren began the discussion about Wall Street's influence in American politics. Warren even declared in 2014 that a portion of President Obama's Omnibus bill "was written by Citigroup lobbyists." Few politicians have directly accused investment banks of writing U.S. laws.

The Massachusetts Senator was able to introduce the topic on a national stage, and even though Sanders has spent his entire career championing the same message, she succeeded in publicizing a sense of urgency. Warren paved the way for Bernie, and in doing so, helped the Sanders campaign undermine Hillary Clinton's enormous political machine; a monstrosity that benefits from the status quo. I explain why Bernie Sanders has already made Clinton's political machine implode in the following YouTube segment.

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The Atlantic has a provocative piece by Conor Friedersdorf that all Americans should read titled Hillary Helps a Bank--and Then It Funnels Millions to the Clintons. Let's just say the article gives some insight into why Hillary Clinton is paid millions for speaking engagements. If you haven't read Friedersdorf's article, then you won't know why there's so much desire to read Clinton's speech transcripts.

Hillary Clinton's political machine, which runs on a peculiar form of "honest graft," as stated by Walter Russel Mead, has been undermined by a political revolution within the Democratic Party, and within American politics.

Nobody has been able to highlight why Bernie Sanders is needed by African Americans, Latinos, and all Democratic voters better than Tim Black in this powerful segment of Tim Black TV. Only Bernie Sanders has harnessed the full power of an electorate disgusted with politicians yet to disclose the transcripts of million dollar speeches. Nothing defines establishment politics better than a Democrat who takes money from the same interest that harm core constituencies of the Democratic Party.

Hillary Clinton has accepted campaign contributions from two major prison lobbyists, Wall Street, and the oil and gas industry, yet promises progressive stances against all these interests.

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In fact, Marco Rubio and Clinton take almost the same amount of money from prison lobbyists, as stated in Vice article titled How Private Prisons Are Profiting From Locking Up US Immigrants:

VICE reviewed federal campaign disclosures and found that lobbying firms linked to GEO and CCA have already contributed more than $288,300 to three of the leading candidates. Clinton's Ready for Hillary PAC received $133,246 from lobbying firms linked to GEO and CCA. Rubio's PACs and campaign have taken a total of $133,450 from private prison companies or groups that lobby on their behalf. Bush's campaign and his Right to Rise Super PAC have received $21,700 from lobbying groups affiliated with GEO and CCA.

When Marco Rubio and Hillary Clinton take essentially the same funding from GEO and CCA, and Jeb Bush actually receives less money than Clinton and Rubio, establishment politics proves ideology takes a back seat to cash.

Like rival prison gangs, Republicans and Democrats will glare at each other across the yard, but cut lucrative deals when the guards (the American people, in this case) aren't looking.

In 2016, it's Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren's economic message, along with Dr. Cornel West's social message, against America's political establishment. While Warren hasn't officially been picked as Vice President for Bernie Sanders, there's few better than Massachusetts's Senator. Anyone other than Warren or Nina Turner (Terrell Jermaine Starr has a brilliant interview with the Ohio State Senator), and I'd be very disappointed, in addition to the fact that any other choice from Warren or Turner would halt the immense momentum of the campaign.

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As for idealism versus pragmatism, it's not pragmatic to use a private server ("It was sitting there in the basement") for "convenience." Pragmatism, and "getting things done" to both Sanders and Warren means breaking up Too Big to Fail Banks, reinstating Glass-Steagall, ensuring we never again rescue failed corporations (socialist George W. Bush forced nine major banks to "accept partial nationalization" and urged government to own private business in 2008), and solving the conundrum of massive wealth inequality.

On foreign policy, Bernie Sanders offers a change from the usual hawkish rhetoric of both parties, and a choice from the unrealistic prospect of funding perpetual Middle Eastern wars.

While Hillary Clinton advocated sending U.S. ground troops back to the Middle East after the Paris attacks, Bernie Sanders warns against perpetual wars and says "I'll be damned" to more quagmires.

Only several months ago, The Guardian ran an article titled Hillary Clinton calls for more ground troops as part of hawkish Isis strategy. The former Secretary of State advocated sending American ground troops back to the Middle East, in addition to a no-fly zone against a terrorist group without an air force.

According to The Guardian piece, "Hillary Clinton distanced herself from Barack Obama's strategy for defeating Islamic State extremists on Thursday in a sweeping foreign policy speech that called for greater use of American ground troops and an intensified air campaign."

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Yes, progressive Hillary Clinton called for "greater use of American ground troops."

As for Marco Rubio, Cruz, and Trump, their foreign policy will be similar to Clinton's, especially since the former Secretary of State will have a "neocon" foreign policy (and neoconservative advisers, aiming to regain influence) according to leading historians. Also, actress and feminist icon Susan Sarandon highlighted on Twitter the scandal few people are talking about. This controversy is explained in a Mother Jones article titled Hillary Clinton Oversaw US Arms Deals to Clinton Foundation Donors:

In 2011, the State Department cleared an enormous arms deal: Led by Boeing, a consortium of American defense contractors would deliver $29 billion worth of advanced fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns over the kingdom's troublesome human rights record. In the years before Hillary Clinton became secretary of state, Saudi Arabia had contributed $10 million to the Clinton Foundation, and just two months before the jet deal was finalized, Boeing donated $900,000 to the Clinton Foundation, according to an International Business Times investigation released Tuesday.

First, why is Clinton accepting money from foreign governments? Second, your answer will explain whether you're voting for Clinton, a Republican, or Bernie Sanders in 2016.

In contrast to Clinton's Republican-style foreign policy, Bernie's more rational approach is explained in a CNN article titled Sen. Bernie Sanders: 'I'll be damned' if Americans lead ISIS fight:

"I'm sitting here wondering where Saudi Arabia is, where Kuwait is, where Qatar is," Sanders said on CNN's "New Day." "I'll be damned if kids in the state of Vermont -- or taxpayers in the state of Vermont -- have to defend the royal Saudi family, which is worth hundreds of billions of dollars."

Remember the program opposed by Bernie to arm Syrian rebels? Well, it cost $500 million and according to Time, "...the program, which cost $500 million, has not been found to be effective in combating the terrorist group."

During his Congressional speech protesting the Iraq War (while establishment Democrats sided with Bush), Bernie Sanders presciently stated "Mr. Speaker, in the brief time I have, let me give five reasons why I am opposed to giving the President a blank check to launch a unilateral invasion and occupation of Iraq and why I will vote against this resolution."



Sanders passed the biggest foreign policy test of our generation, voting against the Iraq War.

Hillary Clinton failed this test.

Over 500,000 human beings have died from the Iraq War, something that Clinton failed to predict when siding with the Bush administration. She then repeated the same mistake in Libya, advocating a bombing that resulted in civil war and a country becoming a "massive safe haven" for ISIS.

While Sanders correctly foreshadowed the rise of unintended consequences like ISIS, Clinton now simply refers to her Iraq Vote as a "mistake."

Certain people, however, simply never learn from their mistakes. Even with the knowledge that arming the Syrian rebels "has not been found to be effective" and cost $500 million, CBS News writes that Hillary Clinton still wouldn't give up on training Syrian rebels.

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(Picture taken by Jonathan Gibson Photography in Cincinnati)

I was a young girl living in a predominately Caucasian suburb in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am half Puerto Rican and half "white". Despite being half Puerto Rican, I feel "100%" since I was raised by my Puerto Rican mom. During my adolescence in Cincinnati there weren't many other Puerto Ricans, but when I was about 17 years old I realized I gravitated towards "other" ethnic men. Honestly, I'll own up to it and say point blank I developed a fetish.

One of my earliest relationships was with a Pakistani guy named Saif. I remember my mother didn't approve when she saw the caller ID with an obvious Muslim last name across the screen. This was circa 2004 too, when Islamophobia was at its peak in the media and everyone thought brown guys with beards were exploding everywhere. In all fairness, my mom's reaction would have been the same for any foreign culture. I'm sure his family didn't approve either when this young Western girl would call his house. Regardless, being involved to the level a high school aged teenager was able wasn't an issue, and I assume it was because both of our families in their infinite wisdom predicted this puppy love relationship would fail; they were right. However, despite us not having a "happily ever after", he indirectly opened my eyes to something that forever impacted me: Eastern Cultures; specifically Desi and Arab cultures, but I generalized for simplicity sake.

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If I flashback to almost twelve years ago I can clearly recall that Saif was the first guy that sincerely acted like a boyfriend. He actually took me out on frequent dates, paid every single time, and never complained or asked for money; in fact, he insisted (which was different for me). I remember a couple months he even paid for my cell phone bills when I went over the minutes from talking to him. He took me to see movies every 17 year old girl at that time wanted to see like Mean Girls and The Notebook. He even took me to my prom despite him being a sophomore in college, and not only did he bring the corsage, he brought a dozen roses for me, which impressed even my mom. He was attentive and always communicated throughout the day without coming across as obsessive. Most importantly, he was the first guy I can remember being there for me emotionally. All of this was rather impressive considering Saif was only 19 years old.

I think we bonded because we both came from homes that were rather straitlaced as they were dictated by our specific cultures and religions. For him it was Pakistani culture and Islam, and for me it was Latin culture and Catholicism. We had one foot in each door like many 1st generation and/or mixed children do; we connected because we both were conflicted and culturally confused teenagers.

After we broke up, I was involved with traditional American guys for the next few years, and as a whole I never really connected with any of them. I'm sure this was because I never truly opened up because it wasn't what I wanted in my heart. All this was during my 5 year enlistment in the military, so perhaps that explains this phase, because there weren't many Eastern descent men in the American military. Regardless, within one year after getting out of the military I went back to my old ways-- having a fascination with Eastern men and their cultures. I even enrolled in some classes in college and studied various Eastern religions. I also went to guest lectures by diplomats that discussed Eastern and Western relations in regards to foreign diplomacy and politics. It was more than an attraction because I wanted to learn too.

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Many of us ethnic children come from homes where our parents may not be fully assimilated to the mainstream secular culture, therefore we struggle with two identities and/or juggle with our parents' happiness and ours. For me, finding a religious and cultural match wasn't happiness, because in reality I wasn't religious enough to make it a priority, and culturally I was attracted to something different. I eventually found a balance (it probably really isn't a balance to an outsider's perspective). I met Jagath, who is now my husband. Jagath is Hindu and Indian. For me this worked out perfectly and is a balance because there was no pressure from him or his family about religion. We were able to have both a Hindu and Catholic wedding, which made my mom and me (most importantly) happy. I think in the end she ended up bending the rules for me because she accepted an intercultural/interfaith marriage was the type of marriage I wanted, and she fell for my husband too, which opened up her heart.
I first visited India in 2011, a country that I had long romanticised in my imagination. I had envisioned India to be everything Pakistan is not - secular, tolerant, diverse and democratic. I remember seeing at the border, just a few metres away from the no man's land, a board which read "India, the largest democracy in the world, welcomes you." Not far from it was a monument dedicated to the memory of millions of Punjabis on both sides who lost their lives or loved ones at the time of Partition. On the top of the Indian gate, painted in its tricolour was the emblem of India's Republic, the four lions, which were originally used by the emperor Ashoka for his capital.

One can imagine how fascinating this must have been for a history buff. By that time I had dedicated a few years to tracing historical monuments. Only recently, I had visited the ruins of Taxila, which once served as the capital of Ashoka. I had written several articles on pre-Islamic and non-Muslim heritage of Pakistan and how that was being destroyed in the name of nationalism. There was an attitude in Pakistan that preserving non-Muslim heritage and celebrating it somehow weakened the Pakistani nationalism. Standing on the India-Pakistan border, on the other side one could see that the Indian government was keen to use emblems from its ancient history. In Pakistan the religious right was exerting that the archaeological sites of the Indus Valley should be filled with earth again as they represented the zaman-e-jahiliyah, the time of ignorance before the arrival of Islam, while in India there was a feeling that these ruins were part of the Indian heritage even if they were on the other side of the border.

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What enhanced my fascination was this image of India as a secular democracy. I had grown up on Bollywood. Amar, Akbar, Anthony, the blockbuster movie from the 1970s had been one of my favourites - the story of three separated brothers, each one of them adopting a different religion but sharing the same blood. Many times during my school years I had got into arguments with my friends over the status of Muslims in India. Giving the example of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and APJ Abdul Kalam, I would assert that India provided opportunities for its minorities to thrive.

Conjoined with this image was that of India Shining. At the turn of the century, India was reinventing itself, emerging as a strong economic hub while Pakistan was drowning further into sectarian and religious conflict. I had no doubt that in a few years India would emerge as a major economic power. It was around this time that I started believing that Pakistan needed India for its identity more than India needed Pakistan. Having been carved out of India, Pakistan constantly needed to look east, highlighting the persecution of minorities in India to justify its creation to itself. Pakistan was obsessed with India, whereas I thought India, now that it was shining, could not care less. Over the years though, as I visited the country many more times, engaging with the intellectuals, I realised that perhaps India needed Pakistan as much as Pakistan needed India for its national identity.

My first encounter with this concept took place at a Metro station in Delhi. Waiting for the train to arrive I started talking to a young man standing next to me. "What do you do?" he asked me. "I am a journalist. What do you do?" "I am also a journalist. I focus on minority issues," he told me. "That's a coincidence. I too write about minorities," I said. At that time I was working on my first book. "That's wonderful. Let's exchange visiting cards," he said. The train had arrived by now and we had stepped in. His hand was in his pocket about to take out his wallet for the card. "Who do you write for?" he asked me. "For a number of Pakistani newspapers." "Are you from Pakistan?" he asked me. He had a serious expression on his face and his hand returned from his pocket without the card. "Can I see your visa?" he said. "I am not carrying my passport." "Can I see your press card or any other identity?" he said. I showed him my card. "You know you should be careful these days. People are suspicious of Pakistanis after the Mumbai attacks. You should carry a copy of your passport or visa. You know I don't think I have my card right now but why don't you give me your email and I will send you an email," he said. He did send me an email later. He was a Muslim. Maybe he actually did not carry his card as he stated. It was clear, though, that my nationality reminded him that he had forgotten his card.

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"You know Pakistan is a failed state," he told me, as the train sped through. "And it has done this to itself. It has promoted terrorism for so long that now it has become a victim of its own actions." He did not need to make the comparison with India. It was self-evident. Pakistan is a failed state, while India a shining country, a new Asian tiger. But are things really that simple? Had Pakistan disintegrated to such an extent that it could be called a failed state? There is no doubt that bomb blasts had become a routine at major cities of the country at that time, but had the state machinery collapsed? Given that Pakistan has survived that horrible situation and has emerged with some semblance of economic improvement goes to show that to call it a failed state would be a little harsh.

Besides, one needs to realise that the very definition of a failed state is an artificial category. Pakistan has failed as a state on many fronts - to curb terrorism, to provide shelter and food to its most vulnerable and to protect the rights of minorities, but then in other categories it was as much a functioning state as any other. Despite the horrible law and order situation, the private sector still survived, schools, hospitals and universities functioned, and people continued to live their lives in an ordinary manner. One could make a similar argument for India if one were to focus on certain aspects of the failures of the state. The Gujarat riots of 2002, farmer suicides, and the law and order situation in the North East and Kashmir are features that could identify India as a failed state. But that does not fit the broader framework of Shining India, of a secular and democratic India, as opposed to a battle-ridden, military-run Pakistan. Terror attacks and bomb attacks in India are perceived as an anomaly in the framework of shining India whereas similar attacks in Pakistan are perceived as fitting a larger narrative of Pakistan failing.

Something similar happened to me when I visited Delhi a year later for a conference. Shashi Tharoor was to make the first speech for this peace conference. It was an immaculate speech which lay the entire blame of India-Pakistan conflict on Pakistan. There was one line that stayed with me. He said, "Pakistan is a thorn on India's side," essentially implying that India wants to move on and progress whereas Pakistan is an irritant. I noticed a similar sentiment at the Bangalore Literature Festival that I recently visited. One of the most popular sessions at the festival was by the eminent historian Ramachandra Guha. The historian talked about how there has been a rise of Hindu fundamentalism in India similar to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan. One of the members of the audience asked the question that given that India is surrounded by the "fundamentalist" Pakistan and Bangladesh, isn't it inevitable that India would become fundamentalist.

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Surprisingly, Ramachandra Guha's session also tapped this concept of depicting Pakistan as the "barbarian" other to depict India as "civilised". I am not asserting that Ramachandra Guha said these words and, perhaps, neither was this his intention, but it felt as if he was unconsciously operating under the same framework in which India tends to look at Pakistan and defines itself as a secular liberal democracy. He was talking about the freedom of speech in India and explaining how that space was diminishing. Then, casually, he mentioned that India, despite the worsening situation, is still much better than Pakistan in terms of freedom of speech.
This blog is the fifth part of a nine-part series chronicling Iris' 46-year battle with bulimia. To read the first, second, third and fourth parts, go here and here and here and here.

There are a few things that catch my attention during the initial days surrounding my decision to seek professional help for my disordered eating.

The psychiatrist at the treatment center is willing for me to try outpatient therapy, though she doubts I can break-up with ED (Eating Disorder) without inpatient care. That observation stops me cold. Not only is that reality horrifying to me, it is simply not doable given my family situation.

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How do I just disappear without anyone knowing the truth? Like my parents, my five children, my siblings and close friends? And I am not ready to spill the beans -- at least not until I have experienced a modicum of success. And who knows if that will ever happen? Better to keep my struggle under wraps for now.

And I have a full-time job.

No, residential treatment for me is simply not a viable option. I feel comfortable with the idea of working out the kinks in my wrinkled body and mind while returning to my own bed and my own routine after each weekday session.

But I know the clouds of change are gathering. The daily onslaught of guilt and remorse that washed over me every time I stuck my fingers down my throat to throw up have finally outweighed and overruled the benefits of staying with ED. He is an adolescent crush that needs shredding and shedding. He has long outlasted his usefulness.

For the first time in a long time, I want to believe in myself and take back my power. Most significantly, I want to be on the inside what I have for so long appeared to be on the outside: healthy, in control and charting my own course. I carry that warrior-like demeanor into treatment. I will need it.

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I decide to go to outpatient therapy and one night early into the course of my treatment, the group leader at the treatment center boldly announces the agenda for the evening: Living in the Moment.

I groan. That concept is something I have been working on for a long time -- especially living in the not-so-stellar moments. The not ideal moment, The imperfect moment.

I think back to a past Thanksgiving weekend when I was wracked with misery. My favorite aunt had passed away. My oldest son was 1,000 miles away. My middle son, his wife and new baby were moving away. And I had a helluva week coming up -- mostly filled with things I wasn't particularly keen on doing.

I tried to force myself to shed the past and shed the future and look at the day in a vacuum: my parents were here and healthy -- my husband and four other sons were upstairs sleeping -- my sister and her family were in from Virginia. Our Thanksgiving table would be full. If I looked at the day without the context of the past and without the lens to the future, there was no reason in the world not to feel wonderful!

That's when I began to understand what Living in the Moment entails:

A mindset of "Wherever you go, there you are."

A practice of wakefulness and mindfulness; not cruising on automatic pilot.

A state of being on the playing field, rather than hanging-out on the sidelines

A celebration of what is, not what was and not what you wish it to be

When I return home from Group that evening, I plow through my stash of past "Incidentally, Iris" columns. Aha. I find it: a column on living in the moment, written in 2001. It is as follows:



I realize I devote no time to reading novels. Magazines take their place. No time to leisurely cook a meal from scratch. Carry-out makes a ubiquitous presence. No time to take a purposeless walk with a friend -- I just pedal furiously on the newest exercise machine at the gym, while checking text messages on my phone.

I live my life always anticipating the next deadline, rushing to meet overlapping obligations. I perform every task as fast and efficiently as possible, with little regard for experiencing pleasure or satisfaction while doing so. I deprive myself of things in the past that have brought pleasure and grounding.

I draw inspiration from the late Erma Bombeck, who said if she had her life to live over, "I would have eaten the popcorn in the living room ... and would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains ... and burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage."

I think of the guest towels and the fancy soaps in my first floor bath. And how irritated I get when my youngest son and his friends use them. And how we have lived in our house for 11 years and never once burned logs in the living room fireplace.

This evening I vow to loosen up a little -- to gently rotate my shoulder blades and breathe deeply. To stop myself from checking phone messages, emails, and snail mail. To leisurely start dinner preparations. To stand still and look straight at the man I married. And listen as he speaks.

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I am going to try hard to live in the moment. To isolate each event and celebrate it fully -- without looking back or projecting ahead. I am going to allow time for sighs of contentment and yelps of triumph.

The next time I see newspapers scattered all over and spot an apple core on the table beside the couch and dust on the blinds and couch pillows astray, I vow to close my eyes and re-work the scene. I will focus on my husband and children, sit down near where they are sitting, take part in what they are doing and relegate what still needs to be done for a later time.

My New Year's Resolution is to abandon the title "The Sultan of Busyness" for good.

Maybe this year, 15 years after the above New Years resolutions were written, with ED on the way out, I'll finally succeed.



As always, I welcome your comments, your feedback, your thoughts.

If you want more information about Iris's forthcoming book Tales of a Bulimic Baby Boomer, or to sign up for her weekly newsletter, visit www.irisruthpastor.com or follow her on Twitter @IrisRuthPastor.

You can find more from Iris on LinkedIn.

Earlier on Huff/Post50:
The recent Democratic and Republican presidential debates have proven that anti-establishment candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, both of whom have little foreign policy experience, have better judgment on such issues than the supposed expert--former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The problem is that her views and her experience are infused with the American Imperium; this view is out of date and is genuinely dangerous for the security of the republic and its citizens.

The United States currently has a national debt just south of $19 trillion. That total is inconceivably large to the average taxpayer. Foreign military interventions do not represent all or even most of that sum, but the long failed quagmires in Iraq and Afghanistan accounted for $4 to $6 trillion in wasted cash--and that's no small contribution to the sorry financial state of the hollow American Empire.

Of course, that doesn't include the $600 billion annually spent to fund the U.S. Department of Defense. This total is what the next seven or eight countries combined spend on security. In addition, it funds an informal worldwide U.S. empire of usually wealthy alliance partners that the United States has pledged to protect, profligate military and covert interventions into other nations business, and a global network of hundreds of American military bases to facilitate such objectives.

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In addition, the Department of Defense is the worst-run department of an already bloated and grossly inefficient federal government--being the only department or agency in the government unable to pass an audit and therefore unable to account for trillions of dollars of expenditures.

Thus, with this dire financial state of affairs, the United States can no longer afford to be the world's policeman; conventional politicians, such as Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio, insist that they don't want the United States to fulfill this role, but then they back repeated and usually counterproductive military meddling in the affairs of other countries.

In contrast, Donald Trump may have despicably bashed Muslims, Hispanics, and foreigners (such as the Chinese), but at least he is not as big of an irresponsible hawk as other more "mainstream" candidates. That's because the "mainstream" foreign policy of both parties is "American exceptionalism" at gunpoint.

For example, Trump opposed George W. Bush's disastrous invasion of Iraq and is clever enough to welcome Russia's involvement in the Syrian civil war bog. Trump is also one of the few Republicans not to waste his and the public's time criticizing Hillary over the terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya--instead properly focusing his criticism of her on the wider issue of her bad judgment in pushing for using the U.S. military to overthrow Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi (which created the lawless environment that allowed the Benghazi attack). Libya, like Iraq, without a strongman to hold it together, is now in chaos with terrorists in charge of part of the country.

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As Bernie Sanders astutely points out, foreign policy experience counts for little if judgment is absent. Hillary pushed for the U.S. intervention in Libya, even after she supported the ousting of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and then recanted during the 2008 campaign--even though the same thing was likely to happen in Libya. Although Sanders has not been perfect in foreign policy either, he was against the Iraq War and also correctly opposed Bill Clinton's bombing of Kosovo and Serbia in 1999.
fashion show

Not all members of the media and attendees and of New York Fashion Week strut from their trendy apartments in recently gentrified neighborhoods on Day 1 rearing to go. Some of us who cover fashion week actually come from far away lands like, in my case, the hippy hills of Fairfax, CA.

Exchanging my daily wardrobe of a hoodie and yoga pants for what's barely passable as fashionable (I try and go for the mostly black look to blend backstage with the often black-clad makeup artists and hair stylists) is just the first step. Once I get to my old stomping grounds of Manhattan (though I now live in Northern California, I lived in all over Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan for 16 years), I try and get myself physically and mentally ready for fashion week by partaking in a few vital beauty rituals:

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Photo courtesy Joanne Vargas

1.Pay a visit to Joanna Vargas Skin Care. Countless actresses, models, and designers prepare for big events by visiting Joanna Vargas's iconic skin spa in midtown Manhattan. Why? Because all it takes is one of her famous Triple Crown Facials, featuring organic products and magic wands that literally give your face an instant lift. Don't believe me? Have the esthetician do half your face and give you a mirror - you will look like a Picasso. It's that dramatic. Seriously. Tip: Keep the magic going by investing in a NuFace, an at-home microcurrent device that can keep you lifted if you do it religiously. Think of it like Pilates for your face. Joanna Vargas Skincare, 501 5th Avenue, Manhattan. 212.949.2350 or www.joannavargas.com.





Photo Courtesy Paintbox

2.Get my nails done at Paintbox in the village. I will never forget the first time I heard about Paintbox. I was backstage at a show, and Rebecca Isa, the genius Creative Director of Zoya was explaining to a group of editors and writers her artistically crafted negative space nail design. After she showed us a model with the final look and I wiped the drool from my chin I casually asked the group, "Is there anywhere I could actually get a manicure like this?" The entire group (no lie) chanted together, "Paintbox!" Obviously I had been away too long. Started by former beauty editor Eleanor Langston with celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec as Creative Director, Paintbox offers the latest runway-inspired nail designs (think ombre, geometric, marbled, negative space designs) while you sip bubbly and feel fabulous. Paintbox, 17 Crosby Street, Manhattan. 212.219.2412 or www.paint-box.com.





Photo Courtesy CNN.com
The Colorado Statesman, a weekly newspaper focusing on Colorado politics, celebrated its 118 birthday Thursday, with a party at the Governor's Mansion carriage house and the launch of a new website and business model.

In a short speech at the event, Statesman Publisher Jared Wright noted that the newspaper now has more capitol reporters than any other publication in Colorado.

That's part of reason, Wright hopes, that people will buy subscriptions to the publication, which run $13.25 per month ($159 per year) for print and digital together and $179 for a digital-access-only subscription. A 14-day trial is free. This higher digital-only price incentivizes people to take the print-and-digital package, Wright says, because the print edition generates other ad revenue for the newspaper. Nonsubscribers now can only access AP and opinion pieces on the Statesman website, plus teasers about original content.

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"We're getting a lot of people who are paying $30 more not to receive the print paper," said Wright. This is because they're buying the digital-only subscription. So, if you buy a subscription, and you should, do the Statesman a favor and buy the print and digital package.

Is there any model for success using this approach?

"There are a number of publications that are models, most of them are in DC, but the one in the West is the Arizona Capitol Times," Wright told me, who calls the Statesman "more of a trade journal than a traditional newspaper."

Asked if there's a date by which the publication must succeed or shut down, Wright said, "Things are looking good financially now, and will see how it goes."

A 20-minute program at last night's reception, moderated by 9News political reporter Brandon Rittiman, featured speeches by former Republican Gov. Bill Owens and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, both of whom gushed about importance of the Statesman our era of diminished journalism generally and the death of the Rocky Mountain News in particular.

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"The great thing about the Statesman is it's nonpartisan," said Hickenlooper in a video presented at the event. "It's pro-partisan, is phrase that somebody used [to describe it]. They want to encourage debate.... Overall, I wouldn't trade a strong media in the capitol for anything. I think it's essential.... Long live the Statesman."

Larry Mizel, who sources say owns a controlling interest in the newspaper, was also at last night's birthday event, chatting with GOP State Senate President Bill Cadman (R-Colorado Springs) for a good bit. Mizel is a well-known Republican, and his involvement, along with his hiring of Wright, a former GOP lawmaker, as publisher, raised concerns among progressives about the newspaper's commitment to being fair and accurate. But so far, I don't see any ideological tilt in the Statesman's coverage. Its reporting staff, at least the ones I know, are highly regarded by both Democrats and Republicans.
Photo from NASA

February 4th 2016, Astronaut Edgar Mitchell passed away peacefully on eve of the 45th anniversary of his lunar landing, which happened February 5th, 1971.

He was the 6th astronaut to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 14 mission. Mitchell, Alan Shepard, and Stuart Roosa were on the crew which set a record for more than nine hours on the lunar surface, collecting rocks and taking measurements for research.

Mitchell was an American naval officer, engineer, and test pilot with a doctor of science in aeronautics and astronautics from M.I.T.

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Through the years he garnered honorary doctorates from numerous universities along with several distinguished service medals, and was nominated for the Nobel peace prize.

Most recently he was known for being outspoken about UFO phenomena and cover-ups. He's even cited in an intro for the latest X-Files television series.

However, Mitchell's most important legacy could be his work to research consciousness and further sustainability efforts based on an epiphany he had during his space mission.

From his experience in space, Mitchell felt a greater perspective or world-view would radically change how we address political and environmental challenges for the sustainability of life on earth.

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An Epiphany from Space

Officially, Mitchell was a scientist and engineer, but underlying that he was an explorer. Although he explored far away from earth, his most profound expedition may have been his trip back. It's an experience he described as "an overwhelming joy of seeing Earth from that perspective."

Photo from Elektro-L Weather-Satellite

I remember meeting Edgar Mitchell during early days of The Overview Institute where Mitchell was a board member.

Hanging out backstage after a presentation he began recounting his experience coming back to earth.

The story is well documented now across the internet. But to this day I remember what he told us so personally.

Mitchell recollected... 'As pilot of the lunar module I had more time in the capsule looking out into the stars. When we were returning, the capsule was spinning back to earth. As we're spinning, flashing through the window was, the earth, the moon, the sun, the stars... the earth, the moon, the sun, the stars. At that moment I had a visceral experience more clear than anything I've ever known, that the universe was conscious and we were part of that consciousness.'

That profound experience inspired his continued exploration of consciousness.

A year after his return to earth, Mitchell established the Institute of Noetic Sciences to support scientific research into the nature of consciousness in all things.

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As it's written on the IONS website, "Mitchell was convinced that the uncharted territory of the human mind was the next frontier to explore, and that it contained possibilities we had hardly begun to imagine."

The Bigger Picture

Mitchell called the kind of experience he had a "big picture effect." He likened it to an 'aha' moment - that sense of wonder you have from a mountain top seeing a broader picture of what's going on.

His experience in space is also documented as "the overview effect" as featured in this video.

Seeing the whole of planet earth from a greater perspective, Mitchell felt "we are all connected - to everything."

From that perspective, man-made borders and divisions are not even visible.

Seeing the integrated nature of life on earth obviously creates a discord with how we're actually living on planet earth.

Mitchell is famous for saying, "from out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, 'look at that [Earth] you son of a bitch.'"

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Photo from JAXA/NHA

Mitchell has written, "learning to see ourselves, our small planet, and our actions toward nature and each other from that larger perspective can strongly influence the course of evolution toward a more peaceful and sustainable future."

With this awareness Mitchell became more vocal about the change in consciousness and sustainability efforts required for continuing life on earth. Mitchell captured his statements on sustainability through this video.

Looking beyond earth, Mitchell said, "We are not alone in the universe. We are just one grain of sand on a huge beach."

His experiences and the legacy of his work inspire us to continue exploration into areas yet uncharted, to explore the mystery of consciousness, to discover what it means to be a human, part of this whole earth ecosystem, a living being that's part of a greater universe.

Finally, here's a video inspired by my dad plus what I learned from Edgar Mitchell's experience and working with The Overview Institute.

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Read more about Mitchell's experience through his book, "The Way of the Explorer".

He is also featured in Frank White's book "The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution" in which several astronauts are interviewed about their experiences in space.

'World View' a documentary series about astronauts' radically changed paradigms from seeing earth in space is underway at InspireInsight.com.

Continue with us to unravel consciousness and awareness for personal, social, and global change through AwakeFree.com
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton meets with officials at the House Of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 in Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Although Hillary Clinton has many advantages in the current Presidential campaign (advantages of policy, programs, and, yes, personality) surely her greatest strength vis-a-vis her principal primary opponent is in the area of foreign and global policy--including matters of war and peace, global development and economics, our war against terrorism, and even climate change and preserving the environment. This writer believes that the success of the next President in dealing with these issues will define her or his legacy; indeed the survival of the human race may well turn on how these issues are handled over the next eight years.

In the face of Secretary Clinton's undisputed strength in these areas, when Bernie Sanders is asked how his experience measures up to hers in the "Commander In Chief" category, he invariably comes up with a single Talking Point.

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Unfortunately that Talking Point, presented in Bernie's shallow vernacular, simply isn't true. It usually goes something like this:



The key foreign policy vote in modern American history was the 2002 vote as to whether we should go into Iraq. I made the decision not to go to war. Hillary Clinton on the other hand, voted for the war...

Like many simplistic and "sound bite" arguments of the modern era, and of Sanders in particular, the argument that Hillary Clinton supported the war George W. Bush prosecuted in Iraq is nonsense. This falsehood can be broken down into five sub-myths.

Myth #1: The 2002 Congressional Resolution authorizing the use of military force against Iraq, on which Hillary Clinton and a large majority of U.S. Senators voted yes, gave George W. Bush "carte blanche" to pursue war against Saddam Hussein.

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False! In fact exactly the opposite is true: While that Resolution did indeed authorize President Bush, under strict requirements of the 1973 War Powers Act, to use force, Section 3(b) of the Act also required that sanctions or diplomacy be fully employed before force was used, i.e. force was to be used only as "necessary and appropriate in order to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq," and to do so only upon the President certifying to Congress that "diplomatic or other peaceful means" would be insufficient to defang Saddam.

Despite those legal conditions, the following year we were at war--and millions of us were astonished that the Bush Administration, running roughshod over Congress's requirements, hadn't given more time for U.N. inspectors to complete their job of searching for weapons of mass destruction.



Myth #2: By voting for the 2002 Congressional Resolution which authorized (but was also designed to limit) George Bush's power to wage war in Iraq, Hillary Clinton cannot be considered a "progressive" Democrat.

False! On October 11, 2002, Clinton joined a strong majority of Democrats, including liberal and left-center Democrats like Tom Harkin, John Kerry, and Joe Biden, in voting in favor of the Resolution authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. Later on, Clinton came to deeply regret giving President Bush the benefit of the doubt on the Resolution, and she has plainly admitted her mistake. Yet it is a "mistake" which many other senators of conscience made with her; if Clinton bears any blame for the resulting war, it is because she placed too much reliance on legislation that was actually designed to check a president's war-making ability but instead inadvertently gave that president cover to run roughshod over the interests of both Congress and the public at large.

Myth #3: At the time of her vote, Clinton was very supportive of going to war in order to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

False! While Clinton quickly turned against the war, another piece of "lost history" is the deep concern she expressed at the very time of her vote in the fall of 2002. Given the Resolution's several prerequisites to waging war, Clinton's vote was for a Resolution that was also supposed to restrain the President's ability to wage war, and her 2002 floor speech leading up to consideration of the Resolution made this clear:

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My vote is not a vote for any new doctrine of preemption or for unilateralism or for the arrogance of American power or purpose, all of which carry grave dangers for our Nation, the rule of international law, and the peace and security of people throughout the world.



These words presaged the doctrine of "smart power" Clinton later espoused as Secretary of State. Her vision is neither interventionist on the one hand nor hesitant and supine on the other, but rather something in between: a belief that the United States is the indispensable leader--in a troubled world where such leadership matters--but a belief still grounded in reality, the limits of American power and, perhaps most significantly, the importance of collaboration with like-minded actors who can be found in every corner of the globe. Meanwhile, as Clinton has said many times, then as now, armed intervention is only to be used as a last resort.



Myth #4: At the time of the 2002 vote, the "architecture" of George Bush's Presidency was well understood, including a philosophy and history of carrying out pre-emptive wars.

False! In 2002, Clinton palpably feared a precipitous rush to war, but was willing to trust a leader who at the time was only in the second year of his presidency, having just suffered the most calamitous attack on the homeland since Pearl Harbor--and, notably, whose only international venture up until then was a widely applauded campaign to overthrow the Taliban in Al Qaida's sanctuary of Afghanistan. While it was already well known that Bush had neocon advisers like Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz, the true extent of their influence had not yet been manifested. (Colin Powell was also an important adviser and George W. was, after all, George H.W. Bush's son.)



Myth #5. Hillary Clinton's vote belies support for an "Imperial Presidency" that brooks no dissent, and disrespects Congress and other partners, foreign or domestic.

False! To the contrary, one of the reasons Hillary Clinton is so well qualified to be president is because she deeply respects the rule of law and, in particular, appropriate Congressional prerogatives and the Constitutional principle of checks and balances. (Indeed, this is precisely why she voted the way she did on the 2002 Iraq Resolution.) In this vein, she is also uniquely capable of reaching across the aisle to forge common-sense solutions, a "progressive who delivers results," as she says.

One big truth: Hillary Clinton possesses another, singular, quality: she has the capacity to learn from the hard lessons that our Iraq adventure taught us, including from the misplaced trust she and others conferred on an Administration that brought so much grief to this country. She has said as much in her memoir, Hard Choices:



As much as I might have wanted to, I could never change my vote on Iraq. But I could try to help us learn the right lessons from that war and apply them to Afghanistan and other challenges where we had fundamental security interests. I was determined to do exactly that when facing future hard choices, with more experience, wisdom, skepticism, and humility.
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The American Congress is so incompetent that it is arbitrarily handing billions of dollars of U.S. tax revenues to Europe. The issue involves tax manipulation by America's top IT and pharmaceutical companies, including Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Gilead and others. These companies should be paying U.S. taxes that instead are increasingly being collected by European countries thanks to Congressional (and IRS) gross negligence.

The issue is simple and yet hopelessly muddled in U.S. tax policy. Tech companies engage in R&D. When successful, they sell products at prices far above marginal cost. Indeed, sometimes the marginal cost of their products is zero. Their profits are a kind of rent or return on intellectual property (IP).

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When Google or Apple or Amazon or Gilead earns international profits, the profits are the returns to prior R&D. That R&D was undertaken in the United States, or almost all of it was. The stream of earnings, therefore, is properly viewed to be the return to intellectual property that should reside in, and be taxed in, the United States.



"The American Congress is so incompetent that it is arbitrarily handing billions of dollars of U.S. tax revenues to Europe."



Yet here is the absurdity of the present-day U.S. corporate tax system. The Congress and IRS have allowed the U.S. companies to relocate their intellectual property abroad through arcane and non-transparent accounting maneuvers, typically to some combination of Ireland, Caribbean tax havens such as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and other tax and secrecy havens. It is only by this absurd accounting fiction that Google's IP (initially funded by the National Science Foundation, no less) is actually claimed by the company to reside in Bermuda, out of the reach of the IRS.

The deal works like this. With the IP artificially relocated to an offshore tax haven, for example Ireland, profits booked in a foreign country (say, Google sales in Sweden) are easily shifted back to Ireland, where they might face a sweetheart-deal secret tax rate as low as 1 percent or even zero. Indeed the Irish profits might be shifted further onward to Bermuda, for example, where tax rates are zero.

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The way the shifting works is that the international branch of Google that books, say, $100 million in profits in Sweden pays an "IP royalty" back to an Irish-based subsidiary of Google. There are, then, no profits in Sweden (since the gross revenues in Sweden are offset by the royalty payments) and the $100 million in royalty payments are booked in Ireland. In some cases, the ultimate IP is located in Caribbean tax havens, so the Irish branch or subsidiary in turn pays a royalty to the Google subsidiary in Bermuda, or for other tech companies, in the Cayman Islands and other Caribbean tax havens.

If all of Google's overseas subsidiaries and branches were consolidated into one corporate account, and all the company's profits worldwide earned on U.S. intellectual property were consolidated into one bottom line for the purpose of calculating U.S. taxes, the shuffling of profits wouldn't matter. Google's $100 million in earnings in Sweden would hit the US bottom line anyway, where it belongs. But in fact, the opposite is the case: the un-repatriated "foreign earnings" of U.S. companies are tax deferred under the U.S. tax code, so the $100 million in profits is untaxed by the IRS as long as the profits are not returned to the U.S. American companies are reportedly sitting on more than $2 trillion of accumulated profits that they've booked abroad in this manner to avoid U.S. corporate taxes.

Of course, the so-called "foreign earnings" of Google or Gilead or other tech companies are not really foreign earnings at all in a true economic sense. They are the profits on U.S. exports of U.S.-developed intellectual property. To the extent that the profits result from factories and employees abroad, that would be another matter, but that accounts for little of the actual foreign sales.



"In their interest to garner favor with U.S. companies (mainly in search of campaign funds), the U.S. Congress has allowed these companies to escape U.S. corporate taxes..."



The present case of Gilead is even more absurd. The company owns the patent on blockbuster drug Sofosbuvir, the cure for Hepatitis C. The company bought the drug from the drug developer Pharmasett, which did all of its R&D in the United States. Yet the intellectual property on Sofosbuvir is claimed by Gilead to be in Ireland for tax purposes. When Gilead fleeces the U.S. government by charging $1,000 for a pill that costs $1 to manufacture, and the money is paid by the U.S. government to pay for treatment of a U.S. citizen in the U.S., Gilead has the chutzpah to book the U.S. profits in Ireland. And they get away with it.

You can't make this stuff up.

But here's the further twist. The European Governments are seeing how the U.S. companies are getting off without paying taxes. So now the European tax authorities are stepping forward to collect taxes on the profits earned by U.S. tech companies in Europe. And the companies are indeed settling with the European tax authorities for billions of dollars in tax payments -- taxes that should be paid, not to Europe, but to the U.S. Treasury.

As I said, you can't make this stuff up.

So the bottom line is as follows. In their interest to garner favor with U.S. companies (mainly in search of campaign funds), the U.S. Congress has allowed these companies to escape U.S. corporate taxes by magically declaring that their IP is located in some foreign tax haven. Yet instead of the money remaining with the U.S. companies, as Congress intended, it is increasingly going into the European tax coffers.
When it comes to culture, Americans are like baby birds -- we like our nutrition pre-chewed. About the last place I'd go to learn about Hadley Richardson, perhaps Ernest Hemingway's greatest love, is The Paris Wife. And if I wanted an accurate picture of the Lost Generation in 1920s Paris, I wouldn't source Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen's souffle of a film. But there's always more gold in literary and cinematic tourism, so I didn't do cartwheels when I received a copy of Georgia, Dawn Tripp's "novel of Georgia O'Keeffe."

O'Keeffe was the most famous female American artist of the last century --- and the most written about. I'd read Karen Karbo's charming How Georgia Became O'Keeffe and Roxana Robinson's 675-page biography. I'd spent a day at O'Keeffe's home in Abiquiu, New Mexico interviewing her last assistant, Juan Hamilton, for a magazine profile. And like anyone who'd taken an art history course, I'd seen dozens of the 500 photographs that Alfred Stieglitz had taken of her and could write at least two paragraphs about vaginal imagery in her flower paintings.

Really, what's left to know about Georgia O'Keeffe?

The good news: Georgia is a uniquely American chronicle -- told by O'Keeffe -- that starts with the importance of a good story and a killer bod. Does that sound uncannily like the techniques used to make careers for women a century later? Yes, and to degree that may shock purists, this is a book about branding and marketing, the first two commandments of success in the art world and our world. A book about you, perhaps, if you're female and have a man in your life who wants the best for you and knows how you can get it. And, in the end, a book about a talent so fierce it crushed pretty much everything in its path -- a rare story of artistic triumph.

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You know the outlines. In 1915, when O'Keeffe was a 27-year-old art teacher in Texas, she sent some charcoal drawings to a friend in New York. The friend showed them to Stieglitz, who flipped for them and showed them in his gallery. His letters and that show lured O'Keeffe to New York.

From the beginning, O'Keeffe had an exalted agenda: "When someone looks at something I have painted, I want them to feel what moved me to paint it in the first place. I paint as I feel it. Light, sky, air. As I want it to be felt." But O'Keeffe wasn't just heralded for her drawings. She was also a model -- a nude model -- for her photographer lover. Which she liked. A lot: "I've begun to crave the way his eyes rake over me, so I am only a body. No inhibition, no thought. Pure sensation. There is a strange freedom in that, and it begins to fuel my art."

These photographs were, for all Stieglitz's artistic cred, close to exploitation -- the "male gaze" at work. Critics are piano players in the whorehouse of media, and when they come to write about these nudes, they see tits-and-ass:



They describe my body in rudely intimate terms: "the navel, the mons veneris, the armpits, the bones along the skin of the neck...the life of the pores, of the hairs along the shin-bone, of the veining of the pulse, and the liquid moisture on the upper lip... lucent unfathomable eyes, the gesture of chaste and impassioned surrender." It's the scandal that drew them. They're not after the art. I am his mistress. It's not a stranger's body they're describing, but mine. How could I not have seen this coming? I should have known. What was I thinking?

We know what. She and Stieglitz were in a deep conversation about art and truth. But this was a conversation between two people who didn't have equal power. Stieglitz was a god, O'Keeffe was a child. At the train station in New York, Stieglitz "holds me tightly.... everything in me turns suddenly soft." Then there is "his hand in the small of my back, my body against him." And in this way, as it has been since the beginning of time, she overcame her respect for Stieglitz's marriage.

Tripp expertly makes drama of two traditional themes in the O'Keeffe story -- the romance with Stieglitz and the development of her art -- but it's the track about her art and his management of it and her struggle not to be dominated by him that makes her novel compelling. It's a story of "yes, but." Stieglitz may be the mastermind behind her career, but O'Keeffe's not a willing puppet. She's a one-man woman, but he strays, in at least one instance with a woman who works at the gallery and supports it. He needs O'Keeffe in residence, but she needs to work in the West.

Why didn't she break with Stieglitz? Well, he wrote thousands of letters to her, he was a wordsmith who addicted her to his words. And he adored her. And, though she wished it were different, the money.

These are important questions, but they don't present themselves as questions, the writing is too good for that. In most first-person novels, the character talks to you. Here, she recollects with you -- in her heart as well as her head. Which is to say that Dawn Tripp writes in much the same way as O'Keeffe painted: in vivid color and subtle shade. Reading her, I thought of Light Years and something James Salter said in describing it:

The book is the worn stones of conjugal life. All that is beautiful, all that is plain, everything that nourishes or causes to wither. It goes on for years, decades, and in the end seems to have passed like things glimpsed from the train -- a meadow here, a stand of trees, houses with lit windows in the dusk, darkened towns, stations flashing by -- everything that is not written down disappears except for certain imperishable moments, people, and scenes.



As O'Keeffe looks back on her life, those glimpses lead her to a question I've never seen asked before:

"It occurs to me that perhaps Stieglitz is not my life, but a detour from it."

Discuss: Was Georgia O'Keeffe, popularly regarded as a feminist heroine, oppressed as a woman -- and what do she make of that?

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Dawn Tripp will be reading in Dallas, Scottsdale, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Decatur, Washington, Mystic Ct., Providence, Newton, Brookline and Westport. For details, click here.

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As the Russian-backed Syrian army threatens to liberate Aleppo, potentially determining the outcome of five years of civil war, Saudi Arabia is challenging the US to lead a ground invasion that could escalate into an historic battle for a country that has been fought over for centuries.

President Barack Obama has so far maintained he will not send U.S. ground forces into Syria, beyond a few hundred special forces. But the Saudis, the U.A.E. and Bahrain, driven by fierce regional ambitions, said last week they are ready to invade if the U.S. will lead, pressuring Obama to decide if he's willing to lose Syria to Russia and Iran.

Vice President Joe Biden in Istanbul last month hinted at a possible Obama change in position when he said if U.N.-led peace talks in Geneva failed, the United States was prepared for a "military solution" in Syria.

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The U.N.'s unconditional peace talks collapsed on Wednesday when the Saudi-led opposition made a condition that Russia cease its aerial campaign. A day later Saudi Arabia said it was ready to invade Syria with the U.S. It was revealed the same day that Turkey is building up its forces at the Syrian border.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter welcomed the Saudi declaration though he made no commitment about U.S. ground forces. But Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told al-Arabiya TV that a decision could be made to intervene at a NATO summit in Brussels next week. Carter said it would be on the agenda.

Saudi officials told CNN that war games with 150,000 troops from the kingdom, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Morocco, Sudan and Egypt would be held in March. And on Feb. 1 Lt. Gen. Sean Mac Farland said the U.S. would need more troops in Syria.

Turkey has begun preparations for an invasion of Syria, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. On Thursday ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said:"We have good reasons to believe that Turkey is actively preparing for a military invasion of a sovereign state - the Syrian Arab Republic. We're detecting more and more signs of Turkish armed forces being engaged in covert preparations for direct military actions in Syria." The U.N. and the State Department had no comment. But this intelligence was supported by a sound of alarm from Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP).

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Turkey, which has restarted its war against Kurdish PKK guerillas inside Turkey, is determined to crush the emergence of an independent Kurdish state inside Syria as well. Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan stopped the Syrian Kurds from attending the aborted Geneva talks.

A Turkish invasion would appear poised to attack the Syrian Kurdish PYD party, which is allied with the PKK. The Syrian (and Iraqi) Kurds, with the Syrian army, are the main ground forces fighting the Islamic State. Turkey is pretending to fight ISIS, all the while actually supporting its quest to overthrow Assad, also a Turkish goal.

Of course Biden, Erdogan, Carter and the Saudis are all saying a ground invasion would fight ISIS. But their war against ISIS has been half-hearted at best and they share ISIS' same enemy: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. If the U.S. were serious about fighting ISIS it would have at least considered a proposal by Russia to join a coalition as the U.S. did against the Nazis.

The Prize of Aleppo

The excuse of the Geneva collapse is a ruse. There was little optimism the talks would succeed. And they were sabotaged by the Saudi opposition though the West blamed Russia. The real reason for the coming showdown in Syria is the success of Russia's military intervention in defense of the Syrian government against the Islamic State and other extremist groups. Many of these groups are supported by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States in pursuit of overthrowing Assad.

These three nations are all weighing a ground invasion of Syria just as, by no coincidence, the Syrian Arab Army with Russian air cover is pushing to liberate perhaps the greatest prize in the Syrian civil war--Aleppo, the country's commercial capital. The Russians and Syrians have already cut off Turkey's supply lines to rebels in the city. Taking Aleppo would be a major turning point in the war.

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The neocons in Washington could not likely stand by and watch Russia win in Syria. At the very least they may well want U.S. troops on the ground to meet the Russians at a modern-day Elbe and influence the outcome.

But things could go wrong in a war in which the U.S. and Russia are not allies, as they were in World War II. Despite this, the U.S. and its allies see Syria as important enough to risk confrontation with Russia, with all that implies. It is not at all clear though what the U.S. interests are in Syria to take such a risk.

From the outset of Russia's intervention the U.S. and its allies have wanted Moscow out of the Syrian theater. They seem to be only waiting for the right opportunity. That opportunity may be now--forced by events.

Former U.S. national security adviser and current Obama adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski said last October in the Financial Times that, "The Russian naval and air presences in Syria are vulnerable, isolated geographically from their homeland. They could be 'disarmed' if they persist in provoking the U.S."

Turkey's downing in November of a Russian warplane that veered 17 seconds into Turkish territory appeared to be very much a provocation to draw Russia into a conflict to allow NATO to drive Moscow out of Syrian skies. But Russia was too smart for that and instead imposed sanctions on Turkey, while urging Russian tourists not to visit the country, which has hurt the Turkish economy.

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A Battleground of Empires

As a fertile crossroad between Asia and Africa backed by desert, Syrian territory has been fought over for centuries. Pharaoh Ramses II defeated the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh near Lake Homs in 1247 BCE. The Persians conquered Syria in 538 BCE. Alexander the Great took it 200 years later and the Romans grabbed Syria in 64 BCE.

Islam defeated the Byzantine Empire there at the Battle of Yarmuk in 636. In one of the first Shia-Sunni battles, Ali failed to defeat Muawiyah in 657 at Siffin along the Euphrates near the Iraq-Syria border. Damascus became the seat of the Caliphate until a coup in 750 moved it to Baghdad.

Waves of Crusaders next invaded Syria beginning in 1098. Egyptian Mamluks took the country in 1250 and the Ottoman Empire was born in 1516 at its victory at Marj Dabik, 44 kilometers north of Aleppo--about where Turkish supplies are now being cut off. It may be the spot where Erdogan's neo-Ottoman dreams die.

France double-crossed the Arabs and gained control of Syria in 1922 after the Ottoman collapse. The Nazis were pushed out in the 1941 Battle of Damascus.

We may be now looking at an epic war with similar historical significance. All these previous battles, as momentous as they were, were regional in nature.

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At the local mosque, the imam asked for a show of hands of those who do NOT love the Prophet Muhammad. It was a rhetorical question. The 15-year-old, Anwar Ali, mistakenly thought the imam asked who DOES love Muhammad. He enthusiastically raised his right hand, only to be ridiculed as a blasphemer. Horrified, the young man went home and chopped off his right hand.



Muslim commentator, Mustafa Akyol, says the story reflects an "Islam of terrifying fear" that is all-too-real in certain parts of the world. For Akyol, this also reflects the fact that Islam, at least in part, is going through its own "Dark Ages" as Christianity did at roughly the same historical age. But for critics of Islam, the story simply confirms that the religion is inherently extremist.



How should Christians respond? What does this story tell us about Islam and the Qur'an?



First, some facts. A few passages in the Qur'an and hadiths do present amputation as a divinely sanctioned form of corporate punishment for thievery and hostility against early Muslim communities. For example, "Cut off the hands of thieves, whether they are man or woman, as punishment for what they have done" (Q 5:38). There is not, however, anything in the Qur'an that advocates self-amputation.



Interestingly, Anwar Ali's act literally mimics a statement of Jesus in the New Testament, "if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away" (Matthew 5:30). Of course, few Christians believe Jesus was endorsing self-mutilation. As a teacher, Jesus was employing hyperbole, rhetorical exaggeration, to drive home his point that sin must be taken seriously. Christian history has its outliers -- the early Christian theologian, Origen, reportedly castrated himself because of a statement about adultery in Matthew 19:12 -- but most Christians understand self-mutilation as a tragic misunderstanding that undermines Jesus' life-affirming message.



Consider another example from the New Testament that illustrates the importance of context. Ephesians 6:5 says, "Slaves, obey your earthly masters...as you obey Christ." To modern readers, this can elicit images of chains and slave ships, of people torn from their homes and forced into servitude. Some early U.S. slaveholders even cited this verse to oppress their slaves and justify themselves. Does the New Testament support, or even promote, slavery?



For perspective on this, one should consider historical details such as the nature of slavery in the Roman Empire. But the literary context of the passage provides the most direct answer. While "slaves obey your masters" sounds like an endorsement of slavery, if you continue reading, a different picture emerges. The passage continues, "masters, do the same to them...for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality" (Ephesians 6:9). Rather than endorsing the status-quo, Ephesians drops a countercultural bombshell and tells slave owners to practice "mutual submission" and acknowledge ultimate equality with their slaves. Notably, some of those American slaveholders who used scriptures to justify themselves also denied their slaves access to the same scriptures because of this empowering message of equality and justice. Their fears were realized when Christian abolitionists, both black and white, found such inspiration.
My mom was a storyteller. Of all her stories, one of my favorites was her riff about the irate parent and the French class. It goes like this.

A devoted lifelong grade school teacher, my mom loved her kids. "It's the adults I have a hard time with," she confided to me more than once.

One day she was hearing out a parent who was complaining bitterly about the fact that her fifth-grade kid was learning French. (Why this was a problem, who knows.) At the height of the conversation, more a monologue, really, the parent uttered a line which my mother secretly found so hilarious that she could not wait till the end of the school day, when we would ride home together in the car, so she could tell me about it:

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"If English was good enough for Jesus Christ," the irate parent exclaimed, "it's good enough for me!"

To this day, I do not know how my mother managed to keep a straight face.

One year, when I was ten or so, I asked her if she would read to me. Specifically, if she would read me Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey. Every night, before I went to sleep, she'd sit on the side of my bed and read another chapter. I don't know who enjoyed themselves more, her or me, and I don't know how long it took. In my memory it stretched on, deliciously, for months.

She read it to me in English, of course (the Fitzgerald translation), not in the original Greek.

But hey, I told myself wickedly, if English was good enough for Homer, it's good enough for me!

My mother was also a passionate student of Greek mythology and all things Greek. One year she organized a trip of students, a dozen or so, to Greece for a few weeks. Late one afternoon she hiked with her kids up the famous hill in the midst of Athens to visit the Acropolis and its crowning structure, the Parthenon (the great temple to Athena built by Pericles, the "first citizen of Athens").

As they sat on a ridge of ruins viewing the Parthenon, one of the students said, "Mrs. Mann, can you tell us the one about...?" and asked her about one of the hundreds of Greek myths she loved so much. Dusk was approaching and she knew they had to leave soon. Just one, she thought, and told the story. Which prompted a second student to ask about another myth. Which she told. And then another. As the sun slipped below the horizon, she told story after story.

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Finally, she decided it was really time to leave. She stood up, so did the students. They turned around --

And found themselves looking at a crowd of thirty, forty people, maybe more -- all of whom had arrived and sat, still and quiet as the Parthenon itself, entranced. Listening to the stories.

It was only when my mom stood that they broke into hushed applause, and then all quietly decamped, leaving the Parthenon and the Greek full moon to enjoy each other in solitude.

Mom believed passionately that the best way to teach young children was through drama. Throughout her career, she directed her kids in dozens of theatrical productions, and wrote quite a few plays herself.

Storyteller becomes playwright.

A few years later, when I was thirteen, she organized a second Greece trip for the purpose of putting on a production of Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound. This was now 1967, not the most peaceful of times in that land, which was in the middle of a military coup d'etat. I still don't know how she pulled that one off, but to Greece we went, and returned, without incident.

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We spent time in Athens, Mykonos and various islands, then up north to Kalambaka and Delphi, where we executed the whole purpose of the trip: in the ancient stone amphitheater at Epidaurus, we performed the Aeschylus play. We were told that this was the exact spot where it was given its premier performance, nearly 2,500 years earlier. It was an electrifying, life-changing experience.

A few months earlier, in preparation for the trip, my mom had decided that some of the choruses should be set to music. She asked me to do it.

"Compose original music for Aeschylus choruses?!" I protested. "I'm thirteen! I can't do that!"

So I did. It was my first musical composition, and we performed the choruses at Epidaurus as part of our little production.

I went on (thanks to her) to pursue a career in composition. Later on that turned into a career (thanks to her) in writing.

Composer becomes writer. I guess her love of storytelling rubbed off.

My mom did not live to see the publication of my book, The Go-Giver, succumbing to cancer more than a decade before it appeared. She would have gotten the biggest kick out of the fact that we dubbed our mentor "Pindar" (that being the name of the greatest of the nine ancient Greek lyric poets). She would have gotten an even bigger kick out of seeing the Hermes icon on the book's front jacket. And she would have loved seeing Arianna Huffington's name on the cover of the new "expanded" edition. (Arianna, after all, is as Greek as Greek can be -- born in Athens, not far from the Parthenon!)

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At first, I was sad she was not here to see it. Over the years, though, my view on that has changed. It has become clearer to me that just because she isn't right here, the way you and I are right here, doesn't mean she doesn't know all about it.

And I've come to this sense, too:

Wherever she is now, and whatever form or substance that world looks like, I expect she is busily engaged telling stories to a little group huddled around her -- and that there is a much vaster group, unseen and unheard behind her, in rapt attention.

The body, like the temples of Pericles, thrives for a time and then fades.
Heavenly Cross



True Vine Church of God in Christ shown here circa 1970's was founded by John Fountain's grandparents on Chicago's West Side and is where he attended church.

Early one Sunday afternoon, I walked to the front of the church, toward the pulpit, to have words at the behest of my grandfather, the pastor.

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Unsure of what to say, I could still hear the words of my dearly departed grandmother's spirit-filled voice ringing inside my head: "Let the Lord use you, John Wesley."



I stood before the small congregation and mouthed the proper honors to the pastor, the assistant pastor, the deacons and such... Then came my sacrilege.

"You know," I said, "they told me as a child that only (people in our denomination) were going to heaven." Then I dropped the bomb: "I guess I'm on my way to hell... because I'm Baptist."

There was a collective gasp, then laughter.

"No, uh, I'm not," I declared, laughing. "I'm not going to hell.

"The truth is, I have learned that all truly Christian churches are churches of God in Christ Jesus; and that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism..."

I left the pulpit to a chorus of Amen's, though feeling uneasy, if not queasy, over what I had said--feeling like a religious misfit. I guess I always have.

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A Religious Misfit

Raised as a fire-and-brimstone Pentecostal at a small family church in Chicago, I was often uncertain about their antics, about whether their demonstrations of the spirit were authentic. I was especially leery of the notion that everyone, except us, was going to hell as my "sanctified" family had assured.

As a boy, I wondered why it was "sin" to go to the movie theater, or for women to wear makeup or pants, or to listen to any music other than gospel. It seemed everything was sin, even dancing the boogaloo.

The problem with our Christian cousins--the Baptists--the saints said, was that they smoked cigarettes and drank liquor, partied on Saturday and praised on Sunday. And for it, Baptists were going to bust hell wide open, we had been assured. Still, I couldn't help but wonder what all that backbiting and gossiping I had witnessed among "the saints" would earn them in that great day.



Our negative view of Baptists wasn't just their smoking, but their general so-called lack of commitment to a sin-free way of living 24-7.

As I grew older, I heeded my grandfather's instruction to always find a church within my denomination in whatever new city life's wind carried me. Usually, that meant simply thumbing through the yellow pages.

Along the way, I found good churches and wonderful God-fearing people. But I also found my faith challenged, perhaps none more than by my wife--a good Christian woman who happened to be Baptist. She challenged me less by what she said and more by how she lived.

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Reared by Baptist parents, she grew up in her father's church. Her daily walk with Christ seemed to reflect a deep commitment and yet liberty that I had never known.

It was clear to me that her conception of who she was in Christ was not based on denomination or religion, but on relationship, on the principle of God's grace and love and willful obedience to His word.

The Letter

That was what I was trying to express that Sunday. Later that week, I got an email from a sister who had been in the congregation:

"I was glad to hear you make the statement in the pulpit Sunday that you are a Baptist and are not going to hell," she wrote. "I wished that my husband could hear you."

He had been coming to church after his mother died and was "emotionally distraught and felt the need to get closer to God.

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"He was doing pretty well for a while coming to church with me on Sundays. Then a comment was made by someone in the church (I'm not going to mention the name) that Baptists were no good. ...I explained to him that the comment was the person's opinion. ...He stopped going to church altogether.

"I wished that he could have heard you today..." the note ended. "You hit the mark today!"

Still, I found no rejoicing. For the cold truth was that by the time of my proclamation, this sister's husband was dead--and he had died apparently mortally misled about the gift of eternal life.


Chelsea, Vermont, village green.

There is a story in which a Vermont farmer is visited by another sodbuster and his dog, from New Hampshire across the Connecticut River. They sit on the porch over looking one of the state's many small lakes. The visitor throws a stick far out on the water and says "fetch".

The dog umps up, runs across the surface of the lake, grabs the stick and brings it back to its master, returning with its paws barely wet. The New Hampshire farmer says to his host, "So, whadda you think of that?" To which the Vermonter replies, "Wouldn't have me a dog that can't swim".

This story encapsulates the putative stereotype of old Vermonters -- rural, practical and singularly short on imagination. Among other things Vermont is the least urbanized state and one of the least diverse (when I lived there 30 years ago the largest ethnic minority was French-Canadians, "Canucks"). Part of its eccentricity may come from fifteen years as an independent republic (1776-1791, longer than the life of the better known Republic of Texas, 1836-1845). During this brief period of independence, the Vermont legislature abolished slavery (no part of the U.S. did so until several years later).

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How Vermont was settled determined its political culture. Large land grants from the British crown with tenant farmers characterized New Hampshire (and New York). In the early 18th century settlers crossed the Connecticut River from New Hampshire to take unauthorized possession of land in what is now named Vermont.



Dream of independence persists for a few Vermonters.

The opposition to slavery by Vermonters manifested itself during the US Civil War, when close to 20 percent of adult males served in the Union army. The over 5000 killed was the highest per capita of any state (including the secessionist ones). Much like English villages with their WWI memorials, almost all Vermont towns and communities have their Civil War memorials.

Because of the Democratic Party's century-long strong base in the former states of the Confederacy and acquiescence to segregation (the erstwhile "solid South"), after the Civil War the legacy of opposition to slavery kept Vermont firmly Republican in very presidential election from 1856 through 1988 except one (Lyndon Johnson's landside win in 1964).

Despite being born in Brooklyn, Bernie Sanders fits easily into the Vermont radical tradition. One of his main issues, reform of Wall Street, reflects not only his political outlook but also the finance-unfriendly regulatory environment in Vermont. Believe it or not, a complete list of Vermont financial institutions includes not one national or international bank. This was once common across states - banks could not have more than one branch when I grew up in Texas -- but now almost unknown.

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The Vermont culture of the common citizen against the power of finance, especially strong among farmers, once could be found across the United States, even in states we now consider bastions of reaction, such as my home state of Texas (where in 1892 a radical candidate for the Peoples Party won 25% of the votes for governor). Except in Vermont this "little guy against big money" tradition has almost disappeared.

Less in the Vermont tradition is Sander's strong support for trade unions. While alien to the Vermont small farmer tradition, over the last several decades unions have to a limited extent established themselves as a political force in Vermont (about 12 percent of employees in a state that is only 39 percent urban, lowest ratio in the United States except for nearby Maine at 38%).

After New Hampshire his challenge is to extend the anti-establishment message beyond upper New England. February will continue to bring inclusive contests in rather small states, Nevada on the 20th (in which he might win or come close) and South Carolina on the 27th (which he will lose).

Then come the block-busters, beginning 1 March when eleven states hold primaries (including delegate-heavy ones, Virginia and Texas). During the rest of March 17 more states weigh in, the largest being Florida, Michigan and Ohio (all with well over 100 delegates. Come the 1st of April (by chance my birthday) primaries will have decided over 50 percent of delegates.

In addition to these, a large share of the so-called super delegates will have declared themselves. These number 713 (about 16 percent of the total) and include members of Congress, governors and party officials. At the moment 359 have committed to Hillary Clinton and eight to Bernie Sanders. These delegates are notoriously prone to jumping onto the winning bandwagon, so their current commitment should be treated as notional at most.

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The keys for the senator from Vermont will be the closely linked, money and name recognition. The excellent Vermont cartoonist Jeff Danzinger has a cartoon in which Sanders campaigns in a South Carolina diner and one local asks another, "did he say Colonel Sanders?"

Should Sanders overcome the name recognition gap across the South and Southwest, the central question is whether his class-focused political message can realize the long term dream of American populist progressives to unite poor whites and poor blacks in support of radical reform.
CANAKKALE, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 8: Total of 362 refugees are captured by Turkish gendarme while they were illegally trying to reach Greece's Lesbos Island through Turkey, in Ayvacik district of Canakkale, Turkey on February 8, 2016. (Photo by Hanife Erdinc/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

After a year in which Europe's response to a surge in boat migration went from deeply flawed to truly awful, the situation in 2016 has only deteriorated. EU leaders are becoming increasingly shrill, policy proposals ever more unhinged, and dire predictions about the collapse of the European Union itself commonplace.

One million asylum seekers and migrants reached Europe by sea last year, and more than 65,000 crossed the Mediterranean in January. The numbers are high but manageable if it weren't for the abysmal failure of collective leadership, with European governments proposing one bad idea after another in what seems to be a panicky scramble to stem the flow at all costs.

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Bad idea #1: Pay Turkey to keep people there. Late last year, the EU agreed to give Turkey 3 billion to improve conditions for the 2-3 million Syrian refugees Turkey hosts in exchange for stopping people from getting on the boats. The agreement could lead to important improvements in the lives of many, particularly if Turkey fulfills its commitment to grant Syrian refugees the right to work, but it also carries risks. And certainly it makes sense for the EU to provide generous support to countries of first asylum which are struggling to cope with the massive numbers of refugees they are hosting.

But, while Turkey has been generous toward Syrian refugees, it has also begun to close off access and push people back into the Syrian war zone. A heavy-handed crackdown on departures could involve gross human rights abuses.

So far, of course, the deal with the EU hasn't actually worked, with an average of 2,000 people per day arriving on Greek islands, in the worst winter weather.

Now, the leader of one of the parties in the Dutch coalition has proposed that EU countries agree to resettle hundreds of thousands of Syrians per year from Turkey in exchange for an agreement that Turkey take back, automatically, anyone who crosses the Aegean Sea. Never mind that such a move would be illegal under EU and international law and that Turkey doesn't have a functioning asylum system or offer effective protection; imagine the prospect of taking exhausted people landing on beaches in the Greek islands, locking them up, ignoring their pleas for asylum or help, and putting them on the next ferry to Turkey.

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Bad idea #2: Trap people in Greece. Since last Fall, countries along the land route from Greece have built or reinforced border fences, and periodically closed their borders entirely or to all but a handful of nationalities. Now Slovenia has proposed to virtually seal the Greece-Macedonia border, with Belgium advocating massive detention centers on the Greek side. The European Commission just gave Greece three months to get its act together -- reinforce border controls and stop people from traveling onward -- or risk being thrown out of Schengen, the open border arrangement shared by many European countries.

That sounds a lot like chucking everything off your bedroom floor into the closet and saying you've tidied up. Except we're talking about human beings.

Everybody knows that Greece's asylum system is a mess, that most asylum seekers receive no accommodation or assistance whatsoever, and that the country is still in a deep economic crisis. That's why many domestic courts in Europe have blocked efforts to send asylum seekers back to Greece under the EU's Dublin rule, which emphasizes the responsibility of the country of first entry to the EU. Greece has done a lot of things wrong, but trapping hundreds of thousands of people in Greece will create a humanitarian disaster in the EU country probably least able to deal with it. Besides, people will find other routes to reach effective protection further north.

The only way to manage migration and refugee flows is with an orderly, collective approach that fully respects the rights of migrants and asylum seekers. The relocation plan agreed by the EU Council last year, to move asylum seekers out of Greece and Italy, would be a start if member states would begin seriously implementing it.

Bad idea #3: Make life miserable for those who get here. Denmark just adopted a law allowing it to confiscate assets over 1,340 from asylum seekers to offset the costs of housing and services, and to delay family reunification for three years. Hungary locks up and prosecutes asylum seekers for unauthorized entry into the country. The UK has slashed support for asylum seekers -- many of whom are entirely dependent on government aid because they are not allowed to work -- by almost one third. Sweden and Germany, known for their generous policies, are moving to limit family reunification.

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What's completely lost in all of this is not just any sense of compassion but even a grip on reality.

Fearmongers talk up the threat of terrorism, but most of the people risking their lives to get to Europe are fleeing the horrors of war in Syria; the brutality of insurgent groups in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia; or the repression of the Eritrean or Iranian governments. Demagogues thunder that asylum seekers just want to steal jobs or bleed the welfare system dry, but almost everyone acknowledges that the EU needs labor migration, and study after study shows that immigration brings net benefits to societies over the long-term.

Xenophobes warn that Europe's cultural identity is at risk, and yet the founding treaty of the EU calls for societies characterized by pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men. That means welcoming refugees, and taking steps to integrate them in a way that respects these values and their identity.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is now paying a political price for her leadership in the refugee crisis, famously said "we can do this" -- wir schaffen das -- in calling for a reasonable, collective, and compassionate response to the flow of asylum seekers. These days, pretty much all we're hearing from EU leaders is "We just can't cope."

There's no doubt that the refugee crisis poses many challenges large and small today and in the years to come. But the EU, one of the richest regions of the world, is surely up to meeting those challenges while also upholding the EU's laws and values. People, we can do this.

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While many may argue that a digital strategy differs greatly from that of a more traditional construct, I believe it stands to reason that nothing is new in the world of marketing and giving back to the communities that support any market is not only a sound business plan, but one with the power to uplift the human condition.

In leveraging large-scale events, specifically for those with a taste for the "foodie experience" the market has shifted. Costs have skyrocketed making it imperative that these events are successful. Therefore, it is the amalgamation of both qualitative and quantitative data or more simply the lived experience wrapped around empirical statistics creating a synergistic relationship and a genuine desire to do "good".

The iconic food festival is an excellent example as each data point reflects an identified consumer invigorated by attending "a consumable event." Interestingly enough along the strategic digital highway, Las Vegas and Florida, specifically Southeast Florida offer an excellent window into strategic planning for the continued growth of the food festival and large scale events overall . Florida adds a special spin with a laser focus by one of the largest events on addressing those in need.

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While Florida boasts many smaller food-centric offerings, the most reliable data rests in the largest sample sizes, in this case the South Beach Wine and Food Festival which boasts more than a decade's worth of data.

For the first time, the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) will expand north to host the inaugural Taste Fort Lauderdale event series during the 15th annual Festival, February 24-28, 2016 but will it be successful and will still support the community?

Image Credit: United States Census

Tim Petrillo, president of the Fort Lauderdale based The Restaurant People believes in this expansion and has been instrumental in making it a reality. In a recent phone conversation he explained that,



The days of Fort Lauderdale being branded as Spring Break's "LiquorDale" are over. Broward County has changed and is a place where residents love to eat and are extremely charitable.

Is the future of the food Festival bleak? Not according to Lee Brian Schrager, Philanthropist, Founder & Director, Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals,

The concept of a food festival is fluid and as such we are rigorous in redefining and reinvigorating the brand. Fort Lauderdale welcomed us with open arms. It was a true collaboration and exploration of what the market demanded and how we could position the expansion to new segments especially the Millennial consumer who is not afraid to spend money and support those in need.



Schrager speaks to the age-old marketing mantra when he explains,



Nothing is guaranteed, but we do our due diligence to fully analyze the cost/benefit before we commit. Many don't realize we are a charitable endeavor and have raised millions as we 'Eat. Drink. End Hunger.' While that is rewarding, it can sometimes be an added pressure as it is always my goal to drive the team to make strategic decisions that will not only ensure future success, but put the most money each year in the hands of the people that are most vulnerable and most in need.
US First Lady Michelle obama's Chief of Staff Tina Tchen arrives for the state dinner in honour of South Korea's President Lee Myung-Bak and his wife Kim Yoon-Ok October 13, 2011 at the White House in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

When it comes to the status of women, girls, and nonbinary people in the world, I must confess that I'm not always filled with an unbridled optimism. Staring down a world where women make up just 12% of governors, 18 percent of mayors, 19 percent of Congress, and 5 percent of Fortune 1000 CEOs--to say nothing of the unique challenges faced by women of color and the rampant violence and homelessness affecting the trans community--often leaves me feeling an overwhelming sense of apathy.

Yes, of course we've made strides, but sprinkle in the stat that our progress is plodding along at a pace that won't allow us to see gender parity for another 100 years, and my ennui becomes so full-blown that I feel I have no choice but to sidle up with a spoon and some Ben & Jerry's.

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Indeed, it's not challenging to throw one's hands up, look to the heavens, and ask "What's the point?" Cynicism is easy; it demands literally nothing of us. And its seductiveness only grows when it enables the use of snark, arguably the new language of our Internet age.

But wrapped up in our cocoons of sarcasm and skepticism, we're contributing to the complacency that holds up the abysmal status quo. I love a sardonic joke targeting the latest misogynistic Trump quote, but no amount of jabs--no matter how cutting--will combat, say, the issue of pay inequality. Sometimes, though, even reiterating this reality to myself--even while staring steely-eyed at my own reflection in the mirror--isn't enough to compel me to cast aside my pint of Chunky Monkey.

Tina Tchen, however, as I learned on Wednesday, can. Hailing from the land of high-powered, Chicago-based lawyer-dom, she's currently assistant to the president, chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama, and the executive director of the White House Council on Women and Girls. Our paths crossed at the Makers Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes in California where she spoke on a panel discussing "The Next Generation." In what Tchen referred to as the "culmination of the last seven years," she spoke on the White House's just-announced, United State of Women summit. Slated for May 23, the summit will be the first-ever dedicated to women and girls.

Because, as Tchen asserted on stage, "women's lives don't exist in silos," the summit will bring together a diverse range of attendees--hailing from NGOs, academia, activist groups, and the corporate world. These representatives will tackle issues as multifaceted as their backgrounds, discussing, among other topics, educational opportunity, health and wellness, and violence against women.

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And yes, the First Couple will be in attendance.

"We want to talk about solutions that work," Tchen said frankly, adding that this was not a summit for heads of state, but for the people doing the work on the ground. "We want a lot of young women involved."

Pattie Sellers, executive director of Fortune MPW live content and the panel's moderator, cited the importance of accountability, pressing Tchen on how to keep moving the proverbial ball down the field. How, she asked, would we fuel the current momentum into the next administration?

Tchen's answer was simple: "We put on the biggest and best conference ever." Such a concise answer coming from your average human would seem a potentially artificial and dubious sidestep of Seller's question. But from Tchen, whose authenticity was apparent throughout the panel, the words piqued a precious morsel of hope. By celebrating successes and "demonstrating the power of the next generation," momentum, she said, would be certain to continue.

The state of women can seem bleak, yes--but then again, we've also never had a dedicated summit at the White House with a president rallying around the issue of gender inequality.

Tchen sat down with me after her panel and graciously allowed me to pepper her with questions. We chatted about the summit, presidentiality in the age of social media, and, because I couldn't help myself, whether the First Lady is as "awesome as she seems." [Happy spoiler alert: she is.] An abridged version of our conversation is below.

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Kelley Calkins: People talk a lot about "women's empowerment" and yet a lot of efforts seem hollow or anemic. What makes this summit different? What are the things you've learned over your expansive career that are actionable and work to effect change?

Tina Tchen: I think the key is leveraging all the various threads that are out there. The whole is more than the sum of its parts.

For example, in our recent Let Girls Learn initiative, we looped in the issues of maternal health, child health, the economy, child marriage, and education, etc. It's important to get the various spheres in conversation with one another. These issues are multifaceted, and you need to loop in all their various components to be successful in addressing them.



Kelley: You discussed the next generation and younger activists a lot in your panel. I'm curious what your thoughts are on how they're different from older generations of activists.

Tina: What strikes me as different about the next generation is how they're translating their personal lives into their activism; they're really putting themselves out there in a way I don't think my generation did. Lena Dunham founded Lenny Letter and is writing about her experiences of endometriosis. I wouldn't be able to write such personal things.

I think what is sometimes missing, though, is taking that power of telling these stories and projecting it larger. What doesn't always happen is translating the personal into public policy issues; taking an experience, connecting it to various policies in place, and taking action on those fronts.



Kelley: Are you speaking about a lack of civic engagement? Is that what's missing?

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Tina: I came out of the Obama campaign, so I can say there's definitely not a lack of civic engagement. The base is fired up, people are doing things, working with the government, and that's exciting.

What I think has changed is that issues are more complex these days. Concerning reproductive rights, it's not just Roe vs. Wade--it's long-term contraception, it's access to care, etcetera. The issues are more complicated, but just as important.

Kelley: Are there issues that don't fall within the scope of government? Issues that the government shouldn't touch?

Tina: I think it has less to do with what government should and shouldn't do, and more that we need to involve all spheres. It's about creating jobs, which requires companies and entrepreneurs. We need to include NGOs, academia, activists. This is why, in the White House Council on Women and Girls, we include all the government agencies and people from all sectors.

Kelley: Is there a quality you have that you think is most responsible for your success? A quality women should think about and focus on?

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Tina: Oh, that's tough. I've never been asked that question . . . but what comes to mind first and what I enjoy most about my current job is that it allows me to connect people. I see how people and groups relate, and I can bring them together. I'm good at seeing the commonalities in what people care about and encouraging them to work together. Fitting together agendas and bringing people together is important and probably something everyone should focus on and do more of.

Kelley: I have to ask, is working with Michelle Obama as awesome as it seems?

Tina: Michelle's really wonderful--and she's taught me a ton. She's very authentic, and she focuses on the issues that matter to her and passionately pursues them. She's really harnessed the role of being the first First Lady in the social media age. It's a brand-new media environment that she's navigating. She said the other day, "If Eleanor Roosevelt were in office today, she'd be running Twitter chats in addition to speaking on the radio."

I don't think it's a coincidence that this presidential couple is in office at this time when new ways of communicating is exploding. Some people criticize the First Couple when they take new approaches, they say what they're doing isn't a "traditional" White House approach. But this environment has never existed before, and the Obamas have a natural instinct for how to use this new technology.

Michelle is big on reaching audiences, and emphasizes the importance of meeting people where they are, and social media can be great for that.

Kelley: Hailing from the media world, there's an ongoing discussion about social media, what it's changing and how. From your perspective in government, do you have thoughts on the role and value of social media--is it a "good thing"?

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Tina: With the Internet and social media, there's massive accessibility to information, which is wonderful. And there are brand-new ways to engage with people, which is great.

But there's also a darker side, of course--the bullying, the harassment that goes along with the ability to be anonymous. I think what we're seeing are a lot of growing pains. We're all learning at the same time what those are. There isn't a small test group for this technology--we're all that group and trying to figure it all out.

Every member of Congress now has a Twitter account. Social media really allows for two-way communication, which we try to emphasize at the White House. We don't just want to tweet things out into a vacuum; we want feedback from people. We're getting the voices of "real" people constantly. Social media allows us to harness the great power of the campaign trail. On the campaign, you're in living rooms, you're shaking hands, you're hearing what people think and want and need, but then you get elected and vanish into your government bubble. Social media allows us to continue to hear these voices, and it's exciting.



Kelley: Do you think it will affect the shape of public policy, this two-way street with new voices? People talk a lot about the democratization of the Internet, how it allows for marginalized people and their opinions to get into the mix. Will these have an effect on government and policy?

Tina: The Internet and social media are powerful, but they're tools. Everything depends on how you use it, but definitely the Internet is creating possibilities. It's really up to the public on how they use them.

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This piece originally appeared on The Establishment, a new multimedia platform funded and run by women.
Fair warning: This blog is not going to be angry. It will not be written in all caps. There will be no vulgarity. And it probably won't go viral. I don't care.

What I do care about is the fact I've read over 70-plus articles in the past two weeks alone discussing the 2016 election and what I see is a total lack of nuance and a lot of critiques that overgeneralize or underplay the very real role gender plays when people talk about Clinton and/or any other women who dare to step into positions that for so long have only been held by men.

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What I do care about is how on my Facebook feed and elsewhere, I see well-meaning folks called out as sexist jerks for simply offering legitimate critiques of Clinton and what a Clinton presidency might look like.

I like nuance. I like messy. I don't like soundbites and simplicity.

So, let's play the nuance game.

For folks who love Clinton, realize that not every critique poised against her is based in sexism. For those who love Sanders, realize that sexism is very alive in 2016, and that you can love your candidate and embrace the reality that politicking while female is still an incredibly difficult thing to do. Imagine that. Both/and. For those who haven't yet made up their minds, or don't fall into either of these categories, this is for you, too.



"For folks who love Clinton, realize that not every critique poised against her is based in sexism."



So, here is my attempt to create a list of productive ways to critique Hillary Clinton without being a sexist jerk.

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Do not talk about her voice. Really. Just don't.

Last week (and pretty much throughout Clinton's existence), we've seen pundits and others criticize her shrillness, her voice, and her "masculine" speaking style. Soraya Chemaly argues, "Anger in a man doesn't make the world wonder out loud if his hormones have taken over his brain and rendered him an incoherent idiot who can't be trusted with Important Things. How many words for 'angry' men are there? Ones that have the powerful and controlling cultural resonance of yelling, and shouting, b-tch, nag? Or, yep, shrill."

Karlyn Kohrs Campbell wrote an incredibly thoughtful piece discussing how our culture has negatively responded to Clinton's inability to fit within the parameters set in terms of how one should act and speak as a woman in the political sphere. She says:

[Clinton] symbolizes the problems of public women writ large, the continuing demand that women who play public roles or function in the public sphere discursively enact their femininity, and that women who do not or who do so to only a limited degree, women whose training and personal history fit them for the roles of rhetor, lawyer, expert, and advocate, roles that are gender coded masculine, will arouse the intensely hostile responses that seem so baffling.

Overall, what Campbell is arguing is that women in the political sphere, in order to be taken seriously, must enact just the right amount of femininity and masculinity, and that Clinton's failure to be "appropriately feminine" has hindered her for decades.

She continues to thoughtfully lay out a "masculine" and "feminine" rhetorical style of speaking and discusses what that sounds like:

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In rhetorical terms, performing or enacting femininity has meant adopting a personal or self-disclosing tone (signifying nurturance, intimacy, and domesticity) and assuming a feminine persona, e.g., mother, or an ungendered persona, e.g., mediator or prophet, while speaking. It has meant preferring anecdotal evidence (reflecting women's experiential learning in contrast to men's expertise), developing ideas inductively (so the audience thinks that it, not this presumptuous woman, drew the conclusions), and appropriating strategies associated with women -- such as domestic metaphors, emotional appeals to motherhood, and the like -- and avoiding such 'macho' strategies as tough language, confrontation or direct refutation, and any appearance of debating one's opponents. Note, however, that feminine style does not preclude substantive depth and argumentative cogency.

Presidents Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton use/used a "feminine" rhetorical style of speaking-something which men can do and not be criticized for. Reagan was the great communicator. Both Clinton and Obama have been called some of the greatest orators in American history.

Hillary Clinton cannot "perform" femininity and her inability to play into this script Campbell argues reveals *our deficiencies*-not Clinton's. Campbell states:

Our failure to appreciate the highly developed argumentative skills of an expert advocate, when the advocate is female, reveals our deficiencies, not hers. Legislation attendant on the second wave of feminism opened doors for able women who seek to exercise their skills in all areas of life, including the formation of public policy. If we reject all of those who lack the feminizing skills of Elizabeth Dole, we shall deprive ourselves of a vast array of talent.

Please don't talk about her "likeability."

As with the sound of her voice and her rhetorical speaking style, her "likeability" should have nothing to do with whether or not she would make a qualified president. Yes, I realize all candidates have to somewhat pass the likeability test, but for Clinton, because of the years long Hillary hating stemming from her time as first lady, this issue is in fact gendered, and to criticize her for not being likable reeks of sexism.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. argues, "Hillary hating has become one of those national past times that unite the elite and the lumpen." Gary Wills notes:

Hillary Hate is a large-scale psychic phenomenon. At the Republican convention there was a dismemberment doll on sale. For twenty dollars you could buy a rag-doll Hillary with arms and legs made to tear off and throw on the floor. ... Talk shows are full of speculation about Hillary's purported lesbianism and drug use. Fine conspiratorial reasoning sifts whether she was Vince Foster's mistress or murderer or both. The Don Imus show plays a version of the song 'The Lady is a Tramp' with new lyrics about the way the lady 'fornicates' and 'menstruates' and 'urinates,' concluding, 'That's why the First Lady is a tramp.'

As Nico Lang points out:

She was a working woman and full political partner with (gasp) feminist tendencies. Among would-be first ladies in the early 1990s, these were exotic qualities. Clinton has continued to occupy that same space for the better part of three decades now, a one-woman culture war who plays the political game the same way the men around her do. But unlike those men, Clinton is chided for being 'disingenuous' and a 'political insider.' Everyone else just gets to do their job. There are real reasons to have reservations about a Clinton presidency -- including her oft-cited ties to Wall Street and her hawkish foreign policy -- but how often are they the central force of the criticism lodged against her campaign? In an August poll, Quinnipac found that while political respondents felt that Hillary Clinton was 'strong' and a candidate with 'experience,' the words they most associated with her are 'liar,' 'dishonest,' and 'untrustworthy.' These designations appear to be motivated by her Emailgate scandal and the ongoing questions about Benghazi -- but none of the myriad investigations into either have turned up anything close to a smoking gun.

Rebecca Traister also notes:

Recall the days following the 2008 Iowa caucus, when the media took advantage of Clinton's defeat to let loose with their resentment and animosity toward her. That was when conservative Marc Rudov told Fox News that Clinton lost because 'When Barack Obama speaks, men hear 'Take off for the future!' When Hillary Clinton speaks, men hear 'Take out the garbage!' It was in the days after Iowa that Clinton infamously got asked about how voters believed her to be 'the most experienced and the most electable' candidate but 'are hesitating on the likability issue.' In late January, columnist Mike Barnicle told a laughing all-male panel on Morning Joe that Clinton's challenge was that she looks 'like everyone's first wife standing outside of probate court.'" In Diana B. Carlin and Kelly L. Winfrey's analysis of the various ways Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton were portrayed during the 2008 campaign, they note, "Women who exhibited too many masculine traits are often ridiculed and lose trust because they are going against type or play into male political stereotypes that voters are rejecting.

More recently, Sady Doyle argues that:

This plays out on the level of personal expression, too: Women are supposedly over-emotional, whereas men make stern, logical, intelligent judgments. So, if Hillary raises her voice, gets angry, cries, or (apparently) even makes a sarcastic joke at a man's expense, she will be seen as bitchy, crazy, cruel and dangerous. (Remember the 'NO WONDER BILL'S AFRAID' headlines after she raised her voice at a Benghazi hearing; remember the mass freak-out over her 'emotional meltdown' when someone thought she might be crying during a concession speech.) She absolutely cannot express negative emotion in public. But people have emotions, and women are supposed to have more of them than men, so if Hillary avoids them - if she speaks strictly in calm, logical, detached terms, to avoid being seen as crazy - we find her 'cold,' call her 'robotic' and 'calculating,' and wonder why she doesn't express her 'feminine side.' Again, she's going to be faulted for feminine weakness or lack of femininity, and both are damaging. Okay, so she can never be sad, angry, or impatient. That's not a ban on all emotion, right? You'd think the one clear path to avoiding the 'bitchy' or 'cold' descriptors would be to put on a happy face, and admit to emotions only when they are positive. You'd think that, and you'd be wrong: It turns out, people hate it when Hillary Clinton smiles or laughs in public. Hillary Clinton's laugh gets played in attack ads; it has routinely been called 'a cackle' (like a witch, right? Because she's old, and female, like a witch); frozen stills of Hillary laughing are routinely used to make her look 'crazy' in conservative media. She can't be sad or angry, but she also can't be happy or amused, and she also can't refrain from expressing any of those emotions. There is literally no way out of this one. Anything she does is wrong.

Given these constraints, Doyle argues it is impossible for Clinton to be likeable.

Look at how she's tried to address this issue. Dancing like a fool, talking about fashion, laughing more. What has it gotten her? Nothing but backlash.

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Dave Holmes writes in Esquire, "You're not fun. Stop trying to pretend you're fun." The Onion writes an entire faux op-ed from Clinton entitled "I am Fun" painting her attempt at being "fun" as insincere and manufactured.



"I don't care if my president knows how to dance or even knows how to dress well. And you shouldn't either."



In the eyes of the American public, Hillary Clinton will never be fun. Or likeable. Or someone you'd want to have a beer with. And it shouldn't matter. Period. So quit it with the likeability stuff, already. It's stupid and petty. I don't care if my president knows how to dance or even knows how to dress well. And you shouldn't either.

Do criticize her on substantive issues.

As Kevin Young and Diana C. Sierra Becerra argue, "Clinton is the embodiment of corporate feminism." In their piece, they cite many areas where Clinton could have been and could still be a better advocate for women's rights. It's a fair critique but one that falls under the radar when we're so concerned with her voice, appearance, and dance skills.

Know your history, do some research and when criticizing, be fair.

One of the claims I often hear as to why some don't trust Clinton, or why some feel she's untrustworthy is because she sat on the board of Walmart. Ok. But let's dig a little deeper.

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Ann Klefstad notes:

Not to take anything away from Bernie and Jane, but think what an advantage this is: to build a career in a location of your choosing, with the strong support of a highly qualified and intelligent person who is unconditionally loyal to you. This was also Bill Clinton's situation -- after Yale, finding Hillary, heading home to Arkansas, and building a brilliant career in politics. But hey -- what about Hillary? After getting a law degree from Yale (an all-male institution a few years previously) she meets Bill. She dumps her career as a congressional aide to move to Arkansas with Bill. I can imagine her dilemma. This was the 1970s. If she wanted to be with Bill, she would be riding on the ship he was captain of. There were consequences to that. She would be a partner in creating a political career that would accomplish many of the goals she wanted to accomplish. Bill very much admired her superb intellect and political skills as well. So they embarked. They're in Arkansas. Vermont politics have a pretty clean record. Arkansas? Not so much. You do make your own choices, but the context you're in, well, it matters. The Arkansas economy was in the toilet. The only bright star was the Walton family and Walmart, which was on track to become the biggest retailer in the world. They provided (in Arkansas) an expanding number of well-paid jobs. Bill was governor. Should Hillary have dumped his political career for a chance to spit in Sam Walton's eye? Well, that wasn't going to happen. She sat on the Walmart board and did what she could to both ensure the prosperity of the state of which her husband was governor and to do the right thing. She has almost always chosen the path (sometimes not the one you'd pick -- ) that would enable her to accomplish some good actions, rather than the pure path that tends to lead to inaction, or to exile from the power than enables you to make change.

Still don't like the fact she sat on the board? Fine. Don't like her stances on foreign policy? Totally ok. But understand the choices Clinton made in the context in which she lived-not in a vacuum. This goes for all of her political choices. Never assume anything about any candidate without doing a little research first. It's amazing how much you can find out on this magical thing called the interwebs.

Don't assume critiques against Clinton are automatically rooted in sexism.

And when calling out someone for critiquing Clinton, don't assume they, are in fact, sexist either. Take the #BernieBro label, for example. According to Glenn Greenwald:

Have pro-Clinton journalists and pundits been subjected to some vile, abusive, and misogynistic rhetoric from random, anonymous internet supporters of Sanders who are angry over their Clinton support? Of course they have. Does that reflect in any way on the Sanders campaign or which candidate should win the Democratic primary? Of course it does not. The reason pro-Clinton journalists are targeted with vile abuse online has nothing specifically to do with the Sanders campaign or its supporters. It has everything to do with the internet. There are literally no polarizing views one can advocate online -- including criticizing Democratic Party leaders such as Clinton or Barack Obama -- that will not subject one to a torrent of intense anger and vile abuse. It's not remotely unique to supporting Hillary Clinton: Ask Megyn Kelly about that, or the Sanders-supporting Susan Sarandon and Cornel West, or anyone with a Twitter account or blog. I've seen online TV and film critics get hauled before vicious internet mobs for expressing unpopular views about a TV program or a movie.

Amanda Hess pushes further arguing:

...as soon as the Bernie Bro materialized, the conversation around it deteriorated. As the meme gained momentum, some popularizers stopped bothering to marshal any kind of evidence that Sanders supporters were sexist ... This is a familiar online phenomenon. Just as mansplaining 'morphed from a useful descriptor of a real problem in contemporary gender dynamics to an increasingly vague catchall expression,' as Salon's Benjamin Hart put it in 2014, the Bernie Bro argument has been stretched beyond recognition by both its champions and its critics. What began as a necessary critique of leftist sexism has been replaced by a pair of straw men waving their arms in the wind.

If the label applies, absolutely use it. Call out sexism and misogyny -- especially if it's coming from someone who claims to be progressive. However, I worry the label is being thrown around loosely and being applied to many well-meaning, non-sexist male critics of Clinton. And that only silences debate. I don't want anyone to feel as though they cannot legitimately critique Clinton for fear of being called sexist, a Bernie Bro or other names.



"Call out sexism and misogyny -- especially if it's coming from someone who claims to be progressive. However, I worry the label is being thrown around loosely..."



Overall, as with most of my writing, this piece was for me. Every time I read an article about Clinton or Sanders or sexism or the fight for the soul of the Democratic Party, I find myself wishing for more nuance, less click-bait, and sound and civil discourse. I'm tired of seeing the same soundbites repeated on my Facebook wall, seeing good friends of mine unfriend each other or worse because they're on Team Sanders or Team Clinton and can't find common ground to have a legitimate debate about what this election is really about.

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In the words of my good friend Greg Wright:

If you can imagine a better opportunity to demand the world we want, I'd like to hear when you think it will come. When will better circumstances reveal themselves again? What political climate are you relying on to thrust the most unlikely candidate into the realm of possible? You want to know what will make this all the more likely to happen again? Demanding that it happen now.

We are at a historic moment in American history, not unlike the second wave feminist movement. Gloria Steinem once said of Betty Friedan: "I believe that she was looking to join society as it existed, and the slightly younger parts of the movement were trying to transform society. And those were kind of two different goals."

Like Friedan, I would argue that Clinton wants to work within the structure we have, while Sanders wants to transform society. He wants a revolution. In the words of Robert Reich:

I've known Hillary Clinton since she was 19 years old, and have nothing but respect for her. In my view, she's the most qualified candidate for president of the political system we now have. But Bernie Sanders is the most qualified candidate to create the political system we should have, because he's leading a political movement for change.

Sexism is real, and I love the fact that we are even talking about the ugly face of sexism in politics. However, we must be able to criticize a female candidate without resorting to sexist tactics, or be called sexist for critiquing her in the first place.

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Overall, as many have pointed out, both Sanders and Clinton would be undeniably better as our next commander in chief than anyone currently running in the Republican arena. So I would caution democrats to get too entrenched within their teams that they refuse to see the bigger picture of the need to elect a Democrat in this next election.

There are ways to disagree with one another that don't need to devolve into name-calling or soundbite repeating. On Facebook and elsewhere, engage with those on either side in mindful and productive ways. This is an incredibly important election for so many reasons, but that doesn't mean we can't have thoughtful debates.

So keep reading. Keep posting. Keep fighting for your team. Just don't embrace the ugly.

There's enough of that out there already.

Lead image credit: Her Campus
By contributing writer Yardena Gerwin for KidSpirit's Power issue.



Three hundred forty-five years ago Roger Williams declared, "forced worship stinks in God's nostrils."

Williams was a 17th-century English Protestant theologian and a proponent of religious freedom. He pioneered the separation of church and state, a crucial social innovation in 1640 that now poses a unique challenge to modern parochial schools. Schooling is mandatory for every child in the nation, but prayer is not. Yet parochial schools must somehow coerce students into praying. This would be an achievable goal if every student agreed that prayer is critical and there was a school-wide consensus on how to pray, but that often isn't the case. Schools are faced with the impossible task of imparting the value of praying, specifically the importance of daily prayer. In this situation schools often fall into a survival mode, using their administrative power to force students and teachers to show up in a room and recite words without facing the question of meaning head on. This allows students to passively disengage and choose powerlessness regarding the shortcomings of their prayer services without getting involved or feeling personally responsible to make a change.

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I attend a pluralistic Jewish day school, which nobly tries to engage all students in daily prayer. Though the school is unyielding on prayer being mandatory, they try to make services inclusive by offering multiple options for prayer. I, for example, participate in the "creative expression" service. We only recite the basic prayers, leaving time for less structured activities such as art, music or documentaries. But the truth is that the significant reduction in the number of separate prayers to recite does not seem to encourage creative worship in the majority of the students who attend the service with me.

The girl sitting next to me is one of the few with her prayer book open; it's carefully angled to conceal that she is texting on her iPhone. Some students across from me are discussing what they did over the weekend, while a few others grasp onto index cards, trying to cram for our next vocab quiz. Certainly none of the students have a sole agenda to sabotage any type of prayer that enters the room; they just don't see the relevance of the prayer service forced upon them each morning.

Perhaps this disconnect between students and their prayer experience is partially due to the structure of the service itself. When most of the responsibility and direction falls on the teacher, students do not feel responsible for the service they attend. I have found that when students complain about how boring or irrelevant our minyan (prayer service) is, we immediately blame the teacher in charge. It is easier to say that the adult in charge of leading the service is doing a bad job than to acknowledge that we students have the power to take ownership over our prayer experience, yet choose not to.

It is easier to say that we use our phones during daily prayer because the minyan is bad, rather than to admit that a room full of students playing Doodle Jump might be exactly what is making the minyan experience bad in the first place. We would have to recognize that our behavior determines our environment. We would have to look at texts and contemplate our relationship to religion. Some of us would even have to admit that we agree with the way our parents raised us (which, as a teenager, is one of the hardest things to do), while others might surprise ourselves by finding meaning in an entirely new approach.

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I have come to believe that all of this would occur if students were permanently in charge of how our services were run. Not for the day or the week, but for the whole school year. Some might protest that this is just too much for high school students, and it is true that most of us can barely look past the essay due next month or the quiz at the end of the week. It is simply easier to give all of the responsibility to the teacher and then blame that teacher for failing to lead a creative service that is relevant to students. In high school prayer services, students often rebel by talking, sleeping, and snapchatting because they understand their behavior is a means of showing the administration and teachers that they disagree with the forced prayer methods.

But that approach has never been proven to work. Instead students should use their collective power to force a conversation with the adult prayer service facilitators in order to change the service model to one that can only function when everyone participates and is engaged. This issue of prayer is especially pressing in pluralistic day schools attended by students from a wide spectrum of observance and spirituality in their respective family lives.

I have been raised in an observant conservative Jewish household, and I frequently wrestle with daily prayer, which is very familiar to me. Therefore, I can readily see how a less observant student, without a regular relationship to a prayer experience outside of school, could find services onerous when thrust upon them in school. Many of my peers also struggle with the idea that in order to contribute to their Jewish community they must believe in God. This notion makes many teenagers, who harbor doubts about God, feel alienated from their own religion and community.

A friend told me that her family member said she should not fast on Yom Kippur if she did not believe in God. I feel fortunate to have a father who strongly identifies as an atheist and yet is more observant than I am. My mom is the polar opposite; she strongly believes in God and even identifies with many of the Jewish superstitions, such as a belief in the ein ha rah (the Evil Eye).

I also feel fortunate that from a young age I have been taught that there is no single "correct belief" in Judaism. It is important for all teenagers, especially those in parochial schools, to know and be taught that absolute belief in God is not necessary for religious observance, spirituality, or communal engagement. It is acceptable to constantly doubt God while appreciating the values and morals provided within Jewish texts or admiring the structure and community that the Jewish religion provides.

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The prayer experience that I often face at school makes me thankful for my own relationship to prayer.

At my own synagogue everyone who comes each Shabbat (Day of Sabbath) makes a commitment to be there. My family and I attend a smaller, separate service within a larger established synagogue. Our service does not have a hired rabbi (although many members are rabbis), and members take turns leading services, reading from the Torah, or offering brief thoughts on the weekly Torah reading.

I can pray at this service because it is a space where people rethink their own spirituality, and look at their own lives through different lenses and viewpoints. All of this reflection leads to constant tinkering with parts of the regular service, such as how we study together and what we do on holidays. This level of seriousness and intentionality makes me feel that I am in a space where I'm accepted and can safely have my own prayer experience along with a community of people who likewise are questioning and seeking meaning.

I am lucky that I have been raised by people who see religion as a source of joy and knowledge, as something that has to constantly be reexamined. People who, for example, stay up until four in the morning on the Jewish holiday of Shavuot studying texts, and value finding their own personal interpretation of the passage. I have seen the power of community, when dozens of people packed into my house during shiva to help my family mourn my grandmother's passing. I have seen the power of community when the minyan that I attend every Saturday spent seven hours dancing to celebrate the conclusion of the cyclical reading of the Torah.

Because of these experiences, I have come to see prayer as a gift and not a burden. My relationship to my religion has been molded by all of the adults in my community who have shown me that it is something holy and valuable. My community has ensured that religion will always be some part of my life, but who is making sure that this is being done for other kids, especially day school students who may see religion as something they will shed as soon as they graduate?

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In my school, students who are taking a course with a difficult teacher find a way to learn the material outside of the classroom. Students should not treat prayer any differently. My school is in NYC where there are multitudes of prayer experiences and options. If a student did not like her school's egalitarian option but disagreed with how the creative minyan was run she could spend Friday night at a renewal service or a pop-up minyan in Riverside Park, or try prayer yoga. Students do not need to revel in their victimhood; they have the power to leave their classroom, to worship profoundly and insist on transforming daily prayer.

Rabbi Joel Alter, a family friend and director of admissions at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, who has over 16 years of pluralistic day school experience working in schools in Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Boston, believes that prayer and religious courses in school are not implemented for short-term effects but the influence they can have on students in the long run.

"Prayer, liturgy, religious community -- these are all things that if modeled well with children can leave a positive impression, even if the kids are rejecting it soundly at the time. Adults who have religious commitments know that most of the time those are seeds that are best planted with children and adolescents, and you hope that they will take root later on."

Rabbi Alter excellently explains the perspective of most adult day school administrators who have their backs pushed against the wall by their students' passivity. Though uncomfortable, they consign high school students to four years in a spiritual wasteland with an eye towards middle-aged spirituality.

Jewish day schools run the risk of creating alumni who identify as Jews but have not put effort into fully developing that spiritual, communal, and ritual identity. The model for our schools should primarily ensure that young Jews are a generation of students who see their religion as a basis for community, joy, or purpose.

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It is unfair of administrators to use their power to avoid discussion of prayer's meaning with their students. Given this dynamic, students cannot depend on their facilitators to take the first step towards a conversation. They need to use their power to hold prayer leaders accountable. Together we must shift the model to one in which students in parochial school need to constantly engage in a dialogue about the importance of daily prayer and the religious courses that last throughout their high school years. Teenagers need to discuss why they chose to go to a Jewish day school. If it was a decision made by their parents, why is it a family priority?

Teachers should facilitate, support, and empower students in creating and sharing their own ideal prayer experiences, and encourage teenagers to use the many Jewish texts such as the Torah and Talmud to find meaning and guidance in their own lives. If teachers don't, students must take control of their own prayer experience and force a partnership with their administration.

It is not acceptable for children to go through Jewish day school without encountering something that is applicable to their own immediate lives. Day school communities, composed of teachers and students alike, need to find a way to cater to the students that stand before them, and not the adults they hope to have fostered 10 years from now.

As a student currently navigating this system, I sincerely hope we do.

Yardena Gerwin is an incoming junior at the Abraham Joshua Heschel School, a pluralistic Jewish day school. She is the co-president of her school's Interfaith Club and a Teen Advisor for Girl Up, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation. She spent two years living in Israel but now lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her parents and sisters.
Tuesday is Safer Internet Day, a celebration of ways to make the Internet a better place, which is celebrated in more than 100 countries on the second Tuesday of February. The U.S. event will take place at Universal Studios Hollywood and webcast , starting at 10 AM Pacific time (1 PT ET) so that everyone can take part.

More than 300 students from Southern California schools will be in attendance along with remote participation from schools across the U.S.

It will be live streamed at SaferInernetDay.us/livestream and portions will be broadcast on Periscope by roving high school student reporters.

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The event will feature student leaders, Instagram star and student filmmaker Leo Sheng and a guest appearance by WWE wrestler and reality star Mike "The Miz" Mizanin. WWE wrestlers, in partnership with DoSomething.org, Special Olympics, The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), StopBullying.org, National PTA and other organizations actively promote diversity and kindness in the real world -- where it matters.



Featured speakers Tsaka Armstrong, Zoe Quinn and Mike "The Miz" Mizanin

Zoe Quinn, founder of Crash Override Network, will talk about her experiences as "patient zero" of Gamergate and her work to combat online harassment. Tshaka Armstrong, Co-Founder and CEO of Digital Shepherds will talk about how how young people can make a difference in building a kinder and better Internet for all.

There is also a a student panel titled "Rejecting Hate, Building Resilience & Growing the Good Online." Moderated by student filmmaker, Instagram personality and transgender activist Leo Sheng, it will emphasize how young people can become activists and do their part towards building a better, kinder and more gentle Internet. Here's the full agenda.

Students won't just be listening. They'll be breaking up into small groups to answer critical questions to help solve some of the perplexing issues that technology companies, nonprofits and governments grapple with every day and their solutions will be shared publicly and with the professionals responsible for trying to solve these problems.

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Note that the day's first name is "safer," not "safe." Everyone involved in Internet safety programs seeks to make the Internet, mobile devices and other connected technology as safe as possible, but no technology as powerful as the Internet will ever be 100 percent safe. It's a matter of knowing how to reduce and manage risk and conduct yourself in a way that is as protective as possible.

Supporters and national partners for Safer Internet Day USA include Comcast NBCUniversal, Facebook, Google, Ask.fm, LifeLock, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Trend Micro, and Twitter along with Committee for Children, Common Sense Media, the Family Online Safety Institute, #iCANHELP, the iKeepSafe Coalition, the Internet Education Foundation, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the National Cyber Security Alliance, the National PTA and Stop Think Connect.
A century ago, Carl Sandburg dubbed Chicago the City of Big Shoulders: hog butcher for the world, tool maker, stacker of wheat, player with railroads and the nations freight handler; stormy, husky brawling.

All of this was true of America itself as well: Nation of big shoulders. The United States was a brawny country that would intervene to help win World War I and later quickly retool factories to serve as munitions mills to win World War II. Now, though, as Americas tool makers and freight car builders are furloughed, their factories shuttered and offshored, America is wasting. Ill-conceived free trade deals are reducing it to a nation of stooped shoulders.

The newest proposed deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), signed in New Zealand last week by representatives of its 12 member states, would further enfeeble American manufacturing. The first of the ilk, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), devastated U.S. manufacturing. Allowing China into the World Trade Organization and the bad trade deals that followed NAFTA all pummeled American manufacturing when it was already down.

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From cookies to car parts, factories fled America for places like China and Mexico. There, corporations pay workers a pittance and pollute virtually penalty-free. CEOs and shareholders roll in the resulting royal-sized profits. Meanwhile, formerly middle-class American workers and their families suffer. Communities bereft of sustaining mills collapse. And the United States atrophies, losing more and more of those once-bulky industrial shoulders.

Image by: viridian1/iStock

NAFTA crushed 300 decent middle class workers in Grand Rapids, Mich., last week. They make automated conveyor systems for a company called Dematic. Represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, they earn between $11.55 and $24.26 an hour. That means the best paid among them receive the median wage for a U.S. worker.

Soon, however, theyll have no wages. Thats because they cant compete with the $1.50 to $1.70 per hour paid to workers in Monterrey, Mexico. Several weeks ago, Dematic told the workers it would move the factory to Mexico unless the UAW came up with a better offer.

The workers voted unanimously not to submit a counter proposal. Its illegal in the United States for workers to labor for $1.50 an hour. So the company, founded in Grand Rapids in 1939, will sever its American roots, shed its American workers and squat in Mexico.

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It will follow a well-beaten path. Grand American brands Hersheys and Whirlpool and Nabisco and La-Z-Boy and many others all closed American factories, laid off American workers and opened plants in Mexico. GM, Ford and Chrysler all built plants in Mexico. Car factories in Mexico produced about one in five vehicles made in North America in 2014, double the rate from a decade earlier.

In the first 10 years of this century, America lost 56,190 factories. Thats an average of 5,619 a year. Or 15 a day.

Not all of them moved to Mexico or offshore. But many did. And when they did and shipped their cars or Hershey bars back to the United States, that contributed to the nations ever-ballooning and increasingly dangerous trade deficit. The trade deficit in manufacturing hit $831.4 billion last year, up 13.2 percent from 2014.

This is the opposite of what NAFTA-pushing politicians promised. And its the opposite of what TPP-pushing politicians are promising now.

TPP peddlers have no credibility. The TPP, like NAFTA, provides no protection for American manufacturing or American workers like those at Dematic  other than retraining money for some thrown out of their jobs.

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U.S. workers are guaranteed a minimum wage of at least $7.25 an hour, but steps away, just across the border, Mexican workers are not. Dematic can pay them $1.50. A report on the labor provisions of the TPP issued last week by the minority staff of the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives explains why.

The Mexican government facilitates company unions, which are run by corporations in their interests. Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, the leader of Los Mineros, one of the very few true worker-run unions in Mexico, is forced to live in exile in Canada because the Mexican government first falsely charged him with crimes then said it couldnt guarantee his safety if he returned.

Although Mexico claims that it has established a panel to review that nations deeply flawed labor justice system, Gomez pointed out to the Ways and Means Committee that the government neglected to include on the panel even one worker representative. Its not likely, then, that any meaningful labor reform will result, he told the committee.

The TPP contains weak plans to help countries like Vietnam and Malaysia improve conditions so that Americans workers arent placed in competition with forced and child labor there. But the proposed trade deal contains no strategy at all under which Mexico would meet its supposed commitments to improve labor conditions.

So its likely manufacturers in Mexico will continue to pay workers there about 20 cents for every dollar a U.S. worker earns. The House Committee report warns, The lower costs resulting from the lack of worker rights and protections [in Mexico] create a powerful incentive for corporate decision-makers to relocate manufacturing plants and factories across that border.

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NAFTA and the TPP are giant greenbacks for multinational corporations. CEOs close U.S. factories, destroy the lives of American workers and collect bigger profits as a result of the less-than-subsistence wages they pay foreign labor.
Batswanan women gather at a health facility for a group counseling session on cervical cancer screening. Photo by John Varallo /Jhpiego

Did you know that cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for women in the developing world? A slow progressing disease, cervical cancer takes up to 15 years to develop from the initial infection with the human papillomavirus -- the cause of almost all cervical cancer cases -- to abnormal changes in the cells on the surface of the cervix. The lack of access to preventive screenings in low-resource countries means that most women discover they have cervical cancer only by experiencing symptoms, when the disease has usually reached an advanced stage and is difficult to treat. The threat of cervical cancer is especially high for HIV-positive women who are at greater risk for developing cervical cancer because of their compromised immune systems.

In places like Botswana, a country with the second highest HIV infection rate in the world, the need for access to affordable, effective screening and treatment services -- especially for HIV-positive women -- has spurred the government to take bold action.

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In 2012, the Government of Botswana adopted a five-year cervical cancer prevention and control strategy that included the Jhpiego-pioneered screening and treatment method called the single visit approach, to complement traditional Pap smear tests, which require a level of care not available in most regions. Using the single visit approach, women are screened using acetic acid -- also known as vinegar -- that highlights precancerous lesions on the cervix. If suspect lesions are identified, the woman is offered immediate treatment during the same visit using a freezing procedure known as cryotherapy.

In collaboration with the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon Alliance and with support from the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Botswana-UPENN Partnership and Jhpiego, "See and Treat" programs are operating at eight Ministry of Health managed sites in six districts throughout Botswana. The program has been such a success that more sites are opening this year with training and technical support from Jhpiego.

Although the single visit approach cuts the risk of women dying needlessly from cervical cancer, stopping the disease from developing in the first place is also critically important. Realizing the need for primary prevention, the Ministry of Health has rolled out a nationwide human papillomavirus vaccination campaign targeting girls 9 to 13 with vaccines being administered in schools and at health facilities. This first nationwide campaign achieved 98% coverage of the targeted age group. Government estimates put this at over 68,000 girls vaccinated.

Although the burden of cervical cancer has received increased attention, garnering support and momentum from international leaders and women around the world, there needs to be strong political will and support in countries and across the globe to turn this tide of momentum into tangible action. We are fortunate that the Government of Botswana has stepped up to the plate to become a global leader in this space.

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Iranian President Hassan Rowhani has been on a shopping spree in Europe to reap benefits from business deals worth billions of dollars. The red carpet was rolled out for him, and he was invited to some of the most esteemed locations on the continent to meet with business and political leaders.

Despite human rights protests against Rowhani's visit, more than 30 business deals were signed covering petrochemicals, construction, transportation, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and healthcare. He is seeking to diversify Iran's economy, reducing its reliance on the oil and gas industries.

Car manufacturer Peugeot Citroen signed a deal worth nearly a half billion dollars with Iran Khodro, and Total signed a contract to buy 150,000 - 200,000 barrels of oil per day from Tehran. Rowhani's message to the world is that Iran is ready to do business, and it can sign economic deals with any nation regardless of their differences.

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The West has long placed more importance on money than human rights, and Iran is being welcomed because Europe's economy is suffering as the Chinese and Russian stock markets and oil prices are falling. European countries are desperately in search of new markets to sell their products.

Rowhani is also signaling to the West that his government has a say in Iran's socio-political and socio-economic fabrics, he is separating revolutionary principles from business, and he can modernize Iran's economy despite hard-liners' criticisms.

Hard-liners believe Rowhani is opening Iran to the infiltration of Western culture and endangering their economic monopoly, while he believes he is reinforcing Iran's regional and global roles.

Business or Politics: Moderation?

One should not fall into the trap of the moderate image that Rowhani is projecting to the world. To survive, Iran has become moderate only in doing business with the world, but its domestic and regional policies do not show any signs of moderation. Iran executed more than 800 people in 2015, a world record per capita. Journalists, human rights defenders and bloggers are frequently imprisoned for expressing their opinions.

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Iran's foreign policy has shown no signs of moderation. The Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Quds force are operating in Syria and Iraq, and assisting Shiite militias across the region financially, militarily, and in an advisory role.

As Europeans protested Rowhani's visit due to Iran's human rights record, EU politicians' and business leaders' eager welcome sends a strong message that they are ready to look the other way.

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By Mark Green

Shrum and Lowry hear two "sighs of relief" in Iowa -- from HRC, because two straight losses would've been awful, and from Lowry, because Iowa vindicated his gutsy National Review issue denouncing Trump. Also: There's now a sense that Clinton's rising in NH, while Rubio's robotry reveals someone more callow than charismatic.

On Clinton-Sanders After Iowa. There's a consensus that Hillary helped herself in her Town Hall and Debate with a personal answer about her humility and gratitude and with her foreign policy chops... while Sanders cleans up on her Iraq vote and Wall Street money. Rich is impressed by Sanders's "credible, quirky candidacy" and thinks that he's becoming a Democratic "Betty White" to young Dems "due to his passionate sincerity."

Who won the "progressive" label debate? Probably the more purist Sanders, they agree, but she helped herself by observing that "gatekeeper" Sanders would question Obama's progressive credentials. As for the lingering email's problem/scandal, Bob thinks that her declarative answer in the debate effective when she pointed out that she'd never emailed anything labeled classified and that Gen. Powell agreed that retroactive reclassifications were ridiculous. Rich admits that she's not now the target of an FBI investigation but "is still in legal jeopardy."

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Given the outsized expectations generated by Sanders big early lead in polls, however, there seems to be a fair chance that Clinton, A)Will "over-perform" in NH with a narrow loss, and B) Has an advantage because of "electability." Neither use that self-serving word but NBC's Chuck Todd went there by asking Sanders if he could end could up a Democratic "Goldwater"? Shrum notes that in today's very polarized politics, there are probably no more 60-40 landslides but that a second order criterion for undecided Dems will be which candidate is most likely to win in the Fall.

Lowry candidly admits that because of how poorly the word "socialist" polls and because of Sanders's proposed taxes on the middle class, he'd be a very weak candidate in the Fall who "could only win if a Trump were the nominee and a Bloomberg ran as an independent."



Host: My Feel-the-Bern friends may choose to make this nomination contest a progressive purity test but I recall how the GOP swift-boated a war hero into a war coward in 2004 and cannot be expected to be any nicer to the impressively sincere Sanders. As for Hillary, since they've accused her of enabling Monica, murdering Vince Foster, being indifferent to American lives in Benghazi and a crook in her personal emails, it's hard to see what more mud could change minds. In the progressive face-off, it's Sanders on points. In a general election to stop the far-right takeover of America, it's Clinton by a KO. Again, why do all Republicans I know pray it's Bernie? What do these pros know that my progressive allies don't?

On the GOP Field after Iowa. The panel understands that predictions about NH are silly since, A) Half the voters probably make up their minds only over this final weekend, and B) These New Englanders enjoy upsetting apple carts given how future presidents -- Reagan, GWBush, BHO -- were schlonged there before their later comebacks.

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So: Trump is holding his lead in a place where votes are counted rather than bused to caucus gyms, which helps the bombastic Trump over the more traditional Cruz. And given a near five way tie in NH for second and bragging rights, Tuesday night will truly be fascinating.

We three marvel at the fluctuating nature of the race in tone -- Trump going from gracious to vicious within 18 hours ("a disgusting... fraud... cheater" he said of Cruz, obliterating Reagan's 11th Commandment) while Cruz went ballistic back by arguing that Donald might start a nuclear war. (Yes but where is he on eminent domain, the debate moderators wanted to know, though not where anyone was on guns, #blacklivesmatter, climate.)

Shrum lauds Rich for his magazine's courageous denunciation of Trump when he was the heavy favorite in all polls as something "that Buckley would have been proud of." Lowry is appreciative, noting that "while it's hard to predict what someone so idiosyncratic would do, Bill hated loud populist rhetoric."

We all lament Jeb Bush's struggles because, according to the Host, "he's obviously a smart, competent, conservative...yet such a weak candidate that he ended a recent cri de coeur at a town hall by pausing and then saying sadly, "please clap."



Host: Our show precedes the seventh and most interesting GOP debate Saturday evening in Durham. The Host tweeted at the very start whether anyone would try to expose the Talented Mr. Rubio to slow his "momentum" after Iowa. Turns out that Chris Christie, the pugnacious prosecutor from Joisey, was more than happy to do so, completely popping the "bubble boy's balloon." After his lunge-for-water at last year's SOTU and this weekend's rehearsed and repeated performance, it'll be hard for this souffle to rise twice.

Obama & Rubio on Muslims. The President went to a Baltimore mosque to speak movingly about how his audience were not either Muslims or Americans but both Muslims and Americans...and they should be proud of both. This address earned widespread raves, including form the Wall Street Journal, although Senator Rubio condemned him for being "divisive' and for saying the Muslims were subjected to discrimination in America rather than Christians. It's the War on Christmas deja vu.
Time is a cruel bitch goddess. We measure our lives in coffee spoons and wonder why we feel so crushed by the tick-tock of minutes piling down on us through the burying years. We chop existence into nanoseconds and struggle to fill up every one, fearful of wasting a moment to leisure, hoarding time as if it really were money. Rushing through the measured world, we forget that ours is the first civilization to be so obsessed and bedeviled by time. The unhelpful image of God as a celestial clock keeper, stop watching our every move from above, has shown no sign whatsoever of blinking.

In a charming book called "Travels with Epicurus," the author, Daniel Klein, spends time on the Greek island of Hydra, contemplating the question of time, and how to live a meaningful, pleasurable life in older age. Klein, a New York writer, is fascinated by how the Greeks enjoy their days, especially a group of older men who meet daily in the local taverns to gossip, play cards, and drink retsina for hours on end, delighted in each other's company, and oblivious of time passing on their tiny island it seems to Klein. One day, he notices the 90-year-old father of one of these men fingering his komboloi, a string of what we call worry beads. "Is your father a worrier?" he asks the son. Or a religious man who uses the beads as a rosary? The Greek tells him that in his country, komboloi are not used to ward off anxiety. Instead, they're used as a tool for "spacing out time," making every minute last, and savoring the slowness of being.

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How different this is from our clock-watching, paranoid culture where time is always running out, fleeting, and treated as an endangered commodity (just like money). In the West, we view time as the enemy because it's always threatening to kill us. It is lethal, unstoppable, out of control, a scarcity on which our existence depends, a gift that's never quite enough. By making time the enemy, we turn our existence into a battle, a brutal foot race that we're bound to lose; the antithesis of the aged Greek savoring time with his komboloi. Klein compares this relaxed approach to time to its antitheses, the Forever Youngsters, American friends striving to beat back time by running harder, working more feverishly, getting more face lifts, hair plugs, and ulcers, chasing their shadow and living in fear.

This traumatizing approach to time is a relatively new invention, a product of the Industrial Revolution made infinitely worse by technology. For most of our history, humans have lived in far greater harmony with time's slow passage; indeed, there are indigenous cultures -- the Indonesian Moken people, for example -- that have no word for time. Visiting a Moken village after a twenty-year absence, you'll be greeted as if you'd been there yesterday. With our emphasis on material life and gain, we've de-spiritualized time almost entirely.

As the philosopher Mircea Eliade wrote half a century ago, "The modern West is the first culture that has managed to strip time and space of all sacredness and to produce a fully practical, efficient, and profane world." That's surely an exaggeration but Eliade's point is well taken. We have misplaced the sacred dimension of time. That's why Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now caused such a sensation; it reminded us of nunc fluens, or eternal time, as opposed to nunc stans, or hourglass time. Nunc fluens never runs out. As the 7th century philosopher Boethius put it, "The now that passes produces time, the now that remains produces eternity."

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This eternal is the antidote to time-as-the-enemy. You know those moments when time seems to stop -- in nature, making love, reading a good book, getting lost in the flow of writing or some other creative activity -- when you're completely present and time loses its grip? We touch the eternal now by slowing down, forgetting ourselves, paying attention, and opening our senses. Sitting with a person like Eckhart Tolle, I'm always reminded of this eternal simplicity. A short time after 9/11, I was sitting with Eckhart in his cabin at the Omega Institute, having tea and talking about the passing of time and how the mind creates our madness.

"The accumulation of time in the collective and individual mind also holds a vast amount of residual pain from the past," Eckhart said, looking dapper and elfin in a vest and Nehru-collar shirt. "When we are caught in the timekeeping mind, we think our lives rather than living them. We have relationships with our ideas of people rather than with the people themselves."

This reminded me of a passage from Eckhart's book, A New Earth: "Imagine the earth devoid of human life, inhabited only by plants and animals. Would it still have a past and a future? Could we still speak of time in any meaningful way? What time is it? The oak tree or the eagle would be bemused by such a question. "What time?" they would ask. "Well, of course it's now. The time is now. What else is there?"
Photo: John Rice

Nicholas Searle grew up in Cornwall and studied languages at the Universities of Bath and Gottingen. After teaching for four years, he moved to London to join the Civil Service, holding a variety of positions dealing with security matters before going to work in a similar capacity for the New Zealand government. In 2011, he returned to the UK, left the Civil Service and began writing fiction. The Good Liar is his first novel.

The Good Liar features con artist Roy, who spots an easy mark when he meets Betty, a wealthy widow. In no time at all, he's moved into her cottage and is preparing to accompany her on a romantic trip to Europe. Betty's grandson disapproves of their blossoming relationship. Roy is sure this scheme will be successful.

Spanning nearly a century, The Good Liar takes the reader on a journey with Roy and Betty, culminating in a stunning endgame when Roy's crooked plot plays out.

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The Good Liar has an intriguing premise about a confidence man's scheme, and about lies people tell. What was the impetus for writing the novel?

I came across a man who proved to be the model for Roy. The scenario with him is not dissimilar to what you see in the first chapter of The Good Liar. A distant relative of mine met this man via an online dating service for elderly people. He charmed her very much, and moved in to her home by the time I met him. I was both fascinated and horrified by him because he was an inveterate liar, but was also a pretty poor liar, as well. Each of his lies was easily picked up and he was often inconsistent. I didn't like him at all.

That was the initial impetus for the book. The character Betty isn't remotely based on my relative.

By the time I began writing, I'd met the real 'Roy's' children, who had many stories to tell about his life, all of which confirmed my assumptions about him.

None of the real 'Roy's' history is like the fictional Roy's. Aside from the core of the first chapter of the book, the rest of the plot and structure of the novel distilled in my imagination.

Much of The Good Liar is written in the present tense. What made you decide on that form?

There are two reasons. I decided to write the forward motion narrative in the present tense and the back story in the past tense to delineate between the two. But I also think it brings home the immediacy of what's going on in the narrative. Secondly, it adds to the tension since the reader feels, 'I don't know what's going to happen next.' I want the reader to be immersed in what's currently happening.

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The Good Liar is your first novel and has been published after a full career in the Civil Service. Tell us about that.

I worked in public service for a number of years on a variety of things and with a fantastic group of people. I had to learn to write succinctly and concisely, with a good deal of precision. Much of my career was based on writing in a dispassionate way. As a fiction writer, I had to learn how to write with expression and feeling.

Did you always harbor the wish to write fiction?

Yes, from the earliest of ages. In a sense, it's not regret, but when one comes to a point in the road such as I have, you do think about the decision you made to become involved in an all-embracing and busy career. Before I entered Civil Service, I had aspirations to be a writer. I can remember even at seven or eight years old I wrote crazy little storybooks for my younger sister. English was always one of my favorite subjects in school. I loved immersing myself in literature. After university, I took the course of embarking on my career. I made some desultory attempts at writing in my spare time, but I was never happy with the results.

The Good Liar has been compared by some to Ian McEwan's Atonement. Aside from the literary style of the writing, what other parallels do you see in the two novels?

I see some thematic parallels. I didn't see them until I'd written the book. I wouldn't be happy if the book was considered to be derivative of Atonement. In terms of feeling, I do like when a novel goes to and fro between time and place, which is a common strand between the two. I also like the way a novel can look at a life and then when the life is nearing its conclusion, there's a coming to terms or there's a protagonist's reaching a kind of reckoning. It's something common to the two novels. Of course, the emphasis is different in the two books: in The Good Liar, there's a stark division between good and evil, while Atonement doesn't have so separate a moral strand running through it. The characters in Atonement are not drawn in such an absolute moral or immoral way. In Atonement, the main character's internal trials are more about her own morality rather than her dealing with objective rights or wrongs.

The writing in The Good Liar is quite lyrical. Who are your literary influences?

My influences come from all directions. I could not give you a favorite writer; but, among my favorites are Graham Greene, John Le Carre, Ian McEwen, Julian Barnes, and Kate Atkinson. I really enjoy reading many American writers including Richard Ford, Raymond Chandler, and Patricia Highsmith. French and German writers have also influenced me, particularly Albert Camus, and Heinrich Boll.

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I love writers who have both economy of expression but also achieve great impact with their words. Many of the writers whose work I love cross genres. They write what I would call hybrids, crossing literary writing with thrillers. They don't write in any particular genre. They simply write good books.

What's the most important lesson you learned about writing?

I've read articles such as ones giving ten tips for writers, and things like that. I shy away from that sort of advice, but two things have stayed with me about writing. They come from my own personal experience in writing.

I've learned how to read novels as a writer. I'm sure you know what I mean being a published author yourself. I've learned how to read and pick apart what the writer is actually doing. It can interfere with the reading experience because you do have to maintain a little distance and hover above the page rather than immerse yourself in the story.

The corollary of that is I've learned to write like a prospective reader. As I'm writing, I ask myself, 'Would I like to read this page, this paragraph, this sentence or even this word?'

I've also learned that the act of writing must involve a solid ability to remain completely conscious, to be ice-cold about your own work. You can go through patches where you produce what you think is wonderful prose, but when you look at it the next day, you're appalled. It's important to be able to distance one's self and ask, 'Why am I using this particular word, or this specific tense?' You have to remain conscious of what you're doing. As long as you're making deliberate decisions, there are no real rules. You simply want to be in control and have complete awareness about what you're writing and what you're trying to achieve.

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What's coming next from Nicholas Searle?

I'm preparing my next book, but I don't even have a name for it as yet. I have a first draft completed. I can't at this moment discuss the theme of this novel, but it deals with similar issues as in The Good Liar. There are a number of layers and surprises.

Congratulations on penning The Good Liar, a beautifully-written novel of suspense and intrigue dealing with sin, salvation, and survival.
The Garcia River Forest in California is one of the first forests and the largest to be recognized as a verified source of carbon credits in the U.S.

Mark Tercek is the president and CEO of the Nature Conservancy and author of Nature's Fortune. Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkTercek.

Louis Blumberg directs The Nature Conservancy's California Climate Change Program. Follow Louis on Twitter @lblumberg.

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It's easy sometimes to get frustrated about climate progress, even after the historic and ambitious Paris agreement in December.

But one key player is making big progress and again showing a smart way forward.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, who we saw constantly swarmed by reporters at the U.N. climate conference in Paris, is helping California lead the way in fighting climate change.

The state is using a market-based approach to reduce emissions at the lowest cost possible -- while protecting forests at a significant scale. And remember, California is not just one more state -- it's the eighth largest economy in the world.

Here's how it works: California's forest carbon offset program recognizes that reforestation, improved forest management and avoided deforestation can all reduce carbon emissions. The program turns these practices into valuable carbon offset credits that can be used in its existing cap-and-trade program.

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Solar panels are an increasingly affordable form of renewable energy that can help reduce carbon emissions.  Dave Lauridsen

Through California's cap-and-trade program, businesses have been offsetting carbon emissions from their plants and factories by purchasing emissions credits from projects that store carbon. The cap-and-trade program is a key piece of the state's commitment to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

Forest or sustainable management projects from anywhere in the U.S. can qualify to become offset projects in California's carbon market as long as they meet the stringent requirements. And the program is expected to expand to include international offset projects before 2020, which aligns with the Paris agreement's emphasis on regional and global cooperation.

California is already leading a global push for collaboration by exploring new carbon market partnerships with governments in New York, Brazil, Canada and Mexico.

The Clinch Valley Conservation Forestry Program is moving to sell carbon offset credits to companies in California.  Jon Golden

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Looking ahead, California's neighbors could also join its carbon market, expanding economic opportunities for global climate action.

For example, if Oregon and Washington were to join, we'd be talking about the fifth largest economy in the world - behind Germany and ahead of Great Britain - leveraging market forces to reduce carbon emissions. That's a big deal. That kind of economic power could have a lot of influence in leading the way to a livable planet.
Don't Ask/Don't Tell Food Additive System Puts Many At Risk



Since 1958, the FDA has allowed everyday ingredients in food without requiring a lengthy approval process for them. Food companies and their suppliers have never had to prove, for example, that vinegar, vegetable oil or sugar are safe; they are allowed in food under the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) program.

Since the late 1990s, however, the GRAS program has become a dangerous "honor system" in which food makers can simply declare their additives and chemicals safe and put them in the food supply, neither petitioning the FDA for a GRAS designation or sometimes informing the FDA the additives are being used. In the 1950s, there were only a few hundred GRAS ingredients; now there are thousands and neither consumers or the FDA know what foods they are added to because they are unlabeled.

A recent expose by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) about GRAS in which it refers to the program as "Generally Recognized as Secret," reveals a don't ask/don't tell system in which as many as 1,000 additives have been self-declared "safe" by the companies that make them but not the FDA. In many cases, neither the FDA or consumers know the ingredients are in the food; in other cases, ingredients the FDA has specifically rejected as GRAS still appear in food -- sometimes, ironically on the label.

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And it gets worse. Many of the companies making the additives are headquartered overseas like the China-based Hanzhong TRG Biotech, which makes at least 40 of the chemicals NRDC says have undisclosed GRAS safety determinations. In 2007, tainted pet food from China killed many U.S. dogs and cats and in 2010 Whole Foods was found to be selling foods from China as "organic" (including its "California blend" vegetables) when no such designation is even possible. Many China imports are rejected because of "pesticides, bacteria and filth," say officials.

Such imported additives are "triply difficult" for the FDA when the companies self-declare them as safe, Erik Olsen, senior strategic director for health and food at the Natural Resources Defense Council told me. The FDA does not realize the additive is being used, has not, itself, evaluated the additive and it lacks a mechanism for assessing the safety of imported products. Buyer beware.

Rules for what proves "safety" are also vague, Dr. Olsen told me. It is largely assumed that if a company self-declares its product "GRAS" and markets it, there exists corroborating scientific or clinical evidence somewhere if the FDA should want to see it. But NRDC investigations found that sometimes the proof of safety boils down one paltry published study. Almost none of the companies NRDC contacted would provide information about their GRAS determination -- often citing "propriety" reasons -- though several assured NRDC their products were safe and some provided supporting studies. Four companies said they would provide safety information about five additives if NRDC swore to keep it confidential. We're eating it but it's a secret?

Who are the additive companies? A quick glance shows a roster of chemical and drug companies as opposed to well known food names like Kraft or ConAgra like Merck eprova AG, located in Switzerland and BASF Cognis Nutrition and Health, part of BASF, the world's largest chemical company, based in Germany with 66 U.S. subsidiaries.

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Almost 100 additives with "undisclosed GRAS safety determinations" are made by NutraMax, whose website advertises products for "your heath," "for your pet," and "for your horse." When we asked Dr. Olsen what Nutramax products the additives are found in, he said that information is not known yet. (After all, the additives are not labeled.)

Many are made by chemical/food companies not in the U.S. like Hanzhong TRG Biotech, located in China and Jungbunzlauer and Merck eprova AG located in Switzerland.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has started 2016 with a series of high-profile press events that seem geared to emphasize accomplishment rather than his ongoing standoff with Democrats over the state budget.

The latest came Feb. 4 when he announced he is seeking a public-private partnership to widen the Stevenson Expressway and add toll lanes alongside the existing highway.

Earlier in the week, Rauner had signed an executive order creating the Illinois Business and Economic Development Corporation, a private non-profit body that will lead the state's economic development strategy in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Commerce. Rauner had wanted to privatize those functions ever since he took office, but had opposed a version in the General Assembly because it contained a three-year sunset clause.

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Preceding that announcement was a press conference at an Illinois Department of Central Management Services warehouse in which he promoted a bill to reform state government's purchasing system. He offered to trade passage of the bill, which he said will save the state $500 million a year, for funding of student financial aid under the Monetary Award Program.

Other press events this month involved an executive order creating the Department of Innovation and Technology to overhaul the state's archaic information technology systems and announcing a pension reform agreement between Rauner and Senate President John Cullerton.

Our topic on this week's "Only in Illinois" we discuss why Rauner started the new year with what appears to be a new focus. One theory: With his annual Budget Address scheduled for Feb. 17, Rauner needs to turn the public focus toward what he's getting done, not what has gone undone for eight months.

A week before Rauner's address, the General Assembly will host a sitting president for a speech for only the fourth time in its history. Guessing what Obama will say when he speaks to many of his former colleagues in the building where he started his political career has become a popular activity, and we chime in at the close of this week's video.
I've never lived in Egypt. I've lived in Qatar for eighteen years. Then just as I was optimistic and cheerful and excited to finally get back home in Egypt to go to university there and start a new life and change change change everything in the country, I got accepted to the University of Toronto. So I chose it for a better education so I can benefit my country afterwards.

For my entire existence, I have refused to let go of my Egyptian identity. I insisted on paying attention to Egyptian politics, to learn its culture, to listen to Egyptian songs and watch Egyptian movies. I was Egyptian. No, I am Egyptian. And the country I live in doesn't identify me, because anywhere I stay at, would be temporary. Because I know that some day I will go back home.

But now, three years into being in a first world country like Canada, I'm starting to question myself: If I want to live in Egypt and if I say I'm Egyptian and want nothing but to go back home, then why do I want Egyptians to live on my own conditions; on everything that I have learned during the time outside of my country?

Yes, I enjoy Egyptian movies and songs and try to learn them and pretend like I keep up with all the Egyptian slangs so that when I visit in vacations, I don't feel different; or when I walk into a store, they don't treat me differently because they instantly figure out I'm not from the area - despite how perfectly fluent my arabic is; or when I try to be diplomatic in a heated political discussion, I don't get the typical response of "you don't even live in Egypt to know about it;" or when I talk, my relatives don't mock me about being a "khawaga" which is the fancy arabic word for a foreigner. I'm not a foreigner.

I live with the norms of Canadians. I'm glad I came here. I got to achieve many of goals. I became the associate news editor at my campus's newspaper a few weeks only after writing for it, I got published by The Huffington Post and have a blog there now, I'm studying politics and professional writing - exactly what I'm passionate about - at one of the world's top universities. I don't regret coming here at all. But I know, and want to always believe, that deep down, I'm still Egyptianized.

Is there no way I can live outside of Egypt - temporarily - and still talk about its politics? Can't I live outside - temporarily - and care about it? So what, if I have never lived there? I'm doing everything I possibly can to stay as Egyptianized as possible. I was part of those who started the Egyptian community at my university campus. I try to well-present my country in front of non-Egyptians. I try to succeed on behalf of Egypt. All I do is try, try, and try.

But the truth is, I feel different. Not better difference, just different than them. Different in the way I view things, the way I stick to and believe in rules, the way I talk, the way I laugh, the way I joke... I'm different. And as much as I hate admitting it here, but the more I write now, the more I realize it. Sometimes I wish I never accepted the offer to come to university here so that I wouldn't see different people and different cultures and a different world that doesn't exist in my country. Sometimes I wish I never went to an international school back in Qatar in the first place. Sometimes I wish my family never took the decision of leaving Egypt in the very beginning. Sometimes I wish I saw Egypt without any of its flaws. And sometimes I wish I didn't care about changing Egypt so bad.

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Republican presidential candidates, from left, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Carly Fiorina bow their heads in prayer at the end of the Presidential Family Forum, Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Some were taken by surprise when former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum endorsed his former opponent Marco Rubio as soon as he dropped out of the Republican presidential race on Wednesday. But it shouldnt come as a shock that the conservative true believer, notorious for his anti-gay and anti-abortion crusades, would back the supposedly mainstream Florida senator.

While the press likes to portray Santorum as a kooky culture warrior and Rubio as an establishment square, the two hold many of the exact same positions.

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The similarities start with their dangerous views on abortion rights. Rubio wants to ban all abortions with no exceptions even for survivors of rape and incest or for women with life-endangering pregnancies. In the very first 2016 Republican presidential debate, Rubio went so far as to suggest that the U.S. Constitution may already ban abortion. Rubio has hailed anti-abortion activists as similar to those who fought for the abolition of slavery, womens suffrage and civil rights for African Americans and has pledged to immediately re-impose the Mexico City Policy, which would block crucial funding to womens health groups outside of the U.S. A vocal critic of Planned Parenthood, Rubio once made the absurd claim that women at Planned Parenthood clinics are pushed into abortions so that those tissues can be harvested and sold for a profit.

He told one conservative pundit that because there is no way that you can read that Constitution and deduce from it that there is constitutional right to an abortion, he would only appoint Supreme Court justices who see Roe v. Wade as a flawed decision.

The Florida senator is aggressively courting the Religious Right, which should come as no surprise since his stances on social issues are barely distinguishable from Santorums.

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Rubio joined Santorum and four other Republican presidential candidates in pledging to sign legislation making it legal to discriminate against same-sex couples. He even implied his support for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, who attempted to use her county office to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples, by claiming that people can and should ignore laws or court rulings that do not adhere to Gods rules because Gods rules always win. We cannot abide by that because government is compelling us to sin, he said.

Rubio has called same-sex marriage a real and present danger to freedom and religion, arguing that only someone who has a ridiculous and absurd reading of the U.S. Constitution would agree with the Supreme Courts landmark marriage equality decision and promising that his nominees to the Supreme Court would disagree with the ruling.

The potential for a President Rubio to be nominating the next few Supreme Court justices could prove especially frightening seeing that the senator, in an address to a far-right Florida group, rejected the separation of church and state as unconstitutional.

He has also embraced the Rights phony religious persecution rhetoric, running campaign ads and delivering speeches about how conservative Christians like himself who oppose gay marriage are the real victims of discrimination in America. During Saturdays debate, he said that Christians in America face far more discrimination than Muslim-Americans.

On the economy, Rubio might even be furtherto the right of many in the GOP. For starters, as New York Times reporter Josh Barrow explained, Rubio would impose no tax at all on interest, dividends or capital gain income from stocks as part of a larger tax-slashing regimen that Barro called a big tax cut for people who are already doing well. Think of it as the Bush tax cuts on steroids: disproportionate government aid to the ones who need it the least that costs the government trillions of dollars in revenue.

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Rubio, who was first elected to the Senate as a Tea Party favorite, has also vowed to repeal Wall Street reform and oppose any increase in the minimum wage, and has adopted a do-nothing and denialist approach to climate change.

Despite this record, the media has given Rubio flattering coverage, portraying him as a mainstream candidate who can thwart radicals like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Part of Rubios reputation as somehow more moderate or mainstream comes from his previous support for a bipartisan immigration reform bill. But of course Rubio ended up renouncing the bill and tacking further to the right on immigration than many of his Republican colleagues.
Last week, a string of events - seemingly unconnected, but deeply intertwined - reveal just how profoundly population aging is shaping 21st century life. Brought by longer lives and lower birth rates, the aging of the population has clawed its way to the top of leadership agendas. Three examples - Aegon, the WHO, and Davos - reveal the growing urgency to not only understand but also act on population aging.



First, there's this jaw-dropping insight from Aegon Center on Longevity and Retirement's report: half of all employees surveyed expect to work past 65. Drawing on data from 15 countries - from the U.S. to the UK to India, Japan, and Australia - the report adds definitive evidence to what has long been emerging: with longer, healthier lives, people are neither able to nor do they want to call it quits at 65. Three and four decades of retirement? That's a lot of shuffle board and a lot more expense.

As individuals shun 20th century retirement norms, policy makers would be wise to keep up. This development is to be celebrated. Longer, more productive working lives are the key to 21st century fiscal sustainability. And, leading to better health, which is correlated with activity, including work.



The second event last week that demonstrates that population aging pulls attention away from individual life-plans and towards global health. In a seminal decision, the World Health Organization's Executive Board adopted a new health strategy based on "Health and Aging." At the core of Health and Aging is the concept of functional ability, which seeks to sustain the health of our skin, bones, vision and hearing.

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In endorsing this strategy, the WHO Executive Board affirms that the job of health policy is not just treating and curing disease, but enabling healthier and more active aging into our 70s, 80s and beyond. Further, this strategy draws global attention exactly where it needs to be: healthy aging is the foundation for productive aging, which underlays economic growth. The longer, more fruitful working lives that people globally are imagining, as demonstrated by the Aegon survey, demand that we age in better health.

Thirdly, there's The WEF Davos, the executive-cum-policy-wonk extravaganza that has been hogging the news for weeks. At Davos, one session called on businesses and governments to embrace the full extent of the 21st century life span; only then, it was argued, could economic growth be sustained in the decades ahead.

Lynda Gratton, Professor at the London Business School, called for business to "ditch retirement," and she reminded global leaders that "longevity is not just about the last 20 years of life. It's actually about the fundamental redesign of life from the very beginning." Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, a Nobel laureate, addressed the unique value of older workers and suggested that corporations examine "the skill sets that older people really have that younger [employees] don't have, and maximize their use." Both Gratton and Blackburn are exactly right: there is immense opportunity is the aging of the workforce, and yesterday's assumptions will get us nowhere.

A new set of strategies will be required.

That gets us back to the Aegon survey. In addition to the stunning results it offers, the authors also provide concrete suggestions about how public and private policies can translate strategies into action. As one example, governments can launch public awareness campaigns to tout "the opportunities for continuing to work past the traditional retirement age, while also "identify[ing] and remov[ing] disincentives in workplace retirement plans to working past a fixed retirement age."

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Even more important are the suggested corporate responses, which include conducting studies to "assess the value of retaining older workers," promoting aging-friendly work environments, establishing "intergenerational employee resource groups," and providing training for older workers. These policies would go a long way toward realizing age-friendly workplaces.

Such workplaces can also be built by following guidance set out in the Age-Friendly Business Principles articulated by the World Economic Forum. These principles lay out what goals employers should strive to achieve in the age of aging.

Taken together, these three events - the Aegon report, the WHO's new health strategy, and the Davos session on work and retirement - reveal an inescapable truth: in a world with more "old" than "young," and in a world where we must prepare to celebrate our 100th birthday, the status quo cannot hold.
NASHUA, NH - FEBRUARY 08: Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) speaks at a campaign rally at Daniel Webster College on February 8, 2016 in Nashua, New Hampshire. Sanders is hoping to win the New Hampshire democratic primary tomorrow. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

"I wish he'd go away already."

From fellow Democrats, the refrain's relentless. Why's Bernie running? Why won't his naive supporters get real? Some of my female friends supporting Sanders are implored with special force and added frustration: Get in line! The socialist has no chance. He's unrealistic.

But is he really? Much of Sanders's platform, the aspirational parts diverging from Clinton's, are already reality in Northern Europe. Marijuana decriminalization. Death penalty abolition. Free or nearly-free college. Single-payer healthcare. What's more, they have surprising amounts of cross-party support, united by a populist public that's becoming increasingly convinced that party elites only pretend to care about their well-being.

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So is it we, Bernie's "naive Millennial supporters," who are shooting too high? Or are Clinton and her annoyed supporters shooting too low?

The arguments utilized by the Clinton campaign are familiar, of course, simply because they were wielded against then-Senator Barack Obama in 2008. Back then, she suggested Obama was naive and unrealistic. Inexperienced. When criticized during debates on questionable votes or opaque "transparency," she habitually hedged to the inspirational fact that she's a woman. Finally, she made the electability argument, except in 2008 it involved a disturbing subtext tying the President's supposed electability problem to his race. (A thesis obliterated by massive victories in white states like Iowa.)

I'm no #Berniebro. They annoy me. I respect and stand in awe of Hillary Clinton. There is no one--no one--who is better-armed with foreign policy knowledge than the Secretary. I firmly believe she is the best-prepared candidate on either side to responsibly take on ISIL. So right now I'm not entirely sure who I'm voting for between the two, and if Bernie loses, I'll immediately shift my vote to Hillary. No Republican comes close--in competence, experience, and (yes) political ideology.

Yet as a progressive, liberal Democrat, how can I not support Bernie? How, when unlike Hillary he's against the death penalty? How, when unlike Hillary he wants to put a complete stop to misguided attempts to ruin lives over marijuana (marijuana!)? How, when unlike Hillary he pushes for campaign finance reform not only verbally but also concretely, by foregoing a Super PAC? How, when unlike Hillary he's pushing forcefully for a higher minimum wage? How, when unlike Hillary he's playing on our hopes for a better future instead of our fears that this future is unattainable?

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While I respect Hillary Clinton, I agree with Bernie Sanders on far more, and I'm glad he's forced a complacent Democratic Party to introspect. Fellow Democrats, Bernie is airing an important message: Economic equality is vital to liberty. Leveling the playing field is integral to Democratic goals, from the fulfillment of the #BlackLivesMatter movement to lasting gender equality.

So you ask us: "How dare Bernie run?" You imply: "How dare you, a Democrat, support his run?" My answer, aside from pointing out that this is a democratic election rather than a Democratic coronation, is simple: I support Bernie Sanders because he supports me. He shares my outlook, my goals, my aspirations, and those of millions of other Millennials.
Gun in his hand. Exhibition and sale of weapons

A new study conducted by researchers at Yale University and covered in The Trace appears to confirm a truism in how people develop and hold opinions, namely, the more you want to believe in something, the more you can make yourself believe in something. In this case, the issue is guns, and what two Yale researchers discovered in a survey of 1,384 people, is that people who support stronger gun-control laws also know that background checks are not conducted on all gun transfers, whereas people who are less inclined to support less gun-control laws believe that universal background checks are already in place. In other words, if you believe there is a gun "problem" and you further believe that new laws could help solve the problem, you will be in favor of more laws. And to quote an old Spanish saying: If not, not.

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I have two issues with this survey, but I want it understood that I am not trying to throw out the baby with the bathwater; I'm just trying to make the bathwater a bit more warm. To begin, I am always somewhat suspect of public surveys about guns if the survey purports to reflect the views of a "representative" group of Americans without distinguishing whether this particular group includes gun owners or not. Because on any issue related to guns, these folks are going to have plenty to say, particularly if they happen to be among the minority if gun owners who really do "cling" to their guns because it's a lifestyle and a hobby that is very important to them. They are not necessarily the majority of gun owners and it certainly isn't a majority of Americans, but it may be a majority in certain gun-rich states and it's for sure just about everyone who turns out when a new gun law comes up for debate.

In this respect the Yale researchers ask the following question: "Could it be that public misperceptions of existing gun control laws also contribute to the absence of public mobilization for new legislation?" Let me break it gently to our GVP colleagues from Yale -- the folks who are against new gun laws never have any trouble mobilizing for a public debate, whether they know anything about the law in question or not. It's the 89% of respondents to this survey who both know there are no universal background checks and want an expansion of gun-control laws who usually don't show up.

The authors focused this survey on questions about background checks because, according to them, "universal background checks for gun purchases could substantially reduce the number of gun-related deaths in the USA." They cite two well-known studies to bolster this statement, but that's not what either study actually says. The research by Eric Fleelger and his group correlates gun fatalities with the presence or absence of gun laws in every state, but background checks are just one of 17 different legal procedures that are used to monitor public traffic of guns. As for the study by Daniel Webster, et. al., on the effect of the repeal of Missouri's handgun-purchase law, a permit-to-purchase procedure conducted at the state level is, by definition, a much more rigorous method for weeding out unqualified handgun purchasers than a 60-second conversation between a gun shop owner and an FBI staffer at NICS.

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A few months ago I visited a new church. I was navigating through this huge, former warehouse turned contemporary worship building when a women stopped me with a beyond bizarre question. "Hi, will you sit in the ball pit with me?"

I glanced behind her and sure enough there was a large, square edifice filled with the colorful balls that take me back to the days of McDonald's play dates. Taken off guard, and not one to be rude, I replied, "Um, okay, sure."

There I was sitting in a stereotypical child's playground not even five minutes after entering this church for the first time. Helena, the lady who asked me to join her, explained to me that the purpose was for church attendees to use the ball pit as a means to connect with, and get to know, new people. We spent ten minutes chatting, albeit immersed in balls, before the service began.

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It was truly an experience I will never, ever forget.



No, I am not advocating you place a ball pit in your office (Although, the idea of suited professionals sitting in a ball pit is quite amusing), however I am lobbying for you to create unforgettable, emotion-driven experiences for your customers.

Does your business model, new customer acquisition process, consumer technology (apps, website), and overall marketing campaign stand out from everyone else in your industry? Your customers won't remember a run of the mill website, billboard, email campaign or retail experience. They just won't.

Large corporations, such as Target, Apple and Google have certainly set the bar high for advertising and holding consumers' attention. Of course many small businesses have miniscule marketing budgets compared to these mega companies, but they can still learn from their creativity and out of the box thinking, as it's what ultimately leads to lasting impressions. And, inventiveness is critically necessary in an era where consumers often rather turn to their iPad to make purchases.



Recently, Chick-Fil-A has found an ingenious way to create a memorable experience for their customers. Some of their franchises have begun placing containers on each of their restaurant tables for families to store their phones and electronic devices while they eat. The goal is for friends and families to have time to truly connect without technology muddling their time together. Groups that successfully leave their phones in the container during their entire meal can alert a staff member and receive a free ice cream cone. This certainly isn't direct marketing, but the simple and good-willed effort is cohesive with Chick-Fil-A's overall image, and it serves as an exceptional marketing and customer service tool.

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Another example of a simple, yet powerful marketing campaign is TD Bank's YouTube video entitled, "Sometimes You Just Want to Say Thank You." During the four-minute clip, an ATM machine transforms into an "Automatic Thanking Machine" that speaks to, and rewards, TD customers. An older woman, and mother to a critically sick daughter, is dispensed a plane ticket to be by her side at an upcoming operation in Trinidad. Another hard working customer is dispensed tickets to take her kids to Disney World. Through her tears she exclaims, "I have never been able to take my kids anywhere!"

She certainly wasn't the only one brought to tears, as this YouTube sensation admittedly caused me, and surely many others, to get teary eyed as well. The video has over 23 million views, and the bank has gained invaluable brand recognition, and certainly a significant amount of new, and future, customers.

What makes these campaigns so successful? They evoke strong, memorable emotion. Greed, compassion, fear, excitement, shock, joy; that's what the advertising game is all about. Studies back this notion and have concluded that emotional marketing is actually twice as effective as promotional marketing.

It is time to step away, or perhaps run, from the boring, standard, "Here is our product and the price" marketing genre. Instead, use your branding efforts as a means to connect with your community. If you can connect emotionally, they will like you. And if they like you, they will potentially buy from you.

How do you begin? Consider appointing a Chief Innovation Officer. Never underestimate the power of one, or a few, bright, imaginative individuals that are fully empowered to do something new, creative, interesting, or even bizarre... Something so bizarre that it may just work to increase your companies brand recognition, customer satisfaction, and profitability.

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Lawmakers on Capitol Hill speak frequently about "waste, fraud, and abuse" in federal programs. From subsidized school meals that feed low-income children to refundable tax credits that incentivize work and offset child-rearing costs, it seems to these lawmakers that the federal safety net is rife with over-payment. The term "program integrity" has recently come into vogue to address the alleged rampant exploitation of the government's assistance.

It has become clear, however, that when lawmakers discuss "waste, fraud, and abuse" and "program integrity," these are really just terms of art to justify denying immigrants (and others in need) access to federal programs. While immigrants are already explicitly barred by statute from participating in many of these programs, regardless of whether their status is lawful or not, members of Congress seem determined to limit the few programs that remain.

At the end of last year, for example, Congress enacted a $680 billion tax package that made a number of tax credits permanent and extended others. The legislation also included a "program integrity" title that imposed burdensome requirements for some immigrants who pay their taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Some members of congress said that this language was necessary to combat "waste, fraud, and abuse" and prevent over-payment within the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. But reports consistently point to IRS capacity, paid tax preparers, and the sheer complexity of the tax code, as the true sources of error in both the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. For this reason, the only logical conclusion to draw about the purpose of the new ITIN requirement is that it is designed to prevent immigrants from more easily filing taxes, and by extension, from claiming the refundable tax credits for which they are eligible.

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Similarly, the Senate Agriculture Committee recently held a mark-up of a bipartisan child nutrition reauthorization bill. The legislation also includes a "program integrity" provision to increase verification of school meal programs. It has been claimed that schools have given away roughly $20 billion in free and reduced price lunches to children who do not deserve them by virtue of not being quite poor enough. Under the new scheme, children with immigrant parents are likely to bear the brunt. The proposal increases the number of applications that would be certified directly through participation in public benefit programs like SNAP or TANF, yet U.S. citizen children with immigrant parents are not eligible for these federal programs. As a result, more of these families will receive confusing letters asking for additional proof of income, and many children will not eat lunch due to high levels of non-response. Yet there is little evidence to suggest that verification through family contact is effective at rooting out "waste, fraud, and abuse."

Attempts to deny immigrant eligibility through "program integrity" are misguided by the narrative that motivates them: immigrants are leeches on society, coming to the United States simply to enroll in public benefits. This misleading and exploitive point of view continues to be deeply harmful to those most in need. As immigrants seek to make a life in the United States and adapt to American culture and values, the pervasive idea that they do not contribute and are not part of our social contract undermines their ability to be successful.

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What do the Zapatistas and Bernie Sanders have in common? Hint: Not a Revolution. To untangle this, let us back up a bit. Let me rely on my extensive academic and first-hand knowledge of the United States and Mexico's relationship to political social change, in order to delve deeper into the "Feel the Bern" phenomenon. You've heard of the Zapatistas, haven't you? They are the peoples who sparked an anti-establishment political revolution against the Mexican Govt., free trade, big banks and NAFTA. Starting to sound familiar?

The day following the Iowa caucuses, a CNN headline read, "Bernie Sanders' Improbable Revolution." Common Dreams wrote, "Astounding the World in Iowa, Sanders' Revolution Marches on." South Carolina Now's headline stated, "For Sanders, Iowa is Chance to Turn Revolution into Reality."

Is Bernie Sanders sparking a political revolution, as the dominant media suggests? Is the American public witnessing a rejection of the establishment, as Bernie argues? Sanders calls for a rejection of Wall Street, he rejected NAFTA and calls for an end to corrupt corporate effects of globalization. Sanders' rhetoric is not unlike the rhetoric of the Zapatistas, an indigenous group on the other side of the NAFTA border, which also called for an anti-establishment political revolution. Of concern, is that the mainstream media, and the public, has not challenged Sanders' use of his persuasive tropes of "anti-establishment" and "revolution." If we vote for Sanders, will this, in fact, be America's future? Real people are affected by the policies that Sanders claims he will revolt against. Claims to ameliorate the material realities of exploitation and poverty, through revolution, should not be accepted without critical scrutiny.

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On January 1, 1994, the day of the signing of NAFTA, which Sanders also voted against, the Zapatistas presented themselves to the world. The Zapatistas were, and continue today, to represent the embodiment of an anti-establishment, political revolution -- the same categories, which Sanders' invokes, in his campaign rhetoric. In Chiapas, Mexico, they trained in secret, for years, prior to the signage of NAFTA; they saw the writing of the wall. Today, 41 years later, this revolutionary, anti-establishment, anti-globalization, anti-neoliberal economic movement has resulted in six autonomous "caracoles," (independent land sites), wherein the indigenous peoples are a fully functioning autonomous "Gobierno bueno" (good government) body, which practices direct democracy. "Caracoles," in Spanish, means snails. Because revolution is slow, like a snail.

Bernie Sanders' rhetoric calls for voters to spark a revolution. He claims to be a candidate who is anti-establishment: "We need a political revolution of millions of people in this country who are prepared to stand up and say, 'enough is enough' ... I want to help lead that effort," and "With your support and the support of millions of people throughout this country, we begin a political revolution to transform our country economically, politically, socially and environmentally."

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Sanders' discourse effectively taps into the public consciousness pertaining to the Occupy movement, which attacked Wall Street and the one percent. He wants to be a leader for the people. The forgotten. The shrinking middle-class. The rhetoric is, indeed, persuasive. But is it revolutionary?

Sanders' rhetoric is persuasive, as the aforementioned Sanders' headlines are a reflection of Bernie's utilization of two dominant ideographs -- one-word political slogans, imbued with ideology, deployed again and again, within his political rhetoric: "anti-establishment" and "revolution." Sanders' use of these tropes has been effective. For example, Sanders has raised roughly thirty-three million dollars within the last three months of 2015, with the average donation equaling $27.13. Sanders, a one-time long shot, just pulled out Iowa with a virtual tie, winning twenty-one delegates against Hillary's twenty-two.

In January of 2006, as an analogue, the Zapatistas embarked on, in response to the Mexican Presidential election, "La Otra Compana" (the Other Campaign). The campaign operated outside of the two primary political parties--the PAN and the PRI. The campaign was an attempt to unify the people of Mexico, along with pre-existing groups of resistance, to continue to struggle against the establishment. It was a call for the rejection of the two-party system, a rejection of corporate interests and corrupt politicians. Subcomondante Marcos, the spokesperson for the Zapatistas, functioned as anti-establishment, when he stated: "the goal of the campaign is not to speak or run for office, but to listen to the simple and humble people who struggle." In not running Marcos for office, the Zapatistas remained inherently anti-establishment. Their rhetoric, which existed outside of the mainstream political system, enabled movements of resistance against neo-liberal capitalist forces to grow -- forging strong alliances with other activists groups to form strong hegemonic blocks against the Mexican Government.

Is Sanders anti-establishment? Unlike Subcomondante Marcos, not running for office as a PRI or PAN candidate, Sanders sits squarely as a part of the mainstream United States political process. Sanders, a current Senator of Virginia, is a life-long politician, concurrently eschewing the role of an independent, in order to embrace and center himself as part of the mainstream Democratic party. While the Zapatistas called for the masses to reject voting, and create a revolutionary alternative, Sanders wants your vote. He wants you to continue to participate within the established political system. In other words, the status quo.

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When analyzing Sanders' rhetoric, in conjunction with the mainstream media's usage of his campaign as "a political revolution," one must look at the systemic elements at play. A political revolution -- both rhetorically and materially, involves the overthrow or rejection of a system or government, most often by force, and replacing that system with a new system. Sanders is not calling for a rejection of the current system. He wants to be a part of it. If he were to be elected President, Congress is still there. Thus, his "revolution" would need to garner enough Democratic seats to overrule a Republican filibuster, or the masses would have to exert so much pressure, from the ground, that the house and senate would be persuaded to capitulate on issues such as a single-payer healthcare system, taxes, free tuition, single-payer healthcare, etc. Given the ideology of the Republics and the far right, this does not equate to a mass shift in consciousness, which would be a necessary prerequisite to any revolution.

Forty-one years later, in 2016, the Zapatistas now have indigenous and autonomous control over land and resources -- land free from maquiladoras (sweat shops), slave labor, GMOs, corporate land take-overs, corrupt politicians, bankers and multi-national corporations. Instead, their revolution has produced thriving communities with their own schools, healthcare clinics, thriving crops, indigenous language preservation and even an academic and trade focused University--all free. Run by the people, for the people.

Whist reflecting on the Zapatistas revolution, in April of 2015, the Zapatistas clarified the distinction, in a world-wide communique, between revolutionary change and voting in mainstream elections: "Because it's the same thing among all those who want a political position, regardless of whether they dress up red, or sometimes in blue, or sometimes they put on a new color. And then they say they are the people and that therefore, the people have to support them. But they aren't of the people. They're the same bad governments who one day are local representatives, and the next are union leaders, then they are party functionaries . . . bouncing from one position to another, and also from one color to another."

To be clear, I am not equating Bernie with the Zapatistas, that would, indeed, be apples and oranges -- a fallacy of equivalence. But that is precisely the point. There are, indeed, revolution economic justice movements happening on the ground, around the world. We are not witnessing a political ant-establishment revolution, with Sanders' campaign, as the mainstream media describes. When the dominant media articulates Sanders' campaign as a revolutionary, it de-centers actual revolutionary work stemming, from grassroots groups, operating outside of the mainstream political parties, nation-wide, in numerous communities from the ground up.

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FLINT, MI - FEBRUARY 7: Democratic Presidental candidate Hillary Clinton addresses local elected officials about the city's water crisis at House of Prayer on February 7, 2016 in Flint, Michigan. Secretary Clinton briefly left the campaign trail prior to the New Hampshire primary to address the crisis in Flint. (Photo by Sarah Rice/Getty Images)

In an article penned by Chris Johnson of The Washington Blade, "Clinton surrogates pounce on Sanders over '82 marriage resolution," Clinton supporters NYS Senator Brad Hoylman (through his chief of staff, Peter Ajemian), former NYC Speaker Christine Quinn, and former conservative GOProud founder Jimmy LaSalvia accuse Bernie Sanders of having been against marriage equality because he signed a resolution in 1982 supporting the "We Believe in Marriage Week":

The attack was initiated when Jonathan Allen, who first "reported" this "story," uncovered the resolution Sanders signed as mayor of Burlington, CT in 1982. Allen is regarded as a political lapdog of the Democratic Party establishment. He worked for DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, who was a co-chair of Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign and co-authored Hillary's biography.

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However, Allen's assertion has a fatal flaw. Nothing could be further from the truth than the theory he offers as proof positive that Bernie supported marriage as only between a man and a woman. A look at the facts in their historical context determines the (in)significance of this potentially slanderous accusation by the Clinton camp, which Williamson L. Henderson, V, Chairman of the STONEWALL Rebellion Veterans' Association (SVA), called "a complete distortion of the reality of the time."

Fact #1: This is a resolution of the Board of Aldermen (which essentially is their city council) of Burlington, Vermont. A resolution is a statement supported by at least a majority of a governing body.

Fact #2: A mayor routinely signs proclamations and resolutions proffered by legislative bodies on a wide number of topics and subjects. Such proclamations are not bills and do not become law. Rather, they are official statements supported by a majority of the governing body.

Fact #3: This particular resolution supports "We Believe in Marriage Week," a nation-wide attempt to stem the rising tide of divorce and single parenthood sweeping the nation, which other boards of aldermen supported via similar resolutions declaring the week from February 14-20, 1982 as such.

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Fact #4: The rising divorce rate and increase in the number of out-of-wedlock children being born were of particular unilateral, bipartisan concern, according to Henderson. Assistant Secretary of Labor Daniel Patrick Moynihan (whom Clinton replaced when she ran for Senator in New York in 2000) issued a report in 1965 essentially decrying a condemnation into poverty, particularly of minority families, who were being broken apart due to divorce and single-parenthood.

Fact #5: The terms "family values" and "traditional marriage" did not have the anti-LGBTQ meaning in 1982 that they do today. They were, instead, concerns over the family unit falling apart due to an increase in divorce and out-of-wedlock childbirth.

Henderson further stated, "It is completely hypocritical to attack someone who has made it crystal clear that he is 100% for LGBTQ rights and marriage equality by digging up something that took place over 30 years ago, twisting the truth to use in a political attack."

In 1982, nobody in the LGBTQ community was fighting for the right to marry. "In an interview in the 1970s, when asked about the prospects for gay marriage, Frank Kameny laughed and dismissed the notion. He said it was something gay men would never ask for," recalled David Wallace, an LGBTQ activist, historian, and videographer.

Neither was it seriously on the agenda more than a decade later. In 1999, the first openly-lesbian elected official in New York State, NYS Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick (D-NY) held a debate on the issue of marriage equality with William K. Schmidt, the first openly gay Republican from Peekskill, NY who was running for the Peekskill City Council: "She was vehemently opposed to marriage equality, calling it a bourgeois institution," Schmidt, the first elected official in NY to sign a statewide petition for marriage equality, recalled.

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As I have previously written about on my blog, the LGBTQ community is losing its history, as well as its core values. If younger members of our community were more connected with our elders, this sort of political attack never would have been allowed. "In 1982, the community was just beginning to coalesce around what then was called GRID (which we now know to be AIDS)," Wallace interjected.

In fact, at the time this resolution was passed, there were no legal protections for LGBTQ individuals anywhere in the USA! One month later, Wisconsin became the first state to ban discrimination on the basis of sexuality. When Sanders passed a city ordinance banning discrimination against gays and lesbians a year later, he was at he forefront of the LGBTQ rights movement.

Speaker Quinn (whom I heartily endorsed when she ran for Mayor of NYC in 2013), Senator Hoylman, and Mr. LaSalvia are all old enough to know better. They lived through the culture of the time in 1982, when police were conducting raids and mass arrests of gay and lesbian individuals, often facing up to 20 or more years in prison for the "crime" of being gay.

"It clearly is an utterly pathetic and preposterous act of desperation that insults people's intelligence. To quote Shakespeare, it's much ado about nothing, and it's not going to work," Schmidt, who now identifies as Libertarian, stated.

"This is no surprise, coming from a woman who supported her husband's signing into law the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) over a decade later and who herself did not support marriage equality until 2013. Neither she nor any of her surrogates have ever supported the SVA or our members," Henderson scoffed.

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Disclosure: I am an active supporter of the presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders.
Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been 693 days since my last blog post.

After co-authoring, on March 17, 2014, with Natalie Pregibon of the Concordia Summit, my last blog post, , Public Education and Job Readiness: What Can Be Done to Shrink the Skills Gap? I have been...preoccupied, to say the least. My various preoccupations have involved several research projects in my primary area of professional expertise: Real estate development and finance, including urban revitalization, redevelopment, and regeneration.

The undertaking that has consumed the lion's share of my time during this HuffPost blog stasis has been researching and writing a textbook on real estate law for Routledge, now scheduled to be published this summer, just in time for the Fall 2016 semester (he said wistfully). A specific area of my research and analysis for one of the chapters in the forthcoming textbook has afforded me a unique perspective on the recent, growing controversy sparked by GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz leading up to the Iowa caucuses on February 1st: Eminent domain.

This issue was reiterated, with as much forcefulness as he could muster (you know, being "low energy"), by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in the most-recent GOP presidential debate. Accordingly, the national visibility of eminent domain has now been raised, which may suggest that eminent domain may have staying power for the balance of the 2016 presidential election, particularly if Trump becomes the GOP's presidential nominee (with apologies, in advance, to those for whom this thought may cause night tremors).

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The issue raised by Senator Cruz in Iowa alleged abuses of condemnation power by real estate development, casino, and resort mogul-turned-politician Donald Trump. In the fervor leading up to last week's Iowa caucuses, the issue of eminent domain was raised repeatedly by Cruz--and given his first place finish in Iowa, successfully so--as a cudgel with which to beat Trump over the head incessantly. When, as a result of Cruz's harangue, the topic made its way into the corporate-owned media, the extent to which the subject is almost completely misunderstood became clear. Even presumably well-informed and well-resourced media outlets appeared grossly under-educated on the subject. The Washington Post, for example, in a January 25th article, called eminent domain "an obscure legal issue," which it certainly is not, at least for real estate developers, local units of government (including redevelopment agencies of various stripes), elected officials, and community stakeholders ("How an obscure legal issue has found its way into the GOP race"). Among other things, eminent domain is the only aspect of real estate law that has its own clause in the U.S. Constitution; that hardly ranks as "obscure."

In essence, Cruz claims Trump is in favor of having local governments take people's personal residences so that developers, like Trump, can demolish them and use their land to build new projects, as well as building the developer's own wealth in the process. Cruz repeats, ad nauseum, an anecdote about Trump trying to take an elderly woman's home in order to build a casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. As a very successful real estate developer--by his own admission--Trump most-assuredly is in favor of having access to such powers through public-private partnerships with local governments and redevelopment agencies. Trump's company may, in fact, have benefited from the taking of private homes to assemble sufficient land to undertake specific projects Trump has pursued.



It may be argued that public antipathy about and outrage over the legal ability of local governments to take owner-occupied, privately owned homes, to devote to revitalization projects undertaken by for-profit, private-sector developers, served as the genesis of what emerged as the Tea Party after the election of President Obama in 2008. Consequently, this line of attack on Trump makes for bloody red meat that Cruz has been more than happy to serve up to his Tea Party and Libertarian supporters. Its effectiveness is perhaps best-evidenced by Cruz's ultimate victory over Trump in the outcome of the Iowa caucuses.



Jeb Bush's entering the fray, however, during the most-recent GOP presidential candidates' debate on February 6th, is curious and, perhaps, a risky tactical error. As the poster-boy for mainstream GOP politics, this issue may be much more problematic for the former Florida governor. If Trump's campaign is taking seriously various criticisms of its ultimately losing effort in Iowa last week, such as lacking a viable ground-game, Trump's opposition research team should be busy ferreting-out and documenting the number of times private homes were condemned and taken in Florida between 1999 and 2007, synchronized with the number of times then-Governor Bush either remained silent or, worse still, praised those revitalization and economic development projects facilitated through exercises of the 5th Amendment's takings clause to condemn owner-occupied, private homes.



The current status of eminent domain law in the United States, however, doesn't square with Cruz's, and now Bush's, fear-mongering over the issue. In essence, Cruz and Bush are trying to make Trump the boogeyman here. And while there may indeed be plenty of grounds for pinning that moniker on Trump, eminent domain does not appear to be one of them. The fear of eminent domain run amok might have provided a legitimate threat to private property interests, a public concern about which real estate developer Trump might have been legitimately vulnerable, but for the fact there was such an almost-immediate and near-universal rejection, throughout the country, of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in its 2005 landmark, eminent domain case, Kelo v. City of New London, Connecticut.

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Without getting too deep into the weeds on the law of eminent domain, the "takings clause" under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution provides that:

"no person shall be...deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." [Emphasis added.]

In a 1954 Supreme Court case challenging a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the southwest quadrant of the District of Columbia, Berman v. Parker, the Supreme Court broadened the Court's interpretation of what constitutes a valid "public use" under the takings clause. In its ruling, the Court made clear its reluctance to second-guess legislative bodies and local governments in their determination of what constitutes a public use. More than 60 years later, in its Kelo decision, the Court went beyond its ruling in Berman v. Parker, changing the "public use" test under the takings clause to a much broader and more-flexible "public purpose" test. From the forthcoming textbook:

In the case of purely public projects, ones where the project will be created, owned, and operated by a governmental entity--such as is the case with a public road or highway, a railroad right-of-way, a water treatment facility, or the installation of power lines for the local public electric utility--the "public use" portion of the Fifth Amendment is easily met, and the only issue to be resolved is what constitutes "just compensation." It was not, however, until after the Urban Renewal movement in the United States in the early 1960's,..., that local jurisdictions started to get creative in partnering with private-sector companies to secure private land in the path of Urban Renewal that would be redeveloped for new, privately owned real estate development projects intended to revitalize their surrounding communities.

Although the Kelo decision remains the "law of the land" as far as Supreme Court precedent goes, it has very limited impact today because of the extremely negative reactions the Court's ruling engendered in its aftermath throughout the U.S. In response to the Kelo decision, the vast majority of states greatly curtailed what they would allow themselves, and the local governments within their borders, to do in the name of the 5th Amendment's takings clause. Again, from the textbook:

While it is fair to say that the Supreme Court's ruling in the Kelo case granted states and their municipal governments even broader powers of condemnation authority to effect the removal of blighting conditions and/or improve economic conditions, more than ten years later the holding has been largely overshadowed by how the vast majority of states responded to it. Concerned about the adverse impact the precedent of Kelo would have on private rights in real property, and lobbied heavily by property rights activists who had been following the Kelo case vigilantly, states began to adopt stricter laws pertaining to their own use of eminent domain. The expansions of the takings clause effected primarily due to the Supreme Court's holdings in Berman v. Parker and Midkiff, respectively, were very quickly being clawed back following the holding in Kelo, primarily due to the "unprecedented backlash in public opinion, citizen activism, legislative changes, state court decisions, and lessons learned from the New London case." Five years following the Kelo ruling, 44 development projects involving the condemnation of privately owned land and private parties participating in the "re-purposing" of that land were rejected by citizen activists, 43 states enacted stronger laws to protect private land owners against "eminent domain abuse," and nine state high courts limited the use of eminent domain for private development. This strong, decisive, and almost-immediate reaction against the Kelo ruling is contrary to the aftermath of the Berman ruling where " no doubt emboldened in part by the expansive understanding of 'public use,'...cities 'rushed to draw plans' for downtown development," displacing families at a startling pace. [Footnotes in the original text omitted.]

With 43 out of 50 states having, since the 2005 ruling, significantly curtailed the ability of their local jurisdictions to exercise eminent domain except for purely public projects, like roads and highways, making Conservative and Libertarian voters fearful of the rampant excesses of the exercise of condemnation powers to benefit private interests, in 2016, is almost entirely a red herring. Other than in the few jurisdictions--such as New York and Washington, D.C.--that did not substantially curtail the exercise of eminent domain following the 2005 Kelo decision, that of which Cruz and Bush now accuse Trump, that a private developer's profit-taking interests may serve as the proximate cause for the condemnation and razing of a private citizen's owner-occupied home, cannot take place as a matter of law.
In this Feb. 3, 2015 frame from video provided by the Fairfax County, Va., Sheriff, deputies work to restrain Natasha McKenna during a cell transfer, in Fairfax, Va. The video was released Thursday, Sept. 10, two days after prosecutors said they would not bring criminal charges, shows a prolonged struggle with the mentally ill inmate who died after being shocked with a stun gun. (Fairfax County Sheriff via AP)

"You promised you wouldn't kill me. I didn't do anything." These were some of the last words spoken by Natasha McKenna before she died in custody after Fairfax County Jail officials tasered her four times with 50,000 volts. Despite the fact that video of McKenna's cold-blooded killing has been available to the public since September, journalists and activists have resoundingly failed to draw the outrage to her story that it merits.

February 8 marks the one-year anniversary of McKenna's death. Now is the time for journalists who were missing a year ago to shed light on the circumstances surrounding McKenna's death. This date is an opening for activists across the country to take to the streets and march for justice for Natasha McKenna just as they have for Black men.

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Around this time last year, McKenna was taken into custody in Fairfax County Jail after police were called as first responders during a mental health crisis and discovered an outstanding warrant. McKenna had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. Rather than providing the care she needed, jail officials tasered McKenna four times with 50,000 volts while attempting to "extract" her from her cell. McKenna died a week later in the hospital. Her cause of death was recorded as "excited delirium," a term not recognized by the American Medical Association, which is used almost exclusively in fatalities following police use of tasers.

On September 10, 2015, Fairfax County released footage of the encounter that led to McKenna's death in an effort to show the "professionalism" and "restraint" demonstrated by the officers involved. On September 9, they announced that those responsible for her death had been cleared of any professional wrongdoing.

The McKenna video was one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. Before watching the video, I had not known that she would be naked, later clothed in nothing but a hood over her head. I found it hard to understand why the officers deemed it necessary to remove McKenna from her cell at that exact moment. Why couldn't they have waited until she was calm and ready to be moved? When later asked why they didn't pull back (or God forbid, bring in a mental health professional to support her) an official told the Washington Post that they "typically do not withdraw from a cell extraction once it has begun." Rather than being treated as a woman in crisis who needed compassionate intervention, they treated McKenna as a threat to the social order whose life was of less value than department protocol.

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Although by the end of the video McKenna was clearly near death, none of the officials showed significant concern or bothered to cover up her exposed body. While videos showing the deaths of Black men have rightly garnered widespread scrutiny (recently, for instance, Laquan McDonald), this video has been met with relative silence.

Matching the dearth of attention from mainstream media and anti-racist activists, McKenna's story has also failed to galvanize prominent feminist groups. This speaks to the continued intersectional erasure of Black women from our efforts for social justice. Had she looked like me, it's safe to say that the attention paid to McKenna's story would have been vastly different. But this may be a moot point -- as a white woman from a middle class background, what happened to McKenna would probably never happen to me.

Why have Black women's stories of police brutality failed to elicit levels of indignation anywhere close to those of Black men? What does this say about the status of anti-racist and feminist activism in the US today? What does the relative media whiteout say about how as a society we value the lives of Black women?

It's up to each of us to recognize that McKenna's position as a Black woman with schizophrenia cannot be separated from her treatment by the police. At a time when the social safety net is increasingly absent for those in poverty, police are often first responders to mental health crises. Approximately 15 percent of calls to the police now involve a mental health emergency. This places people of color who have historically been criminalized by the police in a dangerous -- and at times deadly -- position when they require mental health support. According to analysis by the Washington Post, a quarter of those killed by the police in 2015 were described by loved ones as "mentally ill."

At the core of activism against state violence lies the goal of fundamentally changing institutions that have oppressed individuals since our society's inception. Advancing a holistic analysis of systemic violence means foregrounding experiences of violence at multiple intersections, including race, gender, class, and ability status. It means dismantling police brutality that takes place in the hidden, private spaces of the home just as we combat that more visible violence which occurs in public spaces. It means placing Natasha McKenna's story at the center of our agitation and advocacy.

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If we were to consider the institutional flaws that allowed McKenna's death to go unpunished, we could back concrete actions that can be taken now. Jail officials got away with using extreme force on McKenna in large part because there are no national guidelines on taser usage. The fact that police were first-responders to a mental health crisis is another pressing problem. If you are a hammer, everything can begin to look like a nail. But individuals in crisis should not be treated as criminals and met with physical force. Instead, we need to redirect resources from militarization of our police departments into mental health support for those who lack the resources for private care. McKenna's story also points to gender-specific reforms -- male law enforcement officials should not be man-handling a naked woman in distress.



The fact that what law enforcement officials did to McKenna can be considered "professionalism" should be a wake-up call to the American populace on what the profession of law enforcement means in this country. That no one was charged to stand trial in this case sends a disturbing message about the state of human rights in a country that presents itself as a beacon of democracy to the world. When our police system's function is to enforce the boundaries of class, race, and gender, this does not just impact marginalized individuals like Natasha McKenna -- it impacts us all.
"I don't want this to happen to someone else," Shandra said as she recalled her story. After losing her job as a financial analyst due to an economic downturn in her native Indonesia, 25-year-old Shandra Woworuntu was desperate. Expanding her job search internationally, she found a six-month seasonal employment opportunity in Chicago's hospitality industry. After paying $3000 to the recruiters from the job agency, she boarded a plane she believed would take her to the bright future of her dreams. However, after arriving at JFK International Airport, she discovered that she would not be going to Chicago. Instead, she was forced into a life of prostitution; her passport and her freedom taken from her.

Human trafficking, or the exploitation of vulnerabilities for commercial gain, can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. This type of injustice is nothing new. As a matter of fact, human trafficking can be seen throughout ancient literature, even leaving its mark on the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, in the book of Genesis, fourteen chapters are dedicated to the story of a human trafficking survivor named Joseph. Like Shandra, Joseph was a dreamer trafficked by those in whom he trusted. In his case, Joseph's own brothers sold him to traders bound for Egypt for twenty shekels of silver (Gen. 37:28). Once in Egypt, he would again be sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's Guard, to labor as a domestic servant.

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Despite his circumstances, however, the "Lord was with Joseph and he became a successful man" (Gen. 39:2). Though enslaved, God's presence and blessing continued to guide him. Joseph, now seen as successful in the house of Potiphar because of God's blessing, found himself the object of Potiphar's wife's affection. "Lie with me," she continually commanded, but Joseph resisted (Gen. 39:9). Finally, she could take his rejection no longer and she grabbed him by his clothing; ripping it from him. Naked, he ran to escape her advances. Angered by his continued refusal, Potiphar's wife deceitfully told her husband that Joseph attempted to rape her (Gen. 39:7-20). Though he initially escaped, he was imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit. Although his situation grew increasingly more difficult, "the LORD was with Joseph" (Gen. 39:21).

Shandra, too, explains that she felt the presence of God while in the brothel. "When I was trafficked," she said, "I felt like God was next to me, like He accompanied me. I asked Him, 'Jesus, I don't think I can take it anymore. I need to be free. I am done; save me'." Soon after praying, she felt what she could only describe as "an energy" lead her into the bathroom. "It was there that I saw the window and thought 'that is the way.' I knew that this was how I would escape." Climbing through the second story window, she jumped, landing smoothly on the city street below.

Now free from the brothel, Shandra found herself on the streets on New York with relatively few options. All she could think to do was to call a phone number that she was given by a woman who had visited the brothel. Knowing no other details save the number, she called and was greeted by a man, promising to give her a better life, even a job in a hotel. Little did she know at the time that she was being groomed by yet another trafficker. Shandra would discover that her escape only seemed to make matters worse.

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Having tasted freedom, she became determined to get free from her new trafficker. Seizing the right opportunity, she got away, and with no help in sight, she became homeless. But it was on the streets that she would meet a man, whom she would later call her "angel." After a chance meeting in a park in Chinatown Manhattan, he told her that he would come back at noon the next day to help her. She waited anxiously, somehow knowing that there was something different about this man.

In a similar way, now in prison, Joseph, the dreamer, found himself waiting. After interpreting the dreams of the Pharaoh's cup bearer and his baker, who had been recently imprisoned, Joseph explained that the cupbearer would be restored to his position, while the baker would be executed. "Only remember me, when it is well with you," Joseph begged the cupbearer, "and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house" (Gen. 40:14).

Two years passed, and Joseph waited for a miracle. Then one evening, Pharaoh had a dream that he could not understand. With no one else in Egypt able to interpret the dream, Joseph was finally brought before Pharaoh. Joseph explained that a world-wide famine was coming for which Egypt must prepare. Seeing his wisdom, Pharaoh made Joseph his top advisor.

In the years to follow, Joseph would find himself face to face with his brothers. Noticing their fear, Joseph told them not to be "distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life" (Gen. 45:5). Though he was rejected by his brothers, God chose him to be their deliverer. In this way, Joseph foreshadows Christ, a greater deliverer, who would save those who rejected him, through his own death on the cross (Acts 4:27-28).

Reflecting on Christ, Shandra believes that he sent that man to the park to help her find freedom. From what seemed to be a chance encounter, the man connected her to the police, who would work to bring her exploiters to justice. Now Shandra works with other survivors of sex and labor trafficking. Through her newly founded organization, Mentari--Indonesian for "the sun"--she seeks to help survivors fulfill their dreams of brighter days ahead.

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Seeing her passion and dedication, President Barack Obama, recently appointed her to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. Her faith continues to inspire her. "You have to understand that you are loved by God," she explains. With this in mind, speaking to her recent appointment, she says "God has put me there, without him I wouldn't want to be there."
Valentine's Day, like most holidays we celebrate, started with pagan people being slapped with strips of goat hide dipped in sacrificial blood. Because Match.com hadn't been invented yet, young women, after being slapped, placed their names into a big urn, and bachelors would choose a name and would be paired with that woman. After the women cleansed themselves of goat blood, many of these pairings turned into marriages. Pagan priests promoted the ritual with slogans like "Higher success rates than speeddating or singles dances!"

It was a quick segue from that tradition to tots sending paper valentines to classmates, showing cartoon animals, vegetables and fruit that pronounced, "BEE my Valentine!" or "LETTUCE be Valentines!" Teachers expressed relief that classrooms and students didn't have to be covered with goat blood in the process.

Some now argue that as messy as the pagan ritual was, it had more meaning than today's antiseptic (although tasty) rituals of nachos and coffee Haagen Dazs (Note to readers: This is Life in the Boomer Lane's own personal tradition. Others are free to follow their own rituals). For that reason, many people are trying to come up with more meaningful ways to celebrate the day. LBL offers the following suggestions for consideration that won't requiring sacrificing your household pets:

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Send valentine's cards to anyone who has ever pissed you off (real valentines, not ones that say "Did you fall from heaven? Because so did Satan.")

Stand on the street, handing out valentines to random people passing by

Drive to the nearest nursing home and hand Valentines out to residents

Bake cakes with valentines hidden inside and mail the cakes to the Bruce Vento Elementary School in St Paul, Minnesota The school has banned Valentine's Day and this will be the only way children can receive valentines. You could also mail them to incarcerated people, but they probably wouldn't get the joke.

The Bronx Zoo will name a cockroach after your loved one. For just $10, the zoo will send your very special someone a digital certificate showing a Madagascar hissing roach has been named in honor of them. LBL is not making this up, even though she wishes she were.

Call your mother If she doesn't know who you are, you know that you have either not communicated with her enough, or you have dialed the wrong number. If you have a poor relationship with your mom, it may be that the person you have incorrectly dialed might be a better choice for relationship.

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Call your children at college If you are told they graduated several years ago and are no longer there, you haven't been calling them frequently enough

Call your spouse at work If he/she don't know who you are, you have more serious issues than this post can solve

After you are finished:

If you are partnered, watch the 24/7 CNN coverage of the presidential campaigns in the nude (the viewers are nude, not necessarily the politicians)
Evangelicals and conservative Christians often seem to get a "bad name" in the press and popular culture. It is true that Christians, and evangelicals in particular, have our own portion of historic and contemporary failings. Nonetheless, there continue to be many redeeming qualities of the evangelical faith tradition and those who call themselves followers of Jesus.

1.People who identify as evangelicals are followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace and Savior of the world. This is a good thing! Jesus' teachings focus on both the love of God and love of neighbor (Luke 10:27). For evangelicals who take Scripture so seriously, the heart of Christian faith is that we are called to love one another.

2.Jesus teaches what it means to do good in the world and to treat one another with love and respect. Even other faith traditions such as Islam and Judaism acknowledge the teachings of Jesus as being of great value. The parables of Jesus are full of lessons about what it means to live rightly in community.

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3.Jesus modeled what it meant to care for the poor, the "least of these" among us. Evangelicals have a rich tradition of caring for those in need through acts of compassion, charity, mercy, and justice. Marvin Olasky wrote a great book about this called The Tragedy of American Compassion.

4.Evangelicals believe that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). That means, we are all in the same boat! We are fallen, fallible, make mistakes, and are in need of mercy and redemption. No longer must we strive for perfection, but we may rest in the truth that as humans, we are all in need of God.

5.The "Good News" of the Gospel is one of abundant and merciful grace. Because of Christ's love for us, the grace of forgiveness is extended to all of those who are willing to receive (Romans 5:8). This is the best news of all! Even the criminal on the cross, who was executed next to Jesus, was welcomed into the kingdom. Jesus said to him, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). In our world today, this Good News of grace is manifested in evangelical ministries such as Prison Fellowship, which is committed to restorative justice because: "As Christians, we believe that Jesus -- Himself brought to trial, executed, buried, and brought to life again -- offers hope, healing, and a new purpose for each life."

6.Evangelicals believe that we have access to God through the Holy Spirit. Spiritual disciplines and other intentional practices create space for us to commune with God and to be nourished in our souls. My book Just Spirituality: How Faith Practices Fuel Social Action (InterVarsity Press, 2013) talks about how our spiritual relationship with God helps fuel us toward greater engagement in the world. One such example, is the way the historic evangelist Watchman Nee of China committed to the study of Scripture as an essential way of staying intimately connected with God. Nee ultimately died in a communist prison because of his commitment to the Gospel.

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7.Evangelicals have a deep and historic commitment to extending the love of Christ to the entire world through global mission. Missions is not always an extension of Western imperialism, but also includes movements of devout believers committed to learning alongside of communities from around the world. Consider the lives and ministries of Jim Elliot, James Hudson Taylor, Corrie ten Boom, David Livingstone, and Eric Liddell. While this is certainly an imperfect history, there is much beauty in the history of evangelicalism and global mission.

8.And lest we forget, evangelicals are some of the most committed to interceding on behalf of the world in prayer. Just this past week, thousands of followers of Jesus gathered in our nation's capital at the 64th Annual National Prayer Breakfast. Hosted by Members of Congress, many gathered specifically to "seek the Lord's guidance and strength as well as to reaffirm our faith and to renew the dedication of our Nation and ourselves to God and His purposes."

These are just a few small examples of some of the contributions and assets of both historic and 21st century evangelicalism. The history of the evangelical faith tradition is full of incredible strengths and celebrations... and many moments of which we must lament and repent. For a discussion on historic and current sins of the church, please see the recent book I co-authored called Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith.

For more information about evangelicals in America, see Jonathan Merritt's recent article from the Atlantic called "Defining 'Evangelical'" which details historic and contemporary definitions of the faith tradition.

Also see renowned historian Mark Noll's extensive works about American evangelicalism. His books are well worth the read.

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Recently, I was at a professional gathering of clergy and laity and the discussion turned to the doctrine of original sin. A person posed the following question:



If there is no great emphasis on original sin anymore, if we believe that people are basically good and that humanity can progress (Pelegias), then what do I do with Calvin? My church tells that I should believe in Calvin. What do I do with Calvin?

I really thought that this was an insightful perceptive question. Anthony Burguess, author of A Clockwork Orange, stated that history has been a conversation between Augustine, who developed the theory of original sin, and Pelegias, who basically observed that human nature was, in essence, good. How does Christian ministry respond to the needs of people and to the nature of humanity?

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The Reformed tradition emphasized that the Biblical Canon, in this case the Old Testament and New Testament, were the source of revelation regarding God to humankind, sola scriptura in the words of Martin Luther. According to John Calvin, the significance of Christ was expressed in a three-fold manifestation of prophet, priest, and king: Munus Triplex - The Triple Cure - Christ as Prophet, Priest.

So are people bad or good or somewhere in between? I have been wondering about this again regarding the events that surround a particular church. There is a large church that has recently decided to withdraw its membership in its member denomination. The reason presented for this action was the congregation's disapproval regarding the denomination's position on same-sex marriage, GLBTQ clergy, etc.

This particular church has a large physical plant which is located on prime real estate in a downtown location. There was a strong possibility that there would be a protracted legal fight regarding between this congregation and the denominational authorities regarding ownership and disposition of the property. Now, what has developed is that this congregation will pay 1.5 million dollars to the local denomination headquarters and they will be able to own the church free and clear. The additional caveat is that no other church in the area where this church is located will be able to use the name of this congregation (the name being First Presbyterian Church).

The lawyers representing this congregation obviously argued their case well. The saying goes, "history is always written by the victors. " My concern, however, is what happens to the people in this congregation. Yes, there will be many members who will wish to stay with this congregation as it affiliates with another denomination. However, there will be those people who will feel lost, the "diaspora" those who still identify with the old denomination, but now find themselves with having no spiritual home. Who will be concerned about the spiritual well-being of these people?

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How do we negotiate the "better angels of our nature" with our insatiable human desire to conquer and to maintain control? Are we more like Augustine or like Pelegias?

What would Calvin do?

I hope the answer would be that there would be love and charity, mercy and justice in unity for all in Christ's name.
During my time in Cuba, I encountered no animosity toward Americans. There are plenty of pro-Revolution billboards, but no anti-USA or anti-Imperialism messages. A few posters were anti-US embargo, and one person said, after learning that I was American, "Oh, you start the wars." But mostly I heard one predictable refrain: We Cubans love the American people. (Another added, "And if we don't get our American movie at the theater each week, we complain loudly.")

Bureaucracy in Cuba is maddening -- especially without computers. It takes half an hour (with fancy papers to fill out in duplicate and passports to photocopy) to buy a simple SIM card for your phone. At the bank, a policeman lets people in a few at a time as customers leave. Then, at the counter, the teller holds each $20 bill up to the window to check for tears and watermarks.

A tenet of the Revolution has always been that everyone should own their own home. But to protect workers from tycoons who might amass lots of real estate, there has been no sale of property. The notion of real estate sales is just starting, and mortgages remain a foreign concept. As getting wealthy is discouraged, if you have lots of money, you're wise to stow it safely at home rather than in the bank.

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Regular Cubans shop at street markets, at carts in the street, and at places where food rations are distributed. Grocery stores are for those with more money -- as the prices here are not that much different from in the USA. Still, a stroll through a grocery store gives a fascinating insight into a society without a free market, where advertising is discouraged, and where supply and demand are often ignored.

The store reminded me of similar stores in the USSR 30 years ago: almost no variety...just long rows of very basic products with labels seemingly produced by some tasteless government bureaucrat. Milk was milk -- there wasn't a hint of any varieties of milk.

The meat section consisted of long, empty shelves, with just a few baloney sausages at the end.

The cereal lane had four different brands, each more sugary than Lucky Charms.
Last September, a Christian Science Monitor article suggested that "if the 2008 election was about hope, the 2016 race is about anger." The angry electorate has been a common narrative throughout this election cycle. Support for Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, and Bernie Sanders is thought to be due in large part to frustration with the current political system. Fed up with business as usual, many voters are opting for anybody but Washington candidates.

To hear the candidates, the End is near. Speaking about the Iran nuclear deal, Ted Cruz declared that "people will die...Americans will die. Israelis will die. Europeans will die." He went on to link the deal with Osama Bin Laden, suggesting it would provide far more capital to those who would do America harm--noting that with rudimentary tools, Al Qaeda was able to kill over 3,000 Americans on 9/11.

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Donald Trump has said that "America is a hellhole and we are going down fast." In his speeches, Trump has zeroed in on the fears of many Americans.



"When did we beat China in trade? When did we beat Japan in trade? When do we beat ISIS? Do you ever hear a good story? We don't win. We don't win ever. When was the last time we had a victory? We don't have victories anymore. We lose on trade, we lose on health care--Obamacare is a disaster--we lose on every single aspect of our life with these politicians."

It would appear that America has fallen as the City Upon the Hill. Trump has staked his campaign on making American great again--implying that we are no longer great. In his victory speech after the Iowa caucuses, Marco Rubio noted that "everything that makes this nation great now hangs in the balance." Likewise, Bernie Sanders has put banks, the health care industry, and corporations on notice that if he becomes President, he will be looking to change business as usual.

The narrative of anger and pessimism pervading the 2016 election is rampant, and for good reason. Fifty-seven percent of Americans say things are going badly in the country. Sixty-four percent of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track. Nearly 8 out of 10 Americans feel they are poorly represented in Washington.

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The actions of the candidates over the past few months have fueled a great deal of frustration over politics. In 2008 and 2012, Republicans frequently invoked Ronald Reagan in the debates. Ignoring Reagan's "11th Commandment" that Republicans should not level personal attacks against fellow Republicans, the Republican debates in 2016 have been downright ugly. They have attacked one another with the same fervor with which they attack Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. While much of the nastiness has been attributed to Trump, plenty of mud was slung among one another in Des Moines, Iowa when Trump was not even on the debate stage.

The lack of comity in the campaign has made for a particularly jaundiced election cycle. Yet, in spite of all of this rancor another reality exists. It is a reality that receives little media coverage. In this reality, a vast majority of citizens are not particularly angry, nor are they any angrier than they have been in the past. A recent poll finds that only 24 percent of Americans consider themselves to be angry about the way the federal government works. The number of angry Americans was actually much higher two years ago in the midst of the last government shutdown (35 percent). One poll finds that 62 percent of Americans think all or most of their fellow Americans are angry at Washington. So while most people are not angry, we think most people are. This disconnect can be explained not only by candidates appealing to voter frustrations, but a media that is happy to run with the angry narrative--because it sells.

Similarly, while most Americans are not optimistic about the country's economic outlook, the majority of Americans actually feel good about their individual economic outlook. In fact, 63 percent report being "confident and optimistic" about their own financial situation when looking forward to the next year. This is the highest level of individual economic optimism in 6 years. Once again, this is far less likely to be the subject of media reportage.

President Obama gave a decidedly optimistic state of the union address last month. He argued that we are living in a time of extraordinary change and rather than fear it, we should embrace it. The President claimed that we have made change work for us in the past "and because we did, because we saw opportunity where others saw only peril, we emerged stronger and better than before." He added that

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"our optimism and our work ethic, our spirit of discovery, our diversity, our commitment to the rule of law. . . give us everything we need to ensure prosperity and security for generations to come."

It was a speech that was well-received in Democratic circles, showing signs of the 2008 Obama. It served as an answer to the dominant rhetoric of the 2016 campaign. At the same time, the President lamented that his biggest regret has been the increasingly bitter tone in Washington.
Chennai, India. December 1st, 2015.

Today it rains further incredible torrents after several weeks of the worst monsoon in 100 years.

Electricity has been out for days for large swaths of the city. The airport is closed with water over the tires of airplanes, roads are rivers. Homes have been lost, hundreds of people have died.

The army has been called in to deliver food packets (stamped with the face of the state's movie-actress chief minister) and Prime Minister Modi is on the scene donating billions of rupees (which friends here say will mostly disappear before reaching those in need).

I'm fortunate to be staying at a place not so severely impacted by the floods. I'm staying at Vasanta Vihar, which was the home of J. Krishnamurti, and is now a Krishnamurti retreat and study center.

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My yoga teacher in Chennai told me on a previous visit that this place is paradise. It's true. It's not just the natural beauty of Vasanta Vihar -- the green abundant trees, the birds of all kinds, the little frogs and the insects, the surprising flowers, even the giant bats that cross the sky at dusk -- but it's the spirit here that feels like home again and again.

Have you ever read or listened to J. Krishnamurti? He was a philosopher and spiritual teacher that lived 1895-1986. He came out of the Theosophical Society and was heralded as the World Teacher, the incarnation of the Buddha and Jesus, the Maitreya.

What is extraordinary is that he gave up the organization around this image of him in 1929, saying "truth is a pathless land," and "there is no spiritual authority." He gave up land, wealth, position and followers. Why? Because he said had found something deeper and richer that he would spend the rest of his life sharing with the world.

His great discovery is that it is thought that creates our center, the sense of me. Krishnamurti saw the self as a bundle of memory, thoughts, that move from the past to the future. Thought creating our sense of time, thought creating fixed images, including the self-image of a "me" moving through time, through knowing and becoming. Like the Buddha, Krishnamurti saw the self as an illusion. Something rarely questioned in daily life.

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Krishnamurti suggests that the answer to problems always lies in the problem itself, not away from it. He would begin his talks with looking at the crisis in the world and then go on to say we cannot solve world problems by social projects or political reform. This is a radical idea considering we spend so much energy focusing on what politicians are doing or not doing, or on outward fixes.

K, as he also sometime referred to himself, pointed out that problems are rooted in the minds of individuals, so no outer reform can solve human problems fundamentally. As long as there is greed in the hearts of men there will be problems on a global scale.

And this is the other story behind the Chennai floods: While I was here, news broke that this was not entirely a natural disaster, but might reflect the greed behind the lack of urban planning in an area known for monsoons. Were the floods waters the waters of our own self-centered actions? Was the outer chaos, as Krishnamurti suggests, a reflection of the inner confusion?

From a diary entry written while in Chennai: "There is so much suffering in the world, and being here in India during this flood is a devastating reminder of that. There is so much sorrow, so much craziness. Back in Southern California, there's been another mass shooting. And we are on a seeming super-highway to self-destruction considering our relationship with the environment reflected in climate change. It seems that many people, in spite of outward success or possessions, might be deeply unhappy. But are we even aware of our inner state or are we concerned with our own little problems, with getting better, getting more, being successful, personally evolving?"

If you explore Krishnamurti's teachings further, you find that he is also pointing out that you can not change greed into non-greed by actions of will, or the desire for self-improvement. A new kind of learning about ourselves is required; one that will, without effort or desire for a particular result, end up transforming the world. A quality of this learning is that it sees the inner and outer as a single movement.

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Asked with a genuine sense of learning, this becomes the most radical spiritual question:

Who am I?

The invitation in his teachings is to make a quantum leap out of the field of the known, and into the unknown. He asks us to discover for ourselves:

About who we truly are, beyond identification, beyond internal or external authority, beyond thought.

That this inquiry is the movement of meditation.

That with meditation one opens the door to love.

And perhaps it is only love that is the answer to all our problems, not romanticized love, but love as a fierce human potential.

We need that kind of flood now.
I'm being attacked by women who feel like their support for Hillary Clinton is a feminist act. I've never been attacked by another feminist like this before, partly because we usually agree. This morning I woke up to Gloria Steinem's ugly pronouncement about young women are supporting Bernie Sanders in order to please their boyfriends and decided that I should defend my 21-one-year-old daughter and myself. To quote Bernie: Enough is Enough.

Gloria Steinem is out of touch. There is a divide in the Democratic Party that will hurt Hillary Clinton between older white women and the rest of us. The party needs all her women, young, old and in between. The DNC should make sure it doesn't let Hillary take us all down with her.

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After reading about Steinem this morning, I thought to myself, gee, I'm glad my mom, who passed away in April, isn't here because she was a big Hillary fan. During the last election, when she was sure that America would never elect a black president and she was disappointed that Hillary didn't win the nomination. You see, my mom comes from a time and place where making it to the top of the ladder was impossible for a woman unless she was the bosses sister or wife or was somehow connected to a powerful man. My mom herself kept her married name and put it to good use when my dad was a senator up until it was no longer useful in post-revolutionary Iran.

Mom loved strong women who could stand up to men. But I never saw her stand up to my father or her boss, not once. Perhaps that is why she loved those who did. She lived a life where she felt she was underpaid and under appreciated. She often lamented that she was never even thanked for her numerous volunteer contributions during the Pahlavi era.

She loved Margaret Thatcher and saw nothing schizophrenic in also giving me advice like, "start cleaning the house when you know your husband is about to walk through the door." I am more understanding of this attitude, now, as some bipolar vestige of early feminism.

My mom and I may not have agreed on what constitutes a feminist or a strong woman, we had differences in our political leanings and tastes. But we shared one thing that sealed our relationship: our mutual love for my children.

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The one thing my mother was worried about, besides my weight, when she passed away, was her grandchildren's huge college debts. She thought it so unfair that hard working smart kids have to be burdened in such a way. Back in ancient regime Iran there were many inequalities but good students found government funding easily. Even the Shah's dictatorial regime was more pro-student than the American government is today.

When they lived in exile as refugees in France, my father joked that he never thought that he would become a fan of the socialist Francios Mitterand because he helped regularize their status and changed laws to benefit minorities and immigrants. My dad used to say, "if before the revolution we were part of a minority now we are part of a majority." My parents, both on the right, originally, prayed for socialists to win elections here once they became refugees. Without French socialized medicine, they wouldn't have been able to leave me this roof I'm sitting under.

So, I know that my mom would Feel the Bern if for no other reason than for her American grandkids' future. I wish she was here because we also shared a love of politics and it would have been fun to convert her. She came to love and admire Obama and was in shock till the day she died that he could have gotten elected.

Let me tell you a secret, I'm in this partly because my kid made me reread Chomsky after 30 years. The fours years my son was in college I slowly moved back to the left mostly because of conversations with him. If you think, that a boyfriend can influence you, wait till you have sons and daughters.
The 2011 Injustice at Every Turn: A Look at Black Respondents in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey exposed the high levels of discrimination Black transgender people face everywhere from education or to the workforce. When it came to healthcare, reported experiences were equally dismal. While 21% of Black transgender people reported being refused medical care due to bias, 34% reported postponing care due to fear of discrimination. It is no wonder why Black transgender people are affected by HIV in devastating numbers.

Healer, orator, and founder of the Trans Women of Color Collective Lourdes Ashley Hunter once said:

"Solidarity with the trans community is not a retweet, 'like,' or Facebook share. Solidarity is informed, intentional, reoccurring, sustainable acts of service."

This call for accountability among trans allies could not be more clear. This National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we must ask ourselves: what does a shift in accountability in social justice movements and public health spaces look like?

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Be Informed

Good, accurate information is a basic requirement in high-quality decision-making processes. As informants of health care systems, public health professionals have the power to set the stage for improved transgender care. Elitism in the healthcare industry must be eliminated: the Black transgender community must be able to set their own priorities and be supported by those of us in positions of influence and power. Our privilege as healthcare specialists with a mission to end the HIV epidemic demands we make decisions based upon a clear appreciation and understanding of the facts, implications, and future consequences of an action. Spaces such as the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference and Center of Excellence for Transgender Health provide direct access to countless transgender activists and wealth of knowledge about the transgender community. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health is a leading international association devoted to the understanding and treatment of individuals with gender identity disorders. It is our task as workers within healthcare systems to utilize the resources available to educate ourselves about the needs of Black transgender people.

Be Intentional

Being informed demands intentionality: defining the values and making choices that reflect those values. Our attitudes, feelings, thoughts, and actions as key decision-makers impact everyone. With every choice made to not consider or include Black transgender lives in our work, we leave the Black transgender community vulnerable as we commit acts of violence that are diametrically opposed to our mission to end the HIV epidemic. Below are four ways public health professionals can be intentional about addressing the needs of the Black transgender community:

Move from diversity to inclusion. Whereas "diversity" describes the extent to which a space has people from differing backgrounds and communities, "inclusivity" involves creating an atmosphere in which all people feel valued, respected, and safe. Moving from diversity to inclusion is key in the survival of Black transgender people. It is not enough to simply have Black transgender people present in clinics or offices. These spaces must be made safe and competent in order to ensure adequate care and protection. Identify potential barriers to inclusivity for Black transgender people--such as trans-exclusive health insurance or a lack of Black transgender people in positions of leadership--and begin tearing those walls down. Develop trans-specific portfolios of work or incorporate Black transgender people into already-existing programs. Integration is key as we work to end the HIV epidemic, which disproportionately impacts marginalized communities. Include transgender women in projects and initiatives geared toward women, and transgender men in ones targeted at men, all while remaining aware of and addressing the unique challenges Black trans people face. Ensure an equal distribution of funding, research, and general information gathering efforts. Research related to HIV among transgender people has almost exclusively focused on male-to-female transgender people. This research has produced data demonstrating the disproportionate impact of HIV on Black transgender women. It has not, however, accounted for the also-vulnerable Black female-to-male transgender community, despite preliminary evidence that some trans men are at high risk for infection (particularly those who have sex with transgender women and non-trans men). Support transgender people's efforts to develop their own solutions and strategies. As public health professionals it is our role to follow the leadership of the transgender community and offer a helping hand. Organizations such as Casa Ruby, resources such as RAD Remedy, and studies such as Positively Trans need funding in order to continue being successful. Partnering with national organizations as such as the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, National Center for Transgender Equality, and the Trans Women of Color Collective also helps ensure that people and spaces already serving the Black transgender community can continue to thrive.

Be Reoccurring

Deliberate efforts to aid the Black transgender community must last beyond the initial honeymoon phase. Informed decision-making processes require an ongoing dialogue between public health professionals and the Black transgender community. Intentionality requires a conscious decision-making cycle, a willingness to regularly evaluate those decisions as time progresses, and an ability to receive and process criticism. Solidarity with the Black transgender community cannot be a one-time fleeting thought or temporary outrage.

Accountability is key in public health spaces. Many of the tools and resources necessary to integrate the Black transgender community into our programs in a conscious, meaningful way already exist. It is up to us as leaders in the healthcare industry to take advantage of them and do the right thing, not the easy or safe thing. Resources may be limited, but no part of the Black community can afford to continue being decimated by HIV. We must find ways to work together and include all members of the community in our prevention and care methods.
In June 2014, three Israeli teenagers were abducted by Palestinian terrorists, who picked them up at a bus-stop and shot them dead almost instantly. An improvised synagogue, a tent really, was erected near the location where their bodies were found. A few days ago, that synagogue was defaced and its prayer books were piled and torched, burnt to ashes. Nineteenth-century German Jewish poet Heinrich Heine, famously wrote once: "Where they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people.". It all starts with the books.

I recently enjoyed the warm southern hospitality of Charleston SC, after being invited to speak at the Addlestone Hebrew Academy on the topic of Israel, an event put together by local Jewish Congregation Dor Tikvah and the Ida Fisher Memorial Fund for Israel Education and Action. Israel is a hot topic issue year-round, but it seems to be even more so these days, as the Middle East is changing dramatically and is a source of much concern and frustration around the world. At StandWithUs we believe education and dialogue are the only path for peace. Hence, I found it befitting that my talk took place at a school. Education is key to enrich public discourse on the issues at hand, whether it is an internal issue of a local nature or a matter of great international delicacy and complexity such as the Middle East and Israel. Knowledge empowers us to make wiser decisions and makes it easier to engage with one another in a constructive manner, as we realize that life is not about black or white, but rather so many shades of gray. Education makes us better people and better citizens. The vitality of this principle could never be more evident today. On the morning after our event, three young Palestinians chose the path of terror, killing a young Israeli policewoman in Jerusalem. The following day, two 13-year old girls (!) on their way back from school attacked a security guard at a shopping mall with knives, luckily only injuring him this time. Hamas, the terrorist organization ruling Gaza, announced a "graduation ceremony" of yet another "Children Terror Camp", ready to shoot and kill. These are but small examples of a recent sad list of violence and its breeding, which in the last 4 months alone claimed the lives of over 30 innocent Israelis, many a time by Palestinian minors. What went wrong, we must ask ourselves. Israel is not perfect. No country is. But in addition to the "usual" issues societies deal with, Israel is faced with an almost impossible reality: a state and people whose enemies not only work tirelessly to terrorize, kill and maim within the geographical boundaries of Israel, but the only one whose basic legitimacy is challenged internationally, as a matter for public debate. It is a bastion of freedom, spearheading western values in the face of those who abhor them and will do all that they can to bring about their destruction. A lonely democracy in a sea of hostilities, where generations upon generations of children grow up to hate Israel, not seeking a better life for themselves, but rather for various ways to die.

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The Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians were auspiciously signed in 1993, over 20 years ago, without prior international pressure and at the initiative of both parties. The dream was to bring about a utopic peace, almost biblical in its proportions, or so it was seen by so many of us. Many important issues were - and still are - on the table: final borders, Jerusalem, water, regional cooperation, security etc. The same issues come up today, whether in diplomatic circles, the UN or the general media, all of whom choose to focus on the same list, and especially on the issue of "settlements" (whatever that term means), as if it is the only or main obstacle to peace. However, like the elephant in the room whose existence is continuously ignored, the one topic we rarely hear about is education: education for peace and tolerance, education for love of the other, education for cooperation, education for life. Indeed it is the settlement of peace in people's hearts which should be the issue and the focus of all, from governments to NGOs to international media. So far, we have lost more than 20 years of such education, one which might have been able to avert the recent attacks and many more. These Palestinian minors, many of whom born after the signing of the Oslo Accords, could have been - and should have been - offered a better future. A different future. Education takes time. A change will not happen in one politician's term, maybe not even in two, and that coveted Nobel Peace Prize will simply have to wait. I realize that in our fast paced age of the here and now, it is difficult for us to accept it. However, for the sake of our children - or maybe even grand grandchildren - we must humbly embrace our humanity and its limitations and get to work on what really matters. Like Moses who redeemed the People of Israel, and never entered the Promised Land, so should we realize our mission, knowing we might never see the fruits of our labor in our lifetime. It is already too late. This is the only way to guarantee that our children might have a better future, surely better than our present, and that is worth everything.
THE VIEW - Michael Moore visits 'THE VIEW,' 1/26/16 (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, ET) airing on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images)MICHAEL MOORE

Filmmaker Michael Moore never shies from taking on tough issues and challenging the status quo. His latest film "Where to Invade Next" is a clever spoof of U.S. foreign policy that encourages our military leaders to "invade" other countries and import their policies that can improve our quality of life.

Moore visits blissed out Italians who enjoy enviable state-sanctioned vacation time and even an extra month of salary at the end of the year to enjoy it. And Moore makes our mouths water over the healthy and thoughtfully prepared school lunches that kids get in French public schools. He shows us how Finland's schools became the best in the world by, among other things, eliminating homework (something that I am sure would interest every child in America). But particularly noteworthy from a drug policy perspective, Moore highlights Portugal's policy of all-drug decriminalization and also features Norway's humane and effective rehabilitative-focused prisons.

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Many Americans may not be aware of Portugal and its foray into becoming a global leader in drug policy innovation. Nearly fifteen years ago, in response to a growing opiate misuse public health crisis, the government of Portugal shifted their entire approach to drug use away from arrest and punishment and towards public health.

No one in Portugal gets arrested for simple drug use or low level possession for personal use anymore, even if they relapse or show no interest in treatment. The resources to handle these cases have all been diverted from the criminal justice system, in favor of the department of health, and everyone is encouraged and supported to be as healthy as they can be, even if they are not "drug-free."

Sale and manufacturing of certain drugs still remains illegal and the police are in charge of enforcing those laws. When it comes to drug use, on the other hand, it's doctors, social workers and public health officials who lead the policies and practices. Portuguese police are encouraged to treat drug users as human beings. In Moore's film, he interviews three Portuguese cops who talk about how concern for "human dignity" is the most important part of their training, which for Americans is a remarkable thing to hear from law enforcement.

Moore also interviews Nuno Capaz, who serves on the health commission in Portugal and is responsible for helping to administer the decriminalization policy. I met with Nuno and others who work with providing services to drug users when I visited Portugal last summer. What's perhaps most remarkable about listening to Nuno detail how the system works is how much it sounds not so much political as it is a simple practice based on common sense.

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Coupled with increased harm reduction services, like clean needles, overdose prevention and access to treatment on demand, decriminalizing drug use and removing the fear of punishment has meant fewer barriers to accessing vital health interventions, and a general reduction and stabilization of rates of death, disease and addiction. People stop living in fear of law enforcement and low and behold they become more open to the services that can help them and the rest of the community to be healthier and less at risk.

It all seems overwhelmingly effective and no-brainer. This is perhaps why Nuno's shrugging response to any suggestion of controversy or moral dilemma that Michael Moore offers about Portugal's drug policies comes across as fairly comical in the film. I got a similar reaction when I peppered Nuno with questions searching for the point in the process where the drug user ends up getting arrested. "What about after relapse? The second relapse? The hundredth relapse?" The answer was always "no." Barring any harm to others, a person suffering from a chronic and recurring health concern around drug use gets treatment for their health instead of punishment.

Watching Moore's film may be the first time many Americans get a bird's eye view of Portugal's groundbreaking approach to drug policy. It may also be the first time many of them see the prisons in Norway, where inmates are taught how to reintegrate into society by allowing them to live as much like normal people and as little like prisoners as possible.

Kudos to Michael Moore for showing what's possible when we shift the focus from punishing people to finding ways to helping them become the best people they can be. Hopefully, people will notice and help soften the ground for similar policies in the U.S., where political will and vision are needed more than ever to combat our dual national crises of mass incarceration and opiate dependency. The Portuguese and Norwegians seemed more than willing to let us "invade" their borders to steal a few smart ideas to take back home.



Sharda Sekaran is the Managing Director of Communications for the Drug Policy Alliance.



This piece first appeared on the Drug Policy Alliance Blog.
KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL, INDIA - 2016/08/02: Members of Kolkata's Chinese community celebrates New Year in Chinatown. The festivities includes drumming performances, lion dancers, dragon dancers and firecrackers. (Photo by Tanmoy Bhaduri/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Places to Celebrate Chinese New Year

in New York City

2016 is the Year of the Monkey in the

and celebrations begin on February 8. Don't be concerned if you can't travel over for the festivities in Beijing or Shanghai which carry on throughout China for around 15 days. From culture to cuisine, there are plenty of options for commemorating the holiday stateside in New York City.



Chocolate Monkey



ENCLAVES

An arched neon sign marks the entrance to Chinatown in lower Manhattan. In the outer boroughs, Flushing, Queens, and Brooklyn's Sunset Park also have high concentrations of people of Chinese heritage. Storefronts in those neighborhoods stock Peking duck, dragon fruit, ginseng. At this time of year they're selling holiday goods -- candy monkeys, gold wrapped chocolate coins, and colorful red envelopes used to give children gifts of money to help ward off evil.



Chinatown storefronts



Chinatown Vendors

MUSEUMS

The legacy of Chinese immigrants is celebrated in exhibits at the Museum of Chinese in America which is holding a multi-event lunar new year family festival with zodiac themed arts and crafts, music and dance performances, artist demonstrations and storytelling.

"Monkey Business: Celebrating the Year of the Monkey, an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art runs through July with related lectures, activities and events. At the China Institute the exhibit "Art in a Time of Chaos: Masterworks from Six Dynasties" illustrates the evolution of Chinese art from the past into today.



Museum of Chinese in America

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Exhibit at Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA)



DINING

In Chinese families, New Year's Eve dinneris an important meal, a time of reunion, and customarily eaten at home. But many restaurants offer special holiday menus and it's a good time to dine out with excellent choices all over town. Favorites in Chinatown include the XO Kitchen, a no fills "diner" with a wide choice of selections from dim sum, noodles, congees, snacks, and family-style entrees, and the Golden Unicorn where families wait in line for tables to be rewarded with dim sum served from steaming carts. Mr. Chow and the cross town branches of Shun Lee are popular classics.

Convenient in midtown, Philippe is noted for Philippe Chow's exquisite Beijing-style cuisine served family style. Sophisticated "white table" ambience welcomes a chic Upper East Side crowd and celebrities generating magazine "mentions." In the back room, perched on comfortable leather banquettes under a spacious skylight, guests sip Lychee Martinis and dine on Salt & Pepper Lobster, Chicken Satay, and Beijing Duck carved tableside and dubbed "the best in NYC."



Philippe Dining Room Interior



Philippe Peking Duck



Philippe Fresh Maine Lobster

A few blocks away, the Wu family's China Fun is a convivial storefront with sturdy marble columns and a lively atmosphere, a popular neighborhood eatery that draws New Yorkers for fresh and innovative dishes prepared by executive chef Wing Fong Chen. Dishes on the menu concocted especially for the New Year's holiday start with bunny shaped Lucky Dumplings, proceed to main course choices of Mango Steak, Kumquat Chicken, Braised Pork Belly, glistening Mixed Vegetables, Golden Jackpot shredded chicken showered with candied pine nuts, finishing off with Lotus Seed Buns for dessert.



China Fun Dining Room Interior



China Fun Dumplings



China Fun Mixed Vegetables



COCKTAILS

For the fun of it, pursue the "monkey" theme at the legendary Depression-era Monkey Bar. Featured in "Sex and the City," it's an enduring "place to go" where celebrities and notables sip cocktails in the ambience of monkey statues and wrap-around hand painted murals of cavorting primates.



Monkey Bar

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ZOO

And don't neglect paying a visit to this New Year's namesake creatures. Stop by to say hello to the "snow monkeys" (Japanese macaques) at the Central Park Zoo. Other species-- gelada and haadryas baboons, white-faced saki monkeys -- can be greeted at the city's other zoos in the Bronx, Queens, Prospect Park, and Staten Island.



Snow Monkeys



Whitefaced Saki Monkey



Hamadryas Baboons and Baby



Gelada Baboons
In this video, Sonia Jones, Sonima 's founder, sits down with David Germano, Ph.D., a professor of religious studies and the director of the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia, to discuss the school's newest online course on Buddhist meditation in the modern world. The six-week program -- led by Germano and fellow UVA professor Kurtis Schaeffer, Ph.D., author of nine books and co-editor of Sources of Tibetan Tradition, the largest anthology of Tibetan literature in English -- is open to all, not just UVA students, and will be completely free.

The course will focus on how Buddhist meditation is currently being studied in scientific circles and adapted in secular settings, such as law, businesses and the performance arts. Students will learn how to become more mindful of their internal life and cultivate their own feelings as well as pay closer attention to their empathy and compassion for others. All 12 units of the course will be available for your instant learning starting in June.
3d rendering, America - Usa. World network, internet..Photorealistic globe with lots of details.

Tuesday is the global day of celebration for all things Internet safety. From humble beginnings in Europe in 2004, Safer Internet Day now includes 100 countries on every continent in the world. ConnectSafely is hosting the US gathering at Universal Studios in Hollywood with a cast of hundreds of students, a WWE "Superstar" and a host of the leading companies and NGOs in the space. The live stream begins at 10am PT.

The theme this year is "Play your part for a better internet!" While slogans like this can be a little vacuous, I particularly like this year's tagline as it suggests the we must take responsibility - to play our part - in creating a better, richer, more civil online experience than the one we have today.

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We are particularly vociferous about our online rights, particularly of free expression, but we often fail to assume and exercise the responsibilities that go with those rights. The responsibility to stand up to bullies online. To expose trolls and counter their destructive behavior and speech. To think before we post. To report rather than pass on photos that would embarrass or compromise someone.

At the Family Online Safety Institute, we talk often about creating a Culture of Responsibility online, one where everyone - from government, law enforcement, industry, teachers, parents and the kids themselves - has different, but overlapping responsibilities for a safer Internet. We all need to acknowledge the risks and mitigate the harms, while seeking to reap the rewards of our and our kids' online lives.

Which brings me to the word "play". While taking responsibility for our actions, let's not forget to play and explore and enjoy the wonders of our digital world. We parents can sometimes get locked down in fear of the latest newspaper headline or evening news story. Yes, bad things happen online. Kids and teens do get lured by online predators. There are awful sites hosting violent porn to ISIS propaganda.

But with reasonable steps, and easily available and free parental controls, we can happily allow our kids to use their boundless imagination to discover the digital world and to create and to play with what they find. In our most recent research project, 64% of parents said that technology had a positive effect on their kids' creativity, which is surprising given the drumbeat of negative reports and scary stories in the news about kids and the web.

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So, let's do our part and encourage our kids to do the same. Of course it helps if we are good digital role models and put our phones down at dinnertime and look up from our laptops when our kids are around.
Doctor On Home Visit Discussing Health Of Senior Male Patient With Wife In Bedroom.

I probably lost many readers just by having hospice in the title; hospice may be the most misunderstood thing in American health care. The mere mention of hospice crosses a line--for many it's synonymous with death or giving up hope. And, while hospice isn't related to highly controversial concepts like euthanasia or assisted suicide, it's sometimes confused for these radically different things. Misunderstanding and mistrust of hospice is leading to unnecessary suffering, quicker and uglier medical deterioration, and missed opportunities for better and occasionally longer lives for people with serious illness.

What is hospice? Essentially, it's a group of services--it's useful stuff that is provided, brought, added (in a personalized way) to the care of a person with advanced stage illness. The extra stuff is delivered by teams of highly trained and caring visiting nurses, social workers, chaplains, personal care workers, physicians, pharmacists, volunteers, and more.

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These teams know a lot about serious medical conditions like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease, and they also have special knowledge in pain management, relieving anxiety, and helping stressed out families. They can address everything from difficulty breathing to constipation, from not being able to sleep to sleeping too much. Services are mostly provided in the home, while sometimes care occurs in hospitals and other facilities. Medications, medical equipment, oxygen, supplies and bandages are all provided. There is 24/7 availability of help on call.

Conversations about hospice often stop or get delayed because hospice requires you to have a life limiting medical diagnosis where survival is expected to be 6 months or less, and the stated goals of healthcare are more about comfort and quality of life than cure. These requirements are often conversation stoppers because they are misinterpreted by people who would have better and possibly longer lives with hospice. People erroneously see the decision as a black and white choice between fighting on and giving up.

There is no requirement that hospice recipients die in 6 months or less. In my decade plus working closely with hospice programs I have regularly seen that some people enrolled in hospice live longer than what is typically expected for people with their stage of disease--the longer than expected survival is not in small part because of all the extra help, added medical attention and tender loving care provided by hospices. And, though people turn to hospice because cures have been elusive, there's certainly no requirement to give up hope, and if a previously untried or new treatment unexpectedly becomes available or appropriate there's no prohibition on later deciding to dis-enroll in hospice.

I have never witnessed anything being done in hospice to purposely to hasten death or shorten life, the only technical exception being the shared decision to de-activate medical technologies such as ventilators and implanted cardiac devices in situations where the technology was considered futile, harmful, or contrary to the someone's stated wishes.

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Another barrier to getting people to choose hospice is how imperfect and unprepared we doctors and nurses are about talking to people about hospice. In the often hurried environments of health care and our mainly technical backgrounds, we sometimes struggle to say the right words, forget to skip the wrong words, fail to spend enough time and don't always convey the real nuances and individualization that is possible in hospice care. I'm optimistic efforts, like Dr. Atul Gawande's "5 Questions," will help us get better in the future.

If you or anyone you know has advanced illness that isn't meaningfully getting better (or keeps getting worse) in spite of many treatments and hospital stays and doctors' visits then you owe it to yourself to learn more about hospice sooner rather than later. This is especially true for more frail elders with serious illness because the hazards of additional hospitalizations and certain treatment side effects are more serious and more common. Ideally, hospice care is set up on a better day, in advance of a true crisis so that the hospice team and person receiving services can get to know one another and set up truly personalized care. Too many people elect hospice so late in their course of illness that they miss out on many of the benefits.
A recent New York Times op-ed titled, "The Sheltering Campus: Why College Is Not Home", was yet another salvo in the pushback against "political correctness." The authors were not Trump acolytes, but a physics professor and retired psychiatrist from Yale University.

The op-ed was essentially a Valentine to Erika Christakis, the former Yale adjunct who dared criticize the University when it implored students to avoid offensive Halloween costumes. Christakis was, in the authors' opinion, unfairly vilified by a culture of political correctness run amok. I suppose I can muster some sympathy for Christakis too. She appears to be a reasonable woman and the reaction to her email message was needlessly vicious. Unfortunately, the disproportionate attention to her message and the reaction it drew further obscured the central point.

In measured tones, the authors criticized Yale and, by implication, higher education in general, of coddling a generation of college students who should be toughened up a bit.

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Instead of promoting the idea of college as a transition from the shelter of the family to adult autonomy and responsibility, universities like Yale have given in to the implicit notion that they should provide the equivalent of the home environment.

There are real safety issues for college students, such as sexual assault and substance abuse, which require in loco parentis supervision. But social norms are increasingly being set by college authorities, not students. As Erika Christakis wrote in her email: "Are we all O.K. with this transfer of power?"

I find it curious that Christakis and the authors see this as a transfer of power, if there is a "this" there at all. When I attended college, a man needed explicit permission to enter a girls' dormitory. (I use "man" and "girls" intentionally to capture the sexist vibe of the time.) There were strict curfews and other social norms set by the college, apparently established as a means of letting us know what to break. Then, as now, learning how to work around the rules is a rite of passage. It is the delicate dance of maturity. In many ways, in the years since, colleges abdicated in loco parentis responsibilities and are now grappling with the consequences, particularly in terms of binge drinking and sexual violence. All over America, colleges and universities are trying to recapture the moral authority to set some social norms.

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I find it odd, and somewhat contradictory, that the authors, and perhaps Christakis, are supportive of keeping students from harming themselves or others by excessive drinking or drug use. And I infer that they support comprehensive programs to prevent unwanted sexual advances. But when it comes to protecting students from the emotional pain of racism, homophobia and other explicit and implicit biases, no thanks. That's babying them!

Instead of promoting the idea of college as a transition from the shelter of the family to adult autonomy and responsibility, universities like Yale have given in to the implicit notion that they should provide the equivalent of the home environment.

I repeat the authors' accusation to make another crucial point. The students who ask for safe spaces or who seek refuge from the daily climate of micro (and macro)-aggression, are often students for whom the "shelter of the family" wasn't so very helpful. Institutionalized racism has decimated too many families of color, making homes and neighborhoods anything but the "safe haven" that the authors feel a university need not replicate. Gay and lesbian students have often been ostracized, marginalized and humiliated, not cossetted in a warm, supportive middle-class family.

I think the authors conflate two very different phenomena. The rise of so-called "political correctness" is not the infantilizing of students. It is the long overdue voice given to the real experiences of all students. For many, many decades, students of color, gay students, women students and others were marginalized and silenced, as the white male majority (of which I am a lifetime charter member) set the academic standards, controlled social norms, and dominated administrations and boards of trustees.

This flurry of backlash to "trigger warnings" and other culturally sensitive aspects of campus life is just the death rattle of the comfortable way things used to be.

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Are there occasional excesses on the part of students of color, LGBTQIA (Google it) students, and others who have only recently been liberated enough to speak openly? Yes, of course. But it is not primarily a problem of coddling young folks or being too sensitive.


JOHN AUSTIN DUPRE

(photo by Guido Castagnoli)

"And the concept of nature's pickiness will give people like George Henry Lewes, George Eliot and Herbert Spencer what they are aching for -- a secular creation myth. . . . A new secular alternative to religion." --Howard Bloom, The God Problem



Since the upcoming Royal Society meeting on evolution paradigm shift is a public one, one of its organizers -- British philosopher John Dupre -- recently agreed to answer some of my questions about the event. This in itself is progress in science, considering the silly secrecy that surrounded "the Altenberg 16" Extended Synthesis conference of 2008 that two years later would produce a book timidly announcing:

"The modification and additions to the Modern Synthesis presented in this volume are combined under the term Extended Synthesis, not because anyone calls for a radically new theory, but because the current scope and practice of evolutionary biology clearly extend beyond the boundaries of the classical framework."

However, that is not what is expected from the Royal Society gathering in November, since Denis Noble, the point man of the meeting, has already expressed that his interest is in replacing the Modern Synthesis, neo-Darwinism.

John Dupre is director of Egenis, Centre for the Study of Life Sciences at the University of Exeter as well as a professor of philosophy of science (biology). He has been affiliated with Exeter since the late 1990s and is credited with rebuilding its philosophy department, which had been "dormant" for some years.

His PhD is from Cambridge University and his BA and MA degrees are from Oxford -- all in philosophy. Dupre has been writing extensively on the subject of the philosophy of science for the last 35 years, and he has served as president of the British Society for the Philosophy of Science (2011-2012) and president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (History of Science Section), among other distinctions.

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Dupre has taught at the University of London, University of Bristol as well as at the University of Amsterdam. In the 1980s and 90s, he taught at Stanford University and is associated with the Stanford School of Philosophy of Science, as is Nancy Cartwright, Lady Hampshire -- another of the Royal Society meeting organizers. The Stanford School argues against the unity of science.

He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Member of the American Philosophical Association, and a Member of the Governing Board of the Philosophy of Science Association.

John Dupre's current research interest is the processes of life, which we discuss in the interview that follows.

Suzan Mazur: Are you in favor of an evolution paradigm shift?

John Dupre: We need major changes in how evolution is understood. There's still a great deal too much credence in the neo-Darwinian model, which has all kinds of problems.

Suzan Mazur: Peter Saunders in his interview comments to me said that neo-Darwinism is not a theory, it's a paradigm and the reason it's not a theory is that it's not falsifiable.

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John Dupre: I think the idea of theories as falsifiable is a very limited view. Philosophers of biology tend to be very suspicious of the whole idea of theories as being rather a physics-based conception of how science works and tend to think much more in terms of models than theories. Theories suggest something systematically formalized around universal generalization, whereas models are more like tools for solving specific kinds of problems.

Suzan Mazur: How do you define natural selection?

John Dupre: How do I define natural selection? I suppose differential survival and reproduction of different morphological forms.

Suzan Mazur: You don't agree with Richard Lewontin and Denis Noble that the term is metaphorical language? Lewontin has said the term was never meant to be taken literally by generations of scientists.

John Dupre: If selection is taken quite literally, I suppose it means something intentional. And, of course, there is a historical argument that begins in the relation of Darwin's thinking to divine intention. I'm not so bothered by that. Differential survival is an important process. But what I'm increasingly inclined to think is that we overestimate the abilities of natural selection to shape organisms in new ways. So whether the origin of a major novelty should be understood in terms of natural selection or certainly in terms of natural selection alone seems to be doubtful. And we have increasingly good alternative ways of seeing how that happens. . . .

Suzan Mazur: In my conversation with Denis Noble about natural selection, I asked him the following:



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"Is it the case that there are all sorts of mechanisms at play, some of which have now been identified, that have been previously considered part of natural selection? It seems natural selection is used as a catch-all for a failure to identify what the mechanisms are."

Denis Noble responded: "I think that's right." In fact, Noble characterized the whole modern synthesis as "beguiling." I've interviewed many scientists about the meaning of natural selection and they all have a different explanation for what natural selection is, which makes it look like a political term.

John Dupre: It's very vague and slippery. There was a time in the mid-20th century when it was relatively precise because it was cashed out in terms of formal models of population genetics. But these models only work, for reasons that are increasingly well understood, in very, very special circumstances.

Suzan Mazur: You're interested in processes of life. Is that right?

John Dupre: Yes.

Suzan Mazur: Would you explain that briefly?

John Dupre: The hypothesis that I'm finding increasingly productive is that a great deal of difficulty in thinking about life comes from the extent to which we're embedded in a metaphysics of substance -- a metaphysics of essentially fixed things. This is the philosophical background to reductionist and mechanistic understandings of life, in which the behavior of bigger things is explained in terms of the relations and interactions of fixed parts. This kind of mechanism, in particular, has been undergoing a philosophical revival.

The first step to a better view of life, and everything probably, is to realize that no living thing just sits there doing nothing, waiting to change. The default for living systems is not stasis but death. The central problems of biology are understanding how living things persist. What all the processes are that maintain the appearance of something relatively static. I suppose the biggest single consequence of the process perspective that interests me is moving from trying to understand change as always the problem to trying to understand persistence or stability as the problem. . . .

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Suzan Mazur: What is your perspective on genes as entities? Do you see the term gene as passe, gene as entity?

John Dupre: I would tend to start with the genome rather than gene because I think that's an easier thing to get one's mind around. There are many different ways of conceptually dividing the genome into genes.

Suzan Mazur: Are you more in agreement with the idea of circular causality within the cell?

John Dupre: Absolutely, yes. I certainly would endorse circular causality, or perhaps even better, following Lewontin and Levins, dialectical causality. For quite a long time philosophers have been thinking the word gene is hopelessly ambiguous. That there are too many ways it's been used. I don't have a particular problem with that as long as people don't propose universal theories where the word gene is supposed to refer to some universal homogenous ingredient. Actual scientific uses often make the intended reference clear enough.

The starting point is to see the genome not as a fixed thing that directs biological activity but as a highly dynamic thing in a reciprocal causal interaction with the cell, mutually affecting and stabilizing one another.

Suzan Mazur: I was told by the Royal Society science program office that there will be no formal presentations on viruses at your November conference. How can viruses be excluded from a meeting on paradigm shift when viruses are the biggest part of the biosphere and in light of the recent Ebola epidemic, and now Zika -- with growing evidence that the virus is linked to microcephaly and other neurological developmental problems -- which has scientists baffled?

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It's interesting that virologist Luis Villarreal - whose perspective is "virus-first" -- told me the following:

"If living systems work by these processes that are consortial and complex, then our very language and logic are a problem in terms of how we apply it to understand what's going on."



The way virologists see it, we are living within a virosphere. Shouldn't viruses and microbes be brought into the discussion on paradigm shift in a big way? It looks as if the zoologists are barring the virologists, in particular, from presenting at your meeting.

John Dupre: You might argue that the zoologists have not taken over, they've always owned the subject.

Suzan Mazur: But this ownership now seems unreal, considering all the evolutionary evidence related to viruses and microbes.

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John Dupre: Perhaps I am at fault for not having made the argument you're making to the group [Royal Society meeting organizers] more effectively. I have for the last decade or more been trying to interest my colleagues in philosophy of the importance of microbes and I've just finished being co-editor of an issue of a journal on viruses. So I'm very sympathetic to what you're saying.

Suzan Mazur: Viruses and microbes are undoubtedly going to be brought up by the audience at your meeting. Do you see viruses as organisms?

John Dupre: I do. This is still contentious. I don't see any convincing reason for saying they are not organisms. But on the more general question, it is fair to say that the discussions in evolution on microbiology have drifted further and further away from the mainstream that this conference is engaging.

I don't mean this as a criticism of microbiology at all. But in terms of a strategic question about how one tries to transform the way people think, that talking about microbes, where there aren't any species in the standard sense, there's arguably no tree of life, more of a network as, lateral transfer happens all the time, may not be the best place to start. Of course, one way that lateral transfer happens a lot of the time is through viruses, which to some extent brings the phenomenon to plants and animals.

So, that's a very powerful line of argument, which I'm extremely interested in, but I think there's a tendency for people to just kind of cut it off and say well let's not talk about that. Let's talk about the evolution of eukaryotes or multicellular organisms, that's what people really care about. There's a possible historical issue here that one of the dominant figures in this recent history, Ernst Mayr, had a rather contemptuous attitude to microbes.

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Suzan Mazur: But with spiraling numbers of microcephaly cases increasingly linked to Zika -- baffling scientists -- and Villarreal's point that viruses operate in a consortial way. . .

John Dupre: The other side of my interest in life as process is precisely cooperation, and ultimately symbiosis, which is almost universal. The central argument that brought me to a process ontology was realizing that the boundaries between organisms are extremely fluid and permeable and the way we divide the world into discrete organisms is not something that is just given to us by nature. This is something that is easy to understand in the context of process, very difficult to understand in the context of discrete things. So I'm very sympathetic to what you're saying.

But there are two kinds of questions. One is what's interesting and important and true, and the other is how one can change people's beliefs to recognize what's interesting, important and true. And there's a reasonable fear that if you approach evolution from the point of the absolutely extraordinary things that people have discovered about the microbial world in the last 20 or 30 years, you'll begin to jeopardize communication. There's a lot to say about even the evolution of large charismatic animals that can lead people to, and certainly shouldn't exclude, talking about microbes. Large charismatic animals are symbiotic systems very substantially composed of microbes.

Suzan Mazur: And viruses - 10% of the human genome is virus. In terms of development, Villarreal also thinks the reverse of the Zika microcephaly phenomenon could have happened in history because viruses have the capacity to control developmental programs. Here's Villarreal's recent note to me regarding Zika and microcephaly:

"These are not errors or point changes. . . . Given that the converse event happened in recent human evolution: two-fold increase in brain size in human ancestors, which is very difficult to explain via traditional Darwinian thinking -- a virus role in our big social brain seems certain to me."

I think your conference could fall flat if you're leaving out the biggest part of the biosphere -- viruses and microbes.

John Dupre: I certainly hope they're not going to be left out of the discussion.

Suzan Mazur: But you won't have the virus experts presenting.

John Dupre: I totally agree with you about the importance of these issues. The only point where I'm slightly cautious is in terms of how broadly it's ideal to go, in terms of starting to accelerate a shift in people's understanding.

I do talk to virologists and I'm an admirer of Villarreal's work. But as I'm sure you know, the virologists are a fairly contentious bunch among themselves. We've got virologists arguing with one another about whether viruses are alive, which they, of course, are entitled to do. I'm not sure this would be the most productive way of getting people to better see the profound problems in our current understanding of evolution.

Suzan Mazur: I think that argument has already been won over here in the United States. Viruses are seen as organisms and active agents.

John Dupre: It's not been won amongst virologists.

Suzan Mazur: Because of media exposure, the social momentum is now to consider viruses as organisms.

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John Dupre: What's clear to me is that we do not have a good understanding of evolutionary novelty and evolutionary change. There are many things that we know have the potential to provide sources for evolutionary change. To me one of the most exciting areas there is a better understanding of the role of microbes and viruses in providing novelty, but there are other interesting ideas on this topic, like developmental plasticity, and how flexible developmental outcomes could be integrated into lineages. The biggest point of this conference is to question the idea that natural selection and genetic mutation are all we need to understand evolution.

Suzan Mazur: That was the point of Altenberg eight years ago, questioning natural selection plus a discussion of plasticity, epigenetics, niche construction, etc. I think the discourse in the science community -- that would include the public -- has majorly moved on to include viruses and microbes. . . .

But regarding how this affects all -- Richard Lewontin once said to me,

"Well, we don't have to organize human society 'Nature red in tooth and claw.' No. We don't have to."

What are the implications for society if we do or do not recognize that a shift from neo-Darwinism, the selfish gene and survival of the fittest needs to happen?

John Dupre: To be honest, while I care a lot about trying to get things right as a project in its own right, I'm not sure how much this particular issue does matter to society at large. It's frustrating that a large proportion of the population still think we were created by a divine being 6,000 years ago, but I'm not sure how much harm it does.

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FILE - This undated file image posted on a militant website on Jan. 14, 2014, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows fighters from the al-Qaida linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) marching in Raqqa, Syria. slamic State militants are barricading down for a possible assault on their de facto capital Raqqa, hiding among civilian homes and preventing anyone from fleeing, as international airstrikes intensify on the Syrian city in the wake of the Paris attacks. For many, the threat of missiles and bombs from the enemies of Islamic State is more of an immediate threat than the vicious oppression of the jihadisa themselves. (AP Photo/Militant Website, File)

It may seem simplistic, but definitions are important in war. William C. Martel frequently stressed this. Goals and objectives, the enemy, and victory must all be defined in order to bring clarity of thought to operational planning and public messaging.

In an era when mass-casualty human conflict was primarily characterized by war between nation-states, this was relatively easy to do. Destroy the military, take the capital, or subdue the population, and victory came in a neat little package known as "surrender."

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But it has gotten more difficult as interaction capacity has increased across the globe due to modern cyberspace, open borders, and low trade barriers. Combined with the destructive capacity that can be wielded by small non-state groups because of the potency of a range of potential weapons, armed conflict is harder to label in distinct categories than it used to be. It has become more fluid and less constrained to specific spaces, although geography still matters a lot.

In the American public discourse about transnational terrorism, we are currently having difficulty defining the enemy, let alone what victory means. I do not know what victory looks like, but we should debate it as a society, with Congress taking the lead. In the meantime, we could stand to define the enemy better.

To call Daesh the "Islamic State," "ISIL," or "ISIS" are poor strategic choices. Those labels are part of Daesh's international psychological operations campaign to create the perception that Islam is a monolith and that they speak for it, which fits nicely with their political goal of building their own state and recruiting fighters to help them do so.

That they have been rejected as un-Islamic by countless Muslims, renowned Islamic scholars across a range of sects, and governments of Muslim-majority countries around the planet is old news for people paying attention. For a tiny minority of violent extremists to claim to speak for Islam as a whole is deeply offensive to the Muslims that are most-victimized by them, which is why so many of our friends and allies have referred to this particular group as Daesh since at least 2014.

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As explained by Lauren Markoe, "'Daesh' is simply the acronym for the name in Arabic. 'Daesh' has allowed Arabic speakers to play with the name in pejorative ways, because it sounds like or rhymes with many words that have negative connotations -- 'daes,' for example, which means someone who tramples something underfoot, or 'dahes,' the Arabic word for 'sower of discord.'"

Many books, news stories, and government documents have been written using "ISIS," "ISIL," or the "Islamic State." These have created certain path dependencies of behavior, both mental and bureaucratic. But it would be wiser to consistently call the group we are at war with Daesh in order to make common cause with our friends and allies in the Middle East that refer to them as such, as well as to blunt the psychological impact of the "Islamic State" terms. Secretary Kerry already does so and we should follow his lead. As Seth Jones notes, there are good reasons to call them Daesh. One is that "using Daesh does not give legitimacy -- even perceived legitimacy -- to the organization's claim that it is a veritable 'Islamic State.'" Moreover, it makes it harder to linguistically and conceptually conflate this specific group and its strategic objectives with Islam as a whole.

In short, why are we helping Daesh with its strategic communications campaign by using its intentionally chosen words? We do not owe any respect to a pseudo-guerrilla terrorist organization that burns people alive and sells young girls as sex slaves.

Apart from Daesh, it is also clear that violent extremists from various groups claiming the mantel of Islam seek to do us harm. For those specific groups that demonstrate a sufficient level of operational sophistication and intent, the line between armed conflict and law enforcement starts to blur depending on where those groups are located and whether they have actually attacked us or not.

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Offshoot organizations from core al Qaeda are still a threat to the United States, EU, Yemen, and elsewhere, but a group like Boko Haram currently appears to be primarily a threat to innocent civilians in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad, and Benin. The United States is providing support to our African friends in the joint campaign against Boko Haram, but it would be a stretch to say that we are at war with Boko Haram.

When it comes to the "war of words" about radical Islam, it is normal to get angry when there are people behaving as Daesh, al Qaeda, and Boko Haram do. I'm angry too. But it is wise to be cautious and cool-headed when speaking publicly (including campaign rallies and on "social" media).

Language is a primary factor in conditioning thought, and thought can lead to action, so when it comes to political-military groups that perpetrate unspeakable crimes against humanity and who claim to do so in the name of large and diverse religions, it is important not to accidentally treat hundreds of millions of people across five different continents as one and the same. That is part of Daesh's mind-game and we shouldn't play on their terms.

We are at war with Daesh, but defining our relationship to radical Islam writ large is harder. "Radical" as a word can mean "very different from the usual or traditional." Clearly we should not be worried about people who are merely different. It is those who preach hatred and violence that are the problem. Those who have committed acts of violence should be removed from society, through force if it is necessary and legally sanctioned.

Groups who have demonstrated the capability, intent, and operational sophistication to cause death and destruction on a large scale or in a sustained way should be the focus of our military and law-enforcement efforts, especially if specific groups have already successfully perpetrated attacks. But for non-violent people who have beliefs or use words that we consider threatening or disrespectful, perhaps all we need to do is publicly disagree with them and explain why their rhetoric is harmful to innocent people. It might be emotionally satisfying to claim that we are at war with a set of ideas, but it does not help us understand the actual threats, allocate resources, or devise a coherent strategy for countering violent extremism.

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Daesh will eventually be destroyed. I have overwhelming confidence in the ability of the U.S. military, law enforcement, and intelligence communities to systematically map, monitor, and dismantle that specific group and its organizational structure though watchful patience, robust international partnerships, and with lethal precision. I also have faith that when it comes to "winning the argument" -- as Wilson Center President Jane Harman so often puts it -- the American people will overcome the voices of fear and hatred, leading by example with the courage of our convictions, backed by the strength of our laws and institutions. In these tense times, the way we talk about our fellow citizens of the Islamic faith is more important than ever.

Demonstrating respect and reaffirming our commitment to equal treatment for all people will not only help many of our fellow citizens feel less afraid, it will hopefully reverse the disconcerting growth in attacks on innocent Americans who look different or pray differently from the mainstream, and it is fundamental to resisting the message of Daesh and like-minded sowers of discord. Muslims are an integral part of the rich tapestry of cultures and faiths that make America a great nation. They are our fellow inhabitants of this planet that we call home.

Though but one piece in the whole picture, strategic communications matter. Being precise, diplomatic, and intentional about the words we use while actively engaged in armed conflict is important to protect the innocent from the dangers of small-mindedness everywhere. It also helps bring clarity to our thinking and focuses attention on the actual enemy, not an imagined one. This is especially incumbent upon those with greatest influence in society, whether they are elected officials or campaigning politicians, corporate executives, media figures or celebrities, public intellectuals, or religious leaders.
For much of my life I thought being a "true" Christian meant denouncing religion.

Mentors would regularly and passionately remind me, "Faith is a RELATIONSHIP, not a RELIGION."

I came to believe being "religious" meant faking your faith. But having a relationship with God, one you could feel, meant your faith was real.

At charismatic summer camps I learned that genuine prayer had to be heartfelt, extemporaneous prayers. Things like written prayers and liturgy were hallow props for poor souls who probably didn't know Jesus. If they did, they would just "talk" to him. After all, prayer was just like having a conversation with your BFF.

As a teen, my faith cohort prayed earnestly. Not so much for the atheists (did they even exist?) but for our religious peers. They were spiritually deceived, reliant on empty rituals and dusty, outdated practices. They needed something REAL. Not all those premeditated prayers and weird smells and bells. They needed The Relationship.

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In college, I believed having a vibrant, authentic, genuine-real-deal faith, meant sustaining a spiritual and emotional intensity that linked me directly to the Source. In moments of doubt, I was told to feel my way back to God with prayers from the heart. No religious props or recited prayers allowed. That would be selling out.

But then something happened. Despite all my heartfelt prayers and personal devotions, I didn't feel close to God.

Sometimes, I didn't feel anything.

I considered hopping on the SBNR (Spiritual But Not Religious) bandwagon. But it felt too much like a more nebulous, half-baked version of the RNR (Relationship Not Religion) thing. I needed something more concrete. More hands on. More structured.

Then I met Religion. Real, Honest-to-God Religion.

In part, I met religion through religious people. They spoke a different language of faith. They used a vocabulary that sounded ancient, rooted, and to my surprise, very genuine.

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Although they didn't talk about "knowing the Lord" they seemed to have a posture toward God that was humble and beautiful. It was as if all those religious props were a way of admitting their human limitations and frailty. Old prayers and chants seemed like embodied gestures toward God; ones that asked for help, for contact, for forgiveness, for hope.

For much of my life, I had things backwards.

Faith wasn't a prerequisite to worship. Worship created the capacity for faith. Belief wasn't necessary before prayer. Prayer opened up a space to believe again. Professing a relationship with God wasn't needed before I could have a relationship with a community of faith. Being in a religious community nurtured and sustained my relationship with God. Simply put, I didn't need to believe before I belonged. I could belong, despite moments of unbelief.

That's how I learned about Grace. Real Grace. Grace that says God is faithful even when we're faithless. Grace that tells us we need not feel "right with God" before we show up, and practice believing.

Are you doubting? Are you unsure of what, if anything, you believe? Maybe try some good old fashioned religion. No prerequisites required.
Why now? Will he really #PayBackTheMoney? How much of it will he pay back? These are some of the questions on the lips of many South Africans.

These questions come after President Jacob Zuma's surprise announcement that he would pay back part of the R246 million of public money that was improperly spent on his private homestead at Nkandla.

Zuma's about-turn came three days before the deadline set by the Constitutional Court for an out-of-court settlement with political opposition parties over the Nkandla furore.

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His offer, after more than three years of denial, also comes at the dawn of the 2016 parliamentary calendar. There are many permutations explaining why now is the perfect time for Zuma to finally submit to the mounting pressure to #PayBackTheMoney.

Many people suggest he chose this moment to limit the lambasting expected from opposition parties during his upcoming State of the Nation address.

One could even say that his act of "benevolence" would augur well for the governing African National Congress' (ANC) campaign in the upcoming local government elections.

It might be a stretch, but with a Constitutional Court case looming, he might have even had a change of heart.

The cases against Zuma were lodged by opposition parties, the Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters. They want the court to force Zuma to comply with the Public Protector's report Secure in Comfort. They argue that the report contains enough ammunition to prove that Zuma should be held liable for the misuse of public money on his Nkandla residence.

As no settlement was reached between Zuma and the opposition parties that took him to court in a bid to force him to pay, the case against him will go ahead on February 9. This is a close call considering the State of the Nation address is only two days after the court date.

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Regardless of the reason, moments such as these are sure to have lasting implications for Zuma's administration and legacy, as well as for the ANC's future.

Zuma no lame duck president

Zuma's influence over South African society has shrunk ignominiously since the start of his second term in office in 2014. But his power base remains strong. Whether it is in the ANC's National Executive Committee or his cabinet, he appears to remain invincible.

Zuma has the means and backing to weather just about any political storm at this point. He fears neither the public nor opposition parties.

He has endured saga after saga with elegant ease. Allegations of sexual assault, misogyny, corruption and nepotism have haunted his political career since before his first inauguration to the presidency in 2009.

Like water off a duck's back, crises slide gently off him. He is resilient, a leader that has built his reputation on charisma ahead of substance and ethics. If he were the leader of an authoritarian state, he would be well placed to never have to relinquish his power.

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His laughing off the growing #ZumaMustFall campaign is a testament to this.

But the timing of his announcement that he'll pay back a portion of the Nkandla invoice arguably shows that he does fear losing a case before the country's Constitutional Court.

Implications for the ANC

The overall consensus of the average disillusioned ANC supporter at this time is that the party will survive Zuma.

In civil society, support for Zuma has weakened considerably, but support for the former liberation movement remains strong - although it is declining. The party has taken a hard knock in the hearts and minds of many South Africans, but many expect that it will be able to reinvent itself once Zuma relinquishes his throne.

But the ANC would do well not to be nonchalant. The party is at a critical juncture. It is losing support. The outcome of the 2016 local government elections should provide a firm indicator whether the party keeps or ditches Zuma before the 2019 general elections.

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Perhaps a severe electoral loss - at both this year's municipal elections and the 2019 general elections - would jolt the ANC into realising it might have become complacent in the years Zuma has headed the party and the country.

One thing is certain: South Africans are in for yet another unhinged political year.
A few weeks ago, Alex Anders of the YouTube channel Bisexual Real Talk uploaded a video saying it was time for his fellow bisexuals to leave the LGBT community. He cites two studies recently published in the Journal of Bisexuality that link the lack of support for bisexuals in the community to bisexuals having worse mental health than any other LGBT group. As Anders puts it:



Every time we tell young people who are bisexual to go and search the LGBT community, we are creating certain expectations in their mind. And what do you think does more damage: when a person who knows they are going to be discriminated in a certain group and then gets discriminated in that group, or when a person is told that they will be able to find solace in a group and they lower their guard and then they're discriminated against?

Indeed, bisexual invisibility and biphobia are the LGBT community's dirty little secrets. According to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission's 2011 report Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations, "self-identified bisexuals make up the largest single population within the LGBT community in the United States," yet the bisexual community is one of the least represented groups within LGBT organizations:

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For many years, Funders for LGBTQ Issues has tracked data on grants made by U.S. foundations to LGBT organizations. Although LGBT funding has risen in terms of dollars, it still represents a tiny fraction of the total grantmaking, with bi issues among the least supported every year. In 2008, while total foundation giving to LGBT issues increased compared to the previous year (from $77 million in 2007 to $107 million in 2008) and the percentage of dollars increased (from 0.18% to 0.24%), funding for bi organizations or programs went down; it was the lowest of all two dozen demographic groups they tracked. In fact, during all of 2008, not a single grant in the entire country explicitly addressed bisexual issues.

The two recent studies from the Journal of Bisexuality explore the correlation between this bisexual exclusion and poor mental health among bisexuals. The first study -- conducted by Corey E. Flanders of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Cheryl Dobson of the Planned Parenthood Toronto, and Carmen Logie of the University of Toronto -- surveyed 34 non-monosexual women (both cisgender and transgender) of different ethnic backgrounds between the ages of 16 and 29 to discuss ways biphobia and monosexism affected their mental health. Many of the participants reported not only encountering professionals who were clueless about bisexuality, but also feeling unwanted at Pride events just for being bisexual. The results indicated "young bisexual women perceive monosexism and biphobia as significant challenges to their mental health at the institutional, community, interpersonal and intrapersonal level."

The second study -- conducted by Tangela S. Roberts and Sharon G. Horne of the University of Massachusetts, and William T. Hoyt of the University of Madison-Wisconsin -- surveyed 745 bisexuals of a various ages, genders, and ethnicities (although 80% of the participants were white) to share their stories of experiencing biphobia. Although the bisexuals surveyed experienced more biphobia from straight people, they also experienced an alarming amount of biphobia from lesbians and gays.

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As Roberts explained to the Daily Beast: "Essentially it's like saying that two people are yelling at you, but one voice is a decibel higher. Yes, statistically one voice is more significant, but the difference between the two voices is small."

Lack Of Community Support Can Prove Deadly

A 2011 study conducted by Joseph Robinson and Dorothy Espelage of the Illinois College of Education revealed that 33% of LGBTQ students surveyed reported thinking about suicide during the past month, compared to 44% of bisexual youth, placing bisexuals at a higher risk. The report also noted that bisexual youths "were at elevated risk of suicide attempts, with more than 21% reporting that they had made at least one attempt during the prior year." Indeed, while plenty has been written about Leelah Alcorn, Blake Brockington, Kyler Prescott, and other transgender teens who have committed suicide, only a few media outlets reported the suicides of Adam Kizer, Anthony Stubb, Alyssa Morgan, and other bisexual teens. The silence surrounding these deaths led to many bisexual activists using the hashtag #BiphobiaKills to raise awareness.

Another factor that contributes to bisexuals having poorer mental health is the lack of understanding from the very services designed to help them. Recently on Reddit's bisexuality subreddit, a 15-year-old posted a story about how their psychiatrist told them they were too young to understand their sexuality because they "haven't been able to explore" yet.

"If I was straight," the anonymous teenager wrote, "people wouldn't ask me, 'How do you know?' They would just assume I know I'm straight, so why is it different because I'm attracted to both genders [sic]?"

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A Broken System

Mental health therapist and bisexual activist Patrick RichardsFink echoes this conundrum. His private practice -- Prism Mental Health -- is the only one in St. Cloud, Minnesota that specializes in LGBT mental health services; he says there's very little mental health training specifically designed for bisexuals, and therapists often have to rely on themselves to bolster their knowledge or expertise:

Even though we're half of the queer population, we're not recognized. In my Master's program -- if I hadn't been there bringing information--there would have been basically little or no mention of bisexuality and bisexual specific issues. Any therapist out there, any mental health professional that is informed about bisexuality issues, they have reached out and taught themselves.

Despite the overwhelmingly negative statistics, there are ways that both mental health professionals and the LGBT community can be more inclusive to the bisexual community. The Bisexual Invisibility report lists several recommendations to improve bisexual inclusion, such as educating others about using "inclusive language" and including bisexual voices in conversations about LGBT rights. But the most important factor, the report concludes, is to debunk many of the myths surrounding bisexuality that fuel its erasure:

. . . assumptions about a person's sexual orientation based on her/his partner's gender; about bisexual people's reliability, honesty, or commitment to the LGBT movement; about bisexuals' health concerns and needs; and about the world as an "either/or" place rather than one of infinite variety. Any long-term solutions must dispel these assumptions to make room for those whose lives exist beyond binaries.

"As far as mental health goes," RichardsFink says, "part of the requirements for ongoing licensure is ongoing training. People in the profession need to recognize that not only are there going to be a higher portion of gay and lesbian people who are seeking therapy than people from the general population, but also there's going to be an entire proportion of bisexuals seeking mental health treatment as well.

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"As therapists, as practitioners, it's our responsibility to know what we're talking about, to know what we're doing to understand that bisexuality is not [always] a phase. What we need is to live a life of integrity in a community of mutual support. That's the most important thing for our mental health."

This piece by Trav Mamone originally appeared on The Establishment, a new multimedia site funded and run by women.
When hundreds of women marched topless through the streets of New York and other cities last summer - part of the 8th Annual GoToplessDay - their protest on behalf of gender rights exposed far more than bare skin. That's because they were the just the latest in a long line of protesters who are focused on changing culture before they change any laws.

Needless to say, the media - photo buffs in particular - had a field day, giving this issue some truly 'out-sized' attention.

The protesters chose to bare it all in honor of Women's Equality Day, which commemorates the pivotal movement in August 1920 when women earned the right to vote. For the protest participants, being able to go topless was another right grounded in gender equality, just as a women's right to vote once was. While judges in the state of New York have ruled in favor of a women's right to go topless in public, most other places have yet to follow suit.

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The marchers believed that only total transparency of a breast-defying nature would lead lawmakers across the country to change archaic laws.

It's a controversial approach that could bear fruit in the current presidential race when it comes to campaign finance reform.

When the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United that corporations could fund candidates as if they were individuals, many threw up their hands in dismay. How easy it would be to hide behind a non-individual entity!

The antidote might be an act of "disruptive transparency" that finds common ground with the disrobing female protesters in New York. In campaign finance reform, of course, the goal is not to remove one's clothing, but to unveil the names of one's campaign donors.

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The idea is simple and targeted. A candidate who believes that campaign finance reform is critical to the future of our democracy would step forward to set a new standard. Every ad, website and social media communication would include the names of the candidate's top three donors - whether it be an individual, corporation or labor union. This new standard of transparency would send a signal to all of the candidate's SuperPacs and political nonprofit groups that they, too, must publicly disclose the names of their donors. The information would be audited by two reputable accounting firms. It's a basic process that would be verifiable and, quite possibly, disruptive.

The presidential candidates should declare that public service begins with being public. It would mark a new starting point for political campaigns and create a new set of expectations. If Bernie Sanders were first, he would set The Sanders Standard.

The purpose of this approach is to garner a reaction - changing culture before changing laws in a way that forces other candidates to follow suit. It follows a long line of protestors who have used disruptive transparency as their weapon of choice when it comes to social change.

Those topless marchers in New York? Their protest on behalf of women's civil rights forced a reaction that continues a debate about issues once considered below the radar, if not below the belt.

When millions of gay men and women came out of the closet, they provoked a reaction among their families, friends, co-workers and neighbors. Gay marriage was not on the minds of these closet exiters -but their very presence in the midst of our daily lives made us reconsider who gets to enjoy a walk down the aisle. Our culture had to change before it was reflected in our laws.

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Or consider the recent tribunal in Guatemala that revealed in detail how top government officials used their positions to steal public money. After years of hopelessness, the corrupt president of Guatemala resigned and citizens ushered in a new era of transparency.

People aspiring to public office often trumpet endorsements from elected officials, professional groups and other public figures. How can they take pride in these supporters and not from those who are actually funding their campaigns? Pride in ownership should be a standard starting point for public figures.

Indeed, in the Citizens United case, all but one justice reaffirmed the constitutionality of disclosure requirements for election-related spending. According to the court, disclosure laws serve governmental interests in "providing the electorate with information" which allows voters to "make informed choices in the political marketplace."

Lest you think that no public official would have the courage to go public with the names of his real supporters, consider these ringing words from the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Doe vs. Reed:

"Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed." Those are words of Antonin Scalia. How could the Koch brothers find fault with him?

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Down the road there will be ballot initiatives, new legislation, constitutional amendments and elections galore. But why wait? Any presidential candidate could step forward tomorrow to set a new standard.
Life has improved in concrete ways for millions of children around the world, and the progress for girls is especially notable.

Globally, the number of out-of-school children of primary school age has fallen to an estimated 57 million in 2015, down from 100 million in 2000, and many more girls are now in school compared with 15 years ago. In 1990 in South Asia, only 74 girls were enrolled in primary school for every 100 boys. Today, there are approximately 103 girls in school for every 100 boys. Meanwhile, the percentage of young women married before age 15 declined from 12 percent in 1990 to 8 percent in 2010.

Despite these improvements, however, there is much to do, and the work is complex because the challenges girls face are unique. In too many cases, a school is not a safe haven of learning but a place of harassment and exploitation. Many girls still don't successfully transition from primary to secondary school, because their parents stop investing in their education or decide household duties take precedence. Child marriage, prevalent in many countries throughout the world, continues to dead-end young girls' learning and earning potential. And trafficking is a distinct threat.

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At The Global Fund for Children, we believe in learning from experts--from girl experts and the grassroots organizations working to improve their lives. Girls face risks that boys do not, and this makes them uniquely positioned to provide insight that will create lasting change.

Grassroots groups and girls themselves tell us that, too often, large institutions and funders don't trust them to know solutions, implement programs, or manage funding. And the jargon so common in international development excludes them. Elevating their experience, amplifying their voices, and showcasing their success are critical to helping them gain credibility, access, and influence. And together with a group of grassroots funding champions, we seek to do just that.



Victoria Dunning, left, pictured with leaders from five Global Fund for Children grassroots partners that received the inaugural With and For Girls Award, a global award designed to identify and support strong, community-based, girl-driven organizations.  The Global Fund for Children

In November 2015, 20 grassroots groups from around the world received the inaugural With and For Girl Award. An initiative of eight organizations (including The Global Fund for Children), the award recognizes the work of strong girl-led and girl-focused organizations around the world.

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The nominees and winners represented the most effective and inspiring organizations promoting and protecting girl power at the local level. Each awardee is also unique in the way that girls not only participate but help to develop and lead the implementation of solutions that are making a difference.

Atina, a Global Fund for Children grassroots partner that was among the winners, provides long-term, direct assistance to women and children who are victims of trafficking and sexual or labor exploitation in Belgrade, Serbia. The organization's ultimate goal is to help women and girls overcome their trauma and gain the confidence to successfully reenter community life. Many of Atina's beneficiaries are Roma, who are particularly vulnerable to sexual or labor exploitation--and have been notoriously marginalized and underserved.

Atina provides girls and young women with safe accommodations, nonformal education, and basic support, including medical and psychological care and legal advice. An innovator in its field, Atina also runs a bagel shop, where trafficking survivors have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and build their confidence before they reenter the labor market. The shop also provides critical funding for the organization's programs.



At Bagel Bejgl in Belgrade, young women gain skills that help them build a brighter future.  Bagel Beigl / Atina

Aware Girls, another awardee, was founded in Pakistan in 2002 by a group of teenage girls with the goal of building young women's capacity to become leaders and shape their nation's future. It is the first organization in the country led by girls, for girls. Aware Girls has set up 40 Girls' Power Clubs in rural areas of Pakistan, annually teaching more than 1,200 girls key leadership skills. Meanwhile, its AIDS Discussion Clubs reach more than 1,500 girls and young women every year.

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Gulalai Ismael, co-founder of Aware Girls in Pakistan.  Stars Foundation / With and For Girls Collective
On Saturday, February 6, Teach For America founder and current CEO of Teach For All, Wendy Kopp, spoke to more than 15,000 Teach For America alumni, corps members, staff, and supporters at TFA's 25th Anniversary Summit in Washington, DC. The group convened for a weekend of celebration, reflection, and rejuvenation for the era ahead. The following is a transcript of her remarks adapted for publication.

In 1990, during the first summer institute, our charter corps members gathered each morning at 6 a.m. in USC's parking lot for bagels and Mexican pastries. Few of us imagined then that 25 years later we'd be here today, celebrating our community of 50,000 alumni and corps members.

Tonight is for the 50,000 people who have committed yourselves to our nation's most vulnerable children--almost all of you still working to ensure that they have the opportunities they deserve. We come from many different backgrounds and bring different experiences and different perspectives. This is such a strength--by disagreeing, struggling, and wrestling with how to do better by our children, we become stronger.

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Twenty-five years in, though, there are many questions within our community and outside of it about whether we're really making any progress.

A couple of years ago, Elisa and I visited Oakland and brought together a group of corps members. We went around the circle and each of them told us about their schools and classes. Many shared that they were optimistic--they felt their students had a shot at making it through college and doing well. A few though were teaching at Fremont High School, a school with low achievement levels and a 53 percent graduation rate. These corps members spent much of their time outside the school managing persistent truancy, hopelessness, and trauma.

They were incredibly dispirited, and they asked us why we thought that Teach For America was working. Hadn't we been placing teachers in Oakland for more than 20 years?

It was a really good question from where they were sitting. But I was thinking--if I had done a similar roundtable back in 1991 when we started placing teachers in Oakland, all of the corps members would have sounded like those at Fremont High.

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Until a couple of years ago, California ranked schools based on the Academic Performance Index--failing schools were red, struggling schools were orange and yellow, and as they got better they moved to green and then blue. Compare the map of Oakland in 1999 (58 schools were in the bottom two categories, and 11 were in the top two) to the map in 2013 (16 were in the bottom two categories, and 58 were in the top two).







This is just one measure, and there's a long way to go, but nonetheless that's real progress.

And Teach For America has contributed a lot to this progress. Many people helped produce these gains. But if you took all the Teach For America alumni out of the picture, you would take away so much of the energy and leadership that is driving the change in deep partnership with others in the community.

Alumni were among the first to show that we could create whole schools that provide kids in low-income communities with a truly transformational education--through schools like Think College Now, the Lighthouse Community Charter School, and Life Academy.

Alumni are innovators and advocates from inside and outside the District--managing networks of schools; playing key roles in departments across the district; reinventing the way principals are recruited and developed; organizing the community to advocate for policy change; marshalling resources to ensure college is a real option for Oakland's students; demonstrating the power of culturally responsive pedagogy; advocating for children in the juvenile justice system; and much more.

There are more than 200 current alumni teachers in Oakland. Seventy alumni hold leadership roles across Oakland's 118 schools, including 21 school principals.

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I could share the stories of other communities all across the country that are so similar to this one--from Los Angeles to Chicago to my own New York City, from communities in the Mississippi Delta to those in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. In dozens and dozens of places, Teach For America people are contributing to substantial progress, even as so much remains to be done.

At the same time, we're learning, a lot.

We're learning more about the kind of education that truly empowers our children--one that goes far beyond academic skills.

We're learning just how complex it is to meet the needs of our students and about the nature of the changes necessary both inside and outside of schools.

We're learning, perhaps most importantly, about what it looks like to truly partner with the parents, students, educators, public servants, and advocates in our communities so that change is big and sustainable.

And now, we have the potential to learn so much more quickly because we have not only a national platform for learning and sharing, but a global platform. Incredibly, today there are 39 organizations in the Teach For All network--from Teach For India to Teach For Ghana to EnsenaPeru. These organizations are channeling the energy of their nation's most promising leaders towards expanding opportunity for their most marginalized children, and we're going to move so much faster now that all of us can learn from each other!

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We live in an era that values quick fixes--an era where a technological innovation can change the way we communicate overnight.

But the problem we're addressing doesn't lend itself to quick fixes.

Many were working on the massive racial and economic injustices that hold our nation's children back long before we came on the scene, and there was never a chance that we would "solve" them overnight.

Success will require bold, urgent, sustained efforts, mistakes and steps backwards, and a whole lot of learning. I have come to think of this work of ours as the long game.
As I was entering the old Cathedral of the Ethiopian Church, I felt my heart pounding out of fear that my mission would fail. Two days before, I was contacted by an Egyptian Bishop asking me to conduct an interview with his Holiness Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Church. The main objective was to soften the man's attitude towards the late Pope of Egyptian Orthodox Church, his Holiness Pope Shenouda. After a while of discussions and argument, I agreed to take the mission on the condition of having two Egyptian diplomats (the press attache and a member in the African Union Secretariat) with me during the interview. Having the Egyptian Church both in my heart and mind, I, the Muslim, felt a massive weight of responsibility leaning over my shoulders.

The irony was that I kept reciting verses of Holy Quran praying that God would help me succeed in what this man of God, the Egyptian Copt, entrusted to me. As I climbed the stairs headed for the Patriarch quarter, I was thinking about the absurdity of many people back home talking about the necessity of tolerance, when Egypt doesn't have one tenth of the religious discrimination that many other countries greatly suffer. I thought to myself, since what I'm just about to do is not meant to be part of my professional C.V, then definitely it is out of tolerance, nothing else. There is no third explanation in light of the over sensitive nature of the issue, except being crazy, which I am not.

After a few minutes, the two Egyptian Copt escorts and I were in the audience of Patriarch Paulos, Head of the Ethiopian Church. The man was very welcoming and started by asking me about my journalistic background, then encouraged me to start asking the questions.

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In order to avoid going into areas of conflicts, I decided to start by a question about an uncontroversial issue, which is the glorious history of the two Churches. The man didn't fail me and started off with an emotional response about the bond that has tied the two Churches for 16 centuries in an almost chronological order. The more his Grace came closer to the troubled present, the more nervous I felt. Arriving at -the then present 2004 - Patriarch Paulos' tone of voice suddenly became sharp. After he finished what came across to him as infringements on his status as Head of the Ethiopian Church from the late Egyptian Pope, I had to resume the interview.

Before I asked further questions, I appealed to his Holiness, however, in a firm way stating that there should be a sort of code of reference. "Since everyone in this room addresses your Holiness with the spiritual title you rightly earned then, with all due respect, I will not accept anything less for his Holiness Pope Shenouda; no one has the right to talk about him without using his much deserved and rightly earned spiritual title before his name", I told the Head of the Ethiopian Church. "Also, it is pointless to use such harsh language when talking about the successor of Saint Mark. Both of you have been chosen by God to occupy the highest spiritual positions you already have, let alone the hearts of hundreds of millions of Christians in your two countries and in many other countries as well," I added.

I was relieved when I saw a smile on the man's face before I started talking about the greatness of the relations between the two Churches and the necessity of regaining it as such.

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"Okay, how can you justify His Holiness Pope Shenouda's move when he presided over the enthronement ceremony of a Patriarch to the Church of Eritrea back in 1994, separating that Church from its mother Church of Ethiopia? He had no right to do so" he angrily said.

I could clearly see the anxiety on the faces of my two Egyptian Copt diplomats.

"Your holiness, maybe you have the right to be angry. However, the Ethiopian Church was the daughter to the Egyptian Church for almost 16 centuries until it decided to secede and become independent back in 1950. By the same token, don't you see that the Egyptian Church had the same right to be angry? Why did you give yourself a right, and then deny it from the others?" I asked.

"Good argument", the Patriarch said with a smile on his face. Yet, his smile quickly faded before he started a new offensive.

"But Pope Shenouda treats me as if I am of a lesser status. I stand on equal footing with him and I should be treated as such. Our Churches are as sisters, not as a mother and daughter. Ethiopia had known of Christianity before Egypt," he protested.

"Indeed, you stand on equal footing. However, I totally disagree with what your Holiness has just said about which was first to know Christianity and embrace it. History tells us that the two Egyptian brothers, Frumentius and Aedesius, were the first to introduce Christianity to Ezana, Emperor of Ethiopia in 320 A.D., and managed to convert him from Judaism to Christianity and that's when and how Ethiopia became Christian," I said. "Now, if Ethiopia had embraced Christ before Egypt, there would have been no reason for the two Egyptian brothers to preach to the emperor," I attested.

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"I know that some argue about the Greek names of the two brothers. However, Greek names and Roman as well were common in Egypt then. Moreover, if they were not Egyptians, why did Emperor Ezana ask Frumentius to travel back to his home town, Alexandria, where the Egyptian Orthodox Church was based then, to ask its Patriarch St. Athanasius to appoint a Bishop for Axum before the latter named Frumentius himself as such, giving him the new name of Abuna Selama, in Arabic: Father Selama" I added.

"It seems that Pope Shenouda has sent one of his agents to interview me," the Patriarch angrily said.

My two escorts were as much shocked as I was. One of them told the Patriarch that this wasn't true for a simple fact that I am a Muslim. The Head of the Ethiopian Church looked at me suspiciously waving his head in disbelieve. Throughout the interview, it never occurred to me that the patriarch thought I was Christian. When I asked, I found out that the reason for being taken for a Christian was the fact that I subconsciously kept using the possessive pronouns of my and our whenever I referred to the Copt Church. That was the first time in my life I realized that deep in my Egyptian Muslim subconscious mind, I always felt that the Church belongs to me just as much as Al-Azhar, the highest Muslim institution in Egypt. The Patriarch was both surprised and amused after I explained to him that for many Egyptian Muslims, whenever they talk about the Egyptian Church while being abroad, they subconsciously use the possessive pronouns of my and our and that this emotional- psychological phenomenon reflects how both the Church and Al-Azhar have practically woven themselves in one Egyptian socio-cultural fabric.

"What you have just stated doesn't change the fact that Ethiopia came to know Christianity before Egypt" the Patriarch insisted.

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"Your holiness, let's take it one step at a time. Which Church was the first to introduce the notion of "Non-Chalcedonian" Monophysite of Jesus Christ? According to unchallenged history, it was the Egyptian Church of Alexandria which did. This thing happened when the Church of Alexandria refused to follow the "two nature" doctrine decreed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. Later, other Churches followed the Egyptian Church, including the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church, which is the official name of your Church. That specific Tawahedo word was taken from Arabic, after it became common in Egypt, which means the one nature of Jesus Christ. That is the true discourse of the history of Christianity in this part of the world. However, that history doesn't mean by any way that there is any lesser Church than the other; they are all equal" I elaborated.

"Then, Pope Shenouda has to know that I am Head of a Church of equal footing and that I should be treated as such. I cannot accept his temper anymore" the Patriarch said in what seemed as a good sign, in terms of being close to his accepting a standing invitation by "my" Church.

"Your Grace, his Holiness Pope Shenouda is in his 80s. He is an old man suffering serious health problems, whereas you are 13 years younger. Age and illness are what makes you think he has a temper. Cannot we respect the man's age and appreciate his severe health problems" I passionately asked.

All of a sudden, I could see the true kind nature of the Patriarch when he said in a cracking voice that Pope Shenouda had always been his spiritual father and that he loved almost like his real father.

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"Your Grace, don't you want to see your spiritual father?" I emotionally asked.

"Indeed, I do want to see him. However, I am not willing to go without receiving a formal written invitation from him" he firmly said.

"And if you receive this invitation, will your Grace go?" I asked.

"Indeed!"

"If I publish this interview, can I use your acceptance of an invitation, when you receive it, as a headline?" I asked aiming at verifying how serious the man was.

"When I say something I mean it and never back away" he reassured me.

As we were lining up for a photo and just before the camera snapped, the Patriarch stepped out of line to face one of my escorts with a big smile on his face. "Now I know why Pope Shenouda is so strong. Even Egyptian Muslims are standing squarely behind him" the man said before we all exploded into laughter.

Since that interview, the late Holiness Patriarch Paulos visited Egypt several times, most recently in 2012, the year he passed away, whereas late Pope Shenouda made a historical visit to Ethiopia in 2007.

However, although I never published that "impossible interview" except for a small part of the story behind it in Al-Ahram newspaper on September 22, 2007, it is one of the most meaningful interviews of my career. Every time I look back at what I did, I feel very proud that I translated what Jesus says in Mark 9: "What therefore God has joined together let no man separate." And though I know this is one of Jesus Christ's teachings about marriage, who is to say that we Muslims, who believe Christianity to be part of our own faith, are not in reality, joined in marriage with Christians?

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PTI

CCTV cameras installed in a private school near Varthur in Bengaluru showed the chilling footage of how close a cameraman came to being mauled by a stray leopard that sneaked into the premises on Sunday. The leopard attacked several people, including three forest department personnel. The man eventually escaped as people gathered at the spot started shouting to scare the feline and forest officials directed tranquilliser shots at it.

The leopard was first spotted by CCTV cameras inside the Vibgyor School at around 4:13 am. The leopard had escaped from the school premises during the day and was hiding inside nearby bushes. As authorities were in the midst of operations to capture it, it re-entered the school building by scaling a compound wall, officials told PTI.

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AP released this spine chilling video of the attack.

There were also these photos that will give you nightmares for days.

PTI Photo A leopard attacks a man in a school premise in Bengaluru on Sunday. PTI Photo A leopard attacks a cameraman in a school premise in Bengaluru on Sunday. PTI Photo A leopard attacks a man at a school in Bengaluru.

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On 19 December, 2013, Tsultrim Gyatso, warrior of the snows, set himself on fire for the welfare of all Tibetans. The golden teardrops. Alas, tears. Heartbreak. Brothers, do you hear? Do you see? Do you hear? To whom shall I tell about the suffering of six million Tibetans? wrote the then 43-year-old in his parting letter, addressed from the Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province.

His dissident act of self-immolation was one among those performed by at least 149 Tibetans who have sought to vocalise their protest against Chinas continued occupation of Tibet. His final letter, written in Tibetan, was part of a suite of photo-documents titled Last Words, assembled by Dharamshala-based filmmaker-artist couple Ritu Sarin and Tenzin Sonam, that was included in Burning Against the Dying of the Light, their highly acclaimed solo in December at KHOJ, New Delhi, and which formed part of the sensitively curated show Mining Warm Data, curated by Diana Campbell-Betancourt as one of several exhibitions at the third edition of the Dhaka Art Summit that opened on 5 February and which closes today, 8 February. Their suite featured the photographs of the last words by five Tibetan martyrs, accompanied by the translated text.

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However, on Saturday, the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ma Mingqiang, who happened to visit the summit, apparently exploded after viewing Sarin and Sonams work, and threatened the organizers, the Samdani Art Foundation, founded by Nadia and Rajeeb Samdani, asking them to either uninstall the works or face the consequences.

Dhaka Art Summit See Gallery

The organizers discussed the situation with us and we agreed to have the work covered for the rest of the Summit, wrote Sarin and Sonam in a post in their Facebook album in which they had posted not just the photograph of the now shrouded work but also pictures of each letter with the translations in the description, using the hashtag #ChinaCensorshipArtTibet. The fact that the Chinese government continues to dictate its terms on other nations with arrogance and impunity and tries to shut down every avenue of expression for us in exile to raise our voices on behalf of our beleaguered compatriots in Tibet, will only make us redouble our efforts, they wrote. We can take pride in the fact that the last words of the self-immolators still have the power to disturb and upset the CCP [China Communist Party]. This is why we need to keep their voices.

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Sonam toldIndian Express: They had to be covered because the Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh (Ma Mingqiang) found the works offensive, during a visit to the summit on Saturday.

We were told by the curator (Diana Campbell Betancourt) that he exploded as soon as he saw it and asked the works to be removed immediately or face consequences, he added.

Expectedly, though possibly to the dismay of the Chinese Ambassador, despite being positioned as a compromise, the paper shroud that veils each individual photo and text constituting Last Words has subversively endowed the work with an even more provocative aura. Poised adjacent to Lida Abduls combative 1999-2000 silent video, Speaking and Hearing, in which the Afghani refugee artist confronts the camera as she opens her mouth to release a silent scream and in doing so, sticks out her tongue to reveal a passport-sized image of her uncle who was killed in Afghanistan and another of a neighbouring building destroyed by bombs, Sarin and Sonams Last Words now feels like a powerful reminder of the fascist forces that continue to restrict the artists right to speech and creation and, ironically enough, the artists persistent resistance against such futile attempts and the arts potent ability to record and transmit that which, even in the face of death or collective amnesia, refuses to be silenced.

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MUMBAI -- In the first case of deposition via video link from foreign land, Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley today told a court here about how Lashkar-e-Taiba had planned and executed the 26/11 attacks and the role played by ISI officials, involving him too.

Headley, an LeT operative who is currently serving 35-year prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai attacks, detailed the sequence of events leading up to the November 26, 2008 assault as he deposed before Special Judge GA Sanap for nearly five-and-a-half-hours.

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He spoke about his training by LeT in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Abbottabad near Islamabad under the guidance of LeT founder "Hafiz Saeed sahab", whose picture he identified in the court, as also its commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, and how he got in touch with three officers of Pakistan's ISI -- Major Ali and Major Iqbal and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha.

Headley told the court that he had changed his name from the original Dawood Gilani after instructions from the LeT commanders, including Lakhvi, and ISI officials.

He was to carry out recce in India for an attack -- an "adventurous" task for him.

He also revealed that the 10 terrorists, who struck at various places in Mumbai on November 26, 2008 killing 166 people, had planned to carry out the attack twice earlier -- in September and October -- but they attempts failed. Once their boat hit a rock in the seas, because of which they lost all the arms and ammunition and had to go back to Pakistan.

"I used to treat India as my enemy. Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi also saw India as their enemy," Headley told the Special Judge during his first deposition in an Indian court which began at 7 AM.

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He also admitted during his examination in chief by special prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam that he joined the ranks of LeT after getting "influenced and motivated" by the speeches of "Hafiz Saeed Sahab".

Headley, who described himself as a "true follower of LeT, said he took his first "course" with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad and had also attended a 'leadership course' which was led by Saeed and Lakhvi.

He said he underwent 5-6 training courses in LeT camps for about two years. "Daura-e-sufa is a study course and is held in Muridke in Lahore while 'Daura-e-aam' is a preliminary military training course held in Muzaffarabad in 'Azad Kashmir' (PoK)," Headley said.

In 'Daura-e-Khas, which is a more advanced training, he was taught to handle weapons, arms, explosives and ammunition, the LeT operative said.

He said he was also given 'Daura-e-Ribat' training, an intelligence course in which setting up of safe houses and reconnaissance are taught. The center where it is taught is in Mansera, 40 miles from Abbottabad, a place in Pakistan where former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed by the US.

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Headley said though he wanted go to Kashmir and fight Indian troops but he was told that he was "too old" for that. "Lakhvi told me that they would use me for some other purpose," he said, adding it was to be more "adventurous" than Kashmir.

Talking about his travel to India, the LeT operative said, "Before the first visit, (his LeT handler) Sajid Mir (also an accused in the case) gave me instructions to make a general video of Mumbai."

He said he visited Mumbai seven times before the 2008 terror attack and Delhi once after the attack in March 2009.

To enter India, he said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could travel here with an American identity and set up some business.

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"I applied for change in name on February 5, 2006 in Philadelphia. I changed my name to David Headley to get a new passport under that name. I wanted a new passport so that I could enter India with an American identity.

"After I got a new passport, I disclosed it to my colleagues in LeT of which one of them was Sajid Mir, the person with whom I was dealing with. The objective for coming to India was to set up an office/business so that I can live in India," he said.

Headley said he had applied for business multiple-entry visa with the Indian embassy so that he does not have to apply for Indian visa repeatedly.

"My office was established in Mumbai so that I could take cover in India," Headley told the court, adding he wanted the cover so that his real identity would not be known.

He said while applying for the Indian visa, he cooked up a story that he was an immigration consultant and had furnished all wrong information to protect his cover.

"I had discussed it (cover story) with Sajid Mir and Major Iqbal of ISI, and they were very happy to see my Indian visa," Headley told the court.

He said he knew Major Iqbal of ISI and had met him in Lahore after one Major Ali (also from ISI) introduced him to the former.

Nikam, who examined Headley and will do so again tomorrow, said, "I am absolutely satisfied with what Headley had revealed in today's deposition. Headley has given certain sensational revelations during his deposition. He confirmed that he met Hafiz Saeed and he identified his picture as well."

The special prosecutor said, "He (Headley) revealed a lot about Major Iqbal and Major Ali, both of them were there in ISI. It was Major Iqbal who trained him and he also unravelled names of few LeT trainers before the court."

Nikam said Headley had "joined a leadership course where both Sayeed and Lakhvi used to come and give speeches against India. He completed his education from Hasan Abdal Cadet College in Pakistan but left for America at the age of 17."

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Headley's lawyer's Mahesh Jethmalini said he has confessed that he had joined LeT after being influenced by Hafiz Saeed.

Headley told the court that he was once arrested in Federally-Administered Tribal Area (FATA) of Pakistan and Major Abdul Rehman Pasha of ISI was with him at that time.

"I and Pasha were to meet a drug smuggler Zheb Shah as I suggested that this man (Shah) could help us smuggle weapons to India," Headley said.

"I was arrested in Landikotal next to the Afghan border, in Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) Pakistan, and he (Major Ali) came to interrogate me. I was arrested as I looked like a foreigner and was carrying some literature on India," the Pakistani-American national said.

However, Headley was not charged as he showed his Pakistani identity card, the court was told.

"Major Ali (working for ISI at Landikotal) introduced me to Major Iqbal because he (Ali) thought that I could be of use of assistance in intelligence work," Headley said.

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He also told the court that Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a former Pakistan military physician convicted for providing support to LeT for plotting an attack on a Danish newspaper, had helped him get a five-year visa to India.

"Rana knows something about the 26/11 attacks. I told him not to come to India," Headley told the court. "Rana knew the purpose of my visit to India."

He also said that Pakistani terrorists attempted to attack Mumbai twice before the 26/11 strikes that killed 166 people but both the times, the attempts failed.

"LeT operative Sajid Mir (whom he admitted to be his main contact man in LeT) told me that two earlier attempts to attack Mumbai had failed," Headley said.

He said the first attempt was made in September 2008 but it failed as the boat hit some rocks.

"The boat, which started from outside Karachi, disintegrated and people on it had their life jackets on and they came to the shore, while the second attempt was made a month later (in October)," Headley told the court.

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The same 10 terrorists of LeT were successful in attacking Mumbai the third time, said Headley, an approver in the case.

Headley reportedly visited India many times between 2006 and 2008, drew maps, took video footage and scouted several targets for the attacks including the Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Nariman House. His recce provided vital information for the 10 LeT attackers and their handlers in the attack.

The deposition of Headley, assumes significance as it may unravel the conspiracy behind the brazen terror strike, which left 166 dead and 309 injured.

The court had on December 10, 2015, made Headley an approver in the case and directed him to depose before the court on February 8.

He had then told Special Judge GA Sanap that he was "ready to depose" if granted pardon.

The court is currently trying key plotter Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal for his alleged role in 26/11 attacks.

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Earlier in the day, before Headley's deposition, Jundal told the court that he was withdrawing his lawyer and sought 15 days' time for appointing a new one.

He also told the court that his name is Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari and not Abu Jundal and sought deletion of his alias from the court records.

Nikam strongly objected to Jundal's submission and said that it amounted to "delaying tactics".

Jundal was too produced before the court via video link from the high security Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.

Later he told his present lawyer Ishrat Khan that the charges framed against him are not applicable as his lawyer was not present during the arguments then.

"No arguments had taken place during framing of charges, and I had told my earlier lawyer to challenge it in the Bombay High Court," he told Khan.

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Jundal also said he has already approached the Principal Judge of the sessions court seeking transfer of case to another judge and that the application was pending.

Last year, the Mumbai Police had on October 8 moved an application before the court saying that Headley deserves to be tried by this (Mumbai) court together with 26/11 key plotter Abu Jundal in the case as both of them are conspirators and abettors behind the dastardly act.

In the application, the Mumbai Police said that from the judgement passed by the US court against Headley, it was clear that he was a member of LeT and he had played an active role in the criminal conspiracy in the terror attack.

The application also said that Headley had entered into a plea agreement with US in 2010 and thereby willingly and voluntarily agreed that he had conspired.

It is evident, the police had said, that Headley had committed the offences of conspiring with LeT for committing illegal acts in India; waging war against the government of India and offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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He has also been accused of intentionally aiding and abetting the LeT in Pakistan for committing illegal acts in Mumbai, mischief by fire with intent to destroy Hotel Taj, Oberoi and Nariman House, offences under Explosives Act and Explosives Substances Act as also under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

A native of Beed district of Maharashtra, Jundal was interrogated after he was brought here from Delhi where he had been arrested following his deportation from Saudi Arabia in June 2012.

According to Jundal's confession, LeT training camps enjoyed full support from local, federal police and paramilitary organisations in Pakistan.

As per the 26/11 chargesheet, after fleeing Maharashtra, Jundal entered Bangladesh in May 2006, where he was received by an ISI agent. He then used a boarding pass issued in a fictitious name to fly PIA flight to Pakistan.

In Maharashtra, Jundal is also accused of involvement in Aurangabad arms haul case, 2010 German Bakery blast case in Pune, and Nashik police academy attack conspiracy case.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE- In this Dec. 9, 2009 file courtroom drawing shows David Coleman Headley, left, pleads not guilty before U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber in Chicago to charges that accuse him of conspiring in the deadly 2008 terrorist attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai and of planning to launch an armed assault on a Danish newspaper. (AP Photo/Verna Sadock, File)

Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Headley came to India seven times before 26/11 and once after the terror attacks, he told a Mumbai court today. Headley, who changed his name from Dawood Gilani in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up business, also told the court that his contact in LeT was Sajid Mir, an accused in the case.

Headley was deposing before the court through video conference after being made an approver in the 26/11 attacks case. His deposition may further unravel the conspiracy behind the brazen terror strike. The court is currently trying key plotter Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal.

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"This is for the first time in the Indian legal history that a 'foreign terrorist' will appear before an Indian court and testify," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said.

Nikam said Headley's evidence is important to unfold many facts behind the 26/11 attack. He, however, refused to divulge any further information.

Meanwhile, a Mumbai police official said that Headley can give broader aspect of criminal conspiracy and who all were involved in the attacks which had left 166 dead and 309 others injured.

"He may also bare the role of Pakistan in case," the official said.

The court had on December 10, 2015, made Headly an approver and directed him to depose before the court on February 8.

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Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the Mumbai terror attacks, had told Special Judge GA Sanap that he was "ready to depose" if granted pardon.

Judge Sanap had made Headley an approver, subject to certain conditions and granted him pardon.

Presently, the court is trying the case against key LeT operative Abu Jundal.

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Samsung India

Samsung has launched two phones of the A series -- Samsung Galaxy A7 and Samsung Galaxy A5 -- at its forum being held in Kuala Lumpur. The phones will be priced at Rs 33,400 and Rs 29,400 respectively. Both phones have a metal and glass material aiming at a premium design.

Samsung Galaxy A7 has a 5.5 inch full HD AMOLED display. It runs on Snapdragon 615 SoC and a 3 GB RAM. The phone has 16 GB internal memory with an option to expand up to 128 GB via SD Card. Galaxy A7 has a 13 MP Camera with a f/1.7 aperture and OIS, the front camera is of 5 MP. Galaxy A7 has a battery capacity of 3300 mAh.

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On the other hand, Galaxy has a 5.2 inch full HD AMOLED display and the battery capacity of 2900 mAh. Other specifications are same as Galaxy A7. Both the phones would be available in Gold, White and Black starting February 15.

"We are committed to continuous innovation based on our experience with the consumers. Galaxy A series will continue its legacy by delivering the best design with flagship features in the form of Galaxy A7 and Galaxy A5," Samsung's Mobile business head, Manu Sharma, said at the event.

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The company launched the Galaxy A series phones back in 2014 with A5 and A3. They wanted to make mid-range phones with premium materials like aluminium as Samsung had been criticised for making their phones too 'Plasticky'. Initially, When Galaxy A series phones were launched in 2014 they ran on Snapdragon 410 processors, this year the processors have been bumped up to Snapdragon 610. In addition to that, the fingerprint reader is mounted on the home button.

Samsung recently regained the top spot in Indian smartphone market after losing out to Micromax last year. They had a market share of 23% phone shipments as compared to 18% of Micromax. The Korean smartphone company sold almost 7 million devices in the last quarter in India.

The company launched a bunch of other products like Smart SUHD TVs, air conditioners, microwaves, refrigerators, monitors and washing machines. Samsung recently launched their smartwatch Gear S2 and VR headset Gear VR in India.

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ABBAS MOMANI via Getty Images Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj meets with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas (R) on January 17, 2016 in the West Bank city of Ramallah. / AFP / ABBAS MOMANI (Photo credit should read ABBAS MOMANI/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI -- The 39 Indians taken hostage by ISIS more than one-and-a-half-years ago from Mosul in Iraq were alive, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told their families yesterday, based on her recent meetings with Arab and Palestinian leaders who indicated to this effect.

Swaraj, who had sought a meeting with the families which is the ninth since the abduction of these Indians in June 2014, also assured them that the government was "fully and continuously engaged" and "every possible effort" was being made to ensure their release.

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According to official sources, the minister told them that during a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the leader informed her that the "Indians are alive and made to work" in war-torn Iraq as per his government's intelligence information. Swaraj had travelled to Palestine and Israel on 17 and 18 January.

The minister also referred to her visit to Bahrain on 23 January or the first India-Arab League Cooperation Forum and said during the meeting, a declaration was adopted which said, "The two sides expressed concern at the kidnapping of 39 Indian workers in Mosul in Iraq in June 2014 and 3 Indian workers in Sirte in Libya in June 2015.

"The Arab side expressed full solidarity with India in all efforts for their early release from captivity."

The Indians were kidnapped by Islamic militant group ISIS from a construction site in Mosul.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian naval commandos show their prowess during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday reviewed the imposing international parade of fleet at International Fleet Review-2016 in Vishakapatnam. Fifty countries from across the globe came together to participate in a show of prowess and preparedness by the Indian Navy.

Mukherjee, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, among others at the Fleet Review. The President was onboard 'INS Sumitra' which sailed through a display of 70 ships at anchorage off Visakhapatnam.

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The review had a combination of ships from Indian Navy as well as frontline Navies from across the globe. The ships from Indian Coast Guard and Mercantile Marine also participated. In this most formal of naval ceremonies, each ship dressed in full regalia saluted the President as he passed. The President also reviewed the Indian Naval air arm in a display of spectacular fly-past by several fixed wing and rotary aircraft comprising 15 formations.

Here are some of the photos from the day.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian naval commandos show their prowess during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Japanese sailors take their caps in their hand as they salute the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian sailors on a veer class corvette take their caps in their hand as they salute the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS A 'kolkata' class destroyer is seen on the left along with other warships during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS An Indian naval ship carrying Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, passes Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya during International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian guided missile destroyer 'Ranveer' is seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian sailors aboard the Indian aircraft carrier Viraat, line up to salute the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian sailors aboard the Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, line up to salute the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Modified kiev-class Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya is seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS U.S. sailors on USS Antietam, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, line up to salute the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian naval commandos show their prowess during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Different warships are seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Ilyushin Il-18, a maritime patrol and anti submarine warfare aircraft flies past during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Different naval helicopters fly past during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS MiG-29K aircrafts fly past during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS A kilo class Indian submarine is seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Modified kiev-class Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya is seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian sailors on modified kiev-class Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya line up to salute the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Modified kiev-class Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, right, and centaur-class Indian aircraft carrier Viraat, are seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS An Indian naval helicopter displays its skills during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS An indigenously built Extra Fast Attack Craft of the Indian navy, based on the design of Israeli Super Dvora Mk II, is seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian guided missile destroyer 'Ranveer' is seen during the International Fleet Review in Vishakapatnam, India, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, who is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, reviewed a fleet of over 90 naval ships including several from foreign countries. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das)

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Hindustan Times via Getty Images JAIPUR, INDIA - JANUARY 25: Bollywood actor Anupam Kher interacts with media persons after his name was being announced as Padma Bhushan award recipient by the government at Jaipur Literary Festival 2016, at Diggi Palace, on January 25, 2016 in Jaipur, India. Ninth edition of ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival is set to witness over 360 participants from the fields of literature, history, politics, economy, art and culture debate and discuss on one platform for the five days. (Photo by Himanshu Vyas/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

Once literature festivals were about literature. Now the lit circuit seems to have become the tolerance circuit. No matter how big or small the festival, a discussion on tolerance has become mandatory. And no matter what is said on the panel, it will guarantee a newspaper headline, more so than a Margaret Atwood.

By the time this lit fest season is over, there will be no celebrity, minor or major left untapped. The latest to join the roll-call is writer Taslima Nasreen.

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She tells the Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode that India is, in fact, not intolerant. I dont think India is an intolerant country, said the Bangladeshi writer who has found refuge in India. Most of the people are quite tolerant of each others fate, I think.

But she admits that while the laws in India do not support intolerance there are plenty of people who do. She slammed selective outrage asking why secularists in India were questioning only Hindu fundamentalists while leaving alone Muslim fundamentalists.

Why secularists in India were questioning only Hindu fundamentalists while leaving alone Muslim fundamentalists."

The question has never been about whether India is tolerant or not. Its been whether India is becoming less tolerant which is an entirely different question but a distinction that seems to escape many of those weighing in on the issue. But whether one agrees with Taslima Nasreen or not, it cannot be denied that she has some credibility when it comes to this particular topic. She has after all had her life turned upside down because powers-that-be, whether in her homeland of Bangladesh or her adopted home in Kolkata, have taken a decidedly intolerant view of her writings and opinions.

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But Sonam Kapoor, best known recently as the 30-second flower-girl in the Coldplay video? Why is she weighing in on this? Or Karan Johar and Kajol at the Jaipur Literature Festival? Talk about freedom of expression, which is the biggest joke in the world, I believe. Democracy is the second biggest joke, said KJo for which he got a social media lambasting. Kajol, far more diplomatic, sidestepped the question by saying we have no caste, no creed, no colour, no intolerance in the film industry as if Bollywood is a microcosm of India.

But Sonam Kapoor, best known recently as the 30-second flower-girl in the Coldplay video. Why is she weighing in on this?

However we cannot blame the celebs. They are only answering questions being put to them. Its as if ever since Aamir Khan weighed in on a sense of growing disquiet in his conversation with Anant Goenka, every reporter thrusting a mic in a stars face is required to ask the intolerance question. And refusing to weigh in on the intolerance debate can itself be counted as a sort of weighing in anyway. So there is no escape. The tragedy is the current media circus around intolerance has far more to do with TRPs than it has to do with the murder of M M Kalburgi. Few mention Kalburgi anymore.

At the Jaipur Literature Festival final debate on freedom of expression, actor Anupam Kher told the crowd there is no nation in the world where you have as much freedom of expression as in India. Writer Salil Tripathi retorted, Please go to Dharwad and tell that to Dr. Kalburgis family.

One wonders what percentage of the crowd, many of whom had been chanting Modi, Modi with Kher as the chorus conductor, knew what Tripathi was referring to. One can bet far more of them had heard about what Aamir Khan had said than about Kalburgi. Thats inevitable in a celebrity-dominated culture but its also sad that a debate about intolerance has quickly become the lazy shortcut to a headline.

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Octogenarian Nayantara Sahgal goes from festival to festival talking about intolerance but the debate is not being advanced in any way. The players have become well-established, their comments predictable. It has turned into a festival showpiece, sort of a WWE exhibition match between known crowd-pleasing gladiators like Anupam Kher and Suhel Seth.

Most of the writers, other than Sahgal and perhaps Ashok Vajpeyi, who returned their Sahitya Akademi awards have disappeared from the news. Who needs Punjabi writers and Bengali poets when Bollywood star power is at hand anyway?

Who needs Punjabi writers and Bengali poets when Bollywood star power is at hand anyway?

Even worse, when a Ratan Tata tells students in Chennai While governments can be in the business of monitoring, they should have no role in telling people what to do it is immediately spun as a Tata joining the intolerance debate. But as Dinesh Unnikrishnan points out he was actually talking about Modis reluctance to make bold moves on the privatization front, a charge that has now been carried forward by Tavleen Singh and Chetan Bhagat.

To shoehorn everything into the intolerance debate does the media no good and does not move the debate forward either. On the contrary, it ends up lending credence to the charge that the intolerance debate is a manufactured controversy, a media creation.

It is not. Whether fundamentalist groups are finding courage and succor is entirely a debate worth having. Whether the room for the dissenting view is shrinking in public discourse is a debate worth having. But lets have a moratorium on asking every celebrity around, minor or major, for their sound bite on the intolerance debate. That risks turning the debate over intolerance into the intolerance tamasha.

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But lets have a moratorium on asking every celebrity around, minor or major, for their sound bite on the intolerance debate.

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Hindustan Times via Getty Images MUMBAI, INDIA - JANUARY 8: Sand artist Laxmi paying a tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives at Pathankhot, through her art, at Juhu, on January 8, 2016 in Mumbai, India. Seven security personnel were killed in the attack on the Pathankot Indian Air Force Station by six terrorists who, according to officials, crossed over from Pakistan. All the six terrorists were killed by security forces later. (Photo by Vidya Subramanian/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

KARACHI -- A team, constituted by Pakistan to investigate into the attack on Indian airbase in Pathankot last month, has concluded that there is no substantive evidence to suggest that Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of the outlawed Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant group, masterminded the deadly assault.

According to The Express Tribune, six gunmen attacked the airbase in Pathankot on 2 January, leading to a three-day-long standoff that killed seven soldiers.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after India shared the 'leads' with Pakistan.

Subsequently, a crackdown was launched in Punjab against the JeM, its headquarters were sealed and dozens of activists detained.

The SIT has since been working on the Indian 'leads'. It is also expected to visit India to study the evidence the Indians have.

Officials privy to the SIT investigations said that Pakistani authorities have conveyed to New Delhi that there was no substantial evidence that could prove the involvement of Maulana Azhar in the Pathankot assault.

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Breaking down stereotypes, Afroz Begum and Jahan Aara have become the first women Qazis in Rajasthan after completing a two-year training course from Mumbai-based Darul Uloom-i-Nisawa.

Begum and Aara, both aged around 40 years, said they passed the test to become Qazis on completion of their training and will now focus on women's issues.

"We are first women Qazis in Rajasthan. We completed training from Darul Uloom in Mumbai. Our families supported us completely and now we will work for women," Begum, a mother of five, told PTI today.

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She said the local community has encouraged them but there were objections from some religious leaders and male Qazis.

"We will solemnise Nikaah and perform all the duties of a Qazi. It is a male-dominated area. If there are objections, we would like to sit and discuss the matter with the Qazis and others," she said.

"We learned about the rights bestowed on women by Quran.

We will not only solemnise Nikaah, but also work for the rights of women," Aara said.

Jahan Ara of Jaipur becomes the first woman Qazi in Rajasthan. pic.twitter.com/kXb5l7ZbsO  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

Meanwhile, there were mixed reactions from the Muslim community to the news of their appointment as Qazis.

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"Their interpretation of Islamic law is wrong and their becoming Qazis is an unusual thing. It does not fit into the social set up," Khalid Usmani, the city Qazi said, adding the duo was just trying to draw attention.

Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Mohammad Iqbal said, "As per Islamic law, there is no requirement of a Qazi to solemnise a Nikaah. It's a matter of consent and acceptance...in the presence of two witnesses.

"Therefore, it is not a big issue that the Qazi who is solemnising the Nikaah is a man or a woman. But the issue is about the breaking of certain Islamic laws which a woman Qazi may do," he said.

Welcoming the move, another muslim cleric Syed Noorul Haque of Ajmer said: "There is nothing objectionable about it.

They can do it and to understand them, one needs to understand the fundamentals of Islam. When Razia Sultan can become a ruler, why can't these woman become Qazis?"

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New Delhi -- Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said on Monday that the post-mortem report of the six-year old student found dead in a water tank on the Ryan International School campus suggested that there was no prima facie indication of any sexual assault.

The post-mortem report has been received and that is being studied. Initial reading of the report does not indicate any sexual assault. Death was due to drowning, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi told reporters here.

The father of deceased class I student Divyansh Kakrora had alleged on Friday that injury marks were seen on the dead body, including his private parts, which indicated that the boy was subject to a heinous crime.

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Kakrora was found dead in the schools water tank late last month, following which the Delhi government had accused the school of criminal negligence and ordered a probe.

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Michelle McMahon via Getty Images Red paper 'broken heart' with plaster on textured wood background.

New Delhi -- A probationary officer working with the State Bank of India (SBI) in Gujarat applied for a loan to celebrate Valentines Day, however his application was turned down by the bank.

In an interview with Times of India, the 25-year-old officer, Digvijay Singh claimed that he had not applied for the loan to get publicity, and didnt want to comment on the banks decision.

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Singh had applied for a loan of Rs 42,970 as a festival advance, but was turned down by SBI on the grounds of Valentines Day not being a valid festival.

The bank that does not recognise Mothers Day and Fathers Day (in addition to Valentines Day) had earlier approved Singhs application for an advance to celebrate Vasant Panchami. SBI, according to the report, offers one salary in advance, which can be repaid in 10 installments, as an interest-free loan to employees for celebration of festivals.

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Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 28: (Editors Note: This is an exclusive shoot of Hindustan Times) Bollywood actor Vidya Balan during an exclusive profile shoot with HT City-Hindustan Times at The Gulmohar, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road on September 28, 2012 in New Delhi, India. Vidya Balan announced India's first association with wash united at building awareness for sanitation and hygiene in urban & rural India. Balan said that she was proud and honoured to be the messenger of the Government of India for the cause of bringing about a clean India. After all, celebrities such as I can use our position and presence for a social cause to make a real difference in the lives of people in this country. I have chosen sanitation. (Photo by Raajessh Kashyap/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

KOLKATA -- Director Sujoy Ghosh has confirmed that he is reuniting with Vidya Balan for the sequel of his 2012 mystery Kahaani and is currently busy with its pre-production work.

Sujoy said the film will go on floors soon and will be majorly shot in the city.

"Yes Kahaani 2 is happening. It is in pre-production stage. Vidya Balan will star in the film. Major parts of the film will be shot in Kolkata," the director told PTI.

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Sujoy has produced Vidya's upcoming film T3EN directed by Ribhu Dasgupta. The film also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

During a discussion on Byomkesh Through The Ages at the 40th International Kolkata Book Fair last night, the director, said he personally liked Byomkesh Bakshi but was not sure if it would be fit enough for Monday's pan-Indian film goers.

"I still like Byomkesh novels at a personal level but I am not much sure from the director's point of view. I am not sure if it will be liked by the film audiences of today," said Sujoy, who essayed the role of fictional detective Byomkesh Bakshi in Satyanweshi (2013).

He said he took up the challenge to play Byomkesh Bakshi only at the behest of its late director Rituparno Ghosh.

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"Rituda had ordered me one day that 'you have to do the lead role in my Satyanweshi'. It was not possible for me to say no to Rituparno Ghosh. It was an altogether good experience. Except Byomkesh and his assistant Ajit, all other characters were created by Ritu da."

On the issue of literary works from Bengal having been adapted in many films, Sujoy said, "We have a veritable goldmine of literature. And I am proud of that."

The director said he loves coming to book fair. "There is a certain vibe of positivity in Kolkata. I feel that buzz again in Kolkata Book Fair where I have come after many years.

This reminds me of childhood days when the (book) fair took place at the Maidan," he said.

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Judge dismisses Kansas' attempt to block Biden debt forgiveness program

Judge Henry Edward Autrey, sided with the federal government in an opinion ruling that a group of six states' case failed to establish legal standing.
On Nov. 4, Inga Beale officially opened Lloyds new expanded specialist underwriting platform in Singapore, which Kent Chaplin, head of Lloyds in the Asia-Pacific region, described as an exciting new chapter for Lloyds.Lloyds is now up to 24 syndicates in Singapore and weve had two new ones just start in the last six months, Beale says. The competitive environment here is very tough, but Lloyds is actually the number-one writer of offshore insurance premiums from around the region into our Singapore hub.Beale shares excitement at the ever-growing contribution Asia-Pacific is making to the total business the market writes worldwide. Globally, Lloyds wrote about $40 billion in business last year and $4.7 billion was from Asia-Pacific, she says. Between 2010 and 2014, weve seen 27% premium growth from Asia-Pacific.Asia-Pacific is also becoming a bigger part of the Lloyds story through its role in helping diversify the markets capital base. If the latest Japanese acquisitions go through via MSIG (Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group) and Tokio Marine Kiln, Japanese insurers will be providing 16.5% of the entire capital to Lloyds globally. I think thats a really interesting number and goes to show how much things have changed in Lloyds history from the days of the thousands of individual investors we used to have.Today 11% of our capital is provided by the individual names and nearly 90% is now corporate capital. Couple this change with the interest from countries that havent traditionally been a big part of Lloyds, I think its a real transformation and Im pleased with it.The soft marketIn September, Lloyds announced its results for the first half of 2015.Among the highlights was a pre-tax profit of 1.19 billion ($1.8 billion), down from 1.65 billion ($2.5 billion) for the same period last year.Total gross written premium was 15.51 billion ($23.56 billion), up from 14.48 ($22 billion) reported for the first half of 2014.At the time, Beale said the results demon strated Lloyds success despite challenging underwriting and investment conditions and predicted pressure on insurance pricing would continue.So what advice would she offer to brokers about standing out and surviving in the current climate? Beale points to Lloyds research highlighting particularly significant under-insurance in 17 countries. To me, that presents an enormous opportunity, and Id encourage any broker to go out, look for the gaps in insurance coverage right now and seize the opportunity. She adds, Weve conducted research with risk managers of businesses around the world  so this is also true in mature economies  which shows that less than 10% of risks they face are covered by insurance. My encouragement to brokers is to work with us to increase awareness, using the studies Lloyds publishes around specific risks.Vision 2025Over the next year, much of Beales own focus will likely be on Lloyds modernization agenda, which is encapsulated in its Vision 2025 strategy. A lot of what Lloyds does in the way it trades is paper-based. Theres lots of multiple entry of the same information throughout the process.So were embarking on a massive five-year modernization program across the entire market. Im going to be spending quite a lot of my time in the next six to 12 months on the modernization piece.

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A key battle in workers compensation ended last week with the removal of a bill endorsing the opt-out model in Tennessee.The state was the latest of several in the southern US to consider legislation that would have allowed private employers to opt out of the state workers compensation system. The bill originated almost a year earlier, sponsored by State Senator Mark Green and Representative Jeremy Durham  both Republicans  but hit a snag when the Tennessee Advisory Council on Workers Compensation unanimously decided against recommending it.Then, last week, the Tennessee House Consumer Affairs Committee canceled a hearing related to opt out legislation and took Green and Durhams bill of notice. That means it has been removed from the legislative calendar for the year and is unlikely to come up for a vote.The bill, The Tennessee Employee Injury Benefit Alternative, borrows language from Oklahoma  which passed opt out legislation in 2013  and Texas, which has allowed private employers to opt out of buying workers comp insurance for more than 100 years.The defeat is a significant one for proponents of opt out legislation, who targeted Tennessee as a state likely to embrace the concept.However, according to frequent workers compensation blogger Robert Wilson, the sentiment toward the concept has been shifting away from opt out for several months, particularly as positive effects from 2013 reforms become more apparent and the concerns about the real effect of opt out received more publicity.Green has said he does not expect movement on the legislation until next year.Enthusiasm for opt out legislation has waned elsewhere as well. South Carolina was due to consider a similar proposal, allowing employers to provide injury benefit plans that are less comprehensive than state-mandated workers comp insurance, but the bill  introduced last May  has not been revisited so far this year.Proponents of opt out legislation have not given up, however. The Association for Responsible Alternatives to Workers Compensation, the lobbying group that worked with legislators in Tennessee to draft the bill, said the group will continue to have conversations with legislators about the benefits to employees and employers of enacting a Tennessee option, with the goal of complement[ing] the workers compensation reforms enacted in 2013.Even so, the group concedes 2017 is the earliest Tennessee is likely to revisit the concept.
Public Forum Set on Mount Greylock Building Project

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Mt. Greylock Regional School Building Committee will hold a public forum on the current building project on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. in the Williamstown Elementary School auditorium.



The committee invites all members of the public to learn in more detail about the project and to ask questions, committee co-chair Paula Consolini said. We want citizens to be as informed as possible before voting on the project.



In Williamstown, that ballot vote will take place on March 1 along with the presidential primary. The ballot vote in Lanesborough is scheduled for March 15. The project will also be discussed at a special Lanesborough town meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. at Lanesborough Elementary School.



After a decade of local effort, the Massachusetts School Building Authority in 2014 invited the Mt. Greylock District into the process by which the authority guides districts through building projects and reimburses a significant portion their expenses.



Based on the schools educational plan, studies of the current building, and input from the public, the district is proposing a project that would renovate the gym, the auditorium, and the structure that connects them; take down the academic areas; and replace the latter with a new wing.
'Need to Take Clearance From Govt': BCCI President on Whether India Will Travel to Pakistan For Asia Cup
With a steadily growing Internet penetration rate, and an ongoing surge in smartphone adoption, the Philippines is in the midst of a digital transformation that not only affects daily life, but is also expected to drive an uptake in digitization among businesses in terms of operations and decision-making. ePLDT, the digital enterprise enabler of the PLDT Group, strongly urges organizations to consider a Big Data Analytics strategy to accelerate business growth.

"Every person somehow leaves a digital footprint, whether its on social media or with electronic transactions. There is a tremendous amount of data waiting to be mined, refined, and analyzed. With the right infrastructure, tools, and expertise, valuable insight can be gleaned from all this information," said ePLDT Group Chief Operating Officer Nerissa S. Ramos.

Citing a study by Bain & Company, Ramos said that companies with Big Data platforms are two times more likely to have superior financial performance within their industries, and five times more likely to make faster business decisions.

"And this is not just about speed. In this day and age, accuracy through predictive data-driven decision-making is key. By using historical data, one can understand the reasons behind past successes or failures. With this, decision-makers can make wiser business choices moving forward," she said.

ePLDT provides the countrys first Big Data Analytics services and infrastructure as an initiative to help organizations harness the power of Big Data, and use this as a means to achieve business goals faster. "This and our other enabling digital enterprise endeavors, are testament to the companys brand promise of Enabling Success," added Ramos.

According to Ramos, the Philippines is a young market for Big Data. Although awareness is high, adoption has a long way to go. ePLDT is ready to take enterprises through the Big Data journey via their expert consulting framework. Here, companies are guided towards the best approach to use Big Data for their respective organizations.

Leveraging on their membership in the Open Data Platform (ODP), a worldwide consortium of Big Data global technology leaders, ePLDT is offering an ODP-compliant Analytics Compute Engine (ACE) that will jumpstart Big Data projects.

Maximizing the Big Data assets of the PLDT Group, ePLDT is able to provide predictive analytics services to businesses, helping customers identify risks and opportunities, and ultimately, allowing them to make data-driven decisions. Ramos noted that Big Data will afford enterprises, organizations, even the government, with valuable insights that can help them tailor-fit products, services, and policies to benefit their publics.

"When organizations are able to identify the needs of their market, they are more empowered to act on those needs. Imagine what a happy customer base you will have if you are able to address their needs before they even know it themselves," said Ramos.

Apart from growing its Big Data infrastructure and services, ePLDT is set to beef up their Security Solutions suite as well as introduce a Customer Experience enhancement.

The PLDT Group is the pioneering ASEAN member in the Open Data Platform (ODP), a global group with the aim to standardize the core platform and accelerate Big Data delivery across markets.

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Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC), Sojitz Corp., JACCS Co., Ltd, and BDO Leasing and Finance, Inc. (BDOLF) has signed a partnership agreement to establish an automotive financing services company that will exclusively cater on financing brand new Mitsubishi Motors vehicles. Signing the agreement were MMPC President and CEO Mr. Yoshiaki Kato, Sojitz Corp.s Mr. Mikihisa Takayama, JACCS president Mr. Yasuyoshi Itagaki and BDO Mr. Nestor V. Tan. This joint venture will be named as MMPC Auto Financial Services Corp. or MAFS and is expected to be operational by June of this year. Heading this newly established auto financing services company will be a nominee from Sojitz Corp.

MAFS has a capital stock of Php 750 million and is 60% owned by foreign companies, MMPC, Sojitz Corp. and JACCS with shares of 5%, 35% and 20% respectively. BDOLF, a subsidiary of the countrys largest bank (BDO) owns the remaining 40% shares.

Thru the establishment of MAFS, customers will gain more financing options that will perfectly suit their capacity. MAFS will be dedicated in providing attractive and flexible financing packages for customers aiming to own a brand new Mitsubishi vehicle. With the continued growth of the local automotive industry, MAFS projects to finance a total of 20,000 units by the year 2020.

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Press Release: IMFs Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center and the Statistics Department Conclude Workshop on Price Index Compilation Issues

Press Release No. 16/48

February 8, 2016

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)s Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC) and the Statistics Department held a workshop on Price Index Compilation Issues in Beirut, Lebanon from February 1-5, 2016. The workshop addressed specific price statistics compilation issues of participating countries. International standards and best practices were discussed with regard to the compilation and dissemination of price indexes.

The interactive workshop facilitated extensive discussions and included practical exercises. In a final wrap-up session, participants were given the opportunity to identify potential areas for future METAC technical assistance support.

Officials from national statistical offices who are involved in the compilation of price statistics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region attended the workshop. In total, 24 participants from eight countries attended. The countries represented included: Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, and West Bank and Gaza.

Quick links:

Press Release No. 04/224: Inauguration of the Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Center (METAC)

Factsheet: IMF Technical Assistance

Factsheet: IMF Regional Technical Assistance Centers
Imperial Valley News Center

Stakes are high in Popes visit to Mexico

Notre Dame, Indiana - When Pope Francis travels to Mexico February 12-17, he will visit six cities - including two in the state of Chiapas, Mexicos poorest state - and will celebrate a Mass in Ciudad Juarez across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas. The first pope from Latin America, where 40 percent of the worlds Catholics live, he will be touring the country thats home to the second largest Catholic population in the world.

According to Timothy Matovina, professor of theology and co-director of the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame, the fervent response in Mexico during previous papal visits will no doubt be surpassed to welcome the first Latin American pope. This is a defining trip for the papacy of Pope Francis, as he will be able to address concerns ranging from immigrants to drug cartels to government corruption and the need for responsible leadership. He will also have ample opportunities to engage in his memorable gestures during visits to native peoples, to the U.S.-Mexican border, and to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the most frequented shrine in the hemisphere.

All in all, Pope Francis and the Mexicans both should be ready to be changed by this historic encounter, said Peter J. Casarella, associate professor of theology at the Notre Dame. Last March, Pope Francis spoke to the Mexican reporter Valentina Alazraki of Televisa and confessed his eagerness to enter Mexico through the U.S. border, his love for La Morenita, his concern about the growth of evangelical Christianity in Mexico, and his fondness as a child for the actor Cantinflas.

In the last 11 months, the expectations of the Mexicans and the world have only risen. Pope Francis knows that the stakes are high. The practice of Catholicism in many parts of the country is in need of renewal. His speech to civil society will allow him to speak about transparency and accountability in the public sphere. His visit to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe will confirm that the Argentine Popes heart is very close to that of the Mexican people, but the apostolic journey will be by no means sentimental and merely pious.

The cross-border Mass at Ciudad Juarez/El Paso, Texas, will symbolize the popes solidarity with those migrants caught in the desert between the two countries," Casarella said. "He will also be able to speak to the feminicide  the mass murder of innocent women  that has taken place in Ciudad Juarez. The homily of the pope when he is among the indigenous people in Chiapas could strike another note of solidarity, one which he has displayed, for example, in his speech last July in Bolivia at the World Meeting of Popular Movements.

Luis Ricardo Fraga, Arthur Foundation Endowed Professor of Transformative Latino Leadership, Joseph and Elizabeth Robbie Professor of Political Science and co-director of the Institute for Latino Studies at Notre Dame, noted that Pope Francis visit underlines the historical complexity of the relationship between the Mexican people and the Catholic Church. It was Spanish colonizers who brought Catholicism to Mexico and used it to both justify the conquest of its indigenous peoples and to claim that the indigenous, as children of God, had the right to be converted to Catholicism, Fraga said.

The challenges that Mexico continues to face regarding economic development and income disparity are directly aligned with the agenda Pope Francis has established for todays Catholic Church. His messages of a preferential option for the poor and the need for greater stewardship of the worlds natural resources directly relate to the lives of the citizens of Mexico. These messages should be very well received by many of Mexicos Catholic faithful.

Moreover, it is important to see if his declaration of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, a year of consolation and forgiveness, will have any impact on redirecting the ways that ever-growing narco trafficking has led to death, exploitation and fear for many Mexicans. Moreover, it will be just as important to see if his message of mercy will have any impact on the growing challenges that Mexican and Central American migrants face as they attempt to come to the United States to build futures for themselves and their families. His decision to visit Juarez, Mexico, will give him a direct opportunity to influence how governmental leaders in the U.S. and the general American public respond to undocumented immigrants.
Nutrient Deprivation Kills Kidney Cancer Cells

Durham, North Carolina - All cells need nutrients, but cancer cells are notoriously power hungry. As a result, cancer cells must alter their metabolism to provide the additional fuel needed for them to survive, grow and spread.

For decades, scientists have been trying to exploit this greedy metabolism as a target for new anti-cancer therapies.

Duke University researchers have discovered a promising target for renal cell carcinomas. A study appearing online Feb. 1, 2016 in Cancer Research shows that the majority of these cancers rewire their metabolism in a way that leaves them addicted to an outside nutrient called cystine.

By depriving the cancer cells of the amino acid cystine, the researchers were able to trigger a form of cell death called necrosis in mouse models of the disease.

We found that the same machinery that makes these tumors so aggressive also makes them vulnerable to nutrient deprivation, said senior study author Jen-Tsan Ashley Chi, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke University School of Medicine. It is like we are beating it at its own game.

Chi said the study points to a promising new approach for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer that has historically been very difficult to cure. The disease kills more than 100,000 people a year.

About three-fourths of renal cell carcinoma cases are marked by a missing VHL tumor-suppressor gene, which keeps healthy cells from developing into tumors. Chi and lead study author Xiaohu Tang, a post-doctoral fellow in his lab, decided to investigate how this single genetic change could affect the metabolism and nutrient requirement of cancer cells.

Tang subjected the cancer cells to a nutrient deprivation test, removing each of the 15 amino acids from their growth media, one by one. Most of the time, the cells weathered the change quite well, slowing down their growth but otherwise remaining healthy. But Tang found that when cystine was removed, the cells swelled up and floated to the surface, a sure sign of necrotic death.

The researchers then conducted a number of genetic analyses to piece together the network of genes responsible for this nutrient addiction. Normally, the VHL gene acts to suppress another gene called tumor necrosis factor alpha or TNF-alpha. When VHL is lost, the high levels of TNF-alpha beget a faster-growing, more aggressive form of cancer that sheds loads of dangerous free radicals.

Cystine is responsible for maintaining high levels of antioxidants that disarm free radicals of oxygen; so when the researchers got rid of this nutrient, the cancer cells essentially died by their own hand of free radical damage.

The researchers showed that the approach was successful both in tissue culture cells as well as in mice. Tang and his colleagues in the laboratory of Dr. David Hsu at the Duke Cancer Institute implanted renal cell carcinoma tumors into mice and then treated the animals with sulfasalazine, a drug that blocks cystine uptake. They found that the treatment induced necrosis and significantly delayed tumor growth.

Chi says that better, more potent drugs will be needed to knock out the cancer entirely. But he believes that targeting cancers for destruction by necrosis and not by apoptosis, the other main pathway to cell death, holds great promise therapeutically.

Most chemotherapies kill cancer cells through apoptosis, and the cancer cells that escape apoptosis are the root cause of chemotherapy resistance and tumor progression, said Chi. Cystine starvation treatments could address resistance by killing cells through a different mechanism.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (CA125618, and CA106520), the Department of Defense (W81XWH-12-1-0148, W81XWH-14-1-0309, W81XWH-15-1-0486), and the Duke Cancer Center Pilot Project fund. Other significant contributors include Jianli Wu, Chien-Kuang Ding, Min Lu, Melissa Keenan, Chao-Chieh Lin, Cih-An Lin and Charles Wang. Additional investigators include Dr. Daniel George, Professor of Medicine, and Dr. Shiaowen David Hsu, William Dalton Family Assistant Professor of Cancer Genomics.
Pushback against constant connectivity also reflected in images, study follow-up finds

Seattle, Washington - People expressing the wish to resist constant online connectivity - dubbed pushback by University of Washington Information School researchers - is manifested as powerfully in images as in text, further study has found.

Information School associate professor Ricardo Gomez was co-author on research into textual pushback that was published in the online journal FirstMonday in 2014. Stacey Morrison, a recent graduate of the iSchool, was lead author.

A late-autumn 2015 follow-up paper on which Gomez is lead author, also in FirstMonday, is the first to review visual aspects of the pushback theme.

The novel thing here is that we looked at images  something nobody had done on this topic, Gomez said. And we studied the use of humor, metaphor and blurring of boundaries between real and virtual, which dont come up much in textural studies of media resistance.

Gomez and co-authors are the first to study how images relate to the pushback phenomenon. We studied the use of humor, metaphor and blurring of boundaries between real and virtual, which dont come up much in textural studies of media resistance, Gomez said. Here, the use of text over a vintage image plays with the notion that newspapers, too, perhaps made us less social ~ Pinterest

While two years ago only a few people were looking at resistance to technology, today it is an issue of growing concern, Gomez said. Resisting the lure of technology is becoming mainstream.

The researchers conducted content analyses of 233 images online, culled from an original total of 400 found posted on such popular sites as Google, Bing, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and reddit.

We found strong visual expressions of resistance to technology related to overload, health, relationships and reserved (technology-free) spaces, the researchers write. Each one of these is an important dimension where the role of technology is critiqued, with particularly strong imagery related to addictions, as depicted by images that compare Facebook or Twitter to cocaine, heroin or cigarettes.

They found that these image-based critiques of what has been called the evertime of constant connectivity are represented by depictions of all phases of life, from birth to death, with a particular focus on friendship and weddings.

One demographic group in particular presents an opportunity for further study: We may have missed visual expressions of resistance to technology that were created by youth, due to the platforms we sampled, the researchers write. Future research can explore the similarities and differences between adult and youth expressions of resistance to information and communication technologies. Such additional studies would augment the findings we have presented.

Visual images of pushback - the desire to step back from the life of constant connection - use humor often and effectively ~ reddit

The images studied are laced with irony in that they are used online to comment on the excesses of and resist the connected online life. The researchers are aware of this twist.

Rather than advocating an impossible return to the past, they write, our goal is to invite informed and self-aware use of information technologies to improve our lives.

The research complements work by iSchool professor David Levy, who also advocates for a more self-aware use of technology in his well-reviewed new book, Mindful Tech: How to Bring Balance to Our Digital Lives.

Gomezs co-authors are Kirsten Foot, professor of communication and adjunct professor in the iSchool; iSchool doctoral students Meg Young and Rose Paquet-Kinsley; and Morrison, who now works for the UW School of Medicine.
Scientists Map Movement of Greenland Ice During Past 9,000 Years

Austin, Texas - Scientists have created the first map that shows how the Greenland Ice Sheet has moved over time, revealing that ice in the interior is moving more slowly toward the edges than it has, on average, during the past 9,000 years.

The findings, which researchers said dont change the fact that the ice sheet is losing mass overall and contributing to sea level rise, are published in the Feb. 5 issue of Science. Along Greenlands periphery, many glaciers are rapidly thinning. However, the vast interior of Greenland is slowly thickening, a process the new study clarifies.

Scientists are very interested in understanding how ice sheets flow and how that flow may have been different in the past. Our paleo-velocity map for Greenland allows us to assess the flow of the ice sheet right now in the context of the last several thousand years, said lead author Joe MacGregor of The University of Texas at Austins Institute for Geophysics (UTIG), a research unit of the Jackson School of Geosciences.

The study builds on earlier UTIG-led research that developed a database of the many layers within Greenlands ice sheet. Using this database, the scientists determined the flow pattern for the past 9,000 years - in effect creating a paleo-velocity map.

The trunk and terminus of Jakobshavn Isbr, a large glacier in western Greenland that discharges into Ilulissat Fjord. While this outlet glacier and many others have experienced rapid acceleration over the last two decades, most of the ice sheet interior has decelerated over the last nine thousand years. Tim Bartholomaus

The authors identified three causes for this deceleration. First is that snowfall rates were generally higher during the past 9,000 years, second is the slow stiffening of the ice sheet over time, and third is the collapse of an ice bridge that used to connect Greenlands ice to that on nearby Ellesmere Island. Of most interest were the last two.

Like many others, I had in mind the ongoing dramatic retreat and speedup along the edges of the ice sheet, so Id assumed that the interior was faster now too. But it wasnt, said MacGregor.In comparing the paleo-velocity map with modern flow rates, researchers found that the ice sheets interior is moving more slowly now than during most of the Holocene, a geological period that began about 11,700 years ago and runs to the present.

The ice that formed from snow that fell in Greenland during the last ice age is about three times softer than the ice being formed today, according to William Colgan of York Universitys Lassonde School of Engineering, a co-author of the study.

Because of this difference, the ice sheet is slowly becoming stiffer. As a consequence, the ice sheet is flowing more slowly and getting thicker over time. This effect is most important in southern Greenland, where higher snowfall rates have led to rapid replacement of ice from the last glacial period with more modern Holocene ice.

But that didnt explain what was happening elsewhere in Greenland, particularly the northwest, where there isnt as much snowfall, so the stiffening effect isnt as important, said MacGregor.

The explanation of deceleration in the northwest lies in the collapse 10,000 years ago of an ice bridge across Nares Strait, which used to connect Greenlands ice to that on Ellesmere Island. The collapse of the ice bridge at the end of the last ice age led to acceleration in the northwest, but the ice sheet has since returned to a slower pace.

These changes, which started thousands of years ago, affect our understanding of the changing Greenland Ice Sheet even today. Scientists often use GPS and altimeters aboard satellites to measure the elevation of the ice surface and study how much mass is being lost or gained across the ice sheet. When correcting for other known effects on the surface elevation, any leftover thickening is assumed to be due to increasing snowfall, but this study shows that may not be the case.

Were saying that recent increases in snowfall do not necessarily explain present-day interior thickening, said Colgan. If youre using a satellite altimeter to figure out how much mass Greenland is losing, youre going to get the answer slightly wrong unless you account for these very long-term signals that are evident in its interior.

UTIG researcher Ginny Catania and scientists from University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of California Irvine and The University of Kansas worked on the study. This study was supported by the National Science Foundations Arctic Natural Sciences Program, the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets, and NASAs Operation IceBridge.
Overall US crime rates unaffected by so-called Ferguson effect

Boulder, Colorado - A new study finds no evidence of a widespread surge in total, violent or property crime in large U.S. cities in the aftermath of the highly publicized police shooting of Michael Brown. But the research does show the overall rate of robberies across the country has increased, as has the murder rate in certain cities.

The study - the most comprehensive of its kind to date - tests the hypothesis that the shooting of Brown, a young black man, by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri  and a string of similar incidents across the country  have led to increases in crime across the U.S., a phenomenon known as the Ferguson effect. Researchers analyzed monthly crime data from 81 large U.S. cities the year before and year after the events in Ferguson on Aug. 9, 2014. The results were published today online in the Journal of Criminal Justice.

We have seen crime rates drop to historic lows over the last two decades so any potential increase in crime, especially violent crime, is of great concern, said lead study author David Pyrooz, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder. However, the finding that crime rates are essentially unchanged means that a Ferguson effect cannot be singled out as the driving factor of any widespread increase in crime other than robbery.

The high-profile shooting took social media by storm and has fueled ongoing national discussions about policing in cities across the nation. Pyrooz said the national discourse surrounding the so-called Ferguson effect as the cause of an upswing in crime rates has been long on anecdotes and short on data.

The one crime that is showing signs of increasing is robbery, said study co-author Scott Decker, foundation professor of criminology and criminal justice at Arizona State University. Robbery drives fear of crime among the general population and is among the most feared crimes, so thats concerning.

Another concerning finding is the increase in homicide rates in select American cities. Pyrooz said cities with increases in homicide after the Ferguson shooting shared certain characteristics.

These are cities with historically high levels of violence, high concentrations of socioeconomic disadvantages, more police per capita and a demographic makeup that differs from cities where homicide rates remained flat, said Pyrooz.

For the study, researchers gathered monthly crime data from police departments and websites in cities with populations of at least 200,000. Offenses reviewed included homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft. These are the offenses used by the FBI in measuring serious crime in the U.S.

Some law enforcement, criminal justice experts, commentators and policymakers have raised concern that rampant social media sharing of messages critical of law enforcement amplified the effect of the Ferguson shooting.

Specifically, some have argued that social media sharing caused police not to intervene in certain criminal settings for fear of criticism or lawsuits and also led to a widespread mistrust of police. However, the finding that crime rates are not significantly higher since Ferguson means that these factors are not causing an increase in crime, the researchers said.

What we do know is that if de-policing or a legitimacy crisis is occurring, neither is impacting crime rates systematically across large U.S. cities, said co-author Scott Wolfe, assistant professor in the department of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. Future research should examine these issues since they are critical to the effective administration of justice in the U.S.

John Shjarback of the department of criminal justice at the University of Texas at El Paso also contributed to the study.
Secretary of State John Kerry's Phone Call With Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida

Washington, DC - Secretary Kerry spoke separately this morning via phone with Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida regarding the launch by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea using ballistic missile technology.

The Secretary reaffirmed for both foreign ministers the U.S. ironclad commitment to the security and defense of Japan, the Republic of Korea, and our other allies. The Secretary condemned the launch as a violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions that threatened international peace and security, and he emphasized the importance of a united international response to North Korea's provocations, including through a strong UN Security Council Resolution.

The Secretary also noted the vital importance of continued close communication and cooperation among the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea in addressing the threats posed by North Korea.
Agreement on a Way Forward for Governance and Elections in Haiti

Washington, DC - The United States welcomes the agreement by Executive and Legislative authorities in Haiti to ensure the continuity of governance and the completion of the ongoing electoral process.

Echoing the Core Group statement of February 6, we trust that all actors will keep the best interests of Haiti and its people above all other considerations.

We also acknowledge the constructive role played by the Special Mission of the Organization of American States in fostering a spirit of consensus among Haitian stakeholders.

The United States looks forward to continuing to work with Haiti and its international partners in support of strengthening democracy in Haiti.
General practice veteran Prof Bill Shannon has warned that the next generation of GPs will not make sacrifices colleagues of old had to endure for the benefit of the profession, and it was incumbent on the health managers to make conditions attractive for them as he would not expect young doctors to work for half nothing.

On the future of general practice in Ireland, he told IMT: I think there are a lot of positives. I think the isolation is almost gone anyway. I mean there are still rural GPs who unfortunately have to be single-handed, and I do feel for them that they need to be properly resourced, because in many parts of rural Ireland there is very little private practice and they need the resources when they are doing GMS work most of the time, as they are.

He added: And the FEMPI cuts have really damaged people, and they are saying that it wont be attractive for the next generation and I think thats whats important  the next generation.

The next generation will not make those sacrifices. I mentioned some of them during my talk. Because of the cost and expenses of practices today I dont expect the people of tomorrow to actually work for half nothing or to not have a decent life at the end of it.

In his keynote address to the NAGP AGM, Prof Shannon cited visionary and disciplined GPs such as the late James McCormick who produced the McCormick report of 1973, which paved the way for the proper inclusion of general practice in the curricula of Irish medical schools, Dr Michael Boland who established a viable ICGP, and the late Dr Owen Shorten who established the first GP Training Scheme in Ireland (Cork) back in 1972, who had given their time, energy and commitment, often without any remuneration whatsoever.

lloyd.mudiwa@imt.ie

 Irish Medical Times would like to correct an error in the print edition of this article, where Skibbereen GP Dr Michael Boland was incorrectly referred to as the late Dr Boland. The typographical error was ours and not the words of Prof Bill Shannon. We apologise to Michael and his family.
Shashi Tharoor, Cat or Lettuce? UK PM Liz Truss's Resignation Has Twitter Looking for New Contender
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If Hollywood is boring itself with its endless procession of sequels and remakes quite as much as it is us, then it might like to consider another low-effort way to alchemise box-office gold from immediately recognisable elements; were talking about the literary mash-up.

Take one classic novel, mix in incongruous, crowd-pleasing elements, and, hey presto, you have a hybrid product with instant literary and popcorn appeal.

In its infancy as a cinematic genre, the literary mash-up is set to get a leg-up with this weeks release of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Based on Seth Grahame-Smiths hit 2009 book, the film imagines the undead intruding upon the romantic travails of the Bennet sisters.

And if P and P and Z manages to strike the period-horror sweetspot, then we imagine producers will be falling over themselves to find other classic books that they can cannibalise. Which is why we have prepared our own list of mash-ups just raring to go into production:

On the Fury Road

Jack Kerouacs trans-American odyssey may be an important work, but its story is too rambling and its characters too self-involved for satisfying cinema, as an anodyne 2012 adaptation proved. But you know what its protagonists could really do with? A bit of post-apocalyptic jeopardy to bring them out of themselves!

So, why not take a leaf out of Mad Maxs book and have them embark on their voyage of self-discovery in the wake of a nuclear holocaust, thus interspersing their romantic battle for an authentic life with more tangible struggles against barbarous warlords and their feral body-painted minions. Mixing pseudo-visionary blather with steampunk couture, it will be a coming-of-age story like no other. - and the ultimate date movie for the Burning Man crowd.

Whatever happened to Baby Jane Eyre?

Charlotte Brontes novel is one of our favourites, but this dark masterpiece comes unstuck with its ersatz happy ending Reader, I Married Him business. But reader, what if, it were to make good on its gothic potential by taking a leaf out of Bette Davis and Joan Crawfords 1962 camp classic?

To wit: Jane didnt marry that lying bully Rochester but instead she and the attic-bound Mrs Rochester together started a fire to dispose of him.

However when we catch up with the pair a few decades later, their relationship has soured; with Jane having locked Bertha in the attic once more for thwarting her marriage hopes all those years ago, this increasingly deranged recluse stalks the house in her ragged governesss uniform. But whats Bertha plotting? Cue a battle of divas like nothing the 19th century has ever seen.

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The 15 best opening lines in literature Show all 15 1 /15 The 15 best opening lines in literature The 15 best opening lines in literature Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. chipkidd.com The 15 best opening lines in literature Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy All happy families are alike but an unhappy family is unhappy after its own fashion. npr.org The 15 best opening lines in literature A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. The 15 best opening lines in literature Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte I have just returned from a visit to my landlord  the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with", which pitches you straight into the story. Penguin Books The 15 best opening lines in literature Middlemarch, by George Eliot Miss Brooke had that kind of beauty which seems to be thrown into relief by poor dress. Penguin Books The 15 best opening lines in literature Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." AP The 15 best opening lines in literature The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that Ive been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticising any one, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world havent had the advantages that youve had. cracked.com The 15 best opening lines in literature Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie "All children, except one, grow up." read.gov The 15 best opening lines in literature One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, by Ken Kesey Theyre out there. Black boys in white suits up before me to commit sex acts in the hall and get it mopped up before I can catch them. listed.com The 15 best opening lines in literature Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day." rarebookschool.org The 15 best opening lines in literature One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. Harper Collins The 15 best opening lines in literature The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin. minabach.com The 15 best opening lines in literature The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain You dont know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but that aint no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. Penguin Books The 15 best opening lines in literature The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. npr.org The 15 best opening lines in literature Catch 22, by Joseph Heller "It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him." gonereading.com

Paradise Lost in Space

John Miltons verse epic has long been considered unfilmable  an adaptation starring Bradley Cooper was cancelled before it went into production  but thats only because producers have missed an obvious trick.

Give this transcendental tale the lift-off it deserves. After all, how better to justify the ways of God to multiplex masses than through that most commercially rewarding medium of space battles?

With his habit of getting all the best lines, Satan will be a far more charismatic galactic baddie than Darth Vader has ever been, while Adam and Eves fall will be like Sandra Bullock and George Clooneys untethered spacewalk in Gravity, only more shameful.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

No Country for Big Women

Meeting the current demand for both violent young adult franchises and revisionist feminist tales, this existential thriller will add firepower to Louisa May Alcotts sisterly saga Little Women.

In a lawless New England, and with their father away at the Civil War, Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth must defend their land, and their homestead, against ruthless marauders while repeatedly saving their drippy suitors from certain death.

Sensitive souls should beware of a particularly intense mid-section, where Beth goes on the rampage after descending into a scarlet fever-induced delirium.

Annie (Wolf) Hall

The romcom may have become all too formulaic, but heres one with a twist guaranteed to surprise: after all, how many Kate Hudson efforts climax with a beheading, hey?

Loosely inspired by Woody Allens Annie Hall, this free adaptation of Hilary Mantels Tudor saga puts the spotlight back on our lead royal duo, as the socially awkward neurotic Henry ponders the end of his relationship with the original manic-pixie-dream-girl, Annie Boleyn.

Breaking the fourth wall with wry commentary, Henry takes us through some of the key chapters in their relationship  such as that time when they cooked up the Act of Supremacy  before a wistful, executioners block-side goodbye between our two protagonists gives way to a final monologue on this crazy little thing called love. With Thomas Cromwell on quippy BFF duties.

Gatsby vs Trump

When it comes to horror showdowns, Alien vs Predator and Freddy vs Jason will have nothing on this meta-fictional slugfest  an ideal project for Charlie Kaufman.

With an ever looser grip on reality, and a desire to tyrannise literary history, Donald Trump dives into the pages of F Scott Fitzgeralds novel to defeat the man he sees as his most formidable rival for the title of Americas greatest capitalist charlatan.

He proceeds to lumber his way into the plot, throwing more vulgar parties than Gatsby ever could and comprehensively out-creeping Tom Buchanan. It ends with The Donald smashing up the green light at the end of Daisy Buchanans jetty because its an open invitation to illegal immigrants.

Mario Kart of Darkness Pushing the cross-generational animation to its darkest limits, this will re-imagine Joseph Conrads nightmarish quest via the medium of Nintendos racing masterpiece. Truly, an Apocalypse Now for the Lego Movie generation.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies goes on general release from this Thursday
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Every year, the Oscars offer nominees a gift bag and every year the contents get increasingly weird.

This year, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett will have the chance to take home over $200,000 worth of gifts, including items such as a Vampire Breast Lift, an arouser (for just the female contestants) and a 10-day trip to Israel worth $55,000.

Describing the gift bag, the Academy wrote how this years bag will once again a blend of fabulous, fun and functional items meant to thrill and pamper those who may have everything money can buy but still savour the simple joy of a gift.

Also up for grabs is a years worth of unlimited Audi car rentals ($45,000), a 15-day walking tour of Japan ($45,000), a laser skin-tightening procedure ($5,300), a lifetime supply of skin creams from Lizora ($1,300) and a Haze Dual V3 Vaporiser ($249.99) sure to keep Leo happy.

#OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Show all 19 1 /19 #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Jada Pinkett-Smith Today is Martin Luther Kings birthday, and I cant help but ask the question: Is it time that people of color recognize how much power and influence we have amassed that we no longer need to ask to be invited anywhere? I ask the question: Have we come to a new time and place where we recognize that we can no longer beg for the love, acknowledge, or respect of any group? - Posted on her Facebook page. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Will Smith "The beauty of Hollywood combined with American ideals is the ultimate dream for humanity: the basis of the American concept of anything is possible, with hard work and dedication, no matter your race or religion, creed, none of that matters in America. I think that diversity is the American superpower. That's why we are great. So many different people from so many different places adding their ideas and their inspiration and their influences to this beautiful American gumbo and for me, at its best, Hollywood represents and then creates the imagery for that beauty. But for my part, I think I have to fight for and protect the ideals that make our country and make our Hollywood community great. So when I look at the series of nominations of the Academy, it's not reflecting that beauty." - Quote from ABC News appearance. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Reese Witherspoon "I really appreciated this article in TIME on the lack of racial and gender diversity in this year's Oscar nominations. So disappointed that some of 2015's best films, filmmakers and performances were not recognized... Nothing can diminish the quality of their work, but these filmmakers deserve recognition. As an Academy member, I would love to see a more diverse voting membership." - Posted on her Facebook page. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Spike Lee "This whole Academy thing is a misdirection play. We're chasing a guy down the field, he doesn't even have the ball. The other guy's high-stepping in the end zone. It goes further than the Academy Awards. It has to go back to the gatekeepers. We're not in the room. The executives, when they have these greenlight meetings quarterly, they look at the scripts and see who's in it and decide what we're making and what we're not making." - Quote from ABC appearance. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say George Clooney "If you think back 10 years ago, the Academy was doing a better job. Think about how many more African Americans were nominated. I would also make the argument, I dont think its a problem of who youre picking as much as it is: How many options are available to minorities in film, particularly in quality films? There should be 20 or 30 or 40 films of the quality that people would consider for the Oscars. By the way, were talking about African Americans. For Hispanics, its even worse. We need to get better at this. We used to be better at it." - Interview with Variety. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Snoop Dogg Somebody was actually like am I gonna watch the motherf***ing Oscars. F*** no. What the f*** am I going to watch that bulls*** for? They aint got no n***** nominated. All these great movies and all this great s*** yall keep stealing from us. F*** you! F*** you! - Posted on his Instagram page. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Don Cheadle "Yo, Chris. Come check me out at #TheOscars this year. They got me parking cars on G level." - Posted on his Twitter page, directed at host Chris Rock. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Mark Ruffalo I woke up in the morning thinking, what is the right way to do this? Because if you look at Martin Luther Kings legacy, what he was saying was that the good people who dont act are much worse than the wrongdoers who are purposefully not acting and dont know the right way. - Quote from interview with BBC News. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Lupita Nyong'o "I am disappointed by the lack of inclusion in this year's Academy Awards nominations. It has me thinking about unconscious prejudice and what merits prestige in our culture. The awards should not dictate the terms of art in our modern society, but rather be a diverse reflection of the best of what our art has to offer today. I stand with my peers who are calling for change in expanding the stories that are told and recognition of the people who tell them." - Posted on her Instagram page. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Tyrese Gibson "This is not us saying we're against the Oscars because we're gonna combat racism. We're just saying, 'Yo, this is not cool.' You can't be doing this in 2016 and act as if no one is gonna notice." - Quote from interview with People. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say David Oyelowo The reason why the Oscars are so important is because it is the zenith, it is the epitome, it is the height of celebration of artistic endeavor within the filmmaking community. We grow up aspiring, dreaming, longing to be accepted into that august establishment because it is the height of excellence. I would like to walk away and say it doesnt matter, but it does, because that acknowledgement changes the trajectory of your life, your career, and the culture of the world we live in. This institution doesnt reflect its president and it doesnt reflect this room. I am an Academy member and it doesnt reflect me, and it doesnt reflect this nation." - Speech at gala honoring Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Brie Larson "Thank you @hollywoodreporter for covering this very unique moment in my life! It was wonderful spending time with all of you. Personally, I'm interested in reading their article on #OscarsSoWhite. This is a conversation that deserves attention." - Posted on her Instagram page. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say How many black films are being produced every year? How are they being distributed? The films that are being made, are the big-time producers thinking outside of the box in terms of how to cast the role? Can you cast a black woman in that role? Can you cast a black man in that role? You can change the Academy, but if there are no black films being produced, what is there to vote for? - Quote from interview with Entertainment Weekly. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Charlotte Rampling "It is racist to whites. One can never really know, but perhaps the black actors did not deserve to make the final list. Why classify people? These days everyone is more or less accepted... People will always say: Him, hes less handsome; Him, hes too black; He is too white... someone will always be saying You are too [this or that]... But do we have to take from this that there should be lots of minorities everywhere?" - Quote from interview on Europe 1. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Michael Caine Theres loads of black actors. In the end you can't vote for an actor because he's black. You can't say 'I'm going to vote for him, he's not very good, but he's black, I'll vote for him'. You have to give a good performance and I'm sure people have. I saw Idris Elba (in Beasts Of No Nation).I thought he was wonderful. Be patient. Of course it will come. It took years to get an Oscar, years. - Quote from interview with Radio 4 Today programme. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Steve McQueen "This is exactly like MTV was in the 1980s. Could you imagine now if MTV only showed music videos by a majority of white people, then after 11 oclock it showed a majority of black people? Could you imagine that happening now? Its the same situation happening in the movies. Hopefully, when people look back at this in 20 years, itll be like seeing that David Bowie clip in 1983 [of artist critiquing channel for not featuring black artists]. I dont even want to wait 20 years. Forgive me; Im hoping in 12 months or so we can look back and say this was a watershed moment, and thank God we put that right." Quote from interview with The Guardian. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Julie Delpy "Two years ago, I said something about the Academy being very white male, which is the reality, and I was slashed to pieces by the media. It's funny - women can't talk. I sometimes wish I were African American because people don't bash them afterwards. It's the hardest to be a woman. Feminism is something people hate above all. Nothing worse than being a woman in this business. I really believe that." Delpy has since clarified these remarks, saying, "I'm very sorry for how I expressed myself. It was never meant to diminish the injustice done to African American artists or to any other people that struggle for equal opportunities and rights; on the contrary. All I was trying to do is to address the issues of inequality of opportunity in the industry for women as well (as I am a woman)." Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Clint Eastwood "I don't know anything about it. All I know is there's thousands of people in the Academy, and the majority of them haven't won Oscars. A lot of people are crying, I guess." - Quoted by TMZ. Getty #OscarsSoWhite: What Hollywood has to say Ellen Page Its awful, and I think what just happened in regards to the nominations two years in a row is a reflection of the industry itself, and the lack of diversity in all positions. Its so upsetting that were still having this conversation. I dont know what to say other than its so disheartening, and I feel like we all have to be doing what we can to make a change, because were supposed to be telling stories that reflect human experience, and we cant just be showing one group of people." Quote from interview with The Wrap. Getty

In case you were wondering what the aforementioned Vampire Breast Lift is, it is a procedure that uses blood-derived growth factors to revive rounder cleavage without implants. Apparently it is the must have new thing in Hollywood, so Matt Damon should be happy about that.

These gift bags only go to those in the main categories; those who worked tirelessly behind the camera wont be getting anything quite as nice - perhaps a long weekend to Ibiza or a day spa ticket.

DiCaprio is currently on track to win the Oscar for best Actor, but even if he doesnt go home with a real statuette he is definitely getting an award of some description; fans in Siberia have started melting down their jewellery to form a one-of-a-kind statuette for The Revenant actor. Read the full story here.

In other Oscar news, weve looked at the awards every main film has won so far at major awards and made this fancy graph.
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Free Basics, Facebook's service which offers limited internet service for free to poorer people in developing countries, has been blocked in India, over concerns that it could violate the principles of net neutrality.

The service, which offers users free access to certain online messaging, job-finding, weather forecasting and news services, was temporarily closed by regulators in India at the end of 2015.

Some have praised the humanitarian goals of the service, but many people in India have opposed it, claiming that by controlling and dictating what internet services users can access, Facebook is going against net neutrality - the idea that internet service providers should treat all users and data the same.

In giving priority to major websites and services, some also worried that Free Basics could lock smaller companies out of the market, stifling innovation in India.

Now, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has ruled in favour of the critics, saying in a statement: "No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content." As a result, Free Basics has now been blocked.

The TRAI's ruling is the culmination of a long, high-profile battle between Facebook and Indian net neutrality advocates over the merits of the service. The two sides have been publicly trading blows for a long time, with Facebook defending Free Basics in a prominent advertising campaign.

10 facts you didnt know about Facebook Show all 10 1 /10 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook Around 350 million photos are uploaded to Facebook every day, with the site estimating in September last year that users had so far put up more than 250 billion images. Thats 4,000 photos uploaded every second and around 4 per cent of all photos ever taken, according to a study by Nokia. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook Facebooks logo is blue because Mark Zuckerberg is red-green colour blind. Blue is the richest color for me. I can see all of blue," said Zuckerberg in an interview with the New Yorker. The colour is so popular that Facebooks campus store even sells nail polish in the exact shade named social butterfly blue. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook Zuckerberg's famously low-key wardrobe (either a grey t-shirt or a hoodie) is so that the CEO saves time deciding what to wear each day. However, Zuckerberg is known to dress up when the occasion demands it. For a 2011 event with Barack Obama he showed up in a suit, with the president introducing himself by saying: Im Barack Obama and Im the guy who got Mark to wear a jacket and tie. REUTERS/Brian Snyder 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook In July 2006 Zuckerberg turned down a $1 billion offer for the site from Yahoo. He was 22 years old at the time and owned 25 per cent of the company. Zuckerberg reportedly turned it down by saying I don't know what I could do with the money. I'd just start another social networking site. I kind of like the one I already have. He definitely made the right choice: Facebook is now valued at $135 billion. 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook A YouGov poll claimed that three-quarter of UK Facebook users' photos showed someone drinking or inebriated. However, the poll did ask users to estimate the number of boozy snaps themselves, and like all things on Facebook, there might have been an element of exaggeration involved. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook Facebook operates a bounty hunter program  for bugs. Like many other big technology companies Facebook offers cash rewards to security researchers who point out flaws in the sites code. The minimum payout is $500 and the largest prize to date has been $33,500. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook More than a third of divorce filings in 2011 referenced Facebook, said a survey from UK-based legal firm Divorce Online. The exact figures may be an estimate, but with just under 8 trillion Facebook messages sent in 2013 its certain that a substantial body of evidence is to be found on the social network. 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook Zuckerberg isnt much of a Twitter fan. Despite having nearly three hundred thousand followers on the service hes only tweeted 19 times - once in 2012 and the rest in 2009. Although Facebook dwarfs twitter in terms of active users (1 billion compared with 200 million by some accounts) the micro-blogging site handles breaking news better. Facebook has introduced trending topics and hashtags to counter this. 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook Following the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 Iceland decided to rewrite their constitution using Facebook to solicit suggestions from citizens. Unfortunately, despite this forward thinking approach, the document was killed by politicians in mid-2013 for various (mostly technical) reasons. 10 facts you didnt know about Facebook You can browse Facebook upside down. Facebook currently supports more than 70 different languages  including English (Pirate) and English (Upside Down). Check the bottom of the column on the right of your newsfeed and click your current language to change!

Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg also wrote an editorial for the Times of India in December, in which he said "everyone deserves access to free basic internet services," and asked: "Who could possibly be against [Free Basics]?"

Another newspaper editorial, written by Manu Joseph in the Hindustan Times, said that if the poor "fully understood what they are being denied by India's internet activists," they would "hit the streets and bring the nation to a halt."

In their statement, TRAI said the ruling was designed to ensure that consumers would get "unhindered and non-discriminatory access to the internet."

It said the body would "keep a close watch" on the implementation of their ruling by service providers such as Facebook, and said they may "undertake a review" of the policy in two years' time.

Speaking to The Independent, a Facebook spokesperson said: "Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings.
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Will Feelyvision be the next stage in televisions immersive evolution? British scientists are developing technology that will allow viewers to smell, taste and touch the sensations being played out on screen.

Researchers at the University of Sussex are exploring techniques which will allow viewers to sense raindrops on their hands or wind on their face, using ultrasound beams and airflows, to heighten the emotional impact of scenes they are watching on television.

Recommended Read more Samsung Vice President on the future of television

This tactile TV will help broadcasters create programmes that capture the audiences full attention and immerse them in a multisensory world, according to Dr Marianna Obrist, Reader in Interaction Design at Sussex, whose Computer Human Interaction lab is leading the research.

The team is working with Ultrahaptics, a Bristol start-up which has developed technology that uses ultrasound to enable users to receive tactile feedback projected on to their bare hands, without needing to wear gloves.

The technology uses ultrasound to project sensations through the air and directly onto the user, pinpointing areas of the hand that could be stimulated to evoke different emotions.

Projecting a pattern of ultrasound beams on to your hand can create the tactile sensations of raindrops on your palm.

The researchers found that short, sharp bursts of air to the area around the thumb, index finger and middle part of the palm generate excitement. Slow and moderate stimulation of the outer palm and the area around the little finger create sad feelings.

In the same way that a film soundtrack heightens emotion and anticipation of action to come, Dr Obrist believes touch sensations can be used, ultimately along with taste and smell, to enhance the viewing experience.

Take a programme like (househunting show) Escape To The Country. If you couldnt travel there, what would the feeling be like to actually be in the countryside  we could bring that sensation to the living room, Dr Obrist said.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

Films including Iron Man III have experimented with 4DX screenings, in which audiences sit on motorised seats and have water sprayed at them through nozzles.

Dr Obrist hopes to create 9-Dimensional TV, adding taste sensations to create a full multi-sensory experience. She also hopes to create computer games which evoke emotions through taste.

She cautioned: The idea is to elicit emotions but you have to give audiences control. Some people will not want everything enhanced, or they will respond to smells differently.

Creating truly compelling TV that stimulates all our senses is not an easy task, Dr Obrist wrote on The Conversation website.

Programme makers and technology manufacturers know how to design their products so you can see depth and distance on the screen.

But sound and vision arent always enough. Being able to smell the odours that a character on screen would smell, or feel the objects or atmosphere they would feel, can create anticipation and build suspense in the same way as sound currently does.

Human emotion can also be transferred by Haptics technology - the science of applying touch sensation to computer applications. Different areas of the hand can convey feelings of happiness, sadness, excitement or fear. In a paper presented to a conference in South Korea, Dr Obrist wrote: Imagine a couple that has just had a fight before going to work. While she is in a meeting she receives a gentle sensation transmitted through her bracelet on the right part of her hand moving into the middle of the palm. That sensation comforts her and indicates that her partner is not angry anymore.

Dr Obrist has been awarded 1 million by the European Research Council for a five-year project to expand the research into taste and smell, as well as touch.

The SenseX project will aim to provide a multisensory framework for inventors and innovators to design richer technological experiences.
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The biggest hospital trust in the country is set to run up the largest deficit in the history of the NHS.

Barts Health NHS Trust - which runs four hospitals in east London - is expected to overspend its budget by 134.9m this year.

The trust - which employs 15,000 people and serves an area containing 2.5 million - is set to surpass its previous record overspend of 79.6m in 2014-15 by 69 per cent.

Its perilous financial situation was revealed in a written parliamentary answer by the health minister, Alistair Burt, to Sadiq Khan MP, Labours candidate for London Mayor.

Mr Burst also revealed another London trust, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust - which is also in charge of four hospitals - is due to end the financial year on 31st March with a 88.3m hole in its budget. This is up from a 24.9m deficit last year.

Professor Chris Ham, chief executive of the independent health thinktank, the Kings Fund told the Guardian: These forecast deficits provide further evidence of the escalating financial crisis in the NHS, as well as the longstanding challenges facing Londons health system.

In the case of Barts, these pressures have been exacerbated by the costs of a major PFI development.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

Records presented at a board meeting last week show that the trust uses approximately 10 per cent of its monthly 68m wage bill to pay agency staff.

The trust calculated that 30m of the 80m annual bill for non permanent staff went on the staffing premiums charged by the agencies.

The trust was also given a 56m fine last year by local NHS organisations for failing to treat A&E patients within four hours and those waiting for planned care within 18 weeks.

Prof Ham said the 1.8bn of extra funding Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has promised the NHS in England to wipe out collective overspend by its healthcare trusts may not be enough to plug the gap.

He said: The extra funding provided by the government is being used mainly to get the NHS back into financial balance but even this must be in doubt given the scale of the deficits now being reported. 2016/17 will be a make-or-break year for the NHS.

Alwen Williams, the chief executive of Barts, said the deficit only represented 10 per cent of its annual budget as the largest trust in the country and it is in no worse financial health in relative terms than any other acute trust.
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A record number of adults in the UK underwent cosmetic surgery last year, new figures have shown.

The data released by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) revealed that there was a 13 per cent spike in the number of procedures carried out in 2015, at 51,140 in total.

The spike follows a slump for the industry blamed on the recession and the PIP implant scandal.

Women underwent 46,526 of the total procedures, with breast enlargement, eyelid surgery, face and neck operations, and breast reductions being the most popular.

Men however are most likely to choose eyelid surgery, followed by nose jobs, breast reduction, and liposuction and pinning back ears. And while men make up 9 per cent of operations in the UK, the figure has almost doubled in the past decade from 2,440 in 2005 to 4,614 in 2015.

While demand for all procedures has risen, breast enlargement continues to be the most popular with 9,652 procedures in 2015, representing a 12 per cent rise since 2014.

However, apparent trends in cosmetic surgery have changed as women are now more likely to choose natural looking breasts, according to BAAPS doctors.

Eyelid surgery was the next most popular operation in the UK, rising by 12 per cent to hit 8,689 in 2015, while 7,419 face or neck lifts were carried out  a 16 per cent climb.

Some 6,246 breast reduction operations were performed, up by 13 per cent.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. 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Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. 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However, liposuction operations saw the biggest jump in popularity, climbing by a fifth since 2014 to 5,551.

Nose jobs, fat transfers, tummy tucks and brow lifts were also frequently requested.

The top 10 procedures in 2015: Breast augmentation up 12% to 9,652 Eyelid surgery up 12% to 8,689 Face and neck lifts up 16% to 7,419 Breast reductions up 13% to 6,246 Liposuction up 20% to 5,551 Nose jobs up 14% to 4,205 Fat transfer operations up 3% to 3,261 Tummy tucks up 8% to 2,933 Browlifts up 7% to 2,110 Ear corrections up 14% to 1,074

Consultant plastic surgeon and former BAAPS president, Rajiv Grover, said: The audit has shown that demand for cosmetic surgery continues to increase following the quieter period in 2014 which mirrored the British economy.

"There is a danger however that this presents the image of cosmetic surgery as a commodity, so the public must always be warned that an operation is not something that can simply be returned to the shop if you don't like it."

Consultant plastic surgeon and Baaps council member Ash Mosahebi told BBC News that the rise may be down to people spending more on luxury items and the pressures of social media.said many reasons were contributing to the increase.

"And I would say the Botox generation who got older using Botox and fillers, those things are not working any more for those age groups so they're taking the next step up and that is surgical options."

Additional reporting by PA
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Jeremy Hunt vetoed a deal to end the junior doctor dispute which was supported by the NHS own negotiators, it has been claimed.

According to sources close to the British Medical Association (BMA), a proposal that addressed pay for working evenings and Saturdays  the last major contentious issue  and which was cost neutral for the Government, was blocked despite negotiators from the NHS Employers organisation viewing it as an opportunity to resolve the dispute.

Recommended Read more NHS dissatisfaction just saw its biggest rise on record

The new contract model, set out by the union, would have seen premium pay rates for Saturdays reduced, but would have crucially acknowledged that Saturdays should not be considered as ordinary working days.

Officials from both NHS Employers and the Department of Health saw the offer as an opportunity to resolve the dispute, the source told The Independent.

In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London

The one person who would not agree was Jeremy Hunt. Even though the NHS Employers and DH teams thought this was a solution he said no, they said.

Negotiations have completely broken down, the source added. There are no more dates planned for talks. The BMA wants to continue negotiating but the other side have walked away.

The chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation said the BMA had not made any substantive proposals since the new year (Corbis)

It is understood the proposed contract model was rejected at the end of January, precipitating the BMAs declaration of a second strike, which will commence at 8am tomorrow, with tens of thousands of junior doctors in England set to walk out from all but emergency care for 24 hours.

A Department of Health spokesperson said the claims were completely untrue, maintaining that the BMA had continuously refused to discuss unsocial hours pay. Danny Mortimer, chief executive of the NHS Employers organisation said the BMA had not made any substantive proposals since the New Year.

The Government is determined not to yield ground on its plans reclassify Saturdays as normal working hours, as it would set a precedent for contract negotiations with other NHS staffing groups, including nurses, who are expecting to enter negotiations about new contracts later this year.

Hundreds of London's doctors took to the streets for the second time last week in support of the British Medical Association (Corbis)

Sources familiar with the Governments approach to the junior doctor contract negotiations have told The Independent that one of ministers priorities is to reduce the cost of NHS staffing bill by bringing contracts into line with many in the private sector which make no distinction between weekend and weekday pay rates.

Health minister Ben Gummer told MPs that the Government was fast-approaching the point at which it would have to impose a new contract on junior doctors, regardless of the progress of negotiations. Mr Gummer also said latest estimates showed 2,884 operations have been cancelled as a result of tomorrows strike.

Mr Hunt has described imposition as his nuclear option. However, with newly qualified junior doctors set to start work in August, the NHS is running out of time to implement any new contract. Sir David Dalton, the hospital chief executive leading negotiations on behalf of the Government, has said that an agreement is needed by mid-February for effective implementation of the new contract.

Imposition would likely infuriate junior doctors and risk a prolonged period of intermittent strike action. Sources within the junior doctor campaign group have said medics are willing to continue with industrial action well into 2017.

 Junior doctors message to Jeremy Hunt

Labours Shadow Health Secretary Heidi Alexander has written to Mr Hunt urging him to make concession on Saturday working, and warning against an imposed contract.

Such a decision on your part could lead to protracted industrial action and widespread anger among other NHS staff at a time when morale is already at rock bottom, she wrote. All that can be done to avoid this, must be done.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: The BMA has continuously refused to discuss unsocial hours pay, despite their agreement to talk about this as part of ACAS in November and the progress weve made on safety, education and training.

Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers, said: The Secretary of State has supported NHS Employers in making substantive proposals which address the concerns of junior doctors. We have not since the New Year seen a response from the BMA which seeks compromise on these issues. We continue to want to talk with the BMA to agree a contract that is fair and safe for doctors and patients.
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Health service rules that prevent tax-avoiding private companies from securing NHS contracts are being scrapped - for fear they discriminate against firms with Google-style arrangements.

NHS managers trying to ensure that private contractors do not use tax avoidance strategies are having their efforts overturned due to nervousness about litigation by global corporations, The Independent can reveal.

Recommended Read more Healthcare giant makes fortune from NHS but pays hardly a penny in tax

In recent years many Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs)  the bodies which issue contracts for local NHS services  have tried to block companies from bidding for work if they use convoluted tax structures.

But Bristol CCG is now in the process of striking out the rule, after it was questioned during the recent tender to supply childrens community services. Lawyers feared that the rule discriminates against healthcare companies who are legally avoiding tax - allowing them to sue the NHS if they do not win the contract.

The Bristol tender included a bid from Virgin Care, whose parent company is based in the tax-haven British Virgin Islands.

Hackney CCG in London is also reviewing its stance, and anti-tax avoidance campaigners fear others may follow suit in the light of Bristols move.

The issue is of growing importance due to the rapid growth in contracting out NHS services to the private sector. Figures show private firms have won 5.5bn of NHS clinical contracts since the 2013 implementation of the Health and Social Care Act, which stipulated that all new NHS tenders be put out to tender.

The Independent was contacted about the issue after revealing that one of the NHSs biggest equipment suppliers, GE Healthcare, has paid very little UK tax since taking over the giant British company Nycomed Amersham 12 years ago. US-owned GE Healthcare is based in the UK but has a parent company in the Netherlands, a common tax haven.

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Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2022 A salmon leaps up the weir at Hexham in Northumberland, despite the drought warnings and low water levels, the River Tyne is still flowing well allowing the salmon and sea trout to head up river to spawn. 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The investigation led to calls from Shadow health secretary Heidi Alexander for a full inquiry into GEs suitability to be a supplier to the taxpayer-funded NHS and a rigorous ban on the service dealing with tax avoiders. Many other NHS suppliers are structured using tax havens.

Clauses aimed at preventing tax avoiders from winning NHS contracts were inserted by a number of commissioning groups in response to a public petition from the 38 Degrees campaign group.

Norwich, NHS West Kent, South Devon and Torbay, Brent, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North Durham, Wokingham, Kernow and South Worcestershire all appear to have included in their constitutions the clause pledging to prohibit or restrict contractors use of offshore jurisdictions and/or improper tax avoidance schemes and/or exclude companies which use such jurisdictions

The wording was drafted on the advice of two eminent QCs, Rebecca Haynes and Stephen Cragg of Monckton Chambers and Doughty St Chambers.

A source close to Hackney CCG said it was concerned about whether the clause could be implemented and was seeking to change it.

A Bristol CCG spokesperson said in a statement: If bidders comply with tax law and are not in breach of any obligations to pay taxes then we should not exclude them from procurement processes as this would be discriminatory. Our solicitors have advised us that if we exclude bidders (assuming that their arrangements are lawful) we would be vulnerable to a legal challenge on the basis we are acting contrary to procurement law.

US-owned GE Healthcare is based in the UK but has a parent company in the Netherlands, a common tax haven (Getty)

Virgin Care, which did not eventually succeed in the Bristol childcare tender, denied making a complaint about the anti-avoidance clause.

Bristol activist Dr Charlotte Paterson said: Im shocked and disappointed that, at this time when tax avoidance is being deemed so unacceptable, our CCG is changing its constitution in this way. Tax avoidance may be legal, but the CCG is also required to take ethical and moral issues into consideration.

The Unite unions national officer Colenzo Jarrett-Thorpe, said: Its scandalous if a CCG cant act to prevent private companies from bidding for NHS contracts that have tax avoidance structures in place. The NHS is under massive pressure, patients and staff have a right to be furious that companies can win NHS contracts and scheme how to siphon profits out of the country into far flung tax havens.

NHS England, which runs the health service and issued the blueprint for CCGs without the anti-avoidance clause, denied speculation that it had been advising local officials to scrap it.

Unions have for years complained that the Health and Social Care Act is a backdoor route to privatisation of the NHS. The Government counters that competition to provide services brings better value for money for the taxpayer.

Since last April, the private sector has won 37% of contracts  hardly a convincing argument either way. Some healthcare industry analysts, however, expect that percentage to get higher as major US healthcare companies seek access to the market.

Virgin Care has been one of the biggest winners from the tenders, having been awarded about 1bn of NHS contracts ranging from running GP surgeries to the 450m contract to manage all of Surreys community services.

Virgin Care said its ownership by a British Virgin Islands parent company does not constitute tax avoidance, pointing out that the reason it does not pay tax here is that it is lossmaking.
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More alcohol-related deaths occur in Scotland than in any other part of the UK, according to new figures.

Of the 8,697 deaths linked to alcohol in the UK in 2014, 65 per cent of those were among males, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The total in the UK has fallen, but remains higher than figures seen 20 years ago. In 2008, such deaths peaked at 15.8 per 100,000 population, dropping to 14.3 in 2014. However, this compares with 9.1 in 1994 when records began.

Incidents linked to drink made up 31.2 deaths per 100,000 for males in Scotland, compared with 20.3 in Northern Ireland, 19.9 in Wales, and 18.1 in England.

Those aged between 55 to 64-years-old were most likely to die due to alcohol, breaking down to 47.6 deaths per 100,000 for males aged between 60 to 64, and 22.1 in women between 55 to 59-years-old.

The figures echo a recent study published in the 'British Medical Journal' which showed that over-50s are most likely to drink to harmful levels.

Scotland had the highest alcohol-related death rate  but also saw the fastest decrease in its rate since a peak in the 2000s as shown in the map created for The Independent by Statista below.

A chart showing the number of alcohol-related deaths in the UK for a decade (Statista)

Deaths were also significantly higher in the north of England than the south.

Meanwhile, England and Wales were the only UK countries which saw a dramatic spike in alcohol-related deaths in females in the two decades after 1994.

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The figures are based on deaths registered in each calendar year, rather than those occurring each year.

Researchers classed deaths as alcohol-related if they were directly due to consumption, including chronic conditions such as liver disease and cirrhosis, as well as acute conditions. Incidents such as road traffic accidents and deaths connected to diseases partially linked to alcohol  such as mouth and liver cancer - were not included.

Prof Kevin Fenton, the director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, said: Alcohol harms individuals, families and communities and its crucial that, alongside effective local interventions and treatment for those that need it, we look more widely at what affects drinking behaviour in this country, such as marketing and pricing.

Public Health England will soon be providing a report to government on how we can reduce the harms caused by alcohol.

Tom Smith, director of campaigns at charity Alcohol Concern, said: These latest figures show that alcohol-related deaths are back on the rise and have almost doubled in the last 20 years.

The figures also highlight the dangers of middle-aged drinking, with the highest number of alcohol-related deaths among 55 to 64-year-olds.

We continue to face extremely high levels of health harms caused by alcohol, and it continues to be the leading risk factor for deaths among men and women aged between 15 and 49 years in the UK.

Unless we start taking this seriously and acknowledge the health risks that too much alcohol can cause the situation will only get worse.
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Health experts in Brazil have warned against kissing strangers during Carnival parties, after the Zika virus was found in saliva and urine for the first time.

While the virus causes no symptons in most cases, it is most feared to due its links to microcephaly  a condition where babies are born with brain damage and undeveloped heads. More than 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly have been reported in Brazil since October 2015.

Scientists in Brazil found the mosquito-borne virus in the body fluids on Friday.

Recommended Read more British team say they have a remedy for the Zika virus

It is not yet known if the saliva and urine can transmit the virus, however the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a Brazil federal government biomedical research institution urged the public to take precautions in crowds during Carnvial - where kissing strangers is part of the festivities.

"In light of the possibility of being in contact with someone who is infected, do not kiss, obviously," said Dr. Paulo Gadelha, the foundation's president.

The Zika virus - in pictures Show all 5 1 /5 The Zika virus - in pictures The Zika virus - in pictures A three-month-old, who has microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil. A rise in microcephaly cases is thought to have been caused by the spread of the Zika virus in affected countries Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A mother holds her baby who has microcephaly Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A five-month-old baby, who has microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A pediatric infectologist examines a two-month-old baby, who has microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A baby affected with microcephaly

Researchers at the institute pinpointed the virus in samples from two patients with Zika using genetic testing.

The discovery was the first time that Zika has been found in saliva and urine, scientists said. However, they stressed that further studies were needed to determine if those fluids could transmit the infection.

[The results are] not proof that it can contaminate other people through those fluids, said Myrna Bonaldo, one of the scientists who made the discovery.

The warning comes amid fears that Zika, which is transmitted by the Aedis aegypti mosquito, could be passed on by other means.

Zika was passed on in blood transfusions in Brazil in two cases, as well as during sex in one person in Texas and two other cases documented in medical journals.

As there is currently no cure of vaccine for Zika, researchers have been attempting to create a treatment and prevention method for the virus  however this could take years.

In the meantime, the public has been advised to wear long-sleeved clothing and insect repellent to avoid catching the virus, while the authorities roll out methods to cut down mosquito populations.
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A former bank boss has come up with a dramatic proposal to cut financial crime and tax evasion in the UK by scrapping the most valuable banknotes.

Peter Sands, former chief executive of Standard Chartered, said that getting rid of 500, $100, SFr1,000 and 50 notes would make it harder for tax dodgers to pay people in cash. He said that cash is most useful for smaller transactions like buying a cup of coffee, but that people turned to electronic transactions for bigger payments.

"Terrorist finance sustains organisations that spread death and fear," Sands said in a paper for the Harvard Kennedy School called Making it Harder for the Bad Guys.

Without being able to use high denomination notes, those engaged in illicit activities  the 'bad guys' of our title  would face higher costs and greater risks of detection. Eliminating high denomination notes would disrupt their 'business models', he said.

Sands quit Standard Chartered last year after three profit warnings at the bank hit investor confidence. He waived his bonus when he left and went on to advise the Government on the labour market.

He said that 50 notes and other high denomination notes are the prefered payment mechanism of those pursuing illicit activities because they can be passed on anonymously, without leaving a transaction record.

Ask people in the [UK] when they last used a 50 note, the highest sterling denomination, and the most common answer is to pay a builder or plumber. The incentive is tax evasion, since payment in cash makes it easier for the individual to avoid VAT of 20%; and if the builder pays his workers in cash, he in turn avoids employment taxes and they avoid income tax, Sands said.

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Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Rogue trader A French court cut the damages owed by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel from 4.9bn (4.2bn) to just 1m (860,000). The court ruled on that Kerviel was partly responsible for massive losses suffered in 2008 by his former employer Societe Generale through his reckless trades. Kerviel has consistently maintained that bosses at the French bank knew what he was doing all along. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Barclays CEO under investigation for trying to identify whistleblower - Monday Paril 10 Authorities have launched an investigation into Barclays chief executive officer Jes Staley for trying to identify a whistleblower, the bank said on Monday. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are both investigating Mr Staley after the bank notified them that Mr Staley had tried to identify the author of two anonymous letters, which were sent to the board and a senior executive in June 2016. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures UK to crack down on bank money laundering after reports of 65bn Russian scam, City minister says - March 2017 The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has vowed that the Government will crack down on money laundering practices, after several of the UK's biggest banks were accused of processing money from a Russian scam, believed to involve up to $80bn (65bn). Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former HBOS bankers convicted of bribery and fraud over 245m loan scam - February 2017 Two former HBOS bankers were among six people found guilty of bribery and fraud that cost customers and shareholders hundreds of millions of pounds, the BBC reports. Lynden Scourfield, 54, a manager at HBOS, forced struggling clients to use the services of his friends David Mills, 60, and Michael Bancroft, 73. In return, the two businessmen arranged sex parties, cash and lavish gifts. On Monday, the three were convicted at Southwark Crown Court on accounts including bribery, fraud and money laundering. Mark Dobson, another manager at HBOS, Alison Mills, and John Cartwright were also convicted. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Lloyds chief apologises for damage caused by affair allegations - August 2016 Antonio Horta-Osorio, the chief executive of Lloyds Bank, has broken his silence over allegations about his private life admitting he regrets any "damage done to the group's reputation". In a message sent to the bank's 75,000 employees, the banker said that anyone can make mistakes while insisting that staff had to maintain the highest professional standards. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Christine Lagarde faces court over 340m Bernard Tapie payment - July 2016 The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, must stand trial in France over a payment of 403 million (now 340m, then 290m) to tycoon Bernard Tapie, a France's highest appeals court has ruled. The court rejected Ms Lagarde's appeal against a judge's order in December for her to stand trial over allegations of negligence in her handling of the affair. Ms Lagarde could risk a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros if convicted. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures HSBC senior manager arrested in FX rigging investigation at JFK airport in New York - July 2016 A senior executive at HSBC has been arrested at New York's JFK airport for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to rig currency benchmarks, according to reports. Mark Johnson, global head of foreign exchange cash trading in London, was reportedly arrested on Tuesday. He will appear before a federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Bloomberg said. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Former PwC employees found guilty in 'Luxleaks' tax scandal - June 2016 Two ex- PricewaterhouseCoopers staffers were found guilty in Luxembourg of stealing confidential tax files that helped unleash a global scandal over generous fiscal deals for hundreds of international companies. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet face suspended sentences of 12 months and 9 months and were ordered to pay fines of 1,500 (1,230) and 1,000 (822) for their role in the so-called LuxLeaks scandal. Despite the minimal sentences, the ruling was described by Deltours lawyer as shocking and a terrible anomaly. The ruling puts on guard future whistle-blowers, Deltour told reporters.The LuxLeaks revelations sped beyond Luxembourg, causing European Union regulators to expand a tax-subsidy probe and propose new laws to fight corporate tax dodging, while EU lawmakers created a special committee to probe fiscal deals across the 28-nation bloc. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Goldman Sachs dealmakers lavished Libyan officials with prostitutes to win contract - June 2016 A former Goldman Sachs dealmaker trying to persuade Gadaffi-era Libya to invest $1 billion with the investment bank procured prostitutes and invited Libyan officials to lavish parties in the hope of winning the business, the High Court heard on Monday June 13.The Libyan Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund is suing Goldman Sachs for inappropriately coercing its naive staff into giving its sovereign wealth fund cash to the bank to invest in products they did not understand. The products were designed to generate big profits for Goldman, the LIA claims.Goldman denies wrongdoing and says the LIA was treated as an arms-length customer Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former boss of BHS said his life was threatened - June 2016 Darren Topp, the former boss of BHS, has said former owner Dominic Chappell threatened to kill him when he challenged him over a 1.5 million transfer out of the business. MPs on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee asked Mr Topp about a 1.5 million transfer Mr Chappell made from BHS to a company called BHS Sweden. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley admits paying workers below the minimum wage - June 2016 Mike Ashley admitted paying Sports Direct employees below the minimum wage at a hearing in front of MPs. The company founder said that workers were paid less than the statutory minimum because of bottlenecks at security in an admission that could result in sanctions from HMRC. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Mitsubishi admits improper fuel tests - April 2016 Mitsubishi has admitted to using false fuel methods dating back to 1991. The scale of the scandal is only just coming to light after it was revealed in April that data was falsified in the testing of four types of cars, including two Nissan cars. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Quindell, the scandal-ridden insurance firm Quindell was once a darling of AIM but its share price fell in April 2014 when its accounting practices were attacked in a stinging research note by US short seller Gotham City. In August the group was forced to disclose that the 107 million pre-tax profit it had reported for 2013 was incorrect, and it had in fact suffered a 64million loss. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Toshiba Accounting Scandal The boss of Toshiba, the Japanese technology giant, resigned in disgrace in the wake of one of the countrys biggest ever accounting scandals. His exit came two months after the company revealed that it was investigating accounting irregularities. An independent investigatory panel said that Toshibas management had inflated its reported profits by up to 152 billion yen (780m) between 2008 and 2014. Biggest business scandals in pictures FIFA Corruption Scandal Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since the summer of 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and Uefa President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is ongoing. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Libor fraudster City trader Tom Hayes, 35, has become the first person to be convicted of rigging Libor rates following a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court. Hayes worked as a trader in yen derivatives at UBS before joining the American bank Citigroup in Tokyo. He was fired from Citigroup following an investigation into his trading methods. He returned to the UK in December 2012 and was arrested following a two-and-a-half year criminal investigation by the SFO. Getty

VAT evasion in the UK amounts to 13.1 billion per year. Sands said that if scrapping 50 notes can reduce this by 10 per cent, that would be a benefit of 1.3 billion.

Sands said a co-ordinated effort to scrap high-denomination notes would be necessary to stop criminals switching to other currencies.

Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, said last week that 500 notes were under review because of similar concerns that they are used by criminals.
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Two Iranian TV bosses have been suspended after a former news anchor said she was the victim of sexual harassment for years.

Sheena Shirani posted Facebook messages and a recording of a phone conversation between her and her boss at Press TV, news director Hamid Reza Emadi, in which he allegedly begged her for sex saying he had always supported her at the channel.

She said Mr Emadi and the stations studio manager, Payam Afshar, had harassed her for several years.

Ms Shirani, 32, worked at the Iranian news channel from 2007 to January 2016 as an editor, producer and news presenter.

She has now left the country with her son, and her current whereabouts are unknown, IranWire reports.

Press TV confirmed in a statement on their website that two members of staff had been suspended.

Ms Shirani told Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad she had initially ignored Mr Afshars advances, but when he became more influential he instructed all his employees to make regular complaints about [her behaviour] for and threatened to punish anyone who refused.

She said she would be punished for petty infractions such as being a second or two late or wearing high heels.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. 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When she complained to her supervisor, Mr Emadi, she said he did step in and reduced the severity of her punishments.

But in the telephone recording Ms Shirani posted online, Mr Emadi is reportedly heard repeatedly asking her to go to his house and have sex with him.

Justifying his request he is reported to have said: Ive always helped you. Ive always been there for you. Whenever you wanted something, Ive helped you. Im not asking you to kill someone. You can help me as a friend. You can have sex with me as a friend.

Ms Shirani worked at the station between 2007 and 2016 (Facebook)

Mr Emadi has denied all the allegations against and in an online post he said the messages and the phone conversation were fakes.

He also threatened to contact Interpol over Ms Shiranis allegations.

An anonymous former Press TV reporter told IranWire: I can confirm the authenticity of the recording. Its not a fake. I know both of them and both their voices and its definitely them.

Recommended Read more Video showing an Egyptian policewoman slapping an alleged sexual

Shes a respectable woman but she was vulnerable as a single mother with a son and he used this against her. She also needed the money. Sadly, the harassment has been going on for years.

The controversial government-linked station lost its licence to broadcast in the UK in 2011 after a British documentary maker said he was tortured by the Iranian authorities in a Tehran jail directly before giving a ten second interview on the channel.

Mr Emadi was included on a 2013 EU sanctions list alongside his Mohammad Sarafraz for their role in broadcasting the forced confessions of political prisoners.

The Independent has contacted Press TV for comment.
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The father of the periodic table, Dmitri Mendeleev, has been commemorated with a Google Doodle to mark his 182nd birthday.

Born in 1834 in Siberia, the Russian chemist and inventor formulated the period law and wrote Principles of Chemistry - a seminal book which radically reshaped science.

Published in 1869, the Periodic Table originally included 58 elements. But since then, there has been an average of an extra element added each year, with 118 elements now listed in total.

The preeminent inventor who has a crater on the moon named after him and element number 101 - radioactive Mendeleviumm - will long be remembered for his invaluable contribution to science.

Early Years

Born in a remote Siberian village, Mendeleev was the grandson of an esteemed Russian Orthodox priest and raised as an Orthodox Christian. Of course, his faith changed later in life when he pursued a career in science and moved away from the Church. Although it is not known exactly how many siblings the Russian scientist had, he is thought to be the youngest of anywhere between 11 and 17 offspring.

Also interested in academia, Mendeleevs father was a teacher of politics, fine arts and philosophy. Sadly, he later lost his job as a professor after turning blind. Left with little to no money, Mendeleevs mother was forced to reopen her familys long deserted glass factory. However, the same factory was later burnt down and wholly destroyed in a fire. In the attempt to ensure Mendeleev received a proper education, his mother took him across the entire continent of Russia, travelling from Siberia to Moscow and later St. Petersburg where he graduated from university.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

The making of the Periodic Table

After becoming a teacher in Crimea in 1855, Mendeleev went on to complete a Masters degree in chemistry. But it wasnt until he became a professor in 1864 that his colourful career began to truly take off. In the end, it was a dream which caused him to create the periodic table. In his own words, I saw in a dream a table where all elements fell into place as required. Awakening, I immediately wrote it down on a piece of paper, only in one place did a correction later seem necessary. In true genius fashion, Mendeleev made sure to leave gaps for missing elements, accurately predicting that these spaces would later be filled when additional elements were discovered.

A wild love life

Outside of the world of science, the Russian inventor was also known for his somewhat tempestuous married life. While he married Feozva Nikitichna Leshcheva in 1862, just over a decade later he became besotted with Anna Ivanova Popova and immediately began pursuing and courting her. In a fit of passion, he threatened suicide if she refused his proposal of marriage. It wasnt until a month after he married Popova that his divorce from his first wife was finalised. But even after the divorce, Mendeleev was technically defined as a bigamist - the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another - because the Russian Orthodox Church required at least seven years before lawful remarriage. Plagued by controversy, his love life was a contributing factor towards his failure to be accepted into the Russian academy of Sciences. In the end, Mendeleev went on to have a total of six children.

A conspiracy against him

Despite being recommended for the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for discovering the periodic table in 1906, Mendeleev ended up being snubbed by fellow scientists. While the Swedish Academy initially supported his recommendation, Peter Klason, a member of the Nobel Committee, put forward the candidacy of Henri Moissan for the prize. To make matters worse, another scientist Svante Arrhenius, who had great influence in the Academy, pushed for the rejection of Mendeleev, arguing that the periodic table was too old to be commended for its creation in 1906. It is widely thought that Arrhenius was in fact moved by a long-running grudge against him for his critique of Arrhenius's dissociation theory. Following a series of contentious debates, Mendeleev eventually lost out on the prize and the Academy chose to vote for Moissan.
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Roosh V, the controversial neo-masculinist, has declared himself the most hated man in the world at a secret press conference in a Washington DC hotel.

The 36-year-old responsible for Return of Kings, a self-proclaimed blog for heterosexual, masculine men also shunned his label of pro-rape blogger.

A year ago I wrote an article, 'How to Stop Rape'. This article, to a ten-year-old it was obvious that I didn't intend to legalise rape or cause harm against women, but starting on Sunday a lot of you have lied saying I'm a pro-rape advocate.

Referring back to the inflammatory 2015 blog post where he said it should be legal to rape women when done off public grounds, Roosh V said he never imagined that people would take that in a literal sense.

That article was making a point about personal responsibility  that a womans safety is not only in the hands of men, but in their own hands too, he added.

Roosh V, whose real name is Daryush Valizadeh, repeatedly referred to his previous remarks as satire and invoked his right to free speech.

But backtracking on himself, the contentious figure continued to put the blame on women as victims of rape rather than their perpetrators.

If a woman got raped, that is a sad thing. Its a bad thing. But whose fault is it? Is it the womans fault? No, Im not saying that.

If I get a BMW car right now and I leave the key inside and park it in a bad area and it gets robbed, whose fault is that? he asked reporters.

People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015.

Standing up for Bill Cosby, Roosh V also said the rape allegations were weird and claimed he didnt think his accusers were being honest.

The blogger, who now has 20,000 Twitter followers, also took issue with the media allegations that his meet-ups were rape rallies.

I had organised meet-ups around the world for men to enjoy a social happy hour, just to meet and talk in private about anythingwork, politics, girlsanything, he explained to journalists.

You said the meet-ups are for rapists to gather to learn how to rape - 'They're gonna exchange tips!' Some of you called it a rape rally - a rape rally. What the hell is that? A rape rally?

Last week, Roosh V cancelled public meetings for Return of Kings because he claimed he could no longer guarantee the safety or privacy of the men who want to attend.

In recent weeks, protesters have made demands for Roosh V to be banned from the UK, Australia, the US and Canada and the online hackers organisation Anonymous have published his familys home address on social media.

As well as denying the stamp of rape apologist, Roosh V rejected claims he still lived at home and instead said he lived in Europe.

They said I eat my mom's meatloaf everyday, he added.

The controversial figure who has written 15 self-published books exploring neo-masculinity and other themes also declared his public endorsement for Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

Just streets away from the press conference, protesters gathered for a counter protest for one of Roosh Vs canceled meetings. This was just one of 100 events which were cancelled at the last minute last week.
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Highly religious people tend to have a stronger stance against online piracy than non-believers, Australian researchers have found in a recent study.

Conducting the study, which is titled Religiosity and Digital Piracy: An Empirical Examination, researchers asked 400 members of the congregation of an Indonesian Christian mega-church about their attitudes to digital piracy and the strength of their religious belief.

Consistent with the team's expectations, they found that "highly religious respondents" had a "stronger attitude against digital piracy," and were more likely to avoid buying or downloading pirated media when compared to less religious and moderately religious respondents.

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Obviously, Christianity teaches that stealing is wrong, but a significant number of people, religious or not, don't neccessarily see any problem with online filesharing.

A 2011 study, conducted by Danish researchers, found that 70 per cent of respondents thought piracy for personal use was "socially acceptable".

Around 15 per cent said it was "totally acceptable," although most people surveyed believed that selling on pirated media at a profit was "completely unacceptable."

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

The Indonesian study also asked the church-goers a number of questions about how advice from different sources could affect their attitudes to piracy.

As TorrentFreak reports, the respondents were asked how influential their pastor, friends, religion and God Himself would be in changing their views.

Interestingly, even among the highly religious people, neither the teachings of their religion nor their pastor were likely to significantly change their opinions on filesharing.

One of the only figures who could make a big impact on people's attitudes to piracy was God, who was found to influence less, moderately and highly religious people alike.

Summing up these findings, authors Riza Casidy, Ian Phau and Michael Lwin said they suggested that many people don't see piracy as a great moral wrong - something which has also been found in previous research.

They recommended that a strong moral stance against piracy be instilled into people at an early age, through both educational and religious institutions.

The growth of digital piracy has been matched by anti-infringement campaigns launched by the film and music industries.

Before the recent releases of blockbusters like Spectre and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) said staff at cinemas across the UK would be kitted out with night vision goggles, to allow them to sweep darkened auditoriums and catch people making illegal recordings.
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The Zika virus is currently being treated as an international emergency, and is spreading explosively across the world. But as with all major, terrifying events, misinformation and conspiracies is being spread quickly too.

Many of the biggest conspiracy theories are familiar: a shadowy network is spreading the virus, or people are being intentionally left to die.

But they can also have terrible effects. Many of the stories being spread demonise genuine efforts to get work done, and so could lead directly to people dying or the virus spreading further.

Zika was not spread as a population control mechanism

The idea that Zika is being used to keep the number of people down slots neatly into a range of popular conspiracy theories. But it doesnt really make sense, even by its own logic.

The Zika virus would be an incredibly inefficient way of wiping out populations, if that was the New World Orders aim.

About 80 per cent of the people who catch the virus never experience any of its symptoms. If they do, then theyll almost certainly feel like they have a bad flu: a fever, headaches, and so on.

The main reason to worry at the moment is the apparent effect that the Zika virus has on pregnant women. Their babies appear to be being born with an increased incidence of microcephaly, or abnormally small heads, which can lead to major problems later in life.

But even then, the Zika virus does not kill the children or their parents, or lower the fertility rate in any direct way.

It is likely that people in affected countries will have fewer children while the disease is raging, as a way of looking to stave off its effects on their babies. But that would be an incredibly inefficient way of keeping the population down.

A city worker fumigates in an effort to eradicate the mosquito which transmits the Zika virus (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The virus was not genetically engineered by the Rothschilds or the Rockefellers

The two big baddies of most conspiracy theories, many have claimed that the Rothschild family and/or the Rockefellers are responsible for the spread of the Zika virus. (It isnt clear why they would do this.)

This theory is laid out on one conspiracy website, Collective Evolution. That site claims that the Rockefeller Foundation owns the patent on the virus, and that is being sold throughout the world.

But the ATCC doesnt collect copyrights. Its in fact a very useful medical resource, which stores and distributes microorganisms and other materials that allow companies and other researchers to inspect and build on existing knowledge.

The connection with the Rothschild Foundation here is because the virus was originally found by scientists working for it. Scientists dropped off a sample of the virus, taken from a rhesus monkey in Uganda, in the repository in 1947.

Or by another company called Oxitec, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

This is a largely similar idea: a British company called Oxitec was testing genetically engineered mosquitoes to stop the spread of the Zika virus, among other diseases. But those insects were actually spreading the disease  either by accident or on purpose, depending on whos telling you. (And all of this is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.)

All of this comes from a paper that shows that Oxitec was testing its proposal, of releasing genetically-engineered mosquitoes that kill their offspring and using it to reduce the number of dangerous mosquitoes in the wild.

The conspiracies emerged because of a Reddit post that pointed out the areas the mosquitoes were being released correlated with the areas that Zika outbreaks were happening. Both events pointed to a city called Juazeiro in Brazil.

But the Reddit post had got the wrong Juazeiro, pointed at a place 300km away. And even the correct Juazeiro is a long way from the places particularly affected by Zika, which are on the coast.

And the current, dangerous outbreak didnt even come from that area. Its thoughtto have spread from an outbreak in 2013, in French Polynesia.

 Brazil says Zika outbreak will not affect summer Olympics

But there are genetically engineered mosquitoes in Brazil

Its true that people are trying to genetically engineer mosquitoes to combat Zika and other related viruses, though. The Oxitec trials are real, and are only just one part of a range of various projects to try and fight the Zika virus.

It might turn out that the solution to the mosquito-borne Zika virus is the mosquitoes themselves. Spreading fear about their use could delay solutions that are much-needed.

The Zika virus - in pictures Show all 5 1 /5 The Zika virus - in pictures The Zika virus - in pictures A three-month-old, who has microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil. A rise in microcephaly cases is thought to have been caused by the spread of the Zika virus in affected countries Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A mother holds her baby who has microcephaly Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A five-month-old baby, who has microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A pediatric infectologist examines a two-month-old baby, who has microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil Getty Images The Zika virus - in pictures A baby affected with microcephaly

The virus wasnt created so that pharmaceutical companies could sell a vaccine or cure

This is something that gained particular traction with Ebola, and gets strengthened every time there is a new, major outbreak  they are being created as a way of making money for the pharmaceutical industry.

Often the argument for this takes the form of pointing out the narrative: a virus is found and it spreads quickly, explosively and dangerously. Then, as if by magic, a vaccine arrives and is heralded as a cure, so long as governments pay for it.

But thats also the obvious story. These diseases explode as a complete surprise, and originate from just one unknown place. Scientists start working hard to create a vaccine  and it is true that there is more of a financial motivation to do so  and then that work often leads to new cures or vaccines.

The pharmaceutical is a strange place, and it has often been pointed out that many of the companies involved have strange incentives that can lead to unusual results. But none of the major viruses spreading around the world have been provably created by any of its companies.

A baby born with microcephaly, in Recife, Brazil. The condition has been linked to the Zika virus, transmitted by mosquitoes (Getty)

Microcephaly has not been conclusively proven to be related to the virus  but it probably is

One of the big claims of conspiracy theorists is that babies being born with microcephaly, or abnormally small heads, arent related to Zika. Instead, theyre caused by one of the many favourite ills of conspiracy theorists: chemtrails, vaccines, or even the pesticides that are being used to fumigate areas where people at risk of mosquito bites.

Its true that there has been no conclusive connection between Zika and microcephaly. The World Health Organisation has said that a causal relationship between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly is strongly suspected, though not yet scientifically proven.

All experts agreed on the urgent need to coordinate international efforts to investigate and understand this relationship better, the WHO wrote in its latest Zika situation report.

But the evidence that there is a connection seems strong. Seven countries have reported an increase in cases of microcephaly when the Zika virus outbreak took hold, and doctors first became concerned when reports of babies with abnormally small heads rose rapidly  but it may turn out to be more complicated than that.
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Police have thanked a member of the public for his timely intervention after he tripped up a suspect they were pursuing through the street.

Officers were chasing a man down a street in Kingston when a sharply-suited passerby stuck his leg out and tripped him up. The incident was captured on CCTV.

Thanking the stranger for his help, Kingston Police called him a legend.

The man and his female companion then nonchalantly walked off as police could be seen arresting the suspect who was now lying on the ground.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard told ITV News an arrest was made following the late night police chase.

It read: "On Saturday, 6 February at 11.20pm, officers on patrol near to Clarence Street, Kingston, were made aware of a report of two males seen dealing drugs at the location.

"The males left prior to the arrival of police but one of them was stopped by police near to the scene. Officers attempted to speak to the male who then made off.

"With the help of a member of the public he was detained a short time later."
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A police force has been accused of needlessly criminalising rough sleepers by using plain clothes officers to catch people begging on the streets.

Sussex Police last year arrested more than 60 people in Brighton for begging as part of an operation which uses non-uniformed officers to monitor homeless individuals and then move make arrests if they are witnessed asking for money.

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The strategy has caused an outcry in the south coast city with critics arguing that fines routinely imposed for begging offences simply increase the financial burden on rough sleepers, many of whom have issues with drug or alcohol abuse.

Demands are also being made for the repeal of the 192-year-old, pre-Victorian law used to arrest beggars, which was introduced tackle idle and disorderly persons, rogues and vagabonds.

The row will give rise to fresh debate about how police forces deploy their resources in the wake of 25 per cent budget cuts over four years. A senior police chief said last year that officers may no longer attend some burglaries while it emerged that the Leicestershire force it was not fully investigating attempted break-ins at odd-numbered houses as part of a three-month experiment to save money.

Jason Knight, a Brighton businessman who works with homeless people in the city, said: People are effectively being victimised for sleeping rough. We have a ridiculous situation where homeless people are being arrested for asking for a few pennies, fined by the courts and then put back out on the street. These are vulnerable individuals who are being criminalised. Surely the police have something else they could be doing with undercover officers than this?

Since 2010, homelessness across the UK has gone up by just under a third (Getty)

A defence lawyer who routinely deals with cases involving homeless people and individuals with mental health issues in Brighton said he was dealing with an increasing number of begging cases.

Ray Pape said: It is difficult to see why it is in the public interest to pursue these cases. I am not talking about aggressive begging or harassment but situations where people have asked for a few pence.

I currently have two cases where the arrest was made by plain clothes officers. In one case it was two officers who stood in close proximity to the individual hoping that they would be asked for some change.

Is this a good use of public money? We are talking about the cost of officers time to make and process these arrests, the cost of detention and the cost of prosecution.

Sussex Police said it had arrested 62 people for begging last year as part of a long-running crackdown on the practice. Several other forces have run similar operations, including West Midlands Police which has also used plain clothes officers in Birmingham city centre to deter begging after saying surveys showed it was one of the issues that caused the highest levels of public concern.

The Sussex force acknowledged its use of non-uniformed officers to catch beggars but said it was targeting repeat offenders who had refused assistance and it did not seek to arrest those who were already working with support agencies.

In a statement, the force said: We use plain clothes officers to gather evidence against people begging as they are not likely to ask a uniformed officer for money.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2022 A salmon leaps up the weir at Hexham in Northumberland, despite the drought warnings and low water levels, the River Tyne is still flowing well allowing the salmon and sea trout to head up river to spawn. Every year tens of thousands of salmon make the once-in-a-lifetime journey along the Tyne to spawn, having been out a sea PA UK news in pictures 31 August 2022 Flowers are placed at the gates outside Kensington Palace, London, the former home of Diana, Princess of Wales, on the 25th anniversary of her death PA

If we know someone who has been begging is now engaging with the various programmes and agencies, then we will look for alternative ways to address the anti-social behaviour...It is unlikely that they will be arrested. However, if we see someone begging who has refused help from the agencies, then they can be arrested.

Campaigners said a significant issue was the arcane legislation being used to arrest and prosecute beggars. The 1824 Vagrancy Act, which outlaws activities such as fraudulent palmistry and unlicensed trading by petty chapman, defines begging as a person placing himself or herself in any public place, street, highway, court, or passage, to beg or gather alms.

Mr Pape said: This a massively outdated piece of legislation and it should be replaced. Begging offences should have a requirement to show some form of harassment.

Charities who work with homeless people said that begging was more closely linked with long-term drug or alcohol addiction problems and many rough sleepers do not beg.

Figures produced by police forces last year showed that only around a fifth of people arrested for begging in 2014 were legally defined as homeless, though others were also likely to be in transitory accommodation such as hostels.

Mike Nicholas, of Thames Reach, one of the largest providers of outreach services in London, said: We find that the main factor in begging is an addiction to hard drugs such as heroin or crack. Money given to those begging is being spent to satisfy that addiction and ultimately finding its way into the pockets of drug dealers. Homelessness does not necessarily lead to begging but drug addiction does. The way to help these individuals is to help them break the cycle of addiction and get them the care and support they need.

The 1824 Vagrancy Act

The law being used to clamp down on begging in British cities in the 21st century was introduced nine years after the Battle of Waterloo in part to deal with an increasing problem with jobless soldiers discharged following the Napoleonic Wars.

Such is the vintage of the legislation that its original critics included the anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce, who complained it was too sweeping and failed to take into account individual circumstances.

It is a view shared by many of the laws contemporary detractors, who say its failure to distinguish between aggressive begging or harassment and so-called passive begging, such as simply sitting in the street, makes it an archaic and overly-blunt legal tool.

The legislation, which includes a legal definition of the term incorrigible rogue, has been entirely repealed in Scotland and was thought to have become defunct in England.

But a rise in homelessness has seen it return to fashion in law enforcement circles.
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The director of the London mosque where two of Isiss so-called The Beatles death squad worshipped has said people who link the centre to extremism do not understand how mosques work.

Both Mohammed Emwazi  known as Jihadi John  and the newly identified Isis militant Alexanda Kotey were regular worshippers at the Al-Manaar mosque in west London.

The pair appear to have been radicalised in Britain before travelling to Syria, where they became part of a group renowned among returning hostages as among the most violent and cruel jailors, known as John, Paul, George and Ringo because of their English accents.

Kotey was named as a member of The Beatles cell on Sunday following an investigation by Buzzfeed News and the Washington Post, which had earlier named Emwazi as Jihadi John. While Emwazi is believed to have been killed in an air strike last year, Koteys whereabouts are unknown.

Investigators reportedly believe the pair were both radicalised during the time they attended Al-Manaar, and former friends of Kotey have said he ran a stall outside the centre where he would try to justify suicide bombing.

But Saleha Islam, the current director of Al-Manaa, rejected the suggestion that the mosque was to blame for their radicalisation.

She said she was unable to confirm or deny whether Kotey and Emwazi attended because of the sheer numbers of people attending every week. The centre has nonetheless always condemned the actions of these extremists and will continue to do so, she said.

The suggestion that the mosque has radicalised young men shows how ignorant people are of Islam and how mosques work, she said.

Mosques are not like churches that cater for parishioners, instead it is a place for worship where people come to pray, what sort of ideas they have in their minds is something that we do not know of and we cannot control.

In pictures: The rise of Isis Show all 74 1 /74 In pictures: The rise of Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters of the Islamic State wave the group's flag from a damaged display of a government fighter jet following the battle for the Tabqa air base, in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from Islamic State group sit on their tank during a parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from the Islamic State group pray at the Tabqa air base after capturing it from the Syrian government in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Fighters from extremist Islamic State group parade in Raqqa, Syria AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping A video uploaded to social networks shows men in underwear being marched barefoot along a desert road before being allegedly executed by Isis Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Haruna Yukawa after his capture by Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis kidnapping Khalinda Sharaf Ajour, a Yazidi, says two of her daughters were captured by Isis militants Washington Post In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Spokesperson for Isis Vice News via Youtube In pictures: The rise of Isis A pro-Isis leaflet A pro-Isis leaflet handed out on Oxford Street In London Ghaffar Hussain In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters Isis Jihadists burn their passports In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A man collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid A woman collecting aid administered by Isis in Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis controls Syrian Aid Local civilians queue for aid administered by Isis. Since it declared a caliphate the group has increasingly been delivering services such as healthcare, and distributing aid and free fuel In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces detain men suspected of being militants of the Isis group in Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Mourners carry the coffin of a Shi'ite volunteer from the brigades of peace, who joined the Iraqi army and was killed during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Samarra, during his funeral in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Shiite Turkmen family fleeing the violence in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, arrives at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Arbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi A photograph made from a video by the jihadist affiliated group Furqan Media via their twitter account allegedly showing Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivering a sermon during Friday prayers at a mosque in Mosul. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared an Islamist caliphate in the territory under the group's control in Iraq and Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq Smoke and debris go up in the air as Shiite's Al-Qubba Husseiniya mosque explodes in Mosul. Images posted online show that Islamic extremists have destroyed at least 10 ancient shrines and Shiite mosques in territory - the city of Mosul and the town of Tal Afar - they have seized in northern Iraq in recent weeks In pictures: The rise of Isis Islamic extremists destroying mosques in Iraq A bulldozer destroys Sunni's Ahmed al-Rifai shrine and tomb in Mahlabiya district outside of Tal Afar In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces celebrate after clashes with followers of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi, in front of his home in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi at his home after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces arrest a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A vehicle burns in front of a home of a follower of Shiite cleric Mahmoud al-Sarkhi after clashes with his followers in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman holds her exhausted son as over 1000 Iraqis who have fled fighting in and around the city of Mosul and Tal Afar wait at a Kurdish checkpoint in the hopes of entering a temporary displacement camp in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees Displaced Iraqi women hold pots as they queue to receive food during the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, at an encampment for displaced Iraqis who fled from Mosul and other towns, in the Khazer area outside Irbil, north Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A militant Islamist fighter waving a flag, cheers as he takes part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa. The fighters held the parade to celebrate their declaration of an Islamic "caliphate" after the group captured territory in neighbouring Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters wave flags as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters travel in a vehicle as they take part in a military parade along the streets of Syria's northern Raqqa province In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade with a missile in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from an al-Qaida splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Fighters from the Isis group during a parade in Raqqa, Syria. Militants from the splinter group held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying U.S.-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters hold a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria Isis fighters during a parade in Raqqa, Syria In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Syria A member loyal to the Isis waves an Isis flag in Raqqa In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi anti-government gunmen from Sunni tribes in the western Anbar province march during a protest in Ramadi, west of Baghdad. The United Nations warned that Iraq is at a "crossroads" and appealed for restraint, as a bloody four-day wave of violence killed 195 people. The violence is the deadliest so far linked to demonstrations that broke out in Sunni areas of the Shiite-majority country more than four months ago, raising fears of a return to all-out sectarian conflict In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi security forces hold up a flag of the Isis group they captured during an operation to regain control of Dallah Abbas north of Baqouba, the capital of Iraq's Diyala province, 35 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Isis fighters parade in the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Volunteers, who have joined the Iraqi army to fight against the predominantly Sunni militants from the radical Isis group, demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony after completing their field training in Najaf In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Kurdish Peshmerga troops fire a cannon during clashes with militants of the Isis group in Jalawla, Diyala province In pictures: The rise of Isis Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference Iraqi Prime Minister's security spokesman, Lieutenant General Qassem Atta speaks during a press conference about the latest military development in Iraq, in the capital Baghdad. Iraqi forces pressed a campaign to retake militant-held Tikrit, clashing with jihadist-led Sunni militants nearby and pounding positions inside the city with air strikes in their biggest counter-offensive so far In pictures: The rise of Isis A police station building destroyed by Isis fighters An exterior view of a police station building destroyed by gunmen in Mosul city, northern Iraq. Iraq's new parliament is expected to convene to start the process of setting up a new government, despite deepening political rifts and an ongoing Islamist-led insurgency. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani issued a decree inviting the new House of Representatives to meet and form a new government In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq Smoke billows from an area controlled by the Isis between the Iraqi towns of Naojul and Tuz Khurmatu, both located north of the capital Baghdad, as Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces take part in an operation to repel the Sunni militants In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An elderly Iraqi woman is helped into a temporary displacement camp for Iraqis caught-up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul in Khazair In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi Christian woman fleeing the violence in the village of Qaraqush, about 30 kms east of the northern province of Nineveh, cries upon her arrival at a community center in the Kurdish city of Arbil in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraqi refugees An Iraqi woman, who fled with her family from the northern city of Mosul, prays with a copy of the Quran AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Isis fighters in Iraq The body of an Isis militant killed during clashes with Iraqi security forces on the outskirts of the city of Samarra Reuters In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Iraqi civilians inspect the damage at a market after an air strike by the Iraqi army in central Mosul EPA In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Members of the Al-Abbas brigades, who volunteered to protect the Shiite Muslim holy sites in Karbala against Sunni militants fighting the Baghdad government, parade in the streets of the city AP In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis Shia tribesmen gather in Baghdad to take up arms against Sunni insurgents marching on the capital. Thousands have volunteered to bolster defences AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq crisis A van carrying volunteers joining Iraqi security forces against Jihadist militants. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced the Iraqi government would arm and equip civilians who volunteered to fight AFP/Getty In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters of the Isis group parade in a commandeered Iraqi security forces armored vehicle down a main road at the northern city of Mosul In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An Islamist fighter, identified as Abu Muthanna al-Yemeni from Britain (R), speaks in this still image taken undated video shot at an unknown location and uploaded to a social media website. Five Islamist fighters identified as Australian and British nationals have called on Muslims to join the wars in Syria and Iraq, in the new video released by the Isis In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Al-Qaida inspired militants stand with captured Iraqi Army Humvee at a checkpoint belonging to Iraqi Army outside Beiji refinery some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad. The fighting at Beiji comes as Iraq has asked the U.S. for airstrikes targeting the militants from the Isis group. While U.S. President Barack Obama has not fully ruled out the possibility of launching airstrikes, such action is not imminent in part because intelligence agencies have been unable to identify clear targets on the ground, officials said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants attacked Iraq's main oil refinein Baiji as they pressed an offensive that has seen them capture swathes of territory, a manager and a refinery employee said In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants from the Isis group parading with their weapons in the northern city of Baiji in the in Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A smoke rises after an attack by Isis militants on the country's largest oil refinery in Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi security forces battled insurgents targeting the country's main oil refinery and said they regained partial control of a city near the Syrian border, trying to blunt an offensive by Sunni militants who diplomats fear may have also seized some 100 foreign workers In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group stand next to captured vehicles left behind by Iraqi security forces at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province. For militant groups, the fight over public perception can be even more important than actual combat, turning military losses into propaganda victories and battlefield successes into powerful tools to build support for the cause In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq An injured fighter (C) from the Isis group after a battle with Iraqi soldiers at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis aiming at advancing Iraqi troops at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group taking position at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Fighters from the Isis group inspecting vehicles of the Iraqi army after they were seized at an undisclosed location near the border between Syria and Iraq In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq One Iraqi captive, a corporal, is reluctant to say the slogan, and has to be shouted at repeatedly before he obeys Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Iraqi captives held by the extremists Sky News In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group force captured Iraqi security forces members to the transport In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group transporting dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members to an unknown location in the Salaheddin province ahead of executing them In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq A major offensive spearheaded by Isis but also involving supporters of executed dictator Saddam Hussein has overrun all of one province and chunks of three others In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Militants of the Isis group executing dozens of captured Iraqi security forces members at an unknown location in the Salaheddin province In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants taking position at a Iraqi border post on the Syrian-Iraqi border between the Iraqi Nineveh province and the Syrian town of Al-Hasakah In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis rebels show their flag after seizing an army post AFP/Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Isis militants waving an Islamist flag after the seizure of an Iraqi army checkpoint in Salahuddin Getty Images In pictures: The rise of Isis Iraq Demonstrators chant slogans as they carry al-Qaida flags in front of the provincial government headquarters in Mosul, 225 miles (360 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. In the week since it captured Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul, a Muslim extremist group has tried to win over residents and has stopped short of widely enforcing its strict brand of Islamic law, residents say. Churches remain unharmed and street cleaners are back at work

Al-Manaar is a centre where we have up to 3,000 people attending every week, it is not a membership club and anyone can come and pray.

The previous leader of the mosque, Dr Abdulkarim Khalil, spoke in a 2014 interview of how it was really difficult to know exactly what was going on in and outside the mosque at all times, particularly on Fridays when around 2,000 people congregate. We try our best to control what goes on in our premises, he said.

The mosque is now working with the local council and police to help promote counter-extremism programmes. Ms Islam said: We regularly hold workshops and conferences to guide our youth and community and are committed to ensuring that they have access to the real teaching of Islam.

She added: As someone who has been involved in social work and community work for over 30 years, I am fully committed to ensuring that our children are not groomed and radicalised.
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The father of a victim of the 7/7 terrorist attacks has criticised an insensitive film stunt, which saw a bus blown up on a bridge in central London.

John Taylor, whose 24-year-old daughter was killed at Aldgate Station on 7 July 2005, said more information should have been provided about the controlled explosion.

Mr Taylor, who works at the Tate Gallery, just yards away from where the stunt took place on Lambeth Bridge, said it was not made clear beforehand a London bus would be part of the shoot.

A bus after it exploded on Lambeth Bridge in London during filming for Jackie Chan's new film The Foreigner PA (PA)

He told the Mirror: You can totally understand why some people would be alarmed seeing this today. Fair enough there is filming that goes on in the city but this seems particularly insensitive.

I know a lot of the families, of other victims and survivors, would be upset by this. Perhaps it wasnt thought through as much as it should have been.

A number of people were left shocked after the blast on Lambeth Bridge sent flames high into the air, with many fearing a terrorist attack.

Some noted the detonated double decker bus bore an uncomfortable resemblance to the number 30 bus, which was destroyed by a suicide bomber in Tavistock Square on 7 July 2005, killing 13 passengers plus the 18-year-old bomber, Hasib Hussain.

Witness, Sophie Kinsella, said over Twitter: Hey film types next time you blow up a bus on Lambeth Bridge maybe tell us first so children in park arent freaked?

Steve Cathutch wrote: So with the country on terrorist alert who thought blowing up a bus on Lambeth Bridge for a film was a good idea?

The National Police Air Service also expressed surprise at the explosion: Noticed this on Lambeth Bridge as we passed. Got v [sic] worried until we realised they were filming! #theforeigner.

TfL officials had placed boards at the entry to the bridge, but did not mention an explosion.

The stunt was part of the forthcoming action film, The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan.
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Nuclear power stations are more usually associated with cost overruns, the threat of reactor meltdowns and environmental concerns over radioactive waste than with fine architecture. But could they eventually come to be regarded as things of beauty?

Architects and landscape designers from across the world are being asked to come up with creative concepts for Europes largest new nuclear power station, Moorside in West Cumbria. Their reward will be 25,000 each in prize money  as well as a shot at creating something beautiful out of what many might regard as an industrial scar on the landscape.

The two competitions, which are being backed by the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Landscape Institute, have been created by Moorsides developer, NuGen. The company has bought about 200 hectares of land near Sellafield and is looking for inspiration for a visitors centre and numerous other ancillary buildings which will adjoin the main site.

The shortlisted designs will be selected by an independent panel of architects, landscape designers and ecologists including Sir Terry Farrell, who created the MI6 building in London. Their challenge will be to come up with something striking and beautiful which can work around the sensitive construction of the sites nuclear reactors.

The Kempten hydroelectric power station at dusk, Kempten, Bavaria, Germany (Rex Features)

Sebastien Ricard, a director at WilkinsonEyre architects who is currently involved with the multibillion-pound redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in London, said industrial buildings were increasingly regarded by architects as the cathedrals of the modern era as they offered the chance to work with innovative technologies on a grand scale.

In the 21st century, we are much more aware of being careful about the amount of power we use, and where it comes from  so I think the building will need to reflect that new era, he said. If the buildings are well built and can become icons of the modern age, they will have a very long life, because people will love them enough to want to make their function evolve. Im not sure how nuclear power will be regarded in 100 years, but maybe there will be ways of decontaminating them and we can reuse them differently.

A spokesman for NuGen said that while there were parts of the reactor building that you wouldnt touch with a boundary-pushing architectural design, it is hoped that the winning plans will succeed in blending the site into its surroundings and perhaps even turn Moorside into a destination in its own right.

Hal Moggridge, one of Britains most eminent landscape designers, has worked on numerous large industrial buildings over his long career. He said restoring the damaged land left behind by the construction of the plant could be a demanding but ultimately satisfying job.

On one of the power stations we worked on they had extracted a lot of gravel from the ground to build the thing, and we turned that into a big nature reserve, with pools for children to gather tadpoles and plantings to encourage wildlife. Its very important to have people who are independent of the actual process of making the power station, so those people can represent the public interest, he said.
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A shopping centre in east London has been evacuated following a "suspicious incident".

Stratford Broadway was cordoned off this morning while police investigate an alert at the Stratford Centre.

Newham MPS said: Police dealing with a suspicious incident within Stratford Mall, E15.

Please be aware of road closures which should soon be resolved.

Shoppers and traders were ordered to evacuate the building at around 9.45am, according to the Newham Recorder.

According to reports, some members of staff are now being allowed back into the centre.

Roads around the Stratford Centre, including the High Street and the Broadway, are closed to traffic.

Bus routes in the area are subject to diversions and delays and are unable to serve the bus station.

The centre is opposite both Stratford station and Westfield Stratford City, but none of these buildings are believed to be affected by the alert.
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A junior doctor has accused Jeremy Hunt of lying, manipulating statistics, spinning against the medical profession and putting her patients safety at risk  during a live televised interview.

Dr Rachel Clarke, who works at a hospital in Oxford, was interviewed by the BBC after her letter detailing the despairing condition of her profession was read out by presenter Andrew Marr on Sunday. The health secretary, who was being interviewed by Marr, appeared to squirm as he listened to the letters being read to him.

Mr Hunt then, deflecting the criticism, blamed the British Medical Association for spreading misinformation and branded them irresponsible."

Speaking on the BBC today, Dr Clarke responded: Its extraordinary for me as a frontline junior doctor to hear my Health Secretary that. I would like to believe that if he were really committed to patient safety hed actually take seriously the concerns from the frontline of doctors like me.

"Instead, he seemed there to use my concerns as an opportunity to score a cheap political point at the expense of the BMA.

He says he cares about junior doctors moral so I can tell him now that the single biggest problem for my moral, the thing that is making me want to quit my profession at the moment is not the BMA, its nothing I hear from my union or read in the press, it is what he, my health secretary says.

He spins against us, he manipulates statistics against us and frankly he lies.

The doctor, who appeared visibly angry by the Health Secretarys comments at the weekend, added that she was livid with Mr Hunt for pushing her into a corner whereby there was no alternative but to take strike action on Wednesday.

 Andrew Marr reads junior doctors' letters to Jeremy Hunt

She added: One striking example being: he claims to the media that we would receive an 11 per cent pay rise in his contract. It sounded very slick; it was nice spin for the media. Every junior doctor in the country looked at the details of his contract and saw that alleged pay rise was offset by stringent cuts in our pay elsewhere.

Im saying hes lying. As it happens, Im not terribly interested in the pay issue here. What I care about is my patients safety and the ways in which I believe his contract will cause my patients safety to be jeopardised.

Junior doctors are set to strike on 10 February after talks between medics and managers broke down last week, the BMA said. Doctors overwhelmingly voted to take action late last year by 98 per cent on a turnout of over 70 per cent.
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New scientific evidence has shown a teenage soldier found dead at an army barracks more than 20 years ago may not have killed herself, an inquest has heard.

A fresh inquest is due to take place into the death of Private Cheryl James who was discovered with a fatal gunshot wound at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey in November 1995.

The 18-year-old was one of four recruits to die at the Royal Logistic Corps barracks in Camberley over a seven-year period between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of a culture of intimidation, bullying and sexual abuse.

At a hearing at Woking Coroners Court in Surrey, lawyers for Pte James's family called for the inquest to be delayed by a few weeks to allow "important" pathological evidence to be properly considered.

"Now there is distinguished pathological evidence showing that the shot that killed Cheryl James may not have been self-inflicted, said Alison Foster QC, who is representing the family.

She added: "Third party involvement is more than merely speculative, according to this inquest's pathologist.

"It's important such evidence is fully acquired and assimilated."

A second inquest is examining new evidence suggesting Pte James, from Llangollen in North Wales, may have been sexually exploited by senior ranks shortly before her death.

High Court judges ordered the inquest in 2014 after they quashed an open verdict recorded in December 1995. Ahead of the inquest Pte Jamess body was exhumed and then reburied after two pathologists carried out a post-mortem examination. Metallic fragments were said to have been recovered from the body.

Coroner Brian Barker QC has said he will not consider claims of a "wider culture of sexual abuse" at Deepcut barracks because he is not conducting a public inquiry.

Privates Sean Benton, 20, James Collinson, 17, and Geoff Gray, also 17, also died from gunshot wounds at the barracks between 1995 and 2002.

Additional reporting by Press Association
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Why are we asking this now?

David Cameron has set out his plans for a "truly 21st Century" prisons system by vowing to make prison reform one of "great progressive causes" that will mean prisoners are not simply regarded as "liabilities to be managed, but instead as potential assets to be harnessed". He reckons that the failure to rehabilitate prisoners costs 13bn per year because of "scandalous" rates of reoffending.

He said that the "current levels of prison violence, drug-taking and self-harm should shame us all".

Why this sudden interest in rehabilitation from the man who appointed Chris Grayling?

Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howards League for Penal Reform, welcomed the "brilliant rhetoric" of the Prime Minister's speech - but said Mr Cameron was making an implicit admission that the policies of Chris Grayling, who was Justice Secretary between 2012 and last year's general election, had brought the prison system to its knees.

Ms Crook, who has headed the Howard League since 1986, said: "I have been around a long time, and I don't think I have ever seen prisons in such a state ... [in terms of] overcrowding, murders, suicides, prisoner self-harm and assaults on staff."

The problem, Ms Crook says, is chronic overcrowding and understaffing of prisons, brought about by Mr Grayling's closure of 18 prisons and prison wings and cuts to the number of prison workers by around 40 per cent. A new, punitive, disciplinary regime imposed from Whitehall had the effect of riling already "bored, angry and frustrated" prisoners who had been locked in their cells for long periods.

As Ian Dunt of Politics.co.uk points out, the 2015 report of the Chief Inspector of Prisons demonstrates the disastrous consequences of overcrowding.

"You were more likely to die in prison than five years ago ... More prisoners were murdered, killed themselves, self-harmed and were victims of assaults than five years ago."

Cameron, it seems, has decided to heed these grim facts, to listen to Mr Grayling's successor, Michael Gove - who has stressed rehabilitation and reversed many of Mr Grayling's worst policies - by changing course.

Liberated by his promise not to contest another election - with an eye on his legacy and his pledge to make his time in office a "turnaround decade" for the country - Mr Cameron seems to have decided to ignore the tabloid concerns about "soft justice" and go with what works.

Isn't there a more cynical party political reason for backing Gove?

Well, yes, there is that.

What is the Prime Minister actually proposing?

Six new reform prisons to be created this year, with full autonomy over how they operate and spend their budget - modelled on Mr Gove's beloved free schools and academies - extended to all prisons within five years.

The prison education system will be "completely transformed" with full control being given to reform prison governors, while protecting its 130m budget - effectively ending Mr Grayling's puntitive, centrally imposed disciplinary regime.

Intitatives to try to reduce the overall prison population by extended use of satellite tagging and community punishments. As the Daily Mail notes, some prisoners could be let out during the week, to return to their cells at weekends.

New league tables of prisons, showing which are the best and worst at rehabilitation.

Nine new prisons will be built at a cost of 1.3bn with a plan to sell off some of the old Victorian prisons which are especially difficult to refurbish.

A Teach First-style scheme to recruit high-quality graduates to work in the prison service, run as a social enterprise by Lib Dem former minister, David Laws.

Prisoners could be banned from drinking on their release, enforced by GPS tags that indicate whether they have consumed alcohol.

Will it work?

Frances Crook says that the "50,000 question" is whether Mr Cameron is prepared to send fewer people to prison, and spend more on staffing. The current prison population is over 85,000; England and Wales has the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe.

"We need to take the power away from magistrates to send prisoners to prison for a few weeks at a time, for things such as begging," said Ms Crook. "These people are often homeless, they are often drunk, they are a nuisance, they are not a danger to society. Prison is not going to stop them from begging."

On funding, she told The Independent's political editor Oliver Wright: "It is all very well giving prison governors autonomy to improve rehabilitation and education. But you are not autonomous if your prison is so full you can't let prisoners out of their cells. It is hard to have autonomy over an institution that is stuck in the 18th Century."

Prisons with excellent facilites such as libraries are not able to let prisoners use them properly because there are not enough prison guards to escort them there, she added.



Has Michael Gove turned the PM into a bleeding heart liberal?



As John Rentoul demonstrates here, Mr Gove insists there is a clear, Conservative (and conservative) case for prison reform and rehabilitation.
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Downing Street has been accused of trying to buy off Eurosceptic Tory MPs with offers of foreign jaunts and future jobs to come out in favour of David Camerons EU negotiation package  or at the very least to avoid campaigning against him.

Conservative whips in Westminster have been tasked by Number 10 to ensure as many wavering MPs as possible come out in favour of the In campaign when negotiations conclude later this month.

Recommended Read more Grassroots groups campaigning for Brexit still lack a leader

But some Eurosceptic MPs are crying foul over tactics they say are being used to convince their colleagues not to join the Out camp.

Among the baubles said to be on offer are appointments to become a Prime Ministerial trade envoy, promoting links between Britain and far- flung parts of the world with obvious opportunities for travel.

Just last month, Mr Cameron doubled the number of these trade envoys  with eight of the 12 new jobs going to Tory MPs.

At the time the Government said the envoys had been carefully selected for their experience, skills and knowledge of particular sectors or markets. But some Tory MPs have suggested the appointments are more about trying to bind in backbenchers to the Downing Street line who would not otherwise be up for ministerial promotion. This has been denied by at least one of those who was given a job.

Former Tory whip, Michael Fabricant, said he detected a touch of the dark arts about the operation (Getty)

If that is the case then they wasted a vote on me, said Richard Benyon. I was always going to be an Inner. It sounds more like desperation in the Out camp.

A Westminster source connected with the Leave campaign said they were, however, aware of a concerted effort by party whips to buy off waverers. It is definitely happening. They are dangling jobs in front of people and twisting arms. At the very least they want MPs not to campaign for a Leave vote.

The website Conservative Home spoke to a series of Tory MPs who confirmed that the Westminster tearooms and bars were buzzing with rumours of the whipping operation. Some colleagues are getting these funny envoy offers, which quite a few seem to be taking up, said one.

Another said: There are lots of jokes going round in the tearoom like: Hello, have you been made envoy to Botswana or Bhutan yet? Ive not experienced it, but the rumour is that thats what they doing.

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Others said George Osborne was personally involved in lobbying newer MPs to support the Government and suggesting their future careers would prosper if they supported Mr Camerons position.

I know that George has been seeing MPs  particularly the new intake  and making it clear he would like them to support the Prime Minister, one MP said. Everyone is aware that people close to George tend to get promoted.

Michael Fabricant, a former Tory whip, said he detected a touch of the dark arts about the operation. I could not suppress a wry smile a few days ago when I saw that a well-known Eurosceptic Conservative MP had suddenly had a Damascene conversion and discovered a passionate enthusiasm for Brussels, he wrote. I have no way of knowing what, if anything, took place to result in this MPs about-turn. But it bears all the hallmarks of a successful Whips Operation.

Downing Street was yesterday embroiled in a further row with Tory Eurosceptics after David Cameron claimed Brexit could free thousands of migrants in the Calais Jungle to travel to Britain and potentially create tent cities in towns like Folkestone.

Advocates of withdrawal accused Number 10 of scaremongering over its claim that France could tear up the 2003 Le Touquet agreement, which requires checks on cross-Channel lorries and trains to be carried out on French soil.

But Mr Cameron raised the prospect that British withdrawal would put in doubt not only this arrangement, but also cross-border co-operation over terrorism and crime. If we can get this deal in Europe you know that the borders stay in Calais, he said. The people who want to take a different path have to start answering some questions about what it would look like if we are not in that organisation and not party to those rules.
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David Cameron is right  but also wrong.

Brexit would not necessarily uproot the whole of the Calais Jungle and move it to Kent. It could mean, however, that many thousands more asylum seekers would be able to cross the Channel.

Officially, the French government declines to comment on how a British departure from the European Union would change the Kafkaesque situation in Calais and other French channel ports. Unofficially, government sources in Paris say that it is unlikely that France would be able to continue its present treaty arrangements with a non-EU state.

Recommended Read more David Cameron says refugee camps could move to Kent after EU exit

Since 2003, and the signing of the Le Touquet Treaty, France has, in effect, been defending Britains borders. British immigration officials operate in Calais; French officials operate in Dover. Any migrant who is refused entry to Britain is still legally in France  and must remain there.

If the treaty was to be abandoned, asylum seekers with valid passports would, in theory, be free to cross the Channel. They could not easily be sent back to France  or anywhere else.

The treaty, signed in 2003 by Nicolas Sarkozy as interior minister and David Blunkett as Home Secretary, is already very unpopular in France. The mayor of Calais, Natacha Bouchart, and the new president of the northern French region, Xavier Bertrand, have called in recent weeks for the treaty to be abandoned and for British immigration controls to be removed from French soil. It is time for Mr Cameron to solve this problem in his own way  and on his own island, Mr Bertrand said last year.

The Le Touquet treaty is a bilateral agreement between London and Paris. It would not automatically fall if Britain left the EU. Attempts by The Independent to get an official French comment on the impact of Brexit on the legal situation in Calais in recent days have been refused. Off the record, a senior source said: The treaty is bilateral but was concluded by two EU states. If Britain was to leave, it might be called into question legally and would become difficult to defend politically. I think that it would be unlikely to survive in its present form.

This would not necessarily mean the 4,000 or so migrants in Calais and the 3,000 in Dunkirk would be able to pour across the Channel. Ferry companies and Eurotunnel face a 2,000 fine for each passenger who arrives in the UK without valid documents.

All the same, without British passport controls on the French side of the channel  and without French police patrols and French razor wire  many, many more migrants would reach Kent.
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Jeremy Corbyn is expected to consider allegations made by a leading womens charity that female Muslim Labour activists have been blocked from standing for local elections by Muslim male councillors.

The Muslim Womens Network UK (MWNUK) accused the national Labour party of turning a blind eye to the systematic misogyny of Muslim Labour councillors during selection processes in certain towns and cities across the UK.

In a letter to Mr Corbyn, MWNUKs chairwoman Shaista Gohir said the party had allowed local Muslim councillors to operate a patriarchal biradari system where men could intimidate or slander women considering running for local office.

One alleged victim, Fozia Paveen, told Newsnight that male councillors had operated a smear campaign against her when she attempted to stand as a councillor in Birmingham in 2007-8, and had threatened her mother.

Another said she was told to withdraw her candidacy for a council seat in Peterborough because she did not have her fathers permission or support.

The claims were supported by Labour MP Gavin Shuker, who said he had raised concerns about the bullying of female Muslim party members in his constituency party within the last three years.

The party was accused of having a weak response to the allegations on Saturday but a Labour source told the Guardian Mr Corbyn would now look at the letter and respond in due course.

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In an official statement on Friday, the party denied the allegations saying the election procedures include strong positive action procedures such as all-women shortlists and rules to ensure women are selected in winnable council seats.

Ms Gohir, who has also written to David Cameron about black and asian minority candidates in the Conservative selection process, said she was initially disappointed by Mr Corbyns response.

She said the issue affected all parties but was particularly acute in the Labour party due to the high concentration of Labour-voting Muslim communities in some towns and cities.
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Jeremy Hunts NHS policies have led to a fundamental breakdown in trust between the Government and the medical profession, Labour has said.

In a letter to the Health Secretary Heidi Alexander, Labours shadow health secretary, said Mr Hunt should not unilaterally impose a new contract on doctors without their agreement, warning it could lead to long-term strikes.

David Cameron has previously said doctors could be forced to accept a new contract if negotiations between the British Medical Association and the Government did not succeed.

Recommended Read more Doctors say MPs should work Saturdays after Jeremy Hunt comments

We cant rule that out because we cant simply go into a situation where the junior doctors have a complete veto and block over progress in our NHS, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme last month.

Junior doctors are staging a rolling programme of strikes to stop the new contract, which they say will incentivise unsafe shift patterns and leave doctors working the longest hours worse off.

The Government says the changes to the contract, which re-define which working hours count as anti-social and therefore merit special pay, are necessary to improve weekend NHS services.

Ms Alexander called for the Government to make public concessions to doctors to restore trust between the NHS and politicians.

I believe you should make an explicit and significant public commitment to further concessions  and I would encourage the BMA to re-enter negotiations should you do so, she wrote in an open letter.

If you are not willing to do this, a new contract should not be imposed. Such a decision on your part could lead to protracted industrial action and widespread anger among other NHS staff at a time when morale is already at rock bottom.

Junior doctors walked out for one day in January for all services except emergency care, with another strike planned for this week.

There is strong public support for the strike action so far, according to a series of general opinion polls conducted about the dispute. Junior doctors themselves also overwhelmingly voted to strike with 98 per cent in favour on a high turnout.

Academic evidence of previous strikes also suggests that there is little impact on patient mortality from stoppages, though the Health Secretary has warned that patients could be harmed.

In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 20,000 Junior Doctors marched through central London in protest at the new contract changes the government is trying to impose which they say will be unfair and unsafe In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors protest in London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK 4 year old Cassius takes part in a demonstration in Westminster, in support of junior doctors over changes to NHS contracts, London In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Protest over proposed changes to junior doctors' contracts, Leeds In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors and NHS staff protesting against the health service cuts and the proposed contract changes offered by the government outside Parliament In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Over 5000 junior doctors rallied in Waterloo place, before marching through Whitehall and onto Parliament Square, in opposition to Jeremy Hunt's new working conditions for doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Demonstrators listen to speeches in Waterloo Place during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally and protest march by junior doctors In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK Junior doctors marched in London to highlight their plight In pictures: Junior doctors protests in UK A protester at a demonstration in support of junior doctors in London

Medical professionals have criticised the Governments use of academic studies to support their argument, with the editor of the British Medical Journal having written to Jeremy Hunt to accuse him of misusing a study apparently showing higher death rates on weekends.

Some researchers have even suggested a so-called Hunt effect  that apparent scaremongering by Mr Hunt has made sick people less likely to attend hospital on the weekends for fear of bad care.

This may have led to higher mortality amongst people who listen to Mr Hunts claims, the researchers have suggested.

Mr Hunt has said most doctors would see no change to their pay from the changes but admitted that those who work the very longest hours could lose money.

As well as fears of lower compensation, doctors have also however warned that patient safety could be put at risk as hospitals managers are incentivised to put doctors on unsafe shift patterns.

Doctors and academics say the apparent findings are not necessarily because care in the NHS is poorer on the weekends but because patients admitted on weekends are often simply more ill.

Both the Government and the British Medical Association, which represents doctors, have accused each other of refusing to properly negotiate.
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David Cameron has been accused of scaremongering over the claim that leaving the EU could lead to Calais-style migrant camps being established in parts of the UK.

The Prime Minister is to warn that exiting the bloc could cause a special arrangement where British border staff are allowed to check passports in Calais instead of Dover to be scrapped.

He is expected to say that such a change could cause refugee and migrant camps like the Calais Jungle to South-east England.

The French would love to pull out of the arrangement, a senior Downing Street source told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Vote Leave, one of the campaign groups hoping to leave the EU, says the arrangement is not related to Britains membership of the bloc and that it is arranged by a separate treaty.

This is blatant scaremongering from Number 10 that has no grounding in reality," said Matthew Elliott, the group's chief executive.

UK border controls are in France because of a bilateral treaty, not because of our EU membership, and a result of the camps in Calais, not the cause of them.

Clearly, No 10 is in a blind panic over the failing renegotiation.

The claim has been branded "preposterous" by one of Mr Cameron's own MPs and supporter of Brexit, David Davis, who accused the Prime Minister of desperation.

There are around 8,000 people living in a camp in Calais unable to get into the UK. There are also other camps in northern France, including at Dunkirk.

One of the stated reasons for some campaigners wanting to leave the EU is that it would give the UK control of its borders policy with regard to other EU countries.

In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Show all 20 1 /20 In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis French gendarmes try to stop migrants on the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis French gendarmes try to stop migrants on the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles near Calais Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A migrant climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A migrant climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis French gendarmes block migrants along a road to prevent them access to train tracks which lead to the Channel Tunnel in Frethun, near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Policemen try to prevent migrants from reaching the Channel Tunnel operated by Eurotunnel in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A policeman faces migrants trying to reach the Channel Tunnel operated by Eurotunnel in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A policeman tries to stop migrants on the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants who managed to pass the police block on the Eurotunnel site climb over a fence to make their way towards the boarding docks in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants are seen near a Channel Tunnel train in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants trying to reach the Channel Tunnel run past policemen in Coquelles near Calaisa In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants step over the fence as they try to catch a train to reach England, in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A migrant climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants warm themselves with a fire as they attempt to access the Channel Tunnel, in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis An Afghan flag flies above makeshift shelters at a site dubbed the "new jungle", where migrants trying to cross the Channel to reach Britain have camped out around the northern French port of Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants build a makeshift shelter around the northern French port of Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants build a makeshift shelter In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants walk in a makeshift camp in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A driver climbs on his truck as he waits to cross the English channel, in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants walk along the roadside while a French policeman secures the area as lorries queue in Calais

Citizens of countries who are members of the bloc have freedom of movements between other nations and a number of EU leaders have said this principle is non-negotiable.

The row comes after former shadow home secretary David Davis warned that the PMs emergency brake on immigration could in fact lead to a surge in migration to the UK before it was put in place.

A referendum on whether to leave the EU is to be held before the end of 2017 following Mr Camerons renegotiation of Britains membership.

A draft deal offered to the PM by European Council president Donald Tusk has however been derided by Tory eurosceptics are thin gruel, and also faces challenges being agreed to by other European Union leaders/

Senior Conservatives are expected to announce which way they will campaign on the upcoming referendum.

Two figures who can be expected to campaign in either direction are Boris Johnson and Michael Gove.
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Long-extinct meat served at an annual Explorers Club dinner in New York City in 1951 turns out to have been less prehistoric than diners thought.

At the time, the menu claimed it was giant sloth, while another account said it was meat from an ancient mammoth preserved in a glacier.

Now researchers have discovered the truth and neither of those more fantastical claims were correct.

Using DNA analysis on surviving bits of the meat, the researchers at Yale University came to the conclusion that it was nothing more than a modern-day sea turtle.

"I'm sure people wanted to believe it, said Jessica Glass, a Yale graduate student and co-lead author of the study.

They had no idea that many years later a PhD student would come along and figure this out with DNA sequencing techniques.

The Explorers Club gala, held in the grand ballroom of the Roosevelt Hotel in 1951, promised meat from an extinct giant ground sloth, according to Adalgisa Caccone, a senior research scientist and study co-author.

Some of the folklore about mammoth meat being served is thought to have been borne out of a Christian Science Monitor story that ran days after the event in January 1951.

It reported that the "chief attraction at the smorgasbord was a morsel of 250,000-year-old hairy mammoth meat". The mammoth was said to have been shipped to New York after being discovered at "Woolly Cove" on Akutan Island in the Aleutians.

According to Yale, the banquet's promoter, Commander Wendell Phillips Dodge sent out press notices saying the annual dinner would feature "prehistoric meat".

In 1951 a piece of meat was sent to Explorers Club member, Paul Griswold Howes, because he was unable to attend the dinner.

The specimen has since remained intact and been on show in two museums. Although it was labeled as "Megatherium," or giant sloth, the myth about the woolly mammoth has remained widely believed.

But in 2014, Ms Glass and another student, Matt Davis, became curious about the specimen. They extracted DNA and the test results matched the genetic profile for green sea turtle.

"We are pleased with the results of Yale's analysis," said Will Roseman, executive director of the Explorers Club, an organisation of conservationists, environmentalists and others devoted to protecting the earth.

"The mindset 65 years ago and today has dramatically changed and what was obviously a unique event decades ago has given way to a determined effort to introduce people to the foods that can sustain mankind well into the future."
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An Italian student whose battered corpse was found near the Egyptian capital suffered from inhuman, animal-like violence, Italys interior minister has said following a second autopsy on the victims body.

Rome prosecutors have now opened a murder investigation into the death of 28-year-old Giulio Regeni, a Cambridge University student, after his body was found near a highway outside Cairo, nine days after he reportedly went missing.

According to human rights lawyer Alessandra Ballerini, who was appointed by the mans family, Mr Regeni died after a vertebra in his neck was broken.

Italy's ambassador, who viewed the body a few hours after Egyptian authorities told Italy about its discovery, had already said the victim showed signs of a brutal beating and torture. Italian authorities performed a second autopsy after the body was flown to Italy.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Sunday that he still hasn't gotten his breath back after learning the shocking results of the latest autopsy. "We had to view the results of the autopsy," Minister Alfano said, referring to Italian authorities. Mr Regeni suffered "something inhuman, animal-like, an unacceptable violence," he added.

He also urged Eygpts president to fully cooperate with the criminal investigation.

News reports in Italy have said Italian authorities strongly suspect Egyptian security forces interrogated Regeni to learn about the contacts he made as part of his research with the labour world and other activists, and tortured and killed him.

Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control Show all 2 1 /2 Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control 548021.bin Reuters Egypt's leaders struggle to regain control 547641.bin

In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Egypt's foreign minister vehemently denied those allegations as "judgments, accusations and insinuations, unjustified and without proof."

Mr Regeni had been in Egypt since September, conducting research on workers and labour rights. He wrote several articles under a pseudonym about Egyptian trade unions for the left-wing Italian newspaper Il Manifesto. The newspaper said Mr Regeni had published under a false name because he feared for his safety.

His last article, published after his death and run under his own name, detailed difficulties facing independent unions, including the Centre for Trade Union and Workers Services.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
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A young protester who was reportedly forced to admit to crimes after being tortured when he was a teenager could be beheaded in the coming days.

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2012, along with two others who were also minors at the time, following anti-government protests in 2011.

In 2013, aged just 17, he was sentenced to death by beheading and crucifixion.

He is the nephew of the outspoken Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who was executed on 2 January without warning, along with 46 other prisoners.

His mother, Umm Bakr, told The Times she fears her son was used as a card against his uncle, and says after he was arrested he was tortured into signing confessions for a number of false charges including carrying a weapon.

Mohammed al-Nimr, his father and the brother of Sheikh Nimr, believes his son was just like any other youth, he said: When the movement started, he joined, believing he would take on the burden for the people.

However, he claims police knocked Mr al-Nimr off his motorcycle and arrested him, informing his family he would only be released if his uncle stops talking.

Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Show all 8 1 /8 Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Abdullah al-Zaher Abdullah al-Zaher was arrested at the age of 15 for attending a protest and he is was the youngest in a group of juvenile offenders put on death row Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Abdullah al-Zaher Previously held alongside fellow juvenile offender Ali al-Nimr, whose case sparked outrage around the world, Abdullah has now been moved to solitary confinement at a new facility and could be beheaded at any moment Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Abdullah al-Zaher His family and lawyers believe he was forced to sign a document without knowing its contents, and which later was used as a confession in the closed trial against him Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Ali Mohammed al-Nimr Ali Mohammed al-Nimr faces imminent beheading and crucifixion for crimes he reportedly committed as a child Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Ali Mohammed al-Nimr The UN has issued an urgent call for Saudi Arabia to halt his execution but a Saudi court has upheld the sentence of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, the son of a prominent government dissident, despite growing and high-level international condemnation Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Ali Mohammed al-Nimr Mr al-Nimr, who was arrested in 2012 for his participation in Arab Spring protests when he was just 16 or 17 years old, could now be put to death at any time Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Dawood al-Marhoon Dawood al-Marhoon was 17 year old when he was arrested for participating in an anti-government protest Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Dawood al-Marhoon After refusing to spy on his fellow protesters, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his confession. At Dawoods trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer

The mass execution sparked widespread protests around the world and lead to a sharp decline in relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Following the mass killing of 46 prisoners earlier this year, the largest mass execution in Saudi Arabia since 1980, the British government maintains it doesnt expect the Mr al-Nimrs sentence to go ahead.

But his father doubts he will be released: Perhaps before 2 January, I might have believed that. Now unless I see him back home again, none of these assurances can give me any comfort."
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Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, has personally confirmed that he is actively considering entering the US presidential contest as an independent candidate. He said he was unimpressed by what he had been of the campaign so far and believed Americans deserved a lot better.

The 73-year-old confirmed that he was looking at all the options when asked whether he was considering putting his name forward.

I find the level of discourse and discussion distressingly banal and an outrage and an insult to the voters, the tycoon told the Financial Times.

(Getty)

The confirmation by Mr Bloomberg followed a report by the New York Times last month that said he was prepared to spend up to $1bn of his own money to fund a campaign, and that he had instructed advisers to draw up plans for an independent run.

The report said Mr Bloomberg, who served three terms as mayor between 2002-2013, had been spurred to action by the Donald Trumps dominance in the Republican field and the stumbles of Hillary Clintons campaign.

Mr Bloomberg would need to start putting his name on ballots across the US at the beginning of March. Im listening to what candidates are saying and what the primary voters appear to be doing, he said.

 David Usborne on New Hampshire primary

His entry would have the potential to dramatically impact the campaign. A number of experts have said it would be most likely help a Republican candidate as he would draw support away from the Democrats, and attract independent voters.

In both 2008 and 2012, Mr Bloomberg conferred with advisors and commission polls to assess his chances of making it to the White House, only to decide against a run.

At the same time, he would face a huge challenge. While there have been third party or independent candidates before  businessman Ross Perot ran in both 1992 and 1996, and activist Ralph Nader has stood in numerous elections  no independent candidate has ever been elected to the White House.

The most recent poll by the University of Massachusetts has suggested Mr Trump will win the Republican race with 34 points, followed by Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz on 13, then John Kasich and Jeb Bush on 10.

In the Democratic race, the same poll put Bernie Sanders on 56 per cent, compared to Ms Clinton on 40 points. Four per cent are undecided.
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Talks between Burma's military chief and Aung San Suu Kyi on suspending a constitutional clause that prevents her from becoming the president could yield "positive results", two pro-government television channels are reporting.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party won a landslide victory in the November 8 general elections. But she is barred from becoming president because of the Constitution's Article 59 (f), which says anyone with a foreign spouse or children cannot hold the executive office. Suu Kyi's late husband was British as are her two sons.

In separate but identical broadcasts late Sunday, Sky Net and Myanmar National Television said "positive results could come out on the negotiation for the suspension of the constitution Article 59 (f)."

Suu Kyi has been negotiating with commander-in-chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on having the clause suspended, which can be legally removed only through a two-thirds vote in Parliament. The military holds 25 percent of the nominated seats in parliament, which means the NLD cannot scrap the clause on its own.

"I think everything will be fine," Kyaw Htwe, a member of Central Committee of the NLD, told The Associated Press. "The negotiations will be positive for our leader Aung San Suu Kyi to become president," said Kyaw Htwe, who is also a member of parliament.

But Yan Myo Thein, a political analyst, advised caution.

"It is still too early to confirm that Suu Kyi will be among the presidential candidate," he said.

Welcome to Burma  2011's hippest holiday destination Show all 3 1 /3 Welcome to Burma  2011's hippest holiday destination Welcome to Burma  2011's hippest holiday destination 560825.bin ALAMY Welcome to Burma  2011's hippest holiday destination 560823.bin ALAMY Welcome to Burma  2011's hippest holiday destination 560824.bin AP

"Even the suspension and the constitutional amendment will take time. And we cannot really comment relying only on a short announcement on TV."

Suu Kyi has said previously that even if she doesn't become the president she would run the country from behind the scenes. But clearly, the NLD would prefer the 70-year-old icon of democracy to lead the country, having struggled almost all her life for it.

On Friday, a legal advisory committee consisting of experts and members of the lower house was launched, led by Shwe Mann, the former head of the military-tied Union Solidarity and Development Party. One of the few Suu Kyi allies in the defeated ruling party, Shwe Mann is believed to be supportive of a constitutional change.

Although national elections were in November, the president does not take office until March 31 or April 1 because of a long-winded selection process.

The new members of parliament took their oaths of office only this month. Next, they will announce the date of meetings to pick three nominees for the post of president through a vote by all members of parliament. It is not known when the vote will take place.

Associated Press
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Three men who pleaded guilty to raping a 17-year-old girl in Croatia have returned to Australia after paying 20,000 instead of standing trial.

Dylan Djohan, 23, Ashwin Kumar, 23, and Waleed Latif, 21, from Melbourne, paid the money and received a one year prison sentence, which was reduced to a five year good behaviour bond, Fairfax media reports.

The men were arrested after the assault on the teenager on 16 July last year and had their Australian passports seized by police.

During a trial in December the court heard that during the assault in a bar in Split, one of the men took the Norwegian girl by force to the mens bathrooms before the two friends joined him and began to assault her. The victim eventually escaped and reported her attackers to police.

All three men had left DNA samples on the girls clothing. Two of the men originally claimed the sex was consensual while another claimed he had not been involved in the attack.

The men had been due to stand trial on 1 February and faced 15 years in prison had they been found guilty, but their lawyers arranged the plea bargain ahead of the court date.

Croatian womens rights campaigner Sanja Sarnavka defended the girls decision to accept the 20,000 to avoid a protracted trial that would force her to relive the assault, but criticised the state prosecutor for allowing a financial settlement over a crime that carries a lengthy prison sentence in Croatia.

"If they can afford it, those who are indicted will pay for the best lawyers, pay the damages and receive a minimum sentence or even go free. In a democratic state, everyone should have the same treatment, regardless of their wealth or assets," Ms Sarnavka told local media.

Days after the deal, Djohan wrote on his Instagram account about the possibility of his joining the mile high club with an airline stewardess before boarding his flight home, The Age reported. He had previously reportedly used the social media account to claim that while he was sat on a stone wall in Dubrovnik a soft voice told him his purpose in life was to bed heavenly blessed beauties.
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A video has emerged showing two men handing what looks like a laptop concealing a bomb to a suspected suicide bomber who then detonated it in a passenger plane.

The footage, released on Sunday by Somali government officials, shows two apparent airport workers hand the computer to Abdullahi Abdisalam Borle, the lone suspect in Tuesdays attack who was sucked out of the jet after blowing a hole in the fuselage mid-air. The item, believed to be the device which caused the explosion which ripped a hole in the fuselage of Daallo Airlines Flight 3159, was handed to the suspect after he had passed through security.

Although Borle was the only fatality in the blast, the pilot believes that the Airbus 320, which had 74 passengers on board, would have crashed had it been at a higher altitude when the bomb was detonated.

The hole seen from inside the aircraft (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Abdisalam Aoto, a Somali government spokesman, said, At least 20 people, including the two men in the CCTV footage who handed over the laptop to the suspected bomber, were arrested in connection with the explosion in the aircraft.

It was a deliberate act of terrorism. Investigations are still ongoing.

Vlatoko Vodopivec, the pilot who returned the plane to Mogadishu airport to make an emergency landing, criticised the lack of security, saying: The security is zero. When we park there, some 20 to 30 people come to the tarmac.

No one has a badge or those yellow vests. They enter and leave the plane, and no one knows who is who ... They can put anything inside when passengers leave the aircraft.

Speaking in an interview in Belgrade, Mr Vodopivec, an experienced pilot, said: When we went past 10,000ft, we switched off the fasten belts sign and the cabin crew started serving passengers.

When we climbed past 11,000ft, it exploded. At first, I thought it was a window breaking. However, we soon sensed the smell of the explosives when smoke came rushing into the cockpit.

"The security is zero" <p>Vlatoko Vodopivec</p>

All lasted very shortly. We immediately demanded an emergency return to the airport because that was the only solution.

He said that he made this decision with a heavy heart as the security is minimal and we had to remain there for a couple of days afterward.

The pilot continued, You can land at the airport only from the sea side. On the other side of the runway is the city.

Bigger planes dont land over the city because of security concerns. Some planes landed with bullet holes in their fuselage.

Dubai-based Daallo Airlines has since temporarily suspended its operations in Mogadishu, and the Somali government has vowed to tighten security at the airport.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack, however investigators believe that it may have been arranged by Islamic extremist group Al-Shabaab.
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At least 33 refugees have died after two boats travelling to Greece capsized near Turkey, according to local media.

Anadolu, the state-run Turkish news agency reported that 22 people had drowned after a boat capsized near the Greek island of Lesbos, in the Bay of Edremit.

A search and rescue operation is currently underway by the Turkish coast guard, which has deployed boats and helicopters to search for survivors, Reuters reported. One refugee was rescued by a fisherman and three more by the coast guard, while 13 more people were sought in the waters.

Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily.

The news of the deaths follow an earlier report from the private Turkish news agency Dogan which stated the bodies of 11 migrants had been discovered further south, near the Aegean resort of Dikili.

The International Organisation for Migration says 374 refugees have died since the start of the year while attempting to reach Greece.

More than 900,000 people fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other impoverished and war-torn countries travelled from Turkey to Greece last year, while hundreds died in the attempt.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that she was not just appalled, but horrified by Russian attacks on Syrian civilians that have created a fresh wave of refugees, as she asked Turkey to make sure they cannot reach Europe.

Speaking on a visit to Ankara, Ms Merkel said that recent days had seen human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing  primarily from the Russian side.

Her visit came as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad made further gains in Syrias northern Aleppo province in an offensive that strengthened Damascus and made an estimated 35,000 people homeless. It has prompted fears that hundreds of thousands more refugees could head for Europe, exacerbating a crisis that has already strained the very foundations of the European Union.

Recommended Read more David Cameron says refugee camps could move to Kent after EU exit

Even before the recent military push, leaders from London to Athens were deeply alarmed that, despite a 3bn (2.3bn) deal with Turkey aimed at avoiding a repeat of last years huge tide of migration, the number of arrivals has remained stubbornly high even during the harsh winter months. Yesterday alone, at least 38 people drowned in two separate incidents off the Turkish coast as they tried to reach Greek islands.

The fractious relationship has been further strained by the arrival of tens of thousands of refugees from Aleppo at the Turkish border. Europe has demanded that they be let into Turkey, but Turkish authorities have so far refused, prompting speculation that it could be seeking to unilaterally create the safe zone for refugees that it has long demanded from the United States.

The scale of the tensions between Brussels and Ankara was blown into the open yesterday in an explosive leaked memo, just minutes before Ms Merkel stood up for a joint press conference. According to the account of an October meeting to thrash out the EU-Turkey refugee deal announced the following month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is said to have warned the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker: We can open the doors to Greece and Bulgaria any time and we can put the refugees on buses.

The memo, obtained by the Greek news site Euro2day, said Mr Juncker reminded Mr Erdogan that Europe had delayed a report that was critical of the human rights situation in Turkey until after crucial elections in November. He is said to have told him: We have treated you as a prince in Brussels. The Turkish president allegedly retorted: Like a prince? Of course, Im not representing a third-world country.

Four months on, the rhetoric appears to have changed little. Turkeys deputy prime minister, Yalcin Akdogan, yesterday accused Europe of doling out lessons in morality without taking any responsibility. He said: On the one hand they say Open your borders, take everyone in. On the other hand they say Close your border dont let anyone through. Is it just us that must act with conscience?... Why dont you take them in?

Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily.

Speaking alongside Ms Merkel, the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu struck a more measured note but also sounded the alarm: No one can expect Turkey to take on the burden on its own.

Ms Merkel faces pressure at home over her open door refugee policy that allowed more than a million migrants to enter Germany last year.

Turkey, meanwhile, is home to the worlds largest population of Syrian refugees, an estimated 2.5 million people.

Since striking the deal with Brussels in November, Ankara has promised to build new schools and announced plans to issue work permits for Syrians in an effort to improve their living conditions and reduce the compulsion to leave in search of a better life. However, thousands have continued to set sail for Europe. Last month alone almost 70,000 migrants reached Greece.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Ankara for a joint press conference on the conflict in Syria (AFP/Getty)

Mr Davutoglu said he and the German chancellor had agreed a series of joint measures to reduce that figure, including an emergency aid group to help refugees at the border and an initiative aimed at combining the work of the Turkish coastguard with the EU border agency Frontex.

Aid groups warn, however, that the intensifying conflict in Syria means that the number of refugees will only continue to grow.

Pro-government troops, aided by Russia and Iran, have advanced to within 16 miles of the Turkish border after capturing the town of Kfeen, monitoring groups said, while Aleppo city is still under heavy bombardment.

Analysts say that the fall of the rebel-held districts of Syrias second city could prove a decisive moment in a conflict that has dragged on for five years and claimed the lives of at least 250,000 people.

Ms Merkel said the bombardment must be brought to an end quickly, and promised that Turkey and Germany would push to halt the fighting in Aleppo. But, with UN-sponsored Syrian peace talks paused last week after barely getting under way, the chances of a ceasefire look slim.
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Chechen special forces loyal to Vladimir Putin are on the ground in Syria, embedded inside Isis-controlled territory as part of an intelligence-gathering mission, the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has said.

In a teaser for a documentary to be aired on Russias state-controlled TV channel, Russia One, later this week, Mr Kadyrov is shown at a training camp for special units in Chechnya. Shooting high-powered weapons and observing the troops, Mr Kadyrov tells the camera that his best fighters were sent undercover to Syria to train alongside Isis fighters, while Chechen agents had infiltrated Isis cells to gather information about the terrorist group.

An extensive spy network has been set up inside Isis, Mr Kadyrov said. Russia Ones report said that the time had come to talk about those who have safeguarded the success of Russian air strikes on the ground at the cost of their own lives.

However, in a rare discrepancy between the Kremlins official line and the information broadcast on state TV, a presidential spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, refused to confirm the report. Mr Peskov told journalists that Russias defence ministry has already given exhaustive information [about] who has been deployed to Syria and for how long and what theyre doing there  and one should not speak about the Chechen special task force but about relevant federal units.

The report and its rebuttal by the Kremlin show cracks in the official narrative about Russias presence in Syria. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the presence of its troops on the ground and remained evasive over whether Russian special forces are operating in the country. The report adds to mounting evidence that Mr Kadyrov has spun out of Moscows control and may be vying for greater influence in the region.

Mr Kadyrov, a self-professed foot soldier for Putin, has ruled Chechnya with a strong hand since taking power in 2007, coming under heavy international criticism for accusations of widespread human rights abuses. He also controls thousands of paramilitary fighters known in the region as Kadyrovtsky (Kadyrovs men), who are meant to serve the Kremlin but in reality are personally loyal to the Chechen leader.

In April last year, Mr Kadyrov authorised Chechen police to open fire at any officers from other parts of Russia who arrive in Chechnya without giving warning, after a wanted Chechen was shot dead by police in the neighbouring Stavropol region.
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Egyptian authorities have arrested three men caught on camera selling pieces of the Giza pyramids to tourists.

Undercover journalists from local website DotsMSR filmed the trio trying to peddle the portions of one of the Seven Wonders of the World for as little as 22 - and boasting about shifting them for as much as 386.

According to The Cairo Post, Egyptian officials had initially denied some vendors sold pieces of the ancient stone to tourists.

However, a Facebook post by Egypts Ministry of Antiquities seemed to confirm those selling the bits of pyramid in the video had been arrested.

The post read: Tourism and Antiquities Police arrested the three persons who appeared on a widespread video showing them while selling pieces of the Pyramids rocks. Prosecution is handling the situation now and results will be published after the termination of investigations.

English language Egypt news website AhramOnline spoke to Hussein Bassir, Director of Giza Plateau, home to the most famous pyramids and the Sphinx, who claimed the incidents in the video had taken place in an area by the Menakawre which is not especially popular with tourists.

Tombs of the pyramid builders discovered in Giza, Egypt Show all 4 1 /4 Tombs of the pyramid builders discovered in Giza, Egypt Tombs of the pyramid builders discovered in Giza, Egypt 294541.bin Images courtesy the SCA (Supreme Council of Antiquities) Tombs of the pyramid builders discovered in Giza, Egypt 294544.bin Images courtesy the SCA (Supreme Council of Antiquities) Tombs of the pyramid builders discovered in Giza, Egypt 294543.bin Images courtesy the SCA (Supreme Council of Antiquities) Tombs of the pyramid builders discovered in Giza, Egypt 294542.bin Images courtesy the SCA (Supreme Council of Antiquities)

The website says Mr Bassir told them that although there were always security personnel around the Giza Plateau, this cannot be the case everywhere as the area is so vast.

He also alleged: "The blocks shown in the video are authentic, but have fallen from the pyramid complex across the span of time and have not been broken off by thieves"

"The criminals seen in the video were arrested and detained for four days on charges of vandalism, trading in antiquities, and fraud."

Mr Bassir also told the website that despite their good intentions, "the journalists shown in the video may also face charges of owning and trading in stolen antiquities.

"The pieces of the pyramids are still in their possession. If they had handed over the blocks to the police immediately after receiving them, their situation may have been different," he said.
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Tunisia is building an "anti-jihadi" barrier along its border with Libya.

Upon completion, the barrier of sand banks and water trenches will stretch 125 miles inland from the coast, covering a little under half the length of the 285-mile border.

There are monitoring centres dispersed along the length of the barricade, which will now be equipped with electronic monitoring equipment. Partially funded by the US and Germany, the barrier is designed to prevent vehicles crossing the border from Isis-linked training camps in west Libya.

The construction of the barricade was announced last July, in the days following an attack by an Isis-linked gunman on a Tunisian tourist resort in which 39 people died.

Three months before that attack near the city of Souse, an al-Qaeda linked splinter group had shot dead 24 people in the Bardo National Museum in Tunis.

Prior to these two attacks, the coastal nation was enjoying a boom in tourism. This was partially traced to Tunisia's reputation as the only country to have successfully transitioned to a liberal-democratic model following the revolutions of the Arab Spring.

But the deaths of 59 foreign tourists in the space of three months challenged the notion of the "Tunisian exception". Last summer, Tourism minister Selma Loumi said he anticipated that the country would lose $500m in tourist revenue as a result of the attacks, wiping out a substantial portion of the country's $50bn GDP.

In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Show all 32 1 /32 In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia The coffin of Denis Thwaites is carried from an RAF C-17, which repatriated the bodies of eight British nationals killed in the Tunisia terror attack, at RAF Brize Norton near Oxford in Britain In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia The coffin of John Stollery is carried from an RAF C-17, which repatriated the bodies of eight British nationals killed in the Tunisia terror attack, at RAF Brize Norton near Oxford in Britain In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia The coffin of Elaine Thwaites, one of the victims of the terrorist attack, is taken from the RAF C-17 aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Tunisia In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Hearses carrying the victim's of last Friday's terrorist attack arrive at Tunis Airport Getty Images In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia An RAF C17 transport aircraft arrives at RAF Brize Norton Airport in Oxfordshire carrying the bodies of 8 British people killed in the Tunisia gun attack Getty Images In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Ambulances carrying the victim's of the terrorist attack arrive at Tunis Airport Getty Images In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Armed police continue to patrol Marhaba beach in Sousse Getty Images In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia National guard members patrol at the beach near the Imperiale Marhaba hotel, which was attacked by a gunman in Sousse In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Military personnel attending to injured British nationals on board an RAF C-17 aircraft en route back to the United Kingdom, in Tunisia In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Military personnel attending to injured British nationals on board an RAF C-17 aircraft en route back to the United Kingdom, in Tunisia In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Holidaymakers lay flowers on Marhaba beach Getty Images In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Tourists pay tribute to the victims of the Sousse attack at a makeshift memorial on the beach at the Imperial Marhaba resort Reuters In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia The Home Secretary Theresa May pays her respects with her counterparts, Frances Bernard Cazeneuve, left, Germanys Thomas de Maiziere, second left, and Tunisias Najem Gharsalli, in Sousse Reuters In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Two tourists pay respects to victims of IS attack on beach in Sousse, Tunisia Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Many people remain unaccounted for and many of their relatives have taken to social media in the hope of obtaining information about those who are still missing (Getty) Getty In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia A boy holds a Tunisian flag at the spot on the beach where the attack took place Reuters In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia A man kisses a Tunisian flag at the site of a shooting attack on the beach in front of the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Port el Kantaoui, on the outskirts of Sousse In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia The front of the Marhaba hotel Getty In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Tunisian Ennahdha party member and former minister Houcine Jazir speaks with Belgium survivor couple Corman (R) and Claude Pesser after a mass shooting in the resort town of Sousse In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia The bloodstained belongings of a tourist are seen on the sand in the resort town of Sousse AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia A broken glass window of the Imperiale Marhaba hotel is seen after a gunman opened fire at the beachside hotel in Sousse Reuters In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Blood stains cover the ground at the Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse, Tunisia after mass shooting Fethi Belais/AFP/Getty In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Policemen patrolling the beach in front of the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse where tributes have been laid to the dead AFP/Getty In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia People stand in silence next to flowers during a gathering at the scene of the attack in Sousse, Tunisia Getty In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Messages and flowers are left on Marhaba beach where 38 people were killed in a terrorist attack in Souuse Getty Images In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Police officers control the crowd while surrounding a man suspected to be involved in opening fire on a beachside hotel in Sousse, Tunisia In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Medics help an injured man in Sousse In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia A body lies on a street in Sousse In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia Members of the Tunisian security forces in an armoured vehicle patrol a street in Sousse In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia The beach where the massacre took place Lionel Tunisiano/Twitter In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia A general view of the deserted pool and deck chairs at the Imperial Marhaba Hotel EPA In pictures: Tunisia hotel attack Tunisia A woman looks toward a glass door shattered by a bullet at Imperial Marhaba Hotel EPA

Both the Sousse gunman and the Bardo militants are understood to have trained in Libya before crossing the border to launch their attacks. The new border defences are the latest attempt on behalf of the Tunisian government to emphasise the continued security of their country relative to its neighbours.

Defence Minister Farhat Horchani said: "Today we finished closing it off, and this will help us protect our border, and stop the threat."
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The United Arab Emirates has said that it is ready to supply ground troops to help support and train an international military coalition against Isis in Syria, provided such efforts were led by the United States.

Asked whether the UAE could be expected to send ground troops to Syria, and if so under what circumstances, foreign affairs minister Anwar Gargash said: I think that this has been our position throughout... that a real campaign has to include ground elements.

Saudi Arabia, one of several Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states, including the UAE, who are opposed to Isis, said last week it was ready to participate in ground operations in Syria if the US-led coalition decided to start such operations.

Mr Gargash said that any potential supply of troops would not have to be particularly large.

We are not talking about a thousand troops but we are talking about troops on the ground that will lead the way, that will train, that will support... and I think our position remains the same and we will have to see how this progresses.

Following Saudi Arabias announcement, Syrias foreign minister said on Saturday that Damascus would resist any ground incursion into its territory and send the aggressors home in coffins.

Reuters
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Yemen could become a new breeding ground for child soldiers, Unicef has warned, as the rise of extreme violence around the world undermines efforts to end the practice.

Twenty years on from a landmark report that put child soldiers on the global agenda, Unicef says tens of thousands of children are engaged in warfare, as conflicts rage in the Middle East and East Africa.

Around a third of combatants in Yemens civil war are children, Unicef estimates. Both the Houthi rebels and militias fighting on behalf of the internationally recognised President Abdullah Mansour Hadi have recruited children to fight on their behalf in the 11-month war, which has so far killed at least 2,800 civilians.

Children as young as 14 are fighting on the front line, according to a Unicef report to be formally published today, which says that both the Houthis and the government have gone back on pledges to the UN that they would end the practice.

Meanwhile, the widespread destruction of schools and infrastructure in the Saudi-led bombardment of the country is further encouraging more children to pick up guns and fight, in exchange for pay of between 3 to 6 a day.

Elsewhere, the rise of terrorist groups such as Isis and al-Shabaab has made negotiation over the issue impossible.

In Iraq and Syria, Isis have featured very young children prominently in their propaganda, and have employed new tactics, such as the use of social media, to lure children into the fight. The group has released videos showing children beheading prisoners and training in military camps.

Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? Show all 12 1 /12 Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? liberia1024x768.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5374003.jpg AFP/Getty Images Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373826.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373834.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373812.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373833.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373817.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373815.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373816.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373814.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5373813.jpg Simon Akam Lost boys: What became of Liberia's child soldiers? 5374542.jpg AFP/Getty Images

South Sudan remains the greatest source of concern, with some 16,000 children recruited by both sides in the countrys two-year civil war. Many are taken from their homes, often after local communities are threatened into giving them up in exchange for protection.

But children sometimes volunteer to join the conflict, said Anthony Nolan, a Unicef child protection specialist in the country, driven by a lack of resources, or a desire to seek revenge for their families. Their recruitment threatens to prolong the conflict for generations to come, he said.

This conflict has become ingrained and inter-generational, Mr Nolan said. Youre seeing the cycle continue. Children are being killed because they are being seen as future fighters. Kids are being brought up to hate.

Unicefs report, which was unveiled at the British Parliament on Monday night, makes several recommendations for reducing the prevalence of child soldiers across the world. These include better birth registration, and investment in local communities, particularly in schools.
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Taiwan's Government has ordered an investigation into the collapse of a high-rise building in an earthquake after it emerged tin cans had been used in its construction.

Rescue workers found the cans as they searched for survivors two days after the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that has killed at least 37 people.

It emerged as two more people  one found shielded under the body of her dead husband  were pulled from the rubble. Tsao Wei-Ling called out here I am as rescuers dug to find her.

Lee Tsung-tien, 42, a male survivor, was also pulled out unconscious of the sixth-floor section of the collapsed building.

Two more people showed signs of life but had not yet been pulled from the wreckage. A 28-year-old migrant worker and an eight-year-old girl were both said to be conscious but trapped on the fifth floor of the building.

More than 100 people are believed to still be buried underneath the high-rise building which claimed most of the victims in the city. Officials said the blue cans used in the construction of the collapsed building seemed to have been used as construction filler in beams.

Recommended Read more Taiwan earthquake demolishes buildings in Tainan city

The government has promised to launch a probe into the construction method, and Tainan mayor Lai Ching-te also promised to investigate the disaster.

However, an engineer speaking to Taiwanese TV news channel CNA explained how using cans in construction was not necessarily illegal: For such purposes in construction, it was not illegal prior to September 1999, but since then styrofoam and formwork boards have been used instead.

More than 170 people had been rescued from the 17-storey building, the government announced. Of the 37 dead, 35 were inside the high-rise. A 15-year-old survivor told EBC television how the collapsed building looked like an accordion.

"It was all topsy-turvy," he said.

"You couldn't even tell where the ceiling was."

Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Show all 10 1 /10 Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage A man is rescued from his collapsed flat in Tainan City EPA Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Tainan City resident being escorted from the rubble EPA Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Rescuers search for survivors from a collapsed building EPA Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Rescue workers take an injured resident away for treatment EPA Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Emergency service personnel searching for residents in the rubble AP Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Rescue workers traversing the collapsed building EPA Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Emergency services working next to a collapsed flat complex AP Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Second hand car salesroom crushed under collapsed residential building AP Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Rescue Workers trying to safely move residents out of danger EPA Survivors pulled from Taiwan earthquake wreckage Firefighter carry injured resident AP

Chen Fu-Yuan, the chaiman of a Tainan engineers association, speaking to CNN, said he believed the building may have collapsed because its foundations were built on loose earth or the construction materials were not of sufficient quality to support 17 floors.

The investigation into the collapsed building will start once the rescue operation has concluded.
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Im sitting on a secluded beach, posh picnic spread out, gazing up at the night sky. Romantic as it sounds, this isnt a date, but a learning experience.

Im here with Spanish stargazing specialist Jose Antonio Paris, whose infectious enthusiasm and comprehensive knowledge mean that, in one evening, I reckon Ive learnt more about astronomy than in all my years at school.

This evening, under the brightest stars Ive ever seen, is one of the exclusive  and expensive  perks at Tenerifes Ritz-Carlton Abama hotel. Our packed lunch  or dinner, rather  is supplied by the Abamas swanky MB Restaurant (MB stands for Martin Berasategui, the celebrated Basque chef) and its scrumptious, as youd expect  MB has two Michelin stars  but I keep forgetting to eat it. Im far too interested in the sky above. Did you know there are 200 billion stars in our galaxy, and 200 billion galaxies in the universe? Nor did I, until Jose told me. This new knowledge makes my head spin  or maybe thats the cava rosado.

With the Sahara on one side and the wide Atlantic on the other, Tenerife is the perfect place for seeing stars. Greenwich was a fantastic observatory in the 18th and 19th centuries, says Jose. Nowadays its rubbish, because of light pollution.

Here, the night sky is jet black, as it ought to be. Since 1975, Tenerife has been home to the Canarian Institute of Astrophysics, one of the worlds leading observatories, and since 2011 its been the stage for Starmus  a festival of astronomy and music, held here at the Abama.

Abama stargazing

Professor Stephen Hawking has called Starmus a unique debating chamber for the future of the human race. Alongside Brian May (Queen guitarist and renowned astrophysicist), Hawking has been involved in the event from the start. The brainchild of astrophysicist Garik Israelian, the event has welcomed speakers including five Nobel Prize-winning scientists, plus pioneering astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. And then theres the music: Starmus I featured German rock veterans Tangerine Dream; Starmus II (in 2014), prog-rock maestro Rick Wakeman. Richard Dawkins and Brian Cox will join May and Hawking at Starmus III this year (from 27 June to 2 July).

Along with Chile and Hawaii, Tenerife is one of the best places in the world for stargazing, with its clear skies, clean air and high altitudes. We gaze into the inky blackness, speckled with a billion tiny lights. Jose points his laser pen at a particularly brilliant star. Thats Antares. Its 604 light years away. So if it exploded in 1415, we still wouldnt know about it? Jose concurs. Six hundred years in the life of a star is absolutely nothing, he says. Were nothing, but were a special nothing. I lie back on my sun lounger, take another sip of cava and wonder how many special nothings there are up there.

Next morning I meet up with Joan Rodriguez from Volcano Life, which arranges public visits to the solar observatory near the summit of Mount Teide. Joan has offered to take me up there for a guided tour. Teide is Spains tallest mountain, its summit 3,700m above sea level, and one of the worlds biggest volcanoes; the entire island is made up of debris from its eruptions. So were sitting on a volcano, and its still active; the last eruption was in 1909  yesterday in geological terms. The vistas from the top are spectacular, and the journey up there is just as thrilling, a drive through thick pine forest, and out into another world.

Mount Teide (Joaquin Ponce de Leon)

The area around the summit is Spains largest national park, a barren lava field thats like the surface of a strange planet; heat has twisted these rocks into strange shapes. There are several walking trails round the crater and a cable car up to the top, but were here to see the observatory, a cluster of white domes silhouetted against the pale horizon. Its like an alien colony in a sci-fi movie. The only sound is the wind. Its one of those places where you can hear the silence, says Joan. The entire island lies below us, the blue sea blending with the blue sky above. There are academics here from Cambridge, listening to the echoes of the big bang.

We meet Miguel Angel, a guide at the observatory, who invites me to look through a special telescope at the nearest star of all, our sun (dont try this at home). Im amazed how small and fragile it looks, this little ball of fire that gives us life. We drive downhill to Santa Cruz, Tenerifes bustling modern capital, to visit the Museum of Science and the Cosmos. Im shown around by its affable director, Antonio Mampaso, from whom I learn that Tenerifes astronomical tradition dates back to 1856, when Scottish astronomer Charles Piazzi Smyth came here on honeymoon and hiked up Mount Teide to see the stars.

That was the first time astronomical observations were made at the summit of a mountain, says Antonio. From this moment on, all observatories were built on mountains. But, thanks to its unique location and climate, Mount Teide is still leading the pack.

The transparency and sharpness of the images of the stars is the best weve found on our planet, says Antonio. And from these images, scientists may find other stars we can call home. As I leave the museum, I pass a neon sign. Its a quotation from Stephen Hawking: Our only possibility of surviving in the long term is to expand into space.

With its ink-black sky and high altitudes, Tenerife is one of the best places to observe the heavens, writes William Cook

Getting there

William Cook flew with Monarch (0333 0030 0100; monarch.co.uk), which serves Tenerife South from Birmingham, East Midlands, Leeds/Bradford, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester. Prices start at 92 return.

Staying and visiting there

The writer stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Abama (00 34 902 105 600; ritzcarlton.com). Doubles from 250. The hotels star-gazing picnic costs 380pp.

Volcano Life (00 34 637 365 429; volcanolife.com) offers guided visits to Teide Observatory from 10.50pp. On Wednesdays, this includes transfers from Costa Adeje. The Sunset and Stars package costs 87.50pp, including guided stargazing, drinks, dinner and transfers.

More information

webtenerife.co.uk

starmus.com
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My first trip to Iran was during a low ebb in Anglo-Iranian relations, after the 2011 attack on the British embassy in Tehran. The situation had descended into a tit-for-tat spat, resulting in the closure of both embassies and a diplomatic freeze that is only now beginning to thaw.

As I planned my trip to the Islamic Republic, I tried to ignore the hysterical headlines and solemn warnings from the Foreign Office. But it was hard to stay chipper when well-meaning friends kept emailing me with their own apocalyptic predictions for my fate at the hands of the furious ayatollahs.

So, I focused on more alluring images of the region  architecture, art, cuisine, carpets  anything that can be prefixed with the word Persian, rather than Iranian. But I was still nervous as I approached the border alone and on a motorcycle. I feared I would be singled out for my un-Islamic form of transport (Iranian women are forbidden from riding motorcycles in public). I need not have worried. I was hit not by a tidal wave of hostility, but of warmth, fun and hospitality. International relations between the UK and Iran may have a stormy history but the Iranians understand more than most that governments do not necessarily represent a people.

It soon became apparent that Brits have far more in common with Iranians than I had realised, most notably a subversive sense of humour and the inability to do anything without vast amounts of tea. But something else links our cultures, something at which Iranians excel and at which they beat us hands down. Iranians are serious, hardcore picnickers.

Every day, everywhere, Id see people lounging on the ground, enjoying seriously lavish spreads  and I mean, everywhere. Not just in parks and beauty spots but on motorway verges, in car parks, behind petrol stations, even on traffic islands in central Tehran, surrounded by eight lanes of the worlds worst pollution. I thought we Merrie Englanders had it down with our tartan travel rugs and wicker hampers, but you aint seen nothing until youve seen an Iranian picnic. The tea-making paraphernalia, the tower blocks of Tupperware, the pyramids of pomegranates, the cakes, the sweets, the shisha pipes, all laid out on a wipe-clean laminated Persian rug, and always accompanied by an invitation to join the feast.

I am not the first to note this. British explorer Freya Stark, who travelled in the region in the 1930s, wrote in The Valleys of the Assassins : It is a charming trait in Persia that anyone you meet understands the pleasures of a picnic. Starks travels pre-date the Islamic Republic, even pre-date plain old Iran, but no amount of tyrannical shahs and ayatollahs can dent the Iranians love of the great outdoors. As I accepted the invitation to join yet another group of strangers at the roadside for tea and hard-boiled eggs, it occurred to me that I felt quite at home.

Lois Pryce is founder of the Adventure Travel Film Festival. Revolutionary Ride, about her motorcycle journey through Iran, will be published in January 2017
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The fourth and final online auction in aid of the Give to GOSH appeal ends this evening at 9pm. With the conclusion of our campaign close at hand, that means there is still a chance for readers to bid for a range of amazing items and experiences.

Our auctions this year, run in partnership with Givergy Access, have been record-breaking in the amounts they have raised and we are delighted that readers have responded so brilliantly to the appeal. Bidding for some of the final lots has been intense. But there are still a few hours left to get involved  so dont delay!

Fans of James Bond might be interested in getting their hands on a Tom Ford-designed tuxedo worn by 007 actor Daniel Craig. Fashionistas can bid to take tea in the Louis Vuitton private client apartment or for an iconic Galaxy dress by Roland Mouret, while a signed Arsenal shirt will appeal to followers of the Gunners.

Also up for grabs are tours of the Rolls-Royce factory and the Lotus F1 HQ, as well as stays in stunning hotels in the UK and as far afield as Dubai and Corfu. An original drawing by Darren Baker comes with the chance to meet the artist himself. And other lots include designer handbags from Globe-Trotter and Alexander McQueen; whisky from 34 signed by Tracey Emin; a limited, illustrated edition of Peter Pan; and a night at a West End show with Independent arts editor David Lister.

Follow the money: As the appeal enters its final week, cast members explain how your donations have helped

Childrens palliative care

The appeal will fund the priority needs of the Louis Dundas Centre, a world-leading unit dedicated to childrens palliative care. Professor Myra Bluebond-Langner (pictured), the True Colours chair in palliative care for children and young people, said: The generosity of those who have donated means LDC can continue to contribute to palliative care and pain management in children.

The appeal has raised awareness of childrens palliative care, something which is hard to talk about. It also highlighted the importance of treating their physical social, emotional and spiritual needs. This will allow us to invest more in vital research, which will lead to better care. In so doing it will help us to reduce suffering  everyones primary goal.

Research

We can confirm that 1m of the money raised in the appeal will be spent on researching cures and treatments for rare diseases prevalent in children. Investment will be concentrated on areas where we have the greatest chance of making a difference to the lives of ill children, and specifically on brain tumours. Professor David Goldblatt (above), director of clinical research and development, said: We have been amazed by the generosity of readers and the phenomenal amount of money raised, which means we can commit 1m to our programme.

We need to give our researchers the resources to support them in helping the next generation of seriously ill children. The incredible amount of money raised in this appeal will help us in our mission. Thank you.

Professor David Goldblatt (Professor David Goldblatt) (Charlie Forgham-Bailey)

Play

Your money will cover the cost of 10 members of the play team supporting children for an entire year. The play team at the hospital are incredible, says Amie, mother of Ralph Frost (both pictured). I dont know what we would have done without the help of Lynsey on Eagle Ward. Before I came to GOSH, I thought hospitals were dull, grey, boring. But GOSH is such a colourful place.

The kids have loads of toys to play with. They can do art and cooking and all the things that children enjoy doing. It is so much more than just play, though. Having Lynsey there gave us a nice break because she would stay with Ralph if I needed time out. As soon as we set foot in the hospital, the first thing Ralph does is ask to see Lynsey.

Amie and Ralph Frost (Lucy Young)

Family and patient support

The appeal will fund over 1,000 nights in the family accommodation block, so parents can remain close to children as they undergo treatment. The parent accommodation takes such a weight off families who are dealing with an incredible amount of stress, said ward sister Melissa Strickland (above). To have accommodation a stones throw away is an incredible comfort in a hugely difficult time.

Money will also go towards food vouchers to ease the financial strain. Joanna Scott, mum of heart transplant recipient Marley, said: I would have really struggled without them. It is so expensive buying food every day and I could not work while I was with Marley in hospital. Quite honestly, they were a lifesaver.

Ward sister Melissa Strickland

Chapel funding

Some of the money raised will go to the chaplaincy service to provide patients, their families and staff with an appropriate multi-faith service.

Not everybody is religious, but for many their spiritual side helps them deal with lifes challenges, gives them hope and meaning, and helps them see their experiences as part of a bigger picture, GOSH chaplain Jim Linthicum (pictured) said. The chapel and the multi-faith members of the chaplaincy team provide a beacon of hope for families during their darkest days. It is a place of solace and a pillar of support for all those who need it and your donations will have a huge impact on those who call on us for help.

GOSH chaplain Jim Linthicum

Cardiac unit

Money raised by the appeal will also help to fund the creation of a 14-bed unit for children with heart failure, as well as funding the high-dependency bay within it. It has meant so much to us as a family to have so much support from the public throughout the appeal, said Candace Livingstone (pictured right), mother of Elliott, a nine-year-old awaiting a heart transplant. To know the money will go towards helping children like Elliott is wonderful. Every parent wants the best for their child, and it gives us great comfort to know that this appeal will help fund a bay for the sickest children, who deserve the very best in care and facilities.

Candace Livingstone, right, with Elliott (Alex Lentati)

Interviews by Alex Dymoke

To Give to GOSH go to: http://ind.pn/1Mydxqt

To find out more about our appeal and why we're supporting GOSH go to: http://ind.pn/1MycZkr
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As a journalist based in northern Iraq for the past six years, Ive seen the war with the Islamic State closer than Id like. In the summer of 2014, my best friend, a man Id come to love and respect during my time reporting here, was taken prisoner by the militants. We were more like brothers than friends, and I havent heard from him since.

I was filming about 180 miles away on the evening he disappeared. I drove through the night to join a group of his friends and family in a rescue effort. While the militants stormed west across Iraq, we worked exhaustively to find him. (I cant say more about him, because doing so could put him in further danger.) We were driven by rage and desperation.

Months later, Diji Terror, a Kurdish counterterrorism unit based in Sulaymaniyah, granted my request to interview an Isis fighter Id heard they had captured. Finally, a small chance to press the Islamic State for answers about its tactics. A chance for some catharsis.

Ali was seized during a nighttime raid caught on film: In the footage officials showed me, Diji troops handcuffed, blindfolded and bundled him off on a helicopter. Ali had beheaded prisoners, they told me; I couldnt help but think of my friend.

When I met him, Ali wore an orange jumpsuit and plastic sandals. He sat hunched in his chair as a guard lit a thin cigarette and passed it to him. He took it with both hands, his wrists cuffed together, and inhaled deeply. (In Islamic State territory, smoking is forbidden.) This sight was a far cry from a propaganda photo I saw of him dressed in black, standing commandingly behind a Kurdish peshmerga soldier he says he subsequently executed.

Ali was born in 1995 and joined the Islamic State in 2008, at the age of 13, he told me. He was trained as an assassin and given his first mission two years later. He and three friends were sent to kill four Iraqi police officers in Mosul. The group tracked the men down, executed them with shots to the back of their heads and buried them where they fell. Ali said he had killed eight or nine men in battle, not including the five hed beheaded.

I asked him to tell me about the peshmerga soldier whose head he cut off. In a soft, compliant voice, he told me he had pushed the Kurdish soldier belly-first onto the ground in front of him. He placed his knee in the mans back and then severed the neck with a bayonet. Did Ali have a message for the families of the peshmerga hed beheaded? He went quiet for a second, and then his face screwed up very tightly and he began to sob.

If all of that is true, then Ali had indeed been a dangerous terrorist, and the world is safer with him behind bars. But he had also been a child soldier, a vulnerable boy coerced into becoming a terrorist. I interviewed many other fighters like him, some just 14 years old when the Islamic State came to their villages and compelled them at gunpoint to join.

The Islamic State commits despicable acts of cruelty, but the men who carry out these crimes are not the two-dimensional caricatures theyre painted to be. They are human beings, many indoctrinated at the most impressionable age and coerced into service.

A few weeks after the interviews, I saw a photo taken after a battle between the Kurds and the Islamic State near Sinjar, Iraq. In the lower left-hand corner is the body of a militant, his head just out of the frame, blood pooling by his left shoulder. His name is Abdul Aziz Faraj Yusuf, age 16. Ive seen a lot of photos of dead Islamic State fighters, but as I reread the boys age, I felt something different. Gone was the sense of retaliatory satisfaction. This was a dead child. I wasnt angry anymore. I was heartbroken.

This article first appeared in The Washington Post.
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I commend the Prime Minister for his change of heart in realising, albeit belatedly, the urgency of prison reform.

He has clearly come a long way since his last Secretary of State for Justice suggested denying prisoners access to books.

The unacceptable levels of recidivism highlight the missed opportunities available to society. These include educational priorities, especially in terms of ensuring that no one leaves prison illiterate. Investment in such programmes now would save the Echequer far greater sums later.

One may hope that consideration may now also be given to handing prisoners the right to vote. This would encourage MPs to visit prisons to meet their constituents and familiarise themselves with the overcrowded conditions in which they have to live.

Christopher Martin

Bristol

Could the Prime Minister, while in this mood for prison reform, also ask himself whether certain activities might be removed from the criminal justice system, thus admitting that custodial care is inappropriate?

In a 2014 report by the Prison Reform Trust it is stated that 15 per cent of men and 13 per cent of women in prison have been sentenced for drug-related offences. Reconviction rates among drug users are double that of those who have never used drugs, and 19 per cent of prisoners who admitted using heroin said that they had used it for the first time while in prison.

The war on drugs has failed. Is it not time that we followed the example of Portugal and the Netherlands where drug taking, as with tobacco and alcohol, is seen as a public health issue, not a crime?

Dr Nick Maurice

Marlborough, Wiltshire

Your report (8 February) on David Camerons trenchant rhetoric on the scandalous failure of the prison system suggested to me another cowardly attempt to blame someone else for the failings of Mr Camerons previous administration.

Successive governments have tried unsuccessfully to find ways of managing the people with severe personality disorders who commit crimes. Is this going to be the next failure, with community sentences resulting in a rise of recidivism, and Mr Cameron then blaming the prison governors?

Angus McPherson

Findon, West Sussex

David Camerons comments regarding prisoners as assets not liabilities may be seen by many in a positive light. But this government is keen to monetise the public sector, seeing that as a way to its goal of a small state. Perhaps his views are more literal than we may care to contemplate.

David Rice

Braintree, Essex

Cameron says prisoners are assets. IDS says we should treat the poor and unemployed as liabilities. Osborne says the homeless are disposable. Foreigners are terrorists, unless they buy our weapons. The Tories are out of their depth.

Martin London

Henllan, Denbighshire

Reform of political party funding

The Conservatives you quote (Tories condemn PMs attempt to cut off Labour funding, 5 February) are right in insisting that the move on union donations should go ahead only as part of a wider review of how all parties are funded.

That was precisely the purpose of the original motion I tabled in the Lords on 11 January, when I referred to the 1948 Conservative leader of the opposition, Winston Churchill, who stated: Matters affecting the interests of rival parties should not be settled by the imposition of the will of one side over the other but by an agreement reached.

Now that the Select Committee I proposed has started work I anticipate that the danger is not that Churchills advice will be ignored but that todays ministers will take fright and simply back off reform of party donations and expenditure altogether. Rather than water down their current unilateral plans they should fulfil their 2015 manifesto promise to revive the comprehensive reform agenda.

However, this time, there must be agreement that any negotiated compromise cannot be vetoed by the most recalcitrant interests, as was the case with previous efforts. The outcome would also benefit from transparent discussions in a parliamentary select committee, as opposed to secret talks, perhaps taking as its starting point the 2013 cross-party report and draft Bill contained in Funding Democracy  Breaking the Deadlock, of which I was a co-author with Andrew Tyrie MP (Con) and Alan Whitehead MP (Lab).

Paul Tyler

Liberal Democrat Constitutional Reform Spokesperson

House of Lords

Adele song played at Trump rallies

Janet Street-Porter (6 February) is right: anyone can buy the music that artists release, but that does not mean that anyone can use it in any way they like.

If an artist paints a picture and a publisher wants to use it on a book cover, he needs to seek permission and pay a fee. Likewise, if an artist releases a song and somebody wants to use if as part of a film soundtrack or in an advertising campaign, they need to seek permission and have to pay a fee (which can often be quite high).

So of course Donald Trump can buy and enjoy Adeles track, he can also play it as part of the background music at events, but if it becomes an integral part of his political campaign it is only right that he should have to ask permission and pay a fee, even if this is not current practice.

However, according to David Lister (Radar, 6 February), Adele and other artists have the right to argue that their image and reputation are being damaged by the repeated use of a song without their express permission. I certainly hope that Adele will take this matter further and explore this path.

I am astonished that David Lister and Janet Street-Porter have such a condescending attitude towards artists and their work. How would they like it, if somebody they find repugnant used a quotation from their writing as a slogan to support their political campaign?

Gisela Roberts

Kilmersdon, Somerset

Supporting the arts outside London

Arts Council England is not responsible for national museums and had no role in the decision to move the photographic collection from the National Media Museum in Bradford to the V&A (London cant keep sucking up the nations culture for itself, 5 February).

We believe that the people of Bradford deserve great art and culture close to home. For this reason, we have made significant investments in the citys cultural organisations, including Impressions Gallery, Bradford Museums and Galleries and Theatre in the Mill. Just last month, we announced a new half million pound investment to help Bradford Literature Festival grow as a national and international event.

This growth in funding outside London is not limited to Bradford. By 2018 at least 75 per cent of our National Lottery revenue investment will be spent outside the capital.

We continue to work in partnership with Bradford Metropolitan District Council, who see the arts as a central part of the citys growth strategy. In these times of tough funding decisions for local authorities, where councils keep their faith with culture, we will respond to their ambition.

Darren Henley

Chief Executive, Arts Council England

London WC1

April 1616, a bad month for great writers

In your article on War and Peace (8 February) you list other great works that might be adapted for TV, including Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes. You were in error in stating that Cervantes died the day before Shakespeare. It sounds good, and it is a very common mistake. The Open University even made it in one of their Spanish courses.

In fact, Cervantes died 12 days before Shakespeare. At that time the Spanish were using the Gregorian calendar, whereas the English, being slow on the uptake, were still using the older Julian calendar, which was 11 days behind the Gregorian calendar. That explains why the mistake is made.

Alan Peacegood

Hughenden Valley, Buckinghamshire

A pence for your thoughts

The caption beside a photograph of Kezia Dugdale (4 February) refers to the proposal to increase income tax in Scotland by one pence. Pence is the plural of penny. Penny is engraved on the coin itself so everyone should know. Very disappointing.

Judith Evans

Bromyard, Herefordshire

From the jungle to the fells

Forgive a selfish moment, but I couldnt suppress a twinge of envy when I read of the Globe company performing at the jungle camp in Calais. Would that they would come to Carlisle!

Paul Warren

Brampton, Cumbria
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In conflicts raging across the world, the extremity of violence against children has increased. Every day, innocent lives are lost and many more altered irrevocably, with children often the direct targets of attacks intended to cause maximum civilian casualties, terrorise communities and provoke outrage worldwide.

In the midst of such shocking violence, children are in desperate need of protection, and interventions to keep them safe must be prioritised. Education offers a vital source of safety and hope for children, allowing them to learn, play and escape the horrors of war. During my time as Special Representative and on trips to gather evidence on children in armed conflict, I have seen children taking extraordinary steps to continue their schooling  travelling many hours across conflict lines, braving snipers and soldiers, abductions and arrests. I have also seen entire families leaving everything behind because their children no longer had a safe school to go to.

Going to school should not be an act of bravery. Children should never fear that by going to school they will be attacked, radicalised, recruited by armed groups or forced into marriage. Yet it remains the case that the schools that should keep children safe are under attack, leaving children increasingly vulnerable to violence, exploitation and abuse.

In recent years, a pattern of attacks on students, teachers and education facilities has emerged, with schools targeted in particular by extremist groups. Last year in Aleppo, around 150 Syrian boys were abducted by Isis on their way home after their school exams, and children as young as seven have been targeted by armed groups who use indoctrination and military training as tools for recruitment. Across Syria, around 6,000 schools have been completely or partially destroyed during the conflict. So too in Yemen, where last year over 500 schools were damaged or destroyed in just over six months of fighting.

Beyond this immediate destruction, in the majority of conflicts around the world, armed forces and groups are using schools for military purposes  occupying them as barracks or training grounds, or used for weapons stores or detention centres. This tactic of war violates the sanctity of schools, turning them from safe havens into targets for bombing and recruiting grounds for armed forces and groups. In Afghanistan, Somalia and South Sudan, to name just a few examples, there have been verified cases of schools being used, not just by armed groups but by government forces as well.

The use of schools by armed forces and groups, even for a few days can have lasting repercussions. When children lose this protective environment as a result of school closures or occupation, families often have no other option but to flee in search of a safer alternative. It is every parents imperative to provide their children with opportunities for a better future. We must collectively make every effort to ensure that schools in conflict zones remain open, continuing education without interruption. We must also ensure that children are safe, in order to maintain a sense of normalcy, build resilience, and promote reconciliation.

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Achieving this requires the international community to invest significantly in childrens protection and education, making this a priority in the immediate and long-term response to conflict. This is what the Children Not Soldiers campaign seeks to achieve, galvanising support to end the recruitment of children by government armies  but requiring renewed commitment in order to build on progress so far. Greater political will is also needed in order to protect schools from military use, urging all parties to conflict to refrain from actions that deny children an education and calling on governments to sign up to the Safe Schools Declaration.

This May, the world will gather at the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul  a chance to change how we respond to children in emergencies. In doing so, we must put childrens protection first, ensuring schools are always safe places for children to learn and play, not battlegrounds for war and conflict. The violence we witness today should not just shock us; it must be a call to action for us all.
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The private companies which profit from government NHS contracts should follow the same first principle that guides the doctors and nurses who work within it: do no harm. It is right to expect that profit-making organisations involved in the delivery of public services actively contribute to society. And it is right that those found to be doing detriment to society instead should be barred from being able to profit from it at the same time.

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That is why, until recently, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs)  the groups of doctors responsible for awarding health contracts to private firms  blocked from the bidding those known to use aggressive, complex tax-avoidance strategies. But, as we report today, some CCGs are now removing this important clause from the bidding process for fear of lawsuits, after one large tax-avoiding group complained of being discriminated against when competing for NHS work in Bristol.

Though the reform of the NHS, allowing in larger numbers of private contractors, is driven in large part by Conservative political ideology, sheer necessity also plays a role. The pace of change has been speeded up by the Government amid rising demand and significant under-funding. Some hospitals are on the brink of insolvency; the health minister, Alistair Burt, revealed this week that Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs four hospitals in east London, is on course to run up a 134.9m deficit this year  the largest in NHS history.

Of course, ministers could choose to allocate more resources to the NHS and less elsewhere (on the renewal of Trident, for example), but if profit-making businesses operating in the UK paid their fair share of tax, the NHS would not be facing such a significant shortfall.

Tax avoidance may not, by the letter of the law, be a crime  but it is morally and ethically wrong. Those organisations whose greed is directly putting strain on the NHS should not be able to benefit from it.
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For anyone who takes a passing interest in the security policy of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea its most recent missile launch comes as no great surprise.

The Kim dynasty has run North Korea since its inception more than half a century ago. They have the distinction of having created and hand refined the worlds last Stalinist regime. So much is well known, perhaps. What is more surprising, though, is that anyone would want to support them given this appalling record and the danger North Korea poses to its immediate neighbours.

And yet North Korea has one very powerful and influential friend. One reason that China and North Korea are so close is because of their shared revolutionary history and their joint struggle against the Americans during the Korean War. Perhaps 250,000 North Koreans and 100,000 Chinese were killed in this conflict, something that created strong bonds between the two communist powers.

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But while North Korea remains a fossilized reminder of a bygone era, China has been completely transformed. Whatever China is these days its plainly not a communist state, much less a revolutionary one of the sort it was during the Cold War. The question is why, when North Korea has become such an unpredictable actor and seemingly impervious even to Chinese influence, does China continue to give it support, even if it is increasingly grudging?

One reason is that any sudden collapse of the North Korea would in itself have destabilizing and unpredictable consequences. It might trigger a flood of unwanted refugees into China. Even more importantly, perhaps, it could fundamentally transform the existing balance of power in northeast Asia.

If the two Koreas were unified, as we assume they would be, this would create a formidable new power in the region. More importantly from a Chinese perspective perhaps, the North Korean buffer zone would disappear and China would find itself with  yet another  potentially hostile power on its borders. Even more significantly, unless the US withdrew its forces from the South, China would also have to contend with an American military presence in its own back yard.

At a time when China is attempting to expand its influence and establish itself as the East Asian regions dominant power this would not be a welcome development. On the contrary, it would be an uncomfortable reminder of just how extensive and discomfiting Americas strategic presence in Chinas region remains. Much of Chinas foreign policy is dedicated to re-establishing what its people see as its rightful place at the center of regional affairs. The disappearance of the North Korea might not advance this project and illustrate the USs continuing ability to contain Chinas ambitions.

What is to be done? One possible solution is a grand bargain between China and the US: the US agrees to withdraw all its forces from the Korean peninsula if and when the Chinese help to engineer regime change in the North. It won't be easy and may involve the use of force, or at least intensified sanctions and isolation. But surely the US and China actually have more interests in common with each other than they do with the increasingly erratic North Korea. A reconfigured working relationship between the US and China could actually be the biggest payoff of all.
More than 100 passengers are on a ferry sailing between France and Ireland which has been forced to take shelter off the UK coast.

Heavy seas and winds blowing at up to Force 11 meant the Irish Ferries ship Epsilon, sailing from Cherbourg to Dublin, had to divert into safer waters.

The economy class service is taking shelter at sea in waters off the north Devon coast.

The sailing was due to arrive at the Irish capital at 11am on Monday morning, but has been delayed until at least Tuesday morning.

A spokesman for Irish Ferries said the 110 passengers onboard could be delayed even further depending on the outcome of Storm Imogen.

"It is not expected to arrive back in Dublin until the very early hours of tomorrow (Tuesday) morning or perhaps even later tomorrow," he added.

The spokesman said passengers were being provided with meals.

On land, power crews were attempting to restore electricity to thousands of homes in the south and south-west after the latest storm's near-hurricane winds caused widespread blackouts.

Some of the worst affected areas were rural parts of Kerry and Cork with more than 1,400 homes and businesses in the Macroom area left without electricity and about 1,000 in the Rathmore area at the counties' border.

ESB Networks had reports of power outages in the wake of the storm from more than two dozens locations.

At its overnight peak along the south coast, Imogen - the ninth winter Atlantic storm - was bringing hurricane force winds to Sherkin Island off Cork, the Fastnet Rock and the Kinsale gas rigs.

Waves at least 30 feet high were also recorded by Met Eireann's weather buoys in the Atlantic.

Fastnet lighthouse recorded some of the highest winds including sustained hurricane force speeds and gusts of up to 196km/h or 121mph.

Met Eireann had forecast that westerly winds would hit average speeds of 65 to 75km/h with gusts of 100 to 130km/h, and conditions would be strongest along the coast and on hills.

At the height of the blackouts about 5,000 homes and businesses were left without power in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford.

"We are hoping to get everyone back by today," an ESB spokeswoman said.

In the aftermath of the storm road users were being warned of fallen trees and power lines while people in coastal areas were being warned of the dangers of extreme wave heights of up to 45 feet in some parts of the south coast.
Reports are suggesting that Sony Mobile's flagship handset could be scoring an upgrade to Android 6.0 in the near future

Android 6.0 Marshmallow has been tooling around for a few momths now, first launching on Google own Nexus devices back in October 2016.

The operating system has been slow to spread outside those handsets, with a few manufacturers like LG getting in on the action early. Moto X Play phones recently recieved the update and it looks like Sony Mobile is getting ready to join those ranks. We heard the that Android 6.0 for the Xperia 5 range has been ready for a few weeks and some users in Turkey are reporting that they've received the latest version of the OS.

Android 6.0 seems to be landing first on the Xperia Z5 main handset, with the content set to be pushed to the smaller Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium in the coming days. A regional release like this is usually part of a final test, which bodes well for the rollout around the rest of the world shortly. That's good news for Sony mobile folks, and the mid range Xperia M4 Aqua was also recently confirmed to be getting the 6.0 update.

More as we get it.
'The economists joining the regulator will be expected to help set the maximum passenger charges that can be levied at Dublin Airport, and also set quality of service standards for passengers and monitoring compliance'. Photo: Mark Condren

The Punt sees that poultry firm Greene Farm Foods - which used to be just Green without the 'e' - has secured a 300,000 investment from Enterprise Ireland.

It's a wedge of cash which will presumably be put to good use developing more products and targeting new markets.

Greene Farm Foods, based in Rathowen, Co Westmeath, is headed by Kenneth Greene. He had always worked on the family poultry farm and began his business career by selling chickens and turkeys to his classmates and their families.

In 1991, he formally set up the company and it has grown substantially since then. It now employs 160 people and supplies a number of retailers including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Londis and Spar.

The latest set of publicly available accounts show it generated 28.2m in turnover in the 12 months to June 2014, and made a 241,000 operating profit.

The company recently invested over 6m in extending its production facilities and an additional 1.3m in packaging machinery, making it one of the most modern food plants in Europe, apparently.

Greene is also planning to take on the UK market, and is edging towards a listing with a major retail chain in Denmark this year. The company is also in the process of securing approval to sell its products in the United Arab Emirates.

Orange quits as it loses fizz

Orange Capital, the US-based activist hedge fund that had criticised the strategy of Bulmers maker C&C, is calling it quits.

Ironically, the fund has failed to perform as expected after more than 10 years on the go. The $1bn it manages will be returned to investors.

"Our performance simply has not met our own high standards," the fund's co-founder, Daniel Lewis, said in a message to investors.

At one stage Orange Capital held a 4.9pc stake in C&C, and called on the Irish company last year to initiate a strategic review and to sell its troubled US operations.

"Credit investing through traditional, liquid hedge fund strategies will prove challenging for investors as the credit cycle turns. This includes our own hedge fund structure," added Lewis in his note.

Orange Capital had returned 12.1pc net of fees since 2005 to the end of 2013. But in the last couple of years it had faltered, generating negative returns that were below key indices.

High-flyers for Commission

You would think that the qualified (why would you hire someone who wasn't?) "high-achieving" individuals the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) is looking to hire might expect to be compensated pretty well, given the sales pitch for joining.

But the economists the CAR is hoping to hire can expect to start off on a salary that for a well-educated professional might be considered somewhat modest. The CAR points out that the permanent position starts off at 42,838, rising - by seven increments - to a maximum of 60,223.

"The successful candidate will be given the opportunity to become experts in regulation, financial analysis, policy formulation and implementation, communication and leadership," the CAR notes. The CAR regulates charges at Dublin Airport and undertakes other work too.

The economists joining the regulator will be expected to help set the maximum passenger charges that can be levied at Dublin Airport, and also set quality of service standards for passengers and monitoring compliance.

Candidates for the roles are expected to have a postgraduate degree in economics or a related field.
'The chair of the US Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, will give testimony as part of her semi-annual report on monetary policy'

It's all going to be about the election again this week as parties jostle to out-do each other with economic and other policies.

There will also be data out this week that will point to continuing recovery in the domestic market. Today, the Ulster Bank Construction Purchasing Managers' Index shows that activity in the sector rose at the fastest pace in seven months, with companies hiring extra staff as the workload increases.

Later today, KBC and the ESRI will release the Consumer Sentiment Index for January. The figure reached a 10-year high in December. However, that figure was only a marginal improvement on November and it will be interesting to see how the post-Christmas lull and the election are playing on consumers' minds.

Also on the home front this week, there'll be trade statistics out on Friday and tomorrow sees the release of agricultural price indices.

No doubt any positive data is going to be lapped up by the coalition parties, which will use it as ammunition to persuade voters that their policies have paid dividends.

Elsewhere, the chair of the US Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, will give testimony as part of her semi-annual report on monetary policy. She'll be grilled by the House Finance Services Committee on Wednesday, and by the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday. Investors will be closely listening for any steer on the next Federal Open Market Committee meeting, in mid-March.

There will also be plenty of interesting data out this week from around Europe. Manufacturing and industrial production figures for Britain in respect of December will be published on Wednesday. German industrial production numbers will be out tomorrow.

The Eurogroup will meet on Thursday, and that could see further talks on Greece, with the first review of the country's third bailout almost complete. The same day, there will be initial and continuing jobless claims numbers for the US.

Friday brings with it a wave of economic data from both sides of the pond. It includes GDP and consumer price index data for Germany, as well as wider EU GDP figures. Germany will also hold a 10-year bond auction, while there will be EU industrial production numbers for December published.
In 2002, Marissa Mayer - then product manager at Google - likened the interface on the search engine at the time to a closed Swiss Army knife: "A clean, simple tool you want to take everywhere."

And now as chief executive of rival Yahoo, Mayer is wielding a scalpel in an effort to stem the company's still deteriorating condition. Last week, the firm reported a whopping $4.8bn loss for 2015 after it impaired the value of investments and assets, including Tumblr, to the tune of $4.4bn.

Its revenue nudged higher to just under $5bn for the year, while its adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) slumped 30pc to $952m.

By comparison, Irish companies such as CRH and Ryanair are bigger in terms of both revenue and EBITDA, while Kerry Group isn't miles away from Yahoo's EBITDA figure either, and beats it on revenue.

Mayer was paid a whopping $42m in cash and stock during 2014, which was 69pc more than in 2013 and just 15pc more than what she was paid in the first year as Yahoo chief executive. She joined in 2012.

And while the latest set of quarterly and full-year results made for disappointing reading, Mayer was still talking up the prognosis. And that was despite the company's results revealing that Yahoo would close five offices and axe 1,600 jobs, or 15pc of its workforce.

Company chairman Maynard Webb said that Yahoo is exploring additional strategic alternatives, including separating itself from its 15pc stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, which is worth $23bn. That's the bulk of Yahoo's $27bn market capitalisation.

Late last year, Mayer abandoned a plan to spin off its valuable Asian assets to shareholders, and said she would instead consider a reverse spin-off of other businesses into a standalone company, heightening criticism of her strategy. Last Tuesday, Yahoo said it will continue to pursue that plan, while the board will "engage on qualified strategic proposals".

"It has yet to be seen exactly what types of interest will really transpire, but we're open to any transactions," said Mayer.

Several parties, including Verizon, have expressed interest in a possible Yahoo transaction. Private-equity firms TPG and Bain Capital are also interested.

The consensus is that this is probably Mayer's end-game. And it could be Yahoo's too. (Additional reporting: Bloomberg).

Marissa Mayer
Back in the Good Old Days, punters (the generic term for share buyers) would, in idle moments, play a little game which asked an elementary question, namely: what do you have to do to make pots of money?

The answers were varied but more often than not the most acceptable reply was a choice between the following: (a) a successful crime; (b) involvement with a big rock 'n' roll band; or (c) the ownership of a monopoly.

Because of the assumption that the windfall had to be secure, (a) was not always a runner; (b) was well regarded but would now be problematic because of the dramatic changes in the record industry; so (c) a monopoly, or at the very least a duopoly, would still be rated as a decent bet.

I was reminded of this harmless pursuit when I was throwing an investment eye over Canadian company PotashCorp.

We don't often look at Canadian companies in this column, but this Saskatchewan outfit, because of the business it's in and because of the market domination it enjoys, makes for interesting reading.

It is the world's biggest producer of potash, a key component of agricultural fertilizers, with 20pc of the world's market. It is also the third largest producer of nitrogen and phosphate, with operations in Chile, US, Brazil and Trinidad with a market value of Can$18bn and a workforce of 5,700.

The food sector in Canada is a key one and so the potash industry has had to be protected. After some market difficulties about 50 years ago, PotashCorp became a state-owned operation (the ultimate in protectionism).

By the early 1990s, it was decided to list the company on the stock exchange. To underline the group's importance in Canada, when BHP, the Australian number one global miner, came calling to PotashCorp some five years ago with a Can$40bn takeover bid, it was sent packing.

The Aussies were told the deal would not yield a "net benefit for Canada".

2013 was memorable for the potash industry. The Belarusian potash monopoly was killed off, following disagreement between the Ukraine and Russian potash producers, resulting in the global potash market changing utterly. It was one of two cartels operating the market, the other being Canpotex, the marketing arm for Canadian potash which is 54pc owned by PotashCorp.

Producers were sent into a tizzy; prices and profits slumped. Potash prices are today 40pc down since their peak in 2010.

Into all this mix, the Saskatchewan Company threw a loud banger last year by making a generous bid for German producer K & S. If that deal was accepted, the market dominance of PotashCorp and of Canpotex would have been enhanced and some new potash reserves that K&S wanted to exploit in Saskatchewan would fall into the PotashCorp lap. As it was, the offer was turned down but investors would not be surprised if the Canadian heat was turned up with another bid before long.

Today the 41-year-old business is now dependent on the Chinese, Indian markets and the US dollar. The Chinese market has wobbled and India, the big hope, is unlikely to be a major driver of fertilizer consumption in the next few years.

Dollar strength is another problem, making potash expensive for emerging markets, particularly in Asia and Brazil.

PotashCorp shares are a tricky call. The stock is just above a five-year low at Can$22 with a modest price-earnings multiple of 10. The shares have been falling steadily and today are half that of early 2015. The maintenance of the dividend is also a concern.

Even though the long term fundamentals are dependent on the growing global population - and there is no sign that that is slowing - the potash market remains 'challenging,' higher demand but lower prices are forecast.

Consolidation would appear to be the only way for potash producers. I hate people who recommend 'sitting things out' but in the case of PotashCorp this might be a good option.

Nothing in this section should be taken as a recommendation, either explicit or implicit to buy any of the shares mentioned.
Pippa O'Connor pictured at the Connacht Gold Afternoon Tea party, which took place in the Glasshouse and Garden Area of House on Leeson Street, Dublin 2 to celebrate the launch of Connacht Gold's Low Fat Butter #LoveTheTaste campaign.

Pippa O'Connor has described as "complete bull" reports that Irish bloggers are raking in the cash.

The pregnant model (31) is one of Ireland's biggest social media stars, thanks to her hit blog and online popularity.

But she said that she doesn't believe rumours that some social influencers can charge up to 800 for a single tweet about a brand or product.

"I don't believe that myself," she told the Herald Diary. "I don't know about everyone else, but that's not how I do things anyway.

"It's all completely exaggerated. By no means are bloggers absolutely loaded."

The popular beauty revealed how she's constantly approached and asked to do endorsements on her social media sites - but most of them don't fit the bill for her profile.

"I'm contacted all the time and I am offered 'Oh will you post this for X amount' and I'm like, 'That's not really what I want to do'.

"I want to work with brands and do campaigns and do things properly. I think if you're flogging yourself out for a few hundred euros here and there, it looks cheap and you won't have any longevity. So I don't do anything like that because I don't think it's worth it in the long run."

O'Connor - whose second baby with Brian Ormond is due in May - said that she wouldn't ever criticise the work of other bloggers who use sponsored tweets. That's because everyone has their own way of making things work for them.

"I wouldn't diss anyone doing that either, because everyone has to make money, so I can totally understand if the opportunities are there," she said.

"But I kind of do my own thing, so I don't know what anyone else is doing - or what anyone else is charging or getting."

The hard-working model also emphasised how she is "a one-man band" and has built everything from scratch herself.

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"I'm not a big massive operation with 10 people in an office. So everything that's up there comes from me. When I think of it like that it's great because it's all from me, and not a team of people. I'm really happy with it. It's the best decision I ever made," she said.

The well-known mum, who has a two-year-old son Ollie, is so popular with fans that she has sold out all her Fashion Factory events.
A spokesman for the Port of London Authority confirmed it was a stunt for a film and that the bridge was closed off

The bus went up in flames as it drove along Lambeth Bridge in central London

The controlled explosion was shot for a scene in new action flick The Foreigner

A double decker bus explodes in the heart of London but it all for the sake of cinematic art

A double decker bus dramatically explodes in the heart of London - but it is all for a movie.

Londoners were left confused as they saw the bus go up in flames as it drove along Lambeth Bridge in central London on Sunday.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close The controlled explosion was shot for a scene in new action flick The Foreigner The film stars Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan The bus went up in flames as it drove along Lambeth Bridge in central London A spokesman for the Port of London Authority confirmed it was a stunt for a film and that the bridge was closed off / Facebook

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Whatsapp The controlled explosion was shot for a scene in new action flick The Foreigner

A spokesman for the Port of London Authority confirmed it was a stunt for a film and that the bridge was closed off.

But the scene took some by surprise.

Author Sophie Kinsella wrote on Twitter: "Hey film types, next time you blow up a bus on Lambeth Bridge maybe tell us first so children in park aren't freaked?"

Conservative MP for Mid Worcestershire Nigel Huddleston posted a video of the explosion on Twitter with the message: "Anyone worried about the exploding bus on Lambeth Bridge just now? It was just for a movie."

The controlled explosion was shot for a scene in new action flick The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan.

In a notice warning residents about it, film producers described the film as a "gritty action thriller". It is directed by Martin Campbell, who was behind James Bond films Casino Royale and GoldenEye.

The notice, posted on Twitter, stated: "The explosion is controlled and operated by our special effects team."

It added: "Every precaution will be taken to ensure the safety of the people in the area."
Hotel manager John Glynn outside the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, scene of the recent gangland murder

The hotel manager at the Regency has described in detail how he lay on the floor as three gunmen carried out a vicious attack just feet away from him.

Dublin's Regency hotel manager John Glynn became emotional as he said 'a lot of things went through his mind' as he watched the attack unfold on Friday afternoon.

Speaking to Newstalk's Pat Kenny Show, the manager said the important thing was none of his innocent staff or customers were injured in the gun rampage and he credited his customers for their support over the weekend.

"I couldn't understand what was happening. My first thoughts when I saw the men in gear come through the door was that they were gardai arriving for lunch," he said.

"I was about to approach them and then i saw the three revolvers, I thought now this is a different ball game."

Mr Glynn said it was "just as well" the man who was fatally shot was lying down, as two of the hotel receptionists were standing behind him at the desk.

"He slipped and fell at reception, one of the gunmen fired two shots and shot him dead.

"It was probably just as well he was lying down. Two of our receptionists were standing right behind him, it could have been your daughter or my daughter and that would have been a different story today.

"One of the guys shouted 'lie down' so I actually just lay down on the ground.

"I think they got lost. They were looking for the weigh-in room.

Expand Close Members of the Gardai following the fatal shooting of David Byrne (34), (from Raleigh Square, Crumlin) at the Regency Hotel, Dublin / Facebook

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Whatsapp Members of the Gardai following the fatal shooting of David Byrne (34), (from Raleigh Square, Crumlin) at the Regency Hotel, Dublin

"I was still lying on the ground. I was on the ground for at least five minutes and the fella beside me was gone, it was frightening," he continued.

"One of the guards told me afterwards I should go buy a Lotto ticket. I asked him 'why?', he said I'm a man with nine lives.

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"When you're there... imagine, in your office today and three gunmen come in the front door with large guns. Just think about it. A lot of things go through your head.

He became emotional as he continued: "When I rang my wife... my four kids... when they rang, all they wanted to hear was my voice."

Experienced hotel manager Glynn said it was the "worst experience" of his career.

"This is my worst experience, I have to say I never, ever want to see it again," he said.

"My god, this is a different world now we're living in. What happened in the Regency Hotel could have happened anywhere.

"Please God we'll be back to business today. We didn't do anything wrong, we have over 100 employed and we want our business to continue."

He continued: "It's not until it happens you can understand. I've never had this experience before.

"I hope I won't be going around looking over my shoulders for the rest of my life wondering will it happen again.

"[In that situation] you're not the boss, they are and they call the shots. One thing I learnt is when they shout 'lie down', you lie down and you don't go near them."

Mr Glynn said his priorities are his staff and the hotel and he's looking forward to getting back to business.

He credited Welsh rugby fans who arrived on Friday afternoon after the incident and thanked them for their understanding and support.

He also thanked the "very supportive and helpful" gardai who set up an area to allow the hotel to continue arrivals and check-ins for the weekend.

"When the Welsh supporters arrived, they were very sympathetic," he said.

"They left their baggage and went into town to leave us alone.

"From a tourist point of view they do believe Ireland is a safe place to be, but I'm sure they were asking questions themselves.

"Gardai have arranged counselling for staff in the next few days.

"Please god they'll be able to track some of these characters down," he added.



Speaking later on RTE's Liveline, the hotel manager told host Joe Duffy that they had been unaware that a weigh in was to take place at the hotel when they first took bookings for the boxing event.



There was an agent [from Spain] who made contact with us as far back as September to reconfirm the bookings when all the rooms were confirmed, [the agent] requested a meeting room," he said.



Now they didnt say it was for a weigh in but we later, on the week, realised it was a weigh in but we wouldnt have a problem with that anymore than anyone else.



A weigh in is just a weigh in, and you wouldnt take too much notice of it.



It was open to the public and thats why there were so many people.

He added:It was an agent in Spain and the Gardai have their name and number."
A car with a defective headlight links a murder suspect to the scene of a fatal shooting, a garda told the Central Criminal Court today.

Gary Flynn (31), of Rossfield Drive in Tallaght has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Seamus 'Shay' O'Byrne at Tymon Park North in Tallaght on March 13, 2009.

Detective Garda Michael McGrath of Tallaght Garda Station agreed with defence counsel Giollaiosa O'Lideadha SC that another suspect in the same case, Eugene Cullen, was linked to the shooting by CCTV that tracked him travelling to the scene.

Mr O'Lideadha added: "The prosecution is making the same kind of case against Mr Flynn." Det Gda McGrath agreed.

Mr O'Lideadha has spent four hours cross examining Det Gda McGrath on CCTV footage compiled by gardai that shows a number of vehicles driving around west and south Dublin in the hours and days leading up to Mr O'Byrne's shooting. During that evidence Det Gda McGrath identified Gary Flynn as being in a Nissan Primera with a faulty headlight. Mr Flynn was identified when a car matching that description stopped at a Topaz garage on the Forfield Road in South Dublin about 90 minutes before the shooting. Det Gda McGrath said that a man matching Mr Flynn's description and clothing got out of the car. Footage from inside the shop then "clearly" shows Mr Flynn entering wearing a grey tracksuit and white runners, Det Gda McGrath told the court.

The jury was then shown further footage showing a similar car making its way towards Tallaght. The jury was then shown footage taken on a CCTV system belonging to a home owner in Tymon Park. Det Gda McGrath said this footage showed a saloon type car, that could be consistent with a Nissan Primera, pulling in before five shots are fired. The car then leaves the estate.

Mr O'Lideadha has put it to Det Gda McGrath that the car with a defective light seen at the scene could actually be a Volkswagen Passat. The court has earlier heard evidence from witnesses that a blue Volkswagen Passat sped away from the area after the shots were fired. Det Gda McGrath said that he could not say exactly what type of car was in the CCTV footage as the quality is extremely poor.

The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Patrick McCarthy and a jury of nine men and three women.
Former Anglo Irish Bank chief executive David Drumms return to Ireland has been delayed due to an expected snow storm in Boston.

Mr Drumms legal team had been due to tell a judge today he was waiving his right to contest extradition proceedings.

However, due to a forecasted blizzard, the hearing was cancelled this morning.

A notice issued by the court said a new date would be announced in due course.

In an interview published at the weekend, Mr Drumm indicated he no longer wished to fight the extradition request from Irish authorities.

The former Anglo boss will face 33 charges, including ones of fraud and false accounting, on his return to Ireland.

He is planning to contest the charges.

The Dubliner resigned from Anglo in December 2008 and moved to the US in June 2009.

He has lived there with his family since then and refused a number of requests from gardai to return home for interview.

Mr Drumm has been in custody since October, when he was arrested by US Marshals at his 1.75m home on the outskirts of Boston.

Despite a number of requests, he has been refused bail.

He is currently being held in a maximum security prison in Plymouth, south of Boston.

Mr Drumm had sought a guarantee from the Director of Public Prosecutions that a bail application in Ireland would not be opposed.

However, this condition has been rejected by the DPP.
A MAN has brought a legal challenge aimed at quashing a decision by the security industry regulatory body to revoke a licence he requires to work as a doorman.

The High Court action has been brought Michael Tobin (48), who is a sergeant in the Defence Forces based in Kilkenny and who has also worked as a doorman in Kilkenny and Clonmel for many years.

During his employment as a doorman at Matt the Millers pub in Kilkenny on New Years Eve, he was involved in an incident which was recorded and published on social media.

Mr Tobin had held a security licence to work as a doorman issued by the Private Security Authority (PSA), the statutory body with responsibility for licensing and regulating the private security industry in Ireland. The licence was renewed last year.

Mr Tobin was informed by the PSA on January 13th last that his licence had been revoked meaning that he could no longer work as a doorman, his lawyer told the court.

Counsel said the decision to revoke his client's licence is "fundamentally flawed" on several grounds.

He had no notification from the PSA a process was in being that could adversely affect his right to a good name and right to earn a living.

No reasons were given for the decision, and because he had no right to heard or make submissions as part of the process.

The court heard Mr Tobin has been a member of the Defence Forces for many years and holds an exemplary record in terms of disciplinary matters. His work as a doorman has never been the subject of a complaint to an employer or any other party.

Permission to bring the challenge was granted, on an ex-parte (one-side only represented) basis, by Mr Justice Richard Humphreys who said the matter could come back before the court next month.
A 52-year-old Detective Garda hero, who thought he would die when he was viciously attacked by two pit bull terriers, was today awarded 200,000 damages against the State in the High Court.

Mr Justice Bernard Barton said in a reserved judgment he was satisfied that Det. Garda John Leahy suffered an exacerbation of a degenerative condition in his back and left hip which required surgery.

The State had claimed that it accepted the incident may have exacerbated Garda Leahys back condition, but had denied it was sufficient enough to result in surgery.

Garda Leahy had told a Garda Compensation hearing that in June 2008 he was a member of the Divisional Drug Unit in Galway and had been patrolling in a car with Garda Orla Keenan when they noticed two known drug users around Wolfe Tone Bridge.

The court heard Garda Leahy and Garda Keenan followed them until they had entered a house at St Dominics Road, The Claddagh, which was known as a place used for the distribution of heroin.

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Married father-of-one Garda Leahy said when they confirmed that suspicious activity was going on inside they had waited for Garda reinforcements and shouted Garda Drug Unit as they entered the house.

He said he saw a man put what he believed to be a packet of heroin in his mouth and warned the man he was going to be searched. The man had gone into a room where there was several other people.

Garda Leahy told his barrister, Bruce Antoniotti SC, who appeared with barrister Breffni Gordon, that the light had been switched off in the room as he tried to search the man who resisted, causing both of them to fall.

The court heard that as the light was switched on again the man had succeeded in freeing himself while they wrestled on the floor and three dogs, two pit bull terriers and a Yorkshire terrier, were released from another room.

The pit bulls had attacked Garda Leahy, biting him on the legs. Other gardai had beaten off the dogs.

Garda Leahy said the dogs were extremely vicious, snarling, growling and ripping at his jeans and his flesh, particularly on his left calf.

Garda Keenan, who burst into tears as she recollected the incident, said it was the worst experience she had seen in her life.

It was horrific. Ive never ever seen anything like that. The dogs were ripping open his leg. He was screaming and there was blood everywhere, she told Judge Barton.

Garda Keenan had told the court that despite she and her colleagues begging the people in the house to call off the dogs, they had refused and stood watching and calling the gardai pigs.

The court heard the gardai eventually managed to remove one of the pit bulls by hitting him on the head with a baton.

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Garda Leahy, after wrestling with the dog for several minutes, had managed to lie on his back, holding the dogs throat. He had been face to face with the dog and, in fear for his life, shouted colleagues to call an ambulance. Judge Barton heard it took six gardai to eventually control the dogs.

Mr Antoniotti told the court Garda Leahy had been taken to Galway Hospital where his injuries had been sutured. One wound had required 100 stitches.

The court heard the wounds have left multiple scars on Garda Leahys legs. He had been out of work for a year and had needed to undergo physiotherapy sessions.

Garda Leahy, who is part of the Crime Unit in Galway and had in 1989 received a Scott Medal for bravery after he saved a man from a building in a Dublin fire, said he was still suffering from mild symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Today Judge Barton said he was satisfied his back and hip surgeries had been required following the attack and he awarded him 207, 526 damages.
Former Anglo Irish Bank boss David Drumm has accused the Government of "constructing" a situation whereby he faced extradition and was wrongly portrayed as a fugitive.

The banker also claimed that the Government and others, including the Irish media, deliberately attempted to paint him as the person most responsible for the financial crisis of 2008/2009.

The claim came as Mr Drumm confirmed he hoped to be back in Ireland from the US within 72 hours as he had instructed his lawyers to waive all his rights to challenge extradition.

A Boston judge will today be informed by Mr Drumm's lawyers that the banker wants to immediately return to Ireland so he can end "this nightmare" and "have these issues dealt with in Ireland".

If the Boston judge approves Mr Drumm's application, he could be on a plane back to Dublin by tomorrow.

"I have given clear instructions that all rights to challenge the extradition in the US should be waived and no other options available to me should be pursued in order to facilitate an immediate return to Ireland," he said. Mr Drumm confirmed his position in an interview from a Boston prison with 'The Sunday Business Post.'

"I am hopeful that I can apply to the court on Monday to achieve this.

"I cannot indicate my determination to have these issues dealt with in Ireland any stronger than waiving all my rights to resist extradition."

Mr Drumm also hit out at how he has been treated by the Irish Government and others.

"I am not a fugitive - I never was a fugitive," he said.

"I am still regarded as having fled (Ireland). It makes no sense and I believe the Irish Government constructed it.

"They deliberately created a situation where I was a confirmed fugitive with no basis whatsoever for that conclusion, simply because they needed it to extradite me."

Unpleasant

He acknowledged that his time in custody in the US since October has been "awful".

"It was very unpleasant and unexpected," he said, claiming the US authorities were put under "extraordinary pressure" to have him arrested and remanded in custody.

"It was deeply upsetting for all of us to consider that the Irish Government was behind all of this," he said.

"My detention has had a deep and lasting effect on my family and their sense of security.

"But despite the awful circumstances, my family have remained staunchly by my side and they support me with incredible dedication.

"This is far worse for them than it is for me."

He described the past few months as "a nightmare."

Mr Drumm insisted he would have returned to Ireland had the Government simply requested him to do so.

He also maintained that he learned at the height of the 2008/2009 financial crisis in Ireland that the Government "were not to be trusted".
A HOMELESS man, who shares a 1.5million trust fund with his sister, is to ask a judge to make him a part payment of 4,500 to keep a roof over his head pending a trial to determine his full entitlement.

Barrister Paul Howard told Judge Jacqueline Linnane in the Circuit Civil Court today (Mon) that she had earlier directed that 4,500 be paid to Declan Heffernan to provide him with shelter during the cold spell over Christmas and New Year.

Mr Howard, who appeared for Heffernan with solicitors CN Doherty and Co., said the earlier payment had been used to pay hotel accommodation for him but that money had run out.

He said solicitor Colm Doherty was currently paying Mr Heffernans hotel bill out of his own pocket until a further pay-out could be released by the court.

Mr Howard sought short service of notice on the trustees, Michael J Kennedy, solicitor, and Carolyn Heffernan, a retired solicitor and sister of Mr Heffernan, of Castle Avenue, Clontarf, for direction of a further pay-out.

Judge Linnane put the matter in for Thursday next, February 11, and suggested that Mr Doherty ask the trustees to agree to periodic pay-outs in order to keep down legal costs while all issues were set down for trial.

The court heard that the 1.5million trust fund, consisting of the value of two properties, was left by their late mother between Heffernan and his sister Carolyn and may yet be wound up by consent.

Mr Heffernans former home at Kincora Road, Clontarf, Dublin, was badly damaged by fire and until just before Christmas he had been sleeping in an outhouse attached to the property.

Judge Linnane was told that an insurance company had paid the trustees 100,000 compensation following the fire but the house had not been made habitable since. The second property was being rented out by the trust.

The judge said that if the trustees agreed to periodic payments to Mr Heffernan through his solicitor there may be no need to proceed with Thursdays application and further legal costs could be kept to a minimum.
Irish actor Martin McCann has been accused of possessing cocaine.

The star, who has appeared in several critically acclaimed movies and series including Killing Bono, '71, Pacific and Clash of the Clans will appear in front of Ards Magistrates' Court later this month.

The 32-year-old is alleged to have had the class A drug in his possession during an incident in North Down on July 3 last year.

McCann's father is facing a similar charge.

But while the star denies the charge, his father has admitted the drugs offence, Newtownards Magistrates' Court was told on Tuesday by a defence solicitor.

The most severe penalty for possessing class A drugs is an unlimited fine and seven years in prison. Aside from the sentence, a conviction for drugs possession could see the rising star barred from working in the US.

The actor's defence solicitor told the court that his client denies the charges.

McCann, who currently lives in Holywood, Co Down, grew up in the Divis Flats area of the Falls Road in west Belfast.

According to court papers, the star also allegedly allowed a man to drive an Audi A5 on the Bangor to Belfast carriageway without insurance on the same date.

The driver of the vehicle, named in the court papers as George Watters, was also alleged to have been driving while over the alcohol limit.

McCann is said to have assisted him in the drink driving offence which took place close to McCann's Farmhill Road home.

News of McCann's charges comes the same week as his latest movie, The Survivalist, has been released.

In the post-apocalyptic thriller McCann plays the lead character, a recluse living off the land.

The Belfast man also starred in short film, Boogaloo and Graham, which won the Bafta for the best British Short Film.

The case will is scheduled to be heard in Ards Magistrates Court on February 16.
A 56-year-old Dublin man who sexually abused a young relative while she was being cared for in his home has been given an eight year sentence.

The man, who can not be identified to protect his victim's identity, was convicted by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of 43 counts of indecent assault of the girl at his family home between 1983 and 1986. She was between six and nine years old at the time of the abuse.

The court had heard that the abuse occurred while the young girl was being minded by the accused man's mother in their home while her own mother was at work.

Judge Gerard O'Brien noted there was no indication of remorse and the only clear mitigating factor was that the man had no previous convictions of any type.

He imposed an eight year sentence and suspended the final year on strict conditions.

Judge O'Brien told the woman: I hope this concludes this chapter in your life. I commend you for your courage and honesty in dealing with this matter.

During the trial the now 38-year-old woman told Lisa Dempsey BL, prosecuting, that the accused man would bring her into the bathroom and lock the door. She said he warned her not to tell anybody.

She told the court she recalled the abuse stopping when another relative moved out of the house.

In her victim impact statement the woman said the accused man had taken away her innocence. She said she had self harmed and was psychologically damaged as a result of the abuse.

Her abuser does not accept the verdict of the jury.

Judge O'Brien noted the accused man had come from a somewhat impoverished background but said this in no way excused his actions.
THE jury in the Shane Smyth murder trial should find him not guilty by reason of insanity so he can receive proper treatment and for the protection of society, a lawyer for the defence has said.

Colman Cody SC told the jury this was the correct verdict so a shocking tragedy like this may be prevented into the future.

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Mr Cody delivered his closing speech at the Central Criminal Court today in the trial of Mr Smyth (29), who is accused murdering shop worker Mairead Moran (26) in a shopping centre in Kilkenny.

He is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity.

Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan was delivering her charge to the jury this afternoon before they begin deliberations on a verdict.

Mr Smyth stabbed Ms Moran with a dagger after dragging her out of the store where she worked at Market Cross Shopping Centre, Kilkenny, on May 8, 2014.

The accused, with an address at McGuinness House, Evans Lane, Kilkenny had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and believed Ms Moran was part of a conspiracy against him.

Undoubtedly in this case, you have heard a lot of harrowing and distressing evidence that has caused great suffering for two families in Kilkenny for very different reasons, Mr Cody said in his closing speech.

He said that words like crazy, schizo, mad as a brush were terms that the jury might have used in their own lives in ajovial context and banter.

But they have a really specific meaning and no more so than in this case, he said.

He said they referred to conditions that in a small minority of cases can lead to life-altering, devastating consequences, not just for the person suffering from such a condition, but also for innocent third parties.

He said the jury might have asked themselves how could this have happened?

It is inexplicable that a young, vibrant girl with her whole life ahead of her had that life ended so abruptly and violently in a short space of time on the eighth of May, 2014, Mr Cody said.

He said the jury might also ask how someone who carried out a physical act of stabbing might not be held responsible in law for that act.

There is the physical act of doing something but it is also necessary to establish the mental element... and that remains and is the major issue in this case, he continued.

He said that it was a shocking tragedy they were dealing with which had caused unimaginable grief to the Moran family.

He said if anything positive could be taken from the case it was that our understanding of schizophrenia might be advanced by the evidence that had been heard.

He said it may have been that the jury had skepticism about psychiatry and mental illness in the early ages of the trial or may have thought mental illness might be something that was was easy to fabricate.

However, he said the psychiatric opinion in the case was not psycho-babble but based on hard evidence.

He said the jury had a succession of independent eyewitness accounts as to how Mr Smyth appeared and what he said in the run up to the incident.

These accounts were entirely supportive of what Mr Smyth himself discussed; this deep-seated and firmly held view and belief that Mairead Moran was trying to steal his blood.

Mairead Moran did not persecute, threaten or conspire against Mr Smyth, but Mr Smyth believed she did and she was doing these things, that was the product of deep-rooted delusions as a consequence of an enduring mental disorder going back many years, Mr Cody said.

To Mr Smyth it is very real and that had devastating consequences.

He told the jury it would be natural and understandable to have the utmost sympathy for the Moran family.

He said the jury had to approach the case in a clinical, dispassionate and rigorous manner and that the evidence pointed in one direction.

It is my submission that if you are acting according to your oath then there is only one verdict open to you, he said.

He said the by returning the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, the jury are not in any way disparaging or belittling the memory of Mairead Moran.

Not only is it the correct verdict on the evidence but the correct verdict in ensuring that Mr Smyth is properly treated and for the protection of society in general so a shocking tragedy like this may be prevented into the future, Mr Cody said.

He said any suggestion that the suggestion that the accused had suffered a drug-induced psychosis had been firmly rejected.

He said there was evidence that Mr Smyth was still harbouring those delusions after two years at the Central Mental Hospital.

Mr Smyths illness endures in a very, very deep and significant way, such that he is going to require ongoing treatment.

Uniquely in this case, all the evidence points in one direction, he added.

Earlier, John OKelly SC, for the prosecution said the case was unusual because of the volume of evidence that the jury had.

He told the jury that the reality of the case was that they had a choice between the verdict of guilty of murder or not guilty by reason of insanity.

He said it was an unusual and tragic case in terms of the circumstances in which Ms Moran lost her life.

He said the number of eyewitnesses to what happened was unusual and though what happened was dreadful, this evidence was an advantage to the jury.

He said there had been a tremendous amount of important medical evidence. He said the conclusions and opinions of forensic psychiatrists Dr Paul OConnell, for the defence and Dr Breda Wright, for the prosecution, were very clear.

Both concluded that the accused was incapable of forming the necessary intention to murder, Mr O'Kelly said.

You are the judges and you will act on the evidence in this very difficult and tragic case, he added.
A Sligo man who sexually abused his young cousin while babysitting her has been jailed for seven and a half years.

The 28-year-old man, who can not be named to protect his victim's identity, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexual assault of the child on a date between 2007 and 2010.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy noted that the man was an alcoholic and had a dysfunctional background, but said the lateness of his guilty plea afforded him only modest credit.

Garda Kevin O'Hora told Garnet Orange SC, prosecuting, that the victim and the accused both came from an extremely dysfunctional background and the accused would occasionally babysit the victim while the child's mother was out drinking.

The child was later removed to the care of an relative due to neglect. The relative became concerned about the child following a conversation they had and she contacted gardai.

The child was interviewed by specialist gardai and disclosed an incident. She said it happened when she was four or five years old.

The accused man has a number of previous convictions and is an alcoholic and drug abuser.

The child's relative prepared a victim impact statement on her behalf. She said the accused man had taken the child's innocence and the girl was worried about things no one her age should be. She said she suffered terrible nightmares and was worried people would not believe her.

She said the girl was cautious about new people, struggled in new surroundings and her relationships with men had been impacted by bad memories coming back. She said the girl had gone through torture and she was worried she would continue to bottle up her problems.

Tara Burns SC, defending, said she had been instructed by her client to apologise to the victim.

She said he came from a broken family and had a difficult upbringing. He has never worked in his life and has a severe drinking problem.

Ms Burns said this was a terrible offence but he was a person capable of compassion and had opted to face up to his actions. She said the man had great difficulties of his own and asked the court for some light at the end of the tunnel.
A MENTALLY ill man who stabbed a young shop assistant to death in a frenzied attack at her workplace has been found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity.

Shane Smyth (29), a paranoid schizophrenic, was suffering from psychotic delusions when he attacked and killed Mairead Moran (26) as she finished her days work.

He admitted stabbing her but psychiatrists for both the prosecution and defence concluded he could not have formed intent to kill due to his psychotic state at the time.

A jury this afternoon unanimously delivered the special verdict after a five-day trial before Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan at the Central Criminal Court.

The jury of nine women and three men delivered their verdict just before 4pm after 55 minutes of deliberations.

The accused, wearing a black suit, white shirt and black and white stirped tie, blinked once but gave no other reaction to the verdict when it was read out by the court registrar.

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There was silence in the public gallery, where members of both the Moran and Smyth families were seated.

At the request of John OKelly SC, for the prosecution, Judge Heneghan ordered that Mr Smyth be detained at the Central Mental Hospital and consultant psychiatrist Dr Paul OConnell confirmed that a place was available there.

The judge adjourned proceedings for a week for the production of medical reports.

She thanked the jury and exempted them from service for the rest of their lives.

She said it had been a very difficult trial and some of the evidence was extremely upsetting.

The judge thanked members of both families who were present. She had asked for the co-operation of everyone at the beginning to the trial and said she had received this.

I can only extend my sympathies to Mairead Morans family it has been a very difficult trial, the circumstances and details that had to be opened (to the court) by necessity were very difficult, she said.

The judge said it had been a difficult trial for the Smyth family.

Mr Smyth will be be returned to the Central Mental Hospital for ongoing psychiatric treatment.

He stabbed Ms Moran with a dagger after dragging her out of Holland and Barrett health food store at Market Cross Shopping Centre, Kilkenny, on May 8, 2014.

Mr Smyth, with an address at McGuinness House, Evans Lane, Kilkenny had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had what the defence described as a deep-seated and firmly held view and belief that Mairead Moran was trying to steal his blood.

He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

During the trial, the jury heard Mr Smyth went to the shop to confront her over a delusion that she wanted a vial of his blood.

They had had a brief, six-month relationship when he was 19 years old but had since gone their separate ways. Months before the stabbing, however, she complained that he had been hanging around the shop and this freaked her out.

She called security who asked him to leave but within minutes, he got back in and attacked her.

Eyewitness Emer Lawlor told the court she heard a scream and saw Mr Smyth pulling Ms Moran out of the shop by the hair stabbing her with a knife into the chest at least three times.

Security staff told him to drop the knife and kicked it away. He was put sitting down while people tended to Ms Moran.

People used clothes to try to slow the flow of blood from her wounds.

Mr Smyth then hopped up and ran. Security tried to follow him but he got away, and got a taxi to his cousin Rosemary Grogans house.

He had a wild look in his eyes, seemed like he was on another planet and told her that he had stabbed his ex-girlfriend, Ms Grogan said.

He said he thought she had put secret cameras in his house, and black widow spiders which had bitten and paralysed him.

Ms Grogan called his brother Neil, who contacted gardai. Officers later burst into the house to arrest Mr Smyth.

By this time, efforts to resuscitate Ms Moran at St Lukes Hospital, Kilkenny had been unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead.

When arrested, Mr Smyth told garda: I stabbed her, Mairead Moran, she tried to nick my blood.

A post mortem examination by State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy concluded that Ms Moran had died from two stab wounds - one that penetrated her heart and left lung, and a second that entered her right kidney and liver.

In all, she had suffered eight stab wounds and another six incised wounds or cuts.

In interview, Mr Smyth admitted to gardai he stabbed Moran but repeatedly told them he did not think he had killed her.

He said he accepted he had inflicted countless wounds on her but throughout the interviews, he said he still had difficulty believing he had killed Ms Moran.

Mr Smyth had stopped taking medication after his discharge from psychiatric services at the age of 19, the same year that he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Witnesses who met him in the hours before the stabbing told the court of the strange things he told them.

Early that morning, he met Kevin Dollard at McDonalds.

He was talking about microchips in his body and being forced into a gang war, Mr Dollard said.

Ellen Cruise had known Mr Smyth for years and met him as she was bringing her children to school that morning.

Over tea, he told her he had demonic tendencies. He also had a crystal which he said shouts at me sometimes.

Ken OReilly, in charge of management at the flats where Mr Smyth had lived, told the court Mr Smyth appeared agitated that day and said he had been bitten by spiders on his face.

Mr Smyths schizophrenia began to manifest itself in late adolescence.

He told doctors his relationship with his parents broke down when his mother accused him of lighting fires in the house, after which he left the family home.

He had also pinned a note about death to a door on one occasion.

He had believed his mother was evil and his brother reported he had once tried to push her down the stairs. He had also assaulted his father, punching him in the face.

Forensic psychiatrist, Dr Brenda Wright, for the prosecution, and Dr Paul OConnell, for the defence, both said Mr Smyth did not have the capacity to form intent in the killing because of his mental illness.

Dr Wright said Mr Smyth understood what he was doing was legally wrong but harboured a psychotic moral justification for his behaviour.

Dr Wright said Mr Smyths actions resulted directly from his delusional beliefs."

Among the delusions he suffered was that someone was putting something toxic into his shampoo which was getting into his brain.

He was described as having auditory hallucinations - hearing voices - and there was evidence he was experiencing "thought withdrawal and insertion."

This was the delusion that thoughts were being put into or taken out of his head out of his control.

In the months before the attack, he described thought broadcasting - people saying things he had been thinking.

The report also described religious grandiosity - he believed God spoke to him, and that he could control the weather.

He thought his launderette was involved in trying to harm him and someone had stolen his clothes and made a voodoo doll of him.

Once, he opened his apartment window and said he smelled nerve gas- described as an example of an olfactory hallucination.

He believed he could smell people in his apartment and believed they had come to blunt his knives.

Another delusion was that he had been ionised by radiation from a U-Boat in Dublin Port.

He believed microchips had been put in his hips to control his actions.

Mr Smyth thought spiders were put in his apartment to harm him and he had been bitten and poisoned by their venom.

He believed people were hacking into his computer games and that Ms Moran was also involved in that.

He believed that she had asked him for a vial of his blood while they were in a relationship and on the day of the attack, he said, he went to ask her why she wanted his blood because he was curious about this.

He was also prone to fits of rage at this time and was carrying the knife for his own protection because he believed someone had threatened him with a sword.

Even while being treated after his arrest, he believed Ms Moran was still alive, claiming to have seen her while at St Vincents Hospital.

He reported thinking she survived the attack and that the gardai covered it up and charged Mr Smyth with the killing.

Dr Wright and Dr OConnell both concluded that the accused met all three elements in the defence of insanity.

They said he would require ongoing treatment for his mental disorder in a secure setting - the Central Mental Hospital.

In his closing speech, Colman Cody SC, for the defence said: It is inexplicable that a young, vibrant girl with her whole life ahead of her had that life ended so abruptly and violently in a short space of time on the eighth of May, 2014.

Telling the jury not guilty by reason of insanity was the correct verdict, he said: Not only is it the correct verdict on the evidence but the correct verdict in ensuring that Mr Smyth is properly treated and for the protection of society in general so a shocking tragedy like this may be prevented into the future.
A Super Bowl advert for the Church of Scientology featured a room which looked very similar to the Long Room in Trinity College's library.

A Super Bowl advert for the Church of Scientology featured a room which looked very similar to the Long Room in Trinity College's library.

The advertisement aired during a break in the Super Bowl football game on American TV.

It featured a room which looks identical to the main chamber of the 18th century library in Trinity College, along with its distinctive marble busts and book shelves.

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"The Long Room is a massive part of College's identity and is often featured on viral lists of the world's best or most beautiful libraries," said Matthew Mulligan of Trinity News.

"It's not impossible that a producer somewhere saw an unattributed image of the library and decided to mould it to fit the aesthetic of the video."

A lot of the details were diluted through the advert's blue lighting but the resemblance is uncanny.

A spokesperson for Trinity College said: "The image used in the advertisement for the Church of Scientology bears a strong resemblance to the 18th century library.

"No permission was granted by Trinity College Dublin for its usage and it does not endorse it in this form of promotion. Contact is being made with the Church of Scientology on the matter."

A spokesperson for the Church of Scientology advised Independent.ie that the library interior is a set constructed by their own crew.

It's not the first time the library's image has sparked controversy.

In 2002, a row erupted after a report in the University Record suggested central scenes in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones take place in a library, the 'Jedi Archives', which resembled the TCD Long Room.

An Irish Independent article at the time reported that Trinity College was planning to sue George Lucas for unauthorised use of the image of the library.

However, a spokeswoman for George Lucas said: " "It is totally untrue that there is any connection between the scene in Attack of the Clones and Trinity College."
Gardai were responding to reports of suspicious activity in the Rope Walk area of Monaghan when they saw a number of males flee from a house.

The arrest of four men following a spate of burglaries in Monaghan town on Saturday has been described as a "fantastic result" in the battle against rural crime.

The men, all aged in their early 20s and late teens, are thought to be linked to a high number of burglaries across the country and are connected to a west Dublin family who are well known to gardai. They were apprehended after a chase through fields by detectives and the Garda Air Support Unit.

Gardai were responding to reports of suspicious activity in the Rope Walk area of Monaghan when they saw a number of males flee from a house.

All four were taken to Monaghan Garda Station and are expected to appear before Monaghan District Court later this morning.
Police officers attend to the scene of a shooting at Poplar Row in Dublin, Ireland. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Gardai attend the scene on Poplar Row, North Strand following the shooting of a second man in Dublin, in an apparent gangland feud which is suspected to involve drugs gangs in Ireland and Spain. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Police officers attend to the scene of a shooting at Poplar Row in Dublin, Ireland February 8, 2016. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Garda officers attend the scene on Poplar Row, North Strand following the shooting of a second man in Dublin, in an apparent gangland feud which is suspected to involve drugs gangs in Ireland and Spain. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Police officers attend to the scene of a shooting at Poplar Row in Dublin. Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne

Gardai investigate the shooting of a man at a house on Poplar Row in the North inner city in Dublin. Picture: Arthur Carron

A MAN in his 50s has been shot dead in Dublin in what is feared to be a reprisal following the shooting at the Regency Hotel last Friday.

The dead man has been named as Eddie Hutch Snr, a brother of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch.

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The victim, in his 50s, was shot at around 7.45pm tonight, at Poplar Row, North Strand, Dublin 3.

It is believed at least four men were involved in the attack, bursting into the house and opening fire with handguns.

Eddie Hutch Snr was shot up to nine times, and collapsed and died in the hallway of his home.

His body remains at the scene. It is understood that his partner was in the home at the time of the attack, but was uninjured.

Eddie Hutch Snr was a father-of-five.

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A silver 3 Series BMW, believed to be the getaway vehicle, was found abandoned on St Patrick's Parade, Drumcondra. A container of petrol was found inside the car, sources said.

A large number of gardai are at the scene which has been sealed off. Gardai said tonight that a technical examination of the area was taking place.

"A full investigation team is in place involving local and national Garda Units. The office of the State Pathologist has been informed," a garda spokesperson said.

Eddie Hutch Snr was not considered to be a violent criminal and tended to stay in the background. He had a number of convictions for small-time fraud and shop lifting.

However, he was suspected of helping to launder some of the proceeds from the heists masterminded by his brother Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch.

Eddie Hutch Snr - who also worked as a taxi driver - was one of a large group of the Monk's associates targeted in Operation Alpha the first major investigation launched by the Criminal Assets Bureau shortly after it was first established in 1996.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Garda at a scene on Poplar Row in north inner city Dublin where a man was shot dead. Picture credit; Damien Eagers Garda at a scene on Poplar Row in north inner city Dublin where a man was shot dead. Picture credit; Damien Eagers / Facebook

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As part of the enquiry, which was to last over ten years, the CAB seized a bank account in Eddie Hutch's name which contained over 156,000.

The shooting took place despite the fact that extra armed gardai were deployed to the streets of Dublin to prevent further bloodshed.

Last Friday, David Byrne (34) was shot dead and two others were injured when a gang stormed the Regency Hotel.

Byrne was an associate of crime boss Christy Kinahan, who is from Dublin's south inner city.

Kinhan's son Daniel was believed to be the target of last Friday's attack - but managed to escape unharmed.

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Security sources say they have no doubt that Daniel Kinihan was the target as well as several of his associates in revenge for the murder of criminal Gary Hutch in Marbella last September. Gary Hutch was a nephew of Eddie Hutch Snr.

A retaliation strike was feared following last Friday's murder - although it's very early in the investigation, it's believed the murder of Eddie Hutch Snr was an act of revenge.

Former Lord Mayor Cllr Christy Burke said the community is in a state of shock.

"I called for calm and no retaliations. This is going to add more misery to a community already struggling with crime. We are in shock."

Situation very tense in Ballybough after shooting. We need calm. Potential for further escalation terrifying.  Aodhan O Riordain TD (@AodhanORiordain) February 8, 2016

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The Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said: "Tonight's fatal shooting in Dublin is another deplorable example of the ruthlessness of gangland criminals. It seems that some gangs are intent on waging a feud where human life counts for nothing.

"The Gardai will take all necessary steps to try to prevent further bloodshed but we have to recognise the challenges they face. Members of gangs who have fears for their safety should come forward to the Gardai.

"I will be meeting with the Garda Commissioner and her senior officers tomorrow."

@FitzgeraldFrncs re tonight's shooting. Gardai will take all necessary steps to try to prevent further bloodshed. Min meeting Garda Com tmrw  JusticeDepartment (@DeptJusticeIRL) February 8, 2016

Tanaiste Joan Burton tonight condemned the latest violence.

"I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms tonight's latest gangland murder in Dublin's north inner city."

"This incident is clearly linked to last Friday's killing, and our priority must be to ensure that this feud does not escalate."

"We will give An Garda Siochana all the necessary support to find those responsible. Communities must be protected from these brutal criminals who have no interest in the rule of law, only their own selfish interests."

"We need to have adequate procedures in place to deal with gangland criminals, including the Special Criminal Court."

"Following tonight's murder I have spoken at length to the minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, and I and my Cabinet colleagues will continue to monitor the situation extremely closely over the coming days."

Taoiseach Enda Kenny addressed supporters in Wexford but made no reference to the latest gun murder.

He had spoken on a number of occasions earlier in the day about the attack at the Regency Hotel and had hit out against Sinn Fein for their campaign to abolish the Special Criminal court.

He referenced these issues again but said nothing on the shooting of Eddie Hutch.

Gardai are appealing for anyone who was in the area or may have information, to contact them at Fitzgibbon Garda Station on 01 666 8400, the Garda Confidential Line 1800-666-111 or any Garda Station.

More to follow
Parents are increasingly out of touch with what their children are doing online.

There is a growing digital divide, leaving many parents in the dark to dangers such as cyberbullying, online grooming and pornography, to which their children may be exposed.

The widening gulf has been highlighted in a survey on the internet usage and cyberbullying knowledge of 900 parents of 9- to 16-year-olds, conducted last year by the National Anti-Bullying Centre at Dublin City University (DCU).

It also found high levels of internet use and computer proficiency among 6- to 8-year-olds, more than a quarter (27pc) of whom have their own mobile phone or tablet.

Anti-Bullying Centre director Dr James O'Higgins Norman said the findings flagged up some worrying trends in internet safety of Irish children and said that many parents had welcomed it as a "wake-up call".

He added: "Our research underscores the growing challenges and pressing need to create protections around children from cyberbullying."

The research, released ahead of Safer Internet Day tomorrow, is part of an EU project aimed at developing a new online tool to combat cyberbullying.

Dr O'Higgins Norman said while Irish parents perceive themselves to be vigilant in monitoring computer and internet usage and expressed a wide breadth of knowledge about both the risks and safety measures, some questions were raised.

Concerns include an over-reliance by parents on children's own accounts about their online activity. While many children may be honest in this area, the report warns of a well-established "digital deceit" pattern in pre-teen and teen dealings with their parents.

Researchers found a low rate of parental supervision of children on social networks, with fewer than one in five (18pc) keeping a watchful eye, even though many children are below the age limit imposed by networks for usage.

A question that sought to establish parents' understanding of the online threats to children in areas such as cyberbullying, grooming, sexting, adult content, eating disorders, jihadists and identity theft revealed that 47pc were either worried that their child was exposed to cyberbullying, weren't sure if they were exposed or didn't know what the risk involved; 44pc fell in those categories in relation to adult content; and 35pc in relation to grooming.

The digital gulf is also evident in the different social media platforms used by the generations. Over half (55pc) of parents engage in Facebook, but have almost no interaction with Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, which are popular with teens and pre-teens.

More than half of parents expressed frustration at their lack of knowledge about privacy techniques, filtering and password controls.

Alongside poor technical know-how, time is also a factor for parents trying to monitor their children's safety, with the average 15-to-16-year-old spending up to 10 hours a week online on personal devices.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Michelle Mulherin meet locals during a visit to the constituency office of Ms Mulherin in Ballina, Co Mayo, yesterday. Photo: James Connolly

The general was home to rally the troops for the first time since the election campaign began. "What are the issues that you're getting on the doorsteps?" Taoiseach Enda Kenny asked around 40 canvassers gathered in Mayo.

"A good response," replied one canvasser.

"Out of 65 houses, we got three negative. One was going to vote for Michael Ring."

"That's not a negative," Mr Kenny said to laughter at the mention of his Westport-based party colleague.

"In Castlebar, it is a negative," came the quick response to more laughing.

You see, in Mr Kenny's home county the campaign is being planned with military precision.

It's 'Operation: Hang on to Three Seats' in a constituency that's down to four.

And it's not a battle Mr Kenny wants to lose - it being his own backyard.

He was in Ballina to back his local candidate Michelle Mulherin, where she will face stiff opposition in the form of the other local TD - Fianna Fail's Dara Calleary.

It was perhaps not the best day to choose given that the streets were deserted between heavy rain, Ireland's Six Nation's clash with Wales, and many of the locals attending the funeral of a local GAA legend.

The Taoiseach's afternoon began with his attendance at the requiem mass for Fr Peter Quinn, one of the last surviving members of the Mayo team that won back-to-back All-Irelands in the early 1950s.

Mr Kenny is aiming to be the first Fine Gael Taoiseach to win back-to-back terms in office and his home county is key to his plans.

He didn't have to worry about the empty streets for photo opportunities - Fine Gael had Ms Mulherin's office packed with supporters who poured outside to greet him.

That's been a feature of Mr Kenny's campaign stops - in Westmeath, Kildare and Tipperary, where he has generally been met by supporters on walkabouts who are already fully signed up to the Fine Gael cause.

In Mayo, the other outgoing TD, John O'Mahoney, changed to Galway-West and the party's remaining deputies desperately want to hold on to all three seats.

Mr Kenny laid out the strategy with careful instructions on how to maximise the vote.

"Down here in Ballina and Charlestown and Swinford... they vote one Mulherin and afterwards in the order of their choice. In Erris... Westport and in Newport and Claremorris, they vote one Ring, two Mulherin and three Kenny.

"In the area allocated to my poor self, that they vote one Kenny, two Mulherin and three Ring.

"If that's followed, we've a really good chance of holding on to three seats here which would be an outstanding achievement, believe you me.

"We'll compete as a trio, as a very strong team for the votes and the confidence of the people," he added.

Perhaps conscious that as Taoiseach he couldn't be seen to pack his home county with funding for local projects, he explained: "This is the first time that [we've] the opportunity to have a head of government in the constituency. You've got to spread the benefits of the economy throughout the entire country. "It's not about any individual location."

But he added: "We look forward to the support of the people of Mayo as we've always done in the last number of years."

One supporter piped up and suggested to Mr Kenny that the party could win votes by announcing to the media that he'd appoint more women in Cabinet if he is returned to office.

"I've said that three or four times," Mr Kenny said.

Asked if she would like to be one of those women in Cabinet, Ms Mulherin replied without a nano-second's hesitation: "Certainly."

"There's not another female TD on the western seaboard of any party from Donegal down to Co Kerry other than Jan O'Sullivan in Limerick City.

"So I would imagine, considering geographical spread," she said.

Mr Kenny chipped in: "She said to me earlier if she had six months in environment she'd have all those housing estates cleared up."

Which estates were unclear, but Labour's Alan Kelly better watch his back if the Government is returned.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has sparked outrage after he claimed there is no such thing as "gangland" and appeared to suggest that his party would consider placing jurors in witness protection schemes in the event of the abolition of the Special Criminal Court.

Mr Adams yesterday produced one of the most significant gaffes of the General Election campaign after he was unable to answer direct questions about Sinn Fein's plans to scrap the juryless court.

During a shambolic press conference, the Louth TD flip-flopped on earlier suggestions that Sinn Fein would place jurors in witness protection-type schemes in the event of the court being scrapped.

Just 48 hours after the horrific gangland attack in Dublin, Mr Adams said there was no such thing as "gangland". And he claimed that the murder of David Byrne, as well as others, would not have happened if the Special Criminal Court worked effectively.

"First of all, if I can just say this, as a little matter which always irks me, there aren't any ganglands. There is lazy journalism which uses the word gangland as if these communities were lands that gangs inhabited," Mr Adams said.

"There are gangs and they are clearly ruthless, they're mercenary, they're greedy, they're very, very, very dangerous indeed."

Asked how Sinn Fein would protect witnesses and jurors if there was no such court, the Louth TD said schemes are in place in other jurisdictions to ensure safety.

"In Britain, across the European Union and the USA, they have witness protection programmes and they deal with criminality and they bring those that are accused and they are subject to due process," Mr Adams told reporters.

"There are measures which can be used to deal with all of that," he added.

But when asked whether he was effectively proposing to place jurors into "hiding", Mr Adams replied: "Listen to your tape and if you hear me saying that I'll give you a ticket to the Bruce Springsteen concert."

Mr Adams is a vocal critic of the Special Criminal Court, which is due on Friday to sentence his friend, Thomas 'Slab' Murphy, for tax fraud.

He has stated that the UN has raised human rights concerns in relation to its existence.

But during the fourth day of the campaign, the Sinn Fein president was forced to admit that he did not know what his party intended to do in the event of the abolition of the court.

"You would have to go and check on those and we will, if you wish, come back in detail on that. But our broad principle is that everyone has the right to a jury of their peers," he said.

"I spent four and a half years imprisoned without any trial at all. Do you think that's fair?"

When it was pointed out to Mr Adams he could not furnish any details about abolishing the court, he replied: "Sorry, you can't understand plain English."

Last night, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said Friday's murder illustrated the strong necessity to maintain the Special Criminal Court.

"The Special Criminal Court is there to deal with gangs and dissidents or to interfere with anyone who in turn wants to interfere with the criminal justice system," she said.

"To seek the abolition of the court is to deny the dangers that criminal gangs and dissidents have posed, and will undoubtedly continue to pose, to witnesses," she added.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny branded Sinn Fein's ongoing campaign to have the court abolished as "outrageous" in light of Friday's gangland attack.

"I think it's outrageous. What's at stake here is the security of our State," he said.

"The people who carried out this absolutely appalling crime in the Regency Hotel - in a well-planned, professional hit - have no regard for the laws in our democracy."
Gerry Adams is auditioning to be Taoiseach right now.

He wants to be the person who decides on the definition of a fairer society, who legislates for our future and who travels the world representing the Republic of Ireland.

On Saturday, the Irish Independent carried a front-page picture of two men with AK-47s storming into the Regency Hotel in Dublin amid a scene that looked like a terrorist attack.

Therefore, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to Mr Adams yesterday that journalists would quiz him about Sinn Fein's policy to abolish the Special Criminal Court, which was set up to deal with alleged terrorists and gangsters.

Next Friday, former IRA commander Thomas 'Slab' Murphy, who was recently described as a "mass murderer", is due to be sentenced in the same court for tax evasion.

It was inevitable that Mr Adams would be asked to explain what was his vision for reforming the justice system in the event that non-jury trials were scrapped.

And yet he had nothing better to say than a muddled offer to effectively go away and Google the answer.

After first suggesting that jurors could be shipped off into a witness protection style programme for doing their civic duty, he viewed the shocked reaction of reporters and immediately backtracked.

"Measures", he suggested, could be put in place to protect juries.

What measures? "You would have to go and check on those and we will if you wish come back in detail on that."

And if his offer to buy a reporter Bruce Springsteen tickets wasn't bad enough, he then moved on to asking reporters if they thought it was right that he spent four years in jail without a trial.

What he thinks his arrest in the 1970s at the height of his IRA career has to do with measures necessary to control gang crime in Dublin in 2016 is not at all clear.

Sinn Fein wants to be part of the policy debate during the General Election, but it needs to be able to explain why its ideas are for the good of the country, not just Mr Adams's old friends.

To suggest you can abolish a pillar of the justice system and not know what you want to replace it with is bizarre.

Remember, Gerry Adams is auditioning to be Taoiseach.
SINN Fein deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald today said confusion had led to Gerry Adamss comments that there were no ganglands being misunderstood.

Ms McDonald was commenting after remarks yesterday by the party leader in reaction to the gangland murder in Dublin last Friday.

The Sinn Fein leader said he did not believe that ganglands existed and he was also extremely vague about how juries and witnesses would be protected if the non-jury Special Criminal Court was abolished.

Confusions arise. But Im happy  and he is too - to set the record straight, Ms McDonald told reporters.

The Dublin Central TD, whose base is close to the Regency Hotel in Drumcondra where the shootings took place, said she unreservedly condemned the action of gangsters and thugs. She said gardai must get the necessary resources to apprehend these people and ensure that they are locked away.

But we mustnt fall into the trap of describing an area as gangland, or, conceding for a second that any of our communities belong to them, Ms McDonald said. She added that this was the point Mr Adams was trying to make.

Ms McDonald said people in the vicinity of the hotel had been terrified by the mass shooting and so were homeless people who are accommodated at the hotel. She insisted that nobody in Sinn Fein was naive about the need to fight crime and take on criminals.

But the rule of law and proper administration of justice means that you dont have non-jury courts, Ms McDonald.

The Sinn Fein deputy leader said the State was lowering its democratic standards by operating the non-jury Special Criminal Court and that jury-less trials were not a deterrent to gangsters. You dont lower the States standards because of thugs and gurriers.

Ms McDonald said the Government must explore the use of technology to protect jury members.

Devices like more anonymity and juries being based at locations away from the courts to hear evidence by video could be implemented.
WHITE-Collar criminals would no longer be able to rely on "previous good character" to get a lighter sentence, according to law changes tabled by Renua Ireland.

Lucinda Creighton's party has signalled a radical toughening of the law in relation to white-collar crime. Proposals include giving a portion of the money recovered from offenders to whistleblowers who helped unmask and convict them in the courts.

A party official said the entire legal and court system effectively gave "well-connected people" much better treatment than traditional criminals. Many of these people come from poorer sections of society and get much harsher sentences.

Renua Ireland proposes changes to sentencing guidelines in dealing with people convicted of white-collar crime. The new guidelines would not allow first offenders to fall back on previous good character to mitigate the penalties they face.

Other changes would include making "reckless lending" a criminal offence carrying heavy penalties in extreme cases. Criminal sanctions would also be imposed upon company directors engaged in reckless trading, and pleading ignorance of what was going on would not be an acceptable defence.

"We will also provide incentives along the lines of the American system, where whistleblowers are accorded a percentage of asset seizures," the Renua spokesman told the Irish Independent. The party is urging a cultural shift in attitudes.
TAOISEACH Enda Kenny has said he has no desire to run for the presidency.

He was asked by a student in Mount Carmel Seconday school in Dublin is he has any ambition to run for the Aras.

"No," he replied bluntly, to laughter.

"I've been asked that question a few times.

"I'm 40 years at this and I've seen governments come and governments go and all of that.

"I think the presidency is a particular very highly esteemed office in this country of course but it's for people who have a particular personality that's very suitable for it.

"I don't think that I would like to be in that sense confined by all the duties of the President.

"Our Uachtarain does a wonderful job in his carrying out of his duties but it's not one for me," he said,

Another presidential election isn't due unitl 2018 - mid-way through the next Dail term.

Fine Gael has never won a presidential election campaign.
Two of the dogs found living in horrific conditions in North-West Cork by ISPCA Inspector Lisa ODonovan

One of the dogs found living in horrific conditions in North-West Cork by ISPCA Inspector Lisa ODonovan

Thirteen emaciated dogs have been found living in inches of their own faeces in what an animal rescue group has called one of the worst cases of abuse it has ever seen.

The nine greyhounds and four german shepherds were discovered on a property in north-west Cork. They had been locked in cages and trailers and left with no clean water.

Another three dogs were found dead at the scene.

Lisa O'Donovan, an inspector with the ISPCA, was the first to see the horrifying conditions when she visited the property.

"The conditions these dogs were living in were horrendous," she said. "The smell was shocking, and the dogs were completely un-socialised."

The dogs were moved to the ISPCA Equine Rescue Centre in Mallow, where they received urgent veterinary care.

"It was a long, difficult task removing them safely," Inspector O'Donovan added.

"It's difficult to try and get your head around how someone could force the poor dogs to live like this."

The ISPCA now hopes to rehome the dogs with caring owners. The four german shepherds have been transferred to the ISPCA National Animal Centre for rehoming, while two of the greyhounds have already found suitable homes since their rescue. However, the remaining seven greyhounds are still seeking loving and understanding households.

While often associated with racing, greyhounds do not require much exercise and are seen as great companions for older people and city-dwellers.

The grim find comes after the ISPCA published its figures for 2015, which revealed that 818 dogs had been seized by or surrendered to the organisation's inspectors throughout last year.

In one case last year, the ISPCA removed 340 dogs from one registered breeding establishment that failed to meet appropriate standards.

Overall, more than 1,100 animals were taken in by the charity, including 82 cats and 74 equines.

Meanwhile, the charity received 15,000 calls to its helpline during 2015.

Currently, the ISPCA has only eight inspectors in 17 counties.

However, the charity hopes to at least one inspector in every county in the next five years.
Firefighters clean blood off the road at the scene of a shooting outside a creche on Holywell Avenmue, Donaghmede, Dublin. Inset: Emergency services tend to Declan Smith after he was shot near the creche

THE Continuity IRA is one of a number of renegade splinter factions that became active after the Provisional IRA called an end to its armed campaign.

Among its worst atrocities was the 2009 murder of police officer Stephen Carroll in Craigavon, Co Armagh.

Ambushed as he responded to a 999 call, the constable was the first member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to be murdered by terrorists.

But Continuity IRA ranks are as likely to extort cash from drug dealers and run rackets from pub and club owners in Dublin and elsewhere as they are to target security forces.

And they are not the only dissident faction to intimidate criminals or demand protection money from them, with the Real IRA also big players.

As a result, murder by so-called dissidents, reprisals by gangsters and suspected tit-for-tat attacks and gun killings are not unheard of.

Alan Ryan, whose murder was said to have been avenged in the Regency Hotel, was regarded as running one of the most lucrative extortion rackets in Dublin.

Murdered in September 2012, he was a leader of a faction of the Real IRA in the city.

Eamon Kelly, a career criminal dubbed The Godfather, was shot dead in broad daylight near his home in Killester, north Dublin three months later and an IRA figure subsequently pleaded guilty to the murder.

Continuity IRA figure Declan Smith, reportedly an associate of Ryan at one time, was a murder suspect on-the-run from Belfast, when he was shot in the face dropping a youngster to a creche in Donaghmede, Dublin in 2014.

A claim of responsibility for the Regency Hotel would mark a severe escalation of the dissident group's audacity.

Three of the gang carried Kalashnikov assault rifles, while the discriminate nature of the shootings displayed an unnerving departure from the hit-and-run style of handgun killings which dominate Dublin's gangland wars.

There is no way of verifying the Continuity IRA claim, albeit that it followed a pattern from the Troubles of a phone call to a respected journalist and newsroom and a code word added to the message.

While senior gardai initially ruled out terrorist involvement, instead focusing on a deepening dispute between drugs gangs based in Dublin and the Costa del Sol, speculation will centre on the veracity of the dissident claim.

Questions are being asked if the unit was in effect a gun for hire to avenge the murder of Gary Hutch in Marbella last year or if the claim is deliberate misinformation by gangsters or if dissidents are so heavily embroiled in the drugs trade that they have taken sides in a dispute.

Regardless, a major headache for the police is not if, but when, retaliation will hit.

There were three murders classed by the Garda as gangland last year, compared to 17 in 2010 and 22 in 2009.

The Continuity IRA can trace its origins to the formation of Republican Sinn Fein in 1986, a hard-line faction opposed to republicans taking seats in the Irish parliament.

Other splinter organisations include the Real IRA, "new" IRA and Oglaigh na hEireann (ONH).

Their structures are fluid, with members often shifting allegiances or co-operating, and many Provo veterans make up the ranks alongside younger recruits with no first-hand experience of the Troubles.

They claim their objectives are ostensibly political, and they continue to mount sporadic and sometimes deadly attacks against the security forces, but their money comes from cross border smuggling, racketeering, fuel fraud and drug dealing.

Dissidents often proclaim so-called republicanism as a justification for killing drug dealers - claiming their motive is the protection of their community when, in reality, the attacks are usually about protecting their own criminal enterprises.
Gardai backed by armed members of the Emergency Response Unit stop motorists at a checkpoint in Cork Street, Dublin, as part of the investigation. Photo: Arthur Carron

The gang responsible for a terrorist-style assault on a Dublin hotel had originally planned to stage a "spectacular" attack during a boxing tournament which was due to be held at the National Stadium on Saturday night, according to intelligence sources.

It has also emerged the intended targets of last Friday's attack - members of the Christy Kinahan international crime syndicate - have placed a murder contract on the head of veteran crime boss Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch.

Last night security sources said they have "no doubt" the objective of the audacious gun attack, which was carried out with military precision, was to kill Kinahan's son Daniel and "wipe out" several gang members, in revenge for the murder of Hutch's nephew Gary in Spain last year.

Detectives are said to be close to confirming the identities of a number of the killers.

Drug trafficker David Byrne, 34, was shot dead when six men - three disguised as a garda Swat team armed with AK-47s, one as a woman and another wearing a cap both carrying handguns, and a getaway driver - stormed a pre-fight weigh-in at the hotel which was attended by 100 spectators including children.

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The murder victim and his brother Liam were key players in the Kinahan drug distribution business in Ireland, along with their notorious cousin 'Fat' Freddie Thompson.

Injured Aaron Bulger is said to be in fear of losing his leg after a bullet smashed through his femur while Sean McGovern was understood to be in a serious condition in the Mater Hospital after he was shot in the stomach.

It is understood the decision to deliberately target The Monk and a number of other individuals was discussed at a meeting of gang members, including Daniel Kinahan, which took place in Crumlin at the weekend.

Last night armed gardai and plain clothes detectives were patrolling the streets surrounding the south Dublin home of 'Fat' Freddie Thompson - a cousin of David Byrne.

Officers in balaclavas brandishing Heckler & Koch MP7 sub-machines were also assisting at checkpoints in Crumlin last night, with armed units stopping traffic heading towards the city.

"What has happened is unprecedented in terms of gangland violence and it is a huge escalation of hostilities between these two dangerous outfits which is nothing less than an all-out war," a source told the Irish Independent.

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"The plan was to wipe out as many of the main players as possible in one spectacular attack, especially Daniel Kinahan, Christy's son, but they were fortunate enough to get out in time.

"There is already information circulating in the underworld that a contract has been placed on Gerry Hutch's head to get back at the killers and that is being taken seriously," the source added.

In the hours following the shooting gardai learned the hit team had earlier reconnoitred the National Stadium, the chosen venue for the Clash of the Clans contest.

Daniel Kinahan - who also controls his father's huge criminal operation - was due to attend the much-hyped event and was present at the weigh-in.

The main attraction on the night was a bout between Portuguese boxer Antonio Joao Bento and Jamie Kavanagh, whose father Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh and uncle Paul were murdered by hitmen in Dublin and Spain.

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The killers decided the National Stadium would be too crowded on the night to carry out an attack and was also likely to attract a large garda presence.

Instead, the hit team went to the pre-match weigh-in which had been well flagged in advance by members of the Kinahan gang, including in tweets posted by Daniel Kinahan.

Security sources said they had no prior intelligence of the attack and that a major security operation had been planned for the competition in the National Stadium, which was cancelled after the shooting outrage.

Gardai have confirmed their main suspects for the Regency Hotel gun attack are associates of Gary Hutch, who was executed by the Kinahan cartel in Spain last September.

Hutch had been a member of the gang but had fallen under suspicion that he was a police informant.

According to reliable intelligence sources, representatives of both the Kinahan and Hutch sides met to discuss how the matter were going to be dealt with.

It was agreed that Gary Hutch would be left unharmed on the condition that he stayed away from the Kinahan operation and members of the gang.

However, in an apparent double-cross, Hutch was shot dead in an apartment complex in the Costa del Sol last September.

An intelligence source told the Irish Independent: "They (Kinahan gang) realised that they had bitten off more than they could chew and began to sue for peace.

"They came to Dublin on three occasions since then in the hope of preventing an escalation with a face-to-face meeting but each time Gary Hutch's associates refused to meet. As far as they were concerned, Kinahan had reneged on the deal and there was nothing more to talk about.

"You could say the writing was on the wall after that," the source added.

The first indication of an escalation in violence was an attempt to shoot Liam Roe, who is also a cousin of the Byrnes and Freddie Thompson, outside the Red Cow Inn in south Dublin.

The Kinahan side and their allies recruited the same hitman suspected of the attempted murder of former crime boss John Gilligan.

For months' underworld and garda sources were warning of a major escalation in the feud.

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Several members of both gangs dropped out of sight, including one of Gary Hutch's closest friends who is the prime suspect for a number of high-profile gangland murders including that of Eamon 'The Don' Dunne six years ago.

Gardai believe that the hit squad were well trained and knew exactly what they were doing.

One branch of the massive investigation now taking place is to trace the origins for the AK-47s which are the same as those shipped into Ireland by the Provisional IRA in the 1970s.
Two food businesses were served with enforcement notices last month after breached in food safety legislation, it was confirmed today.

A campus restaurant in UCD was issued with a closure order, while a butcher in Kerry received a prohibition order following inspections, inspectors said.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said Earls Delicatessen in UCDs School of Architecture in south Dublin received the closure order on January 25. The restaurant/canteen area reopened on January 27th when the order was lifted.

A closure order is given when it is deemed there could be a grave or immediate danger to public health in or at the premises, or when an improvement order is not complied with.

Elsewhere Sheahans Butcher in Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry, was issued with a prohibition order when HSE environmental inspectors found four crates of out-of-date beef in a walk-in coldroom.

Twelve crates of unlabelled beef were also discovered in the coldroom, and a quantity of unlabelled meats that had been stored in the business freezer was seized.

The prohibition order was served on 19 January, but was lifted on 26 January.

A prohibition order is issued if the premises activities, such as handling, processing, disposal, storage, distribution or selling of food, involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or item of food.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, stressed that food businesses needed to be vigilant at all times when dealing with food safety.

Food businesses must recognise that the legal onus is on them to make sure that the food they sell or serve is safe to eat. she said.

This requires ongoing compliance with food safety and hygiene standards.

The FSAI said the HSE also had successful prosecutions against two other businesses last month. Kelleghan Catering Food Stall on Main Street, Tallow, Co Waterford and Millbridge Meats in Kilmacregan, Co Donegal were both fined for breaching regulations on the hygiene of foodstuffs.
The wave swell off the Irish coast. Graphic courtesy of MagicSeaweed.com

More than 9,000 homes are without electricity as power crews attempt to restore power to thousands of homes in the south-west after Storm Imogens high winds caused widespread blackouts.

Some of the worst affected areas are in Kerry and Cork, where more than 1,400 homes and businesses in the Macroom area remain without electricity.



Another 1,000 are affected in the Rathmore area.

ESB Networks are reporting widespread power outages, and said that that some 12,000 homes and businesses were affected this morning by Storm Imogens fierce winds.

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Weve already restored power to over 3,000 homes and weve got crews at more than two dozen locations working to repair the faults, said a spokesperson for the company.

Were facing rolling repairs so, at the moment, weve very much got a moving target. Still, we believe we should have everyone back by the evening.

At its overnight peak along the south coast, Imogen - the ninth winter Atlantic storm - was bringing hurricane force winds to Sherkin Island off Cork, the Fastnet Rock and the Kinsale gas rigs.

#fishing vessels sheltering from #StormImogen in Bantry Bay, Cork as seen on this map from @MarineTraffic pic.twitter.com/HzcDFrBTVm  Joe Usher (@Geoseph_Usher) February 8, 2016

Waves at least 30 feet high were also recorded by Met Eireann's weather buoys in the Atlantic.

Fastnet lighthouse recorded some of the highest winds including sustained hurricane force speeds and gusts of up to 196km/h.

Met Eireann are warning that westerly winds will reach mean speeds of 65 to 75 km/h, with gusts of 100 to 130 km/h, and have a status orange wind warning in place for Cork and Kerry.

A separate status yellow warning has been issued for Wexford, Clare, Limerick and Waterford, where winds will reach mean speeds of 65 km/h.

The forecaster reports that tonight will be cold, with temperatures down to between 1 and 3 degrees.



Tomorrow will be cold and blustery with wintry showers.

In the aftermath of Storm Imogen road users were being warned of fallen trees and power lines while people in coastal areas were being warned of the dangers of extreme wave heights in some parts of the south coast.

AA Roadwatch are reporting roads are very wet across the country this morning and have advised drivers to slow down and increase their breaking distance, while Gardai and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) have urged motorists to travel with extreme care during the hours when Storm Imogen will be at its height.



The early indications are though that Storm Imogen will not be as damaging as its predecessors, including Storms Barney, Desmond, Gertrude and Henry.

The worst of the storm is due to hit the UK, where ferry sailings have already been cancelled and drivers of high-sided vehicles have been urged not to use exposed motorways and bridges across southern England and Wales.

@Shyman33 I did, thank you. Despite nearly being lifted off the ground while crossing the Liffey! Have you been ok too? #StormImogen  Alison Begas (@kamfinsa) February 8, 2016

#StormImogen was my alarm this morning.  Rebecca Quigley (@rebeccajq93) February 8, 2016

#StormImogen? Seems like everyday there's a new storm with a new name. What happened to it just being shite outside?  Nathan Kelly (@NathanKelly_) February 8, 2016

No amount of hairspray can save us from #StormImogen  annika (@cool_mom_jeans) February 8, 2016

#StormImogen ah here! Leave it oout! Leave it bleedin out!  Mister Joe (@JoeMunnelly1) February 8, 2016
Fighting fit: (From left) Toby Jones as Captain Mainwaring, Bill Nighy as Wilson, Tom Courtenay as Corporal Jones, Bill Paterson as Fraser, Michael Gambon as Godfrey, Blake Harrison as Pike, and Danny Mays as Walker in the movie remake of Dad's Army.

When news of a planned cinematic 'reboot' of the popular 70s sitcom Dad's Army (the nickname given to the Home Guard in Britain during the Second World War) was first announced, it wasn't met with universal praise. Even Bill Paterson, who plays Scottish undertaker and permanent pessimist "We're all doomed!" Frazer, said it was akin to "repainting the Sistine Chapel".

Paterson, who doesn't look close to his age of 70, explains his initial reluctance about the Dad's Army film. "I am a fan of the original," he tells me. "Although, if you tried to pitch it these days, to the endless commissioning executive levels, you wouldn't get far - a bunch of old guys bumbling around..."

Part of the reason for the original show's prolonged success was the recognisable caricatures - the mummy's boy (Private Pike), the tin-pot dictator (Captain Mainwaring), the gloomy Scotsman (Private Frazer), along with a spiv, an ex-public school boy and various other British 'types'.

However, the caricatures were written as real characters and the casting was perfect. Who else but Arthur Lowe could play martinet Captain Mainwaring? And of course there lay the problem for the film-makers. Scriptwriter Hamish McColl took the bold step of expanding the almost exclusively male enclave of Walmington-on-Sea (the fictional coastal town in both the original TV series and the movie) to include female characters. Women did appear in the original show, but they were few and far between and very much caricatures rather than fully fleshed-out characters. Hamish McColl soon sorted that out.

It also helps this new version that along with Paterson, the cast is a who's who of British acting talent - Toby Jones, Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon, Tom Courtenay, Daniel Mays, Felicity Montagu, Sarah Lancashire, Alison Steadman, Annette Crosbie and Catherine Zeta Jones.

Sarah Lancashire, who older viewers may remember as Raquel from Coronation Street and who put in a powerhouse performance in Happy Valley last year, gives Mrs Pike (who appeared in the original) back her humanity. Zeta Jones (Rose Winter) is a glamorous German spy posing as a journalist who turns every head in Walmington-on-Sea. The men are mesmerised by her sexy good looks, the women by her fabulous wardrobe. It was the expanded story, which "shows how together the women were while the men were so hopeless", and the chance to work with such a wonderful cast that convinced Paterson to enlist in Dad's Army.

Patterson grew up in the East End of Glasgow with no connection to the theatrical world. In his mid-teens he went on a school trip to the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow. "Most of them never went back," he tells me, "but I went back every night for years. I just fell in love with seeing theatre, films and plays. It never crossed my mind to be an actor - I was a surveyor for years but all my free time and energy was spent seeing shows."

Paterson did eventually leave his job when he got the chance to go to drama college to train as a teacher. When he had finished his degree he was invited to join his beloved Citizen Theatre and said: "I thought, 'Well, I'll do it for the experience.'"

Despite his huge success in film, theatre, radio and television and the fact that he's barely stopped working since he left drama school, his mother was always insistent that he was "a teacher really", he says laughing. "Right till the end of her life she was telling people 'he's a teacher as well.'"

While filming Dad's Army, Paterson lived in the same apartment block as Michael Gambon (Private Godfrey) and spent his spare time with the actor, who he has worked with several times in the past. "I've played his doctor about four times," he says laughing.

Gambon, although surrounded by national treasures and acting legends, steals the film with his portrayal of gentle, incontinent and memory-challenged Godfrey.

I remark that Gambon is so sweet in the role I'd like to cuddle him. "He might be a bit stinky. He has terrible problems with the waterworks," Paterson replies, but then seeing the shock on my face he adds quickly, "I don't mean Michael! Michael is tremendously well turned out."

During the early to mid 1970s Patterson spent a lot of time in Ireland, his company 7:84 took The Cheviot, The Stag and The Black, Black Oil to the Abbey Theatre. "We became regulars in Dublin and from 1972 to 1975 I was [constantly] back and forward to Ireland."

These days he doesn't get to Ireland as much as he would like.

During his career Paterson has been in many productions set during the Second World War, including an episode of Doctor Who. As a result of that his image has been preserved in plastic with a six-inch replica of his character Professor Bracewell. "It's lovely," he says of having his own action figure. "It's recognisable as me. I don't think it's flying off the shelves," he laughs, "but I've got three at home."

Although his own father was in the Home Guard, Paterson didn't have much material to draw on. His parents, like many of their generation, didn't like to talk about the war. "It was over and they got on with the rest of their lives," Paterson states, although then he goes on to say, "There was one thing my mother did talk about. After the Clydebank Blitz in 1941 my dad disappeared for a week. There was no message and she thought he had died."

Paterson's father had in fact gone to Clydebank, along with other Home Guard members and others, to help dig out the bodies.

"Thousands died," Patterson continues in his familiar soft tone, "because of the scale of tenement life. The destruction was colossal." He pauses for a moment. "So that was one big memory of the Home Guard but that wasn't Walmington-on-Sea, that was real."

Dad's Army is now showing in cinemas nationwide
The increased use of the antibiotics  which is not illegal in the UK  indicates that at least 20 million more chickens were given a dose of the antibiotics in 2014.

Antibiotics that were banned on US chicken farms a decade ago over links to the spread of potentially deadly bacteria in humans are being used in significantly increased quantities by the British poultry industry, an investigation has revealed.

Industry figures obtained by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism show that UK poultry producers raised their use of a class of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones by 59 per cent in the latest 12-month reporting period  despite evidence that they could be fuelling drug resistant forms of dangerous food poisoning illnesses in humans, including campylobacter, salmonella and E.coli.

The antibiotics are used on factory farms where chickens and other poultry are intensively reared in crowded conditions that can encourage the spread of disease.

But serious problems arise because the same class of drugs are also used in human medicine to treat people who suffer severe cases of foodborne infections.

Experts warn that their overuse in livestock farming has encouraged the bacteria behind these infections to evolve and become immune to the antibiotics effects.

That means consumers who contract the bugs  often from infected poultry meat  and subsequently develop complications may not respond to antibiotic treatment.

Professor Mike Catchpole, one of Europes leading infectious disease experts and the chief scientist at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), told the Bureau there was already evidence of an association between drug-resistant salmonella and excess mortality  and that patients seriously ill with resistant forms of campylobacter were at greater risk of death or infections.

It is for these reasons that fluoroquinolones have been banned in poultry production in the US, as well as Australia, Finland and Denmark.

Yet unpublished figures compiled by the British Poultry Council (BPC)  which represents about 90 per cent of the UK industry  show that its members have increased their use of the drugs, using 1.126 tonnes of fluoroquinolones in 2014 compared with 0.71 tonnes the previous year.

The increased use of the antibiotics  which is not illegal in the UK  indicates that at least 20 million more chickens were given a dose of the antibiotics in 2014. The Bureaus revelations have prompted calls for fluoroquinolones to be immediately withdrawn from use in British poultry farms.

Coilin Nunan, a scientific adviser with the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, said the shocking and alarming 59 per cent rise was likely to have real consequences for human health.

He said: The Government should ban all use of fluoroquinolones in poultry because we know resistance is transferring from chickens to humans. This is why the US banned fluoroquinolone use in poultry a decade ago.

Labours shadow Environment Secretary, Kerry McCarthy, said: Experts have long been warning that widespread antibiotic use in farming risks undermining their effectiveness in human medicine. These figures show that more needs to be done to reduce their use.

Antibiotics are widely used in livestock production to prevent and treat illnesses. While farmers say their use is vital for animal welfare, critics say the drugs are often used to compensate for dirty, overcrowded conditions that can encourage the spread of disease.

The US Food and Drug Administration outlawed the use of fluoroquinolones in chicken farming in 2005 after resistance to the drugs was found to be developing in campylobacter samples in poultry flocks. Campaigners have for several years been calling on the UK authorities to follow suit.

They are also concerned about a lack of transparency about the level of usage on Britains farms. Although farmers are required to keep records of antibiotics administered to livestock, and vets should maintain details of antibiotic prescriptions, this data is not currently collated by the industry regulator, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

An agency in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the VMD publishes overall sales data for veterinary antibiotics annually but not details of antibiotic usage. This means health officials have little idea why  and in what quantities  the drugs are being used on individual farms.

In a statement to the Bureau, the VMD acknowledged that current data collection of antibiotic use on farms could be improved, saying it was a priority area of the VMDs work on antimicrobial resistance.

A spokesperson said: The overuse of antibiotics in farming is a major issue worldwide, and we are working closely with countries across the world to monitor it so that we can take action.

There is particular concern about antibiotic resistant cases of campylobacter, Britains most common type of food poisoning. The bug infects up to 300,000 people, puts 1,000 in hospital and kills about 100 each year. Contaminated poultry is blamed for four in five cases.

A major ECDC study that analysed human campylobacter cases in a number of EU countries from 2013 found that 60 per cent were resistant to ciprofloxacin. It also said 62 per cent of poultry birds infected with the bug were found to be carrying the resistant strain.

The ECDCs Professor Catchpole said: There are lines of evidence that strongly suggest that the use of antimicrobials [which include antibiotics] in food-producing animals not only results in the occurrence of resistant bacteria in the exposed food-producing animals but also in humans.

Despite cautioning that most food poisoning cases were self-limiting, with victims recovering naturally without the need for antibiotic treatment, he said that in some cases  primarily in patients with compromised immune systems  the infections can cause systemic disease with possibly fatal outcomes.

Drug-resistant bacteria have been associated with excess mortality for salmonella and with greater risk of death or invasive infections for campylobacter, he said.

Treating infections due to resistant bacteria is a challenge: antimicrobials commonly used are no longer effective and doctors have to choose other antimicrobials. This may delay getting the right treatment to patients and may result in complications. Also, a patient may need more care as well as alternative and more expensive antimicrobials, which may have more severe side-effects.

The British Poultry Council said that it had taken a leading role in reducing the use of antibiotics, with a particular focus on those drugs of critical importance for human medicine. A spokeswoman said: The BPC and its members recognise the importance of fluoroquinolones for human medicine, and we will continue to work with our members to significantly reduce the usage of all classes of antibiotics including the fluoroquinolones.

The drugs dont work: resistant bacteria

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics were developed in the 1970s and first used in human medicine in the 1980s.

The drugs are used for treating human food poisoning illnesses such as campylobacter, salmonella and Ecoli.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified fluoroquinolones as being critically important to human healthcare, and said the use of the substances on livestock farms should be curtailed.

This is because of growing global evidence that the overuse of the antibiotics on factory farms is fuelling the development of drug resistant forms of food poisoning bugs.

Concerns over the links between fluoroquinolone use on farms and antibiotic resistant bacteria were raised as far back as 1998, when a House of Lords committee urged the poultry industry to reduce its use of fluoroquinolones.
Hardened drinkers are faced with a yearly choice, says Liam Collins: do I give it up for Lent or November?

As Lent approaches, the Irish answer to abstinence revolves, like most things, around 'the drink'.

"I've given it up for Lent," people who haven't darkened the door of a church - apart from christenings, weddings and funerals - will tell you with a particular Irish sincerity. Many of us need a valid excuse for not going to the pub or declining that glass of wine.

Solid drinkers, who still have a healthy distrust for anyone who insists on drinking sparkling water after midday, can be divided into two categories - those who give 'it' up for Lent, and those who give it up for the Holy Souls.

I'm a November man myself, but we'll come to that.

Once, at the bar of a brothel in Copenhagen (I was with a group of Irish civil servants, and it seems it was the only place that we could get a drink at that hour of the morning), I got chatting to a stout German, who told me that, for the sake of his liver, he abstained from alcohol one day a week and one month a year. That, he said with German certainty, gave the organ time to recover and regenerate.

I hadn't thought much about it until I noticed that Lent is just around the corner, and I happened to be leafing through a copy of Ivor Kenny's fine book, Out On Their Own, which is a compendium of interviews with well-known Irish businessmen.

One of the interviewees, Gerry McGuinness - who is best known for founding the Sunday World newspaper - gives another perspective on the Irish obsession with abstinence, although things may have changed since the book was published in 1991.

"I adore wine and I drink nothing else, but, two days a week, I drink nothing but water. Tony [O'Reilly] gives up drink for January; Mike Smurfit gives up drink for November; Jim Stafford would stop drinking for Lent. January is thirty-one days; November is thirty days - I give up drink for 104 days!

"But if somebody said to me or you, 'You can't drink a glass of wine or Champagne for three-and-a-half months', you'd cut your throat!"

Lent is with us on Wednesday, and I'm still debating the issue.

It's not a dependency, I tell myself, but the fact is I get no pleasure from being in a pub without having a pint.

Albert Reynolds, our late Taoiseach, didn't drink at all when I first worked for him in Longford, in the early 1970s.

Yet, he could stay up until two or three in the morning, in the company of drinkers, and enjoy himself.

In later life, when he did take a glass of wine, we sometimes dined together in what was then the Four Seasons Hotel in Ballsbridge.

"You pick the wine," he'd say, handing me the wine list.

"What would you like?" I'd ask in return.

"Pick one of those bottles with two names - you know, Chateau Something-Something; I like that."

I'd pick the least expensive, but still shockingly priced bottle, and end up drinking most of it, as Albert had no real interest in drink - talking and smoking (until he gave the cigarettes up) being his addictions.

As a wayward young man, I lived in Mullingar, above a pub run by my auntie Kitty and my uncle Tommy. She never took a drop in her life, and was upset some nights, when I came home after "a rake of pints", as they used to say in those parts.

Although still a young woman, she developed cancer while I was living there, and, on her death bed, she asked me to at least give up alcohol for November, the month of the Holy Souls.

I promised I would, and have more or less kept to that promise in the intervening years.

But I do find a little abstinence goes a long way.
The life and death of David Bowie deserved all the mega-coverage in recent weeks.

I wasn't the greatest fan of his white noise. A paltry collection of greatest hits and his two final albums on my shelf testify to that. But, as Elvis Presley did before him and perhaps Michael Jackson afterwards, the skinny Londoner left a permanent mark on more than one generation. In contrast with the others, Bowie's death scene was relayed off-stage with tremendous dignity on that cold Monday morning in January. There was no hounding of a dying man by paparazzi, or columnists of grief. Nobody should ever feel coerced into naming their final, or any, illness.

Freddie Mercury's relaying of his Aids diagnosis to the world, in a press statement just 24 hours before death, serves as the abject lesson in media cruelty.

*********

David Bowie chose exactly how much and how little his friends and fans should know. Now that he is gone, word has emerged that it was liver cancer that ended his life. He had 18 months from diagnosis to death.

Cancer can spread to the liver from another organ, but most of the time when we discuss this condition, we are talking about a disease that begins in the organ. Primary liver cancer is not a terribly common tumour - there are perhaps three or four cases diagnosed every week in Ireland, compared with 50 or 60 weekly cases each of prostate cancer or breast cancer. This is perhaps surprising, given that the liver is easily the largest internal organ in the body. Most cases arise in livers that have already been damaged, often by hepatitis viruses, alcohol or body-building steroids.

Morbid obesity, where the liver has become fatty, is accounting for a growing number of cases. Symptoms of liver disease can be vague. The yellow skin and dark urine of jaundice are more obvious ones, but pain or swelling under the right ribcage, weight loss and general tummy ails such as nausea, vomiting or ongoing loss of appetite should always be investigated.

*********

The two best resources for readers who are worried about cancer are a good family doctor and the Irish Cancer Society. It broke many hearts a few weeks ago to see the society subjected to severe criticism, in the wake of its decision to cut back on the financial support of cancer patients.

It does such outstanding work supporting patients, leading cancer education, in research, and in provision of night nurses and volunteer drivers. It should never have been part of its mandate to pay hospital parking bills for cancer patients, or help them pay for their vital medicines. It is the job of a health-service minister to make sure that all cancer patients can afford to be sick, not a charity.

*********

Last week, I began my election coverage with a peek at the health policies of some of the smaller political parties. This week we continue in the same vein, with Fianna Fail. You can't get much smaller than it is now! It's hard to take it seriously with Micheal Martin still at the helm. As architect-in-chief of the poorly thought-out Health Service Executive, and a former Hawkins House occupant, known as Minister for Press Releases, his copybook is one giant inkblot. I watched his Ard Fheis speech recently. He accused Enda Kenny of cosying up to the rich, and neglecting the homeless.

Lest we forget that Fianna Fail ran a soup kitchen for vagrants with helicopters all during Micheal's boom years in Health. It was called the Galway Tent. Fianna Fail promises a tax on sugar, 1,000 new GPs and a climb-down on universal health insurance. It also says three-in-four smokers will give up under Fianna Fail. Just like voters gave up on the party.

*********

The Social Democrats are an earnest lot. But in 21st-Century politics, the importance of being earnest is not what it was. In an era when so many politicians are deeply unpopular, Lady Bracknell might construe it as careless to appoint no fewer than three of them to lead a new party.

Founded in the kitchen of one of their troika, these Three Pashas may all be very fine, upstanding folk in their own parlours. But in the public arena, the electorate likes to put one face on one leader in charge, not three. The sooner the new party makes a decision on this, the sooner it will climb off its lowly polling perch. The Social Democrats won't cut your taxes. It proposes to spend them more like Danes, Swedes and Norwegians. That leads me to expect plenty of crumbly pastries, hot saunas and salted herrings, but I'd like to see some medical meat on their policy bones. So far in Health, it wants nurses to do the work of doctors, more 'well-being' clinics for toddlers, and more money in primary care. It does have some impressive individual candidates, but I'd like to see a little less purple and more black-and-white detail before the election.

*********

My day job involves writing to health services and practitioners up and down the country, and bringing their skill sets and contacts to the attention of family doctors, so that they have the most up-to-date information on their desk or desktop for the service of their patients. Last week, I had a momentous day.

A regional hospital wrote to me for the first time in three decades with the first names of many of the specialists at its institution.

Up to now, in best Irish public-service tradition, they had been known only as 'Dr F Flintstone' or 'Dr P Bladder'. I now know that 'A' is for 'Anthony' and not 'Anne'; 'E' is 'Eddie' and not 'Esmeralda'; and 'C' is the beautiful 'Carmel Anne'. Ireland is changing for the better.

Dr Maurice Gueret is editor of the Irish Medical Directory

drmauricegueret.com
The hall is hung with photographs of Brays seafront in Victorian times. It's also lined with some of Roisin's extensive shoe collection. As a member of the Fitzpatricks shoe dynasty, shoes mean a lot to her. Photo: Tony Gavin.

Roisin had the words 'beannacht chroi' etched in the glass above the door of her period home. It means 'blessings of the heart'. Photo: Tony Gavin.

Roisin found the view of the sea from her bedroom inspirational, and she wrote her book while sitting on the window seat. Photo: Tony Gavin

The large artwork over the mantelpiece in the dining room is one of Roisin's own creations of silk and crystals. 'I want people to be able to stand in front of the pieces and connect with the light within,' Roisin says. Photo: Tony Gavin.

Artist Roisin Fitzpatrick in her living room, which features soft furnishings of aquamarine and bowls of sea shells. 'I wanted to bring the sea into the house without getting the toes wet,' she notes with a laugh. Photo: Tony Gavin.

Victorian terraced houses tend to be dark. Yes, the rooms are grander than those in modern houses and the ceilings are higher, but the windows are traditionally narrow, and so the light is limited.

Of course, there are ways of creating an illusion of more light, and artist Roisin Fitzpatrick is a past master at it. Mirrors, crystals, and iridescent silks are just some of the ploys she uses, and her lovely home sparkles and shines.

However, it becomes apparent that light means more to this vivacious brunette than to most of us, and it's not purely the light which can make a home more welcoming that concerns her. To Roisin, it's also about eternal light, something she says she has experienced, and which informs her work as an artist. "The day after my 35th birthday, I had a brain haemorrhage, and that night, I had a near-death experience," Roisin says.

She remembers exactly how it felt. "It was a beautiful, radiant light; a profound sense of peace and pure, unconditional love. It was a blissful experience," says the charismatic 40-something who, because of this event, went on to change her life dramatically. She decided to make it her mission to spread the word about death and the eternal light, and her medium is her artwork. Her works - created from silk and crystals, and often based on pre-Celtic emblems such as those found at Newgrange, Dowth and Knowth - hang in many important institutions as well as private homes, and Roisin has exhibited extensively, particularly in the US, where she has had considerable success.

She has also written a fascinating book, Taking Heaven Lightly, which is currently in its third reprint.

Yet, prior to this extraordinary happening, Roisin had been a typical Dublin woman on a clear career path.

A member of the Fitzpatricks shoe dynasty, started by her grandfather and continued by her father and uncles, Roisin, the youngest of four girls, grew up in Howth, and went to Trinity to study business. This was followed by a year in Brussels at the European Commission, and then a master's in international relations at Geneva University. These qualifications led her to a career in international affairs at both the UN and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which worked with Eastern European countries after the fall of communism.

"I loved working abroad, using different languages, and meeting people of different cultures," she enthuses. She clearly enjoyed her work, and was heading places, when she began to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome and decided to come back to Dublin. She had completely recovered from that debilitating illness when she was suddenly struck down with the brain haemorrhage. "It sounds crazy - could so much happen to one person? - but it did," Roisin says with a laugh.

The brain haemorrhage started one day when she was alone, upstairs in her own home. "Suddenly, I had a blinding, excruciating headache. At the same time I had hot and cold sweats, and started to feel very nauseous," Roisin recalls, adding, "I managed to call the ambulance, because I realised something serious was happening. I began vomiting; I knew I had to maintain consciousness, and I made my way downstairs and opened the front door. I was on my knees when the paramedics arrived."

Roisin was brought to Beaumont hospital, and while she was being monitored there, she had the near-death experience. "It went on throughout the night; it was a huge awakening, because I realised there is no such thing as death as we know it," she says.

Happily, Roisin recovered completely, and it was while convalescing that she realised that not only did she want to keep this radiant light alive in her own life, but she wanted to help other people to experience it too. And that's when she started to create her artwork.

"I'm an active person, but I had to take it easy, so I started working around the house. I made the curtains and the cushion covers; all the soft furnishings. Then I polished the crystals off the old chandeliers I had bought. I had extra crystals and remnants of silk left over, and, by combining the two, I was able to create an artwork which, for me, expressed light," she recalls.

Initially, she was making the artworks for herself, then a friend saw them and said, 'That's it, Roisin. That's how you're going to share your experience".

That was seven years ago; in that time she has become known as Roisin Fitzpatrick, Artist of the Light, with a large following, both at home and in America. "The Consul General at the time, Niall Burgess, was very kind, and he opened many doors for me in America," Roisin says, adding that the current Consul General has invited her to take part in an exhibition later this year to commemorate 1916. Inspirational speaker Deepak Chopra and actress Roma Downey are big fans.

Concert-goers will be familiar with the artwork by Roisin on permanent display in the National Concert Hall. "The whole intention behind the art is for people to be able to stand in front of the pieces and connect with the light within," Roisin explains. Ever since her experience, Roisin devotes her energy to getting the best out of life, and one of those ways is by surrounding herself with the sayings of those who inspire her. The staircase of her lovely period home is lined with sketches she drew of her many heroes - the Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi, Archbishop Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, Maya Angelou - and each sketch is accompanied by an inspirational quote.

However, she has her feet firmly on the ground too, and not just for her other passion, dancing. The hallway of her Bray, Co Wicklow home is lined with interesting pairs of shoes, some for salsa, and many, of course, from Fitzpatricks.

Roisin bought her home in 2003, and everything about the purchase was serendipitous. One night, she wrote a description of the kind of house she'd like - period house, by the sea, original features, price limit - and, the next day, while on a walk in Bray with a friend, she spotted the house. The asking price was the exact amount she had to play with. "As it happened, there was a silent auction and I was putting a certain figure in. It was my birthday, and my father gave me a bit more and said, 'Add that to the price', and that figure got it for me," she marvels, adding that her parents, whom she clearly adored, died within 10 weeks of each other in 2010.

The house - which has four bedrooms - was in good condition, and the only major job Roisin had to do was replace the PVC windows, but she has worked hard at maximising the light. Her other aim is to enhance the effect of the sea. "I want to bring in as much of the sea as possible, without getting the toes wet," she says with a laugh. That wouldn't be a good look on the dance floor.

See roisinfitzpatrick.com

'Taking Heaven Lightly' is published by Hachette Ireland. Signed books are available from Eason, O'Connell St and Dundrum; and Dubray Books, Grafton St and Blackrock

Edited by Mary O'Sullivan. Photography by Tony Gavin
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John Downing Opinion Pension reforms are dicey territory  but grand plan by minister Heather Humphreys just might win through

Pension system changes all across the western world have a great propensity to infuriate those most feared by politicians: the grey brigade. And when the oldies take to the streets, they usually play for keeps.
The murder in the Regency Hotel shocked the nation and brought home in a shocking way the threat posed by gangsters.

I visited north Dublin this weekend to stand in solidarity with the community following the barbaric incident.

The nature of the attack, in broad daylight with such brazenness displayed, has instilled fear in people.

It has also inflicted significant damage to the reputation of the country due to the coverage of the murder internationally.

In response to this threat and the spiralling crime situation, Fianna Fail is proposing to expand the use of the Special Criminal Court to tackle organised and gangland crime in Dublin.

The court has been used to good effect in Limerick in this regard.

I regard these crimes as a serious threat to the security of the State and believe these criminals' complete disregard for the public requires a tougher response from government.

I do not believe these gangs would hesitate in targeting potential jurors or witnesses and the powers and protection of the Special Criminal Court are necessary to rid our society of what amounts to criminal terrorism.

Today, Sinn Fein is calling for the abolition of the Special Criminal Court. In fact, this case shows we need to see the Special Criminal Court in action to deal with the issue of gangland criminality. It is simply not good enough that a party that espouses to be a mainstream political party, like Sinn Fein, can stand with any degree of credibility and say it wants to abolish the Special Criminal Court.

I think people are disgusted by that stance.

We also have inconsistency of sentencing. We want a Sentencing Council to bring about uniformity and consistency of sentencing.

The main resource gardai need is manpower and we simply don't have it.

The incident in the Regency Hotel showed the gardai's response time was simply inadequate because there weren't the numbers available to respond. It has been reported the manager of the hotel made three 999 calls and it took up to 10 minutes for the first garda to reach the scene.

It is a damning indictment of this Government that they have allowed the number of gardai to dwindle to almost 12,000.

A strong garda force, which we are committing to building up to 15,000, will have a much greater presence. The level of recruitment won't keep up with the rate of retirement. That's why we are looking at extending the retirement age of An Garda Siochana to deal with this crisis.

We will also charge the Garda Inspectorate with examining the issue of reopening some garda stations.

But we recognise that it's not just about increasing manpower and visibility; it is also about expanding intelligence-gathering assets as well.

Fianna Fail will invest in the human capital and the physical infrastructure of the force to ensure it is fit for purpose. The advanced organisational capacities of highly mobile gangs and their sheer brutality demands a co-ordinated, approach by gardai. Fianna Fail will ensure it has the power, finance and political back-up to deliver.

These gangs aren't just involved in drugs, but other forms of criminality, such as counterfeit goods and people-trafficking.

Therefore, we propose to set up a Serious and Organised Crime Unit within An Garda Siochana to lead the fight against criminal networks in this country. The unit's remit will include co-operation with Interpol and other agencies.

I have conducted public meetings up and down the country. People have told me that they are fearful and there is a failure to recognise these concerns.

Action is now required.
Kate Middleton and her daughter Charlotte in the official christening portrait

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge walk past the crowds at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham Estate with their son Prince George and daughter Princess Charlotte, after her christening, on July 5th 2015. REUTERS/Mary Turner/Pool

Princess Charlotte laughs with her teddy in this photograph taken by her mother Kate, Duchess of Cambridge

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George and Princess Charlotte

She's less than a year old, but it looks like Princess Charlotte is already a muse to many.

Following in her mother Kate Middleton's footsteps, the nine-month-old is the inspiration behind a major designer's beauty range as Marc Jacobs will name a hot pink lipstick after the tot.

The upcoming Le Marc lip creme collection will feature 20 shades, including the colour which was "inspired by the deepest saturated pink tones of an English rose."

The luxury lipstick promises a 10-hour coverage and retails for 30. While the princess has only been publicly photographed a handful of times, she already has a stellar selling power like the Duchess of Cambridge and her big brother Prince George.

Expand Close 25. Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte in their 2015 Christmas card. / Facebook

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Whatsapp 25. Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte in their 2015 Christmas card.

Her mother dressed her in a 29 dress by Spanish brand m&h, which sold out instantly. The designer responsible for Charlotte's floral dress in her first solo portrait, said she has been "completely overwhelmed" by the demand since the photos were released by Kensington Palace.

Boutique owner Margarita Pato Cid of M&H in Valladolid, Spain, said the her supplier no longer makes the fabric for the garmeny and she only has 10 metres of the cloth left.

"I have had inquiries from as far afield as America, but the material will do for 22 dresses at most, and I cant get any more because the factory that makes it in Valencia has moved on to material for summer 2016 and next winter. We are completely overwhelmed by the demand and I dont know how we are going to meet it," she told the Telegraph.
Actor Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Jackman attend the 2015 Global Citizen Festival to end extreme poverty by 2030 in Central Park on September 26, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Global Citizen)

Actor Hugh Jackman is recovering after his fifth skin cancer surgery in two years.

The Les Miserables star had his first procedure in late 2013 after noticing a mark on his nose, and he has spoken out repeatedly about the dangers of skin cancer ever since.

On Monday, the 47-year-old took to Instagram to share a picture of himself wearing a plaster across the bridge of his nose, informing fans he'd had a fifth skin cancer removed.

"'An example of what happens when you don't wear sunscreen," he wrote in the caption. "Basal Cell. The mildest form of cancer but serious, nonetheless, PLEASE USE SUNSCREEN and get regular check-ups."

Hugh originally thought the mark on his nose had been caused by the claws worn for his X-Men character Wolverine, but, when a make-up expert and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness encouraged him to get it checked out, a skin doctor confirmed the actor had cancer.

"It's always a bit of a shock just hearing the word 'cancer'" Hugh previously told People magazine. "Being an Australian, it's a very common thing. I never wore sunscreen growing up, so I was a prime candidate for it. I was trying to keep calm about it but it wasn't until (his skin cancer surgeon) Dr. Michael Albom really explained to me that what I had, in a way, was the kind of skin cancer you want to have if you're going to have it.

"Basal cell carcinoma is just something you have to deal with. It's cancerous. It will grow. You just have to get it out."

After his fourth surgery last May, Hugh revealed his doctor warned him he would face more cancerous cells in the future, and less than a year later he went under the knife again.

"I go every three months for checkups," he added to People. "It's the new normal for me. My doctor says I'll likely have more and if that's your cross to bear in life, you should be so lucky."
Actor Michael Fassbender accepts the International Star Award onstage at the 27th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Festival Awards Gala at Palm Springs Convention Center on January 2, 2016 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for PSIFF)

Saoirse Ronan is nominated for Best Actress at the 2016 Oscars

Alicia Vikander is nominated for Best Supporting Actress at this year's Oscars.

If you're looking for a breast life and an array of sex toys in one go - all you need is a ticket to the Academy Awards.

As the Academy bids to outdo itself every year, the 2016 Oscars gift bag for nominees is worth $200,000 (a record high) and includes a voucher for a "vampire breast lift" and two luxury trips to Japan and Israel.

LA-based firm Distinctive Assets sourced this year's goodie bag for all acting and directing nominees, including a 10-day trip to Israel worth $55,000, a 15-day Japanese walking tour worth $45,000 and a lifetime supply of Lizora skin creams worth $31,200.

The travel offers continue with a $5,000 room at the Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento, Italy and George Clooney spotting will reach an all time high in Lake Como as a $5,000 gift from the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como is also on offer.

Expand Close Actor Michael Fassbender accepts the International Star Award onstage at the 27th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Festival Awards Gala at Palm Springs Convention Center on January 2, 2016 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for PSIFF) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Actor Michael Fassbender accepts the International Star Award onstage at the 27th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Film Festival Awards Gala at Palm Springs Convention Center on January 2, 2016 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for PSIFF)

Nominees, including Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, actor Michael Fassbender and director Lenny Abrahamson, will all be given an unlimited amount of Audi car rentals worth $45,000 and $5,530 worth of skin therapy.

Female nominees have also been gifted with a "vampire breast lift" - the latest in vampire beauty trends - in which the individual's blood is injected into their breasts in order to achieve "rounder cleavage without implants", similar to the facial of the same name. They will also be given a sex toy worth $250.

Leonardo DiCaprio will surely be thrilled with the addition of a top of the line e-cigarette, which he can vape on as soon as the ceremony wraps.

Other odd inclusions are:

Joseph's Toiletries toilet paper ($275): "An act of necessity can be elevated to a ritual of personal refinement. A daily routine to a sublime expression of style."



Memobottle reusable bottle ($47): "Ideal for travelling, the office or coupled with college books."



Gleener On The Go 'Fuzz Remover' ($11.99): "As seen on TV!"



Dandi Patch, the underarm sweat solution ($21): "Discreet, innovative solution for embarrassing underarm sweat marks and axillary hyperhidrosis sweating."



Maple syrup by Rougle ($99): "The best maple syrup you've ever tasted."

*All taglines are real.
An Italian PhD student killed in Cairo was tortured for several days before dying from a broken neck, according to a post-mortem.

Rome prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into the death of Giulio Regeni, a student at Cambridge University, whose battered corpse was found outside Cairo nine days after he was reported missing.

As new, disturbing details of Mr Regeni's last days in Egypt emerge, Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Mr Regeni suffered "something inhuman, animal-like, an unacceptable violence".

Mr Regeni's parents arrived in Rome on Saturday with their son's body, which underwent a second autopsy in Rome following the one performed in Cairo.

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, coroners are still trying to establish whether the fatal neck injury was due to a severe blow or contortion.

Mr Regeni's body had more than two dozen broken bones, as well as bruises and burn marks.

"There is no doubt that the young man was heavily beaten and tortured," said Maurizio Massari, Italy's ambassador to Cairo.

A funeral is planned for early next week in the 28-year-old's native Italian region of Friuli.

He had been living in Cairo to do research as a candidate for a Cambridge University doctorate when he disappeared on January 25, the anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising, a day when security forces were heavily patrolling the streets and squares.

"It happened to Giulio, but it could have been me or my friends who have been to Egypt frequently," said Alessandro Columbu, an Italian doctoral student who teaches Arabic at the University of Edinburgh.

Mr Columbu, who studied with Mr Regeni in Damascus, said he was concerned there could be a cover-up.

Italian authorities strongly suspect Egyptian security forces interrogated Mr Regeni to learn his research into workers' rights - and tortured and killed him. ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Republican presidential candidates Senator Marco Rubio and Donald Trump talk during a commercial break in the Republican presidential debate in Manchester, New Hampshire

Marco Rubio wilted in the spotlight as he came under sustained fire from rivals in a debate days before a key vote in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Mr Rubio was mocked as "the Marcobot" after a bizarre gaffe in which he repeated the same rehearsed answer four times regardless of the question.

Towards the end of the debate, the usually polished 44-year-old US senator from Florida began sweating and opponents concluded he had "choked".

Mr Rubio finished an unexpectedly strong third last week in Iowa, the first state to vote, and polls have showed him gaining quickly on maverick front-runner Donald Trump ahead of the second vote of the primary campaign in New Hampshire tomorrow.

But his rocky performance gave impetus to Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor, Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, and John Kasich, the governor of Ohio, who are all vying with him to become the favoured candidate of the Republican establishment.

Only a few minutes into the debate in New Hampshire, Mr Rubio was savaged by Mr Christie, who said: "Marco simply does not have the experience to be president of the United States. Marco, you have never been involved in a consequential decision. You just simply haven't."

Mr Rubio responded with a non sequitur.

He said: "Let's dispel with this fiction that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing. He is trying to change this country. When I'm elected president, this will become once again the single greatest nation in the history of the world."

Mr Christie told the audience: "That's the memorised 25-second speech that is exactly what his advisers gave him.

"Marco, when you're president, the memorised 25-second speech, where you talk about how great America is, doesn't solve one problem."

Looking flustered, Mr Rubio then began to repeat exactly the same rehearsed speech.

"There it is, there it is," Mr Christie shouted. "The memorised 25-second speech. There it is, everybody."

For the first time in a debate, the crowd began booing and laughing at Mr Rubio, who looked unhappy and even embarrassed. In all, he went on to repeat the same scripted lines four times.

Mr Bush, who was once Mr Rubio's political mentor, joined in the ambush, accusing him of a "natural tendency to pursue ambition".

He said: "Look, let's be clear. Marco Rubio is a gifted, gifted politician, and he may have the skills to be a president of the United States, but we've tried it the old way with Barack Obama, with soaring eloquence, and we didn't get a leader." ( Daily Telegraph, London)

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
A High Court judge pronounced judgment on four cases by phone to Birmingham after a video link failure

A High Court judge has rejected claims that Birmingham City Council - the largest housing authority in England - is "systemically" turning away homeless applicants.

Four homeless people had taken legal action against the council claiming that individuals were being denied statutory rights and complaining of "systemic failings".

But Mr Justice Hickinbottom has dismissed their claims.

Figures did not support a proposition that as a policy or in practice homeless applicants were being systemically rejected, he said.

The judge said in each of the four cases he had concluded that there had been no breach of duty or no substantial breach of duty.

Mr Justice Hickinbottom announced his rulings on Monday - over the telephone.

The judge had heard evidence at a High Court hearing in Birmingham a few weeks ago - but was sitting in London on Monday when he was due to deliver his ruling.

He had been scheduled to announce decisions from a courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to a courtroom at the Birmingham Civil Justice Centre, where lawyers and parties involved were due to gather, via a video link.

But court staff in London ran into difficulties when the video link failed to connect.

A member of staff at the court in London resorted to ringing a member of staff at a court in Birmingham before passing the handset to the judge, who announced his rulings down the line.
Sleep deprivation could lead to an innocent suspect confessing to crime they didn't commit, scientists say

Sleep deprivation greatly increases the chances of an innocent suspect confessing to a crime, a study has found.

Tests on volunteers showed that participants who had been kept awake for 24 hours were 4.5 times more likely to sign a false confession than those who had enjoyed eight hours' sleep.

The findings have far-reaching implications for police forces, military authorities and other agencies that engage in questionable interrogation techniques.

Lead researcher Dr Kimberly Fenn, a psychologist from Michigan State University in the US, said: "This is the first direct evidence that sleep deprivation increases the likelihood that a person will falsely confess to wrongdoing that never occurred.

"It's a crucial first step toward understanding the role of sleep deprivation in false confessions and, in turn, raises complex questions about the use of sleep deprivation in the interrogation of innocent and guilty suspects."

In the US, false confessions are thought to account for 15-25% of wrongful convictions.

For the study, 88 volunteers undertook various computer tasks and a mental test over the course of a week.

Participants were warned not to hit the "escape" key because it could cause the computer to "lose valuable data".

At the end of the experiment, half the volunteers slept for eight hours while the other half spent the night awake.

The next morning, each participant was shown a statement falsely alleging that he or she had hit the escape key. Every volunteer was asked to check the statement for accuracy and sign it.

Strikingly, half the sleep-deprived participants signed the false confession compared to only 18% of those who had been allowed to rest.

Those volunteers who achieved lower scores in the mental ability test were much more likely to sign.

Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the authors conclude: "A false admission of wrongdoing can have disastrous consequences in a legal system already fraught with miscarriages of justice.

"We are hopeful that our study is the first of many to uncover the sleep-related factors that influence processes related to false confession."
A North Korean long-range rocket is launched into the air at the Sohae rocket launch site

The UN Security Council has vowed to impose "serious" new sanctions on North Korea after the secretive country launched another missile test which was described as an "outrageous provocation".

"The members of the Security Council strongly condemned this launch," said Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, president of the UN Security Council. He said the launch was "a serious violation."

He added that the 15-nation council "restated their intent to develop significant measures in a new Security Council resolution in response to the nuclear test" in January, as well as yesterday's rocket launch.

Standing alongside her Japanese and South Korean counterparts, US Ambassador Samantha Power said: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. DPRK's (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer."

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan added his voice to the global expressions of condemnation.

Mr Flanagan described the move by Pyongyang as irresponsible and a serious threat to peace.

France's UN ambassador, Francois Delattre, said the launch was an "outrageous provocation".

North Korea has been under UN sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006. It has conducted three more atomic tests since then, including the one last month, along with numerous ballistic missile launches.

The sanctions ban its work in nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, blacklist a number of individuals and entities, and bar the country's leadership from importing luxury goods.

The US and China began discussing a resolution to expand the existing sanctions after Pyongyang's atom bomb test on January 6. Ms Power said she hoped the council would have a draft resolution to vote on "as quickly as possible".

"It is urgent and overdue," she said.

"We are hopeful that China, like all council members, will see the grave threat to regional, international peace and security, see the importance of adopting tough, unprecedented measures, breaking new ground."

Diplomats say Washington is closely consulting with Japan, South Korea, Britain and France on its discussions with China, while Beijing is keeping in close contact with fellow veto power Russia. Japanese Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa said the draft under discussion would have "much more strengthened measures" against Pyongyang.

One senior Western diplomat said it was hoped the council would be able to vote on a new sanctions resolution this month. He said the Americans had been pushing for tough new measures that went beyond targeting North Korea's atomic weapons and missile programmes, while China wanted any future steps to focus on the question of non-proliferation.

China expressed regret and concern over yesterday's rocket launch, which employed ballistic missile technology. China is North Korea's main ally but it disapproves of its nuclear weapons programme.
Mr Pearson seen carrying a bag and a newspaper on CCTV footage recorded at Waterloo Underground Station at 18:40:20

A commuter has been cleared of sexually assaulting a well-known actress after a jury rejected claims the crime could have taken place in a brief half-second contact in a busy railway station.

Mark Pearson, a 51-year-old artist and picture framer, was accused of brushing against the actress, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in a mass of train passengers at Londons Waterloo station.

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CCTV footage showed Mr Pearson, who was a complete stranger to the alleged victim, did not break his stride as he walked past the woman, who was heading to a rehearsal.

The defendant, who said he had endured a year-long Kafkaesque nightmare as a result of the complaint, blamed the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for forcing him to endure mental torture as a result of the charge.

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A jury at Blackfriars Crown Court took 90 minutes to clear Mr Pearson of the charge of sexual assault by penetration, the Mail on Sunday newspaper said.

The CCTV did not conclusively prove there was any form of physical contact between the two strangers, but it still led to the CPS presenting a case that the man was able to penetrate the actress, who is in her 60s.

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In a three-day trial Mark Bagshaw, defending, said the allegation could not have taken place in the half-second time frame shown on CCTV, especially as Mr Pearson was carrying a newspaper in his left hand  the one he was alleged to have used in the assault  and holding his bag in his right.

Mr Pearson told the court: I would have had to crouch down, put my hand up the womans skirt... penetrate her, take my hand out again... all while holding the newspaper and walking along the concourse.

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Its preposterous.

It is against everything I believe in as a human being. I did nothing.

There were no witnesses, no forensic evidence and the actress failed to pick out Mr Pearson in an identity parade of video images following the alleged incident in December 2014.

The actress was wearing a coat and jacket and a thin dress over training pants following a yoga class, the jury heard.

Mr Pearson, who was traced by police from his Oyster travel card records, told the newspaper: One of the many frightening aspects is that this could have happened to anyone.

For me, half a second turned into a year of hell. I feel I have undergone a form of mental torture sanctioned by the state.

"It is just bizarre.

His partner Carol Ho, 41, said: None of us believed for a second that he was capable of doing what this woman said.

The case raises further questions about the CPSs decision-making in sexual assault cases, which has been under intense scrutiny following a series of failures.

A CPS spokesman said: There was sufficient evidence for this case to proceed to court and progress to trial. We respect the decision of the jury.

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Turkey and Germany have agreed a set of measures to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aiming to halt attacks against Syria's largest city.

German chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu that she is "not just appalled but horrified" by the suffering caused by Russian bombing in Syria.

Ms Merkel said Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a UN resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt attacks on the civilian population.

She said: "We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing - primarily from the Russian side.

"Under such circumstances, it's hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly."

Mr Davutoglu said the city of Aleppo "is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy".

Turkey is facing pressure from the EU to open its border to up to 35,000 Syrians who have massed along the frontier in the past few days fleeing an onslaught by government forces.

Ms Merkel was in Ankara for talks on how to reduce the influx of migrants into Europe.

Turkey, a key country on the route to Europe, is central to her diplomatic efforts to reduce the flow. Germany saw an unprecedented 1.1 million asylum seekers arrive last year, many of them fleeing the conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr Davutoglu said the two countries' security forces would increase efforts to thwart illegal migration and combat smuggling groups.

The two leaders will also try to get Nato involved in the refugee issue, Mr Davutoglu said. He said they will seek the use of Nato's observation capabilities at the border with Syria and in the Aegean Sea.

He also said the two countries' aid organisations will co-operate in providing aid to the Syrians at the border.

Turkey, already home to 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to provide refuge.

Anakara agreed in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration. In return, the EU has pledged 3 billion euros (2.3 billion) to help improve the condition of refugees, and to grant political concessions to Turkey, including an easing of visa restrictions and the fast-tracking of its EU membership process.

Turkey has since started to require Syrians arriving from third countries to apply for visas, in a bid to exclude those who aim to continue on to Greece.

Turkey has also agreed to grant work permits to Syrians as an incentive for them to stay in Turkey, and has announced plans to increase coastguard capabilities and designate human smuggling as a form of organised crime - which would bring stiffer punishments.
British warplanes and drones have now carried out more than 585 successful air strikes against the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq, the International Development Secretary has announced.

Justine Greening said that as of February 5, RAF Typhoon and Tornado aircraft alongside Reaper drones have flown more than 2,000 combat missions against IS, also known as Daesh.

Since Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond updated the Commons in December on the British and coalition action against IS, there have been military successes in Ramadi, Iraq and near Al Hal and around the Tishrin Dam in Syria, she added.

Making a statement on the UK's response to the Syria crisis, Ms Greening told MPs: "Since the Foreign Secretary last updated the House on the campaign against Daesh in Syria and Iraq the global coalition, working with partner forces, has put further pressure on Daesh.

"Iraqi forces with coalition support have retaken large portions of Ramadi and in Syria the coalition has supported the capture of the Tishrin Dam and surrounding villages as well as areas south of Al Hal.

"The UK is playing our part.

"As of February 5, RAF Typhoon, Tornado and Reaper aircraft have flown over 2,000 combat missions and carried out more than 585 successful air strikes across Syria and Iraq."

Ms Greening called on Russia to use its influence to urge Bashar Assad's regime in Syria to stop indiscriminately bombing civilians.

In recent days a major Russian-backed offensive by pro-government forces in the northern Aleppo province has caused the massive displacement of refugees to the Turkish border.

Amid the intense fighting, the United Nations special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura suspended peace talks until later this month.

Ms Greening said: "The UN's special envoy for Syria took the decision to pause these talks following and increase in air strikes and violence by the Assad regime backed by Russia.

"The UK continues to call on all sides to take steps to create the conditions for peace negotiations to continue.

"And in particular Russia must use its influence over the regime to put a stop to indiscriminate attacks and the unacceptable violations of international law."

Ms Greening also urged the regime and other parties in the conflict to stop the illegal use of siege and starvation as a tactic and obstructing humanitarian aid from getting to civilians.

She said: "Across Syria, Assad and other parties to the conflict are wilfully impeding humanitarian access on a day by day basis.

"It is a brutal, unacceptable and illegal action to use starvation as a weapon of war.

"In London world leaders demanded an end to these abuses including the illegal use of siege and obstruction of humanitarian aid."

Ms Greening hailed the 7 billion in aid pledged by international leaders at a donor's conference for Syria in London on Friday.

Some 4.1 billion has been pledged this year and a further 3.4 billion will be handed over by 2020 while Britain is donating an extra 510 million, taking the total funding from the UK to 2.3 billion.

Much of the focus will be on providing education for children and jobs for adults inside Syria and in the neighbouring countries which have taken in millions of refugees.

Ms Greening said that providing opportunities for Syrians in the region would ease the flow of refugees into Europe.

She said: "Going beyond people's basic needs at the London conference, the world said that there must be no lost generation of Syrian children, pledging to deliver education to children inside Syria and education to at least one million refugee and host community children in the region outside Syria who are out of school.

"This is an essential investment not only in these children but in Syria's future.

"It also gives those countries generously hosting refugees temporarily the investment in their education systems that will benefit them for the longer term.

"The London conference also made a critical choice on supporting jobs for refugees and economic growth in the countries hosting them.

"We hope that historic commitments with Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan will create at least one million jobs in countries neighbouring Syria so that refugees have a livelihood close to home."

She added: "If we can give Syrians hope for a better future where they are, they are less likely to feel that they've got no other choice left than to make perilous journeys to Europe."

Labour welcomed the moves on aid to avoid a "lost generation" of Syrian children.

Shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott said: "The Syrian crisis is the most pressing humanitarian challenge facing us at this time and the Government is to be commended on co-hosting this important conference which has raised over 10 billion US dollars for Syrian refugees.

"The Government is also to be commended on doubling our own commitment, to over 2.3 billion.

"The emphasis on education and jobs is entirely correct, we cannot allow a whole generation of Syrian children to be lost."

Ms Abbott added the "wholly commendable" efforts for refugees in the region are at odds with the Government's "wilful myopia" to the plight of 500,000 Syrian refugees in Europe.

She said: "The funds this conference will raise are vital. But surely it's also vital that this country shows a willingness to take its fair share of refugees, including Syrian refugees."

Ms Abbott said the UK's agreement to take 20,000 Syrians over five years is fewer than Germany has taken in a month.

She went on to Ms Greening: "We appreciate on this side that this country is not signed up to Schengen.

"But do you acknowledge that the fact we are signatories to Schengen doesn't remove the moral responsibility that falls on us as part of the European family of nations?"

On the Save the Children campaign calling on the UK to welcome 3,000 child refugees, Ms Abbott told Ms Greening: "You may wish these children had stayed in the region but the direction in which the children chose to flee does not make them any less vulnerable.

"These children may not be in the part of the world you'd prefer but they are still lone children at risk of abuse, sex trafficking and worse.

"You cannot behave as if there are two classes of child Syrian refugees - one set who stay in the region who you are prepared to help, but then another class who have travelled to Europe on who you turn your back."

Ms Greening defended the UK's Syrian refugee programme and insisted the country is helping in Europe.

She said: "In more recent days we have set out the work that we'll be doing to particularly help children affected by this crisis.

"In fact, I'm very proud of the work the UK has done to put children at the centre of our response to the Syrian crisis."

Ms Greening said Russia should play its role in pressing the regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad to allow aid in Syria to reach the people who "desperately" need it.

She said: "I believe in time, as we look back on this crisis in the years to come, this breach we see of international humanitarian law will be one of the most telling aspects of it that people ask themselves, 'How could this have been allowed to go on?'."

Patrick Grady, the SNP's international development spokesman, insisted a negotiated peace is the only viable long-term solution and questioned if UK air strikes have helped or hindered its "peacemaker" role.

He asked Ms Greening: "What discussions are you continuing to have with your Cabinet colleagues about the impact of UK air strikes and do you believe that the UK's involvement has helped or hindered its role as a peacemaker?

"And how can the Government be confident its bombing is not adding to human misery and that while seeking to improve humanitarian response on one hand it's not adding to the crisis on the other?"

Ms Greening replied: "I couldn't disagree with you more frankly on UK air strikes.

"You won't be surprised to hear that, but one of the key challenges to ever reaching any kind of a peaceful settlement in Syria is, of course, the presence of the barbaric Daesh, who day to day routinely commit acts of unspeakable brutality - particularly on women I should say, on people more generally - in the territories they control.

"These people are not simply going to get up and go home. That's why we need to take military action against them to force them out of those territories.

"We're already seeing it happen in Iraq. They're leaving a wasteland behind them but at least it's a wasteland we can start to rebuild and we're going to do the same in Syria."

Labour's Ann Clwyd (Cynon Valley) warned of the "awful" developing humanitarian crisis at the Turkish border.

She questioned if the Foreign Office or Prime Minister David Cameron has called in the Russian ambassador to the UK amid concerns over the impact of Russian bombing in Syria.

Ms Clwyd said: "He should be called in every day until they stop barrel bombing the civilians in Syria."

Ms Greening said Russia has a "critical part to play" in enabling the peace talks to move forward, although the country is taking Syria further away from a settlement due to its bombing raids on the moderate opposition.

Conservative Heidi Allen (South Cambridgeshire) called for the Government to do more in Europe.

Recalling her recent visit to Lesbos, Ms Allen told Ms Greening: "The Greeks are not coping.

"We need as Britain to lead - as we have done on the global stage - in Europe too. There are children, there are refugees in Europe who need our help. Greece is on its knees."

Ms Greening agreed to meet with Ms Allen, Conservative Jo Churchill (Bury St Edmunds) and Caroline Ansell, Tory MP for Eastbourne, to discuss their trip.

She added to Ms Allen: "I'd reassure you that we're playing as much of a role as we can do working with Greece.

"It's the UK that's worked with the UNHCR, which has been registering many of the refugees that have been arriving in Greece, but in the end we have to accept that Greece has sovereign control itself and will want to ultimately organise how it deals with refugees."

In the Lords, Labour former Cabinet minister Lord Hain warned there had been "far too much bombast and blunder" by the Government and urged ministers to show a "sense of humility".

Lord Hain asked for some recognition that western foreign policy had "in large part been responsible for this disaster" and criticised attempts to set pre-conditions by insisting Assad must go within six months.

"You cannot get negotiations off the ground and deal with Russian malevolence unless we learn the lessons from Northern Ireland which are that you do not put pre-conditions on and you try to get a political settlement in the context of everybody co-operating and finding out where different interests can be reconciled," he said.

For the Government, Baroness Verma said it would be more constructive for Britain to work with international partners to ensure support for the people of Syria.

She said the clear message had to go out that what Assad was doing to the people of Syria was not acceptable.

Assad and other parties to the conflict were "wilfully preventing and impeding humanitarian access".
Canada will end airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq by February 22, the country's prime minister announced, saying "the people terrorised by Isil every day don't need our vengeance, they need our help".

Justin Trudeau, following up on campaign promises he made last year, also announced that the government will expand efforts to train local forces and rebuild the war-torn region. Military personnel in the region will increase to 830 from the current 650 and provide planning, targeting and intelligence expertise.

Canada's contribution to the mission against the Islamic State group is being extended until the end of March 2017.

The US had asked coalition members to boost their military contributions in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group after the deadly attacks in Paris in November. However, Trudeau's promise that Canada would pull its jets was already part of his winning campaign.

"While airstrike operations can be very useful to achieve short-term military and territorial gains, they do not on their own achieve long-term stability for local communities," Trudeau said on Monday. The country had six fighter jets carrying out the strikes.

"We will be supporting and empowering local forces to take their fight directly to Isil so that they can reclaim their homes, their land and their future," the prime minister added.

Canada will keep two surveillance planes in the region as well as refuelling aircraft, and it will triple the number of soldiers training Kurdish troops in northern Iraq to about 200, from about 69 now.

The size of Canada's "train, advise and assist" mission will triple, including additional medical personnel and equipment including small arms, ammunition and optics to assist in training Iraqi security forces.

Last March, one Canadian soldier was killed and three others were injured in a friendly fire incident in Iraq.

The military has said that during Canada's decade of operations in Afghanistan, 158 Canadian Forces personnel died.

Trudeau said Monday that Canada learned the hard way in Afghanistan that airstrike operations do not on their own result in long-term stability. He said Canada gained valuable experience training local Afghan police and military forces. "Experience that the Canadian Armed Forces should be bringing to bear in Iraq and Syria," he said.
Roger Gower was on an anti-poaching mission

Police in Tanzania say they are holding nine suspects over the killing of British helicopter pilot Roger Gower who was on an anti-poaching mission.

Simiyu regional police commander Lazaro Mambosasa said Monday that seven more suspects were arrested for the shooting of Mr Gower, who was on a joint operation with Tanzanian wildlife authorities when he was shot.

Mr Gower died on January 29 in Maswa wildlife reserve, near Serengeti National Park.

Mambosasa said some of the suspects identified the man who pulled the trigger. Three elephant tusks and 29 firearms were seized in the operation to arrest Mr Gower's killers.

Tanzania has been identified as a key hotspot for elephant poachers.
Thousands of North Koreans gather at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang to celebrate the satellite launch (AP)

The UN Security Council condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders called a banned test of ballistic missile technology.

The UN's most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with "significant" new sanctions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early on Sunday, and a month after the country's fourth nuclear test.

He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbour and key ally, not to proceed, and, in another slap to Beijing, he chose the eve of the Chinese New Year, the country's most important holiday.

In a reflection of heightened hostilities between the rival Koreas, Seoul's defence ministry said a South Korean naval vessel fired five shots into the water as a warning when a North Korean patrol boat briefly moved south of the countries' disputed boundary line in the Yellow Sea.

Since its January 6 nuclear test, which the North claimed was a powerful hydrogen bomb, despite outside scepticism, China and the US have been negotiating the text of a new Security Council sanctions resolution.

North Korean rocket launches and nuclear tests are seen as crucial steps toward Pyongyang's ultimate goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could hit the US mainland.

At the UN, the US, backed by its allies, Japan and South Korea, wants tough sanctions reflecting Mr Kim's defiance of the Security Council.

But diplomats say China, the North's key protector in the council, is reluctant to impose economic measures that could cause North Korea's economy to collapse - and a flight of North Koreans into China across their shared border.

The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the launch and pledged to "expeditiously" adopt a new resolution with "further significant measures" - UN code for sanctions.

US ambassador Samantha Power told reporters that "it cannot be business as usual" after two successive North Korean acts that are "hostile and illegal".

However, China's UN ambassador, Liu Jieyi, made clear that unprecedented sanctions are not Beijing's priority.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space programme, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after lift-off.

Japan's UN ambassador, Motohide Yoshikawa, told reporters the missile, which went over Japan and landed near the Philippines, was "a clear threat to the lives of many people".

The Security Council said launches using ballistic missile technology contribute to North Korea's development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons and violate four Security Council resolutions dating back to the North's first nuclear test in 2006.

In a development that will worry both Pyongyang and Beijing, Seoul and Washington have agreed to begin talks on a possible deployment of the THAAD missile-defence system in South Korea.

North Korea has long condemned the 28,500 US troops stationed in South Korea, and Beijing would see a South Korean deployment of THAAD, which is one of the world's most advanced missile-defence systems, as a threat to its interests in the region.
SHARE Sen. Kevin Bryant Gracie Floyd Terence Roberts

By Kirk Brown of the Independent Mail

Despite compelling evidence that political endorsements have become less important to voters, candidates still crave them.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin made news last month when she appeared at a rally in Iowa to endorse Donald Trump. But even with the support of his party's 2008 vice presidential nominee, Trump barely squeaked out a second-place finish in the state's Republican caucuses last week.

Palin's 2008 running mate, U.S. Sen. John McCain, joined U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham at numerous campaign stops last year in New Hampshire. But McCain's backing never helped Graham gain traction with voters and South Carolina's senior U.S. senator abandoned his presidential bid in December.

After dropping out, Graham joined 30 other members of Congress who have endorsed Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor who remains mired in the middle of the Republican field, according to recent polls.

Four years ago, an endorsement from Gov. Nikki Haley didn't prevent eventual GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney from losing to Newt Gingrich in South Carolina's "First in the South" primary. With less than two weeks left before this year's primary, Haley has yet to endorse a candidate for the White House.

David Woodard, a political science professor at Clemson University, says today's voters have more sources of information than they did in the past.

As a result, he said in an interview last week, "I don't think endorsements help very much."

Matt Moore, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, agreed that "voters seem to be less interested in endorsements."

"Endorsements can't hurt, but they are not the be-all, end-all," Moore said.

While endorsements may matter less now than in the past, candidates still see them as signs of political virility.

"Everyone who wants to endorse me really matters," said state Sen. Kevin Bryant, a Republican from Anderson. "I'll take any I can get."

Bryant and U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan both endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz last week, praising his conservative views. Bryant said their endorsements might influence some undecided voters.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who is widely seen as one of South Carolina's most popular politicians, threw his support behind U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, describing him as "head and shoulders above the rest of the field."

Democrats Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders also are competing for endorsements. In South Carolina, they are focusing on black leaders in recognition that black voters are likely to cast about half of the ballots in the state's Feb. 27 primary.

Sanders hopes to run a competitive race in South Carolina to prevent Clinton from building momentum for the so-called SEC primary on March 1. Contests will be held that day in several states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison said Sanders "has a steep hill to climb" in building a base of support among black voters and "time is not his friend."

Harrison predicted that black women over age 45 will serve as a "bellwether" in the state's Democratic primary.

Two black congresswomen, U.S. Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey and Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas came to South Carolina over the weekend to stump for Clinton while former national NAACP President Ben Jealous campaigned for Sanders.

Earlier in the week, the Sanders campaign announced an endorsement from state Rep. Joe Neal. The Richland County Democrat was the third black legislator from the state to back Sanders in two weeks.

One day later, Clinton's campaign announced that more than 170 black women leaders from South Carolina and beyond were backing her. The list included Anderson County Councilwoman Gracie Floyd, who is the county's only elected Democrat.

In an interview Friday, Floyd said she should not have been included on the list of black women leaders supporting Clinton. She described herself as "undecided."

Reacting to her comments, Clinton campaign staffers contacted Floyd on Saturday. After speaking with them, she said she supports Clinton and will be putting a campaign sign in her yard.

Floyd said she believes that voters now rely less on endorsements because "they are more savvy and more intelligent."

"I think that is a good thing," she said.

Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts endorsed Clinton last October. Roberts said he is not actively campaigning for her but "I'm always free with sharing my opinion to any who will listen to it."

Roberts said he has seen changes in presidential politics during the past decade. Events and the news coverage of them are moving at a faster pace than ever before, he said.

As a result, he said, last week's endorsement of Rubio by Sen. Scott had only fleeting importance.

"That had a lot of impact for that news cycle," he said. "But things cycle so quickly now."

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By Abe Hardesty of the Independent Mail

Silver-haired group seeks ideas, solutions for senior citizen issues

He's part of the South Carolina Silver-Haired Legislature, and Ron Stafford wears the right hairdo.

The graying Stafford, a longtime Pelzer resident, is part of a six-county Upstate caucus that works year-round to make legislators aware of issues relevant to senior citizens.

He's part of the Appalachia caucus, made up of representatives from Anderson, Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Spartanburg and Cherokee counties. The organization is an advocacy group, created in 1999 by the state Legislature.

"We're not a lobbying group," Stafford said. "We're just trying to let people know about real problems that the elderly are facing."

The silver-haired volunteers do that first by personal contact with seniors each spring and summer. A priority list is created during a three-day session in Columbia each September. It is handed to members of the General Assembly well before their meetings begin in January.

The volunteer group has initiated three significant pieces of legislation in recent years, a fact that inspires Appalachia caucus Chairwoman Mary Heatherly of Spartanburg County.

The formation of a program that provides immediate Amber-type alerts for missing vulnerable seniors, the addition of guardian ad litem help for seniors, and a bill designed to attract geriatric doctors to the state were all initiated in the Silver-Haired Legislature.

"It's encouraging when we put things on the priority list and the General Assembly puts them into law," Heatherly said. "And we've been around long enough now for legislators to want to know, when a senior citizen issue comes to them, if the silver-haired group supports it."

It doesn't happen overnight. The extension of guardian ad litem services to seniors "was a three-year battle," Heatherly said, and one that is ongoing in the sense that its place in the budget is not known from year to year. Guardians ad litem are people appointed by courts to look out for the interests of others.

The top priority this spring, Stafford said, involves public transportation for seniors in rural areas.

"For those unable to drive, nonmedical transportation is just about nonexistent in our state," Heatherly said last week. "Medical transportation is covered, but a lot of seniors have no option if they need to buy groceries or pay bills."

The problem could be solved by church groups and thoughtful neighbors. But under present law, those groups or individuals are open to legal liability issues, Heatherly said.

The group has proposed that volunteer licensed drivers who transport seniors shall not be liable beyond the coverage of their insurance, except in cases of gross negligence.

Also high on the priority list is legislation that would provide protection, shelter and services for elderly victims of abuse.

The group is in the early stages of formulating its 2017 pitch to the General Assembly.

"We go wherever seniors congregate, getting ideas and information," Heatherly said. "I'll be talking to a Rotary group in Seneca this week about things that concern seniors."

Silver-Haired Legislature representatives must be registered voters over age 60 who are elected in their respective counties. Because the job involves occasional trips to Columbia, the positions are a good fit for those without full-time employment.

Anderson has eight representatives in the 34-person Appalachia caucus. Oconee and Pickens counties have two each. Those interested in serving on a caucus can contact Heatherly at 864-590-6492.

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Photos by Frances Parrish/Independent Mail Retired educator Helen Sablan looks through her photos from her trip to Thailand.

SHARE A stack of photo albums from Helen Sablans many travels sit in a stack on her coffee table. Helen Sablan looks at her aunts diary of a Caribbean cruise taken in 1930s. This diary inspired Sablans trip around the Caribbean. Helen Sablan looks at her aunts diary of a Caribbean cruise taken in 1930s. This diary inspired Sablans trip around the Caribbean.

By Frances Parrish of the Independent Mail

The yellowed pages of the journal, bound with a blue cover, was considered a typical book until Helen Sablan's brother pulled it from a bookcase.

The typed journal of Helen Ricks's 1938 Caribbean cruise, complete with black and white photos glued to the pages, inspired Sablan to take a trip of her own.

"It was just something I felt like I needed to do," Sablan said.

Ricks was a home extension agent at Virginia Tech, and one day she wrote in her journal that she needed to get away. So, she took a train to New Orleans, boarded a freighter and off she went by herself.

She visited Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Surinam and Venezuela, and upon her return home, she typed up her journal, and had someone bind it.

"After finding my aunt's journal, I've wondered if she had some sort of influence on me when I was little," Sablan said, recalling the times she visited her aunt in Virginia.

In 1998, Sablan made a trip of her own, taking photos and retracing her aunt's steps, visiting the same shops and streets as her aunt had 60 years earlier.

"It was wonderful, and I went by myself," Sablan said. "I was never afraid, because I had a purpose. I've always thought, travel with a purpose. I think everyone who travels need a purpose, whether that's shopping or exploring."

She recorded her travels in a journal of her own and when she got home, she compiled her aunt's and her journal into a book titled "Devotedly, Dixie."

After graduating from Winthrop in 1968, Sablan, an Anderson native, began traveling, back-packing through Europe, with plans to teach in Germany. However, she fell in love, got married and moved to Tacoma, Washington, where she taught school. After 31 years, she moved back to Anderson. Even though she taught in the gifted and talented program at the elementary school level and taught at the Adult Education Center, she took time to travel on her spring breaks.

About eight years ago, she began taking groups of her friends and other Anderson residents over to Italy, where she had lived for three years with her former husband.

"I just want people to see the real Italy, the authentic Italy, and not just stay in the big cities and hotels where everybody speaks English," Sablan said.

Beverly Childs, director of the Anderson County Museum, went with Sablan to Italy in October. For about two weeks, the group traveled down the coast of Italy, visiting a winery and even eating dinner with a family on their farm.

"It was an incredible fun time," Childs said. "Her trips seem to be more off the beaten path. That's what is so fun and inviting about them."

Last year, Sablan organized a group of 10 people, four of whom were from Anderson, to go to Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

"That was a once in a lifetime experience," Sablan said. "I really wanted to see Mount Everest, and I knew if I went to just Nepal, that would be almost impossible to see it up close. But on the Tibet side you can take transportation up to the base camp, and I have a picture of the four of us from Anderson standing in front of Mount Everest."

Since 2007, 145 people from the Upstate have gone with Sablan on her trips to Italy and other parts of the world, and she has two more trips planned for this year.

In between trips around the world, Sablan opened a wine bar, Viva! il Vino in Anderson with her friend Shayna Hollander in 2010. The wine bar was inspired by a wine bar in Lucca, Italy. Sablan also opened a yoga studio after traveling to Costa Rico for yoga retreats.

Two years ago, Sablan took her niece Sally Hancock to visit and volunteer at the Elephant Nature Park, in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Hancock, a sophomore at the University of Mississippi, said it was a life-changing experience getting to work with the rescued elephants, preparing food, and working in the fields with other volunteers. She even saw a newborn elephant.

"They are such big creatures, but they are so sweet," Hancock said.

For Hancock, having an adventurous aunt is fun.

"I love it, I get to go places," Hancock said. "For my 10th birthday, we went to Italy, her favorite place. She's always up for any adventure."

In 2009, Sablan and her son Marshall took a trip to Peru.

"I'd always wanted to go to Machu Picchu, but I didn't want to just go in a bus," Sablan said with a laugh.

So she and her son trained for six months, working on cardio and leg strength, to hike the four-day trail to the Incan city. After sleeping along the trail in tents for three nights, Sablan and her son made it to Machu Picchu on Thanksgiving Day.

"It was great because he and I did it together," Sablan said.

While traveling, Sablan said she doesn't buy many trinkets, but she has a photo album of every trip that sit in her office in the back of the house and on the coffee table in her living room, reminding her of every unique trip she's taken.

Follow Frances Parrish on Twitter @frances_AIM
SHARE Photos by Frances Parrish/Independent Mail Amazing Shake finalists fifth-grader Allie Whitfield, fourth-grader Mattison Broome and third-grader Ty Shaw listen to judges ask questions. Third-grader Ty Shaw (front) shakes the hand of Amazing Shake judge Rockey Burgess. Behind him, third-grader Kali Harris introduces herself to Amazing Shake judge Doug Shaw, Palmetto High Schools athletic director. Fifth-grade students Walker McDade, Keke Johnson, Jasmine McCullough, Taylor Turner and Allie Whitfield sit in front of a panel of judges from the district office and the community. The students are judged on their conversation skills. Amazing Shake judges Rockey Burgess, Doug Shaw, Bobby McGowens and Jane Harrison, listen as students answer their questions Friday afternoon.

By Frances Parrish of the Independent Mail

Four well-dressed third-grade students filed into the library and stood in front of a table to shake the hands of the judges.

This was the first round of the competition for the Amazing Shake. The four judges from the school district and the community critiqued the students as they answered questions, judging them on their eye contact, manners, conversation and handshake.

Inspired by the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Cedar Grove Elementary Principal Kristie Finley helped organize the competition to reinforce many of the topics outlined in Clark's book, "The Essential 55."

Cedar Grove Elementary School implemented several of the philosophies of the Ron Clark Academy in its school last year.

Similar to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the popular Harry Potter novels, the school has four houses students are sorted into. The four houses stand for courage, loyalty, friendship and dreaming big.

The students get house points for good behavior or academic accomplishments, and learn house cheers to boost school spirit.

Similar to how the Ron Clark Academy has 55 rules, the school that feeds into Palmetto High School developed its own Colt Customs to teach manners and conversational skills.

"We are building the whole child," said Assistant Principal Matt White said. "This builds social skills and character."

Through the house council, the students have developed a mentor program in which older students are paired with younger students to help guide them through school.

Finley said she has seen a big difference in the students' demeanor in just a couple of years.

"The biggest thing is you would speak to the students in the hallway, and some wouldn't look up," Finley said. "When you walked through halls, their heads would be down."

Now the kids hold the door open for each other, talk to teachers in the hallway and greet each other before class.

"It's really great to be on the house council," said third-grade student Ty Shaw. Ty won the Amazing Shake competition against fourth- and fifth-grade students. "I learned how you can be trusted. I can be trusted and I like to help people."

Because of the inspiration of the Ron Clark Academy, Anderson School District 1 has given all of the principals a copy of "The Essential 55" for them to use as inspiration in their own schools.

"We focus so much on academics, and they are critical," said District 1 Assistant Superintendent Jane Harrison. "We are creating learners and students who can achieve."

But the new Profile of the South Carolina graduate, a model of skills a high school graduate should have, includes more than just academics. The model stresses the importance of soft skills such as communication and integrity, just what the Ron Clark Academy promotes, Harrison said. The communication and other soft skills are an integral part of the post high school world.

"It's very important to community and build it in schooling, so when they go into the workforce, they can communicate effectively and politely," said one of the competition judges Rockey Burgess, owner of Allech Solutions in Anderson. "If they can't communicate effectively, it makes it difficult to be successful."

But District 1 isn't the only school district taking a page out of Ron Clark's book. Schools throughout Anderson County are implementing some of the philosophies.

Belton Elementary School in District 2 implemented the program last year as well after the entire faculty visited the academy in Atlanta. They also implemented the house system, but because of large student population, they created six houses. Like Cedar Grove Elementary, Belton Elementary Principal Tracy Hedrick has also seen a change in her students' behavior.

"It's increased engagement and energy in our students," Hedrick said. "We are seeing great results behaviorally and academically. We hold high expectations for them and us as faculty."

Follow Frances Parrish on Twitter @frances_AIM
On February 6, 1832, Elizabeth City Congressman William Shepard petitioned the House of Representatives for a light station to help guide sailors to safety by the mouth of the Roanoke River.

Two years later, Congress appropriated $10,000 for a lightship to operate on the Albemarle Sound. The ship operated through the Civil War, but was replaced by a screw-pile lighthouse that operated on whale oil in 1867. That structure, in turn, was damaged by fire and ice in the 1880s.

A larger lighthouse, the one that currently stands, was authorized in 1886 and finished by 1887. It was fitted with a Fresnel lens and continued to operate until 1941, when it was decommissioned by the Coast Guard.

The 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse changed hands twice in the 1950s, sold for $10 each time. Edenton businessman Emmett Wiggins moved the structure to land he owned in the Chowan County town in 1955, and he lived in the building until his death.

In 2007, the Edenton Historical Commission purchased the lighthouse and restored it in cooperation with the state of North Carolina. The restored lighthouse opened to the public as part of Historic Edenton State Historic Site in 2012.

Visit: The lighthouse is open every day of the week just steps from downtown Edenton.

Other related resources:

This Day in North Carolina History is a production of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. For more about North Carolinas history, arts, nature and culture, visit DNCR online at www.ncdcr.gov.
As we all know the shooting of Chiyaan Vikram's next film 'iru Mugan' began in Malaysia in the second week of January. The film directed by Anand Shankar of 'Arima Nambi' fame will be an out and out stylish action entertainer and it has Nayanthara and Nithya Menen as female leads.

The latest update from the 'Iru Mugan' team is the first schedule of 'Iru Mugan' in Malaysia has been wrapped up and the team has returned to India. The second schedule of the film's shoot will be in Chennai and this schedule will begin on the 11th of February that is from this week's Thursday.

'Iru Mugan' is being produced by Shibu Thameens under the SKT Films banner. Harris Jayaraj is doing the musical score while RD Rajasekhar is handling the cinematography for this film.
Company joined Navjyoti India Foundation for their annual event Kids on a rampage, an initiative that aims to encourage children from the financially underprivileged society to fearlessly pursue their dreams. The highlight of the program was a ramp walk of beneficiaries along with the supporters.The event witnessed the launch of brand Unnati under Project Unnati that was initiated by Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company and Navjyoti India Foundation in 2008. Under this program vocational skill training (in stitching and tailoring) was provided to around 700 girls and women from rural Gurgaon, with the objective of making them self reliant. Along with clothes of other designers, the children wore clothes designed and stitched by women trained under Project Unnati and walked the ramp.Company, said, We have participated in the event organized by Navjyoti for their initiative Kids on a rampage since 2010. This initiative brings a feeling of ownership and responsibility towards the society as it aims at improving lives of the underprivileged communities. Mr. Mathur further added, "One of the focus areas for our company is inclusion through education under the theme 'Aatmnirbhar', which provides skill and vocational training to the beneficiaries associated with the project for becoming self reliant. Launch of brand Unnati by young girls and women from the rural communities is a moment of pride as it empowers women to become self-reliant. We also conduct programs which provide training in marketing, soft skills, financial literacy and entrepreneurship workshops thus benefitting the larger community. Our employees are actively engaged in this ".Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company is committed to more than just giving back to the society & community. The business of Life Insurance is all about social security and protection i.e. aimed at the well being of the society as a whole. One of the five core values of the Company is Corporate Citizenship which stresses the fact that businesses and markets are essentially aimed at the welfare of society and thus complement each other.
In what would come as a major relief to the Indian Steel industry, the government on Friday imposed a minimum import price (MIP) on 173 steel products ranging between $341 to $752 per tonne.The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce, imposed MIP of US$ 445 - US$ 500 per tonne across a range of hot rolled flat products of steel and US$ 341 - US$ 362 on semi-finished products like slabs, blooms, ingot and billets. Besides, cold rolled products will attract MIP of US$ 500 - US$ 560 per tonne. The MIP on steel products will be valid for six months. The Ministry will review the decision after six months, said DGFT in a notification.For an industry plagued with multi-dimensional problems like cheap Chinese imports, muted demand and low alloy prices, this move is expected to be a respite, hopefully heralding systemic progress.India's steel industry, the third-largest producer of crude steel in the world, has been facing a diabolical threat for quite some time now due to under utilisation of its plant capacity. Falling revenues, increasing inventories, high fixed costs and interest costs have only worsened the situation.Countries like China, South Korea, Japan and Russia among others have flooded the Indian markets with cheaper steel products. The Directorate General of Safeguards (DGS), a branch of the finance ministry responsible for overlooking the quantity of imports coming in the country, revealed earlier in December that it found prima facie evidence that increases in imports "have caused or threatening to cause serious injury to the domestic producers".In an ongoing investigation regarding the import of Hot-rolled flat products of nonalloy and other alloy Steel in coils of a width of 600 mm or more" by DGFT, FY 2015-16(annualised) saw 33,79,360 MT of steel being imported, amounting to 13% of the total production. Compare this to FY2013-14, where the total imports contributed 5% to the total production.Steel manufacturers in a number of countries including China PR, Russia, and Ukraine have developed huge capacities to cater to demand of steel by developed countries and rest of the world. So with high fixed costs, these countries need to continue selling their produces irrespective of the whether they earn profits or not. This is the reason they are willing to dump low-cost steel in countries having sustained domestic demand. India, with relatively better demand prospects (domestic demand up by 3.1%) and high domestic prices, has remained an attraction for these steel surplus economies to channelize their excess capacities.As per a report by a reputed journal Steel360, Russian steel exporters have been experiencing high realization for their exports due to their currency that has weakened in the recent past. This has led to an export push for Russian steel in India. Further, the Russian exporters have a restricted access to traditional markets like the European Union and Ukraine resulting in export push to India.Global commodity prices have been in a downward spiral in recent times. Metal prices are under pressure due to subdued demand and lower than expected production cuts. This has resulted in most of the steel manufacturing firms reporting losses and decline in earnings. Domestic steel prices during the Q3FY16 were lower by 47% qoq on account of the sharp fall in global steel prices. Global steel prices have plunged further by 13.1% qoq, majorly due to sharp fall in steel making raw materials, iron ore and coking coal. To arrest the sharp fall in global markets, a safeguard duty of 20% was levied by the Indian government in September 2015.Though imposition of the safeguard duty did provide a slight cushion to the steel making firms, it proved futile in the long run. Stress of import prices have resulted in steel companies like SAIL, Essar Steel and JSW Steel losing their market share from 45% in FY2013-14 to 37% during 2015-16. A combination of predatory pricing and drop in the commodity prices has resulted in a fall of profitability of the industry by 55% in Q1FY16. The average operating EBITDA margin of the steel firms have come down by around 40% during the first half of the current fiscal compared to a year ago period.Given the market scenario in the domestic steel industry, top players have been lobbying the government on introduction of some drastic measures. Seemingly hesitant in the beginning, the government has now realized that the concerns of the steel industry are genuine and require immediate attention. Therefore, in September 2015, the government imposed provisional safeguard duty of 20 per cent on import of certain categories of steel. This was in addition to the slapping of anti-dumping duty of up to USD 316 per tonne on imports of certain steel products from China, Korea and Malaysia.These measures, however, could not arrest the onslaught of cheaper imports. Sensing the dire needs of the industry, the government has now introduced the MIP to counter the monstrous imports."The implementation of the minimum import price will give stability to the local steel industry," Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said. "This is an important step towards the success of 'Make in India'", he added.Steel industry is beaming at the government's move. Speaking in favour of the decision on MIP, Welspun Corp, second largest global manufacturer of large diameter pipes, in an official statement said, " MIP will have beneficial effects on India business due our backward integration into manufacturing of plates and coils besides our presence across large parts of pipe business' value chain."With MIP implemented, the steel industry has now breathed a collective sigh of relief. However, the problems seem far from over. Total debt on the industry stands at a staggering USD 30 billion. Tata Steel tops the list with Rs. 80,000 crore while Jindal Steel owe Rs. 44,000 crore to the lenders. Debt levels of steel companies have risen by 3-6 times in the last five years. According to the Financial Stability Report (FSR) published by the Reserve Bank of India published in June, steel industry is one of the biggest culprit of the bad loans. The FSR goes forward in recognising the ailments of the industry and highlights delay in environmental clearances and problems in land acquisitions as some.It is apparent that several regulatory measures need to be taken to ensure that the domestic steel industry is blanketed against several incursions threatening to damage it irreversibly. From protective tariffs and offloading bad assets to simplifying land clearances, multiple measures can provide relief. MIP is a welcome step, but the onus lies with the government to demonstrate a steely resolve to save the domestic steel players from the scary scourges that have blocked its path of progress.
Cox & Kings net profit declined to Rs 25.71 crore from Rs 31.31 crore in the quarter ended in December year-on-year. However, its revenue surged to Rs 120.94 crore as against Rs 107.41 crore during the same period. In an exclusive interview with the Economic Times, Peter Kerkar, who is Director of the travel company, gave an insight into the companys business.Kerkar is quite happy with the companys performance in the quarter that went by. He added that the companys standalone numbers, particularly in India, came in strong, which is remarkable. He noted that the company has been able to improve its market share even as its online and offline competitors struggled to maintain their share.In connection with the international markets, Kerkar told ET that the performance has been above expectations. He agreed that unexpected events such as Paris attacks did leave an impact on the companys education business. Kerkar has no concerns over the growth of their education business, which has been booked by 67% till March already.Kerkar anticipates the debt reduction to be in the range of nearly Rs 400-500 crore this year. He reassured that the company is on the right pace, adding that nearly Rs 84 crore of debt had been reduced in third-quarter itself. The companys net debt sits at Rs, 2,300 crores, said he. Thus, Kerkar maintains his outlook on the debt reduction plan. However, he projects growth to come slightly lower than the guidance of 15% but is confident that the number will recover by next year.Commenting on the challenges present in the domestic leisure travel and education business, Kerkar told ET that they have been able to maintain over 15% Cumulative Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for the last sixteen years. He pointed to the fact that the company has been able to maintain its growth near this mark during the third quarter as well. So, overall, the things are in pretty satisfactory pace, according to Kerkar.
Global fluid management company Kirloskar Brothers Limited (KBL) will showcase its innovative fluid management solutions at the Make in India Week to be held in Mumbai from 13to 18February, 2016. The Make in India Week, an ambitious initiative of the Union government, will be launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. The Pune-based manufacturing giant KBL will display some of its flagship products including LLC pump, i-NS, i-CM, ROMAK, Solar Pump and API 611 compliant Steam Turbine at hall no. 22, booth no. 17 at the event.The event will be attended by the international delegates including the CEOs of Indian & Global corporations, Global trade associations, CXOs of Fortune 500 companies, Heads of States, diplomats, policymakers, think tank members, economists and academia. Indian corporations  large and small  will be showcasing the potential of design, innovation and sustainability across India's manufacturing sectors in the coming decade.said: We are glad to be a part of Indias most comprehensive and inspiring event for our countrys manufacturing sector. The Make in India week will certainly spark a renewed sense of pride in India's manufacturing  and take corporate and public participation to the next level. At Kirloskar Brothers Limited, we have been walking on the path of Make in India for the past 115 years and are looking forward to this opportunity to showcase some of our most innovative and successful products to the global audience. With other BRICS economies slowing down and international financial agencies predicting India to be the fastest growing large economy, all eyes are on India to drive global manufacturing. This platform will serve as a perfect meeting point allowing us to connect with experts and executives across industry sectors.The Make in India Centre at the event will feature an exhibition of the most innovative products and manufacturing processes that have been developed in India. The space itself will be an avant-garde statement in design, merging the aesthetics of traditional craft with a futuristic vision. A showcase of Indian and global companies across key focus sectors is something that everyone is looking forward to.Launched in 2014 by the Honble Prime Minister of India, Make in India is a national program designed to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development and build best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure. To this end, the Government of India has undertaken several reform initiatives to create an enabling environment for manufacturing, design, innovation and start-ups. The Make in India conference also aims to provide a platform for industry leaders, policymakers and key players to discuss the impact of Make in India.KBL leads the global fluid management segment with path-breaking innovations as well as highest standards of manufacturing and operations. All the manufacturing facilities at KBL are certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, BS OHSAS 18001 and SA8000. In addition, the Kirloskarvadi plant is also certified for N & NPT Stamp. KBLs corporate office in Pune is certified for ISO 9001 & SA8000.The factories deploy Total Quality Management tools using European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model. KBL is the only pump manufacturing company in India and ninth in the world to be accredited with the N and NPT certification by American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
a prominent name in defining dining experience in table reservation is investing 1 million dollars in expansions and increasing its tie-ups across India to bolster its operation. Loofre.com has already expanded to 9 major cities across India with tie-ups with more than 800 restaurants in short span of the three months. Loofre also plans to go international expanding its services to cities like Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.Loofres investments of over a Million Dollars will all be through internal accruals. It has plans of further investments if the operations increase further. The start up is also looking to expand exponentially through organic or inorganic growth. These are the plans of expanding the offerings by Loofre through introduction of wellness categories and vouchers business. This promoter believes will increase the traffic and profits further for the still pledging start up in equal proportion.We are delighted to share that Loofre is now on a major expansion mode. Even though our target is India but we are not restricted to any geographical location and also looking towards expanding our services either organically or inorganically to countries like UAE, Hong Kong & Singapore.Loofre.com, a start-up online Table Reservation Services promoted by K5 Brand Solutions, Indias largest restaurant merchant aggregator, has identified the service gap in this area and promises to change the dining out experience dramatically. This is a big-leap forward from the traditional table reservation service and being interactive connects restaurants and diners to discover the best offers or discounts in nearby locations along with the added advantage of personalized hospitality according to the diners need, cuisine, budget and preferred ambience.Loofre.com will also update the customers about all the latest events in the city, be it the best offers available in the city or parties happening around. Loofre will soon come up with an app based next generation booking engine. The website would also be complemented by Social Media Applications, Merchant Applications and Consumer Applications. Eventually consumers can Book, Place Order and Pay through Mobile.Besides, one can now book table through social networking sites. The exclusive tie-up with restaurants entails that those restaurants which have gauged the worth of this tie-up have shared Loofre.coms platform on their websites and apps. Henceforth, all table bookings of theirs would be redirected to the Facebook page which eventually connects to Loofre.com.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSI) has dispatched the first shipment of its premium hatchback Baleno to Japan where it will be launched next month, reports a financial newspaper. (IndiaInfoline)Precision Camshafts, which completed a Rs 240-crore public offer later last month, will list its shares on stock exchanges today. (PTI)Honda Motor Co's order that its US dealers stop selling some 2.2 million of the automakers' most popular models is compounding financial and regulatory headaches for car dealers stuck with millions of vehicles that have potentially hazardous air bags or other safety defects. (Reuters)Auto Expo 2106: Competition heats up in cars and two-wheelers. Competitive intensity, as measured by new launches, is increasing after a three-year lull. FY16 will see 12 new launches. (IndiaInfoline)The Expo Mart came to a standstill as the asli khiladi of Bollywood and Hondas Brand ambassador - Akshay Kumar, celebrated The Spirit of Adventure with throngs of fans, exclusively at the Honda 2Wheelers pavilion in the Auto Expo 2016. (IndiaInfoline)Honda 2Wheelers kicks off the FUNtastic weekend at Auto Expo 2016. Keita Muramatsu  President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. welcomed Tapsee Pannu and Chhota Bheem into the Honda NAVI World at the Auto Expo. (IndiaInfoline)Published reports are saying that Ford plans to build a new auto plant in Mexico, with plans to rev up production there. (AP)India has emerged as the fastest-growing market for Hyundai globally as new models such as 'Elite i20' and 'Creta' SUV have fuelled volumes. In absolute numbers, India has become the third-biggest market worldwide for Hyundai, outside home market Korea. (TNN)Polaris India, which sells the luxury American bike brand Indian Motorcycle, aims to clock 50 per cent growth in sales this year and corner 15 per cent market share in the 1,200cc-plus segment, apart from doubling the sales network. (PTI)The Japan Automatic Machine (JAM) company, which has been selling its auto components in India, said on Sunday that it is currently in talks to set up a joint venture project in the country. (IANS)Volkswagen will offer generous compensation packages for the roughly 600,000 US owners of diesel vehicles that emit an illegal amount of emissions, the head of its claims fund told a German paper. (Reuters)
At 2:45 PM, the S&P BSE Sensex is trading at 24,453 down 163 points, while NSE Nifty is trading at 7,469 down 51 points.The BSE Mid-cap Index is trading up 0.09% at 10,344, whereas BSE Small-cap Index is trading up 0.30% at 10,601.Some buying activity is seen in utilities, banking, capital goods, energy, telecom and metals sectors, while IT, oil&gas, pharma and teck sectors are showing weakness on BSE.SBI, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, BHEL, GAIL, Tata Steel and Adani Ports are among the gainers, whereas Tata Motors, ONGC, Dr.Reddy's, TCS, Infosys and HDFC are losing sheen on BSE.The INDIA VIX is up 6.40% at 19.2750. Out of 1,793 stocks traded on the NSE, 565 declined and 964 advanced today.A total of 14 stocks registered a fresh 52-week high in trades today, while 22 stocks touched a new 52-week low on the NSE.Indian Rupee opened at 67.85/$, down by 21 paise in early trade on Monday as against the previous close of 67.64/$. On Friday, Indian rupee moved lower against the greenback, influenced by demand for US dollar from the importers. US dollar rebounded against the basket of major currencies, with dollar index moving higher above 97 levels.PTC India jumped 3% to Rs.65.60 after the company reported a nearly seven-fold jump in its net profit at Rs. 45.33 crore for the quarter ended December 31. Total income has increased to Rs. 2,947.12 crore for the quarter under review in the current fiscal from Rs. 2,832.59 crore for the same quarter a year ago.New Delhi Television Ltd slumped 9% to Rs.95 on BSE. The company reported a consolidated net loss of Rs. 12.54 crore for the December quarter. The company's total income from operations on consolidated basis was down 1.01% to Rs. 148.41 crore during the quarter under review as against Rs. 149.93 crore in the same quarter of the last fiscal.Metal stocks witnessed impressive buying after the Government last week imposed a minimum import price (MIP) on 173 steel products ranging between $341 to $752 per tonne. Reacting positively to the governments move, metal stocks are currently trading higher up to 9% on BSE. The BSE Metal Index is trading 0.80% higher at 6,954.34 points.Bhushan Steel is currently trading 9.07% higher at Rs. 39.70 on BSE. The scrip opened higher at Rs. 38.60 as against its previous close of Rs. 36.40. It hit a high and a low of Rs. 41.05 and Rs. 38.50 respectively. So far, total 1.73 lk shares have changed hands on BSE.Shares of Jai Corporation are currently trading 7% higher at Rs. 70.25 on BSE. The scrip opened higher at Rs. 66.70 as against its previous close of Rs. 65.65. It hit a high and a low of Rs. 70.45 and Rs. 65.70 respectively. So far, total 1.73 lk shares have changed hands on BSE. Among other notable gainers, Uttam Galva is trading at Rs. 30.25 (3.95%), Visa Steel; at Rs. 15.65 (7.56%), JSW Steel at Rs. 1,066.90 (2.68%) and Tats Steel at Rs. 237.05 (1.30%)AstraZeneca Pharma India climbed 5.8% to Rs.1,229 on BSE. The net profit for the quarter stands at Rs. 8.67 crore as against the loss of Rs. 13.4 crore. The company's total income stood at Rs. 144.58 crore for the quarter. It was Rs. 108.20 crore for the year ago period.Rallis India zoomed 2.2% to Rs.164.45 on BSE. The company has approved increase of the Company's stake in Metahelix Life Sciences Ltd, subsidiary of the Company, from 80.51% to 100%. Consequently Metahelix will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, on completion of the acquisition of the balance shares in Metahelix.3M India hit 15% upper limit at Rs.12,154.65 on BSE. The company reported a 240% year-on-year jump in Q3 profit at Rs. 56.61 crore compared with Rs. 16.65 crore reported for the same period a year ago. The company's net sales for the quarter under review surged 17% to Rs. 517.64 crore from Rs. 442.71 crore reported for the same period a year ago.Bank of India soared 6.4% to Rs.104.10 on BSE. The bank announced that a meeting of the bank's board of directors will be held on 11 February 2016, to discuss the capital raising plans of the bank.Ambuja Cements gained 2.2% to Rs.199.85 on NSE. According to TV reports, 10 lakh shares have changed hands in a block deals at Rs. 199.50 on the NSE.
Wildcraft, the performance-driven head-to-toe outfitter, has launched operations in Middle-East and South East Asia as it sets out to grow its presence in international markets. The company has tied up with partners for its foray in the UAE, Oman & Muscat markets and online partnerships for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The first step in the companys aggressive growth plans, this move will allow the company to evaluate these markets before expanding into other countries.Over the last year, Wildcraft unveiled a new brand identity and expanded its product portfolio into clothing and footwear. The company has also made a series of moves which include expanding its retail footprint to 130 retail stores in 50+ cities across India, extending its presence in over 400 cities in India through over 3000 distribution points.In South East Asia, Wildcraft has partnered with Zalora, part of Global Fashion Group, giving the company access to the Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan markets. Through this alliance, Wildcraft will start off with selling its outdoor gear product lines. In the UAE, the outfitter has built partnerships across offline and an online distribution channels. The company has also tied up with Souq.com, one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the region., says, Expanding into South East Asia and the Middle East, both important markets for us, is just the start of our growth plans. The focus, at this point, is to reach countries with similar climatic conditions & geo-proximity. Talking about the future plans, he says Our efforts will be focused on creating a strong customer connection through product innovation and on deepening our distribution footprint across these countries.
As Indian Hotels Company CEO, Rakesh Sarna is in the process of turning around Taj Hotels, he discussed in detail the strategy to counter competition from multinational chains and the pricing policies with the Economic Times.With Marriott-Starwood Deal in India, Sarna compared apples-to-apples, stating that the difference between Taj and the former is not vast. Where Taj have over 10,000 room, Marriott-Starwood would have close to 13,000, explained Sarna.Commenting on the transformation achieved after his arrival as CEO, Sarna said that he has been able to do only 5% of what he targeted so far, but finds content that the hardest part is over. Sarna is optimistic that the turnaround will not pick-up speed in the coming period. Sarna shared that the companys debt to its net worth was huge while the true depth of contingent liabilities was overwhelming. Amidst the anomalies, Sarna said that they empowered staff and delegated authority, which started showing results.Sarna asserted that they planned to steer away from the current industry trend as far as pricing policy is concerned. He emphasized that its time to implement the right price for their products to play it right in the market.At the same time, Sarna said that the expansion in both India and overseas is mutually inclusive, and the company is in productive conversation with many parties to execute on its strategy. Sarna said that their current pipeline was not very good but quite responsible.Pointing to Tajs US operations, Sarna holds the view that the company needs to trim down its liabilities in the region. But, the company aims to maintain its brand presence there. Sarna is not fully satisfied with the share price of Belmond and said that the company is planning to exit from Belmond over a future course of time.Sarna ruled out any plans of seeking more funds from the shareholders to execute its strategies. Sarna expects to see visible improvement in its debt level by March 31st and projects the ratio between debt and net worth to normalise by March 2017.Sarna revealed that the company has an active plan to counter online travel agencies threat. He told ET that as their business through online route grew by 24%.
Wipro Ltd, a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has won an IT infrastructure transformation contract from the ASSA ABLOY Group, headquartered in Sweden. ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions.As part of the five-year agreement, Wipro will consolidate ASSA ABLOYs existing data centers in the EMEA region and implement a cloud-based service model, which will include IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service). The deployment will leverage Wipros BoundaryLess Data Center offering and will provide a full suite of IT infrastructure management services to ASSA ABLOYs global organisation. This solution will bring in a high level of agility, and a consumption-based IT service model powered by an user-friendly service catalog.Since its inception in 1994, ASSA ABLOY has grown from a regional company into an international group with about 44,000 employees, operations in more than 70 countries and sales close to SEK 57 billion. ASSA ABLOY has expanded globally through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions. The goal of this IT engagement is to improve the efficiency of the companys data center services by moving them into Wipros BoundaryLess Data Center (BLDC) offering and establishing a global delivery model through Wipros ServiceNXT, the company's integrated Managed Services framework.said, This engagement is strategic to our business continuity operations and we believe that Wipro is the best partner for us. With our data center infrastructure supported by Wipro, we can drive added efficiencies, and most importantly, bring about joint innovations to serve our customers better.said, "In order to keep pace with rapid globalisation, rising customer expectations and emerging technologies, enterprises must reinvent their traditional IT infrastructure and data center service capabilities. We are confident that Wipro's BoundaryLess Data Center offering will enable ASSA ABLOY optimize, automate and manage its data centers in an agile manner. Furthermore, this engagement reiterates our continued focus and investments in the Nordic region.We are delighted to be chosen by ASSA ABLOY as the strategic partner for their IT transformation project, which will leverage both our manufacturing domain expertise and technology capabilities. The relationship between both companies is anchored by a synergy of our core corporate values and we look forward to fostering an environment of innovation that supports and strengthens ASSA ABLOYs leadership position in the industry, said
The homepage of BrokenBeakerDistillery.com invites people to visit the laboratory, and co-owner and operator Thomas Wysocki says beginning Feb. 25 Indianapolis residents will soon be able to do so.

Broken Beaker Distillery will be located at 643 Massachusetts Ave., and allow patrons to explore elements, molecules and compounds by incorporating alcohol. According to the website, Broken Beaker Distillery will combine mathematics, chemistry and physics to create new alcoholic drinks, and Wysocki says it is where science meets spirits.

From science facts on every bottle of booze and and the coasters, to educational posters decorating the facility and periodic table; patrons will be flooded with science facts from the time they enter the distillery. Patrons can also tour the distillery and learn how the master distiller and mixologist work together to create their favorite alcoholic drink. When visiting the distillery, Wysocki says people can expect to learn while they relax.

Owner and operators Thomas Wysocki and Heather Finfrock say their love for science led them to create this new distillery.

I am a chemist, my wife is an engineer, and we love the corkiness of science. While working at Eli Lilly I got the idea to combine science with a distillery from a coworker that had recently went taken a distillery class in Washington D.C. From then on, I couldnt let the idea go, said Wysocki.

We want you to walk out with at least a Masters degree (in science) when you are done having drinks at our distillery, said Wysocki.

Wether you have a taste for cucumber infused Vodka, cranberry liquor, apricot brandy, or something totally different, Wysocki says the Broken Beaker Distillery will not only be a place to relax, and learn while you drink, but a place that fosters new discoveriesand they want your help.

We really want Indianapolis to speak to us about what types of new alcohol they want, and we want to bring that to life, said Wysocki.

The science-themed distillery has some Indianapolis residents ready to embark on a new science adventure.

It sounds interesting and I look forward to it coming to town because its different, and we dont have anything like that in the city, said Rhiannon Keller, 37, of Indianapolis.

The grand opening is Feb. 25. For more information visit the Broken Beaker Facebook, Twitter, or BrokenBeakerDistillery.com.
via Ualabs.com

The UN wants to use nuclear radiation to make mosquitoes infertile.

The UNs atomic agency has announced that there may be a new way to make mosquitoes infertile, and that it involves nuclear radiation. Experts from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are to meet Brazilian officials on 16 February to discuss how best to roll out the so-called Sterile Insect Technology (SIT) in the host country of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

SIT, adapted from decades-old methods used to slash populations of other insects such as fruit flies, involves exposing males of the Aedes aegypti mosquito to X- or Gamma rays to render their sperm sterile. These laboratory-bred male mosquitoes could then be released into the wild to mate with the females of the species who then bear eggs that never hatch, thus reducing the number of insects in a given area without killing any animals or using chemicals.

via New York Times

Brazils mosquito population could be reduced in a few months.

"If Brazil released a huge number of sterile males, it would take a few months to reduce the population, (but) it has to be combined with other methods," IAEA Deputy Director General Aldo Malavasi told reporters. The other methods involve better sanitation and the use of traps and insecticides.

With inputs from Reuters
At a time when the world is reeling under an outbreak of the Zika virus, several villages in Nanded district of Maharashtra have successfully drowned out the mosquito buzz with underground soak pits that suck in waste water.

Times of India

The four-foot-deep pits dug behind every house in the villages are making the usually overflowing open drains redundant, thus depriving mosquitoes of their breeding grounds.

The project has roots in a decade-long successful experiment in Tembhurni village in Himayat Nagartaluka. Adopting the Gandhian principle of shramdaan (voluntary contribution for a cause), sarpanch Pralhad Patil carried out construction of soak pits behind every house.

When they began, Patil recalls, government funds were hard to come by. Villagers then decided to pool funds. The pits are covered with a cement pipe that has four equi-distant holes at the top. A layer of sand and fine gravel is spread under and around the pipe to allow the water to percolate slowly into the ground.

"Within a year of all houses getting the new soak pits, the village became free of mosquitoes,'' says Patil, who gave up a career in engineering in the 1980s to carry out sustainable development in his village.

The step assumes significance against the backdrop of dengue, malaria and other mosquito borne diseases plaguing Maharashtra.

The project had an unexpected additional benefit.The village, which was heavily dependent on tankers for water supply till 2002, became self-sufficient after half-a-dozen hand pumps in different parts began spewing water.

UNU/ Representational Image

"Water flowing into the 200 soak pits gradually drains down into aquifers, thereby recharging the groundwater . Our village hasn't faced water scarcity in recent years," Patil says.

Nanded zilla parishad chief executive officer Abhimanyu Kale stumbled upon the Tembhurni project in 2014 and decided to replicate it across the district.

Funds from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) are being used to construct the soak pits, which the locals call magic pits. "We set up these pits using Rs 2,000 for each model under the scheme," says Kale.

The effect of the pits on mosquitoes was evident in Kamlaj village in Mudkhed taluka. The all too familiar buzz was absent from 11pm till dawn on the terrace of a centrally-located house. The drains are dry and clean. As a result, stagnant water around houses, on streets, and choked drains has become a thing of the past. The zilla parishad plans to achieve similar results in over 1,300 villages of the district.

Indiawaterportal/ Representational Image

The pits have also affected the villagers' social lives. Draupada Wadvare, a homemaker in Dhanyachi wadi, a hamlet in Hadgaon taluka of Nanded, now limits her visits to her mother's place to a couple of days.

Wadyavare's village is virtually mosquito-free, with all 133 houses equipped with the magic pits, but her mother's village hasn't implemented the plan. "I feel my children are safer at their own home," she says.

Scientific studies in the area have also supported the project's claims. Nanded district health officer Balaji Shinde says the transmission rate of mosquito-borne and water borne diseases has decreased by nearly 75%. "We have done several rounds of surveys through the villages, but have not been able to find mosquito breeding sites," he says.
Shoaib Khan is your average joe - he runs an ordinary life, fixing vehicles at his garage at Vartak Nagar in Thane. But on Saturday night he was faced with an extraordinary situation.

A 40-year-old woman had fallen into an unguarded 20-ft deep ditch on a footpath, Policemen, onlookers and firemen had gathered around the punctured footpath but nobody dared to do anything.

Mumbai Mirror

"Here was a lady suffocating inside this deep ditch and no one had even tried to rescue her! I told them I would go down but they told me it's not safe," Khan said.

Brave as his attempt might have been, Khan was a tad late. Jameela Shaikh was dead by the time he hauled her up.

Jameela Shaikh was walking towards her home in Kranti Nagar, holding her niece's hand, around 9 pm on Saturday, when she fell into the ditch on the footpath adjoining the Thane Central Jail, near the Thane-Kalwa bridge.

The Hindu

The ditch, almost 20 feet deep and around 3 feet wide, was loosely packed on the surface. There were no barricades around it or signage to warn pedestrians. The moment Jamila stepped on it, the thin layer of earth gave way and she fell through the hollow cavity.

Her niece, 12-year-old Khatija, was holding her hand at the time, "It happened in a split second. My cousins were walking ahead and my aunt and I were a little behind. Suddenly, she just slipped through the soil and let go of my hand. She screamed for help and I immediately ran towards the nearest shop to alert people for help. Someone gave me their phone to call my family."

Within minutes, a huge crowd had gathered at the spot. Moazzam Khan, Jameela's nephew, said, "We called the fire brigade, which took more than 40 minutes to arrive. They had a ladder with them but they just stood there. Finally, when my friend Shoaib Khan arrived and volunteered to enter the ditch, there was a ray of hope."

The Hindu

When Khan made his way through the onlookers and reached the site, the police stopped him from entering.

"They were yelling at me and not letting me through but no one was doing anything so I forced my way through and crossed the barricades. There I saw a ladder and around 8 firemen just standing there. She was like family to me and I had to save her," he said.

Khan then put on one of the firemen's helmets and asked his friend to hold his hand while he slowly lowered himself into the ditch. However, the earth was so slippery that he too fell through. Through the torchlight of the helmet, he could see his aunt's burkha.

She was lying in the water a few feet away. "I used a stick to push her towards myself. Then I tied safety harnesses provided by the fire brigade to her feet and her waist. The ladder was lowered into the ditch, and we carefully brought her out. I had the sinking feeling that she was already dead," said Khan.

Jameela was rushed to Thane Civil Hospital, where she was pronounced brought dead. She passed away at 10.34 pm, more than one and half hours after she fell into the ditch.

The ditch was dug up due to drainage work being carried out inside the prison premises as well as beyond the wall, on the footpath, which was being done by a contractor. "I do not want to reveal too many details at this point, but we are investigating this case." Asked whether the fire officers' role would also be probed as they too were named in the FIR. All aspects of the case will be looked into, DCP (Zone 1), Sachin Patil said"

Deputy chief fire officer, Thane fire brigade, refuted claims that the firemen hesitated to enter the ditch to save Jameela. "That is not true. We had sent a full team there and our fire fighters were instrumental in bringing the body out. A friend of the woman's family had entered the ditch with us.
David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

In his admission, he has named Pakistan's ISI of direct involvement in the 2008 attack. He made the admission in front of a TADA court in Mumbai from the US through video conferencing.

India Today

Who is Headley?

David Coleman Headley is an American citizen of Pakistani origin. His real name was Daood Sayeed Gilani. After being arrested for drug trafficking in 1988, he agreed to become an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration, in the US. He joined Lashkar-e-Taiba in 2002, and completed their course in 'Jihad'.

Current News

How is he connected to 26/11?

He had visited Mumbai seven times prior to the attacks on November 26, 2008. His visits were aimed at plotting the attack.

Wile in Mumbai, he stayed in both the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi Trident which were targeted by LeT. Headley is currently in a US jail where he is serving 35 years for his role in the Mumbai attacks.

Reuters

What did he tell the TADA court?

Headley said he joined LeT after being inspired by the speeches of its head Hafeez Saeed, and did LeTs work on directions of Saeed.

Dawn

He got the Indian Visa through Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was his schoolmate in a military school in Punjab province. Rana had became a doctor in Pakistan Army.

He was introduced to ISI's Major Iqbal by a fellow LeT operative called Sajid Mir who was his main contact in the terror group. .

First attempt to attack Mumbai was made in September, 2008, but the boat hit rocks in the ocean, and weapons and explosives were lost, but those on board survived. A second attempt was made in October 2008, but even this attack failed. The third attempt was made in November 2008, which was 'successful'.

Reuters

Headley admitted that all details except the place of birth, date of birth, mothers nationality and passport number, were incorrect in his visa application.

Daily Mail

He also told that he recced the vice presidents house in New Delhi, India Gate and the CBI headquarters as potential targets.

Why does his admission matter in 26/11 trial?

Headley's evidence might help the prosecution's bid to nail alleged co-conspirator and handler of the 26/22 terrorists, suspected LeT operative Zabihuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal.

Sify

It will also help in nailing Pakistans lies in connection with the attacks. Pakistan as so far maintained that there was no evidence against Saeed or Lakhvi in the attack.

AFP

Headley's admissions also point the figures directly to the Pakistan Army and the ISI in the attack. Pakistan had always claimed that the attack was carried out by 'non-state actors'.
Follow us on akshay kangana not ifr brand ambassadors parrikar

Visakhapatnam: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday clarified that Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar and Kangana Ranaut "were not brand ambassadors" for the International Fleet Review (IFR).

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of the International Maritime Conference, the minister said no contract was signed with the two actors and they were merely invited to the event.

"Brands ambassadors have to sell a brand. They were not brand ambassadors. They were invited," Parrikar said responding to a question.

"There was no contract with them at the defence ministry level," he added.

Akshay Kumar and Kangana Ranaut participated in the opening ceremony of IFR at INS Sathavahana Stadium on Friday, leading to their description as the brand ambassadors of the event in some media reportage.

About 50 navies from across the world are participating in the IFR, the second of its kind and the largest military exercise by India.

Latest Bollywood News
Follow us on hitler indian emergency proof that democracy requires constant vigil kamal haasan

Boston: Recalling that the rise of Hitler in Germany and the imposition of Emergency in India came through normal democratic process, actor Kamal Haasan said "constant vigil" is required to safeguard freedom of speech in a democracy.

"Democracy is often touted as the only bastion of freedom of speech. It is a work in progress. Constant vigil is necessary to safeguard it," Haasan said at the annual India Conference of Harvard University on Saturday evening.

"It is only through the offices of democracy that Adolf Hitler rose to power. In the Indian political history, Emergency was promulgated and voices were silenced," he reminded.

In his keynote address, the "Vishwaroopam" star, who is a part of the reform committee that is going to recommend changes in the functioning of Central Board of Film Certification in India, said freedom of speech should not be taken for granted.

"I have taken the opportunity to put on record here and in India we can't take freedom of speech for granted and complacently think that democracy automatically means freedom of speech," Haasan said.

He, however, pointed out that he is not criticising the democracy of India and, in fact, is proud of it and wants the country to set an example for the whole world.

"Not only India, but the world is in transition. The world is going to face new challenges, find new opportunities. We want India not to be complacent, but set world standards," he added.

Haasan said "religion in politics" is not healthy.

"What Nehruji spoke of once of unity in diversity, now we are trying to lose it very fast. In a world of open source, protectionism cannot work like medieval times.

"Those evangelising democracy nowadays want us to believe that it is the only hope for freedom of speech. I, as an artist, believe that freedom of speech is separate from the ruling political state."

Latest Bollywood News
Follow us on not just deepika ranveer singh has new love interest

Mumbai: Actor Ranveer Singh loves the Canadian city of Toronto for his experience at the IIFA Awards in his first year in the industry and also because "big films" such as Deepika Padukone's "XXX" are being shot there.

"Toronto was the most memorable experience, my first IIFA, one of my first debut awards (For 'Band Baaja Baaraat'). And one of my first live performances in front of so many people, I think there were about 50,000 people that night.

"To see the kind of love that diaspora has for our films and there's just an outpouring, and it can be very overwhelming," said Ranveer at an event to announce the MOU between the Maharashtra Film Stage and Cultural Development Corporation and the city of Toronto to collaborate in the creative screen industries.

"I'm a very proud member of the Hindi film fraternity, and I would love for one of my films to open at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival)... I'm working on it," he said.

"We're all lovers of films and I'm really happy that this association is happening, fostering positive growth for both and everybody all around. There are so many Indian people in Toronto and Hindi films are their one big cultural connect. This is pretty amazing," said Ranveer.

His "Bajirao Mastani" co-star Deepika Padukone is currently shooting with Vin Diesel in the next part of the successful franchise "XXX".

The event also marks a collaboration between the TIFF and the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI).

Ranveer said: "I'm a very proud Mumbaikar. I've always believed that a city like this with the heart and the home of the most prolific film industry in the world, should have a rich film festival and we're working on it. And we're growing by leaps and bounds and at an unprecedented rate. "

He also praised director Kiran Rao and film critic Anupama Chopra for their work on the MAMI film festival.

Latest Bollywood News
Follow us on watch deepika s heart warming speech that left everyone in tears

New Delhi: Deepika Padukone is surely at the peak of her career. The actress had three back-to-back hits in the year 2015 and has kicked off 2016 with her Hollywood debut opposite Vin Diesel.

The lady won the award for the Best Actress for Piku' at the recently held Filmfare Awards.

Upon receiving the award, Deepika delivered a heart-warming speech that moved everyone to tears. She read out an emotional letter written by her father Prakash Padukone to Deepika and her little sister Anisha.

What made the award and the speech more relatable is the fact that the movie Piku' was based on a daughter-father relationship played by Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan respectively.

DP, holding the black trophy, was already in tears, and by the time she finished the speech, the audience too was in awe of the adorable relationship she shares with her father.

Ranveer Singh, who won the Filmfare Best Actor Award for Bajirao Mastani, also supported her lady love by giving her a standing ovation.

Watch the video here:

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Follow us on i did let s work on directions of hafiz saeed david headley

Mumbai: Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist David Coleman Headley, who is now an approver in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, started his deposition before a Special TADA Court via videoconferencing from a US jail.

Two attempts were made to atttack Mumbai Prior to before 26/11 attack that killed 166 people, Headley revealed.

Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam is leading the prosecution case while well-known criminal lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani is representing Headley before Special TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap at the five-hour proceedings.

David Headley's deposition in Mumbai court will continue at 7am tomorrow.

We bring to you the major revealtions made by David Headley

* When asked for the reason to meet smugglers, Headley said that they wanted to send some weapons to India to fight for Kashmir

* Headley also said that he was arrested in Peshawar (Pak) in 2002-03 because he went to meet drug smugglers

* Jihad' is to fight against enemies of Islam, said David Headley on being asked what is 'Jihad' according to him, by Ujjwal Nikam

* I intended to go to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops, but they (Lakhvi) didn't send me

* During these courses they also taught us that India is enemy of Islam

* I visited 5-6 militant training camps in Pak. I attended Daura-e-Suffa,Daura-e-Amma,Daura-e-Khasa,Daura-e-Ribat leadership courses

* Headley identifies Hafiz Saeed as head of LeT in Pakistan

* During these leadership courses I met Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhavi & Hafiz Saeed sahab. They used to give religious jihad' speeches

* Headley said that he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in America after joining LeT- Ujjawal Nikam

* Headley said that he did LeT's work on directions of Hafiz Saeed

* Dr. Tahawwur Hussain Rana was my schoolmate for 5 years. After school, Rana became a doctor in Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi

* Dr. Tahawwur Hussain Rana helped me to get Indian visa. I met him in a military school in Punjab province

* Sajid Mir & Major Iqbal were happy to see my Indian visa.Sajid Mir was guiding me on getting visas

* Major Ali introduced me to Major Iqbal of Pakistan ISI

* Sajid Mir (LeT Operative) was using the email ID chalchalo@yahoo.com to communicate

* Major Ali thought that I will be beneficial for gathering intelligence from India

* During interrogation I gave information to Major Ali that I'm holding a business office in India

* During my arrest, Major Ali came to interrogate me and I was having some Indian literature in my possessio

* I and retired major Abdur Rehman Pasha were arrested in Landi Kotal near Pak-Afghan border because I looked like a foreigner

* 2 attempts were made to attack Mumbai prior to 26/11, 1st attempt was made in Sept 2008 but boat hit rocks in the ocean, weapons &explosives lost but those on board survived. 2nd attempt to attack Mumbai made in October 2008, those involved in 1st attempt were involved in this as well, but attack failed.3rd and final attack on Mumbai was successful (26/11).

* All details except place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality & passport number,were incorrect in my visa application

* After 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks I visited India on 7th March 2009 from Lahore to Delhi

* My 7 visits to India were directly from Pakistan and 1 from UA

* After Headley changed his name, within few weeks he visited Pakistan. Sajid Mir specified object of his intention before his first visit to India.

* Sajid Mir asked Headley to take general video of Mumbai city.

* After receiving new passport Headley visited India eight times, out of 8 times he visited Mumbai 7 times. Headley's seven visits to India were directly from Pakistan and one from UAE.

* Local Indian boys were part of the LeT's Karachi set-up which was created to launch operations into India by using militants of Indian origin.

* All details except place of birth, date of birth, mother's nationality and passport number were incorrect in Headley's visa application.

Headly is currently in the custody of United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was sentenced to jail for 35 years in prison in January, 2013 for his role in Mumbai attacks.

Latest India News
Follow us on cbi facing staff crunch at crucial positions

New Delhi: More than one-third crucial posts of investigating and supervisory officers are lying vacant in CBI, which is burdened with over a thousand cases, including major scams related to chit funds, coal block allocation and non-performing assets in banks.

According to the latest data, 45 positions of Superintendents of Police (SP) who are mostly investigating officers, out of a sanctioned strength of 119, are vacant in the premier probe agency.

Similarly, at the supervisory DIG level, there are 17 vacancies as against the sanctioned strength of 43.

At the Additional SP level, one-third positions, or 30 out of a sanctioned strength of 91, are vacant.

Besides, the agency is facing shortage of public prosecutors to argue its cases before special courts, with only 73 lawyers as against a sanctioned strength of 210.

The total shortage of legal officers at various levels is around 46 per cent with only 197 such officers available to the agency as against the sanctioned strength of 370.

According to government data, around 1,126 cases were in different stages of investigation by CBI till last year.

The agency received 908 cases from state governments and courts in the past three years. It had registered 978 cases till November 30, 2015.

Latest India News
Follow us on david headley wanted to fight against indian army in kashmir

Mumbai: Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headley wanted to fight actively in Kashmir against the Indian Army but LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi stopped him, saying something more adventurous was in store for him.

Giving details about the deposition of Headley which began at 7 a.m, Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters here that the terrorist said he wanted to fight against the army deployed in Kashmir.

I am absolutely satisfied with what Headley had revealed in today's deposition. Headley has given certain sensational revelations during his deposition. He confirmed that he met Hafiz Saeed and he identified his picture as well, he said.

Nikam said Headley told the court that he joined LeT in 2002 and completed training course where learned to operate AK47, bomb explosion and execute reccee.

He also joined a leadership course where both Sayeed and Lakhvi used to come and give speeches against India. He completed his education from Hasan Abdal Cadet College in Pakistan but left for America at the age of 17, he said.

Headley's lawyer's Mahesh Jethmalini said he has confessed that he had joined LeT after being influenced by Hafiz Saeed.

He also told the court that there were two unsuccessful attempts to carry out terror attacks before the 26/11 attacks.

But he has not explained the role of LeT in the attack. As a prosecutor, I am here to cooperate with the prosecution and help advance the case further and whatever be the findings of this deposition will be significant, he said.

Leading lawyer Majeed Memon said Headley's deposition will help India unravel a lot of hidden facts behind the 26/11 attack and will make Pakistan talk about a lot of things which they have been denying so far.

Latest India News
Follow us on pathankot attack pakistan rules out role of jem chief masood azhar

New Delhi: The Pakistani team tasked to investigate the role of outlawed terror outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant group in last month's Pathankot attack has found no substantive evidence suggesting involvement of its chief Maulana Masood Azhar in the incident, a conclusion that may further widen the chasm between New Delhi and Islamabad.

According to Pakistan's The Express Tribune', the team did not find substantive evidence to suggest Maulana Masood Azhar, the head of the outlawed Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant group, who ordered or masterminded the assault.

The daily quotes its sources saying that the SIT informed the civil and military leadership in a last week meeting that the Indian evidence was insufficient to implicate Maulana Azhar.

Six gunmen attacked an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 2, leading to a three-day-long standoff that killed seven soldiers.

The report also mentioned that the team did not rule out involvement of some low cadre members of the JeM, saying that too could be established only if New Delhi shared the information they have asked for.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has promised action against the culprits of the Pathankot air base attack and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after India shared the leads' with Pakistan.

Subsequently, a crackdown was launched in Punjab against the JeM, its headquarters was sealed and dozens of activists detained. The SIT has since been working on the Indian leads'. It is also expected to visit India to study the evidence the Indians have.

The evidence of JeM's alleged involvement was also shared by India with the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Japan. And New Delhi had somehow managed to get an assurance from these countries that Islamabad would take action against the JeM leadership.

India has suspended talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries till it sees action by Pakistan against those responsible for the Pathankot attack. Last week, India said "no mutually convenient date" had been found for the dialogue, indicating it remains dissatisfied with Pakistan's response so far.

Latest India News
Follow us on zika vaccine claim hope or hype

Bengaluru: An Indian biotech company's "breakthrough" claim that it has developed two "candidate vaccines" against the Zika virus - while being hailed as a 'made in India' product - has alarmed some virologists.

Krishna Ella, managing director of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, announced last week that his company is probably the first in the world to file a "global patent" for its vaccines against the virus that is suspected to cause birth defects and neurological problems.

Zika is terrorizing Brazil and other countries in South America.

The company said it started work on the vaccines a year ago using "live" Zika virus. However, despite repeated requests from IANS, neither Ella nor the company's spokesperson revealed from where or when the company got this virus.

"It is a serious question," said Kalyan Banerjee, a renowned virologist and former director of the National Institute of Virology in Pune, a premier laboratory under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

"Normally one should not import any exotic virus into the country under any pretext," Banerjee told IANS in an email. "Only the government of India's biotechnology board or a similar body is authorized to give permission to import after ascertaining all aspects of the virus."

"It is amazing how the said laboratory obtained the live virus, particularly when there is no record of isolation of Zika virus from the Indian subcontinent," Banerjee said.

The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes Aegypti species of mosquitoes that are abundant in India. The virus's potential threat to newborns forced the World Health Organization on February 1 to declare a global emergency.

"Regarding the company getting the virus and making a vaccine, it needs to be carefully investigated," Banerjee said, pointing out that "loopholes in the import of pathogenic agents may lead to national disaster".

He said strict vigilance was one main reason why the yellow fever virus - which is also spread by Aedes mosquitoes and causes a fatal disease - never came to India.

Durga Rao, another leading virologist at the Indian Institute of Science here, agrees.

A virus can be imported from any source with approval from ICMR or the department of biotechnology, "but unauthorized introduction of a virus which is not reported yet in India by anyone could be a serious regulatory problem as it can get into the environment easily under our unsupervised facilities", Rao said in an email.

However, inquiries reveal that the vaccine maker failed to follow the standard procedure for importing the live Zika virus.

"We did not import the virus and Bharat (Biotech) got it themselves," ICMR director general Soumya Swaminathan told IANS in an email to a query if the company sought its permission to import.

"There are safety concerns with Zika virus vaccine -- so all steps in regulatory approval need to be followed," she said.

When asked if the DBT gave the permission, its secretary K. Vijayraghavan - instead of an emphatic yes or no - said that the question "is best addressed to the industry concerned".

In an email, he said the DBT is committed to work with ICMR and the health Ministry to ensure preparedness.

Apart from its reluctance to reveal the source of the virus used to develop the vaccines, the company has declined to give details about the global patent it claims to have filed in July 2015.

Although, a search of the Indian Patent Office website for Bharat Biotech's patent applications, or the company's own website, does not show any specific filing record.

One patent expert told IANS that "it is possible that the patent office hasn't yet published this patent application".

Some scientists are impressed - and at the same time intrigued - by the Indian company's foresight in trying to develop a vaccine for a disease that was not yet there.

According to a report in the journal Science, "less than a year ago, Zika seemed too trivial for anyone to bother developing countermeasures", and Brazil reported its first case (microcephaly) of Zika virus only in May 2015.

"But Bharat Biotech says it started work on the vaccine as early as in 2014 and filed for patents for two vaccines in July 2015 itself," said one medical researcher who did not want to be named. "This defies credibility."

Nonetheless, Bharat Biotech has dismissed this argument saying the company was already developing vaccines for chikungunya and dengue and it was natural to work also on a vaccine for Zika virus that is spread by the same species of mosquito.

Although, the Indian company has an early start in vaccine development, bringing the vaccine to the market will be years away, experts say.

There is no monkey model yet to enable comparisons of candidate vaccines and human trials have to be done in endemic countries like Brazil, not in India.

Latest India News
Follow us on john kerry reaffirms us security commitment to south korea japan

Washington: US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday reaffirmed the "ironclad" US commitment to the security and defence of Japan and South Korea, following the satellite launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Kerry spoke separately via phone with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida regarding the launch by the DPRK using ballistic missile technology, Xinhua quoted State Department spokesman John Kirby as saying.

The earth observation satellite blasted off at 9:00 a.m. local time on Sunday from the Sohae Space Centre in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, and later entered the target orbit, the Korean Central Television (KCTV) reported.

Kerry condemned the launch as a violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions that threatened international peace and security, and he emphasised the importance of a united international response to DPRK's provocations, including through a strong UN Security Council Resolution.

He also noted the vital importance of continued close communication and cooperation among the US, Japan, and South Korea in addressing the threats posed by the DPRK.

Latest World News
Follow us on madhesis call off 5 month long strike end indo nepal border blockade

Kathmandu: Madhesis of Nepal, who were on a strike for nearly five-months, called it off today following the hardships faced by their country due to the blockade at the Indo-Nepal border. The prolonged protest against a new Constitution had resulted in severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other supplies for the people of Nepal.

A meeting was held between the United Democratic Madhesi Front leaders after which an official statement confirming the end of the strike was issued.

"Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now," said the statement.

"The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed," the statement added. The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister K P Oli's trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier.

The UDMF has announced only three protest programmes including a torch rally, a lathi rally and a people's vote collection campaign in district headquarters.

Nepal's Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.

The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and have launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.

The agitation by Madhesis in Terai region bordering India paralysed services in Nepal and triggered huge shortage of essential supplies, including fuel and medicines, as the protesters blocked all border trade points between the two countries.

Except the Raxaul-Birgunj border point, trade has resumed at all other posts. The Raxaul-Birgunj point was opened briefly a couple of days ago, but it was closed again. The blockade led to strain in the bilateral ties, with Kathmandu accusing New Delhi of imposing an "unofficial blockade".

However, India maintains that it has imposed no such blockade, and the restrictions are a result of security concerns as Madhesis are protesting the new Constitution in the Terai region of Nepal bordering India.

The UDMF leaders also noted that the comments made by Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato, a key leader of the agitating alliance, have dealt a blow to the Madhes agitation.

"As the latest activities and comments of Sadbhawana Party Chairman Mahato have damaged the Madhes agitation, the Madhesi Morcha directs him not to be involved in such activities in the coming days," the statement said.

(With PTI inputs)

Latest World News
Follow us on ready to supply ground troops to help anti isis says uae

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said that it was ready to supply ground troops to help support and train US-led coalition fighting against Islamic State in Syria.

"I think that this has been our position throughout ... that a real campaign against Daesh has to include ground elements," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said.

Saudi Arabia, one of several Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab states, including the UAE, who are opposed to Islamic State, has last week said that it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the international coalition decides.

"We are not talking about a thousand troops but we are talking about troops on the ground that will lead the way, that will train, that will support ... And I think our position remains the same and we will have to see how this progresses," the Minister said.

He added that the UAE had been frustrated at the slow pace of the international efforts against Islamic State although there has been some progress in Iraq recently, of confronting Daesh.

Following Saudi Arabia's announcement, Syria's Foreign Minister said that Damascus would resist any ground incursion into its territory and send the aggressors home "in coffins".

Sunni heavyweight Saudi Arabia and most other Gulf states are opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Russian and Syrian government forces have intensified an assault on rebel-held areas around the Syrian city of Aleppo, prompting tens of thousands of refugees to flee to the Turkish border.

Latest World News
Follow us on all 39 indian hostages in iraq alive says sushma swaraj

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday said that 39 Indians taken hostage by Islamic State more than one-and-a-half-years ago from Mosul in Iraq were alive.

The Minister said that during her recent visit to Bahrain, she got direct information that all 39 Indians were alive and that the entire Arab World has promised India that they will try to get the 39 free soon.

"Up until now, we were getting info indirectly but when I visited Bahrain I received information directly," she said.

Swaraj, who met the family members of these 39 people in Delhi on Sunday, said that her Ministry is in constant touch with all the governments in the region on the issue.

"The Arab side expressed full solidarity with India in all efforts for their early release from captivity," she said.

Swaraj, who had sought a meeting with the families which is the ninth since the abduction of these Indians in June 2014, also assured them that the government was 'fully and continuously engaged' and 'every possible effort' was being made to ensure their release.

The Union Minister also said that she had spoken to her counterparts in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), as well as other friendly countries in the region for their assistance in the safe release of Indians in captivity.

According to official sources, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had informed Swaraj that the 'Indians are alive and made to work' in war-torn Iraq as per his government's intelligence information. Swaraj had travelled to Palestine and Israel on January 17 and 18.

The Minister also referred to her visit to Bahrain on January 23 for the first India-Arab League Cooperation Forum and said during the meeting, a declaration was adopted which said, "The two sides expressed concern at the kidnapping of 39 Indian workers in Mosul in Iraq in June 2014 and 3 Indian workers in Sirte in Libya in June 2015."

These 39 Indians were captured by the terror group ISIS in Mosul over one and a half years back in June 2014 from a construction site.
Follow us on assam assembly polls agp may consider ties with bjp if proposal comes

New Delhi: The AGP is unlikely to have any alliance with the Congress in the coming Assam assembly elections but may consider any "concrete" proposal of the BJP in this regard, senior party leader and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said today.

"In principle, we can't have an alliance with Congress.The AGP was formed on an anti-Congress plank. So, it is not possible to have an alliance with Congress," he told PTI.

63-year-old Mahanta said the AGP has been in talks with a few smaller regional parties for an alliance but has had no discussion with BJP so far.

"There has been no discussion with BJP. If they approach us with a concrete proposal, we may discuss it," he said. Mahanta, who became Assam's Chief Minister for the first time at an age of 32 in 1985 after leading a six-year-old agitation against illegal migration from Bangladesh as president of All Assam Students Union, said a committee has been set up by AGP to take a decision on joining hands with any other political party.

Mahanta was Assam's Chief Minister between 1985 and 1990 and again from 1996 to 2001.

Interestingly, Mahanta had met senior BJP leader L K Advani in New Delhi on Friday.

"I know Advani ji for a long time. His wife was unwell and so I had visited him. It was a courtesy visit," he said. BJP and AGP had an alliance in 2009 in which the saffron party bagged four and AGP won just one Lok Sabha seat.

The two parties considered an alliance ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but the regional party had backed off, apparently with the assumption that such an understanding would not be beneficial for AGP.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP won seven of the state's 14 seats and AGP drew a blank. BJP won in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Nagaon, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Mongoldoi and Guwahati, all considered to be once AGP strongholds.

Sources said AGP, led by its president Atul Bora, had few rounds of discussions with state BJP leadership on the issue of alliance and asked for at least 40 Assembly seats for AGP out of the total 126 constituencies.

However, the BJP is willing to give AGP lesser number of seats as the national party feels that the regional outfit is now on a much weaker wicket.

Sources said a few senior leaders -- Phanibhushan Choudhury, Pradip Hazarika and Durga Dasboro -- reportedly had met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and discussed with him the possibility of AGP-Congress alliance.

Election to 126-member Assam Assembly is expected to be held in April-May.
Follow us on azam khan claims pm met dawood ibrahim in pakistan bjp snubs charge

Ghazipur: Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim at the residence of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Lahore in December last year.

"Prime Minister visited Pakistan by breaking international laws. He also met Dawood there. Let him (Modi) deny. I will give evidence. Who all did he meet behind closed doors?" Khan said.

"If the Prime Minister asks, I can show photographs as proof," Khan added.

The senior leader of the state's ruling Samajwadi Party also claimed that Sharif sent seekh kabab for Modi.

"Our Prime Minister sends pashmina shawl and Malihabadi mangoes for the Pakistani Prime Minister and in return, seekh kabab comes here from Pakistan. I have proof of this also...," he said.

While BJP attacked him, the Congress too said not to pay heed to Khan's remark.

BJP's Sudhanshu Mittal asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to "immediately" dismiss the minister.

"If Akhilesh means business, he should immediately dismiss him for disturbing communal harmony and brining shame to the nation. I am shocked," he said.

Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said Khan has been in public life for a long time and he should not have made the statement without substantiating it.

"We may have differences with a lot of personalities but that does not mean we believe in whatever is said," he said adding that Khan is the same person who asked UP policemen to trace his buffalo.

With Agency Inputs
Follow us on congress intolerant towards mandate of people venkaiah naidu

Hyderabad: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today accused the Congress of being "intolerant" towards mandate of people and indulging in excuses to block the bills and the Parliament proceedings.

"... there is no excuse at all...Congress should stop making excuses and blocking the bills. Obstruction and blocking of the bills is blocking progress of the country. And it is Congress which is making excuses saying we are being not consulted," the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.

"We never ignore anybody, we are consulting all parties. Umpteen number of times, Congress has been spoken to. Even Prime Minister has invited Congress president and even I have been to the house of Congress President twice...there is no question of ignoring," Venkaiah said.

"What we inherited from Congress party is fiscal deficit, revenue deficit, trade deficit, current account deficit and above all trust deficit. Now those deficits are over and India is moving forward and they should recognise that and should not find excuses to block the bills and block the Parliament," he said.

The senior BJP leader accused the Congress of being "intolerant" to people's mandate and asked the party to realise it and support the government.

"They (Congress) should function democratically and they should understand the spirit of democracy and respect mandate of people. They are intolerant towards the mandate of the people. Mandate is for Modi, mandate is for development and mandate is for good governance," he said.

Let the Congress also realise this and support the government, instead of bringing lame excuses, Venkaiah said. He sought to know where are the excuses (from the government side). Prime Minister Narendra Modi is moving ahead and now international recognition and respect has come to India, he stressed.

Venkaiah said worldwide economy has slowed down, but India is moving forward. India is the most favourite destination, according to World Bank, ADB, IMF, World Economic Forum and everybody is saying with one voice.

"(There is) International slow down, China is going negative and India is moving forward...where is the question of finding excuses?" the Union minister asked.

He was reacting to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's recent comments that the PM should stop making excuses and start running the country.

Social security measures are being taken up, he said, adding that 20 crore bank accounts were opened and PM crop insurance scheme has been launched.

On the forthcoming Budget session, he said, "In the upcoming Parliament session my priority is GST bill, Real Estate Development bill, Bankruptcy bill. There are few more bills. I only hope the Opposition parties also join hands together to pass these progressive bills which will help the country."

The GST in fact will increase the GDP by 1.5 to 2 per cent. That being the case, I don't think why anybody should oppose the bill, except for political reasons, he said.

"Obstructing the bill is obstructing the progress and growth of the country and affecting the poor and common people. I hope the political parties understand this and come forward to support," he added.
Follow us on government will decide on ram temple issue after sc verdict kalraj mishra

Allahabad: Union minister Kalraj Mishra has said the government will take a call on construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya after the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict on the appeal against the Allahabad High Court judgement on the title suit.

We must wait till the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict. Thereafter, depending upon the situation that emerges, the Centre will take a call on the issue, Mishra told reporters.

There has been no change in BJP's stand that Ram temple should be constructed at Ayodhya though we would proceed in a manner that is amenable to all, he said.

The Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was replying to queries about a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) meeting last week during which the Sangh Parivar outfit had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence over the Ram Temple issue.

He asked Modi to pay a visit to Ayodhya to underscore his commitment to the cause.

Modi is visiting places across the country and there is no reason why he will not go to Ayodhya. We respect the sentiments of our religious leaders, but they should keep in mind that the Prime Minister has to take his own decisions. They can rest assured that Modi will definitely go to Ayodhya at a time that he deems appropriate and also offer his prayers to Ram Lalla, Mishra said.

Mishra said our holy men should remember that while BJP is not averse to the option of facilitating the construction of temple by an Act of Parliament, this would require support of two-thirds of the members of the House.

We must, therefore, concentrate on building a consensus, he said.

The BJP leader also rubbished Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan's allegation that Modi had met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim during his recent visit to Pakistan.

By such utterances, the senior Samajwadi Party leader is lowering the credibility of his government in the state which is already facing grave resentment due to its absolute failure in maintaining law and order, he said.
Follow us on don t harass innocent muslims shahi imam tells pm modi

New Delhi: Prominent Muslim leader Syed Ahmed Bukhari met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him that innocent Muslims must not be targeted in the name of fighting ISIS.

Shahi Imam during his half hour meeting with PM at Prime Minister's residence said, security agencies of our country should be more transparent while confining terror suspects.

I urged the prime minister that while detaining people for terrorist activities or suspected links with the Islamic State, special care must be taken to ensure that the lives of innocent Muslim youth and their families are not ruined, Bukhari told IANS.

He said a large number of Muslim youths were languishing in jails on terrorism charges.

Bukhari also took up the issue of the minority character of the Aligarh Muslim University and the Jamia Millia Islamia University.

He told Modi that the government's stand in the Supreme Court on their minority character had created grave concern among Muslims.

We urged the prime minister that the government should review its stand.

The prime minister has promised to consider the issues, and said his government won't take any step that may put communal harmony at stake, Bukhari said.

(With inputs from IANS)
Follow us on pm modi regrets project delays under congress rule

Paradip (Odisha): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Indian Oil Corp's Rs 34,555 crore refinery here. The development has enabled IOC topple Reliance Industries as the country's largest oil refinery.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, PM Modi expressed his regret over the delay in execution of different projects under Congress rule.

Modi also took a dig at the Congress after inaugurating the Rs.34,555-crore refinery project of 15 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity, saying: Nowadays, whenever I go to inaugurate any project, the friends in Congress party say it was started during our time.

Projects are marred by delays due to legal and tender processes and local agitations, resulting in cost overruns to the country. Initiatives have to be futuristic and completed before the designated time limit so that the country does not sustain cost overruns due to delays, the Prime Minister said.

He said a new work culture is being developed to materialise the projects within a fixed time frame that would benefit the country.

Describing Paradip refinery as Odisha's Vikas Deep', Modi said it will fulfil the aspirations of the state's bright youngsters. He said it will also take gas cylinders to the homes of the poor across the country.

Modi said the Paradip refinery has set a record of sorts when it came to Make in India' initiativethe refinery will become a source of jobs for lakhs of poor since several downstream industries will come up after its commissioning.

The PM said the central government had distributed about Rs.1 lakh crore in recent months under the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) scheme to make the youth self-employed.

MUDRA Yojana has given an opportunity to India's youth to stand on their own feet and become job-creators, not job-seekers. We don't want the youth to be job-seekers; they should be job-creators, said the prime minister.

He said effort was on to decrease oil imports and make India self-reliant in petroleum sector.

I have asked the Petroleum ministry to decrease oil imports by 10 per cent by 2022, when India will celebrate 75 years of Independence. The ministry will try hard to be self-reliant in oil, Modi said.

He said the government was also emphasising on solar energy so that it does not depend on other countries for its energy needs. The Indian Oil Corp's refinery was a step towards that goal, he added.

Modi also congratulated the scientists for developing indigenous technology for the refinery project.

Paradip refinery is made in India, for India and by Indians, using indigenous technology and this has amazed the world, the prime minister said.

The refinery at Paradip would produce 78 crore kg liquefied petroleum gas, 500 crore kg petrol, 680 crore kg disel and 120 lakh quintal petroleum coke.

The project will primarily produce BS-IV fuels and serve the eastern and south-eastern markets, apart from exports.

The refinery is the largest on the country's eastern coast, and is equipped with the latest technology, including IOCL's own patented IndMax technology for better and higher output of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Speaking on the occasion, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged Modi to ask the Indian Oil Corp. to fulfil its commitment in creating jobs for the region's people.

He also urged the prime minister to grant special category status to Odisha for its further development.

(With IANS inputs)
An official says at least three Afghan soldiers have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on an army minibus near their base in northern Balkh province.

Munir Ahmad Farhad, spokesman for the governor in Afghanistans Balkh province, says the suicide bomber was on foot and targeted the army vehicle Monday morning the Dahdadi district.

He says 18 other military personnel were wounded in the attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack in an email sent to media.

In eastern province of Nangarhar, a presidential palace guard was killed by unknown gunmen, said Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Khogyani added that the man was shot inside his house and his mother was also wounded in the attack.

An investigation is underway by police to find out who is behind this attack, Khogyani said.

Taliban forces have increased their attacks recently across the country against Afghan security forces.

Last week, a Taliban suicide bomber struck a police base in central Kabul Monday, killing 20 Afghan police officers and injuring at least 32 others, according to a statement from the international military coalition in Afghanistan.

The attack came amid the Taliban's unprecedented winter offensive despite the renewed push to restart formal peace talks.

In recent months the Taliban briefly captured the northern city of Kunduz, the first urban center to fall to the armed group, and have seized territory in the opium-growing southern province of Helmand. Observers say the intensifying insurgency highlights a push by the group to seize more territory in an attempt to wrangle greater concessions during talks.

Pakistan  the Taliban's historic backers  hosted a milestone first round of talks directly with the Taliban in July.

But the negotiations stalled when the insurgents belatedly confirmed the death of longtime leader Mullah Omar, sparking infighting within the group.

The first and second round of the four-country talks were held last month in Islamabad and Kabul respectively.

Al Jazeera with The Associated Press
Follow us on pm modi to inaugurate refinery science institute in odisha today

Bubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Odisha, will inaugurate the National Institute of Science Education and Research and Indian Oil Refinery today.

"In Odisha, I will dedicate the National Institute of Science Education and Research and Indian Oil Refinery, Paradip to the nation," PM Modi had tweeted.

PM Modi stayed at the Raj Bhavan overnight and will inaugurate the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Jatni on the outskirts of the state capital at 9 am today.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to interact with students and faculty members of the NISER and will leave for Puri to pay his obeisance to Lord Jagannath at around 11am.

"Will offer prayers at the Jagannath Temple in Puri during my Odisha visit on the 7th," PM Modi had tweeted.

Later, the Prime Minister will leave for Paradip to inaugurate IOCL's refinery project at around 1 pm and will address a public meeting there.

Director General of Police KB Singh reviewed security arrangements at Paradip, while other senior officers are camping at Puri and NISER to ensure full security for the Prime Minister.

"All arrangements are made as per the rule book," Singh said, adding about one lakh people are expected at Paradip.

For the PM's visit, the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration has decided to keep the temple doors closed for an hour.

The Archaeological Survey of India, which is repairing the temple complex, will suspend the work to facilitate entry of PM Modi into the sanctum sanctorum.

The Special Protection Group (SPG) also reviewed the security arrangements at Paradip, Puri and NISER ahead of PM Modi's visit.
Follow us on prove azam khan s charge or apologise bjp to uttar pradesh cm akhilesh yadav

New Delhi: Hitting out at SP leader Azam Khan for his "PM met Dawood" claim, BJP today asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to either prove his cabinet colleague's charges or apologise for the "baseless remark".

BJP also targeted Azam Khan over the Muzaffarnagar riots and slammed him for "touching new low in his practice of vote bank politics", saying his remarks are a "desperate attempt to hide the failures of Akhilesh government and divide people".

"Azam Khan should either prove his charges or Akhilesh Yadav should apologise for levelling such malicious and baseless charges against the PM," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

"Mufazzarnagar riots are Azam Khan's creation. It was under his pressure that UP police failed to act against molesters in Muzaffarnagar. This inaction sowed the seeds of riots which took a communal colour."

"All probes have highlighted Azam Khan's role in Muzaffarnagar riots.... His latest remarks make up yet another attempt to divide the society for appeasement and vote bank politics, and to cover up for Akhilesh government's governance failures in UP," Sharma said.

Training the guns on Akhilesh Yadav, the BJP leader said despite his young age and engineering education, the UP Chief Minister has been "unable to break free from the appeasement brand of his father Mulayam Singh and fundamentalist Azam Khan".

"Akhilesh Yadav's performance as UP Chief Minister has been disappointing. His image is in tatters.

"His cabinet colleague's false charges against the PM are a means of deflecting attention from SP's failings, and attempts to polarise people as UP elections draw closer, " Sharma said.

BJP alleged that all UP leaders be it Mayawati, Mulayam Singh or those from Congress have ruined the state and are now trying to create an atmosphere of negativity and hurdles in the path of PM Modi.

"UP citizens don't have to access to even basic power, water, health and education facilities. Law and order situation is deteriorating with each passing day.

"The state is being run by Azam Khan which is why its crime graph is rising. Akhilesh Yadav has no control left over the UP administration nor can he rein in Azam Khan, known for his controversial remarks," Sharma said.

Government had yesterday rubbished as "false and baseless" the allegation of Azam Khan, who plumbed new depths to claim that the Prime Minister had met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Lahore at the residence of his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during his Christmas Day visit.
Follow us on soldiers death painful but not withdrawing troops from siachen parrikar

Visakhapatnam: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has ruled out any troop withdrawal from Siachen in the wake of recent avalanche that led to the death of 10 soldiers.

Terming the recent death of soldiers as 'painful', Parrikar said on 'withdrawing troops from the world's highest battlefield could not be a solution'.

This incident is painful to me personally, but the solution that is suggested is not a proper analysis, he said, referring to demands that Indian soldiers be withdrawn from the glacier.

Asked if the proposal to convert Siachen into a 'peace mountain' still exists, the Minister said: The decision (on deploying troops) on Siachen is based on the security of the nation.

He said the loss of human lives on the Siachen had come down in recent years due to improved facilities.

We have lost thousands of soldiers to get control (of the glacier). The loss of life is less in the last few years, he told reporters on the sidelines of an International Maritime Conference here.

He said the incident had nothing to do with preparedness. I don't find any loose ends. It's an avalanche. These are unpredictable in nature.

Parrikar said the search operation was on though there was little hope of survival of the soldiers.

The hope of any survival is nil. They are covered in tonnes of ice, he said.

Then prime minister Manmohan Singh suggested in 2005 that the world's highest battlefield be converted into a peace mountain without redrawing the boundaries between India and Pakistan.

India and Pakistan maintain permanent military presence at heights of over 6,000 metres or 20,000 feet. Both have lost many men to extreme cold in the area where temperature can dip to minus 50 degrees Celsius.

The army has meanwhile deployed advanced equipment to search for its men. These include wall penetrating radars.

Ten soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, were buried on Wednesday after an avalanche hit their post located 19,000 feet above the sea level on the southern side of the glacier.

With IANS Inputs
Follow us on to clear air on national herald issue congress posts faqs on website

New Delhi: Congress has come out with a set of 'Frequently Asked Questions' to present its side of the story regarding the National Herald issue as the party said that the Gandhis have not benefited financially from Young Indian Ltd.

The party also dismissed as "absolutely false" the claim that Young Indian (YI) Ltd, the company formed in the wake of financial troubles concerning Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), was a "real estate company".

Congress also underlined that there is no restriction in law on political parties giving loans and the Election Commission had issued a clear order in this regard in November, 2012.

"BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had sought derecognition of Congress on this ground but his complaint was dismissed by a full bench order of the Election Commission" at that time, AICC said.

ALSO READ: National Herald case: Sonia, Rahul Gandhi & two others move SC

On whether Sonia or Rahul Gandhi benefited financially from Young Indian, it said, "No. As directors or shareholders of Young Indian, a non-profit, Section 25 company, they are prohibited by law from drawing (and have not drawn) any financial benefits from the company." It also denied that any assets were transferred from AJL to YI.

"All the assets and the income of AJL remain with the company. Not a single paisa has gone to YI, YI Directors or YI Shareholders," it said in the FAQs on its website under the heading, 'National Herald'.

It rejected as "false" the claim that YI was created to usurp the property owned by AJL.

"On the contrary, Young Indian, being a non-profit Section 25 company, as the major shareholder AJL, in fact, enhances the safeguards on the properties of the AJL," it said.

On the claim by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley that YI is a real estate company, it said the statement was "absolutely false".

"Absolutely false. YI does not own a single real estate asset or immoveable property. AJL continues to own all its assets. The allegation is, therefore, completely baseless," it said.

Congress also denied claims that YI now owns the property of AJL.

"No, both Young India and Associated Journals Ltd are separate entities. All assets and properties of AJL continue to remain with AJL. This allegation is akin to falsely alleging that a shareholder in Indian Hotels Ltd. Has rights on hotel properties of the Taj Group and owns a particular hotel or can move into it!" the party said.

On the justification behind Congress giving loans of Rs 90 crore to AJL, the party maintained it has financially supported AJL over several decades through the financial ill- health of the company.

"This reflected the party's commitment to support AJL, the voice of the freedom movement," it said.

No commercial bank was willing to lend a single rupee to AJL due to the negative worth of the company, its "meagre income and its over-leveraged" balance sheet, it said.

According to Swamy's complaint, all who are named in the case were directors of YI, a company that was incorporated in 2010 and took over the "debt" of AJL, the publisher of National Herald.

Sonia and Rahul last week moved the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of the criminal case and summons issued to them and five others on several grounds, including that the complaint by Swamy in the National Herald case was a "political move" aimed to "defame" them.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that Canada will pull out six jets that have been bombing targets in Iraq and Syria, ending a controversial combat role in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Trudeau's Liberals won elections in October, promising to withdraw the jets, but came under pressure from allies who feared the decision could weaken efforts to combat the armed group. Bombing began in April 2015 under the previous, Conservative government.

"We can't do everything  We were guided by our desire to do what we could do best to help in the region and to do it in the right way," Trudeau told a news conference. "The people terrorized by [ISIL] every day don't need our vengeance. They need our help."

Canada will end its bombing missions by Feb. 22 but keep two surveillance planes and refueling aircraft in the region and triple the number of soldiers training Kurdish troops in northern Iraq, to about 200.

Officials in the United States welcomed the increase in troops, which came after sustained diplomatic pressure from major allies to persuade Canada to do as much as possible.

"I'm confident we are going to continue to have discussions with the Canadians about additional steps they can take to further enhance our counter-ISIL efforts," said White House spokesman John Earnest. He said Trudeau spoke with President Barack Obama on Monday. The two leaders will meet in Washington next month.

Canada's decision came as the Syrian army advanced toward the border with Turkey on Monday in an offensive backed by Russia and Iran.

Trudeau said the new mission would be engaged for at least two years and then re-evaluated. The best way to promote long-term stability is to help local people fight to get their territory back, he said.

Canadians' appetite for foreign military missions dropped after 10 years of involvement in Afghanistan, ending in 2011, during which 158 troops were killed. Last March, one Canadian soldier died and three others were injured in a friendly-fire incident in Iraq.

Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan conceded there would still be risks for the trainers. "This is a conflict zone and a very high-threat environment," he said by phone.

Opinion polls show Canadians are sharply divided over the role of the armed forces in the fight against ISIL.

The Conservatives said the announcement was "a shameful step backward" from Canada's military tradition.

Reuters
OK ladies it is time to step up your game and show the brothers that you are not only made to receive the best presents but can give some too. This time you should change the status quo from boxers and singlet to something more special and truth is, it is wouldnt have to break the bank. So for the sake of this years Valentines day, INFORMATION NIGERIA brings you 5 amazing presents you could give to your special someone

Cologne: There are a lot of good brand out there that dont cost too much. So why dont you go to your favourite store this week and buy a good one for your man this Valentine.

The way to a mans heart is through his stomach right? So if the saying is true, then it would do you good to hop into town and buy some food stuffs to make something special for your man this Valentine.

Wristwatch: Most men love watches and you would score very high in his book, if you go all out and buy him a nice wrist watch this February 14th.

It is the era of wearing African attire. With the different styles of Danshiki available everywhere, why dont you buy a good material, take it to any good male tailor you know around and have it sewn for him.

If your man is into playing games such as FIFA or PES, and you can afford it then you should buy him the latest FIFA 16  Truth is, you would be the one begging him to go out sometimes because he would be spending a lot of time indoors.

A nice pair of shoes: Just look closely at what he really like, be it Chukkas, Loafers, sneakers, Birkenstocks etc. Just get him one of those and he (including you) will be happier for it.

So ladies, surprise your Nigerian bae with any of these, this valentine and we are positive he would totally love it!
Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has written to the Federal Government warning against obtaining loan from the World Bank to finance the 2016 budget. According to the Lagos based Lawyer, hapless Nigerian people should not be made to pay for the gross mismanagement of the national economy by the Federal Government and the profligacy of the pampered members of the ruling class through constant borrowing by the government. INFORMATION NIGERIA brings you 7 reasons Mr. Falana advocated in support of his point in his letter to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Friday

 Mr Falana believes that there was no need for president Buhari to obtain $3.5bn loan to finance the budget when the Federal Government could recover about $66.5bn it was being owed.

 He stated that loans taken from the World bank required the endorsement of the International Monetary Fund, which he said, usually imposed stringent conditions on borrowing countries.

 Mr Falana added also that the debt profile of the country had now grown to $64bn after it took much effort in 2005 for the country to exit the London/Paris Club after struggling to repay a loan of $12.4bn.

 Falana reminded the government that there was about $11bn which the Central Bank of Nigeria injected into the banking industry between 2006 and 2008 as bailout to commercial banks, which had yet to be recovered.

 Falana also recalled that the Federal Government had on September 6, 2015 announced that the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was in the process of recovering the sum of $9.6bn in over deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital projects and the legacy OPA/SWAP oil contracts.

 He further made reference to the $750m of the late Gen. Sani Abachas loot, which the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said arrangements had been concluded on it to recover.

 He also recalled that the recent probe by the Senate revealed that the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria had accumulated about $25bn which, according to AMCONs Managing Director, Ahmed Kuru, was owed by big men who fly in private jets, live in big mansions and they have taken money and they are not paying back.

Do you agree with Mr. Falana that Nigeria should not take the loan???
The Nigerian Army says it has established a standing Special Court Martial in the North East to handle all cases of indiscipline and related acts of misconduct including human rights abuse in the Operation Lafiya Dole against insurgency.

The Army stated these while reacting to speculations in the media that Operation LAFIYA DOLE has been taken over by the Defence Headquarters and that soldiers are not happy about it. It stressed that such rumours were most unfortunate and figment of imaginations of the respective media aimed at distracting the military, create rancour and disaffection among the components fighting Boko Haram terrorists.

Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, in a statement, explained that since inception of the operation, there has always been a hierarchy of command and control as indeed in all military operations.

According to him, the Armed Forces Act (AFA), Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004 in Section 7, clearly states the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and his powers.

He, therefore exercises his powers in accordance with the appropriate statue books. He superintends over all the Services; Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Air Force. Therefore, the operation in the North East is not an exception.

On the other hand, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is responsible for all land operations and will continue to exercise that role and as may be directed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Honourable Minister of Defence, the CDS or directly to the COAS as the case may be.

Operation LAFIYA DOLE is essentially Land and Air operation. The Nigerian Army has the largest troops deployed and therefore the COAS has the responsibility for the operational, command, control and discipline of the Army. This the COAS will continue to exercise by himself or can delegate through his field commanders. the statement read.

The Army spokesman, therefore, appealed to the public to disregard rumours and speculations on the alleged take-over of the command and control of Operation LAFIYA DOLE and continue to support the fight against terrorism and insurgency.
At least 33 refugees drowned off Turkeys Aegean coast as they tried to reach a Greek island, and a search and rescue operation was under way for the remaining passengers. Turkeys private Dogan News Agency, which reported the 33 deaths on Monday, said that one boat set sail from Turkeys Edremit coastal district and the other from the town of Dikili, further south.

Both were headed for the Greek island of Lesbos, just a few kilometres away. One refugee was rescued by a fisherman and three more were rescued by the coastguard, which said it had deployed boats and helicopters to search for 13 more passengers.

A coastguard official told Reuters the death toll was lower, at 22. Mondays deaths came as Turkish and German officials held talks to stem the flow of refugees bound for Europe. The deaths also came as tens of thousands of Syrians remain stranded at the border with Turkey after fleeing a Russia-backed government offensive in Aleppo.

More than 900,000 people fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other war-torn or impoverished countries arrived in Greece from Turkey last year, often risking their lives in the short but perilous sea crossing in overloaded boats. Last month marked the deadliest January on record for refugees trying to reach Europe, as more than 250 died while making the journey.

Source: ALJ Agencies
Dozens of rallies have taken place across Australia as protesters called on the government to stop the deportation of scores of asylum seekers after a failed legal challenge in the High Court last week. Mondays demonstrations came as five state and territory ministers urged Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to let the 267 refugees stay in the country.

The group of asylum seekers, including 37 babies who were born in Australia, were brought to the country from Manus Island and Nauru for medical treatment. They now face deportation to offshore centres on the islands with only 72 hours notice after the High Court ruled that they could not stay in Australia.

The High Court decision was disappointing but the public response has been truly incredible, said Daniel Webb, director of Legal Advocacy from the Human Rights Law Centre, who had brought the legal challenge to the High Court. Doctors, churches and the UN have all urged Turnbull to let the 267 people stay and now state and territory leaders around the country are reminding us what strong moral leadership looks like.

Alireza Jahangiriyani is among the asylum seekers facing deportation, along with his sister and his 69-year-old mother. Having been both to Nauru and Manus Island, he travelled with his sister to Australia from Nauru early last year to accompany their mother, who needed urgent medical care. Im a 27-year-old man who has lost his mental and emotional strength, Jahangiriyani told Al Jazeera via email from a detention centre in Darwin, Australia.

Aljazeera.
The minister for transportation and former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce and a popular blogger, Japhet Omojuwa, today engaged each other in twitter jibes over political and personal differences. INFORMATION NIGERIA has put together the step by step of how the fight played out

1. It all started when Omojuwa tweeted The reason I will NEVER take people like Ben Bruce serious is because when they saw a leader (GEJ) do wrong, they kept quiet. Dont be Bruce.

2. Bruce replied by tweeting Youve left Trump to face me? Wake me up the day people start dying because you refused to take them seriously.

3. Senator Ben Bruce then fired another tweet, this time targeting Amaechi, who was alleged to have spent about N82 million on a dinner. The tweet was reference to a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigerians were not welcome in the United Kingdom because of the criminal activities some Nigerians engaged in over there. He tweeted. Your own minister spent 80 million on a one day dinner, yet it is your citizens you accuse of being criminal

4. Amaechi blasted the senator for not being bold enough to mention the name of the minister in his tweet. A coward who is not bold enough to name the minister that he alleged criminally spent N80M on dinner is unfit to sit in our senate chambers, he tweeted.

5. Bruce came back with another tweet to mock the minister. He referred to the recent Supreme Court judgment that upheld the election of Nyesom Wike as governor. He tweeted When you have been Wiked, you become wicked! But you will always be my beloved brother, no matter how much you transfer the anger on me.

6. Amaechi responded with a tweet of his own, accusing the minister of being active only on Twitter and not on the floor of the Senate. He tweeted I will not respond to innuendos. Be courageous, name the minister. We know you talk here & do siddon look where you are elected to talk
The Redeemers University (RUN), Ede, Osun State, has developed a test kit known as Pan-Lassa Rapid Diagnostics Test (PL RDT), that enables the testing of urine, faeces and blood samples of humans or multi-breasted rats for Lassa fever in 10 minutes.

The discovery which also contains molecules that inhibit Lassa fever and a potential vaccine against Lassa fever, is one of the discoveries of the institutions World-Bank funded African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID).

Chancellor of RUN, Professor Debo Adeyewa, who spoke Weekend, at the unveiling of the new research breakthrough on Lassa Fever, at the universitys Senate Chambers, however, blamed authorities of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), over its policy that denies private universities access to its funds, noting that this hurts Nigeria, particularly in the areas of research and development.

Professor Adeyewa, who raised this concern, said the university has been at the fore-front of researches and discoveries, but decried that the paucity of funds and the inability of the university to access funds from TETFund, stalls the commercialization of its research breakthroughs on Ebola and Lassa Fever virus.

TETFund pumps a lot of money into public universities for physical structures. But the fact remains that once researches and development are not prioritised, nothing will come out of it.

Without funds from TETFund, the Redeemers University is doing exploit in the area of researches and development. This means we can do greater exploits if the federal government allows TETFund to make its intervention funds available to private universities. Our university made new discoveries when Ebola was raging and now we have also made new discovery on Lassa fever virus, the Vice Chancellor said.

Explaining the research breakthrough, the Director of ACEGID, RUN, Prof. Christian Happi, who was a member of a team that performed the first Lassa fever Positive Reverse Transcription (PCR) diagnosis in Nigeria in 2008, said: In 2014, we developed and tested the first generation of Lassa fever rapid diagnostics test (RDT). Although, the test showed great potential in the field, its sensitivity was low compared to the gold standard, Positive Reverse Transcription (PCR), because the test could not pick up all the three lineages of the Lassa virus circulating in Nigeria. We went back to work to improve on the RDTs, and in January 2016, we successfully developed a Pan-Lassa fever test that is highly sensitive and specific.

He noted that it is well established that Ribavirin currently being used to treat Lassa fever was not designed for the disease and as such, its only effective when given in the early phase of the infection. He said: This prompted us to take advantage of our current knowledge of genomics technology to have better insight into the virus genome and eventually identify potential drug targets. Using the next generation sequencing, we successfully sequenced hundreds of Lassa fever viruses, thereby generating the largest catalogue of Lassa fever virus sequenced in the world.

This in turn resulted to the identification of new epitopes in the virus. In addition, we were able to determine the ancient origins, evolution and transmission of the Lassa virus, Adebowale said.
Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has appealed to spirited individuals to support the government in providing for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.

He made the call on Sunday when the speaker visited the IDPs camp in Benin City, Edo.

When I came in here I saw a people who are determined not to be broken down in spite of the circumstances that surround them, a statement by Dogaras Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Turaki Hassan, quoted him to have said.

I must encourage you. I am of the region of the north where you came from and I am also affected.

I had to concede one of my houses for IDPs from Yobe and Borno state to live in, Dogara said, and urged the people to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and always put their trust in God.

According to him, the situation we found ourselves is not just peculiar to us but has been happening in the course of human history.

It is painful, very painful; you may remember how you left and the people you left behind and I know that 40 per cent of you here are orphans.

You may be tempted to always cast your mind back over what happened to you. Once you are stuck in that, you will be filled with bitterness and anger and if that happens, you cant make progress.

I know it is difficult but we have to take our minds off it.

He urged the people to put their trust in God, stressing that where people have trust in God, there is no situation that God cannot change.

Some countries have passed through similar or even worse situations but with faith in God and determination they emerged stronger, he added.

Dogara assured the IDPs that they would return to their communities very soon, pointing out that the present government was desperate to wipe out insurgency anywhere in the country.

This is something we must do because we have no other country than Nigeria, he stated.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Ogun State chapter, has expressed disappointment in the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, over the increase in electricity tariff.

The state NLC chairman, Comrade Akeem Ambali said the new tariff, which is about 45 per cent increment, is a disappointment and unexpected from a man of law.

Ambali, who led hundreds of members of the organized labour unions on protest in Abeokuta, the state capital on Monday over the new tariff, declared that the NLC would deploy all legal means to reverse the tariff, which he also described as insensitive to the present plight of ordinary Nigerians.

The labour leader wondered why a Minister in the caliber of Mr. Fashola will not obey the law adding We are disappointed by his action.

The Ogun NLC was making reference to a subsisting court order dated May 28, 2015 by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, which stopped the implementation of the new electricity tariff.

Comrade Ambali said the organized labour would continue with the protest till when ordinary Nigerians are given just, fair and appropriate electricity tariff.

The NLC chairman hinted that the leadership of the Congress is expected to meet with representatives of the federal government on the matter by Wednesday, but not until we meet in Imo state tomorrow, where we are going to protest the sack of 3000 workers. After that we shall move to Abuja.
MANCHESTER, N.H.  Eva Castillo and her colleagues wait eagerly for presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to arrive for his speech at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. The lobby is packed with supporters waiting for a handshake or even a signature. Suddenly, the doors swing open, and Rubio enters, followed by a scrum of news cameras and microphones. As Rubio makes his way down the rope line, Castillo gets ready. When he finally reaches she, she swings into action. Senator, youre criticized now by Sen. [Ted] Cruz on immigration. He used to support immigration reform, but without a path [to citizenship], she tells Rubio, as a partner records the exchange. What are the differences between you and Sen. Cruz? I dont know anymore because he keeps changing his position on it, Rubio responds. Whats your position? she demands. My position is were going to enforce the law first, then well see what the American people will support, he says. Rubio quickly moves to the next person in line, a Cuban immigrant who also asks him about immigration. When he repeats his line about enforcing current laws, Castillo cant help interjecting. Pero hay que pasar una reforma migratoria para todos (But you have to pass immigration reform for all), she says. Castillo moved to New Hampshire in 1982 from her native Venezuela. Now shes the New Hampshire organizer for the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. The job has made her practiced in chasing down presidential candidates and getting them to go on the record on their immigration positions. Bird-dogging is an art, she says, exuberant, after the testy exchange with Rubio. This is Castillos third time pestering Rubio, with similar results. Its the same, standard We need to enforce the law. OK, and? He doesnt say anything, of course, she says. But [we] got it [on video]. Thats what matters.

New Hampshires immigrant population, at just 5.5 percent, is less than half the national average, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. But across the Granite State, a growing foreign-born population is making its voice heard and trying to hold candidates accountable on issues like immigration reform and foreign policy. Before, yes, it was a white state, Mary Georges, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, says as she stands in the sanctuary of Raymond Baptist Church in Raymond after a panel on immigration reform. But today its not really just a white state. Weve become a diverse state. Manchester is a big city. It can change the politics because now there are a lot of immigrants. Georges, 58, is part of that change. She has lived in the U.S. for 25 years  23 of them in Manchester. In November she became the first African immigrant elected to a municipal office in New Hampshire, when voters elected her to Manchesters school board. She pushes other African immigrants in Manchester to pay attention to local and national politics, she says. At 13.2 percent, Manchesters immigrant population is more than twice the state average, according to the most recent U.S. Census data. The concentration of immigrants and campaign events has made the Queen City a center for immigrant activism  especially pushing candidates to clarify their positions on immigration reform and foreign policy. This year I didnt do it  the bird-dog, but before, Ive gone to do the bird-dog. I like in New Hampshire, I like in Manchester, because I can talk to any [presidential candidate], Georges says. The national conversation about immigration reform has focused on undocumented Latino immigrants crossing over the U.S.-Mexico border. But the issue is just as important to immigrants from elsewhere around the world, according to Georges  a sentiment echoed by other immigrants in New Hampshire who spoke with Al Jazeera. We are here too  African, Asian, all of those, like the Bhutanese, Georges says. Everybody come to here. Paulette Duclair, 51 of Raymond was also at the panel on immigration reform in Raymond. She immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti 36 years ago. Now a U.S. citizen, she helps other Haitians in the area learn about the candidates and their positions. Like Georges, Duclair emphasizes the importance of immigration reform to her community. Those kinds of issues trump party loyalty for Haitian immigrants, she says. Whoevers as close with our cause, thats who we vote for, she says. Were not Democrats. Were not Republicans. Were not independents. Were behind the cause.

Today, [New Hampshire is] not really just a white state. Weve become a diverse state. Manchester is a big city. It can change the politics, because now there are a lot of immigrants. Mary Georges immigrant in New Hampshire

The immigration reform panel included local activists, clergy and businesspeople from across the political spectrum. It was sponsored by Granite Staters for Common Sense Immigration Reform and Bibles, Business and Badges for Immigration Reform. Many of the panelists focused on the benefits that immigration reform  especially changes to the H-1B visa program  would have on New Hampshires growing technology sector. That focus on the economy may be paying off. At a campaign stop in New Hampshire last year, Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, said he gets questions about immigration at every event, according to Scott Spradling, a volunteer for Granite Staters. For Spradling, that means the group is having an impact. To me, thats the finish line  having it be prioritized, having people really scrutinize it, he says. I think that makes a difference. All three Republican front-runners  Sen. Ted Cruz, Donald Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio  are the children of immigrants. Cruz was born in Canada to an American mother, Eleanor Darragh, and a Cuban immigrant father, Rafael Cruz. Trumps mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, immigrated to the U.S. from Scotland after meeting his father, Fred Trump. And both of Rubios parents, Mario Rubio and Oriales Garcia, immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba before Fidel Castros 1959 takeover. All three have put forward immigration platforms that focus on securing the U.S.-Mexico border, stopping undocumented immigration and enforcing current immigration laws. Controversial remarks by Trump have dominated the headlines. He accused undocumented Mexican immigrants of being rapists and drug dealers, promised to end birthright citizenship if elected, called for temporarily barring Muslims who are not U.S. citizens from entering the country and said he would get Mexico to pay for a wall along the United States southern border. His rhetoric on immigration has done little to hurt his campaign. Cruz won Mondays caucuses in Iowa, and Rubios poll numbers improved last week in New Hampshire. But Trumps events regularly draw thousands of people across New Hampshire. He has a solid 17-point lead in New Hampshire and an 8-point lead nationally, according to Real Clear Politics averages of recent polls. That worries Ferguson Cullen, a former New Hampshire GOP chairman who has endorsed Gov. John Kasich for the partys nomination. Mitt Romneys use of immigration as a wedge issue during the 2008 and 2012 Republican primaries isolated many voters, according to Cullen. The party was beginning to rebound, he says, before Trump hijacked the discussion. There are lessons learned from Romneys experience, says Cullen. If we want to win elections, we have to attract people and not repel them, he says. That was all doing OK until Donald Trump came in and accused every Mexican of being a criminal and a rapist. That was not constructive for the country.

Happy in New Hampshire
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday cautioned the federal government against taking loans from the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) in order to fund the 2016 budget.

The government has proposed N6.08 trillion for the 2016 fiscal year with a deficit of over N1.8 trillion to be financed via domestic and foreign borrowing.

In a statement he issued on Sunday, the senior lawyer argued that if the over $25 billion (about N5 trillion) debt allegedly accumulated by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) could be recovered, it should fund the budget without borrowing.

He said the amount being owed far exceeds the $3.5bn government intends to borrow.

Falana listed another source of funding as monies recovered from various audits carried out by the National Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), among others.

According to him, if the FG goes ahead to take the loans from the World Bank and AfDB, the conditions attached would become a burden to the country.

The rights lawyer, however, acknowledged the governments efforts in recovering stolen funds, especially the ongoing arms probe.

While acknowledging the concerted efforts to recover the looted wealth of the nation through the anti-graft agencies and the arms procurement panel, Mr. Falana was of the view that the Buhari administration should embark on the immediate recovery of the aforesaid loans and accrued revenues with a view to financing the 2016 budget and infrastructure development.
When Harold Henthorns first wife Lynn was killed in a tragic accident, which saw her crushed by the couples car, there was a rush of sympathy for the grieving widower. Despite there being no witnesses to the tragedy, no one questioned his version of events.

But 17 years later, when his second wife Toni plummeted to her death off a cliff , there was only disbelief. To lose one wife in a freak accident was tragic  to lose two was downright suspicious.

Both women had been killed during the 12th year of their marriage in freak accidents at remote scenes while alone with Harold. And if Tonis death had been a fluke fall during a romantic hike, why did Harold have a map back in the car with an X marking the exact spot where she died?

His first wife, Sandra Lynn, was killed when their car crushed her as she changed a flat tire

In 2000, Harold Henthorn married eye doctor Toni Bertolet after they met on a Christian dating website. Friends and family were delighted for the pair, who seemed to be the perfect match. Toni was divorced and had found her second chance at love  while many believed Harold deserved happiness after his tragic past.

His first wife Sandra Lynn had died in 1995. Theyd been driving out for dinner when Harold thought a tyre was flat and he pulled over to change it. While the car was up on a jack, Harold said hed dropped a nut and Lynn crawled under the vehicle to retrieve it. The car then fell off the jack, crushing her.

Five years later, Harold and Toni were married and living in Denver, Colorado, and had a daughter, Hayley. Entrepreneur Harold was busy raising money for charities and non-profit organisations. Tonis career was a success and she had a stake in her familys oil business  but she started to lose contact with loved ones back home. It seemed to always be Harold who answered the phone.

In 2012, the couple were heading towards their 12th wedding anniversary and Harold enlisted the help of Tonis colleagues to arrange a surprise trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. It was an odd trip  Toni had bad knees and hiking wasnt a passion, but it seemed like a romantic gesture.

On September 29, Toni and Harold hiked for a while before going off the trail to some rougher terrain. The couple took photos and selfies as they enjoyed the view then tragedy struck.

Harold dialled 911 to report that Toni had fallen 130ft off the edge of a mountain while taking a photo.

Im in Rocky Mountain National Park and I need an Alpine mountain rescue team immediately, he said.

He told them they needed to send a paramedic by air. Its going to take at least an hour to come up that trail, he said. I will pay any and all expenses for a helicopter.

But the terrain was too rough for a helicopter. Harold hiked 45 minutes to reach Toni and the operator talked him through CPR. She had serious head injuries and her breathing was getting weaker. When the rescue team arrived, there was nothing they could do. Toni, 50, was dead.

Tonis life insurance was worth 3.3 million

My bride has gone, a grieving Harold told friends and family. The words sounded familiar to them  they were the exact words hed used after he lost his first wife. And just like hed done with Lynn, he had Toni cremated within days before her memorial service. The ashes were even scattered in the same place.

While Harold told Tonis family conflicting stories about the fall,

police received a number of tip-offs suggesting her death wasnt an accident. Then they found something astonishing.

Inside Harolds car was a map, and at the spot Toni had fallen off the edge, there was a hand-drawn X. After failing to come up with an explanation, Harold eventually claimed he had been highlighting a good trail to hike.

Investigators werent so sure, especially with the similarities to Lynns death. Both times, Harold was the beneficiary of large life insurance policies. Lynns had been worth 350,000  Tonis was worth millions.

Back in 1995, there had been a question mark over why safety-conscious Lynn crawled under a car, especially with her arthritis. When a passer-by stopped to help, they noticed Harold hadnt pulled Lynn out from under the car or put a coat over her as she lay dying on the ground. But the coroner deemed it an accident.

After Tonis death, police looked more closely at Harold and found out the successful businessman hadnt worked in over a decade. There was no record of any work with charities  no colleagues, no clients.

Investigators also discovered that a year earlier, Toni and Harold had been working on their cabin. Harold called Toni outside where he was fixing the porch  as she walked out, a beam fell and hit her. She fractured her vertebrae. Had that been the first attempt Harold made on her life?

Harold was now the prime suspect, but it took until November 2014 before he was arrested and charged with Tonis murder. No eye witnesses, no confession would there be a conviction?

At Harolds trial in 2015, the prosecution said hed carefully planned Tonis murder to cash in on the life insurance that was worth 3.3 million  and had even checked out the area nine times before the hike. Toni was clueless about the three policies on her life.

After the fall, paramedics noticed that the 20,000 diamond from Tonis wedding ring was missing, but her hands werent damaged in the fall. There was also a camera near her body. If Toni had been taking photos before her fall, like Harold said, the camera would have crashed down with her. It was intact.

The jury were shown the last pictures ever taken of Toni as she went on the fateful hike and were played Harolds 911 call. Although he sounded concerned, his words were slow and calm. And despite insisting he was doing CPR, Tonis lipstick remained perfect on her lips.

With X marking the spot on his map, it hardly looked like a spontaneous detour. The hike was painted as a perfect opportunity to murder. No witnesses, a remote scene and zero chance of survival. The jury also heard about Lynns death.

The defence said Tonis fall was a tragic accident. They agreed that Harolds stories were conflicting but insisted that hed been confused with grief.

He is incapable of telling the same story twice, his team admitted, I have no idea why that is, but thats the case.

In September 2015, Harold Henthorn, 59, was found guilty of first-degree murder. Three months later a judge enforced the mandatory life sentence without chance of parole.

I did not kill Toni or anyone else, he insisted, adding that he loved his daughter Hayley.

Since Tonis death, the case of Lynn Henthorn has been reopened. Many believe the nut that Harold said hed dropped couldnt have rolled on the rough ground as hed claimed, and suspect he kicked the car jack while Lynn was underneath.

Source: UK Mirror
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State said in Port Harcourt on Sunday that he wouldnt have taken part in a re-run governorship election in the state had the Supreme Court delivered a different verdict.

Wikes election as governor of Rivers State was nullified by the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal before the apex court set aside the rulings of the lower courts last Wednesday, upholding his victory in the April 11 governorship poll.

Speaking at the thanksgiving service to mark his victory in the state capital, Wike said that he had called few of his supporters that he was not going to re-contest because of the expected bloodshed that would have followed the election.

He, however, commended his legal team, which he said consisted of 21 Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

According to Wike, Blood would have flown if the election was going to hold again. Many people were being arrested.

I would call the security men, asking why they would say they were going to make sure there wont be any problem.

So I called some people including the Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus that I was not going to run again. They said why and I explained that if I did, many people would die.

The governor recalled that he was unsettled by the defection of some of his close allies to the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying it gave him high blood pressure.

If you are not a politician, stand where you are because you will collapse, he told the gathering.

He added that On the day of the judgment, we were sitting in the parlour when my CSO came to tell me that he received a call from Abuja that I was going to lose, and I would be arrested.

I asked him to get out. He said whether there was nothing we could do, I said he should leave.

I pray that my enemy should continue to have permanent high blood pressure. I wouldnt pray that God will heal them.

My won has come down now, and for seven months it was high. It is time for their own to rise.

Members of the Assembly (whose elections were nullified) would come and cry here. Sen. [George] Sekibo would come here and pray that I should win first and that my own is better.

Some of them sold all they had to win the election, but their elections were nullified. Some just married and told their wives that it would be better but only to be sacked seven months later.

Wike also said that his government would not support the ongoing war against corruption because it was one-sided.

Wike said, We would not support the fight against corruption. People took our money from the state, and we wrote to the police asking them to go and make a statement, nothing has come out of it.

We wont take anybody to the EFCC because I know what would happen. We know how to fight our own way. We wont support that war against corruption that they are doing.
Mr. Haruna Furo, Secretary, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, said on Sunday that about 90 per cent of Internally Displaced Persons in the various camps in the state had returned home.

Furo, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola, said the affected persons were from seven local government areas of the state.

Following recapturing of the areas and return of normalcy, about 90 per cent of the displaced persons in the camps have left.

The displaced persons that remain in the camps are those whose villages are at the fringes of Sambisa, who felt it is still not safe to go back home, Furo said.

Also an official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the state, Saad Bello, told NAN that the displaced persons that remained at the camps were those recently evacuated from Cameroon.

With the return of peace in parts of the North East, many displaced persons have left the camps on their own; we assisted some of them with food and transport to go back home, Bello said.

He said not more than 10,000 of the 30,000 affected persons were still at the camps, adding that most of them were from Borno.

Bello said some of the displaced persons were however staying with their relations and friends.

He said that NEMA in collaboration with the state government and other international organisations, have been working to put some basic things, such as hospitals and schools in place for the returnees.

We are providing the returnees with little support, while resettlement and rehabilitation of the affected villages will be handled by the Presidential Committee, Bello said.

NAN recalls that the Adamawa House of Assembly had passed a bill establishing the State Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency.

The agency to be funded by the state government, would reconstruct damaged facilities and residential houses in Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Mubi South, Maiha, Hong and Gombi.

The bill, sponsored by Mallam Hassan Barguma (APC-Hong) was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the affected communities. (NAN)
The Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), Kaduna State Command has confirmed the arrest of a 50-year-old blind man, Muntari Idris, for allegedly aiding cattle rustling, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.

NSCDC operatives arrested Idris, also known as Barrister, alongside his colleague, Adamu Mohammed, at Ungwar-Maigiginya in Igabi Local Government of the state after a tip off.

Kaduna State Commandant of NSCDC, Alhaji Modu Bunu said investigation has revealed that Barrister, who claims to be a businessman in landed property, rather specialises in bailing and aiding criminals who indulge in cattle rustling, kidnapping and other criminal acts plaguing Kaduna State.

Although Idris denied involvement in the crime, his accomplice, Adamu Mohammed, confessed that he accompanied Barrister many times to secure bail of suspected criminals.

In Mohammeds confessional statement, he said: I wish to duly state that I Know my present boss, Barrister as fondly called to be a bailer of offenders especially cattle rustlers and kidnappers particularly last years (2015). He asked me to accompany him to State CID twice and many times to Rigasa Station.

Each time we did, I discovered that he would bail offenders who I realized were suspects of cattle rustling. But upon knowing the aim of Barristers visits, I declined accompanying him into offices rather I wait outside, leaving him to be led by relations of the suspects to perfect their bail conditions. The bailing of Alhaji Wada, Muhakimi, Iro also known as Zafi, are few examples.

Bunu explained that the corps had handed over the duo to the State Security Services for further investigation and prosecution.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is the air arm of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is one of the largest in Africa, consisting of about 10,000 personnel and aircraft including 12 Chinese Chengdu F-7s, and 11 Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets, armed helicopters, and military transport aircraft.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR THE NAF AIRMEN/AIRWOMEN RECRUITMENT EXERCISE BMTC 2016 PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

Job Title: Airmen/Airwomen

Job Requirements

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Nationality: Applicant must be of Nigerian origin.

Age: Applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 22 years for non-tradesmen/women, 17 and 24 years for tradesmen/women by 31 December 2016. Those applying as drivers must be between the ages of 18 and 28 years by 31 December 2016

Marital Status: All applicants must be single.

Height: Minimum height is 1.68 meters or 5.5ft for males and 1.65m or 5.4ft for females.

Medical Fitness: All applicants must be medically fit and meet the Nigerian Air Force medical and employment standards.

ACADEMIC/PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION

Non-Tradesmen/women: Applicants must possess a minimum of 3 credits including Mathematics and English Language in SSCE/NECO/GCE obtained not later than 6 years to this exercise. In addition, applicants are also required to possess their schools testimonials.

Tradesmen/women:

Applicants must possess OND, NABTEB, RN/RM or City & Guild Certificate. Candidate with only Trade Test Certificate are required to also have a minimum of 3 passes in GCE/SSCE/NECO including English. In addition, applicants applying as tradesmen/tradeswomen must possess ND (with minimum of Lower Credit) or other relevant trade qualification from government-approved institutions. Note that applicants with HND or First Degrees/Post-Graduate Certificates, University Diplomas and Grade II Teachers certificates will not be considered for recruitment as airmen/airwomen into the Nigerian Air Force and should not apply.

Attestation Forms:

Applicants attestation form must be signed by a military officer from the same state as the applicant and not below the rank of Squadron Leader or equivalent in the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy, and Police Officer of the rank of Assistant CP and above. Local Governments Chairmen/Secretaries, magistrates and principals of government Secondary Schools from applicants state of origin can also sign the attestation forms. The signees passport photograph and either photocopy of drivers licence or international passport must be attached. In addition, applicants are to bring with them a letter of attestation of good character from any of the officers above to the Zonal Recruitment Centers and final selection interview.

Requirements:

Applicants are advised to carefully read the requirements below before filling the form:

Medical Records: ND Medical Records. Nursing: RN/RM Lab Technician: ND Medical Lab Science. X-Ray Technician: ND X-ray Technology. Dental Technician: ND Dental Technology/Dental Therapy Pharmacy Technician: ND Pharmacy Technology. Environmental Technician: ND Environmental Technology. Biomed Technician: ND Biomed Technology. Optometry Technician: ND Optometry Technology. Statistics: ND Stats. Assistant Chaplain: ND Christian Religious Study. Assistant Imam: ND Arabic/Islamic Studies. Engineering Technicians: ND Mechanical Engr./Electrical Electronics Engr/Air Engineering Technology. Meteorologist: WMO Class III Meteorology Assistant Certificate. Domestic Electricians: ND Electrical Electronics, ND/Trade Test Cert 1,2,3 Domestic Elect, Work. Building Technology: ND Building tech/QS/Land Surveying/Civil Engineering. Public Relations/Info: ND Mass Comm. Cert/Trade Test Cert in Videography/Photography. Secretarial Assistants: ND Office Technology Management. Library Assistants: ND/NCE Library Science. Music: ND Music. In addition, playing experience in any recognised Band will be an advantage. Driver/Mechanic: Trade Test and current drivers license with practical experience. Works: Trade Test Cert in Welding/Carpentry/Painting/Sign Writing/Plumbing/Mason/domestic Electrician/Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. Computer Tech: ND/Computer Hardware Engr/Software Engr. Possession of recognized certifications will be an advantage. ND Physiotherapy ND Medical Supply ND Printing Technology PE/Sports: ND/NCE Physical Education, Certificate of participation/Medals in National and International sporting competitions will be an added advantage. Catering: ND in Catering Services. Education: NCE Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, English, Home Economics, Nigerian Languages, French, Business Management, Fine Art.

Method of Application

Qualifying Recruitment Tests will hold in the following Centers:

Makurdi: Nigerian Air Force Base, Markudi. Ilorin: 227 Wing, Nigerian Air Force, Ilorin. Lagos: Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja  Lagos. Enugu: 305 Flying Training School, Enugu. Port Harcourt: 97 Special Operations Group, Nigerian Air Force, Port Harcourt. Benin: 81 Air Maritime Group, Nigerian Air Force Benin. Kaduna: Nigerian Air Force Base, Kawo  Kaduna. Kano: 303 Flying Training School, Kano. Maiduguri: 204 Wing, Nigerian Air Force Base, Maiduguri. Ipetu-Ijesha: Nigerian Air Force Institute of Safety, Ipetu-Ijesha. Sokoto: 55 Forward Operation Base Mabera, Sokoto. Yola: 75 Strike Group, Nigerian Air Force, Yola. Jos: 330 Nigerian Air Force Station, Jos.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS

Applicants will be required to submit for scrutiny, the original copies of the documents at the recruitment centers and during the final selection interview. Applicants will be required to present following documents if selected for the zonal recruitment test:

Two recent passport size photographs to be stamped and countersigned by officer of appropriate rank specified, Local Government Chairmen/Secretaries and other specified officers in Paragraph 8.

Photocopies of:

Birth Certificate/Declaration of Age (Any age declaration done later than 4 years to this exercise will not be acceptable).

Educational/Trade Certificates.

Indigenship certificate from applicants State of Origin.

Any applicant suspected to have impersonated or submitted false document(s) shall be disqualified from the selection exercise. Also, any false declaration detected later may lead to withdrawal from training. Such applicants may be handed over to the Police for prosecution. The Nigerian Air Force will not entertain any enquiries in respect of applicants whose applications have been rejected. Interested applicants are to note that the online registration is free of charge. Applicants are required to fill valid email addresses and Telephone numbers in the appropriate spaces provided in the application form.

On completion of the application forms, applicants must print out the Acknowledgment Slip.

Technical Support: For Technical Support, please call: 08104577415, 09-8704817, 09-8708475, 08078406568, 09054795502 or Email: [email protected]

Click here to apply
Punch

It was a disappointing weekend for workers in Ekiti State as the state government on Thursday withdrew two months salaries already paid into their bank accounts.

Vanguard

LAGOS  The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that Nigerias Gross Domestic Product, GDP, will increase to $2 trillion by 2030 from its present N514 billion, if the country reduced corruption to the level of Ghana and Malaysia. The Sun Amaechi warns govs against unviable airport projects MINISTER of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has warned state governors against executing airport projects that are not economically viable. Thisday Armsgate: Arewa Youth Group Exonerates CBN Governor of ComplicityAmaechi warns govs against unviable airport projects In defence of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, over allegations of his complicity in the armsgate scandal, the Arewa Youth Integrity Forum, yesterday called on those calling for the sack and arrest of the CBN governor to desist from such acts or be exposed. Guardian 17 crushed to death on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Sunday confirmed that 17 persons died in an automobile crash on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Daily Trust

Allow me to work, Ikpeazu tells opposition

Following the Supreme Court ruling in his favour, the Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, at weekend, told members of the opposition to stop distracting him.

National Mirror

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, at the weekend in Ile Ife, backed the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari. He consequently urged Nigerians to support Mr. President in his bid to recover funds looted from public treasury. Many close allies of Chief Obasanjo in his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are currently facing trial over their roles in the diversion of funds meant for arms purchase. Obasanjo, spoke on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife, while featuring on the programme tagged: 7th Roundtable with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo with the theme: Reflections of an elder statesman: An evening with OBJ, organised by the Staff Club of the university.

Leadership
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has appealed to the state and national leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve the planned protest against the suspension of parastatal workers in the state.

Labour had recently threatened to mobilize and shutdown the state if the governor failed to recall the over 3,000 workers of the 19 parastatals, agencies and departments, who he summarily suspended recently.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, read, His Excellency has wished that instead of embarking on the protest that might end up not benefitting anyone, the National Leadership of the NLC should be patriotic enough to advise the leadership of the NLC in the state to honour their invitations to participate in the high-powered 18-member committee set up by the state governor to review the cases of the staff affected by the suspension in question, so that the matter can be resolved amicably in the spirit of no victor, no vanquished.

The committee would have been inaugurated last Tuesday, but it could not take place because the labour representatives did not come for the exercise.

The committee has the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) chairman in the state, chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), chairman Nigeria Medical Association, Imo State chapter, chairman National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Representative of Magistrates Association, Representative of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) IMSU, Imo Polytechnic, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), chairman of Imo State branch of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and Representative of the Judiciary Service Union of Nigeria, (JUSUN) as members.

On the part of the Government, the Head of Service, Principal Secretary to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Accountant General, Commissioner of Finance, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Principal Secretary to the Deputy Governor are also members of the committee. The chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Samuel Ohiri is equally a member.

This is a high-profiled committee and the governor believes that with this calibre of people in the committee whatever is the bone of contention between the government and the labour union in the state over the suspension issue can be resolved.

The government has repeatedly explained that the suspension of the parastatal workers was not an outright sack or dismissal. The suspension was to enable the new managements of the establishments involved to take off in earnest.

So, the essence of the 18-member committee is to look at the cases of these workers and decide whether to post all of them out to other government ministries and establishments or to even ask some of them to go back to the parastatals. And until the committee sits and takes decision on the suspended workers, nobody could accuse the government of any wrong doing.
The senator representing Borno Central District on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai, has countered President Muhammadu Buharis claim that no Nigerian territory is currently under Boko Haram control.

Speaking during a meeting last month with United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, President Buhari claimed that the militant Islamist group have been driven into fall-back positions by the Nigerian military in conjunction with the Multi-National Joint Task Force, MNJTF, and are currently not holding any territory.

This claim however, was disputed by Senator Garbai, who revealed at the weekend that only three of the 27 local government areas of Borno State are safe as all others are still either fully or partially occupied by Boko Haram insurgents.

The senator made the disclosure in a chat with reporters after visiting Dalori and Mairi villages in Konduga LGA of the state, which recently came under massive Boko Haram attacks.

According to Garbai, only the state capital, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Bayo and Kwaya Kusar LGAS were Boko Haram-free.

He noted that while Mobar, Abadan and Kala Balge were under the total control of the militants, 21 other local government areas of the state were partially occupied by them.

There is this assumption that most of local government areas in Borno State have been recaptured. In reality, it is not true! Apart from these three local governments-Maiduguri Metropolis, Bayo and Kwaya Kusar that are 100 percent under the occupation of the Nigerian Army and police, nowhere is very safe and free of insurgents.

Some of the local governments are partially occupied by insurgents but Mobar, Abadam and Kala Balge LGAs are under the control of the insurgents. If you liberate local government headquarters but adjoining communities are still under the control of insurgents like Konduga, you cannot say the area is safe. I think the military needs to intensify efforts to secure all the local government areas that are either fully or partially occupied by the insurgents. Nobody is willing to stay in nearby villages any longer. Everyone is migrating to Maiduguri. People are afraid that very soon they may likely come under attack, he said.

Sen. Garbai further lamented that hundreds of helpless civilians are fleeing their homes as the militants recently intensified attacks on villages close to Maiduguri.

Meanwhile, Senate leader, Mohammed Ndume (APC-Borno South), told newsmen yesterday in Maiduguri that he believed that much had been achieved by the military in recapturing Nigerian territories from Boko Haram control.

I still have confidence in our military, I still want to believe that our military are on top of the situation. What is happening these days is the issue of intermittent suicide bombings and desperate attacks by the insurgents because their supply routes have been cut off and they attack in other to get supplies. They have been carting away foodstuffs of attacked communities, he said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami are at loggerhead over $1.3 billion Malabu scandal.

Premium Times reports that on Thursday, January 28, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, received a letter from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The two-paragraph letter which was signed by Muhammad Diri, the director of public prosecutions of the federation requested Magu to forward the case diary in respect of investigation into the OPL 245 Malabu scandal.

The letter reportedly puts the EFCC chairman in the middle of a conflict, which a senior government official called cold war between the Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Osinbajo and Malami are at war based on the decision the administration should take to decide the fraud and controversy that accompanied the allocation of massive OPL 245 to Malabu and its subsequent ceding to oil giants, Shell and Eni.

The justice ministry reportedly made some recommendations to the presidency on the scandal that dragged the countries name to the mud, and is currently being probed by authorities in Italy, UK, Nigeria, and the U.S.

Source:Naij
The body of Italian student Giulio Regeni was found with signs of torture, including multiple stab wounds and cigarette burns, by the side of a highway on the outskirts of Cairo. AP/Via Twitter

An outraged Italy demanded on Monday that Egypt catch and punish those responsible for the death of student Giulio Regeni, whose tortured, half-naked corpse was found in a roadside ditch in Cairo last week.

Regeni, a 28-year-old graduate student at Britain's Cambridge University, was researching independent trade unions in Egypt and wrote articles critical of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's government.

The incident has strained ties between Rome and Cairo, which has made no arrests so far.

"We want the real perpetrators to be discovered and punished according to the law," Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni told La Repubblica newspaper on Monday. He said Italy "will not be satisfied with suppositions" to explain the death.

Cambridge University said it wrote to Egyptian authorities to demand a full investigation into Regeni's death.

An initial autopsy in Egypt showed Regeni was burned with cigarettes, hit on the back of the head with a sharp instrument and beaten, according to a senior official at the Cairo public prosecutor's office and a forensic doctor. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.

A second autopsy in Italy "confronted us with something inhuman, something animal," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told Sky News 24 television on Sunday. "It was like a punch in the stomach, and we haven't quite got our breath back yet."

Italian media said the second autopsy ascertained that Regeni's neck was broken. That has not been officially confirmed.

Italian opposition parties have demanded that Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's government take a tougher stand with Egypt. "The death of Giulio Regeni, who was tortured to death, is still opaque and shrouded in shadows," said the opposition Five Star party. "We demand the truth."

On Sunday night, some 2,000 people held a candlelit march in Fiumicello, Regeni's hometown in northeastern Italy. "We want a commitment at every level to shed light on what happened to Giulio," Mayor Ennio Scridel told the mourners.

Italy has sent members of its special operations police force to Cairo to participate in the investigation.

Tensions were high in Egypt at the time of Regeni's disappearance, which coincided with the fifth anniversary of an uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak.

Rights groups say that police often detain Egyptians on scanty evidence and that they are beaten or coerced. Scores have disappeared since 2013, the groups say. Egypt denies allegations of police brutality.

The left-wing Italian newspaper Il Manifesto, which published Regeni's articles, said he used a pseudonym because he feared for his safety. He did not mention specific threats.

Wire services
The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N14.59 billion in 2015, as it prepared to build on its revenue generation and anti-smuggling activities.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Tope Ogunkua, made the disclosure on Monday in Ibadan when the Customs Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, Mr Eporwei Edike, visited the commands headquarters in Ibadan.

Ogunkua, who assumed duty on Jan.11, 2016, said that what was generated in 2015 fell short of the revenue target of N21.83 billion set for the command.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Ogunkua as saying that the command generated N15.20 billion in 2014.

The controller attributed the shortfall in revenue to election period, exchange rate and 41 items restricted from foreign exchange transaction by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2015.

NAN reports that the command generated N932.86 million in January 2016.

Our command is basically more of enforcement than seizures. All officers of the command are focused; which gives me an assurance that we will meet up our expectations.

We made giant strides in the area of duty payment on second-hand vehicles as a result of aggressive enlightenment campaign organised by the management of the service, NAN quotes Ogunkua as saying.

He said that in 2015, the command intercepted 2,786 vehicles with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N294.36 million, adding that it also seized 1,625 vehicles in 2014 with a DPV of N163.64 million.

The controller said that the DPV on rice across the border between Nov. 2 and Dec. 31, 2015, was N191.08 million. Ogunkua said that in all in 2015, the command seized 182 items with a DPV of N442.67 million.

He said that in January 2016, officers of the command intercepted two trucks and five cars conveying 1,165 bags of rice along Saki-Oyo road with a DPV of N10.54 million.

Ogunkua assured genuine rice importers that rice importation and duty payment through the border were still approved.

All recalcitrant smugglers will have the arms of the law catch up with them soon, the controller said.

He said that the current administration had zero tolerance for corruption and revenue leakages in all ramifications, adding that the area command was committed to enforcing same.
East Chicago, Ind., councilman Robert Battle was sworn into office for a second term. This time around, though, the event was a rather low-key event. Instead of the mayor conducting the ceremony, it was an unnamed official, according to the Chicago Tribune. And instead of City Hall, the venue was the county jail. The inside of the county jail. The councilman is currently behind bars on multiple felony charges. And while he certainly isnt the first politician to face legal trouble, he does face quite the uphill battle, so to speak.

Its not often, after all, that an elected official is accused of murdering a man in cold blood during a drug deal. Battle has pleaded not guilty. But the gruesome alleged crime is causing serious problems for his party. Democratic officials in Lake County, Ind., just across the border from Illinois, find themselves facing an unusual problem. Their headache stems not from their candidate failing to get elected, but rather from him refusing to resign.

I cant remember a situation like this, Sheriff John Buncich, chair of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee, told the Tribune in November, when Battle was reelected just a few weeks after being charged with murder and drug dealing. Its wrong for the taxpayers, wrong for our party. Under Indiana law, there is nothing that Buncich can do to oust Battle unless the councilman resigns, admits to either charge or is found guilty in court. In the meantime, Battle gets to keep his seat  and his $42,365 salary.

Im very, very upset about this, Buncich told the Tribune in November after Battle won his seat. To me what is right is right. You are innocent until proven guilty, but the fact remains you are not going to get out. There is no bond on the charges. As the Democratic leader of the county party, I need to look out for the best interest of the party. How, exactly, a man charged with murder and drug dealing just days before an election could win reelection says a lot about life in this poor northwestern corner of Indiana.

Washington Post.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said Boko Haram has been knocked down in Borno and other parts of the Northeast.

It said the only battle ground left is the Sambisa Forest, a swathe of thick bush that stretches about 80 kilometres and said to be the sects last stronghold.

This is just as the Nigerian Army said it is conducting investigations into the recent attacks near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital by the insurgents.

The Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar was reacting to the claim by the senator representing Borno Central, Baba Kaka Garbai that half of Borno State is still being occupied by Boko Haram.

Gen. Abubakar said: The situation is clear on how much we have decimated Boko Haram. Technically, we have knocked down these insurgents.

The insurgents have been beaten and I stand by what I said. I can beat my chest that the insurgents have been decimated.

All these attacks on soft targets do not mean that Boko Haram insurgents are occupying any territory. They are carrying out these attacks in order to remain relevant. The insurgents are pretending to be alive when in reality they have lost out.

The attacks on soft targets by the insurgents do not translate to occupation of territories or some parts of Borno State or the North-East.

The insurgents attacks on soft targets are not peculiar to Nigeria. These terrorists do so in the U.S. France, Britain, and many countries. We are doing our best to protect these soft targets.

The Defence spokesperson maintained that What is left is Sambisa Forest. That is the last battle ground with the insurgents.

This Forest is about 80kilometres but I believe very soon, we will overrun the Forest and rout out the insurgents. We will certainly send them packing from the Sambisa Forest.

For anyone to make a claim that half of Borno State is under the insurgents is not helping the military. It is just to get media attention. We have decimated Boko Haram. This is the reality.

We want to appeal to Nigerians to appreciate and support our gallant troops to maintain the high rate of success we have achieved in the war against the insurgents.

This is a Nigerian war versus the insurgents. Boko Haram is a national catastrophe which requires the support of all to address. Every Nigerian must be seen to be contributing morally to the war against these insurgents.

In a related development, the Nigerian Army yesterday expressed concern over the recent unfortunate attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on communities close to Maiduguri, despite the gains made in the counter-insurgency war.

The Nigerian Army has already commenced investigation into the attacks All cases of indiscipline and related acts of misconduct including human rights abuse in the operations will be tried by the Special Court Martial, said the statement, without clarifying what the probe was investigating.
As Senate President Bukola Saraki faces trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over an alleged false declaration of assets, prominent Nigerians have started reacting to the trial. Some of them calling for his resignation while some would like the embattled Bukola Saraki to stay put as Senate president. INFORMATION NIGERIA puts together in this piece, the points of 3 notable Nigerians as regards whether Saraki should resign or not

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana is one of those who have called for the resignation of Senator Saraki, stressing that the resignation is vital to save the integrity of Nigerias legislature. According to the Lawyer:

Having undertaken to prove his innocence at the code of conduct trubunal Senator Saraki should resign as Senate president so as to preserve the integrity of the National Assembly. When senators Chuba Okadigbo and Adolphus Wabara were indicted they were made to step down as Senate presidents.

Another Nigerian who supported Sarakis resignation is Senator Kabiru Marafa, a leader of the Unity Forum, a caucus of All Progressives Congress, APC senators opposed to the emergence of Mr. Saraki as the Senate president. On Saturday, he asked Senator Saraki just like Mr Falana to honourably resign to save the image of the National Assembly and salvage national pride. Mr. Marafa said:

Mr. Sarakis corruption trial had questioned the Senates credibility and Nigerias pride. By reason of omission or commission, Saraki has pushed himself to a position of disadvantage. By moving from one court to the other up to the Supreme and got himself knocked out, what it portrays is that the Senate under Senator Saraki is fast losing credibility. The most honourable thing for Saraki is to resign and face his prosecution. If he wins, the seat is always there and he can be re-elected again if those that supported him truly believe he is the best person for the position. And if not, he will remain a senator like he was in the 7th Assembly. Is it a must that he become Senate President?

Sen. Dino Melaye (APC- Kogi State) from the Like Minds caucus, who wouldnt hear a thing about Sarakis resignation outrightly opposed Marafas points saying:

Marafa is a clown and perhaps lives on cheap drugs The case at the CCT is not about Saraki; rather, its about the Senate. And we will not fold our arms to mess up with the Senate

So, should Saraki resign or stay put???
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government to proffer lasting solutions to the current economic and political challenges confronting the nation rather than pretending that all is well.

Speaking yesterday at a thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, organised in honour of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, whose election was upheld by the Supreme Court, the PDP acting national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, also asked the APC to stop abusing the judiciary.

Secondus, who led other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to the thanksgiving, told the audience, including state governors and members of the National Assembly, that Nigeria was gradually lagging behind economically and politically, with the APC showing it has no solution in sight.

He noted that when APC took over power from the PDP in May, last year, the Naira was exchanging for N160 to one Dollar, but pointed out that currently, the naira has suddenly tumbled to N300 for a Dollar under the APC government.

Mr. Secondus, therefore, asked the APC to face reality and engage various stakeholders, including business and political leaders, to find a way of solving the many challenges facing the nation.
At least three Afghan soldiers have been killed and 18 wounded after a suicide bomber blew himself up near an army minibus in Afghanistans northern Balkh province, according to officials. The attack took place in Dehdadi district near the Afghan Army 209 corps, which serves as the northern army command. Three Afghan army soldiers died and 18 others were wounded in the attack, Munir Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

Farhad added that the suicide bomber was on foot. No civilians were hurt in the attack, according to Balkh police spokesman Sher Mohammad Durani. In an email sent to the media by the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the group claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban fighters have increased their attacks recently across the country against Afghan security forces.

One policeman was killed in a roadside bomb explosion in the countrys Logar province on Sunday, while eight others were wounded in the attack which took place in Puli Alim. Officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US and China have been trying to lay the groundwork for talks with the Taliban, which has made gains since the withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan in 2014. Meetings have been held in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, as well as in Kabul, emphasising the need for a dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Aljazeera.
On this day in 2013, gunmen suspected to be members of the IBoko Haram insurgent group shot and killed at least nine women who were taking part in a polio vaccination drive in Kano

Kano State Police commissioner, Ibrahim Idris immediately ordered the arrest of three radio journalists for allegedly being responsible for the killings. Police claimed on-air comments about a vaccination campaign in the area sparked the attacks.

Also on this day in 2007, Benin, Nigeria, and Togo formed a new regional body aimed at fast-tracking the integration of their economies. The body, known as the Co-Prosperity Alliance Zone (COPAZ), was formally inaugurated following a mini-summit of Nigerias President Olusegun Obasanjo, Benins President Boni Yayi and Togos President Faure Gnassingbe.
The Minister of finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun Monday disclosed that recoveries from the Single Treasury Account (TSA) may reduce amount to be borrowed for 2016 budget.

Delivering a keynote address at a one day TSA workshop for state Accountants-General in Abuja, the minister highlighted the importance of TSA.

It increases accountability and transparency, improves the processing of payments and collections and reduces borrowing costs, Adeosun said.

TSA at Federal Level has allowed, for the first time, visibility of the total quantity of government funds at any point in time.

The balance, which changes daily as MDAs remit revenues and make payments, according to the latest reports from CBN, exceeds N2.2 Trillion, Adeosun said.

I can report that work is now ongoing within The Treasury, to determine how much of these funds can potentially be utilised to part fund the 2016 budget and how much relates to pending commitments. This, of course, will reduce the amount to be borrowed.

The TSA has provided us with financial information on the revenues of agencies funded by government and has reduced revenue suppression. This information is being used to drive our programme to enforce compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act and ensure that Revenue Generating Agencies generate expected surpluses and remit to the Federal Purse.

TSA has eliminated opportunities for brokerage and other corrupt practices that previously encouraged agencies to accumulate funds with commercial banks rather than apply them to their intended uses. We believe that this will reduce payment delays to contractors, minimise late payment penalties and will consequently improve project completion times and service delivery.

TSA has corrected the practice of government borrowing short term funds at high rates of interest, whilst simultaneously having idle funds in various bank accounts.

The minister urged participants at the workshop to discuss and brainstorm on ways and means of improving the revenue base of the country through full implementation of TSA and blocking of all leakages
The Obama administration has promised to assist Nigeria with the sum of $607.5 million for the Fiscal year 2016.

According to Per Second News, the U.S assistance package was disclosed by Sean J. McIntosh, First Secretary and Spokesman of the U.S Embassy Abuja in an exclusive email chat.

President Buhari has made it clear that fighting corruption is one of his top priorities. As a partner, the United States stands ready to support the Government of Nigeria in battling this problem that incurs major socio-economic costs, McIntosh said.

Reacting to the violent clashes between members of the Nigerian Army and the Shiite Islmaic Movement of Nigeria, McIntosh expressed deep concerns of the U.S over the occurrence which led to multiple civilian deaths.

While the US Embassy continues to seek further details of the incident, we continue to call on the government of Nigeria to investigate transparently these reports and hold to account any individuals found to have committed abuses. We expect all governments, including our Nigerian partners, to prioritize the protection of civilians, respect for human rights, the rule of law, and accountability for security force abuses, he said.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, has expressed optimism that the Chibok school girls would be rescued alongside every other Nigerian kidnapped by the Boko Haram insurgents.

The Air Chiefs assurances of the Chibok school girls rescue came on the heels of a statement credited to former President Olusegun Obasanjo that it would be foolhardy of anyone to claim the girls, who were abducted almost two years ago by the insurgents, would be rescued alive.

Anyone saying they (Chibok girls) will return is telling lies, maybe some of them will return to tell their story, the ex-president was quoted as saying at an event tagged An Evening with Obasanjo, organized by the Staff Club of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, on Friday.

Air Marshal Abubakar, who was speaking when he inspected various on-going projects of the Nigerian Air Force at its Tactical Air Command (TAC) in Makurdi, Benue State, at the weekend, said everything was being done to rescue hostages from Boko Haram hold.

What I can tell you is that we are doing everything humanly possible to deal with all the challenges that there are in the current insurgency going on, that of course involves our trying to locate not only the Chibok girls but every Nigerian that is kidnapped. We are working day and night through intelligence gathering and surveillance. We are expending a lot of flying hours to make sure we are able to locate Chibok girls and every Nigerian that is kidnapped, he said.

The Air Chief, who expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at various stages in the command, said the projects were being executed to provide the right environment for personnel in the fight against insurgents in the northeast.

Abubakar stressed that the impact of the Air Force against the insurgents in recent times indicated that the Nigerian military was winning the fight because, We are there degrading the capacity of the insurgents and also ensuring that the surface force, (the Army) is able to operate with little or no hindrance, and so all the units involved are doing everything to impact positively on what is going on in the northeast.
At least 33 refugees are believed to have drowned off Turkey's coast as they tried to make their way to a Greek island, underscoring the migrant crisis facing Europes leaders on the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed on a set of measures with her Turkish counterpart to help ease the plight of Syrian refugees.

Turkish state-run media reported that 22 refugees died in one maritime accident and that a rescue operation was underway for the remaining passengers. Separately, the private news agency Dogan said 11 migrants died and three were rescued when another boat sank further south, off the coast of Dikili in the province of Izmir.

Such drownings are becoming all-too routine as hundreds of thousands of people flee warzones and poverty in parts of the Middle East and Africa.

More than 900,000 people fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other war-torn or impoverished countries arrived in Greece from Turkey last year, often risking their lives in the short but perilous sea crossing in overloaded boats. Hundreds have died making the attempt.

Germany, which has let in more than a million asylum seekers last year, forged an agreement Monday with Turkey on a set of measures to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aiming to halt attacks against Aleppo, Syria's largest city from which many citizens have fled.

On Monday in Ankara, officials from the two countries added that they would push to curb illegal migration.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was in the Turkish capital for talks on how to reduce the influx of refugees into Europe, said after discussions with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that she is not just appalled but horrified by the suffering caused by Russian bombing in Syria.

Merkel said that Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a UN resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on the civilian population.

She said: We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing, primarily from the Russian side.

Under such circumstances, it's hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly, Merkel said.

The EU has promised $3.3 billion of aid in return for Ankara's help in stopping the flow of new arrivals on its shores, most of whom make their way through Turkey.

The bloc's leaders have said Ankara is obliged to keep its frontiers open to refugees, while also pressing for tighter border controls for those entering Europe.

Turkey's Oncupinar border crossing, which faces the Bab al-Salama frontier post inside Syria, remained closed on Sunday as refugees, mostly women and children, gathered there for a third day waiting for the gate to open.

The governor of Kilis province, Suleyman Tapsiz, said that Turkey was taking care of the 30,000-plus refugees who had gathered around the nearby Syrian city of Azaz over the space of 48 hours.

Another 70,000 may head for the frontier if Russian air strikes and Syrian regime military advances continued in Aleppo, he added.

Turkey has vowed to help the crowds of people, including many women and children, but has not opened its borders, and aid agencies have warned they are facing a desperate situation as they wait for help.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was ready "if necessary" to let in Syrian refugees trapped on its border.

The regime has now blocked a part of Aleppo  Turkey is under threat, Erdogan told reporters on his plane returning from Senegal on Saturday.

If they reached our door and have no other choice, if necessary we have to and will let our brothers in, he added.

Fadi Hajjar, a Syrian activist with the Aleppo Media Center based in Gaziantep, Turkey, told Al Jazeera that there were between 30,000 and 50,000 people waiting at the border.

This number is likely to increase in the coming days, he said on Sunday. Some villages in Aleppo have been completely emptied of people.

Al Jazeera and wire services
Will Microsoft's new licensing changes create problems for its customers? Not according to Microsoft.

After Texas law firm Scott & Scott issued its analysis of the changes to Windows Server licensing, Microsoft responded by addressing each of Scott & Scott's points in an email. The issues described by Scott & Scott, Microsoft contends, would be limited to a very small customer segment, and even then wouldn't be as significant an issue as claimed.

The law firm contended that Microsoft Software Assurance customers would face a "confusing transition period," when they would have to figure out how many licenses to buy after their current Software Assurance term was up.

Microsoft replied that "the large majority of customers will not be affected by taking the standard default migration grant," meaning that by default customers automatically receive licenses for "at least" 16 cores for each two-processor license. In Microsoft's view, for most customers, "the default grant will provide more cores than they need."

Regarding Scott & Scott's claim of increased complexity, Microsoft said that "moving from processors to physical cores will actually simplify and evolve Microsoft's Windows Server licensing." Providing a "common core currency" across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud deployments, the company stated, makes it easier to figure out how many licenses are needed and to move workloads between sites without running into potential licensing issues.

In the same vein, Microsoft disputed Scott & Scott's claim that businesses moving to systems with higher core counts would find themselves shelling out more under the new license model. Again, Microsoft asserted that customers with more than eight cores per socket "will be granted additional core licenses to cover those servers."

Microsoft further asserted that customers running the same number of workloads on fewer servers, whether locally or remotely, will be able to save money with "Windows Server Datacenter [providing] unlimited virtualization rights." This assumes companies are consolidating servers and customers aren't simply shifting workloads one-for-one to the cloud to avoid babysitting their hardware.

Microsoft has been attempting to streamline its licensing policies for some time, especially as virtualization and cloud computing continue to complicate the issue. The company has brought the cost schedules for on-premises and cloud-hosted products closer; in Microsoft's purview the two venues are becoming increasingly interchangeable.

In the end, it still falls to the customer to know how many sockets and cores they're responsible for. Microsoft offers an application to assist with gathering such data, the Software Inventory Logging Aggregator; it requires Microsoft SQL Server 2012 SP2 or higher and Microsoft Excel 2013, 64-bit edition, with the PowerPivot add-in, to perform its tallies.
Red Close for Cotton Futures Barchart - Thu Oct 20, 4:26PM CDT Front month cotton tried to reverse some of the sharp drop from yesterday, but the bounce faded and turned red. At the close futures were 18 to 89 points lower. The 2023 crop closed 29 points higher in... CTZ22 : 77.40s (-1.14%) CTH23 : 77.26s (-0.91%) CTK23 : 77.04s (-0.50%)

Wheat Bounced on Thursday Barchart - Thu Oct 20, 4:26PM CDT Thursday wheat futures bounced back to mitigate some of early week weakness. CBT SRW futures closed 8 to 13 cents higher in the front months. For December, that has the contract sitting at a net 10 1/2... ZWZ22 : 849-2s (+0.95%) ZWH23 : 868-0s (+0.99%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.8348 (+0.99%) KEZ22 : 949-6s (+0.85%) KEPAWS.CM : 9.0728 (+0.90%) MWZ22 : 962-4s (+0.94%)

Hog Futures End Firm on Thursday Barchart - Thu Oct 20, 4:26PM CDT Following 4 consecutive up days, December hogs cooled off with a 35 cent pullback on Thursday. Dec has seen 8 green candles of the past 12 sessions for a net $12.60 gain since 10/4. The other front months... HEZ22 : 87.025s (-0.40%) HEJ23 : 93.125s (+0.40%) KMZ22 : 96.875s (unch)

Cattle Close Mixed on Strong Cash Trade Barchart - Thu Oct 20, 4:26PM CDT Live cattle futures kept a tight range on Thursday, ending the session mixed but mostly higher. June 23 contracts faded by 32 cents by the bell, while the nearby contracts closed up by 27 to 60 cents.... LEV22 : 149.775s (+0.28%) LEZ22 : 151.675s (+0.21%) LEG23 : 154.850s (+0.39%) GFV22 : 175.575s (+0.20%) GFX22 : 177.550s (-0.29%)

Double Digit Gains in Bean Market Barchart - Thu Oct 20, 4:26PM CDT Soybean futures bounced on Thursday with double digit gains taking the back months back above $14. November closed 19 cents higher on the day, eating at some of the carry, but still ended 8 1/2 cents under... ZSX22 : 1391-4s (+1.38%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.4631 (+1.50%) ZSF23 : 1400-0s (+1.25%) ZSH23 : 1407-6s (+1.15%)

Corn Closes Higher on Thursday Barchart - Thu Oct 20, 4:26PM CDT Front month corn futures found buyers on Thursday, pushing the market back up by 4 1/2 to 5 3/4 cents. December is still at a net 5 3/4 cent loss for the week. The International Grains Council reduced... ZCZ22 : 684-0s (+0.85%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.7394 (+1.24%) ZCH23 : 690-0s (+0.80%) ZCK23 : 690-0s (+0.73%)
@Pirelli @Bathurst12Hour Milan, February 8, 2016  Pirelli has claimed the Grand Slam at the Bathurst 12 Hours in Australia: pole position, fastest race lap, and race victory.

In qualifying, Pirelli tires established a new lap record of 2m01.286s over the epic Mount Panorama circuit and then also set a new race lap record of 2m01.567s, crowning a brilliant weekend for the Italian manufacturer.

The Tekno Autosports McLaren 650S GT3 of Shane Van Gisbergen, Alvaro Parente and Jonathan Webb dominated the weekend from start to finish, claiming Pirellis first win in Bathurst and McLarens most significant endurance racing victory since it triumphed overall at Le Mans in 1995.

The drivers used the latest evolution of Pirellis medium compound DMC P Zero tire, which demonstrated performance and consistency both during long stints and short stints, throughout a wide range of temperatures.

In a race contested by a variety of different tire manufacturers, the Pirelli rubber demonstrated a significant performance advantage. This is why Pirelli has been chosen by the worlds top supercar and prestige manufacturers to equip their leading models.

I knew that the tires would be good, but I didnt think they would be that good! said New Zealander Van Gisbergen, who brought the number 59 McLaren home in his own biggest career success to date. The car was the fastest all weekend: any time I needed a gap, I just stuck the knife in!

Despite its clear speed advantage, the winning McLaren had to contend with an electrical problem that cost nearly a minute in the early stages of the race, and a penalty for speeding in the pit lane that cost 30 seconds.

This years Bathurst 12 Hours also set a new distance record, underlining the durability as well as the performance of the P Zero. Pirelli additionally won the Am category as well as two of the lower classes.

Matteo Braga, Pirellis circuit activity manager, commented: It was a fantastic weekend for our tires, which played an instrumental role in securing pole position and the race win at Bathurst, as well as lap records in both qualifying and the race. The fact that the race lap record was only a few-tenths of a second off the qualifying lap record underlines the sheer pace and competitiveness of the race. We had dry conditions but quite a wide variety of temperatures, as the race started early in the morning and then finished in the late afternoon. Throughout all these conditions, during both long and short stints, our tires demonstrated unbeatable pace. Congratulations to Shane, Alvaro and Jonathan, as well as everyone at McLaren and Tekno Autosports.

The next round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge takes place at the Spa 24 Hours in Belgium from July 28-31.
Global equity markets slid lower as the new week began despite a slight bounce in oil futures. The Lunar New Year holiday provided a reprieve for China and other Asian equity markets but the MSCI Emerging Markets index still finished the day down roughly half a percent, while in Europe early trading took an ugly turn with the Stoxx 600 sliding by more than 2 percent. With investor sentiment depressed by ongoing evidence of weak demand, monetary and economic policy will remain in the spotlight with Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellens testimony on Capitol Hill and the Eurogroup Meeting, both starting Wednesday, become a focus of risk narratives.

Chinese currency reserves fell in January. On Sunday, Chinas central bank, the Peoples Bank of China, released foreign currency reserve data that registered at the lowest levels since 2012 after declining by more than $99 billion in January. Many economists and strategists have raised concerns that current efforts by Chinas central bank to support the yuan may not be sustainable for the long-term.

Argentinas overture to holdouts spurned. A group of hedge funds, including Elliot Management, that had rejected the initial sovereign-debt restructuring offered by Argentina in 2010, have declined a fresh offer made public Friday. While some holdout investors have reportedly accepted the proposal by the government of newly installed President Mauricio Macri, the majority continue to argue for full repayment despite terms that are more advantageous than those offered by prior administrations.

Profits crater for platinum miner. On Monday, the largest global platinum mining firm, South African-based Anglo American Platinum, announced financial results for the final quarter of 2015 with a year-over-year decline in profits of 86 percent. Writedowns for mining assets totaled near $900 million for the South African firm as prices for the precious metal remain depressed despite a modest rally in recent weeks.

India GDP set to beat expectations. The Statistics Ministry of India released growth projections on Monday with a forecast for headline gross domestic product to rise by 7.6 percent for the fiscal year ending in March versus 7.2 percent in the prior year. This growth rate exceeds current consensus economist forecasts and, with government spending and consumption playing a critical role in the expansion, comes just weeks before Prime Minister Narendra Modi presents the budget for next year.

For-profit education company to go private. Phoenix, Arizona-based Apollo Education Group, the operator of the University of Phoenix and other for-profit colleges, announced Monday that it will be taken private through an acquisition by private equity investors, including Apollo Global Management (not affiliated with Apollo Education), after months of talks with multiple parties. The deal, valued at more than $1 billion, is intended to buy time for the company as it refines its business model in the face of increased scrutiny. The for-profit education sector has suffered harsh criticism from some elected officials and government bodies due to high default rates on Federally guaranteed student loans and low graduation rates. Apollo has been one of the most active lobbyists among companies in the sector.

Portfolio Perspective: Avoiding Confirmation Bias

We all make mistakes. Investors make mistakes. Traders make mistakes, and professional managers make mistakes. Of course, part of the game is to make as few unforced errors as possible, but its also worthwhile to consider the types of mistakes to which humansall humansare vulnerable, and to consider some ways to protect ourselves from errors driven by those mistakes. One of the recurring errors in financial markets is to fall prey to confirmation bias: when someone suffers from confirmation bias, that person focuses on information that supports his or her investment thesis, while ignoring data points that contradict. In many cases, contradictory data is not only ignored, it is not processed. One of the best ways to protect against this bias is to actively seek contradictory information, and to focus on those data points that challenge our biases or reasons for being in any position. Confirmation will take care of itself; we need to focus on information that suggests a different picture.

Adam Grimes is chief investment officer for Waverly Advisors in Pittsford, New York.
Clients to significantly benefit from deal, insurance boss says
The idea of subjecting U.S. citizens to the whims of foreign courts is so antithetical to U.S. lawmakers that for 15 years Washington has opposed participation in the International Criminal Court (ICC), which tries defendants accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. But the International Megans Law was unanimously adopted by the House on Feb. 1 by a voice vote after just 40 minutes of floor debate. In December, it cleared the Senate with Sen. Corkers passport amendment by unanimous consent. Not a single lawmaker has gone on record opposing the bill.

A handful of states already have statutes identifying registered sex offenders on their drivers licenses. But legal experts say H.R. 515 represents the first time in U.S. history that American citizens would be subject to such a requirement by federal law. Critics have compared the required passport identifier to the Scarlet Letter worn by Nathaniel Hawthornes protagonist for the sin of adultery. The bill earmarks $6 million a year to help fund a new federal agency called the Angel Watch Center with broad powers to compile and share information domestically and globally about registered sex offenders.

The law applies only to ex-offenders who have been convicted of sex crimes involving minors (people who rape adults are apparently free to travel at will), and is ostensibly designed to make it harder for active offenders who [plan] their trips around locations where the most vulnerable children can be found  [using] the anonymity provided by foreign travel to help hide their hideous crimes, in the words of Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO), a cosponsor of the legislation.

Most incredibly, an amendment added to the bill in December by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) requires that qualifying ex-offenders have a visual designation affixed to a conspicuous location on their passports. Any travel documents that were issued prior to the laws passage would be subject to revocation by the Department of State.

The bills supporters say it is designed to prevent the practice of sex tourism. In practice, it amends federal law to require registered sex offenders to provide information about any intended travel outside the United States  including travel dates and itinerary  and provides for that information to be shared with the governments of any countries they plan to visit. Failure to comply with the notification requirement would be punishable by fines and up to 10 years in prison.

Now, a bill that passed Congress last week and is now awaiting a signature from President Barack Obama risks gambling away the civil rights of thousands of law-abiding Americans each year by subjecting them to heightened scrutiny not just at home but abroad. The legislation ( H.R. 515 ) was sponsored by Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) and bears the laborious title : The International Megans Law to Prevent Child Exploitation and Other Sexual Crimes Through Advanced Notification of Traveling Sex Offenders.

Ex-offenders convicted of sex crimes in the United States are accustomed to facing numerous and often burdensome restrictions. There are laws governing where they are allowed to live, what kind of job they can hold and, in some cases, if they are even allowed to own a computer, long after they have ostensibly paid their debt to society.

The types of crime it purports to address are horrendous. Exactly how often they occur, though, is hard to say. In published testimony, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has credited Operation Angel Watch, the precursor program that inspired the Angel Watch Center in H.R. 515, with providing 1,700 leads about sex offenders to nearly 100 countries in 2013. But the agency doesnt (and presumably couldnt) know how many of those leads disrupted actual attempts at child abuse. The program is part of a larger DHS initiative targeting international sex crimes dubbed Operation Predator that the agency boasts has led to 14,000 arrests since 2003. However, according to a summary of that program published in 2012, only 99 arrests over the prior decade involved traveling sex offenders, with the majority netting purveyors of child pornography.

In any case, individuals convicted of traveling overseas to have sex with minors, or attempting to do so, are already barred (appropriately) from having a passport under federal law. The Supreme Court has ruled that the right to travel  both domestically and internationally  is protected by the Constitution. In the 1960s, the court invalidated a law that prohibited a member of a Communist organization from attempting to use or obtain a passport as a violation of the Fifth Amendment, and has promised it will construe narrowly all delegated powers that curtail or dilute citizens ability to travel. In a 1981 case validating a law that placed passport restrictions on individuals who owe back child support, the court clarified this boundary by saying the government has the authority to restrict the movements of certain criminal offenders if it can show a rational basis for the restriction. In addition to those who owe child support, the Department of State currently denies passports to people who have been convicted of certain drug felonies while they are on supervised release; and the government recently announced it will begin revoking the passports of individuals who are in arrears more than $50,000 in taxes.

However, in each of these cases, the passport ban is only in effect until the individual in question has settled their legal issues. The International Megans Law casts an inappropriately wide net and places unnecessary and burdensome scrutiny on classes of ex-offenders who pose no risk of abusing minors overseas or were convicted of their crimes decades ago and may be traveling as a necessary component of their employment.

Meanwhile, state sex offender registries have become so broad in their application that theyre practically useless. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children there are 843,680 registered sex offenders in the U.S. With few exceptions it is impossible to discern genuine risk from a public sex offender database, where sex crimes against minors can include everything from outright rape to teenagers texting nude photos to each other, or a 20 year old having sexual intercourse with her 16-year-old boyfriend (a category that is made even more complex by variations in state law governing the age of consent).

The International Megans Law will facilitate preemptive action against all of these ex-offenders  without considering the specifics of their crimes  with the intent enabling officials of foreign countries to take actions that they deem appropriate to ensure public safety, as the Government Accountability Office put it in a 2013 report. At best, this will involve denying qualifying offenders entry into their country of destination. At worst, the law will subject U.S. nationals to surveillance, harassment and entrapment by foreign law enforcement agencies with questionable justice systems.

On paper, at least, this means that if the president signs H.R. 515 into law he will be paving the way for American citizens to be arrested, interrogated, prosecuted and possibly convicted in foreign jurisdictions without the benefit of due process on the basis of wobbly intelligence provided by the U.S. government. The White House has yet to comment on whether the president will veto H.R. 515. At least one criminal justice advocacy group has threatened to sue the government if the bill becomes law, saying it believes the law to be unconstitutional.

For their part, the sponsors of H.R. 515 say their bill is consistent with Congress authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations. They may be right, given that the law would rely on foreign powers to do its actual dirty work.

But with courts in a number of states now considering the constitutional implications of overly restrictive sex offender laws, signing a new federal statute increasing those restrictions in a way that will put Americans at risk while traveling abroad would be a stain on the Obama legacy that the president can do without.
New Jersey on Friday, Feb. 5, filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen AG and its luxury units over the German automakers excess diesel emissions, becoming the fourth U.S. state to take legal action.

New Jerseys acting attorney general, John J. Hoffman, accused VW and its Porsche and Audi units of perpetrating a massive fraud on consumers and violating state clean air laws.

VW has admitted installing illegal diesel emissions software to allow 580,000 U.S. diesel vehicles sold since 2009 to emit up to 40 times legally allowable emissions. It faces a U.S. ban on selling 2016 diesel models and is holding talks with California, which issued a separate ban, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to win approval for a repair plan for the vehicles.

For the past decade Volkswagen engaged in one of the largest frauds in the history of the automobile industry, the lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Hudson County said. It developed and distributed into the marketplace sophisticated software to evade emissions requirements, it misled regulators about the true environmental impact of its vehicles, and it misled consumers about the products that it was marketing as supposedly good for the environment.

In addition to civil penalties for alleged violation of state air pollution and consumer fraud laws, the state is seeking restitution to consumers.

Volkswagen said on Feb. 5 that the companys top priority in the United States is to identify an approved remedy for affected diesel vehicles. We continue to cooperate fully with the EPA and (California) to achieve this goal.

New Jersey is joining the states of Texas, New Mexico and West Virginia and Harris County, Texas, in suing Volkswagen. The U.S. Justice Department filed its own lawsuit accusing VW of violating clean air laws and seeking up to $46 billion on Jan. 4.

VW faces more than 500 civil lawsuits that have been consolidated before a federal judge in California, who has retained a former FBI director as a settlement adviser.

The automaker also faces investigations by 48 U.S. state attorneys.

Earlier last week, VW filed a repair and recall plan for 80,000 3.0-liter diesel SUVs and larger cars. California last month rejected a separate fix plan for more than 480,000 2.0 diesel cars, saying it was insufficient and not timely enough.

The U.S. Justice Department and German prosecutors are also investigating the automaker, which has said up to 11 million vehicles worldwide were equipped with the software.

Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Leslie Adler, Bernard Orr

Related:

Topics Lawsuits California USA Pollution New Jersey
Ames & Gough, a specialty insurance broker based in McLean, Virginia, has promoted Allison W. Barefoot to vice president from assistant vice president. She is based in the firms McLean headquarters office.



Barefoot, who joined Ames & Gough in 2013, serves as a senior broker, responsible for client service and placement as a member of the Property/Casualty department.



Previously, she was with USI Insurance Services in Falls Church, Virginia, for 12 years and held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility in insurance brokerage and client services, culminating with her appointment as commercial lines account executive and team leader. She began her career with Patterson Smith Associates, which subsequently merged into USI.

Established in 1992, Ames & Gough is an insurance broker and risk management consultant specializing in serving design professionals, law firms, associations/nonprofits and other professional service organizations. The firm has a team of nearly 40 professionals and staff located in offices in Boston, Philadelphia and McLean, Virginia.

Topics Virginia
Brown & Brown Inc. announced that its subsidiary, The Advocator Group LLC, has acquired substantially all of the equity interests of Social Security Advocates for the Disabled LLC (SSAD) in Norwell, Massachusetts. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Since its founding in 1994, SSAD has provided Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) advocacy services to individual clients on behalf of long-term disability insurance carriers.

SSAD had annual net revenues in 2015 of approximately $10.0 million. SSAD will continue to operate from its Norwell location under the sales leadership of Ann Marie Beaudoin and operational leadership of Megan Reid. The SSAD operations will report to Julie Turpin, chief executive officer of The Advocator Group.

Headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, Brown & Brown Inc., through its subsidiaries, offers a broad range of insurance products and related services for business, public entity, individual, trade and professional association clients nationwide. Additionally, certain Brown & Brown subsidiaries offer a variety of risk management, third-party administration, and other services.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Massachusetts
It may take weeks to determine why a huge construction crane that was being lowered during strong winds came crashing down onto a street last Friday, Feb. 5, killing a pedestrian and crushing a row of parked cars, New York City officials said.

Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby buildings and poring over the twisted, crumpled steel of the 565-foot-long crane, which came thundering down onto a historic Manhattan street 10 blocks north of the World Trade Center during last Friday mornings commute.

Officials said they recovered the mobile cranes movement recording computer, which could provide clues  such as the angle of the boom  as to why the crane fell. But they cautioned its data was just one piece of the puzzle.

It is not the equivalent of a black box, Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler said. But I dont want to set the expectations too high. Its not going to give us data on wind speeds or the actions of the operators.

Work crews crawling over the sprawling accident site began to slice up the downed crane into as many as 35 pieces, which will be loaded by four other cranes onto flatbed trucks and removed for further study.

It could be several days, though, before buildings whose pipes were crushed can have their water restored and before crews can repave the street and sign off on its stability.

Wall Street worker David Wichs, 38, was walking on the street below and was killed by the crane collapse. He was a mathematical whiz who worked at a computerized-trading firm, his family said. Born in Prague, he had moved to the United States as a teenager and graduated from Harvard University, said his sister-in-law, Lisa Guttman.

He really created a life for himself, she said through tears. He literally took every opportunity he could find.

Three other people were struck by debris and injured in the collapse.

The crane was used to install generators and air conditioning units atop a nearby high-rise and had been inspected by the Department of Buildings last Thursday to approve an extension, officials said. It had the capacity to carry as much as 330 tons.

The crane was rated to withstand wind gusts up to 25 mph, but when winds neared 20 mph last Friday the crew opted to secure it. A bystanders video taken through a window high above the ground showed the cranes arm descending in wind-blown snow and then taking the crane to the ground.

The cranes operator tested negative for drugs or alcohol and was cooperating with investigators. The crane was being used by Galasso Trucking and Rigging in Queens. Calls for comment were not returned.

Cranes dotting the skylines of Manhattan and Brooklyn have become increasingly commonplace and are emblematic of a building boom across the city, particularly of high-rise residential and commercial structures. Questions about their safety have persisted since two tower cranes collapsed in Manhattan within two months of each other in 2008, killing a total of nine people.

After Fridays crane collapse, Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered that all cranes in the city cease operation. Tower cranes attached to the sides of buildings were allowed to resume work Saturday, but crawling cranes like the one that fell Friday must first be approved by city inspectors before they can return to work.

Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this report.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The number of confirmed deaths in a weekend earthquake in Taiwan edged up to 37, with the final toll estimated to be much higher as more than a hundred people were still reported missing.

Efforts to dig through collapsed buildings in the southern city of Tainan, home to chip-making suppliers to companies like Apple Inc., were hampered on Monday with authorities suspending the use of heavy machinery due to safety concerns. Local television reported that two survivors were pulled from the rubble, including a woman trapped under the body of her husband. The final death toll could cross 100, the Apple Daily cited Tainans mayor as saying.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck an area in the islands southwest at 3:57 a.m. local time on Saturday and came at the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, a time when many people are traveling. The islands fire agency said that more than 520 people were injured when nine buildings, including a 17-story residential tower, buckled during the temblor.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which makes chips for the iPhone and other products, said that it expects at least 85 percent of equipment at two plants to be restored to normal on Monday. Tools at a third will take another two or three days to be up and running, spokesperson Elizabeth Sun said in a phone interview. The company doesnt need to adjust its first-quarter guidance, she added.

Chip Plants

The earthquake may be unlikely to dramatically effect chip-making plants in Taiwan, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Anand Srinivasan and Eshani Guptewrote in a report. Most factories were probably closed ahead of the Lunar New Year.

Taiwan is prone to quakes because its near the convergence of two tectonic plates  the Philippine Sea Plate and Eurasia Plate. There have been about 79 quakes greater than 4.5 in the area since the beginning of last year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter of Saturdays temblor was in Kaohsiung, about 300 kilometers (185 miles) southwest of Taipei, at a depth of 16.7 kilometers, according to Taiwans Central Weather Bureau website. There were at least 40 aftershocks.

Taiwan president-elect Tsai Ing-wen visited victims in Tainan on Monday morning, saying that rescue efforts will continue, according to a Central News Agency report.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Earthquake
Russian authorities in November raided offices associated with a Moscow film distribution and production company as part of a crackdown on one of the worlds most notorious financial hacking operations, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter.

Cyber security experts said a password-stealing software program known as Dyre  believed to be responsible for at least tens of millions of dollars in losses at financial institutions including Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co.  has not been deployed since the time of the raid. Experts familiar with the situation said the case represents Russias biggest effort to date to crack down on cyber crime.

A spokesman for the Russian Interior Ministrys cyber crime unit said his department was not involved in the case. The FSB, Russias main intelligence service, said it had no immediate comment.

Nikolay Volchkov, the chief executive of the film company named 25th Floor, said he could not answer questions about the raid.

Without an official confirmation, much remains a mystery. Reuters could not determine a direct link between the programs shutdown and the raid.

The sources said that a number of people were questioned by the authorities but Reuters was unable to ascertain further details, including whether there were arrests or criminal charges. Reuters has no evidence that Volchkov or the film company is implicated in any wrongdoing and couldnt determine precisely who is.

Hackers targeting Western financial institutions and individuals are rarely punished in Russia. Consequently, the November raid is seen as potentially a landmark event by Western cyber crime watchers.

The Dyre hackers used a range of tricks to insert sophisticated computer code into consumer web browsers to manipulate communications between those customers and more than 400 financial institutions, according to analysts at Dell SecureWorks. IBM said it was the most pervasive financial theft software hitting its customers last year. (see http://goo.gl/dFYm62)

But then Dyre stopped spreading, banking and security experts said. We have seen a disruption over the last few months that is definitely consistent with successful law enforcement action, said cyber crime expert John Miller of U.S.-based security firm iSight Partners, who had no knowledge of specific arrests.

The Dyre investigation in Russia is being aided by Kaspersky Lab, a top cyber security firm. A person close to the company said it would reveal details about the case at its annual conference for security experts starting Sunday. Kaspersky declined to comment on its conference plans.

Cyber Crime Thriller

Adding further intrigue to the November raid is that 25th Floor is in the midst of producing a film called Botnet, a cyber crime thriller loosely based on a 2010 case in which 37 people in the United States and elsewhere were charged in a $3 million scam.

Prosecutors in the 2010 case touted the bust as a big win against organized cyber crime. Tabloid media outlets loved the story, especially as photos circulated of one of the suspects, a blue-eyed Russian brunette named Kristina Svechinskaya, who was referred to by The Sun newspaper in Britain as the worlds sexiest hacker.

However, most of the people charged were lower-level in the scam and the key figures were never named, let alone arrested.

The hackers used a variant of the then-top program for hijacking bank accounts, known as Zeus, which law enforcement sources say is related to the present-day Dyre.

Housed in a fashionable Moscow skyscraper, 25th Floor distributes movies and television shows in Russia and neighboring countries as well as producing some of its own. Last years distribution slate included The Runner, with Nicholas Cage, and this April it is slated to ship Exposed, a police corruption drama with Keanu Reeves.

Two people briefed on the November raid said it involved both 25th Floors office and a related neighboring office.

In treatments for the movie version of the crime story seen by Reuters, the lead female character grows up poor in a Moscow housing complex, is lured into an imagined high life of New York hackers, and eventually gets arrested by the U.S. National Security Agency before turning on the worst of her criminal associates and walking free.

He Was Afraid

Ilya Sachkov, chief executive of Group-IB, a Moscow-based computer security company, said his firm was hired by 25th Floor to advise the Botnet director and writers on the finer points of cyber crime.

Sachkov said he was initially approached at a security conference by Volchkov. He asked if we would be interested in consulting with a scriptwriter they would hire in the United States, Sachkov said.

Sachkov said he met with Volchkov about half-a-dozen times to discuss aspects of the plot.

Then, last November, Sachkov got an urgent call from Volchkov, saying he needed to meet.

He was afraid. His color was totally white, said Sachkov. He knows there is an ongoing investigation about cyber crime.

Volchkov declined to comment on the events.

(Reporting by Joseph Menn in Washington; additional reporting by Anastasia Teterevleva in Moscow; editing by Jonathan Weber and Martin Howell)

Topics USA Cyber Russia
A South Dakota woman accused of setting fire to her own bar to get more than $300,000 in insurance money has been convicted of arson.

Attorney General Marty Jackley says a jury found Road House Bar and Grill owner Lori Brandner guilty of aiding and abetting arson, conspiracy to commit arson and submitting a fraudulent insurance claim.

Authorities alleged Brandner and three others set fire to her bar in the northern South Dakota town of Herreid on Jan. 21, 2015.

The fire significantly damaged the bar, which Brandner co-owned with her husband. After the fire, Brandner submitted a $310,000 insurance claim.

Her three co-defendants each previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson in exchange for testifying at Brandners trial.

A sentencing date has not been set.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Police in a southwest Ohio city are warning residents of an increase in vehicle thefts.

The Dayton Daily News reports Dayton Sgt. John Riegel says many car theft victims who left their vehicles running. He says its against the law to leave vehicles running unattended.

The department estimates that 70 percent of the vehicle thefts that have occurred on the citys west side in recent years involve vehicles that were left running, mainly at gas stations.

Riegel says the thieves are mainly teenagers and warned would-be thieves that every car they get in could be operated by police officers.

The department says its been successful in catching thieves through the bait car.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Auto Fraud Law Enforcement Ohio
Foreign sovereign wealth funds are not automatically immune from U.S. lawsuits claiming that they defrauded investors into buying securities in the United States by making misleading statements outside the country, the federal appeals court in Manhattan ruled.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the funds are not shielded by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act from securities fraud claims over alleged misrepresentations that cause a direct effect in the United States.

Wednesdays 3-0 decision is a victory for U.S. investors who sought to hold Kazakhstans Samruk-Kazyna JSC fund liable for misstatements about bonds sold by BTA Bank, in which it held a 75 percent stake, that later went into default.

It may also make it easier for U.S. investors to pursue some claims over alleged foreign fraud, despite a series of recent rulings limiting the reach of domestic laws.

Lawyers for the Kazakh fund and the plaintiffs did not respond to requests for comment or had no immediate comment.

The plaintiffs, including investment funds as well as individuals in Florida and Illinois, had bought subordinated BTA notes issued through a 2010 debt restructuring.

They claimed that the Kazakh fund later siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars of interest payments from BTA, despite having promised in an offering memorandum for the notes that such payments would not be made until the notes were paid off.

The plaintiffs also said Samruk-Kazyna later falsely assured in the last few months before BTAs January 2012 default that the bank would remain viable. Instead, BTA underwent a second restructuring, and the Kazakh fund took a 97 percent stake.

In a 42-page decision, Circuit Judge Debra Ann Livingston said there was enough evidence to show that Samruk-Kazyna expected U.S. investors to buy BTAs notes, and that their losses stemmed from the alleged misstatements.

Livingston said the case resembled product liability litigation where courts have consistently found that the direct effect requirement is satisfied when plaintiffs suffer injuries in the United States from products made elsewhere.

If the locus of a (securities fraud) claim is the place where the plaintiff suffers economic loss from reliance on the defendants misrepresentations, Livingston wrote, then it follows that in a securities fraud case, an FSIA direct effect may be felt where the plaintiff suffers such loss.

Wednesdays decision upheld a March 2014 ruling by U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan. The case now returns to his court.

The case is Atlantica Holdings Inc et al v. Sovereign Wealth Fund Samruk-Kazyna JSC, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 14-917.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)

Topics USA Claims Fraud
The power and frequency of earthquakes in Oklahoma have been increasing, but the Legislature has done little to try to curb the temblors that scientists have linked to the underground disposal of oil and gas drilling wastewater.

That could change this year, as angry residents have been increasingly turning up at town hall meetings and legislative hearings to call for state leaders to address the problem.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Oklahoma this year has already had more than 90 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater, which is generally when most people start to feel them. The town of Fairview, in northwest Oklahoma, has been hardest hit, but several large quakes also have rattled the well-to-do suburb of Edmond, including a 4.3-magnitude quake on Dec. 29 and a 4.2 temblor a few days later.

The states given us nothing other than innuendo about what they think it is, said Fairview resident George Eischen. Give us some information.

Gov. Mary Fallin earlier this month authorized nearly $1.4 million in emergency funding for state regulators and researchers. That includes $387,000 for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to upgrade technology and hire contract geologists, and $1 million for the Oklahoma Geological Survey to install new seismic monitoring stations and update its monitoring network and software.

But the governor didnt mention earthquakes in her annual address to the Legislature, and Democrats say GOP leaders arent doing nearly enough.

Right now, the 800-pound gorilla in the room for most Oklahoma citizens is the fact that the largest and most important investment that they make in their lifetime, their homes, are shaking underneath them, and the governor didnt address the issue at all in her State of the State, said House Democratic Leader Rep. Scott Inman, D-Del City.

Inman said he believes the oil and gas industry should be subsidizing the costs of researching earthquakes, and he said Democrats intend to push for a law to prohibit out-of-state wastewater from being dumped in Oklahoma. He also wants the Legislature to roll back a law passed last year that prohibits cities or counties from regulating oil and gas activities, although the Republican-led Legislature is unlikely to do that.

Fallin spokesman Michael McNutt said the governor didnt mention earthquakes in her State of the State because she wanted to emphasize Oklahomas budget crisis and that she insists any decisions dealing with quakes must be based on science.

She is interested in actual plans of action rather than political rhetoric that doesnt do anything, McNutt said.

House Speaker Jeff Hickman, whose hometown of Fairview is located near a recent swarm of quakes, has said the Corporation Commission has the regulatory authority it needs to shut down wastewater wells, but that hes open to clarifying that power through legislation.

The commission so far has directed disposal well operators to stop injecting wastewater or to reduce volumes in quake-prone areas, but at least one energy company, Sandridge Energy Inc., ignored the commissions directive before finally reaching an agreement. That type of response by operators shouldnt be allowed, said Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie.

I think that its vital for the Legislature to give to the Corporation Commission the power to enforce their cutback directives, said Murphey, whose district also has been rattled by quakes. Right now there is no incentive for the operator to comply, short of the issue of morality.

Another bill that has been introduced this session would require local school districts to develop plans for responding to an earthquake emergency, including regular earthquake drills.

The proposals are House Bill 3158 and House Bill 2455.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Oklahoma Earthquake
Florida insurers, consumer and insurance advocates, as well as regulators, are hoping 2016 may finally be the year that legislators address the misuse of assignment of benefits (AOB) for water loss claims that they say has become a rampant and costly problem in the state.

The Consumer Protection Coalition, formed in January to raise awareness of AOB abuse, reports Florida AOB lawsuits have increased 90,000 percent since 2000. Claims of misuse have been primarily isolated to South Florida  particularly in Miami-Dade County  and the stories have stayed under the radar for the most part.

However, the AOB abuse became a statewide headline this past summer when state-run insurer Citizens Property Insurance Corp. highlighted the problem in its 2016 rate filing and requested a rate increase of 3.2 percent for all personal lines policyholders.

I want to be crystal clear on this issue: water losses are the major reason Citizens is seeking rate hikes for the coming year, especially in South Florida, President and CEO of Citizens Barry Gilway said at its Aug. 25, 2015 rate hearing before Florida regulators.

Michael Carlson, executive director of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida (PIFF), said highly litigious groups of trial firms as well as certain types of contractors  many of them unlicensed water extractors  have been taking advantage of the AOB provision in homeowners insurance policies. In many cases, contractors are inflating the cost of repair work and suing insurance companies if a claim is denied or not paid in full.

Policyholders often dont understand what they are signing over and unaware if a repair company turns around and sues their insurer. Law firms and repair contractors have been working together on executing these water loss claims because they consider it easy money. Carlson said in most cases, insurers opt to settle the claims.

Insurers are making a business decision on if its worth it to fight the suit or the [inflated] claim, Carlson said. The insurance company doesnt want to add defense costs unless they really think the claim is incorrect. They are motivated to settle and keep costs low.

In August, Gilway called the trend of increasing water damage claims very disturbing, with non-cat related water losses now accounting for 33 percent of every premium dollar paid by Citizens policyholders. The company has been urging lawmakers to pass a solution to the problem in 2016. Carlson said PIFFs insurer members are not having this issue in any of the other states they operate in.

Florida lawmakers are currently weighing two bills  House Bill 1097 and Senate Bill 596  that would address the abuse of the assignment of benefits provision (see end of story).

Carlson said efforts to pass legislation the last three years have been unsuccessful, but he is hopeful Citizens statewide platform has helped call attention to an important and costly issue for Florida consumers.

Citizens has the unique ability as a public company to make all of its company information available and not a lot of insurers can do that, Carlson said. [Citizens] can generate a lot of data and put together a lot of information that is impactful and sheds light on the cost.

And Citizens isnt the only one tackling the problem. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) issued a data call in October to Floridas largest property insurers to submit detailed information on water loss claims, mitigation services, litigation and assignment of benefits.

OIR said at the time the data call would help evaluate the impact that assignment of benefits is having on property claims. OIR still has not released the data call information but said it was working on a compilation of the aggregated results.

Citizens released an analysis of its data call results that the company said confirms the state is facing a serious problem.

In the meantime, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, along with business leaders, consumer advocates, real estate agents, construction contractors, insurance agents, and insurance trade groups, have formed the Consumer Protection Coalition with the goal to protect consumers by ensuring homeowners maintain control of their insurance policies, rather than relinquish them to scheming vendors seeking to pad their profits using AOB.

Mark Wilson, president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said the news of the problem has started getting out as consumers question why their rates are going up after several storm-free years.

The answer is inflated claims, said Wilson. The most important thing we are doing here is driving consumer awareness.

Critics, however, have questioned whether insurers are really trying to take away an important policyholder right and question if the AOB abuse is actually fraud, as it has been called.

Carlson said an inflated claim is harder to prove than a phony claim, and it is even harder to know when a vendor has submitted an inflated claim vs. the actual claim.

Call it fraud, scam or abuse  we see those all as equivalent terms, Carlson said.

Regardless of what is called, Wilson says the problem is leading to higher costs for insurers and that is trickling down to policyholders.

AOB was created a long time ago as a solution  as a protection for insureds  now whats happened is trial lawyers and dishonest contractors have used what was supposed to be a consumer protection to scam the consumers, he said.

HB1097 & SB 596

The bills introduced in the Florida House (HB1097) and Senate (SB 596) to tackle the assignment of benefits abuse problem include requirements for post-loss assignment of claims or policy provisions not related to liability coverage. More specifically, the proposed legislation says policyholders with a covered loss cant assign a claim until the policyholder has given notice of the loss to the insurer or their agent. The exception to this is if repairs must be performed and paid for to protect the property from further damage. The legislation also allows policyholders to cancel an assignment agreement without penalty or obligation within three business days after the agreement is executed or received by the insurer.

The bill also states assignees cannot perform any services not specifically approved by the policyholder in a separate contract that spells out the scope and costs of such repairs, and provides limitations on the assignees rights to collect money from, sue or claim lien on the property of the policyholder.

Personal Insurance Federation of Floridas Executive Director Michael Carlson said keeping the insured in the loop will be a big part of preventing future abuse.

Letting the enforcement of the assignment remain with the homeowner will keep them in the process and they will know what the vendor is doing, he said.

Status:HB1097 advanced from the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee on Jan. 29 and was sent to the Regulatory Affairs Committee on Feb. 1 where it is currently being read. SB596 passed the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Feb. 1 and was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 3.

HB671

If passed, this bill would prohibit contractors or other parties from receiving a referral fee for doing work in which they would be compensated by an insurance policy. It also would ban such parties from interpreting or advising insureds on coverage or duties under their property insurance policy, or adjusting a claim on behalf of the insured. Finally, insureds must be given an itemized estimate of the cost of services and materials for repairs before the agreement authorizing the repairs is executed.

Status:Passed Insurance and Banking Subcommittee Jan. 27 and was scheduled to be heard Feb. 8 by the House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee.

Related:

Topics Carriers Florida Legislation Claims Property Contractors
A bankrupt chemical company responsible for a spill that contaminated a West Virginia river and fouled the drinking water supply of 300,000 residents was fined $900,000 on pollution charges Feb. 4, with a judge noting that Freedom Industries likely could never pay it.

I might as well enter the maximum fine, U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston said. Its all symbolic anyway.

Johnston said there were millions more in claims against the company than the listed assets of $2 million to $2.5 million. He said the fine would be collected only if those other claims are processed in full.

Theres no way that fine will ever be paid, he said.

The company also received five years probation.

The January 2014 spill of a coal-cleaning agent into the Elk River got into a water companys intake and prompted a tap-water ban in nine counties for up to 10 days.

Freedom filed for bankruptcy eight days after the spill. Last October, a federal bankruptcy judge approved a liquidation plan for the company that will distribute more than $2 million to residents and businesses affected by the spill.

The plan also provides $1.4 million to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and environmental firms for continued cleanup work. Freedoms parent, Chemstream Holdings, is adding $1.1 million for the cleanup under an agreement with the agency.

The plans funding sources include about $2.7 million in sale escrow fund proceeds, $300,000 from a settlement with convicted ex-Freedom President Gary Southern and $3.1 million from a settlement with Freedoms insurer, AIG.

At a separate hearing Thursday, former plant manager Michael Burdette became the third Freedom official to be fined and sentenced to probation. The 61-year-old Burdette was fined $2,500, with Johnston citing his cooperation in the federal investigation, undisclosed health issues and the fact that hes unemployed.

Johnston also noted Burdette had asked his superiors to repair a retaining wall at the site but was turned down for financial reasons.

You are probably the least culpable defendant of all, Johnston told Burdette.

Both Burdette, who also was placed on three years probation, and an attorney representing the company apologized for the spill at the separate hearings.

Burdettes voice shook briefly as he explained that he was born in South Charleston and his family lives in the area downstream from the spill site.

I have learned some valuable life lessons at a significant personal cost, Burdette said.

An environmental consultant and a former Freedom owner were sentenced earlier this week. Southern and two other former company officials will be sentenced later this month.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Pollution Virginia Chemicals
A recent federal appeals court opinion could aid a Tennessee military widows efforts to hold the federal government responsible for her husbands suicide.

The 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has sent a case involving Scott Walter Eiswert back to a lower court, saying there is legal precedent that could be used to favor Tracy Eiswerts contention that the government is at fault, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.

U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer said he was forced to dismiss the widows lawsuit in 2013 due to procedural hurdles the Tennessee legislature created when it made it harder for people to sue doctors and hospitals.

But in its decision last week, the appeals court cited several cases that were decided after the widows lawsuit was dismissed. Those decisions have cast doubt on the strict compliance requirements of the states medical malpractice law, the court said.

Eiswert, 31, of Greeneville, served in Iraq with the Tennessee National Guard for two years in 2003 before being honorably discharged in 2005. He committed suicide in 2008.

Before he died, Eiswert reported that he and his fellow soldiers were under constant threat from roadside or car bombs in Iraq, and that he was on the phone with a soldier friend when an explosion killed the friend. He also said he witnessed a blast that killed 93 civilians, many of them children. He suffered from insomnia, agitation, anger and other symptoms but was diagnosed with depression instead of PTSD, according to the initial lawsuit.

The U.S. Veterans Administration and the James H. Quillen Veterans Administration Medical Center in Mountain Home, Tennessee, have conceded that Scott Eiswert was not properly diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics USA Medical Professional Liability Tennessee
Fire investigators say theyve completed their investigation into a blaze that killed a woman working in a coffee stand where baristas wear bikinis.

Everett Fire Department investigators said Thursday in a news release the fire Jan. 7 was accidental and caused by a propane heater.

Officials say 26-year-old Courtney Campbell had been in the stand refilling a small space heater with propane. Investigators said it was apparent that an accidental release of propane vapor occurred immediately before a flash that caused the fire.

Campbell was burned while escaping the flames and died later at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Officials said Campbell had recently bought the stand.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Washington
A maggio linflazione e scesa dello 0,2% su base mensile ma e cresciuta dell1,4% rispetto allo stesso mese del 2016. Lo comunica lIstat confermando la stima preliminare sullindice nazione dei prezzi al consumo, che frena di mezzo punto percentuale dopo aver raggiunto l1,9% ad aprile.

Linflazione acquisita per il 2017 e pari a +1,2%. La frenata del tasso a maggio, spiega lIstat, e dovuta in particolare ai prezzi di talune tipologie di prodotto, la cui crescita si riduce di ampiezza pur rimanendo sostenuta: gli energetici non regolamentati (+6,8%, da +9,1% di aprile), i servizi relativi ai trasporti (+3,2% da +5,5%) e gli alimentari non lavorati (+3,8% da +4,7%). Il rallentamento della crescita dei prezzi dei servizi relativi ai trasporti, invece, e la ragione prevalente del ridimensionamento dell'inflazione di fondo, sia al netto degli energetici e degli alimentari freschi (+0,7% da +1,1% di aprile) sia al netto dei soli beni energetici (+1,0% da +1,3%).

Quanto alla diminuzione su base mensile dellindice generale, questa e dovuta quasi esclusivamente ai ribassi dei prezzi dei servizi relativi ai trasporti (-2,2%), che risentono delleffetto di fattori stagionali di segno opposto a quelli che ne avevano determinato la forte crescita nel mese di aprile con le vacanze di Pasqua e la festa della Liberazione.

Notizie non buone sul fronte del debito pubblico che sale a 2.270 miliardi di euro, segnando un nuovo record. Ad aprile il passivo delle Amministrazioni pubbliche e stato pari a 2.270,4 miliardi, in aumento di 10,1 miliardi rispetto a marzo, come si legge nel fascicolo Finanza pubblica, fabbisogno e debito della Banca dItalia. Con riferimento ai sottosettori, il debito delle Amministrazioni centrali e aumentato di 9,6 miliardi, quello delle Amministrazioni locali e aumentato di 0,5 miliardi; il debito degli Enti di previdenza e rimasto pressoche invariato.

Lincremento del debito ad aprile, si legge, e dovuto al fabbisogno mensile delle Amministrazioni pubbliche (5,5 miliardi) e allaumento delle disponibilita liquide del Tesoro (per 3,9 miliardi, a 58,5; erano pari a 64,7 miliardi alla fine di aprile 2016) e alleffetto complessivo degli scarti e dei premi allemissione e al rimborso, della rivalutazione dei titoli indicizzati allinflazione e della variazione del tasso di cambio (0,7 miliardi).
La difesa della vita umana, leducazione e la pace sociale sono stati il fulcro dellincontro tra Papa Francesco e la presidente della Repubblica del Cile, Michelle Bachelet. Durante i 47 minuti di incontro, sono stati affrontati temi di comune interesse come ha specificato una nota della Santa Sede al termine dellincontro.

Francesco ha ricevuto il Capo di Stato cileno nella Biblioteca del Palazzo apostolico e durante lincontro avrebbe annunciato una sua probabile visita in Cile, forse nel 2016, in quella che potrebbe essere un viaggio apostolico in Argentina, Cile e e Uruguay.

E stato un meraviglioso incontro. Abbiamo parlato di temi importanti, temi che riguardano lo Stato e della maniera in cui stiamo avanzando perche il Cile continui a dare il massimo delle opportunita e dei diritti a tutti i suoi abitanti, ha dichiarato la Bachelet al termine del colloquio privato con il Santo Padre.

Vestita di nero e con scarpe senza tacco, la presidente della Repubblica cilena e arriva in Vaticano intorno alle 10.20, accompagnata da una delegazione di 12 persone, ed e stata ricevuta dal Prefetto della Casa Pontificia Georg Gaenswein.

Al termine dellincontro privato, Papa Francesco e Michelle Bachelet hanno proceduto con labituale scambio di regali. La presidente cilena ha omaggiato il Santo Padre con un rosario di lapislazzuli e argento e un libro intitolato Iglesias del fin del mundo (Le chiese della fine del mondo). Bergoglio invece ha regalato alla Bachelet una copia  in lingua castigliana  della sua esortazione apostolica Evangelii Gaudium e un medaglione in bronzo. Dopo lincontro con il Papa, Michelle Bachelet e stata ricevuta dal segretario di Stato, il cardinale Pietro Parolin.
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If youre hoping to stretch your retirement dollars further, a move abroad may be the answer. Living in a foreign land offers a chance to see more of the world and can offer a lower cost of living.

But which are the best countries for retirees? International Livings Annual Global Retirement Index highlights the best countries for retirees each year, and 2021's top 10 list features five Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America. If youre planning a foreign retirement, it may make sense to put learning Spanish on your to-do list.

Key Takeaways International Livings Annual Global Retirement Index highlights the best countries for retirees each year.

The publication uses a scoring system that measures a variety of factors including cost of renting, cost of living, healthy living, and climate.

Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Colombia, and Portugal are 2021's top five countries for retirees.

Before going abroad, check visa and residency requirements, research political stability, determine foreign ownership rules, and visit before moving.

Best Retiree Countries

To determine which countries are the best for retirees, International Living uses a scoring system that measures a variety of factors, including:

Ease of buying and owning property and the value of property investments

Cost of renting

Benefits and discounts on things such as healthcare and entertainment

Visa and residency requirements

Cost of living

Fitting in and how easy it is to make friends

Entertainment and amenities

Healthy living

Development and infrastructure

Climate

Stability of the countrys political situation

The top 10 countries with the highest cumulative average score across all those categories are:

1. Costa Rica

Costa Rica is an ideal choice if you value a healthy, active lifestyle. It earned high scores in the healthcare, development, and governance categories, and theres no shortage of things to see and do. The cost of living makes Costa Rica highly affordable, even on the smallest retirement budget. Out of 25 countries surveyed, the cost of living in Costa Rica scored 84 with housing at 74. If youre looking to buy, you can find homes cheap with property tax rates that are a fraction of what youd pay in the U.S.

2. Panama

Between majestic mountains and bustling beaches, Panama offers the best of both worlds for retirees. Locals have a reputation for being welcoming and friendly, and from a cost-of-living perspective, its highly affordable. Virtually everything is less expensive compared to the U.S. including groceries, restaurants, and rent.

Expats who get a retirement visa enjoy numerous benefits, including deep discounts on entertainment, airfare, local transportation, and hotel stays. The only 'catch' is you must have a pension that gives at least $1,000 a month to qualify for the Pensioner visa. But once a retired resident, you will save 25% off power bills, plane fare, and restaurant meals, as well as 20% medication and even 50% off movie tickets.

3. Mexico

Mexico combines modern amenities with a rustic feel, and its well suited to retirees who prefer a balmy climate and close proximity to the U.S. It earned its highest ratings on International Livings list for both entertainment and amenities and the ease of establishing residency. Retirees can get a temporary resident visa, which is good for up to four years, by meeting minimum monthly income or asset requirements or by owning property in Mexico. If you plan to stay long term, you can apply for a permanent resident visa, which has higher income and asset requirements.

Note that five states in Mexico have been marked by the U.S. State Department as do not travel, with another eleven designated as reconsider and fourteen singled out to be extra cautious, so be careful where in Mexico you choose to relocate.

4. Colombia

Colombia has something for everyone, whether you prefer the beach, the mountains, or even exploring the rainforest. A cool mix of colonial and cosmopolitan, there are plenty of nonstop flights from Florida to any major Colombian city. Retirement visas can be easily acquired by proving proof of retirement funds but they will need to be renewed every three years.

Ranked 22 by the World Health Organization, Colombia's low-cost, quality healthcare system beats the U.S. and Canada, both of whom landed in the 30s. Expats report health insurance premiums in Colombia are about 70% less than in the U.S. Overall, the cost of living scored a high 89, allowing you to squeeze more value out of your retirement dollars.

5. Portugal

Portugal is one of three countries included in the top 10 thats in Europe. Aside from the beautiful landscape, expats are attracted to this coastal European locale because of the low cost of living and abundance of amenities. Since English is taught in schools, it is easier for Americans to communicate with the local community. There are hundreds of islands to visit, and the low cost and wide variety of restaurants make it a foodies paradise. Portugal had the highest scores for housing and climate, as well as high scores for the cost of living and healthcare.

The top 10 list of the best countries to retire to features five Spanish-speaking countries located in Central and South America, a few picturesque European countries, and also includes such exotic locales as Vietnam and Malaysia.

Countries Rounding out the Top 10

The remaining countries in the top 10 all offer a combination of low costs, great amenities, and good weather. In descending order, they are Ecuador, Malaysia, France, Malta, and Vietnam.

More Popular Places to Retire

In addition to International Living's list, there are lots of sources advising retirees where they should go if they decide to relocate abroad. But where are retirees actually flocking, based on where they collect their Social Security checks? The answers just might surprise you. Here, in order of popularity, are the five countries that are seeing the biggest influx of Social Security recipients who prefer retirement on foreign shores:

Canada

Japan

Mexico

Germany

United Kingdom

We've already discussed Mexico's advantages. As for the others, while living in capitals like Tokyo or London can be quite pricey, housing and other fundamental aspects of the cost-of-living in smaller towns and in the countryside are often lower than in the U.S., especially when you factor in the universal healthcare many of these countries offer.

Familiarity also explains the popularity of some countries. A large number of U.S. military personnel are stationed in several of these lands and this could lead to a desire to "stay on" after their active service has ended.

How to Plan Your Retirement Abroad

1. Check Visa and Residency Requirements

Immigration and residency laws vary from country to country. You can review the U,S. Department of States country-specific information to find out if youll need a visa to enter and reside in the country to which youre hoping to move. Other useful information is listed on the website as well, including passport validity, recommended and required vaccinations, and currency restrictions for entry and exit.

2. Research Safety and Political Stability

The U.S. State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs provides up-to-date international travel information about how safe and stable various countries are. At times, there will be travel warnings and alerts about specific locations, or rarely, the U.S. may restrict citizens from traveling to or within certain countries. The information is updated regularly, as needed.

As a foreign national, you may encounter travel restrictions in certain countries. Remember that while in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.

3. Determine Rules of Foreign Ownership

Many countries have rules and regulations as to who is permitted to own property, and how the property can be usedsome countries restrict foreign ownership altogether. Before you decide on moving to a country, investigate its restrictions in detail and make sure they work with your finances and plans. Your best information source is a local real estate agent. You can find such agents through the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations (ICREA).

Even if a country does not restrict who buys real estate, it may control what happens when non-citizens sell the property.

Also, be sure that your property rights are protected. In the U.S., homebuyers generally receive a clear title to the property when they buy it. Rules may be less clear in other countries. Be sure you hire a qualified real estate agent and a local attorney to ensure that you know what you've purchased and that all paperwork is handled according to local requirements.

4. Visit Before Moving, Rent Before Buying

Living in a country is very different from being a tourist. Try to stay in neighborhoods and areas you are considering to see what it's like to live like a local. And visit in more than one season. In fact, try to visit once during the least-pleasant weather season of your prospective homedry desert winds, monsoon rains, dreary winter days when there's no sun for weeks. You won't always be able to escape once you're actually living there. Also, see whether there is a local American or international association or club you can join to learn more about living in that country or region.

Once you move, start the transition by renting first to make sure the locale is compatible with your vision for retirement. If it works out, let the house-hunting begin.

5. Consider an All-Cash Purchase

Locating a U.S.-based bank or another lender that will fund a mortgage for overseas property is exceedingly difficult. Some local banks abroad do make loans to foreigners, but you could be asked for a massive down payment.

Try to find a property you can afford to buy outright, for cash. You'll have more negotiating power, a less complicated transaction and, in many cases, you may end up with a better deal.

6. Organize Your Assets (and Taxes)

You may be retiring abroad, but your assets dont have to move with you. Stocks, bonds, annuities, IRAs and the like can remain in the U.S. where the economy and political situation are known factors.

Unless you renounce your U.S. citizenship, you will be subject to the same income tax requirements as if you lived back home. You will still have to file an income tax return with the IRS and will have to declare any money withdrawn from your retirement accounts.

Be sure to consult with a tax attorney or tax advisor before you move, and plan on keeping in touch while abroad to make sure you are in compliance with tax laws at home and abroad. If you decide to move your assets abroad, work with your accountant or attorney to find out if and how they will be taxed.

To cover day-to-day expenses, you can open a local bank account to accept regular transfers from your U.S. account and pay bills.

Online banking and brokerage accounts make it easier than ever to manage money while abroad, but be aware there are restrictions on transfers to certain countries. If your Social Security check is mailed abroad, keep in mind that delivery times vary so it might not always arrive when expected. There is always an option for direct deposit, which also may prevent currency change or check-cashing fees.

Major credit cardsVisa, MasterCard, and American Expressare accepted in locations around the world and provide another option for covering daily living expenses and purchases. Contact your credit card company about an auto-pay option.

7. Settle Your Healthcare

Many U.S. health insurance policies will not cover you while living abroad. And even though Social Security will follow you as you travel, Medicare coverage is extremely limited outside of the U.S.

Depending on your retirement destination, you may find that healthcare is so affordable that you dont need insurance. If the country offers subsidized care for citizens, for example, make sure foreign residents have access to the same care and costs. If not, find out what coverage you will have as a visitor and plan accordingly. Depending on where you plan to live, you may find American or international companies that sell health insurance to Americans living abroad.

In some countries, healthcare may be affordable but not up to the standards you are used to. If thats the case, your plan could include adding a certain amount of dollars to your annual budget for health-related travel and care, either back to the U.S. or to a larger city abroad than where you're living.

If you are currently under the care of a physician at home, ask if he or she can recommend a colleague in your new destination. Having this connection can make it much easier to deal with existing medical conditions and ensure you receive the appropriate care.

8. Get an International Drivers License

Depending on where you go, your new country may not recognize your U.S. drivers license. Many countries will accept an International Drivers Permit (IDP) issued by the American Automobile Association or the American Automobile Touring Alliance. These permits, which usually have to be accompanied by a regular drivers license, typically expire in a year. If you plan on driving abroad, you need to get a local drivers license as soon as you can.

9. Think About Working During Retirement

For some, retirement doesnt mean not working. Many retirees enjoy volunteer opportunities and part-time jobs. Others are more entrepreneurial, interested in starting a business abroad.

If you plan on working, check ahead of time to make sure the country has no restrictions that could prevent you from either finding a job or starting your own business.

10. Plan to Stay Connected

Many people, whether or not theyre retired, find the most difficult part of living abroad is missing friends and family. Have a plan in place to keep in touch with the people you care about. Modern technology like smartphones and online video-conferencing software, such as Skype, make it easy to stay in touch virtually, but having a strong, reliable connection is crucial. Having a connection where you live is preferable, but if thats not an option, nowadays you can access the internet in most public libraries and cafes.

You also need an emergency plan: Leave your contact information and a copy of your passport with family, and carry contact information for your family back home with you when you travel. Also, know how to reach the closest U.S. embassy or consulate and give that information to your friends and family.

Citizen vs. Resident

Almost any country you would want to live in welcomes American retirees, as long as they can prove that they have a certain minimum income from some combination of Social Security, a pension, and investment income. It varies, and, reasonably enough, countries with a higher cost of living usually require a higher income.

If you were a U.S. citizen and qualified for Social Security income, you will still be entitled to what is owed to you even if you later renounce your citizenship and move abroad.

Generally, theres a three-stage process, from tourist to resident to citizen, though the wait time and red tape differ in every country. The U.S. State Department keeps track of the specifics regarding short-term visits. The website of each nations U.S. consulate is the best source for facts on residency and citizenship requirements.

Heres how it works for most countries:

An American with just a passport typically can stay in a foreign country for up to 90 days. Some expats residing in Canada or Mexico stay on for years, taking a bus across the border and back again every six months to restart the clock. Long-term stays generally require a residency visa, which may need to be renewed yearly for several years before permanent residency can be applied for and awarded. A citizenship application, in most countries, requires a longer period of residency, varying from as little as two years to as long as 10 years. Some have fast-track programs that cut the wait for people who make a substantial investment in the country.

All of the above is relatively straightforward in most countries for retirees, assuming they dont want to take a job and can prove they have a steady incomerelatively meaning that some countries make it tougher than others, with onerous requirements and plenty of paperwork.

And that raises the question of whether you want to be a permanent resident or a citizen of your adopted country. The benefits and drawbacks vary for each country. Note that citizenship in most European countries gains you certain rights as a citizen of a European Union member nation.

The more common choice for a retiree expat is between permanent residency and dual citizenship. Remember that neither dual citizenship nor residency gets you out of filing a U.S. tax return every year. It is both unusual and burdensome, but Americans have to pay income taxes wherever they live, and they owe it no matter where their income was earned. You may also have to file an income tax return in your country of residence, although most deduct the amount American residents pay to the U.S.

In case youre wondering, you can relinquish your U.S. citizenship, and with it, your U.S. tax bill, but that step is irrevocable and uncommon. Midway through 2020, over 5,300 people filed to renounce their citizenship, surpassing the record-setting 2016. According to Wall Street Journal, some wealthy former Americans left due to cumbersome tax laws, including the requirement to report certain foreign accounts to the IRS. For the rest, the sheer aggravation of filing in two countries every year was a likely factor in the renunciation of their U.S. citizenship.
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- Brent Willett, CEcD, is executive director of Iowa's Cultivation Corridor.

Fifty thousand jobs.

Thats what is projected to be created nationally in the biorenewable chemicals industry within the next five years, according to Bio-Based Chemicals: The Iowa Opportunity, a new report commissioned by the Cultivation Corridor with support from the Iowa Biotechnology Association released earlier this month. Whats more, the paper argues a significant segment of those jobs could be created right here in Iowa. But they dont have to be. Back to that in a minute.

The paper was researched and written by Dr. Dermot Hayes, the Pioneer Hi-Bred International Chair in Agribusiness, professor of economics and professor of finance at Iowa State University; Dr. Brent Shanks, an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and the Steffenson Chair in Chemical and Biological Engineering at ISU; and Dr. Jill Euken, deputy director of the Bioeconomy Institute at ISU.

The reports findings are striking. Thanks to the rich supply of Iowa biomass suitable as feedstock for biorenewable chemical production, access to a foundational network of over 50 ethanol and biodiesel production facilities across the state, and nascent biorenewable chemical investment opportunities before us today, Iowa is better-positioned than most domestic competitors to capitalize on the next frontier of bioprocessing in the United States.

Despite Iowas obviously discernable advantages in the budding biochem space, however, the Hayes report suggests that the absence of a statewide economic development incentive tailored to address the unique needs of this budding industry stands as a serious impediment to the states potential to emerge as a center of gravity for biorenewable chemical investment and job creation in the coming years. The report reminds that the last bioeconomic boom Iowa saw- that of the ethanol industry - did not have to happen here and suggests that it was targeted state incentives which are directly attributable to the decision to choose Iowa over other Midwest states by more than one-third of the ethanol industry. The same dynamic, the report suggests, exists today relative to the biorenewable chemical industry.

About nine months ago, I blogged about the tremendous opportunity seen in a coming transition from petroleum-based feedstocks to bio-based feedstocks for some of the worlds highest-value chemicals [Why Iowa needs to think like an oil company; May 27, 2015] and how important it was that Iowa leverage its virtually unmatched domestic competitive position to become the destination of choice for biochemical investment in the same way we became the preferred choice for biofuels investment. I wrote the piece as the Iowa Legislature was debating a proposal to create an economic development tax credit to help entice the industry to choose Iowa, just as we did as a state more than a decade ago to entice biofuels investment. The measure failed [for a quick analysis of what happened, click here and scroll halfway down].

Part of the urgency I suggested we had as a state in 2015 to be a first mover was the fact that other states had begun talking about creating their own biorenewable chemical economic development legislation, and it behooved Iowa to be the first. With the legislatures failure to act in 2015, the first mover window closed; Minnesota passed the nations first biochem legislation last year. Despite that, the 86th Iowa General Assembly has an opportunity before it in 2016 to enact what would be the countrys strongest economic development incentive to help grow the biorenewable chemical industry here, where it belongs.

Whats different this year than last? Thanks to the Hayes report, weve got the data to support the assertion that the biochemical industry holds exceptional promise for job creation in our state, much as the biofuels industry did and continues to do. Among the reports findings:

First-generation biofuels have been important economic drivers for the state of Iowa. Ethanol production alone in Iowa accounts for $2.23 billion per year in state GDP and supports more than 8,693 jobs. However, due to a new Renewable Fuel Standard which rolls back ethanol blend requirements to pre-2007 levels and ongoing feedstock limitations for biodiesel, alternative value-added bioproducts are critical to the future growth of the biomanufacturing industry in Iowa.

Project opportunity exists today. At least five potential bio-based chemical production projects were identified through an industry interview process to as part of the report. Representatives of each project indicated a biorenewable chemical production tax credit would be fundamental to the ultimate location decision in or outside Iowa.

Iowa has competitive advantages in several subfields of the emerging biorenewable chemicals industry. This advantage arises from The availability of byproducts such as glycerin and distillers oils from first-generation biofuels facilities The existence of several underutilized wet mills in Iowa, or close to Iowa The fact that first-generation biofuels can themselves be upgraded into higher valued chemicals.



Iowas research and technological infrastructure in biorenewable chemicals and materials is second to none. The National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC) led by ISU is the only competitively awarded federal research center solely dedicated to the development of biobased chemicals. Key capital infrastructure needed for biobased chemical development exists at ISU through the BioCentury Research Farm and the Bioeconomy Institute and the University of Iowa through the Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing (CBB). The collective capabilities of these entities for enabling biobased chemicals exceeds those available in any other states.

The global petrochemical industry developed in clusters of close proximity to feedstock sources: oil refineries. The bio-based chemicals industry will develop in a similar manner - the economics of agglomeration suggests that industrial biomanufacturing clusters will develop from established biomanufacturing sites rather than from new green field sites. Iowa has more deployed biomanufacturing capital assets than any other state.

What now, you say? Read the report [or at least the executive summary]. Contact your legislator. Let him or her know how important it is that we not let another year go by without enacting the biorenewable chemical tax credit.

Brent Willett, CEcD, is executive director of Iowa's Cultivation Corridor. Contact him:

Human: 515-360-1732

Digital: bwillett@cultivationcorridor.org / @brent_willett / LinkedIn.com/in/brentwillett
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The parliamentary event on the occasion of the 60th session of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will be held in New York on 15 March 2016. The event, entitled The power of legislation for womens empowerment and sustainable development, is hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The parliamentary meeting will focus on key forms of discrimination in laws that hamper the sustainable development agenda. It will draw on evidence-based global research and policymakers practical experiences of enacting, implementing and enforcing equality and non-discrimination laws. The morning session will focus on the status of discriminatory laws worldwide. It will look at the multiple forms of legal discrimination that persist around the world today, taking stock of progress and gaps to date. Two sessions will take place in the afternoon. The first will focus on the power of parliaments to end discriminatory laws and showcase parliamentary initiatives to implement reforms and adopt strategies for repealing discriminatory laws. The second session will consider challenges of implementation, enforcement and oversight of laws and discuss the importance of womens political leadership and representation in legislative bodies. Finally, the meeting will provide an opportunity to contribute to the debates at the CSW whose priority theme this year is Womens empowerment and its link to sustainable development. In addition to the parliamentary meeting, the IPU will also organize an informal side event: Panel on Implementing UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security in Arab countries (14 March 2016, 6:30  7:45 p.m., Ex-Press Bar  General Assembly Building - debate in English only) .
Virginia Macari made her name for herself in the world of reality television when she appeared in TV3's 'Celebrity Salon," however, she became a household name when she was one of the cast members of TV3's short lived reality series,The swimwear designer who is now living in Marbella revealed that she was offered to be part of TOWIE's spin-off series, Life on Marbs but reveals that she turned it down.She added that she was "not interested" in taking part in any more reality television following the demise of Dublin Wives in 2013."I was asked to do Life on Marbs, but I'm not doing TV - I'm not really interested," Virginia told the Diary. "All of the cast are my friends, but I just don't know if I would go down that road again."I would do it if it was good for my business, but other than that I don't really see the point," she added.Life on Marbs kicked off on ITVBe recently and is about the lives of an elite set living it up in the swanky Costa Del Sol region.The former reality star is now based permanently in Marbella with her partner Kaste Dahl and their 4 year old son, Thor.The swimwear designer says she feels settled in Spain, however, she claims that she does miss the "banter" of Dublin."I miss my friends, I miss the banter - going shopping and meeting someone for a drink in Kehoe's - that doesn't exist here. Nobody here drinks and everyone is super fit - the conversation is all about the gym," she added.Virginia, starred in Dublin Wives alongside socialites Lisa Murphy, Jo Jordan, Danielle Marr and Roz Flanagan and was cancelled after two seasons.Source/Photo Credit: The Independent , TV3
Irelands ninth winter Atlantic storm, Imogen, brought hurricane force winds and 30 foot high waves to Ireland leaving over 12,000 homes and businesses affected by the high winds.

Storm Imogens fierce winds worst affected the south-west, with Kerry and Cork, experience widespread blackouts and property damage. In the area of Macroom, in Cork, over 1,400 homes lost power while another 1,000 were affected in the Rathmore area.

A spokesperson from the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) Network told the Irish Independent on Monday morning Weve already restored power to over 3,000 homes and weve got crews at more than two dozen locations working to repair the faults.

Were facing rolling repairs so, at the moment, weve very much got a moving target. Still, we believe we should have everyone back by the evening.

Irelands meteorological service, Met Eireann, recorded 30 feet high waves, via their weather buoys in the Atlantic. At Fastnet lighthouse, off County Cork, winds reached hurricane force speeds and gusts of up to 121mph.

Met Eireann have issued warning that westerly winds will reach mean speeds of 40 to 46 mph, with gusts of 62 to 80mph. A status orange wind warning in place for Cork and Kerry. A status yellow warning has been issued for Wexford, Clare, Limerick and Waterford, where winds will reach mean speeds of 40mph. These warnings remain in place until 8pm on Monday evening.

Limerick City and County Council say outdoor staff and emergency crews are continuing to respond to a number of flooding incidents. In a statement they report that the tide recorded is the second highest on record in Limerick City.

Sunday World Wind warnings issued as storm Imogen hits Ireland https://t.co/HRWXBYXeTd pic.twitter.com/IjGrVVPwm7  Latest Irish News (@24IrishNews) February 8, 2016

By Tuesday, while the storm will have passed the weather will continue to be cold and blustery. The public are also being advised to be aware of fallen trees and power lines while people in coastal areas are being warned for the dangers of extreme wave heights.Happily early indications are that the Storm Imogen will not be as damaging as the previous storms Barney, Desmond, Gertrude and Henry.

The United Kingdom has been the worst hit. Ferry sailings have been cancelled and high-sided vehicles have been advised not to use exposed motorways and bridges in southern England and Wales. Nearly 300 Environment Agency flood warnings are in place amid heavy downpours, some areas are expected to see up to more than 40mm of rain on Monday.
Labours Alan Kelly has said his young family face upsetting threats to their safety.

In an emotional speech to supporters in his Tipperary constituency, the Environment Minister revealed that Gardai are in constant contact with him about dissident concerns.

The Minister has said threats from water protesters and other elements targeted his wife and children and were very nasty.

Minister Alan Kelly has said he is concerned about the threats facing his family.

One particular time a Superintendent told me that there was dissident issues going on so you know them things kind of upset you and worry you and you have to share, I believe you have to share everything with your family to make them fully aware of what is going on so there were some emotional times.

And you know you get different stuff in the post, the lads in the office got so much stuff, post and phone calls and different other threats so it was just a difficult time, I had never faced anything like that before.

Meanwhile Labour's Deputy Leader has denied his comments to the media are derailing his party's election campaign.

The Environment Minister has said he 'hasn't heard' any disquiet from his colleagues about his performance in the first week of the campaign.

He says he will continue to be a major part of Labour's national strategy between now and February 26.

Alan Kelly has said he will not be stepping back.

No absolutely not and Im asked a question and I will answer it. I mean I have a portfolio, I am a minister in Government and I am deputy leader in a party and I am very proud of it.

And I am going to be in politics for a long time and I am going to be in the Labour party for a long time.

In fairness I think the election is going to kick off this week, you know personality issues, discussion on certain individuals will diminish quite substantially.
The father of a baby who died shortly after birth at the Coombe hospital has told an inquest that his son looked navy blue at birth.

Baby Darragh Byrne died from a lack of oxygen, or hypoxia at the Coombe in February 2013.

The maternity hospital has admitted that mistakes were made in the babys care, and has apologised to the Byrne family.

The consultant on duty at the time of Darraghs death has told Dublin Coroners Court that there was evidence of an elevated heart-rate in the baby before an emergency section was carried out.

Update 5.50pm: Eoin Byrne told the Court he cried his heart out after seeing his newborn son Darragh who he described as navy blue when delivered by C section at the Coombe hospital three years ago.

The Court heard evidence that Oxytocin was administered to mother Maree Butler, who was 35 weeks pregnant, despite it being hospital policy that it not be administered before 37 weeks.

A midwife told the court that the dose of Oxytocin should not have been increased once the babys heart rate was elevated.

Several medics testified that the trace was hard to read, but no other tests were performed on the baby.

Counsel for the family said it was extraordinary that no review had been carried out by the hospital in the intervening years.

The inquest continues.
The prophecy is more than seeing into the future. For the prophecy sees without the element of time. For the prophecy sees things as they were, as they are, and as they always shall be.
More than 100 passengers are on a ferry sailing between France and Ireland which has been forced to take shelter off the UK coast.

Heavy seas and winds blowing at up to Force 11 meant the Irish Ferries ship Epsilon, sailing from Cherbourg to Dublin, had to divert into safer waters.

The economy class service is taking shelter at sea in waters off the north Devon coast.

The sailing was due to arrive in Dublin at 11am this morning, but has been delayed until at least tomorrow morning.

A spokesman for Irish Ferries said the 110 passengers onboard could be delayed even further depending on the outcome of Storm Imogen.

It is not expected to arrive back in Dublin until the very early hours of tomorrow morning or perhaps even later tomorrow, he added.

The spokesman said passengers were being provided with meals.

On land, power crews were attempting to restore electricity to thousands of homes in the south and south-west after the latest storms near-hurricane winds caused widespread blackouts.

#StormImogen moves into the North Sea later pic.twitter.com/KRvEQprOFy  Cecilia Daly (@WeatherCee) February 8, 2016

Some of the worst affected areas were rural parts of Kerry and Cork with more than 1,400 homes and businesses in the Macroom area left without electricity and about 1,000 in the Rathmore area at the counties border.

ESB Networks had reports of power outages in the wake of the storm from more than two dozens locations.

#Cork #Kerry have taken the brunt of #stormimogen if you have no supply see https://t.co/VMtxFrW7FY if NOT listed ring 1850372999 #staysafe  ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) February 8, 2016

At its overnight peak along the south coast, Imogen  the ninth winter Atlantic storm  was bringing hurricane force winds to Sherkin Island off Cork, the Fastnet Rock and the Kinsale gas rigs.

Waves at least 30 feet high were also recorded by Met Eireann's weather buoys in the Atlantic.

Fastnet lighthouse recorded some of the highest winds including sustained hurricane force speeds and gusts of up to 196km/h or 121mph.

Met Eireann had forecast that westerly winds would hit average speeds of 65 to 75km/h with gusts of 100 to 130km/h, and conditions would be strongest along the coast and on hills.

Widespread, locally heavy shwrs/sunny intervals. Isol thunderstorms also. Severe winds in the S abating by early aft; highs 6 to 9 c  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) February 8, 2016

At the height of the blackouts about 5,000 homes and businesses were left without power in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford.

We are hoping to get everyone back by today, an ESB spokeswoman said.

In the aftermath of the storm road users were being warned of fallen trees and power lines while people in coastal areas were being warned of the dangers of extreme wave heights of up to 45 feet in some parts of the south coast.
It is being reported that dissident republicans have claimed the shooting at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on Friday.

The BBC reports that the Continuity IRA has claimed it carried out the shooting in which David Byrne was killed and two other people were wounded and said they plan to carry out more attacks "on drug dealers and criminals".

At least six people are believed to have been involved in the shooting which investigating officers have said was linked to organised crime.

In a statement to the BBC, a spokesman for the leadership of the Continuity IRA said the group was responsible, and Mr Byrne was targeted because he had been involved in the killing of Alan Ryan in Dublin four years ago.

Mr Ryan, 32, was a leading member of the Real IRA and was shot dead in September 2012.

The Continuity IRA spokesman said: "Although not a member of our organisation, we are not going to stand back and allow drug dealers and criminals to target republicans.

"This will not be an isolated incident.

"Continuity IRA units have been authorised to carry out further operations. More drug dealers and criminals will be targeted.

"The Continuity IRA will carry out further military operations."

Justice Minister Francis Fitzgerald says the Gardai will investigate claims.

Ms Fitzgerald said: "We've seen this daylight attack with armed men coming in with AK-47s to a weigh-in where there were families and young children. It was an appaling and heinous crime.

"This is yet more information which the Gardai will be no doubt assessing and investigating."
Update 4.04pm: Minister for Health Leo Varadkar later denied that a new HSE directive will mean a total ban on new recruitment.

What the directive does is prevent different bits of the health service from recruiting unfunded posts, or without authorisation, he said.

And we did have a problem last year and in previous years, of individual hospitals, individual care providers, and individual parts of the health service going off and recruiting people without authorisation or funding to do so

And that cant go on  we do need to come in on budget.

Earlier: The HSE is implementing recruitment controls.

It is understood managers have received a memo, saying no new staff will be hired unless others leave.

The Irish Times reports that interim employment controls kicked in at the beginning of this month.

An HSE staff member will have to leave before someone else can be hired.

The HSE boss Tony O'Brien is quoted as saying that there was record recruitment in the health service last year, with more than 4,500 new staff taken on.
Canada will end airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq by February 22, the countrys prime minister announced, saying the people terrorised by Isil every day dont need our vengeance, they need our help.

Justin Trudeau, following up on campaign promises he made last year, also announced that the government will expand efforts to train local forces and rebuild the war-torn region.

Military personnel in the region will increase to 830 from the current 650 and provide planning, targeting and intelligence expertise.

Canadas contribution to the mission against the Islamic State group is being extended until the end of March 2017.

The US had asked coalition members to boost their military contributions in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State group after the deadly attacks in Paris in November.

However, Trudeaus promise that Canada would pull its jets was already part of his winning campaign.

While airstrike operations can be very useful to achieve short-term military and territorial gains, they do not on their own achieve long-term stability for local communities, Trudeau said on Monday.

The country had six fighter jets carrying out the strikes.

We will be supporting and empowering local forces to take their fight directly to Isil so that they can reclaim their homes, their land and their future, the prime minister added.

Canada will keep two surveillance planes in the region as well as refuelling aircraft, and it will triple the number of soldiers training Kurdish troops in northern Iraq to about 200, from about 69 now.

The size of Canadas train, advise and assist mission will triple, including additional medical personnel and equipment including small arms, ammunition and optics to assist in training Iraqi security forces.

Last March, one Canadian soldier was killed and three others were injured in a friendly fire incident in Iraq.

The military has said that during Canadas decade of operations in Afghanistan, 158 Canadian Forces personnel died.

Trudeau said Monday that Canada learned the hard way in Afghanistan that airstrike operations do not on their own result in long-term stability. He said Canada gained valuable experience training local Afghan police and military forces.

Experience that the Canadian Armed Forces should be bringing to bear in Iraq and Syria, he said.
Dublin company AYLIEN has used artificial intelligence to create a data analytics solution which can be used to make sense of the exponentially expanding volume of information on the web.

Launched in 2014, its text analysis product has been devised to summarise massive quantities of data, to classify, extract names or subjects, and even to determine whether the content is positive or negative.

It can analyse and process millions of pieces of text in milliseconds, allowing companies to extract meaning and insights which can be used in a variety of different ways, says company founder and CEO Parsa Ghaffari.

Targeting the content analytics market now worth $10bn (8.95bn) and set to grow to $15bn in 2019, AYLIEN is one of a small number of companies specialising in this space in Europe, and the only one in Ireland.

The demand for this type of solution is being driven by the growing volume of internet data  now thought to have reached 4.8bn pages.

It is estimated that volume of new content being added every 24 hours could not be read in a human lifetime, observes Mr Ghaffari.

Selling mainly to news organisations and publishers in the US and Canada, AYLIEN aims to establish itself as a major player in the content analytics space.

Its name was chosen as a humorous reference to the associations between artificial intelligence and aliens.

Currently employing a staff of 12, the company is now making plans to fundraise with a view to opening a sales office in the US.

Mr Ghaffari originally set his company up in Iran in 2011 but moved it to China to participate in an accelerator programme backed by Cork company SOS Ventures.

Identifying a need to relocate to Europe or the US, Mr Ghaffari was attracted to Ireland by the Enterprise Ireland backed Startup Entrepreneur Visa programme for foreign entrepreneurs.

In October 2012, AYLIEN set up in Dublin with a staff of three.

By the time the product launched in 2014 the staff size had doubled.

We began by selling to companies mostly in the news space such as news reader applications and publishers, he says, explaining that it first offers free trials and subsequently charges monthly subscription fees.

By the end of 2015, AYLIEN has surpassed 10,000 subscribers on its platform.

A major milestone was a partnership with US data analytics company RapidMiner which now offers the AYLIEN solution as a plug in on its platform.

This was a major boost and brought in 4,000 new subscribers, says Mr Ghaffari, who achieved another coup at the start of the year by signing up Sony as a customer.

Competition in the content analytics space comes mainly from large global organisations such as IBM and SAP.

Mr Ghaffari says that AYLIEN can compete effectively because it has a more advanced technology, is more feature rich and, above all, is more accessible than traditional products in this space.

To date, the company has raised US $700,000 with the lions share coming from SOS Ventures in Cork.

Plans for 2016 include the launch of a new product which, in addition to processing and analysing data, will also source it.

As well as selling to news companies and publishers, AYLIEN also sells to brands and PR companies which use the application to find out what influencers and consumers are talking about online.

Marketing companies also use it to determine which websites and pages are mos t suitable for ads, said Mr Ghaffari.

The aim for 2016 is to achieve a turnover of over 1.5m and to grow this to 3m by 2017.

In the long term, AYLIENs goal is to achieve global recognition as the go-to platform for content analytics.

Company: Aylien

Location: Dublin

Set up: 2011

CEO: Parsa Ghaffari

Staff: 12

Business: Content analytics

Website: www.aylien.com
Some lawmakers repeatedly characterised Ireland as a tax haven, saying behemoth Apple channelled billions of dollars of global revenues generated outside of the Americas through two or three Irish incorporated companies.

The charge sheet was that Apple paid little profit tax to the US tax man on over half its haul of global sales.

Mr Cook put up a credible performance. Apple said it was the 35% corporate tax rate levied in the US that was the source of the problem.

He said the Irish companies were long established  set up decades before the iPhone had ever been dreamed of.

A much more recent agreement had transferred a chunk of Apples valuable intellectual property into Ireland, but the company had substantial numbers of people based here to justify the tax structures.

And revenues going through the Irish companies had already been taxed somewhere in the world, the senior Apple executives told the committee.

The committee was supposedly seeking to come up with ideas for tax reform in the US, but listening back to the testimony showed why reform of the US tax code is unlikely to happen any time soon.

It wasnt only the divisions between US legislators that were laid bare.

There was no consensus whether the treasure left off shore by many US companies constituted a problem for the US.

Apple signalled it would officially bring on shore its many billions, if the US tax rate were to be substantially cut below 35%  one of the highest in the world.

Judging by the tone of the Senate committee, Apple is not short of friends in Washington.

The US hearing nonetheless thrust Ireland back into the international spotlight.

The US media headlines were not friendly.

Apples submission to the Senate hearing mentioned the country a dozen times, and referred to its key Irish subsidiaries or the Irish tax codes a further 20 times, or so.

Apple is also different. It is one of the most valuable companies in the world and an industry of reporters and commentators follow its every move.

Apple and its tax affairs naturally generate more headlines than any other big technology firm, and Ireland inevitably is thrust into the spotlight too.

Some international commentators  who ought to have known better  appeared to think that Dublin levied its 12.5% tax on all of the many billions passing through the books of the corporate giants based here.

The damaging claim that Ireland facilitated Apple to pay an effective 2% rate on its treasure persisted.

Subsequent Irish budgets closed some of the most egregious aspects of corporate tax procedures.

Without fanfare in the budget speech, in late 2013, Finance Minister Michael Noonan addressed the issue of stateless companies under Irish tax law.

It was a sign of Irish concerns about potential damage following the US Senate hearing.

Ireland had effectively been bracketed with Europes mountainous tax havens. Mr Noonan went on, in 2014, to announce the phasing out of the double Irish tax arrangements.

The Government consistently denied the State had struck any sort of sweetheart tax deal with Apple many years earlier.

It announced incentives, including proposals for the Knowledge Box.

Ireland in 2013 was emerging from its three-year bailout. Recovery was still uncertain. Employment provided by the multinationals based here had gone a long way to cushion some of the worst effects of the slump.

Ireland was also engaged in the initiative driven by the worlds largest industrialised economies  and run by the Paris-based OECD  to reform the worlds tax system.

The Department of Finance had repeatedly said Ireland had little to fear from the initiative. And it has proved to be right.

Controversy isnt new. In 2011, Enda Kenny, just a few months in power, clashed with then French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who wanted Dublin to raise the 12.5% tax rate in return for a more favourable bailout.

The Gallic spat showed the dangers facing Ireland.

Tax inversions by US pharma giants into Ireland featured in the US presidential election. In summer 2014, Brussels regulators opened formal state-aid investigations involving corporate tax deals struck in Ireland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Again, it was the investigation into Ireland and its dealings with Apple that generated most headlines.

Last month, Mr Noonan said he expected the Commission to announce its decision after the Dail election. Whatever the outcome, the next government will have to fight hard over tax. Other challenges are looming.

Brussels under EU economics and tax chief Pierre Moscovici has refined the long-standing common consolidated tax plan. Many believe the new initiative will be a non-starter.

Regardless, the lesson is clear: Maintaining the competitive tax regime will be never ending for all governments.

For more election news, analysis and general banter join us HERE
Its intervention comes at an interesting early stage of the election campaign, as all four main parties have pledged to either reduce the burden of the tax  worth 4bn a year  or scrap it altogether.

Fine Gael yesterday pledged if it were re-elected to bring an end to the tax over a number of years, with Finance Minister Michael Noonan calling the tax a failed final act of the last Fianna Fail government.

Fianna Fail last month detailed its promise to cut the USC for all but the highest earners if it returns to power.

Labour last week said it would abolish the USC for low and middle-income earners, while Sinn Fein has pledged to remove income earners on the minimum wage from paying the USC.

However, in a major policy document outlining the tax policies it believes politicians should be focusing on during the campaign, Ibec said the USC was a valuable tax that could fund desperately-needed pension provision in the future.

The States pension system and social security systems will increasingly come under strain as the countrys relatively youthful population ages and faces the demands already posing challenges to other north European states.

It makes little sense to abolish the USC or remove further workers from it only to attempt to reintroduce a similar tax in the form of a universal pension scheme in the future, said the Ibec tax brief, called Rethinking the tax debate  the key issues for the election.

With this in mind, moves to abolish the USC are a step in the wrong direction to a more efficient tax system, the business group said.

The USC is an efficient tax, captures a broader base of income, and is the only tax on income a large proportion of workers pay, it said.

The 4bn the USC alone raises for the exchequers coffers compares with the almost 5.3bn raised from excise duties last year.

It is almost four times more valuable than all the monies raised from capital gains and capital acquisitions taxes combined.

It is more than eight times more valuable than the 469m raised by the local property tax, and is a third of the value of the 12bn raised by Vat  one of the big four tax heads.

The Ibec policy brief, written by Ibec senior economist Gerard Brady, also argues that what it calls core Irish income tax is, at ninth highest of the EU 28 countries, slightly above the European average.

It said other analyses need to take into account the stark difference in social insurance models available across Europe.

Meanwhile, Ibec said that government spending is above the European average, when the current low and unsustainable level of state pension provision is taken into account.

Taxes on work are too high and workers hit the top marginal rate of tax at too low a level.

These act to disincentivise workers from taking on additional hours, training or duties, and make it difficult to attract skilled workers in a highly competitive global labour market, the employers group said.

Overall, Ibec said that there are too few people paying income tax because the tax credits make the tax base too narrow.

For more election news, analysis and general banter join us HERE
IFA national liquid milk committee chairman, Teddy Cashman, said farmers markedly reduced the late 2015 dairy calving that would normally have been geared towards underpinning liquid milk supply.

With returns from the retail sector waning, an increasing number of dairy farmers are switching their focus onto cheese and other commercial markets.

In the prime autumn calving season, from September to December 2015, ICBF reported almost 14,000 fewer dairy calf births  a 15% fall in comparison with the same period last year, in the context of an 8.5% increase in calf births for the whole year, said Mr Cashman.

This clearly indicates farmers are doing what we predicted last year: matching their calving pattern more closely to their liquid milk contracts to minimise losses, or even reducing or ceasing their commitment to liquid milk altogether.

We had also correctly predicted low base milk prices were boosted during the autumn by relatively strong constituents, but that, even with an unchanged price, constituents would all but collapse during December and January, cutting at least 6c for every litre produced, at the most expensive time of year to produce milk.

The IFA has previously led campaigns seeking an extra 8c per litre from retailers to cover the extra costs that come with producing milk for sale in Irish outlets over the winter months. However, southern dairy farmers are now voting with their feet.

The National Milk Agency (NMA), the statutory regulatory body for the supply of milk for processing for liquid consumption in the State, says milk imports are rising. Around one in four litres of fresh milk consumed in the State is now imported, much of it from Northern Ireland.

Teddy Cashman has again outlined his concerns for the autonomy of Irish liquid in his latest meeting with NMA chairman Denis Murphy and CEO Muiris O Ceidigh.

And, following the signing into law of new retail regulations, he said retailers, dairies, regulators, government, and consumers should not take local fresh liquid milk for granted post-quota.

He urged dairy stakeholders to take on board the need for fit-for-purpose payment structures and levels that allow farmers to cover costs and pay themselves a reasonable wage.

I believe we are seeing for the first time farmers under increased pressure to either reduce or cease their commitment to liquid milk, or to adapt more closely their calving pattern to their contracts, said Mr Cashman.

While the latter is an economically wise option for farmers who wish to remain in liquid milk, reduced calving in autumn creates a situation where dairies will have much tighter availability of fresh, high quality milk for consumers to drink during the winter.
He is dead wrong. The early part of the year  January and February are the cruellest months.

They stir a lot more than dull roots with torrential rain.

For many of us these are months to be endured, their irritations heightened by thoughtless do-gooding declarations of now long dead new year resolutions and an imperative to change.

In the UK, taxpayers are required to file their income tax returns by the end of January.

Doing your tax return is possibly an ideal task.

Get all the nasty stuff out of the way at the top of the year and after that, things can only get better.

The UK Revenue authorities are proponents of nudge theory.

The idea behind nudge theory is that instead of immediately laying down the law as to how people should behave, you encourage them to do what you want by a series of hints or nudges.

They do things like issue press releases outlining excuses used by taxpayers for failed compliance in the past, so that current taxpayers are nudged towards making their tax returns on time.

Some of these excuses are pretty bizarre  its hard to blame a broken downwashing machine for not filing a tax return  but these nudges are all about normalising behaviour and getting the message across that normal people usually meet their tax obligations.

The Irish Revenue are rarely as subtle with their nudges and tend to take a more direct line of approach.

Because January and February are at the start of a new tax year as well as a new calendar year, there are some things you might consider doing to keep on the right side of the tax line. Mind you these arent new year resolutions  I wouldnt presume to suggest anything of the sort.

If you are an employee, check your payslip.

Most employers are careful to get payroll right, but after years of little enough change to the PAYE rules there were some fairly major changes to USC and PRSI which take effect for the first time in recent pay slips.

Your certificate of Tax Credits and Standard Rate Cut-off point may have changed as well and theres no guarantee Revenue would have written to you about this.

Standard credits like personal tax credits, PAYE tax credits are usually given every year as a matter of course, but many allowances or credits have to be claimed.

If you are eligible for theHome Carers credit worth 1,000 in 2016 or an allowance for flat rate expenses, you made need to claim these.

The best place to check it is on the Revenue website on the new myAccount facility.

If you havent registered for this, its worth doing so you can keep track of any changes.

Claims for tax relief on medical or fental expenses incurred in 2015 and back to year 2012  can be done immediately  the prospect of a 20% rebate of all eligible costs incurred might give a little boost to the coffers.

If you are an employer, you have a deadline looming in the shape of the P35 return for 2015, which is due on February 15.

There are penalties for being late with this, up to 4,000.

Youre paying enough tax already  dont get caught for an avoidable penalty as well.

In this month of the election campaign, the focus is also on the tax promises.

Whatever promises are made, remember tax changes are rarely made mid-year.

It is unlikely that an incoming government will give immediate effect to tax promises made on the hustings.

The current Government did bring in the reduced rate of Vat for the hospitality industry shortly after taking office, but also introduced a levy on private pensions to fund it.

These changes were the exception rather than the rule.

Tighter control and scrutiny from Europe certainly limits, if not entirely rules out, major changes to the tax regime mid tax year.

With the exception of the Social Democrats, all parties are signalling tax changes or tax reform as part of their manifestos.

Any major election promises about USC or income tax are more likely to be brought to fruition in 2017 rather than in 2016.

Depending on the choices the electorate makes there will be individual political casualties.

For those individuals this February will be the cruellest month. TS Eliot will still be wrong.

Brian Keegan is director of taxation at Chartered Accountants Ireland.
The banker has been in custody in the US since he was arrested at his home in Massachusetts on October 10. Irish officials have asked that he be extradited to face 33 charges related to the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank.

In an interview with the Sunday Business Post, Mr Drumm said he hoped to apply to a Boston court today to allow his return to Ireland.

I have given clear instructions that all rights to challenge the extradition in the US should be waived and no other options available to me should be pursued in order to facilitate an immediate return to Ireland, he said.

I am hopeful that I can apply to the court on Monday to achieve this. I cannot indicate my determination to have these issues dealt with in Ireland any stronger than waiving all my rights to resist extradition.

Mr Drumm also denied that he had fled Ireland, and said he had been in touch with Irish authorities about how they could contact him.

I am not a fugitive and never was, he said. I never fled Ireland. I was available to the Irish authorities at any time and indeed informed them in July 2013 that they should contact my US attorney, should they wish to speak to me.

I informed the local US authorities of the situation with Ireland in January 2015. These are not the actions of a fugitive, yet I am still regarded as having fled.

The former Anglo banker also accused the Government of having constructed the belief that he had fled Ireland.

It makes no sense and I believe the Irish Government constructed it, he said. They created a situation where I was a confirmed fugitive, with no basis whatsoever for that conclusion, simply because they needed it to extradite me.

Mr Drumm also said there was a concerted effort by the Government and the media to blame him for Irelands economic difficulties of recent years.

It is very difficult for me to think that anyone would accept that one person was to blame for the difficulties Ireland experienced, he said. But it has been constructed this way, and there has been a concerted effort by the Irish Government and certain parts of the media to drive this message home, and there is no doubt that it has worked.

Mr Drumm also called on the DPP not to oppose bail if he returned to Ireland, so that he could participate in his defence.

I understand that the DPP will not agree to our request, and will oppose bail, he said. Although this is a disappointment and very perplexing, it does not diminish my desire to return to Ireland.
At its most intense, the crisis created by the introduction into the House of Commons at Westminster on 11 April 1912 of a new (the third) Home Rule Bill for Ireland was one of the most serious experienced by the British body politic for decades.

And the sense of crisis evident over the following two-and-a-half years was exacerbated by the fact that the same system was simultaneously trying to cope with the long-running - and increasingly bitter - debate over female suffrage, and the challenge presented by the growth of industrial and political labour.

Yet until the recent centenary commemoration of the confrontation over Irish home rule, it had virtually disappeared from the popular memory in both UK and Ireland  in marked contrast (in Ireland at least) to the salience that the Easter Rising has long possessed in the same popular memory.

This is unfortunate, for the points of contact between the two episodes were marked, even if it cannot be said that the divisions over home rule prefigured those engendered by the declaration of the Republic on the steps of the GPO on Easter Monday 1916.

For regular updates on news and features (as well as twitter action action as it may have happened 100 years ago) to mark the revolutionary period follow @theirishrev HERE

The most obvious point of similarity was the shared contempt of Irish republicans, Ulster unionists and British Conservatives for the constitutional arrangements prevailing between 1912 and 1914, as expressed in their common, if differentiated, repudiation of the deliberations at Westminster.

This contempt had long been a defining feature of the Irish republican separatist tradition, but the actions of both the unionists and Conservatives (the two groups were effectively to fuse in 1912) were in marked contrast to their treasured self-image as the best (indeed, sole) defenders of that British constitutional tradition.

The principal rationale provided by them for such a discrepancy was that the incumbent Liberal government had itself acted unconstitutionally in various ways, most obviously by removing the veto power enjoyed by the (unionist-dominated) House of Lords in 1911.

This was, of course, not the first time that the British constitutional order faced the threat of a violent overthrow by those who presented themselves as its most sincere defenders, the so-called Glorious Revolution of the late 17th century being the classic example.

But the government of Herbert Asquith consistently seems to have under-estimated the danger emanating from the unionist constituency, just as its successor underestimated the seriousness of the threat coming from Irish republicans a few short years later.

July 21, 1914: Irish nationalist politician John Dillon (1851-1927) and John Edward Redmond leaving Buckingham Palace in London after the Home Rule for Ireland Conference. Picture: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

Thus both Ulster unionists between 1912 and 1914 and Irish republicans in 1915-1916 made plans to secede (either temporarily or permanently) from the United Kingdom, and create provisional governments under their control. They drew up public statements of first principles (the Covenant in the case of the former and the Proclamation for the latter); formed militias that quickly acquired tens of thousands of members - the Ulster Volunteers and the Irish Volunteers; and sought to arm these militias by a variety of means, including gun-running expeditions from the European continent.

For these latter ventures, a range of official and unofficial contacts were established by both groups with the German government, who (for their own entirely self-serving reasons) played the role of gallant ally to Irish republicans and unionists alike.

If anything, at this crucial juncture (on the eve of the Great War) the authorities in Berlin, with good reason, saw greater possibilities in the potential of the unionist bloc, with its friends in the highest of places, to nurture debilitating weakness within the political and military structures of the United Kingdom. (For its part, that unionist hierarchy had historically identified with the royal houses of Hanover and Saxe-Coburg, which provided Britain with its monarchs for 200 years prior to the creation of the House of Windsor in 1917).

Further, there is compelling evidence to think that one of the factors taken into account by the German government in its decision to go to war in the Autumn of 1914 was its belief that the threat to British interests arising out of the Irish imbroglio was so great that London would not, could not, dare to move its troops (either those stationed in Ireland, or in Britain itself) to any European theatre; or at least not before the Imperial German Army had had the opportunity to put into effect its plan to knock France out of the war at its very outset with a lightning blow.

Paradoxically, it was precisely the very seriousness of the Irish situation in August 1914 that allowed it to be resolved, or rather shelved, so quickly, as all the involved parties appreciated the benefits of playing the patriotic card at a time of genuine national and international crisis.

In the short run, the Irish party seemed to have gained the greater benefit from the new situation created by the outbreak of general war, by virtue of the passage onto the statute book of the Home Rule Bill in September 1914. The beneficial effects of this action were, however, immediately undermined by the Acts immediate suspension (and the accompanying declaration that further deliberations would take place on the Ulster question), and, over the longer term, by the shockingly high number of casualties - and non-existent military gains - produced by the fighting on the Western Front, and subsequently Gallipoli.

As a consequence of its active support for such operations, the Irish party experienced a rapid fall in its public support, to the point that even prior to Easter 1916, it was all but moribund, and ripe for displacement by the up-and-coming republican tide.

April 11, 1912: Irish politician, John Edward Redmond (1856 -1918), the champion of Home Rule and chairman of the Nationalist Party in 1900, speaking out for Home Rule. Picture: Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

It is interesting to ruminate on a rather overlooked controversy that took place in September-October 2012, in the context of the then-recent centenary of the signing of the Solemn League and Covenant. It was signed 100 years earlier by almost 500,000 people who vowed to defend Ulsters place in the kingdom and defeat plans for a home rule parliament in Dublin.

This centenary was enthusiastically marked by nearly all elements of the unionist bloc in Northern Ireland, but a discordant note was struck by the Belfast District Synod of the Methodist Church in Ireland, which issued a statement in relation to same.

In this, the Synod expressed respect for the good faith of the signatories of the Covenant and the associated womens Declaration, and acknowledged the historical context of the actions of their forebears. But it nevertheless voiced profound regret at the Covenants invocation of God on the side of the unionist cause, and its implied approval of the use of violence in support of that cause.

This courageous statement, from within the tradition, was roundly condemned by many elements within unionism, and the negative fallout from it seems to have played a part in stymying further large-scale commemorations by modern unionists of other landmark events of the home rule crisis, such as the formation of the Ulster Volunteer Force, or the Larne gun-running.

Thus far, there has been nothing comparable to disrupt the broadly even-tempered build-up to the centenary of the Easter Rising, south of the border at least; the revisionist onslaught on the Rising that was evident throughout much of the northern Troubles from this perspective seems to be a spent intellectual force.

It will be interesting, to say the least, to see if this equanimous state of affairs persists through to the end of the programme in August.

** Gabriel Doherty lectures at University College Corks School of History and is a member of the Expert Advisory Group to the Ireland 2016 Centenary.

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The building on South Terrace has been in use since 1905, serving a Jewish community that first settled in the city in the 1880s. The dwindling numbers of recent years have been blamed for the closure, as there had been difficulty maintaining the minimum number of male adults needed for regular services.

We have no quorum and no members. Theres no money and no future, said Fred Rosehill, chairman of the trustees of the Cork Hebrew Congregation.

He said he can recall when there were 60 Jewish families in Cork. However, big numbers had left, particularly in the last 10 years, sometimes at a rate of two or three families every few months.

Due to an ability to sustain it, the synagogue building is now to be sold. The community had visitors from Dublin to help them mark the occasion of its closure with two weekend prayer services.

Its a very sad weekend, Mr Rosehill said ahead of yesterday afternoons final service.

Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork Paul Colton said he learned about the final religious services with immense sadness, and extended prayerful greetings of solidarity.

He said people in his diocese, having closed a number of churches over the years, know well the emotions associated with the closure of a place of worship.

Fred Rosehill speaks at a ceremony to mark the Cork synagogues closure. He described it as a very sad weekend.

Especially a place in a locale that has figured prominently in the pilgrimage of faith, as well as in the big occasions on lifes journey. This is all the more the case when it is the last such place of gathering of a religious congregation in a community like Cork, he said.

Thousands of Corkonians drive or walk past the Cork synagogue every day. To our shame, perhaps, many have engaged with or known little about this minority community of faith in our midst.

However he said, people recognise the immense contribution of members of the Hebrew congregation to life in Cork, at least since the 18th century, and particularly since the 1880s.

Though a small community arrived to Cork from Portugal in the 1770s, they disappeared by intermarriage to Protestant families.

The current community originated mostly from former White Russia, fleeing Catholic persecution. However, their settling in the city in the late 19th century may have been more the result of a broken journey to the US than an intentional move.

They settled largely in the Hibernian Buildings area near the south inner city, which became known locally as Jewtown. The community reached its peak in the early 20th century, with as many as 500 in the congregation at one time.
The poll is the latest sign the virus, suspected to be linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil, could depress travel to popular cold-weather getaways in the coming months.

Airlines and cruise ship operators have yet to report drops in bookings because of zika, and analysts have downplayed the impact that newly sedentary parents- to-be could have on their revenue.

Still, awareness of the mosquito-borne virus has surged to nearly two-thirds of Americans, according to the poll of 1,595 adults in the US conducted from February 1 to 5. That compares with 45% who had heard of zika in a Reuters/Ipsos poll from late January.

I am actively trying to get pregnant with my husband, so I am a little bit concerned, said Erica, a respondent who said she was bitten by a mosquito during a January trip to the US Virgin Islands, where zika has been reported.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has advised pregnant women to avoid travel to areas with an active outbreak of zika, and the World Health Organisation has declared an international emergency over the disease.

Of those aware of the virus, 41% said they were less likely to travel to Puerto Rico, Mexico or South America in the next year because of Zika, the poll found. Some 48% said zika had not changed the likelihood of their visiting those destinations, while others did not know.

Six out of 10 Americans aware of zika said the virus concerned them, including 18% who were very concerned, according to the poll.

Much remains unknown about zika, including whether the virus actually causes the birth defect microcephaly.

Brazil is investigating the potential link between zika infections and more than 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly, a condition marked by abnormally small head size that can result in developmental problems.

Outdoors: 14
Head of communications at Cork Airport, Kevin Cullinane, was reacting to comments by Enda Kenny at the weekend he would support measures to ensure the Cork-Boston route announced by Norwegian Air last year can get off the ground.

It is a case of encouraging them to sign off on it and I hope that can happen as soon as possible, said Mr Kenny. We dont have direct influence over it but we are in discussion with the authorities so that might be concluded. It would mean massive potential in terms of business for Cork and the region.

Mr Kenny said all necessary permits from the relevant Irish authorities were now in place but that Foreign Carrier approval from the US Department of Transportation was still outstanding.

Efforts are continuing at present by both the Irish and European authorities to secure the necessary Foreign Carrier Permit so that this service can commence as planned in 2016, he said.

Norwegian has also announced that they will enhance transatlantic services from Cork through the addition of a direct New York service in 2017 subject to the timely receipt of the necessary US permit.

Mr Cullinane also stressed the impact a transatlantic route operating from Cork will have on the region.

This matter is of significant importance to the multinational sector in the region, and the 750,000 US visitors who visit our region every year, with corresponding numbers going to the US, who would also benefit from direct services, he said.

The route was announced last September by Norwegian Air, Europes third largest low-cost airline. The direct service is planned to operate five times a week from May using its Irish-registered subsidiary, Norwegian Air International (NAI).

As Norway is not a member of the EU, it established the NAI subsidiary to avail of the Open Skies Agreement between the US and the EU.

The airline has said the proposed service would be the first phase of a planned expansion of its services out of Ireland and the UK.

The expansion also includes a proposed Cork to Barcelona service from May, operating up to five flights a week, and a Cork to New York service in 2017.

However, the transatlantic flights are dependent on the US authorities approving NAIs application for a foreign carrier permit.

The airline lodged its application two years ago and is still awaiting a decision. It said it is the longest pending application of its kind.

It is clear that there is huge support for these new routes from the Irish authorities, the airport, and the wider public, an airline spokesperson said in January. We urge the [US] DoT to finally give their approval which will unlock the door for these new routes, bringing greater competition, more choice and better fares for passengers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe also confirmed last month that he had discussed the matter with the EU transport commissioner in December and is optimistic that the European Commission will take the appropriate steps under the Open Skies agreement to help resolve the dispute.

Editorial: 10
TODAY, I woke up in an awful mood, the result of a bad sleep, niggling work stress and an estate agents sign flapping around the road all night (the boom is back). A bad moods not new. But what is new is the urge to share my foul humour with the world, or at least with my Twitter feed, to publicly complain, to reach out to the world and be assured Im not the only one with a bad case of the morning grouches.

In the past, I would have kept such a thing to myself, afraid to let others see inside my head. But, these days, telling everyone your innermost feelings, fears, and desires is de rigeur, all thanks to social media. Many of us are so connected that nary a thought passes our mind without the urge to share it.

Yet, often I resist, because I dont want to be one of those people  someone who posts ranting essays to Facebook, or cryptic tweets designed to invite concern. The now iconic phrase are u ok hun? sprung from just this kind of rampant, ambiguous oversharing.

I overshare for a living. As a writer, its my job to empty my head onto the page, and its mostly cathartic. But because its managed by an editor who reins me in, its not as cringe-inducing as the stream-of-consciousness stuff we see online. However, not everyone has such an outlet, so we see the content of their temporal lobe splashed all over social media. When I was younger, I used to write a diary, confiding in myself. Now, though, we all confide in one another  is that for better or for worse?

We are, at heart, social creatures, with an innate desire to connect with other people, says Vincent McDarby, a therapist and member of the Psychological Society of Ireland. In order to connect, we must share some aspects of ourselves with others, and the drive for establishing this connection has always been there. Now, social media has allowed us to develop these connections in the online world.

McDarby says that there are two concepts at play when we share online  disclosure and control, or what we share and who gets to see it. The internet provides us with an opportunity for others to actively enquire about our feelings  for example, we can post that were feeling sad, inviting others to ask why.

For most people, sharing online is a social norm and part of making social connections, but, for others, feelings of disconnection drive social-media use and connection rewards it. The internet feel like a safe space where people can share their thoughts about their issues. Writer Sarah Waldron has recently taken to Instagram to discuss her mental-health struggles.

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety only last December, but, in reality, Ive had it since my early teens, she says. I try to post something about the realities on Instagram at least once a week; medication, side effects and how paralysing it can be. Instagram is so filtered  literally and figuratively  and conversations about mental health online are often about the after, when everything is sunshine and rainbows, and not the during, which is mostly rain and fog, which is insane to me. Can you imagine having a serious physical disorder, struggling to go about your life, and only telling the people close to you after getting better? I do it because Im not ashamed, and also because I need to show people that I am still a functioning human being  not a zombie, not a ticking time bomb.

Why Instagram, a platform known for perfected images and a focus on the visual? It might be a bit counterintuitive to use Instagram, but it incorporates text and visuals nicely and I feel the online culture there can be a lot kinder that Twitter or Facebook. Perhaps what was once perceived as oversharing is now the norm, and, in Sarahs case, it can be helpful. Of course, its draining when an acquaintance constantly posts ranting, raving, and blatantly attention-seeking posts, but perhaps its just their way of reaching out to the world (and there are buttons you can press to mute them, without them ever knowing). Its not possible for everybody to be articulate and informative about their innermost thoughts  sadly.

While I wont be posting about every machination of my mind, I also wont hold back if I truly need to vent  after all, someone more reticent might see my ranting tweet and feel a little bit better about their own crap mood, or I might lose ten followers.

Such are the swings and roundabouts of life in the digital age.
Price movements as large and rapid as those that have upended oil markets since June 2014 are sure to cause pain to some and benefit others.

Though the pain tends to capture the most attention, the benefit is just as important  if not more so. The 70% drop in the price of a barrel of crude represents a colossal transfer of $3 trillion in annual income from oil producers to oil consumers.

As a result, while sliding equity markets and a further decline in oil (and other commodity) prices have sparked much talk of another global recession, dire predictions are likely to prove overly gloomy and misdirected.

To be sure, the dramatic drop in the price of oil will produce winners and losers. But the biggest dangers will be political, not economic.

The shift in fortunes can perhaps best be seen on the boarding passes of International Monetary Fund officials. Rather than going to Athens, they are now heading for Baku.

Indeed, Central Asias oil-producing dictatorships, including Azerbaijan, have been among the countries hardest hit by the drop in prices  especially because, as ex-Soviet states, they remain heavily dependent on trade with Russia, another oil producer.

The biggest beneficiaries of the price slump will be the highly indebted, oil-importing countries of the eurozone: Greece, Italy, and Spain (Germany, too, is likely to benefit). Their export markets in emerging economies will suffer, damping hopes of a trade-led recovery, but that negative effect stands to be more than offset by the windfall from a big drop in energy costs.

Growth in the eurozone will be based on the resulting increase in domestic demand, rather than exports.

The United States and the United Kingdom are simultaneously energy producers and importers, so the impact on their economics is likely to be more complicated. In 2013 and 2014, energy firms dominated business investment, and cutbacks in the sector will translate into lost jobs and dropping demand for the manufacturers and service companies supplying the industry.

On the other hand, consumer spending in both countries stands to rise. While US consumers have so far saved a large proportion of the windfall they have received through cheaper gasoline prices, the gains for households are starting to translate into higher levels of spending.

Economists are likely to spend months puzzling over why the effect of low oil prices has proved slow to emerge in the consumption statistics. But, ultimately, emerge they will, as they have every time such a large fall has occurred.

The more important question is one for political scientists: Which governments will collapse this year, and with what consequences?

It is no coincidence that the last emerging-markets crisis, in 1997-1998, was also associated with a dramatic fall in oil prices. In that case, the two biggest victims were a dictator in Indonesia and a fragile democrat in Russia.

In May 1998, nine months after the beginning of East Asias financial crisis, Indonesian president Suharto resigned after 31 years in office. A few months later, Russia defaulted on its sovereign debt as its currency collapsed.

On December 31, 1999, president Boris Yeltsin resigned, leaving the country in the hands of his recently appointed prime minister, Vladimir Putin.

In attempting to predict which governments might face a similar fate this time, the basic criteria  in addition to the oil slumps financial impact are resilience and flexibility.

Does a regime have the financial reserves with which to cushion the shock and buy time to adjust? Does a country have a robust banking system? Can its political system contain growing popular frustration or channel it through existing institutions? Oil-dependent regimes that fail to meet these criteria are in trouble.

This analytical framework yields surprising insights. As much as pundits like to predict the collapse of the Saudi Arabian monarchy, they are likely to be disappointed once again.

The country is the worlds lowest-cost oil producer; and, though its political rigidity is beyond question, it is showing economic flexibility by cutting its budget and introducing wide-ranging reforms.

Russia, however, for all its bluster, may prove less fortunate.

Its political robustness is not matched by financial and economic resilience. Putin will try to mask the pain, but at some point it is likely to become debilitating.

The potential victims are many, with worrying implications for geopolitical stability worldwide. Venezuela has been in financial crisis since long before the oil crunch, and Nigeria is looking a lot like Russia in 1998  a fragile democracy facing a currency crisis.

As to who might become the next Suharto in the coming months, my best guess is one or more of the Central Asian oil autocrats in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.

In any case, this year promises to be interesting  and harrowing, if you happen to be a dictator clinging to power in an oil-exporting country.

Bill Emmott is a former editor-in-chief of The Economist.
The price of oil is often regarded as a sort of thermometer to measure the health of the world economy.

What is less often noted is that it can also serve as a barometer  warning of approaching geopolitical storms. Indeed, the dramatic plunge in the price of a barrel of crude  from nearly $150 in June 2008 to around $30 today  is likely to fuel continued upheaval far beyond the worlds energy and commodity markets, with particularly worrying implications for the European Union.

Sinking oil prices are clearly correlated with financial instability, but the lines of causation do not point in the direction most pundits seem to believe.

On the contrary, when the price of oil rises, so do costs in most rich, industrialised economies; thus, a rising oil price acts as a brake on growth. Surges in the price of oil led to global recessions in 1973, 1979, 2000, and 2008.

The reverse is also true. An economic slowdown will likely produce a price drop, which can be a financial boon for governments and consumers alike.

After the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, oil prices plummeted in anticipation of economic stagnation, only to recover substantially as vigorous growth continued in emerging markets.

Viewed in this light, the recent drop in oil prices is unsurprising, as it follows signs of weakness in every major emerging market (with the possible exception of India).

Furthermore, oil prices today are subject to a powerful source of downward pressure: the expectation that the world economy will be restructured in response to worries about climate change.

Current efforts to curb global warming may not have much bite, but in the long term, the fact that fossil fuels are major contributors to the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide and thus climate change is likely to prompt policymakers, and investors, to take serious action.

This leads to what the German economist Hans-Werner Sinn has called The Green Paradox. The possibility that the use of fossil fuels will one day be restricted creates a powerful incentive for oil producers to sell as much as they can before the limitations take effect.

This logic might be behind Saudi Arabias response to plummeting oil prices: rejecting calls by Opec to cut production. The result is a further decline in the price of oil and larger incentives for consumers to buy gas-guzzlers and drive more.

In the industrial world, even in the US, an increasingly important producer of petroleum, low oil prices are unambiguously good for the economy in the short term.

Indeed, plummeting prices are one of the few forces helping to stabilise the fragile eurozone. And worries that falling commodity prices will lead to damaging, 1930s-style deflation are almost certainly overblown.

And yet, the forecast is far from rosy. History is replete with examples of technological advances interacting with resource availability, with enormous geopolitical impact.

Britains oak forests allowed it to become the worlds premier naval power during the Age of Sail, when a good timber supply was the key to control of the seas.

The Industrial Revolution turned steel and coal into strategic goods, and struggles over oil dominated much of the 20th century, including during the First World War, when the loss of Romanian petroleum contributed to the German collapse on the Western Front in 1918.

Rapidly changing commodity prices can upend the geopolitical landscape as well, sparking political instability  or worse. And today, oil seems to be going the way of timber and steel, losing its strategic importance.

Large amounts of energy will still be needed for the basics of modern life, including data processing and storage, but it will increasingly come from other sources.

This is likely to have epochal consequences, as weakening oil prices undermine the authoritarian regimes that control the main producers. There is a large amount of scholarly evidence linking dependence on natural resources with poor governance  the resource curse.

Whatever the many differences among Nigeria, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and Iraq, all have one thing in common: Oil revenues have corrupted the political system, turning it into a deadly struggle for the spoils. As prices fall, the bandits in charge will quarrel more among themselves, and with their neighbours.

The leaders of oil-producing countries are already busy concocting narratives explaining their countrys misfortunes.

Venezuelas president Nicolas Maduro has taken up the Latin American lefts old, populist slogans, and pointed his finger at the US.

Similarly, Russian officials are drawing parallels between todays events and the falling oil prices that undermined the Soviet Union. In both cases, the US is to blame; hydraulic fracturing in Oklahoma or Pennsylvania, according to this narrative, is the latest example of Americas projection of power abroad.

In other words, the security challenges implied by dropping oil prices are likely to be more significant than the economic risks. But security challenges can be costly. For example, the difficulties the EU faced in 2015 are likely only to grow in scale and severity.

So there is a strong case to be made for rich countries using the economic windfall from dropping oil prices to fund efforts to deal with the geopolitical consequences. In this light, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaubles recent proposal to pay for accommodation for refugees with a European petrol tax makes perfect sense.

Policymakers in industrialised countries need to stop thinking about falling oil prices as representing risks to the economy and start considering their geopolitical implications.

Given the scale of the challenges likely to come, policy co-ordination will be necessary.

The blowback from ever-cheaper oil is a problem that no country is likely to be able to deal with on its own.

Harold James is professor of history and international affairs at Princeton University and a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation.
OReilly seeks reform of expert groups

Before the European Commission draws up new rules it puts together expert groups to advise it. Currently, there are more than 800 such groups but over the past few years it has emerged that these highly influential groups tend to be overwhelmingly composed of business interests.

Since EU Ombudsman Emily OReilly opened a strategic inquiry into their composition in May 2014, some changes have been made, but she advises there should be a lot more transparency.

She wants the commission to draw up a definition of balance when it comes to the membership of expert groups, and their declarations of interests to be public  essential since consultants to business were being named as independent.

The minutes of their meetings should be public, she advises, and has asked the commission to say how it intends doing this by April 30.

Islands urged to stick together

Small islands all over the EU have their own particular problems, and they should band together to form their own group, according to the European Parliament.

They want a special report to show the extra costs incurred by people who live on islands, such as access to markets and transport.

Marian Harkin MEP raised one of the problems worrying the people of the Aran Islands during the week which seems to be unique to them at the moment.

This is the attempt to replace the fixed-wing aircraft service to Inis Mor, Inis Meain, and Inis Thiar with a helicopter service.

The public does not want it but the public service obligation that allows the service to be subsidised under EU rules does not define air carrier, which Ms Harkin says means that the islanders are entitled to define it for themselves.

French spotlight on Vat fraud

Catching companies for Vat fraud can be hard when they disappear after collecting their money. However, the French authorities with the help of Eurojust have carried out searches in seven countries to dismantle a web of carousel fraud and money laundering, where companies vanished after charging Vat. The criminals claimed Vat from member states on small, high-value and often virtual items often connected to computer equipment.

Ireland fails to improve energy record

Despite all the talk about wind energy and harnessing the power of the waves to produce sure, cheap, clean energy, Ireland remains one of the EUs biggest fuel importers.

The country imports 85% of its energy needs. That is the third highest in the EU and much higher than other countries with a similar climate and as few sources of fossil fuels such as Denmark that imports 12.8%.

The proportion of imports has varied very little over the past decade reflecting the failure to implement proper building- insulation standards and the continuing high dependency on private transport.

Overall, the EU imports half its energy needs and while this figure is fairly stable, 2014 was a record year for seven countries when they relied less on imported fossil fuels in 24 year.

Accent on clarity in language shift

The French are very proud and protective of their beautiful language  and so careful when making changes that the latest have taken a quarter of a century to implement.

So weekend may be used by students in their exam essays; oignon loses its i; waterlily can be spelt nenufar rather than nenuphar and the letters i and u will lose their circumflex in many cases.

Despite the time allowed to introduce the 2,500 changes, not all agree with them, with one professor of classics arguing that one does not remove the dates from history lessons because they are difficult to remember.

Flood of requests for funding aid

The European Commission must be convinced at this stage that Ireland is a country where the rain falls incessantly, and that this is a recent phenomenon.

The latest politician to bring the plight of those affected by the recent floods to their notice is leader of the Fine Gael delegation in the European Parliament, South MEP Sean Kelly.

He met EU Regional Commissioner Corina Cretu, who he said encouraged Ireland to apply for funding aid under the European Solidarity Fund.

Mr Kelly said he also raised other potential projects that could qualify for funding, such as transport and research.

Ireland has firm rules for campaigning

Ireland is one of the few countries with rules for third-party campaigning according to an OECD study of how politicians fund their election campaigns.

However, the USA is one of the other countries with such regulations so no assumptions can be made about whether this is good or not.

The Paris-based body warns that the rules are not tight enough and leave loopholes that can be exploited by vested interests at the cost of citizens.

And they caution that globalisation has increased the risk of capture of national political priorities by big-business.

Mediocre result on gender equality

Officialdoms fear of having equal rights for men and women was dramatically exposed in the European Parliament during the week. The MEPs and political groups were deeply divided on the issue of gender equality during the week when a resolution was barely passed by 337 votes to 286.

The reason so many voted against was because they objected to the working document from the European Commission  which is about the least important kind of document they can issue.

It doesnt need to be approved by the college of commissioners, does not need to have targets or a budget allocated or even to follow the political commitments of member states.

The shame was that so many voted in its favour.
Although not the typical questions youd fill out in a doctors surgery  one question asks if I liked thunderstorms  all is going well until we get to this question: what irritates me?

Oh, my god. Where, in 2016, do you even start? Because its not the people who talk loudly on their phones in restaurants, or the ones who post too many smug selfies on Facebook, or even those who leave the cap off the toothpaste. No. Its none of them.

Heres what irritates  its what we have allowed ourselves to become. Late capitalism has resulted in a right-wing savagery that has trickled down to the rest of us, dividing us and keeping us afraid. Even if Ireland were ruled by benevolent unicorns  although my sources confirm that this is not the case  society would still be infected by the remorseless greed, cruelty, self-interest and indifference of the global ruling elite, whose tentacles  like some horrid Spiderman villain  reach everywhere.

US presidential hopeful, Bernie Sanders, points out that a kid who smokes a joint gets a criminal record, but those who pillaged the global economy have never been prosecuted, jailed, or even heckled. This, he says, is what corrupt power looks like  and its in charge of us.

The result? Divide and conquer. Ordinary people so worried about their own housing, money and jobs  thanks to a criminal financial system, and the inevitability of capitalism eating itself feet first, which is where we are now  that the plight of others remains distant, or threatening, or both. Help penniless, traumatised families fleeing war, when we cant afford to buy a bedsit ourselves? There it is. Job done, capitalism. Workers of the world, stay afraid.

Within this climate of whipped-up, manmade fear, its amazing what you can get away with. The French authorities have just bulldozed a church and a mosque, at the refugee slum in Calais. Didnt the Nazis do that sort of thing, a few decades ago? Isnt there some kind of EU rule against bulldozing places of worship?

Nobody cares, and the ones that do are being threatened with criminalisation  watch out, rescuers of drowning babies in the Mediterranean, the EU would like to criminalise your actions. In Denmark, theres Nazi-style legislation that now allows the state to seize all valuables from refugees entering the country.

And the Russian president keeps dropping bombs on behalf of the Syrian dictator, ensuring an unending flow north of people the rest of us are told by our media to ignore/fear/loathe. Hence, we let them drown. So, maybe its because my rebalancing herbal potions havent kicked in yet, but I doubt even a big, fat syringe of hospital morphine straight in the eyeball would soothe the rage induced by all the atrocities close to our doorstep.

If youre not angry, youre not paying attention.
After the last election, our great leader rightly asserted that this is not Greece. And he inaugurated the great democratic revolution, a revolution created by our ballots: a new politics.

This election offers us a similarly momentous opportunity. On this occasion our leader might do worse than warn us that this is not Spain.
Russian and Syrian forces intensified their campaign on rebel-held areas around Aleppo that are still home to around 350,000 people and aid workers have said the city, Syrias largest before the war, could soon fall.

Russias intervention has tipped the balance of the war in favour of President Bashar al-Assad, reversing rebel gains made last year.

In some parts of Aleppo, the Assad regime has cut the north-south corridor ... Turkey is under threat, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying.

Turkeys armed forces had the full authority to counter any threats to its national security, he said, although government officials have said the Nato member does not intend to mount any unilateral incursion into Syria.

Sunni Arab powers in the region, which, like Turkey, want to see Assad removed from power, have expressed readiness to intervene with ground forces provided it is part of a co-ordinated international effort. The United Arab Emirates yesterday said it was ready to send ground troops to Syria as part of an international coalition to fight Islamic State militants.

Saudi Arabia said last week it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the US-led coalition decided to start such operations.

Syria would resist any ground incursion into its territory and send the aggressors home in coffins, its foreign minister said on Saturday, comments clearly aimed at the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Taking full control of Aleppo would be a huge strategic prize for Assads government in a five-year conflict that has killed at least 250,000 people and driven 11m from their homes.

Reuters

Irish role

A Northern Ireland peace negotiator is helping train women bidding to end the Syrian conflict.

Monica McWilliams said it was hugely important they were part of inclusive proximity talks which have been organised by the UN in Geneva in Switzerland. Three women from the strife-torn region are part of the 15-strong team.

Ms McWilliams played a key role in clinching the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. She said securing the release of female detainees subjected to human rights violations was a priority for the women in Geneva.

What they are desperate for is to get some recognition of the fact that it is really important that these women who have suffered so much are included now in these big negotiations.

Fifteen years ago the UN said never again should there be negotiations like Bosnia, that had completely excluded women. They are determined that there will be a proportion. Three out of 15 is a good start, said Ms McWilliams, a UniverMrs McWilliams co-founded the Womens Coalition as a new voice in Northern Ireland politics in the 1990s.

The party played a key role in the talks process leading to the 1998 Agreement which ended 30 years of violence and two of its members were subsequently elected to the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly.Mrs McWilliams went on to lead Northern Irelands Human Rights Commission.She is now a professor at the University of Ulster.

She said women had an important part to play in ending the conflict in Syria.Some 250,000 people have been killed and millions of refugees have been created in the five years of violence between the Government and a variety of rebel groups including Islamic State.
Asia Firebrand Monks a Powerful Force in Burma Despite Setback

Challenges from Ma Ba Tha seem likely to continue, despite the religious groups support for a rival pro-military party that was trounced in elections.

WASHINGTON  Dark-skinned and bearded men jump a young woman after she prays at a Buddhist shrine. They push her to the ground and rape her. Then they cut off her ear and slit her throat.

A lurid video recently posted online by a firebrand monk in Burma purports to re-enact the womans death at the hands of Muslim assailants. Her killing in 2012 set off widespread violence between majority Buddhists and minority Muslims in the Southeast Asian nation.

Tens of thousands of people viewed the video until Facebook blocked it on Feb. 1, a sign of the continuing reach of Burmas Buddhist extremists even as the country moves toward civilian rule after five decades of military dominance.

A new report by US researchers finds that a divisive religious group known as Ma Ba Tha, which counts the hardline monk Wirathu among its senior members, is likely to remain a force for some time to come in Burma. Ma Ba Thas anti-Muslim prejudices resonate in broader Burmese society, according to the report.

The conflict and security research group C4ADS spent several months studying hate speech in Burma. It focused on Ma Ba Tha, or the Organization for the Protection of Race and Religion, scrutinizing the social media accounts of the groups leading monks and followers.

We find a decentralized, but still highly organized, group that operates with unrivaled freedom, the report says. It cites the groups activist rallies, legislative campaigns, powerful media network and pressure directed at judges and police to influence legal cases.

The report concludes that the incoming government led by Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party, or NLD, is unlikely to confront Ma Ba Tha, despite the religious groups support for a rival pro-military party that was trounced in November elections. The new NLD-led parliament convened this week.

While the [election] defeat is embarrassing to an organization whose key leaders had openly advocated against the NLD, it may prove to have little material impact over the long run, the report says.

Experts say the NLDs victory was driven by support for Suu Kyi and a desire for civilian rule. But the party did not field a single Muslim among its 1,151 election candidatesa sign of the political sensitivities surrounding religion.

Also, there is popular support for Ma Ba Thas campaign to deny rights to stateless Rohingya Muslims, who have been targeted in the religious violence and live in apartheid-like conditions in western Burma, according to the report.

Ma Ba Tha denies spreading hate speech. We are not telling anyone to hate Muslims or kill them or anything like that. We are just trying to protect our own race and religion and showing love to our country, central committee member Ashin Parmoukkha told The Associated Press in Rangoon, Burmas main city.

Yet even the groups more moderate leaders have espoused an ultra-nationalist outlook in which Muslims, who account for about 5 to 10 percent of Burmas 52 million people, pose an existential threat to the Buddhist majority.

Ma Ba Thas vice chairman, the renowned monk Sitagu Sayadaw, organized a peace conference last month with participants from more than 50 countries. He told a visiting US delegation in 2014 that Buddhist countries are living in constant daily fear of falling under the sword of the Islamic extremists.

The ability of Ma Ba Tha leaders to simplify Buddhist teachings has added to the groups popular appeal. It has a nationwide network of offices, oversees newspapers, broadcasts TV sermons and does charitable work.

Wirathu, the monk who posted the video, is Ma Ba Thas most provocative voice. He served several years in jail for inciting deadly anti-Muslim riots in 2003. In January 2015, he called a UN special envoy on human rights a whore and a bitch after she criticized a bill restricting interfaith marriage and religious conversions in Burma. It was among four race and religion bills championed by Ma Ba Tha and signed into law last year despite opposition from the NLD party.

The video posted in late January on his Facebook page, which has 131,000 followers, was intended as a teaser for a longer video portraying the May 2012 killing of 27-year-old Ma Thida Htwe in western Rakhine State. A court sentenced to death two Muslim men for robbing, raping and killing the woman. A third man was charged; state media reported that he hanged himself in custody.

The womans killing triggered the first in several bouts of Buddhist-Muslim violence that has left more than 200 dead and 140,000 homeless.

Wirathu, 47, defended the video in an interview with the Myanmar Times newspaper, saying he wanted to show the incoming NLD government that it needs to prioritize protecting the race and religion of the country.

Facebook took down the video after complaints from activists, including Burma scholar Maung Zarni, who said its portrayal of Muslim men as blood-thirsty and its use of Buddhist symbolism were clearly intended to resonate with Burmese racists.

The NLD and government officials have also criticized the video, but Maung Zarni contended that authorities have incubated Ma Ba Tha and allow it to act with impunity.

Tina Mufford, East Asia analyst for the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, said the group has grown rapidly in the past two years and she expected its warped anti-Muslim messaging would continue.

The elections may be over, but Ma Ba Thas inner workings are still in place, she said.
Burma MPs to Donate Daily Stipend to Fire Victims

MPs in Union Parliament Monday voted to donate their 20,000 kyat daily stipend to people affected by recent fires in Shan State and Irrawaddy Division.

RANGOON  Union Parliament Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than forwarded an urgent proposal to lawmakers on Monday requesting that all MPs make a monetary donation to those affected by recent fires in Shan States Namhsan and Labutta in Irrawaddy Division.

Lawmakers unanimously agreed to the proposal, which will see each MP donate their daily stipend of 20,000 kyat, half of which will go toward food supplies, 5,000 kyat toward accommodation and 5,000 kyat for other general expenses.

The total donation will amount to over 13 million kyat (US$10,290).

A huge blaze razed over 200 homes in Namhsan of northern Shan State on Thursday, leaving an estimated 1,270 people homeless, according to authorities.

A fire on the same day in Irrawaddy Divisions Labutta destroyed 179 homes, leave over 700 people without shelter, officials said.
Burma NLD Lawmakers to Forego 25 Percent of Pay Packet for Party Fund

The National League for Democracy (NLD) will deduct a portion of its lawmakers salaries for party funds, according to a statement released last week.

RANGOON  The National League for Democracy (NLD) will deduct a portion of its lawmakers salaries for party funds, according to a statement released last week.

Signed by one of the partys central committee members, Win Htein, the letter outlines that 25 percent of each MPs monthly salaries will be collected as party funds.

Both houses of Burmas new Union Parliament convened last week, with 390 lawmakers representing the NLD.

The party has implemented a sweeping donation policy to raise funds. Outgoing NLD lawmakers have also agreed to donate the entirety of their party pension, a state-funded gratuity paid for their time served in Parliament, to a party fund.

More than 40 NLD members that entered Parliament following an April 2012 by-election took a 10 percent pay cut when their monthly salary was at 300,000 kyat. The new 25 percent pay cut comes after lawmakers salaries increased in April 2015 to 1 million kyat per month.

Following the NLDs convincing electoral victory in November, Suu Kyi told MP-elects that they could expect a drastic reduction in salarysomewhere between 25 and 50 percent.

Anyone in the top positions will see a 50 percent pay cut, she said, according to a party member present at the meeting.
Burma Presidential Nominations to be Considered March 17

The Union Parliament announced Monday that presidential nominations would be considered on March 17, more than four months since Burmas general election.

RANGOON  Convening for the first time on Monday, the speaker of Burmas Union Parliament announced that presidential nominations would be considered on March 17, more than four months since a general election that saw the National League for Democracy (NLD) win a commanding majority.

Union Parliament Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than of the NLD said the Lower House, Upper House and bloc of military-appointed lawmakers, which together constitute the countrys electoral college, would discuss their respective nominations on March 17.

The Union Parliament will then meet to elect a president from among the three candidates, the remaining two of whom will become the countrys vice presidents.

With the NLD holding a majority in both houses, the party will be able to select two candidates. NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi remains constitutionally barred from the position.

With the March 17 date still more than one month away, observers have speculated that the NLD may be buying time for possible negotiations with the military on amending or suspending Article 59(f), the clause of the charter which effectively rules out a Suu Kyi presidency.

In the previous Parliament dominated by the army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), a pool of three candidates were selected on Feb. 3, 2011, with Thein Sein appointed president the following day.

The term of Thein Seins administration will expire on March 31.
Burma Thein Sein Tells New Lawmakers: Abide by the Constitution

In a letter to the Parliament, outgoing President Thein Sein has called on Burmas new lawmakers to abide by the Constitution in formulating legislation.

RANGOON  In a letter to the Union Parliament, outgoing president Thein Sein has called on Burmas newly minted lawmakers, overwhelmingly members of Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD), to abide by the Constitution in dealing with the countrys laws.

The new Parliament convened on Feb. 1 with the start of a Lower House session, and it was followed two days later by an Upper House session.

In the letter sent on Monday, Thein Sein said that he hopes lawmakers will be able to serve the interests of the country and citizens, as well as promote peace, stability and the rule of law, by staying in line with the Constitution.

Because the Union Parliament, [Burmas] highest legislative body, has pledged to protect the Constitution and abide by the laws of the country, I hope that it will do so in enacting new laws and amending and annulling old ones, Thein Sein said in the letter.

Political commentator Yan Myo Thein told The Irrawaddy the presidents letter was probably issued in light of recent speculation the NLD may seek to suspend Article 59(f) of the charter which effectively bars Suu Kyi from the presidency.

The article disqualifies anyone with a foreign spouse or children from becoming president, and both of Suu Kyis sons are British nationals, as was her late husband.

I assume it [the letter] is advising lawmakers to abide by the constitutional amendment chapter in talks to amend, suspend or add an exception to Article 59(f), Yan Myo Thein said.

Chapter 12 of the Constitution, which lays out the process of proposing and adopting constitutional amendments, stipulates that more than 75 percent of lawmakers must approve major amendments, effectively guaranteeing the army, which commands 25 percent of parliamentary seats, a veto over charter change.

Major amendments also require a nationwide referendum, with the amendment carried if it receives a yes vote from more than half of the eligible voter population.
Burma Thousands Commemorate Shan National Day at SSA Headquarters

Six thousand attendees mark nearly 70 years of Shan political struggle with traditional performances and parades on the Thai-Burma border.

LOI TAI LENG, Shan State  With Sundays dawn came the quiet chanting of Buddhist monks in Loi Tai Leng, the remote mountain headquarters of the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S).

But later that day, the camps central grounds would be overwhelmed with nearly 6,000 visitors and residents commemorating the 69th Shan National Day with traditional musical performances and a military parade.

For 17 years, Loi Tai Leng has served as the main outpost of the SSA-S and its political wing, the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS). It is also host to a number of ethnic civilians, most of whom are unrecognized refugees who have sought safety on the border after being displaced by civil war throughout Shan State; year after year, residents with the means to do so have set up permanent concrete settlements on the steep mountain range bordering Thailand.

The RCSS chairman, Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, addressed the crowd on Sunday and encouraged the diverse ethnic peoples of Shan State to be united. His speech emphasized public collaboration in implementing genuine peace and prosperity.

He also spoke positively of Burmas controversial Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), which was signed in October by eight of 15 ethnic armed groups involved in negotiations, including the SSA-S. The agreement also led to the RCSSs removal from the countrys list of unlawful organizations.

Signing the NCA is a way to unity, as it is signed between the government and the armed groups of both sides who think for the public, he told The Irrawaddy. When the public cooperates, it will be successful.

The RCSS distributed NCA-related materials in Shan language to attendees of the national day events.

Also present were ethnic Akha, Karenni and Wa observers, as well as delegates from the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), the political affiliate of the Shan State Army-North, a group which opted out of the NCA signing and has endured recent military offensives by the Burma Army.

Keep yourselves informed of the current situation and keep up with your observations, said Sao Pan Pha, a central committee member within the SSPP, in a short address to the public during the ceremony.

In his speech, Lt-Gen Yawd Serk also urged people to use social media, such as Facebook, productively.

Today is the media era. Everyone now has access to it and it makes it easier for us to communicate, he said. So when we post or debate on social media, please keep your mind toward unity and peace.

Nang Hnin May, a 25-year-old migrant worker in Bangkok originally from Shan States Moe Ne Township, expressed happiness at seeing Shan soldiers for the first time.

It is different than previous celebrations which I have participated in [in Burma], she said.

Like many in attendance, Nang Hnin May travelled to Loi Tai Leng specifically to take part in Shan National Day.
Business With Mining Law Changes, Are Foreign Firms Set to Dig In?

Long-anticipated revisions to Burmas Mining Law could spur foreign investment in a sector that remains vulnerable to frontier market perils.

Long-anticipated revisions to Burmas Mining Law, which were passed by the outgoing Parliament at the end of last year, could spur foreign investment in a sector that is still vulnerable to frontier market perils.

The new law, which was finalized after being stalled in Parliament for more than two years, is significantly more favorable to foreign firms than the legislation previously in effect, which dated back to the days of the former junta in the 1990s. The updated rules officially aim to promote the development of investment in respect of mineral resources and are expected by many in the industry to usher in a new wave of foreign investment in Burmas mining sector.

The amended legislation was signed into law by President Thein Sein on Dec. 24, just weeks before he is set to hand over power to a new administration led by the National League for Democracy (NLD).

According to a summary of the regulatory changes released by Valentis Resources, a Rangoon-based exploration and mining services company, the new rules pave the way for foreign firms to buy their way into already existing small- and medium-scale mining projects in joint ventures with local Burmese firms and then expand those projects. The expanded role this will potentially afford foreign companies stands in contrast to the 1994 Mining Law, which in effect only made partnerships between foreign firms and large local companies feasible.

Another key change included in the new regulatory framework concerns production-sharing, which under the previous rules stipulated that some share of what was produced at a mine be given to the government, in addition to paying royalties. Under the new rules, firms can instead enter into a form of profit-sharing with the government or an equity participation that would allow for the government to buy a stake and invest in a given project.

The new regulations were drafted with the input of the chairman of the Upper House Mining and Resources Committee, Nay Win Tun, an ethnic Pa-O businessman affiliated with the Pa-O National Organization (PNO) militia who has a number of investments in Burmas mining sector, including in Kachin States lucrative jade mines by way of his firm Ruby Dragon. Nay Win Tuns involvement in the drafting of amendments to the law was flagged as problematic by the London-based NGO Global Witness, which last year produced a lengthy expose on Burmas jade trade. Effectively, this means that a prominent industry player is involved in setting the rules which will regulate his own business, said the watchdog groups report

The revised rules were also drafted with the advice of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and other international experts. In a 2013 interview with Australias ABC Radio, Burmas Minister for Mines Myint Aung explained that the changes were being drawn up with the aim of meeting international expectations.

With regards to the Mining Law, we are still in the revising and reviewing stage and working very much closely with the AusAID to become that law [sic] an internationally recognized and accepted standard, said Myint Aung at the time. Like Thein Sein, Myint Aung is set to leave office next month.

Although party chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior figures in the incoming NLD government have given few details about how they will deal with the mining industry, it is expected that whomever becomes the next mining minister will follow the course set by the Thein Sein administrations handling of the Ministry of Mines and continue with changes deemed necessary by foreign investors.

That view is shaped in part by the Nobel laureates handling of the chairwomanship of a parliamentary inquiry into a violent crackdown against land-rights activists at the Letpadaung copper mine site near Monywa in November 2012. The inquiry ultimately concluded that the despite the heavy-handed way government authorities dealt with farmers and monks protesting the seizure of land, the mega mine project involving a partnership between a Chinese state-owned company and Burmese military-controlled firm should continue.

The Ministry of Mines has declared its intention to sell state-owned mining assets. Privatization of the tin and tungsten mines and mines and industrial mines is also being planned and will be put into effect in the very near future, reads the ministrys website, something that will likely please potential foreign investors, should the incoming NLD government carry out this pledge.

The amended rules are set to be implemented within 90 days of their being signed into law and the Ministry of Mines is tasked with drawing up attendant regulations that comply with the new legislation, including those covering the size of exploration permits and the creation of regionally and state-based permit granting boards.

No Mining Paradise

Despite the rules changes, Burma will remain a challenging place for mining firms to operate and it is likely that ongoing disputes between small-scale landholders and mining firms, which have taken place across much of the country in recent years, will only intensify as mining firms look to expand their activities across rural Burma.

An Investment Climate Assessment released by the World Bank last year painted a bleak picture of industry risks. When it comes to mining, Myanmar [Burma] currently lacks the necessary laws and enforcement mechanisms to protect its environment and vulnerable populations against the impacts of mining. Over the past two decades, this has led to conflict and severe environmental degradation in the wake of a rapid increase in large-scale mining, the reports author concludes.

Whether Burmas new mining rules, which were clearly drafted to encourage more foreign investment in the sector, will actually lessen these problems remains to be seen.

While Norinco, the giant Chinese state-owned weapons firm and its subsidiary, Myanmar Wanbao Mining Copper, have invested heavily in the controversial multibillion-dollar expansion of the Letpadaung mine, most Western mining firms currently operating in the country are only at the preliminary stages of exploration. For the most part, Western firms are relatively small outfits commonly referred to in the mining industry as juniors.

Although international interest in Burmas mining sector remains strong, large Western mining firms largely are staying on the sidelines despite the lifting of sanctions in 2012. The Mining Laws protracted revision has been blamed in part, as has firms decision to wait for the adoption of other business-friendly developments like the forthcoming adoption of an Investment Protection Agreement between Burma and the European Union, before fully committing themselves to a country still in flux. That has left the juniors, some of whom are clearly fly-by-night operations, to scour Burma looking for deals in a country whose geology has yet to be fully explored.

Recent regulatory filings from various junior mining firms listed on their respective stock markets suggest that Burmas mining sector has proved to be less promising than they had originally anticipated when they entered the country after political reforms began more than four years ago. This has been compounded by a global glut in mineral prices caused by slowing demand in China.

A case in point is the firm that inked a deal with the chairman of the parliamentary mining committee. In June 2013, Australias Intercept Minerals Ltd. signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ruby Dragon and its chairman and principle shareholder Nay Win Tun, whom the firm referred to as a prominent Myanmar businessman, while failing to mention his prominent position on the mining committee or his previous inclusion on the EU sanctions list. The MOU, which in Intercepts words was geared toward the evaluation of existing mining and exploration opportunities in Myanmar, initially covering tin, tungsten and gold, ultimately failed to pan out.

Some 13 months after signing the deal with Nay Win Tun, Intercept metamorphosed into an internet TV broadcaster following a reverse takeover of a Silicon Valley startup. The firm now called XTV Networks Ltd. no longer has any involvement in mining.

Another Australian junior mining firm, Avenue Resources, similarly entered Burma in 2013 after merging with Lotus Mining Limited, an unlisted company focused on tin. The tie up was supposed to lead Avenue to a number of exciting acquisition opportunities in Burma. But one year later the firm, which by this time had changed its name to Triumph Tin, chose to give up on Burma entirely. Whilst Triumph Tin maintains that the geological aspects of the exploration potential of Myanmar are exciting, the Company has concluded that the business case of moving forward in Myanmar, at this time, is not as compelling as the business case available in other jurisdictions, the firm said in a report to its shareholders.

Last year the London-listed firm Aurasian Minerals, which is partially owned by US mining giant Newmont Mining Corporation, chose to withdraw the permits it had submitted to the government some 10 months earlier to explore for gold, silver and copper in a jade-rich corner of Kachin State beset by conflict.

But other juniors like the Australian firm Eumeralla Resources Ltd. have opted to stay on in Burma. According to Eumerallas latest regulatory filings, it continues to wait for government authorities to process the exploration permits its Burmese subsidiary submitted in 2014 to search for tin and tungsten in Karenni State. The application has raised concerns that the firms activities could re-ignite a long-running conflict in the state.

Another firm, Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific Mining Ltd. (APML), which describes itself as the first Western-led mining company to be granted a large-scale exploration license in Burma, is focused on exploring a 649-square-kilometer concession in Burmas far north. The firm, headed by an Australian mining veteran, had its permits to explore for lead, zinc and silver in northern Shan State approved in October 2014. Just three days later, heavy fighting broke out near the area.

Clashes between government troops and ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State have continued, which will complicate any effort to fully study the regions potentially lucrative geology.
Monday, February 8th, 2016 (10:24 am) - Score 1,363

Residents, businesses and visitors to the most popular parts of central Leicester (e.g. the Clock Tower, Jubilee Square and outside the Richard III centre), which is a city in the East Midlands of England, will be pleased to learn that BT are planning to roll-out a free WiFi zone in the area.

At present BT has only just begun their initial planning and survey work for the 10 year deal, with the new network expected to go live sometime during the Spring 2016. The deployment, which will utilise the existing CCTV network for capacity, wont cost the council anything and may also be used to help improve local 4G mobile phone coverage.

Rory Palmer, Deputy City Mayor, said: We already have free wi-fi in our libraries and we know how popular wi-fi hotspots in city centre coffee shops and other venues are. Wed like to be able to extend this offer so that people can get online even more easily. Free wi-fi will also support our plans to promote economic growth in the city as well as being an essential infrastructure for a modern connected city.

BT has also made similar deployments in Cardiff, Gloucester, Glasgow, Nottingham and Newcastle etc.
Major: Communication

Hometown: Brazil, IN

Student Media Involvement: Syc Creations

Favorite Food: Burgers with everything but mustard

Fun Fact: He really loves superhero movies, and wants to make his own someday
5 Conversations IT Needs to Have with C-Level Peers

A self-made millionaires story of success in a very male-dominated career field is one that female IT pros might find as applicable to their own situations as any IT career-focused material they come across. Thats despite the reality that shes a former convict with a 10th grade education, she has a string of business failures under her belt, and shes not even close to being an IT professional.

Im referring to Gigi Stetler, CEO of Planet RV, a recreational vehicle business in Davie, Florida, and author of Unstoppable: Surviving Is Just the Beginning. What convinced me that Stetlers voice is one that should be heard by any IT pro or entrepreneur, but especially by women, is what she conveyed to me in a recent interview. For one thing, she stressed, based on her own experience, that women need to be more willing to take risks:

Women are now climbing up the corporate ladder and running big companiesthe numbers are up remarkably. But I would like to see more women owning businesses, because women are creating these big empires that are controlled by menthe women are basically just employees, even though they have big titles. I think the reason there are not more women business owners is they just dont take as many risks as menthey think a little more emotionally. Women tend to step back and take a more conservative path. Being an entrepreneur and a business owner, you dont have that luxury, because being an entrepreneur is extremely risky. So I think women need to be more programmed to think outside the box and to take that additional risk. Women are more afraid of failure than men are. If we can just get women to accept that failure is only a stepping stone to success, we would be unstoppable.

My sense is that no one would fault Stetler for being too politically correct. Consider her views on how women can use gender bias to their advantage:

I guess, without sounding sexist, women can play two cards. I dont like playing the woman card as far as being a victim. But you can play the softer-side card, as long as you know what youre talking about. Youve got to know what youre doingyou cant trick your way out of a situation. If youre negotiating a very big deal, and you have the exact same ideas as a man negotiating the same deal, obviously if the woman is batting her eyes and looks better than the guy, and the woman can put her money where her mouth is and hold up her end of the bargain, she may get a couple of brownie points when the guy has the option of looking at a woman or looking at another guy. Hes going to pick the woman, but shes got to be able to produce. So you can use your femininity to close the deal. But youve still got to know what youre doingthats just the closer.  If I was up against any man, in any position, say, if we were bidding on the acquisition of a company, and weve both got the same money and the same everything, then you go for the charm. Im not saying you take your clothes offIm saying you bat your eyes. If you use your feminine skills, and youre more charming, youre going to close more deals than the guy. But you have to be on 100 percent equal ground in what you have to offer.

I asked Stetler what would be the single most important piece of advice she has for a young woman entering a male-dominated profession. She said whatever you do, dont take what youre confronted with personally:

Women take things personally, and if you take it personally, youre done. Its just business, but the minute it becomes personal, you start thinking emotionally, and youre done.  You will fail. There is no doubt about it that you will fail in your first, second, fifth attemptsthat doesnt mean anything. What matters is how quickly you can get up and start over again after you fail. Thats the measurement of success.

Finally, I asked Stetler if she could have one do-over as CEO of her company, what it would be. Her response:

Looking back now, theres an old saying that if youre going to borrow money, borrow a lot. Put yourself in a position where youre too big to fail. Why do you think General Motors didnt fail? They were too big to fail. I have a 10th grade education, and I always thought that owing less money is a better position, but its not when youre playing on a big field. You need to set yourself up, and be in a position where you dont get kicked off the field by the competition.

A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant.
When it comes to the problem of stopping errant drones, there's been a number of high-tech solutions -- from radio jamming to laser beams to nets launched by other drones -- but a group in The Netherlands is proposing a low-tech solution that's much more elegant.

Guard From Above says it is training birds of prey to attack drones, taking advantage of their natural predatory instincts and precision in the sky.

A video posted by the company on YouTube shows a bird attacking a DJI Phantom drone as it hovers, grabbing the drone with its feet and flying away with it.

The bird's claws have scales that should prevent it from getting injured by the fast rotating blades, said the company. But it did say it is investigating extra protective measures that could be taken
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The Master of Public Health is a school-wide degree program. The rigorous curriculum prepares students to become leading public health professionals capable of addressing current global health problems with multidisciplinary, evidence-based approaches.

During the program, students interact with public health faculty members renowned for teaching, practice and ongoing research around the world. In this diverse and collaborative learning environment, students learn as much from each other as they do from their coursework.

MPH students benefit from a flexible curriculum, online and onsite options, hundreds of courses taught by 1,500+ faculty and RA opportunities with projects in 67 countries.

The program culminates in a capstone project that applies competencies and skills acquired through the program to a public health problem relevant to a students professional goals and interests.

Graduates become part of the largest MPH alumni network across the globe.

Dual Degree and Full-Time Options Online / Part-Time Format
Shadi Salehians route to the MPH program was rich, if not straight.

Oftentimes, the more uncertain and circuitous the paths that students take to the Bloomberg School, the more unflagging and passionate their desire to be here.

A case in point: Shadi Salehian. Having recently aced the public health training certificate program, the Iranian-born mother of three is in the midst of pursuing an MPH degree in the online/part-time format.

Its a dream come true, she enthused during a phone interview from her current home in Toronto, Canada. The Bloomberg School transferred all the 23 credits from my training certificate in public health to the MPH.

Even sweeter, she said, is the fact that shes been conferred a Welch Scholarship.

In fact, all new online/part-time MPH students beginning the program effective January 2016 will be awarded the new $20,000 Welch Scholarship. This scholarship is in honor of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Healths 100th anniversary and founding Dean William Henry Welch.

Salehians journey to here actually began in 1979, during the revolution in Iran, when her parents were fired from their jobs and she and her brother were dismissed from school for their Baha'i faith. Fleeing persecution, they landed in India for four years. Living amidst dire poverty and disempowerment of the masses made a lasting impression on Salehian, then an adolescent.

My mother, who had been the principal of school in Iran, started volunteering in an Indian orphanage for children with leprosy, Salehian recalled. She would take me with her. We had to wear masks and gloves, and on top of several layers of clothes, a plastic garbage bag. I became very conscious of injustices in the world, in terms of health and the availability of health resources for minority populations.

Salehian ended up in a university in Canada, and then volunteered at the Baha'i World Centre in Israel. Twenty-three years later, having raised her family, she moved back to Canada and revisited her dream of becoming a public health professional.

Previously, she had volunteered and worked with the Iranian HIV/AID doctors Kamiar Alaei and his brother Arash Alaei, who had developed harm-reduction programs in Iran, as well as an HIV/AIDS training program for regional health experts in the Middle East and Central Asia. After being imprisoned in Tehran, they founded the Global Institute for Health and Human Rights at University at Albany. Through her work with the brothers Alaei, she had become acquainted with cancer surgeon and Bloomberg School alum Sean S. Tedjarati, MD, MBA, MPH 08.

Dr. Tedjarati told me I should not think about doing an MPH anywhere but Hopkins, she recalled. He said that it was a paradigm shift for him, doing this MPH; his whole concept and outlook on health and healing changed.

His advice influenced Salehian, of course. But, it also made her wonder: Is it possible I could do such a thing?

It had been a long time since she had been in school. So she enrolled in a couple online courses. She promptly earned straight As.

The rest is history, she said. I have a 4.0 from my training certificate, just finished last May. And then I applied immediately for the MPH.

Recently, she was on campus in East Baltimore attending the Winter Institute, at which she took the maximum eight credits.

Every course I take, I think, oh my God, this is my favorite! I never thought I was any good a math until I aced biostats. . . and then I just took the most amazing problem solving course.

Salehians on track to graduate with an MPH in May 2017.

Johns Hopkins gave me an opportunity to pursue my dream, she said. The Bloomberg School has been fantastically encouraging. It didnt matter where I was from, or what my circumstances were.

Maryalice Yakutchik

Learn More About the Welch Scholarship

Learn More About the Training Certificate in Public Health


Donald Trump is known to post awkward political statements on Twitter that makes people cringe at his plaftorm. Recently, a picture of Donald Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump surfaced the internet and it puts viewers in an awkward state.

What's more loving than a photo of a father and his daughter on his lap? We leave it for you to judge Donald Trump's picture with his daughter Ivanka who was 15 years old at the time.

The picture was reportedly pulled from a photo shoot with Vanity fair at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Picture this - Ivanka Trump who is 15 years old at that time, is wearing a flowery silk spaghetti srapped top tucked inside a blue tight mini skirt. Donald Trump is wearing a white suit. The mogul's daughter is sitting on his lap with her hand caressing his face and looking at him lovingly. His hand on her waist while statues of two parrots appear to be mating on the side.

Ivanka Trump is now 34 years old while Donald Trump is on his path towards the presidential title. What does Twitter have to say about it?

Some users find it disturbing and creepy. "This picture of Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump isn't creepy at all! #trumpenstein", as posted by Twitter user @Darcman. Another poked fun at the picture, "I just want someone to look at me like Donald Trump looks at his daughter", says Twitter user @Grieving49erFan. While @govtgroundhog reminds us about that awkward time, "Remember that time Donald Trump said he'd date his daughter. Dudes really trying to keep it in the family".

Check out that cringe-worthy photo here.

A clip from The View shows the hosts interview Donald Trump with his daughter Ivanka Trump on set. Check out the video where Trump says he'd date his daughter, here.
Traffic waits for a man to cross over to the terminal at Mitchell International Airport in 2013. The airport is working with Uber and Lyft to determine how the transportation companies operate at the airport. Credit: Michael Sears

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Airports across the nation, including Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport, are exploring methods to regulate, limit and monetize ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft.

Since the increasingly popular services took off a few years ago, they have been dropping off and picking up passengers at Mitchell International without any limitations or extra fees.

That now appears to be on the verge of changing.

"We want to provide good customer service," said Pat Rowe, a spokeswoman for Mitchell. "But we want to make sure that the users of the airport and those who profit from it are also those who contribute to its costs."

Rowe said the airport is working with Uber and Lyft to create its own rules and regulations that will determine how the transportation companies operate at the airport, and the fees they would have to pay to do so. Rowe said agreements are expected to be reached sometime this spring.

Milwaukee airport officials also are monitoring the policies being adopted at other airports.

Los Angeles International Airport announced recently that Uber's low-cost ride service, UberX, is now allowed to pick up travelers from the airport. The decision, reached after months of negotiations, brings ride-share companies out of a legal gray area where they had been operating in California for nearly two years.

Before the LAX agreement, Uber drivers were allowed to drop off passengers at the airport, but pickup by the company's cheaper UberX service was banned. The new LAX permit requires Uber and Lyft to each pay the airport a minimum of $25,000 per month from $4 fees for each drop-off and pickup. In addition, each company is limited to 40 drivers at a time in the new designated pickup area.

Chicago and Minneapolis airports also are determining their policies for Uber or Lyft.

Patrick Hogan, spokesman for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, said the airport issued a draft ordinance to regulate the ride-share services last month. The ordinance would require ride-sharing operators to have insurance and specific driver and vehicle qualifications. It also contains a series of proposed fees, including a $5,000 security deposit for transportation network companies, a $500 license/renewal fee and a $3 per-trip fee.

While ride-share drivers have always been allowed to drop passengers off at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, they only recently were granted permission to pick up passengers.

At the start of the busy holiday traveling season, O'Hare created a designated ride-share pickup area outside Terminal 5 on the lower roadway, allowing Lyft and Uber to operate at the airport but in a different area than the taxis and other airport transportation services. Vehicles picking passengers up must enter into the designated staging area, and only upon receipt of a passenger request for a ride can they proceed to the airport terminals. They are also required to register with the Chicago Department of Aviation, undergo airport-specific training and install additional identification signage on their vehicles.

Uber and Lyft drivers in Wisconsin are opposed to new regulations, limitations or fees.

Andrew Voss began as an Uber driver last fall and regularly works the area around the Milwaukee airport.

"I like working the airport. It's been great," Voss said. "But if it cost more to work around here I probably wouldn't do it. I could make just as much driving around downtown. It just wouldn't be worth it."

Daniel Cornils has a full-time job as a technical service supervisor in Ripon, but drives to Milwaukee on weekends to work part-time as an Uber driver. He usually works around the Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campuses but avoids the airport.

"Uber is a private transaction between two people," Cornils said. "If someone contacts me to give them a ride, and I happen to pay Uber a small percentage of that fee to use their technology, whose business is that except mine and the rider?"

Cornils said he would be unlikely to be willing to pay additional fees to operate near the airport.

"If Uber cars required extra oversight or otherwise created an expense to the airports, then I can see the need for licensing or fees," Cornils said. "But really it seems like it's just the old-school taxi companies using their political connections to limit the expansion of the inevitable consumer-driven alternative."

The Milwaukee airport has been contested territory for the area's taxi and ride-share drivers.

In 2015, county taxis received permission to apply for permits to work at Mitchell. Previously, only airport-owned taxis were allowed to do so.

Milwaukee taxi drivers worry that Uber and Lyft's lower prices allow the companies to undercut the offerings of city and county taxi services. The average fare for taking a taxi from downtown to the airport ranges from $30 to $35, according to Elizabeth Jackson of Yellow Cab Co-Op. The estimated fare for an Uber for the same distance is $15 to $20.

"It's bad for cab business," Jackson said. "They don't have to follow the same rate requirements or guidelines."

Cab fares for companies such as Yellow Cab Co-Op are regulated by the City of Milwaukee. Each driver charges $2.75 for the first one-tenth of a mile, and 25 cents for each additional tenth of a mile. The minimum fee for pickup from the airport begins at $10.

"Our drivers are all required to stick to the city's fees, and Uber is able to undercut these prices," Jackson said. "Owning a cab is expensive, and the prices cabs are charging reflect that fact."

The average annual income of Milwaukee's 1,280 taxi drivers is just under $25,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Cab owners are responsible for covering the $284 permit to operate in the city and any other licenses needed to work in areas such as the airport.

Milwaukee County Supervisor John Weishan, who serves as vice chair of the county's Transportation Committee, said, "Uber is not supposed to be operating to the extent that they are at the airport. Every day that we don't have a policy in place and people use the app, it's lost revenue for the airport and puts its taxi drivers at a disadvantage."

Peter Carstensen, a University of Wisconsin-Madison emeritus law professor and researcher who has assisted with cases involving airport transportation issues, said he believes ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft need some sort of regulation.

"They've transformed the transportation industry, and Milwaukee has redone its taxi ordinance immensely to reflect that," Carstensen said. "But you need a regulatory regime that's genuinely focused on the interest of the public."

Carstensen cited lack of insurance as one of several potential legal headaches caused by ride-share companies.

"They think they don't need to be regulated. They want you to think, 'We're the good guys, the millennials love us, leave us alone.' But I don't think so. There are too many risks to allow that," Carstensen said.

"We want to make sure that we develop a system for this new generation of transportation companies," Weishan said. "We're looking to make the airport the best it can be. We want to make sure that it's easily accessible and that everyone is treated fairly. Whether you're a concession worker or a taxi driver, there should be an equal and fair system that ensures everyone can earn a living and make their way."

"Airports around the country are gradually rolling these programs out," Rowe said. "In the airport industry, we share information. Other airports take some of our best practices, and we take some of theirs. It's a good system."
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Beer Camp Across America has named Milwaukee as a stop in its six-city tour.

The traveling craft beer festival plans to put down stakes at Veterans Park on June 11.

The tour is a chance to highlight a variety pack of beer Sierra Nevada Brewing made with 30 other breweries.

"We get to bring this kind of gigantic beer festival all across the country," said Bill Manley, brand ambassador for Sierra Nevada.

The plan is to invite other local and regional brewers to sign up for each Beer Camp stop. Craft breweries are invited to pour at one of the six festival locations; the others are Tampa, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston and Los Angeles.

"We wanted to celebrate the explosion of craft beer," Manley said.

The brewery  with locations in California and North Carolina  divided 31 breweries into six regional teams. Each regional team collaborated with Sierra Nevada to create a beer in the variety pack.

Family Values Imperial Brown Ale, for instance, is a Sierra Nevada collaboration with breweries in the Midwest  August Schell in New Ulm, Minn.; Dark Horse in Marshall, Mich.; Sun King in Indianapolis; Perennial in St. Louis; and Half Acre of Chicago.

The brew is made with Minnesota wild rice, Indiana honey, Missouri oats, Michigan hops and cocoa nibs from Illinois.

Other regional collaborations created West Latitude Rye, Stout of the Union, Moxee-Moron Imperial session IPA, Pat-Rye-Ot pale ale and Sweet Sunny South, a Southern table beer. Beer Camp 12-packs will be released in May.

Beer Camp festivals like the one planned for Milwaukee will include live music and likely some food trucks, Manley said.

"It's just a big party," he added.

Tickets for Beer Camp Across America are $50 for general admission and $70 for early access. Tickets are not yet on sale.
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Baby, it's cold outside.

Or at least it will look that way when runners wearing just their underwear head out to Old World 3rd St. to raise awareness and funds for the research of neurofibromatosis.

The undie run, which benefits the Children's Tumor Foundation, is held in 36 cities nationwide. The Milwaukee portion of Cupid's Undie Run begins with a party at noon Saturday at Ugly's Pub, 1125 Old World 3rd St.

Awards are handed out at 1 p.m., and the run starts at 2 p.m. The party is over at 4 p.m., and participants are free to do as their mother says and put their clothes back on.

Registration is $55 atcupidsundierun.com.
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French is, mais oui, the language of love, but it's also the first language of movies (thanks to those Lumiere brothers, who first thrilled an audience with a moving image on a screen in 1895).

So it's fitting that the 19th annual UWM Festival of Films in French begins Valentine's Day weekend, with 10 days of free movies from around the world and across the history of cinema.

The festival starts at 7 p.m. Friday at UWM Union Cinema, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd., with "Mood Indigo," a candy-colored fantasy by Michel Gondry ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") about a romance between an inventive man (Romain Duris) who goes to extravagant lengths to find a cure for his ailing lover (Audrey Tautou).

Other highlights of the festival, which runs through Feb. 21, include a tribute to Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman, including her film "One Day Pina Asked" (7 p.m. Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday); a program of new French animation (5 p.m. Sunday, 3 p.m. Feb. 20); "Verdun," a 1927 silent epic, showing on the 100th anniversary of the landmark World War I battle (7 p.m. Feb. 16); and "Timbuktu," the Oscar-nominated Mauritanian drama about a cattle herder whose world is disrupted when jihadists invade (7 p.m. Feb. 19 and 5 p.m. Feb. 20).

All movies are in French, with English subtitles. For information and a full schedule, go to uwm.edu/french-film-festival.
Klansmen ride against the army of occupation in this scene from D.W. Griffiths Birth of a Nation, filmed in 1914. Credit: Associated Press

Blasts From the Past Highlights from this day in history Blasts From the Past looks at significant events that happened on this day in history. SHARE

Today's highlight in history

On Feb. 8, 1922, President Warren G. Harding had a radio installed in the White House.

On this date

In 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in England after she was implicated in a plot to murder her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.

In 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated.

In 1915, D.W. Griffith's groundbreaking yet controversial silent movie epic about the Civil War, "The Birth of a Nation," premiered in Los Angeles under its original title, "The Clansman."

In 1942, during World War II, Japanese forces began invading Singapore, which fell a week later.

In 1952, Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed her accession to the British throne following the death of her father, King George VI.

In 1968, three college students were killed in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley.

In 1996, in a ceremony at the Library of Congress, President Bill Clinton signed legislation revamping the telecommunications industry, saying it would "bring the future to our doorstep."

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush condemned deadly rioting sparked by cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad as he urged foreign leaders to halt the spreading violence.

Five years ago: Wael Ghonim, a 30-year-old Google executive who had helped ignite Egypt's uprising, appeared before protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square for the first time after being released from detention; he told them, "We won't give up."

One year ago: At the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Sam Smith won best new artist, record of the year, song of the year for "Stay with Me" and best pop vocal album; Beck won album of the year for "Morning Phase."

Associated Press
SHARE John Edward Balistreri. Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office

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A Milwaukee man whose life a prosecutor described as "one uninterrupted trauma" was sentenced Monday to 27 years in prison for the fatal beating of his father, whom he had blamed for his mother's death 25 years earlier.

John Edward Balistreri, 41, had pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide. As part of a plea agreement, Assistant District Attorney Karl Hayes recommended a term of 15 years in prison, plus 10 more on supervision.

"The defendant presents without remorse, but perhaps without the capacity for remorse," Hayes said.

But Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Ellen Brostrom said Balistreri's apparent inability to have any real insight or remorse about his crime made him a danger to the community, and that his admittedly tragic life has left him with many needs that will take years to address in prison. She noted that he had failed to complete supervision after several prior, lesser convictions.

Balistreri blamed his father, John B. Balistreri, for his mother's death decades earlier because of the drunken domestic violence that led social services to remove Balistreri and his sisters from the home as young children. His mother died of a blood clot in her brain that Balistreri attributed to his father's beatings.

Balistreri spent his youth and most of the rest of his life in and out of foster care and institutions and was living in "abject squalor" on the south side when his father, 77, needed a place to stay. Despite the long animosity, Balistreri agreed to give his father temporary shelter, and his father accepted.

But on April 10, Hayes said, on a day when the younger Balistreri had been drinking heavily and smoking marijuana, his father resorted to his long history of verbal attacks, and made a particular kind  insulting Balistreri's girlfriend  that sent Balistreri into a blind rage. Witnesses later told police Balistreri pummeled and kicked his father repeatedly over about 45 minutes, before resorting to a 2 x 4 as a weapon.

Balistreri left to get cigarettes and when he returned, Hayes said, he admitted the attack to police but seemed to believe his father was still alive. Balistreri's clothes, including a pair of steel-toed boots, were coated with blood.

A condition of Balistreri's sentence is that he have no contact with his sisters, one of whom said via Hayes that she preferred a maximum sentence of 45 years in prison.

Balistreri's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Victoria McCandless, urged Brostrom to accept the state's recommended sentence. McCandless said her client has difficulty expressing himself but is not a psychopath.

"He has a moral compass," she said, "It's just hard to detect the direction."
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A 21-year-old Milwaukee man pleaded guilty Monday to shooting at three Wauwatosa police officers last summer and seriously wounding one.

Najee Harmon of Milwaukee was originally charged with three counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and one count each of first-degree reckless injury and possession of a firearm as a felon.

But shortly after jury selection began at his trial Monday, Harmon agreed to plead guilty to two reduced counts of recklessly endangering safety, along with the injury and felon with a gun counts.

Harmon still faces up to 40 years in prison on each of the shooting counts at sentencing March 18 before Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Stephanie Rothstein.

Harmon opened fire on three police officers in the parking lot of an apartment complex near N. 60th St. and W. Good Hope Road on June 19. The officers were investigating an earlier burglary in Wauwatosa.

One of the shots hit detective Jeffrey Griffin, who suffered serious internal injuries.

Harmon escaped, leading to a two day manhunt that ended when he was found hiding in the basement of a house in the 2500 block of N. 21st St. and arrested without incident.

The woman in whose house Harmon was found hiding was later charged with harboring or aiding a felon. Stephanie Kane, 55, pleaded no contest to the felony in November and was sentenced to the 90 days she had already served in jail since her arrest.

Harmon is also awaiting sentencing for an armed robbery committed three days before the shooting, in the 5500 block of W. Fond du Lac Ave. He entered a woman's car as she was parked in a lot, put a gun to her head and demanded her keys. When she said she didn't have them, he took her wallet and fled. A jury convicted Harmon of that crime in October.
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A Wisconsin couple is facing criminal charges after authorities say they found the two highly intoxicated in their pickup truck and the woman's 9-year-old daughter behind the wheel.

Jason Roth and Amanda Eggert have pleaded not guilty to charges in Polk County Circuit Court.

KMSP-TV reports the two were arrested about a week ago after authorities got a 911 call about erratic driving. A deputy caught up with the vehicle at a boat launch along the Apple River. Deputy Jeff Hahn testified he was stunned to see a young girl behind the wheel and the couple's baby in a car seat.

The parents face charges of recklessly endangering safety and neglecting a child. Eggert is also charged with battery to an EMT and a firefighter, as well as disorderly conduct.
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Families outside Milwaukee and Racine interested in enrolling their children in a private school at taxpayers' expense will have significantly more options for the 2016-'17 school year.

The number of schools registered to take part in Wisconsin's statewide voucher program has swelled by 67% to 135, according to the Department of Public Instruction.

Jim Bender, president of School Choice Wisconsin, called the expansion "good news" and just the beginning of what is likely to be a continued increase in the coming years as state-mandated limits on enrollment gradually rise.

"There is clearly a demand from parents and they are reacting to demand all over the state," Bender said.

Critics see growth in the program as a continued attack on public schools and raise concerns about the financial impact, particularly in light of a move by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) to alter the way the state pays for the private school vouchers for students outside Milwaukee and Racine.

"It raises the question about how we're going to fund these vouchers," said Jon Bales, executive director of the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.

"There have always been private and religious schools," Bales said. "But we're a limited resources state generally. So we're either going to have to allocate dollars from the state or take it away from public schools."

Last week, Vos slid a last-minute amendment into AB 751, a bill on a special-needs voucher program, that would alter the way vouchers for new students enrolling in the statewide program are funded.

Public school officials say the change could cost them $22 million this year in revenue cap authority  the amount of money they can raise in state aid and property taxes. The bill had been scheduled for a hearing last week but was pulled at the last minute because of a deluge of complaints from school officials. The Assembly Education Committee is expected to take it up Wednesday.

Tom McCarthy, spokesman for the state Department of Public Instruction, said the increase in voucher schools will not automatically translate into a mass exodus from public schools. State law limits voucher school enrollment to 1% of the district's school age population this year. That cap rises by 1 percentage point annually until it reaches 10% and then lifts entirely.

The actual impact on school districts won't be known until September.

In addition to the statewide program, the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program added seven schools, including some from as far away as Waukesha and Jackson; and the Racine program added one school, in Greenfield.

Bender said the increase in the statewide program was primarily in the northern and western parts of the state. Some counties will see voucher schools for the first time, including Jefferson, Walworth, Marinette, Polk, Ashland and Price.

The number of voucher schools in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties taking part in the statewide program nearly doubled, to 41 and 19, respectively.

To qualify for the statewide K-12 program this year, a new student's family income must be at or less than 185% of the federal poverty level  $45,263 for a family of four.

The income limits in the Milwaukee and Racine program are 300% of the poverty level, or $73,401 for a family of four.

Parents interested in enrolling their students in the voucher program must complete the online application by April 20.

The statewide program is in its third year, and Gov. Scott Walker and Republican lawmakers paved the way for its expansion in 2015. Lawmakers lifted the cap that limited enrollment to 1,000 students, and the 2015-'17 budget altered the way vouchers are funded for new students, cutting into districts' state aid and not allowing them to recoup those dollars through their tax levies.

According to DPI, 2,514 students are enrolled in the statewide program this year. The state spent $7.3 million on the program in the 2014-'15 school year and $10.6 million since its inception.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students make their way to class. The university was elevated to the elite status of R-1 doctoral research university on the 2015 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education list. Credit: Journal Sentinel files

By of the

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee got a boost last week that could not have come at a better time as concerns about its research mission and gloom over budget cuts hang over campus.

UWM was elevated to the elite status of R-1 doctoral research university on the 2015 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education list, placing it among 115 top-tier research institutions in the nation  in the same category as UW-Madison, Yale, Duke and Johns Hopkins University.

Lesser known research institutions with this distinction include Texas Tech, University of Mississippi and West Virginia, which like UWM, moved from R-2 "high research activity" to R-1 "highest research activity" in the Carnegie classifications.

"Through grit and determination  and despite dwindling state resources  you made UWM the prominent research and access institution that it is today," Chancellor Mark Mone said in an email he sent campuswide Monday. "This is a proud moment in our history and I congratulate you."

What the bump actually means will be determined largely by what the university makes of it, according to the man who directs the program at Indiana University Bloomington that produces the Carnegie classifications.

Literally, moving up from R-2 to R-1 means: "You've crossed over from one side of the line to the other," said Victor M.H. Borden, the program director and an educational leadership and policy studies professor at Indiana University.

It's accurate for a university that moves into the R-1 classification to say it's producing a level of research like other institutions in the group, based on the numbers, Borden said Monday.

The label should not be viewed as a ranking or rating, he said.

"It doesn't tell you the types of research," Borden said. "It doesn't tell you whether they confer degrees comprehensive across disciplines. Nor, if you look at the degrees, whether they are specialized suitable to serving a region."

To come up with the classifications, Carnegie analysts examined federal data from 2013-'14 on research and development spending, research staff and doctoral conferrals to sort doctoral institutions by research classification.

They created a composite index based on seven measures  three of which are used two ways. The group doesn't publicly release index scores that would show whether a university made a leap or just inched up a few points on the index, Borden said.

"We really don't interpret them as radical, revolutionary or meaningful, in terms of quality of research or degrees," he said. "We're just counting them."

Of the more than 4,600 postsecondary institutions in the United States, roughly 335 were designated on this year's list as doctoral universities.

The 335 doctoral universities were then divided into three classifications by level of research activity: "moderate" (R3), "higher" (R2) and "highest" (R1).

Roughly a third are in each classification.

The R-2 to R-1 distinction is "more folklore within the higher education community that has made something of it," Borden said.

Still, Carnegie classifications are an accepted standard used by higher education researchers as the basis for classifying schools. They also can affect a university's bottom line.

Some federal research money is restricted to R-1 institutions, Borden said.

U.S. News & World Report follows the Carnegie classification system to determine categories for its well-known annual Best Colleges rankings, which universities covet as recruiting tools for prospective students. In the U.S. News rankings, R-1s are classified as national universities, while R-2s are regional.

The U.S. Department of Education also uses the Carnegie system to organize or label data.

Dartmouth is among eight schools that moved down in this year's classifications from R-1 to R-2, while UWM is among 15 that moved up from R-2 to R-1.

UWM officials couldn't be more excited by their good news.

"This is inspiring, gratifying and serves as validation of the remarkable impact of UWM's faculty, staff and students," Mone said in his campuswide email.

"You and UWM matter more than ever," the chancellor said. "Your past and future contributions are central ingredients in our success."
Donald Trump is shown at various campaign stops in New Hampshire, where the presidential primary will be held Tuesday. Credit: Associated Press / Getty Images

SHARE People wait for the arrival of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a campaign rally Sunday at Plymouth State University in Holderness, N.H. Getty Images

By of the

Londonderry, N.H.  Donald Trump may be the favorite to win here Tuesday, but for a certain subset of Republican voters, the notion of a Trump nomination remains almost unthinkable.

"It's a scary thought, actually," Lisa Robillard said at a Marco Rubio rally here. "He doesn't conduct himself in a professional, polished, presidential way. He's embarrassing, quite frankly."

When you ask these voters whether they can imagine Donald Trump in the White House, they laugh.

When you ask them why they're laughing, they look at you as if the answer is self-evident.

"Well, he's just, he's Trump," said Maggie Meade, interviewed at a Jeb Bush event last week. "I mean, it should be a word, right? 'Oh, you're such a Trump!'"

There is a fault line in the Republican electorate in this cycle that isn't demographic or ideological as much as attitudinal.

It's the divide between those voters who find Trump's ego and outrageousness exhilarating and those who find them disqualifying. It's a kind of decorum gap. One basic question Republicans have been forced to ponder is what it means to be "presidential."

"He's just brash and boastful," said Tom Stevens, an undecided voter at a John Kasich event Friday. "He excludes people, he demeans people."

Just as Trump's supporters cross factional lines in the party, so do his detractors. In the run-up to both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, they could be found at rallies for Ted Cruz, Rubio, Bush and Kasich. They include self-described moderates, self-described conservatives and lots of "undecideds." They are also numerous, judging from polls that show anywhere from a quarter to half of GOP voters with negative views of the New York developer.

"He's not a leader. He's a bully. He doesn't have the right temperament. He's unrealistic. I could go on for hours," said Joan Schooley, an Iowan who was trying to decide before last Monday's caucuses whether Cruz or Rubio would be the best bet "to avoid a Trump nomination."

There are at least three big questions about the anti-Trump vote as the fight for the nomination gains steam. One is whether it will grow or shrink in size. Another is how quickly it will coalesce behind one or two of Trump's rivals rather than remain fragmented. And the third is how many of these voters will withhold their support in November if Trump wins the GOP race.

"If he's the nominee, I am going to have a really difficult choice," said Robillard.

Of the two most common reactions these voters expressed about Trump, one was fear of his temperament.

"I'm trying to imagine him talking to Putin. What's he going to do, pick up his toys and go home if he gets pissed?" Donna O'Toole said at a Rubio rally here.

"Way too arrogant," said Michael Lucci, who was at the same event. "I think he could cause a World War Three."

The other was disdain for his language and behavior, whether they viewed that behavior as genuine or something done for political effect.

"Bombastic, rude, all the negatives in the dictionary that you can have," Meade said of Trump's demeanor. "You have to have some decency. There has to be a little decorum, you know what I mean? You have to be presidential. I wouldn't even like to have him as a friend, to be honest with you," she said.

"I'm trying to be a nice person," Trump said Sunday on CNN when asked if he was toning down his behavior on the eve of the New Hampshire primary.

"I think I have the best temperament," he said during Saturday's debate on ABC. "I've gotten along with people for years and years."

Of course, this was the candidate who said politicians were "full of (expletive)" at one rally Thursday and promised to "beat the (expletive)" out of the Islamic State at another. At Saturday's debate, he attacked the audience when it booed him.

As much as any Trump rival, Bush has made an issue of Trump's behavior, decrying his use of four-letter words and his braggadocio.

"We don't need the big dog on the stage, barking out stuff, insulting people," Bush said Thursday in Derry, moments after his mother, Barbara, portrayed her son as a kind of anti-Trump  as "the world's nicest man."

But for Trump's supporters, the brashness and bluntness signal honesty and strength and a determination to shake things up.

"Sometimes you've got to hurt people's feelings a little to get the job done," Al Poulin said at a Trump event in Exeter last Thursday.

"He's a little bodacious, but ... I'd rather have that and know where somebody stands than someone who would change (according to) whoever they're speaking to," said Dave Wykle, who was at the same rally.

"I took Trump as being one of the guys that's going to throw some grenades on the world stage and then we're going to have a mess," said Khris McKay, an undecided New Hampshire voter and former Wisconsinite who said his attitude about Trump has grown more positive since he saw him speak here.

He now sees the candidate as a force for constructive "disruption," especially of the Republican Party establishment.

"Trump has stirred up the pot. He's thrown the hand grenades and got it going," said McKay. "A lot of people can't get that through their head."

Then there are the voters who seem genuinely conflicted by the Trump phenomenon.

"I've been thinking about this. I'm a physician," said Joe Cunniff, when he was asked at a Jeb Bush event in New Hampshire last week why he has ruled out voting for Trump.

People who behave in unconventional ways can have extraordinary skills, he said. "So the question in my mind is, could a man with narcissistic personality disorder actually be a good leader? Sometimes I honestly think about it, and I say, he does things that are unconventional and break the mold a little bit, and I like that breaking the mold ... so I don't quite rule him out for (that)."

But Cunniff said that behavior has its downside, too.

"And the downside of his (personality) is just too, too down, too disqualifying, too narcissistic, too self-centered. He immediately goes to ad hominem. It's almost his attack of choice right from the beginning (as in) 'You argue with me, and you know, your hair looks ugly!'" said Cunniff.

"You've got to have some statesmanship," he said.
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Maan News Agency |  

JERUSALEM (Maan)  The European Union on Saturday called on Israel to stop demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank, and reiterated the EUs firm opposition to Israels settlement policy.

In a statement, the EU said Israels most recent moves in the occupied West Bank  from settlement expansion to Palestinian home demolitions  undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state and only continue to driv(e) the parties yet further apart.



EU HQ h/t wikipedia

The EU specifically mentioned Israels actions on Feb. 3, when Israeli forces demolished a number of Palestinian structures in the south Hebron hills.

Israeli watchdog BTselem estimated at the time that around 40 structures in the area had been marked by Israels civil administration to be demolished.

The EU said news of the demolitions were particularly concerning both because of the extent of the demolitions and also the number of vulnerable individuals affected, including children who need support, adding that a number of the demolitions included EU-funded structures.

EU humanitarian activities are carried out in full accordance with international humanitarian law, with the sole aim of providing humanitarian support to most vulnerable people. We call on the Israeli authorities to reverse the decisions taken and to halt further demolitions.

While demolitions in the occupied West Bank decreased by 10 percent in 2015 from the previous year, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 539 Palestinian-owned structures were still demolished, leaving many Palestinians homeless.

The majority were demolished in Area C, on the grounds of lacking building permits, around 20 percent of which were built using humanitarian assistance from international organizations.

In order for Palestinians to build in Area C, which is under full Israeli control, land owners must obtain building permits from Israeli authorities.

OCHA found that between 2010 and 2014, only 1.5 percent of 2,020 building permit requests submitted were approved.

Official data released by the Israeli authorities indicate that over 11,000 demolition orders  affecting an estimated 17,000 Palestinian owned structures, including homes  are currently outstanding in Area C of the West Bank, OCHA said in a statement last year.

At least 77 percent of demolition orders against structures are located on private Palestinian land.

via Maan News Agency
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

An Arabic site that aggregates Facebook and other social media postings reports that Israeli officials are filled with anxiety and consternation about the possibility that the regime of Bashar al-Assad will conquer Aleppo with Russian and Iranian help, and will go on to reconstitute itself. It would be, in the view of Israeli hardliners, an Iranian puppet and would give Lebanons Hizbullah a free hand in the region. Yuval Steinitz, a cabinet member with a portfolio for strategic affairs, warned that the victories of the Syrian Arab Army in the Aleppo area constitute a long-term threat to Israel.

In the aftermath, Hizbullah could be even better armed. And Iran might have a permanent military presence in Syria, putting it on the Israeli border, including possibly on the Golan Heights that overlook Israel. Steinitz said Israel would nevertheless not intervene in the Syrian civil war. He described recent SAA advances as a change in the strategic balance. He said he feared the price of a defeat of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) would be Iranian troops deployed along the northern border of Israel with Syria. He complained that the barbarity of Daesh has convinced the world that it must be defeated, but that this focus has taken the limelight off the threat of Iran and Hizbullah. He warned that Turkey and Cyprus are also affected if Iran reaches the Mediterranean.

Israels Hebrew Radio 2 also expressed anxiety and fear at these developments. The report said that the allies of the Syrian rebels had abandoned them. It said that the fall of Aleppo would represent the end of any threat to the regime. It asserted that President Obama and Sec. of State John Kerry have abandoned the Syrian opposition to Vladimir Putin, allowing al-Assad and Iran to prevail over it. The report said Turkey had been too afraid to do anything about this development because it did not want to take on Russia. The station said that if, after the fall of Aleppo, the SAA turns its attention to southern Syria and secures it, Israel might be facing Hizbullah and Iran in the Golan Heights.

Hebrew Radio 10 envisaged that Bashar al-Assad could now reemerge as a strongman with a powerful army.

Yisrael Ha-Yom, the newspaper of corrupt casino moghul Sheldon Adelson (chief backer of Mario Rubio for the US presidency) concurred in the dangers and could only see one counter to an al-Assad- Russian-Iranian victory, which would be an intervention by Saudi Arabia.

-

Related video:

Ruptly: Syria: Syrian Army makes push to fully encircle Aleppo
By Ana Kasparian & John Iadarola | (The Young Turks Video Report) |  

Who would be worse for America as President, Donald Trump or Ted Cruz? Former President Jimmy Carter weighed in on the question of Trump vs Cruz. Ana Kasparian and John Iadarola (ThinkTank), hosts of the The Young Turks, break it down.

Former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday that hed prefer to have Donald Trump in the Oval Office rather than Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Speaking at Britains House of Lords, the Democrat said he thought Trump was more of a malleable candidate than Cruz, according to Politico.

I think I would choose Trump, which may surprise some of you, Carter was quoted as saying. The reason is, Trump has proven already hes completely malleable. I dont think he has any fixed (positions) hed go the White House and fight for. On the other hand, Ted Cruz is not malleable. He has far-right wing policies hed pursue if he became president.
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A nude woman reclines against the backdrop of a mountain range, the forested peaks following the gentle curves of her pale body. A puff of cloud pauses, cheekily, at the point of her nipple.

Nipomo artist Erik Olson snapped the photograph, "Trained Cloud & Mountain," on a trip to the Sierra Mountains in 1983. As he raised his camera to capture the sight of his wife sunbathing, he realized, "There was a relationship between her body and the mountain. I couldn't believe it. It was too fun."

Olson explores the idea of interconnectivity -- the ineffable links between light and shadow, line and shape, form and reflection -- in his solo exhibition "Erik Olson: Eye Matters," running Jan. 2 through Feb. 28 at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. It features abstract paintings and photographs.

"That's a motif that's now running throughout this show," Olson, 67, said.

"There's that dialogue that's happening between different elements," explained the tall, soft-spoken retired architect, who moved to the Central Coast in the summer of 2009.

"There's the relationship of things that are not necessarily supposed to be relating to each other."

"Trained Cloud & Mountain" by Erik Olson.

Born in Fullerton, Olson grew up in Covina at a time when orange groves still blanketed the area. "When I was a kid, it was paradise," he recalled. "It was really different by the time I was out of high school. All the groves were gone... and then all the open fields were gone, [replaced] by stucco houses."

By then, Olson was gone as well -- off to Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, then to Monterey, where he was stationed during the Vietnam War. He returned to Southern California to explore Pasadena's avant-garde art scene before enrolling at UCLA.

There, Olson studied design under the likes of weaver and textile artist Jim Bassler and ceramics artist Adrian Saxe. "I did really well in school because I was always having fun," said Olson, who graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1986.

Olson said his design background -- particularly his focus on color and patterning -- later served him well as a residential architect with a client list that included artists Tim Hawkinson, Marnie Weber and Jim Shaw. (He earned his master's degree in architecture at UCLA in 1989.) And it helped him in his decade-long stint as a Hollywood art designer.

Olson said his cinematic side career began by chance after he bumped into Italian artist and photographer Gusmano Cesaretti at a friend's 40th birthday party.

Cesaretti, who's worked as a visual consultant with filmmakers including Michael Mann, Marc Forster and Tony Scott, asked Olson, "'Do you want to design for film?'" "I said, 'Oh sure,'" Olson recalled. "Within a week I got a call and went to work on 'The Last of the Mohicans.'"

"Double Veil Forces of Nature" by Erik Olson.

That's when Olson's architectural and artistic training came into play.

"You had to be very acutely aware of what surfaces were doing with light, because that's what film is about," recalled Olson, who worked with production designer Wolf Kroeger on the movie. "And you had to be historically correct as to what those surfaces would be." (To recreate Fort William Henry in northeastern New York, for instance, he used a 18th century Corps of Royal Engineers handbook as a guide.)

Olson, whose screen credits include "Face/Off," "The Mask" and "Equilibrium," said art direction "put me into this mode where I really started seeing geometry."

Whether designing a Chinese antique shop or a Nazi-esque edifice for the big screen, he said, "I learned really quickly how to define the geometries to create that architecture -- not only... to create those details but then [determine] how the details would relate to each other."

Olson's interest in the visual vocabulary of mathematics is apparent in "Erik Olson: Eye Matters," particularly in his "Cycles of Life" series of abstract paintings. Developed on the tertiary alignment of a grid pattern, they feature interlocking circles and rectangles that represent "cycles of life and spheres of influence," he said.

"Cycles of Life Color Fields" by Erik Olson.

Olson described his photo "Lines, Block, Wall," which depicts an abandoned parking structure on Christmas Day, as his "response to a really clean space without clutter." Painted lines and a concrete divider split the plane into orderly shapes.

"The whole thing about photography is light on surfaces. So what's the next thing?" Olson asked. "I'm kind of in a reductive mode all the time. I want to get down to the essence [of things]."

Another focus in "Erik Olson: Eye Matters" is his lifelong fascination with light play. Many of the featured photos explore that subtle yet startling dance -- dawn peaking through a curtain of orchids, light bouncing off of chrome furniture, panes of glass reflecting a cloudy sky.

"Much of this work... is objectifying the quickly changing natural movement of sunlight that infuses the banal everyday with spontaneity," Olson writes in his artist statement for the exhibition. "Many of the ethereal images are there just for a few brief seconds, and provide a reminder of our own transitory nature."

"This approach... begins with a history but is alive to the moment as the images reveal themselves," he said. "The excitement of recognition spontaneously transforms the images to reveal the expression of this energy, joy."

"Shadows & Reflections Stamped" by Erik Olson.

"Two Lincolns One Guy," the earliest photo in Olson's current exhibition, reflects such a moment of artistic kismet. Olson walked out of a friend's house one day in 1971 to see a man using one car to jumpstart a nearly identical vehicle.

"I just snapped the shot," he said. Only later did he notice how the "V" created by the propped-open automobile hoods echoed the angular lines of the building behind them.

These days, Olson is constantly on the lookout for such coincidences. "When I see them, I jump on them," he said.

In his photograph "Shadows & Reflections Stacked," for instance, a pair of beach-goers walk their dogs across a glassy expanse of the wet sand, their bodies reflected in the water and shadowed in the sand. Seen from above, a pedestrian's legs seem to merge with a street light to form a fanged snake head in "Cobra Head Street Light," and a palm tree blends with a telephone pole in the equally playful "Palm Obscured."

Olson himself is a subject in some of the photos. His shadow can be glimpsed in "Double Veil Forces of Nature," in which the peaked outline of a pier intersects with two lacy ocean waves at low tide.

"Boarding the Bus at Speed" by Erik Olson.

And it features prominently in "Boarding the Bus at Speed," which he shot on a busy stretch of Highway 1 just north of Guadalupe. Although the cars and buses barreling past a wooden train trestle condensed into blurs, he realized, "My shadow was fairly crisp. It wasn't getting smeared."

"Even when I'm out shooting people, there's that quality" of connection, Olson said. "The [photos] I like are the ones where there's a response from one person to another."

Asked about the next step in his artistic evolution, Olson said he's moving toward portraits of artists.

"You look at a photograph and you see a person and you have an expectation based on how they look. And then you see them in a mirror and you get surprised," he explained. "You're experiencing a photograph in time."

"Lines, Block, Wall" by Erik Olson.

"Palm Obscured" by Erik Olson.

"Railing Surfers" by Erik Olson.

Top image: "Two Lincolns One Guy" | Photo: Erik Olson


Refugee Lessons from Europe



Sweden is planning to



This is not a completely new phenomenon.



In Denmark, the government has drastically cut welfare payments for refugees and run



According to



A new study



According to the



The American news media and American politicians have not had much to say about the alarming news coming out of European countries regarding refugees from the Middle East. We are witnessing a conspiracy of politically correct silence. Our elites do not want to acknowledge that the wave of refugees brings with it a lot of serious problems.



In Germany, this politically correct silence meant the police and the news media downplayed the New Years attacks until the stream of complaints on social media overwhelmed their attempt to hide the truth.



In the Scandinavian countries, there has been a consistent policy of ignoring or minimizing refugee or migrant violence against Swedes.



There is danger that we in the United States are only a few years behind Europe in having our society inundated with people who do not share our customs, understand our values or feel that violence is inappropriate. Americans need to take a careful look at the painful experience of the Europeans before we follow them down that path.



The next time someone tells you the United States has nothing to fear from accepting tens or hundreds of thousands of refugees, ask them to explain what is happening in Europe. Why are so many European nations rejecting refugees?

----------------------

Newt Gingrich is a former Georgia Congressman and Speaker of the U.S. House. He co-authored and was the chief architect of the "Contract with America" and a major leader in the Republican victory in the 1994 congressional elections. He is noted speaker and writer. The above commentary was shared via Gingrich Productions.

Tags: Newt Gingrich, refugee lessons, Europe, Sweden, Denmark, Germany To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks! by Newt Gingrich : The media debate about Western countries accepting refugees has been full of more assertions than facts. Here, then, are a few facts.Sweden is planning to deport between 60,000 and 80,000 refugees . That would be about 45 percent of the refugees who came to Sweden last year.This is not a completely new phenomenon. In 2014 , Sweden received 81,000 refugees and rejected 56 percent, about 46,000 of them.In Denmark, the government has drastically cut welfare payments for refugees and run newspaper ads in the Middle East warning that benefits are being shrunk and that people should not come to Denmark. The Danish government has also adopted new rules to seize valuables from refugees to help pay for the cost of their stay in Denmark.According to Reuters , Austria is also announcing the deportation of 50,000 refugees.A new study estimates Germany will spend more than 50 billion euros on refugees in 2016 and 2017, according to the Cologne Institute for Economic Research. Some estimates that indicate Germany is likely to spend more on refugees than it does on its military.According to the BBC , in Cologne, Germany, more than 500 women have filed complaints about attacks by foreign migrants on New Years Eve. More than 40 percent of the complaints involved sexual assault, ranging from groping to rape. A crowd of more than 1,000 foreign men had gathered around the train station in Cologne that night and systematically harassed German women.The American news media and American politicians have not had much to say about the alarming news coming out of European countries regarding refugees from the Middle East. We are witnessing a conspiracy of politically correct silence. Our elites do not want to acknowledge that the wave of refugees brings with it a lot of serious problems.In Germany, this politically correct silence meant the police and the news media downplayed the New Years attacks until the stream of complaints on social media overwhelmed their attempt to hide the truth.In the Scandinavian countries, there has been a consistent policy of ignoring or minimizing refugee or migrant violence against Swedes.There is danger that we in the United States are only a few years behind Europe in having our society inundated with people who do not share our customs, understand our values or feel that violence is inappropriate. Americans need to take a careful look at the painful experience of the Europeans before we follow them down that path.The next time someone tells you the United States has nothing to fear from accepting tens or hundreds of thousands of refugees, ask them to explain what is happening in Europe. Why are so many European nations rejecting refugees?---------------------- Posted by Bill Smith at 1:00 PM - Post Link
Lee Je Hoon has an impressive resume of Korean film roles and he is now attracting attention from international drama fans through his portrayal of Park Hae Young, a detective who can channel a deceased investigator in the tvN crime series, "Signal."

In "Signal," the 31-year-old actor, who previously worked with popular stars including Suzy (Gu Family Book), appears opposite acclaimed actress, Kim Hye Soo (Coin Locker Girl).

Through its incorporation of real-life cases, including the serial-killer investigation that served as the basis of "Gap Dong", "Signal" continues to draw in viewership, with the series emerging as the most-viewed weekend series on cable television.

Here are five fun facts about "Signal" star, Lee Je Hoon.

1. He romanced Miss A's Suzy in "Architecture 101" and appeared with Kang So Ra in the musical flick, "My Paparoti."

Lee Je Hoon garnered acclaim through his chemistry with Miss A's Suzy in the 2012 movie, "Architecture 101." He imparted nostalgia as the past version of Lee Sung Min, a young man who attends architecture school with his neighborhood crush.

In "My Paparoti," he embraced the role of Jang Ho, a teenage gangster who overcomes adversity, in his pursuit to become a classically-trained vocalist.

2. He almost pursued a career in biotechnology before catching the acting bug.

Lee Je Hoon was a biotechnology major at Korea University, before transferring to Korea National University School of the Arts.

3. Before achieving commercial acclaim, he appeared in more than 18 indie and student films.

His credits range from a racy role in the short film, "Just Friends?" to a supporting role as a hanbok maker in the erotic flick, "The Servant."

4. Lee Je Hoon, Yoo Ah In were co-stars in "Fashion King" and have portrayed another controversial role, outside of the series.

Lee appeared as the Crown Prince Sado, a royal who was unable to ascend to the throne after he was brutally murdered by his father, King Yeongjo, in "Secret Door." Yoo later portrayed the Crown Prince Sado in the critically-acclaimed film, "The Throne."

5. He portrays a detective in "Signal" but served as a real-life member of Seoul Metropolitan Police, during his military service.

Lee served with the riot police division of Seoul Metropolitan Police, before portraying a violent crimes investigator in "Signal."
Actor Lee Jong Suk has been helping children through the international charity organization UNICEF.

According to the Korean media outlet Dispatch, the actor donated $165,800 to the charity on February 8. The money was given to the Korean Committee for UNICEF.

The star of "PInocchio," "I Hear Your Voice" and "Doctor Stranger," explained his reasons for making the donation.

"I want to return a small portion of the huge amount of love I receive from the fans," he told Dispatch. "Moving forward, I won't forget the warm feelings that come from working with children who experience hardships."

About half of his donation will be used to help the children of migrant workers and Koreans living in other countries.

The other half will be sent to the Chinese UNICEF office, where it will be used to improve schools in China's mountainous regions.

The actor helped the charitable organization raise funds by modeling for them. On January 29 he announced his decision to volunteer model for the Line X Unicef Brown Edition. The plush bear was produced by Line Friends and UNICEF. As a model, he took a picture dressed in a hoodie with the UNICEF logo. He was holding Brown the bear, which could be purchased online.

"It was a pleasure to participate in such a meaningful photo shoot with Brown, the kind and cute bear," he told the media outlet BNT News. "I will continue to take interest in activities that help children around the world."

Proceeds from the sale of the bear help UNICEF aid underprivileged children around the world.

Lee Jong Suk can next be seen in the Korean-Chinese drama "Jade Lover." The fantasy romance concerns the jewelry business and two rich Chinese heirs. Lee plays the second son of a family in the jewelry business. The drama films in China. It will be a chance for Lee to work with director Jin Hyuk again. Jin directed "Prosecutor Princess" and "Doctor Stranger."
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The United Nations Security Council on February 7 strongly condemned North Korea's latest rocket launch and promised to take punitive steps, while Washington vowed to ensure the 15-nation body imposed "serious consequences" on Pyongyang as soon as possible, Armenpress reports, citing Reuters.

"The members of the Security Council strongly condemned this launch," Venezuelan Ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, president of the council this month, told reporters. He said the launch was "a serious violation."

He added that the 15-nation council "restated their intent to develop significant measures in a new Security Council resolution in response to the nuclear test" in January, as well as Sunday's rocket launch. He said they would work "expeditiously."

Standing alongside her Japanese and South Korean counterparts, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. DPRK's (North Korea) latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer."

North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006. It has conducted three more atomic tests since then, including the one last month, along with numerous ballistic missile launches.

The sanctions ban its work in nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles; blacklist a number of individuals and entities and bar the country's leadership from importing luxury goods.

The United States and China began discussing a resolution to expand the existing sanctions after Pyongyang's atom bomb test on Jan 6. Power said she hoped the council would have a draft resolution to vote on "as quickly as possible."

"It is urgent and overdue," she said.

Diplomats say Washington is closely consulting with Japan, South Korea, Britain and France on its discussions with China, while Beijing is keeping in close contact with Russia.
The 26th African Union summit, which ended on Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ducked as usual the questions of bloody conflict on the continent and focused instead on withdrawing from the International Criminal Court.

The AU had put forth the idea of sending a 5,000-member peacekeeping force to Burundi, in response to the risk of civil war and genocide. Last year a coup detat there failed, crooked elections occurred in June and President Pierre Nkurunziza sought an unconstitutional third term.

Nkurunziza said peacekeepers would be resisted as invaders, so at the summit the AU backed down, dispatching instead a delegation to Burundi for talks.

Another subject for summit consideration was a plan that AU members withdraw from the International Criminal Court because of the courts focus on crimes by African leaders. Its activities, according to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, are off course to the detriment of our sovereignty, security and dignity as Africans. In 2012 the ICC charged Kenyatta with crimes against humanity, then dropped them two years later.

Zimbabwes 91-year-old president, Robert Mugabe, was succeeded as AU chair by Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, who has been in power in the oil-rich nation since 1990. Mugabe, in his closing remarks, suggested that President Barack Obama was a puppet of whites.

The continents other burning issues, in particular the out-of-control violence in Libya, Somalia and South Sudan, as well as the tragic, economically based migration from Africa to Europe, were scarcely addressed. For leaders who care about the continent, that will leave plenty to discuss at the African Unions July meeting in Rwanda.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Republics Ministry of Culture announces a contest for the creation of a symbol (logo) and the motto of the 25th anniversary of Armenia's independence. Applications will be accepted in the form of a sketch, which must be in color and in black and white, on electronic media and on cardboard measuring 50x60 cm. Logo representation in different formats (envelope, letterhead, advertising and so on.) is welcomed, especially with the use of the motto.

The proposals will be discussed by the Commission and the approved version will be considered official for all events of the year. "Armenpress" was informed from the Public Relations Department of the Armenian Ministry of Culture.

The established awards for the best works are as follows: first place - 500.000 drams, and one incentive award - 350,000 drams.

Works should be submitted with the application code under the closed envelope, which will include the same code and authorship of the work.

Participant of the contest or his/her authorized person will receive a receipt for submission of work with the information on all the materials submitted to the contest. The materials are non-refundable. Application deadline is 10 March, 2016. Applications must be submitted to the general department of the Armenian Ministry of Culture (address: 2nd government building, Vazgena Sargsyan 3 str.).
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It was after shoveling winter snow that Brett began to cough. It was a dry cough, a morning cough, a smokers cough. It persisted, grew deeper. Several weeks later, there was a particularly harsh cough and in the sink was a crimson blob. Frightened, he called his doctor.

For 71 years old, Brett looked healthy. His lung exam was clear and the cough was gone. A case of bronchitis? The chest x-ray said otherwise. At the top of his left lung, almost touching his shoulder, was a white shadow. His doctor, now also worried, ordered a CT scan. The scan showed a solid mass, about 3 inches in size. Brett was referred to an oncologist.

A PET scan lit up brightly, as well as lymph nodes in the middle of his chest. The rest of his body was clear. A needle biopsy confirmed: Brett had lung cancer, and it was beginning to spread.

The thoracic surgeon could not operate. Brett started on several months of chemotherapy and radiation, which burned his throat, made it hard to swallow, so he lost weight. Toxic drugs sapped strength. Brett spent ten days in the hospital with a blood infection. He developed a clot in his left leg. Shingles erupted around his forehead, with needle-like pain deep into his left eye.

In May, Brett completed his planned therapy. A repeat PET scan showed that the tumor was no longer growing and, in fact, appeared to be dead. His blood counts recovered. The pain in his eye, improved, although he would need a corneal transplant. He gained weight. Brett was in complete remission; no evidence of active cancer at all.

That summer went well. The family took a trip to Maine. Brett ate well, although his endurance lagged. He was mildly short of breath, the result of lost lung tissue and radiation damage.

On Labor Day, Brett did a peculiar thing. He tried to barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, without ever turning on the grill. He laughed at the raw meat. An MRI showed a two-inch mass in the front of his brain. Neurosurgery removed the lump. Brett was home in four days. Pathology showed that the lung cancer had spread, metastasized, to his brain.

To follow up the surgery, Brett received a brief course of radiation. CT scans of his body were performed. A growth was found in his right adrenal gland, and there was something vague in the left lobe of his liver. New chemotherapy was begun.

Through the fall and winter, Brett was treated with several different chemotherapies, but the disease grew. When a tumor threatened the spinal cord, he was given proton beam therapy. He got cyberknife to his brain, for another mass.

Brett became weaker, more short-of-breath, thinner. Mild confusion meant that he could not be left alone. Bone marrow suppression from treatment, and possible bleeding, mandated six blood transfusions. His kidneys began to fail. Everyone came to visit for the holidays.

In the middle of March, as fell a light snow, Brett collapsed at the kitchen table with a temperature was 103. The rescue squad could barely feel his pulse. He did not respond to shouted words, at all.

Brett moaned briefly as the nurses transferred his scarecrow thin body to the hospital bed. His head, bald, with sunken muddy eyes, lay to the side, as saliva gurgled in his throat and ran, red tinged, onto the white pillow. Bretts veins were so frail that three attempts at sticking an IV through paper-thin skin failed. The resident inserted an IV into Bretts neck. A pressurized mask was placed, but his breathing was so shallow, in brief, quick gasps, that oxygen levels remained critical. His blood pressure barely measured on the monitor. The catheter inserted into his bladder drained no urine.

Brett was in septic shock, his weakened system unable to contain a minor urinary infection. The admitting doctor knew that a patient with advanced cancer who ends up in an intensive care unit is unlikely to ever leave the hospital.

In a cheap molded plastic chair, the doctor sat in front of Bretts family, white coat rumpled, a small stain of blood on the left sleeve, hands folded softly in his lap, hair a bit of a mess. He leaned forward.

I am Doctor Goldstein. I have been taking care of Brett, since he arrived. He is very sick. We need to talk about what we are going to do. We have given him some fluids and oxygen, but he is very weak. I also put a call into his oncologist, and I will talk to him as soon as he calls back.

Dr. Goldstein asked, What do you understand, in general, is happening to him?

He was fine, last night. I helped him with his shower, answered the son.

I mean, what do you understand is happening to him about the cancer?

We know he has lung cancer. We know its not curable, but he has done everything. We are waiting for that new gene-drug to be approved. He has been home and doing pretty well the last week or two, answered his daughter.

Hes a fighter, said his son. He will do whatever it takes. Dad has been eating better. Last week I took him to the VFW for a beer.

His wife sat silent. Dr. Goldstein asked her, What do you understand is happening to him?

She looked up, smiled weakly, He has been though a lot. He spends a lot of time sleeping on the couch.

It was quiet for a moment. An alarm beeped. A baby cried. Someone laughed. Dr. Goldstein said. Brett is very sick today. He has an overwhelming infection. His blood pressure is very low, and he is not breathing well.

Where did the infection come from? Did he get it from the grandkids?

No, the infection is not the kind you catch. It comes from inside you, from your own gut, when you are very weak. It happens all the time to cancer patients.

Dr. Goldstein continued. Has Brett talked to you, have you talked about what he would want done if something terrible like this happened? Does he have an advanced directive or a living will?

I dont understand, responded the daughter. Are you saying that he is dying?

I am saying that this is the kind of thing that happens to very sick patients. This is the kind of thing from which cancer patients die.

He is dying? Responded the son, eyes wide, as he slumped back in his chair, hand over his mouth.

Dr. Goldstein spoke slowly, carefully. Your Dad is very sick. It will require aggressive medical care to revive him. He will need lots of intravenous medications and will need to be put on a respirator machine to breath for him. Judging by his blood tests, he may need kidney dialysis. And, even then, he may never come off the machines. There is a very good chance that he will die, while he is in the hospital.

When  now? exclaimed the daughter.

During this hospitalization. In fact, if we do not do aggressive things now, today, he may die very quickly. He is very weak and, yes, the infection may be too much.

But, how is that possible? gasped the son, now turning red, brows furrowed, leaning forward.

The cancer is overwhelming him.

But, I do not understand, whispered his wife.

Silence filled the room.

I do not understand. It is so sudden. It is too soon.

James C. Salwitz is an oncologist who blogs at Sunrise Rounds.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Members of Russias State Duma (lower house of parliament) Valery Rashkin and Sergei Obukhov (Communist Party faction) have sent a letter to the countrys leadership and the Foreign Ministry proposing to denounce the Moscow Treaty of Friendship and Brotherhood signed on March 16, 1921, by the government of Soviet Russia (RSFSR) and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Armenpress reports that Russias Izvestia daily, which has obtained the text of the letter, writes the aforesaid.

"We should consider a possibility of legal review of all Russian-Turkish agreements that are unfavorable for our country and its allies. Ankara must understand what the escalation of the conflict could be fraught with for it. Only this can bring it to earth and prevent it from carrying out new provocations," Obukhov told Izvestia.

The initiative has been supported by the Just Russia faction. According to State Duma member Oleg Pakholkov, the Moscow treaty was signed to the detriment of Russias interests.

Obukhov noted that "two of the three Transcaucasian republics - Georgia and Armenia - did not recognize the terms of the treaty considering it unfair." "One should realize that in 1921 the Bolshevik (Soviet) government was literally hanging by a single thread: the foreign intervention and civil war continued. Under those circumstances Soviet Russia could not speak from a position of strength and impose more favorable terms of the treaty on Turkey," the parliamentarian said.

The newspaper notes that under the treaty "the former Kars region and the southern part of the former Batumi region that were part of the Russian Empire since 1878 as well as former Surmalin district of Erivan Governorate that was part of the Russian Empire since 1828 with Mount Ararat were ceded to Turkey."
A Kilkenny man who stabbed shop worker Mairead Moran to death at her workplace has been found not guilty of her murder by reason of insanity.

The trial heard that Shane Smyth (29) believed Mairead Moran had stolen a "vile of his blood" and had "installed hidden cameras" and put "black widow spiders in his house.

Mr Smyth, with an address at McGuinness House, Evans Lane, Kilkenny was charged with murdering Mairead Moran (26) on May 8 2014 at the Market Cross Shopping Centre in Kilkenny City.

Last week at the Central Criminal Court Mr Smyth pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Moran by reason of insanity.

The jury had been told that the facts of the case were not disputed and last week forensic psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright gave evidence that Mr Smyth was suffering from severe paranoid schizophrenia at the time.

A second forensic psychiatrist Dr Paul OConnell from the Central

Mental Hospital also gave evidence that the accused was suffering from

schizophrenia and was "not capable of forming a specific intent."

Today (MONDAY) in her charge to the jury Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan said there were three possible verdicts open to them in this case but the verdict of "not guilty by reason of insanity" would be in accordance with the lengthy evidence they had heard in the case.

"The law requires that you must make a finding of fact in this case and a verdict other than the verdict of not guilty of murder by reason of insanity means you would be rejecting the evidence of the two psychiatrists," said the judge.

Finishing her charge Ms Justice Heneghan said the "evidence in this case all points one way."

The jury of three men and nine women spent fifty five minutes deliberating today before bringing in a unanimous verdict of not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.

After they had delivered their verdict, the judge thanked the twelve jurors for their time as they had been longer in court "than anticipated" and excused them from jury service for the rest of their lives.

Ms Justice Heneghan addressed the jury saying: "You have performed a critical task. It has been a difficult trial and some of the elements were extremely upsetting and disturbing. It is a difficult duty you have carried out and I thank you for the attention you have given this trial."

At the request of prosecution counsel Mr John O'Kelly SC, Ms Justice Heneghan ordered that Mr Smyth be detained in the Central Mental Hospital and put in the matter for February 15.

Finally, the judge said that at the commencement of the case she asked for cooperation of everyone, which she said she received at all times.

"There are two families involved and I can only extend my sympathy and those of the registrar to Mairead Moran's family. It has also been a difficult trial for members of the Smyth family and I thank that family for having behaved as to how I asked them to in court," she said.
Canada is the worlds fifth largest oil and gas producer and its energy export revenues are a significant part of the economy. In 2014, energy contributed 10% to Canadas GDP, 28% of its export revenues were from energy products, and 97% of those energy exports were destined for US markets:

Contribution to 2014 Nominal GDP



Sources and Destination of Export Revenues



(Source: Natural Resources Canada)

In early July 2014, the North American benchmark for oil, West Texas Intermediate Crude (WTI), traded at $106 a barrel. Once the US dollar index (DXY) started its big run above 80, the price of oil began to drop and by the beginning of Q4 2014, a worldwide bear market was in full force.

At that juncture, WTI was still around trading at $90 a barrel. However, it has continued to spiral downward with few respites over the past 19 months:

Given Canadas reliance on energy exports, it is not surprising there has been a strong positive correlation between the price of West Texas Intermediate Crude and the value of the Canadian dollar since oil began to fall. Here is the correlation chart from July 1 to September 30, 2014:

Once the bear market for oil hit hard in Q4 2014, this correlation became even stronger. This is the chart for October 1, 2014 to April 30, 2015:

Moreover, as the price of North American oil has continued to decline, the loonie has marched even more in lockstep. Here is the correlation chart from May 1, 2015 to February 4, 2016:

The increasingly positive correlation of crude and the Canuck currency likely reflects the decline in oils contribution to Canadian GDP and export revenues for 2015.

This relationship between crude oil and the Canadian dollar reminds us of the strong dependence of that countrys economic health on natural resources extraction and in particular, its petroleum production.

Simply put: As goes oil, so goes the loonie, and so goes the Canadian economy. Until the worldwide glut of crude oil is remedied, its fiat currency will undoubtedly remain weak.

And while thats bad for most Canadians, it is good for Americans who like to go shopping on Robson Street.

Ciao for now,

Mickey Fulp

MercenaryGeologist.com

Contact@MercenaryGeologist.com
SHARE Bremerton firefighters work Sunday morning at the front door of a house fire on Hewitt Avenue in Bremerton. LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN

By Kitsap Sun Staff

BREMERTON  A house fire Sunday morning displaced four Hewitt Avenue residents.

At around 10:30 a.m., firefighters were sent to a home in the 100 block, across a one-way street from the Naval Base Kitsap fence. They arrived to find smoke coming from many places.

Tom Serl, who has lived in the home since 1993, said he was upstairs sleeping when he was awakened to shouts that the house was on fire. He, a woman and two other men escaped. The Red Cross was called to help them.

Serl worried about his belongings.

"Hopefully, something's OK, but we're all OK. The dog's OK. We haven't seen the cat," he said.

Bremerton, Navy and Central Kitsap fire departments responded to the scene.

Information about damages and the cause of the fire weren't available.
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By Chris Henry

PORT ORCHARD  The Port Orchard Pavilion will close March 15 after lease negotiations with landlord Mansour Samadpour failed to yield a viable deal, owner Delilah Rene Luke said Thursday.

Luke, who hosts the popular "Delilah" radio show, has subsidized the Pavilion since she opened it more than six years ago. She and her staff spent the first year getting the building, once a roller rink, habitable and renovated as an event center.

"That was all out of my pocket," Luke said.

Over the years, the bright yellow building has hosted weddings, quinceaneras, funerals and prayer groups, giving discounts to nonprofits, civic organizations and military groups.

"It was very active. We used to call it the heart of Port Orchard," Luke said.

But it wasn't a moneymaker, and Luke routinely shored up operating costs. Now, although her show remains on the air, changes in the broadcast industry plus financial troubles of the program's parent company mean Luke can't keep the Pavilion afloat.

"I no longer have the luxury of losing $30,000 a year," she said.

Samadpour owns virtually all of the 700 block of Bay Street where the Pavilion is located and manages it through his company Abadan Holdings. Abadan lowered the rent once in the past to $3,000 but later raised it to $4,000, according Pavilion manager Joni Sonneman.

Abadan now wants $6,000 a month for the 14,850-square-foot, two-story building, which is beyond the Pavilion's mean, Sonneman said.

The Pavilion has been negotiating with Abadan since October, searching for an arrangement that would work for both parties. Reid Property Management was hired to strike a deal on Abadan's behalf.

"We tried every which way to negotiate, and there's no negotiating," Luke said. "It's very sad. There's been lots of tears."

Luke has owned other businesses in downtown Port Orchard, including a cafe and clothing store. She said her goal with the Pavilion and other ventures was to infuse some life into the town.

"A whole lot of us love Port Orchard  love, love, love it  and we tried really very hard to create a space filled with that loving energy, and we're sad," she said. "But when God closes one door, he opens another. So I'm excited to see what his plans for the future are."

Mary Ogborn, corporate counsel for Abadan, did not confirm the $6,000 per month asking price for 701 Bay.

"We'll be negotiating that directly with the tenant," said Ogborn, who had no further comment on the property.

Anyone interested in leasing 701 Bay St. should contact Matt Berg at Reid Property Management at 360-698-4026.
It was Thomas Edison who brought us electricity, not the Sierra Club. It was the Wright brothers who got us off the ground, not the Federal Aviation Administration. It was Henry Ford who ended the isolation of millions of Americans by making the automobile affordable, not Ralph Nader. Those who have helped the poor the most have not been those who have gone around loudly expressing compassion for the poor, but those who found ways to make industry more productive and distribution more efficient, so that the poor of today can afford things that the affluent of yesterday could only dream about.

 Thomas Sowell
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The rival intensively violated the ceasefire regime in the line of contact of the Karabakh-Azerbaijani opposing armies on the weekend firing from different caliber weapons. As the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of the Ministry of Defense of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic informed Armenpress, the Azerbaijani army fired more than 1500 shots towards the Armenian frontier troops.

The front line units of the Defense Army are in control of the situation and continue confidently carrying out the assigned combat task.
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You longtime readers may recall that I trip to slip at least one Sevier County restaurant into my winter rotation, primarily to take advantage of the off-season lull in a typically tourist-heavy area. This year, The Grub Spouse and I kept up that tradition with a visit to Harpoon Harry's Crab House in Pigeon Forge, located in a former Asian-buffet eatery near the intersection of Parkway and Wears Valley Road.

I have to admit, the turnout was lower than even I expected for a Monday night in February. I spotted only a few other parties in the multiple dining rooms and bars in the multistory space, which, I hear tell, really packs them in once peak season starts to build. Overall, the atmosphere is one of a coastal crab house, notable for its abundance of rustic wood surfaces from floor to ceiling.

Our server handed us multiple menus to slog through, including the regular dinner menu, a specials menu and a sushi menu. For the record, there are also lunch, late-night and kids' menus for those who so need.

The dinner menu doesn't intimidate with an excessive number of choices, starting with appetizers that range from a smoked trout spread with crispy pita chips to baked Clams Casino. We started with conch fritters ($8.95), prepared Key West-style and served with Cajun mayo. The six deep-fried fritters were substantial in size, and each was like a seafood-tasting hush puppy. The Cajun mayo added a pretty spicy after-kick.

We forged past the soup and salad selections to consider the lineup of pasta, seafood, steak, pork and sandwich items. Their specialty is multiple varieties of crab (king, snow, Dungeness, Jonah) served by the bucket. As much as I love crab, I passed, primarily because I simply wasn't interested that evening in the tedious handwork involved in extracting crabmeat. We also skipped the sushi selections altogether, because I prefer to save that for establishments where Asian cuisine is the focus.

The Spouse and I both ordered from the seafood section, however, which features fish and chips, pan-seared scallops and shrimp potpie. I got the Portuguese Shrimp ($16.95), featuring smoked Linguica sausage, shrimp, onions, peppers and fire-roasted tomatoes served over wild rice. The Spouse got the rainbow trout with pecans ($17.95)  a North Carolina filet topped with sweet pecans and served with wild rice and the chef's choice of vegetable, which was green beans that night.

I have to admit that I have historically been underwhelmed by the quality of food at some of the more high-profile Sevier County dining destinations, but Harpoon Harry's did not disappoint when it came to our selections. The very generous serving of Portuguese Shrimp was outstanding, from the mildly smoked sausage to the plump, tender shrimp. The Spouse's trout delivered classic fresh-water flavor, and the sweet pecan enhancement was a unique twist. Well done on all accounts.

We packed up multiple boxes of leftovers, managing to save just enough belly space to split a slice of house-made Key lime pie. The pie was spot-on with its sweet-tart lime filling and authentically creamy topping. In retrospect, I wish we had ordered two different desserts just so I could have experienced another sweet creation from the kitchen.

So next time you're in the Smokies with a dinner decision to make, consider trying Harpoon Harry's. The food was quality, and depending on when you visit, you can also enjoy live bands and other nightlife components. Also, our server kicked booty. Granted, she only had a few tables to juggle, but she still struck me as being a real pro.

On the down side, the prices are as inflated as they are everywhere else in town, but Harry's balances that equation with quality and value. In my opinion, I'd pick this place over Paula Deen's or Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville any day of the week. Especially if it's a typical week of gridlocked summertime traffic in Pigeon Forge ...

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Harpoon Harry's Crab House

Food: 4 stars (out of five)

Service: 4

Atmosphere: 3.5

Overall: 4

Address: 112 Community Center Drive, Pigeon Forge

Phone: 865-428-2006

Hours: 12 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 12 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; late-night menu served until midnight

Kids' menu

Dept. of Health score: 100

Full bar service

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Bottom Line: This Pigeon Forge seafood house delivers authentically delish salt- and fresh-water dishes and also has ways to relax and cut loose after dark.
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By Sheila Burke

After Tennessee's brand new online school assessment test, known as TNReady, crashed on Monday because of computer-networking glitches, the Department of Education has decided to administer the test moving forward with paper and pencil.

"Despite the many improvements the department has helped to make to the system in recent months and based on the events of this morning, we are not confident in the system's ability to perform consistently," said Education Commissioner Candice McQueen in an email to directors late Monday afternoon.

"In the best interest of our students and to protect instructional time, we cannot continue with Measurement Incoporated's online testing platform in its current state. Moving forward, during the 2015-16 school year TNReady will be administered via paper and pencil (for both parts)."

McQueen noted issues have continued to arise with the online platform and Monday's technical issues  on the first day of its rollout  highlighted the uncertainty around the stability of the testing platform.

As a result of the statewide shift, the state will delay and extend the Part 1 testing window.

"Measurement Incorporated is currently scheduling the printing and shipping of the paper tests and the department will share the revised testing window with districts by Thursday of this week," McQueen said in the email.

"Regardless of the medium of assessment, this new and improved test will provide schools, teachers and parents with valuable information about our students college and career readiness."

Earlier in the day, McQueen advised schools that were experiencing problems to discontinue testing. It was unclear how many schools were affected.

A Knox County Schools spokeswoman on Monday afternoon said the school system was going to allow students who were successfully able to access the assessment in the morning to finish, but were not going to start any new tests in the afternoon.

Melissa Tindell said administration officials had heard from about half of the schools that were scheduled to test Monday  and the results were mixed.

"Some were able to start the testing, some were able to finish testing, and others could not complete the testing session for today," she said. "We are continuing to gather information from schools who were scheduled to test (Monday)."

Tindell said the school system officials are optimistic they will be able to resolve any issues before Tuesday's testing.

Tindell said schools that were unable to complete the test will be able to reschedule during the test's four week window. She added the school system is also keeping its eye on the weather and will make adjustments as necessary.

Measurement Inc. is the North Carolina-based company that developed TNReady. No one responded to a telephone message left with the company.

This is the first year that students are taking an assessment test online.

TNReady assesses math and English skills for grades 3-11. It replaces the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, known as TCAP tests. Supporters say it does a better job of assessing critical-thinking skills than the previous test.

Not every school district across the state was scheduled to take the test Monday. Schools had a window through March 4 to complete the first phase of the test.

Students in the Rutherford County Schools system were forced to halt testing due to the glitches. Schools officials sent out an email to parents assuring them that the network failure had nothing to do with Rutherford County schools or its equipment.

"Our network and new computers worked as they were intended," the email to parents said.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Days of Armenia are held in Royal Armoury, the oldest museum in the Royal Palace in Stockholm, which was organized by the efforts of the museum and Armenian embassy in Sweden, The Information, Press and Public Relations Department of the Armenian MFA informed Armenpress.

A lecture entitled Armenian-Swedish historical relations was held in the Royal Palace of Stockholm on February 4 which was attended by members of the Swedish Royal Court, members of parliament, ambassadors accredited in Stockholm, heads of cultural institutions, intellectuals, media representatives and members of the Armenian community.

Artsvi Bakhchinyan, senior researcher from the Institute of History of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, who has authored monographs and articles on the Armenian-Swedish relations, introduced the historical connections, economic and cultural ties between the Armenian and Swedish peoples since Middle Ages until the beginning of 20th century, reflected on the role of nobles, diplomats and royal courtiers of Armenian descent in the social and political life of Sweden. Following the lecture Artsvi Bakhchinyan also answered numerous questions raised by attendees.

The central event organized at the museum is the exhibition "Tracing the Raw Silk Trade: Armenian merchants at the Court of Karl XI". It is dedicated to the history of first silk import to Sweden, which was carried out in 1687 by Armenian merchants of New Julfa accompanied by the special envoy of the Swedish monarch, Ludwig Fabritius. They visited Stockholm to negotiate the northern direction of the Silk Road," which led to the signing of a trade agreement with Karl XI. The Armenian merchants were given privileged right of import for their goods via Russia to Sweden and then to other European countries.

The exhibition showcases the original text of the agreement, one of the seven gold-plated sabers presented by merchants to the King, the ceremonial mace of merchants and other unique artifacts. The exhibition will be presented throughout 2016.

The Days of Armenia were launched on 28 January by the presentation of the Swedish edition of the book of famous writer, publicist Zori Balayan "No Right to Die".

Within the framework of the cultural activities the Royal Armoury is also hosting Armenian storytelling events. The members of Stockholm Association of Storytellers (Berattarnatet Ost) through their unique presentation and various scenic performances are telling the children and teens famous Armenian fairy tales in Swedish and English.
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Angela Niazmand, a scholar from Afghanistan, is visiting Pellissippi State Community College this week.

Niazmand is a Humphrey Fellows scholar who is visiting the U.S. to study the American higher education system. She will spend her week in Knoxville shadowing Pellissippi administrators, learning about the community college model and learning how Pellissippi interacts with the community.

At 1 p.m. Thursday she will speak about the ways education empowers students in the Goins Building Cafeteria Annex, 10915 Hardin Valley Road. The event is free and open to the public.

"I believe education is the only way out of darkness," Niazmand said in a news release.

Humphrey fellows are mid-career professionals from 24 countries around the world who travel to the U.S. to spend an academic year at a university or other higher education institution. Niazmand is based at Penn State University.

The fellowship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and was created in 1978.

"Afghan women are capable of the same as other women in the world. They are enhancing their capacity and building their nation. I believe we should be strong and stay firm with our goals and not let life challenges stop us from moving forward. Try to challenge life difficulties; do not let life difficulties challenge you," Niazmand said in the release.

She said her goal is to earn master's and doctorate degrees outside Afghanistan and then return to her country to help its higher education system.

To request accommodations for a disability during the presentation, call Pellissippi human resources at 865-694-6607 or email humanresources@pstcc.edu.
About 100 people turned out Feb. 1 in Oak Ridge to provide their comments and suggestions for the newly created Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Their comments will be used by the National Park Service in developing plans for the park over the next three to five years. The Manhattan Project National Historical Park was officially created on Nov. 10. (FRANK MUNGER/NEWS SENTINEL)

SHARE Jane Shelton, a member of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Associated, fills out her comment card at a Feb. 1 public meeting in Oak Ridge to provide input on the newly created Manhattan Project National Historical Park. (FRANK MUNGER/NEWS SENTINEL) Tracy Atkins Lloyd Stokes

By Frank Munger of the Knoxville News Sentinel

OAK RIDGE  The Manhattan Project National Historical Park was officially created on Nov. 10, when Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewel put their signatures on the memorandum of agreement.

The three-site park, however, is a long way from being finished. In fact, the process is just getting started.

"It'll take three to five years, maybe a little longer," said Tracy Atkins, the park's interim superintendent, who visited Oak Ridge last week to look at some of the Manhattan Project sites and to gather public input on what should be included in the park and how the atomic bomb work should be presented to visitors.

One big hurdle will be getting access to some of the historic sites that are currently housed inside Department of Energy installations, including the high-security Y-12 nuclear weapons plant. Y-12 produced the enriched uranium used in the "Little Boy" bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, near the end of World War II. Some Y-12 facilities are integral to the Oak Ridge story.

"We have all those DOE security issues to deal with, but we have a great opportunity to be really thoughtful about how we plan the experiences that we want to share with the public," Atkins said. "It's going to take a little while to make that happen."

Atkins and other members of the National Park Service team encouraged community leaders and local residents to list their priorities and submit their comments. Those comments will help park planners as they put together a "foundation document," a sort of precursor to a master plan for the newly created national park.

"What are the important stories from Oak Ridge that will feed into our interpretive theme?" Atkins asked a crowd that gathered Feb. 1 in Oak Ridge High School's food court. "What are those things that are important to protect? And then what experiences would people like to have in the park long-term?"

The comments varied.

Asked what he thought was important, Lloyd Stokes of the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association said, "The people stories."

Stokes said the park venues in Oak Ridge should tell visitors about the impacts on those people who were evicted from their East Tennessee homes to make way for the super-secret government project, as well as those people who came to Oak Ridge or returned to it to work on the atomic bombs.

"Those stories are equally fascinating," Stokes said.

Dan Robbins, chairman of Greenways Oak Ridge, offered another take.

"There are over 50 miles of greenways and biking trails in Oak Ridge," Robbins said. "My suggestion was to incorporate as many of those as possible into the park."

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said it's going to take a while for some plans to come to fruition, but he said Oak Ridge is a town that "likes to see progress" and he urged that near-term projects get some priority.

One possibility would be to accelerate completion of the museum portion of the preservation plans at the former K-25 uranium-enrichment site.

"I think if there's any way we can do that we should," Watson said. "You've got support from the powers-that-be in Washington."

The DOE's Office of Environmental Management is responsible for some of those activities as part of the deal that was reached between the government's cleanup program and preservation groups that wanted to keep as much of WWII Oak Ridge alive as possible at K-25.

Mike Koentop, executive officer of the environmental program, said he didn't think the History Center was scheduled for completion in 2016, but he said the DOE has about $6 million in funds available this year for preservation and commemoration activities in Oak Ridge. That includes money that's being spent on design for the museum, he said.

The DOE has already put online a virtual museum for K-25.

Ralph Hutchison, coordinator of the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, said he hopes the National Park Service will make an effort to tell all sides of the Manhattan Project story, including workers who were unwittingly exposed to hazardous materials in the workplace and those who died from the devastating atomic bombs.

"The Manhattan Project changed the world," Hutchison said, noting creation of the world's first atomic weapon was used "to create incomprehensible human suffering" and led to an arms race that has cost trillions of dollars.

Bobbie Henry, a lifelong Oak Ridger and a board member at the Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association, said she wants to make sure the park devotes some attention to the Special Engineer Attachment  the Army group that provided technical assistance during the war project.

Martin, whose family moved to Oak Ridge in 1943 after earlier moving from Cookeville, Tenn., to Detroit to find work, said she is guarded in her comments about the park.

"I feel like it's a very good thing for us," she said, "but I hate that it's come along so late. Many of those who lived it are now gone. Few of them are still here who can tell the whole story."

Federal funding for the park will be limited during the planning stages.

The park service has $340,000 to get things started in 2016. That doesn't sound like a lot of money by government standards, but Atkins said it's more than usual for a new park.

"Usually, new parks get only $180,000 the first year," she said. "So I think because we have three sites and lots of lobbying from local folks, we were able to get a little more. So we'll put it to good use."

The DOE did not receive any money targeted for the park in the agency's fiscal year 2016 budget, but the money allotted as part of the cleanup budget will help with the park's development.

Atkins said the Manhattan Project National Historical Park will probably receive dual funding from the NPS and the DOE in the future, with the DOE likely to shoulder the greater funding burden.

"Because DOE will continue to own the properties and be responsible for maintenance on them, and security and access and historic preservation," she said. "So DOE will always have a responsibility for those buildings. Our responsibility is to interpret them."

The DOE and the NPS will work together on how to interpret the World War II Manhattan Project facilities and artifacts.

Atkins said she couldn't predict what annual costs will be needed to support the three-site park in the future.

"I couldn't tell you right now. It's too far down the road, and it's hard for me to differentiate what the Park Service and DOE will do," she said.
Didn't take long! Knoxville's soccer team is goes pro after one season

If on-field performance determines a team's status, it should come as no surprise that Knoxville's soccer team is going pro.
SHARE Lamar Alexander. U.S. Sen. Bob Corker Phil Roe, U.S. House 1st District representative and a 2012 candidate for re-election. Chuck Fleischmann, U.S. third congressional district representative from Ooltewah.

By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel

WASHINGTON  A union representing TVA employees is calling for congressional hearings on proposed changes to the employee pension plan and is asking lawmakers to hold the utility accountable for its pension obligations.

But members of Tennessee's congressional delegation don't seem eager to take sides in the fight.

"We are well aware that TVA's pension system is significantly underfunded and reforms are necessary," a spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Chattanooga, said last week. "While we do not inject ourselves in the decision-making of the board, we do understand that we will be hearing from those affected by these proposals and look forward to those conversations."

Other lawmakers and their aides issued similar, noncommittal statements after union representatives made the rounds on Capitol Hill recently to lobby Congress to block the proposal.

"As the Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors works to correct shortfalls in their pension plan, I have asked that they continue to strive to balance their concerns of rising costs for ratepayers with the promises they made to their retirees, employees and families concerning their benefits and future retirement," said U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis.

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Ooltewah, said he's aware of concerns about the pension fund's long-term health and stressed "it is important that TVA ultimately gets this fixed." But he gave no indication he would get involved.

U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-South Pittsburg, said he has faith that Bill Johnson, TVA's president and CEO, has been working "diligently" on the pension issue "with an eye toward balancing the needs of workers, ratepayers and retirees."

Union members don't see it that way.

"This is a federal government corporation, but those who work in the executive suite are lining their pockets like TVA is their personal business while forcing 'austerity' on frontline employees," said Gay Henson, president of the Engineering Association IFTPE Local 1937. "It's wrong. It's shortsighted. It may be illegal  and if it's not, it should be."

The union, which represents more than 2,600 TVA employees, is objecting to a proposal TVA management says would bring the underfunded pension fund up to proper levels over the next 20 years.

The proposal includes freezing benefits for employees hired since 1996 and moving them into a 401(k) plan, as well as reducing cost-of-living adjustments for retirees who have been part of the plan since 1968. The changes would affect some 11,000 current employees and 24,000 retirees.

In an interview, Johnson called the proposal "a fair solution that can help us get to a better-funded status and bring long-term financial health to TVA and the pension system."

Right now, the pension fund has about $6.8 billion, roughly half of what actuaries estimate is needed. TVA is proposing to commit at least $275 million a year, or $5.5 billion over the next two decades, to help close the shortfall.

But union officials argue the proposal would cut employee benefits while preserving lavish pensions and perks for TVA's top executives  an accusation Johnson says isn't true.

"All of the executives here are in one of the three pension plans that everybody else is in," he said. "Changes in those plans will affect everybody, including the executives."

Union officials also complain the proposal was put together in secret without any input from those who will be impacted.

"I'm interested in working with TVA and coming up with solutions," Gay said. But, "It's difficult to know what's going on. We really need some transparency there."

Gay and other union officials had hoped their recent meetings with congressional staffers would lead to oversight hearings at the least and maybe slow down the proposal until its impact on employees and retirees can be determined.

That seems unlikely given the reaction of Tennessee's Congress members.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Maryville; U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-Johnson City; and U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, are all aware of the workers' concerns, their offices said. But they took no position on the proposed changes.

Alexander "believes it is important that TVA's board continues to address this issue so TVA employees and retirees can continue to count on the health and stability of the pension fund," said his spokesman, Jim Jeffries.

Roe recognizes the funding challenges TVA's pension system faces are "significant" and hopes "a path forward can be found," said his spokeswoman, Tiffany Haverly.

The board that oversees the TVA retirement system is expected to act on the proposal or a similar one by the end of February.

Michael Collins is the News Sentinel's Washington correspondent. His weekly Tennessee in D.C. column highlights Volunteer State lawmakers, causes and connections. Contact him at 202-408-2711 or michael.collins@jmg.com.
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When Knox County Republican primary voters go to the polls beginning Wednesday, they will determine who will be the law director and the property assessor for the next four years. No Democrat qualified to run for either office this year.

Longtime government law attorney Nathan Rowell is challenging incumbent Richard "Bud" Armstrong in the law director's race, while the property assessor's contest is a three-way battle among Realtor Andrew Graybeal, former assessor John Whitehead and Jim Weaver, who currently is the deputy assessor.

Four years ago we had misgivings about Armstrong's legal experience  he had practiced law only three years at the time of his election. After his first term, he has gained experience but the misgivings persist.

Rowell, who has practiced government law in East Tennessee for nearly two decades, would be an excellent replacement. We endorse his candidacy.

Rowell received his law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1995 and is a partner in the firm of Watson, Roach, Batson, Rowell and Lauderback. The firm has a long history in municipal law, and Rowell has represented cities and counties throughout East Tennessee. He was outside counsel for Knox County Schools during its litigation with Knox County establishing the school board's independence.

Knox is the only county in Tennessee to elect its law director, making the position particularly vulnerable to political influence. Rowell asserts that Armstrong, a former county commissioner, allowed political considerations to interfere with his legal judgment in his advice to the Board of Education on Superintendent Jim McIntyre's contract renewal and the memorandum of understanding that included, among other things, the decision to build a new middle school in Gibbs.

Rowell, who has never run for office before, has pledged to give advice to officials that is legally sound, not politically expedient. His experience in government law as a private-sector attorney indicates he knows just how to do that.

Experience also is playing a major role in the contest to replace Property Assessor Phil Ballard, who is term-limited. The winner will have to value properties in an up-to-date and equitable manner for the next reassessment in 2017.

Weaver and Whitehead both have experience, but Weaver gets our endorsement. He retired after 37 years in the state Comptroller's Office, where he assisted counties east of Cookeville with their reassessments. He has been Ballard's chief deputy, in charge of day-to-day operations, since 2009. Weaver has been instrumental in the office's commitment to staff training and the increased use of technology, and plans to expand online services if elected.

Whitehead worked in the office for 36 years, the last eight as the assessor. He was term-limited in 2008. He and Graybeal, who unsuccessfully ran for the office as a Democrat in 2008, allege the assessments in recent years have been riddled with errors. Weaver has countered that the state Comptroller's Office recently found the office is valuing properties at about 96 percent of their market value.

Graybeal is short on experience compared to his opponents. While Whitehead has been property assessor in the past, Weaver is our choice to be the property assessor of the future.
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At a recent committee meeting in the Tennessee General Assembly, a Nashville parent used the analogy of underfunded public schools as a sinking ship and private school vouchers as one tiny lifeboat sent to try to rescue just a small fraction of the passengers.

The Tennessee Constitution requires the Legislature to "provide for the maintenance, support and eligibility standards of a system of free public schools," yet many legislators seem to care more about the maintenance and support of private enterprise. Tennessee ranks 46th in the nation for government funding per student. Instead of giving money to vouchers and other privatization schemes, why not provide adequate funding for our public schools as required in our state constitution?

The proposed private school voucher bill will put all of Knox County at risk if just one school is in the state's bottom 5 percent. This means any low-income student  regardless of whether he or she is zoned for the highest-performing school or the lowest-performing school  could take public tax dollars away from our public schools and use them to attend a private school.

Vouchers have been defeated three years in a row now in the Legislature. To me, this shows that vouchers are unwanted and unneeded. Knox County's own educators strongly oppose the bill, and the school board voted 8-1 in opposition to vouchers.

No credible research has ever proven the effectiveness of school vouchers or demonstrated any sustained improvement in student achievement over public schools. In the 50-plus years since vouchers were first proposed, the concept remains controversial, unproven and unpopular.

Tennessee students cannot afford to be guinea pigs for yet another unproven, ineffective "reform" scheme. Tennessee needs to keep its tax dollars where they belong  in our public schools.

Tennessee's children deserve great public schools. Private school vouchers are not the answer.

Barbara Gray, president, Tennessee Education Association, Nashville
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. 5788 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables were exported from Armenia by February 8 against the 3440 tons of the previous year.

Armenpress was informed about this from the press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Armenia.
South Korean ambassador to China Kim Jang-soo / Yonhap



China summoned South Korean Ambassador Kim Jang-soo to protest against Seoul and Washington's agreement to begin talks on deploying a U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea..

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin called in the ambassador Sunday to protest.

It is the first time the Chinese government has called in Kim, a former defense minister, who assumed the post last March.

Earlier, the Chinese foreign ministry had expressed "deep concern," about the THAAD discussions.

Hours after the North Korean rocket launch Sunday, South Korea and the U.S. said they would begin talks on deploying the THAAD battery. The launch is widely viewed as a covert ballistic missile test to develop delivery vehicles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.












South Korea said Monday that gaining the public's support is a prerequisite for Seoul to review whether to seek a pact on sharing military intelligence with Japan.

Japan's Kyodo News reported Sunday that South Korea and Japan seem to hold the view that conditions are ripe for deepening military cooperation, saying that Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Seoul is mulling reviewing whether to clinch a Seoul-Tokyo pact on sharing military intelligence.

In 2012, the two nations initialed such a pact to spur the exchange of information on North Korea. But Seoul suspended its signing due to strong opposition from civic groups, which claimed the deal was inked hastily and behind the scenes.

Seoul's defense ministry dismissed the report, adding that Han's remarks meant that various factors should be first taken into consideration.

"Support from the National Assembly and the general public should be prerequisites for the accord to be clinched," the Defense Ministry said.

On Sunday, North Korea launched a long-range rocket carrying what it called a satellite, drawing international condemnation. Seoul and Washington view the launch as a disguised test of intercontinental ballistic missile technology.

In December 2014, South Korea, the United States and Japan signed a preliminary deal that calls for voluntary sharing of military secrets on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs among the three countries.

The deal paved the way for Seoul and Tokyo to share such intelligence via the U.S. after they failed to strike the accord on sharing military intelligence in 2012. (Yonhap)
Rookie K-pop boy band JJCC are getting a lot of love from Australia.

JJCC were featured in multiple print and online media outlets this past week ahead of the group's concerts in Sydney last Friday and Saturday. The seven member act debuted in 2014 under a company formed by international martial arts film star Jackie Chan and they garnered a lot of attention.

Many of the outlets have covered K-pop in the past, but JJCC's Australian members have drawn the group a lot of attention down under.

In recent interviews to Australian media, JJCC (mostly member Prince Mak) discussed the hardships and high points of being a K-pop star and a member of an idol group.

In the interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, which reads as a follow-up to a previous interview Prince Mak gave the Guardian way back in 2014, Mak discussed the hardships of being a star in Korea.

"No one really looked after me [before]," Mak told the Sydney Morning Herald. "Now everywhere I go, someone has to follow me. I pretty much can't go anywhere by myself. Go to work, go to hospital, someone has to follow me. I've pretty much got used to it by now. It was kind of weird at first, but also kind of cool."

He also described how hard it was to learn Korean, and how even things like going to practice a dance routine is different now that JJCC is on people's radar.

"Even when we have to go to practice we can't wear just practice clothes, you can't be in track pants and a T-shirt. It has to be something that looks nicer. And you have to shave."

According to Mak, JJCC's members are tougher everyday, so when they have time off they go to be with families or friends.

"My friends are all idols in the same industry. I don't have any ordinary friends. I have one or two that I know from Australia, and that's it."

The Sydney Morning Herald also recounted that Prince Mak is known amongst fans for his love of Sydney.

"I got offended once when someone [in Seoul] said they couldn't tell my accent was Australian," Mak recounted.

He also told Mashable Australia that this was his first time back to Australia since debuting with the group in 2014.

Prince Mak and Eddy (Edward Yong Oh), a Korean-American member of JJCC, told Mashable what the day of an idol was like.

"Wake up in the morning, go for a run, go to dance practice, have lunch, go home, have vocal classes, and then dance again," Prince Mak said.

"We eat once a day, we run three hours a day, we dance for ... hours a day," Eddy added. "We're very hard workers."

Following their interviews, JJCC performed with Boyfriend at two shows at Carriageworks on Feb. 5 and Feb. 6.

---
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenia which has become in the last year a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia), will join the agreement on the exchange of information, including confidential information in order to create conditions for the free movement of capital in the financial market, Armenpress reports citing TASS.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instructed the First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov to sign on behalf of the Government of Russian Federation the protocol of Armenias accession to the agreement.

Relevant government order is published on the official website of the legal information. Other participants of the Eurasian Economic Union signed this agreement on December 23, 2014.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Seta Ayda Demirci and Hagop Yakup Demirci were attacked on February 6 in their house. Seta Ayda Demirci was injured and recently discharged from the hospital, but Hagop Yakup Demirci's brutal murder suggests that this might be a hate crime, Armenpress reports Agos newspaper.

Seta Ayda Demirci and Hagop Yakup Demirci were attacked on February 6 in their house on Cumhuriye Street in Sisli. Given the fact that the valuables in the house were stolen, it was thought that this is a robbery. However, Seta Ayda Demirci and Hagop Yakup Demirci were tied with hogtie and this fact suggests that this might be a hate crime. Attacked by 3 people, Hagop Yakup Demirci was suffocated.

According to the initial investigation, the entrance door of the building was locked. Police investigators started to examine the footages recorded by the security cameras in the neighborhood.

Seta Ayda Demirci was slightly injured in the attack and discharged from the hospital last night.

Perpetrators aren't found yet and it is not clear whether this is a hate crime or not.


Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, Mr. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera has re-iterated Sri Lanka's commitment to protect endangered wildlife species. He said consistent with this policy, the Government had decided to destroy a confiscated blood ivory shipment on 26th January 2016 at the Galle Face Green in Colombo. The consignment consists of 359 pieces of blood ivory, equalling 1.5 tonnes.



The Minister made these remarks during his meeting with the Secretary  General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Mr. John E. Scanlon, on the side-lines of the 66th Standing Committee meeting of CITES held in Geneva last week. Since ratification of the CITES Convention in 1979, this is the first time Sri Lanka has been represented at a Ministerial level at any meeting of this important global convention. Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Second Secretary of the Permanent Mission in Geneva Mrs. M.L.F. Mafusa, and Advisor to Minister Mr. Daniel Fernando were associated with the Minister.



In 2012, Sri Lanka Customs forfeited a blood ivory shipment, with a total of 359 pieces of ivory. Addressing Member States and civil society representatives, Minister Jayawickrama Perera said that this event will highlight to the world, and to everybody within our country, that we will not tolerate any illegal trade of ivory. The ivory stock will be publicly destroyed, with religious offerings to mark the unnecessary sacrifice of those elephants. Secretary  General Scanlon agreed to participate in this event and will call on the President, Prime Minister, and meet other key officials to discuss further cooperation under the Convention.



During the 66th Standing Committee meeting, Sri Lanka also announced its proposal for listing of three thresher shark species (Kassa Mora) under CITES Appendix II, which will be considered at the CoP17 meeting in September 2016 to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa.







Sri Lanka also co-hosted a sideevent on the 14th January 2016 alongside the Maldives, who have also submitted a proposal to list silky sharks under the same convention, to highlight the importance of listing both these shark species. The Secretary-General of CITES, inaugurating the event, highlighted the successes of the previous shark listings at CoP16.



Addressing the event, Minister Jayawickrama Perera said With 100 million sharks killed each year, strong action is clearly needed to protect them wherever they are found, and the Government of Sri Lanka is joining the global battle to save sharks and rays found at home in the Indian Ocean, and all around the world. He urged other countries to work together with Sri Lanka on the proposal submitted and encourage sustainable trade for these species. Delegates from member states and civil society representatives who attended the side-event expressed notable interest in supporting the proposal. Minister Jayawickrama Perera also held bilateral consultations with a number of countries to seek their support for Sri Lankas proposal on listing these shark species, as well as to explore other avenues of future bilateral cooperation in the conservation of wildlife species in Sri Lanka.





News article published on news.nationalgeographic.com: One Country Will Destroy Its Ivoryand Pray for Elephants





Press Release





Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka

Geneva

22 January 2016
The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary

Read more
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Accompanied by the Vice President of the Armenian National Assembly (NA) Eduard Sharmazanov, the delegation headed by Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Maja Gojkovic , which is in Armenia on an official visit, visited Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex on February 8, Armenpress was informed from the Armenian NA Public Relations and Information Department.

The members of the Delegation laid a wreath at the 1915 Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex, put flowers at the fire eternalizing the memory of the innocent victims and paid tribute in silence to the memory of the holy martyrs.

Serbian MPs also attended the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, got acquainted with the materials and photos telling about the Genocide. The Speaker of the Serbian National Assembly Maja Gojkovic left a note in the Memory Book.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The army restored security and stability to many areas, the last of which is Kefeen village in northern Aleppo, and it continued its operations in other areas across the country, leaving many terrorist organizations members killed and their vehicles and weapons destroyed, Armenpress reports, citing SANA.

An army unit killed ,in a special operation, 20 terrorists and destroyed 7 vehicles for terrorist organizations in Daraa al-Balad neighborhood in Daraa city, military source told SANA on Monday.

Units of the army and the armed forces, in cooperation with the backup forces, continued to advance in the northern countryside of Aleppo province, restoring security and stability to Kafeen village after eliminating the last terrorist positions in it.

SANA reporter in Aleppo said that a unit of the army, in cooperation with the backup forces, carried out a military operation over the past hours against the last positions of Jabhat al-Nusra and other Takfiri organizations in Kafeen village in the northern countryside of the province.

The reporter added that the operation resulted in restoring stability and security to Kafeen village, 23 km from the Turkish borders, indicating that units of the army dismantled the landmines and explosive devices planted by terrorist organizations before most of their members were killed while others fled leaving their arms and ammunition.

Meanwhile, the military source told SANA that units of the army bombarded positions and vehicles belonging to the ISIS terrorists in the villages of Talet al-Shwayia, Rasm al-Alam, al-Tayba and Sarjet al-Kabira in the northeastern countryside of the province.

In Aleppo City, gatherings and military equipment belonging to terrorist organizations were destroyed in operations carried out by the army in the neighborhoods of al-Rashidin 4, al-Lyaramoun and Bani Zaid.

Earlier on Saturday, The army restored security and stability to Retyan and Mayer towns in the northern countryside of the province, while on Sunday army units established control over the strategic hill of Barlahin in the eastern countryside of Aleppo after eliminating the remaining ISIS gatherings there.

A number of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists were killed by the army and the armed forces in the surroundings of al-Mukharram town, 43 km to the east of Homs City.

A field source confirmed to SANA that a unit of the army, in cooperation with the popular defense groups, ambushed a terrorist group that infiltrated from Ezz Eddin village into Talomari village, killing most of its members and injuring others.

The source added that arms and varied ammunition belonging to the terrorist group were seized and a number of its vehicles were destroyed.
PRESS RELEASE

Kerry Blames Opposition for Collapse of Geneva Talks

Feb. 7, 2016 (EIRNS)According to a report in Middle East Eye (MEE) that was posted yesterday, when cornered in private, Secretary of State John Kerry placed full blame on the Saudi-sponsored opposition delegation for the collapse, last week, of the peace talks in Geneva. The encounter reported by MEE occurred during a reception at the London donors conference where Kerry was confronted by two Syria aid workers (not identified) who complained that the U.S. wasnt doing enough to protect Syrian civilians. "He said that basically, it was the opposition that didnt want to negotiate and didnt want a ceasefire, and they walked away," one of the aid workers said. Kerry is reported to have said: "What do you want me to do? Go to war with Russia? Is that what you want?" Both aid workers said Kerry told them that he anticipated three months of bombing during which time "the opposition will be decimated."

Kerry hinted at this in his public remarks at the State Department on Feb. 5 (while otherwise saying Obamas line that the Syrian/Russian offensive had to end), saying that Russia and Iran both support a ceasefire but "as of this moment, we dont have that full acknowledgment" from all the other parties at the table. He also said that the fighting will not stop "by walking away from the table or not engaging," referring to the fact that the Saudi-linked opposition forces walked out of the peace negotiations.

Another MEE source, claiming to have served as a back channel between Assad and the U.S. government, said Kerry had passed the message on to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in October that the U.S. did not want him to be removed. Instead, the source claims, Kerry insisted that Assad should stop using barrel bombs, which terrify civilian populations. The source claimed that Kerry said if Assad stopped the barrel bombs, Kerry could "sell the story" to the public, the source said. Assad reportedly responded to Kerry that, in exchange, the U.S. needed to "stop backing the rebels," the source said.
If you imagine millennials are just young people entranced by their cellphones or tablet computers, you might want to think again. According to a new study, 92% of college students would rather do their reading the old-fashioned way, with pages and not pixels.

The finding comes from American University linguistics professor Naomi S. Baron, author of the book Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World. Baron led a team that asked 300 college students in the United States, Slovakia, Japan and Germany how they preferred to read.

Physical books were the choice of 92% of the respondents, who selected paper over an array of electronic devices.

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Steven Hernandez, a student at Arizona State University is among those who prefer reading the real McCoy over files on a gadget. I believe that the possibility and likelihood of distraction is too high when it comes to online learning tools like textbooks, he wrote in an op-ed for his student newspaper. The upside to e-books is the low price and the user interaction that it enables, but it requires integration and education of the technology being used  integration that students like myself are not accustomed to.

The main reasons students preferred paper books, Baron told the New Republic, were the lack of distractions that are available on computers, as well as the headaches and eye strain that can result from staring at a screen.

When I asked what they dont like about reading on a screen  they like to know how far theyve gone in the book, Baron said. You can read at the bottom of the screen what percent youve finished, but its a totally different feel to know youve read an inch worth and you have another inch and a half to go.

And then there are the aspects of the reading experience that computers just cant replicate (yet) -- Slovakian students in particular noted that they liked the smell of books.

Its not just college students whod rather spend their time with a book instead of an e-reader. In 2015, e-book sales dropped in the United States, and its the same story in the United Kingdom.

For those who want to read more about how people are reading in the age of computers, Barons book Words Onscreen is available from Oxford University Press. You can also download it to your Kindle for $9.99.
The Flint, Mich., water crisis, in which thousands of children were exposed to elevated lead levels after a supposedly money-saving decision to start using the corrosive Flint River as the citys water supply, is more than a massive failure of politics and regulation. Its also a failure of science and scientists.

Thats the opinion of Marc Edwards, the Virginia Tech civil engineering professor who helped the Flint community expose the dangers of the changeover last year. Kevin Drum of Mother Jones points us to this blistering interview Edwards has given to the Chronicle of Higher Education, describing how the fundraising culture of academia, even at public universities, discouraged independent scientific study of what community activists and even government researchers saw as a developing health disaster.

The pressures to get funding are just extraordinary...and the idea of science as a public good is being lost.  Marc Edwards of Virginia Tech

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Edwards described the perverse incentives that are given to young faculty for the Chronicles Steve Kolowich. The pressures to get funding are just extraordinary. Were all on this hedonistic treadmill  pursuing funding, pursuing fame, pursuing h-index  and the idea of science as a public good is being lost. (The h-index is a measurement of a researchers prominence, based on citations of his published papers.)

Edwards argues that these incentives drive researchers toward safe projects that wont risk irritating a potential funding source and away from studies of merely public (as opposed to commercial) interest.

Edwards own experience underscores how the process works. He first made his name publicly in 2003 by determining that there was lead in the Washington, D.C., water supply, angering the powers that be in the capital. Vindication came in 2010, when the Centers for Disease Control reversed its long-standing position that the water was safe.

Last April, Leeanne Walters, a Flint mom whose complaints about the water coming out of her tap were getting the cold shoulder from city and state officials, reached out to Edwards after reading an old article about his work in D.C. The lead levels in the water samples she sent him were the highest he had ever seen.

My heart skipped a couple of beats, he told the Washington Post. The last thing I needed in my life was another confrontation with government agencies. But it was us or nobody.

By then, statistical evidence of a spike in childrens lead levels was inescapable. In part, that was because a Michigan state law required extensive lead testing of preschool kids. Pediatricians had also noticed a spike. The evidence simply went unheeded, dismissed in an atmosphere that elevated the mandate to save public funds by shifting Flints water supply from Detroits city system to the Flint River.

Edwards contends that the united front of political and regulatory bodies discouraged scientists at public agencies and institutions from aggressively examining the crisis. In Flint the agencies paid to protect these people werent solving the problem, he says. They were the problem. What faculty person out there is going to take on their state, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?

Good question, considering that the world-caliber University of Michigan has a satellite campus in Flint itself -- sitting atop an underground channel carrying the river. The university as an institution has the clout to get its way, but individual researchers typically are on their own in choosing their projects and finding grants, and theyre wary of challenging public patrons.

Thats troubling, Edwards says, because if an environmental injustice is occurring, someone in a government agency is not doing their job. Everyone we wanted to partner said ... we want to work with the government. We want to work with the city. And Im like, Youre living in a fantasy land, because these people are the problem.

Several threads have become braided together to sap researchers of their spirit of independent inquiry. Although public sources remain significant sources of science funding, their share of total resources has plateaued or declined. That forces researchers increasingly to seek backing from industry, which understandably pursues its own interests, not the publics. Scientists are discouraged from pursuing nonsexy projects such as double-checking published results, so the all-important process of investigating the reproducibility of previous findings falls by the wayside; the first published results take on an unwarranted aura of authority.

Then theres the politicization of science research. In Washington, Republicans in Congress have mounted an all-out attack on research related to climate change, which could prompt many would-be researchers to think twice about entering the field.

As it happens, the publicity surrounding the Flint crisis may be opening the floodgates of public funding for scientific studies of the crisis. The University of Michigan-Flint has earmarked $100,000 in seed money to launch research into the crisis. But what about a program to proactively fund scientists pursuing the public interest? That doesnt seem to be on the horizon.

Edwards sees the prospect of greater public funding for research in Flint to be an illustration of the problem, not a remedy. The expectation is that theres tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars that are going to be made available by these agencies ... so we now have a financial incentive to get involved. ... But it doesnt change the fact that, Where were we as academics for all this time before it became financially in our interest to help? Where were we?

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see our Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The Eurasian Economic Union holds no membership negotiations with Azerbaijan. Minister in charge of the Development of Integration and Macroeconomics Tatyana Valovaya told the journalists about the aforementioned. We hold no negotiations with Azerbaijan, as Azerbaijan has not applied for that, Armenpress reports, Valova stated.

She added that the Eurasian Economic Union is interested in cooperation with 3rd countries, particularly in terms of expanding trade relations.
An outbreak at a Pennsylvania hospital in late 2012 should have been an early warning that a reusable medical scope was spreading deadly infections and nearly impossible to disinfect.

But staff at the federal Food and Drug Administration lost the report, one of multiple missteps that allowed doctors and hospitals to continue using the scope for three more years even as dozens of patients were sickened.

The missing paperwork, revealed in a recent Senate inquiry, underscores the serious shortcomings in the antiquated national database used to monitor the safety of medical devices, which even the FDA has long admitted is flawed.

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But the fix called for by the Senate investigators  the speedy implementation of a new system already a decade in the making  has hit a roadblock put up by two powerful opponents who say an essential part of the safety upgrade will cost too much.

Patients may now have to wait another decade for the new system, a delay that could lead to more patient deaths.

We need to build a better system to find these problems more quickly, said Dr. Josh Rising, director of healthcare programs at the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Further postponement, he said, could compromise the safety of millions of Americans.

The device known as a duodenoscope is only the most recent example of a risky medical device that was used in tens of thousands of patients before regulators finally pinpointed a deadly problem in its design. Regulators did not warn hospitals about its risks until after The Times reported an outbreak at UCLA that killed three patients.

Two days after the Senate report was released last month, Olympus Corp., the scopes leading maker, said it would recall and redesign the device.

Other devices recalled in recent years include metal-on-metal hip replacements, vaginal mesh used in surgeries and lead wires in heart defibrillators.

To more quickly find the problems, Congress passed a law in 2007 requiring that each device get a unique number, like a bar code, that would correspond to the specific brand and model. The number would be recorded in patient records and medical claims.

Experts say the new system will enable regulators or doctors to quickly check large insurance databases to discover how frequently a device is malfunctioning.

But the law included no deadlines. And it took the FDA until 2012 to finalize rules requiring manufacturers to stamp the unique device identifiers on their products.

Manufacturers began putting numbers on some devices  those considered most critical  in 2014. Duodenoscope manufacturers must begin printing the numbers on their products in September.

But with the system moving closer to completion, a trade group of the nations hospitals and the Obama administrations Medicare directors raised objections to a key part of the plan: adding a line to the standard insurance claim form so that the device numbers can be recorded.

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They say reprogramming computers to process the device numbers would be an expensive task.

Hospital internal billing systems do not currently exist to accommodate the device number, George Arges of the American Hospital Assn. testified at a hearing in 2014. Who will pay providers for undertaking such changes?

Federal Medicare directors have echoed the hospitals concerns.

In a letter last year to two senators, Marilyn Tavenner, then the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, wrote that including the device number on the claims would entail significant technological challenges, costs and risks to normal claims processing for Medicare and other payers.

Without device identifiers on claim forms, there would be few ways to track the devices and their impact on patients, greatly limiting the systems usefulness.

Its as if each package that FedEx shipped had an identification number, but you couldnt tell which one was connected to your package, explained Peter Orszag, a Citigroup executive and former director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Obama administration, in a column last year.

Supporters of the new system  including AARP and the insurer Aetna  estimate that the nations health system would eventually save money overall by more quickly removing devices that cause injuries.

The scope-related outbreaks, for example, resulted in many patients staying in the hospital for weeks or months as doctors tried to fight their infections with heavy doses of antibiotics. In some cases, it took hospitals weeks to link the infections to the scopes because they were unaware of similar problems elsewhere. The treatments cost millions of dollars.

Hospital association officials said in an interview that they support the use of the device identifiers. But they said adding the numbers to insurance claims would not be practical.

Its just not going to be possible to track every device used in the care of the patient, said Chantal Worzala, the associations policy director.

A CMS spokesman said that the agency was working with the FDA to to explore options that would improve surveillance in a timely and effective manner.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), whose staff led the investigation into the outbreaks, last month called on Congress to require the device number to be included in claims.

The duodenoscope is a long snakelike tube with a tiny camera on its tip. It is used more than 600,000 times a year to treat cancer and other problems in the digestive tract.

Not only is the FDAs existing database of device injuries and deaths difficult to use, but it relies on hospitals and manufacturers to report problems they are often reluctant to disclose because of the possibility of litigation.

In their Jan. 13 report, Senate investigators found that not one of 16 or more American hospitals with outbreaks linked to scopes properly filed the federal report required when a medical device kills or injures a patient.

Some of the hospitals eventually reported the outbreaks to the manufacturer. But manufacturers are allowed to rewrite those injury reports before sending them to the FDAs database.

The investigators found that Olympus had submitted incomplete and misleading reports. Some of Olympus reports understated the number of patients infected, the investigators said. And in some reports, the company tried to blame the hospitals for not properly cleaning the scope.

Olympus did not respond to a request for comment.

By the time the FDA began looking into whether the $40,000 reusable scope was transferring bacteria among patients in September 2013, Olympus and another scope manufacturer had sent five reports of outbreaks to the agency. But when the FDA staff searched the database, they found just one of those reports, according to investigators.

It took another 17 months for the agency to warn hospitals the scope was almost impossible to clean.

By then, at least 195 patients in 16 hospitals across the country had been sickened with lethal bacteria  though the toll is probably far higher, investigators found.

Deborah Kotz, an FDA spokeswoman, said the agency was already working on the reports recommendations.

The FDA is committed to establishing a national medical device evaluation system that leverages real-world evidence to help us more quickly identify safety signals, Kotz said.

The agency now makes a disclaimer when it uses information from its database to evaluate the safety of a device.

Recently it noted on its website that data extracted from the system may be incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased.

melody.petersen@latimes.com

Twitter: @melodypetersen

Times staff writer Kim Christensen contributed to this report.

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Step into the MAK Center in West Hollywood and you will find a series of curious objects resting on gleaming, white plinths: A sneaker. A stuffed pink plush dog. A crude lamp manufactured out of a cheap plastic bucket, the sort found at hardware stores.

These are all the basic building blocks for Austrian artist Erwin Wurms One Minute Sculptures, a series of works that require the participation of the viewer to complete.

For these, Wurm lays out everyday materials that he finds in his peregrinations around a city. Then he draws a crude set of instructions for the viewer to execute. This might involve standing on a plinth with a stuffed dog on your head or moving a sponge from one shelf to the next.

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Wurm with one of his sculptures, Theorie of Hope, at the MAK Center. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

I like materials that are simple, direct and cheap, the artist explained during a tour of his show. When I first started to make sculpture, I would often use leftovers. Id go to a lumberyard and make pieces out of the leftover pieces of wood. So I really began to think of the materials that are around me  and I found myself dealing with the materials of daily life.

While the actions might seem lightly humorous, they are really about poking a stick at the nature of heroism and the monument.

Everyone wants to be a hero and good and great and we are not, says Wurm. We all think we are the center of the world. There are 7 billion people and they are each the center of their world. This points at that. It makes fun of it. It creates an unsure-ness  and an unsure-ness can make you more sensitive.

For Theorie of Hope, viewers stand on the pedestal with this plush dog on their heads. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

The artist, who is based in Vienna, has been making the One Minute Sculptures since the 1980s. Since its debut, the series has been shown in countless arts institutions around the world and has even inspired a music video: Cant Stop by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who worked with Wurm to create a series of sculptures for the shoot.

Wurm says that sometimes he will have an idea for an action and will search out an object with which to fulfill it  such as a cheap sneaker to balance on your head. Other times, he says he will stumble across an object and it will inspire an action.

Whats important to me is that the piece have a beginning, but also an end, he says. An end is always a part of it.

The pieces are presented as traditional works would be: on plinths, with hand-drawn instructions that direct the interaction. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

The artist makes other, more permanent forms of sculpture, too  works inspired by architecture, monuments and even vehicles. His Fat Car series, which seems particularly well-suited to Los Angeles, re-imagines cars, those objects of gearhead veneration, as bloated and distended objects.

While Wurms works have appeared in a number of exhibitions in Los Angeles, this is the first time his One Minute Sculptures are making an appearance. After the show, all of the objects but one  Clarification Bucket, which the MAK Center is acquiring  will go back to serving their original purposes. The sneaker will cease to be sculpture and go back to being footwear. The plush doll will no doubt enliven the life of some young kid.

We live in a culture in which nothing is experienced over the long-term, says Wurm. Everything is short-lived.

The artists wry One Minute Sculptures makes that point 60 seconds at a time.

The piece titled Clarification Bucket calls for the viewer to stand with a plastic bucket on their head. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Another piece calls for the viewer to stand in the gallery with a sneaker on their head. I think I have found my new author headshot. (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Erwin Wurm, One Minute Sculptures, is on view at the MAK Center through March 27. 835 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood, makcenter.org.

Find me on Twitter @cmonstah.

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The #OscarsSoWhite uproar over the lack of diversity in the Academy Award nominations the last two years and the subsequent call by some for a boycott of the ceremony played a role in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences changing the rules regarding the organization's membership.

But boycotts are nothing new in academy history. The first boycott took place 80 years ago, and there have been numerous controversies at the Oscars, including winners snubbing the awards, protests and presenters and recipients using the ceremony as a bully pulpit for their political beliefs.

Here's a look at some of the most notable moments of discord in Oscar history.

Time does not heal all wounds

One of the most controversial choices for the honorary Oscar was Elia Kazan in 1999. Then a frail 89, Kazan was one of the most influential directors in movies and theater. He directed such Broadway classics as "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Death of a Salesman." He won Oscars for directing 1947's "Gentleman's Agreement" and 1954's "On the Waterfront." Kazan also directed such memorable pictures as 1951's "A Streetcar Named Desire," 1955's "East of Eden," 1957's "A Face in the Crowd" and 1963's "America America."

But in 1952, Kazan testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee and named names of several friends who had been members with him in the Communist Party. He never apologized for what he did.

Blacklisted screenwriter Robert Lees told The Times in 1999: "Kazan crawled through the mud for a big [money contract] at 20th Century Fox. He should apologize."

In an interview with The Times in 2003, writer Christopher Trumbo, the son of blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo, noted that his father had held Kazan in contempt. "It has nothing to do with Kazan's ability to direct a motion picture," he said. "Those who obviously stood firm and didn't testify and who in fact defied the committee held a moral ground. My father considered it a patriotic act, an act that is in defense of the Constitution."

The announcement of Kazan's award in January 1999 immediately caused a storm of protest led by former blacklisted screenwriter Bernard Gordon as well as blacklisted scribes Norma Barzman and Walter Bernstein.

"His lifetime achievement was the destruction of lives," said Barzman.

Some 500 protesters began gathering the afternoon before the Oscars on March 21, 1999, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion carrying signs saying "Elia Kazan: Nominated for the Benedict Arnold Award," "Don't Whitewash the Blacklist" and "Kazan-the Linda Tripp of the 50s." There were also about 60 pro-Kazan supporters.

Protestors demonstrate March 21, 1999, in Los Angeles against the Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented to film director Elia Kazan during the 71st annual Academy Awards. (Hector Mata / AFP / Getty Images)

The atmosphere inside the Chandler was slightly more cordial. After being introduced by Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, Kazan walked slowly on stage with the help of his wife. Several actors including Warren Beatty, Helen Hunt and Meryl Streep gave him a standing ovation. Steven Spielberg applauded but remained seated, while Nick Nolte, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan stayed seated and did not applaud.

"I want to thank the academy for its courage and generosity," Kazan said, adding "Thank you all very much. I think I can just slip away now."

Kazan died in 2003 at age 94.

Just being a good union man

Many academy members boycotted the Academy Awards on March 5, 1936, at the Biltmore Hotel because of issues involving the actor, writer and directors guilds, who were trying to form unions independent of the studios and the academy. "The Informer" screenwriter Dudley Nichols took a strong pro-union stance and not only boycotted the ceremony but refused his Oscar for the film for which John Ford earned his first Oscar. (Ford also didn't attend the ceremony.)

Nichols even sent back the Oscar to the academy's then president, director Frank Capra. Two years, later, he finally accepted the Oscar after the National Labor Relations Board certified the Screen Writers Guild as the bargaining representative for screenwriters.

An Oscar Brando had to refuse

Marlon Brando heartily accepted his first lead actor Oscar for 1954's "On the Waterfront" even posing for silly pictures with host Bob Hope. But that wasn't the case when he earned his second for 1972's "The Godfather." When his name was called at the ceremony on March 27, 1973, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, it wasn't Brando who came on stage but actress-activist Sacheen Littlefeather  her real name was Marie Cruz  in Native American dress. She told the shocked crowd that Brando couldn't accept the Oscar because "the reasons for this being the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry  excuse me  and on television, in movie reruns and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee."

Though there was a scattering of applause, the speech was met with loud boos.

Vanessa Redgrave versus the JDL

Political activist and actress Vanessa Redgrave had raised the ire of the Jewish Defense League and other Jewish groups because of her pro-Palestinian 1977 documentary "The Palestinian." And their disapproval increased when she was nominated for supporting actress for 1977's "Julia" as a woman who risked her life to fight the Nazis. The JDL even asked 20th Century Fox, which released the film, to never hire her again. Fox and the Screen Actors Guild refused. So at the 50th Academy Awards on April 3, 1978, JDL members were picketing outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion as were some PLO supporters.

When Redgrave won the award, she told the audience:

"I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums whose behavior is an insult to the stature of Jews all over the world and to their great and heroic record of struggle against fascism and oppression."

"Redgrave's "Zionist hoodlum" remark was met by gasps, loud boos and a smattering of applause.

A reading from Hanoi Bert

ARCHIVO  En esta foto de archivo del 8 de abril de 1975, el productor de cine Bert Schneider sostiene el Oscar que recibio junto con Peter Davis por el mejor documental, Hearts and Minds, en Los Angeles. Schneider fallecio el lunes 12 de diciembre en Los Angeles, informo su hija Audrey Simon a Los Angeles Times. (AP Foto/Archivo) (Anonymous / AP)

"Hearts and Minds," the highly controversial 1974 Vietnam War documentary, won the documentary prize at the April 8, 1975, Oscar ceremony. Accepting at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion were producer-director Peter Davis and producer Bert Schneider.

In his speech, Schneider read a wire sent by Ambassador Dinh Ba Thi, the chief of the Provisional Revolutionary Government's delegation to peace talks in Paris.

"Please transmit to all our friends in America our recognition of all that they have done on behalf of peace and for the application of the Paris Accords on Vietnam. These actions serve the legitimate interest of the American people and the Vietnamese people. Greetings of friendship to all the American people."

The speech was generally met with disapproval from the audience. And Frank Sinatra, one of the ceremony's hosts, said later in the show: "The academy is not responsible for any political references on this program, and we are sorry that they had to take place this evening."

Sarandon, Robbins, Gere get political





The political speeches of presenters Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and Richard Gere during the 65th Academy Awards on March 29, 1993, so upset show producer Gil Cates that he told The Times: "I wouldn't invite them to my home, and I wouldn't invite them to a future show. [For] someone who I invited to present an award to use that time to postulate a personal political belief I think is not only outrageous, it's distasteful and dishonest."

Sarandon and Robbins had talked about 250 Haitians being quarantined in Cuba. "Their crime, testing positive for the HIV virus," said Robbins. Sarandon encouraged officials to allow them to come to the U.S. And "free Tibet" activist and Buddhist Gere brought up human rights abuse in China.

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The Oscar best picture race fragmented further Saturday night with Alejandro G. Inarritus Directors Guild award win for The Revenant, a development that was perhaps inevitable in a year in which guild voters splintered their support among three different movies.

Inarritus DGA win for the bold, brutal western followed the Producers Guild tabbing The Big Short for best picture and the Screen Actors Guild Awards giving Spotlight its biggest prize.

The guilds split decisions arent unprecedented. Just two years ago, 12 Years a Slave, Gravity and American Hustle each won a major guild honor before 12 Years a Slave emerged victorious at the Oscars.

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But unlike that year, when the race seemed to pivot on whether enough film academy voters had watched Steve McQueens unflinching look at American slavery (it turns out some didnt but voted for it anyway), this years best picture race appears completely wide open. And the campaigners behind each of the three movies are scrambling to find the narrative that will hook academy members.

For the consultants working on Spotlight and The Big Short, that means selling voters that their films carry the most weight, relevance and importance. Backers for The Revenant, meanwhile, seem content to remind the academy about the challenges behind making the ambitious movie. (Sub-zero temperatures! No cellphone signals! Confirmed vegetarian Leonardo DiCaprio eating raw bison liver!)

Spotlight, the journalism drama about the Boston Globe reporting team investigating the Catholic Churchs cover-up of sexual abuse by priests, is being trumpeted in ads as the one film that breaks the silence.

Along those lines, the movie received a boost Thursday when, as first reported by The Times, a Vatican commission on clerical sex abuse watched Spotlight in a private screening.

We were floored when we heard that, Spotlight director Tom McCarthy told The Times at a reception following a Friday fete for the movie at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

McCarthy added that he still receives emails every day from people who were abused by priests. Indeed, the Santa Barbara event, which featured a conversation between festival director Roger Durling and Spotlight actors Michael Keaton and Rachel McAdams, was given additional weight when Durling alluded to his own past as a victim of clerical abuse.

Ill speak for all of us survivors when I say, Thank you for making Spotlight,  Durling said.



The Big Short, meanwhile, will screen for members of Congress on Wednesday at a bipartisan event hosted by two Republicans and two Democrats. It will be writer-director Adam McKays second trip to Washington, following a January visit that saw him meeting with, among others, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown, and headlining an event with economists at the Brookings Institution to discuss the movies examination of the 2008 financial crisis.

Oscars 2016: Full Coverage | Complete list | Top nominee photos

The Big Short has shown up on the presidential campaign trail too, most notably when Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders was asked if he had seen it. Damn right I have, the Vermont senator replied. Excellent film.

We hoped we might have these kinds of conversations, but you never know, Jeremy Kleiner, one of the films producers, told The Times in Santa Barbara. The 2008 financial crisis was such a seismic event. Peoples lives were destroyed. Were still living in the aftermath. So this conversation is important. Its why we wanted to make the movie in the first place.

The motivations and ambitions behind both Spotlight and The Big Short are unassailable. Their directors, McCarthy and McKay, respectively, are interested in changing institutions that they believe need to be overhauled. Inarritu, too, sees The Revenant not simply as a story of revenge, but also of what it means to be broken and isolated and be dead and reborn again.

The key to which of three movies emerges victorious will be the academys preferential voting system, which rewards the film that consistently shows up highest on the most ballots. In this method, in which voters rank the movies in order of desire, the number of times a movie shows up first, second or third on voters slates will be crucial to propelling it to the best picture Oscar.

One certainty: After many long months promoting their movies, the participants would very much like to take that walk up to the Dolby Theatres stage when the final envelope is opened.

I want to win it ... a lot, Keaton told the audience at Santa Barbara.

Hes not alone.

glenn.whipp@latimes.com

@glennwhipp
If you think #OscarsSoWhite, consider the world of elite ballet. And if you want to understand why the current conversation over the lack of diversity among this years film academy nominees is just one thread of a much larger tapestry, watch Nelson Georges documentary A Ballerinas Tale: The Incredible Rise of Misty Copeland on PBS on Monday night.

Watch too if you are a dance aficionado or a woman, if you have a daughter or for that matter a son, if you are a Southern California resident or just a thinking member of a culture that is changing, with various degrees of resistance, in almost every area.

It wont take long, just 90 minutes that include several exquisite dance scenes, Copelands now-signature friendly frankness and none of the crazy-girl Black Swan pathology we have come to expect from tales of the dance world.

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Those looking for a full-fledged biography of the dancer may be disappointed, but PBS airing of the documentary could not come at a better time. With an albeit overly abbreviated version of her career, Copeland and those who have watched her rise to become the first black principal dancer of any major ballet company In The World get to the heart of the diversity issue with no-frills alacrity.

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For the record, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 9: A Feb. 8 Calendar review of the PBS documentary A Ballerinas Tale: The Incredible Rise of Misty Copeland said Copeland is the first black principal dancer of a major ballet company. Rather, she is the first black female principal at American Ballet Theatre.

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I think that people think that sometimes I focus too much on the fact that Im a black dancer, Copeland says in the films opening moments. Theres never been a black principal woman  in the top companies of the world. In New York City Ballet, in New York City. I dont think people realize what a feat it is, being a black woman. But thats so much of who I am, and I think its so much a part of my story.

That story has become increasingly well known. The subject of local fascination since she won the Los Angeles Music Centers Spotlight competition at age 15, Copeland was internationally famous even before the American Ballet Theatre promotion to prima ballerina last summer. She has starred in music videos, served as a judge on So You think You Can Dance, written a memoir and a childrens book, been part of the Under Armour I Will What I Want campaign and is reportedly developing a scripted television series about ballet.

A Ballerinas Tale debuted at the 2015 TriBeCa Film Festival, where it was picked up by Sundance Selects, sending her on the late-night tour. Stephen Colbert pointed out that we had a black president before we had a black prima ballerina; Jimmy Fallon asked if she was the woman who saved ballet.

Copeland has, inevitably, been compared to Jackie Robinson, but as the film quickly reveals, the obstacles she faced were more subtle and insidious, if less personally dangerous, than those Robinson overcame. No one was throwing rocks through Copelands window or calling her names from the sidelines.

Instead, Copeland was a black prodigy of an art form that was and to a certain extent still is almost literally defined as white.

As dance critics and cultural historians point out early on in A Ballerinas Tale, the aesthetic of ballet, especially in the years since choreographer George Balanchines reign, is one of conformity to a narrow ideal. The long, thin White Swan, the Sugar Plum fairy, the ethereal Giselle.

Those not genetically programmed to fit this ideal simply had no place in the world of elite ballet.

Until Copeland.

For reasons of his own, George chooses to slide quickly over her remarkable and at times contentious back story, which began in San Pedro. Along with some early pictures and home movies, Copeland offers a quick introduction of herself as a shy child, one of six living with their single mother in a hotel on food stamps, who finds her artistic self through dance. Nothing is mentioned of the dance teachers who took her in or the well-publicized legal battle that ensued. Instead, the film moves quickly from her Spotlight win to her move to New York at age 17.

There, she and new friend Leyla Fayyaz were the youngest members of the ABT company as they traveled to China; when Fayyaz left the company, Copeland felt increasingly isolated. Suggestions that she lose weight led to an eating disorder and self-doubt. I felt like I was sinking for a while, she says.

Recognizing Copelands talent, artistic director Kevin McKenzie asked New York philanthropist and society figure Susan Fales-Hill to mentor her. Fales-Hill introduced the young dancer to a kitchen cabinet of black female trailblazers who encouraged Copeland to overcome the fear naturally arising from being the only black woman in a company of 80 dancers.

But as Georges film makes wonderfully clear, it wasnt just a question of Copeland being a first or blazing a trail; as she moved through the ABT hierarchy, Copeland forced the ballet world to question the rigidity and legitimacy of its own aesthetics.

As with most art forms, ballet is judged by what has gone before, and what had gone before is what dance critic Deirdre Kelly calls the ballet blanc. To accept Copeland as a star required many people to rethink the very image of ballet.

Fortunately, as cultural critic Brenda Dixon Gottschild points out, the world Copeland entered had changed just enough that you couldnt prevent a talent of that great dimension.

Indeed, ballets elitism was already threatening to be its demise; audiences were dwindling, young patrons were difficult to find. When, in 2012, Copeland was cast as the titular role in The Firebird, Lincoln Center was suddenly filled with exactly the sort of audience that could save the art form from extinction.

Friendly, funny and wonderfully human, Copeland is a voice to which anyone can relate; she radiates self-respect and self-awareness without falling into self-absorption.

A Ballerinas Tale is far from an exhaustive or even complete documentary, but George, who began filming after a post-"Firebird injury briefly threatened Copelands career, captures the behind-the-scenes grit required of any great artist while also making it clear why this artist is more important than most.

In too many art forms, excellence has become equated with inertia, continually defined in oppressively narrow and antiquated terms. Ballet got lucky. Misty Copeland was a force greater even than itself.

mary.mcnamara@latimes.com

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Independent Lens

Where: KOCE

When: 10 p.m. Monday

Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children)

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Like the presidential primary season, the Hollywood guild awards do not come as a perfect or predictable whole.

Each guild has its own quirks--its favorites, pet peeves and demographics--that help determine the winners. A triumph among actors, for instance, doesnt assure a win among directors, just as a victory in New Hampshire hardly locks down success in South Carolina.

Still, taken as a composite, certain patterns emerge. As a rule of physics, awards bodies do not tend to jut off completely in their own direction. Movies that win one of the major prizes have a higher probability of winning another. And at some point, as with primary season, all that momentum tends to snowball and create an air of invincibility, which is how movies like Slumdog Millionaire, ""Argo and The Kings Speech each swept the three major guild awards and then went on to win the Oscar best picture in their respective years.

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All of this is why the win for Alejandro G. Inarritus revenge-survival epic The Revenant on Saturday night at the Directors Guild Awards -- the last of the troika of prizes from major guilds that also includes producers and actors -- is so surprising. (The fourth such honor, from screenwriters, doesnt carry the same weight because the guilds eligibility rules are more restrictive and exclude a number of top contenders.)

The Revenant had not won top honors from the other two major bodies, the Screen Actors Guild or Producers Guild of America -- those went to Tom McCarthys journalism-centric scandal pic Spotlight and Adam McKays financial-crisis black comedy The Big Short, respectively.

In fact, Inarritu was actually a question mark at the DGA. He had won the groups prize last year, for Birdman, which made some pundits think voters would tire of him and choose someone else. (Hes the first director to win the DGA prize in consecutive years in the 65-plus-year history of the award.) So right off the bat the win is a little unexpected.

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But Saturday nights developments are even more surprising because, with The Revenant win, we now have a recent awards season anomaly. The Inarritu victory means that for the first time in 11 years, no movie that triumphed with one of the three major film guilds topped the list of another.

Yep, in each of the previous 10 years, a film has won the top prize from at least two of the three guilds (including that wacky 2013, when there was a PGA tie between Gravity and 12 Years a Slave; Gravity also won the DGA) .

In five of the eight years before this one, a single movie actually won all three prizes. This includes last year, when Birdman swept the trio on its way to the best picture Oscar.

But that all went to seed this year.

The split we just witnessed signals what those of us in the punditry business, very officially, call a wide-open race, or less officially, a we dont really know whats going on so well just keep forecasting race.

Certainly there are specific dynamics to why that happened, and if youre even a casual reader of awards-season commentaries, youll know some of what they are. The three guilds consist of people with different temperaments, valuing different skills, and each of the three winners played to those preferences.

Spotlight is the sort of robust ensemble piece that every actor dreams of being a part of, so the movie won SAGs top prize. The Big Short is the kind of tonally tricky effort that keeps a lot of plates spinning, so it attracted the affections of producers. And The Revenant features the kind of bold filmmaking  and, maybe even more important, the directorial self-sacrifice  that filmmakers tend to prize. So it won the DGA.

But that doesnt entirely explain the split. Contenders come with different strengths in many years. And yet we rarely see this kind of divergence.

At least, we rarely see this kind of divergence of late. Youll notice that a lot of these patterns involve recent awards season history. The 10 years that preceded this one has indeed been a period of consensus and lock-step. But if you go back to the 10 years before that (the SAG awards were created in 1995, so this is essentially the beginning of contemporary guild-award history), something else was happening.

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In three of those years, we had the same divergence we had this year -- no movie managed to win more than one guild. Thats how it went down in the 2000 season (Gladiator, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Traffic split PGA, DGA and SAG); in 2001 (Moulin Rouge! A Beautiful Mind, and Gosford Park); and in 2004 (The Aviator, Million Dollar Baby and Sideways). No group could seem to agree with any other group.

Basically what it comes down to is that for the first 10 years of guild-award history the split happened three times. In the following 10 years it didnt happen at all. (If youre curious and/or Inarritus publicist, youll be interested to know that it was the DGA winner that went on to win best picture in two of the three previous split years.)

Which leads to an interesting theory. The past 10 years have been a time of increasing coverage of awards season. First that was true with the blogs and print special sections that began taking off in the 2000s and, later, with the social-media platforms that amplified their megaphone. It all turned awards prognosticating into a noisy, real-time (if still very much pseudo-scientific) enterprise. And more noise, as my colleague Charles McNulty has eloquently written, tends to drown out those voices arguing for outliers and passion choices.

Award season bodies are too small, and guild choices too entropic, for any of this to be empirical, let alone airtight. But certainly its a coincidence worth noting. Before awards coverage reached its modern fever pitch, awards groups would at least somewhat regularly go their own way. Since the decibel level was cranked up, its hardly happened at all.

So whats going on this year? The blog and social-media noise hasnt gone anywhere--in fact, its louder than ever. So is this just an exception to the trend? Or is it a sign of a kind of bristling, a hive-mind reaction against all the predictions and recommendations that so many people who dont vote for awards make to people who do?

Is it a momentary outlier? Or a restless response, as in our politics, to a handed-down status quo? That already seems to be afoot at the Oscars with Room, an outside-the-system upstart that defeated three better-funded and more traditional contenders in three different categories, including the most establishment of establishment candidates, Ridley Scott.

Is this all just a blip, or something that signals a more deep-seated resistance to how awards season is supposed to go?

Theres no immediate answer to these questions. But theyve become increasingly noteworthy ones to ask, just as they have with politics. Are the Donald Trumps and Bernie Sanders of the world -- and, indeed, the larger unpredictable group of candidates of which theyre a part -- simply a function of a strange and anxious moment? Or a harbinger of a new reality, in which convention and consensus becomes a non-factor, even a hindrance?

Im not suggesting that some kind of grassroots uprising is happening in Hollywood. Awards season voters are still very much subject to what movies the studios send out and campaign for -- and, yes, for better or worse, what ink-stained wretches like myself and my colleagues say. Movies arent politics, and all three of these guild winners are well-oiled, conventionally backed contenders (even if the more modestly budgeted Spotlight, coming from the smaller distributor Open Road, is a far more independent choice than its Big Studio rivals).

But at a cultural moment emphasizing the upstart and the outsider, one that almost seems to be reveling in a kind of electoral chaos, its fair to wonder if voters are also feeling that itch, wanting to hark back to a time when Oscar season wasnt a foregone conclusion. One academy member I spoke to recently said they were tired of being told by all these pundits what they should do and think. A curmudegonely sentiment, to be sure, but not, I suspect, an uncommon one. (This feeling might also apply to how voters feel about the widespread coverage of the diversity debate, but thats another matter.)

One of the movies, The Big Short, has an even more direct connection to the current political-revolution moment: Its become a favorite of Sanders, who said damn right I have when asked if hed seen it and called it an excellent film.

Sadly for both our sanity and the collective good, neither the current awards season nor the presidential election cycle is near the finish line. The way voters have been wriggling around, we may yet see a few more surprises before all is said and done this year. And, perhaps, even beyond this year.

@ZeitchikLAT

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In the world of soups, ramen is king. The luscious, umami-rich broth is fatty, salty and commonly topped with thick slices of glistening pork belly. It is not meant to be a light meal, unless youre at the newly opened Ozu East Kitchen in Atwater Village, where youll find what may be the most characteristically L.A. ramen in Los Angeles.

It doesnt have as much fat or salt as regular ramen, said owner Paul Yi, pacing back and forth at the restaurant during its first day of lunch service Friday. Its lighter.

Yi says the pork ramen is made by steeping pork bones, then removing the fat from the broth while it cooks. This creates a soup base that slurps cleaner and thinner than your typical tonkotsu ramen, but with all that meaty pork flavor youd get in a creamier broth.

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The pork ramen is topped with a couple slices of kurobuta pork, shards of seaweed, slivers of radish pickles and half an ajitama egg (soy sauce egg) and mizuna (Japanese mustard greens).

Yi says the noodles are made by the same producer as Tsujita on Sawtelle Boulevard and Momofuku Noodle in New York City, but that he chose ones that were a little thicker, a little more substantial.

You can currently order pork, miso or chicken ramen. But theres a lot more than ramen on the menu. Theres also a kimchi udon shrimp soup made with kimchi cream, Spam, rock shrimp and watercress.

In keeping with Yis lighter philosophy, the avocado toast is actually a crispy rice cake topped with yuzu guacamole and smoked gochujang (Korean fermented hot chile paste). The Little Gem salad is more of an Asian-skewed Caesar, served with an anchovy green goddess dressing and broken bits of shrimp chips in place of croutons.

Wines outnumber the beers on the menu, along with a small selection of sake.

While you sit on one of the sliding wooden blocks that serve as seats in the dining room, you may notice the restaurants diverse soundtrack includes Spanish guitar, classical music and a Prince cover.

And after lunch, Proof is just a short minute walk down the block.

3224 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 284-8773, www.ozueastkitchen.com.

I slurp with pride. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @Jenn_Harris_

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If youve been waiting for Spring, the highly anticipated French restaurant from the team behind Church & State, to open  a 6,000-square-foot project thats been three years in the making  then you have someplace to be for lunch today. The restaurant opens its doors later Monday morning.

Chef Tony Esnault and partner Yassmin Sarmadi have reworked the enormous space in the Douglas Building, on the corner of Spring (hence the name) and Third streets in downtown Los Angeles, into a restaurant and bar that includes an open kitchen and an atrium, filled with trees and fountains. The restaurant will open for lunch Monday, and dinner this weekend, just in time for Valentines Day. The bar will be open for dinner beginning Saturday.

Its been a long time in the making for the couple, who also own Church & State, the French bistro in the Arts District south of Spring. They first started the project three years ago; construction has been going on for the last year. And theyre not finished yet: The restaurant and bar will eventually expand to include a market.

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Esnault, a gifted chef who was executive chef at Patina before moving to Church & State and who cooked for Alain Ducasse in Monte Carlo, says that Springs menu wont be California-French so much as French-French -- fine dining techniques and composition, with a farmers market-driven sensibility, served in a place that looks like a huge kitchen patio somewhere in the South of France.

Walk into the restaurant and you feel like youre coming in through the kitchen itself, a light-filled space jigsawed with long tables, shiny pans, state-of-the-art equipment and shelves of Esnaults own collection of cooking stuff  old French gadgets and bowls and jars and enameled coffee pots that hes assembled over the last 20 years which he brought from home.

The menu is French, of course, but with a southern bent  Esnault is from the Loire Valley and cooked for years in Monte Carlo at Ducasses Louis XV restaurant. The climate is perfect for this type of food, said Esnault the other day as his team practiced cooking and serving the lunch menu.

We wanted something very personal, Esnault said of the restaurant and its design. He and Sarmadi found the artwork, the furniture, even the antique glassware in the bar all on various trips to local flea markets and excursions to Europe.

The restaurant, which is done in white and pale green, has two fountains and two trees, and is filled with light from the vast skylight. The bar, done in darker greens and blues, has a brass and concrete floor, a dark green marble bar, and bright coppery light fixtures. The cocktail program, overseen by Adam Flamenbaum, who previously worked at Bar Bouchon, is designed to pair with Esnaults vegetable-driven cooking.

We dont throw bread on the floor; we dont want silverware, Esnault says about the bar adjacent the restaurant, describing his impression of a more casual restaurant bars ambiance. In other words, dont expect to order your dinner at that green marble bar, although the chef says he may make gougeres in addition to the olives that you can order with your cocktails. The idea, he says, is to stop in for a drink before or after your dinner, and to go next door and sit down for your actual meal.

As for what that will look like, Esnault and his staff of 60 will have oysters and escargot, rilletes and salads for lunch, as well as dishes such as bourride with aioli, Scottish salmon with beets and chicory, Marys chicken with salsify and yams, sunchoke soup with buckwheat crostini and chervil. Esnault is still finalizing the dinner menu, but he says hell have larger plates, including duck, and lots of seasonal specials.

Because although there wont be actual tablecloths at Spring, the sensibility is that of a white tablecloth restaurant. You could easily imagine Esnaults plate of escargot with persillade  a construction that resembles more a still life painting than a plate of the more traditional snails in butter on bistro menus  at the chefs old stomping ground up the street at Patina.

For those of you who love Church & State  where Esnault will still be the chef, by the way, if youre worried about the status of your onion tartes and coq au vin  maybe think of Spring as a more refined, and definitely quieter venue for Esnaults exquisite cooking.

Spring, 257 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, 213-372-5189, springlosangeles.com.

Because taking pictures of food is almost as much fun as eating it, on Instagram @latimesfood.

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Judith Benitez had gone most of her adult life without knowing how to drive.

The 35-year-old woman from Mexico who is in the U.S. illegally would ask family members for rides to pick up her children from school. Trips to the grocery store or the doctors office were complicated.

That changed last year when Assembly Bill 60 was implemented, granting people in the country illegally the right to obtain drivers licenses in California. Benitez, who lives in Lemon Grove, learned to drive and was among those in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles the day the law took effect.

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Truthfully, it was an extremely emotional time because having a [drivers] license isnt just any little thing, she said. We feel a little more protected.

An estimated 605,000 licenses were issued under the law last year, accounting for nearly half of all new licenses, according to the California DMV. Nearly 400,000 of the licenses were issued during the first six months.

We believe that this new law increases safety on California roads by putting licensed drivers behind the steering wheel, spokesman Artemio Armenta said.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed the measure into law in 2013, further establishing California as a national leader on immigrant rights. The legislation was authored by Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Salinas), the son of farmworkers.

Brown in August signed a trio of immigration-related measures, which included elimination of the word alien within Californias labor code to describe immigrants in the country illegally. The new laws also included allowing noncitizen high school students to serve as election poll workers and protecting immigrant minors in civil lawsuits.

Licenses granted under the law have federal limits apply printed on them, which means that unlike California law enforcement, law enforcement officers in other states and federal officials arent obligated to accept the licenses as a valid form of identification.

State leaders and law enforcement officials have said the law will improve road safety because more drivers will be licensed and be more likely to be insured.

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Officer Josh Nelson, spokesman for the California Highway Patrol Border Division, said its difficult to determine whether improved traffic safety is correlated with the implementation of the law, but said its likely.

Knowing that these drivers are being properly trained in order to get their licenses, it would only make sense that the roads would be safer, he said.

California is among 12 states that now allow immigrants in the country illegally to obtain drivers licenses, areas covering an estimated 37% of that population, according to an August report by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

California, at 22%, has the nations largest percentage of immigrants in the country illegally who are eligible for drivers licenses, according to Pew.

Critics say immigrants in the country illegally shouldnt be given the privilege of obtaining licenses because they broke the law by entering the country. States such as California are only facilitating illegal immigration, they argue.

Other states such as Florida, New Jersey and Georgia have considered whether immigrants in the country illegally are entitled to drivers licenses, a rite of passage deeply rooted in American culture.

In the year before the California law was implemented , the DMV hired 1,000 temporary employees and opened four additional processing centers. It also extended hours of operation to include Saturdays.

The demand at the beginning of the year was very high because we had literally done more than 200 outreach events across the state. We were all hands on deck, Armenta said.

The DMV has since resumed regular office hours and only 200 temporary employees will remain by the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

Erika Paz emigrated from Mexico in 1987, but her visa expired soon after. Though she obtained her drivers license seven years ago as a permanent resident and is now a U.S. citizen, Paz created a public Facebook group to help community members exchange tips about the drivers license law.

The group, Preparandonos para las Licencias, or Preparing Ourselves for Licenses, has garnered about 18,000 followers since its creation in 2014.

Community members have become very helpful toward each other, to the point where the person who gets their license is willing to help another person by either lending them their car or driving them to the DMV to take their test, Paz said.

Maribel Solache joined the thousands of other immigrants in the country illegally who lined up at the DMV early Jan. 2, 2015, the first day licenses became available. She recalls a chaotic scene with long lines, limited staff and a downed computer system.

There was a big resistance and fear but upon getting to the DMV and seeing the diversity of people there, I felt like I wasnt the only one in that situation, she said in Spanish.

The San Marcos resident passed her written exam on the first attempt and her driving exam 10 days later. Within a week, she had her license. Today Solache, a former attorney from Mexico City, leads small study groups in which she helps others navigate the license application process.

tatiana.sanchez@sduniontribune.com

Sanchez is a staff writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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6th Street Bridge before and after
Good morning. It is Monday, Feb. 8. The Sixth Street Bridge over the 101 Freeway was demolished this weekend. Here are the before and after photos. Heres what else is happening in the Golden State:

TOP STORIES

Church leaders and ICE

At least three congregations in the Los Angeles area are vowing to defy Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and protect Central Americans who face imminent deportation. Religious leaders want to protect immigrants who could be sent back to countries with escalating violence. What would happen if a mother from Guatemala showed up at your church door with a little kid in her arms and said, Can you help me? said Rev. John Fife, a former pastor at Southside Presbyterian in Tucson. Los Angeles Times

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Turf rebates

For months, the Department of Water and Power has fought a request to release the names and addresses of customers who received rebates to tear out their lawns. One of those customers was City Atty. Mike Feuer, whose office advises the DWP, though he has recused himself from the case. Los Angeles Times

Environmental cleanup

Columnist Steve Lopez visited Vernon to see why theres been so little progress in cleaning up lead-contaminated soil from the shuttered Exide battery plant. You cant talk to anyone without hearing stories about friends and relatives who died young, or are suffering through life-altering illness and disease. Many people live with fears of physical and intellectual limitations for their children, down the road, he writes. Los Angeles Times

DROUGHT AND CLIMATE

Permanent drought: Is the drought Californias new normal? Understanding how changing weather pattern frequencies may impact total precipitation across the U.S. is particularly relevant to water resource managers as they contend with issues such as droughts and floods, and plan future infrastructure to store and disperse water, said Mari Tye, co-author of a new study. Christian Science Monitor

L.A. AT LARGE

Old records: Why were campaign records mixed in with former L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonges official government papers? City politicians are prohibited from working on their campaigns during work hours. LaBonge says he had absolutely not worked on his campaign at his City Hall office.The papers were part of a collection that had been marked for destruction after LaBonge left office. Los Angeles Times

Teaching history: The Korean and Japanese communities are paying close attention to what California textbooks will say regarding comfort women -- women who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II. As the scope expands to other parts of the world, California classrooms are becoming battlegrounds in which recent immigrant groups wrestle over whether and how their ancestors stories are told to the states next generation. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Legacy projects: Gov. Jerry Browns two legacy projects, a high-speed bullet train and twin tunnels underneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, face pivotal moments this year. Ultimately, however, whether they fly or die depends on securing tens of billions of dollars in financing, writes Dan Walters. Sacramento Bee

Oil production: Times are tough in Bakersfield with oil prices plummeting. Kern County produces more oil than any other county in the nation, so the worldwide petroleum collapse is personal. Less production will also mean fewer dollars flowing into government coffers. As far as revenue for the county, the special districts, schools, groups that depend on the property tax dollar, its worse than it was last year, said Lee Smith, Kern County assistant assessor. Los Angeles Times

Radioactive waste: San Clemente wants to get rid of radioactive waste near San Onofre. The law is clear. It is the federal governments responsibility to execute a solution for which the American people have already paid, Rep. Darrell Issa said of HR3643. Orange County Register

CRIME AND COURTS

Proactive policing: The president of the Los Angeles Police Commission talks about what motivated him to take on the position. Matt Johnson believes he can do something about the number of unarmed African Americans who are shot by police. I believe there are real solutions when youre sitting at the table, Johnson said. KCET

Legal troubles: Riverside County honored a veteran prosecutor as prosecutor of the year despite his own legal problems in San Diego. In 2006, Daniel Enrique DeLimon was in an altercation with a police officer and in 2013, he pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of driving with a blood alcohol content over 0.08%, according to court records. DeLimon was nominated for recognition by his peers, supervisors and members of the law enforcement community for the body of his work in 2013, 2014 and, again, in 2015, said a spokesman for the Riverside County district attorneys office. San Diego Union-Tribune

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

New skills: The town of Salinas is trying to evolve into an agricultural technology center. It hopes to turn the sons and daughters of farmworkers ... into coders for the next generation of data-driven, automated farming in a valley known as the salad bowl of the world. Los Angeles Times

City view: A man who contributed to Los Angeles skyline, from downtown to Century City, died Saturday at age 90. John Tishmans firm built twin towers in Century City, the Macys Plaza complex, the Ronald Reagan federal building and the 48-story Wells Fargo bank building in downtown. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego will be sunny and 84. In Los Angeles, highs are expected to reach 86 degrees. Riverside will be windy and sunny at 86 degrees. Sacramento will have morning fog before the sun comes out and temperatures reach a high of 70. It will be sunny and 67 in San Francisco.

AND FINALLY

This weeks birthdays for notable Californians:

L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl (Feb. 9, 1941) and Disney CEO Bob Iger (Feb. 10, 1951).

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The Eurasian Economic Union observes the opportunities of active cooperation with Iran. Member of the Board - Minister in charge of the Development of Integration and Macroeconomics of EEC Tatyana Valovaya told the journalists about this on February 8. We are greatly interested in Iran and we observe opportunities to deepen economic ties with it. I have to mention that while we were discussing the potentials and advantages that Armenia can receive becoming member of the Eurasian Economic Union, we realized very well that one of those directions would be the deepening of cooperation between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, Armenpress reports, Valovaya mentioned.

She added that now, when Armenia is an EAEU member state, the opportunities to cooperate in the spheres of transport, logistics, trade and economy with Iran rise. Of course, lifting sanctions from Iran creates new, extra opportunities for cooperation. I am convinced that we will witness expansion of economic ties between Iran and EAEU in the near future, Valovaya concluded.

The Eurasian Economic Union is an international organization for regional economic integration. It has international legal personality and is established by the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, signed on May 29, 2014, which entered into force on January 1, 2015.

The EAEU provides for free movement of goods, services, capital and labor, pursues coordinated, harmonized and single policy in the sectors determined by the Treaty and international agreements within the Union.

The Member-States of the Eurasian Economic Union are the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has spent months fighting to keep certain information about its turf removal rebate program from being released, arguing in court that customers names and addresses should remain confidential.

If the utility ultimately prevails, one of the beneficiaries of its legal battle could be City Atty. Mike Feuer, who received a lawn removal rebate from the DWP in 2014.

Feuers legal team has been advising the five-member DWP board on its public records lawsuit, which was filed to prevent the names and addresses of thousands of rebate recipients in Los Angeles from being released to the San Diego-Union Tribune, a sister publication of the Los Angeles Times.

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But because he obtained a rebate, the city attorney has walled himself off from those deliberations, said Feuer spokesman Rob Wilcox.

Kelly Aviles, an attorney for the Union-Tribune, contends Feuer should have divulged his situation from the outset. Feuers status as a rebate recipient, Aviles said, raises questions about whether the entire city attorneys office also had a conflict  and should have turned to an outside firm to handle the case.

That was the only way to ensure that the advice that the city received about filing his lawsuit was not tainted by personal interests, she said.

Wilcox said Feuer bowed out of the DWP deliberations out of an abundance of caution in July 2015, when he learned that the utility was pursuing a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Water District, the agency that received the Union-Tribunes records request. The district distributed lawn removal funds to the DWP and various other water agencies.

In an email, Wilcox said there was no need to turn the DWP case over to an outside firm. Lawyers, including public lawyers, wall themselves off of litigation without disqualifying the law office, he said.

Feuer estimated his rebate was around $3,000, Wilcox said.

The DWP case is the latest instance of lawyers at City Hall moving to recuse themselves from political issues. Three years ago, Feuer removed himself from a lawsuit involving the citys collection of hotel taxes. He did so because he worked a decade ago for a law firm that represented Travelocity, a defendant in the case, Wilcox said.

That same year, the in-house lawyer for Mayor Eric Garcetti formally recused himself from his offices handling of ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft. The attorney, Rich Llewellyn, did so because his husband worked for a law firm that represents Lyft.

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The Political Reform Act requires that public officials, including city attorneys, publicly identify financial interests that result in a conflict. But experts say Feuers issue at the DWP does not meet the definition of a financial conflict, which would trigger such a notification requirement.

Attorneys with the Union-Tribune and its parent company, Tribune Publishing, contend theres a strong public interest in learning how government agencies across Southern California spent hundreds of millions of dollars on turf removal. Without the names, street addresses and amounts of each rebate, the public loses the ability to verify how that money was allocated, they say.

Lawyers for the DWP, in documents that prominently feature Feuers name, say the water district has a responsibility to withhold information that would compromise a customers privacy or personal safety. The utility has repeatedly cited the 1989 murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer, who was killed by an obsessed fan who obtained her home address from a private detective, who purchased it from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

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FOR THE RECORD

1:48 p.m.: An earlier version of this article said actress Rebecca Schaeffer was killed in 1988. It was 1989.

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L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant sided with the Union-Tribune last month, saying the public interest in disclosing the turf rebate information clearly outweighs the case for keeping it confidential. But the two sides continue to debate the particulars of how the information will be released. The parties will meet again Feb. 25 to discuss the proposed judgment.

Meanwhile, Feuers wife  L.A. County Superior Court Judge Gail Ruderman Feuer  has indicated through an intermediary that she and three other local judges may intervene in the DWP lawsuit to prevent the Union-Tribune from publishing their home addresses without a courts explicit approval.

Frederick Bennett, an attorney who represents the L.A. County Superior Court, warned last week that the safety of Feuer and other judges would be compromised if their addresses were published. Bennett wants the Union-Tribune to agree that it will not publish the addresses of the four judges unless it obtains permission to do so from a judge.

If the newspaper does not make that concession, the states Judicial Council  the governing body for Californias court system  will probably intervene in the DWP case on behalf of Feuer and other judges, Bennett said. Im just trying to minimize the risk that theyre going to expose somebody to a real risk of harm, he said.

Aviles said none of the Union-Tribunes rebate articles published so far, using information provided by the Metropolitan Water District from other parts of Southern California, have featured customer addresses. The Times has also refrained from using street addresses of rebate recipients.

Aviles said she is considering Bennetts request, but does not believe there is a legal basis for granting any exemptions. However, she added that it is difficult to decide whether to agree to withhold certain addresses when the number of officials asking for an exemption is unclear.

Gail Ruderman Feuer served as a high-level attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, a prominent environmental organization, before becoming a judge in 2005. In recent years, her husband has backed legislation to keep judges personal information confidential.

In 2012, Feuer  then serving in the state Assembly  drafted a bill to allow the home addresses of judges and law enforcement officers to be redacted from public property records. The measure stalled in the state Senate over concerns that its provisions could be abused.

The Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file police officers, backed that bill. In recent weeks, the league has begun issuing warnings about the release of the DWPs turf rebate information, saying it does not want officers home addresses published on the Internet.

david.zahniser@latimes.com | Twitter: @davidzahniser

taylor.goldenstein@latimes.com | Twitter: @taygoldenstein

Times staff writer Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report.

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Arrests in 1989 El Salvador priest massacre elicit shock, happiness  and a hope for justice
Rev. Fred Morris is familiar with violence in Latin America.

Morris, currently leading North Hills United Methodist Church, survived detention and torture at the hands of Brazils military dictatorship in 1974.

Thats one reason Morris said hes ready to defy Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and offer his place of worship as a refuge for Central Americans facing imminent deportation to a region with escalating violence.

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We are willing to fight this tooth and nail, said Morris, 82. If ICE wants to come get them, theyre going to have to break down the church door.

Morris congregation is one of at least three in the Los Angeles area vowing in recent weeks to offer refuge to Central Americans with deportation orders  joining what advocates say is a growing number of pastors, preachers and nuns across the country in reviving the sanctuary movement.

The campaign comes after federal immigration raids last month swept up more than 100 people from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras who entered the country and stayed illegally.

The seizures motivated church leaders nationwide who say they feel compelled to offer physical protection on their premises even if it violates federal law.

The sanctuary movement gained momentum in 2007 but languished amid hope that comprehensive immigration reform would happen that year. Now, with an overhaul dead in Congress and escalating gang violence in Central America sparking an exodus, leaders see the movement reemerging.

The recent immigration raids were simply the tipping point, said Alexia Salvatierra, a Lutheran pastor in Los Angeles who teaches and trains faith-rooted organizing across the country.

It was basta  enough, she said, summing up the general feeling toward the raids among some in the faith-based community in Southern California.

Lutherans, Methodists, Catholics and other Christian leaders across the country say they are outraged with the Obama administrations actions, said Noel Andersen, a grass-roots coordinator with the Church World Service group for refugees. The group has built a network of sanctuaries for Central Americans targeted by ICE.

The group says immigration officials are violating human rights by using raids as a scare tactic against the immigrant community, and by deporting thousands of Central American refugees back to the gang violence they were escaping in the first place.

A year ago, 35 congregations across the nation promised to offer refuge in their places of worship. The recent raids sparked such an outcry that now at least 50 are onboard and prepared to offer physical refuge from ICE, Andersen said. Currently there are no churches publicly sheltering immigrants.

Since the raids began, he said, he has heard every day from congregation leaders who want to sign up to give refuge to an immigrant family.

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Ive gotten at least a dozen requests just in the last three days, Andersen said about a week after the raids. The modern movement began in the 1980s when hundreds of congregations provided refuge to thousands of Salvadorans and Guatemalans fleeing civil wars.

Momentum has grown in recent weeks partly because those at risk of deportation are often mothers and children fleeing gang violence, said Rev. John Fife, a former pastor at Southside Presbyterian in Tucson. He co-founded the 1980s sanctuary movement, which gave refuge mostly to adults.

What would happen if a mother from Guatemala showed up at your church door with a little kid in her arms and said, Can you help me? he said, repeating a question hes recently posed to faith leaders across the nation.

Organizers are much stronger than in the 1980s, said Muzaffar Chishti, director of the nonpartisan New York-based Migration Policy Institute.

There is much more attention and much more organizing in the communities today. The kind of activism you see now just wasnt at this level in the 1980s, he said.

Though the offering of religious sanctuary dates back to ancient times, a church doesnt offer real legal protection from federal immigration officials.

Instead, there has been an unofficial policy by ICE to avoid entering public schools, hospitals and churches to apprehend people who are in the country illegally.

Some religious leaders said that they realize they might violate federal immigration laws, but that their faith compels them to follow Gods teachings first. They cite biblical passages such as Leviticus 19:34, which says, The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt.

Since 2014, there have been 13 documented cases of U.S. congregations providing sanctuary, Andersen said. In 11 of those, the immigrants being sheltered won a stay of removal from the country, or other legal relief. The others await a decision from ICE administrators.

Critics of the sanctuary movement said they dont expect the government to prosecute church leaders who take part, arguing that the Obama administration tends to cave in to immigrant rights advocacy groups.

The more ICE lets people get away with thumbing their nose at immigration enforcement, the more people are going to defy the law, said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank that advocates for restrictions on immigration.

The number of Central Americans crossing into the United States has surged in the last few years, largely because of escalating violence in places such as Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, according to human rights groups.

Each congregation has a different process for deciding whether to become a sanctuary church.

For instance, Unitarian churches must have a majority agreement from congregants to go forward, whereas other denominations need board approval. Some faith leaders just make the decision for their congregants.

Such was the case for Morris, who reopened the San Fernando Valley church two years ago and leads about 40 parishioners who are mostly Central American.

If we had an emergency, we could take a family tomorrow. Wed have no problem preparing a meal for a family here, Morris said.

Hundreds of other churches have signed up to provide logistical support to congregations offering physical sanctuary. Some congregations pay for the familys food. Others offer up legal counsel. A few provide spiritual guidance.

But one of the hardest, and perhaps the longest, processes is finding the right person or family for sanctuary.

In choosing this family we need to choose a family that is in it for the long haul, Morris said. I want a family that will stick with it as long as it takes  until ICE gives up.

cindy.carcamo@latimes.com

Twitter: @thecindycarcamo

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Felix Kury stumbled across an article online Friday night, and his memory shot back 26 years.

El Salvadors national police force, he read, had finally arrested four of the men linked to the 1989 execution of six Jesuit priests, a housekeeper and her teenage daughter on a university campus in San Salvador.

One of the priests, Ignacio Martin-Baro, had been Kurys friend.

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Messages poured in from fellow Salvadorans, and Kury, a professor in the Department of Latina/Latino Studies at San Francisco State University, began to process a flurry of emotions.

Happiness, of course, but also frustration that the captures had taken so long. And then a wave of cautiousness from years of watching his homelands often-corrupt power brokers somehow slip away from punishment.

This case will be the test, he said, about whether impunity will finally come to an end in El Salvador.

But for now, he said, his mind races mostly with memories of Nov. 16, 1989.

Kury, 65, recalls waking up to news that gunmen in military garb had raided Central American University. Theyd targeted clerics, it seemed, and Martin-Baro was among those gunned down. The attack occurred in the pre-dawn hours, and most of the priests died wearing pajamas and slippers.

A few days later, The Times reported that a surviving witness said she overhead Martin-Baro shout at the assailants before he died.

You are committing an injustice! he screamed. You are scum!

The killings shocked Kury, who grew up in the countrys eastern city of San Miguel but moved to the U.S. in the 1970s amid escalating fights between right-wing paramilitary groups and leftist guerrillas. The clash had spiraled into a civil war by 1980. Still, Kury said, the massacre felt especially brutal.

Were talking about men of peace, men who defended the poor and didnt carry weapons, Kury said. It was a message that if you think and question, we are going to destroy you.

Kury, along with some of his former students, founded Clinica Martin-Baro, a free clinic in San Franciscos Mission District.

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That was his way, he said, to honor the man he remembered as a brilliant psychologist. The type of guy who looked for and loved big questions such as, What is the madness going on in society?

Martin-Baro, like four of the other Jesuits killed in the massacre, was born in Spain. But the cleric, Kury said, had a fierce heart for El Salvador. During a trip to the Bay Area in 1988 for a conference on Central American refugees, several people tried to get Martin-Baro to extend his stay. He said he couldnt, Kury recalled, because he was eager to return to his parish in Jayaque, a rural area known for its coffee.

Most of all, Kury said he remembers the priest as selfless.

Soon after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit in 1989, Kury got a letter from El Salvador from Martin-Baro. He wanted to make sure Kury was OK. And what about everybody else?

When I think about how much he was confronting in those days, Kury said, sighing, and he still had the time to send notes to us in the Bay Area.

Martin-Baro was executed less than a month later.

The bloodbath became a symbol of El Salvadors brutal civil war and helped crumble U.S. support for the countrys right-wing government.

Isabel Cardenas, a longtime leader in Los Angeles Salvadoran community, said that a big wave of Salvadoran refugees fled north after the slayings. Thousands settled in Southern California, which is home to the largest population of Salvadorans outside of El Salvador.

We all lost people we loved, said Cardenas, whose family moved to the U.S. when she was 9 to get away from violence.

The ache of the 1989 slayings, she said, still feels fresh.

I dont want to remember, I dont want to remember.... she said, trailing off as she began to cry.

Cardenas, 77, found out about the arrests Saturday while watching Univision and said she felt so, so, so happy.

This is justice being made, she said. Its time they found these guys.... They caused so much pain.

Her friend Patricia Krommer, a Roman Catholic nun who has long worked with Salvadoran refugees in Los Angeles and has spent a lot of time in the Latin American country, said she was shocked by the recent captures.

She gasped as she heard the names of the arrestees  former soldiers Antonio Ramiro Avalos Vargas, Angel Perez Vasquez, Tomas Zarpate Castillo and Col. Guillermo Alfredo Benavides Moreno.

Benavides? she said. Oh boy. Bad man, bad man.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

Twitter: @marisagerber

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Responding to complaints that customers would be rushed back to their homes after a gas leak in Aliso Canyon is repaired, Southern California Gas Co. said Monday it will give customers at least a week to return from their temporary housing.

Families living in hotels and motels will have seven nights to move home--up from the 48-hour limit Southern California Gas originally imposed.

Residents living in leased houses will be allowed to finish the term of the rental agreement. Everyone who was relocated will be provided with $500 to cover moving expenses.

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The natural gas leak in a storage field above Porter Ranch has prompted the evacuation of at least 4,401 households in the northern part of the San Fernando Valley. The gas company said it might be able to stop the leak in the next two to three weeks.

The new deadlines for residents to return home were agreed to in discussions with the Los Angeles City Attorneys Office.

After finding their lives upended for months, Porter Ranch residents deserve a reasonable amount of time to move back into their homes -- following independent assurance the leak truly has been stopped, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said.

Parents whose children are being driven to schools outside of their Porter Ranch community can seek mileage reimbursement from the gas company through the end of the school year.

We recognize that the leak has disrupted the Porter Ranch community, said Gillian Wright, vice president of customer service for Southern California Gas. We are pleased to offer more flexibility to support a smoother transition back home.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich introduced a motion last week that asked utility officials to provide customers with as much as 30 days to relocate back into their neighborhood. Health officials could use that month to test for contaminants in the air, according to a spokesman for the supervisor.

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Cal State University faculty may go on a five-day strike in April if their union cannot reach a pay raise deal with system administrators, officials announced Monday.

Nearly 26,000 professors, lecturers and librarians represented by the California Faculty Assn. would stop teaching and doing academic work on April 13-15 as well as on April 18 and 19, officials said.

Cal State employees last went on strike in 2011 when employees at the East Bay and Dominguez Hills campuses held one-day strikes. Faculty on all 23 Cal State campuses would participate in the potential April strike, union officials said.

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There were about 460,000 Cal State students in 2014, according to records.

We wont hold classes, we wont check our email, said union President Jennifer Eagan, a professor at Cal State East Bay in Hayward. Were going to be on the picket lines.

The unions board of directors approved the strike dates Friday night. In October, 94% of the unions voting members authorized a strike if no salary deal could be reached.

Cal State officials said they remained committed to reaching a resolution but that campuses would remain open in the event of a strike and any work stoppage would not affect students ability to graduate or complete their courses.

The California Faculty Assn. and Cal State administrators have been deadlocked since June over salary increases for the 2015-16 academic year. The union has demanded a 5% pay hike while Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White has offered a 2% increase.

Union members say they are underpaid after going without a raise for five years before getting a 1.34% increase in 2013 and a 1.6% increase in 2014.

We have not been able to keep up with the cost of living, Eagan said.

More than half of Cal State faculty make less than $38,000 annually in gross earnings, according to the union, although Cal State administrators say those figures are inaccurate.

System administrators say they could not increase enrollment or address other priorities if they gave faculty a 5% increase.

Negotiations between the union and CSU administrators have been ongoing since 2014. An outside mediator is compiling a fact-finding report; the union cannot go on strike until 10 days after the document is issued.

Union officials said they expect the report to be published before the strike dates.

Eagan said faculty would not necessarily stop working if they did not get a 5% raise.

But there needs to be progress and they need to come off their 2% offer, she said.

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A murder suspect who has been on the lam since being mistakenly freed from jail in Los Angeles County was captured Monday in Boulder City, Nev., Sheriffs Department officials announced.

Steven Lawrence Wright was arrested at a hotel Monday morning before noon, the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said in a statement. He will be sent back to California pending an extradition hearing.

Sheriffs investigators developed information that Wright might have been hiding in a Boulder City hotel on Monday morning, the agency said. He was captured by agents from the FBI and local police.

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Wright was taken into custody without incident and no additional charges will be filed against him, the department said.

It was not immediately clear how long Wright was hiding in Nevada, according to Cmdr. Keith Swensson, a Sheriffs Department spokesman.

Police have not been able to determine a timeline of his movements since a series of paperwork errors allowed Wright to walk out of the downtown Inmate Reception Center on Jan. 30. The 37-year-old suspected gang member was awaiting trial in a 2011 Pasadena slaying. He was convicted of attempted murder last year, and was awaiting sentencing in that case.

Wright had been sentenced to five days in jail for contempt of court when he refused to testify last month in the murder trial of two defendants charged in a 1997 killing. Paperwork linked to Wrights release shows a court clerk listed the docket number for the contempt charge, rather than his murder case, next to details of his sentence.

The error was compounded as three other jail staff members failed to notice the error, and Wright was released from the downtown Inmate Reception Center on the assumption he had satisfied his sentence for the contempt charge.

The Sheriffs Department has launched a critical incident review focusing on Wrights mistaken release. A three-person panel will meet Wednesday to discuss the reviews preliminary recommendations, Swensson said.

The department will consider using a new automated system for court records and inmate processing. Currently, sheriffs deputies rely on records written by hand.

Two employees involved in Wrights release have been reassigned, Swensson. There was not enough information about the third employees involvement to justify action, he said.

The panel will also discuss creating a joint training group between court and Inmate Reception Center personnel to develop best training practices, Swensson said. Inmates files, which are color-coded to reflect the level of violent charges theyre facing, could also be audited and updated by a specialized records task force, Swensson said.

Wrights release came just hours after police in the Bay Area captured two men wanted in a daring escape from the Central Mens Jail in Santa Ana last month.

That jail break had prompted an eight-day manhunt and drew national attention after Hossein Nayeri, Jonathan Tieu and Bac Duong allegedly cut their way through several layers of metal, steel and rebar and rappelled down from the roof of the facility.

Duong surrendered to police in Santa Ana on Jan 29. Nayeri and Tieu were captured in San Francisco around 9 a.m. Jan. 30, a few hours before Wright slipped out of custody in Los Angeles County.

Wright was being held on suspicion of killing Donnell Taylor, 47, in 2011. At trial, his former girlfriend told the court that Wright was a high-ranking member of the Altadena Blocc set of the Crips street gang, and went by the street name Trey Mac.

He was convicted of the murder charge in 2014, but the conviction was overturned on appeal after a judge ruled prosecutors failed to provide evidence that could have challenged the credibility of Wrights ex-girlfriend as a witness.

The Inmate Reception Center, part of the downtown jail complex where Wright was held on the contempt charge, processes more than 100,000 releases annually, and only a small fraction of inmates have been allowed to leave by mistake, Swensson said.

In 2013, deputies accidentally released 24 inmates early, he said. In 2014 the number fell to 21, and last year that was cut to six, he added.

Johnny Mata, who was being held on suspicion of murder in a slaying in Baldwin Park, was among those released by accident in 2013. He managed to avoid law enforcement for nearly a year, before he was eventually captured in Mexico.

That was really the last one that was significant, Swensson said last week.

Still, Swensson said, the system for processing about 1,000 inmates a day from 42 courtrooms needs modernizing.

Though inmate records are eventually entered into a database, theres no electronic path for communications from the court, he said.

We believe there should be an automated system between the court and the jail that would prevent human errors, he said.

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT and @cindychangLA for crime and police news in Southern California.

Times staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report.

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Think your childs teacher is terrific? Or terrible? Just feel fortunate the kid has a teacher at all.

Its getting harder and harder to attract college students to teaching. Thats frustrating for public schools, because there are plenty of job vacancies and a growing shortage of qualified applicants.

The problem is a national one, but its especially troublesome in California.

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Districts are trying to hire because, for one, theres a drive to reduce class sizes. Then-Gov. Pete Wilson lowered them in the late 1990s. But Sacramento slashed funding during the recession, many teachers were handed pink slips and classrooms got overcrowded again.

California has had the nations highest student-teacher ratio for years.

In 2013, it was 24 to 1, compared with the national average of 16 to 1. During the recession, some high schools jacked up classes to 40, according to a recent report by the Stanford-based Learning Policy Institute.

To return to its average pre-recession class size of roughly 20, California would need to hire 60,000 new teachers  more than triple the number it signed up in 2014. To reach the national average, it would have to hire 135,000.

Last year, there were nearly 43,000 teacher vacancies advertised throughout California.

The worst part is that schools often are cutting corners by hiring teachers who are not fully credentialed, including some still in training and unprepared for the classroom. Substitute teachers also are being brought in full-time for maybe a month, then replaced by another sub. Standards are reduced. Courses are canceled.

And the hardest-hit, of course, are the schools least appealing to teachers  often in high-crime areas and typically with lots of children from low-income families, including kids struggling to learn English.

Whos to blame?

Not really the schools. Yes, you can justifiably complain about needed reforms. But schools take orders from politicians.

Its a public education system, after all. The public pays the bill. And the public is in charge if it cares to be  if it cares enough to exercise its power when electing politicians.

Californians collectively have not been making teaching a very attractive profession, not like it once was.

Some politicians in Sacramento are very concerned. Last week, they proposed legislation to try to make teaching more enticing.

My favorite bill is one by Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), a former middle school teacher. It would reinstate a student loan forgiveness program that was eliminated during the recession.

Pavleys proposal would require teachers to spend at least four years in a school with a large proportion of disadvantaged students, or in a rural school with lots of staff vacancies. The teacher also would be required to demonstrate financial need.

If it were me, Id forgive loans  an evil thrust upon students basically only in the last generation  for anyone going into teaching. But Pavleys bill, she has estimated, could cost $80 million annually. And good luck trying to coax tightwad Gov. Jerry Brown into approving that.

I think it would be a huge  absolutely huge  incentive, Pavley said. In my little neighborhood alone, I know of two families whose children, ages 25 to 35, have moved back home to pay off their student loans.

Lots of people going into teaching used to come from middle-class families. But these days the middle class is really getting hammered by student loan debt. Teacher salaries have never been great. You could make it on two incomes, but not one. Now youve got to pay off student loans, up to $1,000 per month.

A bill by Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) would create a teacher residency program. Novices seeking a credential could do classroom instruction under the tutelage of a veteran teacher. Thered be a state grant for teacher stipends.

If trained by an experienced mentor, said Allen, a former school board member, the novice would be far more likely to stay in the profession.

A bill by the Senate education committee chairwoman, Carol Liu (D-La Canada Flintridge), would reestablish a previously cut entity that served as a one-stop shop for potential teachers. It provided information about credentialing requirements and job opportunities and also had a recruiting unit.

People dont go into teaching to get rich, said Liu, a former high school teacher. Most go into it because they love to teach. And we want to encourage them.

Weve had a 75% decline in the last decade of people going into the field.

And why is that? Several reasons.

Many would-be teachers went through all the training and couldnt find a job during the recession. They saw young teachers getting laid off. Teaching no longer seemed like a very secure profession.

Teachers also tend to get blamed for all of societys ills, including parents who dont motivate their kids. Grading papers late at night isnt fun either.

And there are those student loans  maybe $30,000  with starting salaries of around $45,000 after five years of college. Thats sort of insulting. Yes, teachers get summers off, but without pay. And California retirees dont get Social Security.

Plus, heres a biggie: When she graduated from San Jose State in the 1960s, Liu recalled, there werent a lot of opportunities for women. You could either be a nurse, a secretary or a teacher. Not many were doctors and lawyers. These days women can be anything they want.

California needs to adjust to that 21st century reality.

george.skelton@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesSkelton

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A police officer took the stand Monday to give his account of the deadly shooting of an unarmed man in a darkened stairwell of a public housing complex.

Peter Liang choked up in his own defense and had to leave the witness stand for about a minute to compose himself.

Liang is charged with manslaughter in the 2014 death of Akai Gurley in the Louis Pink Houses in Brooklyn.

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The officer began by describing what are called vertical patrols in stairwells. He noted that public housing stairways can be sites of crime and danger.

The stairwell where Akai Gurley was fatally shot by rookie New York Police Officer Peter Liang. (John Minchillo / Associated Press)

Liang says he was startled by a noise as he opened the stairwell door in the Brooklyn complex, and his gun went off accidentally.

He said he went to look for the bullet and thats when he discovered Gurleys girlfriend leaning over him.

Liang recalled saying, Oh, my God, someones hit! Liang says he called for an ambulance but was also shocked and panicking.

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Investigators say Liang was holding his flashlight and his gun when he fired a single round in a pitch-black stairwell. The bullet ricocheted and hit Gurley a flight below.

The defense says the fatal shooting was an accident, not a crime, and has argued that the officer didnt know at first that the bullet had ricocheted off a wall before striking the 28-year-old Gurley.

But prosecutors say Liang handled his weapon recklessly, and they sought to use the testimony of his partner to show that the defendant, even after realizing hed shot an innocent man, did almost nothing to help him.

The Liang trial is being closely watched by advocates for police accountability, who see it as a counterpoint to decisions by grand juries declining to indict white police officers in other killings of unarmed black men, including those of Eric Garner on Staten Island and Michael Brown in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson.

Liang is Chinese American; Gurley was black.

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Some of the crowd arrayed at Donald Trump's last event before NH voters cast ballots. Manchester N.H. pic.twitter.com/zAum6X2L1n  Cathleen Decker (@cathleendecker) February 9, 2016

Anyone who thought Donald Trump would mix up his repertoire during his big rally the night before the New Hampshire primary hasnt been paying attention to what made him the Republican presidential front-runner here.

Although initially delayed by a snowstorm pelting the state, Trump arrived at Manchesters Verizon Wireless arena to fill what he called the last lovefest with New Hampshire voters with the notes he strikes at every event.

He promised to build a wall on the Mexican border. Who the hell is going to pay for that wall? he asked, and was drowned out by Mexico!

He said the victims of the Parisian terrorist attack would have been saved had France not strictly limited guns.

He accused American negotiators of being political hacks when drawing up trade deals he said were injurious to the country.

He said he would save Social Security, the 2nd Amendment, the ability to say Merry Christmas and healthcare, though he offered no details as to how.

Were going to have so many different options, he said after vowing to repeal and replace Obamacare. Its going to be so much better.

The crowds at Trump rallies are not there for the specifics. Many come because theyre upset by the state of the economy and problems they believe have worsened during President Obamas tenure.

He reminded the audience that South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a fellow Republican, had used her televised response to Obamas State of the Union address to criticize Trumps demeanor in the presidential race and to suggest that less anger and more problem-solving would be preferable.

Were not angry people. We dont want to be angry, Trump said, then immediately reversed himself. Were angry. Were angry at incompetence.

Apparently intending to go out on a positive note, Trump minimized the insults he often heaves at opponents, particularly former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

He mildly criticized Bush, reminding the audience of his support for the Common Core educational standards and his remark in 2014 that many immigrants who come to the U.S. illegally do so as an act of love for their families.

He raised Florida Sen. Marco Rubios repetition of an anti-Obama line during Saturdays debate. And he repeated an audience members vulgar assessment of Texas Sen. Ted Cruzs opposition to waterboarding, which the U.S. defines as torture. (Trump said Sunday that he would condone the use of waterboarding and worse than that.)

Trumps main mission Monday night was to remind the thousands gathered in the arena to vote, in order to avoid the same gap between pre-election polling and actual results that marred his Iowa showing last week.

He didnt fixate publicly on his poll numbers, as is his habit, although he did remind the audience of thousands that he had drawn huge crowds during his campaign in South Carolina, Alabama and Texas.

Tomorrow is going to be the beginning, he declared. I hear we have a lead; it doesnt matter to me. I dont even know what the hell the lead is ... you have to go out, you have to vote. 

We have to have a great victory. We have to make America great again; we have to make America greater, greater, greater than its ever been before.

Trump plans to spend Tuesday in New Hampshire, and is scheduled to appear Wednesday in South Carolina, where Republicans will next vote, on Feb. 20.
At a town hall-style meeting in New Hampshire in 2007, an American woman of Moroccan descent placed a decorative scarf over her head and confronted Tom Tancredo, a Republican presidential candidate who ran on an anti-immigration platform. I speak the same language as the people that flew into the towers. I speak the same language as all the Iraqis we are killing, said the woman, Siham Elhamoumi, who was a recent graduate of Saint Michaels College in Vermont, where I teach. Am I the enemy?

Tancredo shot back with a question of his own: Do you believe that we should replace the Constitution with sharia law?

Do not belittle peoples opinions and peoples beliefs and peoples religions. Do not put one religion above the other, said Elhamoumi, in an exchange that was reported in the Concord, N.H., Monitor.

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For 12 years, Ive been taking groups of journalism and political science students from St. Michaels to witness one of the greatest spectacles of our democracy: the New Hampshire primary, which brings candidates to that small states small towns so voters can take their measure in person, metaphorically kicking the tires of the men and women who would be president.

New Hampshire, which holds the first primary eight days after Iowa holds the first caucus, has long been the subject of criticism: Its not representative of America, its too white, its too northeastern, its too rural and its too small. Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes. But its small size matters: In 2012, a poll found that nearly a third of all Republican voters in the state had met at least one candidate and many had met two or more.

And even the New Hampshire voters who manage to avoid the candidates cant avoid their family and their neighbors. They are surrounded by people who have personally assessed the men and women who would be president.

The beauty of the New Hampshire primary is the way it takes a big campaign and makes it small. Candidates have to show themselves again and again in intimate settings, where voters can put them to the test: asking questions, pushing back and influencing platforms.

The beauty of the New Hampshire primary is the way it takes a big campaign and makes it small.

In 2003, after President George W. Bush pledged $15 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, activists fanned out across New Hampshire and asked the leading Democratic candidates if theyd be willing to double Bushs pledge. Soon enough  amazingly  each of the Democratic candidates had made the pledge.

Over the years, my students and I have seen most of the major candidates, and their in-person performances have revealed much. In 2004, we saw Howard Dean deliver a sedate speech in Portsmouth, in deep contrast to the Dean scream that sent him packing. We saw Joe Lieberman walk out to a stairwell in Manchester and declare, in the sleepiest of voices, that he was feeling a lot of Joementum; he was out of the race a few weeks later. And we saw John Edwards, the slickest candidate Ive ever witnessed, hold forth in a high school gym and make a crowd swoon with a speech that was heavy on style and light on substance.

In 2007, we saw John McCain hold forth like a Borscht Belt comedian in New London; his biting wit, playfulness and charm correctly suggested that he would dominate his Republican rivals.

As wowed as my students were by John Huntsman at a town hall meeting in Northfield in 2011, they were frustrated by Romney on the same day in Hopkinton. Three of them asked Romney about same-sex marriage and he grew increasingly testy. Some of my less-informed students were shocked that he was so adamantly for one man, one woman unions. But it wasnt only the policy that irked them; it was how poorly he connected with the young people in the room. Many found him dismissive and condescending, presaging, perhaps, some of the problems he had connecting with voters in the general election.

What makes New Hampshires up-close primary particularly worthwhile is that democracy in small doses is hard to stage-manage, despite the campaigns best efforts. To sit in a town-hall meeting with candidates, citizens, protesters and the media is to see the best-laid plans go awry.

After Tancredo sparred with Elhamoumi, more of my students started pushing back at the candidates xenophobic message. Tancredo seemed surprised at the resistance: the speech was being held at Magdalen College, a Catholic school noted then for its tiny size and ultra-conservative student body. I watched Tancredo scan the room, looking, I thought, for someone amenable to his message. He called on a young man who was, I found out later, enrolled at Magdalen. It didnt help.

Jesus said we should be a good host, said the student, quoting Scripture. How could Tancredo reconcile his anti-immigrant stance with Jesus teachings? Tancredo ended question time quickly and exited the room. Its safe to say that everyone there learned something that day  about the candidate, his message and their fellow voters.

New Hampshire doesnt always choose the best or most successful nominees, but it does take its role as the small state with the first big primary seriously. And we are all better off because of it.

David Mindich, a former CNN assignment editor, is a professor of media studies, journalism and digital arts at Saint Michaels College in Vermont. For the 2015-16 academic year, he is a visiting scholar at New York University.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. On February 8, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Edward Nalbandian met with the heads of diplomatic missions of EU member states to Armenia in the format of a working lunch, initiated by Head of EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski.

As Armenpress was informed from the Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of MFA Armenia, there was a reference to Armenia-European Union relations during the meeting, as well as to the results of the session of Armenia-EU Cooperation Council held last month in Brussels and the ongoing negotiations over the framework agreement.
More than most of my colleagues on The Times editorial board, I sympathize with the Republicans in Congress who complain about President Obamas expansive use of executive power. I dont always agree, but I see why they complain when the administration ignores a statutory deadline (as it has done with the employer mandate in Obamacare) or creates new legal obligations out of thin air (as it did in granting waivers to the No Child Left Behind mandates).

So it was inevitable, perhaps, that House Republicans would apply their zeal for creating super-special investigatory oversight panels to this particular issue. And so the House Judiciary Committee did, announcing last week that it has formed a Task Force on Executive Overreach. The task force has until Aug. 3 to wrap up its work, delving into a list of complaints about Executive Branch power and what Congress can do about them.

Meanwhile, the House and Senate Budget Committees were heading down a different path that made it abundantly clear (as if it werent already) why Obama has done so much by executive fiat. Their chairmen announced that they wont bother to hold the customary hearing on the presidents annual budget proposal  a proposal that Congress has required presidents to submit since 1921  before coming up with its own, nonbinding budget resolution for fiscal 2017.

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The message to the administration, in short: We dont want to work with you. But were still going to cry foul if you dont work with us.

The message to the administration, in short: We dont want to work with you. But were still going to cry foul if you dont work with us.

In case it wasnt clear enough, heres what House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) said about the decision not to hold a hearing:

Nothing in the presidents prior budgets  none of which have ever balanced  has shown that the Obama Administration has any real interest in actually solving our fiscal challenges or saving critical programs like Medicare and Social Security from insolvency. Rather than spend time on a proposal that, if anything like this Administrations previous budgets, will double down on the same failed policies that have led to the worst economic recovery in modern times, Congress should continue our work on building a budget that balances and that will foster a healthy economy.

Short version: Obama doesnt share our priorities (no, really?), so were not going to give the administration the chance to talk about his.

Obamas budget proposal comes out Tuesday, so Price and his Senate Budget Committee counterpart, Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), dont know the specifics yet. The White House has put out a preview of its highlights, though, and not surprisingly, all could be characterized as New Ways to Spend Tax Dollars, as opposed to Price and Enzis preferred category, Programs Ripe for Termination.

In one sense, the budget committee chairmen are just being brutally frank about the process. Even when the same party has controlled the White House and Congress, lawmakers havent paid a whale of a lot of attention to the slew of initiatives presidents have stuffed into their budgets.

But lets break down Prices statement a bit, starting with his complaint about Obama not trying to balance the budget.

Its just his second year as the House Budget Committee chieftan, but neither he nor any of his predecessors since the late 1990s has proposed a budget thats free of red ink. And if you exclude the Social Security Trust Fund, Congress has been running deficits since the Eisenhower administration. While Price proposed a budget last year that laid out a path to balance, he didnt take the steps he could have taken to push Congress down that road  for example, by calling for a budget reconciliation bill that would have limited spending on such popular but costly programs as Medicare.

Instead, the only reconciliation bill the latest Congress has considered was a purely political gesture that would have repealed major tenets of Obamacare and blocked federal funding for Planned Parenthood. That required no display of political courage on the GOPs part, unlike a bill to turn Medicare into a voucher program  an idea thats integral to the House GOPs previous multiyear plans to balance the budget. Oh, and by the way, Prices budget last year would have made it harder to save the Social Security Disability Income trust fund from insolvency.

Thats not to say Obamas budget proposals have been more fiscally responsible. The president has failed year after year to lay out a path to budgetary sustainability or a solution to the long-term problems posed by Medicare and other federal health programs. Thats largely because, unlike Republicans, he hasnt seen federal spending or the deficit as an impediment to growth. On the contrary, hes tried repeatedly to increase spending in the name of getting the economy to grow faster, which in turn would help bring down the federal deficit and rein in the burgeoning national debt.

Thats an entirely mainstream view of the economy, albeit one held mainly by Democrats. But thanks to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, Republicans dont have to compromise with Democrats in order to pass the annual budget resolution. The law gives the minority no procedural leverage  no filibuster, no possibility of a veto (because its a resolution that doesnt require the presidents signature to go into effect).

Adding extra kabuki flavor to this particular bit of political theater, Congress doesnt even need a budget resolution this year. A deal struck last year between congressional leaders and the White House  outgoing Speaker John A. Boehners parting gift to his colleagues  sets the spending levels for fiscal 2017, as well as deciding how the pot will be divided between defense and non-defense programs.

Price and Enzi will no doubt produce budget resolutions anyway, as required by the 1974 act. The only real question is whether they will stick with the agreed-upon spending levels or reneg on the deal by proposing to spend less, most likely on the domestic programs favored by Democrats.

Doing so would inevitably lead to a fight with a White House later in the year over the annual spending bills, with the GOP majority trying to stick with their lower spending levels and President Obama insisting that last years deal is still a deal. Theyve had a fight like that twice now  in 2013 and last year  and Obama has won both times.

But hey, congressional Republicans have tried dozens of times to repeal Obamacare to no avail, so theyre nothing if not persistent.

Email Jon Healey

Follow Healeys intermittent Twitter feed: @jcahealey
After the earsplitting reggae faded, after the candidate tossed his unfashionable sport coat into the crowd like a rock star and after the Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! chants quieted, Bernie Sanders launched into a familiar speech that is so adored by fans that much of the audience could recite it  and at times they did.

Do you know who the largest welfare recipient in America is? Sanders asked, his voice hoarse from day after day of shouting about political revolution. The crowd in a college gymnasium screamed in response, Wal-Mart! And so it went. Sanders rode his momentum back into New Hampshire on Sunday after a quick hop to New York to appear on Saturday Night Live, where he managed to make a plug for democratic socialism in a skit.

The insurgent showed no sign of yielding an inch of the ground he has gained in New Hampshire as Hillary Clintons campaign struggled to close a gap that several polls put at double digits. Even as Bill Clinton, dressed like a local in a red-checked lumberjack shirt and dungarees, sought to charm voters at town halls and Hillary Clinton worked the customers at a Dunkin Donuts in Manchester, the Clinton campaign was already looking beyond this state.

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With voting here just two days away, Hillary Clintons main event was not in the Granite State at all. It was in Flint, Mich.

What happened in Flint is immoral, she said at the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, where she expressed outrage over the lead-tainted water that has gripped the city in crisis and become a national symbol of racial injustice. The children of Flint are just as precious as the children of any part of America.

The crisis, to which Clinton has been calling attention for weeks, has become a rallying point for her campaign. Clintons role in demanding accountability from Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder may help her shore up already strong support among the African American Democrats whose votes are crucial to winning key states, including South Carolina this month and Michigan next month. On Sunday, the Democratic National Committee announced it will hold a presidential debate in the city on March 6.

Clinton came when no one else would come, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said.

Clinton said the timing of her trip should not be taken to mean she sees New Hampshire as a lost cause.

Occasionally you go off the campaign trail, Clinton said at the Dunkin Donuts, where she took selfies with customers. I know Sen. Sanders went to New York to be on SNL, and Im going to Flint to see if we can help with the kids. Thats part of it. But my commitment to this primary and to this state is absolutely rock solid.

The comment was another jab at Sanders in a weekend that was full of them from Clinton and her surrogates. They questioned Sanders campaign tactics, his foreign policy experience, his socialist agenda.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, in New Hampshire to lend support to her friend Clinton, had a jolting message Saturday for female Sanders voters: There is a special place in hell for women who dont help each other.

Bill Clinton was also full of warnings. Sometimes the facts are staring you in the face, he told a group of voters in Milford. For three years, the Republicans have been begging you not to nominate her. The people of new Hampshire have to decide how much weight to give their advice.

At an earlier event, in Keene, Clinton said he understands the frustration that has propelled Sanders into the lead in the state. But he sought to convince his listeners that a vote for his wife was the most effective way to harness that emotion.

We need anger and answers, Clinton said. We can start with resentment. But in the end, results are all that matters.... We can get it all back and more. But you need a change maker.

Back in the packed, noisy gymnasium in Portsmouth, Paul McEachern, 78, was surveying the energetic Sanders crowd. McEachern was the Democratic nominee for governor in New Hampshire twice in the 1980s, and only a few months ago he was featured in the pages of the Portsmouth Herald newspaper accepting a social justice award from Bill Clinton.

His loyalty has shifted.

When the campaign started out, I was figuring I would support Hillary, he said. When the Goldman money came out, I could not, McEachern said, referring to the speaking fees the Clintons have accepted from financial giant Goldman Sachs.

He was struck by how many unfamiliar faces there were in the crowd of 1,200 at a community college in the outskirts of town.

Sanders has a very universal appeal for people, the same way that Trump has an appeal on the other side, McEachern said. I just hope these people vote.

Not all of them were set on voting for Sanders. New Hampshire voters are known to take their time making up their minds. And several at the Sanders rally were still pondering how they might cast ballots.

Im not sure yet, said Houston Green, a 27-year-old independent from Londonderry who over the last week has visited separate town halls hosted by Clinton, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. I came here to see if they can bring it out in me. The Bernie sensation, you know?

It was in New Hampshire that Bill Clinton earned himself the label comeback kid after he rose from nowhere in the polls to a second-place finish. Clinton reflected fondly on that election in 1992, when his support surged a dozen percentage points in a matter of days. He declared his wifes current race is 1992 on steroids.

Manchester resident Roger Francoeur, who has voted for the Clintons in every election in which one of them has run, isnt so sure. Francoeur said he had hoped hearing Bill Clinton would help him make up his mind, but this year is a tough decision.

Its her big-money donors to her campaign, he said. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and say Im not voting for the person I like. But is this the time? I dont know.

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Standing in his kitchen as two golden retrievers vied for his attention, Brian Cressy ticked off the reasons hes not supporting any of the three Republican governors who have staked their presidential hopes on New Hampshire.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich? A Lehman Brothers banker. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush? Looks like a prep school kid whos been picked on. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie? Dont trust him.

None of them would satisfy the 60-year-old addiction counselor, who has settled on voting for Donald Trump in Tuesdays primary. And he doesnt know anyone else in town who supports the governors  not his neighbors, not the woman who works in the library and not the owner of the general store down the street.

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Highly secular, mostly moderate New Hampshire has often been the state where mainstream Republican candidates rebound after losing the Iowa caucuses to more religious or conservative politicians.

This year, however, none of the three current and former governors who fit that description have been able to establish themselves as a favorite.

Part of the problem is simple math  several candidates appealing to the same sorts of voters.

There are too many people trying to be John McCain. There are too many people trying to be Mitt Romney, said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire. That lane has been jammed up.

But a deeper problem comes through in interviews with voters in this small bedroom community of about 2,400 people and in several other towns that, like this one, have sided with every Republican winner of the New Hampshire primary since 1952.

Over and over, these Republican voters expressed the belief that the country was on a disastrous trajectory of expanding government authority, Washington dysfunction and weakening U.S. influence.

None of the governors would provide a radical enough change, they said.

The country is heading toward a cliff, said Dean Gay, 53, of Rochester, another of the towns that has always been on the winning side. Do you want to drive off the cliff at 80 mph or 40 mph? he asked while walking into the local supermarket with his wife. At some point it doesnt make a difference.

Some voters said they saw little difference between Republicans and Democrats, and feel the country needs an outsider.

We need somebody to shake things up. What we have isnt getting us anywhere, said Steve Gosselin, 29, who also lives in Rochester and is leaning toward Trump.

Trump, who has dominated the polls in New Hampshire, has done a better job giving voice to the anger the average voter feels that nothing seems to work well in this country, nothing seems to get done, and nothing is working in foreign policy, said Republican National Committee member Stephen Duprey, who lives in Concord and hasnt endorsed a candidate this year.

Duprey has participated in every New Hampshire primary since 1972, and said he had never seen an electorate as unsettled and frustrated. Voters seem uninterested in candidates who favor the practical and the specific, who can unspool a detailed plan for cutting spending or spurring job growth.

Theyre tired of listening to long, reasonable answers, Duprey said. They want somebody to give them something simple.

Kasich, Bush and Christie have trailed in the polls this year, sometimes behind Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and as the New Hampshire primary approaches, all three continue to struggle to break out of the pack.

I looked at all of them very seriously, said Dave Perez, 63, of Pembroke. He supports Rubio, offering up one of the Florida senators slogans as his prime reason: At the end of the day, I just think Marco Rubio is the man who can win a general election.

But voters here are notorious for remaining undecided until the last possible minute, and the governors have not given up trying to convince them that they can create change inside a federal government that the Republican electorate views with mistrust or hostility.

Christie has tried to undercut Trumps support by urging voters to ask the New York billionaire how he will accomplish his goals. Trump rarely gets more specific than saying the country will win again.

Bush has confronted Trump more squarely than any other Republican, if only by virtue of being the businessmans favorite punching bag, and called him unhinged for proposing a ban on Muslim immigrants. Voters, however, have resisted sending a third member of the Bush family to the White House in a year when theyre looking for something different in Washington.

Im so afraid the Bushes will get in, said Donald Dube, 54, as he took a break from using a snowblower on his driveway in East Kingston. He already cast an absentee ballot for Rubio after coming this close to backing Trump.

Kasich has tried to strike an upbeat note, a contrast to Rubio and Cruz, who can sound apocalyptic when describing the country under President Obama.

I dont agree with people who say the sun is going down on America, Kasich said in Nashua on Sunday.

Thats a message that appeals to voters like Mark Hoffman, 55, who has cast ballots for Democrats in the past. He was shoveling snow outside his building in Newmarket, where the old mill across the street has been converted into apartments, a bike store and a yoga studio.

Hoffman said he was considering Kasich because he wanted someone to scrutinize the countrys spending and you cant have anyone too far right or too far left.

The country has gone in a pretty good direction.

But its not an opinion shared by Cressy in East Kingston. He grew up in small-town New Hampshire  his father was educated in a one-room schoolhouse that was expanded to three rooms by the time Cressy started there  and later served in Vietnam with the Coast Guard.

The services crest and motto of semper paratus  always ready  is tattooed on his right arm, and his left arm sports a dragon, the symbol of his motorcycle club. Hes wary of war, he said, but wants the country to regain the strength he feels it has lost.

Were being laughed at now. I dont believe the United States is considered a world power anymore, he said. I want that back.

When he first started thinking about Trump, he thought he was kind of a clown. But he was won over by the blunt-talking businessman who flies on his own plane and claims his wealth means he wont be beholden to anyone.

Hes saying things we want to hear, Cressy said.

chris.megerian@latimes.com

mark.barabak@latimes.com

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The sight was heartbreaking: a thin, mangy bobcat trembling against a brick wall separating the Thousand Oaks neighborhood of Dos Vientos from open space that is habitat for wildlife and popular among hikers.

The wildcat was too sick to move, even as passersby stepped closer one recent morning to snap photographs.

It just stared at us, Stephanie Marlin, 53, recalled, with eyes that seemed to say, Look what you guys did to me.

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A few hours later, Marlin posted snapshots of the animal on Facebook. By days end, they were being used in an emotional fight across social media channels over the unintended collateral damage of the Dos Vientos Ranch Community Assn.'s annual $40,000 war on rats.

Images of dead and dying bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes and owls posted on Dos Vientos community message boards and chat threads have aroused outrage among residents in and around the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. They believe rodenticides are working their way up the food chain.

The whole food chain is getting slammed, said Bret Woolley, 51, a Dos Vientos resident and government contractor for the Navy. Just last weekend, photos were posted of two bobcats and an owl suffering terribly. Others commented on seeing coyotes on the side of the road dying.

Kathy OConnor, spokeswoman for the association in southern Ventura County, was unavailable for comment. But in a response to critics posted online last Monday, she said the association was not responsible because its pest control service switched to a nontoxic method of eliminating rats in December.

That method tracks rodent movement by baiting boxes with a special additive that makes their droppings glow bright neon green under black light. If rodents are determined to be abundant in a given area, pest control technicians dispatch them with snap-traps.

Just recently, however, opponents of the pest control campaign discovered six boxes baited with anticoagulant rodenticide spaced roughly 100 feet apart along the backyard fencing of Dos Vientos homes.

Anticoagulants had been used until 2014, when California banned the sale to the public of so-called second-generation rat poison, which is more toxic than earlier versions and remains in a target species body at such high levels that other animals feeding on rat carcasses often also die.

But the law allows farms and licensed exterminators to continue using any of several varieties of second-generation anticoagulants, which induce death by internal bleeding.

In an interview, Chuck Cooley, president of Ventura Pest Control Co., which has contracted with Dos Vientos for 10 years, acknowledged that the toxic bait boxes may have been mistakenly left behind after his company switched to snap traps.

My technicians spent many hours walking around out there to make sure that we removed every bait station with rodenticide in it, he said. Is it possible we missed a few? Possibly.

Lisa Gunn found some of the baited boxes in question.

None of these boxes are marked with a skull and crossbones, or any other image warning they contain powerful poison, she said. They do say tamper proof, however, which is a joke. I easily pried one of them open with a screwdriver.

Inside that box were six packets of a second-generation rodent killer that, according to its manufacturer, rats find very palatable, and lethal after a single feeding.

The consequences for wild animals are captured in photos posted online for all the world to see, she said. She said the message to the homeowners association is: No more excuses. No more discussion. Just get rid of these things.

National Park Service scientists for years have documented widespread exposure in carnivores to common household poisons in and around the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. During two decades of research in the region on carcasses and live animals, 88% of 140 bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions evaluated tested positive for one or more anticoagulant compounds.

In 2014, three bobcats were found dead at UC Santa Cruz, and Griffith Parks well-known mountain lion, P-22, suffered from mange symptoms that biologists believe were due to exposure to first-generation anticoagulant rodenticide. Toxicological tests of liver samples taken from the carcass of a western gray squirrel discovered at Griffith Park a year ago found evidence of exposure to rodenticide.

Thousands of predators and birds of prey across the state are known to have died from internal bleeding from exposure to anticoagulants, shredding the social structures of these highly organized and intelligent creatures.

Among them was P-34, a once-photogenic mountain lion whose carcass was found by a runner in nearby Point Mugu State Park on Sept. 30. A necropsy at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Lab in San Bernardino determined it died of exposure to rat poisons.

The insanity of it all is that in trying to wipe out rats they are killing the very animals that keep rat populations under control, said Julie Schowitz, 53, who lives in nearby Newbury Park.

For Stephanie Marlin, there are personal emotional implications.

Ill never forget the look in that bobcats eyes, she said. It made me feel utterly helpless.

louis.sahagun@latimes.com

Twitter: @LouisSahagun

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As mosquitoes buzzed about on her veranda one recent evening, Maureen Coetzee didnt reach for bug spray or a swatter. She dashed inside, grabbed a device resembling a drinking straw and sucked four mosquitoes into a specimen jar.

She quickly identified them as Aedes aegypti, the villain in the Zika crisis a continent away.

The next day, in her laboratory at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Coetzee peered at her new captives as they squatted in their containers.

To her delight, one had laid eggs, meaning she could breed them.

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Coetzee has devoted her life to understanding mosquitoes  in order to kill them.

No other animal has done so much harm to the human race. Each year, they infect millions of people with malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and other viruses and parasites, killing at least 600,000, the vast majority of them children in Africa. The World Bank estimates that they cost afflicted African countries 1.3% of gross domestic product each year.

Which raises the question: Why not try to wipe mosquitoes off the planet?

Coetzee and other scientists said that would be extreme, given that only about 150 of the 3,500 species of mosquitoes are carriers of deadly pathogens. It would also be wildly impractical to try infiltrating every mosquito breeding ground.

But more thorough control may be possible through a combination of methods. After decades of fighting mosquitoes  and mostly losing  technology is bringing new biological weapons to the battle.

Coetzee, an entomologist at the University of Witwatersrand and international expert on mosquito control, is conducting research on an anti-malaria strategy that involves breeding male mosquitoes, sterilizing them with radiation and releasing them into the wild.

The concept was pioneered in the 1950s when U.S. scientists used it to eradicate the screwworm fly. Applied to mosquitoes, it relies on two basic facts: They mate only once, and only females bite.

The strategy depends on releasing enough mosquitoes to crowd wild males out of the mating game, letting the current generation die out without reproducing. The life span of a mosquito is two to four weeks. Coetzee said that effective control would require releasing millions monthly during malaria season across vast areas.

One advantage of the strategy over other methods is that it allows targeting of individual species of mosquitoes. It makes sense to target only those mosquitoes that are involved in transmission of disease, Coetzee explained.

Though she and other scientists have no qualms about trying to eliminate those species, even that goal is highly unlikely, she said.

The four species that transmit malaria in Africa breed in rain pools. If you think about the whole of Africa, you are never going to get to every rain pool, she said. Inevitably you will have pockets of mosquitoes.

Theres no silver bullet, she said.

In the long history of the worlds battle against mosquitoes, a central lesson has emerged: Never back off. The moment that authorities scale back control measures or lose track of mosquito population trends, the insects bounce back with a vengeance, and outbreaks of deadly disease inevitably follow.

Progress on every front and at every level is fragile, a South African Medical Journal reported in a 2013 article on malaria. Malaria is a disease that can take full advantage of any lapse in investment, vigilance and control.

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In the 1950s, the World Health Organization launched a malaria eradication campaign that used the insecticide DDT to kill mosquitoes in the United States, Europe, Asia and South America. Malaria seemed to disappear. In South Africa, which conducted its own campaign, government medical research authorities ordered the countrys foremost mosquito expert, Botha De Meillon, to abandon his study of mosquitoes because the malaria problem had been solved.

Malaria, of course, came roaring back.

In 1962, biologist Rachel Carsons book Silent Spring argued that DDT was damaging the environment, especially bird populations, sparking a political movement that led the U.S. to ban the insecticide a decade later. Other countries followed suit, eliminating a powerful if controversial tool for mosquito control.

In 2004, an international agreement, the Stockholm Convention, banned DDT except in certain cases for control of malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Though other insecticides are widely used, they too have their limits.

Mosquito populations have grown increasingly resistant, a global problem that Coetzee places on par with the rise of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

Another problem with insecticides is that mosquito breeding sites are easy to miss, said Laith Yakob, a vector control expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. For example, Aedes aegypti, which carries the Zika virus, is especially hard to reach because it often breeds in houses and can reproduce in thimble-sized pools of water.

Any of them can be viable breeding sites, and imagining that citywide, it would be impossible to eliminate all breeding sites, he said. And even if you did, the next time it rained, they would be back.

Thats where newer technologies can help.

One of the newest is a variation of the sterilized male strategy. It involves genetically modifying male mosquitoes so their offspring are programmed to die before they mature and are able to reproduce.

Some scientists believe genetic modification is better than sterilization, because dousing mosquitoes with radiation could leave them less vibrant and hurt their ability to compete with their wild counterparts when it comes to mating.

In the months before the Zika outbreak in the Americas, a British company announced that it had conducted a successful trial in the Brazilian city of Piracicaba, cutting the number of mosquito larvae by 82%.

The company, Oxitec, which bills itself as the worlds only genetically modified insect firm, announced last month that it planned to build a facility in Brazil soon to produce genetically modified Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in batches large enough to protect a town of 300,000.

The mosquitoes are puffed out the window of an SUV in bursts of 1,000, and can be directed at hot spots or blanket an entire town. A male will always find a female, Oxitec Chief Executive Hadyn Parry said. A male will find its way into a house.

Like the sterile insect method, the approach is best used in conjunction with other methods, such as insecticides.

For us its a numbers game, Parry said. We need to outnumber the wild males, so the lower the population you have to start with, the quicker and easier it is to get rid of it.

But the company faces strong opposition from groups like the Britain-based group Gene Watch, which argues genetically modified mosquitoes have no proven benefits and that killing one species may result in another more invasive species filling the vacuum.

Back in Coetzees laboratory, thousands of mosquito eggs sat in a tub of water. They were already hatching into the larvae of a species that carries malaria. Gauze-topped vessels lined the walls, some splattered with guinea pig blood that females were fed and had excreted. The males feed on sugar water.

Theyre intriguing little organisms, said Coetzee, who has been studying mosquitoes for more than 40 years.

Three and a half thousand species is a lot of variation and some of them are very beautiful, she said.

To illustrate her point, she took a mosquito she had caught and pinned to a board decades ago and placed it under a microscope: Toxorhynchites brevipalpis, better known as the elephant mosquito. It has a wingspan of almost an inch and a striking blue thorax flecked with gold and fuzzy antennae.

It lives off nectar and doesnt bite humans.

NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >>

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At least four people, including an 8-year-old girl, were rescued Monday from a high-rise Taiwanese apartment building toppled by a powerful quake two days earlier, as frustration grew among families waiting for searchers to reach their buried loved ones.

More than 100 people are believed to still be under the debris in a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year.

Saturdays quake killed at least 38 people in Tainan city in southern Taiwan, all but two of them in the collapse of the 17-story building. Even though the magnitude 6.4 quake was shallow, few buildings were reported to have been damaged, which experts said was because Taiwans building standards are high.

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Authorities have managed to rescue more than 170 people  the vast majority in the immediate hours after the quake  from the folded building using information about the building layout and the possible location of those trapped.

Five survivors were believed to have been pulled out on Sunday, and at least four on Monday. One of them, Tsao Wei-ling, called out, Here I am, as rescuers dug through to find her, Taiwans Eastern Broadcasting Corp. reported.

1 / 11 A firefighter rests near a collapsed building in the southern Taiwan city of Tainan. (Anthony Wallace / AFP/Getty Images) 2 / 11 A rescue worker brings a victim down from the collapsed Wei Kuan complex in Tainan, southern Taiwan. (Sam Yeh / AFP/Getty Images) 3 / 11 People rest near the site of a building collapse in the southern city of Tainan, Taiwan, early Feb. 7 after a 6.4 earthquake. (Anthony Wallace / AFP/Getty Images) 4 / 11 A rescue worker crawls out of a collapsed building in Tainan. (Anthony Wallace / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 11 A woman prays outside a room set up for families and friends of the missing at the site of a collapsed building in Tainan. (Anthony Wallace / AFP/Getty Images) 6 / 11 A woman is rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building after the Taiwan earthquake. (Wally Santana / Associated Press) 7 / 11 Rescue personnel search for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan. (Johnson Liu / AFP/Getty Images) 8 / 11 Rescue personnel search through debris at the site of a collapsed building in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan following a 6.4 magnitude quake early Feb. 6. (AFP/Getty Images) 9 / 11 Rescue personnel search through debris at the site of a collapsed building in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the island early Feb. 6. (AFP/Getty Images) 10 / 11 Rescue personnel carry a survivor at the site of a collapsed building in Tainan, one of the islands oldest cities. (Johnson Liu / AFP/Getty Images) 11 / 11 In Tainan, rescue workers transport a person injured in the earthquake that struck at 3:57 a.m. local time Saturday. (Johnson Liu / AFP/Getty Images)

She was found under the body of her husband, who had shielded her from a collapsed beam, the government-run Central News Agency reported. Tsaos husband and 2-year-son were found dead, and five other members of the family remained unaccounted for, it said.

Teams also rescued on Monday a 42-year-old man from the building, and, later, an 8-year-old girl, who had been trapped for more than 61 hours.

Mayor Lai Ching-Te told reporters he briefly exchanged words with the girl, Lin Su-chin.

She is awake, but looks dehydrated, lost some temperature but shes awake and her blood pressure is OK, he said. I asked her if theres anything wrong with her body. She shook her head.

Shortly afterward, rescue workers also pulled out a 28-year-old Vietnamese woman, identified as Chen Mei-jih, who had been trapped on what was the buildings fifth floor.

Family members of the missing flooded into the information center in search of their loved ones or to wait anxiously.

Tensions rose as some relatives, losing patience, demanded to speak to rescue workers directly to get the latest information.

A couple sitting in a small room where officials release information said they had heard no news about their daughter-in-law and two young grandsons.

Does that mean we are here to wait for bodies? grandfather Liu Meng-hsun cried out angrily.

Outside, a woman stood at the edge of the rubble shouting, Your grandma is here! Rescuers had detected life within the area where the 16th-floor apartment of her son and his family was thought to be, and were said to have heard the sound of a child.

Her son, surnamed Wu, got out of the building soon after the quake, but his wife and their 4-year-old girl remained trapped, according to volunteers assisting the family.

Earthquakes rattle Taiwan frequently. Most are minor and cause little or no damage, though a magnitude 7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

The spectacular fall of the high-rise, built in 1989, raised questions about whether its construction had been shoddy. The government says it will investigate whether the developer cut corners.

Huang Jia-rui, a structural engineer in Tainan, said Taiwans buildings arent as quake-proof as Japans, which is a leader in engineering quake-proof structures, but the island is catching up.

The extended Lunar New Year holiday officially started Monday, but celebrations were subdued and President Ma Ying-jeou and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen canceled the traditional handing out of envelopes of cash in their hometowns.

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The wheels of justice have turned slowly since the execution-style killings of six Jesuit priests by El Salvadors armed forces in 1989, an event that shocked the world, brought sharp cuts in U.S. military aid to the strife-torn nation and indirectly facilitated the peace agreement the martyrs had sought.

El Salvador had been in the midst of a civil war that pitted leftist guerrillas against the U.S.-backed, right-wing government, which had gained infamy for its use of death squads and torture. The war lasted 12 years, left 75,000 dead and opened floodgates of refugees fleeing to the United States, many to Southern California.

But few events in that time were more notorious than the shooting deaths of the priests.

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A measure of justice finally arrived last week when El Salvadoran authorities arrested four former army soldiers accused of carrying out the killings, years after an extradition request from Spain, where five of the six priests were from.

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This should lead to real progress toward the end of impunity, said Almudena Bernabeu, a human rights attorney with the San Francisco-based Center for Justice and Accountability. There are 18 people implicated in the murders and Id like to see more arrests. But its a start.

Bernabeu has pursued the case for the family of one the victims, Father Ignacio Martin-Baro. She said she wont rest until all those she believes responsible for the deaths, including former El Salvadoran President Alfredo Cristiani and several of his ministers, are brought to justice.

Bogged down for many years, the case was given added impetus last month when U.S. Magistrate Kimberly Swank in North Carolina ordered the arrest of a Salvadoran army colonel living in her state who is a suspect in the case. His extradition to Spain is pending U.S. State Department approval.

Justice has taken so long because there often is a lack of accountability in the countries where the wars took place, Bernabeu said, referring to Central American conflicts in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala, among other places. The alleged perpetrators are protected by their images as recycled businessmen and respectable citizens and by the fear people have of going after them.

Retired army Col. Carlos Rivas, who is now an independent analyst of the culture of impunity in El Salvador, said an amnesty law passed the year after a peace accord was signed in 1992 has impeded investigations and protected politicians and military leaders.

It has allowed many criminals of the right and left wings to mutate into organized crime and drug trafficking in the postwar era, Rivas said.

On the morning of Nov. 16, 1989, the six priests, a housekeeper and her daughter were rousted from a university dormitory in San Salvador and gunned down with automatic weapons by members of an army battalion.

Bernabeu said there is evidence that Cristiani, his defense minister, the commander of the leading military academy and several top armed forces commanders planned the killings. Their objective, she said, was to sow fear among human rights activists in a civil war in which the government was losing ground.

But the killings instead galvanized opponents of U.S. military aid then being funneled to the Cristiani government. After pressure was applied by the U.N., the U.S. and Mexico, the two sides worked out the so-called Chapultepec Peace Accords of 1992.

The priests deaths were among many atrocities in the civil war.

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In 1980, an assassin killed Archbishop Oscar Romero, who has since been canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. Later that year, four American churchwomen were slain at a military checkpoint.

A U.S. investigation carried out by embassy officials in El Salvador after the host government proved unwilling or unable to look into the deaths found that the women were killed by Salvadoran security forces.

Many maintain that the wars brutal aftermath persists in the hyper-violent gangs such as the Mara Salvatrucha and M-18, both of which have affiliates in Los Angeles. The mayhem of the gangs, many of whose members are former combatants, has made their country one of the worlds most violent.

Whether the four suspects arrested Friday night ultimately will be extradited to face trials in Spain remains an open question. Rivas, for one, is skeptical because the amnesty law is still in effect. Moreover, too many prominent figures could be compromised in such trials.

Political and economic deals have been made, Rivas said. Rather than a blow against impunity, on the contrary the current situation only favors the interests of those hoping that the investigation continues as it has, without the political will to see it through.

Special correspondents Kraul and Renderos reported from Bogota, Colombia, and San Salvador, respectively.

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As Islamic State forces lose ground in Iraq and Syria, fighters loyal to the group have seized territory in oil-rich Libya, levying taxes at gunpoint and creating sanctuaries to launch possible attacks in North Africa and Europe, U.S. officials say.

The Pentagon has sent special operations teams to gather intelligence and launched at least one airstrike. But the White House so far has resisted calls from some senior aides to escalate the U.S. military role in another Muslim country to counter the potential threat.

Spy satellites and reconnaissance drones have shown the militants building fortifications around Surt, on the central Mediterranean coast and on training bases for foreign fighters farther inland, the officials said.

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A U.S. intelligence estimate this week concluded that Islamic State has attracted more than 5,000 fighters in Libya, double the official estimate last fall, making it the extremist groups largest and most potent affiliate outside Syria and Iraq.

Islamic State threatens to gain a stranglehold in Libya and potential access to billions of dollars of oil revenue, Secretary of State John F. Kerry warned, one of several alarms the administration has raised in recent days.

He spoke at a Feb. 2 conference in Rome where the U.S. and 22 other nations agreed to support the formation of a unity government in Tripoli, the capital, in a tenuous effort to restore stability and take on the militants.

Libya has had no functioning central government since the North Atlantic Treaty Organization bombing campaign helped a popular uprising oust ruler Moammar Kadafi in 2011.

It has faced political chaos and a low-grade civil war nearly ever since, with two rival governments battling for control, and squabbling militias exploiting the power vacuum.

In the absence of a true government, [militant groups] have grown unchecked, said a U.S. defense official, who was not authorized to speak publicly. Its like Syria all over again.

Islamic State has a bad habit of growing in places that are ungoverned, Tina Kaidanow, the State Departments counter-terrorism coordinator said last week at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

She cited an urgency at the White House and among its allies to move quickly before the group expands beyond its current foothold, which extends about 100 miles east and west of Surt.

We dont want to see the growth of [Islamic State] outpace what will be a long-term effort to build out a successful Libyan government, she said.

The groups rise comes as foreign fighters from Tunisia and elsewhere in Africa have moved to Surt and other strongholds in Libya, rather than to the war zones in Syria and Iraq, where the militants have suffered several military setbacks in recent months from the U.S.-led coalition.

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The Pentagon wants to ensure that Libya doesnt get on a glide slope where it gathers a piece of territory from which its able to tyrannize people and plot operations elsewhere, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters Thursday at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Thats the situation we want to avoid in Libya, he said.

Any military intervention probably would be led by France and Italy, the former colonial power. Options include sending troops from Italy to help protect the new government, using U.S. and French advisors to train Libyan counter-terrorism forces, and launching airstrikes.

For now, British and American special operations teams and intelligence services have focused on identifying Islamic State leaders, assessing their networks and strongholds, and reaching out to local militias willing to fight them, officials said.

But intelligence officials say the militias are unreliable, poorly organized and divided by region and tribe, as well as by outside support, the same complex problem that has crippled U.S. attempts to unify opposition groups in Syria.

Islamist and Berber militias in the west, assisted by Qatar, for example, have engaged in brutal clashes with more secular forces in the east apparently led by former Kadafi loyalists and supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Islamic State fighters have attacked oil fields and installations, hobbling a major source of income for the fledgling government. Oil production has fallen in half from a year ago, according to the state-run National Oil Corp.

The only known U.S. airstrike was in November, when F-15 fighter jets killed a senior Islamic State commander known as Abu Nabil near the eastern city of Derna. Officials said the Iraqi national narrated a video released last year that showed militants beheading 21 Egyptian workers, all Coptic Christians, in Libya.

Some national security experts warn that ISIS, a common acronym for Islamic State, is quietly taking root in Libya much as it did in Syria before the militants blitz across Iraq in early 2014, seizing cities, oil fields, military bases and banks.

I think its increasingly a national security priority for us to limit the spread of ISIS in Libya given the expansion thats been seen recently, said Ben Fishman, former top National Security Council official on North Africa affairs. Its obviously connected to an aggressive move from ISIS central in Syria to take advantage of the disorder in Libya.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, urged the White House to launch airstrikes against the militants leaders. He warned that Islamic State could use Libya as a gateway into Southern Europe.

Islamic State established a foothold in Libya in September 2014 when some militants who had fought in Syria returned home to join forces with extremist militias that had pledged alliance to the groups leader, Abu Bakr Baghdadi.

Several senior commanders also were sent from Syria and Iraq to help organize the expansion of the groups self-declared caliphate, a strict Islamic-ruled quasi-state.

It quickly became a breeding ground for exporting violence.

The gunmen who killed 20 people at a museum in Tunis, capital of Tunisia, in March were trained in Libya, local officials said. So were the gunmen who massacred 38 people at a Tunisian seaside resort in June.

To address the threat, Tunisia began building a security wall along parts of its border with Libya. U.S. officials have suggested that Egypt, Libyas eastern neighbor, take similar precautions.

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Around 50,000 motorcyclists have ridden through the streets of Guatemala to pay their annual homage to the Black Christ of Esquipulas.

The majority of the leather-clad bikers, also known as the Caravana del Zorro, or the Caravan of Foxes, began their route in Guatemala City's center on Saturday and wrapped up in the town of Esquipulas near the El Salvador-Honduras border, according to teleSUR. Plenty of bikers joined the convoy along the way.

The bikers' annual two-day pilgrimage to the Basilica of Esquipulas, which is a 225-kilometer trip, honors the statue of the Black Christ (El Cristo Negro), a spiritual figure of a crucified Jesus Christ that is worshipped by Christians in Central America, the news outlet added.

This year's journey is also a special plea for peace in Guatemala, which is one of the most violent regions in the world, teleSUR wrote. The country's Ministry of Social Development said that nearly 53 percent of Guatemala's populace lives below the poverty line. Mission Newswire reported from the World Bank that rural poverty in the country remained the same during the last 20 years.

"We will ask for peace, progress and employment [for Guatemala] to the Lord of Esquipulas," said Edy Villa de Leon, also named as the "Grand Zorro," before the pilgrimage kicked off on Saturday, teleSUR reported. Villa de Leon's father is the founder of the annual caravan tradition, which first started 55 years ago and takes place on the first weekend of February.

Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales addressed the crowd before the caravan took off from Guatemala City, saying that thousands of bikers demonstrated that "when there is national unity, you can do amazing things," teleSUR added.

The Caravana del Zorro pilgrimage is attended by bikers from all over the Americas region, such as Bolivia, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and the United States, the news outlet listed.

The statue of the Black Christ, which was carved in 1594, was commissioned by Spanish conquistadors for the Basilica of Esquipulas and was placed there in 1595, Sacred Destinations wrote. The church showcases Baroque structure painted in glowing white, and has endured numerous earthquakes over the centuries with minimal damage.

The Black Christ was named after the wood it was carved from, and is protected in a glass case on the altar at the basilica's east end, Sacred Destinations added. Special processions and services take place on the Festival of the Black Christ (Jan. 15), July 21-27, and during Holy Week.

 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The Eurasian Economic Union will soon launch free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Israel. Member of the Board - Minister in charge of the Development of Integration and Macroeconomics of Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Tatyana Valovaya told the journalists about this on February 8. We have a free trade agreement with Vietnam. The second country that will sign FTA with us, most probably, will be Israel, as we have already completed the preparatory phase and the presidents have taken a decision over launching FTA negotiations with Israel, Armenpress reports, Valovaya mentioned.

She added that the EAEU has received applications from 40 countries over starting FTA negotiations. Currently we observe opportunities of starting negotiations with India, Egypt and a number of other states, Valovaya concluded.
Pope Francis will confront Mexico's issues of corruption and violence during his visit in the country this week.

According to LA Times, the pontiff wants to "live the faith" of the Catholic nation but will also address crimes, the drug war, corruption, human rights abuses, and economic collapse happening in there. This is despite the possibility that highlighting these issues will make the Mexican government uncomfortable.

"You are living your little piece of war," Pope Francis said last week in a video message via Mexico's semiofficial Notimex news agency, as quoted by LA Times. "The Mexico of violence, the Mexico of corruption, the Mexico of drug trafficking, the Mexico of cartels, is not the Mexico that our mother [the Virgin Mary] wants. I, of course, will not cover any of that up."

He continued, "To the contrary. I want to exhort you to fight every day against corruption, against trafficking, against war, disunity, organized crime."

More than 80 percent of Mexico's population is Catholic, the news outlet noted. Among the six places that Pope Francis will set foot in are Mexico City's Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Chiapas, the country's border with Guatemala. He will also say Mass in Morelia, the capital of Michoacan state. The pontiff's trip will end in the northern border city of Juarez, which previously had the highest murder rate in Mexico and probably in the whole Latin American region.

The pope's Mass in the border city of Juarez on Feb. 17 is expected to be attended by 200,000 people on the Juarez side and others on the U.S. side, LA Times wrote. The stage where the Mass will take place is only around 80 yards from the border fence, and Pope Francis will reportedly ride his pope mobile alongside the barrier. Around 50,000 attendees will watch a live broadcast at El Paso's Sun Bowl Stadium.

The plan follows a tradition started by U.S. bishops of conducting Mass at the border fence to demonstrate unity and support for migrants, the news outlet added.

Pope Francis' visit to the state of Chiapas, which is the home of many indigenous communities, also targets the celebration of the region's "Indian church," a combination of Catholic and indigenous culture that was once scoffed upon by the Vatican, The Associated Press reported (via ABC News).

According to the Vatican, history's first Latin American pope will present a decree during his Feb. 15 visit authorizing the usage of indigenous languages, the news outlet added. The Mass in Chiapas will also feature readings and songs in three separate indigenous languages.

 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
President Enrique Pena Nieto's popularity has taken a downward spiral over the past few years. Mexicans have regarded his efforts to maintain peace and order in the country to be particularly foolish following the recent events of drug cartel violence in the country. Now, the Mexican Catholic Church has come under fire for allegedly favoring Pena Nieto and the First Lady's annulment proceedings.

Mexico is predominantly Catholic. Pena Nieto's first wife was Monica Pretelini Saenz, but she passed away in 2007 leaving him with their three children. Pena Nieto would later remarry Angelica Rivera, a telenovela actress. While their romance was fodder for many local tabloids and celebrity magazines, Rivera was married to Jose Alberto Castro.

While the Catholic Church frowns upon divorce, it was reported by The Guardian that the Mexican archdiocese had annulled Rivera's marriage in 2009, citing that the wedding took place at a resort in Acapulco as opposed to in a church. Reporters say that they now have proof showing that the Mexican church did what they could to expedite Rivera's annulment proceedings prior to Pope Francis' visit to Mexico.

Rivera has become a controversial figure with Mexico, mostly being known for her love of exclusive designer outfits and exotic trips to far-off destinations. She and the president are also currently embroiled in corruption scandal where she had purchased a $ 7M mansion that she had bought from a firm which had a lucrative contract from Pena Nieto and Rivera, The Daily Mail reported.

According to the investigative reports, the church documents show proof that the Mexican archdiocese's initial claims that Rivera and Castro's marriage in Acapulco was not enough to have the marriage annulled. Annulments are allowed in the Catholic Church, however, the proceedings would take a substantial amount of time and the costs often become exorbitant to the point that many couples who want to file for an annulment back away due to the costs.

Pope Francis has started efforts to make annulments more accessible to everyone, having appeals judged by local churches instead of by the Vatican.

However, the investigative reports insist that the Mexican Catholic Church bent its rules in order to expedite Rivera's annulment proceedings, saying that ordinary citizens in the country wouldn't have access to annulment as most of them don't have the cash or the connections.

A copy of Castro and Rivera's marriage contract also showed that the church wedding in Mexico in 2004 took place before the Acapulco wedding. However, the Mexican archdiocese denied any claims of irregularities from within the church. Father Hugo Valdemar, the spokesman for the archdiocese, also said that the Church made sure to follow the correct procedures in annulling the marriage. The church also denies any political involvement on their part.

Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Mexico where he will touch on sensitive topics, such as corruption and inequality. Pope Francis will also touch on the recent string of violent events in Mexico, per Buenos Aires Herald. Mexicans are speculating that Pena Nieto wants to maintain a clean image prior to the Pope's visit to the country.

 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Undocumented immigration is undoubtedly one of the major issues that the United States has to deal with. The U.S.' status as a nation with plenty of job opportunities and better living conditions are some of the reasons why immigrants leave their home countries and look for greener pastures.

President Barack Obama has announced an executive action on Nov. 20, 2014 offering deportation relief to about half of the immigrant population, according to Pew Research Center. A lawsuit, however, is currently blocking the program's deportation relief part.

Executive actions on immigration go back to past decades, the news outlet wrote. Obama's recent program is considered as the most significant protection from deportation offered to undocumented immigrants since 1986, when Congress permitted 2.7 million unauthorized immigrants to acquire green cards.

Around 11.3 million undocumented immigrants are living in the U.S. in 2014, making up 3.5 percent of the country's populace, Pew Research Center reported. Of these immigrants, the Mexican community is the largest at 49 percent (5.6 million), though their numbers are plummeting in recent years.

California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois are home to 60 percent of undocumented immigrants, Pew Research Center added. In addition, unauthorized immigrants make up 5.1 percent of the country's labor force, with Nevada having the highest shares at 10 percent.

Just recently, the Obama administration rolled out the "priorities" program, which orders the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to stop arresting and deporting new undocumented immigrants. Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said that the government now orders Border Patrol agents to only focus on criminals, national security risks, and unauthorized immigrants who set foot in U.S. after Jan. 1, 2014, The Washington Times reported.

The CBP, the overseer for the Border Patrol, confirmed Judd's claim but said that agents have been told to prioritize the arrests.

"The Border Patrol's resources are most effectively focused on the border - prioritizing the apprehension and removal of individuals attempting to unlawfully enter the United States," said Michael Friel, a CBP spokesman, as quoted by The Washington Times. "Our removal numbers reflect that. Border Patrol agents are issuing notices to appear, consistent with law, regulation and the department's enforcement priorities."

Bryan Fischer, the former Director of Issues Analysis for the American Family Association, wrote that undocumented immigration can be solved in three steps. First is to build a double-layer security fence alongside the entire southern border. Second is to implement the use of E-Verify, a huge database of Social Security numbers. With this, a person's name, number, and status can be verified almost immediately.

Lastly, Fischer argued that undocumented immigration can be solved through self-repatriation, which they would do willingly if the first two steps are carried out properly by the government, according to AFA's website.

With so many immigrant communities -- plenty of them without legal status -- now living in the U.S., the undocumented immigration debacle requires careful deliberation and cannot be solved in just a snap.

 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A Chilean startup company hopes to bring cheaper meals and food items to poor residents in Latin America.

Alagramo, born through the genius mind of entrepreneur Jose Manuel Moller, is hoping to cut the spending on the packaging and marketing of big supermarkets in its home country Chile, Forbes reported.

The plan is to eventually do the same in other countries in South America.

Moller claimed that his company is also offering what big chain supermarkets are offering but is utilizing big vending machines, which bring out the products in disposable plastic containers.

He told Forbes that they initially located their vending machines in Santiago, where the poor population in Chile is residing.

As they continue with their business services, the company noted that they eventually want to provide a good quality of food to poverty-stricken areas which really do not have access to food because deliveries do not reach their location.

It was also mentioned in the Forbes report that Alagramo has already established 450 vending machines in Chile by the end of last year.

"Some brands won't supply food to the districts that Algramo services, they're deemed too dangerous, and much of Alagramo's mission is to give the poorest families in Chile access to good-quality food," Moller told Forbes.

He also shared that they have already established good relations with the poor communities in Chile and are focused on helping them have access to a variety of food items.

A similar 24Oras.CL report discussed that Moller's idea with the vending machines was for people to purchase reusable containers which will reduce the cost of products by as much as 40 percent.

A detailed explanation on the company's website discussed that the reusable packaging will enable buyers to avoid paying tax.

Aside from saving on this tax payment, trash will also be reduced, thus making the company more environmentally friendly.

It was added that Alagramo's system involves two formats of retailing food items. One is through self-service where buyers can just buy items straight from a vending machine and pay for the specific weight of the products.

The other option is buying an empty container and exchanging it with another that is filled with the food items one wants to buy in a grocery store.

The brains behind this idea said in the same report that it was hard at first to gain the trust and acceptance of the people but noted that they were still able to attain their aim.

"The [idea] was to change the mentality instilled in people that if it's cheap, it is bad," Moller told 24Oras.CL.

 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Whooping Cough, Pertussis Vaccine TDap can Wear Off in Teens, Young Adult: Study

media@latinoshealth.com By R.Robles Feb 07, 2016 08:04 PM EST

Will this be a cause of panic for mothers everywhere?

According to a new study published Friday in the journal Pediatrics, the booster vaccine that is formulated to protect teenagers against whooping cough may wear off over time.

Designed to protect kids against pertussis, or whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria, the Tdap booster was found to have only protected about 69% of adolescents against whooping cough in the first year after the booster was administered. However, the protection dropped to 57% in the second year, then to 25% and 9% in the succeeding years, according to a report by CNN.

To come up with these results, the researchers studied pertussis infections in about 280,000 10-year olds from 2009 until 2015. The children were all reported to have received Tdap by the time they were 11 or 12, as California mandates the booster for seventh graders.

"It provides moderate protection during the first year but years two and three after vaccination, there is not that much protection left," says Dr. Nicola P. Klein, lead author and co-director of the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center in Northern California.

"The results in this study raise serious questions regarding the benefits of routinely administering a single dose of Tdap to every adolescent at age 11 or 12," Dr. Klein adds in a statement to Live Science.

She furthers that, because Tdap provides protection in a short-term more successfully, the booster may help prevent pertussis more effectively if it is administered to adolescents in preparation for a local outbreak rather than on a routine basis.

Live Science reports that, in the 1990s, the United States government switched from whole-cell pertussis (DTwP) vaccine to the acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine due to concerns about the side effects of the whole-cell vaccine. Although the vaccine was effective in preventing whooping cough, it was linked with very high fevers, according to Dr. Klein.

As of today, the DTaP vaccine is administered during childhood in five doses: at ages 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 to 18 months, and 4 to 6 years. In spite of this regular vaccination, the United States as well as other developed countries have experienced an increase in cases of pertussis since they changed the vaccines to DTaP.

In 2006, health authorities have began recommending vaccines with the acellular pertussis Tdap vaccine be given 11 or 12 year olds. It was found that these children were the most likely to get sick with pertussis just before they were scheduled to get their booster shots.

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'Friends' Reunion & Cast Actor Matt LeBlanc Admits Nearly Suffering Nervous Breakdown When Series Ended

media@latinoshealth.com By Rachel Cruz Feb 08, 2016 04:30 AM EST

Former "Friends" star Matt LeBlanc confessed he almost had a nervous breakdown when his top-rated series ended over ten years ago. However, the actor is currently in a better place, with a new show and a reunion with his "Friends" co-star soon.

Speaking with Mirror, LeBlanc said that he tried to shun the limelight after playing Joey Tribbiani on "Friends" for ten years and in the spinoff series for two years. "I barely left the house. I was burnt out," he confessed. "I wanted to not have a schedule, not be somewhere. I was in a position to do that."

Earning a million per episode for "Friends" afforded LeBlanc to tell his agent not to book him for any work for a while. However, his life spiraled soon after as his three-year marriage to actress Melissa McKnight broke down. Their daughter, Marina, was also diagnosed with a brain condition at two-years-old around the same time.

"It was a very dark time. I almost had a nervous breakdown," the actor added.

Fortunately, his daughter overcame her illness and is now a healthy 11-year-old. These days, the father and daughter spend most of their time together going horseback riding and hiking. "Spending time with her is the best thing I've ever done. We have a great bond and it's the best thing in my life," LeBlanc said.

His relationship with Marina's mother also mended so that they amicably share custody in raising the child, reported Daily Mail.

By 2011, LeBlanc returned to the TV scene and starred in the cable series "Episodes," where he won a Golden Globes for Best Actor in 2012, New York Daily News reported.

This year, the actor is embarking on a new job as the host of the popular British motoring program, "Top Gear." On Feb. 4, "Friends" fans got the surprise of their life when the show made the official announcement on their website.

It should be noted that when Jeremy Clarkson used to host the program, LeBlanc appeared as guest more than once. He still holds "Top Gear's" highest lap time record among other celebrity guests.

Meanwhile, LeBlanc will be featured in a "Friends" reunion in an NBC special airing Feb. 21. He will be paying tribute to TV director James Burrows along with former co-stars David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Jennifer Aniston. However, Matthew Perry will not be in the event due to a pending commitment in London, Latinos Health previously reported.

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5 Chemicals in Baby Products You Need to Avoid

media@latinoshealth.com By Rachel Cruz Feb 08, 2016 04:30 AM EST

It's a mistake to assume that baby products contain mild or gentle ingredients, when the reality is that these products might be filled with toxic chemicals. Fox News reported that over 27 dangerous chemicals are present in many baby care products. The most concerning fact is that some of these have not been tested nor regulated.

Below are the chemicals you need to watch out for when buying and using baby products:

1) Phthalates and parabens

One Green Planet cited that controversial chemicals like phthalates and parabens can take on many names, such as DEP, DEHP and DBP. This is why it's sometimes more difficult to identify which baby care products are safer in the absence of proper labeling. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate use of these chemicals because the agency claims they have no health risks. However, other studies have linked phthalates and parabens to serious diseases including cancer.

2) Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives

Safe Cosmetics stated that popular and sellable baby shampoos contain formaldehyde and its derivatives --- quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, bromopol and glyoxal. Studies have linked this to skin irritation and cancer that some countries like Sweden and Japan have banned its use. On the other hand, other countries have limited or restricted use of this to certain volume or amount.

3) Vitamin A and oxybenzone

The body requires vitamin A and it should be safe to ingest this as a general rule. What makes this vitamin dangerous is in the extraction of its component, retinyl palmitate, which is needed to make sunscreen. In this case, vitamin A becomes a highly toxic chemical along with oxybenzone. It can lead to hormone disruption and cell damage, CNN reported.

4) 1,4-dioxane

Safe Cosmetics cited that this is chemical is what's usually added to shampoos and soaps to produce more suds and bubbles. However, like the rest of these toxic chemicals, 1, 4 dioxane can trigger cancer development. Canada has banned use of the chemical. However, it should be worth noting that, in the United States, putting 1,4-dioxane in the label is not required by the FDA. It has derivative chemicals like sodium laureth sulfate, PEG compounds, xynol, ceteareth and oleth.

5) Fragrance or perfume

Many baby products are infused with scents that can lead to skin irritation, eczema and allergies. The more powerful the scent is, the more it contains perfume or fragrance.

If you're unsure of the products you use for your baby, do more research and check references from the USDA National Organic Program to ensure that the baby products are really chemical-free.

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Conversion Therapy: Why NY Governor Andrew Cuomo Says it Needs to be Banned

media@latinoshealth.com By Staff Writer Feb 08, 2016 06:00 AM EST

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that gay conversion therapy will be banned because it is a "hateful and flawed" practice.

Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York joins other states that have condemned and acted out against the controversial gay conversion therapy. In an announcement on Saturday, he placed an official ban on the therapy as well as hindering healthcare plan insurance to offer coverage for it. He also plans to remove it from NY's Office of Mental Health so that it cannot be offered to minors ages 18 and below.

"Conversion therapy is a hateful and fundamentally flawed practice that is counter to everything this state stands for," said Cuomo in a statement. "New York has been at the forefront of acceptance and equality for the LGBT community for decades - and today we are continuing that legacy and leading by example. We will not allow the misguided and the intolerant to punish LGBT young people for simply being who they are."

According to the International Business Times, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) group and its President, Chad Griffin praised Cuomo's move and decision. The HRC is an LGBT civil rights organization which called the governor a "strong LGBT community ally."

"No young person should be coerced or subjected to this dangerous so-called therapy, which has been linked to youth substance abuse, depression, homelessness, and even suicide." Griffin said in a statement posted on the organization's official website. "With leaders like Governor Cuomo, we're on our way to putting an end to this horrible practice."

Conversion therapy, which is also known as reparative therapy, is a treatment that tries to change a person's sexual orientation. It aims to turn LGBT people into "straight" or heterosexual people, according to the National Center for Lesbian Rights. There are many ways that Conversion therapy is harmful. It can cause depression, shame, disappointment, self-blame, and increased self-hatred among others.

Government agencies including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP); the American Counseling Association; the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Associations have renounced such practices as it is not a "scientifically validated treatment."

"Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency, or shortcoming," says Dr. Warren Seigel of the NY State Academy of Pediatrics, in a press release.

He adds that the AAP and other scientific and mental health practitioners have known this for almost four decades. Dr. Seigel also commends Gov. Cuomo for his decision regarding the issue.

Other states have banned conversion therapy on minors include New Jersey, California, Illinois, and Oregon.

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Super Bowl 2016 Ads & Commercials: Top 5 Best & Worst Super Bowl TV Spots [Watch]

media@latinoshealth.com By Staff Writer Feb 08, 2016 05:25 AM EST

The Super Bowl 2016 is always eventful every year not just because of the NFL game but because of its ads, commercials and halftime shows. Check out the top 5 best and worst super bowl TV spots this year.

The Super Bowl Ads this year are star-studded as it feature many celebrities from movies and TV shows. According to the New York Times, the Super Bowl remains to be the top place for advertisers to showcase their commercials as it can make or break their sales.

The advertisers this year "played it safe" and utilized their 30-second commercials trying to make viewers laugh or smile. An advertising agency expert told the outlet that the new formula seems to be ones that produces humor, ones with many celebrities and ones that are serious.

While it is understandable to stay on the safe side, an expert says the best ones are usually the unique ones.

"The best Super Bowl pieces - what they have in common is that they're all incredibly different," a chief creative officer of BBDO Worldwide told the outlet. "In fact, the best ones don't travel on paved paths; they go into uncharted country."

With that said, here are some of the best and worst Super Bowl TV spots this year in no particular order:

1.) First Date - Hyundai

This was rated as one of the best by the crowd-based Admeter from USA Today. It showcases the company's new feature "Car Finder" on the Hyundai 2016 Genesis starring Kevin Hart.



2.) #AvosInSpace - Avocados from Mexico

According to the New Yorker, this TV spot earned negative points just for referencing last year's Blue and Black or White and Gold dress.



3.) Puppymonkeybaby - Mountain Dew

This ad joins Yahoo Sport's list for one of the best ads. The commercial features PuppyMonkeyBaby to represent all three things combined in their newest product.



4.) Strong is Beautiful - Pantene Dad-do

This also joins Yahoo's list and it showcases fathers doing their daughters' hairs. The fathers, in particular, are NFLers which makes its inspiring message more relevant.



5.) Rocket Mortgage - Quicken Loans

This also makes the "worst" list from the New Yorker's list.



All Super Bowl commercials can be found in this website. Some of the biggest advertisers to join the event are Budweiser, Bud Light, Skittles, Snickers, Wix.com, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Kia, TurboTax, Intuit, Honda, Acura, PayPal, LG, Colgate, Taco Bell, Buick, Toyota, Heinz, Audi, Amazon, T-Mobile, Jack in the Box, Mobile Strike, Esurance, Schick and Fitbit.

What were your favorite TV commercials? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Top 5 Foods Most People Who Stress Eat Consumes

media@latinoshealth.com By Staff Reporter Feb 08, 2016 07:19 AM EST

A lot of people believe that eating is an emotional experience. We feel good after consuming our favorite meals, and oftentimes, some meals or certain foods bring back memories from home, or a certain period of time. Here are some common comfort foods that people stress eat.

1. Pizza. It's official: pizza is the number one comfort food of Americans, according to Huffington Post. A survey conducted by The Harris Poll on 2,252 adults has revealed that 67% of Americans admit to eating comfort food when feeling down and pizza ranks as the number one favorite comfort food of Americans.

2. Ice cream. There's a reason why best friends offer to come over and bring ice cream when one breaks up with his or her significant other. While a lot of people do look at ice cream as comfort food (it comes close next to pizza in the Harris Poll), it, in fact, does not. According to Livescience, research by Heather Scherschel Wagner, a doctorate candidate at the University of Minnesota revealed how "comfort food can't speed up the healing process," and that "whether it's your comfort food, or its a granola bar, or if you eat nothing at all, you will eventually feel better." It all comes down to personal preferences. If one prefers to eat ice cream after a bad breakup or bad experience, then they may be led to believe a cause-and-effect relationship between feeling better and their favorite food.

3. Chocolate. It's okay to stress eat chocolate, just not too much. In fact, Women's Health reports that researchers found that consuming dark chocolate can reduce levels of stress hormones. It also helps lower blood pressure as well as drugs.

4. Mashed Potatoes. Daily Mail reports that mashed potatoes have always been regarded as the U.K.'s favorite comfort food. The good thing about it is that it's low in fat and contains vitamins B and C, and folate for healthy red blood cells. It also contains Iron and protein.

5. Grilled Cheese. Grilled cheese sandwiches are easy and quick to make, and totally comforting. That's why Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart and a number of other prominent celebrity chefs and homemakers have their own versions. This recipe from Jamie Oliver promises, "it will always make you feel good. It is also especially useful when youre suffering from a light hangover."

"A toasted cheese sandwich is a beautiful thing, but Im not messing about here  this is the ultimate one and its going to blow your mind," Oliver writes. "But there is a particular sequence of events that needs to happen in order to achieve the most ridiculously tasty, chomp-worthy sandwich."

Check out his recipe at jamieoliver.com.

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YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Iran announced on February 7 that it is considering the possibility of increasing gas exports to Armenia by five folds.

Armenpress reports, citing Iranian PressTV, Alireza Kamali, the managing director of the National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC), has been quoted by the media as saying that the rise in gas exports to Armenia will be in line with a related scheme to purchase electricity from the country.

"On the basis of a joint agreement, the possibility exists to increase the amount of gas exports by five times," Mehr news agency has quoted Kameli in a report that was also carried by the Russian Sputnik news agency.

Iran and Armenia signed a deal in 2004 based on which the Iranian gas is used by Armenian power plants to generate electricity and in return, Armenia exports the electricity to Iran.

Iran exports nearly one million cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia per day, the official added. Officials in Tehran had earlier said the volume can increase to as high as six million cubic meters per day.

Last August, Iran and Armenia signed a new contract for the construction of the third power transmission line that will enable the two countries to exchange more electricity.

The new power line  which is expected to be constructed in 18 months  is expected to increase the volume of electricity exports from Armenia to Iran by 700 megawatts to reach a total of 1,000 megawatts.

On a related front, officials in Tehran announced in October that Armenia has already started work over a new 400-kilovolt power transmission line in addition to a combined-cycle power plant and has asked Iran to supply the natural gas that it needs to get the plant going.
10 Antidepressants Side Effects Your Doctor Never Told You About

media@latinoshealth.com By Ivan Menchavez Feb 08, 2016 07:50 AM EST

Tags antidepressants, depress, Drug, SSRIs

A lot of people think that it is okay to take antidepressant drugs without any doctor's prescription. What they don't realize is that these drugs have negative side effects that can be really bad for their health, both mentally and physically.

If you believe that you have depression, it is best to see a doctor or a psychiatrist before you take an antidepressant drug that was recommended to you by a friend because it probably worked for him.

Antidepressant drugs are not a "one size fits all" kind of medicine. If it works for some people, it doesn't mean it will work for you. If you take the wrong drug, it may cause side effects.

According to WebMD, here are the 10 antidepressants side effects.

Insomnia

Blurred vision

Nausea

Anxiety

Decreased interest in sex

Suicide

Dry mouth

Weight Gain

Fatigue

Dizziness

Although some of the symptoms mentioned are common occurrences like nausea, fatigue and dizziness, some people may not be able to tolerate them. What will happen is their doctor will provide them another prescription until they find a suitable drug to treat their depression.

According to a new report by Medical Daily, antidepressant or SSRIs may double the risk of suicide in kids and teens. It also increases the aggression level in some of them. According to a new research led by Dr. Tarang Sharma from the University of Copenhagen, most violent people have a history of taking antidepressant drugs.

"Perpetrators of school shootings and similar events have often been reported to be users of antidepressants and the courts have in many cases found them not guilty as a result of drug induced insanity," the researchers said as gathered in a report by Medical Daily.

They have also found out that taking antidepressants can increase the risk of suicidal thinking amongst the people who are constantly taking them. The effect of the drug may provide a person substantial energy to carry out a suicide plan.



Meanwhile, erectile dysfunction is also one of the most common side effects of antidepressant. There have been several studies in the past that linked SSRIs to people's decreasing interest towards sex. According to Bradley N. Gaynes, MD, MPH, from the University of North Carolina, half of the patients who are taking antidepressant have reported some issues with their sexual activities.

Nevertheless, doctors are saying that when people experience these symptoms, they should not stop taking SSRIs without consulting them. Stopping it abruptly may cause serious physical and mental health issues.

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UN Justifies Abortion Amid Zika Virus Outbreak, Urges Predominantly Catholic Latin American Countries to Change Laws

media@latinoshealth.com By Staff Reporter Feb 08, 2016 06:36 AM EST

Some of the health officials from countries in Latin America have already advised their women to put off their plans for pregnancy amid the Zika outbreak. The virus infection is linked with a birth defect among babies called microcephaly, which is a a rare neurological condition in which an infant's head is significantly smaller than the normal size.

But, for those who are already pregnant and infected with the virus, one of the options is abortion. And, this proposition came from no less than the United Nations.

The U.N. officials are now asking countries in the Latin American region, where most are predominantly Catholics, to reconsider their stand on abortion and modify laws to give these pregnant women an access to sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion, according to Fox News Latino.

"Laws and policies that restrict her access to these services must be urgently reviewed in line with human rights obligations in order to ensure the right to health for all in practice," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement.

"That's why we are asking those governments to go back and change those laws because how can they ask these women not to become pregnant? But also not offer them first information that is available but also the possibility to stop their pregnancies if they wish so," added Cecile Pouilly, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Pouilly gave the statement in a news briefing wherein she was asked about countries like El Salvador, which has laws that are strongly against abortion. The World Health Organization has already declared the Zika virus a global emergency, CBC News noted.

As of yet, the National Conference of Bishops in Brazil, the South American country hardest hit by Zika, has yet to release an official statement regarding the call of the U.N. to repeal laws on abortion. But, in an earlier statement, the bishops have somehow reiterated their strong conviction against terminating pregnancies by saying that the World Health Organization's declaration of Zika outbreak as an international emergency won't justify abortion.

Meanwhile, the U.N.'s prodding for the Latin American countries to change their laws in favor of women's rights was supported by the Center for Reproductive Rights, a US-based NGO. The organization believed that the burden brought about by the virus infection should not be shouldered alone by women.

"We agree with the OHCHR that these governments must fulfil their international human rights obligations and cannot shirk that responsibility or pass it off to women. This includes adopting laws and policies to respect and protect women's reproductive rights," said Charles Abbott, the group's legal adviser for Latin America & the Caribbean.

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Japanese Taxi Drivers are claiming to experienced having "ghost passengers" in the city of Ishinomaki in Miyagi. The prefecture is one of the devastated areas hit by the March 2011 9.0 magnitude earthquake that triggered a tsunami that killed more than 18,000 people, per FOX News.

According to a report by The Asahi Shimbun, a 22-year-old Tohoku Gakuin University sociology major named Yuka Kudo conducted a survey on over 100 taxi drivers about ghost encounters. It is part of her graduation thesis, but she could only get answers from seven drivers with most participants ignoring her question, "Did you have any unusual experiences after the disaster?"

One driver, who was in his 50s said that he encountered a woman wearing a coat near Ishinomaki Station who directed him to go straight to Minamihama district. The driver then asked the passenger, "The area is almost empty. Is it OK?" then the woman replied in a quivering voice, "Have I died?"

A cab driver who was in his 40s said that a young man in his 20s pointed once boarded in his taxi and pointed towards the Hiyoriyama Mountain. However, the young man disappeared when they arrived at the mountain.

Another driver is not afraid of the reported encounters with him saying that he will gladly accept the ghost as his passenger. Kudo noted in her thesis that the drivers he surveyed did not have any fear of the ghosts, instead shows them respect.

"Through the interviews, I learned that the death of each victim carries importance. I want to convey that to other people," Kudo said. Her thesis also reported that the drivers believed they were picking up real passengers because they started their meters and were recorded on their logs as unpaid.

The 22-year-old added that most of the "ghost passengers" are in their youthful ages and all believed to have died during the 2011 tsunami disaster. "Young people feel strongly chagrined (at their deaths) when they cannot meet people they love. As they want to convey their bitterness, they may have chosen taxis, which are like private rooms, as a medium to do so," Kudo explained.

The San Francisco Gate compared the Japanese drivers' encounters to the urban legend of "The Phantom Hitchhiker" where drivers often pick up a mysterious hitchhiker that vanishes after a while. In a report by the Scientific American, what the drivers are experiencing are "grief hallucinations."

This type of hallucination is the normal reaction of people in mourning that are rarely talked about to fear of being labeled as insane or mentally unstable.
President Juan Manuel Santos announced last Saturday that Colombia has diagnosed a total of 3,177 cases of pregnant women with Zika virus, per the Associated Press. The good news is that no microcephaly, a birth defect related to the mosquito-borne disease was recorded.

Colombia has recorded more than 25,600 cases of the virus brought on by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Santos noted that his country could have a total of more than 600,000 Zika virus cases with a projection of 1,000 cases of the Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare nervous condition that can cause paralysis and death as reported by RT News.

Martha Lucia Ospina of Colombia's National Health Institute also confirmed three deaths that were related to the syndrome. "We have confirmed and attributed three deaths to Zika. In this case, the three deaths were preceded by Guillain-Barre syndrome," Ospina told teleSUR.

"The world is realizing that Zika can be deadly. The mortality rate is not very high, but it can be deadly," she added.

According to a Reuters report, the Colombia government will continue to fumigate homes to disrupt mosquito reproduction and help people remove stagnant water that is breeding grounds for these insects. The province of Norte de Santander near the Venezuelan border accounts for about 31 percent of the Colombia's total cases in pregnant women.

The Latin nation's popular tourist attractions near the Caribbean like Cartagena and Santa Marta have reported more than 11,000 cases. A local bulletin reported that the government is allowing pregnant women diagnosed with Zika virus to access their restricted abortion services.

However, many women are having a hard time to find clinics that will perform the abortion despite having the government's blessing. Illegal abortions are widespread in Colombia with one local media reporting the first abortion due to the Zika virus happened last Friday.

President Santos added that a medical-scientific team from the United States will soon arrive in Colombia to help the investigation of the Zika virus in relation to its links with microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome. The White House announced on its official website that the U.S. and Colombia will conduct a joint research to develop testing and vaccines with the two countries sharing epidemiological date and specimen.

The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern last Feb. 1. WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan called for the quick improvement of the detection of Zika infections as well as the development of a vaccine to protect pregnant women who are at high risk.
For most people in the world, the New Year has already been celebrated and welcomed on Jan. 1 but for many members of the fast-growing Asian demographic, the so-called Chinese New Year came on Feb. 8.

Since Asians have become the fastest-growing demographic, Asian-themed promotional occasions such as Chinese New Year are destined to grow in significance. Even if most non-Asian races have no clue what the holiday commemorates, it has become a day of celebration across much of the world, just like the Mexican holiday Cinco de Mayo.

So, how did the countries outside of Asia, especially Latin America, commemorate the Chinese New Year?

This year, London will host the biggest Chinese New Year party in Europe. According to The Telegraph, preliminary events have been kicking off across the United Kingdom but celebrations in the capital won't take place until Sunday, Feb. 14.

In Latin America, on the other hand, Venezuela, Cuba and Colombia spearheaded the launch of diverse cultural activities for the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year. The said activities aim to allow Latin Americans to learn more about China's rich culture, China.org.cn noted.

This 2016 definitely marked a year of cultural exchanges between Latin America and Chinese. As a matter of fact, Venezuela joined almost 140 nations around the world to commemorate the festivities by launching its first official Chinese New Year celebration.

Venezuela's Ministry of Culture and the Chinese Embassy in the LatAm nation have collaborated to put a full program. And one of the nation's key presentations was "My Dream," a show where artists with various disabilities were able to express themselves through music and dance, as per China Culture.

In addition, several Chinese movies were also part of the presentations. The city of Valencia also held a Chinese cultural week from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7.

"[This festival is] necessary for our people to learn about each other's cultures and establish unbreakable bonds of fellowship," Venezuelan Culture Minister Freddy Nanez said. "[It could] strengthen our economy and bilateral ties."

Colombia, on the other hand, featured a performance by China's Jilin Song and Dance Ensemble. And after the group's first performance in Bogota, Chinese Ambassador to Colombia Li Nianping emphasized the significance of cultural exchanges.

"Such exchanges are a good opportunity for the two countries to grow closer together," Nianping said, as per XinHua News. "We hope to welcome more Colombians to visit China, a beautiful Asian country."

Meanwhile, Cuba also has its own way of celebrating the Chinese New Year. The nation's celebration started with the "Time for China" photo exhibition at the Chinese embassy in Havana. A Chinese martial arts show was also held on Jan. 29 to 30 at the Mella Theater.

Chinese New Year aka the Spring Festival is marked by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes each year. And this 2016, it's the Year of the Monkey, the ninth animal in the Chinese Zodiac cycle.
The intensity of the Zika virus affecting the Latin American region has prodded the UN to suggest access to contraception as well as the choice of abortion in the region. According to ENCA, a research institute in Brazil recently made a discovery that the Zika virus is not only transmitted through mosquito bites, but also present in the urine and saliva.

While many countries in the Latin American region has adopted the "delayed pregnancy" practice, UN human rights spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly said, "How can they ask these women not to become pregnant, but not offer the possibility to stop their pregnancies?"

The UN prodding also came after they issued warning that the Zika virus is in fact prone to be transmitted by kissing or sexual contact. In Brazil, the number of babies born with significantly small heads and brains has reached 404, and another 3,670 are suspected to suffer the same fate.

Brazilian scientists, on the other hand, have been wary about the exact relationship of the Zika virus and its apparent presence in urine and saliva, but they initially implied that people should be more careful as a precaution. Paulo Gadelha of the Fiocruz institute in Rio de Janeiro said, "The measures are the classic ones used... for various other diseases that can be transmitted by saliva. Avoid sharing glasses and silverware or contact with someone who has symptoms of a possible infection. Don't kiss, obviously."

In a previous report by the New York Times, a judge in Brazil has expressed his approval of women's right to abort their child if they get infected by the virus. Doctors were even subject to a predicament wherein they're unable to suggest whether pregnant women should abort their children or not once they discovered they have been infected by the disease.

In Sao Paulo, infectious disease specialist Artur Timerman said, "They come to my office and ask, 'Is there a chance for my baby to have microcephaly?'" He said he felt compelled to tell them the truth, that there is indeed a risk for the baby to suffer microcephaly. Moreover, he wasn't able to answer the question on the risk of getting it. He added that at least two patients who went to him for advice came back to let him know that they went through abortion.

Brazil is one of the Latin American countries that prohibit abortion and have strict punishment for those who commit it.
In the midst of possibly the worst global oil crisis in years, the members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) are caught in the middle, with the alliance of oil exporting countries exhibiting a notable rift drawn among its members.

Recently, members of the organization such as Venezuela and Nigeria have requested for an emergency meeting to address the ongoing crisis in the global oil market, which is, in a lot of ways, connected to the levels of production by the members of the OPEC, reported Reuters.

With the current levels of production and with crude's biggest markets such as China cutting back on their reliance on the commodity, the oil market has experienced its most radical plunge in years. One way to curb the trend, of course, is if OPEC members would agree to cut back on its production, stabilizing the market in the process.

By cutting back on production, however, OPEC members would lose a notable part of its market share. Such an event is something that other OPEC members such as Saudi Arabia, is trying to prevent.

As the global oil market continues in its current tailspin, the organization might be forced to show its hand pretty soon. Together with Venezuela, which has already filed an official request for an emergency OPEC meeting, five other members, as well as two prominent oil-producing countries, have also stated their wishes to have an emergency OPEC summit to be conducted soon, in order to discuss possible contingencies which might help the global oil market, according to The Business Insider.

Currently, the members of the OPEC which are requesting for an emergency meeting include Venezuela, Nigeria, Ecuador, Iraq, Algeria and even Iran, which just had its economic sanctions lifted recently. Together with the six OPEC members, Russia and Oman, both countries which are also among the world's largest oil producers, have also stated that they support an emergency OPEC meeting.

The dark horse of the entire issue is Saudi Arabia, which is arguably the most powerful nation in all the OPEC countries. It is the country which shot down the first suggestion of an emergency meeting by Nigeria's oil minister recently, and it is also the country which stated that the current strategy of OPEC is "working."

With the pressure mounting not just from fellow OPEC members, but from other oil-producing countries such as Russia as well, the time might be near for Gulf nations, under the leadership of Saudi Arabia, to finally be open to the prospect of an emergency summit. This way, the world's most prominent oil-producing nations would finally be able to address the global oil crisis straight in the eye once and for all.
The Zika outbreak is causing U.S. citizens to refrain themselves from traveling to Latin America and the Caribbean countries.

A poll which was conducted by lpsos last Feb. 1-5, with 1,596 respondents, shows that more people in the U.S. are now getting aware of the Zika virus compared in the recent months. Of those people, 41 percent are saying they have cancelled their trip and no longer have plans to go to any Zika-affected countries anymore. 60 percent of the respondents said Zika virus makes them worried, while the other 18 percent makes them "very concerned" about it.

"It's contagious, and it's new. The virus, along with the reports of violence and drugs and tourist ransoms, is making it less and less attractive," said Toni Brockington, a 42-year-old respondent who lives in Fort Bragg, California, in an interview. Brockington used to have plans of visiting Mexico before she learned about the Zika outbreak.

Most of the people who have been greatly affected by the epidemic are women who are at the verge of starting their own family. One of those is Erica, a respondent who was bitten by a mosquito during one of her trips to U.S. Virgin Islands last January. She said: "I am actively trying to get pregnant with my husband, so I am a little bit concerned."

As reported by Reuters, cruise ships and airline operators have yet to comment about the effect of Zika outbreak in their business' revenues and daily transactions and operations.

Recently, the World Health Organization has declared the Zika outbreak as an international emergency. In accordance to it, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged women, especially those who are pregnant or planning to have a baby, to avoid traveling to countries which are greatly affected by the virus.

According to Mirror, though the Zika virus have recently been linked to birth defects such as microcephaly in babies, the Brazilian health experts are yet to confirm whether the Zika virus is directly related to microcephaly or not. Research and studies are still ongoing, investigating the possible link of Brazil's 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly to the Zika virus. Microcephaly is a health condition which can result to an abnormal growth of head and other developmental problems.

Meanwhile, there is still no vaccine for the Zika virus though there are some pharmaceutical companies around the globe which are already working on it. Experts said possible vaccine may still be years away.
North Korea will stop at nothing in order to stamp their mark in outer space, but their latest rocket launch drew criticism after it was thought to be a program that will eventually lead to a long-range missile launch. According to Reuters, the US strategic command made the discovery of North Korea's rocket launch. This was confirmed by South Korea, saying that the rocket, also named Kwangmyongsong-4, left an object in space.

David Wright, senior scientist at the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said, "If it can communicate with the Kwangmyongsong-4, North Korea will learn about operating a satellite in space. Even if not, it gained experience in launching and learned more about the reliability of its rocket systems."

The UN Security Council has also stepped in on the issue by way of an emergency meeting held on Sunday, promising sanction to North Korea over the U.N. Resolution violation. A state news agency in North Korea released an image believed to be the rocket that was recently launched by North Korea.

The country believes the launch was a success, saying it currently runs a "polar orbit of earth every 94 minutes." According to the ABC News, a US official revealed that the missile was launched from western North Korea at 7:29 PM ET, with the Japanese government confirming a traveled distance of 2,000 kilometers south.

The rocket launch is said to be North Korea's continuous violation of the UN Security Council's warnings on their apparent missile tests. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said, "We condemn today's launch and North Korea's determination to prioritize its missile and nuclear weapons programs over the wellbeing of its people whose struggles only intensify with North Korea's diversion of scarce resources to such destabilizing activities."

Secretary of State John Kerry vowed to work closely with their allies, as well as the UN Security Council, in order to make sure that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will be held liable for its actions.

U.S. officials, however, said that North Korea's missile launch did not post any threat to the United States or any of the country's allies. They also confirmed the missile has already entered space, stationing new worries that it could be an actual ballistic technology test in the making.

In the Reuters report, North Korea's rocket launch is a reminder of their previous violation of launching an atomic test, something that the U.S. and China are still talking about in terms of sanctions.
The recent scandal that racked Europe's leading car maker Volkswagen has revealed a new development from the company's legal stand: a generous compensation for those who were affected. According to The Guardian, it has been four months since the issue on Volkswagen's botched emission tests broke, and the company has not awarded the right to fix the cars.

Recently, Volkswagen's head of claim funds revealed on the German Paper that they are offering compensation to US clients who have been affected by the scandal. The compensation, however, does not state a clear decision on whether affected clients will receive monetary refunds, replacements or car buybacks.

Kenneth Feinberg of Volkswagen also stated that while there was an indicative 60-90 day waiting period for the compensation, the disagreement between the company and the officials doing the investigation makes it impossible to render the action. In his statement, he said, "My hands are tied as long as VW and the authorities have not overcome their differences. It is a purely business transaction, less emotional. I see that from emails I get from vehicle owners who say things like: 'Mr Feinberg, I know I haven't lost a relative, I just want to be treated fairly.' They are all quite reasonable."

Aside from its US issues, the embattled car maker is also facing sanctions in Europe after lawmakers and the European Commission ordered Volkswagen to compensate other owners of Volkwagen's diesel cars, the same as their US clients who will be receiving the said generous compensation.

Volkswagen has suffered a 26 percent decrease on its shares since the scandal broke, and the impact of the company's supposed biggest scandal raised questions about its financial capability. Norway's sovereign fund amounting to $850 billion, however, remains invested on VW, with funds president Yngve Slyngstad saying, "VW is an important company for Germany, Europe and the world. That's why we keep our stake as long as the fund and the company exists."

According to Reuters, Volkswagen recently delayed its 2015 publications and annual shareholders meeting. This was done after the company failed to come to a specific decision on what to do regarding their current emission scandal.

Volkswagen's repair funds of at least 6.7 billion euros are seen to double after the emission scandal that marred the brand's name. Last month, an offer to repair Volkswagen's diesel cars, particularly the 2.0L models, has been rejected by US officials.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian met with the President of the National Assembly (Narodna skupstina) of Serbia, Maja Gojkovic on February 8.

As Armenpress was informed from the Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of MFA Armenia, welcoming the President of the Serbian National Assembly, the Armenian Foreign Minister highlighted the historical and traditionally friendly relations between the peoples of Armenia and Serbia, which serve as a firm ground for developing cooperation between the two states.

Thanking for the reception, Maja Gojkovic mentioned that Serbia attaches great importance to development of relations with friendly Armenia and she is happy to be the first president of the National Assembly of Serbia to visit Armenia.

Issues referring to deepening partnership between the parliamentarians and more efficient cooperation in the parliamentary assemblies of international organizations were discussed at the meeting.

Minister Nalbandian introduced efforts made by Armenia and Minsk Group Co-chairs for Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement to Maja Gojkovic.
Pope Francis will be stopping by Mexico soon and his visit will be marked by the Church's new embracement of indigenous culture within the faithful.

According to a report from Yahoo! News, the pope is set to celebrate Mass in the Chiapas state. The region is known for its heavy indigenous background and its so-called "Indian church," which blends Catholic belief with elements of the indigenous culture including pine boughs and eggs and prayers to "God the Father and Mother."

The seamless integration of culture in religion was not completely accepted by the Church, but Pope Francis will lead the way for acceptance as he is not only set to be present in Chiapas for Mass, but also include readings and songs in three indigenous languages. His February visit will also see him finalize a decree authorizing the use of indigenous languages.

The pope will be preside the momentous Mass in the colonial city of San Cristobal de las Casas and Bishop Felipe Arizmendi spoke up about background of the issues stemming in the church.

"Within the church there have always been errors," Arizmendi said, explaining how significant the Pope's efforts are to the indigenous locals of the country. "So we recognize that many times, we have not given them (the indigenous) their place."

Francis' visit to Chiapas will include a stop in the diocese of San Cristobal, which is known to be home of Bishops Bartolome de las Casas and Samuel Ruiz. Both were stout defenders of the indigenous people in Mexico.

Bishop Arizmendi explained, "Still today, and not just in Chiapas but in other parts of Mexico and Latin America, some people don't take into account their (indigenous) languages, their customs, their rites, they despise all that as if it were something backward, when in fact they have a great wisdom."

The pope's visit to Mexico is expected to address many of the plights of the impoverished country including immigration and widespread violence. According to a report from Los Angeles Times, the six cities that Pope Francis will be visiting are indicative of the message he wants to disseminate throughout the country from Mexico City and Ecatepec to Morelia and Juarez.

Despite his intention to spread his message among the faithful, Pope Francis has said that he is not going to Mexico to solve all the problems but to be one with them.

"I am going to Mexico as a pilgrim, to seek the wealth of faith that you all have," Francis said. "I want to become infected with that wealth of faith, to live that faith with you. I am going with my heart open so that it might fill with all you can give me."
Valentine's Day is around the corner and businesses around the world are taking advantage of the occasion. They are now busy with stuffing their stores with all sorts of gifts for the "day of hearts." In addition to the stores, restaurants and travel agencies are also coming up with their own promos exclusively for couples that want to spend an extra romantic day together.

Before Valentine's Day became this commercialized, it was something very meaningful in the ancient times. While there are people who believe that the first Valentine happened during the reign of Emperor Claudius II, others said that its roots could be traced in 498 A.D. when Pope Gelasius proclaimed Feb. 14 as St. Valentine's Day.

The pope was trying to turn a pagan ritual into Christian practice thus he made the declaration. The rite is called the Pagan Lupercalia festival and it was celebrated for encouraging fertility and purification.

In the present day, celebrating Valentine's Day differs from one culture to another. In Latin America alone, the countries here have their own ways of making Valentine's a special day. Find out how Latinos enjoy their version of the heart's day.

Mexico

In Mexico, people call the day as Dia de San Valentin and like most cultures, it is celebrated on Feb. 14. But for the Mexicans, this is not just a day for lovers but for friends too, so the general term which they use for the occasion is El Dia del Amor y la Amistad which means a day of love and friendship.

On this day, people give gifts to their partners, friends or simply to someone they care about. It is an appreciation day so everyone are extra caring for people they value in their lives.



Colombia

Colombians Valentine's Day is not held in February but on Sept. 20. People usually exchange gifts just like how it is done during Christmas' "Kris Kringle." Although the gifts are exchange between secret admirers, just like in Mexico, this is also generally a Love and Friendship Day.

It was said that this Valentine's Day was only created to help boost Colombia's economy. All throughout the year, the country celebrates many holidays but there was none in September so they placed Valentine's in this month. But regardless, Colombian's celebrate this day sincerely as they are loving and kind folks.

Bolivia

Bolivians call the day as Dia del Amor and it is celebrated on Sept. 21, but as time passed, with many American families migrating to the country, celebrating Valentine's Day on Feb. 14 is becoming more common these days.

Similar to most countries, the color of the day is red and the way it is celebrated is typically based on romance which is full of affection. Gift giving is common as well. Lastly, Bolivian Valentine celebrations are done in many ways like special events, parties, romantic dinners, cruises and a lot more.

Guatemala

Guatemalans' Valentine's Day is called El Dia del Carino. Apart from couples, families, friends and colleagues celebrate this together. People give flowers, cards and chocolates as gifts. The day is observed every 14th of February.

Argentina

Argentinians' El Dia de Los Enamorado is a week-long celebration that is held from July 13-20. They call this as "Sweetness Week" and "Friendship Day." During this week, people are being showered with kisses, gifts and chocolates.

As for Brazil, see the clip below to know how Brazilians celebrate Valentine's Day.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton released new Spanish-language television and radio advertisements describing her platforms education and immigration reform.

TV Ad

The 30-second television advertisement opens with visuals of Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz before transitioning to footage of Clinton meeting with immigrants and youths and showing other non-Clinton b-roll of ethnic families.

"It's when things get tough... that you see the friends by your side," the television narrator said, originally in Spanish. "There is no other candidate who has fought as hard for our families as Hillary Clinton. She stands with us to achieve immigration reform and to keep families together. She fought to expand health care to millions of children. And her plan as President will put a college education within our reach."

"There is still much to do, but with a friend like Hillary, we keep moving forward," the narrator added, as the ad shows viewers texting information, with the word "Latinos," to receive further campaign details.

Radio Ad

The one-minute radio advertisement opens with a direct English quote from Clinton from a previous event, stating, "I believe in an America where everyone is treated with dignity, no matter who you are and where you come from."

The Spanish-speaking narrator then takes over stating the former secretary of state has "always been a friend" with the Spanish-speaking community, acknowledging her efforts to provide health care since her time as first lady and reiterating information for the television ad about college affordability, immigration reform and commitment to keep families together.

Ahead of the Nevada caucus on Feb. 20, home to a growing Latino population, Clinton's Nevada campaign organizer Natalie Montelongo speaks and invites listeners to caucus with her and promotes the text messaging details to know more about their caucus location.

The television ad, which was also uploaded on Clinton's official YouTube account, has attracted over 9,800 views since its Feb. 4 launch. Both ads are the first ad buys for Nevada's Hispanic media.

Republican Response

The Republican National Committee (RNC) hit back at Clinton's record, noting she has altered her platforms in order to get elected.

"If Hillary Clinton cared to be an amiga, she wouldn't mislead Latinos about her record," said RNC Hispanic Media Director Ruth Guerra in a statement. "When it comes to immigration reform and education, Hillary's record is one of flip-flops and political convenience at the expense of Latinos. The truth is Clinton will say anything to get elected, which is why the majority of Americans find her to be dishonest and untrustworthy."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.
Actresses and popular television personalities Angelica Vale and Lucero are reportedly going to star in a new telenovela together.

According to TVyNovelas, a source at Telemundo revealed the two are in talks to star in an upcoming telenovela for the network called "Silvana sin lana."

There are no details about the theme or plot line of the telenovela, but a lot of speculation is flying over who Vale might play. Several reports suggest she may be playing the telenovas villain. The role would be different from Vale's typical characters, offering fans something new from the actress.

Vale, the daughter of veteran actress Angelica Maria, usually plays the comical protagonist, like she did in her popular portrayal of Lety on "La fea mas bella."

The 40-year-old is currently starring in Que Noche con Angelica Vale and Raul Gonzalez," while Lucero currently conducts the reality show Yo Soy El Artista. Neither of the two programs have received great ratings and both are currently in danger of being canceled, reported TVNotas.

The last telenovela Lucero was a part of was Por ella soy Eva, which aired in 2012. Since then the actress has focused on music, releasing a collaborative album with the late Joan Sebastian in 2012 and her own album, called "Aqui Estoy," in 2014.

Last year, the 46-year-old Mexican star was given the honor of hosting the first-ever Latin American Music Awards.

Vale took part in a series of events and award ceremonies in 2015, but the actress dedicated a lot of her time to her family, after she and her husband Otto Padron welcomed their second child, son Daniel Nicolas, in late 2014.

"I feel completely fine, completely happy," she told People en Espanol. "I want to see my kids grow, move ahead, help them and support them. Now I have more to fight for: my kids."
The face of the Latino voter, an electorate many predict will decide who takes residence in the White House in November 2016, is as distinct as ever, characterized by an inquiring mind.

That description is according to the Pew Research Center, which recently released a study concluding that the Latino electorate is as big and as educated about the issues most dear to them as it has ever been. The study also found that, of the record number 27.3 million Latinos now eligible to raise their voices by casting ballots, nearly half are young adults between the ages of 18 and 35.

That 27 million represents a 40 percent uptick since Barack Obama was first elected president, and the number clearly illustrates why the Latino voting bloc has become so critical to the overall fortunes of both Democratic and Republican national office seekers alike.

Latino Voting Bloc on the Rise

According to Pew, as recently as 1986, 82 percent of Americans eligible to vote were white. Just short of three decades later, that figure has dipped to 70 percent, and the number of Latinos eligible to have a say at the polls has climbed from 5 percent to 11.4 percent.

By comparison, the number of black voters over the same time period only marginally increased from 11 percent to 12 percent, and the Asian share climbed from 1.4 percent in 1990 to 4.2 percent by 2014.

Overall, Latino millennials, or voters born after 1981, will represent a whopping 44 percent of the Hispanic electorate by November's election, compared to just 27 percent of white millennials.

While most new Latino voters are not immigrants themselves, the study found many of them are directly impacted by the issue of immigration. Many thus consider it critical to settle the widening debate over what should come of the 11 million immigrants now in the U.S. without proper authorization.

The Fight for the Latino Vote

That at least partly explains why Latino-led voting drives, the depths of which have never been seen before, are sprouting up all over. During the recently concluded Iowa caucuses, won by Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz, as many as 50,000 young Hispanics received direct mailings or robocalls. The messages warned them, "If we don't participate in the Iowa caucuses, then everyone else gets to decide for us what issues are important and which candidates will address those issues."

As Latin Post reported, engagements efforts in Iowa attracted more than 10,000 Latinos. Joe Enriquez Henry, president of LULAC of Iowa, said last week, "We have accomplished what we set out to do, which was to raise the profile of the Latino vote in Iowa, educate our community about the caucuses - especially our youth - and mobilize our people to attend and voice their choice for the next president of the United States."

Just like Iowa has a small Latino population, New Hampshire is also home to a small Latino population, but the eyes are set for the Nevada caucus on Feb. 20, where 27.8 percent of the state's population comprise of Latinos, more than 10 percent higher than the national average of 17.4 percent.
President Michel Martelly of Haiti decided to leave office, following a controversial presidential election which ignited a vicious protest regarding vote manipulation. This leaves the government with no clear successor to his position.

According to the Business Insider, during the joint session of the Parliament, Martelly gave his 20-minute speech addressed to the citizens of Haiti. He said that he regret that the elections were postponed and that he'd been working hard to make the country a better place and was ready to be accountable to any court. Port-au-Prince is supposed to celebrate its three-day Carnival celebration but authorities canceled the event due to the chaotic atmosphere and uncertainties in the political arena following Martelly's departure.

Evans Paul, Haiti's prime minister is bound to stay in power as lawmakers scramble to begin the process of patching together a short-term interim government. This move by the lawmakers will ease out divisions created by politics and fill in the vacated position of Martelly.

History repeats itself as Haiti also did create a transitional government last 2004 after President Bertrand-Aristide was removed from power following a rebellion in the country. But this time, it was the political factions that started a constitutional crisis forcing Martelly to create a deal with the lawmakers 24 hours before leaving his office. The 35-nation Organization of the US was also in Haiti to observe the negotiations as reported by The News.

Senate President Jocelerme Privert urged the legislators to cast their votes for the next leader who will lead the temporary caretaker government. Though some oppositions disagree with what Martelly and the legislators agreed upon, Privert insisted that it will be the majority's decision who should be followed and added that it is the democratic way.

Ban Ki-moon, UN's secretary-general commended the Haitian authorities to ensure harmony among everyone to ensure a peaceful transfer of power to their selected leader.
Algerian's parliament approves the proposal of revising their constitution. It aims at reforming the country through limiting the President's term into two terms and recognizing the language used by its Berber minority as official.

The senate and congress saw the presentation of the proposed reform last Sunday. According to Yahoo News, there were 499 lawmakers who voted for the revision and 16 absentations. The 79-year-old Prime Minister Abdelaziz Bouteflika was noted to have promised these reforms after the Arab Spring uprisings in neighboring countries on 2011.

Going back to last January, the Algerian government published two new constitutional reform drafts. This constitutional reform serves as a message to the critics that they are welcoming democracy in the country. Moreover, the plans for constitutional reform include setting up an Algerian Academy of Berber Language which aims to make its status an official tongue. Supporters believe it would put an end to a pointless source of division, giving rise to various political ills in the country, the Guardian News reports.

As reported by ABC News, the new constitution is focused mainly on the president's term and the usage of the mother tongue. The president will now have a two to five-year terms, giving the other aspirants a chance to serve the country. The site highlighted that this limit events like the long-ailing Bouteflika's who was re-elected for a fourth term in 2014. It also requires a parliamentary majority to name a prime minister, who is currently "hand-picked" by the president.

While some opposition parties have voiced doubts regarding the reform, it recieved praises and respect from the activists who have been pushing the reform of the constitution for several years now. It was previously announced by Bouteflika in a forum on 2011. However, Arabic will remain the country's official government language for now.
The Spanish prime suspect for killing and gruesome dismemberment of a fellow Spanish man in Bangkok has been arrested. The man was arrested in Cambodia, authorities said Monday. They also believed that the man fled after dumping the pieces of his victim's body in Bangkok's Chao Phraya River.

According to Yahoo News, Artur Segarra Princep, 36 years old Spanish national was the identified suspect and arrested at a Cambodian restaurant in Sihanoukville, a coastal town on the said country. Segarra stayed on a guesthouse a few days earlier.

The Regional police chief Gen. Chuon Narin said, "We received a request from Thai police to arrest this man, and after launching an investigation we found him. We will hand him over to Thailand."

The dismembered body was identified belonging to David Bernat, a Spanish businessman. The body parts were found floating in Chao Praya river, Bangkok last month. The Rakyat Post reported, authorities believed the victim was abducted and killed for financial reasons.

Detectives also discovered that a large sum of money over US$1 million was withdrawed from the Bernat's bank account after he was murdered. Authorities believed Segarra stayed in Thailand because he had recently took out money within the country.

Chakthip Chaichinda, Thailand's national police chief was waiting to arrest the said suspect at the the Police Aviation Division at Km 4 on Ram Intra road. According to Bangkok Post, Segrra's girlfriend, Pritsana Saen-ubol was also being questioned regarding the case. She said she was with Segarra in a karaoke bar in Surin's Muang district when he suddenly sped away riding his motorcycle after he saw his photo on the TV news. She told the investigators that he probably murdered David Bernat, whose body parts were found on Wednesday last month.

Senior Thai police met Monday in Bangkok about the murder case. An official at the meeting said a helicopter was sent to Cambodia. Thai police have refused to revealed on media reports of large transfers of money from Bernat's bank account to accounts in Spain and Singapore.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. The Obama administration is requesting $1.8 billion in emergency funding from Congress to fight the Zika virus in the United States and abroad, Armenpress reports, citing ABC news, the White House announced on February 8.

The request comes after lawmakers on Capitol Hill urged the White House to address the spread of the virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes and has been linked to serious birth defects.

President Obama said Americans should take the virus seriously but not panic, comparing it to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in 2014.

"The good news is, this is not like Ebola. People don't die of Zika," he said in an interview on CBS This Morning.

"A lot of people get it and they don't even know that they have it."

Under the Obama administration's proposal, the Department of Health and Human Services would receive $1.4 billion to support Zika virus readiness, research and treatment in the United States, according to the White House. The Agency for International Development and the State Department would receive a combined $376 million to help affected countries control mosquitoes and fight transmission, and support international response efforts.

The proposal also includes a $250 million one-year increase in health funding for pregnant women in Puerto Rico, where a state of emergency has been declared because the spread of the virus.

All 46 Senate Democrats sent a letter to the White House last week calling for an "urgent and aggressive response" to the Zika virus.

"By taking action now, we can make significant progress toward mitigating the impact of the Zika virus abroad and reduce the potential for Zika virus outbreaks in the United States," the letter reads
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan received President of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) Jan Zahradil. The PM highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists and Armenian political parties. Referring to future development and strengthening of relations between Armenia and the EU, the PM mentioned that Armenia is ready to assist in issues of bilateral interest for Armenia and the EU. PM Abrahamyan also highlighted future deepening of relations between the National Assembly of Armenia and the European Parliament, adding that parliamentary cooperation is a good platform for discussing issues over deepening and expanding Armenia-EU relations.

As Armenpress was informed from Information and Public Relations Department of the Government of Armenia, Jan Zahradil expressed gratitude for the cordial reception and mentioned that the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists is interested in further deepening interparty cooperation, fostering the activation and strengthening of Armenia-EU relations.

Afterwards, the interlocutors discussed a range of issues of mutual interest.

Referring to Nagorno Karabakh conflict, PM Abrahamyan mentioned that Azerbaijan continues to subvert the negotiation process conducted under the auspices of OSCE Minsk Group, relying on its un-constructive policies, ceasefire violations, as well as resolutions. Hovik Abrahamyan once again underlined that Armenia sees Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement within the framework of peaceful negotiations mediated by OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs.

The President of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists stated that there is no alternative to peaceful conflict settlement for Nagorno Karabakh, at the same time mentioning that he does not approve the act of attempting to transfer the issue to other international platforms and adopting one-sided resolutions.

PM Abrahamyan and Jan Zahradil touched upon to a range of issues referring to regional developments at the meeting.
First Drive: 2016 Nissan Sentra [Review]

Feb 8, 2016, 11:45am ET

Nissan\'s compact gets a new look.

Nissan's seventh-generation Sentra compact has been on the market since the 2013 model year. In this highly competitive segment, that might as well be an eternity. Unlike the midsize class, which is ever-more losing sales to compact crossovers and SUVs, compact sales are holding more steady. The Sentra alone accounts for 15% of Nissan's sales (in a market where compacts represent 14% of all new vehicles sold).

With that in mind, Nissan set out to improve the Sentra's value and curb appeal in one fell swoop. To show us the fruits of this effort, Nissan invited us out to Orange County, California to take a spin in the 2016 model and see what we had to say. Read on to find out what we thought.

A fresh look

The 2016 Sentra's exterior overhaul follows that of the Altima's. It now wears Nissan's "Energetic Flow" styling complete with the "V-Motion" grille. It's an aggressive look that blends an angular, aggressive front treatment with a swooping body line that terminates at the tail lights. Along the way, Nissan redesigned the hod, fenders, headlights, tail lights, rear fascia and wheels.

Like Altima, the Sentra doesn't take the styling treatment to the extreme of the new Maxima or Murano. It appears the floating greenhouse look will have to wait until these cars are due for a redesign (if Nissan wants that visual here, anyway). The new look isn't drastically different, but it keeps the smaller Nissan aesthetically reflective of Nissan's current direction.

A more livable space

The interior got some love as well. Nissan's focus was on the parts of the cabin with which the driver comes into direct contact. As such, the center console, infotainment interface, steering wheel, seats and shift knob all saw revisions.

The steering wheel is the most obvious interior tip-off. Inspired by the Nissan 370Z, the three-spoke unit is much sportier and cleaner looking than the old, shield-shaped unit. The shift handle too is more substantial and modern looking--less clunky. Nissan also upgraded the trim around most of the revised components, lending the cabin a more upscale feel.

Under the metal

The 2016 Sentra's overhaul is more than just skin-deep. Nissan revised the Sentra's chassis, suspension and powertrain for a more comfortable, efficient and sporty driving experience. Chassis improvements include a boxed front tunnel stay (which braces the area where the exhaust exits beneath the firewall); a new, thicker steering shaft for improved steering response and feedback; new and revised suspension components and improved spring and damper rates.

Backing up these hardware changes are a few improvements to the car's programming. The electric power steering system was remapped, as was the CVT's "step shift" logic, which was implemented to provide a more natural acceleration curve than most expect from CVTs. Nissan also specced new, grippier tires for its 16-inch wheel options.

Nissan also added/adjusted some of its construction to reduce NVH.





More life-saving tech

2016 Sentra shoppers now have at their disposal a modernized array of driver assistance technologies, including forward emergency braking, intelligent cruise control, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. In keeping with the Sentra's value proposition, the latter two options are available as part of a Driver Assistance package even on the somewhat sparsely equipped "SV" trim (a step above the base model), meaning they can be had for less than $20,000.

Forward emergency braking and intelligent cruise are both available as part of the Technology package on the pricier SR and SL models only. As much as safety feature as it is a convenience feature, Siri Eyes Free is also available from the SV model up.

A day in paradise

The theme for Nissan's test drive was "A day in Orange County." Media participants were encouraged to imagine themselves on a couples' day sightseeing trip to sunny Southern California. Despite the awkwardness of this premise, the prescribed outing did give us a chance to put the Sentra through its paces in all manner of surroundings, including interstate highways, back roads, surface streets and even a ferry ride.

Essentially, Nissan selected a handful of local tourist spots and strung them together so that we could experience the 2016 Sentra in what the company considers its natural habitat--the urban and suburban jungles. With that as the goal, it's no surprise that our drive route lacked one of our favorite types of pavement: twisty.

In the few areas where we did get to push the new Sentra a bit, we found Nissan's claims of improved body control and grip to be truthful, though we'd hesitate to the call the Sentra "fun." Its suspension is tuned for comfort, and the 130-horsepower, 1.8L engine isn't going to set the world on fire when it comes to acceleration. Even driving an SR model with the drive mode set to "Sport" and the D-stepped CVT giving us every possible shot at the little four-banger's 128 lb-ft of torque, it never felt particularly lively. Nissan is reportedly working on bringing some new, peppier engines to the Sentra lineup, and we'd welcome them.

The news from the road isn't all bad. While the Sentra may not be taking home any trophies when it comes to fun factor, we're pleased to note that the car is pleasantly more quiet. There's less drone from the notoriously buzzy CVT on the highway, which is welcome, and the cabin feels comfortably more isolated at high speeds. Nissan's stepped CVT programming not only makes the Sentra's acceleration feel more like that of a car equipped with a traditional automatic, but it has the added benefit of holding the revs slightly lower too, which contributes to the improved NVH.

Leftlane's bottom line

While we wouldn't recommend the Sentra to those who prioritize a sporty drive, its value proposition is virtually unmatched. Those looking for an inexpensive, efficient compact car can comfortably add the 2016 Nissan Sentra to their shopping lists.

2016 Nissan Sentra, base price: $16,780 (S, MT) $17,630 (S, Xtronic CVT)

As tested:

2016 Nissan Sentra SR, base price: $20,410; SR Premium package, $2,590; Technology package, $1,230; Destination, $835

2016 Nissan Sentra SL, base price: $22,170; SL Premium package, $1,130; Technology pacakge, $1,230; Destination, $835
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received the Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia, Maja Gojkovic on February 8. During the meeting a reference was made to inter-parliamentary ties which play a key role in inter-governmental relations. The sides mutually stressed the importance of developing cooperation between the legislatives of both countries, which, to the conviction of the interlocutors, stems from the traditionally friendly spirit of the peoples of Armenia and Serbia. In that context, promotion of parliamentary friendship groups was highlighted, which will also positively impact the cooperation in parliamentary assemblies.

As Armenpress was informed from the Department of Public Affairs and Mass Media of Republic of Armenia Presidents Staff, mentioning that Serbia-EU integration process is in active phase and that membership to the EU is among foreign priorities of Serbia, the President of the National Assembly of Serbia emphasized that, to her conviction, it will be mutually beneficial to exchange integration experience between Serbia and Armenia as an EAEU member state, considering also that Armenia attaches great importance to development of relations with the EU as part of its foreign agenda.

Maja Gojkovic highlighted high-level mutual visits, and hoped that the President of the Republic of Armenia will pay a visit to Serbia this year which will give another opportunity to discuss inter-parliamentary relations.

Issues referring to cooperation between the two states in parliamentary assemblies were also discussed during the meeting.

A reference was made to the negotiation process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. Maja Gojkovic mentioned that based on the experience of her country, Serbia is deeply convinced that the conflict settlement is possible only within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group, through peaceful means and exclusively via dialogue.

President Serzh Sargsyan mentioned that he is glad to accept the invitation of his counterpart to visit Serbia. He stated that Armenia is transparent and sincere in his relations with Serbia and is interested in developing intergovernmental ties in an atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation.
Two women stole more than $250 worth of charitable gift donations during a holiday dance fundraiser benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Stockertown, police say.

Denise M. Pena, 45, of the 400 block of East Garrison Street, and Heather Richter, 38, of the 500 block of Maple Street, both in Bethlehem, were attending the dance fundraiser at the Stockertown Rod & Gun Club at 9 p.m. on Dec. 19, police say.

Elizabeth Rossi, an organizer of the event, reported to police on Dec. 24 an estimated $250 worth of gifts went missing during the fundraiser. When Rossi confronted Pena and Richter, the situation became hostile, court records say.

Pena grabbed Rossi's right upper arm, causing a bruise, police say.

Several witnesses told police they saw the pair take the gifts and load them into an SUV, police say.

Police interviewed Pamela Formica, manager of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, who said Rossi made arrangements to have the gifts donated following the dance, police say. Formica was then informed by Rossi the gifts were stolen and never received the gifts, police say.

Pena is charged with conspiracy theft, conspiracy receiving stolen property and harassment. Richter is charged with conspiracy theft and conspiracy receiving stolen property.

Both were arraigned Friday before District Judge Antonia Grifo, who set bail at $2,500 unsecured for each. The judge ordered Pena and Richter stay away from Rossi, the Stockertown Rod & Gun Club and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

A number listed for Richter was disconnected Monday.

Robert Pena, Denise's husband, defended his wife, saying she is the victim.

He said Denise Pena met Rossi on a social media group because he is a cancer survivor. They planned the fundraiser with Denise collecting donations, buying the gifts herself at a toy store, wrapping the gifts and bringing the gifts to the dance, he said.

Richter is Pena's sister and she also joined the effort, according to Robert Pena.

Denise Pena was under the impression the dance was being held for children battling cancer and when she arrived at the dance, no children were there, Robert Pena said. About 17 people made up of Pena's family and Rossi's family attended, according to Robert Pena.

Robert Pena denied his wife grabbed anyone.

Denise Pena took back the gifts and a few days later donated them to a different charitable organization, according to Robert Pena.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The blue sky of a midwinter afternoon appearing through the fourth-floor windows at 118 Northampton St. in Easton says all you once needed to know about the more than 100-year-old building.

But just a floor below, there is fresh lumber creating ceiling joists where recently there were none.

Borko Milosev, a Wilson Area High School and Moravian College graduate who redeveloped his first residential property while a college student, has been interested in 118-120 Northampton St. for more than three years.

But as for "swinging hammers," the real work has only been underway for a few weeks, he said.

Borko Milosev (Moravian College photo)

For the past 10 years, Milosev, through Post Road Management, has taken on projects "nobody wants to touch."

"That's been sort of what I specialize in," he said. "Taking on a different level of distress."

Distressed would be an understatement about the gutted Northampton Street buildings that have been vacant and deteriorating for more than 20 years. They seemed to have more potential as parking lots than the future site of 14 apartments and two retail businesses.

The city a few years ago came up with grant money to shore up the facade, Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said. Federal money is now in the mix as well, Milosev said.

He closed on the buildings in September for $160,000.

He hopes to complete the restoration project by early this fall, but there's no roof at 118 Northampton St. and there hasn't been for years.

"The framers we have are moving extremely well," said Milosev, who came to Wilson as an exchange student from Serbia. "They're already putting up the third-floor deck. In a week or two the roof framing will be in place. If it wasn't for weather, we'd have a roof on within the month."

Work is going on simultaneously at the connected buildings which once sat next to the Terminal Hotel -- which is a parking lot for the nearby Grand Eastonian. Milosev bought a parking lot across the street as part of this project.

A mention of 118 Northampton St. is found as early as 1880, but architects believe it was "substantially" rebuilt in 1920, Milosev said. The reason it survived into present day with its guts ripped out is it is a steel building, Milosev explained. The brick, which is visible to the back of the building, is ornamental, not structural, he said. The I-beams do the work of keeping the building standing, he said.

The building at 120 Northampton dates to 1850, he said.

He is also working on two other properties on the block -- 133-135 and 137-139 -- and while the idea is the same, the level of distress is not so severe, he admits. "The potential wasn't (being) maximized," he said of those buildings near the Easton Cafe.

And while millennials are the sought-after demographic for the Downtown apartment boom, Milosev isn't limiting his vision to a certain age group, although they remain the target audience.

He sees the "boutique" buildings at 118-120 as as opportunity to create something more memorable than some of the bigger Downtown redevelopments.

"We hired an interior designer" whose work has been seen in Vogue magazine, said Milosev, who won the Moravian College Alumni Association's Young Alumni Award in 2014. "The designer will do some finishing touches to make it a little funky and hip."

The one- and two-story apartments -- beginning at about 900 square feet -- were thought to rent between $950 and $1,200. But they might cost renters more because other redevelopments are drawing higher amounts, he said.

"He sees what it can be, not what it is," Panto said of Milosev, who is also the redeveloper of the Hogtown building just south of the Simon Silk Mill project and just north of Route 22 on 13th Street. Milosev also is looking to redo Lehigh Manor on the city's South Side and has done bigger projects in Wilson Borough and Whitehall Township.

Milosev, 34, who lives in Whitehall, has been a full-time developer since 2012, but has been in business in the area at least part-time since 2005. Another Moravian grad, Robert Verrone, gave Milosev his start as a New York City banker -- first as an intern, later as a full-time employee -- but four years ago Milosev moved back to the Valley.

To take on projects no one else would.

"We are finally executing on a plan we put in a place about a year ago" for 118-120 Northampton St., he said.

Why?

"Somebody's got to do it, right?" he said with a laugh.

The buildings' beauty is obvious, their potential less so.

The rear of 120 Northampton St. is as open as the fourth floor of 118. There's only one wall -- and that's being held up with graying lumber as part of the initial facade effort -- but Milosev plans to add three walls.

For Panto, the redevelopment is a simple solution.

"It follows our philosophy," the mayor said. "Any building that can be saved will be."

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A man who brokered an exchange on a Facebook shoe-trading page was jailed after stealing the items he was bartering for and fleeing, state police said.

Korenelle Kincy Davis, 19, no address provided, at 8:25 p.m. Jan. 8 showed up at the victim's home in the 7900 block of Meadow Road in East Allen Township, state police said. Troopers from the Bethlehem barracks said the 19-year-old female negotiated a trade of Air Jordan sneakers and $50 cash for an iPhone 6, police said.

Davis was in the back seat of a dark vehicle that drove to the end of the victim's driveway. Davis motioned the victim to come over and two other men were seated in the front seat, according to court records.

The victim initially received the smartphone from Davis, police said. But then Davis snatched the phone back, as well as the sneakers and cash, and the vehicle fled, according to police.

The victim reported to police Davis went by a phony name. Investigators were able to find Davis with help from Slatington police, who provided a driver's license and birth date of Davis. The identification matched a description provided by the victim.

Davis is charged with robbery, theft and receiving stolen property. He was arraigned Friday before District Judge Antonia Grifo, who set bail at $35,000.

In lieu of bail, Davis was sent to Northampton County Prison. The judge ordered he enroll in Pretrial Services and stay away from the victim. The judge allowed 10 percent of $35,000 bail if Pretrial Services approved it.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Slate Belt Regional police are looking for two men accused of stealing an unmanned trail camera in woods in Plainfield Township -- a theft that police said was captured by another camera the thieves didn't get.

Slate Belt Regional police said the theft occurred Dec. 6 in woods in Plainfield Township and was captured by another trail camera that the suspects didn't get. (Courtesy photo)

Police on Monday circulated photos taken from the camera left behind on the property, which is in the 1100 block of Verona Drive. The other camera valued at $120 was stolen on Dec. 6, police said.

Video footage shows two men walking on the victim's property and removing the trail camera from a tree, police said. Police didn't identify the property owner.

Authorities ask that anyone with information call the Slate Belt Regional Police Department at 610-759-8517.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
francis cinelli

Francis Cinelli Jr. is booked as Dr. Spectre on the "SpiriCruise: Voodoo Voyage," according to the cruise website.

Bangor resident Francis Cinelli Jr. is departing Wednesday for a haunted Caribbean cruise while the people defrauded by his family's Blue Mountain Consumer Discount investment scam wonder whether they'll ever be repaid.

Cinelli got permission from a federal judge to embark on an 11-day Voodoo Voyage even though he's serving five years of probation for tax evasion.

He's booked on the cruise as Dr. Spectre, a guest speaker on the paranormal. His attorney, Donald E. Souders Jr., described the cruise as a business trip.

He said Cinelli paid back a lump sum of $75,000 of the $95,000 in taxes he owed as a result of his 2015 conviction and continues to make monthly restitution payments.

U.S.

District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl "made an independent determination that there was no problem" with the trip, he said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Lowe said he doesn't oppose the cruise, either.

Cinelli Jr. was part of a family trust with his father, Francis Cinelli Sr., that owned Blue Mountain. Cinelli Sr. was sentenced to three years of probation for tax evasion and also ordered to pay back $95,000.

The

FBI

raided the business headquarters in 2011.

Walter "Buddy" Lambert, who ran Blue Mountain, was convicted of mail fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion charges. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to pay back $5.2 million.

The government says Blue Mountain bilked multiple investors out of their life savings. They were promised a 9 percent return on their investment, but the proceeds covered personal expenses by Lambert and the Cinellis.

Souders maintains Cinelli doesn't owe anything in the civil cases concerning Blue Mountain. Blue Mountain is bankrupt and Cinelli shouldn't be held liable, he said.

Attorney Ralph Bellafatto, who represents seven people suing Blue Mountain, filed an unjust enrichment claim against Cinelli, and maintains Cinelli lived rent-free and had personal expenses covered by Blue Mountain investors' revenue when that revenue should have been invested, he said.

Regarding the cruise, Bellafatto said, "I don't think it's my role as a civil litigant to comment on the criminal probation department's decision."

Souders wasn't sure what compensation, if any, Cinelli would get from the cruise. The website for "SpiriCruise: The Voodoo Voyage" says participants will tour New Orleans from Feb. 10-14. Then they'll sail to Jamaica; Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico, wrapping up the trip with a return to New Orleans on Feb. 21.

The cruise website calls Cinelli the owner of the Vitamin Pharmacy and an 18-year practitioner of alternative medicine.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received President of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) Jan Zahradil on February 8.

Issues referring to Armenia-EU cooperation, including parliamentary cooperation with the EU, reforms conducted in Armenia by EU assistance, as well as a range of other issues of mutual interest were discussed at the meeting.

The President of Armenia stated Armenias readiness to advance partnership with the European Union in fostering reforms, mobility, efficient governance, democracy, human rights, multidimensional economic cooperation and other sectors of mutual interest. To the conviction of the President, cooperation with colleagues of the European Parliament has a vital role in this process.

Serzh Sargsyan mentioned that Armenia-EU active partnership, including high-level mutual visits, best illustrate the permanent development of Armenia-EU relations. Referring to Armenia-EU negotiations over the new legal framework document launched in Brussels at the end of the last year, President Sargsyan stated that Armenia expects that the negotiations will proceed normally and the sides will bring that important process to the end successfully.

At the request of the guest, the President of the Republic touched upon domestic and external policies of Armenia, introduced his views on current international issues and regional challenges, informed on the latest developments over the negotiation process of Nagorno Karabakh peaceful settlement.

President of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists Jan Zahradil introduced the background of his party, current priorities, the activities of that leading political party in Europe, and stated that the party is interested in developing cooperation with Armenia both in inter-party and Armenia-EU formats.
UPDATE: Winter weather advisory issued for parts of Lehigh Valley

Intermittent snow showers overnight Monday could leave a coating to an inch and after a break, a second wave of snow Tuesday afternoon could bring 1 to 3 more inches, according to the Eastern PA Weather Authority.

The high temperature is expected to hit 40 on Monday and 24 on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said.

(National Weather Service graphic)

Areas to the south of the Lehigh Valley and in northwest New Jersey could get a good shot of snow in the next few days. But Lehigh, Northampton, Warren and Hunterdon counties aren't likely to get hit hard, said meteorologist Bobby Martrich with the Allentown-based Eastern PA Weather Authority.

The forecast for the Lehigh Valley could change, though, based on the location an inverted trough - a condition that can bring heavy snow to a limited area, Matrich said.

The trough is currently south of the Lehigh Valley and appears to be stationary, he said. If that remains the case, there are models that show the Lehigh Valley with an inch or so of snow for the entire storm, Matrich said.

If the trough shifts, the region could get the 3 to 5 inches based on Eastern PA's Sunday night first call. The authority is closely watching the radar will update its forecast at 7 p.m. Monday, with the possibility of a Tuesday update if radar dictates, Matrich said.

Even a small amount of snow - more than 0.6 of an inch at Lehigh Valley Regional Airport - would push the region past its yearly average for snowfall after 31.9 inches was recorded in the major storm Jan. 22-23.

Matrich said more severe weather could be on the horizon for the next week.

Bitter cold is expected to hit this weekend, with a high Saturday that might not break 20 degrees and a low that could dip below zero, Martrich said. A piece of the "tropospheric" polar vortex will set up over Canada for a few days causing the chill, he said.

EPAWA first call for the early-mid week snow: https://t.co/vlHUj0xTvi  Bobby Martrich EPAWA (@epawawx) February 7, 2016

That cold snap should last into the middle of the month, when there's a possibility of a significant storm on Feb. 15-16 as the temperatures moderate to near normal, he said.

"It has big storm potential, with a high to the north, and gulf-related moisture with it," Martrich said. "We'll just have to see when we get closer."

After that, temperatures should be colder the rest of the month, he said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The towns, villages and countryside of Laois may be plastered with posters but local elections candidates are fuming over their removal and allege they are being stolen and vandalised.

The towns, villages and countryside of Laois may be plastered with posters but local elections candidates are fuming over their removal and allege they are being stolen and vandalised.

Candidates in Portlaoise and Portarlington contacted the Leinster Express last week to complain about incidents which have been reported to the Gardai. The removal of some posters in Portlaoise has even caused the local parish priest to make a statement effectively apologising to candidates.

First time political candidate Grainne Corcoran (Labour) from Portarlington said she shocked at what she claimed was a campaign to destroy and steal some of her election posters.

In Portlaoise Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald (FF) believed her posters had been deliberately removed in a very unfair campaign against her.

Some posters have been removed for what appears to be religous reasons although Portlaoises PP Msgr John Byrne said that the note that the theft of posters near the church was done at the request of parishioners was absolutely spurious.

Ms Corcoran who is standing for the Labour Party in the Portarlington to Graiguecullen area, had her face sprayed over with red paint on 13 of her election signs, while another five were removed from poles over the Easter weekend.

Obviously someone is going out in the middle of the night with a ladder. There is no way you could steal them by standing on a car. Whoever did this has a serious problem, said Ms Corcoran.

She had paid 1,100 to get 100 posters printed.

Many candidates get 300 printed, but I think 100 is quite enough, I dont think you have to have one on boths sides of the road, she said.

She said posters had been sprayed over in Port, in Emo village, and on the Emo to Portlaoise road, also discovering five had been stolen in Portarlington. One of those was outside Mount St Annes retreat, where she had asked permission of the sisters to erect a poster. A day later it disappeared.

I felt very upset on Sunday, I have always worked in my community and want to continue to work for it, she said.

Ms Corcoran has replaced the damaged and missing signs and is determined to continue with her election campaign.

I have a job to do and I will continue to do it. I have a great crew and family. If anything this has made me stronger, she said.

The candidate was asked by Port Gardai not to provide evidence to the Leinster Express as they are investigating the crime and asking anyone with information to contact them on 9623112.

Fianna Fail candidate Cllr Catherine Fitzgerld said posters had been removed along the Ballyfin Road and in the Rathleague and Meelick areas of Portlaoise. She said a roadside hoarding her campaign team had erected and was secured with fence post was uprooted.

The outgoing town and county councillor said she had her suspicions but no proof about who was responsible and has filed a report with the gardai. She did not believe what has happened was simply vandalism as no evidence was left of damaged posters. She also claimed that other candidates have suffered.

It is very unfair. I have never seen it happen before, she said.

The candidate said she was not in favour of posters and would have preferred to see a ban, but felt she had no option to use them because.

Meanwhile, Msgr Byrne wrote about the issue in the recent parish newsletter.

I wish to make clear that whoever removed the election posters from the railing on the public footpath in front of the parish church did not do so on behalf of the Parish. We had no knowledge of this action and the note left that the theft of the posters was at the request of Portlaoise parishioners is absolutely spurious.

I dont know who or what the individual(s) purport to represent but it is not Portlaoise Parish. Whatever our thoughts on the proliferation of posters, candidate are entitled to place them in public areas and that should be respected. We thank God we live in a democracy and have the privilege of a vote in these elections, concluded the priest.

Meanwhile, Conor Sweeney, son of Mary Sweeny said on twitter. Some people obviously think local democracy in action is burning down our posters from poles. So I just hang another.
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Midfielder of Armenia National Team and Borussia Dortmund Henrikh Mkhitaryan leads the overall standings of all European competitions with 17 assists.

Armenpress reports Mkhitaryan made 9 assists in Bundesliga, 2 assists in Europa League, 4 - in European qualifying round and two assists in German Cup.

Neymar from Barcelona and Mesut Ozil from Arsenal share the second and third places.
As a Brit, living in Brussels and working in the European Parliament, Ive had a lot to reflect on over the past months and weeks.

When asked by friends and colleagues, well what do you think about Camerons renegotiation', I reply embarrassed.

Its a very English sense of embarrassment, arising from the social awkwardness of being associated with someone who has done something fairly stupid and feeling guilty by proxy. Like being the nephew of the drunk uncle who ruins the childrens birthday party, it is difficult to have any response other than a weary yes, Im sorry hes at it again.

This is in many ways the scenario we find ourselves in today.

Most of my colleagues in Brussels are painfully aware that this process is borne not out of a widespread British dissatisfaction with the European project, but as the result of Camerons political weakness and lack of leadership which has forced him to give ground and ammunition to those with whom he does not agree, but of whom he is very afraid.

I wont further analyse Cameron, or the substance of the deal, as others have done this in detail and readers here have their own well developed views on the subject.

The frustration for me personally is this:

The exercise which Cameron has embarked on over recent months is one that most European leaders do as part of their normal routine.

Most European leaders understand that the EU and its legislative process function by consensus and compromise; leading where you have a vision and proposing reasonable alternatives when the majority view is moving away from your national objectives.

Cameron has for the first time exhibited the sort of statesmanship, touring EU capitals, speaking one to one with his colleagues, that if applied to any single proposal from the European Commission, going through tough negotiations in the European Parliament and Council of Ministers, would result in a positive and acceptable outcome for Britain.

But this also demonstrates the fundamental problem with the UK, with its political process, and its failure to grasp the workings of the EU.

The EU is not a winner takes all, tyranny of the majority where a single political tribe dominates and imposes its will on all the rest, as in our Westminster democracy.

The European Union, like most other modern democracies, functions on the basis of coalitions and consensus building, of debate and persuasion leading to pragmatic compromise which takes on the views of a broader majority in order to achieve real legitimacy.

This is the reason why many Westminster politicians are so enraged by Europe. They feel emasculated and disempowered by the process which despite the Conservatives having won a majority of Westminster seats does not allow them to dictate on the European level.

This Eurosceptic small-man syndrome results in unwillingness and inability to engage with what is to them an alien political culture.

In this context it is no surprise that Liberal Democrats are overwhelmingly pro-European, because the politics of dialogue and compromise are at our core. We have distaste for the concept of majority diktat, favoured by the conservatives, and instead prefer governance by consensus, what I would argue is true representative democracy.

This is so on the European stage.

I have anecdotal evidence from the Whitehall civil servants in Brussels, whove told me of their relief when Liberal Democrats (in the coalition days) came to Brussels as the relevant UK minister to Council meetings, assured that this was someone who knows how to behave, how to talk, how to listen, and how to make a deal.

They also tell me of the frustration that many Tory ministers, when in Brussels, show not only a lack of understanding, but also utter contempt for the EU institutions and processes which not only embarrasses us but also significantly undermines our influence.

The solution to this may lie in another foreign approach: genuine European scrutiny.

In Denmark, ministers must come before the European affairs committee and the relevant sectoral committees in the Danish parliament, explain the issues to be negotiated at the next EU meetings, and put forward their ideas for a negotiating position. They then have to obtain a mandate from parliament for this position and stick to that mandate when in Brussels.

The result is a far better informed debate in parliament, and ministers better equipped and with more authority to represent their countries interests.

Perhaps Westminster politicians could adopt this novel concept of speaking and acting only after they understand an issue and maybe our relationship with Europe would be enhanced.
Kishwer Falkner has taken part in a gripping and chillingly realistic BBC Two TV programme. Its in the This World series and entitled World War Three: Inside the War Room. You can see it on iPlayer here. A committee of senior former British military and diplomatic figures comes together to war-game a hypothetical hot war in eastern Europe.

It is an absolutely fascinating programme. Using actors and footage, a scenario involving Russian infiltration in Estonia starts a crisis. Kishwer, our Foreign Affairs spokesperson, gives plenty of input into the discussion, warning at one point that there is a danger of sleep-walking into a war with Russia. The War room team is chaired by Sir Christopher Meyer, former UK ambassador to the USA.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist. He is currently taking a break from his role as one of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
Were kind of used to invitations to Lib Dem action days containing a hint of a reward for turning up to help. Ive seen organisers promising all sorts of things to motivate people to deliver that extra 100 leaflets or knock on more doors. I certainly have some interesting photos of a particular candidate to release as a treat for spectacular action day performance. There have been promises of chilli (Tom Uttings in Edinburgh Western is legendary), cake and all manner of treats to keep the army marching on its stomach.

I have to say that candidate for the Welsh Assembly seat of Montgomeryshire, Jane Dodds, has come up with the mother of all action day fun: a visit to a hill-top farm for food and frolic with little lambs.

Montgomeryshire Action Weekend It would be great if you could join us for campaigning (and frolics with lambs) at the Montgomeryshire Action Weekend in Welshpool -On Friday 4th and Saturday 5th March  If you can make it please let me know by RSVP'ing to the event here -https://www.facebook.com/events/769949056466276/Thank you! Posted by Jane Dodds for Montgomeryshire on Monday, 8 February 2016

Its happening on March 5th and 6th. A couple of years ago, much to my surprise, I was (probably unhealthily) obsessed with BBCs Lambing Live so I actually went as far as looking up how long it would take me to get there (5 hours either by car or train, apparently) but I will be sensible and stay up here and campaign, although I will be expecting one of our candidates to step up on the lamb front as well.

One of the consequences of my trip to Welsh conference is that having met a lot of the wonderful people down there, I want more than ever for them to do well. I would encourage anyone who lives within reasonable travelling distance of Wales to spend some time there over the next 86 days or so. Their 5 AMs have punched well above their weight, persuading the Welsh Government to introduce and extend the Pupil Premium and getting close to enacting safe staffing levels for nurses, the first such legislation in Europe. They have held Labours feet to the fire very effectively as they stand up for those who really need someone on their side. The Assembly would be a much poorer place without them. They managed to avoid the sort of disaster that befell Scotland 5 years ago, but they will need help to get their message to as many voters as possible. It would be amazing if we could add people like Jane, Veronica German and Elizabeth Evans to our fantastic five AMs.

If you can go to help Jane in March, register here.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
An urgent summit to discuss unaccompanied asylum seeking children who have fled conflict, poverty and persecution will be chaired by leader of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron.

Liberal Democrats have been pressing the Government to take 3000 orphaned child refugees who have reached European shores.

Tim recognises that accepting these children will have an impact on public services and will require local authorities, charities and central government to work together to mitigate these challenges. This roundtable seeks to explore best working practice and establish how central government can act to support local authorities both financially and from an operational and logistical perspective.

The summit on February 10th will bring MPs from across the political spectrum, like Caroline Lucas, who have campaigned with Liberal Democrats for the Government to do more to tackle the refugee crisis. The Office of the Childrens Commissioner, the Local Government Association and Save the Children will join the summit to debate the best way forward.

Liberal Democrats hope that the roundtable will clarify some of the questions around how Britain can welcome these children. In the face of this crisis MPs and campaigners need to continue lobbying Government for a more open-hearted and fuller response.

Tim said:
Here is Tim Farrons message to welcome the Year of the Monkey:

It is with great pleasure that I wish UKs Chinese diaspora communities a very Happy Lunar New Year on the advent of the Year of the Monkey!

I am delighted that ties between UK and China have strengthened and deepened over the years and am deeply appreciative of the many contributions the Chinese living in the UK have made to our economy, enriching our local communities.

I am particularly proud that we have a British Chinese candidate from my party standing in the Mayoral and London Assembly elections this May. I therefore ask for your support and vote for the Liberal Democrats to elect the first British Chinese London Assembly candidate this May.

With new challenges confronting the world that we live in, I believe we will need to be resourceful and forward looking, and work together within Europe for greater progress and for peace.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful festive season and a happy, healthy and prosperous year in 2016.

Xin Nian Kuai Le! Gong Hey Fatt Choy!
Mans capacity for justice makes Democracy Possible, but Mans Inclination to INJUSTICE makes Democracy NECESSARYReinhold Nie-Uhir













The Federal Troops murdered Innocent men, women and children in their thousands at Asaba. Asaba lost in few months university graduates, PhD holders among them were Permanent secretaries, medical doctors, lawyers, teachers, professionals, clergy men and missionaries. It remains the only war and genocide of such magnitude without a monument of remembranceUnited Nations Observer, Canadian M.P, Stephen Lewis, London Guardian, October 11, 1968.

















The Federal Troops assumed that the people of Asaba were Igbos and gave support to OPERATION TOUCH. The people of Asaba suffered more than any other southern tribe in terms of human and material losses. Chief Tayo Akpati, former secretary, petroleum trust fund, The Guardian, July 17, 1997.

















Benin was the capital of the mid-western states with a high concentration of Asaba-born technocrats, bureaucrats, and professionals who met their untimely end at the hands of federal troops and other accomplicesthere appeared a fleeting period of lunacy in which mid-westerners gladly identified Ahaba people to be shot down by federal troops on the so called liberation day in Benin. It was the first Black On Black genocide in post independence Africa . Midwest Solicitor General, Giwa Amu, The Nigerian Obsrever, March 16, 1983.





















The civil war was one of the worst and under reported event in Nigerian History, thanks to the PATRIOTISM of the Nigerian Journalists..the result of the massacres for most part were not to happen since there was a political consensus between the press and the politicians led by Chief Anthony Enahoro.a man who was part of both, He was the Nigerian war time minister of information. Lewis Obi, African Concord , Cover Story, The Asaba Massacre, August 4, 1997























The Ahaba Man became the most vulnerable Nigerian. It required ten positive acts of loyalty to one of the rest of the nation to prove themselves human being. Ever since the Mid-western invasion, they (Ahaba People) had been hounded, killed and considered the greatest security risks than the rest Igbos. Noble Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, The Man Died.
HUNDREDS of rural television viewers are facing upheaval, with wireless cable due to be turned off in April.

Virgin Media, which has recently taken over cable provider UPC has confirmed it will be turning off its Multichannel Multipoint Distribution System (MMDS), which allows customers outside the cable network access the service.

A spokesperson for the provider said it can no longer provide MMDS from April 18 onwards, due to the expiry of the licence, and the lack of a similar licence being made available from the communications regulator.

There has been criticism of Virgin Media from customers who will now most likely have to switch.

Limerick Leader local notes correspondent Hugh Murphy  15 years a cable customer  said the whole village of Kilfinane could be affected by the turn-off.

He said: We got a letter telling us, but there was no consultation. They did not advise us of what we had to do. It was just to tell us they were turning off the signal. I am not 100% sure of what I will have to do.

Leader columnist Patricia Feehily, Ballina, said many in her village will also be affected.

We never had any problem, everything was grand, and suddenly this thing was sprung on us. I find it very inconvenient. There was no discussion about it, only a message saying Its time to say goodbye, she said.

Im sure everyone on my road who has multi-channel is affected, unless they have Sky, said Ms Feehily, who has subscribed to cable for 12 years.

In its letter to affected customers, Virgin Media advised customers to contact Bonkers.ie, or Switcher.ie- who will advise on the best options and can manage the transfer to an alternative pay TV provider.

But Val Olshansky, of SatCity in Lower Gerald Griffin Street, in the city centre, said Virgin Media should have contracted a local company like his to help customers with the changeover, arguing a web address is remote and prohibitive for many.

He said: It would have made things easier. They have sent a letter telling people they can contact two web sites, but people do not really understand. They were just told it was going to stop, and deal with it yourselves. If they had pointed to a local company who could take it over, it would have made it easier for people.

Asked what advice he would give to customers who will be left with a blank screen come April 18, Mr Olshansky said they could look at either subscribing to Sky, and paying by the month, or taking on a Freesat package, which has a one-off payment of 250.

He said since the news of the MMDS turnoff broke, his shop has seen an increase in trade.

In the areas where Virgin Medias MMDS service is going off the air, there is not a strong broadband service leaving satellite television, or Saorview as the only options to access multi-channel television.

In order to access British television channels, it is likely satellite will be the only option, leaving customers potentially having to have new equipment installed.

Former communications worker Tomas Hannon, Dooradoyle, believes an alternative to MMDS should be put in place.

The former councillor said: It is not fair for people to be left high and dry after so many years.

A Virgin Media spokesperson said the firm does not provide a breakdown of its MMDS customer numbers.

We will continue to keep in touch with our MMDS customer base and offer any assistance through out ongoing customer communications, she concluded.
LANDOWNERS along the route of the new Limerick to Foynes road will be paid an extra 3,000 per acre for any land that has to be acquired to make way for the road following a deal between the government and the Irish Farmers Association (IFA).

The 3,000 'goodwill' payment will be paid on top of the market value of any land acquired by compulsory purchase order. Good quality agricultural land currently fetches about 8,500 an acre while poorer land might make between 4000 and 5000.

The announcement came in the wake of discussions between the IFA, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

Aidan Gleeson, Limerick IFA county chairman, this week welcomed the deal.

IFA members continue to have genuine concerns about the proposed project, which has yet to go before An Board Pleanala for planning decision. If planning is granted it is essential that Limerick farmers are treated fairly, he said.

Mr Gleeson added: The agreement is an important framework, which shapes further the original 2001 agreement.

Important measures such as the fixed payment are restored, albeit at a reduced rate, and the assessment process where disputes arise is streamlined.

The IFA has also secured a commitment that the fixed payment will be made retrospective and all eligible farmers who missed out on this payment will now benefit, including those affected by Limerick to Nenagh motorway.

The IFA estimates that there are about 200 landowners along the proposed route between Foynes and Adare. Some of these are owners of private houses, but a large proportion are understood to be farmers.

Nobody goes out looking for a road to be built through their land and it is something that as a landowner you hope you never have to face, but where your land is taken away to facilitate a project like this, it is only right that there would be compensation, Mr Gleeson added.

In addition to the 3,000 goodwill payment, property owners whose land is divided in two by the new road will also stand to receive a severance payment to compensate for the impact on their farming business.
Vietnam

To make the most of an epicurean adventure in Vietnam, Clare Crowson, Premier Holidays' senior marketing manager, extols the virtues of adding local food tours on to bookings. "The street food tour by Vespa in Ho Chi Minh City was the highlight of our recent stay in Vietnam and a fantastic experience. It's a great opportunity to see the city at night, and your local guide takes you to places you'd never find on your own. We tried local delicacies such as Bun Cha (rice noodles with pork), beef spring rolls and red sticky rice with milk, all accompanied by Vietnamese beer." The operator can also organise walking street food tours in Hanoi and cooking classes in Hoi An. Gastronomes looking for a dedicated foodie itinerary should turn to Regent Holidays, which offers a Culture and Cuisine of Vietnam tour. Highlights of the 14-day trip include taking a local sampan boat to Cai Be floating market, where visitors can watch hundreds of boats gathering to sell their wares, plus c ooking classes in Hoi An and in a village on the banks of the Mekong. Stef Studley, Regent Holidays' south-east Asia product executive, says: "The emphasis of the trip is on discovering the country's most popular dishes  and maybe trying something new along the way."

Book it: Premier Holidays offers an eight-night private Highlights of Vietnam tour from 1,699pp, including return flights from Heathrow, all transport in Vietnam and a guide. Price valid for April-June 2016. The evening street food tour by Vespa leads in from 69pp. Regent's Culture and Cuisine of Vietnam tour leads in from 2,550pp and includes return flights from Heathrow, some meals, four-star accommodation and a guide.

trade.premierholidays.co.uk

Laos

Sandwiched between tourism big hitters Vietnam and Thailand, Laos is sometimes eclipsed by its neighbours. But this off-the-beaten-track destination boasts an intriguing French colonial legacy, pristine forest and jungle and a vast stretch of the mighty Mekong, as well as some of the most undercelebrated cuisine in all of Southeast Asia. Insider Journeys' Laos Experience with 4,000 Islands tour aims to reveal how entrancing the destination is, with food serving as the conduit into local Lao culture. Lesley Wright, general manager commercial UK at Insider Journeys, says: "The Laos Experience is a truly immersive introduction to Lao cuisine. With hands-on cooking classes and opportunities to sample traditional dishes and eat with local people, clients will gain genuine insight into how Lao people cook and enjoy food. Exclusive to Insider Journeys, we organise a traditional dinner in a local family's home for a unique insight into Lao cuisine, which our clients see as a real hi ghlight."

Book it: Insider Journey's 14-day Inside Laos with 4,000 Islands leads in from 2,125pp and includes accommodation, some meals, local transport and airport transfers, the services of a tour leader, entrance fees and one cruise. Price valid for travel before June 30, 2016.

insiderjourneys.co.uk

Source: Asia is your oyster: 5 trips in the Far East for foodies
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PHIL FITZPATRICK

Saidor Story: A Memoir of New Guinea by Norma Griffin, edited by Anne Griffin, Pukpuk Publications, 228 pages, including maps and photographs, 2016, ISBN-13: 978-1522721987, Paperback US$10 plus postage from Amazon Books.

AN interesting situation awaits the bride from Ballarat as she sails to the Territory of New Guinea in 1947 to begin married life with her patrol officer husband.

The Pacific war has left much of her new land in ruins; much of the country is still unmapped or uncontrolled.

Japanese soldiers remain in the mountains. Sorcerers and spirits rule the native people, and a cargo cult is creating unrest in her husbands district on the Rai Coast.
U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson isn't running for re-election this year, but he's considering a run for statewide office in 2018.

Gibson, a Republican, launched a campaign committee Monday  a first step as he explores running for governor in two years.

The committee, Gibson for New York, will allow Gibson to raise money for a potential gubernatorial bid.

Gibson, 51, said the decision to launch an exploratory committee comes after he toured the state last year. He visited 41 of the state's 62 counties. Among the events he attended was the Onondaga County Republican Committee's annual clambake.

My travels have made clear that people across this state  from every political perspective  are looking for a new leader in Albany," Gibson said in a statement. "My family and I deeply appreciate the encouragement and support of so many."

A final decision on whether he'll run for governor won't come until after his term ends in early January. He is in the final year of his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Last year, he announced that he wouldn't seek a fourth term in Congress.

A U.S. Army veteran, Gibson served in Iraq and Kosovo. After retiring from the military, he ran for Congress in 2010. He defeated then-incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Murphy by 10 points.

In 2012 and 2014, Gibson won re-election bids to represent the 19th Congressional District.

During his time in Congress, Gibson established himself as one of the more moderate members of the House Republican conference. While he holds conservative positions on abortion and same-sex marriage (he opposes both), he believes climate change must be addressed and supported New York's ban on hydrofracking.

At the state level, Gibson thinks tax cuts and other reforms can help grow the economy. He wants to improve the state's education system by "returning power to parents, students and teachers." Cracking down on public corruption and security issues are also priorities.

Gibson criticized Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who plans to seek a third term in 2018. He said the governor has "led with fear, intimidation and bullying" since taking office in 2011.

"New York has been embarrassed by corruption and lags behind in too many important categories," he said. "We can do better. We're the Empire State for a reason. And with the right leadership, we can live up to our nickname once again. I ask every New Yorker to join me."

While Gibson continues to explore a run for statewide office, he isn't the only Republican who is eyeing a gubernatorial bid.

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who lost to Cuomo in 2014, has been mentioned as a possible candidate. Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino, who Cuomo defeated in 2010, said he's considering another run for governor.
The front-runners in New York's presidential primaries hail from the Empire State.

On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leads U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders by a 55 to 34 percent margin, according to a new Siena Research Institute poll.

Clinton, a former U.S. senator from New York, outperforms Sanders among men (49 to 42 percent), women (59 to 28 percent) and liberals (56 to 39 percent).

In upstate New York, Clinton leads Sanders by eight points, 47 to 39 percent.

While Clinton leads the primary, Sanders has a slightly better favorable rating, Siena pollster Steve Greenberg said.

Sanders is viewed favorably by 51 percent of voters, while Clinton has a 50 percent favorable rating.

"Hillary, with a small uptick in her favorability rating since September, has a solid 21-point lead over Bernie with Democrats, despite a significant increase in his favorability rating," Greenberg said.

In New York's Republican presidential primary, billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump holds double-digit leads over his closest competitors. More than one-third of GOP voters surveyed  34 percent  said they would support Trump, a New York City resident, in the primary.

U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are tied at 16 percent. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is supported by 11 percent of New York Republican voters.

"Trump's overall 18-point lead is even larger among New York City Republicans, who give him a 26-point lead over Rubio, and downstate suburbanites, who give him a 27-point lead over Rubio," Greenberg said.

"For upstate Republicans, this is a barnburner with Trump at 24 percent, followed by Cruz with 20 percent, Christie at 18 percent and Rubio with 17 percent. Self-identified conservatives give Trump a 40-26 percent lead over Cruz, with Rubio in a distant fourth place with 7 percent support."

New York's presidential primaries will be held April 19.

Democrats should have no problem winning New York in November. Clinton leads Cruz, Rubio and Trump by large margins. Sanders, too, holds big leads over the top three GOP contenders.
The giant tortoises of the Galapagos Islands are infamous for being one of the animals that inspired Charles Darwin to formulate his theory of natural selection. But it may come as a surprise that despite their fame, the Galapagos tortoises have long been a bit of a mystery to scientists  at least when it comes to their sexual and social behaviors.

"One of the great misconceptions of iconic organisms is that we know much about them," said James Gibbs, a conservation biologist at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, New York, who studies giant tortoises. "But tortoise social behavior is barely known, and we're just starting to figure all this out."

As Darwin noticed, there are two distinct types of Galapagos tortoises: saddleback tortoises (including the famed Lonesome George) and dome-shaped tortoises, so-named for the structure of their shells. But aside from having different shells, these reptiles also have very different behaviors. [See Images of Lonesome George, a Giant Galapagos Tortoise]

Saddleback tortoises live in dry environments where there's little to eat for 9 months of the year, Gibbs told Live Science. As their name implies, saddleback tortoises' shells rise in the front like saddles  this adaptation allows them to extend their long necks up to feed on cactus trees.

Male saddlebacks vie for control over cactus trees, but will allow as many females into their shaded domains as possible.

Domed tortoises, on the other hand, live in moist regions where food is plentiful and close to the ground, and the shape of their shells prevents them from extending their short necks up.

Because of the abundance of food, these tortoises don't control territories and instead roam around to find mates, probably using their noses as their guides, Gibbs said. "Having said that, we suspect  and it's probably true  that they may also use ultrasonic communication."

Galapagos tortoises mate throughout the year, but sexual activity typically heats up during the hot months in the beginning of the year.

When two male saddlebacks come across one another, they battle for access to cactus trees  and therefore mates. These fights, however, amount to little more than neck-stretching competitions, with the longer-necked tortoises ultimately coming out victorious (though biting is also sometimes involved).

Male dome-shape tortoises, by comparison, engage much less in competition. "There's a lot more food, but they do sometimes act like bumper cars and just bump into each other with a loud noise," Gibbs said.

Male Galapagos tortoises aren't in the business of wooing their potential mates; rather, they show their interest by harassing the much smaller females. That is to say, a male will spend up to three or four days following a female, trying to mount her, and pushing her around a bit.

"They interfere with daily activities and feeding, but we don't know if it's part of the male's strategy to wear [the female] down," Gibbs said.

Galapagos tortoises, like other reptiles, have cloaca (a single orifice for waste and reproduction) at the base of their tails. The lining of the male's cloaca folds out to form a "penis," which he needs to insert into the female's cloaca for insemination  an act that requires the female's cooperation, as she needs to extend her tail out and lift it so that the male has access.

"Tortoise mating is quite an affair to watch," Gibbs said, adding that males will thrust for 10 to 20 minutes while making loud groaning noises that can carry for miles.

After mating, the female Galapagos tortoise may store the sperm of her mate in her body for at least 7 years for later use.

Follow Joseph Castroon Twitter. Follow us @livescience, Facebook& Google+.
An artist's conception shows a family of comets as it passes in front of a star  one of the best explanations for the strange dimming around Tabby's star.

It's looking less likely that a swarm of comets or an "alien megastructure" can explain a faraway star's strange dimming.

The star (nicknamed "Tabby's Star," after its discoverer, Tabetha Boyajian) made major headlines last October when Jason Wright, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University, suggested that it could be surrounded by some type of alien megastructure. A more likely idea  one that's far less exciting  is that the star is orbited by a swarm of comets. But scientists can't be sure either way.

Now, Bradley Schaefer, an astronomer at Louisiana State University, has probed the star's behavior over the past century by looking at old photographic plates. Not only does the star's random dipping date back more than a century, but it also has been gradually dimming over that period  a second constraint that makes it even harder to explain. [13 Ways to Hunt Intelligent Alien Life]

The first signs of the star's oddity came from NASA's planet-hunting Kepler space telescope, which continually monitored the star (as well as 100,000 others) between 2009 and 2013. Astronomers, citizen scientists and computers could then search for regular dips in a star's light  a sign that an exoplanet has passed in front of that star. The largest planets might block 1 percent of a star's light, but Tabby's star dropped by as much as 20 percent in brightness. That, in and of itself, would be weird. But the periodic dimmings didn't occur at regular time intervals, either  they were sporadic. The signature couldn't be caused by a planet, scientists said.

In September, a team led by Boyajian, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, tried to make sense of the unusual signal. First, the researchers looked into any angles that might mean there was something wrong with the data itself. They even checked in with Kepler mission scientists. But everything came out clean. "The data that we were observing with Kepler is, in fact, astrophysical," Boyajian told Space.com.

Still, nothing about the observations indicated what might be causing the extreme interference. After considering many possible scenarios, Boyajian determined that dust from a large cloud of comets was the best explanation. But she admits that "it's a bit of a stretch to have comets that are large enough to block that much of the light from the star." With her paper published, she hoped that other astronomers would jump in with alternative solutions.

And they did. A month later, the star exploded into the public's eye when Wright announced that an advanced extraterrestrial civilization could be responsible for the signal, assuming this civilization built a megastructure, like solar panels, around the star. And Boyajian thinks the theory is definitely worth a follow-up.

"We have to look at every angle that we can  and that's one angle, as wild and crazy as it seems," she said. Slate blogger and astronomer Phil Plait, too, admits that "while it's incredibly unlikely, it does kinda fit what we're seeing."

A follow-up looking for alien signals, however, turned up empty-handed.

So Schaefer turned to old photographic plates from the Harvard College Observatory. Lucky for him, the star has been photographed more than 1,200 times as part of a repeated all-sky survey between the years 1890 and 1989. That many data points revealed that Tabby's star is acting strangely in more than one way: It's flickering on short timescales, as the Kepler and Harvard data show, and it's dimming over the course of a century, as the Harvard data show.

"Occam's razor [the simplest explanation is likely the best one] needs to be considered in a scenario like this," Boyajian said. A single phenomenon must be causing both behaviors, she added. But what is it?

Well, the results don't look good for a family of comets. It would take a vast number of comets to pass in front of the star for a century, astronomers say.

"It would be more mass than what we have in the whole Kuiper Belt" [the band of icy bodies in the vast region beyond Neptune], said Massimo Marengo, an associate professor of astronomy at Iowa State University who co-authored a paper supporting the comets theory in December.

"You can get out of that if you assume it's the same family of comets passing in front of the star over and over," Marengo told Space.com. But with the century-long dimming trend, too, that family of comets has to get bigger every time it passes the star. "It's a difficult thing to do," he said.

The results also change the requirements for the alien megastructure hypothesis. Plait pointed out that the general fading is actually what you'd expect to see if aliens were building a massive sphere around their star. But before you get your hopes up, consider this: Plait calculated that aliens would need to build a minimum of 750 billion square kilometers (290 billion square miles) of solar panels to account for the 20 percent drop in their star's brightness. "That's 1,500 times the area of the entire Earth," Plait wrote. "Yikes."

So astronomers now have to hope that future observations might shed light on this stellar oddity. "Nature can help us by creating another one of these events," Marengo said. "But sometimes, we don't get lucky."

Follow Shannon Hall on Twitter @ShannonWHall. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Millennials have heard it before: People born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s are the most narcissistic, individualistic and self-absorbed generation in recorded history.

Plenty of people have tried to explain this shift, pointing fingers at coddling parents and social media. But research actually suggests that millennials aren't especially awful, as generations go. In fact, American culture has been getting increasingly individualistic for at least a century, and it's likely that socioeconomic structure is to blame.

Researchers reporting in 2013 in the journal Psychological Science found that socioeconomic changes preceded changes in individualism, particularly the change from a blue-collar manufacturing economy to one full of white-collar office workers. Meanwhile, cross-cultural research suggests that countries with greater income inequality tend to have citizens with higher self-regard. Income inequality has been on the rise in the United States since the 1970s. [7 Things That Will Make You Happy]

"Part of the answer has to be these socioeconomic processes and the distribution of wealth within the country," said Yoshihisa Kashima, a psychologist at the University of Melbourne in Australia who studies how cultures are formed and maintained.

How the generations have changed

Research presented in January at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in San Diego found that millennials don't really like being called narcissistic and entitled. However, research suggests that these labels are, indeed, true  though not necessarily to the extent that the media and marketers make them out to be.

Though American culture has been getting more individualistic, the changes are small from generation to generation.

For the past century, cultural indicators of individualism  such as self-focused words in books, unique baby names, and less enmeshed family structures and living situations  have been on the rise, said Igor Grossmann, a psychologist at the University of Waterloo in Ontario who published findings to that effect in 2015 in the journal Psychological Science.

"Each generation probably viewed the younglings as the most egocentric as opposed to older adults," Grossmann told Live Science. "That was probably true for people in the 1930s as it is true now."

Meanwhile, research on large, reoccurring surveys of Americans that have been ongoing since the 1960s find trends toward greater self-regard. Compared with Americans of the same age in previous generations, today's youth are more entitled and narcissistic, according to research pioneered by psychologist Jean Twenge of San Diego State University. [7 Personality Features That Are Bad for You]

It can be tricky to interpret these surveys, Kashima told Live Science, because they weren't necessarily designed to measure personality traits like narcissism, and because people in the past might have interpreted questions, as they were worded, differently than people today would. Nevertheless, he said, when combined with other cultural measures of individualism, the majority of the research points to the same go-your-own-way trend.

One 2012 paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, however, does suggest that there may be some exceptions to the rule. That study found that Americans value obedience in children less than in the past and see social contribution as less important for a good life  both signs of individualism. But Americans are no less likely today than in the past to value friends and relatives, and are more likely to believe in unconditional love for their parents, which are communal values.

Why generations change

Even more difficult than measuring generational change is determining why it happens. Joshua Grubbs, a doctoral candidate at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, has surveyed millennials to see how they respond to being labeled as entitled and narcissistic. As part of those surveys, he asked millennials for their opinions on why the generational gap might exist. Those data have not been analyzed, Grubbs told Live Science, but common responses include changes in parenting and technology. Scientists have proposed other possibilities, including urbanization, secularism and even the number of natural disasters (the theory being that people have to band together in the face of major events).

But what's really to blame?

The most likely culprit, according to Grossmann's research, is the economy. Grossmann and his colleagues looked for cultural shifts that occurred before individualistic culture markers, like baby names and words in books, started to change. They found only a small effect of urbanization, but the real predictor of a shift toward a more me-first society was the change from blue-collar to white-collar jobs. This urbanization shift is tied up with the overall economic trend, Grossmann said, because office buildings tend to be packed into denser urban areas than sprawling factory complexes.

The timing of the changes can't prove that one caused the other, Grossmann said, but it's the closest that psychologists can get to showing causation.

Kashima agreed that the middle-class office-worker lifestyle seems to be driving the individualism trend. But the rise in narcissism and self-esteem is not necessarily the same thing as a rise in individualism, he cautioned.

These self-regard measures seem driven by another economic shift: rising income inequality. Research across different nations finds that countries whose citizens see themselves more positively (rating themselves as "above average" compared with their fellow citizens, for example) also tend to be those with the widest gaps between rich and poor.

In the post-World War II United States, the middle class grew, but that change was soon followed by a rising income gap, such that the bottom level of the income spectrum stayed steady as the top pushed ever upward, Kashima said. As these changes have developed over the decades, it's possible they've subtly altered people's behavior.

"One of the speculations there is that the income inequality tends to make salient this sort of status difference," he said. "So a status difference means that basically, you want to feel superior to other people rather than saying, 'I'm just like other people.'"

Another question is how the oft-cited culprits of parenting and technology might play into this equation. Changes in parenting that might translate to more individualistic kids could stem from socioeconomic change, Kashima said. Modern parents are no longer likely to expect their kids to grow up to be farmers or factory workers, for example.

"Parents, I think, might be trying to prepare their kids for the increase in individualism and decline in collectiveness in their parenting style, and that might have an impact," Kashima said. [10 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids]

Technology's impact is also murky. Typically, media like books and newspapers exaggerate cultural trends rather than reflecting them perfectly accurately, Kashima said. But there is at least one way that tech has changed how generations relate to one another.

"Other generations didn't have the Internet, where everyone and their mom could jump on the bandwagon," said Grubbs, who was born in 1988 and qualifies as a millennial. "We're the first generation where 'kids these days get to be talked about ad nauseam online by everyone from their peers to people two to three generations removed from them."

Unfortunately, Grubbs said, no one knows whether all this chatter makes millennials want to shake off the stereotype  or throw up their hands and embrace the narcissistic urge.

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
The King Tut mummy is one of the few to be positively identified.

King Tutankhamun is the only 18th Dynasty pharaoh whose mummy has been identified with certainty, says a new study into some of the most famous ancient Egyptian royal mummies.

King Tuts great-grandparents, Yuya and Thuya, have also been identified beyond doubt, while different opinions appear to circulate about the identity of almost all the other mummies.

Published in the Yearbook of Physical Anthropology, the research reviews methods and pitfalls used to name the mummies of the famous 18th Dynasty, which includes royals such as Amenhotep III, Akhenaton, Nefertiti and Tutankhamun.

Photos: Mystery Mummies: Who Are They?

The meta-analysis examines all the procedures used to identify these mummies, such as anthropological examination, genetics, facial resemblance, historic inscriptions, and name tags found directly on the bandages.

"Overall, agreement emerges only for the identities of Tutankhamun and his great-grandparents Yuya and Thuya. Such results demonstrate the difficulties in identifying ancient Egyptian royal mummies," Frank Ruhli, director of the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich, told Discovery News.

Ruhli and colleagues Michael Habicht and Abigail Bouwman focused their investigation on the mummies of the so-called Thutmoside dynasty, from Thutmosis II to Tutankhamun.

Photos: Mummies' Faces, Hairdos, Revealed in 3D

Some of these mummies have been recently investigated using molecular genetics in the so-called "Tutankhamun Family project, carried out by a team recruited by Zahi Hawass, Egypt's former head of antiquities.

The scientists tested 11 royal mummies suspected of being related to King Tut, while five other royal individuals dating to the early New Kingdom (1550-1479 B.C.) were chosen as a control group.

To create a genetic fingerprint for each mummy, the researchers led by Hawass used eight sets of genetic markers. Shared markers helped produce a five-generation pedigree of Tutankhamun's immediate lineage.

Photos: Signs of Incest in Famous Mummies

Yuya and Thuya were recognized as King Tut's great-grandparents. Pharaoh Amenhotep III and the mummy known as the Elder Lady (KV35EL) were found to be his grandparents, while the skeleton known as KV55 -- most likely Akhenaton -- and KV35YL, the Younger Lady, were identified as siblings, as well as King Tut's parents.

Our review basically supports the DNA results, Ruhli said.

The researchers noted however that the genetic tests would have not been enough in UK and US courts today to claim parentage.

Optical Illusion: Child Mummy Opens And Closes Her Eyes

In UK courts at least 10 matches are required, while in North America 13 matches are necessary to claim relationship. The Tutankhamun Family project gave 8 matches.

"It should be said that working with modern genetic material is one thing, analyzing some 3,500 year-old DNA a totally different one. Obviously, it is much more challenging," Ruhli said.

A head statue of Tutankhamun made of wood covered with plaster and then painted. (Image credit: Jean-Pierre Dalbera/Wikimedia Commons)

After reviewing all the possible methods used to name the mummies, Ruhli and colleagues proposed their own identification.

They agreed with the genetic tests on the identifications of the mummies of Thutmosis II, Amenhotep III, Yuya, Thuya, Queen Tjye, Akhenaton and Tutankhamun.

The study differs from the genetic research for one identification, that of the mummy CG 61072 or KV35YL, the Younger Lady.

Kidney Spotted For First Time in Egyptian Mummy

While the body remains unidentified according to DNA tests, Ruhli and colleagues present her as Queen Nefertiti.

"We can't be fully certain of her identity, however inscriptional evidence and facial resemblance with Tutankhamun as seen in CT scans, strongly suggests the mummy belongs to Nefertiti," Ruhli said.

"Nefertiti is labelled in inscriptions to be Tutankhamun's mother and indeed the mummy known as the Younger Lady is genetically suggested to be King Tut's mother," he added.

Ancient Egyptian Mummy Wearing Jewels Found

If the identification is correct, the theory that Nefertiti is the occupant of a secret crypt behind the western wall of King Tuts tomb would be automatically ruled out.

In this case, candidates would be other elusive 18th Dynasty mummies, such as the enigmatic pharaoh Smenkhkare, Queen Kiya, the mysterious secondary wife of Akhenaton, and Queen Meritaton, the eldest daughter of Akhenaton and Nefertiti who might have acted as a regent for her underage brother Tutankhamun.

"But it is also possible that no mummy and artifacts at all will be found," the researchers said.

Originally published on Discovery News.
Robots that mimic the way cockroaches can scuttle through teeny-tiny cracks might one day help first responders locate and rescue disaster victims trapped in debris, researchers say.

Scientists regularly look to nature for inspiration when designing robots, with the hope of learning from millions of years of evolution. Specifically, the researchers have patterned robots after insects for decades  after all, insects are some of the most successful animals on the planet, comprising about 75 percent of all animal species known to humanity.

Robert Full, an integrative biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, and his colleagues often use roaches to inspire their robot designs. For instance, they have developed machines that copy how roaches can skitter past obstacles and disappear under ledges in the blink of an eye. [See video of the cockroach-inspired robots squeezing through crevices]

Now the researchers have developed a robot that imitates how roaches can invade or escape spaces by squeezing through narrow crevices.

"We can imagine swarms of these robots helping to locate survivors trapped in the rubble from tornadoes or earthquakes or explosions," Full told Live Science.

First, the scientists used high-speed cameras to film cockroaches running through narrow slits. They found the insects could slip through cracks about one-eighth of an inch (3 millimeters) wide  the height of two stacked pennies, and only one-quarter of the standing height of the roaches.

"Cockroaches are incredibly good at getting through small spaces, so we always had to keep an eye on them to make sure they didn't escape from our experiments," Full said.

Cockroaches are able to scurry through tight spaces by splaying their legs out to the side and compressing their exoskeletons to about half their original size. Experiments compressing the roaches suggest the insects can withstand forces up to nearly 900 times their body weight without injury, the researchers said.

Surprisingly, the cockroaches also moved rapidly through confined spaces, at speeds of about 23 inches (60 centimeters) per second. This speed corresponds to about 20 times the lengths of their bodies per second, Full said, or the equivalent of a person who is 5 feet and 8 inches (1.7 meters) tall moving at more than 75 mph (121 km/h).

The scientists also lined the bottoms and tops of crevices with sandpaper to see how friction affected the cockroaches' ability to move. Increasing the friction of the ceiling just slowed the roaches down; increasing the friction of the floor past a certain point also slowed the insects down, but reducing the friction of the floor past a certain point slowed the roaches down, too, because their legs could not adequately grip the ground, Full said.

"This is a new kind of locomotion, an unexplored way to move, that we call body-friction legged crawling," Full said. "[Cockroaches] don't have friction all over their bodies as they move through confined spaces, as something moving through water or soil might  they only have friction from the ceiling and ground along their backs and bellies."

The scientists then designed a simple, cheap, palm-size robot with a plastic shell much like the smooth, tough wings covering the back of a cockroach, and soft legs that could splay outward when the machine was squashed. The robot, named CRAM  short for Compressible Robot with Articulated Mechanisms  was able to squeeze into and run through crevices half its height.

Full noted that researchers are now developing robots inspired by octopuses, worms and starfish that are made from soft, elastic plastic and rubber. These soft robots are resistant to many of the kinds of damage  and can overcome many of the obstacles  that typically impair hard robots.

"Our research suggests that even though cockroaches have rigid, jointed exoskeletons, the fact they can squeeze through seemingly impassable crevices suggest they could serve as very effective models for the next generation of soft robots," Full said. "Roaches suggest that you can have robots with seemingly rigid shells that could still fit into narrow cracks, while at the same time possess the advantages offered by jointed limbs, such as running fast, climbing, jumping and flying."

Full and study lead author Kaushik Jayaram, at Harvard University, detailed their findings online today (Feb. 8) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science.
A man who suffered three bouts of persistent hiccups, lasting a few days each, over the span of one month finally learned the true reason for his health problems  a large tumor in the back of his neck, a new case report reveals.

The case was unusual because it's fairly uncommon for the cause of such long-lasting hiccups to turn out to be a tumor, said Dr. Mark Goldin, an internal medicine hospitalist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, and a co-author of the case report, published online Jan. 28 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

The reason the man had intractable hiccups  which are hiccups lasting longer than two days  was that his tumor was compressing his phrenic nerve, which is the neural pathway that goes to the diaphragm, the muscle just below the lungs that is involved in controlling breathing. The nerve was sending disturbed signals to the diaphragm, causing the muscle to contract involuntarily, leading to the hiccups, Goldin said.

Anything that can irritate the phrenic nerve, including certain infections and medications, might trigger a bout of persistent hiccups, he said. [15 Weird Things Humans Do Every Day]

According to the case report, the first two bouts of the persistent hiccups were annoying to the 35-year-old man, but both times when he went to the hospital, he did not have any other symptoms that alarmed the doctors, Goldin said. The man was given a medication to ease his hiccups, and although it didn't seem to provide any relief, the hiccups eventually stopped.

But in the third episode that struck during that month in the fall of 2014, by the time the man came to the emergency room, he had been hiccuping and vomiting for five days.

The man was also experiencing tingling and numbness in his left arm. However, he thought the symptoms were due to an old injury  a slipped disc in his neck  and did not suspect they were connected to his hiccups. But doctors would soon discover the cause of these seemingly disconnected symptoms, and that cause did not involve the slipped disc.

Tumor discovered

Within a few hours of getting to the hospital, the man started to have other neurological signs that were getting worse, Goldin told Live Science. He developed weakness, tingling and numbness in his legs, and he also had trouble walking, swallowing and maintaining his balance.

By this point, doctors knew that something deeper was going on, Goldin said, so they ordered an MRI of his brain and spinal cord.

This MRI shows the extensive structure of the haemangioblastoma. (Image credit:  2016 the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd)

These images showed that he had "a large and complex tumor" known as a hemangioblastoma, Goldin said.

The tumor was compressing the majority of nerve roots leading to the neck region of the man's spinal cord, Goldin said.

Neurosurgeons successfully removed the entire tumor, which cured the man, Goldin said.

The man had no family history of this type of tumor, and this is not a type that typically comes back, Goldin said. He credited his case report co-author Zachary Hahn, who was a third-year medical student working on the case, for picking up on the signs and symptoms in the man that led down the path of diagnosing his tumor.

One day after the man's surgery, he received both physical therapy and occupational therapy; and four days after it, he left the hospital. Since then, the man has had frequent MRIs, and none of them have showed any signs of the tumor recurring. [16 Oddest Medical Cases]

Goldin said he last saw the man a few months ago and that he has not had any symptoms and is back to his usual activities.

Cases of intractable hiccups should always be a cause for concern, Goldin said. "Even when they occur in a healthy person, there has to be an underlying cause for them," he said.

Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science.
As temperatures plummet, heating and energy costs are at the forefront of everyones minds. Cayuga/Seneca Community Action Agencys Energy Services Department offers a variety of energy conservation services to help income-qualifying individuals and families in Cayuga County to increase the comfort and safety of their home while decreasing their energy costs. Additionally, CSCAA is under contract with Cayuga County Department of Social Services as an alternate certifier for the Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides a onetime benefit to low-income households to assist them with paying their energy bills. These programs, when used together, can have a tremendous impact on a households energy burden throughout the heating season.

CSCAAs Energy Services Department has provided energy conservation services in Cayuga County since 1976. The Weatherization Assistance Program, funded by the Home Energy Assistance Program through the U.S. Department of Energy and administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal, is the agencys longest-standing energy program and is available to low-income homeowners and renters. Other services available include EmPower NY and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR programs that are funded by the New York Energy Research and Development Authority.

The first step in obtaining energy conservation services through CSCAA after being approved for one or more of the above-mentioned programs is the comprehensive home energy assessment, which is conducted by a Building Performance Institute-certified auditor. The assessment is designed to determine the most cost-effective energy upgrades and health and safety measures that will benefit the customer by decreasing energy usage and increasing the comfort and safety of the home. Customers are asked to participate in the assessment process to assist the auditor in locating areas of concern. Customers are provided with valuable information about what they can do every day to reduce their energy bills.

BPI-certified staff interpret the findings of the home energy assessment and develop a detailed report outlining the measures that will increase the efficiency, comfort and safety of the home. Installations may include, but are not limited to attic, sidewall, crawlspace, rim joist and kneewall insulation, air sealing, heating system service, repair or replacement, replacement of inefficient appliances and lighting, and window and door repair or replacement. By assessing the whole house and analyzing it as a system, CSCAAs Energy Services programs are able to provide homeowners with increased comfort in addition to reducing their energy bills. If the customer elects to move forward with all or part of the recommendations, the prescribed work is then completed by highly trained staff of the agency, and inspected upon completion by BPI-certified staff.

CSCAAs Energy Services programs provide critical resources at no cost to the homeowner; the benefits of the program are realized for years. For more information regarding any of the programs and services being offered by Cayuga/Seneca Community Action Agencys Energy Services Department, please contact the office at (315) 255-1703 ext. 124.
Ernest Abbott Leyendecker Jr., 84, born in Laredo, Texas, passed away peacefully at his home in Houston on Jan. 22, 2016.

He was a descendant of the Johann Leyendecker family, one of the founding German families of Fredericksburg, Texas.

His son, John Z., Ernests great-grandfather, left Fredericksburg as a young man to strike out on his own and eventually settled in Laredo, Texas.

Ernests early childhood friends and family knew him also as Bubba, or Bub for short, a nickname given by his younger brothers.

Bub grew up during a generation long passed.

He cherished his Catholic faith, valued hard work and loved the outdoors.

There was little in the world that Bub enjoyed more than being in the country with nature, his family and friends.

Raised by loving parents, young Bub grew up with a do the right thing nature.

Like most young men of his generation, he joined the military to support our nations effort during the Korean conflict.

This experience transitioned the young Bub into young adult Ernie.

The Marine Corps took him far away from the dusty South Texas scrabble to the shores of San Diego and to the other side of the cultural world in Japan.

Strengthened by the experience as a young Marine, Ernie returned to the University of Texas to complete his education in petroleum engineering.

It was during this time in Austin that Ernie married another Laredoan, Julia, his loving wife of 61 years. They had six children, three boys and three girls.

Ernies strong work ethic and leadership carried him up the ranks in the oil industry leading him to an executive level position with a large oilfield service company.

His rural values and friendly nature made Ernie a well-known, well-liked and well-respected figure in the oil patch.

This professional experience took him to every continent of the world; nations, cultures and friends more foreign than he surely ever imagined as a young boy growing up in rural South Texas.

As much as Ernie enjoyed his professional life, it was hard to ever eclipse the love he had for his family.

There was never a higher priority than family, nor a more joyful experience than spending time with them.

Ernie was a special and significantly positive influence on the family; passing on his strong values and integrity to his children.

Their professional and personal success is a great reflection of Ernies loving guidance and support.

Ernie now begins his eternal life with God and with all the souls that continue to protect and inspire us.

Ernie is survived by his loving wife, Julia, their six children, spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by his brother, Douglas Leyendecker, and his sons, Marius and John; Angie Leyendecker Batt and James Batt, their son Henry; Patsy Leyendecker Birchfield and Mike Birchfield, their daughters Ashley Birchfield, Meghan Birchfield Calva and great-granddaughter Elise Marie Calva;

Ernie and Beth Leyendecker, their children, Christopher and Mairead; Jennifer Leyendecker Podeschi and Darrin Podeschi, their children Alexandra, Ann Marie and William; Kevin and Tiffany Leyendecker, their children Patrick, Andrew and Kathleen; and Ernests brother, William R. Leyendecker of Kerrville, Texas.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Kathleen Leyendecker, and two brothers, Jere and Pat.

A funeral service was held at St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church, 7810 Cypresswood Dr., Spring, Texas 77379 on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 1 p.m.

Memorial donations can be made to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation in his honor.
History has told us that the arrival of the railroad in Laredo in 1881 brought dramatic economic change to the town, generating unprecedented commercial development on the Rio Grande frontier.

The spark behind this economic boom was the international flow of commerce generated primarily by the facilities at the Laredo port of entry and enhanced by the railway links from the north (San Antonio) and the Gulf region (Texas Mexican Railway), which linked Nacionales de Mexico here and onto the interior of Mexico by rail.

And against this backdrop of conflicts and wars (Mexican-American War, Civil War), the neighbor south of the Rio Grande became pockets of exiled resident who were forced to flee to get away from the abusive and oppressive government of Porfirio Diaz. Don Porfirio ruled with an iron hand for 35 years, from 1876 through 1911.

In that immediate period (1880-1890s), border groups of disenchanted natives undertook poorly organized campaigns to terminate the Porfirio Diaz dictatorship.

Interestingly, it was the informational efforts of some early border newspapers, like the Laredo Weekly Times, later Laredo Daily Times, and others that made known the names and activities of individuals opposing the Diaz regime and being prosecuted by U.S. federal authority on charges of Neutrality Act violations.

Some four years after Dr. Ignacio (General) Martinez failed insurrection in 1885-1886 in Starr County, one Francisco Ruiz Sandoval, an upriver partisan of Dr. Martinez, Paulino Martinez and other Garzista followers, were organizing another uprising against Diaz out of Webb County.

The Sandoval project in 1890 foreshadowed (Catarino) Garzas more sustained effort the next year, observed historian and author Elliott Young (Catarino Garzas Revolution on the Texas-Mexican Border, 2004).

Both anti-Diaz revolts were organized among the (South Texas) border exile community.

It was Youngs view that Sandovals June 24, 1890, revolt ended on a farce and Catarino Garzas the next year ended in tragedy.

Young concluded, Depending on whose account you believe Sandoval was either a seasoned Central and South American revolutionary general or a disgruntled junior officer in the Mexican Army.

When Sandoval began forming revolution in Mexico, the government deported him, a Chilean citizen, as a pernicious foreigner.

Young and other border historians agreed that since Sandoval was booted out of the country by the Diaz government, he lived in exile in South Texas, spending most of his time in Laredo and Nuevo Laredo seeking financial support, men and weapons to strike at the Diaz government.

The Sandoval plot and results were comical all right, if not a farce.

First, the Diaz government had advanced warning through its elaborate spying network on both sides of the border.

Then there was a warning alarm (June 21, 1890) in Nuevo Laredo that brought the Mexican military to keep watch on the river.

In addition, Diaz people were informed through consular officials of anti-Diaz elements meeting in Lampazos on how the conspiracy would coordinate with the Sandoval group at a river crossing point upriver from Laredo in the vicinity of a Milmo property.

Whatever degree of secrecy the movement had previously maintained, by mid-June the imminent invasion (by the Sandoval rebels) had become public knowledge, historian Young wrote.

Imagine anyone planning an invasion from a site in Webb County to a point on the other side with advance notice to the target. Thats what happened.

The archives tell that on June 25, 1890, the Laredo Daily Times reported, as written by Elliott Young, that Sandoval and a band of fifty men were ready to invade Mexico and that the U.S. military had warrants out for their arrest.

This comical event in border history was not over.

There would be a trial in San Antonio federal court, testimony from prosecution and defense witnesses, and an acquittal.

(Odie Arambula is at oarambula@stx.rr.com)
To the editor:

The Iowa caucus results and letters two days in a row from Manuel Blanco are almost too much to enjoy; too much in too short a time.

I think that Manuel Blancos two letters contain a double dose of truth whether he intended it or not. I will address his letters in order.

Manuel Blancos letter of Feb. 1 was in my opinion far and away the best letter he has written in some time.

However, there was one problem: I believe had he placed his last paragraph first he would have written a near perfect epitome of the sins that those who have imperfectly practiced Judeo-Christian values have committed.

Regardless of what has been the outcome before and after the Reformation, all Christians of the major Western denominations Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist (Reformed Christians), or Pentecostal Christians have tried imperfectly to follow the command of Jesus to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.

We are in the Western Christian tradition are all considered to be sinners according to Saint Paul in his letter to the Christians in Rome (3:23a):  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God 

For the last four centuries, since the Enlightenment, the Western World has been increasingly ruled by secular humanist ideals with similar results to the ills Mr. Blanco placed at the foot of Judeo-Christians.

Hitler was not a Christian nor was Mao or Stalin.

No single human or group of humans is immune to sinning  history seems to show that.

To condemn the ideal of love as expressed in Judeo-Christian thought and equality and justice in secular humanistic thought is to confuse the concept with its practitioners.

Mr. Blancos letter of Feb. 2 was in my opinion a continuation of his letter of Feb. 1.

The contradiction between what is preached and what is practiced that he noted is sadly true.

The body of Christ (the Church) is badly divided by our sinful nature.

Lest I be branded a mere toady of the Democrat party for agreeing with Manuel Blanco, I have to offer a political rebuttal to his political assertions.

An article by John OSullivan in the Saturday Jan. 30 edition of the Wall Street Journals Review Section postulates that the base of the two major parties have switched.

This means, in my opinion, that Manuel Blanco is now almost a Republican who might support Marco Rubios message of hope and opportunity to grow the economy and lift people from poverty.

In my opinion, the modern Republicans of 2016 are more like the Democrats of 1960.

The Democrats are running two older White people while first and third in the Republican Iowa caucus are two Cubans. Imagine that.

Sincerely,

Joseph Pelto
Feb. 8, 1936

An Italian resident of this city, the only one of four brothers to survive the World War, and his mother were honored by Premier Benito Mussolini of Italy recently. Mrs. Rose Cirillo of Rome, Italy, mother of Loretto Cirillo of Seymour Street, was decorated with four medals by Premier Mussolini in honor of her four sons who served in the World War.

Three of her sons, all of whom fought under the colors of Italy, died in action on the battlefields. The lone survivor of the quartette of brothers is Mr. Cirillo, who was a member of the United States Army.

Feb. 8, 1961

Four Auburnians were named to committees at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Seven Lakes Girl Scout Council yesterday in Geneva.

William Court was named as member of the finance committee by Michael Alteri of Wolcott. Mrs. George Iocolano, Mrs. James Rodman and Mrs. Paul Kleiber were all named to the public relations committee by Mrs. Harry A. Oropallo of Auburn.

Mrs. Stanley Ridley of Auburn, chairman of the camp committee, made a report on the progress of her committee.

Feb. 8, 2006

The Auburn Memorial Hospital Auxiliary has received one of 64 state auxiliary advocacy awards from the Healthcare Association of New York State.

AMH's auxiliary sponsored the "We Have a Little Emergency" (WHALE) car seat identification project and helped produce a show, "Palpitations 005: James Bond Meets Dr. Coldfinger," that raised $18,000 for the hospital.

Auxiliaries help raise awareness of health care facilities in their surrounding communities. HANYS is an advocacy group for more than 550 nonprofit and public hospitals and other health care facilities.

Feb. 8, 2011

Students in the Partnership for Results Extended School Day at East Middle School in Auburn ventured out into winter with new snowshoes. Participating were Shelby Blanchard, Devin Drew and Brendon Carroll, Stephanie Melnick, Alyssa Geer, Ronnie Harvey, Kaheed Oxedene and Kate Kinsella. The snowshoes were funded by a Healthy Communities Capacity Building Initiative grant from the Cayuga County Department of Health and Human Services.
Albany, NY - February 8th, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $35.3 million in grants for capital projects at higher education institutions across the state. This funding is from the Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program, which provides matching grants to private colleges and universities for the construction, rehabilitation or repair of classrooms, laboratories and other facilities. The program requires grantees to match approximately three dollars for every dollar provided by New York State.



New Yorks colleges and universities are among the best in the nation  and with this funding, we are helping them make big investments that will benefit students in both the near and long-term future, said Governor Cuomo. Im proud to be supporting these important projects, because they will ensure a stronger and more competitive higher education environment in New York for years to come.



The three-member Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program Board is appointed by the Governor, with one member appointed upon the recommendation of the Temporary President of the Senate and another upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the Assembly. The current members are Robert F. Mujica, Assembly Member Deborah J. Glick and Lisa Clare Kombrink.



Gerrard P. Bushell, President & CEO of the Dormitory Authority, which administers the program, said: These colleges and universities are major employers that help drive the New York State economy and provide critical education to the next generation. The Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program leverages private investment with public dollars to stimulate the economy and keep New York competitive.



A complete list of the projects awarded funding is below:

College Project Description HECap Award Albany College of Pharmacy Construction of New Active Learning Classrooms for Health Sciences Education $335,838 Bard College Renovations to the Center for Curatorial Studies $500,000 Cazenovia College Renovations to Building A as well as the Construction of an Addition between Building A and B at the Jephson Campus $750,000 The College of New Rochelle Renovation and Equipping of the Science Labs $1,062,000 Daemen College Renovation and Upgrades to the Wick Center $161,253 Fordham University Renovation of the Former Law Building $2,500,000 Hartwick College Renovation of the Anderson Center for the Arts $500,000 Hofstra University Interior Renovations to the John Cranford Adams Playhouse $1,090,000 Iona College Construction of a Residence Hall $2,500,000 Medaille College Renovations to the Main Building Science Lab $319,562 Mercy College Construction and Equiping a New Residence Hall Complex and Campus Commons Zone $2,500,000 Metropolitan College of New York Purchase and Installation of Equipment for the Two New Campuses (Bronx and Manhattan) $1,250,000 Molloy College Construction of the Barbara H. Hagan Center for Nursing $2,500,000 Nazareth College Renovations to Smyth Hall $841,842 New York Academy of Art Rehabilitation, Renovation and Equiping of the Facility $1,045,000 New York Institute of Technology Renovation to the Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center of the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences $842,633 New York University Renovation and Equipping of Two New Suites of State-of-the-Art Research Facilities Including a Clean Room $2,500,000 Niagara University Creation of a Nursing Simulation Lab $197,000 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Purchase and Installation of a "Smart Sensor Web" in Lake George $500,000 Rochester Institute of Technology Renovations to the Fourth Floor of Institute Hall $500,000 Sarah Lawrence College Purchase and Installation of Equipment for the Film & New Media Program $153,398 Siena College Purchase and Installation of Scientific Instrumentation for the Stewart's Advanced Instrumentation and Technology Center (SAInt) $280,435 St. John Fisher College Purchase and Installation of Equipment for the Integrated Science and Health Sciences Building $409,737 St. Johns University Renovations to Bent Hall $2,500,000 Touro College Renovation of a Facility to Create the Touro College of Dental Medicine at New York Medical College $2,075,000 Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, The Construction of a New Nursing Building $2,500,000 University of Rochester Renovation of the Fredrick Douglass Building on the River Campus $2,500,000 Utica College Construction of an Air Dome and Improvements to the Clark Athletic Center $2,500,000 Wells College Renovations to the Gymnasium $145,282
Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com

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Prior to Buffalo Bill's Wild West" show, which performed across the nation during the early part of the 1900s, folks had only read about the West in dime novels. William F. Cody changed that by presenting a new creation myth for America by bringing cowboys, Indians, settlers and sharpshooters to hundreds of audiences in this country and abroad.

One of three performances in Auburn occurred the week of June 14, 1919, in the yard of Auburn Prison, where 1,500 convicts and keepers (guards) were treated to a professional troupe of over 100 performers.

The Citizen newspaper the following day read, it was a most unusual treat for the convicts.

There is some controversy about who the American Indian chief is standing next to Buffalo Bill in the photo. This writer believes it is Chief Two Guns White Calf. He later became one of the most famous Indians in the United States because his portrait appeared on the Buffalo nickel from 1913 through 1938.

It was President Theodore Roosevelt who picked the design done by James Earle Fraser from among several designs submitted by several artists.

Fraser used three models: Chief Iron Tail, a Sioux; Chief Two Moons, a Cheyenne; and Chief Two Guns White Calf, a Blackfoot. The later is the one which most resembles the portrait.

Two Guns was born in 1871 near Fort Benton, Montana. He was the son of the last chief of the Pikuni Blackfoot tribe. He was adopted at any early age by Chief White Calf, a prominent warrior chief who was responsible for many of the Blackfoot tribe's treaties, including the treaty by which Glacier National Park was later ceded to the United States.

Educated at Fort Shaw Indian School, Two Guns learned perfect English. He later made friends with Louis Hill, the director of the Northern Pacific Railroad. As the official greeter at the Great Northern Hotel in Glacier Park in the late 1920s, he was housed, fed and given $3 a day in pay.

Because it was a known fact that Two Guns headed a secret organization known as the Mad Dog Society, the government wanted Fraser to discredit Two Guns as the coin model because they were afraid of the great influence he had on the tribes. And so, in 1931, Fraser denied using Two Guns as a model, saying in a letter to the commissioner of Indian affairs of the U.S. Department of Interior, and later released to the press on July 12, 1931, that he had never seen Two Guns White Calf nor used him in any way.

History later proved that Two Guns was not a threat and was only attempting to preserve the Blackfoot heritage through his organization.

Traditional Indian dances such as the sun dance and the ghost dance, which had been banned, were often performed by him. In this rare stereoscopic photo, he and others of the tribe are engaged in the performance of a religious rite called the medicine lodge ceremony. (These same rites were also performed at that time by the Iroquois of New York.)

At the age of 62, a fall from his horse caused the chief a broken leg. Pneumonia set in, and ultimately resulted in his demise.

It was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who ordered that Chief Two Guns White Calf be given a military funeral because he considered the chief to be a true statesman.

As it relates to the value of the Buffalo nickel, the Collectors.com website displays a wide-range value of the coin. The highest shown is a 1914D nickel that has a value of $1,430.

However, it is the 1913 liberty head nickel that is among the most sought-after of all U.S. coins, valued at over $1 million!
The Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program provides grants to private colleges and universities for aid in construction or rehabilitation of their facilities. The grantee must match $3 for every dollar provided by the state.

Wells College received $145,282 for renovations to its gymnasium, according to a release. Other colleges and universities who received funding included the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Siena College, Sarah Lawrence College, among others.

"New York's colleges and universities are among the best in the nation  and with this funding, we are helping them make big investments that will benefit students in both the near and long-term future," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the release. "I'm proud to be supporting these important projects, because they will ensure a stronger and more competitive higher education environment in New York for years to come."
Bulla takes out top spot at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards

Bulla Dairy Foods Creme Fraiche is the 2016 cream Grand Champion Dairy Product as decided by judges at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards held in Melbourne on 3 February 2016.

The Creme Fraiche was described by the judges as a truly outstanding product and it competed against 300 other dairy products for the title.

Bullas Creme Fraiche is a variety of sour cream that can be used in sweet or savoury foods. It does not break or curdle when cooked making it suitable for soups, casseroles and sauces.

The Australian Grand Dairy Awards is now in its 17th year and in 2016 over twenty judges examined the flavour, aroma, body, texture, colour and appearance of all 300 products entered.

Bullas Creme Fraiche was created in 2011 with celebrity chef George Calombaris. It is now available for purchase at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.

Other award winners

Heidi Farm Gruyere manufactured by Lion Dairy and Drinks is the 2016 Grand Champion Cheese.

Campion Cheeses include:

Floridia Ricotta manufactured by Floridia Cheese for champion fresh unripened cheese

Flinders Estate Ashed Brie manufactured by Snow Brand Australia for champion white mould cheese

Heidi Farm Gruyere manufactured by Lion Dairy and Drinks for champion semi-hard and eye cheese

Bay or Fires Cloth Bound Cheddar manufactured by Fowlers Cheese for champion cheddar style cheese

Southcape Parmesan manufactured by Lion Dairy and Drinks for champion hard cheese

King island Dairy Label Triple Cream Blue by Lion Dairy and Drinks for champion blue cheese

King Island Dairy Stormy Washed Rind by Lion Dairy and Drinks for champion washed rind cheese

Green Valley Dairy Yoghurt Cheese Balls in Chilli Oil manufactured by Green Valley Dairy Corporation for champion flavoured cheese

Meredith Dairy Chevre manufactured by Meredith Dairy for champion goats or sheeps milk cheese

Champion dairy products include:

Mundella Greek Natural Yoghurt manufactured by Mundella Foods for champion natural yoghurt

Norco Real Ice Chocolate Ultimate manufactured by Norco Foods Raleigh for champion flavoured dairy drink

Western Star Original Butter manufactured by Fonterra Brands Australia for champion butter or butter blend

Paradise Beach Purveyors Smoked Trout and Chives Dip manufactured by Paradise Beach Purveyors for champion flavoured yoghurt

Ruby and Roys Yoghurt Divine Vanilla Bean by The Fabulous Fresh Bros.

Doolys Premium Chocolate Ice Cream manufactured by Doolys Ice Cream for champion ice cream

Cow and the Moon Pannacotta with Strawberry and Balsamic Ripple Gelato manufactured by Cow and the Moon for champion gelato

Harvey Fresh Free Range Full Cream Milk manufactured by Harvey Fresh for champion milk

Pauls Smarter White Milk manufactured by Parmalat Australia for champion speciality white dairy drink

Bulla Creme Fraiche manufactured by Bulla Dairy Foods for champion cream
Australia's one-term Prime Minister above ... Events of interest from a libertarian/conservative perspective below
Casa Kimberly Opens: Legendary Love Nest of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton

Though they could not fully evade cameras and curiosity, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton could live relatively normal lives in the charming, then unknown fishing village of Puerto Vallarta. The love nest they created  two adjacent casitas up on the cobblestone hillside overlooking the sea was known as Casa Kimberly. Exquisitely renovated and reimagined, the new Casa Kimberly, opened December 1, inviting lovers and adventurers from around the world to experience their own unforgettable romance.Casa Kimberly, designed and introduced by Janice Chatterton, proprietor of the renowned Hacienda San Angel, is a labor of love and inspiration. Nine suites, a pool, boutique spa, restaurant and bar welcome guests in an understated elegant atmosphere drawn from traditional Colonial Mexican design and accented with sparks of Hollywood glamour.While fully renovated and expanded, certain elements of Casa Kimberly's celebrated past remain intact. Puente Del Amor (Bridge of Love) - a bridge that was designed as a replica of the Bridge of Sighs - still connects the two villas that together comprise Casa Kimberly. Elizabeth Taylor's bedroom, and her commissioned pink marble, heart-shaped bathtub, still occupy their original space and enjoy magnificent views. The suite also offers a large terrace and a private pool and Jacuzzi. The pool, oblong and azure-tiled, is as it was when Taylor and Burton entertained famous friends.In addition to the Elizabeth Taylor Suite, there is the pool-adjacent Richard Burton Suite, set in the star's personal quarters across the Puente Del Amor. Each of the additional seven suites is individually designed and decorated with a mix of antiques and modern luxuries. Most suites have private terrace Jacuzzi's and strikingly beautiful baths. Each suite features unique elements, such as hand painted tile ceilings, brick domes, murals, claw foot tubs and patio fountains.The Iguana is Casa Kimberly's fine dining restaurant, featuring a blend of modern and traditional Mexican cuisine. Open on three sides, all guests enjoy extraordinary views and fresh air while any of a dozen crystal chandeliers gently chime in the breeze. A petite tequila bar with antique mirror bar back and a selection of dozens of highly regarded and rare tequilas and mescals await guests. A resident tequila expert will introduce curious visitors to the art and charms of Mexico's most famous spirit. Scheduled classes are planned and private sessions may also be arranged.Across a grand terrace and tucked into private corners are two luxurious spa suites. Each accommodates two guests and features a private Jacuzzi. A spa menu will be launched in December with treatments highlighting the natural healing powers of agave and other locally sourced ingredients.Reservations can be made by calling 011-52-322-222-1336 or toll free 877-218-3248 or by email at info@casakimberly.com. Casa Kimberly is located at Zaragoza #445, Col El Cerro, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.Visit website:
Secret Italy to be Discovered

"A place not to be missed. I do recommend it, you should go there!. These are the phrases you probably have heard from friends and relatives returning from their holiday in Italy. But if you are planning a trip in the Bel Paese, how to decide where to go? The choice is often a problem, especially if you have already visited the most famous destinations of Italy.Some ideas might come from a book, "101 Unusual Places in Italy: where to go at least once in a lifetime" (Newton Compton Editori), written by the journalist Giuseppe Ortolano. He selected the most hidden jewels of Italy, destinations accessible to all, from North to South.Villages and towns with an ancient history which were able to preserve their most intimate and silent soul, far from tourism mass. Fishing villages, castles inhabited by ghosts, silent and cultural oasis.Where to start?Away from the clamor of Venice, one idea could be discovering the hidden islands of the Venetian lagoon. Among these, the island of Vignole, with it ruins of the ancient church Santa Erosia and San Lazzaro degli Armeni, an island home to one of the first centers of the Armenian culture.Even more unusual is a tour in Rovereto, in the province of Trento, where it is possible to follow the footsteps of the dinosaurs in the paleontological site.To satisfy your sweet doing nothing desire, just go in Renon (Bolzano), where the Freud-Promenade path connects connects Soprabolzano to Collalbo in about one hour. And in the midst of this beautiful scenery, enjoy nature and fresh air.For those who love the thrill and mystery, Ortolano recommend a ghosts hunting in the Castles of Parma and Piacenza. The Bardi Castle was home to the khight Morello, who killed himself for love. The wandering of his restless spirit was even photographed by two Bolognese parapsychologists.Another gentle ghost, the fairy Berna, occupies the castle of Montechiarugolo. It is said to appear to the young women on the eve of the wedding day to educate them on their new life. From ghosts to goblins the step is very short!Visit website:More information:
Typically small old-vine Zinfandel cluster at harvest 2014, Stampede Vineyard (credit: Randy Caparoso)

Zinfandels that are earthy and racy, reminiscent of cherries and black bramble fruits. Zinfandels that are graceful and limpid, reminiscent of juniper and rose petals. Six different wines, each unique, each with a signature personalityall Lodi native.

Actually, Lodi Native. The project is a collaboration of winegrowers and winemakers in Lodi, Calif., who are working to highlight the juicy wisdom of their regions ancient Zinfandel vineyards. The effort takes pot shots at the stereotype of Zinfandel as a syrupy, boozy, fruit-bomb, a confected product oaked to oblivion. The aim here is to produce Zinfandels with charisma, plus a key attribute of truly singular wines: site expressiveness, the sense of where theyre grown.

Where theyre grown is Lodis Mokelumne River corridor, in the southern part of the appellation. The six vineyards in the project dot a twenty-mile stretch below the river, reaching from the south-west corner of the AVA eastward and upriver toward Clements Hills (see map).

The average age of the vineyards is nearly ninety years, with the oldest plantings dating to 1901. The vines are anchored in parched soils ranging from powdery silt to sandy loam. Such well-drained sites have conspired to keep phylloxera at bay, so many of the century-old vines remain own-rooted. The meager conditions also make for small, concentrated clusters and incredibly low yields, even in good years. The 2013 vintage, tasted here, was a good year, so these old crones were relatively fruitful.

The Lodi Native mechanics are straightforward, if meticulous. Each family grower partners with a Lodi winemaker to produce a single wine unique to that site. Viticulture and enology protocols are tightly controlled. The growers commit to sustainable viticultural practices, while the winemakers agree to use ambient yeasts and neutral oak, and to forgo acidulation, water additions, and other tinkerings in the cantina (read the full details here).

The driving force behind these low-intervention methods is to keep the polish of winemaking from obscuring the fruits individuality. My only quibble with the projectand its a small one, because I value their aimsis that the truest assurance that whats in the bottle is the taste of terroir, not winemaking, might be obtained by one winemaker working across all six sites. But given that the six Lodi wineries in the partnership are also busy winegrowers producing their own house lines, collaboration governed by strict protocols is likely the only practical option.

The 2013 bottling was the projects second year, and it has continued in subsequent vintages. The wines are sold on the Lodi Native website as a six-pack only, for $180. That makes the average bottle price highly competitive with other well-made, old-vine Zinfandels, and given their high quality, even a tad low.

Most consumers wont open all six bottles at once (although it would be one hell of a party), but tasting through the suite ensemble is a good way to compare and contrast each wines distinctiveness and personality. If you do pop all six corks in one seating, I recommend this tasting order: Stampede, Marians, TruLux, Wegat, Soucie, Schmiedt Ranch.

But Ive listed my notes below by geography, following the river vineyard by vineyard from west to east. Because site matters.

TASTING NOTES

2013 Lodi Native by m2 Wines Zinfandel Soucie Vineyard Mokelumne River, Lodi

The Zinfandel was grown in the oldest block of the Soucie Vineyard, planted in 1916 and now farmed by fifth-generation grower Kevin Soucie. The head-trained vines are own-rooted in powdery silt soils, and this westernmost zone of the AVA enjoys the cooling effects of the San Joaquin fluvial basin. M2 Wines winemaker Layne Montgomery has taken the fruit and produced a shimmering red velvet wine with a fragrance of smoked brambles, blueberries, and stewed fruits. The body is concentrated and earthy, like red berry essence to which has been added a dash of smoked salt and clove. Theres a flare of spice at the finish. This is a Zin for lovers of the racy, chesty, throaty style. 15% abv

Wegat Vineyard (credit: Randy Caparoso)

2013 Lodi Native by Maley Brothers Vineyards Zinfandel Wegat Vineyard Mokelumne River, Lodi

The Zinfandel in the 21-acre Wegat Vineyard was planted in 1958, field-budded onto St. George rootstock anchored in sandy loam. The vines are head-trained, Medusa-like. The vineyard is now overseen by Todd Maley, whose family has been growing wine grapes in Lodi since 1863. Winemaker Chad Joseph of Maley Brothers has extracted from these low-yielding vines a potent elixir, muscular and deeply concentrated, suggesting blueberries and black bramble fruit. Accents of resinous herbs and menthol give it an almost tonic quality, like a tincture of summer. It might be the perfect cure for seasonal affective disorder. 14.5% abv

TruLux Vineyard (credit: Randy Caparoso)

2013 Lodi Native by McCay Cellars Zinfandel TruLux Vineyard Mokelumne River, Lodi

The loamy sands of TruLux Vineyard were planted in the 1940s, but these tall, head-trained vines produce unusually loose, open clusters. TruLux is farmed by winegrower Keith Watts, and although he and McCay Cellars winemaker Michael McCay picked early, at 24.6 Brix, the resulting wine remains generous. Its deep ruby body roils with a smoky undertow, and the black brambly fruits finish with an alluringly bitter, almost walnut astringency. Its ample, brooding, intellectual, gothicthe Laurence Fishburne of Zinfandel. 14.5% abv

2013 Lodi Native by St. Amant Winery Zinfandel Marians Vineyard Mokelumne River, Lodi

The Zin in the sandy loam soils of Marians Vineyard was planned in 1901, and the vine wood is crazed, cracked, and warty. In most vintages the yield hovers at two tons per acre. The vineyard is now managed by Jerry Fry and his son, Bruce Fry, and the entirety of the production goes to St. Amant winemaker Stuart Spencer. This wine is fragrant of red plum skin, and its luminous body is stained black with cherries. But theres a dark undertow and kind of loamy forest-floor earthiness, making it a bit of yin and yang: a generous wine and a wine of gravitas, but lightsome, too, like a laughing Buddha. 14.5% abv

Schmiedt Ranch (credit: Randy Caparoso)

2013 Lodi Native by Macchia Wines Zinfandel Schmiedt Ranch Mokelumne River, Lodi

A wine thats smoky, earthy, fleshy, and utterly concentrated, the most muscular of the suite. The body is deep purple-garnet, more opaque than the others, and the fragrance is of fruit rendered to its purpled essence. The Zin is grown in an eight-acre, own-rooted vineyard planted in 1918; it has been farmed by the Schmiedt family for the last thirty years. The calloused vines now labor to produce even tiny clusters, with high skin to juice ratios and yields of only about one ton per acre. Winemaker Tim Holdener of Macchia Wines has used this fruit to produce a potion so dense it doesnt really behave like a table wine. Perhaps the best approach is to sip it thoughtfully while reflecting on the improbability of wringing such blood from a hundred-year-old soul. 15.9% abv

Stampede Vineyard (credit: Randy Caparoso)

2013 Lodi Native by Fields Family Wines Zinfandel Stampede Vineyard, Clements Hills, Lodi

Stampede Vineyard, the easternmost site in this sextet, was planted in the 1920s and 1940s. The Zinfandel vines are still mostly own-rooted, and a smattering of Mourvedre and Mission vines keep them company (and their fruits find their way into the bottle, making this the only field blend in this lot). The site is now tended by brothers Jeff and John Perlegos, and winemaker Ryan Sherman of Fields Family Wines has handled the fruit with utmost finesse. The wine is a pale red garnet, very limpid, and its perfume of rose hips, rose petals, and dried cranberries mingles with the resinous freshness of spruce and pine forest. Its delicately articulated, glassy but not brittlemore simply transparentwith flavors of bitter almond, cranberry, and juniper. The structure is silken, with supple, powdery tannins and acid that glows like starlight at the finish. A remarkably genteel, graceful, and elegant Zinfandel, a Zinfandel that deliciously defies convention. 13.9% abv

Many thanks to Wine Business and Vinography for sharing this article with their readers.

All photos courtesy of Randy Caparoso, used by permission of Lodi Native.

All wines were samples for review. View my Sample Policy.

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Donations can be sent to BNC at Max Obuszewski, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt. 206, Baltimore, MD 21212 . Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast [dot] net.
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We speak to the new period drama darling about her role in War & Peace, Paul Dano and her unusual name...

Tuppence Middleton has been busy. With the period drama, War & Peace, just finished (what will we do without Nikolai, Pierre and Helene gracing our screens every Sunday?!), Dickensian still currently airing and T-Middy (yes, we've just coined that) debuting her newly dyed bleach blonde hair last night, she's having a bit of a moment.

We spoke to the actress about the filming of the epic War & Peace, her unusual name and Paul Dano, of course:

I tried to read War And Peace three years ago and I only got about a third of the way through before life sort of took over. Then I had two or three months before I started filming the TV series, so I managed to read the book just before. I actually went to Brussels over the New Year by myself and sat in a hotel room just to make sure I finished it. I really liked the idea of playing Helene in the show. This woman is a master manipulator. Shes quite often portrayed as the villain, but I didnt want to look at her in that way. For the time, Helene was very forward-thinking and liberated, especially sexually. She knew how to social climb.

Paul Dano [who plays Pierre Bezukhov in War And Peace] is just brilliant. I am a huge admirer of his work. Its so much easier when you act with someone who is that talented. It makes you up your game, and by default, you become a bit better. Callum Turner, who plays my brother, was pretty mischievous on set. I think hes going to be a massive film star.

I was kind of anxious with the casting of the show. I won my role relatively early and as I kept seeing peoples names pop up for other parts I felt like theyd made some kind of mistake! [When rehearsals start], its always like the first day of school. You never stop getting nervous. I acted as a hobby when I was a child, but wasnt initially very good at it. I always thought, Well, I like doing this, but good luck making a career out of it, but the more I did it, the more I loved acting. Im still a bit amazed that Ive managed to make this my career. As an actor, when you finish a job, you think, Thats it, Ive had a good innings! Now, if I speak to people who want to act, I say, Dont give yourself a back-up. If I had gone to university, I wouldnt be doing this job now. Having that pressure and no other option just made me work that much harder for it, because you have no other choice.

I would love to work into my eighties. I dont want to be someone who only does a couple of big films and then is famous for just 15 minutes. Its important as an actor to not just work when youre young [but when youre older, too], because there is so much to explore. Its sad that so many people feel they need to alter their image. I think there is something really beautiful about ageing naturally. That way, youre representative of whatever age you are at the time and you have that voice as an actor.

On my days off, I like to see friends and family or go to the cinema on my own. I live by myself and can easily spend weeks alone before realising I've not spoken to anyone. I then think, 'Oh God, I should go and be social now!' I can go out for dinner and have a really nice evening in my own company.

Dickensian is on BBC1 on Thursdays at 8pm.
On 4 February 2016 the South African Navy took delivery of a second South African-built Damen ATD Tug 2909 at the naval base in Simons Town. Escorted by SA Navy's existing six tugs, Inyathi was welcomed into the naval fleet with a traditional sail past.



Inyathi  meaning buffalo  is the second Damen ATD Tug 2909 in a two vessel replacement contract awarded to Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) after a transparent tender process. The first, named Imvubu  meaning hippo  was delivered in July 2015.



The two new tugs will be deployed for towing, mooring and fire-fighting operations for the South African Navys current and future fleet of vessels under all-weather, heavy sea, restricted visibility, day and night conditions within the confines of the Southern African ports and in coastal waters. Inyathi and Imvubu join two Damen Stan Tugs delivered in 2006 by DSCT, then known as Farocean Marine.



"We're are very happy with the result of this project," says the South African Navy's Project Officer Commander Hermann van Geems. "Imvubu has certainly proven her worth over the last 6 months and we expect the same from her sister vessel. Damen has been excellent to work with throughout."



Contributing to local skills development and job creation DSCT built the registered SAMSA Class VIII vessels with a South African workforce in keeping with governmental imperatives to create and maintain local job opportunities.



We are proud that the local content in the two Damen ATD Tug 2909 tugs amounts to over 50%, says DSCT Chairman Sam Montsi. The construction of these two vessels has also contributed to South African skills development and job creation through Damen Shipyards Cape Towns apprenticeship programme.



Proven design outfitted for African requirements



The robust and proven ATD Tug 2909 design has excellent manoeuvrability, high indirect towing forces and great stability. Compact and powerful, the ATD Tug 2909 have a bollard pull of 43 tonnes, a length of 29 metres, a beam of 9.98 metres, a maximum speed of 13.2 knots. They were further outfitted withSA Navy equipment to ensure equipment duplication and maintenance saving.


The dry bulk market faced a lot of headwind in 2015 as dwindling demand and over-supply created very unfavourable market conditions, says BIMCO.

2016 has shown no improvements so far and prospects for the rest of the year are not looking promising. With poor earnings across the board the average scrapping age has dropped among all the dry bulk segments.

The capsize segment especially has seen a big drop in the average scrapping age; dropping almost four years from an average age close to 25 in 2014 to less than 21 in 2015. This is the result of a record amount of capesize tonnage that was scrapped in 2015.

Chief Shipping Analyst, Peter Sand says: Despite a relatively low demand for scrap steel in 2015 the demolition of dry bulk ships was high compared to previous years, and the capesize segment was the leader of the pack.

A total of 15.5 million DWT of capesize tonnage was sent for demolition in 2015 - more than half of the total 30 million DWT of dry bulk tonnage scrapped.

The extensive demolition activity within the dry bulk shipping industry is expected to continue to climb through 2016. So far, the year has already started well with 4.6 million DWT scrapped in January alone. This increasing demolition is a very welcome development, but a lot more ships need to be scrapped in order to improve on the unfavourable market conditions present in the dry bulk market.

The average demolition age follows the state of the market or at least the sentiment in the market. 2013 was one of the most volatile years for dry bulk shipping. After a very weak first half, things got better towards the end of the year. The improvement was partly due to some intensive stockpiling ahead of the Indonesian ban on exporting unprocessed mineral ores, posed to go into effect from the beginning of 2014. As the ships were kept busy towards the end of the year scrapping remained low and the average demolition age climbed slightly.

In 2014 the tumbling demand from import giant, China, hit the market hard. With an increase in hydropower generation, Chinese imports of thermal coal including anthracite, became the biggest disappointment, despite lower prices. Dropping from 192 million tons in 2013 to only 165 million tons in 2014. This development continued into 2015 where imports reached another low of only 108 million tons.

Iron ore prices also dropped, however contrary to thermal coal, buyers took advantage of the low price, and volumes rose. Unfortunately, short-haul trading out of Australia covered almost all of the new demand.

With demand growth mainly skewed towards iron ore, a trade mostly covered by the capesize segment, meant that only few capesize ships were scrapped. Only 4.2 million DWT worth of capesize was scrapped in 2014, much lower than the 7.9 million DWT scrapped in 2013 and far below the 12 million scrapped in 2012. This resulted in a significant increase in scrapping age for the capesize segment in 2014.

Peter Sand adds,, Chinas appetite for raw materials has been a major driver for the dry bulk market and with the current slowdown and different direction of its economic development, the appetite for major dry bulk commodities has stalled. The decreasing age of dry bulk ships being scrapped, is a mirror image of the tough challenges currently facing owners and operators in the dry bulk market.

Although a stronger permanent growth on the demand side would provide the biggest relief, this seems unlikely in the near future. Alternatively increased scrapping could be a way to improve the fundamental imbalance between supply and demand in the dry bulk shipping market.
DP World Limited handled 61.7 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) across its global portfolio of container terminals during 2015, with gross container volumes growing by 3.0% on reported basis and 2.4% on a like-for-like basis.



Growth in 2015 was largely driven by European and our UAE terminals. The portfolio benefited from the ramp-up in London Gateway and the UAE handled a record 15.6 million TEUs, representing like-for-like growth of 2.3% for the year. Utilisation at Jebel Ali remains high at approximately 90% despite the softer volumes in Q42015. Market conditions in the second half of 2015 were challenging, with our like-for-like gross throughput growth flat year-on-year in Q4 2015.



At a consolidated level, our terminals handled 29.1 million TEU during 2015, a 2.7% improvement on a reported basis. Consolidated like-for-like volumes grew by 1.7% for the year.



DP World Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem commented, The second half of 2015 was difficult for global trade operators, as various economic headwinds including currency weakness and lower commodity prices adversely impacted trade growth. Against this challenging backdrop, all our three regions continued to deliver full year volume growth on a like-for-like basis which demonstrates the strength of our portfolio.



Despite the uncertain near-term macro environment, and given the high utilisation at our portfolio, we remain confident about the medium to long-term outlook of our industry and continue to invest to meet the future capacity requirements of our customers. As we look ahead into 2016, we look forward to the new capacity at Rotterdam (Netherlands), Mumbai (India), Prince Rupert (Canada) and Yarimca (Turkey) to deliver a full year contribution to our throughput.



We expect to open our third berth at London Gateway (UK) in mid-2016, adding 600k TEU of new capacity. The additional 2 million TEU at terminal three (T3) Jebel Ali (UAE) will now be operational in the second half of 2016.



DP World has once again delivered ahead of market throughput growth in 2015 and given this resilient performance, we remain confident of meeting full year market expectations. While trading conditions in 2016 are expected to remain challenging, we believe a portfolio focused towards faster growing markets and origin and destination cargo, coupled with the addition of new capacity can continue to outperform the market.


Lithuania will import more gas from Norway than from former sole supplier Russia in 2016 after developing infrastructure to support liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, the country's energy minister said on Monday.



Russia's Gazprom had enjoyed a supply monopoly until the end of 2014, when Lithuania opened a floating LNG import terminal to reduce energy dependence on its former Soviet master. That allowed it to import gas from Norwegian tankers, as well as via pipeline from Russia.



Volumes of LNG imports to Lithuania are expected to triple this year after two new importers signed deals with Norway's Statoil, the terminal's operator Klaipedos Nafta said on Friday.



Lithuanian gas supplier Lietuvos Duju Tiekimas (LDT) and privately owned nitrogen fertilizers producer Achema have agreed to buy LNG from Norway under short-term deals.



"LDT and Achema's agreements with Statoil are clear proof that there is real competition to Gazprom's gas in the market," Lithuania's Energy Minister Rokas Masiulis told Reuters in an email.



"Based on current plans, Statoil's market share (in Lithuania) will increase to more than 50 percent this year," he added.



New deals mean that supplies via the LNG terminal will increase to more than 1 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2016, while total Lithuanian demand is expected to be around 2 bcm.



LDT's long-term supply contract with Gazprom expired last year, and the utility, which supplies gas to households, said it had to sign a short-term deal with Statoil cover the shortage.



It has still to negotiate a new deal with Gazprom.



"Gazprom's market share in the future will depend on prices and other commercial conditions," Masiulis said.



"There will be no political decisions on this. All decisions on gas purchases are commercial," he added.



Klaipedos Nafta has said it expected to receive 12 tankers until end-September compared with a previously expected four. Statoil already had a contract with Lithuania's Litgas, which was revised in January.



Lithuania is a small market for Gazprom, with its consumption accounting for slightly more than 1 percent of Russia's total gas exports to Europe.





Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis
Edison Chouest Offshore locating shipbuilding operations, TopShip, LLC, in Gulfport, Miss.

Gov. Phil Bryant and officials from Edison Chouest Offshore, an offshore energy service and supply company, officially announced today the company is locating shipbuilding operations at the Port of Gulfport in Gulfport, Miss. The project represents a $68 million corporate investment and will create 1,000 full-time jobs.

Edison Chouest Offshores new Gulfport operations, TopShip, LLC, will be located at the Port of Gulfports new inland port on Seaway Road. The company will be operating at the former Huntington Ingalls Composite Facility, which was acquired by the Port in March 2015.

Edison Chouest Offshore has been successfully producing quality vessels for decades, and through its business affiliate TopShip, 1,000 Mississippians on the Gulf Coast will have the opportunity to continue that tradition of quality, Gov. Bryant said. Mississippi has a proven track record in the shipbuilding industry, and we are proud to welcome TopShip to the state. I appreciate Gary Chouest and the entire Edison Chouest Offshore team for placing their confidence in our business climate and for their continued support of the Gulf Coast region and its residents. The state of Mississippi looks forward to many years partnership with this great company.

I would like to personally thank Governor Phil Bryant, MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough, State Port Authority Executive Director Jonathan Daniels and their staffs for the warm welcome and assistance they have extended to TopShip. We are indeed excited about the opportunities to grow TopShip in a business friendly state, one where we can reach out into the community to recruit various skill sets, developing a quality workforce that will allow TopShip not only to compete locally, but also globally, said Edison Chouest Offshore President and CEO Gary Chouest. With the help of the state of Mississippi, we will modify our TopShip facility to become one of the safest and most efficient shipyards in the nation, building Chouest pride for our employees. The strategic location of TopShip will allow us to take advantage of the deepwater Port of Gulfport and their future expansion plans. Born in Mississippi, I am back home.

On Feb. 5, the Mississippi Legislature voted on an incentive package in support of the project. Lawmakers approved $11 million through the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Authority - $10 million in discretionary grants and $1 million for workforce training. The Port of Gulfport, through its restoration budget, is also providing $25 million in Katrina-CDBG funds for infrastructure improvements. The city of Gulfport and Harrison County are providing personal property tax abatements in support of the project.

We salute Gov. Phil Bryant, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, Speaker Philip Gunn and the entire Mississippi Legislature for their support of this project, as well as the talented teams at the Port of Gulfport, the city of Gulfport, Harrison County, Harrison County Development Commission and Mississippi Power. They worked diligently with the MDA team to bring Edison Chouest Offshore to the Port of Gulfport, creating 1,000 exciting career opportunities for Mississippians in the Gulf Coast region," said MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough, Jr. "Shipbuilding is a strategically important economic driver for the Gulf Coast and the entire state of Mississippi, and Edison Chouest Offshores decision to locate in Gulfport strengthens the state's leadership in the industry. We look forward to Edison Chouest Offshores success in Mississippi for generations to come."

The governors change in vision has allowed the Port of Gulfport flexibility to further expand and acquire the Huntington Ingalls facility. This has allowed MDA to put together an incentive package, bringing TopShip, LLC to the Port and creating a significant number of jobs for coastal residents, said Jonathan Daniels, Mississippi State Port Authority executive director and CEO. Secondarily, TopShips operations on Seaway Road will link seamlessly with our modernized, deep-water draft facility, creating expanded cargo opportunities and leading to additional job creation.

Founded in 1960 in Galliano, La., as Edison Chouest Boat Rental, ECO companies are now recognized as some of the most diverse and dynamic maritime transportation solutions providers in the world. ECO operates a growing fleet of more than 250 vessels ranging from 87 to more than 360 feet in length. The company serves an expanding global customer base. ECOs ability to design, build, own and operate diverse, high-capacity, technologically superior vessels has made the company a leader in the maritime industry.
Three workers were killed and at least seven injured when a fire broke out on a Pemex oil processing platform in the Gulf of Mexico, but the latest in a string of incidents is now under control, the Mexican oil giant said via Twitter on Sunday.



A spokesman for Pemex said oil continued to be pumped but that the company was still evaluating any impact on production. The platform did not have to be evacuated, according to a tweet.



The fire occurred on the offshore Abkatun A Permanente processing platform in Mexico's oil-rich Bay of Campeche where a fire claimed seven lives in April last year, causing crude output from four nearby fields to plunge nearly 70 percent.



Oil exploration and production is one of the most dangerous industries in the world and Pemex has one of the highest injury and fatality rates among oil companies, according to the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP).



In December, five workers were hurt when a fire broke out at the Lazaro Cardenas refinery in Minatitlan in the Mexican Gulf coast state of Veracruz.



Casualties of the Sunday fire include two Pemex workers and one employee of Cotemar, a firm based in Ciudad del Carmen that provides offshore services to Pemex, according to Cotemar's website.





Reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez and Veronica Gomez
Sea trials aboard Greenland, the worlds first LNG-fuelled short-sea dry bulk vessel, have validated the performance of Thordon Bearings COMPAC propeller shaft solution, indicating that seawater-lubricated bearing systems are applicable to all ship types and are definitely here to stay.



"Erik Thun has truly raised the standard in sustainable shipping with this vessel, pushing the boundaries of environmental possibilities to a completely new level," said Tommy Holmgren, Sales Director with the Duwel Group, Thordon Bearings distributor in Sweden.



Greenland, a 5,800 dwt self-loading/unloading cement carrier built under the EU-TEN-T funded Pilot LNG project for the JT Cement joint venture, is the first ever LNG-fuelled dry cargo vessel in which a pressurised liquid natural gas tank is incorporated into the vessels hull. It is also the first LNG-fuelled vessel to feature a seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearing system.



Ola Persson, Technical Manager, Erik Thun Group, said, "With environmental sustainability being the main consideration in the operation of all our vessels, equipment performance and reliability is imperative."



In addition to its COMPAC solution, Duwel supplied Thordon Bearings grease-free ThorPlas-Blue range of polymer bearings for the vessels deck winches and self-unloading equipment.



Holmgren said one of benefits of ThorPlas-Blue is the amount of time it saves ships crew. "Crews no longer need to grease the winch bearings and since they dont wear out, maintenance is negligible, leaving the crew to get on with other jobs."



Erik Thun Group has a long history with Thordon products, with COMPAC and ThorPlas bearings aboard the self-unloader Vestanhev, cement carriers Gotland and Bornholm, and the dry cargo ships Alice and Helge.



"It will be Greenland, though, that shows the industry that seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearings are the future. Theyre here to stay," Holmgren said.



Built by Ferus Smits Westerbroek shipyard to Lloyds Register Ice-class 1A and suitable for year-round service in the Baltic Sea, Greenland completed sea trials, in December, prior to taking her first operational load in Rostock, Germany.



Second of class Ireland is due for delivery within the next three months, while options for two more vessels are under consideration.
Things have changed a bit around Al Taqaddum Air Base in Iraq since the 2011 withdraw of U.S. troops in the Anbar province. What once was a busy hub for aircraft coming in to scatter the area with military personnel now seems far more subtle in its footprint.



The Iraqi military installation now houses different components of the Iraqi Security Forces, including the 8th Iraqi Army Division and the Anbar Operations Command.



The AOC is staffed by Iraqi military leaders and is the brains of operations in the Anbar province. It moved to Al Taqaddum shortly after the fall of Ramadi last summer.



A team of advisors arrived in Al Taqaddum, to form a task force, shortly after President Obamas June 10 announcement on the augmentation of U.S. troops in the Anbar province to advise and assist Iraqi forces.



We have [service members] that have experience in specific areas and they provide advice in the form of planning and coordinating combat operations for the ISF to execute them here in Ramadi during the counter attacks, said U.S. Marine Col. Christopher J. Douglas, commander of TFTQ. The assistance we provide is specifically in the form of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance flights and air support and strikes that are provided by coalition aircraft.



Task Force Al Taqaddum currently operates out of Camp Manion in Al Taqaddum. It is a U.S.-led coalition force composed of Marines and Sailors from II Marine Expeditionary Force and augments from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, as well as U.S. Soldiers with 1st Infantry Division, Airmen with U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and components of the Australian and Italian armed forces.

The task forces mission is to advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces in operations in the Ramadi area.



U.S. Marines are embedded full time as advisors to the AOC. The Americans work, eat and sleep at the AOC compound providing around-the-clock advise and assist support.



A Marine advisor explained that Iraqi troops call in from the frontlines to the AOC via their individual command operation centers to report encounters, firefights and intelligence data. As advisors, the Marines help coordinate operations, such as airstrikes and counter attacks on the spot. All strikes and operations are ultimately approved by Iraqi leaders.



This is an important mission at the strategic level because Daesh is believed to be a threat to [the U.S.] at some point if they were given freedom of operation and were able to take over large portions of territory in Syria and Iraq and have access to money and influence, [Daesh would] potentially be able to strike us back in the U.S., said a U.S. Marine and primary advisor to the 8th Iraqi Army Division. On a more operational level, weve been partners with Iraq since the invasion in 2001, so we are here to support them, keep them as a viable country, and a big portion of it is having a legitimate military capable of defending its borders and kicking out threats like ISIS and things like that, which provides stability to the region.



Besides providing assistance to the AOC, the task force also works alongside the 8th, 10th and 16th Divisions of the Iraqi Army, as well as the Anbar National Police and the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service.



TFTQ has played a significant role on the Ramadi counter attacks, ensuring the ISF have the right tools to defeat the enemy.



Another big component that TFTQ does is that it provides medical care. Its huge, because it provides the will to fight, said a U.S. Marine advisor to the AOC. They know that when they are fighting and something happens to them there is medical help fairly close and they are going to be taken care of.



The medical team for TFTQ is composed of U.S. Soldiers with the 772nd Forward Surgical Team, the 115th Combat Support Hospital and U.S. Navy Corpsmen with II MEF and SPMAGTF-CR-CC.



Wounded Iraqi soldiers are brought to the gates of Camp Manion, where they are first treated by U.S. Navy corpsmen.



The corpsmen asses the patients injuries, stabilize the casualties and perform emergency procedures on the spot, if necessary. Based on the corpsmens assessment, it is determined if a patient will be admitted for further care by the U.S. Army medical teams. The assessment must meet the medical rules of eligibility to determine if the corpsmen are able to provide care. Iraqi soldiers who are in danger of losing their life are seen immediately, while more routine injuries may be referred to local hospitals.



Although circumstances in the area call for an operational mindset, TFTQ takes any opportunity to provide training to Iraqi units that are stationed in Al Taqaddum or nearby.



The environment that we are in right now is not a learning environment, we are very much in an operational environment where training is not the primary focus, said a U.S. Marine primary advisor to the 8th Iraqi Army Division. That being said there are training opportunities. With the 8th Iraqi division weve conducted artillery training, communication training, medical training, explosive ordnance disposal and engineer training, all uniquely with 8th Division because they are based out of [Al Taqaddum] already.



Douglas said that since their arrival in Al Taqaddum the progress has been noticeable and steady, and that despite setbacks the ISF have remained strong, have executed counter attacks and retaken any ground that they lost.



They retook that Local Government Center within the city of Ramadi, thats deep in the center of [the city], added Douglas. [Theyre] clearing the city of Ramadi so it can ultimately be turned back over to local ISF and the local police to work together and provide the stability and security within the area.



Members of the task force remain confident in the ability of the ISF to effectively use the training and tools provided as part of the advise and assist efforts.



We are side-by-side in the fact that we want them to be as successful as if we were out there doing it ourselves, said a U.S. Marine advisor to the AOC. We are aiding them with assistance, we are providing the eyes in the sky, we are providing them with bombs on target, and that gives them the confidence that they are not in the fight alone."





More Media
David Cameron Humiliated in Poland Over Refusal to Stop Taking UK Benefits, BrExit or Super State?

The British Prime Minister, David Cameron within days of waving a white piece of paper 'Chamberlain' style received form the EU's Donald Tusk, has since been busy trying to put up a propaganda smoke screen of success of negotiations for the British public to swallow in the run up the UK's EU Freedom Referendum, literally seen begging Eastern European states to play a long with the charade so as to hood wink the British people into giving up their very final chance of attaining freedom from the emerging EU super state.

Whilst Premiers of states such as Hungary are apparently playing along with the smoke and mirrors game. However, Poland being the largest recipient of transfer payments form the UK in form of UK tax payer funded benefits for its citizens that the Polish economy has come to heavily rely upon as a huge and growing windfall, much as Norway relied on the North Sea oil windfall (before the oil price collapsed). However, the Polish PM instead of playing along instead gave the British PM a icy cold visit, refusing to budge an inch on the billions in UK benefits pocketed by Poland's citizens in what amounts to a humiliating public slap in the face for David Cameron. This despite the fact that David Cameron's feeble EU deal only applied to FUTURE migrants and not the 1.5 million or so of Poles who have already flooded into Britain over the past 15 years that and the break on benefits would be subject to European Union authorisation, so in effect was probably totally worthless, something that many eastern european states fully understand, apart from Poland that is.

Again, this slap in the face is despite Britain at huge cost once more being asked to station military forces on Poland's eastern borders so as to act as a deterrence against Czar Putin's ambitions for expansion of the Russian Empire.

As a reminder, Poland has sent an estimated 1.5 million economic migrants westwards to Britain alone, at least 90% of whom are in receipt of in work benefits that result in an estimated transfer payment to Polish citizens of 15 billion a year, which in large part contributes to Britains 90 billion annual budget deficit as well as all of the social consequences in terms of impact on services such as health, schooling and of course Britain's severe housing crisis as a consequence of an influx of over 4 million migrants over the past 15 years.

Furthermore it should be noted that ALL of the dozen eastern european states that have flooded Britain alone with over 4 million economic migrants over the past 15 years, publically tend to reject any attempts to share the refugee burden, even for settling literally handfuls of refugees fleeing war and probable death in their depopulated homelands. A I wrote at length about last September that illustrates just how dysfunctional an institution the European Union has become.

23 Sep 2015 - Poland, Czech, Slovakia and Hungary Refugee Hypocrisy After Flooding UK with 4 Million Economic Migrants

And as the population density figures illustrate that England is by far the most over crowded major european nation.

Population Density / sq km New Migrants to Match England's Density England 419 Holland 408 .45mill Belgium 370 1.5mill Wales 258 1.8mill Germany 226 68.8mill Italy 205 62.6mill Poland 130 85.6mill Portugal 116 27.4mill Hungary 108 28.8mill France 105 197mill Spain 94 161mill Romania 89 74mill Greece 82 44.3mill Scotland 67 32.5mill Bulgaria 66 38.8mill

What stands out from the table is the overwhelming disparity in capacity to accommodate migrants, especially for depopulated eastern european nations many of whom are demonstrating ZERO inclination to offer asylum to refugees despite having exported many millions of their own people westwards. For instance Poland would need to experience an influx of 85 million migrants to equal the population density of England.

Meanwhile the finger wagging Germans could allow 68 million migrants to settle in Germany and still be less densely populated than England. Whilst France would need to increase its population by near 200 million! Even a constantly bleating Greece would require a 44 million jump in its population to equal the state of over crowding in England.

The obvious solution to the migration crisis remains for the migrants to be settled in the depopulated Eastern Europe with HUNGARY being a good starting point as it is a primary transit route and could easily accommodate several tens of millions before reaching the same level of population density as England and then there is the mega empty space called Poland that could take 85 million and still not be as densely populated as England. For instance 4 million Poles have recently migrated westwards therefore Poland could easily be repopulated by 4 million Syrian refugees. But of course these fascist states don't want that to happen! Because their membership of the European Union has always been one of take, take, take and give nothing in return.

The bottom line is that the migration crisis as did just a few weeks ago the euro debt crisis illustrate that the European Union is BROKEN and is trending towards an apocalypse of sorts the magnitude of which cannot be discerned at this point in time. So this is a wake up call for the people of Britain to vote to LEAVE THE E.U. before it starts to disintegrate in unpredictable and probably very violent ways!

Britain's Very Last Chance for Freedom

In my following recent video I explained why the E.U. Referendum really IS Britain's very LAST chance to gain Freedom from the emerging European Super state.

https://youtu.be/MF3QLhoxkwQ

Britain's Last Chance to Gain Freedom from Emerging European Super State

What most pundits fail to recognise or lack experience of is trend and momentum both of which for the past 40 years have been moving in one direction that for the emergence of a highly centralised European super state that the financial crisis and subsequent economic depression of southern europe is accelerating the trend towards.

So whilst it is too late for the euro-zone members who for better or worse are locked into a death embrace that has all but nullified democracy for most of the euro-zone states as the elections in Greece, Spain and Italy have clearly demonstrated the lack for even radical governments such as Syriza to do anything other than obey their German paymasters who control the euro currency and can within a couple of weeks bring fellow euro-zone members to the brink of collapse as was repeatedly demonstrated by Greece last year.

Thus, for Britain the saving grace of not being in the euro-zone offers the UK a unique final opportunity to make the choice of either FREEDOM or become another satellite state revolving around a German centre that will increasingly dictate terms and conditions.

Therefore, given that there would probably not be another referendum for at least 20 years, then this really is Britain's VERY LAST CHANCE. There WON'T be another opportunity because with each passing year the price for a BREXIT increases, and we are not that far off from the point of no return when an exit would result in an economic collapse, much of the situation the euro-zone members have been since they signed up to scrap their currencies and join the Euro-zone.

Of course both the LEAVE and the REMAIN camps put out a lot of propaganda and spin on the others consequences. For LEAVE it's a case of everything smelling of roses in a Britain that has been freed from increasing European bureaucracy and interference, that would be in full control of Britain's borders. Whilst the REMAIN camp paints a picture of FEAR, of economic and financial catastrophe coupled with punitive terms for exit that would seek to punish Britain for daring to exit the euro-zone, so much for so-called european unity built on common purpose and friendship instead the European Union is increasingly a club of FEAR and PARALYSIS.

The Price for Freedom

The truth is that a BREXIT WILL BE ECONOMICALLY PAINFUL despite all of the benefits of being outside of the E.U. The cost of BrExit will be anywhere from 2% to as high as 5% of GDP if the euro-zone is determined to make an example of Britain to act as a warning to others by raising punitive tariffs on trade. However remember that attaining FREEDOM ALWAYS carry's a PRICE, in which respect even the worst case scenario for a 5% loss of GDP in the grand scheme of things does not compare against the infinitely greater price the people of Britain paid for their freedom in both past World Wars and so it is now THIS generations turn to pay a price for the freedom of future generations.

What the people of Britain need to fully understand is that this really is their VERY LAST CHANCE for Freedom!

Though given the backtracking of Schengen currently underway, and Greece, well still bankrupt then the European project could yet unravel all on its own even BEFORE a BrExit referendum is held! In fact a BrExit would likely be THE nail in the European Unions coffin that would literally start to disintegrate and it could all unravel quite quickly as I have been warning of for some time.

I also covered Britain's housing crisis consequences of continuing out of control immigration impact on London in the following comprehensive video analysis:

Youtube 26 Mins - https://youtu.be/yQJIB7AuqRQ

Ensure you are subscribed to my always free newsletter (only requirement is an email address) for the following forthcoming analysis -

US Interest Rates 2016

US Dollar Trend Forecast

Stock Market Trend Forecast 2016

US House Prices Forecast 2016 and Beyond

Gold and Silver Price Forecast 2016

By Nadeem Walayat

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

Copyright  2005-2016 Marketoracle.co.uk (Market Oracle Ltd). All rights reserved.

Nadeem Walayat has over 25 years experience of trading derivatives, portfolio management and analysing the financial markets, including one of few who both anticipated and Beat the 1987 Crash. Nadeem's forward looking analysis focuses on UK inflation, economy, interest rates and housing market. He is the author of five ebook's in the The Inflation Mega-Trend and Stocks Stealth Bull Market series that can be downloaded for Free.

Nadeem is the Editor of The Market Oracle, a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication that presents in-depth analysis from over 1000 experienced analysts on a range of views of the probable direction of the financial markets, thus enabling our readers to arrive at an informed opinion on future market direction. http://www.marketoracle.co.uk

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 trading losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors before engaging in any trading activities.

Nadeem Walayat Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.





Comments

R.E.B

08 Feb 16, 14:42 Unilateral declaration

In the event of Britain voting to stay in the E.U ( would they really honour a vote to leave anyway? ) and the E.U sliding toward economic and social chaos, the prospect of Britain being dragged into the abyss could result in a reaction from the public and the election of a harder line nationalistic government. Such a government could just stick two fingers up to the E.U and walk away. Such a thing may seem outlandish at present, but stranger things have happened, including outright revolutions!

Nadeem_Walayat

08 Feb 16, 15:22 Politicians and Brewing Storm

The problem is that politicians don't think like normal people, they are stuck in their own bubbles. So yes, as you outline above, Britian could swing towards the far right which would detablise the union so it's not just Europe that would fall apart but the UK and England as well. It's the calm before the storm.


Government Mandatory Depression Screening is A Depressing Thought

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended mandatory depression screening for all Americans. The task force wants to force health insurance companies to pay for the screening. Basic economics, as well as the Obamacare disaster, should have shown this task force that government health insurance mandates harm Americans.

Government health insurance mandates raise the price of health insurance. Consumers will respond to this increase by either choosing to not carry health insurance or by reducing their consumption of other goods and services. Imposing new health insurance mandates will thus make consumers, many of whom are already suffering from Obamacare's costly mandates, worse off by forcing them to deviate from their preferred consumption patterns.

Mandatory depression screening will not just raise insurance costs. In order to ensure that the screening mandate is being properly implemented, the government will need to create a database containing the results of the screenings. Those anti-gun politicians who want to forbid anyone labeled "mentally ill" from owning a firearm will no doubt want to use this database as a tool to deprive individuals of their Second Amendment rights.

If the preventive task force has its way, Americans could lose their Second Amendment, and possibly other, rights simply because they happened to undergo their mandatory depression screening when they were coping with a loved one's passing or a divorce, or simply having a bad day. As anyone who has been mistakenly placed on the terrorist watch list can attest, it is very difficult to get off a government database even when the government clearly is in error. Thus, anyone mistakenly labeled as depressed will have to spend a great deal of time and money in what may be a futile attempt to get his rights back.

Mandatory depression screening will endanger people's health by increasing the use of psychotropic drugs. These drugs often have dangerous side effects. Their use has even been linked to suicide. The fact that almost every mass shooter was on psychotropic drugs is another good reason to oppose any policy that will increase reliance on these medicines.

The Preventive Services Task Force's mandatory depression screening mandate is based on the fallacy that diagnosing mental health problems is analogous to diagnosing cancer or diabetes. Even mental health professionals acknowledge that there is a great deal of subjectivity in mental health diagnosis.

Consider that until 1973 homosexuality was considered a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. Today, some mental health professionals think that those who believe in limited government, free-market economics, or traditional values suffer from mental disorders. If mandatory depression screening becomes a reality, it is likely this mental health screening will be expanded to cover screening for other mental illnesses. This could result in anyone with an unpopular political belief or lifestyle choice being labeled as "mentally ill."

Even if mandatory health screening could be implementing without increasing costs or threatening liberty it would still be a bad idea. Government health care mandates undermine the basic principles of a free society. If it is legitimate for government to tell us what types of health care we must receive, then it is also legitimate for the government to tell us what to eat, when to exercise, and even how to raise our children. To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, a tyranny imposed for our own good is the worst form of tyranny because it is a tyranny without limits. All who love liberty must therefore oppose mandatory depression screening, or any other health care mandate.

Dr. Ron Paul

Project Freedom

Congressman Ron Paul of Texas enjoys a national reputation as the premier advocate for liberty in politics today. Dr. Paul is the leading spokesman in Washington for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He is known among both his colleagues in Congress and his constituents for his consistent voting record in the House of Representatives: Dr. Paul never votes for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Dr. Paul is the "one exception to the Gang of 535" on Capitol Hill.

Dr. Ron Paul Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Top Silver Mining CEO: Don't Laugh, We Could See Silver $100+

Exclusive Interview with First Majestic CEO Keith Neumeyer on Metals, Mining, and Manipulation



Mike Gleason, MoneyMetals.com: It is my privilege, now, to be joined by Keith Neumeyer, founder and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp. One of the top Silver mining companies in the world.

Keith has an extensive background in the resource and finance sectors, and has been an outspoken voice about concerns that there is some level of price suppression going on in the silver futures market. It's a real privilege to have him on with us today.

Keith, thank you so much for joining us, and welcome.

Keith Neumeyer, First Majestic: Well thanks, Mike, I appreciate your time.

Mike Gleason: Well, there's so much I want to ask you about, so I'll just get right into it now.

As we're talking here, we're seeing a continuation of a modest but positive price action in the metals. A rally seems to be a longtime coming here. I'm sure it's a welcome sight to folks like you. We'll see if it ends the week on an up note, here, and if the rally can continue.

I want to start out by asking you about the futures market, which you have been openly critical of. There is some concern that exchanges, like the COMEX may be impeding discovery of the true market price for gold and silver. There have been many examples of games being played. You've got huge sell orders being dropped on the markets in the middle of the night or during other periods of low liquidity. Then, you have banks actually admitting to rigging the London Fix and sticking it to their own customers.

The evidence piles up, but regulators are turning a blind eye. If prices for precious metals are being suppressed, it's producers like you who are harmed. It doesn't seem like it can go on forever. So how do you see this ending for the COMEX, can it be reformed, Keith? What are your thoughts there?

Keith Neumeyer: Well, it is nice to finally see the metals moving over the last two weeks, actually. We're now a month into the year, and it's been a pretty good start for miners. Hopefully it does continue through the next several months.

Interestingly enough, as you probably know, we saw two fixes in London, one last week on Tuesday, I believe it was, $0.85 below spot. That's the first time that's ever happened. I talked to our traders, who trade in metals, and it's completely unexplained. There was a couple of news articles that showed up and, of course, the banks who are behind this Fix have been completely silent on the fact that this has happened.

Then, the next day, on a Wednesday, the Fix was $0.10 below, which is obviously a lot less of a big issue, but it's still below the spot. Two days in a row we had a Fix that was below spot prices, which has gone completely unexplained to all of the suppliers.

Fortunately, First Majestic doesn't have a lot of its product that is affected by the Fix, because we produce most of our silver in the form of dore bars. Our dore bars are based on spot on days that we decide to sell our metal. But we do produce some of our silver in the form of concentrates. And those concentrates are affected by the Fix, which is unfortunate.

Some mining companies, who have 100% of their production, for example, based on their Fix were very dramatically affected. It's not the COMEX, this is the London market, obviously. But it's all the same. These are the same players that trade in the COMEX, the same players that trade in London, trade on the LME and trade in this market, they trade on these prices. It is completely contrary to general market forces.

My issue with the COMEX is clear. I've said, quite honestly, "create a system, whereby, they have to have a system in place where they can go 100 times what's in the vault, for example. We have a fractional banking system, we know it's there, but they can sell unlimited ounces in the form of paper and there's no limit. All I am saying is create a limit whereby the banks can sell 100 times what's in the vault. I'd prefer it much less. I'd prefer it 10 times, but that's probably unrealistic.

But right now, when you can trade a billion ounces a day, and the miners are only producing 800 million ounces a year, that system, in my view, is broken.

Mike Gleason: Yeah, more ounces traded on paper in a single day than are produced globally in an entire year. It's truly mind boggling.

Keith Neumeyer: Yeah, that ratio is nuts.

Mike Gleason: Yeah and it seems totally unsustainable. I would think something will have to give at some point.

You've purposefully held back some of your production because you would rather hold some the silver on your balance sheet rather than trade it for cash. You've called on others in your industry to do the same. Basically saying, "Let's not let the market have our silver until something changes with the price-setting mechanism for our product."

Are you getting any traction on this, Keith? I know that many miners might not have the financial strength or available cash, at this point, to hold back some of their production. But do you see others following your lead on that?

Keith Neumeyer: Well, of course all of the miners are in stress right now. But I'm not asking for a big deal. For one month's of production, for us, First Majestic, we're a small player in the whole scheme of things. We produce 18-19 million ounces of silver, which is a big number. Of 800 million ounces that's produced in a year, that's a small number.

I was actually in New York just a few weeks ago, and I was surrounded by a number of executives at a dinner. I quite clearly stated in the room, and there's about 30 people around the table, 20 or 30 people around the table, and I said, "Look, let's take a month. Let's hold back our production in June of 2016." I can tell you, everyone in the room could afford to do it. We could afford to do it. We would still be producing. Everyone would still be working. We just simply wouldn't sell our silver.

Now, again, this goes back to the concentrate sellers. It's more difficult for the concentrate sellers to do it, because they have contracts in place. They have to deliver their metal into these contracts. Their ships pick up the metal, their concentrates, and goes into the different smelters around the World. It's a little bit more difficult for them.

If you're producing dore bars, it's a lot easier for those dore producers to do exactly what I've asked them to do. I didn't get even a single taker at that dinner. I was very disappointed.

Mike Gleason: Yeah, that's definitely a shame to hear. But hopefully those other guys will start to recognize that it's going to be important for them to do something versus sit idly by. At some point, you would think that it would make economic sense for them to have, maybe, some short-term pain on the cash flow just for the long-term good.

You still have some hope there?

Keith Neumeyer: Well, look, I think it would send a message. Unfortunately, a lot of mining companies don't understand what they're selling. They take the rock under the ground, they produce the metal, and they're happy with it. They don't understand the monetary nature of the product they sell.

I think the mining companies should get together, put their foot in the sand, and say, "Look, enough is enough. We're not going to deliver metal to the banks for 30 days."

Personally, I think maybe it would be a cosmetic stance by the mining companies, but it would tell the banks, it would tell the world, that we're fed up. I think it's important.

Mike Gleason: The recent price increase this week, notwithstanding some good news for the mining industry, I would think has been the falling price of oil. How has that affected or benefited your business, Keith? How much has it helped reduce your all-in cost of production?

Keith Neumeyer: Well, in Mexico, it's a little bit different. I think outside of Mexico it's probably helped the miners a lot more. The price in Mexico is set by the government. The producers in Mexico, not just the miners, but industry, period, in Mexico has not had a benefit yet. Nor has the consumer... the regular fellow on the street who goes and guys gasoline still, today, is paying. Actually they're paying more for gas today than they did a year ago. They have not had any benefit at all. Nor have we had any benefit at all.

But the chemical costs have gone down. There are other inputs. Of course, I was responsible for other things. Transportation, chemical production, and so on. The actual price of diesel is actually higher today. That changes, mind you, in January 2017 when the price for energy and the principal on gas in Mexico does float to world standards.

We are looking very much forward to that day, January 1st, 2017, but we haven't seen the big impact, yet.

Mike Gleason: What's the current state of the mining industry? Obviously, it's been a tough slog given the bare market we've been in for the last four plus years now. I guess, First Majestic, you guys have been maybe able to adapt better than most, but how's the industry doing, Keith?

Keith Neumeyer: (laughs) Your listeners need to be told? I think all they have to do is look at our portfolio, but it's been tough. I've been in this business for 34 years. I've seen lots of ups and downs. This particular down cycle, we're five years into it, a lot of the juniors are hurting. We've seen mines close around the world. We've seen thousands and thousands of layoffs.

In our case, we've laid off 1,500 workers. We had 5,500 employees at the top of our business. Today, we have 4,000 employees. We're actually producing more silver today than we did when we had 5,500, so I guess we're more efficient as a business.

You know, Mike, I guess this downturn has allowed us to improve our business quite dramatically. We've brought in automation, a lot of innovation projects. We've done a lot to our business to improve what we do, how we produce metal, how we produce silver, obviously. And it's been good.

We've taken advantage of this current environment. I think we've improved the business dramatically. We're now profitable at these metal prices, which we were producing metal at a much higher price a couple years ago. So I think it's been exciting from our standpoint.

But it's been tough for some other miners. For us, First Majestic, is quite a flexible company. We're not bound by contracts or contractors. We, fortunately, own all of our own equipment and we have all our own talent base and talent pool. So we haven't had to outsource and so on. A lot of the other companies who didn't, in the heyday of the bull market, go out and buy all of their own equipment and buy their own talent, they're stuck with their cost systems or cost structures in place because they can't afford to make the changes to their business today that they would like to because the capital markets are closed.

These smaller companies that have different business than ours are really struggling. It will be interesting to see what happens here. Because if the metal did keep going...You know, we saw this in 2015, we saw this in 2014, where the first few months of the year are quite positive, and this does feel a little bit different, mind you. The start of 2016 does feel like this might be the beginning of another new cycle that could last several more years.

Time will tell. I'm not going to be calling this the next boom market, yet, but it does feel pretty good. Maybe the metal price will save some of these juniors, maybe not. I just don't know. Too early to tell.

Mike Gleason: Obviously, supply is getting constricted based on what's been happening. Now the U.S. is actually a net importer of silver, which is a recent phenomenon. We used to be a new exporter of silver here in the States.

Meanwhile, you have countries like China, in particular India, going on a silver buying spree. Are you seeing evidence of supply of fine silver getting tight in the global market? Because, if you look only at the current published price of Silver, it doesn't seem so.

Keith Neumeyer: Well, it's interesting that you say the U.S. is now an importer. I do know that. I've actually stated it a couple times. I'm glad you know that, because it's not a well-known phenomenon that's occurred, that's a recent event.

Production is dropping worldwide. I don't know what the 2015 numbers are, yet. I know Mexico is down 6% year-over-year. I've heard other countries are down, as well. Some the back-of-the-envelope numbers that I've seen out there, is the world production field has dropped somewhere around 10% annually. I'm waiting for confirmation of that number.

But we know that consumption is increasing. We know solar panel consumption is increase, other technologies. I don't think cell phones, laptops, iPads, automobiles and so on are decreasing to any great degrees. I think their increasing. The use of the metal is still climbing and we're in a deficit. We're consuming somewhere around 1.1 billion ounces of silver annually. And the miners are producing, at least in 2014, they produced about 800 million ounces.

We still haven't seen 2015, but all evidence shows that that number is lower. This deficit that we're having is increasing. Silver is a much more rare metal than people actually realize. As a human race, we're consuming more silver today than we ever have. And above ground supplies are dropping substantially. I think we're going to have a huge supply squeeze in silver.

It's not showing up in price, yet. It will overtime. I'm confident with that.

Mike Gleason: That leads me right into my next question, here. Our mutual friend, David Morgan, goes through all the amazing uses and applications of Silver in his new book The Silver Manifesto. You just eluded to some of those. There are just so many and the list grows all the time.

Do you envision industrial users of silver, at some point, starting to maybe hoard the metal as news of dwindling supply starts to spread? This is something we saw with another one of the precious metals, palladium, about 15 years ago. It drove the price up, gosh, like 5 fold in a very short period of time, as automotive manufacturers snapped up all the palladium they could get over fears of not being able to get it for those catalytic converters potentially shutting down their automobile production line.

Could we see this kind of industrial hoarding panic occur in silver, Keith?

Keith Neumeyer: Well, I actually think there's a complacency. I think that the Sonys, Toyotas, Intels, you name it, Teslas of the world, who are big consumers of silver, just think that there's this abundance of the metal. I don't think they really have their eye on the ball at all. I think there is some smart money out there that knows what's happening.

You see the Silver Eagles, the 6 million ounces of Silver Eagles sold in January. And the buyers aren't retail. These buyers are commercial, sophisticated buyers. David Morgan eluded to who that might be, no one really knows. I think Ted Butler has also eluded who these buyers of silver is. There are people in the know, but it's not the whole industry by any stretch of the imagination, I think, that big consumers of the metal don't have a clue about the product that they need and their product that they produce on a daily basis. Because if they did, they'd be the buyers of this metal and it wouldn't be the banks or the sophisticated people who are buying this metal.

So it will be a very interesting field in the next year or so when the metal does get so tight that the big producers of electronics and other products just simply can't get their metal. Then, they're going to panic, then they're just going to, I think, pay whatever they can pay just to get it.

Don't forget, there are very small amounts of this metal in these components. If you're a producer of iPhones or Blackberries, you don't really care what this silver costs. If it's $100 now, it's not going to change the value of your iPad very much. It's just going to be a couple of dollars, which will be easily absorbed into the cost of the product. So they'll just pay whatever they can pay for it and it will be the sophisticated investor who ends up making the big money, I think.

Mike Gleason: Yeah, that, certainly when things could potentially go parabolic shortages beget more shortages, as they say. That would be an interesting phenomenon if it does start to happen.

Now, you've made a career out of profiting on buying value, buying near the bottom in the resource sector. What do you have to say to the guy who may be sitting on the sidelines right now? May have liquidated some things, might be sitting in cash, but considering putting some of that money into silver.

Is this a good time to be making a move into the metals? Or is it still maybe too early?

Keith Neumeyer: Well, for me, I like to buy mining stocks, because that's where your leverage is. I do own some physical silver and also physical gold, but most of my portfolio is actually in mining stocks, but it's tough to find good ones. Most people lose a fortune buying bad stocks in bad companies. It's just not in mining, it's in industries across the planet, obviously.

It's always hard to pick good companies in any sector. It all comes down to risk tolerance. I personally gauge this is the time to be buying these metals, but a good mining stock will go up 2-3 times faster than the metal itself.

If you go back and look at what happened to First Majestic Silver, when silver went from basically $10 to $50, the stock got up to $26 a share. The performance did outweigh the actual metal performance. That's very common, but it is difficult to find good companies. I caution your listeners to always look at management. Always look at what they've done in the past, how they've performed in the past, how they've done in the past, how have their shareholders done in the past by investing in their companies, and try to buy at the bottom of the cycle.

What I've done in First Majestic and also in my new company, First Mining Finance, is I buy assets at the bottom of the market. Then, in 2015, I bought five companies. In the case of First Majestic Silver, we bought one company called Silver Crest, adding our sixth producing mine to our portfolio and another 5 million ounce producer, which is now our biggest mine. I think we picked it up for basically...I know we picked it up cheap.

Then, in First Mining Finance, we bought 4 companies and built up a portfolio of 8 million ounces of gold there. Then, paying ridiculous prices for those ounces, as well.

This is the time to be buying assets, but at the same time, investors need to realize that mining is a risky business. It's volatile. It's hard to pick a bottom in any industry. Just pick good companies. Or, if you're less tolerant, just go and buy the metal and just be patient.

Mike Gleason: Well, as we begin to wrap up here, I know obviously pretty bullish on poor man's gold, as they call it. So as we begin to close, tell us why you're so optimistic about the future of Silver.

Keith Neumeyer: Well, I think it's pretty easy, actually, because silver is way more rare than you think it is. There's an old number that was produced by Sir Isaac Newton when King Edward was creating the one pound Sterling. And hey came up with this is in the 1500s, and they came up with the number 16 to 1, gold to silver.

So the question was, how many ounces of silver are there in earth's crust compared to gold? Sir Isaac Newton came up and said, "16 to 1." Okay, so that was kind of the number that has been floating around the planet ever since, and it's been gospel.

Interestingly enough, we're only mining 10 to 1. For every 10 ounces of silver, 1 ounce of gold is mined. Silver is way rare than even we had thought it was 500 years ago and consumption is increasing every single year. The above ground supplies of the metal, you go back and look at what was above ground in the '80s, and there's about 5 billion ounces of 1,000 ounce commercial bars. That's down to just a billion ounces of silver that's accountable.

So we've consumed 4 billion ounces of silver in the last 30 years and it's gone. It's not coming back. It's not in recycle. It's in waste dumps, it's in the ocean, it's in stuff that will never be seen. Again, at that rate and as the consumption is increasing, and even if production stays flat, which it doesn't look like it is... but even if it stays flat, that deficit between mine supply is about 800,000 million ounces and that middle consumption 1.1 billion ounces is eating away at all of this above ground supply.

We're trading, right now, at 80 to 1, gold-silver. We're mining at 10 to 1, and we're in a deficit. How can that relationship last? We're going to have a racial compression, in my view, that's going to send the price...and I've said this 100 times... to triple digits. I know that at $14 or $15 silver that sounds stupid and it's probably hilarious to many people, but that's where I think it's going. That's why I put together a silver company 13 years ago and that's what I'm looking forward to and we'll see what happens. We'll see if I'm right or wrong, but that's what I think is going to end up happening.

Mike Gleason: Certainly would be nice to see true price discovery take place in the silver market. Some event may trigger that. When that does happen, those fundamentals, the fundamental case that you just laid out there, you think is going to finally start to take hold and silver is likely to shoot significantly higher when that finally does happen. It should move pretty quickly when it does.

Well, Keith, I want to thank you for sharing your insights and your firsthand accounts of what's going on in the silver mining industry. We really appreciate your time and your boldness when it comes to exposing what's happening in these distorted markets. We wish you all the best.

Before we go, please tell our listeners about how they can get more information on both First Majestic and also your new venture there that you spoke about, First Mining Finance.

Keith Neumeyer: Yeah, for sure. I'll keep pushing my efforts. I'm also on Twitter. The twitter ;@keith_neumeyer. And of course the companies, I'm the CEO of First Majestic Silver, it's simple, it's just www.FirstMajestic.com. And of course, my new company, which went public in April of 2015, it's www.FirstMiningFinance.com.

Mike Gleason: Well, thanks so much, Keith. I know you're traveling there in Europe and you took time out of your busy schedule to visit with us, and we really appreciate it. I hope you have a great weekend. Safe travels. Perhaps we can catch up with you, again, down the road as this starts to unfold.

Keith Neumeyer: Thanks very much. I appreciate it.

Mike Gleason: Well, that will do it for this week. Thanks, again, to Keith Neumeyer, founder and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp. Ticker symbol (NYSE:AG) on the New York Stock Exchange and one of the largest, and most successful, primary silver miners in the world.

By Mike Gleason

MoneyMetals.com

Mike Gleason is President of Money Metals Exchange, the national precious metals company named 2015 "Dealer of the Year" in the United States by an independent global ratings group. A graduate of the University of Florida, Gleason is a seasoned business leader, investor, political strategist, and grassroots activist. Gleason has frequently appeared on national television networks such as CNN, FoxNews, and CNBC, and his writings have appeared in hundreds of publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Detroit News, Washington Times, and National Review.

 2016 Mike Gleason - 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.




Now around Martinsville, a new program aims to match up aging and ailing veterans with active American Legion veteran-members who can help them.

American Legion Homer Dillard Post 78 has started a Veteran Care "Buddy" Program. Through the program, active and able members are asked to "adopt" a post member or other veteran who is experiencing declining health or who is unable to get around well because of advanced age.

The active post member should check in on the older veteran at least once a month, and report to the post how that veteran is doing.

The helper also should make sure the older veterans affairs are in order. He should determine who the next of kin is, or the person responsible for taking care of him. The helper should find out if the older veteran has any immediate health problems that are not being taken care of; assure that the older veteran is aware of the local VA representative and how and when to contact her; and make sure he or she knows how to get transportation to VA or other hospitals.

"Their wives or their kids dont know anything about" how to get help through the Veterans Administration, said Post 78 Commander Warren "Sonny" Richardson. A Post 78 "Buddy" would help with those concerns.

Theres another resource, too, he added: "A lot of veterans in Martinsville do not know we have a representative here of Veterans Administration." Nicole Crews is at the Virginia Workforce Center at 233 W. Commonwealth Blvd. every Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The phone number is 634-3628.

Richardson said he helps widows and other family members of veterans sort through the paperwork called for when a veteran dies, but its better for the veteran to let his family know about it while still able. The Buddy program will help make sure of that.

"These veterans are getting old," he said. "Their wives call me when they die. They dont know anything about DD214," he said. The DD214 is documentation showing honorable discharge from the military, he explained. It is needed for a funeral with military rites and honors.

The Buddy should coordinate a visit by the Post commander, vice commanders, chaplain, adjutant or service officer if the older buddy desires. The Post Buddy also should be sure the older Buddy knows about support activities available through the post and other veteran organizations.

Keeping up with veterans through visits and cards is important, Richardson said. "You can see it in their face, when you do something like that."

"Here at Post 78, we take care of the ones" who are around, he said. Keeping up with the older or shut-in veterans always has been part of what they do; the Buddy program just makes it official. It would be a thorough way to be sure none fall through the cracks.

A report on the condition of each veteran in the program will be a regular part of each meeting. The post meets on the third Monday evening of each month.

The program was unanimously approved during the Posts Jan. 19 meeting. Post 78 has 201 members, Richardson said, and 25 veterans have been identified to be helped through the Buddy program. There is plenty of room for more veterans to be helped.

Richardson said it also is a good idea which should spread to other communities.

"It could go pretty far with the other posts around here in the state of Virginia and anywhere else," Richardson said.

"This is very important, because you could actually prolong someones health" by helping him out this way, Richardson said. "Your health deteriorates quick if youre not getting proper care. This can help a veteran feel better."

To recommend a veteran to be visited through the program, call Richardson at 340-5169 or Post 78 Adjutant Curtis R. Millner Sr. at 806-2593

"They have risked their lives for this country. Lets give something back," Richardson said.
The city of Martinsville plans to issue $10 million in bonds to help finance repairs to a major sewer line.

Martinsville City Council on Tuesday will consider a resolution and ordinance necessary to initiate financing for the project and hold a public hearing on it.

City Manager Leon Towarnicki said Friday that Martinsville has been approved for a 30-year, no-interest loan of $21.74 million from the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund to cover repairs to the lines worst sections.

Due to legal restrictions regarding how much debt the city can take on at any given time without first holding a referendum, the loan is to be provided in two installments, the first being $10 million for which the bonds are to be issued, Towarnicki said.

The city has determined that a 6.2-mile sewer line running from near Fieldale to the citys wastewater treatment plant near Forest Park Country Club needs about $30 million in repairs, based on inspections with video equipment.

Installed in the 1960s, the line carries most of the citys sewage, and some from Henry County, to the plant for treatment.

The city is focusing first on repairing the lines worst section, about 200 feet along the Smith River near Walker Road that is made of corrugated metal and has collapsed in some spots. Further collapses could cause sewage to enter the river, which could cause environmental problems, officials have said.

The $10 million in bonds would cover those repairs, Towarnicki said.

The council will consider the bond matters when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in its chambers on the second floor of the municipal building on West Church Street uptown.

Other agenda items will include:

Hearing from the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce about matters related to the contract between the city and the Chambers Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG).

Hearing a report from Robinson Farmer Cox Associates on the citys fiscal 2015 audit.

Hearing a presentation about the Virginia Department of Veteran Services.

Hearing a report on city finances.

Considering routine-type budget amendments.

Hearing business from the floor, which no longer is televised.

As of Friday, the council did not plan to discuss anything privately.
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The Schengen agreement, regarded alongside monetary union as one of the twin pillars of the European Union, is on the brink of collapse. Its looming suspension marks the latest stage in the crisis of the European Union.

One million refugees fled to Europe in 2015, ninety percent of which were from Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan. It is the largest movement of displaced people since the Second World War. In response, Hungary has built a wall on its southern border, Denmark is seizing the assets of migrants on arrival, Sweden has plans to deport 80,000 asylum seekers and seven European Union states have re-imposed border controls in recent months.

All this highlights the contradiction between capitalisms need for wider markets and the existence of the nation state. The process of globalization is unravelling and European integration, once considered by many as irreversible, appears now in retreat.

Europe unravelling

The small village of Schengen in Luxembourg sits on the banks of the river Moselle, bordering France and Germany. It is here that these three countries, along with Belgium and Holland, agreed to abolish internal borders in 1985 and established a common visa policy. It came into force ten years later.

Today Schengen encompasses a population of more than four hundred million. More than 1.25 billion journeys are made annually across its internal borders. Twenty-two EU countries, plus non-EU Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein, compose its membership. EU rules state that Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Croatia are legally obliged to become "Schengen states" as part of their integration.

However, following eight hours of talks between ministers in Amsterdam on January 25th, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the Austrian interior minister, emerged to state that Schengen is on the brink of collapse.

Schengen rules allow member-states to "exceptionally" reinstate controls on their borders "if there is a serious threat to public policy or internal security", but typically for no more than thirty days. But Article 26 of the Schengen code gives the European Commission the option to recommend sweeping border controls for as long as two years.

Germany introduced controls at its border with Austria last September. Following the Paris attacks in November, France imposed a state of emergency and border controls. On January 20th Macedonia, outside of the EU and Schengen, closed its border with Greece.

Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, has said that Europe has two months to get the migration crisis under control  otherwise Schengen "would collapse". Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called for the creation of a fence along Greeces borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria to curb the influx of refugees. Almost all countries along the so-called Western Balkan route  Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Slovenia  have activated provisions that allow them to temporarily re-impose border checks, making Schengen's suspension a de facto reality. No doubt, with the interests of democracy at the forefront of their minds, the European Commission proposed in December to widen the privilege it affords non-EU citizens - scrutinizing their personal details against police databases - to all EU citizens.

Greece the scapegoat

Greece is once again being made a scapegoat by the European ruling class. Greece, in turn, accuses Turkey of culpability. The Swedish home affairs minister, Anders Ygeman, said of Greece: If a country doesnt live up to its obligations, we will have to restrict its connections to the Schengen area. Yet Greece has no land border with the rest of the Schengen area.

It does, however, have islands that are within easy reach from the Turkish coast from where thousands of refugees have been trying to get into Greece. And Greece borders with Bulgaria, which is expected to join Schengen, and in turn borders with Romania, also expected to join Schengen, which then connects with Hungary.

For the moment any refugees landing in Greece do not have direct access to other Schengen countries, and very few refugees are likely to fly from Athens to Berlin, Copenhagen or Stockholm. Therefore amendments to Schengen against Greece will have no immediate effect on the movement of refugees. Rather, it is a symbolic gesture of vindictiveness by the EU. It is in the same vein as the Danish politicians' seizure of refugees' assets exceeding 10,000.

The "draft Schengen Evaluation Report on Greece", published on January 27th by the European Commission, is an audit of Greece's compliance with Schengen rules. In a display of faith, the audit was published following surprise visits to the Greek-Turkish land border and the islands of Chios and Samos in November by EU investigators.

According to the report, Athens " is seriously neglecting its obligations and there are serious deficiencies in the carrying out of external border controls that must be overcome and dealt with by the Greek authorities.

"If we want to maintain our internal area of free movement, we must better manage our external borders. This means that we will only save Schengen by applying Schengen."

So said Dimitris Avramopoulos of New Democracy, currently serving as Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner for the EU. This Greek Quisling nevertheless accurately conveys Schengen's true purpose. It does not represent the principle of "free movement" in general, but is rather a mechanism to control the movement of labour.

The consensus developing now among some European leaders is that Greece should be suspended from the Schengen system and transformed into a "buffer zone" to shield the rest of Europe from the refugee crisis. European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, has welcomed a suggestion made by Slovenia to reinforce the Greek-Macedonian border to stem the flow of migrants.

In a fitting illustration of the contradictions Europe finds itself in, these plans would see Europe reinforcing a non-EU border in order to forcibly retain people within an EU member-state, against the wishes of that state. This risks reviving tensions between Macedonia and Greece and in reality would push Greece towards a de facto suspension from Schengen.

Many walls going up

Just two years ago German Chancellor Angela Merkel used the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall to laud German re-unification. The capitalists re-tell the tale of the Wall as the triumph of freedom over oppression; of democracy over dictatorship; of capitalism over communism. However, no sooner had the Chancellor brought down the curtains on the celebrations, than new walls were being erected.

After promising to open Germany's doors to the Syrian refugees, Time magazine's "Person of the year" and "Chancellor of the free world" is coming under pressure. Forty percent of Germans now believe Merkel should resign over the refugee crisis. In November, Wolfgang Schauble compared the chancellor to a clumsy skier who triggers an avalanche on a steep slope.

In January forty-four right-wing members of the Reichstag signed a letter demanding effective border controls. Julia Klockner, a leading CDU figure, has called for the setting up of border registration camps. The leader of the CDU's Bavarian sister-party and partner in government, Horst Seehofer, chairman of the CSU and Minister-President of Bavaria, has also come out against the Chancellor. The right-wing populist Alternative fur Deutschland has now reached double-figures in opinion polls.

Merkel is travelling to Turkey again in an attempt to revive negotiations aimed at convincing Erdogan to stop refugees crossing into Europe. How dramatic the situation is can be seen by the tens of thousands of more Syrian refugees massing on the Turkish border in the last few days. In November the EU came up with a 3bn incentive for Ankara, as well as the promise of political concessions such as a visa-free travel agreement. But Turkey, which has spent $8bn on housing, education and health care, will require additional motivation.

Decline and fall

In Europe capitalism formed, then outgrew, the nation-state. It then went on to colonize the world in the quest for cheap raw materials and new markets. In spite of that, the world market was incapable of absorbing the combined productive capacity of the major powers. The result was two world wars fought to decide who would dominate in Europe and globally. In the end those wars saw the European powers unseated from their dominant global position.

It was out of the ashes of the Second World War that the European Coal and Steel community arose, the embryo of what was to become the European Economic Community (EEC) and later the EU. It was born out of the need for the European bourgeoisie to overcome the fetters of the nation-state and its limited national market.

The European countries were compelled to combine together, or be by-passed by the rapid development of world trade and the growth of economic giants such as the USA and Japan. In this respect the European Union is a joint imperialist venture. It contributed to world trade by establishing a gigantic free trade area able to accommodate its banks and monopolies. It exported capital whilst at the same time protecting its native industries and farming from cheap imports.

The growth in world trade following 1945 stimulated investment and world GDP growth. The establishment of a European free trade area contributed to that. Today the crisis of capitalism can be seen clearly in the fact that the process of integration is going into reverse on a global scale. In the first half of 2015 world trade suffered its sharpest fall since the collapse following the financial crisis of 2008. Imports and exports declined month-on-month in China in 2015. In December, the US imposed a 256% tariff on Chinese steel imports. Overproduction plagues Europe, as the $1.1trn cash piles at non-financial European companies testify. From a capitalist point of view, why invest in more production, when you cannot sell the goods already produced?

"World trade growth actually declined for most of last year. On 23 December the US imposed punitive sanctions on Chinese steel imports. Hence as renminbi devaluation accelerates, and a new more deadly phase of the global currency war unfolds, we are set to slide into another global recession. And can investors really be sure that policymakers wont repeat the mistakes of the 1930s, and avoid an outright deflationary bust accompanied by a trade war?" (Albert Edwards, head of global strategy at Societe Generale)

Introducing internal borders on the 1.7 million European workers who use Schengen every day would cost 3bn a year in lost business, according to Jean-Claude Juncker. German business leaders have warned that re-introducing borders will cost the countrys economy up to 10bn a year. The French governments economic planning agency, France Strategie, estimated in a recent report that it would cost the EU 110bn, and make its economy 0.8 percent smaller within a decade. It also said that France would suffer losses between 1bn and 2bn annually in the short term if Europe returns to controlled borders. Tourism would shrink by between 500m and 1 billion a year, while the negative impact on trade would amount to between 60m and 120m annually. Such a development would exacerbate the downward trajectory of the world economy.

The European Union is a combination of ex-colonial powers who suffer from an unappeased yearning to return to their youth. Having lost their empires, they also declined as industrial nations relative to rising powers such as the US and Japan, and in order to survive in the world market they were forced to huddle together. And within this process, although at the height of the post-war boom all member-states benefited to one degree or another from the Union, a differentiation took place with Germany in particular rising to the disadvantage of the others, increasing the internal contradictions rather than reducing them.

The working class's natural aspiration to move freely, seemingly championed by Schengen, is now colliding with the inherent contradictions of capitalism, which can no longer allow freely moving labour-power. As the EU goes further into decline, the internal social situation is worsening with growing levels of unemployment, especially high among the youth. In these conditions pressures have built up within many of the EU countries to curb the influx of workers from other countries, whipped by reactionary right-wing parties.

Imperialism and Citizenship - Parallels with Roman Republic

There are some parallels here with the end of the Roman Republic. Rome also had its developing contradictions between the mode of production based on the slavery and the development of the productive forces. Slavery was no longer as productive as it had been and the conditions were maturing for its downfall and replacement with another, more productive system. This crisis included the question of who had a right to citizenship.

The slave mode of production gave an impulse to Roman expansion, putting it in a state of almost permanent wars of expansion in order to quench its thirst for slaves. The use of slave labour on a vast scale eventually dispossessed many of the small peasant farmers. Throughout Italy the slave owners and patricians greedily swallowed up the common lands and the small peasantry. Ruined, the peasants flocked to Rome to swell the ranks of the lumpen-proletariat, a parasitic class maintained by the state.

The lumpen mob became a decisive factor in Roman politics. Local ward leaders, often former soldiers, were bought or bound to noble patrician families and senators. They mobilized the vote for their masters, organized riots and carried out political assassinations. Like many downtrodden layers in history, the Roman citizens were set against other layers, such as the slaves, all the better to keep them in their place. They jealously guarded their citizenship status, which entitled them to the vote and to state hand-outs of bread. They had a contempt for labour, associating it with the slaves, which they aspired to own, rather than become.

As more and more non-Roman Italians were ruined by the huge growth of the slave latifundia, so tensions grew up between the Roman citizens and the foreigners who poured into Rome. Politicians based themselves on these tensions, championing the side of the Roman or foreign mob for political gain.

Roman capitalism was confined to the margins of society. Capitalist enterprises could rarely compete with cheap slave labour. Where the labour of a slave would not do, such as in skilled crafts, foreigners were employed as workers. However, it was the dream of every foreign worker to acquire Roman citizenship, at which point they would graduate from the workshop to join the lumpen citizens in the baths, circuses and gambling dens.

Overproduction of labour power

There are clear parallels between Ancient Rome and today's society, although with obvious differences, not least the different dynamic of slave society, and the differing economic and social position of the working class. Yet a common trait is that a section of the ruling class always rests on narrow nationalist demagoguery, especially in times of crisis and decline. Under capitalism this narrow national outlook tends to be the preserve of the small and medium sized bourgeois, especially those whose market outlets are limited to the home front. They chafe at EU restrictions and foreign competition. That this is now increasingly becoming an approach that is gripping sections of the mainstream bourgeois is proof of the decline of the European ruling class.

"The cheap prices of commodities are the heavy artillery with which it batters down all Chinese walls" , said Marx. In the recent period the rise of China has seen American and European walls raised against Chinese goods. Now they raise walls against the refugees.

Why would the big bourgeois oppose the import of cheap labour? Surely, in the words of the head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, ...the current surge in refugees is a challenge with an upside potential. With appropriate policies, this rich source of human capital can be harnessed with benefits for everyone?

They have always closed their hearts to the refugees. But the depth of the capitalist crisis means that now even their wallets do not flutter. The bourgeois have brought too many workers into existence. There is an overproduction of labour-power. Two hundred million are unemployed globally, according to the ILO. Official figures show unemployment to be eighteen million in the Eurozone area, although that figure is likely to be an underestimate. They are completely unable to "harness this rich source of human capital", in the cold language of Madame Lagarde. Under the present conditions of crisis what immigration means for the ruling class are increased costs in the social wage - the welfare bill - adding further to the state debt. This outweighs any benefit accrued by lowering the nominal cost of labour through competition.

In truth, all laws presented as being to curb the number of immigrants are not in reality to reduce the influx of very cheap labour. On the contrary, cheap labour is welcome to the capitalists. But for political purposes, bourgeois politicians want to be seen to be doing something to curb the number of migrants coming in. This is first and foremost due to the lack of clear explanation of what is really at stake here on the part of the labour and trade union leaders. With growing unemployment, it is not difficult for right-wing demagogues and the gutter press to whip up the idea that there are no jobs because the immigrants are taking them. This propaganda is being used by parties such as UKIP in Britain, the National Front in France or the Northern League in Italy, and it is forcing governments everywhere to the right.

How to make cheap labour even cheaper

In practice, however, all the anti-immigration legislation achieves is to place immigrant workers in an even more precarious condition. It makes more of them illegal, which means they cannot join a trade union, cannot go on strike for higher wages, cannot claim benefits, and therefore have to accept any level of wages in any condition simply to survive. The bourgeois know what they are doing here, killing two birds with one stone: strengthen right-wing parties with racist propaganda, dividing the working class, while at the same time rendering immigrant labour even cheaper than it already was.

The whole phenomenon, however, is contributing to further destabilising the situation socially and politically, with growing internal tensions within all the member states. At the same time, it is increasing the tensions between member states, as they all try to unload the burden of meeting this crisis onto each other's shoulders.

Hans-Helmut Kotz, a visiting professor of economics at Harvard University, writing for the World Economic Forum, raises the possibility that ... not only Germany, but also Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, and others, are running up against what is deemed to be politically feasible. This implies that no EU-wide response can be expected, and thus that Schengen is probably doomed and ...As uninspiring as this might sound, we must now consider the prospect of the end of the European Monetary Union and the EU as we have known it.

This explains the growing number of politicians in the various national parliaments pushing for protectionist policies. It is partly a demagogic answer to win electoral support, and partially a direct reflection of at least a section of the capitalists who are losing out in the open market across Europe.

In moving in this direction, they pretend to have the interests of working people at heart. But these people are no champions of the working class. Rather, they base themselves on the lack of any socialist-internationalist programme put forward by the leadership of the working class, of its parties and trade unions. Without such an alternative, a section of the working class, usually the poorest, and especially the lumpen, declassed layers, can be drawn in - at least for a period - by nationalist demagogues.

Protectionism no solution

Protectionism, however, is no solution to the problems of capitalism. It is a short-sighted policy promoted by a more backward section of the ruling class. In the long-run competitive protectionist measures lead to a spiralling downwards of the world market, as in the Great Depression of the 1930s. This means mass unemployment and poverty everywhere for workers of all countries.

The anti-refugees stance of European national governments is part of the racist propaganda, designed to pit worker against worker. They can get away with it for a period and among certain layers because, as we have already stated, the labour movement leaders do not pose an alternative. In fact, they often try to show that they too are keen on anti-immigrant legislation. All this does is to give greater credence to the propaganda of the right wing.

The answer to cheap labour is not to fight the poor immigrants, but to organise them, bring them into the trade unions and unite workers across national, ethnic, colour and religious divides in a struggle against capitalists of all nations. That was one of the tasks the First International dealt with effectively. It is what is required today. If immigrant workers are fully legal with the same rights of the indigenous population, they can fight for better wages and conditions together with all workers. Thus from a perceived threat they would become an ally in the common class struggle.

The fact is that whichever way the capitalists turn, they have no solution to their present predicament. A truly open market would be to the advantage of those capitalists who can produce most productively, i.e. have the cheapest goods, but would mean the collapse of the others. The flipside to this is national protectionism which would dry up the world market for all. In both cases, it would merely exacerbate the already serious crisis. Abolishing Schengen and raising the borders is simply part of the overall process of each national capitalist class trying to hide behind its own national borders. It is a step down the road of the historical decline of the European Union.

This, however, also prepares the other side of this equation. With growing social and economic problems comes class struggle, and we will see this develop on an all-European level in the coming period. One European country after another will enter the arena of mass struggles, protests, strikes and general strikes, together with the polarisation of society to the left and the right as the classes look for a way out. We will see left governments coming to power followed by periods of reaction and new waves of struggles. In this process, over the coming period the working people of Europe will begin to draw very radical conclusions.
Chipotle Late Opening

(Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press)

If you're craving a humongous burrito with a side of guac for lunch Monday, don't go to Chipotle Mexican Grill.

The company closing all its U.S. restaurants from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. local times for food safety training. The move comes after E. coli and Norovirus outbreaks occurred at chain across several states, including Massachusetts. The E. coli outbreak sickened 55 people.

Chain-wide, management will train staff on changes to food prep and food handling, according to Fortune magazine, with an emphasis on how to cut clean and cut fresh produce and how to marinate chicken and steak in a sanitary way.

Some items, such as chopped tomatoes and grated cheese, will no longer be prepared on site, according to the Huffington Post.

Fortune notes that Chipotle's revenue dipped by nearly 7 percent during the last quarter of 2015, with overall sales at all stores declining 14.6 percent.

Well be live-tweeting our national employee meeting today to discuss recent and future food safety. And well be on #Periscope at 12pm EST.  Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) February 8, 2016

The company said it will live-tweet details from the training via its Twitter handle @ChipotleTweets.
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and there is no shortage of dining options in Western Massachusetts.

Here are three such possibilities,

in West Springfield has put together a Valentine's Day Wine Dinner. To be held on Sunday, the dinner will feature wines from Gotham Project, a Kearny, NJ-based company that specializes in wines on tap.



The five-course dinner will be offered in three seatings - 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 6 p.m. The cost to attend is $85, not including taxes or gratuities.



Reservations can be made by calling Bottega Cucina at (413) 732-2500. A $25 deposit is required to hold a seat for the dinner.

***

From Feb. 13 through Feb. 21, Chandler's Restaurant at the Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield will be celebrating "Wine Down Week."



It's a time when the restaurant will be offering special wine pricing during both lunch and dinner. Bottle prices on the operation's regular wine list will be marked down 50%; those choosing wines from Chandler's special "Cave Collection" will enjoy a 25% discount on each bottle ordered.

Chandler's is also presenting a Kids Baking Class on February 20, with the featured recipe to be cinnamon rolls. Cost is $25 per child; contact Chandler's at (413) 665-1277 for more information.

***

If you've been a bit lax about making those Valentine's Day reservations, the crew at Chez Josef in Agawam is ready to help out with a last minute alternative.

They're offering Valentine's Dinner to-go packages. They do the prep work; after setting the table and picking up the flowers, you do a little last minute reheating.

This year's menu includes a keepsake gourmet cheeseboard, Italian wedding soup, harvest greens with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, and twin filet mignons paired with shrimp and scallops coquille. For dessert there are red velvet cupcakes garnished with chocolate-covered strawberries.

Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. on Thursday; pickup is available all weekend. The dinner package, which is $65.95, can be ordered by calling (413) 786-0257.
In June 1952, Springfield marked the 100th anniversary of its city charter with a parade and other festive events.

Mayor David B. Brunton had formed a celebratory committee comprised of movers and shakers like Roger Putnam, Sherman Bowles and Roy Chapin.

Among the souvenirs of the event is a 120-page commemorative program. A copy is kept in the archives of The Republican.

The souvenir booklet contains a foreword by Mayor Brunton, proclamations from the U.S. Senate, a schedule of centennial events and advertisements  lots of ads from top businesses of the day.

Some have closed with passage of time (Albert Steiger Co. and Forbes & Wallace) and others remain (The Republican and Smith & Wesson).

So, take a look back at the businesses that helped shape Western Massachusetts nearly 65 years ago,
Connecticut Tribes-Casino

Kevin Brown, left, Chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council and Rodney Butler, right, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council, host an historic signing ceremony, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, at the state Capitol in Hartford, Conn., formalizing their new casino venture north of the city.

(Lauren Schneiderman/Hartford Courant via AP)

MMCT, the casino development company jointly run by Connecticut's two Indian casino operators, said today that it will soon narrow the field of locations where it is seeking to build Connecticut's third casino.

The joint Mashantucket Pequot-Mohegan company, created following the signing of Connecticut's June 2015 gaming act, issued an RFP last year for municipalities interested in hosting the state's third casino. It initially set a December deadline for selecting a site, but later pushed it back, saying it still had work to do in analyzing site proposals.

"We're grateful to state leaders for considering the Tribes' interest in establishing a new casino and have been overwhelmed by the tremendous interest we're receiving from interested municipalities," Kevin Brown, Chairman of the Mohegan Tribal Council, said in a statement. "We don't yet have a site picked, but we are getting to the point where more intensive negotiations with the remaining sites should begin. Our goal is to make sure we get this right, which is why we're taking the time necessary to make the right decisions."

MMCT has received five proposals for a casino from four Connecticut municipalities. East Hartford, East Windsor, Hartford and Windsor Locks all responded to the RFP ahead of the company's Nov. 6 deadline.

East Windsor has already identified its own potential site, less than 10 miles from the Massachusetts border. Last week, Bradley International Airport proposed building an "interim" casino that could beat MGM Springfield to market as a permanent gaming facility is built on the airport's Windsor Locks location, according to a report in the Hartford Courant.

In its statement, MMCT said that it will announce finalists in the "near future" and negotiate with remaining municipalities before making a final decision.

Brown has described the project as in direct competition with MGM Springfield, which is scheduled to open in late 2018.

"This process began to preserve thousands of jobs and millions in revenue which will leave (Connecticut), the loss of which MGM has repeatedly acknowledged is necessary to make their project in Springfield a success," Brown said. "As members of communities with deep ties to this state, we're simply not going to let that happen without a fight. With this phase complete, we can now begin to engage interested parties and save Connecticut jobs."

Connecticut's potential third casino, which will still require a vote by Connecticut's legislature to authorize its construction, is targeting an opening date ahead of the MGM Springfield casino and has been described by both tribal proponents and state officials as a means of insulating Connecticut's gaming revenues from out-of-state competition.

MGM Resorts International filed a legal challenge in August to Connecticut's new casino gaming law and is suing in federal court to have it declared discriminatory and unconstitutional. That court battle is still ongoing.
mohegan sun

(Mohegan Sun)

Connecticut State Police say about 70 people were on a bus heading to Mohegan Sun when it rolled over on Interstate 95 Monday afternoon.

The Hartford Courant reports approximately 40 passengers were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The remaining passengers told emergency responders they were uninjured and were able to exit the turned over vehicle without help.

The bus was heading north on I-95 from New York when it rolled over around 12:30 p.m., state transportation officials said Monday.

Initial reports said six people were critically injured but officials have since corrected this statement.
Buddhist monks at the New England Peace Pagoda are getting ready for their 15th annual "Walk for a New Spring," to be held March 4 through April 27.

This year's walk is a 56-day journey from the Peace Pagoda in Leverett to the nation's capital in Washington. The event will aim to "end war, poverty and racism, and to address the climate crisis."

"As we walk we carry the somber reflection that over 1,000,000 people from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan have died because of the war on terror," reads a flyer for the event. "Millions more have become refugees. Our own soldiers have suffered loss and death as well. No end appears in sight."

The Buddhists, local Quakers, and other walkers say they will carry copies of a paper called "Shared Security: Re-imagining U.S. Foreign Policy" which they plan to distribute to communities along the route as well as to legislators on Capitol Hill. The paper calls for foreign policies that "reflect a cooperative search for solutions to help protect our planet, reduce violent conflict, advance social justice, and meet global needs."

Organizers quote Nichidastu Fujii, founder of the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist order, who once said "Humanity's challenge ... is to choose between extinction and great unity through reconciliation."

Those who wish to volunteer or participate are asked to call walk organizer Tim Bullock at (413) 485-8469, or send an email to walk4anewspring@gmail.com.
At PureView Health Center, you will work with a great team in a supportive environment that requires excellent communications, interpersonal and customer service skills. We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits.

Helena is Montanas capital city and is home to municipal, state and federal government offices. There are over 76,000 people residing in the greater Helena area. Located in west central Montana, there is easy access to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. It has a strong arts and cultural community and boasts easy access to over 75 miles of hiking and biking trails. Surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, the Helena Valley has access to lakes, rivers and ski hills and is a great place to live, work and play. Helena has an outstanding school system with public and private schools available to everyone. Carroll College and Helena College also bring young academics to the Helena area.

All Opportunities: http://pureviewhealthcenter.org/about/careers/

Wed appreciate if youd mention that you found these opportunities in MATR.net Thank you
Fliers from a Washington, D.C., based energy company started appearing in Bozeman mailboxes late last year, urging people to switch to "100% Clean Wind Energy," a claim many have been dubious of.

Kyla Maki, the clean energy program director for the Montana Environmental Information Center, has been getting a lot of questions about whether a homes power source changes if they sign up with this company.

"It doesnt change," Maki said. "Youre not actually switching."

By Michael Wright Chronicle Staff Writer

Full Story: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/economy/arcadia-power-pitches-bozeman-on-wind-power-but-how-does/article_5157c8d9-382f-55e0-ad4e-e4032232ea3e.html
The future cant be denied. Eventually, the waves of change will wash over even the most entrenched interests that cling desperately and irrationally to the past. Beaten and pitched back and forth by the breaking waves and their backwash, such interests lose their bearing. This seems to be the state of Montanas coal industry, despite proactive efforts during the 2015 legislative session to consider how coal fit the new energy future.

By Mike Philips, guest columnist

Full Story: http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/guest_columnists/montana-should-prepare-for-inevitable-energy-future/article_8a5e99c6-7a3d-567d-8c48-ea563a1f5712.html

***

Coal isnt dead yet

Again, the alarmist claim that 7,000 jobs will be lost is totally misleading. There are only 360 jobs in all the Colstrip plants, 100 in Colstrip 1 and 2. There are only about 1,900 jobs in all the coal mines and coal plants in Montana including affected railroad jobs. The Apollo Study predicted 7,670 new jobs would come to Montana from renewable energy projects. Wise use of training and impact dollars could lessen the pain hasten the recovery from a few job losses.

Thomas E. Towe of Billings is a former state senator, and author of the coal tax, coal tax trust fund and coal impact legislation.

http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/coal-isn-t-dead-yet/article_8de65656-77a3-5a42-ae6e-8796d219a36e.html
A genealogy class focusing on Africa-American families will be taught by Jane Gouge at the McDowell Public Librarys downstairs meeting room today from 5:30-6:45 p.m. and Thursday from 3-6:45 p.m. The class will focus on materials in the Abe Simmons Genealogy and NC History Room as well as online resources.

 McDowell High Schools Talent Show will be held in the high school auditorium at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students. Proceeds from this event will go toward the purchase of a new spotlight for the Fine Arts Department.

The McDowell County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council is accepting requests for proposals (RFP) for fiscal year 2016-17. There will be a mandatory meeting for all new program applicants on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Marion Police Department. To request a detailed RFP, contact Linda Burleson at 652-7919 ext. 22.

The McDowell Senior Center will hold a Valentines dance on Friday from 6-9 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets purchased in advance are $6. Tickets purchased at the door will be $7. Music will be by The Rewind Band. For tickets or more information, call 659-0832.

NAACP McDowell County will meet at Mt. Zion AME Zion Church on Saturday at 3 p.m.

The Spirit of America Team of Miss Jacies School of Dance is sponsoring a father/daughter banquet on Saturday from 5-7 p.m. The spaghetti dinner will be held at Glenwood Methodist Church with all proceeds going toward the teams Macys Thanksgiving Parade Trip. Tickets are $25 per couple and $10 for each extra adult and $5 for extra children. Contact Melanie Buckner at 652-5911 to make reservations.

A childrens Walrus Sculpture class will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at MACA. The class is open for students ages 7 to 12. During the class, participants will sculpt a walrus from clay and paint it with underglazes. Cost is $15. To register, call 652-8610.

McDowell High School's Relay for Life Club is sponsoring a Fatz pancake breakfast fundraiser Saturday from 8-10 a.m. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the door the morning of the breakfast. Breakfast consists of pancakes, bacon, sausage, and a drink. Money raised will go to the American Cancer Society.
by Larissa Faw , February 8, 2016

SuperHeroes, an Amsterdam-founded creative agency, is opening a New York office headed by Rob Zuurbier, who joined the agency from 360i.

Zuurbier says the New York expansion is designed to provide an American home base to service the needs of its expanding global roster, including Converse, LG, Asus, and Heineken. It also serves as a bridge for European and Asian clients into the U.S.

"People nowadays have the choice and the savvy to navigate massive amounts of brand messaging and content. We are not about amplifying with volume and frequency to combat the clutter. Wee are about creating razor-sharp, well curated and deliberately placed work that consumers engage with," he says.

The agency's first priority is staffing up. "Weve got a core team of three at the moment, with a large chunk of Amsterdam support during the transition," says Zuurbier. "However, we do intend to build the NYC office as an independent unit serving the US market and we foresee significant head count growth in 2016."

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Zuurbier joins SuperHeroes, which will be based in Brooklyn, from 360i New York, where he served as group account director and has been part of the Dentsu Aegis network for nearly a decade, across affiliated agencies and offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, London and New York.

He has served as the business lead on brands such as Canon EMEA, Canon USA, Chevron, ScottsMiracle-Gro and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He also spent time at EMI Music Netherlands and Wieden+Kennedys Amsterdam office, where he worked on EA Games, Carlsberg and Nike.

Still, there is the challenge in importing its European sensibilities.

"SuperHeroes' work is bold and sometimes provocative or irreverent, and the European market is quite liberal," says Zuurbier. "The U.S. is more conservative, so our job is to adapt without really losing our edge. Having said that, at its core our approach is about connecting with universal emotions, which resonate in any part of the world."
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, February 8, 2016

A judge has granted Google's request to delay a privacy lawsuit until after the Supreme Court decides whether consumers can sue in federal court without proving they suffered an economic injury.

U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California said in a ruling issued Friday that the Supreme Court's upcoming decision in a matter involving the online data aggregator Spokeo "may provide substantial guidance" about the Google matter.

"The court concludes that an exercise of its discretion to temporarily stay this case is appropriate," Koh wrote.

The lawsuit against Google dates to September, when San Francisco resident Daniel Matera, who doesn't have a Gmail account, alleged in a potential class-action that Google violates the federal wiretap law and a state privacy law by scanning emails in order to surround them with ads.

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Google's terms of service currently disclose that it analyzes the contents of email messages for features including "tailored advertising." But Matera says that as a non-Gmail user, he never agreed to those terms.

Last October, Google asked Koh to dismiss the lawsuit outright -- or alternatively, stay the matter until after the Supreme Court issues a decision in a lawsuit involving Spokeo. That matter stems from a 2010 lawsuit by Virginia resident Thomas Robins, who argues that the company violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by posting incorrect information about him, including that he was in his 50s, married with children, and employed in a professional or technical field. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires credit reporting agencies to take steps to ensure the information they provide to potential employers is accurate.

Spokeo asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Robins shouldn't be able to proceed without showing that he was injured by any errors. The Supreme Court heard arguments last November, and is expected to issue a decision this year.
by Erik Sass @eriksass1, February 8, 2016

The New York Times has launched a new Spanish-language Web site, The New York Times en Espanol, which will publish a combination of original content and translations of stories from the newspaper's English-language edition.

The new Web site, optimized for mobile consumption, debuts in advance of the upcoming papal visit to Mexico.

The New York Times en Espanol features content produced by a dedicated editorial team based in Mexico City, as well as the work of NYT correspondents across Latin America and areas with Spanish-speaking populations, including Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil and Miami, with additional coverage and oversight from the newspapers headquarters in New York City.

Content will include breaking news, long-form journalism, investigative reporting, opinion, reviews, photos and video.

The New York Times en Espanol will feature Spanish translations of relevant content from the papers main edition, including reporting and opinion; some of its original Spanish-language reporting will appear on the NYT Web site in English translation as well.

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Content on the new site is free and doesnt count toward the limit of 10 online articles per month for non-subscribers on the NYTs English-language site. Readers can also sign up for a weekly Spanish-language email newsletter, Boletin.

The Spanish-language edition debuts with launch sponsors including Acciona, a Spanish renewable energy conglomerate; Banamex, Mexicos second-largest bank chain, a subsidiary of Citigroup; and the Formula 1 Gran Premio de Mexico 2016, the high-profile race scheduled for October 28-30 in Mexico City.

The NYTs expansion in Latin America comes as other big publishers and tech firms are retrenching.

Last month, for example, Yahoo announced that it is closing its regional offices in Mexico and Argentina. In the U.S., media watchers have speculated that New York Citys El Diaro/La Prensa, the countrys oldest Spanish-language news publisher, may be forced to shut down following staff cuts and union troubles.
Physiology is the study of normal function within living creatures. It is a sub-section of biology, covering a range of topics that include organs, anatomy, cells, biological compounds, and how they all interact to make life possible. From ancient theories to molecular laboratory techniques, physiological research has shaped our understanding of the components of our body, how they communicate, and how they keep us alive. Merrian-Webster defines physiology as: [A] branch of biology that deals with the functions and activities of life or of living matter (such as organs, tissues, or cells) and of the physical and chemical phenomena involved. Fast facts on physiology Here are some key points about physiology. More detail and supporting information is in the main article. Physiology can be considered a study of the functions and processes that create life.

The study of physiology can be traced back to at least 420 BC.

The study of physiology is split into many disciplines covering topics as different as exercise, evolution, and defense.

What is physiology? Share on Pinterest Physiology covers a multitude of disciplines within human biology and beyond. The study of physiology is, in a sense, the study of life. It asks questions about the internal workings of organisms and how they interact with the world around them. Physiology tests how organs and systems within the body work, how they communicate, and how they combine their efforts to make conditions favorable for survival. Human physiology, specifically, is often separated into subcategories; these topics cover a vast amount of information. Researchers in the field can focus on anything from microscopic organelles in cell physiology up to more wide-ranging topics, such as ecophysiology, which looks at whole organisms and how they adapt to environments. The most relevant arm of physiological research to Medical News Today is applied human physiology; this field investigates biological systems at the level of the cell, organ, system, anatomy, organism, and everywhere in between. In this article, we will visit some of the subsections of physiology, developing a brief overview of this huge subject. Firstly, we will run through a short history of physiology.

History Share on Pinterest Hippocrates is considered by many to be the father of medicine. The study of physiology traces its roots back to ancient India and Egypt. As a medical discipline, it goes back at least as far as the time of Hippocrates, the famous father of medicine  around 420 BC. Hippocrates coined the theory of the four humors, stating that the body contains four distinct bodily fluids: black bile, phlegm, blood, and yellow bile. Any disturbance in their ratios, as the theory goes, causes ill health. Claudius Galenus (c.130-200 AD), also known as Galen, modified Hippocrates theory and was the first to use experimentation to derive information about the systems of the body. He is widely referred to as the founder of experimental physiology. It was Jean Fernel (1497-1558), a French physician, who first introduced the term physiology, from Ancient Greek, meaning study of nature, origins. Fernel was also the first to describe the spinal canal (the space in the spine where the spinal cord passes through). He has a crater on the moon named after him for his efforts  it is called Fernelius. Another leap forward in physiological knowledge came with the publication of William Harveys book titled An Anatomical Dissertation Upon the Movement of the Heart and Blood in Animals in 1628. Harvey was the first to describe systemic circulation and bloods journey through the brain and body, propelled by the heart. Perhaps surprisingly, much medical practice was based on the four humors until well into the 1800s (bloodletting, for instance). In 1838, a shift in thought occurred when the cell theory of Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann arrived on the scene, theorizing that the body was made up of tiny individual cells. From here on in, the field of physiology opened up, and progress was made quickly: Joseph Lister, 1858  initially studied coagulation and inflammation following injury, he went on to discover and utilize lifesaving antiseptics.

Ivan Pavlov, 1891  conditioned physiological responses in dogs.

August Krogh, 1910  won the Nobel Prize for discovering how blood flow is regulated in capillaries.

Andrew Huxley and Alan Hodgkin, 1952  discovered the ionic mechanism by which nerve impulses are transmitted.

Andrew Huxley and Hugh Huxley, 1954  made advances in the study of muscles with the discovery of sliding filaments in skeletal muscle.

Biological systems The major systems covered in the study of human physiology are as follows: Circulatory system  including the heart, the blood vessels, properties of the blood, and how circulation works in sickness and health.

 including the heart, the blood vessels, properties of the blood, and how circulation works in sickness and health. Digestive/excretory system  charting the movement of solids from the mouth to the anus; this includes study of the spleen, liver, and pancreas, the conversion of food into fuel and its final exit from the body.

 charting the movement of solids from the mouth to the anus; this includes study of the spleen, liver, and pancreas, the conversion of food into fuel and its final exit from the body. Endocrine system  the study of endocrine hormones that carry signals throughout the organism, helping it to respond in concert. The principal endocrine glands  the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, parathyroids, and gonads  are a major focus, but nearly all organs release endocrine hormones.

 the study of endocrine hormones that carry signals throughout the organism, helping it to respond in concert. The principal endocrine glands  the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, parathyroids, and gonads  are a major focus, but nearly all organs release endocrine hormones. Immune system  the bodys natural defense system is comprised of white blood cells, the thymus, and lymph systems. A complex array of receptors and molecules combine to protect the host from attacks by pathogens. Molecules such as antibodies and cytokines feature heavily.

 the bodys natural defense system is comprised of white blood cells, the thymus, and lymph systems. A complex array of receptors and molecules combine to protect the host from attacks by pathogens. Molecules such as antibodies and cytokines feature heavily. Integumentary system  the skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands (secreting an oily or waxy substance).

 the skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands (secreting an oily or waxy substance). Musculoskeletal system  the skeleton and muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Bone marrow  where red blood cells are made  and how bones store calcium and phosphate are included.

 the skeleton and muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Bone marrow  where red blood cells are made  and how bones store calcium and phosphate are included. Nervous system  the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system. Study of the nervous system includes research into the senses, memory, emotion, movement, and thought.

 the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system. Study of the nervous system includes research into the senses, memory, emotion, movement, and thought. Renal/urinary system  including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, this system removes water from the blood, produces urine, and carries away waste.

 including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, this system removes water from the blood, produces urine, and carries away waste. Reproductive system  consisting of the gonads and the sex organs. Study of this system also includes investigating the way a fetus is created and nurtured for 9 months.

 consisting of the gonads and the sex organs. Study of this system also includes investigating the way a fetus is created and nurtured for 9 months. Respiratory system  consisting of the nose, nasopharynx, trachea, and lungs. This system brings in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide and water.

Branches Share on Pinterest Defense physiology investigates natures natural defensive reactions. There are a great number of disciplines that use the word physiology in their title. Below are some examples: Cell physiology  studying the way cells work and interact; cell physiology mostly concentrates on membrane transport and neuron transmission.

 studying the way cells work and interact; cell physiology mostly concentrates on membrane transport and neuron transmission. Systems physiology  this focuses on the computational and mathematical modeling of complex biological systems. It tries to describe the way individual cells or components of a system converge to respond as a whole. They often investigate metabolic networks and cell signaling.

 this focuses on the computational and mathematical modeling of complex biological systems. It tries to describe the way individual cells or components of a system converge to respond as a whole. They often investigate metabolic networks and cell signaling. Evolutionary physiology  studying the way systems, or parts of systems, have adapted and changed over multiple generations. Research topics cover a lot of ground including the role of behavior in evolution, sexual selection, and physiological changes in relation to geographic variation.

 studying the way systems, or parts of systems, have adapted and changed over multiple generations. Research topics cover a lot of ground including the role of behavior in evolution, sexual selection, and physiological changes in relation to geographic variation. Defense physiology  changes that occur as a reaction to a potential threat, such as preparation for the fight-or-flight response.

 changes that occur as a reaction to a potential threat, such as preparation for the fight-or-flight response. Exercise physiology  as the name suggests, this is the study of the physiology of physical exercise. This includes research into bioenergetics, biochemistry, cardiopulmonary function, biomechanics, hematology, skeletal muscle physiology, neuroendocrine function, and nervous system function. The topics mentioned above are just a small selection of the available physiologies. The field of physiology is as essential as it is vast.
One of the drawbacks of DNA aptamers  synthetic small molecules that show promise for detecting and treating cancer and other diseases  is they do not bind readily to their targets and are easily digested by enzymes in the body. Now, scientists have found a way to produce DNA aptamers without these disadvantages. Share on Pinterest Once DNA aptamers are engineered for a specific target, they bind to it and block its activity. The team  from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) at Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore  describes how they developed and tested the improved DNA technology in the journal Scientific Reports. IBN Executive Director Prof. Jackie Y. Ying says the team created a DNA aptamer with strong binding ability and stability with superior efficacy, and: We hope to use our DNA aptamers as the platform technology for diagnostics and new drug development. Aptamers are a special class of synthetic ribonucleic acid (RNA) or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules that are showing promise for clinical use. These small molecules could be ideal for drug applications because they can be made for highly specific targets  such as proteins, viruses, bacteria and cells.

Drawbacks of current DNA aptamers Once aptamers are engineered for a specific target, they bind to it and block its activity. They are the chemical equivalent of antibodies, except, unlike the antibodies currently used in drug development, they do not cause undesirable immune responses and could be easier to mass produce at high quality. The first aptamer-based drug  an RNA aptamer for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)  was approved in the US in 2004, and several other aptamers are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. However, no DNA aptamer has yet been approved for clinical use because the ones currently developed do not bind well to molecular targets and are easily digested in the bloodstream by enzymes called nucleases. In their paper, lead author Dr. Ichiro Hirao, a principal research scientist at IBN, and colleagues describe how they overcame these two problems.
Substantial advances have been made over the last decade in preventing and treating disease, but discovery science and biomedical research, essential for the advancement of medicine, remain disproportionately focused upon adult conditions. This has prompted the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) to launch a Children's Health Research Capacity Development Fund to support a growth in the number of child health researchers in the UK and abroad.

Failure to advance knowledge of the determinants of health in infancy and childhood will have catastrophic consequences on adult health in years to come, and is already adding substantially to the burden placed on health services, doctors say.

The Children's Health Capacity Research Fund will support the career development and training of gifted young child health researchers in the UK and abroad and help them become the research leaders of the future. It will also help strengthen long term collaborative links between UK research institutions and centres of excellence abroad in order to benefit the wellbeing of infants' children and young people around the world.

The Fund has benefited from an initial generous contribution from the David Baum International Foundation. It will sit as a distinct Fund within the RCPCH and will be administered by a designated board which will include the President of the RCPCH and an independent chair.

Professor Neena Modi, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said:

"There have been inexorable rises in the prevalence of chronic, debilitating, non-communicable disease in adult populations that are crippling health economies and systems. The origins of these conditions often lie in early development and the solutions require strong basic science and biomedical research that includes infants and children.

"The creation of the Children's Health Research Capacity Fund will support the training of a new generation of children's research leaders. It will complement and add value to funding streams that already exist within the National Institute of Health Research, research charities, and other organisations."

Professor Neena Modi continues:

"We are delighted that following on from other initiatives that we initiated following our 2012 report 'Turning the Tide', we are now in a position to launch this new Fund.

"The UK is in a unique position in that it benefits from a clearly defined clinical academic training pathway and the organisational structures of the National Health Service, the largest and finest universal healthcare system in the world. Together these provide a platform to integrate clinical research and patient care, speed the translation of new treatments into practice and test preventative interventions rigorously. However it takes around 15 years after leaving medical school to train a clinical researcher. The creation of the RCPCH Children's Health Research Capacity Development Fund will enable us to provide essential support to help talented young clinician and non-clinician scientists to become research leaders."

Jake Baum, of the David Baum International Foundation, said:

"The David Baum International Foundation was established to continue the vision of the late David Baum, former president of RCPCH, to champion child health, its research and training. We share the Royal College's desire to see an increase in the number of child health researchers and hope that our contribution will leverage further substantial funding from charitable organisations and private sources, securing a future in which UK and global health is underpinned by strong children's research - something David Baum was passionate about.

"We look forward to seeing the Children's Health Research Capacity Development Fund grow, and are delighted to support the RCPCH in championing child health in the UK and abroad."
After evaluating content on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis on almost 200 websites, researchers with medical backgrounds found that the information on IPF from these sites was often incomplete, inaccurate and outdated. The study, "Accuracy and Reliability of Internet Resources for Information on Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis" highlights the need for the medical community to continually reassess the accuracy of online information. The research was printed online ahead of print in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Characterized by a progressive decline in lung function, specifically shortness of breath, IPF is chronic and ultimately fatal. Patients who rely on the Internet for treatment recommendations may be putting themselves at considerable risk. "Nearly half of IPF-related websites suggested a role for at least one medication with no proven benefit, and more than a third of websites recommended medications that are harmful in IPF," said co-author Christopher Ryerson, MD, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at St. Paul's Hospital and the University of British Columbia.

Using DISCERN, a validated instrument for assessing the quality of written medical information, the researchers evaluated IPF-related content on sites that included foundation/ advocacy organizations, news/media reports, blogs, and scientific resources as well as industry/for profit companies. Each site received a score based on the quality of the content, the quality of the information regarding treatment options, the overall publication, and the reliability of the publication.

The researchers found that foundation/advocacy websites were more likely to recommend non-indicated therapies for treatment. News/media reports were less likely to provide an overview of IPF, instead focusing on a single item such as newly-approved treatment. The top two websites for both content and quality scores were Wikipedia and Medscape.

"The Internet will remain a common source of health information for patients," said Jolene Fisher, MD, Respirologist at University Health Network, University of Toronto and study co-author. "The medical community, including IPF specialists, needs to take a more active role in ensuring patients have access to accurate and up-to-date online medical information. Patients with IPF should be aware that the information they are accessing may be inaccurate and that harmful recommendations may be made, even on websites from reputable organizations."
Molecular motions revealed of protein that gives blood vessels, skin their stretchability.

Elastin is a crucial building block in our bodies - its flexibility allows skin to stretch and twist, blood vessels to expand and relax with every heartbeat, and lungs to swell and contract with each breath. But exactly how this protein-based tissue achieves this flexibility remained an unsolved question - until now.

This material has a remarkable combination of flexibility and durability: elastin is one of the body's most long-lasting component proteins, with an average survival time comparable to a human lifespan.

During a person's life, the elastin in a blood vessel, for example, will have gone through an estimated two billion cycles of pulsation.

A team of researchers at the University of Sydney, MIT in the United States and at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom has carried out an analysis that reveals the details of a hierarchical structure of scissor-shaped molecules that gives elastin its remarkable properties.

The findings are published today in the journal Science Advances, in a paper by the University of Sydney postdoctoral research associate Dr Giselle Yeo and Professor Anthony Weiss in the Faculty of Science and Charles Perkins Centre, with co-authors including MIT graduate student Anna Tarakanova and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Markus Buehler.

Elastin tissues are made up of molecules of a protein called tropoelastin, which are strung together in a chain-like structure and which Professor Weiss and his team have been studying in the lab for many years. In this work, they collaborated with Professor Buehler and Ms Tarakanova at MIT, who have specialised in determining the molecular structure of biological materials through highly detailed atomic-scale modeling. Combining the computational and laboratory approaches provided insights that neither method could have yielded alone, team members say.

While the study of elastin has been going on for a long time, Professor Weiss says this particular paper was exciting on a number of levels: because of synchrotron imaging done by team member Clair Baldock at the University of Manchester, the research revealed the shape and structure of the basic tropoelastin molecules. But these were snapshots - still images that could not illuminate the complex dynamics of the material as it forms large structures that can stretch and rebound.

Those dynamic effects were revealed through the combination of computer modeling and laboratory work. "It's really by combining forces with these three groups" that the details were pieced together, Professor Weiss said.

Ms Tarakanova explained that in Professor Buehler's lab, "we use modeling to study materials at different length scales, and for elastin, that is very useful, because we can study details at the sub-molecular scale and build up to the scale of a single molecule." By examining the relationship of structure across these different scales, she said, "we could predict the dynamics of the molecule".

The dynamics turned out to be complex and surprising, Professor Weiss said. "It's almost like a dance the molecule does, with a scissors twist - like a ballerina doing a dance." Then, the scissors-like appendages of one molecule naturally lock onto the narrow end of another molecule, like one ballerina riding piggyback on top of the next. This process continues, building up long, chain-like structures.

These long chains weave together to produce the flexible tissues that our lives depend on - including skin, lungs, and blood vessels. These structures "assemble very rapidly," Professor Weiss said, and this new research "helps us understand this assembly process".

A key part of the puzzle was the movements of the molecule itself, which the team found were controlled by the structure of key local regions and the overall shape of the protein.

The team tested the way this flexibility comes about by genetically modifying the protein and comparing the characteristics of the modified and natural versions. They revived a short segment of the elastin gene that has become dormant in humans, which changes part of the protein's configuration. They found that even though the changes were minor and just affected one part of the structure, the results were dramatic. The modified version had a stiff region that altered the molecule's movements.

This helped to confirm that certain specific parts of the molecule, including one with a helical structure, were essential to contributing to the material's natural flexibility. That finding in itself could prove useful medically, the team says, as it could explain why blood vessels become weakened in people with certain disease conditions, perhaps as a result of a mutation in that gene.

While the findings specifically relate to one particular protein and the tissues it forms, the team said the research may help in understanding a variety of other flexible biological tissues and how they work.

"The integration of experiment and modelling in identifying how the molecular structure endows materials with exceptional durability, elasticity, and studying how these materials fail under extreme conditions, yields important insights for the design of new materials that replace those in our body, or for materials that we can use in engineering applications in which durable materials are critical," Professor Buehler said.

"We are excited about the new opportunities that arise from this collaboration and the potential for future work, because designing materials that last for many decades without breaking down is a major engineering challenge that nature has beautifully accomplished, and on which we hope to build."
They return to the United States with multiple types of trauma, and suffer from one of the highest rates of chronic pain of any population in the United States. They are U.S. veterans. A major challenge for health care providers is how to help them alleviate pain that will last a lifetime. Now, a new study suggests veterans may be empowered to help themselves with the practice of meditation.

A small pilot study conducted at the Washington, D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center reveals that veterans who practiced meditation reported a 20 percent reduction in pain intensity (how bad pain hurts or feels), as well as pain interference, how pain interferes with everyday aspects of life, such as sleep, mood, and activity level. The reductions were consistent across several methods by which doctors commonly measure pain in patients.

"Meditation allows a person to accept pain and to respond to pain with less stress and emotional reactivity. Our theory is that this process increases coping skills, which in turn can help veterans to self-manage their chronic pain," said Thomas Nassif, Ph.D., a professorial lecturer in American University's Department of Health Studies, researcher at the D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and lead author of the new study published in Military Behavioral Health.

Pain is a significant health issue among the approximately 2.6 million service members who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq since these conflicts began in 2001, according to the Veterans Health Administration. Musculoskeletal pain conditions are the most frequently diagnosed medical issue, exceeding any other medical and psychological concern. Chronic pain is also found in most combat veterans who sustained a traumatic brain injury.

The form of mindfulness meditation administered in the study, Integrative Restoration Yoga Nidra, or iRest, is used at Veterans Health Administration medical centers and active-duty military facilities nationwide. The Army surgeon general's Pain Management Task Force has cited iRest as a Tier I intervention for managing pain in military and veteran populations.

The pilot study consisted of four male veterans who received iRest meditation treatment, and five who did not. All study participants served in combat and returned to the U.S. with chronic pain and moderate TBI. The study participants attended meditation sessions twice weekly at the D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center and were given iRest recordings to engage in self-practice as well. By the end of eight weeks, the study participants had acquired useful mindfulness skills that empowered them to use meditation as a tool to help manage their pain, Nassif said.

"In many cases, primary care physicians are the ones expected to help individuals overcome their chronic pain," Nassif said. "One of the most commonly used tools we have in our toolbox is opioids. Veterans in this study, and many who come to meditation sessions, find that opioid medication is a short-term solution. Meditation could be a useful tool to help veterans manage their pain over the long term."

The study calls on health care providers to promote self-management in patients by disseminating strategies and techniques to help patients prevent, cope with, and reduce pain, and concludes that iRest represents one promising self-management approach. More research should be conducted, Nassif said, and future studies should include quantitative measures and a greater number of participants.
More than 15 years ago, David Warshaw, Ph.D., and coworkers discovered the precise malfunction of a specific protein in the heart that leads to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a common culprit in cases of sudden death in young athletes.

Now, a team of scientists has used some of Warshaw's earlier findings to develop a possible treatment to prevent hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), an inherited disease that can cause the heart to thicken and stop pumping blood effectively, leading to heart failure. Warshaw, professor and chair of molecular physiology and biophysics at the University of Vermont (UVM) College of Medicine, wrote about the significance of this potential therapy for a "Perspectives" column in the February 5, 2016 issue of the journal Science.

"This may offer a generalized approach to solving hypertrophic cardiomyopathy," says Warshaw, who is also an investigator in the Cardiovascular Research Institute of Vermont at UVM. "I think it's extremely promising."

HCM can result from different mutations of many proteins in the heart. One of those proteins, myosin, acts as a tiny molecular motor in every heart muscle cell. It pulls and releases on a rope-like protein, actin, in order to make the heart muscle contract and relax as it pumps blood.

A mutation of myosin can "alter the motor's power-generating capacity" and make the heart work improperly, which in turn causes the heart to enlarge, Warshaw says.

For many years, scientists assumed that the mutation caused the myosin to lose its motoring power, throwing off the whole heart engine. But in a study Warshaw published in 2000 in Circulation Research, he and colleagues found that the problem wasn't diminished power in the myosin; it was too much power with this mutation.

"By analogy, placing the engine of an Indy race car (i.e., mutant myosin) in a stock car chassis (i.e., the heart's connective tissue matrix) could lead to internal stress and structural damage," Warshaw writes in his "Perspectives" article. "For the heart, this amounts to inducing cardiac fibrosis and muscle cell disarray that are characteristic of HCM patients."

The team of scientists who found a way to address this problem - which they report in the February 5, 2016 issue of Science - are from Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, University of Colorado, and MyoKardia Inc. in San Francisco, a biotechnology company formed to develop such treatments.

Using mice bred with the mutation, the team tested a small molecule inhibitor that dials back the myosin motor's power generation to a more normal level. The mice got the drug containing the molecule as early as eight weeks old, and amazingly it prevented the HCM from surfacing, according to the study.

"When they gave the drug to a young mouse with the mutation, the mouse's heart developed normally," Warshaw says.

Because HCM runs in families, an infant who tests positive for the genetic mutation could receive the treatment and stave off the disease, Warshaw says. Development of a human drug, however, would require much more extensive testing and many remaining questions to be answered, he says.

Nonetheless, Warshaw sees great potential. In previous studies, he has found that mutations to other heart proteins also result in increased heart muscle power generation, in turn leading to HCM. The same molecule, he says, could still be used on the myosin motor to compensate and thus block the disease in those cases as well.
The healing powers of honey have been known for thousands of years. Now a graduate from The University of Manchester has discovered a powerful link between a medicinal type of honey and the destruction of a fungus that can cause blindness or even death.

In the first study of its kind, student Zain Habib Alhindi used different concentrations of Surgihoney, a biologically engineered honey that produces chemically reactive molecules containing oxygen, to test how effective it could be in destroying the fungus Fusarium, which is found on plants and in soil and can cause devastating infections in vulnerable people.

Zain discovered even the lowest concentrations had a significant effect in breaking down the cell wall of the fungus, demonstrating its potential as a future treatment for patients.

She said: "Chronic infections, such as those found in long-lasting wounds comprise about 60-80 per cent of infectious diseases in humans and the way fungi invades wounds is associated with the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

"However, we know that biofilms - thin layers of microorganisms, which group together - contribute to the severity and delayed healing of chronic wounds.

"Through my research I wanted to show the potential for honey as a healing agent to break through these biofilms and in doing so increase the process of healing. What I found amazing is that honey actually works better than some antifungals."

Zain (29) from Saudi Arabia is one of only handful of students who have completed The University's new master's degree course in Medical Mycology which runs for just one year instead of the customary two, making it a world first.

Because of the way the course is structured Zain was able to spend almost a third of her time in the lab working on experiments to test her theory under the supervision of Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Infectious Diseases in The University's Institute of Inflammation and Repair.

Dr Rautemaa-Richardson believes it's this intensive, hands-on approach, which appeals to her students and equips them for a career in specialised medicine or research.

She said: "This dynamic course provides a solid foundation to the scientific, practical and clinical aspects of fungal diseases, which allows clinically relevant research like this. In the world of increasing antimicrobial resistance new approaches to the management of infections, sparing the real antibiotics, are highly relevant and important."

Professor Malcolm Richardson, Professor of Medical Mycology at The University of Manchester added: "Honey has been used since ancient times for the treatment of several diseases. Only a limited number of investigations have looked at its effect on pathogenic fungi.

"This opens an exciting door for further work on the application of honey for many fungal infections and allows researchers to adopt different options for treating a range of superficial infections."
A Western University research team is calling on the need for the availability of more information about the risk of common household chemicals for pregnant women.

Dr. Jeff Nisker, senior author and professor, Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, and Justin Ashley, lead author investigated how pregnant women find information about what chemicals, such as phthalates, may pose a risk to the health of their pregnancy.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible. They are commonly found in make-up and the liners of canned food. In Canada, six phthalates have been banned for use in some toys and child care products, but the same restrictions do not apply to products used by pregnant women, such as make-up and fragrances. Phthalates have been associated with premature birth and increased chance of developing allergies and asthma. In males, phthalates can affect the reproductive system.

Dr. Nisker and his team conducted in-depth interviews with pregnant women in London, Chatham, Sarnia and Walkerton.

Women commented that they accessed various information sources, and often ranked them according to how authoritative or "strong" they perceived that source to be. Strong sources included physicians and other health professionals, professional medical organizations and governments. If a strong source indicated that a particular product was a potential risk, the participant believed that the risk was significant and should be avoided. Intermediate sources included prenatal classes, telehealth and the Internet, while weak sources included magazines, television and self-help pregnancy books.

The research points out that participants wanted access to strong sources of information, but would access weaker sources if there were barriers to or lack of information from strong sources. Pregnant women are unable to access stronger sources, because governments and professional organizations have not developed clear guidelines or warnings, specific to pregnant women, for many household chemicals.

"Physicians, nurses, midwives and any health care provider involved in the care of pregnant women should understand that pregnant women are in a difficult situation regarding information on everyday household chemicals," said Dr. Nisker. "Health care providers should lobby their professional organizations to come out with a statement to help them provide the best information they can to pregnant women so they are able to make decisions about using particular household products. Governments need to be better at labelling products that may pose a risk to pregnant women."

The study was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research from the Institute for Human Development, Child and Youth Health.
Migraines often involve heightened sensitivity to light. In a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a team of researchers from the Medical University of Vienna is investigating new therapies to treat light sensitivity, which greatly disturbs those affected.

Migraine is a common ailment which debilitates sufferers and can be chronic. About ten percent of adults have recurring migraines, women more often than men, but sufferers also include children and young people. In its "Global Burden of Disease Study", the WHO lists migraine as disabler number six in a list of more than 300 afflictions worldwide.

Migraines are often accompanied by heightened sensitivity to smells, noise or light, with light sensitivity representing a particular burden for patients. Light stimuli can also be what triggers headaches. In both cases, those affected are severely diminished in their daily life. Sufferers who cannot bear even normal levels of daylight have to withdraw to darkened rooms during an attack, but are also inclined to avoid light between attacks. Until now, such a deliberate strategy of avoidance has been among the recommendations doctors give to migraine patients.

Improvement Instead of Avoidance

"With the passage of time we have come to suspect that avoiding light may be detrimental, because it can heighten sensitivity to light - so-called photophobia - even more", explains migraine specialist Christian Wober. This can be compared to people who are afraid of heights or of confined spaces. Avoiding such fear-provoking situations will not solve the problem. In a recently initiated study funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a team of researchers from the Medical University of Vienna is exploring whether there are other, more sustainable ways of dealing with light sensitivity during migraine attacks. First investigations have shown that the opposite approach, namely desensitising the brain to light stimuli, might be a better strategy than avoiding light. In one-week training sessions patients are exposed to "flickering light" in order to accustom the brain to bright or normal light.

New Approaches - Contrasting Concepts

"The ongoing research project will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to obtain the initial functional brain data that will help to devise the best possible strategy", says the fMRI expert Roland Beisteiner who submitted the project to the FWF. Migraine patients and non-sufferers will be treated with both measures - light exposure and light withdrawal. For the first time, the reactions of their brain will be measured to discern the effects of these two opposite strategies. The project is being conducted by a fMRI research group headed by Beisteiner and a research group on headaches under the leadership of Wober and Stefan Seidel. The Australian psychologist Paul Martin is assisting the Vienna team. "As yet, we don't know for certain whether desensitisation, i.e. treatment using light, actually improves the brain's tolerance of light. If it does, it would open up a completely new therapeutic avenue", the researchers emphasise. As every patient undergoes both therapies at an interval of three months, the team can compare the effects on individual patients and observe the difference in brain activity between sufferers and healthy control groups.

Progress In Migraine Research

In recent years, researchers have come to understand many aspects of migraine attacks. Migraine is a genetic disorder and involves functional modifications of the nervous system. Signals from the cortex, the brainstem and the facial nerves trigger an inflammation response in the cerebral membrane leading to typical migraine symptoms. Messenger substances that play an important role in migraines have been identified and have permitted researchers to develop drugs that are specifically effective against migraines. Why an attack is triggered at a certain point or what triggers it are questions that still need further investigation. In the current FWF-project, the researchers from the Medical University of Vienna focus on a fact well known from numerous studies - namely that migraine is linked to a defect in the brain's processing of stimuli. Migraine sufferers often react differently to sensory stimuli such as light, noise and smells compared to non-sufferers. They have a sharper perception of these stimuli and are unable to ward them off. The FWF-project seeks to answer the question as to whether avoiding light stimuli, the traditionally recommended route, or targeted exposure to light is the better strategy.

The principal investigators: The neurologists Roland Beisteiner and Christian Wober work at the Department of Neurology at Medical University of Vienna. Beisteiner is an expert in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), www.oegfmrt.org. Christian Wober heads the day clinic for headache patients, which is part of the university hospital. The FWF project "Migraine-linked Photophobia" ends in 2017.

Participation in the study: The ongoing study "Migraine-linked Photophobia" is still looking for patients (age 18 to 40). Send applications to:

Prof. Stefan Seidel: stefan.seidel@meduniwien.ac.at

Prof. Roland Beisteiner: roland.beisteiner@meduniwien.ac.at, Tel. 01-40400-34080

Functional magnetic resonance tomography: www.oegfmrt.org

Day clinic for headache patients, Medical University Vienna: www.meduniwien.ac.at/neurologie/KS/


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"We asked the question, if a dog is good at one test does it tend to be better than average at the other test? And we found that yes that's true," she added."This is the first step in trying to develop a really snappy, reliable dog IQ test, and that has got implications that aren't obvious at first."The scientists created a proto-type dog 'IQ test' which they used to assess the intelligence of 68 working border collies. These tests included: navigation, tested by timing how long it took the dogs to get food that was behind different types of barriers; assessing whether they could tell the difference between quantities of food and; their ability to follow a human pointing gesture to an object.The researchers found that dogs that did well on one test tended to be above average in the other tests. Furthermore, dogs that did tests faster were likely to do them more accurately.It can be difficult to investigate whether or not intelligent people tend to live longer because of the lifestyle choices, like smoking, eating, drinking and exercising, have a major impact on our health.Dogs offer a good insight because they are "basically teetotal", Dr Arden said."Dogs are very reliable on that front; they don't touch pipes, don't touch cigars, don't kid around with recreational drugs - lots of things that muck up our findings in human reports can be very much better studied in non-human animals", she said.The study is published in the journalSource: Medindia
Cincinnati University and Ohio State University (both part of Ohio's university system) have cut costs through a combination of smarter spending and administrative cuts. At Cincinnati University, the president turned down a salary increase and bonus pay, and the school sold its presidential residence. Ohio State University, under the leadership of former president E. Gordon Gee, saved $95 million by switching to common vendors for office supplies and creating a common expense report. An impressive feat, slightly overshadowed by Gee's equally impressive $2 million a year compensation package.

The University of North Carolina system has made one important consolidation that affects its 16 universities. Until 2013, every UNC campus independently determined which students were in-state and which were out-of-state, creating duplication, higher costs, and inconsistent results. In 2013, the general assembly centralized the process, increasing efficiency.

Temple University was among the first to eliminate varsity sports programs to save money. In 2014, Temple president Neil Theobald announced the university would eliminate seven varsity intercollegiate sports teams, saving the university about $3 million a year. The programs cut were baseball, softball, men's and women's rowing, men's gymnastics, men's indoor track and field, and men's outdoor track and field.

As the stock market gyrates and talk of a new recession begins, many universities have reason to worry. The cost of college education hasn't stopped rising, students are fearful of being burdened by debt, and political pressure is beginning to weigh in.Congress is entertaining a bill that would require 25 percent of a school's endowment spending to go toward student financial aid, and several presidential candidates have unveiled plans to solve the student debt crisis. At the state level, the return of state support to its pre-recession levels may be in jeopardy.But a few universities have chosen to take a different route. In addition to looking for more state revenues, they've found ways to reduce their expenditures and to ease the financial burden on students.Former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, president of Purdue University, has led these efforts with cost-cutting that has allowed it to freeze tuition since 2012, saving in-state students more than $20 million per year. The changes range from the mundane, such as selling off ten of its automobiles, to the path-breaking, such as forgone merit increases by all personnel at high administrative levels.Daniels plus his deans, executive vice presidents, vice presidents, vice provosts and other officers of equivalent level will not get merit increases this year. Increases for other top administrators are subject to direct approval from the chief financial officer of the university. The school has also streamlined purchasing, cut rental storage costs in half, and repurposed used office furniture instead of buying new.Among other steps toward savings:Other schools have focused on better accommodating students' financial needs. One approach is to reduce the time to degree in order to decrease students' overall tuition and borrowing. At Seton Hall University, students with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher are offered lowered tuition-but only for eight semesters, or four years. Ashland University has a four-year graduation guarantee-as long as students stick to their university-approved graduation plan. Belmont Abbey has announced a fellowship program that will allow students to graduate in three years by attending courses on campus during the summer and online during spring and fall semesters.Many private schools, including Converse College in South Carolina, Rosemont College in Pennsylvania, Utica College in New York, have moved from a "high price, high discount" model to a "low cost, low discount" model-a policy which more accurately reflects the cost of attendance by factoring grants and discounts given by schools. This change decreases what the average student pays in tuition; its advantage for the schools is that they may attract students who were scared away by the high sticker price. This is an essential move according to Kent Chabotar, professor and president emeritus of Guilford College. Speaking at a college finance conference earlier this year, Chabotar warned that half of all prospective students rule out colleges based solely on their sticker prices.Understanding the largest sources of cost growth at universities may help more schools evaluate potential areas of cost reduction. According to the Delta Cost Project, an affiliate of the American Institutes for Research, the single largest source of rising costs at universities nation-wide is increased spending on non-instructional services and employees. This category includes spending on mental health services, career counseling, and construction of lavish new facilities to attract prospective students. According to Delta's Trends in College Spending: 2003-2013 report, spending on student services at research universities increased by 22.3 percent from 2003 to 2013 while instructional spending only increased 9.4 percent in the same time period.The most visible increase in non-instructional spending has been on marketing. Schools spend millions hiring branding firms to market their institutions to potential students, usually in out-of-state or international markets. However, at the University of Oregon, president Michael Schill recently canceled a $3.4 million contract with a branding firm and plans to spend the money improving academics instead.Cost cutting isn't rocket science. The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) maintains a list of more than 70 unique cost cutting strategies. From adjusting computer power saving settings (which can save $75 a year per computer) to more significant measures such as suspending all undergraduate minors, the NACUBO's list is, at least, thought-provoking.Universities unable to identify areas of waste independently have increasingly turned to private consulting firms, which evaluate university budgets objectively and recommend cost saving measures. The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill was the first large university to do so, hiring Bain and Company in 2009. After a five-month study period, the consultants released a 100-page report, which identified 139 cost-cutting measures to save up to $161 million a year for the university. So far, Chapel Hill has completed more than 70 of the recommendations and has saved an estimated $75 million per year.The success of the Chapel Hill Bain study led other universities to follow suit. Both Cornell and University of California at Berkley have also contracted with Bain and Company to save an estimated $75 million and $25.4 million per year, respectively.These steps can be important. According to Moody's Investors Service , the number of colleges that close in the years ahead will triple, and mergers will double. This number will continue to rise over time if schools refuse to take the necessary steps to cut out the excess in their budgets.
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HCM can result from different mutations of many proteins in the heart. One of those proteins, myosin, acts as a tiny molecular motor in every heart muscle cell. It pulls and releases on a rope-like protein, actin, in order to make the heart muscle contract and relax as it pumps blood."A mutation of myosin can alter the motor's power-generating capacity and make the heart work improperly, which in turn causes the heart to enlarge," said Warshaw.For many years, scientists assumed that the mutation caused the myosin to lose its motoring power, throwing off the whole heart engine. But in a study Warshaw published in 2000 in, he and colleagues found that the problem wasn't diminished power in the myosin; it was too much power with this mutation."By analogy, placing the engine of an Indy race car (i.e., mutant myosin) in a stock car chassis (i.e., the heart's connective tissue matrix) could lead to internal stress and structural damage. For the heart, this amounts to inducing cardiac fibrosis and muscle cell disarray that are characteristic of HCM patients," wrote Warshaw in his 'Perspectives' article.The team of scientists who found a way to address this problem - which they report in- are from Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, University of Colorado, and MyoKardia Inc. in San Francisco, a biotechnology company formed to develop such treatments.Using mice bred with the mutation, the team tested a small molecule inhibitor that dials back the myosin motor's power generation to a more normal level. The mice got the drug containing the molecule as early as eight weeks old, and amazingly it prevented the HCM from surfacing, according to the study.Warshaw said, "When they gave the drug to a young mouse with the mutation, the mouse's heart developed normally. Because HCM runs in families, an infant who tests positive for the genetic mutation could receive the treatment and stave off the disease. Development of a human drug, however, would require much more extensive testing and many remaining questions to be answered."Nonetheless, Warshaw sees great potential. In previous studies, he has found that mutations to other heart proteins also result in increased heart muscle power generation, in turn leading to HCM. He said, "The same molecule could still be used on the myosin motor to compensate and thus block the disease in those cases as well."Source: Newswise
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But despite international concern over the possible link between mosquito-borne Zika and deformed babies and also a rare, potentially deadly neurological disorder, fear of being bitten was as minimal as the clothing."I'm not afraid," said Cristiane Ruiz, 30, whose jean shorts and bright orange bikini top left very little covered. "I don't think an area of the city like this is bad for mosquitoes, because there isn't much vegetation," she said, looking up at the tall buildings and broad sidewalks lined with palm trees.Like others interviewed by AFP, she said she had not bothered with insect repellent. Vendors busily plied beer, icy water and costumes to the seething crowd but bug spray was nowhere to be seen.Belief that Zika causes microcephaly - meaning abnormally small skulls - in children born to mothers infected while pregnant has prompted foreign governments to warn against traveling to much of Latin America.The World Health Organization has declared an emergency and there are alarming, but still unconfirmed fears that the virus might also be transmittable through semen, blood and even saliva.At the Zika epicenter, Brazil is simultaneously fighting mosquitoes and insisting that tourists face no danger at the Carnival or when they come to Rio in six months for the Summer Olympics.Rio authorities say they are eradicating stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, fumigating Olympic stadiums, and are advising athletes and fans to wear long-sleeved clothing, close their windows and apply repellant.But at the street party in central Rio - just one of scores taking place across the city Saturday, February 6, 2016 - Luiz Marinho, 51, said, "The anti-mosquito war does not extend to less glamorous neighborhoods. Here in the center the mayor does everything necessary. It's perfect. There's no water around here, there's no garbage. There'll be garbage after this party, but it's asphalt and they'll just hose the place clean."He further added, "In the favelas, where Rio's working poor live in tightly packed streets with few public services, we have the real mosquito breeding sites. We have water lying around and we don't even have basic sanitation.""You won't get stung here," said his wife Valeria Marinho, 43, in a polka dot miniskirt.Every year Carnival gives Brazilians a chance to let their hair down. This year, with Zika, a deep recession and a grim corruption scandal, the need to party is even keener.Despite the flow of alcohol, the heat and densely packed crowd, the huge Bola Preta party was remarkably good natured, with Brazilian television reporting only a handful of scuffles or attempts at theft. When one man was arrested after being chased by police, the officers were applauded by the crowd.When the cortege of trucks carrying the live band, massive sound system and a gyrating group of dancers passed, the crowd went into a dance frenzy, hopping and wiggling in unison. The big trucks themselves began to shake in rhythm to the beat."The good vibes left no room for worries," said Felipe Nazareth, a 22-year-old bank employee who was in a miniskirt with fishnet stockings and nothing else.Asked if he had put on anti-mosquito repellant, he shook his head, laughing, and quoted a famous song about the miracle of samba with a line that goes- "He who protects me never sleeps."Source: AFP
On February 5, 2016, the pro-regime Russian website Pravda.ru[1] published an interview with Russian political scientist Elena Ponomareva[2] on the crisis in Syria and on other issues of global politics.

Asked why the West was criticizing Russia's role and actions in Syria, she said that this was part of its media campaign against Russia. Whenever Russia makes achievements or grows strong, she explained, the West presents it as a "monster" and wages "an informational, ideological, economic, political and psycho-historical war" against it. This, not only in order to fight its leaders but in order to bring about its "mental destruction" and "destroy the legacy of Tolstoy, Pushkin and Dostoevsky so that they never come back."

Ponomareva added that, whenever the West demonizes a leader, it means that it intends to destroy that leader's country, as happened in Iraq with Saddam Hussein, in Yugoslavia with Milosevic, and in Libya with Gaddafi, and as is now happening with Assad in Syria. About the recent talks about Syria in Geneva, she says that they failed because the West insisted on including in them "radical and terrorist groups," and added that Russia must convince the U.S. that it has no intention of changing its Syria policy.

The following are excerpts from an English version of the interview that was published on the website.[3]



Elena Ponomareva (image: rubaltic.ru, June 2, 2014)

World Politics Is All About The Mental Destruction Of Russia

Q: "British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that Russia's and Iran's participation in the talks on the Syrian problems would not bring any positive results, as Moscow and Tehran supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He claimed that Russia was bombing civilians in Syria. Why did such harsh accusations appear prior to the talks in Geneva?"

A: "The pressure continues. This is a part of the informational war of the West against Russia. The more success Russia achieves both internationally and domestically, the tougher the West will react to our achievements. If Russia is successful in regulating certain conflicts, the West will not leave Russia alone - Western leaders will shower Russia with accusations. We have entered into a very long and difficult period of the informational, ideological, economic, political and psycho-historical war.

"World politics is all about the mental destruction of Russia. Churchill said during WWII that he was not fighting against Hitler - he was fighting against the German poet and philosopher Friedrich] Schiller. Churchill said that about the German nation. Nowadays, Western leaders are struggling not only against Putin as a symbol of Russia - they are trying to destroy the legacy of Tolstoy, Pushkin and Dostoevsky so that they never come back.

"The West is putting pressure on all of Russia's initiatives. No reasonable arguments are given; there is no dialogue. Simply put, no matter what Russia may propose, Western politicians and media interpret it as something absurd, bad, evil, something aggressive and expansionist...

"The West sees Russia as a monster. Yet I believe that there is nothing terrible there. It has always been like that: as soon as Russia appears as a strong power, the West tries to trash RussiaOC Nevertheless, we must understand that the truth is on our side, as we are acting in the interests of our country. Politics is about defending interests, and Western leaders constantly reaffirm thatOC

"When Russia is miserable, the West sees that as something normal. When Russia is rising, the West sees that as a threatOC

"As soon as Russia realized that the so-called 'universal values' were contrary to our national interests, that they infringed upon our sovereignty and brought chaos to the world, Russia took the position to protect its interests. In return, the West showed us its teeth and claws. Our position must be clear and firm. We do not need to make excuses to anybody, we just need to do our job."

The West Demonizes Political Leaders When It Wants To Destroy Their Countries

Q: "Why is the West demonizing Bashar al-Assad, comparing him to Hitler, calling him the butcher who killed more than 200,000 Syrians?"

A: "We have seen examples like that in history before. Not that long ago, Western tabloids were calling Slobodan Milosevic the new Hitler too, the butcher of Belgrade. This resulted in the bombing and dismemberment of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia used to be a serious player in the region. Today, neither Serbia nor Montenegro have any significance in the region, let alone the narco-terrorist state, the so-called partially-recognized Republic of Kosovo. All this indirect evidence suggests that Milosevic was killed in the Hague prison. Today, multinational companies control the economic situation in these countries, starting from the banking sector and ending with the media and policy-makers.

"The same happened in Libya, where they demonized Gaddafi. Then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton screamed with happiness on camera when she learned about the brutal murder of Gaddafi - that's how twisted her brain was. There was also Saddam Hussein in Iraq, and now it's Assad's turn in Syria. The West is attacking Assad not just because he is a demon or something - the West needs to dismember SyriaOC

"Syria is already in chaosOC If the West is demonizing a political leader, it means that the West has a goal to destroy his state. This is a litmus test."

Q: "What can you say about the talks in Geneva?"

A: "Of course, negotiations are vital in the settlement of any crisisOC The Geneva talks have not brought any change. They were shrouded in a spirit of confrontation from the start. Western partners are trying to bring together representatives of clearly radical and terrorist groups. Of course, one cannot equally approach the positions of the United States and Russia. It is the leading players that should come to an agreement among themselvesOC

"One needs to negotiate with the puppeteers of the Syrian crisis - those who initiated and supported it - the United States. We need to convince the Americans that Russia will not pedal back."

Endnotes:
Following the Netherlands House of Representatives' election of Dutch-Moroccan Labor MP Khadija Arib, a Muslim, as speaker, the London daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi called this move, in an editorial, a resounding response to racism, adding that it shows how well Arabs and Muslims can assimilate in the West despite their marginalization there. Also commenting was a columnist for the Palestinian Authority daily Al-Ayyam, who bemoaned the fact that the Arab and Muslim world has none of the pluralism and democratic values of the West and Israel that allow minorities and women to be elected for central roles.



Newly-elected Dutch Parliament President Khadija Arib (Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, January 14, 2016)

Following are excerpts from the articles:

'Al-Quds Al-Arabi': Khadija Arib Is The Arab Answer To Western Racism

The Al-Quds Al-Arabi editorial stated: "Arabs and Muslims awaken each morning to disasters, occupying armies, tyranny, wars, conflicts, and massacres and starvation from all sides - making them feel like they are being constantly plotted against and that Allah is testing them as he tested Job, or, alternatively, making them feel guilty for the torrent of disasters that afflict them.

"From China, Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan, Chechnya, and Afghanistan to Palestine, Iraq, greater Syria, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, and elsewhere, millions are fleeing in trucks and death boats, dreaming of emigrating to the Western paradise. They find themselves trapped between the terrorist threats that hound them to their destination and the racism that greets them wherever they end up.

"This daily, unending war of Arabs and Muslims explains why they are endlessly searching for a window of happiness and hope to distract them from the endless waves of funerals, coffins, and death and mourning processions. They find [solace] in a talented child who proves his abilities - for example, the Sudanese boy who invented a clock that his school thought was a terrorist bomb; Steve Jobs, son of a Syrian immigrant from Homs; the Palestinian particle physicist Munir Nayfeh who helped lay the groundwork for nanotechnology; or Iraqi structural engineer Zaha Hadid, the first woman to be awarded the Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Or even when an artist wearing a hijab, such as Nidaa Sharara, wins The Voice Arabia contest.

"The news of the election of Khadija Arib, a Dutch MP of Moroccan origin, as speaker of the [lower house of] the Netherlands parliament is one of these reports that touch the heart and prove how Arabs and Muslims can find their place in the sun despite the horrible attack on their image around the globe and their systematic marginalization. Global terrorism operations carried out in the name of ISIS and others contribute to this [attack on them and their marginalization]. The mirror of this terrorism, and one of the main contributing factors in creating it, is the extremist, racist right wing in the West, which makes a living from it.

"As anticipated, the leader of the racist Dutch right wing, Geert Wilders, quickly expressed his displeasure at Khadija's election, calling it a dark day in the history of the Dutch parliament because she represents everything that is opposed to the racist right wing's humiliating patterns [of thought] vis-a-vis the Arabs and Muslims.

"The racist image [of Arabs and Muslims that the West] requires is an image of tyrants who oppress women and children, and cannot peacefully coexist with democracy (because their genes are Arab and Muslim). But here is a Morocco-born woman who came to Europe as a teen, who coexists with Western democratic bodies, who was elected first as MP... and ultimately as speaker [of the House of Representatives], while maintaining her Moroccan citizenship and pride in her native culture.

"The irony is that this MP's name has Arab and Islamic significance. Khadija is the name of the wife of the Prophet Muhammad, and Arib is a diminutive, or variant, of 'Al-Arabi.' This deeply symbolic meaning, taken together with her birthplace of CasablancaOC as well as her immigration, her assimilation, and her extensive activity in her new home, combine to create a wonderfully positive image, showing how people coming from a [Muslim] country such as ours are capable of combining their esteem for the cultural identity of their birth - not just a religion but also language, culture, home, emotions, scents, cuisine, gestures, etc. - with their affinity for the values, morality, and culture of the land in which they reside, and whose laws, systems, and lifestyle they respect.

"Khadija Arib is proof that Western culture and its humanistic values can incorporate the other - and she is one of the best responses by us Arabs and Muslims to the Western racism and the tyranny against Arabs in all its forms."[1]

'Al-Ayyam': How Would The Muslim Brotherhood React If A Jew Were Elected President Of Morocco's Parliament?

Hamada Fara'aneh, a columnist for the Palestinian Authority daily Al-Ayyam, wrote: "Can you imagine a woman being elected speaker of the Jordanian parliament, or a Copt being elected head of the Egyptian parliament, or a Christian as head of the Palestinian National Council and Legislative Council, or a Shi'ite as head of the Bahraini parliament, or a Jew as head of the Moroccan parliament? What would be the reaction of the Muslim Brotherhood, or of the parties in Iran, of Hizb Al-Tahrir, of Al-Qaeda, and of ISIS?

"This is the paradigm that we are lacking in the Arab and Muslim world. We search for it and yearn to attain it - and by so doing, we seek to understand that the three types of ethnicities living amongst us - the Kurds, the Africans, and the Amazigh, as well as the Chechens, the Circassians, the Armenians, and others - are part of our people and are our partners in administering the Arab state... and that all citizens have equal rights regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, or school of thought.

"The left, the pan-Arabists, and the Islamist parties have failed to present a paradigm worthy of imitation for spreading pluralism and democratic values in... the countries where they have taken power. Moreover, in most cases, they did not attain [their positions] through the ballot box, but with tanks, that have also helped them cling stubbornly to [their power]. In the few cases where they did come to power through the ballot box, like Hamas in Palestine, they [subsequently] adopted 'military victory' as a means of preserving their autocracy. They used elections one time only [i.e. to gain power] - and now oppose them...

"Israel has something that strengthens it and helps it maintain superiority: It provides for continuity in government [while allowing] the leadership [itself] to change and new blood to be pumped into the veins of its institutions, by accepting the results of the elections [that are held] regularly and sequentially.

"In all the Arab regimes, there is an absence of pluralism, of expansion of the basis for partnership, of continuity of rule, and of acceptance of election results. This malady, with its impact and its ramifications, does not stop at the borders of the official Arab state, whether it is a monarchy or a republic. It affects the leaders of the left wing, the pan-Arabists, and the Islamist parties, who will remain in power until they die.

"This is the reason for the failure, the regression, the erosion, and the inability [to adopt] the values of this new era and its demands. It is one of the reasons for the failure of the Arab Spring, for its collapse, and for its swing towards violence and terrorism."[2]

Endnotes:
Everybody knows about Bose audio systems, regardless of whether you can or cant afford one. For decades, Bose has been the frontrunner in creating cutting-edge and top-of-the-line audio systems. From homes to cars, theatres to concrete venues, Bose has audio solutions for everything. But have you ever wondered who founded Bose? Well, while the fact is that Bose is an American brand, its founder, was an Indian-American. Sadly though, this is a very, very lesser-known fact.

Here, this is late Amar Gopal Bose, the man behind Bose Corporation.

 mit (dot) edu

Born in 1929 in Philadelphia to a Bengali father and American mother, Amar G Bose exhibited his inclination towards entrepreneurship and electronics at the early age of 13. As he grew up during the World War years, he enlisted to help with repairing radios to support the family income.

 mit (dot) edu

Boses knack for electronics was unstoppable and after completing school, he was enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology and graduated with a BS (Bachelor of Science) in Electrical Engineering in the early 1950s. Bose then did research at the Philips Electronics in Netherlands, and soon after, became a Fulbright research student in New Delhi. After this, Bose earned a PhD in electrical engineering from MIT.

 wikimedia

In 1956, Bose bought a stereo speaker and was greatly disappointed with its performance. This propelled him to start with his extensive study on high-end speakers available during those days. Bose wanted to create speakers that would reproduce the realism of live performances by emphasizing on psychoacoustics. Hence, in 1964 Bose Corporation was born with initial funding from Angel investors.

Today, Bose employs over 10,000 people with revenue upwards of $3 billion. In a 2004 interview in Popular Science magazine, he said: "I would have been fired a hundred times at a company run by MBAs. But I never went into business to make money. I went into business so that I could do interesting things that hadn't been done before." Bose was ranked the 271st richest man in the world by Forbes with the net worth of $1.8 billion. He died at the age of 83 in 2013.
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The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, will visit Austria, Slovakia and Hungary  three countries that are on the refugee corridor and are playing a major role in the refugee crisis  from Monday to Wednesday, 8 to 10 February.



On Monday, Mr. Xydakis will be visiting Vienna, where he will meet with Austrian Minister of the Interior Johanna Mikl-Leitner and the Secretary General of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, Dr. Michael Linhart.



On Tuesday, Mr. Xydakis will travel on to Bratislava, where he will meet with the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajcak, and the Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Ivan Korcok.



Mr. Xydakis will complete his tour on Wednesday, in Budapest, where he will meet with Hungarys Interior Minister, Sandor Pinter, Deputy Minister of State for European Affairs, Takacs Szabolcs Ferenc, and Economic Diplomacy Minister, Levente Magyar.



The purpose of Mr. Xydakis trip is to brief his colleagues on Greeces positions: The fact, that is, that Greece is guarding its borders, which are also Europes borders, together with the European organization Frontex. By the same token, however, Greece does not sink boats carrying refugees, because this would be a flagrant violation of European values and international conventions.



Mr. Xydakis will highlight Greeces contribution on the refugee issue (the rescuing, in collaboration with Frontex, of over 105,000 persons) and will ask for the implementation of the European Councils recent decisions on the joint handling of this historic crisis, with proportionality and solidarity. He will also ask for further material and moral assistance from the European partners; assistance that contrasts with any thought of suspending the Schengen Area, closing borders or hanging a new iron curtain, which would greatly jeopardize the historic endeavor of the European Union.
The Democratic governor's move, announced Saturday, comes as gay rights advocates have campaigned state by state with mixed results to try to ban a practice that major mental health organizations have repudiated.

Using executive power in a state where legislative bids to ban the therapy have stalled, Cuomo announced planned regulations that would bar insurance coverage for the therapy for minors and prohibit mental health facilities under state Office of Mental Health jurisdiction from offering it to minors.

"Conversion therapy is a hateful and fundamentally flawed practice" that punishes people "for simply being who they are," Cuomo said in a statement.

It's unclear how prevalent the practice is in New York. Cuomo's office didn't immediately respond to inquiries Saturday; nor did a handful of New York mental health organizations. A spokeswoman for the New York Health Plan Association, an insurers' group, was unsure.

Insurers will wonder whether the new regulations will obligate them to investigate whether any given mental health visit was for conversion therapy, spokeswoman Leslie Moran said.

Nationwide, there are no firm figures on the extent of conversion therapy. But proponents and critics have said it is not rare for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths to undergo some sort of program aimed at changing their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

The American Psychological Association and other mental health groups say conversion therapy, sometimes called reparative therapy, wrongly treats being gay as a mental illness and may make young people feel ashamed, anxious and depressed. Democratic President Barack Obama's administration called last year for an end to the practice.

Chad Griffin, president of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, commended Cuomo's action.

"No young person should be coerced or subjected to this dangerous so-called therapy," Griffin said in a statement.

Cuomo was presented with the group's National Equality Award on Saturday night and told an audience his action "rejected fundamentally the absurd notion that being gay is a psychiatric disorder."

But supporters of the therapy say prohibiting it limits treatment options and undermines religious liberty.

Minors "should have access to professionally based, ethically directed care that assesses, clarifies and aligns with their deeply-held values, faith and life goals," Carrie Gordon Earll, the public policy vice president of the conservative Christian ministry Focus on the Family, said by email Saturday. She said the group opposes efforts like New York's.

California, Oregon, Illinois, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Cincinnati have outlawed the practice. But efforts to ban it have fallen short in several other places, including Colorado, Nevada and Iowa.

In New York, a ban has passed the Democrat-controlled state Assembly twice. But it has gotten nowhere in the Republican-led Senate.

The new regulations wouldn't apply to counseling that discusses but doesn't try to change sexual orientation or gender identity.
While other states, including neighboring Oklahoma, continue to push offenders away from some neighborhoods, about 45 Texas towns received letters in November from the group Texas Voices for Reason and Justice demanding they repeal residency restrictions. The nonprofit, which is critical of sex offender laws it considers ineffective, also has sued 14 towns and has a powerful ally  the state attorney general's office.

"We advocate an individual assessment on a case-by-case basis to determine if someone is a threat to the community," said Richard Gladden, an attorney for the group. "The myth that people who commit sex offenses just generally are unable to control their sexual conduct is just that, a myth."

At issue is how Texas' small towns are differentiated from larger ones. Communities with fewer than 5,000 people are "general law" towns, which can't adopt an ordinance that the Legislature hasn't permitted. Dozens of these smaller communities have restricted where sex offenders can live  usually with the purpose of keeping them away from schools and other places children gather  but only later learned they've run afoul of state rules.

"Unless the Legislature expressly authorizes it, a general-law municipality may not adopt an ordinance restricting where a registered sex offender may live," according to a 2007 opinion signed by then-AG Greg Abbott, who's now Texas governor. Larger cities fall under "home rule," which means they have "a constitutional right of self-government," Abbott wrote.

But the Texas Municipal League, which provides support services and lobbies on behalf of cities, is pushing for legislative action that reverses Abbott's decision.

"It's new where a general-law city has had its authority taken away by an attorney general's opinion," executive director Bennett Sandlin said.

The state allows leaders in general law towns to fashion municipal rules for "the good government, peace or order of the municipality," Sandlin said, such as zoning and noise control laws. But state officials can step in when local laws overreach.

Three cities have recently repealed their sex offender laws, Gladden said, and city leaders in Krum, which is north of Fort Worth, are considering doing the same.

Krum Mayor Ronald Harris Jr. said litigation prevents him from talking about whether his town will repeal its law, but he criticized the Legislature for not acting on behalf of small-town Texas.

"They're saying that we as a small town don't have a right to have an ordinance to protect our children and our residents, but larger towns do," Harris said.

The city manager of Alvarado, which is south of Fort Worth, has told WFAA-TV in Dallas that although residents expressed concern about repealing the law, they know valuable town money could evaporate under the weight of a lawsuit.

"They're disappointed that we're not able to regulate our own town," said Clint Davis, who did not respond to a message left by The Associated Press for comment.

Other states have been looking to increase restrictions on housing for sex offenders. Last year, Montana lawmakers made it a felony for high-risk offenders to live or work in some areas, and Oklahoma added playgrounds and parks maintained by a homeowners association to the list of places prohibiting offenders, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Gladden argues myriad laws aren't necessarily benefiting public safety.

In many cases, he said, an innocent "Romeo and Juliet relationship" can result in a young man being prosecuted for having sex with a minor and labeled a sex offender for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, federal statistics show the overwhelming number of sex abuse cases involving children are perpetrated by a family member or friend of the family, and not an anonymous stranger, he said.

"Obviously, people are concerned about their kids and sometimes people are so overwhelmed by their natural instinct to protect their children that they don't necessarily use their heads and see what works and doesn't work," Gladden said.

But Sandlin argues the residency restrictions are common-sense measures to protect children and don't amount to an unwarranted hardship, as some would claim, because Census data shows more than 90 percent of land in Texas is outside incorporated cities.

"Cities are dense urban areas where it makes sense to regulate where sex offenders live," Sandlin said.
Air Force Gets Its Own Combat Dive Badge After Using the Navy's for Years

Air Force officials said there is a notable distinction between Navy divers and their divers, which was a key reason for...
Air Force officials are investigating after a female non-commissioned officer became the target of an online smear campaign using pornographic images, according to Air Force Times.

The images appeared in a Facebook comment thread below a recruiting video that featured the NCO. The face of the woman in the pornographic images was blurred, but a commenter claimed it was the NCO and that the NCO starred in online porn.

Air Education and Training Command officials said the images were not of the NCO, and she and her husband are not being investigated. Authorities said they did not know why the NCO was targeted.

The woman has not been named to protect her privacy. She declined comment to Air Force Times.

"This story is very concerning," AETC spokesman Col. Sean McKenna told Air Force Times. "It's another example of someone taking it on themselves to shame someone online."

Officials are investigating a former airman who previously posted pornographic images on the Air Force Recruiting Service's Facebook, but the Air Force has not disclosed the name of the suspect.

"Who knows where the investigation will lead us," McKenna said. "I've never seen one like this."
A 1.6-percent pay raise for military members proposed as part of the president's fiscal 2017 budget is "ridiculous," says one lawmaker who oversees the House subcommittee responsible for personnel issues, including pay.

"I think it's ridiculous that we're not giving the full pay raise as calculated by law to our men and women in uniform, especially during a time that the Department of Defense is, in my opinion, nickel and diming troops in every area," said Rep. Joe Heck, a Republican from Nevada.

By law troops are to receive a pay raise within 0.5 percent of the Employment Cost Index, which tracks civilian labor costs. The index for 2017 is projected to be 2.1 percent, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Although the proposed 1.6 percent falls within the required window, Heck said he plans to seek a larger raise.

"I want to make sure that I'm extremely vocal about the fact that we need to fight for the full pay raise this year. I think there will be folks that share that view," he said. "At this critical time where service members and their families are seeing significant changes or threats of significant changes to the pay and benefits structure, the least we can do is ensure they get a full pay raise."

If passed into law, the 1.6 percent pay raise will mark the fourth year troop pay has not kept pace with the private sector. The pay proposal is part of a larger $582.7 billion Pentagon budget proposal for fiscal 2017, which begins Oct. 1, which includes more funding to counter the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, Russia and China. The spending plans also calls for funding to develop an "arsenal plane" and swarming "microdrones" while keeping the A-10 Thunderbolt attack aircraft in the inventory.

Heck said he is also seeking to change the pricing structure at military commissaries, a move that could result in price increases. Read more about that here.

-- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @amybushatz.

Check out the latest pay-related news on our Military Pay app. Get it now on Google Play or iTunes.
North Korea's claim Sunday of launching a satellite atop what could be developed as a long-range missile capable of hitting the U.S. will likely set off debate on more spending for missile defense in the $583 billion fiscal 2017 Pentagon budget proposal to be released Tuesday.

In a statement, Rep. Mac Thornberry, a Republican from Texas and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the North Korean action showed that "seven years of underfunding for U.S. missile defense have given our adversaries uncontested opportunity to advance their capabilities. The President must show leadership in squarely facing the growing threats and in adequately funding our military to meet those threats."

Last year, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency proposed $8.13 billion in fiscal 2016 to improve and expand U.S. anti-missile programs. The proposal was a 3-percent increase over the previous year.

In the flurry of diplomatic activity and condemnations following North Korea's launch, a top U.S. commander in South Korea made the most forceful case to date by the U.S. military for the positioning of the Lockheed Martin Corp.-made Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, system in South Korea. China has warned against the move in the past and South Korea has previously been non-committal on the system.

At a joint news conference in Seoul with South Korean officials in response to the launch, Army Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal, commander of the U.S. Eighth Army said, "It is time to move forward on this issue. We look forward to close consultation and coordination on that as well as dealing with the threat to peace and stability posed by DPRK," referring to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."

Ryu Je-seung, a South Korean Defense Ministry official, said the U.S. and South Korea would soon begin discussions on a battery placement. "If THAAD is deployed to the Korean peninsula, it will be only operated against North Korea," Ryu said, apparently seeking to ease the concerns of China.

In a statement, Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was encouraged "that our two countries will begin the process of consultation for deploying the THAAD system to the Korean peninsula. The deployment of this system by the alliance is a critical step to providing a further layer of defenses against North Korean provocations."

South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin immediately summoned the South Korean ambassador to China, Kim Jang-soo, to protest U.S.-South Korea talks on THAAD.

North Korea's state news agency said the launch of the satellite "Kwangmyongsong-4" from the northwest Dongchang-ri site near the Chinese border was a "complete success" and it was making a polar orbit of Earth every 94 minutes.

The agency showed a photo of a white rocket lifting off and military officials at what appeared to be a command center cheering "Supreme Leader" King Jong Un, who is believed to be 33 years old.

In its last launch of a long-range rocket in 2012, North Korea also claimed to have put a satellite in orbit, but no signal has ever been detected.

From Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, U.S. Strategic Command said in a statement that its systems "detected and tracked what we assess was a North Korean missile launch into space" which went on a southerly track over the Yellow Sea. STRATCOM said that NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) "determined that at no time was the missile a threat to North America."

North Korea has insisted that its claimed satellite launches were for peaceful purposes but the U.S. has maintained that the real purpose was to test inter-continental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads and hitting the U.S.

At a Pentagon news conference in 2014, Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of U.S. Forces-Korea, said the North Koreans were progressing on miniaturizing a nuclear weapon that could be fitted on a long-range missile.

"They've had the right connections, and so I believe have the capability to have miniaturized a device at this point, and they have the technology to potentially actually deliver what they say they have," Scaparrotti said.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye condemned North Korea for "ignoring the warnings of the international community in the wee hours of the morning and carrying out an unacceptable act of provocation by launching the long-range missile in a follow-up to its 4th nuclear test."

She referred to the Jan. 6 underground test of what North Korea claimed to have been a hydrogen bomb. Western experts have said that the test was nuclear, but appeared to lack the force of a hydrogen bomb.

North Korea's bombastic Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the underground test was a tribute to the dynastic leadership of "Supreme Leader" Kim Jong Un, his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung.

The underground test "demonstrated the invincibility and mightiness of Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong Il's Korea far and wide and struck terrible horror into the hearts of the U.S. imperialists and their followers," KCNA said.

The rocket launch triggered the usual warnings about tightened economic sanctions and emergency meetings of the United Nations Security Council that follow North Korean provocations.

"This is the second time in just over a month that the DPRK has chosen to conduct a major provocation, threatening not only the security of the Korean peninsula, but that of the region and the United States as well," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement.

"We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan. We will continue to work with our partners and members of the UN Security Council on significant measures to hold the DPRK to account," Kerry said.

Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, told reporters: "We will ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences. DPRK's latest transgressions require our response to be even firmer."

In a statement, a spokesman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the launch "deeply deplorable" and said that "The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the DPRK to halt its provocative actions and return to compliance with its international obligations."

--Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
One of the first women to register as an Army combat engineer is under investigation after she disappeared from her post for a month and was designated a deserter.

Pvt. Erika Lopez turned herself into authorities Thursday night, the same day she was officially classified as a deserter, Army Times reported. The Army has not yet publicly identified a reason for her absence.

Lopez, married with two children, was the first woman to register as an Army combat engineer in Tennessee and the fourth to register in the nation, according to The Washington Times. Overall, more than 150 female soldiers have shipped to training since the combat engineer position was opened to women in June, and almost as many are waiting to start training, according to Army Times.

Lopez was supposed to report to Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri on Jan. 4 after convalescent leave, but failed to show up. Lopez was first considered absent without leave on Jan. 5 and was dropped from the rolls Thursday, earning her deserter status.

"After 30 days in AWOL status, a soldier is considered a deserter, and a federal warrant is issued for his or her arrest," a spokeswoman for Fort Leonard Wood said in a statement to the Army Times.

Lopez initially arrived at Fort Leonard Wood on Sept. 22, began training on Oct. 5 and was on week 11 when she was sent home on convalescent leave, the spokeswoman said. The complete training is almost 15 weeks long, according to Army Times.

"Pvt. Lopez's unit will look at all the facts and circumstances surrounding the situation and take appropriate action," the spokeswoman said.

Lopez appeared excited for the endeavor in an interview with WVLT before shipping out.

"You make sacrifices your whole life for your children and for your family; this will be a sacrifice," she said in July. "Women can do anything they set their mind to just as well as men. I don't really see any difference at all. I hope women will want to join."
NORFOLK  The Los Angeles fast-attack submarine USS Montpelier (SSN 765) returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Feb. 5, after completing a successful deployment to the European Command and Central Command areas of responsibility.

During the deployment, the crew executed the Chief of Naval Operations' Maritime Strategy in support of national security interests and maritime security operations.

During the underway, Montpelier steamed more than 38,319 nautical miles. The crew conducted port visits in Souda Bay, Crete; Manama, Bahrain; Jebel Ali, UAE; and Toulon, France.

"I am continuously amazed by the inherent resilience and dedication demonstrated by submariners," said Cmdr. Steve Mongold, Montpelier's commanding officer. "Montpelier is manned by an exceptionally talented crew."

While on deployment, Montpelier had 18 crew members earn their warfare qualifications. They also had 15 promoted to the next pay grade.

After spending major holidays overseas, the Montpelier Sailors were ready for their homecoming in Norfolk.

"We are looking forward to being reunited and spending time with our family, friends, and loved ones," said Mongold. "Montpelier celebrated Thanksgiving with a turkey dinner and all the fixings, prepared by our outstanding culinary specialist division. Christmas Day was spent in Jebel Ali."

According to Mongold, Montpelier's crew celebrated the New Year reflecting on their accomplishments in 2015 and preparing for their journey home.

First time ombudsman Cassie Tatum, wife of Chief Fire Controlman Thomas Tatum, summed up the overall excitement of the Family Readiness Group (FRG).

"Everyone's incredibly excited to have their Sailors back home," said Cassie. "While in the shipyard for repairs, we had a lot of crew changeover, so this was a first deployment for many of our families. We all made it through and did amazingly well."

Monthly FRG meetings that turned into potlucks; social media groups created to share advice and provide a forum for questions and answers; along with monthly newsletters were some of the vehicles used to keep the families engaged and create a bond among the families on the homefront.

"I think most people will be able to look back on this time and say they made at least one friend that made a difference," said Cassie.

The wintry weather may have delayed the boat's arrival, but for Cassie and the rest of the families that surrounded Pier 3, "it's right on-time."

Fast-attack submarines like Montpelier have multi-faceted missions. They use their stealth, persistence, agility and firepower to deploy and support special force operations, disrupt and destroy an adversary's military and economic operations at sea, provide early strike from close proximity, and ensure undersea superiority.

Montpelier is the third ship in the U.S. Navy to be named for the city of Montpelier, Vermont. Built by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company and Drydock Company, the "Mighty Monty" was commissioned March 13, 1993. The submarine has a crew complement of 15 officers and 129 enlisted. The submarine is 360-feet long, and can travel in excess of 25 knots.
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Salt Tasting Room is launching the Italian Gas Station Experiment, but the concept of drive through and greasy spoon will be the last thing on your mind, and your palette. The food that Italian motorists refuel with is anything but boring, and Gastowns premier destination for wine and cheese is traveling to Italy to share some delicious delicacies with you in Vancouver.

The Italian Gas Station Experiment at Salt Tasting Room

Salt has partnered with Port Moody-based Urbani Foods to offer complimentary samples of their products, which are inspired by the gas stations in one of Europes most beloved food spots. Running for the entire month of February, guests who order wine by the glass, flight or bottle will receive samples of these tasty snacks.

Guests can expect delectable fare such as Venetian tea sandwiches with cheese, salami and olive tapenade, fresh sausages sous vide in a jar, and their famous arancini risotto balls (also called Polpette di Riso).

For one month only, hungry guests will have the opportunity to savour Italys gas station fare without straying too far. Whether seeking a quick snack before dinner or the perfect post-work meeting spot, The Italian Gas Station Experiment will surely welcome foodies from all over.



Photo credit: Viranlly Liemena.

The Italian Gas Station Experiment launched at Salt Tasting Room on February 1st, and is being offered on Mondays through Sundays from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

For more information or to book a reservation, call 604-633-1912 or visit Salt Tasting Rooms website.

Win a Salt Tasting Room & Urbani Prize Pack

In honour of The Italian Gas Station Experiment, Salt is offering up a $100 gift card for dining and Urbani has a bounty of product valued at $150 for one lucky Miss604 reader. Heres how you can enter to win this prize pack:

Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)

Like, share or comment on this post on Facebook (1 entry)

Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

Follow Salt Tasting Room on Facebook and Twitter for more information. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, February 12, 2016.

Update The winner is Katherine!
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." - Pogo
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Billings middle-schoolers Madi Keeley and Coryn Martinez wheeled their cookie cart up to Calvin Erharts table in the Central Avenue McDonalds restaurant on Saturday afternoon.

The two Will James Middle School eighth-graders were selling Cookies for a Cause to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House in Billings. Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin were two for $1 or $4 for a dozen. Would he buy a couple?

Sure, said Erhart, of Billings, who had popped in to the West End restaurant to buy a cup of coffee.

He handed the girls a dollar for two oatmeal raisin cookies. They thanked him and moved on to their next customer.

I think its a great thing for young kids to get involved in things like that, Erhart said.

Madi and Coryn, both 13, are two of 15 eighth-graders involved in this years Two Roads Project, raising money for community projects theyve chosen. The students attend Will James and Lewis and Clark middle schools in Billings and Eileen Johnson Middle School in Lockwood.

Jamie Jarvis, who teaches seventh- and eighth-grade social studies at Lewis and Clark, conceived of the project in 2010.

Ive always wanted to get kids involved in community service, but when you teach 150 kids a day, thats a lot of moving parts to try and do something effectively, he said.

So he talked it over with his wife and other family members, and they agreed that it made more sense to do something on a smaller scale.

I wanted to get (student) volunteers who asked to take on a project that could change their lives and the lives of people in the community and the world, he said. It had to be completely volunteer.

Every year, teachers choose students who will most benefit from being part of the project, maybe a straight-A student or ones who have a heart for people, Jarvis said.

The students and their parents meet with him in November, and he gives each student $100.

I peel off $100 to each student and their eyes get huge, Jarvis said. The weight is starting to hit them, they think I have time and money and now its time for me to grow this money, choose something worthwhile and see it through.'

The money comes with three caveats, he said. The students have to be honest with the money; they have to handle the money with thoughtfulness, promoting community service and making peoples lives better; and they have to handle it responsibly, accounting for it 90 days after the first meeting.

The first year Jarvis, his family and friends donated the seed money for the students. Since then, Global Travel Alliance in Billings has provided the initial money.

From there, the students choose an organization to benefit and a fundraiser to make that happen. Doing the work themselves lets the students learn so many life lessons and personal lessons, too, Jarvis said.

He does suggest the teachers and parents occasionally check in with the students to see how they're doing. If he sees a student struggling at the start, hes willing to guide them to a website that can help them find a good idea.

Madi learned about the Two Roads Project through her English teacher Michaela Johnson. To take part, Madi had to write a letter telling why she should be selected.

At the November meeting, both she and Coryn decided they wanted to help the Ronald McDonald House in Billings, so they teamed up. The two girls sat down with Connie Grammens, executive director of Ronald McDonald Charities of Montana.

Grammens told them about the $3 million capital campaign the Ronald McDonald House of Billings launched to reconstruct the original side of the house. The new two-story addition will better serve the increasing number of out-of-town families who rely on the housing when their children are in Billings for medical care.

The house helped nearly 600 families in 2015, Grammens said. The average stay is nine days, but we had a mom live with us for a year and a half.

To have the Coryn and Madi volunteer to raise money for the project means a lot, Grammens said.

Its a fun thing to be involved with, students that are wanting to make a difference, she said. Its really special.

At Grammens suggestion, the two girls got in touch with Pat Newbury, who with his two sons owns 12 McDonalds restaurants in Montana. The girls told him they hoped to raise $1,000.

Newbury agreed to provide all the cookies they could sell, and he promised to match the proceeds from the cookie sales, tips and donations.

"I'm proud to be part of it," he said. "If we can just be in the background and assist them and take them over the rough spots, that's great."

Newbury is pleased the district would sponsor such a program, and he's impressed with the two girls.

Anytime you can be involved with kids like that, thats all to the good, Newbury said.

Saturday was the second of seven Saturdays the girls will spend selling the cookies at the different restaurants. Last weekend, they sold $325 in cookies at the Shiloh Crossing McDonalds, which Newbury matched, putting them at $650.

Madi admits she was surprised to raise so much money in their first outing. Now shes hoping she and Coryn can make as much as $4,000, if sales keep up.

Even though its a small amount, its just cool to help out those families, she said.

Coryn, involved in her first fundraising foray, is glad to be involved in giving back.

I think everybody should have a choice to do something like this because it feels good to help other people in the community and not just be selfish and take all the money for yourself, she said. People are in more need than Maddie and I am.
08.02.2016 LISTEN

Kojo Bonsu dancing with the Asante Queen Mothers at the Rattray Park in Kumasi

IT WAS all merry-making when members of the Asanteman Queen Mothers Association stormed the Rattray Park, a newly-constructed amusement park by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), to have fun.

Led by Nana Agyakoma Difie II, the paramount queen mother of Asante Mampong, the traditional leaders had a feast and danced their hearts out during their historic visit dubbed 'A Date With The Mayor'.

Speaking with BEATWAVES, Nana Agyakoma Difie said the association heard about how beautiful the Rattray Park looked so we decided to hold our annual end-of-year get-together here today.

The Asante Mampong paramount queen mother described the Rattray Park, which boasts of several amenities, including a fountain and green a lawn, as a modern edifice which has changed the city of Kumasi.

Nana Agyakoma Difie commended Kojo Bonsu for his vision in constructing the park which has made Kumasi a modern city, urging him to come out with similar modern projects to help make Kumasi look grand.

In his succinct remarks, Kojo Bonsu welcomed the queen mothers to the Rattray Park, assuring them that his administration would strive harder to make Kumasi develop at a fast rate. Assortment of food and drinks were served at the event.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi.


February, 08 2016: Actress and Television Host, Jocelyn Dumas will join Managing Director of Airtel Ghana and CIMG Marketing Woman of the year, Lucy Quist to mentor pupils from the Mataheko Cluster of Schools on Friday 12th February as part of the Evolve with STEM initiative  an Airtel Ghana CSR initiative championed by Lucy Quist, to transform mindsets and empower young people to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The initiative was launched in December 2015 by Lucy Quist, as reigning CIMG Marketing Woman of the year, and in line with Airtel Ghanas CSR activities focused on education, to provide a platform for volunteers to empower young people through regular monthly mentoring sessions.

Evolve with STEM also involves the reinvigoration of STEM Clubs, building capacity of Science, Mathematics and ICT teachers and teaching young people in selected schools basic computer coding and programming. The initiative is being piloted at the Mataheko Cluster of Schools comprising a total of six schools  from Primary to Junior High.

Jocelyn Dumas who was at the launch of the programme at the CIMG Presidential Ball in December 2015 signed up as one of the high profile volunteers to inspire the next generation of leaders through STEM.

In anticipation of her first mentoring session with pupils from the Cluster, Jocelyn said I look forward to an exciting time with the children from the Mataheko Cluster of schools this Friday under the Evolve with STEM project spearheaded by Lucy Quist. STEM is critical to our development as a nation and I will be sharing my insights into how important these subjects are to every child irrespective of what career they choose to pursue in future. I am inspired by what Lucy and Airtel are doing to change mindsets and empower young people through this initiative and I am proud to be associated with Evolve with STEM.

Lucy Quist said we are excited to have Jocelyn as a volunteer for this initiative. Young people look up to notable personalities such as Jocelyn, and all the other volunteers who have signed up for this programme, for inspiration. Our objective with this programme is first and foremost to inspire young people to believe in their dreams, to believe that they have inherent in them the power of potential to achieve whatever they set their minds to. Together with all the volunteers we aim to unlock potentials and transform mindsets.

Since its launch, more than 500 pupils have been impacted in the monthly mentoring sessions led by Airtels Managing Director Lucy Quist.

Last month, renowned educationalist and columnist of the Daily Graphic, Anis Haffer, joined the session that involved over 200 pupils from the Mataheko RC Junior High School.

The initiative is supported by the Exploratory, an initiative of the African Women Advocacy Project and has received great support and endorsement from key stakeholders including the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Airtel Ghana is renowned for its contribution to education in Ghana having received several awards in CSR including Best CSR Company for Education at the Ghana CSR Excellence Awards 2015.

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 335 million customers across its operations at the end of August 2015. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

About Airtel in Africa

Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has 17 operations in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company. For more information, please visit www.airtel.com, or like the Airtel Ghana Facebook page via www.facebook.com/airtelgh or follow us on Twitter via the handle @airtelghana.
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Nouakchott (AFP) - Dozens of Islamists on hunger strike at Mauritania's main jail said in a statement on Monday that some of the inmates were "in danger of death".

The 27 prisoners accused their jailers of "inflicting collective punishment against (ultra-conservative) Salafist prisoners after the escape of Cheikh Ould Saleck," a high-profile jihadist on death row over an Al-Qaeda assassination plot.

Ould Saleck escaped from jail on December 31, but was recaptured and sent back to Mauritania on January 20 after he crossed the Guinea-Bissau border into Guinea.

He has since been transferred to the Salaheddine prison in the north, where the most dangerous Islamists on death row are held, according to a Mauritanian security source.

"We have nothing to do with this jailbreak," said the inmates on hunger strike in the capital Nouakchott since January 11, demanding that they no longer be held responsible for the escape.

"Some hunger strikers are in danger of death and their situation is getting worse day by day," said the statement, whose signatories are accused of terrorist activities.

The prisoners said conditions in the jail were "unliveable", as they demanded that authorities allow family visits and medicines be supplied to those who need them.

Ould Saleck, 31, has been on death row since 2011 over an Al-Qaeda plot to assassinate the president.

Juan E. Mendez, the UN special rapporteur on torture, said last week during an official visit to Nouakchott that living conditions for detainees in the country were "inhumane".

"The legal safeguards against torture and ill-treatment are in place, but they don't work," he said.

"Facilities are overcrowded, inadequate -- as they are rarely purposely built -- unsanitary and insufficiently ventilated. There is effectively no access to health care and dental and psychiatric support is totally absent."
07.02.2016 LISTEN

The UN Security Council has strongly condemned North Koreas launch of a long-range rocket.

After an urgent meeting in New York, the council said it would soon adopt a new sanctions resolution in response.

Pyongyang said it fired the rocket to place a satellite in orbit  but critics believe the real purpose was to test a ballistic missile.

Sundays launch comes weeks after North Korea held a fourth nuclear test  both acts violate UN resolutions.

Speaking after the closed-door talks, Venezuelas UN envoy Rafael Ramirez, the current council president, said: The members of the Security Council strongly condemn this launch.

He called it a serious violation of the Security Council resolution.

US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said Washington would now ensure that the Security Council imposes serious consequences on Pyongyang.

There can be no business as usual, she said, adding that well come up with something tough.

Ms Powers words were echoed by Japanese envoy Motohide Yoshikawa, who said sanctions must be strengthened.

The existing sanctions have not stopped North Korea from developing nuclear weapons, he said.

The council meeting was requested by South Korea, Japan and the US.

.

The launch of the rocket was hailed by North Korean media as a fascinating vapour trailing in the clear and blue sky in spring of February on the threshold of the Day of the Shining Star.

A statement said a new Earth observation satellite, Kwangmyongsong-4, had successfully been put into orbit less than 10 minutes after lift-off from the Sohae space centre in North Phyongan province.

Hailing it as part of the countrys peaceful space programme, a state TV newsreader said the launch had been ordered by North Koreas leader Kim Jon-un and more satellite launches were planned for the future.

South Korean MPs were told by the countrys spy agency later on Sunday that the launch should be treated as a ballistic missile test  as the satellite it put into orbit would be useless.

The payload was presumed to weigh 200kg (440lbs), double the size of the one launched in 2012, but much lighter than the 800-1,500kg usual for a satellite.

The MPs were also reportedly told that North Korea had the technology for intercontinental ballistic missiles and was preparing a fifth nuclear test.

North Korea last fired a long-range rocket in 2012 to put, what it said was, a communications satellite into orbit. But experts say no signal has ever been detected.

UN Security Council resolutions ban the state from carrying out any nuclear or ballistic missile tests.

The North insists its space programme is purely scientific in nature but the US, South Korea and even China say the rocket launches are aimed at developing inter-continental ballistic missiles.

-bbc
07.02.2016 LISTEN

A Politician is someone who deserves to be respected most in this country .They are the ones who spend most parts of their human life doing the service of humanity and selflessly putting their lives on the table for the benefit of all .

These are people that cannot eat at any place? How would you react when you saw President Mahama or Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo eating at your favourite chop bar (when they are not on a campaign trail).

I mean how would you react, should you see them at your base! My best guess is you wouldn't nurture the thought. How would you react when you get to see the naked picture(s) of any astute personality in this country .

I guess you don't expect to see such pictures because they are Politicians and must show an Honourable behavior ?

How would you react when you get to a drinking spot or a prostitutes' web , to see your Politician hanging around?

You will be surprised,I guess because you didnt expect to see him/her there .

We always say Public Figures and Public Officials have no private lives since most of the things they do hold public significance. I get saddened with that though.

We expect to know everything about people who serve us because they are public figures or public servants - of course ,fair enough, they are public officials and public figures but i'm not sure , they are your public properties to be used as your polythene bag ,anyhow or anyway you want .

Politicians are the most insulted set in this country .

Anybody and l mean anybody can just sit anywhere and rain insults against his/her Political Leader.

Often times, these people who don't even clean their teeth nor take their bath. Sometimes they can't afford a three - square meal for their family because they are loafer to provide for their family but these same people get the moral authority to sit on radio, television to insult anyhow and say whatever they feel like .

Can you imagine someone Insulting Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo just because he is a politician and just because he has the desire to serve his fellow humans.

Now take a clear look at this ,why would someone who can't even afford to live a comfortable life insult someone who has made it in life .

Just imagine ,a young guy insulting to show how strong he /she is, as a young upcoming politician by insulting an astute Politician .

In every leader ,we must learn something

I learn human relations from John Dramani Mahama and learn boldness ,confidence and perseverance from Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo and that is what the young ones must do .Learning from our leaders .

Why should you insult a politician anyhow because he has decided to sacrifice his life to serve you .

Do we even insult celebrities ,comedians - who are normally tagged to be fools ,actors - who depict their nakedness and all others who are not even up to the standard of politicians. I'm not saying we should but if we don't do so to them ,why should we insult Politicians anyhow?

The seemingly surprising part of it all is the fact that the ,4th Estate in the realms of affairs of a Democratic process of a country -Media, are basically those that help to propagate and entertain such ill -health and undeserving characters from childish and infantile beings .

Most so called journalist who are supposed to know better as well follow the same line by engaging in such devilish acts of insult. If this country will see any substantial development, it starts with a change in our attitudes.

Respect your political leaders for they deserve it

Written by RICHMOND ASARE TINKARO

NUGS President for University of Ghana (2015/2016)

0543253243
The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has announced the closure of three surgical clinics from February 6, 2016, a move that is set to worsen the plight of brain and spinal tumor patients seeking remedy.

Already the closure of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the surgical department two years ago for renovation has meant that surgical operations have had to be delayed to the detriment of patients.

The closure of the ICU compelled the hospital to rely on the recovery ward of the surgical clinics -- with only four beds -- to admit a tall list of surgery patients waiting their turns.

Joy News Kwetey Nartey reports in some instances, the condition of some patients developed complications before their scheduled date for surgical operations, while others have died.

Recently, a 21-year-old student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) died while waiting for her appointment with doctors.

Abigail Owusu-Diko died at the Neurosurgery Department of the hospital while awaiting surgery for a neck tumor.

Her father, Kwaku Owusu-Diko told Kwetey Nartey doctors at Korle Bu did not operate on her daughter even when her condition worsened.

They said there was nothing they can do until the date of appointment. So we made the appointment [January 14, 2016] and the appointment came and they never did the operation, the bereaved father recounted.

Spokespersson for Specialist Doctors in Ghana, Dr Hadi Mohammed Abdallah, told Kwetey there was nothing the hospital could do as the number of surgery patients exceeded the hospital's intake capacity.

The hospital announced the closure of three surgical clinics  General Surgery, Neurosurgery and Urology  from February 6, until further notice.

According to the premier health care centre, the closure is to allow completion of ongoing works in some of the theatre and recovery wards in the Department of Surgery which are being rehabilitated and re-equipped to improve quality care.

A statement from the hospital indicated emergency cases would be attended to after prior arrangement are made in such cases, while non-emergency and elective surgery in Urology would be referred to other hospitals in the Metropolis.


SIM BOX FRAUD EXPOSED: POLICE/ SUBAH COLLABORATION RETRIEVES 8,854 SIM CARDS

The Visa and Documentation Fraud Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service uncovered one of the largest illegal SIM Box network operations at Gbawe, near Accra, at dawn last Friday.

TOR TO RESUME OPERATIONS

After almost two years of inactivity, the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) is set to resume operations.

PRESIDENT MAHAMA COMMENDS ZOOMLION

President John Mahama has commended Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a private waste management company for its role in waste management in the country.

2 SOLDIERS PERISH AT PEKI

Two soldiers and a civilian driver of the Ghana Armed forces (GAF) have been killed in a gory accident at Peki-Wudome in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region.

WOMAN RAPED, KILLED IN FARM

A 40 year-old woman, Awonye Mary aka apataa, was found dead on her farm at Apegusu, a farming community in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region, Sunday morning and is suspected to have been raped and killed by Fulani herdsmen.

BRIBERY SCANDAL HITS CJS OFFICE: JUDGE ACCUSES JUDGE OF BRIBERY

A private legal practitioner I.B Akwantey has petitioned President John Mahama to remove from office Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei of the Court of Appeal for allegedly collecting money judges of the lower bench for promotions and the opportunity to study abroad.

NORTH ATOMIC RESIDENTS CONTRACT RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Most residents in the North Atomic community are suffering from severe dust pollution, with some diagnosed to be suffering from upper respiratory infections as a result of laterite spread on their roads.

IMMIGRATION SERVICE TO ENFORCE ALIEN REGISTRATION LAW

The Ghana Immigration Service has begun deliberations with the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Ghana Hoteliers Association to find an amicable way to implement the Aliens Registration Regulation 1974 (LI 856).

100 NEW METRO BUSES BEGIN SERVICE

The management of Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) has increased its number of buses on the various routes in the Greater Accra by an addition of over 100 buses.

RAWLINGS URGES GHANAIANS TO VOTE ACCORDING TO CONSCIENCE

Former president, Jerry John Rawlings has called on Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be coerced by any political party or its leadership to vote for him or her in this years elections.

KORLE BU CLOSES DOWN 3 SURGICAL UNITS

Three surgical facilities at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital would from Monday not operate until further notice. The decision to suspend the use if the clinics was taken last Friday to allow works to be completed in some of the theatre and recovery wards in the Department of Surgery which are being rehabilitated.

IMF SHOWS FAITH IN ELECTION YEAR BUDGET

Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Min Zhu has said that the fund is highly confident Ghanas executive government will not overspend its budget as it seeks a renewal of its mandate at the November 7 polls.

SAVINGS BOOSTER TO OFFER HIGHER RETURNS

Petra Trust, a leading corporate trustee licenced by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority has unveiled a new Savings Booster  a groundbreaking product  onto the Ghanaian Pension market in Accra.
 Says Israels domestic and military intelligence agencies are absolutely wrong to suggest that Palestinian violence is a result of the bleak reality of the occupation

 Suggests that Palestinians are under the influence of ISIS

 Refuses, after being asked 12 times, to offer her personal support for the creation of a Palestinian state

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Englishs current affairs show, UpFront, Israels Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tzipi Hotovely, disagreed with both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Israels domestic and military agencies on the source of the recent spate of Palestinian attacks.

UpFront host Mehdi Hasan asked Hotovely to respond to a November report from Shin Bet, Israels domestic security agency, which said that Palestinians were carrying out attacks to  escape from a bleak reality which they perceive as unchangeable  and to the head of Israeli military intelligences recent claim that some Palestinians have carried out attacks because they  felt they had nothing to lose .

This analysis is absolutely wrong, Hotovely told UpFront, adding: I can give you thousands of other opinions.

Terrorism is the main problem, is the main issue, not frustration, she argued.

Hotovely also suggested that Palestinians may have been influenced by the rise of ISIL.

There are many other people that are saying that the Palestinian society today is choosing the extremist side, under the influence of ISIS, as the atmosphere of the way the youngsters are being raised, and unfortunately also when theyre raised under the very hard incitement of the Palestinian Authority, she said.

ISIS denies the right to French to live in Paris peacefully, you need to remember that. This is where the radical Islam is leading us to, she added.

During the interview, Hotovely was asked 12 times by host Mehdi Hasan if she, personally, supports a Palestinian state. She repeatedly chose not to answer the question, preferring only to offer up the official policy of her government: Im representing a government that is declaring in a very clear way on a policy of a two-state solution I am representing the policy of my government.

Watch and embed the 14-minute interview at



UpFront, hosted by Mehdi Hasan, broadcasts on Fridays at 19.30 GMT. For more information, visit www.aljazeera.com/upfront.
08.02.2016 LISTEN

I have often stated that those casting aspersions at Nana Akufo Addo are not worth the thought since the glaring truth is that Mugabe Maases Bossdevil has put up the most disgraceful performance as a President of Ghana, topping the charts as the biggest political failure Africa has ever had.

But then again, when a freak of circumstances takes a suspected massively corrupt President for a demigod just to gain a penny or dime, Mugabe Maase becomes no better than a local canine that wags its tail when it receives a dry bone from a hungry master who has chewed all the meat.

However, all that is a notch better than uttering a threat that needs to be taken seriously by the IGPs outfit. The fact that Nana Akufo-Addo is the flag bearer of the biggest opposition party in Ghana makes the least insinuation of death upon him a threat to be taken very seriously. Going into elections this year, Ghanaians do not need a non-entity as this animalistically inclined buffoon to make reckless comments to please John Dramani Mahama. If the President has any shred of honour and respect for Ghanaians, he will bring this psychopath to book for the terroristic trends that he is exhibiting. This ISIS style maniac committed himself to murdering Nana Akufo-Addo!!!

He said, and I quote, Nana Addo is wasting his time campaigning to be President because spiritually, he will not make it because by June he will be gone .I am telling you I have him in my palm like an egg . I will squeeze it and God will do the rest for me!

The inference from this camouflaged message is that he is going to shoot him dead by squeezing the trigger (of a gun). Mr IGP, you will be held personally responsible should any harm befall Honourable Nana Akufo-Addo. Even though President John Mahama and his group of unscrupulous braggarts find excessive joy in such rhetoric, threats of this nature must not be taken for granted.

The vacuous deliberations of Mugabe Maase do not carry weight, but his threats are grave enough to warrant his arrest and incarceration. I have heard that he is paid by the President through Omane Boamah to make such petulant statements that are symptomatic of schizophrenic recidivists. But then again, dont the NDC freaks in power exhibit such traits of despair?

Mr IGP, take this criminal in for threatening to assassinate Nana Akufo-Addo. By the way, due to Mugabe Maases unruly nature, I have created a befitting word, animalistically, to inculcate into the English Dictionary that that best describes his mediocrity and baboonism.
08.02.2016 LISTEN

On 1st February, 2016, OccupyGhana wrote to the Attorney-General and Minister for Transport, copied to the Minister of Finance and Chief of Staff, among others, asking for all the information surrounding the Smarttys Bus branding contract that has been impugned by the Attorney-General herself. This Impugned Transaction and matters arising from it, led to the resignation of the immediate past Minister for Transport, Madam Dzifa Attivor, the instruction of the Chief of Staff to the Attorney-General to recover approximately GH1.9 million from Smarttys, and the subsequent agreement between the Attorney-General and Smarttys that the amount to be recovered would be only some GH1.5 million.

In our letter we stated that our request for information was based on article 21(1)(f) of the Constitution that guarantees all persons the right to information, subject only to restrictions and laws essential to democracy, none of which exist or is applicable in this case. We further asserted that there was no conceivable public interest privilege that applied to deny us access to that information. This was because we had cause to believe that most of the as yet undisclosed circumstances surrounding the Impugned Transaction amounted to corruption, and the misuse and waste of public funds, and that there was an attempt within the government to prevent that information from coming into the hands of the citizens of Ghana. We made these assertions also because we were aware that a report from the Attorney-General to the Chief of Staff had revealed serious infractions and malfeasance, and had recommended the prosecution of the principal actors in the Impugned Transaction.

On 4th February, 2016, we received a letter dated 3rd February, 2016 with reference number D.2/V.2 and signed by one Ebenezer Owusu-Ansah, P.R.O., stating that the Attorney-General would not supply us with the information we have requested, because of the pendency of a case that has been filed in court with respect to the same Impugned Transaction.

We are utterly shocked at this perfunctory response that seeks to assert that once a matter is in court (and the court proceedings are not being held in camera), all documents and information that may become relevant to those proceedings, somehow become secret documents that cannot be disclosed to the citizens of this country. The vacuous and trifling nature of this excuse fortifies our belief that the government has something to hide, and that all efforts are being made to ensure that the information surrounding this Impugned Transaction, particularly the Attorney-Generals own far-reaching report on the matter, are suppressed to protect certain persons who acted in that transaction, from exposure and possible prosecution.

This response from the Attorney-General is even more worrying considering the arguments of this same Attorney-General in support of the constitutional right of the citizens to information, in the very recent Supreme Court case of Dery v. Tiger Eye & 2 Others. Indeed, the Court rightly upheld this right to information, stating that not even constitutionally-provided 'in camera' proceedings could deprive the citizens of the right to that information, although in the final analysis.

The court rightly reminded all persons that true justice and power flow from the people, who have a right to know. Judges, like Caesars wife, must live above suspicion, the court poignantly asserted. Sadly, the Attorney-General's response to us goes against the weight, grain and tenor of her own arguments in court, and the decision of the court, and ignores the fact that all people who hold public office are fiduciaries who "like Caesar's wife, must [also] live above suspicion."

We are saddened by this blatant attempt by none other than the Attorney-General of this country to deny citizens the right to know what happened to their money. We are amazed that the Attorney-General is hiding behind an unknown principle to deny access to information that might reveal that the bus branding job was actually concluded and the figure of roughly GH3.6 million communicated to the Ministry of Finance for payment to Smarttys, even before the same Ministry of Transport wrote to Smarttys for a quotation for the job; and that even before the same Ministry of Transport applied for approval for single-source procurement from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), proffering what is at best described as dubious, shameful and pathetic grounds for that single-source procurement. We are surprised that the Attorney-General is trying to hide from Ghanaians the fact that it took the PPA barely 24 hours to grant the single-source procurement approval.

We are saddened that the Attorney-General wants to hide from Ghanaians the fact that the contract document covering a transaction of this magnitude was on just two (2) pages of paper with absolutely no warranties, defects liability period, or events of default clauses to protect the interest of the people of Ghana, and that that dubious contract was never submitted to the Attorney-General before it was signed, not by the then Minister of Transport, but a director in that Ministry (raising legitimate questions as to whether that director was duly and properly authorised to execute a contract that would be binding on Ghana.) We are amazed that an Attorney-General who has discovered and written on all of these grave infractions of our law in her report to the Chief of Staff, would turn around to deny the citizens of this country access to such critical information about our national purse and its use.

We have therefore considered these grave matters and have decided that if the Attorney-General is unprepared, unwilling and unable to respect the right of the citizen to information, then we have no other recourse but to resort to court action, unfortunately.

OccupyGhana has therefore instructed its lawyers to forthwith commence legal action to right this grave wrong. Ghanaians are entitled to know everything about the Impugned Transaction and the Attorney-General cannot engage in illegal and unconstitutional stonewalling, to prevent us from knowing the full truth, and consequently prevent us from demanding that erring persons be punished in accordance with the law.

Yours in the service of occupying hearts and minds for God and Country

OccupyGhana
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The rising number of governments committing to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a sign that they are getting more serious about transparency in their mining, oil and gas industries, as well as being more proactive about weeding out corruption in the sector.

Ghana is one of 49 countries that are either fully compliant or are going through the process to be part of the EITI, a global standard which promotes the open and accountable management of natural resources, mainly of oil, gas, metals and minerals, although it can extend as widely as forestry and aquaculture.

We are certainly seeing improvements, especially in countries which we have visited several years in a row. Were noticing that reconciliation differences are getting smaller. Its also been easier to explain the differences, said Tim Woodward, a partner in Moore Stephens, an accounting and consulting firm which has completed the highest number of EITI reconciliations in countries around the world.

Companies need to disclose and publish what they pay to governments, and governments will publish what they receive in an EITI report. A multi-stakeholder group of governments, companies and civil society oversee the disclosure.

Taxes, royalties, benefits in kind, and payment such as those to local government organisations, are all included in the reconciliation, says Woodward.

"In Africa, we have seen some very positive improvements in countries such as Burkina Faso, Togo and Mali, while the Democratic Republic of Congo is funding its own reconciliation, a strong indication that it is committed to the process, said Woodward. Donors, such as the World Bank and European Union, usually pay for the reconciliation process.

Currently there are seven requirements a country needs to meet to become EITI compliant.

Moore Stephens has completed the EITI process for Nigeria, Mali, Zambia, Burkina Faso and the Democratic of Congo, while young democracy, Myanmar, has recently come on board.

"The size and scope of the Nigerian reconciliation for the EITI was large and we had a good response rate," said Woodward.

Moore Stephens is also involved in the EITI process for Zambia, the Seychelles and Ethiopia and is currently working on the reconciliation process for the UK.

Weve seen a wave of developed countries, such as the UK, the US, France, Germany and the Netherlands sign up for the EITI. Its gaining traction, and countries are becoming aware that they dont want to be left out of the process, said Woodward. He foresees that developed countries will increasingly come on board the EITI.

When well managed, theres far less chance of corruption and even conflict.

It comes down to reputation  making sure people believe in a country and are willing to invest.

The EITI is keen to point out that it wants citizens to hold their governments to account, as to what taxes they are receiving, and how theyre spending taxpayers money.

Its very fulfilling to see that we are able to make a difference in assuring people that government funds are getting to the right place, said Woodward.

The EITI has 49 implementing countries, 44 of which have published their revenues from extractions from their countrys natural resources.
Neku Atawodi, founder and CEO OF Malaik

LAGOS, Nigeria, 8 February 2016,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Access to finance is a challenge for entrepreneurs across the world. In Africa, entrepreneurship and innovation are said to be the key to development. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME's) are the primary job creation engine in Africa, accounting for over 95% of firms and 60%-70% of employment.

However, SME's on the continent report access to finance as the biggest obstacle to growth. There is no lack of good ideas. Yet, young African entrepreneurs struggle to access the funds needed to bring their ideas and businesses to scale. Malaik, a global portal for high impact investing in African businesses, today launched a call for applications to African entrepreneurs with impact focused businesses. The portal offers opportunities for the global crowd to invest in Africa's growth story.

"Africa is brimming with entrepreneurs with growing high impact businesses that could not only positively impact Africa, but the world, "said Neku Atawodi, founder and CEO OF Malaik. Access to finance has always been a tough challenge to overcome and people have typically not wanted to invest in African businesses as they have historically been considered too risky. However, the African narrative is changing for the better and the continent's exponential growth in the last decade shows that an investment in impact focused African businesses can yield high returns."

Since the launch of the portal, Malaik has fully funded its first company i-Drop water to the tune of over a quarter of a million dollars and has been chosen to demo its unique innovation on stage at one of Europe's largest technology in finance conferences FinovateEurope 2016 in London from the 9th-10th of February. FinovateEurope is one of the biggest financial conferences in Europe and attracts the most notable players in financial services technology from across the world. Malaik will be the only African company demo'ing at the conference.

"Young companies all over Africa face a scarcity of funds to fuel their growth," said Atawodi. "Apart from banks and occasional angel investors, there is often nowhere to turn. Malaik is turning this crisis into an opportunity for start-ups and investors alike by offering stakes in young African companies to the crowd. Our unique impact tracker means that investors can track their investments' impact on the platform."

Entrepreneurs across Africa are encouraged to submit their applications to join the Malaik platform as an opportunity to raise funds for their businesses. Open to start-ups with high impact, innovative, original and diverse ideas ready for potential investment. On passing Malaik's due diligence, start ups now have the opportunity to attract a diverse crowd of investors and supporters via equity finance. Details on how to apply can be found at: www.malaik.com.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Africa United.

About Malaik

Malaik is a global portal for high impact investing in African businesses, offering opportunities for the crowd to invest in Africa's growth story. Malaik's impact-focused approach to equity crowdfunding is unique and focused on Africa. Malaik gives investors access to the continent's opportunities, and mediates its risks with a four step due diligence process. This combination is a fresh application of technology that can unlock massive potential in the world's most promising markets.

Media Contact

Mimi Kalinda

E: [email protected]

www.malaik.com
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The OIL PALM:

The oil palm tree is a tropical perennial crop with excellent benefits. Per hectare, it is the most productive oil crop in the world, being 10 times more productive than soybean and other oil bearing seeds. Of the 17 major vegetable oils traded on the international market, palm oil is the most important and accounts for more than half of the global import and export trade of all vegetable oils.

Oil palm plantations are as effective as rain forests in reducing carbon dioxide, a critical contributor to global warming. Hence oil palm plantations ensure better climatic conditions and in addition provide more employment than forest. These features of the plant are being harnessed on large and efficient scale by countries in the Asian tropics reflected by their lead roles in oil palm products like the crude palm oil (CPO). The World Bank explains that oil palm provides more jobs per hectare than other large scale farming (it employs about 0.4 people per acre), and the jobs are year-round rather than seasonal.

The SCENE in GHANA:

In Ghana, since the inception of Oil palm cultivation by the state through State Farms in 1960, this is how far she has evolved:

Total area of land cultivated is at 336,000ha out of 1 million hectors lands available, utilizing only 10% of the potential lands leaving 664,000ha suitable lands; twice much as existing cultivation . 80 (%) 268,800ha of Ghanas existing plantations are cultivated by private small-scale farmers who mostly use unimproved planting materials and farming methods. 80 (%) of Ghanas produced CPO is from small scale plantation holders and millers, who use inefficient milling machineries and methods. Cote DIvoire records a higher plantation productivity of 25 mt/ha, whilst Ghana with similar favorable soil and climatic conditions yields average 15 mt/ha, indicating 10 mt/ha differential. Ghana was the first country where the British established oil palm plantations in the 19th century. The same seeds and production techniques were then used to establish palm oil estates in another British colony-Malaysia. Despite the common root, the palm oil value chain in Malaysia and Ghana took two divergent development pathways. Malaysia is now the worlds second largest palm oil producer and exporter after Indonesia, while Ghana ranks 15th in terms of production quantity. GOPDA (Ghana Oil Palm Development Association) an apex body comparable to COCOABOD; was established in 1985 to implement the sustainability of the oil palm industry, COCOABOD lives on strong but GOPDA; still hoping to get better! The FDA reports more on the adulteration of the product (palm oil), but monitors less on the products production; leaving unqualified, unskilled and unknown sources of producers to their decisions of producing palm oil of uncertain quality for the innocent Ghanaian consumer.

Now the EFFECTS:

Ghana produces 243,852mt of CPO but with a local demand of over 295,000 mt annually, indicating a deficit of over 35, 000 mt annually, this leaves the idea of CPO exports in the shadows. Ghana imports over 30,000mt CPO annually from Asia with Governments spending US$100million annually on this importation to make up the deficit. Ghanas CPO production is insufficient, below local demands, hence her contribution to the African regional production is not much different: The most recent issues of adulteration of this wonderful product (palm oil) on the Ghanaian market with carcinogens and harmful substances, making it look to the innocent consumer that palm oil is almost completely harmful for human consumption.

African Palm Oil Production Chart

(Hardman & Co (June 2011) World Agricultural Report -A growing story for Africa)

But, The PALM OIL MARKET:

It is the most competitively priced vegetable oil in the World, because it is 5 to 10 times more productive than other oil bearing crops and has the lowest requirement for inputs of fuel, fertilizers and pesticides per tonne of production There is a high growing usage of CPO in the World, in wide range of products including: (soap, margarine, biscuits, Pharmaceutical products, etc.) Demand is growing internationally and regionally with an annual deficit of a million metric tons in Africa and over 450,000mt deficit in Africa, with an average of 54% of Ghanaian households (I in 2 houses) using palm oil in food production. About 80% of current world palm oil production is consumed in the form of food. With an estimated worldwide population increase of 11.6 percent and a 5 percent increase in per capital consumption. An estimate of additional 6.3 million ha of oil palm would have to be planted by 2020, says World Bank (2012). Estimates indicate that the present shortfall in CPO supply in Ghana will continue and even grow bigger in the future. From a projected low of 32,000 mtons in 2010, envisaged will hit a deficit 127,000 mtons in 2024. World Bank estimates that meeting vegetable oil demand in 2020 would require 6.3 million hectares of oil palm plantation; and using soybean oil instead would require an additional 42 million hectares (an area about the size of California!)- Where can that be found?

And The ECONOMICS:

Indonesias oil palm industry generates over $12.4 billion in foreign exchange and employs about 2 million Indonesians.

Oil palm in Malaysia adds 5-6 % contribution to her GDP

Malaysia produces (19,000,000ton), Indonesia: (28,500,000ton), Thailand: (2,000,000ton), and Africas ranked first Nigeria produces: (910,000ton), with Ivory Coast: (390,000ton) palm oil / year

Cote dIvoire earns 60% of her GDP from Agriculture and oil palm is the 3rd export agricultural commodity.

But guess what; Ghana like Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria and Cote DIvoire are amongst the few nations in the World with potential lands deemed highly suitable for oil palm cultivation..

So GHANA....., Why not Palm?

Authored: Ababio Kwame: Young farmer, (Green Afro-Palms Organization.) : agro organization causing facelift to Sub-Saharan Agricultural framework ,driven the youth and small scale farmers into vibrant agriculture by implementing best practices for Farms cultivation and Agro- processing; selecting and presenting Oil Palm as an alternative commodity for vegetating Africas environment, generating jobs, incomes and sustainable livelihoods.. www.facebook.com/greenafropalms , [email protected]

Green Afro-Palms keep the fields green!

Resource Information Sources :

Ghana Technical Note on Palm oil, June 2013

MASDAR, 2011. Master Plan Study for the Oil Palm Industry in Ghana. [Online]. Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) Ghana. Available at: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4fn1Fz6J8K9djY5X1JIaHVyeUE/edit [Accessed: 28 May 2015].
Alexanda Kotey

08.02.2016 LISTEN

It may be a sly ploy aimed at naturalistically roping Ghana into the outrageous vortex of global terrorism, now that President John Mahama has unwisely consented to playing host to Messrs. Bin Atef and Al-Dhuby, the two Saudi-born high-risk Yemeni terrorists detained for some 14 years, each, at the U.S.-operated Guantanamo Bay Maximum Security Prison on the Island of Cuba. His name has been given as AlexandaKotey. No, that is not a misspelling. That is exactly how the Reuters reporter spelled it.

The strikingly Middle-Eastern-looking man is said to be 32 years old and is a member of that ghastly wing of the ISIS/ISIL terrorist organization known as The Beatles primarily because, we are told, the members of this group are widely known to speak with a British, and not a Ghanaian or even a globally recognizable African, accent. The members of this ISIS/ISIL wing have often been shown masked and standing over their squat and visibly terrified victims with AK-47s; they have often either paraded these victims in search of hefty monetary ransoms, failure of the receipt of which has almost invariably ended in the grisly decapitation of these victims, largely Western aid workers and journalists.

Any ISIS/ISIL member labeled as a Beatle is obviously no Ghanaian citizen. In the case of Mr. AlexandaKotey, we are reliably given to understand that the latters mother was a Cypriot-Greek who either married or cohabited with Mr. Koteys father, who is alleged to have been born in Ghana. Now, the mere fact of Mr. Koteys fathers having been born in Ghana does not make the ISIS/ISIL Beatle a Ghanaian, unless, of course, we are also reliably informed that the younger Mr. Kotey had been born and raised in Ghana with Ghanaian cultural mores. From the look of things, this clearly does not appear to be the case.

For instance, when Mr. AlexandaKotey reportedly decided to travel to the Gaza Strip in 2009, as an aid worker of some sort, it was from London, and not Accra, that he departed. He may also have been born to a Ghanaian father, but absolutely nowhere, at least not just yet, have we been given to understand that Mr. Kotey has ever taken up Ghanaian citizenship or even lived in Ghana for any remarkable span of time.

If these observation hold water, then it is very mischievous for anybody to describe Mr. Kotey as a Ghanaian. His links with Revolutionary Islamism, if there is any such terminology, has been made quite clear in the sense that Mr. Kotey is reported to have met a Muslim woman in his early 20s in London by whom the couple had produced two children (See Another Ghanaian Unmasked as a Member of ISIS Reuters/Ghanaweb.com 2/7/16). Very likely, it was his affection for this woman that prompted the Ghanaian fathered Mr. Kotey to assume the Islamic faith.

His name clearly indicates that like most Ghanaians of Ga-Adangbe ethnicity, Mr. Koteys father was Christian by faith, possibly Christian by birth, possibly a protestant Christian such as a Presbyterian or a Methodist. I havent done the research yet, but it well appears that Mr. Koteys first name of Alexanda is in keeping with the Greek-Cypriot variation of the same. If this observation has validity, then the young ISIS/ISIL Beatle was at least brough up as half-Greek, which would culturally make him decidedly a modern Western European rather than a Westernized modern Ghanaian.

Dubbing him as a Ghanaian is thus a gross misnomer. It is also quite certain that the handful of Muslim Ghanaians who have recently been reported as having joined the ranks of ISIS/ISIL operatives are not indigenous Ghanaian citizens with lineages going any farther than several decades. Which is not to imply that Ghanaians are, somehow, remarkably any different from the rest of global humanity. The main objective here is to simply limn and to put into perspective the practical reality of the general profile of the bona fide average Ghanaian citizen, vis-a-vis global terrorism.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The people of Mother Ghana have been shamed once again by people whom we think should know better. A Member of Parliament and a radio presenter.

We say our country has been shamed because a whole MP could engage in hot, vile exchange of insults with a common radio presenter who hitherto has neither self respect nor respect for human beings.

We, CYK are finding it very difficult to fathom why and how the MP would attack the President, his brother Ibrahim Mahama and their family. Does just the fact that you suspect that someone is behind the rampant insults by some radio presenters on Nana Addo give you the right to also go attacking them?

Even if that is the case, does the MP not have media outlets and presenters to also condemn these people on their respective shows than he himself descending that low?

We have heard many people defending, and infact hailing the shameful acts of a supposed Honourable MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyekum but we CYK are not happy with his attitude. It is becoming too much of someone whom we pay to think about this nation.

To think of the words he used on Afia Schwar, and threatening to upload her naked pictures on social media, we have realised that this man who has many wives has no respect for women. We are therefore looking forward to all well meaning Women groups in Ghana and outside Ghana and other civil organisations to rise and condemn the actions of the MP on his radio station (Oman fm) in Accra.

For all those in the NPP who are happy with the attitude of Mr. Kennedy Agyapong, we say that 'this same dog you have released to chase and bite people around will turn around and do same to you or your children'. We are therefore not surprised that he called all NPP's including Nana Addo and former Prez Kuffuor as 'stupid idiots' on live television.

We expected that he as a Member of Parliament would be informing and educating Ghanaian youth about decency and decorum but unfortunately he is rather doing the exact opposite- and we are appalled by that behaviour.

We therefore call on the Parliament of Ghana to call this man to order now before he further drags the name of Parliament in the drains soon.

And to Afia Schwar, we want to bring to her attention that it is not a good acollade to be described as the most disrespecful person radio and Television. Such characters reduce the level of the Ghanaian broadcast journalist into this repute and the sooner the NMC and GIBA move on this the better it will be for the nation.

If it is true that Okay fm management has sacked her for insulting the legislature, we say it serves her right, if not what are they waiting for?

Such untrained persons are not needed on the Ghanaian media now or ever. It is also high time some media practioners who insult and attack people on their network for no reason are whipped in line with the ethics of our profession. We need one Ghana to be able to enjoy our Kumasi better.

Thank You.

Nana Kwame Appiakorang

Secretary 0242551652

Hon Krobea Asante

Convener 0243057744
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The Artisanal & Small Scale Mining Africa-Network (ASMAN) has commended the minerals regulatory authority in Ghana, Minerals Commission, for amicably resolving the boundary dispute that arose between the Anglogold Ashanti Iduapriem Ltd (AAIL) and the Small Scale Mining counterparts- Messrs Dakete, Benson, New Target and Johnson Mining Services.

The impasse which ensued about two months ago led to an evasion of the latters concession by a combined team of military and AAIL security personnel

BACKGROUND:

The disputed area is part of the Tarkwa Goldfields block-out area demarcated for ASM activities in 1999 by the Minerals Commission and subsequently leased out to the ASM counterparts, who have since been working on the concession.

Disagreement however ensued between the ASM Concessioners and the AAIL over the boundary demarcations, following the use of two different demarcation measurement methods, working round an error margin of one second or about 100 meters, by the two players involved in the boundary dispute.

THE CONFLICT

The Inspectorate Division of the Western Region outfit of the Minerals Commission reportedly settled the matter recently, but had to contend with three (3) different cadastral maps, and because of the error margin of one second, led to coordinates variation and misunderstanding between the AAIL and Johnson Mining Services, with the latter crying foul.

The AAIL management feeling victorious, wrote a letter to the National Security, calling on them to flush-out the workers of Johnson Mining Services from the disputed area leading to the invasion of the area by the military task force who disrupted the operations of the Johnson Mining Services and blocked some access routes been used by the ASM operator.

THE RESOLUTION:

Dissatisfied by the decision of the Western Region Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission, the Progressive Small Scale Miners Association, Tamso Range -Tarkwa petition the Minerals Commission over the matter and this led to the dispatch of a special team from the Commissions head office in Accra led by Mr. Nelson Ahedoh, to join the technical teams of the feuding parties to resolve the matter, and this they successfully did on the 3rd of February, 2016 which tend to favor the ASM Operators as the coordinates now agree with the original boundary lines in reference to the small scale mining license.

In a concluding statement, the executive director of ASMAN; Nii Adjetey-Kofi expressed his appreciation to the sector Minister and the CEO of Minerals Commission- Dr. Tony Aubynn for the swift and satisfactory manner in which the dispute has been resolved adding that, many a times such conflicts arise between the ASM Operators and the Large Scale Operators, and it takes so long to settle.

Then he finally called on the management of AAIL to accept the verdict of the Minerals Commission in good faith and co-exist in harmony with its ASM counterparts :- Messrs Dakete, Benson, New Target and Johnson Mining Services.
08.02.2016 LISTEN

BERLIN: A visiting German delegation of parliamentarians and economic operators, have officially requested the export of Cameroonian cocoa and coffee to Germany through an agreement signed here the other day in Douala between the two parties.

The agreement penned by the German Cooperation Agency (GTZ) and the Inter-professional Council of Cocoa and Coffee (CICC) paves the way for partnership, which is expected to lead to the sale of the commodities to Germany as early as this year.If for now the information has not been leaked about the quantity of exports, sources close to the agreement indicate that Cameroonian cocoa and coffee are popular in Germany.

It can be expected that in the coming years, Germany could become one of the largest consumers of these Cameroonian products, to the point of upsetting the Netherlands, which is the first importer of these products.

We have hopes that in the future, the agreement with the German side also allows us to put an emphasis on the local processing of our products, with the objective of adding value to our economy, CICC officials said.

During the 2014/2015 cocoa season, Cameroon produced 210,000 tonnes of cocoa and about 27,000 tonnes of coffee, which is still far from the objective of the 600,000 tonnes of cocoa and 200,000 tonnes of coffee projected by 2020.

http://www.customstoday.com.pk/germany-to-import-cocoa-coffee-from-cameroon/

The spirits of the forest pursue those who sell it.

Local farmers are the key food producers in Cameroon not foreign lucrative palm plantations with Smallholders palm deals! The real motive for colonialism was profit and economic exploitation. Imperialism was driven by the demand for resources, raw materials and cheap labour. The development of colonised nations was scarcely considered, except where it might benefit interests.

Local communities can only lose from this new wave of land grabs for giant plantations. They lose access to vital lands and water resources, now and for future generations. And they have to face all of the impacts that come with vast monoculture plantations within their territories  pollution from pesticides, soil erosion, deforestation, and labour migration.

Experience also shows that the employment generated by the plantations often goes to outsiders, and that most of the jobs are seasonal, poorly paid, and dangerous. Certification schemes, such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), can only alleviate or postpone some of the worst excesses.

http://afjn.org/documents/2014/10/afjn-ghana-land-grab-report-2014.pdf

Unscrupulous land grab thieves are fighting hard to destroy our last remaining coffee and cocoa farms in our sub region of Cameroon for own selfish and greedy interest,

Betockvoices

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President Buhari

08.02.2016 LISTEN

President Buhari is somebody who is not competent in addressing the press because he is not a man given to diplomacy. But diplomacy Buhari needs and must deploy if he must effectively function as a president in todays world. The few interviews which Buhari has granted since he assumed office have confirmed him as a man who is prone to making unguarded statements that reveal his deep seated prejudice, grudge and ignorance.

In less than a year into his presidency, there is a growing concern about how Buhari is going to successfully steer the ship of positive change and transformation in Nigeria because of the frequency which Buhari blunders whenever he is delivering unwritten statements.

In fact making very reckless statements has become a trade mark of his press conferences. Whenever he is fielding questions, Buhari comes off as a man with limited grasp of issues both in terms of substance, content and craft. He does not exhibit the tact, competence and intelligence that befits a president of a nation that is grappling with complex and complicated problems.

This is evident in the recent interview with Londons TheTelegraph concerning crime and asylum seeking by Nigerians. Buhari said "Some Nigerians' claim is that life is too difficult back home, but they have also made it difficult for Europeans and Americans to accept them because of the number of Nigerians in prisons all over the world accused of drug trafficking or human trafficking.However, Buhari forgot to make reference to some of the root causes like lack of good governance, military misrule which he was a part, and weak state institutions.

And then he goes ahead to propose a solution: "I don't think Nigerians have anybody to blame. They can remain at home, where their services are required to rebuild the country." They can remain at home? Just like that?

Of course that sounds like a reassuring statement. Yes, some people would say that Buhari has just said the bitter truth which many Nigerians may not want to hear. But shouldnt Buhari be the chief image maker of the country? If the countrys image abroad is bad, what is he doing to change it? After all he was elected on the platform of change. What programs has he put in place to dissuade Nigerians from going into drug trafficking, scamming and other crimes? Is it his responsibility a president to address these problems? Now compare what Buhari told The Telegraph and whathe told Nigerians when he visited the Republic of Benin last year.

He made it clear to Nigerians living in the country that facilitating their return was a non issue: I believe a lot of you are doing well and are better off here. So, the question of facilitating your coming home does not arise. Did Buhari try to find out what Nigerians in Benin were doing? Instead he enjoined them not to come back home. Buhari did not mince words in asking Nigerians not to come and add to the problem of unemployment: We dont want you to come back home and be unemployed. Dont come and add to our problems. If you have something doing here please continue doing it.

Buhari goes to one country and says Nigerians should remain at home because their reputation for crime makes it difficult for them to be granted an asylum and he goes to another country and tells them not to return so that they wont add to the problem of unemployment.

So, which is which, Mr President?
President John Dramani Mahama

08.02.2016 LISTEN

During the second commissioning of the Kasoa interchange,President Mahama told the world that currently in Ghana there are NEW BREED OF POLITICAL QUANTITY SURVEYERS. This was a response to Nana Addos claim that the Kasoa interchange had been inflated. Dr.Omane Boamah, the communication and Information minister also responded when the latter made similar claims. To President Mahama so far as Nana Addo is the leader of the Opposition party (NPP), he (Nana Addo) has no right or will have it wrong to estimate government projects in the country.

So Mister President, should one be a President before he or she can give the cost of government projects? President Mahama then an MP, was not a security expert or an investigator but told the world that he had pictorial evidence of how 40 Ghanaians were murdered in Gambia. This turned out to be six Ghanaians and such pictorial evidence was not provided. President Mahama then, was in Opposition and inferably, was he also a NEW BREED IN POLITICAL QUANTITY SECURITY EXPERT OR INVESTIGATOR? Should one get a PHD in statistcs before she or he can say that 1+1=2?Or should one be a chef before he can determine whether there is salt in a soup or not?

On Thursday December 4 ,2014,as reported by the Daily Guide,the minority in parliament stated that,out of the $27 billion borrowed from domestic and external sources,only $3.5 billion has been accounted for by way of government projects.The remaining $23.5 billion has not been accounted for as of 2014.Last year Dr. Alhaji Bawumia challenged the NDC government to provide the cost of every project undertaken by this government but till now this government is afraid to do that. Below are some of the corrupt governmental inflated projects;

CUBA MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP

To incompetent John Mahama by the end of six years, Ghana will spend $151,980 or 303,960 or 3.0396 billion to train one medical student in Cuba.

To the Ghana Medical Association, training one medical student for six years is $36,000 or 72,000 or 720 million.

RIDGE HOSPITAL

NDC government pays $306 million to expand the Ridge Hospital from 200 to 420 bed capacity. A private Nigeria businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote construct a state of the art 1000 bed capacity hospital in Kano at an estimated cost of $12.3 million.(THE HERALD,WEDNESDAY 23- THURSDAY APRIL 24 2014)

KAR POWER FUEL

Government pays $9m for Kar power fuel. Some companies can provide the same fuel at the cost of $2 million.

AMERI PLANT

NDC signs AMERI PLANT DEAL FOR $510 million. An outright purchase from General Electric will cost $220 million.

DVLA

NDC government inflates DVLA contract with Foto-X from $3.6 million to $9.9 million 300% inflated.

NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION AUTHORITY CARD

To the NDC government new national ID cards will cost $115 million. To Herman Kojo Chinery-Hesse (who is a technology engineer) the National ID cards will cost $10 million. To the World Bank it will cost $29 million.

METRO MASS BUS RE-BRANDING

To the NDC government, the cost of branding 116 buses cost 3.6 million (3.6 billion old currency) but to crystal concept, the cost of branding 116 buses will cost 11,600.

8. More rot exposed in Ameri Deal as variables charged of $45.3 million jumps to $83 million (Finder Wednesday, December 16, 2015)

ATUABO GAS PROJECT

The Atuabo Gas Project under NPP will cost $ 800 million but under John Mahamas NDC, the Atuabo Gas Project is costing $1.4 billion and still counting.

ROAD

Between 2005 and 2008, the Kuffour administration spent $1.2 billion to construct 4,400 kilometers of road while the NDC government spends $1.9 billion between 2009 and 2014 to construct only 740 kilometers of road (Daily Graphic Wednesday, December 23, 2015).

BUSES

Cost of New Metro Mass Buses inflated by 500% to give NDC campaign cash  The original cost of a bus is less than $50,000 but to government, it purchased one bus at the cost of $250,000 five times the cost of one bus. (The New Statesman, Wednesday December 16, 2015).

AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION

John Mahama and his NDC government blows 23 million on Kumasi Airport runway renovation.

Upgrading of Tamale Airport cost $100 million.

Constructing a new airport in the Volta region (Ho) cost $25 million.

Some checks conducted by citifmonline.com revealed that Ethiopia built three new Airports with $64 million (thus each costing $21.033 million).

COST OF SIX CLASSROOM BLOCKS

Under the NPP in 2008, the cost of a six classroom block was 60,000 (600 million old currency)..

In November 2009, a six classroom block for JHS, with an office, store,staffroom,toilets, and urinal was awarded at the cost of GHC72,812.00 at Awutu Senya District,Central Region.

Under President Mahama, the cost of six classroom block is between 450,000 and 500,000 (4.5 billion and 5 billion old currency respectively)in the same Awutu Senya District.

MTN foundation commission a six unit classroom block, with furniture, office, store and ICT centre at the Srafa Immuna Basic School in the Central Region at the cost of 180,000 (1.8 billion old currency).

CONSTRUCTION OF INTERCHANGE BY THE NDC

Kwame Nkrumah circle interchange = $100 million.

Additional Kwame Nkrumah interchange = $172 million (from Ghanaian Times enclave)

Ring road and Nkrumah Circle interchange roads = $170 million

Total cost of circle interchange and ring roads = $442 million.

Note; N1 highway which is 1401 kilometers from Tetteh Quarshie to Mallan junction, with two interchanges at Dimples junction and Mallam junction, 6 foot bridges, 13 bus bays, 23 minor junctions, 2 transport terminals, link roads like the GIMPA-Dzowulu junction road and over $12 million paid as compensation to individuals and firms whose properties were destroyed cost only $115 million.

KOSOA FLY OVER

To Prez John Mahama and the NDC, the Kasoa fly over cost $174 million and pays political risk insurance of $12 million. According to Crusaders for change, the Kasoa fly over should cost $30 million.

EMBRAER 190

According to Martin Amidu, the cost of embraer 190 was inflated by President John Mahama (then the vice President) to the extent that the Late President Mills established a committee to investigate it. The original cost of Embraer 190 for the Ghana Air Force was $28.5 million. After the purchasing agreement signed by the then VEEP John Mahama the cost moved to $88 million.

BY PAPARAZY ANDREWS ASAMOAH.

FORMER UG TESCON PRESIDENT 0249195426
President John Mahama

08.02.2016 LISTEN

It appears putative claims of unprecedented infrastructure development by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government have not taken away apprehension of imminent defeat among members of the governing party.

Anxiety about the chances of the NDC's retention of power continues to deepen with a call on President John Mahama to save the party's ship from sinking on November 7.

Former NDC student leader for the Akrokerri College of Education, Linus Njonolah, said the only way out is for the President to quickly dismiss government appointees whose display of vulgar opulence and ostentatious lifestyle was ruining the party's fortunes.

In an interaction with the media, Mr Njonolah said some Chief Executive Officers at the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies were the worst culprits.

They keep on sabotaging the government with their lukewarm attitude and ostentatious lifestyles that tend to court a bad name for the NDC, he stated, describing them as evil appointees.

He continued that the President was working hard to fulfil the government's promise to the people, but noted that his efforts might yield negative returns because the actions of some of the MMDCEs were not in sync with that of the leader.

Linus indicated that NDC had become unattractive to people in some districts as a result of bad behaviour on the part of the respective DCEs.

Their lifestyles portray the government as insensitive and smack of arrogance on their part. They must be sacked now, Mr Njonolah stated.

From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The Founding President of Youth Icons Ghana, Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa has urged corporate bodies to get involved in the consolidation of peace in Ghana ahead of the 2016 general elections.

Nana Yaw Osei-Darkwa made the appeal recently in an interview with DAILY GUIDE on the recent upsurge in violence globally.

He intimated that every well-meaning Ghanaian must help sustain peace in Ghana.

The single biggest resource that has made Ghana attractive to the business community of the world and become a safe haven for thousands of fellow Africans and expatriates is not the gold, crude oil or cocoa but rather the relative peace the country enjoys, he stated.

The peace advocate therefore charged corporate institutions in all sectors of the economy, especially the private sector to actively sustain peace in Ghana.

He claimed it seems that corporate institutions in Ghana are unaware of the huge influence and power they possess.

.

Today the private sector provides massive employment to millions of global citizens and the Ghanaian private sector is no exception. As we speak, the government of Ghana provides employment for an estimated 700,000 Ghanaians.

What this means is that the private sector collectively must be employing a chunk of the working population of the country. Apart from paying taxes to governments for the development of the nation, corporate Ghana is also providing food and shelter to millions of Ghanaian citizens. This critical role of the private sector naturally makes them crucial partners in development and as such must have direct interest in helping to consolidate peace.

Nana Osei-Darkwa said the tragic events in Mali, Kenya, Niger, Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa, France, US and most recently Burkina Faso must serve as a reminder to all about the fragility of peace.

These corporate bodies would sponsor everything but not peace education and promotion, he added.

[email protected]/[email protected]

BY Melvin Tarlue
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is poised to continue investment in various sectors of the economy to boost socio-economic development of the country.

SSNIT was established in 1972 to administer the social fund. The Trust, which adopted pension scheme from 1991, has provided monthly income to many pensioners.

The primary responsibility of SSNIT is to replace part of the lost income of workers in Ghana or their dependents in the event of statutory retirement, invalidity or death.

The Trust, which currently has over 150,000 pensioners and over 1.2 million contributors, has invested in many sectors of the economy.

SSNIT Investments

Some of the existing investments are in Fixed income  a portfolio of bonds (Corporate and Ghana Government), loan facilities and treasury placement; Equities  investment in both listed and unlisted companies; Real Estate  investment in landed property, project development and property management, and Alternative Investments  Including private equity and Economically Targeted Investments (ETI).

Equity Instruments And Stock Exchange

The Trust's equity instruments mainly consist of listed and unlisted companies. It is the largest single institutional investor on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) that is helping to nurture the development and sustenance of the capital market in Ghana.

SSNIT has investments in 22 of the 35 listed companies.

The Trust also has investments in the equities of some companies that are not listed on the GSE. It currently has shares in 39 of such unlisted companies across different sectors of the economy.

SSNIT has also invested in hotels that provide temporary accommodation, restaurant services and recreational facilities for businesses and clients.

They include Labadi Beach Hotel, the first Ghanaian 5 Star hotel, Golden Beach Hotels which comprises La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Elmina Beach Resort and Busia Beach Resort, Novotel Hotel and Ogua Hotel, which would be opened in Cape Coast soon.

Transport and Logistics

Additionally, SSNIT has invested in transport service companies such as the Mass Metro Transit Limited, which provides safe, reliable and affordable transport services to the lower income segment of the Ghanaian society and Trust Logistics Limited (TIL).

TLL operates a fleet of 40 trucks fairly spread between wet and dry cargo operations.

Real Estate

As far back as 1974, the Trust committed funds to real estate development.

The housing projects of SSNIT can be found in all 10 regions of Ghana.

The Trust has total residential housing units of over 7,168 across the country, with 96 percent sold to mostly salaried workers.

To support the justice delivery in Ghana, SSNIT funded the construction of the new ultramodern court complex and also provided loans to complete the state tower block popularly known as Job 600 which provides office accommodation for parliamentarians in Ghana.

Ongoing housing projects are; the affordable housing project at Borteyman-1,525, the affordable housing project at Asokore-Mampong, which when completed will provide 925 blocks comprising 1,125 flats, RSS Developers Klagon-1,688, RSS Developers, Sakumono (semi-detached)-42, SDL, Switchback road (mixed use)-446, Trust F-line Properties Limited, Sakumono-240 and the Dunkonah Housing Project, Dunkona-608.

Energy Sector

The Trust in 2010 decided to support government's efforts at providing adequate energy for industrial and domestic usage by investing in a power plant to diversify the investment portfolio, reduce risk and support the Ghanaian economy.

The Tema Cenit Thermal Power Project (TCTPP) is an electric power generation project being undertaken by Cenit Energy Limited (CEL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cenit Investment Limited (CIL), an investment company incorporated by the SSNIT to undertake investment in the energy sector.

The TCTPP generates 126 megawatts (MW) of electric power to the national grid.

The Trust Hospital

The Trust Hospital (TTH) was established by SSNIT in 1992 as a non-profit healthcare centre for SSNIT employees.

The facility was later upgraded into a hospital to extent its services to the public to support the national health delivery system.

The Trust Hospital was incorporated as a limited liability company in 2010, with 100 percent SSNIT ownership.

Private Equity

The Trust currently is committed to four Private Equity Funds including a local one, Fidelity Equity Fund II.

The other three funds, which are international, include ECP Africa Fund III, Pan Africa Infrastructural Fund (PAIDF) and Canada Investment Fund for Africa (CIFA).

According to the management of SSNIT, all these laudable investment initiatives are geared towards enhancing the lives of pensioners whose annual absolute growth is over 7,000.

SSNIT management is headed by the Director-General, Ernest Thompson and governed by a 13-member board of trustees chaired by Professor Joshua Alabi.
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The open secret that white people especially those from the so-called West do not respect people of black complexion irrespective of their pedigree is very much epitomized in the goings-on within the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in Den Haag, The Netherlands presently. Since time immemorial, white people, as ever the wealth-pursuing class they are, have always ventured into Africa and other parts of the World all in search of wealth and resources their lands do not possess.

Today as we speak many centuries down the line, the greed and exploitation of whites have birthed groups of people all over the World who do not have an inkling as to their true atomic origins. Typical examples of such classes are African-Americans, the CaribbeanJamaica, Haiti, Barbados, Montserrat, Trinidad & Tobago etc.  and even Surinam on the South America mainland.

What actually gave rise to these classes and countries was that after the shameful episodic Slave Trade, these white masters dumped the ancestors of their slaves in these God-forsaken places so that they would not be a part of the very countries they used their ancestors under very harsh conditions to build. The landmark examples of the selfishness of the white race when they have to deal with blacks are inexhaustible.

Presently as we speak, the former Ivorian leader, Laurent Gbagbo, who was forcibly shipped to Den Haag in 2012, is standing trial for allegedly masterminding the murder of civilians after the disputed Ivorian elections of November 2010. The irony of this whole episode is that the present Ivorian leader, Alasane Ouatarra, whose Ivorian citizenship Gbagbo and his camp contested, was used as the pawn to haunt Laurent Gbagbo down.

Do not forget, this write-up is not to hold brief for Gbagbo that he did not commit any offense after the disputed elections. His supporters and government did and so did Ouatarra and the rebel supporters. So why single out Gbagbo alone for blame? Are we all not witnesses to the invasion of a sovereign country such as Iraq, by George W. Bush and Tony Blair using unsustainable reasons? Why are these two war-mongers still walking free and enjoying their retirements without the ICC making any efforts to indict them? The answer is not far-fetched in Gbagbos case.

I guess there is one particular thing about the West that most people have not seen. The fact is that, any time especially an African leader makes a major attempt to divorce the troubled continent from the umbilical cord of the West, unsustainable reasons are invented to invade that individuals country and at worst kill him. I can assure you, aside the war charges leveled against Gbagbo, there is the underlying proof that the West led by France did everything to remove him from power because he sought to set up the Ivorian Central Bank in Abidjan.

If you care to know, since colonial days to this day, these French-speaking African countries have their central banks based in Paris and each year they pay a dividend to the French government just like that. Thus when Gbagbo decided that enough was enough, as ever, reasons were invented to remove him from power. The same scenario applies to the late legendary Col. Al-Quathafi.

Although a man with many unbelievable atrocities to his name, the late Col. was a man who dearly loved his continent. Just prior to his death, Bro. Al-Quathafi had sought the total unification of the African continent on a model just like the USA. Realizing the potential of Bro. Al-Quathafis proposal and the irrepressible giant Africa would become should that dream materialize, the West quickly masterminded the imbroglio that is Libya now and used that as an excuse to invade that giant country and eventually murdered the last hope for the tottering continent of Africa. Also one unique fact about these Western invasions is that always they refuse to restore sanity to all these countries they invade and quickly pack bag and baggage and leave.

This is Western double standards for you there! The same scenario applies especially to Iraq. For all the years that he dictated to his people by committing highly-inhuman atrocities without a doubt, Iraq was at peace with herself and the ordinary masses went about their daily activities peacefully. Enter the vainglorious 43rd President of the USA, George W. Bush, and Iraq became his sole target of leaving his name in the villainous sands of time, all in a bid to complete what his dad, the 41st President, George H. W. Bush could not complete, i.e., kill Saddam Hussein, after he failed in that effort when he embarked on the rescue of tiny Kuwait from the claws of Saddam Hussein who had annexed it as Iraqs 18th province following the August 2nd 1990 invasion of that minuscule emirate.

But as always, one needs an excuse to embark on such missions from the law-makers in rule-of-law compliant America. Thus the 9/11 episode was such a fertile ground for the junior Bush to attain his long-nursed wish. However, at the end of it all, we all saw that there were no weapons of mass destruction Mr. Bush used as the bargaining chip with the American Senate and Congress to extract permission for his wasteful mission.

Today because of the pomposity of one man called Mr. Bush and his surprisingly yea yea Lieutenant Tony Blair; the whole World is paying the price of that invasion of Iraq. Out of the mess they left behind, we now have ISIS, who are disturbing all in their immediate neighborhood and the whole World at large with their fundamentalist doctrines! So how justifiable is it to leave these two men, George W. Bush and Tony Blair to go scot-free whilst seeking to incarcerate someone like Gbagbo just as they have already done to Charles Taylor of Liberia? We remain resolved to expose the hypocrisy of the West as always.

P. OKAE

ADENTAN-ACCRA
Our elders say the toad does not run in broad daylight unless something is after its life. In the same way, if you find Ghanaians filling the venue of an event earlier than the scheduled time, then you must be sure it is an issue of life and death. That was what happened last Friday when the Black Star Square in Accra started filling up about 12 hours to the start of the programme.

The Nigerian preacher and founder of the Believers' Loveworld Incorporated (also known as Christ Embassy), Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, was in town. He was in Ghana for his crusade dubbed The Night of Bliss.

The Black Star Square was full many hours before the crusade that night

For many city dwellers, however, the day before that night was anything but blissful. Some major streets near the venue of the crusade were closed to traffic. The police said the closure of the streets was to help provide security for the tens of thousands who came from all over the country and some West African countries. They came to receive miracles.

Some came in wheel chairs, hoping to walk back home. Others came to have their sights restored. Apart from the few who came with physical disabilities or illnesses, majority of the people who went to the Black Star Square in search of miracles looked very healthy. And did all the miracle seekers receive their healing? The answer is, predictably, no.

There is no guarantee that everybody who goes to see a pastor will be healed. A few are often healed and displayed on TV. The rest find their way back home, only to wait and hope that another wonder-working Man of God will show up.

So I have a suggestion for those cripples who were not healed by Pastor Chris. They should head to the Flagstaff House. Sometimes we need the politician, not the pastor!. About 90% of those who did not receive their healing from Pastor Chris can get their miracles at the Flagstaff House. President John Dramani Mahama can heal them without having to fast or pray or do any spiritual gymnastics. They simply do not need any miracles. They need money. They need a decent source of livelihood. Majority of them need human solutions to their basic problems.

The truth about some of the tens of thousands of Christians who often run after miracles is that they do not need miracles. If you went to a hospital ward and gave all the patients on admission GHc2000 each, more than half of them would be discharged that same day. The cripples who wanted miracles from Pastor Chris were not only those with physical disability. They are not people who are mentally or spiritually crippled.

They are able-bodied people who are crippled by poverty. They are energetic men and women crippled by illiteracy and ignorance. They are crippled by despair and hopelessness. They are crippled by unemployment. They are healthy and productive citizens who are crippled by the lack of opportunities to live dignified lives. They are crippled because of years of greed and mismanagement of our resources.

Bad leadership, corruption and greed have conspired to create an atmosphere of desperation. What is normal elsewhere seems miraculous in Africa. What everyone is entitled to in the normal scheme of things is now seen as inconceivable without the help of some supernatural powers. Getting a job is a miracle. Getting healed from a curable disease is a miracle. Getting admission into a decent school is a miracle. Getting a visa to escape from the land of our birth is a miracle. Getting money for a surgery to restore one's sight is a miracle. Becoming pregnant is a miracle. Safe delivery is a miracle. Everything is a miracle.

If anybody had gone to the Black Star Square on Friday and given each of the people there a $1000, about 90% of them would not wait to see Pastor Chris mount the podium. It is mostly a poverty problem. Here is an example:

Ghanaians praying for the nation

Last year, a woman who could not see was brought to Joy FM. Her name is Afia Fugar. Last week, Afia Fugar was in the studio of Joy FM. This time, she could tell the exact colours of Lexis Bill's jacket, shirt, tie and everything he wore. Had this woman met a prophet or seen a miracle-working Man of God?

No!

Then how is she now able to see?

Joy FM had helped to raise money to take her to South Africa for a surgery. Even though she is yet to undergo the final part of the surgical procedure she can see. It happened without the laying of hands and rolling on the ground.

Don't get me wrong. I am a Christian. I believe in the power of God. I believe in miracles. But not all the things we call miracles are really miracles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a miracle as an unusual or wonderful event that is believed to be caused by the power of God.

Take, for instance, the story of this nine-year old Iraqi boy named Saleh. On October 18, 2003, seven months after U.S. forces invaded Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Saleh was returning from school with his 16-year-old brother Dia when he picked an unexploded bomb. Before his brother could take it from him and throw it away, the bomb exploded. Here is how the award-winning journalist with the San Francisco Chronicle, Meredith May, described the scene when the boys' father met them:

Lying sprawled on his back, Saleh was motionless, his belly torn open. His right hand was gone, and only a thumb and an inch of his middle finger remained on his left. Blood poured from his eyes. A piece of shrapnel the size of a quarter had torn through his left eye and lodged in his brain behind his right eye.

Saleh in his hospital bed in 2004. Photo credit: Michael Macor / The San Francisco Chronicle

The boys' father, 35-year-old Raheem thought Saleh was dead so he ignored him. Saleh's elder brother was still speaking: There's nothing wrong with me, he told his father. His father took him and headed for the hospital. He could not survive.

Just after Raheem had taken a dying Dia to the hospital, Hadia [their mother] had arrived at the blast scene to find Saleh on the ground. Realizing that her son was alive, she put Saleh's intestines back in his abdomen and held his body together with her skirt, Merdith May reported in 2004.

At one point in the story, when the American military doctors met to consider the next surgery to conduct on the boy, they simply did not know what to do so they formed a circle around him and started to pray. The boy's refusal to die contradicted anything they had learnt or heard in their years medical practice. Saleh's situation can be described as a miracle. But he survived.

In June 2015, Saleh graduated from Oakland High School in the United States.

Saleh Khalaf and father Raheem smile after Wednesday's graduation ceremonies in Oakland. Photo: Michael Macor / San Francisco Chronicle

Unlike Saleh, 21-year-old Abigail Owusu Diko, was not lucky. The final year student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology had a tumour in the neck and appeared healthy when she walked to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital with her father. Doctors said she needed to undergo surgery or else she would die. The doctors had the capacity to undertake the surgery, but there were no facilities. There was no space at the recovery ward which had only four beds and one patient can be there up to six months. And there's only one such facility in Ghana.

Kweku Owusu Diko, Abigail's father, watched his daughter's situation deteriorate. She even picked infections at the hospital. And died while waiting for her turn to have the surgery.

The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital is today closing three surgical clinics. Like Abigail, Rev. John Konde, who has a brain tumour and needs surgery, is waiting to die.

I am deteriorating. I know my body, I can see that I am deteriorating, he told Joy News' Kwetey Nartey. Only a miracle can save Rev. Konde. If you find him in church, it isn't because human beings cannot solve his problem. God has given wisdom to the surgeons in Korle-Bu to save people like Rev. Konde and Abigail. But because of greed, we have messed up our systems and we are dying.

Many of the problems we take to church do not merit the supernatural attention. Their solutions do not lie in miracles. God has given man the ability to solve some of our problems. That is why he did not put sand in our skulls. If God wanted to do everything for us, he would have probably filled our heads with pure water or cow dung. He would not have wasted so much time manufacturing that complex matter called brain.

Such desperations have created an industry of despots who exploit the gullibility and the vulnerability of the poor masses. The Bible calls them false prophets. But the President of Kenya, Ururu Kenyatta, calls them thieves. He has called for the regulation of churches. Back here in Ghana, anytime a nauseating video of Bishop Obinim or any of his likes pops up, people call on authorities to do something about the so-called men of God.

There are two ways to deal with this problem. Firstly, miracle-seeking Christians should know that not all our problems must be solved by God. Some problems need human solutions because God has empowered us to do that. Sometimes we only need to think. You don't pray to God for a husband or a wife without doing anything about your behaviour which is so repulsive that even God will find it difficult to stand you. Let's use our brains sometimes.

The second solution is to deal with the desperation that renders people powerless and sometimes thoughtless. Sometimes, it's the politician we need, not the pastor. We only resort to the latter when the former fails. If you find Rev. Konde, for instance, at a ridiculous prayer camp, the reason is not that he is stupid. He has no option.

My plea, therefore, to President Uhuru Kenyatta and other African leaders, including my own President Mahama, is simple: Africans have lost our sense of pride and dignity as a people. We are behaving like a drowning man, who will clutch on to anything, including a broken straw. Until you are able to stop the stealing of what belongs to us all we the people will continue to suffer. And your people  the African people  shall continue to be the laughing stock of the world.

And we shall continue to die miserably. We the ordinary people. Of the blessed but accursed continent called Africa.

The Writer, Manasseh Azure Awuni, is a senior broadcast journalist with Joy 99.7FM. His email address is azure[email protected] .
Juba (AFP) - At least 40,000 people are being starved to death in South Sudan war zones on the brink of famine, the United Nations said Monday, in a plea to rival forces to let aid in.

The figures released in a UN report describe some of the worst conditions yet in more than two years of a civil war marked by atrocities and accusations of war crimes, including the blockading of food supplies.

Conditions are "escalating", the UN said, with already over 2.8 million people needing aid, almost a quarter of the country.

"Nearly 25 percent of the country's population remain in urgent need of food assistance, and at least 40,000 people are on the brink of catastrophe," the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN children's agency UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a joint statement.

"Families have been doing everything they can to survive, but they are now running out of options," said UNICEF country chief Jonathan Veitch.

"Many of the areas where the needs are greatest are out of reach because of the security situation. It is crucial that we are given unrestricted access now."

The warning comes three months after the last UN-backed specialised hunger assessment, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report.

That October report warned of a "concrete risk of famine" without aid.

There has been no let up in the conflict and while some food has been delivered, civilians report dire conditions.

The army and rebels have repeatedly accused each other of breaking an internationally brokered August ceasefire.

The IPC lists famine as a technical measure, which classifies hunger on a scale of one to five. Level five is classified as "catastrophe", and when stretched to 20 percent of the population, becomes famine.

A year ago famine was averted only after a huge intervention by aid agencies.

Those worst affected are in the northern battleground state of Unity, once the country's key oil producing region, but now scene of some of the heaviest fighting, including the mass abduction and rape of women and children. The counties of Mayendit, Koch, Leer and Guit are hardest hit.

The UN said conditions are "particularly worrisome" because they show an increase in hunger during the post-harvest period, when people should have the most food, warning that the hunger season will start earlier and last longer than normal.
The audience at the function. INSET is Dr Bawumia

08.02.2016 LISTEN



Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, vice presidential candidate of the NPP, has cautioned Ghanaian Muslims to be on guard against extremists and their influence, and appealed to the Muslim community to shun all divisions and continue to co-exist peacefully with the majority Christian population as it is the only way to guarantee the stability of the nation.

These comments were contained in a lecture titled: 'Islam In The 21st Century: The Role of Muslim Youth In Combating Extremism & Radicalism For Political Stability', delivered at the 9th annual congress of the Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA) of the University of Development Studies (UDS) on Friday.

As young people, we ought to guard against the evils of exclusivism. It is important that we realise that if Allah so desired He would have made all of us one people. But as He states in the Qur'an, He allows us to wallow in our differences, which He shall settle on the Day of Judgment.

There shall be no compulsion in religion so states the Qur'an. Let us therefore respect one another's views on matters of religion. Intolerance in matters of religion is what breeds extremism and radicalism, which triggers political instability, he said.

.

Touching on the relationship between faiths, Alhaji Dr Bawumia explained that radicalism and extremism are the products of exclusivism and intolerance.

In Ghana especially, the majority of the people live by the Christian faith. There cannot be peace and stability in Ghana except us, as Muslims co-exist peacefully with our Christian brothers and sisters. What feeds extremism and radicalism is the idea that there is only one way to God. While we are entitled to believe in the rightness of our way, we cannot seek to annihilate views that are opposite to ours. Radicalism and extremism are the products of exclusivism and intolerance, he pointed out.

The NPP running mate, delivering what was subsequently described as a well-researched scholarly Islamic piece by other speakers, explained that Islam itself is very tolerant of Christianity and pointed to various examples in the Qu'ran to make this point.

Islam itself is very tolerant of Christianity. The first wave of Muslim migration to escape the persecution of the Makkans who opposed the nascent religion of Islam, was to Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia). At that time the Prophet advised his followers to migrate to Abyssinia because a Christian King rules.

When the Makkans sent a delegation to appeal to the Negus of Abyssinia to extradite the Muslims and when the Muslims were called upon to say why they should not be extradited, their spokesperson, Jafar bin Abu Talib, quoted copiously from the 19th chapter of the Qur'an as his defense. The 19th chapter of the Qur'an is called the chapter of Mary (Suratul Maryam). Indeed Mary is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur'an and the chapter acknowledges the prophet-hood of Jesus, his special relationship with God, including the fact that he spoke from his cradle in defense of his mother when sections of her people thought that she had engaged in adultery; an incident that is not even mentioned in the Bible.
Billings Public Schools graduation rates dipped last year, even as the statewide rate improved. One year is not a trend, but it is a concern. The states largest school district has improved graduation rates and lowered dropout rates significantly over the past five years, helping to improve the statewide results.

However, Billings lagged behind all other Class AA districts in graduation rates for the class of 2015. Missoula County High Schools led the pack by graduating 89.2 percent of the group of students who started with the class of 2015. In Billings, the graduation rate was 82.1 percent.

What difference would 7.1 percentage points make? If Billings had the same graduation rate as Missoula last year, 94 fewer students would have dropped out. The number of Billings dropouts from that class group would have been reduced by nearly half.

Billings is, by far, the largest high school district in the state. Last year, it graduated 1,092 students, compared with only 778 in Missoula, 651 at Kalispell, 639 in Great Falls, 627 in Helena, 421 in Bozeman and 292 in Butte, according to the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

Yet Billings success in supporting so many graduations is tempered by the statistics for those who didnt make it. To improve its graduation rate, Billings community and school leaders ought to look carefully at Missoulas remarkable progress. Graduation Matters Missoula was launched in 2010 as a community program with the call: We can all make a difference in students lives.

The focus is on four areas:

Improve attendance.

Engage families and community.

Enhance student wellness.

Increase kindergarten readiness.

Its about trying to create a culture thats accepting of all students, said Trevor Laboski, executive regional director for Missoula schools. We really believe that all students can graduate, regardless of circumstances or ability.

Graduation Matters Missoula is led by community businesses and nonprofit organizations that partner with the school district. It received major support from the Phyllis J. Washington School of Education at the University of Montana.

The Graduation Matters Missoula executive board meets monthly and is chaired by Susan Hay Patrick, CEO of Missoula United Way. Subcommittees meet more often. Along with United Way, the county health department is a major partner in promoting student wellness.

Community partnerships are essential, Laboski said in a telephone interview last week with The Gazette. The Graduation Matters Missoula umbrella has grown tremendously. Almost everything we do ties back to it.

The Missoula organization inspired Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau to launch Graduation Matters Montana, which is working in 53 Montana communities, including Billings.

In a discussion last week with The Gazette, Billings high school principals expressed interest in learning more about what Missoula is doing. They must have that opportunity.

Its time for Billings to beg, borrow and steal good graduation ideas from its neighbors. Billings has more students, so success will depend on involving more people in schools, more local businesses and other community volunteers.

If Missoula can do it, so can Billings. Lets cut the dropout rate by half. Lets work with the schools to have more students ready for careers and post-secondary learning.
08.02.2016 LISTEN

Information intercepted by the Punch reveals that the Ghana Revenue Authority [GRA] are threatening to shut down all revenue collection avenues across the country if the Finance Minister fails to reverse a move which will see the GRA as a subvented organization instead of the retention.

A deep throat told our reporter that workers of GRA are angry because the Finance Ministry under the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information Systems [GIFMIS] is trying to stop the about 3 percent of the total monthly revenues of the GRA which is normally accredited to GRA's account for the day to day running of the Authority.

Our closed source [name put on ice], said this distorted field operational activities which indeed, revenue for the month of December 2015 fell below expectation as a result of just two weeks of implementation of the Ministers directives.

It added that the letter from the Finance ministry to the GRA has sparked huge anger among workers of GRA who are also threatening to stage a nationwide strike if Finance Minister Seth Terkper refuses to rescind his decision.

The letter from Finance Minister indicated that there should be "discontinuation of monthly releases for compensation to retention agencies.

This directive, according to the workers, means the Minister for Finance is treating the GRA as a subvented organisation which is against the law.

In the minister's letter, he also directed that GRA must take its payroll to the Controller and Accountant Generals Department for payment of all monthly salaries.

But the workers argued that they have nothing to do with Controller and Accountants Generals Department and wants a reversal of these directives by close of 6th January 2016.

Reactions by National Executives of Labour Unions

A meeting was conveyed at the GRA Boardroom on 12th January, 2016 between the Ghana Revenue Authority Public Service Workers Union of Trade Union Congress [GRA PSWU] and the Ghana Revenue Authority Workers Union of TUC [GRAWU] and top management of GRA to the Finance Minister Seth Terkper to prevent those directives from being implemented by the Finance Minister.

In a counter-reaction sighted by Punch, the organised labour indicated that the directives from the minister are "unacceptable and unprogressive to revenue maximization".

A copy of the letter noted that, the path this directive is taking us is not new to us.

According to letter, we have been there before and it neither grew revenue nor motivated Staff.

It added that the current Automatic Transfer Model did not only enable the Authority achieve its targets for four consecutive years and also grew revenue by 86percent but also ensured timely availability of funds for the Authoritys operational activities.

The letter added that indeed their slogan as GRA staff has been, Collect more and Get more.

Challenges of the old system

During the warrant system years back, the letter however noted that they queued for the release of their retention from the Controller and Accountant Generals Department [CAGD].

According to the letter, the warrant system delayed payment of salaries and operational expenses to offices and stations across the country.

The organised labour expressed that the warrant system also limited customs preventive patrol on our numerous borders.

Staff suffered during this regime and a their arguments were strongly put forward during the era of the former Minister for Finance and Economic Planning Dr. Kwabena Duffour which gave way for the adoption of the current Automatic Transfer Model.

Strong demands by workers

The organised labour is demanding that no action should be taken to distort the status quo on their retention.

They added that the 3percent upper limit as enshrined in Article 21 (2) of the GRA Act and currently in place should be left untouched.

According to the organised labour, GRA is not a subvented organisation but an Authority on retention backed by law.

They added that Article 21 (3) of GRA Act 791 indicates the modes of paying salaries through the retention and the Authority has never abused these positions.

Therefore, staff of the Authority never complained of challenges on the payroll nor its abuse.

They have always operated under the annual budgets and provisions of the ministry of Finance, they stated.

Our contemporaries i.e. Bank of Ghana [BoG], Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Volta River Authority and GRIDco have not be considered as subvented organisations, why GRA?

A 72 hour ultimatum given to the minister to reverse these directives expired on 14th January and the paper has gathered that the union workers are planning to take very drastic measures to prevent those directives from being implemented including embarking on a strike.
Former Kumasi Asante Kotoko attacker Ahmed Simba Toure has thrown a scathing jab at Hon. Kennedy Agyapong calling him a senseless man with little brain.

Toure is also keen with an uncompromised stance of taking Hon. Ken Agyapong to court for defamation, he disclosed to Happy FM.

According to the Ivorian Born Burkinabe international, the maverick politicians claim that he Toure has infested Afia Schwarzenegger with HIV is untrue and a blatant attempt to destroy his image hence his decision to table the matter before court.

I can say he is senseless because he is an elderly man with little brains. Its unfortunate that a man of Ken Agyapongs caliber will make such unfounded and scathing allegations against me. I dont even know Afia Schwarzenegger physically. I have never had anything to do with her whatsoever. I have to take the matter to court to seek damages and to clear my name and hard won reputation. I have never been diagnosed of HIV and I even sent you some of my medical report when the news broke out initially. I have a wife and a son who are both not HIV positive so how can you label me as having contracted the virus. He has to come to court to prove it. Ahmed Toure told Happy FM.

Ahmed Toure was roped into a banter between Radio personality Afia Schwarzenegger and Hon. Kennedy Agyapong with the later accusing the former of having contracted the deadly virus through the former Kotoko lynchpin.

By: HappyGhana.com/ Isaac Asempah
Dakar (AFP) - Chad's ex-dictator Hissene Habre had the "power of life and death" over his people, a lawyer for victims of atrocities carried out during his 1980s reign said Monday at his war crimes trial in Senegal.

Habre who was president of the semi-desert central African country from 1982-1990, is charged with war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture -- the first time a despot from one African country has been called to account by another.

The 73-year-old went on trial last July.

On Monday, lawyers representing victims began presenting their closing arguments to the Extraordinary African Chambers, a special court established in Dakar by the African Union under an agreement with Senegal.

"The testimony is unanimous. No-one could do anything without taking it up with the President of the Republic," lawyer Yare Fall said, summarising the accounts provided by scores of witnesses, who described the horror of life in Chad's prisons during his watch.

Once backed by France and the US as a bulwark against Libya's Moamer Kadhafi, Habre was toppled in 1990 and went into exile in Senegal, where he was arrested in June 2013.

An investigating commission found that well over 40,000 people were killed during his rule, which was marked by fierce repression of his opponents and the targeting of rival ethnic groups.

Among the torture described by former prisoners was the "Arbatachar," in which all four limbs were tied behind the victim's back, causing agonising pain and sometimes paralysis.

"People sang about Hissene Habre here, Hissene Habre there, Hissene Habre everwhere. It was he who freed people and he who had them executed," Fall said.

Not only did Habre "not take the necessary measures to prevent crimes being committed" against civilians, he also failed to punish them when they came to light, Fall continued, declaring: "He had the power of life and death over the people of Chad."

Habre, who was ousted by Chad's current President Idriss Deby Itno, has refused to address the court whose authority he does not recognise.

After being manhandled into the opening trial session at which he shouted angry defiance, the bespectacled Habre has sat dressed in white, his face partially covered by a traditional white turban.

He was watched proceedings silent and impassive and immobile, save for the occasional swish of a foot.

- Gestapo-style repression-

Another lawyer representing the victims, Philippe Houssine, said: "Habre put in place for his exclusive use an army and service of repression," in the shape of the feared Directorate of Documentation and Security (DDS), his political police.

"At his initiative, the DDS, created as an organ of counter-espionage, was transformed into a machine of repression."

For another lawyer, Laminal Ndintamadji, said the whole nation suffered under Habre.

"The all-powerful DDS was like the Gestapo. Every family in Chad lost someone, everyone suffered from this horror," Ndintamadji said.

She urged the court's Burkinabe president Gberdao Gustave Kam: "This is a decimated people -- you have a duty to give them justice."

The 15 plaintiffs' lawyers are expected to finish presenting their closing arguments Tuesday, after which the prosecution and the defendant's court-appointed lawyers will have the floor.

The court is expected to return its verdict in late May, court spokesman Marcel Mendy.

Habre could be sentenced to life imprisonment with forced labour.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said last month he welcomed the Habre trial as evidence of "the surge in accountability mechanisms" which he saw as "a sea change in ending impunity for atrocious crimes.
Tailored BBC news content for the smartphone and social media generation is now available with the new African-designed pilot: BBC Drop, which can be tried from today - here [BBC.com/drop].

This responsive website is the result of a unique collaboration between digital innovators in Kenya and the BBC. BBC Drop is specially created to work well on smartphones and was designed in Nairobi last year. The idea was born out of a development studio (aka 'hackathon') held by the BBC World Service and BBC digital innovations team, Connected Studio . Teams of African tech experts were invited to think of new ways to reach young Africans through social and digital media ( details here ) and this selected idea can now be tried and rated by the potential audience themselves on the BBC Taster site.

Dmitry Shishkin, Digital Development Editor for BBC World Service, adds: This latest innovation highlights the BBCs strong commitment to serving young digital audiences in Africa  both editorially and technically. Digital revolution in Africa offers media companies great opportunities to grow the reach of their journalism and I am very happy that an African tech start-up is playing a key role in it.

How does it work?

BBC Drop asks the user for a few favourite topics, or social media preferences, and then continues to learn what they like and dislike from what they swipe on screen. There is also the option of an even more personal news feed which incorporates the users own social feeds. The end result is users getting to see content specifically tailored to them and the stuff they are not interested in being filtered out.

What is the best thing about BBC Drop?

It has a vibrant easy-to-use design and has been successfully user-tested in several African countries. The ability to swipe away anything you want to ignore makes it the perfect way to access BBC news for the smart-phone generation.

Who made it?

A Kenyan start-up called Ongair who develop products that make it easier for companies to engage their audiences on instant messaging platforms.

Technical stuff:

The BBC Drop pilot is available on BBC Taster and can be tried out and rated for the next 3 months. It works well on all screens and devices. The site collects news content from across the BBC. The aggregation and tagging is made possible using BBC Juicer , a tool created by BBC News Labs, which takes in news sources from across the globe and automatically tags specific topics.

The launch of the BBC Drop pilot continues the BBCs investment in digital innovation across Africa and it follows hot on the heels of another successful African designed digital pilot: BBC Minute CatchUp . This useful news catch-up tool pilot was designed by a South African team of young innovators and has been viewed over 290,000 times since its own pilot began in Nov 2015.

Further highlights have included the launch of the Africa edition of the bbc.com website and the Africa live page on the BBC News website. Both of these have provided African internet users on the continent and in diaspora communities with dedicated digital spaces where they can find more African news stories and features. In addition, the BBC continues to focus on Africas massive online audience via many social media outlets, creating clickable and shareable content delivered by the BBCs reporters across Africa.

The BBC Connected Studio team were in Nigeria at the start of this month, searching for new innovative ideas to reach young digital audiences across the country with the potential to scale across the continent of Africa and beyond. The team were in Lagos to launch the challenge and to inform digital companies and teams across Nigeria on how they can get involved and submit ideas. The BBC is looking to engage with younger audiences and grow their digital reach through mobile phones which are rapidly becoming the main source of consuming news across Africa.

BBC Connected Studio is the initiative tasked with driving digital innovation across the BBC and collaborating with the digital industry to do this. Digital companies in Nigeria can find out more and get involved using this site:http://www.bbc.co.uk/connectedstudio/projects/growing-mobile-audiences-nigeria.

The call for idea submissions is open until midnight on 15 February 2016. Ideas will be selected for a funded pilot based on success criteria set out in the invitation to tender document (found via link above).
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The Burmese parliament has announced it will begin electing a new president on 17 March.

The delay comes amid a transition of power from the military-controlled government to the party of former political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi.

No official reason has been given, but it has fuelled speculation that Ms Suu Kyi is in talks over taking the job.

She is currently barred from the presidency because her two sons have foreign passports.

Ms Suu Kyis plan appears to be to sidestep the clause that bars her from the presidency by getting her MPs to temporarily suspend it, says the BBCs Jonah Fisher in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.

She has reportedly been negotiating the issue with military chief General Min Aung Hlaing. The clause can be legally scrapped only through a 75%-plus-one vote in parliament.

The military holds 25% of seats in parliament  all unelected  which means Ms Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) party cannot scrap the clause on its own.

But the clause can be suspended by a simple majority  although any such move could be challenged as both illegal and unconstitutional, our correspondent says.

Under the constitution, the upper house, lower house and the military will have to select one candidate each for president and for the two vice-presidents.

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Given that the NLD has a majority in both houses, it is certain to get the presidents post and one of the vice-presidential positions.

A new president does not have to be in place before April, but the process of choosing outgoing President Thein Seins successor was expected to begin after the new parliament convened a week ago. Too early

The NLD won a landslide victory in the November general elections. But Ms Suu Kyi has been blocked from the presidency by the Constitutions Article 59 (f), which says anyone with a foreign spouse or children cannot hold the executive office.

Ms Suu Kyis late husband was British, as are her two sons.

In separate but identical broadcasts late on Sunday, Sky Net and Myanmar National Television, both pro-government, said positive results could come out on the negotiation for the suspension of the constitution Article 59 (f).

I think everything will be fine, Kyaw Htwe, a senior member of the NLD, told The Associated Press. The negotiations will be positive for our leader Aung San Suu Kyi to become president.

But Yan Myo Thein, a political analyst, advised caution.

He said: It is still too early to confirm that Ms Suu Kyi will be among the presidential candidates. Even the suspension and the constitutional amendment will take time.

Myanmar was ruled with an iron fist by a military junta for 50 years, until the military stood back in 2010 to allow a quasi-civilian government to take over.

-bbc


The National Security Secretariat moved to calm nerves on Monday after reports emerged in a section of the media that an Islamic scholar with alleged terrorism links had been preaching in the country.

Reports that Ghana is hosting Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, who has been banned from entering several countries, including the UK, US and Kenya, provoked a firestorm of controversy and consternation among some Ghanaians.

On social media, news of Dr Philips arrival in Ghana drew condemnation from some users, who expressed fear that the Canadian citizen could incite Ghanaian Muslims to violence.

But in an interview with GraphicOnline, the National Security Coordinator, Yaw Donkor, called for calm, stressing that Dr Philips did not pose any threat to Ghanaians.

Mr Donkor said those raising red flags were only doing so on the basis of the man's history, adding: "There is no cause for alarm."

He said his outfit had evaluated Dr Philip's background and had determined that there was no basis to decline his request for a visa.

Mr Donkor said: 'If the one who sponsored him comes to ask us 'why are you refusing him Visa', what are we going to tell him? Are we going to tell him that because Czechoslovakia deported him, we don't want him to come to Ghana or because Germany says that the man has written a book that is talking about anti-Semitism, we don't want him to come [to Ghana]. How can you use that reason to refuse a visa to a sovereign country?'

Emphasising that the public outcry that has trailed Dr Philips' arrival in Ghana was unwarranted, Mr Donkor said the Islamic preacher was being surveilled by security agents, and had, so far, not said anything inflammatory or engaged in any diabolical activity in Ghana.

'So, as far as I'm concerned, since he entered this country, he hasn't said anything that requires me to take any action against him,' he said.

According to the National Security Coordinator, since Christian preachers had been allowed to visit Ghana and speak freely, it would have been unfair and dangerous to have prevented Dr Philips from doing same.

'We should be careful. He is not here on his own. Thirty per cent of this country are listening to him or they think he came because of them. If you have no reason to throw him out, you are going to create a problem by your own action. So we should watch it that way,' he said.

Controversy

Dr Philip's books and teachings have been controversial, with countries like the UK accusing him of 'condoning suicide bombings' and 'rape'.

GraphicOnline checks indicate that:

Dr Philips was named by the US government as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing.

In 2007, he was banned from entering Australia on the advice of national security agencies.

In 2010 he was banned from entering the UK by home secretary Theresa May for holding "extremist views".

In April 2011, Dr Philips was banned from re-entering Germany as persona non grata.

In 2012, he was banned from entering Kenya over possible terror links.

In June 2014, the Bangladeshi intelligence service ordered Dr Phillips, who had gone to the country to give lectures, to leave the country.

In September 2014, Philips was arrested in the Philippines for 'inciting and recruiting people to conduct terrorist activities'.

Denial

Dr Philips has, however, denied either having connections to terrorists or inciting people to terrorism.

In a letter he wrote while in detention in the Philippines and published on muslimmatters.org, he accused the Western countries, especially the US, of demonising him and portraying him as evil.

The preacher said in all the countries where he had been banned, including the US, no evidence had been produced to prove that he was linked to terrorists or that he promoted terrorism.

He said his messages, which he described as peaceful, rather sought to eliminate extremist ideas among Muslims.

Follow @SamuelObour
Embattled High Court judge Paul Dery has filed a formal complaint to President John Dramani Mahama challenging the existence of Tiger Eye PI, which petitioned the Flagstaff House to impeach him.

Dery is among 32 judges who were allegedly caught on video taking bribe to compromise cases before. Two high court judges and 21 lower court judges have all been sacked over the case.

Derys complaint to Mahama said: Your Excellency, our client has caused us to file various searches at the relevant statutory institutions to determine the identity of the petitioner, Tiger Eye PI. We must state at this point that the revelations from the searches appear to show that there is no company in Ghana by the name Tiger Eye PI and we would proceed to demonstrate same by taking the search reports one after the other.

Dery, who failed in his bid to stop a five-member body from probing him over the matter, added: Your Excellency, we have our clients instructions to request that you cause an investigation to be conducted into the true identity of the petitioner since from the evidence adduced herein, the petitioner Tiger Eye PI who purported to file a petition with your office is non-existent.

Below is the full complaint of Justice Dery:

8th February, 2016

THE PRESIDENT OF THE

REPUBLIC OF GHANA

FLAGSTAFF HOUSE

ACCRA

Dear Sir,

RE: PETITION OF TIGER EYE PI FOR THE REMOVAL OF JUSTICE PAUL UUTER DERY  A FORMAL COMPLAINT

1. Your Excellency, we have the instructions of our client Justice Paul Uuter Dery to file this formal complaint to you for your necessary action.

2. Your Excellency, sometime in September, 2015, our client was summoned to the office of Her Ladyship the Chief Justice where a letter was handed over to him. Upon perusal of the said letter, our client realized that a company by name Tiger Eye PI had petitioned you for his removal from office as a Justice of the Superior Court pursuant to Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution. The letter further indicated that you had forwarded the said petition to Her Ladyship the Chief Justice to determine whether or not there is a prima facie case against our client pursuant to Article 146(3) of the 1992 Constitution.

3. Your Excellency, our client has caused us to file various searches at the relevant statutory institutions to determine the identity of the petitioner, Tiger Eye PI. We must state at this point that the revelations from the searches appear to show that there is no company in Ghana by the name Tiger Eye PI and we would proceed to demonstrate same by taking the search reports one after the other.

a. SEARCH FROM THE REGISTRAR GENERALS DEPARTMENT

Your Excellency, the search report from the Registrar of Companies of Ghana, who is the legitimate statutory body who registers companies limited by shares, on its search report dated 3rd November, 2015 significantly states thus:

We do not have any company on record called TIGER EYE PI. We have on record TIGER EYE PI MEDIA LIMITED.

(Please find attached and marked as PUD 1, a copy of the search report from the Registrar-General).

b. SEARCH FROM SOCIAL SECURITY AND NATIONAL INSURANCE TRUST (SSNIT)

Your Excellency, the petitioner had occasions to appear in court and there, since it is a legal person, it is represented. It has always been represented by persons who inform the court that they are employees of the petitioner company. By law therefore, the petitioner must register with SSNIT and pay the social security contributions of its employees. This prompted us to file a search with SSNIT and this is what the report says:

SEARCH: TIGER EYE PI MEDIA LIMITED/TIGER EYE PI

We acknowledge receipt of your letter and wish to inform you that the name in our records is Tiger Eye Consult Limited. The said establishment was registered with SSNIT on the 13th of June, 2013.

(Please find attached and marked as PUD 2, a copy of the report from SSNIT).

c. SEARCH REPORT FROM MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

Your Excellency, the petitioner claims to be a Private Security Organization licensed by the Ministry of Interior pursuant to the Police Service (Private Security Organizations) Instrument, 1992 (L.I.1571) to carry out its operations. We therefore filed a search with the Ministry of Interior and this is what the report says:

Records available in this Ministry indicate that Tiger Eye PI Media Limited was licensed as a Private Security Company by this Ministry in 2010 but later the name was changed to Stallion Tiger Limited in 2012.

(Please find attached and marked as PUD 3, a copy of the search report from Ministry of Interior).

d. INFORMAL SEARCH FROM REGISTRAR-GENERALS DEPARTMENT

Your Excellency, throughout all the happenings in respect of the petition of Tiger Eye PI, we have never heard of Stallion Tiger Limited. Since the regulator of Private Security Organizations, that is the Ministry of Interior has come out with a company by name Stallion Tiger Limited, we became curious and did an informal search online about Stallion Tiger Limited. The report we had indicated that indeed Stallion Tiger Limited was incorporated on 12th September, 2012. (Please find attached and marked as PUD 4, a copy of the informal search).

4. Your Excellency, it is on record that the Chief Executive Officer of Tiger Eye PI is one Anas Aremeyaw Anas. It is also on record that Anas Aremeyaw Anas is one of the two Directors of Tiger Eye PI Media Limited and the sole shareholder. He is also one of the two Directors of Stallion Tiger Company Limited and the sole shareholder.

5. Your Excellency, events and statements after the filing of the petition for the removal of our client as a Justice of the Superior Court indicates that there is confusion as to the true identity of the petitioner. On the face of the petition, the petitioner is Tiger Eye PI. However, statements put on social media by the Chief Executive Officer of Tiger Eye PI, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and the company lawyer, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng indicate otherwise.

6. Your Excellency, the petitioner, Tiger Eye PI, through its Chief Executive Officer, Anas Aremeyaw Anas put on the petitioners facebook page on November, 11, 2015, the following information. The headline speaks for itself. It states thus:

TIGER EYE PI LTD REACTS TO MARTIN AMIDUS ABYSMAL FAILURE TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT HIS ALLEGATIONS.

7. In the body of the above article, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, speaking for the petitioner Tiger Eye PI, states among others as follows:

Mr. Amidu is right in one, and only one respect: a company limited by shares, such as we are, is required to state its name with the suffix Limited or Ltd.

Mr. Amidu, if we are guilty of anything, it is that we have sometimes neglected to add that suffix to our name .. (Please find attached and marked as PUD 5, a copy of the said article on the petitioners facebook page).

8. Your Excellency, what the petitioner is now saying is that its proper identity is Tiger Eye PI Ltd. Indeed the statement was issued and signed by Anas Aremeyaw Anas, C.E.O of Tiger Eye PI Ltd.

9. Your Excellency, this change of identity again does not end the identity problems of the petitioner. Kissi Agyebeng, the lawyer for the petitioner also stated in an interview with Joy FM (an Accra Radio Station) and which was reported online thus:

Tiger Eye PI is a registered company. The mere fact that my client for the purposes of convenience chooses to write the name as Tiger Eye PI and not Tiger Eye PI Media Limited does not detract from the fact that it is the same entity.

(Please find attached and marked as PUD 6, a copy of the said statement).

10. Your Excellency, from all the above the identity of the petitioner is put in issue. Graphically it looks like this:

It started as Tiger Eye PI,

To Tiger Eye PI Ltd

To Tiger Eye PI Media Limited

To Stallion Tiger Limited

11. So your Excellency, if one is asked what the identity of the petitioner is, the answer would be problematic. Is the petitioner Tiger Eye PI as appears on the petition? Is it Tiger Eye PI Ltd or Tiger Eye PI Media Limited or Stallion Tiger Limited?

12. Your Excellency, we have the instructions of our client to draw your attention to these serious identity problems of the petitioner for in our view, the identity of the petitioner is paramount to any petition for the removal of Justices of the Superior Court pursuant to Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution. References are hereby made to the Supreme Court decisions in Agyei Twum v. Attorney-General & Akwetey [2005-2006] SCGLR 637; and the Republic v. High Court (Fast Track Division), Accra; Ex parte Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (Richard Anane  Interested Party) [2007-2008] SCGLR 213.

13. Your Excellency, we have our clients instructions to request that you cause an investigation to be conducted into the true identity of the petitioner since from the evidence adduced herein, the petitioner Tiger Eye PI who purported to file a petition with your office is non-existent.

Yours faithfully,

Addo, Addo Legal Attorneys

Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo (Esq.)

Cc: Her Ladyship The Chief Justice

His Lordship Justice Paul Uuter Dery
08.02.2016 LISTEN

At least 24 migrants have died off the Turkish coast trying to reach the Greek island of Lesbos, Turkish media say.

The victims, including children, drowned when their boat capsized after setting off from the Altinoluk area of Balikesir province.

About 400 people have died crossing into Europe in 2016, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says.

Most were travelling to Greece. Recent fighting in Syria has sent thousands fleeing towards the Turkish border.

The sea route from Turkey to Greece was the most popular way for migrants to try and enter Europe in 2015.

In the latest incident, the boat capsized two miles into the crossing, Hurriyet newspaper said.

It denied earlier media reports that another migrant boat had capsized further south in Izmir province.

News of the deaths comes as Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Turkey to discuss ways of reducing the number of migrants travelling to Europe.

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After meeting Mrs Merkel, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Germany and Turkey would seek the use of Nato resources in the Aegean Sea and on the Syrian border to help handle the flow of migrants.

The IOM says close to 69,000 people have already arrived on Greek shores so far this year, despite often stormy conditions, compared to almost 854,000 in the whole of last year.

Nearly half of those who have arrived in Greece this year are from Syria, the IOM says.

But thousands of Syrians seeking to flee a government offensive in Aleppo, backed by Russian air strikes, are being prevented from leaving their homeland .

Turkey has so far closed the border to most of the 30,000 migrants gathering at the Kilis border crossing, despite appeals by EU leaders to let them cross.

After her talks in Ankara, Mrs Merkel said: In the past days we have been not only shocked but horrified by the human suffering of tens of thousands of people through bomb attacks predominantly carried out by the Russian side.

Mr Davutoglu said his country would accept the migrants when necessary, and that it would reveal plans next week to slow the flow of arrivals.

-bbc


Obuasi-Kunka (Ash), Feb 08, GNA - The youth have been asked to take responsibility and refuse to be part of any evil agenda to foment trouble ahead of the November 7, general elections.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Matthew Asante, the Obuasi Municipal Commander, said they should put the peace and unity of the nation above every other consideration.

He made the call at a joint installation ceremony held for four sub-chiefs at Kunka in the municipality.

They included Nana Agyei Mensah Sikapa, the Odikro, Nana Kwaku Osei Minta, the Krontihene, Nana Krobea Asante, Akomehene, and Nana Twum Barima Mensah, Gyaasehene.

The Municipal Commander said all should accept to play by the rules of decency and tolerance to remove needless political tension and confusion before, during and after the polls.

He said elections must never be seen as 'a do-or-die affair' and must therefore not be allowed to tear the society apart.

He encouraged the people to cooperate with and support the police to safeguard the peace and security.

Nana Bosompem Kitikyi Apenteng II, Krontihene of the Adansi-Dompoase Traditional Area, reminded the sub-chiefs not to engage in partisan politics so as to help hold the community together.

The expectation was that they would provide the right leadership to tackle the felt needs of the people and bring development to them, he added. GNA
Trespassing and digging by artifact hunters near historic Fort Ellis in October has several Montana officials and state historians worried about what may have been lost or destroyed.

2,000-year-old bison bone site mired in controversy SARPY CREEK -- About the time Christ was born and Roman legions marched on much of the known world, hunters honed by millennia of experience trapped a snorting, terrified herd of bison in a narrow drainage near what is now Hardin. As they systematically killed and processed hundreds of animals, boiling and breaking the bones to retrieve the marrow, these prehistoric people had no notion of the archaeological and political fracas that would arise 2,000 years later. The enormous bone bed they left behind, salted with hundreds of projectile points that may have been used in the kill, is now part of the Crow Reservation. And it is in the path of a coal mine expansion that will consume the site as well as all the ancient campsites and processing areas around it.

I dont think the public realizes how destructive this can be, said Martin McAllister, owner of Archaeological Damage Investigation and Assessment in Missoula.

Questions have also been raised about how the incident was handled, with no charges pressed against the violators. And the episode highlights the weakness of state laws regarding such violations. At most, even if the diggers were charged they would have faced only misdemeanor charges.

History

Fort Ellis was a key military post from 1867-1886, not only for the Gallatin Valley, but also to provide soldiers for the Battle of the Little Bighorn and to protect the construction of the railroad along the Yellowstone River. The fort was named after Augustus Van Horne Ellis, a Union colonel who was killed in the battle of Gettysburg.

It was the largest government presence in the region, said Tom Rust, a Montana State University Billings associate professor of history who has written a book about the fort. It was pretty important strategically, and it was a huge economic stimulus for Bozeman, especially after the Bozeman Trail closed.

The Fort Ellis Research Farm, under the aegis of the Montana State University College of Agriculture and Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, has conducted livestock research on 640 acres where the fort once stood on the eastern edge of Bozeman since 1930.

You could say that whole 640 acres is a historical site, said Barry Jacobsen, associate director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station and department head of MAES research centers.

Diggers caught

It was on Oct. 22 that Bob Brekke, who works at the ag station, called MSU police to report that people were seen digging on the property. An officer responded, found three trespassers digging in a pit and let them go with a warning.

It wasnt a large excavation. It was a pretty old site, said Robert Putzke, MSU police chief.

Since the property wasnt signed or fenced, the people involved thought they were on public property, and Brekke decided not to press charges, so no citation was issued. Putzke said the officer found the amateur diggers very apologetic and very cooperative.

The diggers indicated they had found two old bottles, possibly from a trash pit, and agreed to rebury them. The officer asked the people if they had found any other artifacts and they replied negative. Putzke said it wasnt clear whether they had received tacit approval from someone working at the ag station to explore the site.

The officer acted at the request of the caretaker not to cite the diggers, Putzke said. He said following concerns voiced by others about a possible federal violation he contacted the FBI, but because the men were digging on state land its a state offense, not federal.

Under the Montana Antiquities Act such charges, if they were filed, are misdemeanors punishable by a $1,000 fine, six months in the county jail or both. Federal law is much stricter. A violation on federal land is subject to the Archaeological Resources and Protection Act, enacted in 1979. Violation of the federal law is a felony, punishable by up to two years in jail and can include confiscation of any equipment used in the crime, such as vehicles.

The old American Antiquities Act penalties were so weak it was a joke to the looters, McAllister said. But theyre afraid of ARPA because they could lose all of their equipment. And in some instances that drives them onto state land.

Stirring things up

When Livingston archaeologist Larry Lahren heard about the diggers, and about the fact that no one was charged and no damage assessment at the site was conducted, he sought more action. He wrote MSU president Waded Cruzado in January seeking a more concerted response including an assessment of the damage, development of a mitigation plan and the issuance of a report. He also accused MSU officials of covering up the incident.

Lahren said he never received a response from Cruzado and said hes done about as much as he can to expose the incident.

Im the Darth Vader now, I guess, he said.

We appreciate Larrys tenacity because we as state employees dont feel like we can push as hard as the public, said Stan Wilmoth, state archaeologist for the Montana Historical Society. Larry has told me more than the university. When we called and made inquiries (MSU) told us they were handling it.

Wilmoth said he requested an incident report from the police and other firsthand sources of information to assess possible damage, and MSU officials said no. This despite the fact that the Montana State Historic Preservation Office promotes the preservation of the state's historic and cultural places.

MSU follow-up

Jacobsen, the experiment station department head, said he doesnt understand why its such a big story. In the wake of the incident the department has posted no trespassing signs and asked law enforcement agencies to increase their patrols of the area. In addition hes asked members of the schools sociology and anthropology department to visit the site and assess possible damage and suggested people working at the ag site receive training about the historical value of the land.

Mike Neeley, associate professor of anthropology at MSU, said he plans to visit the area in the spring to see what sort of damage has been done to the site. Whether that would involve an excavation he wasnt sure.

He said it was his understanding that there was a fairly good-sized pit, maybe 12 feet across, that had been dug. He couldn't say whether that had occurred in October, was from erosion or was from an earlier dig.

Were just trying to help them manage that resource and ensure it stays protected, Neeley said.

Lost context

No matter what Neeley finds, McAllister and others say irreparable damage has already been done.

An artifact by itself tells us very little about human behavior, he said. If you find it intact we have a much better chance of reconstructing the type of behavior there. Thats why archaeologists hate looters. They are contextual destroyers. And once its destroyed it cant be put together again.

Unfortunately for archaeologists like Wilmoth, state agencies are reluctant to press charges even when violators are caught. He faced a similar instance when metal detectors dug on property owned by the Department of Corrections in Deer Lodge.

Its one of these larger issues, he said. These artifacts belong to all of us.

Collecting business

Although the history of Fort Ellis may seem too recent to be of value, Wilmoth said spurs, buttons and epaulets collected from western military sites are popular-selling items for collectors.

The public finds that history very provocative, he said.

McCallister said the trade in antiquities was valued as a $7 billion industry according to an Interpol report, the International Criminal Police Organization. He said meth users have become a big concern on federal lands since the drug gives them energy to dig for long periods, they like to be alone and the money received for artifacts can purchase more meth.

Meth makes them ideally suited to artifact theft, he said.

Without charges filed and a further investigation, historians and archaeologists can only speculate about what the diggers caught on the MSU property may have found or even sold prior to being caught. MSU Billings professor Rust is worried that the diggers may have disturbed the site of the forts laundry.

That would be more of a loss because women on military posts have been radically understudied, he said. If thats where they hit, there is some information that regretfully will be lost.
Aflao (V/R), Feb. 8, GNA - A total of GH107,384,894.95 in revenue was last year collected by the Aflao Sector of Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA); GH7,884,894.95 in excess of the annual target of GH99,500,000.00.

Mr Confidence Nyadzi, the Division's Aflao Sector Commander, said this at the Division's annual excellence awards held at Aflao over the weekend.

'This has been the first time in nine years that the sector exceeded its target and it was done through collaboration with other agencies, tax education and preventive operations,' he said.

The Sector Commander said the figure excludes sales from auctioned goods, potential revenue locked up in unclaimed goods in the state warehouse and GH1,038,200.61 made from preventive arrests.

Mr Nyadzi said the Sector also made a number of non-revenue gains including recent arrest of a cache of ammunition, about 99,000 cartridges, narcotic arrests and others.

He said inadequate human resource, logistics, slow processing of awards and payments for informants were some of the challenges facing the Sector.

Mr Fifi Kwetey, in-coming Minister for Transport, commended the Sector and implored them to work harder, saying Government shall continue to provide the necessary support.

He said under a stringent policy change, Government could not borrow even a pesewa from the Central Bank this year and revenue mobilization ought to be more stringent.

Mr George Blankson, Commissioner of the GRA, in an address read for him, said the Customs Division has been given a revenue target of GH10.16 billion for 2016 and that the Aflao Sector is to collect GH193.29 million.

He said security at the frontier is of paramount importance in view of the 2016 elections and recent arrest of weapons.

Deserving personnel and collaborators were honoured, with Diamond Cement Ghana Limited, receiving a corporate award for being the foremost single revenue payer.

GNA
Accra, Feb. 8, GNA - Vodafone Ghana has introduced a new package called 'Dedicated Internet Lite' (DIL) to ensure that customers especially businesses enjoy reliable and unmatched internet services.

A statement signed by Ms Angela Mensah-Poku, Head of Vodafone Business Solutions, said the package guaranteed a speed range from 512kbps to 2Mbps of bandwidth during peak hours between the hours of 1000hrs and 1600hrs and can be delivered over various media outlets.

It said there are no restrictions on monthly usage or additional charges for large files and also it delivers access to unlimited downloads.

The statement said Vodafone Ghana has moved to ensure that businesses can now focus on their core activities rather than worry about the hustles of securing an effective internet solution delivery.

It said in a country where companies and particularly, SME businesses, are always looking for smarter ways to work, an integrated mobile service solutions are highly sought after and most businesses need a constant provision of data with guaranteed speed levels to ensure efficiency and productivity in their areas of work.

Ms Mensah-Poku said: 'As a business operating in the current telecommunications landscape, we need to be constantly innovative. Our customers, especially the SMEs, represent the very essence of what we stand for and that to us is a big deal.

'The DIL product is certainly another creative way to ensure our customers are up to date with modern trends. It is our way of making sure they are a, 'Ready Business.'

Vodafone Business Solutions has been a consistent leader in the enterprise space in the telecommunications sector in terms of revenue, creativity and innovation. Over the years, it has received several awards including the Telecom Business of the Year at the 2015 Ghana Telecom Awards.

GNA
08.02.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Feb. 8, GNA - The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC) in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service has initiated measures to introduce the improved and clean cookstoves as a subject matter in the basic educational syllabus.

The step which is being undertaken with the help of World Education, a non-governmental organisation, will introduce the focus into courses like integrated science, social studies, vocational and technical skills.

Mr Christian Osafo, Marketing and Communications Manager of GACC- Ghana, said the Global Alliance is helping the Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GHACCO) to create awareness for clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels in the country.

He said this during the third annual general assembly of GHACCO held in Accra to reflect on the progress and activities of the Alliance as well their laid down initiatives for the year 2016.

'We are trying to alert our stakeholders including the GES on the need to understand the basics for the clean cookstoves and include it in the school curricula. Fortunately, the curriculum is going to be changed soon, and we hope that this subject matter (would be) greatly considered', he said.

Mr Osafo said a training session dubbed Inspocee has been organized for educators and teachers from Amasaman and Sapeiman areas.

He said the educators were cautioned on the health implications of using the commonly known traditional methods of cooking and the benefits (health, socio-economic and environment) associated with using improved or clean cookstoves.

He advised users of coal pots, three stone fires/stove and firewood to adopt the usage of clean and improved cookstoves and fuels for cooking to ensure their safety.

Madam Adwoa Sey, Programme Coordinator of World Education Ghana, said the Inspocee training programme, was meant to increase awareness and the knowledge level of 500 students in two schools at Amasaman and its environs.

She said among the projects being conducted are the creation of after school learning activities as well as the establishment of clean energy clubs in schools.

Mr Kwesi B. Sarpong, Regional Marketing Manager of GACC, said the Alliance is working to facilitate a thriving market for clean cookstoves and fuels.

He said it will ensure that about 100 million households adopt clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels by 2020 across the globe.

Mr Sarpong disclosed that the Alliance would embark on awareness campaigns; gender mainstreaming via the Ministry of Education; develop enterprises and work on merging STOVEPLUS Academy and BOOST; and also try to work hard on how to get more investors to support their initiatives.

GNA
Accra, Feb. 8, GNA - Ghana would this week host African First Ladies at a conference on Sexual Health and Rights.

The Conference, which is part of a long-term process of building and fostering regional dialogue on sexual and reproductive health and rights, is scheduled to begin on February 10 to 12.

A statement from the office of the First Lady said the seventh African Conference on Sexual Health and Rights is being hosted by Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama, First Lady of Ghana and President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), in collaboration with Curious Mind-Ghana, an organisation of young advocates and youth in broadcasting.

Participating First Ladies are from Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali and Cote D'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso and Chad.

Other First Ladies expected at the Conference are from Sudan, Madagascar and Mozambique.

The Conference, which would be opened by President John Dramani Mahama, is on the theme, 'Realising Demographic Dividend in Africa: the Critical Importance of Adolescents and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights'.

During the Conference, the First Ladies will under the umbrella of OAFLA, launch a United Continental 'All-In' Adolescent HIV Campaign, which is a collaborative effort of OAFLA, the Ghana AIDS Commission and the Global 'All-In' partners such as UNICEF, UNFPA and UNAIDS.

The launch according to the statement would urge governments to prioritise and improve the provision of integrated HIV & Sexual Reproductive Health Services to adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19.

Mrs Mahama will also launch a major campaign towards ending child marriages in Ghana, a programme that is being spearheaded by the First Lady through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

The Ghana Ending Child Marriage Initiative aims at raising awareness and garnering support towards ending child marriages in Ghana.

Other dignitaries expected in Accra for the Conference are the UN Under Secretary & Executive Director of UNFPA, the Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS, the Africa Union Commissioner for Social Affairs and UNICEF's Deputy Director for West and Central Africa.

Also in attendance would be the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders in Africa, the President of the International Women's Health Coalition and over 15 Ministers from the Health, Justice, Gender and Youth Ministries across Africa.

About 500 participants, representing various stakeholder and constituency groups across the African continent would be attending the conference.

These include; policy makers, development partners, civil society organisations, academia, activists, media and the youth.

GNA
08.02.2016 LISTEN

Kumasi, Feb. 08, GNA - Dr. Fred Adomako, Deputy Ashanti Regional Health Director, Clinical Care, has advised the public to treat mental health patients with human dignity to assist speed up their recovery.

He said their rights must be respected and should not be subjected to any form of violation.

He announced that 45 health facilities in 29 out of the 30 districts in the region were now actively engaged in mental health programmes as part of efforts to decentralize mental health care.

Dr. Adomako underlined the determination of the regional health directorate to continue take appropriate steps to ensure access to quality care and responsiveness to people's needs, respect their values, choices and preferences.

He was addressing the media in Kumasi as part of activities to mark international epilepsy day and awareness creation on dignity in mental health.

The day has been set aside and observed in more than 120 countries across the world, every year, to highlight problems faced by people with epilepsy, their families and care givers.

This year's celebration was on the theme, 'Epilepsy is more than seizure'.

Dr. Adomako stated that about 50 million people globally are estimated to be suffering from epilepsy - ranking it among the most common neurological diseases.

He expressed deep worry about the rising cases of the disease in the region, saying, 1,713 cases were recorded, last year, compared with the 2014 figure of 1,607.

Epilepsy, he noted, was chronic but neither infectious nor a spiritual disease and therefore encouraged patients to seek medical help.

He added that 'an epileptic can perform as effectively as any individual when on anti-epileptic drugs hence should not be stigmatized or segregated'.

Dr. Awudzi Yeboah, Deputy Director of Public Health, entreated the media to join the crusade to educate the public on the disease, adding that awareness creation could help control stigmatization of mental health patients. GNA
Odomase (B/A) Feb 8. (GNA) - The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the Odomaseman Senior High School (ODASS) has constructed a three-unit classroom block for the School.

Mr. Bright Emmanuel Asante, the Chairman of the Association, said at a meeting at the weekend at Odomase in the Sunyani West District of the Brong-Ahafo Region, that other development projects were being executed for the school.

Mr Asante did not disclose the cost of the building but said the Association, with the support of the school's authorities, had also completed the construction of a dining hall, a Home Economics Block and two semi-detached bungalows for teachers.

He said the projects, with some welfare packages, were to ginger the staff and the students to ensure effective teaching and learning to uplift the image of the School.

The other projects underway, according to the PTA Chairman, were an assembly hall, which was at the foundation level, a Visual Arts Block and the fencing of the School.

Mr Asante, therefore, called for support from old students, traditional rulers, individuals, and corporate organisations, to assist the institution to get a modern library to improve the conditions at the School.

Madam Cecilia Joyce Pogrebah, the headmistress of the School, stressed the importance of reading, reference and research in any educational endeavour, but said the School did not have a befitting library facility.

Madam Pogrebah said they were using one of the classrooms as a library, 'which was unattractive to the students.'

She also called for support to augment the efforts of the PTA in providing adequate staff accommodation, and the fencing of the School for effective monitoring of students and the protection of the School's property. GNA
Winneba (C/R) Feb. 8, GNA - The Winneba District Court has sentenced a 30 year-old unemployed man to 18 months' imprisonment in hard labour for stealing and other crimes.

Moses Offu, who resided at Budumburam, near Kasoa, pleaded not guilty to the counts of conspiracy to commit crime, causing harm, unlawful entry, causing damage, and stealing. , but the court, presided over by Mr. Alexander Oworae, found him guilty.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Peter Agbelie said the complainant of the case was a Pastor of the Winners Chapel, Winneba, while Offu, resided at Winneba.

He said Offu's alleged accomplices, Fuseini Yakubu alias Lion/Porpo, and Stingua, both unemployed, who were both unemployed, resided also in Winneba.

According to him, Offu, Yakubu and Stingua became friends when they met at the Winneba Prisons some time ago.

The Prosecution said when Yakubu and Stingua finished serving their sentences and they were leaving the Winneba Prisons, they promised Offu that they would accommodate him in the Winneba Town on the completion of his sentence.

Inspector Agbelie said on December 4, 2015 at about 1920 hours, the complainant left his residence for an all-night service in Accra.

But when he returned the following morning, and realised that thieves had broken into his residence, thus causing damage to two door locks and stealing some personal effects.

According to the prosecution, the complainant reported that his laptop computer, two gas cylinders, microwave oven, rice cooker, and GHa 100.00 had been stolen.

Inspector Agbelie said Offu was spotted by a 'Good Samaritan' in Winneba carrying a bag and suspected him of stealing it.

He was, consequently, arrested and handed over to the Police.

The prosecution said he admitted to stealing the items from the complainant's residence and mentioned Yakubu and Stingua as his accomplices

GNA
08.02.2016 LISTEN

On assumption of office on May 29 2015, Major General Muhammadu Buhari who was declared winner of that years presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as at the time, showed-off that insurgency in the North-east Nigeria would be history by December of that year.

It was a statement taken by many Nigerians with a pitch of the salt owing to Buharis stance against the Jonathan administration (with the view that the fight against the sect was a fight against the North). The Jonathan government was headlong in fighting the terrorists to standstill.

However, in what Buhari took as criticism against the Jonathan government, on June 2 2013, he told the world as a Guest of the Week  a Hausa programme of the Kaduna-based Liberty Radio  that the pronouncement by Jonathan and subsequent declaration of State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States and the following military offensive against the Boko Haram Islamic sect, was a fight against the North.

Buhari was visibly angry that splinter militia groups in the Niger Delta Area, where Jonathan comes from, were never dealt with by the military, as the Jonathan government was dealing with the Boko Haram sect.

Buharis traitorous comments in defense of Boko Haram

Buhari said at the time that what is responsible for the security situation in the country was caused by the activities of Niger Delta militants. Adding that every Nigerian that is familiar with what happened knows this. He further said that the Niger Delta militants started it all.

What happened is that the governors of the Niger Delta region at that time wanted to win their elections, so they recruited the youths and gave them guns and bullets and used them against their opponents to win elections by force, Buhari said.

He said it was after the elections that the boys were asked to bring back the guns and they refused; hence the governors as at the time stopped the allowance that was being given to the youths by the governors.

The youths resorted to kidnapping oil workers and were collecting dollars as ransom. Now a boy of 18 to 20 years was getting about $500 in a week, why will he go to school and spend 20 years to study and then come back and get employed by government to be paid N100,000 a month; that is if he is lucky to get employment? So kidnapping became very rampant in the south-south and the south-east. They kidnapped people and were collecting money, Buhari fumed.

Buhari defends Boko Haram

Buhari believed that the leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, was not supposed to be killed when he was arrested by soldiers and handed over to the police.

The appropriate thing to do, according to the law, was for the police to carry out investigations and charge him to court for prosecution, but they killed him, his in-law was killed, they went and demolished their houses. Because of that, his supporters resorted to what they are doing today, Buhari said.

He added that in the case of the Niger Delta militants, the late President Umaru Musa YarAdua granted amnesty to the members unlike the Boko Haram members.

They (Niger Delta militants) were trained in some skills and were given employment, but the ones in the north are being killed and their houses demolished. They are different issues, what brought this? It is injustice, he said.

Did Buhari lie that there was no Military crackdown against the Niger Delta Militants?

Scores of the militants in the Niger Delta were killed when the Nigerias military launched a crackdown in the area in 2008-2009.

Wikipedia reported, In August 2008, the Nigerian government launched a massive military crackdown on militants in the Niger Delta. They patrolled waters and hunted for militants, searched all civilian boats for weapons, and raided numerous militant hideouts.

On May 15, 2009, a military operation undertaken by a Joint Task Force (JTF) began against Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(MEND) militants operating in the Niger Delta region.

It came in response to the kidnapping of Nigerian soldiers and foreign sailors in the Delta region. Thousands of Nigerians have fled their villages and hundreds of people may be dead because of the offensive.

Buhari continues to blame Jonathan for the 2015 deadline

Despite the December deadline he had earlier given the military to end terrorism in the affected part of the country, Buhari admitted that the country might not win the war completely by the end of the month, The Punch of December 28, 2015 reported, in the headline, "Jonathans govt provoked soldiers into mutiny Buhari".

Hear Buhari, We investigated and discovered how funds that were penciled down for arms procurement were diverted and shared by government officials who served the last administration. The government at that time sent the soldiers to the battlefield without arms and ammunition to prosecute the war. That was what led some of them to mutiny. They were arrested and detained because of this.

Did Jonathan procure weapons to fight Boko Haram?

Jonathan said on 27thJanuary 2016, during a programme titled, Focus on Africa aired on an international news and current affairs television channel based in Paris, France 24.

When Jonathan was asked to speak in particular on whether he was sure his administration laid the foundation for the fight against the insurgents, Jonathan said, Of course, you know the new government is working hard and I believe they are still using the equipment we procured.

Despite having open pity for Boko Haram Buhari still deceives Nigerians

Despite having open pity for Boko Haram members during the Jonathan government, Buhari assured Nigerians that the Multinational Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Commission would defeat the insurgents by the end of 2015.

He made this pronouncement on August 2 2015, while on a one-day visit to Cotonou in his honour, as the special guest of honour, by the President of Benin Republic, Boni Yayi, at the 55th independence anniversary.

I assure you that we will defeat Boko Haram by the end of this year," Buhari said, while commending Yayi for increasing the number of Benin troops to 800 for the MNJTF.

Buhari complicates self

Since Buhari made the statement that his government would defeat the insurgents by the end of 2015, the terrorists have not stopped their dastardly act of destroying lives and property in the affected North-east of the country; and Buhari is not near winning the sect.

On January 31 2016, the overpowered Buhari said Boko Haram terrorists were so fraught to embarrass his government, while at the same time saying in a statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, his senior special assistant for media and publicity that the insurgents had suffered immensely from the sustained bombardments of their camps and hide outs by the Nigerian military and had resorted to using desperate measures to gain cheap media attention.

This is the same Buhari who frowned at Jonathans military offensive against the Boko Haram!

While reacting to the wave of suicide bombings in Chibok market, Dalori Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Borno State and the Gombi market in Adamawa State, Buhari swaggered that he had bombarded the sects camps and sundry; something that the Jonathan government did and Buhari added ethnic colouration to it.

Buhari apparently accepted that he has not defeated Boko Haram by the end of 2015 and he pleaded to Nigerians, saying, I urge all citizens wherever they live to own the war against terror and to be part of the fight because it is the only way we can finish the remaining work that needs to be done to make our country safe again.

Buharis mendacity continues on Boko Haram

In the earlier statement, Buhari had opined that instead of killing the Boko Haram members, they ought to have been treated fairly and given amnesty.

But in faraway New Delhi, India, for the Third India-Africa Forum Summit, on October 30 2015, Buhari grossly turned away and gave reasons why to crush the insurgents would be better than negotiate with them.

We want to get them (the 250 kidnapped Chibok girls taken away by the insurgents in 2014) back safe to their parents. But we are not sure of a credible leadership that is prepared to talk yet about Chibok girls, he told the New Delhi Television (NDTV).

He also told the NDTV that the terrorists are on the retreat, saying, They are on the retreat. If you go to the front, you will find out that they no longer occupy the areas in the North East they once did.

Yet, he reiterated, blaming that the war in Libya was pushing Islamic State fighters into Nigeria, filling the ranks of Boko Haram.

A lot of trained people have returned to their bases in Nigeria and are finding their way back to strengthen Boko Haram, he said.

Buhari was in support of Amnesty for Boko Haram during Jonathan govt

Buhari who is today invariably not in support of amnesty for Boko Haram members was in support of the idea in 2013, during the Jonathan government.

He made this disclosure on April 10 2013, as the CPC presidential candidate, while addressing pressmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on his way to Ikenne to pay condolence to the Yeye Odua, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo on the death of her son, Chief Oluwole Awolowo.

Buhari who was accompanied by the partys vice presidential candidate in 2011 election, Pastor Tunde Bakare, the former House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Bello Masari and CPC National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh, said that whatever would bring peace to Nigeria must be pursued.

It is good that they have set up a committee on amnesty. I have not seen the terms of reference, but it is a right step in a right direction. This is not the first time amnesty would be given to a violent group. You remember it happened in the time of YarAdua when he gave amnesty to militants, but whatever would bring us peace as a society, we should do it, Buhari stated.

Conclusion: Buharis fight against Boko Haram is suspicious and paper fight

According to a report credited to Reuters on September 8, 2015, In spite of President Buharis reassuring words, a spike in violence by Boko Haram militants in northeast Nigeria has forced almost 800,000 people to flee their homes since June and over 17, 000 lives pummeled and thousands of houses and property destroyed.

On February 6 2016, during a condolence visit to Dalori village where 65 persons were reportedly killed (weekend before last by the insurgents), Senator Baba Kaka Garbai, senator representing Borno Central in the National Assembly and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told newsmen that Boko Haram still occupies half of Borno of the Northeast, which Buhari had been boastful that the sect had been confined to the Sambisa forest  the terrorists known camp.

I feel highly demoralised, devastated in the sense that this is the village we visited during the election and they were going about their normal business. The activities that were ongoing were like confidence building.

They actually got the signal a few days before the attack that the insurgents were likely to attack them, they reported this to the constituted authorities but nothing was done to provide security for residents and their belongings.

It is very important and more so that this place is porous, so there could be attacks from any direction. It is a wrong assumption that most of the local governments in Borno have been recaptured from Boko Haram.

In reality, this is not true in the sense... From my count, only three local governments are fully liberated, while 21 local governments remain partially occupied by insurgents  that is, there is still some level of Boko Haram occupation side by side the military or some other constituted authority, Senator Garbai said.

Odimegwu Onwumere is a Poet/Writer; he writes from Rivers State. ( [email protected] ). Tel: +2348057778358.
08.02.2016 LISTEN

The Deputy Ranking Member on Privileges Committee of Parliament, Nana Amoako has indicated that there is no provision in the constitution or the standing orders of Parliament that check conduct of Members of Parliament (MPs) outside the floor of the house.

This he explained that the Privileges Committee cannot drag the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong before the Committee for his 'abusive language' on airwaves.

The MP in the past weeks engaged in verbal insults with Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa known alias 'Afia Shwazeneggar'.

'You see there is none of such things in our standing orders or constitution that if a Member of Parliament (MP) uses abusive language in the media, he /she should be brought to the Privileges Committee,' he said.

According to him, Ghanaians could only petition the Speaker of Parliament, Hon Edward Doe Adjaho for redress.

.

'Whatever the person has said its his/her personal views, if anybody or any Ghanaian feels offended by the comments, they could write to the Speaker of Parliament, and then the Speaker has the option of referring the case to the Privileges Committee, we cannot write the letters ourselves and invite him,' he stated.

Speaking on Ultimate breakfast hosted by Prince Minkah, he observed that only a minute of MPs engage in abusive verbal language outside Parliament.

'It's a very minute persons or individuals who sometimes go off. For Kennedy Agyapong, as friends we could advise him on some of these things. But as I said there are no standing orders that state that he has brought Parliament into disrepute. He is doing something on his own; he did not say anything against Parliament. It was individual battle that they were having,' he emphasised.

Nana Amoako stated that the onerous task lies on National Media Commission (NMC) to sanitise the airwaves and not Parliament.

'When you are having abusive language being used on media, it's not the Parliament that has to regulate it, they have to cover a law and bring it to Parliament and then we have to put it on as a part of our laws, NMC and others have those things, they came out with some modalities not long ago, those are the things I think they need to enforce,' he suggested.

-Ultimate1069


I refuse to be depressed today. I refuse to be depressed by those who are telling me the glass is half empty. Yes, I refuse to walk home hopeless about the health sector of Ghana.

This is why; this morning, I have attempted to listen to radio in Ghana. Instantly I was greeted and tempted to feel hopeless as a result. I nearly threw my hands in the air to say, there is no hope in this country, as far as the health sector is concerned. A subsequent facebook comment I saw on the same subject dramatically said "people are dying" painting a gloom picture of my country's health service.

But once, I turned attention to research and to investigate the facts, the level of investment and progress my country has made in health care facilities and delivery clearly jumped at me. Immediately I noticed the danger of listening to radio too much and the likelihood of falling prey to the whims of some presenters trying too hard to remain relevant.

There clearly are major improvements in our health delivery system. And I am upbeat about them. If I had not sought the facts I would have believed the hype of negativity. I almost cursed myself for nearly falling for and under the depression-mongering that greeted me this morning.

Today, the number of Ghanaians who would have died as a result of common cholera has drastically reduced. The story and the scar of cholera deaths has become resident in our distant memory. And this is not to say there are no rooms for improvement. There clearly are. My country has now eliminated Guinea Worm. Yes, eliminated! This means that people who would have suffered from the morbidity and died from it are now free of it. I have a reason to smile today.

When we see the edifices of the Ridge Hospital expansion project, the 500 bed Kumasi Military hospital, and the Tamale Hospital Expansion project, what it means is that cases that have hitherto been rushed to Korle Bu would be referred to these new facilities, thereby reducing the pressure on Korle Bu which is meant to be for referrals. It means less queues, less waiting time, better working conditions of staff and a happier patient at Korle Bu, which also means better efficiency to the costs of our health ministry. I must smile and not be gloomy.

Today, even in first world countries like America and Britain, people die as a result of lack of one facility or the other. This is not to justify any death. But, it is worth noting what that expression seems to say, we are so bad that it only happens in Ghana. If we were to roll back to 2007 in Ghana, the statement that "people are dying" would have been true too. However, a smarter look at that statement compared to the reality of today points to a brighter and encouraging health sector of our country than we are hearing on radio this morning.

I wish to back up my assertion with some facts. Poverty has been one reason for which Ghanaians could not go to hospitals or seek private health care. Today the NHIS removes that lack of access caused by poverty. In 2006, the number of visits to hospitals and other health facilities by Ghanaians for health care through the help of the NHIS was 2.4million. Ten years after that, that number stands at a whopping 30 million. In other words, the number of Ghanaians who would have died silently because of lack of access to health care facilities and services resulting from poverty has been reduces gazillion times. Many of the new utilisation would have resulted in deaths had the NHIS not been expanded to cover them. This gives me a picture of more lives being saved rather than the "people are dying" dramatisation I heard and read this morning.

Indeed, in the last few years 1.6 million Ghanaians who are economically vulnerable, mainly under 18 years of age, dependent on Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty benefits, and under special care are totally exempted from any NHIS premium payment. Indeed, one can safely extrapolate the benefits in terms of lives saved from death as a result of this 1.6 million Ghanaians having unhindered access to health care. People are therefore not dying. Rather, people's lives are being saved!

How about staffing? There is no doubt that there is a massive need for nurses, doctors and other allied professionals in the health sector. This is to be expected at our level of development. However recent investments have resulted in major improvements. That need is reducing rather than the other way round. On training for example, there were only 25 health training institutions in Ghana in 2005. Today the number has nearly quadrupled to 95. This quadrupling reflects in the number of licensed nurses from 500 in 2009 to more than 2000 today indicating an even faster rate of outcome professionals churned out than the rate of growth of the training institutions. No doubt the annual intake of students stands at a high 12000. In 2009 the number of midwifery training schools was 14. Today that number has jumped to 31! I have a reason to be upbeat!

It is not possible to report even half of the improvements witnessed by our health sector including those made at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. But I conclude with the following completed projects that indicate the extent of progress made in making access a reality to even the remotest communities from Accra through Polyclinics and CHPS Compounds. Five polyclinics have been completed in Brong Ahafo and specifically in Nkrankwanta, Wamfie, Kwatire, Techiman and Bomaa. The Western Region will receive another five of such Polyclinics whereas the Central region gets 10. Out of the planned 2,948 earmarked, 1260 CHPS Compounds have been completed whiles 1600 are nearing completion. These are bold steps to continue to confront the scourge of poor health which our people have experienced in the past.

I enumerate the above fully aware of the danger of seeing them as just a list rather than life-saving interventions to keep the greatest resource of our country, the people, alive and healthy. That is the focus of bringing these achievements to the fore. And that is the reason for which we, without being insensitive to those who could not receive the same benefits, must celebrate as a country.

As noted above, while the government is at it, some people would unfortunately slip through the net and lose their health and lives. Some tragic stories will therefore be reported. But that should not be a reason to bulk under depression and sulk in despair. On the whole, I see a country that is on the move to eliminating abject lack of access to health care. I see a country which is winning the war against preventable deaths. I see a country which is increasing the number of Nurses and Doctors per capita. I see a country which is above many countries globally because of the bold modernisation of its health care delivery system. I therefore have every reason to smile at what is good about my country's health sector. I chose not be depressed by one isolated tragedy or two, unfortunate as it is.

I remain proud of the achievements of Ghana's health sector under President Mahama. And I am hopeful that it will be even better under him beyond this year. The cup is filling up; not emptying. I have a reason to smile.

Thank you,

Kofi Adoli

kofiadoli.blogspot.com
BOZEMAN  For a 19th century mountain man, Jim Bridger has been getting a lot of attention these days.

Depicted in the Oscar-nominated film "The Revenant," directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and based on the book by Michael Punke, a teenage Bridger plays a naive trapper immersed in a world of ruthless men and mountains on the Western Frontier.

Inarritu's sweeping vision of the American West plays a central role in the "The Revenant." Though much of the filming was completed in British Columbia, the stark landscapes will ring true for any viewer that has delved into Montana's backcountry.

Among the earliest of those explorers was Bridger, for whom the mountains looming north and east of Bozeman are named. Bridger's mark on Montana winds across the land like the wagon trains that followed him, but how much is really known about the man? Who did the young trapper portrayed in "The Revenant" become?

James Felix Bridger was born on March 17, 1804, in Richmond, Virginia. His father, Patrick Henry Bridger, was a land surveyor and a farmer. Bridger's mother operated a highway inn that catered to travelers.

In 1812, the Bridger family sold the farm and inn and moved west to a farmstead near St. Louis. The town was in its infancy in the early 1800s, but provided a healthy amount of work for Patrick Henry. The country was not as kind to Bridger's mother, who was confined to the home in the winter of 1815 and died during the heat of summer of 1816. That winter, Bridger's youngest brother would join his mother in death. Heartbroken, Patrick Henry died in the summer of 1817.

At the age of 13, Bridger was forced to seek any kind of employment he could find. Adept with a paddle, Bridger began trapping from his canoe along the river near the family farm. The spirit of adventure that the river exposed him to would grip his spirit and develop a drive that would lead him West.

In 1822, Bridger, at the age of 17, was hired to support General William Ashley's Upper Missouri Expedition. It was on Ashley's expedition that Hugh Glass  the central character in "The Revenant"  was brutally mauled by a grizzly bear. Bridger and fellow party member John Fitzgerald would volunteer to stay with Glass until his death but abandoned him after an attack by Arikara Native Americans. Glass would survive and seek revenge. In what would become a recurring theme in Bridger's life  through cunning, luck or otherwise  Bridger was spared Glass' wrath.

Following the Upper Missouri Expedition, Bridger would become among the first white men to set eyes on the Yellowstone region. During the winter of 1824-1825, Bridger set out on a trapping expedition north of Wyoming's Teton Range.

"Bridger, with a small party, followed the Snake River to its very source, and wandered around for some time in what is now known as Yellowstone National Park; and he evidently became fascinated with the wonders of the country," Charles G. Coutant wrote in "History of Wyoming."

Bridger led the party over Sylvan Pass to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. He was struck by the warm waters of the Firehole River, the expanse of Yellowstone Lake and the unusual extrusion of Obsidian Cliff. His descriptions of the region's hissing fumaroles and spouting geyser were dismissed by many fellow trappers, but as more and more explorers visited the area his stories became fact.

Later in 1825, Bridger would become the first explorer to taste the waters of the Great Salt Lake in present-day Utah. He believed the lake may have been an inlet of the Pacific Ocean.

The following year, Bridger traveled north through Yellowstone. He followed the Yellowstone River, eventually making his way by the present-day mountain range that bears his name. His party headed west to the headwaters of the Missouri River near Three Forks. It was on this expedition that Bridger may have met Robert Meldrum of John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company.

Four years later, in 1830, Bridger and several other trappers would purchase the Rocky Mountain Fur Company from Bridger's former employer William Ashley. Bridger's involvement in the fur trade would lead him on expeditions across the West and he acquired an intimate and rare knowledge of the land and the Native Americans that inhabited it. He learned to speak in several native tongues and married his first wife, a Flathead Indian woman, in 1835, with whom he had three children.

In 1843, Bridger and his partner, Louis Vasquez, established a trading post on the banks of the Blacks Fork of the Green River in Wyoming. Later named Fort Bridger, the post would serve the wagon trains and settlers heading west on the Oregon Trail.

After the death of his first wife in 1846, Bridger would marry the daughter of a Shoshone chief, who bore him three more children. She died in childbirth in 1849. Bridger married again in 1850, this time to Shoshone chief Washakie's daughter. The couple would have two more children.

As the Oregon Trail continued to see increased use, Bridger, in 1850, sought a more direct route. He pioneered a trail over what would become Bridger's Pass, which reduced the distance of the Oregon Trail by 61 miles. Bridger's route was later used by the Union Pacific Railroad, and modern observers will recognize it as Interstate 80.

The discovery of gold in 1863 at Virginia City's Alder Gulch brought waves of pioneers hoping to strike it rich. The Bozeman Trail led to the gold fields, but was notoriously dangerous, passing through lands treatied to the Sioux. The Bridger Trail, established in 1864 offered a safer alternative.

"The Bridger Trail went west of the Big Horn Mountains and passed through what is Bridger, Montana, the town southwest of Billings," Rachel Phillips of the Gallatin History Museum said Wednesday. "Then the trail went up the Yellowstone River and the Shields River by Wilsall, and over the Bridger Mountains."

Phillips said Bridger's name now appears on many landmarks and place names in Montana, but that the history of how those names came to be adopted is hard to know.

"A lot of place names have Indian origins and a lot were named for early explorers like Jim Bridger and John Bozeman," Phillips said, "people that made their mark on the area early on."

Bridger's health began to fail him after serving as an army scout during the first Powder River Expedition against the Sioux and Cheyenne in northern Wyoming. He left the West for his boyhood home in Missouri in 1868, suffering from goiter, rheumatism and other ailments. Bridger died near Kansas City, Missouri, on July 17, 1881.

Known during his lifetime for embellishing some of his tales, Bridger's stature and status as a mountain man surely grew following his death, but his influence on Montana and the American West cannot be overstated.

"Lots of things are named for Bridger  Bridger, Montana, Bridger Creek  he came out West to be a fur trapper and looking for adventure," Phillips said.

He found it.
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan's military on Monday called on civilians displaced by two weeks of fighting in Darfur's Jebel Marra to return to their homes, claiming to have captured most of the area.

The rebels strongly denied the claim and urged the international community to intervene to protect civilians.

Clashes flared between insurgents and troops in Jebel Marra, a stronghold of the rebel Sudan Liberation Army led by Abdulwahid Nur (SLA-AW), on January 15 and tens of thousands of civilians are thought to have fled the fighting.

"The armed forces, announcing they have extended their control over the Jebel Marra area and have secured all roads and tracks and important sites, invite all citizens in the area to return to their villages," army spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami said in a statement.

"The armed forces are still continuing their efforts in the area to complete the combing of the small remaining pockets" of Jebel Marra, the spokesman said.

But Abdulwahid Nur, head of the SLA-AW, denied his forces had lost control of the area.

"I will say that is not true at all, that is a lie," Nur told AFP by telephone from France.

"Since January 25, they have been continuously attacking us from eight directions" in Jebel Marra, he said.

He called the fighting "a tragedy, with the silence of the international community".

Access to Darfur is strictly limited by the government, making it almost impossible to independently verify accounts from both sides.

Tens of thousands of civilians are thought to have fled the latest clashes, which came after a period of relative calm following President Omar al-Bashir's extension of a ceasefire in the area in a New Year's Eve speech.

The military said in their statement they were responding to violations of the ceasefire, but the SLA-AW said troops tried to fight their way into the area.

The army's call for civilians to return came after the United Nations warned that civilians displaced by the fighting were facing dire humanitarian conditions.

"They are basically in need of everything," said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Marta Ruedas.

- 'Worst civilian displacement' -

The surge in violence "has seen, as a result, the worst civilian displacement that we have seen in the UN in the past decade" in Jebel Marra, she said.

The UN has been unable to gain access to some of the areas worst affected in Jebel Marra, which straddles North, South and Central Darfur states, and has been unable to verify the number of people displaced into the surrounding areas.

Ethnic insurgents in the western Darfur region in 2003 mounted a rebellion against Bashir's Arab-dominated government over claims they were being marginalised.

Bashir unleashed a bloody counter-insurgency using militia, ground troops and jet bombers that saw him indicted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges in 2009, which he rejects.

Some 300,000 people have been killed the conflict and there are 2.5 million people in the region who have been displaced, according to the UN.
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips

08.02.2016 LISTEN

An Islamic preacher, Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, who was secretly indicted in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and deported from the United States in 2004, is currently in Ghana offering teachings to Muslims in the country.

Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, a Canadian citizen, has also been banned from entering the United Kingdom and Australia.

Born Dennis Bradley Philips, the Canadian Muslim teacher, speaker and author who resides in Qatar, appears on Peace TV, which is a 24-hour Islamic satellite TV channel.

He was deported from the Philippines, Bangladesh and Kenya, where he had been invited to address Islamic conferences.

Sheik Philips is said to have written: Western culture, led by the United States, is the enemy of Islam.

The US Government named him as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 bombing that killed six people and injured 1,000. He was deported from the US in 2004  [Quoted from the Sun Herald Newspaper in the UK].

Sheik Philips activities in Ghana as advertised on his official Facebook page, which started from the 4th February, ends on the 12th February. His programmes have taken place in various parts of Accra and in Kumasi, specifically at the KNUST.

He is expected to be in Tamale for another lecture at the Tamale Jubilee Park today [Monday] February 8, titled Islamic Identity Under Globalization between 8:00 and 11:00pm.

At the Tamale UDS on the 9th, he will hold another lecture titled Islam and Media: Enemies or Foes from 10:00am-12:00pm.

He has already delivered lectures on the theme Insurgency In Gods Name: Revelation or Rebellion.

Dr. Bilal announced his schedule and activities in Ghana on his Facebook page.

ISIS Alert

It would be recalled that in August 2015, Ghanas National Security issued an alert about recruitment of Ghanaian students to join terrorist group, ISIS.

The National Security Co-ordinator, Yaw Donkor, said his outfit had identified suspected institutions where agents and agencies of the terrorist group targeted and recruited unsuspecting Ghanaians.

This was after a 25-year old former student of KNUST Nazir Nortei Alema , was confirmed to have who left home to join the terrorist organization.

It is unclear whether the countrys national security is aware Dr. Bilal Philips activities in the country, and whether he is indeed preaching extremism.

Yemeni Ex-Gitmo detainees

Dr. Bilal Philips comes into country at a time when Ghanaians have expressed concerns about possible external attacks from Islamist extremists following governments decision to host two former Guantanamo Bay detainees from the United States, believed to have repented and thus poses minimal risk.

Terrorism allegations false



Dr. Bilal Philips in one of his lectures.

Dr. Bilal Philips has repeatedly denied connections to terrorists insisting the west led by America, is only demonizing him.

In a letter he personally wrote while in detention in the Philippines where he was later deported for the same accusations, he accused the western media of sensational journalism meant to portray him as evil.

A portion of the letter he wrote while in detention in the Philippines.

In his letter, he denied most of the allegations made against him, saying Germany for instance had not banned him as had been reported, and that he won a lawsuit against the Mayor of Frankfurt who unilaterally attempted to deport him over terrorism allegations.

He said in all the places he has been banned including the US, there has not been any evidence to prove that he is linked to terrorists or that he promotes terrorism, insisting his teachings of peace rather seeks to eliminate extremist ideas among Muslims particularly the youth.

His personal letter was published on September 13, 2014, on an Islamic website muslimmatters.org .

Dr. Bilal Philips aside his conferences, uses social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter and others, effectively, to propagate his teachings.

His official Facebook page currently has over 4.3 million likes, and he runs what he calls an Online Islamic University where he offers free tuition and certificates to Muslims who enroll.

Terror links

Intelligence sources said he is closely identified with Mohammed Jamal Khalifa, brother-in-law of the late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Khalifa stayed in Mindanao for several years in the 1990s.

When Khalifa was in the Philippines, Philips reportedly visited Cotabato City and planned to build an Islamic center in Maguindanao, according to Rappler executive editor Maria Ressa in her book, From Bin Laden to Facebook.

She added: According to a confidential document provided by US intelligence in 2004, Philips headed the Islamic Information Center (IIC), now known as Discover Islam, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

While Philips has denied any terrorist connections, Ressa wrote that he was secretly indicted in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and deported from the United States in 1994. Since then, he has been expelled from a number of Western countries  denied entry to Australia in 2007 and deported from the UK and Germany in 2010.

One of the principal suspects in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Ramzi Yousef, operated in the Philippines and was linked to a failed plot to kill then Pope John Paul II during his visit to Manila in 1995.

Religious persecution

Several Muslim leaders and human rights advocates believe Philips has done nothing wrong to merit deportation.

This harassment by the authorities against Dr. Philips is an act to dishonour a visitor of Muslims in Mindanao. Being prevented from visiting to preach to his Muslim brothers and sisters in Mindanao is a form of religious persecution, Mindanao Human Rights Action Center executive director Bobby Benito said.

On his Facebook page, which has more than 4 million followers, Philips is described as a former Christian who converted to Islam in 1972. He was born in Jamaica but grew up in Canada.

Philips took Arabic courses and completed his degree at the College of Islamic Disciplines at the Islamic University of Madeenah and he took his masters in Islamic Theology at the University of Riyadh.

In 1994, Philips finished his doctorate degree in Islamic Theology at the Islamic Studies department at the University of Wales.

His Facebook page also claimed that Philips taught at the Islamic Studies department of Shariff Kabunsuan Islamic University in Cotabato City.

Philips is currently a lecturer for Islamic Studies and Arabic at the American University in Dubai and the Ajman University at the United Arab Emirates.
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IVA Struggling with debt? Compare your debt options and write off up to 80% of your unsecured debts  from 80 per month Get Started for free

What is an IVA? With an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) you can make affordable monthly payments towards a percentage of your debt for 5 years. At the end of the 5 year plan, your remaining debt will be completely written off.

Benefits of an IVA

Here is a list of the cost common advantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA):



 Affordability  You will only be asked to pay back what you can afford, with allowances taken into account for food, bills, entertainment, travel, childcare and others. You may be sacrificing certain essential costs at the moment. With an IVA they are budgeted for so they will no longer be neglected

 No upfront costs  When you set up an IVA, there are no upfront costs whatsoever. This means that you can put a debt solution in place today without spending a penny

 You have a finishing line  Do you feel like there will be no end to your debt problems? With high interest costs and charges, the balances of your credit accounts may not reduce as you need them to. With an IVA you will become totally debt free at the completion of the IVA (usually 5 years). You can use this as an opportunity to change your financial life, for good

 Confidential  Your IVA is not advertised in the London Gazette or local newspaper. It is your decision whether you would like to disclose it to other people or not

 No more contact from creditors  When you are in an IVA, your creditors will no longer have the right to contact you or refer the debt on to debt collectors/bailiffs. This is a great benefit for most people as it will take away the stress caused by constant calls/texts/emails and home visits

 Stay in your house  Unlike some debt solutions, an IVA will allow you to stay in your current home. This is even the case if the property has a mortgage or is owned outright

 Your pension  An IVA does not have an impact on your pension. You will not have to surrender your pension or withdraw money from it to pay into your IVA

Risks of an IVA

Here is a list of the cost common disadvantages of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA):

Equity Release  If you own your property and it has value, you may be asked to release the equity in the property

Credit Rating  If you have a perfect credit rating, this will be damaged and you will not be allowed to take out more debt whilst in an arrangement

You must keep up with repayments  If you do not keep up with your monthly repayments, there is a risk you will be made bankrupt

Who qualifies for an IVA?

There is no office guidelines to who qualifies for an IVA. It is a legally binding, Government legislation designed to help all people. Generally speaking, insolvency practitioners (IP) will look at your situation if they think the IVA proposal they submit is beneficial to both yourself (the debtor) and your creditors. This often restricts people to a certain criteria which you will have to meet:

Over 5000 worth of unsecured debt You must have 2 or more creditors of 2 or more lines of credit Must live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland Must be insolvent Must be willing to pay at least 70 per month into their IVA Must have some type or types of regular income

What debts can I include in an IVA?

You can include a wide range of unsecured debts within your IVA. These include:

Credit card debt/credit cards

Loans/loan debt

Payday loans

Council tax arrears

HMRC debt

Overpaid benefits

Catalogues

Gas and electricity arrears

Overdrafts/overdraft debt

Water arrears

Income tax arrears

Debts to friends and family

Other unsecured debts

Note: If you are a resident of Scotland, you will need to apply for a Scottish Trust Deed (legally binding). Speak to our advisors for Scottish Debt Advice.

What debts cant be included in an IVA?

Secured loans

Your mortgage (if you still live in the house)

Car finance (if you still have the car)

Rent arrears for your current property

Court fines/Police fines

Hire purchase arrears (if you still have the product)

Log book loans (if you still have the vehicle that the debts are secured on)

Student loans

Other secured debts

What does I.V.A stand for?

IVA stands for Individual Voluntary Arrangement. It is a formal way to consolidate your debts into one affordable monthly repayment, resulting in the debtor becoming debt free at the end of their payments.

Can I apply for an IVA online?

Use the IVA Calculator to check your eligibility Prepare your IVA proposal and apply for your IVA. When your IVA is accepted, your creditors can no longer contact you. Pay 60 low monthly payments. After 5 years, you are out of your IVA and completely debt free.

Will an IVA affect my employment?

In most occupations, your credit rating or credit scoring is not a factor and it may never have been checked in the past, it may also be likely that it is not checked in the future either.

There is no law to tell you that you must advise your employer that you have entered an IVA or that you owe money. They will not be notified by your insolvency practitioner. If you wanted to keep it a private matter, in most cases this would be absolutely fine. With some roles such as financial advisors, solicitors or bank workers it may make up part of your contract to advise them of changes like this. In these situations we would advise to inform your employers of your intentions before you enter into any arrangements. This way there will be no nasty surprises for you later down the line. More often than not, we find that your employer would not be concerned by your IVA and that it would not affect your employment status. An IVA is a formal solution and could affect some employments, such as if you were a solicitor or accountant for example. We would always recommend that you receive approval from your employers that your job isnt affected before you sign up for anything.

Will an IVA impact my partner?

There are certain situations where you may not want to involve your partner at all in your IVA proposal due to personal reasons. Insolvency Practitioners are very aware of these circumstances and can operate solely via telephone and email and at your convenience, so rest assured that your matters can be kept completely private.

If the debts which you are looking to place into your IVA are in joint names, then this would be different. Your IP would look to place all of your debts into an IVA, including joint debts therefore you would have to inform your partner of your plans.

If your debts are solely yours, then there would be no negative impact on your partner, their credit score would remain unaffected and they would not be entered onto any registers or be tainted in any way.

Will an IVA affect my credit score/credit file?

Whilst you are in your arrangement, you will not be able to get any credit. An IVA will stay on your credit file for 6 years, so 12 months after a typical IVA. When this time has passed and your monthly payments have ended, you will be able to rebuild your credit rating.

What proof will I need to apply for an IVA?

Proof of ID  Passport/driving license/birth certificate/utility bills/national insurance identification/credit agreement Bank statements  3 months bank statements with all transactions displayed Proof of income  3 months payslips/P60/proof of benefits

How long does it take to set up an IVA?

Your initial call will only last around 5-10 minutes. The IVA process will be explained to you and you will be told what further information you will need to provide to proceed with your IVA proposal. Once you have returned the required information, an IVA will usually take between 7-14 days to get into place. You will be protected from creditors within this time, your advisor will provide you with documentation via email.

How long does an IVA last?

Most IVAs will last for a length of five years. The i v a will remain on your credit file for a period of six years and is placed on the Insolvency Register for that period. You can work out what date it will be removed from your credit file, it will be six years from the start date of the IVA term. So if the IVA started on 1 January 2000, it should be removed from your credit file six years from that date, which would be 1 January 2006. When you apply for an individual voluntary arrangement your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) will tell you if you qualify for an IVA, how long it lasts, how much it costs and provide you with any other debt advice which you may need.

How much will debt advice cost for an Individual Voluntary Arrangement?

The advice cost for individual voluntary arrangements is free of charge. Your I.V.A company will tell you if you qualify for an IVA. They will talk to you about your different debts, provide you with free debt advice and check if your creditors are likely to approve your proposal for your IVA for debt.

How does an IVA affect your life?

By taking out an IVA you may affect your overall financial position. You will not be allowed to take out credit for 6 years. You will struggle to get a mortgage or remortgage your existing property. It also may affect any future increase in earnings or windfalls you may receive, as these will need to be paid to your insolvency practitioner. Your insolvency practitioner will take control of your debts for this period, they will deal with all of your creditors and this is legally binding. That means you will not be allowed to take out any more debts whilst in the IVA.

Once the plan is completed, any debts which you accrue will be managed by yourself. Your ability to take out further debts in the future will not be impacted once the IVA has completed.

What is the IVA protocol?

The I.V.A protocol is a voluntary set of guidelines which your Insolvency Practitioner (IP) can sign up for which improves the efficiency of Individual Voluntary Arrangements. When you apply for debt advice, it is important that you understand the steps of the debt solution, so you can decide whether or not the solution is the best one for your circumstances.

How do I know if creditors will accept my IVA?

Generally speaking, most creditors will approve voluntary arrangements for unsecured debt. But some debts can not be included within one formal debt solution. Your Insolvency Practitioner will tell you how likely it is that your creditors will be willing to accept your proposal, based on the voting creditors.

Can I pay in one lump sum?

There are occasions when you may be eligible for a debt solution which is payable in a one off lump sum as a final settlement to your creditors. This is usually when the money is being gifted from some one else, or you have received inheritance or a windfall for example. With a one-off lump sum payment, the advice is usually the same as when you normally apply for an IVA. You wouldnt have to make regular payments into the solution, your IP can provide you with more advice on one off lump sum solutions for your debts. Your IP will provide you with more advice on the debt IVA and explain what is IVA to you.

Who regulates the debt industry?

At present the debt industry is not regulated. Some Insolvency Practitioners offices choose to sign up to the Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) or register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can contact the IPA using the contact details or email address on their website. Your creditors do not regulate the debt industry and your creditors will not be able to impact any decisions which the IPA or FCA make. In our experience, the regulators will take assertive action on any advisers or businesses which do not comply with their strict codes of practice. To check if a person is regulated by the FCA, enter their name into the search box in the FCA website.

Should I use a debt charity?

There are thousands of companies which provide debt help in the UK. You may be looking for an alternative to a private company. You should know that charities usually pass their fee charging products to sister companies which charge fees and disbursements, just like private companies. So what you initially thought was a good option, on further analysis could be different to what you originally thought. Charities do have their part to play though. They can help you if you have a problem with your bank accounts, maintenance arrears, living costs, credit reference agencies, child support arrears, bankruptcy, assets, accountancy issues, mortgages, creditor issues, insurance providers, mobiles, your bank account, rates arrears, PAYE contributions or if you want to work out your expenditure. They can make sure that you speak to an adviser or supervisor and look at proposals to offer your lender. A petition has started with the possibility of a debate in parliament about how charities represent themselves and their services.

Which charities help with debt?

You can contact Money Advice Service, National Debtline, Step Change, Shelter or a combination of the three. Charities are particular useful for a low debt level under 1,000. If the debt is high (such as a debt value of 10,000 or more) you would usually seek an assessment from a professional adviser. If you do decide to use a charity to guide you, make sure you check their charity number and the registration number on their website to make sure you are content that their team can answer your questions in the right ways. A lot of clients of charities have a minimum debt level which does not meet the basis for an IVA, so you could always chat to a charity that is happy to act on your behalf for low debt levels.

Although an I.V.A could be the answer to your debt problem, its important to understand the monthly payment so call us on our free phone number. Anyone customers can receive expert feedback on their rights from debt charities, if they cant help they will usually point you in the director of firms which help with IVAs.

We are homeowners, will lenders see my proposal differently?

In some cases yes. In the majority of cases, if you are a homeowner you will not need to remortgage or take out any additional finances that will effect your property. You will need to sign a additional restrictions which remove your ability to take out additional credit tied to your property, which is something that is restricted once you are in an i.v.a. There are exceptions to this, such as when you have a lot of equity in your property/properties. If you own half of a property and another party owns the other half, only your equity will be affected.

If you are landlord and you are in a position of equity, your IP may review your trading position or business to make sure the figures in question are in order. This is usually the case if you have two or more properties, as sometimes the equity can be used to form a repayment to your creditors. But this usually depends on the amount of value built up in your properties.

Banks and building societies will not change the terms of your mortgage as long as a contribution is still being made for the duration of your arrangement. Your mortgage payments will be added to your expenses and accounted for within your budget, as long as you can provide evidence that you can afford to continue to make payments into your mortgage for duration of the plan.

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MISSOULA  A Missoula woman is facing a minimum two-year prison sentence after she was found guilty this week of a racially motivated assault for accosting her African-American neighbor.

Lawrence Blackwell, the victim, said he broke down in tears when the verdict came in.

At the end of a trial Thursday in Missoula County District Court, the jury found Susan Ann Lafriniere committed an assault based on the victim's race. Although assault is a misdemeanor charge, an enhancement because it was based on race carries a felony-level punishment.

Lafriniere was also found guilty of violating a restraining order.

According to court records, Blackwell was outside his house washing his car in September 2013 when he saw Lafriniere yelling at a woman and her daughter walking along the street.

This is an elderly neighborhood, all 55 and older, and Im the only African-American that lives here, Blackwell, 63, recalled. A lady came on my lawn and basically accosted another woman that lives in some low-income housing. She felt as though they were second-class citizens. She started screaming at this lady and little girl to get out of here. So I stepped up and said, Look, you can do what you want on your property but this is my property. And she said Im not talking to you, you black n. And she said it four or five times and came over and put her finger in my face and said shes going to make sure I dont live here anymore. Im thinking this is Candid Camera or something. I cant believe whats going on.

One of the neighbors, Betty Chrestenson, was outside and shouted at Lafriniere to stop, but Lafriniere continued to yell the word until Blackwell walked away.

On at least four other occasions, Lafriniare flipped the bird at Blackwell.

Everytime she sees me and my wife in our car, she takes her hand off the wheel to give us the finger and yells n at us, even in the middle of town, Blackwell said.

Blackwell was able to secure a restraining order against Lafriniare, but she still accosted him again.

She saw my car and started on me again with the n thing, and tried to push me out of the neighbors door, Blackwell said. Im 6-foot-6 and shes 5-foot-nothing. She was claiming Im disrespecting this ladys house. I was able to file assault charges. There is an attachment to assault that is the equivalent to a hate crime, and that triples the consequences of it.

Blackwell said that Lafriniare also followed him from his house to downtown Missoula.

Even in court she called me a pig and a piece of black (expletive), he said. She was even threatening the witnesses outside of the courtroom in the hall. I was afraid for my kids, who are 10 and 14. If she will do this to a 6-foot-6 guy, what would she do to my kids?

***

Blackwell said he was shopping in Home Depot when the prosecutor called to tell him the verdict.

I literally broke down in tears, he said. The people at Home Depot were trying to call an ambulance for me. I just needed some time to absorb this. I just lost it because Ive been fighting this for two years, and every other day I have to listen to this woman. It seems like a lifetime.

Blackwell said he also intends to sue for monetary damages in civil court. He is quick to point out that his feelings about the Missoula community havent been tainted though.

I have nothing but utmost respect for the people of Missoula, he said. She had a good lawyer, and I told him that. Her being on the stand, thats what really did her in. There arent many black people in Missoula. Ive only met seven people in the three years Ive been here. Missoula is accepting though. Im a Navy veteran of the Vietnam era. I can live anywhere, including Japan and South Korea. I try to get along and leave people alone.

Lafriniare will be sentenced April 22. She will have to undergo a pre-sentence mental health evaluation.

Under the hate crime statute 45-2-222, she faces no less than two years and no more than 10 in the Montana State Prison. However, the judge has the discretion to suspend any length of time of the sentence.

"I think the Legislature, in its collaborative wisdom, decided that crimes that were committed because of the hate of a protected class should be subject to an increased penalty," Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst said when Lafriniare was charged. "As you can see you, these alleged crimes profoundly affected the victim and his family. And it's that harm that the Legislature is attempting to prevent."
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WILLISTON, N.D  A sex trafficking survivor who reached out for help while in Williston in late 2014 says she was too terrified to testify after the way law enforcement handled the case.

Jessica, who reported to police she was assaulted after she failed to make her quota for her pimp, said the man was released from jail shortly after his arrest and showed up at the hotel where she was staying.

The man, Trevor Andrew Fryer, was rearrested two days later on more serious charges related to sex trafficking, but Jessica says she refused to cooperate with the prosecution after he continued to harass her.

The case against Fryer, 32, was settled last June with an agreement that means Fryer wont be prosecuted if he remains law-abiding for one year. He pleaded not guilty to the sex trafficking allegations and he will not have a criminal conviction if he fulfills the agreement.

Meanwhile Jessica, who moved to the East Coast after her experience in North Dakota, is struggling to rebuild her life after eight years as a sex trafficking victim. The 26-year-old wants to become an advocate for other victims, but several misdemeanor prostitution convictions on her record have made it difficult for her to enroll in school or get a job.

Jessica, who spoke to Forum News Service on condition of anonymity, said she found Williston ill-equipped to help her.

New grant dollars recently awarded aim to provide comprehensive services for victims of human trafficking in North Dakota, including communities in the Oil Patch that have recently seen an influx of online commercial sex ads.

They had absolutely no resources at all, Jessica said. They feel like if they take away the trafficker, thats where the healing starts and it doesnt. Even if somebodys in jail, you live in constant fear. Theres so much more that needs to be done.

Sick type of love

Jessica traveled to North Dakota in November 2014 with Fryer, of Florida, who she says had been her pimp for three years.

In my mind, I was in some sick type of love, said Jessica, who started stripping at 17 and entered a life of pimp-controlled prostitution at 18. Every time Id leave Id go back because either hed be right there or I was just so far from home that I would just go back (to Fryer). I didnt really know what to do.

On their fourth night in Williston, Jessica knew Fryer would not be happy because she was returning to the hotel room $600 short of her $1,000 quota. She called a friend and left her cell on, instructing him to call police if he heard any kind of struggle.

When police responded to the 911 call, officers heard a female say I have to open the door; they are going to come in anyways, according to the police report. After the hotel room door flew open, Jessica ran into the hallway hysterical, wearing a bra and a towel around her waist, the report says.

Jessica told police she was sick of getting beat up by Fryer, who that night hit her in the face with a fist. The officer noted in his report bruises on her cheeks as well as her arm, which she said Fryer caused previously.

I thought I was going to die, the way that he was choking me, Jessica recounted last week.

Jessica also told police how they posted escort ads on Backpage.com and the money she made from the sexual encounters went to Fryer, documents show. Police confiscated his phone and $2,611 in cash in Fryers pocket.

Police gave Jessica a card with information for the local domestic violence shelter, but she said she didnt want to go to the shelter and instead returned to the hotel.

They should have connected me to a human trafficking specialist, not a domestic violence specialist. I wasnt a domestic violence victim, she said.

Arrested and released

Police initially arrested Fryer for domestic violence. The following day, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and received a suspended 10-day jail sentence and an order to not have contact with the victim, records show.

Jessica was still in Williston, staying temporarily at hotel rooms arranged for her by victim advocates. She said she was walking to a store when she got a call from Fryer, the first shed learned of his release from jail.

I freaked out, she recalled.

She called the county victim advocate, who assured her prosecutors were pushing for tougher charges.

But in the meantime, Fryer happened to show up at the hotel where she was staying.

I literally walked out of front door of the Super 8 and he was parked right there trying to check in, she said.

Jessica said Fryer also harassed her through Facebook messages, and while in custody arranged for someone he met in jail to make contact with her. She didnt report the harassment to police.

It took me everything in my power to call the police the first time, Jessica said. Why would I call the police a second time when they failed me?

Lt. Detective David Peterson of the Williston Police Department said police would have investigated and enforced the no-contact order if the violations were reported.

I wish that we were notified. Because thats our ultimate goal is to protect these victims and bring somebody to justice for committing a crime against these victims, Peterson said.

Fryer was rearrested two days after his initial arrest on the charge of promoting prostitution, a Class C felony.

Human trafficking cases and promoting prostitution cases are more complex than just a simple assault type charge, Peterson said. There are investigation hours that have to go into these cases sometimes before a charge can be presented to the states attorneys office.

Case settled

Jessica said she refused to testify after seeing Fryer released from jail so quickly.

I was so terrified of him because I just knew in my heart that the system was going to fail me again, she said.

A reluctance to call police was deeply ingrained in Jessica after years in the life taught her there could be serious repercussions for trafficking victims who call police. Years earlier, Jessica said her face was disfigured by a different trafficker after she tried unsuccessfully to run away from him.

For me to make that step, and then they let him out that quick and he showed up at the same hotel that I was at. ... They could have got me killed, she said.

Fryer maintained he was not guilty to the promoting prostitution charge. The case against Fryer was settled last June through a pre-trial diversion agreement, which suspends prosecution for one year. If Fryer does not commit a felony or misdemeanor during the time period, the charge will be dismissed.

Attempts to reach Fryer for comment through defense attorney Jeff Nehring were not successful last week.

Williams County States Attorney Marlyce Wilder declined to comment on the case because another prosecutor, Kirsten Sjue, handled the case. Sjue, who is now a Northwest Judicial District judge, also declined to comment.

Jessica said last week she wishes Williston police connected her with a human trafficking specialist because she didnt think domestic violence advocates could understand her situation.

Its a complete difference between domestic violence victims and human trafficking victims. We already are basically shamed through society, Jessica said. When its hard for somebody to grasp why a person would stay in an abusive relationship, think of how hard it is to grasp why someone would stay in an abusive relationship thats forcing them to sell their body?

New state grant dollars recently awarded will fund staff dedicated to serving human trafficking victims, including in Williston and Minot. In addition, the Family Crisis Shelter in Williston is starting construction this year on a new facility that will include rooms specifically for trafficking victims.

On her own while in Williston, Jessica discovered 4her North Dakota, a nonprofit dedicated to serving victims of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, after seeing a CNN interview with CEO Windie Lazenko online.

Jessica reached out to Lazenko, also a sex trafficking survivor, who helped relocate her temporarily to Minot. Jessica credits Lazenko with helping her leave a life in the sex trade and inspiring her to pursue a career as a victim advocate.

I grew close with her and she understood when I went back and forth, trying to get out, Jessica said. She did amazing wonders with me.

Lazenko said a sex trafficking victim will often have more anger and reluctance to talk or accept help than a sexual assault victim. Having lived similar experiences helps her connect with the victims, Lazenko said.

Its magic. Then its not an us and them, Lazenko said. Then they cant play that card, you dont know, you dont understand and those walls come down and then youre able to offer help.
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LARAMIE, Wyo.  A district judge has sided with the University of Wyoming in the college's dispute over property taxes on a student apartment complex.

In a decision filed Jan. 29, Judge Jeffrey Donnell ruled that the Bison Run Village, a 9.14-acre on-campus apartment complex, is exempt from local property taxes under Wyoming statute.

The university contends Bison Run is tax-exempt and expressed concern taxing the property would set a precedent for other UW apartment complexes, such as Landmark Village Apartments, River Village Apartments and Spanish Walk Apartments.

But Albany County Assessor Grant Showacre argued Wyoming statutes and Department of Revenue regulations clearly indicate the property should be taxed because the Bison Run complex is run as a commercial enterprise.

The university manages and operates the complex but does not own it. In order to build the complex, the university it had to enter into a complex financing arrangement with a nonprofit corporation that helps colleges finance campus housing.

In November 2013, the Albany County Board of Equalization determined in a 2-1 decision that the property is not subject to county property taxes.

But in July, the state equalization board decided in favor of Showacre, arguing Bison Run qualifies as a housing service operating in a primarily commercial and proprietary manner. UW subsequently appealed, moving the case to District Court.

Ultimately, Donnell's decision determines Bison Run's purpose is to provide housing for UW students and is used as "reasonably necessary or essential facilities" for efficient university operation and maintenance. Therefore, Donnell concluded, Bison Run is entitled to tax-exempt status, and the county equalization board's decision was correct.

"This court cannot conclude that the university's decision to fund the construction of Bison Run by using a nonprofit corporation, whose mission it is to assist schools in financing on-campus housing, should be dispositive of the tax-exempt status of Bison Run by rendering it proprietary in nature," his decision states. "There is nothing here to support a conclusion that Bison Run is a 'commercial' enterprise."

Showacre said he was surprised by the District Court decision.

"We think we have a very good case," he said. "The county board decision, by how we understand the state statutes and rules and regulations, was why we went forward. And the state board of equalization supported that decision."

Albany County Attorney Peggy Trent, one of the attorneys representing Showacre, said no decision had yet been made on whether to appeal the case to the Wyoming Supreme Court. She declined to comment on the ruling itself.

UW spokesman Chad Baldwin said the university was satisfied with the outcome.

"The university is obviously pleased with the ruling and the judge's finding that student housing is clearly part of the university's academic mission," he said.
Mortgage brokers in British Columbia could soon be required to loosen their lips when it comes to how much theyre paid, and some originators fear that might sink ships as stunned clients demand bought-down rates.In an e-mailed statement to MortgageBrokerNews.ca, the Financial Institutions Commission (FICOM) said the improved disclosure rules would require that brokers disclose the amount of compensation they received from lenders. The change, it said, is a result of a shared interest in improved regulatory compliance and higher industry standards.Front-line brokers, however, arent seeing it that way.There is already enough confusion around the mortgage broker industry, where clients dont truly understand what we do, says Tanya Anderson, a mortgage professional with DLC Mountain View in Coquitlam, BC. Then adding in the very complicated compensation and remuneration aspect for disclosure  it opens up extra questions that are difficult to answer.The concern is less about a potentially awkward conversation about money, Anderson says, and more about the confusion surrounding who pays for what.Theres already so much education that goes into the mortgage process; its already such a convoluted process for the client, she says, pointing to the need for extensive documentation and the difficulty some clients have in qualifying for certain products. [Fee disclosure] just adds a little bit of doubt, and were already handling sensitive information. Its hard to factor all that in.Brokers are already required to disclose whether they receive a fee or a bonus from lenders, though they arent required to divulge the actual amount.I feel that the disclosure requirement that theyre wanting to bring in, I dont think its necessary because the client isnt paying [the fee], says Donna Telep, a mortgage advisor with Seville Mortgage in Maple Ridge, BC. Its no different than if you walked into a furniture store  would you feel that the salesperson should disclose to you exactly how much theyre getting paid on that sale?Telep says her clients  most of whom are repeats and referrals  are fully aware that she gets paid by the lender. For clients who might be using a mortgage broker for the first time, though, the forced fee disclosure may inadvertently support any feelings of distrust.Were going to run into clients who misunderstand how were paid, Anderson says. They may think that, by us making a fee, theyre getting a lesser rate. There are already rate shoppers out there, so it might add to that.Anderson says disclosing her fee to a client without explaining how she makes that amount could result in a rate-sensitive client pressuring her to buy down the rate.There are questions about how [the lender paying the broker fee] impacts them, and without getting into a monotonous explanation, the client wont really understand how one lender may take five extra hits, but that is no different from the lender who is not, she says. Anderson points to the many variables brokers consider when placing a client with a particular lender. She says the client could become fixated on the brokers fee associated with that product, overlooking the brokers reason for recommending it in the first place.Telep, meanwhile, says this move could further increase the fierce competition in the mortgage space thats pressuring many brokers to buy down rates.Were competing with other brokers for the business, plus were competing with the independent banks, she says, adding that the bank agents are exempt from these updated disclosure rules. This is going to add another layer of confusion and make it that much more difficult for the independent brokers.That double standard could lead some clients to question why banks arent required to disclose, Anderson points out, potentially setting up a foundation of distrust.I think, in this case, it is going to add a bit of extra doubt, she says. Clients might think, My banker doesnt have to do this, so maybe theyre more trustworthy than my broker.FICOM claims the updated requirement will better protect homebuyers in British Columbia by way of increased transparency, but Anderson and Telep dont see it that way.With clients being so savvy nowadays  the need for that extra layer of protection in unnecessary, Anderson says. When you add in the layer of what the broker is paid without explaining it, you just add confusion. I dont think its saving the client; I think its just adding an extra layer that didnt need to be there.
Banks have become known for their unique promotional mortgage offers, and one of the big five is at it again  but this time with something a little more conventional.CIBC, which has become known in the mortgage world for its unique advertising efforts and promotional programs, is now offering clients a chance to win a hefty chunk of cash that can be put toward his or her mortgage.How long can your mortgage rate go? the promotional collateral for the campaign reads. Get a rate of 2.59% for three years. Plus a chance to win $25,000 toward your mortgage.Not the most earth-shattering limited time offer, especially considering the banks recent campaigns.Last September, CIBC ran an advertising campaign that promised clients could switch their mortgages over for free. And earn some cash.The campaign  which was being pushed online and in print advertisement, including A-frame boards outside branches  told potential clients that, for a limited time, they could switch their mortgage to CIBC for free, and get up to 5% cash back.And just last month ScotiaBank offered potential clients the chance to switch their mortgage over  and earn 24 free movie passes for their trouble.That deal would have amounted to about $355 worth of free movies, based on ticket prices at downtown Torontos most central Cineplex.In most cases, broker rates beat the promotional rates on offer by the banks and CIBCs most recent one is no exception.That three-year 2.59% pales in comparison to rates as low as 2.08%, 2.09%, and 2.19% -- all rates currently being offered by Toronto-based brokers on RateHub at the time of this writing.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  A 93-year-old World War II veteran is embarking on a 10,500-mile journey to Australia to visit his wartime girlfriend after more than 70 years apart.

It will take Norwood Thomas, who boarded a plane Sunday from Norfolk with his son, two days to reach the country, where he will be reunited with Joyce Morris, The Virginian-Pilot (http://bit.ly/1L8P3l0) reported.

"I'd rather die traveling to Australia than live sitting around at home wondering, 'What if?'" Thomas said.

News media around the globe have printed or broadcast the story, which has gone viral online.

"It's the craziest thing," Thomas said. "I can't believe how interested all these people are."

The two first met in London shortly before D-Day. Morris was a 17-year-old British girl, whom Thomas remembers as a "pretty little thing," and he was a 21-year-old paratrooper with the 101st Airborne.

"Joyce was special. The one that got away," Thomas said. "But after the war, my orders to go home came so quick there was no real chance to even say goodbye."

Thomas, who hasn't seen Morris since 1945, has kept a photo of her ever since.

After the war, the pair wrote letters to each other, and Thomas even asked Morris to come to America and be his wife. But somehow Morris misunderstood and thought he'd found someone else. She stopped writing.

As time passed, the two went on with their separate lives. They both married other people, had careers and children. Thomas' wife died in 2001. Morris divorced her husband after 30 years.

Last year, Morris asked one of her sons to look for Thomas on the Internet, where she found his name featured in The Virginian-Pilot newspaper's D-Day series called "The Lucky Few."

Thomas and Morris, who is now 88 and nearly blind, recently reconnected via Skype. After their story went public, hundreds of people made donations to help fund Thomas' trip to Australia, and Air New Zealand arranged the flight.

"It's really touching," Thomas' son, Steve Thomas, said of the donations. "We want them to know it worked. He's going."

Norwood Thomas said he's excited to see Morris.

"I'm just looking forward to seeing her smile," he said. "I have no idea if there'll still be romantic feelings. But at the very least, I'll get to spend time with an old friend. Just sitting and reminiscing will be wonderful."

___

Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com
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When the Midland Army Air Field Museum opened its doors to the public Saturday, visitors saw a collection of artifacts  from tiny personal effects to large vintage airplanes. But beyond that, the museum introduced  or reintroduced  a part of military history that began in Midland.

The Commemorative Air Forces High Sky Wing began work on the museum in August. With a collection that features items from the former CAF museum, as well items donated by area veterans, the museum brings to life a time when Midland was the largest training ground in the country for bombardier training.

I want people to feel as excited as we are that were telling the story thats important to us and our community, High Sky leader Gena Linebarger said. I think people do not realize what we had here during World War II. The museum is just telling that piece of history.

High Sky wanted to continue having a museum on site after the American Airpower Heritage Museum was closed, which occurred when the CAF headquarters relocated to Dallas.

With some CAF items and partnerships with area air fields and museums in Sweetwater and Monahans, High Sky curated a collection that gives focus to air combat in the Pacific War and World War II and to Sloan Field, where cadets from around the country came to Midland to train.

We wanted the museum to be more centric to Midland so thats why we focus on the air field, Linebarger said.

The MAAF museum will initially be open only on Saturdays and with free admission, Linebarger said, as High Sky settles into operations of the museum.

The grand opening on Saturday was of particular significance. The first group of cadets came here for training on Feb. 6, 1942. Seventy four years later, High Sky paid tribute to the history that began with those cadets.

Between the groundbreaking in August until now, High Sky Wing pulled together a remarkable collection.

High Sky Wing Adjutant and museum leader Brent Collins worked meticulously with his team to put on display the array of items.

Artifacts include bomber jackets, training manuals, authentic radios and gun collections.

The CAF loaned us some but the public has been very helpful, said Collins, holding a plastic box. I was just handed a box of old pilot wings.

Before the grand opening, Collins gave a walk-through of the museum as his crew of volunteers were still putting items in place. The floor was filled with a surfeit of memorabilia, but the skeleton of the layout was intact. Timelines that posted the European and Pacific theaters of war open the museum and detailed how the action there was impacted by the air base here.

The museum then details former President George H.W. Bushs ordeal when he was shot down and rescued.

Theres audio-visual that accompanies these exhibits and give more detail about what youre seeing, Collins said.

Across the hangar is where it gets much more personal. The exhibition details the training that went on here and includes vintage newspaper articles (such as from the Midland Reporter-Telegram), vinyl records and simple personal belongings.

One side of the museum displays the grandness of the wars; the other side quite literally brings it home and personalizes it.

Our goal is to preserve history, and this is one step further that is quite personal to our area here, Linebarger said. People might not even know what we have here or the history that started here. Were very proud to be a part of that with the Midland Army Air Field Museum.
New Name for Belgian Analytics Experts

Belgian-based advanced analytics company solutions-2 has changed its name to boobook (a type of small Australian owl), and says its team aims for a 'more distinctive' positioning as 'advanced analytics and smart online reporting experts in a rapidly evolving market'.



The company was founded in 2002 by current MD Nicole Huyghe, a Bio-engineer with a Masters in Applied statistics who had worked for five years in the MR industry in London and later at Procter & Gamble in Brussels. Huyghe says that in recent years, many of the firm's current and potential clients have increased their focus on data-driven innovation and strategies, leading the company to expand its range of services.



She adds: 'Today, we increasingly enrich our clients' customer insights derived from market research with the analysis of additional big and small data from a plethora of sources'. The owlish name symbolises the wisdom the company aims to discover in 'the data available around us'.



The firm opened a London office in 2012, and two months ago relocated its back office to Singapore when its Office Manager Patricia Vermast moved there.



A new web site is at www.boobook.world . Other details, including registered company names in both Belgium and the UK, remain unchanged.




About 37 percent of Wyomings K-12 students qualify for free and reduced lunch during the school year. In some school districts, that percentage skyrockets to 80, 90 or even 100 percent of the population.

But over the summer, those 35,000 kids are at risk for hunger and malnutrition, said Amanda Anderson, nutrition programs consultant for the Wyoming Department of Education.

The department uses a federal program each summer to provide meals and snacks to at-risk students while schools are shuttered for vacation. The Wyoming Summer Food Service Program has been operating for decades, but it recently put out a call for sponsors and sites to grow the program.

We always talk about the free and reduced-price number (of students) during the regular school year, because those are the kids that were targeting during the summer, Anderson said. But we really only reach a small portion of the kids that we want to.

There are a few challenges to getting more students involved, beginning with Wyoming's rural population. Skepticism of the free program and lack of awareness of Wyomings impoverished communities also inhibits growth, she said.

The program depends on local collaboration with the state, and meals are reimbursed by federal funds. Sites are sponsored by nonprofits, YMCAs, libraries and school districts, and the program is developing a partnership with AmeriCorps VISTA for the coming summer. Coordinators want to develop other activities for children at the sites beyond free lunch or breakfast. They also want to create mobile sites to access remote pockets of poverty, Anderson said.

VISTA may be able to offer extra manpower through their Summer Associate program. Volunteers are young adults who devote 70 hours of their summer and receive either school credit or a cash stipend, said Amy Busch, Wyoming state program director for the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The opportunity is good for the program and for the volunteers, who might not have been exposed to poor communities, she said.

I think a lot of time young people dont grow up understanding or observing extreme poverty situations, and a lot of times its hidden from them, because they dont see what goes on outside of schools, Busch said.

Wyomings program has gained some visibility over the last few years after being recognized nationally for its growth. Last year, the program served 55,000 more meals to at-risk students than it had the year before, according to the department news release.

But serving almost 300,000 meals and snacks in Wyoming over the summer still accounts for just about half of the students that are being fed during the school year.

Sites have to be in an area where at least 50 percent of kids are eligible for free and reduced lunch.

Some people arent using the program because they cant get to it. Others are intimidated and expect they have to meet some kind of requirement to participate, Anderson said.

People seem to think, when they hear about a summer food program site, that there is some kind of enrollment, she said. They are like, Is this really free? People are really skeptical of it. It sounds too good to be true.

But site administrators ask no questions, she said.

Natrona County School District in Casper, the second largest in the state, had eight sites last year. Five of which were partner efforts with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming.

The district employs two cooks and two drivers to make and deliver the food and relies on local groups and volunteers to feed the kids, said Mike Pyska, food service director for the district.

But not all districts can become that involved, he said.

I think it would be hard for some districts. We are fortunate that we have a lot of other organizations that are willing to help, because they see the need in the community for kids that are out of school in the summer time, he said.

In Natrona County last summer, the district provided between 700 and 900 meals and snacks to kids, Pyska said.

Almost 4,000 kids in Natrona County qualify for free lunch, according to the Wyoming Department of Education, and about 1,300 more qualify for reduced lunch.

This summer's locations are still being decided. What Anderson does know is that she would like to increase Wyoming's sites from 83 to 95 in the next few years, feeding even more children who might not otherwise receive a hot meal.
Honoring a Proud Tradition: Black History Month at Michigan Tech

Poet J Mase III will conduct poetry readings and workshops during Black History Month.

We have all heard of Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Malcolm X, to name just a few famous African Americans. It is the contributions of such well-known and many lesser-known African Americans that we honor during Black History Month.

In 1926, Carter G. Woodson, known as the Father of Black History Month, originally established Negro History Week to raise awareness of the contributions African Americans have made, and continue to make, to the development of our nation. As a son of slaves, Woodson knew first-hand the value of education. He earned his PhD from Harvard University in 1912, the second African American to have done so. A half century later, in 1976, the month of February was designated as Black History Month.

Michigan Technological University also honors the African American community during Black History Month. Throughout the month of February, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) has collaborated with students of color in creating a social media photo campaign at www.facebook.com/CDIatTech Showcased in the exhibit are organizations, and students of color throughout Michigan Techs history. Anyone wanting to get involved in this project should stop by the center.

Black History Month Activities

CDI program coordinator Zachary Rubinstein provided this list of different activities taking place on campus in honor of Black History Month:

February 11-12 Self-described black/trans/queer poet J Mase III from Seattle will be here February 11-12. On Thursday, Feb. 11, he will be leading a solidarity workshop from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Wadsworth Hall Cafe Annex (G11w). On Friday, Feb. 12, he will conduct a poetry workshop from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building Alumni Lounge. At 7 p.m. that night, he will give a spoken word/poetry performance in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

Self-described black/trans/queer poet J Mase III from Seattle will be here February 11-12. On Thursday, Feb. 11, he will be leading a solidarity workshop from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Wadsworth Hall Cafe Annex (G11w). On Friday, Feb. 12, he will conduct a poetry workshop from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Building Alumni Lounge. At 7 p.m. that night, he will give a spoken word/poetry performance in the Memorial Union Ballroom. February 24Spike Lee film Malcom X will be shown at 6 p.m. in Fisher Hall 135.

All activities and displays are free and open to the public.

Rubinstein said the purpose of the Black History Month programs is to bring awareness of the contributions of African American organizations and students to Michigan Techs history and the important role they will play in its future. They represent our past, present and future. He hopes that the surrounding community as well as the campus will participate in the events.

An African American Student's View

To fifth-year English major Dmitri Williams, Black History Month means that my accomplishments, no matter how small, are worth being recognized. This recognition inspires me to be bigger than myself.

Is enough being done to honor black history? Any recognition of the accomplishments made by people of color is a good start, said Williams Yet it is not enough. There is so much, and so many not being recognized.

Williams went on to say: Becoming the best me I can be allows me to give the best back to the community. The more we allow people to exist with stereotypes, the more they are limited. By being a good role model, we can make this better.

He suggested that Michigan Tech might consider weekend extracurricular activities throughout the month that would provide an opportunity to learn about black culture and accomplishments.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Michigan Tech Receives $110,000 from GM Foundation for Manufacturing Engineering, Other Programs

Manufacturing engineering is a field much in demand.

In an effort to expand student competencies related to the automotive industry, the General Motors Foundation, a long-time supporter of Michigan Technological University, has awarded the University a $110,000 grant through its University/Organization Partner Program.

A significant portion of the GM Foundation grant will establish a new manufacturing engineering initiative. The grant will also provide continuing support for a variety of student activities, including the Advanced Hybrid Electric Vehicle and Advanced Motorsports Enterprises, pre-college STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach, underrepresented student groups and diversity programs.

Manufacturing Engineering

The manufacturing engineering initiative will focus on student projects to raise awareness among Michigan Tech students that manufacturing engineering is a viable area of study and career path. According to GM, interest in manufacturing engineering among students has been waning, while demand for manufacturing engineers has been increasing.

General Motors is proud of its long-standing affiliation with Michigan Tech, said Kurt Wiese, GMs vice president of global manufacturing engineering. This grant furthers our support of manufacturing engineering education and will enable the creation of a new initiative in manufacturing engineering. We look forward to continuing our support of Michigan Tech students through engineering projects that utilize and develop advanced, real-world manufacturing technologies. There is a growing need for talented manufacturing engineers, and this grant will leverage the world-class engineering faculty at Michigan Tech to offer students exposure to manufacturing engineering technologies that will prepare them for the challenges in today's automotive industry.

The new manufacturing engineering initiative will be part of Michigan Techs signature Enterprise Program. Housed in the Pavlis Honors College, the Enterprise Program consists of student-driven, multidisciplinary teams that work like companies on real-world client projects, whether the deliverable is an innovative product, a pioneering solution or a much-needed service. The hallmark of the Enterprise Program is the experiential training it provides to students.

Pavlis Honors College

"Michigan Tech's Pavlis Honors College is excited to work with the General Motors Foundation to develop Enterprise projects that highlight the engineering career opportunities available in manufacturing, said Joe Thompson, sponsored projects manager of the Pavlis Honors College. Our Enterprise programs strong history of real-world project experience fits well with GM's desire to support the next generation of manufacturing engineers."

The manufacturing engineering initiative will be designed and developed as a cross-disciplinary program. Students will focus on solving todays manufacturing problems, as well as learning the fundamentals of manufacturing products for many different industries, including automotive. The program will provide opportunities for students to get involved with the early stages of product life, incorporating design for manufacturing initiatives and becoming familiar with recent improvements to machining and state-of-the-art materials. Students will also gain knowledge of the assembly process and machine controls through the development of their own products.

Michigan Tech, General Motors and the GM Foundation have had a long-standing partnership dating back to at least 1940, supporting a wide range of activities across campus including scholarships, Senior Design and Enterprise projects, student organizations, sponsored research, recruiting support, youth programs, diversity initiatives and more.

Through the University/Organization Partner Program, the GM Foundation annually grants $3 million to support leading universities and partnering organizations across the country. The program aims to strengthen higher education curricula in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and other fields important to the automotive industry, to prepare more students to graduate with related degrees. The funds also support design and manufacturing degree programs, diversity initiatives, student organizations and career development resources.

About the General Motors Foundation

Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, the Environment and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
The female inmates of Litchfield Penitentiary have made a lasting impression on viewers, which is why Netflix chose to extend their character story lines. Orange is the New Black has been renewed for three more seasons, according to Variety. Fans can expect more drama, sex and laughs from the popular series.

Already preparing for the premiere of their fourth season, Orange is the New Black has earned the title of Netflix's most-watched series. The renewal deal includes a commitment from the show's writer and creator, Jenji Kohan, to remain the guiding force in making seasons five, six, and seven a success. Kohan, who also created the hit Showtime comedy-drama Weeds, revealed she is up for the challenge.

"Here's to keeping it interesting," Kohan told Variety. "Thanks Netflix! Both thanks and you're welcome Lionsgate! And kudos and gratitude to the stellar cast and crew and writers and producers and editors and musicians and mixers and shleppers... with whom I have the pride and honor of crafting this show. Three more years! Three more years!"

A photo posted by Orange Is The New Black (@oitnb) on Feb 1, 2016 at 2:08pm PST

The news comes fresh off of the series triumphant night at the 22nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday (Jan. 30). The show nabbed an award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, while Uzo Aduba (Crazy Eyes) took home the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series award.

This would mark the second year in a row that series won both SAG awards. The show's growth has attracted the eyes of other outlets and networks looking for Kohan to work with them.

"Jenji and her team have produced a phenomenal and impactful series that is both funny and dramatic, outrageous and heartfelt," Netflix's VP of original content, Cindy Holland, said. "Audiences around the world have come to love the ladies and men of Orange Is the New Black, and we are eager to see where three more seasons will take them."

Orange is the New Black is scheduled to return to Netflix with season four on June 17.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Last month, Brooklyn-based acid rap trio Flatbush Zombies announced that their debut full-length studio album, 3001: A Laced Odyssey, is due to drop March 11 on their own imprint, The Glorious Dead Records. Now, the Zombies have shared "Bounce," the first single off the forthcoming album.

"Bounce" is, as the title suggests, a bouncy track that fuses Beast Coast rap with the electronic-leaning elements of trap with the syrupy, organic sounds of softly-plucked guitars. The song features samples of experimental producer Bibio's "The Palm Of Your Wave," Consequence of Sound notes. Listen below.

3001 marks the group consisting of Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice and Erick "The Architect" Elliott's return from their two-year hiatus. It follows 2013's BetterOffDEAD and 2012's D.R.U.G.S. mixtapes as well as a number of singles and collaborations with other artists including the Underachievers, Joey Bad$$, Trash Talk and Skepta among others.

Despite scoring tons of high-profile support and a number of major festival gigs over the past few years, it's taken until now for them to release a full-length LP. If "Bounce" is any indication of what to expect from the album, fans are in store for 12 tracks of quintessential Flatbush Zombies.

The new track follows last month's "Glorious Thugs," the group's tribute to Notorious B.I.G. and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's seminal track "Notorious Thugs." As Pitchfork reports, that track will not appear on 3001. Listen below.



In March, the trio is embarking on a tour in support of the new album. Find dates and ticket information on the band's website here.

Check out the 3001: A Laced Odyssey tracklist below, via Stereogum:

01. The Odyssey

02. Bounce

03. R.I.P.C.D

04. A Spike Lee Joint" Feat. Anthony Flammia

05. Fly Away

06. Ascension

07. Smoke Break (Interlude)

08. Trade-Off

09. Good Grief, Feat. Diamante

10. New Phone, Who Dis?

11. This Is It

12. Your Favorite Rap Song

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Bernie Sanders said he believes North Korea poses a greater threat to the United States than Russia or ISIS, an opinion that differs from most top foreign-policy experts.

The Vermont senator made the statement during the debate last week between himself and fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton, the final one before the crucial New Hampshire primary.

Sanders said, "I worry very, very much about an isolated country. That's what makes me nervous. Russia lives in the world. China lives in the world. North Korea is a very, very strange country because it is so isolated, and I do feel that a nation with nuclear weapons ... they have got to be dealt with, before advocating 'leaning on China,' to solve the issue."

Sanders' lack of foreign-policy experience is seen as a weak spot in contrast to Clinton, who served not only as a U.S. senator but as secretary of state.

In contrast to Sanders, Clinton said Russia is the U.S.'s greatest threat.

"Russia is trying to move the boundaries of the post-World War II Europe," she said, "the way that [Russia] is trying to set European countries against one another, seizing territory, holding it in Crimea, beginning to explore whether they could make some inroads in the Baltics.

"We have to send a very clear message to Putin that this kind of belligerence, that this kind of testing of boundaries will have to be responded to. The best way to do that is to put more armor in, put more money from the Europeans in so they're actually contributing more to their own defense," Clinton continued.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers dusted off one of their funky classics, "Aeroplane." for the first time in 20 years, performing the track during their pre-Super Bowl party, for which Run-DMC opened.

The song is from the 1995 album One Hot Minute, an era when Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro was a member of the band. Interestingly, the band recently leaked a demo of a never-before-heard song from that period, so maybe they're revisiting era for their next album.

"We had written two dozen songs before we got with him," frontman Anthony Kiedis recently stated about the progress of their forthcoming album. "[Danger Mouse] is like, 'Let's keep a few of those, but let's go write all new songs in the studio.' We're looking at each other like, 'Dude, we kind of already wrote the songs, bro.' He's like, 'No, I like to write new ones in the studio.' So, in honor of accommodating this new process, we wrote all new songs, and it's a good thing we did."

Before the pre-Super Bowl concert, the band performed a benefit in support of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Feb. 5. Since the band first announced their support for the Vermont senator, bassist Flea has also elaborated on his disdain for Donald Trump.

During last night's concert, drummer Chad Smith displayed an image of the late David Bowie on his bass drum. The band is clearly feeling the loss of the icon -- Flea obtained a new tattoo of Bowie's image -- even though Bowie declined multiple offers to work with the Chili Peppers.

The band's 11th studio album will be the first without producer Rick Rubin since 1989's Mother's Milk, a major turning point for the band.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
BMG is looking to invest in dance music. The label giant has taken a strategic investment in UK drum n bass label RAM Records, founded by longtime owner Andy C. Exact terms of the deal are unknown, but Andy C will remain in charge of the label alongside business partner Scott Bourne that has helped break some of the biggest names in drum n bass including Sub Focus, Chase & Status and Wilkinson.

BMG UK EVP Alexi Cory-Smith said in a statement, "If ever a label could be said to have defined a genre, it's Ram. We are delighted to be able to help Andy C and Scott take Ram to the next level."

BMG will lend their resources to RAM to try and take the traditionally UK-focused label global.

The DJ and his partner Scott said of the investment, "We have worked with lots of companies over the years, but BMG really get it. We have been incredibly impressed by Alexi and her team, and we are very excited at being able to tap into BMG's infrastructure and resources."

Andy C started the label over two decades ago in 1992 with just 1,000 at the age of 16. His mission was to release his own drum n bass records and he tabbed his sister to design the logo.

Now seems like a good time to get new resources for a global push with a busy release calendar already piling up for RAM. Andy C is gearing up to drop an aptly titled new single "New Era," while the label will release two albums this month from Delta Heavy and Calyx & Teebee.

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
As already reported by Music Times, Dragonforce unleashed its cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" onto the world this week, and it was...a little overdone. The track featured typical power metal vocals (high-pitched and over-the-top) and typical power metal guitars (fast, finger-tapped and over-the-top) and the cover totally overlooked the song's classic riff.

One listener was even tougher than us in his review, calling it "one of the worst cover versions I've ever heard. A perfidious gang rape of a legend."

We might not go that far. The good news is that plenty of covers exist of the classic country track, many of which that don't suck. Music Times dug up a few and ranked them accordingly. Don't worry: If you hated Dragonforce's cover, none of them are that bad.

Behold:

08) Frank Zappa off The Best Band You Never Never Heard In Your Life (1991)

Frank Zappa was a guy never content to play the same thing twice, so covers were frequently mixed into his sets. Although we appreciate his slowing down the Cash classic into a Jamaican jam, the vocal interjections from Zappa ("ow! ow! ow!") come off as mocking, especially considering the over-the-top cowboy accent used to sing the original lyrics. The performer wasn't know to respect much of anything, but we prefer his sass aimed at Tipper Gore.

07) Blondie off Blonde and Beyond (1993)

Blondie was perhaps the definition of dance rock during its heyday, whether it's the more rock 'n' roll "One Way or Another" or the disco-savvy "Heart of Glass." That may be the problem here. "Ring of Fire" isn't a dance track, at least in that sense. Kudos to Blondie for sticking to its guns, but the only real highlight on this track is vocalist Debbie Harry's closing catcall "burn, burn, burn, ring of fire!"

06) Alan Jackson off 34 Number Ones (2010)

Jackson's attempt at the country classic isn't embarrassing or deluded at all...it's just boring. The fault may lie in the fact that the performer himself has a baritone, which makes him ideal for mimicking Cash, just not differentiating himself too much from the legend. The track still a good listen for country fans as Lee Ann Womack handles harmonies during the chorus.

05) Odonis Odonis (independent release) (2014)

It's not always wrong to totally flip the genre on its head when recording a cover, but some things are sacred. Hence why we can handle Odonis Odonis's avant garde approach and not Dragonforce's speed metal: the pacing is correct here. Many will be totally confused however as vocalist Dean Tzanos disappears behind guitar feedback, reverb and surf drums. Definitely can't argue the group didn't try something different.

04) Dwight Yoakum off Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc. Etc. (1986)

Yoakum kind of cheats getting this high on the list. It's not that his version is so far removed from Cash's...it's just that his vocal delivery is totally different. So where Jackson comes up a little short because of his similarities to Cash, Yoakum gets ahead by singing more in a soulful yelp than a thick baritone. It makes enough of a difference to set this track apart.

03) Social Distortion off Social Distortion (1990)

Social D didn't mess with the formula too much...it just changed the instruments. Adjusting the classic horn riff to guitar and riding along at a light chug with a slightly heavier version of the song's guitar part, "Ring Of Fire" seems almost perfectly suited to the "punk blues" approach that the California band has always embraced. It'd be nice if Social Distortion had a few songs of its own aside from "Story Of My Life" that everyday listeners could identify however.

02) Eric Burdon and The Animals off Love Is (1968)

Eric Burdon and his band The Animals made quite a bit of money by playing covers, as did all early British rock 'n' roll bands, including The Rolling Stones and even The Beatles for a time. Most of those covers were boring rehashes, but The Animals did right by Cash, taking his version and making it more than just a rock variant. The most impressive choice was to remove almost all of the other instruments during the verses, leaving Burden to wail, effectively, at the top of his lungs.

01) Adam Lambert off American Idol (2009)

This version of Cash's classic shocked audiences and confused judges during Lambert's 2009 run on American Idol, a show where contestants more often than not simply spit back nearly identical versions of the hit songs they're performing. Lambert performed the track for the "Grand Ole Opry" episode and made his version decidedly not Nashville. "Ring Of Fire" has a certain international feel thanks to its Mexican horns, and Lambert's cover maintains the foreign essence while changing the culture completely. He adopts an oud as his backing track and performs his vocals accordingly. A cover that's totally respectful and yet totally unique to its origins. You can tell it's great because of these introspects from the judges who we've learned to distrust: "It was strange...it left me confused." -Kara DioGuardi..."I thought it was absolute indulgent rubbish." -Simon Cowell..."If Nine Inch Nails did a country song..." -Randy Jackson.



adam lambert on american idol ring of fire+judges by ggzmkst

 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
CASPER, Wyo.  Meeting the criteria to teach for one of Wyomings seven community colleges just got harder, putting classes in jeopardy, particularly college-level courses taught by high school teachers.

A 2010 Wyoming law requires districts make at least 12 credit hours of college course work available to their students. Many high school students take advantage of the opportunity, graduating with some college, or even a full associated degree.

One way this is achieved is through concurrent courses  classes taught in the high school by high school teachers who are considered adjunct faculty of the college. Students close enough to commute can also take dual courses, taught at the college.

But new standards announced last year by the Higher Learning Commission, the accreditation institute for Wyoming community colleges, require that teachers have a masters degree or 18 graduate-level credit hours in the discipline they are teaching. Wyoming and 18 other states were affected by the change.

The problem stems from the fact that many high school teachers of concurrent courses have a masters degree in education or instruction, not in a specific discipline like economics, said Joe McCann, programs team manager for the Wyoming Community College Commission and a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.

The colleges are supposed to meet the new standards by fall 2017, McCann said.

Casper College in Natrona County has about 700 high school students taking either dual or concurrent courses every semester, said Jeana Lam-Pickett, BOCES program specialist for the college.

It is likely that some high school teachers wont meet the new criteria, and the courses they were teaching will no longer be offered, said Shawn Powell, interim vice president of academic affairs at Casper College.

However, the college is not in panic mode. Administrators have begun a review of the faculty this week, he said. They will meet in March with Casper high school principals to discuss the future of concurrent classes.

The college is developing individualized plans for each of its faculty members who do not meet the new criteria. And high school teachers can also work towards meeting the new standards before the deadline.

Wyoming community college professors have the option to take up to six credit hours a semester from the University of Wyoming free of charge, he said. There is also grant money available in Natrona County for a graduate stipend from the BOCES Program, he said.

But for colleges in less-populated areas, the new rules pose a challenge.

Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington serves six rural counties. Though the college is the state's smallest, it collaborates with 10 school districts on concurrent or dual courses, said Richard Patterson, the college's president.

Its all over the place, he said. Its a significant number of students, the whole eastern side of the state. Its impacting us, or has the potential to impact students, we just dont know the extent of it.

Attracting qualified faculty is already difficult in rural areas, he said.

Our goal is to come into full compliance, but that is going to take some time and some money, he said. I guess we have a little time, but we dont have a lot of money.

Some colleges are less worried by the change than others.

For Powell, the new standard needed to be implemented, and its a good opportunity for Casper College. But Patterson considers the standards too strict.

Were not saying that we want substandard teachers, but it could be a little better thought out, maybe not so rigid an interpretation, he said. I think its especially challenging for us in the small rural areas to try and meet that."

For the average high schooler, the change may mean greater reliance on virtual or online courses to obtain college credits, McCann said.

Technically, all of the school districts are meeting the 12 credit hours (required by law), because the community colleges have more than 12 hours of course work available from distance education, he said. But not all learners learn well that way.
Sarkodie should have been bigger than ...
News 13 learned a police shooting in Ocoee may be a case of mistaken identity.

Floridas Department of Law Enforcement is investigating Saturday mornings shooting at a home near the intersection of the 429 and the Turnpike.

The homeowner believes officers were shooting at the wrong house.

Shattered glass now covers the floors of an Ocoee family's home.

Bullet holes can be spotted from the front to the back of the home. The front glass door is in pieces.

The homeowners didn't want to go on camera but walked News 13 through their home and said Ocoee police caused the mess.

The couple said they and their 12-year-old son were sleeping around 1 a.m. Saturday when officers knocked and rang their door bell without identifying themselves.

The homeowner thought it was an intruder. One of them grabbed his gun, and held it down while asking who was at the door. They said police yelled "gun" and thats when the couple said the officers opened fire.

The homeowner said they hit the floor as two shots were fired followed by about 5-6 more.

The homeowners showed News 13 furniture with bullet holes, from the table to the sofa in the home.

News 13 tracked down surveillance video from a neighbor that shows when police arrive at the home. Homeowners said it was about 6 to 8 total officers.

The homeowners after they called 911 and rounds of shots stopped, they were told to come out with their hands up, and all of them including the child was handcuffed.

After 14 years in their home, the couple said now they're scared for their lives. They said they're thankful none of their family was killed.

News 13 called Ocoee Police and asked whether officers were at the wrong home as the homeowners stated. The station is still waiting to hear back.

An FDLE spokeswoman said the agency is investigating but could not release any further details.

Neighbors said FDLE did send investigators to their homes to question them about the incident.
Deputies in Osceola County say a teenage girl from Iowa who was reported missing has been found in Kissimmee with a man from Tennessee.

The Osceola County Sheriffs Office said on Sunday deputies were called to the Royal Celebration Inn located at 4944 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee in reference to a missing juvenile from Iowa.

When deputies arrived they said they received information that the missing teen may be at the hotel with an adult male.

Deputies said they made contact with Eric Sinks, 37, who was with a 16-year-old juvenile.



Investigators say Sinks cooperated with them and a search of his room revealed he had methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.



The Sheriffs Office said Sinks told deputies he met the teen on a dating website, but she indicated she was 20 years old. Investigators said Sinks told them he and the teen drove to Florida from Tennessee in late December and have been staying at the hotel and having consensual sex.

Investigators said based on his statements and the evidence, Sinks was arrested and charged with sexual battery, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and booked into the Osceola County Jail.

Deputies said the teen was placed into the custody of the Department of Children and Families.


A multi-million dollar project, which leaders hope will be a catalyst for change in downtown Orlando, got the green light Monday from the city of Orlando.



Orlando is donating 15 acres of land and a building to the University of Central Florida's Creative Village project. The donation amounts to a $75 million investment.



At Monday's City Council meeting, UCF leaders made their final plea, outlining their vision for the future.



This is the classroom of tomorrow for our students downtown," said Fred Kittinger, as he showcased renderings of the modern campus.



UCF's joint venture with Valencia College is a downtown campus, located on the site of the former Amway arena along Amelia Street.

It will serve more than 7,000 students with 14 academic programs, and will be a hub for education, technology and business. City Council unanimously approved the agreement, leading to a cheer from project supporters.



I feel a sense of partial accomplishment, a sense of excitement," said Marcos Marchena, the Chairman of UCF's Board of Trustees. "I think we keep getting closer to our goal.



UCF's goal is raising millions of dollars before presenting the project to the Florida Board of Governors next month. Though it's been in the works for more than two years, the Creative Village project is still in the approval stage and needs momentum.



This action sends the message that the city is fully on board," added Marchena.



The central fixture to the sprawling campus will be an academic building that will cost roughly $60 million to construct. The cost will be split in thirds: $20 million from the university; another $20 million in private funding; and the remaining $20 million from the state. Though the University has raised $9 million in private funds so far, eyeing the remaining $11 million the state money has not yet been approved.



In December the Orlando Magic pledged $1.5 million for the project.



Last month, UCF's Board of Trustees unanimously approved a memorandum with Governor Rick Scott's office. It detailed specific aspects of the school's contribution to the Creative Village, including that the university would not seek additional funds from the state beyond the $20 million they they're requesting.



Were very, very optimistic that well get a favorable vote from the FL Board of Governors, but theyre doing their job," said Fred Kittinger, the Associate Vice President of UCF University Relations. "Theyre giving it good scrutiny, and thats the position they need to be in.



The school plans to present to the Florida Board of Governors in Orlando on March 2nd.


Turning left at a busy intersection can sometimes get a little hairy depending where you are in Central Florida.

How assertive can you be while making that turn is what one viewer wants to know.

James, from Orlando, writes in this week:

Can you wade out into the middle of the road when making a left turn at a traffic light? And if you havent turned yet and the light turns red, can you still complete that left turn?

In Florida, a vehicle can enter the intersection on a green light waiting for the oncoming traffic to clear. Then when you feel you can safely make a left turn, you are free to do so.

"A couple of factors that are important for motorists to know are to make sure that they have enough room to enter the lane of traffic once they make the left turn and to not block the intersection," said Sgt. Jeffery Blye, of the Orlando Police Department.

Many people panic when they are in the middle of the intersection when making a left and the light turns red, but Blye said you need to keep moving forward.

"Once a vehicle enters the intersection, if they are caught in the intersection on the red to make that left turn, they have the right-of-way to make that left," he said.

The absolute worst thing you can do when the light turns red? Try and back up to the intersection or stop bar.

"So once they are past that stop bar, they have entered the intersection," Blye said. "They need to proceed through their turn or through the intersection when it is safe to do so."

If you don't move, you would get a moving violation for blocking the intersection, which  in the city of Orlando  is $164.

View our Real Time Traffic Map and check cameras on Central Florida's major roads.

If you have a traffic question, Ryan Harper can answer it. Send him your question.
A jury in Seminole County will now decide whether a woman who was on probation for burning down a tree known as The Senator, will go to prison.

Jury selection began Monday in a trial for Sara Barnes over a series of traffic charges which violate the terms of her probation.



Barnes was accused of starting the fire that ultimately destroyed the beloved Seminole County landmark in Big Tree Park in 2012.

PREVIOUS STORIES:

Police said Barnes said she and a friend started the fire so they could see better in the dark while doing drugs.

Barnes entered into a plea agreement in 2014 that suspended her sentence has long as she completed five years of probation.



With the traffic violations, prosecutors have taken a plea deal off the table.

If convicted, Barnes could face prison time for the arson and drug charges she faced in the case involving The Senator.

"The Senator," a 3,500-year-old cypress tree, was the fifth oldest in the world.



The Senator in 1967, and in 2012, when it was destroyed.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - National Cotton Council economists say 2016 will be another challenging year for the U.S. cotton industry - with low cotton prices, ample global stocks and uncertainties regarding global mill cotton use.

Dr. Jody Campiche, the NCC's vice president, Economics & Policy Analysis, told delegates at the NCC's 78th Annual Meeting in Dallas on Saturday that, "While world mill use is expected to exceed world production in 2016, global cotton stocks remain at high levels."

Regarding domestic cotton mill use, USDA estimates U.S. mill use at 3.6 million bales, up 25,000 bales from 2014 and marking the fourth consecutive year of increased consumption. The Economic Adjustment Assistance Program (EAAP) continues to be an important source of stability allowing mills to invest in new facilities and equipment, but the strength of the U.S. dollar is creating challenges for yarn exports.

She said export markets continue to be the primary outlet for U.S. raw fiber. In recent years, U.S. export customers have changed. China is importing less raw cotton fiber, leading to a reduction in world trade. Although U.S. exports to China have been declining since 2012, drastic reductions have occurred in the 2015 marketing year. As a result, the NCC estimates 2015 U.S. exports at 9.5 million bales, down 15.5 percent from 2014 and below the most recent USDA estimate. The current estimate may prove to be a bit optimistic as the weekly pace will need to increase throughout the remainder of the marketing year to reach 9.5 million bales.

Campiche said that considering the massive stockpiles of cotton and expectations for limited quota, China's imports are expected to fall further in 2016 to 4.75 million bales, down from 5.5 million in 2015.

China's mill use is projected to decline in 2016, Campiche noted. She said that although China's internal cotton price has declined in the past year, it is still almost twice the level of polyester prices as those prices also have weakened - a relationship that is not allowing cotton mill use in China to recover.

India is projected to continue as the world's largest cotton producer and the second largest exporter in 2016. Indian cotton producers continue to receive support through fertilizer subsidies and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) program. In addition, India will begin a pilot program in 2016 that could eventually replace the current MSP with a direct farmer subsidy program.

Campiche projects U.S. offtake of 13.8 million bales in 2016, leading to an increase in ending stocks of 193,000 bales. Although world cotton stocks are projected to decline by 6.3 million bales in 2016, the reduction is not large enough to significantly reduce global inventories that begin the year at 103 million bales. While projections of global consumption exceeding production normally would be supportive of prices, the implications for the coming year may not be as clear cut. The majority of the decline in global stocks is due to reduced inventories in China. An aggressive approach by China to reduce stocks would have bearish implications for world prices, particularly if the increased availability of reserve cotton reduced China's demand for imported cotton yarn.

In her analysis of the NCC Annual Planting Intentions survey results, Campiche said the NCC projects 2016 U.S. cotton acreage to be 9.1 million acres, about 6.2 percent more than 2015. With abandonment set at 11 percent for the United States, Cotton Belt harvested area totals 8.1 million acres. Using an average U.S. yield per harvested acre of 831 pounds generates a cotton crop of 14.0 million bales, with 13.4 million upland bales and 595,000 extra-long staple bales.

However, it is important to note that although the survey results suggest a slight increase in acreage, the modest increase in cotton acreage is largely the result of weaker prices of competing crops and improved expectations for water and favorable planting-time weather. Comments from respondents underscored the very difficult financial conditions facing cotton producers. For the past two years, U.S. cotton producers have struggled with low cotton prices and high production costs - and with current futures markets indicating steady prices, producers' economic situation is not likely to improve in 2016. Some producers, in fact, will find it very difficult to obtain production financing for the current year.

Additional details of the 2016 Cotton Economic Outlook are on the NCC's website at http://www.cotton.org/econ/reports/annual-outlook.cfm
Boy Scouts, along with Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts and older Ventures, are participating in a variety of Scout Week activities this week as part of the 106th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America.

Locally, the Boy Scout movement has been a part of Plainview for almost that long after the first troop was formed 104 years ago.

According to the April 26, 1912, issue of the Hale County Herald - predecessor of the Plainview Herald - the communitys first Boy Scout troop was organized April 24, 1912, with 10 boys attending the first meeting

The boys of Plainview met on Wednesday evening (April 24) at the City Hall and organized a patrol of Boy Scouts, the Herald reported. James R. DeLay (Plainview mayor) accepted the leadership of the boys as scoutmaster.

The boys elected Grady Vaughn as patrol leader, Gratz Hunter as assistant patrol leader, Harold Krupp as secretary and Walter Thatcher as sergeant-at-arms. Meetings for that first troop were set for Tuesday nights inside Plainview City Hall.

E.B. Miller, part-owner of the Herald, served as scoutmaster from 1913-19, according to Mary Lee Cox in her 1937 book, The History of Hale County, Texas. She noted that during World War I, Plainview Scouts were actively involved in the sale of Liberty Bonds and Thrift Stamps.

The Nov. 7, 1918, issue of the Dallas Morning News, confirms that report, noting, The distinction of ranking 14th in the United States in the sale of War Savings Stamps by troops is held by Boy Scout Troop No. 1 of Plainview. It was announced yesterday by Louis Lipsitz, state director of war savings. The Plainview Scouts were certified by the Boy Scouts of American among the 15 troops in the country making the highest sales record. . . . The troop has 38 members and have won 60 achievement buttons, aces and palms for their war savings work.

W.J. Klinger, according to Cox, served as scoutmaster in Plainview during 1919 with O.J. Offlighter taking that readership role from 1920-22.

Following a six-year lapse, Lloyd Roberts took over in the dual role of scoutmaster and district executive during 1928-30. In 1937, when Cox published her book, J.T. Hatch had been serving as scoutmaster for several years. She reported that the Staked Plains Council was organized in 1928 to oversee Scouting activities in Hale and surrounding counties. Judge L.S. Kinder served as its first president, later succeeded by W.J. Klinger.

In some references, the council was referred to as Central Plains Council. In fact, the Dallas Morning News on May 6, 1928, carried the following report, The Central Plains Council of the Boy Scouts of America will be permanently organized at Plainview on May 22 (1928), according to Lloyd Roberts, Scout executive.

The Morning News said that council was comprised of Hale, Floyd, Lamb, Castro, Briscoe, Swisher and Motley counties, with units active in Happy, Kress, Tulia, Turkey, Quitaque, Floydada, Lockney, Dimmitt, Olton, Matador, Abernathy, Hale Center, Silverton and Plainview.

Todays Haynes District encompasses the same communities, except for Happy, Floydada, Matador and Abernathy.

Cox said the Staked Plains or Central Plains Council merged into the Lubbock-based South Plains Council in 1937. Other sources indicate that the Central Plains Council was forced to suspend operations in 1931 due to the Depression. After operating on direct service for several years, the territory was incorporated into the South Plains Council in 1936.

Fourteen units are now active in the Haynes District.

Cub Scout units include Pack 252, Plainview; Pack 257, Silverton; Pack 259, Lockney; Pack 260, Plainview; Pack 263, Tulia; Pack 265, Nazareth; and Pack 202, Plainview Wee Care.

Boy Scout units include Troop 253, Plainview; Troop 259, Lockney; Troop 260, Plainview; Troop 262, Silverton; Troop 263, Tulia; and Troop 265, Nazareth.

Plainview NJROTC sponsors Venture Crew 290.

Within the Haynes District, there are more than 300 registered Scouts, including traditional, Venturing and Scout Reach. The 52-county South Plains Council has more than 2,900 registered Scouts, more than 100 charter partners and more than 900 volunteers.

During 2015, Scouts participated in a host of activities, including Scouting for Food, Pinewood Derby, Merit Badge University, Scout summer camp and Cub Camp. The Haynes District will host its district wide Pinewood Derby in March.

The Key-3 leadership for the Haynes District includes Leslie Schmidt, district chairman; Coy Koen, district commissioner; and Meredith Walley, district executive. Nathan Baie is Scout executive for the South Plains Council.
The challenges facing our country arent getting any smaller, and surmounting issues are threatening the American way of life for future generations.

But beginning Feb. 16, West Texas Republican voters will be able to send one of our own to be a strong and commanding voice amid the rhetoric of Washington. This will be someone that will help guide our country with a conservative compass.

Following in the recent footsteps of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas and Texas Farm Bureau, the Plainview Herald is endorsing Plainview native Jodey Arrington to represent our voices in Texas 19th Congressional District.

Instilled with the hometown values of faith, family and love of country, this newspaper feels Arrington is a leader ready to take the helm from U.S. House Rep. Randy Neugebauer, who is stepping down after representing the 28 counties of District 19 since 2003.

Arrington says he wants to put a stop to the destructive policies of the Obama Administration and halt reckless pending that has driven the national debt to more than $18 trillion.

Arrington says hes ready to fix the failure of securing the countrys border which currently puts citizens safety at risk.

On top of that, Arrington is ready to put an end to the trending philosophy of an all-powerful federal bureaucracy that stifles our economy, suppresses jobs and limits freedoms.

Want experience? Arringtons got it covered.

After graduating Plainview High, Arrington earned a bachelors degree in political science and a masters degree in public administration from Texas Tech. From there, he joined the staff of then-Gov. George W. Bush, advising him on appointments to state boards and commissions. After Bush was elected president, Arrington followed him to Washington to help him assemble his agriculture, water and energy leadership teams.

After leaving the White House, Arrington served as chief of staff to Don Powell, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Bush called on the team of Arrington and Powell to lead the Office of Gulf Coast Rebuilding.

Arrington returned to the South Plains in 2007 to serve as chief of staff and later vice chancellor of Texas Tech under Chancellor Kent Hance. As chairman of the Enrollment Task Force, Arrington played a key role in the record enrollment of the university system.

Arrington stepped down as vice chancellor in June to become president of Scott Laboratories and to seek the Texas Senate seat vacated by Duncan. He has received endorsements from the Texas Medical Associations political arm TEXPAC and from the Texas Public Employees Associations EMPACT, and finished second in a crowded field to Charles Perry.

Although Arrington would have served this area and state well in Austin, but he could have even greater influence in our nations capital.

At a time when this regions influence in both Austin and Washington are waning, Arrington is the logical choice for this districts next representative. He already has the established contacts and close personal associations to build the necessary alliances to get things done to advance the interests of this region.

The Herald encourages qualified voters to participate in the Congressional District 19 race, and we recommend that you cast your vote for Arrington. Early voting for the March 1 Republican primary runs Feb. 16 through Feb. 26.
Despite having no announced candidates for statewide office eight weeks from their state convention, North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party officials say they remain confident a strong ticket will emerge in the next few weeks.

Kylie Oversen, chairwoman of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, said the party expects to fill its slate and have a strong state convention March 31 through April 2 at the Bismarck Event Center.

Its mostly a matter of working out details with employers before they go public, Oversen said.

By contrast, the Republicans have three candidates running for the nomination for governor and two for state auditor ahead of their convention April 1-3 at Scheels Arena in Fargo. They also have one candidate running for the open insurance commissioner seat and all remaining statewide incumbents up for election running.

Republicans hold every statewide office in the Capitol tower, two of the three spots in the congressional delegation and two-thirds majorities in both legislative chambers.

Oversen said the partys recruitment efforts are ongoing, though there are concerns about lagging efforts to fundraise.

Three or four months (behind), theyre going to be at a disadvantage, said Oversen, adding that developing and spreading a message shouldnt be a concern since the focus is on convention endorsements.

Most of the messaging is the rallying the base. People get a bit tired with the long campaigns," said Oversen, acknowledging the party is in an extremely tough spot.

She said rebuilding must be done brick by brick, which is why the primary focus is on legislative races. She said statewide offices arent being ignored, however.

Any major changes arent going to happen in one cycle. It takes many years to rebuild from the ground up, Oversen said.

Oversen said she believes the party can pick up seats in the House and possibly one or two in the Senate.

In the 2012 election cycle, the Democrats had announced candidates for U.S. Senate, House and for the governors race before the end of 2011. Candidates for the remaining statewide races announced in March and April of 2012.

In 2014, all seven of their statewide candidates announced in February and March.

Additional blows to Democrats recruitment push have been the decisions by Sen. Heidi Heitkamp last fall and former state agriculture commissioner Sarah Vogel last month not to run for governor.

The lack of potential opponents, especially at the top of the ticket, have left top Republicans scratching their heads.

Im shocked they havent found anyone to run . for state office, Roz Leighton, executive director of the North Dakota Republican Party, said. I didnt think they wouldnt be able to field a candidate.

Leighton said at a recent Republican National Committee meeting on the East Coast leaders from other states found the contrast between the two parties jaw dropping.

Leighton said the Democrats are between a rock and a hard place in rebuilding efforts.

The way forward for us is to continue to recruit these centrist, hard-working candidates who are also active in their district, Senate Minority Leader Mac Schneider, D-Grand Forks, said of legislative recruiting.

Schneider said their gains in the Legislature have been minimal in recent elections but they provide a strong foundation.

Were far from satisfied, Schneider said of where the party is at, adding that a more balanced split in state government leads to stronger debates and policy decisions.

He said the party has had an impact, having joined with some Republicans to kill a proposed oil tax cut in the 2013 session as well as approval of Medicaid expansion. Schneider said support grew in the 2015 session for legislation to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Robert Haider, executive director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, said the candidate picture will come into sharper focus during district conventions, scheduled for Feb. 16 through March 11.

He said recruitment has been fairly in line with previous election cycles and agreed with Oversen on the potential for picking up some legislative seats to begin building momentum.

Its not going to happen overnight, (but) it has to start sometime, Haider said.

Republican Party Vice-Chairman Jim Poolman said under Republican leadership the economy has diversified, the states population has grown, thousands of jobs have been created and oil production hit record levels for a time.

Last week, a projected $1.074 billion budget gap was announced. The shortfall is due to lower state revenue collections stemming primarily from reduced oil production. Despite the revenue picture changing, Poolman said Democrats still have a tough case to make as to how they could be better trusted running state government.

Republicans have put money away where its not as bad as it could have been, Poolman said. We couldve spent more, but where would we be now?

Poolman said with open seats for governor, state auditor and insurance commissioner, its even more surprising the Democrats havent joined the fray yet.

Meanwhile, the GOP has jumped at the opportunity.

Gov. Jack Dalrymple gave us a lemon by deciding not to run, Poolman said. Weve absolutely made lemonade out of it.
There is one and only one international shale oil play that has attained any significant momentum. It is the Vaca Muerta, located in Argentina. The Vaca Muerta today is the most attractive shale oil play in the world for a producer to spend money drilling wells in. I'll explain why in a moment.

And guess who has just become a major player in it? That good old shale oil and gas "land man," Aubrey McClendon.

Aubrey And The Vaca Muerta

I don't know if shale pioneer and Chesapeake Energy co-founder Aubrey McClendon is a cat, but he definitely seems to have at least nine lives in the oil and gas business.

McClendon through American Energy Partners (where he is CEO) just agreed with YPF to invest $500 million over the next three years. The appeal for the Argentinians is McClendon's extensive experience in getting a major shale play up and running.

As noted in the press release announcing the deal, under McClendon's tenure, Chesapeake grew from a start-up in 1989 to the largest gas producer and driller of new wells in the U.S. in less than 20 years.

Unlike some of McClendon's other moonshot shale investments, he is hardly alone this time.

The Vaca Muerta has some major attention

There are some heavy hitters with big stakes in the Vaca Muerta. The quality of the companies interested in the play speak volumes about its long-term potential.

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) agreed to a deal in 2014 with Argentina's YPF SA (NYSE: YPF) that would involve eventually investing $15 billion developing the Vaca Muerta. That investment is expected to result in 1,500 wells, along with daily production of 50,000 barrels per day of oil and 3 million cubic meters of shale gas.

The biggest non-state-owned producer of them all, ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), is also bullish on the Vaca Muerta. Through its subsidiary XTO Energy, Exxon has several blocks in both the north and south sections of the play.

And Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A) recently acquired a 35-year deal to exploit two Vaca Muerta blocks, a deal that was entered into after the price of oil collapsed.

To move the needle for the likes of Chevron, Exxon, and Shell, the potential needs to be very large. In 2013, the EIA estimated that with 27 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil, the Vaca Muerta is the worlds fourth largest shale oil play.

That would seem to be needle-moving.

Source: Oilpro.com.

You're selling oil for how much per barrel?

Business isn't just tough for oil producers in North America -- this is a straight-up disaster. Most shale producers were built for a world of $80-plus-per-barrel oil. Their balance sheets weren't ready for what we're experiencing today. I feel pretty confident in saying that back in 2014 there were no companies that developed a business plan to deal with sub-$30-per-barrel oil prices in 2016. Yet here we are, and some regions of North America are even worse off.

Oil in the Bakken hit sub-$20 per barrel last week. Brutal.

Oil for Canadian heavy oil producers (Western Canadian select) was trading for $14 less than WTI last week, which would put it at $18 per barrel. Worse still.

For companies pumping oil out of the Vaca Muerta in Argentina, however, things are better. A lot better. On Jan. 5, the Argentinian Government set the price for oil sold in Argentina at $67.50 per barrel.

Say what?

Yes, the price of oil that producers in Argentina are receiving is more than twice the current WTI and Brent prices. The reason is that the Argentinian government sets a minimum price to encourage producers to develop domestic assets. The Argentinian government's view is that oil prices will rebound, and they want to keep producers motivated to invest in Argentina in the meantime. The oil and gas business has the potential to drive the economy in Argentina for many years to come.

In most developing countries, the governments have subsidized fuel prices, but in Argentina the motorists are subsidizing the producers.

What To Make Of All Of This

With Aubrey's interest and the presence of some major players there isn't much doubt that the geology of the Vaca Muerta is solid. At this point these companies know what they are looking for when it comes to shale reservoirs.

With the price of oil being propped up by the government in Argentina it is also likely the only shale oil play with a chance of growing production in 2016.

This looks to be the international shale play that actually turns into something significant.

The next billion-dollar iSecret

The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something at its recent event, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here.

The article The 9 Lives of Aubrey McClendon -- This Time He's Gone International! originally appeared on Fool.com.

Copyright  1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
More than a million dollars worth of equipment belonging to metal bands Lamb of God and Anthrax was damaged in a Sunday morning semitrailer wreck near Mathis, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Nathan Brandley, of TxDPS, told mySA.com in a phone interview Monday that the crash happened on Interstate Highway 37 when the semitrailer veered off the road and overturned. The bands were traveling from the concert in Corpus Christi following their sold out show at the Concrete Street Amphitheatre on Saturday.
Sen. Ted Cruz's upset victory in Iowa against Donald Trump has robbed "The Donald" of his stock answer to any criticism from rivals  that he is winning and his critics are losers.

Now that he has lost, Mr. Trump may finally have to try to come up with some substantive arguments about the complex issues facing this country, rather than simply boast about the great things he will do when he becomes president.

Trump may turn out to be like the Wizard of Oz, after the curtain was pulled back to reveal the real man who was been busy projecting an awesome image.

Everything, however, depends on Trump's followers, and on how much they have what William James called "the will to believe." Iowa's system of caucuses forced those followers to confront other people with different views before they could vote. In other states, they can simply walk into the voting booth and vote their unchallenged beliefs.

Although Trump was defeated in Iowa, he was by no means routed. Without the special handicap that the Iowa caucuses presented, he may still bluff his way through to the Republican nomination. And with Hillary Clinton's lies and illegalities catching up with her more and more, this could still end up with a President Trump in the White House.

With this country at a crossroads, facing social degeneration at home and dire threats from abroad, the last thing we need is an uninformed bluffer with a runaway ego in charge of our fate. Neither Trump's talent as a media performer nor his wheeler-dealer economic success is a substitute for the depth of knowledge and the chastening experience required for governing a great nation.

What about the alternatives to Trump?

After months of media fixation on Trump, and so-called "debates" that featured sound-bites that seldom got below the surface, we know remarkably little about the other candidates. The fact that there have been so many candidates has added to the problem of trying to understand any of them.

We can only hope that never again will the fate of this nation depend upon a media gimmick like these "debates," which obscure and mislead far more than they inform us about anything beyond the candidates' talents for glib responses.

Having each candidate sit down alone with an experienced interviewer for an hourlong, in-depth discussion of the problems facing the country would tell us a lot more about the things that matter. But such discussions would be unlikely to have media ratings as high as the sound-bite circuses we have seen.

With current realities being what they are, we can only make our choices among the alternatives available. That means both the existing candidates and the existing ways of learning about them.

There is much to be said for choosing among candidates with a track record of governing that we can judge. But none of the candidates with experience as a governor had voter support as high as 10 percent in Iowa.

Cruz's experience as attorney general of Texas is the next best substitute. But it is still only a substitute. Others have zero experience in actually running a governmental organization and having to take responsibility for the consequences of how it ran.

Cruz's refusal to pander to the sacred cow of ethanol subsidies in Iowa showed a resolve that is rare in politics, and may account for the Republican establishment's sudden shift to a more favorable view of wheeler-dealer Trump  someone who can "rise above principle," as an old-time politician once put it.

Ben Carson's monumental achievements as a brain surgeon, and as a human being, have made him an obvious favorite, even among people who did not vote for him. But you have to get the votes.

Only three people received enough votes in Iowa to lift them above 10 percent  Cruz, Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio. Unless something spectacular happens in New Hampshire, these may be the voters' only viable choices.

Rubio has both a heart-warming personal story and an attractive personality. But his fling at joining with ultra-liberal Democrat Chuck Schumer to try to push an amnesty bill through the Senate suggests that he too has the ability to "rise above principle" that is all too prevalent in politics.

(Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif. His syndicated column appears Mondays.)
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Airport security officials in Mexico City barred Sikh actor and designer Waris Ahluwalia, known for his parts in several movies by director Wes Anderson, from an Aero Mexico flight bound for New York City after the actor refused to remove his turban during a security check.

Ahluwalia  who appeared in Anderson's films "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "The Darjeeling Limited" and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou"  took to Instagram on Monday after officials refused to let him board the 7:15 a.m. flight because of his turban.

"This morning in Mexico City I was told I could not board my @aeromexico flight to NYC because of my turban," Ahluwalia said in an Instagram post.

"Dear NYC fashion week. I may be a little late as @aeromexico won't let me fly with a turban. Don't start the show without me," Ahluwalia wrote in another Instagram post.

RELATED: San Antonio native's perfect response to Internet meme featuring Trinity athlete wearing turban

The actor and designer told the New York Daily News that he complied with security personnel as they searched his bag, swabbed him and patted him down.

But, he refused to remove his turban, he told the newspaper.

"That is not something that I would do in public," Ahluwalia told the Daily News. "That's akin to asking someone to take off their clothes."

RELATED: San Francisco students suspended over racist 'wigga party'

A security official refused Ahluwalia's request to be taken to a private screening room, the actor told the Daily News.

A employee for Aero Mexico then told Ahluwalia that he would need to book another flight.

"I was shaking at first," Ahluwalia said. "That's not a nice thing to be told, that you are not allowed to fly on this plane because of something you are wearing, or because of your religious beliefs."

RELATED: Phoenix school district outraged over photo of racial slur

The actor told the Daily News that it's not the first time he has been selected for a "Secondary Security Screening Selection" on his ticket, indicating that he would be subjected to a more extensive and supposedly random search.

"I've had the magic 'SSSS' before. I'm really luck on my 'random' selection," Ahluwalia said.

The Sikh American Legal Defense & Education Fund condemned the airline's actions in a statement to NBC News.

"We are disappointed and concerned that Mr. Ahluwahlia was asked to remove his turban prior to boarding his flight," the organization said. "The turban is an integral part of a Sikh's identity and removal in public is akin to a strip search. The security personnel involved in this debacle owe Mr. Ahluwahlia an apology and must be trained in cultural and religious awareness."

RELATED: CBP apologizes for 'candy only for American families' Halloween sign outside agent's Texas home

Ahluwalia was also featured in the 2013 advertising campaign "Make Love" for Gap.

The Huffington Post reported that one such ad hanging in a New York subway had been vandalized so the "Make Love" caption had been changed to read "Make Bombs."

The vandals also wrote "please stop driving taxis" on the ad.

jfechter@mySA.com

Twitter: @JFreports
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The Texas-Mexico border city of Juarez, infamous for violent drug cartel activity, is no longer as lethal as it once was, according to a newly released set of data

The Citizens Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice (CCSP-JP), an organization based in Mexico, releases an annual, worldwide list of the cities with more than 300,000 residents that are the deadliest.

RELATED: Graphic photo of dead father clutching baby killed in Mexican drug gang shootout ignites outrage

Juarez has held a spot on the list since 2011, when the CCSP-JP reported 148 non-accidental homicides per 100,000 people, making it the second deadliest place in the world at the time.

The 2015 data now shows Mexican cities such as Acapulco, Culiacan, Tijuana, Victoria and Obregon are some of the worlds most lethal spots, but Juarez is no longer included.

RELATED: Border Patrol agent charged in grisly decapitation case pleads not guilty to capital murder

According to CCSP-JP numbers, Mexican cities showed the biggest decrease in deaths.

With 3,946 killings within its population of 3,291,830 people, Caracas, Venezuela is slated as the deadliest place in the world.

In order to calculate Mexicos data, CCSP-JP analyzed reports made from the Chihuahua government to two agencies: The National Institute of Statistics and Geography of Mexico (INEGI) and the Sistema Nacional de Seguridad Publica (SNSP.) CCSP-JP compared the varying numbers to come up with a final estimate of 367, but added that official stats are still not fully reliable.

RELATED: 3 Mexican cartel 'sicarios' arrested near Texas border, suspected of 5 murders

[] the data of Chihuahua and Tamaulipas often reported to SNSP are particularly low comparted to the INEGI, which reveal a probable manipulation by the authorities of those two states, the organization explained in a translated version of the methodology.

Regardless of official numbers, homicides in Juarez have been on the decrease since 2011, CCSP-JP reported.

RELATED: The crazy reasons Mexican drug cartel leaders got busted  or killed

A handful of U.S. cities made appearances on the list of murderous spots including: St. Louis, Miss.; Baltimore, Md.; Detroit, Mich. and New Orleans, La. which own the 15th, 19th, 28th and 32nd spots, respectively.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
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SAN ANTONIO  A threat of wildfires is currently hanging over what is shaping up to be a dry but warm, beautiful week in San Antonio.

National Weather Service forecasters issued a Red Flag Warning, which indicates when weather conditions are ideal for wildfires, for an area to the east of San Antonio stretching from the Texas-Mexico border to the north of Waco.

The warning will be in effect until 5 p.m. Monday, and is likely to continue Tuesday, said NWS Meteorologist Orlando Bermudez. Wind gusts are expected to reach 25 miles per hour.

Today is the more critical day (for fires), Bermudez said.

The metro areas of Austin and San Antonio and the Interstate 35 corridor between them are included in the warning.

North Bexar County, the Southern Edwards Plateau and the Hill Country bears some of Texass greatest wildfire risk to life and property because of densely packed forests close to homes, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The Bexar County Fire Marshals office recommends no outdoor burning, but only Caldwell and Kendall counties in Central Texas are under an official burn ban. Multiple West Texas counties have temporarily banned outdoor burning.



No brush fires have been reported so far in Bexar County, according to the county and San Antonio Fire Department.

Bermudez said dry conditions and high winds in the area are the main cause for concern. Later in the week, winds are expected to shift and reduce the threat.

The shift will also result in slight elevated temperatures expected to reach into the high 70s by Thursday.

There is virtually no chance of rain this week and high temperatures are forecasted above 70 degrees from Tuesday to Friday.

mdwilson@express-news.net

Twitter: @MDWilsonSA
Seems like the NFL didnt want to make money or have a big crowd at this years Super Bowl. You have to wonder why it would put the biggest event in sports in a stadium that holds only 70,000 people.

What were they thinking? A lost opportunity for sure, with many other bigger venues available.

Jim Youngson

Modern Pharisee

Re: You cant argue with his results in Iowa, Gilbert Garcia, front page, Wednesday:

I agree with columnist Gilbert Garcia. Cruz is getting votes. However, I must argue that Cruz does not represent Christians or the vast majority of Christian churches in his political views.

In the Scriptures, Jesus of Nazareth constantly speaks against a group of religious people called the Pharisees. The Pharisees had fabricated a complex system of religious regulations which they were able to keep and by which they made themselves appear to be righteous. Nevertheless, as people fixated on their own set of ideals, the Pharisees had no compassion for people who didnt live up to their standards. Jesus rejected the teachings of the Pharisees and told his followers that they must have compassion, loving others as God first loved them.

Like the modern-day Pharisee that he is, Ted Cruz is a hardhearted idealist who lacks compassion for anyone who doesnt agree with his frightfully limited set of ideals. You can call Cruz a clever politician, but please dont call him a Christian.

The Rev. Marilyn Gallaway Lange, retired, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Universal City

Savvy observer

Re: Political forecast, Your Turn, Feb. 1:

I believe the writers locksmith is supporting Donald Trump because he (the locksmith) did, in fact, listen to Barack Obamas last State of the Union address. The locksmith is savvy enough not to blindly accept this alternative reality version of the presidents accomplishments.

Of course, he did get Osama bin Laden, but that was five years ago. What have you done for me lately?

Letitia Snook

Misplaced anger

Donald Trump is a male chauvinist, racist billionaire.

But another major concern are Trump supporters. His supporters say they are angry at Washington. The executive branch has an approval rating between 45 and 50 percent, while the judicial branch has about the same rating. The legislative branch, meanwhile, has an approval rating of about 10 percent (must be families of legislators).

It is logical that the anger be directed toward the Republican-controlled Congress. These representatives and senators have failed to compromise on fixing our crumbling infrastructure, reducing education costs, preventing the exporting of jobs, providing equal pay for women, and eliminating tax loopholes that continue to increase income inequality.

But Trump supporters and many supporters of the other Republican candidates continue to lay the blame for the problems on the president, supporting and voting for the same people who caused the problems. Perhaps electing Democrats like Pete Gallego can help us move forward on fixing the problems causing so much anger.

Adam Castillo

Taxing loophole

Re: Halting out-of-control property taxes, Dan Patrick, Other Views, Feb. 2:

The column on property taxes is the most intelligent thing Ive read from Dan Patrick, and yet it misses the mark.

Instead of establishing more bureaucratic checks on taxing entities, deal with the real culprit  county appraisal districts. Every year my property taxes increase not because of the City Council, school district trustees, county commissioners, etc.  those elected by the people  vote to increase the tax rate, but because property values have been increased by an unelected (and, therefore, unaccountable) body  a county appraisal board. This is called taxation without representation. If I remember my history, thats what the Boston Tea Party was about.

Wake up, Patrick, and tea party constituents.

Bert Clayton

Spurs thumping

Re: Champs blow out Spurs, front page, Jan. 26:

Warriors 120, Spurs 90  a 30-point spread and a blowout indeed. That is only one game! Imagine a seven-game series ending in four! The question begs to be asked, Hey, San Antonio, who is your daddy?

Jose Abreo

Choose life

Re: Alternatives, please Your Turn, Feb. 1:

Here is an answer to the letter writer based on sincere reality.

Every time an abortion is performed, at least one human being is killed (usually only the unborn baby). When abortion becomes illegal  it is already immoral  lives will be saved.

Abortion is not the only answer to the exigency. Adoption or raising the child are alternatives in which no one dies. If a woman is not prepared to become pregnant, abstinence will also avoid the exigency in most cases (rape being the exception).

My hope is that all women (and men) choose life for their unborn child, but I do not expect it. Nor do I expect our great country to ban abortions in the immediate future; that would be wishful thinking. But I am confident that day will come.

Praying for that day to come soon is sincere. The power of prayer in changing things is demonstrated in the history of our great country and above all, as revealed by God in the Bible. It is the discounting of prayer that is wishful thinking.

I have a question. Why did the writer find it necessary to start his letter by attacking the character of the person with whom he disagrees? She is neither blind nor in a fog.

Jack A. White

Manhattan II

How will we know when the Editorial Board is serious about doing something to reverse this global warming? It will become evident when we read editorials advocating a Manhattan Project to produce all the electric power that we want and need from nuclear energy.

Morris C. McKee
One of the less discussed aspects of having a child is depression. Having a baby brings great joy to the parents, so the potential for depression usually isnt on the radar. Occasionally a high-profile case like Marie Osmond discussing her postpartum depression makes the news. Overall, its a problem that tends to be in the background.

The issue, however, is getting needed attention. A story by Tribune reporter Blair Emerson on Jan. 30 showed its a problem common in North Dakota and isnt being ignored.

On the national level, a panel of government-backed experts recently released a new set of recommendations that says all U.S. adults, including pregnant and postpartum women, should be screened for depression. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force also says screenings should be followed with adequate treatment and care, and systems should be in place to ensure follow-up for diagnosis and treatment. For the first time the panel added pregnant and postpartum women to its recommendations for depression screenings.

Sara Kenney, the state coordinator for Postpartum Support International, told Emerson theres a lack of awareness and education about depression in pregnant and postpartum women. Theres help available, but first women must realize they have a problem and seek out the help. Sometimes women may think they have the temporary blues or there may be the stigma of mental illness that keeps them from seeking help.

Kenney, who works at CHI St. Alexius Health, says the hospital screens mothers at delivery and one week and every month that the baby is at the hospital. The hospital also plans to begin screening all pregnant women who come into the hospital and after giving birth as part of routine care.

At Bismarcks Sanford Health, new mothers are screened for postpartum depression at about six weeks after giving birth. In June, the hospital began screening all pregnant women.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found cognitive behavioral therapy to be effective for pregnant and postpartum women.

How big is the problem? Studies show 10 percent to 15 percent of women experience depression while pregnant or as new mothers. Thats a big number and it points to the need for help and understanding. Along with the happiness theres a lot of stress during a pregnancy. So no one should feel ashamed if they have problems during pregnancy and afterward. Being a mother is a tremendous responsibility and they should take all the health steps necessary so they can be a great mom.
By David Dayen, author of Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Streets Great Foreclosure Fraud, releasing May 17. Follow him on Twitter @ddayen.

I suppose were going to have to deal with half-truths and logical stretches about Dodd-Frank right through until November, but Bernie Sanders laser focus on Wall Street has ramped this up of late. The trajectory appears to be: a show of proof of some sort, followed by a blog link from Paul Krugman, at which point the citation hardens into conventional wisdom. This one got rolling by Wonkblogs Matt OBrien, and while it has a level of truth to it, I dont think it reveals exactly what its endorsers think.

OBrien keys off of the following chart, to show that leverage (I suspect everyone reading this knows what that means, but to be brief, the percentage of the balance sheet funded through borrowing) throughout the financial sector decreased during the recession and kept falling through the recovery.

Now, on the one hand, its not surprising that bank borrowing crashed during the, well, crash. But on the other, its at least a little surprising that leverage has continued to contract since then despite the fact that the economys been expanding and there hasnt been another crisis. That hasnt happened at any other time in recent memory.

OK, take a closer look at that chart. The part I bolded for emphasis isnt true. It has happened at another time in recent memory. It happened, in fact, in 1998, as the chart shows. The chart bizarrely attributes this to the adoption of Gramm-Leach-Bliley, but really it can be explained by a credit crunch, from the East Asian and Mexican crises and the collapsed of Long Term Capital Management, which caused skittish market participants to reduce leverage. The general truism of this chart is that credit crunches cause rapid pullbacks in leverage, whether the economy is in expansion or not (indeed the 98 leverage reduction came during the best economic growth period of the past 30 years).

I should add that I got Matt to admit this on Twitter last Wednesday, and he never updated the post to reflect that, nor did he changed the sentence That hasnt happened at any other time in recent memory. Its not even fatal to Matts point, but the inability to clean up the hyperbole kind of shows what the priority is here: to cheerlead for Dodd-Frank.

The thing is, you dont need this chart to tell a story about leverage, and its close cousin, risk-based capital. A Boston Fed report out last week shows largely the same thing; capital and leverage ratios have nudged up since 2010.

Now you can make the argument that leverage is pro-cyclical; when asset prices rise, leverage decreases because those assets are more valuable, and when they crash, leverage jumps. Its worth pointing out that Dodd-Frank tries specifically to correct for this, with language in Section 616 calling on the Fed to make such requirements counter-cyclical, such that the amount of capital require to be maintained by a company increases in times of economic expansion and decreases in times of contraction. (And the Fed has done this with a counter-cyclical buffer.)

But my question is why the many pundits and observers hyping the leverage evidence would solely call it a Dodd-Frank story.

Lets remember that the Obama Administration worked very hard to keep statutory designations of capital requirements out of Dodd-Frank. Sheila Bair goes into great detail in her book Bull By the Horns about this. Susan Collins (R-ME) put forward an amendment that would set a floor for capital requirements (albeit with vague language: generally applicable leverage and risk-based capital requirements is the specific floor in Section 171, which means whatever the banking regulators want it to mean). As soon as he got wind of the amendment, Tim (Geithner) visited Collins and pushed back, Bair writes, saying that it would hurt smaller banks! Geithner and the Fed didnt want Congress having any input on capital requirements, and they go after the Collins provision continually.

Fortunately, they lost the battle, and the Collins amendment passed. But again, it just sets a floor, not a specific number. It also mandates that the SIFIs (systemically important financial institutions) have some manner of capital surcharge, but it doesnt specify how much bigger it has to be than for non-SIFIs: technically it could be .00000001% higher. The hard numbers got filled in by the international Basel III process, and then deliberations by the Fed.

There were a lot of countervailing pressures on regulators before and after Dodd-Frank with respect to capital. An intellectual movement, bipartisan in nature, coalesced around the idea of capital as a vital and necessary financial reform. Academics like Anat Admati were skillful in challenging regulators to go well outside their comfort zones. They had allies inside the agencies, like Thomas Hoenig at FDIC.

In the end, the Fed tightened leverage and risk-based capital requirements, not to the degree that Admati and her allies wanted, but well beyond initial expectations. But critically, that was their decision to make; they could have done essentially nothing beyond Basel and been perfectly within the confines of Dodd-Frank.

Also, the banking regulators already had the authority to impose capital requirements; Dodd-Frank reshuffled those authorities and perhaps gave the agencies some direction. But the die was already cast. According to informed sources, people like William Dudley at the New York Fed were resolved to raise capital for the largest banks as early as the beginning of 2010, months before Dodd-Frank passed. By that time there were white papers, but remember that Geithner wanted capital out of the bill  Dudley wasnt influenced by something that wasnt there. The regulators realized they let things get far too loose before the crisis, and thought the best way to unobtrusively protect the system at minimal public cost was to force the industry to absorb their own losses. And they wanted to keep that prerogative to themselves.

Note that Krugman, who jumped all over OBriens story, hedges his bet by saying that falling leverage was probably because of Dodd-Frank. He has to reach for the rule classifying SIFIs to tighter capital restraints to explain the leverage situation. But this is absurd: the SIFI designation presents an incentive to get below the $50 billion asset threshold, as we are now seeing. Thats generally an good thing, but it has nothing to do with leverage  if anything it would increase it for the financial institutions that slide under $50 billion, because they have less restraints. And again, the SIFI premium is discretionary.

Bill Black, in his Bank Whistleblowers Group plan for stiffer prosecution of financial fraud, has as a major plank the imposition of individual minimum capital requirements, which he cites the authority for back to 1989. Black believes regulators could make these so big to prevent financial firms from engaging in particular activities.

The point is that we should not point to falling capital/leverage and praise Dodd-Frank. We should praise individual regulators for using long-held authority, and the outside movement that brought their voices to bear to ensure that the regulators followed through. Thats the real lesson here.

And what does that mean for the future? Well, you would want regulators who would be responsive to that bipartisan movement for capital standards, who wouldnt supplant that trend with one from Wall Street, who wouldnt backslide. In other words, personnel as policy, something Sen. Warren has stressed the entire past year. And the candidates for staffing the federal banking agencies should be assessed on that basis.

Finally, its important to make clear that a decent leverage ratio is not enough to declare victory in financial reform. If you prevented banks from lending entirely theyd have a leverage ratio of 100%. What we want is a system where productive lending activities are privileged and de facto gambling is wiped out. We want a resilient system where market discipline can allow institutions that make bad decisions to fail, without risking a cascade of other failures. Capital can make all this easier but cannot be seen as a substitute for system design.

And thats especially true if the capital and leverage standards come in too low, which is currently the case, even if they are working in a modest fashion today. The way we got the successes we have come from regulators mindful of the last crisis being pushed by outside forces. We should want that to continue to work, rather than shouting about triumphs and averting our gaze to something else.
By Gaius Publius, a professional writer living on the West Coast of the United States and frequent contributor to DownWithTyranny, digby, Truthout, and Naked Capitalism. Follow him on Twitter @Gaius_Publius, Tumblr and Facebook. Originally published at at Down With Tyranny. GP article archive here.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama discuss NAFTA in the 2008 Cleveland debate.

Moderator Tim Russert: Al Gore said the following: If you dont like NAFTA and what its done, we can get out of it in six months.  Will you, as president, say we are out of NAFTA in six months? Al Gore said the following: If you dont like NAFTA and what its done, we can get out of it in six months.  Will you, as president, say we are out of NAFTA in six months? Clinton: I have said that I will renegotiate NAFTA, so obviously, youd have to say to Canada and Mexico that thats exactly what were going to do. . . . Yes, I am serious. . . . I will say we will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate it, and we renegotiate on terms that are favorable to all of America. . . .

Cleveland debate , February 26, 2008

The big news is Bernie Sanders announcement that as president he will reject TPP, the job-killing trade deal that Barack Obama, many Republicans and the money wing of the Democratic Party is so eager to see passed.

From a Sanders campaign press release:

Sanders Vows to Reject Job-Killing Trade Deal As the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact was signed by the United States and 11 other countries, Bernie Sanders promised to fundamentally rewrite our trade policies to benefit working families, not just the CEOs of large, multinational corporations. Sanders has opposed the Pacific trade deal, the North American Free Trade Agreement and permanent normal trade relations with China since day one. The North American Free Trade Agreement led to the loss of 700,000 jobs. The trade deal with China led to the loss of 3.2 million jobs. And since 2001, nearly 60,000 manufacturing plants have been shut down and 4.7 million jobs have been lost.  As your president, not only will I make sure that the TPP does not get implemented, I will not send any trade deal to Congress that will make it easier for corporations to outsource American jobs overseas, Sanders said.

If I read this right, the following is true. If Sanders is president, TPP is dead, whether it passes Congress or not. Something to think about  and something for the signers of TPP to think about, especially those leaders who put their careers on the line with their own countries compromises. All for naught?

What About NAFTA? Can We Really Get Out In Six Months?

But theres more than just the news of the potential death of TPP at the hand of a President Sanders. One obvious question is  What about Ms. Clinton? Will she make the same statement? If I were the Sanders campaign, Id ask that again and again.

But theres more. It turns out that according to Al Gore in his debate with Ross Perot, we can get out of NAFTA in six months if the president wants to. Let that sink in, in light of what Sanders just said. Id be overjoyed if Sanders would confirm this and promise to do that as well.

But on the Clinton side, there were some very specific promises made in the 2008 campaign, and specifically during the February debate in Cleveland moderated by Tim Russert. Those promises are so specific that they should be revisited  and reverified. Another something that the Sanders camp could easily do.

Heres what happened. During the debate in Cleveland, candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama discussed what they would do to fix NAFTA. Heres the relevant section from the transcript. Note the introduction and Al Gores comment. Im trimming and emphasizing what I think is key in this. Ellipses and emphasis mine. Hyphens are part of the transcript:

MR. RUSSERT: I want to ask you both about NAFTA because the record, I think, is clear.  Senator Clinton. Senator Obama said that you did say in 2004 that on balance NAFTA has been good for New York and America. You did say that.  You said in 96 it was proving its worth as free and fair trade. You said that  in 2000  it was a good idea that took political courage. So your record is pretty clear. Based on that, and which youre now expressing your discomfort with it, in the debate that Al Gore had with Ross Perot, Al Gore said the following: If you dont like NAFTA and what its done, we can get out of it in six months.[] The president can say to Canada and Mexico, we are out. This has not been a good agreement. Will U.S. president say we are out of NAFTA in six months? SEN. CLINTON: I have said that I will renegotiate NAFTA, so obviously, youd have to say to Canada and Mexico that thats exactly what were going to do.  MR. RUSSERT: Just because  maybe Clinton  SEN. CLINTON: Yes, I am serious. MR. RUSSERT: You will get out. You will notify Mexico and Canada, NAFTA is gone in six months. SEN. CLINTON: No, I will say we will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate it, and we renegotiate on terms that are favorable to all of America.

Then, after she pivots to Obamas comments (fair enough in a debate), this:

SEN. CLINTON:  But lets talk about what were going to do. It is not enough just to criticize NAFTA, which I have, and for some years now. I have put forward a very specific plan about what I would do, and it does include telling Canada and Mexico that we will opt out unless we renegotiate the core labor and environmental standards  not side agreements, but core agreements; that we will enhance the enforcement mechanism; and that we will have a very clear view of how were going to review NAFTA going forward to make sure it works, and were going to take out the ability of foreign companies to sue us because of what we do to protect our workers.  MR. RUSSERT: But let me button this up. Absent the change that youre suggesting, you are willing to opt out of NAFTA in six months? SEN. CLINTON: Im confident that as president, when I say we will opt out unless we renegotiate, we will be able to renegotiate.

This is an amazing exchange. You may want to read it a second time, just to be sure you read it right.

Opting Out of NAFTA

Two takeaways, I think, are apparent from this:

1. A president can opt out of NAFTA in six months, according to Al Gore, who really ought to know, since his administration negotiated it. Neither candidate in the above debate disputes that point, nor does the moderator.

2. This suggests obvious questions for Sanders and Clinton. Will you promise to opt out of NAFTA as soon as you take office? Or barring that, will you threaten to opt out to force renegotiation?

In particular, for Clinton, will you do the following, as promised?

renegotiate the core labor and environmental standards  not side agreements, but core agreements, and

take out the ability of foreign companies to sue us.

The second is a reference to the ISDS, or Investor-State Dispute Settlement clause, the corporations can sue sovereign nations provision that has people like Elizabeth Warren so exercised (see video below at about 3:15).

A rigged process produces a rigged outcome. Warrens comments on ISDS, the ability of corporations to sue countries, starts at 3:15.

Were well beyond generalities and vague beliefs with this. Theres plenty to get specific about. I urge the Clinton campaign to take up the challenge and affirm that she stands side by side with Sanders  for the American people and against TPP and NAFTA. After all, we know from the 2008 debate and her own recent comments that she understands these deals the same way Sanders does. The question is, what will she actually do?

The head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has publicly said he expects a President Clinton to support TPP. This is her opportunity to prove him completely wrong. I hope she takes it.

Economic Justice and Racial Justice

One final word. A very large percentage of our racial justice problems starts with wealth and income inequality. To take an obvious example, youd have to be blind not to see that racism helped create the Flint crisis. And youd have to be blind not to see as well that the devastation of largely minority cities like Flint and Detroit have their roots in job-killing trade deals like NAFTA.

Put simply, without GATT, the WTO, NAFTA and similar agreements, would the American auto industry and all of its supply chain and service companies have been decimated and shipped to Asia? U.S. automakers have made a number of mistakes, but nothing was as devastating as the financial attraction to CEOs in all industries of doing almost all manufacturing abroad. Flint and Detroit lived by manufacturing, and were killed as viable cities by the loss of it.

I understand there will be a debate in Michigan, in particular, in Flint. If so, Im glad to hear that. I hope, at some point in the discussion, NAFTA is mentioned as one of the great causes of the devastation that state has suffered.
Software coders Jim Ratliff (left) and J. Paul Gorman work at the Bit Source LLC office in Pikeville, Kentucky, on Monday. Bit Source is a tech startup firm that's out to prove there is life after coal for the thousands of industry veterans who have lost their jobs in an unprecedented rout that has already forced five major producers into bankruptcy. Must credit: Bloomberg photo by Sam Owens.

SHARE Former coal miner Jim Ratliff, left, works at a computer station at the Bit Source office in Pikeville, Kentucky, on Monday. Ratliff, who worked for 14 years in the mines of eastern Kentucky, today rolls into an office at 8 a.m., settles into a small metal desk and does something that, until last year, was completely foreign to him: computer coding. Must credit: Bloomberg photo by Sam Owens. Former coal miner Jim Ratliff stands for a photograph at the Bit Source LLC office in Pikeville, Kentucky, on Monday. Bit Source is a tech startup firm thats out to prove theres life after coal for the thousands of industry veterans whove lost their jobs in an unprecedented rout that has already forced five major producers into bankruptcy. Must credit: Bloomberg photo by Sam Owens.

By Tim Loh

Jim Ratliff worked for 14 years in the mines of eastern Kentucky, drilling holes and blasting dynamite to expose the coal that has powered Appalachian life for more than a century.

Today, he rolls into an office at 8 a.m., settles into a small metal desk and does something that, until last year, was completely foreign to him: computer coding.

"A lot of people look at us coal miners as uneducated," said Ratliff, a 38-year-old with a thin goatee and thick arms. "It's backbreaking work, but there's engineers and very sophisticated equipment. You work hard and efficiently and that translates right into coding."

He works for Bit Source now, a Pikeville, Kentucky, startup that's out to prove there's life after coal for the thousands of industry veterans who've lost their jobs in an unprecedented rout that has already forced five major producers into bankruptcy. Bit Source has only hired 10 coders, but almost 1,000 responded to its ads as the realization spreads across Appalachia that coal's heyday is over. What fills its void is a challenge so immense that presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have cited the industry's woes on the campaign trail.

"We've got a lot of high-skilled hillbillies here," said Rusty Justice, a 57-year-old co-founder of Bit Source. "We want to prove we can run a tech business from the hills of eastern Kentucky."

Few places are as steeped in coal lore as Pikeville, a town of 6,900 wedged into a narrow bend in the Big Sandy Valley. Over the years, surrounding Pike County has produced more of the fuel than anywhere else in Kentucky. In 1996, when Ratliff was still a teenager and his father worked in the mines, the local producers dug up 35.6 million tons, a state record. He eventually followed his dad into those mines.

The coal market began to collapse in 2011 as a global glut of the fuel swelled. Prices are down 75 percent since then, and nowhere has that hit harder than in Appalachia. Central Appalachia coal has dropped 70 percent from a record $143.25 in July 2008 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Pike County's output dropped to 6.9 million tons in 2015, and its mining jobs fell to 1,285, about a third as many as four years earlier. The slump has eliminated at least 26,000 jobs in the United States, and Ratliff's was one of them.

In Washington, the chairman of the House appropriations committee introduced a bill Wednesday that would channel $1 billion into beleaguered coal country.

Justice, a fourth-generation Pikeville native, felt the pinch too. His excavation and engineering company, Jigsaw Enterprises, lost 70 percent of its customer base, including big miners like James River Coal Co., Alpha Natural Resources Inc. and Arch Coal Inc. that all filed for bankruptcy protection.

Looking to diversify, Justice and his business partner, M. Lynn Parrish, spent a couple of years considering everything from wind farms to solar farms to farm farms. Then they watched a presentation about Kentucky's growing ranks of computer coders, who mostly live three hours west in the "Golden Triangle" of Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington. They make starting salaries of as much as $70,000, similar to coal miners' wages.

"We didn't think that was that big of a jump," Justice said of the miners. "Daggone, these are high-tech workers that just get dirty."

Of course, there's a big difference between Big Sandy Valley and Silicon Valley. For one, Kentucky has the country's slowest peak Internet connection speeds, according to a survey by Akamai Technologies Inc. And in Appalachia, where coal has long dominated and communities are separated by miles of mountains, few governments ever banded together to attract the likes of Apple and Google. And few people grew up dreaming of working for either.

That's slowly changing. New regional organizations are cropping up like Shaping Our Appalachian Region, which is trying to breed an entrepreneurial spirit in eastern Kentucky that reaches beyond energy. In November, Clinton committed to building "21st century" infrastructure including water systems and broadband access in coal towns if elected president.

Internet access is one initiative of particular interest to Justice. Kentucky Wired, a $324 million public-private partnership, may bring over 3,400 miles (5,471 kilometers) of fiber-optic cable across the state -- starting in Appalachia.

"We wanted to have something for when they build that," Justice said. "We didn't want it to be a bridge to nowhere."

Bit Source got started in 2014, when Justice and Parrish bought an old brick Coca Cola bottling plant on Pikeville's northern edge. Last winter, they began broadcasting radio ads and posting flyers across Appalachia, seeking unemployed coal workers interested in becoming computer programmers.

Justice said he expected 50 applications. He wound up with 950.

Ratliff was one of them. Since losing his job five months earlier, he'd traveled as far as Wyoming looking for work before deciding he couldn't leave his three teenage children behind. So he applied for Bit Source, knowing "absolutely zero about computer code."

Ratliff didn't think he had a chance with Bit Source. Turns out he fit the bill. He aced a series of interviews and tests, which he credits in part to his years of calculating particle velocities and explosion densities at his old gig.

Last March, he joined nine others at Bit Source whose previous jobs ranged from underground shuttle-car driving to heavy coal-mining machinery sales. For five months, they learned to code, mastering languages including HTML, JavaScript and PHP. When they finished their training, they got a pay raise and a mandate: Make Bit Source profitable.

While a Labor Department grant covered the coders' wages during training -- and similar funding will cover a share of their salaries through winter -- Justice said he expects to achieve profitability in 2016. They've already finished nine projects, including the website for eastern Kentucky's career center network.

"We're further down the road than we thought we'd be," Justice said.

For now, Ratliff's prospects are bright enough that he turned down another coal mining offer. He recently sat down with his teenagers, suggesting they consider following him into coding.

"The coal industry is dying here," he said. "But we could be the grassroots of something truly special."

coal-coders

_____

Keywords: COAL-MINERS-TURNED-CODERS
Skyplex has 870 acres of prime real estate to provide non-aviation opportunities for commercial uses targeted for development, including corporate headquarters and regional offices, office complexes, medical, science and technology centers, warehouse and light industrial uses, retail centers, gas stations, convenience retail, self storage, restaurants, hotels and more. (Courtesy of Skyplex)

SHARE Skyplex has 1,150 acres of prime real estate to provide non-aviation opportunities for commercial uses targeted for development, including corporate headquarters and regional offices, office complexes, medical, science and technology centers, warehouse and light industrial uses, retail centers, gas stations, convenience retail, self storage, restaurants, hotels and more. (Courtesy of Skyplex)

By Laura Layden of the Naples Daily News

Skyplex will soon take off, with the construction of a new Publix-anchored shopping center.

The 65,000 square foot center, fittingly named Sky Walk, will be the first project to take flight at Skyplex, a 1,150-acre master-planned commercial park at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers.

The shopping center's developer, North American Properties  Southeast Inc., is the first to sign a land lease for the property north of the airport that's owned by the Lee County Port Authority.

"Publix is a well-regarded Florida company and is a perfect fit for this busy location along the Daniel's Parkway corridor," said Victoria Moreland, a spokeswoman for the authority.

The shopping center will sit across the street from the main entrance to the Gateway community and JetBlue Park, the spring training home for the Boston Red Sox.

The center will likely have several restaurants, including one serving breakfast and lunch, and a sit-down eatery for the dinner crowd.

"I am confident many of our employees who live to the east of the airport will enjoy being able to shop on the way home from work and we all love to have new dining and shopping options nearby," Moreland said.

Skyplex is being developed on land that is now vacant.

"We are very appreciative of the opportunity to work with the airport and to get this going, to get Skyplex going," said Dale Hafele, a partner in North American Properties.

Hafele expects permitting and other regulatory approvals to take some time, so he doesn't think construction will begin until August or September. Construction should take about a year, so Publix probably won't open until the second half of 2017.

"We thought it would be a great location for Publix, and we took it to them and convinced them it would be a great long-term spot to serve that growing community," Hafele said.

The Publix will include a drive-thru pharmacy. "It's a newer thing," Hafele said. "They are trying to find better ways to serve their customers."

Negotiations are underway with other potential tenants.

"We are working with other interested tenants now," Hafele said. "But we are not able to identify any at this time because we have not signed any leases yet."

With 4,000 people working in the Gateway area and several schools and churches nearby, he expects the retail center to be busy.

"We hope to get some people to visit our center before and after attending a Boston Red Sox game," Hafele said.

The closest Publix is a few miles away. The new project will be the first new Publix center to be built in the area in more than five years, Hafele said.

North American Properties has developed more than 25 Publix-anchored centers throughout the Southeast. It also acted as a consultant for a major renovation project at The Center of Bonita Springs shopping plaza, at U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road, which included relocating the Publix there.

The developer has been in talks with the Lee County Port Authority about its project for about a year. The retail center will have a modern, clean look and feel, in keeping with the Lee County Port Authority's design for the commercial park.

"It will be unique. It will not be the standard Publix," Hafele said.

The Lee County Port Authority, which runs Southwest Florida International Airport, looks forward to future growth and the future opportunities Skyplex will bring to the area, Moreland said. She said others developers have shown interest in the park, including some wanting to build retail, storage or small business projects.

Though there's no specific time line for building out Skyplex, expert analysis has shown it could take more than 20 years.
SHARE

Watching last Thursday's debate between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders one might have thought a Republican had been in the White House for nearly eight years.

Hearing their complaints about the economy (bad), discrimination (rampant), health care (too many without it), unemployment (too many not working or working at low-paying jobs), it appeared hope had died and change is all we have left in our pockets.

To hear these two ultraliberals tell it, we are a horrible, miserable, evil nation. We are bigots, we are greedy because we won't surrender more of our income to the government gods, we hate anyone who isn't white, male and heterosexual, and we want to deport everyone who isn't a Christian.

I wouldn't want to live in a country like that, would you? But that is not who we are. It is only who Democrats think we are.

Hillary Clinton hasn't yet released transcripts of speeches she gave to Wall Street bankers and hedge fund managers. When asked why not, she reverted to familiar Clinton obfuscation, promising to "look into it."

In fact, Laura Myers, of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, writes that, according to Clinton's standard speaking contract, she "... won't allow any press coverage or video- or audio-taping ..." of her speeches, for which she charges six figures. McClatchyDC adds that the former secretary of state "routinely demanded that a stenographer be present at her events so she could maintain a record of what she said." So we know the transcripts exist. Want to bet they're never released? Look how long and how many lawsuits it took to pry her emails from the State Department. And we still haven't seen them all.

She didn't ask for those big speaking fees, she said. They just gave the money to her. Why would anyone expect those generous Wall Street brokers and hedge fund managers to ever ask for anything in return? How dare you!

During this and in previous Democratic debates, we heard nothing about what you can do to make your life better. It is all about government. Clinton and Sanders would never qualify for membership in the Optimist club. Theirs is a steady stream of gloom, doom and pessimism. America's best days are behind us and they weren't so good after all. Slavery, racism and denial of women's rights ... the list goes on.

In Sanders' America no one will ever have to work again. College will be "free," as will health care. The "rich" will pay for it all. Never mind that taking away their incentive to work and make a profit will reduce the amount of money they make and the government can take. Sanders will just borrow it from others and America will become like Greece. Socialism seems nothing more than mutually shared poverty. Adopt it, and we will all be equally poor.

At last Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast, Mark Burnett, president of MGM Television and Digital Group, and his actress-wife and co-producer Roma Downey, told stories about immigrating to America  he from England and she from Northern Ireland. Burnett, fresh from service in the British Army, took a job as a chauffeur and part-time nanny in Los Angeles. Downey's first job was checking coats at a fancy New York restaurant where she said she could not afford to eat.

Burnett can now see the house where he once worked from his office window in Beverly Hills. He and Downey are producing biblical and family-friendly television programs. They own a home in Malibu, California.

These are the kinds of success stories we used to tell and examples we used to urge Americans to follow. No matter one's present circumstances, you could make it in America. Success stories aren't in the Democratic playbook. For Democrats, the only way to improve your life is for you to rely on government led by Democrats. Those who make it on their own it seems are punished by higher taxes and more regulations.

"The sun will come out tomorrow," sings an optimistic Annie in the Broadway musical. For Hillary and Bernie, it's a "hard knock life" and it's always midnight in America.
FARGO -- Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said he has an "open mind" but is still reviewing President Obama's nomination of Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Obama last week nominated Puhl, an assistant U.S. attorney based in Fargo, to the appeals court to fill a vacancy created by Judge Kermit Bye, who has taken senior status, which means he is handling a reduced caseload.

Hoeven said he had forwarded the name of Shon Kaelberer Hastings, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge and a former assistant U.S. attorney in Fargo, but Obama instead chose Puhl.

Nonetheless, Hoeven said, "I have an open mind."

The senator said he has an appointment to meet with Puhl in North Dakota later this month.

"I'll interview her and make a decision," Hoeven said. "I'll look at her record."

Historically, few judicial nominees put forward in a president's eighth year win approval, Hoeven said.

President George W. Bush won Senate confirmation of two judicial nominees, President Clinton one and President Reagan two, Hoeven said.

"It's tough to move 'em," he said. "It's particularly tough to move them in the eighth year of a presidency."

A legal scholar who studies the federal judicial selection process also said court nominees can face formidable odds late in a presidency -- especially during a presidential election year, when partisanship is heightened.

"It's very late," said Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond (Va.) School of Law. "It may be too late, but I don't think so."

Tobias noted that Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., is very supportive of Puhl's nomination, but Puhl's fate hinges on what the majority Republicans do. Between 15 and 20 judicial nominees are ahead of Puhl in the queue, Tobias said.

"It depends a lot on what the GOP is willing to do," he said. "That's the nub of it."

If Puhl is not confirmed, there is no guarantee that a future president would nominate someone from North Dakota to fill the vacancy on the 8th Circuit, Tobias said.

"The state needs to have representation on the court," he said.

Republican senators tend to like judicial nominees who have served as federal prosecutors, which could weigh in Puhl's favor, Tobias said.

Myers stays as U.S. attorney

U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson on Thursday continued the appointment of Chris Myers as U.S. attorney for North Dakota.

Myers has been with the U.S. Attorney's Office for almost 14 years, and served as the first assistant U.S. attorney until being named acting U.S. Attorney last March. Earlier, he was chief assistant Clay County attorney, an assistant Cass County state's attorney and a special agent with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Myers will serve as U.S. attorney until the president nominates a new U.S. attorney and the nominee is confirmed by the Senate.
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WASHINGTON  Marine Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller reportedly once said that given an army of 18-year-olds he could conquer the world. The remark came during testimony in the famous court-martial of Matthew McKeon, a Marine drill instructor who ill-advisedly led his young trainees into a swamp in which several of them died.

In 1968, Minnesota Sen. Eugene McCarthy applied those principles in mobilizing an army of 18- to 26-year-olds in an attempt to win the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination based on opposition to the Vietnam War. McCarthy failed, but not before giving his party's establishment  including Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey  a severe headache.

The tendency of youth to follow the dictates of the left side of their hearts is a natural condition. Being liberal, or progressive (to use the current, popular label for those philosophical leanings), is a natural condition that Winston Churchill called a defining attribute of early age. If it sounds good, buy into it.

So it is not surprising that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has amassed a following of voters in the 18- to 30-year-old age range to make the Democratic presidential race against Hillary Clinton a very close contest. Actually, as has been pointed out over and over in this seemingly interminable squabble for the nation's top job, tapping into this youthful energy with the help of social media is not unlike the approach that undid Clinton eight years ago.

The same blind faith in Barack Obama's promises to make huge changes for the better of the common man and the middle class that attracted the young to his cause is not only present in the Sanders' campaign, it is the overwhelming force (free this and free that, all provided by a benevolent government, is hard to resist). Obama's appeal, of course, was bolstered by the opportunity to show the world that we had managed to overcome some of the stigma of racism by electing a black man as our chief executive.

Obama not only rode that to victory but managed in his first two years to bring about a major reformation in health care against the opposition of the entire Republican Party in Congress and a majority of Americans.

It was his signature achievement, but it cost him and his party enormous political capital, including control of the Congress. It also gave us the tea party.

The difference in the current race for the Democratic nomination is that while Obama's approach touched the socialistic fringes, Sanders openly embraces the ideals of that philosophy. After years of being an "independent," he now calls himself a Democrat, socialist Democrat or whatever is convenient depending on the hour. Take it from one who worked in the town that produced Eugene V. Debs, the icon of the American socialist movement, Sanders is one.

In Sanders' rhetoric, the moneyed class as represented by Wall Street is an evil empire; the billionaires should face drastic tax reform; the usurious, predatory banks need to be broken up; the middle class should take back the government; cradle-to-grave health care in the form of a single-payer plan should be adopted and private insurance eliminated; there should be free college education for everyone, and on and on.

But who pays for all this, Senator? Answer: Admittedly there must be a tax increase. Right! A big one. Is this America or ...

Standing in a museum gift shop in Copenhagen, Denmark, a number of years ago, my clerk was a neatly dressed gray-haired man, clearly of retirement age. When I asked him why he was still working he explained that he actually was retired from SAS, the airline, but if he wanted to take his wife out to dinner once a month, he needed supplemental income.

"My pension is good," he explained, "but they take most of that for health care and so forth. The tax rate is a bit confiscatory."

So much for cradle to the grave, youngsters.

Those who like old Bernie's idealism (that's a polite term) should understand that he has little chance of achieving anything he promises and that if he did this country's foundation of free enterprise grounded in incentive would disappear. A word to his youthful supporters: All politics should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism.
File: Vehicles jockey for a parking spot at Marco Town Center. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent

SHARE File: Vehicles jockey for a parking spot at Marco Town Center. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent

By Lance Shearer

With the Island Plaza PUD off the table, Marco Island's Planning Board met Friday in City Council chambers, devoting their attention to getting Marco Town Center into compliance on the number of parking spaces provided. This was discussed in their Dec. 4 meeting, and continued from the Jan. 22 session.

City staff and the Planning Board attorney, Paul Gougelman, seemed ready to sign off on the landlord's proposal for a three-step process, adding parking spaces over time.

"The agreement is an attempt to try to avoid what could deteriorate into a code enforcement situation," said Gougelman.

"I'm prepared to make a motion we approve," said board member Charlette Roman.

"I believe the language is clear, enforceable, and has penalties," said Hernstadt, counseling acceptance of the plan rather than force Town Center restaurants to begin removing outdoor seating forthwith. "If you're comfortable with the policy, I'm comfortable with the document."

"This is more than a parking agreement," said Yovanovich, saying the landlord is not only adding additional parking, but also adding landscape improvements and cut-throughs, bringing the center up to current code, even though they would be "grandfathered in" on many items.

Planning board member Frank Mulligan threw a wrench into the lovefest by pointing that one parking credit included actually did not result in any more parking spaces being available, and drainage issues exist which are not addressed. The real reason for the plan, he said, was different.

"You have five clients that want to rent space, and you don't have parking for them. You're asking us to do a plan which you will do in four years to get five certificates of occupancy now."

"We started this because we don't want that outdoor dining space to go away," said Yovanovich. "We're doing the best we can, and we hope we would get some recognition for that."

Board member Bill Trotter said it was important to see a site plan before granting approval, as it is harder to have changes made once physical work has created new facts on the ground.

In the public comment portion of the meeting, Joe Oliverio spoke vehemently for the Marco Island Restaurant Alliance, of which he is vice president, saying the group is "opposed to changing of the rules for this venue. It's a noncompliant shopping center that's been in violation for years." He mentioned alleged infractions in parking, lighting, drainage, rear access dumpsters, and not fixing the facade to add rear parking.

Oliverio contrasted his own experience, saying he was required to make all improvements before getting a permit released, saying "why should an out of state multibillion dollar company" receive preferential treatment. "They should have brought you a site improvement plan today."

Doreen Oliverio, Joe's partner in Joey's Pizzeria and Doreen's Cup Of Joe, seconded her husband's comments. Frank LaCava, owner of Marco Island Brewery in Marco Town Center, also spoke against the developer's plans. His customers, said LaCava, find it "scary" to park out back behind his restaurant. Eileen Ward drew a parallel to the situation with restaurant parking in Old Marco.

Yovanovich, playing the role of the Grinch, reiterated his client could get into compliance simply by stripping the outdoor parking from the center's existing restaurants, as well as the new tenants. He named Susie's Diner, Summer Day Cafe, Margarita's, Marco Island Brewery, Dunkin' Donuts, Joey D's, Crazy Flamingo, Jackie's Chinese restaurant, Breakfast Plus, and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt.

"This is really an argument over competition. There is a little battle going on with the Joey who spoke today" and Joey D's, the restaurant proposed to take over Vandy's space, over the name, said Yovanovich.

Oliverio countered that the simple fix is for Town Center to rent their empty spaces to retailers rather than restaurants, despite the fact they are already at their 20 percent maximum for dining, which Yovanovich rose again to contradict.

After all the discussion, the petition was approved 4-2, with Mulligan and Bill Trotter voting no, and Dick Adams absent. The board also talked about the board itself, taking up a discussion of their function and responsibilities, and reviewed progress on Mackle Park improvements.
Before getting it, Terry Brennen had never heard of 'flesh-eating' Vibrio

After cleaning up after Ian, Cape Coral resident Terry Brennen's scraped leg started feeling hot. Soon he couldn't walk. He's been hospitalized ever since
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By Daily News Staff

Two more cases of travel-related Zika virus have been confirmed, bringing the statewide number to 16, according to the Florida Department of Health on Monday.

The two new cases were found in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, both of which had cases last week. The state's public health emergency spans seven counties, including Lee County, which had two travel-related Zika cases last week.

All of the cases are travel-related, in which the infected individuals had traveled out of the country and were diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus after their return.

About one in five people infected show symptoms, which generally include a low-grade fever, rash and joint pain. Pregnant women are at risk if their unborn babies are exposed to the virus, because it can lead to birth defects. Researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are examining the link between Zika and birth defects.

The state health department encourages residents to drain standing water in any containers, which is the breeding source for mosquitoes; cover exposed skin with long-sleeved shirts and pants, and to wear mosquito repellent outdoors.

For more information, go to www.FloridaHealth.gov.
SHARE Lynda Babcock, right, explains the vision prescription test to Rita Georges during the Naples Lions Club's annual eye and health screening at iTECH in Immokalee on Sunday, February 7, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) Dulce Laureano, 15, left, works along with Sophia Gonzalez as they help people with their vision tests during the Naples Lions Club's annual eye and health screening at iTECH in Immokalee on Sunday, February 7, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) Nina Roberts, right, checks Marie Calixte's pupils to see what prescription she would need during the Naples Lions Club's annual eye and health screening at iTECH in Immokalee on Sunday, February 7, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) Hundreds of Immokalee residents and their families came to the Naples Lions Club's annual eye and health screening at iTECH in Immokalee on Sunday, February 7, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff)

By Alexi C. Cardona of the Naples Daily News

Their eyes are watery, red and itchy.

They have developed fleshy tissue in the whites of their eyes due to excessive sun exposure.

Some have cataracts or glaucoma and don't know it.

On Sunday, the Lions Clubs in Naples and Bonita Springs offered free eye exams, glasses and health screenings to Immokalee farm workers and others in the community. Lions Club International is a service organization that raises funds for charitable causes. Their projects include vision, disability and youth programs.

More than 200 people went to the Immokalee Technical Center to have their eyes screened and to check for diabetes and high blood pressure.

"Some of them work six days a week and Sunday is their only day off," said Dr. Joseph Carpentieri, an ophthalmologist and member of the Naples Lions Club. "When do they have the time to seek care?"

Doctors and volunteers used eye charts and screening equipment to check for glaucoma and determine the person's prescription for glasses.

Carmide Arne, 16, a junior at Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda and member of the Punta Gorda Lions Club, interpreted for many of the Creole speakers who went to seek care.

"It's like being a chain connecting two different parts," said Carmide, who was born in Haiti and moved to the United States when she was 8. "I can help people get what they need. It puts me in a position to help my community."

Six students from Charlotte High School served as volunteer screeners and interpreters for Spanish and Creole speakers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports eye injuries suffered by agricultural workers can be caused by chemical exposure, dust, plant materials and sunlight. Between 1997 and 2007, agricultural workers in the United States suffered 1,700 to 3,000 eye injuries per year. The injuries cost agricultural companies and workers $300 million in medical expenses and lost work time, according to the site.

Gabino Vasquez, 42, and Domingo Reynoso, 48, pick tomatoes in the fields.

Vasquez sometimes finds himself leaving buckets of tomatoes behind when he works because he can't see them when he looks down at the ground.

"They're close to me, but sometimes I can't see them," he said.

He was given a prescription for bifocals.

Reynoso's eyes often itch and become red and watery. He said he's felt dust from the fields fly in his eyes. The ophthalmologist who screened him instructed him to schedule an appointment at a Lions Club eye clinic in Bonita Springs, but he has no way to get there.

"We tell them to have a family member drive them to the clinic, or to take a bus," Carpentieri said. "We used to be able to provide transportation for them, but the Immokalee Lions Club didn't survive. It faded out of existence."

Carpentieri said the Immokalee Lions Club stopped operating six months to a year ago.

The ophthalmologists don't know if the people they saw on Sunday will take the next step of committing to an appointment at the Bonita Springs clinic, but they still want to do what they can to help with their care.

"You see the number of patients coming in and you know there's a need," said Dr. Brad Snead, an ophthalmologist who practices in Naples and volunteers at the Bonita Springs clinic. "It's nice to volunteer and help patients who may or may not otherwise have access to care."
In legal circles it is known as domestic minor sex trafficking, but law enforcement officials and victims advocates call it contemporary slavery.

'Slavery today is as pervasive as it has ever been in the history of humankind,' said Police Chief Nicholas Sensley of Truckee, Calif., who has specialized in combating human trafficking. The victims, often children, 'are being exploited at a level beyond what we have seen in history.'

More than 2 million children worldwide and 100,000 in the United States are estimated to be involved in the commercial sex trade.

Sensley was the law enforcement officials and victims advocates who talked about local efforts to combat the crime during a congressional field briefing led by two Republicans: Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, and Rep. Dan Lungren of California.

In 2006, the city of Sacramento ranked second in the nation as a center for child prostitution, according to the FBI. Since then, law enforcement agencies and community activists in the region have developed what congressional leaders Tuesday lauded as a possible model for a nationwide assault on child sex traffickers.

The briefing at Rancho Cordova City Hall was held as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, enacted by Congress in 2000, comes up for reauthorization.

The briefing brought together representatives of the FBI, U.S. attorney's office and the Regional Terrorism Threat Assessment Center. Other participants included a trafficking victim's mother, Vicki Zito of El Dorado Hills, Calif.; victims advocate Jenny Williamson of Sacramento; and actress Mira Sorvino, United Nations goodwill ambassador on human trafficking issues.

U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner said his office has made prosecution of sex traffickers a priority. Since 2006, he said, charges have been filed in 17 cases with 28 defendants in the region. Ten have been convicted, with sentences of up to 40 years in prison.

About 200 juvenile victims of prostitution have been rescued through the Innocence Lost Task Force, made up of regional law enforcement agencies.

Officials said it's essential to train law enforcement officers to recognize juvenile sex trafficking victims and to treat them as victims rather than criminals. They also said it's key to apprehending and prosecuting perpetrators.

Victims need the community's help to restore their emotional health, Wagner said, noting that they typically need a safe place to live, medical treatment, education and job training.

'The government is not responsible for taking care of these kids, we are,' Williamson told approximately 200 people attending Tuesday's briefing.

A Natomas businesswoman and mother, Williamson founded a nonprofit organization that seeks to build Courage Houses, homes for children rescued from sex trafficking.

She said the organization has raised $1 million in donations and seeks to operate state-licensed group homes. Williamson has worked with a foster care organization to develop a training program to help foster parents deal with sex trafficking victims' special needs.

Williamson urged people to consider becoming foster parents, to volunteer to work with youths in juvenile hall, and to use their influence to increase awareness of sex trafficking and efforts to combat it.
U.S. Coast Guard boat. (Larry Steagall/Kitsap Sun)

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By NBC2

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for two boaters reported missing in Lake Okeechobee on Sunday.



John Russ, 72, and his wife, 62-year-old Diane Russ, of Myakka City, were last seen in an airboat Saturday night, around Bird Island on Lake Okeechobee, NBC2 reports.



Authorities say a friend of the Russ' reported the couple failed to return from a boating trip.



The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, along Glades County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Coast Guard, conducted the search throughout the night. FWC confirms a boat has been recovered but it's not confirmed if it's the couple's boat.



Search team efforts have been hampered due to severe weather, according to FWC spokeswoman Carol Lyn Parrish.


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Ernie Barnett, Tallahassee

Executive Director, Florida Land Council

Principal, Water & Land Advisors Inc.

Dispersed water storage

Dispersed water storage is a critical piece of Florida's water puzzle and the Legislature was wise last year in its decision to provide funding for it in the state budget.

And this year is no different, as funding for this program is paramount to the South Florida Water Management District's efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of runoff into Florida's estuaries.

The partnerships that the district is able to foster with private landowners through the dispersed water storage program allows storm water to be diverted and stored on their ranchlands and citrus groves when it would otherwise be discharged at the wrong quantities and times into our precious waterways and estuaries.

As the former assistant executive director at the district, I have seen first-hand how private landowners provide significant benefits through this program that allows them to store the water by using simple structures. In creating these meaningful public-private partnerships, private landowners expand their stewardship in a way that improves the state's water future by providing environmental benefits that extend well beyond the boundaries of their properties.

Holding water on these lands provides valuable groundwater recharge for water supply, while improving water quality and enhancing habitats downstream. These partnerships avoid high cost of land acquisition and management and keeps land on local tax rolls.

I firmly believe that dispersed water storage should play a part in Florida's comprehensive approach to meet Florida's water management needs, and I am hopeful that lawmakers and the governor recognize this important program as fundamental to that goal and allocate funds to it during the 2016 legislative session.

Together, we can protect Florida's precious natural resources.
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Lex Hood, Fort Myers

Monkey farms

As a concerned Southwest Florida citizen, I recently spoke before the Hendry County Commission objecting to continuation and expansion of this cruel, uncivilized, abusive and deplorable monkey farm industry.

The hostility of some commissioners to good faith opposition was dismaying. First, the chairman arbitrarily refused, contrary to commission rules, to let a citizen continue speaking within her allotted time. The citizen kept a calm demeanor, but was cut off abruptly the chairman said, because she was critical of the commissioners.

Another commissioner insulted and chastised all opposition speakers by a summary diatribe, repeatedly characterizing remarks as "ignorant."

He outrageously suggested that the commissioners undertake measures to prohibit such criticisms, appearing unconcerned about inconsistency with Florida's Sunshine law.

According to PETA, People For the Ethical Treatment For Animals, a prestigious national organization: There are three monkey facilities in Hendry with a fourth being built to hold 3,000 monkeys: a total of up to 14,000; meanwhile, one facility is cited for violations of federal law, and an ongoing federal investigation is in process.

A citizens 2014 lawsuit will be going to trial soon which claims the county, before enacting approval of a monkey facility: 1) failed to follow zoning restrictions and 2) neglected to allow public comments.

The use of monkeys for drug experiments is a dying industry. The National Academy of Sciences says animal tests are poor indicators of effects on humans, confirmed by PETA and former commissioner of FDA that almost all drugs that pass animal tests fail and potentially cause harm in human trials.

Let's get rid of these horrible monkey facilities, now defiling and sullying the reputation of our beautiful Southwest Florida counties.
SHARE Michael A. MacDowell is the managing director of the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation. He lives in Estero.

By Michael A. Macdowell

For many years it was unusual to see even a monthly article on higher education in major newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. Today, hardly a week goes by that there is not an article about higher education and most of them aren't flattering.

In general, higher education deserves criticism. Many have questioned the value of a college degree as measured by price (tuition etc.) and the rate of return (future earnings). The amount of debt with which graduates, and worse yet non-graduates, emerge from college is troubling. U.S. college student loans amount to $1.2 trillion, surpassing the amount of credit card debt in America and second only to mortgage debt. Nearly 7 million Americans have failed to make a payment on their student loan debts in the past year. By far the highest percentage of them attended for-profit institutions.

Negative articles have appeared about higher education's endemic political correctness. The press often lambasts academics for supporting unpopular points of view with which academics agree while they hypocritically deny free speech on campus to those with whom they disagree.

Derogatory stories about the cost/benefit of a college education when mixed with caustic articles about political correctness on campuses can harm colleges and universities in many ways, including their ability to enroll foreign students.

Last year, American colleges and universities enrolled 974,926 international students. Collectively these students generated approximately $30.5 billion and 373,000 jobs, according to the Institute of International Education.

International students help offset U.S. trade deficits, but all college students and graduates do much more. These Americans who graduate college produce the innovations, products and ideas that keep the country in the forefront of world economic growth.

College graduates also vote more often, are more apt to volunteer, and are much more philanthropic than are citizens without a college education. Further, college graduates earn approximately $1 million over their life span more than do non-graduates.

These general arguments, however, do little to dissuade those who say college education is too expensive and the rate of return to an individual is too small. Of course, that depends on the net tuition, minus financial aid, and the job a graduate is able to secure.

It is difficult to come up with a financial justification for an expensive four-year degree for a currently unemployed artist, philosopher or historian. These subjects must of course be taught because they provide tomorrow's leaders with a foundation for critical thinking. However, to build substantial debt while majoring in these subjects is hardly solid critical thinking.

Faculty members and others might be excused for being less than totally forthcoming when recruiting students to certain majors for they have devoted their lives to their subjects. However, faculty and college administrators cannot be forgiven for rushing to judge those they deem to be politically incorrect. For instance, administrators and faculty at Duke and the University of Virginia moved too quickly to right the supposed wrongs against women students, only to find out soon thereafter that the stories had been fabricated.

These incidences, along with the recent resignation of the president and chancellor at the University of Missouri, who were faced with vaguely defined accusations of racism, all point to imbalance on campus. Such incidences only further diminish the reputation of higher education.

John McWhorter, professor of American studies, music and philosophy at Columbia University, points out in The Wall Street Journal "that the university campus is already one of the most exquisitely racially sensitized context a human being will even encounter in America."

Whether race, gender equity, income inequality, or any other sensitive issue, university communities are often on the cutting edge. That has traditionally been the role of the university and is an important one. But rushing to judgment particularly when the facts are still outstanding always generates deserved criticism.

These are not great times for colleges in America. To help restore public faith in higher education there needs to be greater transparency about the costs and benefits of a college degree. Similarly there should be greater reflection on campuses about political correctness and objectivity. To not do so will only create more public antagonism and that is something academia cannot afford.

__ Michael A. MacDowell spent 40 years in higher education including his last position as president of Misericordia University. He is now managing director of the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation Inc. and lives in Estero.
Bob Edwards, Managing Director  Investments, Senior PIM Portfolio Manager of Moran Edwards Asset Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors (www.MoranEdwards.com), will host a seminar titled, Meet the Portfolio Manager, on Friday, February 12 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Naples Daily News Community Room located at 1100 Immokalee Road in Naples. Edwards will discuss his outlook for the economy and the market. Seating is limited. Make a reservation by calling 239-513-2511.

A financial advisor for over 30 years, Edwards has earned extensive national and local recognitions, including being recognized for the 8th consecutive year as a Southwest Florida 2015 Five Star Wealth Manager by Gulfshore Life magazine and Five Star Professional, listed on Barrons annual list of Americas Top 1,200 Financial Advisors for 2014 and 2015, and on Barrons Americas Top 1,000 Financial Advisors in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Edwards was also named one of Naples Daily News inaugural 25 Over 50 award recipients and one of Naples Supermen in the September 2013 issue of Naples Illustrated for his work in the financial services industry, and for his dedication to the Naples Children & Education Foundation and its Naples Winter Wine Festival. In addition to advising an affluent clientele in Naples, Edwards counsels other wealth managers and has been an industry speaker at conferences for financial professionals in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Orlando, Philadelphia, and San Diego.

Moran Edwards Asset Management Group, formerly known as Moran Asset Management Group, is a money management practice. The group is responsible for managing in excess of $2 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2015 and has served the Naples community for 30 years. Moran Edwards Asset Management Group is located at 5801 Pelican Bay Boulevard in Naples. For more information, call 239-254-2200 or visit www.MoranEdwards.com.
Hodges University will host the second annual IT Pro Camp from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27. The event will be held on the Fort Myers campus, which is located at 4501 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers. Individuals interested in the latest IT-related technologies, as well as those seeking professional development are welcome to attend.



Last years event, also hosted by Hodges University, made such an impression on IT Pro Camp officials that Fort Myers was placed on the regular circuit of stops for the organization. With only seven stops made throughout the year in the state of Florida, it is significant for Hodges University to be hosting the event.



Situated in a conference-style learning environment, IT Pro Camp is a free, one-day learning event that serves students, business owners, business decision-makers, IT professionals and others interested in IT technologies.



According to Tracey Lanham, professor and chair of the computer information technology program in the Fisher School of Technology at Hodges University, this years event will feature a dual track, allowing attendees to choose which area and associated topics suit their needs. She also went on to say, My hope is that they will host a MTA Test Fest again this year, which provides Microsoft technology certification to interested individuals at no charge.



The Fort Myers and Naples areas are a great place to bring the technology community together. This is the second year that Hodges will be hosting the event, and this event brings people here, to our campus, to see how we promote technology, diversity and inclusion, said Lanham.



Individuals associated with technology companies, technology recruiters and professional businesses are encouraged to participate and sponsor the event.



For more information about IT Pro Camp, visit www.itprocamp.com, or to register for this free event, visit https://ftmyers2016.eventbrite.com.



The IT Pro Camp was founded out of a joint venture of Microsoft employees and Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) in 2010. The IT Pro Camp organization is also a registered nonprofit organization and is led by a community of IT professionals.



The School of Technology was one of the first academic schools established at Hodges University. Renamed the Fisher School of Technology in 2011, students in this school have a desire to explore technology and how it can be used to improve the way we conduct business or the way we live our lives.
On Saturday evening last in McCarthyas there was a terrific show of community spirit all in aid of The Tracey Walsh Benefit fund.

On Saturday evening last in McCarthyas there was a terrific show of community spirit all in aid of The Tracey Walsh Benefit fund.

We saw a huge number of local people digging deep into their pockets at a testing time.

John Looby from Kilfeacle started the auction and with tremendous spirit and swift bidding we saw over 50 lots sold in quick fashion. Special thanks to Johnny for doing such a tremendous job, he is true Irish character.

Thanks for the great plug Johnny on Tipp FM on Monday morning. Also huge thanks to all the local business and friends who donated the fantastic prizes for the auction.

Earlier in the evening there was a special showing of our local film Stella Days in the Abymill Theatre. There was a huge turnout and thank you to McCarthyas and Cashel Blue Cheese for the wine and cheese reception on arrival.

We would also like to thank all those who supported the evening events. There was a draw for the Fethard Rugby Clubs players in aid of the benefit fund, the prize of a day with the Munster Rugby squad. Well done to our lucky players Conor Vaughan and David Heffernan for being the names pulled of the hat to enjoy a wonderful day in Spring.

Wishing all the players and followers of Fethard & District Rugby Club a Happy, healthy and safe 2013. All squads are back training on Friday, January 4.
The Micro:Bit is a pretty cool piece of hardware being used in a lot of schools. Its mostly used in middle school and above but that may be...
The campaign

So what is in Heinz ketchup?

Tomato concentrate

Distilled vinegar

High fructose corn syrup

Corn syrup

Salt, spice, onion powder, natural flavoring

(NaturalNews) Heinz, the well-known family favorite ketchup brand, has been banned in Israel because it does not contain enough tomato solids. Israel's health ministry has said that it does not contain enough paste to be classed as ketchup.The decision came after the biggest ketchup rival in Israel launched a campaign against Heinz, asking for the definition of ketchup to be changed. The world famous brand has been demoted to "tomato seasoning"  despite selling almost two million bottles around the world every single day.Back in January 2015, an Israeli company called Osem wrote an open letter to retailers, stating that they had tested Heinz independently and found that it only contained 21 percent tomato concentrate. They went on to claim that their brand contains 61 percent tomato concentrate, stating that "the incorrect indication of tomato concentrate in the products severely misleads the Israeli consumer public and is a violation of the provisions of the law to protect consumers."This sparked a war between Osem and Diplomat, who distribute Heinz ketchup across Israel  and now the health ministry has also gotten involved. After their testing and investigation, they too have ruled that Heinz does not contain enough tomato solids, or paste, to deserve the label "ketchup."We're starting to become much more aware that processed food such as Heinz ketchup is full of more than what we originally thought  including toxic chemicals Organic options and home cooking are becoming more and more favored in U.S. households.There are several reasons why you should read and fully understand the Heinz ketchup ingredient label. At a glance you'll probably notice that some of the ingredients are questionable, but once you look into it a little deeper you'll find things that are not only unhealthy, but also toxic and dangerous if consumed over long periods of time.The full list of ingredients is as follows:This label, as with other ingredient labels , is listed from most to least in terms of quantity of ingredients  meaning that it apparently has the largest quantity of tomato concentrate in comparison to other ingredients; although we know from what's happened in Israel , that this is only a mere 21 percent.Heinz is trying to trick the consumer into believing there are more ingredients in the bottle than there actually are  with "high fructose corn syrup" and " corn syrup" actually being the exact same thing.This is to imply that corn syrup is healthier than high fructose corn syrup, and also so that consumers believe that the majority ingredient is tomato concentrate. But if you combined the two corn syrups, they would be much higher on the list  in fact, they would probably come above tomato concentrate as the main ingredient in Heinz ketchup.Corn syrup is extremely unhealthy, acting like sugar in the body when metabolized, and causing spikes in blood sugar levels that damage the liver over time, as well as cause obesity, heart disease, diabetes and so on.The corn syrup used is also likely to be from GMO corn, so you're actually eating more GM food than you are tomatoes. Meanwhile, distilled vinegar, the second highest ingredient on the list, is also made from GMO corn. So this is actually a corn-based product with a dash of tomato in for good measure.As if that isn't bad enough, the "salt, spice, onion powder and natural flavoring" thrown in at the end, are the type of cheap salt that causes high blood pressure, toxicity in the body and mineral imbalances  leading to health challenges if consumed too frequently.Condiments may not have been top of your list of things worth preparing at home, but you may want to start doing so. It's not particularly difficult to whip up a ketchup at home  and yours will probably contain more tomato than corn!1. DailyMail.co.uk 2. HealthyWildAndFree.com
Concerns about editing embryos and making 'designer babies'

Admission that incubator to be used will be shared with others; lock system in question

Enough with creating fake foods, people and lives



(NaturalNews) The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has given the go-ahead for British scientists at the Francis Crick Institute to genetically modify human embryos, and it could happen as soon as March 2016. In fact, they're already in talks with fertility clinics across the country who may be willing suppliers of leftover embryos. The process would entail deactivation of genes in these leftover IVF clinic embryos, which the scientists say will help them to better understand human development, cell division and faulty genetic codes.According to a spokesman for the HFEA, "Our Licence Committee has approved an application from Dr Kathy Niakan of the Francis Crick Institute to renew her laboratory's research licence to include gene editing of embryos.""We would really like to understand the genes that are needed for an embryo to develop into a healthy baby," Dr. Niakan says.However, many people are vehemently opposed to such experimentation. They raise questions about the horrors that could unfold, not to mention the ethical implications involved . They also point out the fact that this is only the second time ever in the world that similar efforts have been conducted; just last year a Chinese research team attempted similar measures and the reception was hardly warm. It was met with massive public resistance and hesitation.Tampering with embryos and genetically modifying, or "editing" them, has critics rattled, saying that it paves the way for the creation of "designer babies." Anne Scanlan of the charity, LIFE, is one such person. "The HFEA now has the reputation of being the first regulator in the world to approve this uncertain and dangerous technology," she says. "It has ignored the warnings of over a hundred scientists worldwide and given permission for a procedure which could have damaging far-reaching implications for human beings."Interestingly, one such danger includes the unstable nature of the process, as outlined in the HFEA minutes for what the scientists call Project R0162. It states:However, wording in these minutes suggests that this is all right. After all, people have the promise that:And with this promise of "robust procedures" and fitted locks forthcoming, the conclusion is this less-than-reassuring statement:So much for feeling secure about something that already oozes unknowns and questionable practices.The human inability to resist tampering, and the seemingly collective desire to dive into potentially harmful realms is virtually a given today.After all, Monsanto is all about their altered seeds and the genetic modification of crops.GMO foods abound, with labeling debacles in full force.There are scientists attempting to create lab-grown hamburgers created from cow stem cells. In that instance, muscle tissues are pieced together until an entire burger is made.Researchers in the United States also have plans to grown human organs inside farm animals. The idea here is for hearts and other organs to be used for transplants. The thought is that growing human tissue by injecting human cells inside sheep and pigs could achieve this.Fake hamburgers from muscle tissue, human cells in sheep, altered foods on our shelves, and now, the green light to genetically modify embryos.Is this really the best we can do as a society?(1) Telegraph.co.uk (2) Guide.HFEA.gov.uk (3) NaturalNews.com (4) NaturalNews.com
The 2015 Zika outbreak in the Americas

More cases of sexually transmitted Zika

Zika spreading through the United States

(NaturalNews) According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) , the Zika virus was first identified in 1947 in Uganda, East Africa. The virus is primarily transmitted by themosquito, while the symptoms are very similar to those of dengue or yellow fever. In human beings, after a short incubation period, the disease manifests through fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle pain, headache or malaise.Although it looks and feels like nothing more than a cold for the normal adult, in Brazil, the Zika disease or Zika fever has been strongly associated with the rise of a potentially lethal birth defect called microcephaly. This results in an abnormally small head and brain in the baby, and appears more frequently in mothers infected with Zika.The most recent outbreak of Zika started in 2015, in Brazil and Colombia, as well as in Cape Verde in Africa. As it continues to spread and cannot be prevented by drugs or vaccines , the Zika virus is considered pandemic. Earlier in January, the CDC issued precautionary travel guidance for the affected countries and urged Americans to consider postponing their travels.Nonetheless, Zika continued to spread, and on February 1, WHO declared that the exploding outbreak must be treated as a global public health emergency. Initially, the cases of Zika reported in the United States were all travel related. They were found in people who had recently traveled in tropical regions, and were most likely infected by the bite of themosquito. Recent reports, however, draw attention to sexual transmission Since the discovery of the Zika virus, only one potential case of sexual transmission was indicated, when the virus was isolated from the semen of an infected man. However, a recent case from Texas confirms the worrisome suspicion that the disease can be transmitted sexually. This individual had not traveled to any Zika area, but became infected after his partner returned from Venezuela. After screening the couple's house for themosquito, the CDC confirmed that the patient was indeed infected with Zika through sexual transmission.This makes an already dangerous situation even worse. While it was previously thought that the Zika virus is restricted to countries where themosquito is found, we now know that the virus can be spread even in the absence of the carrying insect. While no further advice has yet come from the CDC, condoms remain the only effective way to avoid the sexually transmitted Zika.So far, there have been no reports of the Zika virus being transmitted from mosquitoes in the United States. However, themosquito does live in the south-eastern U.S. , and might cause small outbreaks as the weather warms.In addition, Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a public health emergency for the four counties where people have been diagnosed with the disease. These are Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Lee and Santa Rosa. Although it is believed that all nine cases were travel related, the new report about sexual transmission coming from Dallas gives Florida enough reason to worry.In the meantime, Governor Scott's executive order requires the state health officer to reduce the population of insects that could spread the disease in Florida. Residents here and throughout the U.S. are advised to avoid contact with mosquitoes and protect themselves against mosquito bites.However, can insect repellent, screens and mosquito nets put an end to this global public health emergency when the CDC, WHO and other health organizations combined have been unable to do so?
Get vaccinated - or else!

Genetic discrimination in California schools

(NaturalNews) California health authorities are increasingly applying police state measures by forcing vaccinations and practicing genetic discrimination  violating constitutional principles and privacy rights.The state's schools are now being penalized financially for not enforcing mandatory vaccinations ; meanwhile children are being expelled for having a genetic predisposition to certain diseases  even when they don't actually have the diseases in question.Despite much controversy and outrage over California's vaccination laws, it seems that now health officials are emboldened to push even more authoritarian measures regarding the 'health' of the state's citizens.California has some of the strictest mandatory vaccination laws in the country.founder Mike Adams, the Health Ranger , has written extensively about the bullying and poisoning of the populace at the behest of Big Pharma  in California, particularly.Adams wrote:"These people -- the 'vaccine pushers' -- ignore real science and use wildly dishonest tactics of fear mongering, social shaming and blatant lying about scientific facts to demonize informed parents and attempt to criminalize those who pose intelligent, scientific questions about vaccine safety."In this way, U.S. doctors, vaccine patent holders (such as Paul Offit), legislators and health regulators are marching America right down the path of medical crimes against humanity -- the very same thing we once witnessed carried out by scientists operating under the Nazi regime in Germany."Schools in California are now being threatened with financial penalties for admitting "kindergartners who were overdue for their second dose of the measles vaccine."From"The state acted because its data analysis indicates that many schools are erroneously enrolling kindergartners who are overdue for one or more vaccinations and by law should be excluded from class until they're up to date with their shots. ..."If children entered school with only one of two required measles shots and had not received their second shot within three months, as required by state law, the guidelines require auditors to verify the students were excluded from class."If the students were not excluded from classes, auditors were instructed "disallow the [average daily attendance payment] for any days after three calendar months and ten days from the first dose until the date of the second dose."So, either the kids whose parents don't want to take chances on unsafe vaccines get expelled, or the schools lose funding, creating a no-win situation for everyone involved  except for the state and Big Pharma, of course.Equally as disturbing as the mandatory vaccination agenda in California, is the growing trend towards 'genetic discrimination."The recent case of sixth-grader Colman Chadam  who was kicked out of school because of his DNA profile  has raised grave concerns regarding privacy, medical ethics and the extent of the government's increasingly meddling role in regulating health.As reported by"The situation, odd as it may sound, played out like this. Colman has genetic markers for cystic fibrosis, and kids with the inherited lung disease can't be near each other because they're vulnerable to contagious infections. Two siblings with cystic fibrosis also attended Colman's middle school in Palo Alto, California in 2012. So Colman was out, even though he didn't actually have the disease, according to a lawsuit that his parents filed against the school district. The allegation? Genetic discrimination."As unbelievable as that case may sound, the article warns that genetic discrimination is a term that we'll be hearing a lot more of in the future.According to bioethics expert Michelle Lewis: "As we do more screening earlier and earlier in life, there's potential for misuse of information in ways that are harmful, that could potentially discourage parents from seeking genetic testing even if it's medically indicated."The corporate-owned state seeks to control every aspect of our existence  what we eat, what we think and how we raise our children. It's aim is to keep us sick, uninformed and utterly dependent.We do have the power to change the system, but we'd better act together now, while we still have enough brains and health left to accomplish something. Let's hope it's not already too late.
Note: This is the latest entry in the Acton blog series, What Christians Should Know About Economics. For other entries in the series see this post.

The Term: Crony capitalism (sometimes referred to as cronyism or corporatism)

What it means: Crony capitalism is a general term for the range of activities in which particular individuals or businesses in a market economy receive government-granted privileges over their customers and/or competitors.

Why it Matters: For as long as there have been government officials, there have been economic croniesfriends, family, and associates who use their connections for their own financial gain.

In ancient Israel, for example, when the prophet Samuel appointed his own sons as leaders, they began to engage in cronyism: [Samuels] sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. (1 Samuel 8:3).

Unsatisfied with these corrupt leaders, the elders of Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king over them. God told Samuel to warn the people of the consequences, which included even worse forms of economic cronyism: [The king] will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants (1 Samuel 8:14-15).

We read passages like that and instantly recognize this as unfair and unjust, a corrupting influence on both the people and the government. Yet we tend note to even notice the cronyism that occurs in our own economic system. Because the dishonest gain is often more subtle than the examples found in the Bible, we often do not recognize cronyism because we dont know what to look for.



To help in the identification process, here are nine of the most common types of government-granted privileges individuals and businesses receive that give them an unfair advantage (click on this link for detailed explanations of each):

Monopoly privilege  Government uses its power to directly protect certain firms or industries from competition by limiting or keeping other firms out of the market. This type of direct cronyism is relatively rare. (Examples: cable companies, utilities, the USPS)

Regulatory privilege  Large corporations used to lobby government to reduce the regulatory burden on their industries. But many corporation realized they could gain a competitive advantage by lobbying for specific regulations that benefit their firm and hamstring their competitors. (Examples: Obamacares mandate requiring insurance companies to buy contraceptives, a regulation that benefits the pharmaceutical companies that make them.)

Subsides  Subsidies, which are sometimes referred to as corporate welfare, occur when the government gives taxpayer money directly to a business or industry. According to a report by Philip Mattera and Kasia Tarczynska, two-thirds of the $68 billion in business grants and special tax credits awarded by the federal government over the past 15 years have gone to large corporations. The largest recipient is the Spanish energy company Iberdrola, which has collected about $2.2 billion in subsidies by investing heavily in U.S. power generation facilities, including wind farms that have made use of a renewable energy provision of the 2009 Recovery Act.

The other five most common types of government-granted privileges are: Loan Guarantees, Tax Privileges, Bailouts (and expected bailouts), Tariffs and Quotas on Foreign Competition, Noncompetitive Bidding, and Occupational Licensing.

So whats wrong with some firms getting special privileges? The main reason we should oppose crony capitalism is because it circumvents the moral process involved in a free exchange of goods and services.

In a free exchange, the one who most often benefits is the individual consumer. As Frederick Bastiat argued,

consumption [i.e.,the use of goods and services by households] is the great end and purpose of political economy; that good and evil, morality and immorality, harmony and discord, everything finds its meaning in the consumer, for he represents mankind.

He summarizes his argument for the consumer and against cronyism as follows:

There is a fundamental antagonism between the seller and the buyer. The former wants the goods on the market to be scarce, in short supply, and expensive. The latter wants them abundant, in plentiful supply, and cheap. Our laws, which should at least be neutral, take the side of the seller against the buyer, of the producer against the consumer, of high prices against low prices, of scarcity against abundance. They operate, if not intentionally, at least logically, on the assumption that a nation is rich when it is lacking in everything.

Bastiat uses this as the basis of his argument that the interests of the consumer, rather than the producer, align more closely with the interests of mankind (you should read his essay to fully appreciate the connection). The producer tends to have their own self-interest in mind, and so has a strong incentive to get the government to use its force and power to help them gain an economic benefit over the consumer. This causes goods to be either more expensive and/or more scarce than they normally would be without government intervention. The result is that cronies get richer, while everyone else is made poorer.

Other stuff you should know:

 Increasing the power of the government is often posited as a way to keep Big Business in check. But as Randall G. Holcombe notes, The substantial and well-established economic literature on the components of crony capitalism shows that big government is the cause of crony capitalism, not the solution.

 Cronyism often leads to corruption, though it can be rather subtle. Take, for example, intertemporal corruption. An intertemporal choice occurs when a choice at one time influences the possibilities available at other points in time. For example, you may decide to spend less money today in order to save and be able to spend more at a future point in time, such as during retirement. When combined with cronyism, such intertemporal choices can lead to intertemporal corruption. As economist Bryan Caplan explains,
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Sofia University offers the best of psychological science with contemplative and spiritually oriented approaches to science. Courses are delivered through a whole person integration of mind, body and spirit practices. You can take contemplative neuroscience alongside courses in mindfulness, positive psychology and creative expression. Additionally, the program provides broad, yet unique opportunities for research in psychology related to expanded human experience, meditation, cultural and consciousness studies, philosophical and theoretical psychology, organizations and leadership, comparative religion, ecopsychology, and human neuroscience.

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No one starts with a needle in his or her arm.

Hidden within addiction is mental instability. We know that addicts do not just become users on a whim; there is a trigger caused by mental illness.

Something triggered Derik, my younger brother, into the dark path of addiction. We never truly understood his trigger, which made the cycle of addiction worse for my family and me. Addiction took hold of Derik when he was just a young teen, trying the small stuff and loving the way it made him feel. It wasnt until his adult years, when he was prescribed an opiate for pain management, that he got his first taste of a true high. The painkiller, a gateway drug, opened the door for Derik to try heroin  and boy, did it have its grip on him after he was introduced to it, the monster that would take control of his mind, body and soul.

As angry as I am, I now understand that Deriks addiction was a mental illness, and he could not choose the sober path. His body and warped mind chose heroin over sobriety, chose heroin over his daughter, Scarlet, and over the rest of us whom he left behind, now mourning the loss of a soul too young to depart.

Tara Lawley

Derik suffered on a daily basis for two and a half years with his demon, heroin. He loved his family and his daughter, but did not love his life. Heroin helped Derik escape his reality; it put him into a daze that allowed him to forget. He truly tried with all his might to tell his body that the fixes were not worth it, but his body and mind outweighed his heart each time he took the needle. My brother did try to get help by entering rehabilitation facilities at least five times, yet nothing changed.

Rehabilitation facilities are just the initial stage of treatment. These facilities start with detoxification and medically managed withdrawal. But that alone does not address the psychological, social and behavioral problems associated with addiction and therefore, does not typically produce lasting behavioral changes necessary for recovery.

My brother needed further behavioral treatment for full recovery; he thought of rehab as more of a vacation from his disease rather than treatment to help subdue the urges. These treatments include long- and short-term residential treatment, outpatient treatment programs, and individual and group counseling  all designed to help patients engage in the recovery process, modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug abuse, and increase healthy life skills. There are programs that enhance the effectiveness of medications and help people stay in treatment longer, yet funding for them is limited, and insurance does not cover everything. So what hope was there for Derik?

I had already prepared my heart for the inevitable phone call, so when it came, I was ready. The nightmare began with a simple text in the morning: My brother had not come home last night, and some gullible girl had taken him to Philly. Derik said, I will be 20 minutes, but he never came back. I reassured my mom that he would be back; he always resurfaced. But I had a feeling deep down that this time was different. I braced myself for reality. Heroin had its grip on him.

Tara Lawley

Derik lost his battle with addiction on May 7, 2015. On that night, my brother was deceptively given fentanyl rather than his drug of choice. He slipped into a deep sleep, his body forgetting to breathe. For an entire day, he was lost, unclaimed, and thrown away like trash to rot in the elements of a wooded alley in Kensington. His body was not found until late on May 8. My insides ache to think that his body wasted away in the scorching heat for an entire day in that alley, alone, waiting for someone to claim him as Derik M. Lawley, a brother, a son, and father.

When the funeral home called and asked me to identify Deriks body so that they could process him and make his body look like Derik again, I immediately said yes. Being who I am, I told myself that I could do it alone. I thought the image of his lifeless body should be the burden that only I carried.

I opened the door to the funeral home, remembering greeting the many visitors for my grandfathers funeral two years prior in that very same spot. The funeral director asked, "Are you ready? and I probably gave her a look of discontentment. Of course I am not ready. Up to this point, it was all a dream. It might not have been Derik. It could have been a mistake, and he could have been just walking the streets of Philly.

I walked with her and turned the corner to what would be one of the most heart-wrenching sights I would ever see: Derik lying dead. My hands trembled, my mouth let out a small whimper, and I felt like I could faint. I whispered, That's him and I'm sorry, the words running together. I was warned not to touch him due to the extensive autopsy injuries and his body not being embalmed, but all I wanted to do was hug him and slap him at the same time.

The next morning, my family made the decision of where Deriks final resting place would be. Valley Forge Park is peaceful  trees, flowers, and the chirping of birds. A place safe from Deriks demons, from himself, and from the judgment of others. Mom, Dad, and I picked the niche in the columbarium where he would be interred. It was almost like choosing a new house not only for Derik, but for my grandparents, my parents, and my husband and me. We chose for him to be in the middle so that he would not be alone. Our grandparents will join the niche next to him when God decides to take them into the light, and Mom and Dad will join him on the other side. A sandwich of love. I pondered to myself for a moment there; I thought I heard Deriks laugh in the wind.

The peace I felt as we picked Deriks niche was gone the moment I saw him in his cremation box waiting for the flames. He was dressed in the clothes I picked out for him: a gray button-down shirt he wore often and black pants. I could see more of Derik since the sheet laid at his waist. To me, it was not his face. There were no dimples, no smile, but the sleeping eyes and hair were Deriks. I watched Mom and Dad say their final goodbyes, kissing Deriks forehead and whispering sweet nothings. They placed pictures of Scarlet and Deriks Disney trip to bring to the afterlife for comfort as God and our departed family embraced him. After, it was my turn. Our parents left the room so I could talk to him behind closed doors.

Tara Lawley

I walked up to Derik, nervous that he would not want me to say goodbye in this manner. But, dear brother, I had to. The image of him alone was causing an ache in my heart; nightmares replaced happy memories of him. I needed to see him safe, to make sure he was not alone as the flames engulfed him, to burn the images of his lifeless body in the wooded alley out of my mind. I placed a picture of the family happy at Christmas in those goofy poses I made everyone do, our pictures of all four siblings last Mother's Day, of Scarlet loving her daddy, and of Mom and Dad smiling. I whispered, I am so sorry, over and over, feeling his hand on my shoulder. I stopped. I kissed Deriks forehead and motioned to the director and henchman to put his lid back on. I pushed the box myself into the kiln, and the doors shut. I kissed my palm and spread my hand on the door and I said goodbye. He was free.

My heart died the moment Derik took his last breath. His body lies in ashes as mine dies slowly from within. The darkness lingers and the nightmares loom into the light. The pain of losing Derik is unbearable, and I am living in the ninth circle of hell, my treachery being called an addicts sister. Siblings love each other regardless of their paths; they guide each other when they have fallen and are each others shoulder to lean on. But I distanced myself from Deriks addiction; it made him a wicked man. I should have been there for Derik, to wipe the sweat of addiction off his brow when the wickedness came upon him time and time again. Or in the least, I should have called, wrote, or sent Derik love in a care package. But I ignored him, gave him the cold shoulder, and did not see the real person within his eyes. I practiced tough love when I should have just shown him compassion. That is my burden, my guilt, my pain to bear all the days of my life.

According to the Pennsylvania State Coroners Association report, there were at least 2,489 drug-related deaths in 2014 and 800 heroin-related overdoses in the state, with fentanyl poisoning also rising in numbers. My brother, Derik M. Lawley, is now part of the 2015 statistics, and the numbers are rising at an alarming rate.

But Derik wasnt a statistic. He wasnt just a number on a spreadsheet. He was a son, a father and a brother. The stigma of the stereotype is that addicts are deviants and dont engage in society  that theyre unemployed, dropouts, victims of poor upbringings, users in dark, dirty alleyways, robbers of the innocent  and are without love and kindness in their lives, confined to poorer areas of the big city, those without morals. This could not be further from the truth. Heroin and other opioid overdose are now a leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and addiction affects all walks of life across Pennsylvania: rich, poor, middle class, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and siblings. My brother suffered from a mental illness, not a moral failing. Addiction is a crisis that has hit hard in our local Bucks County and Montgomery County communities.

Derik's death was preventable. If funding for a new initiative to combat heroin and opioid addiction was available, our communities would not be suffering like this. My 3-year-old niece would not be asking, When is daddy coming back from heaven? My parents would not be mourning the loss of a son. And my sister, brother, and I would not be suffering the loss of a sibling. Parents across Pennsylvania would not be mourning the loss of their children who are fighting battles with addiction. Parents would not be searching for missing children who are living on the streets, fighting their own demons because insurance companies would not pay for additional, much-needed rehab treatment. Parents would not be planning funerals for their children who departed this world too soon.

Pennsylvanias legislation needs to allocate funds to increase access to lifesaving therapies and give Pennsylvanians, like my brother, access to the treatment they need. Measures need to be in place to prevent these needless deaths. We need funding for new initiatives to combat the heroin and opioid addiction epidemic.

Tara Lawley

Many legislators have called for aggressive, community-based, non-punitive measures to combat the scourge of heroin in their communities, however they fail to pass a budget that would add additional funding four human services and mental-health treatment  funding that could have prevented the death of my brother and so many others. Deriks Jedi Project, an organization named for him, is calling for a Pennsylvania budget that would include funds used to provide mental health and drug and alcohol treatment, funds that could help with the growing number of addicts who previously failed to get treatment due to budget cuts. Funds that could prevent deaths.

Until then, Derik's Jedi Project, created in honor of my brother, will continue to help the addicted living on the streets of Philadelphia who are waiting for someone to give them hope and compassion, by letting someone know they are alive, getting them the much-needed help, putting them in contact with those who can help. We travel weekly to Philadelphia and provide any and all people struggling with addiction we can find with a meal, water, hygiene supplies, a way to get help, and an ear to listen. Through social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, we are giving families of addicts and recovering addicts a way to voice their concerns and seek help when its needed. We are asking Pennsylvania citizens to open their eyes to the War on Drugs and consider new revenue streams for funds to provide mental health and drug and alcohol treatment.

We can help prevent more deaths. We can show compassion and understanding of a disease that plagues thousands, and we can show the masses that the stigma attached to addiction is not true. I hope you consider empathizing with the countless number of people who are plagued with addiction, to look in their eyes and know that addiction is a disease, not a choice, and to lend a hand rather than push them further down the rabbit hole. It just might help save one life from being ended and another family from experiencing the despair mine has.

This is my brother, Derik. My brother is no different than you or yours. He had a disease that he did not ask to own. Please remember he was a human being, his addictive self an alter ego he so desperately wanted to be without. Derik was a beautiful soul lost at the tender young age of 25. He had a love of movies, dimples that would melt any heart, and a love for his family that shined brightly in the smile he gave each and every one of us. The look he gave to his daughter as she said, Daddy, was one of pure love. Addiction and deceitfulness might have taken him from me, but forgotten he will never be. We know that he is dancing in the sky, and we will not let him die in vain. His story will be known, our story will be heard, and there will be a change in the hearts who those who will listen.

Remember these words: We are all addicted to something that takes away the pain. I will not hide my brothers struggle behind shame and disgrace. Hello, my name is Tara and you have met your match. I am the sister of an addict, and I will not rest until you have learned of the affliction.
Victim remains and plane parts were found in Southern California waters Sunday after a midair collision between two small planes launched a large-scale search Friday, according the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The search was still to continue Monday.

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said that human remains and plane parts were found two miles outside of the LA and Long Beach Port in LA County waters around 2 p.m.

A dive team recovered wreckage of one plane, the Department said.

Some remains of two victims, along with the plane parts, were found in waters 105 feet deep.

Crews used sonar devices to search the ocean floor for wreckage, along with remotely operated underwater vehicles.

The Coast Guard search-and-rescue operation resumed the search Sunday for two men and a woman who were missing since the Friday collision.

A small debris field was located Friday after a plane was reported down about 3:14 p.m. near the Point Fermin Lighthouse, according to Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The discovery was part of a large-scale search that was suspended Saturday morning.

"The rescue operation has transitioned to a recovery operation," according to a statement Saturday from the Coast Guard. The LA County Sheriff's Department plans to conduct diving and sonar searches to located wreckage, according to the statement.

A Torrance man identified his wife as one of the pilots Saturday.

The identities of the two men in the other small plane were not revealed.

City News Service contributed to this report.
Juliana Stratton held a news conference Thursday to announce a host of powerful endorsements as she moves forward with her bid to unseat state Rep. Ken Dunkin, her opponent in the March 15 Democratic primary for the states 5th District House seat .

Stratton was endorsed Thursday by Secretary of State Jesse White, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Father Michael Pfleger, among others.

Dunkin supporters protested the event, holding signs that read Pass a budget, Springfield and Fire Mike Madigan.

"Of all the people that endorsed my opponent not one has proposed a solution beyond taking more money out of the paychecks of everyday working people," Dunkin told Ward Room. "They are not the most trusted representatives in their community, so no it's not daunting because my focus in putting people over politics."

Dunkin broke up the Democratic super-majority in the Illinois House of Representatives last year, siding with Gov. Bruce Rauner on the states budget. Rauner received less than 20 percent of the vote in Dunkins district.

In the past weeks, I have talked to thousands of residents while walking door to door, Stratton said during the news conference. Right now the people of this district do not have a voice in the statehouse and theyre suffering as a result of the Rauner-Dunkin agenda.

Dunkin also received a $500,000 campaign donation from the Illinois Opportunity Project Monday. The group was co-founded by former Republican gubernatorial candidate and conservative radio host Dan Proft.

Ken Dunkin took a half a million dollar thank you gift for voting against our families, Stratton said. That is not putting people over politics.

Strattons powerful Democratic supporters took the opportunity to comment on Dunkins record as a state Representative.

I always say when you take on a job, you take on the responsibility for everybody, White said. In the case of Ken Dunkin, he has been a big disappointment to me and to his constituents, to the people of the 5th District. The message is they can no longer afford Ken Dunkin.

Following Rauners State of the State address last week, Dunkin made headlines when he came to a news conference with a backpack and sleeping bag promising to camp out at House Speaker Michael Madigans office until the states budget stalemate was resolved.

"I fought the speaker and the governor to get $2 billion in funding released for my constituents," Dunkin said. "My opponent's plan is to follow the speaker's plan, which is to remain silent. The quickest way to ensure the residents of the 5th District don't have a voice is to turn our district over to another Mike Madigan rubber stamp."

Stratton previously served as the Deputy Hearing Commissioner for the citys Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection as well as Executive Director of the Cook County Justice Advisory Council and Executive Director of Cook County Justice for Children. She currently serves as Director for the Center for Public Safety and Justice at the University of Illinois Chicago and President of JDS Mediation Services, Inc.

The primary election for the Democratic nomination for the states 5th District House seat will be held on March 15.
Baltimore City Police said an altercation at a Fells Point bar caused a driver to crash into several vehicles before running down a woman in an out of control scene caught on camera.

Police said Orlando Redd, 28, of Parkville, was assaulted inside a bar in the 700 block of South Broadway around 2:15 a.m. Saturday. After fleeing the bar, Reed got into his minivan where the assault continued. A video posted on YouTube shows a man hitting the driver's side window as Reed drives off, slamming into a stopped car at a traffic light.

Investigators said people attempted to get inside the van as Reed put the vehicle in reverse, jumped the curb and hit a woman who was walking out of the DogWatch Tavern.

The van lurched forward along the curb before getting back on the roadway. Police stopped the van a few blocks away at the intersection of South Broadway and Eastern Avenue.

The woman has been identified as Jill Boram by a GoFundMe page, and police said she suffered a fractured skull, broken ribs, a bruised lung, trauma to her pelvis and lacerations to her hips.

Redd was charged with first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property, two counts of endangerment and numerous traffic citations. Police are also searching for the men who attempted to assault Redd while he was in the van.
Today is the 133 birthday of the late Austrian-born economist, Joseph A. Schumpeter. A Finance Minister of Austria and later Harvard professor, Schumpeter coined the term creative destruction in explaining how capitalism delivers progress:

The opening up of new markets, foreign or domestic, and the organizational development from the craft shop to such concerns as U.S. Steel illustrate the same process of industrial mutationif I may use that biological termthat incessantly revolutionizes the economic structure from within, incessantly destroying the old one, incessantly creating a new one. This process of Creative Destruction is the essential fact about capitalism.

Although a messy process, creative destruction was, according to Schumpeter, often necessary for innovation. As Joseph Klesney noted in an Acton Commentary in 2001:



In celebrating technology, Schumpeter inherently (if not directly) recognized the creative expression of man. Christian social ethicists, however, acknowledge that the free economy is more than the development of goods and services. They look at economics in terms of what Ludwig von Mises called human action. All human action has the capacity for moral significance. This is also true in the world of economics; certain economic conditions produce an abundance of goods and services, and moral people attempt to determine whether these arrangements respect the human dignity and God-given rights of those involved.

Read more . . .
New Hampshire votes Tuesday with billionaire Donald Trump trying to lose the loser label, Ted Cruz looking to fashion a victory with far fewer Christian evangelicals than in Iowa and Marco Rubio aiming to shake off doubts following his disastrous debate performance.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, hopes to prevent a victory by Bernie Sanders by putting her ground game in New Hampshire against his popularity in the state.

In the countrys first primary, the candidates want to capitalize on their success in Iowa or show their campaigns are still alive. A week after the caucuses officially kicked off the race for president, a state that prides itself on its independence now makes its picks.

Usually what they do in New Hampshire is correct Iowas mistakes, said Patrick Griffin, who worked on President George W. Bushs primary campaign and is now a political and media strategist at Purple Strategies New England, a communications and government affairs company in Boston.

On the Republican side, Trump competes after being handed an embarrassing second-place finish to Cruz, though political consultants in New Hampshire doubt that Iowas results will matter much in the Granite State.

As everyone will tell you, all that gets shuffled and thrown back on a table essentially, said Neil Levesque, the executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College in Manchester.

Trump accepted defeat graciously the night of the caucuses, but afterward unleashed a stream of insults against Cruz on Twitter, accusing him of fraud in Iowa and demanding the results be invalidated.

Trump was leading in the final 7News Boston/UMass Lowell tracking poll on Monday with 34 percent. Rubio and Cruz each were at 13 percent, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, at 10 percent, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 5 percent, Carly Fiorina, 4 percent and Dr. Ben Carson 3 percent.

Cruzs win in Iowa came after he visited often, traveled throughout the state and appealed to two important groups, evangelicals and the homeschool community. Trump had his celebrity name, combative comments and the free media coverage that followed. In New Hampshire, Trumps campaign appears to be trying to jump-start a more traditional campaign with Walkin & Talkin for Donald J. Trump fliers appearing asking supporters to help spread the word.

Cruz proved that Iowa is a place were organization matters, where identifying voters and getting them out, hand-to-hand retail politics or combat, depending on how you look at it, truly matters, Griffin said.

Cruz, who is not expected to replicate his success in Iowa in New Hampshire, is looking ahead to the primary in South Carolina. But he could be damaged by Saturday night's Republican debate, where he was forced to apologize again to Carson for his supporters' behavior in Iowa. The night of the caucuses, they spread false reports that Carson was dropping out of the race.

Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, said Rubios finish in Iowa means Kasich, Christie and Bush must make a strong showing to become the candidate for the Republican establishment.

Theyve got to find places where they can punch through because between now and March 15 theres going to be a ton of contests and the money is not going to be sufficient to wage a decent fight in those places, Miringoff said. People may pick a state or two to try to reverse their fortunes but that doesnt get them in the contender status.

But Rubio may also be hurt by the debate. He was widely mocked for robotically repeating himself even as Christie made fun of his memorized "30-second" speech.

Twenty-eight states plus the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and Democrats who live outside of the United States will make their choice by March 15.

The day before the primary saw all of the candidates but Carson campaigning in New Hampshire, according to the NECN candidate tracker. Rubio had seven stops scheduled, the most of anyone.

Kasich and Christie have campaigned heavily in the state, doing more than 180 town halls, meet-and-greets and other events. Fiorina and Bush have both made more than 110 stops, while at the other end Trump and Carson have made fewer than 50.

Among the Democrats, Sanders is ahead in the polls, but by how much? The 7News/UMass poll has him ahead by 16 points, 56 percent to 40 percent, but one by the Boston Herald/Franklin Pierce University puts the lead at seven points, 51 percent to 44 percent.

Both campaigns have been trying to manage expectations, Miringoff said; Sanders by stressing that Clinton won New Hampshire over Barack Obama in 2008, Clinton by emphasizing that Sanders is from Vermont.

Independents, who make up 44 percent of the electorate in New Hampshire, can vote in the primary, which could help Sanders, Miringoff said. Clinton is making a determined appeal to the young women who have been drawn to Sanders.

Griffin said he did not know that Clintons organization in New Hampshire  and the support she has from prominent Democrats such as U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Gov. Maggie Hassan  would be enough to overcome Sanders strengths.

Im not sure that that necessarily works to her advantage in a race with an insurgent Bernie Sanders who points to the politicians and basically says, Theyre the problem, shes the problem, Wall Streets the problem, we need a revolution, he said.

But Levesque said he would not discount Clinton.

My opinion is always buy Clinton stock when its undervalued, he said.


 DEA Uncovers Hezbollah Drug and Money Laundering | Main | Where's the Coverage? Palestinian Official Calls to 'Intensify and Develop' Anti-Israel Violence 

February 08, 2016

Public Speech Without Accountability at Vassar

Vassar, which has become a hotbed of anti-Zionist intimidation, charges a pretty hefty sum for a year's tuition and room and board.(Screenshot from the school's website.)

Jasbir Puar, an associate professor at Rutgers University, recently appeared at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. During her Feb. 3 talk, she made a number of outlandish accusations that were recounted by Professor William A. Jacobson at his website, Legal Insurrection. Jacobson reported that Puars appearance amounted to an anti-Israel propaganda event at which Israel was portrayed in a manner reminiscent of ancient blood libels. A major theme of the talk was that Israel treats Palestinians as part of a type of scientific experiment developed to stunt Palestinian bodies.?

For example, Puar suggested that Israel has refused to release the bodies of young Palestinians who were killed in the aftermath of numerous attacks over the past few months because the Jewish state has harvested organs from the corpses.

In fact, Israel has delayed the return of the bodies of Palestinian attackers to prevent their use as propaganda props by the Palestinian Authority and terror organizations in the West Bank. Palestinian leaders use the funerals of the attackers to incite more violence against Israelis. The Associated Press reported on January 5, 2016 that At the outset of the violence, Israel's public security minister, Gilad Erdan, recommended holding on to the bodies of Palestinian assailants, claiming the funerals turn into an exhibition of support for terror and incitement to murder.?

According to Jacobson, the conclusion of her speech went as follows:



Technologies of measure, algorithmic computing, architecture and infrastructure  prehensive gendering operates at the sub, para and intimate levels as body parts and the kinds of changes that come with epigenetic deterioration take hold. In the context, then, of Palestine, hacking is not a computational metaphor, rather a distinct practice of reshaping the forms of human bodies and parts informed by computational platforms. Underneath all this gobbledygook is the assertion that Israel is hacking and reshaping the bodies of Palestinians in an effort to oppress them, and ultimately perpetrate a genocide against them. (Predictably enough, during the Q and A, Puar did level the accusation of genocide at the Israeli government.) Professor Jacobson reports that In this supposedly academic appearance, there was no attempt to balance the presentation by discussing the goals and tactics of groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. There was no context to the 2014 Gaza War, such as Hamas relentless firing of long-range rockets at Israeli cities, and Israels acceptance after one week of fighting of an Egyptian cease fire proposal, which Hamas rejected. Instead, this was a propaganda event. None of the Vassar professors challenged the presentation at all. The organizers of the event asserted that they did not want the event tape recorded, because to do so without the speakers permission is unseemly and violates the modest contract of trust essential to the exchange of ideas.? Hogwash. The event was a publicly announced and publicized presentation offered by a scholar who was speaking about a very controversial subject. Neither she nor the organizers wanted her talk recorded for a very simply reason. Without a recording of the event, it would be harder to hold the speaker, and the people who invited her to Vassar, accountable. It would also be harder for parents and potential applicants to see just how crazy things have gotten at Vassar, which charges its students as much as $63,000 a year in tuition and room and board to attend. To be sure, some students are given fee waivers according to need, but many (if not most) students will have to take out student loans, which will take decades to pay back, to cover the cost of their education (or indoctrination) at Vassar, which according to Professor Jacobson, has a serious problem with anti-Israelism on its campus. In a previous post, Professor Jacobson recounted how the school has allowed for the creation of a climate of fear at Vassar. For an in-depth view of the problems at Vassar documented at Legal Insurrection, click here and just scroll down.

Posted by dvz at February 8, 2016 02:38 PM

Dear Camera- Thanks as always for your coverage! how upsetting that this type of rhetoric is so allowed and welcomed. Vassar just dropped another notch in my opinion.

Posted by: Elisabeth at February 11, 2016 11:13 AM

Is anyone really surprised by Vassar's anti-Israel diatribe? This attitude is endemic in National and International academia. I suspect the best we can do is call out false accusations and hope to discredit their hate and harmful rhetoric.

Posted by: Bruce at February 11, 2016 11:24 AM

Lord Byron said "hatred is the madness of the heart. Based on Jasbir Puar's factually inaccurate speech it appears it has also affected her mind.

Posted by: norma wolens at February 14, 2016 08:11 PM

Today's Wall Street Journal (Feb. 18, 2106) ran an editorial entitled, Majoring in Anti-Semitism at Vassar.? The authors described a talk, Inhumanist Biopolitics: How Palestine Matters,? given by Jasbir Puar, a Rutgers associate professor of women's and gender studies. The account was highly disturbing, not only because of what it says about what passes for education today and how little speakers are vetted, but most of all by the behavior exhibited by the Jewish Studies faculty who were among the 8 departs endorsing this talk. I sent them a letter.

Posted by: Gina F at February 18, 2016 12:04 PM

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Three Philadelphia and two Delaware County parishes will take part in the Philadelphia Archdioceses Pastoral Planning Initiative this year.

The Archdiocese announced Sunday the following parishes will enter the Initiative:

Delaware County

Sacred Heart  Clifton Heights

Saint Charles Borromeo  Drexel Hill

Philadelphia

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary  South Philadelphia

Saint Nicholas of Tolentine  South Philadelphia

Saint Rita  South Philadelphia

The Pastoral Planning Initiative, which was launched in 2010, is a process in which the Philadelphia Archdiocese examines whether a parish possesses the necessary resources to remain a vibrant and sustainable faith community."

Under the Initiative, a parish could remain open with no change, merge with two or more churches to form a new parish or partner with another parish, a new model in which both churches remain open with their own finances but are both led by one pastor, pastoral council and staff.


BRINGING YOUR WHEELS ALONG... on a getaway truly is a two-sided coin (or any other two-side thing that floats your boat, if coins are too common). On the one hand you need to get to your destination, somehow -- spoiler alert -- and cars have a very handy way of making that dream a reality. On the other hand once your car is there, with you, at the place you want to chillax, there's the figuring out where to put it, and how much it'll be to put it there, and if you take it out of where you put it how much it'll be to put it somewhere else, like a restaurant or attraction. Finding that restaurant or attraction, from your homebase of your hotel, can be more delightfully, and money-saving-ly, done on foot, of course, or with public transport. Questions, question, should I take the car or should I not, if I plan to walk a lot. Santa Barbara sweetly helps out the traveler in this querying regard, each and every year, via the Santa Barbara Car Free program. It's back around, for 2016, and the savings and suggestions are plentiful, and earth-nice-able, as always.

SHOW YOUR TRAIN TICKET: If you arrived in the American Riviera by Amtrak -- both the Pacific Surfliner and the Coast Starlight are included, natch -- then hold onto your ticket to show around town. Why? You'll get discounts on hotels like the Cheshire Cat Inn, institutions like the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, and on those all-important bike rentals (check out Wheel Fun Rentals for your deal). There are more spots, too, that want to see your train ticket and help you save cash, so eye all.

IF YOU DID DRIVE TO THE CITY, but you plan on keeping your ride stowed for your entire weekend stay, there are other cool car-free things to do. Santa Barbara Car Free has several recommendations, from hopping on the MTD Electric Shuttle to biking around wine country to strolling Stearns Wharf. You don't need to do any of the usual stressing over where to move your car next while on vacation. Leave it at where you're staying, hop a shuttle or rent a bike, and off you go. Is an entirely vehicle-less vacation possible? In several cities, absolutely, with Santa Barbara, once again, at the robust forefront of car-free fun-having.
Montgomery College will close two child care centers, at its Takoma Park and Rockville campuses, after the centers lost more than $405,000 in 2015.

Some students are angry enough that they have started an online petition to reopen the centers.

Students get a break on child-care costs, which makes it affordable for some to go back to school. Those benefits will still be offered at the Germantown location, but some of the students' classes are not, students said.

Mongtomery College has started an email address for students to share their concerns. (Click here for the email address.)

They will also meet face to face with the students, officials told News4. However, they said there were no plans to reverse the decision.
There were more than 1,200 people inside Great Bay Community College to hear Bernie Sanders speak - and in 50 minutes, that crowd erupted into boisterous cheering and applause 74 times.

It's been Sanders' message from the start

"Our government belongs to all of us, and not just a small number of wealthy people," he said.

Sanders made a comedic campaign stop, appearing on Saturday Night Live, just hours before Hillary Clinton addressed the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

"Hillary kind of ran away because Bernie's, I think, doing really well," one supporter said.

Before wrapping up his rally with supporters, Sanders addressed his critics, who are attacking what they call a lack of foreign policy experience.

"The most important foreign policy issue in the history of this country was the war in Iraq," he said. "I was right on that issue. Hillary Clinton was wrong."

Nancy Roberts moved from her long-time home in Australia to become a New Hampshire resident in 2016. She and her husband support Sanders so strongly that they changed their original March move-in date to January just so they could cast their ballots for him.

"I just bought it out front, I couldn't wait to put it on," Roberts said of her new "Feel the Bern" shirt.
Republican Ted Cruz gave a one-on-one interview with necn political reporter Alison King Sunday, touching on Saturday night's debate and his stance against same-sex marriage.

Cruz discussed Chris Christie's attacks on Marco Rubio during the debate, days ahead of the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, where Rubio had looked to improve on his third-place Iowa caucus finish.

"It was a tough night for Marco. I mean, that was clear," said Cruz. "Chris did a very effective job. And I think last night was yet another opportunity for the men and women in New Hampshire to make an assessment who's best prepared to be commander in chief."

The Texas senator was sure to tout his conservative credentials, calling Rubio a moderate.

"It was clear last night that there was going to be a battle among the moderates," Cruz said. "It's no surprise to anyone that you saw Christie and Rubio and Jeb [Bush] and [John] Kasich all slugging it out."

Cruz added that he thought it best "just to step out of the way and let them do what they need to do."

The candidate stopped short of saying he would put an end to same-sex marriage if elected, but did reiterate he was against it.

"I am a strong believer in traditional marriage, the union of one man and one woman," he said. "We would expect that the citizens of New Hampshire or California or New York or Texas might make different decisions on that front."
Donald Trump, the billionaire business mogul who has enjoyed the top spot atop the Republican polls in New Hampshire, urged his supporters to come out for him in Tuesday's primary.

Trump held a rally Sunday afternoon at Plymouth State University in Holderness.

"If you're not going to vote for me, do not vote," Trump told the large crowd gathered in a university athletics center.

Not everyone at the rally had their minds made up about how they will vote Tuesday. Nancy McIver of Holderness said she will vote Republican, but is still checking out all the candidates, especially Trump and his opponents who have served as governors.

"Here it is, Sunday, and I have to vote on Tuesday, and I still don't know," McIver said, noting the economy and how to care for veterans and the elderly are of prime interest to her. "I'm running out of time - I've got to make up my mind!"

McIver's husband, Jeff, said he is strongly leaning toward Trump, but noted he did want to first check out the candidate's temperament in person, to gauge how well he may hold up in a general election.

"There's going to be an onslaught of negativity if Mr. Trump is the nominee, I believe, thrown at him," Jeff McIver said. "And he has to prove, to me anyway, that he has a way of dealing with that without losing his temper and prove to the American people that he's a leader."

Two other rally attendees, who described themselves as being "95 percent" and "99 percent" leaning toward Trump, said they had some concerns about the way the candidate, known for his bluntness and sometimes politically incorrect remarks, may treat others if he is the Republican party's nominee.

"He's not very thick-skinned, so I'm a bit worried about that," said Susan Peoples of Salem. "But I do like all his ideas."

"It's the way he words things to people - he might need to tone it down," Kelley Teunessen of Gilmanton told necn, adding she likes Jeb Bush, but was drawn to Trump because he is not a career politician.

At one point during the rally, a shirtless protestor calling Trump "racist," in reference to the candidate's call on a temporary ban on Muslims who want to move to the U.S. from foreign countries, was escorted from the venue.

While security removed the man, who had "Trump is racist" written on his body, Trump supporters loudly chanted the candidate's name.

Outside, another Trump protestor, Plymouth State student Hannah Dutton, said the candidate's presence on campus did not reflect her values or those of many other students.

"I will not be voting for Donald Trump, that is for sure," Dutton told necn. "I do not support his America."

In his energetic speech, Trump claimed victory in Saturday night's Republican debate on ABC, and said he is the candidate who can be tough with foreign leaders while addressing issues at home like growing jobs and stemming the flow of heroin from Mexico into the United States.

Furthermore, Trump promised his supporters in Holderness that because his campaign is largely self-funded, he is not beholden to special interest groups or wealthy donors, so will not always side with influential lobbies.

"I don't need your money; I need your vote," Trump told the crowd at the rally.


Norfolk parishes to give to Syria and homeless Norfolk parishes to give to Syria and homeless

Norfolk parishes across the RC Diocese of East Anglia are being asked to raise money for two Christian charities in their Lenten offerings this year. The two chosen charities are Aid to the Church in Need and the Society of St Vincent de Paul.
Noncompete agreements are becoming boilerplate in employment contracts, and for employees, there's nothing good about them. They create enormous uncertainty about future job options and worry about launching a new business.

Their use is spurring legislative fights in leading tech-industry states.

Employers see noncompete agreements as a "low-cost measure to bind their workforce," said Massachusetts State Rep. Lori Ehrlich (D-Essex), in an interview. She has been trying to get noncompetes banned in that state for years.

The use of noncompete agreements may be increasingly common.

One recent survey, with more than 11,500 respondents, that was conducted by three law professors found that about one in five workers have signed noncompete agreements.

"They have been controversial forever," said Norman Bishara, a law professor at the University of Michigan, and one of the researchers reporting on the data. "They are clearly anti-competitive, so courts have always looked at them kind of askance because they are on their face designed to restrict competition," he said.

But courts do look at competing factors, Bishara said. noncompetes go back many years, and stem from issues where, for instance, a former bakery employee sets up a competing bakery across the street.

Bishara, along with fellow law professors Evan Starr at the University of Maryland, and J.J. Prescott also at Michigan, are working on a paper on noncompete agreements, but a final conclusion awaits.

The answer, at least to opponents of noncompetes, seems apparent in the case of California, which has long banned them. The state continues to see tech sector growth, for example, in most recently by automakers building connected and self-driving vehicles. But Bishara cautioned that there are many factors, such as access to capital, contributing to California's success.

In Washington state, home to Amazon and Microsoft, state Rep. Derek Stanford (D-Bothell) is attacking noncompetes in legislation (HB 1926) that would restrict their use. His bill received a key committee approval this month and faces one more committee vote before advancing to a vote by the full House.

Stanford said he has heard from programmers and others in the tech sector -- "quite a few and very loudly," he notes -- who are upset with these agreements.

A major problem with noncompetes is the uncertainty they create, Stanford said. "It is essentially unknowable at the time you sign a contract what exactly is the standard you will be held to when you leave," he said, in an interview. Employees, "can't really be sure if they are complying or not."

In Massachusetts, opponents of noncompetes have packed hearings to support legislation that would ban the agreements, Ehrlich said.

"The strongest argument for reform is the damage it is doing to individuals," Ehrlich said "It derails their careers, it damages them financially, and it creates a situation where they are told they cannot work."

Even if an employee is laid off, a noncompete can still apply, the lawmaker said.

"The larger implications are economic," Ehrlich said. The agreements are hindering competition, she said, "especially by not allowing people to innovate and start their own business through overuse of these agreements. I think it would really bolster the economy to reform these," she said.

"We're hearing stories from all sectors of the economy, where employees are stuck in noncompetes and unable to work in the field they are trained in -- sometimes for years at a time," Ehrlich said.

Ehrlich co-authored legislation this session that seeks a ban on noncompetes, but in the last session a compromise bill limited noncompetes to people making at least $150,000, on the presumption that they have the financial wherewithal to hire legal counsel.

Stanford, as well, would like a ban, but the bill approved by a key committee this week doesn't go that far. The bill would eliminate noncompetes for temporary workers and independent contractors and in cases where an employee is laid off. It also would make it difficult for a noncompete to extend past a year.

One critical aspect of the bill is a restriction it imposes on a court. Stanford said employers will sometimes include a broadly written noncompete agreement and that courts have the ability to change the agreement to make it "whatever they feel is reasonable," he said. If the court changes the agreement, it still leaves employees on a noncompete hook, and the employee may even be responsible for covering the employer's legal fees. Stanford's bill would prevent courts from changing the noncompete.

Stanford said the bill's provision will encourage firms to be "much more clear and reasonable" in their noncompetes, and limit them, as well, to high-level employees.

The Washington Technology Industry Association, a trade group, opposes Stanford's bill.

"Nobody really likes a noncompete until they have intellectual property to protect," said Michael Schutzle, the association's CEO, in an interview. He said state laws in Washington already restrict the use of noncompetes.

"For our industry, it is unnecessary to create a piece of legislation that essentially codifies how the state of Washington already works and then takes away the one piece of small protection that still does exist for our industry," Schutzle said.

But Stanford's arguments are backed by anecdotal examples of broadly applied noncompetes in Washington. In particular, Amazon required warehouse workers to sign a noncompete agreement, The Verge reported last year. The clause, reportedly removed, underscores the idea that noncompetes are being broadly used as boilerplate in all types of employment agreements.

Employees taking a new job will sign what is put in front of them, said Joseph Kroeger, a partner in the labor and employment group at Snell & Wilmer. But for those employees with noncompetes who want to seek a new job, he recommends discussing it with the employer.

"Companies appreciate it when employees are upfront and above board and they usually reciprocate," Kroeger said.

The employees that may face trouble are those who tell employers, that "I'm leaving, and I haven't thought about what's next" but two days later their LinkedIn profile is updated with the name of their new employer, and it is a competitor, Kroeger said.

This story, "As noncompete agreement use expands, backlash grows" was originally published by Computerworld .
A FORMER local vicar and youth counsellor at a West Berkshire school has been convicted of child sex charges.

Rev Peter Jarvis admitted two charges of breaching a position of trust by causing or inciting children under 16 years to engage in sexual activity and one charge of possessing child pornography.

A trial had been due to start at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday, February 3, but despite a jury being sworn in, the day was spent in legal argument.

The following morning, after further legal wrangling Judge Richard Parkes QC told jurors: This will seem to be the most extraordinary example of jury service you could imagine. But Im going to discharge you from delivering verdicts for reasons which are about to become apparent. Thank you for your patience.

The clerk then put to Jarvis two charges of inciting a child aged under 16 years to engage in sexual activity while he was in a position of trust.

He also put to him a charge of possessing indecent images of children.

All the charges relate to a five-year period from June 2008.

Looking straight ahead, Jarvis replied guilty to each charge.

Afterwards the Bishop of Reading, the Rt Rev Andrew Proud, said: These are serious sexual offences and we are profoundly shocked and saddened.

The Diocese of Oxford takes safeguarding, especially of children, young people, and vulnerable adults very seriously. We expect the highest standards of conduct from all of our clergy.

When this case came to light we immediately contacted the statutory authorities. Since then we have worked closely with the police and local authority colleagues and will continue to do so until Mr Jarviss sentencing next month."

He added: As soon as the allegations were made, Mr Jarvis stood down from his duties, as is our policy. Clearly in light of the guilty plea we will now be initiating the Church of Englands disciplinary process.

This case has been protracted and distressing for everyone affected. All those involved are in my thoughts and prayers.

Jarvis was vicar of St Michaels Church in Spencers Wood and before that team vicar in Thatcham. He was also chaplain to the John Madejski Academy in Whitley.

The Newbury Weekly News was at Winchester Crown Court for the dramatic developments.

Grab a copy on Thursday for an exclusive report of the proceedings, plus background.
Crowns worn by Mary Ann Mobley during her reigns as Miss Mississippi and Miss America, sitting next to a gas mask worn during the 1962 integration riots at Ole Miss, provide a glimpse at the complexity of Mississippi history. The items are part of a temporary display inside the state capitol provided by the Department of Archives and History.

(Courtesy photos)

JACKSON, Mississippi -- Two of Mary Ann Mobley's dazzling crowns sat delicately on a shelf. The doe-eyed beauty won the smaller, golden-hued crown as Miss Mississippi 1958 and the larger, platinum-toned one a few months later as Miss America 1959.

Next to the crowns, in a temporary display last week at the state Capitol, sat a military-issued gas mask used during the 1962 riots over court-ordered integration the University of Mississippi -- an outbreak of violence caused by people enraged over James Meredith's success in becoming the first black student to enroll in a school that was the bastion of the state's segregated power structure.

Organizers of the display that included the crowns and the gas mask said it was an unintentional juxtaposition of historical items, but it was jarring nonetheless. And it spoke volumes about the complexity of Mississippi history.

The state Department of Archives and History brought dozens of artifacts to the state Capitol last week for a one-day display that provided a small preview of attractions to come at museums under construction a few blocks away.

The Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum -- two entities under one roof -- are scheduled to open for the state's bicentennial celebration in December 2017.

Several lawmakers took time to study the displays that included historical maps, land records, photographs and even an original handwritten copy of Mississippi's first constitution adopted in 1817.

Rep. Chris Brown, R-Aberdeen, was all smiles after seeing an 1823 map that showed his home of Monroe County as the only named county in northern Mississippi. An image of this map is on the Archives and History website.

Rep. John Faulkner, D-Holly Springs, said he was fascinated to read an 1816 handwritten petition to the Mississippi territorial legislature, requesting the emancipation of an enslaved woman named Mary and her five children. She was the widow of Ben Vousdan, a former slave who was freed by his master in Adams County in 1802. Although Ben and Mary Vousdan were married and lived as free people, she and their children were still technically enslaved when he died in 1816. On Dec. 10, 1816, the territorial legislature granted the petition and freed Mary Vousdan and her children.

Faulkner, a member of the Legislative Black Caucus, said he has always been fascinated with history, even with the nation and state's troubled past with slavery. After reading the documents about Mary Vousdan, Faulker said: "I had a proud moment."

Among the other items on display at the Capitol last week were a red and blue letter sweater commemorating Ole Miss' 39-7 victory over Texas in the 1958 Sugar Bowl; lithographs of Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman, three civil-rights workers who were abducted and killed by Ku Klux Klansmen in Neshoba County in 1964; and a lunchbox used by Democrat Cliff Finch, who won the governorship in 1975 by campaigning as a champion of the working man.

The current Miss Mississippi, Hannah Roberts, was there to meet legislators, and she beamed as she put on white gloves to hold Mobley's pageant crowns.

The largest artifact on display was a 20-star American flag that flew in 1818, after Mississippi became the 20th state to join the union in 1817. The flag flew briefly: On July 4, 1819, a 21st star was added for Illinois.

The 20-star flag is preserved and displayed in a frame. It and a copy of the 1817 constitution will tour the state starting late this year, and through much of 2017, to mark Mississippi's bicentennial of statehood.
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Reporter/Columnist

Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth).
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NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia.

Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary The full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Why am I using VTTACK?

VTTACK contains the active ingredient voriconazole. VTTACK is used to treat fungal and yeast infections. For more information, see Section 1. Why am I using VTTACK? in the full CMI.

What should I know before I use VTTACK?

Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to voriconazole, any similar medicines, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI. Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines, or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. VTTACK should NOT be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding, unless indicated by your doctor. Effective contraception should be used in women of childbearing potential. For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use VTTACK? in the full CMI.

What if I am taking other medicines?

Some medicines may interfere with VTTACK and affect how it works. A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines? in the full CMI.

How do I use VTTACK?

Your doctor will prescribe the amount required of VTTACK based on your weight. More instructions can be found in Section 4. How do I use VTTACK? in the full CMI.

What should I know while using VTTACK?

Things you should do Remind any doctor or dentist you visit that you are using VTTACK. Avoid going out in the sun for long periods of time while you are taking VTTACK. VTTACK can cause sensitivity to sunlight. Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions and keep all appointments, including blood tests. If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine. Things you should not do Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely, or your symptoms may return. Driving or using machines Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how VTTACK affects you. You may experience changes to your vision, such as blurriness, colour changes or uncomfortable sensitivity to light. Looking after your medicine Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25C. For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while using VTTACK? in the full CMI.

Are there any side effects?

Common side effects maybe headache, nausea or rash. More serious side effects maybe sudden skin symptoms or changes, allergic reaction, changes to urine colour or seizures. For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.

Why am I using VTTACK?

VTTACK contains the active ingredient voriconazole. VTTACK belongs to a group of medicines called triazole antifungals. This medicine works by preventing the growth of fungal and yeast organisms causing your infection. VTTACK is used to treat fungal and yeast infections such as: invasive aspergillosis (as-pur-ji-losis), a fungal infection caused by a fungus called Aspergillus (as-pur-jilus), which usually begins in the respiratory tract (in the nose, sinuses or lungs). Aspergillus is harmless in most healthy people; however, in people with poor immune systems (such as people who have had organ transplants and people with cancer or HIV/AIDS) invasive aspergillosis can be serious and spread to other tissues and organs. serious Candida (can-did-da) infections, including Candida infections of the oesophagus (food pipe or gullet) and those that have spread into the blood stream or to other parts of the body. serious fungal infections caused by Scedosporium (ski-doe-spore-rium) species and Fusarium (few-saa-rium) species. other serious fungal infections in patients who do not respond to, or cannot tolerate, other antifungal medicines. VTTACK is also used to prevent invasive fungal infections in patients who are at risk of developing such infections.

What should I know before I use VTTACK?

Warnings

Do not use VTTACK if: you are allergic to voriconazole, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; skin rash, itching or hives. Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine. pimozide (e.g. Orap), a medicine used to treat mental illness. St John's Wort (a herbal medicine). lurasidone (e.g., Latuda), a medicine to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Medicines to treat mental illness: quinidine (e.g. Kinidin Durules), a medicine used to treat irregular heartbeat. ivabradine (e.g. Coralan), a medicine used to treat heart problems. Medicines used to manage heart health: rifampicin (e.g. Rifadin, Rimycin), a medicine used to treat tuberculosis and other infections. rifabutin (e.g. Mycobutin) an antibiotic. efavirenz (e.g. Stocrin) (a medicine used to treat HIV infection) in doses of 400 mg or more once a day. ritonavir (e.g. Norvir, Kaletra) (a medicine used to treat HIV infection) in doses of 400 mg or more twice a day. Medicines used to treat infections: carbamazepine (e.g. Tegretol, Teril), a medicine used to treat seizures. long-acting barbiturates such as phenobarbital (phenobarbitone), medicines used to treat severe insomnia and seizures. ergotamine (e.g. Cafergot) or dihydroergotamine (e.g. Dihydergot), medicines used to treat migraine. Medicines used for seizures, insomnia or migraines: sirolimus (e.g. Rapamune), a medicine used in transplant patients. naloxegol, (e.g., Movantik), a medicine used to treat constipation caused by opioids (narcotic pain medicines). tolvaptan (e.g., Jinarc, Samsca) used to treat low levels of sodium in your blood or for kidney problems). venetoclax (e.g., Venclexta), a medicine used to treat blood cancers. Lemborexant, a medicine used to help manage insomnia Other medicines: Do not take VTTACK if you are taking any of the following medicines: VTTACK should not be given to a child under the age of 2 years. Safety and effectiveness in children younger than 2 years has not been established. Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.

Check with your doctor if you: heart problems. any problems affecting your kidneys. any problems affecting your liver. If you have liver disease your doctor may prescribe a lower dose. recent chemotherapy or stem cell transplant. have any other medical conditions including: take any medicines for any other condition. have allergies to any foods, preservatives or dyes or any other medicines, especially antifungal medicines such as itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan), posaconazole (Noxafil) or ketoconazole (Nizoral) (not all brands given). During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects

Pregnancy and breastfeeding Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. VTTACK should not be taken during pregnancy, unless indicated by your doctor. Effective contraception should be used in women of childbearing potential. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. VTTACK should not be taken whilst breastfeeding, unless indicated by your doctor. It is not known if the active ingredient voriconazole passes into breast milk. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.

What if I am taking other medicines?

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Some medicines should NOT be taken with VTTACK. Please see Section 2 above for a list of those medicines. Some medicines and VTTACK may interfere with each other. These include (not all brands given): fluconazole (e.g. Diflucan), a medicine used to treat fungal infections. indinavir (e.g. Crixivan) and some other medicines used to treat HIV infection. Medicines used to treat infections: everolimus (e.g. Afinitor, Certican), a medicine used to treat cancer. other cancer drugs such as glasdegib, axitinib, bosutinib, cabozantinib, ceritinib, cobimetinib, dabrafenib, dasatinib, nilotinib, sunitinib, ibrutinib, ribociclib. tretinoin, a medicine used for the treatment of acne and acute promyelocytic leukemia. vincristine, vinblastine or vinorelbine, medicines used in treating cancer (e.g.Vepesid). Medicines used for cancer treatment: ciclosporin (e.g. Sandimmun, Neoral), a medicine used to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat certain problems with the immune system. tacrolimus (e.g. Prograf), a medicine used in patients who have had a liver or kidney transplant. letermovir (e.g. Prevymis) used to prevent viral infections after bone marrow transplant). Medicines used in management of organ transplant: warfarin (e.g. Marevan, Coumadin), a medicine used to stop blood clots. sulphonylureas, medicines used to treat diabetes such as glibenclamide, gliclazide and glipizide (e.g. Daonil, Diamicron, Minidiab). statins (e.g. Zocor, Lipitor, Crestor), medicines used for lowering cholesterol. Medicines for management of diabetes and other heart-related conditions: benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium), medicines used to treat insomnia or anxiety. eszopiclone, a medicine used to treat insomnia. Medicines for management of mental health: strong pain killers such as alfentanil (e.g. Rapifen), fentanyl (e.g. Durogesic, Actiq, Sublimaze) and oxycodone (e.g. Endone, Proladone). non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, medicines used to treat pain and inflammation such as ibuprofen and diclofenac (e.g. Nurofen, Advil, Voltaren). Medicines used for pain management: ivacaftor (e.g. Kalydeco, Orkambi, Symdeko), a medicine used to treat cystic fibrosis. phenytoin (e.g. Dilantin), a medicine used to treat epilepsy. some antihistamines, medicines used to treat hayfever, allergic skin reactions, itching. theophylline (e.g. Nuelin), a medicine used to treat asthma. omeprazole (e.g. Losec), a medicine used to treat indigestion, reflux and stomach or duodenal ulcers. methadone (used to treat heroin addiction). oral contraceptives (the Pill). Other medicines: These medicines may be affected by VTTACK or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or you may need to take different medicines. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are taking and if these affect VTTACK.

How do I use VTTACK?

How much to take Your doctor will tell you how much to take depending on your weight. Adults Treatment of invasive fungal infections The usual dose of VTTACK Tablets in adults weighing 40 kg and greater is 400 mg (two 200 mg tablets twice a day) for the first day and then 200 mg to 300 mg twice a day thereafter. In adults weighing less than 40 kg the dose of VTTACK Tablets is halved. Children VTTACK should not be given to a child under the age of 2 years. Your doctor will determine the dose of VTTACK required for your child. Depending on how serious the infection is and how your child reacts to the medicine, your doctor may increase or decrease the dose. Adolescents (12-16 years of age) Adolescents aged 12-16 years of age are usually given the same dose as adults.

How to take VTTACK VTTACK needs to be taken regularly to be effective. VTTACK Tablets Take VTTACK tablets at least one hour before or one hour after a meal. Swallow the tablets whole with a full glass of water.

When to take VTTACK Take your medicine regularly at about the same time each day. Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it.

How long to take VTTACK The length of time you take VTTACK will depend on the type of infection you have. If you have a weakened immune system or a difficult infection, you may need long-term treatment to prevent the infection from returning. You may be switched from the injection to VTTACK Tablets or Oral suspension once your condition improves. Continue taking VTTACK for as long as your doctor or pharmacist recommends. Do not stop taking VTTACK because you are feeling better. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.

If you forget to take VTTACK If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed. This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect. If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist. If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints. However, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you think that a dose has been forgotten.

If you take too much VTTACK If you think that you have used too much VTTACK, you may need urgent medical attention. You should immediately: phone the Poisons Information Centre

(Australia telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital. You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. Symptoms of an overdose may include upset stomach, diarrhoea, headache and sensitivity to light.

What should I know while using VTTACK?

Things you should do If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking this medicine. It may affect other medicines used during surgery. Avoid going out in the sun for long periods of time while you are taking VTTACK. Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions and keep all appointments, including blood tests. Your doctor should monitor the function of your liver and kidneys using blood tests. If you have liver disease, your doctor might lower your dose of VTTACK or stop your VTTACK treatment. Your doctor might also monitor the function of your pancreas. If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine. It may interfere with the results of some tests.

Call your doctor straight away if you: develop a rash or blisters while taking VTTACK. If this rash worsens, VTTACK may need to be stopped. notice any changes to your skin while you are taking VTTACK. suffer from chronic, or long-lasting fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss or abdominal pain while on VTTACK. Notice the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse. become pregnant while taking VTTACK. If you are a woman of child-bearing age, you should avoid becoming pregnant while taking VTTACK. Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using VTTACK.

Things you should not do Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return. Do not take VTTACK to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to. Do not give your medicine to anyone else even if they have the same condition as you or if their symptoms seem similar to yours.

Driving or using machines Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how VTTACK affects you. You may experience changes to your vision, such as blurriness, colour changes or uncomfortable sensitivity to light. If you have any of these symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous. Do not drive at night. Children should be careful when riding bicycles or climbing.

Drinking alcohol Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.

Looking after your medicine Store it in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight; for example, do not store it: in the bathroom or near a sink, or in the car or on window sills. VTTACK Tablets Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to use them. If you take the tablets out of the blister pack, they may not keep well. Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25C. Keep it where young children cannot reach it.

Getting rid of any unwanted medicine If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.

Are there any side effects?

All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention. See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions about side effects.

Less serious side effects Less serious side effects What to do Gastrointestinal symptoms: stomach pain, indigestion, diarrhoea nausea or feeling sick, vomiting Pain: headache Vision and skin symptoms: changes to your vision, such as blurred vision, colour changes or sensitivity to light rash Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry you.

Serious side effects Serious side effects What to do Skin changes: sudden or severe itching, skin rash, hives or blisters severe skin reaction such as painful red areas, large blisters, flaking of your skin yellowing of the skin or eyes, also called jaundice changes to your skin, such as skin eruptions or small lumps on the skin Urine and kidney related effects: blood in urine signs of kidney failure such as tiredness, lack of appetite and reduced or greatly increased amount of urine Allergic reaction related symptoms: swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing asthma, wheezing, shortness of breath Other: fainting, seizures convulsions or fits bleeding in the lips, eyes, mouth, nose and genitals signs of frequent or worsening infections such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers irregular heartbeat back pain in middle or upper back swelling of the arms or legs Call your doctor straight away, or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.

Reporting side effects After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems . By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine. Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.

Product details

This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.

What VTTACK contains Active ingredient (main ingredient) VTTACK 50 mg Tablets contain 50 mg of voriconazole as the active ingredient. VTTACK 200 mg Tablets contain 200 mg of voriconazole as the active ingredient. Other ingredients (inactive ingredients) The 50 mg and 200 mg tablets contain the following other ingredients: lactose monohydrate croscarmellose sodium pregelatinised maize starch povidone magnesium stearate OPADRY II complete film coating system 31K58902 WHITE (ARTG PI No: 108791). [50mg/200mg tablets]. Potential allergens VTTACK contains sugars as lactose. Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.

What VTTACK looks like VTTACK 50 mg Tablets are white to off white, oval film-coated tablets marked V26 on one side and blank on the other (AUST R 206983). VTTACK 200 mg Tablets are white to off white, capsule shaped film-coated tablets marked M164 on one side and blank on the other (AUST R 206985).
Dnurse Technology has announced today that the Dnurse Glucose Meter and Dnurse app for Android and iOS have gained CE approval. It is the first CE approved smart glucose meter in China. CE (European Conformity) marking has been a mandatory conformity marking for certain products sold within the European Economic Area (EEA) since 1985. It is the manufacturer's declaration that the product meets the requirements of the applicable EC directives. The CE stamp is recognized worldwide. CEs approval of the smart glucose meter marks the start of a new era for mobile diabetes management.

Dnurse Glucose Meter is a portable blood glucose meter that connects to the smartphone through the headphone jack providing fast and accurate blood glucose test results. The Dnurse Glucose Meter works together with the Dnurse app, which collects and stores all blood testing results automatically and permanently to the cloud. It intelligently analyzes the blood glucose trends, and reminds patients in real-time about blood checking, medicine taking, and exercising. It can also send your blood glucose results to your family members and doctor through text and email. The Dnurse app has a version for patients and for doctors, allowing for much easier doctor patient communication. The Dnurse app can be found on Google play and Apple store, and is totally free.

In fact, the Dnurse Glucose Meter and Dnurse app gained CFDA approval in China in February 2014. The Dnurse Glucose Meter has also passed multiple clinical tests from many of Chinas top level hospitals. The CEO of Dnurse said:

our mission is to control blood glucose through our mobile technology, and share your testing results with your loved ones and your doctors, in the hope of breaking down the cold wall that exists between patients and the outside world.

With CE certification, the Dnurse series of products can be sold to Europe and most emerging markets. Dnurse Technology expanded their business to Africa and the Mid-East last year. The cost of the Dnurse Glucose Meter standard package is only $40.

Source: http://www.dnurse.com/en/
By Shreeya Nanda, Senior medwireNews Reporter

Proton radiotherapy has an acceptable safety and disease control profile in paediatric medulloblastoma patients, according to research published in The Lancet Oncology.

Survival outcomes in the trial were comparable to previous studies of conventional photon radiotherapy, and thus the team led by Torunn Yock (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA) proposes that proton radiotherapy could be a viable alternative in this patient population.

The phase II trial included 59 medulloblastoma patients aged between 3 and 21 years who received proton craniospinal irradiation at a median dose of 23.4 Gy radiobiological equivalents (GyRBE) followed by a median boost dose of 54.0 GyRBE. All patients received chemotherapy, either prior to, concurrent with or after radiotherapy.

After a median 5 years of follow-up, 9% of 45 evaluable patients developed grade 3 or 4 hearing loss as per the Pediatric Oncology Group ototoxicity scale in both ears and 7% of patients in just one ear, but in one patient the severity decreased to grade 2 at a subsequent evaluation.

The cumulative incidence of grade 34 ototoxicity at 3 years was 12%, increasing to 16% at 5 years.

And at the most recent follow-up, the Pediatric Oncology Group hearing score remained unchanged from baseline or improved by 1 point in 35% of 98 ears, and worsened by 1, 2, 3 or 4 points in a respective 21%, 36%, 6% and 2% of ears.

The researchers assessed neurocognition using the Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), and found that the FSIQ score decreased significantly by an average of 1.5 points per year during a median follow-up of 5.2 years. This decrease was driven primarily by significant reductions in processing speed and the verbal comprehension index, with mean decreases of 2.4 and 1.3 points, respectively. By contrast, neither the perceptual reasoning index nor working memory were significantly altered, they report.

At 5 years from the initiation of proton radiotherapy, the cumulative incidence of any hormone deficit was 55%, and growth hormone deficits were most frequent, with a 5-year cumulative incidence of 46%.

Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

No patient experienced any cardiac, pulmonary or gastrointestinal late toxic effects; however, the study authors point out that they did not perform electrocardiograms, echocardiograms or pulmonary function tests, and thus would not have detected asymptomatic cardiopulmonary disease.

Overall the 5-year progression-free survival rate was 80%, while 85% of those with standard-risk disease as per the Childrens Oncology Group criteria and 70% of participants categorised as high or intermediate risk were progression-free at 5 years. Yock et al note that these rates are similar to the findings of previous cooperative group studies, which commentator David Grosshans (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA) says [quells] concerns regarding disease recurrence.

He adds that [i]n their assessment of late radiation-induced adverse effects, the investigators offer a glimpse of the benefits of the low-dose sparing afforded by proton therapy, yet further improvements are possible, resulting from, for example, the use of newer delivery techniques, such as spot scanning proton therapy.

And Grosshans concludes: This study sets a new benchmark for the treatment of paediatric medulloblastoma and alludes to the clinical benefits of advanced radiation therapies.

Speaking to the press, Kevin Harrington (Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK), who was not involved in the study, commented: This is an important set of observations that highlights the need to properly evaluate proton beam radiotherapy in the clinic.

The reductions in toxicity suggested by the study are important, but this is an observational series of cases, not a prospective clinical trial  and while the results look promising, there remains a lack of data about the side-effects of proton beam radiotherapy in children.

Licensed from medwireNews with permission from Springer Healthcare Ltd. Springer Healthcare Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither of these parties endorse or recommend any commercial products, services, or equipment.
Evidence in a study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia along with University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health Associate Professor Peter S. Hendricks, Ph.D., suggests hallucinogens such as psilocybin or LSD may have therapeutic potential for reducing intimate partner violence, or IPV.

Hendricks says the identification of risk and protective factors for IPV is an important goal for public health research.

"A body of evidence suggests that substances such as psilocybin may have a range of clinical indications," he said. "Although we're attempting to better understand how or why these substances may be beneficial, one explanation is that they can transform people's lives by providing profoundly meaningful spiritual experiences that highlight what matters most. Often, people are struck by the realization that behaving with compassion and kindness toward others is high on the list of what matters."

The study looked at 302 men ages 17-40 in the criminal justice system. Of the 56 percent of participants who reported using hallucinogens, only 27 percent were arrested for later IPV as opposed to 42 percent of the group who reported no hallucinogen use being arrested for IPV within seven years.

From the 1950s through the early 1970s, thousands of studies reported on the medical use of hallucinogens, mostly LSD. Due to the classification of the most prominent hallucinogens as Schedule I controlled substances in 1970, research on health benefits was suspended, causing many of these studies to be forgotten. However, research with hallucinogens has experienced a rebirth.

"Recent studies have shown that psilocybin and related compounds could revolutionize the mental health field," Hendricks said. "However, additional research is needed. This study suggests that hallucinogens could be a useful avenue for reducing IPV, meaning this topic deserves further attention."
Three former Chinese political prisoners wrote in the WSJ (9/30/2014) that the "White House must issue a clear warning to Beijing" concerning their violating Hong Kong's Basic Law and self rule. This violation has led to hundreds of thousands of students demonstrating in Hong Kong's financial district. Some, including these three Chinese, fear this could result in another Tiananmen massacre of June 4, 1989 if the People's Liberation Army is called in to break up the demonstration. They concluded their article by stating, "Only a clear, unambiguous warning from the U.S. will cause either of those countries (Russia and the PRC) to carefully consider the costs of new violent acts of repression. Hong Kong and Ukraine are calling for the rebirth of American global leadership for freedom and democracy." In essence, they are calling for another of Obama's famous "Red Lines" and sanctions. Just what would Obama's "clear warning" to Beijing consist of?

First of all, Obama would make it perfectly clear that "there will be no boots on the ground - period." Thank God. How about the Taiwanese army acting similar to the Syrian Free Army? How about the "Moderate Tibetans"? Next, would be sanctions on the PRC such as not allowing Wal-Mart to buy anymore stuff from China, Apple no longer being allowed to manufacture any of their smart phones, computers, etc. in China and the real killer, the U.S. would stop borrowing money from China. We can hear the PRC's leaders in Beijing's trembling now just as sanctions have really stopped Putin's aggression.

It appears these Chinese writers had been in prison on another planet too long and are not familiar with Obama's non-leadership style. As a result their best strategy would be to call for the assistance of the "Tank Man" - not Obama. Otherwise they are spitting in the wind. Finally, it is a shame the WSJ cut another tree down to print their call for "a rebirth of American global leadership" which with Obama in the White House is a non-event.
Boy Thunder's secret identity will be revealed in January's Batman/Superman: World's Finest #11 - but who is he?

Boy Thunder is secretly "someone DC fans have known for decades" - but who?
There Were Rules on Handling

Asbestos. They Were Ignored
The WSJ reported that Obama's climate deal with China while in Beijing was " months in the making" and orchestrated by his mental midgets (reported as "midlevel bureaucrats") in the White House (11/13/2014). The U.S. through the President's lapdog EPA will continue to invent new regulations to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 2025 to 26% to 28% below 2005 levels, up from the current target of 17% below 2005. How about China's part? They will be allowed a little more than three 5-year plans (until 2030) to begin to figure out how to reduce reliance on fossil fuels to 80%. Now is that a deal or what? Months in the making. Imagine if they had more time. Can the Chinese be trusted to do this? How far can you throw a piano?

Remember the concern everyone had as to how the poor air quality would impact athletes during the 2008 Beijing Olympics? Never was a problem. Why not? The Beijing government closed all smoke belching SOEs several months prior to the Olympics including moving whole factories away from the city. Odd and even license plate days were enforced in terms of being able to drive into the city and eventually all autos were banned from driving during the Olympics. As a result - clear blue skies during the Olympics. It should also be mentioned that the city has a goal of so many blue sky days a year which are not days that blue skies can actually be seen but rather the amount of measureable pollutants in the air is below a certain level, hence a "blue sky day." If the Chinese could accomplish clear air during the Olympics, why give them another 16 years to try to start cleaning up the air? "Months in the making." Really?

Finally, in the same 11/13/14 WSJ edition, Fred Krupp, President of the tree hugging Environmental Defense Fund wrote that this was "A Game-Changing Climate Agreement." Essentially, this great agreement removes any argument as to why we (the U.S.) should not be more aggressive in cutting greenhouse-gases now that China has signed on to the cause. Time to close the coal powered electric plants, close coal mines, develop more solar and wind to power for everything, etc. According to Krupp, all of this can happen because of this "diplomatic breakthrough." With respect to the agreement, according to Shi Yinhong, an expert on U.S.-China relations at Beijing's Renmin University, "One thing is certain, China and the U.S. can only agree to easier areas." So much for a "game-changing agreement." In passing, it should be noted that Renmin U. is the official "Party School" - not to be confused with our party schools like San Diego State or Penn State. Even the communists do not consider this to be a "game-changer" or "diplomatic breakthrough." It is really just more Krupp Krap.
(Newser)  In June 2001, Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra traveled to China from their home in northern Spain to adopt a baby girl. Some 12 years later, authorities say, the coupledescribed variously as model parents and "two of the most selfish people I have met"drugged and smothered her, leaving her body on the side of a rural road. Writing at length in the Guardian, Giles Tremlett explores the circumstances that led up to the murder of 12-year-old Asunta Fong Yang Basterra Porto. Ostensibly, Porto and Basterra had the makings of great parents: She was a lawyer, he a freelance journalist. There was a loving extended family, and an ample apartment in their city's "VIP zone." Asunta was a gifted student who skipped an academic year and excelled at extracurriculars. The nanny described them as an "idyllic family."

But Porto's self esteem was "brittle," Tremlett writes, and she suffered "occasional tailspins into acute anxiety and depression." Basterra, meanwhile, was perceived alternately as "mousey" and "dominated" or "haughty" and "disdainful." A "black period" befell the family when Porto's mother and father died months apart. Having tired of her "underachieving 'house-husband,'" Porto took a lover; they divorced in 2013. He got an apartment nearby, still cooking the family meals and hanging onto the hope that he and Porto would reconcile. In September 2013, two men found Asunta's body on the side of a rural road. Investigators, Tremlett writes, say the couple "had grown tired of the girl they had 'bought,'" and had carefully planned the murder to rid themselves of her. Both were sentenced to 18 years in prison; both are appealing. The whole tragic story is here. (Read more Spain stories.)
(Newser)  Police in San Antonio, Texas, say that an officer shot and killed Antronie Scott last week after he mistook the 36-year-old black man's cellphone for a gun, the San Antonio Express-News reports. Now the case is generating national headlines after the editor of a local tabloid raised the idea of publishing the names and addresses of every city cop, reports KENS5. "Just as the names and addresses of sex offenders are publicized in order to protect the public from their wicked behavior, we feel that our community has the right to the exact same level of protection," said San Antonio Observer editor-in-chief Stephanie Zarriello on Saturday. She also likened officers to KKK members. The following day, after her office was swamped with angry phone calls and even death threats, Zarriello said the publication wouldn't actually publish the information, reports News4SA.

The purpose of the threat was to "make an officer think twice before shooting so fast and killing an unarmed person," she added. A police department spokesman wouldn't comment on the Observer's threat, but did say the shooting was under investigation. Police Chief William McManus tells CBS News that officers were following Scott, who was wanted on felony drug and weapons warrants. Officer John Lee approached Scott as he was walking away from his car. Lee told Scott to raise his hands. Scott spun around, and Lee, fearing for his life, fatally shot him in the chest, says the chief. Lee is on paid administrative leave. (Read more San Antonio stories.)
What can students learn by studying cultures that are disappearing? In this post, Cleary Vaughan-Lee, Education Director for Global Oneness Project , argues that it affords an opportunity to teach inquiry and global competence. Join us on Twitter this Thursday, February 11th for #GlobalEdChat. We will be discussing this topic in-depth with Cleary.

by guest blogger Cleary Vaughan-Lee

Cultures around the world are vanishing at a rapid rate. Unique forms of cultural knowledgelanguage, myths and stories, rituals, music, artifacts, traditional dress, and unique agricultural methodsare at risk. According to UNESCO , half of the languages spoken today will disappear if nothing is done to preserve them.

Why does this matter? Anthropologist Wade Davis , in an interview with National Geographic explains, As cultures disappear and life becomes more uniform, we as a people and a species, and Earth itself, will be deeply impoverished. Learning what is at risk is essential.

A deeper look at these cultures provides students with an ever-widening window of inquiry. Students discover remote geographical places and cultural artifacts local to various regions, learn about the wisdom and ways of life of indigenous people, and examine the global issues threatening these people and places. Students find themselves in an expanding world where they are witnessing history and can become inspired to examine their own cultural values and heritage.

Asia Society recognizes the following outcomesinvestigating the world, recognizing perspectives, and taking actionas indicators of global competence. These strategies, along with resources, offer ways to integrate the study of endangered cultures into the global learning classroom.

Investigating the World

Cultural museum exhibitions, either in-person or online, provide important opportunities for students to investigate the world. Exhibitions today bridge media with traditional art forms, such as painting and photography, and offer inquiry-based tours for schools and classrooms.

Jane Baldwin, photographer of Kara Women Speak , recently said to me, As a photographer, I believe art can inform and focus our attention in powerful and insightful ways. Through engagement and conversation, art can inspire empathy and evoke our humanity by raising awareness of political issues and be a catalyst for change.

Kara Women Speak explores the indigenous women and culture of the Omo River Valley and Lake Turkana watershed in Southwestern Ethiopia. The indigenous communities of the region are threatened by upriver hydroelectric power projects and international land grabs. For an interactive exhibit at the Sonoma Valley Art Museum in Northern California, Baldwin produced life-sized portraits, audio recordings of the Kara women, and ambient sounds from the Omo River to provide visitors with a visceral experience.

Brandon Spars, humanities teacher from Sonoma Academy High School, took his freshmen students to the exhibit to gain an understanding of complex projects that have damaging impacts. This fits with the freshmen curriculum, which explores the question, How does geography shape culture? The exhibit, Spars explained, was a valuable experience. His students were able to witness an important story, meet the artist, and ask questions.

Cant take a field trip to a museum with your students? Consider visiting online museums , such as the Smithsonians Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage , which is dedicated to the exploration and documentation of traditional knowledge with cultural communities around the world.

Recognizing Perspectives

A globally competent student needs to be provided with critical questionsways to research and uncover how an issue in one part of the world affects the rest of the world.

For example, students can be exposed to specific challenges facing an endangered culture that is under threat due to modernization, globalization, climate change, or regional and national development. By asking humanistic questions students can reflect on their own lives and culture, empathize with others, and recognize the interconnectivity of the global community.

Ive had great conversations over the years with teachers, technology specialists, and administrators at the International Society for Technology in Education conference (ISTE ) about the importance of global education. I spoke with Holly Jobe , former board president of ISTE, who described some of the international places she has lived and worked throughout her life. Learning about endangered cultures can help us understand diversity, our own culture, and our own humanness, Jobe said.

As the education director for the Global Oneness Project (GOP), Ive witnessed how cultural stories affect students perspectives. Students and teachers can explore these multimedia stories on the GOP website: a photo essay documenting Mongolian nomads, a film about the Gamo people of the Ethiopian Rift Valley, and a film about the last speaker of the Native American language Wukchumni and the dictionary she created to keep the language alive. The accompanying lessons to these stories challenge students to consider their own perspectives in the context of the storys wider implications, such as the underlying notions of progress and the impact on specific cultures.

Taking Action

Student-driven projects provide opportunities for research and collaboration that can draw students into real-world issues related to cultural preservation.

Native high school students in rural Idaho, Utah, and Nevada are working to revive Shoshone, an endangered Native American language. The teens, documented in an NPR story , are creating word lists with elders in order to produce a dictionary. They are also creating childrens storybooks derived from oral stories from the 1960s and 70s for the schools on the reservation. Lyle Campbell, Director of the Center of American Indian Languages , explains that most of the wisdom of the world is encoded in languages, and when we lose a language with no documentation, all of that knowledge and wisdom is simply gone.

Additional resources that document endangered languages throughout the world include National Geographics Enduring Voices project and UNESCOs Atlas of the Worlds Languages in Danger . Take a look at the Enduring Voices interactive global map. They document language hotspots by color-coding the countries where languages are near extinction. Students can also explore the projects Talking Dictionaries , a resource with audio files that capture endangered languages, including Tuva, a Turkish language spoken in south-central Siberia, and Siletz Dee-Ni, an Oregon Athabaskan language spoken by Siletz tribes once local to northern California.

VIF International Education partners with districts and schools to build global education programs for students and teachers. Fabiana Casella , a former international and cultural exchange teacher with VIF, teaches high school in Buenos Aries.

Casellas students conduct research about the associations that defend and protect the indigenous groups in the provinces in Argentina. Students also read novels and legends that include indigenous vocabulary from the region. Casella describes that the intention with these projects is to narrow the cultural gap among teenagers living in the same country. She says that her school tries to promote a feeling of compassion, understanding, and appreciation of those cultures that have inhabited our lands for centuries and nowadays are represented by their heirs, who somehow carry in their DNA part of the customs and traditions of their ancestors.

Exposure to endangered cultures, combined with unique learning opportunities, enhance students perceptions of themselves and the world, making them stronger global citizens.

Follow Cleary , Global Oneness Project , Heather , and Asia Society on Twitter.

Photo credit: Jane Baldwin
(Newser)  Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos said Saturday that there's no evidence Zika has caused any cases of the birth defect known as microcephaly in his country, though it has diagnosed 3,177 pregnant women with the virus. Santos also announced that a US medical-scientific team will arrive in Colombia to help investigate the mosquito-borne virus. Brazilian officials say they suspect Zika is behind a seemingly unusual number of microcephaly cases, in which children are born with unusually small heads. The link is not confirmed, but it has helped prompt the World Health Organization to declare an emergency over the virus.

Santos says Zika apparently has affected more than 25,600 Colombians overall. Colombian officials said Friday that three people had died of the paralyzing Guillain-Barre syndrome they attributed to cases of Zika. To date, the mosquito-borne virus has spread to more than 20 countries in the Americas. With global concern over the Zika virus growing, health officials are warning pregnant women to be careful about who they kiss and calling on men to use condoms with pregnant partners if they have visited countries where the virus is present. The flurry of recommendations began in Brazil, where a top health official said that scientists have found live virus in saliva and urine samples, and the possibility it could be spread by the two body fluids requires further study. (A Texas resident got Zika from having sex.)
(Newser)  Younis Shokuri spent 14 years imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. He got out in September only to be held again, and the New York Times reports on his "legal limbo." Repatriated to his native Morocco, Shokuri now is in the custody of that country's government, despite its assurances that he likely would be released within 72 hours of arrival. Cori Crider, one of Shokuri's lawyers, maintains "the United States did not do enough to correct the record with the Moroccans before sending him back." As for what potentially needed correcting, the Times goes back to the start: Shokuri arrived in Afghanistan by way of Pakistan in the 1990s but attempted to leave after 9/11. He ended up arrested and in Guantanamo.

The US suspected, among other things, that he was part of a terrorist group bent on overthrowing Morocco's monarchy. But by 2011 it had dropped that allegation. As for why he's not yet a free man, unnamed officials tell the Times what Morocco has reportedly told the US: that Shokuri's comments during those 72 hours changed things. "That really feels to me like an explanation that has been made up after the fact," Crider says. A State Department rep simply said the US maintains "an ongoing dialogue with the government of Morocco." The Times sees the whole case as emblematic of a larger wrinkle related to clearing out Gitmo: finding a country not just willing to take a detainee, but one "that can be trusted to keep an eye on him without abusing him." (Read more Guantanamo Bay stories.)
(Newser)  Police in Texas are trying to figure out what led to three murders, a suicide, and a "standoff" in which a mobile home full of dead people was surrounded by police overnight. Police say that on Friday, 19-year-old Dylan Westerburg killed his mother, Jennifer Diane Jacques, 42, before going next door and shooting two brothers dead, CBS News reports. After a witness called police, up to 60 officers and a Texas Department of Public Safety SWAT team surrounded the brothers' mobile home overnight, the AP reports. The SWAT team finally entered on Saturday afternoon, 19 hours after police were first called, to discover that Westerburg had apparently killed himself as soon as officers arrived.

Westerburg and his mother shared a cabin about 20 yards from the mobile home south of the town of Uvalde, which is around 85 miles west of San Antonio. The Uvalde County sheriff says roads were closed and nearby homes evacuated out of caution. "I didn't know how many shooters I had in the Norton residence when I found the mother," he says. "You're looking at farm- and ranchland. You could get into a dangerous situation." The dead brothers have been identified as Arthur Jerome Norton, 58, and Phinny Paul Norton, 60. Their sister, Karen Norton Behn, tells KSAT that Jacques had been having a romantic relationship with Phinny, and Arthur had called police around a week ago because he was worried about Westerburg. (Read more Texas stories.)
(Newser)  President Obama is asking Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to help fight the Zika virus. In an announcement Monday, the White House said the money would be used to expand mosquito control programs, speed development of a vaccine, develop diagnostic tests, and improve support for low-income pregnant women. "What we now know is that there appears to be some significant risk for pregnant women and women who are thinking about having a baby," Obama said in an interview aired Monday on CBS This Morning. The White House said that as spring and summer approach, the US must prepare to quickly address local transmission within the continental US. Obama added, however, that "there shouldn't be a panic on this."

The Pan American Health Organization reports 26 countries and territories in the Americas with local Zika transmission, reports the AP. To date, there has not been transmission of the Zika virus by mosquitoes within the US, but the CDC reports 50 laboratory-confirmed cases among US travelers to the affected countries from December 2015 to Feb. 5, 2016, the White House said. So far, the only recent case that has been transmitted within the US is believed to have occurred in Texas through sex. Zika usually is transmitted through bites from infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are common in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, and in states that border Mexico. (Read more Zika virus stories.)
(Newser)  Donald Trump isn't the only one who can throw around words like "stupid," "useless," "crazy," and "ignorant." Trump, of course, has claimed during his presidential campaign that not only will he get a border wall built if he's elected, but Mexico will pay for it. However, asked about that idea at a conference Sunday, former Mexican president Felipe Calderon had this to say, per NBC News: "We are not going to pay any single cent for such a stupid wall! And it's going to be completely useless."

"The first loser of such a policy would be the United States," Calderon continued during an interview with CNBC. "If this guy pretends that closing the borders to anywhere either for trade [or] for people is going to provide prosperity to the United States, he is completely crazy." Calderon also expressed bafflement that Trump is a serious candidate in the US, noting, "No offense, no offense to America. So Donald Trump  is ambitious but not exactly very well-informed man, I don't want to say ignorant, but he is not very well informed." (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
(Newser)  A charter bus flipped on its side on Interstate 95 in Connecticut Monday, leaving about 30 people injured, including six critically, reports AP. The state Department of Transportation says the accident happened about 12:30pm Monday in Madison during a snowstorm. NBC News reports that the bus was en route from New York to the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, and that other buses in the group were sent back to New York. Exactly what happened is unclear, but the bus could be seen on its side off the right shoulder of the highway surrounded by emergency vehicles. Police say about 70 passengers were on the Dahlia charter bus, and Yale-New Haven Hospital was told to expect 30 patients, six of whom were critically inured. (Read more bus accident stories.)
(Newser)  Chipotle repeatedly told employees they need to stay home if they feel sick and the restaurant chain kept all its US locations shuttered early Monday as executives went over new food safety procedures. The presentation for workers, which comes after Chipotle has been slammed by a series of food scares, was broadcast live at hundreds of theaters and hotel conference rooms around the country. Co-CEO Monty Moran noted two of the four incidents were the result of norovirus, which is typically caused by sick workers. "If you're feeling sick, especially if you've vomited, whether at work or at home, you need to let your manager or your field leader know right away," Moran says from a restaurant in Denver.

With about 50,000 employees expected in attendance for the presentation, Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. postponed opening its restaurants for four hours to 3pm local time Monday. As a peace offering to inconvenienced customers, Chipotle said it would give free burritos to people who text "RAINCHECK" to 888-222. Moran urged employees to be "incredibly hospitable" as the company fights to win back customers. "We need you to be your very best," he said. Chipotle is trying to bounce back from plunging sales since an E. coli outbreak came to light in late October. Executives say they may never know what caused the illnesses, but that it was likely the result of cross contamination in restaurants. In December, the company was also hit by a norovirus incident in Boston. Those cases brought more attention to a norovirus case in California and a salmonella case in Minnesota earlier in the year. Click for more from Monday's Chipotle meeting. (Read more Chipotle stories.)
Somalian authorities confirmed, for the first time, reports of a suspected suicide bomber who blasted himself aboard a Daallo Airlines plane causing a hole in the aircraft's fuselage.

The jetliner was forced to do an emergency landing in the country's capital Mogadishu after the bombing incident resulted to a death of a passenger, presumably the bomber himself, who sucked out of the plane following the explosion.

"We have confirmed that it was a bomb that exploded in the Daallo Airlines flight. It was meant to kill all aboard," said Somalian minister Ali Ahmed Jamac as quoted by the Reuters.

The transport minister also pins the blame on Somalia's jihadist group known as Al-Shabab citing updates from experts who are currently conducting an investigation into the matter.

The attention is now focused on the only dead passenger named Abdullahi Abdisalam Borle, whose corpse was located in Balad town some 18 miles north of Mogadishu. Reports have been circulating that the explosive device may have been planted in his laptop which caused him to be blown off the plane after the blast. So, far officials remain silent on some details of the incident.

"The reason the investigation is focusing on him now is because of the suspicion that he might have detonated the bomb, but it's too early to say if the bomb was planted in a laptop or not," remarked another senior Somalian aviation officer who requested anonymity as mentioned in a report by ABC News.

To help the existing probe on a possible suicide attack linked to ISIS, Somalia invited the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

"This was a sophisticated attack ... so we reached out to our international partners," said Prime Minister Spokesman Abdisalam Aato as reported by CNN.
A defiant North Korea proceeded to sending off a rocket which the pariah state claimed to be part of its aerospace program to put an Earth observation satellite in outer space. However, other countries are suspicious over its dubious peaceful satellite program which could be a covert long-range ballistic missile test fire.

The rocket was believed to have been blasted off from a launch pad in Tongchang-ri which is close to the country's northwestern border with China according to reports from the South Korean Ministry of Defense. However, there are no solid proof that would concretely point to a successful launch.

United States immediately condemned the rocket launch saying that it "represents yet another destabilizing and provocative action and is a flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions" according to an official statement by US National Security Adviser Susan Rice as quoted by The New York Times.

As soon as reports of the rocket launch began streaming in, the South Korean president immediately assembled the country's top security brass in an emergency meeting to discuss its options to respond to the North's most recent provocation.

Japan is also closely monitoring the situation as tensions rise in the highly polarized region of Northeast Asia.

"North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs represent serious threats to our interests, including the security of some of our closest allies, and undermine peace and security in the broader region," the official twitter statement from the Prime Minister's Office as quoted by CNN.

The international community including the North's only real ally, China, regard the reclusive state's rocket launches as part of its highly secretive weapons program of developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering destructive conventional and even nuclear warheads into continental United States as mentioned in a report by BBC.
Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston are one of the most talked about sweethearts in Hollywood with sources asking if they truly get along well. In a recent, Loaded magazine interview, Theroux confirmed that he has a good time with his wife and even gushed about her being hilarious.

"It's a laugh a minute. When we get on a run, it's pretty fun. There's been a couple of times when she has brought me to my knees laughing and me her. Literally, there was one time and she did something so funny and I was literally on my knees. So yeah, it's a fun house," the 44-year old actor told the publication as quoted in Inquisitr.

Justin and Jen had just recently been wedded in August last year in their Bel-Aire mansion, an event that has been kept secret in a way that no photos were released until weeks after the event, Mail Online recalled.

It is the actor's first marriage and Aniston's second marriage as her first one with Brad Pitt ended in 2005.

The interview was also made to promote the upcoming comedy movie, Zoolander 2, in which the 300 actor co-wrote and had a minor role.

"I had just come off a movie with Ben and asked him was he ever going to do a Zoolander 2 - and if that was going to happen, that I would love to do it," he said as mentioned in Hello Magazine.

The actor also commented in a previous interview about the movie's transphobic issue that arise from Benedict Cumberbatch's role, All.

"I don't even know what to make of it, because it hurts my feelings in a way. I take great care in the jokes I write, and the umbrage being taken is out of the context of the scene. I wish people would see the movie first," he said that time.

As for Jennifer Aniston, she is set to reunite to make the Friends tribute even without Matthew Perry who is busy in his London play.

"David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox still managed to delight with their unchanged chemistry in the sneak peak for the special television event," NBC's teaser said as mentioned in Inquisitr.
Lauren Conrad Blog Sued for Surfing Dog Photos

Former The Hills reality television star Lauren Conrad, now known for her lifestyle blog, is being sued for her use of two surfing dog photos on her website. Given that the site is a commercial enterprise, and promotes Conrad's brand, the plaintiff, Incredible Features, Inc. expressed wonder in its complaint that the blogger did not pay for the content.

But they did it with humor, according to TMZ, which reports that the court filing is "a pretty entertaining read." So let's see what Incredible Features has to say about Conrad's alleged failure to pay for the images of the surfing dogs that it owns.

Sporty Pups Surf

"In the dog eat dog world of online content ... Lauren Conrad, a sophisticated website operator, is cognizant of the value of high-quality photography," the plaintiff writes. Conrad apparently appropriated the sporty pup photos for a 2014 blog post.

The problem with the use of the images, the company said, is that Conrad is not just any blogger. Her website is a commercial endeavor. She sells products and promotes brands with which she is affiliated.

Although the site might be modestly referred to as a blog, it can hardly be called a purely creative or artistic endeavor but is a business. The plaintiff writes that Conrad's blog is a "commercial enterprise through which Conrad shills her Kohl's clothing line amongst other things."

Will Conrad Pay?

Lauren Conrad has not yet responded to the lawsuit, perhaps because she's been enjoying her birthday getaway in Mexico, a picture of which she posted online of course. Considered a designer, the just-turned-30-year-old made a name for herself on reality television; The Hills was a show about her efforts to break into fashion design in LA.

The designer's website, however, is more like a prim girls' guide to being proper from some era past. The site covers all the important topics that preoccupy young ladies -- crafts, food, fashion, fitness, and even books (by and about other young women).

As for the law, Conrad does not seem too concerned about copyright violations. She may not be able to ignore the intellectual property claims in the surfing pup suit that has been filed against her. But her focus up until this point has been on what she calls "ladylike laws" such as "what to wear when meeting the parents" or "how to be the best host to your house guests."

Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Facebook and Twitter (@FindLawConsumer).

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she is "not just appalled but horrified" by the amount of bombs that are being dropped in Syria with the help of Russia.

Merkel was in Ankara, Turkey to discuss the Syrian migrant crisis with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Both parties agreed on a set of resolutions, which included an initiative aimed to stop the numerous attacks on Aleppo, one of Syria's largest cities.

They also agreed to seek out more cooperation from NATO specifically for help with monitoring the Greece-Turkey sea route.

Merkel added that Germany and Turkey will push United Nations countries to abide by a resolution passed in December that demanded all parties to stop bombing Syrian regions with a civilian population.

The recent bombings and attacks on Aleppo have forced thousands of Syrians to flee toward the Turkish border crossing of Oncupinar. Turkey has yet to opened its border to the refugees but is being pressured by different groups to do so. Turkey has already taken in about 2.5 million refugees since the Syrian Civil War started.

"We are worried that opening the gates will lead to an increase in refugees," said Burak Kacacaoglu, a spokesman for the Islamic charity group, Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), reported by the Washington Post. "We are concerned about the air strikes which are increasingly targeting civilian areas. This is what causes refugees."

Turkish officials have been providing assistance to the refugees who are currently living in camps near the border. Germany, who agreed to be a part of the emergency aid group, will also be providing assistance to the refugees.

"No one should excuse or show tolerance toward the Russian air attacks that amount to ethnic massacres by saying 'Turkey takes care of the Syrian refugees anyway,'" Davutoglu said. "No one can expect Turkey to take on the burden on its own."

Davutoglu added that the border will open for some refugees "when necessary."

Other issues that both countries wants to address include finding ways to prevent illegal migration and figuring out how to help non-Syrian refugees return home if possible.
At least 27 migrants have died after their boat from Turkey to Greece capsized on Monday, the Turkish coast guard said. At least 11 of the migrants were children.

A total of four passengers were saved after the boat sank in the Bay of Edremit. The boat was headed for the Greek Island of Lesbos.

The coast guard is currently on a search-and-rescue mission to locate nine missing passengers. The mission is being backed by helicopters.

The increasing death toll in the Mediterranean Sea has pressured many leaders to find ways of monitoring the migrant situation between Turkey and Greece. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu stressed the importance of being able to use NATO's surveillance capabilities to better monitor the situation in the Aegean Sea.

While leaders are trying to figure out how to deal with the growing influx of refugees, the migrant refugee crisis continues to worsen. Thousands of Syrians from Aleppo, one of the country's largest cities, have been forced to flee north toward the Turkish border after pro-government forces have stormed Aleppo with the help of Russian bombs.

Turkey, however, has yet to open the border to the refugees who are camping out nearby. Many of the migrants who are in Turkey will make dangerous journeys to Europe.

Greece announced Monday that it will open migrant registration centers next week after being pressured by members of the European Union who want Greece to stop its passport-free travel policy unless the country actively does something to contain all of the refugees who travel there from Turkey.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that as of Feb. 5, a total of 374 migrants either died or went missing on their journey to Greece.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Rain and snow this evening transitioning to snow showers overnight. Low 29F. Winds light and variable. Chance of precip 70%. About one inch of snow expected..

Tonight

Rain and snow this evening transitioning to snow showers overnight. Low 29F. Winds light and variable. Chance of precip 70%. About one inch of snow expected.
Washington:

While a defiant North Korea today claimed that its space programme is for peaceful purposes, many analysts worry that it is designed to mask testing of inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM) that could threaten the US mainland.

Developing successful ICBM technology capable of transporting a nuclear payload accurately over vast distances is no easy feat. It demands sophisticated technology only achieved through intensive testing, experts say.

Testing rockets through satellite launches would provide invaluable data for potential future ICBMs, according to a 2015 report on Pyongyangs space programme by 38 North, an analysis website run by the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Even failed satellite launches would be a learning experience, CNN quoted aerospace engineer John Schilling as saying.

Schilling said that a key sign to look out for in future North Korean satellite launches would be attempts to test an advanced re-entry vehicle, vital for an effective ICBM.

North Koreas state TV today announced the nation has successfully put a satellite into orbit, legitimately exercising the right to use space for independent and peaceful purposes.

Experts say a key step towards a successful ICBM programme would be miniaturising nuclear weapons, making them light enough to fit on top of a rocket.

Pyongyang claimed in May last year that it had successfully miniaturised a nuclear weapon, in an announcement that was met with skepticism from US officials.

While the White House was adamant that North Korea did not yet have the capability, other experts were not so sure.

US Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, the commander of US forces in Korea, had said in October 2014 that he thought Pyongyang was capable of miniaturising a nuclear device.

Miniaturising a nuclear weapon is one key part of building a nuclear-armed ICBM. The nuclear device also needs to be tough enough to be able to withstand the flight on a ballistic missile, experts say.

The Taepodong rocket, currently under development in North Korea and closely related to the Unha device used to launch Pyongyangs satellites, is believed to have a range of up to 9,000 kilometers, putting most of Western Europe, Asia and the western US under threat.

While an ICBM is vital if North Korea wants to threaten the US mainland, American military bases in Asia are likely well within range of existing technology, to say nothing of Tokyo or Seoul, the capital cities of two key US allies.

Analysts agree that Pyongyang already possesses a nuclear arsenal of around a dozen nuclear weapons.

North Korea has also carried out submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) testing, which would make it far more difficult to detect launch the vehicle. And it would also reduce the range its missiles would need to travel.

If confirmed, such a capability would threaten Hawaii and other US Pacific territories, the report said.

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Bengaluru:

He came, he attacked but finally was captured. A leopard on Monday terrorised a private Bengaluru school located in a posh colony Varthur. Thankfully it was Sunday, images showed that the leopard attacked people, injuring three forest department personnel, including a veterinarian, who were shifted to a nearby hospital.

As seen in the CCTV footage, the feline entered the school premises around 4 AM. He has been tranquilised after a day long operation.

First the feline attacked a man trying to escape by climbing a gate then he tried to attack forest officials who fired shots scaring the animal away.

The feline was first spotted by CCTV cameras inside Vibgyor School at around 4:13 am. The school was shut today as it was Sunday.

School authorities immediately informed forest officials and police who rushed to the spot and tranquilised the animal.

Notably, this is the same school where a six-year-old child was raped inside the premises by two gym instructors triggering outrage and massive protests in Bangalore.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

Globally dreaded terrorist Osama Bin Laden who was killed in a deadly US strike is alive- the claims were made on Monday by Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency subcontractor.

He has claimed that Osama is living in Bahamas on the payroll of the CIA after he was transported with his family to an undisclosed location. He is still receiving more than $100,000 a month, which is being transferred through some front businesses and organizations, directly to his Nassau bank account.

Osama was supposedly killed in Pakistan in 2011 by US Special forces. The claims were made in an interview with the Moscow Tribune.

Currently, Snowden is living as a fugitive under the territorial jurisdiction of the Russian state. Snowden being under the protection of the Russian agency is also something to be kept in consideration.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

Lashing out at the Akhilesh Yadav government over Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Alis concert in Lucknow, the Shiv Sena today branded Uttar Pradesh as an Islamic state and alleged that the state government has begun anti-national business for appeasement politics.

The ruling ally also took a swipe at the BJP for being a mute spectator to the event, and demanded that those who allowed the concert to take place should be booked for anti-national activities.

The Islamic Yadav government says that Ghulam Ali was invited to perform to promote Hindu-Muslim unity. But, to promote unity, why does one need Pakistani artistes only? There are fine Muslim artistes in the country who are famous, an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.

Keeping the upcoming Assembly polls in mind, the Yadav government has started an anti-national business (of inviting Pakistani artistes) to play appeasement politics, it alleged.

Lashing out further at the UP government, it said, Uttar Pradesh is a mine of fine artistes, but (Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh) Yadav is only interested in coal from Pakistan, and added that tomorrow Yadav may invite Hafiz Saeed to appease the minority community.

People who feel that the Pathankot terror attack should be forgotten and Ghulam Ali should be allowed to perform are traitors of the country. If Ghulam Ali is allowed to perform amidst the wails of the family of the martyred jawans, then people responsible (for giving permission to perform) should be booked for anti-national activities, it said.

Taking a jibe at the BJP, the Sena sought to know if the party bagged 71 seats in the UP Lok Sabha polls to remain mute spectator to Ghulam Alis performance.

This is bizarre. On one hand ISIS is troubling the Indian government, on the other the Yadavs have turned UP into an Islamic state and welcomed Ghulam Ali, it said.

Ghulam Ali yesterday regaled the audience with his popular numbers on the concluding day of Lucknow Mahotsava.

His performance went off peacefully despite threats by Shiv Sena, which had forced cancellation of his concert in Mumbai last year.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

In a U-turn, Pakistan on Monday concluded that there is no substantive evidence to suggest that JeM Chief Masood Azhar was directly involved in Pathankot Indian Air Force Base attack.

Initial reports suggested that Azhar, the chief of the outlawed Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant group, masterminded the deadly assault.

Earlier, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by Pakistan after India shared the 'leads'.

Subsequently, a crackdown was launched in Punjab against the JeM, its headquarters was sealed and dozens of activists detained but in vain.

Six gunmen attacked the airbase in Pathankot on January 2, leading to a three-day-long standoff that killed seven soldiers.

Few days back, JuD chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed praised the deadly attack.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Hyderabad:

Eight arrested employees of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) were suspended after they were found allegedly indulging in obscene acts at a party.

GHMC Commissioner Janardhan Reddy placed the eight staff membersthree Tax Inspectors and five Bill Collectors --under suspension yesterday on charge of being involving in immoral acts after they were arrested from a farm house during a mujra party, a senior GHMC official said.

Special Operation Team (SOT) of Cyberabad Police had earlier raided the farm house on Saturday night and arrested a total of 23 people including the GHMC employees and six women dancers for indulging in obscene dance, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police E Ramchandra Reddy said.

A case was booked under relevant sections of IPC and AP Excise Act. All those arrested were subsequently granted bail.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Hyderabad:

Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham today ended his indefinite fast, he had begun on Friday to demand quota for the community, after assurances from the Andhran Pradesh government, including allocation of Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu welfare corporation.

The breakthrough came after K Atchannaidu, Minister for Labour, TDP state unit president K Kala Venkat Rao and party MLAs - Thota Trimurthulu and NVS Varma - held talks with Padmanabham at his native village Kirlampudi in East Godavari.

Kala Venkat Rao and Atchannaidu offered lime juice to Padmanabham, who has been fasting along with his wife, some family members and supporters.

Padmanabham said the government has assured him it would obtain the report of a commission on backward classes (for inclusion of Kapus in BCs), within seven months instead of nine, if possible, and allocate Rs 1000 crore annually to Kapu (welfare) corporation from next year.

The government set up the commission to study the issue of reservations for the community and it is expected to submit its report within nine months.

The government representatives asked Padmanabham to join the discussions leading up to the decision on reservation.

The government would separately provide Rs 500 crore this year and accept all the applications made this year to Kapu Corporation by the community members for benefits, he said.

Padmanabham said he is in favour of provision of creamy layer among the Kapus.

Atchannaidu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is very positive on the demands of the community.

The government would be judicious in dealing with the police cases registered in connection with the violence that erupted during a rally organised by Padmanabham on January 31, the minister added.

Atchannaidu said no injustice would be done to the Backward Classes in the process of providing reservation to Kapus.

Popular Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, who had vigorously campaigned for TDP-BJP alliance in the 2014 state and Lok Sabha elections, yesterday requested the state government to engage in direct talks with Kapu leaders spearheading the reservation issue, which, he noted was an election-promise made by the TDP.

A group of balanced intellectuals should be entrusted with the responsibility of finding a mutually-acceptable solution before it jaggernauts into an uncontainable situation (sic), tweeted Kalyan, who belongs to the community.

Meanwhile, the Congress claimed in a release that its state unit president N Raghuveera Reddy and party MP Chiranjeevi were arrested at Rajahmundry while proceeding to Kirlampudi to express solidarity with Padmanabham today.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

Electronic major Lenovo today unveiled the latest line-up of its award winning Yoga devices  the Yoga 900 convertible laptop and Yoga Tab 3 Pro. The new device, is the worlds thinnest Intel Core i convertible laptop and Yoga's signature watchband hinge.

The new Yoga 900 will be exclusively available at Croma outlets across India.

With the latest 6th gen Core i7 processor, the new Lenovo Yoga 900 is just 0.58-inches thin and weighs 1.29kg. It has a 13.3-inch QHD (3200x1800) IPS display and 8 GB RAM.

The new Yoga 900 has four usage modes -lapto6p, stand, tent and tablet.

The Yoga 900 has an improved battery life of up to nine hours of local video playback. It has JBL stereo speakers and Dolby Audio Premium for powerful and crisp sound.

The new Yoga Tab 3 Pro is designed to be the ultimate theatre experience in a small package. The tablet is better optimized projector placement, which is 180-degree rotatable, and can beam life-sized images onto a wall or ceiling.

At 299 ppi, the onboard 10.2-inch QHD (2560x1600) screen is considerably sharper, and renders richer colours with its Smart Display technology.

The Yoga Tab 3 Pro has a powerful built-in JBL sound bar with Dolby Atmos technology and a high-capacity battery for what the company boasts is all day battery.
Bengaluru:

Eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna CNR Rao today said ability of teachers in the country and quality of their teaching should improve.

The problem with many of our teachers....they are not good enough to teach our children;...most teachers themselves dont know enough at times and they are teaching our 11th class and 12th class children, for example, he said.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event to announce 8th Bangalore India Nano, Rao said, Quality of teaching has to improve, ability of our teachers has to improve.

Noting that previous government had agreed that the next ten years should be called as decade of teachers and teaching, Rao said ...present government I dont know what they are going to do, we have to see whether they will agree to do that or not.

India Nano 2016 will be held from March 3 to 5 here, with the theme Nano Horizons.

Stating that the country continued to make reasonable efforts in the area of Nano Sciences, Rao said It is only area of science where India has a ranking; it is actually number three in the world in number of publications.... He said there is no other area of science India has made this great.

US, China and India; Japan come after that, Japan, Britain, France, Germany all come after, he added.

The Nano event will be addressing the latest trends in Nanotechnology focusing on health care, clean water, energy and manufacturing, organisers said.

Rao, who is Chairman of Vision Group on Nanotechnology, said that one place where Nano has achieved beyond expectations is in providing very pure drinking water. Speaking about providing clean drinking water in arsenic infested area of West Bengal and Bangaladesh, he said there was uranium content in water in parts of Punjab.

Noting that scope of startups in Nanotechnology was tremendous, Rao said all one needs to do is pick up an area what they want like nano medicine, nanotechnology-electronic devices, sensor technology. In India not much is coming up, but abroad lots of industries are coming up.

On Bangalore Nano Institute (Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences), Rao said it had now taken shape and Director had been appointed.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

Following the Supreme Courts nod, Maharashtra government today said its planned event as a part of Make In India Week at the Girgaum Chowpatty beach here will showcase the states cultural heritage and feature megastar Amitabh Bachchan and actor-politician Hema Malini, among others.



The event Maharashtra Night will be held on February 14 and will be open to the public.



We will showcase the rich heritage of the state. The backdrop of the stage draws inspiration from the Ajanta and Ellora caves, chief secretary Swadheen Kshatriya said.



Malini, BJP MP from Mathura, will deliver a dance performance, while Bachchan will recite a specially written poem dedicated to Maharashtra, he said.



The government expects 25,000 people to turn up at the Chowpatty which is on the north end of the Marine Drive crescent.



Kshatriya said the 160-by-120 feet set has been designed by celebrated art director Nitin Desai. The program will conclude with fireworks and a laser show.



The Supreme Court had last week stayed a Bombay High Court order and allowed Maharashtra government to hold the event at the Chowpatty.



During the event, the state is planning to offer the delegates of MII Week a peep into the culture of the city through programs at landmark sites such as the Gateway of India and the amphitheatre at Bandra Fort.



Gateway of India precinct will play host to Elephanta Festival, while there will be a fusion music concert featuring Karsh Kale at the Bandra Fort.



The organisers have also tied up with the annual Kala Ghoda Festival which has turned into a go-to place for cultural aficionados over the years.



There will also be a Maharashtra Textiles Show as a part of the MII week, he said, adding that local BJP leader Shaina NC and fashion designers such as Vikram Phadnis and Anita Dongre will be presenting their creations in traditional fabrics like the Paithani silk.

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Robert Ito wrote a wonderful profile of cartoonist Daniel Clowes in California Sunday Magazine. It includes some nice illustrations of Clowes by other cartoonists.

In the third issue of Eightball, Clowes published "The Return of Young Dan Pussey," a scathing takedown of the comics industry. In the strip's satirical alternate reality, Marvel Comics founder Stan Lee is a glad-handing cheapskate with an eye for prostitutes, while Fantagraphics co-founder Gary Groth is a bully who consults a thesaurus mid-rant to come up with fresh ways to insult his artists. Art Spiegelman is a creepy, chain-smoking taskmaster who forces his stable of unpaid artists to create work for his comics magazine in a miserable hovel with burlap sacks for beds. "I just felt it was nasty, snotty, gratuitous," recalls Spiegelman. Francoise Mouly, his Raw co-creator, says, "I became aware of [Clowes] as a wiseass a long time ago." Clowes has a different explanation. "Jealousy isn't the right word, but I just had a longing to be a part of that world and had that feeling that I wasn't," he says. "It was sort of an expression of rage and self-pity and trying to make myself feel better about that."

Clowes' full-length graphic novel, Patience, will by published March 1, 2016 by Fantagraphics.
Two Boots Pizza is opening a new location in Stamfords South End, its second in Connecticut after the New York City-based companys 2008 debut in Bridgeport.

Founded in 1987 by Phil Hartman, the restaurants name is in reference to the boot-shaped geographies of Italy and Louisiana. Two Boots built its renown initially by using the culinary palette that is pizza to combine Cajun flavors. The companys local menus today include those creations as well as more traditional pizzas, as well as other Cajun fare like catfish and jambalaya.

Unlike many pizza joints, Two Boots in Bridgeport has lured customers with live music, karaoke and themed evenings to include video game nights on Wednesdays.

Two Boots colorful signage has become a familiar one throughout New York City, though its 16-year run at Grand Central Terminal came to an end in January after it lost its lease there. The Stamford restaurant will join 14 locations nationally from Los Angeles to Bridgeport, with two more in the works for Jersey City, N.J. and Washington, D.C., with a few having closed over the years as well.

Hartman, who could not be reached to comment about the new location and its opening date, told the website New York Eater in 2014 that nobody bats a thousand and that the company has learned from the few missteps it has made.

I really love cities with a lot of grit and its not always the best business decision, Hartman has said at the time. So Ive learned the hard way that youve got to balance it a bit and make smart business decisions and also seek out cool areas.

If Bridgeport is as gritty as it gets in Connecticut, Stamfords South End has reason to claim title as Connecticuts emerging hot spot with a number of restaurants having opened in the Harbor Point district under continued development by Building and Land Technology, which filled multiple large apartment buildings designed to appeal to young professionals.

In Stamford, Two Boots will vie for pizza gourmands with Remos Brick Oven Pizza downtown  ranked by TripAdvisor users as the No. 2 restaurant in the city  as well as Colony Grill in the South End among dozens of other options.

Located at 711 Atlantic Street at the base of the Metro Green Residential apartments, the Stamford Two Boots location will have capacity for 30 as well as outdoor seating for 20 more during warmer months. Two Boots is taking suggestions for a home pie with flavors pegged to a local theme or luminary  the Bridgeport location offers The Cliff in honor of native John Ratzenberger of Cheers fame, a scarpariello recipe featuring chicken in white wine sauce with hot peppers and garlic on a white pie.
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BETHEL  The Bethel Education Foundation delivered nearly $30,000 in grants this week to help four schools fund cutting-edge educational projects, including programming robots, game coding and even a climbing wall.

Members of the nonprofit organization interrupted several classes Monday morning to surprise the teachers running the grant-winning projects with checks ranging from $800 to $9,500.

Foundation President Heather Pontonio said this was the first time the group awarded so many grants at once. Bethel educators can apply for grants throughout the year, but the organization encourages projects that are hands-on, innovative and interactive.

Pontonio said the latest applications were largely focused on STEM subjects  science, technology, engineering and math.

At the middle school, the foundation awarded grants for LEGO Mindstorms kits, coding robots for the schools media center and a horizontal traverse wall. At the high school, it awarded grants helping the Bethel Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps launch an underwater robotics program, in which students will learn how to build remotely operated underwater vehicles, and for a full set of financial calculators for business classes.

The foundation also awarded grants for Johnson Elementary School to purchase eBooks and for St. Mary School to buy LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kits, which teach students to write, build and command their own LEGO robots.

This is phenomenal, Pontonio said. The kids can code each block... This is allowing them to maneuver each piece separately.

Superintendent of Schools Christine Carver said the donations are critical to helping the district stay on top of technology-based learning tools.

They provide opportunities for our teachers to really do innovative projects in areas where they wouldnt necessarily have those opportunities, she said. Its a great startup program to get things rolling.

The 8-foot-high horizontal climbing wall, which will cover the entire length of the middle schools small gym, will complement the existing vertical climbing wall and allow for all levels of learners, regardless of their fitness levels or fear of height, physical education teacher Keith Marotta said.

By adding this low wall, it creates so many more opportunities for kids to participate in adventure-based education that they might not be comfortable with, he said. This is kind of a stepping stone to build that confidence.

The latest grants bring the total amount of money awarded since the foundation launched in 2007 to more than $375,000. More than 100 teacher-initiated projects have since been funded.

The money is donated by local residents and businesses through the foundations fundraising campaigns and events, especially the Barnum Ball  its major fundraising event. The next annual Barnum Ball will be held March 19.

noliveira@newstimes.com, 203-731-3411, @olivnelson
As the UK government passes increasingly far-reaching surveillance laws that bind companies to capture, store and share data on their customers' activities, US tech giants like Facebook and Google are caught in a dilemma: much of what the UK government demands of them, the US government prohibits.

A leaked draft of an agreement between the UK and the US would allow British spy agencies to require the US companies to turn over their records  the private data of Britons, Americans and citizens and residents of other nations.

Unnamed Obama administration officials predict the agreement will become law, because the rules governing UK spy agencies include "robust protections" for privacy. However, the UK Parliament's own select committee on Science and Technology has concluded that the spy laws are so badly and broadly drafted that no one can figure out what they mean.

The UK system allows government ministers to secretly issue surveillance orders without judicial review  orders that come with gag clauses prohibiting anyone from discussing them. This falls short of the minimal protections afforded under the US's kangaroo court surveillance rules.

It looks like this has the backing of the big tech companies, who just want legal clarity on what they must do to avoid legal trouble.

Senior administration officials say that they have concluded that British rules for data requests have "robust protections" for privacy and that they will not seek to amend them. But British and U.S. privacy advocates argue that civil liberties safeguards in Britain are inadequate. The negotiating text was silent on the legal standard the British government must meet to obtain a wiretap order or a search warrant for stored data. Its system does not require a judge to approve search and wiretap warrants for surveillance based on probable cause, as is done in the United States. Instead, the home secretary, who oversees police and internal affairs, approves the warrant if that cabinet member finds that it is "necessary" for national security or to prevent serious crime and that it is "proportionate" to the intrusion. If U.S. officials or Congress do not seek changes in the British standards, "what it means is they're going to allow a country that doesn't require independent judicial authorization before getting a wiretap to continue that practice, which seems to be a pretty fundamental constitutional protection in the United States," said Eric King, a privacy advocate and visiting lecturer in surveillance law at Queen Mary University of London. "That's being traded away."

The British want to come to America  with wiretap orders and search warrants

[Ellen Nakashima and Andrea Peterson/Washington Post]
Most of the top officials in a Texas city described as "the world's spinach capital" were arrested last week on corruption charges.

A federal indictment accuses Crystal City's administrators of taking bribes from contractors and of supporting a gambling ring operated by a criminal nicknamed "Mr. T." The mayor, city manager, mayor pro tempore, and at least three current and former councilors have been charged.

Fox News reports on the details of the allegations

Crystal City Mayor Ricardo Lopez took $6,000 from Nguyen to buy a vehicle, the indictment alleges. In return, he allegedly waived some taxes for Nguyen and had employees close competing casinos that violate state law but exist informally throughout South Texas. Lopez allegedly told city employees inspecting Nguyen's property to "make it easy." City Manager William James Jonas and Mayor Pro Tempore Rogelio Mata are accused of giving a contractor a $12,000 payment "in exchange for payments and other things of value." And Lopez, Rogelio Mata, current councilman Roel Mata and former councilman Gilbert Urrabazo are accused of voting to keep Jonas as city attorney and city manager at a salary reported by local media to exceed $200,000. In exchange, Jonas provided payments and other illegal benefits to the four leaders, the indictment alleges.

The city's logo incorporates Popeye, the spinach-munching cartoon sailor, and a huge spinach festival is the town's major tourist draw.
[February 08, 2016] TUC and CareWorx Announce Merger to Become #1 Managed Service Provider for Senior Care

OTTAWA and ORANGEVILLE, ON, Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - TUC Managed IT Solutions (TUC), a market leader in managed IT and cloud services, and CareWorx Inc., a North-American leader in technology solutions serving senior care facilities, announced they have merged operations in order to take advantage of numerous synergies between the organizations and key market opportunities. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160205/330353) TUC provides IT service organizations including small and medium-sized enterprises, technology vendors and service providers with a comprehensive suite of managed IT and cloud services for end-users, supported 24x7 through our North American-based service desk. The merger represents the next level of managed services providing the complete technology stack for senior care  devices, applications, service and support. CareWorx is a provider of advanced technology hardware, cloud products and related services to senior care facilities leveraging a strategic partnership with PointClickCare  the market leader in Electronic Health Records (EHR) software for senior care. CareWorx provides customers with focused expertise, wireless networking and out-of-the-box point-of-care and mobile technology designed specifically for use in senior care. The combined company will eventually adopt the CareWorx brand and will establish Managed Services and Senior Care divisions that will continue to support all existing TUC and CareWorx customers. The Senior Care divisionwill aim to vastly improve technology and IT support options for senior care facilities. The Managed Services division will continue to offer managed IT and cloud services with a specific focus on expansion in the midmarket and healthcare through a channel-first strategy.



"TUC and CareWorx have been working very closely since November 2014  strategically, taking our partnership to the next level just made sense," said Mark Scott, CEO of TUC and the newly-merged company. "Together we saw new opportunities emerging in this market set to explode over the next decade." "Our products and services affect how more than 500,000 senior care workers impact the lives of over half a million residents daily," said Mark Tomzak, former CEO of CareWorx and now President of the merged company, focusing on the Senior Care division. "Our goal is to help senior care facilities strategically plan what technology best meets their needs, help them get the most out of it, and ensure they have the support they need when they need it  allowing them to focus on what matters most  resident care."

Wellington Financial LP led funding for the merger, with EPIC Capital's healthcare fund also participating. Canaccord Genuity acted as strategic advisors on both the merger and capital raise. About TUC

TUC is a leading provider of managed IT and cloud services to small- and medium-sized enterprises. Our TUC Service Center provides IT service organizations with a complete platform to deliver 24x7 Service Desk, IT Service Management, IT Automation, Security and Self-Service to end-users. TUC is ranked as a Top-100 global MSP - supporting customers and channel partners across North America. Start making your Technology UnComplicated today by visiting www.tucmanaged.com. About CareWorx

CareWorx is the industry's largest provider of Point of Care, eMAR, mobile computing and wireless networking hardware solutions for use with EHR software applications in the North American Senior Care market. With over 14 years of dedicated experience in Senior Care, CareWorx has designed its technology solutions to be rugged enough to withstand the environment of a Senior Care facility while being extremely efficient and energy conscious. More than 4,000 facilities currently operate over 50,000 CareWorx touchscreens for their daily electronic health record (EHR) documentation. www.careworx.com About Wellington Financial LP

Wellington Financial LP is a privately-held specialty finance firm providing term, venture and amortizing loans up to $40 million. Wellington Financial LP is currently managing a $900 million investment program with offices in Menlo Park, Santa Monica and Toronto. Wellington Financial LP is managed by a partnership controlled by fund management and Clairvest Group Inc. (CVG:TSX), who jointly have contributed a large financial stake to the Fund. LPs include several of Canada's largest institutional investors, crown corporations, financial institutions and pension funds. Please visit the fund website at www.wellingtonfund.com SOURCE TUC managed IT Solutions

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[February 08, 2016] Telephonics Teams with Sierra Nevada Corporation on U.S. Marine Corps' Modi II

FARMINGDALE, N.Y., Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Telephonics Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Griffon Corporation (NYSE:GFF), announced today that it has received an $18 million manufacturing contract from Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) in support of approximately 580 MODI II Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) systems for the U.S. Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Units. Modi II, an SNC design, is a man-pack ECM jammer which has industry-leading Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) metrics and is an exceptionally cost-effective, sustainable capability set. Modi II is currently in full-rate production at Telephonics' Long Island manufacturing facilities and production is scheduled for completion by the end of summer 2016. "Telephonics is extremely proud to partner with SNC on the Modi II team, helping provide life-saving technologies to our Service Members," said Hector F. Colon, Corporate Vice President. "Telephonics has a proven track record of effectively executing low- and high-volume contract manufacturing efforts of sophisticated electronics equipment and delivering quality products on time, every time. Modi II affirms our continued commitment to support these critical programs for our Armed Forces." For more information about Telephonics and its contract manufacturing capabilities, please contact Lisa Ahrens at [email protected] or visit www.telephonics.com. About Telephonics

Telephonics' high-technology engineering and manufacturing capabilities provide integrated information, communication and sensor system solutions to military and commercial markets worldwide. Telephonics specializes in aircraft intercommunication systems, wireless communication systems, radars, identification friend or foe products, integrated security systems, air traffic management systems, aerospace electronics, and the performance of threat and radar system analyses. Visit us at www.telephonics.com or on our social media channels:

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

LinkedIn

Google+ About Griffon Corporation

Griffon Corporation, headquartered in New York, N.Y., is a diversified management and holding company that conducts business through wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company oversees the operations of its subsidiaries, allocates resources among them and manages their capital structures. Griffon provides direction and assistance to its subsidiaries in connection with acquisition and growth opportunities as well as in connection with divestitures. In order to further diversify, Griffon also seeks out, evaluates and, when appropriate, will acquire additional businesses that offer potentially attractive returns on capital. Forward-Looking Statements

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the company's management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the company's management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Information concerning risks and uncertainties that may impact the company's results and forward-looking statements are set forth in Griffon Corporation's filings with the SEC. The company does not undertake to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.  2016 Telephonics Corporation. 815 Broad Hollow Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735. All trademarks, trade names, service marks, and logos referenced herein belong to their respective companies.







Investor Contact: Company Contact:



Michael Callahan Lisa Ahrens ICR, Inc. Telephonics Corporation 203.682.8311 631.755.7785 [email protected] [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160208/330548LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/telephonics-teams-with-sierra-nevada-corporation-on-us-marine-corps-modi-ii-300216574.html SOURCE Telephonics Corporation

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[February 08, 2016] LSBF Launches New E-commerce Website for CIMA and ACCA Programmes

LONDON, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) today announced the launch of a brand new website completely dedicated to professional courses including accountancy qualifications ACCA and CIMA. As LSBF's first e-commerce website, it was designed to encourage student engagement, making information more accessible and giving them the ability to easily book their courses at any time. It also has a user-friendly responsive design, ensuring that students will be able to get a great end-user experience whether they're using their smartphones, tablets, or computers. LSBF Professional Courses Director Rob Sowerby said: "We are delighted to announce the launch of the new LSBF professional courses website. "We have always put innovation at the heart of our institution's course delivery, and this website will further advance the high standards of student experience LSBF continues to provide." The site's new features allow students to find out details about their courses, such as the Course Filter that enables students to search by subject, programme, campus, and study mode, and the Tutor Filter that provides detailed information on who will be teaching them. Students can now create an account to book papers, keep track of their purchase history, and check the dates of their courses. They will also be able to prchase their papers immediately with a specialised 'Select & Buy Papers' tool.



Mr Sowerby added: "LSBF aims to continue providing students with easier and more user-friendly access to their educational experience, and the launch of this site is another step in that direction." The new LSBF professional microsite can be accessed at http://www.lsbfprofessional.org.uk/

About London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) is a global provider of professional, executive, vocational and higher education. With campuses across three continents and 40,000 students from over 150 countries, LSBF offers industry-relevant programmes that are tailored to the career goals of today's students and professionals. Under the royal patronage of Prince Michel of Kent, LSBF has a powerful e-learning platform and over 130 programmes, covering industries from fashion to finance. LSBF is a Queen's Awards for Enterprise winner and an ACCA Approved Learning Provider Gold, in the London, Birmingham and Manchester campuses. SOURCE London School of Business and Finance (LSBF)

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Following the release by hackers of a tranche of police union documents, The Guardian's analysis reveals that "more than a third of police departments allow or require destruction of civilian complaint records."

contracts obtained from the servers of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) found that more than a third featured clauses allowing  and often mandating  the destruction of records of civilian complaints, departmental investigations, or disciplinary actions after a negotiated period of time.

The review also found that 30% of the 67 leaked police contracts, which were struck between cities and police unions, included provisions barring public access to records of past civilian complaints, departmental investigations, and disciplinary actions.

Samuel Walker, a professor in criminology at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, said there was "no justification" for the cleansing of officers' records, which could contain details of their use of force against civilians.

"The public has a right to know," Walker said. "If there was a controversial beating, we ought to know what action was actually taken. Was it a reprimand? A suspension?"
The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State has asked Governor Ayodele Fayose to stop deceiving workers over payment of their sal...

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State has asked Governor Ayodele Fayose to stop deceiving workers over payment of their salaries and entitlements, saying persecuting union leaders for demanding for workers rights is a needless provocation that can rupture peace in the state.But the governors Chief Press Secretary Mr Idowu Adelusi, in a response said the workers are aware that Fayose has never deceived them. The APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, warned that sending security agents after union leaders was fascist conduct capable of forcing citizens into acts rage capable of causing a slide into anarchy.Olatunbosun in a statement at the weekend said union leaders had a responsibility to the work force and they had acted constitutionally in defence of workers. APC Publicity Secretary warns Fayose Fayose Warning the governor against his fascist conduct, Olatunbosun said his inconsistent figures on the state debts and non-transparent manner in the conduct of governments business were enough for workers to lose faith in the governor.Meantime, Adelusi in a statement said the present administration will not do what former governor Kayode Fayemi did to Ekiti workers. Accordigng to him; Ekiti workers understand us and we understand them .The workers know that Fayose has never deceived them, the workers have seen the difference between the inept and purposeless Fayemi administration and Fayose administration. Fayoses aide on ex-Governor Fayemi We will not persecute the workers as Fayemi did which of course was responsible for the outright rejection of Fayemi and APC at that last governorship election.Fayose is a workers governor and the labour knows this. No controversy. But the Yoruba proverb which said, Olooto ilu, ni ika ilu says it all.( The man who tells the truth may be seen as the peoples adversary) Is it not the mess left behind by the Fayemi administration that is causing problem to Fayose govt. N950million is deducted monthly by those who Fayemi administration took loan from. If N950 million is added to N1.3 billion that came last month, it will go along way for Fayose administration to meet financial obligations.It is only in Nigeria that treasury looters and bad administrators are celebrated or elevated to higher positions if they have the power of propaganda, he said. Also, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described as very vague, the statement issued by the Presidency on President Mohammadu Buharis sudden vacation was saying; Nigerians deserve to know the truth about their President because the President is an open book that every Nigerians should be free to read. He said it was suspicious that a president, who told Nigerians that he was embarking on official visit to France and Britain, last Tuesday, would suddenly commence a five-day vacation while still in the United Kingdom. According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor, who prayed for safe return of the President, said: Nigerians deserve to know where exactly their President is spending his vacation.
The Lagos State Government says it has introduced the Lagos State Student Personal Identification Number, LASPIN, for pupils in public sc...

The Lagos State Government says it has introduced the Lagos State Student Personal Identification Number, LASPIN, for pupils in public schools.It added that LASPIN included the capturing of the biometrics of pupils in its public primary and secondary schools.The Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, said this on Sunday, explaining that LASPIN would be the unique identity of each pupil throughout their schooling period in the states educational system.Adebule, who also supervises the Lagos State Ministry of Education, said, LASPIN will streamline the transfer process of students in states schools, as it will make the process more transparent.The deputy governor also pointed out that the government was determined to improve on the pass rate of Lagos State students in external examinations, especially those organised by WAEC and NECO, from the present 37 per cent to 60 per cent and above, by 2019.She reiterated the commitment of the state government to the adoption of e-curriculum platform to assist teachers in accessing directly the subject curriculum and syllabus as released by the National Education Research and Development Council.She said, The introduction and adoption of the e-curriculum platform will guarantee uniformity as well as ease the development of a lesson plan and teachers guide from the ministrys portal.Adebule said the government had been monitoring teaching and learning activities in schools to ensure that course works and tests were WAEC/NECO standards, adding that such would boost governments efforts to achieve zero tolerance for failure and poor performance in public schools.She said, Improved local and international training and development programmes for teachers and school managers will also be undertaken to enhance their capacity to effectively teach and impart knowledge, employing modern tools and methods.Government will undertake systematic exposure to IT-based teaching and learning tools from the Senior Secondary School level in order to make our teachers and pupils compete globally and be compliant with modern trend.
A Chinese worker, identified as Njaga Chang, has cut off one of the right fingers of his Nigerian colleague at the Xin Xin Quarry in Aka...

A Chinese worker, identified as Njaga Chang, has cut off one of the right fingers of his Nigerian colleague at the Xin Xin Quarry in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State.The 23-year-old Nigerian victim, Nsikak Tommy, was said to have incurred the wrath of the Chinese for failing to quickly turn on the generator at the quarry site.Chang was said to have initially attacked Tommy with a water hose but later resorted to the use of machete when the victim took to his heels.Narrating the incident toon Sunday, an eyewitness, Ene Bassey, said the Chinese was quickly taken away to an unknown destination in Calabar after the incident happened.The incident happened at about 4.30 pm on Saturday. The Chinese man was angered by the Nigerians slow response when he was told to turn on a generator at the quarry. Chang had initially started with insults on the Nigerian, but later attacked Nsikak Tommy with a water hose.But as Tommy tried to escape from the assault, Chang chased him with a machete. He first deflated the tyres of Tommys motorcycle to prevent him from fleeing and tried to cut his head. Instinctively, Tommy raised his hand to block the cut aimed at his head. In the process, the machete cut off one of his fingers. He was left in a pool of blood as he cried for help. After the incident, owners of the Xin Xin Quarry, who also own two other quarries in Akamkpa known as Expanded and Fughou Quarries, rather than attend to the injured man, ferried the Chinese man to Calabar and had him hidden.It was Tommys fellow Nigerian workers at the quarry that managed to take him for treatment at the Bakor Medical Centre in Calabar, Bassey said.learnt that the police in Akamkpa arrested and later released Chang on bail.Confirming the arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Eluu, said he got confirmation from the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Akamkpa division that Chang was arrested but released on bail after they had agreed to settle the matter.Eluu said, Yes, I got confirmation from the DPO that the Chinese national was arrested and taken to Akamkpa, but was later released on bail. They agreed to settle the matter amicably amongst themselves.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said Boko Haram has been knocked down in Borno and other parts of the Northeast. It said the ...

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said Boko Haram has been knocked down in Borno and other parts of the Northeast.It said the only battle ground left is in the Sambisa Forest, the about 80 kilometres swathe of thick bush that is the sects stronghold.It said once the battle for Sambisa is over, Boko Haram will become a thing of the past.But the DHQ pleaded for support from every citizen because it is a Nigerian war against Boko Haram insurgents.Director of Defence Information Brig.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar spoke exclusively with our correspondent against the backdrop of the allegation by Senator Baba Kaka Garbai (Borno Central) that half of Borno State is still being occupied by Boko Haram.Gen. Abubakar said: The situation is clear on how much we have decimated Boko Haram. Technically, we have knocked down these insurgents. The insurgents have been beaten and I stand by what I said. I can beat my chest that the insurgents have been decimated.All these attacks on soft targets do not mean that Boko Haram insurgents are occupying any territory. They are carrying out these attacks in order to remain relevant. The insurgents are pretending to be alive when in reality they have lost out.The attacks on soft targets by the insurgents do not translate to occupation of territories or some parts of Borno State or the North-East.The insurgents attacks on soft targets are not peculiar to Nigeria. These terrorists do so in the U.S. France, Britain, and many countries. We are doing our best to protect these soft targets.Gen. Abubakar said: What is left is Sambisa Forest. That is the last battle ground with the insurgents. This Forest is about 80kilometres but I believe very soon, we will overrun the Forest and rout out the insurgents. We will certainly send them packing from the Sambisa Forest.For anyone to make a claim that half of Borno State is under the insurgents is not helping the military. It is just to get media attention. We have decimated Boko Haram. This is the reality.We want to appeal to Nigerians to appreciate and support our gallant troops to maintain the high rate of success we have achieved in the war against the insurgents.This is a Nigerian war versus the insurgents. Boko Haram is a national catastrophe which requires the support of all to address. Every Nigerian must be seen to be contributing morally to the war against these insurgents. 
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, in conjunction with the Nigerian private sector, is planning to build an antiretroviral ...

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, in conjunction with the Nigerian private sector, is planning to build an antiretroviral manufacturing plant in the North East of Nigeria.According to a statement, the financial involvement of local and international pharmaceutical companies, National Medicines Regulatory Authorities and multilateral organisations would be assured.The statement also announced that the Executive Director, UNAIDS and Under-Secretary-General, United Nations, Mr. Michel Sidibe, would be visiting Nigeria from February 7 to 10 to share the 2016-2021 UNAIDS strategy with the Buhari government.The visit would also enable him to get the governments feedback on how to roll out the strategy and fast tract the response to end AIDS by 2030 in Nigeria.The statement said the UNAIDS head would also discuss the global financial environment and its impact on funding for AIDS and the need for more sustained domestic funding for the Nigerian AIDS response.It said there would be an opportunity to organise a fund-raising event to mobilise resources for UNAIDS from the Nigerian private sector under the leadership of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and in partnership with the Dangote Foundation and others.According to the statement, Africa imported 98 per cent of its antiretroviral medicines and two manufacturers dominate 71 per cent of the African market. This represents a significant risk as African countries look to scale up supplies of antiretroviral medicines, but it also provides an incentive to build domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and deliver economic dividends for the region.Nigeria has the second largest HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world after South Africa. There is a 3.2 per cent HIV prevalence in the general population and 3.4 million of its people living with HIV, with almost all its antiretroviral medication coming from outside the country.To address these challenges, countries across Africa need to scale up local pharmaceutical production and meet internationally-acceptable standards of quality and safety. However, until local production satisfies demand, countries also need to improve their procurement of medicines and related commodities in order to achieve sustainable pricing and stable supplies.Sidibe was quoted as saying African leaders had embraced UNAIDS fast-track targets for ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.He said this would mean 90 per cent of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status, 90 per cent of people who know their status receiving treatment and 90 per cent of people on HIV treatment having a suppressed viral load so their immune system remains strong and they are no longer infectious.According to the statement, after reviewing current procurement practices and shared insights into lowering procurement costs for critical essential medicines and diagnostics, UNAIDS will explore options for further cost reductions through regional pooled procurement, and ways that local industry can be developed in the long term through expanded markets and economies of scale within the West African sub-region.It said UNAIDS would help facilitate the establishment of clear priorities for improving the security of HIV and related medicines and diagnostics supplies in Africa, drawing on lessons and successes from continental HIV, TB and malaria responses, the experience of achieving cost reductions for viral load tests, and the gaps and needs as exemplified by the recent Ebola outbreaks.Lessons learnt from HIV/AIDS could be usefully harnessed to enhanced primary health care and even Lassa Fever and the Zika Virus phenomenon, it said.
LEONIA - State police are asking for the public's help tracking down a vehicle that seriously injured a man on the New Jersey Turnpike early Sunday.

Troopers were called to the northbound lanes of the highway around mile marker 121 in Leonia around 5 a.m., where they found 25-year-old Alberto Mendez of Manhattan, N.Y. suffering from serious wounds to his head and legs.

Police determined that Mendez was attempting to cross the highway when he was struck, and the vehicle fled the scene.

He was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition as of Sunday afternoon.

The accident was the second involving a pedestrian attempting to cross a northern New Jersey highway in less than seven hours. Just before 11 p.m. Saturday, a yet to be identified man was killed while attempting to traverse an eastbound express lane of Interstate 78 in Newark.

Anyone with information on the accident involving Mendez is asked to contact State Police Newark Station at (732) 441-4500 ext. 1401.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find
4 arrested.jpg

Clockwise from left: Aimee Gonzalez, Carlos Montero, Carmen Anglero and Francisco Gonzalez (BCPO)

( )

CLOSTER - A woman arrested late last year for allegedly buying iPhones using a stolen identity prompted an investigation that led to the arrests and/or charges of five people last week from The Bronx, N.Y., according to Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal.

Aimee Gonzalez, 21, was arrested in November 2015 after she attempted to use a stolen identity to buy phones from a Verizon Wireless store in Closter, the prosecutor said.

An investigation launched after the woman's arrest revealed that Gonzalez was a member of an organized identity theft ring, authorities said.

Members of the ring were in possession of numerous stolen identities and were responsible for tens of thousands of dollars in fraudulent cellphone purchases, authorities said.

The purchases occurred using the stolen identities at stores in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, according to the prosecutor.

On Friday, officers from the prosecutor's office, the Closter Police Department and the New York City Police Department arrested Aimee Gonzalez, along with Francisco Gonzalez, 23, and Carmen Anglero, 44, the prosecutor said.

During the course of the investigation, two others were identified as co-conspirators and were charged but are currently at large and wanted as fugitives:

Carlos Montero, 31, of The Bronx

Eury Garcia Sosa, 31, of The Bronx

"Each of the individuals identified played significant and varied roles in the criminal organization," Grewal said in a statement.

Aimee Gonzalez and Carmen Anglero "impersonated victims and completed the illicit purchases," the prosecutor said. Eury Garcia Sosa "drove the illicit buyers to and from the Verizon Stores and was complicit in the identity theft and purchases," the prosecutor said.

"Carlos Montero acted as an organizer and supplied the illicit buyers with the stolen identifications," Grewal said.

"Francisco Gonzalez supplied the group with forged and fraudulent identification documents, including forged driver's licenses and secondary forms of identification," the prosecutor said.

Aimee Gonazalez and Francisco Gonzalez were arrested in New York where they were charged as fugitives from justice and were taken to local jails pending extradition hearings.

Anglero is currently incarcerated in the Montgomery County Jail in Pennsylvania, authorities said.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NORTHVALE -- Josh Gottheimer on Monday compared the policies of U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett to a hidden tax on the 5th District of New Jersey.

The Wyckoff Democrat formally launched his campaign against the six-term Republican congressman at Inrad Optics, a Northvale manufacturer.

"Scott Garrett isn't pro-family," Gottheimer said. "He's not pro-business. He's Dr. No. Dr. No to everything, and that hurts families here in New Jersey."

Gottheimer said he would push for business to open in northern New Jersey and work to lower tax rates and simplify the tax code. He highlighted Garrett's votes against the Violence Against Women Act, the Zadroga bill to pay for health care for Sept. 11 first responders and stem cell research.

He also brought up Garrett's reported comments that he wouldn't contribute to a fundraising arm for House Republicans because it supported gay candidates.

"I think we can all agree that these aren't Jersey values," Gottheimer said.

Gottheimer is a former speech writer for President Bill Clinton and worked in corporate strategy for Microsoft. He grew up in North Caldwell and has lived for the past four years in Wyckoff with his wife and two children.

He has $1.3 million in his war chest and outraised Garrett in 2015, but the congressman has $2.4 million banked.

"Every election I've faced an opponent that thinks the best solution to the problems that New Jerseyans face is letting Washington spend their money and tell them what to do," Garrett said in a statement.

Garrett has had little trouble fending off challengers. He beat his last two opponents, Roy Cho and Adam Gussen, by about 13 points.

The 5th District includes parts of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
bz-1013-travel

Travel brochures from the now defunct ABC Tours. (Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger)

( )

Even as their travel companies faltered, brothers Tom and Robert Paris paid themselves enormous salaries and other compensation worth more than $1 million.

The brothers knew the end was coming, the state said, but they continued to solicit and accept payments from would-be vacationers.

When the companies

in October 2012, 52 travelers were abandoned overseas without reservations or flights, and the travel plans of about 200 others who had already paid for vacations were shattered.

The state

and their companies of Consumer Fraud Act and advertising regulation violations, alleging they stole nearly $1 million from customers.

The parties came to

in September 2015, in which the brothers agreed to

for customers, plus another $119,000 in civil penalties. Those civil penalties would be dropped if the parties satisfied the terms of the agreement, which imposed

on the brothers

But at least two former Club ABC Tours customers who spoke to Bamboozled received a letter that brings into question whether the terms of the settlement are being violated, and it spotlights some weaknesses in the agreement, which one consumer law attorney called "Consumer Protection Lite."

The letter sent by Tom Paris to former customers of Club ABC Tours.

The customer shared the letter, signed by Tom Paris and written on letterhead that read "From the desk of Tom Paris."

"Just as exciting prospects were in the works relating to expanding our already significant product offering through cutting-edge technology, the ripple effects of 2008's economic downturn forced the company's closure three years ago," Paris wrote.

The letter said Paris has been "scouring the marketplace to uncover travel opportunities for past Club ABC members," and he introduced

"YMT's president, Jerre Fuqua, shares my passion for travel and focus on offering vacationers unparalleled value as they create treasured memories," he wrote, suggesting customers look at YMT's vacation offerings.

The second page was a listing of vacation offerings and contact information for YMT.

We reached out to the Paris brothers to ask for clarification on Tom Paris' relationship with YMT Vacations, but neither responded to email or LinkedIn requests for comment.

But we did speak to Jerre Fuqua, YMT Vacations' president.

"I've known Tom for a number of years and he was kind enough to provide our company name to people to think about when they're thinking about travel," Fuqua said, noting that YMT has been in business since 1967.

Fuqua said Paris was not an employee.

"We have no formal relationship whatsoever," he said.

When asked if Paris had been paid to send the letters, Fuqua wouldn't answer the question directly.

"If you're familiar with any marketing endeavor, you know to acquire a list, you do that through a variety of commercial agreements and commercial relationships," he said. "It would be akin to any business getting list of people who may be interested in a product."

But then Fuqua wanted to make one thing absolutely clear.

"We sent the letter. The letter came from us," he said. "It had a cover letter from Tom introducing the business. He was kind enough to make a referral letter."

We wondered if those actions were a violation of the settlement with the state.

WHAT THE SETTLEMENT SAID

We took a closer look at

that covers the settlement.

Section 5, titled "Injunctive Relief and Business Practices," says the defendants can't engage in any unfair, deceptive acts or practices in the state. It also said they may not accept payment from a consumer for a travel package "and then fail to provide some of all of the merchandise for which he/she paid."

A screen capture of Tom Paris' LinkedIn page.

Of course they can't sell something and not provide what was sold. That wording isn't any special punishment for the Paris brothers -- it's the law. What's important here is that the settlement doesn't prohibit the brothers from working in the travel business.



The settlement also said the travel companies -- but not specifically the Paris brothers -- may not advertise or offer travel packages for sale. The companies would also be dissolved.



Finally, it said the Paris brothers would not have to pay the $119,000 in civil penalties if they honor the agreements in Sections 5, 6, and 7. Otherwise, the settlement said, the state would seek payment for the suspended $119,000 penalty.



And then there's Section 11.



That part of the agreement says the brothers must provide written notice to the state if they plan to open, close or relocate any business in New Jersey, or if they plan to advertise, offer for sale or sell merchandise in New Jersey.



Consumer Affairs would not discuss whether it received notification from Paris.

"We are aware of the alleged activities of Mr. Paris and we have contacted his legal counsel to discuss this matter," spokesman Jeff Lamm said. "We expect full compliance with our prior settlement and any violations committed by Mr. Paris will lead to serious consequences, which we will pursue to the fullest."

Consumer Affairs didn't say if it knew of the letter before the agency was notified by Bamboozled, and it wouldn't go into further detail about whether it was a violation.



We shared copies of the consent judgment and the Paris letter with several consumer law attorneys and asked their opinions.



Allen Gillman with Gillman & Gillman in Edison called the settlement "Consumer Protection Lite: Pay a fine and promise not to do it again."



He said the result of the settlement is identical to the deals that prosecutors cut with banks, Wall Street hedge fund guys and a other entities that deliberately make material misrepresentations of fact or conceal facts, Gillman said.



"If you are going to deter this kind of behavior, shouldn't some of these people go to jail?" he said.

Jack Feinstein, a professor at the Rutgers Law School and director of the college's Civil Justice Clinic, said even though the consent judgment doesn't ban Paris from the travel business, there are other issues worth noting.



"First of all, he's saying that the ripple effects of the economic downturn forced the closure of the business. I would say based on what that state has said that's not accurate at all," Feinstein said.



That statement by itself could be a violation of the settlement and the Consumer Fraud Act, Feinstein said.



"The consent judgment says the defendant shall not engage in any deceptive acts and practices, so sending a solicitation that states his old company shut down because of the economic downturn? That seems to be misleading," Feinstein said.



Feinstein said if Paris didn't notify the state that he was advertising, that could be considered a violation.



Kearny-based attorney Anthony Vignier called the letter "cagey" and agreed it could be deemed a violation if the state wasn't notified.



"In my opinion, he is in violation," Vignier said. "The reality is no one would send a letter out like that if there isn't something in it for them."



But even if it is a violation, the state might have a hard time forcing Paris to pay the $119,000 suspended penalty. That's because Section 11 -- the part that says Paris needs to notify the state -- isn't included in the sections that Paris must follow in order to have the fines forgiven.

Thomas Calcagni, a former head of the Division of Consumer Affairs and an attorney with Calcagni & Kanefsky in Newark, said the letter appears to be a solicitation.



"Based on the plain language of the final consent judgment and the legal definitions of 'advertisement' and 'merchandise,' it seems Mr. Paris would have been required to notify in writing the Division of Consumer Affairs of his plan to send out these letters," Calcagni said. "This requirement would seem to be triggered regardless of whether Mr. Paris is directly involved with this new travel company."



Calcagni also agreed that a violation of the notification provision would probably not be considered an act of non-compliance that would allow the state to seek the $119,000 suspended penalty. He said the penalty for a lack of notification isn't clear.



If there was a violation, Calcagni said, the state could apply to the court to hold Paris in contempt of the judgment and enforce the notification requirement.



But that doesn't mean the state would take action.



"It strikes me as very unlikely that the Division would pursue that course in response to a single notice violation," Calcagni said. "A conversation with the defendant, seeking information about the solicitation and assurances of future compliance, is more likely."



Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter.
CAMDEN  A man was shot and killed in Camden Sunday afternoon, authorities have confirmed.

Nicholas Rowser, 22, died at Cooper University Hospital after being shot

on the 1500 block of Mount Ephraim Avenue around 4 p.m., Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo and Camden County Police Chief Scott Thomson said in a statement.

No arrests have been made, though an investigation into the incident remains active.

The homicide is the second of the year in Camden, according to an NJ Advance Media count.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutors Office Det. Jim Brining at (856) 225-8439 or Camden County Police Det. Sal Webb at (856) 757-7420.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find
ATCO -- A 66-year-old New Jersey man with ALS is battling funding for medical care, 6abc reports.

Joe Swider, of Atco, is paralyzed from the neck down and relies on a ventilator due to his progressive disease, according to reports.

Swider requires nurse care every day for 16 hours and costs are no longer covered by insurance after his union changed insurance plans, reports say.

His care can cost more than $4,000 a week, which used to be fully covered, but now, Swider and his family are left finding ways to get the medical bills paid, according to 6abc.

After Swider's insurance changed last year, he was left with the financial burden.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help with financial needs, but once the money runs out, Swider said he will go into hospice, according to reports.

Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
CAMDEN -- Patrick Barry was the first of his family born in the U.S. after relatives fled the Khmer Rouge regime of late 1970s. Moustafa Aldari was kidnapped just before his 16th birthday and held for ransom while living in post-2003 invasion Iraq.

Having seen what it means to be a federally-recognized refugee, the two now help head the resettlement program within the Catholic Charities of Camden.

"For every generation of refugees, it's easy to criticize and determine if they're American enough and would assimilate," said Barry, the newest director of the Camden charity's refugee and immigration services program that was launched in 1975.

Aldari, a refugee self-sufficiency case manager with Catholic Charities of Camden, offered up the counterpoint: "A refugee family will work from the bottom and all the way up."

Learning to work

Kevin Hickey, executive director of Catholic Charities of Camden, said the support for immigrant services comes all the way from the top.

"Pope Francis has from Day 1 been advocating care for migrants and immigrants," Hickey said, adding that not every local diocese runs similar programs despite a call that went out to bishops nation-wide.

The Diocese of Metuchen announced early last month that it would be launching its own resettlement effort in Essex County. Including Camden, there are four similar programs in all of New Jersey.

Gov. Chris Christie called for a ban on Syrian immigrants entering New Jersey in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris, France, although the the American Civil Liberties Union has ruled governors can't make such a decision.

"A refugee has to prove they are in harm's way," said Hickey, who estimated that the U.S. allows approximately 80,000 vetted refugees to enter the country annually.

Catholic Charities of Camden helps roughly 100 refugees each year. They come from every corner of the earth -- Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East and recently Cuba.

Catholic Charities will receive a heads-up about two weeks prior to a refugee or family arriving. At that point, the team springs into action to find housing and set up a slew of appointments to ensure self-sufficiency as soon as possible.

"We are their family member," said Barry, adding that everything from bills, schooling and medical appointments are taken into consideration.

The program is funded by federal and state grants as well as donations to the Diocese of Camden. A "small" federal stipend meant to last for 90 days helps the recent arrivals, but it's merely a stop-gap to cover the time between getting off the plane and finding a job.

Barry's mother, grandmother, two uncles and an aunt fled Cambodia to Philadelphia in 1980.

"They learned English at a church after attending ESL classes in Center City," he said.

Almost immediately after arrival, the desire to thrive takes over.

Working to learn

Aldari said he's seen doctors and engineers emigrate to the U.S. as refugees. He's also seen plenty of others without resumes as strong. His own father was a successful business owner in Iraq and was able to pay the ransom that freed his son.

Through relationships with local employers, Aldari said he's secured jobs for incoming refugees and seen them rise through the ranks within as little as one year. Aldari noted that he's later crossed paths with those former clients only to have them be the ones interviewing his new refugees seeking employment.

"They work really hard and that's why they move up so fast," he said.

Fittingly, it was the Catholic Charities of Camden that helped Aldari's family to their feet in 2008 after their appeal to the U.N. was OK'd.

Aldari, who learned English here and is working at becoming a real estate agent, graduated from high school and college in South Jersey and was working three jobs until a career with Catholic Charities presented itself.

Speaking about the recent mass immigration of refugees walking from Syria to European counties, Hickey said that is in stark contrast to those who have made an international appeal and are waiting years for approval to move.

Asked about opposition to migrants entering the U.S., Barry said the answer can be found within the branches of one's own family tree.

"Just ask them where their parents came from," he said.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
VINELAND -- A 59-year-old man was seriously injured in his driveway when a car he was jumping rolled back and knocked him to the ground.

Authorities flew him to Cooper University Hospital in Camden. He remains in critical condition Monday afternoon, according to hospital spokeswoman Wendy Marano.

Vineland police were called to Eastwood Drive at 3:15 p.m. Sunday for reports of a fall victim.

The Eastwood Drive resident was taking his wife out for a Sunday drive in his 1984 Chrysler LeBaron when the couple realized the car wouldn't start, according to Sgt. Charles Garrison of Vineland Police Department.

His wife was in the LeBaron driver's seat when he jumped the car's battery and, when the car was ready to go, she switched over to the passenger's seat.

At the time, the 59-year-old man was standing next to the car's open driver-side door.

At some point the car began to roll backwards and the door struck the man -- forcing him to the blacktop driveway and injuring his head.

The incident remains under investigation.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
When New Jersey began administering new state exams last school year, the question for some parents and teachers wasn't how many students would do well. It was how many students would even participate.

Although the state Department of Education has said that it did not specifically track so-called "opt outs," a mass of PARCC data released last week gives parents and teachers the best answer yet to that question.

Here are five things the latest data reveals about test participation on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams.

1. More than 10 percent of tests were not taken for "other" reasons

An NJ Advance Media analysis found that nearly 135,000 students from grades 3-11 who were supposed to participate in the English tests did not receive a score. That means they either opted out or missed the tests for a variety of reasons, including illness or participation in other exams for students with specific needs.

The figure was slightly lower for math exams, with fewer than 124,000 students missing the tests, meaning about 15 percent of math and English exams that were supposed to be taken were not, according to the analysis.

Of the 258,667 tests that weren't taken, at least 193,367 (11 percent of all exams) can be attributed to students classified as "not tested-other," a category the state said primarily consists of opt-outs. Students who transferred schools during PARCC administration or who already met graduation requirements for standardized testing also received the same "not tested-other" label.

Since each student is supposed to take two exams (math and English), at least 96,683 students fell into the "other" category.

Even without an exact number of test refusals, supporters of the opt-out movement declared the statistics a victory for their cause. Some parents held their children out of the tests as a protest against education reforms and standardized testing.

"Gov. (Chris) Christie needs to listen to the parents of our state," parent group Save Our Schools New Jersey said.

The state Department of Education has said it plans to continue PARCC testing for the foreseeable future and it's concerned students who could have benefitted from PARCC were "swept up in misinformation campaigns."

2. Support for the opt-out movement varied greatly between districts

Further analysis of the state data shows that the opt-out movement's support has much stronger roots in some communities than others.

Four regional districts for high school or middle school students reported more than 50 percent of their PARCC tests as "not taken-other." Northern Highlands Regional High School in Bergen County had the highest rate at 69 percent.

Another 33 districts had more than 25 percent of their tests not taken for "other" reasons

But there were no signs of opt outs in the data for other schools; 90 districts reported that no one missed the test for those reasons.

The state withheld PARCC participation data for more than 80 other districts because the number of students who missed PARCC was too small to report without jeopardizing students' confidentiality, the state said.

3. White and African American students had the lowest participation rates.

Combining the math and language arts tests, white students had an 83 percent PARCC participation rate, just behind African American students at 84 percent.

Among the four racial groups with full data reported (white, African American, Asian and Hispanic), white or African American students also had the lowest participation rates on many of the individual exams.

Asian students had the highest overall participation rate (93 percent) and Hispanic students (89 percent) also participated at a higher rate than white or African American students.

The divide between racial groups was most pronounced at the high school level. See the chart below for participation on the highest-level math tests.

4. Economically disadvantaged students were more likely to participate in PARCC than students who are not disadvantaged.

This is evident both in the overall percentage of students who took the exams and in participation among district factor groups, a classification of districts by their socioeconomic status.

Combining the PARCC math and English exams for all grades, economically disadvantaged students posted an 88 percent participation rate compared to 84 percent for students who were not economically disadvantaged.

Similarly, the groups of districts with a lower socioeconomic status participated in PARCC at a higher rate.

The district factor group that includes districts such as Newark, Camden and Atlantic City, had a collective 88 percent PARCC participation rate. The next group, with districts such as Lodi and Plainfield, had an 89 percent participation rate.

Meanwhile the group including Mount Olive, Highland Park and similar districts posted an 83 percent participation rate.

The two groups with the most affluent districts, such as Montclair and Millburn, both had an 84 percent participation rate.

5. Female students were more likely to sit out PARCC in high school than their male classmates.

Overall participation was nearly even between genders with 86 percent of male students participating in grades 3-11 and 85 percent of female students. But the gap was wider on tests for older students.

See the chart below for each gender's PARCC participation on high school English and math exams.

Stephen Stirling contributed to this report

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
TRENTON -- As state Sen. Sandra Cunningham met with college students in recent months, she noticed a disturbing trend, she said.

New Jersey's high school graduates have been going off to college with little knowledge about financial aid and student debt, Cunningham told the Senate Higher Education Committee on Monday.

"Every one of those students talked about the fact that they had no idea about what kinds of things would available to them financially," Cunningham (D-Hudson) said.

Cunningham and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) are pushing legislation they think will change that. Their bill, passed by the Higher Education Committee, would make it a high school graduation requirement for students to meet with a school counselor and receive information on grants, student loans and repayment of debt.

"One of the things that we wanted to make sure that we did was not leave it up to (schools and students)," Cunningham said. "We wanted to make it mandatory."

The bill (S990) comes as the cost of college continues to rise in New Jersey and recent college graduates across the country struggle to pay off mountains of debt incurred through student loans.

New Jersey created a task force to study college affordability last year, and students from several colleges told the panel they didn't learn enough in high school about the cost of college and their options for paying for it.

The bill would require students to meet with a counselor in either their sophomore or junior year to discuss state and federal tuition assistance programs, including grants and scholarships. Counselors would also need to provide information about student loan debt, the requirements for repaying that debt and the consequences for failing to do so.

If approved by the full Senate, the Assembly and Gov. Chris Christie, the bill would take effect for students who start high school this fall.

Debra Bradley, director of government relations for the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, said the organization supports the bill.

"These issues are a major concern to both students and parents alike as they face the issue of making realistic choices," Bradley said.

However, Bradley said the state should give schools flexibility in deciding the best time to provide the information to students.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

Important N.J. people and places in black history

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Ralph Hunter, president and founder of the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, standing in front of the painting, For I Am, by artist Imo Nse Imeh at the museum in Newtonville.

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

South Jersey has its own museum dedicated to African American history

Founded by Ralph E. Hunter Sr., the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey is the result of Hunter's passion of collecting "treasures" which includes a copy of "Little Black Sambo" by Helen Bannerman  a book he bought in order to get it off the market. The book is part of a collection that includes paintings, ceramics, advertising and branding memorabilia that portrays African Americans in both a flattering and unflattering way. There are now two museums  one in Atlantic City and one in Newtonville.

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The Workers House Gallery in the village of historic Smithville Park currently houses a preview of the Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County.

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

Burlington County was part of an area known as the 'Cradle of Emancipation'

African Americans were living on Burlington Island as early as 1659, one of the earliest places in New Jersey to have a black presence. By 1790, the county had the largest free black population in the entire state. Burlington and the Delaware Valley is known as the Cradle of Emancipation because slaves were first manumitted on a large scale in that area. The large population and strong presence of Quakers  the first organized group to speak against slavery  enabled South Jersey to be a pacesetter in black emancipation.

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Linda Waller and Clarence Still, members of the Lawnside Historic Society, are shown in front of the Mott House in Lawnside which is more than 160 years old Mott House in Lawnside. (Photo by Jack Kanthal)

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

South Jersey is home to the first self-governing black municipality north of the Mason-Dixon Line

Lawnside was developed and incorporated as the first independent, self-governing black municipality north of the Mason-Dixon Line in 1840. The land was purchased in 1840 by abolitionists who wanted to establish a community for freed and escaped slaves, and other African Americans. The town was originally known as Snow Hill and Free Haven, but was then named for a train station built by the Reading Railroad along the Atlantic City Railroad in 1907.

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The Peter Mott House in Lawnside was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. (File photo)

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

Peter Mott's house was an important stop on the Underground Railroad

Peter Mott was an African American farmer who built a house in Lawnside in 1844. He and his wife Elizabeth provided refuge to escaping slaves during the years leading up to the Civil War. The house was saved from demolition by the Lawnside Historical Society, and moved to the corner of Moore and Gloucester avenues in Lawnside. The house is open on Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. Call 856-546-8850 for more information.

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Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church provided shelter for runaway slaves during the Underground Railroad movement.

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

Fleeing slaves hid under the floorboards of the Mount Zion Church

Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1799 in what is now Woolwich Township. As one of the most important stops on the Underground Railroad, the church actively provided protection, supplies, and shelter for runaway slaves. A secret three-foot-by-four-foot trap door in the floor of the churchs vestibule provided access to a hiding place in a crawlspace.

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The Goodwin sisters lived on Market Street in Salem where they provided food, clothing, and shelter for escaping slaves during the Underground Railroad movement.

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

The Goodwin sisters provided food, clothing, and shelter to runaway slaves

Abigail Goodwin and her sister Elizabeth welcomed fleeing slaves into their home at 47 Market Street in Salem during the Underground Railroad movement. The sisters collected food, clothing, and financial donations for the slaves who came through their home in search of freedom. In 2008, the Goodwin Sisters House was the first location in the state to be accepted into the National Park Services National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program.

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Pastor Clabon Bogan Jr., outside of the First Baptist Church of Jericho which is more than 100 years old. (Tim Hawk | For NJ.com)

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

Jericho was an oasis of freedom for many freed slaves

One of the first free communities in the area, Jericho was settled by runaway slaves and Quakers. The village originally consisted of only a few houses, but grew quickly and was an important stop on the Underground Railroad.

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John S. Rock who was born in Salem, went on to become the first black lawyer to practice in from of the Supreme Court. (File photo)

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

The first black lawyer to practice in front of the Supreme Court lived in Salem

John S. Rock was born to free, black parents in Salem in 1825. He worked as a teacher for four years and later, was accepted into the American Medical College in Philadelphia. He graduated in 1852 and went on to open a medical and dental office in Massachusetts. He began treating fugitive slaves and soon called on the government to end slavery. Soon he began studying law and in 1861, became one of the first African Americans to be admitted to the Massachusetts Bar before the Civil War. In 1865, he became the first black lawyer to go before the Supreme Court.

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Harold Gould talks with Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins before the Jackie Robinson Day ceremony at Citizens Bank Park in 2008. (File photo)

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

Gouldtown's Harold Gould was a starting pitcher in the Negro Baseball League

Harold Gould was a pitcher with the Philadelphia Stars in the Negro Baseball League from 1947 to 1948. In 1949, he went to play for the Farnham Pirates in the Quebec Provincial League in 1949. Gould is featured on a mural that was unveiled in 2014 near is hometown in Fairfield Township.

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Ragtime musician Eubie Blake (left) speaks with Red Banks William Count Basie (right) who is regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time. (Photo provided)

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

Influential jazz musician Count Basie hails from Red Bank

Born on Aug. 21, 1904 in Red Bank, Count Basie became one of jazz music' all-time greats. Known for shaping the "big band sound," Basie is responsible for songs such as "One O'clock Jump" and "Blue Skies,," and, in 1958, became the first African American to receive a Grammy Award. He continued to make music and win Grammys until he died in Florida in 1984.

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Jacob Lawrence's 1999 creation, 'Games, Pocket Pool, is one of more than 200 paintings he created during his 60 year career. (AP Photo/Whitney Museum of American Art)

Kelly Roncace | For NJ.com

An Atlantic City native painted the 'Migration of the Negro'

Jacob Lawrence was born in Atlantic City in 1917 and is considered one of the most influential painters of the 20th century. Lawrence was the first black artist to be represented by a major, commercial gallery, and the first to receive mainstream recognition. His best known piece is called Migration of the Negro, which was produced in 1940. Lawrence died in 2000.
NEWARK -- No love for the Brick City.

The personal finance website WalletHub has released its new "Best and Worst Cities for Valentine's Day," and in the list of the 100 most populous cities in America, Newark is ranked at lowly 96.

Positioning is based on 15 metrics, the website explains, from restaurant-meal costs to number of attractions to number of florists per capita -- a statistic where Newark was ranked 98th.

The only hubs below New Jersey's largest city are San Bernardino, Calif., Cleveland, Detroit and Hialeah, Fla.

San Francisco, Scottsdale, Ariz. and Honolulu top the chart.

Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
This is not so much news as confirmation of the inevitable: Terese Giudice, wife, mother of four, self-proclaimed "New Yorks Times bestsellers author" and ex-convict, is returning to "Real Housewives of New Jersey" for a seventh season.

"For me, this season is all about letting go of the past and embracing the future," she tells Bravo's Daily Dish blog. "People are calling me Teresa 2.0."

"RHONJ" producer Andy Cohen made the announcement on his SiriusXM show Monday, the day before Giudice is set to appear on his "Watch What Happens" talk show to promote her new memoir, "Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again," which also comes out Tuesday. Giudice, who served 11 months in prison for fraud and six weeks in home detention at her Montville Township mansion, finished her sentence on Friday.

Cohen also said that Giudice's sister-in-law Melissa Gorga and frenemy Jacqueline Laurita would return for the seventh season, but did not comment on the long-swirling rumors that they would be joined by four new faces from North Jersey. He also did not say exactly when the show would return other than "later this year."

"Say what you want about Teresa and what she has done," Cohen says on his show. "What I say is that she paid her time, and some would argue that she got way more time had it not been such a high-profile case. ... She gave up everything. The woman has served her time. She is paying back her debt to society and the government, and I think that like everyone else, Teresa deserves a second chance."

TV HANGOVER SHOW: Reviewing 'Grease: Live' musical on FOX

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Cohen says he hasn't seen Giudice since a "very emotional" and "top-secret" lunch meeting in December 2014, 10 days before she went to prison, and he won't see her until she shows up on "Watch What Happens" Tuesday night. Crews have been filming the upcoming season of "RHONJ" since before Giudice got out of prison in December, and he also said that there would not be a separate Giudice special, a la "Teresa Checks In" last fall.

Here is Bravo's synopsis for the seventh season:

This season, Teresa looks to repair fractured relationships with her family and friends. As her release from prison brings the Giudice family back together, the reunion is short-lived as they prepare for Joe to begin his sentence at the end of March. Hoping to repair relationships with her brother and sister-in-law, Teresa reconnects with Joe and Melissa to permanently put the past behind them. Meanwhile, Jacqueline, whose main focus continues to be helping her autistic son, longs for the "Lucy and Ethel" friendship she had with Teresa and is willing to bury the past if it means a more light-hearted future.

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here.

TV HANGOVER SHOW: Reviewing 'Grease: Live' musical on FOX
NEWARK -- Three men pleaded not guilty on Monday to a murder charge in the beating death of a college student in Newark last summer.

Eric Santiago, 26, of Belleville, and Jonathan Tejada, 23, and Edgardo Mendez, 25, both of Newark, entered the pleas through their attorneys when they were arraigned before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler in connection with the July 9 slaying of Robert Hayes, 20, of Newark.

The three men were indicted on Jan. 15 on a murder charge in Hayes's death.

Santiago and Tejada remain in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $500,000 and $250,000 bail amounts, respectively. Mendez was released on Nov. 11 after posting $250,000 bail.

Following the hearings, Hayes's mother could be heard yelling through tears outside the courtroom "They kill my boy!" and "Oh God, help me!" An Essex County Sheriff's officer ultimately escorted the woman to an elevator.

Authorities have said Hayes was discovered naked, beaten and unresponsive by a passerby on the morning of July 9 near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Verona Avenue in Newark's North Ward.

Robert Hayes, 20, of Newark, died on July 9 after he was found naked, beaten and unresponsive on a city street. Three men are facing a murder charge in his death.

Hayes was transported to University Hospital in Newark and pronounced dead later that day. His family members have said Hayes suffered a severe head trauma and was declared by doctors to be brain dead.

Hayes was a student at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, where he was majoring in national security studies at New Jersey City University and was scheduled to graduate in 2016, according to his father, Robert Carpenter. Carpenter said Hayes had dreams of becoming a federal law enforcement agent.

While pursuing that goal, Hayes worked as a concierge at luxury apartment buildings in Bayonne and Jersey City.

The series of events leading to Hayes's death began when he had an alleged dispute with Santiago and Tejada, both of whom Hayes knew, according to Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Paul Bradley, who is handling the case

Several hours later, Hayes, Santiago and Tejada allegedly had a physical altercation, Bradley said. Then in the same location hours later, Santiago, Tejada and Mendez are accused of attacking Hayes, ultimately killing him, Bradley said.

Tejada was arrested in July and Mendez was arrested in September. Santiago remained at large until December, when he was captured in Florida.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
N.J.'s Best Bars Day One

Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell. (Saed Hindash | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

CALDWELL -- Is the best beer bar in America in New Jersey?

The Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell is one of 20 bars across the country nominated in the USA Today "Best Beer Bar" readers' choice contest, and is currently in second place.

"I think it's a testament to the loyalty of our followers and the quality of our staff," Ryan Dorchak, who co-owns the bar with his dad, said in a phone interview Monday.

"It makes me feel good to know that people out there are recognizing what we do."

The bar, Dorchak said, focuses on serving a mix of mainstream and craft beers, and preserving their unique flavors in storage and serving. One of its missions, he said, is to make sure servers and customers are educated about beer.

"It's not just about finding good beer...there's a lot that goes into properly maintaining and serving it," Dorchak said.

The Cloverleaf is no stranger to recognition. It's twice been voted the best craft beer in the northeast by Craftbeer.com, and was a semi-finalist in NJ.com's best bar competition.

According to the Dorchak, the bar serves more than 700 different craft beers each year. Founded in 1933 by Dorchak's grandfather, it is the oldest family-owned business in Caldwell, owners say.

The Cloverleaf is the only New Jersey bar nominated in the contest, which is also asking readers to rank a variety of other spots across the U.S. in categories ranging from best airport restaurant to favorite beer festival (Atlantic City's Beer and Music Festival is nominated.)

Voting in the USA Today contest runs through Feb. 29.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- The city woman who was found dead yesterday in her home was stabbed to death, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said today.

Lucila Cardenas-Viejo, 81, was found in her home at 64A Lexington Ave. "on the floor of her living room with multiple stab wounds and sharp force injuries," Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Hernandez said today.

The murder is the second of the year in Jersey City.

Jersey City police officer had responded at 10:31 a.m. on a report of an unresponsive female. Cardenas-Viejo was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:53 a.m., Hernandez said, adding that at this time, no arrests have been made.

The Prosecutor's Homicide Unit is actively investigating the case with assistance from the Jersey City Police Department.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office at (201) 915-1345. All calls will be kept confidential, Hernandez said.
Balmir-Fulop.jpg

Freeholder Gerard Balmir, left, and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop have been at odds since October, when Fulop learned Balmir's wife is working for likely gubernatorial rival Senate President Stephen Sweeney. Jesse Brothers | The Jersey Journal

(Jersey Journal file photo)

A Jersey City freeholder who recently had a very public battle with Mayor Steve Fulop is raising eyebrows by hiring an aide who lives in Bergen County and works for the East Orange mayor.

The mayor's allies say Freeholder Gerard Balmir, whose wife works for Senate President Stephen Sweeney, hired his new aide with one eye on the next gubernatorial race. Both Fulop and Sweeney are expected to seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2017.

"If you're a freeholder representing the third district, your resources should be here," said Jeff Dublin, the former freeholder Balmir unseated in 2014. "He just doesn't know enough Jersey City people."

Balmir shrugged off any criticism of his aide's place of residence.

"I'm not surprised by Mr. Dublin's willingness to do other people's bidding," Balmir told The Jersey Journal. "Rather than play politics, I'm focused on the serious issues affecting District Three, one of them being banning the sale of toy guns that look real."

Balmir hired East Rutherford woman Shatera Smith in November to be his aide, at $20,000 annually. A request for comment from Smith was not returned.

Balmir has been persona non grata in Fulop's circle since they learned his wife, T. Missy Balmir, took a job with Sweeney. Fulop, who hand-picked Balmir for the freeholder seat in 2014, raged to PolitickerNJ about his wife's new job in October, telling the site he's "never met anyone who's more disloyal or honest."

A Balmir ally who asked not to be identified said the reason the freeholder went outside the county looking for an aide is simple: fear of Fulop reprisal.

"Anybody they can get their hands on, they're going to do everything they can to destroy them," the ally said.

Asked to respond, Dublin said, "That is not the case."

Dublin is a fairly recent addition to the team of Fulop's allies. He sided with former mayor Jerramiah Healy in the 2013 mayoral race and was challenged in 2014 by Balmir because Balmir was expected to be a Fulop loyalist.

Observers believe Dublin is hoping to win his seat back from Balmir next year.

Each of the county's nine freeholders get a $20,000 budget to hire aides. They can hire one for the total amount or split it between multiple assistants. The nine freeholders currently employ a total of 34 aides. Smith is the only one who makes the $20,000 maximum.

Public records indicate Smith makes about $32,000 working for East Orange.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
Hoboken officials search Hudson River on Jan. 26, 2015

A search for a man in the water commenced Tuesday, Jan. 26. Pictured, news crews, the Hoboken mayor and Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante survey the scene. (Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

(Laura Herzog)

HOBOKEN -- Soon after the recent discovery of a young Hoboken man's body in the Hudson River, discussions suggesting there were links to other drownings in the city and to a larger debunked conspiracy theory started to appear in comments on news stories and in social media.

24-year-old Matthew Genovese was found in the Hudson River in Hoboken on Jan. 26, after last being seen drinking with friends days before at a local pub. Genovese had left the pub to walk home alone.

Despite authorities asserting that there are no indications of "foul play" in the case, several people have commented online linking Genovese -- and three other cases in the past two years in which young men also ended up in the Hudson River in Hoboken after last being seen drinking with friends -- to a roughly 10-year-old conspiracy theory that was debunked six years ago by a leading center for homicide research.

The most recent of the other three cases involved a man last seen leaving a bar in Manhattan, whose body was found in Hoboken on Christmas. In 2014 a man went missing in Hoboken after drinking with friends and then jogging along the riverfront. His body was discovered the next month (his death was ruled an accidental drowning). Another man claimed that he was thrown in the river by some mysterious men after a pub crawl in Hoboken.

A Facebook group called "Hoboken Has a Serial Killer," popped up within hours of the news of Genovese's discovery, on Jan. 26.

The page, which now has over 170 members, mentions the "Smiley Face Murder Theory," which claims that dozens of young men -- whose bodies were found in bodies of water after they were last seen drinking in the Midwest and Northeast -- were murdered. A news report about Genovese was also posted on the "Smiley Face Killers" community page on Facebook.

Why does the Center for Homicide Research believe the theory is not credible?

1. There is a problem of time-order.

2. Graffiti is omnipresent.

3. None of the smiley faces exactly match one another.

4. The word "Sinsiniwa" [which also has been found at several scenes] is a red herring.

5. No criteria has been established specifying the necessary distance that a smiley face must occur in proximity to a deceased body in order to be counted.

6. There is no evidence of victim trauma.

7. Homicidal drowning is extremely rare.

8. The idea that water washes away all the evidence is a myth.

9. These drownings don't fit a serial killer motive.

10. Confessions by correctional inmates are unreliable.

11. The general environment of these disappearances are conducive to accidental drowning.

12. The supposition that only males are drowning does not necessarily support a serial killer theory.

13. La Crosse, Wisconsin foot patrols and police have stopped over 50 intoxicated persons (fall 2006 through February 2010) from approaching the river late at night.

14. The process by which intoxicated men accidentally fall into the river is already known and well-documented.

15. Many of these drowning cases are likely to have involved aspects of autoassassination.

16. Malicious drugging of victims is unsupportable by the evidence.

17. Presence of GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) in the victims' bodies does not indicate whether these victims were maliciously drugged or they knowingly administered the substance themselves.

18. The drowning of college students is not limited by region, but by climate.

*From "Drowning the Smiley Face Murder Theory," The Center for Homicide Research (2010). The complete explanations are available here.

In response to rumors and inquiries about the conspiracy, Hoboken officials tried to dismiss any such claims last Friday.

"Every case (of entry into the Hudson River from Hoboken) has been determined to be accidental or voluntary entries into the river," Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante and Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer said in a joint statement.

The theory, which gained its name from "smiley face" graffiti found near some of the police scenes, has been derided by skeptical researchers. It was promoted starting in the 2000s by two retired New York Police Department detectives, Anthony Duarte and Kevin Gannon, who now work at a private New York-based investigation firm called "Nationwide Investigations."

In 2010, the Minnesota-based Center for Homicide Research released a list of 18 reasons it believes the theory deserves to be dismissed, based on a review of news articles and other studies (see box).

Dallas Drake, the co-founder of the Center for Homicide Research and its principal researcher, said those promoting this theory are making unreasonable conclusions.

"What about the (drunk-driving) car crashes? We don't jump to the conclusion that 'people are trying to drive these people off the road.' No, they're drunk drivers," he said.

Drake said that cases of drunk people ending up in the water are actually very common and explainable, and people's willingness to believe in a serial killer stems from that "it's more exciting," on top of society's sick mesmerization with investigating -- certain kinds -- of murder.

Barna Donovan, a professor of communications at St. Peter's University who specializes in conspiracy theories, said that he believes that people start these sorts of conspiracy theories because "if you're believing in it, you're feeling like you're smarter, you're more 'in the know' than anyone else."

Conspiracy theories are also getting more "shocking" to get attention in this media landscape, and more "cruel": a symptom of the current fractious political culture, he said.

"It's a big enough tragedy if your son or your brother drowns, but then to mention 'maybe they were murdered, maybe there was suffering before he died,' that adds extra pain for the families,'" Donovan added.

John Paitakes, a Seton Hall University criminal justice professor, who served as a probation officer in New Jersey for 29 years and on the New Jersey State Parole Board for six years, said that laymen who are connecting these theories to particular cases need to remember that they don't have all the facts the authorities have.

"People are going off the sound bites and what they may see. They're not necessarily seeing the totality of the circumstances," he said. "I think a lot of times people jump to conclusions without having all the facts."

Gannon, who first promoted the theory and wrote the book "Case Studies in Drowning Forensics," also cautioned people about jumping to conclusions. A 20-year veteran of the NYPD, he told NJ Advance Media on Friday he has looked into the "Smiley Killer" theory for 10 years and believes there are several killers.

He added that the Hoboken cases may merit more investigation but he added he could not say whether there was any connection between these cases and his theory, without investigating himself.

"I would never jump to the conclusion. I wouldn't want people passing that information around, that 'this is the Smiley Face Killer.' People love conspiracy theories, you know that, but I don't deal in conspiracy theory," he said. "That's not an investigator. You have to deal in cold, hard forensic facts.

Gannon, who asserted he hasn't profited from his past research and just wants to help families, said he does not think the Center for Homicide Research's report is credible, because unlike his book, the report isn't original homicide research.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A Jersey City man who police say held his wife and one other person hostage on Saturday afternoon has been charged with seven counts of attempted murder after shooting at officers responding to the standoff.

Henry A. Merette, 29, of Martin Luther King Drive off Armstrong Avenue, is also charged with multiple weapons offenses related to a 9mm handgun, aggravated assault, making terroristic threats and criminal restraint, the criminal complaint states.

The complaint states Merette forced his way into the Bergen Avenue apartment with a gun drawn and tied up the victims. It alleges he punched, slapped and kicked the target of his rage in the head, face and body in an attempt to cause serious bodily injury. The woman was later take to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health for treatment, an official said.

Merette allegedly fired two rounds through the apartment door at officers trying to talk to him during the incident that began around 12:40 p.m. Officers of the police Emergency Services Unit and a hostage negotiator also responded to the scene, officials said, adding that no officers were injured.

Within about an hour, police entered the apartment, rescued the woman and arrested Marette without incident. The victim's sister had called police and advised them of the situation at the residence, adding that there were firearms in the apartment. Two guns were recovered, Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said.

Attempted murder carries a possible sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison upon conviction.

Merette made his first court appearance on the charges this afternoon in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny. His bail was to be set later in Superior Court due to the seriousness of the charges.
JERSEY CITY -- A 30-year-old Jersey City man pleaded guilty this morning to murdering his wife by strangulation and stabbing following an argument on Aug. 9, 2013, and he will face 30 years in prison with no chance of parole.

"I want to see him rot in prison," said Beverly Reid, the mother of Crystal Reid, 28, who was murdered by Jermaine McFadden around 11:30 p.m. in an apartment belonging to a relative of the victim on Bergen Avenue near Bidwell Avenue, officials said.

As several of Reid's relatives listened on, McFadden admitted that on the night of the murder he and Reid had an argument, and he put his hands around her neck and strangled her.

Through questioning by his attorney Kevin Pervin, McFadden also admitted that he stabbed Reid a number of times and that his actions caused her death. At the hearing, the state was represented by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Lynne Seborowski.

Police arriving on the scene that night found Reid lying motionless on the floor with multiple stab wounds to her upper body and other trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Upon arriving at the scene, officials found McFadden being restrained by relatives inside the apartment where Reid's body was found, authorities said at the time.

McFadden previously served roughly 41/2 years in prison for drugs and robbery convictions, according to the state Department of Corrections website. He had last been released from prison almost exactly a year before murdering Reid.

McFadden is scheduled for sentencing on March 18 before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.

Reid's family members did not provide further comment before leaving.

McFadden must also serve five years of supervised release after his prison term.
Donald Carter said he first found his rhythm beating pencils on his desk at his elementary school in Harlem. That rhythm turned him into a renowned jazz drummer and a respected member of the Jersey City community.

Carter, an accomplished musician and educator, died at the age of 72 on Dec. 26 at the Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health.

A memorial service for Carter will be held Wednesday at Riotto Funeral Home, 3205 Kennedy Blvd. in Jersey City. The ceremony is being organized by the Jersey City VFW Post 2294, because Carter, a Vietnam veteran, was a member of the post. Interment, with military honors, will follow at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City.

The delay between Carter's death and the memorial service was the result of the search for Carter's next of kin. It appears that Carter had no remaining family, funeral home officials said.

Daoud-David Williams, founder of Jersey City's Community Awareness Series, said the local community lost a great presence with Carter's death.

"He was a definite fixture here in the community," said Williams, who knew Carter for 40 years. "A lot of people knew him and loved him. A lot of people have been rewarded by his presence and through his music. The people of Jersey City, Hudson County, and the metropolitan area, have lost a real champion of music and the arts."

Born in Harlem on May 7, 1943, Carter moved to Jersey City as a teenager with his father, a paper mill worker. Around that time, Carter started playing the drums and he eventually formed his own band in 1971.

In a career that spanned five decades, Carter shared sound booths and stages with some of the greats, from Dizzy Gillespie to Lionel Hampton to Kool and the Gang.

Carter became a figure in Hudson County's jazz community through Don Carter Trio performances at local venues and restaurants. The trio was still active until Carter's death, and he had recently been performing for the the Jersey City Community Awareness Series.

Patrick Poladian, the piano player for the Don Carter Trio, said he regarded Carter as a professional who was also capable of playing with emotion. Poladian said Carter played with a "swing" rhythm, a grooving style intended to create a visceral reaction from the audience.

"To 'swing' is to play with a lot of feeling, and he liked that," said Poladian. "He was so completely immersed in music.

Carter was also accomplished in the world of academia, both as a student and teacher. Carter, who earned a Master's in education from St. Peter's College and a doctorate in education from Seton Hall University, lectured and taught at various schools in the subjects of jazz, black history and literature.

Before his professional careers, Carter served as a combat medic for the Army during the Vietnam War. Carter earned a Purple Heart for his service and went on to join the Jersey City VFW around 2014.

Despite his short time as a VFW post member, Carter made an impression on his fellow veterans.

"He talked about (his music career) very often," said Tony Goodson, a friend of Carter's and the VFW member who's organizing his service. "I was surprised, pleasantly, to see somebody so dedicated like that."

Goodson, also a Vietnam veteran, knew Carter for decades, but became closer with him last year when he joined the organization.

"We signed him up and discovered he was a Vietnam vet and that meant everything to me," said Goodson. "I kind of gravitated to him because he had expressed to me that this was one of the best things to happen (to him)."

Journal Staff Writer Michaelangelo Conte contributed to this report.
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A person was fatally shot on Martin Luther King Drive near Oak Avenue yesterday evening, according to a police transmission.

(Google Maps )

JERSEY CITY -- A person was fatally shot on Martin Luther King Drive near Oak Street yesterday evening, according to a police transmission.

At about 8:10 p.m., police were called to 455 MLK Drive on reports of two shots fired, according to the transmission.

When officers arrived, they found an unresponsive victim in critical condition, officers said in the transmission. The victim was was believed to have been shot once in the chest, according to the transmission.

Witnesses at the scene told police they saw a tall, heavyset male fleeing the area toward Ocean Avenue, officers said in the transmission.

Initially, one shell casing had been recovered at the intersection, police said in the transmission.

The victim was rushed to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health, were he was pronounced dead at about 8:45 p.m., according to the transmission.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office was not immediately available to provide information on the investigation.

Last night's shooting comes after the HCPO spent several hours investigation a "suspicious" death on Lexington Avenue. It has not yet been announced if the Lexington Avenue woman's death has been ruled a homicide.
JERSEY CITY -- The man gunned down in Jersey City last night was sitting in a car with a woman and baby when he was fatally shot, a local resident says.

The woman, who lives in the neighborhood in which a man was gunned down last night, said she heard multiple gunshots in the area, but didn't initially think much of it.

"I heard the gunshot, but I thought it was firecrackers or something because I thought it was for the Super Bowl," she said.

It was when she went downstairs that she overheard the man had been shot inside a white car near Martin Luther King Drive and Oak Street.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office has not released any information surrounding the investigation.

According to a police radio transmission, the victim was shot a short time after 8 p.m. and pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health about a half hour later.

The resident said she heard the shooter "came right up on him and shot him." She identified the victim as Christopher Jackson.

According to police radio transmissions, the female witness to the shooting did have a child with her.

Another woman on Twitter also identified the victim as Jackson:

Seeing Christopher Jackson in the @jerseyjournal as the next homicide in #jerseycity is gonna tear me apart. Damn I can't believe he's gone  Megan Taylor (@darkdzyerz) February 8, 2016

No additional information surrounding the investigation has been released.

The man's death was the second of two fatal incidents yesterday. Earlier in the day, an 81-year-old woman was found stabbed to death inside her Lexington Avenue home. Her death was ruled a homicide today.
JERSEY CITY -- The woman found dead inside a home on Lexington Avenue was a devout Catholic with a good heart, a friend of the victim said.

At about 10:30 a.m., police responded to 64A Lexington Ave. on reports of a woman found laying on the floor with "knives all around her," according to a police transmission.

Clotilda Beltran, a woman praying at the scene this afternoon, said she and the victim, believed to be in her 80s, have been friends for more than 15 years.

"She was a wonderful religious person," Beltran said of her friend, who attended St. Aloysius Church on West Side Avenue. "We lost a good person, there's no words to say."

Officials have not yet released the woman's identity.

This morning, Gene Rubino, Acting Chief of Detectives for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, said the department was investigating a "suspicious death."

Homicide detectives have been canvassing the neighborhood all afternoon, though Rubino has not responded to comment on whether the death is in fact a homicide.

Beltran said she and the women praying at the scene heard about what happened while at church this morning. When she heard the news, she fell to her knees and began to cry.

"She's my sister in Christ, she's everyone's sister in Christ, she's a wonderful lady," Beltran said. "We're always together, like Jesus said, like God say, we should be together especially in things like this."

Beltran said it was important to come out and show their support for the family during this tough time.

Earlier this afternoon, a neighbor described the woman as "very friendly."

The man, who declined to provide his name, said he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary last night, but this morning the victim did not answer her phone.

According to a radio transmission, a dispatcher said the woman was believed to be dead, and it appeared "someone had stabbed her to death."

Beltran said there are "no words to say" to describe the loss, except that her friend was always helping people.

"We lost a sister, we lost a mother, we lost a good friend and good human being, she was a wonderful person."

Residents in the neighborhood were stunned to see the blocked cornered off with crime scene tape.

"I don't know this family right here, but I lost a loved one," said a woman who identified herself at Ronald Witherspoon's aunt. "My heart is heavy."

Family at the scene this afternoon declined comment. No additional information has been provided by officials.
The Hunterdon 300th, formerly the Hunterdon Tricentennial Committee, has announced its 2016 program of events titled "Hunterdon During the American Revolution."

This year marks the 240th anniversary of the beginning of the War for Independence. The series includes lectures, tours, events, children's historical craft projects, Colonial Camp at the Red Mill Museum, music and even a Kitchen Hearth Luncheon in a 1758 home, all around the theme of Hunterdon in the 18th century, according to a news release.

In 1776, Hunterdon County included land reached all the way south to the Assumpink Creek in Trenton.

"When General George Washington crossed the Delaware, he crossed from Bucks County into Hunterdon County, and when he fought the Battle of Trenton, that was in Hunterdon County, too," said Marcia Karrow, chairperson of the Hunterdon 300th committee.

In June, the 300th explores both crossings of Washington - the famous one that is re-enacted every year on Christmas morning, and the not so famous second crossing at Coryell's Ferry in Lambertville.

Both Battles of Trenton are also on the lecture front, again, most people only are aware of the one that is re-enacted in early January.

Richard Patterson, the executive director of the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, will be giving the lecture on both crossings and both battles on June 7 and the following Saturday, June 11, Patterson and County Historian Stephanie Stevens will be leading a tour around the historic areas of Trenton as "bus docents."

That trip includes stops at the Old Barracks, the Trent House, and throughout the city to visit important Revolutionary War sites. The bus will make a special stop to see the location of the original Hunterdon County Courthouse in Trenton, long gone, where the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time on July 8, 1776.

Some of the highlights of the year's 30-plus events include:

a walking tour of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Washington Crossing State Parks with park expert and author Larry Kidder on May 21

two fashion shows: one of ladies 18th century clothing on October 18 and another of men's military uniforms and armaments on March 29

a tell all lecture about daily life in the 18th century titled "What Was 18th Century's Charmin? And More Answers to Questions You Never Asked!" on April 19

tours of Revolutionary War soldiers' graves and a re-enactment of the Skirmish at Geary's Ridge tentatively scheduled for Dec. 10.

Special lectures include:

new research by Delaware Township Historian Emerita, Marfy Goodspeed, on Revolutionary War pension records on Oct. 23

a lecture about the flags of the American Revolution by American Flag expert Richard Pierce on Flag Day, June 14

a fanciful, historical lecture by historians Dan and Marty Campanelli about the historic taverns of colonial Hunterdon County on Nov. 1.

Dan Campanelli, a renowned watercolorist known for his beautiful paintings of many of Hunterdon's stone houses and farms, has used his artistic talent in interpreting what the tavern signs might have looked like.

The kickoff lecture is on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at the Main Branch of the Hunterdon County Library on Route 12 in Raritan Township at 7 p.m.

In honor of Black History Month, Fredric Minus, an African-American historian and re-enactor, will give the lecture "Black Slaves and Soldiers of the American Revolution." A total of 22 slaves and 12 "free men of color" aided General Washington as he crossed the Delaware from Pennsylvania to Hunterdon County.

Minus, a frequent lecturer, volunteer and re-enactor at the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton, grew up and was educated in Delaware. His interest in the Civil War peaked when he discovered that he had two great-great grandfathers that served in the Civil War. Minus joined the 3rd Regiment United States Colored Troops out of Philadelphia, one of the regiments started out of Camp William Penn of which his great, great, grandfathers were a part. He founded a Civil War re-enactment group in Trenton, the 6th Regiment United States Colored Troops.

Minus' awards include recognition proclamations by the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly as well as The Mercer County Executives. Certificates of appreciation from Camp Olden, Philadelphia American Revolution and Thomas Middleton Round Tables; Junteenth Hero Award; The NAACP, and the Outstanding Service Award from fellow Camp Mifflin Re-enactors.

For reservations to the Black History lecture on Feb. 16, as well as events in March, or for further information on the entire Revolutionary War series, visit the 300th's website, www.hunterdon300th.org, or 908-788-2030.
A man took his wife hostage, threatened to kill her and shot at Jersey City police at a Bergen Avenue apartment near Stegman Street on Saturday afternoon, city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said.

Just after 12:40 p.m., police responded to the scene, with arriving officers hearing the man state that he wanted to be killed by police, Morrill said.

After additional units responded, including the city's Emergency Services Unit and a hostage negotiator, the man -- whose name and age haven't been released -- fired two rounds through the apartment door at officers attempting to talk to him, she said.

No officers were injured, and within about an hour from the start of the incident, police gained access to the apartment, rescued the woman and took the shooter into custody without incident, according to Morrill.

The victim's sister had called police and advised them of the hostage situation and that there were firearms in the apartment, she said.

Police recovered two guns from the apartment, Morrill said.

The man's wife, who police said had been assaulted by him, was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health for injuries that weren't life-threatening. The man was also taken to the Medical Center.
Ewing fire file

File photo of Prospect Heights Volunteer Fire Company engine in Ewing.

EWING -- An 80-year-old woman was taken to the hospital early Sunday morning after a kitchen fire at her home in Ewing, police said.

Ewing police Sgt. Joseph Maglione said the woman may have inadvertently started the fire due to what police and firefighters call "careless cooking."

Maglione said investigators are not sure exactly what caused the blaze, but said it was not suspicious.

Maglione said township firefighters responded to the home in the 800 block of Bear Tavern Rd. at 6:52 a.m.

The woman was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton for evaluation, Maglione said. The woman's condition was not known Sunday evening, but police said she was not seriously injured when she was transported to the hospital.

The home suffered mainly smoke damage to the home, Maglione said.

Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
PRINCETON - A Princeton University Professor said she was arrested Saturday due to a three-year-old parking ticket and mistreated by police.

File photo

Imani Perry, a professor of African American Studies at the university, said in social media postings Sunday and Monday she was stopped and arrested because she failed to pay a parking ticket, then mistreated.

"The police treated me inappropriately and disproportionately," Perry said in a lengthy Facebook post. "The fact of my blackness is not incidental to this matter."

Princeton police confirmed that Perry was arrested on Saturday. She was stopped for driving 67 mph on Mercer Street in a 45 mph zone around 9:30 a.m., Lt. John Bucchere said.

Police determined she was driving on a suspended license and a warrant had been issued for her arrest, Lt. John Bucchere said.

The $130 warrant was issued for an unpaid parking ticket, Bucchere said.

"Perry was taken into custody pursuant to the warrant which is mandated protocol and required by state law," Bucchere said in a statement.

Perry was issued tickets for speeding and for driving on a suspended license. She was released after posting bail, Bucchere said.

Perry, who was vocal about her arrest on Twitter and Facebook, did not return multiple requests for comment Monday.

Perry on Twitter said she was patted down by a male officer when a woman officer was available, was denied a phone call before her arrest and said she was handcuffed to a table at the police station.

Bucchere said Perry was told she could have as many phone calls as she wanted once she was at the police station and that she was handcuffed while in the police station, which is standard procedure.

Bucchere was not immediately clear on whether she was searched by a male officer when a woman officer was present.

"I cannot ever say definitively that this specific mistreatment was a result of race," Perry said. "But I can say that what I experienced was far more likely because my skin is a deep brown, my nose is round, and my hair is coily. And given the accumulation of police violence against Black people in this society, my fear at being stopped and arrested as a Black woman was warranted and even reasonable."

Perry called her arrest "humiliating and frightening" and invoked the arrests of other black women, notably Sandra Bland, a Texas woman who was arrested and found dead in her jail cell several days later.

"I am here," Perry said. "My life has not been ruined or destroyed. And I must admit I am somewhat ashamed that my story will get more attention than those of others who have experienced things far worse that merit our response."

Yesterday, on my way to work, I was arrested in Princeton Township for a single parking ticket three years ago...  Imani Perry (@imaniperry) February 7, 2016

The police refused to allow me to make a call before my arrest, so that someone would know where I was...  Imani Perry (@imaniperry) February 7, 2016

There was a male and a female officer, but the male officer did the body search before cuffing me and putting me in the squad car.  Imani Perry (@imaniperry) February 7, 2016

I was handcuffed to a table at the station.  Imani Perry (@imaniperry) February 7, 2016

At any rate, I was afraid. Many women who look like me have a much more frightening end to such arrests.  Imani Perry (@imaniperry) February 7, 2016

But the larger point is that I'm working to move from being shaken to renewing my commitment to the struggle against racism & carcerality.  Imani Perry (@imaniperry) February 7, 2016

Several people have asked. I am ok. A bit shaken but mostly a matter of fact feeling. This is just the tip of the iceberg, right?  Imani Perry (@imaniperry) February 7, 2016

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.
An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more.

But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be  and shouldnt be  bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre.

Have an interest in what youre writing about

Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show.

If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words  within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating.

Include fascinating details

Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to.

Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting

When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read.

Borrow some creative writing techniques

Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting.

consider your own opinion

Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others.

Cut the waffle

Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem.

Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose.

employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing

Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them.

You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect.

Avoid repetitive phrasing

Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable.

Use some figurative language

Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know.

As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts  mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy.

Employ rhetorical questions

Anticipate the questions your reader might ask.

One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration.

Proofread

Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House Jan. 6 committee plans to unveil "surprising" details at its next public hearing about the 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol. The session Thursday afternoon is likely to be the last public hearing before midterm elections next month. The panel is expected to include new evidence from the U.S. Secret Service about its actions with Donald Trump that day. Ahead of a report later this year, the panel is summing up its findings. The committee says Trump, after he lost the 2020 presidential election, launched an unprecedented attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory. They say the result was the deadly mob siege of the Capitol.
Feb. 6, 2016 

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  U.S. Strategic Command systems detected and tracked what was assessed as a North Korean missile launch into space Feb. 6, 2016 at 7:29 p.m. EST.



The missile was tracked on a southerly launch over the Yellow Sea.

NORAD determined that at no time was the missile a threat to North America.

The men and women of USSTRATCOM, NORAD AND USNORTHCOM, AND USPACOM remain vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and are fully committed to working closely with our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies to maintain security.

For more information, contact the USSTRATCOM Public Affairs Office at 402-294-4130 or PA@stratcom.mil < Caution-mailto:PA@stratcom.mil > , or visit Caution-www.stratcom.mil.

For more information about NORAD, refer to Caution-http://www.norad.mil/ < Caution-http://www.norad.mil/Caution-Home.html >

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at Caution-http://www.facebook.com/noradnorthcom < Caution-http://www.facebook.com/noradnorthcom > and Caution-http://www.twitter.com/noradnorthcom < Caution-http://www.twitter.com/noradnorthcom >
Community

Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place.
Audience sings SSO music director candidate's praises

Selecting a conductor cant be easy.

The first of three candidates for conductor of the SSO, Melanie Leonard delivered a stellar performance this past Saturday at Glad Tidings. Photo by Hugh Kruzel.

Selecting a conductor cant be easy. How do you know if they are the right fit? Do they have the right stuff?



The Sudbury Symphony is searching for a new Maestro, and Saturday the first of three candidates had an opportunity to demonstrate her capabilities.



It is the best kind of job interview  patrons got to hear her rev the engine and make some volume. Something a little new, something a little old, a bit of fun, and guest conductor Melanie Leonard had the audience singing her praises.



Who wouldnt smile at the amusing introductions and melodies Leonard chose to showcase her skills. The repertoire selected gave insight into her intellect; a real crowd-pleaser of a program followed. It was brilliant, said first-time patron Matthew Wylliamson.



Canadian composer John Estachios 1998 Frenergy was the first piece of the evening. An amalgam of the words frenetic and energy, it begins with a thunderous introduction by the percussion who establish the infectious 6/8 pulse, said Estachio. It sure caught the audiences attention.



Throughout the five minutes of wild ride, the Maestra brought a take-charge attitude and broad sweeping gestures encouraged the orchestra to maximum output. The electric green monochrome of the projections seemed a natural fit with the mood and animation. Left hand lifted, directing, pulling or calming, her baton punctuated the air skillfully, calling each section to aspire to specific peaks. Hers were almost ballet-like gestures as the last note was caressed or captured with a single grand movement. She made watching music interesting, said Laura Lee Ripa from her near front row seat.



At half-time Maureen DeStefano remarked how the rendering of Elgars Enigma moved her to tears with its soulfulness. Another concert goer called the lush sounds ear-candy. Mendelssohn, Wagner, Brahms were familiar and harmonious. Rossinis Barber of Seville of course has its own charm, imagery, and appeal.



Wrapped in well-known classical and more modern scores, Leonard also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the SSO. Playful injections, variations and morphing of the Happy Birthday theme even had a whole auditorium chorus.



I especially enjoyed the selection where each section was showcased; first you heard only cellos, then woodwinds, and so on. The music and the conductor were simply fabulous, said Hermina Hubert after the performance.



At the end of the show, many came forward to participate in the Q&A to hear more from this appealing artist. Leonard was quick to point out that though this was her debut to Sudbury, it was the whole orchestra who delivered the concert.



Thank you for your support of live music! she said with elegance, and effortlessly engaged the audience in both languages. Leonard expressed an obvious pride in the results of rehearsals, practice and performance.



The director's choice of music was so appropriate, said Barbara Smatlanek. She was able to connect it to the Sudbury region, making us feel part of it. This was the best experience I have had attending the symphony.



Memorable Masterworks takes place March 5. Under guest conductor Gordon Gerrard compositions by Morlock and Tchaikovsky are the carte du jour. Clarinetist Todd Cope will be featured in Mozarts Concerto in A major.



The second of the three finalists at the podium will be Martin MacDonald on April 16, delivering a Folk and Fire inspired theme of Canadian and international scope.



Hugh Kruzel is writing a series of columns for NorthernLife.ca about Sudbury Symphony Orchestra's search for a new music director.
After years of planning and preparation, many parishioners with Sudbury's All Nations Church were turned away from the parking lot at the state-of-the-art new building on St.

After years of planning and preparation, many parishioners with Sudbury's All Nations Church were turned away from the parking lot at the state-of-the-art new building on St. Raphael Street because it had filled up 20 minutes before the first service got underway.But that didn't stop throngs of devoted churchgoers from parking their cars on nearby side streets and walking to the top of the scenic hill the church now calls its permanent home.Since 1999, All Nations Church used Laurentian University's Fraser Auditorium for its Sunday morning service, but that was always meant to be a temporary solution.In 2004 church leaders, lead by Pastor Jeremy Mahood, started to discuss plans to build a new, long-lasting and sustainable home for the church.After researching different types of buildings, they decided the church should be a monolithic dome.We had heard stories about large churches in southern Ontario that are unable to open for smaller events because they can't afford the heating or air conditioning costs, Mahood said.But a large dome would prove to be at least 50 per cent more energy efficient than the next best building. When it is heated in the winter the warm air stays inside, and when it is cooled in the summer it stays cool without relying too heavily on air conditioning.Construction on the $4.5-million project started in 2008. The plan was to raise the necessary funds through a charitable capital campaign, supported primarily by the church's 900 parishioners, and the 3,000 people in Greater Sudbury who associate with All Nations Church in some way.Mahood said he was overly optimistic at the start, and expected the unique building to be completed in a year.It was so unique, in fact, that All Nations Church had to initially rely on an American company, called Dome Shell, to build the dome. There were no builders in Ontario at the time who had any experience with monolithic domes.But as with most ambitious projects, the finish line extended, and the building was not completed until 2016.In that time the church was able to raise most of the necessary funds through its capital campaign, and received a final push to finish the project thanks to a loan from the Northern Credit Union.To churchgoers used to more traditional places of worship, the new All Nations Church is as alien as such a building can get.Mahood said that was a very deliberate decision.What I believe about religion is that theyve got a truth, but theyre packaging it in an outdated modality, he said. It's designed so it doesn't remind you of church.That philosophy extends beyond the church's architecture.When you step inside the building you're greeted by a room that resembles a modern hotel lobby, complete with comfortable sofa chairs, and access to a variety of refreshments one would find at a trendy cafe.The auditorium itself has more than 500 seats, imported from Colombia, that are more closely related to those in a performing arts centre than a church pew.A state-of-the-art lighting system ensures Mahood is always well lit when giving a sermon, and a number of large high definition screens can project him above, or help him illustrate a story with some visual aids.It's so cutting-edge we have some pieces of equipment that don't have manuals, he said.The auditorium is also equipped with three cameras  two robotic and one used by a camera operator  which allows the church to broadcast a live stream on its website Those live streams are later archived, and can be watched at any time. While the church did live streams at the Fraser Auditorium, the new set-up allows them to be more sophisticated.Between March 2014 and March 2015 Mahood said the archived sermons had more than 11,000 downloads.It's people choosing when they want to watch the event we're presenting, he said. We recognize that our fastest growing audience probably won't be in a seat on Sunday.As people already do with on-demand television, and streaming services like Netflix, more parishioners are also choosing to take in church services on their own time.Mahood said he expects the new building to last for generations, and made sure it was built to stay current with how people express their faith.
080216 ABG and the National Government Leaders to meet for the Joint Supervisory Board this week

By Joe Elijah

A High Powered Delegation from the ABG will travel to Port Moresby this week, for the next round of talks of the Joint Supervisory Body.

The delegation headed by the ABG President Hon Chief John Momis, will include ABG Cabinet Ministers, Departmental Heads, Technical Advisory Team and ABG support staff will leave the shores of Bougainville for the first JSB or Joint Supervisory Body meeting for this year 2016.

JSB is a special meeting that brings together, Leaders of the two Governments, ABG and the National Government under the Bougainville Peace Agreement arrangement, to discuss controversial issues affecting both Governments and not debating and discussing other issues of importance.

President Hon Chief Momis is hopeful, that the Technical Advisory Team from both Governments prepares some documents to resolve the current situation that is putting Bougainville in a very hard and difficult financial situation.

The JSB will meet in Port Moresby from the 15th to the 16th February 2016, before returning back to Bougainville on the 17th of this month.



Ends
080216 ABG President tells the National Government to honor the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

By Joe Elijah

The ABG President Hon Chief John Momis is once again, calling on the National Government, to honor the Bougainville Peace Agreement by releasing monies still with held by the National Government to date.

President Momis wants the Leaders of the National Government not to find any more excuses because for so long they have continuously broken the Bougainville Peace Agreement and the Law for still holding on to monies that supposed to be given to ABG to execute its affairs and to serve the people of people with.

According to the ABG President, the National Governments action is contravention to the constitution of Papua and New Guinea and Bougainville Peace Agreement and between the people and the Leaders of Bougainville.

In a special media press conference this morning, President Hon Chief John Momis said, Bougainville must not be seen as beggars from the National Government, the National Government owes the people of Bougainville, the Restoration Development Grants, current Constitutional Grant and other grants that may be owed to ABG under the Bougainville Peace Agreement and the constitutional laws of Papua New Guiea



Ends




CROWN POINT  A Chesterton man Monday pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in a 2012 crash that killed a St. John woman.

Michael T. Knezevich, 29, is expected to be sentenced to five years, though attorneys for the state and defense will argue where he should spend that term. According to the plea agreement, the state and defense agreed that Knezevich won't spend more than four of those years in prison.

His driver's license will be suspended for two years after his release from whatever form of incarceration he receives.

Knezevich admitted that about 6:20 p.m. Sept. 15, 2012, he was driving a Jeep Wrangler south on U.S. 41 when he abruptly made a U-turn.

He was swerving and driving at a high rate of speed when he at one point drove past a red light. Sandra Marvel, 66, was a passenger in a vehicle that was traveling in the eastbound lanes and had a green light.

According to the agreement, Knezevich admitted to hitting the vehicle Marvel was a passenger in, and she died from the injuries sustained in the crash.

Knezevich admitted to being tired from a lack of sleep and that he drank alcohol before the crash happened, according to the affidavit.

The state had previously alleged that Knezevich's blood alcohol content was 0.18 during the time of the crash. The legal limit in Indiana is 0.08.

As part of the plea agreement, the state will dismiss charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of more than 0.15.

The plea agreement comes after Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Mark Watson and Michelle Jatkiewicz and defense attorneys Paul Stracci and Michael Woods spent the past couple of weeks in a series of hearings dissecting the procedures of Alverno laboratory at Franciscan St. Anthony Health in Crown Point.

The defense was seeking to have the blood alcohol content results tossed out, arguing the laboratory didn't follow proper procedures.

According to testimony from the hearings, the laboratory received the blood sample at 8:11 p.m. and completed the test by 8:18 p.m.

A technician testified the test alone took 20 to 30 minutes. Woods pointed out documents where manufacturers recommended that blood samples be clotted for at least 30 minutes before testing.

Victoria Fortier, the manger of Alverno laboratory at the hospital, testified that clotting wasn't done to expedite the results.

Before the plea agreement was announced, the hearings regarding the laboratory's procedures were supposed to continue this week.

Knezevich is expected to be sentenced April 8 by Lake County Criminal Judge Samuel Cappas.
INDIANAPOLIS  Republican Eric Holcomb unexpectedly withdrew Monday from what was supposed to be a three-man race for the GOP nomination to succeed Holcomb's former boss, U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind.

While Holcomb significantly lagged in fundraising compared to the two other candidates  U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Howe, and U.S. Rep. Todd Young, R-Bloomington  his explanation for quitting the race hints that he and his wife may not be out of politics long.

"Today I withdrew my name as a candidate for the United States Senate as Janet and I believe we have been called to serve our beloved state in a different capacity," Holcomb said in a statement.

Speculation at the Statehouse immediately turned to the potential lieutenant governor vacancy should Republican Sue Ellspermann resign in anticipation of becoming Ivy Tech Community College president.

A spokesman for Gov. Mike Pence did not respond to inquiries about whether the Republican intends to select Holcomb for lieutenant governor, as well as his 2016 running mate, if there is an opening.

Holcomb likely could help Pence in what is expected to be a close-fought rematch against Democrat John Gregg.

The Indianapolis native and U.S. Navy veteran managed the successful re-election campaign of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels in 2008 and later was chairman of the Indiana Republican Party before becoming Coats' chief of staff.

He resigned that post last March prior to announcing his campaign for U.S. Senate.

Since August, Holcomb has traveled the state lining up support and getting attention for his quirky habit of shooting a basketball in gyms and parks all across Indiana.

"With more people working today than ever before in our state's history and record investments in transportation and education, I couldnt be more excited for all that Hoosiers have accomplished and I look forward to announcing soon how I will serve our state in the years to come," he said.

After learning of Holcomb's decision, Coats praised Holcomb as a "consistent conservative whose experience and leadership skills have helped make Indiana the model of success it is today."

Young said competing against Holcomb has made him a better candidate.

"Throughout this campaign, Eric Holcomb has demonstrated a willingness and a desire to tackle big problems by offering big solutions," Young said. "Eric's voice is an important one and I know he will continue to play a leading role in our state and our party for many years to come."
LANSING  The compensation for Lansings village president will see a 280 percent increase after the next election despite opposition from the man currently holding the position.

The Village Board approved a raise to $57,000 on Tuesday. The words "parttime" also were removed from the ordinance but "full time" was not added. Village President Norm Abbotts current salary is $10,000 plus an additional $5,000 for being liquor commissioner.

By state statute, officials cant raise their own compensation during their current term in office. So, the salary ordinance wont go into effect until after the next election. Abbott cannot run again because of Lansing's term limits.

The fact that we shot at a $57,000 range, I thought it was too high. When the village administrator hopefully comes on one of these days, theres not a reason to pay the mayor a $57,000 salary, Abbott said. Unless somebody sitting on the board, here, is going to run for mayor here next time and doesnt want to work for the $15,000 that I get.

The terms mayor and village president are used interchangeably in Lansing.

The village has been without a village administrator since J. Wynsma resigned in May. Board members said Abbott presented them with three candidates for the job but wasnt content with the person preferred by the majority. All seemed to agree Tuesday that a hire wouldn't be made until an appointment could come from Abbott's successor.

(Abbott) agreed with me that the salary of $15,000 for (village president) is unreasonable. In fact, he told me that he thought it should be at least $40,000, Trustee Patty Eidam said. Even with a village administrator, the time demands on the mayor are unbelievable.

Trustees Tony DeLaurentis, Mikal Stole, Terry Kapteyn and Mike Manno each said they would not be running for village president in the next election. Trustee Mike Skrbina did not return emails asking if he would run but voted against the salary increase Tuesday.

Im happy with being a trustee. I feel that being a trustee and sitting on this board, I have more power than the mayor has because I can speak my mind and do what I need to do, DeLaurentis said. I will not be running for the position of mayor for the village of Lansing.

Eidam said she has been encouraged by some residents to run for village president but hasnt yet made a decision.

With the salary now at $57,000, hopefully, we have successfully raised the pool of potential candidates that have the desire, ability, means and time to devote to seek the office without it being a financial burden, Eidam said. At $57,000 with no benefits, I do not think anyone is going to get rich serving as mayor.

Abbott has tried to tie the village presidents salary issue to lowering the trustee salaries. He presented the board with a list of board salaries from surrounding municipalities provided by the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association.

Abbotts list put Lansing near the top in board compensation.

Eidam presented her own list Tuesday, which she said she put together through Freedom of Information Act requests. Eidams list included communities she said were more comparable to Lansing in population and form of government. She included Lynwood and Calumet City, which like Lansing border Indiana.

Eidams spreadsheet featured 22 communities and Lansing.

Lansing trustee salaries were more in line with similar communities on Eidams list, but the $57,000 village presidents salary would still rank higher than most on the list. Some towns offer retirement, insurance benefits and reimbursement for expenses. Lansing offers neither retirement benefits nor insurance to its village president, even after the new ordinance.

Only Eidam and Manno, who are in their first terms, would be subject to any cuts or raises in pay approved during this term.

Stole praised Eidam for the list but said more should be considered when considering pay for public officials. Stole said hed be willing to have the discussion about trustee compensation but resisted connecting it with the village presidents pay.
INDIANAPOLIS  Hoosier lawmakers hit the midpoint of their 2016 session last week after representatives and senators worked late several nights to advance or reject legislation prior to a key deadline.

Starting Monday, the Republican-controlled Senate will begin considering the 116 House proposals that won approval. Likewise, the Republican-controlled House will debate many of the 152 measures that passed the Senate.

A whopping 573 of the 841 suggested new laws (68 percent) did not advance from their originating chamber and effectively are dead for the year.

Here's a look at some of the measures to win approval last week. Legislation must pass both chambers with identical language prior to March 14 to go to Gov. Mike Pence for his signature or veto:

Abandoned property  Senate Bill 310 establishes a Lake County-only program to ease the sale and refurbishment of abandoned property by allowing local redevelopment commissions, for the next three years, to combine blocks with numerous vacant homes into a "new opportunity area" and sell it to the highest bidder.

State Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, the sponsor, is optimistic the plan could help revitalize neglected portions of her hometown. It is co-sponsored by state Sens. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, and Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago.

Bias crimes  Senate Bill 220, sponsored by Randolph and Rogers, authorizes judges to issue longer prison terms if a crime was committed due to the victim's actual or perceived race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity.

Speeding  House Bill 1249, sponsored by state Reps. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage, and Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, allows judges to suspend for 60 days the driver's license of a person ticketed twice within one year for speeding in a work zone.

Child abusers  Senate Bill 357, sponsored by Randolph, directs state police to create an online, publicly available registry of Hoosiers convicted of child abuse or neglect.

Farm taxes  Senate Bill 308, sponsored by state Sens. Brandt Hershman, R-Buck Creek, Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, and Niemeyer changes how farm property is taxed and likely will require homeowners and businesses to pay more.

Meth ingredient  Senate Bill 80, sponsored by Rogers and Randolph, and House Bill 1390, sponsored by Soliday and state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, authorize pharmacists to deny the sale of over-the-counter cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, if the pharmacist believes there isn't a genuine medical need for the product.

Court fee  Senate Bill 197, sponsored by state Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, and Randolph, requires any person convicted of any felony or misdemeanor pay a $10 fee to support state police investigations of Internet crime.

Immunizations  Senate Bill 162, sponsored by Arnold, Randolph and state Sen. Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond, requires hospitals immunize all employees for a variety of contagious diseases if they have regular, direct contact with patients.

Minority students  House Bill 1179, sponsored by state Reps. Donna Harris, D-East Chicago, and Vernon Smith, D-Gary, permits minority college students studying educational leadership to obtain grants from a state fund that supports minority teaching students.

Sexual assault  House Bill 1233, sponsored by state Reps. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, and Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, requires a state agency distribute sexual assault prevention funds to rape crisis centers while a new victim advocacy group is being formed.

Water loss  Senate Bill 347, sponsored by Charbonneau and Randolph, requires the Indiana Finance Authority determine exactly how much water is being lost between distribution centers and customer homes due to leaky pipes.
GARY  Detectives and tearful family members urged the public on Monday to help bring a missing Texas man home.

"Let's bring some closure to this family," Gary Detective Alex Jones said at a press conference at the Gary Police Department.

Carlos Verduczo, 40, of Laredo, Texas, went missing after a transaction gone wrong Jan. 31. His nephew was found stabbed to death and another man was hospitalized with stab wounds.

Gary Police Lt. Dawn Westerfield described the attacks as "vicious."

Verduczo's disappearance was discovered after a 26-year-old Bridgeview, Illinois, man was found with stab wounds near Cline and Chicago avenues the same night.

The man told police his friend, Fernando Verduzco, 26, of Chicago, and Verduzco's uncle, Carlos Verduzco, asked for a ride to a home somewhere in Northwest Indiana to collect a debt.

Jones said the exact location of the home is not clear, saying it could have been in or near Hammond, East Chicago or north Highland. He said investigators have no evidence to support the debt was drug-related and do not believe it was a gambling debt.

When they got to the home, the Illinois man said he was handcuffed, stabbed and put in the trunk of his vehicle at gunpoint. Jones said the man played dead and escaped when the vehicle came to a stop, but could not find his friends.

Police found Fernando Verduczo dead in the back seat of his friend's car with fatal stab wounds about an hour later at the Ivanhoe Nature Preserve in the 200 block of Hobart Street.

Carlos Verduczo was nowhere to be found.

Jones said the Illinois man stabbed in the incident has since been released from the hospital.

Gloria Gomez, Verduczo's older sister, said the family grew up in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, where most of the family remains.

"Whichever way we find him, we just want to bring him home," Gomez said.

Gomez said her brother, who works in the oil fields in Texas, has a wife and six children at home ranging in age from elementary school to their 20s.

Investigators said Verduczo had been visiting family in Pilsen for about two weeks when he went missing.

Gomez recalled her brother is a prankster with an infectious smile who enjoys returning home to Chicago for Cubs games.

"He's like the biggest jokester," Gomez said. "Everyone he meets falls in love with him."

Graciela Verduzco, Carlos' younger sister, spoke through tears at the news conference.

"My parents are heartbroken, as well as all the family," she said.

Family members said Fernando Verduzco was a lot like his uncle.

"They had almost the same personality," Graciela Verduzco, Carlos' younger sister, said. "That's why they got along so good."

Graciela Verduzco said she will most miss her nephew's laugh and smile.

"Many people say you walk into a room and light up a room," Graciela Verduzco said. "If he wasn't there, you wanted him there, you missed him."

Gomez said her brother is a "very private person" and no family members know why he and their nephew traveled to Indiana slightly more than a week ago.

Jones said investigators have aggressively worked the case for the past week and have some promising leads.

"We've been working vigorously to get results in this case, to bring this case to resolve, ultimately to bring the perpetrators to justice," Jones said.

Jones said the public's help is critical in this and all investigations.

"Me and the guys at the Metro Homicide Unit have been doing his a long time," he said. "People need to understand we aren't magicians. We need the public's help just like they need our help."

Jones said he's fed up with the violence in the city and the lack of public cooperation with police.

"At some point, we need to stand up and say enough is enough," Jones said. "... It just gets old telling people their loved one has passed."

Carlos Verduczo is 6 feet tall and weighs between 260 and 280 pounds. Police said he is Hispanic, has a bald head, brown eyes, a gray beard, two tattoos on his right shoulder and a skin pigment condition.

Police ask anyone with information about Verduczo's whereabouts to contact Detective Alexander Jones at (219) 755-3852 or the Crime Tip Line at 866-CRIME-GP.
WESTVILLE  Purdue University North Central American Sign Language Club will host World Deaf Stage Presents: Deaf Comedy Live with John Smith from England at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 in the PNC Library-Student-Faculty Building Assembly Hall, Room 02. The event is open to the public.

Advance tickets are $15 and may be purchased by contacting Jason Maloney at jmaloney@pnc.edu . Tickets will be available at the door for $20.

Smith is one of the best-known signing deaf comedians in the United Kingdom. He started out in 2005 and performs to audiences across the world. He uses visual humor and slapstick, exaggerated storytelling and signing to entertain. His humor often touches on the similarities and differences between deaf and hearing people. His comedy will appeal to all audience members.
PORTAGE  Mayor James Snyder will present his annual State of the City address three times on Feb. 18, including a free evening event.

Snyder will make the address in the morning to government classes at Portage High School, then address the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce at 11:30 a.m. at Woodland Park.

He will also make his annual presentation at 7 p.m. at Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road.

While the high school presentation is closed to the public, residents can attend either the chamber session at a cost of $25 per person, including lunch, or the free evening presentation.

Anyone interested in attending the chamber event should contact (219) 762-3300 to make reservations.
VALPARAISO  For those who dont go on vacation because they dont want their dogs to sleep alone, a solution is soon at hand.

A new dog boarding, training and grooming facility will feature a bedroom where your dog can sleep in a real bed at night with a real human being.

Ruff Luxury Inn, at 55 E. Morthland Drive, in Valparaiso, is the new boarding facility that is the dream that came true sooner than expected for Todd and Carlee Kobitz, of Valparaiso.

Todd Kobitz, a 15-year veteran of the Valparaiso Police Department, and his wife, Carlee, have had a business plan for the venture for over a year but didn't plan on using it until retirement.

When Carlee Kobitz lost her job in November, the Kobitzs said now or never.

We said If we dont do it now, were not going to, Todd Kobitz said. It snowballed very quickly.

So the couple leased a 6,900-square-foot building, formerly a dance studio that the Valparaiso K-9 officers used for training purposes.

Inside demolition on the building began Dec. 8, with Kobitz and family and friends doing most of the work in eight weeks consisting of 10-12 hour work days. Kobitz used vacation time to supervise and participate in the work, which included ripping out carpet and removing mirrors from the walls, painting, installing new flooring, wall finishing, and plumbing, and constructing 37 indoor kennels.

It was a definite full makeover, Todd Kobitz said. Theres nothing that wasnt touched.

Besides the kennels, there is also a grooming room, an indoor play and training area, and retail space where local pet store Healthi Paws will sell food, treats, and dog supplies.

Green synthetic turf in the indoor play area, which is treated to destroy bacteria, simulates grass and allows liquids to drain into the ground below. The walls of the play area are covered in vinyl siding, to resemble a homes backyard.

One wall of the grooming room features large photographs of dogs belonging to family and friends, including Kobitzs now deceased former K-9 partner, Frieda.

We personalized it with dogs we know rather than photos of random dogs, Carlee Kobitz said.

The most unusual feature of the facility is a bedroom, with a real bed and television. For $85 per night, a pampered canine doesnt have to sleep alone  an employee will snuggle up with your pooch.

Some people say their dog is used to sleeping with someone at night, Todd Kobitz said. We know people who said they would pay extra in a heartbeat for a room like this.

Todd Kobitz, a North American Police Work Dog Association certified trainer, will host obedience training classes in the training area on Saturdays. Fellow master trainer and retired K-9 handler for the Elkhart County sheriffs department, Mike McHenry, will join him.

Shannon Stout joined the team as groomer, along with eight other part-time employees, some of whom are veterinary technicians, while Carlee Kobitz will manage the business.

Todd Kobitz will continue to serve full-time with the Valparaiso Police Department, but his first love is working with dogs.

If you have happy dogs, you have happy people, Todd Kobitz said. As much as I love police work, people are not always happy to see me.

While the couple admits its scary to start a new business, they feel there are enough dogs in the community to give everyone business, and they are excited to open.

We have the location, a great facility, and a staff with experience, Todd Kobitz said. Im tired of playing contractor  Im ready to play with dogs.

Ruff Luxury Inn will host a grand opening celebration Saturday with tours and prize drawings. For more information, call the facility at 219-242-8820.
VALPARAISO | A homeowner in the 800 block of Kinsey Street told police he found an unknown man in his house Wednesday night.

The resident told police he found the man when he heard a noise coming from his living room around 8 p.m. The man immediately fled out the front door.

Police said they searched the area without success.

The intruder was described by police as Hispanic, 5 feet 9 inches tall, with short dark brown hair and a red circular tattoo on his right bicep. He was wearing a cut off greenish/gray shirt and dark cargo pants.

Nothing was reported missing from the house and police continue to investigate.

Police encouraged anyone with information about the incident to call police at (219) 462-2135 or text a tip to Tip411 (847-411) and enter Valpo in the message field.
A sense of fugitive narrative emerges more powerfully in the second and third sections, (Andante con moto and Allegro ma non troppo  Presto). Here, the dancers, wearing simple shifts, are mercifully freed from the harsh-toned red, blue and purple outfits (by Alessandro Sartori) of the opening section, Allegro assai, and Mr. Millepied calms the pace of the sometimes overdetailed ensemble choreography, using stillness as a counterpoint to pounding musical passages.

Mr. Bels work also occasioned audience outbursts, with boos and bravos intermingling after his 30-minute piece, Tombe, in which three Paris Opera dancers (Gregory Gaillard, Sebastien Bertaud and Benjamin Pech) appeared on stage with a nondancer outsider.

Mr. Bel is a contentious figure, an intrepid tester of theatrical expectations who doesnt actually create dance steps. His 2004 Veronique Doisneau for the Paris Opera Ballet was a brilliant exploration of a ballet dancers life. Tombe, which brings a supermarket cashier (Henda Traore), a woman with an amputated leg (Sandra Escude) and an elderly dance fan (Sylviane Milley, via a projected film) successively onstage, is less coherent. Mr. Bel raises some fascinating questions, among them, what is permissible, what are we repelled by, who enters the opera house? But no segment is fully developed, and the rigorous theatrical timing that often makes a Bel piece gripping isnt consistently in play.

After all this came Robbinss 100-minute Goldberg Variations (sensitively played by Simone Dinnerstein): it wasnt a performance for the faint of heart. Both rigorous and playful, academic and fanciful, it allowed the dancers to demonstrate the technical precision and formal perfection they are known for, as well as a newly buoyant musicality and spirit. The work showed the beautiful lines and finesse of the male soloists particularly well. Bravo to them, and to Myriam Ould-Braham, dazzling among her excellent female peers.
Ann Freedman, long a leading New York gallerist, and a couple who accused her in a federal lawsuit of fraudulently selling them a fake Rothko painting for $8.3 million settled their lawsuit on Sunday.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but the agreement was confirmed by lawyers for Ms. Freedman and for the collectors, Domenico and Eleanore De Sole.

The De Soles, who filed their case in 2012, had been seeking $25 million from Ms. Freedman and Knoedler & Co., the gallery where she had served as president and which closed in 2011, just ahead of several similar lawsuits from unsuspecting collectors who had bought fakes.

The case against Ms. Freedman, whose testimony had long been anticipated, is expected to be dismissed in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Monday, said Luke Nikas, a lawyer for Ms. Freedman. But the case against Knoedler, now entering its third week, would continue.
Homegrown, Greg Barkers new documentary on jihadist terrorism in the United States, beginning on HBO on Monday night, is a thoughtful, multidimensional exploration of a subject that often provokes hysteria.

Carefully constructed and often quite moving, it is a timely antidote to the posturing that has passed for discussion of terrorism in the presidential primary campaign. It introduces rounded, surprising characters both from Muslim families who have seen relatives imprisoned for carrying out or contemplating violence, and from the ranks of the counterterrorism professionals who pursued the cases.

Mr. Barker makes some shrewd choices. While including passing references to many cases between the 9/11 attacks and the December killings in San Bernardino, Calif., he focuses much of the film on two cases.

One is famous: the 2009 Fort Hood shootings in Texas, in which Maj. Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, killed 13 people. The film includes fascinating footage of a uniformed Major Hasan, two years before his shooting spree, lecturing colleagues at Walter Reed Army Medical Center about the particular pressures on Muslims in the United States military. And it introduces Nader Hasan, a cousin, whose condemnation of his relatives crime is unsparing.
The infighting among lawyers for the plaintiffs suing General Motors over a flawed ignition switch intensified after one who helped uncover the defect sharpened his attacks against another who is heading the case.

In a court filing on Friday in Federal District Court in Manhattan, Lance Cooper, the lawyer who helped bring the switch defect to light, again urged the federal judge presiding over the case to remove a plaintiffs lawyer, Robert C. Hilliard of Corpus Christi, Tex., from a leadership position.

Mr. Cooper also used the filing to bolster his claim that Mr. Hilliard had put his own financial interests ahead of those of the other lawyers and in doing so had weakened the case against G.M.

If he is permitted to continue in his role as a co-lead, it will only get worse, Mr. Cooper wrote.
One evening at a hotel bar in Des Moines shortly before the Iowa caucus, a top strategist for the campaign of Senator Ted Cruz looked up from his adult beverage, allowed himself an amused smile and observed, We probably have had more frenemies than anyone else in the field.

The strategist then checked off the various other presidential candidates who, at one time or another, had briefly allied themselves with Cruz for their own strategic gain. Early in the debates, Jeb Bushs viability required that his fellow Floridian Marco Rubio be wounded. Cruz obliged Bush by chiding Rubio for his support of the Gang of Eight immigration bill. Rubio, in turn, needed Donald Trump to lose altitude in Iowa in order for him to gain any. Cruz thus did Rubio a solid with his attacks on Trumps sketchy allegiance to the Republican Party.

Governors Bush, Chris Christie and John Kasich all needed a strong showing in New Hampshire in order to survive, and thus needed someone to deny Trump the momentum that a victory in Iowa might provide. Cruz was only too happy to help. Then, on the eve of the Feb. 6 debate hosted by ABC News, he argued that Carly Fiorina deserved a spot on the debate stage despite her low standing in the polls  a move that allowed him to look magnanimous toward a lagging challenger while also serving his own interests (because Fiorinas speechifying would mean less time for others to be taking shots at Cruz). Though Fiorina still ended up outside looking in on debate night, Cruz earned himself a new frenemy, at least for a few days.

Theres some oddness to all these moves, given Cruzs reputation of less-than-coziness with other Republican politicians. When Rubio said in the Jan. 28 debate that Cruzs claim to be the only true conservative in the race was the lie that Teds campaign is built on, he was echoing the long-held charge by many that Cruz has never been the purist he asserts himself to be. They recall that todays denouncer of the Washington cartel first sought advice in the early 2000s from the cartels leading political strategist at the time, Karl Rove. They point out that when he ran for the Senate in 2012 as an anti-establishment Tea Partyer, he hired as his campaigns general counsel Ben Ginsberg, the quintessential Washington establishment attorney. And Cruzs campaign, as Trump has taken pains to observe, has been heavily backed by wealthy private donors and conservative groups  but not by a single colleague in the Senate.
The two Yale graduate students who were quarantined, Ryan Boyko and Laura Skrip, had traveled to Liberia to work with that countrys health ministry and returned in October 2014. Both said they never came into contact with Ebola patients. In the legal complaint, Mr. Boyko said that being detained alone in an apartment, not being allowed to spend time with his young son and not being able to work caused him to become depressed and later contributed to his dropping out of the public health degree program.

Another plaintiff, Assunta Nimley-Phillips, housed six Liberian family members who were quarantined in her West Haven home, including two school-aged children. Ms. Nimley-Phillipss family has not previously been identified publicly.

She said the family did not receive a written quarantine order, was not informed of its legal right to challenge the quarantines and was not provided with appropriate material support, including a thermometer.

Ms. Nimley-Phillips said in an interview that police officers were stationed outside and checked her identification whenever she left home. They flashed the light, she said. Sometimes it scared me.

However, Ms. Nimley-Phillips said she decided to restrict the movements of her family members herself, before being instructed to do so by the state, sending them to live in her basement when they arrived in October 2014. I wanted to separate us from them just in case, you know, anybody was lying about their symptoms, she said. I told them, Dont come up. 

A phone call from a health official came early the next week, saying that the six Liberian immigrants were under quarantine and that Ms. Nimley-Phillips needed to report their temperatures three times a day.

She said nobody told her how to protect herself, and she bought bleach because she knew that was what was used in Liberia.
Two days after a 38-year-old man was killed by a crawler crane that collapsed onto a Lower Manhattan street as workers tried to secure it against accelerating winds, Mayor Bill de Blasio said New York City was lowering the wind-speed threshold at which such equipment must be shut down.

The change, which was to take effect on Monday, was one of several new policies Mr. de Blasio announced on Sunday as investigators worked to determine what caused the fatal collapse and officials faced questions about the citys protocol for ensuring crane safety.

The new rules would require crawler cranes to stop operating and go into safety mode under two scenarios: when there is a forecast for steady wind speeds of 20 miles per hour or higher or gusts of at least 30 m.p.h., and when actual readings reach those levels. Previously, such cranes could operate until measured wind speeds reached 30 m.p.h. or gusts increased to 40 m.p.h., though individual manufacturers sometimes set stricter standards.

If at the end of one workday there is a forecast for these kinds of wind levels the next workday, we will require that the crane be put into secure mode the day before, Mr. de Blasio said. The fine for failing to take appropriate precautions would be increased to $10,000 from $4,800, he said.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is sending a radiation-protection specialist to New York this week to inspect the Indian Point nuclear power plant after state officials found evidence of a surge in radiation levels in groundwater there, a spokesman for the federal agency said on Sunday.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the findings of increased radiation at the plant on Saturday, saying that alarming levels of radioactivity caused by tritium contamination had been detected in three of the 40 monitoring wells. At one of the wells, Mr. Cuomo said, the level of radiation had jumped 65,000 percent.

The governor criticized the plants owner, the Entergy Corporation, for allowing tritium-tainted water to leak from the plant, which is in Buchanan, about 45 miles north of Midtown Manhattan in densely populated Westchester County. He ordered the State Department of Environmental Conservation and the State Health Department to fully investigate.

This latest failure at Indian Point is unacceptable, Mr. Cuomo said in a statement, later adding, We need to identify whether this incident could have been avoided by exercising reasonable care.
Updated 11:41 a.m.

Good morning on this chillier Monday.



Prepare for a wintry week.

The light flurries that began around 9:30 a.m. may continue into the afternoon, with one to two inches expected. (Earlier forecasts predicted two to four inches.) A winter weather advisory is in effect.

And more snow is forecast over the next few days  possibly another four inches by the time were done on Wednesday evening  as are very cold temperatures through the weekend.

Todays snow wont be the fluffy stuff, said Joe Pollina, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Its going to be heavier snow, with a higher water content than we sometimes see, he said.

That means it could get slushy out there by this afternoon.
I understand why this is important, but half the food pantries in New York City dont have enough food to meet human needs, Mr. Berg said, noting that he was a cat owner. We should have fully stocked pantries for humans before we feed pets.

Supporters of the pantries counter that they are, in fact, helping people by helping their pets, citing research that shows pets can help lower stress and blood pressure, improve moods, and provide emotional comfort to their owners.

Image Outside a pet food pantry in the Fordham section of the Bronx. The pantry is run by Animal Care Centers of NYC, a nonprofit that operates the citys animal shelters. Credit... Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times

That bond is still the same, no matter what your checkbook looks like, said Stacey Coleman, executive director of the Animal Farm Foundation, a nonprofit that provided a $12,000 grant to the Bronx pet food pantry.

Cookie, for one, has been glued to the side of Misael Lopez since he rescued her and another dog, Fifa, sitting by a Bronx road in October. Both looked so sad and lost, he recalled, that he had to take them home. I always wanted pitbulls and these two came about, Mr. Lopez, 31, said. Ever since I found them, I say they are my two blessings  two gifts from God.

Still, Mr. Lopez, a father of two who earns $9.50 an hour stocking shelves at a Family Dollar store, had little money to feed the dogs after paying his rent and other expenses. By coming to the Bronx pantry, he estimated that he had saved about $60 a month on dog food.

Across the New York region, pet food pantries are thriving. Each month, the Hudson Valley Pet Food Pantry in White Plains feeds about 775 dogs and cats belonging to older adults, disabled people and veterans, among others, said Susan Katz, a retired administrative assistant who founded the pantry in 2010 with three friends. The pantrys $102,000 annual budget is covered by grants and fund-raisers, including pet food drives at local supermarkets and pet stores.
HOUSTON  ITS weird to have a presidential front-runner in your hometown and not know it. But whatever excitement was generated here by Senator Ted Cruzs victory in the Iowa Republican caucuses is conspicuous by its absence.

Mr. Cruz grew up here, he wears cowboy boots with his business suits and he speaks with a respectable Houston accent. Yet this city, which loves to lionize locals who make it big, has been uncharacteristically quiet about Mr. Cruz.

There is an eerie absence of lawn signs and bumper stickers. I heart Ted T-shirts have yet to make their debut. His campaign headquarters is not on the street but sits aloof on the seventh floor of a tall office building.

Its all a sharp contrast to the days of 41, George H. W. Bush, who still sends shivers up the spines of elderly ladies here, and 43, George W. Bush, whose buddies still keep silent about his wild and crazy youth. Beloved does not begin to describe the way many local Republicans feel about Team Bush; even in this traditionally Democratic city, all those literacy galas, Astros first pitches and handwritten thank-you notes counted for a lot. Theres even a chichi dog park named after Millie, H. W. and Barbaras spaniel.
If youre an American citizen who has vacationed in Paris or Rome, your trip was probably significantly simplified by the Visa Waiver Program, an agreement between the United States and 38 mostly European countries that lets millions of travelers visit one anothers countries without a visa.

In December, Congress amended this program by passing the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act, or H.R. 158. The amendment prevents citizens of these 38 countries who are also citizens of Iran, Syria, Sudan and Iraq from entering the United States without a visa, and also requires visas for citizens who have visited Iran, Sudan, Iraq or Syria since March 2011, whether they went for tourism, business, humanitarian work or to see family.

It was initially unclear what enforcement would look like. Not anymore. While no one is being banned from entering the United States, the new law is making travel much more complicated for many people. In January, the Iranian-British BBC journalist Rana Rahimpour and her young daughter found themselves barred from a New Jersey-bound flight from London. Dozens of Iranian dual nationals have since reported similar problems, from a German-Iranian engineer headed to a conference in San Francisco to a British citizen who complained about having to cancel travel plans because hed visited his sick grandmother in Iran. Even The Timess Tehran bureau chief, Thomas Erdbrink, is among H.R. 158s casualties. Im no longer allowed to travel to the @nytimes headquarters without a visa. America, it was fun while it lasted, the Dutch citizen tweeted.

Given the surge in Islamophobic rhetoric in the United States over the past six months, it isnt surprising that Congress singled out citizens of (and even visitors to) predominantly Muslim countries for extra scrutiny. Americans are rattled by recent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif. The Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump at one point even proposed a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States. Its a shameful response, but a predictable one.
Young folks are facing a warming planet, exploding student debt, stunted mobility, stagnant wages and the increasing corporatization of the country due in part to the increasing consolidation of wealth and the impact of that wealth on American institutions.

Young folks are staring down a barrel and they want to put a flower in it, or conversely, smash it to bits. And theyre angry at those who came before them for doing too little, too late. They want a dramatic correction, and they want it now.

Sanderss rhetoric plays well to young folks anxiety and offers a ray of hope. He wants to fix the system they see as broken, and hes not new to those positions. He has held many of the same positions most of his life, but they have never had as much resonance as they do now. Never mind that Sanders has been in Congress for decades and doesnt have the stronger record of accomplishments, as my colleague Nick Kristof put it last week.

Sanders is good at setting the goals, but not so good at getting there.

When people question Sanders on the feasibility of pushing his ambitious policies through an obstructionist, Republican-controlled Congress, he often responds with the broad and loose talk of a political revolution, like he put it in his closing remarks Thursday:

I do believe we need a political revolution where millions of people stand up and say loudly and clearly that our government belongs to all of us and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors.

What he is saying is that a political revolution, meaning massive numbers of new voters and unprecedented voter turnout by people who support his policies, would result in flipping control of Congress and an easier path to his policies passage and implementation.
To the Editor:

Richard W. Painter, making the conservative case for campaign finance reform, argues that campaign donations encourage big government (Big Money, Big Government, Op-Ed, Feb. 3). He might as well argue that ants cause picnics. Big government attracts money, not the other way around.

Oddly, Mr. Painter pairs his argument with calls for a less activist Supreme Court that would grant Congress even greater authority. But judicial deference is what has given rise to our huge federal government. For decades, and frequently at the urging of self-identified conservatives, the court has systematically failed to check legislative and executive excesses.

If conservatives really want to reduce the amount of money in politics, they should start by demanding an engaged judiciary that will restore constitutional limits on government power. That solution is more consistent with our constitutional structure and with the First Amendments command that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.

PAUL SHERMAN

Arlington, Va.

The writer is a lawyer at the Institute for Justice, which litigates campaign finance cases.
The curious case of Julian Assange got curiouser last week when a United Nations rights panel concluded that the WikiLeaks founder has been arbitrarily detained by Britain and Sweden for more than five years, including the past three and a half years that he has been holed up as a diplomatic refugee in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. The finding, which is not legally enforceable, was ridiculous, responded the British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond. But then so is much else in this convoluted saga, which should be drawn to a close.

Mr. Assange, 44, a onetime computer hacker with an Australian passport, has spent those five years fighting or evading British efforts to extradite him to Sweden, which says it wants to question him about accusations of rape. Mr. Assange and his backers say what is really going on is an attempt to extradite him to the United States to face charges for WikiLeakss role in receiving and publishing tens of thousands of secret American military and diplomatic cables in 2010. The New York Times and The Guardian also published many of the cables. Neither Sweden nor the United States has filed formal charges against Mr. Assange.

On Friday, the five-member United Nations working group on arbitrary detention, which is under the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to which Mr. Assange appealed, declared that his ordeal amounted to being subjected to different forms of deprivation, which were arbitrary because of the lack of diligence by Swedish prosecutors.

Though Swedish prosecutors have said they only want to question Mr. Assange, they insisted that this must take place in Sweden  until last March, when they changed their mind and said they were willing to go to London. They havent yet, though Mr. Assange has said all along hes agreeable to an interrogation there.
By now everyone who follows politics knows about Marco Rubios software-glitch performance in Saturdays Republican debate. (Id say broken-record performance, but that would be showing my age.) Not only did he respond to a challenge from Chris Christie about his lack of achievements by repeating, verbatim, the same line from his stump speech he had used a moment earlier; when Mr. Christie mocked his canned delivery, he repeated the same line yet again.

In other news, last week  on Groundhog Day, to be precise  Republicans in the House of Representatives cast what everyone knew was a purely symbolic, substance-free vote to repeal Obamacare. It was the 63rd time theyve done so.

These are related stories.

Mr. Rubios inability to do anything besides repeat canned talking points was startling. Worse, it was funny, which means that it has gone viral. And it reinforced the narrative that he is nothing but an empty suit. But really, isnt everyone in his party doing pretty much the same thing, if not so conspicuously?

The truth is that the whole G.O.P. seems stuck in a time loop, saying and doing the same things over and over. And unlike Bill Murrays character in the movie Groundhog Day, Republicans show no sign of learning anything from experience.
BRASILIA  BRAZIL is in a state of crisis. Since October, there have been more than 4,000 suspected cases of babies born with a neurological syndrome associated with the Zika virus. The Health Ministry has suggested that women avoid pregnancy until the epidemic has passed or more is known about it.

I am a Brazilian woman. My friends who are planning to have children soon are worried about Zika. But they dont need to be too concerned. In our well-to-do neighborhood in Brasilia, the capital, there has not been a single case of a baby with the birth defects associated with the Zika epidemic. As far as I know, not one woman here has even been infected by the virus.

Lost in the panic about Zika is an important fact: The epidemic mirrors the social inequality of Brazilian society. It is concentrated among young, poor, black and brown women, a vast majority of them living in the countrys least-developed regions. The women at greatest risk of contracting Zika live in places where the mosquito is part of their everyday lives, where mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya were already endemic. They live in substandard, crowded housing in neighborhoods where stagnant water, the breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes, is everywhere. These women cant avoid bites: They need to be outdoors from dawn until dusk to work, shop and take care of their children. And they are the same women who have the least access to sexual and reproductive health care.

The Zika epidemic has given Brazil a unique opportunity to look at inequality and reproductive rights, and to change how the country treats women. Asking women to avoid pregnancy without offering the necessary information, education, contraceptives or access to abortion is not a reasonable health policy. Sexual and reproductive rights for all women, poor and rich, must be taken seriously. The government should immediately offer a comprehensive package of sexual and reproductive health care to all Brazilian women, with a specific focus on those at most risk of Zika infection.
On Saturday night in Prospect Heights, the artist Elaine Su-Hui hosted In the Seed We Have the Universe, the first figure drawing event at Inner Fields, a new shoebox-sized art space she designed to give people a place to connect with nature. Most of the 10 who came had no formal drawing training, but they all plopped down on cushions to silently draw portraits of the plant spirit: the classically trained ballet dancer Leah Mulartrick, who expressed the plants life cycle with sprightly dance moves.

To interpret the fleeting life of plants, Mulartrick hugged her knees on the hardwood floor like a seed, then twisted up to greet the sunshine like a blossoming flower, and finally wilted and collapsed, to the breathy tune of James Blakes Lindisfarne. She went from constantly shifting to holding her poses so that participants could capture it all in colored pencil  but they werent supposed to do anything as basic and uninspired as draw what she actually looked like. It doesnt matter what anything looks like. Its the acute looking and the presence of mind thats important. Its searching, not definite, Su-Hui explained. To that end, everyone reimagined the performance differently, with free-form sketches in green and blue. One participant drew blooms sprouting from the dancers outstretched arms; another sketched out the path of the dancers head with little strokes.

All around the room, there were seven bamboo wind chimes, 23 bouquets of hanging flowers, 43 silvery paper squares (which are Malaysian Taoist funeral symbols) and enough Australian eucalyptus to cure a serious case of SAD. Before Mulartrick entered, dressed in a voluminous white dress with pink fabric flowers dangling from her hair, and got down to crouching seedling-style, everyone settled in along the walls. Hui led the meditation, which brought them all down to a reflective level, and then they each drew a bunch of dead flowers for practice.
This blog contains student opinions and postings about the concepts discussed during their study of biology in this college level course.
Seated at a table overlooking 8th Avenue in the New York Times cafeteria, the fashion designer  and formally trained architect  Aaron Jacobson admits that hes slightly distracted by the view. But he returns to focus on the given topic, his unisex clothing line, Faan, saying, I dont really see good design as having gender. The gender-neutral thing was never explicitly meant as a political statement; it happened naturally, from the beginning. Im not drawn to a red-carpet gown; Im drawn to the proportions and shapes and construction details that you see every day, here, he gestures toward the window, and to me, my clothes are sexy because theyre thoughtful.

Jacobson, now 31, spent a lot of time imagining space as a child in Cleveland, Ohio, and remembers being ecstatic when his parents gave him graph paper, which hed fill with blueprints for dream houses. He studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis and received his masters degree from University of Toronto beforemoving to Beijing to work for a small Chinese firm. A half-year later, he accepted a post at a Danish firm in Shanghai, where he first tried his hand at garments. On my walking commute from my home to my architecture office in Shanghai, I passed through the fabric district, an incredibly intense environment with so much activity and color, he says.

Image Aaron Jacobson Credit... Sarah Jacobson

Using himself as a fit model, he became consumed by the thrill  the immediacy of being able to take a sketch to one of the studio owners in the morning, pick out fabric and then, after work, be able to pick up drafts. Jacobsons early sketches were more architectural drawings, the only visual language he spoke. (I was even cutting sections through them, and blowing up details to try to explain the construction, to the bewilderment of his pattern-makers, he says.) The pieces, mainly black and minimalist, didnt have life in the way that clothes need to, Jacobson says; still, once he had 50 or so items, he left his job and returned stateside.
What has always struck me is how little anybody in New Hampshire cared about Vermont at all, said Jeff Sharlet, an author who teaches English at Dartmouth and recently moved from New Hampshire to Vermont.

Outsiders initially notice the states similarities. Their geographic shapes on the map are inverted mirror opposites (each says the other is upside down). Their demographics  relatively old and almost all white  are nearly identical. They match each other in natural beauty through all four seasons, with especially spectacular fall foliage.

But they have differed in crucial ways since the beginning, their geology setting their destiny. Vermonts rich limestone soil led to its development as an agricultural state; New Hampshires granite-packed earth made farming more difficult and turned the state toward industry.

The people reflect the geology, said Willem Lange, 80, a longtime New England storyteller who lived half of his life in New Hampshire until he decided the property taxes were too high, and then moved to Vermont.

New Hampshire humor is a little grimmer, a little bitter, he said. Its default mode is grumpy.

On the other hand, Mr. Lange said, Vermont is boring.

There are so damn many liberals, he added, I can never win an argument.

Mr. Lange said he missed the bracing honesty in New Hampshire, where, he said, people would read his column and tell him that he was an idiot. In Vermont they just say, Oh, that was a lovely piece,  he said.
Criticizing Mr. Sanderss hastily presented health-care plan, which Mr. Clinton claimed the Vermont senator had already disavowed, the former president asked: Is it good for America? I dont think so. Is it good for New Hampshire? I dont think so.

He continued: The New Hampshire I knew would not have voted for me if I had done that.

But Mr. Clintons most pointed remarks may have been when he took aim at Sanders supporters who, he said, use misogynistic language in attacking Mrs. Clinton. He told the story of a female progressive blogger who defended Mrs. Clinton online through a pseudonym because, he said, the vitriol from Mr. Sanderss backers was so unrelenting.

She and other people who have gone online to defend Hillary, to explain why they supported her, have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat. Mr. Clinton, growing more demonstrative, added that the liberal journalist Joan Walsh had faced what he called unbelievable personal attacks for writing positively about Mrs. Clinton.

In a demonstration of how engrossed he is in this campaign, Mr. Clinton recited the names of the regional newspapers that are backing his wifes campaign and, in a rarity, mentioned Mr. Sanders by name.

Bernie took what they said was good about him and put it in his own endorsements, said Mr. Clinton, fuming that Mr. Sanders used complimentary language from a Nashua Telegraph endorsement of Mrs. Clinton in his own campaign appeals.

Then, reflecting the fury among Clinton campaign advisers over what they see as the kinds of behavior Mr. Sanders gets away with, Mr. Clinton noted that the senators campaign had used the image of an American Legion officer in New Hampshire without his permission.
FLINT, Mich.  In the midst of a public health emergency over lead-tainted water, Hillary Clinton, speaking at a black church here on Sunday, implored Congress to pass a bill that would deliver aid, calling the citys contaminated water supply and the delayed response to it not merely unacceptable or wrong but also immoral.

I am here because for nearly two years, Flints water was poisoned, Mrs. Clinton said at the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church. I am here because for nearly two years, mothers and fathers were voicing concerns about the waters color, about the smell, about the rashes it gave to those who were bathing in it.

She continued, For nearly two years, you were told  Flint was told  the water was safe.

Mrs. Clinton visited 48 hours before voting begins in the New Hampshire primary. Her political rivals used the trip as evidence that Mrs. Clinton, facing a possible loss in New Hampshire, needs to shore up support among African-Americans heading into South Carolinas Democratic primary on Feb. 27.

But the congregants here said Mrs. Clintons visit delivered a welcome gust of attention to a continuing crisis that has only begun to seep into the national consciousness.
MANCHESTER, N.H.  The message from a top producer at MSNBC was blunt: Joe Scarborough, the host of Morning Joe on MSNBC, was displeased that Senator Marco Rubio of Florida repeatedly appeared on rival cable news shows but kept rebuffing invitations to appear on his program.

For Mr. Scarborough, the email from the producer made it clear, it was personal.

Joe sees this as disrespectful given their past relationship, the producer wrote to a Rubio aide who had complained about the shows coverage of Mr. Rubio. Its as simple as that.

Have him come on with us, the producer wrote.

The email, obtained by The New York Times, offered a raw glimpse into an unusual spat playing out on-screen, day after day, with Morning Joe needling Mr. Rubio, the only major presidential candidate who has refused to appear on the program.

In an election season marked by animosity, egos and insults, this feud transcends media, politics and state lines. It follows two men from the swamps of Florida politics to a presidential cycle in which Mr. Rubio, 44, has emerged as a leading candidate, and Mr. Scarborough, 52, as one of his fiercest critics.
Before midnight voting, Dixville Notch did not legally exist. Neil Tillotson, a rubber magnate, purchased the Balsams in 1954 and realized the nearest polling place was about 50 miles away.

At the time, voters had only recently begun to receive ballots with candidates names on them, and Mr. Tillotson saw an opportunity. He had Dixville incorporated solely for the purposes of voting and decided to take advantage of a provision in New Hampshire law that let some towns close their polls once everybody had voted. Mr. Tillotson thought that if he offered the news media phone lines and something to put on television, he could turn his fledging townships nine registered voters into something to write home about.

It was: Were going to vote. Oh, at midnight, well be first. Great,  said Tom Tillotson, who is Neils son.  Well have our 15 minutes of fame. 

The elder Mr. Tillotson made an evening of it: Bands sometimes played in the ballroom early in the night, and voters lined up around 11:45. The polls closed almost as soon as they opened, and journalists had their story. A spectacle was born  as was an exercise in 100 percent turnout.

I never once lost the feeling that when the stroke of midnight was about to come, that this little town of 20-some-odd people was going to start the democratic process of electing the most powerful person in the world, said Steven Barba, a former managing partner of the resort who lived and voted there for decades.
GENEVA  If you walk down the sloping green lawns of the Palais des Nations, you will see 193 blocks of stone, one for each of the nation states recognized by the United Nations, arranged like the infinity symbol, with an extra loop.

Titled Rebirth, the sculpture was erected in 2015 for the 70th anniversary of the United Nations. Given the endless talks that take place in Geneva aimed at ending the worlds wars, you might think of the infinity symbol as an emblem of the infinite patience required of peacemakers  perhaps also of the interminable bloodshed in Syria, which the latest talks have been unable to stanch.

Geneva is brimming with reminders of the citys role in hosting talks aimed at saving humanity from itself.

On the way to the public gates of the Palais, there is a black bust of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the very symbol of nonviolence. Across the street, there is the museum of the International Committee of the Red Cross, whose walls are covered with the faces of children separated from their families in wartime.
HAVAT GILAD, West Bank  The studio house offered recently for $111 a night on Airbnb is a breeze-block building slightly apart from its neighbors in this illegal settler outpost deep in the occupied West Bank. There are several rooms, sparely furnished and not completely finished, and a lot of junk outside, including empty ammunition crates used for storage. The views over the hills are of a Palestinian village, Farata, and another hilltop Israeli settlement, Ramat Gilad.

Ilana Shimon welcomed me and a photographer when we arrived in Havat Gilad, west of the city of Nablus, for an overnight stay. She and her husband, Yehuda, had planned a dinner, and visits with some of the 30 families who live in its cement-block houses, many of them prettied up with tiles and modern appliances, much as they had given German and Dutch couples who booked the place before.

But as we chatted with Mrs. Shimon in her kitchen, with the washing machine running and two of her eight children running about, a member of the regional settlers council called and told her not to let us stay. Intimidated by the intervention, Mrs. Shimon apologized. Im 40 now and I can see everything, she said, wringing her hands. What can I do? We need to respect our leadership.
Before Pilobolus, before Momix, before Mummenchantz, there was Alwin Nikolais, the great magician of 20th-century dance. Nikolais (1910-1993) created shape-shifting, otherworldly visual wonders through original experiments with bodies, space, light and sound, and his work was hugely popular and influential from the 1950s until the 1990s. Today, however, its not well known to general audiences. But Tuesday through Sunday, a program of four pieces, spanning his long career, comes to the Joyce Theater.

The program  Tensile Involvement (1955), Gallery (1978), Mechanical Organ III (1983) and Crucible (1985)  is performed by the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company of Salt Lake City. The troupe has been the principal repository of the Nikolais repertory since 2003, when Murray Louis, the choreographers partner of 40 years (creatively and in life), and Alberto del Saz, a former Nikolais dancer, decided it was important to keep the work alive. (Mr. Louis chose Ririe-Woodbury because its founders had studied with Nikolais. He closed the Nikolais company in 1999.) Mr. Louis, a dancer and choreographer in his own right, died last week, leaving Mr. del Saz as the sole director of the Nikolais/Louis Foundation, which owns the rights to the work.
The civil suit against the Knoedler & Company gallery, which sold an art-collecting couple a fake Rothko, continued on Monday even though the gallerys co-defendant and former president, Ann Freedman, reached a settlement with the plaintiffs on Sunday.

A federal judge told jurors who have been hearing the fraud suit in Manhattan about the settlement and said that they should not speculate about the details or infer anything about the remaining case before them.

The plaintiffs in the case, Domenico and Eleanore De Sole, paid $8.3 million for the forged painting in 2004, and are seeking $25 million in damages in the suit they filed against the gallery and Ms. Freedman.

Gregory Clarick, a lawyer for the De Soles, said on Monday that his clients were pleased that Ms. Freedman had decided to settle.
LONDON  The investment manager Allianz Global Investors said on Monday that it had agreed to acquire Rogge Global Partners, a fixed-income firm in London, for an undisclosed amount.

The transaction would strengthen the fixed-income business of Allianz Global Investors, while giving Rogge Global Partners larger distribution of its products. Allianz Global Investors is owned by the Allianz Group, the German insurance giant. In the United States, Allianz owns a majority stake in the Pacific Investment Management Company, or Pimco.

Allianz Global Investors, which is known as AllianzGI, said it would acquire 100 percent of Rogge Global Partners from Old Mutual, the insurance and financial services company, and Rogges management.

The two businesses are a natural fit  in terms of both product mix and culture  and we really look forward to working together closely for our clients mutual interests, Andreas Utermann, the Allianz Global Investors chief investment officer, said in a news release.
The troubled for-profit education company that owns the giant University of Phoenix agreed on Monday to be bought for $1.1 billion by a group of investors that includes a private equity firm with close ties to the Obama administration.

The university and its owner, the Apollo Education Group, have been subject to a series of state and federal investigations into allegations of shady recruiting, deceptive advertising and questionable financial aid practices.

In recent years, many for-profit educational institutions that have received billions of dollars in federal aid, including the University of Phoenix, have been pummeled by criticisms that they preyed upon veterans and low-income students, saddling them with outsize student loan debt and subpar instruction.

Moreover, at many of these schools, enrollment has been falling and profits shrinking, casting doubt on the future health of the industry.
Abraham Lincoln once said, Let the people know the facts and the country will be safe. Whether that view applies to disclosure of a corporate monitors report about HSBCs response to money laundering problems that resulted in a deferred prosecution agreement in 2012 is the focus of a dispute between the Justice Department and Judge John Gleeson of the Federal District Court in Brooklyn.

The question is whether the public has a right to see reports compiled by monitors, who were appointed at the governments insistence, about how well companies found to have violated the law are cleaning up their operations.

The Justice Department filed charges against London-based HSBC in 2012, accusing the bank of failing to prevent money laundering by Mexican drug cartels and hiding transfers made for clients in Iran, Sudan and Cuba in violation of sanctions imposed on those countries. As part of the settlement, HSBC paid $1.92 billion and agreed to bring in an outside monitor for five years to ensure improved compliance with the law.

Prosecutors hailed the case as proof of the crackdown on miscreant banks. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, the United States attorney in Brooklyn at the time, said the agreement makes it clear that all corporate citizens, no matter how large, must be held accountable for their actions.
Timothy F. Geithner has joined fellow Warburg Pincus partners in securing financing to make personal investments in the private equity firms funds.

Mr. Geithner, the former Treasury secretary who joined Warburg two years ago as its president, has a line of credit with JPMorgan Chase, according to a December filing with New York State.

Warburgs co-chief executive, Joseph P. Landy, and four managing directors  Christopher C. Gunther, Peter R. Kagan, James W. Wilson and Daniel Zilberman,  also arranged lines of credit with JPMorgan in the last year backed by collateral that includes stakes Warburg funds, according to the filings.

The $12 billion Warburg Pincus Private Equity XII fund would be the first main fund the firm has closed since Mr. Geithner joined it. Before being Treasury secretary, he was president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for six years.
Even with that noble aim, Facebook miscalculated in introducing the program in India. While Facebook expected to be welcomed with open arms, its message to the country focused on itself rather than the broad coalition of telecommunications firms supporting the effort, experts said. That, in turn, fostered a climate of distrust about Facebooks future intentions in the country and led to the questions from regulators.

Indias decision also puts Facebook in an unusual position in the debate over net neutrality, which says that Internet providers should provide equal access to all web content. In the United States, Facebook has been a proponent of net neutrality. Yet the Indian regulators ruling, which furthers net neutrality, puts Facebook in a losing position.

Mr. Zuckerbergs stumble in bringing his signature project to India underscores the difficulties of widening Internet access to the world at large, which companies like Google and Xiaomi of China also are trying. While there is enormous potential upside in offering web services to hundreds of millions of people who are currently not digitally connected, regulators and local officials have proved much more difficult to navigate than these tech companies anticipated.

There has been such a great deal of spotlight on a single Internet issue, said Nikhil Pahwa, editor and publisher of MediaNama, an Indian news site, who has strongly opposed Facebooks efforts. I dont think Internet policy in India will ever again be made in a vacuum, a black box.

Free Basics came out of Mr. Zuckerbergs program for universal Internet access, which was started in 2013 under an initiative called Internet.org. The idea was to simplify phone applications to run more efficiently and to offer these apps to users in developing countries. Half a dozen of the worlds tech giants, including Samsung, Nokia, Qualcomm and Ericsson, agreed to work with Facebook as partners on the initiative.
LARCHMONT, N.Y.  The yard signs began appearing in November, only a few at first, lodging in lush lawns, flower beds budding in the unseasonable warmth, and on picket fences and stone walls. They quickly began to spread across this compact village on Long Island Sound, in front of grand Victorians and Tudors and simple (yet seven-figure) Cape Cods and split-levels.

None carried the name of Bernie Sanders or a fellow Westchester County resident, Hillary Clinton  that kind of campaigning, this early in the race, is still confined to the bumpers of BMWs, Volvos and Volkswagens. Instead they primly declared in a blue crest, Preserve Larchmont Supporter. In the crest was a drawing of the gazebo in Manor Park. A more appropriate symbol might be one of the cottages that once made Larchmont a popular summertime destination for actors, properties these days that are attracting developers and their demolition crews.

A big part of the reason people come to Larchmont is for the charming homes, said Sarah Bauer, one of the leaders of Preserve Larchmont. We know they can be drafty and leaky, but if you wanted something big and new looming over you, you would go to Queens or Long Island.
New York City has already closed the elementary school at 1180 Tinton Avenue in the South Bronx once, reopening it with new leadership and a new name, the Urban Scholars Community School.

But its students continue to be drawn from the poorest congressional district in the country, with many living in five nearby homeless shelters. Some staff members keep granola bars on hand, because many of the children do not get enough to eat at home. A third of its students are chronically absent.

And in the 2013-14 school year, only 2 percent of the schools students passed the state English test, while 4 percent of them passed in math, placing it among the lowest-performing schools in the city.

How do you fix a school like that?

Mayor Bill de Blasios answer has been the $400 million School Renewal Program, which seeks to turn around the citys most struggling schools by adding professional development for the staff and by wrapping students and their families in extensive support systems not typically found in schools.
Officer Liang said he flinched.

I heard something on my left side; it was a quick sound and it just startled me, he said. And the gun just went off after I tensed up.

He said he had no idea anyone had been hurt. Immediately after the shot was fired, he returned to the hallway, where he and his partner debated who would call their supervisor to report that a shot had been fired, as officers are required to do. Neither did.

It was only after Officer Liang went into the stairwell to look for the bullet, he testified, that he heard someone crying, went down the stairs and realized that a man had been shot.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution has drubbed Officer Liang for having his gun unholstered when he opened the stairwell door that night, characterizing him as reckless for doing so in a place full of families going about their lives.

But in his testimony, Officer Liang said he believed it was warranted. He and his partner were headed to the roof of the building when the gun, which he said he pointed downward for safety, went off. There are bullet holes in the roof, there is evidence of drugs, there is drug dealing, people get assaulted and raped in these areas, he said. In the unlighted stairwell, it felt necessary.

Under direct questioning and under cross-examination, Officer Liang seemed to blame a lack of Police Academy training in CPR for why he did not help Mr. Gurley, as is required of officers. At the academy, from which he graduated in 2013 with top scores, CPR training was only cursory, Officer Liang said.

The statements echoed the testimony of Officer Landau, his partner and academy classmate, who received immunity for his grand jury testimony. Last week on the stand, Officer Landau described being fed answers during the CPR test at the academy and practicing compressions for just two minutes on a dummy.
The Suffolk County district attorneys office was notified of this, and at that time, objected to this analysis being conducted, a county detective wrote in a December 2012 police memorandum obtained by The New York Times. As a result, the meeting with the F.B.I. profilers was canceled, according to the memo.

The spokesman for the district attorney, Robert Clifford, said that before December 2012, the F.B.I.s Behavioral Analysis Unit had previously provided their perspective on the case and that a further request that they return was deemed to be duplicative of the work already completed, and therefore unnecessary.

But the district attorneys opposition to that meeting appeared to have lasting consequences: The F.B.I.s analysts would have little involvement in the case for the next three years, until a new Suffolk police commissioner sought their help. The case remains unsolved.

A Long Relationship

Mr. Spota himself has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the current Justice Department inquiry. But it has cut close to him, given his close relationship with Mr. Burke.

Their association goes back more than three decades, to when Mr. Spota was an assistant district attorney and Mr. Burke was his teenage witness in a blockbuster murder trial. After Mr. Burke became a police officer, Mr. Spota brought him to the district attorneys office and gave him the job of chief investigator. And it was Mr. Spota who again helped him, in 2012, to secure the job as chief.

Within two years of taking the post, Mr. Burke was facing scrutiny, from federal investigators looking into whether he had beaten up the thief, and from Newsday, which reported how as a young officer Mr. Burke had been investigated for his relationship with a drug-using prostitute.

Recently, federal investigators began to examine the unusual circumstances surrounding the district attorneys wiretap of a detectives phone in 2014, according to two Suffolk officials who are familiar with several recently issued subpoenas. While Mr. Spota has said the investigation was an urgent action in a leak case, people familiar with the wiretap described numerous problems with the way it was conducted and called it part of an effort to keep track of who was saying damaging things about Mr. Burke.
Aleppo may prove to be the Sarajevo of Syria. It is already the Munich.

By which I mean that the citys plight today  its exposure to Putins whims and a revived Assads pitiless designs  is a result of the fecklessness and purposelessness over almost five years of the Obama administration. The president and his aides have hidden at various times behind the notions that Syria is marginal to core American national interests; that they have thought through the downsides of intervention better than others; that the diverse actors on the ground are incomprehensible or untrustworthy; that there is no domestic or congressional support for taking action to stop the war or shape its outcome; that there is no legal basis for establishing safe areas or taking out Assads air power; that Afghanistan and Iraq are lessons in the futility of projecting American power in the 21st century; that Syria will prove Russias Afghanistan as it faces the ire of the Sunni world; and that the only imperative, whatever the scale of the suffering or the complete evisceration of American credibility, must be avoidance of another war in the Middle East.

Where such feeble evasions masquerading as strategy lead is to United States policy becoming Putins policy in Syria, to awkward acquiescence to Moscows end game and to embarrassed shrugs encapsulating the wish that  perhaps, somehow, with a little luck  Putin may crush ISIS.

Obamas Syrian agonizing, his constant what-ifs and recurrent what then? have also led to the slaughter in Paris and San Bernardino. They have contributed to a potential unraveling of the core of the European Union as internal borders eliminated on a free continent are re-established as a response to an unrelenting refugee tide  to which the United States has responded by taking in around 2,500 Syrians since 2012, or about 0.06 percent of the total.

The Syrian crisis is now a European crisis, a senior European diplomat told me. But the president is not interested in Europe. That is a fair assessment of the first postwar American leader for whom the core trans-Atlantic alliance was something to be dutifully upheld rather than emotionally embraced.

Syria is now the Obama administrations shame, a debacle of such dimensions that it may overshadow the presidents domestic achievements.
To the Editor:

Mayor Bill de Blasio proposes building a streetcar line between Brooklyn and Queens for $2.5 billion (Elation and Skepticism Over Proposed Streetcars in Brooklyn and Queens, news article, Feb. 5). I rode a trolley car in Brooklyn back in the day and light rail in Europe in years since, and I look forward to this construction.

But before I leave this mortal coil, could I just once hear a government official say, Were starting at $X billion, but if truth be told it will come in much higher, and we have no idea of the eventual cost?

PETER LUSHING

New York
Even by Boko Harams appalling standards, the raid on the small village of Dalori in northeastern Nigeria was horrific: Children were burned to death in their huts; residents fleeing flames and bullets were blown up by suicide bombers running with them. In the end scores were dead and much of the village was in ashes, and President Muhammadu Buharis claims of a technical victory against the Islamist militants seemed dubious. This is a war that will require far more than a few military successes to win.

Boko Haram, whose name is loosely translated as Western education is a sin, has been waging a ruthless Islamist terror campaign of bloody raids and suicide bombings for years in Nigerias northeast, the poorest region of the country. The militants achieved special notoriety in 2014 when they abducted more than 200 schoolgirls, most of whom are still missing. The former president, Goodluck Jonathan, did little to curb them, one reason he lost in elections last March to Mr. Buhari, a former general and onetime dictator who pledged to rout Boko Haram and end corruption at all levels of government.

Mr. Buhari has made a difference. The notoriously underequipped and undisciplined military has been receiving arms and supplies more regularly and has driven Boko Haram from several of its strongholds. But as the raid on Dalori and several other recent attacks have demonstrated, winning back territory is not the same as destroying the movement. When under attack, Boko Haram units disappear into the countryside, only to resurface when conditions allow. As with the Islamic State, its terror tactics also serve as a recruiting tool in the predominantly Muslim region, which harbors strong resentments toward the government, the Christian south and the Nigerian Army soldiers who stand accused of terrible human rights abuses against civilians while purportedly hunting down Boko Haram.

President Buhari is well aware that defeating the Islamic insurgency will require regaining peoples trust in their leaders and their soldiers. Fighting corruption and the abusive behavior of the army is also essential if he hopes to receive help from the West. Though the United States has provided help to the Nigerian military, it is legally prohibited by legislation from giving assistance to military units that have committed gross violations of human rights, like those in northeastern Nigeria. On his first official visit to Washington as president last summer, Mr. Buhari complained that the law aids and abets Boko Haram. On the contrary: The insurgency feeds on the abusive behavior of the security forces and the rampant corruption of Nigerian officials. Those are enemies only Nigeria can fight.
SOFIA, Bulgaria  The millions of people storming the borders of the European Union today are right to believe that migration is the best revolution. It is a revolution of the individual, not the masses. The European Union is more attractive than any 20th-century utopia, for the simple reason that it exists. But as it looks today, the migrants revolution could easily inspire a counterrevolution in Europe.

The myriad acts of solidarity toward refugees fleeing war and persecution that we saw months ago are today overshadowed by their inverse: a raging anxiety that these same foreigners will compromise Europes welfare model and historic culture. Cellphone images of foreign-looking men attacking and abusing German women during New Years in Cologne crystallized the fear that liberal governments are too weak and confused to defend Europe, and that the situation with migration is spiraling out of control.

Even before Cologne, a majority of Germans had started to doubt that their country could integrate those hundreds of thousands of Syrians, Afghans and others who have arrived in the last year. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who until recently was the symbol of the European Unions self-confidence and resilience, is now portrayed as a Gorbachev-like figure, noble but naive, somebody whose Wir shaffen es  We can do it  policy has put Europe at risk.

But it is not only the refugees who have arrived, and those on the way, that keep Berlins government on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Germany has a second, less discussed but no less disturbing integration problem: European integration itself.
Dr. Gaden, Dr. Wagner and others say that pheromones could alleviate some of the reliance on poison. Were trying to move away from brute-force techniques like pesticides and achieve the most environmentally friendly control of lampreys possible, Dr. Wagner said.

Researchers have been investigating lamprey pheromones since the 1980s, though records from the late 19th century show that French fishers suspected that lampreys use odor to attract mates. In fact, pheromones seem to play a prominent role throughout the lamprey life cycle.

Like salmon, lampreys spawn in rivers and streams, but instead of returning to the place of their birth, they use the scent of current larvae  which burrow into the muck and remain there around four years before metamorphosing into parasites and moving into open water  to determine where to deposit their own young. Its like choosing where to raise your kids based on a neighborhoods crime rate and quality of schools, Dr. Wagner said. The odor larvae release says, Were thriving here.

Male lampreys follow their noses to larvae-filled streams ahead of females. There, they construct a cradle of small stones (the name lamprey possibly derives from the Latin lampetra, or stone licker) and then pump out a concoction of come-hither chemicals to guide females to their love nests. After spawning, both parents die.

Making larvae is not the only way the parasites use scent, however. Researchers also suspect that lamprey tissue contains an alarm cue, which warns others to steer clear of injured or dead lampreys. When Dr. Wagner pours just a few drops of a solution extracted from decaying lampreys into a tank of live ones, their frenzied response makes it appear as if someone just flipped on a blender.

The researchers hope to use synthesized versions of these three chemical classes to hack lampreys natural behaviors, creating a push-pull means of control, with the alarm pheromone nudging the animals away from certain areas, the migration and sex ones reeling them in. Lamprey males could be tricked into selecting subpar streams, females could be sent down dead ends, and all could be manipulated for more cost-effective poisoning and trapping. Such pheromone-driven strategies have long been used for insects, but never for a vertebrate species.
Im not claustrophobic or fidgety. I love music, though Im not a musician. For all the times I had written about neuroscience studies that rely on the brain-mapping technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging, or F.M.R.I., I had never seen a scan performed. This was my chance.

Take me, I begged Nancy Kanwisher, a professor of neuroscience at M.I.T. Take me through the experiment recently reported in the journal Neuron and show me where in the brain  my brain  the music-specific pathway resides. Let me lie in the dark, narrow chamber of the scanner with my head braced in place as I listen to a series of carefully selected sound clips.

I assured her the enclosed quarters would not make me panic. I promised I would give good, clean data, by remaining as still as roadkill and avoiding the little head wiggles that are the bane of F.M.R.I. research. Dr. Kanwisher agreed to my request, and I was ushered to the scanning room, in the basement, by Sam Norman-Haignere, a postdoctoral fellow and an author on the new report, who is thin and light-eyed and looks a little like a Renaissance troubadour, and Alex Kell, a graduate student with a cheerful smile and a blond beard.

A magnetic resonance imaging device uses radio waves and powerful magnetic fields to track blood flow in the brain, an indirect measure of neural activity. I was instructed to remove my boots, belt, earrings, anything metallic that might interfere with the magnetic coils. My titanium dental implants? I asked anxiously. Not to worry: Theyd be fine.
The Zika virus has quickly gained Ebola-level notoriety as it has spread through the Western Hemisphere in recent months. Researchers in Brazil, where it was first detected in May, have linked infections in pregnant women to a condition known as microcephaly: infants born with undersize heads.

Where birth defects are concerned, however, the Zika virus is far from unique. A number of other viruses, such as rubella and cytomegalovirus, pose a serious risk during pregnancy. Researchers have uncovered some important clues about how those pathogens injure fetuses  findings that are now helping to guide research into the potential link between Zika and microcephaly.

I think well discover a lot of parallels, said Dr. Mark R. Schleiss, the director of pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

The risk that viruses pose during pregnancy came to light in the mid-1900s, when outbreaks of rubella, or German measles, led to waves of birth defects, including microcephaly, cataracts and deformed hearts and livers.
Why have Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton struggled so much during this campaign? It might seem as if the public is weary of Bushes and Clintons and has turned against dynastic politics, but voters dont usually punish politicians for being members of political families. Becoming a long-term member of the House of Representatives, for example, substantially increases the odds that a relative will also serve in Congress.

But the advantages that dynastic candidates enjoy come at a cost: Those who end up seeking the presidency may discover that they lack the campaign skills of other credible contenders.

Mrs. Clinton, for instance, has won only one competitive race: a Senate election in New York, a Democratic-leaning state where the field was cleared for her in the primary. She performed about as well in her 2000 election as Chuck Schumer did in his Senate election in the previous election cycle in New York. After being anointed as the front-runner in the 2008 Democratic presidential race, she squandered her early advantage and narrowly lost the nomination to Barack Obama. Serving as secretary of state removed her from partisan politics for several years afterward.
LOS ANGELES  It has been one of the most powerful governmental agencies in the nation, with sweeping powers to determine what gets built, or does not get built, on the 1,100 miles of cliffs, mountains and beaches along the Pacific Ocean, one of the countrys great destinations.

The California Coastal Commission, created 45 years ago, is an independent entity whose authority has been likened to that of Robert Moses, the powerful New York City planner. It has scrutinized projects large and small, from adding a deck to a home to building an oceanfront luxury hotel. It has mediated the often clashing agendas of two of the most influential forces that help to define this state: environmentalism and the drive for growth.

But now, with the roaring California economy fueling demand for luxury housing, these conflicting priorities have burst into a dispute that could redefine the role and power of this agency  and, more important, the way the state manages its revered and majestic coastline. A bloc of commission members, backed by developers frustrated with a commission staff they see as stifling legitimate growth, has moved to try to oust the agencys executive director, Charles Lester.

With any other state agency, this would be little more than a bureaucratic power struggle involving a relatively obscure official whose work is overseen by a 12-member commission appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. But given the high stakes  the aesthetics of the California coastline and who has access to it  the action against Mr. Lester, which will come to a head at a public hearing on Wednesday, has created a firestorm.
A college professor in Illinois who had been at risk of being fired for her remarks on Islam and Christianity has agreed to part ways with the institution.

Wheaton College, an evangelical Christian institution, and Larycia Hawkins, an associate professor of political science, said in a joint statement that they have come together and found a mutual place of resolution and reconciliation.

It continued, The college and Dr. Hawkins have reached a confidential agreement under which they will part ways.

The statement released on Saturday gave no further details. But it appeared to be an attempt to close a controversial chapter that involved concerns about academic freedom and that saw the college defending itself against accusations that its actions were anti-Muslim.
WASHINGTON  Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont was asked on Sunday about the North Korean missile launch that took place while he was appearing the previous night on Saturday Night Live, and he answered without once discussing how he would contain or confront the renegade nuclear state, or persuade China to control its ally.

In fact, he never once mentioned North Korea, telling his interviewer, John Dickerson of CBS News, that Hillary Clinton had voted for the war  the Iraq war, 14 years ago  and reassuring him that I can put together a strong team to provide great foreign policy.

A few days earlier, in a debate with Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Sanders was asked whether he would keep troops in Afghanistan to deal with the Taliban surge. He answered without ever discussing Afghanistan, but warned against a quagmire in Iraq and Syria.

The pattern even has some of his friends wondering aloud why he has not bothered to prepare stock answers about basic national security issues. While Mr. Sanders had no idea months ago that he would be doing so well in the polls, he knew he would be running against a former secretary of state. As the United States is battling the Islamic State and coping with an aggressive Russia and an economically weakening China, he has steadfastly refused to say much about Americas place in the world.
Tomorrow is going to be the beginning, Mr. Trump told the crowd. I hear we have a lead. It doesnt matter to me. It doesnt matter to me. Who the hell knows what the lead is?

Yet in a new milestone for a campaign not known for its decorum, Mr. Trump echoed a woman in the crowd who referred to Ted Cruz by a vulgar term after a discussion of the Texas senators stance on waterboarding. (Mr. Cruz does not oppose it, but has been more restrained than Mr. Trump.)

After reprimanding her in jest, he repeated what she said: She said, Hes a pussy,  Mr. Trump said with a smile. Thats terrible, terrible. He then turned away from his microphone as his fans chanted his name.

The snowstorm, which began before noon and was expected to drop several inches through Tuesday morning, had all the campaigns talking to their field organizers to ensure they were prepared for get-out-the-vote complications.

Members of Mr. Bushs campaign staff said they were prepared to offer voters rides to the polls, and Mrs. Clinton said in an interview with WBZ radio, a Boston station, that aides and volunteers were ready to help voters reach the polls no matter how bad the conditions were.

At an afternoon rally at Manchester Community College, Mrs. Clinton sought to lower her threshold for what would constitute a success in the states Democratic primary even as she threaded her stump speech with a more personal reminder to New Hampshire voters that they had stood with her family before.
RINDGE, N.H.  After hours of deliberation and debate, Joleen Little had narrowed down her choice for president in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday to two candidates  a liberal Democrat and a conservative Republican.

Yes, thats right. Two candidates from opposite political parties.

Ms. Little, 62, of Rindge, was trying to decide whether to support Senator Bernie Sanders, an avowed democratic socialist from Vermont running as a political outsider, or Jeb Bush, a former Republican governor of Florida, who hails from one of the nations most prominent political dynasties.

I know it sounds crazy, but I like a little from each person, said Ms. Little, waiting to see Mr. Bush speak at Franklin Pierce University here last week. A bit later, ducking out early from the event, she whispered with a smile, I like him even better now.
WASHINGTON  President Obama on Monday requested more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to fight an outbreak of the Zika virus, which has spread to 26 countries and territories in Central and South America, though not yet to the United States.

The money would go toward expanding programs that control mosquitoes, which transmit the virus, as well as research into vaccines and new public education programs, particularly for pregnant women, the president said in an interview on CBS This Morning.

Brazil, which has been among the countries hardest hit by the virus, has reported a significant increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads, a condition that may be linked to the virus.

Mr. Obamas request to Congress came as the White House was trying to strike a balance between being responsive to the outbreak and not provoking alarm. Two years ago, the administration initially played down the risk that the Ebola virus would spread to the United States, only to reverse course after the diagnosis of several cases here. Mr. Obama, angered by the slow response, appointed a special coordinator to handle the outbreak.
An anthropologist studies a womans femur that was uncovered in Madagascar, one question began. She knew a femur was a leg bone, but was not sure about anthropologist. She was contemplating Madagascar just as she remembered her teachers advice to concentrate on the essential, which, she decided, was the algebraic equation that came next, h = 60 + 2.5f, where h stood for height and f stood for the length of the femur.

I feel like they put in a lot of unnecessary words, she said.

Jed Applerouth, who runs a national tutoring service, estimated that the new math test was 50 percent reading comprehension, adding, in a blog post, that students will need to learn how to wade through all the language to isolate the math.

The new SAT is probably less correlated with I.Q. testing than the old one, Dr. Applerouth said in an interview. But given the more difficult reading level of some passages and more demanding curriculum, it may be the rich get richer, he said.

Jay Bacrania, the chief executive of Signet Education, a test-prep company based in Cambridge, said he found blocks of text from the new test to average at least a grade level higher than text from the old one. When students open the exam, I think to some degree the sticker shock  that first impression  is almost even worse, he said.

College admissions officers say they are just as confused.

Were going to need to see how they did, which test is going to be better, how can we weigh it, said Eric J. Furda, the dean of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania.

The SAT is rooted in aptitude testing and is known for its trickiness, as educators say, like partly correct or plausible but wrong choices on answers. It long dominated college admissions on the East and West Coasts, while the ACT dominated in the Midwest.
KASSERINE, Tunisia  After graduating from college and still not being able to find a job, Ridha Yahyaoui protested with 78 other graduates in a sit-in two years ago. Most were eventually given public-sector positions, but Mr. Yahyaoui was left out.

So he protested again, this time in mid-January, by climbing a utility pole here in the rain. He was electrocuted and died when he touched a live cable.

Since then, his death has inspired a new round of protests by Tunisias youth, nearly a third of whom are unemployed and increasingly embittered that many of the promises of Tunisias revolution five years ago remain unfulfilled. Demonstrations and violent clashes with the police have broken out in dozens of towns and have shaken Tunisias government into ordering a nightly curfew across the country for three weeks.

Most of the demonstrations petered out. But in Kasserine, an impoverished provincial capital of about 400,000, the protesters have refused to let up.
BEIJING  At first, Cindy Zhang, like millions of other Chinese parents, thought her problems had been solved.

For three years, she and her husband had worried about the status of their younger child, Tutu. He was born outside the one-child limit China set for most urban couples and lacked a hukou, the crucial household registration document all citizens need to attend state schools, receive health care, marry, open a bank account or even buy train tickets.

Beijing officials had told Ms. Zhang and her husband that their son would not receive a hukou unless they first paid a fine for having violated the family planning law, 300,000 renminbi, or about $45,000, which the family could not afford.

Then last month came what seemed like good news: The State Council, Chinas cabinet, ordered local governments to come up with measures to register all citizens. The Jan. 14 directive said the hukou was a basic right of citizens and barred local governments from imposing any conditions that would prevent citizens from registering.
NEW DELHI  A Pakistani-American man who helped plot the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai told an Indian court on Monday that he had met throughout the process with two handlers from Pakistans military intelligence agency, an Indian prosecutor said.

India has long sought to depose the man, David C. Headley, in hopes of establishing a direct link between the Pakistani government and the assaults in Mumbai, which left more than 163 people dead.

Mr. Headley gave the deposition via teleconference from an undisclosed location in the United States, where he is serving a 35-year sentence for his role in the attacks. The questioning, by Ujjwal Nikam, the Indian public prosecutor, will continue in the coming days.

India hopes to present evidence of official involvement in the attacks, in part to generate pressure on the Pakistani government to take action against the conspirators. Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a commander with the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba who is believed to have overseen the Mumbai attacks, has been free on bail in Pakistan since 2014.
KABUL, Afghanistan  A Taliban suicide bomber killed at least three people on Monday and wounded 18 more in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, officials said.

The bomber, who was on foot, detonated his explosives near a minibus carrying Afghan National Army troops and security employees.

Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh Province and a major commercial center, had until recently seemed almost immune to the violence regularly rocking much of the rest of Afghanistan. But the security situation there has been gradually deteriorating since the withdrawal of United States combat soldiers at the end of 2014, representing a worrying extension of the conflict into an important economic center and gateway to Tajikistan, the source of much of the countrys energy.

In a separate attack on Monday, in southeastern Paktika Province, a suicide bomber set off his explosives outside a bakery in the Yahya Khail district, killing at least six civilians and wounding nine more, including three children. The district governor, Musa Khan Kharuti, said that the motive of the attack was unknown, but that it appeared the attacker might have detonated his bomb by accident. No one claimed responsibility for that attack.
PARIS  As miniseries go, the early rounds of the American presidential elections have had everything required to capture the attention of the French.

From the billionaire Donald J. Trump to the conservative Ted Cruz to the anti-establishment Bernie Sanders, the primary contest offers up characters who, as seen from France, could be summed up as The Ugly, the Bad and the Good  a list that skips over Hillary Clinton, seen here as an enduring fixture on the American political stage.

The casting this year was amazing, said Thomas Snegaroff, a history teacher and author of several books on American politics. The French media adore telling stories, and here was one they couldnt resist.

What has made this years crop of candidates particularly compelling is the way in which they have fed a French fascination with America that swings easily from admiration to disdain.
MOSCOW  Russias Defense Ministry announced a surprise military exercise on Monday that ordered troops garrisoned throughout the nations southern region to full combat readiness, a move that appeared intended to unnerve neighbors.

State television showed pilots clambering into their airplanes in snowy airfields and officers unfurling maps and speaking on telephones. The exercise began at 5 a.m.

From that moment, we began our surprise check of the military preparedness in the southwest strategic direction, Sergei K. Shoigu, the defense minister, said in comments carried on state television.

The military said the training was needed to test the militarys readiness to rebuff a foreign attack or help in a natural disaster in southern Russia.
MOSCOW  The main security agency in Russia said on Monday that it had detained seven people suspected of being members of a terrorist cell aligned with the Islamic State that was planning large-scale terrorist acts in Moscow and elsewhere in the country.

The agency, the Federal Security Service, said in a statement that the seven, who were detained in Yekaterinburg, a sprawling industrial city in the Ural Mountains, are citizens of Russia and Central Asian states, and that the cell was managed by a leader from Turkey.

While searching their apartments, law enforcement officers discovered an explosives laboratory equipped with firearms and grenades, the security agency said. Members of the cell planned to leave for Syria to fight alongside Islamic State militants after the attacks, it added.

At the end of September, President Vladimir V. Putin began an air campaign in Syria, and although he said the Russian strikes were intended to fight and prevent the rise of Islamic State militants, most of their targets have been rebels backed by the United States and its allies.
TEHRAN  Press TV, Irans state-run, English language news channel, suspended two executives on Monday after a prominent newscaster said she had endured years of sexual harassment from them.

The newscaster, Sheena Shirani, has fled the country.

On Friday she posted a recording of an explicit phone conversation with one of the men, the channels news editor, Hamid Reza Emadi. In the recording, Mr. Emadi can be heard multiple times requesting sexual favors from Ms. Shirani. It is unclear who the second official is.

In another exchange, Mr. Emadi asks Ms. Shirani to come to his house after she has finished working the night shift.

The audio recording, posted by Ms. Shirani on her Facebook page, continues with Mr. Emadi saying he is lying in bed naked. He insists that he has always helped her and begs Ms. Shirani to have phone sex with him for just five minutes.
Just forgive us in case we dont see each other again, Aisha al-Dik, 60, one of those trapped in Syria, said in a voice message to her nephew Osama, who was in the border town of Kilis. Osama was at a hospital with some relatives who had been allowed into Turkey, but only because of critical injuries, including two children with skull fractures.

Throughout the conflict, the Western powers have found themselves constrained by conflicting aims and allegiances. On Monday, as international pressure mounted on Turkey to allow the refugees in, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany was in Ankara pressing the Turks to prevent the two million Syrians already in the country from leaving to join the flow of refugees to Europe.

Speaking after her meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ms. Merkel said she was not just appalled, but horrified by the events in and around Aleppo.

For their part, the Turks were refusing to open their border, in part, analysts said, to pressure the United States to finally grant their longstanding wish of establishing a buffer zone inside Syria where civilians would be safe from Syrian government and Russian airstrikes.
An American actor and designer said he was barred from boarding a plane in Mexico on Monday for a flight home to New York because he refused to remove his turban during a security check.

The actor, Waris Ahluwalia, who follows the Sikh religion and wears a turban, said he checked in at the Aeromexico counter at Mexico Citys international airport about 5:30 a.m. and was given his first-class boarding pass with a code that he said meant he needed secondary security screening.

When he showed up at the gate to board Flight 408 to New York City, Mr. Ahluwalia said, attendants told him he needed to step aside and wait for other passengers to board. After they did, his feet and bag were searched and swabbed, he was told to remove a sweatshirt and he was patted down. Then, he said, he was asked to take off his turban.

I responded matter-of-factly that I wont be taking off my turban, he said in an interview Monday afternoon from the airport in Mexico City. And then they talked amongst themselves and they said, O.K., then you are not getting on the flight. 
I have a friend who is an emergency room physician in Salt Lake City. The other day, he described to me an interaction he had with a distressed, uncomfortable patient. After doing all the tests he could and finding nothing wrong, all he could do was give the patient that age-old, wonderful doctor advice: Go home, rest up, drink fluids and call me in the morning.

The funny thing about this patient, my friend told me, was that after I told him nothing was wrong and he should just go home, he actually seemed disappointed.

This happens all the time, according to my friend. It often seems like the patient would rather have a bad diagnosis than face an uncertainty that could well be labeled good. Its fascinating: We yearn so badly for clarity that we often prefer a negative outcome were certain about to one that leaves us in suspense.
Our readers seem to like John Kasich. Liberal pundits and editorial board writers in New Hampshire tend to like him, too. Liberals and moderates in New Hampshire, who are plentiful and who are allowed to vote in the primary of their choosing if they are not registered with a party, also seem to have a soft spot for him.

All of this is not nearly as helpful as some people might think.

Mr. Kasich, according to recent polling, has a chance to place well in the Republican race in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Hes coming off a solid debate performance Saturday night, one in which Marco Rubio stumbled. If he finishes second to Donald Trump  which would mean a first-place finish among establishment rivals  he might even get a boomlet of attention and a boost in the polls.

But none of it is expected to matter. Why? Our readers offer a clue below. (And theres plenty more of the lovefest here.)
Neumann and Schillace set out to demystify death; Eve Joseph hopes to mystify it. Having married a First Nations man in her native Canada, she was drawn into his tribes vocabulary of symbolic meanings, and applied them retrospectively to the trauma of her brothers death in a car accident when she was 12. She took work as a hospice nurse because the location of the facility was convenient and she needed to pay the bills, but soon developed a mission to bridge the vocabularies of theology and medicine. In the Slender Margin quotes the French surgeon Rene Leriche: Every surgeon carries about in him a little cemetery, in which from time to time he goes to pray. To Joseph, it makes as much sense for the dead to appear as spirits glowing in midair as for them to be inert and terminated. She recounts that a woman potter who lost her father at the hospice held on by incorporating his ashes into a set of coffee cups, and humorously describes how she herself ritualized the loss of her brother by cooking for him 35 years after he died: I felt like a cross between the Galloping Gourmet and Morticia Addams.

Image Credit... Gray318

If the last days of any journey, even a pleasure trip, are usually shadowed by psychic preparation for the return home, then why, she wonders, should we so often die unready? Regardless, preparation is never adequate, and Joseph confesses regretfully that when her mother was dying, all her earned expertise went out the window. Buck up, buttercup, she couldnt keep herself from saying. Youll be better in no time. Her most persuasive proposition is that the internal processes of grief and the external ones of mourning are dynamically opposed. She is bemused by the modern tendency to eschew solemn funerals in favor of rapturous commemorations of the deceased persons life, events that are often so exuberant that they might be confused with weddings. The emphasis on celebration seems far removed from the bewilderment of loss, she writes. Her patchwork quilt of a book interweaves occasional New Age banalities with real insight to achieve a somehow pleasing totality.

The Iceberg is Marion Couttss stunningly fierce, wise, impossibly gorgeous account of the death of her husband, Tom Lubbock, from a brain tumor. At the time of his diagnosis, he was just 50, and their only child, whom she calls Ev, was a toddler. Her book is a narrative of the two years that followed. It is difficult for any of us to be fully honest with ourselves, with those we love or with those we dont know. We protect ourselves by obscuring our experience, but we imagine that if we could get through our own veils, we would find an underlying honesty that is simple, stark, handmade. Couttss honesty is not like that. It is ostentatious, even a touch melodramatic, but there is grace in her very theatricality, in her arresting and sometimes willfully stretched metaphors, in her hard but vulnerable wit that is often mordant but never bitter. When she wants pity, as she often does, she asks for pity; when she pities herself, she lets the reader know. But her writing itself contains no self-pity. She will not let you trivialize what has happened to her.

Tom was a writer, and his brain tumor gradually robbed him of language. Coutts describes his loss of words and their collaboration on finding substitutes for them. At one point, they took kitchen plates of various colors and used each to symbolize something so that Tom could communicate by pointing at them. Later, she writes:

Here it comes again, not a word, an utterance. It is Toms voice saying my name. . . . I have never heard my name like this, with so much mourning, and I will not hear it so again. I understand it, its timbre, of course I do. He is losing my name. He is seeking it out as a word and feeling it on his tongue. . . . My name is a word like any other and though it means all of me to him, just like any other it may be lost. . . . In the last two days  two days!  we lose more in two days than you fail to recall in a year  all the names are going. . . . A new thing is voiced out of the chamber but this time a bit more distinct, soft and clear. My boy, he says. I cannot say the name of my boy.

The books lack of consolation is evenly divided between Tom and Marion. There is the trauma of love and there is the trauma of death but ultimately it is all trauma, Coutts writes. She tracks the gradual narrowing of hope. After one troubling episode, she writes: The dark floor was pooled with piss. Everything happens for the first time and then you know and the knowledge after that is never surprising again. So it was here. She contemplates life with her son but without his father, and compares herself to the mainland trying to imagine itself as an island: It is the linear thing I really object to, Ev, I say, the unfolding of a set trajectory. We are all knowledge and no power. Ev has a biscuit in one hand and a drink in the other and he kicks his boots happily against the back of the seat. Later, she tells of having to take Ev somewhere and finding a hill from which she can get a phone signal to call her language-deprived husband. They both had searched for similar spots from which to call each other during their courtship: It felt primitive then, from a folk tale about lovers. Now I send my voice freely into the dark for there is no one else to hear me. We say good night and good night and good night and use up all the words we know for goodbye.
Amid the controversy over the all-white slate of acting nominees for this years Oscars, Sanjays Super Team, a candidate for best animated short, embodies the kind of inclusive filmmaking that many critics say the motion picture academy should recognize more often. The film  directed by Sanjay Patel, an Indian-American who grew up in California; produced by a woman; and made by an ethnically diverse crew  shares a highly personal tale that resonates with many audiences: the clash between a tradition-minded immigrant father and his more assimilated son.

Every morning, my dad worshiped his gods, which were the Hindu gods, in his shrine, and every morning I worshiped my gods, which were superheroes, Mr. Patel said in a recent telephone interview. My shrine was the TV. And every morning, we would clash because were jammed together in the same room.

Born in Britain to Gujarati parents, Mr. Patel came to the United States when he was 5. His parents bought a motel on Route 66, and he grew up in San Bernardino.

Mr. Patel, 41, started at Pixar in 1996, working as an animator, designer and story artist on Toy Story 2, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and others. He also spent over 10 years exploring Indian mythology and art, creating illustrated books, personal art and childrens books: I became passionate about bringing this material to the attention of people who didnt know about it  beginning with myself, he said.
The Women Grow Orange County will host a networking event Thursday.

The event, from 8 to 10 p.m., will be hosted at the Weedmaps headquarters in Irvine. The Women Grow chapter, which supports women in the cannabis industry, will celebrate its one-year anniversary. Guest speakers include Jared Yonkers of Cannabiz Accounting and Patrick Cox of Tax Defense Partners.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $40 week-of and can be purchased through the Women Grow Orange County event page on Eventbrite. Cash will be accepted at the door. Weedmaps is at 41 Discovery, Irvine.

On the move

Craig Dawson will replace Bill Benz as head of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Pimco in Newport Beach. Dawson, who will be based out of London, started working at the firm in 1999. Benz, who worked at Pimco for 30 years, will retire in June.

Santa Rosa-based Luther Burbank Savings appointed Robert Armstrong as senior vice president of its online banking division. He will work out of both the Irvine and Solana Beach locations. Armstrong has held senior positions with Bank of America, U.S. Bank and San Diego Private Bank.

New ventures

City National Bank has completed renovations, expanded space and installed rooftop signage at its Orange County regional center at 18111 Von Karman Avenue in Irvine. The build-out consisted of adding more than 30,000 square feet of office space on the first and fourth floor. The additional office space will accommodate new hires this year. In 2017, the bank will build another 2,500 square feet on the fourth floor to accommodate even more growth and staffing needs. Opened in 1975, the Beverly Hills-based bank now has seven branches throughout Orange County and more than 120 employees.

Staffing firm Robert Half has launched a Robert Half Legal location at 18200 Von Karman Ave., Suite 800, in Irvine.

Boudin Bakery has hired Santa Ana-based Powerhouse Public Relations to provide media relations and communications support for the brands fast-casual restaurants in Southern California. There are nine Boudin locations in Orange and San Diego counties.

Milestone

Newport Beach-based Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian received the 2016 Womens Choice Award as one of Americas best hospitals for patient safety, heart care and obstetrics. This is the third consecutive year that Hoag has received awards in heart care and obstetrics. Its the second consecutive year the hospital has been honored for patient safety. The awards are determined from criteria that include patient satisfaction, clinical excellence and what women say they want from a hospital.

Contact the writer: aratzlaff@ocregister.com
LANDSCAPE COMPANIES EARN AWARDS

The California Landscape Contractors Association, a statewide nonprofit trade organization, awarded two Orange County companies a trophy award during its annual convention.

The association, whose members are licensed landscape and landscape-related contractors, presented 52 awards to recognize crafts people who produce outstanding landscapes and create pride in superior workmanship.

Richard Cohen Landscaping & Construction Inc. of Lake Forest won outstanding achievement in residential estate for its work on the Orange County Estate Project in Newport Beach.

Visionscape Inc. of Laguna Beach won outstanding achievement in small commercial and industrial for its work on the Selanne Steak Tavern Project in Laguna Beach.

Visionscape also won first place in large residential maintenance for its work on the Keedy Manor Project in Newport Beach, outstanding achievement in large residential maintenance for its work on the Johnson Bungalow Project in Laguna Beach and outstanding achievement in small residential maintenance for its work on the Meditation Meadow Project in Laguna Beach.

CHAMBER welcomES PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

The Laguna Hills Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the grand opening of the Little Heroes of Orange County Pediatric Dentistry with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Feb. 6.

The festivities, to last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 26534 Moulton Parkway in Laguna Hills, will feature face painting, food and activities for kids.

The dentistry is owned by Mission Viejo resident Azi Adrakani, who graduated from Capistrano Valley High, Saddleback College, UC Irvine and UCLA before finishing her specialty residency in pediatric dentistry and behavior management at New York University.

FARMERS MARKET will OPEN IN SAN CLEMENTE

Sprouts Farmers Market is wrapping up construction on a 36,000-square-foot store at 550 Camino de Estrella in San Clemente. It will open at 7a.m. April 20.

Sprouts is a specialty grocery store featuring fresh produce, bulk foods, dairy, meat and seafood, baked goods, vitamins and body care products.

The Arizona-based company is looking to hire 100 full- and part-time workers, including department managers and assistant department managers in grocery, produce, deli, meat, bakery and vitamins. The grocer is also looking to hire clerks, cashiers and workers in other positions.

Information: sprouts.com/careers.

NEKTER JUICE BAR TO ARRIVE IN LAKE FOREST

The Nekter Juice Bar is gearing up to open its 15th Orange County location at the Gateway Center at Rockfield and Lake Forest Drive in Lake Forest on March 1. It will be the companys first store designed by award-winning architects Valario Architecture & Design, featuring a modern farmhouse design to show customers its healthy living vision, said Steve Schulze, president and co-founder of Nekter.

In addition to Lake Forest, the company plans to open four more stores this spring in Orange, Tustin, South Coast Plaza and Huntington Beach.

Contact the writer: marieek@hotmail.com
The 11-year-old boy was inside his Tennessee mobile home, talking with three girls who were standing outside.

The group included 8-year-old McKayla Dyer and her sister, who was also 11, according to court documents. During the conversation that night, Oct. 3, the boy asked the girls to go get their puppies. The girls declined.

The boy left. When he returned, the documents state, he was carrying a BB gun and 12-gauge shotgun.

He then announced to the girls that he had guns, according to court documents. The victim then laughed at the boy, and stated that she believed they were not real.

The boy then made certain the gun was loaded, cocked the hammer of the gun, and shot the victim just above the heart at a downward trajectory, from a distance of 3-5 feet from inside his window.

McKayla fell backward and was later pronounced dead.

Now, months after the fatal October encounter, the boy has been found guilty of first-degree murder and ordered to remain in the custody of the state until his 19th birthday, the Associated Press reported.

The State of Tennessee should utilize all reasonable resources to determine why the boy, an 11 year-old child, chose to kill an 8-year-old child, and to treat and rehabilitate him so that this will not happen again, a juvenile court order states. A child who commits first-degree murder cannot be willy-nilly turned loose into society.

The court order was posted by WATE-TV, an ABC affiliate. The shooting occurred in White Pine, Tenn., a town about 40 miles from Knoxville.

The boy is in desperate need of help, and our society has a great need for him to receive it, the order states. One of the boys relatives told WATE that the family is expected to appeal.

The Associated Press reports that Department of Childrens Services officials were working to try to figure out where to put the boy, who had been trained in firearm safety, according to the court order.

Like any other child who comes into custody, he would need a thorough assessment and evaluation to determine the best placement, agency spokesman Rob Johnson told the wire service. At this time, it would likely be at an intensive treatment program at one of our private providers.

McKayla Dyer died in her mothers arms, according to the court documents.

She was a precious little girl, her mother, Latasha Dyer, told ABC affiliate WATE after the shooting. She was a mommys girl. No matter how bad of a mood you were in, she could always make you smile.

The killing came just two days after a mass school shooting in rural Oregon and rocked the small community of White Pine, Tenn. Jefferson County Sheriff Bud McCoig told The Washington Post at the time that McKaylas death had taken a toll on his investigators.

We only get through it by the grace of God, he said.

Both children  McKayla and her killer  attended White Pine School, which teaches students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

We remember her smile and her beautiful face, White Pine Principal Bill Walker recalled. Our normal has changed.
For most people, just looking at a 40-foot wave is enough to make their stomach turn over.

But San Clementes Greg Long has been tackling these monsters for so long, he knows how to calm the nerves. As he prepares to take on massive waves at Waimea Bay on Wednesday, along with only a handful of other invitees for the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau contest, he said theres no pressure to defend his title.

UPDATE: The contest has been called off

When I was younger, I couldnt sleep at night and my mind would start wandering. When youre on the beach and you see it, thats the time you get the most nervous, when the adrenaline kicks in and you think about the consequences, he said this week, speaking from Hawaii. But when you paddle out, all that is put aside, and you think about what you want to do successfully to catch one of those waves. It just becomes a fun, challenging endeavor.

The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau is no regular surf contest. Only an elite list of big-wave riders can compete in the Hawaii competition, and it only runs if waves are 40-foot and larger (20-foot on the Hawaiian scale). In the three decades of the event, it has only run nine times.

The Eddie, as its called, hasnt run since 2009, and in that year Long took home the prestigious title after beating out 11-time world champ Kelly Slater. Both are invited to this years event, along with San Clemente surfer Nathan Fletcher.

Long said theres no pressure to defend his title. In fact, hed be more stoked if someone else won this year.

As far as Im concerned, that was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he said. If anything, Id love someone else to win so they can have that joy and elation that winning the event brings about. I know what an accomplishment it was for me. To see someone else fulfill that goal and dream, it would be awesome.

For Long, its the most prestigious big-wave contest in the world, not just because it is the oldest, but because of what it represents.

The big-wave event honors Aikau, Waimea Bays first lifeguard and North Shore local who competed as a professional surfer. He was selected to join an expedition in 1978 on Polynesian voyaging canoe the Hokulea, which encountered a storm while heading to Tahiti and capsized, according to the World Surf League. Aikau tried to paddle to land for help, but disappeared into the vast ocean.

I dont even like to think of it as a contest, its a celebration of an incredible life, someone who exemplified what it was like to be a good person in and out of the water, Long said. Giving his life to save others is really what its all about. Theres so much love and aloha on the beach and in the water, it really is a special day to be a part of.

On the day of the event, Long said hell rise about 4:30 a.m. to give himself a few hours to wake up and do yoga and meditate. Then as the sun rises, hell take a look at the waves to see how the swell is looking.

Then, hell paddle out with just a few other guys in the line-up.

Theres not a lot of opportunity to do that, so Im excited, he said.

Long has spent the winter chasing waves around the world, and said El Nino has created the best big-wave season he can remember. Hes been bouncing around from Europe, to Mexico, to Hawaii, to other secret spots he couldnt mention. And as soon as the Eddie wraps up, hell be catching a flight to Northern California, where another big-wave contest at Mavericks might run Friday.

Its honestly been nonstop since things have gotten underway in December, he said.

The contest will air live online at worldsurfleague.com.

Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com
People tend to have more positive attitudes toward individuals, people they know on a personal level, and more negative attitudes toward large institutions that are distant and disconnected from our day-to-day lives. Its a well-known psychological phenomenon.

But, on the issue of crime, Gov. Jerry Brown turns this conventional wisdom upside down.

While the four-term governor has shown the ability to clearly recognize individual criminals as posing a threat to public safety, he still seems to think that inmates in general can be rehabilitated and should be mainstreamed back into society.

Browns recent history on the subject illustrates his schizophrenic approach.

In January, Brown for a third time rejected parole for Manson Family member Bruce Davis, something I and many others urged him to do. Davis was convicted of the 1969 killings of the musician Gary Hinman and the stuntman Donald Shorty Shea.

In his written decision, Brown said the 73-year-old killer remains a threat to public safety and that the horror of the murders committed by the Manson family in 1969 and the fear they instilled in the public will never be forgotten.

The brutality of the murders also factored into Browns decision.

As Ive discussed twice before, Davis own actions demonstrate that he had fully bought into the depraved Manson family beliefs.  He not only watched as Manson cut Mr. Hinmans face open with a sword, but held him at gunpoint while Manson was doing so, Brown wrote.

Thats the good Jerry.

But it was bad Jerry who proposed a ballot initiative that would relax mandatory prison sentences for criminal convictions.

The proposal would allow corrections officials to more easily award credits toward early release based on an inmates good behavior, rehabilitation or participation in prison education programs.

Brown tried selling his initiative to the Los Angeles Times, saying, By allowing parole consideration if they do good things  they will then have an incentive  to show those who will be judging whether or not theyre ready to go back into society.

But theres a big problem with this seemingly reasonable idea: Crime in California is going up.

According to the Times, violent crime in Los Angeles climbed 19.9 percent in 2015, and property crime increased 10.3 percent. That was the second year in a row that violent crime rose and the first time since 2003 that both violent and property crime rose.

And its not just in L.A.

In Sacramento, violent crime is up 24 percent from last year  to the highest level since 2010. Additionally, property crime in the state capital is up 8 percent. These spikes follow multiple years of declines in violent and property crime.

I know when you see such numbers, they just look like any other set of government statistics, but each one of these violent acts has consequences in the real world. They all represent individual criminals damaging or destroying the lives of individual victims.

In this environment, the last thing Californians need is more convicted criminals roaming the streets.

Im sure Brown would have sympathy for the victims if he got to know them and their stories. But we live in a big state with a lot of crime, so thats not in the cards.

The only way to protect the victims of violent crimes is to create laws that keep bad dudes behind bars for as long as possible.

If Brown needs to meet with victims to understand this, then, fine. The cemeteries are full of them.

Staff opinion columnist John Phillips can be heard weekdays at 3 p.m. on The Drive Home with Jillian Barberie and John Phillips on KABC/AM 790.
It has been more than 10 years since an inmate on Californias death row has been executed, and California citizens are split about what should be done about the states death penalty law.

According to a recent Field poll, 47 percent of Californians favor replacing the death penalty with life without the possibility of parole. Support for getting rid of the death penalty increased by 7 percentage points since 2014. The poll also found, however, that 48 percent of Californians support speeding up the execution process by limiting the number of inmates appeals.

This year, two initiatives dealing with those opposing perspectives on the death penalty may be on the ballot. The first, The Justice That Works Act of 2016, would formally eliminate the death penalty in California and replace all death sentences with life without the possibility of parole. The Death Penalty Reform and Savings Act of 2016 would limit the appeals inmates on death row may file, which would effectively speed up executions.

Today, there are 746 inmates on Californias death row, up from 646 in 2006. Although 117 death row inmates have died since 1976, only 13 were executed. The overwhelming majority died from natural causes, such as old age, or suicide.

There are so many inmates on death row that California ran out of space to house them all. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown requested over $3 million from the Legislature to build more death row cells. Its clear that the current system is unsustainable. But would limiting death penalty appeals actually speed up the execution process, or fix a system that is arguably broken on its face? Theres little evidence to suggest it would.

Indeed, in 2008, the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice issued a report that declared the death penalty in California dysfunctional. The commission found it wasnt the lengthy appeals process slowing down the execution process, but, rather, the lack of available legal representation for inmates on death row  many of whom wait years for the state to appoint lawyers to their cases due to their indigent status.

To reduce the average lapse of time from sentence to execution by half, the report said, [California] will have to spend nearly twice what we are spending now.

The death penalty is also expensive to maintain. According to that same 2008 report, California spends approximately $137 million per year just on the death penalty. If it were to expand the number of lawyers appointed to represent inmates to clear up the backlog, the state would have to spend another $95 million, or roughly $232 million per year.

In 2006, U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel stopped all executions in California, stating that the states execution process was flawed. In 2014, a federal judge declared capital punishment in California unconstitutional, but that decision was reversed in 2015 by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Its up to voters to decide what should be done about the death penalty, but evidence has shown capital punishment in California is a bungled, expensive mess. Even if it is fixed in the ways one of the ballot initiatives proposes, its going to cost California taxpayers twice as much as it does now, with no real guarantee that additional executions are carried out.

Replacing this broken system with life without the possibility of parole would still ensure that the most heinous criminals die in prison, but would prevent taxpayers from spending billions on a system proven to be a complete failure.

Lauren Krisai is director of criminal justice reform at Reason Foundation.
Winds were dying down Monday afternoon but Orange Countys beachy weather will continue through the week, experts say.

Mondays highs were chart-topping, with Newport Beach tied a 1954 record for 81 degrees. Santa Ana was just two degrees shy of beating its 90 degree record, set in 2006.

This is pretty unusual. Most of our temperatures have been hovering just below record highs, said Brett Albright, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

Tuesday isnt expected to offer much relief, with highs expected in the 80s and 90s as well.

It was blustery on Monday, with winds peaking in the 50s (mph) in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains and tapering off into the 20s inland and near the coast.

Tuesday should be calmer, but it could get breezy in the canyons or near the Santa Ana mountains in the morning, with gusts up to 35 mph, the agency said.

It should start to cool down by next week and get back into the 70s, the National Weather Service forecasted. But its likely locals wont feel cooler weather, say in the 60s, until later this month.

Some may wonder whats this mean for El Nino, but Albright points out that many factors affect weather patterns and El Nino is just one of them. He says although its atypical weather for an El Nino year, its doesnt change the forecasting.

The lack of humidity also put residents on fire alert, but meteorologists pointed to recent rain as a coup.

It is kind of a classic event where we could expect to see fire concerns, but its happening at a time of year where our vegetation is pretty green, Albright said.

Capt. Larry Kurtz, an Orange County Fire Authority spokesman, said its still important to stay vigilant during a statewide drought.

The rains that we had earlier in the year helped to grow new grasses  but as fast as they grow, they can dry out just as quickly, he said, citing the wind.

Its important for everyone to keep on their toes and practice being fire-safe, even if its in the middle of winter.
WASHINGTON  On the presidential campaign trail, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has made it perfectly clear that he is in favor of the United States reversing course and authorizing waterboarding as part of the interrogations of potential terrorists and militants held by the U.S. military and intelligence force.

I would absolutely authorize something beyond waterboarding, he said Sunday while appearing on ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos. And believe me, it will be effective. If we need information, George, you have our enemy cutting heads off of Christians and plenty of others, by the hundreds, by the thousands.

The commentary comes on the heels of Trump saying Saturday night during a presidential debate in New Hampshire that he would reinstate waterboarding and a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding to deal with terrorists. And it has garnered the attention of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is not only chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, but a former prisoner of war who was tortured in Vietnam.

McCain released a statement Monday on what his office called recent proposals regarding the use of inhumane interrogation methods. It did not mention Trump by name, but it was clearly aimed at him. The statement follows earlier sparring between the two, including Trump saying last summer that McCain is not a war hero and adding that I like people that werent captured.

McCain said Monday that given the loose talk on the campaign trail about reviving waterboarding and other inhumane interrogation techniques, it is important to remember the facts: that these forms of torture not only failed their purpose to secure actionable intelligence to prevent further attacks on the U.S. and our allies, but compromised our values, stained our national honor, and did little practical good.

McCain continued: It is also important to remember that our nation has tried, convicted, and executed foreign combatants who employed methods of torture, including waterboarding, against American prisoners of war. As I have said before, our nation should never have employed such practices in the past, and we should never permit them in the future.

McCain noted that the U.S. Senate banned torture once and for all last year with a 91-3 vote in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, and that some of the nations most respected leaders from the U.S. military, CIA, FBI, as well as faith communities and human rights organizations, have expressed their support for this legislation.

McCains statement noted that numerous prominent military officers have expressed their opposition to torture, including retired Gen. David Petraeus. McCains office pointed out a 2015 letter signed by 30 other retired generals and admirals, including retired Gen. Charles Krulak, a former Marine Corps commandant, and retired Marine Gen. Joseph Hoar, a former chief of U.S. Central Command.

While international and domestic law, including the 2005 Detainee Treatment Act, prohibit such cruelty, high-level officials in the Executive Branch still managed to evade congressional intent by using loophole lawyering to authorize torture and cruel treatment, the senior officers said in the letter. We need to make sure this never happens again. The United States should have one standard for interrogating detainees that is effective, lawful, and humane.

Earlier letters from other senior officers express similar sentiments.

McCain, who supported Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.-S.C., for president until Graham suspended his campaign, said Monday that the world becomes a more dangerous place when the United States forgets that all men are endowed with inalienable rights.

Our nation needs a commander-in-chief who will make clear to those that fight on our behalf that they are defending this sacred ideal, and that sacrificing our respect for human dignity will make it harder, not easier, to prevail in this war, McCain said.
ECATEPEC, Mexico  One evening in September 2014, Mariana Yanez left her home in this crime-plagued Mexico City suburb saying she was going to make some photocopies. Then she vanished.

Months later, authorities called her mother to say her 18-year-old daughters head and thighs had been found in a sack in a sewage-choked canal, but provided no other details.

Yanezs disappearance is a story shared by all too many in Mexico and nowhere more so than Ecatepec, where Pope Francis is to hold the largest public event of his visit to Mexico when he celebrates Mass on an outdoor esplanade here on Sunday just miles from that canal.

Its not just one daughter, said Guadalupe Reyes, Yanezs mother. Its thousands.

Francis has already denounced corruption, violence and drug-trafficking in Mexico ahead of his Feb. 12-17 visit, and he is expected to address those same themes when he delivers his homily in Ecatepec, a sprawling, dangerous, disastrously mismanaged suburb of 1.6 million people.

The pontiffs decision to stop here shines an uncomfortable spotlight on the governments failure to solve entrenched social ills that plague many parts of Mexico  inequality, rampant gangland killings, extortion, disappearances of women, crooked cops and failed city services  even as President Enrique Pena Nieto has sought to make economic reform, modernization and bolstering the middle class hallmarks of his administration. One of Mexicos most shocking crimes in recent years was the 2014 mass disappearance of 43 students in the southern state of Guerrero.

His Holiness will be in the countrys violent, poor and miserable places, and government officials will not be able to gloss over those ills, said a recent editorial in Desde la Fe, a weekly publication by the Archdiocese of Mexico. The trash remains below the red carpet, and Francis is not coming for the tidy and whitewashed trumpery of the event, nor the colorful confetti.

Known for his work ministering to slums as a cleric in his native Buenos Aires, the Argentine-born pontiff is no stranger to places like Ecatepec.

Its the most heavily populated municipality in the country and part of Mexico state, where Pena Nieto was governor from 2005 to 2011 before leaving office to run for president. However, Ecatepec is usually all but forgotten except at election time, when political bosses arrive with handouts to try to mobilize voters.

Decades of unplanned and unrestrained development have fashioned the city into a carpet of gray slums that climb the surrounding hillsides, intertwined with some better-off areas and industrial zones that, along with the rest of the state, generate almost 10 percent of the countrys GDP.

Its location on the northern edge of the capital also makes it a strategic point for drug cartels. Researcher Victor Manuel Sanchez says as many as five were in operation here in 2014. Crime thrives in the shadow of the cartels, feeding off impoverished, unemployed youths and a police force so corrupt that last year the government temporarily barred officers from enforcing traffic laws to keep them from shaking down motorists for bribes.

Homicides rose 9 percent in Mexico last year, and some corners where the cartels are firmly in control suffer the kind of sky-high murder rates seen in neighboring El Salvador and Honduras. Meanwhile, Mexico is also among the most corrupt countries in the world, according to Transparency International, and the second-least likely to punish crimes, according to the University of the Americas in Puebla.

At least 1,554 women have disappeared in Mexico state since 2005, according to the National Observatory on Femicide, and last year the government issued an alert over the killings of women in Ecatepec and 10 other parts of Mexico state.

Ecatepec is the center of the problem, said Observatory coordinator and lawyer Maria de la Luz Estrada, who is representing the victims in Mariana Yanezs case.

Reyes said she hopes to tell Pope Francis about how she doesnt trust the authorities, who she thinks are in cahoots with the gangs, and about the pain she felt when police said they had found 39 bodies, or body parts, after draining the canal. And about her desperation when state officials then denied those reports, yet didnt even bother to try to determine whose body parts they were.

They never investigated, Reyes said. Thats why I want to speak with the pope.

A number of victims groups have requested meetings with Francis, though none have been confirmed. The Mexican Bishops Council has not ruled it out but says his schedule is very tight.

Francis has met before with those who suffered from organized crime violence, holding a March 2014 prayer vigil in Rome with families of mafia victims. He has called corruption one of humanitys worst sins and speaks pointedly against drug trafficking. In a private letter to an Argentine cleric that provoked controversy last year, he worried about the prospect of Mexicanization in his home country and said Mexican bishops told him the drug violence was terrifying.

On the eve of his trip, Francis said he would pray with Mexicans who confront such challenges. Because the Mexico of violence, of corruption, of drug-trafficking and cartels is not the Mexico that our mother (the Madonna) wants, he said.

However Papal Nuncio Christophe Pierre has made it clear that the pope, who generally addresses thorny political issues with a diplomats deft touch, is not coming to Mexico to talk policy or solve the countrys problems. Instead, the church has stressed the visits pastoral nature.

But a simple message of hope may not be enough, said Estrada.

Hope loses meaning if it is not mentioned in the same breath as truth and justice, she said. I hope he will bring a strong message of encouragement and faith, but also an appeal for authorities to fulfill their responsibilities and not continue demagoguery and simulation.

While activists hope the visit will draw attention to human rights concerns, authorities are busy beefing up security to avoid any surprises. The government has assigned more than 10,000 police, soldiers and agents of the presidential guard to protect the popes motorcade and Mass in Ecatepec.

They told us we could not bring placards or banners, said Guadalupe Fernandez, whose son, Jose Antonio Robledo, disappeared in northern Mexico in 2009, apparently kidnapped by the Zetas drug cartel. I dont know what were going to do.

If Fernandez gets one of the 300,000 free tickets being handed out for the papal Mass, it will be her second time seeing Francis. She was there for the vigil in Rome, where she beseeched him to pray for Mexicos disappeared. Francis walked over and clasped her hands.

Now she hopes he will pray for the more than 100,000 people killed and 27,000 missing in gangland violence that exploded after the Mexican government launched an offensive against the cartels in 2006.

Billboards and posters have gone up all over Mexico City welcoming the pope ahead of his visit. Some buildings in Ecatepec have gotten a fresh coat of paint, and worn roads are freshly asphalted. And police have reportedly been quietly removing transients and migrants from Ecatepecs streets for the last month.

But Ecatepec is hard to clean up.

While workers were putting finishing touches on the outdoor stage for the Mass, a dead body was found dumped on the street a few blocks away. Local media said the killers apparently tried to set the corpse on fire.
WASHINGTON  President Barack Obama is asking Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to fight the Zika virus and the mosquitoes that spread it here and abroad, but says there shouldnt be a panic on this.

The virus is spreading rapidly through Latin America. While most people experience either mild or no symptoms, Zika is suspected of causing a devastating birth defect  babies born with abnormally small heads  and pregnant Americans are urged to avoid travel to affected areas.

U.S. health officials say the money is critical for research into the birth defect known as microcephaly, and to speed development of a vaccine and better diagnostic tests, expand mosquito control programs, and help Zika-stricken countries and territories.

What we now know is that there appears to be some significant risk for pregnant women and women who are thinking about having a baby, Obama said in an interview aired Monday on CBS This Morning.

And while experts dont expect large outbreaks in the continental U.S., the emergency funding also would help them prepare for any local transmission as spring and summer approach. The administration is seeking the Zika money separately from the regular budget for the next fiscal year, which Obama will submit to Congress on Tuesday.

For the average American, this is not something that will change our day-to-day life, Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told reporters at a White House briefing. Our focus is on protecting pregnant women and trying to control the mosquito.

Most of the money would go to health officials for such things as improving laboratory testing capacity, education and establishing rapid response teams. About $250 million of assistance would be directed specifically to Puerto Rico though extra Medicaid funding for health services, and $200 million would go toward research and commercialization of new vaccines and diagnostic tests.

The remainder, about $335 million would go to the U.S. Agency for International Development to help affected countries provide training to health workers, stimulate private sector research and help pregnant women gain access to repellant to protect against mosquitoes.

The Pan American Health Organization reports 26 countries and territories in South and Central America and the Caribbean with local Zika transmission. To date, there has not been transmission of the Zika virus by mosquitoes within the U.S., but some American travelers  50 with laboratory-confirmed cases between December and last week, the White House said  have returned home with the infection.

One case in Texas is believed to have been transmitted through sex, and last week officials in Brazil, hard-hit by Zika, reported finding the virus in saliva and urine.

That doesnt necessarily mean Zika can spread through those body fluids, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, stressing that the main focus is on mosquitoes.

Zika usually is transmitted through bites from the Aedes aegypti species, which is found in Florida, along the Gulf Coast and in states that border Mexico. Fauci noted that those same mosquitoes spread dengue and chikungunya, cousins of Zika, and there has been some local transmission of those viruses in recent years. Some of the emergency funding would help the government prepare for any similar local transmission of Zika.

On Tuesday, administration officials are to brief Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other congressional leaders on the administrations Zika prevention and response plan, McConnells office said. The lawmakers also expect to hear more about the new funding request and the administrations other spending priorities given limited federal resources, according to a statement from McConnell spokesman Don Stewart.
TAINAN, Taiwan  The death toll from a powerful earthquake that toppled a high-rise apartment building in Taiwan rose to at least 34, according to government figures Monday, with rescuers digging through rubble for survivors more than 48 hours after the quake struck.

More than 100 are believed to be still buried in the collapsed building from a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar  the Lunar New Year holiday.

The government in Tainan, the worst-hit city, said that more than 170 people had been rescued alive from the 17-story building, which folded like an accordion after the quake struck.

Mao Yi-chen, 20, was rescued soon after the magnitude-6.4 quake hit before dawn Saturday, and her older sister Mao Yi-hsuan was pulled out Sunday in serious condition. A rescue worker had handed over a photo album and homemade cards found next to her for her family to collect, said local official Wang Ding-yu.

He said that maybe your home is damaged, but memories of the family can last, Wang said.

The extended Lunar New Year holiday officially started Monday, but celebrations were subdued and both President Ma Ying-jeou and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen canceled the handing out of envelopes of cash in their hometowns, a holiday tradition for Taiwans leader.

The Tainan Disaster Emergency Center estimated that 118 people were still trapped at the site of the collapsed building, many at the bottom of the debris. Tainan Mayor Lai Ching-te said rescuers were able to reach many people by using information from residents who got out about the possible locations of those still inside.

Earthquakes frequently rattle Taiwan, but most are minor and cause little or no damage, though a magnitude-7.6 quake in central Taiwan in 1999 killed more than 2,300 people.

The spectacular fall of the high-rise, built in 1989, raised questions about whether its construction had been shoddy. Tainans government said the building had not been listed as a dangerous structure, and Taiwans interior minister, Chen Wei-zen, said an investigation would examine whether the developer had cut corners.

Eighth-floor resident Huang Guang-wei was pulled out Sunday morning from a different section from where he lived, showing how much the building twisted when it fell, Lai said. It took rescuers eight hours to get Huang out, hei said.

Among the fatalities was a 6-month-old baby girl who was pulled from the rubble and rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A deceased man believed to be her father was pulled out 40 minutes later, Wang said.

A man in his 60s, whose son escaped and whose daughter-in-law was in serious condition, was trying to help rescuers pinpoint his grandsons. My 11- and 12-year-old grandsons are still inside on the ninth floor, said the man, who gave only his surname, Huang. I told my son not to buy an apartment here; it was suspiciously cheap.

Beside him, another man nodded in agreement as he waited for news of his relatives on the seventh floor.

The emergency center said 171 people had been rescued from the building, 92 of whom were sent to hospitals. More than 100 people were rescued from other parts of Tainan. Nine other buildings in the city collapsed and five careened.

Taiwanese broadcaster EBC showed video of volunteers trying to comfort the mother of a missing 20-year-old man, Chen Guan-yu. He always thinks of me, said the woman, whose name was not given. He worries about me being single and lonely and that no one is taking care of me.
KILIS, Turkey  Tens of thousands of Syrians who were running for their lives piled up near the border crossing with Turkey here Monday. They were fleeing a crushing wave of Russian airstrikes and government ground forces advancing toward the frontier in a developing rout of insurgent forces north of Aleppo, Syrias largest city.

The intense and, critics say, indiscriminate Russian air attacks have shattered the latest round of peace talks, forced the regional and global players to reassess their strategies and calculations and left Syrian insurgents shocked that the United States and other countries that have supported them appear unable or unwilling to reverse the battlefield momentum.

And the potentially decisive turn in Syrias nearly five-year civil war comes against the backdrop of a deepening humanitarian crisis that was reinforced Monday by a United Nations report that accused Damascus of inhuman actions against Syrian civilians on a scale that amounts to extermination.

Coordinated ground advances by Syrian government forces and allied militias such as the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah have cut off one of two supply routes from Aleppo to the Turkish border and are threatening to close the other. Caught in the middle are dozens of rebel-held villages, trapped between the Islamic State, the government advance, Kurdish militias and the Turkish border.

Just forgive us in case we dont see each other again, Aisha al-Dik, 60, one of those trapped in Syria, said in a voice message to her nephew Osama, who was in the border town of Kilis. Osama was at a hospital with some relatives who had been allowed into Turkey, but only because of critical injuries, including two children with skull fractures.

Throughout the conflict, the Western powers have found themselves constrained by conflicting aims and allegiances. On Monday, as international pressure mounted on Turkey to allow the refugees in, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany was in Ankara pressing the Turks to prevent the 2 million Syrians already in the country from leaving to join the flow of refugees to Europe.

Speaking after her meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Merkel said she was not just appalled, but horrified by the events in and around Aleppo.

For their part, the Turks were refusing to open their border, in part, analysts said, to pressure the United States to finally grant their long-standing wish of establishing a buffer zone inside Syria where civilians would be safe from Syrian government and Russian airstrikes.

Washington said in the summer that it would work with Turkey to build what it called an Islamic State-free zone, in the same area that is now being squeezed. But the plans never materialized, and since then, Russias intervention makes the notion of a no-fly zone over any part of Syria that much trickier.

Events were moving so quickly on the ground that some Syrian insurgents, activists and civilians opposed to the government were beginning to speak of defeat, at least in Aleppo province.

Running through it all was a sense of incredulity. The few Syrians who had made it to Turkey  because of their critical injuries  expressed shock that the United States, which has called for the removal of the Syrian president, Bashar Assad, was not responding more concertedly, either militarily or diplomatically.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have expressed a willingness to send in ground troops, but to date there appear to be few concrete plans for an intervention in the near future.

There is no hope, said Afaf al-Dik, 13, who was evacuated from one of the cutoff villages, Minakh, after the roof of her house fell on her and her family when it was hit in what locals said were Russian airstrikes last Friday.

She was lying in a hospital bed in Kilis. In a nearby room, her younger brother and sister were unconscious, both with skull fractures, watched over by their mother, who is eight months pregnant, with bruises all over her back and belly.

The father of the family, Mahmoud al-Dik, a farmer, winced as he sat up in his hospital bed and delivered a concise summary of what most Syrians in the area were saying Monday.

Obama has been saying every day that Bashar al-Assad is finished, he said. But we are the ones who are being finished, not Bashar al-Assad. The American politicians lost their credibility. No one will believe them anymore.

While he was speaking, his cousin Osama al-Dik received the voice message from their aunt, telling him to Say hi to everyone and pass on, just in case, her final farewell. She concluded, It is war and our situation is miserable.

Upon hearing it, Osama al-Dik insisted on delivering his own message to the American administration, both Republicans and Democrats.

Stop the lies and hypocrisy. Stop lying to the poor and the weak, he said. Thats all.
Router "signal tamer"

The 5G routers that Time Warner, Comcast, Cablevision, etc., are requiring customers to install have powerful Wi-Fi features that should be disabled, say those who believe that hard-wired phones and computers are safer than wireless.

Protect Your Family from EMF Pollution, a website operated by Jeromy, says the blanketing of the U.S. with pulse-modulated wireless tech will proceed unimpeded until the tide of public opinion shifts on the health issues raised by the technology.

The best thing you can do is protect your family and friends by limiting what you are exposed to, advises EMFanalysis.

RF meters that measure the radiation should be used monthly because the companies do a system-wide reset once a month that may turn the Wi-Fi back on.

This reporter, as required by Time Warner, installed an Arris TG1672 GD2-5G router in our apartment two months ago. It was much bigger than the previous modem, sporting seven blue lights including ones that said 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

New Routers Criticized

The 5G function is especially bad says Jerold because it radiates an increased number of electromagnetic waves. A call to TW resulted in the lights for 2.4GHz and 5GHz being turned off and assurances given that Wi-Fi had been disabled. RF health advocates say the companies cannot be trusted and self-measurement is advised.

Comcast, which lost its $45 billion bid to acquire TW last year, TW later selling to Charter Communications for $55B, has installed about one million Xfinity routers that act as a gateway into the smart home of customers and deliver Wi-Fi service to anyone within a few hundred feet, says EMFanalysis.

The new devices are to go into a total of eight million homes.

People who live in apartment buildings could have four to eight of these powerful Xfinity transmitters within 50 feet of where they sleep, says EMFanalysis. Insomnia, headaches, muscle spasms and other symptoms may be experienced.

Cablevision, Bethpage, Long Island, which is being purchased along with Newsday for $17 billion by the French company Altice, is replacing all its modems with the new higher-powered routers.

Multiple Antennas on Routers

EMFanalyis says that Unlike previous generations of Wi-Fi routers, there are now at least two and possibly four antennas within the Xfinity routers. One antenna is the typical Wi-Fi frequency of 2.4 GHz and a second antenna emits microwave radiation at 5.0 GHz. There are also two channels within each antennaa private channel for your home and a public channel for any Comcast customer who is visiting or walking by. More antennas and channels mean more microwave radiation exposure for people in the vicinity of the router.

The site says Multiple EMF consultants have shared with me that when they measure these new routers, the readings are much higher than any consumer router they have ever measured. The business plan of Comcast seems to call for ubiquitous Wi-Fi, says the site. The 5.0 GHz transmission is particularly harmful to human biology. The frequency is higher so the wavelength is shorter. It is the exact length to resonate with certain structures in the brain and other body parts and organs.

Street Wireless Terminals Discussed Feb. 10

Sharlene Spingler, associate publisher, ODwyers, at Wi-Fi station in NYC.

The ongoing installation of 7,500 wireless terminals that will replace telephone booths in New York will be discussed by Dan Doctoroff, CEO of Sidewalk Labs, at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 10 at New York Universitys Center for Urban Science & Progress, MetroTech Center, Jay street in downtown Brooklyn.

Registration for the public event is required.

The first terminal of the $200 million project, described in the Jan. 25 New Yorker, is now operating at 15th st. and Third ave.

Critics of the project are collecting signatures on petitions to be sent to the New York Attorney General and the New York State Dept. of Technology and Telecommunications.

Wireless disrupts cellular communications, damages immune and nervous systems, desynchronizes brain and heart rhythms, and causes headaches, sleep problems, ringing in the ears, anxiety and a host of other health problems, said Sandi Maurer, director of the EMF Safety Network.

The terminals violate the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York City Human Rights Law and the New York State Human Rights Law by subjecting citizens to unwanted radiation, including those with sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation and many other medical conditions and pregnant women, say the forms.

Terminals Are About Connectivity

Doctoroff, former CEO of Bloomberg and former Deputy Mayor of New York for Economic Development and Rebuilding, is described by CUSP as One of the worlds leading visionaries and champion of leveraging technology and data for social change.

He will talk Feb.10 about the coming technological revolution in cities and how local governments across the globe are poised to use advanced connective technology to drastically improve peoples lives and solve some of societys most pressing issues.

Sidewalk Labs, announced June 10, 2015, by Doctoroff and Google, is moving from One MetroTech to 10 Hudson Yards on the West Side where it will occupy 67,000 sq. ft. in the 52-story building at West 30th st. and Tenth ave. No date has been given for the move.

Wi-Fi Effect on Children Is Concern

Those concerned with excessive radiation say special concern must be shown to children, babies and expectant mothers. The thinner skulls of those under 13 make them more susceptible to damage, they say, quoting the Bioinitiative Report and other sources.

They are concerned about baby monitors that are put in cribs that provide live video feed and Wi-Fi connectivity or on the clothing of infants. They are concerned about office workers and particularly secretaries who may sit next to the office Wi-Fi base station and wonder why they have headaches, twitching muscles, fatigue, inability to concentrate, anxiety, blood pressure, heart rate changes and other problems.

Hyper-sensitive people will get off elevators if others pull out cell phones. They cant enter buildings that have Wi-Fi capability. A hyper-sensitive person asked a building to turn off the Wi-Fi while she was there and the building official refused, saying to turn off the Wi-Fi would be admitting there is a problem. Those afflicted with this condition say it developed after exposure to excessive radiation.

They are also concerned about people who live in apartment buildings where several apartments nearby may have powerful Wi-Fi routers that penetrate walls.

A solution would be to acquire devices that measure the EMF and if there is a problem, provide neighbors with Router Guards. These provide a partial Faraday Cage and block radiation output by 90%, says EMFanalysis. Having conversations with your neighbors and buying five or six router guards will likely be much less expensive than moving, it says.
Ronn Torossian

When real estate companies first consider whether to hire a PR firm, immediate thoughts typically involve getting exposure in business and real estate media. There are several real estate issues that attract the media: the business component, the real estate aspect, the designers, the layouts of the units or space, the spa, pool, concierge and unique offerings, as well as a sundry of story possibilities on the developer and other projects that the person or company has accomplished.

This, of course, is the norm when a developer is well-known and respected, or even operates under the radar with a promising project. However, issues often arise that require PR assistance, such as challenges from a neighborhood or governing body. Perhaps the project contains a controversial bend that media often feel compelled to highlight: for example, a luxury development is going up, displacing two or three smaller buildings where people are currently living. That makes it cross over to an area of public relations known as public affairs.

This can be the difference between a project going smoothly and possibly not even going forward. It certainly affects the ability to push through the various stages of approval. Lest we forget, a land development project in a large city could easily get stuck in issues that have little to do with the actual building, architect or amenities being offered.

Aside from the issues expected, such as zoning, air rights, land use and fair housing concerns, land development can get mired in community issues, including noise levels, neighborhood desirables, jobs, contracts and dozens of issues yet unimagined.

Take the project that was put to bid by New York State and New York City in 2014, located in Brooklyns Cobble Hill neighborhood, referred to as the Long Island College Hospital project. Land developers were excited to bid on the project that appeared as if it would be a simple boon to any builder. How hard could it be to show the land use, the proper ratio of market rate to affordable units, the commercial and retail spaces and the coveted public spaces?

Publicly, there was no shortage of those seeking to win this project, until the community voiced concerns. Good government groups and local community advocates began to challenge the project before they set their sights on the developers. The ante was upped to include a hospital or some kind of urgent care facility to replace the hospital the community would lose. Never mind that the hospital was nearly bankrupt and was the primary reason the city was closing the facility and selling the land in the first place. A new development now needed to have a hospital or comparable facility, as the community demanded. Politicians acquiesced.

So, now a developer needed to devise a way to incorporate a hospital into its plans, and consider how to maintain the value proposition as well. Could all of the requirements be met while maintaining the ability to turn a profit? Many came forward with seemingly viable plans, but that was not good enough. Local community activists, competitors and a host of outside agitators began to look deeper into the personal and business backgrounds of the developers to find issues that would help their own causes. Some may not have had a history running hospitals, because they were real estate developers, and others were accused of not being kind to the healthcare industry.

In the end, the primary winner of the bid was rejected, as were the second and third bidders. The plan remains in flux in 2016. This opens the road to the benefit of conducting a solid public affairs campaign prior to any project reaching the publics mind. A strong campaign, consisting of select media and online reputation management, can steer what people see when you are ready for them to see it.

If a client has little to no background, you build an online presence that reflects the work needed to promote the upcoming issue. A good PR team will find the previous work history, development and other real estate projects that may not have received any media coverage or might be in a different state, even country, and re-purpose that content on newly created websites and social media channels. Look for fun hobbies, such as sports, collectables and cooking, and spread the word about charities and philanthropy work in appropriate media vehicles.

Consider the upcoming project and try to find creative ways to infuse the issues that may arise into positive presentation of the client. If the client created a dog park for residents in another state or country, or has served on a hospital board, a school, an NGO, or a similar outfit, make a big deal about in the advance work. Use blogs and link-backs to get the first few pages of search engines tracking the ideas and concepts that have been planted.

As that occurs, begin pitching the client as a thought leader on the topics that have been circulating, and make sure you ask for links in articles that run. When a client has a history (even one that you just established) it is easier to show media the merits of the individuals expertise.

The idea is to create an image where none had been previously, and to pave the way for positive imagery once the major project is announced. When permits are first pulled in a municipality, there are journalists pulling those too, and that is when the fireworks begin. A public affairs campaign ahead of time might be a good way to begin steering the media.

Be sure that this will not stop anyone from delving deeper, but can control the dialogue at the onset, which is a very important stage to any major project.

There is truth in the idiom: Hope for the best but expect the worst. Media can be harsh, and combined with community outrage and a host of issues that are not even near things you can control, problems and setbacks can and will occur. The worst thing a developer banking on a big project can do is not plan at all. Being prepared with some advanced personal and corporate public affairs can go a long way in making the road to fruition less rocky.



* * *

Ronn Torossian is the CEO & Founder of 5W Public Relations. 5WPR is headquartered in NYC with offices in Los Angeles and Denver.
The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress.

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Creighton got its second commitment for its 2017 recruiting class from a Kansas boy with a Jayhawk basketball scholarship offer in his back pocket.

Mitchell Ballock, a 6-foot-4 sharpshooting guard from Eudora, Kansas, informed Creightons staff Sunday that he will sign a letter of intent next fall to become a Bluejay. His announcement ended a long wooing process in which Creighton coaches first became interested in him three years ago.

Kansas entered the picture last spring, when Ballock  who lives 10 miles from the front door of Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence and grew up a KU fan  received an offer from the Jayhawks.

It was really hard to tell them no because theyre always one of the top programs in the country with great teams and a great coaching staff, Ballock told The World-Herald on Sunday night. But at the end of the day, I was looking for the best situation for me that would let me excel as a player.

I just really believe Creighton gives me the best opportunity to do that.

Ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Kansas and 43rd nationally on ESPNs list of the top 60 prospects in the 2017 class, Ballock joins Ty-Shon Alexander of Charlotte, North Carolina, as a Creighton commit. Alexander committed last fall.

Alexander, who plays at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, also is considered the top prospect in his home state. ESPN ranks him 44th nationally, and both Ballock and Alexander are listed as four-star prospects.

Ballock also had received scholarship offers from Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri and Nevada-Las Vegas, according to ESPN. Other recruiting sites also listed offers from Oklahoma, Maryland and Nebraska.

I had a few options and I enjoyed the process and everything, Ballock said. This just takes a little weight off my shoulder. I can just play and know I dont have to worry about anything else.

Unfortunately for Ballock, a torn labrum in his left shoulder that required surgery last fall has kept him off the court this season. He said he hopes to get medically cleared before the end of the month to try to help his team make a bid for another state championship.

As a sophomore, Ballock averaged 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. He followed up tht strong season by earning the best shooter award last summer at an elite shooting camp run by NBA superstar Steph Curry.

I shoot it well, Ballock said. But I think Im also a guy that can make the right play at the right time. I pass it well. I think my game fits well with the up-and-down system that Creighton runs.

In the end, I thought that Creightons facilities were great, they have great fan support and great tradition and a great coaching staff. Its just a great fit for me.

Contact the writer:
Bengalurus racism narrative: Allegation, rebuttal and a happy ending

Feature

oi-Oneindia

By Maitreyee Boruah

Bengaluru,Feb 8: In a Bollydisque ending, Bengaluru too closed its week-long racism drama with a happy ending.

So, let us all move on and get busy with our daily routine, till one more violent and shameful incident pricks our collective conscience. It was interesting to watch how the entire saga of mob attack on a Tanzanian woman enfolded.

First, the case went unreported for three days. The Police swung into action only when a section of the media highlighted the harrowing experience of the victim and her friends at the hands of an unruly vigilante mob.

The gory details of the assault and disrobing of the 21-year-old black woman on Bengaluru's roads made "mainstream English media" cringe and term it as a racial attack. The political class and police officers were quick to deny the allegations.

Instead of condemning the event, the ruling class--members of both the BJP (centre) and the Congress (state)--got worried about keeping intact Bengaluru's image. After all, we're living in a time when India is espousing the idea of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

In our blemish-free society, there is no place for racism and intolerance. And even if they exist, let us hide them under the carpet. Otherwise, we would risk defaming our nation in front of the international community.

Did not we witness what happened to the once much-loved superstar Aamir Khan? After he spoke a few lines against intolerance, he not only faced public wrath, but lost several endorsement deals.

So, we need to keep our mouths shut. Right? No, but a section representing the majoritarian views can only speak. And, they spoke. Even a couple of journalists joined the chorus singing the popular tune.

In their columns and Facebook timelines, journalists, who are supposed to take a neutral stand, said Bengaluru was a very tolerant city and the incident was not at all racist. It was just a reaction of a mob. The crowd was forced to take the law and order into their own hands, because a local woman was killed in a road accident where the driver of the car was a Sudanese man.

The attackers, in spite of all their pent up anger, did not thrash any non-African. They waited till a group of people having same skin colour as the Sudanese man arrived at the scene. Afterwards, began the merciless raid on the youngsters, who had absolutely no knowledge about what happened 30-minutes prior to their arrival at the crime scene.

Like the politicians, journalists too blamed African students in the city as criminals and drug-addicts. Both the members of our first and fourth estates minced no words in telling us that locals are very unhappy as Africans are spreading nuisance and polluting the tranquil environment of Bengaluru.

Thus, few residents of the city took the law into their own hands to save Bengaluru. It becomes clear from the comments made by politicians and journalists that the mob which attacked the Tanzanian students should actually be rewarded not punished.

Initially, the Tanzanian High Commissioner to India John WH Kijazi termed the attack as "racist". However, after his visit to the city, the Tanzanian envoy totally changed his opinion. He told the media in Bengaluru that the incident was unfortunate, but not racist.

Kijazi's quick change of stance brought much relief to our netas, as the issue was almost heading towards a diplomatic row between India and Tanzania.

Tanzanian woman assault case: Senior Bengaluru police official suspended

Even popular dailies of Bengaluru quoted African students, staying in the city, saying it was not a racist attack. See, there is no racism. So, let us close the chapter on a positive note. Probably it would not have been such a happy ending to a tragic saga had the victim was of French or American origin.

After all, France and the US are more powerful than India, as India is more powerful than Tanzania and several small African nations. Next time, when an Indian would be attacked (there is a high probability of it) on a foreign shore, we should not protest, calling it a racial attack.

We have a popular theory now, mob reaction and the mob is a faceless term, so no culprits to be punished.

OneIndia News
US presidential elections 2016: What are primaries and how are they different from caucuses?

Feature

oi-Shubham

Primaries make up the electoral process to nominate a candidate for a presidential election in the United States. Unlike a caucus (another electoral method used by states of that country) where voters gather and openly decide which candidate to support, a primary sees the electorate simply casting their ballots.



Party raiding: An interesting tactic in US presidential election primaries " title="Complete schedules and results of primaries/caucuses of US presidential election 2016

Party raiding: An interesting tactic in US presidential election primaries " />Complete schedules and results of primaries/caucuses of US presidential election 2016

Party raiding: An interesting tactic in US presidential election primaries

Voting eligibility:

The eligibility of voting in a primary depends on the stat. While some states allow only registered party members to cast their ballots, some allow party registration on the same day. There are others who are open to all residents of the state to vote. In a caucus on the other hand, only members registered with a political party can take part.

US Prez poll: Hillary stands between the idea of 'America' and disaster

Voting procedure:

While the primaries see a secret ballot, in caucuses the voting takes place at local party meetings and is done either by raising hands or splintering into groups.

Organisation:

Moreover, while primaries are organised and sponsored by state governments, caucuses are held and financed by state parties.

Types of primaries:

1. Closed: People may vote in a party's primary only if they are the registered members of that party. Independents can't take part in such primaries.

2. Open: A registered voter may cast his ballot in any party primary irrespective of his own affiliation to a political party. When voters do not register with a party before the primary, it is called a pick-a-party primary since they can choose which party's primary they want to vote on the Election Day.

3. Semi-closed: Like in closed primaries, the registered party members can vote only in their own party's primary. However, it also allows unaffiliated voters to participate. Depending on the state, the Independents either make their choice of party primary privately or publicly, by registering with any party on the Election Day.

4. Semi-open: A registered voter need not reveal publicly which political party's primary they will vote in before entering the booth. When voters identify themselves to the election officials, they must request a party's specific ballot. Only one ballot is cast by each voter. In many states with semi-open primaries, election officials or poll workers from the parties record each voter's choice of party and provide access to this information.

5. Run-off: A primary where the ballot is not restricted to a party and the top two candidates advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.

States that follow:

Whilee Iowa, Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Wyoming and North Dakota use the caucuses, the rest use the primaries.
Diwali 2022: Mumbai Police warns against sale crackers without license | Details here

Mumbai police receives bomb threats at 3 locations; Security beefed up at several areas

'This may give sleepless nights to some': Eknath Shinde on sharing dais with Sharad Pawar

Not just future of Sena but democracy at stake, says Uddhav

Diwali 2022: Major sites to be illuminated in Mumbai between Oct 22-29

News flash: Feel bad for the people who voted for NDA: Lalu Yadav

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Bengaluru, Feb 8: TRAI upholds net neutrality.

Get all the latest news updates of the day:

10.00 pm: Doctor opens fire on another doctor in Hyderabad. DCP says it stemmed from a heated argument.

9.45 pm: Bus turns turtle in Bagaha, Bihar. Twenty people injured, three dead.

9.25 pm: General issues were discussed, issues that may come up in the upcoming session of Parliament: Venkaiah Naidu on cabinet meeting.

Had discussion on general issues, Issues that are likely to come up in coming session of Parliament-Venkaiah Naidu after NDA leaders' meet  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

9.10 pm: Delighted, not only because TMC was the first to raise this in Parl but a lot of people on the internet got together: Derek O'Brien on TRAI order on Net Neutrality.

Great day because net neutrality has won.We will do all it takes to protect right of the free internet-Derek O'Brien pic.twitter.com/Aqp7PAXjRa  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

8.30 pm: It was decided that we (PM) will talk again on Aligarh & Jamia issue,will meet after Budget session: Syed Ahmed Bukhari.

He also said that he will not let injustice happen to anyone-Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari on meeting with PM Modi pic.twitter.com/4Jg33yyuxd  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

8.20 pm: People who voted for NDA cant digest the good work we are doing, progressive people voted for us: Lalu Yadav

8.15 pm: Union Health Secretary BP Sharma reviewed the preparedness regarding Zika Virus Disease at a high level meeting today.

24*7 Control Room for providing info on Zika Virus Disease is now operational, numbers are 23061469 and 23063205.  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

8.10 pm: Building of Hubli Junction railway station in Karnataka collapsed; four people dead, three trapped in the debris. Two were rescued.

Doosra, Aligarh Muslim Univ aur Jamia University ke minority character par maine guftagoo ki-Jama Masjid Shahi Imam pic.twitter.com/AvcNBPgcom  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

8.05 pm: ISIS ke naam par jis tarah naujawaanon ki giraftaari ho rahi hai, is par baat hui (I talked regarding arrests of Muslim youths made in the name of ISIS): Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari on meeting with PM Modi.

8.00 pm: NDA Leaders' meet underway at Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu's residence in Delhi, AP CM Chandrababu Naidu reaches.

7.40 pm: 51 IPS officers transferred in Uttar Pradesh.

7.34 pm: In the meet, it was decided to constitute Committee to suggest ways to institutionalize an internship of Teacher Edu Programs in Govt Schools

7.25 pm: Welcome TRAI's ruling in support of Net Neutrality. Big win for internet users in India-Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

7.15 pm: BJP President Amit Shah reaches Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu's residence in Delhi for NDA leaders' meet

7.00 pm: President Barack Obama to ask US Congress for $1.8 billion to tackle Zika crisis.

6.45 pm: Visuals from rescue operations in Siachen for bodies of soldiers buried after an avalanche last week.

Visuals from rescue operations in Siachen for bodies of soldiers buried after an avalanche last week (source-MoD) pic.twitter.com/qKxjGYVn4g  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

6.30 pm: Agriculture continues to be a matter of concern because of three years of consecutive droughts, says Economic Affairs Secretary,Shaktikanta Das.

6.17 pm: Welcome TRAI decision on differential pricing which will ensure a free & open Internet for all-Ahmed Patel,Congress.

6.04 pm: Police arrest two Naxalites from Chhattisgarh's Dantewada carrying reward of Rs 8 lakh each on their heads.

6.03 pm: Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari meets PM Modi over detention of Muslim youth on charges of having relations with ISIS.

5.52 pm: Parliamentary Standing on Home Affairs of visit Pathankot on Wednesday.

5.50 pm: Air India flight AI115 (Delhi-London) diverted to Frankfurt (emergency landing) due to a technical reason.

5.45 pm: Body of one soldier recovered in Siachen by rescue parties searching for 10 soldiers buried after an avalanche last week.

5.44 pm: Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal at a roundtable conference on efficient coal mining at Australia.

5.24 pm: A very Happy New Year to Chinese friends around the world. May the Year of the Monkey bring joy and prosperity in your lives, PM tweets.

5.14 pm: Case has been filed against 10 people, 3 people have been taken into custody, says IG (Law & Order, UP) on Shamli incident.

5.13 pm: There is a clear case of impropriety,clear case of alleged corruption & definite case of conflict of interest:M Tewari on Guj land allotment.

4.50 pm: The price should not be based on source, destination, type of content or the application, says TRAI Chairma.

4.07 pm: TRAI upholds net neutrality.

4.01 pm: Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi to visit Tamil Nadu on February 11 to review poll preparedness.

3.33 pm: Soon all the culprits will be behind bar and their arms licenses will be cancelled: Bhagwan Swarup IG (law & order) on Shamli incident.

3.32 pm: Headley made it very clear that Lashkar-e-Taiba is a militant org working in Pakistan-Ujjawal Nikam, Special PP.

2.46 pm: BJP President Amit Shah visited Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan (Mathura,Uttar Pradesh) today.

2.41 pm: I had conversation with many people,they said that they faced problems. They saw less traffic but no control on pollution-Robert Vadra Odd Even.

2.15 pm: Renowned Urdu poet Nida Fazli passes away at the age of 78.

1.45 am: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to commence his 2-day visit to Kerala tomorrow. He will visit Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

1.16 pm: Hardcore NDFB(S) terrorist Uday Narzary alias Khilikhang killed in a joint operation of Army & Assam Police in Chirang District of Assam.

1.06 pm: Delhi HC rejects AAP's Deepak Bajpai application which sought quashing of defamation case filed against Arvind Kejriwal by FM Arun Jaitley.

12.58 pm: Government organisations should work within their legal domain, says BS Bassi, Commissioner of Police, Delhi on DCW summons.

12.56 pm: Tamil Nadu budget for 2016-17 to be presented on February 16.

12.41 pm: It is clearly seen there is a close nexus between ISI & LeT that is what has been gathered from the revelation made by Mr Headley, says Ujjawal Nikam.

12.28 pm: David Headley has made some sensitive revelation, says Ujjawal Nikam, Special Public Prosecutor.

12.13 pm: Delhi HC reserves its order on appeal filed by INLD leader Ajay Singh Chautala(presently in jail after conviction in JBT scam)seeking parole.

12.12 pm: I intended to go to Kashmir to fight against Indian troops, but they (Lakhvi) didn't send me, says David Headley while deposing before Mumbai court.

12.10 pm: 'Jihad' is to fight against enemies of Islam, said David Headley on being asked what is 'Jihad' according to him, by Ujjwal Nikam.

12.09 pm: During these courses they also taught us that India is enemy of Islam: David Headley deposes before Mumbai court.

12.08 pm: I visited 5-6 militant training camps in Pak. I attended Daura-e-Suffa,Daura-e-Amma,Daura-e-Khasa,Daura-e-Ribat leadership courses, says Headley.

12.07 pm: Asaduddin Owaisi granted bail in case of alleged attack on Congress workers by AIMIM workers during GHMC elections.

12.01 pm: We're taking all necessary steps for safety of women & neither public nor any govt agency should doubt this, says BS Bassi,CP Delhi on DCW summons.

11.53 am: Fire reported at Meenatai Thackeray slums in Gultekadi, Pune; nearly 12 huts gutted.

11.20 am: David Headley names ISI in Mumbai court in connection with 26/11 attack

10.57 am: 2 attempts were made to attack Mumbai prior to 26/11: David Headley deposing before Mumbai court.

10.44 am: 6 suspects detained in Jamalpur area of Burdwan district in West Bengal.

10.20 am: Ryan student death case: Divyansh's parents to meet Delhi police commissioner BS Bassi today.



10.02 am: I visited India 7 times before the 26/11 attack says a cool and composed David Headley during his testimony before the Mumbai court. I even visited india once after the attack.I came with a false identity and this was arranged by Sajid Mir, my handler Headley also said. It was the Lashkar-e-Tayiba which inspired me he also said.

9.52 am: David Headley has been asked 40 questions so far in connection to 26/11 attacks.

9.30 am: My 7 visits to India were directly from Pakistan and 1 from UAE: David Headley tells Mumbai court.

9.07 am: NDA leaders to meet today to discuss Punjab elections, Amit Shah and Venkaiah Naidu will be present in this meeting.

8.42 am: Major fire break out at a pharmaceutical company's factory in Maheshwaram area of Ranga Reddy district (Telangana). 2 people dead and one injured.

8.08 am: Accused-turned-approver David Headley deposing via video conferencing; his statement in Mumbai Court to be recorded.

8.00 am: Intense cold wave conditions in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) after heavy snowfall hit the city yesterday

Intense cold wave conditions in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) after heavy snowfall hit the city yesterday. pic.twitter.com/b23Ze9xLpL  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

OneIndia News
'This may give sleepless nights to some': Eknath Shinde on sharing dais with Sharad Pawar

Not just future of Sena but democracy at stake, says Uddhav

David Headley reveals Pakistan hand in 26/11 attacks

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Mumbai, Feb 8: Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist-turned-approver David Coleman Headley revealed a goldmine of information for Indian authorities on various aspects leading to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, while deposing via video conference from a US jail before Special TADA Court Judge G.A. Sanap here on Monday.

He gave names of the officials connected to the Pakistan Army and spoke of their role, its dreaded Inter-Services Intelligence, the LeT and others who were involved in the conspiracy, planning and execution of the 26/11 attacks which killed 166 people and injured hundreds more.

Updates: Was introduced to Major Iqbal of the ISI, David Headley tells court

"Headly has made several sensitive revelations. We are satisfied with the evidence," said Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. "Headley also said that he was arrested in Peshawar (Pak) in 2002-03 because he went to meet drug smugglers. When asked for the reason to meet smugglers, Headley said that they wanted to send some weapons to India to fight Kashmir," Nikam added.

I am absolutely satisfied as to what David Headly has revealed in today's deposition: Ujjawal Nikam pic.twitter.com/ujKsPJ66YW  ANI (@ANI_news) February 8, 2016

Among the stunning disclosures was the fact that two unsuccessful attempts had been attempted in Mumbai in September and October 2008 which failed, before the final strike at multiple locations in south Mumbai on November 26-29, 2008.

Headly also named the feared LeT founder Hafez Saeed and his close associate Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi - both suspected right from the beginning since the investigations were launched by Indian agencies after the 26/11 attacks.

He named two people directly linked with the Pakistan Army and ISI - Major Iqbal and Major Ali and unraveled how he (Headley) was arrested by Pakistan Army around 2002 when he was going to meet a drug smuggler to send arms and ammunitions consignment to Kashmiri groups fighting the Indian Army.
Islamic State bomber detained in Russia for attempting attack in India was recruited through Telegram

Why India should get access to Islamic State bomber detained in Russia

Prosecutions story may be attractive but should be backed by evidence

ISIS active in India under different names, claims Muslim body

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Feb 8: A body representing Sufi-Sunni Muslims today claimed that dreaded terror outfit Islamic State (ISIS) is "active" in the country under "different names" and sought a ban on fronts representing such groups to prevent threats to national security.

The comments by the All India Tanzeem Ulema-E-Islam (AITUI) came against the backdrop of remarks by Home Minister Rajnath Singh on December 27 that ISIS has not been able to "establish its roots" in the country due to family values of the Indian culture.

At its day-long 'Anti-Terrorism' conference held here, the AITUI also made a strong pitch for "critical examination" of Islamic studies imparted across varsities in the country and sought to promote Sufi content to remove "extremist influence" on youth.

"Terror activities are on rise in the world. We condemn it and assert the Sufi-Sunni Muslims are in no way engaged in such activities. But we want to highlight, the ISIS is active in India under different names.

"The ISIS front outfits are holding conferences and receiving funds from Saudi Arabia and Qatar for it. We want Centre to ban all such outfits in view of national security," AITUI president Mufti Mohammed Ashfaq Hussain Qadri told reporters.

Appealing to Sufi-Sunni Muslim youth in India against "falling prey" to extremist elements, clerics participating in the conference insisted that the Government promote Sufi content in syllabus taught as part of higher Islamic studies.

The clerics, who had gathered here from different parts of the country, also urged Centre to give up efforts to change minority status of educational institutions--an apparent reference to Government's stand on AMU and Jamia Milia Islamia varsities--and instead take efforts to gain confidence of community youths.

The clerics also favoured enacting a law that will provide for capital punishment to those who insult prophets and Gods worshipped by people of any religion.

PTI
Delhi air quality projected to cross 301 by Sat; GRAP stage II comes into effect ahead of Diwali

IRCTC update: 140 trains cancelled on October 20; here is the complete list

Partial solar eclipse on Diwali: Can you perform Lakshmi Puja on Oct 25?

Naga leaders in Myanmar to woo NSCN-K

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Kohima, Feb 8: In a move to bring lasting peace to Nagaland, a group of people representing the civil society in the state has reached Myanmar to bring the NSCN-K back on the peace path.

Representatives of the apex body Naga Hoho and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation (ENPO) planned to meet leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, informed sources said.

The NSCN-K, led by its chairman S.S. Khaplang, signed a ceasefire with the Indian government in 2001. But in March last year it dumped the accord and resumed armed attacks on security forces.

Last year, the outfit ambushed a convoy at Chandel in Manipur and killed 18 soldiers. The central government then banned the outfit for five years.

"A joint team comprising eight members representing the Naga Hoho and ENPO has reached Myanmar and is waiting to meet Khaplang. Let us see what the outcome is," ENPO president Khoiwang Konyak said in a statement.

The joint statement by the ENPO and Naga Hoho said the team met Kyaw Win Swe, an emissary from the Ceasefire Monitoring Group of the NSCN-K, at Mandalay.

The statement said Khaplang had been urged to again go for a truce with New Delhi.

The Nagaland assembly last year resolved to urge the central government and the NSCN-K to go back to the ceasefire agreement to create the right atmosphere for a political dialogue in Nagaland.

IANS
UP tops in number of convictions in women-related crime, cybercrime as per NCRB data: Govt

Police probing accomplice,father of accused in DU student case

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Feb 8: A day after a DU student was found murdered in Model Town area, police are probing the role of a person, who is suspected to have helped her lover to commit the crime, and are searching for his father who is untraceable since the killing came to light.

"The accused, Naveen Khatri, has disclosed a person's name during interrogation claiming that the individual helped him in dumping the woman's body. The matter is being probed," Joint Commissioner of Police (North) Sanjay Singh said today.

Meanwhile, the police are also searching for Khatri's father. "He (Khatri's father) will be questioned once we track him down," Singh said, adding that Khatri was produced in court, which sent him to three days police custody.

A police source said that Khatri's father, who left his house by the time the incident came to light yesterday, was released on parole last year.

He was sent to prison in connection with a neighbour's murder case. Arzoo Singh Chauhan (21), a student of Lakshmibai College under the University of Delhi, was killed allegedly by her lover, Naveen Khatri (23), who hid her body for five days and married another woman during the period.

The incident came to light yesterday when Arzoo's body was found in a ventilation shaft at Khatri's residence in Gurmandi locality, which comes under the jurisdiction of Model Town police station in northwest Delhi, following which Khatri was arrested.

Khatri allegedly strangulated his girlfriend Arzoo, who lived in the same neighbourhood, on Tuesday and dumped her body in the shaft of his building. Khatri later got married to another woman on Thursday.

PTI
Airport experience: Indias first 5-star hotel over railway station in Gandhinagar; See pics and other details

Mangaluru central station to have 2 more new platforms by September

Nagaland gets its 2nd Railway station on Dhansari-Shokhuvi line after gap of over 100 yrs

Railway building collapses at Hubballi, 8 stranded under the rubble

India

oi-Shreyas

Hubballi, Feb 8: A two-storied building at Hubballi central railway station collapsed in the afternoon hours of Monday.

According to initial reports, as many as 8 people are struck under the rubble including a woman and a child. Rescue operation is underway in full swing to save the lives.

The building that houses cargo section of the railways said to have collapsed as it was aging. The building was half a century old and was fragile, it is said.

Kuberappa, Inspector Railway police informed the media police station was function in the second floor of the building. The station was relocated recently to another place. He further added that while a wall of the building of the second floor was being flattened by the workers, the whole building fell on the ground.

Fire attendants, police have swung into rescue actions. It is reported that a police constable was injured during the operation.

OneIndia News
Power cut in Chennai on October 19: These areas will be affected

EPS, his supporters detained for trying to hold hunger strike in TN assembly

Tamil Nadu: Light to moderate rain in the next few days

Rescind land use notification for GAIL pipeline: Jayalalithaa

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Chennai, Feb 8: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rescind the central government's notification relating to right of use of land issued enabling GAIL (India) to lay its gas pipeline through farmlands in seven districts of the state.

In a letter to Modi, text of which was released to the media, Jayalalithaa also urged him to direct GAIL India not to act upon the notifications pending a final view in the matter.

Jayalalithaa wrote to Modi in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent order holding that once the right of use of land is notified the state government does not have the power to direct as to how the pipeline is to be aligned.

She also told Modi that the state government will be filing a review petition in the apex court in this matter.

As a part of its around Rs.5,000 crore gas pipeline project, between Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru, GAIL planned to lay the pipes in the agricultural fields in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri much against the wishes of the farmers.

Heeding to the high court's orders, the state government held public hearings in March this year to ascertain the views of the people.

Jayalalithaa had also announced in the assembly that projects are for the people and not people for the projects.

The state government also ordered GAIL to stop the pipeline work and lay its along the national highways.

In her letter Jayalalithaa also urged Modi to amend the relevant provisions of the Petroleum and Minerals Pipeline (Acquisition of Right of Use in Land) Act, 1962 and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

She said the amendment should provide for the conduct of a social impact assessment under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962.

She also said GAIL may be directed to be part of the expert committee constituted by the state government, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of laying the pipelines alongside the national highways.

According to Jayalalithaa, the pipeline would cover 310 km with an affected area of 20 metres width.

"The project would very adversely affect lakhs of mango, jackfruit and coconut trees which are extensively grown in the project affected areas. "It is estimated that more than 120,000 such fruit bearing trees would have to be uprooted for laying the pipes," the letter notes.

"Further, the restrictions on excavating any tank, well, etc in the area, would adversely affect agriculture and horticulture," Jayalalithaa added.

IANS
Roar of tigers to again reverberate in MP! State to have world's first White Tiger Safari

'Return of jungle raj' is an opposition conspiracy: Lalu Prasad

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Patna, Feb 8: The "return of Jungle Raj in Bihar" is a lie spread by the opposition parties in their attempt to defame the state, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad has said.

"Opposition parties are talking and spreading falsehood of return of 'jungle raj' in Bihar as part of conspiracy to defame the state again," Lalu told reporters here on Sunday after his arrival from Delhi.

Lalu also dismissed the demand made on Saturday by Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan that President's Rule be imposed in Bihar in view of the deteriorating law and order situation under the government of the 'Grand Alliance' of JD-U, RJD and the Congress.

Rule of law prevails in Bihar and there is no place for violence and lawlessness, said Lalu whose two sons, Tejaswi Prasad and Tej Pratap, are ministers in the state government, the former also being the deputy chief minister.

Chirag, son of Union minister Ramvilas Paswan, had spoken in the context of the killing on Friday of his party leader Brijnathi Singh by some people here. Singh was a criminal-turned-politician, known once as the terror of Raghopur area in Vaishali district.

"Brijnathji was shot dead within 10-15 km of the chief minister's house. He was shot dead only because he and his family fought against Lalu ji in the Vidhan Sabha polls. I would definitely want to ask the chief minister if this is not political rivalry, then what is?" Chirag was quoted as saying in a media report.

Lalu said the opposition is not ready to realise its rejection by the people in the elections and so is trying to paint Bihar in a poor light.

IANS
What to expect from the David Headley deposition?

India

oi-Vicky

Mumbai, Feb 8: It was a victory of sorts when India managed to get David Headley to testify through video conferencing before a Mumbai court. All eyes will be on the Mumbai court where Headley who has turned approver will testify today. There are certain things that one must know in this case as it stands now.

Firstly Headley has already been pardoned by the court which means there will be no sentencing. Moreover he enjoys a plea bargain deal in the United States which ensures he can neither be sentenced to death nor extradited to any country.

While expert say that he is more or less likely to stick to his version stated before the FBI which had arrested him, there are certain aspects that India would like to know about which goes beyond his original confession.

- Who is Sajid Mir, the mystery man who handled the Mumbai 26/11 attacks?

- Who are Major Iqbal and Sameer? They are part of the Pakistan army who aided Headley while he conducted the reconnaissance in Mumbai.

- Who are the three locals who helped Headley while he was in Mumbai?

What Headley will tell India?

The National Investigation Agency has once probed Headley in the US. The NIA team got a similar version that he had already given to the FBI.

It is a well known fact that Headley was an agent for the CIA who had turned rogue and there are allegations that the US desperately wants to cover that aspect and ensure it did not crop up during the probe. (The David Headley Confession: Kasab's release failed - Part 1)

Here is what one can expect Headley to say before the court today

The 26/11 operation was a huge one and there were many who were involved in it. Hafiz Saeed was the man who knew everything about the attack and in the Lashkar circles nothing happens unless it has his blessings.

The others from the Lashkar who were completely involved in the attack were Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi , Sajid Mahid (Sajid Mir), Muzzammil, Abdur Rehman, Abu Al-Qama, Abu Kafa, Abu Anas, Abdul Aziz, Abu Hamza and Yaqub.

The first time that I arrived in India was on September 14 2006. I was told specifically not to call any of my Pakistan contacts and I stayed in touch with Rana who was in Chicago who kept the handlers in the loop about what I was doing.

The first thing I did was to open an immigration office and appointed a Parsi woman as a secretary. The first part of my job involved shooting videos of the Corporation building, Gateway of India, the Police headquarters, VT Railway station, Central Railway Station, Leopold Cafe. I sent these across and my job was appreciated.

My handlers in this attack were Major Iqbal and Major Sameer Ali. Prior to my operation I was however more in touch with Major Iqbal who is a non commissioned officer and he is the one who trained me on intelligence gathering and also on how to take cover.

I preferred this part of the training since I found it to be more scientific and much better than the training I received at the Lashkar camps. I was then introduced to their senior Lt Colonel Hamza.

The stint in Mumbai

During my stint in Mumbai, I had surveyed the Taj on six occasions and I had even moved in with my wife Faiza into that place as I did not want any suspicion. I was told by my handlers that they wanted extensive work on the Taj.

During the training stage, the Pakistan navy was involved and they had discussed with the Lashkar the various landing operations. (The David Headley Confession: The future of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba - Part 2)

I was part of these meetings and I was told by Lakhvi to verify during my visit these landing options since they did not want any Indian vessel coming in the way.

I did this according to the instructions given to me. I then landed in Mumbai where I carried out a survey of the landing options and in the month of April 2008, I landed in Cuff Parade and reported back that this could be a safe landing place.

During this time I used to go on boat rides and studied the options.

Every member of the Lashkar has a handler who is an ISI officer. While I was controlled by Sameer and Iqbal, Lakhvi was under Briagier Riyaz who was also in the know of this entire operation. During our initial discussions on this attack the plan was to carry out an attack only at the Taj.

Although all details regarding the targets were provided, the Lashkar and the ISI wanted to carry out an attack on Taj which was hosting an annual conference of Software Engineers.

This was to be to staged by three persons in the month of September, but the boat that was carrying the attackers hit a rock on the way to the target and it has to be brought back.

Headley needs to tell us more

There is a mystery man in this entire episode and that is Sajid Mir or Sajid Majid. He has been considered to be an international operative and handles the foreign attacks for the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. He has been taken completely off the radar since the 26/11 attack. Pakistan has even denied the existence of such a man. Will Headley tell us more about him?

The roles of the army officials in this attack is also crucial. We know for a fact that the names Major Sameer and Iqbal are not real. Who are these two persons and what part do they play in the Pakistan establishment is what we would want Headley to tell us.

Lastly the local link to the attack which the Mumbai police never probed into. Headley was in touch with at least 3 locals who helped him around. He could tell us more about them during his testimony. However one cannot expect Headley to talk about this on his own. Will the prosecution ensure that he speaks about it?

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Story first published: Monday, February 8, 2016, 8:15 [IST]
Who received David Headley at the Mumbai airport?

India

oi-Vicky

Mumbai, Feb 8: David Headley who is now testifying before a court in Mumbai through video conferencing from the United States of America was a key player in the 26/11 attack. There is one fact about the operation of David Headley and that is India knew nothing when he began his journey into Mumbai.

In the entire confession of Headley he hardly speaks about a local link. It is very difficult to conduct a reconnaissance of city like Mumbai unlike there is someone locally to help out. Whether India did not know about this local link or chose not to probe it is a subject matter of debate.

The mysterious Basheer

When Headley landed in Mumbai for the first time he was received at the airport by a man named Basheer. This man Basheer was introduced to Headley through Tawwahur Rana a friend of Headley who allegedly created the travel documents.

Saroj Kumar Rath, author of the book Fragile Frontiers: The Secret History of the Mumbai Terror attacks says that Headley received by Basheer. The police never probed Basheer and he continues to remain a mystery.

Further while dealing with the Headley case one needs to realise the importance of this operative. In fact he was in 1989 planted by the United States of America into Afghanistan to collect information relating to the drug lords. He was then once again planted by the US into the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. However Headley had turned rogue by then.

When Headley's name cropped up for the first time every official in India was caught off guard. India had not information about him and his role became clear only once the US arrested him a year after the 26/11 attack.

He was arrested for his role in the Denmark Mickey Mouse project case. The US wanted to keep him quiet after the 26/11 attack since he was proving to be dangerous. They felt he would try and blow up the Empire State Building.

The US came to this conclusion since Headley's friend Tawwahur Rana had his office in the Empire State Building, and the former was an unofficial entrant in his office. The US felt that since he knew a lot about the building, his next plan would be to replicate a 9/11 kind of attack on the Empire State Building.

OneIndia News
Angela Merkel says 'horrified' by Russian bombings in Syria

International

oi-PTI

Ankara, Feb 8: Turkey and Germany agreed today on a set of measures to try to tackle the Syrian refugee crisis, including a joint diplomatic initiative aimed at halting attacks against Syria's largest city.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that she is "not just appalled but horrified" by the suffering caused by bombing in Syria, primarily by Russia.

Merkel said that Turkey and Germany will push at the United Nations for everyone to keep to a UN resolution passed in December that calls on all sides to halt without delay attacks on the civilian population.

Merkel was in Ankara for talks on how to reduce the influx of migrants into Europe, mostly via a perilous boat crossing from Turkey to Greece.

Turkey's coast guard said today that 24 migrants died after their boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, while four people were rescued. Merkel is under pressure at home to cut the number of refugee arrivals after nearly 1.1 million people were registered as asylum-seekers in Germany last year.

Turkey for its part is under pressure from the EU to open its border to up to 35,000 Syrians who have massed along the frontier in the past few days fleeing an onslaught by government forces in the city of Aleppo.

The Turkish border crossing of Oncupinar, opposite the Syrian Bab al-Salameh gate, remained closed for a fourth day today as Turkish authorities provided assistance to the Syrians at a displaced persons camp nearby. It was not clear if or when Turkey would let the group in.

Turkey, already home to 2.5 million Syrian refugees, says it has reached its capacity to absorb refugees but has indicated that it will continue to take refugees in.

"We are worried that opening the gates will lead to an increase in refugees," said Burak Kacacaoglu, a spokesman for the non-governmental Islamic charity group IHH.

"We are concerned about the air strikes which are increasingly targeting civilian areas. This is what causes refugees."

Merkel said: "We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing -- primarily from the Russian side."

"Under such circumstances, it's hard for peace talks to take place, and so this situation must be brought to an end quickly," Merkel said.

Davutoglu said Aleppo "is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy."

"No one should excuse or show tolerance toward the Russian air attacks that amount to ethnic massacres by saying 'Turkey takes care of the Syrian refugees anyway,'" Davutoglu said.

"No one can expect Turkey to take on the burden on its own."

AP
Germany: Journalist kissed, groped during live broadcast

International

oi-Sandra

Cologne, Feb 8: It is a female journalist's worst nightmare to be sexually harassed and molested on camera. RTBF Television Network journalist was groped and abused by men while she was reporting live from the annual Cologne carnival.

The incident took place on Thursday when Esmeralda Labye was reporting live from Cologne and was groped by men. Labye while reporting, was unaware that the men were standing behind her.

While she was speaking on camera, the men were seen making sexual gestures behind her. Speaking to a daily, Labye said: "While reporting live, I got a kiss on the back of my neck."

Soon after a man whispered in her ears: "Would you like to sleep with me tonight."Thats when she felt two hands on her shoulder, she said.

However since most of the carnival goers were drunk, she continued to report and then went off air. It was then that she realised that one of them was groping her.

"I lost my temper. Knowing that I was not live, I angrily turned back and told them: You did that twice, not once! Don't touch me, don't touch me," she said.

The men then left without saying anything.

Meanwhile, Cologne was in news recently for many incidents of sexual assault on New Year's eve by men of North African or Arabic origin.

However Labye said that the men who harassed her were 'young men speaking German.'

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Story first published: Monday, February 8, 2016, 15:12 [IST]
My party-BJP have different ideologies but common aim of uplifting poor: Nepal ex-PM Prachanda

Nepal's Madheshi Morcha bows to public opinion, calls off anti-Constitution protest

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Kathmandu, Feb 8: Bowing to strong public opinion, the Madhesi Morcha in Nepal on Monday called off its almost six-month-old anti-Constitution protest in the southern Terai region that led to a blockading of a major portion of the 1,868-km open border the landlocked Himalayan nation has with its southern neighbour India.

At a meeting in Kathmandu, the Morcha -- spearheading the agitation that had led to the cutting off of essential supplies to Kathmandu from India -- announced it was postponing its protest programme in view of what it called "citizen's suggestion".

"Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, and shutdown of government offices have been called off for now. But the other agitation programmes will continue," said a statement issued following the meeting.

The decision by the Madhesi Morcha also paved the way for Prime Minister K.P. Oli's visit to India later this month.

Oli was insistent upon visiting India only after the border-blockade was lifted.

The Madhesi protestors had been demanding, among others, a redrawing of the boundaries of the provinces in Nepal as proposed in the new Constitution -- promulgated on September 20 last year; and representation in Parliament on the basis of population.

Significantly, the Nepal Terai has almost 51 percent of the country's population and yet gets only one-third of seats in Parliament.

The Madhesis also seek proportional representation in government jobs and restoration of rights granted to them in the interim constitution of 2007 which the new charter has snatched away.

The key Nepal-India border point at Raxaul-Birgunj had already been opened on Friday after protests by locals from both Nepal and India residing on both sides.

The Madhesi Morcha, in the statement, said it would mobilise its cadres in the Terai/Madhes, Tharuhat and Kathmandu, among other places, by rectifying the weaknesses identified during the agitation period.

The four-party regional alliance said it would also seek alliance with other political parties.

The Madhesi Morcha -- or the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM), to give it its formal name -- has been spearheading the agitation in the country's Terai region. It comprises four Madhes-based parties -- Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party led by Mahanta Thakur; Sadbhawana Party, headed by Rajendra Mahto; Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum-Nepal, led by Upendra Yadav; and the Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party-Nepal headed by Mahendra Yadav.

The Morcha, at its meeting, also noted that certain comments by Sadbhawana Party chairman Rajendra Mahato, a key leader of the agitating alliance, had dealt a blow to their agitation.

"As the latest activities and comments of Sadbhawana Party chairman Mahato have damaged the Madhesi agitation, the Madhesi Morcha directs him to not be involved in such activities in the coming days," read a statement.

Mahato unilaterally announced lifting of the blockade at the Raxaul-Birgunj border point on Friday thus facilitating resumption of trade through that key point after almost six months of blockade.

The Morcha said it was extremely unhappy with Mahato's unilateral decision.

IANS
Pope Francis visit to celebrate Mexico's indigenous church

International

oi-PTI

San Cristobal De Las Casas, Feb 7: Pope Francis' visit to the heavily indigenous Mexican state of Chiapas appears aimed at celebrating the region's "Indian church," a mix of Catholicism and indigenous culture once considered a thorn in the side of standard liturgy by the Vatican.

The inclusion of pine boughs and eggs, the Mayan faithful's references to "God the Father and Mother" and the use of indigenous elements in Masses long caused church officials to bristle. Not so with history's first Latin American pope, who the Vatican said will present a decree during his Feb. 15 visit authorizing the use of indigenous languages. The Chiapas Mass itself would include readings and songs in three different indigenous languages.

"Within the church there have always been errors," said Felipe Arizmendi, the Bishop of San Cristobal de las Casas, the colonial city where Francis will preside over Mass. "So we recognize that many times, we have not given them (the indigenous) their place."

Francis' visit comes amid strong challenges to the church in the southern state, including huge inroads by evangelical Protestants and grinding poverty in a region rich with coffee, Mayan ruins, pine-covered hills and jungles.

Chiapas has the high poverty rate in Mexico at 76.2 percent. The challenges have always included the church's relations with indigenous communities who have struggled for centuries to maintain their traditions and independence, sometimes embracing and sometimes clashing with the hierarchy.

Religious practices in some communities encourage rampant alcohol abuse, crushing debts and autocratic local bosses known as "caciques." "Traditional" Catholic towns often require impoverished residents to go into debt to pay for annual, alcohol-fueled festivals for the local patron saint.

Most of the food, drink, flowers and fireworks for the festivals are bought from the local bosses, who sell them to residents on credit at usurious rates. In some communities, residents have expelled or ostracized any inhabitant who converts to Protestantism, often taking their lands or possessions, or denying them access to basic services like water or electricity.

AP
One of the main conspirators of Mumbai terror attacks David Headley is making shocking revelations as he is being testified at Mumbai court today. He revealed that he visited India eight times prior to the attacks and made two more attempts to attack Mumbai before 26/11 attacks. A nine-year-old boy was shot dead in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday when workers of the ruling Samajwadi Party were allegedly firing shots in the air to celebrate a local election victory. MCD workers have called off the strike after intervention from Delhi High Court.
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Papua New Guinea Correctional Service is in a very, very sad situation since the news of the appointment of Chief Inspector Bernard Nepo as the Acting Commissioner broke out on Thursday, 04th February, 2016.

This appointment whether true or not, is purported to have gone straight to Cabinet by passing the National Executive Council. There has been no formal announcement by the National Government through the Minister for Correctional Service, Honorable Jim B Simatab until today.

I as the current Commissioner was not accorded with the proper privilege by the Minister to inform me of the NEC decision. However, a short brief was relayed to me by the First Secretary, Mr. Ted Sitapai on Friday, 05th February, on this appointment.

Since the so-called appointment by the NEC of Chief Inspector Bernard Nepo, certain Officers from Enga Province, Hela, Southern Highlands, Chimbu and Western Highlands have absented themselves from work. They started celebrating the appointment as some short of a tribal victory.

May I state here that Papua New Guinea Correctional Service is a Government Institution owned by the people of Papua New Guinea and not the Highlands people.

These Officers are supported by Deputy Commissioner Dennis Piandi from Western Highlands Province, Chief Superintendent Michael Mondia and Chief Superintendent Chris Waienge from Chimbu Province. About 12 more Officers are roving around Bomana.

This is a first in this department to have tribal groups commandeering a state agency. All these Officers are well supported by Minister Simatab, so there will be no disciplinary action taken against these rogue officers because of political support.

Since Thursday, 04th to Sunday, 07th of February, the rogue officers from Highlands have been celebrating right in front of all the Correctional Officers here at Bomana, CS Training College and Kerepia Barracks.

Officers were heard shouting and calling me all kinds of names. Sergeant Joe Yamason and few Officers started celebrating from Thursday up to early Sunday morning with stereo at high volumes. All these events were witnessed by Officers and their families at Bomana Kerepia Barracks.

Sergeant Yamason is claiming to be Minister Simatabs brother. He is one of the rogue officers who was used to plot against Commissioner Sikani and now against me. He is unfit to be a discipline officer in Papua New Guinea Correctional Service.

As with the Governments decision, whether true or not is something I will always follow. I am happy to leave the organization. When I took office, I did not use guns against any Officer. I did not threaten any officer. I promoted officers right across the board for the first time with the engagement of an Independent Promotion Board. I have brought stability and united all officers from different provinces and the four regions. During my reign as Commissioner, I was always aware of senior officers within my management team who were always trying to topple me.

What I fear has now become a reality with this sudden change where Highlands Officers are making a mockery of the Papua New Guinea Correctional Service. This proud department is now shattered by the bullying of these rogue officers. There will never be unity in this department. All these have happened during the reign of Minister Simatab.

He is the one who is destroying this department by encouraging tribalism and regionalism to take hold of the only discipline force that has a proud history of stability. I am also certain that there are influential individuals with business interests who are funding this move. If this is true, than corruption has already grown root and spreading itself into Papua New Guinea Correctional Service.

I will leave with satisfaction. I have spent over 40 years starting from a young officer to where I am now as the Commissioner. I have gone through hell and death, while holding Kuveria jail (Bougainvile Crisis) in January 1990; as the only Commissioned Officer who stayed alive with my Officers and families; sadly we lost 5 Officers and a young girl. I have done great service to Papua New Guinea, the Government, and the people.

I have contributed faithfully to the Papua New Guinea Correctional Service and will continue to do so; up to the day my contract will be terminated by the Government.

After 40 years, the last two weeks has been the most damaging to me. My Minister should have the courtesy to inform me that I will be terminated as the Commissioner. Prior to this event, I should have been given the honour to know why I should be terminated as Commissioner and respond to allegations levelled against me. Sadly I was not given that opportunity. I am also saddened that I was not given all the support from my Minister. I am still waiting as to when he will have the courtesy to call me and let me know the reason for the action he took.

All I am hearing from Officers is that I have been replaced and that Chief Inspector Bernard Nepo is now the Acting Commissioner. History will record for the first time a middle management officer with Chief Inspector rank has been appointed by the Government.

All the senior officers from Chief Superintendent to Deputy Commissioners have been overlooked for this important appointment. This has not happened before in Papua New Guinea Correctional Service, Papua New Guinea Defence Force, or the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. This again is the Ministers prerogative to kill the command and respect in the Service.

As I bow out, I plead to the Government that to maintain stability in the department, I appeal to you to reconsider your decision again and immediately appointment a permanent Commissioner. This should be the priority to stabilise the department.

I have had time to identify the bad senior officers and their cohorts who have orchestrated a lot of disunity in the Service. I am in the process of taking appropriate action but that action has been delayed because I just got my Executive Management Team recently appointed; prior to that all were on acting basis.

As I conclude, the stability of the jails is important. I hope that all the serving Officers will continue working together during this trying time.
Casual Connect Europe Casino Track Coming Next Week

Published February 8, 2016 by Mike P

Google, IGT, and other major organisations will deliver lectures at the Casual Connect Europe 2016 conference in Amsterdam from 17-18 February.

Casual Connect Europe's Casino Track will run during three days from 17-18 February in Amsterdam. More than 1,300 igaming professionals from all over world will come together for a professional conference that will feature over 200 speakers. Those in attendance can choose from a diverse selection of lecture topics covering everything from software and gaming to business metrics and player psychology.

Leading Industry Contributors

Attendees will get to start the conference by learning about the intricacies of social casino gaming from sector leaders Playtika and IGT. Both software providers will discuss the current landscape before exploring the future possibilities. Google will then contribute by analysing the results of a study that encompassed 1,000 social casino players.

There are yet more learning opportunities at Casual Connect Europe. Lotto24 will discuss the integration of casual games within a subscription model, while Gamblit will also contribute by explaining the gaming transition from casual to real-money wagering.

Casual Connect Europe will have plenty of other marketing-oriented lectures for attendees, who can expect to develop their understanding of start-ups, user acquisition, metrics, and recruiting talented personnel. Among the contributors will be Bidalgo, Plumbee, Scopely, and Wizits.

VR Gaming to Feature

From a software standpoint, virtual reality (VR) will be a core focus. And the schedule will feature what is certain to be an unmissable discussion from LuckyVR to explain how online casinos can acquire VR content. Murka, Old Man Productions, and Yazino will then share their software insights in relation to on-game mechanics.

The inclusion of a VR lecture is indicative of Casual Connect Europes mass-market market approach to hosting this annual igaming conference. Developers, publishers, and distributors will come together alongside gambling operators and various professionals to share forward-thinking ideas and insights.

Attendees can find the Casual Connect Europe conference at the Beurs van Berlage building in Amsterdam from 17-18 February 2016.
It is no secret that our bodies and environment are swimming in estrogen. Puberty is occurring in children as young as eight and in 2010 babies in China were reported to be developing breasts. In 2011, the United Kingdom's Daily Mail observed that women's bra cup sizes were growing even when the women themselves were not gaining weight and speculated it was estrogen exposure. And frogs and fish are becoming "intersex" and losing their male characteristics from endocrine disrupters in the environment and waterways.

Over ten years ago, the routine administration of estrogen to women as they approach menopause and afterward (called hormone replacement therapy or HRT) was found to cause a 26 percent increase in the risk breast cancer, 41 percent increase in the risk of strokes, 29 percent increase in the risk of heart attacks and double the rate of blood clots.

Unfortunately, the public has a short memory. HRT is making a comeback even though it is such a cause of breast cancer, US cancer rates sharply dropped when women quit in 2002! It is also still billed as a fountain of youth despite its links to the "elderly" conditions of cataracts, urinary incontinence and joint degeneration as well as lung, ovarian, skin and gall bladder cancer.

But of course a lot of estrogen we are exposed to is "under the radar." Endocrine disrupters (chemicals which mimic estrogen) are found in plastics like BPA, petroleum based products, agricultural pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, detergents and cosmetics and even everyday items like furniture, carpeting and thermal receipts. Do you have Colgate's Total toothpaste or Ajax and Palmolive "antibacterial" dish detergents at home? Triclosan, the endocrine disrupter they contain, is considered so dangerous the state of Minnesota has banned it.

The US meat industry is also steeped in estrogen, using hormones like zeranol and melengestrol and the steroid trenbolone to fatten animals and increase profits. Zeranol is especially controversial. A 2009 paper in Anticancer Research says "Our laboratory has reported that long-term exposure to either Z [zeranol] or E2 [estradiol-17] can induce transformation of human breast epithelial MCF-10A cells." Translation--it can cause breast cancer. Another paper reports that "breast irritation" can occur in people only exposed to the clothes of those working around zeranol! No wonder the European Union bans US beef.



We are eating WHAT?

(Image by martha Rosenberg) Details DMCA



Do you remember the outbreak of precocious puberty and breast development in children in Italy and Puerto Rico in the late 1970s and 1980s? A paper in Science of the Total Environment attributes the symptoms to "deliberate introduction of zeranol into livestock to enhance meat production." In both the Italy and Puerto Rico outbreaks the symptoms disappeared when the hormone-laced food was removed.

Zeranol is "banned for use in animal husbandry in the European Union and other countries, but is still widely used in the US," says the paper. "Surprisingly, little is known about the health effects of these mycoestrogens, including their impact on puberty in girls, a period highly sensitive to estrogenic stimulation." Another scientific paper called "Detection of Six Zeranol Residues in Animal-derived Food by HPLC-MS/MS" found clear drug traces in the food.

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By David Swanson, American Herald Tribune

Try this at home. Dress up corporate. Stand on a corner with a clipboard. Hover a drone with a video camera nearby. Ask passersby:

1. Who's in the Super Bowl?

2. Who should be president next year?

3. What was just signed in New Zealand that, if ratified, will let corporations overturn U.S. laws, speed up the destruction of the environment, outsource jobs, encourage slavery, eliminate food safety standards, make medicine cost even more, censor and restrict the internet, impede reform of Wall Street, and make those 20 people who own as much as half the country even richer at your expense?

This is a clear-cut case where Meatloaf is just wrong. Two out of three really is bad.

Former U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, and others who had seen all or part of the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, used to say that just making it public would stop it dead. But that depends on a number of factors, I think. The TPP has now been made public. Twelve nations have just gone ahead and signed it. And their hope is to see their governments ratify it during the next two years.

The destruction wreaked by NAFTA can be seen in thousands of hollowed out towns across the United States, if you trust the bridges to get you there and are willing to risk drinking the water. But public discussion of NAFTA's impact is not a popular topic in the corporate media, consolidated post-NAFTA and worsened ever since.

The 1993 corporate media debate over whether or not to create NAFTA looks bizarre to us today. You can go back and watch Vice President Al Gore (pro-NAFTA) debate wealthy crank Ross Perot (anti-NAFTA) on television. That such a thing existed is crazy enough to contemplate in this anti-democratic day and age. But then watch Perot make the debate about the damage NAFTA was going to do to the people of Mexico. You know as well as I do what the universal response to that line of reasoning would be today across the political spectrum of media-approved voices. Say it aloud with me: Who the hell cares what happens to Mexicans!

In fact, the TPP is almost entirely ignored and avoided. When it's mentioned it's as something our authoritarian government knows better how to handle than we do. Its defenders, including President Barack Obama, present it as a way to jab a finger in China's eye. Its opponents argue that it attacks U.S. sovereignty and benefits foreign nations. What, if anything, it does to Vietnamese workers, for example, is just not registering, and the idea of a U.S. billionaire in 2016 bringing that to public attention as a moral concern would get you mocked as a dreamer faster than Hillary Clinton changes positions when a check book is opened.

The Free Trade Area of the Americas and other post-NAFTA corporate deals have been stopped by public pressure, and the TPP can be as well. What is it up against?

First, the text of the thing reads like a stack of phone books filled with this sort of gripping drama:

"Article 14.1: Definitions -- For the purposes of this Chapter: computing facilities means computer servers and storage devices for processing or storing information for commercial use; covered person 1 means: (a) a covered investment as defined in Article 9.1 ... "

I know you can't wait to find out what happens next, but I suspect there's a section somewhere criminalizing quoting too much of the document. The problem is not just dryness, but also vacuity. We sometimes imagine that politicians save their vague platitudes for speeches and then pack concise substantive and enforceable policies into actual legislation. Not true. The TPP is a pile of substantive policies scattered into an enormous pile of meaningless blather, with no color coding to tell you which is which.

There are people with expertise who will decode it for you, but there is not room for them in corporate news reporting, given the possibility that Ben Carson might say something stupid soon. Even the massive , nonviolent resistance in New Zealand in the face of preemptive arrests and intimidation, and demonstrations all over the United States, doesn't seem to make good news copy when a lineup of monsters want to announce their support for torturing people.
Reprinted from Counterpunch

Last week, I handicapped the Bernie Sanders campaign. He since pulled off an upset in the Iowa Caucus, where he overcame a 40-point lead by Hillary Clinton (the day before, polls said he'd lose by two or three points) to a virtual tie so even that coin tosses and bureaucratic incompetence may have made a difference.

It's a two-person race, with Hillary still in the lead nationally. But Bernie has momentum and enthusiasm. Can the Independent Senator from Vermont catch up? Democratic primaries are a referendum on the status quo, so Sanders' chances depend at least as much on Secretary Clinton's weaknesses as on his strengths.

Here's what Hillary has going for her -- and not.

The Good

As in her (losing) 2008 run against Barack Obama, Hillary's strategists are selling competence and experience. "A progressive who gets things done," she is calling herself.

Scratch a little, however, and there's precious little evidence of substantial things she actually got done. Googling phrases like "Hillary Clinton's biggest accomplishments" yields lists that include "most-traveled Secretary of State" and "gave a speech in Geneva standing up for gay rights."

Hillary's "achievements" are activities, not accomplishments.

Fortunately for her, most voters don't question the Been Everywhere, Done Everything meme. She does have one hell of a resume: First Lady, Senator, Secretary of State. Though, for the life of me, I don't understand why Bernie's Mayor, Congressman and Senator resume (longer in total, more reelections) doesn't count.

When you talk to people who are seriously considering casting their votes for Clinton, many say they like that she's a woman president straight out of central casting -- tough and strong, with the slightly dystopian Corporate Leader wardrobe to boot. Here's to you, Jodie Foster in "Elysium."

Clinton knows everyone in DC. She knows world leaders. She won't need months to settle into the White House.

The Bad

The trouble for Hillary is, this is an anti-establishment year. Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders are benefitting from an electorate whose simmering disappointment over the replacement of Hope and Change in 2008 with the Too Big To Fail bank bailouts of 2009 is finally being articulated into rage at the ballot box. As Obama's cabinet member, that's on her.

Clinton can't run away from her Beltway insiderdom. To her credit, she isn't trying. To the contrary, she's hugging Obama, incrementalism, head-over-heart rhetoric as hard as she can. She's just the wrong candidate for this year. Which means that, if she wins the nomination, she'll go into the general election campaign as bruised by Bernie Sanders as Jimmy Carter was in 1980 after facing off against Ted Kennedy. Many Bernie Sanders Democrats will sit on their hands in November if she's the nominee.

Hillary isn't stupid. She knows her formidable organizational advantages -- cash, a Super PAC, party backing, endorsements by establishment organizations including trade unions and corporate media, which have enforced a blackout of Bernie coverage -- no longer guarantee her once "inevitable" campaign. So she's co-opting Bernie's positions on healthcare and other issues of interest to progressives.

Problem is, voters usually pick pure steak over mystery meat.
A dear friend of mine rightly mentioned that we Europeans have a great historical responsibilities in the Middle East, due to the havoc brought about by the Crusades between the XII and the XV centuries.

Granted that, we think that several Islamic countries had been even more aggressive that European countries, even if the memory of their attempts of Islamization of Continental Europe are far less known that the invasions of the Holy Land by Richard the Lionheart and by king Baudouine.

In fact it was solely due to the intelligence and leadership of Charles Martel (c. 686 -- 22 October 741) -- a Frankish statesman and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was de facto ruler of France from 718 until his death -- that Europe was not conquered and converted to Islam.



After unifying Gaul, Charles dealt with the Islamic advance into Western Europe by Arab and Berber Islamic forces which had already conquered Spain. The caliphate forces crossed the Pyrenees (720), defeated the Visigoths (721-725) under Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi, Governor-General of al-Andalus, advanced on Tours, "the holy town of Gaul".



In October 732, the army of the Umayyad Caliphate led by Al Ghafiqi met Frankish and Burgundian forces under Charles in an area between the cities of Tours and Poitiers. That marked an important Frankish victory known as the Battle of Tours or ma'arakat Bal ash-Shuhad , Battle of the Palace of Martyrs. Charles, after Tours destroyed Arabs' fortresses at Agde, Beziers and Maguelonne, and defeated them again in Nimes, though ultimately failing to recover Narbonne (737). By 721, the emir of Cordoba had built up a strong army from Morocco, Yemen, and Syria to occupy Aquitaine. The invading Muslims besieged Toulouse, then Aquitaine's main city.

Charles then concentrated his attention to the Umayyads, virtually for the remainder of his life. Due to the situation in Iberia, Charles thought he needed a standing army made of professional soldiers, a concept unknown since Roman times as a core of veterans who would be augmented with the usual conscripts called up in time of war. He needed a core army to challenge the feared Muslim heavy cavalry, and he needed to pay them well so that their families could buy the food they would have otherwise grown. To get the money he had no choice but to seize church lands and property, which he did.

It was under one of the ablest and most renowned Muslim generals, with an army of veterans, and the advantage of time, place, and circumstance, that the Arabs made their great effort at the conquest of Europe, north of the Pyrenees. Odo, the hero of Toulouse, was badly defeated in the Muslim invasion of 732 at the battle prior to the Muslim sacking of Bordeaux, and again at the Battle of the River Garonne after he had gathered a second army. Odo then fled to Charles, seeking help. Charles agreed to come to Odo's rescue, provided Odo acknowledged Charles and his house as his overlords, which Odo did formally at once. Odo and his remaining Aquitanian formed the right flank of Charles's forces at Tours. Charles then defeated the Moors commanded by Abderame.

Muslims forces had not yet given up their plans and in 736 a new invasion by sea was launched by Abdul Rahman's son. It landed in Narbonne and moved at once to reinforce Arles and move inland. Charles descended on the Provencal strongholds of the Umayyads and in 736 he retook Montfrin and Avignon, and Arles and Aix-en-Provence with the help of Liutprand, King of the Lombards. Nimes, Agde, and Beziers, held by Islam since 725, fell to and their fortresses were duly destroyed.

Then Charles Martel crushed one Umayyad army at Arles and then took the city itself by a direct and brutal frontal attack, then burned it to the ground to prevent its use again as a stronghold for Umayyad expansion. He then moved swiftly and defeated a mighty host at the River Berre.

Several historians, including Sir Edward Creasy, believe that had he failed at Poitiers, Islam would probably have overrun Gaul, and perhaps the remainder of Western Europe. Gibbon made clear his belief that the Umayyad armies would have conquered from Japan to the Rhine, and even England, having the English Channel for protection, with ease, had Charles not prevailed.

Creasy said "the great victory won by Charles Martel " gave a decisive check to the career of Arab conquest in Western Europe, rescued Christendom from Islam, [and] preserved the relics of ancient and the germs of modern civilization."


Aleppo decades before its destruction.

(Image by degreesdegrees) Details DMCA



As the Russian-backed Syrian army threatens to liberate Aleppo, potentially determining the outcome of five years of civil war, Saudi Arabia is challenging the US to lead a ground invasion that could escalate into an historic battle for a country that has been fought over for centuries.

President Barack Obama has so far maintained he will not send U.S. ground forces into Syria, beyond a few hundred special forces. But the Saudis, the U.A.E. and Bahrain, driven by fierce regional ambitions, said last week they are ready to invade if the U.S. will lead, pressuring Obama to decide if he's willing to lose Syria to Russia and Iran.

Vice President Joe Biden in Istanbul last month hinted at a possible Obama change in position when he said if U.N.-led peace talks in Geneva failed, the United States was prepared for a "military solution" in Syria.

The U.N.'s unconditional peace talks collapsed on Wednesday when the Saudi-led opposition made a condition that Russia cease its aerial campaign. A day later Saudi Arabia said it was ready to invade Syria with the U.S. It was revealed the same day that Turkey is building up its forces at the Syrian border.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter welcomed the Saudi declaration though he made no commitment about U.S. ground forces. But Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told al-Arabiya TV that a decision could be made to intervene at a NATO summit in Brussels next week. Carter said it would be on the agenda.

Saudi officials told CNN that war games with 150,000 troops from the kingdom, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Morocco, Sudan and Egypt would be held in March. And on Feb. 1 Lt. Gen. Sean Mac Farland said the U.S. would need more troops in Syria.

Turkey has begun preparations for an invasion of Syria, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. On Thursday ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said:"We have good reasons to believe that Turkey is actively preparing for a military invasion of a sovereign state - the Syrian Arab Republic. We're detecting more and more signs of Turkish armed forces being engaged in covert preparations for direct military actions in Syria." The U.N. and the State Department had no comment. But this intelligence was supported by a sound of alarm from Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP).

Turkey, which has restarted its war against Kurdish PKK guerillas inside Turkey, is determined to crush the emergence of an independent Kurdish state inside Syria as well. Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan stopped the Syrian Kurds from attending the aborted Geneva talks.

A Turkish invasion would appear poised to attack the Syrian Kurdish PYD party, which is allied with the PKK. The Syrian (and Iraqi) Kurds, with the Syrian army, are the main ground forces fighting the Islamic State. Turkey is pretending to fight ISIS, all the while actually supporting its quest to overthrow Assad, also a Turkish goal.

Of course Biden, Erdogan, Carter and the Saudis are all saying a ground invasion would fight ISIS. But their war against ISIS has been half-hearted at best and they share ISIS' same enemy: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. If the U.S. were serious about fighting ISIS it would have at least considered a proposal by Russia to join a coalition as the U.S. did against the Nazis.

The Prize of Aleppo

The excuse of the Geneva collapse is a ruse. There was little optimism the talks would succeed. And they were sabotaged by the Saudi opposition though the West blamed Russia. The real reason for the coming showdown in Syria is the success of Russia's military intervention in defense of the Syrian government against the Islamic State and other extremist groups. Many of these groups are supported by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States in pursuit of overthrowing Assad.

These three nations are all weighing a ground invasion of Syria just as, by no coincidence, the Syrian Arab Army with Russian air cover is pushing to liberate perhaps the greatest prize in the Syrian civil war--Aleppo, the country's commercial capital. The Russians and Syrians have already cut off Turkey's supply lines to rebels in the city. Taking Aleppo would be a major turning point in the war.

The neocons in Washington could not likely stand by and watch Russia win in Syria. At the very least they may well want U.S. troops on the ground to meet the Russians at a modern-day Elbe and influence the outcome.

But things could go wrong in a war in which the U.S. and Russia are not allies, as they were in World War II. Despite this, the U.S. and its allies see Syria as important enough to risk confrontation with Russia, with all that implies. It is not at all clear though what the U.S. interests are in Syria to take such a risk.

From the outset of Russia's intervention the U.S. and its allies have wanted Moscow out of the Syrian theater. They seem to be only waiting for the right opportunity. That opportunity may be now--forced by events.

Former U.S. national security adviser and current Obama adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski said last October in the Financial Times that, "The Russian naval and air presences in Syria are vulnerable, isolated geographically from their homeland. They could be 'disarmed' if they persist in provoking the U.S."

Turkey's downing in November of a Russian warplane that veered 17 seconds into Turkish territory appeared to be very much a provocation to draw Russia into a conflict to allow NATO to drive Moscow out of Syrian skies. But Russia was too smart for that and instead imposed sanctions on Turkey, while urging Russian tourists not to visit the country, which has hurt the Turkish economy.

A Battleground of Empires

As a fertile crossroad between Asia and Africa backed by desert, Syrian territory has been fought over for centuries. Pharaoh Ramses II defeated the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh near Lake Homs in 1247 BCE. The Persians conquered Syria in 538 BCE. Alexander the Great took it 200 years later and the Romans grabbed Syria in 64 BCE.

Islam defeated the Byzantine Empire there at the Battle of Yarmuk in 636. In one of the first Shia-Sunni battles, Ali failed to defeat Muawiyah in 657 at Siffin along the Euphrates near the Iraq-Syria border. Damascus became the seat of the Caliphate until a coup in 750 moved it to Baghdad.

Waves of Crusaders next invaded Syria beginning in 1098. Egyptian Mamluks took the country in 1250 and the Ottoman Empire was born in 1516 at its victory at Marj Dabik, 44 kilometers north of Aleppo--about where Turkish supplies are now being cut off. It may be the spot where Erdogan's neo-Ottoman dreams die.

France double-crossed the Arabs and gained control of Syria in 1922 after the Ottoman collapse. The Nazis were pushed out in the 1941 Battle of Damascus.

We may be now looking at an epic war with similar historical significance. All these previous battles, as momentous as they were, were regional in nature.

What are potentially facing a war that goes beyond the Soviet-U.S. proxy wars of the Cold War era, and beyond the proxy war that has so far taken place in the five-year Syrian civil war. Russia is already present in Syria. The entry of the United States and its allies would risk a direct confrontation between the two largest nuclear powers on earth.
Reprinted from Counterpunch

At what point do we cry foul when we witness the abuse of a political dissident, one who dares to take on mighty vested interests?

When his own state, the local legal system and the media all turn on him? When he is forced to seek sanctuary in a foreign embassy for many years, surrounded by state security forces threatening to arrest him if he leaves? When the world's highest arbiter on the matter of his confinement, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, supports his case? When the state, legal authorities and the media ignore the ruling and continue to demand his arrest?

If this were China or Russia, at some point along this trajectory most of us would have been forced to concede that this was a clear case of political persecution; that the best he could hope for was a show trial; and that the local media were failing in their role as watchdogs on power.

But this is not China or Russia. This is the UK, the dissident is Julian Assange and it suddenly seems that the world's leading experts on arbitrary detention have no clue what they are talking about.

Today the UN panel on arbitrary detention ruled that Assange, who has spent more than three years confined to a tiny room in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, is being arbitrarily detained and that he should be allowed to walk free.

The panel comprises leading experts in international human rights law from around the world who have been studying his case since 2014. It is probably safe to assume they know much more about the details of the case than most journalists.

Assange was convicted by the British corporate media, including its supposedly liberal outfits, from the moment allegations of sexual offences in Sweden surfaced six years ago. August media outlets like the BBC, which carefully presume innocence in prosecutions of those accused of everyday crimes, repeatedly made grossly erroneous claims about Assange, including that he had been charged with rape when no charges have yet been laid. Assange is being investigated.

Even now, when the UN panel is on his side, it seems the British media are not about to stop.

What has been so infuriating about the coverage of Assange's case is that supposedly critical journalists have simply peddled allegations and arguments advanced by the parties involved -- the UK, Sweden, and the United States -- without making even cursory efforts to check them.

Film-maker Alex Gibney, for example, spent many months putting together a cinema-released documentary on the Assange case that made such elementary mistakes that anyone who had spent even a little time watching the case unfold could pick apart basic flaws in Gibney's argument, as I did here .

Although the UN panel has backed Assange, as it has other prominent dissidents such as Aung Sang Suu Kyi in Burma and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in Malaysia, Britain's most esteemed liberal mainstream newspaper, the Guardian, has barely paused for breath in continuing to pursue its campaign against him.

An editorial today dismisses the UN ruling as a "publicity stunt." It ignores the weight of the UN panel's decision, and yet again makes claims and assertions about the case that are patently mistaken.

The core of its argument is this: Assange cannot have been arbitrarily detained because, by denying Swedish prosecutors the chance to interview him, he has blocked them from advancing the case. In other words, his detention is self-inflicted.

The Guardian puts it this way:
This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda: The U.S. Military Bombs in the Twenty-First Century



Here's my twenty-first-century rule of thumb about this country: if you have to say it over and over, it probably ain't so. Which is why I'd think twice every time we're told how "exceptional" or "indispensable" the United States is. For someone like me who can still remember a moment when Americans assumed that was so, but no sitting president, presidential candidate, or politician felt you had to say the obvious, such lines reverberate with defensiveness. They seem to incorporate other voices you can almost hear whispering that we're ever less exceptional, more dispensable, no longer (to quote the greatest of them all by his own estimate) "the greatest." In this vein, consider a commonplace line running around Washington (as it has for years): the U.S. military is "the finest fighting force in the history of the world." Uh, folks, if that's so, then why the hell can't it win a damn thing 14-plus years later?

If you don't mind a little what-if history lesson, it's just possible that events might have turned out differently and, instead of repeating that "finest fighting force" stuff endlessly, our leaders might actually believe it. After all, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, it took the Bush administration only a month to let the CIA, special forces advisers, and the U.S. Air Force loose against the Taliban and Osama bin Laden's supporters in Afghanistan. The results were crushing. The first moments of what that administration would grandiloquently (and ominously) bill as a "global war on terror" were, destructively speaking, glorious.

If you want to get a sense of just how crushing those forces and their Afghan proxies were, read journalist Anand Gopal's No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes, the best book yet written on how (and how quickly) that war on terror went desperately, disastrously awry. One of the Afghans Gopal spent time with was a Taliban military commander nicknamed -- for his whip of choice -- Mullah Cable, who offered a riveting account of just how decisive the U.S. air assault on that movement was. In recalling his days on the front lines of what, until then, had been an Afghan civil war, he described his first look at what American bombs could do:

"He drove into the basin and turned the corner and then stepped out of the vehicle. Oh my God, he thought. There were headless torsos and torso-less arms, cooked slivers of scalp and flayed skin. The stones were crimson, the sand ocher from all the blood. Coal-black lumps of melted steel and plastic marked the remains of his friends' vehicles. "Closing his eyes, he steadied himself. In the five years of fighting he had seen his share of death, but never lives disposed of so easily, so completely, so mercilessly, in mere seconds."

The next day, he addressed his men. "Go home," he said. "Get yourselves away from here. Don't contact each other."

"Not a soul," writes Gopal, "protested."

Mullah Cable took his own advice and headed for Kabul, the Afghan capital. "If he somehow could make it out alive, he promised himself that he would abandon politics forever." And he was typical. As Gopal reports, the Taliban quickly broke under the strain of war with the last superpower on the planet. Its foot soldiers put down their arms and, like Mullah Cable, fled for home. Its leaders began to try to surrender. In Afghan fashion, they were ready to go back to their native villages, make peace, shuffle their allegiances, and hope for better times. Within a couple of months, in other words, it was, or at least shoulda, woulda, coulda been all over, even the shouting.

The U.S. military and its Afghan proxies, if you remember, believed that they had trapped Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda fighters somewhere in the mountainous Tora Bora region. If the U.S. had concentrated all its resources on him at that moment, it's hard to believe that he wouldn't have been in American custody or dead sooner rather than later. And that would have been that. The U.S. military could have gone home victorious. The Taliban, along with bin Laden, would have been history. Stop the cameras there and what a tale of triumph would surely have been told.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

Keeping the Cameras Rolling

There was, of course, a catch. Like their Bush administration mentors, the American military men who arrived in Afghanistan were determined to fight that global war on terror forever and a day. So, as Gopal reports, they essentially refused to let the Taliban surrender. They hounded that movement's leaders and fighters until they had little choice but to pick up their guns again and, in the phrase of the moment, "go back to work."

It was a time of triumph and of Guanta'namo , and it went to everyone's head. Among those in power in Washington and those running the military, who didn't believe that a set of genuine global triumphs lay in store? With such a fighting force, such awesome destructive power, how could it not? And so, in Afghanistan, the American counterterror types kept right on targeting the "terrorists" whenever their Afghan warlord allies pointed them out -- and if many of them turned out to be local enemies of those same rising warlords, who cared?

It would be the first, but hardly the last time that, in killing significant numbers of people, the U.S. military had a hand in creating its own future enemies. In the process, the Americans managed to revive the very movement they had crushed and which, so many years later, is at the edge of seizing a dominant military position in the country.

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Moda Health Plans put its name on the Trail Blazers' arena and the company insists it will stay there despite the health insurer's significant financial issues.

(Courtesy of Moda Center)

State regulators have agreed to lift their restrictions on Moda Health Plan selling and renewing policies while the troubled health insurer and its parent company sell assets and take other steps to shore up its depleted capital reserves.

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services said it reached

under which the insurer and its parent company, Moda Inc., would inject $170 million in new capital into the insurance company. The plan is for Moda and its parent company to sell a portion of their accounts receivable from the federal government to a third party, for its parent company to sell other, unspecified assets, and to borrow more money by issuing "surplus notes."

The consent agreement frees Moda to start selling and renewing policies again, which regulators say will be the least disruptive course for current customers.

"This really leads to a situation that's a whole lot less disruptive for consumers, said Oregon Insurance Commissioner Laura Cali. "They don't have to worry about finding a different plan or doctor and they don't have to take any action to make sure they remain covered."

The financial plan was not released, and details on the timing and source of the capital infusions are scant. But regulators said it was very specific and needed to be accomplished "very soon." Cali said it also contained sufficient breathing room that even if Moda continues to generate losses, the company would meet its capital requirements.

The agreement was reached in cooperation with insurance commissions in Washington and Alaska. Alaska required the company to deposit $15 million in a bank account to backstop its Alaska policy holders, a measure that was not taken for Oregon.

Patrick Allen, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, said that wasn't necessary because the company is domiciled in Oregon, and regulators have the option of seizing the company's assets.

Moda is the third largest health insurer in the state, providing coverage for some 67,000 Oregonians. The company sought to capitalize on the Affordable Care Act by rolling out aggressively priced policies in the individual market. Instead, it ended up with a population of sick, expensive customers. The company's plight worsened last fall when promised financial assistance from the federal government failed to materialize.

Moda blew through at least $100 million in capital reserves in 2015, including the proceeds of an unusual, $50 million loan from Oregon Health & Science University in 2014 and a chunk of the $50 million it borrowed from its parent company in November.

The losses left it with just $21 million in capital at year end, far below what regulators considered acceptable. That set the stage for regulators in Alaska, Washington and Oregon to step in and restrict its sale of new policies.

One question left unanswered Monday is how much Moda will be able to raise by selling its accounts receivables from the federal government. The company collected just $11 million out of $90 million it was expecting in 2014 from a program designed to stabilize the healthcare market in the first three years of the Affordable Care Act. It is owed more money in so called risk corridor payments for 2015.

While the federal government has said it will make good on the 2014 payments, it is unclear what they are worth in a sale to a third party.

The company issued the following statement:

"Since January 27, we have been working through the process of assuring DCBS of our ability to continue to service our Individual customers in Oregon and Alaska," said Robert Gootee, CEO of Moda Inc., the parent company of Moda Health Plan. "They have done an excellent job of quickly analyzing a difficult and rapidly changing set of circumstances. We're pleased that, together, we now have reached an agreement on a path moving forward that ensures Moda members will see no interruption in coverage."

The agreement requires more frequent financial reporting by Moda to Oregon Alaska, and the company will need regulators okay before awarding executive salary increases or bonuses.

Customers with problems or questions can call the state's consumer advocates at 1-888-877-4894.

- Ted Sickinger

tsickinger@oregonian.com

503-221-8505; @tedsickinger
By MATTHEW CARD

Like black licorice or cilantro, some say anchovies are a flavor that you love or hate. I'll respectfully disagree: I think anchovies are something everyone likes and just doesn't necessarily know it. Especially children: I've yet to feed a child who doesn't respond favorably to Caesar salad, grilled steak slathered with anchovy butter, or egg salad studded with bits of anchovy.

Really -- try it and they'll like it.

I think the small, pungent fish are a terrific "gateway" flavoring to broaden children's -- and picky adult's -- palates. I've used anchovies widely throughout my recipes for this column over the past few years and thought it was about time to provide an anchovy primer and a few of my favorite recipes.

Anchovies are sold in a variety of forms of varying quality. The best of the bunch are salt-packed whole anchovies, which require soaking, gutting, and filleting before use. It's messy work, but the flavor is incomparable and they are worth trying at least once and using in dishes where the unique flavor can really shine. And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can do as the Italians do: deep-fry the bones for a crunchy, delicious snack.

Recipes included with this story: Roast Cauliflower with Anchovy-and-Chile Gremolata; Pissadiere (Provencal Onion, Anchovy and Olive Flatbread); Escarole and Fennel Salad with Creamy Anchovy Dressing and Garlicky Croutons.

Oil-packed, jarred or canned anchovies come in a close second and are what I use most of the time. Ortiz-brand anchovies are the absolute best of the bunch (and cost more than most); Scalia brand are also quite good and can be bought in both small and large jars.

White anchovies from Spain are actually pickled and taste quite different than salt-cured anchovies -- they also cost a small fortune. Use them in salad, on crostini, or as part of a tapas or antipasti platter).

A jar of anchovies will last indefinitely in the refrigerator. If using canned anchovies, transfer any remaining fillets and oil to a sealed jar and refrigerate (add olive oil to cover the anchovies if necessary to prevent spoilage.

Whatever you do, avoid anchovy paste. It is produced from low-quality fish (the bits and bobs left over from processing) and is overwhelmingly salty. Its convenience is incontrovertible, but it isn't worth it.

With the ability to stand assertively on its own or soften into a supporting role, anchovies are something of a chameleon. If you're uncertain about anchovies, start easy. Fold a few into mashed potatoes, melt into your favorite marinara sauce (add olives and capers as well for puttanesca), or mince and toss with your favorite brassica or cruciferous vegetable.

Cauliflower -- the hippest vegetable lately -- does particularly well when roasted and topped with an easy mix of anchovies, garlic, parsley, minced pickled chiles and lemon zest -- an easy riff on classic gremolata. Roast the cauliflower hot (500 degrees) in broad, well-oiled slices to maximize flavorful browning. Sprinkle the pungent herb-and-anchovy mix over top once the cauliflower is largely cooked through to warm it through and marry the flavors, but not erase its punchy brightness.

Roasting vegetables at high temperature requires a heavyweight-baking sheet that won't warp and buckle at the extreme temperatures. They are easy enough to find at most any kitchen supply store, but I recommend the cheap, commercial pans available at such restaurant supply houses as Rose's Equipment and Supply. I buy four at a time and replace as needed.

If you like anchovies on your pizza, you'll love Provencal pissadiere. It's a pizza-like flatbread topped thickly with caramelized onion, black olives, capers, and loads of anchovy. The combination of crisp-chewy bread and the robust toppings is a crowd pleaser that works perfectly for light lunch, appetizer, or dinner when paired with a hearty salad.

With nearly equal amounts of all-purpose and bread flours, the dough is a little slacker than pizza dough, making it easier to stretch thin into a rimmed baking sheet. The dough can be prepared at night and refrigerated until you're ready to cook the next day. The caramelized onions can also be prepared a day ahead, making pissadiere perfect for weeknight meals and entertaining.

Anchovies pair particularly well with hearty winter greens like escarole and radicchio. I like adding them to a creamy vinaigrette flavored with lemon juice, shallots, thyme, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt). It's evocative of a Caesar dressing, but without the heaviness of the Parmesan, egg, and Worcestershire sauce. I like to include shaved fennel along with the escarole for a textural contrast; a few garlicky croutons are always welcome too.

-- Matthew Card is a Portland food writer and a former contributing editor to Cook's Illustrated magazine.
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Uroboros Glass' facility between the Fremont Bridge and Interstate 5.

(Google Streetview)

This post has been updated to clarify the status of Harriet Tubman Middle School.

A second Portland company on Monday voluntarily suspended using cadmium to make colored glass, days after state environmental regulators released a map showing high concentrations of the carcinogenic metal were found nearby.

Uroboros Glass, which manufactures colored glass used in art, sits on the fringe of one of two cadmium hotspots in Portland. Federal scientists studying metal concentrations found in tree moss made the discovery last year, detecting levels of cadmium that far exceeded state safety targets.

"We don't feel like it's really clear that we're the responsible party, but since we use cadmium we'd rather be on the safe side," said Eric Lovell, Uroboros' president. "Even if we were emitting all that cadmium by ourselves, it's hard to figure out why it'd concentrate a half-mile away."

A map of two cadmium air pollution hotspots in Portland released Friday. The Oregonian has added the location of a second glass manufacturer, Uroboros Glass, which announced it was suspending cadmium use in its glass.

A map released Friday by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality shows two hotspots for cadmium pollution in Portland.

The largest is in Southeast Portland, where the agency said it believes another manufacturer, Bullseye Glass, was responsible. Bullseye announced last week it was immediately suspending use of cadmium and another metal, arsenic, which was also detected in high concentrations.

The other hotspot sits between Interstate 5 and the Fremont Bridge. The cause isn't clear. Uroboros isn't as centrally located in the nearby hotspot as Bullseye Glass is in the Southeast Portland one.

Sarah Armitage, a state air toxics specialist, said last week two glass companies were close to the northern hotspot: Uroboros and National Engravers Inc., formerly known as Ostrom Glass. She said the state didn't know whether either was responsible.

National Engravers' building sits closer to the center of the northern hotspot than Uroboros. But company owner Gary Tinker said the two-employee company doesn't use heavy metals. It etches glass for trophies inside an enclosed cabinet.

"We're just a simple trophy manufacturer," Tinker said. "I'm not involved in anything hazardous - thank God."

Uroboros doesn't use arsenic, but it has used cadmium for years, Lovell said. The metal is used to make red, orange and yellow glass. The Department of Environmental Quality contacted the company in 2009 after air monitoring at nearby Harriet Tubman Middle School found unusually high cadmium levels. The school later closed, but is being used this year to house students from the Faubion School.

Lovell said his company compared its cadmium use to the days when the Tubman monitor found high levels. Some days, Uroboros had melted cadmium. But many days, the monitor detected cadmium when the company hadn't used it. No clear correlation was established.

Uroboros is consulting with an environmental company to see whether air models would project its emissions to drift west toward the center of the hotspot. Lovell said that would surprise him. After working at the site at 2139 N. Kerby Ave. for 30 years, he said, "the wind comes at us from that direction almost all the time."

The Department of Environmental Quality hasn't announced any plans to monitor the air nearby, but has said it would investigate.

The company's emissions aren't monitored, Lovell said, because it doesn't use enough cadmium to need an air pollution permit.

State environmental regulators are participating in a community forum Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Cleveland High School cafeteria, 3400 S.E. 26th Avenue, Portland, OR 97202. More information is here.

Correction: This post was updated to clarify that Harriet Tubman Middle School is housing students from Faubion School this year. It had been closed.

-- Rob Davis

rdavis@oregonian.com

503.294.7657
Stacy L. Daniels of Midland has done years of painstaking research to learn more about an 1873 tragedy at Crystal Lake in Benzie County. But he says serendipitous discoveries along the way helped him get a better understanding of the unusual event.

Daniels last year published a large and lavishly illustrated hardback book, The Comedy of Crystal Lake, about the unintended lowering - by 20 feet - of the lake in northwest Lower Michigan.

I knew the story from my dad telling it, said Daniels, 78, who was born in Frankfort but moved to Midland with his family in 1944 when his father was persuaded to take a job with The Dow Chemical Co.

The Daniels family continues to have a cabin on Crystal Lake, and Stacys work as an environmental engineer and interest in environmental issues helped make him curious about the 1873 lowering of the lake.

His take on the event as a comedy was a response to a 1922 pamphlet which had a different perspective on the same event.

The Tragedy of Crystal Lake was written by William L. Case, who in the 1920s was prominent in the community as a state senator. He had witnessed the tragedy as a young boy.

Reading the Case pamphlet, Daniels said, There must be more to the story, and eventually decided to write his own book.

The dramatic lowering of Crystal Lake was, at the time, blamed on Archibald Jones, an entrepreneur and relatively new Benzie County resident who created the Benzie County River Improvement Co. to build slack-water canals from Crystal Lake to Lake Michigan. The work was well underway when, on Aug. 23, 1873, a powerful storm came up.

The tragedy was that the storm knocked out the dam and left the canal high and dry, Daniels said.

An estimated 76 billion gallons of water poured down the outlet that had been dug and into Lake Michigan.

The area did not have a canal to Lake Michigan, but had a 21-mile perimeter of exposed shoreline. This was not considered a good thing at the time.

Daniels uses the term comedy because of what he calls a happy ending.

Now weve got 1,100 cottages, resorts  property valued at about a quarter-billion dollars, he said.

In his research, which stretched over more than five years, Daniels found original survey maps of Crystal Lake at the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan. However, the survey notes were not with the maps. Those he found at the Benzie County Government Center in Beulah.

Daniels said the survey was conducted in 1838 and 1839.

They drew a surprisingly accurate map of the lake, then called Whitecap Lake, he said.

Daniels was especially pleased that a long-unknown map of Crystal Lake, drawn in 1873 to promote the Benzie County River Improvement Co., was rediscovered by Florence Bixby, former curator of the Benzie Area Historical Museum in 2011 after Daniels told her about his project. The map had been donated to the museum in 1980.

It was rolled up in a corner - sitting there for 30 years, uncataloged, he said.

The 43-inch-by-53-inch map is reproduced on pages 276-277 of Daniels book.

As he researched the lowering of Crystal Lake, he became more and more curious about the man initially blamed for the event. Eventually, his book took on a dual focus and is divided into sections on The Lowering of Crystal Lake and The Biography of Archibald Jones.

The Case pamphlet had said Jones was of Marengo, Ill. But Daniels found that Jones actually hailed from upstate New York and had worked on the construction of the Erie Canal.

Jones was visiting the Chicago area when he encountered a pastor who had left Benzonia. The pastor described the area to Jones, who headed north.

Serendipity is all through this story, Daniels said.

Daniels describes Jones as a bootstrap engineer who saw great promise in Benzie County. He formed the river improvement company in 1873 with the goals of removing obstructions, constructing the canals and building a steamboat to facilitate shipping of shipping of settlers to the interior of the country and goods to the port of Frankfort.

The canals didnt pan out, and neither did the steamboat.

He was sued for non-performance of the paddleboat by the boats manufacturer, Daniels said.

However, he didnt let things bother him too much.

Jones later ran a successful livery stable business and ultimately made his way to Emporia, Kansas, where he became a cattle rancher.

A humorous drawing of Jones adorns the cover of Daniels book, and an Archibald Jones Day is held every couple of years to promote various activities in Benzie County, which have included the unveiling of a historical plaque.

The Comedy of Crystal Lake can be purchased online at http://www.crystallakecomedy.com/ or by contacting Daniels at (989) 835-5593. (Net proceeds from direct sales will be donated to local nonprofit organizations if designated at point of sale.)
WALLED LAKE, Mich. (AP)  Federal agents arrived around dawn at a home in suburban Detroit. Foggy at that hour and shirtless, the owner answered the door and was told he was the target of a sham marriage investigation.

"I said, 'Excuse me? I've been married to my wife for 32 years,'" John Gutowski of Northville recalled. "I didn't know what they were talking about. It was shocking."

Gutowski was charged in 2013 with conspiring to commit marriage fraud among Eastern Europeans who were living at his apartment buildings. The government also confiscated about $250,000, claiming it could be the illegal fruit of harboring people who were desperate to marry U.S. residents to stay in the country.

More than two years later, however, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit has closed the case. Charges have been dropped, and the government is returning all but $15,000. Gutowski grudgingly agreed to give up part to finally settle the matter and move on, but he resents how his life was put in knots.

"They considered me guilty, and I felt I had to prove I was innocent," said Gutowski, 55, who moved to Michigan from Poland when he was a teenager. "I always felt if you work hard and pay your taxes, nobody's going to bother you. I don't feel that way anymore."

His attorney, Ray Cassar, believes a disgruntled informant got the government's attention.

"They have the power to arrest and create an amazing amount of anxiety," Cassar said of investigators.

In a 2013 court filing, the government said it found an unusually large number of suspicious marriages among residents of Gutowski's suburban apartments, including 23 requests for changes in immigration status at one complex between 2003 and 2012. In one incident, he was accused of changing the date on a lease to help a man who was planning to marry an American woman.

"Just because people lived in my apartments and got married  what does it have to do with me?" Gutowski said in an interview at his apartment building in Walled Lake.

He said friends in the restaurant business occasionally reached out to him for affordable housing for immigrant employees. Gutowski, an immigrant himself, was sympathetic.

U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade declined to discuss why the criminal case was dropped. She said her office considers evidence, the availability of witnesses and whether there might be alternatives.

"Based on the facts of this case, we determined that a small percentage of the funds seized should be forfeited" to the government, McQuade said, referring to the $15,000.

Jorin Rubin, a former assistant U.S. attorney, said it appears prosecutors "had a bad criminal case against" Gutowski. But she noted that the legal standard is different when it comes to fighting over money seized by the government.

"The government just wears you out and you just want to get it over with," said Rubin, who had no role in the case. "It's not fair but it's an understandable compromise."

___

Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/ewhiteap
Midland is mourning the passing of an icon with the loss of Judge Donna T. Morris, who passed away Saturday afternoon.

She has left a true legacy in the community, Midland County Probate Judge Dorene S. Allen said of Morris, 84, who served as probate judge from 1979 to 2001. Allen said even after 2001, Morris would return to the bench to handle hearings because she missed it. It was who she was.

She was an icon of the rights of children and the mentally ill, Allen said, adding Morris was the driving force behind the Midland County Juvenile Care Center. That was her project. She really believed that children needed to be protected and given opportunity. That included informing the community of the rights of at risk children.

I just feel so honored. I mean these were kids who were having real problems and real hurt and to see them turn their lives around  I was just proud to be a part of it, Morris told the Daily News of her service in the probate court when she was awarded the Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award from the State Bar of Michigan in 2013. It was just one of her many awards and recognitions.

She also was a incredible advocate for the mentally ill, Allen said of her predecessor.

Judge Michael D. Carpenter, who started out working as a young attorney before Morris, said she just loved unlovable people. She had a heart that was just compassionate for all types of people.

That meant giving people chance after chance, but also being tough as nails when it was called for.

That also extended to young attorneys, Carpenter said, telling a story of his early years practicing. During one case before Morris, Carpenter said he made objection after objection, attempting to annoy the other attorney. Instead, Morris had him step up to the bench for a word. You knew youd been to the woodshed, he said of that talk, with a laugh. She did it in such a way so as not to embarrass anyone, but the message was loud and clear.

Allen said Morris was highly thought of not only in the Midland community, but across the state as well.

Morris earned her law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1977, after the death of her husband and as a single mother, Carpenter pointed out. Look at her life, she had a lot of things she had to overcome, he said. She was always upbeat.

Allen recalled Midland County District Judge James E. Wilson once remarked that though Morris had responsibilities outside the home, she and her children were in church every Sunday. Her children were her priority, Allen said. Judge Morris was able to see Patricia (her daughter) be sworn in in the U.S. District Court, which was a big deal for her, she said.

Morris also had the knack of storytelling. She could tell stories like nobody, Allen said.

She was just a neat lady, Carpenter said, adding she was the rare combination of kind, compassionate and competent. She was like a second mom to me.

In addition to her service as a probate judge, Morris gave more to the community and state by serving on various boards and projects over the years.

In 1981, she was appointed by Chief Justice Mary Coleman to sit on the first Judicial Council of Michigan, the same year she served as chair of the probate judges mental health committee, where she worked for six years to enact a new mental code for Michigan. In 1982 she was appointed by the State Court Administrator to the faculty of the Michigan Judicial Institute to teach juvenile case workers at their annual training seminars.

She served as Director and Secretary of the Thomas M. Cooley Law School from 1982 until 2004. In 1995, she was promoted to the faculty of the New Probate Judges School until 2000. In 1990, she represented the Probate Judges Association by writing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the case of In re Macomber, 436 Mich 386 (1990), which allowed probate judges to remove the offending parent from the home and require them to pay support.

Donna wanted to thank Midland County for electing her Probate Judge. It was a job she loved and cherished. The wonderful friendships she made working with the agencies and especially with children during those years lasted all her life, her obituary states.

She is survived by her daughters, Mary Edith Morris of Grand Rapids, Kendall (Ira Isaacoff) Morris of Midland and Patricia (Tom Evans) Morris of Gladwin; grandchildren and other relatives.

The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, from St. Brigid of Kildare Catholic Church. Father Patrick C. OConnor will officiate, with graveside burial rites in Old Calvary Cemetery. Judge Morris family will receive friends at the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Home, 1200 W. Wheeler St. on Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m., and at the church on Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass. A Vigil for the deceased will take place 7 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.
The Midland Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing to go over details of a 16,400-square-foot addition for Fisher Contracting Co. at the next regular meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 333 W. Ellsworth St. The planning commission will conduct a public hearing for Site Plan No. 344, brought forward by Fisher Contracting, for a storage and shop addition on their property located at 3401 Contractor Drive.
Saginaw Valley State University may have plenty of company across the state when it comes to dealing with enrollment declines, but the institution is not resigned to accepting this trend as irreversible.

Changing demographics are forcing colleges to step up recruiting efforts and seek new ways to attract students in a highly competitive environment.

The number of high school graduates in Michigan is declining, so many universities are seeing some enrollment declines, said J.J. Boehm, SVSU spokesman.

SVSU has 8,955 students enrolled for winter 2016 semester, down some 612 students from last year and nearly 2,000 from winter 2014. Yet, with creative recruiting strategies and a focus on improving retention, officials said they have ample reasons to be encouraged about what lies ahead. President Donald Bachand, who succeeded longtime SVSU leader Eric Gilbertson two years ago, has prioritized heightening awareness of SVSU outside this region. He had been told by a well-respected academic that the school is one of the best-kept secrets in the Midwest. The former police officer-turned university executive immediately set out to change that.

We have a great product; we just need to get our brand out there more all over the state and beyond, Bachand said after being named SVSUs fourth president in February 2014. More people need to know about SVSU.

Boehm said progress is being made.

At this stage, our main enrollment goals are continuing to increase student retention and working to build our freshman class for the fall, Boehm said. Applications are on par with last year and we are optimistic that some new recruitment strategies coupled with the banner year weve enjoyed in terms of regional and national recognition for our academic programs will result in more incoming students.

In addition to realizing modest gains in retention rates for domestic students, SVSU now has the largest traditional undergraduate nursing program in Michigan, Boehm said, attributing this growth to partnerships with regional hospitals and clinical partners. We are now able to admit 96 students into our nursing program each semester.

Popular programs at SVSU?

Nursing and our other health professions, such as exercise science, medical laboratory science and occupational therapy, continue to see high student demand, Boehm said.

Declining numbers of late in the once highly popular College of Education has hurt the enrollment picture but that may be changing.

We are hopeful that undergraduate enrollment in the College of Education will turn around, given the latest forecast that calls for many teaching jobs to become available in the coming years, he said. Pre-law, pre-medicine and similar programs that receive postgraduate study are also increasingly popular.

Well-established programs such as accounting, criminal justice, mechanical engineering and psychology continue to produce solid enrollment numbers. Rising programs include biochemistry, which has nearly doubled from 53 declared majors in 2011 to 102 this year.

The number of students majoring in computer science has increased from 139 to 234 over that same period, Boehm said. Some of our newest offerings, such as supply chain management, also are seeing significant student interest.

The overall enrollment dip may have been a bit more than SVSU projected, Boehm said, but we knew we had large classes graduating this December and remain in solid shape financially.

SVSU is still within shouting distance of its enrollment target.

Were not looking to aggressively grow, Boehm said. Weve said for some time we want to be around 10,000 students. We think thats an ideal size. We are optimistic that we can achieve the modest increases to maintain our enrollment at that level.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced a package of bills last week to increase the speed limit on rural expressways in Michigan from 70 mph to 75 mph, with the possibility of some being hiked to 80 mph if they meet safety and engineering criteria.

About 600 miles of expressway would be affected. The legislation also would increase the speed limit from 55 mph to 60 mph on another 900 miles of state highway.

Rep. Bradford Jacobsen, R-Oxford, who sponsored two of the bills, noted: Most people in the state of Michigan are driving close to 80 now anyway. ... I have driven 80 in Michigan before. I have to keep up with traffic.

That is a common argument for hiking the speed limit  that motorists are already driving well over the established speed limit so what harm will it do?

But if the speed limit is hiked to 75 mph  or even 80 mph in some spots  will that mean motorists will see this as an opportunity to now drive 85 mph or 90 mph? And on the state highways, will having the limit at 60 mph give them license to drive 70 mph?

Anyone who has driven on the stretch of highway 27 north of Lansing, where the speed limit was increased from 55 mph to 65 mph, knows that the hike caused much of the traffic to travel faster than 65 mph. Motorists now feel comfortable driving 70-75 on that stretch of roadway because of the higher speed limit.

So, before Michigan lawmakers decide to hike the speed limits throughout the state, they should heed the words of Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson Jeff Cranson. In an email to the Associated Press, Cranson wrote: The department has no position (on the legislation) but we are in agreement with (the Michigan State Police) that these decisions need to be based on science and engineering.

Thats absolutely the correct position to take. There is more at stake here than just getting from one place to another a bit quicker. There could be serious negative consequences in terms of lives lost, injuries suffered, extra gasoline used, infrastructure changes and more. Before the speed limits are increased, lawmakers should make certain they are in the best interest of the citizens they represent.
YONGSAN, South Korea -- For the Soldiers and medical personnel assigned, here, at the 121st Combat Support Hospital (CSH), being able to transition to their wartime mission, in the event of potential hostilities, means an abundance of training.

On January 28, 2016 the 121st CSH conducted a Live Surgery Exercise within the confines of its Critical Care Corridor.

The Critical Care Corridor consists of the Operating Room (OR), an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a Recovery Ward, along with Patient Administration, Radiology and Pharmacy sections.

Once the corridor was established, surgeons, nurses, anesthetists, and laboratory and OR technicians conducted two live surgeries on the Brian Allgood Army Community Hospital (BAACH) campus.

The exercise demonstrated an integrated training approach to maintain "Fight Tonight" readiness by offering armistice healthcare with a tactical transition to field medical care equipment.

"The 'stand up' training of our critical care corridor, the lifeblood of the CSH, is a key component to our "Fight Tonight" mission," said Col. Mark Reeves, Commander, 121st CSH. "We demonstrated and validated our capability in providing patient care, using real live patients in these elective surgeries."

Reeves added, "Pushing patients through the critical corridor stressed our patient flow processes and validated the readiness of our OR capabilities to conduct live surgery in the event we transition to hostilities."
SATTAHIP, Thailand- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) pulled into Sattahip, Thailand Feb.5 to kick off exercise Cobra Gold.

Cobra Gold (CG) is a Thai-U.S. co-sponsored multinational joint exercise designed to advance regional security by exercising a robust multinational force from nations sharing common goals and security commitments in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and is scheduled to begin this week.

Sailors assigned to Ashland and Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will work alongside the Royal Thailand Navy and the Republic of Korea Navy to complete CG.

We do exercises such as Cobra Gold to help with theater security cooperation and to train our blue-green team how to work in conjunction with our foreign partners, said Cmdr. Steven Wasson, executive officer of Ashland. During this multinational exercise, Sailors and Marines will practice their skills and train alongside our allies through a variety of evolutions.

CG will consist of a full range of military operations to include humanitarian assistance evolutions, non-combative evacuation drills, and offensive and defensive techniques.

Cobra Gold is going to be a good opportunity to learn another culture and see another part of the world, said Capt. Joe Fontanetta, mechanized company commander for Battalion 15 within the 31st MEU. We are ready for this multicultural exercise, and excited to be apart of this experience.

Nations participating in CG16 include the Kingdom of Thailand, the United States of America, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia.

Ashland is one of three ships that comprise the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group and is scheduled to meet up with amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) at a later date.
BLOOMINGTON  More than three years after a woman was allegedly raped in a Bloomington apartment, the Arizona man accused of the crime will face a jury as his trial opens Monday in McLean County Circuit Court.

Gregory Suddreth, 48, is accused of sexually assaulting the alleged victim on Dec. 6 and Dec. 12, 2012. The woman and the suspect are acquainted and were working as consultants in the Twin Cities at the time.

The trial is expected to last about a week and include about a dozen witnesses.

At a recent pretrial hearing, defense lawyer Donald Angelini and Assistant State's Attorney Kristin Alferink debated what evidence a jury can hear about the alleged assaults that could send Suddreth to prison for 30 years, if he is convicted.

Angelini argued that a California doctor who provided mental health treatment to the alleged victim should be required to come to Bloomington and testify in person. The doctor's video taped deposition will be played for the jury.

"I think I can do better with her live than I did on video. That's the reality of it," Angelini told Judge Casey Costigan.

The two lawyers spent several hours going over a transcript of the doctor's deposition to resolve objections each raised during questioning. The judge ruled that the video will suffice as testimony from the doctor.

Comments the woman made to the doctor about an outing she and Suddreth had made to a Bloomington restaurant and a strip club in Kappa before one of the incidents will be limited to the fact that the two went to the businesses, the judge ruled.

The judge also barred the jury from hearing the doctor's opinion on whether the woman was being truthful.

According to court records, the woman disclosed the rape accusations to a co-worker about a month after the assaults that allegedly took place in Suddreth's apartment. According to pre-trial arguments by Angelini, the co-worker conducted her own investigation into the rape accusations.

A report of the alleged assaults "emanates from an individual who was actually playing detective as if she was an actress in a CSI episode," said Angelini.

Costigan also has refused a defense request to delay the trial a month until Suddreth's family is available to attend.
DELAVAN  Delavan residents aren't letting one of their oldest and busiest buildings go without a fight.

The city hosted a public meeting Monday to try to convince the Illinois Army National Guard not to close the Delavan armory, which was built in 1939 but traces its lineage to an 1883 armory and military units in the Civil War.

Local students also delivered letters and other materials to Gov. Bruce Rauner last week in support of the armory, home to the Guard's 1144th Transportation Battalion and many local events, said Mayor Liz Skinner.

We have people who walk there early in the morning. We have dances there. Our Memorial Day service is held there. ... Thats the safe place they take all the students (during emergencies), she said. It would be a devastating blow to lose that facility.

The Tazewell County community made its case in front of Illinois Adjutant Gen. Richard J. Hayes, Rauner's main adviser on military issues.

Were going to get back together with the general when they have an idea about the possibility of additional soldiers coming to Illinois," Skinner said. We should know that sometime between June and August.

The closure would take effect in September 2017, Skinner said.

The Guard wants to shut down the armory and move the battalion as part of a broader realignment, said Lt. Aaron Ritter, media relations manager.

"This transition allows the Illinois National Guard to more effectively and efficiently use taxpayer dollars while still meeting and maintaining our domestic response and federal support capabilities," he said.

The battalion's 40 members and 10 full-time armory employees  nine paid by the federal government and one by the state  are expected to be relocated.

Ritter said the armory is not adequate for any unit we have that wed be able to move there.

It would cost $4.5 million to renovate the building to get it up to par, he said. The area hasnt produced enough recruits to justify a readiness center.

The Guard has offered to give the building to Delavan, but Skinner said the city can't afford to maintain it.

When thats been done in other communities with more wherewithal than a town of 1,800, it has not gone well at all, she said.

Ritter said the economic impact of the closure is minimal because none of those employees live in Delavan and the unit cooks its own food, which is purchased outside the city.

Skinner disagreed.

Weve been able to take two steps forward (in economic development)," she said. "With the closure of this facility, wed be going 10 steps back."
BLOOMINGTON  A parking ban  for snow routes only  is in effect in the City of Bloomington.

The city issued the ban, effective immediately, for snow routes due to the forecasted weather, said Public Works Director Jim Karch.

While our crews are trying to provide snow response on the city streets, it is always the most efficient for the vehicles to be removed from the road, he said. That allows for the best operation. We always hope snow events are less than predicted, but in Illinois, you can never tell how much snow will actually come.

If we were expected to get 2 or more inches, we would put the parking ban on for residential streets, too, but from what we understand, this should only amount to about an inch, Karch said.

Scattered snow showers across Central Illinois will continue through much of Monday, said forecasters with the National Weather Service in Lincoln.

The snow could total more than an inch, but not more than an 1.5 inches, said NWS, with higher amounts north of Interstate 74. Some blowing snow could make travel hazardous in rural areas. Temperatures will fall on Monday to around 24 degrees by 5 p.m.

Snow showers also are likely early Tuesday morning and it will be colder with a high near 20 degrees. Winds will be out of the northwest at 16 to 18 mpg, gusting to 26 mph. Wind chill values will be between 1 and 6 above zero, said NWS.

Wednesday will be mostly sunny with a high near 16 degrees, with a slight warming trend beginning Thursday when the high will reach 22 degrees. Afternoon high temperatures will be consistently around the mid 20s into the weekend.

This story will be updated.
ROANOKE  After months of work and waiting, the village of Roanoke has been told its application for a federal flooding relief grant has been denied.

The $7.5 million flood resiliency plan was written by village officials in cooperation with officials from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in an attempt to secure part of $1 billion available in federal money designated for flood mitigation.

Under the plan, the village would have used the money to tear down buildings and develop the area of south of Illinois 116 into a park setting to prevent future damage during a flood. The area has been flooded many times when Panther Creek overflowed its banks during heavy rains, causing thousands of dollars of damage to buildings in the area.

As you are aware, the Village Board, especially Mike Smith, has put in endless hours of work and headaches in this application, Mayor Kevin Braker wrote in a recent email. The State of Illinois' IDNR also has a lot invested in this. Although we were denied, we will not give up. We now have the groundwork laid for a shovel ready project. This should put us in a good position for any future grants.

Smith said none of the grant applications from Illinois were awarded funds. The Department of Housing and Urban's letter to the village indicated applicants nation-wide requested over $7 billion of funding for the $1 billion available.

Braker said the village has requested a debriefing from the scoring committee as part of the grant application process so they can see in detail how they fared and why the application was not successful.

The state has also told us that they will try to get at least part of this project into the next list of capital improvement projects the next time they do a budget, Braker said. They showed Mike and me several examples of projects they have done in the past. Some of them do get done."

Braker said the denial was a disappointing setback, but the loss was not from a lack of effort.

We were able to gather a lot of useful information on why our village floods and what is needed to prevent it in the future, Braker said. This is still an important project for us, and we will continue to look for avenues that will allow us to move forward.
UPM Raflatac Mexico Achieves Clean Industry Certification

Feb. 8, 2016 (Press Release) - UPM Raflatac has recently received Clean Industry certification for its label stock slitting and distribution operations in Tultitlan, Mexico. To-date, UPM Raflatac's Mexico facility is the first of its kind in the label industry to be awarded this certification.

To achieve Clean Industry certification, companies like UPM Raflatac must meet the legal requirements for environmental protection established by The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) in Mexico. They must also undergo a systematic evaluation of manufacturing procedures and processes (such as environmental impacts and waste management), identify any potential risks and successfully implement applicable preventive and corrective measures.

"We are proud to be the first label stock supplier in the region to receive this highly-respected honor," says Jose Garcia, Sales Director & General Manager, Mexico, Central America & Caribbean.

"In addition to all of our other certifications, we believe that Clean Industry certification reinforces UPM Raflatac's commitment to protecting the environment and furthers our goal of becoming the number one supplier in Mexico. Achievements like this are wonderful, concrete examples of our promise to provide high-quality, sustainable label materials complemented by the most customer-oriented service in the industry."

UPM Raflatac is one of the world's leading producers of self-adhesive label materials. To learn more, plaes visit: www.upmraflatac.com.

SOURCE: UPM Raflatac
The mother of an eight-month-old baby was left with disappointment after Perth hospital misdiagnosed her baby's cancer for a leg fracture. Now, the worried mom fears that the mistake could have left her daughter paralyzed.

Naomi and Hannes Holly, of High Wycombe first took their daughter, Nora Holly, to St John of God Midland Public Hospital after they noticed she was struggling to stand and crawl. After checking the baby, the doctor told the parents that their child was suffering from "behavioral issues."

However, both parents dismissed the initial diagnosis and asked for a second opinion. Hence, a senior doctor checked up the child and told the parents that Nora has a fractured leg. After which, the baby's leg was placed in a full cast and was later discharged.

But few days later, Mrs Holly and her husband noticed that their baby's condition was deteriorating and she lost control of her upper body. Thus, they admitted the child to Princess Margaret Hospital, where Nora's leg cast was removed.

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, the baby underwent to MRI and CAT scans. After the tests, doctors discovered a neuroblastoma in Nora's chest cavity and it was strangling 85 percent of her spine. The doctor then started a chemotherapy at 3 am on Wednesday to save the child.

After the chemo treatment, PMH doctors told both parents if the treatment had been delayed for another day the child could have suffered permanent spinal cord damage. Nora also needs to undergo lab tests this week to see whether the tumor has spread to her organs.

"She's regained some movement in her legs and the first bone marrow test has verbally been said to be clear but we're still waiting on the main bone marrow test," Mrs. Holly told Perth Now.

St John of God executive director of Perth northern hospitals Dr. Lachlan Henderson said to the media outlet that St John of God is currently under investigation for the clinical presentation of Nora.


A 41-year-old mom is walking 6,000 miles to raise awareness about the rare disease that suddenly took her daughter's life. She is also hoping to raise money to help the charity, which is associated with the hospital where her child died.

Natalia from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire said her five-old-daughter, Elizabeth Spencer started feeling unwell on Nov. 21 last year. She said her child was suffering from flu-like symptoms including headache and fever. Hence, she didn't mind it because she thought it was just a cold.

However, on the following day, Elizabeth suddenly collapsed and was rushed to A&E, where she was placed in an induced coma. But was later transferred to Bristol Children's Hospital, where she was diagnosed with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, an extremely rare autoimmune condition. And apparently, her condition shut down all of her major organs and cut off the blood supply to her limbs.

After 18 days on life support at the medical facility, the youngster died on Dec. 10 last year. "I couldn't believe it to begin with. In the morning I thought she had a flu and in the evening I was told she probably wouldn't make it," Natalia told Western Daily Press. "It's devastating for a mother to see a child like that. It was 18 of the most heart-breaking days."

Now, Natalia wants to bring awareness about the rare illness by walking the entire coast of Britain -- her daughter's favorite spot. She is planning to start on walking this Valentine's Day and will start from Durdle Dore in Dorset -- the last beach she visited with Elizabeth.

Natalia estimated she will finish walking the entire 6,000 miles within 10 months. She also said she is hoping to raise at least 100,000 for the children's charity, Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal, so she can help other families. Likewise, to make sure no one will find themselves in her position.


If you're a cat lover then you probably know it well that these creatures can bring much love and joy to their owners. But aside from that, there are some interesting things you probably didn't know about these lovely pets. And here are some of it, which will surely surprise you.

1. Cats have 32 muscles that control their ears.

2. The male cat is called a tom, a female cat is called a queen or molly and young cats are called kitten. Hence, a group of cat is called clowder.

3. Domestic cats usually weigh around 4 kilograms to 5 kilograms. And the heaviest domestic cat ever recorded is 27.297 kilograms.

4. Cats have superb hearing and they have a powerful sense of smell too. However, they can't taste sweetness.

5. The world's richest cat is worth $13 million. And this particular cat got his fortune after his owner passed away and left all of her fortunes to him.

6. Male cats are typically left-pawed while female cats are typically right-pawed.

7. Basically, dogs have higher social IQ than cats. But cats can solve more difficult cognitive problems.

8. Abraham Lincoln loves cats. In fact, he kept four cats in the White House before.

9. In the 60s, CIA spent US$20 million on training cats to spy the Soviets. Unfortunately, the first spy cat was hit by a car.

10. In Korea and Japan, they have a Cat Cafe, where pet owners can go to drink coffee and have fun with their cats.

11. When a cat dies in ancient Egypt, the family members shaved off their eyebrows to mourn the death of their pet.

12. In the United States, black cats are considered as bad luck. But in United Kingdom, Australia and Japan, black cats are considered to bring good luck.

13. The world's smallest cat on record is just 2.75 inches tall and it is a male blue point Himalayan-Persian, named Tinker Toy.

14. If you're currently pregnant, avoid cleaning cat's litter box because it can give you Toxoplasmosis if the cat was infected while pregnant.

15. In ancient Egypt, killing a cat can incur death penalty. But in Switzerland, eating cat is legal.

Well, these astounding facts are just more reasons for you to appreciate these creatures more.
With so many baby toys in the market, it can be hard to choose which one will help in your baby's development. Should you reach for that flashy high-tech gizmo or the traditional rattle? According to a latest study published in the Science Daily, giving babies high-tech toys can stagnate their communication skills.

Researchers from the Northern Arizona University conducted a study on the effects of high-tech toys on the verbal skills of babies. They found that these flashy, noise-producing, vibrant-colored devices have the ability to capture the child's attention, yet they tend to take away valuable parent-child interaction time, which has been proven to enhance and increase a baby's communication skills.

According to Bradford Wiles, assistant professor at Kansas State University, "What you want are things that can be shared that involve a dialogue back and forth with peers and especially with adults." Babies, toddlers, and young children alike need human interaction in order to improve their communication skills.

A child development specialist from K-State Research and Extension said that when a child plays with these high-tech noisy devices, they get to play alone, which has a detrimental effect on their overall development.

Wiles said that, "Research results are starting to indicate that when children isolate themselves through the use of these tablets, they are not able to regulate their emotions as well, and they're not able to get along as well with their peers."

Further elaborating on these effects, Wiles added, "We're teaching children how to use a tablet, but the information that's on the tablet, the children aren't really retaining," He also said, "So we think we're teaching them things like letters and numbers, but what we're really teaching them well is how to use a touch screen." With this in mind, the communication skills of babies are not being developed but are stagnated.

Wiles is advising parents to carefully choose the toys that are being given to the child. Not because a toy is being marketed as one that can help babies become smarter does not mean that it will. Positive interaction is still the most essential tool that can help in developing babies' communication skills.
The best mob stories ask: How do I take care of me and mine? How far are you willing to go to protect your own? In The Godfather and its sequel, The Godfather Part II, the story of the Corleone family becomes the centerpiece of a deep meditation on family and power. Francis Ford Coppola answers: Ultimately, you will lose one in the vain pursuit of the other.

The massive seven-hour cut of Coppolas The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), now available on HBOs streaming services, prosecutes those questions during its daunting run-time better than the individual films originally did. While the title sounds like it belongs to an Internet parody, it is an academically apt description. The Godfather Epicwhen I learned of it, I knew there was only one thing I could do: See if this edit in any way improves what I consider to be the best film essay ever made on the struggle of an immigrant family to integrate into the U.S.

So I begin: The Godfather Epic is a straightforward, chronological re-edit of the two films, incorporating some footage once left on the cutting room floor. Godfather buffs (which is to say, seemingly every straight, American male over 30) will know this means that the film opens on the flashbacks from The Godfather Part II set in turn-of-the-century Sicily and New York City during young Vito Andolini Corleones rise to power, continuing through the 40s of The Godfather and ending in the late 50s present day, back with The Godfather Part II.

The film holds up surprisingly well considering its gargantuan minute-count. Edits arent totally seamless, but they are painless. The greater story is remarkably consistent, and its broad themes carry through expertly.

But really, the only way to dissect the differences and discover if such an edit is a worthy experiment with such near-legendary films is to join me, minute by minute, through seven hours of Italian tragedy.

Young Vito (played as a child by Oreste Baldini, an adult by Robert De Niro, and in middle age by Marlon Brando) has no control over his destiny. After his father and brother and mother are murdered in Sicily, hes herded through Ellis Island, a number pinned on his shirt as he stares out the window at the Statue of Liberty. (The number, perhaps symbolic of how lucky he is to be in even this sad situation rather than dead, is 7.) This low point at the beginning of Vitos journey is one of only maybe two scenes in the entire movie in which we see the character completely alone, sharing the screen with no one.

I have self-centered reasons for being enamored with this part. My mother and her parents were among some 10,000 Cuban refugees who immigrated to the United States in the wake of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. My mother tells me of waiting to get on a boat along with thousands of other desperate refugees, of waiting in the same kind of purgatory in which young Vito pauses until Christian missionaries acquainted with my grandfather claimed them and allowed them entry into the country.

Upon boarding, there was a problem: My grandmother wasnt listed. It is impossible for me to imagine my Chinese grandfather and my Cuban grandmother (both dead now) with my grade-school-aged mother and aunt in tow, arguing with one another over whether my grandmother should send everyone ahead and try to use her Spanish heritage to escape later. It was only the discovery that she was listed under her maiden name that ensured the family made the voyage together.

In discussing the film, a friend mentioned that a relations grandparent passed through Ellis Island and lost contact with a brother. To this day, he says, the family has no idea what happened to that brother, just as Ive grown up with no contact with vast stretches of my own extended family in China and Cuba. And so, I understand Vito in one crucial way: He knows that terrible outside forces are at work, forces that do not care what happens to families like his.

We move on: Seventeen years after Vito (now portrayed by DeNiro) sits in that lonely little room, that terrible outside force has become the strutting small-time mobster Don Fanucci (Gaston Moschin), who steals Vitos job and bullies his neighbors.

Why does he bother other Italians? Vito asks at one point.

From the perspective of the film, this is the real sin Fanucci commits, far more egregious than his vulgar arrogance. Youll notice that later, when Vito climbs to the proverbial top, he curries favor among struggling Italian families instead of shaking them down for protection.

For his lack of solidarity, Fanucci gets got. Vito stalks him over the rooftops of New York City and then ambushes him in a darkened stairwell. Cut together this way, the first hour of The Godfather Epic is a hard treatise on the loyalty and tribalism of criminality in those bygone days, set in the breathtakingly well-shot streets of crowded 1917 New York and then transitioning coherently to the well-oiled machine of the Corleones syndicate in the 40s.

The first hour is also the groundwork for the family saga at the center of the film, and a thesis on why Vito must build a fortress to shield his family from the callous world. Having murdered the shit out of Fanucci, Vito sits on the stoop of his house, cradling his infant son Michael as a neighbor serenades them with the Godfather Waltz, the leitmotif that will play whenever the Corleone familys fortunes change for good or ill.

During this hour, Sicilian gangsters have slaughtered Vitos family before uninterested civil servants on Ellis Island casually deprived him of his name. They (all forces, taken as one oppressive power) put him in a lonely little room, with only his own singing for company. Despite all of that, he makes a new family for himself, and destroys each threat to it.

These are the awful things we are forced to do, and this is whom we do them for.

The recut fades in on Bonasera the undertakers face with zero fanfare, and weve run into the start of the original Godfather footage. Its only a little bit jarring that no titles accompany this shift, as they do during the other parts of the film.

What struck me as the 40s story began is how much more effectively this Epic version convinces us that Don Vito is the Platonic ideal of the mob boss. Placed centrally in this cut, Marlon Brandos performance as the middle-aged Don Vito anchors the whole experience. Those who came before him and Michaels authoritarian reign after him both fail to live up to his model for different reasons. Michael (Al Pacino, in the role that made him famous) doesnt have the thuggish contempt for the little guy of the Sicilian and New York mobsters that plague young Vito, but like them, he has no patience for any concerns but his own.

Having crushed those other mobsters, Vitos way with the common folk shows hes a family leader who is smarter, smoother, more cautious andif this baller wedding tells us anythingfar more successful.

The additional footage in The Godfather Epic is largely incidental, giving minor characters another line here or there. One such small scene features Corleone lieutenant Clemenza (Richard Castellano) driving around before the murder that prompts his classic Leave the gun. Take the cannoli, line. He sits at a restaurant, eating as the camera looks in at him through the window, a reflection of a statue of the Virgin juxtaposed with his quiet meal. Like other such additions, its a shot that feels meaningful but proves meaningless in such a long film.

One major epiphany I get from this mega-cut is a holistic feeling when Michael returns to Sicily. Vitos earlier scenes, fleeing from this land, give a background to Michaels scenes which, in the context of it being the first movie, doesnt truly translate. The parallels between the stories of Vito and Michael stand out so much more: Though Michael already has blood on his hands by this point in the story, Sicily is the same land of tragedy for him that it was for his father. Far from America, Michael suffers the loss of a loved one that makes all of this, the idea of making the family business successful in order to protect his own, personal. Like his father, he will violently repay that loss.

As Don Vito tells Michael his regrets, I have another epiphany: Don Vito is the protagonist in a classical tragedy.

In this cut, he rises from nothing, becomes the biggest and baddest, and then is brought low by things outside his control: the changing times, the squabbling sons who fail to live up to him and ultimately his failure to shield the prodigal son, Michael, from the underworld. His laments to Michael now come at the middle of the seven-hour experience, after weve witnessed Vitos hardscrabble struggle from the beginning.

Vito dies while playing with his grandson. Not understanding whats happened, the boy runs away, and the camera lingers for just a while on the body, lying in the garden. Vitos alone again.

The door closes on Diane Keatons face, signalling the end of the original Godfather footage. Assisted by some titles, we move on to the present day footage of The Godfather Part II. Its at this stage that I finally begin to feel a little exhaustion. We somehow still have two and a half damn hours left.

The Epic doesnt really lessen this feeling of exhaustion. The whole work begins to suffer a bit at this stage. Michaels brother Fredo (John Cazale) has become a major player despite having only a few lines up to this point; the entire crux of the plot revolves around feints and counter-feints that have nothing to do with anything from the first five hours; and any callbacks to the earlier stuff seem tacked on.

An example of the bloat: At this point Fabrizio (the traitorous Sicilian who car-bombed Michaels first wife) is murdered, but it feels completely incidental. If theres a theme here, I dont see it.

When Michael asks his mother if a man can lose his family in the struggle to protect it, its a question weve already answered.

Thematically weighty moments like these become fewer and farther between during the 50s story. Scenes of Michael standing before a Senate committee after weve heard his fathers lament that Michael never became the one who holds the strings deepen the narrative, as does hearing one characters fiery soliloquy on a murder from the first film. Unfortunately, theyre buried under a whole lot of slow plot.

Michaels wife Kay (Diane Keaton, unrecognizable in her youth and tragically underused in the past six hours) gets her one really powerful scene as she reveals to her husband that she had an abortion because she cant bear the thought of raising another child in the mob. He wouldnt understand, she rants, because of this Sicilian thing thats been going on for 2,000 years! Its an unintentional laugh line in this cut: Surely, I thought, she is referring to this film.

As the films penultimate scene flashes back to 1941 and the fight that results from Michael revealing his enlistment in the Marines to his family, Im not sure if its meant to be the beginning of his personal fall or one last reminder that hes always viewed himself as apart, as better. True tragedy comes from a fatal, internal flaw, and something about this scene is meant to suggest his.

His family leaves him in the room alone. The only other times that both Michael and Vito are alone onscreen occur in the tense moments before they killalways in explicit defense of the family.

The last scene flashes forward to Michael on a park bench by himself before the fade to blackyears later, after hes driven away his wife and his sister and seen four people in the previous scene killed, three of them by his own order. The lonely horn section of the waltz motif plays us out.

These are the awful things we are forced to do, and this is whom we do them for. At least, thats what we tell ourselves.

If youve got an HBO Go password, a whole day to kill, and want to see the definitive immigrant story/definitive American tragedy, settle in and see The Godfather Epic. Just be warned that, like Michael, you may come to the end of it alone.
Imagine, for a second, that Adolf Hitler never actually died. Instead, he went into some sort of cryo-sleep for 70 years. Now hes awake and running around modern, democratic, multi-cultural Germany. Thats the premise of Look Whos Back, the hit German film based off the German bestselling novel, which Netflix has picked up for an Apr. 9 (mostly) worldwide release, according to Deadline.

The David Wnendt-directed movie stars unknown Oscar Mascucci as the Fuhrer, who still wants to lead the Third Reich to world domination but is mistaken for a method-acting comedian, because how the hell could Hitler still be alive? Interspersed with the scripted plot of the film are unscripted vignettes of Mascuccis Hitler interacting with unsuspecting German citizens, very much in the style of Sacha Baron Cohens Borat.

The only countries missing out on the Netflix release are Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Benelux countries, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Japan and Taiwanironically (or not?) almost all of which were Axis-controlled territories during WWII.

To get a little taste of the film, you can watch the fan-made series of teaser trailers below.
Last week, we looked at the way Hillary Clintons Internet supporters are making a sustained push to turn the battle for the Democratic nomination into a referendum on sexism. The apparent goal was to mute any criticism of Clintons policies, or her political past, and explain the rising opposition to her candidacy as the sinister effect of widespread misogyny. As I mentioned then, it looks like a smart tactic on paperClintons ties to the banking industry, her vote for the war on Iraq, her support for free trade agreements, and her decades-long opposition to gay marriage all leave her vulnerable to an increasingly progressive left wing. Against Bernie Sanders, shes bound to look like a centrist candidate, and centrist is not playing well in the 2016 election. By shifting the discussion to sexism, her supporters could dodge direct comparisons to Sanders, and try to re-define the narrative.

It especially made sense on the Internet, which is the domain of the young. Exit polls at the Iowa caucus showed that more than 80 percent of young voters chose Sanders, and a recent USA Today poll showed him leading with female voters age 18-34 by 19 percent. When things are going the wrong way, why not pull out all the stops in a last-ditch attempt to reverse the momentum?

Since that post was written, something very interesting has been happening in New Hampshire, where the campaigns have turned their attention in advance of Tuesdays first-in-the-nation primary. The overt charges of sexism, once confined to the Internet, have slipped out into the real world, where Clintons surrogates have begun wielding the gender issue like a political mace. Since Friday, the seemingly coordinated strategy has yielded three headline incidents.

Friday, appearing on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, feminist icon Gloria Steinem was asked about Sanders advantage among the young female demographic.

Younger womentheyre more for Bernie, Maher said.

It depends where you ask, Steinem said.

America, Maher retorted, drawing laughs. It was Steinems next statement that resonated well beyond the HBO studio:

I dont mean to over-generalize  but men tend to get more conservative because they gain power as they age, and women get more radical because they lose power as they age. So its kind of not fair to measure most women by the standard of most men, because theyre going to get more activist as they grow older. And when youre young, youre thinking, Where are the boys? The boys are with Bernie.

Now if I said thatyoud swat me, come on! said a surprised Maher.

The outcry was instantaneous, and by Sunday, Steinem was forced to issue an apology on her Facebook page. Her words, and the top comment that followed, tell a better story than any news article could:

Steinem may have been speaking off-hand, but the sense of betrayal young feminists felt was all too real. Steinem, 81, seems to have realized the effect of her words, and its a fair bet that her regret is realafter all, nobody wants a NYT headline accusing them of scolding young women. Steinem is also the least involved in the campaign of the three, though she has endorsed Clinton.

While it may have been puzzling to watch someone like Steinem take such a seemingly regressive position, it could have almost been expected from Albright, the Secretary of State during Bill Clintons second term. Not only does she have a long history with the Clintons, but her politics are more hawkish (to put it mildly), and shes far closer to Clinton in an ideological sense. Speaking at a rally in New Hampshire, Albright let loose with a gender-based volley as Clinton nodded along:

We can tell our story about how we climbed the ladder, she said, and a lot of you young women dont think you have toits been done. Its not done, and you have to help. Hillary clinton will always be there for you. And just remember, theres a special place in hell for women who dont help each other.

Yikes! The heavy implication that women supporting Sanders were A) ignorant of the struggle, and B) actually going to hell, did not sit well with young women. Many of her critics chose to reference the 60 Minutes interview linked above, where Albright didnt blink as she explained how sanctions resulting in the death of half a million Iraqi children were justified:

It's stunning to see atrocity advocates moralize about gender representation. Is there a club #Sociopaths4Hillary club? There should be.  Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) February 6, 2016

Madeline Albright helped hundreds of thousands of Iraqi women to death in the 1990s. Special place in hell, indeed. https://t.co/V4U96NH2jz  Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) February 6, 2016

Well good grief, were getting offended by everything these days, Clinton said on NBCs Meet the Press. Honest to goodness, I mean, people cant say anything without offending somebody. She has a life experience that I respect. I admire her greatly. And I think what she was trying to do  what shes done in every setting Ive ever seen her in going back 20 plus years  was to remind young women, particularly, that you know, this struggle, which many of us have been part of, is not over, and dont be in any way lulled by the progress weve made.

So thats what passes for light-hearted these days. Still, Albright had nothing on our final evangelist

Speaking at a junior high school in Milford, NH, the former president shook off the restraints with which the campaign had shackled him, and went on the attack. From the New York Times:

But Mr. Clintons most pointed remarks may have been when he took aim at Sanders supporters who, he said, use misogynistic language in attacking Mrs. Clinton. He told the story of a female progressive blogger who defended Mrs. Clinton online through a pseudonym because, he said, the vitriol from Mr. Sanderss backers was so unrelenting.

She and other people who have gone online to defend Hillary, to explain why they supported her, have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often, not to mention sexist, to repeat. Mr. Clinton, growing more demonstrative, added that the liberal journalist Joan Walsh had faced what he called unbelievable personal attacks for writing positively about Mrs. Clinton.

Theres a rich irony in Bill Clinton crying sexism, seeing as how Bill Clinton sexual misconduct allegations has its own Wikipedia page. Beyond being a serial adulterer, this is a man who has been accused of rape and sexual assault by multiple women. And according to the NYT, Hillary did not stand on the sidelines, which is part of the reason shes having trouble winning the support of young women:

We have to destroy her story, Mrs. Clinton said in 1991 of Connie Hamzy, one of the first women to come forward during her husbands first presidential campaign, according to George Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton administration aide who described the events in his memoir, All Too Human. (Three people signed sworn affidavits saying Ms. Hamzys story was false.)

When Gennifer Flowers later surfaced, saying that she had had a long affair with Mr. Clinton, Mrs. Clinton undertook an aggressive, explicit direction of the campaign to discredit Ms. Flowers, according to an exhaustive biography of Mrs. Clinton, A Woman in Charge, by Carl Bernstein.

Mrs. Clinton referred to Monica Lewinsky, the White House intern who had an affair with the 42nd president, as a narcissistic loony toon, according to one of her closest confidantes, Diane D. Blair, whose diaries were released to the University of Arkansas after her death in 2000.

Ms. Lewinsky later called the comment an example of Mrs. Clintons impulse to blame the woman.

This development shouldnt come as a surpriseformer president Clinton was willing to play the race card in 2008 against Obama, so why wouldnt he play the gender card now?but it does vault the nomination contest into its ugliest stages yet.

The timing couldnt be more appropriatethe Clinton campaign knows that if it can mount a comeback in New Hampshire and score a stunning win on the heels of the narrow victory in Iowa, Sanders uphill battle will become almost impossible. If he wins, theres no telling how fast things could turn. A look at the most recent national polls, where Sanders has come within double digits for the first time, paints a picture of Clinton poised on a knifes edge, very vulnerable to the quick shift that saw Barack Obama shock the party in 2008. This is a case of pull-out-all-the-stops politics, and high stakes have a way of revealing the worst aspects of a campaigns character.
Iris Gentry, the protagonist of new Vertigo series The Dark & Bloody, lives a complex life. Hes married, with one child and another on the way; he makes his living distilling moonshine in an isolated area in Kentucky; and hes still tormented by his wartime experiences. All the more, a mysterious creature with murder on its mind lurks in the periphery of Gentrys life. The first issue of The Dark & Bloody, out this Wednesday, builds slowly, inserting the reader into its protagonists head as the atmospheric art ratchets up the tension. We talked with writer Shawn Aldridge (Vic Boone) and artist Scott Godlewski (Copperhead) to learn more about the series origins and to get their thoughts on what makes for a great horror comic.

Paste: Theres a lot happening in the first issue of The Dark & Bloody: the introduction of Iris and his family, a mysterious girl who has befriended Iris son, an ominous scene at the end and glimpses of a very unsettling monster. What came firstthe character, the premise, the setting or something else?

Shawn Aldridge: The setting and title came first. I knew I wanted to do a book set in Kentucky, but had no idea of what story I wanted to tell. In trying to brainstorm, the title popped in my head. Of course, that title, Moonshiner, isnt the title anymore, but it did open the gates for everything that followed. Moonshiner sounds like a horror title taken out of context. From there Iris started developing in my head and his story started to unfold.

Paste: The central character of the series is a veteran with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). What are the challenges for you as a writer in terms of balancing this very realistic experience with some of the more fantastical and horrific things that take place in the first issue?

Aldridge: For me, I dont want serious conditions like PTSD to be undermined by fantastical elements of a story. I never want it to come off as trivial. Like any character trait, you have to know, or you hope to know, how much to show. If you overexpose it, you run the risk of it coming off as gimmicky.



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski

Paste: What first brought you two together for this series? Has your working process changed over time?

Aldridge: [Vertigo Editor] Jamie S. Rich brought us together. He asked me what I thought of Scotts art and if I felt he fit the book. I told him I thought Scott was perfect. I think theres some subtle character things that push the story forward, and Scott does a great job on those. After seeing how Scott handled pages and panels, I started tailoring my writing to that. I didnt need to go in-depth with panel descriptions and such. I trusted Scotts skills and judgement enough to know hed take what I would describe to another level.

Scott Godlewski: Shawn had already had the series approved at Vertigo. Jamie contacted me about doing a story for the Vertigo anthology SFX. At the time I couldnt make that one happen, but a couple of weeks later he came back with the pitch for The Dark & Bloody. I really couldnt say no. Getting to work with Shawn and [colorist] Trish [Mulvihill] on this story was too good to pass up.



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski

Paste: Although not a lot of it is glimpsed in this issue, there is a monster that makes its presence known. What was the process like of coming up with a design for it?

Aldridge: Well, I had hammered a general idea of what the monster would look like, but as story elements changed that idea evolved. I handed Scott a general idea of what the monster was and he just took it and made it brilliant. There was a little back and forth and something here or there, but mostly he just has a knack for taking bits and pieces and transforming them into something better than you imagined.

Godlewski: I love drawing monsters. If I could work on a book with all non-human characters, Id be in heaven. Getting to the final design of the creature only took a couple of passes as Shawn and Jamie already had some good ideas. It ended up being one of my favorite creature designs. I hope it scares the crap out of everyone.

Paste: The series has a title thats immediately gripping. How far into the process of working on this did that come to you?

Aldridge: I believe it was right before or midway through writing the first script. The title is actually owed to Jamie S. Rich. He found the phrase. At some point, it was realized that Moonshiner might not be as strong of a title as we would like it to be. I was asked to brainstorm for new ones. Thats a really hard thing to do, because once you name something, that name gets stuck in your head. Everything else sounds off. I liken it to someone saying, rename your kid. Luckily, Jamie came through with The Dark & Bloody, which is a reference to the dark and bloody ground, which is a term that was used to describe how much bloodshed Kentucky has seen in its past from tribal wars. I cant think of a more fitting title.

Paste: How far have you plotted into the series?

Aldridge: Its only six issues, so its fully plotted and written. I turned in the last script in December.

Paste: What, for you, makes for a good horror comic?

Aldridge: I think the same thing that makes for a good comic in generalyou want the reader thinking about it long after theyve set the book down. In comics, we dont get the benefit of jump scares or mood music; so much has to be delivered visually and with the words. Visually, the art and colors have to set the mood, the atmosphere. Trish Mulvihill does a fantastic job of that with her color choices. She and Scott make a fantastic team. If it all works, no matter how unbelievable it is, the reader is on edge and thinking, Well, it could happen. Maybe you can make them jump in fear turning the page, but your goal is to manipulate them enough that a knock at their door does.

Godlewski: It takes a combination of thingscharacter, tone and an air of unpredictability. Without relatable, compelling characters, no one cares what happens to them. Shawn has crafted some fully-realized, sympathetic people that easily connect with the reader. Trish has created a tone and mood that creates a world thats both familiar and haunting. The plot that both of those things are tied to really keeps you on the edge of your seat, not being able to see whats in the dark corners of the room. Im just trying not to mess it all up.



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski

Paste: Which horror comics have impressed you the most over the years?

Aldridge: American Vampire, Black Hole, The Drifting Classroom, Harrow County, Nailbiter and Uzumaki, just to name a few.

Godlewski: Hellboy is the obvious answer. One of the first horror comics I remember being really unsettled by was Warren Ellis run on Hellblazer. It was tragically short, but there wasnt a single page that didnt make my skin crawl. Fantastic stuff.



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski



The Dark & Bloody #1 Interior Art by Scott Godlewski
Morgan Stanley Managing Director Adam Jonas shared his vision at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit last month, and let's just say that he didn't paint a very pretty picture for traditional automakers. According to Jonas, new auto industry boogeymen Apple and Google are possibly working to create "Autopia" and destroy the industry as we know it today.

Are battery-powered electric vehicles a viable business case not only for the automakers that will sell them but also for the people who will buy them? Is autonomous driving science fiction or a reality that is closer than we expect? Will these changes result in a new form of on-demand individual mobility that forces automakers to restructure their sales and production operations and causes customers to reassess their views on car ownership?

All these questions could be answered very soon if a futuristic environment called "Autopia" becomes reality.

Jonas said newcomers -- such as Google and Apple -- are just as smart and better funded than their potential rivals from the automotive field. Even more important: these companies see the business differently. Here's an example of how different the views are. Automakers see the global market as 80 million vehicles sold at an average price of $19,000, resulting in sales of $1.5 trillion. Silicon Valley's sees a global market where 10 trillion miles will be driven a year at $1 a mile resulting in $10 trillion in revenue. It's a radical new model that would turn the traditional automotive industry model on its head.



The report quoted Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne as saying that he doesn't see a bright future for car sharing, nevertheless, he fears that a Jonas-like Autopia would severely damage traditional automakers."

In the end, Morgan Stanley's Autopia theory is a doomsday scenario that is very unlikely to come to fruition in respect to mass adoption. And with Apple's Project Titan losing its leader Steve Zadesky of late and Jony Ive reportedly not happy with the project's direction, one of the feared boogeyman of Silicon Valley seems unlikely to be able to deliver the feared blow to the auto industry anytime soon. For more on this story, read the full Automotive News Europe report here.

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Maybe you did, but I never heard the sequel to the report of that attempting airline bombing.

Here it is, though. And I couldnt help but chuckle:

http://worldwarwings.com/news-suicide-bomber-on-plane-sucked-out-himself-as-only-casualty

I know. I know. Im not very Christian. Not very charitable. I shouldnt really laugh at anybodys death. But . . . Its almost worthy of a Darwin Award. And, horrible person that I am, I laugh at those, too.
This post is part of the Memories of a Massacre Project: Memphis in 1866. This project is designed to bring to public attention the massacre that rattled Reconstruction-era Memphis in May 1866.

On February 3, the Memories of a Massacre Project kicked off its commemoration of the Memphis Massacre in 1866 with an event sponsored by LeMoyne-Owen College. In celebration of the colleges 91st celebration of Black History Month, Dr. Bobby Lovett spoke on the importance of remembering and celebrating Black History while at the same time, learning from it and appreciating the sacrifices made in the past. The school held the event at Metropolitan Baptist Church.

Following the talk, the school conducted a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the destruction of Lincoln Chapel. Founded by American Missionary Association in 1862 at Camp Shiloh in Shiloh, Tennessee, the school moved to Memphis in 1863. The school enjoyed a modicum of success but rioters destroyed the school in the Massacre of 1866. According to the testimony given by minister and teacher Rev. Ewing O. Tade to Congress after rioters destroyed the school, the people while sorrowful and depressed, remained hopeful and optimistic. The following is an exchange between a committee member and Tade.

What became of your little flock that worshiped in Lincoln chapel?

Some of them have gone away and have not come back.

Have you had any place of worship since that?

Went out on Thursday morning after the burning to the ruins of the chapel. Quite number of the parents came out and large number of the children. They seemed to be very much troubled on account of it, expressed strong feelings of attachment, and so on.

What was the spirit in which they received this thing?

The spirit was great sorrow and depression.

Was it feeling mingled with one of vengeance and retaliation, or was it Christian feeling?

There was not word or look or expression of envy or hatred. told them not to be discouraged; that there were ashes enough there to build another Lincoln chapel. Told them we would meet the next night on the opposite side of the street, in the shade of some cotton wood trees.

It was out of those ashes that officials rebuilt the school that became LeMoyne-Owen College. You can listen to Dr. Lovetts lecture here.

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"We're not used to seeing growth in our check business," said Deluxe's Tracey Engelhardt, who reports a 6% to 7% increase in revenue for check orders from businesses and consumers in each of the last three quarters, driven by various factors originating from the pandemic.
Iran's Eight-Million-Year-Old Fossils Unveiled after Returning Home from US

02/08/16

Source: Tasnim News Agency

TEHRAN - Iran's ancient fossils, which had been sent to the US some 40 years ago for studies and were returned home after Tehran won a decades-long legal dispute with Washington, were unveiled in the Iranian capital. In the unveiling ceremony held in the city's Pardisan Park, 1351 fossils dating back to eight million years ago were put on display.

The fossils, which are part of the 3000 fossils discovered in Maragheh in East Azerbaijan Province prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, were finally returned after years of legal battle with the US.

They had been taken to the US about 40 years ago for academic studies and were to return home within 6 to 12 months.

In recent years, Iran has been successful in returning home its stolen belongings, including artifacts and historical objects.

Back in April 2015, Iran received 108 ancient artifacts known as the Chogha Mish Collections from the US University of Chicago officials, marking the second successful return of Iranian artifacts in less than a year.

After a series of legal battles with the United States, Chogha Mish artifacts dating back to 6000 years ago were returned to Iran's National Museum in Tehran.

Gil Stein, the director of the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute, delivered the artifacts to officials from Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization at Imam Khomeini Airport at the time.

Chogha Mish artifacts were officially on loan from Iran from April 1, 1964 for three years to be studied. However, the American side declined to return the artifacts in due time.

After more than 35 years of legal proceedings, US appeals court ruled that the artifacts should be returned to where they originally belonged to, namely Iran
EU Foreign Policy Chief Says Preparing 'Important' Visit To Iran

02/08/16

Source: RFE/RL

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says she is preparing an "important visit" to Iran following the implementation of the landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and major world powers.





Federica Mogherini (2nd from right) during her visit to Tehran in July 2015

(file photo by Mehr News Agency)





Under the deal that was implemented last month, Iran has significantly limited its sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

Speaking on February 6, Mogherini said there was no set date for the visit, but she said preparations are under way with the Iranian side.

She added that all 28 EU nations were backing the opening with Iran.

Speaking after an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Amsterdam, she said: "It was very important to see the unity of the member states in the direction, intentions, and preparations of this work we are doing with Iran."

Mogherini also said that she will hold talks with Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on February 15 in Brussels.

Based on reporting by AP and Kuna

Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Trash-Talking: Collecting Garbage Isn't A Crime In Tehran. Or Is It?

02/08/16

By Golnaz Esfandiari and Mohammad Reza Yazdanpanah, RFE/RL



Mohammad Maleki, wearing a shawl that says "Let's Sweep Garbage," flashes the victory sign along a roadway outside the capital, where he and a colleague were dumped by security agents.

Mohammad Maleki, wearing a shawl that says "Let's Sweep Garbage," flashes the victory sign along a roadway outside the capital, where he and a colleague were dumped by security agents.



Left with few options to legally highlight state repression in Iran, former Tehran University chancellor Mohammad Maleki and former hard-line columnist Mohammad Nurizad settled on a seemingly innocuous form of public protest -- collecting garbage from the streets of Tehran.

[Collecting garbage] isnt a crime," Nurizad wrote on Facebook on January 26. "Or is it?"

The two well-known dissidents' first street-cleaning action went off without incident last week. But when Maleki and Nurizad met early on the morning of February 5 for another round, they were met by security agents, who drove them outside the capital and left them by the side of a road.

Yet they remained defiant, continuing their protest along a desolate strip of highway and posting the photos of their good work on social media.







former Tehran University chancellor Mohammad Maleki and former hard-line columnist Mohammad Nurizad pose with colleagues during their trash-collecting protest on February 2. former Tehran University chancellor Mohammad Maleki and former hard-line columnist Mohammad Nurizad pose with colleagues during their trash-collecting protest on February 2.

One shows the the 82-year-old Maleki, draped in a shawl that reads "Let's Sweep Garbage," flashing the victory sign while posing for a roadside photo. In the background looms a huge billboard with a picture showing the founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, upon his return to Tehran from exile.

Speaking to RFE/RL's Radio Farda afterward, Maleki said that, despite the detour thrown their way, he and Nurizad will press on.

We will not stop our protest," Maleki said in a telephone interview from Tehran. "We will engage in symbolic acts of protests."





Mohammad Maleki and Mohammad Nurizad collecting trash in Tehran.





In recent months, the two have held a number of actions to highlight human rights violations in the Islamic republic, including the imprisonment of rights activists.

Both men are outspoken critics of the Iranian establishment who have in the past served time in jail.

The two say they decided to collect garbage because it is not considered a crime in Iran, where criticism of the establishment and attempts at public gatherings and protests often result in charges including acting against Irans national security.





Mohammad Maleki takes a selfie with Mohammad Nurizad in the background.



In announcing the protest in late January, Nurizad said they were specifically protesting a travel ban they both face without any reason and without a judicial order and also against the confiscation of some of their belongings by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

Nurizad, a former regime supporter turned dissident, shared photos of himself, Maleki, and a few other men and a woman with plastic bags filled with trash collected from the streets of the capital during the initial protest, held on February 2.

Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Iran's rural areas considered for high-speed internet service

02/08/16

Source: Radio Zamaneh

Iranian Minister of Communications Mahmoud Vaezi says the government is looking into providing high-speed internet service to the country's rural areas.





Vaezi added that "if the government is providing services electronically, shopping is done electronically, university entrance exams are being done electronically, then internet service should be provided all across the country."

He added that 18,000 thousand villages will receive high-speed internet this year.







Vaezi said the administration is trying to eliminate the economic divide between regions in Iran.

He added that rural residents will be able to use the internet to market their various products.

He added that his ministry has coordinated with the Ministry of Health to provide certain medical services electronically.
Iranian films Nahid and Sonita to screen at Portland International Film Festival

02/08/16

Source: Portland International Film Festival

The 39th Portland International Film Festival is being held February 11-27 in Portland, Oregon. This year the Iranian films Nahid, directed by Ida Panahandeh, and Sonita, directed by Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami, will be screened at the festival.





NAHID

DIRECTOR: Ida Panahandeh - IRAN



Panahandeh depicts the near impossibility of finding security and happiness within Irans strictures of socially enforced respectability. Nahid, an impoverished young divorcee, is allowed to live with her teenage son, but only on the condition that she does not remarry. Hoping to move in with the man she loves, Nahid considers an option called temporary marriage, a legality that allows short-term domiciles and perhaps wont jeopardize her custody. But is this legal loophole a salvation or a curse? Starring A Separations Sareh Bayat, Nahid weighs the rewards of domestic security against the sacrifices of personal freedoms. Winner, Un Certain Regard Prix de lAvenir (debuting films) at the Cannes Film Festival. (105 mins.)

Filmography: The Story of Davood and the Dove (2011)

Screenings:

Thu, Feb 18, 2016

at 6 PM (Moreland Theater)

BUY TICKETS

Wed, Feb 24, 2016

at 6 PM (Roseway Theater)

BUY TICKETS



SONITA

DIRECTOR: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami - IRAN



If 18-year old Sonita had a say in things, Michael Jackson would be her father and Rihanna her mother, and she captures her dream of being a famous rapper in her scrapbook. For the time being, her only fans are the other teenage girls in a Tehran shelter. There, Sonita, a refugee from Afghanistan, gets counseling for the traumas she has suffered and receives guidance in shaping her future. Despite Sonita's dreams of fame, her family has a very different future planned for her: as a bride she's worth $9,000. What's more, women aren't allowed to sing in Iran. How can Sonita still succeed in making her dreams come true? (90 mins.)

Filmography: Going Up the Stairs (2011)

Screenings:

Sun, Feb 14, 2016

at 1 PM (World Trade Center)

BUY TICKETS

Mon, Feb 15, 2016

at 3:30 PM (World Trade Center)

BUY TICKETS
From the movie theater and pool to the super fancy office and private chef, living at the White House sure has its perks. A good Wi-Fi signal apparently isn't one of them, though.

During an interview(Opens in a new window) with Gayle King on CBS's Super Bowl pre-game show yesterday, President Barack Obama revealed that the White House isn't as technologically advanced as one might think. Obama suggested that Wi-Fi at the White House is actually kind of crappy, but said he's hoping to improve the situation for his successor.

"We've been trying to get that straight for the next group of folks, because it is an old building, and so there's a lot of dead spots where Wi-Fi doesn't work," Obama said.

First lady Michelle Obama agreed it's an issue, saying "the girls are just irritated by it sometimes," referring to daughters Sasha and Malia. With two teenagers in the house, we're sure the Obamas are well aware of any Wi-Fi woes.

So basically, don't feel bad if the Wi-Fi at your house sucks: Even the President of the United States deals with a spotty connection where he lives. Perhaps he or his staff should check out 10 Ways to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal.

Meanwhile, Obama recently discussed another place in need of a tech boost: U.S. schools. The White House is proposing that the upcoming budget include billions for computer science training in grades K-12. The president wants to allocate $4 billion for states and $100 million for school districts to train more teachers, expand access to high-quality computer science instructional materials, and build regional partnerships.
Loma Linda University Health has given $15,000 to the San Bernardino Police Department, which will use the money to purchase safety equipment.

Police Chief Jarrod Burguan and Assistant Chief Eric McBride accepted the check Friday, Jan. 29, at the campus. The department has had a shortage of safety equipment as the city tries to emerge from bankruptcy.

In light of the San Bernardino terrorist attack, we want to do our part to ensure the safety of those who selflessly put their lives on the line for us every day, Trevor Wright, the chief operating officer of Loma Linda University Medical Center, said in a news release. We are honored to help the San Bernardino Police Department, and we want to do whatever we can to keep our partnership in providing care and protection for our community.

Loma Linda University Medical Center treated some of the survivors of the Dec. 2 terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino that killed 14 people and wounded 22 others.

The shooters, radicalized jihadists and Redlands residents Syed Rizwan Farook and wife Tashfeen Malik, were killed in a subsequent gun battle with police.
Tomorrow, the Riverside City Council will consider a proposal to expand the powers of the city attorney to that of a city prosecutor responsible for prosecuting misdemeanor offenses. City Attorney Gary Geuss argues this will allow Riverside to more effectively tackle livability problems like graffiti, vandalism, theft, assault and prostitution.

As things stand, the council seems set on placing The Riverside Criminal Prosecution and Crime Reduction Measure on the June or November ballot for voter consideration, which doesnt particularly bother us.

What does give us pause on this matter, though, is how rushed this effort seems. Initially, the City Council was supposed to consider placing this matter on the ballot last month, but a failure to place certain items on the citys agenda in a timely manner required the council to push the matter to Feb. 9.

At the very least, this has allowed us greater opportunity to think through the proposal, and what weve been left with is more questions than answers.

As reflected in the name of the measure, the city wants Riverside residents to believe the measure will reduce crime. These semantic games aside, though, the narrative is lacking in a number of components.

For one, crime of all types clearly has trended downward in the city for a long time, according to data from the California Attorney Generals Office. And according to crime data released by the Riverside Police Department, the sorts of crimes the city prosecutor would largely be tasked with, designated Part II crimes, declined 12.4 percent in 2015 compared to 2014. Simple assault, vandalism, prostitution, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, among others, are all down significantly compared to even 2010.

Thus, it isnt clear to us that these are exceptional times which require exceptional changes to the current order of things.

We also are concerned that discussions about partnering with the Riverside County District Attorneys office were given up on too hastily. An offer from District Attorney Mike Hestrin to deputize deputy city attorneys as deputy DAs fell apart after only a handful of meetings.

And now, here we are, with the council likely to put before voters a measure to add millions of dollars to the citys budget and dramatically increase the power of the city attorney.

In the end this isnt a bad idea, but we hope tomorrows meeting can clarify why this measure is worth public consideration.
Re: Honoring S.B. victims means tackling gun violence [Opinion, Jan. 23]: I just had to write and note that Ms. Tina Meins must have inadvertently failed to add a bullet point to the extensive list of ways she believes mass shootings can be eliminated.

To her no doubt sincere but arguably flawed list, I would add the most important one: Eliminate gun-free zones. Sandy Hook Elementary was a gun-free zone. The Charleston church was a gun-free zone. The D.C. Navy Yard was a gun-free zone. Fort Hood was a gun-free zone. The movie theater in Aurora, Colo. was a gun-free zone. Virginia Tech was a gun-free zone. And the San Bernardino education center where Ms. Meins father was tragically murdered by jihadist terrorist killers was a gun-free zone.

In fact, virtually every single site of a mass shooting in the past 20 years has been a gun-free zone. The anti-gun crowd seems to think that getting criminals to obey the law simply requires posting a sign. What they continually fail to realize, however, is that criminals, and now terrorists, by their very nature are those who dont  and wont  obey the law.

I doubt that posting signs with ever larger letters, a different font or maybe even featuring all capital letters will cause bad guys to finally obey one of the more than 23,000 anti-gun laws already on Americas books.

Perhaps if our Justice Department would finally start vigorously prosecuting those who use guns in the commission of crimes, wed start seeing some progress. Until then, I suggest we begin putting the fear in them by permitting the good guys to arm themselves and prevent target-rich environments, known as gun-free zones, from flourishing.

Chuck Cassity

Temecula

Progressive a misnomer

Re: Clinton, Sanders vie for progressive label [News, Feb. 4]. This has to be an example of what George Orwell called newspeak. It took mankind many millennia to throw off the yoke of totalitarian government, and now the Democrats want to progress us right back there.

Every problem they can imagine has the same solution: more government.

Their use of the label progressive reminds me of the marching order, To the rear  march!

Steve Odom

Menifee
CORRECTION: The hiker who died Saturday was in the Icehouse Saddle area, which is a few miles away from Mount Baldy. The hiker who died Tuesday was from Garden Grove. The location of Icehouse Saddle, and the hometown of the Garden Grove hiker, were incorrect in previous versions of this story.

For the second time in less than a week, a hiker has died after falling from an icy trail in the Mount Baldy area.

Many of the nearby San Gabriel Mountain trails were closed Sunday, Feb. 7, through at least Tuesday, officials said.

Dong Xing Liu, 47, of Temple City died Saturday when he and his wife fell in the Icehouse Saddle area, the San Bernardino County Coroners Office reported Sunday.

UPDATE: Officials seek order to close trails after deaths

A sheriffs aviation crew found the couple at 5:34 p.m. but were not able to reach them until 8:12 p.m. Liu was pronounced dead at the scene. Mount Baldy Fire Chief Graham Hendrickson said he was unsure about the circumstances of the fall.

Rescue crews from both San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties had to airlift 12 people, including Liu and his wife, off the mountain Saturday, officials said; they had previously given the number as 10.

Ive been in this department 30 years, and I cant remember a day when we had so many rescues, Hendrickson said.

He theorized what lured the hikers to such dangerous conditions.

I think it was a beautiful day that attracted a lot of hikers, and it was super icy in parts of the mountains, and even experienced hikers were having problems with it, Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson said at least four of the 12 suffered injuries, including a broken hip and rib injuries. Others who werent injured were stranded in icy conditions and felt unsafe being there, Hendrickson added.

A news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said Monday that Dong Xing Liu and his wife were discovered at 7,000 feet.

The release said that two good Samaritans who were hiking in the area heard calls for help and found the couple. The two people comforted Lius wife, Linda Duan, until help arrived. A text message was sent to the couples daughter, who dialed 911.

Sgt. Daniel Futscher couldnt say how far the two had fallen because they had been hiking away from the trail, so he didnt know where they fell from.

On Tuesday, Daniel Nguyen, 23, of Garden Grove fell 1,500 feet to his death while he was hiking on the Devils Backbone trail that leads to Mount Baldy.

Rescuers told his family that he lost his footing as he reached out his hand to save a friend who had slipped.

Mount Baldy is the commonly used name for Mount San Antonio, which at 10,064 feet is the tallest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains. Icehouse Saddle is about 4.5 miles southeast of Mount San Antonio.

The San Gabriel Mountains were showered with snow Jan. 31, followed by rain, Mount Baldy Fire Capt. Gordon Green said Saturday. That combination caused the icy trail conditions. Green said the ice is solid as a rock.

Hendrickson said the trails in that area will be closed at least until Tuesday, when officials will reassess whether they should reopen. The weather is expected to be warm and windy early this week, with temperatures at Mount Baldy in the upper 60s Monday and Tuesday.

Futscher said he was thrilled to hear that the trails would be closed off.

When Im at home and my guys are up there (rescuing people), Im worried that something could go wrong, he said. Id rather prevent it at the beginning of the day.

Futscher said the only people who should have been on the mountain Saturday were professionals. He said some of the hikers who were rescued had the proper equipment but couldnt say whether Liu and his wife did.

The sergeant also urges people to not only consider what conditions are like in the parking lot when they arrive at the mountain, but also what they will be like higher up.

It may look nice and beautiful in the parking log but it could be 30 degrees colder where youre going, he said.

Futscher also recommended that people understand their limitations, and Henderson echoed that sentiment.

People need to exercise good judgment, Hendrickson said. If theres situations they are uncomfortable with, its time to turn around and call it a day.

Hikers planning to trek Mount Baldys trails can call the U.S. Forest Services visitors center there in advance at 909-982-2829 to learn about trail conditions.
Three people were hospitalized Sunday, Feb. 7, after a head-on collision blocked both lanes of Highway 38 near Onyx Summit in the San Bernardino Mountains.

The lanes were blocked for more than two hours after the crash, which was reported about 2 p.m.

Two people were taken by ground ambulance to Bear Valley Hospital in Big Bear. One person was transported by medical helicopter to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.
A metal strap was reportedly hanging from a construction project on the 91 transition road to the 15 freeway, scratching at least one vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol traffic log.

The hanging strap was first reported to the California Highway Patrol just before 10:20 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 7. By about 2 p.m., the incident was cleared from the traffic log.

According to the CHP traffic log, the strap scratched one vehicle, and at least one person was worried it may hit other vehicles.

The strap was reported around a stretch of the 91 thats expected to shut down for 55 hours Feb. 19-22 to build a new bridge over the freeway at Maple Street.

John Standiford, deputy executive director of the Riverside County Transportation Commission, said he was looking into the matter and advised commuters call the helpline for the Corona project for further information.

The helpline number is: 877-770-9191.
UASHIMAMA is an adorable design & fashion company founded in a terrace in Tuscany, Italy (hows that for serenity?). UASHMAMA pairs paper, leather and fabric with functionality, tradition and innovation to bring some sweet washable paper designs in the form of accessories and home wares (yes  go drool over their Instagram RN if you havent already experienced the minimal sophistication that is UASHIMAMA). A rare opportunity has arisen for a Retail Manager (SYD) to come on board. As Retail Manager, youll be the head honcho of all aspects of the store, staff and brand! Youll need to support the establishing of the brand in your respective market, the developing of a superb sales team as well as aiming to constantly creating crazy-cool brand experiences. If youre full of the posi vibes, keen to join a start-up company full of opportunities, and be apart of the establishment of a beautiful brand, (who will no doubt be killing it), then apply HERE.

Endemol Shine Australia is part of the Endemol Shine Group, the joint venture between Endemol, Shine and CORE Media, to create a global content creator, producer and distributor with over 600 revenue-generating formats across scripted and non scripted genres. ESAs slate represents some quality programs (that you have most definitely binge-watched from time to time), including The Voice, MasterChef and Australias Next Top Model. An awesome opportunity has come up for an experienced Production Supervisor (SYD) to join the Sydney HQ. To be the ESA fit, you gotta be open to a collaborative approach to work on the reg, be super supportive when it comes to employee matterz, have some serious experience in a similar role, and be top-notch at all things negotiating and influencing. If this sounds like your dream stint then apply HERE.

Southern Cross Austereo is one of Australias most exciting and innovative media companies. Reaching millions of Australians everyday through their leading radio, television and digital networks, Southern Cross Austereo create more hours of live content than any other broadcast media in Australia and provide a wide range of unique media offerings across all platforms. Southern Cross Austereo are searching for some degree-qualified journos who are keen on taking the next step in their broadcasting journey career as a News Producer / TV Presenter (ACT). To be perf for the role, youll need to be a strong on-air performer with a good news voice and presenting style, youll need to thrive in a fast-paced environment, be a stickler for accuracy in the facts, and have a genuine care-factor for regional news and its importance to local communities. If youre keen on joining a killer crew that is all about the good vibes and culture, and have some semi-solid experience in a radio or TV newsroom, then go get em. Apply HERE.

Uber came about one snowy Paris evening, when the now founders, had trouble hailing a cab  so they came up with a simple idea  tap a button, get a ride.

What started as an app to request premium black cars in a few metro areas is now changing the logical fabric of cities around the world. Uber is seeking a small group of unbelievably talented and thoughtful Graphic Designers (SYD) to define and execute against a giant vision that builds upon what Uber has brought to the world so far. To be noticed by the team at Uber, youll need to have worked with world-class brands, youll need to be primarily digital (with some analog tendencies), youll be a natural story teller, be incredibly productive, and cross-platform will need to be your kinda style. If youre stoked on the idea of building a worldwide brand, while ensuring its success and future evolvement, and you wouldnt say no to being showered with Uber credits monthly, then shoot your CV through HERE!

All deets courtesy of Pedestrian Jobs.

Dont let your dream job slip you by  Love your work!

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and get yourself signed up to our Daily Job Alerts.
Senator Bob Casey Jr. meets with PennLive

With the help of a poster board graphic, Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. on Monday highlighted his second-term accomplishments. Casey was in Harrisburg to meet with the PennLive editorial board. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com

(Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com)

Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. (D-Pa) on Monday continued his weekend campaigning for Hillary Clinton in a meeting with the PennLive editorial board.

Casey said he thought Clinton would "ultimately prevail" not only in New Hampshire, but in Pennsylvania.

"As an individual and as a candidate I think the more you know about the record, the more you know about the fight she's waged, the better she does," said Casey, who was in New Hampshire this weekend campaigning for Clinton ahead of that state's primary on Tuesday. "I think people are beginning to get a sense of the whole record."

Casey said he predicts Clinton "will run very strong" in Pennsylvania. Clinton won soundly over President Obama by 10 points in the 2008 Pennsylvania primary.

"In some ways I think the potential might be greater this time to win here," Casey said.

Casey said he has not endorsed anyone for the Senate race.

The second-term lawmaker was scheduled on Monday to meet with Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse and Police Chief Thomas Carter for a debriefing on threats and investigations in Harrisburg.

In December, law enforcement agents arrested a 19-year-old Harrisburg man and charged him with using the internet to spread ISIS terrorism propaganda. Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz is set to stand trial beginning April 4.

Casey said that supporting local law enforcement agencies was one of the best ways to help fight terrorism.

"Sometimes people think all of the work and efforts undertaken to stop terrorism emanate from Washington. But a lot of work is done right here by the Harrisburg Police Department, the Philadelphia Police Department and the police departments from big and small towns," he said.

Casey said that not only taxpayers needed to be reminded, but fellow House and Senate colleagues, that they have an obligation to help state and local law enforcement agencies fight terrorism. He said that while many Congressional colleagues use "tough language" in speaking about the war on terror, the tough stance does not translate when it comes to funding police departments.

"If you are going to talk tough on getting terrorists, you have the obligation to fund the efforts....folks in Washington need to do more to help local efforts," Casey said.

Casey who is not up for re-election in this election cycle, but the next one, said he planned to run. With the aid of a poster board graphic, Casey highlighted his second-term accomplishments, including passage of the so-called ABLE Act, which extends to families with children with disabilities the same tax-free savings accounts given for families saving for college.

Casey also highlighted his Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, which was rolled into the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill, among its provisions, requires uniform reporting standards for sexual assaults on college campuses and promotes "bystander responsibility."

Asked about the general sense that constituents say they do not always know his accomplishments, Casey said it was the nature of his job.

"I'm a legislator," he said, adding that the work of executives such as governors and mayors get a lot more media coverage than that of legislators, whose work is often rolled into larger bills, for instance.

"Their work has more intensive coverage and that sharpens the sense of work," Casey said. "Plus we're going through a difficult time in Washington when most news out of Washington is fairly negative."

Asked why he chose now to highlight his accomplishments, Casey said it was an opportunity to convey information on priorities and what he had been able to get "over the goal line."

"There's a lot going on and I 'm at midterm in the Senate. Six years is a long time," Casey said. "If you wait until five or six years to report back on what you're working on, it makes it more difficult."

Casey said that regardless of who wins the Democratic nomination, he or she would have a "good environment in which to run."

"It's helpful that Republicans have the majority," he said. "That gives you another argument where you can contrast your candidacy with what may not be happening with the other party."

Casey, who did not talk about Clinton challenger Sen. Bernie Sanders, said Clinton was committed to advancing the policies laid out during President Obama's two terms. In addition, he said, she has a "deep abiding" commitment to "protecting the American people."

He said the Clinton camp needed to continue to get "the information out there." He said that while she had "more challenge" with younger voters, for instance, Clinton would prevail.

"I think she will make progress," Casey said. "I don't think that forecloses her ability to reach same voters later in the primary season or general election."
beatty.png

William S. Beatty Jr.

A former Lebanon County man who pleaded no contest to scores of charges in connection with a tri-county crime spree seems destined to die in prison after a state Superior Court panel denied his latest appeal.



The state judges rejected William S. Beatty's claim that he didn't have effective legal counsel when he entered this pleas in Lebanon County Court in November 2010. Beatty, 49, formerly of Fredericksburg, pleaded no contest to 87 criminal counts, including robbery, burglary, assault and theft charges, just after his jury trial began.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/03/five_men_charged_in_lebanon_co.html



He was among five men charged with involvement with a corrupt organization that committed crimes in Lebanon, Dauphin and Lancaster counties between 2007 and 2009. Beatty is serving a state prison sentence of roughy 47 to 94 years.



In the recent Superior Court opinion denying Beatty's appeal, Senior Judge Patricia H. Jenkins concluded his no contest pleas were entered voluntarily and knowingly, despite his claim of ineffective counsel.




disabled-student-beated-at-pa-school.jpg

A student with cerebral palsy was bullied and beaten at his western Pennsylvania high school last week. Worse, the incident was videotaped and other students can be heard on the tape laughing.

(screen shot/KDKA)

A student with cerebral palsy was bullied and beaten at his western Pennsylvania high school last week. Worse, the incident was videotaped and other students can be heard on the tape laughing as 16-year-old Isaiah Wooding is shoved to the ground and kicked.

Since then, officials in the Penn Hills School District has been expressing outrage, vowing to turn over the matter to police. All this, according to KDKA in Pittsburgh.

The victim spoke to the news station, recounting the episode and the oddity of watching himself beaten on the video, which has since made the rounds on social media:

"I'm kind of angry and hurt. I feel like the violence of anybody, not just me, should stop," Wooding told KDKA. "When I got up, I couldn't even move at the time. I didn't even know what hit me."

Go here for KDKA's video on the story.

Meanwhile, Penn Hills Superintendent Nancy Hines released the following statement noting that the administration has launched an investigation into the incident, and promises that anyone involved with be "dealt with accordingly, including referrals to local law enforcement":

The Penn Hills School District is deeply concerned and saddened by what is being displayed via social media and at least one local news channel. The PHHS administration began an immediate investigation when concerns were first reported yesterday. Their investigation continues, and anyone having played a role will be dealt with accordingly, including referrals to local law enforcement. Assuming the video clips are authentic and have not been altered, our full staff and Board are absolutely disgusted and embarrassed by the lack of compassion displayed by students closest to the incident and those who created further upset by recording and posting those terrible images online. That is NOT the Penn Hills Way, and we know the overwhelming majority of our students are embarrassed and disgusted as well!!!
MONTOURSVILLE -- State police have obtained DNA samples from two men accused of breaking into a home near Montoursville, robbing the owners and setting their bi-level on fire.

Search warrant affidavits made public Monday state DNA samples were obtained last Thursday from Michael James Houseweart and Brian Matthew Vroman for comparison with evidence found by police investigating the home invasion.

That evidence includes a flashlight and ski masks believed used by the intruders and duct tape used to restrain Gary and Linda Inch during the Jan. 27 invasion.

Houseweart and Vroman, both 27 of Canton, are in the Lycoming County Prison without bail on 43 counts each including attempted homicide, robbery, aggravated assault and arson.

Police are looking for the Inch's daughter, Michelle Lynn Inch who turned 32 Monday, has not been seen since about 5 p.m. on Jan. 26. That's when Houseweart, her boyfriend, got into her car with a shotgun. Police said they told people they were going target hunting.
Medical Marijuana

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse is asking city council members to consider changing marijuana possession to a summary offense instead of a misdemeanor. The change would free up officers' time and reduce fines for offenders, while giving them a second chance, the mayor said. (AP Photo/Jim Mone,File)

Harrisburg is looking to join Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in reducing the charge of marijuana possession to the same level as a traffic ticket.

Legislation to change the crime from a misdemeanor to a summary offense is expected to be introduced Thursday at the City Council legislative session.

The move would allow for more effective policing, said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse.

"It's a strain on police officers, because they need to testify in court," he said. "It's tying up the judicial system unnecessarily."

By shifting the charge to a summary offense, more defendants will simply pay their fines and reduce the amount of times officers need to camp out in court, he said.

Harrisburg's proposal differs from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, most notably in that people will only get two chances to take advantage of the lower level crime.

A first summary offense would carry a fine of $100; a second offense $200.

But if someone is caught possessing a small amount of marijuana for a third time, the charge bumps back up to a misdemeanor, which carries a larger fine and stays on the person's permanent record.

"It's three strikes and you're out," Papenfuse said. "We felt we could comfortably do this. It's a much better use of everyone's time."

The proposal has another advantage in protecting people's job prospects by not condemning them with a criminal record for a one or two small mistakes, the mayor said.

"We're not decriminalizing it. We're not pro-drug use, but we are simply aware of the benefits of reducing it to a summary offense," he said. "If someone makes a small mistake, it shouldn't follow them for the rest of their life."

If a juvenile is caught with a small amount of marijuana, however, the parents must be notified in addition to the citation.

Harrisburg police charged people 645 times last year for marijuana possession and 676 in 2014.

Making the crime a lower level priority would reduce law enforcement expenses and permit the city's limited resources to be focused on more serious violent crimes, according to the proposed bill.

The "small amount" of marijuana is defined as 30 grams or less, according to the proposal.

As it stands, the District Attorney's office regularly reduces misdemeanor marijuana possession to an ungraded misdemeanor with a fine, according to the proposal.

District Ed Marsico said he was still studying the proposal. He wanted to talk to other district attorneys with similar ordinances.

"I have some concerns," he said. "I generally believe we should have uniformity in our laws throughout the county. I know there are some issues with the time and manpower utilized on these cases, but I would like to see some data."

City council members don't need Marsico's blessing to proceed with adopting the ordinance, which would allow police to charge under the new ordinance.

The change in classification would mean smaller fines for defendants and also redirect where the fines go. Fines for misdemeanors go to court, but summary offense violation fines would go to the city.

The proposed bill dictates that any revenue should be allocated to the city's public safety special reserve fund.

Council members Thursday will likely refer the bill to a committee for further study.
Sen. Bob Casey Harrisburg.jpg

Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse addressed reporters Monday Feb. 8, 2016, with U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (at right.) Not pictured is Police Chief Thomas Carter who also spoke at the conference about how federal programs help his department.

HARRISBURG- Some members of Congress talk tough on crime, but their votes against programs to help local police departments don't back that up, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said Monday during a visit to Harrisburg.

House Republicans last year voted to defund the COPS hiring program, which helps provides matching grants so local agencies can hire more police officers. The program is responsible for the only new hires within the Harrisburg Police Department this year. The city won a grant to hire five officers.

The federal program survived, but efforts against that program and others, including one to provide local law enforcement agencies with bullet resistant vests, continue, Casey said.

Casey's stop in Harrisburg Monday represented his second in the Commonwealth to discuss federal and local cooperation and threats against federal support for local agencies. He previously delivered his message in Philadelphia and planned to visit Pittsburgh next week.

Local agencies are incredibly important in fighting terrorism with their insight and information from the ground floor, Casey said.

"We had a reminder not too long ago here in Harrisburg about what can be happening sometimes in our midst," he said, referring to the arrest of a suspected terrorist sympathizer. "This challenge we face is not a challenge that Washington itself can deal with. Washington has to work in close partnership with folks on the local level."

It's inexplicable to Casey that some Congress members want to strip funding that could help local agencies. A philosophical divide is emerging in Congress with some members believing that municipalities should be able to stand on their own financially as much as possible.

But Police Chief Thomas Carter said Harrisburg on its own simply can't afford the kind of highly technical training required for the rapidly changing environment of violent extremists. City officers could use additional training for active-shooter situations, Carter noted.

Casey met privately with Carter and Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse prior to his public remarks discuss the current status of threats, investigations and training.

Papenfuse said Harrisburg has benefitted from all the programs that are currently under threat in Washington.

"You can't have it both ways," Papenfuse said. "Either you support local law enforcement or you don't."

Casey noted that federal, state and local partners worked well together to root out the suspect operating from his parent's home in Harrisburg to support the terrorist group ISIS.

"In this case, it worked out," he said. "We have to make sure it works every time."

Besides the COPS hiring program and vest program, Casey cited another program he believed had successfully helped police departments: the Justice Assistance Grant program, which he believes could be better funded.

"These are a couple of examples where Washington can help directly on funding programs that everyone knows works," he said. "We have to get more folks in Washington to recognize that's the best way to help."
bald-eagle-killer-sought-in-pa.jpg

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is hunting the illegal shooter who took down an immature bald eagle that was found dead in Carbon County.

(Pa. Game Commission )

This time, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is hunting the hunter. In this case, the illegal shooter who took down an immature bald eagle that was found dead in Towamensing Township, Carbon County, the Pocono Record is reporting.

The Northeast Region Office of the Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking anyone who may have information on the shooting.

The eagle was discovered on Jan. 31 in a wooded area near an intersection.

However, Wildlife Conservation Officer Cory Bentzoni tells the newspaper that the eagle was fatally shot, likely before Jan. 23.

"These majestic birds cannot protect themselves from people intent on doing them harm," Bentzoni told the newspaper. "We are hopeful that someone will step forward with information concerning this senseless act."

Anyone with information is asked to call 570-675-1143.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has accused the British Medical Association of being totally irresponsible in its behaviour during the ongoing dispute over junior doctors pay and conditions.

A second round of industrial action by junior doctors (outside of emergency care) in England is planned this week after contract negotiations with the government recently broke down again with no resolution in sight.

The governments threat to impose a contract is a key sticking point, and the BMA also argues that its proposals will mean a salary cut for doctors despite an 11% rise in basic pay, because of new restrictions on what is considered unsociable hours pay.

Also, the union has strong concerns over the removal of safeguards to ensure that junior doctors arent being over-worked, and it insists that more doctors and nurses are essential if the government is to push ahead with its plans for seven-day services.

But Hunt told the BBCs Andrew Marr show: Its incredibly disappointing the totally irresponsible way the BMA has behaved in refusing to sit down and talk about how we can improve patient care and spreading misinformation.

Doctors angry

He said junior doctors are angry because they were told by the BMA that their pay was going to be cut - it isnt. They were told they were going to be asked to work longer hours - they arent. And it youre told by your union that your health secretary wants to do these awful things then of course youre going to feel devalued.

However, comments from junior doctors read out by Marr on the programme seem to paint a different picture. One said: With so many patients to see Im absolutely petrified Im too exhausted to look after them properly. If we are stretched, even more thinly, over seven days, I am certain patients are going to die.

Another stressed that the progression is at absolute breaking point. I see doctors in tears because they are so despairing about what the future holds. Jeremy Hunt has done this. Hes driving away a whole generation of doctors.
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European farm commissioner, Phil Hogan, is visiting Colombia and Mexico this week in his first diplomatic offensive to open up new markets for EU agri-food products.

I expect the visit to be intense and valuable in terms of opportunities, said Mr Hogan, pictured above. The Colombian and Mexican markets are thriving and provide good potential for the dairy, pigmeat, fruits and vegetables, spirits and wine sectors.

The commissioner is accompanied on the visit by business delegates from no fewer than 34 companies and producers organisations, drawn from 14 EU member states.

I look forward to building on our existing trade agreements and showing that Europe is open to business, in particular for agri-food products, he said.

Just how much pigmeat progress can be expected is open to question, however.

There may be some potential in these two markets but I wouldnt expect a massive trade, AHDB Porks market specialist manager, Stephen Howarth told Pig World.

Mexico is quite a large pork importer, taking around 700,000 tonnes last year, but, as you might expect, most comes from the US (85%) and Canada (15%). The bulk of shipments are hams and its unlikely that the EU could compete on price for them, especially given the much higher transport costs. Therefore, any shipments are likely to be for lower value cuts but the market for them is limited.

Mexico is also a significant offal importer, taking 200,000 tonnes. There might be more chance of EU product competing in that market, although currently the US and Canada dominate again.

Colombia is a much smaller importer of pork, taking 53,000 tonnes in 2014. Again, the US and Canada are the leading suppliers, at 75% and 16% respectively, with almost all the remainder sourced from Chile. Offal imports are just 5,500 tonnes.

I suspect that shipping any significant volumes of pork to Colombia would mean developing consumer demand. Pigmeat consumption is relatively low in the country at around 6kg/head, with beef and poultry being the dominant meats. However, if pigmeat consumption was pushed up, additional supplies would probably be based on imports as I dont think the domestic industry is that strong.

Its against this background therefore that commissioner Hogan will meet the Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, today, as well as the Colombian ministers for trade and agriculture.

Hes then due in Mexico on Wednesday this week when he will meet the Mexican minister of agriculture and economy. Several visits to local producers are also planned.

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The theory of Six Degrees of Separation supposes that everyone is six or fewer steps away from any other person in the world. In the motorcycle industry, it is fair to say the same is true of every model ever made by every manufacture to ever exist; but which motorcycle is separated by the least steps? Which one sits right smack-bang in the centre? Surprisingly, the Answer is the Rikuo Type 97; an American-powered bike produced in Japan by a conglomerate of many small companies that would later become the automotive kings of Asia. And all as a result of protectionist policies designed to assist British Manufacturers with technology passed to German and Italian companies through the War Alliances of the time. It is no wonder, then, that this 1938 Type 97 belongs to our bike-and-battle-obsessed friends at the Motos of War collection in Russia known as The Motorworld by V.Sheyanov.

For all the incredible stories that make up the history of the worlds motorcycles, perhaps no other can rival that of the Type 97. In the 1920s the UK introduced tariffs to protect its industries including its motorcycle manufacturers and at the same time the increasingly militarised government of Japan was subsidising its own motorcycle industry to protect its domestic producers. This took a huge toll on Harley-Davidsons export sales and by the time the Great Depression hit in 1929 the Milwaukee company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Through a series of complex events the Imperial Japanese Army, fast becoming the defacto Government of Japan, acquired a license to reproduce the HD Flathead engine in Japan under license. Given the IJA had already invaded Manchuria, the license should never have been granted under US law. But the IJA hid their involvement behind a company called Sankyo, who not only acquired the license but had an entire Harley engine factory transported to Japan from the US.

[superquote]Sankyo not only acquired the license but had an entire Harley engine factory transported to Japan from the U.S.[/superquote]

Production of both the Flathead V-Twin engine began immediately and by the time the engine was being pieced together for this particular bike in 1938 the design might have been Milwaukee owned, but the components were all being made in Japan and the task of construction was given by the IJA to companies scattered around the country including some that would become household motorcycle names and one that would later become Mazda. Having refused to buy a license for the new Knucklehead design the Japanese companies had become masters of the Flathead and it was renowned for its reliability. With high-compression the engine produced a healthy 28hp at just 4000rpm with more than enough torque to power the sidecar-motorcycle combination. Part of this torque came from the increased capacity to nearly 1300cc over the 1200cc American version of the VL design. Although Harley-Davidson was developing its engine in a similar vein, on each side of the Pacific the path to increased performance and reliability were very different. By 1938 HD had been producing their VLH engine for two years with 80 cubic inches, while Rikuos were 77ci but somehow the Japanese were producing more torque, the secret to which was a state guarded secret.

That extra torque became vital considering the drivetrain loss that is associated with powering an extra wheel as the Type 97 does with both the rear wheel and that of the sidecar being driven. To achieve this, a wet multi-plate clutch works in conjunction with a three speed gearbox to send drive to the rear wheel. From here a coupled driveshaft sends power directly across the rear of the side car to its wheel hub. This was an early addition to the sidecar equipped Rikuos as Japans invasion China and particularly in Manchuria required a military vehicle capable of performing in adverse conditions caused by war, lack of infrastructure and the sheer muddy nature of its operating environment. Aiding in this endeavor was the significant amount of ground clearance of both the motorcycle and sidecar, with the drive components all elevated in the design to avoid bogging and striking debris.

Capable of transporting three fully equipped soldiers, the Type 97 was still known for its remarkable maneuverability. The Japanese spent considerable development on the suspension to achieve this remarkable feet and it starts with the rigid frame that was assembled and welded in such a way that it would flex to deflect the impact of large rocks or rough ground. The front suspension too was precise and sturdy for the time, consisting of a friction dampener and varying length pendulum style forks to dissipate energy. The rigid rear meant that there was less stress on the driveshaft for the sidecar but a relatively soft leaf spring arrangement allowed the weight of the total vehicle to shift rearward under increased acceleration providing additional grip when traction was lost.

Assisting that level of grip came from deliberately narrow wheels carrying heavily knobbed tyres that not only dispersed water and mud but ensured the maximum amount of weight was applied to each square inch of tyre making contact with the ground. The body work is also a key clue to the intended use of the machine, huge mud stopping fenders were fitted front and rear and the aerodynamic side car was mounted high above its own frame rather than sitting in a cradle. The fit and finish are what you would expect from a Japanese vehicle with minimal controls and instruments designed to cope with adverse climatic conditions. While the rider and passengers sat on well-appointed hard-wearing leather-bound seats extra options were minimal as the weight of such a vehicle ballooned.

That weight was considerable, 500kg and stopping it in such conditions meant that the sidecar had its own drum brake to assist. But given that Japan had largely only built small capacity engines for their motorcycle industry it was the clever acquisition of the Harley-Davidson engine design that made powering such a machine possible. The fact that a major US company had effectively given superior technology at a bargain price to a country that would very soon be the enemy following the bombing of Pearl Harbor is a major reason why information about the Type 97 is so scarce.

[superquote]A major U.S. company had effectively given superior technology at a bargain price to a country that would very soon be the enemy[/superquote]

Although it is believed some eighteen thousand vehicles were produced, largely for the IJA, very few survive today. Many examples used in China, Mainland Japan and Manchuria were destroyed, a face-saving exercise for both sides and although Rikuo survived the war and produced V-Twins of a smaller capacity by the early 60s the company had ceased to exist.

But one final twist would bring this whole story full circle and show just how intrinsically linked the Type 97 is to so many motorcycles that we even ride today. Revealed years later, the Rikuo brand originally established by the Sankyo company, who had acted on behalf of the IJA to dupe Harley-Davidson and US law makers was sold in 1949, including all their parts, plans and designs, to a company still known today, Showa. A leading suspension component manufacturer who not only supplies the likes of Honda, Ducati and Kawasaki, but to Harley-Davidson themselves.

It is truly one of the greatest stories never fully told and you can not only sit on this piece of motorcycle history but take it for a ride too. Simply contact The Motorworld by V.Sheyanov to find out how and twist the throttle on a machine that packs more motorcycle DNA in its core than any other. Tell them we sent you.
Two Acadia Parish Sheriffs Office were stabbed Saturday while attemping to make an arrest near a grocery store.

Public Information Officer Maxine Trahan, the deputies were stabbed while attempting to make an arrest at Legers grocery store in the 8000 block of Grand Prairie Highway. Trahan said the deputies are being treated at a Lafayette area hospital, and appear to have suffered non life threatening injuries.

Trahan also confirmed that the suspect was captured after being tased by one of the injured deputies, KLFY TV.
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For tortured souls who spend time opining, or commenting, on the state of politics in America there are few things any more that are surprising or encouraging. However, there is a recent news item that is both surprising and encouraging; although it garnered a religious reaction that was typical and disgusting.

Despite a serious rash of reports from around the world about the incredible, and scientifically-proven, benefits of cannabis to human beings health, there is still severe resistance from law enforcement, the pharmaceutical industry, and religious fundamentalists to legalizing the common weed for medicinal use.

Even though the United States government has finally admitted what medical and biological researchers have known for at least a couple of decades, that cannabis is a highly-effective remedy for a world of diseases, ailments, and injuries, there is still opposition to making cannabis legally available to suffering Americans.

The surprise news is that about a week or so ago a Utah State Senator and devout Mormon, Mark B. Madsen, proposed a Medical Cannabis Act. If passed and signed into law, the bill will allow the use of medical marijuana for patients suffering from ALS, Alzheimers, Crohns, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, PTSD, chronic pain and a world of ailments and injuries.

By now, some Americans are aware there are myriad stories of Americans whose quality of life has improved dramatically because they used marijuana that eased their pain, prevented muscle spasms, stopped nausea, killed cancer, shrunk tumors and relieved combat veterans PTSD; among many other infirmities. But despite scientific research and long-term medical studies from around the world and at home, there is still opposition to using the natural substance for religious reasons; reasons that did not stop Mark Madsen.

The only problem with Senator Madsens bill is that the most powerful entity in Utah, the mighty Mormon Church, is vehemently in opposition to it regardless it is legislation founded on compassion for human beings. The official Church position as expressed by LDS spokesman Eric Hawkins is, Concern about the unintended consequences that may accompany the legalization of medical marijuana is why we are opposed to Senator Madsens bill.

Now, the LDS church did not enumerate any of the unintended consequences of medical marijuana use because they are a religion and does not need to explain its position because god. Even if a religion hates the idea of legal recreational weed use, legalizing marijuana for medicinal use to relieve suffering should be a non-issue; particularly for any religion claiming to have an ounce of compassion for the suffering of others.

The reason why Mr. Madsen broke with Church rules to try medicinal marijuana, in Colorado where it is legal, is reported here in his own words. It is a short read and a story often heard from one-time opponents of medicinal cannabis. The gist of Madsens experience is that he nearly died of an accidental opioid overdose prescribed for a severe back injury, and after trying marijuana for relief, he immediately pushed for its legalization in Utah because it works!

Mr. Madsen could have saved himself a near-fatal opioid overdose if he had spent even a few minutes on the U.S Government NIH website, but he did not; although his Mormon wife Erin did.

According to Mrs. Madsen, she had a bounty of misgivings about medicinal marijuanas effectiveness for anything and said it was a huge leap to support her husbands decision to use cannabis as medicine. But then she did something highly unusual for a conservative or a religious devotee; she actually read the studies and learned how it could relieve her husbands suffering without potentially killing him like the dangerous opioid drugs he needed just to function.

Mrs. Madsen said,

I think as we look at this issue we need to realize that cannabis has been sold to us as something it is not. One thing I realized when I started looking at this was so much that I knew was not true.

That is likely due to only listening to her church, the pharmaceutical industry, and the highly-profitable criminal justice system. There are a world of things the powers that be feed Americans that are not true and interestingly her husband came to precisely the same conclusion as his wife. Senator Madsen said,

I realized it was misguided government policy that was keeping relief from these innocent patients and I started to take a different perspective. It wasnt just about me and my back pain. There are other people suffering, and suffering worse than I, who could benefit from this. When it became an issue that was not just about me I realized I had to do something.

Now, it is irrelevant that Madsen is a Republican or a devout Mormon; the man has compassion that is refreshing coming from a religious conservative. Although one vehemently detests his staunch libertarianism and repulsed by his religion, Mr. Madsen deserves praise for personally seeking out the truth about cannabis and actually doing something his church is dead set against; attempting to help other suffering human beings get relief without dangerous and addictive narcotics or pie-in-the-sky magic.

This opposition to relieve suffering is typical of more than just the Mormon church and more than just about medicinal marijuana use. It is religious dogma getting in the way of common sense that adversely affects womens healthcare, education, and equal rights that end up costing the nation dearly. In this particular case, it is the Mormon Churchs willingness to see sick and injured people suffer needlessly instead of adjusting its own rules as an expression of its alleged devotion to Jesus Christs commandment to show compassion; at least for suffering Mormons. And that brings up another religious abomination.

Mr. Madsen said he asked to discuss the reasons for his churchs stance and ardent rejection of Christian compassion, but he was rebuffed. If he fails to toe the LDS line and embrace religion-informed cruelty, he may be more than rebuffed and find himself removed from the church. As one writer noted, there is some irony in a religion founded on made-up stories that wants to punish suffering patients, mostly Mormon patients, on the basis of made-up consequences.

It is one thing for the Churchs saints to Tell members not to use medical marijuana, but is revealing that like their evangelical brethren, they insist on the right to tell every Utah citizen not to use medical marijuana whether they are members of the LDS faith or not. That is the overriding and glaring feature of most American Christian fundamentalists; Its not enough that they devise bad ideas that harm their devotees, they demand that those bad ideas be applied to everyone by force of the government; it is what conservatives hypocritically claim is government overreach.

For some Americans it is difficult to comprehend how any Christian-affiliated church can support an idea that perpetuates suffering as a form of godly devotion, or to launch a crusade to punish people who openly reject their brand of theology. It is not that there are not mountains of empirical data proving that cannabis is a genuinely effective medicine, it even has its own section on the official U.S. government website; with links to studies proving its efficacy.

It is just too bad the Mormon Church cannot follow the steps two of its adherents took and look at this issue to realize that cannabis has been sold to us as something it is not, and that so much is not true. The religions devotees should realize the same is true about the mythos that has been sold to them over the years; but that is a step too far to hope for.
An estimated 110 million watched the Super Bowl between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos on Sunday. But the big game was really no match for the Chinese New Year, which is celebrated by a fourth of the planet's population.

Just hours before kickoff, an estimated 550 area Chinese-Americans gathered at Mayo High School to welcome the Year of the Fire Monkey with dancing, singing, comedy skits and feasting. The monkey is a happy creature, known for its curiosity and positivity, and that bodes well for all of us.

Yongwen Wu, an IBM employee and translator, has fond memories of New Year's celebrations while growing up in a province south of Beijing. New Year's always was a grand affair, with families gathering from all over. The young would receive money and new clothes, and the celebrating would last for weeks, beginning days before the New Year and concluding two weeks after it.

"It's kind of like your Christmas with presents and gifts," Wu said. "I miss (those days). Here we have the celebrations but not quite so big."

Sunday's celebration also underscored the degree to which the Chinese immigrant and Chinese-American population has grown Rochester.

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Dr. Bingkun Chen, the event's organizer and a Mayo Clinic assistant professor of medicine and neurology, recalled that when he arrived in Rochester 16 years ago, such celebrations could be hosted in people's houses, the community was so small.

Now that population is estimated at more than 1,200, and it has its own Chinese school at Rochester Community and Technical College to keep its culture and linguistic traditions alive and vibrant. There are now 500 Chinese people employed at Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Mikel Prieto, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon and past medical director of international operations, noted that 90,000 people from outside the U.S. came to Mayo to receive medical care. And of those, the "biggest growth has been from the Chinese," which has tripled in number.

Bingkun said it was only after the invitations for the celebration were sent did people realize that event fell on the same day as Super Bowl Sunday.

"Then some people said, 'you know, that day is the Super Bowl,' but we couldn't change it," Bingkun said. There might be a slight falloff from the 600 people who attended last year, but it would hardly diminish a celebration that now draws people from Eyota, Austin and the Twin Cities and is likely to grow in the years ahead.
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A San Antonio tabloid says it will publish the names and addresses of every police officer in the San Antonio police department, following the shooting of an unarmed black felon by a San Antonio policeman. Local TV station KENS reports:

36-year-old Antronie Scott was being followed by a undercover police officer Thursday night. Police say when Scott got into a car in a parking lot on Sahara Street, a uniformed officer was called in to arrest him. The department says the officer saw something in Scott hands he believed was a gun. He shot Scott once in the chest, killing him. The object in Scotts hand turned out to be a cell phone. No gun was found at the scene.

This account doesnt mention it, but Scott was wanted on felony firearm and drug charges.

Today the San Antonio Observer, a tabloid, called a press conference and spoke on behalf of Scotts family. The editor-in-chief, Stephanie Zarriello, says shootings of citizens by officers go unpunished because the officers remain anonymous. Like Ku Klux Klansman with hoods, (officers) do everything they can in order to protect their identities for fear of being brought to justice, said Zarriello.

This statement is bizarre on several levels, not least because there is no secret about the identity of the officer who shot Scott. His name is John Lee, as has been widely reported. Lee is a ten year veteran.

Thats why the San Antonio Observer says it is planning to publish the names and addresses of every officer in the San Antonio Police Department. Just as the names and addresses of sex offenders are publicized in order to protect the public from their wicked behavior, we feel that our community has the right to the exact same level of protection, said Zarriello.

Sure, because every single officer on the San Antonio police department is just like a convicted sex offender.

This kind of incident is easy to ridicule, but it is typical of the war on law enforcement that is going on across the United States, with the support of the Obama administration and liberals generally. We have barely begun to see the lethal effects of this war.
As conservatives sort through the wreckage from Marco Rubios close encounter with Chris Christie the other night, some are debating the question of what Rubio would do as president about illegal immigration. Its a vitally important question and a fair one, given that Rubio has been all over the place on this issue.

Kevin Williamson at NR says that anti-amnesty conservatives have nothing to fear from a President Rubio. But Mickey Kaus says we can count on Rubio to sign amnesty legislation similar to the Gang of Eight bill if hes elected.

Neither view persuades me.

Williamson relies on the fact that, in all likelihood, Republicans will maintain control of the U.S. House. He writes:

[The House] is going to be a conservative one backed up by a lot of conservatives in the Senate, and our hypothetical President Rubio is never going to sign that amnesty bill because Congress isnt ever going to send it to him, even if he were so inclined  which I dont think he is.

But Paul Ryan presumably will be Speaker, and Ryan backs amnesty and path to citizenship. He pledged not to push for this in 2016, but thereafter all bets are off.

Does this means, as Kaus claims, that the combination of President Rubio and Speaker Ryan [will] quickly pass an amnesty bill that (like the Gang of 8) contains only the most chimerical guarantees of new enforcement measures? No.

I can imagine Ryan, a principled guy, defying a large portion of his caucus and risking his Speakership to pass amnesty legislation if he believes Rubio will sign it. However, its hard to imagine Rubio risking his presidency (at least in the first term) by signing, or showing willingness to sign, an amnesty bill.

Rubio couldnt govern without the support of the conservative GOP base. To defy something like half of the Republican members of Congress and the will of most Republican voters would doom his presidency.

This would be true even if Rubio hadnt pledged to secure the border before doing anything for those who are here illegally. But Rubio has so pledged. To begin his presidency by breaking a key promise to conservatives seems almost unthinkable.

A more realistic concern is that Rubio-Ryan will enact border security legislation, getting Democratic support by assuring them that amnesty will follow, and later push for amnesty based on false or inflated claims that the border has been secured. But even this move would jeopardize his presidency. Only if the border actually is secure will Rubio likely support amnesty. In this scenario, amnesty, though undesirable, isnt the end of the world in my view, unless it carries a path to citizenship.

I agree with Mark Krikorian who says the odds that [Rubio and Ryan would] try [amnesty] again are greater than we should be comfortable with. Any odds greater than zero make me feel uncomfortable, and deep into a Rubio presidency, the odds go up.

But the odds Im fixated on now are the odds of a Democrat winning the White House. If Rubio is the GOPs best bet to prevent this, then maybe I can tolerate the low odds that he will at some point revive the push for amnesty.
PR-Inside.com: 2016-02-08 14:17:46

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Sophos (LSE: SOPH), a global leader in network and endpoint security, today announced the findings of its recent survey, The State of Encryption Today. The survey polled 1,700 IT decision makers from mid-sized businesses in the United States, Canada, India, Australia, Japan and Malaysia, about their encryption habits, concerns and plans.Key findings of the survey reveal that private, highly-sensitive employee information, including banking details, human resource (HR) files and personal healthcare records, is at risk. While many companies take the security of their customer data seriously, employees are not protected to the same level.For example, 31 percent of the companies surveyed that store this type of data admit that employee bank details are not always encrypted. Forty-three percent of the companies holding sensitive employee HR files dont always encrypt them, and nearly half of those that store employee healthcare information (47 percent) fail to consistently encrypt these records.Of the U.S. companies surveyed that do use encryption, only 79 percent claim to always secure employee bank details, making it the most advanced of the six countries. By comparison, 48 percent in Japan fail to consistently encrypt employee bank details, making their employees the least protected.Company data remains at risk as well. Nearly one-third (30 percent) of all organizations surveyed fail to always encrypt their own corporate financial information, and nearly half (41 percent) inconsistently encrypt files containing valuable intellectual property. The percentage is higher in the U.S. where 62 percent of organizations cite the need to secure proprietary data as a key driver to encryption.Cloud data security is also driving encryption adoption. More than eight in ten companies (84 percent) expressed concern about the safety of data stored in the cloud. Nevertheless, while 80 percent are using the cloud for storage,only 39 percent encrypt all files stored in the cloud. The U.S. leads all six countries with a propensity to encrypt all files in the cloud with 48 percent of those surveyed in America doing so. Malaysia is at the opposite end of the spectrum with only 17 percent of businesses surveyed encrypting all files in the cloud.Data breaches happen to large and small companies every day, and the last line of defense against that breach turning into a corporate crisis is a comprehensive data encryption policy, commented Dan Schiappa, senior vice president and general manager of Enduser Security at Sophos. While it is the customer data breaches that hit the headlines, companies have the same obligation to protect sensitive employee data, and they should not overlook it. Encryption demand is growing although companies cite budget, performance concerns and lack of deployment knowledge as the top three barriers to implementing a solution. Three-quarters of organizations acknowledge that they need to improve how they encrypt and secure employee, customer and company information. In fact, over the next two years, 69 percent of organizations surveyed plan to increase their use of encryption, showing that companies are moving in a positive direction.The State of Encryption Today survey confirms that while encryption is widely used and accepted by businesses, it also highlights critical gaps, continued Schiappa. Unfortunately, I am not surprised by the findings because too many people mistakenly believe that encryption is too complicated or too expensive to implement. The reality is that modern, next-generation encryption solutions can be easy to deploy and quite cost-effective. The State of Encryption Today survey methodology includes 1,700 IT decision makers interviewed in the U.S., Canada, India, Australia, Japan and Malaysia. All respondents were from organizations with 100 to 2,000 employees in all sectors, excluding government. Vanson Bourne, an independent specialist in market research, conducted the study.
Civilians in Central African Republic (CAR) remain at risk of deadly violence and instability unless serious weaknesses in the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, are urgently addressed, Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

With a new president to be elected in less than a week, Amnestys report Mandated to protect, equipped to succeed? Strengthening peacekeeping in Central African Republic analyses how major gaps in personnel and equipment resulted in UN peacekeepers failure to prevent and contain a serious outbreak of violence in Bangui in September 2015 that led to the death of over 75 people, including many civilians.

The organisation is calling for a major review of the apparent failure to protect civilians in September 2015, including of MINUSCAs capacity to carry out its mandate, covering factors such as training, equipment, coordination and the number of operational uniformed and civilian personnel.

MINUSCAs presence in CAR has saved many lives and prevented much bloodshed, but the extreme violence that erupted in Bangui in September 2015 exposed the Missions weaknesses. However today, it still lacks the resources it needs to adequately protect civilians, said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty Internationals Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa

Ensuring the peacekeeping force is well-equipped to prevent and contain large scale violence, as well as support the government in ensuring justice, must be an absolute priority to help end the cycle of conflict and injustice that has blighted CAR for so much of its history.

On January 31, 2016, the French Minister of Defence announced that the majority of the countrys 900 troops present in CAR will be withdrawn by the end of the year, adding urgency to such a review.

Septembers outbreak of violence

Despite the presence of 2,660 UN police and military personnel in Bangui, MINUSCA forces were unable to adequately contain violence that erupted there on 26 September. At least 75 people, mostly civilians, were killed over a period of three days. Homes were destroyed, 42,000 others were displaced and at least a dozen women were raped in a single district on the first day alone.

One 18 year old women told Amnesty International how she was raped on 26 September: I went to the market for shopping I heard gunfire. I ran back home but near the office of the local red cross, I was stopped by six men wearing military uniformsThey put some cardboard on the ground. A young man and an old man raped me.

Amnesty International found that MINUSCA were unable to respond to some requests from medical personnel to help transfer casualties on 27 September.

One medic told the organization: We received 25 wounded, of whom 13 severely so, and we could not take them to the hospital with our vehicle because access was blocked due to insecurity. My staff called MINUSCA for help and MINUSCA said they couldnt comeThe day after we lost six of those severely injured.

According to witnesses interviewed by Amnesty International, MINUSCA did not intervene in key areas of conflict until the second day of violence, and did not take action to take down roadblocks manned by armed groups until the third day.

Under-equipped to respond

While the weakness of the CAR state was regularly cited as an important factor hindering efforts to protect civilians, key experts interviewed also raised a series of concerns with MINUSCAs capacity to respond to violence. They identified major gaps in training and equipment and an alleged lack of troops available to peacekeepers.

One senior MINUSCA source told Amnesty International: When theres gunfire, we can only send the guys in armored vehicles. But several of these are currently out of service.

Experts also cited significant coordination problems between different parts of the peacekeeping force. Such problems led to 450 UN troops in Bangui being left unused during the opening days of violence.

Interviews with communities highlighted how suspicion and hostility towards MINUSCA has grown. One 45-year old man from Bangui told Amnesty International: People expected a lot. MINUSCA told us to wait. That soon theyd be 12,000. But today, with 12,000 men, we dont see them on the groundWhen people wait on them to intervene, they never come. And when they do, it is too late.

Interviews with leaders of armed groups showed that they use the absence of protection by MINUSCA in many areas as justification of their own continued existence to protect populations.



Opportunity to strengthen

Measures taken by MINUSCA following the September 2015 violence, including the arrival of some additional troops to Bangui and a change in command structures, enabled them to react more effectively to a number of violent episodes in October 2015. Major outbreaks of violence have been avoided between October 2015 and January 2016 even during the visit of the Pope, the constitutional referendum and the first round of Presidential elections.

Yet there remains little guarantee that MINUSCA would be able to adequately respond to a further large scale outbreak of violence. The UN Security Council is due to consider the renewal of MINUSCAs mandate in April.

Central African Republic has one of the worlds most challenging peacekeeping environments and it is vital that MINUSCA has the means to implement its mandate to protect civilians, ensure justice and support the new government, said Steve Cockburn.

There has been a major investment by the international community to try to end decades of instability in CAR, and now is the time for the UN Security Council to redouble its commitment and work with a newly elected government to put the country on a more stable path once and for all.

****************************************

Background

MINUSCA was deployed in CAR in September 2014, taking over duties from the African Union-led International Support Mission (MISCA).

Between 14 October and 23 November 2015, Amnesty International conducted interviews with 85 people in Bangui and Carnot. These included senior MINUSCA military and civilian staff, government officials, diplomats, international and national NGO staff, members of armed groups, as well as witnesses and victims of crimes under international law and human rights violations and abuses.

In recent months, international forces in CAR, including UN peacekeepers, have been the subject of a number of allegations of sexual abuse. The UNs response to these investigations was criticized by an expert panel in December 2015, and they have since promised a number of actions to investigate the reports. In August 2015 the head of the UNs MINUSCA peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic resigned after Amnesty International revealed the rape of a 12-year-old girl and apparent indiscriminate killing of a 16-year-old boy and his father by MINUSCA forces.
On Thursday, January 28, Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of Nigerias anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), received a letter.

The two-paragraph letter from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, made only one request from the anti-graft chief. Signed by Muhammad Diri, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, the letter asked Mr. Magu to forward the case diary in respect of investigation into the OPL 245 Malabu scandal.

The letter, which should normally be a routine one, caused a dilemma to the EFCC chief. It put him directly in the middle of a conflict, a senior government official called cold war between the Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The crux of the disagreement between the vice president and the attorney general concerns what decision the administration should take as it tries to resolve the fraud and controversy surrounding the allocation of immensely rich OPL 245 to Malabu and its subsequent assignment to oil majors, Shell and Eni.

PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported the recommendations made by the justice ministry to the presidency regarding the resolution of a long-drawn scandal which has given Nigeria a bad name, and is being investigated by authorities in Italy, UK, Nigeria, and the U.S.

The recommendations

One of the recommendations which has since been accepted by the Attorney General was for the nullification of the tripartite agreements that ceded the oil bloc to Shell and Eni. The committee described the agreements as null and void, saying it should not be given any legal effect by the FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria) as doing so would amount to the FGN condoning and perpetuating illegality.

The two oil firms had in 2011 agreed to pay to Malabu, through the Nigerian government, the sum of $1.3 billion dollars for the bloc. While the oil firms claimed at different times that they paid the money into the Nigerian government account not knowing who the final recipient would be, the former attorney general, Mohammed Adoke, who co-signed the agreements on behalf of the federal government, said the government only served as a mediator between two willing parties.

Over $800 million of the money has since been paid into accounts controlled by ex- petroleum minister, Dan Etete, with most of it believed to have been distributed through phoney companies to top Nigerian government officials, including Mr. Adoke.

Apart from calling for the cancellation of the agreements and the retrieval of the bloc, estimated to contain about nine billion barrels of crude, the justice ministry also called for the prosecution of both Nigerian and foreign officials involved in the scam.

It also recommended that Shell and Eni be fined at least $6.5 billion (five times the $1.3 billion Shell and Eni originally paid in 2011 the block) for their roles. This, it stated, should be done in accordance with the relevant provisions of our laws in conformity with international best practices via the appropriate courts (at) home or abroad as the case may be.

Although Mr. Malami is yet to formally advice the presidency on these recommendations, multiple sources close to the Vice President said he was already aware of them and agrees with all but one.

The disagreement

One of the major recommendations of the justice ministry was that the oil bloc return to Malabu.

Properly speaking, in the eyes of the law, OPL 245 still belongs to Malabu and was never fully transferred to Shell/Agip/Eni, the ministrys committee that reviewed the case said in its report.

A lawyer who was involved in drafting the ministrys recommendations told PREMIUM TIMES that that conclusion was based on some considerations: Malabu was the only one legally allocated the oil bloc by Nigerian government; Mr. Etete who represented Malabu during the 2011 agreement was not a shareholder of the company and had no legal right to do so, an information to which all the other parties including Shell, Eni, and the Nigerian government were privy of; and past presidents, including Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, had all agreed Malabu was the owner of the bloc.

In fact, after a thorough independent investigation, the House of Reps concluded that the oil bloc revert to Malabu, and wrote the federal government on that, the source, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said.

However, that recommendation has been rejected by both the Vice President and the Presidential Advisory Committee on corruption, headed by eminent law professor, Itse Sagay.

That recommendation cannot stand, a source close to the Vice President said. Malabu itself was registered falsely and it deceived the government into getting the bloc. The bloc should return to the government.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how Mr. Etete, as petroleum minister, awarded the oil bloc to Malabu in 1998. He also created a fictional character, Kwekwu Amafegha, to own 30 per cent shares of Malabu; the other owners being Mohammed Abacha, son of late dictator Sani Abacha, and Hassan Adamu, a former Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S. Mr. Etete created the fictional director because he did not want to be seen awarding an oil bloc to himself.

Controversy lingers

In explaining the Vice Presidents stance on the OPL 245 saga, an official close to him, who asked not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter, said it was Mr. Sagays committee that was directly assigned by President Muhammadu Buhari to look into the case and report to the presidency on the matter.

He described the vice president offices involvement as informal.

However, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that while the Malabu issue signposts the conflict between the VPs office and the justice ministry, there is indeed a deeper turf fight between the two entities.

Sources at both the Justice Ministry and the VPs office told this newspaper that part of the recommendations of the presidential committee was that a special prosecution team made up of private credible lawyers be set up.

The team would report directly to the vice president, who himself is a professor of law and former Attorney General of Lagos State. The team, if approved by Mr. Buhari, would prosecute major corruption cases like Malabu, and review pending ones like the Halliburton and Siemens corruption cases.

What is then the function of the Justice Ministry and all the government lawyers being paid by the government, an official of the ministry close to the Attorney General said. If the government thinks they are not competent, why continue to pay them.

Mr. Malami would not comment on the friction between his office and that of the VP. He did not answer or return calls. Neither did he respond to a text message sent to him. He was also not present in his office when PREMIUM TIMES visited his ministry.

DOWNLOAD: Attorney Generals letter to the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

Magus dilemma

While the cold war persists, the EFCC chairman, Mr. Magu, is yet to provide the case file requested by the Attorney General.

His dilemma, insiders at the anti-graft agency say, is complicated by the fact that about a week before the AGFs letter, he received a similar one from the Vice Presidents office to which he already replied.

The EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, denied knowledge of any of the letters and would not comment on the status of the investigation into OPL 245.

Mr. Diri, however, confirmed that the EFCC chief was yet to respond to the letter from his ministry.

And until Mr. Malami gets the case file, he as Attorney General and Justice Minister cannot write President Buhari on his recommendations on how to resolve the OPL 245 fraud.
A Federal High Court in Lagos, Monday, dismissed an objection by Government Ekpemupolo (also known as Tompolo) to his arrest brought and renewed a warrant order it had earlier issued on the former militant leader.

Judge Ibrahim Buba said the application by Mr. Ekpemupolos lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo, urging the court to set aside an order of substituted service was misconceived, misplaced, and misapplicable.

Up till today the first defendant has refused to honour the invitation of the court to appear before it, the judge said.

The whole essence of service is to make the person aware of charges facing him. By bringing an application before the court, the first defendant had become aware of the charge before the court.

Mr. Buba adjourned till February 19th and ordered all the relevant security agencies to produce Mr. Ekpemupolo.

Mr. Ekpemupolo and Patrick Akpobolokemi, the former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, are accused of a multibillion naira fraud at the agency.

Others charged alongside the duo are Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, Odimiri Electrical Ltd, Kime Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Ltd, Gregory Mbonu, and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.

Festus Keyamo, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, said all the accused persons reported to the Commissions office by 7 a.m. on Monday ahead of their court appearance, except Mr. Ekpemupolo.

The former militant leader had continued to ignore the courts order for his appearance.

However, unlike previous court sittings, he sent a lawyer to represent him on Monday.

Mr. Oyetibo, a senior advocate of Nigeria, announced his intention to challenge the manner in which the prosecution effected the courts order for substituted service on his client.

On January 12, this court made a specific order for substituted service on the first defendant to be pasted on the gate of No.1 Agbamu street in Warri, Delta State, said Mr. Oyetibo.

In purported execution of that order, the prosecution deposed an affidavit of service on 14th January and exhibited a photograph of the premises to which the service was pasted.

The building shown in the photograph is a completely different property.

The question is whether the prosecution has carried out the order made by this court. If the answer is yes, then we can proceed with the hearing of this matter.

The judge, however, made it clear he would not entertain any attempt to delay the trial, adding that the new Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 had ushered in change.

He dismissed Mr. Oyetibos application.

Mr. Keyamo had earlier told the judge that Mr. Ekpemupolos continued shunning of the court as well as EFCCs invitations were an affront on the judiciary.

He also urged Mr. Oyetibo to sign an undertaking that he would produce his client at the next adjourned date, a request the latter flatly turned down.

It is the duty of the prosecution to produce the defendant, not his counsel.

Speaking to journalists after the courts sitting, Mr. Keyamo said Mr. Ekpemupolo can no longer be issuing directives from the comforts of his bedroom.

His lawyer refused to an undertaking to produce him in court, so everybody is avoiding Tompolo, Mr. Keyamo said.

So the security forces should make sure they produce him before the court, and that is the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector General of Police, the Director of State Security Services, the EFCC, and all other. They should produce him before the court.

This is the Federal Republic of Nigeria, no one person, I repeat, no one person is above the law. Its not possible. They should produce him.
An anti-corruption coalition group, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has urged the National Judicial Council (NJC), to investigate the the role of a retired judge, George Oguntade, in the alleged bribery and corruption probe of the chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar.

Aside facing the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to defend himself on petitions of corrupt acts, the CCT boss may soon be guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), owing to some petitions submitted to the anti-graft agencies against him.

However, in a petition addressed to the chairman of NJC by the CSNAC through its national chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the coalition urged the council to investigate the role of the retired Mr. Oguntade in the probe of Mr. Umar especially as it concerns how the retired judge was alleged to have tried to subvert the course of justice in favour of Rasheed Taiwo, a retired Comptroller of Customs who had a case with the tribunal.

Taking the cue of its call for the investigation of the retired justice from the transcript of an interview an online Newspaper, Sahara Reporters, had with Mr. Umar, the CCT chair, and published on November 26, 2015, the group said a thorough investigation of what transpired between Messrs Oguntade, Umar and others will restore the confidence of ordinary Nigerians in the judicial system as the last hope of the common man.

According to excerpt of the interview, the tribunal chairman revealed that the said Mr.Taiwo was introduced to him by Justice Oguntade. He stated, He (Oguntade) called me to say that he has a brother who has a problem in my court and asked whether there was any way I could help him. For him to even open his mouth to ask whether I could help his brother was even wrong, which means he wanted me to commit an illegality.

He (Justice Umar) however responded thus My Lord, this is the position Im going to take, and you should ask your cousin to look for a very good lawyer to defend him, and that is all I can do.

The report further states that as at the time the Chairman met with Justice Oguntade, Mr. Taiwo had not been served yet because he was evading summons. Upon meeting the retired Justice, he told him to inform his cousin to get a good lawyer. About a week after he was back at his office in Abuja, Mr. Taiwo visited Justice Umar introducing himself as directed to see him by Justice Oguntade.

At that point, the CCT chairman said he understood what was happening and said to Mr. Taiwo, I have spoken about you with the Honorable Justice Oguntade and I told him that you should go and get a good counsel, and that is the only thing I can do for you. Go and get a counsel to represent you, after which the man left his office.

Justice Umar further stated that he was not aware of any transaction between Taiwo and his personal assistant. According to him, the whole episode was stage managed to tarnish his image and get him out of office.

According to CSNAC, Over the years, judges and other judicial officers have been criticized for engaging in various corrupt practices, which include making pronouncements that are at variance with provisions of the law, ignoring judicial precedents as well as giving judgments for a fee amongst others. These corrupt activities have no doubt caused a huge dent on the image of the bench, miscarriage of justice, as well as eroding the confidence of litigants in the judiciary.

Former Nigeria Bar Association President Mr. J.B. Daudu SAN had some time ago described some judges as courier, accusing some eminent retired justices of being the midwife between serving justices and litigants to sell judgements.

The group stated further that, CSNAC is therefore by this petition demanding that the Council carries out its constitutional responsibility by conducting a thorough investigation into the alleged role of Justice Oguntade (Rtd.) in the matter and appropriate sanctions be handed down where he has been found culpable.

This will not only restore the confidence of ordinary Nigerians in our judicial system as the last hope of the common man, it also show that the law is truly no respecter of persons and contribute greatly to ridding the bench of corruption; thereby returning the judiciary to its enviable status, the petition reads.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Kayode Oladele, has pledged the support of the members of the House to ensure that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is adequately funded to enable it discharge its duties effectively.

He made the promise during the EFCCs budget defence before the committee members on February 8, 2016.

The funding of the EFCC remains a priority for the government and we are here to ensure that you are well-funded, Mr. Oladele said.

Acknowledging the important role of the anti-graft agency in executing President Muhammadu Buharis anti-corruption war, Mr. Oladele assured the EFCC of an effective representation before the appropriation committee.

The Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu, presented a budget proposal of N11,422,991,540 (Eleven Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty Two Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety One Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty Naira) to the Committee.

Mr. Magu noted that the Commission could not give a figure for its personnel budget because the 2016 personnel budget template designed by the Ministry of Budget and Planning only made provision for detailed nominal roll without estimate and as such, the Commission was not in a position to justify the Ministrys proposed figure.

The personnel cost for the agencys 2015 budget, according to Mr. Magu, was N7,127,316,354.00 (Seven Billion, One Hundred and Twenty Seven Million, Three Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty Four Naira) for a staff strength of 2,173.

He, however, told the Committee, that the Ministry of Budget and Planning fixed the 2016 personnel cost at N6,664,040,791.00 (Six Billion, Six Hundred and Sixty Four Million, Forty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety One Naira) which represents a 6.5 per cent reduction or a differential of N463,275,563.00 (Four Hundred and Sixty Three Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Three Naira).

Its a figure which could hamper the work of the Commission especially because of a planned recruitment of additional 750 staff of different cadres in 2016, he said.

Mr. Magu explained that the EFCC currently relied on seconded staff from the Nigeria Police Force, because the EFCC is a young organisation and it is cheaper to have seconded staff right now because their salaries are still being paid by the Police, but the plan is for EFCC staff to take over gradually.

He requested the assistance of the lawmakers in the completion of the EFCC head office building, noting that it had a completion period of 43 months which was due in February 2015.

The EFCC currently pays about N200,000,000 (Two Hundred Million Naira) in rent per year because its offices are in different places and this poses challenges of space and security especially with regards to the safe keeping of official documents and proper human resource control, he said.

Mr. Magu appreciated the committee members for their promise to back the EFCC in its mission to rid the country of economic and financial crimes, stressing that the agency needed such support.
Seventeen people were killed in an automobile crash on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, said on Sunday.

Yusuf Salami, the Oyo State Sector Commander of the commission, told the News Agency of Nigeria that 79 persons were injured in the crash.

Mr. Salami said that the accident, which involved an articulated vehicle and a Peugeot J5 bus, occurred at Sepo area of the highway.

Mr. Salami said the accident occurred due to impatience, over speeding and struggle for the right of way by both vehicles, which were travelling from Ibadan to Lagos.

A Peugeot J5 with number plate XS 626 LSV and a DAF articulated vehicle with number plate AA 902 MML, crashed as both drivers were struggling for the right of the way.

They were both going to Lagos when the accident happened at about 9.30 a.m. (on Sunday), he said.

There were 96 people involved with 17 confirmed dead; it is obvious that both drivers were over speeding and suddenly lost control of the vehicles.

The Peugeot bus was loaded with passengers and goods but the casualty figure rose because the other vehicle was travelling to Lagos with huge number of illegal passengers, he said.

Mr. Salami said that the corpses had been deposited at the Adeoyo State Hospital morgue in Ibadan, while the injured were taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan Central Hospital and Kejide Hospital.

(NAN)
The Nigerian Senate has rejected calls for the resignation of its president, Bukola Saraki, following Supreme Court ruling that upheld his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

This was disclosed by the Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Abdullahi, who said he was speaking on behalf of my colleagues in a statement on Monday.

He said there was no basis for the Senate President to resign, insisting that Mr. Sarakis ordeal was politically motivated and not about any anti-corruption fight.

From the beginning of the trial last September, we have declared that this case is not about any fight against corruption. It is simply a case of political vendetta.

Our position remains the same. We still believe that the case is politically motivated, he said.

On this ground, he stressed that we want to state categorically that there is no basis for the call on the Senate President to resign until after the matter is decided in that final judicial forum. Such a call at this time is premature, mischievous and unwarranted.

Last Friday, the Supreme Court rejected Mr. Sarakis appeal against the competence and jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to try him for 13-count charge of false asset declaration slammed on him by the federal government.

The development generated renewed calls on Mr. Saraki to resign as he faces corruption trial, with the Unity Forum, an anti-Saraki group, and Like Minds, a pro-Saraki group squabbling over the subject.

In separate interviews with PREMIUM TIMES, on Sunday, Kabiru Marafa Of Unity Forum, asked Mr Saraki to resign to save the image of the National Assembly but the call was rejected by Dino Melaye of Like Minds caucus who said Mr. Sarakis trial amounted to a plot to mess with the National Assembly.

Giving further reason to reject the call for Mr. Sarakis resignation, the Senate spokesperson added, We also noted that the decision of the Supreme Court given last Friday was on preliminary matters arising from the commencement of the trial. The trial proper is yet to begin. And since the fundamental principle in our legal system is that a defendant is deemed innocent until proven guilty, we have decided to patiently observe the proceedings until the case runs its full circle in the nations final judicial forum.

He expressed the support of his colleagues for Mr. Saraki, saying We stand by him as he goes through the trial at the CCT where we believe he will be able to prove his innocence.

We also call on members of the public to ignore the ranting of a few Senators who having failed to get the wish of their sponsors done on the floor of the Senate are now launching media campaign against the leadership of the Senate, he added.

Mr. Abdullahi said the Senate is stable and focused on objective consideration and timely passage of the 2016 budget proposal.

We also want to say that we will not make any further statement on this case until the matter has been decided in the final judicial forum, said.
The Nigerian Army has set up a court-martial to try cases of misconduct, indiscipline, among other misconducts that led to recent deadly attacks on Dalori and other Borno communities.

A statement by the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Sani Usman, said the Nigerian Army had already begun investigations into the matter, noting that those found wanting will be dealt with.

The recent unfortunate attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on communities close to Maiduguri, despite our successes calls for concern.

To this end the Nigerian Army has already commenced investigation into the attacks. All those found wanting will be dealt with in accordance with the Armed Forces Act.

A standing Special Court Martial in the North East has already been established by the Nigerian Army. All cases of indiscipline and related acts of misconduct including human rights abuse in the operations will be tried by the this Special Court Martial.

The statement added, In recent days there were speculations in the media, especially the online media, to the effect that Operation LAFIYA DOLE has been taken over by the Defence Headquarters and that soldiers are not happy about it. This is not quite unfortunate and figment of imaginations of the respective media which was aimed at distracting the military, create rancour and disaffection among the components fighting Boko Haram terrorists.

Consequently, it is important to reiterate that since inception of the operation there has always been a hierarchy of command and control as indeed in all military operations. The Armed Forces Act (AFA), Cap A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004 in Section 7, clearly states the appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and his powers. He therefore exercises his powers in accordance with the appropriate statue books. He superintends over all the Services; Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and the Nigeria Air Force.

Therefore, the operation in the North East is not an exception.

On the other hand, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) is responsible for all land operations and will continue to exercise that role and as may be directed by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Honourable Minister of Defence, the CDS or directly to the COAS as the case may be. Operation LAFIYA DOLE is essentially Land and Air operation.

The Nigerian Army has the largest troops deployed and therefore the COAS has the responsibility for the operational, command, control and discipline of the Army. This the COAS will continue to exercise by himself or can delegate through his field commanders.

The public and indeed Nigerians are hereby requested to disregard rumours and speculations on the alleged take over of the command and control of Operation LAFIYA DOLE and continue to support the fight against terrorism and insurgency.
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has urged the Nigerian government to jettison its plan to secure a $3.5 billion (about N700 billion) loan from the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

In a letter to the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Falana said instead of taking the loan, the government should direct the anti-graft agencies to recover all loans and revenues accruable to it.

From the information at our disposal, the federal government is owed not less than $66.5 billion (about N13.3 trillion) which ought to be recovered without any further delay, Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, stated in the letter dated February 5.

According to Mr. Falana, the five cycles of independent audit reports compiled by the National Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, showed potential recoverable revenues of not less than $20.2 billion.

The potential recoverable revenues are said to have arisen from underpayment/under-assessment of taxes, royalties, levies and rents.

If you require more information in respect of this matter you may wish to contact your colleague, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning. In her capacity as the immediate past Executive Secretary of NEITI she had called on the federal government to recover the said sum of $20.2 billion.

Mr. Falana said the Central Bank of Nigeria, in 2006, apportioned $7 billion out of the nations external reserves to 14 Nigerian banks to manage.

The amount involved represented 18.39 percent of the total external reserves at the material time, he said.

In addition, following the crisis of global capitalism, which occurred in 2008, the Central Bank of Nigeria gave a bailout of $4 billion (N600 billion) to the commercial banks in the country.

The CBN has not deemed it fit to ask for the refund of the total sum of $11 billion injected into the banking system in the space of two years.

Mr. Falana also said the Presidency, in September last year, announced the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporations commencement of recovering of $9.6 billion in over deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital projects and oil swap contracts.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Falana continued, Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation, disclosed that the federal government had concluded arrangements to recover an additional $750 million from the Abacha loot.

In the ongoing Senate Probe into the affairs of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), it has been revealed that the corporation had accumulated over $25 billion (about N5 trillion) debts as against its Act which put the debt ceiling at N800 billion, said Mr. Falana.

According to Mr. Ahmed Kuru, the Managing Director of AMCON, most of the debtors of AMCON are big men who fly in private jets, live in big mansions and they have taken money and they are not paying back.

From the foregoing, you will agree with us that the hapless Nigerian people should not be made to pay for the gross mismanagement of the national economy by the federal government and the profligacy of the pampered members of the ruling class.

While acknowledging the concerted efforts to recover the looted wealth of the nation through the anti-graft agencies and the Arms Procurement Panel, the Buhari administration should embark on the immediate recovery of the aforesaid loans and accrued revenues with a view to financing the 2016 budget and the infrastructural development of the nation.
Nigerias main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has again shifted the meetings of its national organs that would lead to the emergence of a new national chairman of the party to next week.

The party is currently enmeshed in crisis of leadership following an Abuja High court verdict that recently asked the acting national chairman, Uche Secondus, to step down and hand over to a former presidential aide, Ahmed Gulak or any other suitable replacement from the north east.

The court ruling was sequel to a suit instituted by Mr. Gulak asking the court to name him replacement for the former chairman, Adamu Muazu, who resigned shortly after leading the party to failure in the 2015 election.

Mr. Gulak had insisted that the northeast, where Mr. Muazu hailed from, should produce his replacement to complete his tenure.

Mr. Gulak had two weeks ago stormed the headquarters of the PDP in Abuja where he announced that he was assuming office as chairman following the court verdict.

However, governors elected under the platform of the party rejected the former presidential aide and asked the National Secretary, Adewale Oladipo, to act as chairman until a new head is selected by last week.

To that end, a meeting of all organs of the party was fixed for Tuesday in Gombe.

However, the inability of the northeast to agree on a consensus candidate among the retinue of contenders to the office led to the postponement of the meeting.

The National Working Committee of the party had issued a statement announcing that the meetings of the partys caucus, Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee would hold Tuesday and Wednesday this week after which a new chairman would emerge.

However, it appears that factors that inhibited the Gombe meeting still reared their heads as leaders could not agree on a suitable replacement and other burning issues in the party.

The spokesperson of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, issued a statement late on Monday announcing that all the meetings scheduled for this week had been shifted to next week.

In view of requests by critical stakeholders and leaders of our great party, the National Working Committee (NWC) has approved the shifting of the meetings of key statutory organs of the party earlier scheduled for this week to next week.

In the new schedule, the meeting of the National Caucus of the party has been shifted to Monday, February 15th, 2016 at 7pm. In the same vein, the meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) will now hold on the morning of Tuesday, February 16th while the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will hold at 2pm on the same Tuesday, February 16th, 2016, Mr. Metuh said.

A divided house?

Sources in the party informed PREMIUM TIMES that most of the organs of the party as well as the governors have their own preferred candidates and all are sticking to their guns.

Among the major contenders for chairman apart from Mr. Gulak, included another former presidential aide, Rufai Alkali; a former Minister of state for power, Mohammed Wakil; a former national vice chairman of the party, Wilberforce Juta and the immediate past Minister of the FCT, Bala Mohammed.

Others include the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Adullahi Jalo and Paul Wampana a party stalwart from Adamawa state.
The determination by Tanzanias ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), to hold onto power in Zanzibar, no matter the cost, is approaching recklessness and threatens to open up a new front of violent conflict and extremism in Africa. The Zanzibar Electoral Commission has set a date of March 20th for the rerun of the elections that were annulled in October last year after informal results showed that the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) had won decisively.

Zanzibar is a small nation, a tropical archipelago of islands in the Indian Ocean famed for its beauty and politically a semi-autonomous part of the United Republic of Tanzania, which has been ruled by the CCM since independence in 1962. Despite its size, the struggle for democracy in Zanzibar has much wider ramifications in a region economically rising but facing significant challenges of poverty, unemployment and religious fundamentalism.

The announcement of a rerun rode roughshod over the dialogue that the parties have been engaged in for the last three months to resolve the political impasse.

Since the elections were annulled, the leadership of the CUF has urged its supporters, including many young people who voted for the first time, to remain patient to avoid a repeat of the violence of 2000 when more than 60 people died in clashes after disputed elections. The CUF has decided that it will boycott new elections, which it sees as little more than an exercise in rigging.

Part of the fear of the CCM ruling party seems to be that an opposition victory in Zanzibar will be a first step towards the dissolution of the union with Tanganyika. But this is not sufficient justification for abridging the democratic rights of the Zanzibaris. If anything, it will further fuel their discontent.

The envoys and Ambassadors of a number of countries, including the UK and the US, have sent a strongly worded note to Tanzanian, President John Pombe Magufuli, saying they will not legitimize the election by sending international observers. However, they were not joined in their protest by a single African Ambassador.

President Muhammadu Buhari, as the leader of Africas largest democracy, should signal that Nigeria is prepared to stand up and be counted in favour of the democratic rights of the citizens of Zanzibar.

The elections were declared free and fair by every single international observer mission  the African Union, the Commonwealth, the European Union, the East African Community and the South African Development Community, as well as American and British observers. The count was concluded days before the annulment and it was clear the ruling party had been defeated. All that remained was the official ratification of a handful of results.

Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairman, Zecha Salim Zecha, said he annulled the election because of irregularities but these charges have never been explained, let alone proven. Even if they were, it would be for an independent tribunal to determine whether the offences were so egregious that they merited the extreme action of cancelling an election.

Mr. Zecha, a political appointee of the ruling party, had neither the constitutional nor legal authority to cancel the election, and he took this drastic step without even consulting his fellow commissioners.

One man has been allowed to plunge Zanzibar into a political and constitutional crisis. The equivalent would have been if Professor Attahiru Jega had gone on television to unilaterally annul last years Nigerian elections while the results were still being announced, because of certain irregularities that he would not disclose.

If the new election does go ahead on March 20th, Zanzibaris are likely to go to the streets and conflict might ensue. The ruling party has already moved to stifle dissent by closing down radio stations and banning newspapers, by threats of violence, by beatings and arrests, and by a hugely increased security force presence on the streets.

We find it hard to believe that President Magufuli, who has embarked on a robust public relations campaign, would sacrifice his image by endorsing a fake election that undermines democracy and the rule of law, and threatens to lead to widespread violence and has already been rejected by much of the international community.

PREMIUM TIMES calls on President Magufuli to exercise leadership and to get all parties to work towards a peaceful outcome. He has the wherewithal to bring the situation to a positive conclusion and he should do what is necessary to consolidate Tanzanian democracy.

Also, we call on President Buhari to rally African opinion against this abuse of the democratic process. We should not wait till the deed is done, as in Burundi, before sending out fire fighters.
The Police in Bauchi said on Sunday that a 22-year-old student, Idris Yakubu, had drowned while swimming in a river.

A statement by the commands spokesman, Haruna Mohammed, said that the deceased was a student of Government Secondary School, Toro, Toro Local Government Area of the state.

Mr. Mohammed said that the late student had gone to bath in a stream in Narabi Village when the incident occurred.

He said that the when the police was alerted on the incident, a team, which was immediately sent to the scene returned with the body of the boy.

He said that the body was rushed to the General Hospital, Toro, where a medical doctor certified him dead.

Mr. Mohammed said that corpse had been deposited at the hospitals mortuary pending a post-mortem after which it would be released to the family for burial.

The police advised parents and guardians to warn their children to stay away from streams or rivers in order not to fall victims of drowning.

(NAN)
The Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, on Monday confirmed that the Nigerian military has gained upper hand in the ongoing war against the insurgent group, Boko Haram.

Mr. Shetitima, who spoke to journalists in Maiduguri shortly after his arrival from Saudi Arabia, said he was aware of the tremendous success recorded by the nations military in the fight against terror.

The governor was apparently reacting to the claim by Baba Kaka Garbai, a senator representing Borno Central in the National Assembly, that Boko Haram still controls a substantial part of the state.

Mr. Shettima described the statement credited to the national lawmaker as an emotional outburst, saying as the states chief security officer, he was satisfied with what the military has done.

It is either the senator was emotional or misquoted. The military has recorded tremendous successes in the fight against Boko Haram in the last six months, Governor Shettima said.

You know Ngala, Dikwa and some areas were recently liberated and as the chief security officer of the state, I can confidently say Boko Haram has been decimated, demoralised and degraded. Borno is better off than it was six months ago.

The governor, therefore, urged the people of the state to continue to support the military and security agencies with useful information to enhance their counter-insurgency operations.

Meanwhile, Dele Alonge, an air commodore has been appointed the Media Coordinator of Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole.

A statement signed by the Deputy Director, 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Maiduguri; Mustapha Anka, indicated that Mr. Alonge is an alumni of the National Defence University Islamabad-Pakistan and a seasoned public relations officer.

Before his new appointment, he was the director of public relations and information of the Nigerian Air Force.
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.




HATFIELD, England, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in Israel, with one in eight women affected[i]

Halaven (eribulin), a first-in-class treatment for women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have progressed after at least one prior chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced disease, has received reimbursement by the health authorities in Israel for the treatment of women with triple-negative breast cancer. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline and a taxane, unless patients were not suitable for these treatments.

Eribulin remains the only single agent chemotherapy to significantly improve overall survival in women with advanced breast cancer after anthracycline and taxane treatment compared to commonly used agents.[ii] Eisai will continue to partner with the Neopharm group to ensure eribulin's continued availability to women in Israel.

Approximately 4500 women in Israel are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, with 900 expected to die from the disease.[iii] The rate of breast cancer in Israel is higher than in most Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.[iv] Metastatic breast cancer is a very difficult condition to treat and only 15% of women will survive beyond five years.[v]

"We are grateful to the Israeli health authorities for recognising the needs of women with advanced breast cancer in their decision. Today is an important day for these women and for all those who treat them. Eribulin has demonstrated efficacy in women with advanced breast cancer and may offer people with breast cancer more time to spend with their loved ones. Given the rates of breast cancer in Israel, the fact that eribulin will now be reimbursed in the country is very welcome news indeed," comments Gary Hendler, CEO of Eisai EMEA and President, Global Oncology Business Unit.

"We are very pleased with this news and welcome the opportunity to continue to work in partnership with Eisai for the benefit of women with advanced breast cancer across Israel," states Mr. Efi Shnaidman, GeneraL Manager, Neopharm Israel.

The availability of eribulin in Israel underscores Eisai's human health care (hhc) mission, the company's commitment to innovative solutions in disease prevention, cure and care for the health and well-being of people worldwide. Eisai is committed to oncology to address the unmet medical needs of patients and their families.

Notes to Editors

Halaven (eribulin)

Eribulin is the first in the halichondrin class of microtubule dynamics inhibitors with a novel mechanism of action. Structurally eribulin is a simplified and synthetically produced version of halichondrin B, a natural product isolated from the marine sponge Halichondria okadai. Eribulin is believed to work by inhibiting the growth phase of microtubule dynamics which prevents cell division.

Eribulin is indicated for the treatment of women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have progressed after at least one chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced disease. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline and a taxane in either the adjuvant or metastatic setting, unless patients were not suitable for these treatments.[vi]

Global Phase III Study 305 (EMBRACE)[ii]

EMBRACE (Eisai Metastatic Breast Cancer Study Assessing Treatment of Physician's Choice (TPC) Versus Eribulin E7389) was an open-label, randomised, global, multi-centre, parallel two-arm study designed to compare overall survival in women treated with eribulin versus a TPC arm. TPC was defined as any single-agent chemotherapy, hormonal treatment or biologic therapy approved for the treatment of cancer; or palliative treatment or radiotherapy administered according to local practice. The study included 762 participants with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who previously had been treated with at least two and a maximum of five prior chemotherapies, including an anthracycline and a taxane. The vast majority (96%) of participants in the TPC arm received chemotherapy.

In the total Phase III EMBRACE study population, eribulin was shown to prolong median overall survival in heavily pre-treated women with MBC compared to women receiving TPC by 2.7 months (13.2 vs. 10.5 HR 0.81 (95% CI 0.67, 0.96) nominal p=0.014). A pre-planned analysis of participants from Region 1 of the study (North America/Western Europe/Australia) showed a significant median overall survival benefit of eribulin over TPC of 3.0 months (nominal p=0.031).

The most commonly reported adverse reactions among people treated with eribulin in the EMBRACE study were fatigue (asthenia), a decrease in infection-fighting white blood cells (neutropenia), hair loss (alopecia), numbness and tingling in arms and legs (peripheral neuropathy), nausea and constipation. Peripheral neuropathy was the most common adverse event leading to discontinuation from eribulin, occurring in less than 5% of the women involved in the EMBRACE trial. Neutropenia only led to eribulin discontinuation for 0.6%. Death due to serious side effects, discontinuation and dose interruptions to treatment were lower in the eribulin arm of the trial compared with the TPC arm.

Global Phase III Study 301[vii]

Study 301 was an open-labelled, randomised, two-parallel-arm, multicentre study of eribulin versus capecitabine in 1,102 women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes, either in the (neo) adjuvant setting or for locally advanced or metastatic disease. Women in the study received zero to two previous chemotherapies for advanced disease.

The study opened in 2006 and the last patient was randomised in 2010. Patients were randomised to treatment with either eribulin 1.23mg/m[2] (administered intravenously over two to five minutes on days 1 and 8, every 21 days) or capecitabine 1.25 g/m[2], administered orally twice daily on day 1 to 14, every 21 days.

Study 301 had a co-primary endpoint of overall survival and progression free survival. The study demonstrated a trend favouring improved overall survival with eribulin compared to capecitabine in the ITT population, although the improvement was not statistically significant. Women treated with eribulin had a median overall survival of 15.9 months (HR 0.879; 95% CI: 0.770-1.003; p=0.056) versus 14.5 months with capecitabine. The trial did not meet the pre-specified endpoint for progression-free survival, with 4.1 and 4.2 months for eribulin and capecitabine (independent review) respectively (HR 1.079; 95% CI: 0.932-1.250; p=0.305).

1-, 2- and 3- year overall survival rates for eribulin versus capecitabine showed an early improvement which was maintained throughout the study (1 year, 64.4% eribulin vs 58.0% capecitabine (p=0.0351), 2 year 32.8% eribulin vs. 29.8% capecitabine (p=0.324), 3 year, 17.8% eribulin vs. 14.5% capecitabine (p=0.175).

Unlike studies conducted today, Study 301 included all women regardless of their human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), oestrogen receptor (ER) or progesterone receptor (PR) status. Patients are usually tested for their HER2 status as there are now effective treatments specifically for patients with the HER2 mutation. HER2 positive patients would generally be treated with anti-HER2 positive targeted therapy. For women with HER2 negative MBC (n=755), overall survival was 15.9 months for eribulin vs. 13.5 months for capecitabine (HR 0.838; 95% CI: 0.715-0.983). In the HER2 positive population, overall survival was 14.3 months for eribulin vs. 17.1 months for capecitabine (HR; 95% 0.965; CI: 0.688-1.355).

Adverse events in Study 301 were consistent with the known profile of both drugs.

Metastatic Breast Cancer and the HER2 Protein

Over 300,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Europe every year, of whom about one third subsequently develop metastatic disease.[viii],[ix] Metastatic disease is an advanced stage of the disease that occurs when cancer spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body.

HER2 is a protein that is found on the surface of cells. In HER2-positive breast cancer there is more (over expression) of this protein found on the surface of tumour cells compared with normal breast cells. This protein can be targeted with HER2 targeted therapies such as Herceptin, in people who overexpress HER2, but not in people with normal levels of HER2 protein (HER2-negative) breast cancer. Breast cancers are routinely tested for the presence of HER2 to decide the most appropriate treatment. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) refers to any breast cancer that does not express the genes for oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor (<1%) and HER2 (<30%).

Eisai in Oncology

Our commitment to meaningful progress in oncology research, built on scientific expertise, is supported by a global capability to conduct discovery and preclinical research, and develop small molecules, therapeutic vaccines, and biologic and supportive care agents for cancer across multiple indications.

About Eisai Co., Ltd.

Eisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With over 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realise our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products in multiple therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs, including Oncology and Neurology.

As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through our investment and participation in partnership-based initiatives to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.

For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit http://www.eisai.com.

About Neopharm Group

Neopharm Group, established in 1941, through its family of companies, is engaged in the research and development, manufacturing and sales of a broad range of products in the health care field in 60 countries around the world. We embrace the promotion of innovative ideas, products and services to advance health and well-being. Our family of companies operates in three major segments: Pharmaceutical, Consumer Healthcare, and Medical.

The Pharmaceutical segment provides a complete spectrum of integrated services for international companies seeking to enter or expand their presence in the Israeli pharma, biotech and healthcare markets. For over 70 years we have grown the value of our products, consistently increased our turnover and enhanced our market leadership in Israel. We are considered the Israeli partner-of-choice and a one-stop-shop for multinational bio-pharma companies. Our success is based upon a track record of close collaboration with the world's leading multinational bio-pharma companies.

Neopharm is the exclusive representative and partner of leading multinational bio-pharma and consumer healthcare brands including: Abbott, Actelion, Alexion, Celgene, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Consumer Health among others.

Neopharm enjoys a sales turnover in excess of 400M $US in 2015 and employs 700 employees worldwide.

For further information please visit our web site: http://www.neopharmgroup.com

References

i. Israel Cancer Association, Breast Cancer - http://en.cancer.org.il/template_e/default.aspx?PageId=7749 Accessed: January 2016

ii. Cortes J et al. Eribulin monotherapy versus treatment of physician's choice in patients with metastatic breast cancer (EMBRACE): a phase 3 open-label randomised study. The Lancet. 2011;377:914-923

iii. Israel Cancer Association, Breast Cancer - http://en.cancer.org.il/template_e/default.aspx?PageId=7749 Accessed: January 2016

iv. The Jerusalem Post, Cancer tops list of deaths in Israel - http://www.jpost.com/Health-and-Science/Death-rate-from-heart-disease-down-80-percent-compared-to-1970s-332407 Accessed: January 2016

v. Cancer Research UK, Breast Cancer - Outlook by Grade - http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/type/breast-cancer/treatment/statistics-and-outlook-for-breast-cancer#overall Accessed: January 2016

vi. SPC Halaven (updated June 2014). Available at: http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/24382/SPC/Halaven+0.44+mg+ml+solution+for+injection/ Accessed: January 2016

vii. Kaufman P et al. A Phase III, open-label, randomised, multicenter study of eribulin mesylate versus capecitabine in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes. Presented at 2012 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

viii. World Health Organisation. Atlas of Health in Europe. 2003. World Health Organization, Regional Office of Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.

ix. Cancer Research UK. Breast cancer incidence statistics. Available at:http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/types/breast/incidence/#world Accessed: January 2016

SOURCE Eisai
LONDON and TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Matomy Media Group Ltd. (LSE: MTMY) ("Matomy" or the "Company"), a leading provider of digital performance-based advertising, announces today that the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange ("TASE") has approved Matomy's TASE Dual Listing Application pursuant to the Israeli Dual-Listing Law.

Following admission to TASE, it is assumed that Matomy's shares will qualify for inclusion in the following indexes at the next quarterly review: TA Composite, TA MidCap-50, TA MidCap, TA Tech Elite, TA BlueTech, TA Technology.

Matomy expects that its ordinary shares will be admitted to trading on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange shortly, following the finalization of certain settlement mechanics related to the TASE Dual Listing. Matomy will publish a further announcement confirming the timetable in due course.

No further action is required by the Company's existing shareholders and the Company's shares will continue to be admitted to trading on the High Growth Segment of the London Stock Exchange plc's Main Market.

Ofer Druker, Matomy's Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are delighted to announce our imminent dual-listing on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange. We are confident that this listing will make our shares more accessible to Israeli investors, and enhance our share liquidity, trading volumes, and the number of our shareholders. We believe that our continued growth and business success, combined with the listing on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange, will further enhance our market capitalization and liquidity, building value for existing and new shareholders."

Yossi Beinart, CEO of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange: "We congratulate Matomy on joining the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and we thank the company for its vote of confidence in us. The dual listing of Israeli companies with global presence on TASE is important for the company, the Exchange and the Israeli economy. It gives Israeli investors the opportunity to invest in the company. Matomy will be joining an increasing number of Israeli companies, which understand the financial value of trading on TASE. We will continue to work on bringing additional Israeli companies, which are listed in the U.S. and in London, into the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange."

About Matomy Media Group Ltd.

Matomy Media Group Ltd. (LSE: MTMY) is one of the world's leading digital performance-based advertising companies, delivering results across web, mobile and social media platforms. Matomy provides a single gateway to all digital media channels, and combines internal media capabilities with advanced optimization technology to ensure quality leads and sales for its advertising clients and maximum monetization for its media partners. The media channels include: a display ad network, mobile, social, video, email marketing, search marketing (SEM and SEO) and domain monetization.

For more information:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MatomyMediaGroup

Follow Matomy on Twitter: @MatomyGroup

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/matomy-media-group

About TASE

Established in September 1953, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) is an efficient one-stop shop for the Israeli securities industry, hosting an increasingly sophisticated range of products available to investors, including shares, corporate bonds, treasury bills and bonds, index-tracking products and derivatives. The exchange is home to 461 listed companies with a total market capitalization of U.S$ 200 billion, 600 corporate bonds and 640 Exchange-Traded Notes. TASE is a fully-automated exchange with a central order book trading system, providing clearing, settlement and depository services to local and international investors. To learn more Visit TASE.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this announcement are forward-looking. They represent expectations for the Optimatic's and Matomy's businesses, and involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events, and both Matomy and Optimatic believe that current expectations and assumptions with respect to these forward-looking statements are reasonable. However, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties may exist in some cases beyond the control of Matomy and Optimatic, actual results or performance may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Matomy Media Group Ltd.
PUNE, India, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The report "Metallocene Polyethylene Market by Type (Mhdpe, Mldpe, Mlldpe, Others), by Application (Film, Sheet, Injection Molding, Extrusion Coating, Others) and by Region - Global Forecast to 2020", published by Marketsandmarkets , The global market is projected to reach USD 19.33 Billion by 2020 at a CAGR of 8.9% between 2015 and 2020.

Browse 81 market data Tables and 47 Figures spread through 138 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Metallocene Polyethylene Market"



http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/metallocene-polyethylene-market-248864715.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

Film segment is the biggest application segment

Among the applications, the film application segment holds the largest share in the metallocene polyethylene market. In terms of volume, the film application segment accounted for the largest share in 2014. This application segment is projected to be the fastest-growing application segment of the metallocene polyethylene market between 2015 and 2020. It is expanding mainly due to growth in the packaging industry.

Sheet application segment is the second-biggest application segment

Sheets are thicker than films, and produced with slit dies in a range of width and thickness. Low-MFR material is used to make sheets. They are used for thermoforming, machining, welding, and laminating. One of the advantages of PE sheets is good rigidity-to-thickness ratio, toughness, moisture & chemical resistance, non-toxicity, and good moisture barrier properties.

Sheet application segment holds the second-largest share in the metallocene polyethylene market. It is growing due to growth in the end use applications such as lamination, thermoforming, and machining.

North America is the biggest geographical market segment

The Metallocene Polyethylene Market in North America accounted for the largest share, by volume, of the global metallocene polyethylene market in 2014. The North America market is expected to register the largest share by 2020 owing to the increasing demand from various end-use industries, such as packaging, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.

The major market players in metallocene polyethylene market are The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.) and other global players that are expanding their reach into the Asia-Pacific market considering the lucrative business opportunities in this region. This market is mainly driven by some of the factors like growing population, increasing disposable income and growing packaging industry. The rest of the World accounted for the smallest share in the metallocene polyethylene market, in terms of volume, in 2014, as metallocene polyethylene market is in the introductory phase in the respective region. Among the countries in the RoW region, Brazil is the largest prospect for the metallocene polyethylene market.

For More Info Make Inquiry @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=248864715

An in-depth market share analysis, in terms of revenue, of the top companies is also included in the report. These numbers are arrived at based on key facts, annual financial information from SEC filings, annual reports, and interviews with industry experts, key opinion leaders such as CEOs, directors, and marketing executives. Some of the major market players in this market are The Dow Chemical Company (Michigan, U.S.), ExxonMobil Corporation (Texas, U.S.), Chevron Philips Chemical (Texas, U.S.), LyondellBasell Industries Holdings (Netherlands), Total Petrochemicals (Houston, U.S.) and so on.

Browse Related Reports:

Polyolefins Market by Types (Low, Linear & High Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate), by Applications (Film & Sheet, Injection Molding, Fibers & Tapes, Blow Molding, Others) & Geography - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2018

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/polyolefins-market-1235.html

Polypropylene Catalyst Market by Type (Ziegler Natta, and Metallocene), by Catalyst Manufacturing Process (Bulk Slurry and Gas Phase) - Global trends & forecast to 2020

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/polypropylene-catalyst-market-127854064.html

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is world's No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.

M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.

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SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, February 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Polystar, a leading supplier of Network and Customer Analytics, Network Monitoring and Test solutions to the telecoms industry, today announced commercial availability of its new product, KALIX, that empowers an entirely new way of creating a data-driven customer-centric environment. Set for its global launch at Mobile World Congress 2016, this innovative addition to Polystar's portfolio provides a completely unified real-time view of networks, services and customers and enables Communications Service Provider (CSPs) to obtain greater value from network data in a more agile way.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130226/595502 )



KALIX is the heart of a completely redesigned solution suite that fuels this new approach. It provides a common framework for a new range of solutions that are optimised for agile access to network data. KALIX, in conjunction with Polystar's existing portfolio, delivers superior performance with a significantly smaller footprint, compared to other vendors, and unlocks a number of new and exciting possibilities.

KALIX has been designed from the outset with usability in mind. It offers intuitive work-flows, the ability to interact with live data, run ad-hoc analyses, build reports, share and collaborate. Polystar's innovative approach delivers a capability for agile visualisation of data - reports generated by KALIX are dynamic and every data point is clickable to reveal a new layer of information CSPs can analyse.

KALIX delivers metrics that matter to CSP organisations, revealing KPIs optimised for their needs and removing obstacles presented by legacy approaches that generate thousands of KPIs, adding complexity and inhibiting use.

With KALIX, all stakeholders in the CSP organisation can ask and answer their own questions about data, since it presents the information relevant to daily work, adjusted to every skill level. KALIX allows employees at every level to make data-driven decisions, transforming the efficiency and effectiveness of entire organisations. This democratisation of data and its presentation to each stakeholder represents a significant shift in how CSPs can extract value from their networks and accelerate time to action.

"We are excited to launch KALIX. It is a game-changer, that completely redefines the practice of telco analytics, bringing simplicity to the discipline and democratising data access for all," commented Mikael Grill, CEO of Polystar. "It's a leapfrog from legacy solutions, which rely on complex querying tools that limit true data exploration capabilities. We believe it will help CSPs to run their businesses better and more efficiently."

"Operators are finding it increasingly difficult to relate live user experience to network performance" added Sue Rudd, Director Service Provider Analysis at Strategy Analytics. "KALIX is a customer-centric approach that not only helps CSPs to identify issues faster, but also simultaneously determines which issues have the greatest impact on subscribers. There is a clear and pressing need for tools like this to help CSPs prioritise and act with unprecedented agility. Polystar understands this requirement and is delivering an innovative and flexible solution for End-to-End (E2E) Performance Analysis."

Crucially, KALIX is designed for rapid adaptation and evolution. It is supported by Polystar's global Professional Service Organisation, which works hand-in-hand with CSP partners to deliver highly tailored solutions, optimised for their specific business needs.

Polystar's solutions provide seamless integration possibilities with the third party data sources. By combining multiple external data sources in a single interactive dashboard, Polystar helps CSPs leverage and consolidate their OSS infrastructure, regardless of whether data comes from Polystar's probes or from other probe vendors, network elements and systems such as the CRM.

With KALIX, Polystar is taking the next step in helping its clients improve customer experience and network efficiency. Polystar is redefining telco analytics, bringing unprecedented ease of use and creating an entirely new way of visualising rich, data-driven environments.

Meet Polystar at MWC 2016 to learn how KALIX can unlock data and help the adoption of a more customer-centric approach.

About Polystar

Polystar enables Communications Service Providers to achieve excellence in CEM, Big Data Analytics, Service Assurance, Network Monitoring and High Performance Testing. We help CSPs to simplify their CEM strategies and drive operational efficiency through real-time network analytics. Polystar's real-time Network and Customer Insights uncover a goldmine of data, which yields indispensible analytics to CSPs. Polystar is recognised as one of the fastest-growing companies in Sweden. Since Polystar's foundation in Stockholm in 1983, we have experienced continuous and sustainable growth, and evolved to a global presence, serving our customers in over 50 countries.

For more information, please visit http://www.polystar.com

Polystar Media Contact

Inna Ott

Director of Marketing

Phone: +46-8-50-600-600

Email: inna.ott@polystar.com



SOURCE Polystar
HOUSTON, Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS) today reported the following results for the quarter ended December 31, 2015:

Operating revenue of $395.2 million

Net income of $3.2 million (GAAP) and $23.5 million (adjusted)

(GAAP) and (adjusted) Diluted earnings per share of $0.09 (GAAP) and $0.67 (adjusted)

(GAAP) and (adjusted) Adjusted EBITDAR of $116.9 million ; margin of 29.6%

The Company is reaffirming its adjusted earnings per share guidance for the full fiscal year 2016 of $1.80 - $2.40. GAAP and adjusted results for our 2016 fiscal third quarter were net of charges for bad debt expense of $2.7 million ($2.3 million after-tax and $0.07 per share) and a $1.4 million benefit from changes in foreign currency exchange rates ($1.2 million after-tax and $0.03 per share), which compares to a negative impact from foreign exchange of $15.2 million in the December 2014 quarter ($12.1 million after-tax and $0.34 per share). Adjusted results for the three months ended December 31, 2015 (Q3 FY16) and 2014 (Q3 FY15) are also presented net of loss on disposal of assets and special items as follows:

($ in thousands except per share amounts)

Operating Revenue

Net Income

Diluted Earnings Per Share

Adjusted EBITDAR Q3 FY16 As Reported (GAAP)

$ 395,157



$ 3,202



$ 0.09



n/a

Loss on disposal of assets





1,658



0.05





Special items





18,673



0.53





Q3 FY16 As Adjusted (non-GAAP) (1)

n/a



23,533



0.67



116,907



















Q3 FY15 As Reported (GAAP)

430,318



(968)



(0.03)



n/a

Loss on disposal of assets





21,033



0.60





Special items





4,654



0.13





Q3 FY15 As Adjusted (non-GAAP) (1)

n/a



24,719



0.70



109,056



















Percentage Change Y/Y (GAAP)

(8) %

*





*



n/a

Percentage Change Y/Y (non-GAAP)

n/a



(5) %

(4) %

7 %





_________



(1) See a full reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measurements at the end of this news release.



* percentage change not meaningful

"Our third quarter results demonstrate the success of our diversified business development and economic restructuring efforts in the face of unprecedented challenges for our oil and gas clients. These initiatives demonstrably improved our third quarter margins while improving our competitive position and financial flexibility," said Jonathan Baliff, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bristow Group.

"In oil and gas operations, and in light of recent aircraft accidents in Nigeria, Bristow remains committed to achieving Target Zero. We are proud of our culture of safety, but these recent accidents have been humbling and have strengthened our resolve."

"Also on the operating front, U.K. Search & Rescue ("SAR") startup is largely complete with nine out of ten bases now operational, strengthening our relationship with the U.K. Government as Bristow delivers a step change in SAR capability for its citizens."

"The decline in oil prices is likely to further impact our clients' capital spending in fiscal 2017. As a result, cash generation and financial flexibility will remain our top financial priorities during this downturn. In this challenging environment, the reduction in our dividend combined with previously announced cost reductions, capital expenditure deferrals and $200 million term loan, are intended to provide us with the critical cash and financial flexibility necessary."

Mr. Baliff continued, "But the financial flexibility we create also allows for a deeper transformation of our business designed to improve safety, expand client relationships, and deliver best-in-class service."

"We need to position Bristow for select opportunities to serve clients better, in downturns or upturns. Our recent investment is Sky-Futures, a leading global Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ("UAV") operator, continues Bristow's historical commitment to new and growing applications in oil and gas while expanding into non-energy markets."

THIRD QUARTER FY 2016 CONSOLIDATED RESULTS

Operating Revenue

Our operating revenue for the December 2015 quarter was impacted by reduced activity and revenue from our oil and gas clients resulting from the ongoing cyclical downturn driven by low crude oil prices globally. Operating revenue from oil and gas clients declined $81.2 million, or 21.2%, from the same quarter in fiscal year 2015. Despite challenging industry conditions, our diversification results with U.K. SAR and fixed-wing operations partially offset lower oil and gas revenue as follows:

Operating revenue from SAR operations increased by $35.7 million , or 301.5%, in the December 2015 quarter as a result of the start-up of the U.K. SAR contract in April 2015 , which is reflected in the results of our Europe Caspian Region, and

, or 301.5%, in the quarter as a result of the start-up of the U.K. SAR contract in , which is reflected in the results of our Europe Caspian Region, and Operating revenue from our fixed-wing operations increased by $10.4 million , or 29.7%, in the December 2015 quarter primarily due to the addition of Airnorth in Australia , which is reflected in the results of our Asia Pacific Region.

Changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced gross revenue by $14.9 million in the December 2015 quarter, compared with rates in the prior year quarter.

Reported (GAAP) Net Income and Diluted Earnings per Share

Net income and diluted earnings per share increased by $4.2 million and $0.12, respectively, for the December 2015 quarter primarily due to:

A benefit from changes in foreign currency exchange rates of $1.2 million in the December 2015 quarter compared with a decrease of $12.1 million in the comparable December 2014 quarter, primarily reflected in a $8.1 million increase in earnings from our investment in Lider in Brazil ,

in the quarter compared with a decrease of in the comparable quarter, primarily reflected in a increase in earnings from our investment in Lider in , A loss of $1.7 million on disposal of assets in the December 2015 quarter compared with a $21.0 million loss in the December 2014 quarter as the prior year quarter included non-cash impairment charges for aircraft of $20.5 million , and

on disposal of assets in the quarter compared with a loss in the quarter as the prior year quarter included non-cash impairment charges for aircraft of , and A reduction in costs across our global organization in the December 2015 quarter, reflected primarily in decreased general and administrative, salaries and benefits, and maintenance expense driven by cost reduction efforts in the face of the ongoing downturn in the oil and gas industry.

These items were partially offset by

The impact of a decrease in operating revenue in the December 2015 quarter primarily resulting from the oil and gas downturn,

quarter primarily resulting from the oil and gas downturn, Charges for bad debt expense of $2.3 million related to clients in our Africa and Asia Pacific regions in the December 2015 quarter,

related to clients in our and regions in the quarter, Severance expense of $5.4 million and accelerated depreciation expense of $3.8 million in the December 2015 quarter, and

and accelerated depreciation expense of in the quarter, and Non-cash valuation allowances on deferred tax assets of $9.5 million recorded in the December 2015 quarter.

Adjusted Results

Adjusted EBITDAR for the December 2015 quarter increased by $7.9 million over the December 2014 quarter primarily due to:

Further diversification of our business through the start-up of the U.K. SAR contract and acquisition of Airnorth fixed-wing operations,

Global cost reduction efforts, and

A benefit from changes in foreign currency exchange rates of $1.4 million in the December 2015 quarter compared with a decrease of $15.7 million in the December 2014 quarter, primarily reflected in our earnings pickup in Brazil in both periods.

These items were partially offset by the operating revenue decrease for our oil and gas operations falling to the bottom line and $2.7 million in bad debt expense as discussed above.

Despite the improvement in adjusted EBITDAR, adjusted net income and diluted earnings per share decreased by $1.2 million and $0.03, respectively, from the December 2014 quarter as rent, interest and income tax costs increased year-over-year. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates increased adjusted net income by $1.2 million ($0.03 per diluted share) in the December 2015 quarter compared with a decrease of $12.1 million ($0.34 per diluted share) in the December 2014 quarter, primarily reflected in our equity earnings pickup in Brazil in both quarters.

Adjusted EBITDAR excludes losses on disposal of assets and special items, including severance expense recorded in the December 2015 quarter. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share for the December 2015 quarter excludes those same items as well as the accelerated depreciation expense and the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets. See a description of these special items and the special items impacting the December 2014 quarter later in this document.

THIRD QUARTER FY 2016 REGION RESULTS

Europe Caspian Region

Operating revenue for the December 2015 quarter reflects the impact from the downturn in the oil and gas industry, which has resulted in decreased activity levels with our oil and gas clients. Additionally, a substantial portion of our revenue in the Europe Caspian region is contracted in British pounds and Norwegian kroner, both of which weakened significantly against the U.S. dollar since the December 2014 quarter. Foreign currency exchange rate changes resulted in an $8.7 million reduction in revenue for our Europe Caspian region year-over-year. Partially offsetting the year-over-year decrease in operating revenue was the startup of two U.K. SAR bases in April 2015, one base in July 2015, one base in August 2015 and one base in October 2015, which contributed $35.7 million in additional operating revenue, and the addition of a new oil and gas contract that commenced in late fiscal year 2015 and contributed $13.7 million in operating revenue in the December 2015 quarter.

Operating income and operating margin were impacted by the decline in revenue, partially offset by a decline in fuel expense of $4.1 million and maintenance expense of $1.3 million as part of cost reduction initiatives. Additionally, we added two leased aircraft in our Europe Caspian region over the prior year quarter, primarily in support of the U.K. SAR contract, which resulted in a $3.2 million increase in rent expense. The increase in rent expense was the primary driver of the $1.6 million year-over-year decrease in operating income and operating margin decrease to 14.0% in the December 2015 quarter from 14.6% in the December 2014 quarter.

Adjusted EBITDAR increased in the December 2015 quarter and includes the positive impact from changes in foreign currency exchange rates of $1.0 million compared to the prior year quarter. Given the impact on revenue in addition to adjusted EBITDAR, the changes in foreign currency exchange rates had minimal impact on adjusted EBITDAR margin. Adjusted EBITDAR margin improved year-over-year with the start-up of U.K. SAR bases and cost reduction activities, partially offset by the impact from the downturn in the oil and gas industry.

Africa Region

Operating revenue for the Africa region decreased due to an overall reduction in activity compared to the prior year quarter. Activity declined with some customers and certain contracts ended, reducing revenue by $27.0 million, which was partially offset by a $2.5 million increase in activity from other contracts.

Operating income decreased by $22.0 million compared to the prior year quarter, with a decrease in operating margin from 30.6% to 7.1% year-over-year. This decrease resulted from the decrease in activity, bad debt expense of $1.7 million during the December 2015 quarter and an increase in depreciation and amortization expense of $5.0 million resulting from management's decision to exit certain aircraft model types from our fleet sooner than originally anticipated.

Adjusted EBITDAR and adjusted EBITDAR margin declined primarily due to the decrease in activity and bad debt expense of $1.7 million in the December 2015 quarter which was only partially offset by a decrease in direct costs of $7.9 million, including salaries and benefits expense, maintenance expense and training costs.

Americas Region

Operating revenue for the Americas region decreased in the December 2015 quarter primarily due to a decline in the number of small and medium aircraft on contract and reduction in flight hours for large aircraft in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, which reduced operating revenue by $15.9 million, and a decrease of $1.7 million from Brazil due to fewer aircraft leased to Lider.

Operating income, operating margin, adjusted EBITDAR and adjusted EBITDAR margin were positively impacted by an increase of $9.4 million in earnings from our investment in Lider in Brazil compared to the prior year quarter. Earnings from our investment in Lider increased by $1.0 million and reduced by $7.7 million in the December 2015 and 2014 quarters, respectively, as a result of foreign currency exchange rate changes. Excluding this impact, our adjusted EBITDAR for the Americas region would have been $35.0 million (48.5% margin) and $40.9 million (46.4% margin), respectively, in the December 2015 and 2014 quarters. Results for our Americas Region also benefited from a reduction in direct costs and general and administrative expenses of $12.2 million primarily from a decrease in maintenance expense, salaries and benefits, fuel, lease and freight costs.

Asia Pacific Region

In January 2015, Bristow Australia acquired an 85% interest in Airnorth and in November 2015, purchased the remaining 15% of the outstanding shares of Airnorth which contributed $17.9 million in operating revenue and $5.2 million in adjusted EBITDAR for the December 2015 quarter. Operating revenue also increased by $8.5 million from new contracts in Australia, including the INPEX contract which started in the June 2014 quarter, offset by $10.5 million less revenue due to the ending of short-term contracts in Australia. A substantial portion of our operations in the Asia Pacific region are contracted in the Australian dollar, which weakened significantly against the U.S. dollar compared to the same quarter a year ago. Foreign currency exchange rate changes resulted in a reduction in revenue for our Asia Pacific region of $4.4 million year-over-year.

Operating income, operating margin and adjusted EBITDAR increased primarily as a result of the acquisition of Airnorth, partially offset by bad debt expense of $1.0 million recorded during the December 2015 quarter. Adjusted EBITDAR and adjusted EBITDAR margin were positively impacted by changes in foreign currency exchange rates, which increased adjusted EBITDAR by $4.9 million compared to the prior year quarter. Excluding the impact of the foreign currency rate changes, adjusted EBITDAR margin would have been 21.6% and 26.8%, respectively, in the December 2015 and 2014 quarters.

NINE MONTHS FY 2016 RESULTS

($ in thousands except per share amounts)

Operating Revenue

Net Income

Diluted Earnings Per Share

Adjusted EBITDAR YTD FY16 As Reported (GAAP)

$ 1,254,279



$ (47,187)



$ (1.40)



n/a

Loss on disposal of assets





18,369



0.52





Special items





76,014



2.20





YTD FY16 As Adjusted (non-GAAP) (1)

n/a



47,196



1.34



330,718



















YTD FY15 As Reported (GAAP)

1,308,111



69,223



1.94



n/a

Loss on disposal of assets





20,441



0.57





Special items





12,495



0.35





YTD FY15 As Adjusted (non-GAAP) (1)

n/a



102,159



2.87



347,494



















Percentage Change Y/Y (GAAP)

(4) %

(168) %

(172) %

n/a

Percentage Change Y/Y (non-GAAP)

n/a



(54) %

(53) %

(5) %





_________



(1) See a full reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measurements at the end of this news release.

Operating revenue for the nine months ended December 31, 2015 decreased 4.1% primarily due to:

Reduced activity and revenue from our oil and gas clients resulting from the ongoing downturn driven by low crude oil prices globally, which reduced operating revenue by $172.1 million , or 14.9%, partially offset by

, or 14.9%, partially offset by An increase in operating revenue from U.K. SAR operations of $77.2 million , or 203.7%, resulting from the start-up of the contract in April 2015 , which is reflected in the results of our Europe Caspian Region, and

, or 203.7%, resulting from the start-up of the contract in , which is reflected in the results of our Europe Caspian Region, and An increase in operating revenue from fixed-wing operations of $41.0 million , or 35.9%, primarily from the addition of Airnorth in Australia , which is reflected in the results of our Asia Pacific Region.

Changes in foreign currency exchange rates reduced gross revenue by $83.9 million, compared with rates in the prior year period.

GAAP net loss was $116.4 million lower than the prior year period and diluted earnings per share was $3.34 lower primarily as a result of:

A loss on disposal of assets of $18.4 million (primarily consisting of impairment charges on aircraft of $16.9 million ),

(primarily consisting of impairment charges on aircraft of ), Accelerated depreciation expense of $15.5 million related to changes in the planned timing of exit and market value of certain aircraft model types from our fleet and $3.8 million of impairment charges on inventory,

related to changes in the planned timing of exit and market value of certain aircraft model types from our fleet and of impairment charges on inventory, An impairment of goodwill of $25.0 million (included in loss on impairment) related to our Bristow Norway reporting unit within our Europe Caspian region ( $13.5 million ) and Bristow Academy reporting unit within Corporate and other ( $11.5 million ),

(included in loss on impairment) related to our reporting unit within our Europe Caspian region ( ) and Bristow Academy reporting unit within Corporate and other ( ), Severance expense of $16.8 million related to separation programs across our global organization designed to reduce costs and increase efficiency,

related to separation programs across our global organization designed to reduce costs and increase efficiency, Non-cash valuation allowances on deferred tax assets of $15.0 million , and

, and The decrease in operating revenue primarily driven by the oil and gas downturn.

Adjusted EBITDAR decreased 4.8% from the prior year period primarily related to reduced oil and gas revenue, partially offset by the benefits of U.K. SAR and fixed-wing revenue and cost reduction activities across the organization. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share were further impacted by increased rent expense of $38.0 million in the current year period.

LIQUIDITY AND CASH FLOW

Cash as of December 31, 2015 totaled $131.9 million compared to $104.1 million as of March 31, 2015. Our total liquidity, including cash on hand and availability on our revolving credit facility, was $299.3 million as of December 31, 2015 compared to $369.9 million as of March 31, 2015. We completed a $200 million two-year term loan facility in November 2015 which was primarily used for capital expenditures for aircraft of $165 million in the December 2015 quarter. Also, during the December 2015 quarter, we were able to defer new aircraft deliveries and related capital expenditures to better match anticipated client demand with the cash outlay for such aircraft.

"Our cost reductions and restructuring actions over the past 12 months are mitigating the impact of this very challenging business environment; and our diversification strategy is working as we anticipate that U.K. SAR and our fixed-wing business should represent over 25% of next fiscal year's operating revenue," said L. Don Miller, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Bristow Group.

"But, the oil and gas downturn is deeper and lasting longer than originally expected. Our commercial outlook for fiscal 2017 remains challenging and our access to almost $300 million of liquidity is critical to our prudent balance sheet management strategy. Our reduction in the quarterly dividend combined with capital reductions and deferrals are all designed to allow us to achieve free cash flow neutrality for the year."

GUIDANCE

We are reaffirming our adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance for the full fiscal year 2016 of $1.80 to $2.40.

As a reminder, our adjusted diluted earnings per share guidance excludes the effect of special items and asset dispositions because their timing and amounts are more variable and less predictable. Further, this guidance is based on foreign exchange rates as of December 31, 2015 and assumes the rates will remain unchanged from these levels. In providing this guidance, we have not included the impact of any changes in accounting standards or significant acquisitions and divestitures. Events or other circumstances that we do not currently anticipate or cannot predict, including changes in the market and industry and the impact of the temporary suspension of our operations of S-76C model medium aircraft in Nigeria, could result in earnings per share for fiscal year 2016 that are significantly above or below this guidance. Factors that could cause such changes are described below under the Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure and the Risk Factors in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 and annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015.

DIVIDEND

On February 4, 2016, our Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.07 per share to be paid on March 15, 2016 to shareholders of record on March 1, 2016. Based on shares outstanding as of December 31, 2015, the total quarterly dividend payment will be approximately $2.4 million.

CONFERENCE CALL

Management will conduct a conference call starting at 10:00 a.m. ET (9:00 a.m. CT) on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 to review financial results for the fiscal year 2016 third quarter ended December 31, 2015. This release and the most recent investor slide presentation are available in the investor relations area of our web page at www.bristowgroup.com. The conference call can be accessed as follows:

Via Webcast:

Visit Bristow Group's investor relations Web page at www.bristowgroup.com

Live: Click on the link for "Bristow Group Fiscal 2016 Third Quarter Earnings Conference Call"

Replay: A replay via webcast will be available approximately one hour after the call's completion and will be accessible for approximately 90 days

Via Telephone within the U.S.:

Live: Dial toll free 1-877-404-9648

Replay: A telephone replay will be available through February 23, 2016 and may be accessed by calling toll free 1-877-660-6853, passcode: 13627904#

Via Telephone outside the U.S.:

Live: Dial 1-412-902-0030

Replay: A telephone replay will be available through February 23, 2016 and may be accessed by calling 1-201-612-7415, passcode: 13627904#

ABOUT BRISTOW GROUP INC.

Bristow Group Inc. is the leading provider of helicopter services to the worldwide offshore energy industry based on the number of aircraft operated and one of two helicopter service providers to the offshore energy industry with global operations. The Company has major transportation operations in the North Sea, Nigeria and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and Trinidad. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.bristowgroup.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS DISCLOSURE

Statements contained in this news release that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding earnings guidance, expected contract revenue, capital deployment strategy, operational and capital performance, expected cost management activities, expected capital expenditure deferrals, shareholder return, liquidity, market and industry conditions. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation: fluctuations in the demand for our services; fluctuations in worldwide prices of and supply and demand for oil and natural gas; fluctuations in levels of oil and natural gas production, exploration and development activities; the impact of competition; actions by clients and suppliers; the risk of reductions in spending on helicopter services by governmental agencies; changes in tax and other laws and regulations; changes in foreign exchange rates and controls; risks associated with international operations; operating risks inherent in our business, including the possibility of declining safety performance; general economic conditions including the capital and credit markets; our ability to obtain financing; the risk of grounding of segments of our fleet for extended periods of time or indefinitely; our ability to re-deploy our aircraft to regions with greater demand; our ability to acquire additional aircraft and dispose of older aircraft through sales into the aftermarket; the possibility that we do not achieve the anticipated benefit of our fleet investment program; availability of employees; and political instability, war or acts of terrorism in any of the countries where we operate. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including but not limited to the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2015 and annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015. Bristow Group Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, including financial estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Linda McNeill

Investor Relations

(713) 267-7622

(financial tables follow)

BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except per share amounts and percentages) (Unaudited)









Three Months Ended

December 31,

Nine Months Ended

December 31,

2015

2014

2015

2014 Gross revenue:













Operating revenue from non-affiliates $ 374,979



$ 408,388



$ 1,193,002



$ 1,242,462

Operating revenue from affiliates 20,178



21,930



61,277



65,649

Reimbursable revenue from non-affiliates 24,730



29,822



79,515



100,203



419,887



460,140



1,333,794



1,408,314

Operating expense:













Direct cost 288,135



295,425



926,378



891,483

Reimbursable expense 23,380



28,549



76,242



94,466

Depreciation and amortization 32,320



23,625



106,853



77,164

General and administrative 59,513



72,531



174,302



194,687



403,348



420,130



1,283,775



1,257,800

















Loss on impairment 



(3,805)



(27,713)



(7,167)

Loss on disposal of assets (2,154)



(26,331)



(23,856)



(25,594)

Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates, net of losses 7,692



(958)



(1,372)



419

Operating income (loss) 22,077



8,916



(2,922)



118,172

















Interest expense, net (9,536)



(6,976)



(24,384)



(21,675)

Gain on sale of unconsolidated affiliate 



3,921







3,921

Other income (expense), net 650



(5,223)



(6,935)



(9,143)

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes 13,191



638



(34,241)



91,275

Provision for income taxes (9,623)



(567)



(9,500)



(18,376)

Net income (loss) 3,568



71



(43,741)



72,899

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (366)



(1,039)



(3,446)



(3,676)

Net income (loss) attributable to Bristow Group 3,202



(968)



(47,187)



69,223

Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interest 







(1,498)





Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders $ 3,202



$ (968)



$ (48,685)



$ 69,223

































Earnings (loss) per common share:













Basic $ 0.09



$ (0.03)



$ (1.40)



$ 1.96

Diluted $ 0.09



$ (0.03)



$ (1.40)



$ 1.94

































Non-GAAP measures:













Adjusted operating income $ 36,622



$ 43,564



$ 92,132



$ 161,303

Adjusted operating margin 9.3 %

10.1 %

7.3 %

12.3 % Adjusted EBITDAR $ 116,907



$ 109,056



$ 330,718



$ 347,494

Adjusted EBITDAR margin 29.6 %

25.3 %

26.4 %

26.6 % Adjusted net income $ 23,533



$ 24,719



$ 47,196



$ 102,159

Adjusted diluted earnings per share $ 0.67



$ 0.70



$ 1.34



$ 2.87



BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands) (Unaudited)













December 31,

2015

March 31,

2015 ASSETS Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 131,908



$ 104,146

Accounts receivable from non-affiliates

225,665



250,610

Accounts receivable from affiliates

6,110



8,008

Inventories

146,590



147,169

Assets held for sale

52,916



57,827

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

48,691



70,091

Total current assets

611,880



637,851

Investment in unconsolidated affiliates

203,983



216,376

Property and equipment  at cost:







Land and buildings

246,667



171,959

Aircraft and equipment

2,589,856



2,493,869





2,836,523



2,665,828

Less  Accumulated depreciation and amortization

(521,627)



(508,727)





2,314,896



2,157,101

Goodwill

52,530



75,628

Other assets

168,800



143,764

Total assets

$ 3,352,089



$ 3,230,720

LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND STOCKHOLDERS' INVESTMENT Current liabilities:







Accounts payable

$ 79,951



$ 84,193

Accrued wages, benefits and related taxes

61,489



81,648

Income taxes payable

18,825



7,926

Other accrued taxes

8,805



13,335

Deferred revenue

26,259



36,784

Accrued maintenance and repairs

24,734



23,316

Accrued interest

5,574



12,831

Other accrued liabilities

47,686



48,667

Deferred taxes

14,302



17,704

Short-term borrowings and current maturities of long-term debt

47,243



18,730

Contingent consideration

29,021



33,938

Deferred sale leaseback advance





55,934

Total current liabilities

363,889



435,006

Long-term debt, less current maturities

1,175,760



845,692

Accrued pension liabilities

82,620



99,576

Other liabilities and deferred credits

33,151



39,782

Deferred taxes

131,899



165,655

Redeemable noncontrolling interests

24,874



26,223

Stockholders' investment:







Common stock

377



376

Additional paid-in capital

794,676



781,837

Retained earnings

1,199,977



1,284,442

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(278,344)



(270,329)

Treasury shares

(184,796)



(184,796)

Total Bristow Group stockholders' investment

1,531,890



1,611,530

Noncontrolling interests

8,006



7,256

Total stockholders' investment

1,539,896



1,618,786

Total liabilities, redeemable non controlling interests and stockholders' investment

$ 3,352,089



$ 3,230,720



BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In thousands) (Unaudited)





Nine Months Ended

December 31,



2015

2014 Cash flows from operating activities:







Net income (loss)

$ (43,741)



$ 72,899

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:







Depreciation and amortization

106,853



77,164

Deferred income taxes

(37,628)



(7,875)

Write-off of deferred financing fees





660

Discount amortization on long-term debt

973



3,212

Loss on disposal of assets

23,856



25,594

Gain on sale of unconsolidated affiliate





(3,921)

Loss on impairment

27,713



7,167

Stock-based compensation

16,641



13,651

Equity in earnings from unconsolidated affiliates less than dividends received

2,227



4,196

Tax benefit related to stock-based compensation

(44)



(1,642)

Increase (decrease) in cash resulting from changes in:







Accounts receivable

31,858



(11,350)

Inventories

(5,555)



(15,578)

Prepaid expenses and other assets

(2,645)



(13,354)

Accounts payable

(2,527)



19,353

Accrued liabilities

(46,289)



4,547

Other liabilities and deferred credits

(16,008)



(12,313)

Net cash provided by operating activities

55,684



162,410

Cash flows from investing activities:







Capital expenditures

(343,365)



(499,285)

Proceeds from asset dispositions

19,152



404,361

Proceeds from sale of unconsolidated affiliate





4,185

Net cash used in investing activities

(324,213)



(90,739)

Cash flows from financing activities:







Proceeds from borrowings

910,421



347,860

Repayment of debt

(567,121)



(373,169)

Partial prepayment of put/call obligation

(42)



(46)

Acquisition of noncontrolling interest

(7,311)



(3,170)

Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest

(153)





Payment of contingent consideration

(8,000)





Repurchase of common stock





(80,831)

Common stock dividends paid

(35,627)



(33,935)

Issuance of common stock





2,217

Tax benefit related to stock-based compensation

44



1,642

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

292,211



(139,432)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

4,080



(15,214)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

27,762



(82,975)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

104,146



204,341

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$ 131,908



$ 121,366



BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES SELECTED OPERATING DATA (In thousands, except flight hours and percentages) (Unaudited)





Three Months Ended

December 31,

Nine Months Ended

December 31,



2015

2014

2015

2014 Flight hours (excluding Bristow Academy and unconsolidated affiliates):















Europe Caspian

21,991



23,496



69,627



72,016

Africa

8,332



11,004



27,190



32,917

Americas

9,157



14,383



29,584



42,181

Asia Pacific

7,916



4,150



24,613



11,404

Consolidated

47,396



53,033



151,014



158,518

Operating revenue:















Europe Caspian

$ 192,400



$ 195,617



$ 603,397



$ 613,216

Africa

61,786



86,330



202,885



255,665

Americas

72,068



88,286



225,283



266,137

Asia Pacific

67,402



59,212



214,177



168,714

Corporate and other

3,609



1,942



18,542



20,142

Intra-region eliminations

(2,108)



(1,069)



(10,005)



(15,763)

Consolidated

$ 395,157



$ 430,318



$ 1,254,279



$ 1,308,111

Operating income (loss):















Europe Caspian

$ 26,986



$ 28,550



$ 56,243



$ 111,372

Africa

4,377



26,379



24,903



63,672

Americas

22,797



19,774



30,283



59,998

Asia Pacific

458



5,264



4,783



11,055

Corporate and other

(30,387)



(44,720)



(95,278)



(102,331)

Loss on disposal of assets

(2,154)



(26,331)



(23,856)



(25,594)

Consolidated

$ 22,077



$ 8,916



$ (2,922)



$ 118,172

Operating margin:















Europe Caspian

14.0 %

14.6 %

9.3 %

18.2 % Africa

7.1 %

30.6 %

12.3 %

24.9 % Americas

31.6 %

22.4 %

13.4 %

22.5 % Asia Pacific

0.7 %

8.9 %

2.2 %

6.6 % Consolidated

5.6 %

2.1 %

(0.2) %

9.0 % Adjusted EBITDAR:















Europe Caspian

$ 66,062



$ 64,107



$ 198,621



$ 205,357

Africa

18,162



29,785



60,877



77,680

Americas

35,908



33,233



76,645



101,113

Asia Pacific

16,599



14,511



49,994



39,839

Corporate and other

(19,824)



(32,580)



(55,419)



(76,495)

Consolidated

$ 116,907



$ 109,056



$ 330,718



$ 347,494

Adjusted EBITDAR margin:















Europe Caspian

34.3 %

32.8 %

32.9 %

33.5 % Africa

29.4 %

34.5 %

30.0 %

30.4 % Americas

49.8 %

37.6 %

34.0 %

38.0 % Asia Pacific

24.6 %

24.5 %

23.3 %

23.6 % Consolidated

29.6 %

25.3 %

26.4 %

26.6 %

BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES AIRCRAFT COUNT As of December 31, 2015 (Unaudited)







Aircraft in Consolidated Fleet







Percentage of Current Period Operating Revenue

Helicopters













Small

Medium

Large

Training

Fixed Wing (1)





Unconsolidated Affiliates (4)





Total (2)(3)



Total Europe Caspian 48 %



14

70



28

112



112 Africa 16 %

14

28

5



5

52

45

97 Americas 18 %

19

44

18





81

79

160 Asia Pacific 17 %

2

9

23



13

47



47 Corporate and other 1 %







68



68



68 Total 100 %

35

95

116

68

46

360

124

484 Aircraft not currently in fleet: (5)































On order





10

27





37







Under option





7

9





16













_________



(1) Includes 30 fixed wing aircraft operated by Eastern Airways which are included in the Europe Caspian and Africa regions and 13 fixed wing aircraft operated by Airnorth which are included in the Asia Pacific region.



(2) Includes 31 aircraft held for sale and 115 leased aircraft as follows:



Held for Sale Aircraft in Consolidated Fleet

Helicopters





Small

Medium

Large

Training

Fixed Wing

Total Europe Caspian 

1







1 Africa 5

4





1

10 Americas 

7







7 Asia Pacific 



2





2 Corporate and other 





11



11 Total 5

12

2

11

1

31















Leased Aircraft in Consolidated Fleet

Helicopters







Small

Medium

Large

Training

Fixed Wing

Total Europe Caspian 

5

37



11

53 Africa 

1

2



2

5 Americas 1

10

5





16 Asia Pacific 2

2

8



4

16 Corporate and other 





25



25 Total 3

18

52

25

17

115





(3) The average age of our fleet, excluding fixed wing and training aircraft, was approximately nine years as of December 31, 2015.



(4) The 124 aircraft operated by our unconsolidated affiliates do not include those aircraft leased from us. Includes 53 helicopters (primarily medium) and 26 fixed wing aircraft owned and managed by Lider, our unconsolidated affiliate in Brazil, which is included in our Other International business unit.



(5) This table does not reflect aircraft which our unconsolidated affiliates may have on order or under option.

BRISTOW GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES GAAP RECONCILIATIONS

These financial measures have not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and have not been audited or reviewed by our independent registered public accounting firm. These financial measures are therefore considered non-GAAP financial measures. A description of the adjustments to and reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is as follows:













Three months ended Nine months ended



December 31,

December 31,



2015

2014

2015

2014



(In thousands, except per share amounts) Adjusted operating income

$ 36,622



$ 43,564



$ 92,132



$ 161,303

Loss on disposal of assets

(2,154)



(26,331)



(23,856)



(25,594)

Special items

(12,391)



(8,317)



(71,198)



(17,537)

Operating income (loss)

$ 22,077



$ 8,916



$ (2,922)



$ 118,172



















Adjusted EBITDAR

$ 116,907



$ 109,056



$ 330,718



$ 347,494

Loss on disposal of assets

(2,154)



(26,331)



(23,856)



(25,594)

Special items

(7,348)



(5,086)



(48,752)



(16,207)

Depreciation and amortization

(32,320)



(23,625)



(106,853)



(77,164)

Rent expense

(52,177)



(46,282)



(160,495)



(114,839)

Interest expense

(9,717)



(7,094)



(25,003)



(22,415)

Provision for income taxes

(9,623)



(567)



(9,500)



(18,376)

Net income (loss)

$ 3,568



$ 71



$ (43,741)



$ 72,899



















Adjusted provision for income tax

$ (3,837)



$ (6,520)



$ (10,171)



$ (27,901)

Tax benefit on loss on disposal of asset

496



5,298



5,487



5,153

Tax (expense) benefit on special items

(6,282)



655



(4,816)



4,372

Provision for income tax

$ (9,623)



$ (567)



$ (9,500)



$ (18,376)



















Adjusted effective tax rate (1)

13.8 %

20.2 %

16.7 %

20.9 % Effective tax rate (1)

73.0 %

88.9 %

(27.7) %

20.1 %

















Adjusted net income

$ 23,533



$ 24,719



$ 47,196



$ 102,159

Loss on disposal of assets

(1,658)



(21,033)



(18,369)



(20,441)

Special items

(18,673)



(4,654)



(76,014)



(12,495)

Net income (loss) attributable to Bristow Group

$ 3,202



$ (968)



$ (47,187)



$ 69,223



















Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$ 0.67



$ 0.70



$ 1.34



$ 2.87

Loss on disposal of assets

(0.05)



(0.60)



(0.52)



(0.57)

Special items

(0.53)



(0.13)



(2.20)



(0.35)

Diluted earnings (loss) per share

0.09



(0.03)



(1.40)



1.94







_________ (1) Effective tax rate is calculated by dividing income tax expense by pretax net income. Adjusted effective tax rate is calculated by dividing adjusted income tax expense by adjusted pretax net income.





Three Months Ended

December 31, 2015



Adjusted Operating Income

Adjusted EBITDAR

Adjusted Net Income

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share



(In thousands, except per share amounts) Severance costs (1)

$ (7,348)



$ (7,348)



$ (5,370)



$ (0.15)

Additional depreciation expense resulting from fleet changes (2)

(5,043)







(3,774)



(0.11)

Tax valuation allowance (3)









(9,529)



(0.27)

Total special items

$ (12,391)



$ (7,348)



$ (18,673)



(0.53)











Three Months Ended

December 31, 2014

Adjusted Operating Income

Adjusted EBITDAR

Adjusted Net Income

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share



(In thousands, except per share amounts) Gain on sale of unconsolidated affiliate (4)

$ 



$ 3,921



$ 2,549



$ 0.07

Impairment of inventories (5)

(3,805)



(3,805)



(3,044)



(0.09)

Repurchase of 6 % Senior Notes (6)





(690)



(594)



(0.02)

Accounting correction (7)

(5,325)



(5,325)



(4,207)



(0.12)

Accrued maintenance cost reversal (8)

813



813



642



0.02

Total special items

$ (8,317)



$ (5,086)



$ (4,654)



(0.13)























Nine Months Ended

December 31, 2015

Adjusted Operating Income

Adjusted EBITDAR

Adjusted Net Income

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share



(In thousands, except per share amounts) Severance costs (1)

$ (21,039)



$ (21,039)



$ (16,758)



$ (0.47)

Additional depreciation expense resulting from fleet changes (2)

(22,446)







(15,532)



(0.44)

Impairment of inventories (5)

(5,439)



(5,439)



(3,764)



(0.11)

Goodwill impairment (9)

(22,274)



(22,274)



(24,996)



(0.71)

Tax valuation allowance (3)









(14,964)



(0.42)

Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interests (10)













(0.04)

Total special items

$ (71,198)



$ (48,752)



$ (76,014)



(2.20)











Nine Months Ended

December 31, 2014

Adjusted Operating Income

Adjusted EBITDAR

Adjusted Net Income

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share



(In thousands, except per share amounts) Gain on sale of unconsolidated affiliate (4)

$ 



$ 3,921



$ 2,549



$ 0.07

North America restructuring (11)

(1,611)



(1,611)



(1,047)



(0.03)

CEO succession (12)

(5,501)



(5,501)



(3,576)



(0.10)

Impairment of inventories (5)

(7,167)



(7,167)



(5,734)



(0.16)

Repurchase of 6 % Senior Notes (6)





(2,591)



(2,113)



(0.06)

Accounting correction (7)

(4,071)



(4,071)



(3,216)



(0.09)

Accrued maintenance cost reversal (8)

813



813



642



0.02

Total special items

$ (17,537)



$ (16,207)



$ (12,495)



(0.35)







_________ (1) Relates to severance expense included in direct costs and general and administrative expense from our voluntary and involuntary separation programs.



(2) Relates to additional depreciation expense due to fleet changes.



(3) Relates to the valuation of deferred tax assets.



(4) Relates to a gain resulting from the sale of our 50% interest in HCA.



(5) Relates to increase in inventory allowance as a result of our review of excess inventory on aircraft model types we ceased ownership of or classified all or a significant portion of as held for sale.



(6) Relates to premium and fees associated with the repurchase of some of our 6 % Senior Notes due 2022.



(7) Relates to an accounting correction that impacted income by $4.2 million and $3.2 million for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2014, respectively.



(8) Relates to the reversal maintenance costs associated with a prior obligation to repair certain aircraft in our fleet we ultimately did not incur.



(9) Relates to an impairment of goodwill of our Bristow Norway reporting unit within our Europe Caspian region and Bristow Academy reporting unit within Corporate and other.



(10) Relates to the accounting for changes in the redeemable value of put arrangements whereby the noncontrolling interest holders in Airnorth and Eastern Airways may require us to redeem the remaining shares in these companies. This change does not impact net earnings (loss), but rather is accounted for as a reduction of earnings (loss) available to common shareholders in the calculation of diluted earnings (loss) per share.



(11) Relates to a charges associated with the restructuring of our North America operations and planned closure of our Alaska operations which related primarily to employee severance and retention costs.



(12) Relates to CEO succession cost.

SOURCE Bristow Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.bristowgroup.com


BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Claudio Denoya, Senior Scientist at Particle Measuring Systems (PMS), was recently appointed to the Modern Microbiology Methods Expert Panel of the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) in an advisory role. The panel will make recommendations for a new USP Chapter to support changes in knowledge and technology in the microbiology industry. Dr. Denoya has a strong background in the pharmaceutical sciences microbiology area, and provides the panel with his depth of knowledge in understanding novel, alternative and rapid microbiological methods.

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"Particle Measuring Systems invests in industry experts to help our customers be more effective and comply with all relevant regulations. As a leader in the industry it is important that we participate on panels such as this to help move the industry forward," said John Mitchell, President of Particle Measuring Systems.

Prior to joining PMS, Dr. Denoya was a Senior Director of the BioPharm R&D Group at Pall Corporation (New York) working on the development of new technologies. He also spent more than 23 years at Pfizer Global R&D. Claudio has received numerous distinctions such as, six Pfizer Global R&D distinguished awards, the United States National Hispanic Corporate Organization award, and the University of Buenos Aires, Faculty of Biochemistry award. He has over 80 patents and publications and more than 250 presentations in the fields of Microbiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

About Particle Measuring Systems

A global technology leader in the environmental monitoring industry, PMS, a Spectris company, is the inventor of laser particle counting and the largest particle counter manufacturer in the world. Regardless of industry or monitoring requirements, PMS helps manufacturers measure what matters.

For more information on PMS, visit pmeasuring.com.

SOURCE Particle Measuring Systems (PMS)
ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Late last week Greek yogurt titan Chobani announced its decision to reject offers from beverage industry mainstay PepsiCo and other investors for a stake in the company. Several parties propositioned Chobani in 2015, and the company opted to work with Goldman Sachs to mull over the potential sale.

The deal collapsed when PepsiCo insisted on purchasing a majority stake instead of the minority stake the yogurt maker preferred. While it remains to be seen what potential deals lie ahead for Chobani in the future, one thing is clear: the brand's primary objective is to retain its independence. Other companies that have expressed interest in Chobani include organic foods producer White Wave Foods and even PepsiCo rival Coca-Cola, who eventually ended its pursuit last October.

As arguably the best known Greek yogurt brand, the extensive outside interest is understandable, according to market research publisher Packaged Facts, which published the report The Yogurt Market and Yogurt Innovation, 2nd Edition in 2015.

"Chobani has led the Greek yogurt revolution. The company owned an overwhelming majority of the market just a few years ago. Chobani remains the industry's creme de la creme even as competitors have fought tooth and nail for market share. To an extent Dannon has closed the gap across its portfolio of Greek brands. And other marketers such Yoplait, Muller Quaker Dairy and YoCrunch have made inroads as well. Nevertheless, Chobani has not easily relinquished its dominance," comments David Sprinkle, research director, Packaged Facts.

While some food industry experts predict that Greek yogurt sales will begin to fade in coming years, it's difficult to overlook the role Greek varieties have played in resuscitating the overall U.S. yogurt market. According to Packaged Facts, one major factor is responsible for yogurt's dollar sales increase: Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt subcategory has gone from being practically nonexistent more than half a dozen years ago  it was only about 1% of overall sales as recently as 2007, the year Chobani shipped its first products  to being the most important force shaping the industry. Greek yogurt accounts for more than half the industry's dollar sales, although Packaged Facts' estimates indicate growth has indeed begun to slow from its torrid pace of previous years.

The Yogurt Market and Yogurt Innovation, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive review of the industry market both in the United States and around the world. Trends propelling industry growth are reviewed, and readers will learn about brands that are making strong showings. Also discussed are: brands which are gaining quickly in the share of the market, diversity in yogurt products, demographics and psychographics of the yogurt consumer, and information on those consumers' purchasing habits. The report also details new ways in which companies are engaging with consumes and connecting with them in order to encourage further sales. For more information, including the abstract and table of contents, or to purchase the report visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/redirect.asp?progid=88342&productid=8652299.

About Packaged Facts  Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer demographics and shopper insights, consumer financial products and services, consumer goods and retailing, consumer packaged goods, and pet products and services. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. Reports can be purchased at www.PackagedFacts.com and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com.

For more essential insights from Packaged Facts be sure to follow us on Twitter and Google+.

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Daniel Granderson

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SOURCE Packaged Facts
NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Vilcek Foundation is proud to announce immunologist Dan R. Littman as the winner of the 2016 Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science. The Vilcek Prizes are awarded in recognition of immigrant contributions to the arts and sciences, and include a $100,000 cash award. Dr. Littman, a professor of molecular immunology at New York University's Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, was selected for his fundamental insights into the workings of the immune system. His work helped unravel HIV pathogenesis and paved the way for therapeutic approaches to HIV and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Winners of the 2016 Vilcek Prizes in Biomedical Science

"Dr. Littman is a leading example of why immigrants are vital not just to the American sciences, but to American society as well," said Jan Vilcek, president of the Vilcek Foundation. "His research led to the development of antiretroviral drugs that helped curb the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s, and he continues to shed light on the workings of the human immune system, opening the potential for future treatments of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases."

Dan Littman's path through immunology stretches across a dizzying array of interconnected subjects. Whether unraveling the molecular basis of the interaction of HIV with the human immune system, or uncovering genes that shape the identity, specificity, and function of immune cells, or unpacking the interplay of the human microbiome and immune system, Littman has brought nearly four decades of immunological expertise to bear on basic questions with far-reaching clinical implications. In the mid-1980s, Littman identified the genes for proteins that give the immune system's major sentinels their essential identity: the CD8 protein on the surface of killer T cells and the CD4 protein on the surface of helper T cells. Those findings offered researchers a gateway into the workings of immunity. More important, a decade later, they led to the uncovering of the precise mechanism by which HIV infects the human immune system.

In the mid-1990s, Littman and his collaborators found that in addition to the CD4 molecule on helper T cells, HIV relies on a protein called CCR5, now known as a major HIV co-receptor, to gain entry into cells during infection. Beyond illuminating the pathogenic mechanism of the virus, the finding led to the development and approval of CCR5-blocking drugs that continue to be used in some antiretroviral drug cocktails for HIV treatment. Further, they set the stage for ongoing approaches based on gene editing and stem cell technology that might someday help engineer HIV resistance in people.

Littman's work on the genetic underpinnings of immune cell development has led to the identification of a gene switch called RORgammat, which plays a crucial role in the genesis of a group of helper T cells that secrete the immune molecule IL-17. Named Th-17 cells, these immune sentinels, which abound in the intestines, among other sites, mediate inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as ankylosing spondylitis, colitis, and psoriasis. Applying Littman's findings in a therapeutic context, other researchers have shown that inhibitors of RORgammat can ameliorate the symptoms of psoriasis in animal models. Clinical trials of such inhibitors are now underway.

More recently, Littman has set his sights on the interplay of the immune system with the body's resident microbes. His findings have revealed links between the abundance of a group of intestinal denizens called segmented filamentous bacteria and the levels of Th-17 cells in the small intestine; manipulating the levels of the bacteria in mice altered their ability to fight an intestinal pathogen but also rendered the animals more susceptible to autoimmune disease. Along the same lines, Littman's team uncovered a heightened incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in people with elevated levels of the intestinal bacterium Prevotella copri. Together, these findings suggest that manipulating the human gut microbial mix might help augment or tamp down immune responses underlying many diseases.

For his wide-ranging contributions to immunology, Littman has garnered numerous honorsnotable among them, memberships in the United States National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Littman was born in Romania and moved to the United States in 1963. He holds an M.D./Ph.D. degree from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, and accepted a professorship in molecular immunology at New York University's Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine in 1995.

The Vilcek Foundation is also honoring three outstanding immigrant scientists38 years of age or youngerwho have demonstrated evidence of creative promise with their scientific work in the United States. Each winner of the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science will receive a $50,000 cash award.

Fernando Camargo is an associate professor at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Camargo's work has led to major technical advances in researchers' ability to track circulating blood and immune cells and uncovered surprising insights into their origins. Contrary to a long-held view that blood cells arise from so-called hematopoietic stem cells, Camargo showed that a different group of primitive cells called progenitor cells give rise to circulating blood cells. Because progenitor cells are more abundant than hematopoietic stem cells and also long-lived, the findings bear implications for improving the efficacy of blood transplantation in the clinic. Camargo has also unraveled the role of a cellular signaling protein called Yap1, which controls cell growth and organ size. He is working on developing ways to boost or suppress Yap1 in cells for an array of clinical applications, including cancer treatment and regenerative medicine. Camargo was born in Arequipa, Peru.

Roberta Capp is an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Capp's efforts to solve problems that plague access to health care in the United States have led to insights on emergency department use by Medicaid enrollees. Capp found that many patients on Medicaid often depend on emergency departments for non-urgent conditions best treated in primary care settings, largely due to systemic barriers to primary care. To address the issue, Capp conducted a randomized controlled trial of a program of patient navigators, a term applied to trained professionals who work closely with patients to help them obtain timely primary care from diagnosis to follow-up. The trial revealed that patient navigation services made a significant dent in emergency-department use and hospital admissions. Capp is now working with Medicaid officials in Colorado to find ways to improve health care access and delivery for underserved communities. She is also exploring ways to reduce return visits to emergency departments that are attributed to medical errors. Her work has implications for making health care accessible, affordable, and patient-centered. Capp was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Houra Merrikh is an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Her work on the mechanics of DNA replication and gene expression in cells has uncovered hidden conflicts between the cellular machines that use threads of DNA as a template to carry out these life-sustaining functions. Merrikh has shown that such conflicts can lead to genetic mutations, which can serve as a substrate for evolution. More important, such mutations may underlie a raft of clinically relevant phenomena, such as the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria and the onset of cancer in human cells. By unraveling the mechanism of the conflicts, which appear to be a common feature among genes, Merrikh's work has thrown open a window on the molecular minutiae of gene evolution. She is now exploring precise ways to predict how such conflicts influence human disease. Merrikh was born in Tehran, Iran.

The prizewinners were selected by panels of experts in the field of biomedical science. All prizewinners will be honored at a ceremony in New York City in April 2016.

In addition to prizes in biomedical science, the Vilcek Foundation also recognized immigrants in the arts with the 2016 Vilcek Prizes in Theatre.

The Vilcek Foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia. The mission of the foundation, to honor the contributions of immigrants to the United States and to foster appreciation of the arts and sciences, was inspired by the couple's respective careers in biomedical science and art history, as well as their personal experiences and appreciation for the opportunities they received as newcomers to this country. The foundation awards annual prizes to immigrant biomedical scientists and artists, and sponsors cultural programs.

To learn more about the Vilcek Foundation, please visit Vilcek.org.

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SOURCE The Vilcek Foundation

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New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 2 : Veteran actor Anupam Kher on Tuesday said he was "sad" that he has been denied a Pakistani visa for the second time, and described as a "lie" a Pakistani diplomat's claim that the actor had "not submitted" any visa application.

He also requested the Indian government to take the matter up with Pakistan.

Anupam was to attend the Karachi Literature Festival which begins on Friday. However, while 17 out of the 18 Indians who were due to go received their visas, the 60-year-old says he was "singled out".

"Have been informed that Pakistan MoFA has denied permission for my visa to participate in the Karachi Literature festival. Sad to have been denied visa on second time in a year, while around 17 people will participate in the Karachi Literature Festival as guests," Anupam posted on Twitter.

At a press conference he called in Mumbai, Anupam said: "I was excited to go there.. there is a lot of possibility of lot of things that can happen so I changed my shooting schedule accordingly.

"For the last 15 days my papers were ready for the visa... my point is I am not angry with anybody.. I am hurt, upset and I am somewhere feeling wanting to know the reason out of 18 people why only I have been singled out," he said, adding that he was a "mature person" and it was "important to deal with situation with lot of grace".

"I am capable of fighting my own battles, I am capable of dealing with my own life. I will request the government of India to take this up and yet continue the process of peace with Pakistan. I appreciated my prime minister going there and starting the peace process," he said, referring to Modi's sudden visit to Lahore on his way back from Kabul.

Meanwhile, Manzoor Ali Memon, a diplomat at the Pakistan High Commission, told IANS: "He (Anupam Kher) has not submitted (any) visa application. Please check out from him if he has any receipt."

At this, Anupam said when he heard Pakistani diplomats say that he had not applied at all, "I thought the truth need to come out".

"I am not here to expose anybody. I am just here to share my disappointment. I can be an true Indian and without criticizing Pakistan, I can go there. I would like to go there and would like to talk about my country," he said at the press conference.

Upset about the visa denial, Anupam had tweeted: "Has my visa been denied because I speak about India's rich tradition of tolerance or I am a Kashmiri Pandit who may expose Pak terror nexus? Indian government welcomes Pakistan based writers, artists, actors etc. Pakistan government bans entry of Indian actors. Why fear a free dialogue.

"Didn't Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs red flag my name to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi? Why hide facts deliberately? Pakistan High Commission should know their own rules. #KarachiLitFest had given my name to authorities one month back and have my name in every poster."

His son, actor Sikandar Kher, said that his father's uninhibited views on numerous social and political issues could have ruffled feathers and could be the reason why the veteran actor was denied a visa.

It was in May last year that the actor was denied a visa to Pakistan. He was to visit Lahore for an event hosted by an NGO, but according to reports, back then it was denied on security grounds.

This time, he was invited as a guest at the three-day Karachi Literature Festival. Among the Indians who will be present at the literature festival are Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, Rahul Singh, Om Arora, Urvashi Butalia and Ashok Chopra.
Sanaa, Feb 4 : At least 15 workers were killed and over 20 others wounded when a Saudi-led airstrikes struck their cement factory in Yemen's northern province of Amran on Wednesday.

The airstrike hit the main gate of the factory while workers were queue near the factory's gate to receive their monthly salary, Xinhua quoted officials and witnesses as saying on Wednesday.

"So far, 15 workers were killed after the airstrike hit the scene while more than 20 others were critically hurt and brought to the hospital," a medic in Amran hospital told Xinhua.

The cement factory in rebel-held Amran province, about 60 km north of the capital Sanaa, has been targeted by a series of airstrikes and the factory had stopped operating.

Tribal sources and residents said nearly 40 villagers were killed or injured when three airstrikes hit the village of Al-Jubara tribe in Kutaf region on Wednesday.

Elsewhere on the outskirts of the capital Sanaa, tribesmen and local council officials said a family of nine members traveling on a car to flee the ongoing intensified ground battles in Nihm district were all killed in an airstrike Wednesday afternoon.
Visakhapatnam, Feb 5 : Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham on Friday launched an indefinite fast along with his wife, demanding reservation for the community in education and jobs in Andhra Pradesh.

The former minister and his wife Padmavati began the fast at Kirlampudi in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh at 9 a.m.

They are demanding the state government to immediately include Kapus in the list of backward classes (BC) and provide them reservation in education and jobs. They are also seeking Rs.1,900 crore for the Kapu corporation.

Stating that he is fighting for the rights of the community, Padmanabham said he was even prepared to lay down his life for the cause.

Doctors were regularly monitoring the health of the couple. Their sugar levels reported have come down.

Padmanabham went ahead with the fast, ignoring the appeals by the government to drop his plans. Some leaders of ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had called on him on Thursday to dissuade him.

The Kapu leader said he would continue his fast till the government makes a clear cut announcement to fulfill the poll promise of giving Kapus BC status.

Police have made tight security arrangements at his house and also across the district.

A posse of police personnel and paramilitary forces have been deployed to prevent any violence. Prohibitory orders banning assembly of 10 or more people were imposed in the district.

Checkposts have been formed on Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam highway to prevent people from other parts of the state reaching the district.

Massive deployment of forces has been made in Tuni town, which had witnessed large-scale violence on Sunday.

Protestors had set afire a train, two police stations and several vehicles when Padmanabham while addressing a massive public meeting had called for road and rail blockade till the government issues an order including Kapus in BCs list.

The government maintains that it is committed to fulfill the promise. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the government already constituted a commission, which will submit its report after a detailed study.

Kapus constitute 27 percent of about five crore population of Andhra Pradesh.

Meanwhile, former union minister and well-known filmmaker Dasari Narayan Rao supported Padmanabham's hunger strike. He found fault with the restrictions on people wanting to gather at the Kapu leader's house.

Congress MP from Telangana V. Hanmantha Rao also visited Padmanabham's house to show his solidarity for the protest
Jakarta, Feb 6 : At least five people were killed and two were missing after a landslide hit the Central Java province of Indonesia, rescuers said on Saturday.

Heavy downpours triggered the landslide in Purworejo district on Friday, Xinhua quoted Marsudi, spokesman of the National Search and Rescue Office, as saying.

At least two houses were hit, he said.

A rescue team from Central Java office along with soldiers, police and volunteers were searching for the missing, he said.

The disaster badly injured one villager and forced 75 others to take shelter at safer places, said Budi Harjono, operational head in disaster management agency in Purworejo district.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency, said over 250 personnel including those from local search and rescue office, disaster management agency and Red Cross, soldiers, police and volunteers were involved in the search and rescue operation.

Landslide is frequent in Indonesia during heavy rain that often leaves scores of casualties and damage.
Visakhapatnam, Feb 7 : Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and his wife on Sunday continued their indefinite fast for the third day in support of the demand for reservation for the community in education and jobs in Andhra Pradesh.

The former minister and his wife Padmavati have been fasting at their house at Kirlampudi in East Godavari district since Friday. The couple locked themselves up and refused to undergo medical check-up.

Though Joint Collector Satyanarayana and district Superintendent of Police Ravi Prakash along with a team of doctors reached Mudragada's house on Sunday, the couple sent them back. The officers made a similar attempt on Saturday night as well.

The Kapu leader said there was no need for check-up since the couple had decided to dedicate their lives for the Kapu community's cause. He also accused police of preventing people from visiting his house.

Meanwhile, police and paramilitary forces were deployed near the house amid indications that the fasting couple may be forcibly shifted to a hospital to break their fast.

They are demanding inclusion of the Kapus in a list of backward classes and reservation for the community in education and jobs. They are also seeking Rs.1,900 crore for a Kapu corporation.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu earlier appealed to Mudragada to call off his fast and assured that the Andhra Pradesh government was committed to fulfil its promise to include the Kapus in the BC list.

The government has said a commission will make a detailed study of the socio-economic status of the Kapus and recommend the quantum of reservation to be provided.

Meanwhile, police have made tight security arrangements across the district and enforced orders banning assembly of 10 or more people.

Deployment of security forces has been made in Tuni town that witnessed large-scale violence last Sunday when protestors set afire a train, two police stations and several vehicles.

The Kapus account for 27 percent of nearly five crore population of Andhra Pradesh.
Washington, Feb 8 : US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday reaffirmed the "ironclad" US commitment to the security and defence of Japan and South Korea, following the satellite launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Kerry spoke separately via phone with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida regarding the launch by the DPRK using ballistic missile technology, Xinhua quoted State Department spokesman John Kirby as saying.

The earth observation satellite blasted off at 9:00 a.m. local time on Sunday from the Sohae Space Centre in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province, and later entered the target orbit, the Korean Central Television (KCTV) reported.

Kerry condemned the launch as a violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions that threatened international peace and security, and he emphasised the importance of a united international response to DPRK's provocations, including through a strong UN Security Council Resolution.

He also noted the vital importance of continued close communication and cooperation among the US, Japan, and South Korea in addressing the threats posed by the DPRK.
Tokyo, Feb 8 : Bipartisan lawmakers in Japan will convene on Tuesday and are widely expected to adopt a resolution protesting the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) launch of a long range rocket on Sunday.

Both ruling and opposition party representatives confirmed on Monday that a plenary session of each of Japan's parliamentary caucuses will convene Tuesday to adopt the resolution, Xinhua reported.

Both political camps, including the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), have issued statements condemning the DPRK's launch as being in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as its nuclear test last month as being a threat to global security.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is pushing for the government here to swiftly move to tighten sanctions on Pyongyang in the wake of the launch, possibly ahead of new punitive measures that might be adopted by the UN Security Council.

Japan has officially lodged a protest against the DPRK's launch of what it has said was an earth observation satellite, but believed by Japan and others to be a test of ballistic missile technology, through its diplomatic channels in Beijing.

The DPRK is banned from test-firing any rockets based on a ballistic missile technology under UN Security Council resolutions and such a test has not been conducted since 2012.
Mumbai, Feb 8 : The Bombay High Court has directed Reliance Communications to convene a shareholders' meeting on March 8 to take up the issue of merging Sistema Shyam Teleservices into its fold, while admitting an application in this regard.

"Reliance Communications is, therefore, finalising a notice of the above meeting to be sent to its shareholders and taking necessary action in the matter," the company said in a statement, adding director R.N. Bhardwaj has been named chair of the court-convened meeting.

The Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications announced in November last year that it intended to acquire the Indian business of Russia's Sistema -- which is operating under the 'MTS' brand -- in a unique stock-cum-spectrum-fee payment deal.

The deal first calls for the de-merger of the telecom business of the Russian group's Indian entity and then the acquisition of that by the Reliance Group firm.

Prior to that, the targeted company is to pay its existing debt, while the shareholders will be entitled to a 10-percent stake thereafter in Reliance Communications.
London, Feb 8 : Spanish researchers have found that children whose mothers ate three to four servings of fish a week during pregnancy had higher IQ scores than those whose mothers ate less amount of fish.

The research also showed that consuming fish during pregnancy may help reduce offspring's risk of developing autism.

"Consumption of large fatty fish during pregnancy presents moderate child neuropsychological benefits, including improvements in cognitive functioning and some protection from autism-spectrum traits," the study said.

What surprised the researchers was that certain fish, such as tuna or tilefish, which pregnant women have been discouraged from eating because of their higher levels of mercury were linked to some of the biggest developmental benefits.

The findings suggest that high levels of a compound called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may outweigh any negative effects of mercury, according to the researchers.

Fish such as tuna that may have mercury also hold higher levels of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that plays a critical role in brain growth and development, said lead author of the study Jordi Julvez from the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, Spain.

"Maybe this effect is masking the negative effects that come from mercury," Julvez was quoted as saying by Live Science.

Or, "maybe this is more beneficial than the toxic effect of the mercury itself," Julvez noted.

For the study, the researchers followed about 2,000 mothers and their children, beginning in the mothers' first trimester of pregnancy, and continuing until the children turned five.

The study was published online in The American Journal of Epidemiology.
Mumbai, Feb 8 : There's time for Coldplay to be back in India, but there are still some 'strings' connecting them with the country. A signed guitar by the entire British rock band will be up for sale at a charity auction - The Idea of India - hosted by actor Rahul Bose here on February 19.

According to a statement, the international band comprising Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion, signed and donated a very special guitar for the charity auction.

The signed guitar is the only international piece of memorabilia that will be auctioned along with 11 other pieces donated by some major and noteworthy Indian heroes and legends.

From surprising Delhiites with an impromptu gig, to meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to capturing different hues of India in a song "Hymn for the weekend", the band seems to be adding more pages to its India travelogue, making it more eventful and colourful.
Visakhapatnam, Feb 8 : Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and his wife's indefinite fast to demand reservation for the community, entered the fourth day on Monday even as the Andhra Pradesh government continued talks with them to convince them to call off the protest.

The former minister and his wife Padmavati have been fasting at their house at Kirlampudi in East Godavari district since Friday.

They have been refusing to undergo medical check-up, though officials with government doctors continue to visit their house and make requests.

Two legislators of ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday night held talks with the couple but no breakthrough could be achieved.

State Labour Minister Atchan Naidu and TDP's Andhra Pradesh unit president Kala Venkat Rao on Monday resumed talks with Mudragada and made fresh proposals to break the deadlock.

The Kapu leader is demanding inclusion of the Kapus in a list of backward classes and reservation for the community in education and jobs. They are also seeking Rs.1,900 crore for a Kapu corporation.

Police and paramilitary forces remained deployed around the fasting leader's house to prevent any violence. Police were not allowing his supporters to meet him.

Former union minister K. Chiranjeevi and Congress party's state president Raghuveera Reddy were arrested at Rajahmundry airport soon after they landed and were preparing to leave for Kirlampudi to meet Mudragada. The arrests led to a strong protest by Congress workers.

Police also stopped another former minister Dasari Narayan Rao in Rajahmundry from leaving for Kirlampudi to meet the fasting Kapu leader.
United Nations, Feb 8 : Security Council reform negotiations have begun with a focus on points of accord by looking at the relationship between it and the 193-member United Nations General Assembly in a bid to smoothen the way for dealing later with the more contentious issues like adding permanent members, according to diplomatic sources.

At the first session on Wednesday of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council Reform, using a negotiating text adopted in September after years of wrangling, its head, Sylvie Lucas, astutely turned the spotlight to the theme of "Relationship between the Council and the General Assembly," an area with more agreement than discord, and so the talks could begin without rancour.

She asked the members to look for areas of "convergence" instead of repeating their differing positions, the sources said. This was the first meeting chaired by Lucas, who is Luxembourg's Permanent Representative, after her appointment last year as the chair of the IGN. A diplomat who was at the closed meeting told IANS that while there were some differences, overall there was more of a "confluence of ideas", and heated debates as in previous meetings were avoided.

Most countries at the session agreed on redefining the relationship between the two bodies, emphasising that the Council - comprising the five permanent members (US, UK, Russia, France and China) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms - should stop "encroaching" on areas that are the mandate of the Assembly, the heads of the two bodies should consult regularly and that the Council report comprehensively on its work to the Assembly. This account of the closed-door meeting was put together by IANS from conversations with sources who attended the meeting.

Even countries like Pakistan, which had opposed holding text-based negotiations mainly to prevent a reform that adds new permanent members to the Council, joined in criticising the Council's relationship with the Assembly and made suggestions to improve it.

Speaking on behalf of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, which are known as the G4, Tokyo's Permanent Representative Motohide Yoshikawa emphasised that the negotiating text had been adopted unanimously and that Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft had asked the IGN to continue negotiations based on the text. The four members of the G4 jointly work for reforms and mutually support each other's bid for permanent seats on an expanded Council.

Yoshikawa said the G4 strongly supported Lucas' "guideline that we should try to identify areas of convergence rather than repeating our known positions on major issues". In addition to the most common suggestions for improving Council-Assembly relations, G4 called for getting inputs from the Peacebuilding Commission and the heads of its country specific panels in Council discussions.

India did not speak as the G4 had agreed to have Japan as the collective voice at the meeting. Japan became an elected member of the Council for a two-year term last month. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida also set up last month a "Strategic Headquarters" in his ministry to intensify the push for reforming and expanding the Council.

Another group to which India belongs, the L69 that includes 42 countries from Africa, Latin America and Asia supporting Council reform and expansion, noted that it shared the views of the 54-member African Union and the 15-member Caribbean group known as CARICOM on restructuring relations between the Council and the Assembly.

Speaking on L69's behalf, Saint Lucia's Permanent Representative Menissa Rambally said L69 will work with a "spirit of building further convergence among member states". The African Union and L69 said the Council should consult countries contributing troops to the UN peacekeeping operations on the mandates and their implementation.

The expansion of the Council also came up at the meeting. Speaking on behalf of the African Union, the largest regional group at the UN, Sierra Leone's Permanent Representative Vandi Chidi Minah said the African nations should have two veto-wielding permanent members in an expanded Council.

But Pakistan's Permanent Representative Maleeha Lodhi opposed adding any permanent members, calling it a sterile move as they would not be accountable to those they are supposed to represent.

She was however in agreement on criticising the Council's functioning. According to Pakistani media reports, she said the UN was seen as losing its moral legitimacy and this "can only be reversed if the Security Council in its decision making takes into account the collective voice of the General Assembly - as envisaged in the UN Charter".

On Council-Assembly relations, Minah spoke of how matters concerning Africa were decided with little input from it. He also expressed concern over the Council going beyond its Charter mandate of maintaining peace and security by encroaching into areas like development that are the responsibilities of the Assembly, a view shared by India, the L69 and others.

Russia's Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin backed the developing countries' complaint about the Council's encroachment into Assembly responsibilities. But fellow Council permanent member Britain hotly contested it, maintaining that the Council was within its mandate to take up such matters as they ultimately impact peace and security.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Chandigarh, Feb 8 : At least 10 people were killed in two separate accidents in Punjab on Monday, police said.

A truck ran over five people on the Kapurthala-Goindwal Sahib road early Monday when they were walking towards a gurdwara in Kapurthala district, 175 km from here, police said.

The victims belonged to Khiranwali village in Kapurthala district. They were headed towards gurdwara Hathan Sahib around 4.00 a.m. when the speeding truck crushed them.

In another accident, five members of a family from Ambala city drowned as their car fell into Sirhind Canal near Machhiwara town.

The car driver, who lost control over the vehicle, was rescued by locals, police said.

The victims, including three children and a woman, were returning to Ambala after attending a function at Rahon near Nawanshahr, 80 km from here.
Ludhiana, Feb 8 : A court here on Monday granted bail to AAP leader Sanjay Singh in a defamation case filed against him by Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader was granted bail after furnishing a personal bond of Rs.50,000. The case will be heard on February 20.

Majithia filed the case after Sanjay Singh called him a "drug lord" and accused him of being associated with narcotics trade in the state.

Sanjay Singh told the media outside the court that he stood by his comments on Majithia.

"I will say this a thousand times that Majithia is involved in drugs smuggling in Punjab. I appeared before the court on my own as I respect the judicial system," he said.

Sanjay Singh, a close associate of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, dared Majithia to file a police case against him (Singh) instead of filing the defamation case.

The AAP is challenging the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance and the Congress in the February 2017 assembly polls.

Majithia is a cabinet minister in Punjab and the brother-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. Majithia is the younger brother of union food processing minister Harsimrat Badal.
New Delhi, Feb 8 : The tourism ministry on Monday launched a round-the-clock toll-free infoline in 12 international languages for the benefit of both international and domestic tourists.

Apart from English and Hindi, the infoline will provide relevant information to tourists in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese and Russia.

The callers can avail the service on 1800111363 or on a short code 1363. Calls made by international and domestic tourists to the number while in India will be free of charge.

Launching the service at a function here, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Mahesh Sharma said that an 'Incredible India Mobile App' will soon be launched to help tourists.

"The multilingual infoline will provide information to domestic and international tourists. It will also give advice to callers on action to be taken during times of distress while travelling in India and on the need to alert authorities concerned," Sharma said.

International tourists in India and callers who speak the aforesaid languages will be directed to call agents proficient in the language concerned.

The 'Incredible India' website is also being updated to make it more tourist-friendly, a ministry release said.
New York, Feb 8 : Web-based and phone-based tobacco cessation programmes can help people quit smoking, but certain personal characteristics may lead individuals to prefer one type of programme over the other, says a study.

Web-based programmes helped people quit tobacco more successfully than telephone-based quitline programmes, the findings showed.

The study revealed that users of telephone-based quitline counselling programme were significantly older, more varied in terms of race and ethnicity, less educated, less likely to be employed, and more often single than users of Web-based cessation services.

Quitline -- a telephone-based counselling programme -- is an effective tool for people who are trying to give up smoking, but has been used by only one percent to two percent of adult tobacco users in the US, the study showed.

Also, sustained use of web-based interventions is low, with most users visiting some cessation websites fewer than three times, the researchers from US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Georgia, US, said.

There was a higher likelihood of quitting tobacco among people who were partnered, were not living with another smoker, smoked fewer cigarettes, and accessed tobacco cessation interventions more often, noted the researchers in the study published online in the journal, CANCER.

"Tobacco control programmes can use these findings to better target their quit-smoking programmes to smokers in their area," said Antonio Neri from CDC.

"The goal is to help people stop smoking and stay tobacco free - it's the most important thing smokers can do for their health, as smoking causes cancer and many other illnesses," he added.

The researchers provided standardised questionnaires to 4,086 cigarette smokers who enrolled exclusively in either telephone-based quitline counselling or Web-based tobacco cessation services in four states in 2011 to 2012.

Seven months after enrollment, the team evaluated which individuals achieved 30-day abstinence rates and which programme was used.

People who used web-based programs were successful at quitting compared with those who used telephone-based quitline programmes: the prevalence of 30-day abstinence after seven months was 32 percent for telephone-based quitline counselling users and 27 percent for web-based users.
New Delhi, Feb 8 : David Headley grew up in a strict Pakistani boarding school before becoming a barman at his family tavern in Philadelphia in the US and making contacts with Pakistani spy agencies who made him play a key role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

In 1998, he was jailed for two years for smuggling heroin into the US from Pakistan. After the jail term, he went to Pakistan to conduct undercover surveillance operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

November 26-28, 2008: Ten Pakistani terrorists sail into India and kill 166 people over three days at multiple targets. Headley confessed to have scouted each of these targets earlier.

February 2006: Headley changes his name from the Muslim Daood Gilani to give himself an American identity, apparently to enter India and other countries easily.

2006-08: He visits India five times from September 2006 to July 2008 to video various potential targets for the terrorists.

March 2009: Even after the Mumbai carnage, Headley returns to India for his sixth trip to plot another attack, with possible targets being the National Defence College in Delhi and Chabad houses in several cities.

October 3, 2009: Nearly a year after the Mumbai carnage, Headley, on his way to Pakistan, is arrested at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

December 2011: India's National Investigating Agency files charges against Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana, Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed and seven others for conspiring to attack India.

January 24, 2013: He gets 35 years in prison in a court in Chicago for the Mumbai attack and a foiled attempt to strike at the office of Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper that published caricature of Prophet Mohammed.

December 10, 2015: The special anti-terror court in Mumbai pardons Headley after he agrees to be an approver in cases related to the 2008 attack.

February 8, 2016: Headley testifies before a special court in Mumbai from a US prison through video conference.

David Headley grew up in a strict Pakistani boarding school before becoming a barman at his family tavern in Philadelphia in the US and making contacts with Pakistani spy agencies who made him play a key role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

In 1998, he was jailed for two years for smuggling heroin into the US from Pakistan. After the jail term, he went to Pakistan to conduct undercover surveillance operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

November 26-28, 2008: Ten Pakistani terrorists sail into India and kill 166 people over three days at multiple targets. Headley confessed to have scouted each of these targets earlier.

February 2006: Headley changes his name from the Muslim Daood Gilani to give himself an American identity, apparently to enter India and other countries easily.

2006-08: He visits India five times from September 2006 to July 2008 to video various potential targets for the terrorists.

March 2009: Even after the Mumbai carnage, Headley returns to India for his sixth trip to plot another attack, with possible targets being the National Defence College in Delhi and Chabad houses in several cities.

October 3, 2009: Nearly a year after the Mumbai carnage, Headley, on his way to Pakistan, is arrested at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

December 2011: India's National Investigating Agency files charges against Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana, Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed and seven others for conspiring to attack India.

January 24, 2013: He gets 35 years in prison in a court in Chicago for the Mumbai attack and a foiled attempt to strike at the office of Jyllands-Posten, a Danish newspaper that published caricature of Prophet Mohammed.

December 10, 2015: The special anti-terror court in Mumbai pardons Headley after he agrees to be an approver in cases related to the 2008 attack.

February 8, 2016: Headley testifies before a special court in Mumbai from a US prison through video conference.

Also Read: Headley exposes Pakistan's role in 2008 Mumbai terror strike
Rio De Janeiro, Feb 8 : With Brazil currently in recession, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach on Monday said stakeholders will cooperate with each other to help the 2016 Rio Games achieve a balanced budget.

"The Olympic movement will show solidarity with the Brazilians in order to achieve a balanced budget, which will then serve as a solid foundation for the next six months to have finally successful and excellent Olympic Games in Brazil," Bach told Rio 2016 official website.

On February 1-2, Rio 2016 met with representatives of the 28 Olympic summer sport International Federations (IFs) in a joint effort to deliver efficiencies in the budget for the Olympic Games. In line with the IOC' s Agenda 2020 reforms, strategies for maintaining a balanced budget were the focus of the meeting at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, reports Xinhua.

The parties worked together to find creative solutions that will allow organisers to deliver successful Games on a responsible budget. Sustainability and legacy are key to all Games planning and the Rio 2016 organising committee is committed to using zero public money.

The meeting was part of the ongoing close dialogue between the IOC, Rio 2016 and the IFs. Rio 2016 president Carlos Nuzman led the Rio 2016 delegation and was accompanied by his executive director of sport Agberto Guimaraes and sport director Rodrigo Garcia. The IOC was led by Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi and sport director Kit McConnell.

Among the ideas designed to increase efficiency that were presented to the IFs were shared working areas and more cost-effective transport solutions.

Matt Smith, executive director of the International Rowing Federation (FISA), said that the meeting was "really useful for us all" before adding "we have to be very efficient and make the Games financially viable for the future".
Kathmandu, Feb 8 : Bowing to strong public opinion, the Madhesi Morcha in Nepal on Monday called off its almost six-month-old anti-Constitution protest in the southern Terai region that led to a blockading of a major portion of the 1,868-km open border the landlocked Himalayan nation has with its southern neighbour India.

At a meeting in Kathmandu, the Morcha -- spearheading the agitation that had led to the cutting off of essential supplies to Kathmandu from India -- announced it was postponing its protest programme in view of what it called "citizen's suggestion".

"Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, and shutdown of government offices have been called off for now. But the other agitation programmes will continue," said a statement issued following the meeting.

The decision by the Madhesi Morcha also paved the way for Prime Minister K.P. Oli's visit to India later this month.

Oli was insistent upon visiting India only after the border-blockade was lifted.

The Madhesi protestors had been demanding, among others, a redrawing of the boundaries of the provinces in Nepal as proposed in the new Constitution -- promulgated on September 20 last year; and representation in Parliament on the basis of population.

Significantly, the Nepal Terai has almost 51 percent of the country's population and yet gets only one-third of seats in Parliament.

The Madhesis also seek proportional representation in government jobs and restoration of rights granted to them in the interim constitution of 2007 which the new charter has snatched away.

The key Nepal-India border point at Raxaul-Birgunj had already been opened on Friday after protests by locals from both Nepal and India residing on both sides.

The Madhesi Morcha, in the statement, said it would mobilise its cadres in the Terai/Madhes, Tharuhat and Kathmandu, among other places, by rectifying the weaknesses identified during the agitation period.

The four-party regional alliance said it would also seek alliance with other political parties.

The Madhesi Morcha -- or the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM), to give it its formal name -- has been spearheading the agitation in the country's Terai region. It comprises four Madhes-based parties -- Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party led by Mahanta Thakur; Sadbhawana Party, headed by Rajendra Mahto; Sanghiya Samajwadi Forum-Nepal, led by Upendra Yadav; and the Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party-Nepal headed by Mahendra Yadav.

The Morcha, at its meeting, also noted that certain comments by Sadbhawana Party chairman Rajendra Mahato, a key leader of the agitating alliance, had dealt a blow to their agitation.

"As the latest activities and comments of Sadbhawana Party chairman Mahato have damaged the Madhesi agitation, the Madhesi Morcha directs him to not be involved in such activities in the coming days," read a statement.

Mahato unilaterally announced lifting of the blockade at the Raxaul-Birgunj border point on Friday thus facilitating resumption of trade through that key point after almost six months of blockade.

The Morcha said it was extremely unhappy with Mahato's unilateral decision.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)
Mathura, Feb 8 : Mathura police on Monday arrested two drug peddlers with two packets of heroin weighing one kilo 36 grams.

The value of the Afghani heroin was estimated at around Rs.2 crore, a police officer said.

Rahul of Mathura and Satyapal of Kasganj were taken into custody while a third, identified as sepoy Sanjay Yadav of the Assam Rifles from Etah district, was absconding, Station House Officer (SHO) of Raya police station Sanjiv Kumar Tomar said.

A police team was tracking Sanjay, he said.

A team was on alert since morning after the police got a tip from an informer.

A country-made pistol, two live cartridges and a motorbike were seized from the peddlers' possession, the police said.

It was one of the biggest catch of heroin in Mathura district.

The heroin was smuggled through the international border and sold in the market through a network, the two arrested people told the police.
Brisbane, Feb 8 : India and Australia on Monday decided to form a sub-group, comprising senior officials of government and industry from both sides, to prepare a roadmap to help provide cheap liquefied natural gas (LNG) for Indian power plants.

"I have now formed a sub-group, which will be under the Working Group on the India-Australia energy dialogue," Power Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters on the sidelines of the India-Australia Energy Security Dialogue here.

"After my discussions with the industry on LNG, some representatives told me that the Indian government will have to take concrete steps to help encourage trade relations," he said.

"After the energy dialogues with the US and Japan, working groups were formed to concentrate on issues that needed to be resolved at the government level," he added.

The sub-group will submit a detailed report in about two months on what needs to be done and the requirements to get cheap LNG from Australia, Goyal said.

It will include officials from India's ministries of petroleum and external affairs as well as representatives from National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, GAIL, Petronet LNG and shipping companies, he added.

"From their side, Austrade, the Australian government's trade commission, senior officials of energy ministry as well as its High Commission in India looking after energy and representatives from the private sector will be part of the sub-group," Goyal said.

The move will lead to an assured supply to LNG gas-based power plants in India otherwise operating below capacity owing to lack of gas.

Earlier, at the energy dialogue here with Australia, Goyal called for investment in India by Australian mining and energy companies.

"We're going to expand and mine coal for many years to come. There's no larger market for you than India now," Goyal said while addressing a round table with representatives of Australian energy companies like Glencore, Rio Tinto, Geo Gas and Carbon Energy, members of the Queensland Resources Council and the Trade and Investment authority of Queensland.

"We need clean coal technologies and learn best practices in mining from Australian companies which are well versed in the business," the union minister said.

He assured Australian investors a corruption-free environment and quick approvals for their investment proposals, asking those present to be candid in their views on investing in India.
Bengaluru, Feb 8 : Twitterati on Monday joined the user industry in hailing the telecom watchdog for ruling in favour of net neutrality, though it meant a loss of face to Facebook and cellular operators.

Minutes after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued an order upholding net neutrality and ruling out discriminatory pricing of data content, twitterati across the country took to micro-blogging to express their views.

Among them were Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who welcomed the ruling and termed it a "big win for internet users in India".

As against Facebook's Free Basics and the country's largest private telecom operator Airtel Zero offerings, the watchdog said "no service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content".

Joining their leader, Congress spokesman Randeep S. Surjewalla and party leader Ahmed Patel welcomed the TRAI decision.

"The decision will negate differential data pricing and ensuring #Net Neutrality," Surjewalla tweeted.

"The decision will ensure a free and open internet for all #Net neutrality," tweeted Patel.

Leading e-tailor Snapdeal co-founder and chief executive Kunal Bahl said "great to see TRAI backing #NetNeutrality! Let's keep the Internet free and independent".

Taking a pot shot at Facebook's Free Basics, which is against net neutrality, journalist Vir Sanghvi tweeted "rot in hell Free Basics. You can't fool all the people all the time. Good decision by TRAI".

Journalist and former Hindu editor-in-chief Siddharth Varadarajan said "TRAI lays down historic order protecting net neutrality".

Mumbai-based anti-corruption crusader Anjali Damani tweeted the order as a big blow to Facebook that was "leaving no stones unturned to get Free Basics programme".

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, however, asked where he could read up on both sides of the #NetNeutrality debate.

"Have no idea what the debate is all about & would like to know," the National Conference leader quipped in the tweet.
New Delhi, Feb 8 : India on Monday expressed "deep concern" over the launch of a rocket by North Korea on Sunday.

"The DPRK (Democratic People' Republic of Korea) rocket launch of February 7 is a matter of deep concern," the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

"While countries have the right to exploit outer space for peaceful purposes, this must be in accordance with international obligations," it said.

"We call upon the DPRK to refrain from such actions, which adversely affect peace and stability in the region."

The launch, the first since December 2012, came one month after North Korea tested what it claimed to be its first hydrogen bomb. Many countries including the US and South Korea have sought fresh sanctions since the nuclear test on January 6.
New Delhi : On Monday afternoon, India's telecom regulator finally put to rest the fiery net neutrality debate in India -- by ruling against zero rating and differential tariffs.

Zero rating lets Airtel users use Facebook, for instance, free of data levies, while charging for access to other services or websites.

This violates net neutrality, which says there should be no differential pricing -- free data for one service, but priced for another -- based on the content or web sites.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has now forbidden such "discriminatory pricing" by whatever name it may be called.

The watchdog's ruling is clear and sharp, and a blow to Facebook's high-stakes Free Basics platform, born as Internet.org, as well as to Airtel Zero and other zero-rating platforms tried out, or planned, by telcos.

The year-long battle between the heavyweights, including telecom giants and Facebook, and a bunch of volunteers under the SaveTheInternet.in banner, was fiery, and seemingly unequal.

Facebook ploughed in an estimated Rs.300 crore into its three-month campaign defending Free Basics. Against it, though, the lone volunteer-activists gradually managed to drum up a great deal of public support.

A spokesman said Facebook was "disappointed with the outcome, but we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings".

Expectedly, the activists were ecstatic.

"This is a historic outcome," said Kiran Jonnalagadda, a co-founder of the SaveTheInternet.in movement.

"For the first time, India leads where the US and Europe will follow. Many thanks to TRAI chairman R.S. Sharma for backing such an important ruling as his first major act in office."

The TRAI ruling got widespread applause, including from tech association Nasscom, which had given a submission supporting net neutrality. Its Internet council chairman Sanjeev Bikhchandani said the ruling would "help address apprehensions of young start-ups fearing lack of a level playing field."

Entrepreneur Arvind Jha of TiE said the collective power of 7,000 start-ups (whose founders had written to the PMO supporting Net Neutrality) and a dedicated team of volunteers has won over Facebook's ad blitzkrieg running into hundreds of crores of rupees.

So have David and the good guys vanquished Goliath, ending the battle?

The reality may be more nuanced than that. A battle much bigger than activists versus Facebook is up ahead: Providing Internet access to nearly a billion Indians who are offline, or nominally online, today.

First, the nuances.

Facebook is responsible for a great deal of the Internet penetration in India. Of the 300 million mobile users who make up over 90 percent of India's internet base, 56 percent use WhatsApp daily, and 51 percent use Facebook, according to a TNS survey released last October.

So, at least two out of every three Internet users in India use mobile data -- purely to use one or the other of Facebooks apps, including WhatsApp. It would be great to find a net-neutral way to let users access the apps or sites they need to (which may include WhatsApp or Facebook), free, or cheaply.

The Net neutrality movement, and now TRAI, have shot down Free Basics, which would have got Facebook and a few select apps free of data charges to subscribers of one telco (Reliance Communications).

But TRAI hasn't yet suggested what alternatives could be used to provide cheap or free Internet access to the hundreds of millions of mobile users who are unable or unwilling to pay for mobile data.

And no! They don't have access to even wireline broadband.

The watchdog did ask that question in its consultation paper. So we're all hoping it will yet come up with some workable ideas.

There are several options as well.

For instance, letting telecom companies offer a certain amount of free data for all, or using apps like Gigato which allow sponsors to top-up data, free, for prepaid users of specific apps: that recharged data can then be used for accessing any website or app.

Then there's Digital India, which aims to put Wi-Fi into towns and villages, letting smartphone users access the internet free or cheaply.

Former journalist Pierre Fitter puts it well: "Good that all Web content will be treated as equal. Now comes the important bit: making sure everyone can access the Internet."

(Prasanto K. Roy is a senior technology journalist. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at @prasanto and prasanto@gmail.com)
Chennai, Feb 8 : In a startling turn of events, the Crime Branch Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) on Monday told the Madras High Court that the death of three girls of S.V.S. Medical College of Yoga and Naturopathy and Research Institute, Villupuram, was not due to drowning.

The bodies of the three girl students -- T. Monisha, E. Saranya and V. Priyanka -- were taken out of a well in a farm near the college, around 170 km from here, on the evening of January 23.

While police registered a case of suicide, the parents of the girls alleged that the daughters were murdered for protesting against the lack of basic facilities in the college.

"The CBCID submitted to the court the first post-mortem report. According to the report, there was no water in the lungs and other organs of the girls which is normal in the case of people who get drowned," S. Rajinikanth, advocate for Monisha's father Tamilarasan, told IANS.

He said the second autopsy done on Monisha's body on the high court's orders was expected to be submitted by the CBCID on Tuesday.

Tamilarasan had petitioned the court for a second autopsy as the first was conducted without his consent.

Police in Villupuram said the three girl students ended their lives after the management demanded higher fees even though the college lacked basic facilities.

Police arrested Vasuki, Sukhi Verma and two other top officials of the college while the Villupuram district administration sealed the college.

Nearly four months ago, a few students of the college had allegedly attempted suicide in front of the Villupuram collectorate.
New Delhi, Feb 8 : The Congress on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the nation and making "hollow and lame allegations" regarding the delay in the commencement of the Paradip oil refinery project in Odisha.

Modi resorted to myopic politicking while inaugurating the Paradip project on Sunday, said Congress leader and former union minister Srikant Jena in a statement here.

"Had the prime minister been honest and sincere, he would have appreciated the Congress-led UPA government in the development of Paradip and Odisha instead of making hollow and lame allegations about the project having been delayed. We call upon him to introspect and do necessary course correction," Jena added.

"Narendra Modi's rhetoric is founded on blame game and criticising the previous governments instead of providing leadership to the nation. The net consequence is that repeated public utterances of the prime minister are based on deliberate ignorance and selective amnesia towards facts," the Congress leader said.

He said the project was conceptualised in 1992 by the then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao with a capacity of six million tonnes, later increased to nine million tonnes by the United Front government headed by H.D. Deve Gowda.

He said the foundation stone was laid by the then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2000.

The Congress leader said the project was called off due to "delay and non-cooperation by the Biju Janata Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government in Odisha which refused to provide sales tax concession".

Jena said the United Progressive Alliance government led by Manmohan Singh revisited the project and "persuaded the then BJD government in Odisha to sign a memorandum of understanding".

He said the then UPA government and the Indian Oil Corporation Limited announced a fresh project with a capacity of 15 million tonnes refining capacity along with other downstream projects.

Jena said the then UPA government approved expenditure of Rs.35,000 crore in 2009 and its completion in 2012-13.

"What is remarkable is that despite being a green field project in remote area, 95 percent of the work was completed by 2014 during UPA government's term," the Congress leader said in the release.

Modi had on Sunday dedicated to the nation a 15-million tonnes per annum refinery and expressed regrets over the delay in execution of different projects.

He took a dig at the Congress and said "nowadays whenever I go to inaugurate any project, the friends in Congress party say it was started during our time".
Bengaluru, Feb 8 : Industry users and netizens on Monday hailed the regulator's favourable order on net neutrality while social network Facebook and cellular operators cried foul.

"We congratulate TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) for enshrining the principles of net neutrality and non-discriminatory access," IT industry representative body Nasscom president R. Chandrashekhar said in a statement.

Expressing disappointment over the telecom watchdog's order, Facebook, however, said it would continue efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to internet.

"Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform," a Facebook spokespersons told IANS.

Upholding net neutrality, TRAI on Monday said no to discriminatory pricing of data content as against the offerings by Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel Zero.

"No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content," TRAI said in its order.

Nasscom's internet council chairman Sanjeev Bhikchandani said the favourable ruling would help address concerns of start-ups on lack of level-playing field.

Terming the order a big win for consumer and net neutrality, Rajya Sabha lawmaker Rajeev Chandrasekhar hailed TRAI chairman R.S. Sharma for standing up for consumers.

"This is a powerful and positive first step as days of telcos controlling regulations and regulatory policy is over and it's consumer to the fore," Chandrasekhar said in a statement here.

Echoing Facebook, Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) director general Rajan S. Mathews, however, regretted that the watchdog rejected upfront differential pricing without defining net neutrality.

"We expected that they will see our recommendations before coming out with the regulations. It (Free Basics) was a tool to connect the billion of unconnected people in India," Mathews contended.

Observing that the watchdog's regulation on differential pricing was a welcome move, Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) said the order would ensure that the basic tenets of net neutrality were followed across the country.

"The ruling vindicates our stand on the issue. The internet start-up eco-system and the internet user community are delighted, as we had taken a 'no exception standpoint' against differential pricing," the association said in a statement.

The association also expressed gratitude to the watchdog for being the ultimate authority in deciding cases of violations and its decision was final and binding.

The association, however, expressed concern over the exception rule that the order would not apply to tariffs for data services over closed electronic communications networks.

Observing that the ruling would enable all netizens to have non-discriminatory access to internet, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) telecom leader Arpita Pal Agrawal said innovative ways had to be found to make every Indian access the net and bridge the digital divide.

Global research and advisory firm Gartner said the regulator's notification was in line with the US Federal Communications Commission's ruling on 'open internet' and the European Union, which ruled in favour of treating all internet traffic equally.

"The notification is in support of the government's focus on start-up and internet penetration, without compromising on access to content," Gartner India research director Amresh Nandan said in a statement.

As start-ups are dependent on open access of internet, any directive to control it can have detrimental effect on them and the government's push to start-up ecosystem.

Though telecom service providers may not be happy with the notification, Nandan said they have the ability to create different kind of internet access packages as long as content is not a parameter to provide or bar access to anyone.

"Such practices have started elsewhere with products such as bandwidth on demand and bandwidth calendaring to create premium products," he added.
Mumbai, Feb 8 : Controversial film "Darling Don't Cheat", which had grabbed headlines for its sensual trailer and 'nude trip' contest, has run into trouble with protests against it in Uttar Pradesh.

A group of people, largely comprising women, burned posters of the film in the middle of the street near the Meerut district collectorate.

They also wrote a letter to the Meerut district authorities to ban the film.

The protestors claim that the portrayal of women in the film was disrespectful, defies the rich tradition of the country and instigates people against Indian culture.

But what really prompted them was the 'nude trip' contest that the filmmakers have initiated, which the protestors said was unacceptable.

Directed by Rajkumar Hindusthani, the film features Ram Gaurav Pandey, Ashish Tyagi and Neha Chaterji, and is slated to release on March 11.

The protestors chanted slogans like "Rajkumar Hindusthani Hai Hai" and against the film, demanding a ban not just in Meerut, but in the entire western Uttar Pradesh.

Police arrived at the venue and there was an altercation with the protestors.

"We shall ban this film. We shall lock the theatres running this film," District Magistrate Pankaj Yadav said.

Shocked at the demonstration against his film, Hindusthani said: "We are well within our rights legally and morally to carry out the contest.

He said the district magistrate's statement "is contrary to the censor board, as the censors have already cleared the film's release".

"Regarding the movie, there is nothing objectionable with regard to the depiction of women. And the competent authority -- the censor board -- has cleared our film.

"We will not worry about fringe elements in the society who instigate innocent people to demonstrate against the movie with ulterior motives," he said.

Students of various colleges in Meerut were among those who took part in the protest.
New Delhi, Feb 8 : The Congress on Monday reiterated its demand for a court-monitored SIT probe into alleged undue favours extended by the Gujarat government to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel's daughter Anar Patel in a land deal.

"It is a fit case for a court-monitored investigation because not only was government land given at a throwaway price to private players, the Environment Projection Act, Wildlife Act...all norms have been violated with impunity," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said here.

Tewari said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the chief minister of Gujarat at the relevant time, should come clean on the issue.

"Unfortunately, the silence of both the prime minister and chief minister has been deafening. Over the last two days, certain new facts have emerged," the Congress leader added.

The Congress on Saturday accused Modi of nepotism, conflict of interest and plunder of public land for commercial and business purposes as the chief minister and demanded a probe into all the land allotments during his term as Gujarat chief minister.

"When we are talking of a special investigation team probe, it is not limited only to this case of Wildwood Resorts or business associates of Anar Patel," party leader Anand Sharma had said.

"Who is benefitting from the flagrant violation of the Environment Protection Act and the wildlife Act, and prime minister - if this is not corruption, then will you care to explain to the country what exactly it is?" Tewari said.

He said the Supreme Court should take suo motu cognizance and order an independent investigation into the issue.

Anar Patel has rubbished the Congress allegations of taking undue favours from the state government.
New Delhi, Feb 8 : The BJP on Monday welcomed the decision of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) against discriminatory pricing of data content, saying it will give a strong impetus to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of a 'Digital India'.

In a statement issued by Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the party said the decision was an expression of popular will and it will give a strong impetus to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of a Digital India.

"The BJP wholeheartedly welcomes the TRAI decision on differential pricing. The decision is a clear expression of popular will. The decision is fully in line with the BJP-led NDA government's vision of open and fair Internet and support to net neutrality, which it has reiterated time and again, on the floor of the parliament and outside," the statement said.

The statement said the National Democratic Alliance government ensured unparalleled transparency in the entire issue of net neutrality.

"The BJP is confident that today's decision will give a strong impetus to PM Modi's dream of a Digital India. The party notes with joy that this decision was taken after extensive consultations between various stakeholders across the spectrum," the statement said.

The party also attacked the Congress, saying it sought to mislead the people and stood exposed.

"The Congress tried its best to create an atmosphere of distrust and fear while the process was going on and in the process made a deplorable attempt to mislead the people for the sake of petty politics. Today they stand completely exposed," the statement said.

It said the government made sure proper processes were followed at all levels "which eventually led to the victory of an open and equal Internet".

The telecom watchdog on Monday said no to discriminatory pricing of data content in a move seen as an endorsement of net neutrality and a setback to offerings such as Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel Zero.
New Delhi, Feb 8 : The Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) on Monday protested against the intimidation and harassment of a woman journalist by people said to be functionaries of the BJP and Congress in Chhattisgarh.

In a statement issued here, IWPC expressed shock over the harassment of Malini Subramaniam, a contributor to online news portal Scroll, at the instigation of some political functionaries in Jagdalpur area of Bastar district.

"The IWPC expresses shock and concern over the harassment and intimidation of a woman journalist by alleged functionaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress in Jagdalpur, Bastar," the statement said.

The IWPC called upon the Chhattisgarh government to take action against the accused to send out a strong message that no one is above the law of the land.

It said the growing intimidation of journalists was a matter of grave concern.

"Not only is such intimidation an attack on the freedom of the press, it also creates an atmosphere of fear that will end up affecting fair and unbiased reporting by journalists," the IWPC said.
Hyderabad, Feb 8 : A doctor was shot at here on Monday over a dispute regarding a hospital, police said.

Dr Udai Kumar was shot at by Shashi Kumar from pointblank range in a car in the busy Himayatnagar area in the city's heart on Monday evening. He was admitted to a hospital, where his condition was stable.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, Shashi Kumar opened fire from his licensed .32 mm pistol at Udai Kumar while they were sitting in the victim's car along with one Sai Kumar.

The dispute was regarding Laurel Hospital in Madhapur which the three had opened along with some NRIs.

Shashi Kumar had invested Rs.75 lakh but felt he was sidelined by Udai and Sai and had called the duo to Himayatnagar to discuss the matter. During a heated argument, he allegedly opened fire at Udai.
Over half of buy to let mortgage applicants in the UK are unaware of forthcoming changes to mortgage tax rules and other changes that could affect their application, a new survey has found.

Indeed, it is accidental landlords, those who did not intentionally set out to rent out a property, are least likely to know about these regulatory changes, according to the research from landlord insurance provider Direct Line for Business.

It found that 62% of applicants were unaware of either the changes to mortgage tax relief or the European Unions Mortgage Credit Directive (MCD), both of which could impact their ability to secure a mortgage. This lack of awareness rises to 71% amongst accidental landlords.

This comes as it is estimated that accidental landlords account for around 17% of new mortgage applications, with overall buy to let mortgage applications growing by 29% in the past year.

The research also revealed that only 7% of mortgage advisers believe that the MCD will have a positive impact on approvals of buy to let mortgage applications, compared to 59% who expect it to have a negative impact.

The EUs MCD could see circumstances where landlord mortgage lending will be viewed as consumer lending and could be subject to more stringent lending criteria. Accidental landlords with one or two rental properties may not be able to pass the expected new affordability tests.

Changes to the mortgage tax relief are set to be phased in from April 2017 with landlords no longer able to deduct mortgage interest payments before calculating their tax bill. They will instead get a tax credit equivalent to 20% basic rate tax on this amount. Landlords are also set to be hit from April 2016 by stamp duty changes that mean anyone buying a second home or buy to let property will pay an extra 3% stamp duty.

The new EU legislation on mortgages coupled with the Governments increase in buy to let taxation could significantly alter the buy to let market, so we would encourage any mortgage applicants to think carefully about the new law and how this could impact them as a landlord, said Nick Breton, head of Direct Line for Business.

With house prices in the UK rising by 7% in the year leading to October 2015, and with the estimated average deposit standing at more than 61,000, it is imperative that landlords are able to maintain a suitable amount of property to house the population of young people saving up to buy their first property, or those seeking a temporary stay in a town or city, he added.

The firm urges landlords to make the most of existing tax benefits. Any money spent on keeping a property in a good state of repair is tax deductible, as are all broker and arrangement fees. Landlords can also claim the whole cost of council tax or utility bills that a tenant would pay.

It also says they should keep up to date with legislation and continually keep an eye on the policies affecting landlords to ensure that a property complies with the latest legislative changes. It is also important to consider whether a property is not just affordable in the short term but in the medium to longer term as often relief is phased out and additional taxes phased in over a number of years.
Credit: Cara Willenbrock Ultimately, miVEDiX for Healthcare is helping to improve patient outcomes and value for organizations.

iVEDiX was selected to join six cutting-edge digital health companies in the highly competitive New York Digital Health Accelerator (NYDHA) program this past September. Run by the Partnership Fund for New York City and the New York eHealth Collaborative, NYDHA is intended to help growth-stage healthcare technology companies develop leading-edge technology solutions around clinical workflow management, care coordination, and patient engagement. The five-month program carefully selects companies to work with the NYDHA Mentor Network of healthcare providers, institutional investors, and entrepreneurs-in-residence across New York State. These mentors share their feedback, experiences, and strategic guidance to the enrolled companies.

iVEDiX CEO and Founder, Raj Kutty, showcased iVEDiX's flagship mobile platform, miVEDiX, at the NYDHA annual Demo Day on January 21st. There Kutty stressed the significance of user experiences: "When you empower end users with the ability to easily access and interact with relevant healthcare information their data becomes intrinsically personal and engaging. With more engagement clinicians and caregivers will demand and consume much more data, and expect better quality and completeness of the data. Better quality drives better and more consistent clinical decisions. Ultimately, miVEDiX for Healthcare is helping to improve patient outcomes and value for organizations."

Following the formal completion of the NYDHA program, iVEDiX plans to showcase its healthcare solutions at the annual HIMSS16 Conference in Las Vegas. The event will be held from February 29th through March 4th at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. In addition to hands-on workshops and product demos, iVEDiX will be hosting presentations on topics such as: improving clinical health information access, optimizing the physician/patient experience, enhancing the value of clinical quality metrics, and utilizing public health analytics to save lives.

About iVEDiX

iVEDiX is an innovative leader in mobile visualization, analytics and workflow products focused on creating an extraordinary user experience interacting with data. It's miVEDiX for Healthcare platform is a highly configurable, intuitive, and interactive; providing clinicians with easy health information access, workflow optimization, clinical quality analytics, and decision support. The product seamlessly integrates with existing data infrastructures and gives users access to their data directly from their mobile device. The platform combines rich visualizations, sophisticated interface options, and real-time updates to deliver an immersive data discovery experience. To learn more, visit http://www.ivedix.com.
The Nazi responsible for the transport of millions of innocent people to death camps might well have lived out his days in Argentina as Ricardo Klement if fate, a Holocaust survivor and Israels foreign intelligence service hadnt intervened. A multimedia exhibition produced by the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in collaboration with The Mossad  Israeli Secret Intelligence Service and Beit Hatfutsot  The Museum of the Jewish People, Tel Aviv, featuring recently declassified artifacts never before seen outside of Israel reveals the secret history behind the capture, extradition and trial of one of the world's most notorious escaped war criminals. OPERATION FINALE: THE CAPTURE & TRIAL OF ADOLF EICHMANN premieres at the Maltz Museum (2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood, Ohio 44122; 216.593.0575; maltzmuseum.org) February 19  June 12, 2016.

This is the first time the Mossad has allowed archival materials related to one of its clandestine operations to leave Israel, asserts Maltz Museum Executive Director Ellen Rudolph. Weve been working with our international partners for more than two years to assemble this new exhibition and were thrilled to debut it here before traveling it to museums across the country.

Operation Finale references the code name given to the Mossads effort to capture and abduct Eichmann. The exhibition offers an unprecedented opportunity to see impressive pre-digital-era espionage with all of its accompanying maps, printed case files, hand-forged documents and even a pair of goggles used to obscure Eichmanns vision during the abduction, says former agent and espionage expert Avner Avraham, who curated the materials for the Mossad in Israel. With 60 original artifacts and 70 photographs, the 4,000-square-foot exhibition details exactly how agents located a perpetrator of The Final Solution hiding in South America and smuggled him to Israel to stand trial for crimes against the Jewish people. The entire dramatic story is told, including never-before-revealed details of a Plan B backup escape strategy devised in case the initial scheme failed, explains Avraham.

Short films within OPERATION FINALE allow exhibition-goers to hear directly from the abduction team that caught the SS lieutenant colonel and the legal team that prosecuted him. An immersive video installation housing the iconic bulletproof glass booth from which a dispassionate Eichmann testified drops visitors right into the historic 1961 trial. Although it was more than 15 years after the end of World War II, this was the first time many survivors publicly shared their stories, says Beit Hatfutsot Chief Curator Dr. Orit Shaham Gover. These moving accounts of pain, suffering, courage and survival were broadcast across the globe, providing a deeper, more complete understanding of the Holocaust that became not only a living part of Jewish identity, but of the worlds conscience.

OPERATION FINALE illustrates the enormity of the crimes committed during the Nazi regime and explores issues of justice and accountability. A high school dropout who lost his job as salesmen during the Depression in 1933, Eichmann rose to prominence in the Nazi party by zealously applying his logistical skills to the efficient execution of state-sponsored genocide. He never expressed remorse. I was not a responsible leader, and as such do not feel myself guilty, he wrote, asking for clemency.

Eleven million people, including six million Jews, were systematically murdered when their neighbors and countrymenperhaps motivated by fear or a desire to get aheadaccepted a worldview that required them to suppress their humanity, says Rudolph. The exhibition drives home the need to remain firm in our moral convictions and ever vigilant against indifference and intolerance in the world.

As survivor and longtime Maltz Museum volunteer Erika Gold states in an OPERATION FINALE film, We must talk about the Holocaust so it will never happen again.

# # #

OPERATION FINALE: THE CAPTURE & TRIAL OF ADOLF EICHMANN: The head of the Nazis homicidal Jewish Department who zealously managed the transport of millions of innocent people to death camps disappeared after World War II. Photographs, film and recently declassified espionage artifacts never before seen outside of Israel reveal the dramatic secret history behind the pursuit, capture, extradition and 1961 trial of a principal perpetrator of The Final Solution. This world premiere exhibition is a co-production of The Mossad  Israeli Secret Intelligence Service; Beit Hatfutsot  The Museum of the Jewish People, Tel Aviv, Israel; and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage.

OPERATION FINALE is included with Maltz Museum admission: $12 adults, $10 seniors (60+) and students, $5 youth (5-11) and FREE for Maltz Museum Members and children under 5. Groups of 10 or more are eligible for guided tours and a discount with advance registration.

Exhibition/Maltz Museum hours: Tuesday  Sunday, 11am -5pm, Wednesday, 11am-9pm. The Museum is closed Mondays. (Note: The Museum recently changed its Saturday hours to open at 11am.)

Guided drop-in tours of the OPERATION FINALE exhibition: Available on Tuesdays and Sundays at 2pm with regular Museum admission.

MALTZ MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE: The Maltz Museum celebrates culture and identity to encourage connection and promote a greater appreciation of Jewish heritage and the diversity of the human experience. Personal stories of struggle, courage and creativity are brought to life through interactive exhibitions and thought-provoking programs. For more information, visit maltzmuseum.org and follow us on Twitter @maltzmuseum and @stopthehateUS.
Secure, Tier 3 Capable, SSAE16 Certified Data Center

Quasar Data Center, a proven leader in providing enterprise class co-location and managed services, today announced they are adding 12,000 additional square feet of prime co-location space and are aggressively looking for an anchor tenant.

Quasar Data Center offers customers N + 1 Infrastructure along with 24/7/365 support and security, 24/7/365 physical and remote access, high density power configurations up to 10KW per rack, a carrier neutral facility with connectivity to most major carriers and private space that can be customized and built to suit.

"We are excited to expand our co-location footprint in Houston, TX and provide our clients with the enterprise class services and infrastructure they need that allow them to compete and grow in their respective industries said Casey Jones, Chief Technology Officer and General Manager for Quasar.

About Quasar Data Center

Quasar Data Center is located in the Binz Building at 1001 Texas Avenue in downtown, Houston, Texas. Quasar offers a wide range of 24/7 services from Co-location, Cloud Services including Desktop-As-A-Service, Infrastructure-As-A-Service, Managed Back-Up Services, Managed Virtual Firewall and Off-site Business Continuity services. Quasar provides dual underground power, redundant connectivity, primary and backup cooling, secure facility, locked cabinets, humidity control, server monitoring, troubleshooting services and more for co-location and hosting customers.

Quasar also manages a Tier I Point of Presence (POP) and is capable of providing "peered" bandwidth for greater redundancy and expeditious routing. The POP makes Quasar truly Carrier Neutral and can provide customers with numerous carriers and WAN providers. For additional information, visit http://www.quasardata.com or contact:

Casey Jones

713-936-0592 Work

281-787-1388 Mobile

cjones(at)quasardata(dot)com

Kevin Lambert

713-936-0598 Work

832-755-2049 Mobile

klambert(at)quasardata(dot)com
The Public Tutoring Initiative is encouraging public support for a new crowd-source campaign https://www.crowdrise.com/tutoringfor100001/fundraiser/publictutoring to provide its ACT test prep courses to students from low-income high schools being served by College Summit, the nations only program leveraging the power of peer influence to increase college enrollment. Studies have documented that even though students from schools in low-income communities aspire to go to college at the same rate as students from higher-income communities, they take college entrance exams at a much lower rate and have dramatically lower college enrollment numbers.

The Public Tutoring Initiatives best-in-class ACT test prep provides College Summit partner high schools students around the nation with a critical leg up in their effort to get into college, said Keith Frome, College Summit Co-founder and CEO. Students at our schools are trained to find smart college matches, write compelling admission essays and apply for financial aid. Public Tutorings test prep rounds out the essential college access and admission services we are providing to these determined yet often disadvantaged students."

The Public Tutoring Initiative is a Benefit or "B" Corporation. For every paid test prep enrollment, the company donates a course to a student who would not be able to afford the class. The company's donation of 10,000 free classes to College Summit students showcases its commitment to providing all students with an opportunity to go to college regardless of their economic circumstances. To accelerate and fully-fund Public Tutorings donation, it has created a crowd-sourced campaign on the CrowdRise philanthropy platform.

Every student deserves a chance at getting into college. Our proven test prep course gives these students, many of whom will be the first in the family to reach for post-secondary education, a shot at college and a better life, explained Mauri Artz, Founder and CEO of The Public Tutoring Initiative. The early response to our CrowdRise campaign has been incredible. Folks are so excited about how easy it is to help these thousands of College Summit students realize their true potential.

About College Summit

College Summit is a national nonprofit that transforms the lives of young people from low-income communities by developing teams of high school students who use their influence to lead their peers to and through college. To date, College Summit has placed over 250,000 students from almost 500 schools across the country on the path to college and career, raising the college enrollment rates of partner schools by up to 20% over baseline. The organizations new PeerForward program enhancement promises to change the trajectory of the lives of 1.8M students from low-income communities over the next decade.

About The Public Tutoring Initiative

The Public Tutoring Initiatives online courses provide comprehensive subject matter tutoring and test taking strategies. A 15 year track-record of success informs the proprietary lessons that are provided online and live-streamed to high school students around the country. The Public Tutoring Initiative is a Benefit Corporation and its mission is to make access to college easier by bringing its high quality ACT test prep to students who cannot afford this level of tutoring.
Stratus Building Solutions Franchise Headquaters It is a great opportunity to go into business for yourself, without sacrificing current comforts like a regular schedule and office environment.

Many understand the benefits of franchising, but fewer have the opportunity to experience the advantages of operating as the franchisor. Franchisors are the entities which sell a business model, train and offer support to its sub-franchisees; earning revenue through the initial sale and collection of royalties from their franchise owners.

Stratus Building Solutions is a company which offers the best of both worlds, called a Master Franchise, it is an opportunity for a franchisee to operate as a franchisor in its own exclusive regional territory. Stratus National Headquarters has set its sights on an aggressive expansion plan throughout the United States and seeks a local entrepreneur in the Atlanta Metro to open a new Master location.

The Stratus Building Solutions franchise model is built on a two tier system; Master Franchises that operate as the regional franchisors, selling and offering support to their Unit Franchisees, who focus on commercial cleaning, janitorial and customer service.

Master Franchise owners are typically experienced sales, marketing and business development professionals who have spent a great deal of their careers in Corporate America looking for then next step in their careers and are interested in going into business for themselves, states COO, Channen Smith who also came from a similar background in Healthcare prior to purchasing his first Master Franchise in Denver, which lead to a partnership to acquire the Stratus franchise headquarters in 2015. It is a great opportunity to go into business for yourself, without sacrificing current comforts like a regular schedule and office environment, he adds.

The Stratus Building Solutions Master Franchise model focuses on sales and marketing to two different consumer bases, including recruiting new Unit Franchisees and offering support to those franchisees by targeting commercial cleaning and janitorial customers. Unit Franchisees are usually current small cleaning business owners, inexperienced individuals looking to own their own business or add supplemental income without high investment fees. The Master Franchise owner extends the opportunity to live the American dream to a broader range of individuals by offering the tools, training and support to its sub-franchisees within its territory.

Atlanta is an ideal metropolitan for the Stratus Building Solutions model with its large population and wide range of businesses. Stratus franchisees service anything from schools, medical offices, shopping centers, warehouses, dealerships, religious centers, professional offices, daycares, retail stores, gyms and more. Franchise fees for the Atlanta territory start at $62,500 with a typical additional investment ranging between $150,000 and $200,000.
online payment

Smart2Pay, the company with the world's largest coverage of online alternative payment solutions, is proud to announce that WebMoney Transfer will use the Smart2Pay platform for uploading funds to WebMoney wallets.

WebMoney Transfer, a global settlement system and an environment for online business activities with more than 30 million users worldwide, has integrated a comprehensive package of the Smart2Pay Payment services which will make available to system users a wide range of local alternative payment methods worldwide. This partnership will allow WebMoney system users to upload funds to their e-wallets using their preferred local payment methods provided by Smart2Pay. For more information, please go to https://top-up.wmtransfer.com/TopUp.aspx

Smart2Pay is already offering WebMoney as a payment option to its Merchants, whos customers can use their WebMoney wallets to pay for goods and services.

Avet Mnatsakanyan CEO of WebMoney Europe: "WebMoney has recently acquired an FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) license and is actively expanding into new territories. We are aiming to provide our users worldwide with the most convenient and secure payment methods for funding their WebMoney wallets, the cooperation with Smart2Pay shall further enhance the local payment methods available to our users."

James Flinterman CEO of Smart2Pay: "We are looking forward to working with WebMoney to help the company address local users needs, and to support and accelerate their ongoing global expansion, delivering a frictionless experience to their users around the world."

About WebMoney

WebMoney Transfer is a global settlement system and environment for online business activities, established in 1998. Since then, over 30 million people from all over the world have joined the system.

WebMoney offers services which will allow you to keep track of your funds, attract funding and carry out safe transactions.

For more information about WebMoney, please visit: http://www.wmtransfer.com.

About Smart2Pay

Smart2Pay is offering local payment services to international Merchants since 2002, covering more than 70 countries worldwide. By adding local payment methods to your e-commerce site, you will boost your sales significantly, by offering the preferred local payment method to your Customers!
Feng Shui expert Carol M. Olmstead of Feng Shui For Real Life consulted in the design of "Sacred Realm: Blessings and Good Fortune Across Asia," a major museum exhibition of ancient objects, opening on February 28, 2016, at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The exhibit focuses on how people from various cultures and religions seek blessings and magical protection, and includes stations for making amulets and creating offerings, and a photo booth where visitors can share their own tattoos and meanings with the community.

Carol worked with Curator Felicia Katz-Harris and her team to incorporate contemporary Feng Shui principles into the design of an exhibit featuring old world objects to achieve perfect balance. Explanatory notes about Feng Shui appear throughout the gallery. Besides working with Olmstead on the practical Feng Shui arrangement of the space, the museum team also consulted a Balinese Hindu Brahmin, a Tibetan Rinpoche, a Tibetan Lama, Thai Buddhist monks and spiritual masters, an Islamic Cultural Center, scholars of Asian religion, and three rabbis in the selection of objects.

How appropriate that 'Sacred Realm' is opening during the month of the New Year in Chinese culture, says Olmstead, especially since the exhibit reflects wide-ranging practices of belief that also represent the common human desire to attain balance and harmony, which also defines Feng Shui. Olmstead adds, It was exciting to contribute as the gallery transformed from an open space, to help select vivid wall colors like 'pomegranate' to match corresponding Feng Shui areas, and to see the 'practical magic' happen as the objects were placed to activate various aspects of Feng Shui principles.

Sacred Realm" shows how people choose and connect with higher powers to bring stability to their lives, and to attract love, fertility, prosperity, longevity, and safety. Says Olmstead, Seems like the perfect timing for this Feng Shui-friendly exhibition. What more can anyone ask than entering a new year with blessings and good fortune?

About Carol Olmstead and Feng Shui For Real Life: A Certified Feng Shui practitioner for 18 years, Carol Olmstead has taught thousands of clients, students, and readers internationally the simple secrets of using Feng Shui to rearrange spaces, shift energy, and transform their lives. She is the author of the award winning "Feng Shui Quick Guide For Home and Office  Secrets For Attracting Wealth, Harmony, and Love." Carol was certified by the Feng Shui Institute of America and awarded Red Ribbon Practitioner designation by the International Feng Shui Guild. You can read more about her real-world approach to Feng Shui at http://www.FengShuiForRealLife.com.

Carol Olmstead is available for interviews, and will be at the opening of Sacred Realm from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on February 28, 2016, at the Museum of International Folk Art on Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Jeromes is very happy to support USO San Diego and add some additional comfort to those it serves."

Jeromes Furniture showed its support for local non-profit USO San Diego, donating a number of furniture pieces to replace aging furnishing at its downtown facility. The donated items included two loveseats and four chairs from the Samuel Collection and six Ferrera tables valued at $2,800.

Jeromes is very happy to support USO San Diego and add some additional comfort to those it serves, stated Jim Navarra, Senior Vice President of Jeromes Furniture. Were always looking for opportunities to serve our community and continue to build stronger and richer relationships with local San Diego non-profits.

With Jeromes contribution, The USO Downtown Center, open 365 days of the year, will continue to support over 27,000 military personnel in San Diego. The center often hosts dinners with up to 215 people in attendance, putting to good use the donated furniture. With 11 stores spread throughout Southern California, Jeromes offers a wide variety of products from living and dining room furniture to mattresses and bedroom furniture all ready for same day and next-day delivery.

We sincerely thank Jeromes for this kind and timely donation, said Arne Nelson, CEO of USO San Diego. The USO San Diego Downtown Center supported over 27,000 military personnel in 2015. Due to the large amount of programs hosted at the Downtown Center, our furniture gets a lot of use.

About Jeromes Furniture

Jeromes Furniture was founded in 1954 by Jim & Esther Navarra, and is still owned and operated by the Navarra family. The 600-employee company features seven Navarra family members. Since 1970 locations have spread across San Diego to Chula Vista, San Marcos, El Cajon and Scripps Ranch. In 2005, the company streamlined its operations, opening a 450,000 square foot distribution center, and in the last few years has expanded outside the San Diego area into Murrieta, Corona, Rancho Cucamonga, South Bay/Torrance, Anaheim, and Laguna Hills. For more information, please visit Jeromes.com.
People have been eager to sign the petition and our grassroots program has seen an influx of new volunteers who are carrying our petition even further.

John Cox, the Chairman of the California Is Not For Sale Initiative, announced that the campaign to require California State Representatives in Sacramento to wear the names of their top sponsors while on the Floor has gathered 40,000 signatures. The Initiative, which received Title and Summary on December 31, 2015, began collecting signatures just two weeks ago.

We have been met with incredible enthusiasm across the State, said Cox. People have been eager to sign the petition and our grassroots program has seen an influx of new volunteers who are carrying our petition even further.

The Initiative needs 365,000 valid signatures in order to qualify to be on the November, 2016 ballot, and at this rate will reach that number well in advance of the deadline at the end of April.

In the coming months, the Initiative will aggressively campaign across the State, which will include its marquee demonstration piece: 120 logo-covered cutouts of each member of the Assembly and Senate.

The California Is Not For Sale Initiative comes at a time when the entire nation is experiencing a meteoric rise in spending on political campaigns. Cox said of the spending, Special interests give money to politicians with the expectation of a return. They have a bottom line to protect and a cause to advance. If giving $50,000 to a handful of Assemblyman buys them votes or an advocate on the inside, its worth the investment. And they dont have to look hard for politicians who are taking donations.

The campaign has been funded by Chairman Cox, who has committed $1,000,000 to get it on the ballot.

Registered California voters can download, print, sign, and return the Initiative from this page. For more information, visit http://www.californiaisnotforsale.com
Blink UX, a research and design firm specializing in the user experience of digital products, has been named one of Forbes 25 Best Small Companies in America.

Its a great honor to represent not only Seattle on the Forbes list but the entire West Coast. We have always worked hard at careful, deliberate growth, making sure we stay true to our values, core services, and UX approach. Along with a commitment to delivering the highest value to our clients, Blink places a strong emphasis on culture, community, and relationships, said Karen Clark Cole, CEO and Co-Founder of Blink UX. Recognition from Forbes and the Small Giants Community for running a values-based company makes me extremely proud.

Kelly Franznick and Karen Clark Cole founded Blink UX in 2000 when User Experience was a new concept. Since then, they have nurtured and grown the business for over 16 years, focusing on delivering extreme value to clients rather than growth for the sake of numbers. Blink UX now has 70 employees and continues to foster a culture and business model that employs top talent in the UX field from around the country. The companys expertise spans industries including consumer goods and services, healthcare, financial services, sciences, and smart devices.

Forbes stated specific criterion for selecting the businesses on the 25 Best Small Companies List, which include the company being acknowledged as being outstanding in their industry as well as making the decision to focus on being great instead of simply on fast growth. Forbes was also looking for a certain business mojo. Bo Burlingham, curator of the 25 Best Small Companies in America list, stated, When a company has mojo, you want to be connected with it. You want to buy from it, sell to it, work for it.

ABOUT BLINK UX

Founded in 2000, Blink UX is a Seattle-based user experience research and design firm specializing in digital products. We are dedicated to helping clients achieve their business goals through a flexible user-centered design approach, and our evidence-driven design services help companies that depend on technology take the guesswork out of delivering great user experiences. Blink UX has worked with hundreds of innovative clients ranging in size and type from start-ups to Fortune 100, including Amazon, Apple, Disney, Google, Splunk, Starbucks, HP, Microsoft, NASA, and Nike.
Early detection of errors in every level of the requirements, code, and integration is one of the biggest cost saving objectives in safety-critical engineering.

The Helicopter Association International (HAI) HELI-EXPO proves to be the worlds largest trade-show dedicated to the global vertical lift industry. This year, HELI-EXPO will be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center on March 1-3 and CERTON is proud to announce attendance. CERTON will be showcasing their innovative tools and services that have enabled them to experience significant growth in 2015.

CERTON will be exhibiting in booth 103 with live demonstrations on their internally developed tool, CertSAFE. CertSAFE is a unique model based development and verification tool that effectively bridges the vast gap between many systems and software teams by allowing rapid prototyping with validated requirements to ensure the correct system is being built before the need to have hardware and target software. President and CEO, Timothy Stockton states, Early detection of errors in every level of the requirements, code, and integration is one of the biggest cost saving objectives in safety-critical engineering. CertSAFE provides this advantage and we are looking forward to demonstrating it at the 2016 HELI-EXPO.

Over the past 9 years, CERTON has established an identity of unparalleled safety critical solutions in the aerospace, medical device, and transportation industries. CERTON has internally developed tools and exclusive technology designed to streamline approvals of safety-critical systems, software, and complex hardware. These competitive advantages allow CERTON to minimize the time-to-market of customer products while providing a Firm Fixed Cost to its customers. CERTON provides expertise in all phases of systems, software, and complex hardware product design life cycles to support rapid approval of safety-critical customer products.

Contact CERTON today at sales(at)certon(dot)com or visit http://www.CERTON.com to see how CERTON can reduce the overall cost of your safety critical software or hardware approval.
Delta Dental of California and its affiliated companies announced today that it has helped raise $792,000 to help combat pancreatic cancer.

Gary D. Radine, who recently retired as president and CEO of Delta Dental of California and its affiliates and who also was the American Cancer Societys 2015 CEO of the Year, helped lead the effort to raise funds for studies to strengthen pancreatic cancer therapies.

Pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate because we still cant detect it early on, said Radine. My heart goes out to those whove lost someone to this terrible disease. Im proud of our work with the American Cancer Society in bringing more attention to pancreatic cancer so we can one day find a treatment.

Previously, Radine was asked to chair the American Cancer Societys California Chapter of the CEOs Against Cancer. On a regular yearly basis, Delta Dental encourages staff to participate in American Cancer Society events such as Relay for Life, in addition to personal monetary contributions.

Delta Dental of California donated $332,000, Delta Dental of Pennsylvania donated $100,000, Delta Dental of New York donated $50,000, Delta Dental of West Virginia donated $10,000, and the remainder was contributed by personal donors, members of the CEOs Against Cancer group and outside organizations.

About our group of companies

Delta Dental of California, Delta Dental of New York, Inc., Delta Dental of Pennsylvania and Delta Dental Insurance Company, along with their affiliated companies, together provide dental benefits to 33 million people. All are part of the Delta Dental Plans Association, whose member companies collectively cover 68 million people nationwide.

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Tarfia Faizullah I dont believe that there is an art that can ever render something as unreasonable and as violent as human suffering.

Salt Lake Community College will host poet Tarfia Faizullah Feb. 11 on two campuses in separate events as part of the new SLCC Poetry Reading Series.

Faizullah will lead the discussion Creative Work As Critical Work at 1:30 p.m. on the SLCC Taylorsville Redwood Campus, Room 207-213 in the Student Center, 4600 South Redwood Road. Later at 7 p.m. she will do a reading of her work at SLCCs South City Campus in the Multipurpose Room, 1575 S. State Street, Salt Lake City. The public is invited to both free events.

For the discussion Faizullah will talk about how creative work can critically assess our world and accomplish ends normally associated with professional like journalism or science. Faizullah is the author of "Seam," which U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey calls beautiful and necessary. In reviewing Seam for Slate Magazine, Jonathan Farmer observed There is poetry here: our living language pulled into shape by hunger and intelligence. Focused around a long sequence Interview with a Birangona, the book explores the ethics of interviewing as well as the history of the birangona, Bangladeshi women raped by Pakistani soldiers during the Liberation War of 1971.

Faizullah received a Fulbright award to travel to Bangladesh and interview the birangona. Of her book, she said, I dont believe that there is an art that can ever render something as unreasonable and as violent as human suffering. I tried to write a book that acknowledges the limitations of that rendering as much as it is helpless before those images of the atrocious and the ways in which those images are forgotten even as they continue to haunt us.

Salt Lake Community College is an accredited, student-focused, comprehensive community college meeting the diverse needs of the Salt Lake community. Home to more than 60,000 students each year, the College is Utahs leading provider of workforce development programs. SLCC is also the largest supplier of transfer students to Utahs four-year institutions and a perennial Top 10 college nationally for total associate degrees awarded. The College is the sole provider of applied technology courses in the Salt Lake area, with multiple locations, an eCampus, and nearly 1,000 continuing education sites located throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Personal attention from an excellent faculty is paramount at the College, which maintains an average class size of 20.
AllegroGraph - Franz Inc. Todays Big Data challenge is also a Cognitive Computing challenge, said Dr. Jans Aasman, CEO of Franz Inc.

Franz Inc., an early innovator in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and leading supplier of Semantic Graph Database technology, today announced the availability of AllegroGraph 6, the leading Semantic Graph Database with certification on the latest release of Cloudera Enterprise through the Cloudera Certified Technology Program (CCPT). AllegroGraph is the first Semantic Graph Database to be certified on Cloudera Enterprise, the global provider of the fastest, easiest, and most secure data management and analytics platform built on Apache Hadoop and the latest open source technologies.

The combination of AllegroGraph and Cloudera Enterprise eases the integration of highly complex Big Data, including large public datasets, and enables real-time analytics across distributed data, while leveraging the worlds highest performance and most cost effective storage. Enterprises can run queries of unprecedented complexity to enable predictive analytics and real time decision-making within a myriad of industries including Healthcare, Life Sciences, Financial Services, Intelligence/National Security and Publishing. The hardened platform can run mission-critical applications that require uncompromised data resiliency using features like ACID compliance to ensure data is never lost.

"As the availability of large public datasets continues to rise, many organizations are looking to leverage these datasets to enrich enterprise analytics, said Tim Stevens, vice president of Business and Corporate Development at Cloudera. A semantic graph approach to data sets provides a viable method to gleaning additional insights from data."

Todays Big Data challenge is also a Cognitive Computing challenge, said Dr. Jans Aasman, CEO of Franz Inc. We need to combine unstructured data with structured data to fuel real-time analysis, predictive analytics and deep learning. But the ease of data integration largely depends on the type of database. With the Semantic flexibility of AllegroGraph, integrating databases is a virtually effortless, since the data can remain in its original databases and database designers do not have to create a schema up front. This capability is particularly valuable if organizations want to tap into the growing number of public datasets to enrich their analytics.

The powerful combination of AllegroGraph and Cloudera plays a critical role in the Semantic Data Lake for Healthcare, a collaboration between Montefiore Health System (The leading Accountable Care Organization in the U.S), Franz, Cloudera, Cisco and Intel to provide a scalable and extensible Big Data Analytic platform for Healthcare. The SDL for Healthcare is a shared vision between Montefiore Health System and Franz, for constructing longitudinally integrated, semantically enriched, scalable and secured analytics infrastructure necessary for next generation learning healthcare systems, and precision medicine. The SDL deploys Montefiores innovative informatics solutions on Franzs AllegroGraph and Clouderas Hadoop distribution, and enables modelers, data scientists and application developers to leverage complex information, biomedical knowledge-bases and ontologies, as well as the linked open data (LOD) for predictive modeling, care management, population and community health management, health systems research, and clinical and translational research.

"The Semantic Data Lake for Healthcare will help us to connect the dots to better understand the determinants of outcome, cost, and patient satisfaction in a complex ecosystem in which patients and clinicians interact with each other, with the delivery of care system, and with the research enterprise, said Dr. Parsa Mirhaji MD. PhD., Director of Clinical Research Informatics at Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System. The problem is, there are billions of such dots that needs to be connected meaningfully, and reproducibly. The complexity is that there are many different principles, pathways, and theoretical frameworks on how those dots would connect, and we just dont know which model or framework would yield the best answer. The SDL will enable us to address both the complexity, and scalability concerns efficiently, while maintaining a tight grasp on the semantic integrity and consistency of analysis over large, multi source, ever changing datasets.

Dr. Mirhaji added, The SDL embodies Montefiores incremental and measured approach towards Cognitive Computing in healthcare. Our ability to conduct real-time analysis over new combinations of data, to compare results across multiple analyses, and to engage patients, practitioners and researchers as equal partners in big-data analytics and decision support will fuel discoveries, significantly improve efficiencies, personalize care and ultimately save lives.

Information has always existed everywhere but has often been isolated, incomplete, unavailable or unintelligible, according to Gartner. Advances in semantic tools such as graph databases as well as other emerging data classification and information analysis techniques will bring meaning to the often chaotic deluge of information. (Source: Gartner Identifies the Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2016.)

AllegroGraph has been widely recognized and endorsed within the industry as the popularity of Graph databases has skyrocketed - growing nearly 500% in the past two years. In 2015 AllegroGraph was named a Leading Database Solution by CIOReview and awarded Best in Semantic Web Technology & Leader in Graph Database Products by Corporate America. This year, PharmaTech Outlook has named Franz a Top Ten Solution Provider.

"Franz has been leading the burgeoning Graph Database revolution with a highly sophisticated, yet elegant Semantic Graph database solution," said Harvi Sachar, Publisher & Founder, CIOReview. "Franz's AllegroGraph continues to break new ground in predictive analytics and visual graph discovery capabilities- benefiting organizations around the globe within Healthcare, Intelligence/National Security, Life Sciences and Financial Services.

About AllegroGraph

Unlike traditional relational databases or Property Graph Databases, AllegroGraph employs semantic graph technologies that process data with contextual and conceptual intelligence. AllegroGraph is able run queries of unprecedented complexity to support predictive analytics that help organizations make more informed, real-time decisions. AllegroGraph is the first Graph Database to support analysis across N-dimensions - any conceivable measurement of an object, property or operation. AllegroGraph can analyze temporal (time) and geospatial (location) dimensions relative to any 'event,' such as a disease, drug interaction, genetic combination, biomarkers, observations, image or physical sensors. AllegroGraph is utilized by dozens of the top F500 companies worldwide.

About Franz Inc.

Franz Inc. is an early innovator in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and leading supplier of Semantic Graph Database technology with expert knowledge in developing and deploying complex Big Data analytics solutions. AllegroGraph, Franz's flagship, high-performance, transactional, and scalable Semantic Graph Database, provides the solid storage layer for Enterprise grade NoSQL solutions. AllegroGraph's Activity Recognition capabilities provides a powerful means to aggregate and analyze data about individual and organizational behaviors, preferences, relationships, plus spatial and temporal linkages between individuals and groups.

For additional Franz Inc. customer success stories, please visit:

 AllegroGraph - http://franz.com/agraph/success/

 Allegro CL - http://franz.com/success/

Franz's Professional Service team is in the business of helping companies turn Data into Information and Information into Knowledge. We combine Data, Business Intelligence, and Analytics consulting services under one roof for our customers. Franz, an American owned company based in Oakland, California, is committed to market-driven product development, the highest levels of product quality and responsive customer support and service. Franz customers include dozens of Fortune 500 companies and span the healthcare, government, life sciences and telecommunications industries worldwide. Franz has demonstrated consistent growth and profitability since inception.

All trademarks and registered trademarks in this document are the properties of their respective owners.
What: The B2B Content2Conversion Conference will bring together the top thought leaders and practitioners in both content and demand generation.

B2B marketers who want to learn more about one of the most critical  and overlooked  components of converting a lead to a sale should join Televerde (http://www.televerde.com/) executives for their workshop From Contact To Close: Integrating Digital, Nurture & The Human Touch on Monday, February 15 from 11  2 p.m. MST at the B2B Content2Conversion Conference.

This session, led by experts from the Valleys leading sales & marketing solutions provider, Televerde, will explain how marketing and sales tools that automate, personalize, launch and measure demand generation strategies cant be successful alone. Attendees will discover how to integrate skilled human-to-human interaction (The Human Touch) at the right time for things like buyer research, lead qualification and lead development that enhances marketing & sales results.

Check out @MarkAEvertz #C2C16 Event Primer: Dont Forget Humans on Your Way to Automation - http://www.televerde.com/a-c2c16-event-primer-dont-forget-humans-on-your-way-to-automation/

Who: Ray Kemper, CMO, Televerde - @raykemper

Michelle Cirocco, VP-client success, Televerde - @mcirocco

Mark Evertz, director of demand gen & content services, Televerde - @MarkAEvertz

When: February 15, 2016

11:00 a.m.  2 p.m. MST

*NOTE: Attendance to the B2B Content2Conversion Conference is required to attend this session.

Where: B2B Content2Conversion Conference, February 15-17, 2016

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort

7575 E. Princess Drive

Scottsdale, AZ 85225

http://www.content2conversion.com/

Tweet This:

@Televerde to speak at @Content2Converts #C2C16. Register for From Contact To Close" and learn about The Human Touch 2/15 @ 11am

Interview Opportunities:

Ray Kemper, CMO, Televerde, to discuss content to lead to sale conversion, the importance of The Human Touch and the best strategies to integrate campaigns.

About Televerde

Televerde uses an innovative Lead-to-Revenue solution model to help B2B enterprises generate better leads, speed sales cycles, and gain insights that drive continued growth. By providing proven solutions in the areas of marketing technology services, engagement planning, data intelligence, demand generation, teleservices and inside sales, Televerde has helped a host of large and midsized companies generate over $6.5 billion in revenue. To learn more, visit http://www.televerde.com
Armin van Buuren ft Kensington, "Heading Up High" artwork I wanted to create a song that was just totally unexpected and Id been drawn to the sound of Kensington for some time. We really vibed well together. Its got the feel of worlds coming together.

GRAMMY nominated DJ and producer Armin van Buuren releases Heading Up High featuring Kensington, the new single from Van Buurens full-length studio album, Embrace (Armada Music). The single is out now, accompanied by a music video that is premiered worldwide on MTV for an exclusive 24-hour window.

Heading Up High is yet the most infectious cut from Embrace and it set the Netherlands on fire when it shot straight to A-rotation at Dutch FM radio. For Heading Up High, Van Buuren chose to work with the popular Dutch rock band Kensington in yet another example of Embraces musical openness with instrumentation and styles. Kensingtons latest studio album, Rivals (Universal), peaked at the #1 chart position in the Netherlands. The band consists of members: Eloi Youssef (vocals, guitar), Casper Starreveld (guitar, vocals), Jan Haker (bass) and Niles Vandenberg (drums). There is a magical space where electronic dance music meets monster rock n roll and Van Buuren and Kensington were able to find that phenomenal place.

The music video for Heading Up High depicts a crowd of inmates trying to escape a dome-shaped prison by heading up high through the roof. Among this group of prisoners is Hardwell, trying to soar to freedom alongside his fellow convicts, guided by the inspiring lyrics, rock-solid sounds and sturdy beats of Van Buuren and Kensington.

Said Armin van Buuren of Heading Up High, I wanted to create a song that was just totally unexpected and Id been drawn to the sound of Kensington for some time. We really vibed well together and I think my long-time dance music fans may be surprised by some elements of this song. It just really soars and I get a great reaction whenever I play it out! Its got the feel of worlds coming together.

Heading Up High is vibrant and dynamic with all the rock n roll charisma that Kensington brings. Its got a power-ballad pull that grabs the listener while delivering inspirational lyrics. The Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs BOOSTEDKIDS Remix is all blistering attack and sonic aggression perfect for todays EDM audiences. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike hold the title of DJ Mags #1 in its Top 100 DJs poll and the duo give their all to five-time DJ Mag #1 winner, Armin van Buuren, on their remix. To those remixes, add the Years Remix and the First State Remix  both with achingly melodic arrangements and emotional swells  and its no wonder American radio programmers are taking note. Heading Up High is sure to be a festival favorite for summer 2016.

Watch "Heading Up High" on MTV, here: http://www.mtv.com/artists/armin-van-buuren/

Hear Armin van Buuren feat. Kensington, Heading Up High, here: https://AvB.lnk.to/HeadingUpHighRPR

For more information on Armin van Buuren, U.S.-based media outlets contact EMILY TAN Media Relations, +1(917) 318-3758, EmilyEmilyTan(at)aol(dot)com, and visit http://www.ARMINvanBuuren.com. Follow EMILY TAN Media Relations on Twitter @EmilyEmilyTan.
SUP-X: The StartUp Expo We have an amazing group of speakers and panelists this year, experts from all aspects of the startup world: angels, VCs, entrepreneurs, technologists. Theyre all true leaders in their fields,

SUP-X: The StartUp Expo, the premier annual conference that brings together startups and investors from across North America, today announced the events final agenda and confirmed speakers. In total, 38 speakers from across the country will either lead keynotes or participate in panel discussions. Co-Founder & Principal of SPARK Solutions for Growth, Rachel Braun Scherl, will give the keynote address for the Womens Forum while Jim Jenson, vice president of SaaS Technology Evangelists & VP Strategic Alliances at Ultimate Software, will serve as keynote for the expo. Gary Bredow, host of the PBS TV series Startup will emcee the event. The complete list of speakers is available at http://www.sup-x.org/speakers/ and a detailed agenda at http://www.sup-x.org/detailedagenda.

We have an amazing group of speakers and panelists this year, experts from all aspects of the startup world: angels, VCs, entrepreneurs, technologists. Theyre all true leaders in their fields, said Bob Fitts, founder and producer of SUP-X and president of the Boca Raton, FL, based Gold Coast Venture Capital Association. There is an incredible wealth of talent for entrepreneurs and investors to learn from and to meet at SUP-X.

Also at SUP-X are the semifinals and finals of an international startup competition that features 50 startups from 27 North American cities. At the conclusion of the expo, five startup finalists will pitch their product or service for five minutes before a panel of five investors who will select the winners, with first place taking home $25,000. The complete list of finalists, which includes 30 from Florida, is available here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/01/prweb13172030.htm.

SUP-X: The StartUp Expo also announced its largest number of event exhibitors and sponsors. In total, over 80 companies will exhibit and 92 organizations have signed up as sponsors and partners of the event.

Added Fitts, With hundreds of investors, a great showcase of North Americas top startups, a womens forum, workshops for entrepreneurs, three dozen top quality speakers and panelists and nearly 100 exhibitors and sponsors, SUP-X will be a fantastic event for anyone interested in startups, startup investing and emerging technologies. And its priced to be accessible to startups who want to learn from and meet the best of the best, yet are bootstrapping their businesses.

SUP-X: The Startup Expo will take place on February 16-17 at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale-Broward County Convention Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Entrepreneurs, investors and those interested in startups and entrepreneurship are encouraged to attend. Tickets to SUP-X are still available, and range from $59 to $399. For additional information and to register, visit http://www.sup-x.org.

For up to the minute news, follow us on Twitter @TheSupX and Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/supx.startup.expo.

About SUP-X: The Startup Expo http://www.sup-x.org.

SUP-X: The Startup Expo is the premier annual conference that brings together startup and early-stage entrepreneurs, angel and VC investors and related service providers from throughout North America. The expo provides unique and exclusive opportunities for investors to meet fellow investors and find startups from throughout North America, developing deal flow and partnership opportunities. SUP-X will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on February 16-17, 2016. For more information, visit
While perhaps well intentioned, the Public Radio Podcast Measurement Guidelines document released Feb. 3 by the public radio coalition is fraught with measurement shortfalls and an inflammatory statement that threatens to undermine the credibility of podcasting and podcast measurement. RawVoice / Blubrry takes serious exception to the characterization of the podcasting industry in the first line:

Measurement of podcast usage is, at best, the Wild West. There has been no standard or even informal consensus around how to count downloads, listeners, or time spent listening.

For the past 11 years, RawVoice / Blubrry and other leading companies in the podcasting space have worked tirelessly to provide accurate reporting to podcasters and media buyers. The Wild West statement in the document is unwarranted, RawVoice / Blubrry is asking the coalition to retract the language, and publicly recognize those who have successfully championed meticulous, rigorous and precise podcast reporting.

RawVoice / Blubrry is a podcast service provider that offers a full line of services, including podcast hosting, statistics and podcast advertising opportunities. Today 35,000 active podcasters and many major podcast networks use RawVoice / Blubrry Podcast Statistics.

Since the introduction of our podcast statistics platform in 2005, we have strived to offer precise podcast metrics to our customers, and provide accurate media reporting metrics to the hundreds of media buyers with whom we have done business, explains Todd Cochrane, RawVoice CEO. Our customers and the podcast community know we have been tireless in championing accuracy in reporting and providing precise, reliable media statistics.

In 2008, RawVoice CIO Angelo Mandato led the former Association of Downloadable Media to develop the industry's first podcast measurement standards. These standards are the foundation of the RawVoice / Blubrry podcast metrics system today. RawVoice / Blubrry is also a member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and actively participates in ongoing podcast measurement committee work: Mandato has been instrumental in shaping the language in the forthcoming IAB podcast measurement guidelines document.

Upon reviewing the Public Radio Podcast Measurement Guidelines document, the RawVoice / Blubrry team determined that it follows many established protocols. Several protocols and standards mentioned in the document were established by RawVoice / Blubrry and other industry leaders. CIO Angelo Mandato stressed that RawVoice / Blubrry meets and exceeds these standards in areas where the coalitions analysis falls short, and the RawVoice / Blubrry metrics system will hold true to the toughest scrutiny in the industry.

The measurement guidelines from Public Radio at face value look great, but are flawed, said Mandato, who for more than 11 years has overseen the development of podcast measurement services at Blubrry. The public radio guidelines do not address situations where the user agent could be spoofed, which is a major concern that we (Blubrry) addressed early on in 2006 in our podcast measurement system. The public radio guidelines are missing key ingredients to prevent fraud.

Cochrane said the RawVoice / Blubrry teams will continue to work closely with the IAB podcast measurement committee, which will later this year publish podcast measurement guidelines.

This should address any shortfalls in the public radio measurement guidelines and set the gold standard, Cochrane said. In the meantime, we encourage the public radio coalition to re-engage with the IAB, and collectively we can, as one, stand behind a set of standards that serves the entire podcasting space.

Those Media Buyers / Reporters / Podcaster looking to get a deep understanding podcast measurement are encouraged to review a recently deep dive into podcast measurement that the RawVoice / Blubrry team produced.
The combination of Mintra and OCS will create an integrated market leader that is able to offer a comprehensive HR management solution, said Riverside Partner Thomas Blomqvist.

The Riverside Company has added OCS HR AS (OCS) to its Mintra Trainingportal AS (Mintra) platform. OCS provides HR, crew scheduling and payroll software for the maritime and oil & gas industries, which greatly complements Mintras existing offering of HSE compliance training products through its proprietary e-learning platform.

OCSs software suite allows customers to efficiently automate complex HR processes (e.g. payroll for multiple tax jurisdictions, competence management and training, crew rotation planning), to save time and cost. The new group will be ideally positioned to serve two highly regulated and complex industries.

The combination of Mintra and OCS will create an integrated market leader that is able to offer a comprehensive HR management solution, said Riverside Partner Thomas Blomqvist. This also opens the maritime industry to Mintras e-learning and training solutions.

The addition of OCS will also help Mintras international expansion, as OCS has a global client base and a newly established Singapore location. The company has revamped its website (http://www.mintragroup.com) following the transaction. Having completed more than 410 transactions worldwide, Riverside has experienced teams of professionals across the globe ready to help internationalize its portfolio companies.

Were excited about combining these two companies, and the strong value proposition that we will be able to offer our customers. Mintra and OCS have many logical touching points and already have a strong cooperation, which we will continue to build on in order to offer our customers the most cost-efficient HR and training solutions, said Mintra CEO Scott Kerr.

Riverside continues to explore add-on opportunities for Mintra that can expand its geographic reach, capabilities and client base. Riverside has to date completed more than 50 and 60 deals in its Education & Training and Software & IT industry specializations, respectively.

Working with Blomqvist on the transaction for Riverside were Vice President Jeroen Lenssen, Vice President Martin Gustavsson, Senior Associate Jonathan Roos and Research Analyst Ali Al Alaf. Head of European Origination Lars Eriksson sourced the opportunity for Riverside.

BA-HR (legal), EY (financial and tax) and Arkwright (commercial) advised on the transaction. Nordea provided financing for the transaction.

About The Riverside Company

The Riverside Company is a global private equity firm focused on making control and non-control investments in growing businesses valued at up to $400 million. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 410 transactions. The firms international portfolio includes more than 80 companies.
Conwed, the leading plastic netting manufacturer in the world, launched its new 2016 IDEA Book, a digital catalog that outlines companys capabilities, core products and technologies. This new digital magazine includes a step-by-step description of how Conwed netting is made, the netting characteristics that can be customized and how netting can be incorporated with other materials and substrates in diverse production processes.

Conwed celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2016 and counts with an extensive record of success developing netting solutions for hundreds of industrial and consumer products in diverse industries. From agriculture, automotive, hygiene, medical and disposable products to packaging, filtration, landscape and erosion control applications, netting is used to improve performance under precise conditions. When someone asks what Conwed does, it may not be simple to explain because our netting works differently depending on the final product application. So sharing our IDEA Book publicly is our way to provide a general overview of our netting capabilities and how we can help our customers improve their products, said Ivan Soltero, Sr. Strategic Marketing Manager at Conwed.

The Conwed IDEA Book was conceived as an e-handbook to guide prospects and customers when evaluating new materials for their product development projects. What started as a manual of plastic netting effort for internal training a few years ago, became the go-to source for learning the foundations of plastic netting. A key factor to our product development success  when collaborating with prospects and customers  is that we are not shy to share our netting lingo. We dont assume our audience knows it all about our netting capabilities, said Soltero.

Conwed netting is used to contain, separate, reinforce, stretch, laminate and bond different materials and substrates. When used in composite form, netting can add superior strength without significantly increasing the weight of the entire composite. Its lightweight features help manufacturers create composites with film, paper, foil, foam, bubble wrap, nonwoven and other fabrics. The 2016 IDEA books includes great information and illustrations of how manufacturers can incorporate Conwed netting in their production processes to improve their products. The more our customers know about our netting technology, the easier it is to collaborate and identify the best netting alternative for their project, said Soltero.

To know more about Conwed and its new 2016 IDEA Book visit http://www.conwedplasticsideabook.com

About CONWED

Conwed is the leading plastic netting manufacturer in the world. Conwed manufactures extruded, oriented and knitted netting with unique customization capabilities. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Conwed has five manufacturing locations on two continents and a global distribution network.
As Ash Wednesday approaches, in his new book, Saul of Tarsus: The First Terrorist, author Jack Minter provides rare insight into the man who was once the greatest intentional murderer of Christiansthe first terroristbut was ultimately so touched by God that he became one of the greatest Christians of all time and a martyr for his faith in Jesus Christ. Paul was the ultimate example of redemption.

As Christians across the globe pause to reflect on their relationship with God in observance of Ash Wednesday, Sauls incredible transformation is the perfect example of how we can also be powerfully transformed by Gods love. Although we may never fully comprehend Christs love for us, Saul of Tarsus is the true testament of how radically our lives are changed when faith and trust are put in Jesus Christ.

According to Minter, when Saul finally became transformed to the belief that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, Paul then understood his own pride and hostility.

Paul began to see that he spent his life living a mistake, says Minter. Paul knew that it was he who was wrong in his knowledge. He understood in ultimate repentance that he had been the one who had persecuted the Holy One, Gods Son, the Messiah, now Pauls Savior.

Ash Wednesday offers a great opportunity to remember Pauls ultimate cautionary story for every man that demonstrates repentance can be redeemed through Jesus Christ.

If redemption can come through Jesus Christ to the worlds first and foremost terrorist, it can come to any man who wishes to rise from the ashes of sin, adds Minter.

About Brown Books Publishing Group (BBPG)

Founded by Milli Brown in 1994, Brown Books Publishing Group is a full-service, independent publisher of high-quality books across all genres, from nonfiction to fiction. Committed to producing award-winning books for authors who choose to retain the rights to their intellectual property, Brown Books publishes more than one hundred titles a year and has won numerous prestigious awards, including the Writer's Digest Grand Prize, Mom's Choice Award, Foreword Book of the Year, Gold Ink Award, Axiom Business Book Award and many more. Brown Books authors have appeared on programs and channels such as the Today show, Fox News, Face the Nation, CNN and BBC News. They have been featured in publications such as USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and The New York Times. In addition, BBPG authors have been guests on NPR programming, including The Diane Rehm Show, Morning Edition, The Takeaway and Tell Me More. To learn more, visit http://www.BrownBooks.com and http://www.BrownBooksKids.com and http://www.BrownChristianPress.com

About The Agency at Brown Books (ABB)

The Agency at Brown Books is a full-service public relations, marketing and branding firm within a publishing house. As a subsidiary of Brown Books Publishing Group, The Agency is backed by 20 years of excellence and experience, and the one-of-a-kind, integrated platform is available to Brown Books' authors as well as to non-affiliated authors, established writers, entrepreneurs, CEOs and anyone seeking smarter strategies for building their business. For more information, visit http://www.TheAgencyAtBB.com.

CONTACT: Vicki Morgan Vicki.Morgan(at)TheAgencyatBB(dot)com or Alicia Auping Alicia.Auping(at)TheAgencyatBB(dot)com with the Agency at Brown Books 972.248.9500

For more information and to purchase Saul of Tarsus: The First Terrorist, please visit http://www.JackMinter.com.
Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Joshua Isenberg has joined the firms Tokyo office as a partner in its real estate practice. Mr. Isenberg comes to Morrison & Foerster from Paul Hastings, where he led its local real estate practice in Tokyo. He brings to the firm strong expertise in cross-border transactions.

Joshs deep experience representing Japanese corporates in their overseas real estate investments is impressive, and his addition complements our market-leading team in Tokyo, Eric Piesner, Firmwide Managing Partner for Asia, said. Josh has a well-earned reputation as a sophisticated real estate lawyer, and were excited to welcome him to the firm.

Mr. Isenberg will enhance Morrison & Foersters inbound practice that represents global investors acquiring assets in Japan, and will also grow an outbound practice that enables the firm to support Japanese corporate clients investing in the U.S. Mr. Isenbergs practice involves a wide variety of real estate transactions, including senior and mezzanine financing, acquisitions, sales, construction and development matters, joint ventures, and ground leases. He has represented a broad range of institutional and private clients in connection with office, industrial, hotel, retail, mixed-use, and multifamily projects.

Josh also has a stellar practice in the renewable energy area, with a focus on solar development projects and related financings, Ken Siegel, the Managing Partner of Morrison & Foersters Tokyo office, said. His work in that area will be a significant asset to our project finance and real estate teams.

Morrison & Foersters clients include prominent names in the real estate industry. For example, the firm recently advised Global Logistic Properties Limited, the leading provider of modern logistics facilities in China, Japan, and Brazil, in its acquisition of a $4.55 billion U.S. logistics portfolio from Industrial Income Trust. The firm also advised Aetos Capital Real Estate late last year in its sale of Simplex Investment Advisors, a Japanese real estate asset management firm, to Hulic Co., Ltd (TSE:3003), a leading Japanese real estate operator, for an aggregate value of $1.3 billion.

Morrison & Foersters practice is truly the leading real estate practice among international firms in Tokyo, Mr. Isenberg said. The firms deep history in Japan and its continued commitment to the market will allow me to expand my work, both inbound and outbound into the U.S. I look forward to contributing to the success of the firm.

Mr. Isenbergs recent deals include representing North America Sekisui House, LLC, the U.S. business operations unit and full subsidiary of Sekisui House, Ltd., the largest home builder in Japan, in its acquisition of four master planned communities located in Colorado and Texas from Wheelock Street Capital, LLC; Deutsche Bank AG Tokyo Branch on multiple non-recourse loan facilities for the construction of large scale photovoltaic power projects in Japan; and a global investment manager on its acquisition and financing of the Adidas flagship store in Shibuya, Tokyo.

Mr. Isenberg earned both his law degree and MBA from the University of Southern California, and his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is admitted to practice in Japan, New York, and California. He is ranked Band 2 Real Estate (International) in Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific 2015, which states that he has a commercial and pragmatic approach, and offers very thorough advice. Mr. Isenberg is also listed as a leading attorney in the 2015 edition of Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Real Estate, Japan.

ABOUT MOFO

We are Morrison & Foerster  a global firm of exceptional credentials. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, investment banks, Fortune 100, and technology and life sciences companies. The Financial Times has named the firm to its lists of most innovative law firms in North America and Asia every year that it has published its Innovative Lawyers Reports in those regions. In 2015, for the third consecutive year, the firm was selected as the Japan International Law Firm of the Year by Chambers Asia Pacific Awards. Our lawyers are committed to achieving innovative and business-minded results for our clients, while preserving the differences that make us stronger.
We have a remarkable partner in itslearning. They are a very innovative company that takes both a professional and a personal approach when catering to a districts needs.

To meet the demands of offering more student-centered learning, two districts in Texas have recently selected itslearning as their single, end-to-end teaching and learning platform. The highly regarded learning management system is quickly becoming an integral part of 1:1 initiatives and blended learning models in Clear Creek and Huffman Independent School Districts (ISD). These districts join Houston and Spring Branch ISDs who implemented the digital learning platform last year.

Designed specifically for the K-12 sector, itslearning is a leading, cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that helps teachers make education more inspiring and valuable for todays students anytime, anywhere and on any device. As a student-centered learning environment, itslearning gives teachers, students and parents access, as appropriate, to course materials, assignments, communities for collaboration, professional development tools and student progress reports. The platforms personalized dashboards give teachers a way to quickly and easily share instructional resources, assignments and activities, and assessments with students and parents.

Educators are envisioning a new type of learning environment where students can take ownership of their learning and where ongoing learning breaks free from a set schedule, said itslearning vice president of sales and marketing, Matt Dobosh. Our flexibility and pure performance advantages allow for that student ownership of learning and personalization to take place. We also offer educators the ability to access a vast online library of content and resources, alignment to current standards and the capacity for students to create, not just consume content, during their learning. In short, we make educators vision a reality through just one interface.

Joining Houston ISD in implementing the personalized learning platform is Clear Creek ISD. Andrea Winters, the districts director of learning technology, participated in the evaluation process. I was immediately impressed with the platforms interface, streamlined curriculum management functionality and its focus on proven, data-driven pedagogical strategies that drive student-centered learning seamlessly, she said.

HISD selected the best-in-class platform in 2014 to consolidate all its digital resources into one web-based, single sign-on resource. Rebranded the PowerUp: HUB or the HUB to fit in with the districts overall initiative, the content-agnostic, open-sourced platform enables HISD to host a wide range of third-party digital content and different file format types that support active learning, flipped classrooms, project-based learning and other forms of learner-centered instruction. The HUB supports IMS open standards to eliminate the need for customized integration of various platforms.

We have a remarkable partner in itslearning, added Winters. From the superintendents office to the students, we share a vision that education is about providing engaging learning practices that suit everyones needs. They are a very innovative company that takes both a professional and a personal approach when catering to a districts needs and proposing a functional and flexible solution based on those needs. With this partnership, itslearning will enable us to enhance teaching and learning by making it personal, not just personalized.

About itslearning

Designed for teachers and how they want to teach, itslearning is a cloud-based learning platform used by millions of teachers, students, administration staff and parents around the world. It can be found at all levels of education, from primary schools to universities, helping teachers make education more inspiring and valuable for todays students. Established in 1999, itslearning is headquartered in Bergen, Norway, and has offices in Boston, Atlanta and multiple locations around the world. For more information, visit http://www.itslearning.net.

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2016 ECF Keynote Stephen Mulva, Director of Construction Industry Institute

Featuring content from our esteemed industry Advisory Board, this years ECF will provide a unique and timely gathering covering all phases of major expansions and new construction projects with a focus on the challenges and solutions facing the industry today.

Stephen Mulva, Director of the Construction Industry Institute, will deliver the keynote address, "Energy Construction in the 22nd Century." In his presentation, Mulva will highlight the most significant trends and opportunities available to industry stakeholders today and tomorrow.

Participants also include top executives from: Sasol, Chevron Phillips Chemcial Company, Wood Group Mustang, S&B Engineers & Constructors, Construction Labor Market Analyzer (CLMA), JV Driver Group, Wood Mackenzie, IHI E&C International Corporation and more.

The dynamic program has been built by the industry, for the industry. It focuses on planning and delivering capital projects successfully and safely. Sessions are devoted to best practices in the energy construction industry, workforce labor trends, demands and forecasts in the lower-cost marketplace, North American refining and petrochemical economics, contracting strategies and trends for success, workforce strategies and tactics, and project trends and forecasts.

View the complete agenda, conference schedule and speakers.

With estimated projects at over $500 billion and growing in North America, ECF is the best opportunity to connect with major project leaders in the energy industry. The Energy Construction Forum will work to remove the speculation, give best practices and directly address todays energy project environment around volatile oil & gas prices in a lower for longer scenario.

For more information, please visit the event website at http://www.energyconstructionforum.com.

About Stone Fort Group

Stone Fort Group Launches, Manages and Organizes Remarkable Events & Media Brands. We have a strong history of building rewarding partnerships, alliances, joint ventures and show management relationships with b2b visionaries, publishers and associations in order to successfully serve new and emerging markets. Additionally, we have worked with numerous groups, associations on their current events, magazines, websites and newsletters to take them to the next level of growth. Our conferences, summits, training and trade shows range from closely focused niche events, to an annual industry gathering where major strategy, policy and product announcements are made.

About Gulf Publishing Company

Gulf Publishing Company is an international publishing and events business dedicated to the energy sector. Founded in 1916, Gulf Publishing Company produces and distributes leading trade journals (World Oil, Hydrocarbon Processing and Gas Processing magazines), and provides research, databases, software and events designed for the needs of the energy industry. Combined, the specialized publications of Gulf Publishing Company reach an audience of more than 100,000 upstream and downstream energy industry professionals worldwide.
Our rum & whiskey has been phenomenally well-received in Maryland, and were thrilled to be increasing availability to our friends and neighbors in DC.

The Lyon Distilling Company of St. Michaels, MD is proud to announce a new distribution partnership for the Washington, DC market with Craft Wine & Spirits, LLC.

After two successful years with their line of signature rums and ultra small-batch whiskies, the Lyon Distilling Company is poised for a year of record growth, and is pleased to be expanding its presence in the District. As a small, marquee distillery, we are thrilled be working with a distributor like Craft Wine & Spirits, as they share our philosophy of quality over quantity, both in the spirits they carry, and the accounts they serve, said Jaime Windon, owner and co-founder of Lyon Distilling Company. Our rum and whiskey has been phenomenally well-received in Maryland, and were thrilled to be increasing availability to our friends and neighbors in DC, added Windon.

ABOUT THE DISTILLERY

Lyon Distilling Company is Marylands premier craft distillery, producing truly artisan spirits by hand on the Eastern Shore in Saint Michaels, MD.

THE BOOZE

Lyon Distilling Companys spirits include their distinctive White & Dark rums, as well as small-barrel releases of 100 proof Sailors Reserve Rum. Also available in very limited releases are the New Make Corn Whiskey, Free State Maryland Rye Whiskey, and American Malt Whiskey. Craft Wine & Spirits will launch with the White & Dark rums in DC, and expand offerings as they become available.

ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTOR

Craft Wine & Spirits opened in 2012 with a mission to provide high-quality distribution of fine wine, handcrafted spirits and beverage-related supplies to retailers and restaurants throughout Washington, DC. Owners Raul Mejia and Shannon Crisp bring over 25 years of brand development in Mid-Atlantic region to the trade. Everything in our portfolio, we love dearly and are really proud of, we bring in a very few select suppliers, notes Crisp. In continuation and dedication to the American Independent Distillers movement, Craft Wine & Spirits is honored to represent Lyon Distilling Company in DC.

DC Wholesale Purchase Inquiries:

Craft Wine & Spirits, LLC

202-803-6070

http://www.craftws.com

MD Wholesale Purchase Inquiries:

Lyon Distilling Company, LLC

443-333-9181

http://www.lyondistilling.com
Were thrilled to team up with Covenant House Alaska. They enable our most vulnerable kids  those who have been abused and abandoned  to find help, hope and ultimately, the skills needed to achieve independence and get off the streets.

Devery Prince Insurance, a full service firm serving families from offices in Anchorage and Wasilla, AK, continues their commitment to act as Agents of Change in the community by announcing a fundraiser for Covenant House Alaska, which provides compassionate care and safe, secure shelter for homeless youth. Donations are now being accepted at https://www.covenanthouse.org/help-the-homeless/monthly.

Covenant House was established in 1972 with a mission to help homeless kids escape the streets. Today they are the largest privately funded charity in the Americas providing loving care and vital services to homeless, abandoned, abused, trafficked and exploited youth. In addition to hot meals, warm showers and clean beds, Covenant House strives to address the deep-seated psychological, physical and economic reasons for youth homelessness. Teaching kids how to build trusting, respectful, honest relationships, they also provide healthcare, drug abuse and prevention programs, legal services, educational support, GED prep, job readiness and various skills training. Last year alone, Covenant House Alaska provided the areas at-risk kids with over 12,000 safe beds for the night and more than 2000 health service visits.

Were thrilled to team up with Covenant House Alaska, said Devery Prince, owner of Devery Prince Insurance. They enable our most vulnerable kids  those who have been abused and abandoned  to find help, hope and ultimately, the skills needed to achieve independence and get off the streets. What worthier mission could there be?

The caring team at Devery Prince Insurance is busy mobilizing its vast network of professional and personal contacts, and has dedicated a full page of their monthly magazine to featuring the campaign. The electronic version of Our Hometown magazine may be viewed here: http://www.deveryprince.com/Our-Hometown-Magazine_43. The agency itself has pledged to contribute $10 to Covenant House Alaska for each and every person recommended to them for an insurance quotation, with no purchase necessary.

Committed to fulfilling their promise to foster positive change within the community, Devery Prince Insurance will choose a new group, family or individual to receive their support every two to three months. Concerned members of the community are invited to submit ideas for consideration of future campaigns through this link: http://www.deveryprince.com/Submit-A-Community-Cause-Idea_49. Selected causes will be contacted by a representative of Devery Prince Insurances Community Program. Information on past community causes supported by the agency may be found by visiting http://www.deveryprince.com/community-cause. Readers who would like to learn more about the agencys products and services may do so at http://www.deveryprince.com/. For more information on Covenant House, visit https://www.covenanthouse.org/.

About Devery Prince Insurance

A full service insurance firm serving families from offices in Anchorage and Wasilla, owner Devery Prince is committed to bringing local people an agency which understands their needs. Prince and his team of caring professionals work with carriers to assemble a variety of products and services which will ensure their clients peace of mind. From all of the products a typical consumer needs (home, auto, boat, ATV, etc.), to preparing strategies for long-term financial success, Devery Prince Insurance delivers consistently superior service. Their dedicated agents may be reached by calling 907-279-9000 (Anchorage) or 907-746-9000 (Wasilla).
Appleton Attorney Kristen S. Scheuerman "She knows the law, and is hard working, energetic, and passionate. She has learned that fighting tirelessly for clients is one of the most fulfilling parts of being an attorney," says Firm President Kevin Lonergan.

Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd. is proud to announce the promotion of Kristen S. (Knutson) Scheuerman to partner. After her 2010 graduation from Marquette University Law School, Scheuerman joined Herrling Clark as an associate attorney in 2011, following a year-plus long clerkship with the firm.

Although she initially enjoyed a multi-faceted practice, Appleton attorney Kristen S. (Knutson) Scheuerman now devotes her legal practice almost exclusively to personal injury litigation. Scheuerman also handles appellate work in a variety of legal areas, and has participated in a case before the Wisconsin Supreme Court regarding insurance coverage during the Truth in Auto era.

Scheuerman graduated with her B.A. degree from Lawrence University, and after working in corporate America for just over five years, she went on to obtain her J.D. from Marquette University Law School. Scheuerman is admitted to handle cases in all Wisconsin federal district courts and she is also admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Judicial District.

Scheuerman has been recognized as a Wisconsin Super Lawyers Rising Star for two consecutive years since 2014, and last year she was named a nationally ranked Top 10 Under 40 attorney by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys. Just prior, The National Trial Lawyers organization named Knutson a Top 40 Under 40 lawyer, and she earned an AVVO Clients Choice Award for her outstanding work within the personal injury arena. Scheuerman is passionate about representing injured parties and is proud to have recently tried a complicated construction premises liability case with her partner, John D. Claypool, resulting in a $1.8 million verdict.

Scheuerman is currently serving as president of the Outagamie County Bar Association. In her capacity as Bar President, she spearheaded the local Bar Gives Back initiative to generate fundraising for local Outagamie county charities. She is also an active member of the Wisconsin Association for Justice, where she serves on the Education Program Committee as program chair as well as acting as Vice-Chair of the organizations Young Lawyers Division. Scheuerman was recently selected to author the cover story for The Verdict and she is a frequent presenter at WAJ continuing education seminars.

Herrling Clark Law Firm President, Kevin Lonergan, is pleased to announce Scheuermans promotion. On Saturday, February 6th, the Partners at Herrling Clark Law Firm proudly voted unanimously to elevate Kristen Scheuerman to Partner/Shareholder status. In five short years, Kristen has achieved what many lawyers take decades to accomplish. She knows the law, and is hard working, energetic, and passionate. She has learned that fighting tirelessly for clients is one of the most fulfilling parts of being an attorney. The decision to make her a partner was a no brainer.

About Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd.:

Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd. is one of Wisconsins leading law firms with conveniently located offices in Appleton, Green Bay, New London, and Oshkosh. The Outagamie County personal injury attorneys carry a legacy of courtroom success and are dedicated to protecting the legal rights of injured individuals and their families.

The experienced attorneys at Herrling Clark are equipped to execute appropriate legal strategies to obtain the best possible results for their clients. Call 920-739-7366 or fill out the online contact form to speak with a qualified Appleton attorney regarding your legal matter.
We are truly touched by CASAs remarkable mission to help children. What could be a more worthy goal for the future of our community than providing for the safety of our children?

Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency, serving families of southern Louisiana from offices in Houma, LA, celebrates the beginning of a new charity campaign. As part of their ongoing community involvement program, funds are now being raised to assist Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). In the belief that children deserve a voice, and in the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors in times of crisis, the agency hopes that compassionate donors will support a new beginning for the areas at-risk children by contributing through the designated donations page at: https://www.crowdrise.com/abrighterfutureforou/fundraiser/stephaniehebert/setup_success/member.

CASA is a nonprofit organization which is focused on supporting childrens right to be safe, to be treated with dignity and respect and to learn to grow in the embrace of a loving family. Working with the severely over-burdened juvenile justice and foster care systems, CASA recruits, screens, trains and supervises compassionate, qualified volunteers to speak on behalf of children. Appointed by a judge to look after the best interests of abused and neglected children, the CASA community volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the court. The goal is to provide a CASA volunteer for every child an advocate who will work to ensure a permanent, safe, loving home and a brighter future.

We are truly touched by CASAs remarkable mission to help children, attested Stephanie Hebert, owner of the Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency. What could be a more worthy goal for the future of our community than providing for the safety of our children? We hope everyone will pitch in to help give a voice to the most vulnerable members of our community.

The team at Stephanie Hebert Insurance is hard at work promoting the campaign for CASA through social media channels, email and text message communications, as well as through their monthly magazine, which is delivered to thousands of households in Houma and surrounding communities. Our Hometown magazine reserves a full page to spotlight the campaign and features all the pertinent details. The electronic Flipbook version of the current issue may be accessed here: http://www.stephaniehebert.com/Our-Hometown-Magazine_43.

Readers wishing to view and contribute to this worthy cause may visit: http://www.stephaniehebert.com/A-Brighter-Future-For-Our-Local-Children_23_community_cause. Stephanie Hebert Insurance will acknowledge all of those who donate a minimum of $5 in their monthly magazine, and the agency itself has pledged to donate $10 to CASA for each and every referral they receive for an insurance quote, with no purchase necessary.

Stephanie Hebert Insurance aims to identify new worthwhile opportunities to support and enrich the community every two to three months. Concerned members of the community are invited to submit information on groups, families or individuals to be considered for future campaigns at: http://www.stephaniehebert.com/Submit-A-Community-Cause-Idea_48. Selected causes will be contacted by a representative of the agencys Community Program. Information on past initiatives may be found at http://www.stephaniehebert.com/community-cause. To learn more about the agency, visit http://www.stephaniehebert.com/.

About Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency

Serving families of southern Louisiana from offices in Houma, LA, Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency is an award-winning, full service insurance firm which understands the importance of building a solid foundation for the future. Stephanie and her team of caring professionals are devoted to protecting all the things which are most important to their clients (their families, homes, cars, etc.) and to help them develop strategies for long-term financial success and security. The dedicated experts at Stephanie Hebert Insurance Agency may be reached by calling 985-872-0201.
Business owners and executives, and the attorneys and other professional who advise them, need to be prepared for the possibility that ordinary business activities will lead to litigation. Internal disputes sometimes arise among the owners, shareholders, and investors who participate in a business. Businesses themselves often face disputes with their business partners, vendors, suppliers, and creditors. Financial Poises Complex Financial Litigation series explores the most common types of business litigation and the issues that arise in these disputes.

Join leading experts in this field as they walk through discussions of these complex topics in plain English in preparation for when the next dispute arises.

As with all Financial Poise webinars, each episode in the series is designed to be viewed independently of the other episodes, and listeners will enhance their knowledge of this area whether they attend one, some, or all of the programs. Webinars through West LegalEdcenter offer CLE and CPE credits.

Episode #1 of the series, COMMON ISSUES AND STRATEGIES IN BUSINESS BREAKUPS, (Register Here) airs on February 17th at 2pm CST and features moderator Jack Barber of Crowe Horwath LLP and panelists Katherine Puffer of VH Valuations, Adam Russ of Frantz Ward LLP and Gene Geekie of Arnstein & Lehr LLP.

When times are good, business owners and advisors usually do not plan for what will happen if the business eventually breaks up. Sometimes this oversight arises from an unwillingness to plan for difficult times, but more often it happens because owners and advisors are focused on starting up the business and do not carefully consider how to handle a breakup if things do not go as planned. This webinar explains common issues that arise when a business is not working anymore and the owners decide to break up. The expert panel will discuss issues that should be considered when a business is formed, terms to include in formation documents that anticipate break ups, and ways to resolve break up disputes through negotiation or litigation.

ABOUT FINANCIAL POISE:

Financial Poise provides unbiased news, continuing education, and intelligence to private business owners, executives, investors, and their trusted advisors. For more information contact Emily Goldin at egoldin(at)financialpoise(dot)com or 312-469-0135.
There are countless professionals and individuals helping to make a difference in the lives of people affected by this cancer, so we thought it was extremely important to recognize and honor these heroes.

CURE Media Group, the nations leading digital and print media enterprise focused on cancer patients, has officially launched the Multiple Myeloma Heroes Awards event, which will annually honor individuals making heroic contributions in the field of multiple myeloma (MM) or in the lives of patients with MM. The MM Heroes Awards nomination process is officially open through February 17 for patients, caregivers and colleagues to nominate a potential MM Hero.

MM is an incurable cancer of the blood that carries only a 46.6 percent chance of survival beyond five years, according to the National Cancer Institute, said Mike Hennessy Jr., president of CURE Media Group. There are countless professionals and individuals helping to make a difference in the lives of people affected by this cancer, so we thought it was extremely important to recognize and honor these heroes.

The MM Heroes Awards event will be held Friday, March 18, at the Eden Roc Miami hotel in Miami Beach, Fla., during this year's 20th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies. Winners and the individuals who nominated them will join and be honored by CURE Media Group at the event.

Another highlight of the evening will be the official unveiling of the documentary video commemorating Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma. A collaboration between CURE Media Group, Takeda Oncology and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma saw a 15-person team of MM patients, doctors, family members and supporters climb the famed 19,341-foot Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. In conquering the worlds highest free-standing mountain, the team raised awareness of, and approximately $250,000 for, critical myeloma research, with all proceeds benefiting MMRF efforts to accelerate research for next-generation treatments.

More information on the MM Heroes Awards event and nomination process can be found at http://www.curetoday.com/events/mm.

About CURE Media Group

Combining science and humanity to make cancer understandable, CURE Media Groups flagship product, CURE magazine, is the indispensable guide to every stage of the cancer experience. With nearly 1 million readers, CURE is the largest U.S. consumer publication focused entirely on cancer, with broad distribution to cancer patients, cancer centers and advocacy groups. CURE Media Groups offerings also include its online resource, curetoday.com, live meetings, a resource guide for the newly diagnosed, and the Extraordinary Healer national nursing award. It also offers CURE Connections, a video platform designed specifically for patients with cancer, featuring information, stories, advice about the cancer journey and subscription options to receive updates. Cure Media Group is part of Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc., a full-service health care communications company offering education, research, medical media and the acclaimed OncLive platform of resources for the practicing oncologist.

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Yanni Raz

HML Investments founder and owner, Yanni Raz, established the first live money show on Facebook, every Tuesday morning 8am. The show helps viewers succeed in business, investments and real estate.

Raz, a 13-years hard money lender and Real Estate Investor, has been motivating people for years with videos and talks that have motivated thousands of business professionals across the nation on his popular Facebook site. Topics include how to making money in business, achieving success, staying motivated, negotiating with clients, investing in Real Estate and living a powerful life. Raz provides his tip of the day on different channels such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Says Yanni: My passion is to assist other business professionals across the nation and motivate them, so they will be able to experience success and fulfillment with what they do in life.

Scores of people find it hard to become entrepreneurs and then to sustain their passion for the business. Rejection is par the course. The work seems repetitive. Hours are long, clients may be problematic, and consistent selling is stressful.

Over his years of work in the field, Yanni realized that entrepreneurs need help with education and marketing.

On February second, Yanni launched Millionaire Tuesday", a new live show that talks about success, motivation, real estate and other money making investments and opportunities. Raz interviews top leaders of these fields. Viewers can tune in and ask questions by posting a comment on the live stream. Yanni and his speakers correspond via video broadcasts. Viewers benefit from a direct give and take with some of the most knowledgeable experts on the subjects.

Founded in 2004, HML Investments finances hard money loans in the Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego, Ventura County, and Bay Area. The company works with real estate investors and trust deed investors.

On Feb.1, he tweeted to his viewers: Do you really know what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur???

To those who dont, his Millionaire Tuesday" gives the answers.

For more details, follow Yanni Raz on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yanniraz

On Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/Yanniraz
If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity.

PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move.
News

World news

Israel Says Gas Pipelines to Turkey, Greece Possible

Israel has been trying to extract offshore gas since the discovery of the Tamar and Leviathan fields in 2009 and 2010

AUTHOR: publics.bg



 Graeme Darbyshire, flickr.com



Israel is looking to exploit its substantial natural gas reserves with two potential pipeline projects to Turkey and Greece, its Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz announced Sunday. Israel has been trying to extract offshore gas since the discovery of the Tamar and Leviathan fields in 2009 and 2010.

"If things improve with Turkey... gas could both be sold to Turkey, and to Greece via Turkey," Steinitz told Kathimerini daily, as reported by AFP.

Israel and Turkey have reportedly been working on a rapprochement after falling out over the deadly storming by Israeli commandos in 2010 of a Turkish aid ship.

Steinitz added: "If important reserves are discovered in Israel and Egypt, or even in Egypt, this could justify the construction of a long pipeline to Greece."

At a three-way summit in Nicosia last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel, Greece and Cyprus would form a committee to study plans to build a pipeline between Israel and Cyprus and on to Greece.

"At first we estimated that this would cost 15 billion dollars (13 billion euros), which is prohibitive. Now new estimates reduce this to around seven billion (dollars)," he said.
Over the weekend, Santa Fe's La Fonda on the Plaza hotel welcomed 180 publishers and other industry members to PubWest's annual conference. Attendance was up at the February 4-6 event thanks, show organizers think, to a timing change. PubWest executive director Kent Watson credited the slight jump in attendance to having last year shifted the show from fall to winter.

There were 45 first-time attendees at this years conference, including Laura Stanfill, publisher of Portland-based Forest Avenue Press. Stanfill said that by attending PubWest, she felt a reaffirmation of what Im doing as a publisher and Im leaving with a new set of tools and goals for the next five years. Not only did she learn practical actionable items, but also got some big picture thinking about the future as she grows her press.

Fridays keynote kicked off with two people who have a proven passion for books  Len Vlahos and Kristen Gilligan, who are in the midst of their transition in assuming ownership of legacy bookstore chain, The Tattered Cover in Denver. We are making a big statement about our beliefs and vision for the future of bookselling in general and publishing, said Gilligan. Vlahos said that one of the things they are doing is updated their outdated computer system into a cloud-based system. The switch to the cloud will allow the store to make some big changes, Vlahos said, such as adding touchscreen terminals and giving the store more data to be able to partner better with publishers on marketing and merchandising opportunities.

Vlahos added that while booksellers are doing things differently, the fundamental business model between booksellers and publishers has been unchanged for decades. That model doesnt acknowledge the importance of the warm inviting spaces we bring consumers and surround them with books. We are your merchandising and marketing arm. Vlahos said to the crowd of publishers, Throw some spaghetti at the wall and talk to us. Were partners. Theres a lot of opportunity here to break down the walls.

The 2016 Jack D. Rittenhouse award, which pays tribute to those who have made extraordinary contributions to book publishing, specifically in the West, went to Elaine Katzenberger and Lawrence Ferlinghetti from City Lights Books. Katzenberger, executive director and publisher of City Lights Books, accepted the award for both her and Ferlinghetti, who couldnt be in attendance, and talked about the role that books and printed matter have in the cultivation of people and civic life. She added, If I truly live up to this lifetime achievement award, it will be to pass the baton so that City Lights continues on into the future and continues to be what its supposed to be.

A new initiative in the works is making PubWest501, the educational training sessions offered through PubWest, more viable by shifting them from in person conferences to online classes related to publishing. To this end, PubWest is partnering with Per Henningsgaard of Portland State University, to work on developing these online courses, which will allow publishing employees to learn about specific aspects of the industry tailored to their needs.

The conference closed with a keynote from author Mira Jacob who re-delivered a speech she tried to give at last years PW Star Watch ceremony, but experienced sound system failure and an audience she described as having "turned away and started talking over me." Her speech, which has since been published online to viral success, talked about diversity in publishing and after she was able to re-deliver it to the audience at PubWest, she received a standing ovation from the members, to which Jacob said, That was like years of therapy right there. She urged publishers to pay attention to the issue and said, The only thing that will really change things is you caring. When you wait for change to happen, you do us tremendous harm.

PubWest 2017 will be held at the Benson Hotel in Portland, Oregon from February 9-11.

Note: This article has been edited to better reflect the events at the PW Star Watch ceremony.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Pork producers will have the opportunity to learn about industry updates at the 2016 Central Indiana Pork Conference in March.

The conference will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 8 at the Clinton Prairie Jr./Sr. High School, 2400 S. Country Road 450 W, Frankfort.

Purdue Extension Clinton County and Clinton Prairie FFA sponsor the conference.

"This is an era of change for the pork producer," said Britt Reese, agriculture and natural resource educator for Purdue Extension Clinton County. "New challenges and opportunities continue to present themselves. We have developed this conference to provide producers with information and tools to assist them in facing these issues."

Topics to be discussed include legislative and industry updates, industry outlook and educational sessions on manure transportation, education and nutrition.

Guest speakers are:

* Jeff Harker, veterinarian for Swine Health Services.

* Dave Murray, vice president of livestock procurement for Indiana Packers.

* Ben Wicker, director of producer outreach for Indiana Pork.

* Greg Slipher, livestock development program coordinator for Indiana Farm Bureau.

*Andy Tauer, livestock director for Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance.

* Chris Hurt, Purdue University professor of agricultural economics.

* Allan Schinckel, Purdue professor of animal science.

*Fred Whitford, coordinator for Purdue Pesticide Programs and a clinical engagement professor.

Cost is $25 per person and registration deadline is Feb. 25. To register or for more information, contact the Clinton County Extension office at 765-659-6380.

Writer: Megan Tarter, 765-496-6734, metarter@purdue.edu

Source: Britt Reese, 765-659-6380, brittreese@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-2722;

Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page
Professor who wore headscarf to leave Christian college

CHICAGO (AP)  A professor of a Christian college who asserted Christians and Muslims worship the same God will leave her post, the school near Chicago announced.

In a statement posted on Wheaton College's website, the school and Larycia Hawkins said they "have reached a confidential agreement under which they will part ways." The statement didn't go into details.

The college had placed Hawkins, a Christian and an associate professor of political science, on leave in December after she posted her views on Facebook. Hawkins also began wearing a hijab, the headscarf worn by some Muslim women, to counter what she called "vitriolic" rhetoric against Muslims.

Shortly afterward, the college began efforts to dismiss her despite objections by some faculty members.

"I appreciate and have great respect for the Christian liberal arts and the ways that Wheaton College exudes that in its mission, programs, and in the caliber of its employees and students," Hawkins said in the statement posted Saturday on the school's website.

College officials and Hawkins said in the statement that neither will speak publically about their relationship before a news conference scheduled for Wednesday.

"Wheaton College sincerely appreciates Dr. Hawkins' contributions to this institution over the last nine years," President Philip Graham Ryken said in the statement. "We are grateful for her passionate teaching, scholarship, community service and mentorship of our students."

College officials previously had said Hawkins' views were inconsistent with the college's "doctrinal convictions."

Hawkins had maintained that nothing about her views contradict the college's statement of faith, which all instructors sign. Among other things it affirms belief in "one sovereign God," views on Adam and Eve and the existence of Satan.

Nearly 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students attend Wheaton College, which is roughly 30 miles from Chicago.
PORTSMOUTH, N.H.  After the earsplitting reggae faded, after the candidate tossed his unfashionable sport coat into the crowd like a rock star and after the Bernie! Bernie! Bernie! chants quieted, Bernie Sanders launched into a familiar speech that is so adored by fans that much of the audience could recite it  and at times they did.

Do you know who the largest welfare recipient in America is? Sanders asked, his voice hoarse from day after day of shouting about political revolution. The crowd in a college gymnasium screamed in response, Wal-Mart! And so it went. Sanders rode his momentum back into New Hampshire on Sunday after a quick hop to New York to appear on Saturday Night Live, where he managed to make a plug for democratic socialism in a skit.

The insurgent showed no sign of yielding an inch of the ground he has gained in New Hampshire as Hillary Clintons campaign struggled to close a gap that several polls put at double digits. Even as Bill Clinton, dressed like a local in a red-checked lumberjack shirt and dungarees, sought to charm voters at town halls and Hillary Clinton worked the customers at a Dunkin Donuts in Manchester, the Clinton campaign was already looking beyond this state.

With voting here just two days away, Hillary Clintons main event was not in the Granite State at all. It was in Flint, Mich.

What happened in Flint is immoral, she said at the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, where she expressed outrage over the lead-tainted water that has gripped the city in crisis and become a national symbol of racial injustice. The children of Flint are just as precious as the children of any part of America.

The crisis, to which Clinton has been calling attention for weeks, has become a rallying point for her campaign. Clintons role in demanding accountability from Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder may help her shore up already strong support among the African-American Democrats whose votes are crucial to winning key states, including South Carolina this month and Michigan next month. On Sunday, the Democratic National Committee announced it will hold a presidential debate in Flint on March 6.

Clinton came when no one else would come, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said.

Clinton said the timing of her trip should not be taken to mean she sees New Hampshire as a lost cause.

Occasionally you go off the campaign trail, Clinton said at the Dunkin Donuts, where she took selfies with customers. I know Senator Sanders went to New York to be on SNL, and Im going to Flint to see if we can help with the kids. Thats part of it. But my commitment to this primary and to this state is absolutely rock solid.

The comment was another jab at Sanders in a weekend that was full of them from Clinton and her surrogates. They questioned Sanders campaign tactics, his foreign policy experience, his socialist agenda.

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, in New Hampshire to lend support to her friend Clinton, had a jolting message Saturday for female Sanders voters: There is a special place in hell for women who dont help each other.

Bill Clinton was also full of warnings. Sometimes the facts are staring you in the face, he told a group of voters in Milford. For three years, the Republicans have been begging you not to nominate her. The people of New Hampshire have to decide how much weight to give their advice.

At an earlier event, in Keene, Clinton said he understands the frustration that has propelled Sanders into the lead in the state. But he sought to convince his listeners that a vote for his wife was the most effective way to harness that emotion.

We need anger and answers, Clinton said. We can start with resentment. But in the end, results are all that matters  . We can get it all back and more. But you need a change maker.

Back in the packed, noisy gymnasium in Portsmouth, Paul McEachern, 78, was surveying the energetic Sanders crowd. McEachern was the Democratic nominee for governor in New Hampshire twice in the 1980s, and only a few months ago he was featured in the pages of the Portsmouth Herald newspaper accepting a social justice award from Bill Clinton.

His loyalty has shifted.

When the campaign started out, I was figuring I would support Hillary, he said. When the Goldman money came out, I could not, McEachern said, referring to the speaking fees the Clintons have accepted from financial giant Goldman Sachs.

He was struck by how many unfamiliar faces there were in the crowd of 1,200 at a community college in the outskirts of town.

Sanders has a very universal appeal for people, the same way that Trump has an appeal on the other side, McEachern said. I just hope these people vote.
It is Thursday past and radio's talking heads  legends in their own minds  are telling their audience what it takes to be tough. Running for president and winning the Super Bowl are the topics of the day.

I had just completed a lengthy conversion with Megan Ramirez, a-never-say-never optimist and mother of 10-year-old Madison "Madi'' Ramirez, who suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

The dudes on the radio have no idea what tough is. Madi Ramirez ... Now there's tough.

Madi was born nine weeks premature in December 2005, the third of three girls to Tom (a Moliner) and Megan Ramirez, two of the nicest folks on God's green earth. A spirited child  perfect for a family of go-getters like Ramirez Inc.  Madi, at age 2, was diagnosed with SMA.

SMA, Megan Ramirez says, is a group of inherited disorders characterized by a loss of certain nerve cells called motor neurons. Motor neurons transmit nerve impulses from the brain or spinal cord to muscle or glandular tissue.

The loss of motor neurons leads to progressive muscle weakness and muscle wasting (atrophy) in muscles closest to the trunk of the body, such as the shoulders, hips and back. These muscles are necessary for crawling, walking, sitting up and head control. The more severe types of SMA can affect muscles involved in feeding, swallowing and breathing.

SMA is a death sentence for some and a life filled with disabling difficulties at every turn for others.

When Madi's awkward crawl led to her diagnosis, Tom and Megan never batted an eye. They  with the help of many  went to work to better the life of Madi and others like her.

And they have. And they will.

On Feb. 19, at the gorgeous Rogalski Center on the campus of St. Ambrose University, the Ramirez family is hosting an "Evening of Hope,'' a fundraiser on behalf of Madi and others afflicted with SMA. The event, which runs from 6 to 11 p.m., costs $75 and features a silent auction, a dinner and a night of fun and good cheer. You can find details online at events.curesma.org/site/PageServerpagename=2016_MADI_Gala_Home.

UFC legend Pat Miletich has done a number of public service announcements with and on behalf of Madi. To date, nearly $7,000 of the night's $50,000 goal has been reached.

"It's OK to dream and shoot big,'' Megan Ramirez said. "That's why have $50,000 as our goal. It should be an amazing night.''

Madi is a student at Pleasant Valley's Cody Elementary. She enjoys cheerleading, dancing, listening to music, reading, playing outside and swimming. She walks, though uses a wheelchair when necessary, and soon will have a guide dog (Nora) to help full time.

She is a model of determination, hope, optimism and tougher than anyone who believes they can run the country and or win the Super Bowl.

"There is hope,'' Megan Ramirez said. "There is always hope.

"Research is at a stage where a breakthrough to aid Madi and others is not far off. It's why we push and it's why we do the things we do.

"Personally, I like to dream and work big," she said. "So why not see what we can do to educate the public and make a dent in the research funding?''

Why not?
This has to stop! Illinois has been and can become a great state. It was great, in part, because there was cooperation between the powers that be who practiced give and take as it related to those of us who could not make it on our own.

This means children who are ill, abandoned or homeless, the abused, women, children and, yes, men; sexual assault victims of all ages and gender, the mentally ill, which can be 1 in 5 of us -- look around you, count five people, one of them is likely suffering from a psychiatric disorder; then the drug and alcohol victims, which are also illnesses; then the elderly (maybe your parents or grandparents) who no longer have the capacity to care for themselves and need residential or home care services to stay alive.

Enough?

No, there are more! The homeless men/women and kids who are at risk on the streets to be injured or killed by senseless attacks. They are civilians and veterans. There are those in prison or jail cells where at least half are mentally ill with no services to help keep them out of trouble.There are more mentally ill incarcerated than in all of the psychiatric beds in the country.

There are the mentally challenged people who need care facilities and special productive jobs that give them self worth.Then there are those with crushing illnesses or injuries who require care to keep them alive and allow them to return to their regular lives. There are students that could never attend college without help.

Thats a lot isnt it? Actually there are a lot more and I know you can come up with examples.

Because a budget cannot be accomplished, all of the above are losing care and services they cannot survive without social services. An example of this is Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. LSSI is not receiving promised state funding. At the beginning of February, it will close 40-50 percent of its programs. (Fortunately InTouch senior care was rescued by another program).

This means 700 workers will lose jobs they need to care for their families; 5,000 of their clients will be without care, which will result in diminishing lives and in some cases, life itself.

I said that Illinois was great when the powers that be cooperated through give and take. There is now a new type of this idea. People have to give up their jobs and we take away the important services they provide to those who dearly need them.

The leader of the House and Senate have incomes so they are not affected by all this; do they care? According to tax records from 2014, the governor earned over $28,000 per hour -- yes, per hour.

Does he care?

Please contact your representative, senator and the governor and tell them to stop their selfish actions (inaction) and cooperate with each other to stop this destructive behavior.
Since starting out in radio at Sea FM on the Gold Coast 23 years ago, Jackie O has interviewed hundreds of A-list celebrities.

She told Radio Today her top 3 all-time favourite interviews were Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie and Wil Smith. She also revealed on air that she once turned down one of her most famous interviews Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Daily Mail reports that whilst Leo may be one of Hollywoods biggest heartthrobs, at the time Jackie was in a relationship and said  When Im in a relationship Im faithful .

Leos staff apparently asked Jackie back to the superstars hotel room in Hawaii, but she turned him down.

See Jackie reveal all on KIIS in this video.
Railway Ages inaugural Fast Trackers10 Rising Stars Under 40, are ten individuals under the age of 40 who have made an impact in their respective fields or within their company.

After nearly three months and 57 entries later, Railway Age editors, along with judges Nick Little, Managing Director of Michigan State Universitys Railway Management Program and Ronald L. Batory, President and Chief Operating Officer of Consolidated Rail Corporation, have selected the winning 10 in Railway Ages inaugural Fast Trackers10 Under 40 contest. Representing the best of the best, these rising stars are making an impact in their respective fields.

I enjoyed taking part in the judging and am impressed to see so many good, younger people in the industry today; it bears well for the future, said Little, adding that a common thread among the winners is their management style, which is centered on mentoring others with open communication to engender trust, yet supported by decision-making capability and responsiveness to internal and external customer requirements. Alignment with their organizations business model and values is also a recurring theme. Support for both the railroad community and the society in which they live comes through in a surprising number of activities these young people are able to do, yet they still accomplish making an impact in their jobs.

Entries, who had to be under the age of 40 as of Jan. 1, 2016 and located within the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Canada and/or Mexico, came from freight or passenger railroads, suppliers and consultants/contractors and were judged on criteria that included industry experience and education, leadership skills, industry contributions, and community service involvement.

This years 10 finalists will be recognized at the annual Railroader of the Year Dinner, which will take place on March 15, 2016 at the Union League of Chicago, honoring Railway Ages 53rd Railroader of the Year, BNSF President and CEO Carl R. Ice.

WINNERS:

Joe Brosseau, 34

Principal Investigator II, Transportation Technology Center, Inc.

Brosseau currently leads the largest research and development program in North America for the development, improvement, simulation and testing of the industrys $10 billion Positive Train Control (PTC) implementation initiative. He and his team have contributed significantly to this monumental effort through a number of key research programs, as well as through the development of a test facility for the technology and all of its elements at TTCI, while working with stakeholders, both public and private. Brosseau specifically led the development and evaluation efforts for an operationally efficient braking enforcement algorithm for PTC, one of the key technological challenges for this initiative. He is also TTCIs leading expert in Train Operations and Energy Simulator modeling and provides important industry leadership and expertise whenever this type of analysis is called for. Brosseau has established himself as the go to resource for this technical function and has often been called upon to provide clarity and guidance in decision-making.

Josh Connell, 36

General Manager, Genesee & Wyoming (Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad and Cascade & Columbia River Railroad)

Connell has proven results in both Class I and short line environments. He began his railroad career as a conductor with CSX and moved up through the ranks, earning managerial responsibility for groups as large as 368 people and budgets well over $3 million. He now oversees two Genesee & Wyoming railroads. Since joining Genesee & Wyoming in 2011, Connell has worked injury-free. Under his leadership, the Puget Sound & Pacific Railroad has remained injury-free for more than 1,000 days, while the Cascade & Columbia River Railroad has gone more than 1,100 days without a single reportable injury. In addition, Connell was able to significantly reduce operating costs at Puget Sound & Pacific through October of 2015. Connell is also an active volunteer for Operation Lifesaver (OLI), working diligently to educate the general public on rail crossing safety. This year alone, he and his team have shared the OLI message with more than 1,000 people in the area.

Anthony Fazio, 36

Manager of Track Design, SEPTA

Fazio has always led an extensive construction and maintenance program to ensure the railroads he has been employed by stay in a state of good repair. He is involved with AREMA and was involved in the construction of NJ Transits Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line. During his time at Amtrak, he led a team that developed a new temporary passenger platform for stations on Amtraks Northeast Corridor and implemented this design in the field. Fazio leads by example and is the first person to be out with the workforce in all types of weather to make sure that jobs are done safely and properly. He has always responded to any railroad emergency. After Superstorm Sandy hit New York, Anthony was the lead manager responsible for pumping out the East River Tunnels and worked around the clock with his crew for four days to ensure that the tunnels were cleared. Fazio was nominated for the Amtrak Presidents Award for his efforts. Additionally, at Amtrak, Fazio worked with his crew to increase Portal Bridges reliability rate from 80% to an unprecedented 99%.

Dave Hill, 30

Assistant Division Engineer, Amtrak B&B, Mid-Atlantic Division

Hill began his career in the Amtrak management-training program and has worked diligently to bring the railroads 100-year-old-plus infrastructure to a state of good repair. One example would be the extensive work being done to maintain the Civil War-era Baltimore & Potomac (B&P) Tunnel. Hill has been giving back to his railroad community by mentoring new hires and insuring that they are familiar with and working safe along the right-of-way. Hill, a licensed civil engineer with a degree from the University of Pittsburgh, says his goals are to achieve promotions and to eventually become the Vice President of Operations at Amtrak. He leads a workforce of about 85 skilled workers, each of whom he knows personally, and his number one priority is their safety. Hill is one of a handful of very young managers who had to prove himself by working harder and smarter. This has made him become very proficient and respected in his current position.

Erich Leonard, 35

Manager Locomotive Systems Development, New York Air Brake

Leonard has contributed to the rail industry at largeand to rail safety in particularin several noteworthy ways. First, he has made significant engineering contributions at NYAB, specifically as lead system engineer on the development of a new brake system for passenger locomotives, where he developed and personally oversaw the systems successful installation and track testing on the first Amtrak vehicles. He also led the effort to adapt this same system for the India locomotive market, introducing the systems various innovations to a global market. Leonard also developed a new rubber component for the NYAB locomotive braking system, which led to the successful extension of a federally mandated overhaul interval for an important customer. Additionally, Leonard developed a new engineering calculation tool on his own initiative, greatly simplifying the work required to apply brake systems to locomotives. Leonard has been awarded one U.S. patent and is a primary inventor on three pending U.S. patents, including one for a Configurable Locomotive Brake Controller.

Daniel Lyons, 26

IT Support Specialist, Consolidated Rail Corporation

Lyons has designed and built a mobile workforce to enable employees to work remotely from multiple platforms. He is an influential team member of Conrails PTC Design and Implementation Team and has helped to upgrade the Conrail network, which included security and reliability resulting in up-times of close to 99.8%. Lyons runs IT training seminars at every level of the company and has created an IT disaster recovery plan for continued train operations in case of an emergency. He holds two Cisco certifications and a continuing education degree in Railway Management from Michigan State University. Lyons is well organized and goal-oriented. He is currently earning an MBA from LaSalle University, with the goal of advancing his career. His commitment makes it clear that he wants to lead Conrail into the next generation of technology. Lyons expresses a passion to keep up with industry standards to ensure Conrail is equipped with the most effective technology and has expressed a desire to one day lead the companys IT department

Torrey Swan, 33

Director, Marketing & Pricing, Energy, Chemicals, Canadian Pacific

By coordinating with internal and external stakeholders in the development of CPs frac sand franchise from 2012 to 2014, Swan worked diligently to place the railroad in a position to capitalize on the movements of frac sand with the increase of demand in the energy sector. His ability to move the business from single car loadings to unit train loadings put both the shipper/customer and CP in a position to capitalize on efficiencies, thus allowing both parties to be more competitive in their marketplaces. Swan is a firm believer in an efficient supply chain and takes every opportunity to speak at industry conferences relating what he has learned. Swans leadership was also evident prior to joining CP. While working on his Master of Business Administration degree, Swan received both the Alberta Graduate Award and the Dr. G. Barry Melon Graduate Award. He also recieved the Global Energy Management and Sustainable Development Scholarship program, which earned him $10,000 towards his education.

Katie Theis, 38

Project Manager/Lead Planner, HNTB

Believing rail-based initiatives have a unique opportunity to profoundly impact community development, Theis focuses on leveraging the value of rail, at both the local station area level and as part of a greater regional system, to provide meaningful change. She brings that perspective to all of her projects. This is evident in her role in managing the Port Authority of New York and New Jerseys PATH Extension to the Northeast Corridor Rail Link Station. Theis established a bi-weekly stakeholder steering committee meeting and with her perspective and experience, she will ensure that the project improves the regions robust transit infrastructure and transit connectivity, increases rail capacity, provides transit redundancy and opens access and economic opportunities to locally disadvantaged communities. Theiss career has been centered upon creating sustainable communities through the integration of transportation and urban planning. She is co-chair of the American Planning Associations Metro Chapter Urban Design Committee and a founding member of HNTBs Womens Outreach Network.

Roquita Coleman-Williams, 38

Solutions Manager, CN Railway

Williams is celebrating her 18th year as a logistics professional. She began her career with UPS, where she served in various sales and marketing management roles. In 2008, Williams joined the CNs Supply Chain division, a unique and progressive team focused on international supply chain innovation. In 2011, she extended her career to serve as the first African American President of the Memphis World Trade Club. She has been recognized nationally as a Rising Star of North American Railroads and Next Generation of Freight Leaders. Most recently, Williams was appointed by former Memphis Mayor AC Wharton and the Memphis City Council to the Memphis Area Transit Authoritys Board of Commissioners. She is responsible for governing policy for a $60 million public transit system that in undertaking a major overhaul of its historic Memphis trolleys and developing its Central Station. Williams is a frequent volunteer, mentor and motivational speaker whose wish is to encourage and motivate the next generation

Caroline Woyer, 31

Assistant General Solicitor, Norfolk Southern Corporation

Woyer is part of a team that helps defend Norfolk Southern (NS) when all manner of suits are filed against the company so that the railroad can continue to provide safe and efficient transportation to its customers. She is responsible for managing and overseeing a litigation docket in which millions of dollars can be at risk and must exercise keen judgment and make hard decisions regarding litigation strategy and valuation to protect NS assets. Woyer works closely with NSs mechanical and transportation departments regarding event recorder data and systems/processes for capturing and retaining the data; specifications for new PTC event recorders; and training for road foreman. She was designated as the key lawyer for grade crossing matters and works closely with the railroads operating and labor relations departments to ensure the company is in compliance with the Federal Railroad Safety Acts whistleblower provisions. Woyer was recently elected as the 2015-16 Eastern Vice President of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel.

JUDGES:

Ronald L. Batory

President & Chief Operating Officer, Consolidated Rail Corporation

Batory has more than 44 years of field and system experience in the railroad industry. He spent the first 23 years of his career working for eastern and western Class I railroads in addition to assisting a court-appointed trustees successful oversight of a regional railroad bankruptcy. In 1994 he was appointed President of The Belt Railway Company of Chicago, a jointly owned switching and terminal subsidiary of the then-nine competing Class I carriers. His leadership in serving BRCs owner railroads in the Chicago Gateway led to CSX and NS later recruiting him to Conrail in preparation of the STB approved partitioning of eastern carrier and establishing what is now commonly known as the Shared Assets Areas. Accomplishment of providing a plane of equality for joint competition later favored him in being appointed to his current position.

Nick Little

Managing Director of Michigan State Universitys Railway Management Program & Assistant Director of Executive Education Programs, Eli Broad College of Business in East Lansing, Mich.

While in high school in Britain, Little started his career with clerical and operating internships at Plymouth on British Rails Western Region in the early 1970s. He won a scholarship program with the British Railways Board that gave him a supply management degree plus training in all aspects of BRs organization. Little then spent 15 years with BR in many locations including Derby and London. In 1995, Little came to MSU, initially for a year on loan to work on a research program, but he stayed to follow his passion of helping to develop future generations of expert managers and leaders with deep business knowledge and experience. He took charge of MSUs Railway Management Certificate Program in 2013.

RUNNERS UP:

Benjamin Banks, Mgr. Industrial Products, BNSF

Rachael Crandley, Associate Director of Business Development and Planning, Conrail

Sarah Drane, Mgr., Union Pacific

Timothy Francis, VP of Marketing, Herzog

Zachary Garner, President & CEO, VisioStack Inc. B

Brian Hadley, Director, Safety & Security, Herzog

Steve Hart, Assistant Mgr., Conrail

Darrell Krueger, Engineer II, Lab and Testing Services, BNSF

Nicole McGann, Safety Compliance Analyst, Metra

Justin Vonashek, Chief Safety, Security, Emergency Preparedness, and Regulatory Compliance, Keolis Commuter Services

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Maeghan Albiston, Director Investor Relations, Canadian Pacific

Ameer Alghusain, President, American Railways J

Jacob Asbell, President, Jeff Asbell Excavating & Trucking Inc., Meridian Oil & Equipment, Compliance 1 Environmental Services, DF Rail Group, Asbell Trucking, Alpha Air Michael C. Bast II, President, Allentown & Auburn Railroad

Shannon Bailey, VP, Protran Technology (Harsco) J

Joshua Bendyk, Operations Specialist, VHB

Derick Call, Team Leader, Mechanical Engineering, New York Air Brake

Michael Childs, Mgr. Intermodal Sales, Florida East Coast Railway Hayden Cornish, Rail Industry Director, Schenck Process

Nicholas Croce, Deputy Chief Engineer, ATC, WMATA

Elizabeth Dauble, Asisstant Division Mgr., Railroad Construction Company

Nick Delmonico, Sales Account Executive, Encore Rail Systems, Inc.

Michael DiArenzo, Mgr. of Asset Planning and Administration, Conrail Arber Doci, Train Control Systems Engineer, M.C. Dean Inc.

Neil Finn, GM, Union Tank Car Company

Cody Fischer, Engineer in Training, Locomotive Systems Engineering, Canadian Pacific Railway

Deryk Gillespie, Assistant VP Planning & Analysis, Canadian Pacific

Ryan Gottsch, Mgr. Special Projects, Mechanical, Union Pacific Railroad

Casey Haddock, Project Mgr., Alstom

Jessica Havens, CEO, Diesel Supply Company

Barry Johnson, Road Foreman, Engines, LIRR

Bradford Kelley, Associate Attorney, Slover & Loftus LLP

Korey Lester, Mgr., Mechanical Engineering, BNSF Railway

Amiee Marie Martelle, President, CEO and CFO, Riverport Railroad LLC

Fred Mattison, System Train and Engine Compliance Officer, NJ Transit

Kylie McLaughlin, GM, Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad, LLC

Joel McNeil, VP of Business Development, Brookville Equipment Corporation

Max Medlin, Operations Mgr., North Shore Scenic Railroad

Jonathan Michel, Senior Industrial Designer, RailPlan International, Inc.

Jonathan Mudronja, VP, Leasing, Midwest, SMBC Rail Services

Mark Pinske, Senior Staff Engineer, McMillen Jacobs Associates

Jarad Prescott, Senior Project Mgr., GSS, Inc.

Clint Reilly, Manufacturing Engineer, NYAB

Brian Smith, Quality Assurance and Warranty Mgr., WMATA

Daniel Stout, VP, STX Corporation

James Tylick, Corridor Superintendent California Division, BNSF Railway

Ann Waters, Assistant VP Mechanical, Railroad Engineering Services, Genesee & Wyoming Inc.
Former SFMTA and VTA CEO to lead Caltrain Modernization Program Written by Carolina Worrell , Senior Editor









At the Caltrain Board meeting on Feb. 4, 2016, Executive Director Jim Hartnett announced that Michael Burns, who retired as the Chief Executive Officer for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in 2014, will take the reins of the Caltrain Modernization Program. The Caltrain Modernization Program is the most transformative project in the rail systems 150-year history, the agency says. The program will electrify the system and provide electric vehicles to operate with the electrified infrastructure.

Burns was appointed Interim-Chief, Caltrain Modernization Officer. He begins his new role on Feb. 8.

Burns began working with the Modernization team in 2015 to support planning for Caltrain initiatives in San Francisco and ongoing coordination with High Speed Rail for early investment program and the blended system.

The Caltrain Modernization Program is the largest, most important, improvement project in the systems 150-year history, Hartnett said. Michael has more than 40 years of experience, the majority of which was spent overseeing rail programs across the country. Under Michaels leadership, VTA received the federal funding needed to finally bring BART to San Jose. Im thrilled that he will be leading our team towards Modernization.

Burns replaces outgoing Chief Caltrain Modernization Officer, Marian Lee. Lee joined the San Mateo County Transit District in 2007 as Director of Planning, she took over the CalMod program in 2010. Lees contributions were pivotal in helping to create a community dialogue around the systems needs and address community concerns.

Lee will begin her new role as the Assistant City Manager with South San Francisco later this month.

The Caltrain Modernization Program includes the electrification of the existing Caltrain corridor between San Francisco and San Jose; the installation of a Communications Based Overlay Signal System Positive Train Control (CBOSS PTC), which is an advanced signal system that includes federally-mandated safety improvements; and the replacement of Caltrains diesel trains with high-performance electric trains called Electric Multiple Units.

The $1.7 billion program is funded through a nine-party agreement that leverages local, regional and federal funding to match $705 million in voter-approved high-speed rail bond revenues.
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Soon, the Senate and House Armed Services committees will begin drafting their respective versions of the fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The leaders of both committees have indicated that they intend to build on the reforms made in last year's policy bill. In the realm of military personnel policy, the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate defense committees have stated that they will look closely at improving TRICARE with the goal of enhancing patient care and making the program more cost-efficient.

TRICARE is the health plan for military beneficiaries in the United States, primarily covering active duty and retired personnel and their family members under age 65. Separate programs provide health benefits to reservists and beneficiaries age 65 and older. TRICARE combines a large direct-care system of military treatment facilities (MTFs), which exists to provide care for military personnel and maintain the clinical currency of military medical personnel, with extensive care purchased from the private sector. First developed in the 1980s and implemented in the 1990s, TRICARE adapted managed care approaches from civilian employer health plans to the traditional military health plan, which then consisted of the MTFs and civilian care through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services. Thirty years later, employer-sponsored health plans have evolved and new coverage opportunities have been afforded through health exchanges. It is within this broader context of private sector health care innovation that the Department of Defense (DoD) and Congress are considering how to update TRICARE based on experience in civilian health plans, while still meeting future military medical requirements.

A range of options for reforming TRICARE have been offered in recent years. The DoD's fiscal year 2015 and 2016 budget requests proposed changes to TRICARE. Under these plans, the current TRICARE plans would be consolidated into a single plan allowing non-active duty beneficiaries to access MTF, civilian network, or civilian non-network providers. Active duty personnel would get their care from MTFs, as they do now. Family members of active duty personnel would be guaranteed continued access to free care at an MTF or, for those unable to access an MTF, from a civilian provider. The DoD budget proposals would revise the schedule of deductibles and copays to provide incentives for beneficiaries to prefer MTF care, followed by civilian network care and then non-network care. At the same time, modest increases in the overall level of beneficiary cost sharing aimed to minimize inappropriate utilization of high-cost sources of care such as emergency rooms.

Another proposal was put forth by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC) in 2015. This panel was created by Congress to make recommendations on ways to improve military benefits. The MCRMC proposed that active duty personnel continue to receive health care through their units or MTFs. It also recommended that the DoD create a new program to offer private insurance plans to cover all other eligible beneficiaries, although these beneficiaries would still be allowed to seek care at MTFs if they choose. The MTFs would be reimbursed by the private plans for care provided to their military enrollees. To help active duty members cover the private-plan premiums and out-of-pocket costs for their dependents, the MCRMC suggested establishing a new pre-tax cash benefit, the Basic Allowance for Health Care.

A third option would involve replacing the current three TRICARE plans with a new program that offers most beneficiaries a choice of either an MTF-based or private health plan. In areas with no MTF or an MTF that only has capacity to serve the local active duty population, only private plans would be offered. In areas with an MTF capable of providing primary care and providing or managing specialty care for an enrolled population of non-active duty beneficiaries, an MTF-based plan would be offered. Under this plan, each MTF would have overall responsibility for its enrolled population, including care provided in the MTF and by community providers. The MTF would be responsible for establishing the network of community providers for its enrollees and be accountable for enrollees' health outcomes. In most areas with an MTF, beneficiaries also would be offered one or more private health plans. Premiums or other benefits would be adjusted to ensure that the MTF plan would attract a sufficient number of enrollees to fully utilize MTF capacity.

Any of these three options could be complemented by the creation of MTF Centers of Excellence for specialized care that fosters and sustains the operational medical skills of military specialists. Given the volume thought necessary for quality care, these centers would be established only at the largest MTFs. The MTF centers could also manage the partnerships with civilian trauma centers developed over the past 20 years to enhance trauma skills of military providers (physicians and others) and potentially develop opportunities for assignment of military medical personnel to civilian positions.

As debate on the fiscal year 2017 NDAA begins, Congress has a range of options for reforming TRICARE. A stronger TRICARE program that provides greater value-based care in a more efficient manner could result from adopting innovations made in the private sector, while also recognizing the unique role of MTFs.

Susan D. Hosek is a senior economist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Nathaniel Lutovsky is a national security outreach assistant at RAND.

Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
North Korea said the rocket it launched on the morning of 7 February was to put a satellite into orbit around the earth.

Some reports said the payload of the missile fired could be as large as 500kg (1,100lbs), many times the size of the Unha 3 missile payload put into space in December 2012.

These sources also suggest that the range of this new missile may be as much as 13,000km (8,000 miles) compared with the roughly 10,000 km range of the Unha 3. Further analysis is required to confirm these estimates.

But if these numbers are true, this new missile is a major advance for North Korea. A missile fired from North Korea with a 13,000km range can reach any location in the continental United States.

And a 500kg payload is apparently closer to what might be required for a nuclear weapon.

On the other hand, this missile is not yet a true intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It is a very large missile that must still be put together on a very large, fixed launch pad.

It apparently takes days to prepare such a missile, time during which it could be destroyed if North Korea threatened hostile use. Destroying such a missile on a large launch pad should be relatively easy once conflict begins.

North Korea has been working on a true ICBM, the KN08. It is a missile carried on a mobile launcher, which would make destroying it much more difficult. But the KN08 has not yet been tested.

Moreover, while North Korea has tested re-entry vehicles (to protect the warhead) for shorter-range missiles, it has not tested re-entry vehicles for long-range missiles.

Even if North Korea is able to miniaturise a nuclear weapon (which is still uncertain), that weapon and the re-entry vehicle must be able to withstand the extreme temperatures and other challenges associated with re-entering the atmosphere to place locations on Earth at risk to most nuclear weapon effects.

While this launch will assist North Korea in mastering several characteristics of long-range missiles, North Korea does not yet appear to have a viable ICBM with a nuclear warhead that could reach the US. If this test does not give North Korea a nuclear ICBM, why is the North doing it?

If this test does not give North Korea a nuclear ICBM, why is the North doing it?

UN sanctions have been designed to stop North Korea from carrying out ballistic missile tests. Since the missile used in a space launch and in an ICBM may be similar, North Korea has claimed that its missile tests are really space launches of satellites.

The UN Security Council resolutions also prohibit North Korean space launches, but the North claims it has the right to do them, and the UN has failed to convince North Korea otherwise.

Until now, there has been little question, as North Korea has not previously put a functioning satellite into orbit. We have yet to hear whether the payload of this rocket/missile has proven to be a functional satellite.

But the bigger question is why now?

Because of North Korean secrecy, we do not know for sure. But it seems likely that Kim Jong-un is seeking clear successes before his important Seventh Party Congress in May when he wants to appear to be the all-powerful leader of North Korea.

But he has been experiencing major appearances of weakness. For example, in the last three years China has had six summit meetings with South Korea, suggesting that South Korea is an important country and its president, Park Geun-hye, is a great leader.

But China has had no summit meetings with North Korea, suggesting that, for Beijing, North Korea is not a significant country and that Kim Jong-un is a weak leader.

North Korea may also be experiencing political instability resulting from the many purges of Kim Jong-un and various regime failures.

In November, there were reports that North Korea was seeking a summit meeting with China, in an effort to demonstrate Kim Jong-un's strength.

On 10 December, Kim announced that North Korea possessed an H-bomb, possibly Mr Kim's way of pressuring a reluctant China into a summit.

The apparent failure of that pressure is likely to have angered Mr Kim, and led to a fourth nuclear test on 6 January.

That test had a weapon yield of about 10 kilotons, less than 1% of a traditional H-bomb. It was also smaller than a typical boosted weapon yield, which even North Korea apparently expected would be around 50 kilotons because the North buried the weapon more than twice as deep as its third nuclear test.

Observers have generally said that the fourth test was not an H-bomb, and thus a failure for the North Korean regime despite the euphoric public response the regime tried to incite in the aftermath of the test.

While China was seriously upset by the fourth nuclear test, its refusal to support further sanctions against North Korea suggests that China is concerned about worsening the instability in North Korea.

So the regime needs a success. This space launch may be enough to achieve that political objective.

But if it is not, Kim Jong-un may conclude that he needs a more successful nuclear test before the Seventh Party Congress.

Hopefully, the US and South Korea will take more effective actions to deter North Korea from such a defiant action. That might include coming up with a package of threats, including stating that more concrete preparations need to begin for a Korean unification that would result from North Korean collapse.

Bruce Bennett is a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School.

This commentary originally appeared on BBC on February 7, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
The Avatars, an international, millennial-targeted co-production between Boomerang TV, Fly Distribuzione TV and Brave Films, is to premiere on free-to-air (FTA) TV in Germany.





The youth network KiKA  owned by public broadcasters ARD and ZDF  will broadcast two back-to-back episodes of the series from Monday to Thursday in the prime time slot.The production is already aired by South Africa's SABC , Poland's Teletoon+, Brazil's Gloob, Italy' Disney and Nigeria's Cool TV.In addition, the format has been sold to several Eastern European countries including Hungary, Romania, Moldavia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Megamax). The series will also air soon on RAI Gulp Italia.Shot entirely in English, The Avatars' 52x24 episodes tell the story of a group of teenagers who dream of becoming rock stars, only to find record companies ignore them because theyre too young.
Shipments of set-top boxes (STBs) to South Asia grew 52% year-on-year in 2015, hitting 11.3 million in the fourth quarter of the year, according to Dataxis research.



In total, 22.3 million STBs valued at US$494 million were shipped to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries during 2015.India received some 97% of the total shipments to SAARC in the quarter ending 31 December 2015, with over six million STBs aiding the countrys nationwide push to digitise its cable TV network. The remainder of STBs went to the other SAARC nations of Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.With a mere three HD pay-TV channels in 2010, this number has boomed to greater than 60 channels in 2015. As demand for HD content continues to grow in India, the average selling price of HD STB has dropped to $34 in 2015, compared to $40 in 2014, said Anusha S, research analyst, Dataxis.Technicolor shipped close to 2.38 million STBs to India in Q4-2015, with most going to direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV operators. Skyworth completed 2.19 million STB shipments to India during the same quarter, said Dataxis.The demand for HD services are highest among subscribers to Indias DTH subscribers, and shipments of HD STBs accounted for 32% of total STB shipments in 2015. This compares with a figure of 14% in 2014.The uptake of HD services among Indias cable subscribers is yet to make a mark as cable TV operators are focusing on delivering the digitisation mandate by installing SD STBs, Dataxis said.Indigenous STB manufacturers are contributing to the countrys increased demand for digital STBs, including Trend Technologies, Hero -My Box Technologies, Logic Eastern, Indieon, Riddsys, Simmtronics, One-Eight Technologies, Spectra Innovations, Willet Communications, Modern Communication and Broadcast Systems. Along with the international players Changhong, Huawei Technologies, Skyworth, EchoStar, Pace, Technicolor, Cisco Systems, Humax Electronics and Homecast.
Cox Communications has agreed to terms on a new broadcast retransmission deal with Nexstar Broadcasting Group, ending a five-day blackout that threatened to pre-empt the Super Bowl in several key US markets.





Nexstar had blacked out Cox in nine markets, including Las Vegas, home of CBS affiliate KLAS-TV, accusing the cable company of making "mischaracterisations" of the station owner, and threatened it with a cease and desist order on making future comments.Earlier, Cox publicly asked federal regulators to reject Nexstar's $4.6 billion acquisition of Media General . Prior to Cox's statement, Nexstar had given Cox until 29 January to carve out a renewal to an expiring retrans contract, otherwise it said it would black out nine network affiliates on the MSO.The terms of the deal were not disclosed but in a statement Cox said: "Today, [we have] reached an agreement with Nexstar for retransmission consent of their channels on our line-up. Programming will return to the Cox line-up in all impacted markets. We appreciate our customers' patience and support as we sought to reach an agreement on behalf of our customers."For its part, Nexstar added: "[Our] top priority is providing exceptional programming and service to local viewers, hometown businesses, and public organisations in the local communities it serves across the United States ... Nexstar is delighted that Cox subscribers in its markets will have restored access to leading network content from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CW and MyNetworkTV as well as local news and other programming produced specifically for local communities."
Moscow student charged with attempting to join ISIS withdraws confession

MOSCOW, February 8 (RAPSI)  Varvara Karaulova (Alexandra Ivanova), a student of the Moscow State University who stands charged with attempting to join the Islamic State militants in Syria, has withdrawn her confessional testimony, her lawyer Gadzhi Aliyev told RAPSI on Monday.

According to the lawyer, Karaulova pleaded not guilty during re-examination and said that she had no thought of joining the Islamic State.

As previously reported the second-year student of the Moscow State Universitys Faculty of Philosophy, allegedly decided to join the Islamic State and secretly started off for Istanbul on May 27.

On June 4, she was arrested near Turkey's border with Syria along with 13 other Russian citizens when attempting to cross into the territory occupied by Islamic State militants. On June 11, she returned to Russia under escort of Interpol employees.

In October, Karaulova, who had changed her name to Alexandra Ivanova, was again arrested in Moscow and put in jail.

Her detention recently was extended until March 27.

If convicted, Karaulova faces up to ten years in prison.

The Islamic State is currently one of the major threats to global security. Over three years, these terrorists have managed to seize large areas of Iraq and Syria. The organization is also attempting to spread its influence to North Africa  particularly, Libya. The area controlled by ISIS covers up to 90,000 square kilometers.
Insurance companies demand 10 mln from Vnukovo in Total CEO plane crash lawsuit

MOSCOW, February 8 (RAPSI)  Five foreign insurance companies filed a lawsuit with the Moscow Commercial Court against Vnukovo airport demanding losses resulted from plane crash of Total CEO Cristophe de Maergeries aircraft in 2014, RAPSI reports from the courtroom on Monday.

Plaintiffs in the case are Berkshire Hathaway International Insurance ltd, Tokio Marine Kiln Insuranse ltd, Mapfre Global Risks Compania, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company  Great Lakes Reinsurance. Insurance companies demand  10 million from defendants in the case: Vnukovo airport, Vnukovo international airport and State ATM orporation.

The companies have already paid 1 million euro to suffering parties as a compensation for life insurance of the aircrafts crew and passengers as well as 9 million for Falcon 50 EX airplane.

During the preliminary hearings Vnukovos representative asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit because of lack of credentials provided by the plaintiffs. The court ruled to set the hearings for March 2 and proposed the plaintiffs to prepare the documents requested by the defendants. Additionally Sogaz company was invited to the case at the request of State ATM Corporation.

Christophe de Margerie died in a plane crash at Vnukovo airport on October 21, 2014, when his planes wing hit a snow plow. Among the victims were three crew members, all French citizens.

Lead airfield service engineer Vladimir Ledenev, snow plow driver Vladimir Martynenko, air traffic controller Alexander Kruglov, airport flight manager Roman Dunayev, and dispatcher Natalya Arkhipova stand charged in the case.
Russian mobile app firm accused of fraud by cybersecurity company  report

MOSCOW, February 8 (RAPSI)  A cyber security company based in Canada, Sentrant, has claimed that Russian mobile application firm, Academ Media, is responsible for mass fraud conducted through online advertisement service MoPub, Financial Times has reported.

According to Sentrant, Academ Media has been allegedly conducting a sophisticated fraud that has targeted the fast growing market of mobile advertisement. MoPub which belongs to Twitter has been a specific target for the fraudsters.

Sentrant has claimed that more than 200 apps in Google Play store have been used in a fraud. After installation of such an app on the mobile phone was complete, it began to download advertisements that were invisible to consumers. Allegedly this allowed Academ Media to earn $250,000 a day from companies that are paying for amount of views by consumers, although no people have seen actual advertisements.

Novosibirsk-based Academ Media strongly denies all allegations. The firm claims that a year ago it was attacked by a hacker who stole data and used it to conduct fraud and transform mobile apps by Academ Media into fraudulent ones.

Google Play removed apps by Academ Media from the store in September despite protests from an app firm.
RFE/RL, February 8, 2016

Afghan officials say a woman has been executed after being accused of adultery in a remote Taliban-controlled village in the western province of Ghor.

Abdul Hai Khatibi, a provincial government spokesman, said on February 8 that the execution was carried out in the remote Taliban-controlled village of Zanu on February 5.

The woman was identified by her first name, Zahra, but her age was unknown.

Khatibi said Zahra was detained by the Taliban along with a man, identified as Ayub. Ayub was shot while trying to flee and is currently in Taliban captivity, the spokesman said.

However, district Governor Muhammad Hussein Daneshyar told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that the woman was shot dead by her husband, who accused her of having an extramarital affair.

Afghan official say the area has been under militant control for more than a year.

There was no comment from the Taliban.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission says Ghor is among the provinces with the highest number of so-called Taliban "desert courts."

Based on reporting by dpa, khaama.com, and RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan
Property details:

INVESTMENT PROPERTYDEMING, LUNA COUNTY, NEW MEXICOI own a nice  acre lot near Deming, New Mexico with close access to Interstate 10. This land is in an excellent location down the road from Las Cruces, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. Tucson, Arizona is a 3-hour drive west on I-10. Local pick up for this sale is not necessary despite it saying so in the shipping instructions.TERMSI am selling the lot for $1,900 (monthly payments accepted). There is no minimum which must be met on the bid. The bi...

Price: $ 5 Seller State of Residence: Illinois State/Province: New Mexico City: Deming Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Zip/Postal Code: 88030 Location: 880**, Deming, New Mexico

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The world of architecture is in shock following the sudden death of Paul Pholeros.

Pholeros died in a hospital on Monday after he fell ill last month .According to The Guardian, Pholeros, who died at age 62, is an award-winning Sydney architect who is an expert on Indigenous housing and housing equality. He co-founded the non-profit organization called Healthabitat, which aimed at keeping Aboriginal people from getting sick in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands located in north-west South Australia.

Through Healthabitat, Pholeros has helped materialize 180 Housing For Health projects, a model Paul and the founders have developed that ensures a house has basic things like a working shower, toilet and access to a laundry. Often working with Aboriginal communities and contracting local Indigenous contractors, they conducted surveys of all housing necessities, such as repairs. The standard budget for each house was $7,500.

The organization has improved over 8,000 houses and lives of 55,000 people. By 2011, Healthabitat is said to have employed 831 local indigenous people as builders, planners, project managers, database operators, etc.

President Jon Clements of the Australian Institute of Architects said that Pholeros's death was a "great loss" to architecture, according to The Guardian. He said, "Anyone who had the opportunity to hear him speak about his work could not help but be moved, changed in some fundamental way."

Pholeros friend, Adrian Welke, said that he was an "incredibly generous, special person. A giant of a man."

On the other hand, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, his death is mourned by many. He was known not only as a man who was incredibly intelligent in his field but also as a man who valued other people's health, something very few architects can incorporate with their work. Pholeros is also known for his definition of Architecture, which is "a relationship, between the human and the world."
Ellen DeGeneres sold a Brody House in July 2014 to Sean Parker for the sum of $55 million, which gave her $15 million more than the price she paid. Celebrities, just like a few other people, are also into house flipping or property reselling for some additional means of income.

"The Avengers" Jeremy Renner is currently looking into a flip through a 7,000 square foot home at the Runyon Canyon for the sum of $4.795 million. The estate was bought for $1.35 million.

"Friends" Jennifer Aniston was able to list her Beverly Hills home two years ago for $42 million, which was originally bought for $13.5 million. It was sold for $35 million, Variety reported.

Michael C. Hall of "Dexter" listed his home in Los Feliz, California for $4.85 million, which is $675,000 more than what he paid in 2013.

"Annie Hall" Diane Keaton sold a Beverly Hills home in 2010 to "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy with a price that was not made known to public. According to reports, Keaton initially bought the home for $8.1 million. She listed it for $12.995 million.

"Into The Woods" Meryl Streep listed her 1954 Research House for the price of $6.75 million. Though she sold it for only $4.8 million, she still got $300,000.

When "Cougar Town" Courteney Cox got divorced, she earned after selling a beach house in Malibu, which she bought for $7.925 million and sold for $18 million, a bit lower than their selling price of $19.5 million.

Vanilla Ice has been flipping for 15 years. In 2010, he was featured in DIY Network's "The Vanilla Ice Project," showcasing the former rapper's million worth of house flipping projects.

Alex Rodriguez of the NY Yankees earned $15 after selling his Miami beach house for $30 million. The mansion was bought for $7.4 million.

Tobey Maguire's plantation-inspired home in Brentwood is currently listed for $10.25 million.

Scott Disick, Kourtney Kardashian's former partner, recently bought a Beverly Hills home for $3.69 million and plans to flip it after some renovations, ELLE Decor reported.
More Canadian investors are expect to put their money in the Manhattan commercial property market.

According to Commercial Real Estate, a real estate agent has confirmed that Canadian investment in the NY suburb has hit record levels in 2015. In the actual figures reported by the Real Capital Analytics, the Canadians are found 33 percent of the $25.6 billion of overseas investments in Manhattan's commercial real estate last year. The investments from Canadian are $8.3 billion up from the $1.97 billion in the prior year.

Ric Clark, chairman of Brookfield Property Group, said that the trend will continue in New York. This trend is surprising because at the moment the Canadian dollar is growing weaker and weaker against the U.S. dollar which makes real estate prices for Canadians more expensive. According to Commercial Real Estate, in over two years, the average rent for office space has risen to 13 percent in Manhattan to $75 per square foot. But even so, the weakening loonie has not caused Canadian investors from veering away from Manhattan or New York.

Brian Kriter, a Canadian senior managing director of valuation and advisory for Cushman & Wakefield, said that the New York City will remain as a top destination for Canadian investors when it comes to real estate. "We also expect to see more mega-deals as Canadian investors are in a flight to quality," Kriter said.

Could this now mean that the Canadians will soon be rushing to get their money out of the country as oil prices continue to drop and the Canadian dollar weakens? At the moment, experts think that Canada too will witness more investments from overseas and in that case their real estate industry can still expect to see a bright future, except for the possibility that the down payment change is expected to push the market to cool off a bit.
"Sons of Anarchy" actor Charlie Hunnam has recently purchased a former rock star's home in Los Angeles, CA for $2.762 million.

Charlie Hunnam, whose real name is Charles Matthew Hunnam, has recently added another property to his name. According to Trulia, the 35-year-old actor bought former SiK frontman Tony Clearwater's home in Hollywood for $2.762 million.

The 3,250 square-foot property in Los Angeles, CA was built in 1926 and features four bedrooms and three custom bathrooms. It also has a step-down living room, which transforms into a movie room thanks to its drop-down screen and projector.

The kitchen has quartz counters with up-to-date appliances to make room for food fit for Hunnam's six-pack abs. The bathrooms also have a spa-like ambience because of its rainfall showers, double sinks and claw-foot tubs.

The publication further noted that this is the "Crimson Peak" actor's second property in Los Angeles. Hunnam reportedly moved to the city when he was 18 and bought a pad in 2002 for $695,000. Hunnam initially wanted to buy a ranch with chickens, but the actor later on backed out of the deal.

Charlie Hunnam's net worth is currently estimated at $8 million, The Richest reported.

Hunnam is best known for his bad boy biker role in the FX series, "Sons of Anarchy" as Jackson 'Jax' Teller. A prequel to the series is reportedly in the works.

Hunnam was also previously married to Katharine Towne in 1991 in Las Vegas, but the couple divorced after three years.

Hunnam has been dating Morgana McNelis since 2007 and the couple is rumored to be tying the knot soon. MailOnline reported that the couple was recently spotted going on a shopping trip in LA, which may also be taken as their subtle response to the rumors surrounding their relationship.

The couple is rarely seen out in public and they barely talk about their relationship in interviews. However, McNelis previously shared the secret to their lasting relationship.

"I think the key to maintaining a good balance is creating a safe space within the relationship for both partners in which to grow and evolve," she said.
Arkansas is the only state in the country without implied warranty of habitability. This means renters in the state have fewer rights to a livable and safe place to live. Arkansas is subject to critics who demand changes on the state's law on renting.

As Yahoo Real Estate reveals, Arkansas landlords have no legal responsibility to provide basic utilities such as heat, working plumbing or hot water. These utilities could only be provided if it is included in the renter's lease contract. However, Arkansas renters often end up sacrificing payments for rent to pay for the repairs. This is not the only problem as renters are also subjected to code violations and criminal prosecution, leading to their untimely evictions.

"If you're on a month to month lease, maybe it says the landlord makes repairs, maybe it doesn't - but if you report something to code, the first thing the landlord is going to do is try and evict you. That's why it's imperative that if we adopt a warranty of habitability, we also adopt a statute prohibiting retaliatory eviction," said Lynn Foster, professor at the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a member of the study commission.

The renting issues in Arkansas have been rampant over the years. The state landlords continue to have no obligation to repair or maintain their properties while renters are the one who suffer. As Ark Times reports, Arkansas is the only one of the 10 states that don't ban retaliatory eviction, which puts the renters at risk.

In other states, tenants have the right to live in a liveable and safe place with basic utilities such as heat, sturdy roofs safe from rain and snow, strong floors and walls, and hot water. Renters must live in a home where they have protection from burglars. The place they rent must be free from molds, lead, and asbestos. Nolo specifies that if the landlords fail to provide these basic utilities, tenants can withhold rent, sue the landlord, pay for repairs and deduct it from rent, or even leave the place without notice and without liability.

However, without such law to protect the renters in Arkansas, they will continue to suffer in case problems arise.
The zombie apocalypse has come to Regency England. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies delivers a humorous and twisted version of Jane Austens classic romance novel, with the Bennet sisters finding love as they slay the undead on a daily basis.
In November, a University of Georgia administrative specialist at Aderhold Hall emailed her office manager about a suspicious male wearing a white and green cloak with Arabic writing walking the hallway, who in turn forwarded the email to others on the College of Education office managers listserv and notified police as well.
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By Dottie Smith of the Redding Record Searchlight

Travelin' in Time is a weekly look at historic places in the north state.

Wyntoon Castle property and buildings straddle both northern Shasta and southern Siskiyou counties along the McCloud River. The public is not allowed on the property. However, you can travel by canoe or kayak down the river and get a good view of the buildings.

Wyntoon Castle was named for the local American Indians. Phoebe Apperson Hearst, its owner, affectionately called it "The Castle," while locals have long referred to it as "the other Hearst Castle," as the original building was a miniature model of the famous Hearst Castle in San Simeon.

Phoebe was the widow of Sen. George Hearst and the mother of William Randolph Hearst, her only child. William became a world famous newspaper publisher and heir to the Hearst family fortune.

Phoebe first saw the area when she visited her attorney, Charles Wheeler, on the banks of the McCloud River. She asked Wheeler if he would sell her a parcel beside the river so that she too could build. Wheeler instead granted her a life estate on the parcel.

Construction began around 1900 on Phoebe Hearst's "castle." It was completed in 1903. The structure looked very castlelike and included a five-story tower with an inside staircase rising to the sky. The ground floor was a large, vault-beamed, churchlike assembly hall with two recessed fireplaces at the far end of the room.

Phoebe enjoyed entertaining and was known to transport her guests to The Castle on her private train. When she died in 1919, she left most of her fortune to her son. The Wyntoon estate, however, remained in the hands of the Wheeler estate.

In 1929, William Randolph Hearst began purchasing property along the McCloud River in Shasta and Siskiyou counties from the Wheeler estate, totaling 39,000 acres. Among his purchases were Wyntoon Castle in 1929, "The Bend" in Shasta County in 1934 and the Wheeler property in Siskiyou County, upon which Hearst built "The Village."

The Castle burned down in 1929.

The buildings that comprised The Village were designed by architect Julia Morgan, who also designed the Hearst Castle at San Simeon. They are a group of whimsical Bavarian-type buildings complete with whimsical names of "Brown Bear," "Cinderellak," "Angel,"and the "Fairy House."

Today, Wyntoon is a 67,000-acre private estate, not open to the public. The Village still exists and is owned by the Hearst family.

Check out Dottie Smith's daily history blog at www.redding.com. Contact her at historydottie@yahoo.com.
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The long-awaited trial of a Red Bluff man accused of strangling a 14-year-old girl in 2013 has once again been put off.

Quentin Bealers murder trial, which had been slated to begin today with motions and the start of jury selection, was delayed after his defense attorney filed legal motions to dismiss the case and recuse the Tehama County District Attorneys Office.

Defense attorney Shon Northam said attorneys are due back in Sacramento County Superior Court on Feb. 16 to consider his motions.

The trial was ordered by a judge in late 2014 to be moved to Sacramento County due to extensive media coverage of the case in the North State.



According to Northam, his motions seeking to have the case dismissed and the removal of the Tehama County District Attorneys Office are based on the prosecution withholding potentially exculpatory information that was only released to him on Jan. 25.

Spokespersons for the DA's office were not immediately available for comment.

It had been expected that the trial would begin on Feb. 22 with witnesses presenting evidence, but the new snag has now thrown doubt on when that trial might be held.

Not for a long time, Northam said in an e-mail to the Record Searchlight.

Bealer, 42, is charged with murder in the strangulation death of Marysa Nichols of Red Bluff.



Her body was found in a creek bed near Red Bluff High School on Feb. 28, 2013, two days after her family reported her missing.



Bealer was ordered in January 2014 to stand trial in the teens slaying after a preliminary hearing that saw a Department of Justice criminalist testify that Bealers DNA was found on the shirt used to strangle the teenager.


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A Shasta County man pleaded guilty today to pretending to be a decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran in order to defraud the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to authorities.

John Cal Howe II, 42, of Lakehead, pleaded guilty to 23 misdemeanor counts related to fraud and stealing from the government, said Lauren Horwood, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of California.

She said Howe pretended to be a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who received three purple hearts. However, he had never served, she said.

He bilked Veterans Affairs out of health care benefits and travel reimbursements, as well as applying for a pension, Horwood said.

He is set to be sentenced April 25, she said. He faces a maximum of one year in prison, up to $100,000 in fines, and one year supervised release for each count.
'Slinging mud:' Supervisor candidates trade charges ahead of election

Kevin Crye, 46, is making his first run for political office, while Erin Resner, 37, was first elected to the Redding City Council in 2018.
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As scientists work to improve and expand an early warning system for West Coast earthquakes, they've been hampered by one state government's refusal thus far to cover any part of its cost. That would be our state, California, which happens to be the one that's absorbed 70% of the losses from previous U.S. quakes.

There's no reliable way to predict when an earthquake is going to happen. Seismologists have learned, however, how to provide a few seconds or more of advance notice before a quake's most damaging waves reach a community. They do so by focusing on the initial shocks from a quake, which are less powerful and radiate faster than the more powerful ones to come.

The system being developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, Cal Tech, UC Berkeley and others relies on a network of sensors along the fault lines to detect the start of a sizable temblor and broadcast an alert. The amount of time between the warning and arrival of the bigger shocks increases with one's distance from the quake's epicenter; in practice, they've ranged from a few seconds to half a minute or more. For example, when a 6.0 quake shook Napa Valley in 2014, warnings sent by an early version of the system reached San Francisco about eight seconds before the shockwaves. That's enough time to save lives and property by slowing trains, shutting down heavy equipment and prompting residents to duck and cover.

Clearly, a warning system that is well integrated into daily life  as such systems are in Japan, Mexico and some other quake-prone countries  could yield savings many times the cost, which in California's case is about $23 million to build and $11.4 million a year to operate. Yet some lawmakers and Gov. balked at the price tag, so the legislation that authorized the state to start working on the system required it to be paid for by anybody but the state's taxpayers  the people whom it would benefit the most. And while Congress has put up $13.2 million to help launch the project, the state's unique refusal to cover any part of the cost threatens to alienate lawmakers and close the federal spigot.

As Brown rightly cautioned lawmakers earlier this year, the state budget isn't healthy enough to launch a host of new programs that may have to be cut later when the budget tightens. But an earthquake early warning system would help the state fulfill one of its core duties, which is protecting the health and safety of its residents. The state should open its wallet for it.

The Los Angeles Times
'It was incredibly heart-wrenching to see people waiting to be evacuated -- children, parents and grandparents.'

'Many families did not get to leave together. An order of priority was drawn up, and the first ones to be evacuated were pregnant women, single and/or older women and dialysis patients.'

'Most were happy to be on the plane but also very distressed to have left behind family and friends.'

In his book The Descent Of Air India, Jitender Bhargava makes the following observation:



'In the mid-1980s, the only bright spot -- even as Air India found itself buffeted by a host of pressures on several fronts -- was its in-flight experience. Passengers rarely, if ever, found fault with the food, champagne or wines that were offered on board or the service of the cabin crew. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the overall in-flight experience made up for the other shortcomings of the airline.'



The above statement certainly establishes one fact -- passengers were of utmost priority for India's international airline, Air India. No wonder, the civilian airliner finds a mention in the Guinness Book of World Records for successfully pulling off the largest human air evacuation in history.



For years, this achievement was kept a secret from the aam janta. Now, thanks to Akshay Kumar's latest release Airlift, every Indian is aware of Air India's courageous feat.



Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, Airlift is based on the Kuwait evacuation which happened in 1990 as a consequence of the Persian Gulf War. Lakhs of Indians were displaced and were looking for help from the Indian government. That's when Air India stepped in and rescued around 111,711 Indians.



Akki's film has received praise from all quarters.

Jignasa Hotha, who worked as a flight attendant with Air India for 16 years, had just completed two years of service in 1990.

She recalls, "My parents were worried about my safety. They thought Kuwait would be dangerous, but I didn't want to miss this opportunity. I refused to report sick and decided to be part of the flight crew that brought our people home from Kuwait. "



Bhargava, the head of corporate communications at Air India in 1990, says, "Our flights carried essentials and food from India because of the uncertainty regarding the availability of food, water and other essentials at the Amman airport. The government paid Air India for the evacuation as many Indians there did not have financial resources to pay for the ticket."



The evacuation took almost 12 days to be initiated because the Indian government and the Indian community, like Kuwait, believed there would be no Iraqi invasion. The airlift happened from Amman, Jordan, because Baghdad (Iraq) was closed and Iran was out of bounds. People travelled from Kuwait to Jordan via Iraq. It was a tense situation.



Bhargava says, "Even though Air India had evacuated Indians from various places in the past, this evacuation was significant due to many factors. It was the largest and longest evacuation and the highest in terms of flights operated. It showed that the nation could take care of its Diaspora in times of need. Our staff rose to the occasion, though the pilots and cabin crew were initially concerned about safety. They were reassured when Director of Operations Captain D S Mathur operated the first flight as a confidence building measure."



The flights were often delayed because one had no idea when the passengers would reach the airport. Plus, most of the Indian expatriates didn't have the necessary papers; as per law, their Kuwaiti employers held their travel documents.



This caused a problem for the Air India crew; the long delays meant they put in more than their stipulated hours. In his interview with the Indian Foreign Affairs Journal, January-March 2011, K P Fabian, the then head of the Gulf division of the ministry of foreign affairs, mentioned that the problem was a genuine one.



He also spoke to Firdaus Khergamwala of The Hindu about the excellent work done by the Air India crew who were energised by the positive press coverage and went the extra mile to make the evacuation a success.



Hotha says, "I did not know this back story. We were not aware of the politics of the situation either."



Adds Amrita Bhatia, another flight attendant, "For us, it was a privilege to bring our country men home. Years later, someone commented that this evacuation should have been the duty of the air force, not civilian carriers. The thought never crossed our minds then. We were doing our duty, and did not think we were being heroic. We did not want to be thanked for it."



Hotha recalls, "It was incredibly heart-wrenching to see people waiting to be evacuated -- children, parents and grandparents. Many families did not get to leave together. An order of priority was drawn up, and the first ones to be evacuated were pregnant women, single and/or older women and dialysis patients. Most were happy to be on the plane but also very distressed to have left behind family and friends."



Bhatia adds, "The real heroes were those people who had left everything behind and made the difficult journey to Jordan. They had no idea what awaited them in India and were clueless if they could ever return to Kuwait again."

The evacuation lasted from August 13 to October 11, 1990; 488 flights were operated over 59 days to bring 111,711 passengers home.

Hotha says, "In those days, Air India maintained its rigorous training programme that had been designed under J R D Tata. Our service was reflective of traditional Indian hospitality and this was seen in the evacuation as well. We all were extra compassionate towards the helpless people -- they had already lost so much and their faces told so many stories."



The Amman evacuation merited an entry in the Guinness World Records.

Unfortunately, there was no standard operating procedure that detailed the process so that it could be used as a reference for future operations. The apathy saddens many proud Indians, including Air India's staff.



Political interference in recruiting, the growing belligerence of the airline's crew, the apathy of its top management and the blatant misuse of the power and funds of the politicians who treated the airline as their personal fiefdom has destroyed Air India.



But the pride and nostalgia for the Maharaja lingers, as the Amman evacuation made all those involved feel very proud.
'After Rangeela, Urmila became the nation's sex symbol.'

Ram Gopal Varma's Guns and Thighs: The Story of My Life has -- what did you expect? -- upset people including Boney Kapoor -- the 'thighs' in the book's title refers to wife Sridevi's!

A glimpse from RGV's book, a chapter titled The Women in My Filmy Life:

IMAGE: Sridevi in Kshana Kshanam.

Over the years, the media has linked me with many women, partly because I have a tendency to cast some of them again and again in my films.

But then I work again and again with many male actors and technicians too. But I guess since women make more interesting copy, the media always focuses only on that aspect of my interactions.

Having said that, I have to admit that some of the media speculations are true and some untrue... but, out of respect for the privacy of my heroines, I am not going to specify which ones are true and which are not.

The first heroine I was bowled over by was Sridevi and that was when I was just a viewer and hadn't yet come into films. When I first met her, I felt I had walked from the theatre straight into the screen.

Over a period of time, I became close to the real Sridevi and for the first time consciously understood the difference between fantasy and reality.

IMAGE: Urmila Matondkar in Rangeela.

Post coming into films, the first girl to have an impact on me was Urmila Matondkar.

I was mesmerised by Urmila's beauty -- from her face to her figure... everything about her was just divine. She had done a few films before Rangeela, which hadn't done well and she hadn't made much of an impact on the audience either.

Then, after Rangeela, she became the nation's sex symbol. That doesn't mean it was I who made her look beautiful. I would say that she was a painting and I simply framed her.

Apart from the frame, for a painting to be truly relished, it also needs the right place for it to be displayed in, and that place was Rangeela.

One of my primary motives in making Rangeela was to capture Urmila's beauty eternally on camera and to make it a benchmark for sex symbols. I would say that I have never felt more of a cinematic high than when I watched her through my camera on the sets of Rangeela.

I don't know how this may sound, but my biggest problem with Urmila on a personal front was that I just couldn't accept her being an ordinary human being.

I know that is a very unrealistic expectation from any woman, but then you have to understand that I am a very filmy person. She was, in person, a simple sweetheart, but I very selfishly always wanted her to be larger than life even in real life.

IMAGE: Antara Mali in Naach.

I was intrigued by the intense realism I saw in Antara Mali's face while shooting Mast and I thought that would work very well for her role in Company, which it did.

But the biggest blunder I made with regard to Antara, cinematically speaking, was trying to make an Urmila out of her in Naach. Everyone is unique, and the problem occurs when they are portrayed in ways that don't bring out their natural selves.

I believe that Naach would have been an entirely different film had I made it in a way that showcased Antara's natural perfection.

IMAGE: Nisha Kothari in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag.

Of all the actors I have introduced, the one I truly feel guilty about is Nisha Kothari.

I still remember the first time I saw the cute, innocent, wide-eyed girl from Delhi whom I cast in the film James, which I produced.

While James was being made, I was directing Sarkarand I cast Nisha in a small but very memorable role in it, in which she was really appreciated.

My big mistake with regard to Nisha was to weigh her down with the role of Basanti in Aag, my remake of Sholay. It's another matter that in Aag, I let down even great actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Sushmita Sen; but for an upcoming actor like Nisha it was really damaging.

Whether out of arrogance or overconfidence or plain foolishness, I made her suffer a crippling blow to her career and I still feel tremendously guilty about it.

IMAGE: Jiah Khan in Nishabd.

When I first met Jiah Khan I thought she was the most innocently sexy girl I had ever seen.

Later, when Amitji and I were discussing Nishabd, I told him I had the perfect girl for the heroine's role. The moment he saw her pictures, he too agreed.

Throughout the making of Nishabd, the entire unit, myself included, thought that she would become a big star. Even after the film failed, because of the hype generated around her, she got roles in big films like Ghajiniin spite of their huge success, her career strangely never took off.

When I heard of her suicide, I cried uncontrollably though I was never really close to her.

She was one of the few people who couldn't cope with the disappointments and frustrations the film industry is replete with.

IMAGE: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Sarkar Raj.

Of course, there are many more women I have interacted with, both on a personal and professional level, in my very long career and each and everyone of them has had an effect on me in one way or the other.

Today, some of them like me and some hate me, with equally good reason.

Actually, my primary worldview of women in general is as fantasy images and that's why I so absolutely love women who display their beauty on screen.

While on the subject, I find it highly objectionable to use beautiful women like Katrina Kaif, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Deepika Padukone to draw attention to ugly diseases like AIDS and cancer.

IMAGE: The cover of Guns and Thighs: The Story of My Life.

I think the only redeeming feature of this ugly world full of disease, destruction, violence and death is that God has created beautiful women.

They are the only solace in this otherwise ugly world, and I think that it's our duty towards nature and God to strive to keep a woman's beauty away from ugliness so that it can be framed, protected and worshipped.

This excerpt from Guns and Thighs: The Story of My Life by Ram Gopal Varma is reprinted by permission of Rupa Publications India. Copyright Ram Gopal Varma Penumatsa 2016. All rights reserved.

Buy the book here!
'Their failure to take Siachen is an embarrassment to the Pakistan army -- and let them live with it.'

'Our army's shoulders are broad enough to endure the challenge,' says Shekhar Gupta.

Whether or not you are a Dev Anand fan, you must acknowledge that as a filmmaker he often explored themes that were recklessly ahead of the times.

There was the most celebrated extra-marital affair in Bollywood history in Guide, the 1965 classic. Less remembered somehow is Prem Pujari (1970), where he played an army lieutenant court-martialled and convicted for cowardice in the face of the enemy.

Dev Anand set the scene at Nathula in Sikkim, obviously based on the famous 1967 skirmish there. The scene has Lieutenant Ramdev Bakshi's (Dev Anand's) pet dog at the border post taking the first volley. He stands holding the dog's body, in mourning and defiance, refusing to fire back with saying: 'Woh goli chalayenge, main goli chalaunga, phir woh goli chalayenge... kab khatam hoga ye silsila (They will fire, I will fire, they will fire back, I will fire back, when will the vicious cycle end)?'

Of course, Bakshi, because he is Dev Anand, escapes, ends up spying for India -- and, finally, gets his family's soldierly honour back by returning just in time and defeating what looks like an entire regiment of Pakistani tanks at his village in Punjab, the familiar Khem Karan.

Why did Thursday's tragic news, of the death of 10 soldiers and an officer on the Saltoro crest line in Siachen, bring this old scene back to me and persuade me to draw what may look like a stretched parallel (though it isn't)? Because this is the way Siachen has been for exactly 32 years now since our army made it its proud home.

In the very first expeditions, we lost an entire platoon of about 30 -- just swallowed by a large crevice that opened up under their unsuspecting feet. Then the Pakistanis tried, unsuccessfully, to catch up and lost their own to crevasses, avalanches and high altitude sicknesses like pulmonary oedema.

Then we lost some more, and so did they. In the biggest such tragedies in 32 years, in 2012, an avalanche took away an entire Pakistani army base in Gyari, sort of at the base of the other side of the Saltoro slopes, burying 129 soldiers and 11 civilians, mostly defence contractors. Both sides make varying claims.

But the Indian side has by now lost about 900 lives in Siachen; the Pakistanis probably a similar number, if not more, as they used to launch desperate assaults in the past. But both sides say that more than 90 per cent of these casualties were caused by the elements, rather than by enemy fire.

Insert Siachen in place of that Nathu La in Prem Pujari, and the new exchange could be something like: We will die in an avalanche, then they will die in an avalanche, then we will die in an avalanche... when will this vicious cycle end? This, in fact, is the cruellest of all military vicious cycles.

There hasn't been a shot fired in anger now for 14 years around the glacier. The ceasefire of 2002 has held nicely here. But casualties thanks to the elements continue, though they have declined with both armies investing in better equipment.

Both armies, as macho armies always do, treat the sector as a badge of honour. You haven't heard Indian or Pakistani soldiers ever say, let's call off this joke, we are really hurting.

First, it is un-soldier like. And second, there is a belief that the other side is hurting even more.

We draw satisfaction from the fact that since we moved in there (this was the first of Indira Gandhi's last two big military adventures in her last year, 1984, Operation Blue Star being the second), the Pakistanis haven't been able to dislodge us from even an inch.

If anything, India captured the one crucial point they owned on the Ridge, the Bana Post close to which this tragedy struck. So, if the Pakistanis are hurting more, let them sue for peace.

You get an echo of this from Pakistan. OK, these Indians have the heights, but the stupid fellows are sitting far away from their bases, suffering and dying from the elements, so let them get tired, they will come to their senses.

The two armies proudly call this the highest battlefield in the world, have instituted special medals for Siachen service for their troops, and regiments on both sides vie for a 'glacier' tenure. It's a box every infantry unit wishes to check. Why bother breaking this cycle of reciprocal cussedness and bravado?

In fact, in my recollection, the one time I have heard a senior enough soldier saying something similar was in 2012, when Pakistan's army chief, Parvez Ashraf Kayani, expressed pain over the Gyari disaster. There wasn't much sympathy or understanding for this from our side.

Just as there was zero appreciation of the Pakistani offer last week to help with search and rescue. A bland no-thanks was the response -- but what remained unspoken (with a smirk!) was, look who's talking. From where you guys are, you can't even see the glacier!

I have a personal claim to make on the Siachen story, and also a disclosure. I broke it for the first time in April 1984, in India Today magazine; though, in fairness, I should mention that Joydeep Sircar, in a 1982 article in The Telegraph, had talked in detail about the contest that had broken out between the two sides in the high Karakoram. But the blows exchanged until then were either cartographic or of rival mountaineering expeditions.

In the spring of 1984, the Indian Army claimed, spread out and declared it 'our' land. So the disclosure is a simple one: Having broken the story and then followed it for years as a reporter, knowing the cruelty of the conditions that troops from both sides faced uncomplainingly, I had inevitably grown to believe that it was a totally futile war, and the earlier we disengaged -- provided India could make sure the Pakistanis would never try coming there again -- the better and more prudent it would be.

I was also among those who watched in deep disappointment as the 1989 talks, the last time we came close to settling Siachen, failed at the last moment. That peacenik belief endured for long after 1989 -- a little like Lieutenant Bakshi's 'kab hhatam hoga yeh silsila.'

I am afraid it is no longer so. And I say this even as I deeply mourn the loss of our soldiers' lives and salute their bravery. Until a few years back, I would have said, see, this is why we must settle Siachen. Today, I won't because between 1989 and now, the trust between the two sides has completely disappeared.

That precise year, 1989, was when the Pakistan army and ISI brought their Afghan strategy of bleeding by a thousand cuts to Kashmir. Subsequently they have extended it to the Indian mainland. It is no longer possible, or wise, to make local, sectoral settlements or de-escalation unless it is a part of a larger normalisation.

Until then, their failure to take Siachen is an embarrassment to the Pakistan army -- and let them live with it.

Our army's shoulders are broad enough to endure the challenge. To that extent, with the 27-year proxy war, my peacenik mind on this has changed. This is one more reason I thought about Lieutenant Ramdev Bakshi and Prem Pujari.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with soldiers at the Siachen glacier, October 23, 2014.
Bengaluru police on Monday claimed to have unearthed a crime syndicate allegedly involved in the illegal transportation of children to the United States with 16 people, including the suspected kingpin, being taken into custody.

In a crackdown, 14 teams of officers conducted raids in various police stations in Bengaluru City Commissionerate and registered about 13 cases and secured 16 persons including Uday Prathap Singh who was identified as the kingpin, and two women for various offences.

Police said on the basis of information collected, it was found that Singh, along with his other syndicate members, lured a couple or a single male/female and projected them as real husband and wife, and accordingly documents were prepared to obtain passport and other travel documents.

They said Singh -- through his agents in Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other places -- brought children under the age of 10 years and paired them with the couples in Bengaluru who acted as family.

While the couple and the children were trained to behave like a family, other team members prepared documents like rental agreement, birth certificate, voter cards, ration cards and applied for obtaining passport as family members.

After obtaining passport through fraudulent means, another team in Tamil Nadu used to assist the family to get non-immigration B1/B2 VISA (business and pleasure visa) from the US consulate in Chennai.

Police said based on credible information, collection of actionable intelligence and preliminary inquiry, the special investigation team has made prima facie case about human trafficking of children to the US in which 16 couples were shortlisted and their antecedents verified clandestinely.

Acting on the information about possible human smuggling racket in Bengaluru received by the commissioner of police a year ago, an SIT, headed by additional commissioner of police (East) P Harishekaran, was formed to unearth the possible human smuggling racket and its ramifications.

Police said that based on the available actionable data, the preliminary observations of the SIT shows that the family group visited the US on tourist visas, children were left in the US, impersonated father and mother returned to India within a week which creates suspicion and needs further investigation.

Noting that in some cases, on landing in the US, adult members -- either both or single parent -- returned within 48 hours to Bengaluru, police said in all these cases children have never returned and their whereabouts are not known in the US.

Police is yet to ascertain the identity of the children and why they have been left in the US and from where they are.

Sixteen people have been secured in connection with the case for offences under forgery, cheating, impersonation, kidnapping, abduction, criminal conspiracy and offences under passport act, police said.

Police said it has conducted searches and seized several documents, and interrogation is going on to ascertain the facts about the modus operandi of the crime syndicate.

Meanwhile, the American Consulate General in Chennai said no US officials have been detained for questioning.

While we cannot comment on the course of ongoing investigations, we are in fact working closely with Bengaluru authorities regarding this alleged human smuggling ring, the Consulate spokesperson said.
In a huge embarrassment to the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, an eight-year-old boy was killed in celebratory firing by party workers in Shamli district that led Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday to order the immediate removal of the area's Sub Divisional Magistrate and Deputy Superintendent of Police.

In an ugly fallout from the incident, two crew members of a leading English news channel who went to the spot for coverage of the tragedy and agitation by angry locals were allegedly attacked by local SP leader and MLA Nahid Hasan and his aides.

The boy, Sami, who was passing by Kairana area in a rickshaw, was hit during the firing by SP workers on Sunday, Police Superintendent Anil Kumar Jha said.

The workers were celebrating the victory of party candidate Nafisa in the local body polls from the town, he said, adding the boy later succumbed to his injuries.

As irate locals blocked the Khatima-Panipat Highway to protest the death of the boy, police said a case has been registered against 10 persons, including Nafisa's husband under relevant sections of the IPC. Efforts are being made to arrest the absconding accused, police said, adding a police inspector was also suspended.

In Lucknow, IG (Law and Order) Bhagwan Swaroop said an FIR has been lodged against 10 persons of whom five were named.

Those who have been named include Gayum, husband of newly elected block head Mumtaz, Inaam alias Dhuri and Nafees alias Chotta.

"Three persons have been taken into custody and are being quizzed," he said.

With the incident likely to give a handle to the Samajwadi Party's rivals to slam the state government during the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly, the chief minister went on a damage control mode, instructing Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan to immediately remove the SDM and DySP of Shamli and take disciplinary action against them.

"yadavakhilesh instructs CS to immediately remove SDM/DYSP from the district & disciplinary action to be taken against them," the chief minister's office tweeted.

A senior SP leader said MLA Nahid Hasan has been served a show-cause notice and the victorious block pramukh expelled from the party.

"This action has been taken by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who is also the state SP chief," Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI.

When the TV crew went to the spot for coverage, a crowd allegedly abused the channel reporter and video journalist and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not delete the video footage.

The video journalist was allegedly held hostage by them and the footage was forcefully deleted.

"They took my camera away and they also tried to remove the memory chip. I was asked to delete the footage, for this they even called their own photographer. They told me if you don't give the camera you know what we will do. Then their own photographers took my camera and deleted the footage we had shot," the video journalist said.

Opposition Bahujan Samaj Party and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders said they would raise the incident in both Houses of the state legislature.

Leader of the Opposition in Assembly and BSP MLA Swami Prasad Maurya alleged that state ministers and ruling party MLAs were creating law and order problems in the state.

BSP members would raise the issue, along with other matters concerning law and order, in the House, Maurya said.

BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said Samajwadi Party workers attacked the media, the fourth pillar of democracy, in a planned manner.

"SP workers, who have won panchayat election on the basis of state-sponsored anarchy, should realise the ground reality," he said.

Congress legislator Akhilesh Pratap Singh said his party would seek a discussion in Assembly on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
The government on Monday said the testimony of Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative David Headley will end the ambiguity over the role of Pakistani state and non-state actors in the Mumbai terror attack and take the case to logical conclusion.

The difference between the state and non-state actors will come to an end after this statement, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters.

The minister said it was known to everyone as to who were involved in the conspiracy to carry out the countrys worst terror attack in 2008 which had left 166 dead and 309 others injured.

It is known that who all were involved. Headleys statement will lead to a logical conclusion. It will help us, he said.

Rijiju said the fresh revelations by Headley, about his background and his working style, would help the Indian investigators and prosecutors.

In his deposition before a Mumbai court, through video conferencing from an American prison, Headley on Monday said his main contact in Lashkar-e-Tayiba was Sajid Mir, suspected to be an operative of Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence.

Headley said that he joined LeT after being influenced by its head Hafiz Saeed and took his first course with them in 2002 at Muzaffarabad.

Headley, who is currently serving 35 years prison sentence in the US for his role in the terror attacks, also said he changed his name from Dawood Gilani to David Headley in 2006 so that he could enter India and set up some business.
Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham ended his indefinite fast on Monday, which he had begun on Friday to demand quota for the community, after assurances from the Andhran Pradesh government, including allocation of Rs 1,000 crore annually to Kapu welfare corporation.

The breakthrough came after K Atchannaidu, minister for labour, Telugu Desam Party state unit president K Kala Venkat Rao and party members of legislative assembly -- Thota Trimurthulu and N V S Varma -- held talks with Padmanabham at his native village Kirlampudi in East Godavari.

Kala Venkat Rao and Atchannaidu offered lime juice to Padmanabham, who has been fasting along with his wife, some family members and supporters.

Padmanabham said the government has assured him it would obtain the report of a commission on backward classes (for inclusion of the Kapus in Backward Classes), within seven months instead of nine, if possible, and allocate Rs 1,000 crore annually to Kapu (welfare) corporation from next year.

The government set up the commission to study the issue of reservations for the community and it is expected to submit its report within nine months.

The government representatives asked Padmanabham to join the discussions leading up to the decision on reservation.

The government would separately provide Rs 500 crore this year and accept all the applications made this year to Kapu Corporation by the community members for benefits, he said.

Padmanabham said he is in favour of provision of creamy layer among the Kapus.

Atchannaidu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is very positive on the demands of the community.

The government would be judicious in dealing with the police cases registered in connection with the violence that erupted during a rally organised by Padmanabham on January 31, the minister added.

Atchannaidu said no injustice would be done to the Backward Classes in the process of providing reservation to the Kapus.

Padmanabham appealed to Naidu to bring a resolution in the assembly after receipt of the panels report and forward it to the Centre for incorporating the Kapus in the seventh schedule of the Constitution.

Popular Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, who had vigorously campaigned for the TDP-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in the 2014 state and Lok Sabha elections, had requested the state government on Sunday to engage in direct talks with Kapu leaders spearheading the reservation campaign, which, he noted, was an election-promise made by the TDP.

A group of balanced intellectuals should be entrusted with the responsibility of finding a mutually-acceptable solution before it juggernauts into an uncontainable situation (sic), tweeted Kalyan, who belongs to the community.

Meanwhile, the Congress claimed in a release that its state unit president N Raghuveera Reddy and party member of Parliament Chiranjeevi were arrested on Monday at Rajahmundry while proceeding to Kirlampudi to express solidarity with Padmanabham.

Image: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in a meeting with leaders from Kapu Community. Photograph: @AndhraPradeshCM/Twitter
Lord Hanuman is the latest deity to be dragged into controversy in Bihar.

M I Khan reports from Patna.

Eight days after Lord Ram and his brother Laxman were sued in a Sitamarhi court for renouncing Sita, another Hindu God, Lord Hanuman, found himself at the receiving end in Bihar.

Trouble erupted when civic authorities in Begusarai district issued an encroachment notice against 'Bajrang Bali,' as Lord Hanuman is referred to, for a roadside temple constructed in his honour in the Lohia Nagar area.

While issuing the notice to 'Hanuman,' a circle official ordered the temple to be demolished as it created an obstruction for vehicular traffic, officials in Patna said.

Hours later, Bajrang Dal activists and their supporters blocked roads in protest and demanded that the notice be withdrawn at once.

A trouble-wary district administration promptly dumped the circular and assured the protesters that an investigation would be ordered to find out who issued such a notice.

Last Monday, February 1, Sitamarhi Chief Judicial Magistrate Rash Bihari rejected as 'not maintainable' and 'beyond logic and facts' a petition seeking the registration of a case against Lord Ram and his brother Laxman over banishing Sita to exile 'without proper justification.'
Pakistan has decided that theres no evidence to prove that the head of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed was involved with last months deadly attack at the Pathankot air force base, according to Pakistani media.

The Express Tribune reports that Pakistani authorities have conveyed to New Delhi that there was no substantial evidence that could prove the involvement of Maulana Azhar in the Pathankot assault.

Six gunmen attacked an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 2, leading to a three-day-long standoff that killed seven soldiers. India claims that the attackers belonged to the JeM and that they had snuck in from southern Punjab district of Bahawalpur.

After the attack, Pakistan had pledged its commitment to assisting Indias investigation. In fact, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif set up a team of top-level military, intel and government officers to follow up on the evidence provided by New Delhi.

Subsequently, a crackdown was launched in Punjab against the JeM, its headquarters was sealed and dozens of activists detained. The special investigation team has also since been working on the Indian leads. It is also expected to visit India to study the evidence the Indians have.

It is now learnt that the Pakistani SIT informed the civil and military leadership that the Indian evidence was insufficient to implicate Maulana Azhar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged the threat of sea-borne terror and piracy as two key challenges to maritime security even as he pitched for respecting freedom of navigation against the backdrop of South China sea dispute.

In an apparent reference to the audacious 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Modi said, the threat of sea-borne terror, of which India has been a direct victim, continues to endanger regional and global peace and stability.

He said piracy, too, remains a strong challenge against the backdrop of Somali pirates targeting merchant vessels, including those of India.

Addressing the valedictory function of International Fleet Review, the prime minister also made a veiled reference to the South China Sea dispute, saying countries must respect and ensure freedom of navigation and cooperate not compete.

He said after hosting the third India-Africa Summit and the India-Pacific Island Cooperation, the country would now host the first-ever global maritime summit in April.

Referring to his governments ambitious Make in India initiative, Modi said 37 of the Indian warships participating the Fleet Review were made in India and their numbers will surely rise.

He said the nations ability to reap economic benefits from the oceans rested on our capacity to respond to the challenges in the maritime domain.

The threat of natural disasters like tsunami and cyclones is ever present. Man-made problems such as oil spills, climate change continue to risk the stability of the maritime domain, the prime minister said.

He said a peaceful and stable maritime environment is critical for regional and global security.

It is also must to harvest the riches of the oceanic ecosystems, the PM said.

Modi said Indias 1,200 island territories, and its huge Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million square kilometre makes clear the economic significance of the Indian Ocean.

For us, it also serves as a strategic bridge with the nations in our immediate and extended maritime neighbourhood. In March last year in Mauritius, I had spelt out our vision for the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean Region is one of my foremost policy priorities. Our approach is evident in our vision of sagar, which means ocean and stands for Security And Growth for All in the Region, he said.

He said India would continue to actively pursue and promote its geo-political, strategic and economic interests on the seas, in particular the Indian Ocean.

To this end, Indias modern and multi-dimensional navy leads from the front. It is a force for peace and good. A network of growing political and economic maritime partnerships, and strengthening of regional frameworks also helps us pursue our goals, he said.

Modi recalled that the last time India hosted the International Fleet Review was in the year 2001 in the city of Mumbai.

The world of 2016 is vastly different. Its politics is turbulent, and its challenges complex. At the same time, the oceans are the lifelines of global prosperity. They present us with great economic opportunities to build our nations, he said.

The prime minister noted that over 90 per cent of global merchandise trade is carried on the oceans.

He said over the last 15 years, its value has grown from about $6 trillion to about $20 trillion.

Referring to the economy of crude, he said oceans are critical for global energy security as over 60 per cent of worlds oil production moves through sea routes.

Given the scale and complexity of modern-day challenges, international maritime stability cannot be the preserve of single nation, he said, adding it has to be a shared goal and responsibility of all seafaring countries.

To this end, the navies and maritime agencies need to work together and engineer virtual cycles of cooperation. But where necessary, they also need to act to secure the international sea lanes of communication.

As oceans today propel our economies, we must use seas to build peace, friendship and trust and curb conflict, he said addressing the gathering.

Our Skill India programme is building institutions that train, support, encourage and guide our 800 million youth to the path of entrepreneurship.

He said an important part of Indias transformation is his vision of blue Economy. The blue Chakra, the wheel in our national flag, represents the potential of the blue economy. An essential part of this pursuit is the development of Indias coastal and island territories but not just for tourism.

We want to build new pillars of economic activity in the coastal areas and in linked hinterlands through sustainable tapping of oceanic resources, he said.

Terming the youth in the coastal areas as countrys true assets, he said they have a natural and deep understanding of the oceans.

They could lead the way in the development of blue economy in India. In partnership with all the coastal states of India, I want to shape a special programme of skilling Indias youth in the coastal areas of the country, Modi said.

Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Manohar Parrikar were also present on the occasion where the PM released a photo essay book Maritime Heritage of India.

Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Maritime Exhibition at the venue of the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam. Photograph: PTI
Members of Nepals agitating Madhesi community called off their nearly five-month long blockade at the Indo-Nepal border on Monday, bringing relief to the country suffering severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other supplies due to the protests against a new Constitution.

Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now, said a statement issued after the meeting of United Democratic Madhesi Front leaders.

The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed, the statement added.

The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister K P Olis trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier.

The UDMF has announced only three protest programmes: a torch rally, a lathi rally and a peoples vote collection campaign in district headquarters.

Nepals Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, is opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and has led a blockade of key border trade points with India.

The agitating community, that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India, is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and has launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.

The agitation by Madhesis in Terai region bordering India paralysed services in Nepal and triggered huge shortage of essential supplies, including fuel and medicines, as the protesters blocked all border trade points between the two countries.

Except the Raxaul-Birgunj border point, trade has resumed at all other posts. The Raxaul-Birgunj point was opened briefly a couple of days ago, but it was closed again.

The blockade led to strain in the bilateral ties, with Kathmandu accusing New Delhi of imposing an unofficial blockade.

However, India maintains that it has imposed no such blockade, and the restrictions are a result of security concerns as Madhesis are protesting the new Constitution in the Terai region of Nepal bordering India.

The UDMF leaders also noted that the comments made by Sadbhawana Party chairman Rajendra Mahato, a key leader of the agitating alliance, have dealt a blow to the Madhesi agitation.

As the latest activities and comments of Sadbhawana Party chairman Mahato have damaged the Madhesi agitation, the Madhesi Morcha directs him not to be involved in such activities in the coming days, the statement said.
The deposition of David Coleman Headley began before a special Mumbai court on Monday, the first time in Indian legal history that a foreign terrorist is providing evidence through video link.

Here is how Dawood Gilani became the international terrorist' David Coleman Headley:

February 8, 2016: Headley deposes before a special Mumbai court from an undisclosed location in the United States through video conference, and the deposition is being recorded.

December 10, 2015: Headley is pardoned and made an approver by Additional Sessions Judge GA Sanap who presides over special cases related to terrorism, including those under the now repealed TADA.

The court tells Headley that he disclose full and true facts leading to the happening of the attacks within his knowledge and the persons concerned, disclose his role and the role of others, disclose facts which he has admitted before the US court in Illinois and truthfully and correctly answer the prosecutions questions unfolding the entire criminal conspiracy and other offences.

Accepting his role in the attacks, Headley said, I pleaded guilty in the past to the charges in the US and I admitted I was a participant in these charges... I appear here ready to answer questions regarding these events, if I receive a pardon from this court.

January 24, 2013: Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago sentences Headley to 35 years in prison for a dozen federal terrorism crimes relating to his role in planning the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and a subsequent proposed attack on a newspaper office in Denmark.

According to Headleys guilty plea and testimony, he attended the following training camps operated by the Lashkar e Tayiba:

A three-week course starting in February 2002 that provided indoctrination on the merits of waging jihad

A three-week course starting in August 2002 that provided training in the use of weapons and grenades

A three-month course starting in April 2003 that taught close combat tactics, the use of weapons and grenades, and survival skills

Three-week course starting in August 2003 that taught counter-surveillance skills

Three month course starting in December 2003 that provided combat and tactical training.

December 2011: The National Investigation Agency files its chargesheet accusing Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana, Lashkar founder Hafiz Saeed and seven others of conspiracy. The charge carries death penalty.

October 3, 2009: Headley is arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at OHare International Airport in Chicago while on his way to Pakistan.

March 2009: After the Mumbai terror attacks, Headley makes his sixth trip to India to conduct additional surveillance, including of the National Defence College in Delhi, and of Chabad Houses in several cities.

November 26-28, 2008: 10 attackers trained by the Lashkar carry out multiple assaults with sophisticated firearms, grenades and improvised explosive devices on multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, the Leopold Cafe and Chabad House, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, each of which Headley had scouted in advance, killing approximately 164 victims and wounding hundreds more.

November 2008: Headley is instructed by a Lashkar member in Pakistan to conduct surveillance of the Copenhagen and Aarhus offices of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten in preparation for an attack in retaliation for the newspapers publication of cartoons depicting Prophet Mohammed.

September 2006-July 2008: Headley makes extended trips to Mumbai, making videotapes of various potential targets each time, including those attacked in November 2008.

Before each trip, Lashkar members and associates instructed Headley regarding specific locations where he was to conduct surveillance. After each trip, Headley traveled to Pakistan to meet with Lashkar members and associates, report on the results of his surveillance, and provide the surveillance videos.

Before the April 2008 surveillance trip, Headley and his co-conspirators in Pakistan discussed potential landing sites in Mumbai for a team of attackers who would arrive by sea. Headley returned to Mumbai with a global positioning system device and took boat trips around the Mumbai harbour and entered various locations into the device.

February, 2006: After receiving instructions in late 2005 to conduct surveillance in India, Headley changes his given name from Dawood Gilani in Philadelphia to facilitate his activities on behalf of the Lashkar by portraying himself in India as an American who was neither Muslim nor Pakistani.
UNHCR concerned about the conditions of refugees and migrants in Calais and Dunkerque, in particular children

Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 5 February 2016 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNHCR concerned about the conditions of refugees and migrants in Calais and Dunkerque, in particular children, 5 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56b849a64.html [accessed 21 October 2022]

Some 4,000 refugees and migrants are currently reported to be living in the Calais "jungle" and almost 2,500 in Grande-Synthe, on the edges of Dunkerque, often in dire circumstances, aggravated by the winter conditions. UNHCR is specifically concerned about the living conditions of children, in particular unaccompanied and separated children, and would welcome the establishment of additional emergency reception places such as the children's centre (Maison du jeune refugie) in St Omer (run by France terre d'asile), or other structures responding to the protection needs of children, including those under 15. Furthermore, options for simplifying the child protection procedures, particularly for those children with relatives in another EU Member State, should be urgently explored.

We are pleased to note the various measures taken by the French authorities to provide emergency assistance to the refugees and migrants living in Calais and Grande-Synthe to address the urgent humanitarian needs. These measures include the decision to establish a temporary centre called "Centre d'Accueil Provisoire (CAP)" in Calais, run by La Vie Active, and to organize the voluntary relocation of refugees and migrants to accommodation centres called "Centres d'Accueil et Orientation" (CAO) throughout the country, which provide emergency reception for those willing to avail themselves of it regardless of whether or not they have applied for asylum. As of early February, more than 700 people were hosted in the CAP in Calais and 2,431 people had chosen to go to one of 92 CAOs since the initiative started on 22 October 2015.

In our assessment, the refugees and migrants living in Calais and Dunkerque would benefit from the intensified provision of information and legal advice. In the current situation, residents of the Calais "jungle" receive mixed, sometimes inaccurate and conflicting information from a variety of different sources. Strengthening the coordination among all actors for the provision of assistance, as well as accurate and objective information, would be key, including to people residing in CAOs.

At best, humanitarian assistance provided in these locations is a stop-gap intervention to alleviate the worst suffering. Fundamentally, the individuals concerned need information about their options in France, and those in need of international protection need to be strongly encouraged to seek asylum in France. They also need to be informed of the possible consequences if they do not do so. Another important measure would be ensuring adequate reception facilities, support, including legal assistance, as well as psycho-social care.

Another measure is the use of existing legal provisions for those with relatives in other EU Member States to enable them to join their family members quickly. The recent UK court decision where the asylum tribunal judges ruled that three unaccompanied and separated children and an older brother (dependent of one of the children) should be allowed to join their relatives in the UK while their asylum claims are considered by the Home Office, is a step towards achieving this. UNHCR has long advocated for the pro-active application of the Dublin III Regulation and urges States to use the opportunity to develop an expedited procedure for unaccompanied and separated children in one EU Member State to join their relatives in another.

UNHCR is prepared to support the authorities in all these measures, including, as of 8 February, through an enhanced presence in the Calais region.
RSF correspondent's assailants charged nine months later

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 5 February 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF correspondent's assailants charged nine months later, 5 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56b84b5b411.html [accessed 21 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Zeljko Peratovic, a leading Croatian journalist who was badly beaten and nearly strangled in his home near the central city of Karlovac by three men in May 2015, has just been notified by letter that the Karlovac country prosecutor has closed the murder attempt investigation for lack of evidence. But the three men who were arrested the day after the attack and then quickly released have been placed under investigation by the Karlovac municipal prosecutor for attempted grievous bodily harm, home invasion and material damage. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) takes note of these charges and urges the Croatian authorities to pursue the proceedings to the end, so that those responsible for this brutal attack on Peratovic are brought to trial and convicted.

RSF's Croatia correspondent and winner of a 2014 investigative journalism prize awarded by the Association of Croatian Journalists (HND), Peratovic was traumatized by the attack and has been in hiding ever since. His assailants, who were complete strangers to him, accosted him outside his home in the village of Pokupska Luka on 28 May 2015. After insulting him, they chased him inside, beat him up and tried to strangle him. The authorities subsequently identified them - two of them with same name - as Vladimir Cunko, born 1950, Vladimir Cunko, born 1977, and Zihnija Grahovic, born 1966.

Peratovic was hospitalized with multiple injuries, including head injuries, after the attack, and continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the HND all condemned the attack and urged the Croatian authorities to arrest and try the perpetrators. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe described the attack as "unacceptable" and an alert was registered with the Council of Europe.

"Nine months later, the Croatian authorities have still not condemned this attack and the local judicial system is taking a long time to do its job, namely to try the alleged perpetrators, who are meanwhile as free as birds," said Alexandra Geneste, the head of RSF's EU-Balkans desk in Brussels. "This impunity is intolerable. Croatia has a duty to do everything necessary to protect its journalists. Media freedom is the linchpin of democracy. Flouting this fundamental freedom is unworthy of a European Union member country."

Peratovic believes the attack was linked to a series of articles he has written about a corruption case dating back to 2010, in which Karlovac's mayor is reportedly implicated, or to his coverage of the ongoing trial in Munich of a senior official in the Yugoslav security services, who is accused of involvement in the murder of a Yugoslav emigre in West Germany in 1983.

When Peratovic received death threats a few years ago, the authorities opened an investigation and then shelved it. Various judicial proceedings began being brought against him in 2009 including charges of defamation, violating the confidentiality of a judicial investigation and "revealing information liable to disturb public order." He was acquitted in 2011.

Two other individuals have been charged in connection with this attack: Zeljko Safar (suspected by Peratovic of being the instigator) and Alan Horvat. They are accused of threatening to kill the attack's only witness, Franjo Pozgaj. They are also accused of death threats "against a journalist" after the attack. The "journalist" happens to be Peratovic. A death threat is punishable by 6 months to 5 years in prison under Croatia's criminal code.

Peratovic has decided to appeal against the county prosecutor's decision to drop the murder attempt charge.

Croatia is ranked 58th out of 180 countries in the 2015 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
RSF demands release of journalists detained in Egypt

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 5 February 2016 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, RSF demands release of journalists detained in Egypt, 5 February 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56b84b81411.html [accessed 21 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

As the Egyptian judicial authorities prepare to begin two major trials involving journalists in the next three days, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of these journalists, who are being held simply for doing their job.

The trial of Mahmoud Abu Zeid, a photojournalist also known as Shawkan, is due to start tomorrow after being postponed in December. He is being tried along with more than 700 other defendants, many of them alleged members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Shawkan has spent more than 900 days in prison awaiting trial - one of the longest periods of pre-trial detention in Egypt's history and a flagrant violation of its constitution and laws. He was arrested on 14 August 2013 while covering demonstrations in Cairo's Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square for the Demotix and Corbis agencies.

The trial that is due to begin two days later, on 8 February, is a retrial of the so-called "Rabaa operations room" case, in which many defendants, including journalists, were given life sentences in April 2015. Egypt's highest court, the Court of Cassation, ordered the retrial in December.

RSF is supporting six of the 14 journalists in this case, but not the other eight because it has not been clearly established that they were arrested in connection with their journalistic work.

"In Egypt, any form of criticism of the regime is systematically suppressed by the authorities and journalists are paying a very high price," said Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSF's Middle East desk

"We demand the acquittal of these journalists, who have been imprisoned and subjected to political mass trials on very serious charges. Their detention and trials constitute flagrant violations of all national and international standards."

Charged with murder, attempted murder and membership of a banned group (the Muslim Brotherhood), Shawkan is facing a possible death sentence or life imprisonment. He is suffering from mental exhaustion and hepatitis, which has been getting steadily worse because of the appalling conditions in prison and the lack of access to appropriate treatment.

The journalists in the "Rabaa operations room" case are accused of publishing false news, inciting chaos and violence and being part of an alleged "operations room" that organized attacks on the government during the August 2013 demonstrations in Rabaa Adawiya Square in support of deposed President Mohamed Morsi. They are being tried together with Muslim Brotherhood officials.

The massacre that occurred in Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square in August 2013 was one of the bloodiest episodes in Egypt's history. Three journalists were killed in the course of doing their job while the security forces dispersed the pro-Morsi demonstrators.

Ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the 2015 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, Egypt is now one of the world's biggest prisons for journalists, after China, Eritrea and Iran. At least 23 journalists are currently being held unjustly by the Egyptian authorities.
Application for student loan forgiveness plan is available: Here's what to know
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By Blair Fannin

COLLEGE STATION  A free half-day oil and gas workshop will assist landowners in negotiating leases as well as learning more about surface agreements and other important topics, according to organizers.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m.-noon Feb. 22 at the Thomas G. Hildebrand, DVM '56 Equine Complex at Texas A&M University in College Station.

The workshop is sponsored by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Oklahoma State University department of agricultural economics, with grant funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Southern Risk Management Education Center.

"Though oil and gas prices have come down considerably, prices will eventually go back up and landowners will be approached for leasing opportunities," said Tiffany Dowell-Lashmet, AgriLife Extension law specialist, Amarillo.

"The oil and gas industry has certainly seen highs and lows in recent years, but one thing that remains constant is the fact that rural landowners will always be at the center of oil and gas development," said Shannon Ferrell, associate professor of agricultural law, Oklahoma State University department of agricultural economics.

"This half day-workshop will introduce a number of resources to help manage the issues faced by landowners when their property is used for oil and gas development."

Topics for the workshop include:

The basics of the oil and gas exploration and production processes and their impact on agricultural land.

Basic protections for surface owners if they do not also own the minerals underlying their property.

Negotiating surface estate agreements such as surface use agreements and drilling fluid application agreements.

Negotiating pipeline easement agreements.

Understanding and negotiating mineral leases.

Managing environmental risks of oil and gas production on your property and creating an environmental "baseline" for your land.

Understanding issues surrounding oil and gas development such as water use and seismic activities.

Finding professionals to help you evaluate and manage oil and gas production risks.

For more information, call Lashmet at 806-677-5668.
COLLEGE STATION  According to various news agency reports, groundhogs across the nation, including Punxsutawney Phil, did not see their shadows today, which, by tradition, means spring will come early this year.

"Regardless of what the groundhogs indicate, we are experiencing a drying trend in many areas, and the soil-moisture profile is good, which is good news for Texas corn growers," said Dr. Ronnie Schnell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service state cropping systems specialist, College Station.

Until recently, Coastal Bend and Central Texas fields were too wet to work or incorporate preplant fertilizer, Schnell said. There also were concerns growers might see a repeat of last year's overly wet spring. Last year, frequent rains kept many producers from planting corn on time, as well as other field operations.

Schnell said there's reason to worry this spring could be a sequel to the spring of 2015: the strongest recorded El Nino to date.

The long-range forecasts, influenced by current El Nino conditions, suggest a wetter-than-normal pattern lasting into late spring, he said. These predictions have been proven true to date, but the recent dry weather could mean growers could still have the best of both worlds, timely planting and good stored soil moisture.

Corn planting usually begins near the average final freeze date or when soil temperatures are greater than 50 degrees. Planting usually begins along the upper Gulf Coast the third week in February. In Central Texas, it generally starts a little later, the last week of February to the first of March, Schnell said.

In the other major corn growing areas of the state  the Panhandle, South Plains and North regions  corn planting may begin as late as June, he said.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas producers harvested nearly 2 million acres of corn for grain in 2014. In 2015, harvested acres were down somewhat to 1.95 million acres.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension district report

West Central: The region had warmer and drier conditions. Days were mild with cold nights, which was great weather for field activities. Farmers were preparing for planting spring crops. Cotton harvesting wound down and neared completion. Cotton gins continued to run, but were expected to complete ginning in a few weeks. Winter wheat was in good to excellent condition. Grazing on wheat remained very light due to most of the crop being planted late. Early planted wheat was ready to graze on a limited basis. Rangeland and pastures were in good condition. Livestock remained in fair to good condition. Yearling cattle were doing well. Supplemental feeding of livestock continued to increase.

Rolling Plains: Conditions remained favorable for cotton harvesting, and producers were finishing up. The cotton crop was better than expected, but with low prices, producers were debating on planting cotton again this year. Winter moisture, pastures and rangeland were in good to excellent condition and provided cattle with plenty of winter forage. Ranchers were able to cut back on supplemental feeding. Recent high winds and dry, warm conditions, along with an abundance of fuel in pastures, created an environment very susceptible to wildfire. Depending upon the area, wheat varied from good to poor condition.

South Plains: Cochran County producers were preparing fields for spring planting. Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels remained adequate. Pasture and rangeland were in good condition, and winter wheat was in fair to good condition. Warmer temperatures in Floyd County helped dry out fields and benefited wheat. Garza County had warm weather with highs near the weekend of 80 degrees and lows in the mid-30s. No rain was received, but deep soil moisture was good to excellent, and topsoil moisture was rated as good as well. Producers were able to harvest the few remain cotton harvesting was completed thanks to the drier weather. Rangeland and pastures were mostly in good condition, with producers having to supply supplemental feeding in only a few areas. Hockley County producers were deep plowing, cutting stalks, listing, applying fertilizer and incorporating pre-plant herbicides. Lubbock County had mild weather too, with a high of 80 degrees on Jan. 30. Total precipitation in January was 0.3 inches, and 2.1 inches of snow. Wheat continued to recover from the extreme cold and snow pack brought by the Christmas blizzard. Field operations included stalk shredding and bed shaping. In Scurry County wheat was growing well with warm temperatures.
Percussion concert

The McMurry University percussion ensemble will present a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Bynum Band Hall on campus. The concert will be a preview of group's upcoming performance at the Texas Music Educators Association conference in San Antonio.

Barbecue and bunco

A barbecue and bunco fundraiser will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Elmwood West United Methodist Church, 1302 S. Pioneer Drive. Admission is $20.

Conversation at the library

"A Conversation with Interesting People" will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. The event will feature Becky Pugsley, who served on Air Force One; 1971 Masters winner Charles Coody; former actor Lance Voorhees; and former Merkel mayor and NASA engineer Lou David Allen. Admission is free.

Harlem Globetrotters

The Harlem Globetrotters will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Moody Coliseum at Abilene Christian University. Tickets start at $23. For tickets, or for more information, go to harlemglobetrotters.com or acusports.com/tickets, or call 888-695-0888.

Tax assistance at the library

Through April 15, the AARP will offer free assistance in preparing income tax forms for low- and middle-income taxpayers from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St., and Fridays and Saturdays at the Mockingbird Branch, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane. No appointment is necessary.

Class for iPhones and iPads

Tom Miller will present a free class for iPhone and iPad users at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m. Information: 325-692-1087.

ArtWalk

ArtWalk, a program of the Center for Contemporary Arts, will take place from 5-8 p.m. Thursday in downtown Abilene. The theme will be "Grin and Bear It," and will celebrate bears with a new art installation.

Artist speaks

Artist Jon J Muth will speak about his work at a free event at 6 p.m. Thursday at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, 102 Cedar St. "Zen Tales: The Art of Jon J Muth" will be on exhibit at the NCCIL from Feb. 11 to May 27.

Grace After Dark

Screenings of several short films will be presented during Grace After Dark at 7 p.m. Thursday on the roof of The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. Food trucks will open at 6 p.m., and a cash bar will be available. Admission will be free, but will be limited to 100 viewers. Participants must be 18 or older.

Dance class

A social ballroom dancing class will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Wagon Wheel in Tye. Admission is $5. For more information, call 325-829-1517.

Rap concert

Rap artist Lecrae will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Moody Coliseum at Abilene Christian University. Tickets start at $20. For tickets, go to www.liveatthepark.org.

'Laughter on the 23rd Floor'

A production of "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Feb. 19 and 20 in Fulks Theatre at Abilene Christian University. Tickets are $15. For more information, go to www.acu.edu/theatre.

'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'

As part of the Paramount Film Series, showings of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theatre, 352 Cypress St. Robert Holladay will give a lecture on the film at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, military and children. For more information, visit paramount-abilene.org.

Movie at the library

A showing of a 2013 animated movie, rated PG, will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the South Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1401 S. Danville Drive. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. Admission is free.

Chautauqua

The Chautauqua Learning Series will continue with a presentation by Abbie Randolph, "Mesquite Storytellers of Abilene," from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Buffalo Gap Historic Village, 133 N. William St. in Buffalo Gap. Admission is free.

Chamber music

MAPS Trio will present a chamber music concert at 5 p.m. Sunday at Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. For more information, call 325-677-2091 or go to www.heavenlyrestabilene.org.

Claudie C. Royal banquet

The annual banquet in honor of Claudie C. Royal will begin at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Free admission.

Fur Ball

The annual Fur Ball dinner and dance fundraiser will be 7-10 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St. Tom and Lisa Perini will serve a dinner, with a buffet for dogs presented by Pam's Pets, and the Abilene Community Band will perform. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children age 12 and under. Dogs will be admitted free. Proceeds will go to Rescue the Animals, SPCA. For tickets, call 325-698-7722.
"Freezer Cooking" will be one of four educational sessions featured during the 2016 Town and Country Women's Fair on Feb. 23. The annual event, held in conjunction with the Texas Farm Ranch Wildlife Expo, will be held in the Display Building on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center.

Lorrie Coop, County Extension Agent/FCS in Knox County will be presenting a program "Freezer Pleasers." She will be sharing how using your freezer to prepare meals can save you time as well as saving money. In addition, participants will learn how to make healthy eating easier through the concept of Freezer Cooking. "Freezer Pleasers" will begin at 11 a.m.

Women throughout the Big Country are invited to attend the Women's Fair which in addition to the educational sessions, will feature a luncheon and style show. Wild Ones Boutique will provide a look at the newest in fashions and accessories. They will also have a vendor booth if anyone wishes to purchase any of the fashions.

Below is the schedule for the 2016 Women's Fair:

8:30 a.m.  Registration

9 a.m.  "No Mow Lawns"

10 a.m.  "Home Storage Solutions"

11 a.m.  "Freezer Pleasers"

11:45 a.m.  Luncheon followed by Style Show

1 p.m.  "Trail of Threads"

Participants will have an opportunity to visit a variety of vendor booths featuring various products and services for women in Abilene and the surrounding area. In addition, door prizes will be given throughout the day.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension invites anyone interested to join them for this fun, educational day. It is free of charge and open to the public. For more information contact the Taylor County Extension Office, 325-672-6048 or email: l-rowan@tamu.edu.

Jane Rowan is County Extension Agent/FCS in Taylor County.
A look at elections in Taylor County and beyond
Today in history: On Feb. 8, 1943, the Allies take control of the Pacific Island of Guadalcanal when Japaneses troops evacuate. Guadalcanal is the largest of the Solomon Islands, northeast of Australia.
Sunday should be sunny with a high close to 66 and a nightly low near 32.

Expect warmer highs this week to range from the 50s and up into the 70s while the nightly lows should stay in the 30 to 40 range.

Your seven day forecast:

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 66. South southwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 32. North wind around 10 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 58. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 10 to 20 mph.

Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 31. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 67. West wind 5 to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 45. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 74.

Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 41.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 68.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 67.
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This just in...
Petitioners are detained and taken to Majialou detention center on the outskirts of Beijing, Feb. 8, 2016.

As more than a billion Chinese across the country welcomed the first day of the Year of the Monkey with food, gifts and family outings on Monday, a desperate member of a group of petitioners drank pesticide in an attempted suicide on Tiananmen Square, according to an eyewitness.

"There was a group of people who arrived at about 1 p.m. who seemed to be from the same family," Hunan petitioner and eyewitness Huang Guangyu, told RFA on Monday. "One of them started to drink [pesticide] but the police stopped him."

She added: "Of course if you drink pesticide on the first day of Chinese New Year, the police are going to step in and stop you. After that, he was taken away in an ambulance."

The group were easily identified as petitionersordinary Chinese who may have lost land, homes, health or livelihoods at the hands of government officialbecause they wore printed T-shirts detailing their grievances, the eyewitness said.

"They had slogans written on their clothing, which showed they came from Shaoyang in Hunan," Huang said. "There was a kid there of about seven or eight, and there were six of them altogether."

Huang was later detained alongside other petitioners on the Square and taken to a nearby police station.

Protests near CCP headquarters

Meanwhile, a petitioner from the Mianyang in the southwestern province of Sichuan said many petitioners had converged on Lixue Alley, near the ruling Chinese Communist Party's headquarters in Zhongnanhai, in the hope of handing petition letters and New Year's greetings to the country's leaders.

"The first day of the new year is a day when you get rid of the old and welcome in the new," petitioner Yang Xiuqiong said. "We petitioners have no homes to go to, otherwise we wouldn't come here looking for our leaders."

Yang added: "We want them to take notice of us, so they will help us sort out our problems, but when we got to Lixue Alley, we were detained by police and taken to the Fuyoujie police station."

Several hundred people met the same fate, according to eyewitnesses and detainees inside the police station.

"Today is New Year's Day, and we are spending it in the Fuyoujie police station," Sichuan petitioner Yuan Ying told RFA. "There are more than 300 petitioners here with us, from all across China."

"All of us wanted to go and wish the president a happy new year," said Yuan, who was also detained at Majialou on Sunday.

Many of those detained were later held in the Majialou detention center on the outskirts of Beijing.

'Interceptors' make their move

Zhejiang petitioner and detainee Yu Guihua was released from Majialou but was immediately picked up by "interceptors"officials sent from her hometown to stop people lodging complaints about the local government in Beijing, fellow petitioners said.

According to Sichuan petitioner Zhou Wenming, the interceptors beat Yu, knocking her to the ground and trying to drag her away with them.

"There were interceptors there from Zhejiang who were worried she would complain about their government, and they dragged her to the ground, where they manhandled her a bit, although she wasn't seriously injured," Zhou told RFA. "I stepped in to stop them and there were some scuffles, but the interceptors left after the Majialou police came over, and then we were able to get Yu to safety.

A group of some 15 petitioners from Shanghai also unfurled a banner in the suburbs of Beijing which read: "Wishing President Xi Jinping a Happy New Year; you reap what you sow," petitioners said.

Elsewhere in the capital, petitioners from across China came together in a bid to welcome the Year of the Monkey, in spite of being homeless and penniless, according to photos of the scene seen by RFA.



Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending the rocket launch at an undisclosed location in North Korea in this photo released by state news agency KCNA on Feb 7, 2016.

The U.N. Security Council has condemned North Korea's rocket launch and vowed to move "expeditiously" to impose sanctions on the hardline communist state for the defiant action on Sunday as well as its fourth nuclear test last month.

The 15 council members, including the United States, China and Russia, "strongly condemned" the long-range rocket launch" in a statement issued after an emergency meeting in New York on Sunday.

Despite international warnings, North Korea had gone ahead with the rocket launch, which it said had successfully put a satellite into orbit. The United States and its allies said it was a covert ballistic missile test and was in violation of already imposed sanctions against Pyongyang.

Nuclear-armed North Korea is barred under U.N. sanctions from using ballistic missile technology, and the weekend rocket launch came as the council was negotiating how to punish Pyongyang for its nuclear test on Jan. 6.

"The members of the Security Council underscored that this launch, as well as any other DPRK (North Korea) launch that uses ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, contributes to the DPRKs development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and is a serious violation of [four] Security Council resolutions...," the council statement said.

"They reaffirmed that a clear threat to international peace and security continued to exist, especially in the context of the nuclear test," said the statement issued by Council President Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno of Venezuela.

The council members, it said, "restated their intent to develop significant measures" in a resolution in response to the nuclear test and rocket launch.

"In line with this commitment and the gravity of this most recent violation, the members of the Security Council will adopt expeditiously a new Security Council resolution with such measures in response to these dangerous and serious violations."

Draft resolution

Japan, South Korea and the United States have prepared a draft resolution to impose tough sanctions on North Korea and have been discussing it with other council members for weeks. China, North Korea's top ally, however is believed to be against the measures.

"Urgent that [the U.N. Security Council] come together to pass tough, comprehensive sanctions resolution on #NorthKorea & change calculus of reckless DPRK regime,"

Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., tweeted after the council meeting.

She said the council was "united in condemning [the] illegal missile launch" and "[n]obody [was] fooled" by North Korea's claim about the 'peaceful earth observation' nonsense."

North Korea said its rocket, carrying an Earth observation satellite, blasted off at around 9:00 am Pyongyang time (0030 GMT) and achieved orbit 10 minutes later.

While Power stressed that fresh sanctions should "break new ground" and that it "cannot be business as usual," Chinese UN envoy Liu Jieyi said any new resolution should "do the work of reducing tensions, of working toward denuclearization, of maintaining peace and stability, and of encouraging a negotiated solution."

Economic collapse fears

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin warned: "We should not be looking at an economic collapse of DPRK [North Korea]," Agence-France-Presse reported.

But Japan joined the U.S. in pressing for swift action against North Korea.

"China calls for more dialogue. What we need is no longer dialogue but using the pressure," AFP quoted Japan's Ambassador to the United Nations Motohide Yoshikawa as saying.

One diplomat told Reuters news agency that Washington was hoping to tighten international restrictions on North Korea's banking system, while Beijing was reluctant to support that for fear of worsening conditions in its impoverished neighbor.

"There will eventually be a sanctions resolution," the diplomat said. "China wants any steps to be measured but it wants the council to send a clear message to DPRK that it must comply with council resolutions."

Reported by RFA's Korea Service. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.
Myanmar's President Thein Sein called on lawmakers on Monday to safeguard the countrys constitution by amending or nullifying existing laws only in accordance with the charters terms.

The move comes amid widespread local media reports that the new National League for Democracy (NLD) party-led parliament could soon suspend a provision barring pro-democracy politician Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president.

Thein Seins comment came a day after two pro-government television channelsSky Net and Myanmar National Televisionreported that positive results could come from negotiations between NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing about the suspension of Article 59(f).

The article in the 2008 constitution, which was drafted when a military junta ruled the country, bars anyone with foreign spouses or children from becoming president. This includes Aung San Suu Kyi, whose two sons are British nationals, as was her late husband.

Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won the Nov. 8 general elections by a landslide, has said that she will operate above the president, who will likely be another NLD politician.

However, she has yet to specify anyone for the post or explain how she will run the government through a proxy.

Last year, she spearheaded constitutional amendments to abolish Article 59(f) and lower the voting threshold for changing the constitution from 75 percent to 70 percent of the total members of parliament, but lawmakers rejected them.

Military lawmakers, who hold a constitutionally guaranteed 25 percent of parliamentary seats, control an effective veto over constitutional changes.

Military approval required

Brigadier General Tin San Naing, spokesman of the military bloc in parliament, told Reuters on Monday that there had been no discussions between the NLD and army to suspend Article 59(f) to allow Aung San Suu Kyi to become president.

He said the article could not be suspended but only amended with the militarys approval.

In his latest official message, Thein Sein expressed his concern about the issue, saying the countrys highest legislative body must safeguard the constitution whenever it prepares to amend any law because the members of parliament (MPs) have sworn to protect it.

He also said the country, which is on the right path for democracy and development, owes its success to the 2008 constitution.

His comment comes as lawmakers prepare to propose and vote on presidential candidates on March 17. On that day, parliaments upper house, lower house and military representatives will each put forth a presidential nominee and cast votes. The winner will assume the presidency, while the other two become vice presidents.

Reported by Win Naung Toe for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Kyaw Min Htun. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A Tibetan man has died from injuries sustained under torture by Chinese authorities while serving a 13-year prison sentence for refusing to fly a Chinese flag, sources tell RFAs Tibetan service.

The body of the man known as Trigyal was recently turned over to family members, said Driru Samdrub, a Tibetan resident living in Europe with close contacts in the region.

He died due to severe torture under Chinese detention, Samdrub said.

Trigyal was one of three men from Mukhyim village in Tibets restive Driru (in Chinese, Biru) county who received stiff sentences for refusing to fly the Chinese national flag in 2014. County residents were being required to fly the flag from their houses in a government campaign to force them to show loyalty to Beijing. Some of the more than 1,000 residents protesting the order threw the flags in a nearby river.

While Trigyal was given a 13 year sentence in 2014, the two other men, Ngangdrak and Rigsal, were handed 10-year terms, sources told RFA in earlier reports.

Driru is one of three neighboring counties in the Tibet Autonomous Regions Nagchu (Naqu) prefecture that Beijing considers politically unstable. Chinese authorities fear that political unrest there may spread unchecked to other parts of the region.

Loyalty campaign

About 1,000 Driru-area Tibetans were detained when authorities launched a crackdown in September 2014 designed to enforce the loyalty campaign, sources say.

The campaign intensified in early October 2014 when villagers refused to fly Chinese national flags, throwing them instead into a river and prompting a deadly security crackdown in which Chinese police fired into unarmed crowds.

Chinese security forces were accused of killing four Tibetan villagers and wounding 50 others in 2013 during Driru-area opposing the government campaign forcing displays of loyalty to the Chinese state.

Bachen Gyalwa, the leader of Ushung village in Driru countys Gyashoe Yangshok township was killed on Nov. 21, 2014 on the orders of the local [ruling Chinese] Communist Party authorities, the India-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) said in a statement at the time.

Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijings rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008.

Reported by Sonam Wangdue for RFA's Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
At least three Afghan soldiers have been reported killed in a suicide bomb attack on an army transport bus in the northern province of Balkh.

Munir Ahmad Farhad, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the bomber was on foot and targeted the army vehicle in the Dahdadi district on the morning of February 8.

He said 18 other military personnel were also wounded in the attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Taliban militants have recently increased their attacks across the country against Afghan security forces. Balkh has been considered relatively safer than its neighboring provinces.

In the eastern province of Nangarhar, officials say unknown gunmen killed a presidential palace guard.

Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the man was shot inside his house. His mother was wounded in the attack.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Canada will end air strikes targeting the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Iraq and Syria and pull out six fighter jets within two weeks, Canada's prime minister has announced.

Justin Trudeau said Canada would end its bombing mission by February 22 but military personnel in the region will increase to 830 from the current 650 and provide planning, targeting, and intelligence expertise.

Canada will also keep two surveillance planes and refueling aircraft in the region.

"In any mission, you need to make choices. We can't do everything," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa n February 8.

He said air strikes alone cannot bring long-term stability for local communities.

The government has also pledged to provide $718 million in development and humanitarian aid over three years for the Mideast region.

Trudeau won an election in October promising to pull out six jets that have been bombing targets in Iraq and Syria.

The White House said President Barack Obama "welcomed Canada's current and new contributions to coalition efforts" in a telephone conversion with Trudeau on February 8.

The White House said they spoke about Canada's role in the international effort to combat IS.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
MOSCOW -- A cybersleuthing group says it has uncovered new evidence pointing to deep, direct Russian involvement in the battle of Debaltseve in early 2015, a turning point in the conflict in eastern Ukraine that weakened Kyivs hand at peace talks.



Using posts and photographs gleaned from the Russian social networking site VKontakte, the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) concluded that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu last year personally awarded a commemorative wristwatch to a Russian soldier hospitalized in Moscow after being wounded in the battle.



A report published on February 8 by the CIT, led by Russian blogger Ruslan Leviev, focused on the battle that raged around the strategic Ukrainian railway hub of Debaltseve as peace talks loomed. Fighting continued for days after a cease-fire was signed on February 12, 2015, with critics accusing Russia-backed separatists of violating the deal in order to seize control of more territory.



The CIT asserted that its findings involving Yevgeny Usov, a soldier in the Sixth Separate Tank Brigade from Russias Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, prove that the decision to escalate the conflict in Ukraine and attack Debaltseve was taken in the highest ranks of the Russian authorities.



It is hard to believe this decision could have been taken by anyone [other] than Russias president, Vladimir Putin, it said.



Putin has repeatedly denied sending regular Russian forces into eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv and NATO say there is overwhelming evidence of their presence during the war between government troops and the Russia-backed separatists, which has killed more than 9,000 civilians and combatants since April 2014.



The CIT evidence drawing largely on social-network monitoring and analysis is detailed, although some of it is circumstantial.

The group zeroes in on a blurred photograph posted on February 22 by Usov on his VKontakte profile that appears to show him lying bandaged in a hospital bed with Shoigu standing by him.



In a comment posted beneath the photograph, a VKontakte user alleged to also be a soldier from Usovs tank brigade asks what the minister said. Usov replies: He didnt say anything much, just [expressed hope] that wed get better...He also gave a gift of a watch!

A social-media post made by Usov a day earlier, on February 21, comprises a close-up photograph of a boxed Aviator Airacobra watch with a Defense Ministry logo printed on the watch face. The photograph appeared to remain live on VKontakte almost a year later.



CIT says it collated publicly available photographs and personal photographs posted by Usov and deduced that he was treated at a Moscow military hospital for a shrapnel wound to his leg sustained at the battle of Debaltseve. The Internet investigators traveled to the Moscow hospital to compare buildings in the area with the buildings photographed in the view from Usovs hospital ward.



The Russian Defense Ministry declined to comment on whether Shoigu had visited the hospital in comments to RFE/RLs Russian Service.

CIT draws attention to a post dated February 19, 2015, in which Usov himself writes that he had sustained a "shrapnel" wound. He subsequently says that he is serving in Mulino in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast.



The CIT reasons that, if Usov had received the wound while mishandling weapons or during maneuvers, "we doubt in that case that the defense minister would have visited him in person and awarded him with a watch."



Instead, the CIT contends that Usov was wounded at Debaltseve. The group notes that Usov was a regular user of VKontakte at the beginning of 2015 but that he made no posts from January 26 to February 14 -- a period that coincides with the Debaltseve operation, which began on January 22.

His first post after this period of absence was a photograph from a hospital ward on February 14.

The CIT alleges that tanks belonging to the Sixth Separate Tank Brigade were used in Ukraine and were identified by a white circle on their armor. The findings include photographs of tanks with these markings from the battle of Debaltseve.



The CIT report joins a large body of evidence indicating the Russian military has been deeply involved in the war in eastern Ukraine. A fragile cease-fire has been in place since last year, but there are daily violations.

Roland Oliphant, the Moscow correspondent for the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, wrote on Twitter that evidence Debaltseve was a Russian army operation is mundane (and overwhelming). Wouldnt even be news if Russia didnt keep on denying it.


How nervous is Vladimir Putin's inner circle getting?

We can't be certain of course. But judging from recent external indicators, they're getting pretty damn nervous.

Consider the following.

According to anticorruption blogger Aleksei Navalny, longtime Putin crony Vladimir Yakunin, who resigned as head of Russian Railways back in August, is now under investigation for corruption.

Russian law enforcement has not confirmed Navalny's claim -- but they have not denied it either.

Vedomosti quoted an unidentified Interior Ministry official as saying that Navalny's claim is credible.

And Yakunin himself is refusing to comment.

This could be nothing more than intrigue and subterfuge.

Or it could mean that the economic crisis is so dire that Putin feels the need to sacrifice one of his own to convince the public he is serious about fighting corruption.

And if the once untouchable Yakunin is really about to take a fall -- and I should add that this is still a very big if -- it would be truly remarkable.

Yakunin's relationship with Putin goes back to the 1990s and he has long been seen as one of the Kremlin leader's closest associates.

Nobody this close to Putin has ever faced criminal investigation.

And if he is, it means nobody -- not even Putin's closest cronies -- are safe.

It would mean that the Kremlin's inner sanctum, the so-called "collective Putin," is coming unglued.

Keep telling me what you think in the comments section, on the Power Vertical's Twitter feed, and on our Facebook page.
A Russian tycoon once dubbed the Kremlins banker who fled abroad amid charges of financial wrongdoing faces possible jail time in Britain after the London High Court found him guilty of breaching numerous court orders in a contentious civil case involving billions of dollars.



Judge Vivien Rose said at a February 8 hearing that Sergei Pugachyov, a former Russian lawmaker and shipping magnate who was once one of the countrys richest men, would be sentenced on February 11.



The court found that Pugachyov, who did not attend the hearing, had breached 12 out of 17 court orders in connection with litigation lodged with the court by Russias Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA), which is acting as liquidator of Mezhprombank, the bank he founded that filed for bankruptcy in 2010.



The agency has alleged his involvement in pilfering $1 billion in funds from Mezhprombank, and Russia has issued an Interpol notice for his arrest on charges of misappropriation or embezzlement, allegations Pugachyov denies.



Pugachyov had lived primarily in London since fleeing Russia in 2011, and the London court had ordered him not to leave the country. He nonetheless left Britain in early 2015, saying he feared for the safety of himself and his family, and now lives in the south of France.



He portrays the litigation as part of a broader Russian government campaign -- including death threats -- to plunder his business empire.



But some skeptics -- Kremlin critics among them -- say Pugachyov and other wealthy exiles accused of crimes in Russia merely claim to be victims of a corrupt Russian government only after benefiting from a merciless system that eventually turned on them.



A former campaign adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pugachyov has accused Putin of corruption in numerous interviews with Western and Russian media outlets over the past year.



Most recently, he told a BBC Panorama investigation, Putins Secret Riches, that the Russian president considers everything within the territory of the Russian Federation -- everything that can be converted into cash -- to be his own.



Pugachyov is currently subject to a $2 billion worldwide asset freeze issued by Londons High Court based on a request from the DIA.



Judge Rose on February 8 ruled that he breached 12 out of 17 court orders, including giving false evidence, leaving the country in violation of court-imposed travel restrictions, and failing to hand over his French passport.



Pugachyov told RFE/RL last year that he left Britain absolutely legally.



The Financial Times cited Pugachyovs senior litigation adviser, Michael McNutt, as saying that handing his client a jail term would be outrageous and inappropriate.



The ruling highlights how the Russian state is using the U.K. courts against non-U.K. citizensin order to further Russian state aims, the British newspaper quoting McNutt as saying, noting that Pugachyov had been informed of the ruling.



Pugachyov in September took his case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, demanding $12 billion from the Russian government, which he accuses of "stripping" his assets.

With reporting by Bloomberg, The Financial Times, and AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is "horrified" by the suffering being caused by Russian and Syrian air strikes.



Merkel, who was in Ankara for talks with Turkish officials, said on February 8 that "tens of thousands" of people are being affected by the bombing campaign that is coming "primarily from the Russian side."



She added that Germany and Turkey will insist on compliance with a UN resolution passed in December that calls for an end to the bombing of civilians.



Western nations have repeatedly accused Russia -- which began its Syria bombing campaign in September -- of targeting moderate opposition groups instead of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) fighters, and of killing hundreds of civilians in the western and northern parts of Syria.



The Kremlin denies the charges and says it is only bombing terrorist groups.



Russian air strikes have helped Syrian forces recapture some territory lost to extremist groups and other opposition fighters in central and western Syria.



Syrian forces in recent days have made gains in areas surrounding Aleppo, the country's largest city that has been divided between government forces and opposition fighters.



The growing siege of the city -- which had a prewar population of more than 2 million people -- has forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee north toward the Turkish border, about 40 kilometers away.



Merkel's comments came the same day that Human Rights Watch said the Russian-Syrian military operation has used cluster munitions in at least 14 attacks since January 26.



It said those attacks had killed 37 civilians -- including six women and nine children -- and wounded dozens of others.

The use of cluster bombs has been banned by 118 countries, but not by Russia or Syria.



Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian military, said in December that there are no cluster munitions "at the Russian air base in Syria."



HRW says cluster munitions have been identified in photos and video taken at Russian's Hmeymim Air Base in Syria.



Nadim Houry, the deputy director of HRW's Middle East division, said that "any solution of the Syrian crisis needs to address ongoing indiscriminate attacks. A good place to start would be a commitment by Russia and Syria to stop using cluster munitions."

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said after meeting with Merkel on February 8 that some 30,000 Syrians from Aleppo are waiting at the border and would be allowed in "when necessary."



Davutoglu also blamed Russia for the new wave of refugees to Turkey, which has already taken in some 2.5 million Syrians since the civil war began in 2011.



At least 250,000 people have died in the conflict, and several million have fled their homes.



Davutoglu added that Turkey and Germany have agreed on a joint diplomatic initiative to end the Russian-Syrian offensive against Aleppo.



The EU has agreed to give Turkey 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in exchange for its efforts in stemming the tide of migrants coming to Europe.



Meanwhile, Davutoglu said Turkey and Germany will ask NATO at a February 11 meeting of the alliances defense ministers to become involved with "the flow of refugees from Syria."



"We will make a joint effort on the effective use of NATO's observation and monitoring mechanisms on the border and in the Aegean," he said.



More than 900,000 refugees and migrants crossed the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece last year, with hundreds of others drowning during the attempt.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP
The Iraqi Army is deploying thousands of soldiers to a northern base to eventually retake the city of Mosul from the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, officials said on February 8.

Mohammed al-Wagaa, an Iraqi Army officer at the camp where the troops will be stationed, said they were "trained by the coalition forces near Baghdad."

IS militants seized Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, in June 2014.

Iraqi officials have vowed to recapture Mosul this year, but past Iraqi military operations have been repeatedly delayed.

The U.S.-led coalition says it is too early to set a timetable for an operation to liberate Mosul.

An operation to retake the city is expected to be one of the most difficult battles of Iraq's war against IS due to the city's size, the presence of large numbers of civilians there, and the long period the militants have had to prepare defenses.

Backed by coalition air strikes, Iraqi forces recaptured Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, west of Baghdad, in December in a major blow to the militants.

Based on reporting by AFP and AP


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told EU leaders on October 20 that Russian attacks that have destroyed a large portion of Ukraine's energy infrastructure are aimed in part at provoking a new wave of migration of Ukrainians to EU countries.



"Russian terror against our energy facilities is aimed at creating as many problems as possible with electricity and heat for Ukraine this fall and winter, and for as many Ukrainians as possible to go to your countries, he told an EU summit in Brussels.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

This should be "answered immediately," primarily by more air defense systems sent to Ukraine, the president said.



"We must do everything possible to make it completely impossible for Russia to destroy our energy system with missiles and drones," Zelenskiy said in a virtual speech to EU lawmakers, calling on Ukraine's partners to provide systems "to create a truly reliable air shield."



Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian civilian and infrastructure facilities since October 10, mainly using kamikaze drones that Ukraine and its Western allies say are Iranian-made. Moscow and Tehran have denied the accusations.



Zelenskiy also warned that Ukraine suspects Russia has mined the dam and units of the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant on the Dnieper River in southern Ukraine, and if it were blown up, more than 80 settlements, including Kherson, would be in danger of flooding.



Zelenskiy said Ukrainian workers have been thrown out of the facility, leaving Russians in control. He asserted that Russia "has already prepared everything to carry out this terrorist attack."

He called for an international observation mission and the return of Ukrainian personnel to ensure the mines are removed from the dam and its units.



Zelenskiy's comment came two days after Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed head of the Kherson region of Ukraine, announced an "organized, gradual displacement" of civilians from four towns on the right bank of the Dnieper River to the left side.



Saldo accused Ukrainian forces of planning to destroy the dam and also warned of "an immediate danger of flooding."



The Moscow-installed authorities of Kherson said on October 20 that about 15,000 people had left the region.

The Moscow-appointed deputy head of the Kherson region, Kirill Stremousov, encouraged people to cross over to the left bank of the Dnieper River and posted a video of a column of buses on Telegram.



Kyiv has denounced Moscow's move, calling it a "deportation" of Ukrainian civilians to Russia.



But Stremousov said people should follow the evacuation instructions and leave Kherson, one of four Ukrainian regions illegally annexed by Russia.



"Give the military a chance to do what they have to do," he said, claiming that the Russian army will not surrender Kherson.



Zelenskiys office said that Ukrainian forces on October 20 had mounted 15 attacks on Russian military strongholds in the Kherson region. Russias Defense Ministry spokesman said the Kremlins forces repelled Ukrainian attempts to advance with tanks on three Kherson villages.



Another Russian-installed official in the region, Vladimir Leontyev, said Ukrainian forces had launched five missile strikes against the Kakhovka dam.



Ukraine earlier on October 20 began restricting electricity consumption for the first time since the start of Russia's invasion as the country sustained serious damage to its infrastructure following waves of Russian air strikes targeting its electricity grid ahead of the onset of winter.

Oleksandr Kharchenko, an adviser to the energy minister, said on October 19 that there would be outages, including some that are scheduled.



"Unfortunately, according to new data, about 40 percent of the total infrastructure is seriously damaged. Repair and connection work is ongoing, but outages are expected today and tomorrow," Kharchenko said on Ukrainian television.



The supply restriction started at 7 a.m. (0800 Prague time) and was due to last until 11 p.m. Grid operator Ukrenergo urged Ukrainians to charge their mobile phones and have blankets on hand for warmth.

In the latest Russian attack, an energy facility was struck and damaged in the Kryvorizka district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, the head of the regional administration, Valentyn Reznichenko, reported on October 20.

Earlier, a missile strike hit a major coal-fired power station in the city of Burshtyn in western Ukraine, the region's governor said.

"Our region experienced missile fire today. The Burshtyn thermal power station was hit, which caused a fire," Svitlana Onyshchuk, governor of Ivano-Frankivsk region, said in an online video statement.

The Burshtyn power station supplies electricity to three western regions and 5 million consumers.

Ahead of the summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed lawmakers in Berlin on October 20, condemning Russia's latest drone attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine and saying that "such scorched-earth tactics will not help Russia win the war."

Scholz said such tactics by Russian President Vladimir Putin would "only strengthen the resolve and the will of Ukraine and its partners to persevere."

"In the end, Russia's bombing and missile terror is an act of desperation -- just like the mobilization of Russian men for war," Scholz said. "He wants to sow fear, divide, and intimidate. He is speculating on our weakness, but he is wrong -- we are not weak."

Scholz said the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war would be a "generational task in which the entire civilized community of states must join forces."



In London, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace will also make a statement to parliament on Ukraine later on October 20, the House of Commons said on Twitter.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, dpa, and BBC
BISHKEK -- An actor with the Kyrgyz capital's Chingiz Aitmatov Russian Drama Theater has been found dead.

Bishkek police say the body of Vasily Polzunov was found near an apartment block early in the morning of February 8.

The body bore signs of having been beaten

Police say a male suspect was detained after the alleged attack.

The incident took place days after a man, identified as Mikhail Berchin, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping and killing an actress from the same theater.

The actress, Oksana Gogol, was found beaten in the center of Bishkek in December 2013. She later died in hospital.

The Chingiz Aitmatov Russian Drama Theater was established in the Central Asian nation in 1935.


BISHKEK -- A correspondent for RFE/RL's Tajik Service, who was detained by Kyrgyz border guards at a disputed segment of the border between the two Central Asian nations, has been released.

Masumi Muhammadrajab was released in the evening of February 8, after eight hours in detention.

Earlier, Kyrgyz border guard spokeswoman Gulmira Borubaeva told RFE/RL that Muhammadrajab had been detained on February 8 for failing to cross the border through a Kyrgyz checkpoint.

Muhammadrajab was detained in the Bobojon Gafur district, where he had been sent to cover a dispute that emerged after Kyrgyz border guards installed their national flag on a Tajik-owned private house on February 6, claiming that the building was on Kyrgyz territory.

Many parts of the borders between the five Central Asian countries have remained in dispute since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In recent years, the tension along the Kyrgyz-Uzbek and Kyrgyz-Tajik borders have intensified after outbreaks of violence involving residents and border guards from all sides.


Moldovas Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Galbur is due to meet in Brussels on February 8 with Johannes Hahn, the European commissioner in charge of EU enlargement negotiations.

Galbur also serves as Moldovas foreign minister and is the top official in Chisinau in charge of the countrys European Union integration.

Moldova has been actively pursuing EU membership, having signed an Association Agreement with the bloc in 2014.

But a corruption scandal that led to the downfall of the previous government in 2015 has raised concerns about the ability of authorities in Chisinau to carry out the reforms needed to bring the country into line with European standards.

Street protests broke out in January after lawmakers approved a new pro-European government led by Prime Minister Pavel Filip.

Antigovernment demonstrators are calling for early elections that could boost Kremlin influence in Moldova, an outcome that could complicate Chisinaus efforts to become an EU member state.
It seems a pattern of governance has emerged, or rather reappeared, in Central Asia: the dynasty. It's been clear for a long time that four of the five current leaders have no plans to leave office. But some of them are entering, or are well into, their twilight years of life and there are questions about their legacies, about what happens to their families after these leaders are gone.

The answer at the moment, in at least three of the five countries, seems to be: Keep the family in power, a second generation of leadership. The nepotism that was always present in Central Asian politics has become more obvious, more public, as of late.

To look at the Central Asian states' move toward dynasty, RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, assembled a panel discussion.

Azatlyk Director Muhammad Tahir moderated the panel. Participating from Washington was Catherine Putz, Central Asia editor for Diplomat magazine; from London, Alisher Ilkhamov, a research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies; and from Bishkek, Steve Swerdlow, Central Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch. I had something to say, too.

Excluding the Soviet period of the region's history, Central Asia has long been dominated by emirs and khans and their dynasties. Ilkhamov suggested the mentality for establishing family rule is a product of conditions in the region. Central Asia is traditionally rurally based and characterized by large extended families, "very much the household-based economy," Ilkhamov said. "Now we see the household economy and to some extent [a] household-based system of governance."

Ilkhamov used the example of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, who " grew up in a rural area and brought [a] pattern of lifestyle, relationship, [bringing] his entire extended family to the capital and tried to employ each of them."

In January, legislation was introduced in Tajikistan (and subsequently approved in February) striking term limits for the president, allowing Rahmon, who has already been elected president four times, to stay on indefinitely.

Swerdlow noted other legislation lowered the "age eligibility for running for president from the age of 35 to 30, and there's been some speculation that that was done specifically for his oldest son, Rustam Emomali, who is now 28 years old." Tajikistan's next presidential election is scheduled for 2020.

Swerdlow also recalled that Rahmon's daughter "is now going to be chief of staff of the presidential administration." Rahmon appointed his 38-year-old daughter, Ozoda, to that post on January 27.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev was among the first of the Central Asian presidents to bring relatives into government. Nazarbaev, like Uzbek President Islam Karimov, has no sons.* Nazarbaev's son-in-law, Rakhat Aliyev, the husband of eldest daughter Darigha, started working in the state tax agency in 1996. In less than 10 years, Aliyev, who studied medicine, was the first deputy foreign minister of Kazakhstan and was widely mentioned as the successor to his father-in-law. It did not work out that way. (We'll get to that soon.)

Darigha was a businesswoman, but after the turn of the century she became increasingly involved in politics. She's been a deputy in parliament since 2004. In 2015, she was named deputy prime minister. On December 26, 2015, Nazarbaev appointed his 37-year-old nephew Samat Abish to be first deputy chairman of the National Security Committee (KNB). Nazarbaev's grandsons, from the Rakhat-Darigha marriage, are Nurali Aliyev, 31, the deputy mayor of Almaty, and Aysultan Nazarbaev, 25, a graduate of Sandhurst Military Academy in Britain who currently works in Kazakhstan's Defense Ministry.

In Turkmenistan, it is more difficult to get a picture of what is happening with succession. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's grandson, Kerimguly, has appeared on state TV several times, usually with his grandfather. Kerimguly is far too young to be president, but such information (as is occasionally pried out of Turkmenistan) hints that Berdymukhammedov's son Serdar is being prepared to one day ascend to the presidency.



Tahir explained that Berdymukhammedov's son-in-law, Ykhlasgeldy Amanov, was the country's representative on energy issues in London and the president's sister is a suspiciously successful businesswoman in the Ashgabat area.

The situation is very different now in Kyrgyzstan, but that country was headed in the same direction, twice. Two children of Kyrgyzstan's first president, Askar Akaev, ran in the 2005 parliamentary elections and both won seats. Akaev's successor, Kurmanbek Bakiev, made his brother Janysh head of security and then made his son Maksim essentially head of the country's economy. Maksim was in his early 30s at the time.

You Can Pick Your Friends But You Can't Pick Your Family

Putz observed that "seeding the government with relatives and the extended family works up until the point that it doesn't, and when it doesn't, it kind of falls apart in a grand fashion."

There have already been some examples of what can go wrong. Swerdlow pointed to the case of Uzbek President Karimov and his eldest daughter, Gulnara Karimova, who some once believed was a potential successor to her father. Karimova's use of social networks to accuse Uzbek officials of being enemies of her father and her criticism of her mother and sister were widely reported (outside Uzbekistan) and led to a spectacular downfall that ended in her being put under house arrest in Tashkent, where she remains.

Swerdlow said: "These family feuds...are the scandals and controversies that make these rulers look most vulnerable."

That was certainly true with Kazakhstan's Rakhat Aliyev. Convicted of the gravest crimes back in Kazakhstan -- including plotting to overthrow the government and his former father-in-law, President Nazarbaev -- Aliyev stayed in Europe and unleashed a torrent of allegations about Nazarbaev, including shady business deals, corruption, and sanctioning attacks on perceived government opponents.

Falling Apart In Grand Fashion

Rahmon and Berdymukhammedov seem headed toward clean hereditary transfers of power. Nazarbaev seems to be depending on a combination of a loyal successor combined with an inner circle of family members. Karimov once hoped for as much.

It is worth remembering that former Kyrgyz President Akaev was chased from office right after his two children were elected to parliament. Kyrgyzstan's people were unhappy for many reasons and the election of the president's children to parliament merely added fuel to the fire. The same for former President Bakiev, who was ousted from office about six months after he appointed his son Maksim to head Kyrgyzstan's economic development. Discontent was growing and these family appointments just angered people further.

The environment where these Central Asian presidential offspring have grown up also does not lend itself to great hopes for the countries of the region. As Putz said: "When it comes to handling challenges...the people in power haven't had to fight for their ideas to get where they are. They [just] had to tap their patronage network."

Taking that a bit further, the Central Asian leaders today have no claim on their countries past the fact they are the rulers because they have been the rulers. With the exception of Kyrgyz President Almaz Atambaev, all of the Central Asian presidents were originally put in their posts by someone more powerful than they were. They are not the heroes of a revolution, or noted public figures who worked their way to power. There is no historic bond or claim that can ensure the respect shown to the currents leaders would easily transfer to their kin.

The panel discussed these issues in greater detail and other matters also. An audio recording of the discussion can be heard below:

* Karimov does have a son, Pyotr, from his first marriage, but Pyotr has reportedly not been in Uzbekistan for more than two decades. It is fairly well known that Nazarbaev does have other children, including a son, from his second and third wives who both live outside the country.
Russian state television is to broadcast a documentary this week alleging that Chechen forces loyal to the Kremlin are on the ground in Syria.

A teaser for the documentary to be broadcast on Rossiya 1 on February 10 quotes Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov as saying Chechen agents are gathering military intelligence inside Islamic State-controlled territory and have also infiltrated the ranks of the group.

It showed a training camp in Chechnya, where it said soldiers now active in Syria had been trained.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to confirm the presence of Chechen forces in Syria.

Russia launched air strikes in Syria on September 30 and has set up a military base to complement an existing naval facility. It has deployed infantry, armor, and the advanced S-400 antiaircraft system there to protect its assets, and has military trainers and advisers working with the Syrian military.

Based on reporting by Reuters, novayagazeta.ru, and TASS


Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has met with senior government and banking officials to discuss measures aimed at supporting Russias troubled banking sector.

"The banking sector was one of the first to face the consequences of economic sanctions and the related problems that exist in the global financial system," Medvedev told the February 8 meeting. "However, in general, it continues to work steadily and to develop. Assets, capital, and loans to the economy are growing."

The agenda of the meeting included measures aimed at supporting Russias mortgage housing loan market, such as the possible restructuring of loans that were issued in foreign currencies.

On February 6, Medvedev told a congress of the United Russia party he leads that he supports proposals on extending a mortgage subsidization program.

In January, Economic Development Minister Aleksei Ulyukayev said Russia should consider selling state banking assets in order to offset the falling global price of oil, which has battered the economy and sent the country into recession.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- A former Russian Interior Ministry officer who was sent to prison after claiming that soldiers were fed dog food has been released. He had served more than four years.

Major Igor Matveyev made headlines in May 2011 after he claimed that soldiers in Russia's Far East were given to eat dog food to save money.

He said in a video that the dog food labels on the cans had been covered with labels reading "premium quality beef."

In September 2011, Matveyev was stripped of his military rank and sentenced to four years in prison for abuse of office. His term was later extended by five more months.

Investigators eventually discovered his claims to be well-founded.

After his release from prison in the Far Eastern city of Vladivostok on February 8, Matveyev said he would continue "seeking justice."


The Russian state security service says it has detained seven members of the Islamic State (IS) group in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg.

The FSB says the seven, who include citizens of Russia and Central Asian states, were detained on February 7.

It says the group was planning to carry out "high-profile terrorist attacks using self-made explosive devices on the territory of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Sverdlovsk region" in the Urals.

The FSB says a laboratory for making explosive devices was uncovered during the search operation.

The group was led by a member of the IS group who had come to Russia from Turkey, it adds, and the alleged militants planned to join IS fighters in Syria after perpetrating the attacks in Russia.

Russian authorities estimate that some 3,000 Russian citizens have joined the IS group in Syria.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax


Afghan officials say a woman has been executed after being accused of adultery in a remote Taliban-controlled village in the western province of Ghor.

Abdul Hai Khatibi, a provincial government spokesman, said on February 8 that the execution was carried out in the remote Taliban-controlled village of Zanu on February 5.

The woman was identified by her first name, Zahra, but her age was unknown.

Khatibi said Zahra was detained by the Taliban along with a man, identified as Ayub. Ayub was shot while trying to flee and is currently in Taliban captivity, the spokesman said.

However, district Governor Muhammad Hussein Daneshyar told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that the woman was shot dead by her husband, who accused her of having an extramarital affair.

Afghan official say the area has been under militant control for more than a year.

There was no comment from the Taliban.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission says Ghor is among the provinces with the highest number of so-called Taliban "desert courts."

Based on reporting by dpa, Khaama.com, and RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan
Nearly 30 years after Chernobyl spewed nuclear dust across Europe and sparked fears of fallout around the globe, a strapped, war-torn Ukraine is opting for "upgrades" rather than shutdowns of its fleet of Soviet-era nuclear power reactors.

Kyiv is planning to spend an estimated $1.7 billion to bring the facilities, many of which are nearing the end of their planned life spans, up to current Western standards.

Ukrainian officials hope to further their energy independence from Moscow and potentially export some of the resulting electricity to Western Europe as part of an "EU-Ukraine Energy Bridge" that can further cement Kyiv's ties with Brussels.

But can they allay fears, in Ukraine and beyond, that the plans will put Europe at risk of another Chernobyl?

The project has the backing of the West, including a $600 million contribution split evenly between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Euratom, the EU's nuclear agency.

"The project we support -- ourselves, the EBRD, and Euratom -- is actually about the country's energy independence, and essentially, survival. Because for the country, where nuclear power plants produce over 50 percent of electricity, this sector remains vital -- very, very important. This is a necessity," says Anton Usov, senior adviser for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus at the EBRD, an international institution funding projects in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

For Kyiv, keeping its nuclear power stations humming makes sense given the government's strategy to wean the country off Russian energy, namely gas. Ukraine is also making moves to end its dependence on Russia for the fuel powering the nuclear plants.

Nuclear power accounts for around half of Ukrainian electricity. Enerhoatom, the state-run nuclear energy operator, runs 15 reactors at four nuclear power plants, including Europe's largest power plant at Zaporizhzhya, which houses five reactors. They are all equipped with pressurized reactors known by their Russian abbreviation, VVER, which are Russian-designed but an upgrade to the graphite-moderated RBMK reactors found at the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Most of the reactors came online in the 1980s, with the oldest -- Unit 1 at the Rivne nuclear plant -- generating power since December 1980, three years before the ill-fated reactor No. 4 at Chernobyl started churning out power.

That Ukraine is opting to upgrade its nuclear power plants is not surprising, according to Steve Thomas, a recently retired professor of energy policy at the University of Greenwich in the United Kingdom.

"There is a lot of pressure around the world to life-extend existing plants as it becomes more difficult to build new ones. As a result, the utilities are wanting to hang onto the ones they've got," Thomas tells RFE/RL. He says Europe's biggest producer of nuclear power, France, plans to spend an estimated 80 billion euros ($89 billion) to upgrade its 58 nuclear power reactors.

The EBRD says the program of 87 safety-measure upgrades is vital for Ukraine, especially since the Russian-backed conflict in the east of the country has affected coal supplies from the Donbas region.

Supplies of the kind of high-quality black coal that the Ukrainian power sector has relied on so heavily in the past "could no longer be a sustainable solution for its power plants," Usov says, "because the pace of their supply from Donbas has been erratic."

Enerhoatom says the upgrades are being done to the highest standard, but critics have their doubts.

They say Ukraine's nuclear reactors should be shut down as soon as possible, noting that one of the reactors still churning out power is older than the unit that exploded at Chernobyl on April 26, 1986. They also raise doubts over whether the program will be carried out to the highest standards.

"One of the reasons why the EBRD was ready to finance this program is that they said they will have a say in what is going on in Ukraine with the reactors, and that they will have leverage to ensure that everything is done properly, says Iryna Holovko, a Ukranian nuclear activist with the NGO Bankwatch. "Now we see that it is not happening because the [Ukrainian] regulator still makes decisions without the safety procedures done."

Usov says the concerns raised by outside groups -- including Bankwatch -- are being addressed.

"We've touched on these issues numerous times with the environmental groups. They attend our annual meetings and regular meetings of the banks. And we had a proper panel, with the likes of Bankwatch, where we touched upon these issues," Usov says.

Enerhoatom vowed through a spokesman that "Ukraine has some of the most demanding conditions for extending" the life of its nuclear reactors.

"For example, in Ukraine, a nuclear power unit with a 30-year lifeline can be granted a 10-year extension after a safety assessment," spokeswoman Ilona Zaets said in an e-mailed response to RFE/RL. "In the United States, reactors are given a 30-year extension right away -- and this number could rise. The [Ukrainian] Nuclear Regulatory Commission is discussing the possibility of raising the extension period to 80 years."

The upgrade work is just part of a bold plan to make Ukraine a major energy player in Europe beyond its decades-long role as a major transit country. In a state energy strategy document released in 2006 and covering the sector until 2030, Kyiv foresaw the construction of 11 new nuclear units.

Ukraine's current financial straits could put such bold plans on hold. However, Kyiv appears to be moving ahead with intentions to make Ukraine part of the European power grid by 2017, a target set out by President Petro Poroshenko after he took office in mid-2014.

In March, Ukrainian energy distributor Ukrenergo signed a deal to export electricity to its Polish counterpart as part of the Ukraine-EU energy bridge. The proposal envisages a 750-kilowatt transmission cable from Khmelnitskyy, in Ukraine, to Rzeszow, in Poland, that will also carry electricity from a coal-fired energy plant at Burshtyn, in Ukraine's far west. Under the project, the Khmelnitskyy Unit 2 reactor will then be disconnected from the Ukraine grid and plugged into the European one.

But the project hinges on completion of two reactors at the Khmelnitskyy plant -- Units 3 and 4 -- whose construction was halted in 1990. Critics have questioned whether finishing reactors that have been mothballed for 15 years makes economic sense.

"They clearly do have to modernize their generation, but completing half-built nuclear power plants could still be a much more expensive option than building renewables, gas-fired plants, or whatever," Thomas says. "I don't think nuclear is necessarily the cheapest option."

In a sign that Kyiv is working to cut its nuclear ties with Moscow, Poroshenko in October ripped up an agreement with the Russian atomic energy giant Rosatom to complete construction at Khmelnitskyy.

Aleksandr Nikitin, chairman of the Environmental Rights Center Bellona, said at the time that the decision made it clear that Ukraine and Russian "are breaking all ties."

"The two countries essentially are in a state of war, and therefore there can't be any discussion of joint construction of such a huge project as a nuclear power plant," Nikitin said of the formerly close partners whose relations soured dramatically when unrest unseated pro-Moscow Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.

Enerhoatom has insisted money for the reactor work will be no problem. Spokeswoman Zaets said Enerhoatom had an offer from a Polish company to finance the construction, and "therefore the current financial problems do not affect the project."

Ukraine is also opening other doors with Western nuclear partners.

In November, Enerhoatom signed an agreement with the French engineering firm Areva "for safety upgrades of existing and future nuclear power plants in Ukraine, lifetime extension, and performance optimization."

U.S.-based Westinghouse, which has been operating in Ukraine since 2003, signed a deal with Kyiv in December 2014 "to significantly increase" nuclear fuel deliveries to Ukraine until 2020.

Russia's Foreign Ministry reacted to the deal between Westinghouse and Kyiv by calling it "a dangerous experiment."

Ukraine still depends on TVEL, a nuclear-fuel subsidiary of Russia's Rosatom, for fuel at 13 of its 15 reactors, highlighting Russia's continuing sway over Ukraine's nuclear program.

Westinghouse has been challenging TVEL for a bigger cut of the nuclear-fuel market in Eastern and Central Europe, where Russian-designed reactors are the norm.

The U.S. Export-Import Bank has offered significant loans for several Westinghouse projects in the region, and U.S. officials have lobbied governments to diversify away from dependence on TVEL, according to Statfor, a U.S.-based analytical center.

It is unclear whether Ukraine's nuclear gamble will pay off. But the stakes are high, and Holovko suggests that Kyiv has left itself few other options.

"For now, we have a situation where we have no Plan B," Holovko says.
Former Ukrainian Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius says he is providing anticorruption investigators evidence of influence peddling involving key government officials and state companies.



Abromavicius made the comments on February 8 ahead of his expected testimony to Ukraine's top antigraft investigation agency and just days after his resignation brought the government to the brink of collapse.



The Lithuanian-born Abromavicius was one of several foreign-born officials brought in by President Petro Poroshenko as part of efforts to clean up endemic government corruption.



But the push to improve transparency and eliminate problems like bribery, kickbacks, and preferential hiring for wealthy insiders has proceeded at a glacial pace, resulting in growing frustration both inside Ukraine and among Western officials and lenders.



In his February 3 resignation letter, Abromavicius singled out Ihor Kononenko, a wealthy tycoon who is a member of Poroshenko's political party, saying he had lobbied to get his people appointed to head state companies and to top government positions.

Kononenko rejected the allegations as "completely absurd."

Abromavicius told reporters in Kyiv that he had collected ample information that he intended to share with the National Anticorruption Bureau.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov has lashed out at homosexuality, calling it a "vulgar" manifestation of Western culture, in a new attack against gays in the former Soviet Union.

Uzbekistan punishes homosexual acts by prison terms of up to three years.

Karimov made the remarks during a televised meeting of people's deputies of the Tashkent region on February 5, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service reports.

"We talk about so-called Western culture. We call it vulgar culture. You know what I mean. It's inappropriate even to speak about this in front of women. When men live with men and women live with women, I think there must be something wrong up here," Karimov said, pointing to his head, before adding, "Something is broken here. There is a saying: When God wants to reveal someone's vulgarity, he first takes his reason away."

Uzbekistan is the only former Soviet state where male homosexuality is illegal, although recent efforts to ostracize lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities have been taken or are under way in other ex-Soviet republics.

A law signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013 banned the spread of "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" among minors.

Kyrgyzstan's parliament is expected later this month to easily adopt a similar measure, dubbed "the anti-LGBT propaganda" bill, after passing it in its first two readings.

The Kyrgyz measure would ban promoting nontraditional sexual relations among minors or equating same-sex relations with heterosexual ones.

Those violating the law could face prison terms of six months to a year.

Sirojiddin Tolibov of RFE/RL's Uzbek Service contributed to this report
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COVID-19 drove a dramatic increase in the number of women who died from pregnancy or childbirth complications in the U.S. last year, a crisis that has disproportionately claimed Black and Hispanic women as victims. A government report released Wednesday lays out grim trends across the country for expectant mothers and their newborn babies. It finds that pregnancy-related deaths have spiked nearly 80 percent since 2018, with COVID-19 being a factor in a quarter of the 1,178 deaths reported last year. The percentage of preterm and low birthweight babies also went up last year, after holding steady for years. And more pregnant or postpartum women are reporting symptoms of depression.
Franklin County School Board

Regular meeting

When: 7 p.m. Monday

Where: Franklin County School Board Office, 25 Bernard Road, Rocky Mount

On the agenda: For more details, visit frco.k12.va.us.

Rocky Mount Town Council

Regular meeting

When: 7 p.m. Monday

Where: Rocky Mount Municipal Building, 345 Donald Ave., Rocky Mount

On the agenda: The council will consider extending a program that gives a Ferrum College student an opportunity to intern with the towns wastewater treatment plant. Theyll also vote to allocate $18,000 to repair a pump from the wastewater main pump station.

Salem City Council

Regular meeting

When: 7:30 p.m. Monday

Where: City Hall, 114 N. Broad St., Salem

On the agenda: The council will consider adopting a resolution requesting the Virginia General Assembly take no action to close Catawba Hospital. For more information, visit www.salemva.gov.

Roanoke County Board of Supervisors

Regular meeting

When: 3 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Roanoke County Administration Center, 5204 Bernard Drive S.W.

On the agenda: Supervisors will hear an update on the status of the Mountain Valley Pipeline and will vote on approving a new intergovernmental agency with Salem and Roanoke for the purpose of establishing a regional crash center. For more information, visit www.roanokecountyva.gov.

Roanoke School Board

Regular meeting

When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday

Where: William Fleming High School, 3649 Ferncliff Ave.

On the agenda: The board will hold a public hearing for comments on the 2016-17 budget. For more information, visit www.rcps.info.

Boones Mill Town Council

Regular meeting

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Boones Mill Town Hall, 359 Boones Mill Road

On the agenda: The council will discuss selling town-owned land on Church Hill Street, which a local builder has expressed interest in buying for a residential or commercial development.

Roanoke County School Board

Regular meeting

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Where: School administration office, 5937 Cove Road

On the agenda: For more information, visit www.rcs.k12.va.us.

Salem School Board

Regular meeting

When: 7 p.m Tuesday

Where: School administration office, 510 South College Ave.

On the agenda: For more information, visit www.salem.k12.va.us.
RICHMOND  The Virginia Senate on Monday overwhelmingly passed legislation that would prevent any political party seeking to have a state-run presidential primary election from requiring voters to sign a loyalty oath as a condition of casting a ballot.

Senators also passed on to the House of Delegates legislation that would require candidates for local office nominated by a political party are identified on the ballot as the partys nominee.

Senate Bill 686, sponsored by Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax, is in response to the recent controversy over the Republican Party of Virginias now-rescinded bid to have voters in the GOP March 1 primary declare they are Republican in order to vote.

The request, initially agreed to by the state board of elections, met with intense criticism inside and outside the GOP, most notably from Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump. The party recently relented in its pursuit of the statement of affiliation. The board of elections agreed to rescind the oath.

Petersen noted that his bill does not prevent any party from holding its own form of nominating contest during which it could compel an oath. But he said taxpayers should not sanction a state-sponsored primary with such a restriction. The measure passed 34-5 and now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

 Richmond Times-Dispatch

Suetterlein sees his first bill get passed

RICHMOND  Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, got his first bill through the Senate on Monday amid some good-natured ribbing from his more senior colleagues.

In keeping with tradition, the freshman senator faced a battery of mock questions when his first bill  a technical measure deleting outdated references to the city of Bedford  came up for a vote.

Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, got the ball rolling by asking Suetterlein what he had against Bedford.

Others asked why Suetterlein was in such a big rush to rewrite history or demanded to know, in a throwback to an earlier debate, whether Bedford was a sanctuary city.

Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, highlighted Bedfords storied World War II history and asked what reason there could be for ejecting such a distinguished city from the state code.

Suetterlein dutifully explained that Bedford was no longer a city as it reverted to a town three years ago. He assured lawmakers the code would still be replete with references to Bedford County, where most of the Bedford Boys who served in WWII were from.

His bill went on to pass amid a round of applause from the senators.

 Alicia Petska

Senate passes party identification bill

RICHMOND  Candidates for local office could be listed by party at the ballot box under a bill passed by the Senate on Monday.

Senate Bill 767, sponsored by Sen. David Suetterlein, passed on a 24-16 vote.

Current law allows only candidates for state and federal offices to be identified by party on the ballot.

Lawmakers have been hesitant to expand that to local offices in the past. But Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, said if candidates are going to seek a party nomination, they ought to be able to be recognized as such on the ballot.

The bill doesnt prevent candidates from running as independents or change the requirements for cities whose charters dictate that they hold nonpartisan elections, he said.

The Senate passed another election-related bill from Suetterlein on Monday. Senate Bill 770 is a redistricting reform measure that establishes a standard for compactness in district boundaries.

Suetterlein pointed to his own district as an example of the need for change. The 19th Senate District includes six split counties and four split towns.

SB 770 outlines criteria for compactness to follow. It passed on a 21-19 party line vote. Democrats preferred a more comprehensive bill, passed by the Senate last week, that covered compactness, respect for communities of interest and racial fairness, among other criteria.

Suetterlein supported that measure as well, but noted similar bills have passed the Senate before and then stalled in the House of Delegates.

He opted to file a second bill focusing on compactness.

Hopefully, it will bring more recognition to the need for compactness, specifically, he said.

 Alicia Petska

Stanley tries to save bill to help fund I-73

RICHMOND  Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, is scrambling to save a bill to lock in future funding for the long-discussed Interstate 73 project.

Senate Bill 197 wont immediately benefit the interstate project. But it would allow it to swoop in once U.S. 58 is complete  anticipated to happen in about 25 years  and nab $40 million in annual funding that currently goes to that project.

The money comes from state recordation taxes that decades ago were earmarked to complete and widen U.S. 58.

Stanleys bill would put I-73 next in line for that pot of money. It would be a drop in the bucket for the project, which carries an estimated price tag of $4 billion, but Stanley argued it could be an important piece of the puzzle for the long-hoped-for interstate, which Southside Virginia views as an economic development priority.

The bill drew opposition on the Senate floor Monday. Minority Leader Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax County, noted the state is in the process of adopting a new, objective scoring system for ranking transportation projects.

Lawmakers should think twice before trying to go around that system, he said.

Stanleys bill was initially killed on 24-16 vote. But it was brought back for reconsideration, and he asked that it be tabled for the day  giving him more time to try to enlist support for it.

He said later he remained optimistic that the bill will ultimately pass.

 Alicia Petska

Senate committee OKs one drone bill

Drone bills were among a number of measures representing the General Assemblys attempts to define the ever-shifting line between personal privacy and the expanding uses of new technology.

Sponsored by Sen. Donald McEachin, D-Richmond, Senate Bill 584 initially would have allowed a $1,000 fine or damages for the physical and constructive invasion of privacy when a person uses a drone to violate the airspace above a persons property to capture an image.

The bill also would have made it a crime to use an unmanned aircraft for unauthorized surveillance of property and persons on the property, peeping and spying, and for taking photographs after receiving written notice that the landowner or individual objects.

Despite amending the bill to remove the fine, however, the Republican-controlled panel defeated the measure largely along party lines, with Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Richmond, siding with the six Democrats on the 15-member committee.

The committee did approve Senate Bill 729, which would make it a crime to use a drone in commission of a crime. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Westmoreland County, would make such a violation a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also would make it a crime to use a drone to obstruct law enforcement or emergency medical personnel in the conduct of their duties.

 Richmond Times-Dispatch

Open-government advocates debate bill

In the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology, lawmakers advanced Senate Bill 202, which stipulates that publicly available databases of public employees salaries shall not include the name of any public officer, appointee, or employee.

Proponents argued that allowing names to be attached to salary and job information increases the likelihood of identity theft. But critics said it works against open and transparent government and accountability of public business and employees.

The panel also endorsed Senate Bill 552, which would exempt from the Freedom of Information Act the records of state government and local law enforcement officers. The bills sponsor, Sen. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, said that the measure is intended to protect law enforcement officers engaged in investigations, but others argue it had broader application to all state and local employees.

Megan Rhyne of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government told the panel that Hawaii is currently the only state that does not allow the names of public employees to be disclosed. She said Kentucky, Ohio, Washington, D.C., and Florida proactively publish lists on their state-run websites.

Virginia is going in exactly the opposite direction, if it passes the bill, she said.

The Republican-controlled panel did back one bill that increases the amount of information that could be disclosed in public.

Senate Bill 493, sponsored by Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, would not allow the personnel exemption in FOIA to prevent public discussion of compensation matters of a local governing body or school board.

 Richmond Times-Dispatch
Juanita Marcella Kingrea, born on January 3, 1944, in Roanoke, passed away from this world into the presence of the Lord, on Friday, February 5, 2016, at the age of 72.Juanita married the love of her life, the Rev. Kenneth R. Kingrea in 1960. They settled in Christiansburg, where they raised their three children, Towana, Ray, and Brian. Rev. Kingrea and Juanita spent more than 40 years together in ministry; indeed, Juanita's kindness, compassion, and good (yet feisty) sense of humor will be missed by all who had the pleasure to know her.Juanita was a devoted wife and mother and loved being "Granny" to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Juanita loved holidays and family get-togethers; any chance she got to spend with her family was important to her. But, above all else, she loved her Lord and Savior, sharing His message of grace with others, and took pride that her family members were all saved and serving in ministry.Juanita is preceded in death by her parents, "Doc" and Maggie Williams; and her mother-in-Law, Nina Franklin. Juanita is survived by her beloved husband, the Rev. Kenneth Kingrea; and her children, Towana Kitts and her husband, Joseph, Ray Kingrea and his wife, Sandy, all of Christiansburg, and Brian Kingrea and his wife, Kay, of Silver Spring, Md. She was a loving grandmother to, Bethany Creger and her husband, Benjamin, Hannah Veneable and her husband, Michael, Andrew Kingrea and his wife, Sydnah, Jessica Barbir and her husband, Timothy, and Zachary, Dakota, Cheyenne, and Tacoma Kingrea. Juanita was a proud great-grandmother to, Gabriel and Ezra Creger.Family and friends will gather at Harbor of Hope in Christiansburg, on Monday, February 8, 2016, for Visitation, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Funeral service will also be held at Harbor of Hope at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 2016. Interment will follow in the IPHC campgrounds Cemetery, Dublin, VA. Online condolences maybe sent by visiting www.hornefuneralservice.com. Arrangements with Horne Funeral Home.
The Department for Evaluation of New Areas at the Research and Exploration Company affiliated to ALROSA is based in St. Petersburg and deals with the forecasting and prospecting of diamond deposits in the North-East European Platform and in promising areas of Africa.

Viktor Ustinov, Deputy Director of the Research and Exploration Company affiliated to ALROSA, who is also heading the Department for Evaluation of New Areas told Rough&Polished about his companys latest achievements in the search for diamonds in Africa.

What major results achieved by ALROSA lately could you highlight in its African activities?

In summary, they can be formulated as follows:

1) On the basis of systematic case studies, which are carried out by geologists of the Department for Evaluation of New Areas, we are conducting a comprehensive analysis of diamond bearing potential in the territories of Botswana and Angola.

2) We have outlined areas, which are promising in terms of discovering primary diamond deposits.

3) Joint ventures are established in Botswana and Angola on the basis of the research.

4) Sunland Minerals started to work in Botswana and there have been completed four stages of prospecting, including primary concentrate sampling, ground geophysical surveys, drilling and others.

5) There have been completed four stages of field work in Zimbabwe under the Agreement on Technical Cooperation with DTZ-OZGEO.

6) An active licensing policy is being carried out in Botswana and Angola.

How do you assess the possibility of discovering new diamond fields in Angola?

The territory of the Republic of Angola is 1.2 million square km, which is close to the area of the Yakut diamondiferous province. Within it, there have been revealed about one thousand of kimberlite pipes, which are grouped into 11 areas and 35 fields.

It should be borne in mind that despite the number of identified geological bodies being greater than that in Siberia, the level of geological and geophysical exploration in Angola remains extremely low. The countrys potential in relation to bearing primary diamond deposits has not yet been revealed, and there are all the opportunities for finding new diamondiferous kimberlites. Only in 2012-2014, the geologists of Sociedade Mineira de Catoca identified such diamond fields as CAT 42, CAT 115, Luaxe 072 and Luaxe 071 in the area of the Catoca Diamond Pipe. The country has diamond resources belonging to the P1-P2 categories suitable for open-pit development and estimated at about 400 million carats.

What companies are you collaborating with in Angola?

Currently, working contacts between the geologists of ALROSA and Endiama are successfully developing within the framework of the Agreement on Technical Cooperation between the geological services of the two companies. Implementation of the existing agreements allows ALROSA to obtain valuable information on the geology, geophysics and diamond bearing potential of various territories, which makes it possible their quick assessment. As a result of the performed research, experts of the two sate-owned companies were able to update the Map of Diamond Bearing Areas in the North-Eastern Angola scaled 1: 500 000. Right now, we are mulling to establish mobile field teams, which will include experts from ALROSA and Endiama, for prompt assessment of diamond bearing potential in poorly researched or remote areas, which will lead to significant savings in time and money that is usually spent on licensing.

Interaction between the geologists of ALROSA and Catoca started in 2012 under the Agreement on Technical Cooperation between the geological survey service of Catoca and the Research and Exploration Company affiliated to ALROSA. During this time, they selected rock samples for laboratory analysis and sent rock collections to the laboratories of ALROSA, as well as to contractors for further research.

During 2016, we intend working in team with the geologists of Catoca to analyze the diamond bearing ability of the upper layers of Luaxe 072 based on their mineralogical data. It would be important to continue the comprehensive research of diamonds from kimberlites and placers in Catocas collection, which we started earlier for the Kwango and Kasai areas.

We also cooperate with other companies, which have shown interest in establishing contacts, as for example, the Association of the Galangue Project Companies. Cooperation with companies holding licenses and entitled to carry out field works, probing and rock sampling proved to yield good results in Angola in previous years.

When will Kimang, which is a joint venture of ALROSA and Ediama, start its operations?

In 2015, we drew up The Project to Conduct Prospecting for Primary Diamond Deposits within the License Area of Kasango (Kwango) and estimates. We also made the necessary set of graphical supplements. As a result of studies carried out by experts of the Department for Evaluation of New Areas, there were identified areas to be explored for primary sources of diamonds in the North-Eastern Angola, as well as given recommendations how this to be done. There were also suggested the first and second stages of exploration. Exploration works within the licensed areas of Angola are scheduled to begin in 2016.

And what was done by your company in Zimbabwe in 2015?

In 2014, Zimbabwe produced 10.4 million carats of diamonds, which puts the country on the third place in Africa in terms of diamond production by volume, after Botswana and Congo. There are more than 120 kimberlite pipes identified in this country, of which four pipes are rated as diamond deposits. Three diamond pipes are part of the Murowa diamond field and one represents the River Ranch mine. Placers containing significant resources (about 260 million carats) were identified in Marange. In addition, there is a small diamond placer in Chimanimani.

As a result of research performed in 2015, the territory of Zimbabwe was split into zones based on their exploration conditions, with identified types and subtypes of the landscape and geological exploratory environments and corresponding prospecting systems considered to be the most rational and effective for these zones. We also produced a zoning map scaled 1: 1,000,000 for the whole territory of the country reflecting the exploratory environments.

We have also charted a structural-tectonic map of Zimbabwe scaled 1: 2000 with diamond bearing elements based on a target-specific analysis of geological and geophysical data.

Our company did not perform any field works in the Republic of Zimbabwe in 2015. During the year, we carried out laboratory analysis of materials which have been accumulated during the field seasons of 2013-2014. We systematized the existing array of data according to the composition of chrome spinellides from the modern alluvium within the Devure, Nianidze, Chiniadadze, Chimanimani and Kharoni areas. Using analytical methods, we identified minerals of kimberlite genesis among chrome spinellides. The question pertaining to the location of their primary sources is still open.

During 2016, we shall define areas promising for identification of primary diamond deposits in the territory of Zimbabwe.

Tell us how the company is carrying out its projects in Botswana.

In 2014, Botswana produced 24.7 million carats of diamonds, which had an average cost of $ 156 per carat. Both in terms of volume and value of its diamond production the country is definitely the second-largest producer in the world after Russia.

Botswana has 13 identified kimberlite fields, including about 500 diamond pipes. Eight among them are diamond deposits: Jwaneng, Orapa, Letlhakane, Damtshaa, AK6, BK11, Gope and Lerala. Every year, two of the world's largest mines, Jwaneng and Orapa, supply more than 20 million carats of diamonds to the world market. Four of the country's largest deposits (Jwaneng, Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa) are owned by Debswana, the main shareholders of which are De Beers (50%) and the State (50%). It should be noted that the share of Botswana in De Beers is 15%.

A diamond field of greater interest is AK-6 (Karowe), which is in the southern part of the Orapa kimberlite field and happens to be one of the worlds "youngest" mines being developed. The AK6 pipe was discovered in 1969 by De Beers and considered off-balance. At the beginning of the 2000s it was additionally explored by African Diamonds (the predecessor of Botswana Diamonds, ALROSAs partner) and then sold to Canadas Lucara Diamond Corporation. Ore reserves of this small diamond deposit totaled 38 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.22 ct/t. The average price of diamonds + 1.5 mm in size from this mine reached $600 per carat in 2014-2015 and was the highest in the world. In the second half of 2015, Lucara reported it had unearthed gem quality diamonds weighing 374, 873 and 1111 carats at Karowe.

The data on diamond-bearing potential of the Republic of Botswana point to high prospects of identifying new diamond deposits, even within the previously explored territories.

ALROSAs thematic works were carried out by experts of the Department based on a large number of geological and geophysical data, including materials from Botswana Diamonds database made available to us under the Agreement on Technical Cooperation.

Taking into account the mineralogical characteristics, structural and tectonic background and specific features of the deep structure it was possible to outline promising areas near the Orapa and Gope kimberlite fields. I would like to note that a large part of the countrys subsurface resources is in the distributed fund. More than 220 areas are currently licensed in the territory of Botswana, which means that its greater part is occupied by various companies and the possibility to have a desired area for exploration is to a large extent limited.

How do you assess the results of Sunland Minerals in Botswana in 2015?

Exploration works, involving geologists, geophysicists and mineralogists from ALROSA, Severalmaz and Botswana Diamonds, were carried out in two phases covering the March-April and September-November periods in 2015. Sunland Minerals experts completed a large amount of exploration on 7 license areas near the Orapa and Gope kimberlite fields. This included ground geophysical surveys, primary concentrate and crushed sample testing regarding the sediment formation of the Kalahari and Karoo Supergroup, as well as real-time mineralogical analysis, core drilling and other tests.

While drilling a geophysical anomaly for verification purposes within the PL 210 license area near the Orapa field it was found that its geological nature was conditioned by a body of pipe-shaped serpentinites uncovered at a depth of 90 m. Its source rock was represented by picrites, probably of Proterozoic age.

Based on the results of 2015, we shall compile a program of works for 2016. Currently, ALROSA and Botswana Diamonds are discussing the possibility of appraisal drilling on kimberlite pipes in the Orapa field. The license for the above operations was received by Sunland Minerals at a special tender organized by the Department of Mines in Botswana. The area is located within 8 km from the Karowe pipe noted for its most expensive diamonds in the world.

Field works in the first half of 2016 are scheduled to take place in the period from February to April. If the time given for planning and financing these works will be observed, we shall have the results by the end of June in 2016.

Thus, exploration in Botswana carried out by Sunland Minerals since 2014 include a wide range of prospecting operations. Employing skilled personnel working under contracts, as well as contractors from local companies to carry out drilling, repair and logistics services does not require a large camp or permanent staff.

And what can you say about other regions in Africa?

The aim of regional operations carried out in Africa is to ensure long-term planning for geological exploration performed by ALROSA and based on a comprehensive assessment of the diamond bearing potential incidental to promising areas of this continent. Therefore, our research embraces the West African, Central African, East African and South African sub-provinces of the platform.

In 2015, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of the deep structural and tectonic features of these territories, as well as space-geological, geophysical, mineralogical and other data for the explored areas and also the monitoring data on exploration and mining activities of companies specializing in diamonds. In addition to regional studies, we have researched the diamond bearing potential of Namibia and Sierra Leone.

Along with such areas as Angola, Botswana and Zimbabwe, selected in accordance with the development strategy of ALROSA in Africa, areas promising in terms of primary diamond deposits can also be outlined in other regions, such as Congo and Tanzania.

An important aspect of ALROSAs operations in new promising areas is the companys interaction with the geological survey services in these countries and with those of major exploration companies. In 2016, ALROSA will continue its work in Africa.

Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished




The annual Investing in African Mining Indaba, which is considered one of the continents largest gathering of mining companies, investors and government representatives, has begun today in Cape Town, South Africa.

Organisers of the indaba said the four-day event's main topic is Investing Beyond Mining Cycles, which will unite delegates to drive investment into the continents mining industry.

Indaba managing director Jonathan Moore said that the event would explore what the sector was doing to strengthen its position in the current environment.

Most African countries, economies of which are driven mostly by commodities, had been wallowing in economic quagmire as weak commodity prices persist.

Oil producers such as Angola and Nigeria were most affected as crude prices remain depressed.

The countries, regarded as Africa's two biggest oil producers, were said to be in talks with the World Bank about support to help cope with low crude prices, weakening currencies and strained public finances.

Nigeria was this year expecting a budget deficit of 3 trillion naira, up from 2.2 trillion naira previously estimated, according to Reuters.

On the other hand Botswana, a leading diamond producer, had also announced a budget shortfall for the first time in four years.

The countrys Finance Minister Kenneth Matambo indicated last week that the budget deficit had widened to 3.8 percent of gross domestic product in the fiscal year beginning April 1 due to weak diamond exports.

More than ever, we intend to spark extensive dialogue on how the industry can design investment strategies that allow the sector to flourish at any stage in the cycle, said Moore.

This year the Mining Indaba leads with stronger content and a more personalised experience for investors.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, from Cape Town, South Africa, Rough&Polished




International Diamond Week in Israel (IDWI), to be held on February 14 - 18, will feature not only loose diamonds, but for the first time also a special show of diamond jewelry produced by companies within the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE).

Stephen Webster and President of CIBJO - World Jewellery Confederation Gaetano Cavalieri have been invited as special guests at the event.

Diamond jewelry has become an important part of the business of many Israeli diamond companies. In recognition of that trend, this IDWI will emphasize the prominent place of jewelry within the industry.

The Diamond Jewelry Show will be held in a dedicated section of the trading hall, and will feature twenty companies, all IDE members. The focus of the exhibitors will be on high end jewelry with both white and fancy color diamonds, as well as more casual pieces at lower price points.

"We recognize that diamond jewelry has become a substantial part of the business of the Israeli diamond industry. More and more IDE members are diversifying their products by introducing their own jewelry collections, taking advantage of the creativity and expert workmanship that our industry has to offer. I plan to promote and develop the area of diamond jewelry within the Israeli industry,"  said IDE President Yoram Dvash.

He added that the IDE plans to announce the launch of the Israel Diamond Jewelry Association during the IDWI. The newly created organization will promote diamond jewelry manufacturing in Israel.



Theodor Lisovoy, Rough&Polished, Moscow




ALROSA expects polished demand to grow 1-2% this year

08 february 2016 News

(FINMARKET.RU) - Demand for polished diamonds may grow by 1-2% in 2016, Andrey Zharkov, President of ALROSA told reporters in Mumbai, according to Bloomberg.

Andrey Zharkov also reiterated his position expressed in an interview to Interfax on January 21, 2016 that currently there were no reasons to correct rough prices.

ALROSA's revenue this year will stay flat at the level of the last year, i.e. about $3.5 billion, the president of the company said.

In 2015, polished prices fell, as manufacturers produced excessive amounts of polished goods. Their rate of return was under threat due to slowing demand in emerging markets and higher prices for rough compared with polished prices.

In 2015, the RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) for certified one-carat diamonds dropped by 5.8%, while RAPI for three-carat diamonds fell by 14.5%.

Prices for rough diamonds produced by ALROSA decreased by 15% in 2015.




Anglo American said that 2016 is going to be tougher than 2015 as mining revenues were expected to continue plummeting.

Group chief executive Mark Cutifani told the African Mining Indaba in Cape Town that weak commodity prices saw the company losing about $350 million of its revenues per month in 2015.

Its a big number for the [mining] industry, he said.

He, however, said that Anglo was better prepared following its recent restructuring.

The group said in December that it would consolidate its six business unit structures into three as it seeks to ensure optimal efficiency and effectiveness as well as provide further opportunity to reduce the cost burden on our business.

The three were De Beers, industrial metals and bulk commodities.

The group anticipated to deliver $3.7 billion of efficiency improvements, made up of productivity, operating costs and indirect costs by end of 2017.

We are taking further steps to protect the balance sheet and reduce leverage. We are reducing 2015 and 2016 capital expenditure (capex) by an additional $1 billion and have reduced our 2017 capex to $2.5 billion, a 55 percent reduction versus our 2014 expenditure, said Cutifani then.

The diversified group boss told delegates that the restructuring was a necessary process.

If we dont adapt we perish, he said.

Cutifani also said that they had plans to operate at full throttle in the next two to three years.

Anglo, which owns 85 percent of De Beers, had deliberately lowered output as a result of the weak diamond market in 2015.

The diamond giant dropped its full-year production target to 29 million carats last October.

It had revised the target last July to between 29 million and 31 million carats from the previous estimate of 31 million and 32 million carats.

This was again a revision to the initial production target of 34m carats for 2015.

De Beers also revealed last December that it was expecting to produce between 26 million and 28 million carats this year.

Meanwhile, Cutifani said there was also need for governments and the private sector to forge partnerships to usher development on the continent.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, from Cape Town, South Africa, Rough&Polished


The Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India s (GJEPC) 9th edition of Signature IIJS and the 3rd edition of India Gem & Jewellery Machinery Expo (IGJME), opened last Friday in Mumbai. Chief Guest Subhash Desai, Hon. Minister of Industries, Maharashtra, inaugurated the Signature IIJS 2016 in the presence of GJEPC Chairman Praveenshankar Pandya, Guest of Honour Andrey Zharkov (President, ALROSA, Russia Federation), Guest of Honour Manoj Dwivedi (Jt. Secretary, Union Ministry of Commerce, Government of India), Russell Mehta (Vice Chairman, GJEPC), Saunak Parikh (Convener  Exhibitions  National, GJEPC) and Sabyasachi Ray (Executive Director, GJEPC).

Signature IIJS to be held on 5-8 February, 2016 at Bombay Exhibition Centre showcased premium jewellery and commenced the new buying season. This year, the 3rd edition of India Gem & Jewellery Machinery Expo (IGJME) was introduced in Mumbai on the same dates and venue in conjunction with Signature IIJS.





































In his inaugural address, Praveenshankar Pandya said, India's predominant leadership position in diamonds is known world over. With 3 million workforce employed directly, industry accounts for 13% to the merchandise exports. This is a true testimony of make in India.

GJEPC has urged the government with recommendations in the policy to enhance ease of doing business, with special turnover tax regime for the trade, interest subvention scheme and MIES, sale through SNZ, VAT and state SEZ policy, he added

Pandya also mentioned that GJEPC has been proposing for a convention centre in Mumbai; and that the Council also aims to integrate the SME manufacturers of gold and diamonds under one roof in state-of-the-art Jewellery Park.

Subhash Desai, Hon. Minister of Industries, Maharashtra Government, expressed great admiration for the Indian gem & jewellery trade by calling it a jewel in Indias crown. He acknowledged that initiatives such as Bharat Diamond Bourse, the worlds largest diamond business hub, put Maharashtra in the forefront. We are working closely with bodies such as GJEPC to revise SEZ policies; create an Industrial Park soon and an international convention centre in the State, he assured.

Manoj Dwivedi, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry for Commerce, said, Indias gems and jewellery trade is dynamic, innovative and hardworking and thats how it has achieved 70-80% of the world leadership in key business segments. He added that the Government of India is very keen to promote the gems and jewellery sector because of the twin benefits of employment generation and enhancing export earnings.

Appreciating GJEPCs initiatives Signature IIJS and IGJME, Andrey Zharkov, President, ALROSA (Russia Federation) said that ALROSAs supply of diamonds to India has been growing steadily since 2010. Last year we did business of USD 1.5 bn in India, which is 45% of the total sales. The number of long term buyers has increased to 12, he added. Welcoming the Special Notified Zone (SNZ), Zharkov said that the move and will help in augmenting bilateral trade, especially helping small-to-medium sized enterprises in India. ALROSA has been collaborating with GJEPC for various programmes including exchange of information, Kimberley Process, natural & synthetic stones, etc., and we look forward to working with the new GJEPC team, said Zharkov.

Thanking all the sponsors, partners and vendors Saunak Parikh, Convener, Exhibitions - National, GJEPC, said, This is the first time that we are conducting two shows, Signature IIJS and IGJME 2016 simultaneously. The trade can get access to the entire spectrum of the business, new ideas, cutting edge technology, innovation and networking.

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished




Union Pacific reports that in 2015 it reduced railroad-crossing accidents by three percent with a 2.28, which is the total number of Federal Railroad Administration reportable grade crossing accidents per million train miles.

Launched in 2015, Union Pacifics Crossing Assessment Process (CAP) focuses attention on crossings with certain characteristics where incidents may be more likely to occur. While Union Pacific said all crossings that comply with company maintenance standards are safe for the traveling public, drivers continue to make mistakes at some of them. CAP helps identify those crossings and find safety enhancements.

Our initial review showed 25 percent of accidents happen at just four percent of grade crossings, said Cameron Scott, Union Pacifics executive vice president operations. As we find ways to enhance safety at these crossings, we create some real leverage to improve safety.

For private crossings, the company works with landowners to find alternative access that doesnt cross the railroad.

Another safety program, UP CARES, allows the company to work with communities through a variety of outreach channels. Thousands of UP CARES events are held annually across Union Pacifics 23-state network to educate pedestrians, motorists and truck drivers about how to stay safe around railroads and grade crossings.

In 2015, the company launched two social media campaigns targeting photographers, motorists, joggers and millennials. The campaigns generated social media engagement on channels such as Facebook and YouTube as audiences viewed and shared videos, images and rail safety ideas.
MTA New York City Transit / Marc A. Hermann

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has developed a plan to engage in detailed community consultation on how to proceed with necessary repairs for the Canarsie Tubes, which carry the L train under the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The Canarsie Tubes were heavily damaged during Superstorm Sandy when they were flooded with seven million gallons of saltwater, which has eaten away at the metal and concrete materials that make up the tubes infrastructure, MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Prendergast said. We need to bring the Canarsie Tubes to a state of good repair and we need to work closely with the community and its elected officials to determine the best way to proceed with this work and provide travel alternatives while it occurs.

I am thrilled that the MTA has agreed to work with the elected officials and the community to make the L train repairs and upgrades as undisruptive as possible, said Rep. Carolyn Maloney(D-NY-12). The MTA has been awarded nearly $5 billion in federal Sandy aid and has prioritized repairs to the flood-damaged 100-year-old Canarsie Tubes. Upgrades to the Bedford Avenue and 1st Avenue stations  two old stations that are inadequate to handle the huge surge in ridership in recent years  are great news for the L train. Our meeting with Chairman Prendergast was productive and I am very pleased that the MTA has agreed to host community engagement meetings in the near future so that all my constituents who will be affected by the work can be sure that their concerns are heard.

The MTA will seek to use as much federal Sandy relief funding as possible to perform this work. Cost estimates and construction timelines for the project will be developed as planning and design work commences and no timeline has been established for work to begin on the Canarsie Tube itself.

The Canarsie Tubes suffered extensive damage to tracks, signals, switches, power cables, signal cables, communication cables, lighting, cable ducts and bench walls throughout a 7,100-foot-long flooded section of both tubes. Bench walls throughout those sections must be rehabilitated to protect the structural integrity of the tubes.

The MTA has committed to meet regularly with residents, businesses and others affected by the Canarsie Tube work, as well as to consult with elected officials representing the affected areas, before making any decisions about the construction process and service alternatives. Discussions at the meeting made clear that further study of these topics is necessary before any final decisions are made and that the MTA will take community concerns into account.

MTA New York City Transit is weighing the operational and engineering impacts of different proposals for rebuilding the Canarsie Tubes. This agreement on a framework for community consultation ensures that the MTA will be able to consider those technical issues within the larger context of the concerns expressed by residents, businesses, community boards, merchant groups and civic associations.

By soliciting input from the affected communities as this process moves forward, we will develop a stronger and more responsive plan for how to accomplish this vital work while respecting the concerns of those who rely on the L train, NYCT President Veronique Hakim said. We share the goal of frequent and reliable L service between Brooklyn and Manhattan and we will work closely with those who will be most affected by this work.

The L train carries 225,000 customers through the Canarsie Tubes on an average weekday and is the main transit route for large sections of the Williamsburg and Bushwick neighborhoods of Brooklyn. Since 1990, ridership at L train stations has more than doubled, and ridership at the Bedford Ave station in Brooklyn has more than quadrupled.

During this rehabilitation process, the MTA will also make significant improvements to stations and tunnel segments closest to the under-river section. New stairs and elevators will be installed at the Bedford Av station in Brooklyn and the 1 Av station in Manhattan and three new electric substations will be installed, providing more power to operate additional trains during rush hours.
Growing number of Syrian refugees, who fled to Iraq to escape the fighting in Syria, are now returning home to their war-ravaged country for medical reasons and unbearable cost of living.

Ground down by the protracted exile, they find it too expensive to get treatment in Iraq, UNHCR quoted refugees as saying.

In Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, the cost of living is high, especially for refugees who live in urban areas. Expenses for medical treatment is said to be five times more than what is charged in Syria.

Despite the clear risk of losing their asylum seeker documentation in Iraq, up to 25,000 Syrian refugees left the Kurdistan region of Iraq last year, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Most returned home or, from there, continued on to Europe in search of a better life - many citing hardship in exile.

"In December 2015, 86 per cent of refugees who went back to Syria were those who were living out of camps, in urban settings. Rent is high, it is difficult to find work and people are running out of money," said Mustafa El Hegagi, a UNHCR repatriation officer who works at the Iraq border.

United Nations officials estimate that many more Syrian refugees will leave Iraq for Syria, or to other countries in 2016. But, due to the security situation on the other side of the border, UNHCR maintains a non-return policy to Syria.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
The World Health Organization has said that the Zika virus is spreading geographically to four previously unaffected countries of South America-Caribbean region.

WHO said Monday that between 27 and 30 January, PAHO/WHO was notified of cases of Zika virus infection in Costa Rica, Curacao, Jamaica and Nicaragua.

The National IHR Focal Point of the United States reported a case of Zika virus infection in a patient returning from Costa Rica, and confirmed that the patient has fully recovered.

The National IHR Focal Point of the Netherlands reported the first autochthonous case of Zika virus infection in Curacao, an independent state and part of the Netherlands in southern Caribbean region just north of the Venezuelan coast. So gfar, 13 imported cases of Zika virus infection have been confirmedin Curacao. All these patients have a history of recent travel to Suriname.

The National IHR Focal Point of Jamaica reported that a 4-year-old girl who returned from the United States was infected with Zika virus.

The National IHR Focal Point of Nicaragua reported the country's first 2 laboratory-confirmed cases of locally-acquired Zika virus infection, both women.

WHO said that the risk of a global spread of Zika virus to areas where the Aedes mosquitoes are present is significant.

Despite reports of a potential association between Zika virus, microcephaly and other neurological disorders, a causal relationship between these events has not yet been confirmed.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
By SA Commercial Prop News

Sisa Ngebulana  CEO of Rebosis Property Fund.



JSE-listed black-managed Rebosis Property Fund has reported a profit for the period from its May 17 listing to the end of August.

Headline profit for each linked unit of 27.94c was reported and a maiden distribution of 22.25c per linked unit was declared for the period.

The distribution would have been 22.95c for each linked unit, but at 22.25c, it is 2.8% below the prelisting forecast of 22.91c for the same period, mainly as a result of the delay in the transfer of Bloed Street Mall, which CEO Sisa Ngebulana attributed to local government elections and a deferral in the new council.

However, Ngebulana said that the transfer of Bloed Street Mall was expected to be concluded by the end of this month and that the transfer would increase the group's gearing ratio from 33.9% to 39.8%

Further, he pointed out that the fund was also reliant on government leases. Forty percent of the portfolio is underpinned by secured long-term commercial government leases, with overall retail and commercial occupancy levels currently at 97%.

He added that the retail portfolio has shown a turnover growth of 19% for its Hemingways Mall and Mdantsane City, situated in East London.

Meanwhile, the company which was also the first to list under the new Companies Act, said that it is well positioned for future growth, with the right of first refusal on about eight properties listed in property group the Billion Groups development pipeline, which will see a multi-city pipeline providing better geographic diversity, valued at R7-billion.

Panic in the market provides opportunity, and we are looking to invest in projects particularly when consumers are not buying, to be ready when the market is level and consumers start buying again, Ngebulana said.

The company, South Africas first black-managed property fund, raised about R1.66-billion on listing in May.
A first-of-its-kind journey along India and Pakistan border

What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes the
Ashraf Rifi Contact Arrested in Lebanon Terrorist Acts

Ebrahim Maghsood, arrested in a terrorism investigation, is alleged to be an agent of Ashraf Rifi.



Ashraf Rifi

Photo courtesy: twitter.com



(SALEM, Ore.) - Lebanese military intelligence officials recently arrested a man over alleged involvement in terrorist attacks, and they say the man, Ebrahim Maghsood, is in contact with Ashraf Rifi, the general director of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces from 2005 to 2013.

The Panorama Asharq Al-Awsat (aawsat.com) news agency reported that Maghsood is from a village near Danina. Maghsood was arrested by military intelligence at his home where weapons and explosives were also reportedly seized.

After Ebrahim Maghsood was taken into custody, Ashraf Rifi is said to have called the Lebanese military intelligence officials affiliated with the Al Mustaqbal political movement in the north and demanded that they liberate Maghsood quickly.

Following this contact, the army released the suspected terrorist under the pretext that he would only be charged with possession of illegal arms.

It is worth noting that Ebrahim Maghsood is alleged to be an agent of Ashraf Rifi with whom he is in direct contact. Concerned over disclosing his relations with Rifi, military intelligence quickly released him.

Ashraf Rifi has intervened before in other cases, allegedly to divert the course of the investigation such as the case of the Saudi Prince who was arrested with tons of drugs and Daiatal Islam al-Shahala, leader of an extremist Islamist group who fled to Turkey after a series of terrorist acts in Lebanon.

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San Antonio, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/08/2016 -- Lone Star Locksmith, a Texas based locksmith service provider, recently started proffering emergency locksmith services for offices, factories and other commercial premises. The owners stated that the new line of services are specially intended for commercial building or facility owners who want to upgrade their lock and key systems or want to avail emergency professional services from locally based professionals.



"Since we have our main operational base right in the heart of San Antonio and we have our mobile units travelling the length and breadth of the area, commercial space or shop owners can expect on-time services from us. All they have to do is to call our helpline number which is provided on our website", said a customer relationship manager of Locksmithsanantonio-247.com. He also added that their residential and automobile locksmith services have also gained huge popularity among residents of the area. He told the press that interested people can also use a contact form on their website to know more about different types of services they offer.



"Alternatively, one can visit the FAQ section of our website to collect the information related to our services", he added.



Tomer Orenda, the CEO at Lone Star Locksmith impressed upon the need for hiring better professionals as urban commercial locksmiths. He said: "We already have enough locksmiths that are both available and mobile. But stranded customers still do not get necessary support. This is generally because of a lack in skill and this is where we feel we are trying to make a difference. Our commercial locksmiths have the most advanced institutional training and do not shy off from challenges."



Mr Orenda further stated: "We are available on an actionable call-for-service basis. All customers need to do is place a call at our number any time of the day or night and we will have a professional locksmith visit on them at the earliest. We only hope to improve our services from here on. We are still recruiting commercially trained locksmiths."



About Locksmithsanantonio-247.com

Locksmithsanantonio-247.com is a Texas based commercial locksmith service provider.



To know more, visit http://www.locksmithsanantonio-247.com/



Contact:

Tomer Orenda, CEO

Company Name: Lone Star Locksmith

Contact Number: (210)-880-6555
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/08/2016 -- ItsHot.com, a renowned manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer of diamond jewelry in NY, has added over 300 new uniquely designed engagement rings and announced an amazing 60-80% discount on the full collection of now over a thousand different diamond engagement rings for this Valentine's Day. To provide exquisite jewelry pieces at the most competitive rates, the reputed jewelry store is offering a pre-made collection of rings such as an amazing 72% discount on 14K Gold Unique Diamond Engagement Ring Set with 4.17 carats of round diamonds. Previously listed at $14,928.00, this engagement ring is now available for just $4,569.00. Crafted in 14k solid gold casting, purchasing and presenting this diamond engagement ring on Valentine will make a great gift and display of affection to that very special person in your life. Presently in the stock, the item code for purchasing this exquisite diamond engagement ring is 005511.



Speaking more about this unique diamond engagement ring, one of their representative stated, "This 14K Gold Unique Diamond Engagement Ring Set consists of a diamond engagement ring and matching band. The engagement ring showcases a 1/2 carat round diamond in the center and 1 3/4 carats of round diamonds on the sides for a total of 2 1/4 carat of dazzling diamonds. The band showcases 1.91 carats of dazzling round diamonds. This set is available in Platinum, 18k or 14k yellow, rose, white gold, various sizes, and can be customized with any color and quality diamonds.  carat center diamond is included but can also be upgraded to up to a 3 carat diamond."



ItsHot.com is one of the most sought after names in the industry for providing some of the largest collection diamond engagement rings at the most competitive prices. Their rings are precisely crafted employing latest technological tools to ensure that it fulfill the highest quality standards and also the needs of their customers. The array of engagement rings that individuals can explore on ItsHot.com include preset diamond engagement rings, diamond engagement ring sets, engagement ring mounting sets (if you would like to purchase your center stone separately), matching engagement ring bands and many others. In addition, ItsHot.com is also popular with the individuals for offering a range of other exquisite diamond jewelry items like men's diamond watches, diamond eternity bands, women's diamond watches, wedding rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, diamond hip hop jewelry, loose diamond and many others. This reputed jewelry store also specializes in custom orders and has wide experience in creating anything from custom diamond engagement rings to custom diamond pendants, at factory-direct prices.



The entire collection of diamond engagement rings can be purchased from ItsHot.com's New York Showroom and can be ordered online. Their selection of diamond engagement rings comes with a 1 year and a 30 day money back guarantee. Apart from this, the ordered products are packed nicely in gift boxes ready to be presented and delivered safely via fully insured FedEx mail.



About ItsHot.com

ItsHot.com specializes in the manufacture and wholesale of high-end fine diamond jewelry and diamond watch designs. They have a rich experience of 20 years in the manufacturing and wholesale of fine diamond jewelry. They have a vast knowledge of craftsmanship and consumer needs which have helped them develop a fine line of diamond jewelry. ItsHot.com is also an authorized dealer for many brands of diamond watches and it specializes in watch customization. To learn more about their stunning collection of diamond engagement rings, visit their NYC showroom open Mon-Fri 11am-7pm EST or shop securely online 24/7 at http://www.ItsHot.com.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/08/2016 -- The growth of the Manufacturing Media Consortium has been very strong in the Middle East according to founder Thomas R. Cutler, who will be meeting with regional media members in February 2016.



Many companies are expanding to the region. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. recently opened a regional parts distribution center near Al Maktoum International Airport in United Arab Emirates (UAE). The center, located in Dubai South, formerly known as Dubai World Central, houses high-usage items and provides rapid-response support to Gulfstream's factory-authorized service center and customers throughout the Middle East, India and Africa.



Gulfstream started stocking parts at the new regional distribution center, which is approximately 6,000 square feet/557 square meters. The facility is expected to have approximately $10 million in parts and materials inventory by the end of 2015. Gulfstream worked with the Kuehne + Nagel Group to provide the warehouse and handle logistics services. Gulfstream maintains a worldwide spares inventory of more than $1.6 billion.



Gulfstream's customer resources in the Middle East help support a fleet of more than 180 aircraft in the Middle East, India and Africa. Most are based in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and India. The resources include Jet Aviation's service center at Dubai International Airport and fixed-based operation (FBO) at Al Maktoum International along with Jet Aviation FBOs in Jeddah, Medina and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The inventory at Gulfstream's new regional distribution center complements what is housed at Jet Aviation's warehouse at Dubai International.



About TR Cutler, Inc.

TR Cutler, Inc. was founded seventeen years ago by Thomas R. Cutler. Cutler maintains extraordinary relationships with clients, journalists, editors, economists, trendsetters, and key business leaders worldwide and has become a key resource for those writing about the manufacturing sector.



Cutler founded the Manufacturing Media Consortium in 1999, which now has more than 6,000 global members including journalists, editors, publishers, and economists, worldwide writing about trends, industrial data, manufacturing case studies, material handling profiles, and robotics feature articles. Cutler works with thousands of media outlets to expand the coverage and importance of the manufacturing media coverage.



Cutler has authored more than 5,000 articles for a wide range of manufacturing periodicals, industrial publications, and business journals each published in leading monthly trade magazines, B2B periodicals, blogs, and marquis publications globally. Cutler is the host of a new weekly episodic video program called Kanbanversation. He is also the President and CEO of Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based, TR Cutler, Inc., (http://www.trcutlerinc.com), the largest manufacturing communication firm worldwide with four dozen of industry experts and thought leaders on staff.



Cutler is the most published freelance industrial journalist worldwide, and thousands follow Cutler on Twitter daily at @thomasrcutler.
[NAIROBI] Since the adoption of the UNs Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development by world leaders on 25 September last year, I have been looking for opportunities that can offer innovative lessons for Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

One such opportunity arose last week (3 February) when I attended the 15th anniversary celebrations of the Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI), at which the role of biosciences in achieving the SDGs was discussed.

Scientists and researchers need to link research to national, regional and global agenda through effective science communication. By Gilbert Nakweya

At the event in Kenya, I listened to scientists, policymakers, researchers and international development partners reflect on the challenges and opportunities in biosciences for Africas transformation and how the continent can harness biosciences to achieve the SDGs.

How can the goals be achieved as envisaged? At conferences, seminars and workshops, experts on climate change, energy, food security, nutrition, health or water continue to seek solutions that could help achieve the SDGs.

I know that with the gravity of the problems facing Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a sense of urgency to find a roadmap towards sustainable development that could lead to a positive transformation of the continent.

So as I listened to the experts at the BecA-ILRI event, I realised that communicating science, technology and innovations remains a challenge for adopting ground-breaking research.

There exists a gap in knowledge between scientists and policymakers which hinders development because a number of countries have policies that are not research-oriented and fail to capture key areas of using science, technology and innovation for transformation.

In agriculture I believe, for example, that communities  especially where rural smallholder farmers livecan be linked to innovations in science and technology through favourable policies. This is critical to sustainable development.

Consequently, agricultural scientists in the global South are being challenged to advocate for science through effective communication with all those with key roles to play, especially policymakers and smallholder farmers, to enable sustainable growth within the realm of the SDGs.

The role of effective and efficient science communication cannot be overemphasised. Scientists and researchers need to link research to national, regional and global agenda through effective science communication.

Science journalism also needs to be strengthened in Africa to help bridge the gap between scientists and policymakers. Science journalists have a key role in ensuring that the populace appreciates the role of scientific innovations in transforming Africa.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
A new performance audit says North Carolinas unemployment office committed too many monetary payment errors in its chief jobless benefits program. The report from State Auditor Beth Woods office released Wednesday examined the North Carolina Unemployment Insurance program for five years through March 2021. Program claims are paid for with state unemployment taxes from employers. Estimates based on samples show $384 million in payments out of nearly $2.2 billion of them were considered improper. That's well above the federal government's 10% threshold. The agency overseeing the Division of Employment Security accepted the findings and said the percentage of improper payments has fallen recently.
FLORENCE, S.C. -- Meeting notes on actions taken during the Florence City Council meeting on Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 in council chambers at the City Center at 1 p.m.

Members present: Mayor Stephen J. Wukela, Mayor Pro-Tem Buddy Brand (District 3), Teresa Myers Ervin (District 1), Edward Robinson (District 2), George Jebailey (At-Large), Octavia Williams-Blake (At-Large) and Robby Hill (At-Large).

Approval of Minutes

January 11, 2016- Regular Meeting

Retirement Recognitions

Charles A. Rogers- 30 years -August 26, 1985 -September 16, 2015

Service Recognitions

Harry Epps- 25 years- Fire

Allan Joyner- 25 years- Fire

Amanda Pope- 20 years- Administration/City Manager's Office

Michael Giles -15 years - Fire

Otis Gowdy - 15 years  Police

Educational Recognitions

Justin Galloway - On January 8, 2016, Justi11 passed his B Water Operator

Certification Exam.

Ordinances in Position

- Bill No. 2016-01 -Second Reading - APPROVED (7-0)

An Ordinance authorizing the conveyance of the real estate making up a portion of the parcel designated as Tax Parcel/90073-15-001 in the records of the Florence County Tax Assessor La Stokes Properties V, LLC in exchange for the transfer to the City of a portion of the parcel designated as Tax Parcel 90073-15-018 in the records of the Florence County Tax Assessor in order to facilitate the construction of the new Stokes Eye Clinic and the related public parking in the downtown area as previously approved by Resolution 2015-12.

-Bill No. 2016-02-Second Reading - APPROVED (7-0)

An Ordinance to provide for the issuance and sale of a not to exceed $7,000,000 General Obligation Bond of2016 Of the City of Florence, South Carolina, to prescribe the purposes for which the proceeds shall be expended, to provide for the payment thereof, and other matters relating thereto.

Introduction of Ordinances

-Bill No. 2016-03 - First Reading - APPROVED (7-0)

An Ordinance to amend the General Fund Budget for the City of Florence, South Carolina, for the fiscal year beginning July I, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016.

- Bill No. 2016-04- First Reading - APPROVED (7-0)

An Ordinance to amend the Zoning Ordinance by adding section 2.22 to the existing Ordinance in order to create a Neighborhood Revitalization Overlay District associated with Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy and to provide for their enforcement and administration.

- Bill No. 2016-05- First Reading - Approved (7-0)

An Ordinance to rezone the properties located at 108, 112, 406, 408, and 410 Vista Street and 303 Roughfork Street, said properties being specifically designated in the Florence County Tax Record as Tax Map Parcel 90084-07- 016, 023, 024, 90084-08-008, 90099-01-014 and 016, from R-4 Multi-Family Residential to Neighborhood Revitalization Overlay District.

- Bill No. 2016-06- First Reading - APPROVED (7-0)

An Ordinance to rezone the city block bordered by N. Co it Street to the East, N B Baroody Street to the North, N. McQueen Street to the West, and W. Evans Street. Tax Record~ as Tax Map Parcel/90073-15-001, 002, 004 005, 006, 007, 008, 009, 010, 011, 012, 013, 014, 015, 016, 018, 020, 021, 022, 023, 024, 026, 028, from B-3 General Commercial District to B-4 Central Commercial District.

Introduction of Resolutions

-Resolution No. 2016-01- APPROVED (7-0)

A Resolution to authorize a Memorandum of Understanding between the City, Florence School District One, and Francis Marion University initiating a cooperative effort to improve educational opportunities.

-Resolution No. 2016-02 - APPROVED (7-0)

A resolution honoring Diversity Works Magazines contributions to the effort of revitalizing downtown Florence.

Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Thomasina E. Foster to the board of Parks and Beautification. - APPROVED (7-0)

Adjourn: 2:08 p.m.
Media quoted Maersk Line Indonesia president director Jakob Friis Sorensen, as saying that Damco "might look at cold storage," backed by bullish expectations of Indonesian President Joko Widodo's maritime ambitions.

Still, he noted that the government's vision, which was first pledged during Joko's presidential campaign, remains vague and needs more fine-tuning in terms of planning.

"Otherwise, some of the partners or customers of Maersk Line might [open a cold storage facility] as it's adjacent to the fishing industry," he said.

Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board, or BKPM, recently announced that the government may allow foreign companies to wholly-own a cold storage facility in Indonesia as part of its ongoing revisions to the country's investment guidelines. Foreigners may soon be able to own up to 67% in transport supporting services, such as maritime cargo handling and ground handling, according to the transport ministry.

The revisions, which are part of the government's greater plan to attract more foreign business, have so far passed through at the ministerial level, with the first part of the revision expected to roll out in the next few days.

Maersk is also apparently setting its sights on port development in Indonesia, being among the first companies to bet on the government's maritime mission by opening a direct international route to the eastern port of Bitung, North Sulawesi, from Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, in 2014.

In October last year, Maersk went on further to sign an agreement with the government to help them in improving cargo flows in the Bitung port, which is expected to be among Indonesia's strategic ports with a special economic zone.

Sorensen said that the company is budgeting approximately $500,000 in the pilot project, which it hopes will help Maersk to open the path for future investment in Indonesia.

"The whole key is that once we can prove things are working, we want to replicate together with the government to other ports," Sorensen said.
Particularly for commentators in the UK shipping industry, this perception is understandable - but mistaken, says Reinhard Luken, head of the German shipbuilding and ocean industries association (VSM), and is a message he cannot accept.

People who have worked a long time in the UK have seen shipbuilding go from absolute world market dominance to nothing, in 50 years. I cant think of any other industry that has done that, Luken tells Seatrade Maritime News. The UKs economic focus on capital markets has put heavy industry in a very difficult position. We do not have the same situation here in Germany.

And yet. I hear this, even from our own shipowners. Are they still building ships in Germany? Of course we are! Can they really afford this level of ignorance?

The key, he argues, is that while Asian shipyards have strengths which European yards cannot replicate, this works both ways. I dont want to come across as someone with a loudspeaker promoting Germany  I want to be realistic. Yes, product types that are simple technology  bulk carriers, with massive empty steel hulls  we have not built these in Germany for years. We do not have the economies of scale for that. There are also external factors  the steel price, for example  thats 20-30% of the newbuilding price.

But there is no law of nature that says we cant continue to lead the market with our technology.

In fact revenues from shipyards in Germany were EUR7bn in 2014, (EUR18bn where marine equipment production is included) up from EUR4bn in 1998, pre-recession and before Chinas shipbuilding boom in the early-mid 2000's. In fact, as of mid-2015, Germany retains a greater share of world shipbuilding over 100gt than Singapore.

Mitsubishi (Heavy Industries), the crown jewel of Japanese shipbuilding, has been trying to build cruise ships, and has lost $1.3bn doing it, said Luken, referring to newbuild AIDAprima and its sister ship, which is set for delivery in March this year after more than a year of delays.

The last two visits Seatrade has made to Hamburgs Blohm + Voss shipyard, head Jan Kees Pilaar painted a grim picture for offshore, the market for which, at his yard, had imploded. Commercial shipping, however, was understood to be a complete write-off in terms of revenues. Instead, cruise, mega-yachts, and military contracts were the order of the day.

Feeder vessels were identified as one future revenue stream for German yards, and will become more attractive as emphasis on efficiency and technology increases. Its a different story on the container side. There is a lot of expertise here for smaller vessels, and the exchange rate is almost like for like with dollars.

With standard ship types there is so much focus on capital, rather than technology or performance. There is a certain tendency for shipowners to say good enough. But, where complex technology and performance is the focus, European shipyards lead the market.

Look to OSVs  Norway is the world market leader. Dredgers  the Netherlands lead the market. Look at cruise  Germany is the world market leader. Where performance is key, we lead, he states.
"At a particularly crucial time for the Greek economy, our shipping, the country's most prolific pillar, is being targeted and the legal uncertainty and investment insecurity generated by this may cause a flight, not only of the Greek fleet, but also of the European one, to places outside Europe which are more welcoming international shipping centers."

A message clearly aimed at a range of recipients created a lively discussion, at an agm where taxation issues were very much on everyones mind following the European Commissions decision to ask Greece to amend key provisions of the legal framework under which shipping operates.

Brussels says Greece is not in compatibility with the so-called State aid Guidelines (SAG) on state aid to maritime transport, something Veniamis and Greek shipping generally disputes.

"Provisions identified as inadmissible are the same, or similar, to those in many EU member states," declared Veniamis, repeating his claim the whole issue is a hypocritical move against Greek shipping and Greece in general while pointing out Greek shipping is in the highest tax bracket in Europe.

The UGS president said the state of global shipping is reflected in the stricken dry bulk sector, which he said "is facing its worst time in history, with a dramatic decline of the BDI, as well the slowdown of world trade.

But he did note there is another side to the coin, as tankers enjoy their best market since 2008.

Veniamis said the industry is experiencing serious concern and conflicting emotions. We all need composure and alertness in decision-making. Shipping has gone through difficult situations and transitions before and has always found the way to survive and recover.

He made a point of congratulating shipping companies for participating in the voluntary doubling of tonnage tax, a measure which will likely remain in force to 2020.

But he was critical of the lack of political will to improve maritime education, saying "the UGS has presented a holistic proposal to improve sandwich courses" and absorbing students cadets for the mandatory course at sea". He said the UGS continues to financially support maritime academies along with building infrastructure and providing equipment.
Wholly owned by investment company Oaktree, the company operates a modern fleet of 19 vessels averaging five years in age, equipped with cranes with a combined lifting capacity of 1,400tonnes that can operate independently of local infrastructure. All are ice-strengthened and can travel along sea routes with an ice thickness of up to 0.8mtr.

As a company HHL emerged phoenix-like from the ashes of failed Beluga Shipping, which was declared insolvent in 2011, Oaktree selling off some older tonnage in the fleet and relocating the companys HQ from Bremen to Hamburg.

Given the huge industrial development projects now taking place in northern Russia, the heavylift specialist is now eyeing transits along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) more often. The HHL New York and HHL Amazon, which both hold Ice Class E3 equivalent to Russian Arc.4 (Finnish-Swedish Ice Class 1A), successfully completed voyages along the western boundary of the NSR in late 2015, delivering the heat exchanger for an LNG plant as well as other power generation equipment.

"The NSR is an increasingly important route and our use of it nearly doubled in the last year," says HHL md and cco Joerg Roehl. "However, it takes careful preparation, as well as experience and the right equipment in order to succeed."

Roehl believes that the reason a number of other leading heavy lift operators - including Rickmers Linie and SAL Heavy Lift - are based in Hamburg is that customers with precious one-off, outsize cargoes prefer to trust companies with an ingrained tradition of cargo handling expertise. In the case of Hamburg, that expertise dates back a few centuries, he points out, to the days of the Hanseatic League which dominated north European trade from around 1500 to 1800.
Press Release

February 6, 2016 CHIZ SAYS LAWYER OF POE ACCUSER NEEDS TO BRUSH UP

ON THE LAW ON EQUALITY Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero lashed out at the lawyer of one of the petitioners in the disqualification case against presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe for saying that Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno had misplaced sympathy for foundlings, advising him to "get a better grasp of the finer tenets of the law in administering equity and equality." Contrary to the argument of former Sen. Francisco Tatad's counsel Manuelito Luna, Escudero said Sereno's statement on the injustice that could be done to foundlings should one of them is barred from holding public office on the premise that she is not a natural-born Filipino was "not misplaced and not based on untested theory." "Has he (Luna) ever heard of equity is equality in law? That equity should grant relief to persons who are going through hardships which are not of their doing," said Escudero, Poe's running mate and the leading vice-presidential candidate in the May elections. Luna earlier criticized Sereno for what he regarded as "misplaced sympathy for foundlings and the untested theory" she had based her observations on with regard to Poe's case. Poe had petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse two decisions of the Commission on Elections canceling her certificate of candidacy for president allegedly due to "material misrepresentations" in her citizenship and residency. The poll body upheld four petitions claiming that Poe, being a foundling, is not a natural-born citizen and failed to comply with the 10-year residency requirement in the Constitution for her to qualify as a candidate for president. But during the oral arguments on Poe's petitions, Sereno took note of the "profound impact that a ruling against Poe would have on the natural-born status of foundlings." Luna argued that Sereno had no basis for saying that Poe and similarly-situated foundlings like her are being discriminated upon and maintained that he would assert the provisions of the 1934 Constitution, which states that foundlings are not considered natural-born citizens. He added that the 1934 Constitution, which covers Poe since she was born in 1968, did not support Sereno's theory on foundlings. "I dare say that Luna has his own 'misplaced' interpretation of the law. What the Chief Justice was saying was when the law, or in this case the 1935 Constitution, discriminates, the High Tribunal should qualify and put things in proper perspective," Escudero pointed out.
Press Release

February 6, 2016 Sen. Marcos calls for speedy repatriation of remains of OFWs

who died in Iraq hotel blaze Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr. today urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to exert all out efforts for the speedy repatriation of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who were among the 17 people who died in a fire in Iraq's Kurdistan region. Iraq Charge d'Affaires Elmer Cato said the Philippine post in Iraq has been informed that 14 Filipinos were among those who perished in the hotel fire. "The DFA must do everything possible to repatriate the remains of the deceased OFWs the soonest time. That is the best thing we can do to assuage the grief of their families," said Marcos. "To the families of these OFWs, I extend my deepest condolences and sympathies," he added. Likewise, Marcos urged the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to fast-track the release of whatever benefits and assistance the families of the deceased OFWs are entitled to receive. "OWWA should immediately coordinate with the DFA to establish the identities of the victims and process the necessary documents so the benefits for their families can be readied even as the repatriation efforts are on-going," said Marcos. An active member of OWWA is covered by insurance for the duration of his employment contract. This includes P100,000.00 for death due to natural cause and P200,000.00 for death due to accident. Legal heirs of a deceased OFW are entitled to receive an additional P20,000 for funeral expenses. In addition survivors of a deceased OFW are entitled to education assistance consisting of P5,000.00 for elementary, P 8,000.00 for high school and P10,000.00 for college per school year, as well as livelihood assistance amounting to P15,000.00 which is given to the surviving spouse. Marcos has been pushing for better government support for OFWs in recognition of their contribution to our economy paid for by their personal sacrifices and hard work. He noted that according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas figures, OFW remittances reached almost $23 billion from January to November of 2015, contributing to an estimated 10 percent of our country's Gross Domestic Product. "We have to do more for them. We always talk about "sila ang ating bagong bayani" tapos mayroong laglag-bala. Tapos mayroon yung binubuksan yung kanilang balikbayan box na wala namang problema. Hindi natin sila tinatrato ng mabuti," said Marcos in a recent interview. Marcos believes that what the government should set its eyes on is to create more jobs in the country so that our workers won't be forced to leave their families behind in search of greener pastures.
Press Release

February 6, 2016 Pimentel endorses creation of new courts to declog dockets;

speed up administration of justice Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III underscored the urgency to establish the correct and sustainable infrastructure to guarantee that the people are able to obtain redress in a speedy and efficient manner when he recently endorsed the creation of additional courts in various parts of the country. He said the new courts will help declog court dockets and speed up the administration of justice in these areas where the overload of cases had become more than double of the manageable caseload in first and second level courts of the country. Pimentel, who is also the chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, endorsed the passage of five House measures on the creation of new courts, not to "serve as mere ornaments or political accommodations but as tangible solutions to the pressing issues confronting our justice system." Senate's approval of House Bill Nos. 1374, 3145, 5620, 5621 and 5632 would pave the way for the creation of additional branches in the first and second level courts in the cities of Malabon, Calapan and Calamba and the province of Leyte, said Pimentel. "With the passage of these bills, it is my hope that soon, no Filipino will be denied justice simply due to the delay in the disposition of their cases," Pimentel said in his sponsorship speech. He said the great American civil rights advocate Martin Luther King, while incarcerated in Birmingham jail decades ago, famously decried the phrase that never gets hackneyed, "justice delayed is justice denied." "Sadly, Mr. King's words, which were probably a critique on the administration of justice during his time, still very much resonate to this day, with the plight of many Filipinos whose cases have long languished or are still languishing in our courts or in jails," he said. Pimentel said the incontrovertible reality is that the country's courts are inundated with cases, regardless of merit. "In fact, it is common to see stacks of case files finding their way into the corridors of our courts simply because they could not keep up with the volume of cases that are brought for their disposition," he said. With rapid development and increasing human activity, he said it is almost certain that the number of legal conflicts would only steadily increase in the coming years. He said the judiciary boasts of brilliant professionals and diligent luminaries in the legal community, but the sheer volume of their caseload sometimes rendered it impossible for them to resolve cases judiciously and with dispatch. He cited the case of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro where the two branches had a total combined caseload of 1,620 cases as of December 2014. "This equates to a caseload of 810 per branch per year which is 510 cases over the manageable caseload for second level courts which Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said to be 300 cases per branch," he said. The same is true with the RTC in Ormoc City which has a total combined caseload of 1,637 for two branches as of Feb. 2015; the RTC in Iba, Zambales which has a total combined caseload of 1,700 for three branches; and the RTC in Calamba City which has a total combined caseload of 4,380 for five branches as of March 2015. The Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) in Malabon City has a total combined caseload of 2,031 for two branches as of March 2015, or an average caseload of 1,015 per branch per year, exceeding the manageable caseload of 500 for first level courts by a staggering 515 cases per branch. Pimentel said that the creation of the new courts took into consideration not only the present case volume of existing branches but also the geographical situation of the areas to link the courts with the public to make the judicial process more accessible.
Press Release

February 6, 2016 RECTO TO PALACE: CONSULT CONGRESS ON PAY HIKE IMPLEMENTATION Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto today advised Malacanang to consult with leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives before finalizing its plan to adjust unilaterally the salary of government workers this year without an enabling law. Recto welcomed the recent decision of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to adopt his proposal for executive action on the implementation of the first tranche of salary adjustments for state workers as spelled out in the proposed Salary Standardization Law (SSL) IV. "With the bicameral committee still deadlocked on SSL IV, it is but proper for the Executive Department to step in and ensure that our government workers will receive the pay hike contained in the 2016 national budget," the senator said. But Recto cautioned Malacanang against unilateral implementation of the pay adjustments without consultation with Congress leaders, saying "points agreed upon during the legislative deliberations must be included in any presidential order implementing the pay hike." Foremost of these issues, he said, is non-reduction of so-called Magna Carta benefits currently being enjoyed by government workers. "Both the Senate and the House invested so much time and effort in polishing the (SSL4) bill that it is just proper that improvements agreed upon be incorporated into whatever order the President will issue on salary standardization," Recto pointed out. "It can still be a unilateral act but consultative in so far as the process is concerned. The institution that appropriated the money must be consulted by the co-equal branch that will spend it," he added. "Congressional leaders are just a phone call or a text away. Pwede mag-Skype pa nga," he said. Recto added, "no harm will be done if the DBM will also solicit the view of heads of departments whose employees might be affected by the vague language of a few sections of the proposed SSL IV." "If the entire EO will just be copy-pasted from the original bill, then baka maraming empleyado na mag-tampo," he said. Last Monday, Recto appealed to Malacanang to consider drafting a presidential order on salary standardization as "Plan B" after Congress adjourned for a four-month election break without passing the SSL IV. Recto said that Congress has already appropriated the amount of P57.9 billion, representing the cost of the first annual installment of SSL IV. "By issuing an executive order, the President will be merely implementing a program which, in principle, Congress has consented to," he said. Today, Malacanang announced that the DBM is preparing its recommendations to President Benigno S. Aquino III on the possible implementation of the first tranche of salary adjustments for government workers, as provided for in the proposed SSL IV bill. "A total of P57.9 billion appropriation is included in the General Appropriations Act of 2016 and this will fully cover the first tranche," said Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma. "DBM will include a similar item in the proposed National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2017, to cover the second tranche." The proposed NEP for 2017 will be turned over to the next administration, he added. In a separate statement, DBM Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad said, "The Executive has options within its power to effect the proposed compensation adjustment." Abad cited Section 13 of Presidential Decree No. 985 and Item 17 of Congress Joint Resolution No. 4, s. 2009, authorizing the President to periodically revise or update, upon the recommendation of the DBM, the government's Compensation and Position Classification System. Based on these laws, Abad said the President may effect a compensation adjustment that is still consistent with the compensation adjustment strategy under the proposed SSL of 2015. Recto noted that despite the deadlock in the House-Senate negotiation on the proposed government pay hike, there was "tripartite agreement" on a provision guaranteeing that so-called Magna Carta benefits of government workers will not be taken away. The provision, which will form part of Section 8 of SSL IV, states: "Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to reduce, diminish, or alter benefits provided for in existing laws on Magna Carta benefits." This provision, Recto said, has the support of the DBM. "This was sent to them and they concurred." Recto explained that this clause "effectively inoculates Magna Carta benefits from being erased or eroded. It removes all ambiguities in the measure that can be interpreted as a pay cut, rather than a pay hike." Recto had earlier written to the House and Senate conferees to propose an amendment that "nothing in the SSL IV shall be interpreted to reduce, diminish or, in any way, alter the benefits provided for in existing laws on Magna Carta benefits for specific officials and employees in government, regardless of whether said benefits have been already received or have yet to be implemented."
Press Release

February 7, 2016 Bam Eyes Heavier Fines, Penalties Against Erring Telcos As part of his advocacy for better Internet speed in the country, a senator wants to impose heavier fines and penalties on telecommunication entities that will violate all forms of directives from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). Sen. Bam Aquino's Senate Bill No. 3208 eyes to amend outdated provisions of Commonwealth Act No. 146 or the Public Service Law to make it attuned to present times, giving NTC more teeth in dealing with erring telecommunication companies. In his measure, Sen. wants erring telecom firms fined between P300,000 to P5 million for every day, per violation of any certificate, authority, resolution or regulation of the NTC. The bill also empowers NTC to increase amount of fine every five years, subject to a certification from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). Previously, the law imposes a measly fine of P200 per day for erring telecommunication companies. Also, the measure also empowers NTC to impose a P300-million fine on public telecommunication entities that will perform any forbidden action or neglect or fail to perform required act. "With heavier penalties, NTC can expect greater compliance from Internet providers to standards and regulations that have been set to advance Internet quality in the Philippines," Sen. Bam said. If enacted into law, Sen. Bam sees the measure will help improve the country's slow and expensive Internet, which leaves millions of Filipinos collectively frustrated. "Being the fastest growing economy in the ASEAN, this is clearly unacceptable and measures to improve our Internet quality while driving down is cost must be prioritized," said Sen.Bam. Sen. Bam also called on stakeholders to band together to create a framework for the constant improvement of the country's Internet system for the benefit of all Filipinos, especially those engaged in commerce. "When it comes to public services, we must do more than just keep up with the development of our neighbors, but exceed them. Let us band together to significantly improve Internet service in the Philippines," said Sen. Bam. For two years, Sen. Bam has been pushing for faster and cheaper Internet service, as he believes it will create jobs and livelihood and make the country more competitive.
CHIZ VOWS FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDENT

FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM

Vice-presidential frontrunner Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero vowed to ensure full and effective implementation of a government program providing financial aid to Filipino students that would enable them to pursue a college education.

Escudero was referring to the student financial assistance program under Republic Act No. 10687, or the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act (UniFAST), which was signed into law by President Aquino last October.

Unlike the typical scholarship program, Escudero said the UniFAST covers all students, not only those with honors or with exemplary scholastic record.

"Sa madaling salita, hindi ito scholarship. Ang problema kasi sa scholarship, matalino lang ang pwedeng bigyan. Hindi naman pwede na ang may mga honor lang ang makakapagtapos ng kolehiyo," the leading vice-presidential candidatepointed out.

"Ang UniFAST ay para sa lahat. Isa lang ang requirement: gusto mong mag-aral," said Escudero, who is a product of the country's public school system.

The UniFAST law, authored by Partido Galing at Puso senatorial candidate and Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, provides a comprehensive and unified financial assistance system to tertiary students in the country.

Among others, it aims to establish a self-sustaining National Student Loan Program that would provide students short- and long-term financial assistance for tertiary education.

"It is 'study now, pay later' scheme for college students who are committed to finishing their courses," Escudero said.

"Basta gustong mag-aral ay pwede sa UniFAST law. Basta pagkatapos mag-aral ay ibabalik din sa pamahalaan para mapakinabangan naman ng iba," he added.

Escudero said the government should not hesitate to spend taxpayers' money on programs like UniFAST because "education spending is an investment in our future."

The veteran lawmaker strongly believes the UniFAST law will help improve the enrollment and completion rate in tertiary education, especially among the poor.

Based on the records of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), of the 3,044,218 that enrolled to college in school year 2011-2012, only 648,752 completed a four-year course and graduated in 2015, or a measly 21.31 percent survival from first to fourth year college.

Although there are existing student financial assistance programs (StuFAPs) for tertiary education, these programs served only 60,240 college students in 2011, or 1.97 percent of the 3,044,219 students who enrolled that year.
Marcos inspired by surveys showing him leading in Metro Manila,

Visayas Universities

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. today said the recent Pulse Asia survey and a mock poll showing him taking the lead in Metro Manila and Region 8 universities in the Visayas, respectively inspire him to work harder in the coming campaign period.

In statement, Marcos said, "I am inspired by the results. We will keep working harder to get our platform and message across to our countrymen. We will work harder to let our countrymen know our vision for a progressive future that we can all enjoy if we unite and work together."

Marcos was recently sidelined due to pneumonia. He has since recuperated and is ready to hit the campaign trail.

The latest survey conducted by Pulse Asia showed Marcos as the top choice for Metro Manila voters with 33 percent. Marcos was also favored by Class ABC with 28 percent.

Meanwhile, Marcos was also the top vice presidential candidate among college students in the Regional Tertiary Schools Press Conference (RTSPC) mock polls held at the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) on last February 4. He got 39.6% of the votes.

Meanwhile, Marcos and his running mate Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago will kick off their campaign in the Marcos family hometown of Batac, Ilocos Norte.

A mass will be first held at the Batac Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church in Batac. This will be followed by the kick off ceremony at the Marcos residence on Marcos Avenue.

Marcos and Santiago will then proceed to the Marcos Mariano State University to address the students.

Thereafter, Marcos will proceed to Currimao to inaugurate a solar power plant.
For years in the mid-1970s, Roz Joseph, a straight woman who had made her name in architectural photography, roamed the balls of San Franciscos Imperial Court, places filled with drag queens and queer people. She captured sweet, candid moments  two queens, side by side, in matching black lingerie chatting while one adjusts her underwear  and color-saturated portraits  the Empress IX Freida, purple eyeshadow, a crown on her head, and a mouth full of curling cigarette smoke.

Joseph took so many that after a while she had an entire book full of the work; interviews with the queens, too. She put together a pitch, called it Golden Gays, and wrote up a preface. I hope that reading each persons story will reestablish for all of us the universality of the truth that we are all just people, she wrote.

Publishers werent interested. It would have been nice, she says decades later. It wasnt essential. So, she took the photographs, put them into two boxes, and put the boxes into storage. They might have been lost there, bits of queer history gathering dust, if many years later they hadnt found their way into the GLBT Historical Societys archive.

Now, for the first time ever, a selection of images is on display at the societys museum in the Castro. Not only are the photographs visually appealing, recalling, at times, the work of Nan Goldin, but they tell a unique history.

Soon after Stonewall

She started in 75, so that was just six years after Stonewall, says Joey Plaster, the exhibitions curator. But drag balls themselves, those have been a staple of queer public life for over a century.

What I find kind of interesting about these is that drag queens are using these very old cultural forms through which gay men have created community for a century to support this really new political movement.

A blond queen poses with her Pomeranian. Another, in light pink lipstick, adjusts her pearl earring with a gloved hand. One looks over her shoulder, straight at Joseph and into the lens. The images reveal a diverse group of queer people, different colors, different ages, all coming together in a scene centered around Polk Street.

I also keep thinking about today, the hypergentrification thats happening in San Francisco thats really pushing out a lot of the creativity that defined queer community in the 70s, Plaster says. Im not sure this could take place in the San Francisco of the present.

The photographs resurfaced in November 2008 after a few phone calls and a trip in the rain.

Don Romesburg was curating a pop-up gallery in the Castro for the society, a test run of sorts for what would later become the GLBT History Museum on 18th Street. We were all super crazy busy, Romesburg says.

But a call hed received from the Lost Art Gallery about Joseph  described as a well-known architectural photographer who lived on Russian Hill  stuck with him. She had some 1970s drag photography, and she was looking to downsize.

Despite all the work that still needed doing, despite a heavy storm sending rain every which way  It was literally a dark and stormy night  Romesburg got into his car and drove to her apartment in one of those big beautiful buildings, the sort with the kinds of architectural details on which Joseph had made her name.

Visiting another era

Joseph and her husband met him at the door and she pulled out the boxes. My mind was literally We have to get this show finished in the Castro  but as soon as she brought out the stuff, I was just amazed by the saturated color, the intimacy of the images and the way in which it immediately catapults you back into this kind of lost time.

Joseph, who turns 90 this year, was born in the Bronx in 1926. If you call her on the phone and ask her how shes doing shell say, very plainly, not well and not getting better. Shes still happy to talk about her photography, though. In 1970, she moved out west to San Francisco  it was time to retire; shed visited before and liked it enough.

Once she got here, Joseph realized the city spoke to her in color. Everything is lit up by the light, she says. Before her move, shed shot only in black and white, but soon she switched to color. I had no intentions of making a change, but that change came to me.

Plaster found, tucked in with all the prints, Josephs early book proposal along with the preface explaining how shed come to take photographs of the 1970s gay scene in the first place. Five years after shed moved here, Joseph found herself, on her birthday, in the middle of a Gay Freedom Day parade. She couldnt stop shooting. I could have used a dozen more rolls of film, she wrote in the preface. She showed the images shed made that day to a book publisher who thought a straight public might be interested in a book that helped explain drag. Only Joseph didnt have any access.

Well, you must have access. Can you get it?

Ill try.

And she did. She started at the Imperial Courts Halloween Beaux Arts Ball  an event open to the public, even if the public hardly knew about it. Shed shoot the queens and hand out her phone number asking them to contact her if they were interested in being part of a photo project. Eventually, she was a regular, meeting drag queens at home, interviewing them about gender and dress-up. Being a woman, no longer young, willing to listen, non-critical, unbiased, I made friends with these strangers, she wrote. I had access.

Though Golden Gays was never published  at least not yet; Plaster says the society has talked about the possibility of reviving it  some of the interviews Joseph had conducted wound up in the March 19, 1978, Sunday San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle. Those pages, in turn, wound up in boxes with the prints, where Plaster found them. Some of the interviews concern the Imperial Court system, the way it was structured, how it supported the community. Others were more about the art, more personal.

Social satire

What I do is social satire, in a sense. Im trying to throw peoples stereotypes in their faces, explains one queen, Ambi Sextrous, who is pictured in the show. In her portrait, she has big red hair teased out with a pink rose in the center and a matching pink beard. She hides her eyes behind a pair of butterfly sunglasses. They also have a misconception that we are ashamed of who we are. Its very evident when Im in costume that I enjoy doing it. I enjoy feeling that way.

Why do you dress up in drag? Fun mostly, says another subject, Jeff Fleckenstein. Maybe its for shock value. To shock people who are not expecting it  straight society. The term is gender f.  I like doing it because Im not supposed to.

They loved the idea of having their pictures taken, Joseph says now. They had transformed themselves purposefully, to be seen.

After hed had a look at the photos, Romesburg wrapped up the two boxes in taped-together plastic bags and got soaked through as he carried them to his car. It was this almost magical San Francisco encounter, Romesburg says. We have a lot of those moments, where we acquire things that we immediately recognize are so, so precious and valuable but oftentimes the larger world doesnt necessarily recognize the worth ... He paused a minute and added, Which is kind of like being queer.

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: rkost@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @RyanKost

Reigning Queens: The Lost Photos of Roz Joseph: Through March 20. GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th St., S.F. Museum access $5. Visit www.glbthistory.org/museum for more information on hours.
On a recent afternoon, the lights were off in the lobby of the City College of San Francisco theater building and the sky outside was full of steel-colored clouds, but even in the dark, the mural revealed itself  the rich browns of the earth and the blue-greens of the San Francisco Bay. William Maynez stood in front of the fresco, explaining, bit by bit, the significance. The piece, he said, painted by Diego Rivera in 1940, spoke to the artists hopes for Pan-American unity just as Nazi Germany crept across Europe.

Nearby, a group of three technicians from Cultural Heritage Imaging were busying themselves making the theater darker, reducing as best they could the ambient light, and setting up a camera on a motorized lift.

They were preparing to take a photograph of Pan-American Unity  not a single photograph, exactly, but many hundreds that would then be used to create one image with incredible, even three-dimensional, detail. Sub-millimeter detail, said Carla Schroer, the groups founder and director. They specialize in something called computational photography, and Maynez needs their help.

What Im trying to do is move it across the street, Maynez said. He said this as though the mural werent 22 feet high and 74 feet long, as though it werent made up of 10 panels that weigh, collectively, more than 20 tons. He also said this as though the building he wants to move it to  a new performing arts center, where it would be located in the lobby, visible from the street for anybody to view  hadnt been put on hold (and thats a generous interpretation, given the schools financial challenges) more than two years ago.

Avoiding intervention

Structural engineers and conservators have all come to examine the mural at Maynezs request. Theyve assured him a move is possible, that the steel lattice hidden behind the panels will hold up. Still, assuming a new home is built, this detailed photograph will allow Maynez and others to identify any hidden issues in advance.

Any crack  and its got some cracks, you know?  any crack that will not withstand the move needs an intervention before we move it, Maynez says. But we dont want any more intervention than is necessary. The less you touch it, the less you do anything to it, the better off it is for the mural.

Maynez has spent years staring at the piece. He fell in love with it one day 18 years ago; so many stories on one fresco. He adopted the mural, or maybe the mural adopted him, but either way hes become its self-appointed, self-anointed historian.

It was like a black hole, he said. I fell in.

He has been piecing together the murals history and the stories within ever since. Hes managed to track down a few of the subjects in the piece, people with names that arent commonly spoken, but who figured prominently in Riveras life. Mainly, the people who lived this story are all gone, so theres a certain amount of desperation in trying to save these stories. Then, Maynez pointed to a space in the upper left corner that shows members of the Yaqui, a tribe from Northern Mexico, dancing and pounding on drums. He can trace his own history to them. Its my roots, he says. Its me.

Truth be told, the mural was never meant to be where it is today. Local architect Timothy Pflueger  a man whose work included renowned theaters and skyscrapers and who chaired a group of architects consulting on the Bay Bridge project  invited Rivera to create the piece as part of a living art exhibit at the 1940 Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. It took Rivera six months to complete. As he went, he painted onto fresh plaster so as the material dried, the pigment became one with the plaster.

The final result was a complex collection of scenes that celebrated indigenous arts and culture, struck out against the growing threats of communism and fascism and hailed the mechanical advances in the U.S. Frida Kahlo, Paulette Goddard, George Gershwin, Pablo Picasso, Charlie Chaplin and Rivera himself are all depicted. My mural will picture the fusion between the great past of the Latin American lands, as it is deeply rooted in the soil, and the high mechanical developments of the United States, Rivera said at the time of the painting.

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Its about stewardship

The plan had always been to move the mural into a new library Pflueger had designed for City College. But soon, the United States found itself at war, the library was put on hold, and Pflueger died. The mural sat in storage until, in 1961, Pfluegers brother Milton, an architect himself, realized he could fit it into the colleges new theater if he bowed the wall. Thats where it has remained.

To call the mural a secret would be an overstatement, but it certainly feels that way, looking at it in that dark and silence as rain drips steadily from the sky. I started asking all my friends, Do you know this mural? Have you seen it? Schroer said. I think it is one of the most under-known, underappreciated, magnificent pieces of public art  certainly in San Francisco, if not the whole West Coast, potentially the country. Its an unbelievable thing, and its right here. You can imagine why Maynez thinks it might be better off in a home made specifically for it. But first things first.

Lets say it doesnt get moved, this thing is going to be around for 200 years, Maynez said. The information is still invaluable. Its about stewardship. This is my watch. Im trying to do as best I can by the mural.

Not long after he said this, the camera was mounted and ready to go, and a flash went off  the first of many hundred.

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: rkost@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @RyanKost

Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Picture Collection/Gett




A second day of near-record breaking temperatures was in store for the Bay Area Monday as a stubborn ridge of high pressure brought a warm forecast to the region more typical of fall than February.

At the Oakland Airport, the 10-year-old record of 70 degrees was expected to fall with a forecast high of 73, said Steve Anderson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.

Temperatures elsewhere were expected to come within a few degrees of the highest recorded temps for this date with San Francisco predicted to top out around 72, two degrees shy of the record. Many spots around the region would see highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Were seeing a weather pattern more typical of fall, what people refer to as Indian Summer, Anderson said. This high pressure ridge creates an offshore flow and turns off the sea breeze so you end up with higher temperatures along the beaches and at the coast than you get inland.

On Sunday, a weather station about five miles south of Mineta San Jose International Airport recorded a high of 76 degrees, tying the record for the date set in 1963.

In an act of unfortunate timing, strong rip currents were forecast for the waters off Northern California just as the siren song of high heat beckoned people to area beaches, Anderson said. A Coastal Hazard Statement was issued by the weather service warning people to be aware of sneaker waves and rip tides from the northern tip of Sonoma County south to Monterey Bay.

Monday would be the hottest day of the week, if not the month, Anderson said, as the ridge is expected to begin moving off Tuesday, taking with it the mini, mid-winter heat spell. Temperatures will return to seasonal norms, with highs in the mid 60s, by the end of the week.

While the warm weather is nice, it wont do much to help California with the ongoing drought, now stretching into its fourth year. There wasnt a drop of rain in the 7-day forecast, Anderson said, and San Francisco has recorded just 0.15 of an inch of rain since Feb. 1.

All hope is not lost, however, as Anderson noted that the El Nino weather pattern was still keeping Pacific waters warm and the rainy season is far from over.

El Nino is still out there, its still strong and it should stick around until at least April, he said. There are still plenty of days left to get rain.

Kale Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: kwilliams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfkale
An early morning kitchen fire caused the evacuation of a senior apartment building in Pleasant Hill on Sunday, fire officials said.

Firefighters arrived about 12:52 a.m. at the building at 100 Boyd Road and found the fire burning in a third-floor apartment, said Fire Marshal Robert Marshall of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Less than an hour after he saw his team lose in Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory was rear-ended on Highway 237 in San Jose as he made his way in a car from Levis Stadium, authorities said. The governor did not suffer major injuries in the crash.

Around 8:05 p.m., the California Highway Patrol responded to reports of the minor wreck just east of the North First Street exit, said Officer Ross Lee, a CHP spokesman.
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In a dingy little Tenderloin kitchen, two French-speaking nuns have devoted the past eight years to feeding the homeless, with their only income being what they eke out from selling handmade pastries at farmers markets.

The sisters of the Fraternite Notre Dame Mary of Nazareth Soup Kitchen sleep in a tiny room in the back and do nothing but sell their baked goods and feed the needy. But thats about to change.

The nuns are in danger of becoming as homeless as the downtrodden folks they help  the landlord is evicting them. He raised their rent by more than 50 percent, they cant afford it, and the lawyers are fighting it out.

It looks like the nuns have about one month before they must hit the bricks. And practically everyone whose lives they have touched is incensed, from the hungry homeless to those who run other nonprofits.

This is just crazy  I cant believe it, said Douglas Fennell, 60, who was waiting in line Monday with about 30 people for a lunch of sausage, mixed salad and cherry-topped cake. Maybe someone is just trying to drive us homeless people away. I dont understand.

Theyre so very sweet

The nuns soup kitchen at 54 Turk St. has gained a reputation as having some of the best charity food in San Francisco, but for Fennell the attraction runs deeper.

Theyre so very sweet, he said. These nuns give us love, they pray for us, they are friendly. They dont look down on us.

Sister Mary of the Angels said she has struggled to understand why anyone would want to evict her and her partner at the kitchen, Sister Mary Benedicte.

All we want to do is help the homeless, she said in halting English, thick with a French accent. Homeless people often have no affection, and here we can say hello and give them some good food. I give my heart.

The Fraternite Notre Dame religious order that the nuns belong to was founded in France in 1977, according to its website, to help most destitute people and those who suffer. Its U.S. headquarters is in Chicago, which is where the two sisters were posted before they came to San Francisco in 2008.

Helping the suffering

Since founding their soup kitchen in one of the scruffiest stretches of the poorest neighborhood in town, the sisters have expanded to feeding lunch to 300 people three times a week, and dinner to 500 people twice a week.

We dont look for  what do you say?  publicity, said Mary of the Angels. We are only here to serve.

The sisters lawyer, Daniel Fitzpatrick, said the buildings owner wants the nuns to pay the higher rent or leave. Fitzpatrick is fighting the eviction, pro bono, on the grounds that the soup kitchen is also the nuns residence because they sleep in the back.

Fitzpatrick said the rent was raised from $3,465 to $5,500 a month as of Jan. 15, and he advised the nuns to fight it. As it is now, he said, they can barely meet the lower rent by selling their pastries.

A tough case

The next step in the case, he said, is for the owner to file court action to enforce the notice he served on Jan. 29 either to pay up or vacate the building. Resolution of the case, one way of the other, should take about a month, he said.

Its a tough case, but these nuns are fantastic people, Fitzpatrick said.

The landlord, Nick Patel, is in India and wont be back to discuss the case until Thursday, said his lawyer, Michael Heath.

The owner is putting everything on hold for now, and we will assess the situation when he comes back, Heath said.

The nonprofit Food Runners, which takes leftover food to the needy, provides much of the food the sisters cook. Last year, it donated the truck they use to deliver meals a couple of times a week to the Civic Center and the Bayview neighborhood.

Its an outrage that anyone would think of evicting these two women who work really, really hard to help others, said the organizations director, Mary Risley. I mean, these two women are selfless and incredible.

Nonprofit layoffs

Michael Pappas, head of the San Francisco Interfaith Council, called the nuns plight symptomatic of a larger issue, the dilemma of the displacement of nonprofits who help the poor all over the city.

Here we have this insurmountable homeless problem in San Francisco, and now the people who are trying to help solve it are facing trouble, Pappas said.

Ever since the recession forced many nonprofits to downsize, Pappas organization has convened quarterly meetings of what it calls the San Francisco Faith-Based CEO Roundtable, consisting of a dozen leading nonprofits including Episcopal Community Services and Glide Memorial United Methodist Church.

Several nonprofits, including Catholic Charities, have had to downsize staffs and move to cheaper, smaller facilities as the tech boom reversed the recession locally but also shot real estate prices through the roof, Pappas said.

Its a growing problem, he said. And as for the nuns  all they want to do is be faithful to what theyve been called to, and its tragic that they may now wind up homeless like the people they serve.

They are lovely people from another country, and all they want to do is help.

Sister Mary Valerie, another Fraternite Notre Dame nun, flew out last month from Chicago to help her sisters fight the eviction. She and her comradesare searching for another place to set up shop, but its hard in a town where rent is so high.

There is nowhere else for us to go, Mary Valerie said. We need another place, maybe a church.

There are people to feed

Mary of the Angels shook her head sadly as she heard Mary Valerie talk. Then she brightened.

I cannot think of that now, she said. Right now, there are people to feed. And then there are pastries to make  we are making fruit tarts today. I must stay busy.

We are in Gods hands.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron

The nuns and their attorney are taking inquiries about their situation at:

Website: http://www.danfitzpatricklaw.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fraternite-Notre-Dame-San-Francisco-231085460565494/
In a setback for Facebook, Indian regulators have banned free mobile data programs that favor some Internet services over others.

The regulations, issued Monday after months of intense public debate over how to extend the Internet to Indias poorest citizens, effectively block Facebooks controversial Free Basics program in India, a signature project of Facebooks chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg.

Free Basics offers mobile users in three dozen countries free access to a text-only version of the Facebook social network as well as to certain news, health, job and other services. Facebook bills the program as a way to introduce the poor and the technologically unskilled to the potential of the Internet.

In India, where Facebook already has at least 132 million users, the company began offering Free Basics last year through Reliance Communications, a local mobile phone carrier.

But the program quickly became the target of critics, who said that it was an attempt to steer unsophisticated new Internet users to Facebook and other services that were working with the company. They argued that Free Basics and other zero rating programs violated the concept of net neutrality, which says that Internet providers should provide equal access to all Web content.

The issue has been debated in other countries, including the United States, where the Federal Communications Commission is studying whether zero-rated services comply with its own net neutrality rules.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said in its policy document that mobile phone companies should not be allowed to shape the users Internet experience by providing free access only to certain services.

Since most Indians are not yet online, the agency noted, such programs have great power to shape a newcomers whole view of the Internet.

This can prove to be risky in the medium to long term as the knowledge and outlook of those users would be shaped only by the information made available through those select offerings, the agency wrote.

Zuckerberg personally lobbied against the new rules, including writing an opinion piece in The Times of India. Facebook spent millions of dollars on advertising to promote its position and ran special banners in the news feeds of Indian users urging them to petition the government to allow Free Basics.

In a statement Monday, Facebook said, Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, nonexclusive and free platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the Internet and the opportunities it brings.

Free Basics is part of a broader effort, dubbed Internet.org, in which Facebook has also tried to work with phone-makers on designs that reduce data usage and extend battery life. In addition, the company is working on long-range projects to develop drones and satellites that deliver Internet service to remote areas.

Connecting India is an important goal we wont give up on, because more than a billion people in India dont have access to the internet, Zuckerberg wrote Monday in a post on Facebook. We know that connecting them can help lift people out of poverty, create millions of jobs and spread education opportunities. We care about these people, and thats why were so committed to connecting them.

The regulators said Indias mobile phone companies could still expand Internet access through other means.

Providing limited free data that enables a user to access the entire Internet is not prohibited, they wrote.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Daly City police shot a man in the arm while responding to a domestic violence call Monday afternoon, authorities said.

The incident  which occurred around 12:45 p.m.  began when police received reports of a man, possibly armed with a knife, chasing a woman in the area, said Sgt. Edward Green, a police spokesman.

The first officers on the scene spotted the man fleeing into the backyard of a house on the 800 block of St. Francis Boulevard near Highway 1, where the shooting occurred, Green said.

An officer engaged with the man and shot him once, Green said, though he offered no further details on the interaction between the man and the officer, saying only that an investigation was in its preliminary stages. It was unclear if police recovered a knife from the man, Green said.

The man, who was not identified, was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition, Green said. The officer involved was placed on paid administrative leave.

Police cars remained in front of an apartment building on St. Francis Boulevard, and the area was cordoned off with police tape for several hours.

Elena Olsen, who lives in the neighborhood, said she saw three police cars rushing to the area right before she heard a single gunshot.

When it first started we heard one gunshot, she said. I was like, Oh, something's going on.

Pam Reppen, who also lives in the neighborhood, said she ran outside because she was worried her husband, who was riding his motorcycle in the area, may have been hurt. When she got to the scene, she saw the shooting victim  not her husband  strapped to a gurney.

They got him in and out very quickly, Reppen said.

The San Mateo district attorneys office was launching an investigation into the shooting. Green asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Daly City police at (650) 991-8092.

Kale Williams and Jenna Lyons are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: jlyons@sfchronicle.com, kwilliams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno; @sfkale
Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

A 44-year-old inmate died Sunday after being found unresponsive in his Napa County jail cell a day after being locked up, authorities said Monday.

Christopher Applegarth was found unconscious in his cell at Napa County Department of Corrections around 8:35 a.m., said Kristi Jourdan, a spokeswoman for Napa County.
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Two soldiers and an airwoman have been promoted to colonel.

 Robert Mitchell of Ballston Lake, a veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, was promoted to colonel while serving as a full-time information technology officer at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

Mitchell was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1995 as an ordnance officer. He served in the active Army from 1995 to 2005 when he transferred to the New York Army National Guard.

While on active Army duty, he was trained as an explosive ordnance disposal expert, dealing with unexploded bombs and shells and improvised explosive devices. He served in Afghanistan as the commander of the 774th Ordnance Disposal Company (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) in 2001. Mitchell also served as director of training at Naval School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Since joining the New York Army National Guard, Mitchell has served as the executive officer and commander of the 501st Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), and deployed to Iraq with the unit in 2010. He served as deputy director for domestic operations for the New York National Guard, charged with coordinating the deployment of soldiers and airmen in response to state emergencies.

Mitchell earned a bachelor's degree from Binghamton University and a master's degree from Grantham University. He is a graduate of Army Command and General Staff College and is enrolled in Army War College.

The colonel earned a Bronze Star Medal, a Meritorious Service Medal and a Master Ordnance Disposal Badge.

 Kevin Johnston of Loudonville, an Iraq war veteran, advanced to colonel while serving as senior Army adviser to the New York Army National Guard. Johnston, who enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in 1989, became a field artillery officer in 1992. He served with American forces in Panama, Egypt, Haiti, Kosovo, Albania and Germany.

He served as an exchange instructor at British Defense Academy in Shrivenham, England, which provides advanced military education for British officers and Ministry of Defense officials. He also taught U.S. Military Policy classes to British officers and warrant officers and conducted counterinsurgency training based on the experience he accrued serving with the 1st Infantry Division in Baghdad.

As senior Army adviser for the New York Army National Guard, Johnston's role is to provide military advice and assistance to Army Guard commanders concerning organization, operations, training and readiness.

Johnston is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and holds a master's degree in business management from Webster University. He is a graduate of Army Command and General Staff College.

 Christine Lennard of Guilderland was promoted to colonel while serving as a judge advocate general officer assigned to the National Guard Bureau's Special Victims Counsel Program in Washington, D.C.

Lennard is the daughter of Joseph and Trudy Fernandez of Voorheesville.

After completing an assignment as the judge advocate with the 109th Airlift Wing at Stratton Air National Guard Base, Scotia, Lennard served on an active-duty operational support tour as an attorney adviser for the National Guard Bureau's Office of Chief Counsel, where she worked in the Special Victims Counsel Branch. She served two years as director of personnel and commander of the 109th Force Support Squadron of the 109th Airlift Wing.

Lennard received a direct commission as an Air Force judge advocate general officer after graduating from Albany Law School in 1992. She served in various judge advocate general posts on active duty, the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard.

She is a graduate of University at Buffalo.

Lennard served on active duty as a judge advocate, a military lawyer, at bases in Mississippi and California. She served as a prosecutor and civil law attorney in California.

In 1997, she transferred to the Air Force Reserve and was a judge advocate at Fifth Air Force Headquarters in Japan for three years, and later on the air staff at Headquarters, Air Force, in Arlington, Va.

In 2002, Lennard transferred to the Air National Guard as a judge advocate for the 109th Airlift Wing.

She earned two Meritorious Service Medals, three Air Force Commendation Medals, an Air Force Achievement Medal and the Headquarters Air Force Staff Badge.

News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com.
Steven Senne/Associated Press

SALEM, N.H.  Eyeing their first wins in a capricious campaign, Republican Donald Trump lashed out at his opponents Monday while Democrat Bernie Sanders sought to play it safe on the eve of the nations initial primary. GOP contenders vying for second and third saw fresh hopes for survival after New Hampshire as both parties settled in for a drawn-out slog to the nomination.

As snowfall brought yet more uncertainty to the races final hours, Hillary Clinton tried to move past talk of a shake-up in her campaign and controversy over comments by supporters that women should feel obliged to vote for her. Barnstorming New Hampshire with her husband and daughter, Chelsea Clinton, she worked to flip Sanders favored critique against her by claiming that he, too, had taken big bucks from Wall Street  if only indirectly.
MIAMI  A Royal Caribbean cruise ship ran into high winds and rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, forcing frightened passengers into their cabins overnight as their belongings flew about, waves rose as high as 30 feet, and winds howled outside. The cruise line says that although no one was injured and the ship suffered only minor damage, its turning around and sailing back to its home port in New Jersey.

I was shaking all over, Shara Strand of New York City said on Facebook on Monday. Ive been on over 20 cruises, Ive been through a hurricane, it was never like this.
CINCINNATI  Forehead furrowed, a woman drags on a Camel cigarette, admitting she has only vague memories of nearly dying five days earlier.

She doesnt recognize the police officer now leaning against a wall in her kitchen, having returned not to arrest her, but to help with her battle against heroin.

The officer, David Hubbard, is part of the Quick Response Team formed in July in Colerain Township, a sprawling suburb of some 60,000 people 15 miles northwest of Cincinnati. Police, paramedics and addiction counselors combine to quickly steer users into treatment while their overdoses are still raw and frightening.

Its among new approaches, some that are redefining police roles, being tried in hard-hit communities across the country. While some critics ask whether police are putting social work over law enforcement, authorities say that while they are stepping up efforts against dealers, they cant arrest their way out of such a pervasive epidemic.

There were some naysayers who say these are nothing but junkies  lock them up, said Sheriff John Tharp of Lucas County, home to Toledo, Ohio. We may think this is soft, but when you have a crisis in your community, you need to be proactive. Were being aggressive.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports heroin overdose death rates more than tripled since 2010 as powerful, cheap forms swept America. Ohio ranked among the top five states in drug overdose deaths in 2014, including 1,177 linked to heroin, and had one of the biggest increases.

In Colerain Township, Public Safety Director Dan Meloy said the program appears to be having an impact already. On pace to top 200 overdoses when it started, the township ended 2015 with 167.

The programs help reduce other crimes, police say.

Theyre not breaking into their neighbors sheds, theyre not robbing the local stores, theyre not stealing from their families trying to feed their habit, Meloy said.

Some black Americans point out that gentler responses to the heroin use rising sharply among whites werent so available when the crack cocaine wave swept into urban neighborhoods.

I applaud law enforcement agencies for treating the heroin epidemic as a public health, rather than criminal justice, problem, said David Singleton, executive director of the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, in an e-mail. At the same time, it is deeply troubling that we are shifting our approach from incarceration to treatment for an epidemic that primarily affects white people.
HAMPTON, N.H.  Its less than two days until New Hampshire voters go to the polls. But Hillary Clinton is in Michigan. And other candidates, even Jeb Bush, say their campaigns will go on no matter how they do on Tuesday. Donald Trump says he doesnt need to win New Hampshire  but hed like to.

From their movements and remarks on Sunday, youd think New Hampshire is unimportant in the race for president. In fact, its the nations first primary and the next in a series of clues into what Americans want in their next president. But the field is still crowded, and the electorates that await the candidates in South Carolina and Nevada are markedly more diverse. So there are more tests to come for the candidates.

Republican hopeful Marco Rubio is downplaying his rough outing in Saturday nights GOP debate, while touting his overall campaign momentum after his third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, hoping to use that momentum to boost his chances in Tuesdays contest.

Donald Trump, who finished second in Iowa, is pleased with his debate performance and place atop New Hampshires GOP polls, and hes doubling down Sunday on his call for the U.S. to reinstitute waterboarding and even harsher treatment of foreign prisoners.

On the Democratic side, New Hampshire favorite Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton  who narrowly won Iowa  are avoiding predictions about Tuesday and looking beyond to South Carolina and Nevada, the next two states up in the nomination process.

But for other candidates, like Republican Govs. Chris Christie, John Kasich and Jeb Bush, the task is to make sure the closing argument here isnt their last.

Christie, fresh from a vigorous debate performance in which he battered Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as unprepared for the presidency, told a town hall crowd Sunday in Hampton, N.H., that his exchanges with Rubio showed whos ready. I am. Hes not.

Bush has called in a team of surrogates, from his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, for his final push.

He told Fox News Sunday that hes already scheduled his first event in South Carolina for Wednesday morning, and were scheduling the Nevada trip, too.

The three governors have pitched their experience to GOP voters for months, but have struggled to keep Rubio from establishing himself as the best alternative to Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who won Iowa.

The Florida senator was back on message Sunday. People said, Oh, you said the same thing three or four times. Im going to say it again, Rubio told about 800 people in Londonderry, N.H.

Clinton made a side trip Sunday to Flint, Mich., to meet with local residents and officials about that citys ongoing water crises that has left residents with lead poisoning.

I know Im behind, Clinton, who trails Sanders in New Hampshire, said on CNNs State of the Union. Asked if she can win, Clinton answered, I dont know.

Also on CNN, Sanders demurred when asked polls suggesting hes headed for a win Tuesday. Dont make me nervous, he told host Jake Tapper, and dont jinx me here!
Bullets flew on Interstate 80 on Sunday night in Pinole as a rolling gunfight between the occupants of two vehicles left one man critically injured, officials said.

It was the sixth such shooting on the East Bay section of the freeway in less than three months.

The shootout occurred around 9:30 p.m. when people in two vehicles traveling westbound on the interstate began firing back and forth, said California Highway Patrol Officer Daniel Hill.

A bullet struck a man in one of the vehicles in the torso as the cars sped from the scene, the CHP said.

The victim, whose name was not released, is a man in his 30s from Vallejo, officials said. He showed up later at a hospital for treatment. Officials said his wound was life-threatening, but he is expected to recover.

The CHP has not identified or arrested any suspects in the attack.

At least one round also hit an uninvolved car stopped on the right shoulder of I-80. Three people were inside, but no one was hurt, CHP officials said.

All westbound lanes of the freeway were closed for about an hour. Two lanes were later reopened to allow traffic to pass.

The violent episode follows a spate of shootings on Interstate 80 in the East Bay since November.

On Jan. 11, three people were injured, including a 2-year-old child, when an assailant opened fire on a car headed east on Interstate 80 near Richmond Parkway in Richmond.

A bullet shattered a side window of the car, and flying glass hurt the occupants.

Later, a teenager and a man in his 20s showed up at a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening. Officials believed they were the targets of that shooting.

About a month before that shooting, on Dec. 17, a man was wounded in a car-to-car shooting on the freeway near San Pablo Dam Road in San Pablo.

In November, one man was killed and three others were injured in three separate shootings on Interstate 80.

CHP officials remarked on the recent shooting spree in a statement Monday, stressing that they believe the gunmen have been targeting specific people in each case.

The CHP wants to emphasize that these incidents are not random acts of violence, and there is very little danger to the motoring public, officials said. Over 70,000,000 vehicles travel through the Interstate 80 corridor per year at this location. Though the number of shooting incidents in this area in recent months appears alarming, in reality less than 0.00001 % of vehicles which travel through this corridor have been affected.

Investigators are seeking the publics help identifying those involved in the shootings. Anyone with information can call CHPs non-emergency tip line at (800) 835-5247) or the Investigative Services Unit at (510) 622-4609.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
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Prosecutors declined to file murder charges against a 22-year-old man arrested last week in the January stabbing death of a popular DJ outside a San Francisco nightclub.

Nestor Canchola is free on bail for pending weapons charges after being arrested Wednesday in connection with the Jan. 25 stabbing of Joseph Razo, 29.

The city district attorneys office said there was not enough evidence as of Monday to charge Canchola with murder.

We cannot charge the defendant with murder at this time, said Alex Bastian, a spokesman for the district attorneys office. The case remains under investigation.

Razo, 29, died last Tuesday after more than a weeklong battle for his life at San Francisco General Hospital, where he underwent several surgeries after the attack.

The Brooklyn native, who grew up in Atlanta and moved to San Francisco, contracted for Apple as a bilingual data analyst and was a popular DJ who spun records at several clubs around town.

News of his killing reverberated though his tight-knit group of friends.

The day after Razo died, police picked up Canchola during a traffic stop in the Excelsior district and booked him in San Francisco County Jail on $48,000 bail.

Detectives searched Cancholas home on Lydia Avenue in the Bayview and seized evidence, though they would not specify what, if any, linked him to the killing.

He was allegedly in possession of a sawed-off shotgun, a felony, and may face misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed firearm and having a gun with the identification numbers removed.

Canchola met bail Friday.

Police said the man was among a group of at least seven people who attacked Razo and his friends, stabbing two of them, outside the Cellar nightclub at Sutter and Taylor streets when the bar closed for the night.

Paramedics rushed Razo, who was stabbed in the aorta, and his friend to the hospital. Razos friend, who was not identified, has returned home and is recovering from wounds to his intestines and liver.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
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In less than 10 minutes, an Uber driver made his way from Interstate 10 and College Street to the Beaumont Enterprise's downtown office Friday morning.

Just like that, one of the city's earliest Uber rides began with a brief trip across town to Ford Park.

Uber launched in Beaumont at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

When an Enterprise reporter used Uber's app to request a ride at 11 a.m. on Friday, he was told he might have been the ride-sharing service's first Beaumont passenger.

Driver Atom Hunter said he had seen a number of potential riders toying with the mobile app, requesting and canceling rides just to see if it worked.

Hunter, a 39-year-old CEO of a cheerleading and tumbling gym, drives a 2014 GMC Sierra in which riders are welcome to a bottle of Voss water, free Wi-Fi and a setup to charge Androids and the newest iPhones.

Hunter said he intends to drive for Uber on his days off from the gym.

When the Enterprise requested a ride Friday morning, the app showed Hunter was the only available Uber driver in the city. A quick check Thursday night showed at least seven drivers cleared to operate for Uber in Beaumont.

Hunter started driving for Uber last week, picking up riders in Galveston and Houston. He said the Uber action in those cities was nonstop. "I was broken in pretty good because I didn't realize Mardi Gras had just started," he said.

Uber emerges in Beaumont as hundreds of drivers in New York City protest the company's recent decision to cut fares by 15 percent.

A letter written Friday by the Uber Drivers Network accused the ride-hailing giant of luring them in, only to cut wages without lowering commissions, then misleading the public about drivers' earnings increases.

Hunter said he pockets 80 percent of fares, with the minimum fare in Beaumont set at $5.35.

Uber still might take some time to catch on in Beaumont, but a demand clearly exists.

When the Enterprise checked back with Hunter around 4 p.m. on Friday, he had totaled four rides for the day.

Hunter says Uber is cheaper than a taxi or DWI and cleaner and faster than the bus.

There is also a post-ride rating system, which allows drivers and riders to rate each other through the app.

Both have to maintain a certain rating, or the app will shut off, Hunter said.

If a driver takes issue with a ride, the rider could be charged extra.

"If they get belligerent, you don't have to take them on a ride," Hunter said.

So far, Hunter said, he has encountered only friendly passengers.

Click through the gallery above for a step-by-step guide on how to use Uber.

BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/BrandonKScott
Once a week since the beginning of November, when skies are clear with northern winds, Stephen Conley revs up a small, single-engine airplane and takes to the sky out of a hangar in Placer County.

The white and blue aircraft is equipped with a set of tubes along its underbelly and a backseat full of computing equipment but otherwise appears as an ordinary, albeit speedy, two-passenger plane.

Its not until about two hours into his trek, over an area of Southern California, when Conley takes a turn toward the unusual: He switches to pollution-detection mode and begins sweeping the plane in and out of a giant, invisible plume of methane gas at gradually higher altitudes until the plane reaches the top.

His purpose is to monitor and measure the amount of methane coming from the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak, which started spewing methane-heavy natural gas in October, displacing thousands of residents from upscale, gated communities in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of northern Los Angeles. Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in the area for what is now being called the largest recorded leak of natural gas in California history.

State of emergency in place

The methane leak, first reported Oct. 23, has gradually slowed within the past few weeks. However, the state of emergency  with thousands displaced  remains in place as the gas company, SoCalGas, continues its attempt to plug the hole in the deep underground pipe suspected to be responsible for the leak.

Conley, a UC Davis atmospheric scientist and owner of the aerial survey company Scientific Aviation, was contracted for the flyovers by the California Energy Commission, which was looking to track the amount of greenhouse gas emissions expelled into the atmosphere by the leak.

Through his flyovers, Conley has recorded about 1,200 tons of leaked methane per day  equal to about 100,000 pounds per hour. To date, he estimates the leak has emitted 80,000 tons of methane  roughly equal to the weight of an aircraft carrier.

The rate of methane we were seeing at the beginning ... was about equal to the total emissions of the entire Los Angeles basin at any given hour, he said. If you assume this leak will be stopped by March, then it will likely amount to 10 percent of Californias total methane emissions for the year. Just this leak on its own.

Methane gas is flammable, and an additive in the natural gas gives it a rotten egg-like smell that some Porter Ranch residents co mplained made them nauseated or gave them headaches or nose bleeds. Authorities gave the residents a choice to evacuate or stay, and roughly 3,000 of them elected to leave.

Those who evacuated are allowed to return as they please, but officials say most have told them they will wait until the leak is plugged and methane and other gases have time to mix into the atmosphere and move out of the area.

The extent of the methane emissions wasnt known until Conley took his first flight, two weeks after the start of the leak, to get a handle of its scale and impact.

Value of air measurements

The energy commission solicited him for the first two flyovers, he said, because his plane was one of a few throughout the state capable of running such tests, and he was already working with the organization on a separate research project. He has subsequently conducted regular weekly flyovers for the California Air Resources Board, which took over the project from the energy commission with funding from SoCalGas.

Conley said taking measurements from the air is necessary because testing from the ground would be difficult, complex and time consuming.

Its rough terrain, he said. The well site is up in the hills. Its difficult to get to where you need to be to take estimates.

Conleys plane pulls in the gas through the set of uptake tubes that test for gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. It measures the amount of each gas and the wind velocity at the time, and from that information he can calculate methane concentrations.

We fly roughly 2 miles downwind of the leak site. We give the gas time to mix in the atmosphere before we grab it, Conley said. We fly into the plume, back out of it, climb up and then do it again. We climb up until we stop seeing the increase in the methane level. We can see all of this in real-time.

Conley  who usually flies alone, but has brought an occasional guest  was the only scientist cleared to perform the mission initially, but said NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent a specially equipped air vehicle into the plume last month to measure the gas.

Methane is a special concern as a greenhouse gas because it is about 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, said Dave Clegern, spokesman for the California Air Resources Board.

We want to know how much has been emitted so we know how we can best deal with this once it is done, he said.

And, Conley noted, a leak such as this is significant to people around the world, whether they realize it or not.

This is not going to be some L.A. getting hotter kind of problem, he said. This is a global issue. That total amount of gas (that he has measured so far) has already left L.A. Its going out to the state, country and rest of the world and gets mixed into the global methane budget.

Officials from SoCalGas have promised to fix the leak by March, saying it will take time to locate and plug the responsible pipe.

Seeking to prevent leaks

In Washington, California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein have written an amendment to an energy bill being considered in the Senate that calls for the Energy Department to review the situation and recommend any immediate steps the federal government might take to assist in solving the leak and in preventing and responding to future similar leaks.

Meanwhile, Conley said each additional flyover has found lower levels of methane, but there are not yet any plans to stop his flyover measurements until the leak is fixed.

And while he has enjoyed having a part in the project, he said the need remains for a formalized plan to respond to leaks like this in the future.

For a country so concerned with greenhouse gas emissions, how can we not have something in place to measure these events when they do occur? Conley said.

Kevin Schultz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: kschultz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinEdSchultz
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Luisa Buada remembers arriving at the Natividad County Hospital in Salinas with a farmworker who was about to give birth.

Buada often cared for such women  those who lacked health insurance and spoke little English  in the hospital parking lot until their babies crowned and the medical staff couldnt turn them away.

This time Buada took her inside immediately because the woman sensed something was wrong. But they were sent back out. The baby died, Buada said.

Its been 40 years, but she tells the story because, even though hospitals can no longer dump patients without insurance, countless people still lack access to health care. And the potential consequences of untreated conditions are the same: If not death, then job loss or failure at school, which in turn harm families and the broader economy.

Ending cycle of poverty

Buada is changing that equation. And her success is changing the lives of tens of thousands of people.

On the surface, the solution is simple: Put a high-quality clinic with comprehensive medical services in low-income communities where they are needed.

Its about community health. Raising people out of poverty, Buada said. People not having what they need  that leads to cycles of poverty. And if you can change that, you can change the trajectory of peoples lives.

How Buada has brought clinics to life  not once, but four times  is why she is a finalist for the 2016 Visionary of the Year Award sponsored by The Chronicle and the School of Economics and Business Administration at St. Marys College.

Beautys healing power

The Ravenswood Family Health Clinic in East Palo Alto is nothing short of beautiful, with soaring ceilings, framed art and tapestries on the walls, and a full palette of colors that suggest youre at a museum, not at the doctor.

Beauty can be healing, said Buada, the clinics chief executive, who chose much of the art for the recently renovated clinic at a white elephant sale in Oakland. Many pieces reflect ethnic motifs of the people the clinic serves: Pacific Islanders. Latinos. African Americans. Health is not only about medicine and pills, she said. Its about well-being.

More than 14,300 people are signed up for care at Ravenswood. Some are homeless. Most are poor. With an operating budget of $26 million, the clinic offers a kaleidoscope of services, including general medicine, pediatrics, womens health, dentistry, eye care and mental health therapy. Patients pay what they can afford.

Before Ravenswood, Buada founded or developed clinics in the Salinas Valley, Watsonville and Berkeley. She didnt come from wealth. But she came from determination.

In 1942, California still had laws against biracial marriages. So Laurine Perrott, a white nurse from Arkansas, and John Buada, a Filipino immigrant working in the Naval shipyards, married in another state. They returned to San Franciscos Bayview neighborhood, where they lived separately lest either lose their job.

My parents were great examples of resourceful people who had gone through the Depression and never let anything get in their way, said Buada, 62, one of five siblings. Obstacles were there to be overcome.

Influenced by her Catholic upbringing to live a principled life and do unto others, Buada joined the farmworkers movement in the Central Valley and helped organize food and clothing drives during the grape boycott started by Cesar Chavez. She came of age as anti-Vietnam War sentiment swelled alongside the Civil Rights movement, prompting an era of hope for social justice.

Support for rural care

I felt very compelled to make the world a better place, said Buada, who counts Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., the Kennedy brothers  and several teachers  among those who influenced her thinking.

By 1978, when the United Farm Workers closed its clinic in Salinas, Buada had a nursing degree from UCSF and brought her sterile gloves to the county hospital parking lot to help those who were being turned away. Shed already been inspired by the idea of universal health care. Shed seen it in Cuba, where shed traveled with state health experts.

Buada began pushing for funding for rural clinics. And she organized supporters, raised $3,600, and in 1980 resuscitated the shuttered farmworkers clinic  which today is a network of eight clinics serving thousands.

But her idea was bigger. If good health could fight poverty, she wanted more clinics.

Shed received her masters in public health policy and administration from UC Berkeley. Yet today she says her most valuable tool is a simple list of whats needed.

You make a list, and you cross each thing off your list, Buada said. And if I cant do it, I can find someone who has the resources who can.

Transforming lives

Its worked. Buadas accomplishments over 36 years include rescuing a failing Watsonville clinic, Salud Para la Gente, which thrives today; creating the Berkeley Primary Care Access Clinic; and, since arriving at Ravenswood in 2002, a year after the tiny East Palo Alto clinic opened with 13 employees, helping transform it into the modern medical center it is today  complete with a library branch and a weekly farmers market.

Her vision is about providing affordable, accessible health care to people in at-risk communities, said Zhan Li, dean of the business school at St. Marys. Her work and leadership have impacted the health and well-being of many people. Her work really exemplifies the spirit of the Visionary of the Year award.

Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov

Visionary of the Year award

This is one of eight profiles of nominees for The Chronicles second annual Visionary of the Year award, which is presented in collaboration with St. Marys Colleges School of Economics and Business Administration. The honor salutes leaders who strive to make the world a better place and drive social and economic change by employing new, innovative business models and practices. The eight finalists were nominated by a distinguished committee that included Evan Marwell, CEO and co-founder of the nonprofit group Education SuperHighway; Pam Baer, founder and CEO of For Goodness Sake, a nonprofit foundation that created an e-commerce site to connect consumers with curated brands and nonprofits; Ron Conway, an angel investor and philanthropist; Ben Fong-Torres, a noted rock journalist, author and broadcaster; Pamela Joyner, founder of the strategic marketing consulting company Avid Partners LLC; Zhan Li, dean of St. Marys School of Economics and Business Administration; and John Diaz, The Chronicles editorial page editor.

Chronicle Publisher Jeff Johnson, Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper and Diaz will select the winner, which will be announced during a March 29 ceremony.

To read more, go to www.sfgate.com/visionsf.
ANKARA, Turkey  As tens of thousands of Syrians fleeing violence massed at Turkeys border, Turkish and German leaders pledged Monday to redouble diplomatic efforts to end the fighting around the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo and prevent more refugees making their way into Europe.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks with Turkeys prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, that she was not just appalled but horrified by the suffering caused by the bombing in Syria, primarily by Russia.

Merkel said Turkey and Germany would push at the United Nations for all sides to adhere to a U.N. resolution passed in December that calls for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians in Syria.

Merkel was in Ankara for talks on how to reduce the influx of migrants into Europe, mostly via a perilous boat crossing from Turkey to Greece. Turkeys coast guard said Monday that another 27 migrants had died after their boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit while trying to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

Her visit came after a Russian-backed Syrian government offensive around Aleppo sent up to 35,000 Syrians fleeing toward the border with Turkey in recent days.

Turkey has taken in 2.5 million Syrian refugees since the conflict began, and authorities say the country has reached its capacity to absorb refugees. The border crossing remained closed for a fourth day on Monday, and aid groups continued to provide assistance to the Syrians massed at a refugee camp nearby.

Syrian army troops meanwhile, recaptured another village north of Aleppo on Monday, bringing troops and allied militiamen to within a few miles of the Turkish border.

Aleppo is de facto under siege. We are on the verge of a new human tragedy, Davutoglu said.

No one should excuse or show tolerance toward the Russian air attacks that amount to ethnic massacres by saying, Turkey takes care of the Syrian refugees anyway, Davutoglu said. No one can expect Turkey to take on the burden on its own.

Added Merkel: We have been, in the past few days, not just appalled but horrified by what has been caused in the way of human suffering for tens of thousands of people by bombing  primarily from the Russian side.

Hussein Bakri, an official in the interim government set up by the Syrian opposition, said more than 70,000 people had been displaced from Aleppo and urged the international community to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the Syrian people by stopping the Russian bombing.

If the situation continues like this, it will lead to the displacement of up to 400,000 people from Aleppo province and from Aleppo city, Bakri said. It is clear that the Russians are aiming for the encirclement and to lay siege to Aleppo as has happened in other parts of Syria.

The EU has urged Turkey to open its border and let in the thousands fleeing the Aleppo onslaught. But Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said after a Cabinet meeting on Monday that Turkeys priority is to keep the fleeing Syrians within the borders of their country and provide them with assistance there.
SEOUL  The U.N. Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned North Koreas launch of a long-range rocket that world leaders denounced as a banned test of dangerous ballistic missile technology and another intolerable provocation. The United Nations most powerful body pledged to quickly adopt a new resolution with significant new sanctions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un went ahead with the launch just two hours after an eight-day window opened early Sunday, and a month after the countrys fourth nuclear test. He ignored an appeal from China, its neighbor and important ally, not to proceed and in another slap to Beijing, he chose the eve of the Chinese new year, the countrys most important holiday.

In a reflection of heightened hostilities between the rival Koreas, South Koreas Defense Ministry said a South Korean naval vessel fired five shots into the water as a warning Monday when a North Korean patrol boat briefly moved south of the countries disputed boundary line in the Yellow Sea.

Since its Jan. 6 nuclear test, which the North said was a powerful hydrogen bomb but experts believe was not, China and the United States have been negotiating the text of a new Security Council sanctions resolution.

The U.S., backed by allies Japan and South Korea, wants tough sanctions reflecting Kims defiance of the Security Council. But diplomats say China, the Norths key protector in the council, is reluctant to impose economic measures that could cause North Koreas economy to collapse.

The 15-member Security Council strongly condemned the launch and pledged to expeditiously adopt a new resolution with further significant measures  U.N. code for sanctions. The word robust referring to the measures was in an initial draft but was dropped in the final statement.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said it cannot be business as usual after two successive North Korean acts that are hostile and illegal.

Whats important is that the Security Council unites, Power said. China is a critical player. ... We are hopeful that China, like all council members, will see the grave threat to regional and international peace and security, see the importance of adopting tough, unprecedented measures, breaking new ground here, exceeding the expectations of Kim Jong Un.

But Chinas U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, made clear that unprecedented sanctions arent Beijings priority.

He said a new resolution should do the work of reducing tension, of working toward denuclearization (of the Korean Peninsula), of maintaining peace and stability, and of encouraging a negotiated solution.

Russias U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, whose country is also a North Korean ally, said: It has to be a weighty resolution, but it also has to be a reasonable resolution that doesnt lead to North Koreas economic or humanitarian collapse, or further heighten tensions.

North Korea, which calls its launches part of a peaceful space program, said it had successfully put a new Earth observation satellite, the Kwangmyongsong 4, or Shining Star 4, into orbit less than 10 minutes after liftoff, and vowed more such launches. A U.S. official said it might take days to assess whether the launch was a success.

Japans U.N. ambassador, Motohide Yoshikawa, said the missile went over Japan and landed near the Philippines, a clear threat to the lives of many people.

The Security Council underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle contribute to North Koreas development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons and violate four Security Council resolutions dating back to the Norths first nuclear test in 2006.

North Korean rocket and nuclear tests are seen as crucial steps toward the Norths ultimate goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could hit the U.S. mainland.
The New Mexico Attorney General exonerated 10 health care providers of fraud charges Monday, a significant reversal for Gov. Susana Martinez's administration, which accused 15 organizations of wrongdoing more than two years ago and forced many out of business.

"While we did find some regulatory violations, there did not appear to be a pattern of fraud for any of the ten completed investigations," Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a two-page letter released this morning.

Balderas' announcement means 13 of the 15 organizations accused of fraud have been cleared of wrongdoing.

The state's decision to shut off government dollars to the organizations because of the fraud accusations disrupted care to tens of thousands of vulnerable New Mexicans struggling with mental illness or drug addiction. It also caused staff layoffs and at least one pharmacy's temporary shutdown.

The disruptions from 2013 have continued to ripple through the affected populations. New Mexico cities and regions recently have had to scramble to find care for those affected. Two of five Arizona organizations the Martinez administration brought in to replace the New Mexico operations have departed the state, saying the ventures were too financially difficult.

New Mexico, meanwhile, faces possible payouts to the affected New Mexico providers. Several organizations have accused the Martinez administration in court of improperly withholding government money and harming their business operations, among other things.

The 10 providers cleared of wrongdoing by Balderas are Border Area Mental Health Services, Partners in Wellness, Youth Development Inc., Southern New Mexico Human Development, Hogares, Families and Youth Inc., Counseling Associates, Southwest Counseling Center, Presbyterian Medical Services and Valencia Counseling Services.

Balderas' predecessor, Gary King, cleared one organization, Counseling Center of Alamogordo, while Balderas cleared two others, Easter Seals El Mirador and Service Organization for Youth.

Balderas said his agency continues to investigate TeamBuilders and Pathways, the remaining two organizations accused of fraud.

"These two investigations are ongoing and will require that we take additional time in order to ensure that our conclusions are sound," Balderas wrote.

This story by Trip Jennings was published by New Mexico In Depth.

Santa Fe Reporter
Here is some stuff in the news today...[Content Note: Video autoplays at link; misogynoir] In case you haven't yet seen Beyonce's extraordinary new video for her single "Formation," here it is , if you can view video. The lyrics are here , and, in the video, they are set against a backdrop of images of black oppression in the US over centuries. One of many thoughts I had as I watched the video was recalling Whitney Houston, whose blackness was treated as something to be concealed and who was packaged as the "prom queen of soul" to make her palatable to white audiences, tellingin an interview in the '90s: "I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody's angel. I can get down-and-dirty. I can get raunchy." Beyonce is communicating a lot of things in this video, and one of them is the explicit rejection of the expectation that black female artists wrench their blackness from their personhood.Twitter "is planning to introduce an algorithmic timeline as soon as next week, BuzzFeed News has learned . The timeline will reorder tweets based on what Twitter's algorithm thinks people most want to see, a departure from the current feed's reverse chronological order. It is unclear whether Twitter will force users to use the algorithmic feed, or it will merely be an option." I've never seen a company so determined to destroy its own product. ( Imagine if Twitter put half as much energy into meaningfully addressing harassment on its platform as it did into destroying its platform.) The thing is: Presumably, the algorithm is based on user interactions. And one of the best things about Twitter is the ability it gives privileged people to listen to and learn from marginalized people by following conversations withoutAn algorithm dependent on interaction will fundamentally change how many of us use Twitter, in one of the best ways it can be used. Also? I don't just want to see things I "want" to see. I also want to see things Ito see.[CN: War; death; torture] Fucking hell: "Detainees held by the Syrian government are dying on a massive scale amounting to a state policy of extermination of the civilian population, a crime against humanity, United Nations investigators have said . The UN commission of inquiry called on the security council to impose sanctions against Syrian officials in the civilian and military hierarchy responsible for or complicit in deaths, torture, and disappearances in custody, but stopped short of naming individuals. In their report released on Monday, the independent experts said they had also documented mass killings and torture of prisoners by two jihadi groups, al-Nusra Front and Islamic State, constituting war crimes."[CN: Climate change; drought] " A new study finds that the semi-arid U.S. Southwest has begun to enter the 'drier climate state' that had been long-predicted from climate models. These findings match ones from September documenting an expansion of the entire world's dry and semi-arid climate regions in recent decades because of human-caused climate change. The new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) concludes that 'The weather patterns that typically bring moisture to the southwestern United States are becoming more rare, an indication that the region is sliding into the drier climate state predicted by global models.'"[CN: Drought; death] Meanwhile, an ongoing drought in Somalia has left more than 50,000 children on the brink of death. "A stark warning issued by the UN's humanitarian office, Ocha, said the malnutrition situation is 'alarming.' It added that nearly one million Somalis, one in 12 of the population, 'struggle... to meet their food needs.' The drought in Somalia has been partly caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon which has affected east and southern Africa." Which has been exacerbated by climate change.President Obama will reportedly "ask the US Congress for $1.8bn (1.25bn) in emergency funding to combat the Zika virus. The virus, which is transmitted primarily through mosquitoes, has spread rapidly through the Americas. ...The money will go to mosquito control efforts and vaccine research programmes among other initiatives."Today, the BBC " will air a documentary about the life of Misty Copeland, the first Black principal ballerina in the American Ballet Theater. ...These past few years Copeland has become the role model that young Black ballerinas have deserved."[CN: Video autoplays at link] If you would like to watch UCLA gymnast Sophina DeJesus' 9.925 floor routine, here it is ! And it is terrific![CN: Disablist language] James Cordon does some Carpool Karaoke with Elton John And finally! A man in India "is so dedicated to animals that he's spent the last 10 years saving up enough money to buy an ambulance, which he will use to save stray animals in need of urgent medical care. He's no veterinarian, but Balu has learned what he needs to handle a life or death situation, and now he and his wife have already saved the lives of a number of ill and injured dogs." Blub.
BENGALURU: Every other person wants to lose a few kilos and get fit and healthy. Unfortunately, these fitness enthusiasts seem to lose the zeal, eventually slipping into their old unhealthy habits. Still there is hope. With the rapid increase of wearable and connected technology, smart gadgets can drive even the laziest person to achieve their dream goal of fitness. To help you get in shape for 2016, here are the best gadgets that will support you at all times, reports A Girl, Obsessed, a beauty blog, for MODE.com

HapiFork

HapiFork by HapiLabs is an electronic fork powered by Slow Control, which helps users to monitor and track their eating habits. It measures the time that eaters take to finish their meal, amount of fork servings (the time taken to bring food from your plate to your mouth with the fork) taken per minute and intervals between fork servings. It tracks your progress by uploading via USB or Bluetooth to your Online Dashboard on HAPI.com.

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NEW DELHI: Domestic handset maker Micromax is expanding its international business, foraying into markets like Middle East, Africa and CIS countries, as it aims to be among the top five global players in the next 3-4 years.

Micromax, which ranked tenth at the end of June 2015 quarter as per research firm Gartner, said it has a strong presence in markets like Russia, Bangladesh and Nepal.

We started our international business a few years back with markets like Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. We have since then grown our presence to other markets as well. We have a five percent share in Russia, Micromax Senior Vice-President (International Business) Amit Mathur told PTI.

He added that about 15-20 percent of overall volume comes from international business.

The ambition is to be a part of the top five (global players) in the next 3-4 years. We are exploring Middle East and a cluster of countries in Africa that will allow us to quickly expand. We will enter these markets in the coming fiscal, he said.

Mathur added that the company will enter markets like Armenia, Kazakhstan and Georgia in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.

According to Gartner, Micromax ranked at the tenth spot in June quarter of 2015 with a global market share of 2.2 percent. However, it slipped off the top ten tally in the September quarter. The research firm is yet to declare the numbers for the December quarter.

During the July-September 2015 quarter, the worldwide mobile phone sales to end users totaled nearly 478 million units, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2014. Samsung, Apple, Microsoft, Huawei and LG were the leading players in the tally.

In India, Micromax is the second largest player after Samsung.

Talking about the product portfolio in the international markets, Mathur said each country has its unique set of requirements.

While 60 percent of the products are similar to what we sell in India, about 40 percent of these are specific to the requirements in those markets, he added.

Mathur said the international business has been profitable for the past three years and is close to hitting revenues of Rs 1,000 crore by March, growing 100 percent from 2014-15.

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UN Security Council reform negotiations have begun with a focus on points of accord by looking at the relationship between it and the 193-member United Nations General Assembly in a bid to smoothen the way for dealing later with the more contentious issues like adding permanent members, according to diplomatic sources.

At the first session on Wednesday of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council Reform, using a negotiating text adopted in September after years of wrangling, its head, Sylvie Lucas, astutely turned the spotlight to the theme of Relationship between the Council and the General Assembly, an area with more agreement than discord, and so the talks could begin without rancour.

She asked the members to look for areas of convergence instead of repeating their differing positions, the sources said. This was the first meeting chaired by Lucas, who is Luxembourgs Permanent Representative, after her appointment last year as the chair of the IGN. A diplomat who was at the closed meeting told IANS that while there were some differences, overall there was more of a confluence of ideas, and heated debates as in previous meetings were avoided.

Most countries at the session agreed on redefining the relationship between the two bodies, emphasising that the Council  comprising the five permanent members (US, UK, Russia, France and China) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms  should stop encroaching on areas that are the mandate of the Assembly, the heads of the two bodies should consult regularly and that the Council report comprehensively on its work to the Assembly.

Even countries like Pakistan, which had opposed holding text-based negotiations mainly to prevent a reform that adds new permanent members to the Council, joined in criticising the Councils relationship with the Assembly and made suggestions to improve it.

Speaking on behalf of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, which are known as the G4, Tokyos Permanent Representative Motohide Yoshikawa emphasised that the negotiating text had been adopted unanimously and that Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft had asked the IGN to continue negotiations based on the text. The four members of the G4 jointly work for reforms and mutually support each others bid for permanent seats on an expanded Council.

Yoshikawa said the G4 strongly supported Lucas guideline that we should try to identify areas of convergence rather than repeating our known positions on major issues. In addition to the most common suggestions for improving CouncilAssembly relations, G4 called for getting inputs from the Peacebuilding Commission and the heads of its country specific panels in Council discussions.

India did not speak as the G4 had agreed to have Japan as the collective voice at the meeting. Japan became an elected member of the Council for a twoyear term last month. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida also set up last month a Strategic Headquarters in his ministry to intensify the push for reforming and expanding the Council.

Another group to which India belongs, the L69 that includes 42 countries from Africa, Latin America and Asia supporting Council reform and expansion, noted that it shared the views of the 54-member African Union and the 15-member Caribbean group known as CARICOM on restructuring relations between the Council and the Assembly.

Speaking on L69s behalf, Saint Lucias Permanent Representative Menissa Rambally said L69 will work with a spirit of building further convergence among member states. The African Union and L69 said the Council should consult countries contributing troops to the UN peacekeeping operations on the mandates and their implementation.

The expansion of the Council also came up at the meeting. Speaking on behalf of the African Union, the largest regional group at the UN, Sierra Leones Permanent Representative Vandi Chidi Minah said the African nations should have two veto-wielding permanent members in an expanded Council.

But Pakistans Permanent Representative Maleeha Lodhi opposed adding any permanent members, calling it a sterile move as they would not be accountable to those they are supposed to represent.

She was, however, in agreement on criticising the Councils functioning. According to Pakistani media reports, she said the UN was seen as losing its moral legitimacy and this can only be reversed if the Security Council in its decision making takes into account the collective voice of the General Assembly  as envisaged in the UN Charter.

On CouncilAssembly relations, Minah spoke of how matters concerning Africa were decided with little input from it. He also expressed concern over the Council going beyond its Charter mandate of maintaining peace and security by encroaching into areas like development that are the responsibilities of the Assembly, a view shared by India, the L69 and others.

Russias Permanent Representative Vitaly Churkin backed the developing countries complaint about the Councils encroachment into Assembly responsibilities. But fellow Council permanent member Britain hotly contested it, maintaining that the Council was within its mandate to take up such matters as they ultimately impact peace and security.

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WASHINGTON: India's future as a technology powerhouse and its plans to connect India's 600,000 villages to the Internet through the Digital India programme were the focus of a roundtable of top American and Indian companies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Startup India initiative also came up at the roundtable with Indian minister for communications & IT Ravi Shankar Prasad hosted by the US-India Business Council (USIBC) at Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Friday.

The roundtable was attended by USIBC President Mukesh Aghi and senior executives of American and Indian companies that included Google, AT&T, MasterCard, Facebook, American Tower Corporation, UST Global and iTech.

USIBC comprises 350 top-tier US and Indian companies advancing US-India commercial ties.

"Digital India provides an enormous investment opportunity for both global technology companies and startups from tech hubs like Boston and Silicon Valley," Prasad said.

"India is sitting on the cusp of a digital revolution," he said. "Whether it is big metropolitan cities or small towns, a well-connected India has the potential to not only usher in economic and welfare opportunities for its citizens, but also the global economic order."

The Indian "government is taking every policy decision in a transparent, predictable and reasonable manner," Prasad said encouraging "American businesses to take advantage of the Digital India programme, and the growth opportunities in India."

Prasad also outlined the progress that has already been made to implement Digital India programme and his priorities for the future.

Aghi said, "Prime Minister Modi's directive to connect Indians across the country is a tremendous opportunity for both Indian and US companies alike."

Noting that 85 percent of Indians still do not have access to the Internet, he said "the government could make it easier to obtain clearances to install cell phone towers."

"IT infrastructure can be further expanded by lifting the ban on foreign satellite operators so they can provide spectrum in hard-to-reach areas."

Dan Gupta of UST Global commented on the economic growth that can be spurred by the Digital India initiative and adoption of key technologies across sectors.

"By some estimations, the Digital India initiative could help boost India's gross domestic product (GDP) by around $550 billion - upping its GDP by $1 trillion by 2025," he said.

Sonny Khurana, CEO of iTech, praised the rapid strides in connectivity and the startup ecosystem under the current government.

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NEW DELHI: In an upshot of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UAE, home to 2.6 million expatriate Indians, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will arrive in New Delhi on February 10 on a three-day visit.

The crown prince will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, officials and captains of industry, an external affairs ministry statement said on Sunday.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) committed $75 billion to India's infrastructure sector, the highest by any country, during Modi's visit in August last year, the first by an Indian prime minister in 34 years to the Gulf nation.

The UAE's investments will specially focus on railways, ports, roads, airports and industrial corridors and parks, according to the bilateral agreement signed between the two countries during Modi's visit.

"India and the UAE have historically enjoyed close and friendly relations anchored on mutually beneficial commercial exchanges and extensive people to people contacts," the external affairs ministry statement said.

"Our well-balanced bilateral trade amounted to $59 billion in 2014-15, making the UAE our third largest trading partner."

The UAE contributes significantly to India's energy security and was the sixth largest supplier of crude oil to India in 2014-15.

India has vital stakes in the security and stability of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which host over seven million Indians.

The GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

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NEW DELHI: Foreigners visiting India with e-tourist visa are likely to be given mobile SIM cards soon with the Home Ministry giving its in-principle approval to the proposal for promotion of tourism. The Tourism Ministrys proposal was discussed by the Foreigners Division of the Home Ministry threadbare and given its nod as part of the larger goal of attracting more tourists to India.

Launched by Ministry of Tourism, the app features information about recognized tourism service providers including agents and operators. The app provides this information to tourists on their mobile phones based on their current location. Tourists can also seek similar details for any other city he plans to travel to in future. Also, the application will provide places of interest for tourists.

Even though there are issues of security, communication is important for any visitor. Since we are giving e-tourist visa to citizens of a limited number of countries and that too after proper verification, we are giving our approval to the proposal of giving SIM cards to tourists, a senior Home Ministry official said.

As part of the proposal, the Tourism Ministry is planning to gift a kit comprising a SIM card, maps, booklets and CD with information about various tourist destinations, guidelines relating to dos and dont, details regarding whom to contact in case of any emergency, among other things.

The e-tourist visa is currently given to citizens of 113 countries and government plans to raise it to 150 countries by March 31, 2016. Tourists can arrive in 16 designated airports across the country.

TVoA (tourist visa on arrival), enabled by Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), popularly known as e-tourist visa scheme was launched on November 27, 2014. Under the e-tourist visa scheme, an applicant receives an email authorizing him or her to travel to India after it is approved and he or she can travel with a print-out of this authorization.

On arrival, the visitor has to present the authorization to the immigration authorities who would then stamp the entry into the country. According to an official estimate, during January- November of 2015, a total of 3,41,683 tourists arrived on e-tourist visa as compared to 24,963 during the corresponding period of previous year, registering a growth of 1268.8 percent.

The UK accounted for 23.93 percent share of availing e-tourist visa facilities during November 2015, followed by the USA (16.33 percent), Russian Federation (8.17 percent), France (7.64 percent), Germany (5.60 percent) and Australia (4.82 percent).

Canada had a share of 4.71 percent, while that of China stood at 3.26 percent, Ukraine 2.03 percent and Netherlands 1.75 percent.

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WASHINGTON: Leading industrialists in the U.S. have attended a 'Make in India Week' seminar in Chicago, during which several American companies showed interest in reaping benefits of the opportunity to invest in India.

'Make in India' is one of the flagship schemes of the Indian government which is aimed at transforming Indian economy from services driven growth model to intensive manufacturing-driven growth not only to increase productivity but also to promote India as an international manufacturing hub, Consul General of Indian Consulate in Chicago Ausaf Sayeed said yesterday.

There are at least 30 key economic sectors which international companies can consider for setting up manufacturing bases in India, Sayeed said, adding that the manufacturing sector in India offers investments worth 67 lakh crore (USD1 trillion).

"There is considerable synergy between states in India and those in the US Midwest and this could be effectively utilized to boost the manufacturing sectors in both countries," he said.

The Illinois Chief Information Officer Hardik Bhatt has termed Illinois as one of the most important business partners of India as he expressed desire to collaborate with India in developing smart cities.

Mr Bhatt recently held interactions with the visiting high-level trade missions from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

"Prime Minister Modi's government has made steady progress to deliver on its promise of economic reforms," Director and Legal Policy Counsel of U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) Amy Hariani said.

"Efforts such as lifting of FDI caps in several sectors, reducing red tape, implementing a transparent tax environment, improving the country's intellectual property regime have sent a crystal clear message to the global investment community that India is ready and open for serious business," she said.

Ms Hariani further added that the results of these efforts are also visible in India's rise in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index.

The Indian Consulate in Chicago has mobilised four major business delegations, one each from the states of Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri to participate in the 'Make in India Week', to be held Mumbai from February 13th to 18th.

Also Read:

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New Delhi: Contribution of small towns - known as beyond the top 15 cities (B15) - to mutual funds' asset base in India has surged 13.5 percent to Rs 2.14 lakh crore in the first nine months of the current fiscal.



Mutual Funds assets under management (AUM) from B15 grew from Rs 1,89,014 crore in March 31, 2015 to Rs 2,14,528 crore at the end of December, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI).



Despite marked volatility in the broader financial and stock markets, contributions from B15 cities has increased in the overall industry's AUM.



A major portion of the products sold within this fast growing pocket of the industry are equity-linked unlike the Top 15 space, where institutional dominance tilts the balance towards fixed income products, Reliance Capital Asset Management Company (RCAM) CEO Sundeep Sikka said.



With Rs 30,641 crore under management, Reliance MF had a 14.3 per cent share of the B-15 mutual fund market in December 2015, closely followed by UTI MF with a 13.9 per cent market share and Rs 29,762 crore worth of assets base.



Commenting on the numbers, Sikka said: "RCAM occupies a niche position within this space with a robust distribution network and dedicated investor education programmes."



"We look forward to further capitalising on the strengths and keep bringing compelling investment opportunities to individual investors in B-15 cities," he added.



Among the top five mutual fund houses, Birla Sun Life MF have seen the highest growth in the assets base from B15 cities, while in absolute terms, Reliance MF has bagged the top slot.



Birla Sun Life MF's AUM from B15 locations jumped by over 22 per cent to Rs 16,599 crore. This was followed by ICICI MF, which saw a growth of about 18 per cent in its assets base from B15 cities to Rs 24,700 crore. Reliance MF (about 12 per cent to Rs 30,641 crore), HDFC MF (8.3 per cent to Rs 26,737 crore) and UTI MF (4 per cent to Rs 29,762 crore).



B15 cities are those which are beyond these top 15 cities -- New Delhi (including NCR) Mumbai (including Thane & Navi Mumbai), Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Panjim, Pune and Surat.



To increase penetration and popularise MF products in rural areas, capital market regulator Sebi, in 2012, mandated fund houses to go to 'B-15' cities.



Currently, all the mutual fund houses manage assets worth over Rs 12.74 lakh crore.

Read Also: Modi Launches IOCL Refinery in Paradip, Regrets Project Delays

Headley Bares Two Failed Attempts Before 26/11
Odisha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dedicated to the nation a 15-million tonnes a year refinery of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) here, and expressed regrets over delay in execution of different projects.

"Projects are marred by delays due to legal and tender processes and local agitations, resulting in cost overruns to the country. Initiatives have to be futuristic and completed before the designated time limit so that the country does not sustain cost overruns due to delays," the prime minister said.

He said a new work culture is being developed to materialise the projects within fixed time frame that would benefit the country.

Modi also took a dig at the Congress after inaugurating the 34,555-crore refinery project of 15 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity, saying: "Nowadays, whenever I go to inaugurate any project, the friends in Congress party say it was started during our time."

Describing Paradip refinery as Odisha's 'Vikas Deep', Modi said it will fulfil the aspirations of the state's bright youngsters. He said it will also take gas cylinders to the homes of the poor across the country.

Modi said the Paradip refinery has set a record of sorts when it came to 'Make in India' initiative -- the refinery will become a source of jobs for lakhs of poor since several downstream industries will come up after its commissioning.

The prime minister said the central government had distributed about 1 lakh crore in recent months under the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) scheme to make the youth self-employed.

"MUDRA Yojana has given an opportunity to India's youth to stand on their own feet and become job-creators, not job-seekers. We don't want the youth to be job-seekers; they should be job-creators," said the prime minister.

He said effort was on to decrease oil imports and make India self-reliant in petroleum sector.

"I have asked the petroleum ministry to decrease oil imports by 10 percent by 2022, when India will celebrate 75 years of Independence. The ministry will try hard to be self-reliant in oil," Modi said.

He said the government was also emphasising on solar energy so that it does not depend on other countries for its energy needs. The Indian Oil Corp's refinery was a step towards that goal, he added.

Modi also congratulated the scientists for developing indigenous technology for the refinery project.

"Paradip refinery is made in India, for India and by Indians, using indigenous technology and this has amazed the world," the prime minister said.

The refinery at Paradip would produce 78 crore kg liquefied petroleum gas, 500 crore kg petrol, 680 crore kg disel and 120 lakh quintal petroleum coke.

The project will primarily produce BS-IV fuels and serve the eastern and south-eastern markets, apart from exports.

The refinery is the largest on the country's eastern coast, and is equipped with the latest technology, including IOCL's own patented IndMax technology for better and higher output of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Speaking on the occasion, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged Modi to ask the Indian Oil Corp. to fulfil its commitment in creating jobs for the region's people.

He also urged the prime minister to grant special category status to Odisha for its further development.



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NEW YORK: India-born former Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta has convinced a U.S. court to rehear an appeal to throw out his 2012 insider-trading conviction.

The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan yesterday agreed to revisit its rejection of 67-year-old Guptas appeal.

Gupta in the past too had filed several appeals, including to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his conviction and a two-year prison term but the courts rejected his arguments and affirmed his sentence.

Gupta was convicted in 2012 of passing illegal tips about Goldman Sachs to Galleon Group founder Raj Rajaratnam while serving on the Goldman board.

Rajaratnam is serving an 11-year prison sentence after his 2011 conviction on insider-trading charges. Gupta and Rajaratnam were the most prominent people rounded up in the US governments crackdown on insider trading.

Gupta, who began serving prison term in June 2014, was freed from Federal Medical Centre Devens, a federal correctional facility in Ayer, Massachusetts, on January 5 to serve out the rest of the sentence at home after receiving credit for good behaviour.

At the age of 45, Gupta became the first Indian CEO of the consulting giant McKinsey. He co-founded the prestigious Indian School of Business with fellow McKinsey executive Anil Kumar, who had pleaded guilty to insider trading and testified as a government witness against Gupta in his trial.

Read Also:

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Source: PTI
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's the annual symbol of New Orleans' unstoppable spirit we here at SILive like to refer to as "Party Gras"

Mardi Gras, aka Fat Tuesday, traditionally drops the day before Ash Wednesday. It's the last night of debauchery before 40 days of Lent, when repentance, self-sacrifice and abstinence rule.

Religious practices aside, Mardi Gras is all about good times, good food and, err, beads.

These Carnevale-themed events are packed with enough crawfish and hurricanes to make the French Quarter proud:

Bayou, 1072 Bay St., Rosebank, 718-273-4383; BayouStatenIsland.com.

"It's always Mardi Gras here," chef/owner Julian Gaxholli once told us about his acclaimed Cajun-Creole restaurant. And, by the same token, ever Tuesday is "Fat Tuesday." On Feb. 9, live blues and rock music accompanies the obligatory beads and t-shirt giveaways. But the real star here is the stellar menu: Crawfish etouffee and chicken/andouille jambalaya (check out the new video above for a mouthwatering look at the latter dish) are among the many Louisiana-legit entrees. Creme brule flambe is a standout dessert. Hurricanes, mint juleps and micro beers keep the Bourbon Street buzz going.

Adobe Blues at 63 Lafayette Ave., New Brighton, 718-720-2583; AdobeBlues.com.



It's all going down from 7-10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, at this enduringly popular saloon: "A menu of Cajun and Creole dishes in the kitchen, including our famous crawfish boil, with whole crawfish flown in from Louisiana, jambalaya, gumbo, catfish po boys, and more."

Plus, drinks will be flowing: "Homemade, fresh Hurricanes, Sazeracs, Vieux Carres, and other favorite French Quarter cocktails will be stirred up. Louisiana's pioneering craft brewery, Abita, will have the taps, with a fresh hop pale ale and bourbon-barrel aged maple pecan brown ale."

On stage: The band Bluey, named after Harry Ettling's car, featuring John Lynch and Richie Castellano on guitar and vocals' Rob Kipp on keyboard and vocals; Packy Lynch on bass; and Mike DeConzo on drums.

Big Nose Kate's, 2484 Arthur Kill Road; 718-227-3282; Facebook.

Mardi Gras falls on Saturday, Feb. 6, at this rollicking Rossville party spot. The $20 open bar runs from 9-11 p.m. with music by Sal Cianci, Nick Scalici and SOS. Plus: Percussion by Crystal Vargas and a giveaway for most beads collected.

PepperJack Grill, 316 Manor Road; 718-816-6366; PJGrill.com.

Fat Tuesday happy hour taco and cocktail specials run 4-7 p.m. Live jazz from the Paul Corn Band follows from 7-11 p.m.

Carnevale Luncheon: Garibald-Meucci Museum hosts a pre-Lenten "Carnevale Luncheon" at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at Italianissimo, 107 McClean Ave. in South Beach. Expect music, dancing and a "Best Mask Contest." The tab: $65. Reservations: 718-442-1608; info@garibaldimeuccimuseum.com.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you hosting a Fat Tuesday celebration? Share the details in the comments section below.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- There's more than one way to build a pinewood derby car.

Cub Scouts put their best designs to the test Sunday during the annual racing event at the Staten Island Mall where about 100 first through fifth graders competed for a shot at the city finals.

The Boy Scouts of America Pinewood Derby encourages children to partner with a parent or adult mentor to craft their own unique model car using a kit consisting of a block of wood, four nails and four wheels.

Any kind of design is allowed, as long as it meets the official weight and dimension requirements.

Slow-mo Pinewood Derby action at the Staten Island Mall. pic.twitter.com/D6lYaG9B2G  Ryan Lavis (@ryanlavis) February 8, 2016

During Sunday's event, Cub Scouts raced a variety of pinewood cars, from a Hershey's milk chocolate bar to a watermelon-colored derby car.

First-place winners from each age group will go on to compete in the citywide finals held in June in Times Square.

"It's a great learning experience and it gives them a goal to work towards," Priscilla Panteleakis said after her 10-year-old son Dean won first prize in the Senior Webelos category.

With help from his dad, the fifth grader from Great Kills built a Star Wars-inspired car that left his competition in the dust.

Win or lose, organizers say the event is about strengthening bonds and developing teamwork.

"It's an intergenerational thing that has been around for decades," said Matt Gaor, Boy Scouts of America Associate Race Master for Staten Island.

The winners from each group are:

Tiger

1st Place: Jonathan Vazquez, Pack 26

2nd Place: Dylan Collins, Pack 8

3rd Place: Ryan Howard, Pack 222

Wolf

1st Place: Kyle Codoner, Pack 150

2nd Place: James Prendamano, Pack 37

3rd Place: Massimo D'Antonio, Pack 6

Bear

1st Place: Anthony Solimando, Pack 132

2nd Place: Michael Puma, Pack 150

3rd Place: Anthony Tufte, Pack 8

Jr. Webelos

1st Place: Sal Sciandra, Pack 5

2nd Place: Jacob Berger, Pack 118

3rd Place: Christopher Rinaldi, Pack 6

Sr. Webelos
Rubio and Malliotakis.jpg

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis is Sen. Marco Rubio's chair for his New York campaign, and was in New Hampshire up until Monday morning, as his campaign prepares for the next big task: New Hampshire's primary on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As the presidential candidates turned their focus to New Hampshire, so too did Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis in the hopes that Sen. Marco Rubio can capitalize off his third-place win in Iowa and come out on top in Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire.

Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) is the chairwoman of Rubio's New York campaign and spoke Monday morning during a radio interview about her candidate and what he brings to the table.

While a third-place win in Iowa might not seem like much, it has brought Rubio some more of the spotlight that had been focused on Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz.

Speaking with Joe Piscopo on AM970 Monday morning before leaving New Hampshire to drive to Albany for session, Malliotakis said Rubio held his own over attacks from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and others in Saturday night's debate.

"I was actually at the debate and I'll tell you Marco did extremely well throughout the debate," Malliotakis said. "The problem is they only want to play one clip. Of course they only want the fights between Jeb Bush and Donald Trump as well as Chris Christie and Rubio. However, if you watch the whole debate, you saw how Marco is the only candidate that really understands the foreign affairs issues that we're facing today when it comes to ISIS, when it comes to Iran, when it comes to China, when it comes to Cuba. He really knows foreign relations more than anyone else and how to keep us safe against ISIS. So I think that is something that is one of the most important issues going into this, what people are really concerned about, that and the economy. Our public safety and the economy have to be first when we're selecting our next president. I hear a lot of people saying, 'I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that.' I feel like Marco Rubio is the only candidate that really has laid out a plan on how he's actually going to tackle these issues and everyone can read them in detail on his website."

While Rubio was attacked on the stage, unlike other campaigns he hasn't made his campaign about going after opponents.

"He's the only one that doesn't really attack the other candidates," Malliotakis told Piscopo. "He talks about what his issues are, he talks about what he wants to do for the American people. He doesn't do the bullying and the attacking and negative ads as you've seen Jeb Bush spending $40 million on negative ads against Marco Rubio. Maybe he would've gotten 1 or 2 percent coming out of Iowa if he spent the money on himself, and Chris Christie, if you look at is record in New Jersey, that's what he should be concerned with."

While Christie attacked Rubio, saying he is unqualified and relies on talking points, Malliotakis sought to draw attention to the senator's strong opposition to the Affordable Care Act, "by stripping those bailouts from insurance companies. Why should our tax dollars be used to bailout insurance companies that are failing because Obamacare is a failure?"

She also commended his plan to address illegal immigration by securing the borders, implementing e-verify, tracking all who enter the country and continuing to track them when their visas expire.

Recent national polls show Rubio beating Hillary Clinton in a general election.

"I believe Marco Rubio is the only candidate on that debate stage that can beat Hillary Clinton and that's because I think he has cross party appeal, he's someone who has reasonable, rational plans for this country," Malliotakis said in the radio interview. "He's somebody who is young, he's attractive, he speaks to the issues and not just mud-slinging throughout the course of the campaign."

She expects "his ethnicity and his youth" to appeal to voters outside the Republican Party, something that Clinton and her team fear, the assemblywoman said.
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"Turkey has reached the end of its capacity to absorb (refugees)," Kurtulmus said. "But in the end, these people have nowhere else to go. Either they will die beneath the bombings and Turkey will ... watch the massacre like the rest of the world, or we will open our borders."
"When we went past 10,000 feet, we switched off the fasten belts sign and the cabin crew started serving passengers," Vodopivec said in an interview in Belgrade. "When we climbed past 11,000 feet, it exploded. At first, I thought it was a window breaking. However, we soon sensed the smell of the explosives when smoke came rushing into the cockpit. We immediately demanded an emergency return to the airport because that was the only solution. With a heavy heart, because there the security is minimal, and we had to remain there for a couple of days afterward."
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A shopfront at 1048-1050 High Street sold for $3 million to an owner-occupier in an off-market sale, according to Dixon Kestles & Co's Ian Price. The 326-metre-property with a 10-metre frontage to High Street will be renovated by the new owner later this year. In another sale, a high visibility showroom at 439-443 Swan Street with a total land area of 600 square metres sold for $3.6 million to a private investor. Both transactions show continued strong interest in high-profile well located main road commercial properties, he said.

A modern shop leased to Petra Haircare at 775 Burke Road has sold for $2 million. Petra pays annual rent of $72,000 net on a five-year lease that expires in June next year. The price reflected a yield of 3.6 per cent, Prowse Burns Commercial's Philip Prowse said.

Melbourne

CBD Development Group has snapped up new city headquarters at 21 Victoria Street for $1.395 million in a deal negotiated by CBRE's Nick Lower, Tim Last and Tom Tuxworth. Mr Lower said the deal for the 324sqm strata office was signed less than two weeks into the four-week marketing campaign. "The sale price of $1,395,000 exceeded the vendor's expectations by almost $150,000 and sets a new building record by a margin of $500,000," he said.

Coolaroo

Two retail food units in a commercial development at 1350 Pascoe Vale Road sold for a combined total of $1.125 million. One of the properties sold with vacant possession for $505,000 to a local owner-occupier, Gray Johnson's Rory White said. The purchaser intends to open a Vietnamese restaurant. The other unit sold to a private investor for $620,000 on an indicative return of 7.2 per cent. It is leased to Jessie's Pizza under a five-year lease with a current annual rental of $45,000 net plus GST.
Twelve students aged from 15 to 23 from around Australia have been mentored by ACT artists over the past week during the fourth Australian Talented Youth Project. On Wednesday, they will demonstrate their talents in a free public performance at Parliament House combining Indigenous and modern dance, jazz, vocal performance and digital art.

Project director Jolanta Gallagher said the project included five students from the ACT and seven from elsewhere in Australia including Cairns, Alice Springs, Launceston and Hobart, chosen by audition. Some of the 51 students who have participated in the program since 2007 have gone to careers with organisations such as Cirque du Soleil and Bangarra Dance Theatre.

Australian Talented Youth Project artistic adviser Liz Lea, left, and project director Jolanta Gallagher at a dance class. Credit:Graham Tidy

One of the dance students being mentored was 15-year-old Jonah Johnston, who was encouraged to apply for the Project by the artistic director of Biddigal Performing Arts dance group in Cairns, with which he's danced for the past two years after a year with the Bangarra Rekindling program run by retired Bangarra dancers.

Johnston said, "My mother was a dancer  she went to NAISDA Dance College in Sydney."
Canberra is bursting with more visitors and more attractions than ever before but it seems some Australians still aren't feeling the love.

Domestic and international visitor numbers have soared since Canberra's centenary celebrations two years ago, and while a new report shows tourism in the ACT is still riding the wave, it also reveals Australians' glowing pride in Canberra has dimmed slightly.

The Skywhale flying over Canberra during the centenary. It has since floated on to favourable skies in Brazil and Ireland.

The centenary year unearthed in Canberrans a new-found pride in their city and icons.

Ninety per cent of those surveyed in the immediate aftermath felt proud or extremely proud of Canberra throughout 2013.
David Eastman has launched his last-ditch bid to stave off a second trial for the 1989 murder of ACT police chief Colin Winchester.

The next two weeks will prove crucial in the long-running Eastman saga, which has dragged on in the courts in various forms for more than 25 years.

David Eastman is arrested in December, 1992, in relation to the murder of Colin Winchester. Credit:Graham Tidy

Mr Eastman was freed after a dramatic turn of events in 2014, when an inquiry uncovered shocking deficiencies in the forensic evidence used to link him to the murder scene during his 1995 trial.

He had spent 19 years behind bars.
As the deadline nears for an appeal against the Court of Arbitration for Sport ban on the "Essendon 34", an AFL review of captain Jobe Watson's 2012 Brownlow Medal is expected to be delayed.

The Essendon supplements scandal appears set to continue for at least another year, with legal counsel for some of the banned players indicating they will appeal before the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

Banned Essendon player Jobe Watson with his 2012 Brownlow Medal. Credit:Sebastian Costanzo

An appeal must be lodged by Wednesday.

After the CAS decision was handed down in January, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the commission would consider the Brownlow issue in February.
ANZ Banking Group said it's continuing to co-operate with a probe into possible manipulation of Australia's interest-rate benchmark, amid a report the regulator is on the verge of taking legal action against the bank.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is expected to file a civil action against ANZ in relation to breaches of the law relating to the bank-bill swap rate between 2007 and 2013, The Australian Financial Review reported Monday, without citing sources. An announcement is expected in the next few weeks, the report said.

ANZ's New York office has been accused of hosting a discriminatory culture. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

"We are continuing to co-operate with the ASIC investigation," ANZ said in a statement commenting on the report.

ASIC said in the statement that it didn't comment on its investigations.
A nasty sell-off in the banking sector has dragged the sharemarket to its worst session since late September, as global woes once again came crashing on to our shores.

The ASX 200 index dropped 143 points, or by 2.9 per cent, to 4832, while the All Ords was 139 points down at 4883. It was the worst showing since late September.

Not helping the global mood was a more than 5 per cent plunge in Japanese shares as the yen jumped to its highest level since November 2014.

Chinese markets are closed for New Year holidays, perhaps fortuitously.

The banks were responsible for 93 points of the local benchmark index's drop. ANZ fell 4 per cent, CBA 4.6 per cent, NAB 4.8 per cent and Westpac 5.2 per cent.

Financials were under attack, following a note by Credit Suisse's overnight, Vital Addition partner Betty Lam says.

The note questioned Deutsche Bank's ability to service its coupons in 2017, sparking a near-10 per cent slide in the German bank's shares, she says.

"The spillover rippled to banks and insurers locally"

Energy shares did badly as the oil price fell again, with Woodside 2.5 per cent lower. Telstra dropped 1 per cent, CSL 2.6 per cent, Woolies 2.8 per cent and Wesfarmers 0.9 per cent.

BHP fell 2 per cent and Rio 1.2 per cent.

Among the winners in the top 200 - all 14 of them - were gold miners, and Harvey Norman, which ended up 0.9 per cent.
Newcrest Mining's partner in the Golpu gold project insists it will be able to fund its share of the mine development costs, despite investor concerns over its financial firepower.

Golpu is a gold and copper deposit in the hills of Papua New Guinea which Newcrest chief executive Sandeep Biswas has described as the company's "most exciting" growth prospect.

Newcrest Mining and Harmony Gold are expected to push ahead with development of the Golpu mine. Credit:Bloomberg

Newcrest and its partner, South African miner Harmony Gold, are expected to reveal a detailed plan for developing Golpu next week, with investors looking for an update on the construction costs which were last estimated at $US2.3 billion ($3.25 billion).

In market capitalisation terms, Harmony is eight times smaller than Newcrest, and investors have long doubted its ability to fund its 50 per cent stake in the Golpu project.
There was a lot to like in Whitehaven Coal's interim profit result, including a return to profit on the back of high quality coal sold at a premium. But Macquarie analyst Andrew Hodge says that is not enough to trump the challenges facing the entire sector.

The Sydney-based coal miner was able to sell thermal coal, used for energy, from its Maules Creek mine at a 7 per cent premium to the market in the six months ended December 31, which, helped by the weaker Australian dollar, contributed to a 54 per cent rise in sales revenue to $574.3 million. It also did a good job of containing its costs.

Whitehaven Coal is at risk of falling out of the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index, Macquarie analyst Andrew Hodge warns. Credit:Martin Divisek

But Mr Hodge, who has an "underperform" rating on the company, said Whitehaven "cannot counter macroeconomic headwinds" like falling spot prices and demand for coal. Mr Hodge's target price of 30 suggests the stock has further to fall from current trading levels.

To mangle an old real estate cliche, Whitehaven might be the best house, but the street is not even worth walking down, Mr Hodge seems to imply.
The sooner parents realise the risk their child will be exposed to pornography online is real the better.

No longer is it OK, if it ever was, to say, "I don't understand tech", or "I don't use it, so I don't get it". The internet and all the wonderful and not so wonderful things about it are here to stay and parenting in the 21st century requires you to be able to parent online.

Pornography is easily accessible to children online. Credit:Phil Carrick

Cries of it's just "moral panic", or "the risks are just not that bad" still permeate the "mummy blogs" of the uneducated and ignorant, who unfortunately have access to a large number of vulnerable parents, hungry for advice.

The fact is that pornography and easy access to it is something parents must understand. Even if your child does not look for online porn, it will most certainly find them. An innocuous search for something like, "naughty girl", will lead kids to a variety of porn sites, images and videos as will a search for a picture of a cute cat for a school project simply by typing in the word "pussy".
NSW Premier Mike Baird has announced the formation of special taskforce to crack down on the growing number of wines being enjoyed by the glass.

The $150 million project will see up to 100 officers assigned to the special division, which will come into force later this month.

Enough is enough.

Identifiable by specially-designed burgundy uniforms, the officers will patrol inner-city wine bars, restaurants and bistros with special powers to shut down a glass of wine before it is poured.

Funds will also be used to purchase equipment that can identify wine blackboards, wine lists and glassware.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has let slip a rare chance to accept a consensus ticket on a timetable for the republic debate. Federal Labor is open to discussions. All premiers and chief ministers bar Colin Barnett in Western Australia are on board. Such a cross-party force could argue the case forcibly for an Australian head of state; convince the undecided and those sceptical of the motives of politicians; and prompt debate about the best model to put to the people when that time comes once more, as it inevitably will. The Prime Minister must keep his internal party opponents at bay, true. He has to handle other pressing issues such as budget repair as well. But politics is not a zero sum game. Being forthright on one issue  especially one of principle that so defines someone like Mr Turnbull  does not mean others must be left alone. Mr Turnbull's rise to leadership of his party last September owed much to popularity across the board for his progressive views on social issues that traditionally divide the Liberals: the republic, same sex marriage and indigenous recognition. Yet on Australia Day Mr Turnbull took the easy, political option. He kicked the republic issue down the road, playing to the extremes in his own party. He argued, yet again, that any debate should be had once Queen Elizabeth II has passed on. The Herald has warned about the dangers of tying the republic debate to the end of the Queen's reign. There will always be an excuse not to support a republic if deference to the monarch is a reason to wait. Conservatives will argue that Prince Charles should be respected; celebrity watchers will want to see how Prince William and Kate perform.

Indeed, Mr Abbott proved that point when he responded to Mr Turnbull. "Republicanism gets trotted out from time to time but support for our existing constitutional arrangements is stronger than [it has been] for many years, helped by enthusiasm for the younger royals," the former prime minister said. He did not mention the cute Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Why not wait till they grow up before discussing a republic? Mr Turnbull said he had learned from being chairman of the Australian Republican Movement for the 1999 referendum. "If the move to a republic is seen as being politically driven  being driven from the top down  then it won't succeed," he said, adding that republicans should bide their time until the grassroots movement was stronger. Any such delay is dangerous. Polls variously suggest between a third and a half of all Australians support a republic. Support grows slightly if the Queen has left the throne. Notably, though, almost every poll shows about one in four Australians are undecided on the issue. They can be convinced one way or the other  not based on supposed left-wing ideology that hates our history, but on the merits of various models and the importance of a clear, independent and above all democratic national identity represented by an Australian as head of state. A vacuum in the debate will inevitably play into the hands of those who oppose change. That will make the task for republicans greater when the debate inevitably returns to the front of national discourse, which it will. Polling suggests far more than half of all Australian believe we will become a republic at some stage. A strong leader would be honest and say that a republic remains one of his priorities. He would be true to his convictions and work towards one. Without such honesty, the issue becomes a political plaything. On the first day of the 2016 parliamentary sittings Labor sensed Mr Turnbull's weakness. It highlighted that on November 7, 1999, Mr Turnbull said about a republic: "It needs a prime minister and a leader of the opposition working together to promote a Yes vote."
It's perhaps not the greatest of surprises - after all, not only is the Father of the House the longest-serving current member of Australian parliament (and second-longest of all time), he was also Immigration Minister under John Howard and thus one of the architects of Australia's brilliant and sensitive asylum seeker policy that has caused zero problems for anyone since. Ruddock was then made Attorney-General in 2003, and the following year he oversaw the changing of the Marriage Act to specifically rule out same-sex unions. Again: a great decision that's brought nothing but happiness and concord to Australians generally and the Turnbull government in particular. You might recall that Ruddock was made Chief Whip when the government took power under Tony Abbott, until Abbott dumped him for failing to stop the attempted spill motion in February last year in accordance with the old saying, "always shoot the messenger". What now for Phil? He'll now be Special Envoy for Human Rights, in whic hold on, that can't be right, surely? "Having been an inaugural member of the Parliamentary Amnesty Group some 40 years ago, that has driven my deep personal interest in these issues and allowed me to develop a network of those dedicated to the advancement of human rights internationally," Ruddock announced on Monday. "That passion remains unabated."

Ahhh, that'd be that same passion for human rights that saw Amnesty International told him to stop wearing their badge as they felt he was making a mockery of everything for which they stand, then. Coal industry wants more free money, thanks Meanwhile our government's continued deliberate inaction over renewable energy looks even more silly with the news that power giant AGL has decided it can't be bothered with CSG any more. A statement from the company confirmed that "production of natural gas assets will no longer be a core business for the company", thanks to the plummeting price of oil and gas. And the Queensland mining industry is responding by um, asking for free government money. Sure, the Australian taxpayer already subsidises the industry with a staggering $3 billion a year, but enough with the pocket change: it's time to get serious with propping up a dying industry, feds!
Screen stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Emma Watson have been handed new roles  as visiting fellows at Oxford University.

Sherlock actor Cumberbatch and Watson, who made her name as Hermione in the Harry Potter series, are among 11 notable non-academics to have accepted appointments at Lady Margaret Hall.

Benedict Cumberbatch has been outspoken about Syria and the refugee crisis. Credit:Robert Viglasky

Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant, film director Beeban Kidron  who helmed Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit and Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason  and former children's laureate Malorie Blackman have also accepted visiting fellowship roles at the college.

Cumberbatch, who recently earned positive reviews for his role in Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Barbican Centre in London, has shifted to the centre of political debate with his impassioned comments on the Syrian conflict and the ensuing refugee crisis.
International criticism of the CSIRO's planned deep cuts to its climate monitoring programs has intensified with the World Meteorological Organisation blasting the move as a "backward" step that would see Australia isolated.

Staff were told last week the CSIRO planned to cut about 100 full-time researchers from the Ocean and Atmosphere division alone. The key units - Earth System Assessment and Ocean and Climate Dynamics - have 151 staff including doctoral researchers but about 135 full-time positions, insiders say.

Most of CSIRO's climate programs face the axe. Credit:CSIRO

Larry Marshall, the CSIRO's chief executive, on Monday sought to allay concerns about the cuts, saying the overall division - which also includes coastal management, engineering and technology and marine resources and industries - would lose 65 of its 420 staff.

The World Climate Research Programme, a unit of the WMO, said the "substantial reductions" in climate researchers had "sent shockwaves into the international climate research community".
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is considering slapping further sanctions on North Korea after the rogue regime of Kim Jong-un launched a long-range missile in defiance of United Nations rules.

"It is destabilising, it is provocative and it is dangerous behaviour," Ms Bishop told Parliament on Monday afternoon.

Ms Bishop said Australia already applied the full range of UN-backed sanctions on Pyongyang over its efforts to develop nuclear. But the recent launch of a long-range missile  which experts have said could deliver a nuclear warhead to the west coast of the US  has prompted a close look at even tougher penalties.
A Sydney school will appeal the federal government's decision to cancel $19 million in Commonwealth funding that could leave up to 2000 students stranded within the first term of school.

On Tuesday, the board of Malek Fahd Islamic School in Sydney's west announced it would fight the Federal Department of Education's decision after a nine-month investigation into the school found it had been operating for profit and had ongoing governance concerns.

The school, which is the largest Islamic school in the country, has been embroiled in an internal civil war for more than a year.

In November the NSW Supreme Court heard it was in "turmoil" following three changes of chairman amid allegations that it was operating for profit.
The NSW Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli has urged the federal government not to abandon the state's most disadvantaged schools after a new report found that Australian society was far less equal than previously thought.

The report, commissioned by the NSW Department of Education, used 12 years of the national household, income and labour dynamics survey of 14,000 Australians.

"We aren't nearly as equal as we like to think," said the report's author Peter Siminski. "The idea of being the lucky country that is full of equal opportunity is looking less and less realistic."

Dr Siminski and co-author Silvia Mendolia from the University of Wollongong found that the ability of Australians to move beyond the socioeconomic status of their family was almost as restricted as those in the US and the UK, which have some of the lowest rates of mobility in the Western world.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection's revised enterprise agreement will result in 680 redundancies, senior bureaucrats say, three times more than initially expected.

Department secretary Michael Pezzullo said additional job losses were "an unavoidable reality" after 91 per cent of employees rejected a pay increase of 3.4 per cent over three years, one of the lowest offers in the public service.

The initial pay offer, which was rejected late last year amid stopwork meetings at international airports across the nation, would have resulted in 184 full-time equivalent redundancies.

Mr Pezzullo said the initial offer was drafted to "keep employee reductions to an absolute minimum over the life of the agreement to ensure we had sufficient resources to carry out our duties as set by government".
A man has been charged over a road rage attack in Sydney's inner west in which a driver used a shovel to smash the windscreen of a bus.

The 44-year-old man was arrested on Monday night and charged with two offences following the attack on the bus at Marrickville that a witness recorded on a mobile phone camera.

Police will allege in court that the driver of the metrobus M30 service had dropped off his last passenger on Marrickville Road about 9.40am on Monday before letting a car overtake him.

The gesture appeared to have upset the driver of a Subaru station wagon travelling behind the bus, police said.
The family of a Sydney schoolgirl who was run over while waiting for a bus in Sydney's south say their lives will never be the same without their precious daughter.

Aneri Patel, 16, was killed when a four-wheel-drive mounted a footpath in Kogarah before ploughing through the O'Reilly & Daly Chemist on Railway Parade about 11.25am on September 15, 2014.

Puipuimaota Galuvao arrives at Kogarah Local Court with supporters in October 2014 to face charges relating to the death of Aneri Patel. Credit:Peter Rae

The driver, Puipuimaota Galuvao, 28, wiped away tears as the victim's father asked how she could sleep at night after killing his "innocent daughter".

"We cannot walk past the street where you took away our daughter," Nikul Patel told an emotional sentencing hearing at Sydney's Downing Centre District Court on Monday.
A State Emergency Service deputy commissioner turned whistleblower made "denigrating" comments about a senior officer, including that of corrupt behaviour, to junior staff before she was sacked, a court has heard.

The SES' first female deputy commissioner, Tara McCarthy, was dismissed from the organisation in 2013 after making allegations about misconduct in the ranks.

Former SES head Murray Kear arrives at Sydney Central Local Court on Monday. Credit:James Alcock

Her boss, SES commissioner Murray Kear, resigned in 2014 after the Independent Commission Against Corruption found he had sacked Ms McCarthy as a reprisal for making misconduct allegations against his "mate" Steve Pearce, who was also a deputy commissioner.

Ms McCarthy's allegations included the misuse of a corporate credit card to pay for personal expenses, such as electric brakes for towing a camper trailer and roof racks for surfboards.
A charity dedicated to supporting adult male survivors of child sexual abuse has been saved after it received a $517,000 funding boost from the NSW government.

The Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN) was formed in 2010 by a group of male survivors of child sexual assault who, when they couldn't find a support group, decided to start their own.

Craig Hughes-Cashmore one of the co-founders and a director of Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN). Credit:Ryan Osland

The group now delivers counselling services across the state, connecting survivors with specialist psychologists and social workers and offering support during police investigations and court appearances.

"We have thrived on the simple message of 'mates supporting mates'," said co-founder Shane McNamara, who hopes the boost will enable the charity to expand its operations. The charity also works with NSW Victims Services to help men seeking financial assistance or child sex abuse recognition payments.
Paul Shin and his wife Isabella were bashed in their Terrigal shop three days before Australia Day by a 17-year-old who, in company with three teenage mates, repeatedly yelled "f--- off home you Asians".

But community anger at the attack has turned to outrage over the handling of an extraordinary offer by the Shins to accept an apology from the boy rather than see him charged, and news they are selling their shop and leaving the area.

Former Korean Army lieutenant, high school teacher and counsellor Paul Shin shows off a black eye after a vicious attack by a 17-year-old in his general store. Credit:Newcastle Herald

"My wife is still shocked. I want to forget a bad memory," Mr Shin, a former Korean Army lieutenant, high school teacher and counsellor, said.

Terrigal residents, including writer Nikki McWatters, have demanded answers after a senior police officer was quoted in a local media article describing the vicious attack as "children doing the wrong thing", and the teenager's mother was quoted saying her son had only "accidentally elbowed" Mrs Shin, but had cried, apologised and realised "how silly he was".
"We are really disappointed they have taken advantage of the loophole in legislation. Local councillor Helen Abrahams addresses residents protesting the demolition of heritage houses in Highgate Hill. Credit:Amy Mitchell-Whittington "There is a current development application over the site that has not been approved. They have no certainty over what they can do for that site." Earlier: The fate of two heritage homes at Highgate Hill rests on the goodwill of a developer, as Brisbane City Council desperately scrambles to save them on Monday morning. Locals say a plan for a five storey complex on the site will destroy the character of the area and a number of protesters blocked demolitionists from entering site in the inner southern suburb on Monday.

One of the homes on the site, Keddington Villa, was built in 1882, which qualifies it for heritage protection under the council's City Plan 2014. The planning instrument ostensibly offers preservation to all Brisbane homes built before 1911. However, a council spokeswoman said the developer had sought - and won - private certifier approval to knock down the homes, without it ever going to council for approval, as council records did not show the homes were built prior to 1911. Planning chairman councillor Amanda Cooper, said it "slipped through" the process. Local councillor Helen Abrahams described it as "a monumental stuff-up".

"This is how planning in this city has become, a total farce," she said. The oversight means the developer is, at present, within their legal rights to knock down the houses, as both council and the state government scramble to save them. A temporary local planning instrument was rushed through last week's council meeting and won the endorsement of Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Jackie Trad on Sunday. It now requires the endorsement of Lord Mayor's civic cabinet on Monday morning, before returning to the state government for further approval. Until that occurs, the developer remains entitled to knock the homes down.

Speaking to 612 ABC Brisbane breakfast host Spencer Howson on Monday morning, Cr Cooper urged the developer not to go ahead with the demolition. "Everyone in council wants these houses protected and we think the state government is in support of that, so we call on the developer not to demolish the house, houses should be retained for the people of Brisbane," she said. "We don't want to see these houses lost." Cr Cooper said the home's heritage was only known after a local architect alerted the council.

The administration has been "racing" to get the homes protected since, she said. "Unfortunately there are some homes that slip through that process, so that's why we say to people, please nominate to council and we will investigate those properties and we will investigate if they meet that protection requirement," she said. Keddington Villa was originally built for a senior Queensland public servant, local historian Peter Marquis Kyle said. Deni Keeshan, who lived there between 1994 and last November, said the sense of community around the place was "important".

"It was an ancient place, there was four of us that had a unit each and we were all friends, almost family I guess. "It's very sad, it has been part of this little world for a really long time and my home for 21 years." Kurilpa Futures member Belinda Macartney, whose group "supports better planning for people", said conflicts between the city plan and those living within the community were "happening all over Brisbane". "The character of this ward is being lost and five storey buildings are going up in this area which is small, tin and timber houses," Ms Macartney said. "The traffic management plan is non-existent and there are no additional schools planned.

"It's the infrastructure following those sorts of developments that has increasing impact on everybody who lives in this ward." A spokesperson for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk refuted Cr Abrahams' claims the properties had been heritage-listed. "Contrary to some media reports today, homes in Jones Street (18, 20 and 26), Highgate Hill have never been heritage listed or protected under either Brisbane City Council," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Identifying pre-1911 homes is an extensive process made more difficult when significant alternations are made to the original buildings, as is the case with these homes on Jones Street."
Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and now South Australia's premiers have all extended offers to help resettle 267 asylum seekers facing deportation to Nauru after a High Court decision, but the Queensland LNP will only support resettling those who have "properly come to our shores".

Victoria's Labor Premier Daniel Andrews kick-started a national conversation with an open letter to Malcolm Turnbull offering to accept the asylum seekers, including infants born in Australia, and the associated resettlement costs.

Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg. Credit:Bradley Kanaris

Since then Annastacia Palaszczuk has extended Queensland as an option, with Jay Weatherill adding South Australia to the list of states joining the 'let them stay' call on Monday.
Nearly $160,000 in cash was seized from an alleged Hells Angel in a Gold Coast raid at the weekend.

Detectives from Queensland's anti-bikie squad Taskforce Maxima raided a home at Surfers Paradise on Saturday, where it will be alleged they seized $158,000 in cash, a semi-automatic handgun along with the drug ice.

Police allege they located $158,000 in cash as well as a semi-automatic handgun, and ice in the Surfers Paradise raid. Credit:Queensland Police Service

A 40-year-old New South Wales man, allegedly a patched member of the notorious bikie gang, has been charged with two counts of drug possession, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of property used in the commission of a crime.
A search engine to streamline wedding planning and a smart phone app to control a home's solar power supply are among 100 Queensland start-ups backed by an "incubator", which has marked a milestone.

ilab, which receives support from the Queensland government, has backed 100 local business start-ups since 2012, helping them to raise more than $80 million in grants and investment.

Budding entrepreneurs in a startup seminar at iLab business incubator.

Providing funding opportunities, professional facilities, and industry mentors, ilab has given Queensland's entrepreneurs the ability to engage in Brisbane's thriving technology industry.

ilab director Bernie Woodcroft said the programs were designed to find and help local technology business founders, and he hoped internet based companies would become a cornerstone of the Australian economy.
A serious motor bike accident set Jake Tyson on the path from tradie to entrepreneur and he's now looking to disrupt the food and healthcare industry with his second business EarthEcco.

Tyson says he was already questioning whether life as a carpenter was for him when fate intervened.

Jake Tyson says you need to look at what you can make money from, not just what you are passionate about.

"I had a motorcycle accident and lost my knee in the accident and was laid up in hospital for two years so I was forced to try something else because I couldn't work on building sites," he says.

The Handsome Handyman
A man charged over a fiery street-racing crash that left two teenagers dead has appeared in a Melbourne court.

Adem Arpaci, 21, of Delahey, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today for a directions hearing on charges of culpable driving and dangerous driving causing death over the January 27 crash at Keilor East.

Adem Arpaci leaves an out-of-sessions hearing last week. Credit:Timna Jacks

The driver of a ute, 19-year-old Harley Churchill and his passenger, 18-year-old Ivana Clonaridis, died when their car crashed through a guard rail near the EJ Whitten bridge, rolled down an embankment and burst into flames.

Court documents show Mr Arpaci, who is on bail, is only charged in relation to Ms Clonaridis's death and the matter was adjourned to May 30.
A motorcyclist has died on a road in country Victoria after his Harley Davidson struck a 4-wheel-drive in the state's east.

The tragedy marks the fourth road death in eight days, all of which have involved motorcyclists.

Police have been told the motorcyclist, a 44-year-old man, collided with the side of a Toyota 4WD as he slowed to turn into Moir Road, off Mountain Glen Drive at Trafalgar East about 5.10pm.



Despite extensive treatment from paramedics, the rider died at the scene, police spokesman sergeant Kris Hamilton said.



"Victoria Police urge roads users to please, take care."



Anyone who witnessed the collision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has made an emotional plea for a group of asylum seekers to be allowed to stay in Australia as demonstrations in support of those facing deportation erupted across the country.

A photograph of Mr Andrews with two young boys taken at the Melbourne Zoo was uploaded to his official Facebook page with the hashtag #LetThemStay on Monday night.

The post comes after the Premier wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offering to "accept full responsibility" for 267 asylum seekers, including 91 babies and children, who face being sent to Nauru in the wake of a court decision.

The High Court upheld the legality of Australia's offshore processing regime on Wednesday, which means the group who are in the country for medical treatment could be sent offshore to Nauru.
An estranged father raped the pregnant daughter who had tracked him down after 20 years apart and invited him to stay in her home, a court has heard.

The Melbourne woman, who cannot be named, began searching for her father in 2014 and eventually found him in Queensland.

&nbps;

Despite discovering he had a history of violence and had been jailed for assaults, she invited him to visit her and her family at their home.

The father, his partner and their son arrived at the woman's home in October 2014, and stayed in the spare room.
The young driver's body splayed across the dirt road, her crumpled car in pieces several hundred metres behind her made a haunting picture that I remember vividly to this day. The blue of the sky, the sound of the birds, the sounds of passing traffic from the nearest highway continued as the local sergeant told me how they suspected she had been speeding.

I still remember seeing my first dead body. I was 18 and six months into a cadetship in regional Victoria. I arrived to a fatal accident scene mere minutes after police had come to do their vital work.

Most people who have spent time in emergency services or the courts will have at least one horror story. Most of them will understand the toll taken on police minister Wade Noonan . I am one of them.

Fast forward two years and I am sitting in the County Court. A country computer geek is being sentenced for accessing and possessing child pornography images. Nothing can prepare the uninitiated and unsuspecting observer for the images conjured up as the judge describes the types of images: the age of the victims and their profound distress. Even now through this account I hold back in my descriptions of what happened for fear of offending decency.

It's part of the job, and as the months progressed, I learned to manage as best as I could. The horror stories piled up - a woman with intellectual disabilities told how her parents forced her to marry her abuser because he had impregnated her, the horrific murders of children by their parents, the woman raped by her husband, the teenager raped and injected with testosterone by her stepfather. I will never forget the allegations of mutilation levelled against a notorious criminal suspected of a child murder.

Colleagues often asked how I was dealing with it, given I tended to cover a large number of sexual abuse cases. My answer was that I was fine - and, by relying on adrenaline and trying to compartmentalise my life, I thought I was. This, I later found, is common among many emergency service workers. And spare a thought for the police, lawyers and judges - and, in some cases, jurors - who are exposed to images of the most graphic kind. That was the one aspect of the job I was glad I did not have to deal with.

As with most, there comes the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Two-and-half-years in, after one particularly awful hearing - again involving a parent's violence towards a child - I knew I needed to change what I wrote about. I could no longer hear about abhorrent parents who neglected their primary responsibilities in favour of violence, or about children who were being abused, or about the injuries that killed people in car accidents.

It has been almost four years since I left the court round. The nightmares, flashbacks and visions have continued, fortunately with less frequency as the years pass. Counselling certainly helped. And knowing that I wasn't the only one of my peers across all media outlets having the struggle certainly helped.
Perth mother Laurie Rushton Dyble was sitting on a recliner chair in her home holding her six-month-old son when her husband suddenly told her to get up and leave the room.

Not knowing what had happened, Ms Rushton Dyble trusted the tone in her husband's voice and quickly exited the living room of their Padbury home.

Perth mum Laurie Rushton Dyble with son Spike on the couch where the dugite was found.

"We'd just sat down to watch a DVD," she said.

"I thought [my husband] had seen a spider or something."
"Just a normal, young Australian", is how Fahim Awang is described by a respected elder in WA's Muslim community after his deportation from India on Thursday on suspicion of being an IS supporter.

Family friend and President of the WA Muslim Theological Council, Sheikh Faizel Gaffoor, told Radio 6PR that Mr Awang had been "stupid" to repost an earlier Facebook photograph of himself, stripped to the waist, brandishing an AK-47 in front of Muslim literature.

This Facebook photo of Fahim Awang holding an AK-47 is about six to eight years old, according to Sheikh Faizel Gaffoor. Credit:Facebook

"I don't blame Indian authorities, they had to do what they thought was right," he said.

"But context is important, this [posing with a weapon] is something Mr Awang did six to eight years ago. He was charged with weapons offences at the time and dealt with. The past should be the past."
Tainan: A two-decades-old building is at the centre of rescue efforts after a 6.4 magnitude quake struck before dawn in Taiwan on Saturday, with at least 35 known to have died there and more than 100 still missing deep in the rubble.

On Monnday, a woman was pulled alive and another man has been found alive trapped inside the apartment blocks more than 48 hours after the earthquake struck.

The 17-storey Wei-guan Golden Dragon Building was the only major high-rise building in the city of 2 million people to have completely collapsed. Its lower stories, filled with arcades of shops, pancaked on top of each other before the entire U-shaped complex toppled in on itself.
That has not stopped Malaysians voicing their exasperation on social media. A caricature of Mr Najib with a clown face and the words "in a country full of corruption, we are all seditious" was widely shared recently. The police responded within hours, with an online warning to the artist who drew it, Fahmi Reza, telling him they were watching his Twitter account and he should use it "prudently and in line with the law", he said. "The ruling elite of this country has always been intolerant to dissent. They're always afraid of losing their throne," the artist said.

"But the people have changed. The culture of protest and resistance is growing stronger." He is not the first person to be warned over a social media comment as the police make use of Twitter to identify people and caution them about repercussions. A typical warning on Twitter reads: "Action will be taken against individuals who spread false information." It is often accompanied by the Twitter handle of the person being targeted by police. Responding to criticism of the Attorney-General's decision to drop the investigation into Mr Najib, police warned another Twitter user: "Investigations will be carried out on the posts made by the owner of this Twitter account."

A police spokeswoman confirmed the Twitter account issuing the warnings was an official Malaysian cyber unit account. However, she declined to comment on specific warnings. She referred queries to the head of the police cyber unit but he declined to make an immediate comment. The Home Ministry, which is in charge of the unit, did not respond to a request for comment. Mr Najib has taken steps that critics say are aimed at stemming opposition.

He sacked a deputy prime minister who was critical of him and replaced a former attorney-general. Authorities have suspended some media and blocked websites. Asked to comment on the criticism of suppression of dissent, Communications Minister Salleh Said Keruak said police and the communications regulator were enforcing the law. "It is not a crackdown. We are just doing the ordinary enforcement," he said, adding that authorities had taken action in nearly 3000 cases last year under a telecommunications and multimedia act. Human Rights Watch said last month that Malaysia's human rights situation had deteriorated sharply in 2015 as the government stepped up a campaign of harassment and repression. The government did not respond directly to that report but denied violating rights.

Fahmi responded to his warning by reposting the clown with a new sketch of the police, with the hashtag #BigBrotherIsWatchingYou. No further action was taken against him while other artists expressed solidarity by sharing the clown sketch with the hashtag #KitaSemuaPenghasut, or "we are all seditious" in Malay. Mr Najib's Facebook page has been flooded with criticism and calls for him to resign. A former cabinet minister, Rafidah Aziz, said in a Facebook post on Monday that cracking down online would not work. "It is so very naive to think that shutting down blogs and intervention in social media will actually stop people from talking," she said.
Paris: Parisians seized with a sudden hunger for red meat can now buy steaks or sausages at any time of day or night from the capital's first automatic raw meat vending machine.

It was installed this week outside a shop in the fashionable 11th arrondissement. Florence Pouzol, owner of the Basque butchers, L'Ami Txulette, explained: "We wanted to give our customers an additional service when the shop is closed."

The team at the Boucherie Basque "l'ami Txulette" in Paris. The butchers have now added a vending machine to the outside of their shop. Credit:Facebook

A 250g Sirloin steak costs 8.50 ($13), while two pork chops cost 5. The machine, which accepts cash or cards, also stocks beef carpaccio, Bayonne ham, chicken and eggs.
Geneva: Detainees held by the Syrian government are dying on a massive scale, amounting to a state policy of "extermination" of the civilian population, a crime against humanity, United Nations investigators say.

The UN commission of inquiry on Monday called on the Security Council to impose "targeted sanctions" on Syrian officials in the civilian and military hierarchy responsible for or complicit in deaths, torture and disappearances in custody, but stopped short of naming them.

Brazilian Paulo Pinheiro, Chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, fronts the media to talk about the UN report, 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Deaths in Detention in the Syrian Arab Republic'. Credit:Salvatore Di Nolfi

The report, Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Deaths in Detention, covers the period from March 10, 2011 to November 30, 2015.
GREAT BAY (DCOMM)L--- Minister Hon. Ingrid Arrindell of the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), is extending an invitation to the business community to be a part of the Sint Maarten delegation that will be attending the 35th Annual Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism (ANATO).

The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau will have a joint booth with the Anguilla Tourist Board.

ANATO which is being organized by Vitrina Turistica, will be held at Corferias, Bogota, Colombia from February 24 to 26. The tourism trade fair will attract representatives from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America.

The three day event is expected to lead to approximately 30,000 business contacts being made between exhibitors translating into an annual turnover of close to US$150 billion, according to the Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism.

This is the third largest trade show in South America, and attracts notable travel agencies, tour operators, wholesalers and media representatives from South and North America and the Caribbean.

According to the latest ANATO figures, over 3.9 million Colombian tourists traveled to a foreign destination on holiday in 2014. This is an increase of 8.5 per cent when compared to 2013 when over 3.6 million took a holiday.

The business community should not depend on Government alone to promote the destination. Hotel properties, tour operators, transportation providers, all have a role to play, and its in their interests to help promote the destination which also promotes their own businesses and at the same time securing business opportunities with other providers.

Today Colombian tourists do not need a visa to visit Sint Maarten. We need to capitalize on this market where close to four million Colombians took a holiday in 2014. The air access is already there with our partner COPA Airlines out of Panama.

The three-day event will allow us as a destination to explore business to business opportunities with key partners in the tourism industry that is essential for the sustainable tourism development of our own sector.

We have to continue to reach out to other travel markets and Colombia is a growing travel market with more than 3.5 million travelers annually.

We will be using the attendance of the trade show to foster relationships with respective partners in an effort to have our destination included in their product line. It is also an opportunity to meet with the travel media in order to promote travel to the destination. Destination Sint Maarten has much to offer, especially the island-hopping aspect when we look at our sister-island of Anguilla who we are working with to make our representation at the show a success.

Therefore, I appeal to the business community to get on-board and let us jointly showcase what we have to offer as a destination. Tourism is all about us together working to bring more visitors to destination Sint Maarten.

Hotel properties, tour operators and other tourists related service provider interested in being part of the trade show delegation should contact the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau for details, Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ingrid Arrindell said on Sunday.

ANATO, is a non-profit organization comprising of industry representatives, who defend and promote the general interests of tourism and travel agencies in Colombia. It was created in October 1949.
Grand Case:---- Island residents and tourists of all ages are invited to the free grand opening of the exhibit Women, People of Color, and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean, on Tuesday, February 9 from 6-10pm at Amuseum Naturalis in Grand Case.

The exhibit is a special series at Amuseum Naturalis, created to shine a light on the contributions of women and people of color in the study of natural history in the Caribbean, from the 1600s to the early 1900s. The exhibit brings their discoveries, explorations and stories to life with vivid biographical snapshots and reproductions of beautiful historical zoological and botanical illustrations, engravings, portraits and maps.

The historical contributions of women and people of color to science have often been hidden, suppressed, or simply not as well publicized as those of their white male contemporaries, and this is just as true in the Caribbean as elsewhere, explains Jenn Yerkes, Amuseum Naturalis co-curator and Les Fruits de Mer President. We wanted to create an opportunity for people to discover the fascinating stories of these incredible women and men who helped to build the scientific heritage of the Caribbean.

The free, public exhibit will launch Tuesday night with the first installation of the series, which will include captivating figures such as naturalist and scientific artist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647  1717), known for her expedition to Suriname to document Caribbean insects, reptiles, birds, and plants; Graman Quassi (ca. 1690  ca. 1780), a renowned Surinamese healer and botanist of African descent; Richard Hill (1795-1872), a trailblazing mixed-race naturalist and anti-slavery activist from Jamaica; and Felipe Poey (1799-1891), a Cuban zoologist known for his pioneering study of Caribbean marine life. The upcoming installations will be added throughout the run of the exhibit, so there will be new additions for visitors to enjoy every week. The exhibit will coincide with Black History Month and run through International Women's Day, March 8, 2016.

Women, People of Color, and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean will be on display in the special exhibit hall of Amuseum Naturalis, Les Fruits de Mer's free pop-up museum of natural history located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case. Amuseum Naturalis is open to the public on Tuesdays during the Mardis de Grand Case street fair, and is sponsored by Delta Petroleum.

About Amuseum Naturalis

Amuseum Naturalis is a free, public pop-up museum of the natural history of St. Martin and the Caribbean, created by Les Fruits de Mer for high season 2016 and made possible by the generous sponsorship of Delta Petroleum. Amuseum Naturalis will be open from 6-10pm every Mardi de Grand Case 2016, with additional open hours and dates to be announced. Amuseum Naturalis is located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case in Grand Case.

About Les Fruits de Mer

Les Fruits de Mer is a non-profit association based in St. Martin whose core mission is to raise awareness about nature, culture, and sport. The organization carries out this mission through publications, an education program, and special public outreach events that entertain, inspire, and inform. The association is currently accepting new member and corporate benefactor member applications on its website, http://www.lesfruitsdemer.com.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Board of the National is happy to see that the UPP leader and Board have awaken from their slumber. It is good to see that they are once again concerned about the people of St. Maarten. It is just a shame that this concern does not show itself when the UPP party is in the Executive Branch of Government. It is also a shame the way the UPP leader tries to mislead the people of St. Maarten.

The Board has taken note of the arrogance of the UPP Leader as he considers it thwarting the progress of St. Maarten if he is not in power. This present coalition has already made some positive steps in favor of all the people of St. Maarten and not as is customary with the UPP leader that his projects only benefit the selected few.

We also understand his fear as he understands that the current direction of this government will open the eyes of the people so that they realize that the role of government is not to serve the few but to serve the masses.

Is the UPP Leader afraid that the people will realize that Government is supposed to be transparent and Government is not meant to be driven by under the table deals that only comes to light when the deal is done and the people of St. Maarten are left holding the bag?

This Government has already exposed the secret deal with the hospital. As it is customary with the UPP leader, the money is ready to be spent but the plans on how this money would be paid back and how the people of St. Maarten would benefit is still unknown. There was no bid, imagine spending 100 Million Dollars which is almost half of our yearly budget without having a bid.

On the subject of the new medical center, how did the UPP intend to repay SZV the 100 Million Dollars? Was the medical tourism wing a gift to some unknown persons? 35 Million Dollars and no plan on how to pay it back. In fact, any responsible government would have negotiated with an investor before making this plan. We see this as another glaring example of a typical UPP deal. Saddling the local people with a huge debt with no plan as to how to pay it back. What is even worse is that these secret deals seem to only benefit the UPP leader and a few of his friends.

The UPP Leader should take note of the process being followed by the DP appointed Minster, the Honorable Minister Emil Lee. The Minister has undertaken a process that is transparent and outlines a clear path on the exact cost, quality and payback options. So there is a way to undertake large projects in a manner that is not hidden from the public. Proper government under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister William Marlin.

The UPP Leader comments on the GEBE situation would be a joke if it wasnt so serious. This Government under the Leadership of PM is in the process of presenting a budget with a surplus. This in spite of the mismanagement of funds by the UPP led Government. Now, the UPP leader wants the public to investigate the funds from the Government owned water Distribution Company.

The board wonders where the UPP leader concern for GEBE was when he was proposing that GEBE take a loan of an estimated 700 Million Guilders. Wouldnt this loan have damaged GEBE or is it so that the UPP leader feels only he is allowed to damage Government owned companies. The board agrees that all government actions in the government owned companies should be scrutinized and we need to start by the Harbor Group of Companies.

In conclusion, it is not becoming of a leader to be playing the victim and seeking pity from the people of St. Maarten when it is not warranted. The constant the Dutch coming to get us is getting a bit tiring. If the UPP Leader was to run his government in a transparent manner with less signs of corruption and nepotism, in a way that benefits all the people of St. Maarten, he would not have to worry about the Dutch.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE BOARD.

TEAM NATIONAL ALLIANCE

#SXMFIRST
Dominique De Tullio named Paul Harris Fellow

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Rotary Club of St.Maarten named Dominique De Tullio a Paul Harris Fellow on Saturday evening, January 30, 2016. Mr. De Tullio was recognized for his ongoing support of the Rotary Club of St Maarten and service to the community. At the presentation, President of the Rotary Club Sint Maarten, Jeffrey Dr. Soc Sochrin said, Dominique has been a friend of our Club for many years. He has been a friend to numerous charitable organizations on St. Maarten and I can tell from the look on his face, we have completely caught him off guard and by surprise. Whenever our Club has asked for his assistance  whether it was personal or via his company, Antillean Liquors - he has always been there without hesitation. Dominique has supported our fundraising efforts year after year and has supported many other charitable organizations on this island time and time again. On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten, I am proud to add you to our list of distinguished Paul Harris Fellows.

Mr. De Tullio was pinned by his wife, Corinna De Tullio at a Rotary Club of Sint Maarten Wine Tasting Fellowship held at Antillean Liquors in Cole Bay, St Maarten. Surrounded by colleagues and friends, Mr. De Tullio went onto say, I am completely surprised and speechless, which for those of you that know me, that is a pretty rare thing. Thank you for this honor and I look forward to supporting the Rotary Club of St Maarten again as well as other worthy charitable endeavors. I really am at a loss for words..... thank you.

A Paul Harris Fellow is named after Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary International. They are awarded to those individuals who have made a financial contribution to the Rotary Foundation, or to those that have had a contribution made on their behalf, as in the case of the Rotary Club of St Maartens contribution in the name of Mr. De Tullio. The origins of the Rotary Foundation date back to 1917, when outgoing Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph proposed the creation of an endowment for the purpose of doing good in the world. This endowment would become the Rotary Foundation.

For more information about the Rotary Club of St. Maarten, please contact the Rotary Club of St. Maarten Press Officer at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.rotarysxm.org.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA) there are a few misconceptions that need to be clarified. The Inspectors of VSA will continue as normal to conduct their inspections as it pertains to compliance to food safety, however the joint inspections are currently under review by the Council of Ministers. As Minister responsible for the safety of the health of the population and the visitors to our country, ensuring restaurants and business that are handling food are in compliance remains a priority. Although I do understand the concerns of the business community as it pertains to the negative effect it may have on the economy during the height of our tourist season, compliance is essential toward securing the well-being of our population said Minister Emil Lee in an invited statement on Tuesday.

In reference to stopping the operations where food was being handled by the Point Restaurant at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, as of Monday morning the restaurant still remains closed. On Saturday, the Inspectorate of Health made a visit to ensure that tourist establishments could reopen as soon as possible, however the Point restaurant was still not compliant.
Silicon Valley Premiere of THE HUMAN FACE OF BIG DATA Film to Feature Industry Panel Discussion on Data for Good

SAN JOSE, CA  (Marketwired)  02/08/16  The sold-out, invitation-only Silicon Valley premiere of , scheduled to take place at the Montgomery Theater on February 9, will include a special discussion with the filmmakers and industry thought leaders on the use of data for good.

is a gripping new one-hour documentary that examines the promises and perils of this unstoppable force that is now invisibly sweeping through our lives and is expected to have an impact on humanity and civilization 1,000 times greater than the Internet itself. The Silicon Valley screening is being held in advance of the films premiere nationally on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The film also will be broadcast internationally in 25 countries and 10 languages later this year.

The award-winning film is a unique multi-platform media collaboration between Rick Smolan, a visionary in the field of photography and publishing whose book was the basis of the film, and his brother, Sandy, an award-winning filmmaker of more than 60 features, documentaries and top network TV series. They teamed up to go beyond numbers and algorithms to reveal the human face of big data and demonstrate its profound impact on our lives and society.

The film features compelling human stories, captivating visuals and in-depth interviews with dozens of pioneering scientists, entrepreneurs, futurists and experts to illustrate powerful new data-driven tools, which have the potential to improve our daily lives and address some of humanitys biggest challenges, including health, hunger, pollution, security and disaster response.

At the conclusion of the Silicon Valley screening, the Smolan brothers will be joined by several industry thought leaders for a special panel discussion about using big data for good. The distinguished panelists include:

Vint Cerf, vice president and chief Internet evangelist, Google

Linda Avey, biologist and co-founder of 23andme.com and Curious, Inc.

Quentin Clark, chief business officer, SAP

Michael Malone, author and journalist, as moderator

Our goal with this project was to spark a global conversation about the human aspects of big data  and how it is changing our lives for better and worse, said director Sandy Smolan. Its a conversation we are delighted to contribute to here in Silicon Valley and beyond. We are particularly thrilled the film now will be reaching a global audience, starting with the national television premiere on PBS.

The Silicon Valley premiere event is co-hosted by and with as the presenting corporate sponsor.

As a founding member of the , SAPs support for the film is part of its commitment to help people understand the crucial role of data to monitor and achieve the . SAP signed on to host over 100 private screenings of this documentary around the world in 10 different languages. It is our hope that all of the screenings, including the Silicon Valley premiere, will stimulate wider and ongoing thoughtful conversation on the impacts of Big Data, and the opportunities it creates, said Quentin Clark, chief business officer at SAP and a member of the Global Managing Board of SAP SE. Further, we hope to encourage other Silicon Valley firms and tech companies from around the world to join us in our effort to use data to address some of the worlds most pressing issues.

Churchill Club CEO Karen Tucker added, There is no better time than now to ignite conversation around the impact of big data in our daily lives and where its all headed. We are happy to be able to join with our esteemed colleagues in Silicon Valley to provide a platform for this documentary to be seen and a venue for this important industry discussion to take place.

The Human Face of Big Data Project was made possible by EMC with support from Cisco, SAP, VMware and FedEx.

, director of is an award-winning filmmaker whose work spans features, documentaries, television, commercials and virtual reality films. His critically acclaimed debut feature film, Rachel River, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and took awards for Best Cinematography and a Special Jury Prize for Acting. His VR film, The Click Effect, the first New York Times Op Doc Virtual Reality film, premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was produced in partnership with The McArthur Foundation, The New York Times, Vrse and Annapurna Pictures. As a television director, his credits include the acclaimed pilot for the series Middle Ages, as well as more than 50 network series, including Brothers and Sisters and Ally McBeal. He directed the award-winning documentary 12 Stones and was the recipient of a 2015 James Beard Award.

Rick Smolan, Executive Producer of The Human Face of Big Data, is CEO of Against All Odds Productions and a New York Times best-selling author with more than five million copies of his books in print. A former Time, Life, and National Geographic photographer, Smolan is best known as the co-creator of the Day in the Life and America 24/7 series. His global photography projects, which feature the work of hundreds of the worlds leading photographers and combine creative storytelling with state-of-the-art technology, are regularly featured on the covers of prestigious publications around the globe including Fortune, Time, and GEO. Fortune magazine describes Against All Odds as One of the 25 Coolest Companies in America.

In 2014 the Oscar winning producers of The Kings Speech released TRACKS, a feature film starring Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) as Robyn and Adam Driver (Star Wars) as Rick, based on Smolans National Geographic cover story featuring 27-year-old Robyn Davidsons 1700 mile nine-month camel trek across the Australian outback. INSIDE TRACKS: Alone Across the Outback Smolans smart phone enabled coffee table book weaves together Davidsons original journey, her storys road to the silver screen and a delightful interactive component, enabling readers to point their smart devices at Smolans original photographs and see that scene as it was brought to life in the film. Smolan has spoken at TED, The World Economic Forum in Davos, The Ford Foundation, The Wired Health Conference, TEDMED, Techonomy, DLD in Munich, IdeaCity in Canada, INK in India, The Strata Conference, etc. More than a million people have watched Smolans Natashas Story talk on ().

Churchill Club is Silicon Valleys premier business and technology forum. The 7,500-member, 30-year-old, 501(c)(3) non-profit has earned its international reputation for dynamic, in-the-news programs where global business and thought leaders meet to discuss and debate, inform and educate, forecast and evaluate. The organization presents about 30 programs annually in support of its mission to encourage innovation, economic growth, and societal benefit, with an emphasis on actionable takeaways and insights.

For information about the Silicon Valley screening of the film and interviews, members of the media should contact Betty Taylor for the Churchill Club: 408-981-7551; .

For additional information about the film, for photos and more, contact Roslan & Campion PR: Eileen Campion, Roslan & Campion PR, 212-966-4600;

For information about the PBS debut of the film visit PBS PressRoom at

Image Available:

Betty Taylor

408-981-7551
Environment  February 8, 2016  James Jordan

How the broad climate movement has failed us

It has been two months since the UN climate summit in Paris, aka COP 21. One might expect the kind of ebb and flow we often see in popular movements. Interest in climate issues, the cause of the day during the summit, might be expected to wane and move to the back burner of public discourse until another development pushes it forward again.

However, climate change is fundamentally different. It is going to get worse  we will be getting slapped in the face with this one for a long, long time, even under the best scenarios. Only a few weeks after COP 21, the world experienced a wave of floods and extreme weather exacerbated by global warming. In the U.S., there were record-setting floods along the Mississippi River. In South America, floods caused the evacuation of 180,000 persons. In Scotland, floods cut across class lines to threaten a historic castle neighboring the Queens Balmoral residence, the swollen Dee river eating away at its foundation. Meanwhile, oil wars and drought continue to drive an immigration crisis in Syria and throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. The issue of climate is not the struggle du jour; it is going to be the main course for quite a while.

Shamefully, the broad, mainstream climate movement in the so-called developed world is woefully inadequate to address this concern. Current conditions call for the kind of real life strategies, analysis and resistance that the movement is not producing. Right now, the dominant character of the movement is actually holding us back, not pushing us forward. It trumpets ambiguous desires for sustainability, but is all too silent when it comes to meaningful demands.

A Pyrrhic Victory

What we got from COP 21 was an accord that set inadequate and unenforceable carbon emissions limits; failed to guarantee reparations or support for the poorest, most exploited nations to develop alternative technologies; adopted market-based schemes that entrench international inequality; ignored the demands of indigenous peoples; and refused to address the huge and negative climate impact of U.S. militarism and resource wars. Of course, no one expected such measures to be passed, so it might be justly claimed as a victory that any kind of agreement or protocol was passed at all. As has been noted, had the agreement been enforceable, the Republican-dominated U.S. Congress would have quashed that governments participation. But what victory there has been is a Pyrrhic one.

The good news from Paris was those groups that defied the ban on public marches and protests instated following the November 13 terrorist attacks. There were some 200 protesters arrested on November 29, the opening day of the summit, when they broke ranks with officially-tolerated activities and took to the streets, despite authorities preventatively detaining a number of activists before the summit began. There was also the December 6 flotilla of indigenous peoples protesting the exclusion of indigenous rights from the accord minus a brief mention in the preamble. The flotilla exposed the machinations of the U.S., European Union, Australia and others to exempt indigenous rights from the body of the agreement. It was refreshing to hear refusals to cooperate with this gag rule.

Around the world people are getting radicalized and making bold efforts to save this biosphere we know and love. In the U.S., Flood the System called for and carried out multiple climate justice actions. The Global Climate Convergence is continuing to build a Peoples Climate Strike. Groups like the Indigenous Environmental Network and Climate Justice Alliance are confronting the legacy of colonialism and its damage to land and water. Fossil Fuel Student Divestment Network is organizing divestment from oil and coal companies in universities. Still, the reality is that the broad climate movement in the developed world has mostly been a failure and an obstacle to building an effective and truly relevant movement.

Scaling up Resistance

I travel regularly in Latin America and the Caribbean and see examples of struggles that are far more astute, advanced and relevant than what I see when I return home. I see Colombian farmers fighting corporate land grabs; anti-mining activists defending their communities in Peru; Venezuelan youth confronting the U.S. interference that threatens the gains they have made. These are movements that emphasize the fact that the struggle for planet and people is fundamentally a struggle against Empire.

Unfortunately, political and corporate interests in industrialized nations have done all they can to influence, infiltrate, buy off and otherwise derail movements even in developing nations. Such movements are easily infiltrated and manipulated to serve the purposes of Empire. There is little to be gained other than tainted funding for those who would sit at the table and curry favor with mostly White, liberal environmental organizations and government agencies of the industrialized nations.

Rather than being threatened by wolves in sheeps clothing, our problems are the sheep in wolves clothing. We find a leadership that talks big about struggle and taking on climate change, that gives the appearance of strength and cunning, when on the inside, one finds a passive, ruminating herd animal lacking a real bite.

United Front Politics Without Demands

It is easy to focus our ire and ridicule on those we call climate deniers. But the worst climate change deniers are not the ones who say it is not happening, but the ones who recognize the problem but refuse to confront its most basic sources and causes. They are the ones who marginalize and ultimately suppress the voices of those proffering radical solutions and expressing urgency commensurate with the times  or lack thereof. They reject the demands of the Global South saying there is no unity. They put their faith in a quest for new technologies rather than fighting for a new system. They reject calling out the destructive nature of capitalism, saying we need a movement that cuts across class lines. And they treat those who speak about Empire as anachronistic visitors from another age. These climate deniers fail to grasp that it is these radicals and anti-imperialists who best understand both the problem and the solution to climate injustice and ecological collapse. They self-censor and censor us in exchange for a dubious seat at the table.

There is an all too large contingent of environmentalists who prioritize and even fetishize their desire to build the broad movement. Certainly, we must always work to bring masses of people in and to be as large and inclusive as possible. But without clear demands and goals, such a movement utterly lacks direction. Broad movements for civil rights; to stop wars in Vietnam, Iraq, elsewhere; to demand an end to police brutality and racism; to end mass incarceration in prisons; to demand immigrant rights  these all had identifiable, concrete demands that united contingencies to achieve fundamental victories. But in the climate movement, we have a broad coalition united around not a demand but a sentiment  of being against global warming and for Mother Earth, that sort of thing. This movement can not even agree to call itself a movement for climate justice; it is just a climate movement, whatever that means. I mean, if I want to see climate movement, all I have to do is step outside and look at the sky . or the dust getting blown up in the dead and dry riverbed a block from my back yard.

Co-opting the Grassroots

To its detriment, the broad climate movement is dominated by a few well-funded and well-connected organizations. These institutions often get their grants from the very corporations most responsible for greenhouse emissions. Or their connections are to the political leaders who constantly seek to obscure the links between climate injustice and global capitalism.

One particularly pernicious example is the organization Avaaz. The internet-based effort brags about a list of more than 40 million followers. It was a major partner in the Climat21 coalition  the more or less official alternative organizers for climate events coinciding with COP 21. Avaaz has advocated for U.S./NATO interventions in both Libya and Syria.

One of its last action alerts before the adoption of the Paris climate accord was a call to pressure the sizeable but less developed countries of India, Brazil, South Africa and China to stop being obstacles and sign on to the accord (which they eventually did). Among the objections these countries raised were the lack of support for developing countries and the focus on solutions that entrench inequality, such as carbon trading schemes that allow polluting countries to keep polluting by paying off developing countries to not develop. At a juncture like that, the correct position to take was to put pressure on the U.S. and Europe  the countries most responsible for increases in greenhouse gases over the last 200 years  to adopt measures that shift the burden of cleaning up their mess on to the worlds poorest countries.

In an interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! , Nicaraguas chief climate negotiator Paul Oquist explained:

Nicaragua has 4.8 million tons of emissions a year. And thats 0.03% of emissions. Do we feel responsible for having caused climate change? No, not at all. Have we done something about it? Yes, we have gone from 25 per cent renewable to 52 per cent renewable since 2007, and in 2020 well be 90 per cent renewable . Ten countries, Amy, have 72 per cent of the emissions. Ten countries . In the world . The 20 largest have 78 per cent of the CO2 emissions. Are we going to try to cut out of the 100 countries with 0.3 per cent or out of the 20 countries with 78 per cent, or even maybe just the 10 countries with 72%?

But when organizations such as Avaaz have such undue influence on the climate movement, it is no wonder the movement lacks real solutions. Independent journalist Cory Morningstar writes:

Avaaz was founded by Res Publica, described as a global civic advocacy group, and Moveon.org, an online community that has pioneered internet advocacy in the United States. Launched in 2007, Avaaz is the fastest-growing online movement in history . The silent voice behind Avaaz, that of Res Publica, is, in the public realm, essentially comprised of three key individuals: Tom Perriello, a pro-war (former) U.S. Representative who describes himself as a social entrepreneur, Ricken Patel, consultant to many of the most powerful entities on Earth [for instance, the International Crisis Group, which receives its funding from a host of Western governments and private entities such as British Petroleum, with both Chevron and Shell on its advisory board] and the long-time associate of Perriello, and Tom Pravda, a member of the UK Diplomatic Service who serves as a consultant to the U.S. State Department.

So Avaaz is not an activist organization that found a seat at the table with those in power: they were already seated at the table when they set themselves up and decided to go out and get active in  and divert and derail  the grassroots movement. They are just one example of the kinds of organizations that have infiltrated and co-opted the grassroots climate movement. The result is a movement that can turn out hundreds of thousands of people into the streets to demand nothing and feel like they have done something when in fact their impact is, at best, questionable and has not translated into a sustainable and enduring movement.

The Necessity of Radical Analysis and Solutions

Journalist Chris Hedges explained how the same thing happened back in September 2014, for the Peoples Climate March in New York:

The march, because its demands are amorphous, can be joined by anyone. This is intentional. But as activist Anne Petermann has pointed out, this also means some of the groups backing the march are little more than corporate fronts. The Climate Group, for example, which endorses the march, includes among its members and sponsors BP, China Mobile, Dow Chemical Co., Duke Energy, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Greenstone. The Environmental Defense Fund, which says it work[s] with companies rather than against them and which is calling on its members to join the march, has funding from the oil and gas industry and supports fracking as a form of alternative energy. These faux environmental organizations are designed to neutralize resistance. And their presence exposes the marchs failure to adopt a meaningful agenda or pose a genuine threat to power.

My organization, Alliance for Global Justice, participated in the Peoples Climate March and its preparations, especially in the marchs Peace Hub. We also brought the largest U.S. delegation to the Peoples Climate Summit in Lima during the COP 20 meeting in December 2014. (And I will say that in Lima, the criticisms of capitalism and imperialism were, to the praise of the organizers, not muted.) We subsequently followed and to some smaller extent participated in the preparations for the alternative events in Paris. But we lost all enthusiasm when we observed case after case where the demands of the developing world  against carbon trading schemes and REDD, in favor of reparations and support for alternative technology development, against resource wars, against free trade agreements, and so on, were one by one dismissed  by organizers who may not deny the reality of climate change, but do deny radical analysis and solutions. They see the disease, but the cures they offer are snake oil. Worst of all, these deniers loathe to talk about imperialism due to an infantile sentiment that the very term is antiquated when every day world events reinforce the words lamentable relevance.

Linking Climate Injustice with Imperialism

The attacks in Paris on November 13 ripped the scab from the open wound of the climate movements lack of foresight or clear vision. A climate movement that understood the threat of imperialism would have made an end to oil wars in Syria and elsewhere one of its key demands. But this movement could not or would not connect the dots. Rather they accepted or worked within a gag rule denying public protest. When they did have sanctioned or tolerated public events they made no mention of Syria or the global war on terrorism, even though this so-called war is but a justification for robbing oil and other resources for the furthering of private development and wealthy nation consumerism. The correct response to the Paris attacks and the Paris summit would have been to show how the events are linked. But the broad, mainstream climate movement could not even get it together to make a weak demand. Empires resource wars and exploitations have been most responsible for sowing the seeds of terrorism, just like they have been responsible for the conditions creating global warming. A movement that fails to get this devolves into a sideshow of false hopes while the planet careens toward destruction.

U.S./Nato interventions in Libya and Syria, supported by the likes of Avaaz, are, like the war in Iraq, oil wars. While a lust for oil is not the only issue at stake in these cases, its motivating role should not be dismissed or understated  and in truth, it has hardly even been mentioned in most corporate media. Syria has large oil resources and is home to an oil pipeline connecting northern Iraq and the coast of Syria. That pipeline has been shut down since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the companies most effected are ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum and Haliburton. This is a major reason why U.S./NATO have insisted on regime change and have allied themselves with reprehensible partners, including Al-Qaeda. U.S./NATO policies have never been focused on getting rid of ISIS so much as winning concessions for Big Oil and consolidating and furthering U.S./NATO geopolitical goals throughout the region. That the broad climate movement can be silent on this is all the proof one needs to see that it has gotten lost on a road to irrelevancy.

Instead, the official alternative organizers in Paris, with nary a word about oil war in Syria, organized alternatives to their own alternatives to comply with Frances gag orders. Rather than march in the streets, they formed chains of people holding hands on the sidewalks. Rather than gather in protest, they laid out empty shoes in rows to symbolize those that might have come had they held an actual demonstration. In fact, at one point the organizers sent out an internal email encouraging participating organizations not to get the word out too far and wide about their events because having too many people might lose them the tolerance being shown by the police. These organizers not only refrained from criticisms of Empire and its resource wars, they ignored, marginalized and dampened those within the coalition who tried to raise these concerns.

Reproducing Imperialism, Racism, and Inequality

One demand that did emerge was a broad call to leave oil in the ground. But this is really an idealistic, unrealistic and even racist and imperialist demand outside certain contexts. First of all, it is a juvenile demand to make  one that destroys communities and puts workers out of jobs  if it is not accompanied by aggressive mobilizations for actual, existing alternatives. Without a plan for economic conversion, it is unjust to ask workers in extractive industries to give up their jobs while the CEOs at the top lose nothing.

Whats more, it is imperialist and racist for activists to call for leaving oil in the ground if they are not at the same time demanding reparations and support for alternative technologies and sustainable agriculture for developing nations  something the broad movement in the Global North has had an all too difficult time understanding. If the broad movement does not put these demands center stage, it has no business calling for oil to stay in the ground. It is simply unjust to confront developing nations oil and mining projects in the same way one does developed nations, especially projects in popular democracies that are publicly owned and at least trying to mitigate damage by giving seats at the table for indigenous and community representatives and using profits to invest in social programs. Unfortunately, much of even the more radical climate movement makes the rather arrogant mistake of treating all nations the same, regardless of the context, in their simplistic, blanket opposition to all extraction. Those of us who oppose carbon trading, REDD and other market schemes that entrench inequality must recognise that out of context anti-development demands by first world radicals against poorer nations also entrenches inequality.

Making Real Demands

It is past the time for us to get serious about climate justice. If our linking of climate injustice with imperialism drives some people away, perhaps it is time we let them go. Better to have a smaller movement that can grow into something more significant than to have a large one that has nothing to do, nowhere to go, nothing to say.

We must raise a movement that recognizes the reality and gravity of the task at hand, no matter how difficult. Recently, an international network of 37 organizations from the Americas, Euskal Herria (the occupied Basque Country) and Spain released a document titled If We Want to Save the World  An Internationalist Declaration. It is a modest beginning that encapsulates the kind of analysis and response we must develop if we really want to advocate for climate justice. But we need more than declarations. We need solidarity with those nations and movements that are challenging Empire in ways that give real support to the needs of Earth and her people.

We must have real demands that, at a minimum, include:

an end to all oil and other resource wars;

the repeal of environmentally-damaging free trade agreements;

that the industrialized countries historically most responsible for global warming produce the lions share of cuts to greenhouse emissions;

that these countries be required to pay reparations to the countries that, due to colonialism and Empire, are suffering the worst effects of global warming;

that carbon trading, REDD and other market based schemes that entrench international inequality be rejected;

that the richest countries be required to invest heavily in the development of alternative energy technologies in the 100 poorest countries;

that attention be given to the poor in the rich countries who have lost jobs due to globalization and the resultant transfer of wealth to the one per cent in their countries.

We must take to the streets again and again with demands that get to the heart of the problem. There are those of us who still hope that a better worlds in birth. We must be its midwives. Otherwise, the new world we so eagerly await will be still born. 
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Dia de los Muertos in South Bend: Here's how you can celebrate

Unlike the city's Day of the Dead events in the past, this one has broader community involvement.
Oak Creek to host outdoor 2022 World Cup watch party

A partnership between Morans Pub in South Milwaukee and the city of Oak Creek will offer residents food, drinks, music and games on Nov. 25.
215 years after its discovery, we know so much more about the dwarf planet Ceres. NASA's Dawn spacecraft captured this amazing view of Ceres in the asteroid belt, showing the dwarf planet's Occator Crater in false color, after it arrived in orbit around Ceres in 2015.

The dwarf planet Ceres was first glimpsed through a telescope 215 years ago, and as researchers learn more than ever, they continue to be amazed by the object.

NASA's Dawn mission arrived at the dwarf planet last year and saw odd features that observers are still trying to figure out: more than 130 reflective areas are likely made up of salt, and the small body also hosts a rather large, cone-shaped mountain.

"When [Italian astronomer Giuseppe] Piazzi discovered Ceres, exploring it was beyond imagination," Marc Rayman, mission director and chief engineer for Dawn at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a statement. "More than two centuries later, NASA dispatched a machine on a cosmic journey of more than 3 billion miles to reach the distant, mysterious world he glimpsed." [Photos: Dwarf Planet Ceres, the Solar System's Largest Asteroid]

But back when Ceres was discovered, Piazzi didn't quite understand what he was looking at. After his first observation on Jan. 1, 1801, he noticed that the object had changed position slightly on his next observing night. His first suspicion was that it was a comet, but he also had evidence that the object might be something else.

"I have presented this star as a comet, but owing to its lack of nebulosity, and to its motion being so slow and rather uniform, I feel in the heart that it could be something better than a comet, perhaps," Piazzi wrote to fellow astronomer Barnaba Oriani.

Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi discovered Ceres on Jan. 1, 1801, using this instrument, called a Ramsden Circle. The telescope is on display at the Palermo Observatory in Sicily. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Palermo Observatory)

Piazzi also wrote to astronomer Johann Elert Bode, who devised a mathematical formula that he said would predict the locations of planets in the solar system relative to the sun. There was an undiscovered planet, the formula said, between Mars and Jupiter. For this reason, Ceres caught Bode's attention. Bode had already marshaled a group of astronomers to search for an object in that region, and he was determined to uncover more information. (We now know that the formula merely outlined a coincidence in the planets' positions.)

Piazzi spoke to the press about his finding, but he did not give his data to other astronomers. This made things difficult when he fell ill and was unable to continue his observations. In February of that year, Paris-based astronomer Jerome de Lalande asked for some data from Piazzi, who provided it in April, after he had recovered. One of Lalande's students, Johann Karl Burckhardt, then calculated that the orbit of Ceres appeared to be circular, unlike a comet's.

But by the spring of 1801, no one had been able to see the new object besides Piazzi, because the skies had been cloudy. Also, by that time, Ceres was so close to the sun, from Earth's perspective, that it couldn't be seen at night. There was a real risk of losing it in the skies forever. After immense pressure from other astronomers to make his observations public, Piazzi published the data in July. Ceres was finally spotted again in December 1801 by astronomer Franz Xaver von Zach, using projections from mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss.

Astronomers still debated about the status of Ceres  comet, planet or something else  until other objects like it were discovered between Mars and Jupiter. These findings included Pallas (1802), Juno (1804) and Vesta (1807). Astronomer William Herschel suggested that these smaller objects be called "asteroids," because they appear starlike in telescopes.

Today we have found hundreds of thousands of asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter. Ceres was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006 along with Pluto, due to its size and circular shape. Researchers have viewed it with the Hubble Space Telescope and up close with NASA's Dawn mission, which is orbiting the dwarf planet.

Dawn is currently in its lowest orbit ever, just 240 miles (385 kilometers) from Ceres' surface, where it will reveal even more about the mysterious dwarf planet.

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
This satellite image from Nov. 26, 2012 shows a marked increase in activity at North Korea's Sohae (West Sea) Satellite Launch Station, which hosted a rocket launch on Feb. 6, 2016.

North Korea has apparently launched a satellite to orbit, in a move that the United States and other nations quickly condemned as an attempt to further develop a prohibited long-range missile capability.

The liftoff occurred from the Sohae launch facility in western North Korea at 7:29 p.m. EST Saturday (Feb. 6; 0029 GMT and 8:59 a.m. local North Korean time on Sunday, Feb. 7), according to a media advisory from the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM).

"The missile was tracked on a southerly launch over the Yellow Sea. NORAD determined that at no time was the missile a threat to North America," the USSTRATCOM advisory read, referring to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint effort of the United States and Canada. [Images: North Korea's Rocket Program]

North Korea has launched several rockets and missiles as part of budding space program. Here's how North Korea's Unha-3 rocket works (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Contributor)

North Korean officials claimed the launch succeeded in putting an Earth-observation satellite called Kwangmyongsong-4 into orbit. USSTRATCOM officials told CNN that at least two new space objects were detected after the liftoff; these are likely the satellite and the rocket's first stage, an expert told CNN.

Officials in the United States, Japan, South Korea and a number of other nations, however, viewed the launch as primarily cover for the testing of military missile technology. North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, and experts believe the secretive, unpredictable nation is working to develop the means to deliver them great distances.

Pyongyang has certainly voiced a desire to use nuclear weapons against its perceived adversaries. In 2013, for example, North Korean officials  apparently angered by United Nations sanctions and joint U.S./South Korean military exercises  said they would turn Washington, D.C. and other major American cities into "seas of fire."

Saturday's launch came just one month after North Korea (which is also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK) conducted an apparent nuclear test. Pyongyang claimed the Jan. 6 test involved a hydrogen bomb, but outside experts said it instead probably detonated a less-powerful fission weapon, which North Korea has tested multiple times in the past.

UN Security Council resolutions prohibit North Korea from conducting ballistic-missile and nuclear-weapons tests. So Saturday's liftoff elicited nearly immediate condemnation from the United States, Japan, South Korea and other nations.

"This is the second time in just over a month that the DPRK has chosen to conduct a major provocation, threatening not only the security of the Korean peninsula, but that of the region and the United States as well," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement Saturday.

"We reaffirm our ironclad commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea [South Korea] and Japan," Kerry added. "We will continue to work with our partners and members of the UN Security Council on significant measures to hold the DPRK to account."

North Korea has now conducted four known nuclear tests, as well as a number of long-range missile/rocket launches. Attempts to loft satellites in 1998, 2009, and April 2012 failed, while a December 2012 launch apparently did place an object in orbit (though it's unclear if that object is actually doing anything as it zips around Earth).

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
"Got to see the #SuperBowl in person after all! But at 17,500MPH, it didn't last long. #YearInSpace" said NASA astronaut Scott Kelly on Sunday after he orbited over California. Levi's Stadium is the oval shape in the center of the photo.

Although hes almost 250 miles above the ground, NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly still managed to capture a fleeting glimpse of yesterdays Super Bowl matchup.

PHOTOS: Calluses to Klingons, ISS Astronaut Tells All

Kelly took to social media to share a now-viral shot of Levis Stadium, in Santa Clara, Calif., taken as the International Space Station whizzed above the big game at 17,500 miles per hour.

NASA only recently began beaming the Super Bowl to astronauts in real time. Its not immediately clear which team Kelly was rooting for from low Earth orbit.

PHOTOS: Astronaut Gets Stunning View of East Coast Blizzard

Having now been in space longer than any other American astronaut, Kelly is currently spending 12 months aboard the space station as part of the One Year Mission, an effort to study the long-term effects of space flight on the human body.

NASA is closely watching Kelly  and his twin brother, Mark Kelly, on Earth  to track his bodys reaction to extended weightlessness, isolation, radiation and stress as preparation for the agencys eventual journey to Mars.

Blog originally published on DSCOVRD.

This article was provided by Discovery News.
Astronomers may finally have found elusive gravitational waves, the mysterious ripples in the fabric of spacetime whose existence was first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916, in his famous theory of general relativity.

Scientists are holding a news conference Thursday (Feb. 11) at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT) at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to discuss the search for gravitational waves, which zoom through space at the speed of light.

A media advisory describing the news conference is brief and somewhat vague, promising merely a "status report" on the ongoing hunt by the scientists using the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO. But there's reason to suspect that researchers will announce a big discovery at the Thursday event. [The Search for Gravitational Waves (Gallery)]

Rumors have been swirling for several months that the LIGO group has spotted gravitational waves. Arizona State University cosmologist Lawrence Krauss (who's not a LIGO team member) first tweeted this rumor in September, and then repeated it in another tweet Jan. 11.

And Wednesday (Feb. 3), theoretical physicist Cliff Burgess, of McMaster University and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Ontario, fleshed the rumor out with a fair bit of purported detail. In an email he sent to the entire McMaster physics department (which eventually found its way onto Twitter), Burgess  who, like Krauss, is not part of the LIGO team  wrote that sources told him that LIGO has detected gravitational waves produced by the merger of two black holes. The discovery will be published Thursday in the prestigious journal Nature, Burgess added, as reported by Science magazine.

Using laser beams, scientists have detected the physical distortions caused by passing gravitational waves. See how the LIGO observatory hunts gravitational waves in this Space.com infographic (Image credit: By Karl Tate, Infographics Artist)

Einstein's equations showed that gravitational waves should be generated by the acceleration of massive objects. (The most dramatic or catastrophic events  such as supernova explosions and black-hole mergers  should produce the strongest waves.) These distortions in spacetime then radiate outward at the speed of light.

LIGO is a set of two identical, supersensitive detectors that researchers built in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington to pick up the tiny movements of spacetime caused by gravitational waves that reach Earth.

Each LIGO detector beams laser light down arms 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long, which are arranged in the shape of an "L." If a gravitational wave passes through the detector system, the distance traveled by the laser beam changes by a minuscule amount  thousands of times smaller than the diameter of an atomic nucleus. Still, the LIGO gear should be able to pick this difference up, mission team members have said.

If LIGO  which is operated by MIT and the California Institute of Technology, and funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation  has indeed directly detected gravitational waves for the first time, a new era has likely opened up in astronomy and cosmology.

"Since gravitational waves don't interact with matter (unlike electromagnetic radiation), they travel through the universe completely unimpeded, giving us a crystal-clear view of the gravitational-wave universe," LIGO team members wrote in a description of the project.

"They will carry information about their origins that is free of the distortion or alteration suffered by electromagnetic radiation as it travels through millions of light-years of intergalactic space," they added. "With this completely new way of examining astrophysical objects and phenomena, gravitational waves will truly open a new window on the universe, providing astronomers and other scientists with their first glimpses of previously unseen and unseeable wonders, and greatly adding to our understanding of the nature of space and time itself."

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
Adan Canto (X-Men: Days Of Future Past) is set to co-star opposite Kiefer Sutherland in ABCs straight-to-series conspiracy thriller drama Designated Survivor.Mexican-born Adan Canto emerged as one of the most sought after actors this pilot season. He had been pursued for talent holding deals and received seven pilot offers since December until settling on Designated Survivor, signing a deal with the projects leading studio, the Mark Gordon Company.Designated Survivor, written by David Guggenheim and executive produced by Simon Kinberg, centers on Tom Kirkman (Sutherland), a lower level United States Cabinet member who is suddenly appointed President after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him in the Presidential line of succession. Canto will play the aggressive deputy Chief of Staff Aaron who advises Kirkman after the attack and guns for a promotion.




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BBC One Sunday 21st February Time TBCAdapted by acclaimed writer David Farr (Hanna), the gripping contemporary interpretation of the 1993 novel is a complex story of modern criminality which sees former British soldier Jonathan Pine recruited by intelligence operative Angela Burr to infiltrate the inner circle of arms dealer Richard Roper, dubbed the worst man in the world, in an attempt to bring him down from within.We first meet Jonathan Pine amid the chaos of the Arab Spring in 2011, as he works his way through the rioting crowds to arrive at Cairos luxurious Nefertiti Hotel where he works as the night manager. While trying to help frantic tourists, Pine is approached by Sophie Alekan, the mistress of the hotels owner Freddie Hamid, who shares files with Pine evidencing an arms deal taking place between Hamid and a man named Richard Roper.Fearing the potentially catastrophic repercussions of the deal, Pine leaks the files to the British Government. The documents land on the desk of Angela Burr, a member of the British Secret Intelligence Service in London who has a long-standing vendetta against the elusive Roper. However, when Roper is tipped off about the governments intelligence, Sophie is put in extreme danger.We next meet Pine five years on, working at the Meisters Hotel in Zermatt, Switzerland, which Roper and his entourage frequent. Haunted by what happened in Cairo, Pine contacts Angela Burr and a fragile and complex partnership is formed.
Contributed / Contributed

Frontier Communications today announced an increased commitment to its partnership with the Connecticut division of the American Heart Association. In addition to Frontiers $50,000 donation, the New Haven-based East Region Headquarters is launching a new social media campaign designed to help bring a greater awareness to overall heart health and showcase the AHAs mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Over the next several months, Frontier Communications is committed to donating $1 to the American Heart Association for each new TV, Internet or phone service customer who signs up through MyFrontierHasHeart.com. Additionally, if more than 1,000 new customers participate by April 25, Frontier will increase each donation to $5. Frontier will present the total amount of its donation made through MyFrontierHasHeart.com to the American Heart Association at the Frontier sponsored Greater New Haven Heart Walk in West Haven on May 7. Frontier is also asking customers to help spread heart health awareness by promoting the campaign on social media using #MyFrontierHasHeart.
STAMFORD-A man with apparent mental issues stole a running lunch truck and led police on a 40 mph chase Saturday night that ended when spike strips were thrown out on High Ridge Road in front of the vehicle.

Sgt. Robert Shawinsky said that on Saturday night at 10 p.m. police were alerted to a troubled man throwing trash around High Ridge Shell at the corner of Vine Road.

Gas station manager Pete Heliotis said the man, later identified as Michael Pavarini, 24, of White Plains, was also throwing a trash can against the stations bullet proof glass along with a plastic firewood caddy that was placed next to the building.

Heliotis said this was happening just as his clerk, and the owner of the lunch truck, was counting the money after closing. The clerk had pulled his 2008 dark blue Cheverolet with its stainless steal rear lunch box, under the canopy and left it running prior to leaving. When the clerk called police, the man threw the trash can at the truck cracking the windishield and putting a dent in the hood of the vehicle.

Then police say, Pavarini got into the truck pulled out of the driveway and turned north on High Ridge. As units were enroute they received word that he has taken the truck spotted him driving north. Pavarini, who had been arrested in Greenwich the day before, then hung a u-turn in the road and headed south as police officers with lights and sirens began their pursuit. Shawinsky said the chase never got above 40 mph.

About two miles away, just as the truck was coming up to McClean Avenue, a little north of Lord & Taylor, an officer waiting at the intersection threw out his spike strips, flattening the drivers side front tire and the two drivers side rear tires.

They figured he wasnt going to stop and the officers being a quarter mile ahead threw them out. It only takes a second to set them out, Shawinsky said.

Pavarini pulled off into a nearby parking lot and was taken out of the truck with guns drawn, Shawinsky said.

Heliotis said that he was able to get his clerks tires repaired on Sunday and his clerk was back selling food.

As for Pavarini, his weekend did not turn out so well. No one would put up his $2,500 bond and he spent the weekend behind bars, and while doing so flooded out four jail cells and did not endear himself to two other prisoners sharing the cell block with him, Shawinsky said.

Pavarini was charged with criminal mischief, second-degree larceny, driving the wrong way on a one-way street and driving while under suspension.

jnickerson@scni.com;
A New York man walked into the New Canaan police station in search of a misplaced duffel bag, only to learn they had it  along with the cocaine and marijuana it allegedly contained.

David Sutcliffe Morgan, 24, of Christopher Street, New York, N.Y., was charged with possession of narcotics and possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana, according to New Canaan Police Lt. Jason Ferraro.
T he chief executive of mining giant Anglo American today warned the industry was in a fight for survival and said things may still get worse before they get better.

Speaking at an industry conference in Cape Town, Mark Cutifani blamed some major producers for refusing to cut supply in the face of much weaker demand in order to maintain market share and drive competitors out of business, which he said was having a net negative effect on the industry.

In a gloomy forecast for the next 12 months, he added: We cant rely on a reversal of this price slump any time soon  2016 is already shaping up to be the most challenging yet. Opinions are divided on whether we have reached the bottom of the cycle... So things may still get worse before they get better. If we dont adapt, we perish.

Cutifani has taken drastic action to address the worldwide rout in commodity markets after announcing in December plans to slash more than 80,000 jobs by 2017, shelve the dividend, and sell off more than half of Anglo Americans mines in a major restructuring of the business.

It comes after a savage 2015 for the sector as demand from metal-hungry China slows, driving down the cost of nickel, copper and iron ore by around a third  leaving Anglo American as the worst-performing stock in the FTSE 100 last year. China uses around 50% of the worlds nickel  a key ingredient in stainless steel  but the price hit its lowest level since 2003 today.

The mining boss will give more details over the future of the companys porfolio at next weeks annual results.

For the assets that we choose to exit, it is about giving many of them and their employees a more-sustainable future under new ownership that is better suited to focus attention and capital on those assets, he said.

Cutifanis comments came as Amplats, the platinum miner controlled by Anglo American, placed all expansion plans on hold today after writing $878 million (605 million) off the value of its mines.

The cost of platinum  used in products ranging from catalytic converters to jewellery  has halved in value over the past five years.

Gold miner Randgold Resources, however, delivered some rare cheer from the sector with a 10% hike in its dividend which lifted the shares 139p to 5439.3p.

Production of gold reached an all-time high despite an 11% fall in full-year profits to $572.2 million.

Shares in the company have meanwhile jumped more than 20% since the start of the year as market turmoil increases the safe-haven allure of the precious metal.
A ll good things must come to an end  and so it was for WH Smith, whose eight-year tenure on Deutsche Banks Buy list finished when the broker cut its rating to neutral ahead of the companys first-half results at the end of the month.

Analyst Warwick Okines admits the timing of the downgrade is strange given that the most recent quarter was the only one in eight years where like-for-like, High-Street sales were not negative. However, he argues that at 17.6 times earnings for next year, investors should look elsewhere for bargains, even though he expects a solid set of half-year numbers.

The stationer, which was 57.79p cheaper at 1,717.21p, has been one of the safest investments on the stock market in recent years, having proactively shifted its focus away from the High Street to protect itself from the downturn.

On the flipside, Okines upgraded Poundland, 7.2p better off at 152.4p, to buy. The discount retailer has lost two-thirds of its value over the past year, falling below its 200p float price from 2014.

On the wider market, the FTSE 100 drifted 67.52 points or 1.15% lower to 5780.54, with Chinese markets closed for their new year.

ARM Holdings was the biggest blue-chip faller, down 45p to 938p, on the back of a huge profit warning from another Apple supplier, Imagination Technologies, which is waving goodbye to its boss.

Only the miners avoided the sell-off, with Randgold Resources top, up 139p to 5439.3p, and Rio Tinto, 35p ahead at 1853p.

Meanwhile, fears that G4S could suffer a downgrade from ratings agencies and subsequently issue another load of shares to bolster its balance sheet sparked a rush for the exit. When S&P last cut its rating from BBB-/stable to BBB-/negative, the security group tapped investors for 343 million to avoid any further downgrades. The shares, now on the FTSE 250 after their recent relegation, slumped 12.7p to 196.7p as broker Jefferies cut its stance to underperform.

On the junior AIM market, Barbados hotels operator Elegant Hotels dipped 0.5p to 110p as it agreed to buy Swiss International, the owner of the Waves Hotel and Spa, for $18 million (12.4 million).Close to $5.5 million will be settled in cash, while Elegant Hotels will take on more than $12 million of Swiss Internationals debts.

A profit warning hurt cardiovascular-monitoring company LiDCO, which slid 0.38p, or 5.5%, to 6.5p, while self-storage company LoknStore firmed 9.9p to 329.9p as like-for-like revenues rose 5.4% in the first half.
T he remarkable thing about contemporary politics is that all its choices are binary. Everywhere you look, complex and detailed issues deserving nuanced, careful discussion are being reduced to a choice of two. The US is approaching the business end of its quest to find a 45th tenant for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, and in doing so is busy creating division. When the Democrats and Republicans complete their bitter, rancorous nominations process  divisive enough at a party level  the country at large will start to cleave itself painfully in two. Whoever each side manages to shepherd through the primaries without fatal injury, the choice will be characterised as simple and defining: red or blue, Left or Right, forward or back.

Before then, Britains future will apparently have been decided in equally stark terms. What could be more binary than a referendum? Are you in or out? Forget the detail, just pick a corner  are you with us or against us? This distillation, cast by campaigners in both camps as a choice between being European or British, is of course deeply misleading. Step back and survey history and not only does this reveal itself as short-sighted and simplistic, the importance of this referendum fades a little.

The United Kingdom that I inhabit and identify with is an entity that I can only understand in its entangled European context. Within living memory for many friends and relations, my country of birth had brought war to the nation that has welcomed me and which I now call home. Cities, lives and families were destroyed on a scale that is almost unimaginable. Tragedy and horror rained on all corners of modern Europe  my family included  and yet, just a few decades later, the most extraordinary reparation and reconciliation had begun. From the tears, blood and sweat of my parents generation, an ambitious, optimistic, tolerant and collaborative Europe defiantly rose. With such a violent recent history and with such deep uncertainties in global society right upon us, does anyone really wish for less solidarity?

As a formal union, Europe  or rather, the European Union  may not have lived up to expectations. It is undoubtedly flawed and in need of reform, and it is this that the referendum debate must address in all its dull, grey, administrative detail. But as a cultural union, sharing and benefitting from our respective nations individuality, Europe is unrivalled. Britain  and London  is the beating heart of this Europe that I know and love. London simply could not be London without the constant exchange of people, art and ideas that flows across the continent. It is our shared creative purpose that makes European cities such powerhouses and the envy of the rest of the world. I  a German leading a British museum in an international European capital  am one lucky beneficiary of this openness.

The same welcome has been extended to thousands of others who have for centuries come and helped make todays Britain, just as countless Britons have left for the continent to make their contributions to other nations in the European family.

As a child in post-war Stuttgart, my early memories of Britain are not of an isolated island far from home. Britains identity and culture was thriving on my doorstep; interwoven as it has always been with our own as part of a new Europe. The British were busy getting factories back to work. The VW Beetles that rattled around our towns were there thanks to a British major, Ivan Hirst, who saved the production line from demise in the late Forties. We read of Europes rebirth in Der Spiegel, the leading German political weekly founded by the Briton John Seymour Chaloner in 1947.

Last week the V&A announced a season dedicated to engineering; a celebration of its role in our daily lives. Within this an exhibition this June will explore the life of Ove Arup, the groundbreaking Anglo-Danish engineer born at the tail end of the Victorian era. His move to London in 1923 affected him profoundly as he began to collaborate with leading European Modernist architectural theorists such as Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus, and Le Corbusier. Later collaborations with architects such as Berthold Lubetkin, Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers and Norman Foster helped shape some of the worlds most iconic buildings and today, Arup is at the heart of pioneering infrastructure projects such as Crossrail.

In 1970 Ove Arup spoke to his staff in a speech that is still read by every new employee on their first day. In it he sets out two ways of looking at the pursuit of happiness: one is to go straight for the things you fancy without restraints, that is, without considering anybody else besides yourself. The other is to recognise that no man is an island, that our lives are inextricably mixed up with those of our fellow human beings, and that there can be no real happiness in isolation. I, like Arup, opt for that second way.

Europe, and Britains relationship with it, is truly so much more than a political settlement, a treaty or a gathering of bureaucrats. Few would find the committees, debating chambers and members bars of Brussels particularly thrilling. They are the dusty engine rooms of Europe, but it is our museums, galleries, universities, businesses, stadia and studios that together provide the fuel.

If a scant majority of the Britons who make it to the ballot box do send the country out of the EU, those who believe that Britain will then float away into glorious isolation will be sorely disappointed. In or out, Britain will always be in its own unique way European, and Europe will retain Britishness in its DNA. The challenges facing the world are not small. Whether we confront these together as part of the European Union or not, Britains cultural bonds with Europe  something much larger  will not unravel.

Martin Roth is director of the Victoria & Albert Museum
R evolutions sometimes start in the unlikeliest places. The Arab Spring, which overturned dictators and brought down governments across the Middle East and Africa, began when a fruit-seller set himself on fire in the middle of a busy street in Tunis. The American Revolutionary War started in 1775 in Lexington, a small town in Massachusetts with a population of just 750 people at the time.

Back in February 2010 I was lucky enough to witness the birth of a revolution at first hand  a revolution in the future of housing in London. It was a pretty inauspicious location, to be honest: a Methodist church hall in Mile End on a rainy night. But the topic being discussed was anything but run-of-the-mill  it was a bold vision for an entirely new model of affordable housing for the capital.

The approach was called a community land trust (CLT), which is a popular type of housing in American cities such as Seattle but had never been tried in any urban area in the UK before. CLTs offer people the chance to buy a flat or house in a really affordable way because the land underneath the property is held in a trust for the sake of the community, and in a city such as London, hyper-inflated land values make up a huge chunk of the property price. So when you buy a CLT home, youre effectively only paying for the bricks and mortar, which makes it vastly cheaper than a traditional property.

Whats more, if you buy and sell a CLT home, its value is pegged to average incomes in the area. This means that CLT housing is permanently affordable and gives people the chance to fulfil their dream of owning a home, sheltered from the craziness and unfairness of the property market.

So what happened after that rainy night in a Methodist church hall? Shortly afterwards, the brilliant campaigners at London Citizens, best known for fighting for a living wage across the city, managed to secure a location nearby for the first-ever urban CLT, in a derelict mental hospital on Mile End Road.

After years of hard work by the London Citizens team, the first CLT homes go on sale on March 1. Amazingly, theyre going to cost just a third of the market rate (130,000 for a one-bedroom flat, rising to 235,000 for a three bedroom place)  and theyll remain affordable for ever.

Its an inspiring example of how a brighter future for London housing is possible, and why its not inevitable that we have to put up with ludicrously expensive and badly designed apartments built by a cosy cartel of volume house-builders.

Indeed, CLTs have the potential to become commonplace across our city. Theres no reason this approach cant be the norm whenever housing is built on public-sector land, and also become a condition of planning permission for large private-sector housing developments too.

For sure, this model of home ownership  with the land held in trust by the community, and house prices pegged to local incomes  might sound radical. But as weve seen throughout history, insurrectionary ideas can, and do, become reality. What began in a church hall in Mile End might soon be coming to a neighbourhood near you. Vive la revolution!
K ombucha. Heard of it? Nor had I until autumn last year on a trip to San Francisco - and now this fizzy-tasting, vinegary live tea drink is all anyone in the London drinks and health biz seems to want to talk about.

Before we all get too excited, drinkers new to kombucha  which incidentally is made by adding a live culture or scoby to tea with sugar - should proceed with caution, as there have been some reported side effects, advises Victoria-Anne Bull, personal trainer and founder of digital wellbeing hub GreenForAllSeasons.com.

It is important not to assume that drinking it will automatically solve your digestive issues, as each person will suffer from different symptoms which should be treated with care individually, she says.

That in mind, here are eight reasons why you might want to dip in:

1. If youre bored of drinking sugary drinks, its probably up your street

We saw its potential as a functional drink for a more conscious consumer, or at the very least, for a consumer who wants options. Go to any bar in London and unless youre drinking alcohol, you dont have any choice apart from sugary soda, cheap pasteurised fruit juice or water. Even artisan sodas are just as high in sugar as Coca Cola - around 10.6 grams per 100 ml. Our original, raw kombucha is less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 ml, explains Adam Vanni, director and head kombucha brewer at Jarr Bar.

2. Once you pop, you cant

There is something mysteriously appealing about the vinegary flavour that keeps you coming back for more, continues Vanni, who was first introduced to kombucha while at university in San Diego, CA, around 2008. First it was an every-now-and-then kind of drink, and then it became a regular substitute for soda or fruit juice at lunch and dinner. After college it became a substitute for beer or wine when I didnt feel like drinking alcohol. Now Im pretty much addicted to the flavour and have it every morning. I soon started seeing it in bars, restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets throughout California. They even sell it at my local Costco nowadays.

3. It's packed with probiotics

Probiotics are the good bacteria which help our digestion and keep our guts healthy. For people who suffer from digestive problems, in some cases properly brewed kombucha can offer a great solution. Just remember that dark bottles are better because light damages probiotics, explains Green For All Seasons founder Victoria-Anne Bull.

4. You can try making it yourself

If you are worried about the sugar content of kombucha - although much of it disappears during the fermentation process  Sarah Wilson of I Quit Sugar has a great recipe using rice malt syrup which doesn't contain any fructose," suggests Bull.

5. It has the right balance of sour and sweet

The length of the fermentation process is most notably dependent upon the heat at which you brew, continues Vanni. The warmer the temperature, the faster the fermentation cycle. We brew at around 23-24 degrees for about two weeks, which creates a nice rounded flavour profile with the right balance of sour and sweet.

6. You can play around with flavours

We play with flavours by choosing the tea - like green tea or roasted green tea - and then we infuse with things like hibiscus flowers, lemon grass or rose petals. Black tea and rose petal kombucha is also one we do, says Clare Lattin, of Raw Duck in Hackney, where she serves infused kombucha vodka cocktails.

7. It has started to appear on Michelin-starred menus

Sous chef Tom Spenceley at Michelin-starred restaurant Kitchen Table in Fitzrovia makes kombucha in-house and will offer it to guests using flavours developed from ingredients that are available that day, from toasted hay to jasmine, lemon verbena, nettle and Douglas fir pine.

8. Drink it ice-cold straight after a workout

Bull recommends it straight after exercise, or as a nice twist in a cocktail, for those who aren't sensitive to caffeine and want to give it a go. As with everything, too much of any product, be it green juice, ginger shots or kombucha, can end up having the reverse effect so it is important to drink it in moderation. One of the better brands is a raw, organic one from LA called Health Ade which have amazing flavours like ginger lemon, pink lady apple, beet and, for the brave among us, caynenne cleanse.

Follow Victoria on Twitter @vicstewart
T his was the moment a smartly dressed man with his hands in his pockets tripped up a suspect who was fleeing police.

The unidentified member of the public - who police said left the scene without even pausing for so much as a pat on the back  intervened in the chase through Kingston, south west London, on Saturday night.

A video shows the well-turned out reveller arm-in-arm with a woman as he calmly sticks his leg out to bring the fleeing suspect to a crashing halt.

He was being pursued by officers from Kingston polices Grove Safer Neighbourhood Team. Officers said the pursuit took place at about 10pm on Richmond Road, near Kingston train station.

Two colleagues tweeted praise for the mystery have-a-go hero.

Great work by this member of public - coming to the aid of @MPSGroveSNT as they chased a suspect through #Kingston. pic.twitter.com/nknjtzUWzO  Sgts Dave & Will (@MPSKingstonTnC) February 7, 2016

One of the officers involved in the chase confirmed the member of the public didnt hang around after staging his dramatic intervention, adding: What a hero!

A 17-year-old has been bailed after being arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, police said.

Do you know the man in the video? Email sebastian.mann@standard.co.uk
A flamboyant fraudster is facing jail for posing as the Popes banker to fleece a shipping firm out of 73 million.

Luis Nobre, 49, duped Dutch shipping company Allseas Group Ltd into handing over vast sums by claiming he could get returns of 1,200 per cent a year via the pontiffs secret trading platform.

In reality he was part of a gang of conmen enjoying a lavish lifestyle on the proceeds of the scam. Nobre, of Wembley, northwest London, ran up a 130,000 bill at the five-star Landmark Hotel in Marylebone before fleeing the UK to try to avoid getting caught.

Nobre, with his gang, led by Marek Rejniak, was introduced to Allseas as an A1 trader with links to the US Federal Reserve and access to lucrative trading through a platform connected to the Vatican. Once Rejniak  now on the run  received the money, he passed it to Nobre. It was laundered with the help of solicitor Buddika Kadurugamuwa, 46, and Nadeem Khan, 54. Khan died from a heart attack before the trial.

Nobre, sporting waist-length black hair, was convicted of one count of acquiring criminal property, five counts of transferring criminal property and three counts of possession of articles for use in fraud, at Southwark Crown Court. He will be sentenced tomorrow.

Kadurugamuwa, of Hendon, north London, was cleared of being concerned in a money laundering arrangement but found guilty of helping to launder 111,400. He will be sentenced next month.
A hooded mob with nicknames like "Ratface" and "Van Damme" ambushed a young man on his own doorstep and stabbed him to death, a jury at the Old Bailey has been told.

Ahmed Ahmed, 24, was knifed repeatedly in the left thigh after he was walking out of the block of flats where he lived in Plumstead, south-east London.

The victim's sister saw the masked mob approaching but ducked out of sight just before the killers struck.

Khalid Hashi, 23, Hamza Dodi, 24, Osman Musa Mohamed, 19, Sazzad Khan, 20, Hussein Roble, 18, and Onyema Olisa, 21, are all accused of carrying out the stabbing.

Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse QC said Hashi had the nickname Van Damme, Mohamed was dubbed Ratface, while Khan and Roble were known as Gambino and Stewie.

She said drug dealer Olisa, nicknamed Realz, later confessed to one of his customers: "I shanked that little b***h."

Mr Ahmed was attacked on August 10 last year as he left the block of flats where he lived with his mother and sisters in Turton House, Barnfield Road, Plumstead.

The mob, wearing masks and hoods, lay in wait outside, having frogmarched Mr Ahmed's friend Monzir Mohamed to the door telling him "It's you or Ahmed", the court heard.

Ms Whitehouse said the violence started just after 6pm when Mr Mohamed, known to friends as Lanky, was confronted outside a nearby shop by a group including "Van Damme", "Ratface" and Dodi.

"One of the group put his hands around Monzir's neck. The group became more aggressive," she said.

"There was some shouting and Monzir Mohamed then began walking down Barnfield Road, with the group, towards Turton House - he didn't feel that he had any choice."

The group started phoning Mr Ahmed as they headed for Turton House, she said, with one heard to say: "Bring him down."

Ms Whitehouse continued: "As the group approached Turton House others joined them.

"These men had scarves covering their faces and their hoods up.

"Monzir believed they meant someone harm.

"Once outside Turton House, members of the attacking group tried to force the communal door into the flats.

"Some were shouting: 'Bring the guy out of the house'."

She said eyewitness Fowsiya Harbii, whose daughter went to primary school with Roble, saw the stabbing take place as she stood by the lifts.

"As she waited for the lift she saw Ahmed Ahmed coming down the stairs. She saw him push the door release button as if he was planning to go outside and talk to them.

"However, he never got out because the young men outside rushed in and attacked him."

She said three of the mob tried to wrestle Ahmed to the ground before another lunged at him with a kitchen knife.

"Others then swarmed around Ahmed Ahmed', she added.

"What had happened is that Ahmed Ahmed had come downstairs and simply opened the door.

"He appears to have had absolutely no idea of what was about to happen to him."

Olisa, of Malton Street, Roble, of Wrottesley Road, Mohamed, of Llanover Road, Hashi, of Fennel Street, Dodi, of Herbert Road, all Plumstead, and Khan, of no fixed address, all deny murder.

The trial continues.
A Middlesex University student accused of trying to travel to Syria to join Isis appeared in court this morning.

Cubeyda Hassan Jama, 19, was planning to join the terrorist group when he took a flight from London to Romania, it is said.

He was arrested as he got off the plane in Bucharest on Friday, and was shipped back to the UK to face terror charges.

Jama, a Finnish national studying computer sciences at the west London university, appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates Court this morning for a preliminary hearing.

Wearing white trousers and a grey sweatshirt, he spoke only to confirm his identity, looking at the floor throughout the brief hearing.

Amirtha Kylahsum, defending, said the student intends to plead not guilty and stand trial for an alleged terrorism offence.

Jama, who is of Somali descent, moved to the UK in 2010 with his father and has been living in London Road, Thornton, southeast London.

He was remanded in custody until a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on February 19.

Jama is accused of engaging in conduct in preparation for giving effect to his intention to commit acts of terrorism, contrary to the Terrorism Act 2006.


P olice have arrested a man after a cannabis farm was discovered in east London this morning.

Officers in Hackney discovered a number of cannabis plants after searching a house on the New Era Estate in Hoxton at 7:30am today.

One man was arrested and taken into custody on suspicion of the cultivation of cannabis after officers used a warrant to search the property.

Hackney police posted a picture of the find to their official Twitter page, which showed several cannabis plants growing inside the property that was searched.

Cannabis factory found by the problem solving team this morning pic.twitter.com/mT9zGZcNOU  Hackney MPS (@MPSHackney) February 8, 2016

Along with the picture officers said: "Cannabis factory found by the problem solving team this morning."

The man still remains in custody.
T housands of frustrated renters have joined a stampede to secure loans from George Osbornes new London-only homebuying scheme in its first week, the Evening Standard has learned.

The huge response from more than 15,000 first-time buyers desperate to clamber on to the housing ladder is far bigger than expected and comes just seven days after the Help to Buy London initiative was launched.

Mortgage brokers said they had been deluged by enquiries from tenants stuck in the rental trap and previously unable to save enough cash for a deposit.

The scheme, first announced by the Chancellor in last Novembers Autumn Statement, allows buyers with just a five per cent deposit to apply for government equity loans covering up to 40 per cent of the value of a new-build property.

This means they only have to raise a mortgage for 55 per cent of the agreed price.

First-time buyers looking to pay a typical 400,000 asking price will now only need to raise a 220,000 mortgage rather than 380,000.

Russell Hall, head of new homes at broker SPF, said: Demand is expected to be high and we have already had a deluge of provisional enquiries from applicants wanting to know whether they qualify and how the scheme will work.

Developers across Londons suburbs say they have seen huge levels of interest from young buyers now able to access far more affordable loans with an effective deposit of 45 per cent.

A spokesman for housebuilder Barratt London said: Since the extension of Help to Buy last week, sites across the capital have seen a significant increase in interest from potential buyers.

"The sweet spot is in the outer boroughs and our sites at Catford, Greenwich and Edgware, for example, have seen a surge of interest with buyers looking to buy one or two-bedroom apartments.

Ian Sutcliffe, group chief executive of developer Countryside, said: There has been a very strong response to Help to Buy London.

"The new schemes popularity reflects the fact that it makes home ownership in London much more attainable and supports buyers far better than the (earlier) nationwide scheme was able to.

He said the company has received reservation fees on eight new flats from buyers with Help to Buy backing at schemes in Canning Town, Bow, Romford and south Acton.

However, the surge in applications will raise fresh fears that the scheme will further fuel price rises in the suburbs, where they are going up faster than anywhere else in London.

It is only available on new homes in London boroughs and is an extension of the previous national Help to Buy, under which the Government would only provide 20 per cent of the funding. This had low take-up in the capital because of its exceptionally high property prices.

The schemes property value cap of 600,000 means that most of the enquiries involve housing developments outside Zones 1 and 2, where even a starter home is likely to cost more than the ceiling.

Shailendra Chaudhari, a business analyst in his early thirties, said the scheme would allow him and his wife Samiksha, 27, to break out of renting and secure a two-bedroom flat in Greenwich Millennium Village after a year of fruitless searching.

He said that without the 40 per cent backing working people like me find it very difficult to buy in London.

A DCLG spokesman said :We want to ensure that anyone who works hard and aspires to own their own home has the opportunity to do so.

London Help to Buy will make a huge difference to those looking to own their own home in the Capital with people able to buy with just a 5 per cent deposit and a 55 per cent mortgage and since its launch weve seen over 15,000 expressions of interest in the first week."


T he father of a victim of the 7/7 terror attacks has condemned the blowing up of a double-decker bus in central London as part of a stunt for a Hollywood blockbuster as "insensitive".

John Taylor, whose daughter Carrie, 24, was killed at Aldgate Station on July 7, 2005, said he was aware the controlled explosion would happen but not that it would involve a London bus.

Mr Taylor told the Daily Mirror: "You can totally understand why some people would be alarmed seeing this. Fair enough there is filming that goes on in the city but this seems particularly insensitive."

The explosion was filmed on Lambeth Bridge on Sunday morning as part of The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, which is set to be released later this year.

Film set: The bus on Lambeth Bridge / Steve Parsons/PA Wire

Emergency services and the film's production company had warned the public on Twitter that the explosion was set up for filming amd was not a threat to the capital.

But some social media users were left feeling uneasy after seeing the red bus engulfed in a fireball as it crossed the bridge.

Author Sophie Kinsella said: "Hey film types next time you blow up a bus on Lambeth Bridge maybe tell us first so children in park aren't freaked?"

Lowri Peploe-Williams tweeted: "Just watched a bus blow up in Lambeth bridge to find out its for a film."

Ex-Scotland Yard detective David Videcette wrote: "Jackie Chan movie stunt blows up bus on Lambeth bridge today. Watching it turns my stomach."

Some likened the explosion to the bomb blast on a double-decker bus at the junction of Tavistock Square and Upper Woburn Place in London on July 7, which killed 14 people, including the bomber carrying the explosive device, Hasib Hussain.
C CTV footage used to prosecute an innocent man for sexual assault had been slowed down to manipulate the events, his defence solicitor has claimed.

Mark Pearson, 51, stood trial for sexual assault after being accused of brushing against a woman in her 60s during rush hour at Waterloo station in December 2014.

He was found not guilty by a jury at Blackfriars Crown Court last week after just 90 minutes of deliberations.

Yesterday Mr Pearson, an artist, told how he endured a year of hell while waiting to stand trial for a crime he did not commit.

Innocent: The defence said it was impossible for Mr Pearson to have committed the offence he was accused of

His defence team today claimed the CCTV footage originally obtained by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was altered and therefore gave a misleading impression of the alleged assault.

Defence solicitor Mark Bagshaw told the Telegraph: The few seconds when my client walked past the alleged victim had been slowed down so it looked like he had more time to commit the alleged actions than he in reality did have.

Instead of one frame per second it was running at one frame every two seconds.

Mr Bagshaw said his team hired a specialist CCTV forensic expert to correct the speed of the footage and create an accurate storyboard of Mr Pearsons movements.

The defence solicitor said if his team had not looked at the footage in depth, it would have been shown to the jury in the format the CPS has provided them with.

Year of hell: Mark Pearson was charged with an offence he did not commit ITV / ITV

He added: In the end, the prosecution did not rely on the CCTV at all, except to show that my client was at the station.

The jury was only shown the CCTV as part of our case.

A CPS spokesman told the Telegraph: "There was sufficient evidence for this case to proceed to court and progress to trial. We respect the decision of the jury."

The Standard made repeated attempts to contact the CPS for further comment on the claims.
T his was the dramatic moment a car careered through traffic lights and smashed into a tram in south London, knocking it off its tracks and leaving four people in hospital.

The incident was captured by CCTV cameras in Wellesley Road, Croydon, just before 10pm on Sunday.

In the clip, a silver car goes straight past a red car that was stationary just before the lights, before crashing into the front of the two-carriage tram.

The silver car appears to switch lanes to pass the other car, which was possibly waiting for the tram to pass as it turned into Wellesley Road.

Collision: The tram was thrown from its tracks Nick Krofa / Nick Krofa

Firefighters were forced to free a man and woman from the car and four people were taken to hospital.

Two of them were taken as a priority, London Ambulance Service said.

Nick Krofa, who lives nearby and saw the aftermath, said: I went to the window and saw that the tram had derailed from its track.

"There was a small car there, I was trying to make sense of what had happened.

"What actually happened was unbelievable - I don't know how a small car could derail a tram."

Police were called and are looking into the incident.
F irefighters battled through thick black smoke to rescue a man from a blaze at hospital building in south-west London.

A fire broke out at the two-storey building in Glenburnie Road, Tooting, at 6.57pm on Sunday, with one man trapped on the first floor.

Three women escaped from the building before London Fire Brigade arrived and were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Station manager Andy Walton, who was at the scene, said: When crews arrived they could see thick black smoke coming from the first floor of the building.

Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly made their way to the affected part of the building through thick smoke to rescue a man who was still inside.

They then returned to the room and extinguished the fire quickly, ensuring damage to the rest of the building was minimised.

The man rescued by firefighters and two of the women were taken to hospital for further treatment.

Part of the two floor building was damaged by fire and the blaze was brought under control at 8.07pm.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
H omes in Dagenham were evacuated after a petrol leak left two women and a child needing medical treatment.

Twelve people were forced to leave their homes for more than three hours as firefighters investigated the "chemical incident" in Baden Powell Close on Thursday afternoon.

London Ambulance Service paramedics treated the three patients at the scene after residents were evacuated at around 5.20pm.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said it is believed the source of the chemical smell, which prompted the emergency call, was petrol fumes from a discarded jerry can at the rear of the terraced properties.

Residents were allowed back into their homes just before 8.30pm.

Crews from Barking and Bethnal Green fire stations attended.
A Londoner has spoken of her distress at being racially ridiculed for twice failing her degree with a blackface image of a boy with Nutella smeared over his face.

Tobi Akingbade, 24, said she burst into tears at her desk when she saw the image, which mocked a photo she had tweeted after graduating from the University of Hertfordshire at the third attempt in September.

The original image quickly went viral, being viewed nearly 500,000 times, along with the accompanying message: I failed uni twice. Did my final year three times. I graduate today. I give all the Glory to God.

But Miss Akingbade, who studied mass communication and lives in east London, was horrified when a man shared the Nutella photo on Friday with the same words as her celebratory tweet.

Ridicule: Tobi Akingbade shared the two tweets side-by-side / Twitter

She said he had asked if I was going to write an article about How to fail uni multiple times? before doing so.

In an open letter on Medium.com, she wrote: I sat behind my screen at work and burst into tears... For a few seconds I felt worthless, meaningless and not very human

Using a photo of someone else in blackface doesnt eradicate the fact that you used a photo with blackface to mimic me, a black woman.

I was racially ridiculed on twitter today  Your Practical Dream (@TobiRachel_) February 5, 2016

Blackface is not cool during Halloween and its not cool in February. Did you not know that you veered into racism when you turned me into an object of ridicule using blackface?

The writer, who works for a social enterprise called Dream Nation, said she had endured five difficult years at university before completing her degree due to problems in her personal life.

The man who shared the tweet has since taken it down and apologised, after facing a barrage of criticism from supporters of Miss Akingbade.

She said she accepted his apology, writing: "As weak as your apology was, I accept it.

"Why? Because I have a life to live and harbouring unforgivness does nothing for my own sanity.

"There is no way Im letting the actions of an ignorant Twitter warrior stay rent free in my head."

Speaking to the Standard, Miss Akingbade said: "I started crying and I'm not much of a crier.

I thought it was maybe down to ignorance and I felt a responsibility to tell the person that this is not right, that they cant claim innocence through ignorance.

In Britain we can be a bit quiet about issues like this, but I really do believe silence does not protect anybody. I felt I had a responsibility.
E agles could be used to intercept drones as the fight against crime in London moves to the skies, Scotland Yard has said.

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe is reported to have been impressed by similar tactics used by officers in Holland.

Drones, pilot-less aircraft which are controlled remotely, are already being used by police officers to capture footage on difficult terrain, including cliffs and woodland.

But there are concerns criminal gangs are also capitalising on the opportunities presented by the new technology, including their use in the illegal drugs trade and even for smuggling goods into prisons.

An eagle tackles a drone in Holland (Reuters) / Nederlands Politie/Reuters

The birds would help by taking down the aircraft, which they would consider to be prey.

A Met Police spokesman said: "As would be expected in an organisation that is transforming we take an interest in all innovative new ideas and will of course be looking at the work of the Dutch police use of eagles."
A Michelin-star chef hit back at a harsh critic on TripAdvisor with a detailed takedown of the customer's claims.

Glynn Purnell, head chef of Purnells restaurant, replied to a one star review on the travel website - insisting it was inaccurate and littered with spelling mistakes.

The customer complained Purnell's restaurant served tiny portions that were just sinful in this day and age".

The group, who travelled to visit the restaurant from Limerick in Ireland, added they wanted an alternative to fish and were instead presented with approximately a serving spoon of Beetroots", adding: "Just unreal!!

The chef of the Michelin-star restaurant in Cornwall Street, Birmingham, had also contacted the customer before the damning review of the six-course meal had been put online.

But despite the effort, the disgruntled customer posted online: Maybe the chef should watch Masterchef The Professionals for a few lessons to see how food should be served and give some decent portions of wonderful food not just the content of a decent starter over 6 courses. A starter for 68.00."

Mr Purnell hit back at the claims, writing: "Perhaps this reviewer would have more satisfaction from watching Man versus Food."

The chef added: Having spoken to this reviewer over the telephone on Tuesday night, we were shocked to hear that her and her party had a bad experience. We were not made aware of any issues during their dining experience.

These are 4 adults all upset by their dining experience who ate all 6 courses without once alerting us to the fact that they were not enjoying it.

The restaurant is believed to have offered the table a full refund but the reviewer declined and instead decided to turn to Trip Advisor.
A nurse and her partner, who packed up their London home and went travelling around the world for 10 months with their 10-week-old baby, are about to jet off across the globe for a second time.

Karen Edwards, 31, her partner Shaun Bayes, and their newborn daughter Esme, stayed in New Zealand for several months before exploring Australia and Asia, with just one backpack between them.

The family sold their car, put their house in Purley, south-west London up for rent  and Mr Bayes quit his job as a landscaper.

Ms Edwards, who breastfed Esme during the trip and squeezed all their toiletries into baby food pouches to save space, said her family were very worried when she first revealed her plans to travel with the tot, when she was not yet three months old.

She told the Standard: I was already such a seasoned traveller. Ive been to nearly 60 countries.

Esme has had so many new experiences. Shes very sociable. She really loves being outside.

At times, I felt sad for her that she didnt have other kids to play with.

Baby Esme with her parents Shaun Bayes and Karen Edwards in Taiwan / Trave

And being in the same room as her all the time, it was hard if she wanted to sleep and we wanted to have a few drinks.

"Wed try not to wake her up laughing.

We had to take it in turns for snorkelling and diving but I didnt mind.

During the 10-month trip, they travelled to Ireland, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

After spending a short time at home in London and with Esme now 17 months old, the family are about to head back to New Zealand again, as well as exploring Cambodia and Thailand.

Originally from Ireland, Ms Edwards has been documenting the familys journey on her Instagram account and blog Travel Mad Mum.

She said: One thing I do hope has come out of having a social media presence is inspiring other parents to go travelling and to let them know that having a baby doesnt have to be the end of their travelling days.
I t's not unusual for the police to feature in interviews with mayoral candidates. The Mayor, after all, oversees Scotland Yard. But it is less common for officers to actually pitch up in person and want to question the hopefuls themselves.

But then Prince John Zylinski is not your typical mayoral candidate. The property millionaire and son of a Polish war hero has more in common with the Scarlet Pimpernel than he does with Zac Goldsmith or Sadiq Khan.

He briefly made the headlines last year when he challenged Nigel Farage to a duel because he was fed up with the Ukip leaders attacks on immigration. He posted the challenge online, brandishing a replica of the sword his cavalry officer father used in a victorious charge against the Nazis near Warsaw. It was that same replica, wielded at City Hall for the benefit of the Evening Standards photographer, that led to the arrival of the boys in blue.

A year on from his Farage challenge, Zylinski is no less angry about the stereotyping of newcomers from eastern Europe as benefit scroungers. He says Londons Polish community, which numbers around 500,000, is very upset about it. On the surface this city seems pretty united, but newcomers to London often feel like second class citizens, he says.

About 120,000 of the Poles in London are on the electoral roll. Throw in hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians, Slovakians, Hungarians and suddenly youre looking at more than a million potential votes for City Hall.

At least that is how Zylinski sees it. He is something of a minor celebrity in the Polish community  and claims many would back him for an independent Mayor. The Poles have decided in their wisdom that Im the first person to stand up for them in this country, he says.

HIS primary aim is to change the image of Poles in London by giving them a voice. He insists none come to Britain for benefits as they are better off working. Zylinski, 64  who was born in Lewisham and has lived in the capital all his life  has three other key policies.

The first is to build a million homes in four years  without resorting to the green belt. To put that in context, the current Mayor has managed just 100,000 over his two terms.

The property developer, who recreated his grandmothers Polish palace, the White House, in Ealing, says because he has no party allegiance or long-term political ambitions, he is the only one who has the political will to face down the nimbys and get homes built. He has no specific affordability target but suggested in the region of 30 per cent, or 300,000 homes.

Second, he would help thousands of young Londoners get on the property ladder by guaranteeing a five per cent deposit  which along with the Governments Help to Buy scheme which offers 40 per cent loans and a mortgage of 55 per cent, would be the equivalent of a 100 per cent loan. He admits 100 per cent mortgages were a factor in the crash so insists loans would only be to working individuals with strong financial references, and they would be reinsured through the insurance market.

Finally, and least convincingly, he says he would cut Tube and bus fares by 50 per cent. He claims this would cost just 2 billion although this is the figure that Transport for London has put on Sadiq Khans fares freeze. He wants the extra cash to come from central government in return for huge tax revenues raised in the capital.

Surprisingly, Zylinski wants Britain to vote to leave the EU. But not, he explains, because he is against the institution. Simply because he shares Boris Johnsons belief that only by showing Brussels that the UK is serious about leaving will it finally grant substantial concessions. Its like a bad marriage, its only when you start packing your bags that you really mean to leave, he says.

So back at City Hall, what happened after the police arrived? Zylinski got away with a gentle reminder that it would probably be best not to get his sword out in public. This may be one duel the Poles self-proclaimed knight in shining armour may have to fight unarmed.
M ayoral hopeful Sadiq Khan today said he could not remember if he had ever shared other platforms with extremists after he came under fire for speaking at several events hosted by a radical group.

The Labour candidate was criticised for sharing a platform with Stop Political Terror, which was backed by an extremist imam who preached to the 9/11 hijackers and acted as a recruiting sergeant for al Qaeda.

He addressed four meetings of the group to campaign for Babar Ahmad, a Tooting constituent and terror suspect who Mr Khan and others tried unsuccessfully to stop being extradited to America before the 2005 general election. Ahmad later pleaded guilty to conspiracy and providing material to support terrorism.

But the Labour MP, who at that time was a leading human rights lawyer and chairman of Liberty, the human rights group, said he had not been aware that SPT, which called on Muslims not to co-operate with police, held such extreme views.

He told the Standard: I had no idea that these were their views. The way these things work is that youre asked by the family to go to a meeting, these things last hours by the way, you rock up there and do your bit and then leave I have no idea what these other people believe and what they stand for.

Mr Khan denied he had been aware of the views of SPT supporter Anwar al-Awlaki, who was implicated in terrorist plots. He said: Ive not ever been scared to criticise or condemn these people.

When asked if he had appeared on other unrelated platforms, he said: I cant remember, is the short answer. Im sure Ive been to party conference and stuff but I would have come for the issue rather than in solidarity with some hideous organisation or some unsavoury, dangerous people.

In 2006, SPT was folded into Cage, the organisation that described IS executioner Jihadi John as a beautiful young man, but Mr Khan condemned it as a hideous organisation that was part of the problem rather than a solution. He said: Ive always been clear about my views of them, unlike ministers who, until as recently as two or three years ago, shared a platform with them, I never have. To suggest that by me campaigning to stop a local resident, Babar Ahmad, being extradited, somehow means that I sympathise with these people stands against everything I stood for.

London Mayor Election 2016: Sadiq Khan

Mr Khan has called for ministers to do more to close down internet service providers, overhaul deradicalisation schemes, protect community policing and tackle extremism in prisons, colleges and universities.

He was targeted by extremists when he stood for Parliament and received a fatwa for supporting same-sex marriage. I have daughters who I worry about using public transport, and worry about being groomed and radicalised to somehow suggest I am equivocating or am not on top of the issues is deeply upsetting, he said.
D avid Cameron today claimed thousands of asylum seekers could pour into Britain overnight from the Jungle camp in Calais if Britain votes to leave the European Union.

To the fury of anti-EU campaigners, No 10 argued that a Brexit could be the trigger for France to unilaterally withdraw from an Anglo-French agreement that has curbed migrant numbers since 2003. Mr Camerons spokesman would not rule out migrant camps being hurriedly put up in Kent if ports such as Folkestone were unable to cope.

A former head of border controls said an extra 50,000 asylum seekers a year could flock to Britain under such circumstances.

Rob Whiteman, ex-chief executive of the UK Border Agency, said asylum-seeker numbers could return to the 80,000 level they peaked at before London and Paris signed the Le Touquet treaty which allowed the UK to start border checks in Calais.

However, Mr Cameron was accused of launching a Project Fear to scare people out of voting to quit the EU.

Former defence secretary Liam Fox tweeted: Sad and disappointed to see our Prime Minister stoop to this level of scaremongering. He knows the Calais agreement is nothing to do with the EU. Under the Le Touquet treaty, British border guards can check lorries for stowaways at Calais and any illegal migrants discovered remain in France. However, if border controls returned to Dover, illegal migrants would be found on British soil and allowed to claim asylum.

Mr Camerons spokesman acknowledged that the treaty was not an EU agreement but said there was no guarantee that the French would keep it if Britain left the EU. There would be nothing to stop thousands of people crossing the Channel overnight and claiming asylum in Kent, he said.

Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said the claim was simply not credible and that pro-EU campaigners were taking voters for fools.

Mark Field, Conservative MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, said people from the Jungle camp would probably end up in London. He said: If we left the EU, the French would simply say fine, these people want to come to England, let them go.

The squalid tent city known as the Jungle contains about 3,000 migrants eager to live in the UK. One senior government source said: If we leave the EU the Jungle camp will move to Folkestone. That is not something people want.
A special school called The Isis Academy says it has no other choice but to change its name after staff were repeatedly asked if they were training terrorists.

The headteacher of the academy in Oxford said contractors and people working at the school often made negative comments.

Staff and governors finally ran out of patience and have now decided to rebrand the school as The Iffley Academy.

Headteacher Kay Willett told the Oxford Mail: You would give the address out on the phone and when you said Isis the person would pause and say oh.

Anybody who did not know the nature of the school would make comments like are you training the children to be terrorists?

The feedback from staff is that if they gave the schools name when travelling around people would say my goodness that is unfortunate.

Ms Willett said even the children, many who have autism or mental health needs, were picking up on the negative comments.

The school, which is rated outstanding, has about 130 pupils aged 10 to 18.
T ributes have been paid to remarkable acclaimed novelist Margaret Forster who has died aged 77.

The award-winning author, who wrote Georgy Girl and Diary Of An Ordinary Woman, died on Monday at the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead after suffering cancer in her back.

Her husband Hunter Davies, also a writer and journalist, told the Press Association: "She was a remarkable woman in every way."

Ms Forster was born in Carlisle and won a scholarship to Oxford before becoming a teacher at a girls school in Islington.

The authors big break into the world of writing came with Georgy Girl, the story of a young woman in 1960s London who is romantically pursued by her father's older employer and the young lover of her promiscuous and pregnant flatmate.

The book was turned into a successful film starring Lynn Redgrave, Charlotte Rampling, Alan Bates and James Mason.

Mr Davies said his wife was "the cleverest woman" he ever met.

He said: "She was emotionally clever, in that she could always understand people and predict their actions and their feelings and their motives, which I can never do. And she was a brilliant critic as well.

"Always had an opinion whether asked for it or not, and she was just the most marvellous woman. She was not interested in money. She was not interested in publicity."

In 2014, Mr Davies reported that his wife, who was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, was distinctly unimpressed when he was awarded an OBE and said that she had told him if it had been a knighthood, she would have divorced him.

A Royal Society of Literature spokesman paid tribute to Ms Forster, saying: Margaret Forster was an extraordinarily prolific and gifted writer of fiction, non-fiction and literary criticism.

"Her fellow Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature pay tribute to her work, and offer their condolences to her family.

Alison Samuel, Ms Forsters long-term editor said: "She was a favourite author to edit - no nonsense, funny, feisty, responsive, and she sent the best postcards.

I can't believe I won't see her distinctive handwriting again. What a very sad day."

Ms Forsters latest novel, How to Measure a cow, will be released on March 3.

Additional reporting by Press Association.
A t least 33 migrants attempting to reach Greece have drowned after two boats got into difficulties off the Turkish coast.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said 22 died after a boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, near the Greek island of Lesbos.

Earlier, the private Dogan news agency said the bodies of another 11 migrants had been found further south, near the Aegean resort of Dikili.

The International Organisation for Migration says 374 migrants have died so far this year while trying to reach Greece.

Earlier dozens of Greek riot police were deployed to a demonstration organised by the extreme right Golden Dawn party against plans to build a new transit camp for refugees and migrants near Athens.

Four of the party's 18 policymakers were at the rally outside the port of Perama, about 10 miles west of the capital, where the government is planning to build the camp with the help of the armed forces.

About 150 people staged a counter-demonstration near the site.

Greece is under pressure from the European Union to complete screening centres on five islands and increase its capacity to house asylum-seekers and detain migrants facing deportation.

Defence minister Panos Kammenos said the centres will be completed within a week.

Turkey's coastguard said four people were rescued from the boat in the Bay of Edremit.

The coastguard has launched a search-and-rescue mission, including helicopters, to try to find 14 more migrants reported to be still missing.
N orth Korea has launched has launched a rocket into space, leading to international condemnation and fears the regime is testing technology for a long-range missile.

The country claims the rocket was carrying an Earth observation satellite, named Kwangmyongsong-4 after the late leader Kim Jong Il, and it had been a complete success.

Yesterday, Pyongyangs state news agency carried a picture of a white rocket lifting off. Another showed leader Kim Jong Un surrounded by cheering military officials at a command centre.

The US Strategic Command confirmed they detected a missile entering space, and South Korea's military said the rocket had put an object into orbit.

And Seoul's intelligence agency has warned its neighbour is planning a fifth nuclear test soon.

It comes just weeks after Pyongyang claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb, despite being under UN sanctions since its first nuclear test in 2006.

The US and South Korea say they will now explore whether to deploy an advanced missile defence system in South Korea "at the earliest possible date."

Even China, the states main ally, expressed regret over the launch while Russia said the country has shown a disregard for international law.

Here, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond warned North Koreas nuclear ambitions were a "threat to regional and international security.

He said: "We will work with other partners, we have already strongly condemned North Korea's actions, we will be taking appropriate bilateral steps - summoning the North Korean ambassador as we always do when they carry out one of these tests.

"But we will be working with other partners, particularly the US, Japan, South Korea, in the United Nations, to take additional steps, additional measures against North Korea, stepping up the pressure on that country."

He added: "We are all focused on looking at additional economic sanctions which could be applied against North Korea."
A manda Holden threw her microphone to the floor after being booed off stage at the Britains Got Talent auditions.

Holden, 44, took to the stage at Birminghams Hippodrome for an impromptu performance of Let It Go from Frozen  but she left the audience unimpressed.

As she belted out the number she was met with chants of Off, off before throwing her microphone to the floor and strutting off of the stage.

She also swore at fellow judge David Walliams for appearing to mock her singing.

Britain's Got Talent London Auditions 1 /10 Britain's Got Talent London Auditions Oh so talented David Walliams is escorted by a bulked up bunch of Adonis's (Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Designer style Amanda Holden working a geometric cut Balenciaga top (Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Going for gold Alesha Dixon accessorsing heavily with a selction of gold jewellery (Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Shaking it up Simon Cowell swapped his trademark blue jeans and white t-shirt for a navy top and black suit trousers (Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Riding in style David Walliams shuns a traditional car arrival for four bulky men (Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Heading in Alesha waves to fans before heading inside to start the judging (Picture: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images) Sunny Simon An assistant helps to adjust Simon's sunnies (Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire) Feet on the ground David posing for photos after riding in in style (Picture: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

The booing came moments after host Ant McPartlin told the audience that it was Holdens last year on the judging panel and producers started playing the Spice Girls hit Goodbye.

Holden ran onto the stage and said: Im not leaving. I was thinking that Im going to have a fantastic song to walk down to.

I asked for Time Warp or Frozenand I got the bloody Spice Girls!

She then demanded they play Frozen, shouting: Im not leaving the stage until you do.

Last week Simon Cowell confirmed that Holden will return to the talent show next year.

Follow @StandardShowbiz for more entertainment news.
E mma Thompson has claimed that its no better for black actors in the UK than it is in Hollywood.

Speaking at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, the acting veteran said that she feels the industry has a long way to go when it came to diversity.

I wouldnt say to any black actor or actress you must go to Britain because were so much better, she told us.

Its not great anywhere to be perfectly frank. I think its very hard for jobbing actors here. I think weve got a long way to go before we get that sorted.

Evening Standard British Film Awards 2016 Winners 1 /24 Evening Standard British Film Awards 2016 Winners Idris Elba wins the Best Actor award at the London Evening Standard British Film Awards Ian West/PA Emma Thompson, winner of the Comedy Award for "The Legend Of Barney Thomson", poses in front of the Winners Boards Dave Benett Maisie Williams was winner of the Rising Star award for "The Falling" Dave Benett Anthony Daniels accepted the Blockbuster of the Year award for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Dave Benett Dame Maggie Smith wins the Best Actress award Ian West/PA John Crowley, accepting the Best Film award for 'Brooklyn', and presenter Matthew Perry pose in front of the Winners Boards Dave Benett Sir Tom Courtenay and Tristan Goligher accept the Editors award for film 45 Years presented by Emilia Fox Ian West/PA Stanley Tucci and Emma Thompson enjoy the awards evening at Television Centre Dave Benett Maisie Williams, winner of the Rising Star award for 'The Falling', celebrates with presenter Adrian Lester Dave Benett Presenter Vanessa Redgrave shares a smile with Best Actor winner Idris Elba Dave Benett Mark Digby with the Technical Achievement award, presented by Ashley Jensen Ian West/PA Alan Bennett winner of the Special Award, and host Simon Amstell Dave Benett Simon Amstell, Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci hug onstage Dave Benett Dame Maggie Smith accepts the Best Actress award for 'The Lady In The Van' Dave Benett Vanessa Redgrave presents the Best Actor award to Idris Elba for 'Beasts Of No Nation' Dave Benett Emma Thompson accepts the Comedy Award for 'The Legend Of Barney Thomson' Dave Benett Simon Amstell attends the London Evening Standard British Film Awards Dave Benett Idris Elba, winner of the Best Actor award for 'Beasts Of No Nation' Dave Benett

Speaking about the #OscarsSoWhite debate, which has divided Hollywood, the star added:

The Oscar membership is old white men  either you wait for them to die or kill them off slowly.

Thompson, 56, picked up the Comedy Award for her role in The Legend of Barney Thomson at Sunday nights awards.

Its really nice because that part was one of my favourite things Ive ever done. It was a real thrill. Very surprised actually.

Collecting her award on stage, the actress paid tribute late friend Alan Rickman.

He always predicted I would end up looking like my mother after a lifetime of Guinness, fish suppers and untipped Players. So thank you, she said.


G eorge Clooney has revealed the secret of his marriage to human rights lawyer Amal is her sense of humour and the fact she is fun to be around.

The Hollywood actor, 52, was speaking as he walked the red carpet with his wife of 18 months at the Los Angeles premiere of his new film Hail, Caesar! In an interview with Hello! Magazine, he said:

Im a very lucky man. I met the woman I desperately wanted to marry and a lot of luck played into that.

Amals fun to be with and for Amal and me, probably the number one thing in our relationship is her sense of humour.

Celebrity marriages 2015 1 /20 Celebrity marriages 2015 Stephen Fry & Elliott Spencer The former QI host tied the knot with his boyfriend Elliott Spencer in January 2015. The couple enjoyed a small ceremony in Norfolk. Benedict Cumberbatch & Sophie Hunter Benedict Cumberbatch whisked Sophie Hunter off to the Isle of Wight for their nuptials on Valentine's Day. Sophie looked stunning in a silver lace Valentino gown as she said "I do" to the Sherlock actor. They later flew to Tahiti and Bora Bora for a post-awards season honeymoon. Jim Smeal/BEI/Rex Johnny Depp & Amber Heard Johnny Depp and Amber Heard escaped to Johnny's private island for their second wedding after tying the knot at their Los Angeles home on February 3. The couple were surrounded by a close knit group of family and friends. David Fisher/Rex Cameron Diaz & Benji Madden Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden made sure to keep their nuptials a private affair. The couple wed on January 5 after eight months together at Cameron's Beverly Hills mansion. Guests included Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Drew Barrymore. Splash News Guy Ritchie & Jacqui Ainsley Guy Ritchie and Jacqui Ainsley tied the knot on July 30 at their Wiltshire home - and they wanted everyone to know. The couple said "I do" at their festival inspired nuptials, which welcomed guests Henry Cavil and David Beckham, and documented the big day on social media. @jacquiritchie Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis celebrated their nuptials as the Secret Garden at Parrish Ranch in Oak Glen, California on July 4. But, the sneaky couple had reportedly tied the knot long before the Fourth of July weekend. ddp USA/Rex Justin Theroux & Jennifer Aniston Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston really wanted to keep their wedding a secret. The Friends actress told guests that they were invited to the couple's Bel Air home for Justin's birthday party - but when they arrived the couple tied the knot. Startraks Photo/Rex Mary-Kate Olsen & Olivier Sarkozy Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy made sure to keep their nuptials private and tied the knot at a low key ceremony in October. Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com/Rex Nicky Hilton & James Rothschild Nicky Hilton and James Rothschild hit the capital for a lavish ceremony at Orangery in Kensington Palace on July 10. The royal affair saw guests including Paris Hilton and Chelsea Clinton. Splash News Amy Adams & Darren Le Gallo After 14 years of dating Amy Adams and Darren Le Gallo wed on May 2. The couple said their "I do's" in a very secret wedding ceremony in California. They were surrounded by a small number of close family and friends. Matt Baron/BEI/Rex Geri Halliwell & Christian Horner Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner tied the knot at St Mary's Church in Woburn, Bedfordshire on May 15. The couple were surrounded by family and friends including Emma Bunton and Amanda Holden. Chris Radburn/PA Ronan Keating & Storm Uechtritz Ronan Keating and Storm Uechtritz travelled to Archerfield House, a luxury estate and golf club in Scotland to tie the knot on August 17. The former Boyzone singer broke down at the sight of his stunning wife before the couple were serenaded by Ed Sheeran. David Fisher/Rex Mark Wright & Michelle Keegan Former TOWIE star Mark Wright and former Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan walked down the aisle at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk in May. The newlyweds then flew to the Maldives before jetting off to Dubai - where Mark proposed. David Fisher/Rex Peter Andre & Emily MacDonagh Peter Andre and Emily MacDonagh became man and wife at Exeter's stunning Mamhead House on July 11. Peter's son Junior, 10, and daughter Princess, eight, acted as page boy and flower girl respectively while Peter performed for guests. Beretta/Sims/Rex Christine Bleakley & Frank Lampard Christine Bleakley and Frank Lampard tied the knot at St Paul's Church in Knightsbridge surrounded by a star-studded guest list. The happy couple then headed to Mayfair for the party which saw Ed Sheeran serenade them for their first dance as husband and wife.

Its funny, because in her work she does such serious things and works on such serious subjects - but she is also one of the funniest people you will ever meet, so Im lucky there.

Clooney also revealed details of how he proposed to 38-year-old Amal - saying he cooked her a meal at home in London before directing her to a box where he had hidden a ring.

She said: Oh, its a ring. as if someone had just left it there. So I got down on one knee and said: I couldnt image spending the rest of my life without you.

He said Amal was so shocked she took 25 minutes to say yes. Finally I said, Look I hope the answers yes but I need an answer because Im 52 and I could throw my hip pretty soon.

He also put to bed two rumours surrounding the couple - that they were to divorce or she was pregnant.

The answer is - no, shes not pregnant. No were not getting divorced, okay?


O scar nominees will be gifted with a record breaking $200,000 goody bag at this years awards ceremony.

All acting and directing nominees will receive the luxury bag which contains gifts including a vampire breast lift ($1,900), the arouser sex toy ($250) and a lifetime supply of Lizora skin creams, worth $31,200.

The Academy described how this year's bag will offer a blend of fabulous, fun and functional items meant to thrill and pamper those who may have everything money can buy but still savour the simple joy of a gift.

Best actor nominee Leonardo DiCaprio may not be bothered by the breast lift  which uses the clients blood to restore the breast to a more natural shape  but he may find a usefor the Haze Dual V3 portable vaporizer which is priced at $249.99.

The bag also contains a 10-day, first-class trip to Israel ($55,000), a years worth of unlimited Audi car rentals ($45,000), a 15-day walking tour of Japan ($45,000) and a Fit Club TV Ultimate Fitness Package in a private villa ($6,250).

Other gifts include pricey Joseph's Toiletries toilet paper, personalised M&Ms and a solution to underarm sweat from Dandi Patch.

DiCaprio is expected to take home the Best Actor gong for his role as fur trapper Hugh Glass in Alejandro G Inarritus The Revenant. He faces competition from Michael Fassbender, Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon and Eddie Redmayne while Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlotte Rampling and Saoirse Ronan are in contention for the Best Actress gong.

Oscar nominations 2016 1 /13 Oscar nominations 2016 The Martian Matt Damon in The Martian. He plays a stranded botanist who must fend for himself on the Red Planet 20th Century Fox The Revenant Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass in The Revenant Carol Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in Carol Bridge of Spies Tom Hanks in Bridge of Spies, the Spielberg film based on Charmans script Brooklyn Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen Steve Jobs Kate Winslett and Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs Joy Jennifer Lawrence as a mum on a manufacturing mission Room Ma (Brie Larson) and her 5-year-old boy Jack Jacob (Tremblay) Mad Max: Fury Road Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron Warner Bros Spotlight This photo provided by Open Road Films shows, Michael Keaton, from left, as Walter "Robby" Robinson, Liev Schreiber as Marty Baron, Mark Ruffalo as Michael Rezendes, Rachel McAdams, as Sacha Pfeiffer, John Slattery as Ben Bradlee Jr., and Brian d'Arcy James as Matt Carroll, in a scene from the film, "Spotlight."

The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre on February 28.
The Nebraska Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Sidneys former police chief.

In April, Byron Wilkinson pleaded to a charge of obstructing government operations, a Class I misdemeanor, after being accused of withholding a citation issued by a Sidney police officer to the citys then-public works director. The public works director, John Hehnke, had been accused by a former girlfriend of peeking in the womans window and spying on her and a boyfriend. A county court judge sentenced Wilkinson to 30 days in jail and that sentence was upheld by a district court judge. However, Wilkinson has not served that time as he filed an intent to appeal the district court judges ruling. A Cheyenne County judge sentenced the police chief to 30 days in jail on the charge.

Wilkinson filed an appeal and a district court judge upheld the sentence. Wilkinson had pleaded no contest to the charge, agreeing to a plea agreement, and the district court judge found that the sentence not to be excessive.

Wilkinson, represented by Sidney attorney Thomas M. Sonntag, filed a brief with the Nebraska Court of Appeals. In the appeal, Wilkinson cites three errors by the court. He argues that the court did not have a sufficient factual basis to support a finding of guilty, that an amended complaint filed by the prosecutors failed to adequately charge a violation of the statute, and that Wilkinsons sentence was excessive.

Though Wilkinson pleaded no contest to the charge, Sonntag argued that the court should not have accepted the plea. Wilkinson was exercising the same discretion that officers are allowed in deciding whether or not to cite a person, Sonntag argued.

Because the statute of limitations on the charge had not yet run out, he argues, Wilkinson could have lifted the administrative hold at any time. Sonntag argues that Wilkinson did not abuse his power, as alleged by the prosecutor, and acted in the best interest of the city in not filing the citation.

On Jan. 14, the State of Nebraska, represented by Kimberly A. Klein, an assistant attorney general with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, filed its reply brief on Jan. 14. In the brief, Klein says that Wilkinson was charged sufficiently and he waived any complaints about the charges filed when he entered into a plea agreement and pleaded no contest to the charge.

The charge is sufficient, Klein said, because Wilkinson committed a brief of his official duty in pulling the citation from a packet going to the county attorney for consideration of charges. A citation had been filed and it was the duty of the prosecuting attorney to proceed with the case.

Wilkinson argues that the prosecutor has discretion to file or not file charges, the brief reads. This is true, but he fails to recognize that his actions precluded the prosecutor from ever even contemplating whether to charge or not charge.

Removal of the citation against Hehnke was based on the fact that Hehnke was a friend to the police department and if he were removed, it might damage the interests of the police department, Klein said in the brief.

Klein also argues that the sentence of 30 days was not excessive, as determined by the district court. The charge was punishable by up to one year in jail and in pronouncing sentence, the court found that it had one sentencing option  jail time. ...Probation would serve no real purpose. A fine would likewise accomplish nothing, so that left only one option and the county court chose that option, albeit a light version of it.

Klein notes that with good time, Wilkinson will serve a scant two weeks in jail. ... That is consistent with justice.

On Feb. 5, according to a filing in the case, the case was ordered moved to the Supreme Court docket and will be heard during the March 29-April 1 call.

Wilkinson resigned from his position as Sidneys police chief in October, after being on paid leave for four months. Former City administrator Gary Person resigned and Hehnke was terminated in August 2015.
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Monday, 08 February 2016 09:54:52 (GMT+3) | Istanbul

Australia s Antidumping Commission has announced that it has revised its preliminary antidumping (AD) duty rates for rebar imports from China . The revised duty rates are 9.3 percent for Shandong Shiheng Special Steel Group, 5.8 percent for Shandong Iron and Steel Company Limited, Laiwu Company, 13.5 percent for Jiangsu Yonggang Group Co. Ltd., 11.3 percent for Hunan Valin Xiangtan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd, and 17.8 percent for uncooperative and all other exporters.

The antidumping duty investigation was initiated in July last year, upon the application by domestic producer OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd., and the preliminary antidumping duties were imposed on December 21, 2015.

The goods subject to antidumping duty currently fall under Customs Tariff Statistics Position Numbers 7214.20.00, 7228.30.90, 7213.10.00, 7227.90.10 and 7227.90.90.
SteelOrbis has learned from a market source that Mexican CRC import prices from China rose by $20-30/mt to $370-$380/mt CFR LO, from $350-360/mt CFR LO in mid-January.

Certain Chinese imports, such as slab, CRC, HRC , heavy plate and wire rod, pay a provisional 15 percent imports tariff, plus any other existing AD duty, be it a provisional or a definite one, depending on the country and on the product.
A team of the Protection and Guard Service (SPP), made up of 12 servicemen, will participate for one year in a mission in Libya under the aegis of the United Nations, President Klaus Iohannis informs in a letter to Deputies' Chamber Speaker Valeriu Zgonea.

"Based on and in accordance with law 121/2011 on the participation of armed forces to missions and operations outside the territory of the Romanian state, I have approved Romania's Government Prime Minister's proposal concerning the conduct of a protection mission of the special representative of the UN secretary general, the chief of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, his deputy and other UN high officials, during their presence in the area, by a team of the Protection and Guard Service made up of 12 servicemen on an initial 12-month period, which can be extended until the UN Secretariat notifies on the cessation of the SPP participation in this mission," reads President Iohannis' letter.The funds required for Romania's participation in the mission are provided by the UN, with the Protection and Guard Service paying the team's wages according to the legislation in force in Romania.Chamber Secretary Niculae Mircovici on Monday, at the end of a Standing Bureau meeting, said that the letter will be made public at a plenary session. AGERPRES
Holliday (36), Wainwright (34) and Molina (33) remain the nucleus of the club. All three are returning from significant injuries that cost them a total of 230 man games in 2015.
KIRKWOOD  A car that crashed into a utility pole late Sunday morning was believed to have been fleeing after striking a Rock Hill police officer about a mile away, officials said.

Officer Steve Sperber was stable at a hospital, suffering from a head injury sustained when he was hit by a car about 11:30 a.m. in the 800 block of Tavalon Avenue in Rock Hill, said the citys administrator, Jennifer Yackley.

Sperber, 46, has been on the force 13 years, she said.

She provided no information about the four occupants of a gray Pontiac G6 that ran off Manchester Road near Dickson Avenue about the same time, struck two cars in a sales lot and crashed into a utility post.

Bystanders said a male and female had to be extricated by firefighters from the front seat, and that two males who ran away from the back seat were arrested and taken away in a police vehicle.

Police there said the two in custody were juveniles.

Yackley said no one had been charged in the Rock Hill incident.

Asked if the vehicle in the Kirkwood crash was the one that hit Sperber, she said, We believe that, but we cannot confirm that at this time.

She also said she could not confirm reports that the car was stolen.

Yackey said Sperber had been investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle when a different car  ostensibly the Pontiac  hit him in the street and left the scene.

Witnesses said the Pontiac that crashed was heading west on Manchester at high speed when the driver tried to avoid traffic and lost control. It clipped a Porsche and Audi on the sales lot of Dean Team Volkswagen of Kirkwood, then rammed a pole.

Yackey said the Pontiac was not being pursued by police when the crash occurred. The witnesses said the same.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  A man from Festus is facing a charge of snatching a snake from an exotic pet store in Lemay in November after Facebook friends of the stores owner identified the suspect on social media.

But the snake is still missing  the man charged with stealing it says he lost it inside a Lowes home improvement store in Festus, police said.

Marshall J. Parsons, 20, of the 500 block of North Mill Street, was charged Wednesday with stealing an animal, a felony.

Charges say Parsons was recorded by surveillance cameras taking a Brazilian rainbow boa constrictor from its case Nov. 30 at the Exotic Amphibian & Reptile Center, 343 Lemay Ferry Road, and walking out with it.

The same day, store owner James Brumley posted surveillance photos to the stores Facebook page of a man Brumley suspected of taking the snake. Facebook friends then identified the man in comments as Parsons, even posting a screenshot of Parsons admitting he took the snake and complaining about being outed as the thief.

I get goofballs like this who dont know theyre on camera, Brumley said in an interview. Once we put them on Facebook, nine times out of 10 they get caught.

Parsons told police he had used a screwdriver to jimmy the lock on the snakes case, hid it in his jacket and left the store.

Parsons also told police he no longer had the snake, claiming he lost it inside the Lowes store. A Lowes spokeswoman said three routine pest inspections since November  the most recent of which was conducted Wednesday  found no reptiles at the Festus store.

The Brazilian boas retail value is about $250, Brumley said, stressing that its a felony in Missouri to steal animals. Brumley said he never got the snake back.

Over 20 years in business, Brumley said, exotic animals have been stolen from him at least a dozen times. He said he was surprised people were bold enough to steal from him with so many surveillance cameras installed at his shop.

Last March, a teen from Ballwin stole a 1-foot-long ball python from an aquarium at the store. He, too, was nabbed after Brumley posted images of the theft online. And in 2014, a man from Bel-Ridge stuffed an alligator into his shorts pocket and walked out of the store. Both received probation for their crimes, court records say.

Brumley has a warning to others thinking about making off with his exotic merchandise.

If you steal something and get away with it today, your picture will be on Facebook, Brumley said. Just because you walk out of here with it, doesnt mean youre gonna get away with it.

Parsons bail was set at $5,000.
ST. LOUIS  A St. Peters man was charged Friday with carjacking a St. Louis University student on campus last week.

Nicholas S. Rhodes, 28, was charged with felony counts of first-degree robbery and second-degree robbery and a misdemeanor count of first-degree trespassing.

Police say Rhodes climbed a fence and trespassed in a building owned by the Airgas company at 3500 Bernard Street about 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 2. It's unclear what he was doing there. He then ran to the nearby Starbucks at 281 South Grand Boulevard, where he tried to get into a woman's car as she was waiting in the drive-through. Charges say Rhodes pulled on the car doors but could not get inside her vehicle.

Rhodes then ran toward the SLU campus, where he confronted a woman as she was parking her Ford Focus in the 3600 block of Laclede Avenue, charges say. Rhodes grabbed her car keys from her hand and told her during a struggle over the keys that he had a gun and would use it. He then drove off with the woman partially in the car.

James Moran, SLU's director of public safety, told Post-Dispatch news partner KTVI-TV (Channel 2) that the carjacker struck a curb with the car as he struggled with the female student inside her car. Moran said she was thrown from the vehicle as the man fled but was not seriously hurt. The student's car was found in Pine Lawn.

Charges say Rhodes told police he was on drugs at the time.

Rhodes' criminal history includes convictions of burglar and drug distribution out of St. Charles County.

Rhodes was being held Monday on a $100,000 cash-only bail.
JEFFERSON CITY  A Ferguson state representative wants to start an urban education institute that would be spearheaded by Missouri's two historically black state universities.

Rep. Courtney Curtis, D-Ferguson, presented his bill to the House Special Committee on Urban Issues on Monday.

Under the bill, Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis and Lincoln University in Jefferson City would partner to address what Curtis called urban education "crisis" in the state.

Curtis said that districts with a high percentage of minority students  including Normandy, Jennings, and St. Louis Public Schools  have more problems and less resources to address them with.

Curtis said that Harris-Stowe's original purpose was as a teacher's college. And because historically black colleges gave educational opportunities to blacks who wouldn't have them otherwise, the new role in addressing education issues would come naturally, Curtis said.

"Given that that was their initial reason for being, it baffles me that we haven't tasked them with actually solving the problems that they were started to serve," Curtis said.

Harris-Stowe and Lincoln University would develop a framework to address any changes in curriculum, teaching staff or school facilities deemed necessary. The universities would also assess factors that lead to high dropout rates and develop strategies to eliminate gaps in resources between wealthy and lower-income districts.

The institute would also assess how to better prepare students for college to improve graduation rates.

"We have a climate that doesn't allow those minorities to go to a college or university and actually get out in four years, if at all," Curtis said.

Curtis said the bill could cost as much as $1 million to implement but said the figure was open to negotiation.

He also said that institute staffers could help with grant applications. With areas of St. Louis city and county being designated a "promise zone" by the federal government, which theoretically gives the areas priority over other cities on poverty-related issues, grant writing is all the more important, Curtis said.

Curtis' bill is House Bill 2327.
LONDON MARKET CLOSE: Investors cheer as Truss chased out of No 10

Thursday, October 20, 2022 - 17:12

The FTSE 100 moved into the green on Wednesday afternoon, with sterling also rising, as investors in the UK were buoyed by Liz Truss calling an end to her disastrous six-week tenure.

Truss has announced her resignation after a chaotic 44 days in office during which she lost the confidence of Tory members of Parliament and the public and oversaw economic turbulence.

She is set to become the shortest serving prime minister in history after she battled an open revolt from Conservatives demanding her departure.

Speaking from a lectern in Downing Street, Truss said she had told the King she was resigning as the leader of the Conservative Party as she recognised she "cannot deliver the mandate" which Tory members gave her little over six weeks ago.

"To use a phrase that has no doubt been exhausted in the past few weeks, markets don
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Wellesbourne Airfield

Stratford-upon-Avon's current MP, Nadhim Zahawi, has appeared on Question Time twice, in March 2014 and October last year.

Previous MP, John Maples, appeared five times, four while representing Stratford-upon-Avon.

On 31st May, 2007, when the show was last in town the panel was Roy Hattersley, Caroline Spelman, Sarah Teather, Simon Schama and Greg Dyke. David Dimbleby was the host.

To apply for tickets to Questions Time see https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5vyK2GwYrdQGFvCJyKNfZhn/join-the-question-time-audience or call 0330 123 99 88.
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Neither entered any pleas and were both told to appear for a preliminary hearing at Warwick Crown Court tomorrow morning (Tuesday).

Mr Williams and Ms Woods were remanded in custody.
Wellesbourne Airfield

The Middle Avon between Rugby and Bidford-on-Avon, River Stour, River Arrow and River Alne all have alerts on low-lying land and roads, including caravan parks and farmland.

River levels remain high on the River Avon with flooding possible today (Monday 8th February). At 7.30am, the level at the Warwick gauge was 2.6 metres, the level at the Stratford gauge was 1.3m and the level at the Bidford gauge was 3.2m.

The Environment Agency reported that there had been 9mm of rain between 7pm yesterday (Sunday) and 7am today.

Meanwhile, river levels are rising on the River Stour with flooding possible today. At 9am, the level at the Shipston gauge was 2.5m, and the level at the Alscot Park gauge was 1.1m, with more than 4mm of rain overnight.

River levels remain high between Studley and Salford Priors on the River Arrow and between the Bird in Hand and Henley-in-Arden and Alcester on the River Alne. At 7.45am, the level at the Little Alne gauge was 2.7m, and overnight there was also 9mm of rain.

The A3400 between Alderminster and Newbold-on-Stour was blocked by a fallen tree on Sunday night, and several drivers were rescued as flash floods swamped roads after a day of rain on Saturday.

Firefighters received calls from people stranded in flood water in the Wootton Wawen, Great Alne, Aston Cantlow, as well as on the Old Warwick Road, in Lapworth.

Police and council workers were putting out Road Closed warning signs in the area.

Six horses were rescued and led to safety from rising flood water in Barford on Sunday morning.

At 10.30am, the RSPCA called Warwickshire Fire and Rescue, to assist with the horses marooned in a field off Bridge Street.

Crews were sent from Wellesbourne and Gaydon, along with the specialist Large Animal Rescue Unit, from Rugby.

Call Floodline on 0345 988 1188, select option 1, enter Quickdial number 0524612 for the River Avon, or enter Quickdial number 0524616 for the River Stour, or enter Quickdial number 0524617 to get more information for the Rivers Alne and Arrow.

Send your pictures to the Herald Newsroom to news@stratford-herald.com
Wellesbourne Airfield

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: Passers by had pulled the children from the debris before ambulance crews arrived.

The boy had leg and back injuries and was flown by the air ambulance to Birmingham Childrens Hospital.

The girl who had leg and facial injuries was taken to the same hospital by land ambulance.

Its believed the collapse may be attributable to ongoing stormy weather conditions caused by Storm Imogen

Emergency services have dealt with several severe weather conditions and flooding over the last 48 hours, visit: http://www.stratford-herald.com/47724-flood-alerts-in-place-across-south-warwickshire.html
Wellesbourne Airfield

The attack at is just the latest in a string of suspected attacks on churches in our region with St Michaels Church in Broadway and Holy Ascension Church in Mappleborough Green also suffering damage in recent weeks

At St Peters three stained glass windows, two plain windows and a floodlight were damaged between 11am and 3pm on 6 January by somebody believed to have been hurling stones.

It is not the first time the Saxon church has been targeted by criminals, in 2014 money was stolen from a wall safe and a bench in the churchyard was smashed up.

Norrie Moore, lay reader at St Peters Church said: We were absolutely horrified when we found that the first window had been smashed and when we found the other four the next day it was horrible.

That somebody could do something like that, its just so vindictive, this is a place of worship. It will cost around 10,000 to repair the damage, were not a rich church by any means so it will undoubtedly hit us financially and we will have to pay the excess on the insurance.

We locked the church for a week or so after the attack but it would be a shame if we had to continue to do so, we get lots of people coming to visit because its the oldest church in Warwickshire.

Norrie said she would like to warn other parishes in the area to stay vigilant to try and prevent any similar attacks.

Churchwarden Steve Wiseman added: Obviously its a historic building and were extremely upset. Were covered by the insurance but our premiums are already very high because its such an old building.

We have had a glass expert from Redditch visit us since it happened, who luckily took detailed pictures of the stained glass windows on a previous visit, so we can recreate the windows.

The damage to one of the windows is particularly upsetting because it was created by the late artist Margaret Traherne, renowned for her stained glass windows at Coventry Cathedral.

Leader of Wootton Wawen Parish Council Cllr Mike Crowther said: Im not that surprised by whats happened, its not unusual for this to happen to churches, but the disappointing thing for us is the apparent lack of police response.

These windows are very old and it takes skilled craftspeople to repair them. The church has been targeted before and the response was to increase security and I wonder if this will be the reaction again.

Claire Strachan, church buildings officer at the Diocese of Coventry, added: The Church of England is responsible for looking after nearly half of all the Grade I listed buildings in England. This work is faithfully carried out by thousands of highly dedicated local volunteers, like those at St Peters Church Wootton Wawen. Mindless vandalism is deeply distressing for all who care for these lovely buildings.

Warwickshire Police confirmed that they have spoken to church officials and are reviewing CCTV footage.

A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: Warwickshire Police is committed to protecting communities and solving crime. Anyone who feels that they have not received a satisfactory service should contact the Warwickshire Police Professional Standards Department, details of which can be found on the website.

If you have any information about the incident or witnessed anything suspicious at St Peters Church contact police on 101 quoting incident 341 of 6 January.
CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX) announced the nomination of Bernard Lanigan, Jr., Joseph P. Platt and Edwin S. Roberson to its Board of Directors for election at its annual meeting of shareholders scheduled for May 11, 2016. The other nominees include eight current members of the Board.

The company also announced today the election of William N. Thorndike, Jr. as Chairman of the Board effective immediately upon the conclusion of the annual meeting. J. Brett Harvey, current Chairman of the Board, has elected to retire and not stand for re-election at the annual meeting. The Board has appointed Mr. Harvey as Chairman Emeritus, in recognition of his many years of service to the company, as both Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Philip W. Baxter and David C. Hardesty, Jr. have also elected to retire and not stand for re-election at the annual meeting.

"We are excited to announce the nomination of Bernie Lanigan, Joe Platt and Ed Roberson to our Board," said Nicholas J. DeIuliis, Chief Executive Officer. "We reached out to our largest shareholders and asked them for names of qualified candidates for director and these gentlemen rose to the top of the list. We want to thank Brett, Phil and David for their many contributions to the company over the years, but with their retirements, we think we have found three candidates who will prove to be worthy successors. Bernie, Joe and Ed will bring considerable financial, strategic and public company board experience to join an already highly accomplished and experienced board."

Bernard Lanigan, Jr.

Mr. Lanigan founded and has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Southeast Asset Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisor and wealth management company, since 1991. He also founded and has served as Chairman of Lanigan & Associates, P.C., a certified public accounting and consulting firm, since 1974. Mr. Lanigan currently serves on the boards of directors of Ruby Tuesday, Inc. and Rayonier Inc., as well as various private companies and foundations. Mr. Lanigan previously served on the board of directors of Texas Industries, Inc. Mr. Lanigan is a graduate of Furman University and is a certified public accountant.

Mr. Lanigan has leadership experience with large, complex and diverse organizations, a strong background in financial, valuation, accounting and tax matters, as well as significant experience in strategic planning and risk assessment.

Joseph P. Platt

Mr. Platt is the general partner at Thorn Partners, LP, a family limited partnership, since 1997. Mr. Platt's career at Johnson and Higgins, or J&H, a global insurance broker and employee benefits consultant, spanned 27 years, until 1997, when J&H was sold to Marsh & McLennan Companies.

At the time of the sale of J&H, Mr. Platt was an owner, director and executive vice president. Mr. Platt is on the board of directors of Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd., which provides a variety of custom tailored reinsurance solutions to the insurance, risk retention group, captive and financial marketplaces. He also serves as an independent director of BlackRock's Open End & Liquidity Funds. Mr. Platt is active in the community, serving on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Manhattan College in 1968 and his Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University Law School in 1971. He also attended Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program in 1983. Mr. Platt is a member of the New York State Bar Association.

Mr. Platt brings to the Board significant financial, compensation and risk management expertise.

Edwin S. Roberson

Mr. Roberson currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Christ Community Health Services, a health system providing high quality healthcare to the underserved in the Memphis community. Prior to that, Mr. Roberson served for several years as Chief Executive Officer of Novostem Therapeutics, Inc., a cancer research biotech firm, and Beacon Consulting LLC, a business consulting firm. From 1991 to 2006, he worked at Conwood LLC, the nation's second-largest manufacturer of smokeless tobacco products and a major seller and distributor of tobacco products manufactured by third parties. There, he served in several roles, including Chief Financial Officer and, ultimately, President. After serving in the Army from 1969 to 1971, where he was awarded two Bronze Stars in Vietnam, Mr. Roberson began his professional career at KPMG, an international accounting and consulting firm, where he was a tax partner for many years until 1991. Mr. Roberson serves on the board of directors of several private corporations. He is also serving or has served as a board member for a number of educational, religious, civic and charitable organizations, including Duke University Divinity School and the Boy Scouts of America. He received a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Georgia in 1972 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1968. Mr. Roberson is a certified public accountant.

Mr. Roberson brings to the Board significant leadership skills and financial and strategy expertise.

CONSOL Energy's Annual Meeting of Shareholders

CONSOL Energy's 2016 annual meeting of shareholders is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport, 1111 Airport Boulevard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15231.

The other candidates for election to the Board of Directors at the meeting are: Nicholas J. DeIuliis, Alvin R. Carpenter, William E. Davis, Maureen E. Lally-Green, Gregory A. Lanham, John T. Mills, William P. Powell and William N. Thorndike, Jr.

This press release is not a proxy statement or a solicitation of proxies from the holders of common stock of CONSOL Energy. A solicitation of proxies in connection with the annual meeting will be made only by CONSOL Energy's definitive proxy statement that will be mailed to all shareholders of record on the record date. CONSOL Energy will be filing a definitive proxy statement for the annual meeting with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Shareholders are urged to read the proxy statement and any other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC when they become available because they will contain important information. Shareholders will be able to receive the proxy statement and other relevant documents free of charge at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov or from CONSOL Energy Investor Relations at 1000 CONSOL Energy Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317.
Benoit Coeure, member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB), attends a Lamfalussy Lectures Conference in Budapest, Hungary February 1, 2016. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh

PARIS (Reuters) - Weakness in emerging market economies risks triggering further depreciation of their currencies and will be addressed in a coordinated manner, ECB Executive Board member Benoit Coeure said on Monday.

Speaking on French TV BFM Business, Coeure the issue would be up for discussion when finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 economic powers meet in Shanghai on Feb. 26-27.

"Given the difficulties that big emerging market countries are having, there's a risk that their currencies will keep weakening," he said.

"That's an issue for global coordination, and will be discussed in Shanghai in 10 days," Coeure added.

Despite the appreciation of the dollar, the euro zone's trade-weighted exchange rate has risen by about six percent since reaching lows in April 2015 largely as emerging market currencies have weakened.

Coeure said the ECB would not let market pressures dictate monetary policy with financial markets anticipating that it will enlarge monetary easing next month, possibly by cutting the deposit rate deeper into negative territory.

European stock markets fell to 16-month lows on Monday with concerns about global growth and the impact of negative interest rates stressing financial sector shares.

Though European banks had improved their balance sheet strength in recent years, they were not finished, Coeure said.

"Banks need to keep building equity to show they are strong while also explaining how they are changing their business models," he said.

While there were no undisclosed "holes" in bank balance sheets, they needed to be clear in their handling of bad loans. "In any case, it will be several years to get rid of bad loans."

(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; editing by Michel Rose)
CHESAPEAKE, VA (PRWEB) February 08, 2016

Neel Desai, Managing Principal of LTD Hospitality Group is pleased to announce that effective immediately, LTD has been hired to manage The Holiday Inn Presidential located in the vibrant downtown area of Little Rock, Arkansas.

The Holiday Inn Downtown Little Rock is situated in the hub of a growing metropolitan area of cultural and economic activity for both businesses and leisure visitors alike. The Creative Corridor, Technology Park and the River Market District are all part of the major revitalization that has transformed the capital city of Arkansas.

There are substantial product enhancements and capital improvements that are planned for the hotel's guestrooms, suites, lobby, restaurant, meeting and public spaces. The 150 room Holiday

Inn features a full-complement of amenities and over 4,000 square feet of function space that serves as an ideal venue for meeting and special events.

"The Holiday Inn Little Rock is a great fit for our expertise," said Desai. "We are very excited about the opportunity and are looking forward to demonstrating LTD's ability to deliver exceptional results with the potential of this asset."

LTD has significant experience in all of the industry leading brands and is unique in that the

owners of the Company have intimate involvement in the operations of each asset. This dynamic

of management with an owner's perspective flows through to the property level so that a culture

of operating for profit permeates the staff at the property level. LTD's Hospitality Management

Division provides a full suite of services geared to maximizing asset value.

###

About LTD Hospitality Group:

Founded in 1983, LTD Hospitality Group is headquartered in Chesapeake, VA and is comprised of several key business units including Asset Management, Hotel Management and Development that specialize in the lodging real estate sector. LTD is proud to be recognized as a distinguished leader in the hospitality industry with a portfolio of the finest brands available. LTD's mission is to drive value by delivering first class service to each and every one of its partners, who are its customers, investors, team members, and brands.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ltdhospitality.com

Contact:

Kimberly Schlick

757.420.0900

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/02/prweb13203602.htm
Bon Aqua, TN (PRWEB) February 08, 2016

Donald R. Taylor, PhD.'s new book, THE APOCALYPSE - A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, ($15.99, paperback, 9781498427036; $7.99, e-book, 9781498427043) clearly and understandably interprets all of the symbols of the Apocalypse, just as the first readers of John's book understood them to be. The author believes that those who first received the Apocalypse obviously understood it, since it applied to them personally. Taylor's aim has been to examine it through first century eyes, as much as possible. This commentary gives a clear interpretation of such symbols as the 144,000, the Beast, the False Prophet, the Mark of the Beast, 666, and Armageddon. Many other lesser symbols such as heads, horns, tails, stars, horses, trumpets, bowls, etc., are also interpreted. The historical circumstances of the Apocalypse are established: Gnosticism, emperor worship, the fall of Jerusalem, and the general persecution of the church.

"Since the main point of the Apocalypse was that believers in Christ would gain total victory over Satan, our adversary, I hope that readers of my book will come away with the realization that Satan cannot overcome us as long as we remain faithful to Christ," states the author. "This realization is especially necessary today as we are increasingly pessimistic about the future of the world."

Donald R. Taylor, PhD. found Christ at age thirteen and began preaching by age sixteen. Realizing the need of a Christian education, he attended Freed-Hardeman University, where he studied under godly men and received a B.A., in Bible and Greek. He also received an M.A in French and a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University of Southern Mississippi. With his wife and first child, he served as a missionary to French churches in Belgium and in Montreal. Preaching for 60+ years, he served congregations in the U.S., while teaching on the university level for 30 years. He has written published commentaries on Galatians (in French only), Romans, and the Book of Revelation, in addition to this book. Having recently completed a Commentary On Daniel, to be published in 2016, Mr. Taylor now serves his congregation as an elder.

Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the world's largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order THE APOCALYPSE - A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. The book is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

Media Contact: Donald R. Taylor, PhD.

Email: dtaylor(at)fhu(dot)edu

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/02/prweb13202743.htm
Anchorage, AK (PRWEB) February 08, 2016

Within the pages of Michael W Larson's new book, Refreshed In God's Word Volume 1, ($10.99, paperback, 9781498454384; $5.99, e-book, 9781498454407) readers will discover thought-provoking sermons that can be applied to the truths of their hearts and express them outwardly, showing people what it means to be a Christian. It is an essential book for those looking to further their walk with God  and an outstanding resource for anyone who needs some encouragement. The author considers himself as only a facilitator to God's Word. All Biblical references that he uses in the book are from the King James version of the Bible. He recommends that all readers keep a Bible at hand, while reading the sermons for added understanding to the messages presented.

"I would like my readers to come away encouraged and renewed spiritually," states the author. "I want my readers to gain a changed perspective on issues mentioned in the book. It is critical for a Christian to get right and be right with God, so that He may use them and their testimony effectively."

Michael W Larson is a 25-year-old author from Anchorage, Alaska. He is a student at Fairhaven Baptist College in Chesterton, Indiana. Michael is a man that is continually pursuing after God's will, which concerns in his going to Capitol Hill, Washington DC as a missionary. Michael is currently staying busy in his studies of pastoral theology and music. He prays that all readers of his book will go and be refreshed in God's Word.

Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the world's largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Retailers may order Refreshed In God's Word Volume 1 through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. The book is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.

Media Contact: Michael W Larson

Email: mwlarson24(at)hotmail(dot)com

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/02/prweb13195698.htm
The $2.5 Billion Project Will Help Restore the Historic Silk Road Connecting Europe and China, Spurring Unprecedented Regional Development and Economic Opportunities

TBILISI, Georgia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Georgias Ministry of Economy & Sustainable Development today announced that the Anaklia Development Consortium LLC has been awarded the contract to build and develop a Deep Sea Port in Anaklia. The $2.5 billion project will establish a new maritime corridor between China and Europe, helping restore the historic Silk Road and stimulating national and regional economic growth.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160208005531/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

The Anaklia Development Consortium is a joint venture between TBC Holding LLC, which is based in Georgia, and Conti International LLC, a major United States-based developer of infrastructure and capital projects. Other key partners include the leading port designer Moffatt & Nichol and the leading port transaction advisor Maritime & Transport Business Solutions from the Netherlands.

The government of Georgia, which initiated the project, has committed to invest $100 million in ensuring its success.

Mamuka Khazaradze, Founder and President of TBC Holding and Founder and Chairman of TBC Bank JSC, said: The Anaklia project represents a one-of-a-kind investment in the restoration of the Silk Road that will pay dividends for generations of workers in Asia and Europe. The government of Georgia deserves much credit for its foresight in initiating this project and ensuring it receives the support necessary for its completion. Their level of commitment clearly reflects the Ports tremendous economic importance to the country and the region.

Construction on the project is scheduled to launch by the end of 2016, subject to completion of environmental reviews. The Port will be operational three years after its groundbreaking. The project is expected to create as many as 3,400 jobs during the construction stage and 6,400 jobs to operate the Port upon completion. The Port will have the capacity to process 100 million tons of cargo and generate 0.5% of GDP annually by 2025.

Kurt Conti, CEO and President of Conti International, commented: We are delighted and honored to be awarded the contract to undertake the infrastructure development of Anaklias Deep Sea Port. We are looking forward to breaking ground and working with the government of Georgia to help forge new paths from Asia to Europe as well as unlocking the economic potential of Georgias neighbors and landlocked nations in the Caucasus.

Located on the eastern edge of the Black Sea, Anaklia strategically sits on the shortest route from China to Europe. The route has recently become a focal point for $40 billion in Chinese infrastructure investments under the Silk Road Development Fund and already accounts for 26% of Chinese foreign trade volume. The recent opening of the $100 billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will also support regional infrastructure development. The restoration of the Silk Road has been a major priority for Georgia as well and builds upon the governments Deep and Comprehensive Free Industrial Agreement (DCFTA) with the European Union in December 2014.

As part of todays agreement, the Anaklia Development Consortium also receives the right to develop a Free Industrial Zone that will support the Ports operations and trade and be home to local and international entrepreneurship. It will be administered with a tax-free regime to incentivize shipping companies, manufacturers, businesses and employees to relocate and use the Port.

Anaklias Port is poised to revitalize the Caucasus and Central Asia by opening up trade routes for neighbors and landlocked nations such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kirgizstan and Tajikistan. Access to these countries is limited and infrastructure development in Anaklia can provide the most efficient and safest route to millions living in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

About the Anaklia Deep Sea Port:

The Port will encompass about 400 hectares of land. The Anaklia Development Consortium is receiving exclusive and irrevocable rights to use this land for 49 years.

Estimated capital expenditures for the Port will amount to $2.5 billion.

The Port will provide deep-sea accessibility for ships up to post-Panamax size.

Upon completion, the Port will have the capacity to process up to 100 million tons of cargo per year.

The Port will serve as the main gateway for imports for approximately 17 million inhabitants of the landlocked Caucasus and 146 million inhabitants of Central Asian countries.

The infrastructure capacity and the depth of the Deep Sea Port will allow it to serve the largest vessels sailing on the Black Sea, that are too large to call any of the existing Georgian ports.

The Port will have capacity to berth 10,000 TEU vessels.

The Anaklia Development Consortium is also receiving the right to develop a Free Industrial Zone on about 600 hectares of land adjacent to the Port.

The Deep Sea Ports state-of-the-art equipment and other operational efficiencies are expected to provide a cost benefit of over $170 per TEU.

The European Commission has predicted that a modernization of shipping services at Anaklia will save the EUs economy up to 10 billion Euros by 2030 and reduce associated port costs by almost 7%.

About the Anaklia Development Consortium LLC (or ADC)

The ADC is a consortium of TBC Holding LLC from Georgia and Conti International LLC from the United States. TBC Holding was founded by Mamuka Khazaradze who also is the Founder and Chairman of TBC Bank JSC. Conti International LLC is a major developer of infrastructure and capital projects. ADC is in discussions to add other members, including partners from China. ADCs leaders are proactive, resourceful entrepreneurs with an exceptional 20-year relationship and a track record of ethical business conduct. ADC has established a framework of preliminary agreements with diverse global players in port and transport infrastructure for Anaklia Ports long-term success.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160208005531/en/

Media:

Conti International

Jeanine Wright, +1 732 520 5066

[email protected]

or

TBC Holding

Rusudan Phanozishvili, +995 599 104043

[email protected]

or

Finsbury U.K.

Anastasia Gorokhova, +44 (0) 20 7073 6266

[email protected]

or

Finsbury U.S.

Graham Buck, +1 646 805 2024

[email protected]

Source: Anaklia Development Consortium LLC
United Nations (U.N.) High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein speaks to the media before he leaves his hotel to meet Sri Lankan politicians and diplomats in Colombo February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte

By N. Parameswaran

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights chief on Sunday traveled to the north and east of Sri Lanka to assess the country's progress in prosecuting alleged war crimes.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein is the first senior U.N. official in two-and-a-half years to visit the northern conflict zones of the island's 26-year war which ended in May 2009.

The coalition of President Maithripala Sirisena, who was elected last year, has agreed to a U.N. resolution that called for post-war reconciliation and an investigation of all alleged war crimes.

Zeid began his four-day official visit to Sri Lanka on Saturday, after comments by President Sirisena that foreign participation was not needed for an impartial inquiry into the war.

In a tight visit to the northern town of Jaffna, Zeid met relatives of people who disappeared during the war between government forces and Tamil Tiger guerrillas.

When relatives gave a document to him on the abductions of their family members, the U.N. human rights chief said: "I already know your problems."

After meeting the chief minister and governor of the northern province, Zeid said the discussion was focused on the people who "aspired to see more information of those detained and those missing". The number of people who have disappeared is not known.

Ananthi Sasitharan, wife of a rebel leader missing since he surrendered to the army on May 18, 2009, said that many people were disappointed because he spoke only to eight people, with just minutes per person.

"We told him that we've lost confidence in the government because nothing has changed. The only option we have is justice through an international mechanism," she told Reuters.

The U.N. says both Sri Lanka's military and the Tamil Tiger rebels most likely committed war crimes during the war.

Many Sri Lankans oppose foreign involvement and supporters of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa believe the U.N. resolution on the need to investigate war crimes aims to punish the military unfairly.

On Saturday hundreds of hardline nationalists protested in Colombo against Zeid's visit.

(Additional reporting by Ranga Sirilal; Writing by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Stephen Powell)
BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Unidentified aircraft attacked the Libyan city of Derna early on Sunday, killing at least four people including a woman and her child, a witness said.

The strike in the coastal city's Hay Bab Tubrok area damaged a medical facility, a mosque and nearby homes, Nabaa television reported, showing images of a crater in a road and smashed vehicles.

No one immediately claimed responsibility, but Libya is caught in a conflict between two rival factions backed by armed factions on the ground. A U.N.-backed unity government is trying to bring the factions together.

Air strikes by unidentified jets often target suspected Islamist militant targets, including fighters loyal to Islamic State who have been present in Derna and have a stronghold further west along the Mediterranean coast in the city of Sirte.

(Reporting by Ayman Al-Warfalli and Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Andrew Heavens)




This five minute video is a compilation of real Cuba as seen from my lens. For a longer version of the video (12 minutes) including our group - the Baja Bush Pilots, click HERE.





CUBA - A photo montage I created in Adobe Photoshop

______________________________________________________





In late Decembers 2015 Joe and I took off from Long Beach, CA in his single engine Bonanza to join the Baja Bush Pilot (BBP)group in Key West, Florida for one of the very first caravans of private planes to fly from the USA to Cuba since 1959.









We flew leisurely from California to Key West with several overnight stops along the way. We celebrated a quiet, comfortable NYE in our room at the Hotel Contessa on the San Antonio River-walk eating pizza

and drinking wine while vicariously partying at Times Square with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin. Our visit of course included the requisite tour of the Alamo and a guided boat ride complete with a cadre of Oregon duck fans psyching up for the battle at the Alamo bowl between them and TCU.





Fish Tacos at Garbo's Grill, Key West Our room at the Coombs Inn The next night we stayed at Coombs House Inn, an elegant victorian B&B in Apalachicola, FL the oyster capital of the world, and on New Year's Day we enjoyed our fill of oysters at the Owl's Nest Restaurant, a short walk from the inn.



More fun and great eats on our next few Florida overnights including wood fired Caesar salad at the Firestone Grill in Fort Myers, FL and an outstanding fish dinner at Seven Fish as well as the best fish tacos ever at Garbo's Grill, both in Key West and recommended by my BFF Phyllis.





Departing Landmark Aviation, Key West Flying in zero visibility. You can barely see the wing tip . Upon landing we exchanged some U.S. Dollars for Cuban Convertible Pesos(CUCs - pronounced kooks), a one for one value less a 13% exchange fee. On January 5th, we met up with the other eight pilots and crews in planes as varied as a Meridian prop-jet and an old twin engine Beech for a one hour rainy, mostly zero visibility flight from Key West, FL to Cienfuegos, Cuba.Upon landing we exchanged some U.S. Dollars for Cuban Convertible Pesos(CUCs - pronounced kooks), a one for one value less a 13% exchange fee.



We knew that we could not use ATMs or credit cards in Cuba so we brought along plenty of cash. The landing fee alone was an exorbitant $270 for each plane, which had to be paid in CUCs, sharply contrasting with an average $25 landing fee in the USA.

Arriving Cienfuegos, Cuba After a lengthy but scenic taxi ride passing several horse and buggies long the way, we arrived at Hotel Jugua, a late 50's boxy, high-rise hotel with clean, comfortable but dated rooms albeit with gorgeous views. After unpacking and some R&R, the 26 in our group assembled in the hotel lobby for a short walk to our first paladar, a private restaurant in a home. Here we relaxed over mojitos and a delicious meal whole getting to know each other by taking about planes and exchanging flying and travel adventures.





Later in our room and despite the blaring music (which we had earlier throughly enjoyed on the patio), the worn towels & sheets, and broken 1970's TV, Joe and I were happy to be part of this adventure in Cuba.





The next morning Claudia, the BBP group coordinator introduced us to Jose, aka Pepe, a young cute but cocky Havana local who was to be our guide for our week in Cuba. However after many issues, Claudia ended firing him just a few days later. In the meantime, Jack our BBP leader had taken a long taxi ride to Havana to arrange for our lodging in "casa particulars", which are apartments or rooms in homes, that apparently cannot be pre-booked. As we were to discover time and time again, this was all part of the adventure of Americans traveling in Cuba





Old cemetery in Cienfuegos On our first morning in Cienfuegos, we visited a local cemetery and learned about the local religion called Santeria, a mix of Catholicism and the Yoruba practices of African slaves. We were told about the ceremonial custom of exhuming the body after two years, cleaning the bones and repackaging them in a small box to be reburied in a above ground shared crypt. The story is that some widows finally came to realize how quite the Casanova their late husband had been upon discovering so many unknown women at his bone cleansing ceremony!





Later in the day we traveled in an old boat to a well preserved 18th century fort used as a museum. Of interest was a large model of a nuclear power plant that the Soviet Union had sponsored but never completed prior to the collapse of USSR. Lunch at an outdoor patio restaurant was good and we were relieved to be served seafood after seeing two guys scurrying past us each carrying two legs of an upside down bleating goat.

Lunch at El Pescador

Dinner at our second paladar in Cienfuegos of overcooked fish and pork, which both looked pretty much the same, wasn't nearly as good as the first although it had seemed promising after starters of a fruit smoothly and vegetable soup. But we had a delightful time getting to know our group all of whom were affable, interesting and obviously with a great sense of spirit and adventure. Dr. John,

an 83 year old retired orthopedic surgeon, piloting his Cessna 182 and traveling with his nephew John, a journalist, was telling amazing stories including his adventures of flying over the Atlantic from the USA to London in a small Cessna 172 equipped with enhanced internal fuel tanks.





Our side trip to the old, colonial town of Trinidad was delightful. Chipped pastel plaster homes furnished with old crystal chandeliers and patined mahogany furniture dotted the worn cobblestone streets. Here we had our best meal, a seafood Veracruz with all the trimmings while congregating together at two large tables in adjoining rooms in a beautifully shabby chic home. The musicians surprised Paula, one of the Texan women in our group, with a Cuban rendition of happy birthday and we all sang while the waiter served her a special dessert with a flaming candle.

Favorite meals at Paladar Ananda

Outside the dining room window we were entertained by a living bronze statute which we had sworn was a real sculpture until someone put a coin in his box and he started to move. Joe and living bronze statue We were later to see equally amazing and entertaining silver, copper and ceramic live statues.



Climbing the narrow stairway to the museum rooftop; visiting local artists in their galleries;listening to amazing Cuba music, and peeping into doorways & windows offered some absolutely incredible photographic compositions of Trinidad.





Historic Trinidad

Takeoff in dicey weather from Cienfuegos to Havana's Jose Marti Airport was several hours later than planned. The zero visibility flight was extremely turbulent and my heart was in my hands most of the time but of course Joe, being such an experienced pilot, was completely in control.



After minor delays at the airport in Havana, we took a 40 minute taxi ride for 25 CUCs to Five Points, our agreed upon location in Habana Viejo (old Havana) where we met up with Jack, the BBP lead, who among confusion with his back-pack having just being stolen, assigned and showed us the location of our "casa particular". We were surprised to learn that the hotels, all of which are government controlled and certainly modest in accommodations, are filled to capacity for the next few years with overnight lodging at a steep $400 per night. But lucky for us and so many tourists, many residents in Havana Viejo rent rooms to supplement their very modest income.



Schlepping our luggage the short distance to our home for the next three nights at #13 Agacate, we were greeted by our friendly hosts David and Electra. Our casa was one of the better ones with a comfortable sitting room adorned with David's innovative large hand made ceramic hobbit houses, a kitchenette and a decent clean bedroom and bath. After settling in we walked and explored the old city and later enjoyed a David's,the owner of #13 Agacate in Havana, creates amazing ceramic houses delicious meal on the rooftop restaurant of Hotel Ambos Mundos serviced by an old Otis elevator and operated by an equally old attendant.







Salsa lessons; the amazing camera obscura, one of only 24 remaining in the world; the music, dancers and costumed stilt walkers in St. Francis Square - we took it all in, the good the bad and the ugly. And we made sure to carry our own TP or equivalent and to have a few coins available to pay for public restroom usage.



Evening festivities included the world famous show at the Tropicana which did not disappoint but dinner there could have been missed for tastier fare elsewhere.







Upstairs at Havana's Hotel Conde de Villanueva is the best cigar shop Our scheduled tour of a tobacco factory had fallen through since Jose, the since fired tour guide, had apparently failed to secure the reservations. I had a NY Times article with me that recommended the best place in Havana to buy authentic and quality cigars so I organized a smaller group of us who were interested. The cigar shop was located upstairs in the nine room Hotel Conde de Villanueva near the corner of Mercaderes and Amagura Streets. The place was Hemingwayesque with worn leather recliners in a dark green atrium adorned with live peacocks. His photograph was just one of the many satisfied customers that lined the upstairs hallway along with Fidel Castro, Groucho Marx, Winston Churchill, Denzel Washington, Michael Douglas and Demi Moore. Americans are each allowed to bring back $100 in cigars with the average cobana costing $10.





After leaving the cigar shop, we discovered it was pouring rain so we scrapped our plans of riding a ferry to Guanabacoa, a non tourist African influenced area where John, the journalist in our group had suggested going after missing the opportunity on a prior visit years ago. Instead we headed for cover inside a snack bar to reassess plans over cocktails and beers. Despite the rain, John and I decided to take a taxi to Guanabacoa while the rest of the group disbanded or stayed put to continue drinking. In our very broken Spanish, we negotiated a 20 CUC round trip fare and enjoyed our ride in one of the many 1950's classic cars.





Our taxi waiting for us while we explored Guanabacoa Unfortunately the African museum was closed but we explored this very poor community with friendly locals none of whom asked for a handout, unlike many in Havana. On the drive back to Havana, the driver had to stop home to refuel his car. As he was doing so from a pail, I got out and walked the short distance back to the park he had just indicated was an area of good cell overage and thus the reason for all the cars and congregated groups. Folks taking selfies, texting and talking on their cell phones were only too happy, without me even asking, to pose for my camera.






Kim Dotcom and his co accused await the judges decision in his extradition case.

Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom will fight his extradition to the United States in the High Court in August.

Dotcom and his Mega co-founders were back in the High Court at Auckland on Tuesday launching an appeal against an earlier District Court decision that he and his co-accused Mathias Ortmann, Fin Batato and Bram van der Kolk, were eligible for extradition to the United States on copyright charges.

Following the judgment in December they immediately launched an appeal and Justice Raynor Asher called a case review conference on Tuesday where he set a date for the appeal for August 29.

That would give him time to consider his decision and have a judgment ready before the end of the year, he said.

This was despite the United States asking for an earlier date, saying the appeal was of a matter of urgency.

READ MORE:

* Kim Dotcom loses extradition case, files immediate appeal

* Kim Dotcom extradition hearing draws to a close

* Internet tycoon Kim Dotcom reveals his new love is Aucklander Elizabeth Donnelly

* Kim Dotcom extradition hearing decision due

Judge Nevin Dawson ruled the Mega moguls be eligible for extradition shortly before Christmas, following a lengthy nine week hearing at the North Shore District Court at Auckland.

He ruled the US had a "large body of evidence" which supported a prima facie case, and that Dotcom and his co-accused "fall well short of undermining the case,"

The United States, represented by Christine Gordon QC, is trying to extradite Dotcom to face charges of racketeering, breaching copyright, and money laundering.

The US argues that they made millions by encouraging people to share pirated movies and music on their website Mega.

In its heyday the site was one of the most visited in the world, and earned its founders millions.

However much of Dotcom's wealth has been frozen by the courts, while the criminal charges against him are pending.

Counsel for Dotcom, defence lawyer Ron Mansfield, argues that it was impossible for the men to stop the pirating, and that as an Internet Service Provider, they are not eligible for extradition.

On Tuesday the court heard Batato, who is representing himself, had legal aid refused for his extradition hearing and could still not afford a lawyer.

He was yet to file a case of appeal which he had to do by the end of the week.

Justice Asher warned him that if he didn't file it on time his appeal would be deemed abandoned.

The appeal is expected to last no more than eight weeks.
The criminal defence lawyer who represented figures in the 'Mr Asia' drug ring has died aged 71.

Edward Leary, known as Eb, died on Sunday after a battle with cancer.

His funeral will be held in Parnell on Friday.

Leary achieved prominence after defending drug lord Terry Clark in the 1980s.

READ MORE: Legal who's who wanted Leary back

Clark was involved in the drug ring run by Martin Johnstone, who was known as Mr Asia.

Leary was later struck off after being found guilty of misconduct, after the Law Practitioner's tribunal found he had introduced another client to Clark and the two clients began drug dealing together, not complying with audit regulations, and trying to deceive Inland Revenue.

While taking a break from the law profession he established a smoked fish factory in Ponsonby, ran an exclusive lodge in the Bay of Islands, and set up a trust for his children after his first wife Geraldine won the lottery.

He resumed his law career in 2007 after more than 80 people presented testimonies in support of Leary being readmitted to the bar, including from a High Court judge, six District Court judges and 15 Queen's Counsel.

The following year he was charged with money laundering in connection to an international drug ring but those charges were later dismissed.

He continued practising law up until last year.

Leary is survived by his second wife Claudine and his children James and Andrew.
This home in Endsleigh Drive, Havelock North sold in December, as demand for million-dollar properties in Hawke's Bay grows.

Million-dollar properties in Hawke's Bay are in hot demand, as interest from national and international buyers strengthens, a real estate agent says.

New Zealand Sotheby's International Realty Hawke's Bay managing director Fraser Holland said despite short working days during the holiday period, sales had not slowed.

He had seen significant growth in the million-dollar plus price bracket.

SUPPLIED Another home in Havelock North sold in January.

This reflects the latest from The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ), which shows Hawke's Bay, along with other regions around the country, have taken the reigns from Auckland.

Holland believed regional New Zealand was setting the pace for the New Zealand real estate market in terms of market growth, he said.

It was a trend that looked set to continue, as market demand from national and international buyers was at its strongest since he began his business three years ago, Holland said.

He had noticed acceleration in demand resulting to significant sales over the past 18 months, with 57 properties selling above the million dollar mark during this period, he said.

Since 2012, sales figures in higher price brackets continued to grow year on year.

In 2013, 22 residential and lifestyle properties sold over the million dollar mark in Hawke's Bay.

This figure increased to 35 properties in 2014 and further improved to 40 properties in 2015.

"This growth is predominantly driven by the number of out of region buyers who are looking to purchase their slice of heaven, a change in lifestyle and a better balance in Hawke's Bay," Holland said.

"In fact, local residents make up the minority of our buyers".

In any given month 50 to 60 per cent of buyers were from outside of the region, he said.

While there was a lot of Aucklanders actively in the market, buyers were also coming from far and wide, with a dozen or so new residents buying high-end properties last year, Holland said.

There was a high likelihood more sales would follow, with an influx of out-of-town visitors coming into the region for the Tremains Art Deco Festival, he said.

"With an increase of visitors to Hawke's Bay, we are experiencing an increase of enquiry and buying activity in the upper price bracket of the market.

"People are buying properties and often putting them into rentals for a couple of years, just to get in now ahead of the curve.

It definitely is a seller's market at present and looks to continue this way for the near future."
Road works on the Raumati Straights section of road began in January.

Motorists are being asked to consider other travel options and avoid peak hour traffic on State Highway 1 between MacKays Crossing and Raumati, north of Wellington, as the next stage of the Raumati Straights Upgrade gets underway on Tuesday night.

The road layout would change, with crews reopening the left-hand northbound lane, and starting work on the right-hand northbound lane.

One northbound lane and two southbound lanes would be open to traffic.

New Zealand Transport Agency's Wellington highways manager Neil Walker urged motorists to consider taking the train or travel outside of peak times.

READ MORE:

* Wellington's transport sector is on the move

* Maori name for MacKays Crossing

* Shock at expressway change

It was important that those who chose to drive during the layout change kept to the 70kmh speed limit, "to keep everyone safe".

The upgrade involves rebuilding and reshaping the stretch of road, making it safer and easier to drive on.

The third stage of the upgrade, part of the MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway project, was expected to take four weeks.
Jen Byrn, a young New Zealander has tested positive for the Zika virus after a trip to Tonga where she was attacked by mosquitoes.

An Auckland teenager has tested positive for the Zika virus.

After a week of anticipation waiting for blood test results, Jen Byrn learned on Tuesday that she has tested positive for the virus.

The 18-year-old rushed home from a holiday in Tonga with symptoms of the virus - rash, sore eyes, headaches, general unwellness and swollen fingers.

The confirmation on Tuesday was almost a relief, she said.

READ MORE:

* Teenager feared to have Zika virus after Tonga holiday

* Zika virus: What you need to know about sex, blood donations

* Travellers to avoid Brazil, France restricts blood donations over Zika fears

* Fighting mosquitoes with mosquitoes: Biological weapons target Zika virus

"I do have the virus.

"It's almost a relief that what I think it is, has been confirmed."

Despite the positive test, it could have been worse, she said. She could have contracted dengue fever or rubella.

After living with the virus for the last 10 days, she said it was important to finally have a confirmed diagnosis.

"It hasn't actually affected me too much. I'm still a bit tired and my eyes still hurt a little bit but I'm fine," she said.

"I'm going about my usual routine and it's not affecting that."

Jen became unwell on the fourth day of her holiday but put it down to the tropical weather and did not think anything of it.

She had at least 20 mosquito bites on each leg when she contracted the mosquito-borne virus.

She broke out in a red spotty rash the day after she got home and when her mother, Noel Byrn, called health officials, the symptoms were worse than originally feared.

"It started on her tummy and I said to her 'Jen you've got a rash on her tummy' and then by that night it was from her neck down to her toes and under her feet," Noel said.

The worst part of it was her sore eyes - she could only look straight ahead not sideways, up or down. She also had headaches and red swollen fingers.

After she told people she had the virus, she said they got worried about contracting the infection.

But she said after explaining to them it was not contagious and only passed on by mosquito bites, or unprotected sex "which is unlikely to happen", most people were fine about it.

"If it was contagious, I would have been put into isolation and wouldn't have been allowed to go home and be around my brother, who has an immune deficiency," she said.

Noel said after the positive results, it was now a waiting game to see how long it would take for the virus to be pushed out of her system.

She would have more blood tests in a weeks time but until then, Jen would keep rested and hydrated.

Now Jen said she is feeling much better.

The symptoms had almost all subsided and the former Epsom Girls Grammar student was looking forward to going to Wellington to start a psychology, education and criminology degree at Victoria University next week.

The Zika outbreak has been declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organisation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for only a few days to a week.

"There is currently no evidence that Zika virus infection poses a risk of birth defects in future pregnancies. A women contemplating pregnancy, who has recently recovered from Zika virus infection, should consult her healthcare provider after recovering," it said.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health said there have been 10 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in New Zealand this year. All 10 of thoses cases involved people who had recently been in the countries where the outbreak has been occurring, she said.
Some of Rangiora High School's classroom are in poor condition, including this which was condemned due to a burst pipe.

Teachers and pupils suffered through stifling summer days and frozen hands in winter as millions of dollars sat in Rangiora High School's bank.

For years, the North Canterbury school believed it could not use its more than $7 million proceeds from selling its re-zoned 20-hectare Kippenberger Ave farm in 2007 for anything other than buying another farm.

Meanwhile, many of its classes continued within old and uninsulated or unheated prefabricated classrooms that even the Ministry of Education was concerned about the state of.

JODY O'CALLAGHAN/FAIRFAX NZ "It's definitely substandard of what you'd expect of a classroom," one teacher says.

The gymnasium still leaked, the sports field and netball courts were uneven, and some classrooms were in desperate need of repairs and upgrades.

READ MORE:

* Rangiora High School has 'privileged' rural background

* Principal claims to be victim of bullying

* Principal gearing up for legal battle

* Rangiora High School tensions revealed

Learning support classes were based in an old building until last year when its pipes burst in a frost and it was condemned.

JODY O'CALLAGHAN/FAIRFAX NZ Rangiora High School's deputy principal of operations, Brian Hays, outside one the school's worst classrooms that have just had air conditioning/heating installed.

A recent discovery there was no historical caveat restricting the use of its farm sale money meant it could finally consider upgrading its facilities.

Commissioner Bev Moore, who held the place of the board of trustees during statutory intervention, said she learned very quickly that some of the school's classrooms were a health and wellbeing issue.

She had heat pump-air conditioners installed in the worst classrooms in January, in response to a staff survey in 2015.

JODY O'CALLAGHAN/FAIRFAX NZ Rangiora High School will get funding for 26 new classrooms to accommodate roll growth up to 1900 by next year.

Teachers had to wear jackets through classes in winter and "one more year was not okay".

"I don't think it is conducive to good learning."

Parents had complained about the environment their children were taught in, with some talking of seeing their breath when visiting classrooms.

JODY O'CALLAGHAN/STUFF Damp patches can be seen on the walls at Rangiora High School's gym, which is jointly owned with a community group.

One teacher, who did not want to be named, said teaching 32 pupils in his small, old wooden building was a "very challenging environment". He had not experienced a classroom like it in his 20-year career.



"It's definitely substandard of what you'd expect of a classroom. I still recall my first day walking in there and seeing desks not matching and graffiti covered.



"You can try to make it into a more pleasant environment, but it's hard to get students to respect it."



It was "really uncomfortable" and affected his confidence as a teacher, he said.

"Anything over 23 [degrees Celsius] and I'm sweating like you wouldn't believe. And it's not pleasant when you're sitting on your hands to keep them warm [in winter]."

Deputy principal Brian Hays said 97 pupils arrived on the school's doorstep unannounced to join the roll after the February 2011 earthquakes. Some had stayed, with the roll now recording about 1700.

"We couldn't afford to bowl an old room when we had nothing to replace it."

The school never considered the farm proceeds could be used for classrooms, he said.

Moore said if it was decided with the community to use the farm funds for buildings, it would "go a long way" to maintaining, upgrading, and improving school facilities.

Some classrooms were provided by the ministry on a temporary basis in 2007 or 2008, and not earmarked for upgrades for that reason.

Moore believed it appeared upgrading buildings sooner had not been the school's focus.

It would now receive $14.9m in ministry funding for 26 new classrooms to accommodate roll growth up to 1900 by 2017.

The board was contributing $600,000 to build an indoor "commons" space for pupils on wet and hot days by the end of the year, and had acquired some new classroomsto trial modern learning spaces.

Ministry head of education infrastructure Kim Shannon said it had been concerned about the deterioration of some Rangiora High buildings, and had workedwith the school on a plan to replace classrooms in poor condition over the last two years.

The commissioner was aware of maintenance required on the board-owned buildings.

All schools received funding and were responsible for maintaining property, she said.
An Invercargill real estate agent has been fined $1000 for failing to prepare a market appraisal for a property owner.

A decision released by the Real Estate Agents Authority complaints assessment committee says Carl Wilson, an agent for Hoamz Southland Ltd, failed to provide the complainant, the property owner, with a written appraisal of the property.

The failure was in breach of the Real Estate Agents Act and was unsatisfactory conduct, the decision says.

Complaints were made to the authority on November 13, 2013 against Wilson and another agent who also worked for Hoamz.

Neither the complainant or the other agent are named in the decision.

Complaints made against Wilson included that no written market appraisal was provided to the complainant, that the complainant was put under pressure to go ahead with an auction while she was out of New Zealand, that she did not know Wilson planned to go on holiday three days after the auction, and that Wilson disclosed the reserve price or valuation of the property to potential buyers.

The complaints made about the other agent included that she would not change the listing price when asked to, that the complainant felt harassed by the agent in relation to responding to an offer, and that the complainant was not able to speak to her lawyer or an accountant about the offer because she was on holiday.

The decision says the complainant requested a refund of the commission charged on the sale of her property "at the very least."

But the committee found most of the complaints did not breach the rules which would amount to unsatisfactory conduct, with the exception of Wilson's failure to provide a market appraisal.

The decision says Wilson admitted he made an error in not completing an appraisal.

The listing agreement contained a handwritten entry; "have mutually agreed not to provide MA (market appraisal) as vendor has 2 current registered valuations," the decision says.

"We understand that there may have seemed good reason at the time not to do so, given there were two recent registered valuations available, and that at the time the complainant agreed to him not completing an appraisal for her; however the rules allows no exceptions."

On Sunday, Wilson said he had accepted the decision and moved on.

He had been working in the real estate industry for 28 years and had never had a complaint at this level, he said.

"There was no malice [in the failure to provide a market appraisal], it was an unfortunate trip on words."

Registered valuations had "far more meaning" than market appraisals, and Wilson had felt a market appraisal would be on a par with the current valuation, he said.

It was for that reason he did not complete a market appraisal, which was explained to the complainant, and agreed upon, he said.

"The listing form was accordingly signed."

Wilson said he was not suggesting the Real Estate Agents Authority had made a mistake, but it was his personal opinion that a registered valuation should have a higher legal standing in the rules than a market appraisal.
Apparel industry to draw up 5-year plan By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

The apparel industry is currently in the process of drawing up its third five year plan that is being discussed among key stakeholders. With preparations underway to draft the next five year plan the industry is carrying out discussions on a number of issues particularly the trade concessions with the European Union (EU), a new US backed trade partnership with 12 countries, and the bilatral trade agreement with the Chinese authorities. The industry is awaiting the regaining of the EU trade concessions of GSP plus that will be forthcoming most likely by the end of the year, officials said.

It was pointed out that once the fish ban on Sri Lanka is lifted the country would soon thereafter submit their application to obtain the trade concessions from the EU. The US backed trade agreement with 12 other countries titled the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement is currently being discussed among members of the industry. The apparel industry is trying to understand the implication of the said agreement as it involves a partnership of 12 countries which command 45 per cent of the world GDP that has custom territories.

Countries like Vietnam have already engaged in negotiations to gain concessions from the TPP which is likely to be granted in about two years, industry officials said. In the wake of these developments it was pertinent that Sri Lanka looks at its implications on the apparel sector based on issues relating to purchasing of yarn and fabric from countries within the grouping. In the meantime, the government has made moves to revive their negotiations pertaining to the trade agreement with China. In this respect the sector is looking at the issues pertaining to selling garments into China. At present the agreement is being looked at by the Department of Commerce, it was noted.
Stockbrokers risk based capital adequacy ratio to be implemented By Duruthu Edirimuni Chandrasekera View(s): View(s):

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) is to implement a risk based Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR), which would ensure that stockbrokers retain an appropriate level of liquid capital in relation to the total risks faced by them when trading in securities, officials said. The CAR will replace the present net capital requirement of Rs 25 million each for the 29 stockbroking houses in a move that will see the industry players consolidating, they said. The SEC approved the CAR last Friday at their Commission meeting. We will make a presentation to the stockbrokers and the plan is to implement it before June, a CSE official told the Business Times. He said a certain formula on the CAR will be implemented.

Industry analysts pointed out that this will push smaller players to join with their larger counterparts. They say that its a good move as the market is too small for 29 players and consolidation has to happen. Ravi Abeysuriya, President Colombo Stock Brokers Association (CSBA) told the Business times that the CSBA feels that there are too many stock broking licences. The CSBA is very much for consolidation. The stock broking industry would have transitioned into universal broking and become more viable with the consolidation of the industry with increased trading volumes and broking fees which are market determined.
Geneva: Ambiguity continues View(s):

The address by the Head of State on Independence Day is a much looked forward to occasion, for it outlines the Governments road-map for the ensuing year. Our Political Editor gives some detail of the diplomatic and political activity that took place as President Maithripala Sirisena prepared the text of his speech.

Such activity on the eve of February 4 was necessitated due to the power play that unfolded in the fortnight before Independence Day. The President and the Prime Minister seemingly took up contradictory positions on the Governments approach to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution to investigate allegations of violations of International Humanitarian Law during the final stages of the military campaign against the LTTE in early May 2009. This Resolution, ironically co-sponsored by Sri Lanka, has the contentious Article 6 which states: .. to establish a judicial mechanism with special counsel to investigate  and also affirms in this regard the importance of participation in a Sri Lankan judicial mechanism, including the special counsels office, of Commonwealth and other foreign judges, defence lawyers and authorised prosecutors and investigators.

Our Political Editor seems to think that the President took a step back from his stance of just a fortnight ago when he told foreign media, and quite emphatically at that, that there will be no foreign judges adjudicating in such a tribunal. He did not say that on Independence Day. Instead, he opted to fall in line more with the Prime Ministers position that the Government will stand by the Geneva Resolution, which then makes provision for foreign judges and prosecutors. Already, foreign media are taking the President to task for backtracking on earlier commitments on the eve of the UN Human Rights Chiefs visit to Sri Lanka.

It is this Resolution that hangs like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over the head of this Government, the Armed Forces and the people of this free and sovereign nation that celebrated its Independence from 400 years of colonial rule in 1948.

The President strained to clear the air but eventually left much unsaid leaving it to the listeners to interpret his words the way they wanted to. He first blamed the colonial masters of yore for leaving with problems that remain unresolved to date. He praised the Armed Forces for defeating a terrorist organisation like the LTTE and he blamed the previous Government of which he was a member) for its failure to inquire into any human rights violations committed during that campaign which has resulted in the Geneva Resolution, and called for patience in implementing the provisions of that Resolution.

But the Elephant in the room, so to say, is whether the foreign prosecutors and judges will participate in the virtual War Crimes Tribunal that the Government has undertaken to establish. The PM, of course, has put in a rider for now. He says that any foreign judges or prosecutors will have to be within the Constitution (which prohibits foreign judges and prosecutors) functioning locally. The President concurs with this position saying he will act according to the Constitution. Then, is the Geneva Resolution in violation of the Sri Lanka Constitution? All that the Government has done is to postpone making the final call on a critical question; will foreign prosecutors and judges be engaged in a War Crimes Tribunal in Sri Lanka  or not?

Moving on, the President was statesman-like in giving due credit to all those who fought  and won, the war against separatist terrorism over a 27-year period. When one saw the various battalions and the Special Task Force (STF) raised in the 1980s and the military hardware acquired after 2005, it was clear that the fruits of victory were cultivated over the years. It was also good to hear the President not devoting his entire address to ethnic issues and reconciliation efforts however important the issue is. He recognised the need for a modern approach to the world. He conceded, and many will agree with him, that in most countries, the ordinary folk are way ahead of their leaders. He missed out on the dilemma of the modern development-oriented world that has created climate change issues threatening the planet as a whole and instead fired a shot across the bow to the local media which has become an increasing irritant to his Government.

The Jordanian-born head of the UNHRC landed in Colombo yesterday, some saying he is on a tourist visa. His official itinerary does not reflect this fact  that hes here merely to enjoy the sights and sounds of this Paradise isle. His own country is struggling with 600,000 refugees from neighbouring Syria in a war where human rights violations are taking place by the hour. One might as well wish him a pleasant stay in this Paradise isle. Will he find apt the words of Bishop Reginald Hebers hymn on Lanka;

What though the spicy breezes

Blow soft oer Ceylons isle;

Though every prospect pleases,

And only man is vile.

We will have to wait and see.

Fish bone in Indo-Lanka relations

In a busy week for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, still smarting over a Prime Ministerial fiat to have a Global Affairs Committee under the PMO (Prime Ministers Office) breathe down its neck and watch over its shoulder, the Indian Minister of External Affairs arrived on Friday for a Joint Commission meeting.

The media statement issued by the Indian High Commission on the bi-lateral talks dismisses one of Sri Lankas biggest issues with India, that of illegal fishing in the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar by Indian fishermen with a cold reference that both sides agreed to a permanent solution to the problem. The Sri Lankans were slow on the draw to give their version of the talks and there was no joint communique either. But the Sri Lankan Minister of Fisheries has announced that India has asked for three years to resolve the most crucial of problems for Sri Lanka  the continuing rape of our marine resources. In three years there might not be a need to resolve this issue; the issue would have been naturally resolved with the entire area left barren. The unfortunate people of the north of Sri Lanka for whom the Indian Government sheds a crocodile tear on behalf of the duplicitous politicians in the southern state of Tamil Nadu will be without their livelihood with Sri Lanka which happily accepts the handouts from India losing out on the revenue garnered by such illegal activity.

It is in this context that the Government of Sri Lanka must stop living in dreamland thinking it is entering into technology and commercial agreements with India on a level playing field. Unlike in the past, when Sri Lankas political and diplomatic leadership was able to meet their Indian counterparts eye-to-eye, and yet maintain healthy relations, recent Sri Lankan leaders have meekly capitulated before the Big Brother  or as some say  Big Sister. The poaching issue proves that  unlike in the resolving of the Katchchativu issue in the 1970s, Indias political leadership refuses to accept the legality of the dispute and be politically magnanimous in acceding to a just demand from Sri Lanka. It is an India First policy despite all its rhetoric of a Neighbourhood First policy trotted out from the South Block of New Delhi.

This quarrelsome issue need not, however, spoil the overall bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka. The Trincomalee industrial park and the development of Palali in Jaffna for regional co-operation and a host of other inter-related activities in the areas of tourism, traditional medicine, education and energy are welcome aspects between the two countries. But the poaching issue in the north of Sri Lanka remains the fly in the ointment.
Blowtorch turned on Sathosa over 32m kg of rotting rice By Chrishanthi Christopher View(s): View(s):

The discovery that container-loads of imported rice are rotting in storage facilities and container yards for the past 10 months has turned on the heat on Lanka Sathosa Ltd.

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and inquire into serious acts of fraud, corruption and abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) last week said more than 32 million kg of rice had been found in the yards and storage facility of Lanka Sathosa without being distributed to consumers.

Tests done by the Medical Research Institute (MRI) on samples obtained from the containers have concluded that the rice is not fit for human consumption. The MRI report said the samples tested from six storage facilities of the Sathosa emanated a foul smell rendering it not fit for consumption.

The rice had decayed due to improper storage and exposure to moisture.

According to the MRI, the stock at the Veyangoda storage facility, the subject of the initial investigation, is suspected to have reached Sri Lanka at the tail-end of 2014 or in the early part of 2015 and had remained in the harbour until the end of 2015.

Further investigations by PRECIFAC have revealed stocks in five other storage facilities including the Veyangoda Food Department Stores, the Asian Container Yard in Wellampitiya, S. Container Yard in Wattala, Port Container Yard and Sathosa Macallum Stores.

PRECIFAC Secretary Lacille de Silva said as that samples of rice found in all five storage facilities have been deemed unfit for human consumption a cabinet decision was taken to sell the rice as animal feed.

He said huge stocks of rice had been imported into the country without proper planning by the Sathosa authorities and that the commission was also investigating whether large sums of money had been obtained in the form of commissions.

The commission is investigating as to why these container loads of rice have not been distributed to the public even during the last Christmas season when Sathosa experienced a shortage of rice and had rationed distribution to 50kg per person.

Mr. de Silva said that the investigations are being carried out by a police team led by ASP Lalith Abeysekera and Chief Inspector Geethika Bodhipaksa.

He said the wrongdoers would be punished irrespective of their political affiliation and whether they were in the current or former regime. This is a waste of public funds, he said.

He said 75 per cent of the investigation was complete and that within weeks PRECIFAC would hold a trial before a five-member commission.

The trial court is to consist of Preethi Padma Surasena (Chairman), Amendera Seneviratne (High Court judge), Vikum Kaluarachchi (High Court judge), Gihan Kulatunge (High Court judge) and P.A. Prematilake (former attorney-general).

Ministry of Industry and Commerce Secretary T.M.K.B. Tennekoon refused to comment apart from saying the spoiled rice would be sold as poultry feed.

In another case of bureaucratic bungling, around 3,500 metric tonnes of paddy stored at the Mattala Airport storage facility is being removed and sold below cost.

It is alleged that the paddy, bought from farmers at Rs. 50 a kilo during the last Maha season and stored at the disused airport, is now being sold to private buyers at Rs. 38 per kilo.

It is alleged that the paddy is being disposed without tender procedures being followed and that alcohol breweries, bakers and biscuit manufacturers are having a field day buying paddy at a low price.

Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) Chairman M.D. Dissanayake said the government had bought paddy from farmers at Rs.50 to help the growers.

He said that now since there was no storage facility the PMB was selling the paddy in the open market to dispose of it quickly. He said 80,000 tonnes had been sold already and that the PMB was planning to sell the balance quantity quickly as the stock at the airport had to be cleared soon.

We are selling it to anybody who is interested  what they use it for is not known, Mr. Dissanayake said.

The All-Ceylon Peasant Farmers Association charged that the government was indulging in waste practice and that the paddy could have been milled and sold to consumers.

Association Convenor Namal Karunaratne said although the small mill owners had offered to clean the paddy for distribution the government had ignored them and had opted to sell it to big mill owners and industries including M.S. Mendis, Prima and other biscuit companies.

He said the big mill owners would polish the paddy and sell it at a high price. With the harvesting season in two weeks, Mr. Karunaratne said, this would create a glut in the market, again bringing down the price of paddy. It is the poor farmer who will be affected, he said.
Estate workers see red over bogus rice By Kasun Warakapitiya View(s): View(s):

Upcountry estate workers are being enticed by traders to buy glossy polished red rice unaware that they are buying rice dyed red that is unfit for consumption.

They are being cheated into paying more for this rice: normal red rice sells at Rs. 65 a kilo but they pay Rs. 70 for the so-called polished rice.

When we wash the rice at home the water turns red and our hands become stained, Ganamoorthy Kandasamy, a Hatton resident, said.

His experience is shared by several others in Hatton, Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawela. He said the smell is better than the usual rice, an added temptation to buy it.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has collected samples from shops in Nuwara Eliya and is awaiting a report from the Government Analyst but residents complain action is too slow and the racket continues unabated.

Investigations by the Sunday Times reveal most of the rice is coming in from Batticaloa, Samanthurai, Ampara and Kalmunai.

Nuwara Eliya MP M. Thilakaraja has received a number of complaints and said he passed them on to the CAA.

I have identified the name of the company and complained to the Consumer Rights Authority, the police and the local government and yet nothing has been done, he said.

He said health authorities should take action as he is concerned about the estate workers.

The CAA said it had carried out a raid late last year and had taken court action against offenders. CAA Assistant Director Nazeer Mohomad Shariff said his officers had taken random samples from shops in Nuwara Eliya and were waiting for reports from the Government Analyst.

A Nuwara Eliya CAA official blamed delays by the Government Analyst for the delay in taking legal action that is giving suspects a chance to erase evidence.

Government Analyst Anusha Warnasuriya said her office usually sends back reports within one-and-a-half months and that samples submitted last week by the CAA were still being studied.

The All-Island Farmers Federation (AIFF), pointing out the CAA is too slow in taking action even though instances of dye in rice had been detected, is set to complain to the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID).

The water turns red when people wash the rice, the JVP-backed unions National Organiser, Namal Karunaratne said, adding that consumers were wary of buying rice and the matter was aggravated by the fact that outdated stocks of rice were reaching markets.

This red rice is bad but is polished a glossy red and so people fall for it and are paying high prices for it, he said. He said the union had also complained the CAA about the racket and added that a mafia operated the rice market.
Geneva issue: Govt. earmarks 11-member Task Force By Our Diplomatic Editor View(s): View(s):

UN Special Rapporteur coming here to help in the consultation process

Two-phase action plan shown to Western countries and India

An eleven-member Consultation Task Force will enforce provisions of the US-backed resolution which was jointly sponsored by Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in Geneva last year.Its work will be carried out with the help of a UN expert who will arrive in Colombo next week. He is Pablo de Greiff, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence.

This will be part of an Action Plan formulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as stated in a confidential document circulated to Western countries and India as part of the implementation of the UNHRC (UN Human Rights Council) Resolution titled promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka adopted by the UNHRC in October, 2015.

The framework for the consultation process, already formulated, will have two phases  a web-based process in all languages and a face-to-face consultation process which will focus on specific stakeholders including children, military, disabled combatants, widows and ex-child combatants. The web-based process will begin after Mr. de Greiff arrives.

According to the Action Plan, the consultation process will be victim centric and will be completed within three months. The 11-member Committee named by the Government comprises Manouri Muttetuwegama (Chairperson), Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuthu (Secretary), Gamini Viyangoda, Prof. Chitralekha Maunaguru, Visakha Dharmadasa, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, Dr Farzana Haniffa, Shantha Abhimanasingham PC, Mirak Raheem, Prof. Daya Somasunderam and Gameela Samarasinghe.

The Task Force, which will report to a Steering Committee on Reconciliation and the Prime Ministerial Action Group (PMAG) will consult stakeholders on design of the domestic mechanisms. The Steering Committee is now speaking to experts and researching on options available, according to a Government note seen by the Sunday Times. It says the actual designing and presentation of legislation to Cabinet and Parliament will begin only once the process of consultations concludes.

On the subject of commencing a dialogue with persons of Sri Lankan origin overseas, the note says 267 out of 424 individuals and eight entities out of 16 entities that were listed under the UN Security Council resolution 1373 in 2014 were de-listed in 2015.

It says that the Government is working with the private sector to organise a month-long festival in June 2016 for persons of Sri Lankan origin, inviting them to re-visit Sri Lanka.

The Cabinet of Ministers has already approved the setting up of a Secretariat to service the Consultation Task Force. It will also service the Steering Committees other Working Groups to be set up shortly to:

Draft legislation for an Office on Missing Persons

Draft legislation for the issue of certificates of Absence.

Draft Enabling legislation to give effect to the Convention against Enforced Disappearances

Working on researching into experiences of truth seeking mechanisms elsewhere and judicial mechanisms

Working on implementing the recommendations of the Working group on Enforced Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).
UNHRC chief here for review of progress View(s):

The United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Zeid Raad Al Hussein arrived here yesterday for a four-day official visit.

The main purpose will be to review the implementation of the recommendations made in his report to the United Nations Human Rights Council and the subsequent Resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioners visit comes four months before he presents an oral update to the UNHRC at its 32nd session in June after assessing the progress on the resolution adopted on October 1 last year.

Prince Zeid met Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera shortly after his arrival and later held discussions with heads of UN agencies in Sri Lanka. He spoke briefly with journalists and said he was delighted to be in Colombo. This is my first trip to Sri Lanka. Ive been looking forward to coming. I am looking forward to meeting both the highest officials of the state and representatives of all communities. I will be listening to everything that they have to say and look forward to very constructive discussions in the days to come, he said.

During his stay, the High Commissioner will meet President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, other ministers and high-level Government officials at both federal and regional levels, a media statement from the Office of the High Commissioner said.

He will also hold discussions with a wide range of other interlocutors, including officials of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, representatives of civil society, victims of human rights violations, and religious leaders. In addition to his talks in Colombo, the High Commissioner will also visit Jaffna, Trincomalee and Kandy. The UN High Commissioner is here at the invitation of the Government. (CK)
Colombo soon to see indigo By Vinusha Paulraj View(s): View(s):

HSBC Colombo Fashion Week is to paint Colombo blue later this month. Indigo is this years inspired theme as the countrys largest fashion festival returns to the ramp for the 13th time.

Announcing its arrival, President of CFW Ajai Vir Singh unveiled an exciting collection of events that will unfold from February 20  26.

Celebrated Italian designer Gaetano Navarra of Milan Fashion Week fame will be at CFW this year along with the popular Bangladeshi designer Bibi Russell.

Delhi-based Samant Chauhan returns to CFW as does Sri Lankan-born Mevan Kaluarachi. Sharing the spotlight will be the chosen local designers as well as ten Emerging Designers who have their big chance to shine.

Theres a big prize here: The CFW Fashion Design Fund will fund the most impressive young designer from the Emerging Designer shows to kick-start his/her fashion career.

In their efforts towards constructing a high-end fashion hub in the country, CFW is also bringing down internationally- known fashion photographer Rid Burman who will share his expertise with budding photographers at a workshop on February 25 at the Colombo Hilton.

Director of CFW Dirk Flamer-Caldera said they had also extended to talent management, explaining that their newly launched concept The Agency is charged with producing local talent for the ramps.

Its the ninth collaboration for HSBC and CFW, said Chairman HSBC for Sri Lanka and Maldives, Patrick Gallagher. Working with Ajai and Dirk feels like were in the same company he said, talking of the great understanding that has developed over the years

Their focus on design makes Frontier Automotives a natural supporter of CFWs initiatives to promote locally produced work, and Director of SML Frontier Automotives, Roshi Fernando said that while looking forward to a brand new design for the Range Rover Sport, they were excited to be hosting CFW Frame at their showroom. CFW Frame on February 22 will showcase special art collectives and art launches.

The HSBC Colombo Fashion Weeks Fashion and Food segment which starts off from February 20 has the Park Street Mews as its hub the whole week and the Hiltons speciality Italian  the Il-Ponte restaurant also offering special menus along with IKO TAE, the Dutch Hospitals new Japanese restaurant.

Spaeking at the launch of CFW 2016, Ramani Fernando, CEO of Ramani Fernando Salons said she was proud to say that her team had been with CFW since the very beginning, 13 years ago.

Managing Director of Hilton Colombo, Manesh Fernando feels CFW comes at an opportune time. When tourism is growing by leaps and bounds, the hype of CFW will potentially change the type of destination Sri Lanka has the potential to become, he said

For more information on CFW, see www.colombofashionweek.com.

With every new edition Ajais passion for fashion grows Thirteen years since he set out to revolutionise local fashion, little fazes Ajai Vir Singh.Theres much emailing, texting and buzzing of phones going-off in the background, signalling the arrival of a new fashion year for Ajai and his team. Actually, I have more energy now, he smiles, amidst intense preparations for the 13th edition of Colombo Fashion Week. Creating opportunities for local designers, putting their work on the ramp has always meant more to him than a mere exhibition. I want the designers to do well, he says counting over 95 percent of the labels in the country as products of CFW. His intentions exceed the ramp and follow the designers work to the streets, Im always seeing fashion in everything I do. Clothing is not just something to cover you up rather, he feels, it is a physical manifestation of an emotional state. Just think, were urged, How do you decide what to wear on Friday and how do you dress on Monday? Understanding of this profoundly simply fact leads to other revelations, including personal style as opposed to blind appropriation of looks from the runway. This revelation Ajai feels is dawning in mens fashion as of late. Observing a sense of adventure and experimentation among the male population CFW will have a whole day dedicated to mens wear this year he says. That the likes of Paris, London and Milan Fashion Weeks start the year with mens wear shows, for Ajai indicates, hes steering in the right direction. A similar pointer was his embarking on Resort Wear shows in 2012, which preceded the Paris fashion weeks inaugural sub-show for resort wear in the following year. Ajai has now taken on a new assignment as founding council member of the Commonwealth Fashion Council and accepted an invitation to set-up Fashion Week in the African region. Theres a strong mandate driving the style visionary, who feels a sense of responsibility to nurture designers, even when theyve graduated the CFW stage. Creating an industry elastic enough to supply their potential needs is a task hes taken on. Launched last year, the Fashion Design Council of Sri Lanka he hopes will grow into a collective voice for precisely this purpose. Its time the state got involved in promoting local creations as much as it does tea, he says. Functioning independently of CFW, one of the Councils aims were told is securing a stall at international trade fairs for locally produced fashion. Pushing fashion to the fore cant have been easy and in the process Ajai has acquired nerves of steel. People tell me I dont react Thats a strength, not a weakness, he laughs. Returning year after year to a keen and often critical audience  models pacing down a runway simply wont suffice. Putting international talent, with the very best of home grown offerings on one stage requires extreme diligence. You have to constantly look in the mirror and keep asking if youre doing a good job.
New cultural winds at the Goethe Institut By Rajitha Weerakoon View(s): View(s):

Dr. Petra Raymond, the new Director of the Goethe Institut, Sri Lanka, popularly known as the German Cultural Institute, has strong views on the role of culture in contemporary society.

Still closely studying the Lankan cultural scene, she says, I did not bring a suitcase of ideas. I am instead, listening and watching and based on my findings, I will develop our cultural programmes.

One of her first cultural experiences in Sri Lanka was the Fairway Galle Literary Festival 2016, which the Goethe-Institut partnered with this year as well.

She said it did evoke much interest as people enjoyed meeting their favourite writers, listening to the award-winners and participating in the discourses on their books.

Emphasis of the festival however, should have been on the promotion of Lankan and South East Asian writing while culinary demonstrations should have been given less prominence, she felt. Such events, she says, make the festival more touristic.

The Goethe-Institut presented the award-winning German crime writer Andrea Maria Schenkel of The Murder Farm fame at the Festival where her books came under discussion. She also served on the panel of The art of the thriller and mystery novel.

Before taking up the posting here, Dr. Raymond served as the Head of the Language Department of the Goethe-Institut in Damascus, Syria (1996-2000) and thereafter was Director of the Goethe-Institut in Accra, Ghana (2000-2004.) She was in Karachi till 2008 from where she went across to Herzegovina, Bosnia and to Manila- postings which had set her off on a voyage of cultural discovery.

The contrasting cultures she experienced have evidently inculcated in her a strong interest in the cultures of others. She says the more you know about the history, different cultural patterns and the way of life of others, the more you become humble.

When you learn the rich cultures, the variety of life and the way other cultures have developed, that makes you understand your own cultural development better.

Dr. Raymond believes that learning a language builds bridges with other cultures although culture should not be forced on others.

Theatre, as a part of culture, should be rooted in the traditions but be modified to make it relevant to the modern context.When theatre is based on history or kings and queens, it evokes little excitement as you already know the story.

Therefore, the subject-matter should not be frozen in the museum. Stemming from the roots, theatre and the arts must be interpreted and made into a cultural translation, she says.

The same goes with dance forms. In Germany, as the compositions of classical music are well known, it is integrated with the new.

Whether it is theatre, literature, music, art or dancing, the artiste has to think anew and be provocative. Development should never end.She should know as her pet subject at the Westfalische Wilhelms University in Munster where she studied, has been science of history along with the German language and literature. She received her Ph.D. in German literature from the Friedrich Alexander Universitat in Erlangen-Nurnberg.

The arts however, she says, has to be nurtured. In Germany, its development is complex but almost every German city has a theatre at communal level.

There are theatre-groups even in schools and ample incentives exist for those interested to pursue the arts. In Sri Lanka, chances she has found, are fewer for the arts to grow.

She said when an event is named a festival, whether it is a literary, drama or any cultural festival, it should have participation of the audience.

Award-winners should be able to talk to those who have come to meet them and answer their queries. It is the task of the nation to provide the festivals the necessary funds to enable such cultural participation.

She finds a lack of facilities in Sri Lanka for theatre-groups to hold practices. Free access to places like the Lotus Theatre, whether to perform or for practices, is denied. Dramatists are not businessmen and there are no financiers to fund their artistic pursuits.

This is a pathetic situation, she finds. Also, artistes should be provided the freedom to freely express themselves and interpret their sensibilities meaningfully as arts is yeast to the society.

She is also involved with Colomboscope  a multidisciplinary arts festival sponsored by the Cinnamon group of hotels and resorts which gives exposure to Lankan and international artistes.

The Goethe-Institut along with the British Council and Alliance Francaise de Kotte form the European Union National Institute for Culture (EUNIC) which supports this.

For those in the tourist-oriented fields in Kandy such as guides and hoteliers, the Goethe-Institut holds German language classes.

The lively lady-director loves spicy food and enjoys her rice and curry on returning from work to her home at Torrington Square.

Daily she walks from home through the walking tracks to the Institute on Gregorys Road and back  an exercise that may be inspiring her to explore Lankan culinary flavours while on her journey exploring the vibrant fusion of Lankan culture.
Business / Local

by Stephen Jakes

Revelations have emerged that the government of Zimbabwe is currently struggling to restore the visibility of the Air Zimbabwe to be competitive to other incoming independent airliners.This emerged when Senator Damian Mumvuri asked Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Jorum Gumbo during senate seating that the national airline Air Zimbabwe has seen competition from various airlines and what was the government doing to make it competitive."Is our national airline Air Zimbabwe visible and when will it resume international flights like Gatwick and Heathrow? Secondly, have you found a partner to improve the services offered by our national airline Air Zimbabwe?," he asked..Gumbo said what is happening at Air Zimbabwe was the interest of everyone."I want to explain that the government is trying to come up with measures on how we can bring the national airline to its visibility. We are trying to ensure that we restore its operations and also improve on our airports such as Victoria Falls as well as Harare International Airport. With the difficulties that we are facing as well as the sanctions that the country was facing, it was difficult for us to acquire parts to keep our planes in good shape,"Gumbo said."So, the sanctions were affecting us. Where we are as government is that we have got to a point whereby we are looking for partners like what other countries are doing on the issue of airlines. Throughout the world Mumvuri and all those in this House, the airline business is struggling in all countries. Most countries are now in partnership when it comes to airlines to ensure sustainability and viability.""You said that Air Zimbabwe and the challenges that we were facing is doing quite well because if you look at other countries that do not have difficulties like us Zimbabwe, we were able to maintain our flights although they were few, but we used to service our routes. What we have mentioned about international flights to Gatwick and London, it is an issue that we are discussing as government to ensure that we restore these routes. We have some loans which have affected our routes because when an aircraft passed through a particular country, it attract fares or taxes," he added.Gumbo said those are some of the challenges that they have."What I want to guarantee you is that the Government has plans to restore the national airline visibility and also to get others to partner with to ensure that our national airline becomes a strong and powerful airline like other countries," he said.
How we circumvented cold war politics to win UN membership 60 Years of Sri Lanka at the UN View(s): View(s):

UNITED NATIONS  Back in the 1950s, the Cold War between the worlds two superpowers  the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was being played out in the corridors of power at the United Nations. Enter Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), emerging from independence from British colonial rule, and seeking membership in the supreme international body.

But the Soviets and the Americans  bitter political enemies  were vetoing each others resolutions not only on hot-button political issues but also on the right of independent nations to claim their legitimate seats in the world body.

Our first attempt at seeking membership was in May 1948  three months after independence. The application was signed by D.S. Senanayake, the countrys first Prime Minister, who also held the portfolio of Minister for External Affairs.

But unfortunately we got embroiled in big power politics not of our choosing. The application was rejected by the Security Council where the USSR used its veto against us. The Council resolution said it resolves to postpone the decision of our admission until there was sufficient proof that Ceylon is a sovereign and independent state.

As the late Neville Kanakaratne, a former Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US, and a one-time senior UN official, would recount, our initial application for membership was vetoed on the ground we still had a defence agreement with the UK (and that Trincomalee was a naval base under the control of the British, despite our independence.)

The Soviets erroneously argued that Ceylon was not a truly independent nation state but still a veritable British colony hanging onto the apron strings of an English monarch. Therefore, it did not warrant a seat in the world body. The truth of the matter, however, was that we were victims of a Soviet ideological battle with the West.

Sensing the deadlock, Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawela, seven years later, handpicked Esmond Wickremesinghe, a media mogul and a consummate political power broker, anointing him as a Special Envoy, with a single-minded mandate: to lobby US and Soviet diplomats for a politically-smooth passage for admission to the world body.

Esmond, father of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, was not only a highly influential press magnate of outstanding stature, but also a political kingmaker and a skilled behind-the scenes negotiator. With strong support from R.S.S. Gunewardene, (who later became our first Permanent Representative to the UN), Esmond played a key role in successfully negotiating a package deal.

As part of this deal, we gained admission in 1955 in return for the US holding back its veto on Soviet allies such as Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. Eventually, we were one of 16 countries, along with Jordan, Ireland, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Finland, Nepal, Libya, Cambodia, Laos and Spain, joining the UN on 15 December 1955.

Ernest Corea, a former editor of the Ceylon Daily News and who worked closely under Esmond at Lake House, said Sir John rewarded Esmond with an offer of a knighthood: a deserving title of Sir Esmond Wickremesinghe. But Esmond apparently turned it down  and the knighthood went to R.S.S. Gunewardene, later Sir Senerath Gunewardene.

Even as Managing Director of the Associated Newspaper of Ceylon Ltd, Esmond always kept out of the limelight  even instructing all his editors never to publish his photo or feature him in any of the Lake House newspapers. Our admission to the UN only proved his skills as a successful negotiator  away from the public eye.

Sir John, unfortunately, did not get to make the planned grand entry at the UN because the UNP was swept aside by a political landslide in 1956 and S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, the new SLFP prime minister, headed the countrys delegation to the 1956/57 sessions of the General Assembly, according to Ernest (currently living in splendid retirement in the US).

Bandaranaike made his first and last appearance at the UN where he had the distinction of speaking ex-tempore before an Assembly where most leaders read out a prepared text or more recently employed a teleprompter.

In his address to the UN General Assembly on 22 November 1956, he said: My country, together with many others, languished in the anterooms of this Organisation for many years until, by a signal stroke of statesmanship last year, sixteen countries were admitted to membership of the United Nations.

He regretted there were countries awaiting membership whose claims to such admission appear to many of us to be unquestioned and whose membership will undoubtedly make more fully representative of the membership of this great world Organisation for peace. The two countries he singled out were Japan (which gained admission one month later in December 1956) and the Peoples Republic of China (which replaced Taiwan or the Republic of China in 1971). Currently, there are 193 member states in the world body.

Still, our admission to the UN on December 15, 1955, took the government by surprise, with no immediate office space to house the Sri Lanka Mission. A good Samaritan came in the guise of Lawrence Gunatilaka, a trail blazing Sri Lankan who had arrived in the US in the early 1950s.

Lawrence, who was a prominent member of the tiny expatriate community at that time, offered his apartment at West 73rd Street in the service of his country. And his apartment became the first home of the Sri Lanka Mission (the UN uses the term Mission instead of Embassy or High Commission).

The mailing address of the apartment even adorned the first set of letterheads printed by the Mission. Lawrences apartment was the headquarters for about two to three months until the Mission found a brownstone in Sutton Place.

In the mid 1950s, as rumour had it, the entire Sri Lankan community in New York could have been comfortably squeezed into a single phone booth on a street corner. As anecdotes go, there was a story of how Sri Lankan diplomats would stand outside the UN building on 42nd Street and First Avenue scouting for scarcely seen Sri Lankans on the New York horizon. And the first Sri Lankan passerby was forcibly enlisted as a member of the delegation kicking and screaming.

Four years after our admission, we were elected as one of the non-permanent members of the Security Council  the most powerful political body in the Organization with the power to declare war and make peace  in October 1959 and served a two-year term, beginning January 1960.

The second singular honour came in September 1976 when Ambassador Shirley Amerasinghe was elected President of the General Assembly, the highest policy making body at the UN. Later he also chaired the historic Law of the Sea Conference which produced the ultimate treaty governing the ocean sea bed.

And then came the election of Justice C.G. Weeramantry to the International Court of Justice in the Hague where he served during the years 1991-2000. An equally superlative achievement was Jayantha Dhanapalas presidency of the 1995 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference, a landmark event in UN disarmament history.

Meanwhile, in December 1968, the General Assembly created a UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People in the Occupied Territories. The first chairman of that Committee was Ambassador Amerasinghe. The Committee, which is 48 years old, has been chaired by successive Sri Lankan ambassadors.

Since then, Sri Lanka has chaired or co-chaired dozens of UN committees over the last 60 years, including the Adhoc Committee to Eliminate Terrorism (chaired by Ambassador Rohan Perera); the UN Secretary-Generals Advisory Board on Disarmament (chaired by Ambassador H.M.G.S. Palihakkara); the General Assemblys Legal Committee and the UN Committee on Marine Biological Diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (chaired by Ambassador Palitha Kohona); and the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and the UN Review Conference on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (chaired by Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam), among several others.

But at the UN, some chairmanships are for life (the life of the country, not the life span of the ambassador). And many of our ambassadors inherited their chairmanships  handed over by an outgoing ambassador to the incoming ambassador.

As a result, successive Permanent Representatives  including B.J. Fernando, Ben Fonseka, Nissanka Wijewardane, Daya Perera, Staley Kalpage, H.L. de Silva, John de Saram, C. Mahendran, Bernard Goonetilleke (acting on a brief tenure), Prasad Kariyawasam, H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, Palitha Kohona and Rohan Perera  continued to chair several committees and conferences, including the UN Adhoc Committee on the Indian Ocean Zone of Peace.

As we kept chairing as many UN committees, an Asian diplomat was jokingly quoted as saying: If Sri Lanka continues this trend, the UN will one day run out of chairs.

Any furniture salesmen in town?

(Thalif Deen is UN Bureau Chief and Regional Director Inter Press Service (IPS) news agency at the United Nations.)
Political pressure: In defence of the Police Dept. By B.Anton Jeyanathan View(s): View(s):

The agency entrusted with the maintenance of law and order, the Police Department, has come in for much criticism for various alleged acts of commission and omission. MP Hirunikas arrest, the handling of the HNDA students demonstration, the Embilipitiya incident, snatching of the note-book of a journalist by a Police officer, were some of the volatile topics which the mass media, both print and electronic, and the joint opposition parties, revelled in criticizing, condemning and bashing the Police Department in general.

In any organisation one has to expect some omissions and commissions by some members of the organisation which brings disrepute to that particular organisation. In the case of the Police Department the misdeeds are highlighted mostly by the print media which acts as the investigating body, prosecuting body and the judging body. I am not holding a brief for the Police or attempting to divert attention away from the ongoing investigations. Criticism is welcome, but it should be constructive, unbiased without any political or personal agendas.

In the case of MP Hirunika, what she did in sending her defender vehicle with her security officers to fetch the wife-snatcher in order to bring him to his senses and also to bring solace to the husband and daughter who were left in the lurch by the unfaithful wife/mother , was wrong and is not acceptable legally. She should have taken action to get the assistance of some religious body or the Police to achieve what she wanted as a matter of social service. What did she do on the Police informing her of the complaint? She took the personnel involved and her vehicle to the local Police station, surrendered the men and handed over the vehicle. She did not use her power as an MP to seek the help of the higher ups in her party to suppress this complaint against her. The Police had to inquire as to the culpability of the MP in respect of the complaint made about the alleged abduction.In any offence there is what is known as mens rea or intention in committing an offence. In the absence of positive evidence against her, the Police sought the advice of the AG whether she was culpable of the offence of aiding and abetting. Having received the direction from the AG she was taken into custody and produced in courts.

In the case of the HNDA students, it has been conveniently forgotten that the demonstration and the procession was unlawful.In the process of dealing with this, it was evident that one of the officers acted beyond his call of duty in going after a female student who was seen fallen on the ground. If unbiased viewers had a chance of seeing the telecast on the TV stations, it could be clearly seen how the students were behaving and violating the normal laws by attempting to overturn the barricades, pushing the Policemen, causing harm to the Police officers and damaging public property. On receipt of the complaint, the National Police Commission assigned independent civilian officers and concluded that the particular inspector should be dealt with departmentally, which was carried out by the IGP.

The Embilipitiya case is still under judicial inquiry which has not been concluded, however on the investigation conducted by the CID, on the orders of the IGP, the AG has given instructions to arrest the ASP who has been arrested and taken into custody. However, before such a decision had been taken by the proper authority on receiving the report of the CID, the mass media, both electronic and print, took upon themselves the role of investigators, prosecutors and judges.In respect of the snatching of the notebook of the journalist, here too the IGP has ordered a full inquiry into this incident and is awaiting the report of the investigating officers. It is unfair that any interested party should arrive at the conclusion of finding the Police guilty of such accusations without proper evidence being gathered by the investigation officers.

Sri Lankans are known for amnesia or shortness of memory. Have they forgotten the white vans which went around abducting mostly rich businessmen, journalists etc., who were never seen again? The identity of the white vans and those who operated them were unknown and the Police were prevented from investigating such abductions. What about the murders of journalists like Lasantha Wickrematunge, Ekneligoda, ruggerite Thajudeen, and many others like Keith Noyahr, who were tortured and permanently impaired? Blatant cases of political thugs wielding pistols chasing after opposition politicians were swept under the carpet and the Police were prevented from inquiring into such cases.

It is transparent that the President, the Prime Minister and the other senior Ministers have not interfered in any of the investigations into any major crimes and have given the IGP a free hand to investigate and bring the culprits to book. The Police are not manacled or threatened by politicians or political thugs from engaging in their normal duties in investigating such crimes.

Of late unruly demonstrations and protests occur daily at the drop of a hat. The policemen on duty are at the receiving end; the latest violent episode was men in robes manhandling, abusing and threatening Police Officers and Prison Officers near the Homagama Courts. Here I recall the Magistrate told the accused buddhist priest that he was spared from being remanded then and there because he wore a robe. A lawyer from the Homagama courts bar had categorically stated that he would not call the buddhist priest a buddhist monk, but a thug in a buddhist robe. We should admire such people for their forthrightness. The Police officers showed zero tolerance in spite of the ridicule they faced in public, and in the electronic media. In the same manner the Police are criticized, and bashed for their omissions, did the electronic media or the print media commend or praise them for their tolerance in not confronting the so called buddhist priests? The mass media has to be fair by the Police, condemn them when condemnation is necessary as pointing out some of their faults will make them correct themselves in handling such situations. Every Policeman in their own way is performing a tremendous job in maintaining law and order for us to live in peace and enjoy our family lives. They are also human beings and they too may err. Please give the Police a fair deal.Having said this, the senior Police officers who fall within the grade of supervising officers should take the blame for any misbehaviour, omissions or commissions of their subordinate officers. Unfortunately, in most of the accusations against the Police, no senior officer had been found fault with for not being responsible and not being accountable. There are several DIGs and senior DIGs who are deployed in the provinces. It is they who should be responsible for the performance of the Police officers under their supervision, as well as for their discipline. Let us hope that the senior officers and officers in charge of stations will combinely bring back discipline among the ranks, supervise them properly, be responsible and accountable.

The Police need not fear political pressure, threats or interference any more. The President and the Prime Minister have left the IGP and the Police officers severely alone to carry out their duties according to the law of the land. They have established a National Police Commission which will ensure that no political interference is allowed in any of their duties, especially in transfers, appointments etc. With this assurance the IGP and the senior officers must leave the Police Department to perform their duties in a disciplined manner in maintaining law and order in our country.

(B.Anton Jeyanathan is a retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police.)
News / Africa

by Stephen Jakes

UNABLE to put up with her husband"s abnormal" sexual appetite, a newly-wed of Chipata district has opted for divorce.The emotionally charged Salifa Miti (21) of Chikoka village said she is not interested in being a sex slave for her husband Kennedy Mwanza 27, who demands to have sexual relations even when she is menstruating."We got married last year in November. He turned me into a sex slave from the moment I moved into his house. I cannot put up with his sexual appetite, I want a divorce," she told Chipata Local Court magistrate Emmanuel Mumba.Miti complained that Mwanza demands to have sexual relations with her even when she is not feeling well and gets physical and beats her when she refuses to submit to his sexual needs."He beats me when I refuse to have sex with him then forces himself on me. He doesn"t understand or allow me to rest even when I am menstruating. The other day, I refused because I was menstruating but he locked me in the house and forced himself on me even in the state I was in, "she said.Miti said her marriage to Mwanza in the three months they lived together as husband and wife is not her idea of how people should live."I am not interested in this marriage. It is torture being married to this man," she said.However, Mwanza insisted that he only demands what is due to him because he paid her bride price."I am a married man and I cannot be asking for sex from my wife whom I share a bed with. Miti always has an excuse each time I ask for my conjugal rights saying she is not well. She continued with her excuses until I made her submit because I did not marry her to be a robot in bed," he said.Mwanza complained that Miti is not traditionally counselled on how to attend to her husband in bed."Her family did not do a good job in training her how to handle her husband in bed. She is very lazy. Divorcing me will not even be a solution. She needs traditional marriage counselling on how to keep her husband," he said.The court granted divorce and ordered the couple to share property they acquired together.The court also reminded Mwanza that marriage is not all about sex and that he also needs to be taught on how to treat women not just abusing them.
They eyeballed each other from 10 paces. They sensed a connection but were unsure. After all its been five years; a whole five years. Shes eyeing him differently, says one observer.

The video above show the exact moment that Michael Sykes and Jazz clapped eyes on each other after five years. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Then Jazz takes a few tentative steps towards Michael Sykes. Everyones watching, everyones anxious and hoping. Yeah, thats her, says Michael.

Then Jazz breaks into a trot and launches at Michael. Her front paws connect at the chest, shes at full, adoring stretch and licking him to a sheen.

These were the emotion-charged scenes at the Te Puke dog pound where Rotorua builder and pig hunter Michael is reunited with his beautiful Jazz  a yellow kelpie/greyhound cross  after five long years.

Amazing eh bro? I cant get over it.

Michaels rubbing Jazzs ears and slapping her rump. Jazz is snuffling, fussing and licking anything within tongue range. Five years man and dog have been separated. Five long years.

Its like being reunited with your brothers and sisters whove lived in Australia all that time, says Michael. Does it feel that good? Well she is important. Jazz is a pig dog, she fed the family.

Michael is one of those delightfully stoic Kiwi blokes whose half-smile is one for every moment and every purpose. If hes feeling the love, he doesnt show it. But he talks the love.

Theres a special bond between a hunter and his dogs. You like to replay them for the joy you get out of hunting. Of course I owe her.

Michael recalls the day she went missing. Jazz and her mother disappeared into a gorge after a big pig. He found the mother six weeks later.

She had been badly ripped up by the pig. Jazz was a lot tougher on the pigs so I presumed she had also been injured and hadnt made it.

Michael went back to the gorge every day for two weeks searching and calling. We spent hours and hours, day after day. The hunter was trying to repay his dog. But nothing.

Theres a couple of other key players in this man-and-dog reunion story.

Its good to have people like you who love your job. Michael is talking to Melissa Murton and Betty Hall  who are animal service officers at Western Bay of Plenty District Council. You just about made me cry.

Melissa and Betty helped choreograph this wonderful moment.

And heres the secret  982 000 163 718 262  the 15-digit encrypted key to unravelling the five-year mystery of whatever happened to Jazz.

A call comes into the animal service officers. A dog is reported roaming in the Pyes Pa area. They set a dog trap. They snare a dog. They snare Jazz.

Except Jazz was now Blue and living in the Kaimai Ranges. Jazz had been found in the bush, taken home and started a new life with a new owner.

She had been cared for, says Melissa. But obviously not cared for enough because she was roaming.

But good can come of bad. When Melissa ran her handset over Jazzs neck, up comes that microchip number 982 000 163 718 262. It doesnt co-relate to anything on the local register, but then eureka on the national register. Jazz, aka Blue, and now Jazz again comes from Rotorua and went missing in 2011. Theres a contact name and a phone number.

And those details dont match up with the story told them by the new owner in the Kaimais. But Michaels story does match up.

I thought they were having me on. Its a good feeling, a good story bro, says Michael.

The new carer was reminded that keeping Jazz wasnt very nice. There could have been serious consequences, says Melissa. Anyone who finds a dog has 72 hours to find the owner or hand it over to the authorities. And it became Melissas responsibility to return Jazz to her rightful owner.

Theres serious re-bonding going on already. As The Weekend Sun is talking to Michael, Jazz is curled up at, and on, his feet. She wont let him out of her sight this time.

When Michael told his Rotorua mates he was off to Te Puke to pick up Jazz they were sceptical. You are dreaming bro, they told him.

He wasnt dreaming. Now Jazz is back in Rotorua, back home, chilling out and bonding with Michael. We will see if she wants to be a hunting dog or a house dog.

Jazzs mother was the best hunting dog Michael had owned. Perhaps her daughter has that gene. We will see.

The reunion is made even more poignant by the passing of Jazzs mother. She died last year so its lovely to have her daughter round.

As for Betty and Melissa, the animal services officers, its also a special moment.

We have a tough job to do and not all outcomes are as rewarding as this says Betty. But we love microchips. They rock.

No argument from Michael or Jazz.
The price review sees urea drop $50 to $525, DAP reduce $25 per tonne, sulphate of ammonia by $15 and potash by $10. These changes will flow through to product blends.

Ballance CEO Mark Wynne says the move comes on the back of a global slump in fertiliser prices, driven by strong supply and soft demand.

Theres plenty of supply in the market at present, with extra production coming on stream and China switching from being an internal consumer of nutrients, to an exporter. On the demand side, Brazil and India are both suffering from weakening currencies therefore lowering their fertiliser requirements.

The co-op has been supporting farmers with cash when it counts throughout the year  paying out rebates early, holding urea prices through spring, and dropping prices in December.

Our foreign exchange approach has helped us to offset the weaker New Zealand dollar. In a tough year like this, these price reductions will be good news for farmers and growers.

With recent rains over much of the country there is a good opportunity for farmers to take advantage of these reduced prices and apply fertiliser now for feed production ahead of autumn.

Mark says taking some of the pressure off pricing for shareholders throughout the year will likely flow through to a lower rebate payment than the high levels enjoyed by shareholders in recent years.

However, were confident weve done the right thing. Our aim is to consistently deliver our farmers and growers a strong return on their investment in our co-operative.
Update: 3.30PM: Witnesses suggest three people have been detained by police amid reports of an armed standoff near a Coromandel marae.

A Kennedy Bay resident said there was an armed standoff in the Kennedy Bay area, and the roads had been locked down.
Tauranga radio journalist, and avid aeroplane enthusiast, Grayson Ottaway says it is the last ever flight to and from Tauranga for the Air NZ Beech 1900.

Grayson says every time an aeroplane makes its first or final flight a water cannon salute is traditionally given to signify the important event, but it is now against Air New Zealand policy.

A SunLive reporter at the scene says the arrival flight appeared to be full and passengers were shaking the captains hand as they walked off the aircraft.

Air New Zealand corporate communications manager Brigitte Ransom says in November 2014, Air NZ announced it would gradually withdraw the 19-seat Beech aircraft from its fleet and move to operating 50-seat Q300 aircraft in its place on routes where sufficient demand exists.

Our Tauranga to Auckland service has been operating predominantly by 50-seat aircraft for several years, with some services flown by the smaller Beech and larger 68-seat ATR aircraft.

The last of the scheduled Beech services will operate on the route today with Auckland to Tauranga serviced by predominantly 50-seat and some 68-seat services from tomorrow.

Brigitte says the Beech aircraft will continue flying to a number of other ports on Air New Zealands regional network for some months.
Five New Zealand Defence Force firefighters joined in the fight to help battle wildfires in Tasmania.

A photo released by the NZDF shows the kiwis posing for a group photo with their Australian colleagues after a hard days work on the fireline at Wuthering Heights in the states northwest.
News / Africa

by Staff Reporter

THE Matero Local court has heard how a Lusaka mother would inspect her married son's private parts when he suffered a stroke to make sure he was not being intimate with his wife.Olipa Sakala said her husband's relatives including his mother and aunties could inspect his private parts each day and forbade her from cleaning him as he is paralysed from waist down.Sakala, 28, of Chibolya township told senior court magistrate Lewis Mumba that his relatives also ordered her not to wash his clothes and underwear or change his beddings.This was in a case in which Sakala was dragged to court for divorce by her husband Gabriel Njovu, 43."When he suffered a stroke, he was also discovered to have a sexually transmitted infection. My in-laws as a way of preventing me from being intimate with my husband, started bathing him and inspecting his manhood to make sure we are not engaging in sexual relations when they are away.It made me uncomfortable because their relative is a married man, an adult with a wife to care for him. No mother should do that for her married son," she said.Sakala said the relatives would take over the running of the house claiming she only married him for his money."I love him but his relatives have contributed to our marital problems," she said.But Njovu, a police officer of Emmasdale township told the court that Sakala abandoned him when he suffered a stroke four months ago.Njovu who described Sakala as an irresponsible wife said he suffered to provide for her. The two who got married in 2011 have no children together. He told the court that bride price was paid.He said when his health started failing him; he decided to give Sakala money to start a business to help provide for the family."I thought that it was going to ease our financial problems, but it was a begining to more marital woes. She left and sent me a text message that she will never sacrifice and suffer for a paralysed man like me," he said.He told the court that he is suspicious of his wife's movements adding he would not be surprised she was having an affair."She torments me and I think I have had enough especially in my condition. I just want the court to dissolve our marriage so we can go our separate ways," he complained.The court granted divorce and ordered Njovu to pay Sakala K4,000 as compensation with an initial payment of K500 February month-end to be followed by monthly instalments of K300.
The death of a Tauranga man killed in a motorbike crash on State Highway 5, near Napier, is under investigation.

Rhys Middleton was killed on Sunday when he and a car collided on the highway around 10am.
The trial of man accused of murdering Ilya Olegovich Kojenikov in an alleged hit-and-run incident in Welcome Bay is underway.

Raymond Green is standing trial in the High Court in Tauranga this week.
Now Cayago, the German manufacturers of the popular water craft which lets you fly through  and under  the water like a dolphin, has teamed up with British motoryacht makers Princess Yachts to mark the shipyards 50th anniversary.

The partnership has resulted in the creation of the Princess 50th Anniversary Limited Edition collection, comprising two specifically crafted SEABOB editions for Princess, both of which were launched at last months 2016 Dusseldorf Yacht Show.

The two limited edition designs, Lady `65 and Cubic `65, boast modern lightweight construction and are equipped with efficient electric drive systems. They can be lifted by a single person without aids from the water, making them the ideal accessory, not only for larger yachts with lifting devices, but also for smaller boats.

The design incorporates an illustration by renowned artist Jaume Vilardell, who was commissioned by Princess Yachts to create the brands 50th anniversary campaign artwork, and was inspired by the 1960s.

Over or under the water, Seabobs crafts score highly in manoeuvrability and performance. Their easy handling makes them suitable for both beginner and advanced users like.

Both crafts in the Princess 50th Anniversary Limited Edition collection are available for 11,255 euros.
News / Education

by Staff reporter

MDC legislator Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga quizzed Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora over the deployment of non-Ndebele speaking teachers in Matabeleland.This follows complaints by parents in Binga last month that teachers who do not speak Tonga or Ndebele had been deployed at different primary schools in the district."The Constitution states that all the 16 languages are supposed to be used at par, but what happens when we have a situation whereby the teacher who is teaching in that district is not able to speak the language that is spoken in that area?" Misihairabwi-Mushonga queried."We have realised that this has caused a low pass rate, especially in such areas where indigenous languages are spoken because it is people who come from Mashonaland who are deployed to teach in Matabeleland."But Dokora rubbished claims that lower pass rates were caused by deployment of teachers who did not speak local languages."To associate language and failure on a one-to-one relationship is misleading and is not educational in terms of an analysis of this phenomenon of pass rates or performance of learners. If it were true that it is on a one-to-one relationship, I would be getting 100% passes in those areas where the teacher is a mother language speaker of that area," he said."While I have a lot of sympathy for the infant school module where I am conscious of the fact that we must communicate to these children in as homely and appropriate language as we can, it cannot be done in a dramatic fashion. I do not think as a country we can actually say we should fire teachers on account of language."He said 322 teachers were already undergoing training through the Great Zimbabwe University in various languages  Shangaan, Nambya, Tonga and others.Dokora said it was better to have trained teachers teaching ECD even if they could not speak the mother tongue of the area rather than untrained teachers."The trained human resources will find ways and means including the use of the English language in limited vocabulary range as they train and interact with the children in the infant school module."
Syracuse, N.Y.  U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is proposing legislation that she said would help grow Upstate New York's struggling manufacturing sector.

Gillibrand, D-NY, said her proposed Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act would create a permanent program that designates local regions as "manufacturing communities." The designation would put the regions in the front of the line to receive federal economic development funding specifically for investing in manufacturing, she said.

The designation would give the communities preferred consideration when applying for up to $1.3 billion in currently available federal economic development funding for manufacturing.

Gillibrand, along with U.S. Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, and local economic development leaders, announced the proposal in DeWitt at Feldmeier Equipment, a maker of stainless steel tanks for pharmaceutical and other industries.

To compete for the money, communities would have to create regional partnerships that include local and state economic development officials, local governments, manufacturers, labor organizations, and higher education or other training providers.

Gillibrand said communities would have to demonstrate the significance of manufacturing in their region and develop strategies that include:

 Workforce training

 Advanced research

 Infrastructure and site development

 Supply chain support

 Promotion of exports and foreign direct investment

 Operational improvement and capital access for manufacturers that support energy or process efficiency, equipment or facility upgrades, and the development of business incubators.

Gilllibrand said manufacturing jobs in New York declined by 5 percent from 2009 to 2014. The manufacturing sector grew almost 3 percent nationally during the same period, she said.

Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
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A Syracuse Police vehicle sits in an alley at 623 Park St. on the north side Monday, Feb 8, 2016. Police are investigating homicide that happened Sunday. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com

(Dennis Nett | Syracuse.com)

SYRACUSE, NY -- Syracuse police are investigating the shooting death of a 19-year-old man who was killed around 8:20 p.m. on Sunday on the North Side of Syracuse, according to police spokesman Sgt. Richard Helterline.

Police said they arrived at the scene in the 600 block of Park Street to find the man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Upstate University Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Police and ambulances were dispatched at 8:23 p.m., according to 911 Center records.

Police said it is very early in the investigation, and investigators asked anyone with information to call Syracuse Police at (315)442-5222 or use the department's SPD Tips app.

Witnesses said they heard five to six gunshots around 8:20 p.m.. One man, James Cox, emerged from a home surrounded by crime tape this morning, said the victim was shot in the back. He declined to comment further.

Police tape is up around 621-623 and 625 Park St. in Syracuse, Feb. 8, 2016. Police are investigating a homicide that happened there Sunday night. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com

Three homes, 621 to 625 Park St., were cordoned off with police tape. Police vehicles were parked in front of and behind the homes as children nearby walked to bus stops and a crossing guard waited to help the children cross the street.

Neighbor Darnell Jamison was walking to the store during the Super Bowl from his home on the 600 block of Park Street and heard the gunshots when he was about half a block east of the crime scene.

"I thought it was firecrackers," he said.

His neighbor, Gay Dygert, said she thought she was in a "war zone" for a moment when the shots rang out. They were so loud they reverberated through her house, she said.

"It was so loud I thought it was in the house," she said. "We haven't had very many. We don't usually have gunshots."
Megyn Kelly

Megyn Kelly addresses Donald Trump's "beef" with her on "The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert.

(CBS video still)

Syracuse native and Syracuse University alumna Megyn Kelly is ready to face Donald Trump again.

The Republican presidential candidate skipped Fox News' last GOP debate before the Iowa caucus, in part because "The Kelly File" host was moderating the event. Trump has taken multiple shots at Kelly and the network since she asked him about alleged sexist remarks he's made about women on social media and television.

Kelly addressed the controversy on "The Late Show" Sunday night after the Super Bowl, and talked about what she plans to say at the next Fox News GOP debate.

"Why is Fox News feuding with Donald Trump?" late-night host Stephen Colbert asked. "What do you have against that good man? He's just a billionaire who also wants to have the nuclear launch codes."

"Donald Trump has been on Fox News 140 times in the last year. We are not feuding with him. But he does have a beef with me," Kelly explained. "What made him so angry was when I asked him a question in the first debate that I thought it was very fair."

She then joked that she thought Trump's recent hyperbolic comment about shooting someone on Fifth Avenue and not losing any supporters because of his popularity was a thinly veiled threat.

"I want to ask him, 'Were you talking about me?'" Kelly told Colbert with a smile. "I never go there any more."

But Kelly said she already knows what she wants to really ask Trump when they face off again at the next Republican debate on Fox News, scheduled for March 3. Trump has already said he'll be there, and Kelly will be a moderator again.

Kelly also told Colbert she expects Trump to apologize for calling her a "lighweight reporter," making her first words at the debate "Apology accepted."

In the meantime, Kelly is working on her first book that will be released in time for this fall's election. ET reports the deal is worth anywhere from $3 million to $10 million.
Chris Gibson

Rep. Chris Gibson, R-N.Y. talks with reporters at an event in Saratoga Springs in 2012. Gibson is considering a run against Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

(Mike Groll | The Associated Press)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Republican Congressman Chris Gibson announced Monday that he's created a campaign committee to explore running for governor in 2018.

"My travels have made clear that people across this state - from every political perspective - are looking for a new leader in Albany," said Gibson, a three-term congressman from Kinderhook, 22 miles south of Albany. "I will make the final decision on running for governor after my congressional term ends. But today we're taking the first step in formalizing this possibility. Our exploratory committee will allow us to raise the money we need to compete and win."

"For too long, Gov. Cuomo has led with fear, intimidation and bullying. New York has been embarrassed by corruption and lags behind in too many important categories. We can do better," he said.

It's tough for any Republicans to win election as governor in New York, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 2 to 1.

But here's 3 reasons why Gibson might have a better shot at being elected than the past two Republicans who ran against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Rob Astorino and Carl Paladino.

1. Preet Bharara. The federal prosecutor has won convictions against the Senate and Assembly's top leaders, and in the process, showed that state government is a cesspool of corruption. Even though Bharara cleared Cuomo of any wrongdoing in suddenly disbanding the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, the public's distrust of Albany politicians could hurt Cuomo. A recent poll showed 89 percent of New Yorkers think corruption in state government is a serious problem.

2. Gibson has been elected 3 times to Congress from a district where Republicans barely outnumber Democrats. Paladino, a developer, had never been elected to anything when he ran in 2010. Of course, Astorino also had demonstrated he had appeal with both Republicans and Democratic voters by being elected county executive in Westchester County, where Democrats outnumber Republicans.

3. Gibson is from Upstate New York. It's not Buffalo, Rochester or Syracuse, but Kinderhook is in Upstate. Astorino lived in Mount Pleasant, a suburb of New York City. Astorino actually fared well with Upstate voters in 2014, winning 42 counties while Cuomo won only 8. Of course, Paladino was from Buffalo. But that didn't help him. In 2010, he only won 13 Upstate counties while Cuomo won 37.

New York has not elected a Republican governor since George Pataki, in 2002. In such a blue state as New York, any Republican has to be considered a long shot to be elected governor, especially if they're running against an incumbent Democratic governor.



In 2014, Cuomo received 54 percent of the vote to Astorino's 40 percent. In 2010, Cuomo received 63 percent of the vote to Paladino's 33 percent.

Contact Mike McAndrew anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3016
2014-10-26-jordan1.JPG

The Jordan-Elbridge Central School District has proposed a 2016-2017 budget that spends slightly less than the current year. In this file photo, members of the audience cheer on Jordan-Elbridge High School marching band, during a competition at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse on Oct. 26, 2014.

(Photo by Maria Salatino)

The Jordan-Elbridge Central School District's proposed budget for 2016-2017 contains something not normally seen in school budgets. The district projects it will spend less next year and it won't need a tax hike either.

The district has proposed a $29,215,000 budget that is $53,750, or 0.18 percent, less than the current spending plan. How will the district do it? Jordan-Elbridge plans to decrease staffing levels and expects to pay lower rates in the teacher retirement and employee retirement systems. And it will continue to pay cash for new buses, eliminating financing costs.

And the lower budget comes at a time when the district has increased its academic prestige. The district's middle school was recently named an International Baccalaureate World School, an accreditation it has sought since 2011. The district says it is the only middle school in Onondaga County to receive the designation. About 85 schools in the state and 4,200 in the world also have the accreditation.

Jordan-Elbridge has been paving the way for lower budgets with $77,172 in annual savings from its energy performance contract, cuts in administrative and staff positions, savings in special education costs and in the teacher retirement and employee retirement systems.

Residents will vote on the budget on May 17.

Voters go to the polls from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the high school to vote on a $9.7 million capital project that includes upgrades to the district's energy infrastructure, new roofs and windows for school buildings and a turf field at the high school.

What's the additional cost to taxpayers? Nothing.

The district plans to use its capital reserve fund and bond for the remaining $8.5 million for the project. It expects to receive $11.5 million in state aid to pay off a bond for the project over 16 years.
News / Education

by Staff reporter

The ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has dispelled reports that it will be slashing salaries of teachers who fail to produce good results.State media had earlier reported that government would resort to cutting in order to improve the country's quality of education.Reports had also said that the measures would be put into effect immediately with teachers who record less than 50 percent pass rates at all examination classes to forfeit their April, August and December.In a statement, the ministry of education said that despite the fact that payment of salaries is the mandate of another ministry, the education portfolio was still interested in the welfare of its employees.
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Hers is the last face many Treasure Coast residents see before they nod off at night.

Kelley Dunn, anchor at NewsChannel 5, is celebrating her 30th anniversary with WPTV this week.

"It's just nuts to me that it's been 30 years," said the Palm City resident and mother of two college-age children. "Thank God they saw something in me."

The NBC affiliate did see something in her when she was 22. Two months after earning a bachelor's degree in broadcasting from the University of Florida, a fresh-faced Dunn applied for a reporter's job at WPTV. She was told she was too green and too young. But a few days later, she was called back and hired when a reporter left unexpectedly. Within six months she was promoted to news anchor.

Thirty years later, but still fresh-faced, Dunn anchors the most valuable spots on television news at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.

"It just fell into place for me," Dunn said. "My best friend says I have a golden halo."

Dunn has had to drive through floods to make it in front of the camera on time, contain the giggles on air, hunker down at the station for days during hurricanes and report on the horrific murder of a co-worker's daughter.

"I couldn't read anything related to their story for weeks."

She has met George Clooney, Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey and Jimmy Fallon, to name a few.

Scroll down to watch Kelley Dunn's

interviews with Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey.

The story, however, she remains most proud of is a piece she did several years ago on retinoblastoma. Dunn reported on a unique symptom of the eye cancer, which in photographs can appear as a white dot in the eye. After the story aired, a grandmother noticed the spot in pictures of her granddaughter and caught the disease early, saving her granddaughter's vision and eye.

"I was put in the right place at the right time to do that story," Dunn said. "I'm always attracted to stories that teach people."

Watch the video below of Kelley Dunn's story

on retinoblastoma from 2002.

When she started, the only way to connect with viewers was at local events.

"Social media has changed everything,"said Dunn, who now only does a few events a year. "People have so much access to us now, and our news products are dictated by social media."

Fluid shots, which has anchors moving from set to set on camera, are the current broadcast trend, so gone are the days when Dunn could hide her yoga pants at work.

High-definition cameras show details in a way no one considered in 1986.

"It is what it is and I am what I am," said the petite newswoman. Dunn's perfectly glossed smile and smoky eyes, worthy of a makeup artist's envy, are her own efforts. She also does her own hair and wardrobe.

Dunn is recognized wherever she goes by her cute look or her hearty laughter and feels obligated to look good, in full make up, in her off time, too.

"I'm very conscious of it. I feel like it's a disservice to viewers if they see me looking off." Laughing, Dunn added, "Or maybe I'm just vain. But really, that's the hardest part. I know people will accuse me of whining but the constant need to look good gets tiring."

In a time where job hopping is the norm and in a business where ageism and sexism are prevalent, Dunn said she never has experienced either at the West Palm Beach station and never has pursued larger markets. The middle-aged on-air personality, who's starting salary of $13,500 has since grown to a comfortable six figures, feels very secure in her position.

"She should," said station manager Lloyd Bucher. "She hasn't lost a ratings period in her tenure. She is exactly who she appears to be, and her connection to the community couldn't be more rock solid. She's here for the long haul."

That haul might not be that long.

Dunn, 52, said she thinks about retirement often. "Everyday!"

She and her husband of 26 years might move to a family home in the mountains of North Carolina when the time comes.

"Maybe I'd actually exercise," Dunn said. "But I'll probably just sit. Usually we're sitting around, looking at the view and drinking wine."

But for the next couple of years, she will continue to report the news.

"The news can get you down. The changes can get you down but you're still working with amazing people. The people are the best part of Channel 5. Always has been and always will be."

CELEBRATING KELLEY DUNN

WPTV NewsChannel 5 will celebrate Kelley Dunn's accomplishments throughout the day Feb. 10 with an "All Things Dunn" event.

Fans are encouraged to post a shout-out or a special memory of Dunn on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, using the hashtag #Dunn30.
Looking for fun things to do this weekend? Here are our Top 5 events

events
News / Local

by Staff reporter

THE Welshman Ncube-led opposition MDC has, with immediate effect, appointed Miriam Mushayi to oversee the party secretariat department after it sacked acting secretary general, Moses Mzila Ndlovu.Mzila Ndlovu, who took over from Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga was relieved of his post by the party national standing committee (NSC) on Saturday.The NSC passed a vote of no confidence on Mzila Ndlovu citing a string of failures to execute duties."The standing committee unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in the acting secretary-general, Moses Mzila Ndlovu," MDC spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi said in a statement."The vote of no confidence is a culmination of a whole range of failures, which resulted in profound dissatisfaction with the acting secretary general's ability to perform virtually all the functions of his office, including failure to call meetings of the organs of the party, failure to administer party offices and party affairs, failure to put in motion and prepare the processes for the conduct of the party's elective congress due this year and failure to implement the decisions of the standing committee."The acting secretary general has failed to competently, efficiently and effectively conduct party affairs and generally failed to measure up to the demands of his office, which have included complete dereliction of duty," said the statement.Chihwayi yesterday told Southern Eye that Mzila Ndlovu was still a party member."Moses Mzila Ndlovu was not fired from the party, but was removed from the secretary general's chair to unlock progress. He remains a member of the party unless fired."In this case the national standing committee passed a vote of no confidence in Mzila Ndlovu."The deputy secretary-general of the green machine, Miriam Mangwende Mushayi has been moved upstairs to take charge of the MDC secretariat with immediate effect."Mushayi is already at work preparing the ground for the party's elective congress," he said.Chihwayi said the MDC is a "people's project that elected officials should protect, because of that we will do everything possible to remove impediments".
Tom Gilmore, Stuart

I'm sitting here watching the estimated trillion dollars worth of damage in the Northeast being done by the big blizzard storm of 2016. The last major hurricane in Florida was almost 10 years ago. However, my homeowners rate has continued to escalate.

The average premium for a typical homeowners policy is $1,933 in Florida. Homeowners insurance is now twice as expensive in Florida as the national average. We live in the most expensive homeowners insurance rate state in the country.

The cost of my latest renewal was about $4,600 for basic coverage. When I moved into my home 15 years ago, my homeowners insurance was about $800 for even better coverage.

When I have tried to get quotes by other insurance companies, my current insurance broker tells me I should be happy with what I have and not rock the boat or I will be faced with even higher rates or even be dropped by the current insurance provider.

What is wrong with this picture?

Why are we Florida residents being fleeced by the insurance companies and nothing is being done to help us get relief by the state insurance regulators?

Jeff Atwater, Florida's chief financial officer, asked state Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty to conduct an analysis of homeowners rates in 2013. To my knowledge the report was never submitted and follow-up action was never taken.

I hope that other Florida homeowners are also wondering how this has happened. Let's hold the state insurance regulators' feet to the fire and demand action.
Port St. Lucie  A man accused last year of throwing gasoline on another man at a local bar and setting him on fire was tracked down in Puerto Rico and arrested on an attempted first degree murder charge, according to Port St. Lucie police on Monday.

U.S. Marshals arrested Ivan Louis Rodriguez, 46, Friday near Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, in connection with the April 2015 incident that critically injured Brian Johnston, 40, at Neely's Grog House on Southwest Bayshore Boulevard.

Port St. Lucie police on Monday arrested Rodriguez's mother, 67-year-old Shirley Rodriguez, and his girlfriend, 64-year-old Patricia Ambrose, both of Port St. Lucie, affidavits state. Each was arrested on a felony accessory after the fact of a first degree felony charge.

"I'm just happy to get him off the streets," Detective David Butterworth said. "Dangerous guy, horrendous crime."

According to records, Kennette Johnston, who is married to Brian Johnston, was a bartender at Neely's. She told investigators that on April 12, 2015, she served Ivan Rodriguez four drinks and he tried to pay with a check. She refused to take it because his checks had been returned for insufficient funds.

Ivan Rodriguez was asked to leave, and wound up exchanging words with Brian Johnston. He left and came back, and threw a cup of gas on Brian Johnston. They got in a physical altercation and police say Ivan Rodriguez lit the gasoline.

Butterworth said police used financial and phone records and determined Ivan Rodriguez was living under the name Gary Wilson in Puerto Rico. Wilson, investigators say, is an uncle of Ivan Rodriguez who died in 2014. Butterworth said Ambrose and Shirley Rodriguez sent money to Wilson in Puerto Rico.

Ambrose and Shirley Rodriguez initially denied knowing where Ivan Rodriguez fled to or to having helped him. Ultimately, they told police they spoke to him on the phone and sent him money.

Butterworth said combined they sent him about $1,000.

Ivan Rodriguez is being held awaiting extradition to Florida, police stated.

Brian Johnston and Kennette Johnston could not be reached for comment Monday.

Dennis Pollock, 58, on Monday afternoon was at Neely's and said he was there the night of the incident.

Wearing a Pabst Blue Ribbon T-shirt, Pollock said he wasn't worried Ivan Rodriguez would return and do something worse.

"I didn't think he was that crazy, but there is some crazy people around so we have to deal with it," Pollock said.

Pollock, who said he's been coming to Neely's since it opened, said he frequently sees Brian Johnston.

"He's holding in there," Pollock said. "He's still doing some therapy and he's recovering quite well, but, you know, it's just one of those traumatic experiences."
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY  The Sebastian Inlet State Park has a pair of sizable visitors this week.



Monday, a North Atlantic right whale  named Clipper by researchers who have spotted her previously  and her calf swam west into the inlet, officials said. The rare sighting of whales in the inlet had wildlife officials and beachgoers in wonder.



Ive been monitoring whale movement for 17 years and Ive never seen them come into the inlet, said Julie Albert, whale program coordinator for the Marine Resources Council.



Staff at the Sebastian Inlet State Park noticed the 45-feet-long North Atlantic right whale and its 20-feet-long calf swimming west in the Sebastian Inlet toward the Indian River Lagoon about 8:30 a.m., Albert said. They could be seen from the inlets recreational vehicle camping area on the Indian River County side for most of the day.



As of sunset Monday, Clipper and her calf remained in the inlet. Albert and FWC officials planned to return Tuesday to continue monitoring the pair.

The whales should be able to swim back to the Atlantic Ocean on their own, officials said.



Albert joined staff from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on a boat to monitor the mother and calf for most of Monday. The whales appeared to be in good condition and not in distress, she said.



Alberts concern for the whales traveling toward the lagoon is low water depth and boaters. Boaters are prohibited from coming within 500 feet of a whale, she said.



Right whales are among the most endangered whales in the world; protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. There are about 400 individuals in existence in the western North Atlantic Ocean. They migrate between feeding grounds in the Gulf of Maine and their winter calving areas off Georgia and Florida.



Researchers who have previously spotted Clipper said she is at least 12 years old, Albert said. When a whale doesnt have an electronic tracker on them, sea life researchers use the markings on a whales head to identify them when theyre sighted again. But Clipper has another distinguishing mark; part of her tail is cut off, likely by a boat propeller, Albert said.



Its extremely rare for live whales to become beached on Floridas coast lines, let alone an inlet, Albert said. Dead ones do occasionally wash up ashore, she said.



Inlet park ranger Ed Perry said the North Atlantic right whales swim to Florida when it gets cold in the north. Perry said he had a look at Clipper and the calf Monday morning and did not notice any injuries on them.



Right whale calves tend to stay with their mothers for a year, Albert said. The ones in the inlet Monday will migrate back north in the spring, where the calf will become independent.

IF YOU SEE A WHALE

You can report the sighting to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration right whale tracking program. Heres how to access it: www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/surveys

You can also call the Marine Resources Council at 888-979-4253.

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN RIGHT WHALE

Estimated population: 350 to 400

Status: Endangered

Range: East coast of North America from Newfoundland to Florida; a population that existed off Iceland and northern Europe is now thought extinct

Length: 45 to 55 feet

Weight: Up to 70 tons

Life span: Historically, 50 to 70 years; but whales born today have a life expectancy around 15 years, owing in part to ship strikes and entanglements

Diet: Plankton, especially copepods, strained through baleen plates in the mouth

Top speed: 10 mph, for brief periods

Diving ability: to 1,000 feet depth, for 40 minutes

Appearance: Mostly black with whitish patches on the head and belly. No dorsal fin, and a deeply notched fluke, or tail. Long, mustache-like fringes of baleen instead of teeth, which it uses to strain tiny animals from the water for food. Two blowholes on the top of its head give a distinctive V-shape to a right whales spout.

Source: Listenforwhales.org
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Name: Janet Carney Croom

Age: 47

Occupation: 19th Judicial Circuit judge

Seeking: 19th Judicial Circuit judge

Party: Nonpartisan race

Salary: $146,080

Position term: 6 years

Residence: Indian River County

Political experience: Appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to replace a retired judge, January 2015; 19th Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee vice chair, 2007; 4th District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission, 2011-15

Volunteer/civic involvement: American Red Cross (Martin, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Indian River and Palm Beach Countychapters) board, 1998-2015, including Treasure Coast chair, 2001-03; Treasure Coast Builders Association (Martin, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Indian River counties chapters), board, 2005-15; Treasure Coast Builders Association Charitable Fund, 2005-15; United Way board, 2002-08; Sebastian River Medical Center board, 2007-15; Junior League of Indian River; Saint Edward's School Advisory board; The Florida Bar Association's Code and Rules of Evidence Committee, 1998-2004, and the Appellate Rules Committee, 2004-07, and the Trial Lawyers, Real Property, Trust and Probate Sections; Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers Young Lawyers Division at-large director, 2000; The American Bar Association Litigation Section; Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Indian River County Bar Association; Indian River Real Property Council; Florida Homebuilders Association

Education: Law degree, University of Arkansas, 1994; bachelor's, University of Arkansas, 1990; The Florida Bar board certification in construction law and business litigation

Family: Husband David, 2 children

More information: Ask the Candidates
'Business Insider' recently wrote about Karl Pillemer, a professor of human development at Cornell University who asked hundreds of older people the question: 'What do you regret when you look back on your life?'

The professor was unprepared for the answer he so often received: 'I wish I hadn't spent so much of my life worrying.'

Pillemer goes on to explain that the key characteristic of worry, according to scientists who study it, is that it takes place in the absence of actual stressors.

That is, we worry when there is actually nothing concrete to worry about.

This kind of worry  ruminating about possible bad things that could happen to us or our loved ones  is entirely different from concrete problem solving.

Worry might be considered a sin because it denies God's ever-present goodness. Its root meaning is, 'to strangle.'

Christian Science replaces the negative thoughts of worry with positive proofs of joy and freedom.

It destroys worry by showing that worry has no true existence or origin.

Some even consider worry as the sin of sins. Jesus said, 'Don't worry.' It is a commandment.

Worry is evidence of unbelief and proof that there is deep insecurity caused by a lack of oneness with God.

Worry is negative prayer, or prayer in reverse.

It is a habit which is not to be taken lightly, for it is an evil one.

Worry depletes you of vitality, enthusiasm, joy and peace. Worriers don't have much enthusiasm for living, as they can think of too many perils that might occur.

Peace and joy become strangers to them. Instead, mental depression is their companion.

People who are not afflicted with worry, but are filled with faith and tranquility, often heal more quickly than others. It is largely because they are free from the strain of worry.

So what can we do about overcoming worry? One way is to stop looking at your troubles.

The Psalmist said, 'I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord.'

When an anxious thought comes to you, declare 'God is with me, God is for me.'

These are powerful words and they can overthrow worry. Another declaration can be, 'God is guiding me now.'

Too often we plead, 'Oh, God, guide me,' as though it were something yet to be experienced. But knowing, 'He is guiding me now in all things,' brings an inner peace and joy.

If there is a lack of any kind, don't say, 'Oh God, do something. Send help to me.'

Rather, let your prayer be, 'God is supplying all my needsnow! God is now supplying all help, all wealth, and all health.

'Now that I am free of anxiety and worry, I am calm; I am content; I am free.'

Believe these truths, and healing will be released and worry will cease.

Sickness, sin, chance, confusion and accidents are do-it-yourself worrying kits. But we don't have to accept them. God doesn't provide them.

How could there be any discord, chance, or accident in the perfect rhythm of divine Principle, God.

Anything causing worry is a lie and rests only on supposition.

When worries tempt us, let's charge them to nothingness, not to ourselves.

Let's affirm, 'That's not my worry,' and know the reason why.

We find encouragement in these words from the Bible, 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.'

Worry, being a form of fear, also has no chance against perfect love.

Martha Lemasters is a reader at the First Church of Christ, Scientist Vero Beach, one of the oldest churches in Indian River County.
Cambridge University has a responsibility to take problems of under-representation seriously, says CUSU President Priscilla Mensah.

While the University is not solely responsible for the disadvantages faced by BME students applying to university nationally, it does need to address the low rates of BME students at Cambridge.

Priscilla Mensah, talking to The Cambridge Student, argues that just looking at BME statistics as a whole is not a helpful way to tackle the issue of underrepresentation. Diversity at the University must be analysed in a more specific way, taking into account particularly underrepresented groups.

She said: We do not get a proper picture of which groups remained consistently underrepresented at the institution, for an accurate picture, CUSU, the University and colleges all need to be looking at the data in a more granular way.

There is also a discrepancy in places offered to BME students compared to students classified as white.

In 2013, of the BME students who applied, 23% were offered places. In the same year 29% of white applicants were offered places.

This discrepancy in offers combines with a lower success rate of BME offer holders at A Level, and leads to the poor representation seen in fresher intake.

When asked why she thought BME students were under-represented at Cambridge the CUSU President cited systematic inequality and the British education system which routinely disadvantages BME students: this is a discussion that the government and education policy makers have to address, it is not purely on the University of Cambridge to try and solve the problems structurally of an entire education system.

However, she also acknowledged that the University have every responsibility just as the colleges do in its responsibility to address diversity. She believes that they take the issue seriously and she remains positive that CUSU and the University are working towards a better situation for BME students at Cambridge.

It is still argued by many that the University needs to do a better job at presenting relevant information about BME numbers at Cambridge and make a more high profile attempt to tackle the Universitys diversity issue.

Micha Frazer-Carroll, Ethnic Minorities officer at Corpus Christi College, says: Its no good institutionally patting ourselves on the back, saying over 20% of offer holders this year were BME'. Six Caribbean applicants received offers and only two made it here. Did they reject their offers, or did they not make the grades? Why? It is our responsibility to scrutinise. Look closer.

The TCS Investigations team contacted the University to comment on the issue of diversity in Cambridge admissions. The University declined to comment.
Tushar Senior - BHPian



Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,148 Thanked: 8,557 Times

Toyota Prius @ Auto Expo 2016 Big shoutout to Vid6639 and & .anshuman for shooting these pictures & their coverage of the Auto Expo. Thanks for sharing!

The Prius went on sale in 1997 and over 3.5 million units have been sold worldwide. Toyota revealed the Prius in its fourth generation last year and it's the first global vehicle to use the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). Toyota brought its popular hybrid to the 2016 Auto Expo, so here's a detailed look at the car that will make it to the Indian market soon.



The new Prius is 60 mm longer and 15 mm wider than the older model, while the height drops by 20 mm:





The docile design language of the outgoing Prius has been dropped in favour of more edgy styling cues. The old one blends into traffic, this one will stand out and is quite polarizing:





Aggressively shaped headlamps look like a samurai shaped them with a katana!









Super slim front grille:





LED headlights. Toyota has given the car's face an angry expression to "butch up" the Prius's image:





Bonnet is made of aluminium. Feels ultra-light:





1.8L, 4-cylinder, ECVT Hybrid engine has been revised for improved thermal efficiency. Net power output from the hybrid system is around 120 BHP. Engine bay is packed to the brim:









Good under-body protection:





Pillars swoop up and down sharply:









You get a nifty head-up display too:





Build quality and paint quality is impeccable. Has Euro car-like solidity. The Prius will be a CBU only and it will be more expensive than the Camry Hybrid when launched:





Door handles aren't your usual 90:10 split type:









196/65 R15 rubber:





Edgy styling gets amplified at the rear!





Boomerang-shaped LED tail lights:





Lights are evidently massive and cut the bulk of the rear bumper. Large tinted glass portion imparts a floating boot effect:





Plus sized rear wiper. The washer is juts out of the windshield:





Note how even the Toyota logo has a blue hue:





Blackened C-pillar for the floating roof effect:





All-round independent suspension:





Generous boot can gulp a healthy luggage load:





Different boot floor settings:









Parcel tray rolls out like a blinder:

The Prius went on sale in 1997 and over 3.5 million units have been sold worldwide. Toyota revealed the Prius in its fourth generation last year and it's the first global vehicle to use the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). Toyota brought its popular hybrid to the 2016 Auto Expo, so here's a detailed look at the car that will make it to the Indian market soon.The new Prius is 60 mm longer and 15 mm wider than the older model, while the height drops by 20 mm:The docile design language of the outgoing Prius has been dropped in favour of more edgy styling cues. The old one blends into traffic, this one will stand out and is quite polarizing:Aggressively shaped headlamps look like a samurai shaped them with a katana!Super slim front grille:LED headlights. Toyota has given the car's face an angry expression to "butch up" the Prius's image:Bonnet is made of aluminium. Feels ultra-light:1.8L, 4-cylinder, ECVT Hybrid engine has been revised for improved thermal efficiency. Net power output from the hybrid system is around 120 BHP. Engine bay is packed to the brim:Good under-body protection:Pillars swoop up and down sharply:You get a nifty head-up display too:Build quality and paint quality is impeccable. Has Euro car-like solidity. The Prius will be a CBU only and it will be more expensive than the Camry Hybrid when launched:Door handles aren't your usual 90:10 split type:196/65 R15 rubber:Edgy styling gets amplified at the rear!Boomerang-shaped LED tail lights:Lights are evidently massive and cut the bulk of the rear bumper. Large tinted glass portion imparts a floating boot effect:Plus sized rear wiper. The washer is juts out of the windshield:Note how even the Toyota logo has a blue hue:Blackened C-pillar for the floating roof effect:All-round independent suspension:Generous boot can gulp a healthy luggage load:Different boot floor settings:Parcel tray rolls out like a blinder: Last edited by Aditya : 8th February 2016 at 17:11 .
technicalytuned BHPian

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Toyota Etios awarded 4-Stars in Global NCAP Crash Test Quote: Toyota Kirloskar Motors Etios hatchback that is manufactured in Bidadi plant, has received a four-star rating from Global NCAP, the global safety watchdog. In late 2015, the carmaker had decided to equip all of its Etios models with two airbags and two pretensioners and asked Global NCAP to test the car and provide a star rating for its crashworthiness.

The recent test of the Toyota Etios reveals a good level of adult occupant protection for the frontal passenger, achieving a rating of four stars and two stars in child occupant protection. David Ward, Global NCAP secretary general, said, "Global NCAP congratulates Toyota on this voluntary initiative, which has resulted in significant safety improvements for the Etios model sold in India. Global NCAP encourages all car manufacturers to follow the safety example set by Toyota and Volkswagen to improve occupant protection for all their models sold in India.

"It is impressive to see a major manufacturer achieve a four-star result and we look forward to the first five-star car in India," he added. As part of the SaferCarsForIndia campaign, Global NCAP has been performing independent crash tests on some of India's most popular small cars since 2014. Earlier tests have shown a high-risk of life threatening injuries in road crashes in several models tested in a frontal impact at 64kph.

The SaferCarsForIndia Campaign

In January 2014, Global NCAP published crash test results for five of India's best-known cars: Maruti Suzuki Alto 800, Hyundai i10, Ford Figo, Volkswagen Polo and Tata Nano. All the cars received zero-star adult protection ratings. Volkswagen immediately decided to offer the Polo for sale in India with two airbags as standard. moving the protection level of this model from a high-risk of life threatening injuries at zero stars, to four (out of five) stars for adult occupant protection. This model received a four-star safety rating.

In November 2014, Global NCAP published crash test results for Nissan's Datsun Go and the Maruti Suzuki Swift. Both cars received zero-star adult protection ratings. Since the Go test, Datsun has committed to improve the safety performance of the Go with a strengthened bodyshell and optional airbags. http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-new...ng-400104.aspx

http://auto.ndtv.com/news/toyota-eti...h-test-1272715
Theres a seemingly infinite number of portable Bluetooth speakers on the market, so what makes the Astro different? Manufacturer Tree-Labs says what makes the Astro stand out from the crowd is its ability to play music unadulterated, without a digital signal processor (DSP) in the path manipulating the music to fit the limitations of its speaker. As the manufacturer puts it, the Astro is the only Bluetooth portable speaker to play music the way it was recorded.

Thats an ambitious claim for any audio product to make, much less a speaker that sells for less than $200. Its also one thats all but impossible for a reviewer to verify; its far easier to let it wash over the transom as just so much marketing speak (which Tree-Labs seems inordinately fond of). So Ill ignore the hype and use my ears to judge the speaker on its merits. But before I do that, let me tell you a little about the speaker itself.

Under the hood

Beneath its aluminum facade, the Astro relies on a pair of 2.0-inch full-range drivers with neodymium magnets that Tree-Labs says have been customized for the Astro. A passive radiator is there to increase bass response, although my ears didnt pick up a great deal of low end.

Theo Nicolakis The 1.16 pound Astro is tiny at only 3.5 inches high, 7.87 inches wide, and 1.57 thick. It comes with an AC power adapter and a 3.5mm audio cable.

Connectivity is kept to a bare minimum, with just Bluetooth and a 3.5mm input. Plugging a source into this jack will immediately override any Bluetooth connectionyou dont need to push a button to switch between the two. When you want to switch back to your Bluetooth source, you just unplug the 3.5mm cable.

A built-in lithium-polymer rechargeable battery delivers, on paper, up to 16 hours of playing time on a 2.5-hour charge. Its clear that lots of time was spent thinking about the Astros industrial design, so I was really disappointed to see that there is no option for USB charging its battery. That was one of the biggest misses for me. For a device thats super-portable, having to carry around a special AC power adapter instead of using the almost ubiquitous USB chargers in homes and cars is a bit of a head scratcher.

Personalized colors, or tattoos?

When I first got the Astro I was struck by how small and light it was; its super-easy to tote around at just 1.16 pounds. The brushed-aluminum chassis is wrapped in a thick silicone bumper in your choice of four colors. The bumper should protect the Astro from short drops and moderately rough handling, but its not removable; once you pick a color, youre stuck with it. So choose wisely.

Tree-Labs The Astro Bluetooth Speaker X Tattoo Temple Art editions feature your choice of six tattoo designs to grace the speakers aluminum front and back.

Tree-Labs, in partnership with Hong Kongs Tattoo Temple, also sells a Bluetooth Speaker X Tattoo Temple Art edition for $299, a $20 premium. You can choose from six designs to grace the front speaker grill and the back; but in case youre wondering, no, you cant commission a custom tattoo.

Where form and function meet

Tattoos aside, another of the Astros distinctive design elements is its large silicone ring on its left-hand top corner. The ring has a single purposeto carry the Astro. I initially thought the loop was bizarre, but the more I used it, the more I liked it. Unlike other portable speakers, picking up and toting the Astro along was easyeven with one finger. Dropping the Astro and a pocket video projector in my briefcase or backpack gave me a superb solution for making presentations to small groups, where I needed basic sound for multimedia (though I wouldnt necessarily recommend it for movies, for reasons Ill discuss in my listening tests, below).

Not everyone in my household who used the Astro had the same opinion of the ring. My wife, for example, hated it and thought it was ugly. There wont be a middle ground. Youll either like it or hate it.

Tree-Labs The Astros carrying loop is a distinctive, yet practical, feature that youll either love or hate.

One button to rule them all

A single physical button on the top of the Astro serves several purposes. Its the on/off button, first and foremost. Holding the button down for a few seconds will turn the unit on or off. A single press of the button when the speaker is playing pauses the audio, and pressing it a second time resumes playing.

But what I really loved about that button is that it solved one of my biggest complaints about Bluetooth speakers: Switching wireless sources. Pressing the on/off button quickly two times puts the Astro back into Bluetooth pairing mode. From there, just select the Astro from your Bluetooth source and youre good to go. Cryptic unable to connect errors will be a thing of the past.

A full-range speaker? Not quite

Aside from the much larger Mohu BeBox I recently reviewed, most portable Bluetooth speakers havent really impressed me with their sound. Theyre just too small. They sound thin and tinny with no bass. Tree-Labs says the Astros full-range driver is designed to reproduce with fidelity the full audio range spectrum Those are nice marketing phrases, but you wont mistake the Astro for system with a subwoofer; youll be hard-pressed to get any substantive output below 60Hz. So no, youll never get close to experiencing the full impact of Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 Organ Symphony on this speaker.

You will be pleasantly surprised, however, to learn that the Astro plays larger than it looks. Listening to Junkie XLs Mad Max: Fury Road soundtrack, I was able to play the bombastic album to very loud listening levels with relatively little strain or distortiona key feature for backyard, beach, or poolside listening (although the Astro is not waterproof).

There were clear compromises to the top and bottom end, to be sure, but most music sounded surprisingly good. Overall, Fury Road came across nicely.

Tree Labs The Astros power and 3.5mm input are hidden behind a small silicone panel on the side of the speaker.

R.E.Ms Orange Crush and Turn You Inside-Out from the classic album, Green, were great to jam to. Album after album, track after track there was decent detail and dynamics, but there was no real bottom end at all to the music. Drums especially were robbed of their visceral impact and the overall weight of the music was thinned out.

Things were good as long as I stayed on-axis; if I moved off-axis by 15 to 20 degrees, I started to get some noticeable coloration to the music. This was readily apparent with vocals. Playing Sarah McLachlans cover of Joni Mitchells River, from McLachlans Wintersong album, cast a dark veil over Sarahs voice. Male vocalists didnt fare any better. Imagine Dragons lead man Dan Reynolds suffered the same fate on just about every track from Night Visions.

So this little David of a speaker wont slay any Goliaths, but it performed admirably for its footprint.

The bottom line

The Astro is a well-designed, fun little speaker thats easy to carry around. It sounds great for its size. The need for an AC adapter instead of USB recharging limits what could have been a much more practical portable speaker system.
News / Local

by Stephen Jakes

Zanu PF has replaced the vacant senate place left by the now People First Dzikamai Mavhaire who was fired from the party, by appointing Clemence Makwarimba as a senator for Masvingo province.This was announced by Senate President Ednah Madzongwe on Tuesday during senate."In terms of Section 39, Subsection 7(a) of the Electoral Act, Chapter 2 (13), the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has notified the Clerk of Parliament of the nomination of Hon. Senator Clemence Makwarimba as a senator," said Madzongwe. "Hon. Makwarimba, a registered voter in Ward 19 of Masvingo Rural District Council of Magan'ani rural village under Chief Mapanzure in Masvingo was nominated by the Zanu PF party to fill in the vacancy that occurred in the Senate following the recall by the Zanu PF party of the incumbent member, Hon. Dzikamai Mavhaire on the grounds that he has ceased to be a member of that party. Hon. Senator Makwarimba was duly appointed Senator for Masvingo Province with effect from 18th December, 2015."She said Section 128, Subsection I of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides that before a Member of Parliament takes his or her seat in Parliament, the Member must take the Oath of a Member of Parliament in the form set out in the Third Schedule. Section 128, subsection 2 states that the Oath must be taken before the Clerk of Parliament."I therefore call upon the Clerk of Parliament to administer the Oath of a Member of Parliament to Hon. Senator Clemence Makwarimba," she said.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Thursday announced a deal that would require Uber to encrypt geolocation information about its riders, as well as enhance its data security practices.

The AG opened an investigation into Uber in 2014, in response to allegations that the service had tracked riders and displayed their locations in an aerial format, known internally as the God View.

The AGs office opened another investigation early last year, after Uber notified it that an unauthorized third-party had accessed the names and drivers license information of Uber drivers as early as May 2014, although the company did not discover it until the following September, according to legal documents obtained by the E-Commerce Times.

We are committed to protecting the privacy of consumers and customers of any product in New York State, as well as that of any employee of any company operating here, Schneiderman said.

New Data Rules

The settlement requires that Uber encrypt rider geolocation information, adopt multifactor authentication before any Uber employee can access sensitive rider information, and engage in other protection practices, according to the AGs office.

The settlement also requires Uber to pay a US$20,000 penalty for failing to provide timely notice to drivers and to the AGs office regarding the September 2014 data breach.

We are deeply committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of riders and drivers, Uber said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Matt Wing. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the New York Attorney General that resolves these questions and makes it clear our commitment to best practices that put our community first.

Weve Been Expecting You

Buzzfeed reporter Johana Bhuiyan in 2014 discovered that her Uber ride had been tracked as she traveled to the companys Long Island City headquarters while on assignment to interview its New York general manager.

She had not given prior consent to the tracking, and it was against company policy to do such a thing, according to a Buzzfeed exclusive report.

The AGs office mentioned the Buzzfeed article in its announcement of the settlement; however, Wing declined to comment on the incident.

Uber last year posted a privacy policy that mentioned the hiring of law firm Hogan Lovells to review the companys privacy practices.

Uber conducts annual privacy and security training, has an employee designated to supervise it, and takes other steps that already comply with the AG agreement, it said.

Companies often fail to protect sensitive customer data, according to Charles Duan, staff attorney at Public Knowledge, who pointed to the AT&T breach in which call center employees had access to customer data, including 280,000 Social Security numbers.

I expect that many consumers will now start to think twice before hitting that Uber request button, he told the E-Commerce Times. Ubers ride service is largely based on the idea that its better than taxis, and now theyve shown that taxis are actually superior in at least one respect  namely, privacy and anonymity.
An iPhone with a 4-inch display and some features found in Apples latest models will launch in March or April, 9to5Mac reported last week.

The model reportedly will be called the iPhone 5se  for special edition  and will be offered at the same price point as the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 5se will have design features similar to the 5s, which was released in 2013, but it will have internal, hardware and software features gleaned from more recent models, according to the report, which cited unnamed Apple sources. Those features include the following:

Curved glass edges like the iPhone 6 and 6s;

8-megapixel rear and 1.2-MP front cameras;

Support for panorama photos and for autofocus in video mode;

A barometer to track elevation in the Health app;

An NFC chip for use with Apple Pay;

The iPhone 6s A8 and M8 processors;

Support for Bluetooth 4.2, VoLTE and 802.11ac WiFi, all found in the iPhone 6s;

Live Photos from the 6s;

A headphone jack; and

6s color offerings in silver, space gray, gold and rose gold.

Cant Wrap Hands Around Phone

Release of the rumored iPhone 5se could be a winning strategy for Apple.

It seems very likely that Apple has demand for a 4-inch iPhone, and that they will accommodate the market with one some time this year, said Tim Bajarin, president ofCreative Strategies.

Its a very likely and viable product. It wont be their best-selling phone, but it will offer an option for folks who are interested in that size screen, said Bob ODonnell, chief analyst withTechnalysis Research.

Apples newer models with larger screens are not pocketable, noted Ramon T. Llamas, a senior research analyst for mobile devices technology and trends at IDC.

There are lots of Apple users out there who like Apples products but cant wrap their hands around some of these larger phones, even if theyre only 4.7 inches, he told TechNewsWorld. The [iPhone 5se] is an acknowledgement of what some customers have been asking for some time now.

Balancing Price and Features

A number of Apple users are sticking with older iPhone models like the iPhone 5 and 5s because of the size issue, Llamas pointed out.

On the other hand, people dont want to skimp out on every feature, he said. They may not get 3D touch with the [iPhone 5se], but theyre going to get Apple Pay, Siri and FaceTime.

The se stands for special edition, but maybe they should call it the ge for good enough,' he noted.

Youre not getting all the latest, greatest features, Llamas continued, but youre getting the features that most people can get by on.

A number of factors would be needed for the iPhone 5se to be successful, said Carolina Milanesi, chief of research atKantar Worldpanel ComTech. They include a price tag lower than other iPhone models, features that drive user engagement and monetization for Apple, and enough differentiation that consumers who can afford to buy a more expensive model will do so.

I feel that Apple has learned from the 5c, and if all the rumors about the [5se] are true, they would hit all my points, she told TechNewsWorld.

What I feel people should not count on is a drastically cheaper iPhone, as this is still not Apples business, Milanesi said.

Breaking Cadence

If Apple were to introduce an iPhone with a 4-inch display, it would expand the screen options for customers looking to upgrade their phones.

Many people, especially with smaller hands, prefer the 4-inch models, while others like the 5-inch and 5.5-inch versions, Creative Strategies Bajarin told TechNewsWorld.

Apple would just be giving customers more options, he added.

The iPhone 5se also could open up a worthwhile revenue channel for Apple.

If youre Apple and you see how much of your revenue is driven by the iPhone, youll want to take a look at some adjacent markets where you can reap incremental revenues, while at the same time leverage what you already have in place, IDCs Llamas said.

Although a release of a new iPhone in the spring would break the cadence for phone introductions  theyre usually released in September  Apple has been known to break cadence now and again.

Every once in a while Apple will do something like that  just slip a product out all of sudden, Technalysis ODonnell told TechNewsWorld. It tends to be a modestly iterative version of a previous product. I think thats how theyre going to treat this one.
It was reported last month that Google was increasing its focus on VR by forming its own dedicated virtual reality computing division. Now, a report from the Financial Times claims that the company will be releasing a device this year as a direct competitor to Samsung's Gear VR headset.

Right now, Google's consumer virtual reality range consists of Cardboard, its cheap yet fun mobile VR viewer. The company's upcoming device is said to be more like Samsung's more advanced smartphone-powered Gear VR headset, featuring better sensors, lenses and a more solid plastic casing, according to people familiar with its plans.

The headset will apparently be compatible with a wider range of Android phones than the Gear VR, which only works with select Samsung Galaxy models. Google is hoping to improve the smartphone virtual reality experience by inserting VR software directly into the Android OS, rather than relying on an app as it does with Cardboard. It's hoped that this will help reduce the lag many users often experience when using Cardboard and the Gear VR.

Samsung has hinted that its Unpacked event at the Mobile World Congress will have a strong focus on VR. Whether this means the upcoming S7 will bring new and improved features to the Gear VR, or if Samsung is releasing a successor to its headset (or both), we'll just have to wait and see.

Google has refused to comment on the reports, but CEO Sundar Pichai said last week that cardboard was "just the first step" in its VR efforts. "Beyond these efforts, you'll see a lot more from us and our partners in 2016."

With Google Cardboard proving so popular, and an ever-increasing number of tech companies pouring resources into the VR field, it's not too surprising to learn that Google plans to release an updated VR device. If it really is an improvement over the Gear VR and turns out to be compatible with a wide range of smartphones, the headset will likely match the success of Google's first virtual reality effort. Expect to learn more at the company's I/O developer conference in May.
One in three of America's licensed lawyers have serious drinking problem and many suffer from depression and anxiety, findings of a new study funded by the American Bar Association and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation reveal.

Many lawyers turn out to be drinking in a manner that is deemed harmful and potentially alcohol dependent and this reflects the stress and cultural norms in their highly competitive field.

A survey of more than 12,000 employed lawyers in 19 states across the U.S. have revealed that the rate of problem drinking is highest among lawyers who are below 30 years old at 31.9 percent followed by junior associates at law firms at 31.1 percent.

The prevalence of drinking in this age group could be partly driven by the tendency of younger Americans to drink heavily but it may also be a reflection of the stress that young lawyers experience in the highly competitive field.

Young lawyers often have to work harder to be successful. Young practitioners likewise face student debt and difficulty in finding a job, which places them under great stress.

"There is a sense that it is a perfect storm of variables that lead to higher incidence of problem drinking, partly to do with people who are attracted to the profession in the first place-competitive, driven, ambitious, hardworking people who prioritize success and accomplishment way above personal health and well-being," lawyer and study author Patrick Krill said.

Practitioners in other high-stress and competitive fields like medicine may also experience the same pressure and share the same competitive traits with lawyers but the survey shows that the extent of drinking problem among lawyers is different in that on a measure based on the quantity and frequency of alcohol use, the rate of problem drinking among lawyers is twice that of doctors.

Krill said that the prevalence of heavy drinking among lawyers suggests of a cultural nature. He said that firm lawyers are encouraged to socialize with their clients and this often involves alcohol. Problem drinking thus become normalized within many law firms.

Because alcohol abuse is also linked to mental health, it is not surprising that 28 percent of those who were surveyed reported to be suffering from depression. This rate is more than three times the prevalence of depression in general population with only 8 percent of the general public experiencing a bout of depression in a year.

Nineteen percent of the surveyed lawyers were also found to have anxiety issues and 23 percent reported to be suffering from stress.

Krill and colleagues said that the findings highlight a need for prevention and treatment interventions that are specifically addressed for lawyers.

"Attorneys experience problematic drinking that is hazardous, harmful, or otherwise consistent with alcohol use disorders at a higher rate than other professional populations," the researchers wrote in their study, which was published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine. "Mental health distress is also significant. These data underscore the need for greater resources for lawyer assistance programs, and also the expansion of available attorney-specific prevention and treatment interventions."

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
News / Local

by Staff Reporter

Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators and Former Political Detainees Deputy Minister, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube has come in full force supporting girls to remain v.irgins until they are married.He was the guest of honour at the Guta Ra Mwari church annual camp meeting in Bulawayo's Tshabalala suburb."We're proud of our churches which play a leading role when it comes to moral issues. I'm particularly impressed with Guta Ra Mwari church, an indigenous church that still upholds the principle of encouraging young women to preserve their v.irginity until they get married," said Tshinga.The church also commended the recent ruling by the Constitutional Court outlawing child marriages with a declaration that said neither boys nor girls can lawfully marry until the age of 18.
Fusion reactor Wendelstein 7-X of the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics was able to generate its first hydrogen plasma by firing it up to a scorching 80 million degrees Celsius.

The event marks the start of the researchers' scientific operation after nearly two decades of construction, not to mention billions of Euros in investments.

The researchers take inspiration from the sun and stars, which are able to derive energy from the fusion of atomic nuclei. To do that, they need to achieve the high temperatures of the said cosmic materials.

The question now is how were they able to implore a piece of the sun and use it in an experiment on Earth?

The researchers from both IPP and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory kept the superheated plasma inside a magnetic field that was produced by superconducting coils, which temperatures have been lowered down to almost absolute zero. The plasma never touched the walls of the vacuum.

There are two types of fusion reactor device designs: the tokamak and the stellarator. Wendelstein is a stellarator, which has the advantage of generating continuous power, instead of mere energy pulses.

The objective of the entire experiment is to create limitless, safe and clean energy via fusion power plants.

"Rising energy demands and the vision of an almost inexhaustible energy source are convincing arguments for investing in fusion," says German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel was the one who pushed the button to generate the device's first hydrogen plasma at a gathering on Feb. 3 in Greifswald, Germany. The event was attended by several guests in the fields of science and politics.

The experiment is still in its initial stage, which will run until mid-March. After this time, the plasma container will be opened so scientists can put carbon tiles for the improved protection of vessel walls and the impurity-removing divertor.

Project head Dr. Thomas Klinger says these centers will allow scientists to achieve higher heating powers, temperatures and longer discharges that can last up to ten seconds.

The scientists plan to perform consecutive extensions in the next four years until they are able to generate discharges that last 30 seconds.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The universe has many mysteries that are yet to be unveiled. A proposed moon-orbiting spacecraft, Dark Ages Radio Explorer (DARE), aims to probe the period of the formation of the first stars, black holes and galaxies with a little help from the moon.

The radio explorer seeks to answer specific questions about the mysterious universe: When did the stars first appear? How did black holes formed or when did they first appear? The scientists behind the new spacecraft hopes that this new project will shed light on further understanding of the universe.

Equipped with a red-shifted hyperfine 21-cm (8.27 inches) transition from neutral nitrogen, DARE will go to the far side of the moon to uncover secrets of the dark ages of the universe by escaping the Earth's noisy and disruptive environment.

"The moon, in this case, is just a big blocking disk," Jack Burns, director of the Lunar University Network for Astrophysics Research at University of Colorado, Boulder and DARE's principal investigator, said.

"We've argued that this is a unique way, and may turn out to be effectively the only way, of probing these first stars and galaxies that occurred in our universe - that led to galaxies like the Milky Way, stars like our sun, several generations later," he added.

The universe's dark ages is characterized by an era of darkness even before the first stars, galaxies and cosmos emerged. Though there are many discoveries that happened in the past decades, there are still much to uncover and at present, scientists and astronomers hope to understand the mystery of how the universe began around 13.8 billion years ago.

It is widely known that the universe formed through the Big Bang and earliest light called cosmic microwave background (CMB) was detected from about 400,000 years after. The researchers developing DARE plan to measure neutral hydrogen. This gas filled the universe when it began.

The astronomers suggest that having the observations done in a very quiet place. They need a spot where they can perform observations, the Earth's radio waves are shielded, and Sun's rays are shielded too. By doing this, astronomers could collect high-quality data.

The team wants to submit the proposal to NASA's Explorer program this year, and if chosen, the mission is expected to launch by 2021 to 2022.

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It seems that Samsung has killed off the idea of launching its Galaxy S7 Edge+, specifically in the United Kingdom. A new report has emerged suggesting that rather than bringing the Galaxy S7 Edge+ to this region, Samsung will instead roll out the Galaxy Note 6.

Citing its "source high up" at one of the major networks in the UK, a report from Techradar says that the Galaxy-maker has no intentions in launching the Galaxy S7 Edge+ phone and will rather offer the Galaxy Note 6 as being its major phablet in the UK.

It looks like the company has realized its mistake from last year. Back then, Samsung's strategy was to release the Galaxy S6 Edge+ in some regions, including Europe, and the Galaxy Note 5 in other parts of the globe. Apparently, this turned out to be not a good move from the company. Essentially, the source was even quoted as saying that one of the main reasons for the change of heart from 2015 is a "backlash from loyal Note fans" in the region.

"Samsung isn't going to launch the S7 Edge+ in the UK," the source says. "I got the impression that it had been a bit of a disappointment sales-wise and that the decision to keep the Note 5 out of Europe is now considered a mistake."

The source went on to say that the Note 6 is going to be launched in the UK this coming August. There will be no S7 Edge+ in this particular part of the globe.

The source did not go into the detail, though, as to whether the firm still has plans in releasing an S7 Edge+. A report from Android Headlines, however, says that it is still likely that the South Korea-based company could release the S7 Edge+ model as the source only seemed to focus on the fact that Note 6 will be a replacement for the S7 Edge+ in the UK.

Also, what remains a mystery at the moment is why the company would not just roll these two phones out on all of its markets, instead of releasing them separately in specific regions.

At any rate, the Samsung Galaxy S7 alongside its bigger sibling Galaxy S7 Edge+ will be unveiled later this month at the Samsung Unpacked event on Feb. 21. The 2016 Mobile World Congress is also pegged to kick off just after the said event in Barcelona and we might get a lot more that we're expecting during this event.

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India may have recorded the first human fatality due to a meteorite.

Indian officials confirmed that a meteorite hit the premises of a private engineering college last Saturday, killing one person.

Once scientists confirm the still-mysterious explosion to be due to a falling space rock, the case would be the first recorded meteorite-caused human death.

Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa released a statement to the Indian media confirming the fatality.

"A mishap occurred yesterday when a meteorite fell in the campus of a private engineering college in Vellore district's K Pantharappalli village, says Jayalalithaa.

The explosion occurred in the city of Vellore in the south Indian state of Tamil, which has a population of over 70 million.

Reports revealed that a bus driver  identified only as Kamaraj  was walking in the campus when he was allegedly struck by the meteorite and died. The victim was reportedly thrown 10 feet into the air by the explosion and pronounced dead in the hospital.

The impact, where witness accounts pointed to a mysterious object falling from the sky, was said to also injure three others and damage nearby buildings and vehicles.

Authorities earlier pointed to a bomb blast, yet forensic experts could not bring forward any trace of explosives. Instead, officials claimed to have recovered a piece of meteorite from a 2-foot-deep crater near a water tank in the site of the incident.

The irregularly shaped object, retrieved by a team headed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), weighs about 50 grams and is hardly 2 centimeters (0.79 inch) wide. It is brown-black in color and features air bubbles on a rigid surface.

Vellore district police also sought the help of researchers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics to examine the specimen and confirm if it is a meteorite.

The site of the incident is around 20 kilometers away from Bethaveppampattu, where a similar item suspected to be a meteorite fell last January 26. The object produced a perfect circle in a farm area, with no recorded casualty.

There has been no confirmed human death from meteorites so far, although they occasionally strike buildings and vehicles. Perhaps the closest to date would be the 2013 incident in Chelyabinsk in Russia, where a superbolide explosion in the city skies injured over 1,000 individuals and damaged hundreds of structures.

Photo: Jeff Barton | Flickr

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Google Chromecast 2 is finally reaching Australia after nearly five months of its international release.

Google announced the second-generation of its streaming device, Chromecast, in late September 2015. The Chromecast 2 has a sleek disc-shaped design and is faster than its predecessor.

"The new Chromecast has a fresh design, and is easier to plug into TVs with crowded ports. It supports the latest Wi-Fi standards and adapts more easily to changing Wi-Fi conditions in your home, so you get higher quality video with less buffering. Most importantly, we added two new colors," says Google.

Google Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio, which was launched in September 2015 as well, have made way to the shelves in many regions but there is no official word for the launch of the dongles in Australia.

According to Ausdroid, Australians will not have to wait for long as the new Chromecast 2 and the Chromecast Audio will start shipping in the country within one or two weeks.

"The dongles are both listed in the JB Hifi inventory system, with the launch expected to come within the next couple of weeks," says Ausdroid. "The SKU's are in the system, with JB using 937278for the Chromecast 2 and 937282 for Chromecast Audio - both of which unfortunately do not show up in a search on their site."

JB Hifi has listed the Chromecast 2 for $59, which is higher than the price of the existing Chromecast that is priced at $49 in Australia.

Ausdroid also reported that another online retailer Kogan has also listed the second-generation Chromecast in Yellow, Black and Coral colors. Kogan has also advertised the Chromecast 2 and the Chromecast Audio for $59.

"The Chromecast Audio and Coral/Yellow Chromecast 2 are listed as 'Coming Soon' but the Black Chromecast 2 is listed as able to leave their warehouse in 1-2 weeks," says Ausdroid.

Google Australia has not officially confirmed the arrival of the Chromecast 2 and Chromecast Audio in the country. However, the listing of the dongles on the two websites suggests that these will be released sooner than later.

In July 2013, Google released the first-generation Chromecast and it attracted a large number of people who wanted to cast a browser window on their TV at an affordable price. In May 2015, Google revealed that it sold more than 17 million units of Chromecast across the world, which shows at the high popularity of the device.

Chromecast 2 is expected to increase the reputation of the streaming device even more and availability in Australia may spike the sales of the dongle.

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The parents of a newborn boy delivered at University Medical Center in Lebanon, Tennessee were horrified when they were told that their baby was subjected to surgery after he was only supposed to be taken for a routine physical inspection.

According reports, the doctor who had performed the surgery somehow performed a tongue clipping procedure on the wrong baby without a signed consent form.

Jennifer Melton, the mother of Nate, the baby who underwent the unnecessary surgery, reportedly broke down into hysterics when a nurse returned her son to her after a few hours and told her about the surgery to clip his tongue.

That was when Melton learned that a frenectomy was performed on her baby.

A frenectomy is a surgical procedure that clips or removes a flap of skin under the tongue to allow mobility if it impedes movement. However, Nate's tongue was normal and he was subjected to the procedure needlessly.

The doctor who performed the surgery without the parents' signed consent has not been identified, however, admitted his error in the hospital report about the incident:

"... I had asked for the wrong infant. I had likely performed the procedure on an infant different than the one I intended to ... and I admitted my mistake and apologized," he said.

Melton and Nate's father have hired an attorney who said that there is simply no excuse for the mix-up.

"It's recklessness. There's no excuse for cutting on a healthy child. There's no excuse for mixing up babies at a hospital," said Clint Kelly, the couple's lawyer.

"Essentially they took our child who was healthy from the room and cut his mouth," said Melton in an exclusive interview with WTVF.

Although a frenectomy is described as a minor procedure which is sometimes even performed at a dentist office, Kelly noted that the infant surgery could affect Nate's development as he grows, particular if he will have future eating or speech problems.

The hospital has not commented on the case stating federal privacy regulations.

Photos: Bridget Coila | Flickr

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Netflix has been struggling to shut down subscribers accessing movies and shows not available in other countries. However, its efforts have mostly been futile as Internet Protocol address masking and Virtual Private Network usage, and other methods remain one step ahead of them. However, a Canadian researcher has proposed a new way that can help Netflix stop so-called content tourists for good.

AbdelRahman Abdou, from Carleton University Computer Security Lab, has come up with a method that does not look at a user's IP address in order to determine their location. Instead, he has been studying network measurement, which determines the location of a person accessing data by the physical and measurable properties of the internet.

Netflix's current fix for reinforcing geo-blocks is based on a user's IP address, which are easily masked to make the server think the user is in a location apart from where they really are.

Abdou's system bypasses user-submitted information for geo-blocking and instead measures the metrics of the network itself.

As a non-scientific example of how his system works, he explained that a 5-millisecond delay may be expected when data from Toronto, Canada is delivered to North Carolina in the U.S. However, if a user is merely masking their IP to only appear to be located in North Carolina, but is actually in China using a VPN, that delivery time would be twice as long due to the physical distance between the locations.

The system that Abdou proposes could theoretically work better than current systems because data travels on physical fiber-optic, copper cables and on wireless radio waves are at more or less known speed. Therefore, a drastic deviation from known measurements can be a good indicator that a user is hiding behind a VPN to mask their true location.

Drawbacks still exist with this type of identification system, however, because delays in data delivery could also be due to other factors such as data congestion on the network. Moreover, some companies are reluctant to adopt the technology because the test could potentially slow down their service.

However, Abdou says that such delays would only be about one or two seconds long and could be strategically done when the user is busy with other on-site tasks.

In the case of Netflix, for example, those two seconds of measurements could take place in the background as the user initially scrolls through the list of available media deciding on what to watch, he said.

Photo: Helge Thomas | Flickr

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Niagara Falls, at least its American side, could soon run dry.

But it won't happen out of a strange phenomenon or some sick joke on nature. The New York State Office of Parks proposed the temporary dewatering of the famed natural sight to replace a number of old bridges connecting different sections of Niagara Falls State Park.

The planned dewatering will affect American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, two out of three adjacent falls.

The concrete arch bridges, offering visitors access to Goat Island, are believed to have deteriorated significantly since their construction in the 1900s. They were last closed back in 2004, when park officials provided temporary bridges situated above the aging concrete ones.

According to an environmental assessment report, the 115-year-old bridges must be replaced.

Analysis of the superstructures of the bridges concluded that rehabilitation of the bridges is not a viable alternative, given the extensive deterioration of the existing arches, and the type of construction that was originally used for these bridges, says the report (PDF).

Park officials said that the replacement bridges need to be constructed in the dry, which will ensure that the new foundations are tightly anchored to bedrock and that the original bridge will be completely removed once demolished.

While the entire plan is projected to take two years, Niagara Falls could be dewatered for either five or nine months.

It is still uncertain, however, when the American Falls will be shut off, but it is certain that it will not happen anytime soon.

Itll be three years at the soonest before work begins, but more likely five, six, or seven, estimated parks spokesperson Angela Berti in an interview.

Niagara Falls is located on the western side of New York, on the Canadian border. The Niagara River links Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, and drops over 100 feet about halfway between the two bodies of water. On the Canadian side lies one of the three distinct falls: Horseshoe Falls, the towering 165-foot marvel that accounts for around 85 percent of the river flow.

The American side of the renowned falls last ran dry in 1969, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers implemented a geological survey to probe erosion of the popular landmark. Tourists, though, continued to pour in and reached a reported 89,790 in one weekend.

The dewatering aspect is expected to take up a mere $3 million of the projected $27 million project.

Photo: Joe deSousa | Flickr

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Customers of TPG Telecom in Australia are battling slow Internet services due to a major fiber fault in its international submarine cable.

TPG's fiber cable fault occurred over the weekend as the Internet service provider's Sydney-Guam submarine cable suffered a major setback.

On Friday, the cable which is operated by Pipe (TPG's subsidiary) went down per the fault notice posted by the operator.

The PPC-1 submarine cable line between Guam and Sydney is the one affected by the fault, which has taken down the 4,287 mile-long cable.

"At approximately 20:00:10 AEDT on Feb. 5, 2016, the TPG Network Operations Centre received multiple alarms for the PPC-1 cable system between Sydney and Guam," states the TPG notice. "The alarms indicated that a submarine line card had lost its payload. A Network Incident ticket was created and the issue was immediately escalated to the PPC-1 transmission engineering team."

The operator has revealed that the Transmission engineering team  in tandem with infrastructure vendors  has conducted preliminary investigations and found that a fiber fault existed nearly 2,852 miles from Guam.

Australian subscribers of the service will be facing slow Internet due to the unforeseen problem.

In the interim, the Australian-Japan Cable system and the Southern Cross Cable will be deployed to route traffic and used as substitutes said the TPG Telecom.

When Will The Issue Be Resolved?

The outage is expected to last a while and will not be fixed before March. Initially, it was anticipated that the outage will take a little over a month to be sorted  the repair date is said to be March 7  but since repair crews are occupied with another job, it is not known when the fault will be resolved.

The maintenance ship that the TPG Telecom has a contract with to rectify the submarine cable faults is currently engaged in fixing the Basslink cable system, which is between contracted Victoria and Tasmania.

During the outage, TPG is routing traffic via Southern Cross and the Australian-Japan Cable system.

"TPG has started to work with our maintenance contractor to understand when we can mobilize a repair ship to the specific location. Due to the nature of the fault, resolution is expected to take an extended period," said the notice.

Meanwhile, Irate TPG customers have expressed their displeasure on the slow browsing speeds.

"Since Friday night, has anyone else been noticing very slow international Internet browsing? Often getting timeouts loading various web sites, or takes a very long time to load up," complained a user.

The issue sheds light on the dependency of the Internet systems in Australia on a few limited communication lines.

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With the first case of human-to-human transmission of the Zika virus through sexual contact having been confirmed in Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new set of guidelines to help protect people from contracting the illness through the practice.

While the Zika virus has been proven to be transmissible through sexual intercourse, the health agency stressed that the illness is still mainly contracted through mosquito bites.

As of the moment, the CDC has not received reports of the virus having been passed on from infected women to their partners through intercourse.

The agency, however, is expected to update its guidelines regarding possible sexually transmitted Zika virus as soon as it receives additional information.

For Pregnant Women And Their Male Sex Partners

The CDC advises pregnant women and their partners to familiarize themselves with the different symptoms related to Zika infection, as well as to discuss the dangers of transmitting the disease to each other with their health care provider.

Those who live in or have traveled to countries where a Zika virus outbreak has been reported should regularly use latex condoms when engaging in vaginal, anal, or oral sex with their partners.

It is also advisable to abstain from any sexual activity throughout the duration of the woman's pregnancy.

For Non-Pregnant Women And Their Male Sex Partners

Couples who live in or have traveled to places where a Zika virus outbreak has been identified should use latex condoms during sex or to abstain from any sexual activity to prevent any possible transmission of the infection.

They can consider the following information on the Zika virus to help them decide on whether to push through with their plan to engage in protected sex or to forgo the activity entirely:

1. Illness caused by the Zika infection is often mild, with four out of five people with the virus never even developing any signs or symptoms of the disease. Patients who show symptoms of infection typically have them for a few days to about a week.

2. The likelihood of contracting the Zika virus depends on how long and how much an individual has been exposed to disease-carrying mosquitoes. It can also depend on the type of precautionary measures the individual has taken while staying in an infected area.

Researchers are still trying to figure out how long exactly the infection risk should be avoided. Women who are trying to become pregnant should consider getting tested when discussing the risk of Zika infection with their health care provider.

Photo: Mahalie Stackpole | Flickr

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News / National

by Ivan Zhakata

A Harare man has chased his wife out of their matrimonial home to create room for his girlfriend, the Harare Civil Court heard.Delicate Chapfudze told his wife, Pamela Mukombe that he was no longer interested in her, but his girlfriend so she should move out of their house.Mukombe, who was seeking a protection order against Chapfudze, pleaded with magistrate Ms Gamuchirai Siwardi to stop him from chasing her out of the house as she had nowhere to go."He is my husband and he is chasing me out of our matrimonial house saying he wants to bring his girlfriend," she said.Chapfudze did not deny the allegations. He told the court Mukombe was refusing to be divorced that is why he has resorted to forcefully chasing her out of the house.Ms Siwardi ordered Chapfudze not to chase Mukombe out of their matrimonial house, but to divorce her customarily if he no longer loves her.
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus boast one of the best cameras in the business and Apple is known to aggressively promote the smartphone's superior camera capabilities.

But what happens when the company's CEO commits a PR blunder that is definitely unexpected from the Apple head honcho? Social media wrath!

That's exactly what Tim Cook discovered when a blurry image he took at the Super Bowl 50 and naively posted on the microblogging site offset a chain of nasty Twitter reactions.

In an impulsive moment, Cook tweeted a photo of the playground taken using his iPhone. The photograph captured the celebratory moments of the Denver Broncos' win over the Carolina Panthers at the Super Bowl 50.

However, the image posted by Cook was extremely blurry.

Within minutes of it being uploaded, the image sparked a social media uproar, with Twitter users taking jibes at the Apple CEO for the blurry image. The unforgiving tweets ridiculed Cook and someone even asked him to "try using a Samsung phone for a better pic!"

Here are some of the other reactions on Twitter:

"bruh that's the best photo you could take?" asked Joe Eich.

"was that taken from an iphone? Jeez I hope not Tim," said Mark Freeman.

"I believe you took this photo without wearing your glasses," ribbed Loai.

The jibes kept coming as Twitter users questioned the capabilities of the iPhone and passed tongue-in-cheek remarks that Cook may have used the iPhone 7 for taking the photo.

Cook, however, can take solace in the fact that he was not only one to have committed a faux pas. Actress Taraji P. Henson also made a major Super Bowl slip-up when she enthusiastically tweeted that during the half-time show, she was watching Maroon 5 when in fact it was Coldplay in front of her.

The online ribbing may have gotten to Cook, as the Apple CEO shared a different picture from the Super Bowl on Twitter - one which was not out of focus - possibly to redeem himself.

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Nike's sub-company Nike Vision, which produces prescription eyewear and sunglasses, will release a new line of sunglasses aimed at runners this spring.

The new lineup will feature five new models, including the more expensive Nike Vaporwing Elite "smart glasses" that have a $395 price tag.

But don't expect the "smart" sunglasses to feature electronics that will help track a run.

Instead, Nike Vision partnered with the lens company Zeiss Optics to create glasses that are designed to conform to the shape of the user's face and include a combined lens, along with openings and frame channels to wick away sweat to help reduce fogging.

The Vaporwing Elite uses "vision technology" that features fancy optics that allows the runner to focus on a moving target and accurately identify objects and measure the distance in front of them. This can be useful for long-distance runners who like to keep their eyes on a landmark with the goal of making it there at the fastest speed before slowing down the pace.

They are lightweight and made for serious runners, but include a sporty and sleek fashionable look for everyday wear when out and about being active. The Nike Vaporwing Elite glasses will come in three color options: matte black frame with speed tint red-flash lens, matte white frame with speed tint silver- to gold-flash lens and matte obsidian frame with standard speed-tint lens.

Nike Vision's new spring running line includes the Nike Vaporwing Elite for $395, the Nike Vaporwing for $395, and the Nike Tailwind, the Nike Tailwind Swift and the Nike Bandit, which all run from $145 to $165.

The Nike Tailwind and Bandit will be avialble in RX through Nike Vision Rx program.

The spring line of glasses will be released on April 1.

Source: CNET

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Being a Power Ranger isn't as easy as it looks. You think that Dinozoids, Power Coins and taking orders from a giant disembodied head with a pet robot automatically makes you capable of fighting a horn-hatted space witch with an comically-evil laugh?

Unfortunately, you need to be in tip-top fighting order to wear a spandex onesie with a dinosaur-inspired helmet  which, for the new cast of the Power Rangers movie reboot, means hitting the gym for the purpose of performing their own action sequences.

Castmates Dacre Montgomery (who plays the Red Ranger), Becky Gomez (who plays the Yellow Ranger), Ludi Lin (the Black Ranger) and RJ Cyler (the Blue Ranger) all posted videos and pics of their workout regimens on Instagram, as first reported and compiled by MovieWeb. The videos showcase the actors pumping iron, roundhouse kicking and practicing what appears to be some intense swordplay with a punching bag (Naomi Scott, who plays the Pink Ranger, is the only one without any training vids uploaded to her Instagram; the actor has only has three photos uploaded on her page to date).

As per Montgomery's most recent video post, training might have already been wrapped  if not for all of the cast, then at least some of them. The actor thanked his trainers in the post's caption.

"... I've come so far in the last few months and still have so much to learn and space to grow," stated Montgomery.

So, why all the work?

Later iterations of the Power Rangers series aside, the original American TV version of the Japanese franchise (known as the Super Sentai series) had its cast perform minimal stunt work, splicing action-packed footage from the Saban-produced parent show, showing the Rangers in climactic full-on battle mode against each minion their arch-nemesis Rita Repulsa threw their way in almost every  if not every  episode.

Unlike their predecessors, the cast for the upcoming 2017 movie will have a lot more physical work, even if stunt doubles end up being hired to handle the more dangerous stuff. Besides, when one of your Big Bads is none other than Elizabeth Banks, who confirmed signing on to play Rita only a week ago, you're going to need all the help you can get. She's only the secondary villain of the film  Banks will play second fiddle to Scorpina, one of Rita's presumably former minions (as of now, there is no word on who will play Baddie Numera Una).

The Power Rangers reboot is scheduled to be released in theaters on March 24, 2017.

Check out the cast of the upcoming Power Rangers flick getting pumped in a few of the their Insta' video clips and photos below, courtesy of MovieWeb.

A video posted by Becky Gomez (@iambeckyg) on Feb 2, 2016 at 8:45pm PST

Just kickin it. A video posted by Ludi Lin (@ludilin) on Jan 24, 2016 at 12:07pm PST

Last training session today! Massive shoutout and a huge thank you to the guys down @waimaclub Phil, Andrew and Graham. It's been an incredible journey and I've come so far in the last few months and still have so much to learn and space to grow. I feel honoured to have been trained by you guys, such an inspiration! Time to get cracking #redranger A video posted by Dacre Montgomery (@dacremontgomery) on Feb 5, 2016 at 6:57pm PST

Source: MovieWeb

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Onimusha was a strange game. First released back in 2001, Capcom's action-RPG combined elements of hack-and-slash games, Japanese mythology and Resident Evil. While that may sound like a garbled mess of a game, Onimusha quickly gathered its own dedicated fanbase. From 2001 to 2006, Capcom released the original game, three sequels and a number of spin-offs - then, for whatever reason, the series went dormant.

After nine years of no Onimusha, it should come as no surprise that most fans thought the series was dead. Aside from a half-baked browser game back in 2012, Capcom showed no interest in revisiting one of its biggest franchises - with gaming icons like Mega Man getting sidelined, what hope did Onimusha have?

While the Blue Bomber may be stuck in gaming purgatory for the time being, Onimusha may have gotten lucky: in an interview with The Daily Star, Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono confirmed that the publisher is considering reviving its demon-slaying action-adventure series.

"Capcom, as a company, knows we have many brands, IPs and series that are beloved by players around the world - and we always have fans asking us, when is this or that game coming back? I've spoken internally with people who made Onimusha with me originally, and talked about maybe how interesting it would be to revisit that series."

Now, before anyone claims that Capcom just confirmed an Onimusha reboot, know that Ono only said that the publisher is discussing the possibility - simply put, Onimusha has a long ways to go before it returns to store shelves.

"...fans should know that we're not further down that road than the discussion phase. Right now, I'm so focused on Street Fighter V that I'm not really in a position to start that same level of battle that I had getting Street Fighter IV made."

Capcom may not be committing to the franchise revival quite yet, but it wouldn't be the first time that internal discussions have led to a oft-requested game. Last year, Capcom asked fans about a Resident Evil 2 HD remake before confirming that the project was in the works...and there's also that mysterious Onimusha trademark that Capcom filed late last year. Could Capcom be further along in the discussions than Ono is letting on?

If Capcom is getting set to revive Onimusha, don't expect to play it anytime soon - at best, fans can hope for a reveal trailer at E3 2016 this June.

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It's hard to find a Batman villain as classic as Hugo Strange. While the mad doctor may not be quite as well-known as his contemporaries, Hugo Strange has played a pivotal role in DC's comic book universe on a number of occasions.

Be it in comics, TV or video games, there are only a few Gotham rogues smart enough to figure out who the man beneath the cowl really is  and Strange was the first.

Of course, with Strange playing such a huge part in the comic books over the years, it was really only a matter of time before he found his way onto Gotham. Fox's re-imagined look at Gotham City before Batman was included or paid homage to just about every major villain in the Caped Crusader's rogues gallery  and Hugo Strange is no different. The only problem is that fans have yet to see actor B.D. Wong in costume ... until now.

Thanks to a post over at his Instagram account, B.D. Wong has given fans their first official look at one of Batman's all-time greatest enemies  and, in all honesty, he's looking pretty damn good.

WE GET STRANGE ON FEBRUARY 29. #strange @gothamonfox @gotham A photo posted by BD Wong (@wongbd) on Feb 8, 2016 at 11:29am PST

It should come as no surprise that BD Wong's take on Strange is slightly different than the original comic book character; Fox has been tweaking Gotham's origin stories ever since the first season. For all intents and purposes, however, it looks like B.D. Wong's version of Strange will be relatively faithful to its inspiration  minus the obvious (and relatively inconsequential) difference in ethnicity.

To be fair, it's still too early to know if the latest take on one of the Dark Knight's greatest adversaries will live up to its lineage  fans will just have to find out one way or the other on the Feb. 29 episode of Gotham.

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Hours after a magnitude-6.4 earthquake destroyed buildings in Taiwan, four state lawmakers said they want California to help fund an earthquake early warning system, which has been stalled by a lack of funding.Theres no valid reason not to make this relatively small investment in an early warning system that has the potential to save the lives of Californians, state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, said in a statement. I urge my colleagues and the governor to join us in fulfilling our primary responsibility of protecting the public.Added state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, a former speaker of the state Assembly, in the statement: Its crucial that we fund a statewide earthquake early warning system and get it in place right away.The voices of support that emerged Friday for the warning system mark a change in tone at the State Capitol, where there had been few outspoken supporters of the system in recent years. On Wednesday, H.D. Palmer, deputy director for the Department of Finance, said that Californias policy is to not use money from the general fund for the early warning system.But it was becoming increasingly unclear when the public could expect to see the earthquake early warning system on their cellphones, computers and televisions, with no solution in sight for full funding.The total cost of building the system across the West Coast is $38 million, plus $16 million a year to operate it. For California alone, the cost is $23 million to construct the network, and $12 million annually to maintain it.Congress and President Obama have already kicked in about half of the $16 million annual cost to operate the program, but federal elected officials have said California, Oregon and Washington ought to contribute substantial amounts of money for the network.Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, hailed the interest of state lawmakers in the system Friday.Im thrilled  Im really encouraged by whats happening, Schiff said in a telephone interview Friday. It was all the more apparent this week that we need the full buy-in by the state of California, and now we have some very influential lawmakers who are making earthquake preparedness and the early warning system one of their real priorities. I think we're really gaining traction now, and it's great news for California.The U.S. Geological Surveys earthquake early warning system was given the spotlight Tuesday at a summit held by the White Houses Office of Science and Technology Policy. The summit gave high-profile backing to the early warning system, and speakers urged policymakers to find a way for the system to be completed.The prototype early warning system has already shown promising results in its test phase  giving 30 seconds of warning to downtown L.A. before the ground shook from a magnitude-4.4 earthquake centered in Banning last month. In 2014, the system handed researchers in San Francisco eight seconds of notice before the shaking arrived from a magnitude-6.0 earthquake that began in Napa.But the system doesnt yet have enough seismic sensor stations  1,000 more need to be built or upgraded across the West Coast, added to the existing network of 650 facilities, which have been largely focused on the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.The blind spots are important to fill. A lack of sensors in the northern reaches of California means that San Francisco could receive delayed warnings if an earthquake started near Cape Mendocino and barreled south to the Bay Area.Other countries have developed earthquake early warning systems after devastating quakes killed thousands of people. Mexico City has had a system since 1991, built after a 1985 earthquake killed at least 9,500 people.Japan built a nationwide early warning system after 1995 Kobe earthquake killed more than 5,000 people. When the magnitude 9 earthquake hit east of Japan in 2011, many people in Tokyo, 200 miles away from the epicenter, had 30 seconds of warning that the shaking was coming.The warnings would allow elevators to automatically open at the next floor before shaking arrives, tell surgeons to halt surgery, and slow down trains to decrease the risk of derailment. In Japan, one factory has figured out a way to secure noxious chemicals between the time a quake warning is issued and when the actual shaking arrives.The early warning system works on a simple principle: The shaking from an earthquake travels at about the speed of sound through rock  slower than the speed of today's telecommunications systems. That means it would take more than a minute for, say, a 7.8 earthquake that starts at the Salton Sea to shake up Los Angeles 150 miles away.The two senators, Hill and Hertzberg, and Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, said they want to repeal a current state law that prohibits the use of state general fund dollars to fund an earthquake early warning system. Theyre also proposing $23 million to install earthquake sensor stations and upgrade telecommunications networks to get the system up and running in this state. The proposal, however, does not address ongoing operational costs.We will have conversations with project stakeholders about how to maintain the systems operability and long-term financing, Hill and Gray said in a statement.They added that the state legislative analyst recently predicted that California will end the next budget year with a reserve of $11.5 billion.We should use a small fraction of that money to make a smart, one-time investment in a system that can improve public safety and save lives, the lawmakers said. We share Gov. Browns commitment to fiscal restraint. However, to not invest a small fraction of the overall state budget to implement the earthquake early warning system would be fiscally irresponsible.Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, D-Sherman Oaks, said he wanted secure funding to both build the early warning system and operate it through the budget process.During budget negotiations, Nazarian also planned to re-introduce the idea that the state should give owners a tax credit for earthquake retrofits; for instance, for every $100 spent on a qualified retrofit, a taxpayer would receive a $30 break on income or corporate taxes over a period of five years after the retrofit is completed.Nazarian introduced the idea as a bill in the last legislative session; it passed the Legislature and was vetoed by Brown.Every second matters in an earthquake, Nazarian said in a statement. Lets get this done.
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News / National

by Leonard Ncube

A RAPIST from Binga who could not give his correct age in court has a dentist to thank for a lighter sentence after the specialist determined that he could be a minor.Artwell Munsaka had claimed that he was 16 years old when he was arrested for allegedly raping a neighbour's six-year-old daughter but prosecutors doubted his given age as he looked much older to them.Munsaka did not have a birth certificate or any identification particulars.Hwange regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga referred Munsaka to a dentist to determine his age and the specialist said he was between 17 and 19 years old.Munsaka of Mupande Village under Chief Sinampande was then sentenced to a wholly suspended two year-jail term.He will also receive three strokes with a rattan cane to be administered by a Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services officer.The magistrate said the court used its discretion to sentence Munsaka as a juvenile because a specialist had placed his age on the boundary of being an adult and a minor."The accused had said he is aged 16 and the dentist said he is between 17 and 19 years old. The court exercised its discretion and treated you as a juvenile," said Malunga.Munsaka had pleaded guilty to rape.The court was told how he pounced on the girl, who was playing a game of hide and seek with her friends in the evening on September 21 last year.The girl was doing Grade Zero at Sinampande Primary School at the time."The complainant was playing hide and seek with her friends at about 7PM near a neighbour's homestead. When she went to hide, the accused followed her whereupon he lifted her up and laid her behind a bush facing upwards. He then raped her once," said the prosecutor Tawanda Sigauke.The complainant reported the rape to her grandmother who then accompanied her to the police the following morning leading to Munsaka's arrest.
Gold miner Randgold Resources vowed to continue the hunt for the next big discovery after turning in better-than-expected results for the year.

Unlike its rivals in the mining sector, which have been battered by falling commodity prices, Randgold was continuing to invest in exploration, said Mark Bristow, chief executive.

While everyone else is stopping exploration, were committed: we employ 75 geologists and we keep them busy, he said.

Were making significant progress in the hunt for the next big discovery and the pleasing thing is well be able to afford to build it, he added, pointing to the companys debt-free balance sheet.

Randgold, which operates in central and West Africa, beat analyst expectations to report pre-tax profits of $260m for the year to December 31. However, this was significantly lower than the $353m it made last year.

Turnover of $1bn was also marginally ahead of forecasts, despite being 7pc lower than the year before.

Gold prices fell 9pc during the year, although this was partially offset by a 6pc rise in production to a record 1.21 million ounces, at an average cost of $679 an ounce.

Randgold has been helped by the relative strength of gold, which despite falling in 2015 has held up reasonably well compared to other metals. It has risen in value since the start of the year on the back of turmoil in the stock markets and the weakening of the US dollar, and is trading at around $1,165 an ounce.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Some villager in the drought stricken areas of Zimbabwe are reported to be selling their starving cattle at between $20 and 30 in an effort to beast the drought risk of losing them through death.This emerged during the seating seating last week when one senator A Sibanda questioned Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa over what the government was doing to take care of the remaining beasts."We are seeing at home beasts are dying and people are selling their beasts for $20 or $30, what steps are being taken by the government to take care of the remaining beasts? What action is the government prepared to take so as to avoid the death of all these beasts?" Sibanda asked.Mnangagwa said what Sibanda asked refers to livestock that are dying due to lack of pastures and water."We have been informed that this is happening in most rural areas especially in Matebeleland South, Midland in the south, Masvingo and a few areas in Chipinge. We even have the number of livestock lost as a result of this. We have quite a number of measures in place such that if the Minister of agriculture had been available he would have done justice in enlightening the House on the measures," Mnangagwa responded."You asked that question as a Government we are not idle to the situation we are assisting. There is a measure that has been taken to inform people that if their livestock have been affected by the said issues, they can come and report in order to get assistance. We take some of the cattle so that in future if the situation improves they can be given other cattle as these will have been used. With some of the livestock we can give them stock feed for them to survive in these areas."He said this is being done by the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Cold Storage Commission to ensure that we do not lose a lot of livestock."In other areas we safeguard the female livestock and ensure that these are fed whilst slaughtering the male. It is a pertinent measure ensuring that we can grow our national herd when the situation improves. It is an issue that is under debate in Cabinet," he said.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

About 5000 Midlands State University students who were moved from Gweru camps to Zvishavane are reportedly facing serious accommodation crisis as they are said to be using Shabane Mine offices.This emerged in senate last week when senate Lilian Timveos asked Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the issue." My question today is directed to the Vice President, Mnangagwa. I am happy that his rural home is also in Zvishavane. My question has to do with the policy that you used to move over 5 000 students from MSU to Zvishavane where there is no infrastructure and classes. I understand that they are using Shabanie Mine offices, they are failing to acquire accommodation, and they are always on the streets," she said. "When you were considering this policy, how were you hoping to address the situation because the infrastructure is not available and the students are requesting for accommodation at my place. So, how are we going to address this? I am seeking for your guidance as you are the Vice President of the country."Mnangagwa said "I have heard the question that you had 200 pupils who came looking for accommodation. That is not the only challenge, even where they came from, MSU in Gweru, there are such challenges but we did not close the university because of that. Currently, other universities are following what MSU has done because waiting for the university to build infrastructure for the pupils will take years."He said as a government, they agreed that each university and its council, if it can get companies to construct hospitals, a portion of the money paid for school fees can be used to pay the contractors. He said it is not the government that said students should go and learn in Zvishavane, it was the University."I think it is better for children to face challenges whilst being educated than for them to stay home. Although challenges are there but students are being empowered in terms of education whilst the challenges you have highlighted are being addressed. Like what you are saying that you had 200 pupils who came to you looking for accommodation; yes these are challenges we face. So, we should work as a united force and address these issues," he said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

HERALD columnist, Nathaniel Manheru, strongly believed to be President Robert Mugabe's aide, George Charamba, has warned of a looming Zanu-PF split, if the shadowy Generation 40 (G40) faction is left unchecked."The idea is to have successive breakaways that would leave Zanu-PF anaemic and softened for defeat. Expect more exfoliation," Manheru wrote in his weekly column published on Saturday.The ruling party is currently engaged in nasty internecine factional fights centred on Mugabe's succession.In his article, Manheru rechristened the G40 as G-Wikileaks, saying members of the group, like ousted Vice-President Joice Mujuru, would soon meet their end because of their alleged links with the US."The splintered MDC-T is being slowly re-soldered by the Americans, with the strategy being to exaggerate intra-oppositional differences in the hope of engineering a surprise for Zanu-PF, but unlike in 2008, the two shards out for Zanu-PF, then playing out as Mavambo and then Zapu, will have to happen now in order to reunite before 2018," he wrote."Mujuru's-PF is now in place, virtually. A Zapu-like follow-up tear-away will soon pass in the form of G-Wikileaks, not G40, as the group prefers to call itself."Manheru said the fall of Mujuru was mainly because of the unforgiven sins of consorting with Americans, which was exposed following the leaking of diplomatic cables between US and Zimbabwe by Wikileaks, a whistle-blowing organisation.The shadowy columnist, also accused the opposition MDC-T of fueling the recent demolition of houses along Airport Road in Harare, a move he said was aimed at tarnishing the Zanu-PF government's image."The urban housing demolitions are in full swing albeit under an MDC-T council. When this is couched as a human rights story, it is the Zanu-PF government, not MDC-T council, which gets convicted. Even the cholera story is back with a resonance familiar to the 2008 scenario," Manheru wrote.But, MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu yesterday dismissed the claims as "a pack of lies" and reminded Charamba that the demolitions were ordered by his principal.
News / National

by Staff reporter

OPPOSITION parties have warned former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's People First (PF) movement to avoid the "big brother/sister mentality" in its engagements with other players or risk scuttling grand coalition initiatives already underway ahead of the 2018 elections.The warnings came after-PF interim spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo last week insinuated that Mujuru was the automatic leader of the proposed coalition movement.Gumbo yesterday said he stood by his words and challenged other opposition parties to field their own candidates."Yes, as-PF, our candidate is Mujuru. Those who do not want her should bring forward their own alternative. We cannot go into negotiations without our own candidate," he said."At the moment, we have not registered the party, but they know we have the people. As soon as we finish building our own structures, we will facilitate more negotiations for a coalition, but our leader as-PF is Amai Mujuru."MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu cheekly asked: "What is-PF, we only read about them in newspapers?"People's Democratic Party Harare spokesperson, Nqobizitha Khumalo said Gumbo's remarks smacked of arrogance and were in bad taste."The big brother/sister mentality has no place in coalition talks. We sit at the table as equal partners and come out with a common binding position to all parties. Any reconciliation of two parties must be based on a mutual abandonment of past positions, attitudes and practices," he said."It begins to remind us of that infamous statement by generals before the 2002 presidential elections who declared that 'the Office of President was a strait jacket and only those with liberation war credentials can fill it'."We wonder if that kind of thinking has rubbed off on our colleagues and is the same criteria used on Mujuru, herself a decorated liberation war hero.""We respect Mujuru and recognise her indelible record in the struggle to free this country, which Zanu-PF now wants to rubbish."Khumalo said: "We welcome her in the camp of those who have seen the light and are determined to join hands with all who wish to see change in the fortunes of this country. It will be a sad scenario if her good name is soiled by one misguided and overzealous individual, even if he happens to be her party's official spokesperson.Khumalo said Mujuru had her strengths, but that did not make her more special than others."Mujuru has her merits, but, so do the rest. Everyone has their bragging rights . . . and the utterances by Gumbo can only serve to harden attitudes and entrench positions," he said."They are also very frightening. They strengthen the hand of those people in other parties who have doubts about the coalition.MDC spokesperson, Kurauone Chihwayi said: The MDC cannot comment or follow the dreams and wishes of Gumbo, a Vashandi Group spokesperson. She (Mujuru) will be a natural leader in her party because we are not intending to work with her. We can only work with like-minded forces, who share similar values and principles with us. (MDC president Welshman) Ncube did not meet Mujuru and has no intention to meet those people. The MDC remains committed to an inclusive political project with other pro-democracy forces. We cannot share and compare notes with such loose groups that share the same values and principles with Zanu-PF."
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Senator Chief Nebire has complained before Vice President Emmerson Mnagagwa in the senate that the Grain Marketing Board was selling a bucket of maize to villagers at $11,25 contrary to the price which is charged by some local independent sellers of the staple food.He asked the VP of the correct price of the product saying villagers were in a serious fix over the GMB price."My question is directed to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Services but in her absence, I am directing my question to the Vice President, Hon. Mnangagwa. We have maize from GMB that came to the rural areas. In my area, the grain is there but when it came, people went to get assistance," Nebire said. "The price is $11.25 a bucket. I need to be enlightened on whether that is the price countrywide. From other sellers, we buy maize at $5 per bucket. The grain is there and no one is buying it. So, I want to be enlightened as to whether that is the national price for the grain."Mnangagwa said those who are experiencing hunger are in two phases which are those who are disadvantaged and are being assisted by the department of Social Welfare."These have already been noted by the Social Welfare and those who need to purchase their own grain. What you have asked is the price of maize. What I advise is that you put your question in writing and address it to the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development,"Mnangagwa said. "They will enlighten you on the price. For me it would be difficult because I am not aware of the price of a bucket of maize. What I know is grain is in two phases. What I know is, some grain comes to the various communities and is given as aid. That is, mostly to vulnerable groups such as child headed families and the elderly. Some have to buy but for me to know how much a bucket costs, I would not know. So, if you put your question in writing, Hon. Made will be able to address that."
Rob Crilly Republicans: Trump, Kasich Donald Trump has had an impressive lead throughout this race in New Hampshire, but he has seen it dip in recent days while John Kasich surges in part because of Marco Rubio's misfortune. I'm having a cheeky side bet on the Ohio governor snatching it although Mr Trump remains favourite Democrats: Sanders, Clinton This is the second state that heavily favours Bernie Sanders (predominantly white, retail politics, neighbouring his home state) so anything other than a Yuge win should be considered disappointing. From here on in, things will get much, much tougher for Mr Sanders. Nick Allen Republicans: Trump, Kasich It won't be a "huge" win for Trump but he's so far ahead in polls it's hard to see him coming in anything but first. He'll spin it as a great victory but doubters will take from it that he is never going to reach his poll numbers in an actual vote. Kasich's hard work in New Hampshire should edge him ahead of the rest. Democrats: Sanders, Clinton Bernie Sanders will win, but again not by as much as the polls have suggested. Hillary Clinton will be able to take heart from the fact that she's made up some ground. Barney Henderson Republicans: Trump, Bush The polls all seem to suggest that Trump has got New Hampshire in the bag, but with so many undecided voters, I think it will be closer than many think. The really interesting thing will be who finishes second. Bush seems to finally found a bit of momentum and zest here, so, partly just to be different, I'll go for him. Democrats: Sanders, Clinton The Clinton campaign is clearly a bit rattled and a big win for Sanders in New Hampshire will really give them cause for concern. As with the GOP, I think it will be closer than the polls have suggested, but New Hampshire will definitely Feel the Bern tonight. David Lawler Republicans: Trump, Kasich Donald Trump will secure a comfortable victory, though he won't manage the 32% he's averaging in the polls (26% sounds about right). John Kasich will emerge from the scrum behind Mr Trump, narrowly edging Ted Cruz, for whom third is a strong result. Marco Rubio will slip out of the top three. Democrats: Sanders, Clinton Bernie Sanders will beat Hillary Clinton, and it won't be close. After spending a week in New Hampshire, it feels as though the state is chock full of Sanders voters. Purely anecdotal, but I think Bernie has it in the bag. David Millward Republicans: Kasich, Trump Kasich to run Trump very close in NH. Polls suggest he is gaining traction and he has spent an awful lot of time up here over the last few months. This is not evangelical Christian territory so the bible thumpers are not going to be in for a good night. Kasich has had a lot of newspaper endorsements from the NH press and indeed the New York Times. Democrats: Sanders, Clinton As for the Democrats, Sanders. Everything shows that NH is going to feel the Bern. Ruth Sherlock Republicans: Trump, Rubio Donald Trump has been the certified frontrunner in New Hampshire, almost since this election began. He will likely win tonight, though after his Iowa defeat it may not be by as big a margin as the polls predict. Rubio took a beating at the last debate, causing a slight downward trend in the polls, but on the ground here in New Hampshire his crowds are getting bigger. The campaign had to move two recent rallies to bigger venues as so many people wanted to attend. Democrats: Sanders, Clinton New Hampshire is gripped by Bernie fever. The septuagenarian senator has gained the status of a movie star. He will likely win but, as with Trump, the question is by how much. Hillary's campaign has accepted they will likely lose but they have spent these weeks trying to mitigate the damage. A huge victory for Bernie would be a humiliation for Hillary.
Not every nation can be a France or a Spain - but which countries see the fewest visitors?

Europe - Liechtenstein (57,000)

Europe's second least visited country, with 57,000 arrivals in 2015, the most recent year for which extensive figures are available, is Liechtenstein. That's a fall of 7.5 per cent on 2014. So what are we all missing? This German-speaking sliver between Austria and Switzerland has astounding mountain scenery, apt for hiking, mountain biking and winter sports, and Vaduz Castle, a 12th century fortress. The eponymous capital has a fine contemporary art gallery - and a postal museum.

Can I visit? Yes. See liechtenstein.li
News / National

by Staff Reporter

War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa has turned his guns on Zanu-PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere saying he has no history in the party.Mutsvangwa said Kasukuwere's parents connived with white settlers to ill-treat fellow Zimbabweans, the Herald reported.He also further challenged Professor Jonathan Moyo to contest his claims that he was Ndabaningi Sithole's illegitimate child, who was seeking revenge for his father who was rejected by the revolutionary party after forging an alliance with the Smith regime at the height of the war of liberation.Mutsvangwa said he also had empirical evidence that Prof Moyo was recruited by western imperialists who were pushing the regime change in Zimbabwe.He said Prof Moyo was a traitor just like his 'father' claiming that the former Zanu Ndonga leader had facilitated his mentorship in politics by David Todyana so that he could be attested into the army and become a commander.Mutsvangwa called for Prof Moyo's expulsion from Zanu-PF because he had become irrelevant and lacked discipline."There are people in the party who have no history and are opportunists who hate the President, the party and the security establishment. Manje mirai muone. Tinoda kupedzerana. Professor Jonathan Moyo thinks he is unique and his professorship is special, as if there are no other professors in this country who are more brilliant than him."He was sent to Tanzania by Sithole after being promised the commandership. This is well documented," he said. Said Mutsvangwa: "There are only two people who fled Mgagao, a mentally challenged person and him. This means their thinking was alike.Jonathan was given a scholarship to go and learn in the United States of America. On his way, he stole radios from his stepmother Vesta Sithole. "He is friends with Robert Rodberg, who was a strong critic of President Mugabe who was brought to Harvard School of Governance from Ford Foundation to recruit black people to support imperialists. Jonathan Moyo has always been anti-Government, anti-Zanu-PF and does not like President Mugabe."This is evident through his writings in the pink paper. Ane daka rake redzinza. He wants to take revenge for Ndabaningi Sithole. Ndakamuti kana uchiramba enda unoita DNA test. He has a petty parochial agenda residing in him. He wants to reinstate his father's kingdom. Prof Moyo is inherently and impulsively destructive. He has no place in Zanu-PF. His role is finished."
Arturo Murillo swindled the Bolivian state in 2019, when the U.S.-backed regime was trying to repress workers, farmers, and students. | Read More
News / National

by Thobekile Zhou

Higher and Tertiary Education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has today castigated private radio station ZiFM for abruptly deciding not to air an interview with him.The station twitted that it won't be possible to air the interview on STEM.It said "We regret to advise that the interview on STEM with @ProfJNMoyo advertised for 19:30hrs today has been postponed due to clash of schedules".That attracted backlash by Moyo.On Sunday Moyo said Charamba last telephoned the acting CEO at ZBC just before News Hour at night and directed him to pull off STEM ads on ZBC television and ZBC radio stations.Below are Moyo's comments.1/9: @ZiFMStereo plz have the decency of at least trying to sound professional in your handling of a clearly difficult political situation!2/9: Truth is you 'postponed' the STEM program tonight under pressure from a successionist who feared the program would stray into politics!3/9: As @ZiFMStereo you aware that the program was on STEM & that it was initially scheduled for last week but was delayed as I had exams!4/9: Even as @ZiFMStereo knew the program was on STEM you were forced to conclude there was an elephant in the studio that you can't handle!5/9: You then decided to "postpone" the program falsely citing a clash of schedules while knowing that this is not the true reason at all!6/9: It would have been true & professional for @ZiFMStereo to say it is unable to broadcast the program due to reasons beyond its control!7/9: What is unprofessional & unacceptable is @ZiFMStereo broadcast a defamatory interview with Charamba without giving me a right of reply!8/9: When I was Minister of Information in 2015 I reprimanded @ZiFMStereo for suspending a presenter on account of a Midlands politician!9/9: It's a pity @ZiFMStereo didn't learn anything professional or useful from that ugly incident. I feel for your audiences & advertisers!
Mudragada calls off fast

Hyderabad, Feb 8 (INN): Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham called off his four-day fast following an assurance by the Andhra Pradesh Government that his demands would be fulfilled.



The decision to call off the fast was taken after Labour Minister K. Achan Naidu, AP TDP president K Kala Venkat Rao, legislators B Bhaskara Rama Rao and Thota Trimurthulu held discussion with him while partially accepting his demands. The discussions were held for nearly one-and-a-half hour.



The AP Government has agreed to count the nine-month deadline given to Manjunatha Commission on Kapu reservations from the date of Cabinet decision. This would effectively bring down the period from nine to less than seven months. The State Government has also decided to allocate Rs 500 crore for the Kapu welfare. All the applications received by the Kapu Development Corporation would be considered positively. It has also agreed to allocate Rs 1000 crore in the coming annual budget.



The government would conduct a deep probe into the Tuni violence and would book cases only after the probe. Innocent persons would not be victimised.



Mudragada's proposal to include a person suggested by him in the BC Welfare Corporation would also be considered.









News Posted: 8 February, 2016








Shabbir Ali forgives youth who attacked him

Hyderabad, Feb 8 (INN): Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has advised TRS Government to seriously implement all the promises that it made with the people during GHMC elections.



Speaking to media persons in Assembly premises on Monday, Shabbir Ali congratulated the TRS for its historic victory and said in a democracy everyone has to accept and respect the people's verdict. He said people have given their verdict in favour of TRS apparently with the hope that it would fulfil all the promises. Referring to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's advise that opposition parties should play a constructive role, Shabbir Ali said that the Congress party has been trying to advise the TRS Government on various key issues like drought and farmers suicides. However, he said that the TRS Government appeared in no mood to listen to those advises. He said that the Congress leaders would continue the policy of constructive criticism to protect the interest of common people.



Shabbir Ali said that the promise of 2BHK houses attracted the voters during GHMC elections. Therefore, he said that the State Government should ensure construction of 1 lakh units of 2BHK houses in the city during the next one year, as promised by the Chief Minister. He said although the Congress party would wait and see the progress on this promise, it doubts on its fulfilment. State Government had spent only Rs. 427 crore out of Rs. 1041 crore allocated for housing in budget 2015-16. At an average unit cost of Rs. 7.20 lakh, State Government would need Rs. 7,200 crore to construct one lakh houses in the city. Further, another Rs. 5,300 crore would be needed for the construction 1 lakh houses in rural areas. He doubted whether the government would allocate and release Rs. 12,500 crore on 2BHK houses in next budget. He said that the government should also implement other promises like drinking water, uninterrupted power supply, etc.,



When asked for reaction on Congress party's dismal performance in GHMC elections, he said there was not enough time for the opposition parties to select proper candidates and run campaign. List of reserved seats and election notification were issued on the same day while neglecting the practice of giving at least one week gap. The TRS, which was aware of seats in reserved category, launched its campaign about three months ago and spent crores of rupees on hoardings and other publicity. However, the Congress party was reviewing the reasons that led to defeat and required steps would be taken to rectify the lapses after Narayankhed by-elections.



Reacting on allegations of EVM tampering, he said that the Election Commission and State Government should clarify the doubts with regard to reports of tampering by involving experts, contested candidates and other stake holders.



Shabbir Ali announced that he had personally forgiven the youth who attacked him on the Election Day at Mir Chowk Police Station. "I always wanted Muslim youth to get higher education and grow up in their careers since I became minister for the first time in 1989. I was instrumental in getting 4% reservation for Muslims and the policy so far benefitted more than 10 lakh poor Muslim youth. I don't want to spoil the career of an innocent youth by sending him to jail or by making him a criminal. Islam does not preach revenge. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) had always forgiven his enemies and others who hurt him. As a true Muslim, I follow the teachings of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and therefore, forgive the youth who attacked me. I don't want youth to get indulged in crime. It is MIM which provokes youth to violence," he said.









News Posted: 8 February, 2016